AitAL Log

Intro

"The village of Lonstrem is a small farmer’s town of about 200 on the Embraweave Plateau east of Suhder. Its mayor, Marwan Rosebelly, has called for aid from the Order of Dawn after almost a quarter of the population has fallen ill almost 3 weeks ago. You are to deliver a wagon with supplies to these people, and assist the local priest of Lathender, Zinfi Goldrest, with finding out where this sickness has come from, and hopefully put an end to it.

Minister Elreak from the Order of Dawn - part of the Church of Pelor - has promised you 100 gold pieces each for your efforts in delivering the cart of goods to Lonstrem, of which you’ve been paid 25 when you left Suhder. You have also been given 3 weeks worth of rations each, enough to get you to the village and back. The wagon is pulled by two donkeys and contains:

• A chest of dry, herbal medical supplies
• A small barrel of liquid medicine
• A chest of bandages
• 4 flasks of strong alcohol (meant as a disinfectant) in a crate.
• A small, locked chest containing scrolls (1 person was given a key to be kept separately)
• A barrel of feed for the donkeys

The wagon has room for 2 people to ride in the front, and two inside (among the goods). The donkeys are called Hilk and Bitty, and are of calm demeanor (they are affectionate and like to be pet on the head).

Pelir 28th By now you’re about 2 days away from Lonstrem. You’ve traveled the Godsroad Highway for a good while, before leaving its relative safety and well kept road surface to travel on the Embraweave Trackway - a much less traveled path leading through the Embraweave Plateau. The journey has been relatively uneventful, save a thief trying to rummage through your goods and wild animals being attracted to the smell of food cooking over a fire. Now, however, bad weather is headed your way as deep blue and gray clouds are blown north-east from the Inmer.

Chapter 1

Session 1

Pelir 28th Having found Johan (Steve) on the road the party learns about a house not too far away, it should provide shelter from the coming storm. They also learn Steve has been beaten by a group of highwaymen.

• The party travels to the house, and takes a long time making sure no one is in there before breaking in.
• They also burn down the little wooden shed to the side.

The party takes their time looking around the house, discovering that one of the room contains a bed, the other room appears to be some sort of study.

• As they are looking around the house, it starts raining.
• In the study they find a magic sigil on the ground and a leather bound book on the desk, as well as about 200gp worth of reagents.
• The book contains a number of rituals written in draconic - among which a ritual that describes how to create a portal to Avernus. The ritual requires souls as a component. The book appears to be given to one Hunozur.

Session 2

11-08-2021 Pelir 28th

The party spend the evening talking with Steve when they noticed a figure stalking around outside.

• Catya snuck out of the house and surprised him , forcing him inside at knife point.
• After questioning they find out this half elven man is called Velsalin, 35 y/o and born in Suhder. He claims to be a servant of his queen and master Hunozur.
  • He was sent here to recover the book the party is now holding.

The party tortured Velsalin for information, which he reluctantly spilled:

• Hunozur can be found in a cave south of the village.
• He was ordered to get the book for Hunozur.
• It was Hunozur who made the circle in the other room.
  • Upon learning this the party threw a kneecap they removed from the half-elf into the circle. Nothing happened.

Velsalin managed to escape as the party tried to drag him towards the well outside. He killed himself on one of their daggers.

The party then discussed what they had learned while the storm raged on.

Session 3

25-08-2021 Pelir 29th

The party rests, with Chalk taking first watch.

• Chalk's watch is quiet, not spotting anything.

Rees takes second watch.

• He spots something outside in the rain.
• He decides to investigate, waking Catya up to watch over him.
• Approaching the location he finds a dirt mound. Digging this up he finds a corpse, and drags it inside.

The corpse is of an unknown fellow, who is identified by Steve as mister Rainvale, the owner of this house.

• The party finds a key in one of his pockets.

The party uses the key they found on any lock they can find, until they discover what it is for; a chest in the bedroom that has been previously looted.

Come morning:

• The body is reburied
• The house is carefully inspected - even the living room rug is removed to check for a hidden treasure, of which there is none.
• The party prepares the donkeys to travel to Lonstrem.

