Session 5 - Attack on Castle Odo

General Summary

Before the adventurers departed, Org Orgenson decided to have one final go at the local arena in Dunkoff. He took out an opponent named Boris the Bad, a Danen warrior who was bloodthrsty. Org defeated him swiftly. Then, Org and Sunjar took on the warriors Morandil the Spider and Dulgoth the Drake, taking them down rather quickly. Finally, Org faced the arena champion of the area, an Amazonian named Lydia the Lion. Though she made a great charge and thrash against Org, he used a smite on a well-timed slash and took her down in one blow. The crowd was a bit disappointed, but Org was now technically champion, and got a new tabard as a reward. Amelie also sent a letter to her parents and to Mateo, her uncle.
Letter to Mateo

Uncle Matéo— Just wanted to give you a quick update on my mission. I haven’t found what I’m looking for around Dunkoff, but I’m following a lead that’s pointing me to the north. This will take me significantly out of my way, so I thought I’d let you know what’s going on before you start worrying when I’m a few weeks overdue in Manneruck. I ran into the Archmagistrate as well, so you will probably have received my greetings through him long before this letter arrives. Rest assured that I continue to be in excellent health. I have also not forgotten what you told me about staying out of danger, and in fact I am now traveling with some brave knights who are more than capable of keeping me from harm.
Your devoted right hand, Amélie

Letter to her Parents

Dear Mama and Papa, Unless I’m mistaken, it’s been a couple of weeks since I wrote you. Time passes so quickly on the road! All the sights to see, chances to practice my magic in the real world, and unexpected treasures fill every moment. So different from the court, which might have been a good place to learn magic theory but you know how stuffy it was for me. I love traveling. I’ve made some new friends in Dunkoff—tell Léonie that one of them is a knight who has a pet pig that wears a fancy dress. She’ll be so jealous! Anyway, they helped me when I was stumped by a problem that came up while I was working on my assignment from Uncle. And Papa, you always tell me to pay my debts as soon as possible, so I will be helping my friends with some of their work. What this means is that it’ll be that much longer until I can visit home, since I still need to finish the job for Uncle.

Miss you all so much. Hug the littles for me.

Love,

Amélie

Then the party left the city of Dunkoff on their cart and horses, heading toward the city of Manneruck. They passed the city and came to the forests, getting permission from royal foresters to pass into the woods. In the woods, Terra tracked down the witch Ana Grom through her magical deception. They were confronted by Will O' Wisps, but with Sunjar, Terra's, and Org's persuasion, they passed unharmed. Then they met the witch Ana Grom, servant of the arch-fey Bghonah. Org and Terra discussed with her their curse of lycanthropy, and she offered to get rid of it for a price. Thus the two were cursed, and Amelie paid the witch with an apple fritter treat to give to Bghonah.
As a final gift, the witch gave them Cookies of Healing when they departed. Then the adventurers went to the court of Manneruck, where they saw Duke Louis Mottiere sitting on a Dwarven throne (which made Sunjar a bit upset). Mottiere reminded the adventurers of their mission. Mateo, Mottiere's Court Advisor and Amelie's uncle, also tried to persuade Amelie not to go along with the other four adventurers, believing the mission to rescue Prince Philippe was too dangerous. However, Amelie was insistent, and promised she would not be killed to her concerned uncle. The adventurers then departed with some horses (and buying a bomb) to gather to Castle Odo. Thus the adventurers travelled north on horseback, taking a day's journey through the rocky hills and forests, until they crossed into the border into Halfia under cover. Along their journey, they were stopped by a group of rangers, who warned them of a "black dragon" they had recently seen in the region. The adventurers took note of the black dragon, and then ventured forward, with Terra leading them.
The next day, the adventurers went over steep turns and went across more patches of forests until they came to the Vine river, with rocky shorelines and a great breeze to their back. They then took a rest during the night. During their rest, a cougar was trapped, and the party put it out of their misery. Then, when Sunjar was on watch, he noticed a woman in the woods. At first he thought it was an enemy, but after some reassurance from the woman, he approached. She unveiled herself as Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, and warned Sunjar of what she had forseen.

