NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 1269653" data-attributes="member: 11">the tale of finn fisherSession #49 (part II)Finn took a deep breath.“We decided it was time to follow up on some of the clues we had gathered about the missing people.  A lot of locals thought it was the dragon, and others thought it was orcs getting back to their old tricks before the skirmishes of a few years ago (1).  However, there were no signs of orcs, but there were plenty of witnesses who had seen or encountered gnolls not far from places where people had disappeared from, so we put two and two together and went looking for their camp.”“That is dangerous,” Ratchis said, pouring himself an ale from one of the three pitchers he had brought up to the room with him.“Well, we figured if the place was too big and had too many gnolls we’d mark where it was and come back and warn Maxel and maybe gather up you guys or some other dragon-hunters if we found them>” Finn continued, holding out his mug for some more ale.  “But it wasn’t the case.  There were certainly a lot of gnolls, but they seemed to be fighting among themselves, and a large group headed south, while we ended up running into a smaller group and being able to deal with them, though Carlos was severely wound, leaving me, Josef and Frank to get into the gnoll camp and see if we could find signs of prisoners ourselves.”Finn took a swig of ale.“I had never been so scared in my whole life, but… but… that was before how bad I knew it could get. It’s been much worse.”“We have had our own brushes with danger and death,” Kazrack said, and Beorth frowned at him.“Don’t let the cheerfulness and drinking fool you,” Finn replied, his eyes opening wide.  Ratchis noticed worry lines at the corner of those green eyes that had not been there months before when he had first met the kind young man. “We’ve had an awful, awful time, and for every person celebrating the return of their loved ones, there are two grieving the loss of others.”He shook his head and then continued.“We finally found the gnoll chief’s hut, and there was the sign that it had been them that had been stealing villagers and farmers from outlying areas.  It was… It was body parts hanging from tree branches to dry… human parts.  At first we thought they had just eaten everyone, and were going to leave not think revenge was reason enough to risk our lives.”“Very wise,” said Martin.Josef shrugged his shoulders and Maria made a disapproving clicking noise in the back of her throat.“But then we saw they had more prisoners and they seemed to be readying them to travel somewhere, somewhere far from the looks of it, because they wrapped them in furs and skins and had them tied up in line to be pulled along.  We waited awhile after they left because it had recently snowed, and figured we can follow them at our leisure and hope to be led where the others were being held, and that part worked, except we were spotted by the remaining gnolls and were forced to fight for our lives.”“Luckily, it was soon after dawn, and…”“Most of the gnolls were sleeping?” Ratchis interrupted.“Yeah.  How’d ya know?”“I know a bit about gnolls and their habits,” the half-orc ranger replied.“Yeah, we killed a few and then we were able to kill a bunch while they were still getting ready or barely waking up,” Finn said, he was looking at his feet dejectedly.  “I…uh, felt kind of bad about killing them that way, but if we had let them wake up or get ready we would have been killed.”Maria sighed loudly and everyone looked at her.“What? They were gnolls!” she protested.  “The deserved whatever they got.”“You had to do what you had to do,” Ratchis said.  “Continue.”“We searched the chief’s hut very quickly and found a map of Summit and the surround area, including the temple of Bast.  It was weird, because it did not strike us as the kind of map a gnoll would make.  It was painted on hide, but on cow hide, not on the hide of one of their big laughing dog beasts and it was very detailed.  It seemed like a human made it, maybe…  Anyway, we took it and some other tidbits we found and set fire to the place, and then hurried after the trail of the other gnolls and their prisoners, hoping that dragging prisoners would slow them down enough to let us catch up.  Carlos here has become pretty good at following a trail.”Carlos smiled at Ratchis and patted his chest proudly.“Hmmph,” was all the half-orc said.“So we followed them and they led us around that hill just northwest of here and to the temple of Bast,” Finn paused to let the news sink in.  “And the priest met them at the door, and he had these little blue dog men as servants who took the prisoners, and he paid the gnolls as we watched.”“Perritos,” said Carlos. “Come se dice?  Kobolds.”“We ambushed and killed the gnolls at that point.  