Eaglesford Campaign: "Strange Lights"

[Nail]

Session #4, continued: "The Pit of Death"
(Session of RL April 6th, 2003)

Riva could hear the voices. High pitched, yapping, and dog-like.... whatever they were, they were all around him, speaking a language he couldn't understand. There were many of them, and as he clawed his way up into consciousness, he could hear them moving in front of him. Riva opened his eyes, just a crack.

His eyes focused on the tip of a loaded crossbow. The business end was pointed at his face by an armor-clad kobold. Beside the one with the crossbow was another, armed with spear and tower shield. As his eyes met theirs, the one with the shield yapped something loudly, but not for a moment did it take its eyes off of Riva. A short distance away lay Rowan, similarly guarded, and across the 30’ wide room lay Garret and Thaile. A kobold was leaning over Thaile...perhaps looting her body? Riva couldn’t tell.

What Riva could tell was that he was bound, hand and foot, gagged, and weaponless, ...and surrounded by vigilant enemies, their weapons at the ready. This was a pit of death, filled with armed kobolds, and around the room’s circumference, 10 feet above the floor, were arrow slits, behind which Riva could see even more kobolds with crossbows. Thinking quickly, he did what any captured dwarven berserker would do, given impossible circumstances and abundant foes: he raged.

From across the room, Garret saw his companion enter his blood-lust. Garret’s view was only partially blocked by the group of four kobolds that surrounded him: a crossbowman, a shieldman, a well-armed swordsman, and what seemed to be a kobold sorcerer. Garret found himself weaponless, bound, and gagged. Garret glared across at Riva for a moment....and Riva held himself in check. Riva was filled with battle-need, and yet he remained still, even as the crossbow aimed at him shook with nervousness.

The kobold sorcerer spared a glance or two at Riva, and barked an order. The kobold swordsman approached Garret and removed his gag. Then the apparent sorcerer spoke, his voice high-pitched and annoying:

"My name is Mulakikyip, and I am the leader of those that captured you. As you see, your necromancer cannot help you now.", the kobold jabbed a thumb in Thaile’s direction. "You are quite within my power. If you answer my questions truthfully, I promise your trial will be just and your execution merciful."

From across the room, Rowan grimaced behind her gag. I’d rather not be executed at all, she thought to herself.

Mulakikyip continued. "How many more of the walking dead are there? How many more of the hungry dead? Answer me!"

"I’m not sure," Garret responded. "We’ve destroyed several of each…6 or 8 of the walking dead, 2 of the hungry dead...."

"Bah! I did not ask you how many turned against you! How many more are left! Where is the necromancer that makes them? How many more can he make?"

"I....I don’t know. I killed those abominations. We’re not necromancers -- we’re against who ever it is that’s causing this!"

"Enough! I will have no more of your lies!", snapped Mulakikyip, and with a curt command the gag was placed back over Garret’s mouth.

The leader of the kobolds turned and strode across to room to where Rowan lay (while keeping a weary eye on the still raging dwarf). Stripping off her gag he posed to her the same questions, and added a few more:

• 
  "Who is your necromancer master?"
  
  "What does he seek? What does he want from us?"
  
  "Why does he send the walking dead against us?"
  
  "Why are the undead attacking us now? Why now? How did he find us?"

Rowan, too, tried to convince Mulakikyip that she didn’t know the answers to these questions, and that the adventurers were actually trying to help rid the area of undead. The kobold leader ordered her gagged again, and turned away, toward....

(Nope. Not toward Riva. Are you crazy?! Would you want to match wits with a raging dwarf? ...Didn’t think so.)

...toward Thaile. She lay, unconscious and near death’s door at the far side of the room. Mulakikyip leaned over her and began to cast a spell. For an instant it looked as if Riva would leap up, bound and weaponless as he was, and try to prevent the kobold sorcerer from harming his companion...but he stayed himself again, and as he did so he could feel is white-hot rage reach its end. Riva felt the weakness seep into his muscles as he relaxed.

Mulakikyip finished his spell, and laid his hands on Thaile’s wounds. In an instant, they closed. Thaile opened her eyes, to see Mulakikyip and several armed kobolds standing over her.

