Session 7: The Last Serpent of Zareth-Ka

24th day of Sowing, 519 AE. (23-May-2026)

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In the days after the companions returned from Deadfall a number of rumours trickled into Thorneford about continued raiding and incursions by the Bloodmaw Horde orcs. During this time the Gilded Banner returned from their expedition westwards, their mounts and pack animals laden with coin. It also emerged that Justicar Velric of Thalar had convinced Lighbringer Blackthorn that the will of Thalar was that pagan temples and pagan worship should not be tolerated in towns led by Thalar's light.

But as the weather shifted from cold and snowy to warm and dry the greater concern around town was the fungus goblins. Their presence near town had noticeably increased in numbers, visibility and activity. Small objects had increasingly gone missing and the creatures seemed to be watching over all approaches to town. Ritualised activity centred on the hillock they had previously shown Lyra had become pronounced and the objects they placed there were now clearly placed in organised, geometric patterns. The fungus goblins' attachment to Lyra seemed to have intensified to the point of group separation anxiety whenever she left them, with some of the creatures holding her feet and begging "stay" while most openly wept at her departure. By the morning of Sowing 24th the creatures were subtly blocking her departure, but still allowing her to leave.

At this stage Lyra asked Altherion whether she should be concerned about the fungus goblins' behaviour.

"I would be concerned," came the retired wizard's reply.

Later that morning Alira, Dorcus, Jewel, Kratos and Lyra set out to complete their exploration of the Zareth-Ka tombs, taking with them the wagon, four soldiers and an ever-growing retinue of fungus goblins. Reaching the entrance around midday, the companions secured their gear and left the soldiers to set camp while they entered the tombs.

Following their hand-drawn map to the "throne room" of the fungus goblins, the adventurers encountered many of the small goblinoids who were ecstatic that their queen had returned to their domain. Making their way past the prostrate and gift-bearing creatures, the company pressed forward. Beyond the throne room our heroes discovered what seemed to be a storage area for the fungus goblins, followed by a low, narrow crawl-way leading into a dark space. Jewel navigated the crawl-way easily, finding herself in a space where fungi, rotting animal carcasses and strange, opaque sacks of fluid grew tangled with the walls and low ceiling. Cutting one open, Jewel narrowly avoided being drenched by the liquid spilling out. The only things within the sack's remains were a couple of small objects that seemed to be made of flesh.

Moving onwards the group passed through a rotating, cylindrical door trapped with a spear that struck if the cylinder was rotated the wrong way. Avoiding this they were able to collect two small golden bowls and move onwards.

Following this the companions found themselves in a short passage west of the great stone hall, where they fought the basilisk. Before them stood two doors—one a latticework of criss-crossing stone snakes, the other a sturdy but plain stone door. Examining the "snake door" they noticed that a single snake was missing and were unable to open the door. Trying the plain door, they found it open. Passing through that portal they entered a finely carved stone hall, lit by purple light and carved to represent a creature's gullet. Welcoming them was a dried husk of a creature—apparently the desiccated remains of one of the snake-folk. Yet the thing spoke! Greeting them with a simple "Hello, bipeds." After a brief discussion with the creature the companions left, rather than invoke its ire.

Navigating the many "statues" in the great stone hall, our heroes exited the eastern end of that space. Finding themselves in a cluster of intersecting chambers, the company searched what appeared to have been a small resting place for priests, along with what seemed to be an ancient antechamber to the great hall. This left them with a choice—eastwards through a foreboding passage, bearing an uncanny resemblance to a snake's throat, or southwards down a sloping stone passageway. After some discussion the company chose the southern passage.

At the end of the sloping passage the hallway opened into a room covered with five foot square tiles, where the tiles at the edge of the room were only one foot wide and a door occupied the opposite wall. A single floor tile was missing, showing only darkness beneath. Dorcus immediately stepped into the room, only to fall straight through the floor and narrowly miss the spikes below. After she recovered a couple of coins from an old human skeleton, her companions hauled her out using a rope. Finding that the tiles at the edge of the room were sturdy, the adventurers then worked their way around to open the door.

Through this door was another chamber, with only a one foot ledge around its perimeter and a smooth stone surface sloping down into a large flame whose source was unknown. A door centred in the southern wall appeared in good order and did not seem to have a lock. Making their way around this ledge too, our heroes discovered that the southern door did indeed open freely, leading into yet another room.

This square room had a door in the centre of each wall, a domed roof and the southern door featured a large steel lock. The companions immediately recognised this as the hallway outside the treasure room they had recently emptied. Thus they opted to open the eastern door, which they had not yet tried.

That door also opened smoothly, revealing a short passage ending in yet another door. This subsequent door opened to a rectangular room that was empty, other than a couple of sets of ancient manacles chained to the walls. Several of the group decided to search the room, with Kratos straying too close to one of the manacles. The ankle irons leapt from their place and snapped shut around his ankles! After some wrestling the group was able to force the metal restraints open, freeing Kratos. Finding nothing else of note in the room, the companions exited via its northern door.

This led them to the stem of a T intersection, with the eastern arm apparently leading to the ledge around the huge underground crevasse they had previously discovered. The team decided to head west and, after a short distance, the corridor opened into a square room. Another room with five foot floor tiles and an edging of tiles one foot wide. Suspicious of the room's resemblance to the previous room with a tiled floor, the companions took a moment to examine the floor. Spying a missing tile with darkness below, Jewel employed a pole to press floor tiles. The smaller tiles around the edge proved solid, however the five foot square tile nearest the door immediately collapsed when pressure was put upon it, revealing darkness and the gleam of iron spikes below. Carefully making their way around the perimeter of the chamber, the companions reached its only exit—an archway in the north wall.

Part way down the passageway beyond, the companions almost ran into a strange creature—a skeleton completely enveloped in some kind of acidic jelly. The thing struck Dorcus, its touch causing a painful burn on the half-orc's arm. As our heroes rushed to defend against the creature, they quickly realised that none of their attacks seemed to inflict any discernible damage to the thing. In a moment of inspiration they decided to lure the thing back to the room with the loose tile floors, hoping to trap it within the pit beneath that space. For once their tactics unfolded as planned and the thing found itself trapped below the room's floor.

