Sesion 44 - A Councillor Transformed

Godsday - 11 Sunsebb - Morning

  Yesterday, the Try-hard Misfits were continuing cleanup on the Saltmarsh docks, when Capt Fireborn informed them that Councillor Primewater was missing. They quickly deduced that he had headed into the Dreadwood Forest with some plan to transform his life. After acquiring horses, the party set out on the north road heading to Burle for several hours before camping for the night.
  Now, as the party cleans up camp and prepares for a day of riding, Kyra concentrates on the eldritch powers swirling within her psyche. At the end of her trance, she knows she'll understand any language spoken to her. The party mounts their horses and set off at a modest trot toward the north.
  As the sun gains height revealing the country-side, Kyra activates her boots and flies upward to scout the landscape while Karia and Jane lean to the side to study the roadside. Noticing a small overgrown path, Karia calls out, "There are wheel tracks heading northeast here."
  Floating back to her horse, Kyra relays, "There's a small group of rangers heading east a few miles north of us."
  After a couple of hours, Kyra flies up to locate the ranger patrol and directs the party to intercept them. As they come within sight, the rangers spill around the party encircling them as the leader calls out, "Halt! What business have ye heading into the Dreadwood?"
  Karia responds, "We're from Saltmarsh and we're tracking one of the town councillors. Perhaps you've seen him? He'd have been in a green carriage."
  "Aye," responds the ranger, "it came racin' by yesterday. Although, it was a bit too far away to intercept. Headed straight toward the wood." Continuing, he says, "Ye be headin after 'im? Be wary, there be many a dark and dangerous things in there."
  "Oh?" asks Ada. "What might those things be?"
  "All manner of beasts, fiends, and aberrations." responds the ranger. "Zombies and Skel'tons be the least of it. Hags, ghouls, and even demons be there. 'Tis said that deep in the heart of the woods be a portal to hell itself. If ye believe in such tales." The ranger takes a long moment to size up each party member, then continues, "Well, it looks like you'll be going through with your task and we must be on ours. Good day to ye!" The rangers wheel their horses and continue eastward.
  As the rangers crest a ridge disappearing from sight, the party kicks into motion while tracking the wheel ruts along the trail. Hours pass as the party lopes along the trail. Finally, the edge of the Dreadwood comes into view with the narrow trail leading toward a small hill rising up above the forest. The party rides into the dark canopied forest. Within a mile, the party discovers Pimewater's carriage and quickly dismount.
  Karia approaches the empty vehicle and scours it for clues while Nar and Jane unharness the horses. Kaira finds nothing of interest within the carriage, so she checks outside for Primewater's trail which she follows into a narrow path of ruined brick walls overrun with vines. Kyra interrupts, "Hold up a moment. Let's get a few friends to lead the way in case there are traps." Kyra then chants the arcane words as traces sigils in the air above a collection of bodies that arise as docile zombies. She then calls out to one of them, "Sharkey, you take the lead ahead of Karia."
  The trail wanders first right then back left before opening up in front of an ancient gate slowly crumbling under a mass of vines and trees. Its door has long since deteriorated into kindling. Sharkey, the zombie, shuffles into a courtyard as Karia hears the ruffle of wings. Karia scans the courtyard as three huge birds clear the tree line revealing they are not birds, but rather have human-like torsos with massive vulture-like wings. The party quickly scrambles to multiple locations in the yard as one of the creatures starts singing an alluring and intoxicating song distracting everyone. Adlia moves to her left with Kyra following, while Nar peaks over the wall and Jane charges toward the gate. No one notices Karia standing still, transfixed to the mystical harmony of the harpy.
  The largest harpy dive bombs Jane as it tries to club and claw her while Jane reacts with her great axe swinging at the retreating figure. Meanwhile, Nar climbs atop the stone wall, firing at a harpy attacking one of Kyra's zombies before she then ducks back below the wall's edge. The damaged zombie attempts to slam against the harpy before its wings beat toward freedom, but only finds empty air. Adlia calls out to Ehlonna as radiant darts fly forth toward the third harpy without noticing Karia vacantly walking toward the largest Harpy. Kyra brings forth her tiny bell pointing toward the smallest harpy. Suddenly, Karia's eyes narrow in focus as she shakes free of her trance and she rushes the largest harpy with both swords drawn and slicing. This large harpy starts to fly away as an arrow spears it and Karia gets one final slice before its body flops lifeless to the ground.
  The battle wages onward when a foul aura of corruption fills the courtyard as two large creatures are seen flying toward the battle. While guiding another bolt into the heart of a harpy, Adlia senses their presence and shouts, "Be wary these are demons!" Steps away, Bill, the zombie, slams against a harpy trying to escape and knocks it to the ground where Steve, another zombie, and Sharkey slam it unconscious. Jane rushes toward the gate, climbing amongst fallen stones racing for the vulture-like demon sitting atop it. Behind her, Nar continues her ambush tactics by climbing on top of the wall, firing an arrow that fells the final harpy attacking Kyra, then duck backs below the wall.
  With the three harpies down, the Vrocks quickly engage the party before they can present an unified front. However, the party's overwelming numbers quickly turn the battle into a kill zone leaving the bodies of five flying monstrosities on the ground as they pass beneath the stone gate and climb a cliff face toward a door leading in to the dark.
  The party enters the underground passageway expecting a series of caves, but finds a huge stone-walled cavernous room with a set of stone steps leading deeper into the hidden base. Examining the stairs, the party sees that they lead toward a landing before going even deeper. Carefully, since the stairs are open on both sides, the party works their way forward.
  Suddenly, a tiny bat zips toward the party attempting to frighten them, but this group reacts smoothly very efficiently dispatch the little demon watching as it falls thirty feet into the darkness. The party then makes it way through a maze and dispatching a much larger demon before then finding a corridor that leads across a river of lava. As Nar climbs up into the passageway, the entire hallway spins to the right attempting to dump her into the lava, but her slippers keep her firmly affixed to the floor and determines that a person has to remain in the center of the hall to cross it.
  After crossing the trapped hallway, the party turns to the right to see a very large room with a pool of lava contained at the base of rising ledges. Standing high atop these ledges, Primewater chants mysterious words above a large vase that reverberate within the empty cavern.

