Session 243: The Elf Superiority Hallway

It is Day 9 of Fireseek and Arnd, Kyro, Tyrion, and Lhoss find that half of the party has disappeared. Niki, Gnorcia, Feno, and Llqui are nowhere to be seen, although Niki's screams still echo hauntingly off the walls. The magical flames have also dissipated, revealing an empty room with many octagonal burial alcoves. The party sets to work searching the burial alcoves (respectfully removing and then replacing any remains) and discover a silver statuette, an electrum cup and some gold pieces. Fortunately, their work does not attract any denizens of the maze.  Somewhat anxious about adventuring in the crypts with their reduced size, the group decides to head back to Orlane.

The walk back to town is cold and uneventful. At the Slumbering Serpent, all of our adventurers welcome a mug of warm drink. Arnd inquires if any supplies of good dwarven ale have been received (hope springs eternal!), but alas, that particular trade has not yet been restored. The mood at the inn is muted and, why hello! There I am snoozing and snoring on a table. I will say that even though we have no dwarven beverages, Florian has a nice selection of spirits that will have any respectable body in a fine and relaxed state, should they choose to partake. I remember that I was in the midst of a particularly vivid dream when, say! Look at me now! I am reciting the epic poem describing the battle between Hextor and St. Cuthbert (and even doing it in old common). I should have Florian serve me gin more often, it is quite effecting!

By the next morning, Feno has joined the group once again. With their strong protector in toe, the quintet head back to the barrow maze. They head back to the area they had been exploring and come across a door that is swarming with worms. The group considers passing it by solely based on their collective revulsion. Arnd, however, is able to turn the handle and kick the door open without coming into contact with any of the worms. Inside is a bag containing silver pieces. Another door appears somewhat dilapidated and Arnd can view some light passing through it. The door is opened and the room is checked. Feno locates a secret door that he presses upon. With a strange groan, it opens and leads to a slanting passage. At first, the passageway seems to be completely empty and void of anything of interest. But Feno has an idea. He shoos out Kyro, Arnd, and Tyrion and closes the door. The lamps are extinguished and in the dark, Lhoss and Feno search the hallway again. With her dark vision and superior elven eyes, Lhoss spots a hidden latch. Feno activates the latch to reveal a 20' x 20' room with a raised dais, two silver-colored urns, and a bricked-over wall on the southwest side. The elves revel in their particular skill at revealing hidden spaces for a moment and then call in the others. Arnd had almost given up on the pair, chiding them for taking so long.

The party examine the room and notice several interesting details: the dungeon floor looks different from any other floor they have seen yet (this is an entirely new section of the barrow maze!); there are two shafts covered in lichen and moss that water is slowly trickling from; the floor is gently sloping downward to the east. Lhoss spider climbs up on the ceiling and peers down into the urns. One contains some sort of gray material and the other holds what appears to be gems. While she is up there, she gets a closer look at the dripping shafts and sees some sort of sluice gate mechanism that is holding back water. She also observes that there are drains in the slated hallway. Wait, the door at the end of the hall is closed! Nobody remembers closing it, though. Lhoss walks down and opens it. Aha! The door at the other end simultaneously opens. Then she opens the door leading back into the dais room and, as expected, the door at the other end of the hall closes. It is a simple, automatic air lock.

Back in the room Arnd is itching to break down the brick wall. While Lhoss looks out for danger, Kyro, Feno, and Tyrion break down the brick. Arnd has the audacity to criticize the laborer's technique! The job done, Tyrion decides that he will brave the task of retrieving the urns. He steps onto the dais and picks up the two urns. Being close up, Tyrion can tell that one urn contains cremains and the other indeed holds many gems. Unfortunately, a trap seems to have been tripped as water begins to pour from both shafts, flooding the room with about a foot of fast-moving water. Tyrion is able to keep his balance. The water is flowing in so quickly, it is clear that if the brick wall had been intact and the door to the slanted hall had been closed, the room would have quickly flooded and the party would have been drowned. As it stands, the water flows out into the hallway and into the drains. Tyrion places the urn with cremains back to the dais, but the water continues to flow. He also sets down the gems and this shuts off the water. The group gathers some rocks and debris and with some trial and error is able to replace the valuable gems with worthless detritus to leave behind and reset the trap. The only remaining problem is Tyrion's wet boots (which Lhoss quickly dries with a simple cantrip). Old Vilma can't wait to see what puzzles and traps the Saviors of Orlane will encounter next!

Session 242: Some risks with mixed results

It is Day 8 of Fireseek, and a full party (Arnd, Feno, Gnorcia, Tyrion, Niki, Llqui, Lhoss, and Kyro) head out to the barrow marsh. It is noted that the Dim Forest is no longer in active decline into fetid decay, nor has it healed beyond what had been previously seen; the woods seem to be in a stasis for now. The journey is uneventful and the party hopes to make this a short trip, only to gather some treasure they left behind and collect tokens of identification from the slain members of the Band of the Black Hand.

Fortunately for the adventurers, neither the treasure nor the bodies of the blackguards have been disturbed. The party makes short work of searching the remaining burial alcoves and tally the treasure which includes gold, scallop seashells, and a pearl. Then they scalp the eleven corpses of the Black Hand, wrapping each one in the deceased's tunic. The work was done so quickly, Feno suggests a smackerel of adventuring before they head back. Everyone else is amenable and so off they trek.

The first room they come upon holds a gargoyle perched on a ledge above two mummified bodies. It is a smallish gargoyle, and it looks upon Arnd and rasps out "so thirsty!" Before anyone else can assess the situation, Arnd throws his mighty war hammer (Witherbrand) at the creature and smashes it to pebbles which scatter harmlessly on the ground. Arnd mutters something about gargoyles being distrustful creatures and declares that he will not be tricked again.

The magic users are all intrigued but wary of the two runic tablets that are spotted laying on the mummies' chests. Tyrion, who has not had much experience with runic tablets, boldly walks up and reads the first one. He can see it is a clerical spell for Prayer. The tablet is placed in the bag of holding for later use. Emboldened by his success, Tyrion reaches for the second tablet. As his eyes scan across the stone, Tyrion begins to sway and gibber. Just as a far away look passes over him, Tyrion seems to brace himself and shake off whatever strange power was trying to take hold. The second tablet turns to dust in his hands. A brush with danger, it seems!

The rest of the room is examined and two things stand out: Arnd notices that one wall is significantly newer than the others and upon this wall Feno spots the letter E engraved in Elvish. Feno calls out to Lhoss who uses her spider climb ability to scurry up the wall and examine the letter more closely. She looks around it for any physical traps and finds none. Niki casts detect magic, but also finds none. Lhoss traces the letter with her fingertips and feels an affinity for the elf who carved it. She cleans it with some water and speaks the letter aloud in Elvish. Nothing happens. She remembers that in ancient Elvish, the letter E has a different sound, so she speaks that aloud. Nothing happens. With further cleaning, Lhoss uncovers the word Ehbrand, which she recognizes as the name of an ancient Elvish architect. The remains of the gargoyle seem to sense the water Lhoss is using to clean and the group swears they hear a faint "so thirsty" again. Tyrion decides to pee on the rubble. If that solved anything, who could say, because nothing more is heard from the stones on the ground.

On the way back to Orlane through the Dim Forest, Lhoss hears an owl take wing. She takes this as an omen of healing and a return of natural wildlife to the area. Perhaps things are not so static after all!

There are several folk from town in the inn's common room. Lhoss seeks out Elwin and asks him about the name Ehbrand. He tells her what he knows, which is much the same info Lhoss already has but says a rubbing could provide more insight. A few of the party see the mayor Zacharias and approach him to chat. Zacharias passes on that Merit Lage (the town shopkeeper who had been missing since the siege of Orlane) has been found. Belba is nursing him back to health at the Slumbering Serpent. The mayor is doing better than ever, but mentions that he still has strange memories and nightmares and even has a moment of confusion where he mistakes Feno for Dorian. Nevertheless, he encourages the heroes in their pursuit of the vile necromancers who were the cause of so much suffering and destruction. Lastly, Florian mentions to Gnorcia that another adventuring party is staying at the Golden Grain Inn and has been asking after the Saviors of Orlane. Florian says candidly that Bertram may or may not be helpful in informing on his patrons.