Pressing onwards, the team approached yet another T intersection. Exploring to the east, they found what appeared to be the remnants of some kind of ceremonial room containing stone benches and a fountain that had long been dry. This chamber had a single stone door on its eastern wall, however this seemed to be firmly barred from the outside. Thus they pushed westwards.

After marching up a sloping flight of stone steps, the passageway opened into a square room with three exits, an archway to the north, a passage to the west and a stone door to the south. The southern door was flanked by two petrified Zareth-Ka warriors in positions of guard. The northern arch led into a shrine containing a cobra-headed idol and the western passageway appeared to be the opposite end of the corridor resembling a snake's throat they had previously avoided. Investigating the idol, Kratos realised that the ancient stone statue was atop some kind of pivot and could rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. Rotating it clockwise caused hundreds of the golden Zareth-Ka coins to spill out of two holes beneath the idol, several of the coins rolled into the western passage—resulting in the zing of blades from along the length of that walkway! After collecting the coins, Kratos then attempted to rotate the statue the opposite direction—releasing a noxious poison gas which the companions barely managed to avoid inhaling.

Next, turning their attention to the southern door, the companions found it unlocked and it swung open easily. Beyond lay a tangled wall of broken shields, branches and other junk. After taking some time to clear the mess away, the companions discovered that the chamber beyond was in fact a long U-shaped space. Spreading out to explore, Lyra and Kratos found an altar upon which stood two golden bowls, a wavy stone snake and a glittering snake-themed dagger, similar to the mace and sword the team had previously discovered. Meanwhile at the opposite end of the chamber, Dorcus happened upon a handsome young male half-orc who was apparently manacled to the wall. Hailing the barbarian with clear relief, the young man begged her to free him. Dorcus stepped forward and as she did so the leg iron upon the man's ankle popped open and fell to the floor. Expressing his gratitude, the young male told Dorcus how beautiful she was. At this the barbarian moved in to kiss him. After a short embrace Dorcus dropped to the floor, weakened almost to the point of death. Springing bat-like wings from his shoulders and small horns upon his head, the young male took his leave, apologising profusely. "You really are so very pretty, my love. But I have urgent matters requiring my attention."

After Dorcus had swallowed down a healing potion and received ministrations by Alira, the company pressed on. Believing the stone snake they had found might fit the door they had found earlier, the group took a roundabout route back to that place. And surely enough, the grey stone snake fit in place. With a gentle push, the stone serpents wriggled away into the doorframe, leaving the entrance clear. Beyond, the companions discovered a room of red and gold stone, occupied by mirrors and a great raised throne. Kratos determined to sit upon the throne, experiencing lofty visions of conquest and lordship. His reverie was interrupted by Jewel's discovery of a passage in the northern wall concealed by a rotting wall hanging.

This hidden ingress led them into what was apparently a storage area filled with boxes, crates and barrels, along with six bronze lids atop pits in the floor. Within these pits were huddled a dozen fungus goblins, which Lyra and several others released. As they were freeing the miserable goblinoids, Jewel and Kratos searched the place for valuables, with Jewel finding a small glass vial holding three ancient-looking seeds. Learning that the exit passage led to the place they had interacted with the desiccated Zareth-Ka wizard, the companions chose instead to open the door in that space's eastern wall. Beyond that portal they encountered the same ancient Snake-man, who seemed quite annoyed at the disruption. After some brief negotiation, the serpent-man demanded that the group leave his chambers. Dorcus moved to attack, however the desiccated thing snapped its fingers and she froze, unable to move. As the others made moves towards violence, the creature cast a spell that caused everyone except Jewel to fall asleep. The thing then instructed Jewel to remove her companions from his abode. Obeying the creature, but leaving Kratos until last, the cunning halfling quickly pulled the basilisk head from Kratos' pack and held it up to the ancient monstrosity. The creature simply observed that the basilisk had been dead a rather long time. Its eyes had clouded over and no longer possessed the power to petrify.

Deciding they had pushed their luck far enough, the adventurers withdrew, regrouped and moved back to the eastward-most part of the subterranean passages. Linking up the last of the corridors, the companions realised their maps were now complete.

Returning to their wagon and guards, they found all well and, after an uneventful night, returned to Thorneford.

Summary

Since Last Session

• Rumours spread of renewed Bloodmaw Horde raids and incursions.
• The Gilded Banner returned from the west laden with treasure.
• Justicar Velric convinced Lighbringer Blackthorn to suppress pagan worship in Thorneford.
• Fungus goblin activity around town increased dramatically: thefts, surveillance, ritual activity and growing devotion to Lyra.
• Fungus goblins became increasingly distressed whenever Lyra left them.
• Altherion advised Lyra that their behaviour was cause for concern.

During Play

• The party returned to the Zareth-Ka tombs with soldiers, wagon and a growing fungus goblin entourage.
• Explored previously unmapped sections of the tombs and discovered fungus goblin breeding/storage chambers.
• Met an ancient desiccated snake-man wizard who greeted them with "Hello, bipeds."
• Navigated multiple traps, including collapsing floors, a fire pit, animated manacles and a trapped idol.
• Trapped an apparently indestructible jelly-covered skeleton in a spike pit.
• Looted Zareth-Ka treasure, including golden bowls, a stone snake key and a snake-themed dagger.
• Dorcus was nearly drained to death by a disguised fiend posing as a captive half-orc.
• Opened the snake door and discovered a throne chamber with hidden passages.
• Freed a dozen imprisoned fungus goblins and recovered three ancient seeds.
• Confronted the snake-man again and were effortlessly subdued by his magic.
• Completed exploration and mapping of the Zareth-Ka tombs.
• Returned safely to Thorneford.