"If you move or try to cast a spell, I will kill you," squeaked Mulakikyp in the common tongue. "Do you understand me?" Thaile nodded slowly, and Mulakikyip continued, "I have just healed you. Now in return you will tell me everything you know about your master, he who has been sending the walking dead against us."

"But....I’m not a necromancer, and neither is my teacher," said Thaile. "I’m a cleric of Darmon....look....look at my holy symbol! You’ll see that it’s true. I want to destroy the restless dead, not create them! Why do you think I’m a necromancer?"

Mulakikyip barked an order to his apparent lieutenant, a larger kobold wearing well-kept armor and weilding a short sword. Thaile found she could understand their speech: it was draconic, a language she had picked up in her religious studies. Her companions clearly could not understand the kobold tongue.

Mulukikyip said to his lieutenant, "Kytum-up, check her for a holy symbol. Beware her tricks!"

Kytum-up leaned over Thaile, and found her holy symbol of Darmon: a disk covered in gold leaf, with a picture of a young man laughing. The kobold took it from around her neck, and gave it to Mulakikyip, who examined it carefully.

In draconic, Mulakikyip continued, ".....a strange design, but recognizable enough....this must be some trick. A cleric of Darmon would never stoop to necromancy. We must test her further...but how....?"

At this, Thaile responded, in human-accented draconic, "Why do you think I am a necromancer?"

Startled, Mulakikyip looked down at Thaile. "You speak our tongue? Humans are not as barbaric as I was taught. .....I think you are a necromancer by your acts, witnessed by my scouts. You were seen to make the walking dead bow down before you, as you did in the barn loft, those many days ago. Do you deny that you did this?"

"I was channeling the holy power of Darmon the Wayfarer, and turning those skeletons! They were cowering because we had them cornered, and they had no where else to flee! And we did the same to the hungry dead trapped in the cellar. ...Your scouts must not be, well, err...." Thaile let the thought hang, rather than finish it.

Mulakikyip's eyes narrowed. "There is a way of proving whether you are a cleric of Darmon, or an impostor. His followers may change the spells they know into healing spells, while those that follow evil paths cannot. You will cast a healing spell - on this kobold here, that you wounded - to prove your faith. Should you try to harm us instead.......your death with be assured." The kobold glowered menacingly.

"I understand." Bringing herself up to a sitting position, she began to pray. She could feel divine magic creep through her fingers as she brushed her hands over the kobold scout's wounds. ...And the wounds vanished, as a far-off traveller might disappear over a rise in the road.

Thaile looked at Mulakikyip, who nodded and smiled as only a dog-faced lizard could. "You are indeed a wayfarer of Darmon. I have been mistaken. Most of you surface dwellers are not to be trusted, especially you humans, but perhaps I have found one or two that can be. .....Kytum-up, unbind her and her companions. The rest of you," Mulakikyip gestured to the kobolds standing guard over the adventurers, "back up into the warren. Be on your guard. I am wary of these surfacelings yet. .......But perhaps it is unwarranted."

He turned again to Thaile, now unbound and towering over the 2-foot high kobold sorcerer. In surface common, Mulakikyip said, "It seems we have a lot to discuss. Perhaps you can help me and my people......"


Session #4: to be continued...

 

[Nail]

As a DM aside:

It was quite possible for the players to screw this up and get themselves killed. They needed to find a believable way to convince Mulakikyip that they weren't lieing. (That, and the possibility of a raging Riva jumping the gun. Nicely played, guys!) My hope is the story conveys that sense of tension.

However, my comment about a possible dead party member (or two) wasn't from what might have happened during this encounter. It was an encounter after this one that had me thinking "possible PC death".

Hopefully that can be written up soon.

 

[Nail]

Session #4, continued: "Mulakikyip's Story - Strange Lights"
(Session of RL April 6th, 2003)
Now free of their bonds, but still without their weapons or other items, the adventurers talked with Mulakikyip. Above them were the rest of the kobolds, perched behind arrow slits spaced around the upper wall of the room. While they talked, a smaller kobold, who was introduced as Fikill-yip, worked on the ladder trap and the smashed trap-door above.

"So the undead have been attacking you for quite awhile?" Garret began.

"No. The restless dead have only started attacking us these past nine days. We have been here for longer than that....perhaps 3 months." Mulakikyip waved his arms around the earth and timber walled room. "As you see our defences are not adequate. Not even the living quarters are finished. We lost much when we were forced to flee...."