The next morning, Feno, Gnorcia, and Lhoss track down Bernard and show him the scalps from the Black Hand members. He is most pleased, pays the promised bounty, and buys a packed lunch for the whole party. Bernard mentions that if they bring back insignia from any higher-ranking Black Hand villains, their payout will be even higher.

The group travel back to the barrow maze through some light snow. Lhoss makes a rubbing of the wall for Elwin and the party moves on to a bricked-over section of wall. They bash it down with sledgehammers. Luckily the noise does not attract any unfriendly creatures, that is unless you count the three heucuvas that are behind the rubble! One evil creature slashes at Arnd, but the dwarf is made of tough stuff and does not succumb to its poison. In turn, Feno and Arnd are able to slay two of the creatures with one blow apiece. Lhoss spider climbs along the ceiling, drops behind the third, and destroys it with a devastating backstab from her magic dagger, Gary.

The room contains numerous burial alcoves, in which the party finds magical studded armor and platinum. There is also a door that appears mystical and has strange etchings. Lhoss examines it, but cannot identify the magical glyphs. Niki steps up and hastily opens the door, where she is engulfed and burned with magical fire. Singed, but not defeated, hopefully our druid will learn a lesson that danger may lurk anywhere in the barrow maze! 

Your humble story teller,

Vilma

Session 241: Staff (a foe, a friend, a tool)

As Arnd, Kyro, Lhoss, and Feno look down upon the captured Band of the Black Hand member, they are joined once again by Niki and Gnorcia. Then to their surprise, two new adventurers join the group. Their names are Tyrion and Llqui (pronounced Luke-ee). They seem like good people and are interested in joining the group (in exchange for a share of the treasure!) so they are welcomed in.

Gnorcia ties up the sleeping bandit and nudges him with her boot. The man wakes up and is immediately hostile and unresponsive to any questions. Niki slaps him, but violence has no effect either. Lhoss nods her head towards the eleven dead bodies that line the hallway, the rest of the Band that has already fallen to the blades of the group. In spite of the implication this threat, the fellow stares down each question with a surly silence. Niki has an idea. She casts charm person on the prisoner. Remarkably, he seems to resist the spell. Undeterred, she casts it again. Possibly because he is weary, he falls under the spell this time. He sways slightly and then looks up at Niki with a mixture of relief and friendship. The man immediately begins opening up to Niki and answers her questions with no hesitation. His name is Staff and he readily points out the location where his camp resides on Gnorcia's map (3-4 miles to the northeast). Although there are other bases, he does not know where they are located. He doesn't know the name of his supervisor and he receives his orders secretly (a note slipped under his pillow). When asked how long he has been with the Band, Staff gets a pained look and struggles to come up with the answer. Two years, maybe? Yes, he has heard of the Saviors of Orlane, the Band tries to avoid them. When asked if they are the Saviors of Orlane, Niki gives a vague non-answer. The Band is numerous and backed by powerful people, though Staff cannot name them. By this time Staff is beginning to look confused and complains of a headache.

The group decides it is best to take Staff back to Orlane and perhaps turn him over to the temple because it seems that there is some sort of strange interaction with Niki's charm person spell. Could Staff have another spell of compulsion he is under that is at war with the charm spell? When Staff hears that he is being taken to a temple, he asks which one. Niki replies honestly that it is the temple of Merikka and asks if that is okay. Staff replies that Niki is his friend and he trusts her.

The journey back to Orlane is uneventful. At the inn, Niki buys Staff a delicious dinner (all food in Orlane is delicious, ask anyone). Is Niki under the impression that Staff is really her friend? She seems to genuinely care about the wellbeing of the man. Sitting by the fire is, well that's me, Vilma! I'm telling one of my stories but nobody seems to be listening. Ah well, your old girl loves to spin a yarn, even if no one appreciates it. Elwyn is scribbling away on some papers, and Dorian and Llewelyn are on their way out. Staff is put up in the inn for the night, but not released from his bonds.

The next day is Day 8 of Fireseek and Staff is escorted by the adventurers to the temple of Merikka. There they are met with a new priest named Gerrard who has been reassigned here from Hookhill. Lhoss is used to being the one leading communication between the adventurers and the temple because she has a good relationship with Priestess Misha. But Gerrard does not seem too interested in talking to Lhoss. She explains the situation while Gerrard looks on with his eyes glazed over. When she makes mention of the Saviors of Orlane, Niki leads Staff outside so he will not overhear too much. It's clear that Gerrard has not paid attention to a thing that Lhoss said so Gnorcia begins to talk. Immediately, Gerrard looks down on the little gnome with rapt attention. Lhoss throws up her hands in exasperation and follows Niki outside. 

Gnorcia learns that another former member of the Band of the Black Hand that had been captured by the Saviors of Orlane who had been rehabilitated at the temple (forgive me, nobody can remember his name) has been dispatched to Ironguard Mott and then Hookhill by the magistrate some time ago. A garrison has formed in town as the local law enforcement. If the party surrenders Staff to the garrison, it seems he will likely suffer the same fate.

Outside of the temple, Staff is becoming more agitated. He pulls at his hair and stares at the ground; he is clearly distressed. Niki asks Staff if he remembers having any spells cast on him, but he doesn't. Kyro offers Staff some tea, but he refuses it. Niki asks Staff how one becomes a member of the Band, but he doesn't know that either. Staff is becoming more distant and vague with his responses. He asks to go to the privy to relieve himself and Arnd accompanies him. When the two return, Staff seems to deteriorate quickly. He becomes quite groggy, then falls asleep. Drool dripping from his mouth turns to foam and now he is coughing and choking. Niki casts detect poison, which shows that he is in fact poisoned. Suddenly Staff begins to seize and then dies. 

The party decide to take his body over to the garrison and explain the situation. There they are met by Bernard, who is not at all troubled by the sight of a dead man. In fact, he rewards the group for dispatching with a member of the notorious bandits. Bernard explains that it has become common practice in the Band of the Black Hand to pull the molars and replace them with poison capsules that the men can crush in their mouth if they are captured to prevent revealing any secrets. What a dastardly practice! In the future, evidence of slain Band of the Black Hand recruits (scalps and insignia) will be rewarded.

If you ask old Vilma, the adventurers should hurry back and scalp those other bandits they left behind for a hefty payday!

Session 240: Zombies and The Band of the Black Hand (equally despised)

The group has returned to the barrow maze in an attempt to find the place where they had defeated the beholder. Hopefully they will find some interesting loot as they failed to search the area right after the fight. Though locating the room is proving quite difficult...

Our heroes find themselves somewhat reduced in number. Only Lhoss, Kyro, Arnd, Feno, and Niki have appeared for this day's adventure. Sergius has been persuaded to adventure with another party and Armatzi has been called away on urgent business. There is a persistent rumor that Armatzi has joined a dance troupe, but that has not been confirmed. No matter! This is a seasoned party who can face whatever dangers there are to be found in the barrow maze, right?

The first doorway the adventurers encountered looked like the door had been blasted clean off. The interior was a mess of tattered amber robes and burial alcoves that appeared to have been hastily looted. Feno observed some footprints in the dust and ash on the floor. They were humanoid, possibly elf. Kyro despaired at the state of the room left by (apparently) other adventurers. Lhoss spotted a single gold piece that was overlooked by the sloppy marauders.

