Session Three : A Stroll Through the Forest

The group is under attack from zombies. The zombies have grabbed ahold of the Halflings, Ramathorn, Arhjan, Kilmeros and Phelorna. The group, startled, fragments off into several directions. As the zombies rise out of the ground, the group attacks! However, these zombies are the heartiest foes the group has faced, and having not rested after their previous encounter in anticipation of returning to Pendleton, they are also low on health and spells. The group dispatches of one zombie after several minutes of combat. However, just when momentum seems to be favoring the group, four more zombies rise out of the ground, encircling the group. All hope is lost, and the group decides to begin to disengage in hopes of running away and living to fight another day.
Suddenly, from the west to Ramathorn’s rear, a hawk/humanoid (Dawne) figure comes running out of the woods to help the group, and proceeds to heal Ramathorn, Ramathorn casts “Touch” to create enough light for him to dish out his attacks on the enemy, and also realizes several of the zombies are of the goblin race. At the same time, an olive-green Tiefling (Kallista) comes running out of the woods to the east, and casts Cure Wounds on Phelorna, bringing her back to almost full health. The group is pulled back into the fight to help their newfound friends (they believe), and the battle rages on. Nordak cleaves a zombie apart, and the Tiefling begins her crossbow assault on the zombie hoard, striking a zombie near Phelorna in the eye. At this moment, two striking green eyes peer out of the darkness just beyond Ramathorn’s source of light. Yet another crossbow assault comes from the void, and strikes the other eye of the aforementioned zombie. Form the darkness emerges a draconic figure (Marvolo). Arhjan and Ramathorn dispatch of two zombies, and the group finally has the upper hand. Arhjan continues to protect the Halflings. Suddenly, the Tiefling yells at the group to follow her. Ramathorn casts light on a dagger and impales a retreating zombie, to try to get the rest of the zombies to follow, it succeeds. Most of the heroes begin to follow the Tiefling, however, Kilmeros and Nordak are skeptical and remain to fight off the hoard until they can determine their next action. The newcomers are horrified as Kilmeros descends upon three of the fallen zombies, and begins to slice off their ears. The original group exclaims, realizing they had forgotten all about the bounty on goblin ears, and the many ears they lost in the flood in the caves, and applaud Kilmeros’ quick thinking. Eventually the hawk creature is able to convince Nordak to follow the group, but not before he retrieves Ramathorn’s dagger from the zombie’s rear, and Kilmeros also joins the group.
The group is lead to a cabin, not far from where the fight took place. After some small talk, they break bread and share wine, and take a long rest to recover from their eventful day/night. When they awake, they find that Kilmeros is gone, in search of clues to find the sword that she has been inquiring about throughout their time together. Nordak also has a newfound friend, a panther named Gloria. The group then decides to head back to Pendleton to collect their reward, and to determine their next move. The original group informs the newcomers that all gold received from the ears is theirs, however any gold found from that moment on, will be divided amongst the group.
Upon arriving in Pendleton, they meet with Captain Cepeda, and receive their bounty for the ears and rescued people. Having not found the bookstore owner or the blacksmith, they are presumed dead or enslaved. Ramathorn inquires about the books that Nordak said the crownsguard confiscated from him, to which the Captain is confused, saying they returned all of those books to Nordak. Suspicious, Ramathorn confronts Nordak. Ramathorn and Arhjan determine that Nordak is in possession of a magical book, but Nordak would not divulge any more information, promising to confide in Ramathorn at a later time, when it is safe to do so. Arhjan and Marvolo go to the general store to purchase some materials to execute spells, and crossbow bolts, respectively. While the rest of the group waits with Captain Cepeda, a messenger bursts into the room with dire news from the nearby town of Crystal Abbey. Several people have been going missing over the past several weeks, as well as five people, just the day before. The messenger says he rode straight the night to deliver this information. The Captain requests the group’s help to investigate this strange situation, and they group agrees to do so. After meeting up with Arhjan and Marvolo, they all rest at The Sleepy Cat and prepare for the journey ahead.
The following morning, the group asks around town about the forest to the southwest that is between them and Crystal Abbey. Although the villagers don’t know much about it, they do claim that the forest is enchanted, and that not everybody who ventures in, makes it out the other side, or returns. The group heads directly west, skirting the edge of the forest until it is absolutely necessary to go through. Using her flight, Dawne does see that this particular stretch of forest is only about 20 miles thick, and the group decides to cut through this section. Upon entering, the path forks into two directions, and after Dawne uses Divine Sense to find any infernal or evil presence in the forest, the entire forest around her lights up, indicating dark magic. The group determines that the road to the right is more traveled upon, and continue that way.
The smell of flowers and freshly fallen rain fills the group’s nostrils, and that combined with the warm temperature of the forest, and the falling pollen sprinkling through the sunlight, fills the group with a sense of peace they haven’t felt since before they all met.
Unbeknownst to the group, they are under an enchantment. After walking in circles for three days, they are caught by a group of three Dark Druids in giant spider form. However, Kallista snaps out of the enchantment and finds the group caught by a group of giant spiders, with all but her and Dawne fully ensnared. Using thaumaturgy, she sends a tremor through the ground in hopes that it awakens those around her from their magical slumber. The move succeeds, and everyone but Nordak is awakened. Kallista proceeds to move towards Nordak to free him. The rest of the group engages in battle with the druids, and slowly begin to harm the druids (two in Druid form, one still in Giant Spider form). After several rounds of combat, Nordak and Gloria are freed, and begin their assault on the nearest Druid, dealing a massive out damage to the creature, sending it into a retreat, straight into the arms of Arhjan and his Familiar spider. Arhjan delivers a devastating scorching ray blast to each of the druids, and the momentum begins to swing towards the heroes. Ramathorn is cut free, and bursting forth, launches a spell towards the druid in front of him, which does connect, but deals damage to both Nordak and Arhjan’s Familiar, killing the Familiar. After dispatching of two of the Druids in quick succession, Arhjan attempts to attack Ramathorn in retaliation, but is repelled when Ramathorn uses his shield spell, and he informs Arhjan that he will not forget what he just did. The surrounded Druid uses a thunderwave blasts, sending everyone ten feet back, and begins to try to retreat. However, Phelorna’s Familiar poisonous snake had already begun to slither up the Druid’s leg, and with deadly precision, deals the killing blow by biting the Druid twice in the jugular, killing the enemy, and silence falls upon the battlefield.
The group then exits the forest, and upon reaching the edge of the forest, ahead they see a walled town, with a glass dome and an intricately colored building peaking over the defensive wall. Emboldened by the effectiveness of their teamwork, and motivated to help those who have disappeared, the group begins their trek towards the front gates of Crystal Abbey…

Date

Freve 22, 200 - Jiholt 1, 200

Dragonguard Members:

Arhjan

Kilmeros

Phelorna

Ramathorn