Session 1: August 1, 2023 There's No Place Like Not Home (1st Day of Springrise, 1165 AS)

Session 1: August 1, 2023 (1st Day of Springrise, 1165 AS)

Dramatis Personae:

• Echo, Wolfkin Hunter, played by Mike "I cannot create a normal character, ever" P.
• Kelter Tealeaf, Halfling Rogue, played by Mike "The Ham" Y.
• Vinny Boombatz, Dwarven Fighter, played by Eric "Emergency Bread" M.

Quod Occurrit:

Travel

On the first day of Springrise, the three companions decided to leave their shithole town of Riversbend. Not that there promises to be any other towns about that aren't likewise shitholes, but a change of scenery was the main priority, shit quotient be damned. In fact, so pressing was the need for a new shithole that they left Riversbend bright and early at 6 am. 

They were aware of a town south of Riversbend called The Hollows. They were instructed to head due south til they hit the mountains, and then skirt the mountains to the southeast, which would bring them to their destination.

With Echo leading the way, Kelter keeping lookout, and Vinny trudging along behind (dwarves are wasted on cross-country), they head south towards their destiny. Or more specifically, towards a troop of about a half dozen orcs carrying another orc trussed up to a long pole carried between two of them. In a stunning show of bravery, they decided to avoid contacting the orcs altogether, showing their valour through discretion.

Some time later, they came across a group of flagellants and likewise avoided them entirely, not being willing to be proselytized. To be fair, it was hard to tell at that distance whether participation would have been mandatory. Besides, our heroes were after fame and fortune, not religious zealotry.

Hunting and Camping

Because hiding from random travellers is hungry work, the group decided to stop quickly for lunch, and Kelter ran out of food. To ameliorate the situation, Echo decided to go hunting with Vinny in tow, and scored a rabbit, which would keep until noon the next day. Unfortunately, the companions got so carried away in their activities that night fell upon them, forcing them to make camp in the dark, which is easier said than done. Nonetheless, the night passed uneventfully, and the group started out again. These plains were quite desolate, with hardly a sign of habitation or movement to be seen.

Eventually they reached the mountains, and from afar spied what looked like a castle to the west, the opposite direction from the promised safety of The Hollows. Since the players' favourite flavour is apparently fishhook, they took the bait, drawn to their fates like moths to a flame.

Weatherstone

Before too long they found themselves before the ruins of Weatherstone, with the scent of cooking food  wafting though the air as the sun began to set. They saw the external watchtower was lit from within, and Kelter approached it as silently as he was able, which is to say not silently at all. A voice beckoned from the tower for him to approach, and he did so. Inside was a man in his fifties, smoking a pipe while tending to a meal of rabbit over the fire. As Kelter made eye contact, he noticed that the cook had yellow eyes. The sight of yellow eyes was for some reason too much for Kelter, who excused himself and made a hasty retreat, in spite of the protestations of his would-be host. Echo and Vinny however, were overcome by the scent of cooking rabbit and went into the tower, with Kelter following behind.

Dalb the Bard

The man introduced himself as the bard Dalb. Echo had actually heard of him, and in fact had met him at a tavern a while back. He had previously decided to meet Dalb as he was the only human he had seen who had yellow eyes like Echo did. Dalb remembered him and regaled the group with the legend of Weatherstone. It is said that inside Weatherstone were the now inert forms of the undead king Algarod and his troops. In addition, there was a beast that could only be killed by the use of Rustbite, Algarod's sword which was all-too-conveniently located somewhere in Weatherstone. Furthermore, Algarod's war chest (presumably well-stocked with coin) was said to be there as well. 

"But wait, there's more" intimated the bard. He informed our stalwart heroes that another group of adventurers had entered the castle not long ago, but had no time to listen to Dalb's stories or advice. They were led my a man named Esgar Farthing, someone who Kelter knew. Or more to the point, Esgar knew Kelter, who was in no mood to make Esgar's reacquaintance. Not to let the fear of a cut throat killer stand in their way, not to mention a literal monster, the party cajoles Kelter to acquiesce, and they decided to explore the castle in the morning, as it was almost midnight. 

Into Weatherstone

Dalb leaves as the party makes ready, handing them a healthy amount of food as a parting gift. The group finds that the drawbridge over the nasty looking moat into the bastion is gone, forcing them to craft another bridge out of rotting timber they found. Kelter is volunteered to be the first across with a rope tied to his waist just in case. He makes it across without incident, as do Vinny and Echo. They notice some dried blood on the far side that leads into the moat. That surely portends nothing.

Up the stairs from the gatehouse is a great hall, littered with the quasi-mummified remains of King Algarod's household. There were a few silver tankards still in the hands of their owners after all these centuries which the party liberated without a second thought.

Past that was an intact drawbridge traversing a ravine which splits the structure in two. Looking down, they can see the remains of what they assume is Algarod's carriages and war chests. They lower Echo down on a rope, who finds a surprisingly large amount of silver. However, as he moves to leave, he notices that he is not alone. A desiccated horse head animated by some strange force skitters across the ground to bite him. Echo manages to jump and catch the rope, leaving the undead horse head a couple of hairs off of his tail, but no more than that. That was not weird at all!

Rustbite? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Rustbite!

Moving on, they come to a door from through which they can smell a charnel stench, but can hear nothing. They force open the door, to be greeted by a horrific sight: a creature part human, part scorpion, and part lion. It is laired in what appears to be some sort of macabre laboratory with random semi-fresh baody parts nailed to the walls. The creature is not friendly by any stretch of the imagination, and is very large. Fortunately, there is another door across the lab through which the party could escape. But whereas a bard with yellow eyes is cause to run, a literal monster that would remind one of a xenomorph is apparently something to throw down with, no questions asked, no plans made.

Echo lets fly with an arrow to little effect, and the beast charges, snapping with its poison bite at Kelter, who showed why Halflings are hard to hit by hitting the dirt. It then pounced on Echo, damaging and grappling him. Kelter scrambled to his feet. 

Fate protects fools, little children, and ships named Enterprise

At this point, Vinny decides that probabilities are not something to worry about, and deals an absolutely devastating wound to the creature with his longsword. Echo also manages to scramble out from under the beast, who then swats him away, causing him to land in a heap. The beast then lashes out with its tail, but was not able to connect with it. Kelter then shanks the creature, but its tough hide turns aside the halfling's blade. Vinny then strikes true again, dealing another wound to the creature, who starts to falter. Echo lets fly with another arrow, breaking his bow in the process, but the beast's hide, as tough as bronze, turns the missile aside. The beast then lets out a chilling cry, and Kelter loses his wits and gets the shakes for four days, and is then hit by the beast's claw and wounded. Summoning his last reserves, Vinny strikes the beast with another grossly improbable blow and kills it. The room falls mostly quiet, accompanied by Kelter's shaking and the sounds of a person in pain coming from the northwest corner. 

Aftermath

They find a man in robes cowering in said corner. His name is Brother Ferebald, a companion of Esgar's who left him for dead. He then passes out after telling the party that Esgar's party was also wounded by the beast, and will need to rest. The party does likewise, and Vinny repairs Echo's bow. Their appetite for treasure was not well-filled: all that could be found was preserved body parts in urns. Perhaps they can harvest something from the beast?