At the next door, Lhoss checked for any traps, but found none. The door was flung open and behind it was a horde of zombies, some armed with crossbows. Feno reached into his bag and produced a vial of holy water, which he threw at the zombies. It must've slipped from his grasp before release, because the glass arced somewhat awkwardly before it glanced off of one of the zombie's tattered rags and clinked harmlessly to the ground without breaking. This was but a small bump in the road on the path to slaying all of the evil creatures, though Feno took a fair amount of damage from some funeral pyre zombies that exploded in a stinking conflagration. The party collected the few crossbows and with nothing else of value, moved on to the next room.

Not far away was another door that stood ajar. Feno peeked in and observed a runic tablet in the middle of the floor and burial alcoves lining the walls. Arnd probed the floor with the 10-foot pole to check for floor traps. Then Niki, Kyro, Lhoss, and Arnd proceeded to search the alcoves while Feno kept guard. The group had done little searching when Feno's sharp ears picked up some scraping sounds. Oh no, more zombies! Just then, Niki claimed to hear Fernadette calling out to her and disappeared in a flash. Only four heroes? More than enough! Feno had an improbable miss, followed by more missed swings from Arnd and Lhoss. Kyro turned the tides of the battle with a clutch bullseye struck with his arrow. This seemed to bolster Feno and Arnd who killed off the remaining undead creatures. 

Everyone returned to their tasks, Feno keeping guard, while the rest looted the burial alcoves. Feno saw some approaching fire beetles and called out to Lhoss in Elvish. Lhoss called back (also in Elvish) if he needed any help. He responded "not yet" so Lhoss shrugged and got back to searching. Arnd and Kyro, not understanding Elvish, rolled their eyes at the pair and also continued to work. Feno dispatched the bugs easily and collected their glowing antennae to be used as torches. Then he heard something that gave him pause: human voices. He closed the door that he had been guarding and retreated to the alcove room and barred that door from entry. The voices and footsteps outside drew closer. Lhoss suggested they might be just another adventuring party with no ill intentions. She flung open the door and the group outside immediately began to flee. Lhoss called after them that they were merely adventurers and meant no harm, when she recognized the insignia of The Band of the Black Hand. Correction, now they did mean them harm.

A dozen men scurried away down the hall while our heroes gave chase. Lhoss cast a sleep spell that caused nine men to fall to the ground unconscious. Feno, Kyro, and Arnd were able to shoot and kill the three who evaded the spell and fled. The largest of the sleeping men was tied up and held for questioning, while the other eight men were quickly dispatched with slit throats. Will they bring that vile brute back to Orlane? If they do, your old storyteller Vilma will have nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Session 239: On the trail of the beholder's den

Before the adventurers made their way back to us in Orlane enjoy the warm comradery of our inns, they attended to their own various needs in Hochoch:

Tatania chose to train train for a week with the mage Merlin. He has a reputation as being somewhat of a character and a strange nickname (The Pink Panther), based on his penchant for dressing in robes of pink, rose, and white. Under his tutelage, Tatania learned the spell fireball. This is a powerful and dangerous spell that I believe Tatania will use to great effect in battle. She also took some time to identify the properties of Armatzi's cursed armor.

Armatzi, in turn, paid 1,000 gold pieces in atonement to the Temple of St. Cuthbert to cleanse said cursed armor. He also paid off some debt he owed to the party. This sales trip has really lined some pockets and allowed many party members to pay back loans and deposit large sums in their vaults. Gnorcia used some of her treasure to, yes pay off debts, but also order a custom nickel-plated staff. Sergius noted that there were several stylish dwarves in town and not wanting to look like a hayseed, styled his beard (which grew back bushier after dwarven magic oil) with braided silk ribbons. Such a winsome look!

The trek back to Orlane was quite chilly over two short winter days. The party was surprised and glad to be met with Veyda and Jack, returned from their two-week healing stay with the fire maple druids. While Jack's paw had been fully restored, he did not regain the ability to speak Common. A strong bond seems to have formed between Veyda and Jack. When the party decided to head out for the barrow maze, Veyda opted to stay behind with Jack curled on by the fire.

The adventurers have the stated mission to retrace their steps to the battle against the beholder in order to search the area more completely. They entered the barrow maze with this goal in mind. After traversing the obsidian-walled 'psychedelic hallway of doom', Gnorcia inspected a mysterious door and found a gas valve trap. She was able to disarm the trap and unlock the door. What a helpful little theif! Inside, a large, dormant, insect-like creature with a beak, two fern-like antennae, and a blade-like tail sprung to life. As Sergius rushed forward, Gnorcia tackled his legs to prevent him from entering party missile fire. Arnd threw his warhammer while Kyro and Feno unleashed arrows at point-blank range. The creature squealed and collapsed. Arnd crushed its head to ensure death. Gnorcia harvested its 24-inch antennae (stored in an iron box) and bottled its dull red blood/ooze in a glass vial.

While searching the trapezoidal burial alcoves, Sergius fell asleep on guard duty, allowing two ravenous dead to ambush Armatzi and Sergius. Sergius sustained a nasty slice from filthy claws before waking. Armatzi channeled his holy symbol, successfully turning the undead and caused them to flee. In the ensuing melee, Armatzi struck with his mace, Sergius crushed a zombie with his specialized axe, Feno slashed out with Icing Death, Arnd loosed an arrow, Kyro slew one with Dynasty, and Gnorcia executed a devastating backstab to finish off the last.

Further down the corridor, the party pushed open a door that was ajar into another alcove chamber and discovered a runic tablet lying on the floor. Sergius bravely inspected and read the tablet. It was revealed to be a magic spell scroll containing the 3rd-level cleric spell Continual Darkness, which was transferred to the party cleric for future use.

While searching the chamber, a chilling, diabolical voice cackled echoing through the stone walls: “Foolish Saviors of Orlane. You should never have come back.” Despite the ominous threat, the party systematically cleared the burial alcoves before concluding the expedition for the day. A nearly flawless adventuring expedition that does old Vilma's heart proud!

Session 238: Perception is everything

The adventurers continued their tasks in Hochoch on Day 4 of Fireseek. First off, they sought out the mysterious Da'ana. The enigmatic sage seems to have a certain affinity for the group and readily bought several items from them. This appears to be a valuable connection for both parties as the adventurers have a buyer for their oddities that don't seem to appeal to other merchants (as well as a resource for obscure questions) and Da'ana can profit by acquiring some genuinely unique finds.

Next, Feno was pretty set on converting to be a follower of Heironeous. He finds the aims of this sect align more thoroughly with his own than his current deity, Obad-Hai. On the way to the temple of Heironeous, Lalie was approached by Charlayne Laurens who identified Lalie's high status and asked her to contribute 5,000 gold pieces to fund a women's refugee charity. Lalie felt torn and considered aloud if she could find a way to be helpful, but ultimately had to decline outright due to her vow of poverty. She will simply have to be content with all the good she does in this world by destroying evil creatures with her holy weapon and the charity she enables with her donations to St. Cuthbert.

Feno arrived at the temple of Heironeous and boldly declared his intention to forsake Obad-Hai and embrace Heironeous. The priest that met with Feno counseled him that forsaking a deity could potentially produce ill-effects and incur the wrath of said deity. There was no need to make such a bold move as the followers of Heironeous did not find fault or quarrel with Obad-Hai; indeed, a person could easily make room in their life to simply add worship of Heironeous. No formal ceremony took place, only a quiet acceptance of belief that was beautiful to behold.

After that, Feno and Arnd undertook to sell the armor that Arnd had spent many days crafting. It was a fine jousting armor, which seemed to be a much higher quality and purpose than what local merchants were looking for. Not only would they not fetch a good price for the armor, the merchants were not even interesting in purchasing at all because they did not seem optimistic about being able to resell such an item. Instead, Feno and Arnd were pointed toward the garrison at Hookhill where such armor might be more valued. 

