Session 227 - Frost and the Barrowmarsh

Deep Frost and Dead Men’s Dust: Tales from the Barrowmarsh  

Gather 'round the hearth, dearies, and mind your elbows—old Vilma’s got a fresh story to spin, and this one’s got a bit of a chill to it. No, not just the draft coming off the duck pond, but the kind of cold that settles in your marrow when you peer into places best left forgotten.

Our lot—Feno, Arnd, and the rest of those brave (or perhaps just foolish) souls—spent their morning at the Foaming Mug. Now, Feno’s a curious one; he spent his breakfast figuring out why Orlane needs three inns. It’s all about the coins in your pocket, he says. If you’re a fancy officer, you go to the Golden Grain Inn; if you’re a merchant, the Serpent. But if you’ve got mud on your boots and a bit of iron in your hand, the Foaming Mug is where you rest your head.

But it wasn't just ale and town gossip. There’s a sadness in the air, my loves. Jack the cat—aye, the little three-legged fellow—was looking for more than a scrap of fish. Through young Nikki, the poor beast spoke of a cursed ring and a missing paw. Veyda and Nikki have taken up his cause, bless them. It’ll take a trip to a Greater Druid Grove to set that spirit right, and a reckoning with some nasty necromancers to get his trinket back.

The Crispy Road to the Tomb

They set off at eight bells into air so cold it was "crispy," as they say. But the frost wasn't the only thing bothering the bones. All along the road, the farmers were doubling over with a dry, staccato cough—a sound like snapping dry kindling. Even the Dim Forest is feeling the rot; limbs falling without a wind and the trees weeping sap that smells of old graves.

By midday, they reached the Tomb of Incubalos. Now, you’d think a group of seasoned adventurers would know better than to settle down for a quiet lunch on the steps of an ancient barrow, wouldn't you? But there they were, Veyda lost in her crystal meditations, when a Giant Scorpion decided it wanted a taste of Armatzi!

It was a short-lived scuffle. Armatzi shrugged off the sting like it was a common wasp, Nikki landed a solid thump, and Sergius—oh, that boy moves like a shadow—slipped behind it and ended the thing before it could blink its many eyes.

What Lies Beneath the Stone

Once they stepped inside, the air got heavier. They found the sarcophagus of one Varius, a high priest of that nasty Cult of Incubalos. Arnd stood ready, cloaked in prayers and protection, as they heaved the lid aside.

Out burst a Barrow Wight, all thin, puckered white skin and the color of a fresh bruise. It tried to lock Sergius in its gaze—to freeze his very blood—but the boy’s got a strong will. Arnd and Sergius laid into it with steel and grit, and finally, Feno and Arnd delivered a blow that crushed the life (or the un-life, I suppose) right out of the wretch.

They didn't come away empty-handed, mind you. They found an old leather scroll and some fine vases. Deeper still, in a chamber where four mummies sat watching in the dark, Arnd used a clever bit of luck and a ten-foot pole to fish out a bowl of platinum. Thirty-five shining coins! And thank the stars, the mummies decided to keep their long nap.

A Cold Return

By the time they trudged back into Orlane at seven, the frost had settled thick. The town is still coughing, poor souls. Feno tried to get the local smith to fashion a "respirator" to filter the stench and the sickness, but our smith is a man of hammers and horseshoes, not tinkery. They’ll have to head to Hookhill for such magic gadgets.

But it’s not all doom. Feno’s put a tidy sum of platinum toward Arnd’s forge to craft a suit of jousting armor. A fine investment, if you ask me—gold is good, but thick steel is better when the world starts to rot.

So, drink up, lasses and lads! Be glad you’re in here by the fire and not out there dodging scorpions and breathing the dust of Varius. Tomorrow is another day, and I’m sure the mists will have more secrets to tell.

Session 226: Books, bottles, and Sergius is poisoned (again)

There are seven slain coffer corpses on the ground and Sergius wants to check them for loot. Unsurprisingly, there is none to be found. Tatania, Arnd, and Sergius look at Titus, Maeve, and Veyda and decide that the party is perhaps not equipped to enter the highly dangerous barrow mounds. The party decides to explore the marshes instead and see if there is an unexplored mound that might be more their speed.

Dwerom and Niki join up with the crew and together they move southeast. They encounter a tall cliff wall that looks inhospitable to climbing. Next they find an unexplored barrow that is covered in dirt. The dwarves examine it and declare that it could be unearthed, but even with their exquisite skill, the task would take hours and might attract some unfriendlies with the noise. As Arnd is debating the merits with the group, Sergius circles the mound to make sure there are no alternate points of entry. Titus muses that it looks like Sergius is doing a pee-pee dance. This gets a chuckle out of everyone else and they decide to pass on this particular mound today. Moving further east, they encounter another mound, this one also sealed, but not so thoroughly. It can be unearthed in just a few minutes. The dwarves get down to business and do just that. Luckily, it is such quick work that no unwanted attention is attracted. A short stone staircase is revealed. Torches are lit and the party descends into the darkness.

