Dragonbane

In an uncharacteristically cautious step, Krisanna snuck up to the door to see three goblins arguing in the next room. She crept in and held a knife to the throat of the nearest one, giving the rest a chance to scarper, which after a moment’s consideration they were more than happy to do. The room turned out to be a storeroom with 200 gold crowns worth of supplies including salt pork, vegetables and wine. Peeking down into the cellar below showed a ruined wine cellar with glowing mushrooms and an entrance into a cave system with a suspicious smell of wet dogs. There did turn out to be a single bottle of vintage Imperial wine hidden in the junk, but Krisanna couldn’t sense any treasure so she climbed back up and barricaded the trap door in case any wolves had learned how to climb.

The next door lead to an atrium decorated with frescos that was open to the elements, and the next door lead into a bunk room where six goblins were waiting with crossbows including a traitorous Jaldo! Their initial volley of crossbow bolts did some damage, but served mainly to make the rest of the party furious and they were quickly dispatched. The room held two chests - one empty and the other with 150 gold crowns worth of gold and jewels.

Climbing up a ladder through a trap door lead to a ruined armoury, with a corpse face down on a weather damaged tiger skin rug. This lead through to the tower, where a large statue lacking a head stood next to a chest. Krisanna picked the lock and discovered an emerald necklace and a gold crown that was far too big for her halfling noggin. Opening the chest unfortunately summoned the shade of Lord Wolfsbane who attacked, grabbing Bastonn by the throat. He proved suspiciously adept for someone lacking a head, but was eventually banished, although we suspected that wasn’t the last we’d seen of him. We smashed the statue, because nothing bad has ever happened to us as a result of smashing up an important artefact.

We retreated to the bunk room to spend the night. Orla managed to find clean sheets for the beds and made the pace cosy. However our sleep was interrupted by a shout from Leadbelly as Lord Wolfsbane attacked and was banished again. This was getting to be annoying.

The next day we set out to explore the rest of the castle, finding yet another trapdoor to climb down. Krisanna managed to lose her footing on the rickety and slug covered ladder, and landed with a thump into the noisome darkness where she was attacked by three giant rats. Fortunately she managed to roll out of the way, giving the others a chance to jump down to help defeat the rodents. With no way to climb back up, we were forced to crawl though a stinking tunnel which lead through to the castle cess pit with a literal lake of sewage. The wolves on the far side were swiftly dismissed with a few arrows and we made our way through the muck and up into daylight again.

The only place left to explore was the flooded cellar and Makander was able to dive to the bottom and retrieve a large helmet containing a polished skull. It only remained to climb back up to the tower where Lord Wolfsbane appeared for the final time. Orla presented him with his head and he asked who claimed the barony. We all pointed at Bastonn but the wight merely greeted him with the words “Well met, and well earned. I go now to my rest” and the castle was finally ours!

Home sweet home!