Session XXXVI: Treachery of the Bog Report

General Summary

To the Bog

Leaving the Heartfire

After having discussed the warplans with Aard, Zulk and Captain Lennard Rye in the Heartfire, the adventurers spent a night rest. In the morning, Nalan retrieves his ordered Tower Shield from Yarpin Mc Gillan. They then travel over land towards Savior's Landing.
At the Landing the adventurers stock-up on Soul Gems with Isadora, acquiring 8 petty soul gems and 2 lesser soul gems. Furthermore, Balin buys a few bear-traps and other supplies with Goffrey Mc Gillan. They board the Magdalena and sail toward the Rhunaar Marshes

The Treacherous Bog

Arrival

The Magdalena moors further from shore leaving the adventurers to approach by rowboat. Rowing through the mangrove they travel upriver to hopefully encounter bullywugs. Along the travelling they spot a few Swampsharks and later a group of Poison Brumers. Balin maliciously kills all brumers, as they release their toxins upon his approach. Upon dying, the brumers let out a terrible high-pitched screech that alarms the nearby Bullywug scouts. Nalan persuades the bullywugs through hand-and-feet gestures that they come in peace and wish to see their leader. The bullywugs lead the way through the swamp to the Fief of Todahn.

The Curse

The adventurers are met by a larger older bullywug who speaks in Common to them. He guides them to a large black tower, reminiscent of the wizard tower found in Gildin. The tower has suffered greatly from the passing of time with part of it submerged and the first floor now serving as entrance to the tower. Below they encounter a Giant Toad who reveals himself to be Todahn, a member of the dark sorcerers of the Kingdom of Gildin. Todahn has become partially mad over the centuries, prying the adventurers with multiple inappropriate jokes, among which the taste of dwarves and the reproduction of toads.
Todahn shares the events of long past with the adventurers, asking them to cure him and his followers from this terrible affliction. The adventurers reluctantly comply but ask in return the servitude of his people in their assault on the Conflux Mountain. Todahn accepts and instructs the adventurers to retrieve the remains of the Blood Heart from the Resting Grounds. These remains he can use in a ritual to undo the curse of the bullywugs and return them to humanoid form. Afterwards, the adventurers travel under guiding of Randall the Bullywug to the Resting Grounds.

Bringing trouble to the Resting Grounds

The adventurers share a common feeling of distrust and despise to Todahn, an acknowledged practitioner of necromancy and sangromancy. As such they decide to contact the Hag by calling out for her. Upon their request for contact, the eyes of nearby bloodflies shortly light up, carving out a path through the swamp. The adventurers decide to ignore this for now and continue their way to the central tomb of the Resting Grounds.
Travelling through this large cemetery, they are met by multiple weaker undead, even some bullywug skeletons among them. Upon approaching the central tomb, they make quick-work of a Specter and torches gracing the entrance of the tomb light-up. At the entrance of the tomb a staircase descending into the hill is found leading to a small chamber. Distrustful of their surroundings, Balin closes the rusted grate-door barring entrance to the tomb. Below they encounter a small chamber of 25 x 25 feet, in the middle a plateau with a pentagram on it. On each corner of the pentagram a pole is situated from which a chain draws to the corpse of a dark elf in the middle. While three chains are broken, two remain intact and keep the corpse in place. A silver spear is found stuck in the corpse. Upon closer inspection, the adventurers discover the corpse was sewn open and closed again. Nalan removes the spear, believing trouble will now find them but to no avail. Nalan then removes the sewings on the corpse, before being stabbed in the back by a Dark Wraith.
The Wraith turns Invisible again after stabbing and it takes quite some time before the adventurers discover the Wraith does not turn itself invisible, rather a Deadlok occupies the same room. The Deadlok calls for allies and two Ghouls break down the barricade above. Nevertheless, the adventurers make quick work of their foes, remarking on the power of the Dark Wraith. Having removed all undead in the room, they retrieve the Blood Heart from the corpse and emerge from the tomb. Above, each undead approaching them quickly turns around when the heart gives off a weak pulse.