EXTRA: Visitor’s Guide to Thorneford

By the time you find a suitable inn and secure your possessions you have developed a functional mental map of the town—refer to the detailed town map on the reverse side of the map parchment accompanying this guide.

1. Castle Thorneford. The entrance to the outer grounds of the castle.
2. The Light Of Thalar church. Situated just within the castle walls, this whitewashed stone building calls those faithful to the barony’s official religion to worship.
3. Stockyards. These large stockyards and holding pens serve the bustling seasonal trade of regional livestock.
4. Hallowell’s masonry. Stone-cutting yard run by a master mason. Primarily working in the castle and town walls, also supplies dressed stone and services.
5. Dunlow’s carpentry. Busy workshop and lumberyard run by the town’s carpenter. Sells construction timber, services and rudimentary furniture.
6. Oathspan bridge. An ancient stone bridge straddling the Ashwater. The traditional site of binding oaths, rumored to be enchanted with defensive magic.
7. Gatehouse. Squat stone portals enabling secure access to the town from the east and the west.
8. Fendrel’s Boats. Local boatwright providing construction, repair and maintenance of watercraft.
9. River’s Rest Inn. Premium accommodation and dining, catering to the successful merchant and wealthy visitor.
10. Gennard’s Goods. General merchant and outfitter, specializing in the essentials of homesteading and wilderness survival.
11. Shrine of the Gods. A small temple to the Thousandfold Host, where holy water, blessings and sanctuary may be found.
12. Carter Aylen. Wheel-wright and timber-smith who constructs, repairs and hires frontier vehicles.
13. The Drunken Goose. A cheap and seedy alehouse frequented by laborers and riverhands.
14. Ironwright’s Smithy. Blacksmith who supplies the area with tools, hardware, ironmongery and more.
15. Town Square. The beating heart of the local community. Official decrees, public judgements, markets, the occasional execution and so much more can be found here.
16. Millen’s Herbs. Local herbalist and healer selling medicinal plants, poultices, remedies and wild tonics.
17. The Scriptorium. Residence and study of the town scribe and sage, offering translation, lore and literacy services.
18. The Copper Scales. This bustling mercantile welcomes barter and offers a wide variety of domestic wares and household goods.
19. The Silken Measure. A meticulous tailor and canvas-man who provides fine clothing, sails, haberdashery, tents and other custom goods.
20. Map’s End Inn. Bustling with sellswords and adventurers of all fortunes, this establishment is famous for the massive regional map scrawled on its wall by generations of patrons.
21. Selyne’s Leathergoods. Master hide-smith, supplying the town with reliable boots, belts, harnesses and other leather items.
22. Borough Stables. Roomy livery and tack, where mounts can be safely boarded and fed for a daily fee.
23. Greave’s Stock & Feed. A practical stockyard run by a weathered hand, supplying the area with animal feed, oats and livestock.
24. Food Stores. A heavily fortified and guarded long-term store for food and civic security.
25. Watchtowers. Tall, sturdy stone towers, manned by guards at all times.
26. Garrison quarters. Barracks and offices for the town guards.
27. Docks. Busy wooden piers stretch into the Ashwater, enabling offloading of ships by tender and other daily activities by riverfolk.
28. Watermill. A large stone sits upriver from Thornford, providing free milling for those with a food allotment and commercial milling for others.
29. Tannery. The secure compound of the tannery is a short walk upriver from the Watermill, processing commercial quantities of hides.

EXTRA: A Scout’s Guide to the Barony

By studying the extensive patchwork map of the region that spans the entire end-wall of the Map's End Inn, you can easily visualize the broad features of the barony and its surrounds—refer to the map parchment accompanying this guide. Furthermore, during your stay in Thorneford, you have pieced together various rumors and fragments of information regarding the region. But be warned! Such intelligence is by its very nature incomplete, second-hand, and prone to minor error.

Thorneford

The military and trade heart of the barony; the heavily walled frontier town and castle guard the place where the Ashwater empties into the sea. It stands as the westernmost point of civilization in Caerwyn and is the hub of all commerce, contracts and information in the area.

Ashwater River

Originating in mountains hundreds of miles to the south, the Ashwater is the principal waterway feeding the Mistmere lake, before spilling out of that great freshwater body and finding its way to the sea. With Thorneford sitting on the eastern bank of its mouth, the Ashwater is a clear territorial boundary—settled lands to the east, wild lands to the west. Wide, swift and deep, the Ashwater only freezes over in the very coldest parts of winter.

Stormridge Plains

Rolling for hundreds of miles west of the Ashwater, the Stormridge Plains are a veritable sea of windswept grassland. Much of its length is split by a great shelf of crumbling limestone cliffs, which seem to act as a magnet for storms much of the year. Largely untamed and open, it acts as a natural highway for nomadic herders, wild beasts and those daring to strike out towards the distant western mountains.

Briarback

The dense conifers of the Briarback sit in a natural pocket behind the limestone divide that splits the Stormridge Plains. Often dense and frequently overgrown with briars, blackberries, blackthorn and other similar bushes. This dense, tangled and changeable undergrowth provides excellent cover for outlaws, predators and secrets buried long before the barony was established.

Runebrook Vale

The small, mountain-fed Runebrook river winds its way out of the western mountains, through a low-lying river valley before winding along the northern edge of the Wyrdwood and emptying into the Mistmere, after making its way though the Mismarsh. The rich river, loamy soil of the valley is pocked occasionally with the ruins of failed farmsteads.

Mirewood

This vast coastal swamp borders on the Gulf of Bones along the western coast of Caerwyn. It is a brackish, tide-fed wilderness where fresh water and sea water mingle freely beneath a dense canopy of black mud, twisted roots, shallow pools and winding tidal channels. Most local folk stick strictly to the fringes, although some daring souls are known to make a living deeper within its flooded groves. Some hardy souls ancient crumbling stone ruins upon sandy islets amidst its depths.

