Sessions #40 & #41: The Creatures in the Wilderness (Parts I & II)

Session #40

After their victory over the ghouls at the edge of the Watching Wood, the party continued their journey through said forest. Two days later, on 23 Lhavrion, they emerged, and found themselves on  a hill overlooking Blackwater Lake. The Lake was huge, almost like an inland sea, and indeed had a dark and foreboding look to it. It was bordered on the south (the party's left) by a dank-looking marsh, and there was a large field between the bottom of their current hill and the shore. And in this field was a huge army! The party recognized Fomorian, huge, ghastly looking creatures, who appeared to be in command, and cyclopes.

The party was naturally skittish as to how to proceed. But before they could come to any decision, a small detachment of two Fomorians and two cyclopes came up the hill near them. The huge, ugly creatures attacked these intruders, and a fierce battle commenced!

Session #41

It was a pitched battle. The cyclopes, while not easy to defeat, proved manageable. The Fomorians however were hardy and relentless. The party was wearing them down, but it became a battle of attrition, each side wailing on the other trying to wear them down the fastest.

The party was nearing victory when all of sudden a war-cry split the air. Everyone looked up to see a huge army of half-orcs emerge from the marsh to the south and charge the Fomorian-Cyclops army! A ferocious, rather one-sided battle erupted - the half-orcs were tearing through the cyclopes like it was nothing. The Fomorians who were still fighting the party roared in anger and abandoned their fight with the heroes and ran back to help their troops.

The party sat down to rest and tend to their wounds, watching the battle in horrified fascination. It was clear the half-orc army was going to win, but the party wasn't sure what they themselves should do. The enemy of their enemy was their friend, they supposed, so they figured the half-orcs would be allies in this situation, and if they wanted their good graces, they'd have to join the fray. They were understandably reluctant to do so, but girded their loins and prepared to fight again.

As they were preparing though, two half-orc soldiers came up the hill. Upon seeing them, they reacted as if they'd been looking for the heroes, and ordered the party to come with them. The party was confused and a little suspicious, but curious enough that they decided to follow.

The soldiers led them to the half-orc army's camp deeper in the marsh, and then to a tent within the camp. There, a half-orc cleric greeted them. He informed them that the Order of the Lantern, whom they had encountered a month or so ago (and had more or less declined to help them with their quest for a counter-ritual), had been keeping an eye on them, and was now willing to reconsider their original refusal and make a deal. The cleric then left the tent, just assuming they would follow. The party shouted some questions after him, but he was just the messenger come to fetch them, and he had no answers.

The party was a bit nonplussed. There weren't happy being bossed around by these half-orcs, they weren't happy at the fact they seemed to be getting farther and farther away (both geographically and figuratively) from getting paid, they weren't happy that they didn't feel like their excursions into Droaam had really netted any answers to the questions they'd come here with. They debated for a while what to do. In the end, their desire to continue towards the goal of obtaining the counter-ritual outweighed other considerations, and they decided to go with the cleric.

The cleric, a few soldiers, and the party headed out almost immediately. They crossed over into the Shadow Marches, and followed the Blackwater River downstream for a day (camping overnight). The half-orcs did not have much to say, and gave only terse responses to questions, and the party finally gave up asking.

Around noon on 24 Lhavrion, they arrived in the half-orc city of Arashuul.

Rewards

• 13,000 XP each. You're up to level 18 now!
• 60,000 GP total.

Session #39: The Darkness in their Minds

The party set about to explore the conquered fortress. They were relived to learn that there were no other traps or monsters hiding about. The main and upper levels were pretty boring - they found some loot, but there wasn't much else to see.

When they ventured down into the dungeon, however, it was a much different story. Here, tucked away in one of the dank cells was a human man. He emaciated, filthy, and clearly tramautized. The party tried to coax him out and speak to him, but if they so much as came near him he began to scream and flail. He also kept chanting, "Blackwater, Blackwater, Blackwater..."

The party decided they couldn't just leave him there, so Taumir used a knock-out potion he had to put the man out, at which point Edge flung him over his shoulder and carried him out. Having seen and found all there was to see, the party left the fortress behind.

They debated whether to return to Breland, and if so, how. But the poor wretch's chants of "Blackwater" had made them think of Blackwater Lake, a wicked place ever deeper inside Droaam. Perhaps there there was some connection to the illithids and other monsters that were threatening Breland. After some debate, they decided to go to the lake. This raised the question of whether to go through The Watching Wood, or around. Either way was risky, so they decided to just go through.

About an hour after they started their journey, the former prisoner woke up. He began having another fit, and threw himself off of Edge. He then screamed, "They come from Blackwater!" and tore off into the forest. The party sighed, and felt bad for him, but figured there was nothing more they could do for him, and moved on.

Three days later, late in the day on 21 Lhavrion, the party entered the Watching Wood. Naturally, there were immediately attacked. A swarm of ten ghouls, flesh-eating zombie-like creatures, came at them in the dim light of the dense forest. The party sprang into action, and scoured their enemies before them, slaying all ten!

Rewards

• 5,000 XP each!
• By my count, this means Azeri and Taumir should level up to 18, but the rest of the party stays at level 17.
• 33,000 GP total
• You find a Fire Horn (Player's Handbook 2, p. 210)

Session #38: The Noise and the Fury

The party kicked in the front door to find a whole band of villains waiting for them - a few humans, a few demon-looking creatures, a few lizard-like creatures. A wild, close-quarters battle erupted in the entryway to the fortress. Arrows, spells, and swords flew through the air!

In short order, the humans they were facing were revealed instead to be Rakshasa, vicious, tiger-like humanoids with a flair for illusions. The party members hired by Baron Murchasen were naturally reminded of the time they faced some of these creatures about six weeks prior, but they could not make any connections. Not that they were particularly inclined to - they were fighting for their lives!

One by one, the foes that stood against the party fell. The last few hung on for a while, refusing to die, as the party wearied of fighting them, but in time they too succumbed. The fortress had been won!

Rewards

• 10,000 XP each!
• 11,000 GP total.

Session #37: The Meeting Behind Enemy Lines

As the party stopped to catch their breath after the fight, they became aware of two figures coming through the trees, an odd-looking human male and a Dragonborn female. The party was naturally wary and suspicious, and when the two figures saw them, they were on their guard as well. But they did not attack, and announced themselves to be Kurtz and Yseult, the only two survivors of a Brelish mercenary group sent into Droaam to strike back at raiders.

The party was unsure of whether to trust these newcomers, but it quickly became apparent they had the same goals and masters (Kurtz & Yseult work for The Lady Orla Donella, another Breland noble) and that they were going to charge into the danger that they could all sense coming from the fortress. This combined party made their way to the fortress walls, examining it and each other warily.

They looked around for a little bit, remaining unnoticed. Their investigations were not terribly successful, but they had all come too far to turn back now, especially when their employers would almost certainly expect them to finish the job. So they braced themselves for the fight ahead and made ready to kick in the front door.