Author: Follow Me, And Die!

SESSION 32 – March 5, 2017

There is a big feast and the old woman shaman gives a message to each of us.

The next day we return to the fishing village and decide to move right away against the closest and smallest bugbear camp.

We approach and Zho Ni, Batukhan and Embreck form a line to the north of the camp to stop any bugbears who flee. Urman is with Frike, thogi, Puk & the dogs and 15 of the Stonespear tribe.

Urman casts fireball into the camp and takes out the majority of the bugbears.

Zho ni fails with hold person, but manages silence 15′ radius behind the shaman.

Urman sleeps two of the 3 bugbears on patrol. One is slain and the other captured. The third along with two others flee in terror, one collapses in fear. Two along with the shaman elect to stand and fight.

One charges out and it cut down by the charging Stonespear. The bulk of the Stonespear force engages the chaman, but only three can get to him to attack.

The shaman throws a vile of acidic noxious stuff that kills the cowering bugbear and knocks down one of the stone spear.

The bugbear archer takes down two of the Stonespear, and Urman takes him down with Magic Missile.

ZhoNi manages to capture the shaman with another hold person.

Puk and the dogs take care of the patrolling bugbear that fled. Embrek and Batukahan each take out one of the other fleeing bugbears.

We loot the camp and bring back what food we recovered.

The next day, we question the captured bugbears. They resist, so Urman charmed them, first the regular bugbear. He tells us the shaman’s name, Junga, who is the brother of the chief, Thrakah. Junga angered Thraka as Junga did not like Mydius, and fears Mydius will kill them all once he takes over the area.

Urman manages to also charm the shaman and learn more of the wolves, actually werewolves in the service of Mydius, there are two or three of them and they live in the forest.

Urman has Junga show him how to make the stinking potion, and Urman makes 4 vials. Urman also makes two more jars of healing salve.

We wait for Otiben to wait for him to finish training. Bori, the Stonespear chief arrives.

We plan to finish off the rest of the bugbears before we turn our attention to Mydius.

SESSION 29 – January 22, 2017

We carefully enter the mound, and we encountered a trap that caused bars to drop over the entrance and the doorway into the rest of the tomb.

This also caused 12 shadows to emerge from the walls, but Zho ni handily turned them. We managed to wound, but not drop a couple that fled. We manage after the efforts of several of our party to raise the gates.

We carefully enter the tomb and spirit wolves emerge that Zho ni easily turned. One was slain as it fled.

Batukahn stepped further into the tomb area to look into a passage with no door. He saw a a wight in the form of an orc stand up and exit a sarcophagus. He quickly decided to flee before its fearsome countenance. The wight ran at Zho Ni but could not affect it. Batukahn attempted to shoot it, but hit Zho ni in the shoulder. We re-positioned and Zho ni cast protection from evil and Otiben hit is with holy water and Urman hit it with bolts of pure energy. Thankfully it missed Zho ni again and Otiben hit it with more holy water and it was defeated.

The tomb it was in was scavenged with nothing of used. We found the same in the other five tombs. Urman had the others exit, and used the Unseen Servant he had summoned earlier to grab a spear, but the trap was only related to the 5 tombs with doors, so we decided to leave before the incorporeal undead returned, as there was no easy way to fight them on our terms.

We check out the mines, and Embrek insists the equipment there is so crude he wouldn’t take it as a gift. Zho Ni yells into each entrance that Vorigen is defeated, but is only answered by the echoes of his own voice.

We decide we have done all we can and do not have the ability to carry more, should we find it. We return to where we left our canoes from the first trip and empty them of water and begin the trek back to the waypoint at the wrecked dwarven ironclad.

At the ironclad we set watches and settle in to rest for the night. During Otiben’s watch, we are again transported, this time to a mountain pass covered in snow. However, Brynn is not with us. Zho ni having earlier removed curse as he was still having nightmares. We were faced with two yeti, Urman cast firebal before they could reach us, but did not stop them. Otiben rushed forward to slay the less wounded one. The rest of us gathered together and waited for the other, which charged and attacked Gunnar the dog. Zho ni reacted by bashing in it’s skull. Upon which we returned to our former sleeping places. Bynn and the elves were staring where we had been and were surprised at our equally sudden return.

