Act I: The Firelung Plague

Four travelers heading south decide to stop in Eagle's Landing, a town beset by a terrible plague, after a traveling priestess offers them a reward for finding a cure.

The 5th day of New Autumn, 1288 AYD. (5.10.1288 AYD)   The party arrived in the town of Eagle's Landing, finding the people sick and beset with a illness that caused hacking, burning coughs, where people spit up blood and eventually drown in it. Their traveling companion Amara, a priestess of The Wanderer, offered them each 50 gold pieces to help her try and cure the illness. After questioning her on why she would need their help, as none of them were really healers, she explained that she was not much of a fighter and that this town could be a bit rough. The group agreed to help.   Following Amara's lead, the group arrived at a herbalist shop called Salves and Stems, where Bob healed a young child who had become sick with the disease, and Yasias helped negotiate their way to the front of the line, explaining to the gathered sick people there that they were trying to find a cure, and giving the person at the head of the line two gold pieces. Entering the shop, they found a distressed shop keep frantically trying to take care of everything by the name of Hardy Rootseeker. They offer to help her, and she explained that she wasn't really a proper healer, but it had fallen to her to take care of these people, and that she might have a cure from her Granny's book. Granny had traded her eyesight to the witch of the forest, Regina, for some of her knowledge and power, many years ago. The book detailed a cure, brewed from Darkwood Moss, Rat Tail's and Ironbloom Mushrooms. Hardy was able to tell them that Darkwood Moss would grow on the oldest tress of the forest, and that the Ironbloom Mushrooms would normally bloom in a dark place where metal was wrought and forged, like where dwarves lived. Finally, she was able to suggest that the witch Regina might have Rat Tail's to use for a cure. Unfortunately, she had no idea where any of these things would be located, and advised they seek out the council of Dalton Bayford, an older lumberjack that knew the woods very well.   Making their way into the Darkwood Forest, the group headed toward the ancient trees on their map, as they were the closest. The group was nearly ambushed by a snake, but Alan's attentiveness and perceptive skill kept them from walking past the serpent. Bob used his ability to talk to animals to tell it not to attack and the creature slithered away quickly, clearly afraid of the party.   After asking around for the whereabouts of Dalton, the group set out to the lumbercamp. On the way there, a blue wyvern flew overhead, paying them no mind. Freaking out over this, they regained their composure, and made their way to the correct lumbercamp, and told Dalton of their quest. He drew them a quick map of the area, showing where he suspect the trees would be for the moss, as well as the location of the witches hut and an old abandoned dwarven monastery. He warned them to be careful of the witch, as they always gave her hut a wide berth, and they warned him of the wyvern they saw. Alan also tried to convince him to sell him some darkwood for cheap, but Dalton explained that it was not his to sell, it was Lord Saclor's, who ruled the town and owned the lumber operation. At Alan's insistence, he said that if a little darkwood went missing on it's way in to town, if the plague was cured, it might go unnoticed.map, as they were the closest. The group was nearly ambushed by a snake, but Alan's attentiveness and perceptive skill kept them from walking past the serpent. Bob used his ability to talk to animals to tell it not to attack and the creature slithered away quickly, clearly afraid of the party.   Deeper into the woods they went, and again Alan perceives the cries of a wounded animal. Bob snuck ahead and found a fox creature stuck in a trap. The bard tried to free the creature, but narrowly avoided being shot by a hobgoblin waiting in the bushes. The hobgoblin and his pet hawks attacked Bob, slashing at him with swords and claws. Alan and Theo jumped into combat as well, and Yasias greased the hobgoblins sword. Theo ended up beating the goblin to death with his fists, and the fancy sword work of Alan and Bob made short work of the hawks. Freeing the fox finally, Amara tended to its wounds and it told Bob of the oldest trees in the forest, and that a tiny blue scaled creature sometimes guarded them, like a much smaller version of the one that had flown over the forest recently. Bob let the fox go with one of the hawks, and it scurried back into the forest. The group proceeded to loot the corpse of the hobgoblin, finding some simple gear and coin, as well as two potions of cure light wounds, which were given to Alan and Theo.   Making their way further into the Darkwood Forest, the group found the largest and oldest of the darkwood trees, as well as the creature they had been warned about, the Tatzlwyrm. It scurried down the tree to charge at Theo with it's mighty bite, capturing the rogue in it's maw. However, the beast proved to be no match for their combined martial prowess and the quick illusionary skills of their wizard, and the group was able to put down the beast while sustaining only minor injuries, which were quickly attended to by their priestly comrade. Examining the tree, they were able to find enough of the Darkwood moss to make a cure (they hope), as well as the corpses of three woodsman, completely devoured of flesh and a few months old, but still with some serviceable gear.   As the group made their way to the next destination, the Witch's Hut, they again saw the flying blue Wyvern in the sky, but this time it seemed to be crying out in sadness, as though a friend or loved one had died. They were able to connect the dots to the creature they killed previously. Upon arrival at the hut, they found it abandoned and unguarded, except for the magical cauldron that came to life and tried to eat Theo. They also found what appeared to the mummified corpse of the witch, but it was only a decoy. Eventually, the group was able to smash the cauldron to bits and locate the second ingredient for the cure, the slimy rat tails. They also located a magical amulet to protect the wearer, which was taken by Alan.   