Session Recap - 22 September 2007

From Loranon

Session Recap
22 September 2007
Start Date	27 April 1332
End Date	29 April 1332
Adventure Locations	Dormantown Area, Dormantown, Neverfall
Previous Session	15 September 2007
Next Session	29 September 2007

Participating Characters

Bisquick, Daeron Elensar, Fagan von Feld, Alan Bree, Malic Citrate

Interlude

The sun was shining and the blue sky was showing. The twelve men and women smiled as they exited the melting Ice Fortress. The slush slowly vanished from beneath their feet and was replaced by springtime grass. Hefting three boxes of goodberries between them, the group set off towards Dormantown. Behind them, the Ice Fortress was replaced by a gleaming white tower.

"This Thorlonian Circle is very troubling," Mazer said, concerned. "They seek to manipulate nature instead of letting it run its natural course. I believe it is best that I take to the wild for a time and see what I can determine of their next steps. Fagan, please secure the menhir in Dormantown; I will want to study it in time. Daeron, let me see your bow for a second."

Daeron handed over his magical bow and green energies flowed through it, reverting it from its warped state.

"Fenrir, come!" Mazer commanded and the two of them walked away.

Grilia stared off into the northwest. "I think we should scout out Shorn. It's what, three days from here? If we split off from the dwarves and gnome, we could get there in two."

Rosa furrowed her brow. "We have to get to Dormantown as fast as we can, before these goodberries expire," she stated.

"We need to find out how the orcs weathered the winter. We're just scouting; we don't need to send everybody," Grilia replied.

"On my own, I could cover sixteen more miles a day than the group. I could carry the goodberries, but the menhir would slow me down," Fagan von Feld added. "I need to get to Dormantown. I need to find out what happened to my family."

"Do any of the rest of you have stealth capabilities?" Daeron asked.

"After you, I am probably the best for scouting. The two of us could go to Shorn." Iladan Crestwillow said.

Celiso added, "If we're scouting, I think we should check out Roriport as well. I heard that they barred entry into the town. If that place is full of starving loonies, we could have a lot of banditry problems in the south. I volunteer to go; I've kept myself out of trouble there many times."

Further discussion ensued, and the group that had ended the Winter of No End split into four. Fagan von Feld headed straight south, carrying goodberries to the starving citizens of Dormantown. Daeron Elensar and Iladan Crestwillow set out to the northwest to scout the ruins of Shorn. Celiso Fogantos headed east towards Roriport. The rest followed slowly after Fagan, carrying the spoils and the menhir.

The Ruins of Shorn

It took the scouts two days to reach the ruins of Shorn. On their way, they observed a quickly recovering eco-system. The plants returned. And the animals too. They were even able to fell a deer for their meals. By the time they had reached Shorn, the effects of the Winter of No End could not be seen. Except in Shorn where the effects were very apparant. The ruins were scattered with the corpses of dead orcs, many of them subjected to cannibalism. The staging point of the Spikeshroud Orc Clans had been abandoned at some point during the Winter of No End, as very little of their gear of war remained.

"Don't think they're gone for good," a voice said after Daeron and Iladan had been searching the ruins for several hours.

A very haggard man appeared from behind some rubble. His clothes were torn, but the body beneath showed a man in decent health. He was of middle years and gray streaked through his black hair. In his hand, he held a pristine longsword.

"Perc?" Iladan asked.

"Aye, Iladan. It's me. Come, let us to Dormantown. There is nothing here; I will tell you of Scaun." Perc Graysky replied.

On the Road to Dormantown

"Bah! These are boots of striding and springing!" Malic exclaimed. "If only that ranger had moved a little more during that fight, we may have caught on. Wearing these, Fagan could have gotten to Dormantown even faster."

"Ah, well; that druid's hat you identified yesterday is very interesting though. I think I'm going to bid on it." Bisquick noted.

"Good luck outbidding me, sir!" Malic replied.

"Shhhhh!" Grilia hushed the dwarves. "What was that you were saying, Rosa?"

