Kingdom on the Brink - Session 13
General Summary
The party questions the figure in sapphire robes because of the state Thorne was put in, the figure said that he would be alright but he would like the whole group to be there before they asked any other questions. After convincing Runsha to come to the top of the Pillar the figure spoke of working for a group that worked behind the scenes and how there was forces at work that wanted to cause havoc. After some pressure from the group for more answers the figure said that they wouldn't just give them all the answers as they need to be able to think critically on their own if they want to survive, but they would receive help and a name "Cadar", and in front of each person a small chest of gold appeared containing 500 GP. Runsha was concerned about the gold being cursed, the figure thought this was amusing pointed out how he was concerned about cursed gold but not how Ashara was acting differently in recent events. Runsha cast "detect good and evil" which pinged off in the direction of Ashara and Oneiro, This concerned Runsha and so he dropped his chest and went for his warhammer. After some tense moments the group was able to explain why Runsha's spell went off on Oneiro and Ashara and the situation was defused. Gareth points out what the figure said and they begin to focus on Ashara and begin to go over everything that happened in the last few days, they decide to examine the sword they found back in the cave which was with the wagons. Runsha gathered his chest and noticed it was slightly lighter then it was before, the party returned and traveled a few more hours before setting up camp, Runsha went up to Swift Paws and began to tell her a story from his childhood about how his family dealt with thieves. The party sets up watch and the night passes by uneventfully.
In the morning Hendred prepares "Remove curse" and they find the sword that was found in the cave, after casting it a red aura removes itself from Ashara's sword and is returned to the sword from the cave. Artimus tests to see if Ashara is normal by punching her, she is mad but doesn't go into a rage, The cursed sword is given to Runsha for safekeeping in his bag of holding and the party continues on towards Stathmor. The next day the party is walking along when they spot a house by the lake, Gareth points it out to the group, but he doesn't hear himself say anything. He manages to get the groups attention and Artimus sends Fawkes out the way they came til he can hear through Fawkes' senses. the party heads back towards Fawkes and they discuss what happened. Artimus believes that it's a upgraded form of "Silence" and sends Fawkes out to investigate the surrounding area, he finds some figures cloaked in black by the house. The figures appeared to be keeping a lookout, Fawkes goes inside and sees five more figures, Hendred recognizes the description of the figures and tells the group what information she knows of them. The party decides it's best to deal with the cultists, Artimus casts invisibility on Ashara and Swift Paws, Oneiro uses his ring of waterwalking to cross the lake and get into position on the water, the rest of the group moves towards the house. Oneiro gets spotted on the water and the cultists begin to move, but Ashara and Swift Paws get the drop on them and strike first, One of the cultists go into the house while the other moves around the building. Runsha and Hendred charge on his War horse into the fray, Oneiro keeps his distance and fires from afar, Gareth moves towards the door of the house, and Artimus attempts to learn how to use his crossbow for the first time. Cultists start to run out of the house and one of them manages to crit Hendred, causing a beam of radiant energy to hit her, another cultist also hit Gareth which also uses the same ability to hit him with radiant energy. After the initial wave the party makes short work of the cultists and proceed inside the house, they find plates and half eaten food, as well as some weapons in the corner. The group sees a door leading under the house and begin to head down the stairs, Ashara goes first and heads straight for the barricade with battle fury; Hendred, Runsha, and Gareth following behind her with Oneiro and Swift Paws heading towards a corner and firing from a distance. The cultists attack and manage to land another radiant attack on Ashara, Swift Paws feels a tap on her shoulder and she looks behind her an assassin is stand there, she is able to dodge both attacks despite the surprise. The party deals with the regular cultists but are unaware that there is an assassin in the corner by Oneiro and Swift Paws, Hendred moves around the room and notices that they need help and gets the attention of the others, Oneiro and Swift Paws land some hits but the assassin retaliates and downs Swift Paws. The party moves to surround the Assassin and make quick work of him, Oneiro goes to repeatedly stab him over and over, meanwhile Runsha runs over and heals Swift Paws.