  Grabbing Jane's shoulder, Kyra quickly recites words of power that teleports them across the room to right next to Primewater. As she heaves her axe to attack, a ghost of a presence moves from Primewater to the vase, while Primewater's body starts to slough skin as huge demonic limbs poke through his living body transforming him into a monstrosity with multiple eyes attached to the ends of multiple stalks. Each eye moves independently as this creature scans the room and sees Karia racing across the floor toward him.
  A dark beam projects out of the eye tracking Karia blasting her with the full force of its energy knocking her to the ground. After moment of hesitation, Jane puts all force into her swing aiming not at Primewater but instead the vase beyond him knocking it off its pedastal and into the boiling lava pool below. As the fragments melt away, the creature winces in pain and an eye fixates on Jane forcing her to slow her attacks.
  Adlia rushes next to Karia kneeling beside her before shooting, "There's no healing that I can provide. She's dead!" Hearing the shout, another eye focuses on the floor below as an explosion erupts grazing Adlia while another eye focuses on Kyra as a beam of lightning ricochets across the ledge knocking her to the ground as well.
  Nar with tears rolling down her cheeks rushes around the corner while drawing her bow, but at that moment the creature floats off the ledge before turning invisible. A moment later, a human man with a bald head winks into existing floating above the battlefield. His eyes track something unknown and then he points to a spot near Nar while booming, "You have no business on this plane of existence. I banish you back to the abyss from whence you came." Upon finishing these words, a portal opens up showing a scene of chaos and darkness and the creature gets sucked into it as it closes with a pop.
  The man surveys the party below as Kyra gets back on her feet before addressing Kyra, "Certain matters have come to my attention. Here is not the time to speak of those things, but you've been asking the right questions on topics that are best forgotten. It is time that we had a chat. Come find me in the city of Greyhawk!" He then disappears as mysteriously as he arrived.
  Slowly Jane and Kyra make their way to the ground while Adlia and Nar kneel next to their fallen comrade. The zombies shuffle forward and reverently lift the lifeless body as the party slowly works their way back. Upon reaching the gate where demon bodies lay scattered across the ground, Nar looks up at Kyra, "Is there anything we can do? Can we save Karia? And who was that man? Do you know him?"
  Kyra looks at Adlia for a moment before responding, "Adlia, you've already said there's nothing you can do to bring Karia back, but do you think Wellgar Brinehand could?"
  Adlia thinks for a moment before nodding, "He certainly has a deeper connection to Procan, so I believe that he can. What about that man? It seems he knew you."
  "Know me?" responds Kya, "No. I do not weild the power that would attract his attention, but I do know of him. He is the archwizard Mordenkainen. Now, we must hurry back to Saltmarsh as time is the enemy here."
  Carefully securing Karia's body to a horse, the party mounts up and heads back along the trail to Saltmarsh before camping a few miles away from the Dreadwood Forest for the night.
 

Waterday - 12 Sunsebb - Dawn

  The party restless and heartbroken sleeps only a little through the night and starts travelling again before sunrise. As the sun breaks above the eastern horizon, the walls of Saltmarsh come into view and Kyra halts the group. Climbing down, she focuses her eldritch powers to summon four zombies that rise to attention. Then she says, "I will not dishonor Karia by having her hauled through town like a sack of potatoes. The town my damn me, but my friend deserves better. These helpers will carry her honorably to the temple. Please set Karia on the ground."
  Nar tears up again as Adlia and Jane reverently lift Karia from her horse and gently lay her upon the ground where the four zombies lift her between them and walk stately toward the gates. The guards above call out, "Halt! Who goes... Oh! Open the gates! The Try-hard Misfits return! .. You! Yes you run to Capt Fireborn and alert him of the sad tidings!"
  The gates rumble open showing the four zombies bearing the lifeless body of Karia followed by a grief-stricken Nar and the rest of the group. They proceed into the deserted streets of Saltmarsh and head toward Sharkfin Bridge. As they pass by the fields where Merfolk and Lizardfolk camp, a onlookers begin to line the street while whispering amongst themselves. Kyra sees a few fingers point, but others brush them down as the streets quickly line with witnesses.
  As the somber group reaches the bridge, a group of city guardsmen along with Fireborn overtake them. Fireborn nods somberly at the group as he positions the guards to ensure an open path toward the far side of Saltmarsh. He then turns toward Nar while saying, "I feel the loss as well little one, but hold hope yet as Reverend Brinehand has raised a lifeloss body before. Lift your face and pray that Procan graces him again for the sake of a true hero."