Wardens of the Sorrowood C4E03

Game Scheduled: July 12th, 2024
GM: Thom
==Chapter Synopsis:==
In the depth of the forest, a nefarious Archdruid is on a mission to resurrect a green dragon, once turned to stone and shattered into a thousand pieces. The druid's machinations have been slowly uncovered; a Tower he was researching to the Northeast, a Quarry to the West, and evidence of missing troll clans in the marshes bordering the Sorrowood. Perhaps the one hope to turn the dragon to stone once more is a lost Medusa, last seen in a maze where the Wardens unleashed an Anti-Magic Zone by accident. Some, or all, of these threats will need to be neutralized in order to guarantee the safety of the Wardens' mission: assaulting the Druid's Lair...
==Mercenaries==
===Active Mercenaries===
*Darksteel - Fallen Aasimar Warlock
*Havlow Killbottom - Dwarven Paladin
*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:==
Previously, Xilon spent some time talking to Iridia to catch her up on some of the major events that happened while she was petrified. Before the evenings long rest, the mercenaries cleaned up the Temple of Liandra. Xilon used Sending to message the Overlook, updating the others on mission progress.
In the morning the mercenaries headed south towards the Tower. According to the crude map they'd found, the evil druid had been meeting someone there. On the way, they encountered four Ogres guarding a bridge over a deep ravine. Rather than fight or find another way around, John told the Ogres "we're hunting trolls, let us pass." The Ogres agreed to the deal that the mercs would bring them trolls for lunch. John whispered to Darksteel "I didn't promise them that." 
Traversing the woods towards the Tower, the mercenaries saw what appeared to be two enormous skeletons swathed in vines. The shape of the skulls identified them as formerly troll. The Vine Troll Skeletons (VTS) stood post at a bridge leading to the Tower. The party snuck forward to surprise the creatures. Xilon and Darksteel cast simultaneous Fireballs. John fired an arrow; Havlow threw a javelin. Ulfgar cast a Wall of Fire to encircle the VTS, the ring of flames pathed through where they stood. Shepard ran up and grappled the exposed tibia of one VTS to hold it in place even though it was much much larger than he.
Iridia struck a Vine Troll Skeleton (VTS) with one of her two fired arrows. Xilon discharged fire-transmuted Magic Missiles at the VTS. The VTS grappled by Shepard burned up in the Wall of Fire, unable to regenerate. John ran up and knocked the second VTS prone. Havlow swung his greatsword and smited the second VTS. Darksteel Hex'd and Sacred Flamed the second VTS. A third VTS threw a rock over the opaque Wall of Fire, striking Shepard and a nearby tree. Ulfgar lit up the second VTS with a Guiding Bolt. Shepard ran around the Wall of Fire and across the bridge triggering a hovering crystal trap that blasted him with lighting. On the other side of the bridge Shepard Wild Shaped into a huge Giant Constrictor Snake. The second VTS succumbed to it's wounds, burned to a crisp in the Wall of Fire.
Iridia fired two arrows into the now visible to all third VTS. Xilon flew up on his Magic Broom to Dispel Magic on the crystal trap. The crystal fell to the bridge and shattered. The third VTS bit Shepard(snake), but couldn't get his claws on the slithering druid. John loosed an arrow from his Longbow to strike the third VTS. Havlow heaved a javelin empowered with divine energy to smite the third VTS. Darksteel moved his Hex to the third VTS and hit it with a Sacred Flame. A fourth VTS bit and clawed at Shepard(snake). The wounds were too fierce for Shepard to maintain Wild Shape. Ulfgar cast a new Wall of Fire in front of Shepard, scorching both third and fourth VTS. Now close enough for a damaging spell, Shepard cast Blight and withered the fourth VTS to dust. He then Wild Shaped again into a Giant Constrictor Snake.
Iridia shot two more arrows into the third VTS. Xilon battered it with fire-transmuted Magic Missiles. The third VTS was burned by the Wall of Fire as it retreated, as was Shepard when he tried to bite at the fleeing VTS. The third VTS turned and threw one last boulder at the party, missing. John steadied his aim and with a well placed shot to the knee, dropped the third and final VTS.
The mercenaries could now see the entirety of the five-story tower. Locked floor-level doors and two windows above it's only entry points. Xilon flew up and peered in a window. Inside is a large telescope, but no enemies.
Deciding on taking a non-traditional route into the enemy lair, John hopped on Shepard(snake)'s Saddle Armor. Shepard(snake) wound around the Tower to climb it. Lacking Thieves' Tools, John popped the top-floor window open with a crowbar. Investigating the room, the mercenaries discover the interior door is trapped with an Alarm spell which Xilon quickly Dispel'd. Inside that room John found a journal, a chest and a ladder down. Xilon skimmed the journal, but it seemed to be nonsense or in code. Xilon handed the journal to John. Ulfgar's Magmin used Heat Metal on the chest's lock, making it easy for Ulfgar to smash apart with his Clawbone Hammer. Inside the chest is a Staff. The noise is heard by a creature downstairs. Quickly climbing the ladder is a Trollkin Reaver with elvish features. It slashed Iridia.
