KwN.0.3 Against the Blood

Session Preface

"Ain't no two ways about it, Pax. The only tracks in here belong to one of the Lycans. A big one too, based on this footprint here. Well, and what little's left of the dead. What a mess. You know as well as I do what that means."
The stench of long-bottled rot and death seeps into your nostrils as you examine broken memorial stones, cracked tombs, and busted urns covered in some unfamiliar religious iconography. Kneeling amidst the weathered bones haphazardly scattered across the mausoleum's cavernous floor, Esra looks up to you, his face resolved with the seriousness of the situation while his eyes belie a glint of excitement and adventure.
"Reminds me of what old Grynson used to say - 'Disturbin' the dead goes 'gainst the blood. An' goin' 'gainst the blood means dyin' by the blood.' Looks like we've got some hunting to do."
Climbing the stairs back to the surface, you watch as the last rays of sunlight cascade over the western peaks. Pigs squeal from the humble farms dotting the hills along the horizon, punctuated by the rhythmic thud of tools striking soil. To the north, the walls of Sundabar loom large as the paroling guards atop cast elongated shadows over the moat below.
Casting a similar shadow along the dirt path ahead, Enforcer Safir turns as you approach, his clean shaven face and bald scalp only further highlighting his thick, furrowed brows.
"Well, that certainly didn't take long. I trust you have all you need to track down whatever monstrosity did that to my fallen brethren?"
Esra ignores the question for a moment, kneeling to examine the earth. His eyes, dilating unnaturally, dart back and forth along the path with an intense focus before rising the meet the Knight's expectant gaze.
"The tracks head off further south, it seems. We best get after it before nightfall. Tell me, Safir, you ever fought a werewolf?"
The Knight shakes his head decisively. "I'll fight a damned dragon for what's happened to these poor souls. Lead the way."
Between a pair of Blood Hunters, tracking the clawed indentations through the barren foothills of the Nether Mountains does not prove particularly challenging. The three of you walk in mostly silence, until Enforcer Safir clears his throat. "So. If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is it your order ... does?"
"Ah. My favorite question," Esra sighs, pairing it with a rolling of the eyes you sense without turning your head. "Pax, would you be so kind as to tell our new companion here all about us Blood Hunters? While you do, I'm gonna scout up ahead. We're getting close and the last thing we need is a fucking ambush."
Esra picks up the pace, dipping out sight over the next hilltop, leaving you walking alongside the Knight of Holy Judgement who turns and tilts his head toward you ever so slightly, his brows furrowing once more with an expectant look.

Session Summary

Following Pax's description of the Blood Hunters and several of Gauntlet Safir's follow-up questions, Esra returns to lead them to a cave where he found the werewolf's tracks. Inside the cave, the party comes across a horrific sight. A new mother, half-transformed into a werewolf, a cauterized bite-wound, and a quietly crying newborn beside her. Examining the wounds, Pax was able to determine the woman had died during childbirth.
While trying to put together the strange pieces of the unfolding events, the party is ambushed by the werewolf. In the ensuing battle, Ersa places himself between Pax and the attacking werewolf, becoming infected with lycanthropy in the process. In the chaos of the moment, the werewolf snatches the child from Gauntlet Safir's arms and escapes the cavern.

Esra's Dying Wish

"Ain't no two ways about it, Pax. Don't let me turn into one them. You know I've never looked good in fur."
"This job, for the Knights. It ain't just been about our typical monster hunting. I, uh, fuck, that burns, I found something. About the Order. The deal with the ugh, devil. I think it's real. Like a document. And it'll tell us, ah shit."
Esra rolls to one side awkwardly, his wound gushing a dark spurt of blood across his leathers. Reaching into the pack sprawled out beside him, he pushes his scattered belongings aside, reaching for a folded piece of parchment. With a sudden frantic burst, Esra shifts his weight and thrusts the page to your chest.
"Here. Ah, fuck. That hurt. Alright, look. The Knights. Years and years ago. Ransacked. The Order. Those agents took a bunch of records. It's why we don't. Well, argh, that, mmm. I think they took the contract. You gotta keep digging. The Knights. The Order. We're connected, somehow. You gotta keep digging. You gotta. Oh fuck. Alright, Pax. Now. Guess I'm gonna. Fuck, argh, it burns. Find out what our side of the deal is. After All."
Esra rolls his head back, his face contorted into a tortured grimace.
"All things. Considered. I'm glad it's you. Pax."

Learning the Truth

Following Esra's death, Pax takes his companion's medallion and gives chase to the werewolf, following the bloody trail all the way to the river only to realize the tracks doubled back to the cave. Rushing back to the cave, Pax discovers the werewolf in his human form, looking over the mother's remains.
With an arrow nocked, Pax demands answers from the Order of the Lycan member, who explains that he is the father of the child who tried to save Lucie during pregnancy complications by having her undergo a transformation. As for the desecrated tombs, the werewolf describes discovering the tomb rife with undead soldiers. While the werewolf got a look at the responsible necromancer, it disappeared when the Lycan moved in to strike. The Lycan also explains this to be the second such event his Order is aware of - the former happening in Baldur's Gate.
At an impasse due to the conflicting rage over Esra's death and the son's presence, Pax settles on allowing the Lycan to leave, but threatening to kill him if they ever next should meet.
Pax then carries Esra's body to a nearby hill and builds a pyre for paying respects to his friend. Upon completing the ritual, Pax agrees to return with Gauntlet Safir to speak to his superior to explain the situation, despite initially being very hesitant due to the complications that have arisen with the other Blood Hunter. In his introduction to General Torzar, Pax signs on to continue investigating alongside Gauntlet Safir as long as his payment continues.

Becoming a Knight

Following months of investigation without much significant progress, Gauntlet Safir and Pax are on their way back to Sundabar when Safir brings up once again the idea of Pax becoming a Knight. After Pax's usual instant dismissal, Gauntlet Safir reveals to Pax that the Knights may require his services in a looming army of orcs who are rumored to have a demonic presence among them. When Pax continues to express indifferent, the Gauntlet hands Pax a series of letters and a leather-bound tome, announcing the Blood Hunter has officially been conscripted into the Knights.
As Pax rebuttals and argues his case in disbelief and shock, it is Gauntlet Safir who comes to a sudden stop.

Returning to Sundabar

As you round the foothills of Sundabar, Gauntlet Safir stops dead in his tracks. "Torm, save us."

Where the city of Sundabar should sit, the water in its moat shining in the morning sun, there is an oppressive, magical darkness shrouded over the city like a massive dome. To the east, battalions of orcs march forth, pushing into the darkness and disappearing from sight. Beyond the magical darkness, the sky itself darkens as if the sun itself had been blotted out. Shifting out of invisibility, formations of drow appear and descend upon the city's bridges in stride with the orcs. Scattered among the invading forces are massive blue-skinned giants. Overhead, a draconic shriek tears through the sky like lightning. From behind the frontlines, trebuchets and catapults send boulders and rubble arching through the sky, piercing the magical darkness like meteors burning through the atmosphere. The darkness closes once more. Gauntlet Safir turns to you, his brows lowering from utter shock to gutteral resolve. "Good thing you're a Knight now. We're gonna have to fucking fight our way through."

Session Overview

Date Played:
September 28, 2020
Party:

• Pax

Time Passed: Tarsakh 1493 - Flamerule 10, 1493
NPCs:

• Esra
• Gauntlet Safir
• Lucie
• General Torzar

Loot:

• The Gauntlet's Guide
• Esra's Medallion
• Esra's Notes