The Hellions - Episode One

## **Arc Synopsis:**

Inzet, the capital city of Mowen's Borderlands province. Welcome to the Vanguard. An order of heroic Knights whose sole purpose is to protect the Trinity Kingdoms from threats beyond the ability of normal mortals. You are part of the Hellions Faction of the Vanguard, who patrol the wastes for the accursed dread hounds. These fiendish monsters have no tactics, no sentience, never tire, and are always hungry for mortal flesh. Until today, when something changed...

## **Episode Summary:**

Fall 1217. In this adventure, the party received orders to chart current Dread Hound movements along the eastern hills. While exploring, a long-abandoned camp was discovered; followed by eradicating a fresh spawning of Dread Hounds.

This is the first adventure in the The Hellions Arc

## **Commanding Officer:**

Mazz (Massidy) Hebner – Second-in-Command, Vanguard: Hellions Faction.

## **Vanguard:**

* Nevelle Szmart - Tiefling Undying Warlock
* El Cangrejo – Crabfolk (Simic) Mastermind Rogue
* Dro Near’th - Drow Shadow Sorcerer
* Tyriel Criller – Human (Loxodon) Ancestral Barbarian
* Shepard Swiftfoot - Horned Halfing (Tiefling) Moon Druid

## **Adventure Debriefing:**

### Introductions

Approximately six months prior, previous squad captain, Hellion Keller, met an ill-timed fate and the position was offered to any senior knights looking to take on a command post.

#### **Nevelle Szmart (she/her) - ‘Striker’**

A Tiefling with pearlescent skin and iridescent opal hair; and transfer from the Reliquary Faction of the Vanguard; took over as the squads new Striker. Nevelle had paid her own way for The Trials after finding an ancient artifact that she sold to the curators of western Alune for quite a lot of money. She had hoped to go to university, but the admissions panel didn’t think she had enough “real world experience” so she joined the Vanguard. She had an inexplicable fascination with mummies and the dead, and the undead were weirdly receptive to her. She could usually be found with her nose in a book

#### **El Cangrejo (he/him)**

A Crabfolk adorned in fine clothes, a wide brim feathered hat, and no shoes under flared pants with rapier at easy access walked with a swooshing step. Claimed to be from a long line of Crabfolk and made his fortune from under water wrecks; and simply had to came to shore to see what the landfolk are like. After various grifts and scams against the wealthy El Cangrejo had acquired enough to proudly sponsor himself, but, for extra spice decided to approach a former Vanguard, Hellion Keller, and slip his own coin pouch onto their belt, convince them to sponsor him and then go “oh, and look, you have just the right amount to do so right now!”

#### **Dro Near’th (he/him)**

“The Shadows Drow Near’th.” A Drow Shadow Sorcerer; and street magician by trade but after a child’s birthday gone wrong, Dro was indebted to Will, the Bishop of Bread of Abishot, and planned to use his earnings from service in the Vanguard to repay that debt. Hoped to find rare and valuable artifacts out in the desert. ‘Captain’ was his aye-aye famililar.

#### **Tyriel Criller (he/him)**

A broad shouldered, muscular man raised in the mining industry he’s experienced in blacksmithing and excavation. From a young age, Tyriel discovered he was good at punching people in the face. He spent his late teenage years throwing his name into every backyard boxing match or local gladiator. He saved every copper he won. When the time came, he only had to borrow a handful of gold to finish his entry fee. Long since paid off, he is debt free going into his final year of knighthood. Final year? His final year will be the one where they bury him in the ground!

#### **Shepard “Fang” Swiftfoot (he/him)**

A horned Halfing and Circle of the Moon Druid, who felt his purpose to be the squads puppy protection for this adventure but a bit quick to action. Sabine "Firestarter" Swiftfoot is his twin sister and also a member of the Vanguard. Grew up in Dewsbreak near the Summer River and recruited into the Vanguard after the Glassing of Bastion.

### **Mission Prep**

The squad discussed which tactics most suited the Striker, settling on *‘Your allies benefit from your protective guidance.’* From the Vanguard Quartermaster they requisitioned Air Seeds, a Medic’s Sash, and 2 Potions of Healing.

### **Nature Trail to Hell**

Stocked with basic supplies, rations, torches and an emergency-use alchemist’s fire, the squad headed out at twilight to avoid the heat of the desert day. El Cangrejo kindly dressed those that desired with lovely hats. After two days travel they passed near the former city of Bastion, now a land where nothing dared grow or live after the Glassing three years prior. While devoid of life, the party began to traverse the waste. Unnerved, Shepard wild shaped into a large dire wolf and with the assistance of El Cangrejo translating, began scouting ahead. Tyriel and Shepard both picked up the lingering taint of something fiendish having arrived and left. Following the scent for a few hours led them to a run down shack in a loose clutter of forest. Nevelle paused for a moment; she and El Cangrejo approached with the rest taking flanking positions. Inside were the dry remains of three humanoids, and emptied baskets of coal, but perhaps the most interesting was that something large had been removed from the structure. Upon further inspection, discarded blacksmith’s tools were found leading Tyriel to conclude that perhaps it was a forge and anvil that had been taken. Nevelle opened her magical awareness and perceived that the fiendish scent they followed also left a lingering aura, the footprints measuring double the size of a human males. The imprints led the group away from the shack and down an incline; there the trail ended. No further traces of their quarry led the group to conjecture how it could have then transported such heavy items.

