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Efrate
2016-09-11, 04:31 AM
Hello Giant! After reading Caveman's Cattle Driving Necromancers journal, I decided to do something similar and started taking notes. So here for someone's enjoyment, even if mine, is what I have.

Caveat: I ran Sunless Citadel, Forge of Fury, and Speaker in Dreams before I started taking notes, so I won't have much to say about them, but I will give you a bit of background where relevant.

Background: Sunless Citadel path is actually not terrible, especially considering the group I am running with is very new. I've run several of the modules before, most notable Speaker in Dreams, The Standing Stone, and Bastion of Broken souls. I enjoyed each as a DM for different reasons. You get a good mix of adventure types, cover a lot of system ground, and I think its a fine introduction for new players, most of which this group consists of.

My goals: Update these to 3.5, but keep player power at a fairly low level, in tune with the adventures. I want them threatened. To that effect the following rules are in effect.

Rules

Elite array for stats. I know horrible. It is however what the adventures were more or less designed for. I give 2 feats to each player as compensation, one of the +2/+2 which helps with their background or skill focus, and one that directly relates to their combat role. Weapon Focus/finesse, Spell Focus in their most common spell type (usually evocation), PBS for ranged characters, etc. Nothing super great, but nice.

Also house rule of rerolling 1s on HP for leveling because forget that. You keep a 2 but you can reroll a 1.

Sources made available at a very limited rate. We started in Sunless Citadel, core only, no exceptions. You race had to be from the PHB, no alternates, no sub races, nada. All your class, feats, prestiges classes, etc, had to come from PHB or DMG. No monstrous races or subraces, no ACFs, or anything at the start. Forge of Fury I added PHB2. Things got a bit messy in Speaker, mainly because I made out monk into a PF unchanied monk because she wasn't happy lagging behind a party with duskblade, ranger, and rogue, and doing nothing. Deaths and such aside we come to the present adventure. Sources allowed: Core, PHBII, plus all completes (other than psionic, mainly because magic is rough enough for most the players), miniatures handbook.

Our cast of players! Note that this campaign errs more on the side of Monty Python than Lord of the Rings.

A. A is an old friend of mine. He can be munchkinny at times, and he has been known to show up here. He always seems to win initiative, and if I didn't see or use his dice on occasion I would swear he is a cheater. He also cannot make any non-knowledge skill roll ever, so it balances out. Three spot isn't helping you much. He is an excellent roleplayer, and the only player in the group with a reasonable amount of experience. He prefers playing casters. He starts this adventured as Kruger Blitz, duskblade known for pile driving a gargolye he grappled 120 feet down into the pavement. His follower is Morgha, a Knight, who is an Anime style cheerleader for good an justice, whereas he is a more jaded hardbitten old soldier.

B. B is my oldest and best friend, and he has played a bit, but its more a social thing for him to get together with his buddies. He is a very kick in the door style of player, and keeps track of his kill count and like to play characters that brag about it. He also names his characters something juvenile and silly. He is currently a rogue named Harry Johnson. He has previously been Boom Shakalaka, and his twin KaBoom Shakalaka, socerers who only did damage spells. They both died.

M. M is my significant other, and has very limited play experience. She played 1st edition way back when (we are old xD), and has done a bit of 3.5. She is very introverted at the table and plays more quiet characters, who would rather solve problems by talking them out, being reasonable, and if all else fails, hitting them in the face (even when she isn't great at it). She does not like spells in general and likes to be more supportive, but is currently playing a Favored Soul of Obai-hai, a gnome named Shamil. Her spells are supportive, she wanted to be a buffer and decided on Favored soul with buffs over a Marshal or a Dragon Shaman. Bless, Prayer, etc. are her forte. She also likes to hit thing with her small quarterstaff. But she's bad at it.

