Session 6x1

Session 6x1 occurred on 17 Apr 2021. The players were Artemis (Haunt), Big Spoon (Tyriok), Ghost (Harlac Wayfinder), Nordin (Otzi the Builder) and Theos (Skarn). Their goal was to clear out the skeletons from Gardentop before moving on to Faywater.

## Summary

After a day of preparation in ssion summar, the party headed west along the road. They encountered a column of more than skeleton warriors approaching Gardentop.

Seeing half of the skeletal column split off, the adventurers set an ambush for the remaining half. Tying up the archers in close combat, the party was able to dispatch the group.

The other half of the skeletal force continued to head for Gardentop. To prevent Gardentop from being overwhelmed, the group was forced to fight them in the dark. This second fight was considerably more difficult, with Tyriok losing his pride, Otzi losing his finger, and Harlac losing his bow. Despite these injuries, the skeleton army was entirely destroyed.

The party, having cleared the way, was able to sneak past even more skeleton forces into Gardentop. A battle for the stronghold ensued. Sister Frithwn toppled the watchtower to crush a squad of skeletons, and Otzi and Tyriok destroyed the remaining bulk of the army. Gardentop managed to suffer zero casualties from the battle.

On the following day, an injured Blood-Beak arrived at Gardentop. She told a tale of Teramalda, and having found its weakness: a spike stuck in its armor. She proposed that, with help from adventurers, she could trap it using magnetic stone and the old wound could be used to destroy it.

Blood-beak also warned that the attack on Gardentop was sent by the Rust Brothers as a distraction to draw forces away from Feywater.

In a conversation between Blood-beak and Sister Frithwn, it was overheard that the internal factions of the Rust Brothers are all searching for an artifact known as Stanengist.

## In-character tales

### Otzi's Tale

*Otzi's Loss of Finger*

I lost a finger today. Maybe I'll make it part of the ramparts to be part of the town forever in some way.

Okay, I put the finger in the cement of the repairs of the guard tower in Gardentop. I helped defend it from the skeletons and that's how I lost it in the first place. So perfect fit. Next week we got a prime moment to hunt down Termeralda (or whatever). That's what Bloodbeak says. Something about magnets, but how the hell do they work?

We stopped a siege with all our might, 5 v 36. That was pretty cool. Still gonna build those walls though.

*Otzi the Elder* So Gardentop has been nearly destroyed, just weeks after building it up. I'm going to stay behind, make sure something good comes of the place. All the friends I've made along the way are welcome to stay, discuss their plans, maybe I can even teach them some if they respect my time. But I am too old to adventure. I've lost a finger so far, but I've gained a destiny, to build up Gardentop into a place of relative peace.

### Tyriok's Tale

We spent a day in Dryvault doing some errands, and then set out for Gardentop hearing of the troubles with skeletons. We intercepted a column of skeletons, half of which turned to face us and we easily cleared them out, though one particularly tough rib put a chip in one of my blades. After the fight we decided to pursue the other half of the column we encountered, chasing them down in the night, after a grueling night battle, we arrived in Gardentop as it was under siege. Skeletons swarmed over the walls and Sister Frithwyn dropped the Watchtower on a score of skeletons but was injured in the collapse and Otzi and I had to leap to save her from another swarm of skeletons. As dawn broke over the walls Harlac put an arrow through the skull of the last skeleton in Gardentop and the siege was over.

After resting, I began to look after my gear, finding that the greatsword chipped in the fight against the skeletons was completely ruined, a crack running through nearly the width of the blade. The White Raven, Virelda Bloodbeak appeared in town the next day, wounded but toughing it out, she told us of her plan to destroy Teremalda for good, a spike, driven through it’s armor if removed will allow a good solid blow to destroy the Icon of Rust.

