Chapter 3.2 - Return to the Golden Grain Inn

Round Three
(this is preceded by round two)

"That hurt, you bloody serpent sucker!" Lyrel batters Lhari's mace aside, then sinks the blade into the man's chest.
Lhari takes 10 piercing damage and dies kicking on her sword.

Hamiff, in the dark around the bend, doesn't know Lhari's fate, but he makes a snap decision whether to stay in the face of horrifying magic or to run for safety. His training is to leave none of his companions behind; he moves forward, feeling his way in the darkness until he can see to attack Theran again. But Aanbo, watching him carefully in the dark, takes careful aim and swings, catching Hamiff in the back of the head as he leaves.
Hamiff takes 15 bludgeoning damage.
Hamiff's bolt whizzes past Theran; Hamiff drops the crossbow and draws his mace, grimly ready to enact revenge on Lhari's murderers.

Hamiff is unsteady on his feet after Aanbo's heavy blow. Chase draws a white-fletched arrow, nocks, pulls, aims, and releases all in one motion. The arrow punches into Hamiff's chest, and then the arrow explodes, igniting the man's body and clothing.
Hamiff takes 11 damage and dies on fire.

Myrtha follows the light of the fire to find the fight over.

Each PC gained 25 XP for defeating these cultists.

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24 - Lyrel (3/9)
17 - Hamiff Dead
17 - Lhari Dead
16 - Theran (5/18) Shillelagh
15 - Arya (8/10) Light
14 - Chase (14/14)
9 - Ember (9/9)
8 - Aanbo (19/27)
8 - Myrtha (17/18)
8 - Morton (9/9)

Round three, completed

Hamiff is unsteady on his feet after Aanbo's heavy blow. Chase draws a white-fletched arrow, nocks, pulls, aims, and releases all in one motion. The arrow punches into Hamiff's chest, and then the arrow explodes, igniting the man's body and clothing.
Hamiff takes 11 damage and dies on fire.

Myrtha follows the light of the fire to find the fight over.

Each PC gains 25 experience points (XP) for defeating these cultists again.

Aanbo and Myrtha move to the exit, with Arya following to provide light for the fighting woman. They move past the dead body that Aanbo vaulted during the fight and proceed to the door. The door is closed, but not barred. Opening it, they find no one in the secret basement room, though there is a lit torch stuck in a sconce over by the secret door in the west wall. There is large empty sack by the door with leather straps sewn onto it. It's the sort of thing that two people might use to carry lumber, light timber, or any other load that is long and unwieldy. There is a heavy crossbow sitting on the table.

Chase and Lyrel search around under the cloaks that Hamiff and Lhari wore. They find that Hamiff had 8 more bolts in a quiver for his heavy crossbow in addition to a mace still slung from his belt. In addition to his mace and dying torch, Lhari carried a quiver of 10 crossbow bolts and a small sack of coins and other valuables.

Ember joins Chase, Lyrel, Morton, Lyrel, and Theran in that central room with the dead cultists. The torches won't last for much longer, but it will be longer if someone picks them up off the ground (both Chase and Lhari's torches are guttering out in the dirt).

Aanbo explores more of the secret basement room. Like the tunnel door, the secret door is closed but not latched. Without opening it, Aanbo listens carefully. There is no sound of activity in the basement on the other side, nor does the monk hear the footsteps of anyone in Bertram's room above him.