Synopsis:

Session begins mid- afternoon of November 6th.  It is very cold and a breeze is blowing from the north.  There is heavy cloud cover and a light snow is falling.

Rhyawdd and Kieren are tracking a former party member (either Dermid or Holgrim) who had abandoned them in the hobgoblin lair and killed Sean the half-elf.  Kieren is invisible owing to a spell cast by Liana.  Whoever they are tracking appears to be a couple hours ahead of them.

Meanwhile the rest of the party is recovering from a nasty encounter with a group of griffons.  Mem administers healing to those that are injured (4 CMW)  including Rutlett, Cedric, and Rolf.  Cedric decides to skin one of the griffons and take its pelt back with him.  The party also decides to take the creatures wings.  Mem gathers some griffon remains as well.

Both groups travel on until dusk.

The main party is in a river valley that runs east-west with hills and mountains on both sides.  They decide to make camp at the foot of the hills to the north of the river in hopes that this will afford some protection from the northerly winds. A suitable spot is found for a camp, and Liana uses her wand of  earth and stone to excavate a shallow pit in the ground.  The pit will  serve  to shelter the party from the wind and weather as well as hide them  from   sight.  The griffon wings are places over the excavation to act as a sort of roof to keep out the falling snow.  A small fire is built by using a 10 foot pole that Liana produces from one of the patches in her robe of useful items.  Mem casts log of everburning  on the fire to keep it burning through the night.  The party cooks up some griffon meat for dinner and settles in for the night.  The night is uneventful.

As dusk falls Kieren and Rhyawdd approach a pine forest along the river.  They decide to track their quarry by torchlight  to gain ground on him.  About one hour into the woods Kieren notes that the tracks lead south off the main trail and back into the dense woods.  He and Rhyawdd decide to follow the trail and make contact with whoever they are following.  Kieren uses the treasure-seeking abilities of the dragon amulet to try and locate their quarry, as he may be carrying the treasure from the hobgoblins' lair.

They proceed about 100 yards into the woods before Kieren stumbles because of a concealed tripwire.  Both Kieren and Rhyawdd halt their advance and listen for any sounds.  All is quiet.  They continue to follow the trail and after another 75 feet they note the flicker of firelight ahead in the trees.  Rhyawdd presumes this a camp of some sort and calls out in a firm voice for Dermid, because that is who he assumes they are following.  There is no reply.

Rhyawdd cautiously approaches the camp while Kieren waits behind.  The camp consists of a lean-to made of pine boughs and a small fire made with dry wood.  There is no one in camp, although it does appear to have been recently vacated.  Rhyawdd peers into the darkness around the camp but sees no sign of anybody.  He motions for Kieren to enter camp which he does.  Kieren checks the perimeter of the camp and notes the trail of someone who hastily left camp only moments before.  He shows the trail to Rhyawdd and they decide to send Rhyawdd along the trail while Kieren waits behind at camp in case  anyone doubles back to flank Rhyawdd.

Rhyawdd uses his magic sword to illuminate the trail and proceeds about 100 feet east into the woods.  Out of the corner of his eye he notes movement along his right flank.  Rhyawdd continues on to the right while  preparing for a possible ambush.   After a few more steps he hears a voice from several feet directly behind him say “Hold, or I will kill you where you stand! Don’t turn around.”

Rhyawdd recognizes the voice as Dermid’s and complies with his orders.  He then calls Dermid by name and tells him that he means him no harm.  Dermid appears suspicious and asks Rhyawdd  to prove that he is who he says.  Rhyawdd ponders this request for a moment before a thrown dagger knicks his right arm and then sticks in a nearby tree.  Rhyawdd grabs at the wound to staunch the bleeding.  Dermid tells him to turn around slowly and make no false moves.

Rhyawdd turns and sees Dermid standing before him.  Dermid is pale and has an obvious wound on his right side.  His leather armor also appears scorched and damaged.  Dermid demands to know why Rhyawdd has followed him.  Rhyawdd explains that he and Kieren have been trailing Dermid in hopes of finding out who killed Lord Ross.  He also mentions that the party discovered signs of battle and Sean’s body near the hobgoblin camp.

Dermid mutters some curse about the double-dealing mage and then tells Rhyawdd directly that it was Holgrim and not him who killed Lord Ross and Sean.  He also says that neither he nor Sean knew that Holgrim was planning to entomb the party in the hobgoblin’s lair.  Dermid says that he thought the party was buried alive when the hobgoblin’s tunnels collapsed.

Rhyawdd listens to Dermid and reassures him that he means him no harm.  He tells him that Holgrim is their common enemy and that they should combine forces to seek vengeance on him.  Dermid considers these words and asks Rhyawdd if the rest of the party shares his view.  Rhyawdd gives Dermid his word that no harm will befall him if he assists the party in tracking down the mage Holgrim.