Artimus and Runsha examine the wooden pillar in the middle of a bloodied area surrounded by a chalk circle, Gareth starts to search the bodies, Oneiro finishes stabbing the corpse and searches it with Hendreds help. Artimus finds out the source of the silence is coming from the pillar and gets Runsha to start destroying it with his warhammer, after its destroyed Runsha examines the area around the pillar and believes it that there was ritual sacrificing going on. Oneiro finds a note on the assassin and passes it around the group, it stated to keep an eye on the town and to be careful when going near it; it also mentioned the boss wanting them to keep tabs on something. Oneiro begins to completely tear apart the cellar, finding about 10 barrels with half filled with food and the other half completely empty, he also finds a small bucket filled with chunks of wax. Between Hendred, Oneiro, and Gareth the realize the wax was being put into the ears of the cultists, leading them to believe they were trying to deafen themselves for some reason. The group heads upstairs and grab the weapons, once they vacated the house Oneiro began to burn it to the ground, Runsha and Swift Paws began to scout the road ahead (noticing that there was absolutely no traffic). Thorne wakes up inside the snail shell from his catatonic state and begins to walk down the road, noticing smoke rising in the distance, he tries to hide but runs into Ashara who was taking a barrel back to the carts. Ashara fills Thorne in on what's happened and they take the carts to the smoldering ruins. Meanwhile Artimus sends Fawkes to scout the town and Gareth looks for the bodies, the search leads him to some boats where he find traces of blood, he takes the boats where he finds sacks tied to giant rocks. He manages to cut one of the ropes and slowly takes the sack back to shore. Once back on land Gareth cuts open the sack and finds a body, there's a clean cut across the neck with bruising along the arms, on the back there's brand of a dragon and phrase written in draconic "Praise be to Nadranth." Some of the group are taken back by this sight, Ashara heads back out on the boat to recover the rest of the bodies while the remainder of the party begins to dig a trench. Oneiro cuts the skin that has the draconic wording off and preserves the flesh. Runsha and Swift Paws finish scouting and begin to head back, they get worried when they don't run into the party on the road and speed up, once they return Oneiro shows Runsha the preserved flesh; Runsha lightly rebukes Oneiro for doing such an act. The party burned the bodies and fill in the grave and get ready to rest for the night, Runsha attempts to seek knowledge of Nadranth from his deity, he gets the feeling that isn't a question he shouldn't pursue. Hendred also has no knowledge of who Nadranth is. During the night there is an ominous tension in the air and the party wakes up, each member having dreamed of the events leading up to this point: Orc raiders, the siege, Gus, the cave, The Pillar, etc.
In the morning Hendred prepares "Remove curse" and they find the sword that was found in the cave, after casting it a red aura removes itself from Ashara's sword and is returned to the sword from the cave. Artimus tests to see if Ashara is normal by punching her, she is mad but doesn't go into a rage, The cursed sword is given to Runsha for safekeeping in his bag of holding and the party continues on towards Stathmor. The next day the party is walking along when they spot a house by the lake, Gareth points it out to the group, but he doesn't hear himself say anything. He manages to get the groups attention and Artimus sends Fawkes out the way they came til he can hear through Fawkes' senses. the party heads back towards Fawkes and they discuss what happened. Artimus believes that it's a upgraded form of "Silence" and sends Fawkes out to investigate the surrounding area, he finds some figures cloaked in black by the house. The figures appeared to be keeping a lookout, Fawkes goes inside and sees five more figures, Hendred recognizes the description of the figures and tells the group what information she knows of them. The party decides it's best to deal with the cultists, Artimus casts invisibility on Ashara and Swift Paws, Oneiro uses his ring of waterwalking to cross the lake and get into position on the water, the rest of the group moves towards the house. Oneiro gets spotted on the water and the cultists begin to move, but Ashara and Swift Paws get the drop on them and strike first, One of the cultists go into the house while the other moves around the building. Runsha and Hendred charge on his War horse into the fray, Oneiro keeps his distance and fires from afar, Gareth moves towards the door of the house, and Artimus attempts to learn how to use his crossbow for the first time. Cultists start to run out of the house and one of them manages to crit Hendred, causing a beam of radiant energy to hit her, another cultist also hit Gareth which also uses the same ability to hit him with radiant energy. After the initial wave the party makes short work of the cultists and proceed inside the house, they find plates and half eaten food, as well as some weapons in the corner. The group sees a door leading under the house and begin to head down the stairs, Ashara goes first and heads straight for the barricade with battle fury; Hendred, Runsha, and Gareth following behind her with Oneiro and Swift Paws heading towards a corner and firing from a distance. The cultists attack and manage to land another radiant attack on Ashara, Swift Paws feels a tap on her shoulder and she looks behind her an assassin is stand there, she is able to dodge both attacks despite the surprise. The party deals with the regular cultists but are unaware that there is an assassin in the corner by Oneiro and Swift Paws, Hendred moves around the room and notices that they need help and gets the attention of the others, Oneiro and Swift Paws land some hits but the assassin retaliates and downs Swift Paws. The party moves to surround the Assassin and make quick work of him, Oneiro goes to repeatedly stab him over and over, meanwhile Runsha runs over and heals Swift Paws.
