Session 9: Empty Stomachs & Full Moons

General Summary

Nearly a month after they had left Lasthome, the party found themselves at the small town of Barter's Edge. Scattered farmhouses and recently harvested fields gave way to a dirty and slightly derelict looking town. Sensing something amiss, the heroes approached warily before one of the townsfolk ushered them towards the Inn. Taking a moment to stable their horses, the party entered the Inn, the crooked sign overhead identifying it as “Luca’s Rest.”   The interior was muddy and drafty and the handful of townsfolk within watched the newcomers with wary eyes. They were dirty folk, with a lean and hungry look in their eyes. An air of desperation soon piqued the interest of our heroes and it wasn’t long before a sad story began to unfold.   The Innkeeper explained that the town had recently come under the heel of a former resident that had returned and taken control of the ruined keep nearby. He was now calling himself “The Castellan” and had brought with him an odd mix of folk - including one dark witch the town nicknamed “The Serpent Lady.” Together they began to accost the townsfolk; stealing their treasures, taking some of them prisoner, and emptying the town granary for their own purposes. The people now had to make do with what small morsels they could find, and their bellies ached with hunger.   The plight of these starving people was too much for Aatavi. Having seen more than his share of hunger, he immediately stood, promising to kill the Castellan and bring their food back. Watching their friend’s rage pulse just under the skin, Aaura and Faelyn immediately leapt to soothe the barbarian.   “Hold on, hold on” said Faelyn, using mage hand to massage Aatavi’s shoulders.   “Let’s hear more about this” Aaura added, helping Aatavi back to his seat.   “This… Serpent Lady, for one” Faelyn looked to the Innkeepers. “What do you know about her?”   For the next several minutes the heroes listened as the folk in the Inn spoke in hushed tones about the mercenaries and their crimes. It seemed that the group called themselves “The Serpents Six” and each possessed different abilities. It was “The Serpent Lady” that seemed especially worrisome though. She was a creature of black magic, with eyes like a snake, and always whispering in the Castellan’s ear.   Feeling now the full weight of the peoples’ plight, Shadow and Aatavi opened their packs to share their rations with the town. A near frenzy of activity followed, as everyone in the Inn crammed together to get whatever fingerful of food they could and cramming it into their hungry mouths.   Having seen enough, the heroes soon made their way along the northern road, towards the ruined keep. Taking cover in a grove of ash trees, Aaura sent her owl familiar into the air. Flit made a high pass around the keep, and through its eyes Aaura could see a half elf keeping watch in a guard tower by the main gate. Other than a wisp of smoke issuing from the chimney of a manor house, the owl saw no other signs of life.   A quick plan was made. Shadow would infiltrate the keep over a ruined wall and dispatch the guard within. Once the sentry had been taken care of, she would open the gate and let the others in. For protection, Keokan sent Thor with her.   Alas, what resulted was nearly the death of Shadow of Fire for the half elf sentry was not alone. A cloaked figure hiding near the keep wall had witnessed the tabaxi approach but as he approached her from behind Thor leapt to the attack. Screams pierced the air, the alarm sounded, and Shadow was too far from her friends to be helped.   As our heroes rushed to the keep and started climbing the ruined wall to assist their friend, a voice boomed out, “Show yourselves! She still breathes but not for long! Reveal yourselves assassins!”   Aatavi, Aaura, and the rest of the crew made their way atop the ruined wall and onto the keep’s battlements. There they saw the Castellan looming over Shadow’s unconscious body, the point of his greatsword inches above her chest.   Aatavi was the first to respond. “You are the Castellan? You are the one who takes the food from the people’s mouths?”   A wave of confusion swept over the Castellan’s crew. “What? You have been sent by the people of Barter’s Edge? What have they told you?”   “That you bully them like a tyrant, stealing their treasures and keeping their food for yourself” replied Aaura. To make it over the keep’s wall she had unfolded her wings and was now perched on the edge of the battlement like a celestial gargoyle.   The Castellan’s sword was unmoving. “The people of this town cannot take care of themselves. You have gotten mixed up in something you don’t understand. It would be better for you if you just left now and forgot about this place.”   Aatavi unbuckled his weapons, save for his Mysati harpoon. “You take me... for her” he bargained, gesturing to Shadows unconscious body.   