Synopsis:

Session begins with party at the inn in Dornie.  Rhyawdd, Kieren, and Liana are at Gerdie’s  hut speaking with her about their adventures at the necromancer’s tower.

Kieren asks Gerdie about Brook’s erratic behavior.  She can only say that the faerie folk have strange ways that often don’t make sense to men.  Kieren comments about the undead and Gerdie tells him that the Sidhe and undead are sworn enemies of each other.

Rhyawdd mentions something about the necromancer’s books to Gerdie.  Gerdie asks if all the necromancer’s books were destroyed by the party.  She says the books may possess knowledge of great evil and could be used for evil if put in the wrong hands.  Rhyawdd lies and tells the witch that all the books were destroyed.

The party returns to the inn and Dornie and tells the others what has transpired with the witch.  While Kieren and the others were gone Lio cut wood for new arrow shafts and had the local smith fashion some arrow heads for him.

The party remains in Dornie for the rest of the day.  They plan to depart in the morning.

October 25,  it is partly cloudy and warm with a mild breeze blowing from the SW.  The party, led by Kieren and Torun MacKenzie, makes the trek to Achintee via Killilan and Attadale.  The travel is uneventful through the morning.  The dwarves and Magnus grumble occasionally because they have hangovers.    Brook is nowhere to be  found.

On the trail between Killilan and Attadale Kieren finds fresh tracks made by a band of Ogres.  The tracks lead in the direction of Attadale, which is where the party is headed.  The party cautiously advances along the trail and meets up with 5 ogres after about an hour.  The ogres are burdened with haunches of beef.  Combat is joined between the party and the ogres.  Liothien kills one of the ogres with a couple well placed arrows.  David, Kieren, Liana, Torun MacKenzie, Rhyawdd, and Cedric kill the remaining ogres during a pitched melee.    During the combat Rhyawdd accidentally slashes Cedric as they battle one of the ogres.

After the battle Kieren uses the healing powers of the Shard of Righting on Torun and Rhyawdd.  William and  Tarl heal the injured party members.

The party searches the ogres and comes up with 125 gp and 75 sp as well as 5 haunches of  beef and a jet black short sword.  Kieren identifies the blade as being of drow manufacture.  The party gathers up the ogres’ possessions and continues on to Attadale.  They are met with a hearty welcome by the villagers of Attadale.  The party returns the stolen meat to the village and presses on to Achintee.

The party arrives in Achintee slightly before dusk.  The take lodging at the Sea Foam Inn, which is the nicer of the two inns in town.  Kieren speaks with the innkeeper, who is a woman named Muriel MacKenzie.  She is a nice looking woman of 35.  Kieren asks Muriel about old Cud and she tells him that he has a cottage across the river near the boat builder.  She also tells Kieren that old Cud frequents a tavern along the docks called the “Salty Dog”.   When Muriel learns that Kieren is an adventurer, she tells him that there is a noblemen by the name of Lord Ross staying at the inn who is interested in hiring some adventurers.

The party unpacks and has dinner at the inn.  During the meal Lord Ross and 2 companions (human and dwarf) show up and dine as well.  Kieren introduces himself to Lord Ross and is introduced to Joseph Kerr (Cory’s PC) and Baldric (Ross’s servant).   Kieren inquires about employment with Ross and learns that he is planning to travel to the MacLeod stonghold of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye.  Apparently, Lord Ross is related to the MacLeod’s through his mother’s side of the family, and he is going to Dunvegan to  get away from the trouble in Kashen.    Lord Ross is trying to hire some bodyguards to accompany him on the sea voyage to Dunvegan, and he will pay each 100 gp plus expenses.  He tells Kieren  that he has already hired a sailing ship captained by a dwarf named Rutlett.  Unfortunately, the ship is at the boat builders for repairs and will not be available for another week.  Lord Ross buys the parties drinks for the remainder of the evening and spends some time socializing with several of the party members.

Lord Ross takes an interest in Tarl because he has never met a forest gnome before.  They exchange pleasantries and begin speaking of their travels.  Tarl learns from Edmund that there are some strange happenings taking place near Achnasheen.  Weird and fantastic creatures have been seen in the nearby forest, travelers have been attacked and killed, and some of the villagers have gone missing.  Edmund claims that two of his travelling companions were killed in an encounter near Achnasheen with several 4-armed insect-like creatures unlike anything he has ever seen.  During his revelry with Lord Ross, Tarl drinks too much and mentions that he will be taking some goods to Inverness along the road through Achnasheen.  Realizing his mistake, Tarl lies and says that he is herding cattle.