D. D is M's son, and he's a good kid if immature at times. He competes with B. in the kill count competition, and has a bad habit of getting sidetracked very easy with random questions along the line of "So what could X do in Y situation" etc., frequently. We all try to curb it. He's honestly curious and more than a little ADHD but he's passionate and has a blast, plus its something his mother and him can do together and talk about later. His character tend to be quite dumb in game, and often he's more of a dead weight than anything. He breaks character constantly with little side comments and ooc stuff, but we all do so its not a big deal. We've talked to him about using out of game knowledge in game, but it can sometimes cripple his in game performance as he waffles a lot on what to do, or I don't know that will work. He's a work in progress but I can feel a great gamer in there, just gonna need some development. He's come a long ways, and hes fun, though he can get scapegoated because his characters are THAT dumb. He is a warmage named Tesarion.

Session 1: That Standing Stone, before the adventure, introduction, RP, and Crazy Donald.

Kruger and Harry, after the debacle of Brindenford, need to get away from things for a while. Turns out killing the Governor, even if controlled by a Mind Flayer no one knows about (see Speaker in Dreams), doesn't sit well with the populace, even after he instituted martial law and used fiends as enforcers. Following the loss of several comrades, and Harry's return to flesh after a bad run in with the Medusa, they need to get out of town for a while. Harry also has accepted a Geas to pay back the cost of the Stone to Flesh, and the cost of the Geas, with interest. He owes around Ten thousand gold to his Employer, the Brindenford thieves guild, and must pay a minimum of a thousand a month or be hunted down and assassinated. He pays Two Thousand up front and needs to go adventuring to help cover the rest.

After visiting Kruger's patron and current employer, one Lord Althon who lives a few days south of Brindenford, they hear of a friend of their patron named Lord Carroway who lives a few weeks away and has been having issues with a possible uprising and it looking for some brave folk to gather information and possibly quell this before it gains momentum. Both having good reasons to leave, Kruger packs up his motley assortment of following warrior and sets off with Harry for parts distant.

Their journey is uneventful, but about halfway there they are overtaken by Morgha, someone sent onto Kruger for training from his old unit (actually to get rid of her[his new follower]). She arrives bright eyed bushy tailed, and utterly naive. If you've ever seen the Anime Slayers, she's Emelia, only taken up a notch and without the fondess for heights. As they set camp, Kruger clearly sees why his old commander sent her to him for training. It was an excuse she would believe and got rid of her. She comes with a note "She's your problem now. Deal with it."

As they set camp she is very certain to inspect everyone's gear, chastise those whose kit is not pristine (everyone but her, and Kruger who she is kind of in Awe of), make sure the tents are laid out properly, and arranges a schedule of overlapping watches. On a very well traveled road. In very civilized lands. She also gives lectures on proper knightly duties and how they must at all times be willing to represent the absolute best of everything to all they meet. She's green enough to be an entire forest.

The above repeats nightly. After a short while they enter the lands of Lord Carroway, which are prosperous farmland and vineyards mostly, away from pretty much everything. Lord Carroway himself greets the great heroes who helped deliver Brindenford from evil, which makes Morgha absolutely ecstatic. He delares a holiday and hold a feast, with a tourney the next day to celebrate them with all panoply. Morgha again is so happy she is in tears, declaring him a fine lord to do this honor unto us, and is grateful to be of service someone who knows how to be as chivalrous as he does, etc. This goes on for a while, a massive declaration, which he very nobly listen to until she winds down before excusing himself with preparations. Kruger and his men are astonished, and not in a good way. Harry go finds a bar to get a drink. Morgha chastises him about the evils of drink for a knight, to which he replies "Good thing I'm not a Knight." then walks off. She is stunned. The soldiers are grinning. Kruger tells the men to set up camp and offers to go help keep Harry on the straight and narrow. Tells Morgha to ensure the camp is up to standards then sets off. Pulls out a flask right after he is out of sight and takes a hit. Passes it to Harry who knew he would follow.

"She's something else alright. I miss Otto, he had a flask as well always. Need a new drinking buddy."
"I miss Otto too, was me friend through a lot of trouble. We'll drink to him tonight. And Morgha is a good girl. She means well."
Harry looks at Kruger. Kruger takes another drink.

