On the way to our next and final destination, I use the time we have to talk to Loral about the Dwarvern Monastery. She told me that long ago it was inhabited by followers of Torag, the Dwarvern god of protection and creation, but it was since taken over and desecrated by followers of Droskar. Droskar used to be one of the Torag's smith students but was caught stealing ideas from those he enslaved. Because of this he was banished and cursed never to be able to have an original idea of his own. His followers believe that life is only proved successful with toil and hardships but this extends to anything to achieve one's goal, including lying, cheating and far worse crimes. It is rumoured to have great riches lost beneath the crumbling remains. She also briefly mentioned the story of Druingar the Glint-axe, one of the Dwarf's greatest heroes who ventured below to find such wealth but was never seen again. I did not like the sound of Droskar or his Crucible and I could see Loral did not like talking of him any longer so I ceased my questions. I had learned enough as it was.
It took nearly another full day to find the old monastery, the forest is a long and difficult trek.The monastery was in ruins and no signs of life could be seen. We had to tread carefully as even though I could not sense any evil, this place felt dark and absent of good. We approached from the South and made our way to the crumbled wall that would have acted as an outside defence. Straight ahead of us, across the court yard, we could see the main double door which used to act as the main entrance. To our left was the only standing corner tower of the perimeter wall. But what caught my attention was the human body that was lying still in the middle of the courtyard. With no regard for my own safety, I walked into the courtyard to see if I could be of any help to the poor person. Sadly, I was long too late. Not even Loral's powers could help him now.
Jäger and Oakey used this as an opportunity to sneak towards the tower, hoping if anything was watching us, it was distracted by me. Loral watched on as she later told me, she was in awe with respect by my bravery. I searched the body in hopes of discovering who he was and to return his body to the right people but all I found was some adventuring gear, most of which I handed over to Oakey as he seemed the type of person who would make use of that type of equipment.
Jäger called Loral and myself over, he was keen to enter the tower and wanted to be sure there was sufficient back up as none of knew what to expect in a place like this. With Oakey's and Jäger's combined strength, they were able to push the stuck door open enough for me to enter. It was a storage area, filled with barrels and covered in cobwebs. The only other thing in the room to stand out was the remains of wooden stairs that lead to a hatch in the ceiling that presumably would take you to the next and final floor of the tower. Oakey volunteered to investigate.
With some careful footing, Oakey was able to silently, but more importantly, safely reach the hatch and opened it slowly. It was the shutting of the trap door that was quick. Once he was back at the bottom of the stairs he informed us that the attic of the tower had become a nest to a very large spider, possibly five feet long if it's legs were spread out flat. Needless to say, we left the tower and headed to the double door leading into the main building of Droskar's Crucible.
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
The Cauldron That Almost Killed Me.
Thankfully Loral's healing spell gave me enough energy to join the battle against the animated witch's cauldron. I strike as true as I could but my weapon seemed to not affect it, instead my blade merely bounced or grazed the thing. Jäger calls out to the witch, asking her to cease her attacks as we did not intend to steal from her but if she heard she did not respond. Nor did the cauldron stop it's attack. So strong was the cauldron's attack that it's next flurry knocked me unconscious.
Later I was to discover that while I was out Oakey managed to pull me out of harms way as Loral defended me against further attacks. Once outside of the building, Loral managed to heal me one last time. I came around to find Loral locked in combat with this evil guardian as Oakey and Jäger attack with their bows.
The battle seemed hopeless. The attacks coming from Oakey, Jäger and myself seemed to be doing nothing to it. It's movements only seemed to be slowed by Loral's attacks with her Mace. It is that mace that finally splits the cauldron's hard shell and caused it to fall lifelessly to the ground. Loral and I stood guard beside it as Jäger re-entered the cottage to search for our next ingredient.