Rosa replied, "I just received a sending from a Pelorite in Kandor. Tyrell has destroyed the Bastion of the Sun, the Church of Pelor's head temple in all of Loranon. He says that Tyrell's army is made up of creatures with long claws for their left hands, but didn't give any more description for me to identify what they are. Some type of demon, likely. He says that Tyrell had taken over most of the country, but small pockets of resistance remain. Tyrell's main force is moving south, towards the border of Kansama. No aid is coming from Nomandi. What, what's wrong?"

The adventurers stared at Rosa, some with mouths agap.

"Excuse me, Miss De'Elemon; did you say a whole army of creatures with long claws for left hands?" Alan Bree asked.

"Yes, do you know what they are?"

"Ah, um... er. Maybe."

"Well, what are they?"

"Uh... I don't know. Maybe they're called Clawhands?"

"Are they demons?"

"I don't think so. They sound like something I read about once. In a very old book."

"Well, what do you know about them?"

After a long pause and a sigh, Alan said, "I read about creatures in the Marco Wars that had claws for their left hands; I think they were called Cargs, a vile creation of Marco the Enslaver. Cargs are tall, thin creatures with skin tightly drawn over bones as strong as metal. They are extremely clever and very quick to learn. Except, I thought I read that most of them had been killed during the Marco Wars. I don't know how there could be an entire army of them."

Food for the Starving

"Yes, they're all alive! No, I can't speak to that now. There will be time for that later! No, I must get to the mayor. Please, let me pass!" Fagan attempted to reason with the crowd that surrounded him as he arrived in Dormantown.

After a time, he was able to make it inside town hall, with the entirety of the town's citizenry outside.

"You have succeeded!" the mayor exclaimed upon seeing Fagan.

"In more than just ending the winter," Fagan replied as he opened up the bushels of goodberries. "Each of these berries is like a meal; they're ensorcelled to stay fresh for a long time. I imagine that they can get the town back into good health."

"Oh, that is very good news," the mayor said, calling for servants to distribute the goodberries. "Please, tell me everything."

Fagan shared details on the trials that they had faced and revealed that the Thorlonian Circle had been behind the Winter of No End.

"There is plenty of game out there; so I suggest sending out hunters if you haven't yet. But most of the farms I came upon on my way were abandoned or destroyed. I really must be off to see what happened to my family. Please let the rest of my party know that I shall return soon," Fagan said, leaving Dormantown.

Arrival of the Heroes

As the party entered the streets of Dormantown, jubilant calls went through the air. The town had prepared for the heroes' arrival and was in full celebration.

"Oy! This is going to good, lad!" Malic said to Bisquick as he winked at a beautiful woman.

Bits of Business

The party members went about various bits of business after the end of the Winter of No End.

Perc Graysky travelled with Iladan and Daeron for a while, revealing to them some information about the orcs massing in Scaun. He stated that the orcs numbered at least 3,000 and were led by an Orog named Bhagtru. The orcs call Bhagtru the son of Gruumsh and is rumored to wield the relic weapon, the Maul of Gruumsh. The orcs have an elite unit made up of dozens of Orogs and are working to summon an Aspect of Gruumsh. Perc did not return to Dormantown, but swore to be there for the assault on Scaun or the defense of Dormantown.

Bisquick spoke at length with Darian Dorman, an aristocrat who has a special interest in dwarven history. Bisquick shared the details amnesia and his experience with the Forshantir. Darian Dorman took an interest in Bisquick and divulged some information concerning Neverfall, the dwarven hall. In exchange for glittering prizes, Darian requested Bisquick to explore the ruined dwarven hall for an ancient dwarven artifact, the Gauntlets of Moradin.

The rest of the party went about buying and selling, and afterwards Bisquick was able to convince the party to make a foray into Neverfall.

Neverfall the Dwarven Hall

The party arrives at Neverfall. Numerous skeletons guard the entrance.

Even with superior numbers, the dwarven skeletons stand no chance.

The party fights many dwarven ghouls as they explore the ruins.