Session 67 - Brigands & Gargoyles

The adventurers run into brigands on the way back to the inn. Returning to the Mausoleum, they attack the gargoyles on the main building.

This write-up is based on Kay’s notes from our October 1, 2025 session. Since our group is scattered around the country, we use Discord for our voice communication and Roll20 for our virtual tabletop. Thanks to Kay for the write-up and screen shots.

Continued from: Mausoleum
Location: Coast Road, Eastreach Provence
Date: Saturday, June 24, 3517
 

8 PM
After a short rest and food at the campsite, the group was walking back to the John Chapel Inn going north along the Old Coast Road. At about a half hour to sunset, our way was barred by a brigand gang.

Their leader stood in the road about 25 feet in front of us, while six brigands with crossbows took up positions 35 feet away on the east and west sides of the road, lined up three to a side. We noted that they were at a slightly higher elevation than the road, but not enough to get any serious advantage. They had been hiding among the trees when we had passed and then came out to surround us.

After his personal business at the inn, Artie had decided to rejoin the party. He looked down the road and saw us in the distance. He crept to about 75 feet behind the leader to the north.

The leader said something to the effect of, “You must be adventurers coming back from the mausoleum, I would bet that you are all tired from fighting (and have no spells left) and are loaded down with loot. I will make it easy for you, drop your packs here and I will let you keep your armor and weapons.”

Blaze’s response was, “Oh, you poor sod.”

From there it got real ugly real quick, and the fight went about as you’d expect. Rocky ran up the nearest tree between two of the brigands on the west side of the road.

Elron readied his sling o’doom. Sinis summoned a wall of sand in front of the three brigands to our east; the wall was 30 ft long, 10 ft high, and 10 ft thick, effectively blocking their sight of us. Artie used his short bow, shooting an arrow at the leader’s back. It missed and he didn’t notice he was being fired on from behind.

The leader said, “So you’ve chosen the hard way”, and charged Elron. He swung his rapier at Elron, missed, swung again, missed; finally sliced Elron with his dagger.

Brigand #5, in the middle on the west side, aimed his crossbow at Sinis, hit and wounded him slightly.

Parahelia cast Spirit Guardians, which will affect anyone not in the party in a 15-ft radius of her, and moved toward the leader. 

 

Blaze moved forward and to the side, lining up the bandit leader and brigand #6, standing at the front on the west side; and hit both with lightning bolt. Brigand #6 died on the spot, and the leader was damaged and smoking.

Breena cast witch bolt on brigand #5, but missed. Elron’s slingshot hit the leader for 20 pts, but his second shot got completely tangled up as he tried to reload.

Brigand #4, standing at the south end on the west side, shot Sinis with his crossbow. Brigand #3, on the southeast side, moved around the sand wall and shot at Breena, hitting her, and then charged toward us.

Brigand #1, on the north end of the east side, moved up to the northeast and shot at Blaze, missing her, then took two steps back.

Sinis cast a blur spell on himself. Artie moved up behind a rock formation, shot but missed, and the brigand leader yelled, “Retreat.” He took damage from Parahelia’s Spirit Guardians and ran away, along with brigand 2 and brigand 5.

Rocky continued watching the show from his tree.

Blaze cast witch bolt on brigand #1, killing him. Breena moved to Sinis and cast magic missiles on brigands 5 and 3, killing brigand 5, and wounding brigand 3. Elron ran up to the leader with his long sword; the first swing missed but the second connected.

Brigands #4 and 3 ran away fast into the woods.

Sinis cast acid splash on the leader who dodged successfully. Artie’s rapier however, killed him.
 
Elron searched the bodies, and found 5 gp, 10 sp, 3 cp, and a red potion. They also had 6 short swords, 6 light crossbows with 22 bolts, one rapier, one dagger, one short bow with 23 arrows, and six rations and personal armor. 

Sinis cast detect magic and only the red potion showed up; we figured it was a healing potion, as the leader was reaching for it when we killed him.

10 PM
Back at the John Chapel Inn, most of the people we met were still there, and a new person, Delmon Noonan, a ranger, was there looking for adventure.

We paid 1gp/night for bed and breakfast. The other option was to crash in the common room for 1 sp, but no one in our party took that option.

June 25
Sunday morning breakfast was smoked mutton and acorn bread.

Sinis took the dagger from the loot for himself. The innkeeper said he’d buy the armor and weapons at half-price.

Elron gave us each 10 gp from the loot, and kept the remainder for the castle maintenance fund. We reviewed what we know about gargoyles, their strengths and weaknesses; they are immune to poison, but not to lightning. 



4 PM
The group made it back to the mausoleum and discovered the iron key had disappeared from Elron’s pack. We looked in the compartment at the dwarf statue, found it there again, took it, and went to the eastern mausoleum to take up our positions. 



Most of us were on the steps of the eastern mausoleum, ready to fall back into the building, while Blaze went up on the terrace at the same elevation as the roof of the south mausoleum.

She lined up her shot and hit the four gargoyles along the front edge of the roof over the front door. One took full damage but the other three partly dodged the bolt, taking half damage. Blaze ran back towards the eastern mausoleum. Gargoyles #3, 4, 5, and 6 started flying toward her. Gargoyles #1, 2, 7, and 8 moved from their positions on the sides of the building to the front of the building, replacing them, apparently waiting. 

Elron flung sling stones at Gargoyle #5; the first shot missed; the second and third hit. Breena cast magic missiles at Gargoyles #5 and #4. Artie cast fire bolt on Gargoyle #5, scorching it. He then ran inside and climbed on top of a sarcophagus. Rocky went inside the building and hid. Sinis cast acid splash at Gargoyle #5 but missed.

Gargoyle #3 flew toward our position. Parahelia moved inside the building and cast Spirit Guardians on herself. The ghost-like spirit guardians flew around her in a 15 foot radius, even through the sarcophagi and walls of the building.

The four gargoyles that Blaze’s lightning bolt hit continued flying toward us.
 

 

Continued in Session 68 - Green Guardian Gargoyles