The Devilish Ant Pub (Recap from 4-21-23)

(Da’Leysen the 19th of Cuersaar) Twenty days after leaving Grimgolier to chase the Jaggenthots through Savilirwood, the group finds them selves investigating the Sedlakova Farmstead which appears abandon, and the horses, and ox starving from not being feed, the group went back in to town carrying a note from Svela’s Uncle to send a person to watch over the farm until he could find his kinfolk. The group went to “The Devilish Ant Pub” and talked to the Owner who also happened to be a Myriad sub-boss Jana Vorzakone. Who told the party that she was expecting a myriad courier who was overdue and might have been captured by the Ashelons. She also told them there were rumors of a secret escape tunnel the Ashelons put in to escape the keep if it should fall under siege they would be able to escape. The group went into town and delivered the letter to the watch masters office about sending someone to take care of the livestock on the farm until the Sedlakovas could be found.

Returning to “The Devilish Ant Pub”, the party parked their wagon by the back door of the abandoned house next door to the pub, and Mallik conducted a spy mission to find the “secret” escape tunnel, when he did it looked like a long unused stair filled with cobwebs, leading down to an adamantine metal gate with an intricate lock, Mallik tried to pick the lock but failed and resorted to a knock spell, going forward down the carpeted passage he was attacked by a rug of smothering, which failed in it’s attack Mallik misty stepped away and went to get the rest of the party.

Returning with the rest of the party, they tore through the rugs, and freed a prisoner, Albert Sládek Cobalt Soul Expositor, who was locked in the farthest cell, unconscious and beaten. He was released by the party, healed, and was sent to “The Devilish Ant Pub” to be sheltered by Jana. The party continued on exploring, they then freed the Sedlakova family who said their oldest daughter was taken someplace else maybe days ago? They were not sure of the passage of time. The party freed the Myriad operative and healed him. He too was unsure of the passage of time. The party continued on, confronted and killed the master torturer, but made a real mess of it. He screamed a warning bringing the second sergeant and a troop of eight guards running to attack. Once combat started these troops were pretty much whipped out very quickly. The Sergeant was knocked unconscious and tortured until he told the party what they wanted to hear. “He was VERY convincing,” and the freed myriad operative took his revenge, killing the sergeant who had tortured him for who knows how long. The group then found another Rug of smothering and searched the master torturer’s room finding keys to the cells and a secret door, leading to a room with 2 large chests. One was a minic that chomped on Mallik, paralyzing him briefly before the rest of the party killed it. The loot was:

Coins: 82 pp, 2420 gp, 8508 sp, 400 cp, 100 gp.
Gemstones: Gems ×9, worth 100 gp; worth 900 gp total): [Jade (translucent light green, deep green, or white), ×2, Amber (transparent watery gold to rich gold), Pearl (opaque lustrous white, yellow, or pink), ×4, Coral (opaque crimson), Spinel (transparent red, red-brown, or deep green)].
Magic Items: Spell Scroll (Cantrip), Green-Flame Blade, Bag of Holding.
Also a Key Ring with keys to the cells and manacles.

The heroes fought their way up through the tower and jumped the low stone wall surrounding the estate garden. The group then snuck into the house knocking the Steward of the house unconscious and freeing all the domestic slaves and helping them run out through the escape tunnel.

The group returned and while exploring the main house they found the following:

• Evidence of the Ashelons bribery to the court to get Icabod the Starosta position.
• Unfinished orders to eliminate the peasant girl Svela to the Cerberus Assembly
• A Spider brooch emblem House Baenre pointing to corroboration with the Children of Malice

The group then met up with everyone across the street in the abandoned house and talked about what they had found. The Expositor said they should go immediately to the Garrison commander and try to postpone the troops from marching on Grimgolir, and try to gain some time for diplomacy. Having touched the memory crystal and, experiencing Svelas memories of the assault, the garrison commander agreed to halt the deployment. The commander said “If that worm had done that to me! he would no longer be breathing.” The group then went back to “The Devilish Ant Pub” and saw a lot of commotion, the guards in the Ashelon yelling, running, and barking orders, after the bloody path the party left was discovered. The Expositor scribed the sigils from the Teleportation Circle at the Cobalt Reserve in Rexxuntrum, to hasten the parties' travel there. Elmo then transported the refugees they had rescued from the dungeon to the Hucksters clan Hall with a letter of instruction to care for them until the party gets back.

The party then bamphed (teleported) to Rexxentrum’s Cobalt Reserve which caused a moment of panic for the monks who were shocked by the unexpected arrival. The party estimates based on the info from the tortured sergeant, they are maybe two days ahead of the Ashelons who are on their way to Rexxentrum.



Kobold Mining Profits for the fourth week of the fifth month, the Kobolds mining efforts yielded a scant 2000 gp worth of Cut Topaz Gems, (Subtracting the mine expenses for two weeks is 512 gp, so each party member gets 248 gp once they get back to the Hucksters Lair in Hupperdook. (also 8 new eggs were laid in the lair)