Session 2: Gnolls of the Burning Plains Report

General Summary

Summary

After the party clears the remaining village of gnolls, they are invited to an audience with the local warlord, Guo Zhou. There, they learn that his eldest son was killed in the attack outside the House of Whispering Grass. Fearing that this gnoll attack won't be the first, he despairs on what to do as he lacks the soldiers to rid the plains of the foul beasts.   An unexpected, though timely, visitor arrives: an imperial tiefling emissary, Servitude, along with his escort, an Ancient Ancestor. He chastises himself for not arriving before the attack, as he has valuable intelligence about the gnolls and could have warned the warlord about their intentions. The emissary explains that the gnolls have a new leader, wielding a magical axe. The leader has united several gnoll packs and as the winds push the brush fires south, villages up and down the eastern perimeter of the Plains have succumb to their raids. It was only inevitable that Sekae would be struck.   The Emissary believes that if this gnoll leader is killed that the gnolls will disperse and, separated, will fight among themselves for limited resources, resulting in fewer attacks. The warlord explains what he already expressed to the party members, that he lacks the soldiers to conduct any kind of attack, the Emissary suggests a stealthier mission, hinting that the "Heroes of Sakae" be given the task of assassinating the gnoll leader. The Emissary also hints that the leader who commands soldiers to take such an action would receive priceless gifts from the Iron Empire.   The shogun asks the party to complete this task. The party, escorted by Ping, a halfling ranger, navigate their way through the smoldering and burning Plains. They find a gnoll encampment at the center of which is a large, though crudely constructed, pavilion. When the party first arrives, the pack leader is not in the camp, but there are several groups of gnolls surrounding small fires. Two gnoll hunters are keeping a lookout on crudely constructed wooden platforms, while two Flesh Gnawers patrol the camp on the ground.   IThe pack leader, an albino she-gnoll named Atrotka, commands the packs of gnolls with the axe Gut-Cutter at her side. She returns with a small group of gnolls after a successful raid once the party has made their way into the hut. The gnolls' arrival is announced by the sound of a horn. Seeing any dead, she will be alert. She'll command her shadow mastiff to check the tent first, following behind.   Upon successful completion of the task, the party is thanked for their service to the village of Sekae and the protection of the Iron Empire. As a reward for his leadership, the warlord is given two gifts. The first is his fallen son converted into an Ancient Ancestor; the second is a polished iron sphere that is to be put on display at the highest point in the village.

Rewards Granted

Inspiration Points for Entire Party

Missions/Quests Completed

Gnolls of the Burning Plains: Find and defeat the gnoll pack leader.

Character(s) interacted with

Warlord

• Mourns his dying son.
• Asks the party to assist Servitude and the Iron Empire in squashing the gnoll threat to the plains and the remaining villages.

Servitude

• Asks the party for their assistance in killing the gnoll pack leader.

Egg Shen

• Gifts the party iron bands to wear on their hands.
• Warns the party that they should be wearing the iron bands upon their return to the village.
• Does not explain their purpose.

Ping

• Mostly taciturn; guides the party through the burning plains to the gnoll encampment.
• He does not offer to assist the party with their mission having considered his job complete.

Created Content

• Rings of Thought Protection (I need to come up with a better name for these, but this will have to do for now.)
• Ping the Halfling Ranger

Notes

At the end of the session, the party could hear the war pack returning to the encampment; the sound of beating drums. I'm thinking that Ping comes to find the party and warns them about the make-up of what is coming and that they will likely be hostile. He warns them that they should leave and re-group before taking on what is left of the gnoll war party.   The chest in the gnoll pack leader's tent is emblazoned with the sigil of the Iron Empire.