Session 1: Summary

Date of Session: 02 April 2024

Player's in Attendance

Summary

Arrival to Dry Creek

Ailish, more of a local to the Hamlet of Dry Creek, had arrived at the beginning of Growfest and had been spending the week enjoying festivities and the company of friends while asking around the community about any additional rumors of animal mutations. About mid-week, Kaleel had come into the Hamlet upon his horse, inquiring about the humanoid incursion rumors. Toward the tail end of the Growfest week, Ludwick and Orryn had come into the Hamlet to investigate the rumors of caravan raids. Collectively gathering at the only Inn/Tavern in town, the groups inevitably found their way to one another and quickly realized they all had a common goal before them and decided to embark together.

Those new to town, met with the three primary town elders:

• Elias Dent: owner and operator of The Jolly Farmer (the only Inn and Tavern in the Hamlet). Elias is a slighltly portly fellow standing 5' 8" tall and weighing about 220 lbs. Though he does have a bit of a belly, he is a stout, broad shouldered man in his late 30's. He has amber eyes and black curly hair, slightly balding in the back. He has a thick black beard and mustache.
• Elena Tween: a local teacher who helps the Hamlet with literacy, especially the youngsters. Elena is also a priestest of Pelor and keeps the Hamlet focused on the tenants of light, health, and community. She is a mid-20's, beautiful Flan female with dark wavy hair and eyes black as night. Her skin is unblemished with an amber tone and she is usually found around town wearing the gleaming white robes of Pelor.
• Ulrich Lettson: the town butcher. He and his family raise and ultimately slaughter much of the meat (goat, some cattle, and swine) that the Hamlet consumes. His two sons help him with this endeavor and the town profits greatly from the trade his business brings when caravans pass through. Ulrich is early 40s with sun brown skin and looks more like a blacksmith than a butcher. He has brown eyes and is bald but has a thick beard and mustache of black wavy hair.

Information Gathering

While speaking with the town elders, the party learned that caravans come through about once a month back and forth between these small outland villages and hamlets carrying goods between the villages and to and from the larger cities to the south. Of late, within the past 6 months, caravans rolling through have spoken of several misfortunes along the road north of Dry Creek. Reports have mostly included vandalism and stolen goods, though some have reported beatings and a rare kidnapping or killing. All of the stories have included a strange four-armed "devil" that has lead a bunch of small, reptilian bipedal humanoid creatures. These creatures are armed with various weapons and some have strange magical powers they use to wreak havoc upon passing caravans. As quickly as they attack, they leave, always taking something of value. Dependant upon trade for survival, the caravans have thus far done the best they can with the situation. Some have tried hiring help and others have attempted cooperation in the form of giving goods to the attackers versus having them forcably taken. However, with recent escalations including death and kidnapping, the caravans are more worried than ever.

Additionally, Brother Tagg (Syward Tagg) from a nearby monastery, who visits regularly on market days to trade with the Hamlet and always spends several days in town during Growfest, has not been seen at all this week. There is some worry about his health given that the monastery is just at the base of the mountains to the north of the Hamlet and the attacks on caravans have occurred along the same path Brother Tagg would have to take.

Northbound

Armed with various bits of information about the situation, the party leaves out the following morning to begin a search northward. After a couple of hours march north, among rolling foot hills leading to the base of The Griff Mountains, Ludwick and Ailish notice signs of humaniod tracks having taken a round about path from between a couple of hills, directly toward the wagon trail they are following. Further investigation reveals a large rock face rising from between the two cliffs, covered in vines and shrubbery, effectively shadowing what lies beyond.

As Ludwick uses a nearby stick with light cast upon the tip of it to push through the vines in an attempt to see what lies beyond, the stick is suddenly grabbed and pulled in only to be turned around, lighted end facing back at them. Within a few moments, a cloaked figure steps forth from the cavity beyond. This is Ulgren, who has been searching south from the monastery in search of his fellow monk, Brother Tagg. He stumbled across a similar set of humanoid tracks on the north side of the hills and they led him here only moments earlier. He had just begun to investigate the cavity beyond the vines when he heard the approach of the others.

Greatings made and a tentative, mutual trust in place, the collective party entered into the cavity to continue searching for clues.

A Hidden Secret

Behind the thick vines, the party found themselves in a large cavernous area with smooth stone walls on three sides. Directly in front of them on the far wall was the outline of a stone door but one with no pull ring or apparent means of opening. A scene was depicted in relief upon the door of a hooded man administering a potion to an enshrouded, skeletal corpse. Behind them, an empty sarcophagus stood waiting. On the left (or western) wall was a carving of a tall, life-sized, hooded man resembling the man on the central doorway. On the right (or eastern) wall was a carving of a life-sized skeleton wrapped in a shroud.

Ludwick, the Cleric, felt a strong connection within this cavernous area and after several minutes of searching and contemplating how to get through the central door, Ulgren spoke up about finding a seam present in the eastern wall. Commenting on how deep the stone was cut around the skeletons chest and mouth, he suggested that perhaps Ludwick may try administering some potion or liquid into the carving of the skeleton. Upon doing so, a whirring sound could be heard and a secret door opened along the seam upon the eastern wall revealing a dark, man made passageway of fine stone tiled flooring beyond. Lighting torches, the party entered.

First Contact

As careful and quietly as they possibly could (which wasn't really all that quiet given the heavy armor of Kaleel), the party entered into the darkened passageway and after a few turns came upon a stout wooden door. Kaleel and the others could hear sounds of something going on behind the door but couldn't make out the exact nature. It was a gutteral, speech like noise but one they did not recognize. Checking the door for being locked and finding it was not, Kaleel opened the door surprising those beyond.

Directly across from the doorway sat five small, reptilian like, bipedal humanoids with spears nearby. However, they were focused on some sort of game they played while sitting around a circle of chalk. On the wall to the right, stood a larger reptilian-like humanoid figure in chain armor, hefting a large mace. An exit door across the room in the northwest corner could be seen and along the west wall stood a dented, but large, gong.

Melee ensued and much carnage was doled out by Kaleel, killing two of the humanoids rather quickly with his Lucern hammer. Orryn fired off several magic missiles to aid in the endeavor while Ailish attempted range attacks with a sling. Ulgren grappled one of the humanoids to hold for interrogation while Ludwick eased into the melee in an attempt to do the same. Ludwick tried a command spell on the chain wearing humanoid but it did not seem to take. Meanwhile, one of the humanoids managed to bang the gong, presumably to sound some alarm, before fleeing out the door opposite that which the party entered but the gong made only a slight noise for being such a large gong. Ludwick pursued the fleeing humanoid and was able to dispatch him. Eventually, Kaleel got the better of the mace weilding, chain wearing humanoid who attempted to run but found himself running right into Ludwick. Knocking him unconscious, Ludwick immediately stabilized the humanoid in hopes of interrogating this one as well.

Kaleel looked over the bodies of the fallen and found little in the way of valuables and only a mere 13 copper.

And thus, session 1 was concluded...