Wardens of the Sorrowood C3E06

Game Scheduled: May 31th, 2024
GM: Thom
==Chapter Synopsis:==
To the north; a sudden influx of Dire animals have cropped up some some unknown cause. Dire Bears, Dire Rats, Dire Wolves, and worse. Prone to violence, rage, and seemingly unafraid these seemingly rabid creatures are ravaging hunting grounds and leaving other animals starving. Worse, they seem to be regenerating somehow...
To the south; Will-o'-wisps seem to be luring travelers to their doom. These creatures have seen an increase in their victims due to the rise in overland trade with the recently cleared routes. Those who survive recall cackling, whispers of dark promises, and dissonant singing...
If either remains unchecked, it could spell potential catastrophe
==Mercenaries==
===Active Mercenaries===
*Darksteel - Fallen Aasimar Warlock
*John Weck - Human Rogue/Fighter
*Shepard Swiftfoot - Halfling Druid
*Ulfgar Fireforge - Dwarven Cleric
*Xilon Starrati - Half-Elf Wizard
===Inactive (Guarding the Fortress)===
*Bim Bim - Elven Barbarian
*El Cangrejo - Crabfolk Rogue/Bard
*Jayzal - Tabaxi Rogue
*Snarela Kegfury - Dwarven Artificer
*Xane - Air Genasi Paladin/Cleric
==Adventure Debriefing:==
Ahead the mercenaries saw an assortment of monstrosities. Beasts that blend the body and wings of a bird of prey with the head of a stag. Humanoids possessed by fungus. A large plantlike creature with vines and spores spewing from a corpse. Shepard cast Air Bubble on everyone to help resist any airborne spores. John accidentally inhaled a gross mouthful of pollen from a corpse.
Eyeing a break in the twelve foot stone wall that surrounded the central ruins, Darksteel cast a Spike Growth to deter the enemies. John aimed an arrow at the closest Dire Peryton to get it's attention before the rest of the monsters would know they were under attack.
A Yellow Musk Tentacle sprouted on the mercenaries side of the stone wall. It wriggled, searching for intruders. John fired an arrow over the wall, but missed the Yellow Musk Deathblossom. A Yellow Musk Zombie Troll's feet were wounded as it stepped into the Spike Growth. The Dire Peryton rose from it's perch and flew towards John. The Yellow Musk Deathblossom did something the mercenaries could not see. Xilon set up a safe haven via the Rope Trick spell, should anyone need to retreat quickly. A second Yellow Musk Zombie Troll got caught up in the Spike Growth. A third Yellow Musk Zombie Troll ran too deep into the Spike Growth taking serious damage. Darksteel flicked a Fire Bolt into it's face, halting it's regenerative ability and killing it. Ulfgar summoned a Wall of Fire across the field that engulfed two Yellow Musk Zombie Trolls and the Yellow Musk Deathblossom.
Shepard aimed a Fireball to explode amongst three of the Yellow Musk Zombie Trolls, then turned to try and get the approaching Dire Peryton's attention. John steadied himself for the Dire Peryton's attack and tried to grab it's legs but is instead clawed and snached up by the beast. A Yellow Musk Zombie Troll climbed upon the twelve-foot wall to avoid the ensnaring Spike Growth. The Dire Peryton began to fly away with John in it's talons. The Yellow Musk Deathblossom shifted slowly away from the Wall of Fire that continued to burn it. Xilon projected a Psychic Lance made of fire at the Yellow Musk Deathblossom. Darksteel advanced and stopped concentrating on Spike Growth to summon a Wall of Thorns parallel to the Wall of Fire to trap the Yellow Musk Deathblossom. Uflgar launched a Guiding Bolt. 
A Pain Shriek emanated from the Yellow Musk Deathblossom. Unfortunately, the wailing from multiple mouths captured in the Deathblossoms' form was too much for Darksteel to maintain concentration on the Wall of Thorns. A Dire Bear, a Dire Boar, a Dire Weasel and more Yellow Musk Zombie Trolls are called into the fight. Seeing John be carried away, Shepard cast Earthbind on him and shouted, "KICK OFF!" With a dextrous twist and kick, John broke free and safely descended to the ground; then attempted to hide amongst some bushes. Yellow Musk Zombie Troll dropped from the stone wall and clubbed Darksteel, triggering Misty Escape; Darksteel turned invisible and teleported away. The Dire Boar charged towards the mercenaries but was stopped by the Wall of Fire. The Dire Peryton gored the Flying Broom riding Xilon as it passed. The Yellow Musk Deathblossom creeped just out of the range of the Wall of Fire. The newly arrived Yellow Musk Zombie Trolls and Dire Weasel dashed closer. Xilon hit a Yellow Musk Zombie Troll and the Yellow Musk Deathblossom with a well placed Fireball. The Dire Bear roared intimidatingly, frightening John and Ulfgar. Darksteel Fireball'd the Yellow Musk Deathblossom and the Dire Boar. Ulfgar healed John with a Cure Wounds. He then lifted his holy symbol, channeling his divine might through the hammer, and destroyed the closest Yellow Musk Zombie Troll.