Gulf of Bones

This cold, treacherous body of water is lined with jagged, rocky coastlines and connects Thorneford to the rest of the world. Rarely freezing over, the gulf provides shelter from the worst of the winter storms that blow out of the deep north. Its uninviting coast has a long history of grim tales, maritime raiders, hidden coves… and occasional predation from things that come from beneath the sea.

Hollowcrest Flats

This series of broad, flat lowland valleys push into the rugged Hollowcrest Hills from the eastern coast of the Gulf of Bones. In many cases they form natural highways for travellers looking to bypass the craggy heights. However, dead ends, blind canyons and raiding monsters are significant risks. Few navigate these detours without an experienced guide.

Hollowcrest Hills

This series of windswept crags run north from the great southern mountain, along a spine of bedrock that was disrupted aeons ago. Its uppermost parts devoid of all but the hardiest of plant life, the lower slopes are green with lush, dense forest, which spills out to the adjacent plains. Empty of major settlements, its heights are home to ancient mines, crumbling watchtowers and monstrous raiders.

Mistmere Plains

These low-lying, gentle grasslands flank the eastern shore of the great Mistmere. In seasons of especially heavy rainfall of mountain run-off these form a morass of floodplains. When dry they offer easy travel and good graze, yet settlements are few and far between, with flash flooding always posing some risk.

Mistmere

This massive, deep freshwater lake dominates the central landscape of Caerwyn. Fed by three significant rivers, including the mighty Ashwater, it swells seasonally from half a dozen lesser tributaries. Frequently blanketed in mists that last until midday, local legend maintains that its massive volume of water has no bottom. Once host to a number of mighty bastions and towns, today its coasts host only a small number of fishing villages and cabins.

Mistmarsh

This large freshwater swamp occupies the western coast of the Mistmere. Its surface is normally covered in mist, concealing treacherous bogs, stagnant ponds and secretive, scaled denizens.

Wyrdwood

This sprawling and brooding deciduous forest seemingly rises up out of the Mistmere and occupies much of the space between the Mistmere and the southwestern mountains. Varying from impenetrably dense to lightly forested, its greatest consistency is its long history of rumor. It is said that old pacts hold here and non-human powers stir beneath its canopy. Most consider it a place of danger connected directly to the fae realm.

Session 6: The Deadfall Entanglement

11th day of Sowing, 519 AE. (9-May-2026)

The days following the second expedition into the Zareth-Ka tomb were mostly warm, turning cooler with the odd patch of snow after several days. This was a strange time for the folk of Thorneford. Each day saw the town gates approached by the small lumpy-headed bipeds that had crowned Lyra queen. At first they were chased away, then driven off with several killed and even an entire group massacred, with all the bodies hanged from the town walls. Still the creatures returned, seeming determined to complete some business in or with the town. Around this time odd small objects started going missing from the crop areas outside the town walls. On the 9th day of the Sowing, Myrthall Fenhall, Castle Thorneford's resident wizard, waited with the town guards as the creatures approached. After speaking with them for some time, the wizard entered the town and sought out his associate Althirion Quell and the wizard's friend Lyra. This was how Lyra learnt that the small bipeds were the result of magical hybridisation of goblins with some kind of fungus and that they spoke a dialect of the goblin language. Accompanied by Althirion, who spoke goblin, Lyra went to talk with the creatures at the town gate. Learning of their need to spend time with their queen each day, Lyra agreed to come and meet with them at a suitable distance from the town walls — on the other side of the Ashwater river. The following day the fungus goblins proudly showed Lyra an area they had been preparing on a small hill not far from the town's fields. Numerous of the creatures were waiting for her approach, prostrating themselves before her and offering her small gifts of food.

With Jewel and Kratos unavailable, the remaining members of Adventures Incorporated! were unwilling to explore reports of fighting at the old fortress upstream of the Ashwater river. Instead, they chose to investigate rumours of trouble at the logging hamlet of Deadfall northeast of town, more than a day's travel by wagon. Joined by several fungus goblin "guards", the journey proved uneventful, with a restful overnight stop in the remains of an old wooden fortress where only the defensive trench remained.

Our heroes arrived at the hamlet of Deadfall just before midday on the 12th day of Sowing. They found a small, muddy hamlet of a dozen wooden buildings clustered within a log palisade perimeter. Most travellers and workers seemed to be using their own shelters — typically tents. Thus, the companions set up camp within the hamlet's boundaries and started asking questions of Deadfall's folk, quickly learning that the man in charge of the hamlet was named Edrin Rook. Finding Edrin without difficulty, the man wasted no time in telling them of his woes. He confirmed that logging had stopped, with crews being unwilling to enter the tree line. But a greater concern to him was that his wife Naerie and their son Roderick had gone missing. This had taken place when the pair had gone to gather ingredients for a special salve Naerie made to prevent timber rot. Describing the location as "a few miles east along the river, where the trees are only a few hundred yards away from the south bank," the heroes set out to investigate. Only to discover that the place was in fact well over 10 miles away. Realizing they would not reach these trees before dark, the group returned instead to town, planning to set out and investigate first thing in the morning.

Resuming their plans the next day, the company journeyed east along the small waterway to the place where the forest approached within several hundred yards of the southern riverbank. Finding a large log, apparently used as a bridge, they crossed the waterway and entered the tree line. After several hours of searching, they located a dirty, ripped red linen scarf, a place where signs of a struggle were clear, a wicker basket full of mushrooms, and a child's wooden sword with "Roderick" carved into the blade. With further searching, our heroes found the tracks of small creatures, some walking in small boots and others apparently on paws. Tracking these prints to another section of woods nearby, the group realised they were short on time and headed back to Deadfall. Before sunset, the companions were able to confirm with Edrin that the objects they had recovered from the woods belonged to his wife and child.

With the fungus goblins barred from staying within the town, the creatures camped out under the stars just outside town. However, during the night there were hideous screams and cries.

