16 - Return to the Old Manor

by lichbrush

## Cast

Greg Hansen - Dungeon Master

Zymoz22 - Lake

Kei - Xaltix Bafflebob

Pladean - Seam

Vex - Artair

DC 10: Navigation Passed

*ENTERS THE HOWLING FIELDS*

#### Encounter 1: Land Shark and the Axebeaks

As they make their way into the howling fields Xaltix spots some movement in the grass ahead of them moving perpendicular to their movement, something then is behind the initial shape chasing it. They step back a little bit and prepare to ambush the chasing force. As they hide they see axebeaks fleeing from some creature with a tall fin. The party turns away from the sight and presses on ignoring the plight of the axebeaks.

#### Encounter 2: Featureless Stone Statue – Offer accepted

Artair notices a stone shrine of a featureless person with their hands out. The statue portion seems untouched by time. Written in chalk on the base “No blood no gemstones no food, a weapon was not accepted”. There is abjuration magic and conjuration magic on the statue. The paladin uses his senses to determine that the statue appears to be consecrated. Lake offers a prayer to his deity and places a scroll in the palm of the statue. The ink runs into the statue from the scroll and it ends up leaving the scroll blank falling to the ground. Lake hears in his head “Nobody accepts your sacrifice, come see me at my temple” and he feels a pull far to the north east. Using his connection with his deity Lake gets a vision of the area [wisdom religion 14] he sees a vision of a desert with wind rushing across him, seeing an ancient looking stone structure which is featureless.

#### Encounter 3: Vultures at Night

As Seam gently plays his flute while watching camp at night 3 winged creatures encircle the camp, these are familiar vultures to him. As he yells out a word of warning to his companions the vultures swoop in. Artair slashes one down in retribution as it scratches into him. Xaltix and Paladean send their aid to Lake as he takes position between the who remaining. He strikes one of them down as the rake their claws into him. Artair smites down the last one and the flesh of the birds melts away as the moonlight touches them.

DC 10 foraging: 3 passes 1 failures

### Day 2

Normal pace towards the old manor directly

DC10 Navigation Passed

#### Encounter 4: A Field of Bones

As they are heading northwest Seam notice a field of white sun-bleached bones with bits of rusted metal and other things. The party circumvents it losing about a half hour of progress.

#### Encounter 5: The Ruined Manor Exterior [unrand]

Rising out of the plain the party sees this old manor with these once well tended grounds now growing wild with neglect the grounds are encircled by a crumbling stone wall approximately 6 feet high. Where there once was a narrow broken arch it has now been burst forth. There is a cobble trail leading from the former arch 50 feet up to the manor. The floors above the first have collapsed both outwardly and into the remains of the 2nd floor. There is a hole where the front door once was where it is clear the golem had burst forth on the previous visit. The wizard sends his owl out to found the remains of Lake and Seam's friend who had been left behind before, only finding bleached white bones. The familiar then swoops down to scout the inside finding it much the same way it was previously. There is a table beyond the door with a pendant necklace in the shape of a lotus with a strange clear gemstone set into it, papers littered on the tables in the main foyer. Beyond the central table is a large statue resting on a pedestal. The statue is of a warrior wearing unfamiliar flowing armor carved with lotus motif, holding a two handed sword with a narrow blade. There is a coat rack with a coat on it to the left and an empty coat rack to the right. Lake enters the grounds with a ladder hearing a slight ring, then sets up a ladder to climb up and retrieve the bones of the fallen. The party buries the bones leaving a marker and sets up camp.

DC 15 foraging: 4 failures

### Day 3

The party is thirsty gaining 2 levels of exhaustion. Lake creates water using a spell providing them water for the day and they spend the day trying and failing to find a source of water.

#### Encounter 6: Ambush in the Night

During Artair's watch he hears doglike growls from the night 60 feet away. He yells out an alarm. Three leathery black doglike creatures with strange hooked tails break forward to attack. These displaced creatures are especially difficult to hit. The wizard throws out magic missiles clearing their displacement as the others strike at the beasts. Seam uses a prayer bead to heal Lake as Lake brings down the aid of his god to bolster his allies. The first of the beasts fall and as it does the other two howl and begin to run, carrying off their fallen in their jaws. Seam and Xaltix fire at them as they flee but they escape.

### Day 4

The party has recovered 1 level of exhaustion and they continue to search for water. Xaltix finds water for the group a couple of hours hike away. The group then spends the rest of the day digging a pit trap in front of the entrance to the manor 10 feet square and 25 feet deep.

#### Encounter 7: Baiting Ghosts and Golems [unrand]

The party sets up behind their pit trap and sends the owl familiar in ahead to grab the pendant. Ghosts appear in the hallway of the manor as the golem groans to life. The group prepares for combat as the golem falls straight into their pit. The 6 ghosts come out and chase after the pendant, slaying the owl and dropping the pendant to the ground outside as two of them are driven off by the holy power of Lake's deity. The ghosts then turn to eliminate the intruders sucking the life out of Xaltix and possessing the body of Lake. Terrified Seam turns and runs as Artair grabs the pendant. As they run off Artair slashes down one of the ghosts and Lake chases after shooting crossbow bolts at Seam. The ghosts turn to chase after Artair with the pendant and lake does as well calling radiant fire down on Artair's horse. Seam turns and begins to fire at his former associate Lake and his horse to attempt to bring him down. Artair slows down to swing at Lake but to no avail as Lake crushes Artair's horse. The two swing at each other as Seam catches up and takes the pendant and begins riding forward taking the attention of lake and the golem. Lake chases after and slays Seam's horse before Seam knocks him unconscious. Seam gets on Lake's horse as he feeds Lake a healing potion, but the ghost, now out of Lake whithers the ghost to beyond the age of use. Seam throws the pendant back towards the ghost and continues to flee as Lake and Artair stay out of the way. The golem and ghost pick up the pendant and head straight back to the manor as the party regroups.

The party heads back to the manor to see the golem drop the pendant back on the table and the ghost dissipate. The party searches for their last remaining horse, upon re-entering the manor grounds the ghosts and golem reappear and Seam backs away. They are unable to find the last horse.

### Day 5

#### Encounter 8: Return to the Manor [unrand]

The party returns to the golem the next day and the ghosts do not stir at their approach. They look for the items left behind. They find two of the ivory figurines and a cloak on a cloak rack. The cloak jumps out and tries to smother Lake. The party rips the cloaks to pieces. There is rib and lotus root soup on the stove again that is slightly warm. The group takes the pot and once again goes behind where the statue was originally and sees 3 will-o-wisps and a set of blocked stairs leading deeper. One wisp flees as Lake attempts to turn them but the other two continue to flash. The party then leaves attempting to return to Farfield Keep.

Normal pace returning to Farfield keep

DC10 Navigation Failed

#### Encounter 9: Voices in the Night

During his watch Artair hears beckoning calls from the west calling him to join. He wakes Lake and tells him that a demons are calling him. They decide to ignore them and they dissipate after 10 or 15 minutes.

The statues were figurines of wondrous power. One is goat of traveling and the other is a goat of travail.

### Day 6

Normal pace returning to Farfield Keep

DC10 Navigation Passed

They have returned to Farfield Keep