Session 2 - Legacy of the Watchers

(In which our heroes learn of the hideous evil lying beneath their feet)

The band rested for the night at Valentinian's Inn which was the former barracks building. Valentinian, his extended family and a good turnout for the night occupied a small fraction of the building which could comfortably hold several companies of troops and uncomfortably several more. Heskin asked the Valentinian about the arrangements and whether they could opt in. Valentinian said he'ld consider it if Heskin and his band could sort out the late wine shipment from Deva Victrix. Heskin said he'd get right to it and the rest of the band wondered just how many things they were doing.

It was about then that Galbatorix's band returned and our heroes got their first look at Mamucium's new leader. He was a well built and handsome warrior of low elf heritage like most of the island folk. At his side rode Antonius, a fearsome warrior in black armour and a devotee of the god Bane. Also with him was the skald Kelgan, a most beautiful low elf and fine warrior. Kelgan announced that Galbatorix had brought back much game and that there would be a feast for everyone.Excited by the prospect of a large meal including meat the townsfolk set about preparations.

During the feast Galbatorix and Heskin met and got the measure of one another. There was a tense moment when Alexi, Galbatorix's wizard spied Cheet and panicked. He suspected that Cheet would sacrifice him to Mystra, as is the custom of hobgoblins. Cheet assured everyone that he was quite the outcast from his own people and would not be offering anyone to the Lady of Mysteries.

In the morning the band decided to perform their little errand for Beshaba first and then see about the wine. They travelled along the road leading north west to the nearby settlement of Coccium. Upon arriving they found a disturbing vista. Strange marauders walking like men but with bare clawed feet had carried off the inhabitants and taken them down a large fresh tunnel on the north side of the village. They had a beast that left many marks like stilts in fresh mud. Doors had been ripped off their hinges, a struggle fought but all the people, nearly fifty in all were gone. The band investigated the tunnel and saw that it curved down deep into the earth. Since it was late they decided to move off and camp by the nearby woods. Perren and Cheet recognised it as a fey wood and ventured inside with Senden to see what they could learn. They quickly fell prey to the woods enchantments and were lost.

They may of wandered until they died of exposure had the Guardian not rescued them. It was a mighty unicorn, charged with keeping people away from the druid mound within. The last Archdruid had interred their most sacred tablets within the mound away from the invading dwarves. Many druids had sacrificed themselves to become undying guardians, vigilant against the day when there would be a new Archdruid able to retrieve them. It also told them that the raiders were minions of the Watchers. The Watchers were the original inhabitants of what the world was built on. They hated and resented the Gods and their creations and sent their minions to torment and enslave them. They asked the unicorn what could fight such ancient evil and it suggested the great earth spirit of the mighty Druidic circle to the south. It also mentioned that the tablets might contain the only record of a way to raise it. The unicorn then lead them out of the woods.

Later that night the band spied forms moving in the village. Hunched misshapen humanoids some seven feet tall and here and there glimpses of something larger that scuttled on many legs. With dawning horror they realised the creatures were repeating the search the band had made earlier. They decided to flee further north with Cheet laying an enchantment to hide their flight.

With day the creatures retreated to the tunnel and the band returned to Mamucium. Senden sought out Kelgan who revealed what little he knew of the Watchers. He had heard tales of some of their servants who walked as men but had bulbous eyes and tentacles where a decent person had a mouth. That these servants spoke mind to mind and control you as easily as you controlled your own arm. Scawl talked to the priestess and informed her of their failure, she shrugged and told them to establish a shrine in the presumably more inhabited Deva Victrix.

Heskin spoke to Galbatorix who was incensed that what he considered 'his' people were being taken from him. The warlord almost forgot to mention that the halfling slaves of the cities fields to the south were refusing to work. Heskin said he would help sort that out. He also advised that the warlord send the scary Antonius to investigate things in the hope that the champion of Bane would be slain or enslaved by the minions of the Watchers. Galbatorix agreed since there was no way he wasn't taking his best assets along.

Our band headed south and quickly met three ferocious monsters. Giant feathered beasts, shaped like massive bears but with the countenance and savage beaks of a bird of prey. The battle was brief and bloody and things may of gone badly until Senden enspelled one and inquired politely of the Watchers. That beast fled madly screeching of the return of those who lurk. Battered and beaten the band gathered up the halflings and along with many strange promises to not beat them, gained their trust.

