Session 322 - Lady Vara's Foretelling

General Summary

Winter 726TR

The Story So Far

The King is dead.

King Minigath, after ruling the Kingdom of Kaldor well for thirty-three years, has died, and the power struggle as to who will succeed him has started. Meanwhile, in the background, the nefarious Esoterical Order of Lothrim is up to no good.

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The heroes are in the Kingdom of Melderyn on a recruiting mission, seeking mercenaries to fight for Sir Conwan Elendsa in the ongoing and deteriorating Kaldorian Succession crisis.

This is the continuation of Session 321 - Shipwreck.

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Location - City of Cherafir in the Kingdom of Melderyn.

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5^th Ilvin 726

Part 1 - The Fox

Boromon's Foxes is a well-respected mercenary company with headquarters in the city. So, the heroes pay a visit. Unfortunately, they only find a couple of guards and Captain Boromon's mistress. They learn that the mercenary company is on the other side of the island at Stona Manor, fulfilling a contract over winter. With nothing better to do, the heroes travel to that remote fishing village.

7^th Ilvin 726

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Location - Stona Manor in the Kingdom of Melderyn.

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Sir Boromon, art by Artflow

The rather bored Sir Boromon welcomes the characters to Stona village, declaring it to be "somewhat dull." He advises Rycon that he would happily offer his company's services to his cause once this contract is complete in Spring. He explains the Lord of the Manor's "eccentric" wife, Lady Vara, is something of a seer and has the talent of "foretellings." She falls to the ground, uttering verses that allegedly predict forthcoming significant or traumatic events.

"Her latest ramblings were."

"From icy wind, the disciples of Eder will rise from the depths.

We will embrace the call of the sea."

Given the recent rise in reported sea monster sightings, Lord Bryar Taniran, Lady Vara's husband, is worried and has hired Sir Boromon's mercenaries to deal with any threats from the sea.

Part 2 - Lady Vara

Lady Vara, art by Artbreeder

That night, the heroes dine with Lord Bryar Taniran and Lady Vara. They are gracious hosts and devoted to each other; however, Lady Vara seems a little peculiar. She is quirky, stares at the characters, and is unable to focus.

After dinner, Valaria grabs her sketchbook and starts to draw randomly. Her Automatic Writing reveals a disturbing image. Some ugly sea monster is in the background, with symbols commonly used to represent musical notes and what appears to be the full moon. The party decides to wait until the night of the next full moon and see what happens.

15^th Ilvin 726

Part 3 - The Call to Doom

Disappointingly, eight days later, the night of the full moon is uneventful, although the weather starts to deteriorate with a cold winter rainstorm striking at dawn.

As the party packs up to leave, a haunting but strangely attractive voice from the sea beckons. Fortunately, all the battle-hardened heroes have enough strength of will to resist this call to doom. The villages and mercenaries do not and slowly start to shuffle towards the docks, several walking into the water and drowning. With no other options, the heroes begin to knock the villagers unconscious with some success as they spot objects emerging from the water. Giant, brutish aquatic humanoids with scaly green or grey skin, webbed claws, sharp teeth, and long stringy hair resembling seaweed. They are Merrows, demonically corrupted merfolk who ignore the dazed and charmed locals and focus their attacks on the heroes, first throwing bone javelins before closing to melee, attempting to tear them limb from limb.

Rusalka, art by Artflow

Valeria then notices something swimming in the bay, a huge ugly humanoid creature seemingly directing the Merrows and singing. Thinking quickly, she focuses her magic through her newly acquired Rod of Negation. It works. Momently, the Rusalka beckoning call is disrupted. Freed from the compulsion, the villages flee while the mercenaries, joined by Sir Boromon, rally and join the heroes battling the Merrows. The aquatic horrors on the docks are soon eliminated.

Angered that its song is ruined, the Rusalka summons two huge Water Elementals in a snake-like form to attack and entrap several heroes in their watery bodies. They are eventually dispatched as well, so with no other option, the vengeful sea monster crawls onto land as it closes on Valeria. The party and Sir Boromon intercept the horror. It is full of tricks and curses, but its ugly head is eventually hacked off.

The appreciative Lord Bryar and his village reward the heroes, and Sir Boromon pledges to join Rycon and fight for Sir Conwan in any upcoming conflict.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

Sir Boromon the Fox.

Lord Bryar and Lady Vara Taniran.

Challenges

6 x Merrows.

2 x Water Orms.

1 x Rusalka.

Rewards

Nothing this week.

Created Content

Nothing this week.

Related Reports

Nothing this week.

Player Characters

Valeria - Human - L10 Shadow Sorcerer

Background - Magical Experiment.

Archetype - Beastmaster.

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Rycon - Human - L10 Fighter

Background - Rebel Knight.

Archetypes - Liberator Champion/Dual Weapon Warrior.

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Dryueh - 1/2 Elf - L10 Thief Rogue

Background - Scout.

Archetypes - Vigilante/Medic/Shadowdancer/Wizard.

Next Session

Session 324 - The Abandoned Temple.

Campaign

Legacy of the Foulspawner

Protagonists

Rycon

Dryueh

Valeria

Report Date

02 Dec 2023

Boromon's Foxes

A mercenary Company led by Sir Boromon, the Fox, Slater. This small private army has a reputation for competence and unorthodox tactics.

Boromon's Foxes, art by Attacus