Session 14: Scooby Noobs - Encounters on the road

General Summary

After their ordeal in the Dragon Nursery, the remaining party members had an uneventful but somber journey back to Greenest. They arrived in the early hours and after getting past the guards fell asleep in the common room. They were awoken by the arrival of Governor Nighthill later that morning. His weary features were ashen in the morning light, he having heard the news of the loss of Khorg.
He offered his condolences and suggested the party visit Eadyan Falconmoon, Priest of Chauntea at the Temple to arrange for Khorg's internment.

On their return from the temple Nighthill turned to the party's future plans and introduced them to a stranger who had arrived the day before, suggesting he might help them. A strange figure, large wings on his back and an odd metal tube by his side, some kind of weapon perhaps? He said little but nodded to the companions. After the loss of Khorg the party knew they needed help wherever they could find it, with the state of Greenest and the loss of so many good men from the town, they had little choice.  

  Nighthill told them that Leosin Erlanthar had arranged for horses and packs for the whole party so that they could follow him to Elturel where he had arranged for them to meet up with Onthar Frume. However, the characters were also aware that the Greenest raiders were heading west towards Beregost and some called Castle Naerytar. They were in two-minds as to whether they should follow the raiders or head for Elturel. They decided to stick to the original plan and head north to Elturel.   They set off, Elturel being about 6 days away, and had a largely uneventful journey until the fifth day out from Greenest. On the evening of the fifth day they made camp, they had joined up with a group merchants during the journey and camped among the many caravans, believing safety in numbers was best out in the wilderness.   When they had first arrived at the camp there had been two young women waiting there, it seemed they held the same belief, and they fell in with the merchants, bantering and flirting with the male stable-hands and servants accompanying the merchants.   The adventurers set up for the evening, their new winged companion silent and a little wary of his new party members. The all settled down for the evening, sick of the travelling and hoping they would reach Elturel tomorrow. The two young ladies had been meandering through the camp, stopping briefly with various groups. A couple of times the party had caught glimpses of them laughing, jjoking and occasionally dancing along to musical accompaniment. The girls moved lazily towards the companions, giggling at some private joke. They were young and attractive human women, although due to the variety of races in the party not all were aware of their feminine wiles. Having little success with the dour group the girls moved off disappearing into the darkness away from the camp fires and behind the caravans.   Once more the party settled down, each lost in his own private thoughts and drifting off to the sound of singing and musicians throughout the camp. As the Giant nodded off he heard a worried cry from behind him in the shadow by the empty caravans. He ignored it for a second or two but then it came again, a women calling for help in a worried and desperate voice. He jerked his head round and saw one of the two women who had been moving around the camp....

"Please help....my friend, she is not well!"

....she said in a thick, gypsy accent, tears in her beautiful young eyes. She stretched out a slender hand to The Giant, trying to lead him to her friend but he held back, something telling him to be wary though he knew not why.   But being a noble creature The Giant followed after the girl, his sudden movements had now been heard by the others and they stirred into action. He peered into the gloom and saw a figure lying beside a caravan, her friend huddled over her

"Quickly, Sir, please help!!

the girl pleaded with him once again. Casting a silent spell on himself to enhance his vision in the darkness, The Giant moved in to help. With sudden shock he realised his suspicions were well-founded as the closest girl turned to him, ferocious needle-like teeth grinning. She pounced, her form changing as she moved at lightning speed, razor sharp claws outstretched where slender female hands had been previously. Getting in a few desperate blows with his trusty shillelagh, he went down in a flash of teeth and claws as both women leaped on him. His companions had come to life by now and raced to help him.     The party combined well, even their new companion played his part and soon two grey, shapeless figures lay dead alongside an unconscious Giant.