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….
