Session 2 - The Necromancer and the Red Hat
General Summary
The story begins on Jundalph the 7th. This session spans to the 9th.
The adventurers picked up where they left off, east of the Red Fort and North of Maccion and searching for what happened to the missing scout detachment. Before heading back out, the group reviews the corpses (and harvested numerous ears) of zombies and reflected on their knowledge about how zombies are created. They realized two things. First zombies have been known to be created through magic and bites/physical contact. Secondly, they realized that the fighter of the group took considerable amount of damage from the zombies the night before. Suddenly concerned that a member of the group may become a zombie, the remaining members discussed what to do with her.
Eventually, they decided to keep an eye on her, but to continue the direction the zombies had come from, which was strangely southeast toward Maccion. As the group traveled through the woods, what remained of the road dwindled down to an animal path. Forcing the group to go single file, Gavin lead the way forward. Despite the recommendation from Gavin, the group wasn't as quiet as they wanted and stumbled upon a recently finished battlefield.
The battlefield contained many goblins with red armbands dead on the ground, with animated skeletons standing above them. These skeletons, dressed in the light armor of the scouting unit missing took what was, according to Elidi a classical defensive stance against the group. At the top of the hill these skeletons were defending was a woman dressed in black robes and a hidden face. She stood on an ancient altar on top of a hill. She was further flanked by two skeletal dire wolves and horse. Initially ignoring the group, the woman was focused on one goblin, twitching and fidgeting before her. As the group took in this situation, the goblin dropped to the ground the woman, more irritated and annoyed, demanded answers of who this group was. The group decided at this point that retreat was the most pertinent avenue, as they fulfilled their mission of what happened to the Straton scouts.
As they began to leave, Crefalo heard a noise coming from the east of the altar that the woman was standing on. As he began to warn the group a band of goblins came out of the shadows and began attacking the undead party. With this change of fortune, the group decided to charge forward and attack the skeleton detachment. The goblins, surprising their enemy were quite effective in dropping some of the skeletons. During this initial exchange, the group charged forward and fired directly at the skeletons. With Gavin and Kyros firing from afar, they critically dropped some of the enemy with devasting accuracy. Elidi, charging forward kept most of the front line skeletons at bay to give Gavin and Kyros time. Seeing this, the woman in black decided to hit that back row of the group with a flaming sphere which she navigated around damaging all in its path.
With the skeletons beginning to fall to the adventurers, the woman dispatched her wolves into the group. Their speed took the group by surprise, and charging forward, one attacked Gavin with ferocious tenacity. With arrows flying through the air, Crefalo called upon the power of his deity and forced one dire wolf and skeleton back. Despite the goblins beginning to lose ground and their lives, the dark woman decided leaving was the best idea.
Aeric, who was moving forward this time to try to combat the magic of the lady struck out against her with his magic. Despite his efforts, the mysterious woman countered his efforts and began to ride away on her horse. Trying once again, Aeric tried to halt her retreat but was once again he was was countered. As she rode off, she disappeared into the distance. It was also around this time the will of the goblins broke and some of them ran back into the wood.
The skeletons remaining were dispatched, however at the cost of the Red Hat goblin leader and Elidi falling unconscious due to her extensive wounds in combat. The group began to discuss what to do with Elidi at this point, and eventually decided to stabilize her for the time being. After that, the group began investigating the battlefield. The group found various items on the battlefield.
Specifically, Gavin found a ring on the body of the goblin that the woman had been so intensely watching. After trying to remove it in the traditional way, it wouldn't budge. With little hesitation Gavin cut the finger off. The finger, still twitching, seemed to be magical. Aeric stepped in, and after a ritual identification, determined it was the Deathstroke Finger.
Aeric also investigated the altar to which the woman had been standing. Not finding it defiled, he found runes around the base of the altar. These weren't magical, but written in a celestial language praising the diety Silvanus. Crefalo was able to recognize that diety as a very ancient one that was devoted to nature and the hardship around it. It's emblem is that of a red oak leaf.
Crefalo also found on the battlefield a small calendar. Upon further inspection, it seemed to be part of a pan flute. Deciding to keep this to himself, he pocketed the item.
Lastly, a map was recovered from the Red Hat goblin leader. This map was of the surrounding area around the fort and Maccion. Littered across the map were X's, houses, and frowny faces. There was also lettering across the top in goblinoid. No one in the group understood that language. Kyros decided at this point to take the large floppy top hat from the leader as a trophy...maybe?
Before leaving, the group searched all of the remaining skeletal bodies and found various amounts of gold. However, much of the equipment was in various states of disrepair. The group decided to take back skulls, ears, and emblems of the soldiers back as proof.
On the trek back to Maccion, Elidi woke up from unconsciousness. The rest of the two day travel was uneventful.
After coming back to the town, the group spilt into two groups. Kyros, Aeric, and Elidi decided to go back to the Imperfect Pan Flute Inn to eat/drink/rest. Gavin and Crefalo decided to update Demoarchos Neophytos about their findings and collect on their bounty. After some stalling from the guards, the group was allowed in to see Neophytos. Gavin, taking a more direct communicative approach, dumped the ears/skulls/etc onto the desk of Neophytos. After Crefalo was able to de-escalate the situation, Neophytos thanked them for the information about the necromancer and goblins in the woods. However, the group of 5 only received 4 receipts of 50 gold. 50 gold was kept back for cleaning.
Meanwhile, back at the Inn, it was a slower night. Alexia was sitting at one of the tables watching the elves complete their tasks. The elves, staying busy, did seem to be carrying bruises not there previously. Goda was nowhere to be seen with Patroklos working behind the bar. Polycarpios, seemingly ok from his arm injury, served the table that the group sat down at. After taking their orders, and bringing their drinks, the group began to engage in merriment after surviving their trails at this point. Kyros, invented a new bar game as well, hide the Deathstroke finger. They also were of such great spirits, they began to drink out of the Red Hat (after magically cleaning it of course).
When the remaining party members joined up at the inn, they saw a swift change in Aeric. To his party members, his eyes widened and became bloodshot. His body, gripping the drink and table in front of him he stiffened and locked in place. To Aeric, his vision began to crowd with darkness until he could see no more.
Rewards Granted
Deathstroke Finger
Goblin map of Maccion and Red Fort area
Goblin Leader Red Hat
7 gold pieces (from the fight)
200 gold from the bounty
1 Azurite gemstone
A tiny sketch of a goblin (female)
2 long spear 1d8, reach
1 red handled scimitar
XP 325
Character(s) interacted with
Adventuring Party
A Necromancer
Demoarchos Kepheus
Alexia Aquila
Patroklos Aquila
Polycarpios Aquila
Report Date
19 Sep 2019
Primary Location
