Smash Loot & Roll: Recent Episodes
Gary O'Neilin
Adrok, Aries, Bowdin, Chip and Kelgrace have all reunited in the port of Neverwinter. Now they must decide which of their quarries they are going to search for, Uflass Burloch or Degault Neverwinter. Deciding to leverage their Harper contact, the quintet heads to the bakery to see what information may be available to them in their hunt.
Our adventures have been recruited by the group known as the Harpers to find and return to WaterDeep, Degault Neverwinter; and if possible Ulfass Borloch. In the grand wisdom of every adventuring partying, our adventures have decided to split the party. Adrok and Kelgrace will travel by griffon north to the city of Neverwinter, while Aries, Bowdin, and Chip travel north on the sailing ship, The Marionette.
After traveling in two separate groups back to WaterDeep, our adventurers spend the day at TrollSkull manor sharing what they have learned. More puzzle pieces come into view as our adventurers realize they maybe able to play one noble house against another to help them thwart Alexi's plan to resurrect her mother and her coven.
Our adventurers have split the party. Kelgrace and Adrok fly back to WaterDeep, while Chip and Bowdin walk back with their charges; Margrite Sunbright who was meant to be sacrificed in Alexia's ritual, Tommy a member of House Gralhund, and the captured werewolf bodyguard of Alexia.
Adrok and Kelgrace fly back to WaterDeep where Kelgrace meets with one her friends and gains some insight as to the intrigue between to noble families in the City. Adrok takes the time to build a sugar glider homunculus.
The two return to Trollskull Manor to wait for the rest of their group.
After capturing one of Alexis' werewolf bodyguards, our quartet of adventures must decide what to do. The rescued hostage informs them of others. Adrok, Bowdin, Chip and Kelgrace strike out to find the other hostages.
Kelgrace's lycanthropy curse has been revealed. Alexia appears to know how to control were creatures. Now our adventures must fight for their lives, the life of the prisoner and even Kelgrace.
Our quartet of adventurers awake in Alexia's magical mansion. They, especially Kyle, enjoy a nice breakfast before the morning is interrupted by the arrival of one of Alexia's hirelings and a prisoner.
Adrok, Bowdin, Chip and Kelgrace arrive at the ritual site and find a magical free standing door. Alexia steps out and invites our adventurers to join her for the night. The quartet take the opportunity see what secrets they can uncover.
Adrok, Bowdin, Chip and Kelgrace accept a few magical items from Felstrum and set out on the magical griffins to find the Witch's ritual site. The travel's don't go as plan and Chip is forced to show his skill in aerial acrobatics.
After traveling through the Tangle Briar forest, Adrok, Bowdin, Chip and Kelgrace find the Keep along the River. After failing to sneak into the Keep, our adventures face off against a two-headed Ogre and skeletons.
After taking sometime to recover from their skirmish with the skeletons, Adrok, Bowdin, Chip and Kelgrace continue their search for the Fort. By late afternoon, they come to the river and find what was suppose to be an abandoned Keep giving off a sickly yellow glow. Looking for answers, the quartet learn that undead skeletons patrol the keep. Cautious of being out numbered by skeletons, the group attempts to leave the keep only to be approached by a two-headed ogre.
After spending a day in WaterDeep working on the pieces of the puzzle, our adventures decide to go investigate the fort. It is a clue they discovered in the ruined teleportation circle in the Witch's Tomb. On their way into the woods, our quartet meet some lumberjacks who pay them for a simple task of marking trees as the move through the woods.
After surviving an attack from a Plimic, our adventures continue on to the Witch Coven's tomb where they encounter a warren of goblins and a specter.
While plundering the former open lord of WaterDeep's estate, the quartet encounters the new Open Lord of WaterDeep. Upon returning to Trollskull manor to enjoy what is left of Shield Meet Day, our adventurers have a conversation with Father Dumas where he finally admits the truth about his connection to the Coven of witches.
Our adventurers return to WaterDeep for some rest and to report what they found at the Witch's Tomb. The discover more to the mystery from Father Dumas.
Renaer invites them to his father's former estate to pick out items to add to Trollskull Manor.
After interrupting a ritual, our adventures a face with a sizable force against them. The BBEG decided she had her prize and teleported from the tomb leaving a few werewolves to deal with our adventurers.
After defeating the wraith, our adventurers decide to go through the secret door Kelgrace found. While they do find the final resting place of the rest of the Coven, they are not the first to find them.
After a long day of travel from WaterDeep, our adventurers are forced to camp in the swamp near the Coven's Tomb. In the middle of the night, Chip is attacked by a carnivorous plant. With the aid of his friends, everyone manages to survive and even find some loot.
In the morning, the groups sets out and finds the entrance to the Coven's Tomb. The entrance is smashed open and the guardians destroyed. It seems someone else has arrived first.
After the fight with the werewolves and undead, Bowdin, Adrok and Chip, along with their new friend return to Trollskull manor for some much needed rest.
The next day the party talks about what they have learned so far. Father Dumas comes by the manor to thank the group for their help and provide some of the information he has learned.
