Session 53: False Trails & Lindwurms Report

General Summary

Wind mentions to leave a message at the Golden Fox in Nicodranas, should his services be needed. As the team leave, Gwen runs back to hug him, confuses him with a whirlwind of apologies for having to leave, then leaving him holding a cheap but shiny ring and a bemused expression.   Jakuki goes searching for a musical instrument for the road, finding very little in Alfield except the Broad Barn on the western edges of town. Ongar finds and appraises a battered, broken lute in the side of this farm shop. The shopkeep mentions it was a fine instrument once, and asks 20g for it. Ongar notes that it's very old, likely from the Julous Dominion era.   The Company leaves to the East, noticed by the denizens quite thoroughly. It seems that the news from Zadash has likely caught up with them.   Heading along the Rillway, they come across a covered wagon, pulled or crashed hastily off to one side of the causeway. Movement is seen milling around the carriage, and Jakuki reacts to the sound of a woman wailing in the distance. He pulls Ceonwulf up into the saddle with him to rush to aid them.   A man in his late 40s with a freshly broken leg is attempting to corral the clearly injured people of the caravan and trying to calm a hysterical woman of a similar age. They wail that Ida, a 6 year old child, has been taken by a pack of lindwurms.   Ceonwulf rushes to the aid of an unconscious man who another identifies as Riass, an oozing bite mark clear across his chest. The paladin lays his hands on him, forcing the vile humours from the man's body and sealing the wounds as best he can. Meanwhile Theia tries to calm a man with a broken leg nearby, who stammers about his missing daughter. Theia is firm and shoves him back to a seated position, curing his wounds as he does. His leg, still somewhat broken and unable to hold his weight, needs further tending but it clears his head and lets him focus more clearly on what the Empyrean Company are saying.   They mention the lindwurms went West with the child. Gwen, hearing what attacked them and where they went, finds the trail seemingly left by three of the monsters and begins to follow it out into the wilderness. The others follow, but not before Theia admonishes the man - (missed his name get it again next session) - to stay seated and Roderick makes him speak into a stone to record his voice for calming the child later.   Tracking their quarry for a few minutes at a hasty pace, they come across the lindwurm carrying Ida, the child, and limping along with a scratch down its leg. The party scramble down the bank to the path where it turns on them, growling and defending its prize. Ceonwulf and Jakuki bound forwards to challenge it as Gwen abandons the battle lines and throws herself furiously at the creature, trying furiously to stab at its tail and free the girl.   As the others join the fray and attack the lone beast, two more lindwurms dash in on the flanks, savagely assaulting Ongar and Gwen. Gwen is grabbed, raked with teeth and claws, and tossed to one side, rushing Ceonwulf. Ongar retreats behind Nysbarr as Jakuki whacks his original target, throwing it backwards and running at the wizard's assailant. Theia ducks under 2K's hail of bullets, dashing towards Gwen's crumpled form and hastily summoning a spiritual gladius to harry the creature still holding the child.