Age of Strife 2: Episode 09

## Cast

Neal Pass Erickson - Dungeon Master

Jennifer Latham - Marcella 'Ginger' Thorne

Jeff - Stefan Thorne

Patrick - Luther Thorne

## Recap

The Blackguard, which are Forces from the Eastern Duchy reinforcing the West Duchy, haven't been seen in a week. The last time they were seen was as they charged into the Woods to drive the Orcs into the hills.

### Saturday, 17th December, 56 AoS

The party talk with Lord William Thorne about his campaign against Nixon, where he had Kel Reginald under his command. The campaign failed as the troops were ready to fight elves, not monsters. Strange deformed humanoids.

Kel Reginald is away, collecting his brother Arthur, as well as collecting Ronald.

After breakfast, a servant gives the family the rumor that a child and their babysitter is missing in the north part of town near where the wall was torn down by the giant. Rumor is it was from Goblins who did the abductions. Stefan is reminded of Tybarodite and his upbringing by goblins.

Uncle Joseph also brings up some zombies have been spotted in the Meadowlands, a couple of zombies came into the village of Rosebloom. A handful of peasants were killed, but the zombies were eventually killed by a Knight that lives there, a retainer of Lady Condi Wyatt. Luther suspects that the zombie came out of the crypt they were raiding in Rosebloom. Lord Thorne advises his children to be more careful in the future and not to allow the undead to escape and cause civilian casualties. Luther Thorne is blasé about the situation, Lord Thorne reminds him that he was born a peasant and was uplifted into nobility.

Luther wants to return to Rosebloom and deal with the rest of the undead.

Ginger Thorne goes outside to tend to Spike the Donkey's wounds. As she walks she hears the sound of music coming from the Temple. It is the familiar song. Ginger goes to Sera and asks about the singing. Sera says it is choir practice time. Ginger tries to memorise the melody.

Luther talks about the necklace they got from the crypt in Rosebloom. Uncle Joseph hasn't found a record of this necklance in any books. Luther suspects it is magical, so tries it on, and doesn't feel different. They decide to give the necklace to Ginger for her birthday tomorrow.

Ginger comes back inside and the party decide to head down to Rosebloom to investigate the zombies. Maybe then head to Nixom and Lake Lorun.

As the 3 siblings leave the house to get ready, all 3 hear the familiar music coming from the temple. Stephan decides to head to the temple to investigate. Luther and Ginger follow behind.

They arrive outside of the temple and clearly hear the choir singing. Inside are a group of 20 people singing with a Priest conducting. The Priest tells Stefan that it is belle voci, words from a long lost language, it's meaning lost. The priest claims it is a old song, but none of the siblings have heard of the song before.

Luther prays at the shrine of Mathis (old lore name of Dorbaff) then puts 4 gold into the donations box. The party leave the temple, and they consider the music in the Shadewood would come from the old temple there.

The party then set out in the afternoon and head south. They reach Darbloom by the end of the day. Darbloom has the same 500 population village run by Lord Kel Rugspin Greendall as it was last time. The party stop by Ronald's house. Ronald's Mother, Nancy, says that Ronald has already been collected by Kel Reginald around 5 days ago then headed south. Nancy then invites the party in for dinner, and the party decline, but will have some tea. Nancy tells of a food riot in the village when a grain cart tipped over. A young woman was trampled to death. Luther asks about the zombie sighting in Rosebloom to the south. She says nothing has reached Darbloom.

The party then head to Kel Rugspin Greendall's estate and take up hospitality.

### Sunday, 18th December, 56 AoS

The party travel the 7 miles from Darbloom to Rosebloom. They arrive at noon. The village has a population of 700, surrounded by wine vineyards. A local tells Luther there had been 3 zombies that attacked the village in the night, before some knights rode in and took care of them. It appears the zombies escaped from a mausoleum in the graveyard. The Lady Condi Wyatt has things under control. Luther wonders what sort of magic would raise the dead, but the villager doesn't know. The party take their leave of the villager. Stefan berates Luther for talking about magic public ally like that, especially to a peasant who would have no idea.

While in wine, Ginger buys some bottles of wine. The party then leave the village and head towards Nixon.

