The Mouth of Doom: Session 4
General Summary
The Gnolls, the Witch and the Pickle Jar
Report Date
31 Oct 2020
The evening of the third of Zhira is cold. The biting wind picks up as the night deepens. Zelkor’s Ferry isn’t too large, just a small collection of buildings with a large fortified wall with water on three sides of the town. Outside Kalgor’s gem cutting establishment, the group of Wrenjers and allies talk in hushed tones trying to decide if they need to send a scouting party out or if the area was small enough and with adequate distraction, could they accomplish the same task. Jalen and Rain seemed pretty adamant about wanting to sneak, leaving the rest to head to the Trading Post to collect provisions. As they travel the few steps to the next building they notice that most of the structures in Zelkor’s Ferry seem to have a second story where it looks that the shopkeepers take residence.
As they approach, it looks like they are starting to close; however, the door was unlocked and they all step in. On the far side of the room, there is a masculine human around six feet tall and roughly 40 years of age. The shop seemed to have all the materials needed to start a farm. At the far end of the room there is an exposed staircase that leads up to Rasmus Pye’s residence. At first the gentlemen seemed agitated by having customers at this late of an hour, but his mood quickly changed to hospitality when he noticed that they were adventurers. They make small talk with Pye as they shop for various items. Zetwuzadi purchases a bunch of signal whistles, while Meadbh picks up paper, ink and winter clothing.
Rasmus Pye informs the group that Odo is funding Zelkor’s Ferry. They all want to have a better system of travel to and from the town. If they could have a protected way through the woods they could at least have the goods transported easier. Pye continues by explaining that there are many problems hindering their expansion and that the adventurers should check in with Odo even if he isn’t the “owner” of Zelkor’s Ferry. Even the guard is being funded by Odo. It might have been because Zetwuzadi kept ordering more signal whistles during Pye’s breaks in conversation, but the group learned even more from the shopkeep.
The woods to the south, the wildland, there are a number of things that Kanndra Dark, wife of the local Necromancer and hunter who brings Odo his meat, says is lurking. A group of Gnolls keeps attacking or testing Zelkor’s guards. Pye is sure that there must be more, but the scouts report that there are five Gnolls. The shopkeep turns to help the bard with selecting two peacock feather quills. He continues his report; somewhere to the south, possibly the forested hills near a creek, there is a bear that is said to be as large as the bears from Vesnica with a bright red coat, possibly matted with blood. This bear is said to be bloodthirsty and massive. Furthermore, somewhere to the west of Zelkor’s Ferry is a stone fortress said to be the size of the town with the same architecture of Gylidd Syn Aethri. The general area around the town seems to be ripe with trouble. Rumor has it that there is a witch or warlock that uses their magic to put people to sleep and never to be seen again. After purchasing all their goods, without bartering, the group exits the trading post with their signal whistles.
Meanwhile, Jalen and Rain start to travel around the town. Going very quietly, they were able to make it past a person resting outside the stable. There are some boards on the building that could be moved to get a better look into the stable but they decided to continue on. Making their trip to the fortified wall. They hear something and Rain pops a stone in her bow and launches it away from them. It takes two attempts at the distraction, but they are successful in drawing the two guard’s attention off of them. They also learn that the guards are terrified of the Gnolls that keep testing Zelkor’s defenses.
As they continue below the wall, avoiding any light cast by torches, they find that the wall juts out over the water. Even with this obstacle they are able to move around it fairly easily. Outside the smithy, they hear two people discussing Odo. They also learn that Odo funds the guard and that the Guard Captain doesn’t feel like Odo has enough money to fund more of them. Borkas is with them, the guard that had greeted and helped them out of the keelboat mere hours ago. As the two stealthy adventurers continue around the barracks they hear the two talk about trying to keep their people safe.
Outside the tower, there is a young woman skinning an animal with expert skills. Across the way, the bard starts to play a tune on her new signal whistle. This gives the two a chance to make it around the tower before the women spots them. Unfortunately, Jalen, who had been helping Rain travel stealthy around the town, was unable to make it around the tower. She approaches Jalen and asks for an introduction. Jalen is honest and tells her that he arrived with the Wrenjers earlier in the evening. Croaker was able to spot Jalen and the townsfolk chatting. The group who recently exited the trading post started the quick walk across the town to the tower. Behind the structure, Rain continues to try to get into it and hears an older masculine voice coughing.