Ulfgar activated a divine blessing [ed note: As a bonus action, choose a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see. For one minute, if either of you try to touch the other (including melee attacks) then they will instead be pushed back 5 feet. One use]. A Blight Druid climbed up the stairs and unleashed a Blight Wave of poisonous necrotic fire, then wreathed herself in a Spore Cloud. The Trollkin Reaver roared, encouraging the Blight Druid to swing with her scythe. The Trollkin Reaver swung his massive battle-axe at Ulfgar but got pushed back and fell down the ladder instead. Shepard(snake)'s head darted into the room to grapple the Blight Druid and pull her out into the larger telescope room. Darksteel Hex'd the Blight Druid then Eldritch Blasted her twice. Xilon prepped a Magic Missile. Iridia peppered the Trollkin with two arrows. John shift to be behind the Blight Druid then slashed her with his Dagger of Wounding, and pummeled her twice with his Knuckledusters. Havlow smited the Blight Druid. 
Ulfgar called forth his Spirit Guardians and guarded the ladder. The Blight Druid cast Cloudkill, creating a sphere of poisonous fog to fill both rooms. The Trollkin Reaver climbed back up the ladder to attack Ulfgar, but was repelled by the divine blessing again. Xilon released cold-transmuted Magic Missiles at the Blight Druid. Concerned the Blight Druid might try a trick the evil druid once tried when he was Wild Shaped, Shepard(snake) flung the Blight Druid out the window to her death. The Cloudkill spell faded. Darksteel moved his Hex to the Trollkin and burned him with radiant Sacred Flame. Xilon cast Vortex Warp. Iridia slashed the Trollkin Reaver with her scimitars. John tackled the Trollkin down the ladder. 
Chasing after John and the Trollkin Reaver, Shepard(snake) "lept" down the ladder to land on and bite the enemy. A Firebolt from Darksteel above them finished the creature, the fire prevented regeneration.
With all foes defeated, the mercenaries had time to take stock of the Tower and it's contents. An alchemical laboratory filled the fourth floor. The lower floors contained living quarters, and a table with an unfinished meal. 
Shepard slapped John on the back and cast Enhance Ability (Fox's Cunning) before heading outside to retrieve the deceased Blight Druid's body and gear. John was unable to make heads or tails of the Journal until Darksteel pointed out a conspicuously repeated word, outbled. With that tip, John broke the cipher. The Journal included notes regarding regrowing an entire troll from just an arm in a month, plans for a trollkin army via feeding troll meat to humanoids, and attempts to regenerate a petrified dragon.
Xilon identified the Staff of the Ivory Claw; as he and Darksteel already had magical spell foci he presented it to Ulfgar. Meanwhile the others finished searching the Tower. Most notably, the laboratory contained a fifteen-foot vat of troll's blood. 
John deftly lept into the vat of troll's blood before anyone could stop him. His wounds quickly healed. The troll's blood continued to over heal his body but caused permanent mutations in the process, improving his darkvision, olfactory senses, and improving his swimming ability as his body elongated and webbing formed between his digits. However these boons came with penalties as well, his body became less able to dodge spells, and his mind would wail should he fall to a mental magical assault.
Inspired by John, when the others are distracted checking the other books for anything else of use, Shepard also jumped into the vat and healed his wounds and gained much denser musculature. He could now lift as though he was larger than his actual size, though the extra mass slowed him a bit. The party was a little skeptical of Shepard when they next saw him covered in the distinctly scented troll's blood.
The party prepared the vat of Troll's Blood for a trip back to the Overlook, and then rested for the night.
==Conclusion==
With their new ally, Iridia, the mercenaries visited a tower the evil druid was suspected to meet co-conspirators. There they defeated large troll-bone skeletons animated by vines, a former elf turned trollkin, and a blight druid. The blight druids journal revealed experiments on troll's blood to enhance humanoids, and mention of drafting an army. The mercenaries collected what they could carry, including a massive vat of troll's blood to return to the Overlook. 
==Rewards==
*Troll's Blood Mutations, John and Shepard (ed note: congrats?)
*24 Troll's Blood Potions, Overlook stock
*Vat of Troll's Blood, Traded to Vanguard (Hellions) for Healing Potion recipe and extra Healing Potions (we hope 🤞)
*Scythe +1, Shepard
*Staff of the Ivory Claw, Ulfgar
Category:Adventures