As the party moved through town, Lhoss felt like she was being watched particularly closely by the city watchmen. She couldn't shake the feeling of suspicion that was being directed her way. Used to being appraised as distrustful, particularly by humans, Lhoss stepped up her manners to appear more open in an attempt to diffuse any sort of engagement. She was not approached or interrogated, but was left feeling unsettled all the same. On the other hand, Colette was approached and given a gift of a hand-made bridle. Clearly she made a better impression. On the other other hand, Sergius was challenged in the street by some passerby calling him "little guy". To his credit, Sergius did not rise to the bait and simply walked away. Lhoss made her way to the temple of Zuoken and made a donation there to benefit the refugees.

The interesting interactions kept happening. In a large city like Hochoch, there are all sorts and they all seemed interested in this adventuring party. Feno was asked by a senior soldier about his opinions on some weapons. Feno gave a thoughtful and considered response, for which he was thanked. Lalie was identified as a paladin by one Metello Comela and the two dined together over their shared interests and worship of St. Cuthbert. Arnd was approached by a smith who sought his insight on a weapon that had failed under heavy stress. Arnd agreed to follow Kokhta the smith to his shop to inspect the broadsword. With a careful eye, Arnd saw the balance was just off and pointed out the flaw. Kokhta indicated his appreciation and invited the dwarf to visit his smithy anytime. Gnorcia was speaking to the innkeeper who was passing on a strange rumor of horses having seizures when she was interrupted by a trader named Raphael Hellmuth who cryptically said that he knows she brings wealth from the barrow marsh. Gnorcia could not parse if he meant that as a compliment or a threat, so she gave an evasive answer and ended the encounter quickly. I hope our heroes come back to Orlane quickly where I, Vilma, tell their tales and treat them with nothing but honor and respect!

Session 237: The Bitterwood Inn

The party stopped roughly halfway on their journey to Hochoch at the Bitterwood Inn for the night. Innkeeper Bruno Mara welcomed the travelers and sought to exchange realm news. On his end, Bruno noted multiple fast messengers bypassing the inn and shared rumors of a coughing/pox sickness spreading from Hookhill. In turn, the party reported rescuing Orlane's kidnapped

mayor and rumors of giant raids. Bruno also passed along word that adventurers were unearthing ancient treasure from the Rushmoors/Barrow Marsh. It is always interesting to hear what news spreads outside of one's own town.

Although the Bitterwood is a small outpost, increased travel has driven up the price of rooms. For a private room, the cost is three gold pieces and the common room is five silver pieces. The meals are expensive as well, costing 15 silver pieces. Feno and Lalie opted for two of the limited private rooms and Feno even offered to pay for Titus's lodging since the cleric was low on funds. Niki, however took a different tack, and challenged a very strong looking traveler to an arm-wrestling contest for his room. Her confidence was high, but her strength was no match, and alas, she lost. Punishment was a night in the common room.

Gnorcia was pleased to find another gnome at the inn. She befriended the fellow (named Gory), a teamster coordinating horses and transport for refugees. A gnome may not appear a friendly face to us humans, but I assure you, Gnorcia was happy to see him and chat in her native tongue for the night.

Meanwhile, Sergius and Arnd met Barl and his sons (Parl and Quarl), dwarven warriors clad in supple granite stone armor. They were heading west to the Duchy of Geoff to fight hill, frost, and fire giants. The father and sons advised the party to seek out the Duke of Geoff for employment. That does sound like a challenging and worthy endeavor, but our heroes have another task to complete first!

Outside the walls of Hochoch, the party encountered a massive refugee camp filled with displaced civilians, nobles, and wounded veterans. Titus, Lalie, Isla, and Niki cast their Cure Light Wounds spells to heal the injured, while Gnorcia handed copper coins to local children and Sergius

assisted injured travelers. Those Saviors of Orlane really are do-gooders at heart! At the city gates, guards inspected their active charter and assessed a city defense tax of two gold pieces per person. Lalie graciously covered poor impoverished Titus's fee.

Guided by Gnorcia and Titus, the group visited Ginton Bellum, a premier jeweler operating at The Darling Stone. Prior to negotiations, Tatana and Gnorcia performed appraisals of the loot they planned to sell. Leveraging her high charisma Lalie led negotiations and locked in premium payout rates, guaranteed for two months. The party sold a few pieces at a handsome price.

Following the gem sales, Tatana consulted Ginton regarding professional jeweler equipment.

She ended up purchasing the high-end jeweler kit that would allow gem processing. This means that Tatania could, with some careful work, elevate the value of gems she examined. But, a clumsy hand could destroy the stone instead. Will the party risk their future treasure for a greater reward? I, Vilma, cannot wait to find out!

Session 236: Needfest

My tale begins as the revelries of Needfest continue. Whimsical masks are made of various materials (cloth, feathers, painted wood) and for one night, townsfolk act in ways that are contrary to the normal social order. Children boss around their parents, farmhands mock their employers, and some high-status villagers behave in wild and uncharacteristic ways that they are sure to deny in the morning. A "Lord of Orlane" was selected to preside over the festival, not by popular vote, but by chance. This year, a single black bean was placed in a bowl filled with white beans and one by one, each villager drew a bean until the black one was pulled. The chosen one was dressed in a garish and oversized cloak and was sat in a "throne" and forced to settle silly disputes and grievances from any who wished to speak up. I, myself have been appointed as Lady of Orlane no fewer than three times over the years. This year the unlucky fellow was none other than Finn Thistlebrook, a jovial lad who has recently taken over the family apple orchard that has been the backbone of many a festival as it supplies the fruit for fine casks of cider and delicious apple tarts. He presided with good humor as he ruled over some matters of dubious import. Celia Wren brought a case against her neighbor Doran Kestral to see if the Lord would stipulate that Doran's noisy rooster was disturbing the peace. Finn thought a moment as he glanced at his cousin Doran and declared that "it is at the owner's discretion". Then, Torvald Whitmore wondered aloud whether the ale that had been sold to him from one of the local vendors could still be called ale when it was clearly watered down. Lord Thistlebrook called upon an expert with discerning taste, Sergius the Dwarf, to make the judgement. Sergius took a large gulp from the flagon and declared the drink nothing more than "flavored water!" A mighty cheer arose and some sidelong glares were cast toward the beverage cart where most of the patrons immediately stepped out of line. Next, Cedric Landry spoke up and complained that Briony Frost had not paid him for his work clearing gophers from her field. Briony stated indignantly that Cedric had spent the afternoon asleep beneath an oak tree and had only killed two gophers. Finn nodded sagely and declared that Cedric was owed his pay because although he had napped, the man had indeed shown up and done the job asked of him. Briony dug into her purse and produced a few coins with a sour expression. Cedric ran off with glee to patronize one of the ale stalls. Lastly, a cry came from somewhere deep in the crowd that adventurers should be taxed for bringing trouble into the town with them. Low murmurs turned into boisterous chatter that then solidified into a chant of "tax! tax! tax!" With a wide grin on his face, Finn declared that all adventurers should indeed pay a tax of five gold pieces each for the burdens and hardships they seem to track back in to town, not unlike dirt on their boots. Gnorcia took great displeasure in this ruling, wondering why she should be punished for her repeated rescue of the town and good work in the barrow maze. Doran Kestral hollered out drunkenly that the adventurers were the reason his roosters were so noisy. Bram Halloway voiced his concern that the adventurers would eventually infect the village with a plague carried in from who knows where. Mayor Zacharias spoke up with a hollow voice that much has been both gained and lost from the exploits of the Saviors of Orlane. That dampened the tone somewhat, but seemed to settle the matter. 

Each of the adventurers paid up and returned to their chosen diversions. Most of the party removed their masks and go to sleep, but Lhoss and Sergius slept with theirs on. Lhoss was raised with the tradition of Elwynn, the elven fairy of Needfest who rewards those who show their enthusiasm in participating in the frivolities of the festival. Sergius, I think, was too drunk to remove his mask at the end of the night. Regardless, both Lhoss and Sergius were rewarded with a strange piece of silver under their pillow that when held calls to mind a bird for Sergius and a loom for Lhoss. The festival continued with singing and drinking and exchanging of gifts, particularly to those who suffered losses during the year. Lalie received carved wooden spoons, Tatania received patches of dyed cloth, Lhoss received some pickled onions, Gnorcia received some peach preserves, and Sergius received some sharpened tools. On the last day, candles were lit, bells were rung, while villagers of Orlane remembered the events of the year and the festival came to a close. Several party members stayed up late to see the sun rise on the new day, then retired for some rest.

