Session 170 - The shepherd

General Summary

12^th and 13^th of Nuzyael (First Month of Spring) 724TR

The story so far

The heroes are resting up after their harrowing battle with Xantosa, a dangerous priest of Ilvir, who seems to be able to conjure strange monsters at will. What are his plans?

Odin has also been asked to check up on Brother Hodge, a priest of Peoni who always seems to be getting into trouble. He is believed to be exploring the nearby swamps and bogs for leeches.

This is the continuation of Session 168 - The Fanatic.

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Location - Castle Sarkum in the Kingdom of Kanday.

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Part 1 - Surprise Meetings

Karila, art by Artbreeder

Abaddon spends a week brewing herbal remedies for the party. During his stay in Sarkum, he is surprised to learn that one of the town's residents is a fellow elf also using the Veil to appear human. Katila Dikal of Karila's Apothecary is a superb herbalist and an arcanist studying what she can from humans.

She can prepare more esoterical items if components are available and is interested.

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Elaris Milaka, art by Artbreeder

Much to the character's surprise, Odin and friends are summoned to the Sarkum Castle to meet with Earl Ranald Milaka.

While waiting outside his office, they overhear a heated argument. Earl's nephew Elaris Milaka, the Constable of Kedis Keep, is arguing with the Earl.

They discretely catch fragments of the conversation, which include;

Elaris Milaka - "Look uncle, we must do something..... this Grenix...."

Earl Ranald Milaka shuts him down - ".....You will not overreach your authority......."

Constable Elaris storms out of the meeting.

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Ranald, art by Artbreeder

Earl Ranald tells Odin that the Knight Commander of the Order of the Checkered Shield has written informing him that Odin is in the area and recommended him.

The Earl is a busy man, one of the King's advisors, the head of Clan Milaka, a sheriff of the realm, and dealing with his expansion plans and the ungrateful barbarians on the Island of Anfla.

To add to his troubles he has received disturbing reports of a dangerous priest of Ilvir. This priest intimidated merchants with bizarre creatures, and several sealers from a nearby village accompanied him and disappeared. The heroes report their recent confrontation with him (last session) and the bones they discovered, which could have been from the sealers. The Earl is disturbed and asks if the heroes were to encounter him again to apprehend him. If he resists, they can use their judgment.

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Location - Lismorn Manor and Korri Bog, east of Sarkum in Kanday.

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Part 2 - Where is Hodge

Campaign

Games of the Gods

Protagonists

Remy

Abaddon

Odin

Report Date

29 Aug 2021

Clan Milaka 

Clan Milaka, art by Columbia Games

Istran Destrac, art by Artbreeder

Next, Odin decides to locate Brother Hodge, a Peoni Priest and member of the Sons of Tirrala, clerics who are skilled combat healers. He has the habit of getting into trouble and was planning an expedition into the swamps to find medicinal leeches. Asking around villages near Korri Bog, they find he was recently at Lismorn Manor. One of the shepherds, Istrac Destrac, strangely led his sheep into the bog, possibly to avoid a large wolf spotted in the area. Istrac's father, Istran, is concerned, and yesterday Brother Hodge volunteered to enter the bog to find him.

Odin finds some tracks and leads the party into the swamp. Unfortunately, they pass through a nest of snakes, some including the deadly Hârnic Vipers, which the heroes have to disperse. He also finds large chunks of wolf fur, some with a little flesh still attached.

Part 3 - Undead In A Dismal Marsh

Further in a mist starts to form. The characters spot a dirty sheep and a larger creature, a huge wolf. As it gets closer to the hero's horror, they discover the Wolf is covered in hideous wounds. It is dead, or more precisely, undead. It bounds forward and, adding to the confusion, the sheep is also in a sorry state and views the heroes with dead eyes. Something is very wrong, and the heroes dispatch the undead.

The mist gets thicker, and in the distance, they can make out movement on a small island and think they can hear chanting. As they close in, the bog starts to bubble. The gas forms into huge poisonous bubbles that surround the heroes. When struck by fire, they explode.

Part 4 - Sacrifice

The Mask, art by Attacus

The heroes sneak up on the island. Brother Hodges is there, injured and tied to a tree. A figure wearing dirty dark robes and a demon-shaped mask stalks back and forth while a small flock of dead sheep chew on swamp weeds but never eats them. As they approach, the figure spots Abaddon and speaks with a strange ethereal voice, "Another sacrifice."

Istrac Destrac, art by Artbreeder

The heroes attack and pummel the masked man with arrows and Remy's Explosive Throwing Cards. The man collapses to the ground, his mask falls off, revealing that he is a sick-looking Istrac Destrac, the missing shepherd. Suddenly a terrifying ghostly hooded form emerges from his body. It flies over to the heroes and strikes out at the party with its Decaying Touch. Anything near it, including plants and insects, putrefies, and Odin is hurt badly. The Ghost then passes its hand through Remy's chest, almost stopping his heart. He falls to the ground dying, but quickly Odin moves in and drags him to safety while Abaddon keeps it distracted.

After several strikes by Abaddon and well-placed silver arrow shots by Odin, the ghostly entity begins to fade. It suddenly flies into Abaddon's body and taking control. The possessed Abaddon knocks down Remy, who has just imbibed a healing potion, the charges towards the badly injured Odin, who is no match for Abaddon in melee combat. Desperately Odin shoots Abaddon, misses with the first arrow, and scores a hit with the second. Abaddon's body gives in, and he falls to the ground. The ghost emerges from Abaddon's body but is quickly dispatched by another silver arrow. The undead sheep are quickly destroyed.

Brother Hodge, art by Artbreeder

Odin frees a grateful Brother Hodges, who tends to the heroes' wounds, saving them from bleeding out.

Part 5 - Exorcism

While the heroes rest up, they learn what happened from Hodge and Istrac.

The last thing Istrac remembers was finding an evil-looking mask in the mud. He was soon possessed by a Ghost of a Morgathic Priest called Axhar. Axhar was active when the Kingdom of Rethem occupied the Sarkum region from 688 to 692TR during Ezar's War.

The possessed Istrac captured Hodge and was planning to sacrifice him tonight. The Ghost, using Istrac body, performed foul rituals to animate a dead wolf and the sheep. When alive, Axhar was infamous for sacrificing innocents and was eventually chased by a peasant mob into the bog and died. The party speculates that his Ghost may be bound to the mask that Istrac had found, so Brother Hodge performs a purifying Ceremony on it and then the party destroys it. The Ghost is indeed exorcised.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

Katila Dikal of Karila's Apothecary.

Earl Ranald Milaka - head of Clan Milaka.

Brother Hodge - a Peoni Priest.

Istran and Istrac Destrac - Shepherds.

Challenges Overcome

Swarm of Snakes.

1 x Zombie Wolf and 1 x Zombie Sheep.

2 x Swamp Gas Bubbles.

5 x Zombie Sheep and 1 x Ghost of a Priest of Morgath.

Created Content

The Veil.

Karila's Apothecary.

Clan Milaka.

Related Reports

Order of the Checkered Shield.

Ezar's War.

Hyadak Masks.

Player Character Status

Odin - Human - Level L3 Gloom Stalker.

Abaddon - Elf - Level L3 Openhand Monk.

Remy - Half-Elf - Level 3 Bladesinger.