Session #9: The Cleric's Fall

The party talked for a minute to determine their next move, and decided to get in the coach and carry on their way. After only traveling for a few minutes they came upon the rest of the caravan, who were surprised and a little wary to see them. So wary in fact that they sent them on their way, letting them take the couch without any further questions.

The party rode on until late the next afternoon (17 Eyre), when they reached the city of Askelios, at the foot of the Star Peaks. Taumir had been acting aggressive and suspicious all day and now argued that the party should go into town without him so he wouldn't be recognized by anybody. Edge and Akta went into town and asked around about the Whisper Woods. They met a farmer who mentioned that his brother had spent some time in the woods, but was currently doing some woodcutting a long way away.

Returning to the camp outside of town they found that Taumir had fortified the spot by building a moat. The rest of the party was beginning to feel a bit jumpy themselves, but the night passed without incident. The next day (18 Eyre), the party hiked into the Whisper Woods. Before long, they came upon Taumir's old camp, which lay in ruins. It didn't look like anyone had been to this spot in a long time. Edge found a few gold pieces on the ground, and Taumir found a scroll he thought was long lost, but they didn't find much else of value.

While the party was puzzling over what to do next, a fox wandered into the clearing where they stood. They could tell at once that it was not just a fox, but a fox spirit, a fact that intrigued and excited Azeri. To their shock, however, the fox only spoke one word: "Run." And then it ran for its life. The party followed, only to find themselves pursued by an Owl-Bear! They turned, they fought, they defeated, and then they feasted!

After lunch, they heard someone moving in the woods near by them, just down a hill. Azeri and Taumir decided to try to sneak up on them. Taumir failed miserably, falling down the hill to land at their feet. The surprised peasants answered the questions he asked them, and were genuinely startled when Azeri snuck up on them. They didn't have much useful to say, though.

The party was frustrated with their lack of progress in finding out anything about the Thirteenth Moon, so they decided to wait for evening to see if some star-gazing would help. In the meantime, Edge rested, Tselem studied magic, while Taumir took Azeri to see the Whisper Rock, an interesting formation nearby.

That evening, the fox spirit returned, much to Azeri's delight. As it approached, and she prepared to commune with it, a hunter's arrow struck the animal vessel dead! Azeri's shock and rage was palpable - in fact the entire forest suddenly went dark and the party realized that something terrible had just happened. Azeri stood, and turned around, and the party saw literal darkness overtaking her - her eyes had gone black, and they could sense dark magic gathering around her. She rushed the shooter, a poor farmer they could see at the edge of the clearing. She struck him dead with a single blow, and then tore off in the direction of Askelios!

Rewards

• 700 XP each.
• In the forest you found a Watcher's Horn. It's in the Player's Handbook 2, which I have a PDF of. The description: "This small black horn produces no noise when sounded, but it awakens your slumbering friends and makes them ready to fight (as a minor action)."