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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheBard" data-source="post: 53057" data-attributes="member: 2821">Episode 10: Into the Lands of the NecromancerTime Elapsed: 5/29— 6/08/495 A.I. Summary Lord Theodorus arranged for the group to call on Lord Vihar at “his” estate in Tavia. Vihar, it turned out, spent only a few months every year in the city, and so he tended to stay on property actually owned by Earl Iustus. The Ealr was Tavia’s former feudal lord, with whom Lord Vihar had enjoyed many years of close association before the events that led to Baron Flavius’ arrival in Tavia. The group members made themselves presentable and headed to the noble quarter for dinner with the Ogre lord.They were greeted at the door by a dour-looking orc in Lord Vihar’s livery, who asked their names and ushered them into an entrance hall. There yet another orc, this one well armed with wickedly curved scimitars and wearing gilded ringmail armor, watched them with a wary eye while a servant was sent for Lord Vihar. The Ogre appeared shortly, dressed in scarlet finery that served to make him even more imposing than normal. He lead the party past a large mosaic, only partially finished, which depicted Vihar clad in gilded armor and wielding some great throny mace in battle with a huge red Dragon. ‘He offered refreshment and the group partook of his brandy and wine while attempting to make some “small talk” with their nine foot tall host. Vihar’s difficulties with the social graces were impossible not to notice, as he clutched a heavy black glass mug of brandy – a tankard to any of the humans or evles present - in a hand that made it look like a thimble. Still, it was equally clear that he strove to maintain human custom as best he was able, and certainly none of the very small and insignificant feeling members of the group were about to comment on Vihar’s lack of subtlety.He asked the group about their latest escapade, and seemed particularly interested in discussing what, if any, treasures they’d recovered. Ingolf and Martaine both worked to change the subject to less dangerous matters, and before long it had drifted into other topics. Finally Vihar led the group into a dinning hall, the walls of which were covered in a staggering array of trophies from Vihar’s numerous adventures and hunting expeditions. Greatest among these was the gem-encrusted skull of a great dragon, presumably the one depicted in the mosaic. It seemed increasingly as if Earl Iustus’ estate was given over to Lord Vihar on a more or less permanent basis, as no trace of the Earl’s household or belongings was in evidence. Even the heavy gold and black volcanic glass dinnerware seemed far better suited to Vihar than to the Earl.Dinner consisted of a whole roast pig and numerous side dishes, including eels, potatoes and cabbage with soured cream and paprika in everything. Once at table, any pretense of courtly grave was dropped by Viohar, who tucked into his pork with gusto and bid his guests to do likewise. After the main course was cleared away, Vihar made his proposal to the group – 2000 pieces of gold in advance, plus 500 per person and another 2000 bonus at the end of the escapade if they provided particularly useful information. The job in question was more of a scouting mission than anything – find the stronghold of a Necromancer who had been plagueing the trade routes for the last few years, learn what there was to be learned about him, hopefully capture one of his officers, and return. As to the Necromancer himself, Vihar regarded him as nothing more than a jumped-up bandit lord, of the type he’d seen come and go many times. This one, though, seemed to be smarted and better organized than usual. For the past 5 years his band had slowly risen to power in the mountainous border region where the lands of the Dumbrani, Iconium and Rolgulka meet. He had a substantial following of well-organized and intelligent troops. His raiders made it a point not to attack very large caravans and they tended to raid slave caravans for new recruits. They also made it a point not to prey too heavily on the local settlements, buying from them rather than raiding, and as a result had some local support.Some of the local settlements, though, had lately reported that someone had been raiding their boneyards, and Vihar feared that the Necromancer was building an even more extensive force, which is what lead to his increased interest in settling the matter. Vihar’s own elite guard, the Immortals, had been dispatched to see what they could learn. Orcs lack a certain subtlety, however, and they had torched several local villages that were less than cooperative, which only served to drive the other settlements to greater support for the Necromancer. Vihar had no doubt that his Immortals (one of whom, Arkon, was the scimitar-wielding guard that initially met the party at Vihar’s front door) could defeat the bandits in battle – once their base of operations could be found. Since the local peasantry was already disinclined to help Vihar, he had elected to keep the Immortals out of the area until he had more information.As Vihar’s offer seemed generous enough, the group quickly agreed, whereupon he supplied them with a map and his personal sign, the latter rather painfully branded into Ingolf’s palm. The alfar bard was not particularly pleased at being permanently identified as in Lord Vihar’s employ, but at the moment there was little he could do about it. After a dessert of some rather odd-tasting custard, the group made their excuses and set off to purchase supplies and make preparations.As the Undead were likely to be involved, several potions and scrolls of restorative magic were at the top of the list. Once these itmes, as well as a new warhorse for