History of the Guardsmen

Shaylen & Kuonrad journey south, first stopping in the town of Narpp for a nights rest. While they are there, the both of them inquire as to how one might get to Strols. The innkeeper instructs them to look for a boatman named Orr; Shaylen also has a fling with a cute bar maid that night. They continue in the morning, coming to the port city of Blanik where they find Orr as instructed. Orr takes them to the island of Strols, where the dynamic duo ventures into the marshy island. Searching for tracks, and dodging traps, the pair finds a rundown hideout where they are set upon by bandits. Once the bandits are dispatched, they take in the scene before them. Bodies are strewn about, dismembered, and mutilated in all sorts of ways. A howl erupts from the swamp revealing a ghoul. Doing battle once again, the ghoul is defeated with Kuonrad becoming wounded in the process. After the ghoul is slain, a young woman appears and reveals herself as Agnes. Taking her with them, the newfound trio get out of the bog as fast as they can so Orr can take them back across.

Wendel mysteriously disappeared once the orcs arrived, and the soldier leading the city's defenses was a man named commander Ewyn. Allying themselves with Ewyn, the party pulled off a scheme in which they blew up the orc war chief with a flaming arrow and casque of alcohol. The superstitious orcs fled leaving behind a few stragglers who were taken prisoner. Later that night there were celebrations in fending off the orcs, but Kuonrad & Agnes were beset upon by rogue knights and mercenaries. It was revealed in their personal belongings that a reward has been put out for Agnes' return along with the capture of Kuonrad, Shaylen & Wendel. A firbolg hunter named Kaolin interjects, making sure Kuonrad is really not a nefarious villain, and Agnes backs up her paladin friend. Commander Ewyn later shows up and asks the party for help. He takes them to Lord Yarwood, the ruler of this region. Lord Yarwood says that he is worried about another city named Drogstone which is also under his rule. He has not heard from the city and fears the worst given the recent appearance of orcs. Kaolin goes to the dungeon where he interrogates an orc prisoner, who reveals that they are being led by a certain Father Grimolt, who has taken Drogstone for himself.

The prisoner turns out to be another blood hunter named Lucan. After freeing him, the party helps him in a supernatural task, and he leads them to Father Grimolt's hideout. It turns out, Father Grimolt is the leader of a fanatical cult known as the "Chosen Ones of the True King." They dedicate themselves to the god Lugh. He was able to gather orcs, and many others under his thumb. The party find themselves in an old mine, where after sneaking through, and killing enemies, they find Father Grimolt, and do battle against him. Grimolt was strong, but unfortunately not strong enough to deal with the combined might of the party. Battered, beaten, and broken, Kaolin deals the finishing blow by decapitating Father Grimolt. In searching through his stuff they find a mysterious letter, and return to Lord Yarwood with the cult leader's head.

Party finds their way to Mousa where they meet up with Kaolin, but Wendel is still MIA. They find Mousa under duress, as an angry mob surrounds and hangs a man. Upon further investigation, the party figures out that children have gone missing, and are found murdered several days later. The city has been turning on itself trying to find the culprit. The party visits a tavern called the "Fisherman's Wife." Inside they find Ataulf the missing druid, drunk as can be. They question him; Ataulf reveals that he sold the Heart of the Oak to a Kattegat tribesman named Hunlaf, who is camped out in the nearby forest. Kuonrad & Agnes recall that the Kattegat are Shaylen's people, and it is unusual for them to travel alone. The party leaves, finding the man that had been attacked by the mob, hung above the city's gates.

Party awakes the next morning to find the body that was hung to be missing. Noose unbroken. Party finds footprints near the woods, and tracks them into the forest where they find a weeping man. The man that had been hung. He introduces himself as Karney, and says that he was falsely accused of the murders. He goes on to tell the party that he's been trying to find the missing pieces of his wife's body. A woman who was a healer, but accused as a witch. Her body scattered after her death. Karney said that he was honing in on a piece which was near where the children have been turning up dead. He says that he escaped the noose because his wife had taught him a few things before she passed. Party goes to this location where they venture into a cave and find a coven of sea hags. After defeating the hags, they chop off the heads to deliver to the town. It turns out these hags were murdering the children, and also had a piece of Karney's wife. Karney thanks them and humbly asks the party to help him find the rest of the missing pieces, giving them a map with the designated locations.