Riva interupted, "You're new here?"

Mulakikyip nodded. "You may have noticed some of the new construction in the human-house on the surface. The floor that you destroyed, dwarf, was one example. We have been working hard to make this place our home."

"Why?" asked Garret. "Why did you move here, into the Empire's lands? What forced you here?"

Mulakikyip sighed heavily, and looked down at his feet. "We were attacked in our old home, beneath the Crown of Stone, by a strange light. It came to slaughter us, even our females and eggs, and it was too powerful for us to resist. It was a ball of floating light, and if it touched you, you died. I saw it kill many, even my master, in this way.

"When I saw this, I gathered those people and things I could and I fled....so many died....all of our heroes, most of our families. All were murdered by the light. And the irony of having to flee toward that great ball of surface light to escape the killing of the strange light is not lost on me."

Garret noded gravely, then asked, "The Crown of Stone? Where is that? I don't recognize the name."

Rowan got out her map of the area around Eaglesford as Mulakikyip continued. "I don't know what you humans and surface-dwellers call it, but it is an ancient ruined surface-castle, on the edge of a steep cliff, about 3 days journey from here..."

"Is there a spring? A magical spring, at the base of the cliff?" asked Thaile.

"Yes, the spring is known to have some magical properties..." responded Mulakikyip.

"Alderseep!" interupted Thaile, "and the ruins are called Alderslook. My teacher has told me stories of exploring the dungeons of that place. But she never said anything about finding kobolds. It's empty down there, she's said. Lot's of adventurers have been through there...and you say you lived there?" Thaile arched an eyebrow incredulously.

"My people are very good at hiding themselves", said Mulakikyip, his scaley chest puffed up with pride, "You humans are poor treasure hunters, and easily fooled." Mulakikyip drew himself up to his full 2 foot 3 inch height. "And you aren't so great at fighting, either."

Before Thaile could respond, the group heard a viscious bark and growl from the top of the ladder. Fikkill-yip had scrambled down the newly re-set ladder, and was now pointing up the shaft and whispering something to the kobold's leader. Garret hustled over to the ladder and looked up. Above he could see his war-dog, Bavic, peering down at him.

"Bavic! It's okay, boy, it's okay. I'll be up in a second." Garret gingerly tested a ladder rung, then turned to Mulakikyip. "Is this safe? My dog is up there, but I don't want to set off the trap."

With a nod from his leader, Fikkill-yip scrambled part way up the ladder, fiddled with some hidden mechanism, then came back down. Garret climbed the ladder, followed by Riva. As Garret checked over his riding-dog, Riva glanced out the window, and saw.....

....Tieran, striding up the road toward the ruined farm house, a loaded crossbow held in one hand. With a quick wave from Riva, Tieran walked into the house and into the room with Garret and Riva.

Riva spoke first. "You missed alot. We've found a secret kobold lair, got ambushed and taken prisoner, got interogated about necromancers, were released by the kobolds, and now were makin' friends with the little buggers!"

Tieran eyed Riva warily. "Are you sure you're feeling alright, Riva?"


Session #4: to be continued...More information is revealed!

 

[evildmguy]

Good story so far! Can't wait for the update!

edg

 

[Nail]

Wow, has it been a while. Sorry! I'm just finishing up a semester of teaching, and the end is always busy......

....a lame excuse, I know, but true! So true!

And to top it off, the player in charge of note-taking has alreadry completely caught up an' posted her notes! Now I'm the only one behind! Bad DM, bad!

Next update will include combat - yes, combat! - with the restless dead. ...And why are they so restless, anyway? Bad tomb service? Loud neighbors? Avoiding the estate tax? Out looking for a good time? Led astray by some fast-talking chap with a briefcase? Who knows!?

 

[Nail]

At last! An update!

Session #4, continued: "The PCs test a theory"
(Session of RL April 6th, 2003)

The party regrouped back in the kobold's lair. The wizard Tieran, along with Garret's dog Bavic (helped with ropes and pulleys) now joined them. Together with Mulakikyip (the kobold leader) and Kytum-up (Mulakikyip's "lieutenant"), they discussed what they knew, and what must be done.