Of the 3 bars in town, one is sure to get you stabbed, one is sure to never let anything happen EVER, one is in the middle between murder dive and country club, they head there. As they approach the bar they hear VERY loud ravings "The Elves will kill us all! Just you wait! They're coming!" Enter Crazy Donald. Crazy Donald is the local drunk, among other things. He always pays with good gold so he is tolerated most places, and is very generous with his coins. Kruger approaches him and asks about the elves. And buys him a drink as he does. Donald is appreciative and rants for a while about how those elves are always sneaking around, up to no good he tells you. Them pointy ears can't be trusted, even the little pointy ones like the town Sage. Half elf is a full elf too many! He goes on for a while. Apparently the elves "North mostly, but everywhere! They hide in the trees! Ware the elves!" Harry takes it in stride and orders something strong while Kruger is talking. Crazy Donald hears him and says "I like you lad! Barkeep get him the real strong stuff." He gets a glass of something potent. He downs it, passes his fort save, and enjoys it. Donald raves for a while more, then says "Ok I'm ready! Bring me the Special brew!" and plops ten plat on the table. Barkeep disappears and comes back with goggles and a mask. Pours a shot of something smoking, which causes the barkeep to pass out. Donald downs it in a gulp, then laughs at the barkeep. Throws a bag of coins on the other side of the bar "You always were a lightweight!" Goes back, grabs a few bottles, tosses one to Kruger "You and yer friend are alright, ware those elves! Drink some good stuff later on me!" Harry stops at a butcher grabs a few steaks, Kruger also buys some supplies for the camp.

Kruger and Harry head back to see not only has camp been set up where Lord Carroway let them, but its highly ordered, they have even entrenched and build a small palisade. Morgha greets the stunned Kruger "Camp is ready for inspection Sir! Sargent McGregor is making dinner, the rest of the men other than the 4 I have set to watch are resting, something about recovering from a long journey. Kruger stammers out a well done, to which Morgha bows, salutes and proceeds to continue walking the perimeter. He find Sgt. McGregor over a cookpot very slowing cooking a stew. "She's insane Captain. You owe us for doing all that bother." gesturing to the trenches et. al.

Kruger nods. "Aye, I got somemat for you all, but if we had a few of her we'd have the safest camps ever. This is extraordinary, no idea how she managed to get you to do this. I can't even get you to post a double watch!" He pulled out a small keg of ale from his haversack "This is for you boys, and after she goes to bed, I got something strong and special." Sarge replies "To be fair Captain, she's a rather lovely lass, and we've been campaigning for a while. I know better, but some of us even knowing there's nothing there still gonna try. You ask her to help polish your sword and she'll grab oil and some cloth, then be confused when you are unarmed." Kruger laughs. "Aye." They eat, and he tells Morgha to get rest to be top shape for tomorrow. "You are representing us lass, in the joust and the melee. Need to be in top form so ye do not dishonor the company." She quickly does one last circuit of the camp, checks on the horses, then goes to bed.

Kruger gets a table. Pours a glass of what Crazy Donlad said was 'good stuff'. Drinks it. Passes his fort barely. Is quite drunk but otherwise ok. He sets a gold on the table. Alright lads, step up. First soldier takes a drink, passes out. Puts another gold on the table. Second soldier takes a drink, wobbles, but is otherwise fine. Gets two gold. Three more drink then immediately pass out. Sargent McGregor smells it and passes out. So does the next guy in line. Five gold on the table go back into Kruger's pockets. Harry laughs and helps carry them to their tent.

