Session 013 - Surprising Allies

General Summary

Date 15 to 19 Nolus (4) 720TR (Summer)

Recent Events

The heroes break into Hafon Jeredosa apartment and find copies of various stolen books and a synopsis of the collection of scrolls called the Manifestation of Nargrathian which contains requirements and details of the Rite of Nao-Thian. They find Hafon dead murdered by his butler who turns out to be a Navean sleeper Agent. After interrogating the butler and then killing him, the party places his body with that of Hafon making the appearance of murder/suicide.

Continuation of Session 12 - The Butler Did It.

After resting in the apartment overnight and looting whatever they can the heroes create an elaborate deception. They pretend to visit the apartment on business and find the death scene. Traveling next door to the Jeredosta townhouse, they meet with the head of the family Horbil Jeredosta and telling him what they saw, i.e., the dead bodies in a compromising position. Concerned with a potential scandal, the shaken Horbail pays each character a gold piece (worth 320sp) and offers the group favor in the future, assuming that they keep their mouths shut.

The characters then meet with High Deacon Hermas Cadrune, Senior Priest at the Temple of Hyn-Aelori and explained the essence of what they had discovered not mentioning the various copies of documents and confession letter they had found.

A few days later the heroes are asked to attend a meeting at the Temple of Peoni. There they find Matron Aggatha, priestess of Peoni with a mysterious man who turns out to be an elf named Erendriel Adneiro. He is trying to preserve the Drûghu, an ancient species of humans, so-called wildmen of the woods. He is deeply concerned that this race is destined for extinction as there are only a few hundred individuals hidden deep in the forests of Hârn.

He has discovered that a family of these humanoids has been captured by the Clan Shinin, a bandit clanhold in the Hefiosa Hills. The Shinin are said to have sorcerous powers, due to alleged Giant Blood and specialize in capturing rare beasts, mostly Ivashu, for use in the Pamesani Games. The players are asked to save the family, Yureb is happy to do so, but Athena has some degree of suspicion and demands answers from the elf as to why he is not helping himself. Regardless the party decides to help.

The characters recalled the radical Children of Ilvir were seeking to free the Ivashu, may be willing to assist since the Shinin are one of the primary sources of Ivashu for the Pamesani Arena. The characters seek out the Children and first investigate the Ilvirian Hostel, the nearest thing to a temple to Ilvir in the city. They quickly find them there. Meeting with Kwayn Oblam, Priest of Ilvir they have a relatively friendly conversation, and he agrees to let the characters make an appeal for help from his congregation. They are taken into a hall containing a dozen zealots and moving in the background, some think they see a huge green humanoid. A young acolyte Kirstie is inspired by the appeal and willing agrees to accompany the party and help out with this mission. Kwayn expressed regret for past unpleasantness, i.e., the attack in the marketplace and an assassination attempt with snakes in their bedroom (Session 03 - Monsters in the Market).

The party, with Acolyte Kirstie, head into the hills avoiding encounters with V‘hir Giant Goats and a mining expedition but are ambushed by a flock of Yelgri, the Hârn Harpies. On the second day, they cross paths with a bounty hunter Kimar Brynn, a rugged, dangerous looking man. He claims to be hunting a particularly evil priest of Morgath, Gusten the Vile. Gustan, is a day or so away and he apparently tortured, killed and used his necromantic powers to animated a peasant family and Kimar says he has been tracking him from all the way from Ithiko in the Kingdom of Rethem. The party agrees to aid him in his quest.

That night the camp is attacked by a wandering band of common brown orcs, these are easily dispatched however the sounds of combat and small of blood have attracted something worse! To be continued next session.