They see the ruins of Nixon by the end of the day, half a mile away. The town is roughly the same size and construction of Waadsworth. The builds however are in ruins and plant life is overgrowing it. There is no sign of the mutated creatures, but they suspect they are inside the buildings.

The party then head towards the ruined town, looking for a bridge over the river. The building the pass by are derelict. The surviving buildings are made of stone. There appears to be some fire damage in places, but the standing stone walls have endured.

The party reach the Lazit River and see there is a single stone bridge that spans the river, wide enough for 2 wagons to pass one-another. There are ruined other bridges as well. They don't cross the bridge, as their father, Lord Thorne, told them it was dangerous on the North-East side.

As the sun sets, the find a building to camp inside on the edge of the South-West side.

During Luther's watch in the middle of the night, he sees a 10 foot long purple tentacle slide up his leg from under the staircase. Luther starts fighting it, waking up the others. The tentacle withdrawals back under the stairs. The family starts to pack up to leave. 2 more tentacles burst out and attack the party. One tentacle seizes Stefan, and the family focus to attack that tentacle, killing it. The party then fight the other tentacle, taking it out as well.

The party stand on alert, but no more tentacles come out. They check down the stairs and see a squid-like-blob with a row of eyes that the tenacles came from and it is now inert and dead. The creature hadn't been there when they checked downstairs before they made camp.

The family pack up and leave Nixon and into the Meadowlands in the dark. They camp in the Meadowlands peacefully for the rest of the night.

### Monday, 19th December, 56 AoS

It is lightly raining in the morning as the family pack up camp. They head southward downriver to Lake Lorun.

At sundown they are west of the lake, but won't make it during the daylight. The Thornes camp out in the Meadowlands away from the lake, and will investigate Lake Lorun in the morning.

### Tuesday, 20th December, 56 AoS

The family head to the lake edge and find some flattened villages, 20+ buildings knocked down. The party head north around the lake, going past several other ruined villages. After reaching the Lazit River, the family then start heading south around the river.

In the Afternoon they find an abandoned keep. Luther finds the door to the keep is locked, but the lock is rusted. Luther however is still able to break the lock. Luther opens the door and all of them head inside. The family start exploring the keep. The stone floors are slimy near the windows. They find that an animal has been nesting inside the keep recently.

The Thornes find some Iron Cutlery, but nothing else of value in the first room. In another room Luther finds a hidden pouch of 45 gold coins. Stefan finds a half-full barrel of rum, which he thinks is 50 years old.

As they search, they hear a thunder storm in the distance. The family leave the keep and go away from the lake and make camp.

### Wednesday, 21st December, 56 AoS

The rain has stopped. The party go back to investigating the edge of the lake. They pass more small ruined fishing villages.

As they explore they spot 4 people 600 feets away with spears to the north west. They appear to be spear fishing at the lake edge. Luther greets them. They are from Rosebloom. Luther is suspicious, but Ginger and Stefan greet them. The peasants are fishing because they are hungry. They have been looking around the edge of The Barrens for loot. The peasants, Bat, Betheny, Beth & Bart, don't believe in a lake monster.

The 2 groups go their separate ways. The Thornes head towards Rosebloom.

### Thursday, 22nd December, 56 AoS

The Thornes arrive in Rosebloom at night and head near the cemetery. They spot a person wearing white walking though the cemetery. It seems to be moving aimlessly and is almost glowing. Then it starts moving in their direction. Stefan & Luther open fire. The creature then floats towards the party.

As the figure gets closer, they realise it is the dead woman, Sophia Lorne. Stefan & Luther are supernaturally feared to flee. Ginger backs off. Sophia Lorne gives chase. Ginger throws a spear at Sophia. The fear wears off and Stefan & Luther go back to fight. Sophia starts to neck choke Ginger, causing a super natural panic in her. Luther strikes Sophia hard, and she turns to mist.

The party stay on alert and see nothing happening for the next half hour. The family then head to the mausoleums. Luther breaks the lock again. Luther and Stefanhead they get inside but down a left path instead of the middle path and find a new funerary recess, this one's plaque about her grave has been removed.