Artimus and Runsha examine the wooden pillar in the middle of a bloodied area surrounded by a chalk circle, Gareth starts to search the bodies, Oneiro finishes stabbing the corpse and searches it with Hendreds help. Artimus finds out the source of the silence is coming from the pillar and gets Runsha to start destroying it with his warhammer, after its destroyed Runsha examines the area around the pillar and believes it that there was ritual sacrificing going on. Oneiro finds a note on the assassin and passes it around the group, it stated to keep an eye on the town and to be careful when going near it; it also mentioned the boss wanting them to keep tabs on something. Oneiro begins to completely tear apart the cellar, finding about 10 barrels with half filled with food and the other half completely empty, he also finds a small bucket filled with chunks of wax. Between Hendred, Oneiro, and Gareth the realize the wax was being put into the ears of the cultists, leading them to believe they were trying to deafen themselves for some reason. The group heads upstairs and grab the weapons, once they vacated the house Oneiro began to burn it to the ground, Runsha and Swift Paws began to scout the road ahead (noticing that there was absolutely no traffic). Thorne wakes up inside the snail shell from his catatonic state and begins to walk down the road, noticing smoke rising in the distance, he tries to hide but runs into Ashara who was taking a barrel back to the carts. Ashara fills Thorne in on what's happened and they take the carts to the smoldering ruins. Meanwhile Artimus sends Fawkes to scout the town and Gareth looks for the bodies, the search leads him to some boats where he find traces of blood, he takes the boats where he finds sacks tied to giant rocks. He manages to cut one of the ropes and slowly takes the sack back to shore. Once back on land Gareth cuts open the sack and finds a body, there's a clean cut across the neck with bruising along the arms, on the back there's brand of a dragon and phrase written in draconic "Praise be to Nadranth." Some of the group are taken back by this sight, Ashara heads back out on the boat to recover the rest of the bodies while the remainder of the party begins to dig a trench. Oneiro cuts the skin that has the draconic wording off and preserves the flesh. Runsha and Swift Paws finish scouting and begin to head back, they get worried when they don't run into the party on the road and speed up, once they return Oneiro shows Runsha the preserved flesh; Runsha lightly rebukes Oneiro for doing such an act. The party burned the bodies and fill in the grave and get ready to rest for the night, Runsha attempts to seek knowledge of Nadranth from his deity, he gets the feeling that isn't a question he shouldn't pursue. Hendred also has no knowledge of who Nadranth is. During the night there is an ominous tension in the air and the party wakes up, each member having dreamed of the events leading up to this point: Orc raiders, the siege, Gus, the cave, The Pillar, etc.
It is the beginning of the 38th day of Terseg
Rewards Granted
500 GP
2 Greataxes
1 Shortsword
4 maces
4 Longswords
2 Greataxes
1 Shortsword
4 maces
4 Longswords
Missions/Quests Completed
Examine the Pillar
Comments