S&W and Quasqueton

Here is a session report from the Tuesday Night Group. We returned to the Swords and Wizardry game that went on hiatus a few months back.

We have been delving into Quasqueton from B1 - In Search Of the Unknown (No, not the city in Iowa).

In our last adventure, we were hired by the heating guild of Senzar, a large city we were planning on wintering in. Apparently, they were having trouble with the steam duct network under the city. Upon investigation, we found the place riddled with kobolds and giant rats. After a harrowing adventure where, Mordecai, the hobbit thief, sacrificed himself for the good of the city, we stopped the steam plant from blowing itself and a good chuck of the nice part of town to bits.

We ended up leaving town, because there were some rat plague issues, caused when the steam tunnels were flooded during our expedition. We traveled in the caravan of merchant Septimus and his family (his wife and his lovely 20 year old daughter, Zoandrea, whom was going to Zhakar to be married to a local chieftain) as they left to winter in their home city of Zhakar.

This session was mostly wintering over with three months of city catch-up. Tarmac the Glib, my 1st level fighter, popped up to 2nd level with the e.p. and cash from the Steam Tunnel Affair. After flirting with Zoandrea on the trip, Tarmac began a torrid affair with her before she was wed in Zhakar, which continued after the wedding night. He also started tutoring young warriors in swordplay (business investment). Apparently, he knows some moves or styles that are in demand. He also caroused with Zoandrea all over the city (yeah, that's what the kids are calling it these days). Apparently, he knows some moves or styles that Zoandrea liked as well. Over three months, they were never discovered by her husband, and she did not get pregnant. And, man, the places they went. Tarmac accumulated enough carousing experience to go up to third level.

Hyacinth the elvish magic user started a successful pastry cart business, because he was nearly broke (he spent his well-gotten gains on previous carousing). Tarmac fronted him the start-up money for a 30% cut of the profits. His pastries were great, and he had a solid retailer in Uma, his hireling that he had accidentally metamorphosed into a cow-human hybrid with his potion experiments last year, along with several other villagers in his home village. Uma manned the cart, and was an udder success. The elf also researched his vitae deum addiction, discovering that being devoted to a deity might help with the cravings and the monthly loss of ability scores. So he came to Tarmac, who told him about the joys of being a worshiper of Geoff, the God of Biscuits. Hyacinth devoted himself the Geoff and began Tarmac's devotional, which is to eat a biscuit or pastry every day. Tarmac usually goes to Uma to get his buns. Hycinth found that the biscuit helped with the cravings. He also found a baker to take over making pastries. Hyacinth managed to buy a copy of Mixology and the Dark Sorcerer, a theoretical book on potions that he need for his research, by raven airmail-order. He spent the last two months researching the antidote to his animal hybrid potion. He tested his antidote on Ludwig, my man-at-arms hireling, who had been transformed into a frogman. It was successful, and he decided to stay in the city and take up his painting again. Hyacinth gained the knowledge to make the animal hybrid potion have a temporary effect. Uma was left with the antidote. She was thoughtful about returning to normal, but knows that some of the pastry business's success is because of his unusual nature.

George the Cleric spent most of his time working the street as a preacher, which garnered him some donations. We also acquired Mordecai's tougher brother as a party member. He had a thriving protection racket for the three months.

So, with a new wagon and horses, we returned to White Oak, the village near Quasqueton that is our base of operations into the stronghold without Ludwig and Uma. Uma's brother, transformed into a bull-man, was suspicious of us, until he learned of the antidote. He tried it and then told the rest of the guinea pigs of its existence. We were welcomed back, which was not the case the last time we came north. We picked up Pol, our guide in the area, and headed up to the keep.

When we got near, while we were camping at night, we noticed that the hill the fortress is built into was glowing with blue light. Something we have done inside was infiltrating the whole chunk of rock with vitae deum. This looks like it may be the last time we visit this ruin.