Rise of the Runelords

You gathered supplies and prisoner and headed to High Mardreth, figuring it would be a two day walk. Early in the second afternoon, you were stopped by the appearance of a hell hound in the road in front of you. It charged and breathed fire on Bach, Pirozzi and Golian. You started hacking away while trying to figure out where it came from, or rather who was responsible for it. Then an archer stepped out from behind a rock and simultaneously fired two arrows unerringly at Golian, who was nearly dropped. Bach charged only to have his progress stopped by magically sharpened vegetation. From behind the group and another rocky outcrop stepped another man with a large shield followed by a halfling on a worg. The halfling started casting. On yet another side, a 1/2 Orc wielding a large axe and an armored female started approaching. You turned your attention to the 1/2 Orc. The halfing finished his spell and a hippogriff appeared in your midst. The shield man and halfling made their way closer, but were not in any hurry. The woman created a spiritual weapon that attacked Henrik and you soon realized she was shielding the 1/2 Orc. Edwin spent these rounds moving back and forth curing. Ishan stabilized Bach and created an illusion of a brick wall using the wand from the goblin bard. That forced the archer to move, buying you a little time to concentrate on opponents. Malloric turned his attention to the shield man and swung hard. This man seemed to be more focused on avoiding attacks than he was landing blows. No one scored a hit on him. The halfing continued to cast from the saddle and luckily they spells didn't have any immediate detrimental affects.

The archer moved around the rock and joined the cleric and 1/2 Orc. He began peppering the party with two arrows at a time. Ishan had to stop concentrating on the wall in order to help heal. When he did, a mage appeared and held Wolfgar. Edwin ran to him and cast protection from evil to keep the hippogrif from mauling him. The hippogriff dissapeared and the halfing moved his mount to Wolfgar and prepared for a coup de gras. Edwin pulled Wolfgar down and stood over him to protect him.

The 1/2 Orc was taking damage and the cleric healing herself. He shattered Henrik's shield and started swingin hard. Bach was back up and landed a blow or two. The 1/2 Orc retreated a few steps and Golian scored an opportune blow and was able to move around and flank the axe wielder. Golian then landed a solid blow, which dropped the cleric. The 1/2 Orc soon followed.

Malloric was trying to find out if these were merely bandits, or if they might have been after the prisoner. The reply was that they were there to kill the party. With two of their members down, the archer signaled for a retreat. The shield man turned and ran. The halfing rode off. The mage flew into the midst of the party and cast obscuring mist. The archer moved back to behind the rock. Bach considered following but wasn't sure what else might be behind the rock and couldn't charge around the corner anyway. The archer flew off on a hippogriff. The mage flew straight up then off. They all went north.

You tended to your wounds and made it to High Mardreth. You spent a few days here buying, selling and in audience with Justice Ironbriar. You headed back to Ardrinn and and had a good night's sleep. Right away the next morning, as Henrik and Malloric were headed down for morning devotional, a town watchman met them on the stairs and said, "The Sheriff wants to see you." The man was out of breath and looked a little scared. You figured it was important.

The group met up with the Sheriff and he informed you that there had been another set of murders. Very grizzly murders. Seeing that you were perplexed as to why this would involve you, he produced a note found at the crime scene. Scratched in blood, it read "I do as you command, master!". On the other side it was addressed - to Ishan.

He understated the goriness of the scene. One person was hung oh hook on one of the walls. He was covered in cuts to the point of almost being unrecognizable. His shirt had been torn off and his chest carved open in a seven-pointed star pattern. This was Banny Harker, the lumbermill foreman. The other person appeared to have been fending off whatever attacked her and either fell or was pushed into a lower level where she landed on a moving log splitter. There were enough pieces that her identity could still be determined. It was Katrine Vinder, the elder daughter of the general store owner, Ven.

Searching the site, you discovered a few things. Most of the wounds suffered were likely caused by claw attacks. There was an odd, faint odor. It was strongest on the deep wounds suffered by Harker and around numerous prints in the sawdust - barefoot prints. You also discovered a site across the river where it appeared the murderer must have been watching from and waiting. The smell of rotten flesh was here as well.

