Hello everybody and here is the latest thrilling adventure of the Axbridge crew.
Where we left off lat week Sir Kendrik and his chums were in hot pursuit of the Dwarf Deckard who had kidnapped Lady Sharra from the women’s solar. 24 hours had now pasted and through the skilled tracking abilities of Jon McAlpin the ranger the heroes were making good headway in their quest. They had just crossed the Gallory River and Jon had made the disturbing discovery that a dozen other individuals now supported the dwarf. Here is what happened this week;
Joshuaday 4th Greening 1353
After finding the trail again the heroes continued their chase and after several hours tracking they had made it to a small body of water. On investigation of the tracks, Jon and Wynn Tyr realised that there had been a lot of movement, indicating that the captors had probably camped here. Callin and Sir Kendrik were looking over the lake looking for any sign of the captors or Lady Sharra, Callin looked down into the water and saw the torn yellow over tunic that Sharra had been wearing at the feast. Sir Kendrik saw the tunic and it fired him up more to continue on. On further investigation Jon by himself followed the track to where they left the water’ edge. He reported this back to the party and it was then discovered that Lady Sharra’s tracks were near the water but only one footprint, this made Sir Kendrik suggest that maybe she tried to escape by swimming. The party then discussed what to do next and they decided that the captors probably caught her and continued on.
Lonnaday 5th Greening 1353
During the first watch Cain and Kendrik were sweeping 180 degrees each and stationed about 50 feet apart. All of a sudden a cloaked figure stepped out of the darkness towards Cain. The shadowy figure spoke to Cain and asked if he could share the light of the camp. Cain told the stranger that he would have to check if it was OK first. The stranger asked Cain wasn't he his own master. Cain replied to him by saying that he was just a servant and nodded to where Sir Kendrik was standing saying that Kendrik was his lord. The stranger then started to question Cain on whether he resented being ordered around all his life. He then called Cain by his name, which startled him and the stranger then offered him a proposition. He asked Cain if he wished to be able to do whatever he wanted, to be able the bend the minds of others to do his bidding. Cain was reluctant to listen to this offer, he told the stranger he wasn't interested. The shadowy stranger replied that if Cain changed his mind just call for him and he would appear. Cain asked the stranger for his name, the stranger told him not to worry about that, as he would come if he were called.
Cain thought for a moment and called the stranger back and agreed to give it a try. The stranger then gave Cain a black cat that rubbed up against him and left.
Sir Kendrik was watching his half of the countryside when all this was happening, and in his regular 15-minute check to see on Cain he had noticed that he had fallen asleep. Sir Kendrik walked up to Cain to wake him only to find a black cat lying on his lap. As Kendrik approached, the cat started to hiss. Kendrik ignored the cat and tried to rouse Cain and the cat took a swipe at him, just missing his hand. Kendrik finally woke Cain and told him to keep watch and what was with the cat on his lap. Cain couldn't answer. The night passed without any further incident.
The next morning as the party was preparing to continue the chase attention was drawn to the cat that had somehow become Cain's companion. Cain could explain how and when he got a little too loose lipped about the cat he was telepathically yelled at by the cat saying "No, say nothing more". The cat then started pawing at Cain's side. Cain felt some discomfort on his side, he went where he could find some privacy to check it out and to his dismay he had grown another nipple overnight. The cat continued to beg to be fed and Cain relented, feeling very awkward afterwards. As the cat fed, it informed Cain that it’s name was Sulphur, and with that filled Cains mind with a number of spells.
The heroes continued their pursuit of the captors, following what appeared to be the most recent tracks. This trail led them over the Hourla Hills and eventually into a gorge or pass where the heroes made an alarming discovery. They had stumbled across the bodies of 4 dwarfs, scattered about the floor of the ravine. Callin and Sir Kendrik rode up to one of the bodies and inspected it. It had been singed and was stone cold dead. This was unusual, as dwarves in Misty Isles are immune to fire. When the body was rolled over, it was also discovered to be a duegar, and not a hill dwarf as was first suspected. Sir Kendrik prepared himself to fight whatever had done this to the dwarfs. Arton and Cain were making an inspection of the other bodies checking one and Jon and Wynn Tyr checking another about 60 feet away. The bodies where hideously deformed, either mauled or crushed flat.