Veyda and Maeve wonder aloud if this will be a good burial mound or an evil one. Soon enough, that question is answered in the form of walls decorated with horrid murals of rot and death. Niki notes that this place is dedicated to Incabulos, the deity of pests, famine, nightmares, drought, and disease. What a rotten deity to worship when you could instead look to the bounty and nourishing gifts of Merrika!

Further exploration presents a passageway that smells a little gross. There is a door that Sergius willingly opens to reveal a room fitted with bookshelves. The shelves are filled with small to medium books, scrolls, and large tomes. Most of them are treatises to Incabulos. Arnd sets up as a guard outside the room while the rest set to examining the shelves for anything useful. Sergius finds a book with pictures. Veyda inspects it and decides it could be useful as a means to gather information about repelling Incabulos. The party takes a break to eat and hear scratching noises in the distance. They are set upon by giant scorpions! Sergius is struck with one of the creature's poisonous tails. He begins to froth at the mouth and takes on a pale greenish pallor. The scorpions are slain by the rest of the party and Niki rushes in to cast neutralize poison on poor Sergius. He coughs up some dark sputum and seems his old self. One wonders what can be done to keep the lad from being poisoned so often. Perhaps nothing.

Arnd sets up outside of the room again to act as guard while the rest search through the shelves once again. Arnd hears a schlopping noise, like wet feet on the ground. Before he can even send out a warning, he is beset by a pair of giant toads. Has the God Toad sent more of his children to seek revenge? Arnd retreats to the safety of the room to set up an attack with his fellows. The toads are unable to harm him as he deftly escapes their terrible tongues. In proper formation, Niki slays one toad and Arnd the other. Dwerom disembowels the giant toads, but doesn't find anything of interest in their bellies.

Veyda insists on an exhaustive search of the room, which yields three more discoveries of valuable treatises, including one that details constructing mummies and imbuing them with undead force and using slime in combat. With the entire room checked, the party moves on.

They encounter a room with a large ornate sarcophagus, broken and rotting baskets, and urns. There are unholy symbols on the sarcophagus and after the book they just recovered about creating mummies, more than one member of the party is hesitant to touch the sarcophagus or any of the accoutrement in case a dangerous mummy is is within. It's unknown if this party could fight off such a lethal foe. Instead, they turn their attention to another door. Sergius opens this one as well and reveals another room of shelves. This one, however, houses all manner of jars and bottles. The group does a meticulous inventory and collects four interesting specimens. There is a vial of ointment, a jar with gray dust, a jar with lighter gray dust, and a long jar with four sticks. Dwerom casts identify on the sticks and discovers that they are meditation sticks that can be used by clerics and cleric subclasses to intensify and maximize their spells. Maeve is weary of any objects found in this evil place, but that doesn't seem to persuade those who could actually use them. Niki, Veyda, and Titus are all very interested in trying out these new magic items when the time is right. The other items will have to be identified another day, because it is now time for the adventurers to come home to see me, the faithful storyteller,

Vilma 

 

Session 225: The price of shirking your duty

It is the late afternoon of Day 11 of Sunsebb and the adventuring party of Tatania, Aila (carrying the body of Lalie), Armatzi, Sergius, Maeve, Veyda, and Titus find themselves in the aftermath of the battle with the giant toads. The God Toad, a giant spectral amphibian, hovers above the group, lets out a low "ribbit" and disappears. The party finds themselves unsure of what that might portend, but decide to head back to Orlane.

As they make their way down the familiar path through the dark forest, several members sense a dark presence to the north. Feeling weary and bloodied from their harrowing battles (and one party member down), they decide to ignore the looming evil and press on back to town. Everyone feels a collective and oppressive force fall upon them. Their feet feel a little heavier, their minds a little slower. It's unknown if they realize it, but old Vilma knows that a Curse of Misfortune has been placed upon them for ignoring the evil presence they had felt.

Back in Orlane, Aila sets about preparing the body of Lalie for travel back to Veluna. Veda runs off to fetch Colette, the lady's squire, and a ceremony is cast on the body to preserve it to travel home. Aila and Colette wash up, and say their goodbyes to the party as they plan to leave at first light. The journey will be a long and no doubt somber one.