During the evening, Kieren and Rhyawdd make their way to the Salty Dog tavern.  Once there, they meet some locals who have obviously heard about the party’s arrival in town and their combat with the ogres earlier in the day.  Kieren and Rhyawdd are well received.  Kieren inquires about old Cud, and he is directed to a grizzled old man sitting near the end of the bar.  Kieren engages Cud in conversation and soon hears many wild tales from him about hunting dragons, killing giants, and fighting pirate raiders.  Old Cud rambles on at length until Kieren mentions something about hunting a copper dragon. Cud’s mood changes almost instantly and he becomes visibly agitated.  Kieren tries to press Cud for more information and only gets some ravings about soul-sucking faeries at which point Cud grabs his staff.  The bartender pulls Kieren aside and suggests that he leave the old man alone before there is trouble.  Old Cud leaves the tavern in a huff accompanied by one of the townsmen he goes along to make sure Cud can find his way home.  While Kieren and Rhyawdd are at the tavern they also learn that there was a recent pirate raid on the village of Stromeferry to the south.  The pirates were all killed or captured due in part to a band of dwarves who assisted the villagers.  The dwarves took one of the pirate’s boats as spoils of war and brought it to Achintee for repairs by Neill, the boat builder.

The party spends an uneventful evening in Achintee.  Magnus and the dwarves go on another drinking binge and are up until the wee hours singing dwarven fighting songs.

October 26,  it is an overcast day and slightly cooler with breeze coming from the NW.  The party members check out the shops in the village.

Rhyawdd goes to the outfitter and purchases a sealskin  cloak as well as a wagon.  He inquires about purchasing horse and finds that there are none available.  Rhyawdd learns from the outfitter that there are some caves in the nearby hills that adventures sometimes explore.

Liothien goes to the weaponsmith and purchases 2 score of sheaf arrows and quivers for them .

Kieren gets directions to Old Cud’s cottage and seeks him out.  He finds Cud working in his shed behind the cottage.  He is in the process of carving a masthead in the shape of a horse head.  The shed is full of elaborate and realistic wood carvings of various monsters including dragons and giants.  A wood carving of a Roc catches Kieren’s eye and he purchases it from Cud.  Cud obviously has no memory of meeting Kieren the night before.  Kieren learns that Cud is carving the masthead for a ship that is being repaired by the boat builder nearby.

Cud begins to relate various fantastic tales of his exploits hunting dragons and fighting giants in the north.  Kieren asks old Cud directly about the dragon amulet and receives an unwelcome response.  Cud begins ranting and raving about faeries and accuses Kieren of being in league with them.  He then grabs his walking stick and waves it menacingly at Kieren and tells him to go.  Kieren leaves and heads to the river where he sees an encampment of dwarves.

Kieren approaches the dwarves and speaks with them.  He learns that they are the same band of dwarves who recently hired on with Lord Ross for his sea journey to Dunvegan.  Kieren speaks with Rutlett the leader of the band and learns of  their most recent exploits in Stromeferry.

Map of party's journey:

Map of Achintee:

 
Experience point awards and Character Status:

Liana Ashwood - Fighter/M-U
Total Experience     451 EP
Spell point total:      32 / 32
Hit point total:         35 / 35

Kieren Urquhart – Ranger
Total Experience    771 EP
Spell point total:     12  / 12
Hit point total:        40 / 40

Tarl Tallows – Cleric/Th
Total Experience    651 EP
Spell point total:     25 / 25
Hit point total:        38 / 38

Rhyawdd MacPherson – Rogue
Total Experience    551 EP
Hit  point total:       66 / 66

Liothien Snowhawk – Fighter
Total Experience    451 EP
Hit point total:        75 / 75

Cedric – Fighter
Total Experience    201 EP
Hit Point total:        46 / 46

Joseph Kerr – Fighter
Total Experience    250 EP
Hit Point total:        27 / 27

Rutlett Trollcrusher – Fighter
Total Experience    250 EP
Hit Point total:        63 / 63

Treasure:

125 gp, 75 sp, 1 drow shortsword (Kieren)