He was not gone long before he joined us outside with enough rat's tail to help the entire town of Falcon's Hollow. But what interested me perhaps even more, was his decision to bring out another artefact with him. A shrunken head. I used my ability to detect evil and found none so I tried not to think any more of it, but I will not lie, it was creepy.
Later I was to discover that while I was out Oakey managed to pull me out of harms way as Loral defended me against further attacks. Once outside of the building, Loral managed to heal me one last time. I came around to find Loral locked in combat with this evil guardian as Oakey and Jäger attack with their bows.
The battle seemed hopeless. The attacks coming from Oakey, Jäger and myself seemed to be doing nothing to it. It's movements only seemed to be slowed by Loral's attacks with her Mace. It is that mace that finally splits the cauldron's hard shell and caused it to fall lifelessly to the ground. Loral and I stood guard beside it as Jäger re-entered the cottage to search for our next ingredient.
He was not gone long before he joined us outside with enough rat's tail to help the entire town of Falcon's Hollow. But what interested me perhaps even more, was his decision to bring out another artefact with him. A shrunken head. I used my ability to detect evil and found none so I tried not to think any more of it, but I will not lie, it was creepy.
Arrival at Elizmiller's
Putting as much distance between the remains of the walking corpse of a Kobold and us was a fortunate side effect of progressing deeper towards where Jäger suspected the witch resides. Even though there was a chance of having to deal with a potential witch at our next destination, I was just happy to put that crime against nature behind me. I knew that in the future I will be exposed to great evils that will make an undead Kobold seem tame and that was what scared me to think about. Jäger kept his cold as ice demeanour and I could see Loral's resolve was stronger than ever before. Even Oakey was not fazed by our encounter, I was glad to have such strong companions to inspire me.
So, the four of us pressed on towards the witch's home, following Jäger's lead. Because of Jäger's extensive knowledge and interpretation of the local geography we were able to find a glade exactly where Jäger expected it to be. It was then we all noticed just how eerie the forest had become. The trees seemed to favour spreading their branches away from the glade as if frightened of the building and none of us, not even Jäger, could hear the sound of any wilderness at all. We pressed on nonetheless, the needs of Falcon's Hollow were far more pressing than a little shaken nerves.
Once the trees started to thin I was able to see the witch's dwelling, if it could be called that. In it's prime, the building could have resembled a fetching cottage in the woods but in its current state it was little more than a dilapidated hovel which looked as though only the evil that I could sense within could be holding it up. I looked over towards Loral to find her looking at me, waiting for me to take the lead. I stepped out into the glade towards to building and she followed close behind me. Jäger and Oakey expertly melded into the woods and supplied us with cover in case of the unexpected.
The cottage was darker to look upon than I initially thought. Makeshift skeletons constructed from the remains of all sorts of creatures decorated the open clearing. What little breeze there was caused them to rattle like some sort of troupe of the dead. I had to be a strong example to the rest so I pressed on towards the cottage.
With Loral beside m I approached the door. It was merely half attached to the frame and in as good a shape as the rest of the building looked. Never the less it was jammed shut. Something was blocking it from the inside, but nothing a little brute force could not fix. As Oakey was not to be seen, it fell on me to push it open so I did and with only a little help from Loral.
The inside was even worse than the outside. The musky smell of rot washed over me as the door cleared the pile up from within. You could feel the damp on your skin as it irritated you to your bones. I called out to any one inside under the hopes that the 'witch' still resides within and was misunderstood. There was no answer so Loral followed me inside. The cottage hallway lead to a single room that took up most of the floor space of the ground floor. Mould and rot was everywhere but still standing in the room was a large chair, almost throne made from the bones of a long dead and unrecognisable beast. Sitting in the chair was a dead body wrapped in linen and in front of the throne sat a cauldron which took up most of the floor space. It sat in a hole in the ground making it treacherous to step near.
