We rise and head toward Boulderham at a steady and purposeful pace, alert for danger. The game trail continues before us spongy and wet. As the morning progresses, the trail grows swampy making it difficult to manage.
Liadan, having memorized a map on Habistaw’s wall, recognizes that the fen we are in is adjacent to Boulderham. Rhun asks Liadan if there is a way around it, but she knows that our best path forward is over the fen. It is navigable with care.
Rem’e forges ahead looking for a safe path through, and finds a passable trail. He finds some evidence of other passersby: it’s clear this is not just a game trail. The fen is buggy, but not so terrible in the mid-autumn month of Lamashan. Rem’e sees no evidence of creatures in the water or through the woods. The foggy mistiness seeps into our clothes, and we are soon wet.
It is very slow going. The day wears away. Rem’e takes the lead, followed by Ariza, Liadan, and Rhun. Finding a fairly dry spot for a midday meal, we hear a dog barking in the distance. At the sound Liadan casts mage armor on herself, cautious from yesterday’s brush with death. After lunch we continue forward. The day is largely quiet.
The day grows dark and we emerge from the fens. It is a clear walk over the plains to Bolderham. Ariza suggests we step away from the trail, and we all agree to circle around the town and investigate at a stealthy pace.
We pass the garden where the arugula has gone to seed, and we scope out the house where we discovered the implements of torture. In the dark of the town, we see a soft glow of light in the torture house. We hear a long cry of pain. Nothing else seems to be about: we see neither the dog nor anything else roaming the streets.
Sneaking forward, Ariza notices that the air doesn’t smell of death as we expected. Someone has been policing it, removing the bodies. She creeps around the town hall, but trips on a bucket creating a huge clatter. The bucket lands on a rake which flips forward striking a nearby shelf of bottles which fall and shatter. Deciding to use this disaster as a distraction, she rolls into the town square. Startled by the noise, Rhun rushes to cast the prepared scroll of eagle’s splendor on Rem’e and immediately casts virtue on Liadan.
Three humanoid creatures burst from the torture building. “What’s that?!!?”
- Ariza, quickly recovered, throws alchemist’s fire at the center of the three, an explosion rips through him, and he burns.
- On the other side of the torture building, Rhun sees a crone approaching followed by a strange beast in the distance. To the side the dog stands watching. The crone says, “Boy, the Reaper of Reputation calls you just as the faith called your father … but your father was a failure – you cannot escape your destiny.” Rhun calls to Liadan, “Watch my back!” Looking at the beast behind the crone, he recognizes it as a demon called a babau … an assassin of the Abyss. Rhun refuses, “No!” and he casts spiritual weapon at the crone, but it does not land, and Liadan releases a magic missile at the crone who recoils in pain.
- Back on the other side of the building, Rem’e focuses his aim against the first of the three humanoids, spinning him around and dropping him to a knee. But the human gets back up, heading toward Rem’e.
- The burning enemy pats himself out and begins whispering a prayer to Norgorber, and a nauseating wave of fear hits Ariza as two crazy looking creatures appear and rush forward with surprising quickness at Ariza and Rem’e, but they hold the beasts off.
- The third enemy charges toward Ariza and swings, missing with a large sword. The first enemy reaches Rem’e and strikes him with a sword.
- On the other side of the battlefield, the crone cries, “Fool boy! I’ll make you see sense!” and seven skeletons and zombies burst from the ground!
- Ariza takes a five foot step and hits the enemy in front of her with moderate damage.
- Rhun calls to Sarenrae and channels energy, and all the misfires and twisted channeling Rhun has suffered over the past weeks seem to build in the core of his stomach, and a huge ball of light and positive energy bursts forth destroying the undead! The creature behind the crone groans in pain, and the crone cries in dismay! Rhun begins to glow.
- As the energy of the Dawnflower fills the area, Legs the dog suddenly transforms into a strong, humanoid, hound warrior who steps into the fray. Legs is a hound archon!
- Rhun’s spiritual weapon bites into the crone dealing damage!
- Liadan sees the light of Sarenrae pouring from Rhun, and casts scorching ray causing more damage to the crone! We know that this is Dillafomra, the supposed “Aunt Dilla”.
- Rem’e and Ariza see light glowing in the distance behind the torture building, but remain engaged in their battle with the three enemies.
- Rem’e attacks with his dragon pistol and focused aim, making a quick prayer that the gun doesn’t misfire – and hits! The blast hits both the human and the beast in front of him with the full force! The human is hurt – but the beast seems unfazed.
