Session 334 - A Hag and the Flaming Horse
General Summary
Spring 727TR
The Story So Far
The King is dead. Long live the King.
King Minigath, after ruling the Kingdom of Kaldor well for thirty-three years, has been assassinated. Sir Conwan Elendsa has been crowned King, but the former King's bastard sons have contested this. Meanwhile, in the background, the mysterious Esoterical Order of Lothrim is up to no good.
The heroes have rescued Ursuli , a human female Psionicist who, through some mishap, is trapped in a male Orc’s body. She psionically possessed a Foulspawn during a scouting mission in the western Sorkin Mountains and has been unable to return to her body.
The heroes have tracked Ursuli's body to a ruined rotting village in the Arone Marshes. To their shock, they find someone resembling Ursuli riding a jet-black demonic horse.
This is the continuation of Session 333 - A Giants Keep.
Location - The Arone Marshes.
22nd Peonu 727TR
Part 1 – The Hag On A Flaming Horse
However, before the witch can act, Valeria spots a ruined cart among the ruins and telekinetically hurls at the evil horse and rider. The flying debris hits the nightmare full-on and instantly kills it as wooden planks explode through its foul heart. Ursuli plummets to the ground and is furious; scowling, she transforms into a hideous figure, an ugly crimson-skinned night hag with insanely sharp claws that effortlessly render flesh. Unfortunately for the hag, she is surrounded by the heroes, soon injured and near death. “Curse you. I will haunt your dreams and those of your loved ones,” she spits and casts another hex that should transport her to whichever hell she calls home. But Rycon is too fast, slicing off her head just before she utters the final syllables of her incantation. Her body rapidly rots and purifies.
Part 2 - Reunited
Now, the characters are confused; it appears this fiend is not currently possessing Ursuli's body. So where is it? Searching among the ruins, they soon find a semitranslucent dome containing a humanoid body. Valeria dispels the magical barrier, finding the real comatose Ursuli. She is not responsive, so the heroes return her body to Noron's Keep.
With the body resting in Noron's guest quarters, the party finds the orc version of Ursuli in the woods. She can sense her body nearby and takes possession of it when she gets close enough. The unfortunate orc regains conscious control over his body, though the heroes instantly kill him, and the grateful psionicist persuades Noron the Giant to reward the heroes, giving them a belt that enhances the wearer's health.
Location - Nenda Keep in the Kingdom of Kaldor.
Part 3 - The Dwarven Weaponsmith
At Nenda village, in the basement of the town's metalsmith, the party is surprised to find their old friend Khâl, who is definitely not in hiding after being accused of stealing a ranking noble's prized silver butter knife.
Khâl is happy to get to work fixing the armor for Rycon, but while they wait, he asks a small favor. He reckons Nenda's ferry master may be a spy working for the Esoterica Order of Lothrim. Khâl has had his suspicions about this man for some time. He may have aided the raiders who sacked the nearby Zeniris Chantry (the local Guild of Arcane Lore) to escape across the Kald River with their pillaged loot last year (refer to Session 287 - Holy Rituals).
Part 4 - Ferryman or Spy
The heroes visit the ferryman, Hobbie of Whitlocke, and he and his dog appear amiable and interested. However, the astute characters detect something untoward; the man is too interested in gossip and the coming and going of the rich and powerful. Unexpectedly, Hobbie suspects the characters are also playing him and abruptly ends the conversation. Not wanting to escalate things, the heroes leave.
Valeria sends her Bird companion to investigate at a distance while magically seeing through his eyes. Hobbie returns to his hut and begins writing a message unusual for what should be an illiterate commoner. The message is attached to a pigeon, and when released, the pigeon flies northwest.
That night, Dryueh sneaks undetected into the ferryman's hut and finds more evidence that he has been spying. The man is indeed a spy for the Order of Lothrim. The party reports back to Khâl, and after considering options agree not to kill him; it might be useful to feed him false information in the future.
To be continued.NPC Interactions
Ursuli and Khâl - White Hand agents.
Noron the Giant.
Hobbie of Whitlocke - Order of Lothrim Spy.
Related Reports
Player Characters
Valeria - Human - L13 Shadow Sorcerer
Background - Magical Experiment.
Archetype - Beastmaster.
Rycon - Human - L13 Fighter
Background - Rebel Knight.
Archetypes - Liberator Champion/Dual Weapon Warrior/Swashbuckler.
Dryueh - 1/2 Elf - L13 Thief Rogue
Background - Scout.
Archetypes - Vigilante/Medic/Shadowdancer/Wizard.
Next Session
Rycon
Dryueh
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