Episode 10
General Summary
Regrouped once more in the Water Dragon Tavern, Leah tells the party about the disturbance she felt the previous night, and how she believes her connection to the Feywild has been severed. A powerful darkness emanating from the Deddo Forest now holds her attention. Marty reveals that she too has cause to visit the dead forest, after conversing with her goddess, Mortona.
The group decide that it is in their best interest to investigate the forest, and begin to discuss their next steps as the mayor's aide, Harris Kanes, interrupts them. Harris presents the party with a pouch of coins as a reward and thank you from the mayor for what the group did at his party. Harris also presents the group with an official Writ of Patronage from the mayor. The document is a potential agreement between the mayor of Kureta City and the adventuring group, which would provide the party with benefits from the mayor, provided they continue to do goodly deeds in his name. As part of the deal, the mayor would require them to represent him favourably, potentially wearing his colours in public settings. Further details of the agreement are open for discussion at a later date, and the group should visit the mayor at their next convenience. Before he leaves, Leah asks the mayor's aide if he could help the group leave the city through the west gate, avoiding the need to navigate around the lake. Harris is more than happy to agree, and heads off to speak to the guards.
The party shortly follow out of the tavern, and head towards the capital's rarely used west gate. The guards there raise the portcullis upon the group's arrival, as they proceed across the eerily empty and silent western bridge.
Arriving on the banks of Lake Kureta, the party stare into the dead and corrupted Deddo Forest. The place is practically silent, no insects chirping, no birds tweeting, barely a breeze blows through the dead trees. A low lying mist permeates the forest floor, as dark clouds block out the sun overhead.
Leah takes the lead as the group walk into the woodlands, following the faint signs of a path which the occasional merchants must use. Unfortunately the trail is quickly lost, and the group find themselves off the beaten track.
As they trudge through the trees, the party come across a crumbling well. With nobody in site, they approach cautiously in case anything nasty is hiding nearby. Leah manages to identify the well as a Witching Well, something that Black Witches use for divination. Godric spots 3 sets of tracks surrounding the well, which seem to converge and disappear at the base of a tree, but after multiple failed attempts to activate the well, the party decide to move on towards the sound of something... popping.
The sounds lead the group to a swamp. The popping sounds are being caused by bubbles rising from pools of water, which Leah discerns are releasing some sort of noxious gas. Before the party have a chance to move forward, they are attacked by a trio of hungry Giant Toads, which leap from the swamp pools before them. The behemoths are eventually defeated, with two of the creatures bodies being dragged away by giant crocodiles - something which seems to frighten off further toad attacks. Leah is rescued from the mouth of one of the dead toads, and the group catch their collective breathes. At this point, Marty spots something glowing off to the side. Quickly realising that nobody else is able to see the strange apparition, she leads the party towards it - assuming the floating orb is the promised sign from her deity.
Much like how Drake Chosa described, the Will-o-Wisps disappear as the group get close, and then another re-appears further on. This trend continues for some time. Part-way through their journey, the group discover the corpse of a Gnoll. The creature seems to have been killed perhaps only a few days ago by strangulation.
The wisps eventually lead the group to a crumbling building deep within the forest. As they approach, Godric spots a Will-o-Wisp bobbing up and down behind the ruin - and only he can see this one. Deciding to investigate this new wisp later, the party enter the ruin. In this small room stands a statue of Mortona, holding an hourglass before her chest. A spiral staircase leads below. The group follow the stairs down into the darkness, Marty providing a source of magical light for those who are unable to see.
The stairs take the group down into a small corridor, which ends in an archway leading to a larger chamber beyond. Above the archway is carved an arcane symbol - and with the combined efforts of Eva and Atlas, the symbol is recognised to be a sigil; a Rune of Angelic Protection. Such a rune could be used by the dwarves at Hammer & Rune to imbue a magical effect onto a weapon or piece of armour.
The group tentatively step through the archway, revealing a large chamber with another statue of Mortona within - this one toppled and crumbling however. The light from Marty's spell casts a deep shadow behind the statue, which seems to move of it's own accord...
Rewards Granted
Rune of Angelic Protection
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