After a good night's rest (and a round of healing spells from their cleric) Veyda, Tatania, Maeve, Sergius, Titus, and Armatzi meet up with their funny friend Myr. They present to him a variety of food and drink that they have collected for him as repayment for guarding some of their treasure. Myr seems most pleased with the spread and immediately tucks in to a rather fancy meal.

The group decide to take a day restocking supplies and relaxing for a day in town. Slowly, they feel themselves unburdened by the Curse of Misfortune. Fortunately, it was somewhat short-lived. This time.

Come the next morning, they recruit Arnd to join back up and head toward the barrow marsh. Once again, they feel a disturbing presence. Instead of fleeing, the party brace themselves for battle. Out of the forest emerge seven coffer corpses. Maeve attempts to injure one with a dart. The dart hits and sticks in the shoulder of one of the corpses, but the undead creature seems to take no damage. It is quickly deduced that these brutes can only be harmed by magical means. While the monsters present a challenge to the party (one manages to grasp Arnd by the neck in its strong grip), there is enough magic present in weapons and Tatania's magic missiles to dispatch all seven with no casualties.

What a thrilling end to the vision witnessed by your faithful storyteller,

Vilma

Session 224: To Every Undead: Turn, Turn, Turn

I see them, my beloved Saviors of Orlane. But are they the Saviors of Orlane? The members of this adventuring party are ever changing and there is not one among them that were responsible for slaying the vile Naga Explicitca Defilus. However, I do spy one who was present at the battle of Orlane and helped to repel the necromancers and their ilk. Regardless, this heroic bunch ever pursue the quest of vanquishing evil and sending the undead back to their realm. So I am happy to call them and any who join in their cause the Saviors of Orlane. 

My heart is heavy as I behold Lalie on the ground lifeless. Her companion, Aila, seems wholly focused on recovering her body. I suspect she knows that Lalie comes from a wealthy family who will pay the high cost to have her resurrected. I hope we do see the cavalier again, reanimated with the breath of life. I hope she will take care in the future though, because who can tell the limits of magic and what multiple returns from the spirit plane would do to a person?

The remaining heroes (Titus, Veyda, Tatania, Maeve, Niki, Aila, and Sergius) dig deep to fight the evil undead. Titus and Aila both attempt to turn the undead and send them fleeing. Unfortunately, they are young in their powers and unable to do so. Tatania, however discovers she is quite adept at slaying creatures with her staff sling. A hurled metal bullet tears through one creature, slaughtering it immediately. Sergius takes a nasty bite from one of the foes and becomes paralyzed. The filthy creatures see him as an easy target to attack. In a stealthy move, Veyda pulls Sergius away from the fight and mortal peril. Dwerom appears and aids in the battle. Then from deep in the barrowmaze, a horde of zombies push up against the back of the evil undead and the odds become more bleak. A vial of lit oil is tossed onto the zombies, but they are terrifyingly immune to flames. The group is making some progress against the enemy, but there begins to be talk about abandoning the fight and fleeing to see another sunrise. However, the grim reality is that they would not be able to retreat swiftly enough while carrying two bodies (one dead, one incapacitated) and sacrificing their lives (or second life, in Lalie's case) was too high a cost. In a moment of desperation and despair, a familiar glow is seen from the rear of the party. The holy light from the gauntlet of St. Cuthbert is a beacon of goodness that lifts every heart. With a mighty and authoritative voice, Armatzi commands the undead to flee from before him. Only one creature is affected, but it seems in turning its back, the battle also begins to turn. Maeve strikes an enemy with her axe and Tatania hits again with her staff sling. On his next attempt, Armatzi is able to turn eight more creatures. This creates an interesting standstill as the fleeing enemies and the engaging zombies effectively block each other. The party is able to hack at the backs of a few creatures. When Armatzi's third turn undead spell fails to reach any further creature, the party decides to retreat while the dangerous villains are held at bay and before the magic wears off.

A hasty retreat leads the party to the gloomy barrow marsh. Armatzi has a spell that lifts the paralyzed condition from Sergius. And just in time, too! The group finds themselves being surrounded by a group of hungry giant toads! Niki casts an extremely powerful lightning spell, which slaughters two immediately. Maeve uses her rope to entangle a toad that is then killed by Dwerom and Titus. The rest of the toads are taken care of handily and the group finds themselves tired and more than ready for the journey back to Orlane.

I will recount these visions as often as they appear. Until next time I remain your faithful storyteller, 

Vilma

Session 223: In a fight for their very lives!