Even though it was over a day away to their camp, the last thing we wanted was for them to find the ruins of their encampment and follow us back to the temple with reinforcements.  The next day we forced our way into the temple, especially since Carlos was feeling much better.”“Are you saying a priest of Bast was working with the gnolls to capture locals?” Martin said with disbelief.“It turned out he wasn’t a priest of Bast at all, but a priest of,” Finn lowered his voice to the slightest whisper, afraid to say the name. “Seker.” (3) “Are you sure?” Martin asked, with even more disbelief in his voice.“Yes,” Finn answered.  “He admitted as much in his over-confidence, thinking he would defeat us.  He was using some kind of phylactery to dominate the wills of others.  Some could be reasoned with, but still saw him as a friend, but others were his puppets. Gwar was one of the latter, unfortunately.   He had all the taken people working as his slaves, digging a great tunnel underground.  You see beneath the temple are a few levels of catacombs.  I thought sneaking through a gnoll camp was bad, that place was horrible.”“I understand the fear of darkness,” Kazrack commented. “I have felt it in my very soul as some of my life-essence was stolen by the undead.”“Oh yeah!” Finn said, not seeming to be in the mood to match stories. “That priest, he had skeletons down there and some zombies.”“We found Maria locked down there,” Finn continued.“The fiend kept trying to charm me, but my will was too strong for him,” Maria added.  “He tried every few days.  If they had not come along I fear he would have fed me to his kobold guardians.”“Simon and Maria and I were taken by the gnolls while we were out hunting the dragon,” Peter said. “Uh, our brother James was killed trying to defend us, and so was Birinius.”The two brother’s faces grew dim.“We think Cheribuck was killed, too,” Peter added, but we never saw it happen.Martin remembered Cheribuck as a tall and over-talkative pale young man who seemed more than a little touched.  Birinius had been pious young acolyte devoted to Ra who had not yet been ordained, life on the road had been hard for him.“I am sorry for your loss,” Beorth said to the brothers, and Kazrack and the others nodded.  They shrugged their shoulders; as if unsure of how to show whatever grief they felt.“What did you do with the phylactery?’ Martin asked after a few moments of silence.“We burned it,” Finn replied.  “It must have been pretty powerful thing because he seemed to be controlling the skeletons with it as well.  As soon as we destroyed it they all fell to piles of bones, and those who were charmed were freed, though it was too late for… Gwar.”“Pobrecito,” intoned Carlos, placing a comforting hand on Finn’s shoulder. “Frank eh hassa taken hard, you know?”“He had to kill his own brother,” Simon said, shaking his head.  Even Maria’s usually annoyed expression soften, and tear came to her eye.  She excused herself and Simon and Peter followed her out.Beorth stood and walked over and looked down at Finn, “Would you mind if I were to use the power of my god to look into your heart and make sure there was no evil influence upon you?”“Uh…” Finn hesitated.  “Sure. Go ahead.” Beorth closed his eyes, covering them with his left hand and reaching out towards Finn and the others with his right.“I sense no evil,” Beorth said.“What was the evil priest trying to dig up?” Kazrack asked.“That’s the thing, they never finished,” Finn explained.  “It was deep, deep down and he needed more people, but by the time we got there it was partially uncovered, a black stone portal of some sort.” “What do you mean by portal?” Martin asked, his eyes narrowing.“It just seemed to be a black square stone door that plugged up an archway or something,” Finn shrugged.  “We covered it back up the best we could.”“Is there anything else?” Ratchis asked, feeling the weariness of the last few days climb up to his shoulders all of sudden.“Oh, just that we found some stuff,” Finn stood and smiled.  “Some loot!  We found a bunch of clay vials we figure might be magical and a scroll tube.  We figured that if you helped us find out what they were you could take two of the potions and the scroll if it is some kind of magicky thing.  You know, as repayment for saving us from the bounty-hunter that time.”Finn handed a small sack to Martin.  “They are all in here.  Take them, find out what you can about them and then give us back what you don’t want.”“Tell them about the necklace,” Josef said.“Yeah, there is a ruby necklace in there. Josef says it’s worth a whole lot, but it is too much for us to get a good price for anywhere around here.  We figured you guys travel further abroad, you take it and see what you can get for it.”