Realms S1E5 An Old Friend

An old friend trailing goblins who might hold the key to his family’s murder? A mysterious child-stealing cult in raven masks? The road to Rheragord is eventful…

### Player Characters Present

Jeidobii, Torq, Denahi, Burakubuu, Farlan

### Synopsis

Awoken by a loud roar as they rested, the party startles awake. They debate what action to take, whether to investigate or get some distance. Just then, an old friend approached, Farlan! He informs the party he had been tracking a group of goblins headed north as they may hold information for him about the murder of his family. The party catches Farlan up on recent events and lets him know his sister is safe and well. Farlan asks his friends if they will assist him in his pursuit and they agree, with Julette following along.

The assembled adventurers make a stealthy approach and spot several goblins who’ve made camp. A few sit around a fire while the others patrol and go about their business. It seems safe enough to risk an attempt to parlay peacefully, but the rest of the party takes hidden positions surrounding the camp just in case while Farlan approaches. Talks quickly go sour as the goblins decide Farlan makes a better meal than an ambassador. The hidden party quickly comes to Farlan’s aid, ambushing the goblins and dispatching them handily. Jeidobii keeps close to Julette, protecting her. The goblin leader attempts to flee but Torq pursues, only to be cut off by a very, very large goblin who’d been hiding in wait.

The large goblin proves a tough opponent, knocking several party members down and hurt. Julette sprints away from Jeidobii and he chases after her, concerned, only to discover she’d been hiding something: she was a powerful cleric and began healing the injured allies. The party, with newfound support, defeats the towering goblin.

Farlan approaches the mortally wounded leader to question him. He is able to obtain scant little information about an orc camp nearby. With nothing more to gain from the enemy, the party debates whether to finish him off or leave him. Just then the goblin reaches for a hidden knife and Torq swings his axe down, decisively ending the discussion.

The party carries on toward Rheragord, gathered upon their cart with Carlox pulling them along. Torq is satisfied to have an ever-growing collection of heads piled up in the back, and Jeidobii uses his abilities to get to know our oxen friend better. They spot man lying in the road up ahead, lying among the remains of a broken cart. Our heroes rush to his aid to discover him already at death’s door, a mysterious black arrow deep in his chest. Attempts to heal the man fail, and Torq attempts to pull the arrow from the man’s chest to find the blackness attempts to spread to him. Torq just barely resists and the man, with his dying breath, implores to rescue his daughter, Rosa, taken from him.

As the party tries to decipher who had taken the girl and the nature of this mysterious black poison, Burakubuu spots something in the distance, west off of the road. Without word or warning, he sprints toward what he perceives initially as glowing red figures, irresistibly drawn in their direction and filled with an uncharacteristic rage. The party takes notice and Jeidobii implores Burakubuu to stop and return to them. Buu continues his path, unresponsive.

Closer now, the party sees several cloaked individuals wearing what appears to be masks in the resemblance of a raven. At the head of the group, a figure that appears to Burakubuu wreathed in black, unlike the others, holding a child. Buu attackes ferociously and without delay the enemy nearest him. Torq catches up and leaps into battle alongside his friend with no word or question. The rest of the party closes the distance and joins in, though Jeidobii implores them to abandon this pursuit.

As he destroys one of the black-clad enemies, a voice invades Burakubuu’s mind. “We know you. You will not defeat us again...” Julette, too, hears this voice. The leader tears open the air around him and escapes with the last of his men, summoning a giant, horned demon beast from the ground to safeguard his departure. The battle is fierce but our party prevails, with Torq, true to his name, taking the beast’s head in the end.

Burakubuu regains his composure, and assures the party it is not a matter of concern, though he does not share immediately the voice he heard. His friends safe and the melee ended, Farlan informs them he must take his leave. He has leads to pursue that he cannot ignore, and the party is on another path. He thanks them, and wishes them well. The party continues on toward Rheragord while Farlan goes his own way.