Wardens of the Sorrowood C2E08

*Game Scheduled: January 11, 2024*

*GM: Thom*

## **Chapter Synopsis:**

The Aureate Horizons Trading Co., colloquially known as Horizons, urgently seeks mercenaries in A'lune to join as Wardens of Sorrowood for a long term commission. In addition to an incentivized mercenary pay rate of 5 gold per week (as opposed to 2 gold per week that is standard), Horizons says that mercenaries can keep whatever is recovered from bandits along the route.

An outpost has been established in the treacherous Sorrowwoods. With numerous bandit groups along the route, prepare to lay siege upon, oust, or recruit the various banditry groups towards protecting the road! Upgrade your fortress further as you progress, deciding upgrades that will determine the fate of future chapters!

## **Mercenaries**

### **Active Mercenaries**

* Jayzal - Tabaxi Rogue
* John Weck - Human Rogue
* Teneboris - "Kobold" Warlock
* Ulfgar Fireforge - Dwarven Cleric

### **Inactive**

* Bim Bim - Elven Barbarian
* El Cangrejo - Crabfolk Rogue/Bard
* Percevial - Dragonborn Sorcerer (Premade)
* Shepard Swiftfoot - Halfling Druid
* Snarela Kegfury - Dwarven Artificer

## **Adventure Debriefing:**

Traveling east from where they had defeated the Possessed Cobalt Golem with the Veiled Arbiter Soronin, the mercenaries encountered blustering winds that seemed out of place. The clouds above were unaffected, the winds around the party seemed to be pulling towards something closer to ground level. Investigating the source, they saw two Air Elementals fighting. Teneboris understood a few of the words of the combatants, and let the others know the elementals were fighting over control of the area. With the parties approval, Teneboris approached to speak with the elementals. The smaller, faster one took the opportunity of distraction to knock the bigger one out with a whirlwind blow. Teneboris asked for more detail on why they were there. The elemental told him it was "nexus" or a "ley line" where they could grow more powerful. Teneboris warned the elemental of [redacted] and convinced it to accept a free ride (Banishment) back to it's home plane. The knocked out elemental was unable to resist Teneboris' second casting of Banishment. The mercenaries moved on, knowing they had prevented another possible threat to the Sorrowoods and Mowen.

Getting closer to where the treants had reported the Verdant Reaver's mazelike encampment would be, the party found a very squarish wall of hedges. Presumably the border of their reported nature's spirit influence. The party made camp for the night. Not long after the shift to third watch, Teneboris caught the scent of blood in the air and awakened Jayzal. Jayzal connected their minds so Teneboris could relay back information while he scouted ahead. While flying a hundred feet above the forest, Teneboris saw a group of three Verdant Reavers conducting a Ritual around a large sacrificed elk. Jayzal woke the others. Teneboris continued to observe while the mercenaries approached.

Unfamiliar with the terrain, the mercenaries were unable to converge silently. Two of the Verdant Reavers stopped casting and moved to intercept the intruders. One sliced into John with a poisoned scythe. Hovering above, Teneboris cast his protective Bubble Hex on John. Jayzal activated the magical Zipline Ring to connect the ledge behind him to a tree beside the lead Reaver still ritual casting and wooshed right up next to her. The first Reaver Jayzal had passed turned around and assaulted his mind with Confusion. Ulfgar lit up the Reaver attacking John with a Guiding Bolt. John stabbed the Reaver and withdrew into hiding, but gave the Reaver an Opportunity to viciously slash him; thus triggering the Mantle of Blood Vengeance which covered the Reaver in acid.

Unable to see John, the Reaver turned skyward and projected a Stinking Cloud at Teneboris. Teneboris managed to hold his breath just long enough to escape the cloud, and fired Eldritch Blasts at the Reaver that was maintaining the confusion magic on Jayzal. With a brief moment of clarity, Jayzal stabbed the Reaver leading the ritual twice. Too far to deal with the flying Teneboris, the other Reaver sliced into Jayzal. Upset that he had broken her concentration, the lead Reaver cast two Blight Bolts at Jayzal. Ulfgar's Guiding Bolt went wide. John doused the nearest Reaver in oil and called out, "Teneboris! Hot Potato!" and hid himself among the bushes.

The Reaver turned but couldn't find John. Teneboris, unsure what John intended, continued blasting the other Reaver with eldritch energy trying to break his concentration on confusion. Jayzal was unable to act due to his muddled mind. The other Reaver fiercely sliced Jayzal again. The lead Reaver unleashed a Blast Wave of poisonous necrotic fire across the forest floor, deeply wounding John and dropping Jayzal to the ground. Acting quickly, Ulfgar spoke a Healing Word to revive Jayzal and then swapped positions with him, tossing the Tabaxi out of danger. The oil-slicked Reaver died engulfed in flame from a lanter John threw.

Teneboris double cast Eldritch Blast again, and again the Reaver maintained concentration. Jayzal was out of melee but unable to regain his senses. The Reaver instead slashed Ulfgar. The lead Reaver missed Ulfgar with a thrown Ice Knife, the dwarf inured to cold. Ulfgar hit the Reaver beside him with a Searing Smite, but could not break the Reaver's concentration. John loaded and fired his last Chaos Bolt into the Reaver, filling the area with even more icy damage.

Teneboris switched targets and dropped from the sky to land next to the lead Reaver, his Devil's Dagger at the ready. Jayzal finally broke free of the Confusion. The beleaguered Reaver hacked Ulfgar one last time. The lead Reaver, pleased that Teneboris was now in range, touched Teneboris and poisoned him with a Contagion. The residual damage from Ulfgar's smite killed the Reaver. Ulfgar turned fired a radiant Guiding Bolt at the lead Reaver. John shot her with his crossbow.

Getting progressively weaker, Teneboris stabbed her with The Devil's Dagger. She resisted the effect, and Teneboris resisted the backlash. Jayzal threw a psychic dager across the field into her. She shoved Teneboris out of the way and began running. Ulfgar placed a hand on John to heal his injuries. John threw his Dragontooth dagger into the retreating Verdant Reaver.

Teneboris cast Spike Growth with Cedarella's Sorrow attempting to stop the fleeing Reaver. Jayzal moved up and threw two psychic daggers. The lead Verdant Reaver, seeing the spikes in front of her, turned and tried throwing an Ice Knife at Teneboris. Ulfgar stepped up and magically closed many of the gashes Jayzal bore. The Bubble Hex no longer active, John fired his crossbow and hid behind a tree.

The poison inside Teneboris finished it's incubation and became a full blown Flesh Rot. Stank and rotting, Teneboris advanced and fired Eldritch Blasts into the Reaver. As she fell, he stopped concentrating on the Spike Growth. Close enough to see her last gasps for air, he swapped daggers and slid The Changeling's Blade into her; letting the Blade drink her blood.

The mercenaries retreated back to camp and brought a viable corpse with them.

The following day, Ulfgar was able to cure Teneboris' disease with a Lesser Restoration.

The party the interrogated the corpse of the Reaver via Ulfgar casting Speak with Dead. After some convincing, it's revealed that the nature spirit, Elysia, has flowing dark green hair, yellow eyes, and may have once been something akin to a dryad. The Reavers goals are expanding their influence and turning the Sorrowoods into a nightmare realm suitable for only them.

## **Conclusion**

A brief and peaceful encounter with air elementals. Then, the mercenaries prevented the casting of a dangerous Ritual by defeating a handful of Verdant Reavers. Armed with information acquired from their corpses, they prepare to begin their assault of the bandits mazelike base of operations from the south side.