I happened to overhear her conversation with Sister Frithwyn, she mentioned a word: “Stanengist” whatever it was it sounded important, it seems everyone in the Forbidden Lands is after it. I mentioned it to everyone later, and Otzi says it refers to the “Hanging Stones” the first Six Elves who entered the Forbidden Lands, that they planted the trees, drew the furrows for the rivers and gave animals their home, and then when their mission was finished, their six rubies were gathered in a royal crown named Stanengist. Skarn mentioned that the crown was actually meant for the Dwarven King, but was lost at some point to either a dragon, or a giant, as with all legends the accounts vary, he did mention it was crafted by a legendary dwarf named Nebulos. I think this information is definitely something we should keep close to our chests and only tell those we fully trust, not Myrkul or Glain for starters.

### Harlac's Tale

**Day 1-2**

After some prep in town we head out to see what has happened in Gardentop. As we approach, I see a swarm - no, an organized military unit - of skeletons. They march in four columns of about 9 or 10. As I watch abut half the unit splits off and starts marching down the road toward us.

We set an ambush, and despite their nigh-immunity to arrows we make short work of them.... or at least we do until Tyriok breaks his sword on one of them. That's why he carries two though, so he pulls out his spare and finishes off the last one.

It's getting dark, but there are more skeletons attacking Gardentop so Otzi lights a torch and we push on to fight the next group. My bow breaks on the last shot but I chuck it and grab one the skeleton's crap bows as we push into Gardentop to fight off the siege.

The battle extends late into the night, but by dawn's light we have defeated them with only minimal casualties - the biggest damage is the guard tower. Sister Frithwin brought it down on top of a veritable horde of skeletons, so it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

I am content. Dozens of the unliving have been returned to their proper rest. I can only hope that their souls can now find peace. I know this feeling will not last, that there are more unliving to return to the grave. I can rest, for now, but it is only a temporary reprieve.

**Day 3+**

While the others work to rebuild Gardentop and repair gear I keep watch against further attacks. A figure in a dark robe approaches. I ready an arrow and call out for them to identify themselves. She lowers her hood, and I see white hair flowing as if moved by an un-seen and un-felt current.

Bloodbeak, the White Raven. I have only heard stories but that is enough. She comes in, clearly wounded but in relatively good spirits. She has a plan to defeat Teramalda and wants our help. It's an ambitious plan involving ferromagnetic rocks and a lightning storm, and some sort of spike embedded in the creature. I don't quite follow, but it sounds like a thing that needs doing.

Bloodbeak has a lengthy conversation with Sister Frithwin and someone overhears that the Rust Brothers are looking for some magic crown named Stanen-something. I wasn't really paying attention, I was to busy keeping watch lest we be attacked again. Anyway, it was supposedly made by the dwarves of old with the rubies of the first elves that sacrificed themselves to make life in the forbidden lands, or some nonsense like that.

I ask her if she knows anything about why the dead rise. After saying she doesn't know, she goes on a lengthy story about Zygofer accidentally interfering with the flow of the waters of life and death when he closed his demon gate to try and stop the bloodmist. I didn't really understand most of it, though the idea that life and death are a choked river creating stagnant pools... yeah, I get that. Still no closer to fixing the problem, but in the meantime I'll keep putting them to rest the only way I know how - one arrow at a time.

### Haunt's Tale

Marching East seeking to discover new horizons, little did we know that we would be soon finding ourselves in sight of Gardentop besieged by undeads. Without hesitations the party start laying ambushes to trap the enemy and dimmish its forces.

*We marched through the night.*

Without much light, the party did march, restless, to defend Gardentop. Weapons were broken, armors were cracked and warriors were wounded, but their resolve stood strong. Worn as a flag of hope to the people of Gardentop, the brave warriors did not waver, they decimated the undeads, leaving only a few bones for the dogs to feed on.

The dawn of a new day comes, following the extraordinary victory against the foes of the free people, as the White Raven makes her appearance. Haunt was too tired, exhausted from the day before this new one. He merely heard about Teramalda, the Rust Brothers, Stanenwhat …. He goes back to his sleep, the fights and the intense trainings were too much for Haunt in such a short period of time. Diving back into a restful sleep he goes.