Session 28: Questions that Need Answers

General Summary

Our heroes left the Robin's Breast (see map) on a gray and drizzling morning. The landlord William had told them of more strange happenings, echoing the chords of The Ballad of Sakatha still in their ears: wolves have been attacking livestock more than before and strange flying creatures were plucking people from the road, or so say the local farmers. After leaving the inn, the sway and creak of the caravan created a rythm to their travel, but none were content, well, maybe Finn .

Aften an hour the party came upon a group of refugees in the road, an old man, several adults and straggling children heading north. They had left Waycombe after suffering at the hands of brigrands for these weeks past. Before they lost their lives they decided to head to Shaeje, the barony seat to find shelter and a new life.   By midday the companions had reached the Great Bridge, 100 feet of stone work cross the River Ardo. Before the bridge, the party saw two Lizardmen emerge from the forest and cross to the centre of the Watchtower Road. The creatures looked in their direction (did they see?), croaked and loped to the other side of the forest. The heroes approached warily. Mi'tsuru'gi scouted ahead but could only make out vague forms in the forest. The party proceeded over the bridgie with their caravan and as the wagon climbed up the old stone structure, Lizardmen emerged from the river, climbing onto the bridge and attacking with reptililian cries. Finn and Brimble Knackles were at the back of the caravan facing two of the beasts. Brynnwythlinmardcaladog and Rivine were in the front facing more, and Mitsu was off the bridge in the forest, readying his arrows.   The battle was thick with scales, blood, sweat. Finn, with help from Brimble's Wand of Magic Missles, dispatched the Lizardmen at the rear. Mitsu fired skillfully into the combat. And Brynn and Rivine took the battle to those at the front. The gnomes Phastasmal Force charmed many of the reptiles, but their reinforcements were there to awaken the stupified. A Lizardman spellcaster encircled Mitsu in a magical fog, slowing his ranged onslaught for moment. But, the heroes's steel was too much and while the spellcaster and another lizardman lept from the bridge to watery safety, the rest were slain. After resting for a moment, care from Brimlb's healing skills, and the divine favour of Blered, the companions continued to Waycombe.   An hour before reaching the village, they happened upon a bedraggled and malnourished man in barony military colours. Barto Trume, as he introduced himself, the captain of Baron Theoder's forces. Barto did not seem in full control of faculties, but perhaps this was due to his malnourishment and rough sleeping. Dazed and a bit unsure, he recounted the slaughter and capture of his men by brigands, his own tortue, and eventual release. Barto warned the party that the brigands were billeted in the wood next to Waycombe and insisted that he must continue to Shaeja to brief his Baron. Finn gave Barto some jerky and one of the party's mounts to speed his journey.   After some discussion, the party decided to camp here for the evening, so that they could arrive at Waycombe with the light of day. An uneventful night passed and they left early, greeting the day as they arrived in the village. But the village was a scene of destruction, razed buildings, blackend fields, and not a farmer, blacksmith, or baker in sight. They approached one of the few standing buildings, an Inn, to find the landlord, Busby, cursing to himself and packing his remaining belongings. His family had left, all the villagers had fled, been killed or captured, and now, he too, was leaving Waycombe as the gods had obviously forsaken the town. Busby described the bandit attacks increasing in frequency over the last weeks and that they seem to originate from the direction of the Fetid Fens, down near Stephen DeManis's hut. Crazy Steve had been run from the village some weeks back after his mildly off-kilter demeanor became more crazed -- peeking in people's houses, always underfoot and inshadow, singing loudly about snakes and the return of his majesty. Good riddance.   Two tasks confronted the party: reconnoiter the wood next to the village for brigands and pay a visit to Crazy Steve. As the most skilled forester of the group, Mitsu spent an hour or more moving through the small wood with his owl, checking the trees, bushes, and glades for sign of brigands in number. His search revealed nought. No humans (or humanoids) have used the wood for anything, but wood gathering, mushrooming, and the collection of herbs. Barto had lied, but why?   Crazy Steve, appropriately named, regaled the companions with song and tales of his good friend Sakatha, of his return, his foretold triumph, and the unruly snakes in Stephen's own hair. While Stephen was out eeling the companions examined his simple hut. The only thing unusual was a diorama of sorts made of pebbles, sticks, leaves, and vines from the fens. If you squinted at it a certain way, the design seemed to be a skull. But most interesting was the item in the middle -- a scrap of somewhat dried human skin with tatooed writing upon it. Only four words were legible: Sakatha, army, Old One. When querried, Stephen didn't know why he had made the design in pebbles and sticks on the floor. And the skin? He didn't know. One day he just had it.   With few options, the companions accepted Stephen DeManis's invitation to have fresh eel for dinner and he would take them to his good friend on the morrow.

Rewards Granted

Monsters 13 x Lizardman: 1300 xp
  Story Learning more about the brigands: 700 xp
  Total xp per PC: 400