A Wake of Bodies

"**A Wake of Bodies**" (1x06) is the sixth session of the first Boiling Sea campaign. After dispatching a group of aggressive wyrmlings and cockatrices, the party moves on, trying to find the path left by the venowera impersonators.

### Finding the trail

The party sets off in the morning, Heka and Rhys keeping a keen eye out for any tracks left behind from the impersonators. They spot something at last - a series of hoofprints heading off the road toward the sparsely wooded area. The party halts and investigates. Vaita decuces that the rider was moving fast and the horse was burdened. Heka points out something on the ground, and as Vaita picks it up they recognise it as a charm from the woodcarver back in Khatinaro. The tracks lead on, and now suspecting that someone is in danger, they press forward.

### Setbacks

Not long into their journey, Darling (the horse) trips on a pothole and sprains her ankle. Pulling the cart to a stop, the party assess the situation. It would do no good to push her onward, so Sirius and Heka bind her ankle while Rhys tethers the horses. They hide the cart as best they can in the treeline and Sirius leaves NUTZ behind to look after the horses.

### Breaking enemy lines

The group travels onward, and just as night is falling Heka spots a small firelight in the distance, at the base of an enormous fault. Rhys determines that if they press on, it will be midnight by the time they reach whatever the light is. The party agrees to continue - the woodcarver is in danger. Vaita, with no darkvision, pretends she can see. Her facade is quickly broken by the insight of the others and Rhys offers to guide her down the slope.

The group reaches an encampment set up at the base of the cliff. Embedded into the cliff are old, old ruins. Columns and broken bits of masonry are scattered about. There is one main building still somewhat intact. There is evidence all around that there were more horses, vehicles, and people, but it is now empty. Situated nearby are three people guarding the entrance. As they talk, they reveal that they don't know what Kaitin is planning. One dislikes the scheming. They mention that this mine could rival whatever the Fleitstead silkdust mine produces.

The party agrees to make a distraction and slip past. It works on two of the members, but one is suspicious. She lags behind, turning to look toward the group, and Sirius launches a catapault at her. A fight breaks out, a grease trap is used, and all three are quickly subdued. In the last, Heka swiftly and mercilessly takes the life of two of the guards.

### What are we here for?

In the wake of battle, the party have an intense and serious conversation. Rhys can't understand why they are taking the lives of these people, while Vaita is of the mindset that these people attacked and killed innocents and must be punished. Rhys says they can't prove any of that. Heka believes it's kill or be killed. They can't afford to leave survivors. Sirius has a great distaste for stooping to the same level, and asks the others how they plan to bring justice - a body can't stand trial. They need to decide as a group what kind of impression they are going to leave. A wake of bodies?

### Entering the mine

Eventually the group decide to press forward. Vaita drags the unconcious woman back to her bedroll, searching her pockets. She finds two healing potions and a set of keys. Heka searches the other bodies, and comes up with a note, slightly bloodstained now. They read it, then hand it to Rhys. It says, *"Keep animals away from the mine. Can't have another incident. Ericks is in charge. -K"*. Clearly something happens to animals in the mines, but they aren't sure what. This message is most likely from Kaitin.

The group press into the cave, moving stealthily. Immediately, Sirius steps on a trigger for a trap, narrowly missing a net that almost snares them. It made a very slight noise, and they pause, listening. No one appears to have heard. Rhys cuts the net free, taking it. Proceeding cautiously, they turn left. Rhys spots another trap, this one ready to fire arrows into the party. Using Rhys's help, Sirius disarms it. Vaita takes some of the arrows. They continue forward, slowly and carefully. In the next room they see a number of barrels. Everything appears to be either empty or with the remnants of food supplies.

Rhys finds a discarded journal on the ground. It describes a number of days, and a "Prisoner One". This prisoner is noted to not talk, and eventually, is moved to a different location. That same day, a new prisoner arrives: "Prisoner Two". The first day, this prisoner says nothing. The next day, only one day before the party reached the mine, there are notes about this prisoner. Davgin Silverhand, a woodcarver and trader. It's noted they know Kaitin's face.

After reading this, the party grow concerned. Information is clearly being coerced from this person, and they could be in peril. At that moment, a scream of pain is heard from the other side of the mine. Time to move.