Session #98: The Doom of the Old Pale Worm

 Arngeir had finally convinced a company of the viability of hunting down the Old Pale Worm in the Weirding Caverns. He had held onto a map purporting to lead to its lair for over a year, purchased from an auction at the Ringing Anvil, and had tried to get others interested for some time; but they had always demurred, citing concern that a serudla would be quite a challenge.

Quoth Arngeir in response:
"Better is heart than a mighty blade For him who shall fiercely fight; The brave man well shall fight and win, Though dull his blade may be. Brave men better than cowards be, When the clash of battle comes; And better the glad than the gloomy man Shall face what before him lies. Thy rede it was that I should ride Hither o'er mountains high; The glittering worm would have wealth and life If thou hadst not mocked at my might."

But now, finally, a group of barbarians was seriously discussing going after the Old Worm, and Durham among them was a proponent for seeking answers from the Colossian Oracle as to how their goal might best be achieved. After successfully seeking the oracle out, the group returned to Cothon, partied the night away, and left early the next morning, spirits high:

• Arngeir (fighting-man 5)
• Sesel (fighting-man 8)
  accompanied by Raoden (magic-user 6)
• Fa Min (elementalist 1)
• Bartholomew Pettibone (magic-user 9)
  accompanied by Gan ad-Din (fighting-man 6)
• Durham (fighting-man 8)
  accompanied by Lars Ghar-Rider (magic-user 4)
• Heijo (magic-user 6)

If one thought their spirits were high going out, their spirits coming back into the city reached up to the Fortress Moon and beyond. Lofting two serudla heads before them like lictors, the company returned to the Herm & Stone (Arngeir's tavern-of-choice) to boast of mighty exploits and deeds of derring-do. For they encountered not only the Old Pale Worm, but another serudla as well! And slew both in terrible combat--and Arngeir and Gan, among others, certainly bear the scars of those contests! But their reward was vast, as they count out gem after gem after jewel after gem, and wondrous arms and armor to boot.

Truly was this latest expedition one of great deeds for the chronicles!

The Lucre

• 600 mithqals (pp worth 5 gp), 12,000 dinars (gp), 3000 ithnayan (an unusual mint, gold pieces worth 2 gp ea.), 6000 nufdinars (ep worth 1/2 gp)
• 73 gems (worth a total of 27,390 dinars)
• 8 worth 40 gp (320 total gp)
• 17 worth 50 gp (850)
• 20 worth 100 gp (2000)
• 6 worth 120 gp (720)
• 13 worth 500 gp (6500)
• 5 worth 600 gp (3000)
• 2 worth 2000 gp (4000)*
• 2 worth 5000 gp (10,000)*
• 16 pieces of jewelry (worth a total of 35,600 dinars)
• 7100 from 9 pieces of "normal" jewelry--beautiful torcs, carcanets, cloak-pins, bejewelled sets of earrings, &c.
• 2500 -- a beautiful belt, its buckle fashioned as the face of a grinning Mrrshan or Kzin
• 2500 -- a circlet of braided gold and silver, winking with fine gems
• 2500 -- an ornate make-up box filled with rare and still-viable rouges, kohls, &c.
• 3000* -- a woman's face veil of intricately fine gold mail
• 5000* -- a shirt of scale armor and matching helm implying the features of a serudla--not magical, but certainly enchantable
• 5000* -- an illuminated tome of the epic story of Manas, an heroic warrior of the west
• 8000* -- a curious coral idol, carved into the shape of an alluring chashkeri water-maiden, and beautified with pearl and nacre
• two serudla heads
• two serudla hides
• a magic battleaxe
• a magic spear
• a magic dagger
• 4 magic swords
• one of obvious foreign make, a straight short sword with two edges
• a sabre with a bell-guard designed in the shape of a fist closed around the wielding hand
• a kopis-type cutting sword
• a beautiful tulwar with serpent motifs
• 3 magic shields
• a gilt buckler
• a fairly typical round shield; a broken black arrow is bound into and part of the central grip
• a bronze-faced aspis
• one suit of magical vringalu-leather armor
• a quiver of 40 magic arrows
• a spell-scroll (3 spells)
• two magical books
• one bound in featureless black leather
• the other a slim folio of maps

The Learning

• 86,990 xp from treasure
• 775 xp from the Old Pale Worm (700 +hp)
• 446 xp from serudla (400 +hp)
• 1253 xp from 23 flying octopoids (50 +hp ea.)
• 400 xp to each character for exploring the lair of the Old Pale Worm

The Cut

• 18,393 xp per player-character
  9196 xp to Raoden, Gan, and Lars
• except Fa Min, who can only earn enough xp to put her at 1 point shy of level 3
• if any other character would go up two (2) levels from xp awards from this session, they may only earn as Fa Min did, putting them 1 xp shy of the second level they would advance to
• 80 mithqals, 400 ithnayan, 5332 dinars, and 800 nufdinars per player-character*
  40 mithqals, 200 ithnayan, 2666 dinars, and 400 nufdinars to Raoden, Gan, and Lars*
• two serudla heads
• two serudla hides
• battleaxe
• spear
• dagger
• 4 swords
• 3 shields
• suit of vringalu-leather armor
• 40 magic arrows
• spell scroll
• 2 magic books

* marked items must be sold to the right buyer because of their higher value. Their value has not been included in the money-totals awarded to player-characters and hench-people, but will have to be divided out if/when such items are sold.

As always, characters may "buy out" valued items by forfeiting a share of gold (and possibly adding to the pot for others) equal to the value of the gem or jewelry-piece.

Magic items must be divvied however the company feels fair, which could include surrendering money-awards to companions for a particular piece, or they could be diced for, or however the co. feels is fair.