Morning's light revealed the goblinoid troupe one member short and Lyra's loyal little followers mimed something winged and vicious as the culprit. Yet a short time later a very familiar-looking fungus goblin carrying a pointed stick arrived. Along with several others, most of whom went their own way after prostrating themselves before Lyra and offering her gifts. Returning to the trail they had found the previous day, the group was able to follow the tracks up a creek to a clearing where several cave and mine entrances were apparent. Here they spied a pair of small schnauzer-headed, grey-furred bipeds guarding the area. Choosing to engage the creatures directly, several of our heroes engaged in the gambling game they were playing. This broke off when the creatures lost the game. As the creatures retreated into one of the mine entrances, Dimrock called to them and one remained to watch and parlay. Soon several more of the bipedal canines came to the clearing. Asking questions about Naerie and Roderick, AI! was able to negotiate a possible truce and return of the hostages, promising to come back the following day with an answer. On the return to Deadfall, the company was chased by a pack of wolves, but evaded them via spell and sword. Back at Deadfall, the group learnt that Edrin had limited authority to make such an agreement and even less authority to enforce it, but was ready to agree to it with the limited authority he had. Edrin had two copies of the agreement prepared and signed them both.

The company chose to spend the night outside the hamlet gates in hopes of catching whatever had killed one of the fungus goblins. Using one of the lumpy-headed goblinoids as bait, the main body of the group kept watch from nearby. In the last hour of the night before dawn, a great winged creature swooped down and bore the unfortunate fungus goblin away, screaming until the winged creature ripped it apart. The flying monster had the naked upper body of a woman and the lower body and wings of a great eagle.

Taking the signed agreement papers back to the clearing where the canine humanoids lived, the companions were able to get them both marked by the leader of the canine group. Leaving one of the copies with them, the heroes escorted Naerie and Roderick back to Deadfall. That night, after a tearful reunion, much merriment was had with many folks, including Edrin, buying the companions food and drink.

Late the following morning, the band of heroes started their journey back to Thorneford. Stopping to camp overnight at the location of the old fort again, the company found that a band of hunters were now using the place as a base of operations. These folk proved friendly and willing to share their space and the night passed without incident.

Setting out early the next day, the company travelled several hours before reaching a small stone bridge over the river to their south, finding their way blocked by a 12-foot humanoid who demanded a toll for each person who wished to cross. Dorcus immediately charged the giant, with her companions joining in immediately. After a brief but intense battle the creature lay dead, the log it had wielded as a club lying at its side. Discovering a large sack full of coin, primarily silver, the band continued their journey. In the late afternoon they reached Thorneford without further incident.

Session 5: Fungus Coronation

4th day of Sowing, 519 AE. (25-Apr-2026)

With the passing of the Thaw the weather continued its trend to warm days, with residual snows lightening and trending more towards rain. The past week seemed to have put in a final push of snow, but locals now hoped the weather had turned towards sunnier days.

Knowing that camping in the wilds while recovering entailed some risk, the companions set camp and posted a rotating watch. Making some efforts to conceal the entrance to the Zareth-Ka tombs they settled in for the first night.

The first day of the next week saw scattered snowy rain. During the afternoon three Bloodmaw Horde orcs mounted on horses sat upon a nearby rise. Dorcus, who was on lookout duty, spotted this and called to her companions. One of the orcs then galloped down to the camp, around it and several lengths back towards its fellows. Halting, it then bellowed a war-cry, stood upright on its mount's bare back and fired a single arrow, which landed just in front of Dorcus. The creature demanded to know why the companions were camping in their tribe's territory and why Dorcus was associating with "pink-skins". The orc demanded tribute and, as the barbarian's companions began trying to flank the orc, cried "we will be back!" before galloping off.

Jewel scouted the surrounding area the following day and located a root-cave beneath a great oak. The companions decided to move camp to the ancient tree and spent several hours securing the new site. To the north of the giant eagles' grove Jewel surveyed a field used by the area's local horses, watched over carefully by their eagle stewards.

Morning of the third day coincided with the last day of The Thaw, thus having a full moon. Still windy and snowy, during the afternoon the Gilded Banner approached camp on mounts, led by a blonde Paladin of the Light of Thalar. These rivals explained that Lewel had sold them the location of the tomb entrance, however they would not delve into it while our heroes were engaged in adventuring there. With adventuring business to conduct to the west the group moved on, after examining the tomb entrance. While on watch during the night Dimrock witnessed a human transform into a man-wolf and loped northwards. Reporting this to Lyra when handing over the watch, a sense of unease settled over the camp. Some hours later Lyra heard the distant clattering of bones. The sound repeated some time later, but closer to camp. Finally hearing the sound of metal on bone, she woke her companions just as a dozen animated skeletons came into view. These assaulted the reinforced campsite, with Kratos taking a minor wound before Dimrock and Alira channelled the power of their deities to repel the evil things.

Dawn of the fourth day marked the first day of the Sowing Moon and a heavy snowfall. Suspecting the previous night's undead had come from the Snakefolk tomb, checking the status of the site and setting watch there was prioritised. However, the entrance proved unaltered and the tracks of the dead came from the north and west of the rockslide area. Checking the horse meadow to the north of the eagles' grove several were found mauled to death and no live horses remaining. Around midday a caravan of merchants travelled near to camp and Dimrock purchased some cooking utensils in order to aid in the provisioning of game and forage for longer keeping. Late afternoon, during Dorcus' watch, seven Bloodmaw Horde orcs approached camp. Demanding tribute, they eventually were satisfied to go their way with provisions. By the following morning the snowfall had lightened, and several wounded horses—bearing bite and claw marks as of a huge wolf—were seen straying from the direction of the horse meadow.

Wind and scattered light snow greeted the dawn of the sixth and final day of the companions' recovery. Jewel was on watch during the early afternoon when a column of heavily armed and armoured horsemen approached. Somewhat nervously Jewel called out to her compatriots, however Kratos recognised the leader of the troops - Cadbryn, a squire from Castle Thorneford. Engaging in conversation, it turned out that the young man was patrolling in response to increased sightings of Bloodmaw Horde orcs. It seemed the creatures had claimed the lands to the west of the Ashwater as their territory, which they were prowling in ever-increasing numbers. Apparently demanding tribute from established inhabitants and tolls from travellers, returning in increasing numbers whenever met with refusal. Kratos shared details of the group's own encounters with these orcs, Cadbryn wished them safe travels and continued his patrols. That night the peace of the final watch was broken by noises near camp. Lyra, who was taking her turn at guard duty, carefully investigated to find a large piece of wood crudely carved with the Bloodmaw Horde emblem mounted near camp.