Back again, we are, in the barrowmaze. It is a gloomy place and fills me with dread to experience it. Titus, Lalie, Aila, Armatzi, Maeve, Tatania, Sergius, and Veyda are all present and prepare themselves well for whatever it is they may encounter behind this brick barricade. They know it will be something terrible, based on the awful moaning they can hear coming from behind the wall. Sergius and Aila grab sledgehammers to bash through the brick while Armatzi casts prayer and Veyda casts bless. With each swing, the moaning and thrashing seem to intensify. The wall comes down to reveal a disgusting zombie and two ghasts. Quickly, Maeve dispenses the zombie with her axes. The ghast gives off a noxious and ghastly odor that effects Titus and makes him nauseated. Sergius is attacked physically by one of the remaining ghasts and is paralyzed. Lalie dodges an attack by the other and in turn swings on it with her holy mace, aptly named Grace. It is such an effective weapon against the evil ghast that one hit causes the creature to be destroyed in a puff of holy flame. What a display! Armatzi attempts to turn the remaining ghast, but is unsuccessful. Tatania blasts it with her unerring magic missiles. Maeve attempts to hit it with a dart, but strikes Sergius by mistake! Feeling terrible, she retreats from throwing missile weapons. Lalie moves in with Grace and deftly dispatches the ghast in another burst of holy flame. Armatzi heals Sergius of his paralysis and the party moves on.

Niki and Dwerom join the group. The party seems somewhat aimless and meanders around into places that some swear they have already explored. They encounter a worship room with a stature of Nerul (ugh) and another room that had once held a plinth dedicated to Polis, but is now nothing but blackened and shattered debris (oh dear). Maeve points out a room she wants to explore. It is in disrepair with crumbling walls. The group does not move fast enough, and a large chunk of ceiling collapses. All of the party sustain some damage, but Maeve is completely crushed and loses consciousness. She is revived by the healers of the group, but begins to act strangely. She is babbling incoherently and has a wild look in her eyes. The party tries to question her about her behavior, but Maeve becomes very defensive and shuts them down. Nobody in the group has a good handle on what her typical behavior is, so they chalk it up to her being a little odd (she is wearing the motley clothing of a jester, after all). 

The group next encounters an archway dripping with ooze. They discuss how best to navigate the situation when Lalie just goes for it. She gets a little slime on her arm, but is not negatively affected in any way that anyone can perceive. So, the rest of the team walks through with some getting "slimed" and some coming out clean. Regardless, there is no harm done to anyone. Lalie pauses and detects evil coming from behind two closed doors, one to the right and one to the left. The party forms a plan to hide out in two rooms further up the hall and send one person to draw out whatever is in the rooms back so that they will be forced through the bottlenecks of the doors, as there is insufficient room to battle more than two across in the hallway. The flaw in the plan is that Lalie volunteers herself as the "bait" to draw out the creatures. She is clad in heavy armor and therefore moves quite slowly. The folly of the plan becomes apparent when the doors burst open and Lalie is met by a horde of evil undead. She attempts to draw them back to the rooms where the rest of the group lies in wait, but is quickly overtaken by the swift moving creatures. She raises a cry and the adventurers move out to assist, only to see her paralyzed and killed. Their initial plans scuttled, the brave band engages with the evil undead horde. Will they rise to the occasion and avenge brave and righteous Lalie? We shall see!

Your faithful storyteller,

Vilma

Session 222: Charity and Kindness

It happened again. Sometimes it happens multiple times a day. Sometimes days or even weeks pass without it happening. But every time, it is the same. For me, it's not unlike the sensation of falling asleep, this strange power I have been given. The noises around me dampen, my attention drifts, then I fall into a reverie and see a scene before my eyes, the exploits of our dear Saviors of Orlane! It is so real: I can smell odors, hear sounds, sometimes even taste flavors! I have been told that my appearance looks odd to observers. My head lops to the side slightly, my mouth droops a little, and my eyes slip out of focus then go completely white. I don't know which deity has bestowed me with this gift, only that it feels divine and important to share what I see. So I retell it to any who will listen. Such as yourself...

Although our heroes are far away in the city of Hochoch, I can still see their goings on (even when they are not very exciting). I perceive Armatzi, Niki, Lalie, Titus, Lhoss, and Gnorcia. They are buying fancy food and drink for their treasure guard, Myr. Myr is a funny little creature. I have come in contact with him only a couple of times, but he is shrewd and all business. Finished with their business in town, Armatzi, Niki, Lalie, and Titus head out for Orlane (after Titus purchases a horse to ride out on). Lhoss and Gnorcia stay behind to train in their chosen specialties. 

