Session 8: Buying the Farm Report

General Summary

The day after returning to Donborough, the party decided to tie up some loose ends before they set sail with Beradin Glimdrak for the city of Mekkisir. Dacha was the first to rise that morning; though he wanted to check on the illness that had befallen Beradin's previous bodyguards, he did not want to be rude and wake them up. He decided to wander around the village while the others slept (and while his roommate, Skreech, oiled up his golems in their room).

Brakmat awoke at daybreak and made his way down to the harbor where he encountered a large sailing ship anchored at the docks, its crew busy loading and unloading supplies and prepping the ship to set sail. A priest of Thar Ashaela was performing some sort of rite that involved dunking his head in the waters around the ship, while a bronze Dragonborn surveyed everything.

Rinrin and Skreech made their way down to the harbor soon after, arriving at the leatherworking shop Seaside Couture where they asked the proprietor, Xara, to craft studded leather armor for the both of them.

Dacha met up with Droknar upon his return to the tavern, and the two of them decided to visit Sheriff Morro, who had been asking to speak with the party since the first night in Donborough. The Sheriff informed them that he had been investigating the disappearances since they left and uncovered that there had been a pattern of disappearances in the village every seventeen years for as far back as anyone could remember. He provided the two with a list from the former Sheriff, who had also been investigating the case, of the names of farm families who they believed may know more about the disappearances.

Morro also informed the two that he had encountered a tiefling man and human woman who were asking about strange travelers passing through the village. While he did mention the party, he didn't give the two any specifics, and he provided Droknar with a sketch of the symbol he'd seen on the tiefling's jacket which was the emblem of the Kopa Drea.

Droknar was unsuccessful in acquiring an upgrade to his armor from Rigak, so he and Dacha reunited with the group at the harbor as Rinrin, Skreech and Brakmat were checking out various magical items being sold by merchants in the market. Dacha ended up buying a Medallion of Thought from Nightwind, a Corvidkin woman who seemed to take a liking to the Owlin.

The party then made their way to the east of the village to investigate the various farms that were on the Sheriff's list. While the Applewillow and Golddance families could only provide additional context for the disappearances, the party stumbled upon some strangeness when they visited the Abernanth farm. They managed to rile up the two Abernanth boys, Jorich and Conance, but were able to smooth things over by showing them the Powerstone that Droknar had recovered. While the two boys went to fetch their father to speak with the party, Dacha cast a detect magic spell that uncovered necromancy and illusion magic being used on several of the fieldhands working the farmland around them. The party decided to leave and report their findings to Morro, who was able to confirm that one of the undead they had seen working the fields matched the description of the former sheriff.

The party decided to assault the farm and apprehend the Abernanths as soon as possible. Morro rounded up two of the towns guard and the group snuck their way back to the estate. Unfortunately, the Abernanths had expected the assault. The party managed to sneak around to the back of the farmhouse undetected, coming upon the stables where Jorich was busy locking everything down in preparation for a siege. They engaged Jorich and several zombie fieldhands in combat, ultimately subduing the younger Abernanth son with the only loss being a town guard who was able to flee the battle.

The group made their way to the barn where they discovered a hidden passage to an underground cave complex. There, they freed several non-zombie fieldhands who had been locked up soon after the party had left earlier that day. The group made their way deeper into a chamber that looked much more intentional than the rest of the cave system, at the center of which stood a dais and an archway.

Droknar absentmindedly pulled out his Powerstone to see if it had any relation to a socket in the archway. Arcane forces pulled the stone from his hand and embedded it in the dais, which lit up as a portal opened within the arch. A hideous, hulking creature stepped through the portal, a hunched bird-like construct clutching a gnarled staff. It spoke in a voice that sounded like pistons firing and metal scraping against metal, demanding the tribute from Corrich Abernanth. Upon seeing the party standing at the top of the structure, it spoke with recognition, saying they had interfered with its master's plans. It summoned four metallic constructs that flanked it on either side, and declared, "Your parts will serve Aegror."

Rewards Granted

Medallion of Thought

Character(s) interacted with

Sheriff Morro
Xara Lotore
Kolrael Brooks
Nightwind
Joltran Golddance
Laelia Applewillow
Conance Abernanth
Jorich Abernanth
The Village Elders
Xyrrik, Hand of the Praetors

Notes

Rinrin and Skreech need to pick up their studded leather.