After defeating a group of werewolves, the trio enlist the aid of a Dragonborn to help them search and destroy any others. Bowdin continues to see the strange flashes of lightning and follows to Father Dumas' chapel which is engulfed in flames. During the attack and burning of the chapel, our heroes learn the body of witch coven leader was taken from the tomb beneath the chapel. They also learn Father Dumas' niece is missing after the attack.
The trio awake to alarm bells in WaterDeep and head out into the night of a full moon with mysterious fog. Bowdin has a vision of different color lightning leading the trio to a group of werewolves attacking citizens.
The trio work to rescue the citizens and are joined by a Dragonborn. The four of the manage to defeat three werewolves and save several citizens.
Attending the Open Lord of WaterDeep's summons, the trio learn that Renear's father has been banished from WaterDeep and replaced as the Open Lord for embezzlement and other crimes against the city. The trio continue their day investigating Lief's murder and planning how to make TrollSkull Manor a operational tavern again.
Returning to Trollskull manor, the trio find a group claiming to be 'owners' of the manor. Instead of bashing heads and kicking out the interlopers, Adrok negotiates for these interlopers to join the manor as it staff and Adrok's eyes and ears in WaterDeep. The plucky Inn and Tavern guild representative checks on the trio and even Renear makes an appearance providing a reward for saving Erik and teaming with the trio to rebuild and open the tavern.
An unexpected arrival of town guard searching for Renear brings the trio to meet with the new yet to be announced Open Lord of WaterDeep Lareal Silverhand.
They still wonder about the strange encounter with the scarecrows and skeletons outside of WaterDeep. They have their tavern to build.
While not lacking in things to do, the trio takes Founder’s Day to learn more about the goings-ons surrounding the Zhents and Xans gang war.
The trio continue their search for Erik with the help of the WaterDeep town guard after an unprovoked attack in the Candle Lane warehouse.
We join our trio as they finishing their meeting with Bea and Renear at the Stitch in Tyme.
They know more about the night that Erik disappeared and maybe even the reason behind his disappearance, but still not where he is.
With their only lead left being the Candle street warehouse, Adrok, Bowdin and Chip return to the Yawning Portal to plot their next move.
The trio return to the Stitch in Tyme to ask Bea more questions. While their they receive a note referring them to a warehouse in the Dock Ward. A pair of hooligans attempt to steal the note and after a short fight, the trio are victorious and manage once again not to get arrested for fighting in WaterDeep.
While at the Stitch in Tyme more secrets are revealed and the group meets Renear Neverwinter.
I would like to take a moment to apologize to all of our listeners, about a half dozen or so. Due to a technical error the first half of the show failed to record. Yes, the technical error was me not hitting the record button.
So let me summarize the events between episode 5 and 6 and simply claim episode 5.5 has been lost.
Here is a summary of the missing game play.
While at the Yawning Portal, the trio receive a note from Volo suggesting Adrok, Bowdin and Chip meet him at the Skewered Dragon in the evening to collect their reward for their heroic rescue.
In what is likely a coincident, one of Erik’s gambling haunts is the Skewered Dragon.
So with the trio head out to the Skewered Dragon located in the Dock Ward of WaterDeep with the hopes of finding information to aid their search for Erik and collecting Volo’s reward.
As the players arrive a Fillet street where the Skewered Dragon is located, their attention is taken by a large stuffed creature in the window of one of the shops. The large round body with a single giant eye and a dozen stalks with eyes is something none of them has seen before.
While trying to figure out what manner of creature they are looking at, a street fight erupts between a female half-orc and four human males. The apparent leader sports a bold head with a large single eye tattooed to his forehead.
Unable to stand aside, the trio leap into action to defend the half-orc from the unfair odds. Within moments after joining the fray the city guard arrive and quell the commotion.
On the verge of being arrested, a priest of Bahumet steps forward and tells the Captain of the guard, the good deed Adrok, Bowdin and Chip had done.
The trio are let go with a warning about fighting in the city and a caution to be wary of the gang war erupting through the city.
Bowdin takes a moment to speak with the priest, Father Dumas, who interceded on their behalf. He learns Father Dumas has a small church in the North Ward near the city cemetery.
Chip decides he wants to visit the shop with the stuff giant eye. The sign over the door read Old Xobolde Shop. Stepping into the shop, Chip realizes the shop sells all manner of trinkets, but it is convinced to buy a small orb, Xobolde calls the orb of companionship. A favorite of sailors who want a pet.
As Chip leaves the shop, he looks through the shop window and notices the sign for the Skewered Dragon. Chip also learns Adrok left a magical message for him saying Adrok was going to the Skewered Dragon.
The trio all meet up in the Skewered Dragon and find Volo in the midst of a card game. Unfortunately, Volo’s luck is not with him and few short rounds of betting end with Volo losing most of his winnings to a dragonborn marine.
With only a few coins left and not enough to cover the 300 gp reward offered to the trio, Volo instead offers them the deed to a inn and tavern in the north ward.
