Lemuralia & The Feast of Lanterns: Chapter 9 - Of Spiders and Snakes 12.2.20
General Summary
Of Spiders and Snakes
Curious and a little on edge, the group travels to Grady McCreary's Parlor to inquire about his position within the town, and see about obtaining the translation book. McCreary's charming and overtly opulent personality immediately turns off the giant Araphant, and he and Ho-Gun poke and prod the many guards and armed men milling about the parlor, inviting a fight. But they don't take the bait, though their host is mildly put off. They sit for a grand, and delicious, dinner but the mood turns sour, and words are had. McCreary tells them he is owed the deed to the Westerly Wood, a deal he brokered with a man named Otto Dewfoot who has since disappeared. McCreary previously also bought the deed to the Flat Wood, renamed it, and now charges for any hunting or farming on the land. He intends to do the same with the Westerly Wood, and also, reveals as an ex-Summershaw inhabitant, he has ties to the party's friend, Hagen Brandywood. Without really accepting or rejecting, they depart, knowing they need the translation book, but also that McCreary could prove to be a future problem. Out of concern, they go to Otto Dewfoot's house, but discover his sad and disheveled wife and kids are the only ones there, and that they have not seen nor heard from Otto since he left to join the Smiling Hawks rebellion a few months prior. The deed though has been in their family for years, and she can't believe her husband would part with it. With time before the festival running low, the team departs immediately for the daylong journey to Attercrop Cave, where they hope to find Giant Spiders for later cooking. They come across the crumbling huts of an abandoned outpost, and there, a stark, lone black rider sits atop a horse. The figure does not approach them, but as the heroes close the horse disappears and the spirit reveals itself as a hellish phantom. From the ruins, spinning swords emerge and attack, and the demon, later identified as A Dark Rider of the Anghor North casts a possession spell on Ho-Gun, who obeys his will and attacks his friends. It is a dark fight, and even after the demon is defeated, it merely wisps away, and the party knows it may be back. Ho-Gun is left shaken by the experience. Advantageously though, the demon leaves behind three vials of strange liquid, that Eschelon believes may have healing properties. From here, it is only a short walk to the mouth of the cave.Fight Against the Dark Rider of the Anghor North
Report Date
17 Jan 2021
