Session 168 - The Fanatic

General Summary

11^th and 12^th of Nuzyael (First Month of Spring) 724TR

The story so far

The heroes have recovered the merchant Antin Alveri family signet ring and his dead brother's remains. On the way back from their mission, they find fungi ravaged human skeletons, then are ambushed by strange starfish-like Ivashu. Who did this, and was it murder? Investigating they find tracks of an ogre or troll-like creature, which strangely disappear, and those of a human which they follow.

This is the continuation of Session 167 - Crab Meat.

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Location - Turmale Hills, west of Sarkum in the Kingdom of Kanday.

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Part 1 - The Mad Bear

Odin follows the tracks and hears the movement of something big, followed by a terrifying roar. A Bear emerges from behind an embankment. This bear has strange scars or burn marks over his head and upper body. It charges with berserk fury but is peppered with arrows as it closes. It attempts to maul Abaddon, but he nimbly dodges, and then the enraged beast is surrounded by the heroes and cut down.

Examining the dead bear, the heroes think that some form of the flesh-eating fungal disease caused its injuries, not fire. They are similar to those they found on the human bones yesterday.

Part 2 - What Claw?

The tracks lead towards the ruined Termal Manor. They arrive an hour before nightfall and find a couple of intact hovels and a ruined keep not far off. Three angry men are waiting for them; one man has suffered the same flesh dissolving injures the party observed on the bear over one side of his face, another has claw marks along his chest, and the last and most unfortunate is missing an eye.

When Ger, Dob, and Duckett are assured that the party is no threat, they are more than happy to tell their story. This morning priest of Ilvir arrived at their encampment. He was rude, impatient, and unpleasant. He demanded to know, "Where is the claw." The men had no idea what he was talking about. The priest waved his hands, and suddenly what they describe as small demon chickens appeared. As the priest got angrier and the demon chickens got closer. After Duckett attempted to hit one, it leaped up onto him, ripping out his eye and devouring it. The priest gestured, and suddenly a strange flesh-eating fungus appeared on another. The three men begged mercy and convinced the priest they did not know of any claw; they have only been here for a couple of years. Satisfied, the priest called off his creatures and headed towards the ruined keep.

Convinced the heroes are willing to deal with this dangerous priest, the men offer the heroes bottles of wine from among the goods they seem to have collected from the sea. Searching around the men's camp, Odin finds the tracks of a large mysterious troll-like creature.