It seemed as if the restless dead were attacking the kobolds, to the exclusion of others. But why? After some probing questions by Garret, Thaile, and Rowan, Mulakikyip revealed that when he had fled he had brought with him a sacred artifact, a rod of grey metal, tipped with a large figurine of a dragon, with wings out-stretched. (Thaile's eyes nearly popped out as she examined it from a distance - it must be worth thousands of gold!) The artifact had been with the kobolds for as long as any could remember. It was a sacred item, a symbol of their god, Kikkik.

...And indeed, when Mulakikyip withdrew it from the altar, the adventurers could feel its holy power - they suddenly felt as though the kobold sorcerer could lead them to any victory, no matter what the odds. The artifact's power worked even when another held it; Thaile managed to persuade Mulakikyip to let her hold it for a moment. As she grasped the rod, all the others - even the kobolds - felt as though she could lead them to victory. (And in Thaile's mind, her thoughts turned to how she might keep the rod. She was, after all, more worthy to use it....) Garret gently reminded Thaile to give the rod back to the kobold leader.

"Perhaps the restless dead have been sent to retrieve this idol," proposed Garret. "Just imagine what a necromancer leader could do with this. He must have some way of finding out where this item is....Perhaps we should test this theory?"

So the adventurers came up with a simple plan. Tomorrow they would go to a different abandoned farm house, with Mulakikyip, his retinue, and the idol. If the restless dead attacked the new house that night, they would know that the undead seek the idol. To be safe, a kobold runner was posted at the old Smitson farm: if the undead attacked there, the adventurers would return to defend the kobold lair.

....But today's sunset was only a few minutes away, so tonight everyone would stay in the newly-fortified kobold lair. The adventurers chose to sleep in the "pit of death" - the better to leap up and attack any restless dead that might come.

The unliving corpses and orcish skeletons didn't disappoint. In fact, they came in droves.

The first warning was the sound of timber being scratched and battered by claw and bone. Then a ripping sound....followed by the sound of dead flesh desending a ladder, one rung at a time. Below, the adventurers clustered around the ladder's base, helped by kobold shieldmen and backed up by kobold crossbowmen. Mulakikyip, Kytum-up, and some other kobold heroes stood ready with spell or sword as well.

The battle was long, but thankfully one-sided. As each undead came down the ladder and tried to bull rush their way into an open area, they were hacked, beaten, ensorcelled, and turned. In the end all lay in broken heaps on the floor. Tonight, the battle had been won.

Tomorrow? Tomorrow there was an abandoned farm to fortify and a theory to test.

**************
The next day the party found an appropriate abandoned farm, complete with ruined house, a moss-covered collapsed barn, and a narrow root cellar. With the help of Mulakikyip and a squad of kobold workers, they readied what remained of the farm's house for the expected battle. All the windows were boarded over, and outside of the only door they dug two parallel trenches, each almost 10 feet deep, forming a 5' wide cause-way leading to the front door. Undead would have to march single file along this path to the door, where Riva and his hammer (among other weapons and warriors) would be waiting. Kobolds with crossbows were placed at the top of the walls (the house's roof had long-since collapsed). Tieran and Thaile joined them, perched on what remained of the rafters. And Mulakikyip, holding the idol, was placed in the middle of the house, surrounded on all sides by his kobold warriors and their new allies, the adventurers.

They waited for night to come.

Several hours after sunset, one of the kobolds was the first to hear the now-familiar rustling, shambling movement of the walking dead. They came from all sides, slowly, relentlessly, straight towards the farm house. Crossbows twanged, voices were raised in challenge, and the battle was begun.

Riva downed the first walking-skeleton with ease, and the second and third came and were crushed without a thought. But there were more....walking corpses, slouching toward them, garbed in pale funerary robes. They came in waves, to attack those at the front door, to pound on the boarded-over windows, to try to scrabble their way over the timber walls that protected the living from the dead. Big ones came too, corpses of creatures larger than mere orcs, still wearing the armor they were buried in. Riva's hammer rose and fell, Garret's hammer lashed out again and again, and even Rowan joined the fray at the door, wielding her quarter staff. The undead tried, again and again, to get in...but they failed, and were destroyed .... or turned by Thaile and forced to flee.

