Wardens of the Sorrowood C2E10

Game Scheduled: February 8, 2024
GM: Thom
==Chapter Synopsis:==
The Aureate Horizons Trading Co., colloquially known as Horizons, urgently seeks mercenaries in A'lune to join as Wardens of Sorrowood for a long term commission. In addition to an incentivized mercenary pay rate of 5 gold per week (as opposed to 2 gold per week that is standard), Horizons says that mercenaries can keep whatever is recovered from bandits along the route.
An outpost has been established in the treacherous Sorrowwoods. With numerous bandit groups along the route, prepare to lay siege upon, oust, or recruit the various banditry groups towards protecting the road! Upgrade your fortress further as you progress, deciding upgrades that will determine the fate of future chapters!
==Mercenaries==
===Active Mercenaries===
*Jayzal - Tabaxi Rogue
*John Weck - Human Rogue
*Teneboris - "Kobold" Warlock
*Ulfgar Fireforge - Dwarven Cleric
===Inactive===
*Bim Bim - Elven Barbarian
*El Cangrejo - Crabfolk Rogue/Bard
*Percevial - Dragonborn Sorcerer (Premade)
*Shepard Swiftfoot - Halfling Druid
*Snarela Kegfury - Dwarven Artificer
==Adventure Debriefing:==
El Cangrejo engaged the Kenku witch Kikimora in conversation while John and Jayzal snuck into the chamber. Kikimora spoke of Fate, and offered a chance at a game of dice. Sensing something off about the cultist disguised Teneboris, she asked "her" to retrieve her dice set. Teneboris called her bluff and replied, "i thought you'd have it on you." Kikimora pulled the dice from a pouch on her side. El C and Kikimora rolled a game of Quicks, the winner's Fate would be changed. El C won and Kikimora handed over a cage containing a Brownie, a soul to the winner. El C accepted it, and with his other claw drew his gun, signaling negotiations had ended. From his vantage point in the tree, John fired an arrow into the crone.
Kikimora turned invisible and retreated around the central stonework fountain. John rehid among the tree leaves. Teneboris cast Dispel Magic on the invisibility. As Kikimora reappeared, John fired again but was blocked as the witch cast Shield. El Cangrejo fired his Chaos Pistol and triggered a wild magic healing effect on himself. The "freed" Brownie flew over and tried to slash Kikimora. Jayzal threw a psychic dagger into the now engaged crone. Ulfgar missed with a Guiding Bolt.
Kikimora sliced her own hand with a bone dagger and placed it onto the central statue. The stone work crumbled and fell away as spooky puppeteer Fey Endelyn came into being. Endelyn asked Kikimora if she was sure, and a pact was sealed. John jumped out of the tree to stab Kikimora with his Dragontooth Dagger; then retreated. Endelyn placed a hand on Kikimora and dark Fey puppet strings tied themselves around the Kenku, whom is then Polymorphed into a giant Sword Spider. Teneboris used Cedarella's Sorrow to cast Spike Growth under the Spider. El C fired his Chaos Pistol again, triggering a cascade of unexpected wild magic. El C's appearance changed to match the visage of female cultist that the disguised Teneboris wore; and everyone *except* El C turned invisible. El C, "Bueno, a la mierda," as a white flag popped out the front of his gun. The invisible, confused Brownie flew back to El C. Invisible Jayzal reappeared throwing psychic daggers into the invisible Spider. Invisible Ulfgar stepped into the edge of the spike growth and reappeared with his casting of Spirit Guardians.
As an invisible Spider, Kikimora deadly leapt over most of the spikes onto Ulfgar and knocked him back. Teneboris stopped concentrating on the Spike Growth effect. His path now cleared, invisible John ran up behind the Spider and stabbed. Reappearing, Endelyn reached out and lashed John with puppet strings of psychic energy and pulled him closer; then lashed Ulfgar as well, almost felling the dwarf. From the doorway, Teneboris tried to Banish Endelyn. El Cangrejo fired his gun at Endelyn, triggering another bullet from nowhere to hit her. The Brownie poked the Spider. Jayzal's daggers went wide. Ulfgar drew his cold iron axe, a bane to Fey, but missed his attack.
