Five Leagues From The Shadowdeep – Turn 1 – The Missing – The Deserted Village
The warband entered the small village of Earav, built around the Great Temple of the Seven and Thirteen - the main monastery of the order. Arriving at the village, they first made their way to the inn, where they rented rooms, ate, and rested.
That evening, they sat together and mused over their trip so far, and where they may end up.
"I know you are concerned about those dreams, Serrol. But I am telling you, they're just because of what you saw when you were escaping Lorenthia."
"But Carov, the Seven and Thirteen often talk to us in dreams", Folcard said. "They shouldn't be ignored."
"In my dreams, we've lived and died several times. And you weren't with us, Folcard. In some of the dreams, neither was Hildr."
"Are these dreams why you didn't volunteer to join the Rangers when they asked?"
Serrol hung his head. "Yes. When I woke from the dreams, I felt every arrow, every cut, and every loss."
"So what is our plan?"
"The Rangers are fighting the Shadowdeep. But there are other threats. Since the Queen of Winter rose to power, and winter came to the Risenland Forest, minions of her court have been raiding. And, while most of my fellow Lorenthians survivors have joined with Alladore, many have become raiders. They saw too much, and it broke them. So I want us to aid the people of the land agains those threats."
"A noble gesture. One I am happy to aid in."
"Thank you, Folcard."
While most of the group joined the locals at the tavern for the evening, Hildr and Folcard went to the Temple, where Hildr received a blessing from the monks.
The next morning, Serrol set out to look for work. Nothing was going on in the village proper, but as Serrol continued to wander the village, he stumbled upon an outpost for the Rangers.
"But what of Aventine?"
"He should have returned by now, and the raven we sent out didn't return. All the other Rangers, including the traineees are out on patrol. Meilir is in the infirmary. It will be weeks before we can send someone after him."
"Hell and damnation!" Serrol thought. "I must be cursed, or addled."
Serrol walked up to the Rangers. "Begging your pardon, but if I hear correctly, it sounds like you could use some help. I lead a small group of mercenaries. With proper payment, we could seek out your lost Ranger."
The two Rangers looked at Serrol. The elder's eyes darted over him. "Lorenthian?"
"Yes. I travel with an Elf of Risenland, an Enchanter from Alagner, and a Secaran shield-maiden."
"You keep strange company."
"These are strange times."
The Ranger chuckled. "Yes, they are. And we do need warriors. One of our more experienced Rangers, Aventine, heard rumors of trouble in the village of Dorchem. He went to investigate, but should have returned by now. The village is a little over a day hike from here. Go forth and find our Ranger, and we will reward you."
The Rangers marked the village's location on Serrol's map.
He returned to the Inn, and explained their quest to the team. "I thought you weren't going to be a Ranger, Serrol." Carov said. "We're not Rangers - we're mercenaries taking a job. That's all. We go in, find out what happened, and get out."
"If you say so, Serrol", Carov said with a grin.
The group equipped themselves and head out. After a day and a half, the arrived at the village.
The silence was deafening as the group entered the village. Serrol saw what appeared to be a corpse in the town center, as well as a very large rat, which also noticed the group.
The group cautiously moved forward, Sakalas taking point, his bow at the ready. His shot at the rat missed as the rat bounded towards him, tearing at his flesh and taking him out of the fight.
Serrol's arrow also missed the damned rat. Carov moved forward, as did Hildr, Skitter, Emmon and Folcard.
The group discovered where the villagers were, when their corpses rose and started to shamble towards them. As they approached, the rat that took out Sakalas bounded at Carov, taking him down as well.
What kind of rat is this? Enchanted? Daemonic? As Hildr started to search,
the zombies attacked Emmon and Folcard. Emmon was dropped by the first, but Folcard struck several down - for a wandering Monk, his martial skill exceeded Serrol's belief.
Hildr and Skitter found a survivor of the massacre, hiding. He looked ragged and pale, and had obviously been hiding from the undead for a while. "Get to safety" Hildr said. "We will protect you."
Unfortunately, as the survivor fled, Hildr and Skitter were swarmed by three zombies, and they were overcome.
The survivor was clearly a warrior, for as he fled the village, he took out a giant rat and several zombies. Godspeed, unnamed survivor!
Serrol finally was able to defeat the rat that took out Carov and Sakalas, and began his search of the village, taking out a zombie that was in his way. The group was down to Serrol and Folcard.
Folcard moved to draw off as many zombies as he could, so Serrol could search the village, and that decision cost him his life.
But Serrol discovered the body of the lost Ranger, Aventine, and picked up his sword, which Serrol could tell was enchanted.
Serrol also discovered some strange tracks - spider tracks - leading out of the village, deeper into the Spidercrawl woods. Fitting.
Serrol led the zombies on a merry chase, outpacing them out of, and then back into the village, where he was able to grab most of his group and make their escape. Emmon and Skitter were severely wounded; Sakalas less so, and Carov the least. Hildr was just knocked out, thankfully.
As they made their way to safety and set up camp, mending their wounds the best they could, the survivor they discovered arrived. "You saved me. I am greatful to the extreme. I am Adalbert; I was a guard in the village, and when I was younger, a soldier. Some of my villagers were taken away by the spiders that destroyed the village. Would you accomany me to try to rescue any who still live?"
"We came here to find the Ranger, and we did. But we also came to this area to help out those in need, so we will go with you. If there are survivors, we will do what we can to rescue them, and we will be glad to have another sword arm. But, we are injured, and we can't return to the village for healing or we'll lose the trail, so our chances are low."
