Rusty Dagger - The Malefic Grimoire

This ill omened and daemon haunted book has recently come back into the world of me. Rumoured to be penned by a prehuman civilisation, this book contains ancient and powerful knowledge. Changes to the status quo often cause realms to topple and cities to go up in flames

Here is the cast for this adventure, Arzag followed by his "partners" Belatrix and Igor. Then the Priest of Erlik, his pet daemons and guards and the mysterious mad monks

Arzag needs to find some action for his crew, a ship or coastal caravan we can loot and get wealth. He can't simply sail his pirate ship into town so he takes a small boat and rows his boat into the port of Agrapur at dusk. He wants to make contact with Juma a comrade from his days as a horseman who might know where the merchant vessels are and can connect him to a less ethical merchant that will accept stolen goods.

The markets are filled with throngs of people trading goods from all over the region

Arzag makes it to a waterfront tavern, near the waterfront, this is filled with people of many shapes sizes and backgrounds. Other quarters of the city are tightly controlled and much less accessible to foreigners. Unfortunately, Arzag stands out like the proverbial dragon in a tea shop. He finds an urchin and asks him to find Juma and bring him here.

While relaxing over a beer, Arzag is approached by a man in a robe inscribed with embroidered symbols. The other patrons give him a wide berth.

The man introduces himself and asks Arzag to steal a book from the library in the temple of Erlik. The man offers 50 Wealth (which is a lot) to recover the book. Arzag tries to bargain for more but the man demurs and suggests that a stranger coming to the attention of the authorities might spend a long time in the dungeons. Arzag agrees to the basic offer.

The man then leaves

Juma arrives and Arzag tells him of the task he has agreed to. Juma advises that the only way into the temple library is via the sewers all the other entrances are too heavily guarded. He offers to introduce Arzag to someone that knows the sewers but warns that they will want to get paid.

Arzag is introduced to Belatrix and her companion Igor. They start to negotiate the price for services, but Belatrix insists on half the reward. Reluctantly Arzag agrees. Thats two narrative challenges I have failed.

Arzag and his partners find a guide and start boating through the underground tunnels which make up the city's sewers.

Suddenly a figure wearing wet robes and brandishing a sword climbs into the boat causing it to rock dangerously. Other figures brandishing a variety of weapons surround the boat and start attacking the party.

The first monk strikes Belatrix with his sword, his stroke is awkward but Belatrix is surprised and wounded. Igor moves forwards and struck the monk that attacked Belatrix.

The Boat guide defends himself against the Monk with the knife 8-10. 

Arzag strikes a mighty blow against the monk with the knife in the water nearest to him.

Igor mighty blows the monk with the sword 9-4 to protect Belatrix 

Arzag stabs the monk with the knife 8-6 and then moves to the other side of the boat.

Belatrix manages to stab the monk next to her 6-4 and then manages to defend against the counterattack.

Belatrix is stabbed by the monk behind her who then climbs into the boat.

The monk in the boats hits Belatrix 8-6.

Igor mighty blows the monk in the boat 9-3

Arzag stabs the monk in the boat 10-8 and then jumps into the water to deal with the monk attacking the boatman.

The Monk turns from the boatman to attack Arzag who parries his knife 8-8

Belatrix fails to break the pin of the monks 8-10 and takes another point of damage. These monks seem to be targeting the woman over other opponents.

A last monk misses Belatrix

Igor jumps into the water to attack the monk with the staff and hits 11-4

Igor then parries the monks counter 5-5

Azag strikes the monk with the knife a mighty blow 11-10

The monk misses Arzag 4-11, this leaves Arzag the opportunity to land a fatal stab 10-3.

The last monk distracted by Arza misses Belatrix 5-6

A monk hits Belatrix 8-7

Igor lands a mighty blow on the Monk with the staff.

Arzags stab is parried 8-8 by the monk with the sword 8-8 (a fancy swordsman)

Arzag uses Crushing Strike to slip a wound past the monk's guard. Arzag uses mighty blow and finishes the monk with the sword 10-8.

The monk stabs Belatrix 7-3.

The party regain the boat. The boatman is shaking with fear and anger at the attack. Belatrix whispers something to him and that keeps him onboard enough to agree to take the party the rest of the way but that he will leave at the next sign of trouble.

The team arrive under the temple and the entrance is guarded by a huge locked grate. Igor moves up to open it but Arzag steps in front and snaps the lock with a twist of his knife. 