Dermid agrees to assist the party and tells Rhyawdd to lead the way back to camp.  As they near camp Dermid yells out for the invisible Kieren to show himself, which he does.  The three of them return to the warmth of the campfire and Kieren uses the dragon amulet to heal Dermid’s wound.  Dermid is grateful for this kindness and begins relating his tale:

Dermid and Sean met Holgrim a few weeks ago at the Sword and Stag inn in Inverness.  Holgrim was new in town (recently arrived on a ship from Perth?)  He hired Dermid and Sean for 1000 gp plus expenses to help him track down a notorious rogue named Lord Edmund Ross and recover a royal seal that he had stolen.  According to Holgrim, a bounty had been placed on Ross’s head by no less that John Stewart, the new king of Kashen.  Inquires were made about Lord Ross and it was determined that he and 4 companions had left town that morning headed for the Great Glen.  They were provisioned for a lengthy overland trip.

Dermid and Sean made hasty preparations with Holgrim and began tracking Lord Ross’s party the following morning.  They tracked them not to the Great Glen, but north to Loch Garve and then east through Achnasheen.  Two of Lord Ross’s companions were apparently killed in a battle outside the village.  The battle site was notable in that there were several giant insectoid footprints there.  There were also strange trees and plants in the surrounding area and the locals told them that the area had fallen under some sort of curse.

Dermid tracked Lord Ross’s party to the seaside village of Achintee.  Inquiries were made about Lord Ross and it was soon learned that he was staying with his companions at the Sea Foam Inn.  Holgrim made ready to get Lord Ross during the second night in town.  Unfortunately, his plans were interrupted by a robbery to Lord Ross’s room, which put him on the alert.  The following day Lord Ross and his retainers left town with Kieren’s party.  The party was tracked to Killilan and up the Elchaig river valley until they were encountered near the Valley of the Dead.

Kieren and Rhyawdd knew the rest of the story from that point until the cave-in at the hobgoblin’s lair.  Dermid explained that he and Sean were instructed to grab any bags in the Hobgoblin’s treasure trove and get out of the dungeon exit immediately.  They did as they were told, but were still nearly caught in the cave-in that resulted when Holgrim cast a lightning bolt in the tunnels.

Dermid and the others made there way back to Loch Monar to distance themselves from the hob lair.  During the trip Sean checked the bags he had looted from the hobgoblins.  One of them contained a veritable king’s ransom:  dozens of  pieces of jewelry, gemstones, crowns,  etc.  Sean showed the bag’s contents to Dermid and the two of them decided to renegotiate their deal with Holgrim.  Words were exchanged with Holgrim on the matter and things quickly deteriorated to an argument and then bloodshed.

Sean and Holgrim exchanged blows but Sean’s sword simply bounced off of Holgrim’s iron-like skin.  Holgrim’s blade however found it’s mark and Sean was cut.  Dermid joined the battle to aid Sean but quickly realized that he was in trouble.  Sean appeared to be poisoned and attempted to flee into the woods.  Holgrim had the upper hand (and envenomed blade…) so Dermid fled as well and managed to make the trees just as a lightning bolt grazed him. Dermid was hurt but continued running and never looked back.  He assumed that Sean was killed by the poison or Holgrim’s blade.

Dermid, Rhyawdd, and Kieren spend the night at the camp.  During late evening, their rest is disturbed by a black bear that approaches the camp.  Dermid uses a flaming arrow to drive off the creature.  The rest of the night is uneventful.

November 7,  it is still overcast and cold, a light sleet falls and the bitter winds shift to the northwest.  The main party decides to press on along the trail and river that leads to the west. Before departing Mem heals Homer and Rutlett (3 CMW & 2 orisons).  Joseph casts levitate on Lord Ross's body to make it easier to carry.

Kieren and the others decide to backtrack to rejoin the main party.  At the edge of the woods the two groups meet.  When Joseph and the dwarves see Dermid, there is an exchange of harsh words and recriminations.   Kieren is able to defuse the situation and he explains to the others that Dermid is now working for them to track down  Holgrim.  Kieren notes that both Rutlett and Rolf are injured and asks about it.  The party relates the tale of their encounter with the griffons.  Kieren uses the dragon amulet to heal Rutlett and Rolf (5 CLW's).

The party presses on southwest to Killilan.  Along the way they come across a single set of tracks that are a couple days old.  By mid-day they arrive in Killilan and immediately make inquiries after Holgrim.  However, they find Liothien instead.  Apparently, he made the tracks upon returning from his encounter with Furnius the dragon.

Liothien explains to the others that he has promised to supply the dragon with a herd of pigs for his supper.  Apparently, Furnius has a taste for swine…  The party is incredulous at first until Lio relates his tale about being taken by the manticore and subsequent escape and encounter with the dragon.