From behind the Castellan a charcoal skinned dwarven woman in white feathered shoulders moved to his side. She took a moment to whisper in his ear and abruptly vanished into thin air. As she disappeared something seemed to change in the Castellan’s demeanor. He looked down at the fallen Tabaxi and he spoke again.   “If you have a healer, send them down. She still breathes but maybe not for long.”   Keokan made long strides down to the courtyard and laying hands on Shadows body, revived the tabaxi. Seeing his wolf Thor was also down and bleeding, he quickly moved to its side. The Godspeaker muttered another prayer and the wolf slowly rose to its feet.   “There is much about this situation that you don’t know” said the Castellan. “But if you would like answers, and perhaps if you are able to help, you are welcome to come inside.” He gestured toward a manor house built at the far end of the courtyard.   The heroes entered warily. A warm fire blazed in the hearth, art objects and tapestries from far off lands decorated the walls, and the smell of rabbit stew suffused the room. Still, this did not dispel the air of suspicion from our heroes.   The Castellan gave compulsory nod. He introduced himself as Garrig, and the rest of his crew as “The Serpents Six.” Passing bowls of stew around the room, he related a story.   During a time while he and his crew were away from town, a Priest of Shakahn and a pipe playing minstrel visited Barter’s Edge. With a silver tongue and an enchanting melody, the pair of them gave daily sermons to the people. Sermons that spoke of coming cataclysms and miseries soon to be unleashed. Despite the seeds of fear blossoming in the hearts of the townsfolk, the Priest’s sermons grew more popular with each passing day. Soon most of the town gathered to hear him speak. Even as his words and prophecies pushed them towards the edge of panic the piper’s melodies soothed their anxious hearts. Then one night the Priest offered them salvation. Through divine measures he could ensure their survival. Measures that would keep them alive through even the harshest of times ahead. After lining the townsfolk up to receive a blessing, the Priest bit all of them on the palm, and cursed them with Lycanthropy. Now when the moon is full, the people change into horrid rat men and devour everything in sight.   Garrig was distraught as he related the story. He would hardly have believed it had he not born witness to it during the last full moon. He reiterated that everything he had done that seemed tyrannical was, in fact, for the good of the people. If he did not take the winter store of grain, the people would have devoured it during the next full moon. He and his men had taken many of the heirlooms and treasures from the townsfolk, but only those made of silver that they could repurpose to keep the wererats at bay. Townsfolk had been imprisoned, but only to keep them from hurting themselves or others.   Shortly after Garrig witnessed the town change he sent another member of the Serpents Six north to Springpoint. He explained that there was an order of healers there that they hoped could remove the curse upon the town. But even in the best conditions they could not possibly reach Barter’s Edge before tomorrow night’s full moon.   “I believe him” Aaura blurted out, a mouthful of rabbit stew.   The rest of the heroes took a moment, and soon decided that they would stay and lend whatever help was needed. Garrig explained that many preparations had already been made and for now they were better served getting to know each other more, and enjoying a bit more of the stew.   Keokan, not one for idle chatter, soon found himself wandering the room, observing the strange décor this group had placed in the manor house. As he did, a faint cry came to his ears. He walked a darkened corridor to investigate, where could plainly hear someone shouting for their life. He hurried closer, down a set of stairs and into the cellar of the manor house.   A lone lantern lit the darkened cellar and the goliath’s eyes strained against the gloom. Turning a corner, he saw a lifeless figure, a sunken body hanging from manacles. As Keokan warily backed towards the stairs, a patch of the gloom detached itself from the darkness and a shadowy hand reached for his leg. Keokan moved quickly up the stairs as another hand reached out for him, a numbing chill in its fingertips.   Reaching the common room again, Keokan broke through the din of conversation. “There’s a problem. Something is in the dungeon, and it’s not just the guy in chains.”   In the brief silence, Garrig looked at his compatriots and nodded at them to stay. Drawing his greatsword he escorted the heroes down to the cellar. A look of dismay crossed his face as he saw the limp body of the prisoner hanging from the chains. Stepping just aside of the Castellan, Shadow raised her lantern into the gloomy cellar. As she did so, four shadowy forms recoiled against the surface of the wall, momentarily pinned by the lantern’s radiance. A soft hiss emanated from them, and their eyes flashed with malevolent light.