Session 416 – Sanctimonious Preachers
General Summary
29th of Agrazhar (Summer) 728TR
The story so far
A group of heroes the evils haunting the beleaguered Kingdom of Kanday.
Sir Odin, a former Erkan of the Order of the Checkered Shield, has been raised to knighthood.
Remy, a former master thief and active gambler, has won and lost fortunes.
Abaddon has traveled the wilderness, perfecting his impressive martial skills.
Edelina, a scholarly priestess of the god of Knowledge Save K’Nor, joins them on their adventures.
This is the continuation of Session 414 - The Shaman Defiance.
The heroes believe a coven of witches is causing curses, chaos, and despair in the nearby villages. The heroes suspect one or all of the witches have been masquerading as priestesses of Peoni from the Duseda Abbey.
These supposed priestesses, led by Abbess Lorine Shambrel, preached peace, love, and good farming practices to the local Gozdya barbarian tribes. However, when the tribesmen vigorously rejected her sanctimonious sermon, the abbess declared that the good goddess Peoni would punish them and blight their crops. Many of the hot-headed tribesmen wanted retribution and were planning to raid Duseda Abbey, intent on massacring any peasant or Priestess they found. However, the village shaman, supported by the heroes, talked them out of it.
The false priestesses have moved to another barbarian village, and the heroes race after them.
Part 1 – Fungi
Dashing to the barbarian settlement, they encounter a young peasant woman just standing in the woods. Immediately suspicious, the girl tries to turn them away; she knows who the heroes are. Exasperated, she mutters an incantation and transforms into an ugly old woman, covered in blood with long talon-like claws. The huge mushrooms allow the pathway on either side of the heroes to grow as they pass by. They change into skull-shaped floating balloons and assail the heroes with poisonous tendrils.
The seasoned adventurers ignore the floating fungi skulls and attack the greater threat, the old Hag. She puts up quite a fight, unleashing potent life-sapping attack magic, but soon realises she is outnumbered and attempts to flee, but Abaddon skewers her foul heart with his spear. The heroes then focus on the floating skulls, and as the malignant fungi are destroyed, they burst into a sickening cloud of poison spores.
Part 2 – A Meeting with the Good Priestess
Annoyed, the Abbess casts a Charm spell on Odin. Although not completely under sway from the Hag in disguise, he can’t bring himself to contradict her (or cause her any harm). Remy has had enough and blasts the Priestess with a bolt of ice. The fight is on.
With a snarl, the Abbess soon reveals herself as a hag, an ugly old woman with pale, translucent skin and covered in black welts. The illusion around the acolytes dissolves, and in their place are two walking corpses. The barbarians draw their weapons but watch the battle with concern, not planning to interfere until their chief gives the command.
The Hag opposes Remy and Abaddon while Odin battles the wights, as he cannot force himself to harm that kindly old lady. Eventually, the wights are destroyed, and Odin regains his senses. The Hag fights with magic and talon, but is cut down and dissolves into a puddle of grey sludge.
The heroes have destroyed two members of the Hag’s coven; only one more remains.
Part 3 – Nightmares
The delighted Gozdya hosts the party for the night and provides a great feast and entertainment. Unfortunately, the heroes sleep is haunted by nightmares. Odin’s nightmare is particularly vivid. Another Hag speaks to him, this one whose kindly face reveals a wicked grin with long, sharp teeth.
“You and your friends have caused me great pain, killed my poor, much-loved sisters. Do not worry I will be going away for a while and will return when you least expect it” she cackles.
“And I have left you a surprise at your manor. “ Then Odin wakes with the haunting memories of malicious laughter. As the Bailiff of Eryna Manor, Odin is concerned.
Part 4 – Scarecrows
The heroes race back to Eryna Manor, finding the peasants tending to the crops as part of the preparations for the upcoming harvest. As the heroes approach, they see the farmers run, and the scarecrows in the field begin to twitch. With fluid, but creepy movements, the scarecrows attack and try to kill the locals. One poor farmer is eviscerated, and another suffers a near-lethal whack to the head. Fortunately, his fellow workers dragged him away as the heroes intervened.
The scarecrows are terrifying foes whose mere glance fills the heroes with dread. They are eventually dismembered or burned, but the heroes will have nightmares about this fight for some time.
Happily, the heroes find nothing else untoward. The evil hags have been vanquished, at least for the moment.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
Various Gozdya Barbarians.
Created Content
Nothing this week.
Player Characters
Odin - Human - L12 Ranger
Background - Martial Disciple.
Archetype - Shadowdancer, Investigator, and Fighter.
Abaddon - Elf - L12 Monk
Background - Martial Disciple.
Archetypes - Druid and Familiar Master.
Remy - Human - L12 Aerokineticist (with Metal second gate)
Background - Acrobat.
Archetypes - Acrobat and Thief.
NPC Companion
Edelina - Human - L12 Holy Sage Sorcerer
Background - Astrologer.
Archetypes - Psychic and Time Mage.