After having concluded that the building was empty of life (and indeed undead), I called out for Jäger and Oakey to join Loral and myself to help find the ingredient rat's tail. The two of them bleed out of the tree line and join us in our search within the cottage. Oakey and Jäger both look around and tread carefully as they search but in my haste I make a mistake. Jäger investigates the body in the throne as Loral and begin our search at the shelves and workstations that lined the cottage room. Jäger discovers that their is no body wrapped inside the linen but instead it is stuffed with sticks, mud and cloth.
As I reach out to take hold of a full jar to investigate closer, the cauldron bursts into life and attacks. It hits hard and almost incapacitated me. The animated cauldron was then distracted by Jäger's attack just long enough for Loral to cast healing on me so I can continue the fight.
So, the four of us pressed on towards the witch's home, following Jäger's lead. Because of Jäger's extensive knowledge and interpretation of the local geography we were able to find a glade exactly where Jäger expected it to be. It was then we all noticed just how eerie the forest had become. The trees seemed to favour spreading their branches away from the glade as if frightened of the building and none of us, not even Jäger, could hear the sound of any wilderness at all. We pressed on nonetheless, the needs of Falcon's Hollow were far more pressing than a little shaken nerves.
Once the trees started to thin I was able to see the witch's dwelling, if it could be called that. In it's prime, the building could have resembled a fetching cottage in the woods but in its current state it was little more than a dilapidated hovel which looked as though only the evil that I could sense within could be holding it up. I looked over towards Loral to find her looking at me, waiting for me to take the lead. I stepped out into the glade towards to building and she followed close behind me. Jäger and Oakey expertly melded into the woods and supplied us with cover in case of the unexpected.
The cottage was darker to look upon than I initially thought. Makeshift skeletons constructed from the remains of all sorts of creatures decorated the open clearing. What little breeze there was caused them to rattle like some sort of troupe of the dead. I had to be a strong example to the rest so I pressed on towards the cottage.
With Loral beside m I approached the door. It was merely half attached to the frame and in as good a shape as the rest of the building looked. Never the less it was jammed shut. Something was blocking it from the inside, but nothing a little brute force could not fix. As Oakey was not to be seen, it fell on me to push it open so I did and with only a little help from Loral.
The inside was even worse than the outside. The musky smell of rot washed over me as the door cleared the pile up from within. You could feel the damp on your skin as it irritated you to your bones. I called out to any one inside under the hopes that the 'witch' still resides within and was misunderstood. There was no answer so Loral followed me inside. The cottage hallway lead to a single room that took up most of the floor space of the ground floor. Mould and rot was everywhere but still standing in the room was a large chair, almost throne made from the bones of a long dead and unrecognisable beast. Sitting in the chair was a dead body wrapped in linen and in front of the throne sat a cauldron which took up most of the floor space. It sat in a hole in the ground making it treacherous to step near.
After having concluded that the building was empty of life (and indeed undead), I called out for Jäger and Oakey to join Loral and myself to help find the ingredient rat's tail. The two of them bleed out of the tree line and join us in our search within the cottage. Oakey and Jäger both look around and tread carefully as they search but in my haste I make a mistake. Jäger investigates the body in the throne as Loral and begin our search at the shelves and workstations that lined the cottage room. Jäger discovers that their is no body wrapped inside the linen but instead it is stuffed with sticks, mud and cloth.
As I reach out to take hold of a full jar to investigate closer, the cauldron bursts into life and attacks. It hits hard and almost incapacitated me. The animated cauldron was then distracted by Jäger's attack just long enough for Loral to cast healing on me so I can continue the fight.
Sunday, 11 October 2015
The Evil of The Forest Shows Itself.
After the Jäger had collected ample Elder Wood moss, we departed from the tree and went off deeper into the forest to find the witch Elizmiller in the hope she would part with some Rat Tail root.