Cheet scouted out the path the beast had fled and discovered a camp of elves within a set of crop circles. Senden went to speak with them and learned that the Elven Lord present relished the return of the watchers. There would be much hunting and slaying and blood which would be glorious. He was returning to Hibernia since something had happened to his hunting beasts (Senden wisely refrained from mentioning his part in the affair). The other elves were less sanguine than their lord and wondered if the return of the watchers may be cause for the retreat of the dwarves from Brittania. They also told Senden that the lost cities of the giants may hold weapons and lore capable of fighting them.

Senden returned to the band and informed them of all this. While worried by the knowledge that there was a lurking horror beneath them they decided the first step was getting the wine for Valentinian and establishing themselves in the community.

Session 1 - I Kill You!

(In which our heroes right a few wrongs by committing some more.)

Cheet talked some more with the shaman of the lizardfolk and they discussed which animal form would be best for the new druid. The shaman thought the crocodile was a magnificent beast to become and extolled it's stealth, cunning and mighty tail while Cheet felt the bear was more to his sensibilities. The shaman muttered something about mammalian chauvinism.

The shaman also requested that his fellow druid aid him in reclaiming some land from a deserted dwarven infestation. The shaman described it as a place of carved stone, dressed wood and metal tools lying atop a river of stone. There was some confusion among the band about this mysterious river until they realised the shaman meant a road. After a brief cultural exchange in which the shaman learned a new word and Cheet received a mangrove staff to plant in the infestation and begin a transformation into swampland.

Meanwhile Perren had spent most of the night communing with the book which whispered to him of dreadful secrets and terrible powers with which could be his. In the morning Perren was ready to face the world, head full of mysteries no elf has any business knowing and a spring in his step.

The band then left, intendng to intercept the departing priests and relieve them of their most sacred treasures. Along the way they passed again Ashrak's tower and stopped to drop of the grave moss. Ashrak took some prompting to distract him from the tome he was perusing but then thanked them for the delivery. He then asked the band if they could go retrieve some sacred druidic tablets that were hidden in the aftermath of the dwarven invasion. If the band could bring them to him he said he could enchant their armour so that with a drop of blood it would ward one, maybe two blows. The band asked how that worked but Ashrak's explanations quickly went over their heads. The band added this to their list of things to do and left.

A day later they came to the road to Londinium. Heading south to catch the priests they spied a lone figure crawling northwards along the road. It was a young dwarven woman by the name of Kyra. She had been part of a group of priests travelling south when brigands had attacked them. The guards and priests had been beaten and sent fleeing south while the brigands helped themselves to the booty and the women. Kyra had been beaten and abused and then thrown out of the brigands camp and left to die. While Cheet was able to heal her body, her mind was shattered.

While this was happening the band heard the sound of small bells and tambourines playing a lively beat coming from the south. The band prudently hid in some nearby bushes and dragged Kyra with them. Soon the musicians came into view. Four attractive women, dressed lightly despite the weather. Devotees of Beshaba, goddess of misfortune. The band stayed hidden rather than attract any attention from the mistress of calamities.

After the women had passed the band tracked the brigands to their campsite. There was a brief argument about what to do as all they wanted was the holy symbol. However after hearing Kyra's tale of what happened to her and her friend they decided killing them all would suit them fine.

Scawl led them down a gully that brought them almost into the camp and then he and Perren crept off to silence the sentries. That did not go as well as planned as the elf was concentrating more on eldritch mysteries than woodland craft. Alerted, the sentries cried out and much fighting ensued as the others charged the camp. Heskin set a tent alight with a mighty roar and soon a vicious melee was on as some brigands stood and fought while others ran. Outnumbered the band fought on and things were looking grim until Cheet turned into a large bear and Perren appeared cackling and controlling the minds of his enemies. The brigands panicked and ran or surrendered in the hopes that our heroes were not murder crazed lunatics.

That was a fatal error. The two cleanly killed by Heskin's blade got off lightly. The rest were killed by the band and Kyra in inventive and grisly ways. Of note was Perren's victim, who was ritually sacrificed and his soul gifted to the Creature of the Book. The others were understandably disturbed by this show of devotion. After seeing Kyra to safety in a nearby village they resolved to return the book to Ashrak. Along the way they dropped off the idols to the lizardfolk.

Returning the book proved troublesome as Perrin refused to give it up. Eventually Heskin wrested the book from him and smote it with godpower. The book charred and crumbled into ash. Satisfied the band continued on unaware that Perren could still hear the books whispers. Evil is not so easily banished.

