Session 457 – Tree of the Black Moon
General Summary
19th of Agrazhar (Summer) 729TR
The story so far
A group of heroes battles the evils haunting the beleaguered Kingdom of Kanday.
Sir Odin, a former Erkan of the Order of the Checkered Shield, has been raised to knighthood.
Remy, a former master thief and gambler, has won and lost fortunes.
Abaddon has traveled the wilderness, wielding a weapon of the gods, perfecting his impressive martial skills.
Edelina, a scholarly priestess of the god of Knowledge Save K’Nor, joins them on their adventures.
This is the continuation of Session 455 - Sinister Plots.
The heroes have returned to Anfla Island to defeat the mighty Crab-titan Obsidapor, who has risen from the dead and is causing chaos. Obsidapor has triggered earthquakes and tsunamis, destroying the coastal villages of the local Adaenum tribesmen. Hundreds have been killed.
To add to the heroes’ troubles, a year earlier, they destroyed a coven of witches who were spreading misery and conflict. One of the Hags escaped and swore revenge, wrecking the island colony's supply ship, the Nivac, and transforming a brave knight into a bestial lizardman. The evil witch will do anything she can to interfere with the heroes’ plans. Fortunately, the heroes believe they have discovered the location of the Hags' lair, near the so-called Cursed Tree of the Black Moon, located near Lake Umadi.
Location: The Bog around Lake Umadi, North of Fort Xuaka on Anfla Island.
Part 1 – Festering Mold
The heroes arrive at the marshes around Lake Umadi, taking great care to hide their presence from the Hag, who occasionally uses Scrying magic to spy on them. They carefully make their way through the marsh, alert to any hazards or dangers.
Suddenly, Abaddon notices three suspicious patches of bubbles rising from nearby stagnant ponds. Remy hits the area with a mini storm, and three blobs of smoldering, decaying plant matter emerge. They move forward, flinging chunks of sticky, burning muck; however, a cold blast from Abaddon slows them down. The heroes hack one to pieces, Remy sends another flying 100 yards away, and they destroy the third. By the time the second returns to the fight, it’s quickly turned to compost.
Part 2 – The Tree of the Black Moon
The heroes fight through a particularly dense section of the swamp, and a huge, almost dead tree comes into view. Remy flying above the vegetation spots two gigantic, warty, and ugly frogs standing guard. One spits a glob of acid at him, but he easily dodges. The frogs leap forward, and the party finds themselves split, with Remy and Abaddon to the right and Odin and Edelina to the left.
Remy is caught by one of the frog’s sticky tongues and is being dragged toward the monster’s unnatural fanged mouth, but fortunately, Abaddon’s Freedom of Movement spell allows him to slip free before being devoured. For good measure, Abaddon Stuns the evil beast. Meanwhile, the other frog is joined by a mass of mud and blood, forming a vaguely humanoid shape. Worse, this frog bites Odin and, in a quick action, swallows him whole, but thankfully, he is squeezed out. Then Edelina is caught by the fiend’s sticky tongue. Remy rushes to her aid and blasts her captor with razor-sharp ice spikes. Abaddon concentrates his Ki Energy and strikes his stunned foe in the sides, then, with a subtle gesture, explodes the ugly amphibian’s heart. The party joins forces and destroys the remaining monsters.
Part 3 – The Cursed Tree
The entrance leads into a large cavity inside the tree, filled with cages, benches covered in gore, blood, and body parts, jars of eyes and dried herbs, and a cauldron bubbling with a foul-smelling concoction. The Hag is annoyed but greets her rude visitors. She tells them that she has spoken with Obsidapor and informed him of the location of Alhond, the holy ground of the shamans of Manaclir. “The big boy will be paying a visit shortly,” she cackles, referring to Obsidapor’s desire to destroy the holy sites of the demigod who killed him long ago.
Odin, aware that this Hag has a frustrating tendency to teleport away when threatened, does not bother with courtesies. He rushes in and grapples with the old witch, but receives nasty scratches and wicked bites in return; however, Edelina’s Healing keeps him in the fight. While held, both Abaddon and Remy land some damaging strikes. Desperate and unable to effectively cast magic spells or utter curses, she fights back fiercely, nearly disemboweling Odin. Remy responds with Power Word Blind, but it only partly works. Dazzled, she, however, is unable to finish Odin off, who remains an easy target. Remy and Abaddon strike hard. The evil Hag dies after being impaled by a series of iron spikes from Remy, and Abaddon delivers the spear of the demigod Manaclir through her foul heart.
Part 4 – The Hag Stone
However, because of the Hags' gloating, the heroes are worried about the well-being of the High Guide, or Holna. The High Guide is the spiritual leader of the coastal Adaenum Tribes, based on Enyala Island near the holy ground of the Alhond, also known as the Wilding Place. They plan to visit the next day.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
No one this week.
Related Content
None this week
Created Content
Nothing this week.
Player Characters
Odin - Human - L19 Ranger
Background - Martial Disciple.
Archetype - Shadowdancer, Investigator, and Fighter.
Abaddon - Elf - L19 Monk
Background - Martial Disciple.
Archetypes - Druid and Familiar Master.
Remy - Human - L19 Aerokineticist (with Metal second gate)
Background - Acrobat.
Archetypes - Wizard, Acrobat, and Thief.
NPC Companion
Edelina - Human - L19 Holy Sage Sorcerer
Background - Astrologer.
Archetypes - Psychic and Time Mage.
Next Session
Session 457
The Tree of The Black Moon
The inland Adaenum Barbarians tell legends of a cursed tree located in the marshes west of Lake Umadi. In the past, Adaenum tribeswomen used to visit this ominous natural feature to cast curses on their enemies.
Remy
Abaddon
Odin
NPC Companion
Edelina Sprunstone
Edelina, a scholarly priestess of the Church of Save K'Nor, travels the world seeking subjects to study. She has researched psionics, religions, and astrology. Her current research subjects include mythic history, the monstrous Ivashu in their strange forms, and the Pradeyalkri, giants and monsters driven from Ivinia by the god Sarajin.
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