A new Yellow Musk Tentacle appeared next to John. Shepard moved to better see through the break in the stone walls, and began casting a Fireball. John stabbed the Yellow Musk Tentacle with his Dagger of Wounding. The charging Dire Boar reached the party but blindly veered wide right of John. The Dire Weasel tried to sneak through the overgrown grass. The Dire Peryton dive bombed Ko'nan the ranger and carried his unconcious body into the air. The Yellow Musk Deathblossom lashed out at John through it's Tentacle. A Yellow Musk Zombie Troll climbed onto the stone wall. Xilon lined up a Fireball that eliminated the Dire Weasel, the new Yellow Musk Tentacle, and scared the badly burned Dire Bear into fleeing. Darksteel Blast'd the Dire Boar with enough Eldritch Energy to send it's corpse sailing over the wall into a Yellow Musk Zombie Troll; and then moved his Hex curse onto the Dire Peryton. Ulfgar hit the Dire Peryton with a Guiding Bolt, making it an easier target for the next mercenary to attack. Shepard released his Fireball to hit an advancing Yellow Musk Zombie Troll and the Yellow Musk Deathblossom.
The Yellow Musk Deathblossom released a strong musk that John resisted, lest he be charmed and compelled to walk closer to the creeper. Shepard cast Earthbind on the unconsious Ko'nan, preparing that he be dropped. John shot the illuminated Dire Peryton with his bow causing it to drop Ko'nan. A Yellow Musk Zombie Troll dropped down from the wall but didn't see John hiding. The Dire Peryton somewhat cleansed of the Yellow Musk spores that allowed it to be dominated decided to flee. The Yellow Musk Deathblossom continued it's glacial advance towards the party. The Yellow Musk Zombie Troll he Fireballed jumped down from the wall and ran towards Shepard. Xilon cast Magnify Gravity over the Yellow Musk Deathblossom, crushing some of it's collected mass. Darksteel moved his Hex to the Yellow Musk Zombie Troll in front of Shepard and dispatched it with a Firebolt. Ulfgar caught the falling Ko'nan and healed him. As Ko'nan regained consiousness he saw Ulfgar channel his divine might again obliterating the last Yellow Musk Zombie Troll.
Another Pain Shriek reverberated across the ruins assaulting John and Ulfgar with discordant psychic screams. Shepard, using his Hellions training, cast a Flaming Sphere opposite the Yellow Musk Deathblossom and rolled it into the creature to try and corral it towards the Wall of Fire. He turned to his fellow party members, "i'll try to grab it and force it into the fire!" 
Xilon, on his flying broom above, discharged his second and final Psychic Lance transmuted to fire. With his spectral Manifest Mind acting as a targeting assist, the Yellow Musk Deathblossom was unable to withstand the magic as it tore through it's core. The Yellow Musk Deathblossom perished in an explosion of vines and bones.
The mercenaries took some time to mend wounds and explore the ruins. They found evidence that it was indeed the evil druid that had been manipulating the Deathblossom and experimenting on the local fauna by feeding them troll flesh. In a hovel, a crude map of the Sorrowoods revealed notation regarding an eastern Tower the party hadn't explored, a quarry to the west of the Overlook, and perhaps the evil druids primary camp. Also notes that maybe troll's blood could recontruct a dragon. 
Once rested, Shepard used his Beast Bait combined with droppings from the Dire Beasts they'd encountered over the past week. While the animals were free of the Yellow Musk Deathblossom compulsion, they were unable to resist the scent of the Beast Bait. Using John's Paralyzing Paste and Bim Bim's nets, the mercenaries easily captured and transported the remaining animals to the ranger's camp. The rangers were grateful to see Ko'nan return safely with the animals for study and tending. 
==Conclusion==
The mercenaries defeated the corrupted Deathblossom and many Zombie Trolls and Dire Beasts. They discovered more plans of the evil druid that they would need to deal with. With the Sorrowoods a little safer, Ko'nan and the rangers agreed to assist the Overlook.
==Rewards==
* New Allies, Ko'nan and the Rangers
* 4 Potions of Troll's Blood (Shepard abstains)
==End of Chapter Rewards==
* Overlook Fortress Upgrades
* 6 weeks Downtime
* 35 Gold
Category:Adventures