The Stony Lands - Session #8

After a hearty breakfast, a small group of the party headed out with newly recruited companions, returning to the tomb where so many have already died. The journey was accomplished with ease, and the reduced party quickly took to exploring deeper.

Within, they discovered a pair of doors, sealed closed by mortar, and with the aid of their henchmen, one door was unsealed. Within, they discovered a foul creature of undeath, with a beard, bushy red and long, but devoid of any ring, Fearsome as the creature was, they group made short work of it, quickly looting the room before breaking down the second door.

Within the second room was another such creature, and though their blades struck true, this monster seemed unconcerned with the wounds it bore. Before they could react, the creature they had thought they had slain emerged behind them, blocking their exit, and the two reached out, their foul touch reducing two brave fighting women to withered husks. The aid of Pyros was called, and with the power of his holy flaming club and the force of Tom’s wizardly spells, the two beasts were vanquished.

That night a funeral service was held for the fallen, after the group, having found the end of the tomb but no sign of the promised beard ring, searched carefully for some sign of hidden doors, or secret ways. There were none.

The next day, the four searched around the outside, suspecting there might be a secret entrance elsewhere in the burial mound, and sure enough, as dusk fell, Pauee the thief discovered a door hidden on the far side from the main entrance. Pushing the door ajar, Pauee let out a great shriek, her hands turned black and limp, and her once nimble fingers rendered useless.

Unperturbed, the group pressed on, and sure enough, within they found the black stone ring they had been searching for, entombed with the skeletal remains of a proud warrior.

A second night was spent within the musty halls of the dead before the group, laden by their loot, made their way back to town. They soon noticed something amiss. As they approached, the horizon glowed orange, an unusual sight, and it soon became clear that the town of Red Port was ablaze.

The villagers of Ferrytown did not seem to welcome the weary adventurers back from their journeys. In fact, they were treated with borderline hostility, blamed for the blaze in the city caused by a great fireball from the sky earlier that day. All decided this must be the work of Pyros, and few rejoiced at his cleansing flames.

After depositing their loot and the ruined Pauee, the three with a thirst for adventure this day headed to the shore to watch their lord’s work. Upon arrival, they heard the plight of a wealthy merchant called Merrik, whose daughter was supposedly stranded in his town house amidst the blaze. Unable to turn down the promise of wealth, and accompanied by a young man in search of glory, the group headed into the city.

Thanks to the guidance of their employer’s manservant Frederik, the search for Maeve was hampered only by the quick blades of the cities brigands and cut-purses who had descended upon the house. Upon their exit, accompanied by the fair maiden, the group encountered what Maurak determined to be an elemental being of fire, which quickly consumed the mansion, thankfully devoid of the adventurers who were rowing back across the river, feeling empowered by the works of their god.

Rewarded for the return of Maeve with an amulet engraved with ancient script, and laden with mounds of treasure, the party retired for the evening to count their coins and plan their next actions. The sun set opposite the glowing inferno that marked the last day of Red Port on the 59th day of Frosshar.