The Dungeon of Graves: Session 38

General Summary

“We Can Just Deal With Them”

Over the last two days, Sinestra had been scouting the area. The druid had left the group after they had met and gathered more information on the bounties Zhanna had requested. Although the group tried to move through the area without leaving too many tracks behind, Sinestra had found it easy to pick up her companions scents and footpaths when she was ready to return. At first it seemed like everything was alright, but then the druid spotted an arrow in the sky ahead of her that seemed to multiply in the air and shower down upon a clearing just ahead of her. She knew that the other Damned were ahead of her and it now seemed they must have stumbled upon another mess. However, by the time Sinestra rejoined the group the bonfire for the dead Wrenjers was already a blaze. Greeting them with her normal sass, they learn that they were set upon by a small group of Wrenjers; something the others did not know until they were already dead. Kaertas voiced his suspicion that the Wrenjers might have been fake and these were actually bandits but the others didn’t seem to share his theory. One of their attackers managed to escape by means of their magical cloak while the two that were left had decided to take their own lives and ensure that they couldn’t be raised to join the minions of the dead the group traveled with. As the fire burned and the Damned rested, they could see dark clouds on the horizon and some waited for an immediate response from either the Wrenjers or Inako, but nothing came.
With their druid back, the travel across the area became easier and although the rogue had connected with one of the spirits to help her gain knowledge of the area and how to move through the swamp, traveling through the wilderness just came more naturally to the druid. They traveled for a few more hours until they area dipped down into a valley the old coast road followed and found a decent campsite for the night. During the night most of the Damned are woken up by the beautiful sounds of wolves howling into the night. It had started with one lonely wolf howl, that seemed to be a bit overly articulated to be an actual wolf but then hundreds of others across the Forest of Hope joined the call. Lothar, after basking in the sounds, asked if anyone understood what the cacophony of howls were about. The druid translated what she could understand from the howling and calmed their nerves simply stating that there was nothing to worry about. It was just someone tending their flock in the moonlight.
The dark clouds that had sat on the horizon the day before had cleared and as they broke camp on the fourth of Souma, sunlight warmed their bodies. They continue to head east, toward the Horsefly Swamp. It was fairly easy to see as they could spot the haze that the swamp was radiating even before they were near the body of water. The Damned continued their journey following Sinestra’s lead and Vai’len’s eyes. They were looking for Gallow Trees and were informed that a particular group of bandits were responsible for creating them. As the area had some rolling hills and valleys they knew that bandits tended to make their camps higher up to gain advantage on their prey. The landscape changed from the swamp they had traveled through a couple days ago, to a forest and had now opened up to larger valley with a natural road cutting through it. On the eastern side of the road they could see the mangroves growing out of the ponds and pools of water. One set of trees and the forest behind it, seemed to be thick with webs with one large spider sitting on the outside. Easily they chose to continue heading northeast in pursuit of the Gallow Trees instead of fighting giant spiders.
Ahead of them they could see a larger pond or smaller lake with two buildings sitting near the water’s edge. After a short signed discussion they chose to approach the buildings from the side with Kachuun and Vai’len taking lead with the others close enough to assist if needed but far enough away to not hinder their quiet approach. The others behind were having a terrible time trying move quietly but the scouts were able to approach the main building and take cover near the small garden. Near the water’s edge there was a merchant’s wagon with a half-orc laying in it with a very thin young women with dark hair, high boots and a thin dirty dress fussing over the injured aethrin in the wagon. The main group stopped and had a silent discussion on what to do. Emil noted that they were here for sap and not to help sap but it seemed that the others were inclined to help and so the group moved forward to assist. They leave their undead companions behind to not startle the family in hopes of gathering information about the area. Meanwhile the scouts had started to investigate the house; however, the windows were blocked by curtains and the door was locked and looked to be waterlogged enough the if they were to open it, the noise could alert the homeowners.
As the group approached,  the orc women moved to get up but the thin pale skinned girl moved before her mother to greet the others. Ace took the lead in the conversation and they learned that flooding had threatened to wash away their farm after her injury from a crocodile she had placed her mother in the wagon in hope of stopping the infection. Hearing that their is an injuring that needed healing, Lothar stepped forward to help. Emil and Sinestra were farther back from the others and could easily communicate with the scouts. At the wagon, Kaertas offered his supply of Goodberries to the orc women but she declines trying to get her daughter to eat them. However, when some of their rations were offered, the young girl would chew the food before feeding them to her mother. As the young girl, called Lily, was sent to fetch water from the house, the scouts moved around to the garden and hid. While she was away, Thevius and Lothar tended to the infected leg wound and it started to heal.