After a week's rest the companions broke camp and returned to the Snakefolk tomb. They found their camouflaging measures undisturbed and the upper chambers unchanged. Making their way to the octagonal room they checked that the undead creature behind the northern door had not broken free, then proceeded to the trapdoor which had been concealed in the chamber behind the southwestern-most passage. Making their way down the hatch's ladder the companions heared a large dragging chain beyond the secret door. Kratos suggested a distraction, so Lyra caused a minor magical flare to briefly appear within the large chamber beyond and the group charged in. Within, a large six-legged reptilian creature wearing a helm attacked. This creature turned its gaze upon Kratos and the elf felt ripples of magic course over him. Adroitly resisting its effects, he struck the thing a solid blow and the group then made short work of the monster. Lopping its head off they discovered a key attached to the collar around its neck.

The group then carefully searched the room. Jewel quickly found that one of the statues was holding a shortsword of some silvery alloy. Breaking it free and giving it a test swing it felt unusually light in her hand - the pommel being a knot of snakes tails, giving way to two entwined snakes bodies as handle, splitting into two separate snake bodies for the crosspeice, the end of each terminating in a snake's head. During this time Kratos located a second secret door immediately opposite the one through which they entered the chamber. Behind this they discovered stairs leading upwards to the west and downwards to the east.

Following the staircase downwards they found a rough chamber with walls of mixed earth and stone running south of the base of the stairs. The space was filled with earth, detritus and random objects stuck into the mix. A number of mushrooms scattered the surface. Searching the morass a small rotten pouch with a few coins was located.

Picking several mushrooms, the group moved on — only to stumble into the apparent resting area of over a dozen of the potato-headed, goblin-like bipeds. As several awoke, they jabbered angrily and gestured for the intruders to leave the way they had entered. When the party instead took a south-eastern passage, the creatures followed, growing more agitated and prodding at them with pointed sticks. Another of the bipeds appeared ahead, this one wielding a broom, and the situation quickly broke down into violence. Kratos snatched up the severed head of the reptilian creature and levelled it at them, turning several to stone. With more closing in, Lyra cast a spell that sent most of the creatures into a magical slumber. The few that remained scrambled to gather mushrooms, rubbing them frantically on their petrified companions, while the broom-wielder fled the way it had come.

Quickly following the passage before them, our heroes found themselves in what appeared to be a small storage room with a door on its eastern side. Somewhat battered and broken, the door opened easily enough. On its other side was a small chamber with a door in each of its four walls. The southern-most door bore a large, sturdy steel lock.

Realising the key they'd found on the reptilian monster was the right size Jewel tried it, discovering that it fit and turned easily. Allowing the door to swing slowly open inwards. Within the group found a locked chest, a small wooden cabinet fixed to the wall and, on the wall above the chest, hung a serpentine mace. Made of the same material and of a similar design to the shortsword Jewel found earlier, it featured a knot of snake tails as pommel, running into a snake-bodied handle that expanded into a large snake head. Dimrock grabbed the mace and hefted it in his hands, to find that it was unnaturally light, similar to the shortsword which Jewel discovered. Kratos opened the cabinet to find four vials of liquid, each having a different colour.

Picking the significant lock on the chest, Lyra unlocked it without difficulty. But as she opened the lock, a cleverly concealed needle darted forth, injecting her with a viscous poison. Lyra stopped breathing immediately and collapsed. The companions worked in desperation to try and keep her from perishing. Kratos poured first one vial of liquid down her throat, to no effect. Then another, at which she briefly revived. Only to stop breathing again moments later. Dimrock and Alira exhausted their minor healing magics, each having some small effect. Finally, the elven woman's shallow breathing steadied and her eyes flickered back open.

Using the ten foot pole they carry with them, Dimrock carefully pushed the lid of the chest open from as far away as he could. The lid swung easily open to reveal thousands upon thousands of glittering coins within. Realizing they could not possibly carry all the coins out, the companions invested half an hour in collecting what they judged the most valuable: coins, a small pouch of gems and jewellery and a scroll tube containing what appeared to be wizard spells. They locked the room's door and started back to the surface, planning to buy supplies and items enabling them to transport the remainder, then return for the bulk of the coins. The only event upon retracing their steps was the mummy-ooze creature they had encountered on their previous expedition. The thing had proven hard to defeat back then, however Kratos raised the head of the petrifying reptile they had defeated and the monster turned to stone.

After an uneventful journey back to town, the companions bought a wagon, several horses and hired the services of four soldiers from Thorneford Castle, to guard their wagon and goods whilst they retrieved the remaining treasure. Resting up overnight the companions departed shortly after dawn and made their way back to the tomb entrance. Following their map back to the treasure chamber, our heroes encountered a number of the small potato-headed bipeds in the same area as previously. These seemed keen to attract the attention of the companions and Lyra chose to follow them into a nearby chamber, where the small creatures gestured excitedly for her to sit in a throne. Lyra complied and more of the creatures gathered, bowed down before her and crowned her with an odd construct made of forks, sticks and other small items. Leaving the area unhindered, Lyra found that the creatures reverently followed her. Indeed they were quick to leap to her defence against any perceived threat, but followed her directions as obediently as they could given the language difficulties.

Over the course of two trips our heroes were able to remove the remaining coins from the treasure room and haul them back to town. Lyra had a little difficulty making the potato-headed bipeds understand that she wanted them to remain behind and not follow her to Thorneford. But eventually she made them understand and they stayed behind.