With two of the ingredients in hand, the group headed toward the abandoned dwarven monastery. Combining their knowledge of the region, the clues on their map, and their knowledge of history, the group knew that the mountain this monastery was on was discovered by a goodly dwarf many years ago, and that the monastery would have likely been used by goodly dwarves when it was in use. On the way they were attacked by wolves, which Bob was able to distract by throwing a bunch of the newly found trail rations in the opposite direction of the party, the wolves went for the rations after facing sufficient resistance from Alan and Theo.   The group arrived at the monastery to find it abandoned and crumpling, it's gate fallen down from neglect and holes in the stonework, as well as the roof. Making their way into the courtyard, they found another corpse near the well, containing more treasure for their coffers, and they all decided to investigate the stone watchtower. The door to the watchtower did not want to budge, and it was the wizard who was eventually able to pry it open, only to be attacked by the giant spider within, which poisoned him, draining his strength. With a number of well placed bows, acid orbs, and even a shot from the longbow of their priestess, the group was able to finally defeat the vile creature.   Having defeated the hungry spider, the group investigated the tower, finding more cobwebs and a set of stairs to the top of the tower. Bob wisely advised them not to ascend the wooden stairs, as they were old and likely to fall apart. The group instead made their way to the eastern double doors, where Theo found an altar to Forhakin Soulforger, a goodly deity of dwarves and the creator of the dwarves on Algaress (this world). Theo covered the room in light with his magical dagger, Old Stabby, and it was lucky that he did, because two hideous creatures called Darkmantles attempted to cover the room in darkness. Dropping down from the ceiling, the creatures attacked Theo. A long battle was fought, and eventually the group was victorious, thanks to the excellent swordwork of Alan and Theo, inspired on by the riveting tales of Bob and the magical prowess of Yasian. Examining the shrine further, they found that there five holes that looked like something was taken out of them on the shrine, as if something was missing. After some healing from Amara, the group continued to explore the southern wing of the monastery. Bob then found a room filled with dangerous mold and fungus, as well as book that would later be revealed to be a well made prayer book for worshippers of the Soulforger, which also contained a scroll of spiritual weapon. Exploring the cloakroom, they found their first ironbloom mushroom. The next room contained a falling debris trap, but Theo was able to spot it and disable it before it hurt anyone. This led to a bedroom where they were attacked by a kobold, Bex, who they easily knocked out. Interrogating the kobold, they learned that the mushrooms they sought could be found throughout the monastery. They also learned that there were more deadly wolves in the monastery. They also found among the kobold's stash a slightly magical ruby that looked like it should be put in the shrine. The kobold was not able to given them any more information on dragons in the area, or the other missing gems from the altar. They let the kobold go after making sure he wasn't going to stab them in the back.   In the room across the hall from the cloakroom, they found a dead dwarf skeleton, carrying a hammer with a religious rune and a cryptic note. The dwarf had a broken glass vial in his hand and had propped a chair against the door to keep people out. In the dwarven language, the note read: "Forgive me, dark father of the forge, my tolls shall never be enough". The group was able to piece together from the note and the odd hammer that this dwarf must have been a follower of Norvuc Nightslayer, the evil son of the Soulforger and slayer of the giant creator deity, Hofur, Father of the Giants.   Moving down the other hallway, Bob opened another door, and was confronted with two hungry wolves. Giving them a bit of his rations, he was able to convince them not to eat him, and the wolves convinced him to kill the evil wolf in charge, Graypelt, and let them eat his body. Bob figured he could trust these wolves and that this Graypelt must be a bad guy. He also found a magical handaxe and a prayer book, as well as a sack of platinum pieces. After the rest of the group agreed to the plan, Theo opened the door to the next room, and was attacked by a large wolf with evil red eyes that the party identified as a worg. Though it took a good chunk out of Bob, the party's martial prowess proved too much for the creature, and Alan's fine swordsmanship killed the beast. In the room, they found more than enough mushrooms to cure the town, as well as a stash of gold and treasure, and a set of stairs leading to a basement below. The party agreed that they would want to come back and explore the rest, but that they should get back to Eagle's Landing to cure the firelung plague before anyone died. Working their way back out of the monastery, they found the old armory, and a secret door leading to a row of jail cells. Three of these jail cells contained evil dwarves long since gone, their skeletons rising from the beds to attack, but Amara's holy magic quickly destroyed the abominations. It was at this point that Theo offered the priestess a place with the group if she wanted to continue traveling with them and she accepted. The fourth cell contained another dwarven skeleton, this skeleton did not animate, and seemed to be in a meditative position. On the skeleton's hand was a magic ring bearing the holy symbol of the Soulforger, and it was determined that it would offer the wearer some protections from fire.   The group headed back into the town, thankfully encountering no further resistance in their quest. Once they made it back to Salves and Stems, Hardy was ecstatic and began brewing the magical cure, and within hours, the afflicted were on their way to recovery. The group was able to divy up the loot, and they received their payment from Amara as well. Jill Donwark, the owner of the Flaphouse, an inn in the town, offered them free room and board for their good deeds, and they were even able to sell off the special dwarf hammer to Vakius Orivor, the town wizard. All in all, the townsfolk treated the party like heroes for their courageous deed.