The party arrive at the doors to the library and find them guarded.

The view down the hall to the doors

The Guardian wizard summons a daemon, pop!

Belatrix misses the daemon with her arrow and then moves to cover.
The Daemon moved up
Igor moves up
One of the guards moved up
Belatrix manages to hit the daemon 6-5

Igor moves up and slashes the daemon, Arzag then moves up and stabs the daemon taking it down, all three of the partners inflicted one damage on it. Thats teamwork

The guard moves up and misses Igor 6-11

The Wizard casts fireball and Igor and Arzag both dodge with a 9 and 10.

The remaining guard moves up towards Arzag.

Igor mighty blows the guard 8-4

The Guard misses Igor 3-10

The wizard casts fireball again but both the warriors are unharmed

Igor Mighty blows the guard 12-2

Seeing his chance Arzag dashed forward and stabs the wizard

The last guard moves up and wraps around the column

The Wizard misses Arzag 3-15

Arzag mighty blows the wizard 10-2

The guard engages Igor and mises 4-9

Igor mighty blows the Guard 6-4

The Guard stabs Igor 9-4

Igor then crushes the guard with another mighty blow 7-3

Belatrix tries to break the magic seal covering the entrance portal. However she fails and goes unconscious.

Igor then moves forwards and picks up her body, they both then leave.

I had been my plan all along to get rid of these parasites but now Arzag has to get past the magic trapped door. Fortunately, I can do this as many times as necessary, unfortunately I will take damage each time I fail. Arzag takes 4 damage before he rolls high enough.

Arzag gets into the library and grabs the book he is looking for. It feels disgusting to the touch. An alarm is raised as Arzag wheels to escape.

Two guards move to bar Arzags way.

Arzag and the first guard charge towards each other. the Guard misses 3-12

The second guard moves up

The last action goes back to the first guard who misses 4-5

Arzag then mighty blows his opponent 13-2, 15-4

Arzag moves up and stabs 11-4

The Guard then attacks with a flurry of blows 7-8 and then 7-7

Arzag then strikes with a mighty blow 7-3

The Guard misses 3-11

Arzag then uses crushing strike to finish his opponent.

With two more turns before the next guards arrive Arzag slips back to the sewer entrance and secures the grate by jamming a spare knife into the jamb.

Arzag makes it back to the boat only to find the guide gone. His bag floats in the water spinning slowly. retrieving it Arzag finds a small healing potion.

While rowing back it becomes clear that Arzag has chosen the wrong tunnel. Trapped in an increasing current. The boat goes over a waterfall, Arzag jumps free.

Arzag finally makes it out into the sunlight. Dripping wet he sets up camp. While drying out he touches the book and it talks to him of impending danger and offers to lend its strength. Arzag doesn't need its assistance and doesn't mind killing his attackers who turn out to be 4 more of the monks.

They have spread out to surround their prey and prevent escape, but this means they cannot support each other.

Arzag is under no such division and with his wounds knitted back together by the daemon Arzag knows he needs to attack the nearest before the other can arrive to provide aid.

A monk moves up and misses its first attack 6-14

Arzag mighty blows the monk 5-4, that's a double 1 for the win

Arzag stabs his first victim 10-5 and then moves into contact with a second monk

The Monk misses Arzag 6-8

The Third monk moves up

The monk misses Arzag again 9-13

Arzag then misses 7-8

The third monk moves up and misses 4-14

Arzag mighty Blows the monk with the staff and then finishes him with a stab

The monk with the axe moves up

The monk misses Arzag 5-10

Arzag finishes his opponent with a stab and moves into contact with the last monk

The monk misses Arzag 10-10

Arzag strikes with a mighty blow and finishes him with a Crushing Strike

Arzag loots the bodies and finds two books and two vials of poison.

Arzag makes it back to the tavern and meets his sponsor. The robed man pays up the balance of the payment and Arzag hands over the book despite its protestations.

The books turn out to be copies of "magic for dummies" after his bad experience with the magic portal Arzag decides to invest his skill points to develop a rudimentary knowledge of magical workings. This raises his Arcane from 0 to 5.

He now has 50 wealth from the book deal, the potions are worth 6 each and he gets a 15 wealth bounty for one of the heads of the monks.

So 5 skill points and 77 wealth. Now thats what I call and adventure.