Session I Report: The Adventure Begins

General Summary

The adventure began in Shairdsmire's resident tavern, The Gilded Toad, as each of our four party members arrived from their long journeys across Western Ancalen. We met Claudette, a tall woman with Elven ears, pointed fangs, grey skin, brown hair and piercings across her ears and face. Mielikki, an ashen skinned woman also with pointed Elven ears and moss coloured hair, with patches of moss and hardened stone areas on her skin, with cracks that glow faintly yellow. Vim, a Halfling woman of medium build with a farmer's tan and a bush of reddish-brown hair, hazel eyes, a big round nose and a tooth gap. And finally, Taliesin, a 6-foot tall centaur, though of some kind of deer subrace that is certainly not common in Rania, if even native. He is in his early twenties with a mop of light-brown hair and antlers and the lower half of a deer. They ordered their drinks and talked amongst themselves somewhat before the door opened again to a black-haired man with a wiry beard and dark eyes, his dark-green cloak certainly of fine make though his under-clothes were more akin to those worn by everybody else in Shairdsmire. He introduced himself as the village's reeve, Veliko Kulak, and explained that the black dragon moved into the mountains nearby around 40 years ago and has since kept the village locked down beneath her oppressive terror, demanding their greatest treasures at the beginning of each season, to be collected by her acolytes or become her next meal. Newly armed with information and a couple leads to check out, the party set out for the chapel where a couple of Dragonborn corpses were being held in the cellar. Along the way, they met with a little girl crying in the streets, covered in mud because her mother had told her she couldn't speak to her imaginary friend anymore. Introducing herself as Liliana, the girl reassured the party that her friend, Razaz, is absolutely real and not only was she sure he pushed her over but he's been getting pretty mean lately. However, Mielikki reassured her that he's probably just having a bad day and there's nothing to worry about and the group continued towards the chapel, Taliesin managing to avoid a strangely slick patch of ground as they hear a mischievous cackle in their wake. Once inside the chapel they met Adela, Shairdsmire's priest, a woman wearing the vestments priests of the Seven commonly adorn, an eye tic, and a cane for walking. She explained to them what she knows about the dragon situation and warned then about the Dragonborns in the cellar because something feels very wrong. Descending the winding stone stairs to the cold stone cellar, Taliesin taking a little stumble on his way down before lighting the braziers around the room, Mielikki, Claudette, and Vimley approached the two corpses lain upon stone slabs. As they did so the shadow of one of the bodies moved and seemed to reach out before forming like thick black smoke and rising from the dead Dragonborn into a gross exaggeration of the creature. The party took the Shadow down handily, though Mielikki managed a Thunderwave that came very close to killing both Vimley and Claudette, if it weren't for her Orcish Endurance keeping her on her feet. Checking the corpses, Claudette found a golden collar around one of the Dragonborn's necks which she took, and inspecting the body learned that they seemed to have been killed by necromancy. Healing up and taking a small rest after the ordeal in the cellar, the party decided it would be wise to rest in Shairdsmire for the night and set off for the long journey up the mountains in the morning. The next day they made for the swamp, following the path. Not too far along, with Vimley skipping off ahead delightedly, the party spotted a grouping of shrubs that appeared to be living creatures. As Taliesin licked his lips hungrily, a lizard woman hissed at them from a little way ahead. Introducing herself as Ineia, the lizardfolk woman was decked out in dark robes and mantle with all sorts of twigs and leaves and feathers adorning them, a crest of feathers atop her head, a quarterstaff hung with twigs, feathers gemstones and all sorts, and green glowing baubles floating around her emitting a faint light. She explained she had been watching this Kobold ahead of her and had just realised they seemed to be caught in some brambles, Swamp Snare by her estimation. Not quite trusting the party right away, she asked if they would help her free the creature, and then she might perhaps offer them a little more information about what she was doing here. They obliged, not entirely trusting the lizard woman themselves, and approached cautiously. Both Mielikki and Ineia backed Claudette up as she lit her Longsword with a gentle blaze and found herself also grappled by the Swamp Snare, pierced by its sharp spines. Still, with a steady form, she swung true and sliced the brambles, as Ineia and Mielikki pulled her and the Kobold free, dousing the flame on their side as the rest of the Swamp Snare lit up and shrivelled away, dead. The Kobold, Triak, explained that he had been with the dragon when a group of strange folk came by in hooded cloaks and armour, wielding dark magic, and had taken Ivnieth, the black dragon. He had tried to flee but got caught by the Swamp Snare and now finding freedom, he was hoping to see a city! Mielikki offered him a gold piece which he took gratefully, and Ineia stated that she would very much like to see this dragon's lair and see if she can't find some information about these strange hooded people.

Rewards Granted

Necklace of Adaptation

Character(s) interacted with

Danil, the grumpy innkeeper of The Gilded Toad tavern
Veliko Kulak, the reeve of Shairdsmire
Liliana, the little girl with an imaginary friend that has been causing trouble
Adela, the priest of the Seven who oversees Shairdsmire's chapel
The Shadow, evil entity that arose from the corpse of a black Dragonborn killed by necromancy, killed by the party
5 little shrubs, Ineia's awakened companions
Ineia, the lizardfolk Wizard who's here for an as-yet-undisclosed reason
Triak, the Kobold who escaped from the men wielding dark magic but got caught in the Swamp Snare and freed by the party