Session 10: The Fugitives

General Summary

The party, still on the run from the Tirnaleian army, escapes through the dense forest of the Ravenswood. After an extended chase, the sounds of the approaching army slowly diminish and the party finds a brief moment of respite to catch their breaths and determine their next course of action. Deciding to turn north in an attempt to get to Ravensheart and access its teleportation circle before word of their escape reaches the city, the party decide to take a short rest to recover, now that the immediate threat has passed. With the assistance of Karesh's druidic magics, the party stealthily makes their way north.
A few hours later, as the party ventures into the deepening mists, they happen across a sleepy settlement that appears to be unaware of the encroaching Tirnaleian army, nor its press-gang tactics. However, deciding that remaining in the settlement would draw too much attention, and despite Pierre's protestations and demands for a soft bed and a roof over his head, the party skirts around the village and presses northward, electing instead to make camp in a small clearing in the misty dark forest.
The watch over the night remains relatively uneventful, however, both Pierre and Karesh note the howling of wolves in the distance, and while Pierre is disturbed merely by the thought of wolves, Karesh is disturbed even more when he realizes that the sound of the wolves seems somewhat unnatural. That morning, as the party is breaking their fast, the sound of wolves returns, along with the sound of hurried footsteps, as they see a group of wounded and panicked humans running into the clearing, clearly running from something. Taking a vanguard position, the party orders the humans behind them, ready to face the coming attack. They are immediately faced with three large wolves, being driven by a huntmaster who seems to be gleefully hunting the humans. As the humans escape into the forest, Karesh takes the opportunity to try and speak with the animals. The response perturbs Karesh as the wolf that replies seems to do so with far more intelligence that should be expected from a normal beast.
The party quickly finds that the wolves are certainly more than they seem as non-magical attacks seem to simply bounce off their hides, their cuts and wounds magically mending themselves as soon as they are inflicted. However, the wolves are also surprised when Tynom, Karesh, Pierre, and Daarath unleash magical barrages of firebolts, guiding bolts, eldritch blasts, and other magical torrents towards them. Halfway through the fight, one of the women who had escaped into the forest returns, and seeing the party bravely fend off the pack, moves forward to assist. As she moves into the fray, her form shifts, her body lengthening and growing, fur sprouting from her skin as she quickly takes the form of a bear. With the bear's assistance, the party is able to fend off the attack, but not before one of the wolves is able to successfully take a bite out of Pierre's arm. As the bear bites off the head of the huntmaster, and the last wolf is gunned down by a barrage of fire, the bear turns around, her form melting around her until she looks human again, and thanks the party for saving her compatriots' lives. Noticing Pierre's wound, she is also saddened and reveals to Pierre that the wolf that bit him was in fact a lycanthrope, and as strange purple tendrils weave around Pierre's bite mark, she reveals to him the nature of his curse - to turn into one of the wolf-like creatures that attacked the party once every full moon. Noting that the next full moon remains a week and a half away, the woman, who introduces herself as Alanna, invites the party to her camp where their shaman may be able to assist.

"The world that you know is a mere reflection of a more primordial existence..."

- Corolanus

Agreeing to follow Alanna to her camp, the party find a ragtag encampment in the middle of the fog, led by a wizened old man dressed in furs. Introducing himself as Corolanus, he confirms the curse that has afflicted Pierre and notes that life with the curse can be managed, so long as he does not give into the temptation to embrace his lycanthropy. If he does give in, he would risk turning into one of the creatures that the party had encountered, mindless and driven by a lust for blood. Corolanus further notes that while he can manufacture a cure, to do so he needs access to spiritweed, a type of herb which is not found in Chronia and can only be found in the primordial forests of the "In-Between", another plane which he alleges is the true forest of which Ravenswood and in fact the entirety of Chronia is merely a reflection. Corolanus also notes that although he can send people to the In-Between, he himself cannot travel there anymore due to the risks and threats present in such a strange and unknown wilderness. While Tynom has heard of such fairy tales before, the existence of such a realm comes as a surprise to nearly everyone. Noting the party's intention to enter the In-Between, Corolanus takes the opportunity to ask the party to also obtain enough spiritweed to help cure the encampment of ten, all of whom have been afflicted with some form of lycanthropy.
As the party takes the opportunity to rest and recover, Corolanus also recalls the ancient history behind the In-Between, noting that its original name, Sha'haladaw, translates literally to "The Ways", and that ancient myths retell the usage of Sha'haladaw to travel quickly between points in Chronia. Time moves differently in The Ways, and as Eldkeep is built on a confluence of ley lines and energy currents that run all through Chronia, if the party could successfully navigate The Ways, they may well be able to find an exit that would take them directly into Eldkeep, rather than trying to force their way through the fortifications. Deciding that this shortcut may well be the party's best chance of entering the libraries of Eldkeep, the party agrees to venture into Sha'haladaw. That evening, the party is led to a small ceremony, where they are each given a communal bowl full of spiritual herbs and medicines, and with the light of a small bonfire lighting their way, the party' vision slowly fades as they pass out, entering the dream of the forest.

Campaign

A Memory of Ashes

Protagonists

Pierre Dupont

()

8 / 8 HP

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Karesh

Lawful Neutral Half-Orc (Hermit)
Druid 7

59 / 59 HP

STR
12

DEX
10

CON
16

INT
10

WIS
20

CHA
9

Daraath

Tynom Erris

Chaotic Good Half-Elf (Hermit)
Sorcerer 7
Ranger 1

52 / 52 HP

STR
12

DEX
14

CON
13

INT
10

WIS
13

CHA
18

Seris McGuire

Report Date

20 Oct 2021