Session 165 - "New Blood"

General Summary

The Fellowship begins their investigation of the brutal murders of Sheriff Anders and a young couple, which only depends the mystery of the Illmarsh itself.  

 

Starday, Gozran 30, 4711 AR

Soddentimbers Swamp

7.41p

Neferu notes that the bodies are of a young couple, Tam Breckage Jr. and Laurel Sills. Their bodies bear signs of a serious struggle against something that was much stronger than them. Even their lanterns are broken and lay in the water. Kelath asks the undersheriff if possibly someone had anything against the couple, or didn't want them together. He says that Tam had a few scuffles, but nobody that wanted to do this and everyone thought that Laurel was just a sweetheart. Grump repeats his statement that he thinks it was the ghost of Crandle. Kelath asks the undersheriff's permission to search the bodies, assuring him that anything would be returned to him. Their meager belongs show that they had been at the festival previously, but he doesn't remember seeing them there.   Kyrrn extends out her supernatural senses, trying to glean more information. Neferu consults the spirits and the water around him begins to shimmer and emerging from the mud is a slimy, froglike demon. Its bulbous eyes turn and stare at him. He asks the demon what happened to the two kids. It makes a wet sucking sound and it says,     Grump asks Kelath what he is doing, who says that it is something he does around dead bodies.  

8.01p

The undersheriff takes the group to the scene of the sheriff's body. Neferu mentions that the evidence so far does not indicate a ghostly assault, X going as far as to say the bodies didn't show tell-tale chew marks. At the sheriff's corpse, it is obvious that his head has been brutally removed from his shoulders. The cut is not clean and the body appears withered and shrunken, the head as well. X asks Neferu if it is a sign of energy drain, who says it appears to be more physical in nature, such as a vampire. Also nearby is another body, the identity of which the Grump is unsure of because its head is missing completely. It appears to be a human male dressed in merchant traveling clothes, however it is not withered like the sheriff's and it does appear to have been decapitated with a sharp object like an axe. A lantern is not obvious near the body. In its possession are 3 gold coins and a small, familiar ceramic egg. Kyrrn focuses on the object and an image slowly takes shape in her mind. It is the face of a man that appears to be Gastor Lucas from the descriptions they've heard. The emotion is that one of anxiety.  

8.21p

Velaxander begins searching the areas of dry land for any sign of prints. Kelath and Neferu confer and realize that there doesn't appear to be enough blood around the body of Lucas for this to be the place where the decapitation took place. Strangely, the merchant's body itself doesn't appear to be as fresh as the others. X conveys to everyone there is signs of a faint path leading to the north, mostly likely a game trail.  

8.31p

Grump continues his assertion that Dreely's ghost is responsible for the murders and notes that the trail leads to dead lumberjack's cabin. Kelath states they should follow the path to assure or assuage his fears.  

8.41p

The bodies of the young couple are moved closer before the group sets down the path. The undersheriff passes around wooden whistles, stating that one whistle is to check in and three is for trouble.  

8.51p

The Fellowship make their way towards an island of mud, overgrown with trees, and a rundown cabin and flat swamp boat. The swamp has reclaimed the cabin, tangling within it vines and foliage. Neferu notices that faint enchantment magic emanates from the hut, but no clear line of sight shows its source. Kelath sees no tracks or disturbance in the area, as if no one has been here for the last twenty years. X advances towards the cabin on the wooden planking, which suddenly explodes as vines snake and shoot for him. They slam into him and wrap him up. Kelath cries out which appears to demoralize the plant creature. A cloud of pollen explodes around it and Kelath, Kyrrn and the Soul suddenly appear captivated by it, but the creatures attack on X seems to shake them from their stupor. Kyrrn casts forbidding ward on X and moves from the cluster of the main group. X speaks in an arcane tongue and begins growing. He then chops into the creature with the Sword of Swany Tort. Neferu manifests a flaming sphere that appears to have some effect on the viper vine. The Unworthy Soul advances closer. Kelath strikes an inspiring stance, and then raises his shield before advancing towards the plant creature.   The viper vine maintains its hold on X before constricting him again and then moves away from the ball of fire. Kyrrn unleashes Nyrrk who causes a shadowy burst of ice consumes it, slowing the creature. He then flings a bolt of psi energy, which slams into it. X tries to swing at it, but misses. He is unable to break free of its grasp as well. Neferu's ball of fire follows after the plant monster, singeing it again. Kelath steps forward and raises his shield.   The viper vine once again moves away from the fire and continues its grip on X. Nyrrk unleashes a salvo of magic missiles before he departs. He a frustrated breath, X breathes a gout of fire over Kelath's head, which slams into the monster. Neferu wants again rolls his ball of fire onto it. The Unworthy Soul attempts to claw at it, but misses. Kelath raises his shield and attempts to swipe at it with his Dragon Winged sword. Kyrrn telekinetically flings a branch at the plant and moves back into Kelath's aura. X retches, attempts to shake his sickness, but is unable to. He strikes at the viper vine with one sword, slashing it open. Neferu's flaming sphere continues to burn it. The Soul moves into flanking position and rips into it with his claws. Kelath counters with his own sword attack, following through with another, bringing the vine monster to the ground.    

8.52p

The Fellowship begins combing through the rubble of the shack. Neferu detects magic again and still senses the same enchantment. He finds a small iron box with a padlock. The magic appears to lie within. X picks open the lock to reveal a four inch in diameter lump of polished amber, suspended in which is what appears to be a small tree frog. There is also a small, rotten, leather bound journal and a few coins.  

9.02p

Neferu begins to heal X as Kyrrn reads the journal.  

Contents of Diary

Summary of First Part of Diary It talks of Crandle Dreeley's life with his wife, Savannah, and contains page after page of mundane details of their everyday lives.   It mentions his discovery of the “frog globe”—as he calls it—which serves as the eye of something far greater than man can fathom. After this discovery, the writing begins to ramble, becoming progressively more paranoid and delusional, and mentions Savannah’s growing unhappiness with his new frog globe and her attempt to hide it in the fens. This is followed by a mysterious reference to a “feast of the reefclaws,” and then there is no further mention of Savannah.   The writings continue to spiral into chaos, often being little more than jumbles of letters and crudely rendered images.  

Last Entry

  Suddenly, in the distance, are three long whistle blows. And then there is another. Two separate whistle also sound out. As the rest of the group starts off, Kyrrn casts a heightened dimension door and relocates herself back to where they left the undersheriff and his men.   She appears in the middle of a complete slaughter. All around this area are the still bleeding bodies of five of the young kids. Two sets of muddy, bloody footprints lead off south towards the direction of the town. Kyrrn casts fly and takes off in that direction. The rest of the party takes off in a sprint.   Her spell soon runs out and she climbs a tree to get her bearings and easily picks out the bright glow of Illmarsh.