Along the road back to us in Orlane, the party happens upon a group of downtrodden refugees. They are fleeing after a giant attack in Geoff. The poor dears ask to be accompanied on their journey to Ironguard Mott. The gracious and generous Saviors of Orlane oblige and then show themselves to be true heroes. Titus notices a man with a broken leg and cures it. The man is much relieved and quite thankful. Armatzi casts a spell to create food for all of the weary travelers and Tatania offers them some dried fruit from her stock. They all accept and eat their fill. Armatzi then offers a gold piece to each adult in the party which causes the grateful crowd to burst into hymns of St. Cuthbert. Tatania offers a glass bead to each child. Their spirits bolstered, the remainder of the journey passes with much more optimism that had been felt before encountering this benevolent group.

Back in Orlane, the group decides to venture out to that old place of death and danger: the barrowmaze. Upon departure, they are joined by two new party members, Maeve and Vayda. This group is a mix of seasoned and inexperienced adventurers. What horrors await them?

Midway through the Dim Forest, the group hears the distinct sound of footsteps. Not those of an animal or a large troop of people, but a disturbance in the brush from... who can say what? Lalie is able to detect evil at any time, simply by concentrating. And by Jove, she detects evil in this place. The sound of movement comes and goes. Lalie is determined to investigate, so she moves in the direction of where she senses the evil. Overhead, some branches break from their trees and ooze off. Lalie feels a wave of nausea at the sight. She momentarily loses her balance and drifts to the side, attempting to catch herself on the trunk of a tree. Instead of a solid tree to brace against, Lalie's hand pushes through into a rotten center. She pulls her hand out to find it covered in writhing maggots. Absolutely horrified and disgusted, Lalie shakes off the insects and rejoins the crew. She directs them to leave this place and move on to the barrowmaze.

Seasoned party members direct the newcomers to an entrance, but make no effort to show anyone how to solve the little puzzle that would allow entry. Maeve is a curious little jester and steps to the front. With a little manipulation of a prominent skeleton head, she reveals a staircase. After some walking, the group encounters a bricked off wall with loud moaning behind it. Lalie, the righteous cavalier, is determined to bash down the wall and face whatever is behind it!

The vision departs and my normal sight returns. I will go about the rest of my day, but I shall forever be your faithful storyteller, 

Vilma

Session 221: Whispers from the Hearth: The Light and the Soot

Day 6 - 7 Sunsebb CY 576

Gather ’round, if your boots aren't too muddy and your ears aren't too full of the winter wind. Old Vilma has seen the shadows lengthening over Orlane, and oh, how the "watchful and strained" air of our little village ripples when the restless ones pass through.

The high-and-mighty ones have moved on, their horses’ breath steaming in the sharp morning light as they rode for Hochoch. But before they left, there was quite the stir at the Slumbering Serpent. The new one—the Paladin, Lalie, refused to share a roof with the "Fearsome Five". She says she detected a foulness in them, an evil that would not let her sleep. She’d rather tuck into the Golden Grain than breathe the same air as a black soul, and so she moved her retinue in the dead of Sunsebb.

They’ve reached the stone walls of Hochoch now, a place that feels stable, though perhaps just as strained in its own way. They’ve been frequenting the Green Dragon, where the floors are swept but the eyes are just as guarded.  

But listen to what the birds tell me about the Temple of St. Cuthbert! Rosalind Greenshield, the High Priestess, nearly wept to see what Lalie carried in her hands. A relic lost to the records—a mace of disruption pulled from the "Barrowmaze". It’s a terrifying thing, blessed to blast the walking dead into nothingness with a single strike. The heavens seem to be arming their soldiers, for the paladin was told to wield it and smite the unrighteous.

Yet, where there is brilliant light, there is always soot. Armatzi, that cleric who usually knows better, has draped himself in darkness. He wears cursed plate mail now, a black skin imbued by necromancers. The Priestess says it’s a magnet for the enemy — that the dead can see him through it, like a beacon in the night. He’s walking a narrow bridge, that one, needing to slay twenty "enemies of the cloth" just to atone for his vanity in putting on a suit of mail without asking the stars what it was first.

And then there is the fire. Lhoss has laid claim to a staff that once belonged to a pyromancer named Pinto. It’s a hungry thing, filled with fifty-three charges of "burning hands" and "continual flames". It even tastes of gold — requiring a heavy price in coins and materials just to keep its fire fed. 

The party grows heavy with treasures — rings of protection and books of fire. But even as they sharpen their steel in Hochoch, the Barrowmarsh still thins its needles and peels its bark, waiting for the corruption to spread. 

Be careful, travelers. A mace may break a bone, and a staff may light a fire, but the shadows of the maze have long memories. Now, leave an old woman to her tea. The fire is getting low, and the wind is starting to howl.