Through the Looking Glass... Session Nine

Date: Friday, March 23rd, 2002
Players Attending: Dave, Ike, Heather, Erin, and Jeff
Characters Introduced:none
NPCs Introduced: none
Notable Enemies: Owlbear of dankiest doom! :)
Character Deaths: none
Character Incapacitations (Negative Hit Points): none

Another session with five players, and what a session it was! I was most pleased to see that the newcomers Erin, Jeff and Heather were adjusting quite well to the rules and mode of play, which helped to advance things along quite nicely. A far more productive session was had, culminating at a cliff-hanger ending when they encounter the foul, twisted tree guarding the entrance to the ratmen's lair...

Local legend has it...

1. This session picks up after our adventurers free themselves from the swirling vortex of blood. Only Jaroo was quick enought to make it out unharmed, while everyone else experienced the blindness and deafness that accompanied being covered by the acidic blood.
2. The party decides to make their camp away from the lair, so as to not attract anymore attention while they rest and recuperate. Runic and Jaroo have no doubt seen their fair share of trials and have been toughened by them, but the same does not hold true for the newcomers.
3. Unfortunately, during the night they are beset by another of the foul bird-bear creatures that Jaroo and Runic are all too familiar with. Luckily, this encounter goes better for them, with only Sir Branwin being struck unconscious.
4. As morning comes, they travel on the outskirts of the forest along it's southern edge, seeking out some source of water so that they can wash the foul blood from them. About two hours later, they arrive to notice a foul smell coming from the north (upstream).
5. Jaroo, Foranz and Morgayne all head towards the source wishing to know what would cause such a foul odour, while Runic and Sir Branwin begin bathing.
6. The three investigators get within a fair distance of the source when they realize that it's a pile of bodies, rotting and fetid under the noonday sun. They begin to get a little fearful of what could have caused such destruction, seeing dark horsemen in purple cloaks out of the corners of their eyes...
7. They return to find Runic and Sir Branwin much cleaner than when they left, and begin bathing themselves while they recount their findings. It is decided that they will pay a visit to Gethrame while they are in the vicinity.
8. The meeting with Gethrame is short as she is not in any mood for company while her staff remains in the hands of the ratmen, so the party decides to make camp for the evening and set out for the ratmen's lair in the morning.
9. No sooner do they have camp decided on when they spot a stranger riding on a great brown stallion on the edge of the forest. As Jaroo begins to advance, he sees that he's wearing a purple cloak! A single arrow is fired from the rider, but it's not directed at any of the party members; rather, there is a not attached to it that reads:

        "You're getting too close, turn back NOW."

10. The party spends the night pondering the meaning of such a warning, and deduce that it must be referring to the ratmen's lair, which makes their business there that much more urgent.
11. Making all haste for the ratmen's lair, they approach it warily from a distance, not wanting to bring another of the blood storm's down upon them. After a brief investigation, they decide to approach it for a better look.
12. The unexpected happens when the sickened and twisted tree itself lashes out at Jaroo and knocks him flying! The party retreats quickly, expecting the assault from the ratmen to come soon enough...

Thoughts from the party...