Kikimora attacked the Brownie with spidery forelegs, first missing but then killing it; then turned and bit Ulfgar. Ulfgar fell to the floor as his Spirit Guardians faded. John stabbed Endelyn. Endelyn psychically reached out and pulled El C closer, but couldn't reach Jayzal. Teneboris could not get a clear shot at Endelyn. El C moved around the Spider to the fallen Ulfgar and used his Healer's Sash to revive the dwarf; then shouted out advice to assist John's next attack. Jayzal seeing the party in danger made a desperate decision to hurridly plant a Magic Bean. As the bean sprouted in the ground Fate changed and it imploded, divorcing the area from the magical energy that suffuses the multiverse. A one hundred cubic foot sphere around them became a Dead Magic Zone, where spells couldn't be cast, summoned creatures disappear, and even magic items become mundane. Teneboris and El C's disguises faded, as did the polymorphed form of Kikimora. Ulfgar struck into the Fey Endelyn with his axe.
The wounded Kikimora fled from the room. John stabbed Endelyn again. Endelyn, unable to wield magic, slashed with her claws. Seeing Kikimora run past him, Teneboris ran over and stabbed her. Reevaluating with magic items nonfunctional, El C decided to fire the mechanical La Correa De Puncion into Endelyn. Jayzal ran up and stabbed her with his rapier. Ulfgar slashed her again with his axe.
With Kikimora defeated outside the room, John pierced through Endelyn's body, permanently retiring the Fey creature in this "eclipse" of magic dead zone.
A few items are found in the chamber, including an eighty-pound artifact Iggwilv's Iron Cauldron. Determining it to be too dangerous, Ulfgar decreed he will take it to the Reliquary. Teneboris found an Apothecary Satchel on Kikimora's corpse.
After a rest the mercenaries slay the cockatrice, but unfortunately, the bullrilla and mimic had left the maze.
Traveling back to the Overlook mostly along the path they had taken, the party retrieved the catapult from the ruins the Moonlit Raiders had occupied. It's agreed that the Synodic Parliament will be called in regards to the altar to Palitoma. Shortly after, Teneboris split off to travel to the Feylands/Shadowlands Thinning.
Upon return to the Overlook Fortress, Treant Willow updated the party on recent activity. Poisoning the Wildwood Marauders went well, and depleted their forces by about 30%. But, be wary as they know it was due to the efforts of the mercenaries. To the North creatures have been growing abnormally and becoming more aggresive. To the South, the lycanthropes are doing well creating a furry commune deep in the woods thanks in part to Shepard. The ettercaps have dropped off another honkhonk spider, should it's abilities be required. Materials have been delivered to help build additions to the Fortress, including wood from the Arboreal Avengers and gold from a cloaked figure.
Possible Upgrades for Next Chapter include:
* Basement
* Tower
* Temple
* Walls
* Library
* Training Grounds
==Conclusion==
With most of the troublesome bandit groups either recruited or "dealt with," the mercenaries have earned a momentary respite. But more trouble looms on the horizon..
==Rewards==
* Cockatrice Beak, Ulfgar
* Ghost Pearl, Jayzal
* 3 Mother's Nightshade, John, Jayzal, Teneboris
* Jar of Raven Ash, Teneboris
* Vial of Blue Honey, Teneboris
* Bone Dice Set, El Cangrejo
* Bone Daggers, John
* Iggwilv's Iron Cauldron, confiscated by Reliquary
==End of Chapter Reward==
* 40 Gold Each
* 8 weeks Downtime
==Epilogue==
===Teneboris and the Thinning===
Teneboris spends the day with Pomberro, Smendel, and Gollin. Together they observe the shifting of the Thinning so they may know which would be open at certain hours. While he treats the fey to plat du jour, he contemplates his youth, time spent with CAST, and more recently the betrayal of Mowen and the increase of magic. 
That evening, Teneboris floats above the trees, imperceptible against the inky night sky. Now that he knew the cycle of Feylands to Shadowlands and back, it was time to close the rift until the Righteous Wreckers arrived to build a proper gate.
clang, clang, clang, clang, once he has the rhythm he begins to chant.
Bellows Howl, 
Draw Forth the Earth, 
Stoke the Fire, 
Cool in the Waters, 
Bang and Clang, 
Crash and Bash, 
A World is Forged,
By the Grace of those who Slumber, 
I Mend the Divide, 
And 
YOU 
CANNOT 
PASS! 
as the words of power vibrate the air, agitate the atmosphere, droplets of water form near where his feet dangle.. becoming a deluge falling upon the Thinning, swirling, storming, a torrent of water envelopes the area, the whirlpool draws tighter and tighter until disappearing with a sudden crack of thunder.
Category:Adventures