"I foresee a fell of darkness that you shall all be ensnared in. Be cautious, Sunjar, for the force of evil at work here. This Nightmare Tyrant seeks to lead you into a trap."

Sunjar took the warning, and told the Lady that he would be careful. Then Vivian reassured Sunjar that she would protect his allies through the rest of the night, and then departed back into the forests. Sunjar then went back to sleep.
When the party awoke, Terra led them further down the river, until they finally saw the Castle of Odo in the distance. It was a castle upon a lake's island, with a bridge leading to it, and heavily fortified. Thimbleswipe obligated himself to scout ahead. Amelie turned him invisible, and then he flew over the castle walls. He noticed four beams, coming from the castle's four towers, protecting a large door, and several mercenaries on the castle walls protecting the place. He then was spotted by a strange pair of magical eyes that alerted his presence to the guards. He then zipped out of there, and told the party his findings.
Org suggested using a bomb to destroy one of the four towers, and making Thimbleswipe invisible to get away from it. So he was once again turned invisible, and went over the castle walls, until he came to a tower with a mage inside. The mage was in an alchemy lab. Thimbleswipe quickly lit the bomb, and with precision, threw it into the laboratory in the split second it would blow, so the mage could not respond. The tower then exploded, the bomb causing a great chemical reaction that the wizard could not stop, and thus one of the tower beams was destroyed. Then he destroyed another beam using alchemist's fire. However, he would be spotted again, and thus hid around the castle walls.
Sunjar, meanwhile, approached the main portcullis with a sanctuary spell, and the mercenaries, noticing their tower destroyed, understood they were under attack. From the top of the castle walls they shot their longbows at Sunjar, Org, and Terra as they approached. Two Gargoyles came to life near the portcullis and also launched themselves toward the dwarf and half-orc. A battle commenced, with Sunjar's sanctuary allowing him to tank hits, while Terra and Amelie made ranged attacks toward the mercenaries. Soon, Thimbleswipe was spotted in the carnage, and was nearly killed by two mercenaries. However, the mercenaries were defeated, and the Gargoyles were vanquished. Sunjar then used a command spell on the Ogres behind the portcullis to open the gate for them.
The adventurers ran inside, convincing the Ogres to help them, while Sunjar healed Thimbleswipe as he was fading between life and death. Org convinced the Ogres to stand guard and not get in their way while they finished taking the rest of the towers. The Ogres obeyed, and the party then ascended a staircase to go into the third tower, no doubt expecting another battle to ensue...

Date (in world)

September 10th-14th, 4282

Report Date

14 Jul 2021

Player Characters

Org Orgenson, righteous Half-Orc Paladin of the Ancients. He seeks equality between monster and men and is willing to crusade for his cause. Though he appears to be a dumb brute, he has a heart and soul of gold, and a great sense of right.

Terra, fair and kind Wood Elf Fey Wanderer Ranger. She seeks to find her long-lost love in the lands of Larian, a knight whom she once met but knows not the name and face to.

Thimbleswipe, mischievous Fairy Psi-Blade Rogue. Long ago chased out of the fey lands, he now seeks a new life of mischief within the lands of men. But look beyond his heart of guile and greed and one will find a hero fitting of the fey.

Sunjar, proud Dwarf Paladin of Devotion. He has come from the lands of Bolderun to uncover more about the mysterious Vivian and uncover more truth about dwarf religion.

Amelie Dumas, adventure-seeking human Necromancer. Amelie has humble origins, growing up in a family of cheesemakers. However, after her uncle took her in as an apprentice, she has secretly studied the dark arts and finds thrills in adventuring in her studies.

Allies

Lady Jeffery, a white pig with brown splotches. She is Org's pet, and sponsor of the party.

Motierre's Tapestry - Testament to the Queen

by Paradox Entertainment

Upon the walls of Duke Motierre's throne was a great tapestry which recounted the Battle of Percival's Rock. Led by the late Queen Percival, the men of Gotha ensnared the Dwarves of Manneruck into a canyon and bottlenecked their superior forces. This ultimately decided the fate of Gotha, giving Percival the time needed to decisively defeat the Dwarves and establish the Kingdom of Goth under her rule.