Lhoss and Tatania used their skill to identify some magic items. Lhoss examined the cursed spell book that growled at her. To her delight, the growling was simply an affectation and the book posed no ill-will. Indeed, it was an incredibly valuable spell book that was inscribed with every second-level spell known to magic users. It also contained Baltrun's Effusive Blood Boil, Drixom's Purple Haze, Galaxina's Scintillating Spark Shower, and Vitheria's Vengeful Visage. Tatania then examined the lizard scale spell book. It did have a curse which was that it will attract reptiles and reptile-like monsters as long as it is in this physical plane. It was constructed with leather lizardman's scales and had silver fittings. Tatania was delighted to discover that it contained every level-one magic user spell.

Feno claimed the gloves of dexterity. The rest of the group considered their finances and decided to travel to Hochoch in order to sell some items to raise funds for the group. In the meantime, Armatzi, Lalie, Lhoss, and Titus sought out the mayor of Orlane, Zacharias. The mayor's behavior was still somewhat off since his return to town and the group was seeking out a way to help. The mayor received the party in a somewhat detached manner. Armatzi addressed the mayor in an attempt to connect, but Zacharias just stared into the flames of the fire. Lalie cast detect evil, but none was found. After about ten minutes, the mayor turned to Armatzi and shed a tear. Lalie introduced herself and asked Zacharias to share what he experienced during his departure from Orlane. The mayor absentmindedly got up and stirred a pot of porridge. Titus asked the mayor if he has permission to cast a spell. The mayor began to protest the need for such a thing but then trailed off. Titus, taking control of the situation, cast remove fear. Slowly, some life seemed to come back to Zacharias' eyes. He seemed to remember his manners and invited the party to sit and eat with him. Slowly, he began to regain some spark of personality and chatted about the festival. Lalie once again asked about his experiences away from Orlane but he declined to elaborate. Zacharias gave Titus a heartfelt thank you and invited the holy rollers (plus Lhoss) to visit again. He seemed much improved, even if he's not completely recovered.

The next morning, the entire group set off for Hochoch. They traveled through a cold early Fireseek day and encountered a group of trappers on the road. Lalie approached them to inquire about their wares, but they were standoffish and brisk. They seemed unwilling to sell their pelts which made Lalie suspicious so she cast detect evil on them. She didn't sense that they were evil, but based on their demeanor, she gave up and left them alone. They quickly moved on. Then the party heard some hoof sounds headed toward them. They made way for three mounted messengers headed swiftly to Orlane. Lalie hailed them and while they took notice of her, they pressed on. The party continued in their own direction toward a hostel where they will spend the night.

Now, I am still worn out from the frivolities of Needfest, so your old storyteller is off for a nap! I remain your humble servant,

Vilma

 

Session 235: Bathtime

Lalie and Aila, Gnorcia and Pella, Lhoss, Tatania, Feno, and Sergius find themselves with the decision of whether to explore the two greenish-brown pools within the barrow. All of the remaining areas have been explored and cleared, so there are no excuses to put off the decision any longer. Lalie is intrigued by the waters and takes off her glove to test the temperature with her hand. Gnorcia, seemingly emboldened by Lalie's action does the same. The two comment that they don't feel any different, but Tatania notes that they are still fully clothed. While Gnorcia and Lalie discuss whether it would be wise to test the waters, Lhoss looks on idly and comments that she would never be brave enough to strip down as is depicted in the murals and bathe in the murky water. Lalie seems to interpret Lhoss' offhand comment as some sort of challenge and orders Feno and Sergius out so she can run a proper experiment. Feno dutifully disappears into one of the rooms and shuts the door. Sergius walks into another room, but keeps peeking his head out until the women all shout at him to give them some privacy. 

Lalie immediately strips off her armor and clothing and submerges herself in the lower pool with Gnorcia hot on her heels. The effect is immediate and noticeable to both the bathers and onlookers: an eye that appears less keen and a jaw that is slightly more slack; these two seem to have lost a shade of their intelligence! Gnorcia declares that she is feeling a little dumb, so why not do something a little dumb? She scrambles out of the lower pool and immediately plunges into the upper pool. It is as though a cobweb is immediately swept from the corner of her brain as Gnorcia seems her old self again. Except, she seems shinier somehow? I mean, she's not attractive, but for a gnome, she's slightly comelier. Lalie joins Gnorcia in the upper pool and exhibits the same mini transformation. It's difficult to pin it down, but Lhoss has an increased level of trust and respect for Lalie. 

Tatania may have been reluctant to be the first one in the water, but after seeing what has transpired, strips and dunks herself in the upper pool. Unfortunately, she sees no change in herself from the experiment. True to her word, Lhoss does not even consider the task. The men are called back into the main chamber and the women recount their success/failure from bathing. The men declare it is their turn and shoo the women out of the room. Sergius climbs into the upper pool and Feno the lower one. They experience nothing. They switch pools but still feel nothing. Feno notices that the mosaics that had depicted bathing figures have disappeared, leaving blank walls behind. Disappointed, they dry off and all head back out into the marsh.

The party walks around the barrow marsh, looking at mounds they haven't explored before. They find a covered mound that would take too long to dig out. Next they encounter a sealed tomb but are perhaps too afraid to attract unwanted attention with the noise that breaking down the door would cause. They then come upon a cover stone that appears to have been removed with a rope and horse (judging by the drag path and horse tracks left behind). The group peeks in and observes a 15' x 15' chamber with a disturbed sarcophagus and a mummy lying face-down on the ground. Gnorcia nudges the mummy with her toe with thankfully no response and Lalie uses her skill to passively detect evil and, even more thankfully, senses none. Tatania is clicking her tongue at whomever left the mummy in such a disrespectful state and is contemplating restoring the mummy to its sarcophagus when Lhoss catches a glint of gold. She carefully scoops up a gold ring on the tip of her dagger, Gary, while Tatania casts detect magic and, unfortunately, detects none. With this small treasure, they all decide to head back to Orlane.

Feno has caught word that Alan Clayborne has returned from his journey to find the Mayor. Feno and Lhoss head to his house to speak to him, but he is not home. They first try the Slumbering Serpent as it's the closest inn to Alan's home, but he isn't there. Lhoss visits briefly with Belba, largely to assuage the side-eye glances from the inns' patrons. Belba kindly informs the two elves that Alan generally frequents their own Foaming Mug Inn. Of course! Sure enough, Alan and his wife are in the common room of the Foaming Mug. As Lhoss and Feno approach, Alan seems eager to share is news but hesitant because it's not exactly good news. Alan found the mayor, but something seems off. The mayor was willing to speak to Alan and even come back to Orlane, but he had a strange emotional detachment. He didn't smile and there didn't seem to be any light behind his eyes. What strange depression, ennui, or trauma is tormenting the dear mayor?

The next morning is the beginning of Needfest. The party decides to stay in town for the holiday. Townsfolk are buoyed by the festival with all sorts of gatherings and celebrations. They mayor even joins in, though his demeanor is not much changed. The children of town put on a play portraying the brave actions of the Saviors of Orlane. Feno is pleased his own depiction while Lhoss is positively delighted to be shown in such a glowing light. Each afternoon, Lhoss and Tatania meet up to dig through the bag of holding and identify a few of the magic items. On one evening, seemingly all of Orlane gathers for a potluck where everyone contributes what they can to the feast. Lhoss assists in baking some bread, Feno contributes a delicious wheel of cheese, and even Gnorcia uses a freshen cantrip to crisp up some apples that had started to go a little soft. It is a cheerful night filled with food, drink and dancing. Your old Velma had her fill of wine and cut a rug. With that joyful memory, I leave you until next time,

Vilma

Session 234: Hair today, gone tomorrow

This report chronicles the events of the expedition into a barrow within the Barrow Marsh on the 28th day of Sunset, between the hours of 9:30 and 11:00 in the morning.