Kachuun had skittered a bit away, to cast a spell without being overheard by the orc women or her daughter. But Vai’len could hear the young girl stop moving in the house when the spell was cast and as Lily emerged out of the house with the pitcher of water, her gaze lingered in the scout’s direction but she moved on. Emil activated his medallion and got the surface thoughts of the young girl as she walked back to the wagon. “I don't see them out there, but I see them, nasty little scraggers. Nasty beasts, I would..." but nothing that indicated that they had spotted the two scouts. As Kachuun approached the house, the kolbold could tell that the windows and door radiated abjuration and Lily had Mage Armor.
With the wound healed, cleansed and dressed the Damned asked about the area and indicated that they were looking for sap of Gallow Trees. And as the orc women was directing them to the mangroves, a boat approached at rapid speed. Lord Thevius direct the young girl and women to take cover while Kaertas and Lothar called their companions to them. A hooded individual with a pensive face looked to be ready to jump off the boat and behind him two large hulking goliaths rowing. The Damned asked the two farmers if they knew those that approached but the boat slammed into the two boats that were docked and they all jump off the boat. The hooded individual announced that they were here for ‘it’ and that they should hand it over. He had his weapon drawn but pointed towards the ground and his goliaths cracked their knuckles, obviously trying to intimidate the group. Lily was directed to head into the house and grab what the others had come for and while the young girl moved, the others tried to ask about the gallow trees and if these bandits were responsible for them. One of the goliaths had moved to the barn and had started to kick the chest but it did not open.
Meanwhile, Lily had entered the house and after a short amount of time had walked to the door and left it open. Vai’len saw an opportunity and slipped through the door. Instantly the young girl demanded what the rogue was doing and after some very smooth talking the rogue ended up asking if they wanted their help. The girl had something in her hand and when the rogue offered her scarf for the item to hide in the girl somehow moved so fast that rogue who was watching did not notice the girl placing the item in the rogue’s hand and wrapping the green scarf around the hand until it was too late. With one of her hands bound the rogue moved to leave the house in hopes of keeping the item that the new arrivals wanted away from them. But as she turned to leave, the rogue was stabbed in the back and instantly fell unconscious in the doorway.
Hearing the body hit the ground, the others quickly moved to attack. Lord Thevius gave his familiar Dragon's Breath and had them breath acid on the three bandits. Quickly Kachuun followed the Lord and dropped a hypnotic pattern on the bandits, leaving the one of hulking goliaths adn the leader incapacitated. She shouts out that they should leave those two for last and Emil moved up to engage with on of the goliaths. As the battle had started, the recently healed orc women’s visage changed and she grew in size, her true form was that of a hag. She had never been injured. Emil sighed as he thought about how the party had ignored his attempt to not go to these people, and at how Kaertas said "We can just deal with them." But now they were in the thick of battle. As Ace moved and brought out his dancing weapon to help aid Sinestra in moving out of the Hag’s area, the bard healed the fallen rogue. Unfortunately Lily jumped at the opportunity and used Vai’len’s crossbow to fire and hit the bard. The battle continued with Sinestra bringing out her pack. The druid summoned small dinosaurs and they all descended on the Hag, dealing a lot of damage. The Hag moved to cast a spell but Kachuun countered. In frustration the Hag stomped on the ground dealing some damage and fearing some of Sinestra’s pack.
Finally set free from the Hypotonic Pattern, the leader directed his large minions to deal with Emil while he disengaged and moved toward the squishier Damned near the wagon. From her position on the ground, Vai’len remained quiet until Lily moved away from the door. With a quick movement the rogue stabbed Lily and fell back outside the house. She yelled to the others that she was gravely injured and that the young girl had her crossbow. At one point in the battle the chest opened and a drunk wizard popped out and joined the fight, dropping a Fireball on his Hag companion as well as the herd of dinosaurs. The toad that followed the wizard out was able to wake the last goliath out of his stupor. Kachuun moved and dropped another Hypnotic Pattern and got a some of the bandits and the wizard but the toad deftly dodged. Emil moved to attack the toad but it was far to slippery and the paladin was unable to hit the small creature. Near the Wagon, Kaertas was able to hold the leader and step farther way from the skilled rogue.
Lothar landed a massive hit on the Hag and while she slumped to the ground dead, she yelled for Lily to run. Emil looked to Sinestra as the toad was still in the air, and motioned for her in a way as if he was saying "SHOOOOT IT!" In which she does and kills the toad who threatened to slap the others out of their stupor. They then send their raptors to hunt for Lily and they move into the house. Then they hear the sounds of furniture being shifted. The raptures relayed to Sinestra that “She is digging!” There was a trap door, hidden, which Lily disappeared into. Vai’len moved into the house and informed the others that Lily had escaped. She then angrily cut the wrap off her hand causing the alchemist fire to explode on her, feeling defeated the rogue drank a potion from her belt looking toward the trap door, where another aethrin named Lily had turned on her and now had her crossbow.

Report Date

04 Jul 2021