Session 21: The Thorny Gates Report

General Summary

After regrouping from the Battle of Grey Tower, the heroes set in motion some things necessary for the survival of the Duskhan Rangers as a guild. Then, that same day, they set out in search of the kidnapped Matilda.
The way was difficult, as their quarry had hidden their tracks well, but the expert tracker, Rithari, managed to keep them on the trail. After miles of rain forest wilderness, the team set up camp for a well earn rest. However, the evening was not as restful as hoped when a pack of wererats came sniffing about. A fight broke out, leaving one wererat unconscious on the group and Seraphina badly bitten. They slept in lat to get a full rest in, and were otherwise unmolested that night. Jak kept a watchful eye on the retreating wererats and saw them return to their own camp to tend their injuries. He overheard enough to realize these were most likely a group of poachers, hiding far from civilization in order to hide their afflictions.
The next day, Seraphina's concerns grew, especially as she realized the therianthrope curse was very real. A flurry of magical messages was sent. But the group chose to continue, for it would be some few weeks before the next full moon.
At last, following the trail led to a massive tree upon the hill and the team was able to determine that this was the destination of the troupe of evil fey. But first they had to negotiate passage with Tree-men that initially barred their way.
That night a mysterious, horned visited passed through their camp. He spoke of an inner rot of the Great Tree, though it seemed contained for now. He affirmed that there was a gate that had its own set of guardians. The tree-men, he said, were kindly but only tended to the Great Tree itself, not the Gate at its heart.
Knowing that, the heroes returned the next day to negotiate with the Tree-man. This went better, thought the tree-man continued to be curious how the troupe could pass the gate without the proper Authority to do so. But, the tree-men did not bar their way this time.
At last arriving at the heart of the tree, the heroes found a massive Mushroom Fairy Ring that surrounded a strange, warped pair of ancient roots, blackened and twisted together around a tear-shaped opening. Within was the foggy impression of... somewhere else.
Guarding that gate were a pair of shambling mounts -- and Matilda herself. Now the Guardian of the Gate, she showed no recognition of her former friends at all.

Character(s) interacted with

Xander -- the 10' tall humanoid in black and gold armor and clawed gauntlets with golden horns and solid gold eyes.

Campaign

Swannport Campaign

Protagonists

Jak Ravenfall

Chaotic Neutral Half-Elf (Collector of the Archive)
Rogue 1

9 / 9 HP

STR
10

DEX
19

CON
12

INT
13

WIS
11

CHA
17

Seraphina Swann

Matilda Stillwater

Chaotic Good Elf-blood (Sailor)
Sorcerer 6

44 / 44 HP

STR
10

DEX
16

CON
14

INT
10

WIS
11

CHA
20

Esyllt

Rathari

Report Date

04 Mar 2022

Primary Location

Westwald