The next morning, Kruger has a hellacious hangover, most of his men do as well. Sarge is still passed out. Morgha arrives loud, shining and happy. And early. Very, very early. Kruger wishes her luck and gets back to sleep after sending her on to make sure she did not dishonor us with tardiness. She gallops away which does nothing for his head. Several hours later the joust and melee happened, attended by all the locals (food and cheap booze were free), and all the "knights" in the area, which are mostly landed men in the sense that they own land, a horse, an old piece of armor and a stick and are therefore Knights show up with lots of pride but very little skill. Morgha wins two of her three tilts, losing to the commander of Lord Carroways guards, then acquits her self well but not spectacularly in the melee. Kruger watches her, and after the event tells her what she did wrong, it was how she used her shield, so she proactively decided to do two solid hours of shield training.

Enter Shamil and Tesarion. They met in Brindenford just after Kruger and Harry left. Tesarion was looking for ways to improve and employ his magic and heard of a powerful mage who fought with sword and spell, and Shamil was looking for a gnome from her home village by the name of Norn who had left for adventure, and she decided if he can do it so can I. Do to amazing diplomacy rolls she eventually finds the Golden Tabard merchant company (a front for Harry's thieves guild) who inform her that the statue of the great hero of the town Norn, being put up in a square nearby, is actually the petrified remains of said gnome. Two of his companions headed northerly, if she wanted to know more she should follow.

They arrive the day of the festival looking for the great mage/Kruger, and Harry, and are disappointed to not find them competing. Free food and drink is always good, and they manage to cross paths with one of Kruger's warriors who directs them to camp. Morgha is finishing her shield work, and takes them to a now sober Kruger, who tells a tale of brave Norn, cut down in his prime, and how he was a hero. Morgha nearly bursts into tears at the tale, and declares how he was clearly an ally of all that is Good and Just in the world. Tesarion looks at her and calls her an idiot. She gets incensed and tears into him about the shabby state of his armor, then drags him off as he is astonished for a lecture and practice in armor and weapon maintenance. Shamil is concerned if he will be alright, Kruger assures her he will. Harry chimes in "He's the idiot. He deserves it. Silence is a skill that should be learned by all."

After the lecture, they meet Lord Carroway over dinner and he explains he has heard rumors of an Elven Pogrom in the northenmost reaches of his lands "Like the one over the seas in the Lenore Isles" and he seems very upset about it. He needs strong capable people to look into this, solve it if need be and work as peacekeepers. They all readily agree, Kruger tells the company to stay here to bolster the Lord's defenses if need be or if he fails, and they seem reluctant at first. Then they find that Morgha will be joining him and they all are more than happy to help "Defend the good people of these lands as a thanks for the hospitality." They agree to leave on the morrow.

Kruger gathers Harry, Shamil, and Tesarion to go get supplies for the road. He graciously offers to buy mounts for everyone, but Lord Carroway supplies those without a second thought. Kruger buys a pair of pigs to use as rations (I think he's metagaming a bit since he's played this before, but I let it slide), a few weeks worth of trail rations as well, as well as fodder for the horses. While about town, Tesarion goes into the woods to kill a deer, which he somehow manages to find around town amidst farmland and a developed area (5% chance I gave him, he hit it). Magic missles it to death, then brings it to the camp to add to McGregor's stew. The he goes out again to a butcher and pays 2 gold 'I want 2 steaks." The butcher gladly agrees. Harry goes to the same butcher and gets another pair of steaks for actual price, without throwing money at the man first.

Crazy donald was met again, this time as he was thrown out the country club-esque bar, still raving about elves. He yells at the barkeep, calling him a terrorist and a planted agent of the elves. "Betray your own kind! You're worse than the sage. He's elf enough, but yer not elf at all and helping them! Doom comes!" Tesarion says something about him being a lunatic, and he stares at the warmage for a while then points and screams "Mountain Elf! Gotta watch them they big like us but tricksey! Ware elves! You come here to infiltrate and kill us all in our sleep? You're probably working with that barman! Ware elves!" Turning to Kruger "Careful of that there mountain elf lad, he's gonna get ya!" He then goes off to one of the other bars and starts shouting. Its a constant din in the back of town. Everyone but Tesarion asks around to find the sage, see if he can shed any light on anything, and they hear that its odd that no one from the Villiage of Ossington has been seen for a few months. They don't show up often but usually some at least head to the Brindenford fair. With this new tidbit, they approach the sage, get the location of the town of Ossington, and pick up a few potions of cure light he happened to have. They mention Crazy Donald but he kind of shakes his head and ruefully smiles. "He's like that, it doesn't worry me."

