Session 5

## Plot

Christine meets with this new fellow, who introduces himself as Cedric. Jeb expresses some amount of worry over Martin, and asks Christine where he is. They journey back out into the hallway, where they find the same group of cultists that Martin ran into. As from before, their leader claims that they must have blood for blood, and demands to kill them. And again, as from before, the cool headed member among them says that there has been enough death today. The angry member then says that he at least wants her, pointing towards Christine, seeing as how she is the one that actively killed everyone. The rest of the party manage to talk everyone down, and they ask where Martin is. They say that he is their price for their actions, and that they will never see him again.

Meanwhile, Martin is walking through the grove. He worries about his friends, and feels remorse over the rash actions that he and Christine committed. He longs for the days of simplicity back at home, where there was not so much death and suffering.

The party head out of the cave and back towards the town, where they meet with Vicora, Cedric's travelling companion. Vicora, a dark elf, is polite, well-spoken, and kind. The two have been travelling together for a few weeks now at least, and she is quite pregnant. There is some mention towards troubles back in the east with the drow, but the conversation is quickly dropped.

They head back and meet with Soraka, who congratulates them on a job well done. She gives everyone a free pass to any store in town, and soon leaves to take care of some business. They rest and recuperate at the inn, where Draven expresses his relief that Christine got out okay. Christine was more than physically harmed by her endeavor, but she does not really let on quite yet.

The next day, Martin is suddenly awoken from his slumber with a blade at his throat. He hears a voice filled with venom hissing at him, and demanding to know where his companions have gone. Martin attempts to turn into a panther and leap away, but the mysterious man chokes him into submission. Martin tells him that he doesn't know where they went, but the man says that he is a dirty liar, and savagely beats him before throwing him across the clearing. However, he takes this beatdown a bit too far, and Martin is tossed down a hill and into a small stream, breaking several bones along the way. The figure attempts to find Martin, but to no avail. After waiting for a long time, Martin painfully rises, and limps back towards the west.

Christine is taken outside by Draven, where he tells her that he is going to tell her something that he hasn't told anyone else for a long time: he is possessed by a demon, and he doesn't really know what to do. Christine tells him that she will have his back, no matter what.

Suddenly, they see a familiar figure shambling out of the woods. Jeb rushes out to meet the figure, who collapses before he reaches the town's outskirts. Jeb takes the figure, who is discovered to be Martin, into his arms, and takes him swiftly back to the town to be healed up.

Soraka soon returns to the town, and delivers a mission to the rest of the party. There is a monastery along the coastline that she believes is connected to the Green Hand, the mysterious cult that they attacked the night before. She reveals that she eliminated the rest of the Green Hand the night before, and that they need to destroy what remains of the group before more towns come to the same fate that they did.

Jeb reveals that he will stay with Martin until he recuperates, so Christine and Draven ask Cedric and Vicora to join their party. Vicora states that they were already heading that way, so they can travel along with them at least for a while. Together, this newly forged party heads northwest.

Taking a rest for the night in a small rocky alcove, they start a fire. Soon, as it begins to rain, Christine notices that they are not alone. She notices an armored figure standing out in the clearing, water pouring off of it. She leaves the campsite, her companions not far behind her, and asks this figure what exactly they want.

The figure reveals that his name is Maltri Delkona, and he wants her specifically, Christine Featherheart, dead. He says that she is a cold-hearted murderer, and deserves to die at his hand. Spitting venom and anger from beneath his helmet, Delkona thrusts an accusing hand out at her and challenges Christine to a duel.

(June 22nd-June 23rd, 443)