Rutlett is intrigued by Lio’s story and offers his assistance if Liothien is willing to take him to the manticore’s lair to recover the plate mail that was left behind.  Liothien agrees  to Rutlett’s deal and is glad for the offer as he did not relish the idea of herding 8 hogs into the woods by himself.  Kieren, Liana, Homer, Mem and Cedric also agree to accompany Liothien.  They spend the remainder of the day at the inn in Killilan to recuperate from their recent adventures.  The night passes uneventfully.

The remaining party members: Rhyawdd, Rolf, and Joseph decide to press on with Dermid to Attadale and ultimately Achintee in hopes of finding Holgrim.  They leave Killilan around 2 PM and march on until after dark.  Fortunately, the trek is uneventful and the group makes Attadale around 9 PM.  They take lodging in a small guesthouse and make inquiries about any strangers that would fit Holgrim’s description.  No strangers have been sighted in Attadale for over a week.

November 8,  the day brings warmer weather as the winds are blowing from the west.  The precipitation has ended but a heavy fog has blown in from the sea reducing visibility to 20 feet or less.

Rhyawdd, Rolf, Joseph, and Dermid depart Attadale in the morning and head for Achintee.  They arrive in the village by mid-morning and go to the Sea Foam Inn to get lodging and food.  During the afternoon they make inquiries about Holgrim throughout the village.  No one has seen him in town since he left with Dermid and Sean over a week ago.

Liothien and his companions get an early start on their journey back into the forest northeast of Killilan.  With Rutlett’s guidance, the group has little trouble herding the pigs to their rendezvous with the dragon.  Near midday they arrive at the eastern edge of the forest and Liothien maintains a vigil to watch for the dragon while his companions fall back to the safety of the forest.

Kieren, Liana, and Cedric decide that they do not want to stick around and wait for the dragon to show up.  They wish Liothien well, and head back to Killilan.  En route the come upon a sizable herd of highland cattle that is grazing in a clearing in the forest.  Kieren decides to round up a few of the cattle to sell in Killilan.  With Liana’s and Cedric’s help he is able to drive six cattle from the herd and march them back to Killilan.  The villagers of Killilan are pleased to see the cattle and offer 75 gp for them as they recently sold a number of their hogs to Liothien.  The cattle will provide meat through the winter to offset the loss of the hogs.

Liothien returns from his meeting with Furnius the dragon around 2 PM.  He tells Rutlett and the others that the dragon seemed quite pleased that he honored his promise and delivered the swine as agreed.  In fact the dragon was so pleased that he did not demand any further wealth or tribute from Liothien.  Lio comments that it is never a bad thing to have a dragon look favorably upon you.

Liothien and the remaining party members set off east  and then south to the manticore’s lair in the mountains.  Homer climbs the cliffs below the lair and rigs up a block and tackle and ropes so that they can easily ascend to the lair and also lower treasure down from the lair.  Liothien and Homer skin the carcasses of the manticores to recover the hides.  The first hide is badly mangled in the process but the other one removed intact (500 gp for 1st hide, 5,000 gp for 2nd hide because uncured.)

It is late afternoon and there will not be enough time to return to Killilan before night falls. The party decides to spend the night in the lair which is reasonably secure instead of camping in the forest.  There is no wood in the lair so Homer improvises and builds a fire with some of his arrow shafts.  Mem casts log of everburning  on the fire  to keep it going  well into the night.  The party roasts some of the manticore meat for dinner and spends an uneventful night in the lair.

Session ends.

Map of Party's travels:

 

Experience point awards and character status:

Liana Ashwood - Fighter/M-U
Total EP’s              854
Spell point total:    32 / 32
Hit point total:       38 / 38

Kieren Urquhart – Ranger
Total EP’s              825
Spell point total:    12  /12
Hit point total:       33 / 33

Rhyawdd MacPherson – Rogue
Total EP's              525
Hit  point total:      74 / 74

Liothien Snowhawk – Fighter
Total EP's            1750
Hit point total:       75 / 75

Joseph Kerr – Invoker
Total EP’s              829
Hit Point total:      32 / 32
Spell point total:   24 / 24

Rutlett Trollcrusher – Fighter
Total EP’s            2379
Hit Point total:      73 / 73

Mem Hammerworker - Priest of Loki
Total EP’s            3079
Spell point total:    18 / 18
Hit point total:       35 / 35

Cedric – Fighter
Total EP’s               454
Hit Point total:       46 / 46

Homer Goodmead – Rogue
Total EP’s             2379
Hit Point total:       13 / 13

Rolf Trollsbane - Fighter
Total EP’s              429
Hit Point total:        27 / 27

Treasure:

Griffon hide, Griffon Wings, 6 Highland cattle, 1 Manticore hide (mangled), 1 intact Manticore hide, magical plate mail (5' 11")