Brynn mentioned that he once again had nightmares, but they had only just started. Urman suggests that the remove curse is why Brynn was not with us this time. Again, it is during the full moon. We suspect, once again, that it is Aloshia. Zho ni removes cures again, due to the dreams, but senses there is nothing there to remove.

The next day we elect to head for dry ground to make our way to the road and return to Mannheim since it is quicker than fighting the current. We see some stirges a few hundred feet away and Brynn drops one and Urman slays 2 and injures a thired with bolts of pure energy, and Brynn finishes off the wounded one as they fled.

We reach the road and travel a bit and make camp. The night passes uneventfully and we travel until midday and reach Mannheim in the midst of the Yuletide festival, and the city is packed. We go to the Freelancer’s guild to clean up and store our gear and loot. We leave Frike, Thogi, Puk and the dogs to guard our stuff, and head with the elves to meet the Thane.

We are shown into a conference room where we find the Thane, Andros Ashwind head of the Urdjan Academy, and Thorri Redbeard of the Freelancers. We relay our victory over Voragen, upon which Otiben presents his evil staff composed of a large humanoid spine. Andros uses Unseen Servant to examine it, and learns more about it.

Zho ni also relays about the temple to “He Who Devours”, and Andros reveals that he knows quite a lot about him, and other primordial entities and that have a presence in our world from the Primordial Wars: The Soulforged Collossus, Nightmare Child, Tree of Blood, The Crystal Spire, Choir of Sorrows, Spirit Well, He Who Devours, Lustborn Scions, various other demons and devils. This is an impressive list, and he indicates that the Spirit Well is on the Isle of Spirits where his brother leads the local Urdjan Academy and that this is one of the more benevolent such entities. Others have a known location, but many are unknown. Andros further states that He Who Devours could rival the gods and that we were fortunate to be able to seal off this temple without further harm. Further, Andros warns us that the evil staff from Voragen is tied to the power of he who devours, and that we should not uses its powers of cursing enemies, animating the dead, and speaking with the dead. He offers to destroy it for use.

Andros mentions that he will see to further protections around the ancient orc city, when Kymil mentions he will return with more druids to enact their own protections upon the place.

Zho ni asks about the Ironside estate and fief. The Thane reveals that he has thought long about it. While he will not grant Zho ni the fief or title, he grants all of us a share in the Manor and its grounds. We confirm he has no desire to encroach on the forest west of Djoside, and mentions that it is known that forests prevent the spread of the cold encroaching on these lands. That there is a punishment of death for wanton destruction of forest land, and that only that which is needed is taken.

During our discussions, a whirlwind rises up in this windowless room and the doors burst open with a swirling mass of leaves and twigs that resolve into the form of Aloshia. Otiben charges forth, but his massive swing merely passes through this mass of debris and re-forms. All the while, Aloshis looks on us with a wry smile.

Aloshia announces that she knows of the mission the Thane will next task us, after the holidays. To go forth and defeat a hedge wizard who once was helpful, but now has selfish ambitions to make his own territory. He has made alliance with a tribe of bugbears who are drawing in allies and will soon be able to wipe out the northmen tribe of the Stone Spears at the town of Crossing. He has allied with the ogres. Further, Randolph, the Thane’s spy has not learned of ogres coming through that area to increase their forces in the north.

Aloshia continues and announces her desire for an alliance to take out the hedge wizard and his forces, as she cannot do so on her own. She revealed that if she slays and eats the heart of the ogress known as The Seer, she will regain her power.

We all ask questions of her in disbelief, cautioning the Thane not to join her. Aloshia answers our questions of her nightly attempts on us, and merely laughs out our finding some third party curse in our foolish exploits.

In spite of our protests, the Thane agrees to alliance with Aloshia. (She revealed that his forebears had formed alliances with her in the past.) Andros then dispels her form, leaving debris on the floor.