They leave and after a few days journey get to a nameless two horse town, where the absence of the Ossington folk is more pronounced, seeing as how they used to come at least once a month to visit the blacksmith for something. More and more curious. They rest up and head into the woods. The journey to the ossignton area takes several more days of riding on paths too disused to be called trails let alone anything greater. Its more a lack of undergrowth mostly in a particular area. About 2 days out they notice they don't hear any animals, they ride through a dimly let forest of silence. Not even a single birdcall or random squirrel rustling breaks the silence.

Which makes the sudden very human scream, followed closely by a second. A man runs around a bend in the road and says "Help me!"

Initiative roles. The rider goes last. Tesarion dismounts, as does Harry. Kruger and Morgha ride up to protect the man. Shamil stays and observes. The rider comes around, charges the man, strikes him down with a burst of negative energy around his lance, then rides away. There was nothing they seemed to be able to do. He rode effortlessly to the man, killed him, then rode away so no one could do anything. They go around the bend to find that he has disappeared.

Rider Updated!
Ghost Paladin 9 of Pelor, formerly human. Changed weapon to +1 ghost touch lance. Feats: Mounted combat, ride by attack, spirited charge, power attack, divine might. SA: Telekinesis, corrupting touch, manifestation. Spells Divine power, Golden barding, Divine Insight. Ride +12 before divine insight.

Ghost Horsey 8HD. Feats: Flyby attack, powerful charge, greater powerful charge, SA: Manifestation, frightful moan, corrupting touch

Around the bend we they see a wagon with a dead man on it, and a dead woman a little but ahead of the wagon. A mule crops some foliage nearby. Searching the wagon and bodies turns up a small purse which Harry pockets. They hitch the mule back up to the wagon, and Kruger drives it while Morgha leads his horse.

And I'm going to call it there. A lot of info, mostly background. I'll post more later.

Efrate
2016-09-13, 04:12 AM
Continuing on past with the new wagon and mule, after buring the bodies and giving some generic last rites, as evening approaches they reach an outlying farmhouse. Morgha, Kruger, and Shamil go to the door, Harry and Tesarion stay on watch. They knock. Kruger calling out "Ho there! Anyone home?" A farmer with a pitchfork cracks open the door, a young woman with a rusted crossbow behind him, take a single look at Morgha and Kruger, yelps frantically and slams the door. "The 'orseman's come for us lass! Look to the windows! Don't be lettin' 'im through!" says a very old man with a very thick accent. Tesarion offers "I could just blow the door down to talk to him. Fix that problem." Kruger and Shamil are aghast (Morgha was out of range near the wagon so she didn't hear it), and both call him nine different kinds of fool. "You can't just blow down people houses! What's the matter with you." "Fixes problem. We get in. Or I could light the house on fire." "NO!" "Fine then what's your solution?"

Kruger reflects that after what he saw it likely wasn't a great idea to go up to a house that way. Shamil knocks delicately and Diplomancies like a boss. "We saw him and drove him off, but some folk didn't make it. We're just travellers, please, may we come in to talk?" She quickly proceeds to do the gnomish things and make friends easily and quickly. The old man lets them in and introduces himself as Tarbee, and "Me daughter, Tanasha. Come in all of ye, fore 'dem elves decide to shoot us all full o' holes. Put the mule and wagon in the barn, it might be safe, some hay is thereabouts I think." Morgha declares she will sleep in the barn to make him feel at ease, and he disagrees strongly. "Nonsense lass. Tanasha set som' 'ore places at the table, we got guests. Never let it be said that I ever turned aside folks at night in these dark times. Its not much of a supper, but yer welcome to it." Most of the party gladly share their rations and makes it into a decent supper, and Kruger and Harry shares some booze which makes a very nice impact. Tesarion had pieces of the deer still in his haversack, so they used it to help fill out the stew.

