Session 014 - Bugs, Headhunters, Frog Zombies and Goats

General Summary

Date 19 to 23 Nolus (4) 720TR (Spring)

Recent Events

The heroes learn that the Shinin, a bandit clanhold in the Hefiosa Hills has captured a family of Drûghu, the so-called wildmen of the woods. The Shinin are said to have sorcerous powers and specialize in capturing rare beasts, mostly Ivashu, for use in the Gladiatorial Pamesani Games. The players are asked to rescue this family.

On the way, the heroes encounter a dangerous looking bounty hunter Kimar Brynn. He is tracking a particularly evil priest of Morgath, Gusten the Vile who is only a day or so away. The party agrees to aid him in his quest.

Continuation of Session 13 - Surprising Allies.

At night the party was attacked by a small band of Orcs. These were quickly dispatched, as the characters were preparing to go back to sleep they felt tremors from the ground below. Bursting from the earth, four huge insect creatures emerge and attack, Ankhegs. These were easily dealt with.

The characters determine that the quickest route to get to Gulstan the Vile will likely pass by the Coyota Clanhold, who are known to be psychopathic skull collecting bandits. Before they break camp, they collect heads from the dead Ankhegs and as they through the Coyota lands they spot an ambush and choose to parley. The party offers the Ankhegs heads as a toll for passage, and the bandits are receptive. They make good time to the Thalsium Bog.

In the marsh they locate Gustan before he spots them and Yureb sneaks forward. Unfortunately, he slips on a dead body submerged in the marsh, alerting Gustan and the battle begins. Dead bodies of Giant Frogs hidden in the marsh are animated and attack the characters. Quazzy momentarily blinds Gustan with a spell allowing Yureb to score a well placed ranged attack and Athena to close with a series of strikes with empowered with Balefire. Gustan is eventuality disabled before he can call on the full force of his dark magic and is then decapitated by Kimar consecrated sword. He disintegrates into dust when killed indicating he is an Amorvin, a free-willed undead servant of Morgath.

The Quazzy finds his journal and using magic to translate learns that Gustan was planning to use the Manuscripts of the Dracolerium Beckoning to summon a Wyvern known to roost nearby, ambush and kill it. He had intended to then animate it as a zombie pet.

The grateful Kimar agrees to help the party free the Drûghu and leads them towards the Shinin Clanhold. They encounter a Blind Priest of Ilvir (Order of the Children of the Blind Serpent Ortheman, who shares a camp with the party and the volunteers his limited knowledge on what to expect in the layout of the clanhold. He makes the wild claim the some of the Shinin's, magical powers include the ability to increase their size, becoming Orges.

The next day while passing through a rugged part of the hills an avalanche strikes the party, immediately followed by a herd of charging Giant Vhir Goats. The vicious beasts are eventually dispatched.