- The archon rushes forward and meets the babau in mortal combat! Dillaforma takes a five-foot step and casts a spell.
- The human and the beast move up on Rem’e – claws rake at his armor but have no effect. The crazed elf swings at Ariza and misses, but the beast hits Ariza with both claw and bite! The cleric in the enemy party points at Ariza – her limbs start to stiffen – but Ariza shakes off the effects of the foul power of his dark god.
- Ariza realizes that the humanoid she’s fighting is an elf with a crazed look in her eyes. Ariza takes a five-foot step and throws alchemist’s fire at the elf, striking with ease. The elf bursts into flame!
- Rhun runs forward and attacks Dilla with a fire bolt, but the attack fizzles in his hands. The spiritual scimitar misses outright.
- Liadan hits the crone with two more magic missiles!
- Rem’e withdraws five feet and reloads, scowling at the enemy.
- Dilla casts a spiritual short sword but it glances off Rhun’s armor.
- The beast bites at Ariza but misses. The elf quickly pats out the flame on her clothes.
- The beast in front of Rem’e attacks and hits hard with a claw. The human misses with short sword.
- Ariza throws a dagger that lands deep in the crazed elf’s chest, and she drops where she is. The beast leaps and Ariza dodges its claws and bite.
- Rhun attacks the crone with a fire bolt, scorching her slightly but she dances out of the path of his spiritual scimitar.
- Liadan runs towards Dilla, reaching for her sword and casting a force missile – and the crone falls!!
- Rem’e takes another five foot step and shoots and the two enemies attacking him — the human falls! The beast takes some damage.
- The beast jumps forward and bites Rem’e. The beast before Ariza claws her. The cleric moves towards Rem’e and makes an incantation pouring terror over Rem’e – but Rem’e shrugs it off. The hound archon hits the babau – but the babau strikes back with force! Things are not going well for the archon.
- Ariza steps back and throws liquid ice at the beast, but the cold doesn’t seem to do anything to it at all.
- Rhun pushes towards the babau and channels positive energy laying damage down on it, though the scimitar misses and then vanishes.
- Liadan reaches forward and grips the babau with a shocking grasp — massive electricity courses through its veins, but it doesn’t seem to have any effect! The creature is coated with a slime, and suddenly Liadan’s hand begins to burn. The acid melts the skin of Liadan’s hand, and she cries out in pain.
- Rem’e step backs, controlling his retreat and reloads.
- The babau steps back muttering words and vanishes. The hound archon lowers his blade, scanning the area, and then moves toward the fight near Rem’e. The creature before Rem’e attacks but misses badly as does the beast before Ariza.
- The hound archon, now engaged against the remaining three, makes short work of the two beasts and the cleric. The babau is gone.
Rhun looks to the archon, “Thank you! …We need to get inside.” The hound archon reaches forward to Rhun, places his hand on his shoulder and says, “Rhun ab Elad, you have proven yourself worthy. I am Joagithaciel – I believe the nobleman will be fine.” And he walks off into the plains. Rhun watches him with awe, then quickly turns towards the building.
We rush into the torture dome, and Cronen is on the rack – they’ve done some work on him, but he’s largely ok and semi-conscious. Rhun channels energy, healing all and then begins applying basic first aid on Cronen.
Cronen looks blearily at us, “Where did you come from?” Liadan and Ariza explain that we heard he was missing and tracked him. Ariza notes that Stephano told us of the attack. Cronen is very happy to know that Stephano is ok.
Cronen is shocked that he was attacked by Dilla and the others. Liadan asks “What were they looking for?” He doesn’t know.
Rem’e goes outside the building and examines the bodies and secures the area. Liadan and Ariza follow to examine as well. Liadan examines Dilla – she’s still breathing, a shallow laugh rattling in her chest. She coughs, “Two out of three ain’t bad…” and she expires. Liadan searches Dilla to discover a magical necklace and studded leather armor under robes along with a small shield – all of this radiates abjuration magic.
- Amulet = natural armor +1 (to Liadan)
- Studed leather is +1 (to sell)
- Shield is +1 (to Rhun)
- Short sword is +1 (to Liadan)
Rem’e examines the two enemies near him, but they have nothing of interest. Rhun recognizes the beasts as dretches, amongst the lowest denizens of the abyss. Their bodies are dissipating quickly. Ariza examines the fallen elf … she has poor quality gear, the short sword is well honed, but all else seems very ratty. She has a bracelet and many tattoos. Liaden recognizes these as signs of a Copperbell elf, an unusual worshiper of Norgorber. Her bracelet, made of Copperbell wood, is worth 10GP – Liadan and Ariza decide to bring it to Heminile.
