[BLOG] Meanwhile, in Xyntillan...

The last time we looked at the Castle Xyntillan campaign, 39 adventurers had braved the horrible monsters and Machiavellian deathtraps of the infamous seat of the Malévol family. The list had included 15 player characters and 24 companions. Coincidentally, this was also the number of surviving and deceased heroes. Since then, action has been a bit lighter (eight expeditions), but 25 more brave fools have ventured beyond one of the gates, of whom 10 returned to tell the tale, and 15 perished in the haunted halls. Omitting those who have fallen by the wayside, and now mostly rest in the castle garden (pictured), here is the list of those who would claim Xyntillan’s treasures... and those who have died trying.

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The Survivors (in order of joining the campaign, bold entries are player characters while others are companions)

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Catfish, Dwarf 4 (a veteran from PoSP, runs a fish-themed roster of hirelings, once killed by a reaper, but revived by a swig of potent brandy, owns a full suit of plate +1)

Salmon, crossbowman

An expanding graveyard

Pontius of the Leeches, Thief 5 (the proud owner of The Leechery of Pontius, a thermal bath of his own design; owns ring of invisibility)

Reinhart of Metz, Cleric 6 (once a crusading cleric, now the master of several eager disciples interested in his fiery sermons and views on the counter-reformation, owns staff of striking, magical shield and cloak +3, rendering him almost impossible to hit)

Raynald of Chatillon, Fighter 5 (promoted from a companion just in time to inherit the stuff left behind by Anastas, owns a flaming sword +1)

Danton, heavy footman, left the party to retire

Wolfgang, heavy footman (member of the secret police, infiltrated party to test their loyalty)

Amadeus, heavy footman (member of the secret police, infiltrated party to test their loyalty)

Pieter de Bruge, halberdier (former miner, left party with Godard after harrowing stuffed animal battle)

Blavatsky, light footman (left party with Godard after harrowing stuffed animal battle)

Godard, bowman (rabble-rouser who left to form own company after harrowing stuffed animal battle)

Dario the Goatsbane, Fighter 2 (promoted to player character after a pitched battle with multiple goatrices; his companion, Argento was less lucky)

Alexander, halberdier

Arnold, Thief 1

Roland, heavy footman

Wilhelm, crossbowman

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The Crypt Level

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Picquet, light footman (drained by a wraith)

Fosch, light footman (drained by a wraith)

Villon the Wine Poet, Magic-User 2 (killed by the Princess in the Tower)

Roboise, light footman (hurled to his death by the Princess in the Tower)

Rob Roy, bowman (killed by the super-glittercloud)

Alister, light footman (killed by a killer bambi)

Wyatt, bowman (killed by a giant stuffed owl)

Argento, bowman (killed by a stuffed boar)

Wretched Frenchie (killed by a stuffed boar)

Petrov, halberdier (fled in panic, eaten by monsters while separated from company)

Sepp Dietrich, heavy footman (flattened by skeletal cyclops)

Bream, crossbowman (smashed a mirror and shattered into a thousand glass shards)

Viktor, heavy footman (stalked by a secret nemesis, eventually ambushed and murdered by Malvin Malévol the Strangler)

Henri d’Aramitz, Cleric 1 (a disciple of Reinhart, choked by the gaseous form of Sybille Malévol the Widowmaker)

Hafiz the Persian, M-U 1 (fried to a crisp by a razzle-dazzle)

While adventuring in Xyntillan, the company has...

• defeated the Pigeons From Hell and cleaned out the Donjon;
• established a secondary Mausoleum for fallen characters in one of the cleaned-out rooms;
• survived two mutinies, one of which left them with a bad reputation in the area – remedied by printing and distributing a book of heroic poetry about the company’s exploits;
• obtained two priceless family heirlooms – a Meroving-era sceptre and a silver reliquary – and sold the latter for a princely sum;
• fought Hubert Malévol the Huntsman and his small army of stuffed animals – twice (Hubert managed to escape, inviting the company for a later rematch in the Hunting Lodge);
• been infiltrated by operatives of the Royal Secret Police, who would later recommend the company to the court... and give them an offer about Xyntillan they could not refuse;
• destroyed a diabolical laboratory and almost burned the Grand Library at the behest of Father Reinhart;
• established the Leechery of Pontius, a combination of thermal baths and sanatorium (Pontius of the Leeches);
• threw the mother of all parties to remember Bream the crossbowman (Catfish);
• survived a coordinated ambush set by the increasingly agitated Malévols;
• met Aristide Malévol the Patrician, the liche of Castle Xyntillan – he was too bored, and they were too scared to turn it into a serious confrontation;
• purchased a slightly dilapidated noble estate and began renovations (Raynald of Chatillon)
• ...so far avoided the dungeons, and some of the higher levels.

Playtesting continues.