Gnolls and Fey

General Summary

The brave and somehow exhausted adventurers entered the clearing but there was nothing to see. Eva's greeting seemed to be unheared and was not answered. Even though Kruusk was able to sense some kind of structure. Very vague. But it was the impression of a hut. Still for the eye nothing was there to be seen.   Because of not better idea the group moved towards the point where Kruusk sensed the hut. But when they were close to that point they could feel a dingling and numbing feeling in their limbs. And then they were not able to move. No matter how hard they tried but they were not able to make any movement. No eyes blinking, no lips moving, no hands waving. Not a single move possible.   And as they stood there like pillars made of flesh (and some fur) they heard a voice. But strangely the voice was unhearable. At least not able to hear with your ears. The voice was inside their mind.   The voice was explaining that they will have to answer a question, before they are allowed to move again. But our friends should rather be wise and not answer to quick. Because possible answers were limited. And if you failed your last time no more chance to break the spell.   The first question was like this: "You must keep me after you gave me away. But I have no inherent value. What am I?".   Nobody knows how many possible answers jumped to the mind of our adventerous group. But finally the question was answered. Still the spell was intact and nobody was able to move.   Then they got the second question, like this: "I have rivers without water, forests without trees, mountains without rocks and towns without houses. What am I?".   Chances were high that the group would still standing there for hours, days and weeks. It is not sure if the spell would have preserved them, standing there until the end of time. Or if they would have rotten away until nothing left reminding of them.   But either all of them or just some of them or just one of them was smart enough to figure out the right answeres. And suddenly they could move again. Like nothing happened. And taling about nothing happened ... still nothing to see.   So they started exploring the area and this was not an empty effort. Unfortunately not ... Because they found a place convered with dirt, blood and feces. And in the midst of all this filth they saw several animals tortured, twisted and intertwinded with each outer. Driven by their good heart or lust for possible treasure or childish curiosity - who knows - some of them tried to help those poor creatures. With the result that those got covered with that stinking mass, too. But they didn't let it go and so they were able to free the animals. All of them left the place heading in one direction, except a fox. That one headed for another direction. And it behaved like it wanted the group to follow him.   And so they did. At the place where the fox was guiding them they found pretty silver earings. They would have been a perfect fit for Eva and her ravenblack hair. But the moment she got them in her hand, she screamed and dropped them on the ground. Looking at the palm of her hand she could see a burn mark in the shape of the earrings. An enchanted or even cursed place this was, indeed. Fortunately to Kruusk, he had not problem touching them. And so he put them in his pocket. Will they look pretty on him?   With not so many other options left - honestly there were no other options - the heroes turned and followed the other way. The way the other animals left the filthy place. Especially remembering the way a coyote took. If a fox offered them some luck, another similar animals will do the same. Right?   Not so much. Because what the found were a group of gnolls. But not ordinary gnolls. Of course not. No, it was a group of undead gnolls and their leader. Faint hearted people would have sh** their pants and would have run the opposite way. Luckily the members of this group are tough as nails and having the heart of a titan (no, each of them ... not one heart for all of them). They started to get into the fight. Hacking, slashing, casting and shooting to overcome the undead creatures. To cleanse the place from that unholy evil. And then something strange happened. Eva took her scimitar and with a fluid, single movement she drew the edge over her left neck. Spilling blood and causing strange black marks to appear covering the blade. Somehow the wound closed short after and left a huge scar. And then she made a quick end to those gnolls getting in her way, while Szeua put his arrows in some of the other gnolls.   As frightening the setup looked like before the fight started, as soon was it done. And at the belongings of the leader they found a book. It seems to be about summoning but it was written in abyssal characters. Or at least they looked like abyssal letters. Unfortunately, none of the group members were able to read or somehow identify what was written in the book. Just some figures would give away what it is about. But only vaguely.   But ... if there are some undead gnolls, there might be even more of them. So, why not looking around in the direction where that group came from. But of course this should be done in the most careful and invisible way as possible. And who seems better fit to be silent and unseen than a Tabaxi. So it came that Szeua was assigned the task to explore the area and see what he could figure out.   After a while Szeua returned to the group with some disturbing, strange news. He was sneaking around, unseen and unheard. And he found the camp. Empty. No, not really empty but with men and women chained or bonded. And it was not that somebody was able to spot the Tabaxi, it was just that Szuea allowed them to see him. And as soon as they did they were yelling for help. And so, brave but still in possession of his faculties he came back to report.   As much as they would have liked to rush to help those poor people but they were tired and they needed some rest. And that was what they did. If just they would have known ...   Refreshed and ready to rescue the captives they went to the camp the Tabaxi discovered. But to their big surprise they found more that just those people in chains. Much more, unfortunately.   Several creatures got back to the camp and started some kind of ritual. So, it was time to create some strategies. Plans to rescue the captives, stop the ritual, destroy the evil creatures and keep themselves alive. And with that brilliant strategic mind she has, Thaurudriel turned towards the enemy. And the then the group heared a convincing "Firebolt" ... sounded like somebody could also have said "We are doomed".