The heroes continued checking the bodies for clues when a Behir burst out from behind cover the of some rocky outcroppings. With arcs of electricity running up its horns and down it's back, opened it’s mouth and breathed a lightning blast at Jon and Wynn Tyr. Seeking safety to cast his spells, Wynn Tyr stepped back out of attack range, unfortunately into the path of Kendrik, preparing a mounted charge on Valiant, making the manoeuvre impossible. Kendrik moved to line himself up to attack from a more advantageous position. Jon stayed and was ready to attack when he Behir grabbed Jon with in it's mouth and began to wrap it’s serpentine body around the ranger. In a horrifying sight, the Behir tilted its head back, opened up it's gullet and swallowed the unfortunate ranger whole. Callin moved quickly to engage the creature in combat, unaware that he was no blocking Kendrik’s charge. Shocked at what he had just seen, Kendrik's yelled at Callin to move and then charged through, driving his lance deep into the beast. Br Arton then hit it with a clerical spell that made the beast retreat up the hill to it's stinking lair. Kendrik instantly chased after it and waited for his companions to join him outside the lair where Kendrik could hear the lizard hiss threateningly at him.
Standing at the entrance, Kendrik's plan was to draw it out thus taking it's advantage away. When the others had joined him, Callin decided not to wait and went into the lair but the creature continued to threaten and display, obvious that it would not be drawn out. Br Arton lost his temper and fired called forth a flame strike spell on the Behir. Injured and insane with pain, the beast rushed forward and unleashed another electricity blast, this time targeted hitting Br Arton. Callin, seizing his opportunity, tumbled behind the Behir, Sir Kendrik seeing Callin’s manoeuvre, stepped forward to take advantage of the flanked beast. Callin struck the Behir a mortal blow, utilising his skills in placing telling blows. Kendrik then coup de graced the downed reptile, driving Razor's Edge deep into the behir's skull. As soon as that was done Callin slit the Behir from throat to gut, hoping that it was not too late to save Jon.
Alas, it was too late. As soon as the cut was finished, a pile of steaming bones tumbled from the behir’s exposed innards, all that was left of the brave ranger. The acid and the constricting muscles of the beasts' innards had done their worst. Callin instantly threw up and Sir Kendrik dropped to his knees, head bowed and shaking.
"There isn't anything we can do for Jon is there?" Sir Kendrik asked Br Arton
"No Kendrik there isn't" Br Arton replied, looking away
After the heroes had gathered their thoughts and calmed themselves down, the terrible task of burying young Jon McAlpin began. Sir Kendrik checked the area for a shady tree to use as a burial site and started digging with his large shield. Callin searched the lair and found a huge pile of treasure. Wynn Tyr carefully picked out Jon's bones, weapons and backpack from the remains of the behir's stomach.
When the grave was finished the party gathered around and Br Arton said some words for Jon before he was buried. Kendrik stood by the grave for some time waiting for his friends to leave him alone. When they had, Kendrik dropped to on knee and placed his hand on the cairn that had been built as a tombstone. With tears in his eyes, the distraught knight told Jon that his death would not be in vain, and vowed to Jon that he would succeed in saving Lady Sharra. Kendrik then prayed for his departed friend and returned to the others.
Deciding not to move on any further that day, the party set up camp where the grave was and they rested. During the evening the party discussed how they could continue, as their guide was now dead and none of them could track effectively. Sir Kendrik suggested going back to a town near the river and getting a guide or ranger form there, but that would have put them too far behind. Br Arton said that he had a way but it would have to wait till morning.
