Session 252 - Molok Island

General Summary

5^th to 20^th of Larane (Second month of Summer) 725TR

The story so far

The heroes have learned that the Church of Morgath plans to unleash a plague on the Thardic Republic, ferment chaos, and then install a dictator. These evil priests have a secret base on Molok Island where they experiment with all manner of vile diseases, cruelly using lepers as test subjects.

The party is in the City of Golotha, attempting to gather as much information as possible about this diabolical island.

This is the continuation of Session 251 - The Dragon Deception.

Location - City of Golotha in the Kingdom of Rethem.

Part 1 - Homecoming

On arriving in the City of Golotha, Acheron immediately visits his physician father at the Crimson Hands Surgery. After a warm reunion, Kiron Osiris discovers that his father has smuggled Lepers out of the Kingdom to a Peonian Leper colony in Kanday. He learns that the Church of Morgath uses black ships to deliver new residences and supplies to Molok Island. None of the patients have ever been seen again.

Meanwhile, Jolanta visits the Temple of Save-K'nor, a.k.a the Library of Lost Merethos, and finds an old map detailing the critical features of the Island. These include;

The Leper Village
The Temple to Morgath
The central hill contains an extensive cave network (referred to as the Bat Cave).
Various crypts, some of which are submerged.

A fisherman tells Acheron that the lepers can be seen working in the village, but all appear to shamble and almost exactly repeat their actions daily as if they are following a set pattern. He also learns of legends of an undead horror called Ithu’rath that will obliterate any who gets too close to the Island. The only safe place to dock a vessel is at the wharf.

At the Temple of Halea, a.k.a the Church of Hidden Beauty, Jolanta questions her acquaintance, the Mistress of the Luxuriant Page, Priestess Desilea Roesia. However, she is of little help, either not knowing any valuable information or, if she does, being unwilling to divulge it. However, Jolanta is invited to the next holy service.

Local rumormongers whisper that the Priests of Morgath run an extensive underground complex under Molok's islands temple, "Many ways in, but no way out."

Part 2 - Molok Island

Molok Island, art by Attacus

The party makes their way to a small nearby islet and observes Molok Island from a safe distance for a few days.

The Island is gloomy and sparely populated. A bog and ruins cover the northern portion, a hill with a large dead tree in the center, and a grim temple complex up a southern embankment. The hill has two large cave openings, and dozens of lepers can be seen shuffling about the shabby, poorly maintained-village. They do indeed seem to be following a set pattern. The party speculates that they could be zombies or illusions. They turn out to be undead as they spot a black ship arriving at the dock. Priests of Morgath disembark and direct the locals (undead) to haul boxes and crates either up and into the caves on the hill or to the temple.

On the third night, the party decided to visit. Jolanta casts Water Breathing on the party, and they make their way underwater. Unfortunately, there is a guard—a mass of flesh-dissolving tentacles attacks. The Ithu’rath has tremendous psionic abilities, sealing Jolantas mouth shut. Luckily Mind Prison does not have verbal components, and Jolanta temporarily entraps the monstrosity. The party quickly deals with this evil guardian before it can break free and inflect more flesh, warping havoc.

Part 3 - The Bat Cave

The party emerges from the water at the swampy northern section of the Island and decides to sneak up to the Bat Cave. Sadly they are spotted and attacked by two undead. Luckily the Gulmorvin are dispatched without drawing attention.

The party slinks up the hill and enters the large guano-covered caves to investigate the mysterious creates and barrels they noted previously. Enormous white bats are resting. The heroes have battled these disease-ridden beasts, a.k.a. Morgath's Spawn, before and dispense with them easily.

To be continued.