Riva heard, rather than saw, the next to join the battle: two of the hungry dead loped toward the house. Their mouths slobbered and smacked, and their claws were out-stretched, eager for living flesh. They leapt over the trenches and attacked Riva, standing in the door. They scratched, clawed, and bit, and Riva could feel numbness enter his blood. Before he was overcome, he managed to down one of the hungry-dead....but the other's paralyzing power was too much for him. Again, as had happened in the cellar of the old Smitson farm days ago, his muscles stiffened and locked. Thankfully, the hungry-dead didn't have much time to take advantage of the dwarf's paralysis; Garret stepped in and delivered the final blow that felled the ghoul.

(Somewhere in the background...Thaile, was it?.....someone said "Oh dear, we've got a little garden dwarf again. Anyone got a little red conical hat for him?")

But the frivolity was short-lived. "I see another!" shouted Tieran, pointing of to the northeast. From behind the remains of the barn lumbered another corpse. But this one was different. It was clothed in ornate (if rotted) funerary robes. Around it's neck hung a gold chain and medallion, and on it's face....on it's face was a death mask, all of gold . As it approached a feeling of dread came over the living ones in the old farm house. The kobold crossbowmen froze with fear, unable to even load their weapons. Even Mulakikyip was affected, and he cowered in fear, dropping the idol.

As the gold-masked undead shambled toward the front door, with a paralyzed Riva standing helpless in front of it, the corpse spoke. It was difficult to make out all that was said, but the last part was clear: ".....It .....must ......be .....returned!"

Then it hit Riva with one of it's arms, and sent the helpless dwarf flying. It strode into the house, knocking others aside to get to the dragon idol.

Garret was the first to shake off the dread and attack....but he found his blows did little damage to the creature. Rowan and Thaile found that their weapons were completely ineffectual....so Thaile reached down and grabbed the idol, and tried to call on the power of her god.

"May the power of Darmon strike down this abomination!" yelled Thaile, brandishing the dragon idol.

....The gold-masked corpse reached out, and yanked the idol from Thaile's grasp.

"Errr....Right. I guess that didn't work, did it?"

But Rowan the druid was on the thing in a split second, and using her stupendously average strength, managed to wrench the idol from the undead! Amazing!

...Until the un-living corpse grabbed it back. As Thaile tried (and failed) to grab the idol, the undead moved toward the door. It looked like tonight, the restless dead would win.

Garret, of course, had other ideas. You see, earlier that day he had built an unlit fire in the hearth, of dry wood and kindling, to use as light and possibly even protection in the case of an emergency.

Now was that emergency. ...And the undead abomination just happen to be standing in the middle of the tinder. How fortuitous! One lit torch later, and the corpse was on fire, flailing about and running toward the door. (DM's note: I had forgotten about the placement of the unlit fire! The undead just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time.)

As it ran past, Rowan reached out and again successfully pulled the idol from the creature's grasp. It continued on its fiery run out of the house....until Tieran bull-rushed it into one of the pits that flanked the door.

Did I happen to mention the few vials of oil that had been poured into the pit just before the battle? Hmmmm, sorry about that. ....And the undead was pretty sorry about it too. It managed to climb out.....but the oil-accelerated fire had done its work, and the corpse collapsed in a burning heap.

The night was won.

And Rowan, now holding the idol, thought, "Do I really want to give this artifact back to the kobolds? It feels good to be invincible....."

End of Session #4

 

[Nail]

Rowan gets the lime light?

Session #5: "Druid-speak"
(Session of RL April 13th, 2003)
The session begins just after the battle with the undead....

All is quiet for a moment, as the heroes take stock of their surroundings. The restless dead are either destroyed or driven off. At the entrance of the decrepit farm house lies a pile of burnt and smoldering rags, all that remains of the thing that Thaile has called a "mummy". Riva lies on the floor of the house, still paralyzed from the touch of the hungry dead. Just outside the house, Rowan holds the dragon idol, and her eyes blaze with new-found authority. And perhaps there are other undead out there, somewhere, waiting to attack. What to do?

Loot the bodies, of course! With Thaile in the lead, and Garret not far behind, their first target is the fallen mummy. The mask and jewelry it wore are taken and carefully studied, and the various trinkets and treasures from the other fallen corpses are stowed as well. Eventually Riva shakes off his paralysis and joins them. He is especially taken with the workmanship (and the value!) of the gold and ruby dragon necklace the mummy wore.

