Late Arrivals (Ep. 4)

### **Introduction**

"[The Party] had infiltrated Starwatch Keep, the keep that is attached to the village of Eveningstar and overlooks it and it is basically the seat of [the Crowsilvers] power [...]. It's were you can live, it's where you can muster your troops, it's where your townsfolk will go for protection, and it had been taken over by a bandit thug called the Thornhand. Thanks to some clever subterfuge you managed to sneak your way into the main bailey of the keep itself and had begun sneaking your way through. Making your way down into what appeared to be a large dining hall with a table laden with treasure. Tarkhal and Marcel, Agnes and Azara, you all snuck down and I believe it was Tarkhal [...] made the initial leap forward to investigate what was going on and discovered that the Thornhand you thought was there was an illusion and a battle ensued. The Thornhand himself appeared to be a very powerful fighter supported by strange natural magics and he was also accompanied by a mysterious woman with glowing green eyes and druidic looking powers. You defeated them quite handedly but the woman's body kind of became this decomposed mulch with vines and moss and leaves rather than leaving a physical body behind and you were left with many, many more question than answers."

### **Summary**

Azara, now with the abilities to read sylvan, attempts to translate some of the runes on artifacts left by the sorceress. The are rambling, barely coherent, and make repeated reference to "**Shadowbriar.**" With a full nights sleep under their belts the group wake to find **Dusk** cataloging the goods recovered now that the keep is secure. Dusk updates them on the current issues. Prominently the **Town mason** and her stone cutters have disappeared were they intended to build the new quarry. They have 3000 gold recovered from the bandits, half of that is from citizens of the town. The group is given the choice of how much they wish to return to the people. As well it is noted the **Tavern** has been destroyed, and the proprietor does not poses the funds to rebuild it out of pocket. The Dusk relays to the Crownsilver's that the towns folk desire the captured bandits be executed. Several potions and more valuable items are not accounted for by the townsfolk and Azara elects to care for them until needed.

The group deliberate and decide to offer the option to the people to contribute funds to the community or to take back their possessions as they see fit on person to person basis.

Agnis and Azara both express an interest in … commandeering some of the fine clothes much to Tarkhal's displeasure. Tarkhal is eager to rescue the stone mason, which the group set off to do. They arrive at the quarry a few hours from town. Azara investigates an old campfire, determining it has been out for 10 or 11 days. She does notice on approach a very strong smell of decay. Upon further investigation the tent has a dead body with yellow boils, its skin appears partly melted. Agnis determines that this is caused by a strong poison but the claw marks on the body are not from any natural beast.

They find two sets of tracks going north, one large and clawed the other tiny and rounded. The tracks stick close to, and sometimes go into water, they find a half eaten arm as they travel. As they go north a few hours they arrive at a pool in the river with a water fall feeding into it, in the wall around the pool has several caves including one behind the water fall, where the tracks seem to lead.

Marcel uses his sword to detect good and evil. Agnis send her fire spirit ahead to scout as the group continues down the cave. They immerge into an 60 ft. open chamber with a dull shallow pools and a doorway veiled with deliberately placed hanging vines. Around the pools is a wooden structure made from drift wood and mining supplies, there are creatures around it paying it veneration. The creatures are small frog like humanoid, 1 red and 4 green. They notice the group and make vocalizations that the group cant understand then they address the wooden altar. The creatures seem curious, Marcel approaches them and asks, in common, if they have seen a mason in the caves. The red one makes a unknown reply then gestures at them with its spear. Marcel knocks the spear from its grasp with his sword causing the Red Grung to leap back and instruct the Green Grungs to fight Marcel. Agnis defuses the tension, preferring words to violence. After more attempts to communicate Marcel attempts to walk to the door way in the chamber. He is cut off but the Grung are unable to physically stop him. When he touch's the vines covering the doorway he is injured by poison, and one of the Grung runs ahead of him. The group make their way towards the door after Marcel, while the Grung behind them begin chanting. Ahead of Marcel a guttural voice speaks out of the darkness '*What is this? Come little miners.*' to which Marcel replies '*Yikes.*'

The fight is on. The Grung advance on the group with weapons. Azara's lightning breath makes short work of one of the Grung and injures the other 3. The dead Grung pops much to Agnis and Azara's horror. Marcel stands of against a 9ft mutated Troll, it's body thick with boils and pus. On leather leashes he drags four humanoids in his wake. Agnis charms the Troll. Azara after being shot with a poison dart kills all except one of the remaining Grungs who falls to his knees distraught, cradling the body of the red Grung. The group brings the captives out of the cave. On the way out Marcel kills the last Grung. Once outside Agnis chews out Azara and Marcel for killing the Grungs. After some sharp words from Agnis and Marcel the group turn their attention to helping the freed captives. Agnis heals **Dagmar**.

Dagmar thanks her and askes for aid in returning to Eveningstar. Azara feeds the former captives and introduces the Crownsilver Nobles, shocking Dagmar somewhat. When she recovers she notes that the Troll will need to be cleared out before the quarry can be used safely. Tarkhal pushes the group to solve this particular problem immediately. Marcel is given a potion from Azura and the group prepares to reenter. Between Tarkhal's Kiss of Silver and the rest of the parties fire magic they make short work of the Troll. Before leaving Tarkhal gets a glimpse, just for a moment, of the **Sorceress** in the cave then she's gone, no one else noticed.

The party returns to the jubilation of the towns folk. The applause stumbles slightly at Agnis and Marcel's beleaguered condition but Dusk down plays the damage. Tarkhal gives what he intends as a rousing speech. He stumbles a couple times but the towns folk respond with cheers. From across the river the Sorceress watches the village with interest.