Session 206 - The Earth Witch
General Summary
15th to 22nd of Larane (Second Month of Summer) 724TR
The story so far
Heroes travel to the Earl of Sarkum's Colony on the Island of Anfla. Odin is looking for a master weaponsmith who is questing after meteorite iron. Remy would like to locate a particular band of pirates. However, the island is engulfed in intrigue with a local Adaenum Witch-hunting cults causing difficulties.
This is the continuation of Session 204 - Transformations.
Location - Vulagla on Anfla Island.
Part 1 - Mud Guardian
The party has founds uncovered a strange stone object in the hot pools of Vulagla, the "Place of bad smells." However, this is safeguarded by a monstrous mud-shaped creature. This sticky guardian is eventually dealt with, and the heroes continue their investigation.
The stone object is a knocked-over stone obelisk. When righted and cleaned, the party discovers a series of pictograms, some of them cunningly hidden below the waterline.
Part 2 - Legends of the Past
The pictograms detail some ancient legends, and two badly deteriorated; nonetheless, the resourceful characters decipher them.
Petroglyph 1 - A Crab Monster attacks a village.
The heroes believe that the monster is Obsidapor, the Ivashu Crab Titan.
Petroglyph 2 - A star falls to the ground with an explosion.
Petroglyph 3 - In a crater, a Woman grabs the fallen star and forges a spear for a Male Warrior.
The heroes believe the people represented as the Adaenum gods, Manaclir, and the woman the Earth Witch.
Petroglyph 4 - This describes a battle. Manaclir kills the Crab Monster in a thunderstorm.
The heroes have seen representations of this battle before in an Ilvirian shrine in the Hamlet of Loza.
Petroglyph 5 - The Earth Witch meets with a cloaked figure with a staff of skulls.This mysterious figure could be Klyss the Necromancer. An corrupting influence and chief agent of the evil god Morgath.
Petroglyph 6 - The Earth Witch steals the Manaclir's Spear and breaks it into three parts.
Petroglyph 7 - The Manaclir captures the Earth Witch in a cage of lightning.
Petroglyph 8 - The Manaclir drowns the Earth Witch's followers in a storm and waves.
The heroes learn more about this location a couple of days later when they visit nearby Adaenum villages.
Petroglyph 9 - The hidden pictogram show what happened to the three parts of the Spear of Manaclir. One was taken by pointy-eared humanoids, another is underwater, and the last was taken to a crater.
The heroes think the "pointy-eared" humanoids were probably elves.Part 3 - The Earth Witch
The party rests up for the night. Their sleep is interrupted by a giant owl, perched on a large tree, balefully looking down at them. Suddenly the characters find themselves elsewhere.
They are standing in a foggy cold forest and hear the sound of movement. An ugly woman stands up in a ridge, tall but hunched over with jet black skin, white hair, and goat horns. Her teeth are large and sharp, and her hands twisted and clawed. She speaks telepathically to the characters in a strange unsettling voice.
"You destroyed by pets, you bullies, and you wield the flesh of the false crustacean. Do you seek its return?" She refers to Obsidapor, and the Hag seem intrigued by Remy's intelligent banter. Unfortunately, she soon loses interest in talking, "Do not interfere with my children again. If you do, you will not like your reflection."
Suddenly the petrified Eye of and Tongue Obsidaor in Odin and Remy's bags evaporate into mist, and huge Crab-like monsters appear next to the characters and attack, all the while Earth Witch looks on with interest. The heroes are scolded by their steam breath but skillfully avoid being trapped by their serrated claws. The battle is grim, but the heroes shatter the creatures, which fade into the orange mist when killed. The Earth Witch cackles with telepathic laughter.
Remy hits her with a Magic Missile, and Odin opens fire with his bow but unfortunately misses. Angered at their impertinence, she glares at Remy cursing him. He finds the left side of his face feels numb, and it has partially twisted.
Then the characters fade and return to the real world, the owl is gone, and their physical wounds have disappeared, but they still feel weak. Was it all in their minds? However, Remy's face is still twisted (-2 Charisma penalty until removed).
Part 4 - High Grounds
The party makes their way up the nearest high point, a large hill, to spot anything resembling a crater described in Petroglyph's 2 and 3. After a brief encounter with an angry, somewhat Deformed Bear, Remy spots a promising out-of-place depression in the hills west of the island, Heiryl Moor.
On their way to the moor, the trio visits the friendly inland Adaenum villages of Novum, Firchal, and Bervum. They learn from the Olna, the village's chief, lore-keeper, and shaman, fragments of some ancient legends. All are aware the Spear of Manaclir used to kill Obsidapor, was stolen and broken up by the evil Earth Witch on an island which is now known as the Deadwood Reef. Additionally one confirms that where the star fell to the earth was Heiryl Moor.
Part 5 - The Heiryl Moor
The party makes it to Heiryl Moor, a sharp depression leading into a small mash, around 4 miles wide. Looking over a ridge, notice few features except a small series of large protruding rocks near its center. This looks worthy of investigation, so the heroes make their way in that direction.
Dangerous large masses of vegetation spot them. The party eventually destroys the two Shambling Mounds, although they put up a good fight.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
Rawin Ward, Boat Builder.
Challenges Overcome
1 x Mud Golem.
2 x Obsidapor fragments.
1 x Deformed Bear.
2 x Shambling mounds.
Rewards
Nothing major.
Created Content
Nothing this week.
Related Reports
Player Character Status
Odin - Human - Level 5 Gloom Stalker and Level 1 Fighter.
Abaddon - Elf - Level 6 Open-hand Monk.
Remy - Half-Elf - Level 6 Bladesinger.
Encounters and Events
Comments