Session 110: When Last We Met 1/6/25
General Summary
When last we met, The party had just rejoined the forest road after dealing with a coven of hags. They walk a few miles till they get to a crossroads and realize some of their party was the worse for wear after that battle so they take a short rest.
After avoiding another pitfall trap, The party continues along the road. At a certain point, members of the party swear they can see faces forming in the trees, but they chalk it up to mild hallucination from being in these woods so long.
Finally they spy an old crumbled down shack out in a clearing beyond the road. They go and investigate. The very air in this place seems tinged with an ominous energy. They slink closer and closer toward the door, Crows announcing their arrival until finally Vandread knocks on the door. A voice within bids them enter.
Upon entering they find a dim candle lit shack with an ancient hag sitting in the middle of it. She seems to know they were coming and speaks to them without even turning to look at them. She tells them to get out of these woods while they still can. The party decide to hear her out on any explanation she has for why these woods are the way they are.
She relays the story of the original inhabitants of Birchnod being... not so tolerant of people who didn't fit in with the town. At first they buried shunned family members in the Graveyard the party had recently ventured into, Then they began to cast out living villagers. This witch, calling herself Agathis was the first to be banished to this wood. Soon after centuries, the forest was filled with malevolent creatures and spirits. The negative energy seeping into the very ground of the forest.
The party attempts to convince Agathis not to harm villagers who wander into the woods. She agrees but laments that some things in this wood can not be bargained with. A plan is hatched to have the remaining hags form a sort of protective council to ensure this shaky peace is maintained. Vandread even offers himself to come and aid her when his adventures had concluded. She holds him to this promise and binds the two of them in a pact of blood.
The party then take their leave of Agathis as hideous monstrosities watch them from the treeline and follow them out but do not attack. As if ensuring they leave the woods without spilling more blood unprovoked.
The party doubles back on the path they didn't take and find themselves in an area called the Whispering pool. They find a dog that barks imploringly to have them follow him which the party does. They are led to a shallow grave that is exhumed by the dog and vandread who find the corpse of a small child holding the leash and a very familiar looking dog collar. The dog from there is nowhere to be found. Celeste is able to determine the body has been here for at least a Century and a half.
The party takes the girls corpse and places it into Romaia's bag of holding for future consecration and a task set upon Flint to try and find this girl's family or any descendants. From there the party examines the pool and finds a rather peaceful whimsical scene as dancing fairy lights twinkle about and implore the party to drink from the water.
Thinking better of it, Vandread places his hands in the pond and casts identify and finds out drinking of this water would induce deep deep sleep. He informs the party and Mistral ushers out his unseen servant to instead collect vials of the stuff for future use. All the while these dancing twinkling lights grow more and more insistent that the party drink from the waters. Finally crescendoing to them full on attacking the party for not falling for their ruse.
And that's where we'll pick up next time!
Rewards Granted
A dog collar with Amethysts inlaid
1 Flask of "Fairy Water"
3 Potion bottles worth of "Fairy Water"
Notes
17th of Brigid
- Party returned to the Road
- Took a short rest
- Continued on
- Encountered Agathis and didn't devolve to bloodshed
- Vandread made a blood oath
- Party found another hanging corpse
- Found a dog that lead to his owner getting a proper burial
- Encountered fairy lights at the Whispering Pool - Combat!
It is coming on nightfall when we pick up next time.
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