### **Dog Eat Dog**

The following evening, El Cangrejo spotted the eerie glow of a spawning about half a mile in the distance; quickly confirmed by the sounds of yapping dread hounds. With ample time to close on the hounds the squad approached carefully, taking position on the hill above them. A young pack of dread hounds still on all fours but certainly still dangerous.

Nevelle fired off two beams of crackling energy, one hitting the closest hound. El Cangrejo assisted his team mates, pointing to possible points of weakness. Shepard and Dro released fire bolts at the hound to the other side, certain to have gotten it’s attention.

Before the beasts could react to the assault, Nevelle fired again, the force of her blasts practically vaporized the hound into nothing but ichor. The dread hounds, now focused on the squad, charged up the hill, closing half the distance. In response a javelin flew from Tyriel’s hand into the advancing pack. El Cangrejo flamboyantly readied himself with torch and rapier. Shepard summoned a sphere of flame near the packs flank to prevent any from attempting an assault from the rear, quickly followed by a shift into dire wolf form positioned at the ridge over looking the hounds. Dro skillfully conjured a bonfire on the packs other side, forcing the hounds to only advance along the trail.

A protective shroud of dead spirits began to encircle Nevelle; she loosed two more blasts into the herd and moved to where the hounds would peak onto the hill. One struck hard into an oncoming hound, one misfired and the backlash of energy hit the wild shaped Shepard. The dread hounds in an attempt to avoid the fires sought a more direct route and tried to scale the steep terrain but to no avail, and merely slid back down. Tyriel saw an opportunity to drop down on a hound; gripped a battle axe in each hand and leapt into melee, the first swing missed as the hound nipped back forcing him to drop his axe, but the second swing cleaved a chunk of dread flesh; the fiend felled. El Cangrejo noticed the empty hand of Tyriel and hastened down the hill to return the dropped axe back up to Tyriel; then assumed a dexterous defensive posture. Shepard turned towards the approaching hounds that remained, ready for when they drew nearer. Dro broke into the mind of the first hound to crest making it believe a ten foot cube of fire blocked it’s way, causing the hound to end it’s advance. A hound attempted to bite El Cangrejo but the rogue danced out of harm’s way, only to be quickly flanked by another.

Nevelle boldy strode towards the closest two hounds and inky tendrils of dark energy erupted from her striking them, immediately destroying one. The other unwisely bit back at her and her rebuke wreathed the hound in hellish flames, killing it. A hound made it up the steep incline only to unsuccessfully attempt to bite Tyriel, provoking an attack from Shepard instead. Unruffled, Tyriel jumped down the cliff to engage a hound in front of El Cangrejo, unfortunately dropping one of his axes again. El Cangrejo welcomed Tyriel for now they could fight back-to-back. The hound dodged El C’s rapier. Shepard finished of the hound next to him with a ferocious bite and then joined the battle on the ledge below. An errant fire bolt from Dro impacted the raging Tyriel. Of the remaining two hounds, one harshly bit El Cangrejo, and the other missed Tyriel.

Nevelle's next magical blast swiftly obliterated the hound engaged with El C. Tyriel’s swing on the last hound went wide. El C took the opportunity to shift positions and flank the hound with Tyriel in a dance of rapier vs teeth, unable to meet flesh with steel he retreated. Shepard moved into the open position and a strong bite finished of the dread hound pack.

Any remaining dread hounds near the spawning were too new to provide much resistance and were eliminated with a few well placed fire bolts and bonfires from Dro. The spawning point reduced to a crisp after a few alchemists fires.

### **Tacky**

An open wooden crate containing a variety of weapons was found nearby. While El C and Nevelle took stock of the contents, Tyriel attempted to search for signs of what could have left the weapon crate. Unfortunately, his foot suddenly sank into the ground to reveal the gooey remnants of a spawning pool. He managed to pull his leg out, but was still steaming from acidic-looking burns along the appendage. Shepard healed the wounded barbarian; and Dro set the hidden sludge aflame. Examining the weapons at length, Nevelle determined the weapons to be too symmetrical and most likely magically made, though lacking any magical enhancements as confirmed by El C. Shepard made a quick note of their scent should they party come across similarly unnatural weapons later.

The almost three day trip back to Inzet was graciously uneventful.

## **Conclusion**

Kell's Hells returned to Inzet after their week long tour to rest; and report on an abandoned shack that had been looted of blacksmithing tools, the elimination of a dread hound pool, and the discovery of weapons found near the muck.

## **Rewards**

* Ten Greatswords
* Fifteen Scimitars
* Twenty Handaxes
* Twenty Spears