The Sheriff had only two suspects: Ven Vinder and Ibor Thorn, the mill's owner. You questioned them both. Vinder is an over proptective parent, prone to fits of anger and has been known to be violent. He claims he didn't do it and was more concerned about his other daughter, who Pirozzi almost got to know quite well. Thorn, who found the bodie denied being involved, but was a little illusive in his answers. Some of you went back to the mill to scour the place. You found some ledgers that showed Thorn was cheating some of his clients and vendors. Some of the entries indicated that he was concerned that someone might have figured out what he was doing. It could have been either of them.

The other murders the Sheriff referred to had happened a few days earlier. A deranged man had attacked some town watchmen. After subduing him they searched the area and found three bodies hidden in a nearby barn. They had been brutally murdered and were partially eaten. They were the same three men implicated by Lyrie for a recent theft in town. The crazy attacker had been taken to the sanatorium. You went to visit. Inside, the doctor led you to see Grayst. He was sitting in a cell, wrapped in a straight jacket and exaggeratedly rocking back and forth. He was very pale, smelled of excrement and half his hair had fallen out - or been pulled. He didn't respond to your questions. You let Ishen have a try with his magic. Grayst perked up. "It's you. The master said you'd come. He siad the bodies you are finding are signs and portents; that when he's done, you shall be remembered forever and the Misgivings will be your throne." Then he collapsed.

Ishan and Edwin moved closer to see if he was alive. With Ishan's help Edwin figured that he was in an advance stage of ghoul fever. Probably fatal. Then Grayst lept and locked his teeth onto Ishan's forearm. Malloric unslung Nuallia's bastard sword and cleaved Grayst in two. Ishan didn't feel well. You all hurried back to the see Zantus. He confirmed the diagnosis and asked Ishan to voluntarily lock himself in a room until he could prepare the proper spell the next day. Ishan was pale and starting to loos his facilities when Zantus cast a remove disease.

Further discussion with the head of the cathedral revealed that you may be dealing with a dread ghoul - an intelligent form of ghoul. They sometimes leave there victims alive and allficed with fever which creates more dread ghouls. Other questioning in town revealed that the 'Misgivings' is a local nichname for Foxglove Manor - Aldern Foxglove's family home. It had long been vacant and become dilapidated. It was cared for by a local named Rogors Creasby who stopped at the place every now and then to shoo away squatters. Digging more, he hasn't been seen since for a few weeks. Aldern had been in town seeking to hire local workers with no luck. He had returned to High Mardreth in search of laborers there.

You decided to check out the manor. The place looks like it's ready fo fall over. A nearby servant's quarters burnt to the foundation some time ago. In between was a stone ring of a well. On the blackend ruins were a few ravens that flew away as soon as you approached. The entry hall of the manor was full of trophies mounted on the walls. The center piece was a stuffed manticore. Both Edwin and Henrick asked if anyone else smelled burning fur. No one did.

The next room was a former ballrooom complete with a moldering piano. Some of you heard music. Pirozzi and Henrik suddenly started dancing as if they had a partner. Some tried to get Henrik and Pirozzi's attention. Pirozzi seemed to snap out of it buy Henrik started spinning faster. Eventually he was grappled to get him to stop. After he recovered, he reported a beuitiful female dance partner, whose neck started to bruise as if she were being choked. Her eyes started to bulge and water just as he was forced from the vision. Everyone was a bit shaken.

The next room was a washroom. A sratching was coming from a wash basin. You peered inside and a rat, diseased and covered with pussy wounds lept. You quickly killed it. The next room was a lounge with cobweb covered furniture and lots of dust. You could see little eddies of dust as if stirred up by a breeze. There was none. While searching the room, you all heard a woman's voice whisper, "Lorey." Several of you were overcome with with fear and thought a nearby party member was your son. You had an irresistable urge to grab him and flee the house. Bach and Golian bolted for the ballroom and an exit there. Wolfgar and Pirozzi fled for the front door. The others followed.

When Henrik and Edwin reached the front hall, they were surprised when the manticore animated and attacked them. Herick returned blows. Malloric ran through to see Henrick beating up on the stuffed trophy. Both Edwin and Henrick were screaming in pain as they were burning from the manticore's attacks.

Once those fleeing made it outside, the compulsion left. However, where there were originally only a few ravens, there were now scores if not hundreds. The four swarms attacked. Nearly everyone took damage before the birds were scattered and killed. Examination of the dead birds revealed them to be covered in festering wounds. Nearly everyone felt a little ill. A little creeped out, you decided to head back to Ardrinn for Zantus' aid.