After a few hours of trekking through thick forest we were attacked by a hideous creature that emerged from the bushes. It stood only two or three feet tall and resembled a humanoid rat-lizard. Better known as a Kobold, but this one looked as if it was dead but still moved. I had heard of such abominations from my teachings at the Temple of Sir Ganther, how wizards and other magic users can use the dead as puppets for their evil deeds. It shuffled towards us wearing only rags but more noticeable was the rat that resided in it's head. The rat was looking at us as while it wore, around it's neck, a small wooden plaque with unreadable script scrawled into it.
Jäger fires a warning shot but the creature continues. Oakey fires a warning shot of his own but the creature continues towards us. Even a second warning shot from Jäger proved not to stop the evil creature so I charged in to attack it with my great sword. Our combat was quick, both of us dishing out blows, his blows of which were easily absorbed by my armour. I managed a couple of slight hits against it but it was Loral who once again proved herself and Morriden to us and by only lifting her holy symbol and chanting a prayer towards the abomination. Right before my eyes, the disgusting creature exploded. All that remained of it was it's vicious looking head of witch the rat scurried off as it left it's small sign behind. Oakey recognised the script as Draconic and pleasantly surprised me with an ability to read it. He informed us that it read "shaman". I could only guess that the Kobold was once a magic user and the rat was his familiar, too lonely and lost to leave his no longer alive master.
After a few hours of trekking through thick forest we were attacked by a hideous creature that emerged from the bushes. It stood only two or three feet tall and resembled a humanoid rat-lizard. Better known as a Kobold, but this one looked as if it was dead but still moved. I had heard of such abominations from my teachings at the Temple of Sir Ganther, how wizards and other magic users can use the dead as puppets for their evil deeds. It shuffled towards us wearing only rags but more noticeable was the rat that resided in it's head. The rat was looking at us as while it wore, around it's neck, a small wooden plaque with unreadable script scrawled into it.
Jäger fires a warning shot but the creature continues. Oakey fires a warning shot of his own but the creature continues towards us. Even a second warning shot from Jäger proved not to stop the evil creature so I charged in to attack it with my great sword. Our combat was quick, both of us dishing out blows, his blows of which were easily absorbed by my armour. I managed a couple of slight hits against it but it was Loral who once again proved herself and Morriden to us and by only lifting her holy symbol and chanting a prayer towards the abomination. Right before my eyes, the disgusting creature exploded. All that remained of it was it's vicious looking head of witch the rat scurried off as it left it's small sign behind. Oakey recognised the script as Draconic and pleasantly surprised me with an ability to read it. He informed us that it read "shaman". I could only guess that the Kobold was once a magic user and the rat was his familiar, too lonely and lost to leave his no longer alive master.
The Adventure Introduces Us To A New Friend.
There seemed to be no immediate danger so Loral and I approached the magnificent tree. Jäger decided it would be wiser for him to keep inside the cover of the trees and skirt the perimeter. Once I was closer into the clearing I could more easily see the bodies in the tree. Rather than being nailed to the tree like the fairy folk we found earlier, they were bound by rope. In absolute disgust to the crime I was witnessing I called out for the foul heretic of the forest to show themselves so justice could be done. Sadly, no one came out to answer for their crimes.
I could no longer bear the sight of the poor people tied to the tree so I decided I must cut them down and lay their bodies to rest so they could finally get some peace. I removed my chain mail so I could climb the tree unhindered. That proved to be a mistake. Only moments after I laid my chain mail upon the ground, a hideous creature burst out of hiding from within the tree's many twisted roots. It's appearance almost caused my to recoil in disgust. It resembled a snake the size of a man with a large head and am upper body to support it's claw ended arms. Jäger managed to score a strong hit on it with an arrow that seemed to appear from nowhere. This gave me the chance and success to strike it with my great sword but only moments after that the foul creature was bested with an expertly placed arrow to the head. Needless to say that the beast was killed with only a scratch taken by me.
Without a moment more to waste, I began to climb the tree but that was my second mistake. The scratch I received earlier seemed to take more out of me than I thought. I lost my grip when only a mere ten feet up the tree and fell to the ground. The fall combined with the attack I already sustained caused me to fall unconscious.
