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.