Session 10: Duty, Responsibility, Experience
General Summary
31st Sharali - 3rd Myrkule 234 4E
Willum pushed into the forest, following the deep tracks of his masked friend. He spotted a second set of tracks alongside them, these ones shifting from small boots to the pads of a large feline beast. What was even stranger was that these tracks disappeared for stretches at a time, simply vanishing then reappearing some hundreds of feet further along. After a while he caught up with Tawny, who was standing alone in the woods. Tawny's tracks had stopped suddenly, the man having dropped to his knees. Willum noticed that the second set instead had slowed to a stop and shifted back to the humanoid boots they had started as and set pacing in an arc in front of Tawny, before again shifting to the feline prints and racing off. He made sure everything was alright with Tawny and then the pair headed back to the camp. In the camp the party and their allies quickly got about securing the children and making sure there were no other enemies about. Meridas also noticed that Fallili's men were wasting no time in scouring the various wagons, crates and tents about the camp, a bunch of them even passing quickly through the burnt bodies that lay on the central mound to enter the large tent that stood at its top. Meridas followed them, finding them going through the various goods and items found there, and with quick thinking convinced them that they should wait in case Hrefna had left any magical defences. Meanwhile Odhran wandered the camp, lending medical aid to any who needed it. Luckily their forces had suffered very few injuries, though Odhran did come across the bodies of two of their number - one of the villagers and one of Fallili's men. The later he found flanked by two of his companions, who set about giving him a dwarven burial - a hole was cut into the ground beneath him and within it several acorns were placed, his body left to fuel their growth and with it the release of his spirit from the ground and into the world once more. When Tawny and Willum returned, the party congregated in Hrefna's tent and took account of the haul taken from the camp - dozens of bolts of fabric and ingots of various metals, along with a sizable chest of Argeshe and Eld coin. The party made a deal with Fallili for her help so far and to secure it continuing onwards, with the dwarven woman taking the mounts, trade goods (minus a bolt of fine Ebarian silk) and coin worth 1000 gillies from the chest. She and her men would accompany the party to Kydus Castle, where they believed Hrefna must have fled to and where the rest of her men were, while the villagers would return to Brombie with the freed captives and children. At midday the following day the two parties left, the fortified walls set ablaze behind them - it would not do to leave any secure place for Hrefna or further bandits in the area. Once leaving Telan's Pass, the party turned west and pushed onwards towards the castle ruins. They were delayed for a couple of days by a heavy blizzard, but at the start of the next week they, at last, caught sight of the castle's broken spire. Tawny and Meridas scouted forwards, using their magic to cover their visage as they moved about the castle. They got a lay of the land and structures and the numbers of the enemy, even catching sight of Hrefna and confirming she was there, before returning to the others. The decision was made to attack straight away before their presence was noticed, Fallili's men assaulting from the north while the party came in from the south. They would have to move quickly, with not much cover lying around the castle and the ruined walls still offering good defense, but this might be their best shot.Session Log - Meridas
We took stock in the aftermath of our victory – although Hrefna managed to escape. Tawny is... I don’t know if naïve is the right term for it. I believe that he might be dangerous. If he indeed took part in Hrefna’s banditry, long before she even started exhibiting signs of interplanar madness, then he is exactly the kind of person our organisation is here to stop. As practitioners of magic, we have a responsibility to show the world that the forces we command can be a boon, rather than a bane. Pillaging the countryside, stealing from others, causing chaos – it strikes an indignity upon us all. I only hope that this next engagement serves as a way to make amends. At the very least, the people of Brombie will have proof that magic can liberate them, like any weapon. I will give Tawny credit though. If Hrefna is being controlled by something greater, then it is also my responsibility to get to the bottom of things. Loathe as I am to admit it, the best way to do that will be to take her alive. But if it’s a choice between stopping a mage’s terrible plans, and Tawny’s respect, I know what I’ll be choosing. It’s my duty. And I know what happens when you hesitate.