While the adventurers happily paw through the remains of the dead, Mulukikyip (the kobold leader) and Kytum-up (his lieutenant) approach Rowan, and after a brief discussion Rowan reluctantly hands over the dragon idol to Kytum-up. As Rowan walked away, she apparently didn't notice the two kobolds arguing...eventually Kytum-up gave the idol to Mulukikyip. After this, Kytum-up followed his leader at a distance, a grim look on his face.

The adventurers and the kobolds eventually walk back to the old Smitson farm and the kobold lair. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they find the lair had been left alone by the restless dead. The adventurers spend the next day in the kobold lair.

from the journal of the druid Rowan

We rested for the day, and discussed our next move.

While talking with the kobolds, Thaile recounted a story by Mrs. Faegan (Eaglesford's cleric). The story says that about 17 years ago at the Garresh, a former Eaglesford cleric caused a marauding band of orcs to vanish through the mercy of Korak. Mulakikyip laughed at that one, saying that the orcs vanished because they had summoned a demon and it killed them all! He went on to say that we humans are so funny, thinking that we do everything.

Mulakikyip also knew that the goblins who took over Alderslook after the kobolds had left are of the Bloody Skull clan.

We discussed at length what to do about the "restless dead" problem, and determined that we needed to find the source of the undead and take care of it. (Overconfidence doesn't always come from the idol, I guess.) However, we were concerned about the kobolds once we left, since the attacks were happening every night and eventually, the undead would get through. The "Handyman Kobold" (What is it with kobold names, anyway?) had an idea though, that collapsing the house over the lair entrance would buy them about two or three weeks before the undead could get through.

That night, the kobold lair was attacked by undead again. We defeated them again, and we're positive that the dragon was what was drawing them.

The next day the adventurers helped the kobolds collapse the Smitson house over their lair entrance. Before they did so, Mulakikyip asked Garret, and all of the party members, not to reveal the kobold presence at the farm, or to speak of the dragon idol the kobolds held. The adventurers solemnly swore to keep the secret.

The party left once the house had been collapsed. The kobold warrior Kytum-up was with them, to guide them to Alderslook, and help them in their mission against the necromancer responsible for the undead. It would be a three day journey through the wilderness.

But first, the party decided to go back to Eaglesford, to resupply, to look into the doings of the hamlet, and to seek out what advice they could. Once near the hamlet, Rowan decided to visit her master, the druid Greystone. They would need a place for Kytum-up while in town (the locals would surely attack a kobold on sight...or run away screaming), and his place might be the only one. (He was a druid, after all, wasn't he? Aren't they supposed to be all accepting, and stuff?) Garret reminded her that they had given their word to keep the kobold's lair a secret, and so she should try to tell Greystone as little as possible. The party left Rowan on the trail to her master's grove, and hurried on into town.

Rowan knocked on the lintel of Greystone's hut, while Kytum-up remained hidden outside. Her master had barely opened the door, when Rowan began:

"Hello Master Greystone! So, are kobolds evil? Because things don't always have to be the way you think they are, right? Who knows what kinds of things people say about other things they don't know anything about! And especially if creatures you thought would be evil treat you well, and don't kill you, even when they have the chance and should, -- they might not be evil at all, even if you were taught that they're as evil as anything... So, kobolds don't have to be evil, do they?"

Rowan took a breath. A few moments of (blessed) silence passed, as Greystone examined his former pupil with a somber gaze. "No, kobolds do not have to be evil," Greystone said. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, we met some, you see...," Rowan began. Her master remained silent as Rowan told her story, used to the way his former apprentice had with explanations. It was a blur of words, like a bubbling brook running toward the sea, always moving, always twisting and turning and tumbling, and growing larger as it went on. In the end, after a few simple questions form Greystone (and some sort of detection spell from him as well), Rowan had told her master everything: about the kobolds, about their dragon idol, about the attacking undead. Then Rowan introduced her master to the kobold Kytum-up. Greystone spoke draconic, so the two of them talked. Assured Kytum-up would be well cared for, Rowan left to join her friends.