The golden goblet called to the party from the short pedestal. It looked enticing, yet menacing. Lhoss inspected it for traps and Niki tested the liquid inside and determined it was not poison. It also did not appear to be evil in nature or possess any magical enchantments. The liquid inside was viscous, green, and familiar. Lifting the goblet to transfer it into a glass bottle that could be sealed, it became evident to the party that they were dealing with that substance well-known to them: green slime. To be sure, Tatania sprinkled a few crumbs of bread into the goblet. The slime reacted instantly. It bubbled up violently, doubling in volume. The goblet itself was appraised to be worth 345 gold pieces and featured a unique non-metallic interior coating that seemed to resist the slime’s corrosive properties.

The party quibbled a bit about how best to handle the situation. They had obviously dealt with green slime numerous times in the past and were being overly cautious about handling it and making sure that the vessel they intended to transfer the glop into would be capable of safely containing the dangerous liquid. The room seemed to grow impatient with their slow decision-making. Suddenly, it began to rain indoors, causing the slime to grow further. Several members of the party retreated outside of the room, but a stubborn few persisted, trying to find a way to decant the slime and recover the goblet. Soon after, the temperature skyrocketed, reaching intense, furnace-like heat. As the rest of the party retreated and closed the door to seal off the heat, they witnessed the glass bottle shatter and the golden goblet melt into a bubbling pool of gold. It almost seemed as though some trickster had set a supernatural trap that sprung when the adventurers tried to claim the goblet.

Continuing north through the marshy interior, Gnorcia accidentally stepped into a pool of peat water but was dried by a companion's magic. The party encountered a locked northern door rigged with a thin wire trap. Lhoss climbed the wall to disarm the mechanism, which triggered a massive four-foot stone block to slam down on the opposite side of the portal. Once the door was unlocked and the block bypassed, the group entered a large crypt.

The new chamber contained numerous burial alcoves and two large wooden statues with antlers. While the party began searching the alcoves, an evil presence was sensed behind a western door. Suddenly, the door burst open, and two sons of Gaks (horrid, worm-infested creatures) attacked. The monstrosities were swiftly vanquished through a combination of magic missiles, martial prowess, and a holy mace that reduced one to a puff of magic.

Peace was short-lived as an explosion rocked the southern end of the tomb, and smoke began pouring into the chamber. The southern door was incinerated, and a funeral pyre zombie emerged. During the skirmish, the zombie was levitated into the air by Lhoss to neutralize its mobility. When struck by magic, it burst into flames, burning away its flesh before being shattered into bone fragments. Simultaneously, the two wooden statues in the room animated into wood golems. In the ensuing melee, the golems were destroyed, though the dwarf Sergius unfortunately had his beard singed by the flames of the burning constructs.

Following the battles, a thorough search of the eight rotting wooden sarcophagi revealed several notable items: a suit of dwarven-sized chain mail, a winged helm, a longsword and a medium-sized kite shield bearing a red, white, and blue chevron, a pair of rusty silver thimbles, a sunflower statuette, a picnic basket, a scandalous piece of black lingerie, a bag containing 45 gold pieces, a potion of extra healing, and a small red bottle containing a "hair restore tonic". Sergius was quite distraught over the reduction of his magnificent beard and seemed distrustful of the tonic. It took much convincing from the rest of the group, but Sergius applied the magical tonic to his damaged facial hair He was much relieved when it successfully restored his beard to its former flowing glory.

Session 233: Lhoss and Tatania expand their powers

It is Day 27 of Sunsebb. Lhoss and Tatania find that spells have been acquired by the group that allow them to cast the Identify spell (provided they transcribe the spell into their spell books and have the requisite components - which they do and they buy). As they are both more skilled spell-casters than Duerom, they are able to cast the spell more times with greater accuracy. The duo sets to work identifying a backlog of magic items.

The first identified item was Gauntlets of Dexterity, which increase the wearer's dexterity score. They also examined a magical hand axe, though its specific combat bonuses were not fully revealed during the session. The party also identified several potions: two clear potions were identified as Potions of Health, which completely cure diseases like mummy rot, blindness, and infection but do not restore hit points;  a golden liquid with silver flecks was identified as a Potion of Treasure Finding which allows the drinker to locate large treasure hordes (at least 10,000 coins) within a 240-foot range; lastly all iridescent blue liquids in the group's possession were confirmed to be standard healing potions.

Next, Lhoss picked up some scrolls to cast Identify on them, but it was unnecessary as she was able to read the spell names and identified several one after another. The first discovery was two powerful clerical scrolls. One contained four 7th-level spells (control weather, conversion, exaction, and holy word), and the other contained two 4th-level spells (sticks to snakes and imbue with spellability). Next, a scroll containing magic missile was identified, written at a 7th-level caster power. Lastly, a Scroll of Protection from Undead was identified. This scroll specifically protects the reader from zombies. Pity, as this is a fairly low-level undead creature that the group doesn't seem to have any trouble handling on their own. 

Finally, Lhoss turned her power to identify a spell component (some gray dust). It was identified as Dust of Disappearance. The party has three packets of this dust, which makes creatures almost entirely undetectable and grants significant combat bonuses. I was thrilling to discover the true value of so much treasure being unknowingly hauled around in the bag of holding.

Lalie returned to the group in Orlane after being resurrected by her family in Veluna. While she appears unchanged, the "cost" of her resurrection remains a secret she is unwilling to share.

On the cold morning of Day 28 of Sunsebb, Feno, Sergius, Gnorcia, Tatania, Lhoss, Lalie, and Aila headed out to explore the barrow mound. During their travel back to the barrow marsh, the party noted that the decay in the Dim Forest has halted or slowed significantly. They observed a bizarre magical pattern: exactly every 10th tree appeared restored to complete health, while the others remained rotted, except for every 10th 10th tree (or 100th tree) which was not restored but rotted. Strange.

The party decided to dig out a mound and spent several hours excavating the entrance. Both Lalie and Aila pronounced the task to be below their stations. While shoveling, Feno "accidentally" flung some dirt in their directions. The task was most exhausting, but upon entering the dry crypt, they discovered two pools of brown, peat-colored water that radiated strong magic. Wall frescos depicted people removing their clothing to enter these pools. Sergius contemplated whether to reenact the pictures, but the group convinced him to explore the surrounding areas first.

The party first explored a side room. Inside, they found a golden jeweled goblet sitting on a pedestal, near an alcove containing skeletal remains. It was a tempting sight, but the vision of the adventure ended before anyone could decide how to approach the situation.

Session 232: The Sealed Tomb of the Barrowmarsh

Day 26 Sunsebb CY 576 Tales from the Taproom: 

The Soggy Secrets of the Barrowmarsh Gather ’round, neighbors, and keep your voices low, for the walls of the Slumbering Serpent have ears, and some stories are best served with a stiff mug of ale. It’s the 26th of Sunsebb, year 576, and our quiet corner of the Gran March has been stirred by more than just the spring breeze. 

That band of travelers—you know the ones, with the dwarf whose hammer speaks of thunder and the elf who cleans his armor like it’s made of fine porcelain—has returned from the northern Barrowmarsh with swamp mud in their boots and quite a tale to tell. They found it, just as the old maps whispered: a sealed tomb. 

Now, most sensible folk see a granite slab and think "keep out," but these lot decided to bash their way through it. They tell me the air inside smelled of rot and the floors were flooded waist-deep in brackish, still water. Armatzi’s holy mace began to glow with a sickly light, and before they could even steady their footing, the dead began to stir from the muck. 