After a day of traveling the party arrives, make their way to the Rusty Trough, and have Zinfi Goldrest (not gold breast) called over. They bring the supplies up the chapel, so he can treat the sick.

Session 4

13-09-2021 Pelir 29th

After having delivered the medical goods to Zinfi Goldrest (not gold breast) he showed them the 'sick' villagers inside the chapel.

• Here they found 30 villagers, all of them seemingly asleep, and looking thin as if they've been starving.
• Zinfi tells them these were the first 30 to get sick, and he has been trying to take care of them best he can.

The party discovers here that all the villagers are enchanted by some magic of the enchantment school.

On their way back into the village they are approached by a yelling man, who asks them for help.

• The man is a human, and bloodied in the face. He says he and his partner had been ambushed.
• The party follows, about 10 minutes south of the village on the road.

A battle ensues as, surprise surprise, the party is ambushed by the man's allies with the words: "By order of Lady Viosephit you are to be put to death".

• One of the five ambushers manages to escape the battlefield, fleeing south.
• After the battle is easily won, the party finds all of the 4 people they killed to have a large, black hand tattoo'd on their chest.

The Loot

• 24 gems
  • 16 @ 10gp each
  • 7 @ 25gp each
  • 1 @ 50gp

Weapons

• Spear and shield for the goliath and a dagger
• Shortbow with 25 arrows and two shortswords, a dagger, and 5 thick needles for the Tabaxi
• An ornately decorated dagger with a curved blade. Decorated to look like hte handle has dragon scales. On the bugbear
• A heavy crossbow with 20 bolts, a club, and a dagger on the human

Upon their return to the village they rest up.

Pelir 30th The morning after, they meet with the Mayor, who they tell what they've been through so far.

• The Mayor asks if they can help find this Hunozur figure.
• The Mayor also tells them he had seen a half orc in the village, and saw that he had a similar tattoo.
• The party agrees, though expresses strongly they wanted to be paid. The Mayor says he will do what he can, including writing a letter for the Order of Dawn.

Session 5

The party decides to go and chase after Hunozur and the cave he is supposed to be in.

• Asking the barkeep of the Rusty Trough, Nemita, for directions she points them at [NPC NAME HERE], who has been hunting around these parts for years.
• For 10gp he tells them he will lead them down south through the thick forests by the river. The party agrees.

The party travels down south, largely keeping up with their new guide - mostly thanks to Fayra. About half way, though, they encounter some trouble - and get into a fight with 3 large crocodiles, which badly hurt Fayra and Catya.

After a short rest the party continues.

• About an hour later, they find themselves in a clearing near the river. From this clearing the guide tells them they are on their own.
• Sneaking a bit closer to the clearing the party finds that there's a Goliath in front of a cave opening.
• While they are discussing plans they can see the Half-Orc that fled from the ambush.

After a failed attempt to lure their prey out of hiding, the party engages a genius plan:

• Fayra disguises herself as the person that led them into the ambush. The half orc initially falls for it, though the Goliath is weary.
• Once up close, the half orc also sees that something is wrong and before being able to strike Fayra blasts a Burning Hands, severely injuring both the Half-Orc and Goliath.

The battle ensues, with Fayra, Rees, and Chalk fighting outside while Catya sneaks inside.

• The party manages to kill the Half Orc, Senid, and Goliath, Manu. They badly wound every other enemy.
• They even blast Hunozur, after he asks for a peaceful solution. This makes Hunozur blast a fireball, downing Rees and Fayra and badly injuring Chalk.
• In the meantime, Catya had gone down inside as she was fighting one of the tieflings one-on-one.

Session 6

The party makes one last ditch effort to do damage, but at no avail. They are then all KO'd and captured.

• Wake up in the cave.
• Rees and Chalk are hogtied
• Catya and Fayra are tied in a cage.

Hunozur questions the party, while Fayra wildshapes into a fox and escapes her bounds.

• The party doesn't tell Hunozur much, mostly tells him bs.

