Last Sunday we had another session of my Lands of Cantona campaign with my son and nephews as players (wife couldn't play this time), set in Greyhawk and using the Labyrinth Lord rules.
After the happenings at the "Red Rapier" tavern the day before, the group went back the next day to the place to try find more clues about the Syndicate and a bandit named Rollo, that was involved in the ambush they suffered on their way to Cantona. To their dismay they found the place closed with nobody answering their calls. Ragnar, the elf fighter, asked a couple of beggars if they knew about another Syndicate hideout or someone named Rollo. At first they denied, but after some silver coins they recalled someone with that name saying he was going West. When Larry, the human fighter, showed some gold coins pushing for more information, more beggars appeared surrounding the trio and asking for coins. Seeing this, Tak, the human cleric of Trithereon, tossed away some silver coins and the beggars went after them, leaving them alone. Late that day Ragnar noticed he was missing a dagger.
With not more clues to follow in Cantona they decided to go back West to the village of Baz, where they suspected of Arim, the moneychanger being the one responsible for the attack on them, even though the message they found on the ambush leader was signed by "D". Anyway, after 3 days of travel without incidents they arrived at Baz at late afternoon. Both the trading post and moneychanger were closed so they went directly to the "Dice and Raven Inn" to get a meal and a room. Ragnar bought drinks for all the patrons, about a dozen of them, and asked for someone to tell a story. A man told them about the disappearance of Arn, a local forester, and his family, wife and two kids.
The next day they decided do go back to the Castle of the Mad Archmage ruins. They explored the NW part of the courtyard where several former stables were near one of the towers. Larry explored the tower navigating the unstable wooden stairs up. His luck ran out when he reached the second level and the floorboards gave in. He plummeted down but miraculously managed to grab a beam at the last moment and only end with a twisted ankle when he lowered himself to the ground. There was also a spiral staircase going down but they didn't explore it. In one of the stables they found the standing skeleton of a horse, that fell when touched. In another strange noises sounded when they entered but there was no one there. They searched the area inside out, with Cesar casting Detect Magic but nothing showed. At last Tak suggested it could be something of spiritual nature, so they built an ouija board with wood, horse bones and an oil Larry had, distilled from some silvery fungus he found in an abandoned tower (check the first session here). The message they received was that there has been a murder there.
After that they investigated a patch of very tall grass, not like the rest of the courtyard that was sparse soil. Ragnar ran into it and was tripped by the grass, hit his head hard into the ground and fell unconcious. Larry treaded carefully cutting the grass and freeing Ragnar. Then they turned their atention to the NE part of the upper ruins where two doors could be seen from the courtyard, a great ironwood door and a lesser oaken one. They chose the latter that, to their surprise, was opened by the spirit of a doorman that bowed to their entrance. The group tried to talk to him but it was unresponsive, so they tried the ouija board which was a total success. they explored the place finding an old armory with a few rusty weapons, a room with a flight of stairs down (which they didn't explore), a hall with long tables and benches (Ragnar was attacked by a giant tick here, but he killed with one blow), a narrow hall with arrowslits and a hall (where the great ironwood door led into) decoreated with old tattered banners.
They continued exploring to the South through a thick oaken door that could be barred from their side. It led to a short corridor that ended in a similar door that was shut. They proceeded to hack it with an axe making a lot of noise. When they finally opened it a group of bandits was waiting for them! They tried to parley but they reconized the elf and the druid and attacked them. The fght ended with the bandits dead and the group somewhat wounded.
The session ended with the sounds of more bandits approaching...
