CAMPAIGN TWO - RECAP TO DATE

You are soldiers. Grunts. The expendable. You joined the king's army looking for a way out. Some of you were running from someone or something, others simply needed a change. The army seemed like a good idea at the time...
The fires of war have been spotted on the horizon. From the east and even the south, a cobbled-together force of insurrectionists challenge the throne of Wyeth. Spearheaded by Baron Navac the 3rd of Rocha (to the east), and Essendra Halbion, "The Queen in Exile" (to the south), the nascent army further has the backing of the The Lentokki God Kings. There is even rumor that the Lentokki have crossed the World Sea to engage Wyeth personally, though as of yet there are no direct signs of this.
Though not full-on war, just yet, the skirmishes inflicted by the traitorous forces have already claimed several notable cities and towns for the upstart rebels. Clarent Wyeth thus far has shot down any notion to peacefully treat with the rebels. Their goal, it seems, is to supplant the king and place Essendra Halbion on the throne. But what does the Baron gain from this? And what about the Lentokki?
The PCs are footmen in the king'a own "Third Division Expeditionary Forces." They serve under the direct command of Captain Robert Margrave, who in turn reports to the Company Commander, Lieutenant Walvern Helstrom. As we join the story, reports have arrived indicating a siege of the great crown city of Jomor is currently underway. The player's company, and it fact Helstrom's entire battalion, has been ordered to march on Jomor in an effort to break the siege.
Taking the most direct route, the crown soldiers march across the Freemantle and into the Thaw, hoping to avoid some of the conflicts that have wracked the Sunlit Vale and other lands just to the south. However, as they pass the garrison of Narfell they are suddenly best on three sides. Rocha forces come at them from the south and east, while [The Isagorn of Narfell attacks from the north. Up until this point the Isagorn have stayed out of the burgeoning war, but now (for some unknown reason) they've decided to throw their lot in with the insurgents.
The king's battalion is quickly overrun, the sheer number of the enemy being itself insurmountable. They are routed and forced to break apart in order to escape. The PCs army scatters to the winds, with their own company, along with several others, retreating to the cover provided by The Dullwood, a frightening domain that is allegedly haunted.
THE RUINED ABBEY
The broken company of soldiers pressed forth, deeper into the Dullwood. Their intent was to reach one of the small northern towns just below The Blight; towns allegedly still (somewhat) loyal to the crown. However, after hours of cautious exploration, the northbound group of military refugees eventually came upon the ruins of an old Abbey. One dedicated to The Zenithal. One of the soldiers grew up on a farm just south of the Dullwood and had grown up hearing stories about the old monastery, abandoned as it was. Stories of the site being haunted, but also containing unclaimed riches in its ancient coffers.
Against Helstrom's protestations, Captain Malgrave ordered his men into the Abbey's grounds, which first led them through its graveyard. Here, some of the soldiers (the PCs) thought they saw a few young children, dirty and unkempt, running around behind the tombstones, spying on them. From the graveyard, the PCs continued on to a ruined belltower, within which they were quickly confronted by a small army of children similar to the ones they spotted outside.
After some questioning, the kids opened up to the PCs and revealed that the abbey wasn't nearly as deserted as previously reported. The children said they were under the protection of some entity known as "Mr. Rag and Bone," and that this being only revealed itself when the children were in some sort of trouble. In return, they've been tasked to bring him the teeth of all those interred in the graveyard and the nearby mausoleum. Before they could reveal much more, the party spied a man through the window, rushing to their location. Based upon his garb, it seemed pretty certain that this was the Abbot.
The Abbot seemed extraordinarily frightened at the prospect of an army (albeit a tiny one) on his hallowed grounds. He begged and pleaded with the PCs to take their leave, and quickly. It was clear there was something here he didn't wish for them to discover. Malgrave entered the conversation by this point, and he instantly deduced that the Abbot was referring to the vast, alluded to riches. Against all further protestations, he ordered his men to search the entire grounds, and specifically tasked the PCs to search the Abbot's own house, situated on the far edge of the property.
