Rise of the Runelords

With the latest apparition having faded, you decided to orient yourselves.  You all moved out onto the porch to be safe and Henrik cast a protective spell or two and asked for directions to the ledger Pirozzi and D'Argo had seen.  He waded into the cabin, returning quickly with the ledger in hand.  D'Argo started pouring over it and Edwin reminded all that there was still something out there.  The ledger was tucked away and you formed up loosely and headed into the blowing snow.  Jest as the front of the group lost sight of the cabin (but not the others of the group) you all heard the howl-on-the-wind some of you had heard a few days earlier.  Instead of being merely shaken, more than half of you dropped what you had in hand and scattered in panic into the storm.  Edwin, Henrik and Pirozzi stood together debating what to do.  Thirty seconds or so later, Wolfgar came into view and then veered off again.  Henrik took chase eventually catching him and wrestling him to the ground for the duration of the effect.  Golian showed up a few seconds later.  Soon there was a scream off in the snow - Balros.  Those who could started making their way in that direction.  Malloric, also not longer panicked, made his way from another direction.  Soon most of the group converged on the sound of Balros's screams.  He was in the clutches of a monster never before seen or imagined by any of you.  It had him grappled and was goring him to pieces.

You started throwing everything you had against it.  Malloric's arrows bounced mostly bounced off, but the special damage often took hold.  Fire seemed to be its weakness even with it's uncanny ability to heal quickly.  Edwin and Pirozzi had their hands full keeping Balros alive. Nearly a minute later it was wounded enough that it dropped Balros and howled again.  Many fled in panic, giving the creature enough space to fly up and into the wind driven snow.  You soon able to collect yourselves and find your dropped equipment and returned to the shelter of the cabin - not the inside, but next to away from the wind.  The wind died down within a half hour of the end of the fight making for a relatively relaxing night.

During the night, Wolfgar awakes screaming.  He is visibly shaken and dripping in sweat.  He says he had a horrible night mare, but can not remember anything.  He soon curls over with hunger pangs.  Edwin tries a break enchantment and heal to no avail.  He thinks about it and confers with D'Argo. They come to the conclusion that this is no "normal" or even magical disease, but more likely something supernatural.  Wolfgar may need a limited or full wish to be rid of it before he succumbs to whatever ails him.

D'Argo studies the ledger and locates the route to the lost Vekker brother.  The group heads out the next day. It is a long day's trek.  You often came to ledges where people would have to be hoisted or hand off D'Argo's slippers (of spider climb) to keep moving.  Eventually you come to a narrow ledge with sheer walls on both sides.  Ahead the path is covered in fog. Golian steps up to take the lead and guides people into a large recess in the mountain.  On the far side he can see several stone sticking up through the fog.  In the back is a tunnel opening.  The group heads to the stones where you find several grave markers.  You head toward the opening when Golain yells for everyone to stop.  He informs you that through the fog he can see a preserved corpse of a dwarf still wearing armor.  The group cautiously approaches when an apparition of the dwarf rises out of the fog and wails.  No on is affected thanks to Edwin's breakfast.  The group attacks.  The ghost tries to bite and claw and in one moment, focused all its energy and flung Balros off the cliff.  He fell into darkness.

While it was hard to tell, the group was getting the upper hand on the ghost when Balros' "friend" flew down onto the ledge and said "YOU CAN NOT HAVE HIM!"  The final battle with the Wendigo began.  You were immune to teh effects of its howl so were all able to attack it at once.  With that focused fire, it fell.  D'Argo clambored down the mountain to find Balros badly bruised with a few broken bones, but alive.  He dimension door'd back up and everyone's wound were tended too.  D'Argo poured over the ledger that evening and told everyone that the way to Xin Shalast is 'coded' in the book.  The bad nes is there appear to be several pages missing - key pages.  You camped the evening and made your way back to the cabin with the bones of the Vekker brother. With the brothers reunited, an air lifted from the cabin and 'things felt better.'  Silas's ghost reappears and says that you will find the way to Xin Shalast in the ledger and says, "You will need these." As he fades from view for the final time, several leaves of paper appear and float to the floor.  You pause a few seconds before picking them up.  They are the missing pages you need.

Wolfgar did not fare too badly that day.  The next day was a different matter.  He again wakes after a barely restful night's sleep and mentions ho does not feel well.  He says he is incredibly hungry and longs for fresh meat.  He does not have the faculties to pray for spells.  A restoration returns enough lost wisdom for him to complete his prayers.  The group watches him as much as you do the road in front of you as you head out for the city of greed.  After a few days, you come to the source of the tributary.  The ledger mentions something cryptic about following the water through the stone.  Malloric and D'Argo notice something odd.  With a little searching they are able to 'reveal' an illusion.  The tributary does not start here, but flows 'through' a rack face.  You move onward.  Toward the end of the day you reach a vast ice marsh.  sheer cliffs on all sides make a round about path impossible.  You start moving through and quickly realize the ice is treacherous.  Malloric and Golian take the lead and with each off to one side prod at the ice, pointing out the safest path. After about 30 minutes, a crack of lighting streaks down from the sky, striking Edwin and shattering the ice he is standing on.  It breaks and he disappears into the dark, freezing water.  Some start fetching rope, others look for the source.  Soon another bolt strikes Balros, who manages to avoid falling into the hole under his feet.  Golian draws your attention to spot some distance away.  Stil no one can see anything.  Balros, Malloric, Golian and Pirozzi start making their way in that direction.  Soon all spot some movement.  As you approach, you are taken unaware by a thin fey-like creature with blue-hued skin flowing silver hair.  And naked.  Balros approaches first and is rebuffed before he can even reach the creature.  She pauses and looks quizzically at Malloric as she motion for him to come forward and for the others to stay away.  Malloric shields his vision and slowly approaches. "I know you?", she says. 

"I don't think so." is Malloric reply. 

"Sure I do.  You are Malloric and they are Edwin, Wolfgar, Henrik, Pirozzi, and Golian.  I do not know the others."

"I am afraid you have me at a loss." Malloric looks back at the group and shrugs.

"You knew my sister, Myriana. I'm sure of it."

The proverbial lights started flickering and soon you all remembered the ghost you you 'rescued' near Fort Ranik.  All hostilities ceased and you share your stories.  [long story short - may too late] This is her home and the long entrance to the realm that holds Xin Shalast.  She will extend her safety to you here (but it is still cold) and tells you some about what lies beyond.  [write up to follow]

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[the session title is in reference to the Algonquian Wendigo myth.]