Watches were set again, and during Sir Kendrik's watch he heard commotion in the valley below them. He couldn't understand what was being said. but he recognised the voice of the leader as Deckard. Sir Kendrik, knowing that fighting dwarfs at night wouldn't be a good idea, dowsed his fire and ducked down and listened for a bit. It sounded like the dwarves searched through the valley before they set up camp and lit a fire. In the now lit valley, Kendrik saw Deckard approach the flames and throw something on them. All of a sudden the flames rose up brilliantly and when they subsided, an abstract shape in the smoke. Kendrik woke Callin and Br Arton and the three heroes spied on what was happening.
A conversation had obviously taken place between Deckard that the shape in the smoke, for it once more flared outwards. “LOST HER?” The figure screeched. The figure reached out and grabbed Deckard by the throat, lifting him off the ground and drawing him close.
“Find her Deckard, or your life will be forfeit.” The figure ordered before flinging Deckard to the ground. “Find her and return her to me!”
The fire flared again and then returned to normal. Deckard yelled to the other dwarves and they left. The heroes realising that Deckard had lost Lady Sharra had no option but to wait a couple hours so that Arton could get the spell he wanted. Arton told Sir Kendrik that the spell would require Br Arton to swear to do a favour for a task he would ask of one of Pelor’s celestials. Sir Kendrik told his friend that he would gladly help him in whatever quest Br Arton was given.
Freeday 6th Greening 1353
Morning broke and Br Arton prayed, as did Sir Kendrik while Wynn Tyr studied his books. The party ate quickly and they prepared to leave. Br Arton dropped to his knees and looked and bowed his head. He started to pray for celestial assistance. All of a sudden a brilliant shaft of white light came down from heaven and a celestial appeared before them. Resembling a dwarf, the celestial had streaming blond hair and a braided beard. Heavily muscled, it wore only a toga, leaving the majority of it’s chest bare. Sir Kendrik dropped to his knees head bowed with his sword in front of him as the celestial spoke, it’s wings beating gently.
“What is it you ask of me?”
Br Arton told the celestial that the party needed to track the Lady Sharra as she was being pursued. Br Arton told the celestial that the heroes wanted to beat the dwarfs to Lady Sharra. The celestial said he would help but he would need to ask a favour of Br Arton, adding that it wouldn't bring him into danger. Br Arton said he accepted that and the celestial ordered the party to mount their horses, and the party did.
Just before the party left, Sir Kendrik turned back and called to Jon's grave "We do this for you my friend!"
The celestial then started to beat it's wings and rose above the ground. He then took off and swooped over the countryside blazing a trail that the heroes found hard to keep up with. After some hours the heroes had reached where Deckard and the other dwarfs were. The celestial stopped and asked what they wanted to do now. Callin wished to attack the dwarves, but the others wanted to skirt the dwarves and beat them to Lady Sharra. The celestial then told them "So be it" and started to blaze the trail again.
After several more hours of hard riding the heroes had reached an old Legion Empire road. Much better quality than the muddy road that the party normally travelled on. They travelled along the road to a point where they saw an old fortress. The celestial stopped and told the party that up in the fortress is where they would find the Lady Sharra. The celestial then said that he would now ask for them for the task they must complete
"Your task is thus, seek not the justice you wish to serve, but the justice
that should be given"
After saying that he gave his blessing and good wishes and departed.
The party then followed the obvious trail Lady Sharra had left. The party then came across a pair of overgrown ditches, that would have been difficult for the horses to traverse. Sir Kendrik suggested to skirt the ditches and they rode around them. Passing ruined buildings left and right the heroes headed straight for the fortress, which was set on the edge of a cliff. They rode under an arch and the heroes were presented with three buildings. The one in the middle being the biggest and best preserved, the others were smaller and in disrepair. Sir Kendrik tried to think which one Lady Sharra would have gone into and he thought she would have assumed that a Knight lived in the big house and would go there.
"Lady Sharra, it is Sir Kendrik, we are here to save you. If you are here please make yourself known by appearing at a window" Called out Kendrik in a calm, friendly voice.
The heroes waited but no sign or word came.
Sir Kendrik decided that the party should split up and search the place for Lady Sharra
End Session
What you think everyone?
It was a tough session to play. It is always terrible when a PC dies, rangers are an endangered species in our campaign as two have bitten the dust now.
Any suggestions?