Dealing with a Hag

Having decided the Hag will likely proof a better ally than Todahn, the adventurers do not return to Randall but instead leave the Grounds by another route. They call out for the hag once more, who guides them to her cabin by the eyes of the bloodflies. The cabin itself is situated in a large clearing largely covered by water. From within the cabin a flickering light escapes which is later revealed to be a cooking pot on a large fire. The hag does not show her true appearance but instead poses as an elder lady welcoming them inside and offering them soup. The adventurers decline and start their negotiations. The hag keeps playing with their words and saying, appearing and disappearing next to them, which Nalan discovers is simply Illusion magic at play. Although it takes quite some effort, the adventurers make a bargain with the Hag: Merlinda will remove the curse of the bullywugs, turning them back to their humanoid appearance. For this the adventurers will kill Todahn and hand-over the remains of the Blood Heart to her. Furthermore, the adventurers get to pick two potions from Merlinda's basket, in the end choosing a "Superior Healing Potion" ( 8d4+8 ) and a potion looked down upon by their large friend (later revealed to be a "Potion of Giant Might").
Having chosen their poison, the adventurers return to the Fief with Oswald using his Minor Illusion to fake the Blood Heart. The bullywugs celebrate their return bearing the heart and guide them to the dark tower. Here they find the Giant Toad Todahn covered in blood standing in the middle of the pentagram. Todahn immediately realizes the Heart is a fake and combat ensues. It is Nalan who jumps from the first floor onto the head of the toad, bouncing on it breaking part of its skull and then plunging his large Claymore in the toad's head. Before the curse wears off, the adventurers are forced to battle a few bullywugs in their near vicinity. Unfortunately, when regaining their humanoid form the bullywugs confusingly start hacking down and eating their peers. All use their powers to quell the bullys' urges, under the cackling laughter of the Hag:

• Balin uses his horn and Stone Rune to draw the bullywugs' attention and halt their slaughtering
• John uses his magic (Charm Person) to charm some of the stronger bullywugs
• Nalan uses his scroll of Sleep to bring 3 bullywugs to sleep. Later he attempts to stabilize fallen bullywugs using his Lay on Hands.
• Oswald uses a Fireball to distract some of the bullys

This leaves the adventurers in total with 35 humanoids who are confused and halted their fighting. Suddenly, the humanoids see their junks shrinking, indicating their loss of fertility. Combined with the blood rage, the adventurers will think twice before bargaining with a hag again.

Rewards Granted

• Towershield
• Potion of Giant Strength (see Rhunaar Marshes, Hidden Content)
• 3 bear traps
• Potion of Superior Healing ( 8d4+8 )

Mundus, Dark Souls

Tower Shield

Armor (Shield)

Uncommon

Designed to tackle heavy artillery fire, a towershield has proven to be a powerful ally against ranged foes. While multiple cultures are known to wield variants of the tower shield, its design in the Westfork is inspired on the shields wielded by the Berenike Knights of Gildin on Rhunaar.
The tower shield is a heavier variant of a normal shield, both giving a +2 to the wearer's AC. The shield requires a Strength score of 13 to be wielded efficiently. The shield serves as half-cover for Medium size creatures, three-quarters cover for dwarves, and full cover for creatures of size Small or smaller. Unequipping the shield requires a Bonus Action. Furthermore, the shield can be planted into the ground, serving as transportable cover.

Type	AC	STR Req.	Stealth Dis.
Shield	+2	13	Yes

Campaign

The Island of Runaar

Protagonists

Nalan

Oswald Fleetfeet

TN halfling(gnome) (cloistered scholar)
wizard 5

26 / 26 HP

STR
8

DEX
15

CON
13

INT
19

WIS
16

CHA
10

John Doe

Lawful Neutral Wood Elf (Inheritor)
Ranger 6

63 / 63 HP

STR
9

DEX
18

CON
14

INT
18

WIS
16

CHA
13

Report Date

03 Jan 2022

Primary Location

Rhunaar Marshes