After introductions, they ask about the people the horseman rode down. "Damn fools. I told 'em, I told 'em twas foolish. Ain't nobody make it out in ages betwixt that 'orseman and the damn dirty elves." After a bit of questioning, and more booze, he gives them a brief glance into the situation. "Elves be attacking folk from the woods, all times of day and night. Dangerous to leave. I hate sending Tanasha to the well even, but we seem to be forgotten out here. Can't plant, else we die like folks in town. Can't hunt, either the 'orseman or the elves get you. We starving slowly, but we will last fore a bit longer. Take my advice if ye saw the 'orseman and lived. Run. Go back to where ye came from, ye'll be better off, mark me words. You're welcome to stay the night, got a spare room upstairs, and enough space down here to make do. Ware them windows. Haven't had a shaft try to peek in yet, but ye never know with dem elves. I'm to bed, nothing more for me tonight, though I'd be right grateful if you could fill some buckets from the well. I don't trust it, and hate risking me an mine." The party agrees and he retires. Morgha and Kruger set a watch for the night from inside, get the water without incident, and work out sleeping arrangements.

Harry and Shamil then proceed to question Tanasha, see if she knows anything more. She agrees to tell them what she knows but would just LOVE to hear stories of their adventures. She always wanted to go on grand adventures, but life of a farmer's daughter was her lot in life. She tells them not much more than her father, but mentions that if they're brave and can help, go talk to the mayor of Ossington. He can tell ya much more than me. Harry is more than willing to tell some stories, some of them even true (B. played this before and knew what was coming, though this was the only thing he recalled strongly). She ohhs and ahhs appreciatively, and more or less latches onto him. After a while, and once everyone but Morgha, who took first watch but was doing rounds in the house , was asleep, slipped upstairs to her room. They spent the night in her arms and her bed, thankfully not waking anyone sleeping, or her father. The night passes otherwise without incident.

The next day they get some more water just in case, share another meal, and leave the better part of two weeks trail rations, a bit of booze and some extraneous foodstuffs. They agree to go to town, see the mayor, and see how they can help. Directions are fairly straightforward "Follow the trail if yer fool enough to no just leave. Can't miss it even if your a blind as a bat in storm. Road goes one way and ends in the town. Take care yerselves, and thankee for the water, eases me mind a fair bit, and for the food and drink. I'll welcome ye all back anytime, especially you wee lass. Ain't seen a gnome in a fair bit and I miss yer kinds company. Know how to brighten one spirits ye do."

They make their goodbyes and head down the road. A short while later after discussing the little they know, they come upon the first of the old standing stones. An oddly shaped menhir sits aside the path. Its covered in odd symbols, and is much smaller at the bottom than the top. Detect magic reveals yes its magical, and a few checks later by Kruger and Shamil garner the following information. The stone is old. Its magical, and cursed so no matter how you try to pull one down it falls on you, even if you teleport far away as you knock it over. Its held up despite its odd shape somehow, not sure if magical or just engineered amazingly. Digging down six feet shows you more stone, and it stays upright, though it keeps getting smaller. The symbols seem to not be decipherable by comprehend languages, and no one is able to use decipher script as well. Kruger and Shamil are amazed. Morgha is on watched. Harry is bored. Tesarion wants to blow something up. "I can try hitting it with magic. Might do something." Harry eggs him on, as he moves back a bit. Kruger and Shamil want to smack him. Morgha starts to lecture him on showing proper respect for ancient traditions. This takes about 2 hours in game time, to dig, rebury, and contemplate stuff. Most of that time Morgha is lecturing Tesarion, Harry is smirking, and Kruger and Shamil are exasperated.