We gather up Cronen, and we spend a safe night in the town building. Cronen is rested and better – and very grateful for his rescue. We tell Cronen about what Dilla said. He shakes his head and says, “I have no idea what that may mean.”
Ariza snoops around the settlement. She checks on the dead uncle who is very decomposed. The goblins were piled up behind a hill. The dwarf’s house is still burned out. She goes down in the basement of the house, and finds that the rest of the stuff is just junk. “Pretty rocks” that are just rocks. Boulderham is quiet this morning. The shack behind the torture building was once a smoke house but has long since been abandoned. Rem’e finds that the well in the center of town has been kept in good repair with serviceable water.
Liadan confers with Cronen about the fastest way back to Basilisk Bluff. The trip will take abut a day and a half … the road is in fairly poor repair, but the walk back is safe.
On our trip back, we explain to Cronen how the sword, Vervinia’s Light, works. He is amazed at the tale – and pleased that we were able to exonerate Heminile, but also aware of the added questions he’ll have to deal with.
Ariza talks to Cronen a bit about his brother and their positions. Cronen seems happy to speak of things other than his ordeal. Melist is the mayor of Amber, Cronen is responsible for Basilisk Bluff … it is unusual that the older brother holds the lesser seat. Cronen’s reputation is much better than Melsit’s … he’s known as more of a bureaucrat while Cronen is known as a man of action. “My brother works hard but he never really connects with the people. Even though he’s made a higher station for himself, I suppose he’s just jealous of me, silly though it is. This is going to be hard to deal with.” Ariza finds that he has a couple of sisters, too.
Rhun asks about Tuxel and Dessa. Cronen explains that Tuxel, like his brother, is tainted by his own prejudice, and they dislike her because she is common. We confer with each other and decide to explain to Cronen that Dilla was not who she claimed to be … but a refugee from law, torturer, murderer, and follower of the evil god Norborber. Cronen is shocked. We speak of her trail of death, and let him know that four of his men lie dead in Dilla’s farmhouse.
We march triumphantly back to Basilisk Bluff. Word spreads like wildfire among the townspeople. “Cronen’s back!” Ariza steps off to the side, watching for anyone who looks suspicious. Everyone turns out. Habistaw is in the courtyard; the soldiers give Cronen a cheer. Ariza sees Tuxel … he looks a little pissy, but not necessarily disappointed. Gemma is so happy to see Liadan. Liadan tells her, “We should catch up about Legs.” Dessa and Cronen share a storybook kiss in the courtyard. Stephano is well and offers healing to anyone that needs it, though we are all quite well.
“Hooray for the dragon slayers!” The harvest festival is upon the town, and we are treated as the hero’s of Basilisk Bluff. “They saved the prospectors and the Kuns!” Word and gossip spreads.
Tudic comes and goes with one last shipment before winter. We learn that word of our adventures is traveling to Amber. Cronen sends a message to his brother about what happened.
The festival continues with good, hearty fall beverages and good food. There’s even a costume party: Habistaw dresses like a goblin and takes it a little too far when he sets one of the table cloths on fire, but people blame it on the drink and how weird Habistaw is.
Heminile shows up one night for dinner, and the farmers are happy to see her. The soldiers remain neutral. She spends time showing Ariza her elven curved blade and how to commission this from Lexera.
It’s a happy ending, except for Cronen and Dessa. There seems to be an undercurrent of discomfort. They’ve stayed away from the festival and apparently from each other. Rumors spread among the gossip mongers throughout the town: “Did you hear that Dessa’s aunt was a killer?” It casts a pall on the two. When we approach them, they beg off as busy.
Tuxel is treating us better, treating us as heros. He doesn’t seek to employ us, but he is more kindly.
As we are having dinner one night with some of the towns people, farmers, some captains of the gaurd, and Gemma, Habistaw shows up. “Rem’e! I had a revelation when I was dressed up as that goblin. Unfortunately I dreamed it in goblin, but here’s a rough translation:
“You need stuff make boom.
You dumb if you think bathroom.
You look near old tomb.”
Most of the officers at the table snicker. But Gemma stiffens and looks at Liadan … that bit of poetry had some effect on her.
We decide to stay for a few days to await Ariza’s commissioned sword and to quell rumors that are effecting Dessa and Cronen. Rem’e works on the ballad of Cronen to help set his reputation straight. Rhun speaks with Stephano to see if they can help turn the gossip away. Ariza works on telling the true story about Dilla – explaining that Dessa is a victim of foul play and setting things straight when she can.