 It wasn’t just a simple skirmish. Armatzi called upon his faith to drive back the first wave of zombies, sending them fleeing into the dark corners of the vault. They even found a secret chamber—thanks to that elf Feno's keen eyes—where a trapped iron box held a pair of magical leather gloves. They spent hours sifting through what they called "pulp"—all that remained of ancient scrolls and books ruined by the damp—but they managed to pull out a scroll of Protection from Fire Elementals. 

 But the marsh never lets go of its treasures easily. On their way back to our dear Orlane, they were surrounded by no fewer than twenty zombies. It was a bloody business. Poor Sergius was nearly sent to his final rest, falling unconscious under the weight of the onslaught. If not for Armatzi’s healing touch and a series of devastating backstabs from Gnorcia, we might be mourning a few of them tonight. 

 They rolled back into town around 8:40 in the evening, looking like they’d been dragged through the bottom of a bog—which, let's be honest, they had. They’re currently huddled by the fire, filling their bellies and scrubbing the filth of the tomb from their gear. Thirty undead they put down today, or so the count goes. 

 So, if you see them, buy them a round. They’ve earned it, and I have a feeling the Barrowmarsh isn’t done with them yet. 

 — Vilma, your humble teller of truths (and a few well-earned lies)

Session 231: Further exploration of the Barrow Marsh

Tatania, Arnd, Feno, Lhoss, Gnorcia, Sergius, and Armatzi found themselves in the common room of the Foaming Mug in contemplation about what the day would hold. Gnorcia made a quick trip to the Temple of Merika to check in on Priestess Misha's findings about the rotten samples from the Dim Forest. Unfortunately, Misha has been quite busy and had no updates. The group decided to travel to the Barrow Marsh. Interestingly, the corruption in the forest hadn't seemed to progress significantly in the eight days since they had last visited.

The idea was to find the room in the Barrow Maze where the Beholder was defeated and search it for treasure (it was not exhaustively explored in the past). The problem was that the group had originally found the location with the help of the Font of Knowledge, and had no memory of its exact location nor any help in finding it now. For several visits, they have been wandering somewhat aimlessly and have not struck upon the location. Even approaching the Barrow Maze, the group was somewhat at a loss as to which entrance to start from. Tatania decided to meditate and use her compass box to divine some direction. The golden cube responded thusly: it spun, pointed northeast, shuddered, then exploded! Tatania was devastated. The group decided to honor the tool's last piece of information and made their way northeast, in the direction of Eliwin's barrow. 

They found two barrows: one was deeply covered in earth and sod and the dwarves indicated that it would take many hours of digging to uncover. The other was a collapsed mound. The group moved on and saw a third mound with an embossed bronze door covered in verdigris. It could not be made out what was depicted or written on the door. Lhoss cast a clean cantrip and the group was able to see a vile skull of Nerul and pentagram designs. There was also a small keyhole. Gnorcia pulled out and examined her collection of found keys, but none seemed to match the keyhole. Armatzi cast detect magic on the lock and discovered that it is highly magical. He tried to dispel the magic with a spell, but he found that it was protected by deity-level powers and Armatzi was unable to affect it. That was enough of a warning to get the adventurers to move on from this place.

They found a fourth mound that was sealed, but would only take a short while of bashing to open it. Feno and Sergius used sledge hammers and broke it down. No undue attention was attracted, thank goodness. They uncovered a five-foot staircase descending into a dry stone crypt. From the base of the stairs, the party could see five eight-foot stone statues of beautiful women set around the perimeter of the room. Arnd noticed that their shining red eyes, while startling at first, were actually gems. He swept the floor with the 10' pole and the rest of the party moved in to look closer. Niki and Armatzi cast detect magic on the statues, but they were not magical. Armatzi also cast detect traps on all the statues and indeed found one trap on the statue at the far end of the room. It had opals for eyes, where the rest seemed to have rubies or garnets. Gnorcia climbed up the trapped statue to examine it further and noticed a small pipe set into the mouth, possibly a vessel to expel poisonous gas? Niki cast stone shape and blocked off the pipe. Lhoss, Feno, and Gnorcia then went to work to pry out the gems, eight rubies and two black opals.

Tatania keenly spotted a latch. Arnd opened it to find a horde of giant rats. Lhoss climbed above the doorway and dropped a vial of oil and then a lit vial on top of the oil splatter. The result was a conflagration that killed six rats. Arnd then threw his mighty hammer and killed another one. The rest scattered and by the time the fire had died down, there was no sign of the vermin. There were a few coins in their rat nest as well as a sealed arcane scroll tube with a tantalizing blue luster. Tatania looked at it with interest, but contained her desire to inspect it. Lhoss, on the other hand, grabbed it and opened the tube with a sort of reckless abandon. She identified three scrolls with magic-user spells: magic missile, floating disc, and web. Lhoss was particularly interested in the web spell and decided to share and give the floating disc spell to Tatania. The group retreated back to the marsh and looked for another mound to explore. They came upon a sealed mound and decided they would bash it in. That is where my vision of events fades to darkness. I will be sure to follow and report on what is found within, for I am your humble storyteller,

Vilma

Session 230: The temple of Heironeous and the strange and mysterious Fire Maple Druids of Hookhill

It is day 20 of Sunsebb and Tatania has rejoined the group. When told of the identify spell scroll, she happily claims one. She is eager to acquire more skill and knowledge and, in fact, already has the requisite magic ink to scribe the spell into her spell book. 

The group had planned to visit the temple of St. Cuthbert, but as their cleric Armatzi is nowhere to be found, they instead venture to the temple of Heironeous. Feno is particularly interested in this deity which may more closely align to his ideals. As they approach the impressive structure, they are greeted by an acolyte. He needs to be persuaded, but eventually fetches a cleric. A harried cleric is brought out but she seems put out to have to deal with this intrusion on her time. In a disinterested tone, she asks what the party has for her to look at. The party sets out the several books and scrolls they had acquired in the barrowmaze. At first, the cleric is unimpressed. But upon closer inspection, her eyes widen and she emits a small choking sound. She scurries off and another higher-ranking official emerges to evaluate the writings. She too is astounded by the books and asks where the party had come across what she dubbed the "unholy relics of Incabulos". Tatania and Veyda explain the provenance of the items. The cleric wishes to study and then destroy the items and offers in exchange either gold or scrolls. The party chooses scrolls. She offers any four of the following: cure serious wounds, cure blindness, neutralize poison, or cure disease. The group decide on two cure serious wounds, neutralize poison, and cure disease. The group also offers the recovered lizardman scales and doppelganger books. The cleric notes that these two are cursed and will not study them before the curse is lifted. She will charge 2,500 GP to remove the curses, but the party demurs. 

Feno asks about the ideals and mission of Heironeous. He states that he wants to kill undead and is curious how the cleric might respond to such a brash statement. The cleric responds that Heironeous considers undead to be a scourge to be destroyed and any follower would be rewarded for services in this pursuit. In addition certain benefits and responsibilities could be expected. All good worshipers of Heironeous are expected to act in defense of the weak. Feno is intrigued and says that he will think on it.

Meanwhile, it seems that Niki has somewhat forgotten about the plight of her poor cat Jack, but fortunately, Veyda has not. She brings the cat to a druid grove. A priest identifies himself as a representative of the Fire Maple Druids of Hookhill. The priest is deeply concerned for the cat and promises to heal him to the best of their abilities, but it will take two weeks, not including the upcoming festival. He should be healed by day 5 of Fireseek, but no one needs to hurry to pick him up as Jack is welcome to stay with the druids. Veyda is interested in learning from the druids and asks if she can stay with Jack until he is healed. The druid agrees. Tatania then steps forward and offers diseased samples from the Dim Forest for examination. The priest is dismayed. The Fire Maple Druids were unaware of this evil corruption and promise to send emissaries. For sharing this knowledge, Tatania is rewarded with a prized pinecone. Then the priest grows somewhat grim and proclaims that Orlane should be purged of its humanity so that it may return to nature. This shocking statement catches many in the party off guard and they quietly dismiss themselves, leaving Veyda with this questionable group.