I awoke a little while later, still under the cover from the gargantuan tree's branches by the care of Loral. The first thing I saw when I woke was the smile on her face and relief in her eyes. Jäger had not been idle either, he had bravely climbed the tree and cut down the bodies and laid them in a row on the ground. Clasped in their hands were their swords as they lay rested on their chests. Jäger had also searched them for clues in order to help us find any family who are looking for these poor men. He found a ring, a signet ring emblazoned with the image of a flaming hawk upon it.
Thanks to Loral's healing I was back on my feet and ready to make camp a little way into the forest so we could rest up for the night as we still had a long way to go before we can help the poor people of Falcon's Hollow.
The morning came after a peaceful night. As we were almost done in breaking camp man appeared across a the clearing. I called out to the stranger as I sensed no evil in him. He was a strong looking man, tall and confident. On his back he too carried a bow and attached to his belt was an array of tools and equipment to help him in his adventures. He called out in response to me and introduced himself as Oakey and he had been looking for us. He had heard of our deeds and what we intended to do for the people of Falcon's Hollow and tracked us here. He had come to Falcon's Hollow looking for adventure and possible hidden fortunes to discover. Also he was struck sympathetic of it's people and their plight. He sought us out so he could help us in our deed. Jäger gave no real strong liking of this man but I knew he was a man of good and I was happy to let him join us in our quest to rid Falcon's Hollow of The Black Scour Taint.
I could no longer bear the sight of the poor people tied to the tree so I decided I must cut them down and lay their bodies to rest so they could finally get some peace. I removed my chain mail so I could climb the tree unhindered. That proved to be a mistake. Only moments after I laid my chain mail upon the ground, a hideous creature burst out of hiding from within the tree's many twisted roots. It's appearance almost caused my to recoil in disgust. It resembled a snake the size of a man with a large head and am upper body to support it's claw ended arms. Jäger managed to score a strong hit on it with an arrow that seemed to appear from nowhere. This gave me the chance and success to strike it with my great sword but only moments after that the foul creature was bested with an expertly placed arrow to the head. Needless to say that the beast was killed with only a scratch taken by me.
Without a moment more to waste, I began to climb the tree but that was my second mistake. The scratch I received earlier seemed to take more out of me than I thought. I lost my grip when only a mere ten feet up the tree and fell to the ground. The fall combined with the attack I already sustained caused me to fall unconscious.
I awoke a little while later, still under the cover from the gargantuan tree's branches by the care of Loral. The first thing I saw when I woke was the smile on her face and relief in her eyes. Jäger had not been idle either, he had bravely climbed the tree and cut down the bodies and laid them in a row on the ground. Clasped in their hands were their swords as they lay rested on their chests. Jäger had also searched them for clues in order to help us find any family who are looking for these poor men. He found a ring, a signet ring emblazoned with the image of a flaming hawk upon it.
Thanks to Loral's healing I was back on my feet and ready to make camp a little way into the forest so we could rest up for the night as we still had a long way to go before we can help the poor people of Falcon's Hollow.
The morning came after a peaceful night. As we were almost done in breaking camp man appeared across a the clearing. I called out to the stranger as I sensed no evil in him. He was a strong looking man, tall and confident. On his back he too carried a bow and attached to his belt was an array of tools and equipment to help him in his adventures. He called out in response to me and introduced himself as Oakey and he had been looking for us. He had heard of our deeds and what we intended to do for the people of Falcon's Hollow and tracked us here. He had come to Falcon's Hollow looking for adventure and possible hidden fortunes to discover. Also he was struck sympathetic of it's people and their plight. He sought us out so he could help us in our deed. Jäger gave no real strong liking of this man but I knew he was a man of good and I was happy to let him join us in our quest to rid Falcon's Hollow of The Black Scour Taint.
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