We started at breakfast at the Blue Water Inn. There was only one other patron who seemed to be watching us. Given our species makeup, you can’t really blame him. As Loki mixed some gunpowder, a finely dressed young man entered. He was the local accountant who helps many of the local merchants keep on top of their tax responsibilities. He offered his services to us however since no one ever pays us to all these good deeds we do, accounting for our profits has not been an issue. We asked him a few questions about the local merchants but nothing much came of it. We all agreed that returning the Saint bones to the church and restoring its protections was top on our list. However, Zolton wanted to visit the armorer next door first. He commissioned a shield/book and a chain shirt that opened like a vest so that it might not look so much like armor. We were all confused by his descriptions. Basically, he wants to look like an unarmed Wizard but still have the AC afforded a dexy Cleric. He had the half-up front money but will have to borrow to finish the work. Ambrus went to the local leatherworker to commission a holster for his Immovable Rod. (Insert 10 minutes of “rod” jokes here.) It wouldn’t be a problem. There were other shopping and miscellaneous city tasks to do but we managed to get back on track and head to the coffin maker.
He lived in the poor part of town. His house/shop was all boarded up and closed. After knocking, we were told to go away. After trying to convince him, Ambrus picked the lock with ease and we entered. Basically, Ezera used his holy stink eye to get him to confess. Some woman whose name I can’t recall hired him to get the bones. They were upstairs in his bedroom, awaiting pick up. However, she left several vampire spawn up there to guard them. He was scared out of his wits. Most believed him although Lord Q believes nothing. Zolton had started casting Detect Magic during the interrogation, hoping the bones were magical, and when we went upstairs, he could see magical wards on the doors. We attempted to avoid them by coming in through the windows but they were warded as well. We decided to use the carpentry tools to cut a hole in the ceiling. Unfortunately, the rattled coffin maker blew his spacial awareness roll and told us to cut in the wrong place in his own house. When the hole was big enough for Kharn to see several feet watching his progress, one of the spawn attacked, free grappled, and pulled him up the hole. He turned into a werewolf, managed to free himself (with an inspiration die) and jump back down. One came after followed by several others. They were tough. They got a claw with a free grapple and a bite with a free hit point drain. That drain not only reduced your max hit points (and thus your current hit points) but healed them as well. It was looking very dire. We faced one spawn in Barovia in the church 1 level ago and it was dicey. Now we’ve got 5?
A couple of rounds later, several of us were hurting and only one of them was damaged much at all. Despite some fun shield bashing from Ezra. It became clear this was yet another fight we couldn’t possibly win. Brian said as much however it was clear their intention was to grab the bones and run. And there wasn’t much we could do about it. Except for our invisible wild card, Ambrus. He had Misty Stepped up the hole on round one. He managed to follow the lead spawn and could see him about to jump out the window with a sack of bones. He delayed and used his invisible mage hand sleight of hand skill to swipe the bones as it jumped. A moment of glory that took advantage followed by 3 inspiration dice to get a roll above a 5. But he had the bones. Except that the spawn just Spider Climbed back up that same round. Two others surrounded him including one Zolton had turned downstairs. Ambrus managed to beat a grab with a nimble acrobatics roll and when his turn finally came, he Misty Stepped out the window and started running to the church.
We then transferred to another skill-based chase scene. Brian had set up 3 challenges from here to the church, each of which could be bested by one of 3 skill checks of 15 or 12. Along with the usual arguments about using powers instead. It was easy for some and not so easy for others but we all ended up at the church with two spawns on our heels. (By the way, we could hear the city folk panicking from the spawn running amok. 50 years, vampire-free and we show up and the next day, vampire attack. Sorry.) Combat restarted but again there was no real point to it. The head vampire lady (i.e. the devil herself) crashed through the ceiling, grabbed the priest, and demanded the bones. Her appearance ended the possibility of winning via combat and put us back to winning via plot. Ambrus ignored her, ran the bones into their camber thus restoring the protections. She killed the priest, tossed him aside, and fled. The 2 spawn in the church turned to dust and we won. Sort of. There are probably spawn still on the loose since the protections end at the church door. We also sort of left the coffin maker’s house on fire due to a Flaming Sphere. So, plenty to do. We think the hit point maximums will recover with a long rest, whenever we’ll get one of those. We made 5th. And destroyed the city.