Session 4: Below the Idol of Zareth-Ka

25th day of the Thaw, 519 AE. (11-Apr-2026)

Nearing the end of the Thaw the weather turned windy with flurries of snow, yet was tolerable and in keeping with the season. The Ashwater had fully melted and flowed unhindered into the Gulf of Bones. The preceding week remained generally cool with light snow. Overall, the temperature rose and some days were quite balmy.

Following their return to town a week earlier the group learned that Velric had indeed entered Thorneford, accompanied by his dozen knights. After his entry he had paused for a goodly time on the road, simply staring at the Shrine of the Gods, before continuing upon his way and entering Castle Thorneford. Subsequent gossip told of him attending services at the Light of Thalar church and engaging the Lightbearer there in discussion, which seemed unusual for a representative of the Old faith. Edran Vayel, head priest at the shrine to the Thousandfold Host, grew concerned that the man may cause trouble. Dimrock shared this information with his friends when next they met. The group realised that Velric arrived by road, which was highly unusual for the time of year. The only conclusion they could reach was that he had visited other settlements.

Jewel invested time and a small amount of coin in discovering the shape of the local criminal networks. After several days she made contact with a human male in the Drunken Goose who called himself Jorath. This man claimed to have "contacts", including those who buy and sell without asking questions and without keeping records. The kind of people who can also provide greatly discounted goods - often of dubious origin, repute or legality. Enquiring after a magical weapon, Jewel learnt that such items are rare and fetch prices upwards of 1,000 crowns.

Kratos met a squire from Thorneford keep named Cadbryn, having some interesting discussions about swords, other weapons and their acquisition. Several days later he engaged in a friendly conversation with Rowena Millen of Millen's Herbs. She mentioned that she had some lesser herbal potions of healing in stock. Not as powerful as the strong draughts she sells at 50 crowns each, but costing only 10 crowns per draught.

Lyra studied the items recently retrieved from the crypt the group had been exploring, under the guidance of Althirion Quell. She learnt that one of the items, a silver ring, is enchanted. However, the item resisted their attempts to discern the nature of its magic. Althirion identified all the items collected thus far as artifacts of the ancient Snakefolk empire of Zareth-Ka.

Dorcus spent her time resting and drinking. A wise investment in the barbarian's mind!

Meeting up towards the end of the week the group discussed all that had happened and the finer points of having their adventuring company chartered. They considered reports from at least three different groups of Thorneford folk that small groups of mounted orcs had been spotted in the area. These horse-riding orcs seem to have been watching the area and at least two reports describe the "crimson maw with jagged fangs" symbol associated with the Bloodmaw Horde.

The following day a ship arrived at the river mouth and a squad of four adventurers disembarked. Apparently these were members of a larger chartered adventuring company called the Gilded Banner. Our heroes immediately became concerned at the prospect of Lewel selling the newcomers the location of the tomb they have been exploring. The adventurers reprovisioned, gathered their gear and set out for the site early the next morning.

Reaching the rockslide entrance without incident the companions entered the main passageway. Advancing with care they discovered that the areas they had previously investigated hadn't been altered or disturbed. Coming to the great Zareth-Ka idol the group secured a rope to it and climbed down into the unexplored tunnel below.

The passage started claustrophobically narrow, but immediately expanded to a broad corridor twenty feet across. Lyra quickly spotted a concealed door on the northern wall and Dimrock discerned how to open it. That hidden passage led to an old, dusty guard chamber. The furniture and other contents had rotted to fragments centuries before. Yet the group was able to salvage two exquisitely wrought hooked polearm heads, inlaid with precious metals, that may prove of some value.

Returning to the main passageway the group soon learnt that it opened into the western-most wall of a large eight-sided chamber. The room was originally built with a wide pit in its centre, which had filled with the same stream of water that eroded the floor beneath the Zareth-Ka idol. Six of the octagonal chamber's walls contained grey stone doors, with the southwestern-most wall containing no door, but a corridor leading into the dark. Jewel decided to probe the pool with a long pole. At this disturbance two mummified hands ran up the pole and attacked our heroes. After the group made short work of the things, Jewel tried probing the pool again, bumping into some unknown object. Fixing one of the hooked polearm heads to the pole, she managed to hook... something and haul it up from the water. The object proved to be a mummified Snakefolk head, gibbering and screaming silently at them. Jewel tossed the thing back into the pool and the group turned their attention to the room's exits.

Deciding the open southwest passage presented the greatest potential threat the group entered it, Dorcus leading the way. After a short distance the corridor opened into a rectangular room holding eighteen clay statues of Snakefolk warriors. Toppling them with the long pole caused a number to shatter, but produced no discernible danger so Dorcus entered and smashed the remainder. Searching the rubble, the group found nothing of value or use. Not until the southwestern-most corner was searched, uncovering a trapdoor. They carefully opened the trapdoor to avoid triggering traps or other danger, revealing iron rungs leading downwards. Jewel and Lyra climbed down, employing all stealth, to discover where it led. The bottom of the shaft connected to a short passage running southwards, that ended in the outline of a door. Jewel and Lyra worked carefully to quietly open the door a crack. Beyond they spied a large stone chamber, lined with columns and a floor scattered with very lifelike statues. Some statues intact and others broken, pieces of statue here and there. One statue directly outside the secret door seemed to be of a bat, but had shattered after falling from some height. At this point the two scouts chose to return to the party and report what they had discovered.

Meanwhile the rest of the group had moved on to investigate the southern-most door in the large octagonal chamber. Only to find an apparently incomplete room, with some walls rough-cut and corroded tools on the ground.

Meeting up with Jewel and Lyra, back in the large chamber, the group moved on to investigate the southeastern door. The short passage beyond opened into a room containing three beds, some rotten shelving, numerous scrolls and a table atop which stood a forearm-length silver-and-emerald snake god icon. Most of the scrolls crumble to the touch but Lyra is able to salvage several of them, thinking they may be of value to Althirion. They take the icon with them.