"Better with the two of you who can fight than me alone."
After a scant few hours of rest, Serrol, Hildr and Adalbert followed the trail of the spiders into the Spidercrawl Woods
That evening, they sat together and mused over their trip so far, and where they may end up.
"I know you are concerned about those dreams, Serrol. But I am telling you, they're just because of what you saw when you were escaping Lorenthia."
"But Carov, the Seven and Thirteen often talk to us in dreams", Folcard said. "They shouldn't be ignored."
"In my dreams, we've lived and died several times. And you weren't with us, Folcard. In some of the dreams, neither was Hildr."
"Are these dreams why you didn't volunteer to join the Rangers when they asked?"
Serrol hung his head. "Yes. When I woke from the dreams, I felt every arrow, every cut, and every loss."
"So what is our plan?"
"The Rangers are fighting the Shadowdeep. But there are other threats. Since the Queen of Winter rose to power, and winter came to the Risenland Forest, minions of her court have been raiding. And, while most of my fellow Lorenthians survivors have joined with Alladore, many have become raiders. They saw too much, and it broke them. So I want us to aid the people of the land agains those threats."
"A noble gesture. One I am happy to aid in."
"Thank you, Folcard."
While most of the group joined the locals at the tavern for the evening, Hildr and Folcard went to the Temple, where Hildr received a blessing from the monks.
The next morning, Serrol set out to look for work. Nothing was going on in the village proper, but as Serrol continued to wander the village, he stumbled upon an outpost for the Rangers.
"But what of Aventine?"
"He should have returned by now, and the raven we sent out didn't return. All the other Rangers, including the traineees are out on patrol. Meilir is in the infirmary. It will be weeks before we can send someone after him."
"Hell and damnation!" Serrol thought. "I must be cursed, or addled."
Serrol walked up to the Rangers. "Begging your pardon, but if I hear correctly, it sounds like you could use some help. I lead a small group of mercenaries. With proper payment, we could seek out your lost Ranger."
The two Rangers looked at Serrol. The elder's eyes darted over him. "Lorenthian?"
"Yes. I travel with an Elf of Risenland, an Enchanter from Alagner, and a Secaran shield-maiden."
"You keep strange company."
"These are strange times."
The Ranger chuckled. "Yes, they are. And we do need warriors. One of our more experienced Rangers, Aventine, heard rumors of trouble in the village of Dorchem. He went to investigate, but should have returned by now. The village is a little over a day hike from here. Go forth and find our Ranger, and we will reward you."
The Rangers marked the village's location on Serrol's map.
He returned to the Inn, and explained their quest to the team. "I thought you weren't going to be a Ranger, Serrol." Carov said. "We're not Rangers - we're mercenaries taking a job. That's all. We go in, find out what happened, and get out."
"If you say so, Serrol", Carov said with a grin.
The group equipped themselves and head out. After a day and a half, the arrived at the village.
The silence was deafening as the group entered the village. Serrol saw what appeared to be a corpse in the town center, as well as a very large rat, which also noticed the group.
The group cautiously moved forward, Sakalas taking point, his bow at the ready. His shot at the rat missed as the rat bounded towards him, tearing at his flesh and taking him out of the fight.
Serrol's arrow also missed the damned rat. Carov moved forward, as did Hildr, Skitter, Emmon and Folcard.The group discovered where the villagers were, when their corpses rose and started to shamble towards them. As they approached, the rat that took out Sakalas bounded at Carov, taking him down as well.
What kind of rat is this? Enchanted? Daemonic? As Hildr started to search,
the zombies attacked Emmon and Folcard. Emmon was dropped by the first, but Folcard struck several down - for a wandering Monk, his martial skill exceeded Serrol's belief.Hildr and Skitter found a survivor of the massacre, hiding. He looked ragged and pale, and had obviously been hiding from the undead for a while. "Get to safety" Hildr said. "We will protect you."
Unfortunately, as the survivor fled, Hildr and Skitter were swarmed by three zombies, and they were overcome.
The survivor was clearly a warrior, for as he fled the village, he took out a giant rat and several zombies. Godspeed, unnamed survivor!
Serrol finally was able to defeat the rat that took out Carov and Sakalas, and began his search of the village, taking out a zombie that was in his way. The group was down to Serrol and Folcard.
Folcard moved to draw off as many zombies as he could, so Serrol could search the village, and that decision cost him his life.But Serrol discovered the body of the lost Ranger, Aventine, and picked up his sword, which Serrol could tell was enchanted.
Serrol also discovered some strange tracks - spider tracks - leading out of the village, deeper into the Spidercrawl woods. Fitting.Serrol led the zombies on a merry chase, outpacing them out of, and then back into the village, where he was able to grab most of his group and make their escape. Emmon and Skitter were severely wounded; Sakalas less so, and Carov the least. Hildr was just knocked out, thankfully.
As they made their way to safety and set up camp, mending their wounds the best they could, the survivor they discovered arrived. "You saved me. I am greatful to the extreme. I am Adalbert; I was a guard in the village, and when I was younger, a soldier. Some of my villagers were taken away by the spiders that destroyed the village. Would you accomany me to try to rescue any who still live?"
"We came here to find the Ranger, and we did. But we also came to this area to help out those in need, so we will go with you. If there are survivors, we will do what we can to rescue them, and we will be glad to have another sword arm. But, we are injured, and we can't return to the village for healing or we'll lose the trail, so our chances are low."
"Better with the two of you who can fight than me alone."
After a scant few hours of rest, Serrol, Hildr and Adalbert followed the trail of the spiders into the Spidercrawl Woods