After some time and several escape attempts, Catya is taken out of the cage and she attacks Hunozur.

• She misses, Hunozur knocks her out.

Session 6 Preparation notes

The Cave

Captured
"After you all were knocked unconscious, you rouse in a rather... dark place. The first thing you notice is the gag in your mouths - each of your mouths. The second thing you notice, is your hands: They are bound together tightly, and rather expertly, with rough ropes. The third thing you notice; Everything you were carrying on you is gone. From weapons, to backpacks, to armors. Rees and Chalk find themselves tied together by the feet, while Fayra and Catya are each individually cuffed and locked inside a cage. Each of you is hurting pretty badly - but you're alive."

PCs

• All on 1 HP
• Catya has her hidden thieves tools
• Rees only has his hidden thieves tools, the dagger is gone.
• Chalk needs to compete against an 18 investigation for anything hidden
• Fayra needs to compete against a 16 investigation for anything hidden

NPCs

• Senid and Menu are dead.
• The Twins and Ki Dakig are inside, licking their wounds.
• Hunozur is in his study.

Ah, you're finally awake
After the PCs start talking to each other Hunozur will start pacing the cave. The party will hear him say:
"Barros, Samine. You two take care of the bodies. Leave them near the riverside for the crocodiles. When you're done, start packing up. Ki, stand watch over the prisoners."

• Hunozur will interrogate them, starting with Rees, then Chalk, then Catya, then Fayra.
• For every PC he takes with him, the PCs get to talk amongst themselves and plan.

Stolen from the party

After going KO, the Keepers took everything on the players, which amounts to:

• Items
  • Darts
  • Sling
  • Light Crossbow
  • Eddie
  • Dagger
  • Scale Mail
  • Wand
  • Bag of holding
  • Shortbow
  • Rapier
  • Leather armor
  • Dagger & Dagger
  • Arrows

• Valuables
  • Gold: 45 + 25 + 40 + 50 (160)
  • 24 gems
    • 16 @ 10gp each
    • 7 @ 25gp each
    • 1 @ 50gp

Hunozur's Room

In the back of the cave Hunozur keeps what seems to be an impromptu study; a desk, chair, and chest are covered in pieces of parchment, several small bottles of a black liquid (ink), similar empty bottles, quills, and books. In a corner there is also a cage with what seems to be a sleeping halfling (they look almost starved), and a bedroll.

Parchment

About two dozen sheets of parchment are scattered around the desk. Reading through these there three distinct handwritings recognizable, one of which is in draconic, one in common, and one in different languages.

• Correspondences signed by one H. A..
• (In draconic) Correspondences signed by one Numeria
• A letter by Lady Viosephit

Books

• "Inhabitants of the Outer Planes Vol. 2"
• "The Elemental Planes and Tau"
• "Planar Convergence, signs and effects"
• "Minor Enchantments; a comprehensive study"
• "Dragonkin: Origins, Myths, and Facts"

Reagents

Different reagents in glass containers are found on the desk, each of them labeled:

• Diamond Dust
• Basilisk Gal
• Alcohol, pure
• Mystracide shavings
• Mercury
• Blood

Chest

• In a chest: 2500cp, 1300sp, 70gp, 7x gems worth 50gp each (Turquiose Tiger-Eye, black Onyx, red rubies)
• On each member of the possee:
  • Gems: 2x 10gp each, 1x 25gp each (Total: 10x10gp, 5x 25gp)
• On Hunozur's Desk:
  • Small statue of a Silver Raven (Figurine of Wondrous Power)
  • Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location

Next to the chest is the +1 Battleaxe. Inside of it are the aforementioned coins and gems, as well as a number of what seem to be steel objects:

• Two dagger blades
• A sword blade
• A dozen rings
• 4 bracelets
• A headband
• A mask
• A chain

Note; these are the Mystricide objects

Items from villagers

There are a number of seemingly miscellaneous items strewn around the cave, largely found around the chest.

