Session 4: The Gloomhaven Thicket
General Summary
Guided by Amara, the party ventured further west for ten miles, encountering a hippogriff and two drakes along the way. Their journey took a mysterious turn when they spotted a pale, emaciated pseudo-human lurking among the trees. This creature, emanating a magical aura detected by Amara, was soon joined by three identical beings, all observing the party from a distance. Without warning, these spectral figures began to vanish one by one, and in a swift, chilling moment, Buzzbee was snatched away.
Amara and Jaque, quick to react, discovered that these attackers were illusions when Amara's swipe caused one to dissipate. Jaque spotted Buzzbee being bound by a thick, mucus-like substance, and his magic missiles forced the real creature into the shadows. The ensuing combat was fierce, with the creature launching repeated attacks. As it latched onto Amara, it inflicted her with visions of her own life, seemingly stealing her memories before attempting to flee. The party gave chase, relentlessly battling until the creature was brought to the brink of defeat.
As it lay weakened, the creature taunted them with its knowledge of Amara's secrets. In a tense confrontation, Jaque intervened as Amara attempted to deliver a killing blow, using the creature to expose the hidden pasts of each party member before Amara ended its life with a spell. The revelations sparked heated debates among the group, urging them to share their own secrets openly.
Amidst their argument, a beam of moonlight pierced the canopy, illuminating Buzzbee's bag from which a grotesque transformation began. Etta's severed head, undergoing a lycanthropic change, lashed out, knocking Jaque unconscious. Her transformation continued rapidly until Buzzbee's scorching rays halted it. Miraculously, the wounds healed instantly, and Etta stood rejuvenated, shedding years of age in moments.
Etta revealed herself as the first "fateless," created by a clandestine society from Anyimelle to be an immortal and formidable weapon. Her curse of aging was broken by the party's actions, specifically her dismemberment, which dispelled the curse, allowing her to regenerate. With a somber farewell, she left them with a foreboding message: "Give up. You cannot save the world."
After her departure, the group, needing to recover, gathered food and shared stories by the campfire. The long rest that followed saw each member of the party gain 750 XP, reflecting on the night's revelations and the ominous advice of Etta.
Thoralf Cinder
Amara Ashbrooke
Jaque Laument
BuzzBee
Report Date
21 Apr 2024
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