“But what about yourselves?” Kazrack asked.“We got some other stuff we split,” Finn explained.  “It is not a big deal, really.”The young fisherman smiled at the Fearless Manticore Killers.  Everyone bid each other goodnight and promised to meet up again the next day.  Kazrack explained that he was going to make his way to where the dwarves of Abarrane-Abaruch were camping and stay with them.  As the others left Martin turned to Beorth and Ratchis, “Could the portal beneath the temple of Bast be Hurgun’s Maze?” ------------------------------Kazrack found the common room had emptied and was lit by one dim lamp in the corner.  He was about to make his way out when he heard a soft sobbing to his left.  He investigated.It was Frank.  The young man had a bead growing in, the hair even lighter than his already near golden brown hair unlike his late brother’s darker features.The dwarf walked over, as Frank looked up and over at him.  The former shepherd still had a pitcher of ale before him and a mug in his hand.  Drops of foam dripped down onto the damp table, and his head swayed as if he was trying to steady himself on his bench.“Hey! Kazuh… Kazama…, Rackatak, whatever, did ya hear?” He raised his mug above his ahead, sending ale sloshing over the side.  “We’re heroes!”Frank’s head dropped back to the table and he let out another whimper.Kazrack took a seat beside him, and did not say a word.Frank looked up and wiped his eyes with his sleeve and then took another long sip of ale and coughed.“I think you’ve had enough of that lad,” Kazrack said.“I’ve had enough of everything!” Frank wailed.“I know right now the loss of your brother is hitting you pretty hard,” Kazrack said with sincere sympathy.  “But it will get better.”“No! It is only going to get harder!” Frank moaned.“It only feels that way,” Kazrack insisted.“No, you…you don’t understand,” Frank’s words were slurred, and he gestured with his mug, splattering Kazrack with the remaining drops of ale.  There was a long pause.“Lemme ask yousumthin’, Rata, Kaza…rackum, whatever… You’re older right?  I mean, dwarves live longer, you been around you know stuff, right?”Kazrack nodded.“My brother’s dead, but… but… he had a girlfriend, and… and… before he disappeared he… he…, she’s going to have a baby.”Frank poured himself another mugful of ale. “And… and now, now she wants me to marry her and be…be the father of that baby…”“That is quite an honor,” Kazrack said.“I…I don’t think I want it,” Frank said.  “What should I do?  It is bad enough my brother is dead, but now I have to live his life for him?  He wanted to settle down…I, I was getting used to life on the road.  I almost had Carlos convinced to strike out and form our own adventuring company, and… and anyway, I don’t want to stay here and be a shepherd.  If I wanted to be a shepherd, I would go home one day and do it there… I… I just don’t know.”He paused again and then continued, “But what kind of brother and uncle would I be if I did not take care of this child and its mother? What kind of man would I be if I just ran away?”“Frank,” said Kazrack very solemnly.  “There is nothing more precious than a child.  There is no treasure you can find on any adventure that would compare to the chance to shape this child into the man he will become.”‘Whu…what if it’s a girl?” Frank sniffed.“Either way.  It matters not,” Kazrack replied.  “And it is possible to learn to love someone.  Would you condemn this girl to be without a husband?  To raise a child on her own?  Your brother’s child?  Your own nephew?”“Uh… uh…” Frank put his head back down on the table. “I… I guess you are right.  I have to think of it more, but I think you’re right.  Thank you, Rat-cast.”Kazrack helped the young man to his feet and helped him walk to the Widow Beatrice’s house, where he was being boarded.  The dwarf then made his way down the other side of the ridge to the dwarven camp, where he handed Belear the scroll tube.The elder dwarf opened it and looked at the scrolls within.“Why, this is a scroll of restoration!” Belear said with surprise in his voice.“I knew it would be,” was all Kazrack said.End of Session #49------------------------------Notes:(1)    In late 562/early 563 H.E. the Gothanian Militia was finally able to route or destroy most of the orc occupying the area of Greenreed Valley and to the south by southwest of it, leaving that area open for settlement.  Sightings of the dragon began several months later.(2)    DM’s Note: Gnolls are Ratchis’ species enemy.(3) Seker is the god of deception and betrayal. Also known as the god of light and darkness, his priest are legendary for taking deep cover in organizations for years before finally using the trust and authority they’ve gained to cause bitter chaos and cause great bloodshed and loss.</blockquote>

Verification