The Thane addresses us admonishing us, “Take what support you can from her, but give her nothing. If the opportunity presents itself, deal with her. She has afflicted these lands for too long.” We all agree with that sentiment.

Urman pointed out the thing Aloshia said about killing The Seer and eating her heart to regain her power. He suggest that if we kill The Seer and destroy her heart, it will deny it to Aloshia and keep her week.

The Thane does not have the coin to reqard us with training, but will put in a word at the temple on Zho ni’s behalf. The Thane left us in Andros’ care. Andros was able to identify the spear from the trapped mound tomb as a firebrand, and the warhammer as having a weak enchantment.

We returned to the Freelancers to count and divide the coins we retrieved and to determine which items we would sell. We know that we have but a week to train and prepare for our next mission to take a gift to the Northmen to seal an alliance before meeting with Aloshia (we assume) and dealing with the hedge wizard, Mydius, and his bugbear forces.

Urman further cautions that we need to all be freed of the curse before the next full moon, lest it draw us away when we can least afford it. Perhaps one of our items is the source, and we may need to destroy it.

Urman begins to scheme, what can he do in the next week to prepare? Scrolls with spells useful for battle, such as fireball, web, and sleep will enhance his effectiveness in battle. He only hopes he has enough coin to purchase all the materials….

Sessoin 28 January 12, 2017

Before resting for the night, we search the vampire’s room and find books, money, and clothes. Some of the books are necromantic in nature. One is about “He Who Devours” and has some magic upon it. We learn that “He Who Devours” is a primordial being and learn of a different creation myth of chaos and demons and other primordial beings before the known deities created our world. It is unclear if “He Who Devours” is a being from before or after the creation.

We also spike doors before resting.

The next morning, Bryn is exhausted by a dream of a giant beast with a broken collar.

We search the rooms to the west. We find some more loot. We gather all the loot in the room with the chests. Zho ni cast detect magic and we find a scroll hidden in a book, and verify what items are magic. [See the loot list for details.]

We re-learn spells and Zho ni casts augury to determine our best course of action is to let the druid use stone shape to collapse the rock above. We also learn that the vampire’s staff is of the sphere, but Zho ni convinces us to take back to his temple for its destruction.

Urman uses wizard lock to lock the doors to the temple.

We take out a room full of ghouls and one ghast. The last skeleton butler is slain.

The other rooms with undead are empty.

Urman cast fireball and destroys the shadows in the throne room.

We exit and retrieve the dwarf. The waters are a bit higher. We elect to search the mound that we were warned is heavily trapped.

SESSION 27 – January 8, 2017

We manage to defeat the giant zombie with spells, missile fire, and close combat. Our only injuries being from a fall Otiben took trying to do a leaping back stab.

We went and checked on Alfbrand and his wife Eliana whom Puk said he saw. They were undead facing each other longingly with their hearts in their hands. Zho Ni was offended by their undeath and destroyed both their hearts, which ended their plight. We left them hanging there until we return from facing Voragen.

We enter the tomb and make our way to the room with the shadows. Zho Ni easily turned all but 3 of them. they managed to wound and weaken Batukhan, but we quickly defeated them.

Zho Ni smashed one of the butler skeletons, but Otiben called the other off, after Otiben had directed them to polish Zho Ni’s armor. Zho Ni is much more forceful in his dislike of undead.

We checked the NE lower level, which is not on the map from the librarian, and it was newish construction, very rough. It housed cells and held a dwarf who had been fed on by the vampire, and the elf noblewoman, Lady Isaria, who was “dead” with a stake through her heart. We secured the stack and locked her in a cell, with an urgent desire to face Voragen.

Since Lady Istaria was captured by Ogres, this is evidence that the Ogres must have been supplying Voragen with “food”, in return for Voragen supplying them with weapons. This steeled our resolve to end Voragen, and further weaken the ogres.

We went the rest of the way unhindered to where we faced the adventurers under thrall or Voragen. We searched two rooms, one with 4 chests 1 of pelts, 1 ivory, and 2 with gold and gems.