Malgrave insisted that he had the right, as the Abbey was built by agents of the crown, the same crown he currently represented. The PCs begrudgingly approached the Abbot's house. The old priest intercepted them, however, and practically fought them off as they attempted to enter. After pacifying him as gently as possible, they "invaded" his home.
Inside the modest house, nothing seemed out of place or even hinted at any cache of treasure. There was one room however... The Abbot blocked their entry to his personal bedroom, once again pleading for them to leave. When they pushed past him and entered the room, they quickly discovered why.
The bedroom was even more spartan and un-appointed than the living quarters. However, at its center, was a trap door in the floor, chained shut. And someone... or something was slamming at the chains from beneath. The Abbot came clean. The interred being under the floor was his son. Apparently the young man had ventured too deep into the haunted woods and fell into the twisted, cursed waters of The Churn. The waters were rumored to mutate any who even touched their surface, turning any unfortunate victim into... something else. Something more, something less, than they were before.
The boy had mutated into some unruly creature, and the Abbot feared that he would be put to the sword if any discovered him. The party attempted to assure him that this wouldn't be the case. But Malgrave wasn't making that argument any easier. He barged into the room just as the party attempted to cover up the trapdoor. The captain ordered them to open portal to the pit. He was convinced that since he couldn't find treasure anywhere else, that it must be down there (and the boy was its protector).
By this time, tensions between Malgrave and Helstrom had come to a head, and it seemed that if something wasn't done, it might have led to violence. The PCs agreed to go down into the pit, if only to placate their angry captain. But first they had to pacify the mutant boy. A well timed Sleep spell did the trick, but unfortunately the mutant fell down the long ladder he'd been using to bang on the pit door. The Abbot was concerned that the fall had hurt his son, and further concerned that the party would do him greater harm. He insisted on going along with them, down in the hole.
Down below, the party discovered the mutant boy, knocked out cold, but relatively unharmed. From above, they heard Malgrave order them to murder the wretched creature, which directly led to their next decision. They had enough of service beneath such a callous and greedy leader. They were going to get out. Out of the tunnels beneath the abbey, and out of the army.
The abbot, for his part, agreed to help them, as long as they'd draw away their army and leave him in peace. So there, down in the depths below, the party navigated the series of tunnels that led to the mausoleum and beyond. Along the way, they encountered the ghosts of several prior abbots... ghosts with unknown designs upon them. Benign? Malicious? They didn't want to hang around to find out. The Abbot, true to his word, led them to an exit tunnel, one that would bring them out in the middle of the graveyard.
They entered a circular room, filled waist-high with water, but also bearing a ladder leading to the surface. As they began to climb, another resident of the tunnels made itself known. A great serpent, the size of several men, lurched its head from the waters, attempting to bite and otherwise bring down the PCs. After a furious battle, the party managed to slay the serpent and reach the surface, depositing them in the Abbey's graveyard. Here they found that thing had gotten much worse in their short absence.
The conflict between their two commanding officers, Helstrom and the malicious Margrave, had reached a fever pitch. The two men, along with their respective supporters were in the midst of a full on stand off, weapons drawn. Between them lay the body of the Abbot's son, riddled with arrows. Margrave had him killed. The Abbot, upon seeing this, rushed the men, screaming for his lost son. This was all that was needed to spark the fire of violence. The two sides began attacking each other in earnest. Helstrom, seeing the PCs, barely had enough time to command them to flee north, through the woods, vowing that he'd catch up with them. And so they did...
THE HOUND OF HIROT
After several hours of running, the party was fully spent. The slowed to a cautious crawl and began to assess their wounds. It seemed that several amongst them had been wounded during the firefight at the abbey. While tending to the injured, suddenly the party heard a rustling between the trees. It was Helstrom, he made it! Along with his only remaining footman, a young soldier named Linkos Gerret. Unfortunately, Helstrom was gravely injured, having taken several arrow hits. The party's cleric attempted to heal him, and managed to at least stabilize the man, but he'd need more extensive help if he were to survive.
Fortunately, the party was by now practically on the doorstep of the small "northman" town called Hirot. If they had a chance to save Helstrom, they'd have to find help there.

WORK IN PROGRESS --- THE STORY CONTINUES