Back at Eaglesford, the party found the hamlet an armed camp, with farmers walking the walls with old spears and ill-fitting leather armor. Many of the farmer's families were camped out on the village green; some were even camped in the stables! Asking around, the party found that the Captain and several of the town's more experienced guards were out trying to drive off the goblin raiders. Many said they expected the Captain to return that night.

The adventurers also found themselves the target of questions from their friends and neighbors. Following Garret's lead, the party members were careful to say only that they had fought and destroyed several of the restless dead, up in the vicinity of the old Smitson farm. But simple stories are the first to be embellished in the re-telling: Soon the entire hamlet was talking of Riva felling 5 undead in a single swipe, and of Garret calling on the power of Morwyn as he charged a hoard of ghouls on his war dog Bavic.

Thaile went to talk to Mrs. Faegan (the mill owner and cleric of the Great Church - the only cleric in Eaglesford; see session #3.) Thaile asked if she knew any god by the name of "Kikkuk". (Kikkuk is the name Mulakikyip had given to his god, the god of the dragon idol.) Mrs. Faegan did not, but promised to see what could be found in her scrolls and books.

Garret went to visit Lord Aelric, but was turned away by the guard at the door. "He's...not available, right now. He'll be available tomorrow morning." Eventually Garret was able to glean from the guard that Lord Aelric was drunk...a very unusual occurrence. Garret vowed to keep this a secret, and promised to visit the lord in the morning. "Better make that closer to noon," muttered the guard.

The party regrouped at Mr. Burlywire's inn, to catch up on local gossip. They were treated to several drinks, and Mr. Burlywire was eager to hear of their adventures. The party members told some, but did not reveal the presence of kobolds in the story. The farmers, especially, asked to hear of the "Battle with the Restless Dead" several times.

Rowan left after a while to return to Greystone's hut. She found him hunched over a table, still talking with Kytum-up, who sat straight-backed on a high stool. As she found a place to sit, Greystone spoke to her with a serious tone, in the ancient druidic language: "I am concerned about your plan to go to Alderslook. You and your friends may be doing more than you are capable of. And yet, this kobold's people must be helped. They must, Rowan. They are important to the balance." Rowan nodded, and kept her silence as she thought about his words.

Late that night, all retired to bed. Much was on the minds of the townsfolk...

The Captain and his men had not yet returned.

More of Session #5 to come!

 

[Nail]

An authors aside:

You know, the biggest problem with writing this stuff is...well, ....the writing.

Yeah, I know, an obvious observation. But seriously, I had thought that I would have enough time to type out an episode or two, every few days or so. Wow, has that not happened. Life is busy, and curiously, it's far easier to talk about getting time to write than it is to actually write.

Some kind of weird psycho writer's block thingy, I imagine. Either that, or RL. One of the two, to be sure.

Let's see if I can "get over it".

 

[Piratecat]

An authors aside:

You know, the biggest problem with writing this stuff is...well, ....the writing.

Tell me about it. I write like crazy for a few days, then nothing for another week. The trick is to take notes during fights and to vary your style enough that you aren't getting bored. If it stays fun, it's easier to write.

I'm really enjoying this, though. I hope you keep at it!! It's fun, well-written, and there are kobolds with funny names. Ah, bliss.

 

[Nail]

Thanks for th' kind words, PC.

Session #5, continued: "Planning to go to Three Oaks"
(Session of RL April 13th, 2003)
After sleeping in Eaglesford for the night

In the morning, the party discussed their options. They had agreed to seek out the source of the necromancy, it was true, but the adventurers were beginning to have second thoughts. Rowan's master Greystone had warned them that they might be "biting off more than they could chew" if they went to Alderslook. Could they defeat what they might find? And what would be the best place to start looking? Riva, especially, voiced the most concern over that last bit. The defeating part...well, he figured that was a given.

They decided they need more information. Their questions included:

• Where had the restless dead come from: the Garresh or Alderslook?
  
• Who was creating and sending the restless dead to retrieve the idol?
  
• What was the real story behind the defeat of the orcish horde at the Garresh, and was that related in any way to the present troubles?
  
• What more could the golden death mask tell them? Was it magical in a way they couldn't detect?
  
• And finally: do the goblin raids have anything to do with any of this?