The trio accepts Volo’s reward and finds limited information regarding Erik and his visit to the Skewered Dragon. It is discovered that the Skewered Dragon was the last place anyone saw him. Apparently, one of the other players was a pretty sore loser and nearly had to be escorted out. Some of the regulars recall Erik was with two others, his brother and a friend. The three left shortly after the card game concluded. While the other two returned to drink, Erik had left for the night by himself.
With the day drawing to a close the trio find a private investigator near the Yawning Portal to find and deliver a message to Harbo’s daughter regarding the family’s demise.
And this is where we join our adventurers.
After delivering Emerald Hallowgrove's message to the Emerald Enclave, the trio head to the Yawning Portal in hopes of selling the last of Harbro's Special Mid-Summer Blend Whiskey. A short discussion with Durnan provides the trio with a place to stay and a friendly patron in exchange for the 10 casks of whiskey. While at the Yawning Portal, the trio are given a message from Volo telling them to meet him at the Skewered Dragon tavern so he can pay them their reward.
Only mid-afternoon, the trio sets off to the Skewered Dragon.
Adrok, Bowdin and Chip leave out from the Roadhouse and return to Harbro's farm to secure more casks of the Special Mid-Summer/ShieldMeet Rye whisky blend before searching out other farms located on the macabre map. Their search leads them to a farm run by Emerald Hallowgrove. While her farm is on the map, she does not appear to have a problem with the undead. She does admit to encountering a small group of skeletons near the edge of her farm, but thinks little of it being so close to the Tanglebriar forest. When the group shows her the poison vials discovered on the scarecrow, she is concerned enough to ask the trio to carry a missive for her to her friends in WaterDeep. The group agrees and heads out to the South Gate of WaterDeep. Emerald does provide the names of two of Harbro's daughters living in the city.
Upon entering the city, the trio is stopped by a Sergeant of the guard with a message from Lady Penelope reminding them to collect their reward for protecting the citizens of WaterDeep by slaying the troll and discovering the strange events with the other farms. The sergeant is helpful and provides direction to Erik Melendez shop, A Stitch in Tyme, not far from the South Gate.
The trio make their next stop at the shop hoping to find some answers for Virren. At the shop, the group meets the three seamstresses who work for Erik, but have not seen him in a couple of days. Unable to convince Erik's employees of the danger he maybe in the group departs and searches out the Enclave to deliver Emerald's missive.
The Enclave turns out to be a large park on the border of the South Ward and Trade Ward where like minded individuals gather for the good of the natural order. Two representatives of the Enclave accept the message and thank the trio for bring this to their attention.
With that, Adrok, Bowdin and Chip need to decide their next move in WaterDeep.
After dispatching a quartet of skeletons and a scarecrow, Adrok, Bowdin and Chip find a mysterious map showing several farms south of WaterDeep. Along with the map, they find vials of a magical poison meant to fallow the land. Our adventurers continue to look for clues and the caskets of Harbro's Rye Whiskey Mid-Summer blend. After finding the whiskey and loading a wagon, the trio travels to another farm also found on the map. Finding their way to another farm, the trio discovers a macabre scene and a large troll squatting in the farm house. After a fight with troll, Lady Penelope, a griffin rider from WaterDeep, provides the adventurers aid and requests their presence in the North Ward of WaterDeep to bear witness to some of the farms near the Tanglebriar forest. After promising to meet Lady Penelope in WaterDeep, Adrok, Bowdin, Chip and their new found four legged companion, Kyle make the journey back to the Road House with hopes of making a little coin from Harbro's Rye Whiskey Mid-Summer blend.
After agreeing to find out why Harbro has not delivered his famous rye whiskey for the upcoming mid-summer festival, Adrok, Bowden, and Chip head out to Harbro's farm and distillery. Upon arriving at the farm, our adventures discover all is not well at the Harbro farm.
No one is tending the farm, animals are wandering. The Harbro family dog leads the adventurers to the main house, where they discover the fate of the Harbro family. Unknown assailants attacked and dragged off the family after what appears to be a hard fought but ultimately losing fight.
Further searching brings Bowdin, Adrok and Chip to the barn and distillery where a quartet of skeletons rise from the straw and attack.
The skeletons are outmatched by our heroes and quickly flee. The trio pursue the fleeing skeletons intent on putting the unnatural creatures to a final rest only to be ambushed by a living scarecrow.
Do our heroes have what it takes to survive?
What has brought this evil unto the Harbro family?
Three travelers on the road to WaterDeep come to the rescue of the infamous Volothram Geddarm. After saving Volo's life, Bowdin, Chip and Adrock are invited to dinner at the Road House. While enjoying food and drink courtesy of Solo, the travelers learn of not one but two mysteries. The first the maker of a famous local whiskey has need made his delivery and with both Mid-Summer festival and Shieldmeet only a week away many a whiskey drinker will not be able to enjoy Harbro's Rye Whiskey special blend. The second mystery is a missing companion of an young elven noble from WaterDeep. This is the first time her companion has not met her at the arranged time and place and she is worried.