Leaving the stone alone, after filling in the hole they dug, they come to a small building surrounded by a 'wall' which is about 2 feet high of random piled stones, unmortared. A dull monotonous chanting can be heard from inside. Kruger and Tesarion go into to investigate, the rest of the crew keep watch. Kruger hails Henwen, the attending cleric, who merely asks him if he is prepared for death in this godforsaken place, and tells him to make peace with his gods. All the gods with a neutral component to their alignment are there, and she makes her rounds saying the same prayer to each just changing the title which is calls them. Tesarion gives her little monkey like companion a bit of meat which is it takes then run around above them. Asking Henwen anything is meet with the same dead sounding monotone voice and morose saying. Kruger declares him and Tesarion done here and returns to the party.

They enter into the outer circle of standing stones and see fallow fields, and feel a brief bit of protection seems to land upon them. The see folks massing as they cross the fields, all looking rather ragged. The cross into the inner circle and are mobbed by peasants who praise them as saviors, ask for food, ask them to help escape, ask them for food, and so one. Mostly asking them for food. All the villagers look wan and underfed. Poor Shamil is almost trampled even though she's on a pony. Just as the villagers are getting out of hand a lute cuts through the din and they all calm down. A tall gangly man in faded motley introduces himself as Cuckoo, and apologizes for the villagers behavior. Shamil asks to be led to the mayor, since they decided after the farmhouse that she is doing all the talking from here on out, at least as far as initial contact, so the Cuckoo leads them all of 50 feet to the majors house. Kruger gets the two now dead pigs our of his haversack, and the townsfolk all follow the butcher to go carve them up. He tells Morgha to keep a keen eye on the horses.

He knocks and the mayor comes out. Unlike every other villager he is actually a little fat and shows no sign of being severely underfed. Shamil instantly dislikes him. He raises his arms to the heavens thanking all the gods for their grace. "Blessed be! We are saved! Thanks be to all the goodly gods!" Shamil rather peevishly asks about their troubles and mentions Lord Carroway. He seems surprised that the lord would take an interest in them since they haven't even seen a tax collector in ages, but goes on.

"It began a few months ago. We've had rough relations with the Grugach, the wild elves, which live in the deeo forest over the years, but never anything serious. They stayed mostly to themselves as we did, but if someone went too deep into the woods they didn't come back, they hold the dark heart of the forest as sacred. We'd see one occasional come to town to trade, or rarely head down the road to somewhere, but mostly we each kept to ourselves. That all changed when the horseman came to town. Never learned his name, cause he kept that big ol helmet on always, but he asked about some local landmarks and we told him, warned him about the elves. Next thing we knew, a group of woodsman went missing, then some charcoal burners. Sometimes we'd find bodies, sometimes not. We kept losing people randomly, so the previous mayor lead a group out under a white flag. We found the massacre site three days later. Everyone had been dead, ambushed at peace talks. We couldn't even get old Mayor Meril off the tree he was stuck to because of all the arrows. Then they started shooting people out in the fields, or walking around town, in broad daylight. We sent for help, but the horseman was still around riding down anyone that tried to leave. But you made it here! Maybe we can do it, maybe we can be saved, maybe" he is cut short as an arrow punches into him, lifts him off the ground and sticks him into the stone wall behind him.

Tesarion hits the dirt, and we end session.

Henwen updated
Md. Human Clr 7/druid 1. Align: N Companion Hoobyah, spells focus mostly on buffing and protection for dyson. Domains: Animal, Plant, no diety. Feats: Animal devotion, Plant devotion, Improved initiative, Extra turning, Retreive spell, combat casting. Notable skills concentration 17, spellcraft 11. str 8 dex 14 con 14 int 10 wis 16 cha 12 spell lists available on request if anyone wants to see it

Cuckoo updated
Lg outsider (magically disguised as medium human) Vrock bard 7. Align: CE spells are buffs and a bit of battlefield control (glitterdust, grease). Feats: multiattack, Melodic casting, haunting melody, sound of silence, doomspeak, improved initiative Notable skills: Bluff 19, concentration 20, intimidate 16, perform:lute 19. str 23, dex 15, con 25, int 14, wis 16, cha 18 spell list available on request