The party split up to see how much the could answer in Eaglesford. Garret went to the castle, to have lunch with Lord Aelric, while Thaile went to talk further with Mrs. Faegan. Rowan went to talk with Greystone, and Teiran hit the books. And Riva....? Riva went to the blacksmith, to see about some new weapons and armor. "Have to be ready fer all o' those restless dead we're gonna fight!" Riva muttered.

*********************
Garret's lunch with Lord Aelric was depressing, at best. The nobleman paid little attention to either his meal or to conversation. He just sat, his head propped up with one arm, staring into his soup and listlessly eating a few mouthfuls. His wife, sitting nervously beside him, laid her hand on his arm, but said nothing. Garret mentioned the adventures he'd had, and the farmers troubles with the goblins, but all he could get out of the lord was a sigh and a depressed shake of his head. "Captain Ennolad will be back tomorrow," Lord Aelric droned, "perhaps he and his men will come to me with better news." Excusing himself early from the table, Lord Aelric left the room.

*********************
At the Great Church's temple, Thaile was discussing religion with Mrs. Faegan.

"So the scrolls say nothing about this strange god I heard about, Kikkuk?" Thaile asked.

"Not much, at least," replied Mrs. Faegan, "He might be a corruption of the name of Korak, the God of the Forge, but other than that....."

"And Korak is a good god, so no evil would worship him, right?" asked Thaile. "I know he's a God of the Womb - the craftsman of the gods - but I've not studied his teachings much. He hates necromancy as much as any, doesn't he?"

"Of course," Mrs. Faegan responded. "All Gods of the Tree and Womb hate the curse of undeath. That is why they give you the power to strike them down with your holy power. I am sure they are pleased with what you have done these past few days. Darmon the Wayfarer especially, I should think."

Thaile thought a moment, then brought out the gold mask from her pack to show Mrs. Faegan: "Could you tell me anything about this gold mask we found? It was worn by one of the restless dead that attacked us....."

Mrs. Faegan looked over the mask, tracing with her finger the stylized dragons carved into its surface. "I'm afraid I don't know much about these things, "Mrs Faegan said, with a hint of disgust in her voice. "It's orcish; that's clear enough. But I don't know much of their ways...they're savage beasts, after all....little sense studying thier barbaric habits. They bury their dead, you know, instead of cremate them, as is right."

Thaile let a frown creep over her mouth. "Where would I find someone that might know more? Are there any sages of this sort of knowledge close by?"

"Yes there is," replied Mrs. Faegan. "In Three Oaks, the village to the west of us, is a sage by the name of Moira. She styles hersef 'Sage of the Ruins'. She would know much more about this sort of thing.....what there is to know about it, that is."

Thaile's face brightened, as she nodded. "Thanks. Then I guess we should think about going there."

******************
That evening, the party gathered together once more. The Captain and his men had still not returned, and the townsfolk were getting restless for news. Garret had wanted to consult with the Captain especially. The Captian might know more of the area around the Garresh and Alderslook, and might also know why the goblins were attacking.

But they had limited time. The adventurers were sure that the restless dead would attack the kobolds again, and even a collapsed farmhouse couldn't keep them out for long.

And yet, they still didn't know where the undead were coming from, or why they were coming. Thaile suggested that the sage Moira, the Three Oaks, could shed light on that.

"We need to move quickly, if we're going to get to the bottom of this," stated Garret flatly, as he looked around at his companions.

Tieran let out a sigh, then spoke, "I have another interesting development to report." The wizard drew a small note from one of the pockets of his robe. "Last night, during the evening at Mr Burlywire's Inn, a note was slipped into my pocket. I didn't even notice it until today, actually. The note reads:

Want to get rich? Meet me at Keprok in three days. It will be worth your time.
-Laiden

That's only the day after tomorrow." Tieran looked at Garret, then at Thaile as he spoke. Riva was looking down, absently running his thumb along the blade of the great-axe his father had newly lent him. Rowan tapped her fingers together. For a moment or two, the neophyte adventurers were silent.

Then, almost as one, the party looked up from their reveries. They would leave tomorrow for Three Oaks.

By horse, that would be a day and a half journey. Now: did they have enough money to get horses? And would anyone be willing to sell? Thaile got out the accumulated loot.......

End of Session #5