The band then returned to Mamucium where there had been a change in management. A local bravo, by the name of Galbatorix had come to stay with his band of warriors. They also learned that it was he who had sent the brigands to waylay the priests. Of a more salubrious nature the devotees of Beshaba had set up shop as well. Not wishing to appear impious (for accidents can happen to those who do not honour Her) Scawl and Cheet paid their respects. After an enlightening ceremony the priestess offered a little 'job' for the newly faithful. Could they take a graven image of the goddess and erect it in the nearby village to the west so that more may pay homage to the Mistress of Misfortune.

Session 0 - The Beginning

(In which our heroes are created and set off on a life of adventure.)

It was a dreary drizzling day in Mamucium. The crowd watched as the priests of Abbathor packed their worldly possessions in preparation for leaving the island. A band of dwarven warriors jeered the priests for their cowardice and a dead man trudged up the street carrying a scroll.

Watching all this also was a band of what could be miscreants, lunatics or even maybe heroes.

Heskin - A dragonman and secretly a devotee of Torm, the idiot's god. (Dragonborn Paladin)
Scawl- An ugly brute of orcish heritage. (Half orc rogue)
Senden - A strange small monster with pipes and a sharp blade. (Gnome bard)
Perren - A tall true elf, like all elves he carries a warbow. (Wood elf ranger)
Cheet - A hobgoblin from the east, many miles from home and apparently a druid. (Hobgoblin Druid)

Like the rest of the crowd they watched the proceedings as the priests abandoned their flock. Scawl was approached by a scraggly dwarf who invited him and his friends to meet with his friends so they could relieve the priests of anything they might have as a 'punishment' for their cowardice. Heskin conferred with the warriors and learned they were heading north to help defend the Wall. The Wall was under constant threat of orcs and keeping what seemed the remains of civilisation would be a goodly thing to do. Scawl also acquired the dead man's scroll. It's was written in some ancient unfathomable language. Since that descriptor applied to even his own tongue he handed the scroll to Senden. The scroll contained magic that imprinted knowledge of the words straight into the reader's brain.

'I have need of some living souls to assist me. Come to my tower west of your town if you are brave.'

Faced with a choice between protecting civilisation, robbing priests or aiding a necromancer the band chose working for the necromancer. Asking the dead man for directions proved a little difficult as Heskin had beheaded it. Still it could provide directions and as the priests went south and the warriors north they followed the dead man east.

After a chilly, damp night the band arrived at the tower the next day. The tower was a solid fist of obsidian and a dead dwarf stood watch at the door. As the band approached it stood aside and opened the door for them. Inside they met the necromancer Ashrak. Ashrak was obsessed with learning and acquiring knowledge. He was also far advanced in the necromantic arts. So advanced that he had ceased breathing some time ago and maintained existence by sheer willpower alone. He had need of grave moss, a vital component in a spell that could briefly stop time itself, during which he could get even more reading and study done in. Grave moss was fairly common in swamps but his regular servants were a bit useless at botany and doing it himself would cut into valuable reading time. Cheet received a detailed description of the plant, it's biology and alchemical and herbal uses. He also assured them that only the most base and least of Tiamat's servants dwelt in the nearby swamp. When asked if they were intelligent the necromancer launched into a complex, multi-tiered history of said arguments both for and against the idea. The band hurried off, a little confused, but not before Scawl lifted a book from Ashrak's library. Again, being illiterate he handed it to Perren.

Perusing the book proved an illuminating experience as the book whispered to Perren. It promised to aid Perren in ridding the island of the foul invaders along with great power. To which Perren said 'OK'. The party prepared to spend another chilly, boggy night far from the graces of civisation but considered it far better than a sleepover with the necromancer.

As they were getting ready to bed down they were surprised by six forms rising out of the swamp. They were large, threatening humanoids carrying spears and dripping with filth and muck that had been concealing them. Fearing they were under attack, Heskin charged and struck at the leader and some fighting ensued. Heskin struck down his foe, Senden charmed one with his pipes, Cheet was badly wounded. The creatures fled this onslaught and the party put their charmed captive to the question.

It revealed that they had come to say hello and what are you doing in our swamp. The lizard creature mourned the loss of his clutch mate's mate and declared that the swamp folk would raise the avatar of their goddess and sweep the nearby town clean of mammalian filth. Thinking this a bad thing the band apologised and asked to be taken to leader of the swamp lizards. At the creature's rude habitations they found that grave moss was a crop of theirs. The lizard shaman demanded the high symbol of Abbathor to be brought to him as a peace offering at which point Scawl said 'see, we should of robbed those priests, I told you so.' The band agreed to do this and also asked for some grave moss. Cheet ate some and was filled with weird necromantic knowledge and powers. The band was left deciding whether to return to the necromancer with his moss first or catch the priests quickly.