We went down the stairs and were faced with a large room with 16 zombies, Zho Ni turned most of them, and we quickly dispatched the unturned ones and finished off the rest. Moving into the room we had one elf and one dwarf fall into pits each with a ghoul. Zho Ni turned the ghouls making them easy to slay. the pattern of the pits helped us find two more, which we quickly cleared of their residents.

We moved forward and soon found Voragen in the rooms of the high priest. He charmed Otiben who tried to hit Zho Ni until Zho Ni dispelled the charm on him.

Batukhan and Otiben charged Voragen, but two glyphs of warding blinded each of them. They soldiered on swinging at Voragen, occasionally hitting. Soon more of us entered the fray. Zho Ni silenced the room and we fought in silence, finally driving Voragen back into his room and “killing” his body. He turned to a gaseous form and was limited to his coffin. As it was now dark, we carried it out to the stream and that was the end of him. We then retrieved Lady Istaria and immersed her in the stream also, to ensure she caused no one grief.

We retrieved items from Voragen of great evil, including a staff. We thought it might be the object of power, but the shadow butler said no, and Otiben had it lead us to the temple sanctuary. This room emanated great evil. It was very had to enter this place without fear, or being entranced and lured forward.

A great cauldron of blood dripped into a pit. Otiben managed to make it into the room, and closed the stopper on the cauldron and found the drops of blood fell into a sphere of inky blackness. He threw a vial of holy water into the sphere and it released a shadow. Zho ni easily turned it. Otiben threw another vial into the blood, with only minimal reaction. Otiben threw more vials into the sphere, each releasing a shadow.

The druid said he could bring down the roof and bury the place, but needed time to rest and re-learn spells. Urman agreed. We left off preparing to rest and set watches so we can seal this place and prevent its evil from aiding the ogres.

SESSION 26 January 1, 2017

The party meets up with the druid, his bear, and two elf bodyguards.

We decide to overnight on the rim, and the druid does stone shape to seal the drain.

The next morning, there are minor signs of flooding.

We tie off ropes to climb down in the shadow of the cliff. We send the bear, and Puk with the 3 dogs to await our pulling the guardians away from the foot of the stairs.

We decide to check on Alfbrand and his place is full of undead, and he is not there, nor his wife. We defeat all the undead.

Urman had to use Web to stop a long line of skeletons, so we decide to wait and re-learn spells.

We then get in position and Urman uses fireball to blast the town. We had seen from above that all the people were now zombies. This brings the bone golem and a bunch of skeletons our way, with one skeleton beating a drum.

The druid used call lightning to blast the guardians on the tomb gate. The regular skeletons are destroyed. All but one superior skeleton is destroyed, and the two bone golems are massively damaged.

Otiben runs to the building we know is full of undead, and arrives in time to see 6 skeletons exit. He rushes to shut the doors and spike them. The skeletons keep missing him, as he drops them.

The rest of the party finishes the guardians at the tomb door/gate.

Urman drops the skeleton with the drum using magic missile. Zhoni turns most of the skeletons. Urman slows the rest with the staff.

Just as we defeat the forces from the town, Otiben is ready to run to re-join us, when he sees the two bone golems and associates that were guarding the stairs.. The bear, and Puk and the dogs attacke the regular skeletons from behinds. They then run arouns on side of the building where Otiben was fighting, and finish off the stragglers that Zhoni turned from the town.

Otiben runs the other way and Helps us finish off the bone golem from the town.

This is just as the force from the foot of the stairs arrives, less most of the skeletons turned by ZhoNi. This force meets our line, with only the bone golems and 4 superior skeletons. Two of the superior skeletons hung back with light crossbows.

One bone golem knocked Frike down, but Otiben was able to back stab one bone golem and we slowly whittled down the remaining ones.

The druid used a second lightning bolt to wipe out most of the turned skeletons from the foot of the stairs.

Once we finally finished off the last attacker, we had the druid blast the roof of the building full of undead. The roof collapsed, and an undead giant stood up in the back of the building. It is a lot taller than normal giants.

Tune in next week to see if the party can live long enough to have the druid use the last two lightning bolts at his disposal. We hope to control the upper city once we finish this creature….