Zetwuzadi introduces herself to the young women and asks about the Gnolls. Meanwhile, the bard finally finishes her song on the whistle with a large flourish and joins the group outside the tower. The young woman introduces herself as Kanndra Dark and invites them into her and her husband’s tower. In the tower, it looks like a prepper’s haven. Bottles everywhere that hold various things from pickles to odd things being preserved. Far in the back, there is a staircase that leads up to the 2nd story. Hanging off in a space near the staircase is a swing with a bucket seat and a latch. They could all hear the coughing from upstairs. Kanndra’s husband, Zelkor’s necromancer is lowered down to join the party. He is an apparently decrepit masculine human who seems in pain but able to move with some ease. Ulman Dark has been in the town for a very long time. This area offers them the ability to study their unconventional ways of healing without the prying eyes and regulations of Gylidd Syn Aethri.
It seems that the group's paladin is able to talk with ease with many different people. Zetwuzadi explains everything they had heard from Pye. The Darks share a look but Kanndra turns back to the group and shares what she knows about the Gnolls. It does indeed look like there are only five that are attacking the town. The Gnolls seem to be out of their minds and impossible to reason with. Kanndra further explains that she had tried to talk with them but they seem to be lost in bloodlust and their hunger for flesh. Apparently, they have a camp on a hilltop that they are able to watch over the valley. The town wants to build farms outside the walls but with the Gnoll problem, this will be impossible until they are dealt with. The group asks about the bear. Kanndra doesn’t know if the bear is suffering from the same problem as the Gnolls but it isn’t blood that the fur is tinged with but just their natural coat color. The bear seems to possibly be protecting something or could be possibly madden but the hunter is unsure. Kanndra explains that the “large witch” might just be the forest being tricky. As she approached the general area of the woods, they seemed to grow darker as she traveled closer, no matter the time of day. She does believe that there is something activity driving away wildlife in the area. The hunter believes it is far above her speciality and trusts that it is supernatural in nature.
When asked about the fortress off to the east, Kanndra Dark explains that they had heard a rumor that long ago a Merchant Lord of Kor, Calaelen, had tried to make a settlement out here but nothing of the Calaelen name is found in recent history. The fortress is built into a very large cliffside with two round towers on the exterior on the southwest and southeast edges with an inner keep. It looks like castle and it is currently inhabited by some sort of humanoid which Kanndra assumes is yet more Gnolls. As the group seemed satisfied with what the expert hunter had told them about the surrounding areas, they turned their attention to the various liquids and such in the room.
Ulman Dark does not raise the dead to be the undead but to live through potions and not divine powers. The bard spots a jar of pickles and asks for one, later purchasing the entire jar. The necromancer has been working his entire life on his unconventional methods of raising dead and extending life. He does this because he wants to leave his mark on the world. He offers that if any of them was to perish and they brought the body to him that he would raise them to fight again. This process would be cheaper for them if they partake in his studies. The old man brings out some potions of Dark Healing for the group. Near the back of the room, various items are being enchanted and worked on. Some of the party members purchase various potions from the necromancer and they take their leave.
As they head back to Bristleback’s Inn, they order some more food and drink and head back to one of the rooms to discuss what they had learned. Their companion, Ansible, was still occupied elsewhere. Jalen freely admits that he doesn’t trust Ulman Dark. Croaker seems caught up with the fact that they are a Necromancer. Arddan does inform them that Kobek has looked into what Ulman works on in the Dark’s Tower, and it all seems legit if a bit unconventional. Their Wrenjer guide informs the group that he is going to stay in Zelkor’s Ferry to help out the local guards and to keep the area safe for them. It would be wise of them to make the town stable while they are here as both a cover and as it is the correct thing to do. They need to figure out why the Brume is retreating. They discuss that no one brought up the statue they had seen on their trip down the river. It is discussed that the town has other problems to think and deal with and that an ominous statue would just further exacerbate their troubles. While all this was happening, Ambrose had summoned a baby platypus as their familiar. The night trickles by as the group continues their talk in the back room. They discuss tactics and which of the problems they should handle first.
