Session 162 - A Bitter Reunion

General Summary

27^th Halane to 10^th Ilvin (Second and third months of Autumn) 723TR
The Story So Far

The heroes have traveled to the far north and rescued the Illusionist Elzoldor, the Prism, from a colony Mindflayers. Unfortunately, Elzoldor's apprentice Glyfin was killed, his brain devoured, during this epic confrontation.

Now it is time to return home, where the Crimson Dancer Knight Athena plans to deal with her hated adversary Baron Rarval, the last remaining and most devious member of Clan Hamlen. She also believes that the Baron may be conspiring with her Commander Baliela Shernath.

The continuation of Session 160 - Eaters of Brains.

Location - Altin Mountains, in the far Northern reaches of Western Lýthia.

Part 1 - Frost Worms and Farewells

Elzoldor, art by C Home

The heroes rest up while the Grand Illusionist Elzoldor the Prism buries his apprentice and recounts his adventures in the far north. He has studied the magical properties of the Aurora (northern lights) and made contact with the legendary Snow Elves. Trading with them, he has collected a small fortune of Ice Glass treasures, bowls, jugs, plates, and other luxury goods of which he uses to generously reward the heroes for saving his life. Additionally, each of the characters is given an Ice Glass Shard imbued with a Major Image spell, and Yureb is presented with a collection of elven-made Ice Glass Throwing Knives enchanted with the magic of the Aurora.

He also apologizes, convinced that the Mindflayers attack was his fault. As a young adventuring wizard, he first encountered these loathsome creatures nearly fifty years ago. His party destroyed an Elder Brain, and then he took one of their powerful psionic crystals, which conferred on him with an array of unique abilities. He speculates that the Mindflayers have been using that to track him down over the decades to get revenge. He finds this crystal on one of the Mindflayer's corpses and shatters it with a burst of colorful destructive magical energy. Never again will the Illithids be able to track him.

The travelers make their way along back along the bitterly cold valleys of the Aktin Mountains to the Earthmaster site of Tôrmaris. It is slow going, and the characters feel a tremor beneath them as ice and snow begin to vibrate. Busting from the snow are two huge white Frost Worms. These cause chaos swallowing some unlucky characters and eventually exploding in showers of ices shards when killed. Nevertheless, the party makes it to Tôrmaris without any further incidents. Quazzy uses its Godstone to transport the party to safely where the grateful Elzoldor parts ways with the heroes.

Location - Hamlet of Hauldy, in the Kingdom of Rethem.

Part 2 - Return Home

At Athena's request, Quazzy brews some very lethal poisons. These could be useful in her plans for revenge. Then the party travels in disguise to Athena's Manors and holdings in the Earldom of Ithiko. Unfortunately, the deception fails, and they are quickly recognized, luckily by a friend.

Gudfinna is a member of Athena's fraction of Sisterhood of the Crimson Dancer, the Valkyries, stationed at the Hamlet of Hauldy. She reports that the Grandmistress Baliela Shernath said that Athena's manors are threatened and ordered her and other members of the Valkyries to guard them. She also was instructed to tell Athena that the Grandmistress needs to talk to her urgently.

More of the Valkyries are stationed at the nearby Deya Manor, so Athena, accompanied by Gudfinna, decides to meet with them. Deya Manor was the former fief of Clan Hamlen and was granted to Athena at the conclusion of the Rethemi Civil War and is less than an hour's ride away.

Location - Deya Manor in the Kingdom of Rethem.

Part 3 - Evil Plots

As the heroes enter the gloomy, sullen Deya village, they note that a ship is beached on the shore. More concerning, the white cockatrice banners of Athena's sworn enemy Baron Rarval Hamlen hanging from the walls of the strongholds. Quickly the heroes conceal themselves in the nearby woods before the locals or the Keeps guards spot them.

Although the whereabouts of Baron Rarval are not immediately apparent, the heroes catch sight of his Steward Hugh Moris. He is in the Keep guarded by mercenary soldiers and knights. Athena notes that he appears to have been prematurely aged and looks sickly.

The party assaults the Deya Keep. Caught completely by surprise, guards and knights are quickly dispatched before they can coordinate an effective defense. A few flee Athena's rage, some jumping out of windows and others running into the village to escape.

Athena approaches the trembling Steward and slices her ancestral greatsword, Retribution, through his knee, severing his leg. The frail man falls to the floor in pain and dying. Quazzy's uses Detect Thoughts on the whimpering wretch and attempt to extract as much information as she can before he passes out and dies.

Ravel Hamlen, art by Artbreeder

She learns that the Baron is at the village windmill waiting for Athena. He plans to use the Ara'Dunrangash, a black orb filled with necromantic corruption, which he acquired from the Church of Morgath, to awaken the dead from the ancient burial mounds found throughout the village. The windmill is built on one of the largest of these mounds. He wants the undead and necromantic forces to destroy Athena, and he has captured some of Athena's loyal friend's from the Valkyries as bait. In a last gasp of defiance, before his heart stops beating, the Steward refuses to reveal whether Grandmistress Baliela of the Crimson Dancers was involved with this plot.

Looking out of the Keep's window, Athena spots Baron Raval malevolently looking back at her from the windmill. Disturbingly her Valkyrie friends are tied to its sails. They look badly injured but alive. Can Athena save them and kill her foe? What other surprises does this evil man have in store?

To be continued.