Zaccara and rations and feed in general were secured, the group headed out towards the Rulgulkan border. The trip was well over a week, most of which was not on the well-paved roads of the Empire but the dirt cart tracks of the hinterlands, but eventually the group passed out of the Empire of man and back into the no-man’s land between her numerous faerie neighbors. After dealing with some greedy spriggan bandits by promising a tithe of any treasure won on their return trip, the group was firmly in fae territory, and a few days later drew close to Wojdar – the first village within the Necromancer’s sphere of influence and one still somewhat loyal to Vihar.Despite this fact, it seemed prudent not to immediately reveal the true purpose of the group’s visit to the area, and so a tale was concocted. Theodorus and Nicasia, the story went, were idle human nobles seeking to hunt Dire Boar in the area. Zaccara was their bodyguard, Theodorus their priest, Aoelif their hunter and Ingolf their interpreter. This was the story told to the orcish gate guards at Wojdar, along with Ingolf’s embellishment that he meant to cheat the humans out of their gold when he got back to Tavia, thrown in at the last moment (and without the rest of the group’s knowledge) in an attempt to win some respect from the orcs. Eventually a price for a nights lodging was agreed on, and as there was no proper inn the group was quartered in an abandoned house. They had a chance to meet Slava, a priest of The hanged God, and orcish deity who required his prospective clergy to hang from the neck by a rope for at least 48 hours before he would accept them. Slava still more the signs of his hanging in his crooked neck and rope-scar, not to mention the fact that the severed noose from which he’d hung was still around his neck. He was, to say the least, a disconcerting host.Slave revealed, to the discomfort of his fellow orcs, that lately bodies had been disappearing from the sacred grove where the adherent of The Hanged God were hung after death. He also warned the group about the necromancer and told them to avoid certain areas while hunting so as to steer clear of his bandits. Ultimately, Ingolf decided to reveal some more of the truth to Slava, and told him that the group had been dispatched by Vihar to scout out this necromancers troops. This Vihar had done out of his concern for the local villages. Slava didn’t seem to buy Vihar’s motive, but he recognized Vihar’s symbol. He told the group that he would not lend them any guides, as he did not want to bring the wrath of the Necromancer down on his people, but he did tell them where the sacred grove was. The group elected to begin searching there at once.The grove itself was a mile or so from Wojdar, and was an eerily gruesome sight. Several huge and ancient oaks stood in a loose circle, and ropes beyond counting hung from the branches. Some of the oldest looking ropes still had nooses tied to their rotting ends, but many of the newer ones had been cut about 10 or so feet from the ground. Numerous odd markings were also found in the soil, and Aoelif eventually realized that they were the marks made as if by some giant had been raking the soil into a pile. There were no bodies, but only a few scattered random bones.What had happened seemed obvious enough – someone, or something, had cut down the bodies still hanging, then proceeded to rake the bones and other remains into a pile. Not far off, near a stream, Martaine found a few more bones and a huge footprint. Aoelif determined that something had walked down the stream bed, and a few hundred yards off ingold uncovered a huge bag or sack that had seemingly torn and been discarded. In the water next to it were numerous bones. These Martine collected and returned to the circle of trees. Darkness was approaching, and the group decided to return at first light in the hopes that either Aoelif or Theodorus’ canine familiar could find a trail to follow.Slava was pleased to learn that the group had restored some of the bones to the sacred grove, and rewarded them with a single potion of curative magic. The next morning, the party set out again with full provisions, and Theodorus’ hound quickly found a scent, which he followed straight into the heart of the Rolgulkan mountains. The scent proved to be a strong one, and the group followed it all day. It lead after a while to a narrow road, or wide game-trail, that went up the side of a mountain in a series of switchbacks. With sunset upon them, the group made a cold camp in the middle of this trail.Less than an hour before sunrise the next morning Ingolf’s sharp ears detected the sound of a troop of some sort coming down the trail above. He quickly and quietly roused the group and in short order a small company of orcs being lead by what appeared to be some sort of shaman were seen coming down the road. For their part, the orcs cried out as soon as the group was spotted and charged ahead. Ingolf and Martaine answered with arrows and spells while Zaccara gave his new spear it’s first combat trial, and in very short order the orcs lay dead or dying except the shaman. He crushed a vial of something in his mouth, though it seemed to have no effect, and he was quickly surrounded and subdued. Will this shaman be the servant of the Necromancer the group hopes to capture? What sort of giant is cutting down and hauling off the bodies of dead orcs to be raised as a skeletal army? What was Lord Vihar's *real* reason for sending the PCs off into Rolgulka? And what about those spriggans? Keep reading next week and find out . . .NPCs Encountered Slava — Priest of the Hanged God, headman of WojdarArkon — Captain of the Immortals, Vihar's elite guardLord Vihar — Ogre Mage Lord of the Vale of Thunder.</blockquote>

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