The return trip to Orlane is relatively uneventful aside from running into a patrol group. They stop the party to inspect their newly-updated adventuring charter and inform them of a strange sickness to the east. The group remembers overhearing some other travelers talking about this, but don't have any additional information. The patrol group asks the adventurers to warn any travelers they see away from eastward visitations. The party also notes additional rot and mushrooms in the Dim Forest.

Back in Orlane on Day 25 of Sunsebb, the party gives Myr his foodstuffs and checks in on their advertisements. They decide to hire a cart driver and laborer to fetch regular food shipments. In addition, Gnorcia decides to enlist Pella Reid (an orphan from the battle of Orlane) as a hireling. Let's hope she can be kept safe during the many adventures of the Saviors of Orlane. Otherwise you will have to hear about it from me, your faithful storyteller,

Vilma

Session 229: Hookhill shopping trip

It's a fine morning at the Foaming Mug Inn where Feno, Sergius, Maeve, Niki, Armatzi, and Dwerom contemplate their next move. Niki had sent a runner to nearby towns to inquire about supply costs to construct a greenhouse. A wooden structure would be the least costly option coming in at about 300 GP and 650 man-hours, while a stone structure would cost 500 GP and 1,300 man-hours. The real expense, however would be the glass itself as it costs 625 GP per 10x10 foot pane. Niki does not seem discouraged, however! She is intensely interested in being able to grow fresh produce year-round. Such an innovation could be a real boon for Orlane and a draw for a town whose greatest pride is their harvest and good food.

Speaking of food, the party negotiated a permanent contract with Myr to supply him 6 GP worth of fine food per day. They decided to journey to Hookhill and gather some of Myr's chosen provisions (among other tasks). To keep the mimic sated, the party pre-paid 60 GP to the inn for 10 days of food to cover him while they traveled. This is an acceptable short-term solution, but if they didn't come up with a way to support long-term food deliveries for Myr, the party would simply be continuously traveling to feed the hungry creature. So they posted job notices for a general laborer in the three Orlane inns. This way, they could hire out helpers to gather a variety of foods from nearby towns while the party did their adventuring. They will soon be managing quite the small business. Huzzah to the saviors of Orlane: job creators!

On the morning of day 16 of Sunsebb, the party departed Orlane and headed toward Hookhill. Feno attempted to hunt, but was unsuccessful, partly due to the season but also to the forest corruption. The rot seemed to subside about one mile outside of Ironguard Motte. As they traveled along the road, the party met up with the Gran March militia, a group eight strong. Showing deference and respect, Feno spoke to Captain Mookie. Feno reported the necromantic corruption in the Dim Forest. Captain Mookie addressed Armatzi and inquired of him what he thought the source of the corruption might be. Armatzi replied that he thought the source was from some evil withing the barrowmaze, which the adventurers are valiantly trying to cleanse. Captain Mookie praised the party and advised them to renew their adventuring charter, report to the magistrate in Hookhill, and visit the temple of St. Cuthbert. He then inquired about the state of Orlane and asked if they could use some reinforcements. Feno relayed that Orlane was a town in recovery and could always use support. With some additional pleasantries, the two parties went their separate ways.

Further along the path, the party observed a roadside shrine dedicated to Heironeous and attended by Sister Cauldrath Vale, a proud and fearsome woman. She seemed to stare into the very souls of the adventurers. After a brief, but meaningful interaction, a few of the party left offerings of rations and coin.

The party reached Hookhill on the evening of Day 19 of Sunsebb after a hard push to avoid one more night on the road. They were met at the gates by the city guard where they were questioned on their intent. The party indicated they would be selling some items. After some discussion about the value of what they would sell, they settled on about 1,000 GP and were required to pay a 10 GP entry duty. Based on descriptions of the various lodgings from the city guard, they then made their way to Iron Gauntlet Inn. A runner led the party to the inn for which Feno tipped him handsomely. The inn's proprietor introduced himself as Berric Ironhand Thorne. Feno inquired about the security of Hookhill to which Berric replied "the roads are safer, but only because patrols have doubled". In the common room, several interesting characters watched the party intently. The mood was heightened, but did not feel unsafe. Feno spotted some soldiers and bought them a round of drinks, which seemed to lighten the mood.

The next morning, the group set out to purchase some groceries for Myr, including some fine ale and a wheel of cheese. Dwerom took the time to cast an identify spell and identified a dagger with magical properties. Even though Dwerom is a skilled magic user, he only gets so many attempts per day to identify the magical properties of the artifacts the group collects and things are beginning to pile up unidentified. Instead of spending gold every time they need to identify an object, the party wisely invests in some scrolls that will allow two additional magic users to learn the identify magic spell so they can potentially triple their magical potency. All it will take is some magic ink. Oh yeah, and some carp. Gulp!

Next, the party found a merchant shop where they bought a few supplies and sold some amphorae that they had collected for exactly 1,000 GP. Wow, I may be able to see far away events of the present, but someone accurately predicted the events of the future!

With love and accuracy, your humble storyteller,

Vilma

Session 228: Wherein the party knows the way to a mimic's heart is through its stomach

The sun rises on the 15th day of Sunsebb, cold but promising. The party, consisting of Feno, Arnd, Dwerom, Veyda, Tatania, and Sergius, began their morning in Orlane before deciding to travel to the Barrow Marsh.

During the trek through the Dim Forest, the party noted that the forest appeared to be rotting away, with vegetation succumbing to a "fill force" that particularly disturbed the elves. Tatania used a gold compass box to seek guidance on how to help the forest; the needle pointed southeast, leading the party to conclude they should consult the priestess of Merika in Orlane. Before leaving the forest, they collected several samples—including waxy, out-of-season mushrooms and "stained" bark—to bring back for study.

The party arrived at the marsh and debated between two barrows to explore. One was marked with mysterious wavy line enchantments, whereas the other was sealed with a standard stone door. They chose to attempt to explore the second barrow. After two turns of manual labor to bash down the door, they entered a dry crypt. Inside, they discovered a glimmering galley. A small ship stood in the center of the room, surrounded by a light blue shimmering aura and four stone columns featured realistic carvings of gargoyles. Detect magic was cast and revealed the statues themselves were not currently enchanted. Inside the ship lay the skeletal remains of a warrior laid out in a burial pose, surrounded by baskets and chests.

The party decided to explore the area further. After clearing a brick wall, the party found a western chamber containing two sarcophagi. The south sarcophagus was found to contain green slime. Feno accidentally broke the lid while being startled by the slime, which the party identified as a hazardous substance that dissolves organic matter and metal. They have extensive experience with the matter and have good reason to be wary of it. The north sarcophagus radiated a faint magical emanation. After sliding the lid from the north sarcophagus over the south one to seal the slime, the party recovered a bone scroll tube and desiccated remains.

Returning to the glowing boat, Armatzi used dispel magic on the blue aura surrounding the ship. This caused six mimics to appear, which immediately demanded "dinner" from the party. Rather than engaging in combat, the group successfully negotiated with the creatures by using the create food and flavor spells (along with standard rations) to placate the hungry mimics. In exchange for a bottle of fine wine and dried cinnamon apple slices, the mimics allowed the party to take the treasure from the boat. The party acquired two clay pots containing 75 platinum pieces and 500 electrum, a Helm of Frost Resistance, a magical dagger, and a magical hand axe. The party then departed for Orlane.

Upon returning to Orlane, the party encountered Myr, a mimic they had previously hired to guard their treasure. Myr was grumpy and demanded more food, leading the party to discuss hiring a runner to travel to Hookhill for specialized supplies like "crunch worm" and "soft chew" to keep the guard satisfied.

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