• Silverware, from plates to cups to cutlery made out of silver-shiny material.
• Jewelry made of varying shiny materials
  • Lockets
  • Rings
• An old looking sword, kept in a scabberd of long faded but well kept dark brown leather. It is a short sword with stubby grip. A DC 12 history check would reveal this to be a sword issued to the Scalebound city guards about a century ago.
• A picture frame, painting of a smiling halfling woman included.

It is fairly apparent that these are valuables stolen from around the village of Lonstrem, or perhaps other villages.

Halfling

The halfling inside of the cage seems to be enchanted in the same way the villagers are. She's sleeping and looks starved, though next to the cage is a bowl, half filled with what seems to be a soup.

• Her name is Saula Greencheeks, she's around 12 years old.
• She comes from a town called Gilhold. She doesn't know where it is in relation to where they are now.
• She doesn't know how she got here, only that a half-orc man showed her a swinging flame.

Hunozur Possee

Left alive:

Infantry

The Twins
Barros and Samine, Tiefling Siblings.

• Each use a greatsword.
• Can use a bonus action to try and disarm. DC 14 STR/DEX or weapon is knocked out of the user's hand.
• HP: 25 | AC: 14 | +4 to hit, 2d6+2 damage.

Artillery

Ki Dakighuman

• Use heavy crossbow
• Can use an action to shoot a Net Arrow (1 each) vs AC to knock a target prone. Removing the net costs an action.
• HP: 20 | AC: 12 | +5 to hit, 1d10+3 damage.

Session 7

Returning to the village Meeting Gor

Session 8

On their way to Gilhold they fought a giant Talus

• Donkeys and the wagon got smashed

Ended with them witnessing the start of the raid on Gilhold, with a dragon in the sky

Chapter 2

Session 2.1

Snuck into the surrounding parts of the village

• Had a fight at the remote houses north of the river
• Fought at the fishery
• Snuck across the river with villagers

Session 2.2

Pelir 35th, 21:00 Made their way through the town

• Fled for a patrol coming by the river
• Blew up a brewery as a distraction
• Made their way through the fields
• Snuck into the south-gate, climbed houses to get onto the roof
• Catya and Reese snuck into a building to check if it was empty
• After climbing over the roof and getting to the courtyard on the other side Rees and Catya tried getting the villagers into a house to rest, but half of them started booking it for the nearby gate to the keep
  • Guards on the wall then called down to open the gate
  • The rest of the villagers and party then chased towards the gate

As the party was running towards the gate, Catya (Carrying Gor) was chased by a cultist and half-dragon

• Narrowly escaping the half dragons grasps Catya carried Gor towards the gate
• The cultist used magic missiles to hit the two, downing Catya
• Gor kept running as he hit the ground
• Chalk used his misty step to pick Catya up and take her back to the gate
• Fayra used her healing word to get Catya back up.

The party was introduced to the Governess, who asked for their help. The party rested up for an hour to start helping the town.

Session 2.2 planning

Intro

• "Our band of travelers started out as 4 on a mission of mercy to Lonstrem, bringing medical supplies. They learned of a strange fellow Hunozur, who had cursed the village into a magical sleep! This Hunozur and his possee were dispatched, though not with ease as the party was captured before they could slay him! Back in Lonstrem they were joined by a fifth, Gor, and took on the barkeep and her niece on their way to Gilhold - where Hunozur was supposed to meet his superior. After defeating a giant rock creature they found that the town of Gilhold was under siege: Smoke rising and the light of fires brightening the village as the sun is dipping below the horizon, with a dragon overhead. The brave adventurers dove headfirst into the frey, as they are now hauling a sizable group of villagers in search of safe way to the keep that looms over the town."

In the town: (Seek the Keep)

1. Look for shelter or get to the keep
2. Patrols are going through the town, villagers keep reiterating they want to go to the keep
3. Large, blue dragon flying overhead
4. Abandoned belongings are found on the ground, and in the opening of the first gate they see there are even corpses of the local militia

Once they get to the keep

1. The gates are closed behind them
   1. The villagers are taken to safety by the militia
2. Meet Marlyne Faering
   1. The governess introduces herself as below
3. Open the old tunnel

Session 2.3

Pelir 35th, 23:00