Returning yet again to the octagonal room they opened the eastern-most door next. A short way beyond this door stairs descended more than forty feet downwards. Dorcus started down the stairs, but after a couple of steps the stairs all pivoted into a slide and spikes sprang forth at the bottom. Dorcus slid down, cutting herself on the spikes, yet narrowly avoiding serious injury. She found herself in another hexagonal room, identical in size and shape to the one at the top of the stairs. However, this room's walls had no doors but were instead hung with ancient shields. Rather than a large pit in the centre stood a large stone statue of a giant cobra-like snake person, which immediately advanced to attack the unfortunate half-orc! Hefting her great two-handed sword Dorcus moved to confront the construct, but with one mighty blow it knocked her to the ground. Unconscious and bleeding profusely, things looked grim for the barbarian. Unable to see the statue but witnessing Dorcus' collapse, the party quickly utilized ropes to descend the stairway-turned-slide. Dimrock and Kratos were able to reach Dorcus, with Dimrock using one of his precious orisons to heal her and Kratos standing guard. Narrowly avoiding being struck by the great stone brute the trio withdrew to the stairwell, to discover it was too narrow for the monstrosity to enter! From there the team peppered it with arrows until it was defeated. Noting that the great twenty foot wide gap in the eastern wall of this chamber drops off into a deep chasm, with sturdy stone paths running north and south, the group agreed to return to the first octagonal room above.

Opening the northeastern door next the group found a short passageway that led into a room containing a sarcophagus and some clay grave goods. Approaching with care the room seemed safe enough and Kratos pushed back the lid of the stone coffin, discovering a snake-folk body within wrapped in grave cloths, seeping some kind of dark, jelly-like fluid. The thing immediately struck at him, hitting his face and causing immediate burning pain. After a barrage of attacks the creature collapsed and its cloths flattened out as the fluids within turned watery. Finding only more clay grave goods withing the stone coffin, the companions moved on to the next door.

While preparing to open the northern-most door in the octagonal room a three foot long spider dropped from the ceiling onto Lyra and attacked her. The heroes quickly dispatched the arachnid and opened the door, this time finding a passageway blocked by a collapsed roof. Yet the cave-in was not complete and beyond they could see a figure wrapped in burial clothes gargling, roaring and hammering at the stones preventing it from attacking the objects of its anger. Behind the creature they spied another sarcophagus and stopped to consider. Understanding that they could probably clear away sufficient rubble to pass through in about ten minutes, the group decided instead to simply close the door and move on.

Tentatively opening the northwestern and final door, Lyra saw a short, clear passage that ended in a chamber containing yet another sarcophagus. Beyond this she spied a large, round plate of metal hanging upon the wall. With no danger or resistance apparent she stepped forward... only to feel a solid "click" under her foot. As if in slow motion she watched the metal disk glow and discharge a massive bolt of lightning her way. Whilst the deft elf managed to avoid the brunt of the blast, the electrical discharge was enough to stop her heart. She fell to the ground, motionless. The party quickly dragged her out of the room, closed the door and Alira used a healing orison to revive her just in time.

Feeling that they had pressed their luck far enough on this expedition, the companions decided to leave the tombs for the time being. Part way through their withdrawal a large tremor shook the place and they heard a sound as of massive chains being dragged across stonework.

Continuing onwards they began climbing up the rope left secured to the large idol. When half their group had climbed free, the rearward portion of the group was approached by eight strange bipedal creatures. These three foot tall potato-headed humanoids looked like the result of a wizard magically crossing goblins with some kind of fungi. Most carried pointed sticks as weapons, however one carried a "spear" made of several forks tied to the end of a stick. Apparently not speaking any language known to the party, the things communicated hunger by pointing to their mouths and stomachs. Throwing them several rations resulted in a number of the creatures scampering back down the corridor. Dorcus threw marbles to the remaining creatures, which they snatched up in glee before retreating.

Deciding that the risk of the Gilded Banner delving into the crypts was too high, our heroes decided to set up camp nearby. Choosing a place where they could guard the entrance to the crypts, they made camp.

Session 3: Of Soldiers and Old Bones.

15th day of the Thaw, 519 AE. (28-Mar-2026)

Much has happened in the last week! The day after returning to town the group was approached by the town Reeve, Hadrick Fariborne, enquiring about their progress in clearing the chambers beneath the tannery of dangerous inhabitants. The group boasted that their work had gone well and the chambers were nearly clear. They mentioned dog-like reptilian creatures, orcs and a hobgoblin, who did not seem evilly inclined but desired to be left alone. They were thanked and Hadrick took his leave. A couple of days later two full lances of armed and heavily armoured fighters, more than 100 strong, left the town and stormed the chambers. These overwhelming numbers quickly cleansed the chambers without loss of men, with only a handful suffering minor injuries. The following day the triumphant force returned with the bodies of orcs, reptilian dog-like humanoids and one living but shackled hobgoblin. The hobgoblin was marched within the castle walls and the bodies of the other humanoids hung from the town walls. Two days later a pair of guards, led by a squire, came to ask Jewel if she would meet with the hobgoblin Grulnor. The squire asked her to simply engage Grulnor in conversation and talk over his state of affairs with the aging hobgoblin. She agreed and the creature asked why she had not championed it to the town, as they had previously discussed. The discussion was short but seemed to go well. Meeting up with Hadrick again Jewel asked if anything could be done to free Grulnor, but he indicated that this was in the hands of the young baron Aldric and his brother Darion.

The remainder of the week passed uneventfully. Most of the group rested up, however Kratos spent his time learning the basics of running the local forge, Ironwright’s Smithy, and Lyra connected with the party in the Map’s End Inn. She had been spending the last fortnight in the company of her new friend Althirion Quell, mage, sage, scribe and proprietor of the Scriptorium. Having recovered sufficiently from their battles the group decided to return to the chambers below the tannery to search out the secret room Grulnor had previously mentioned.

At the cave entrance they discovered a pair of masons operating under the supervision of two guards to seal the cave entrance with a sturdy steel door. They were bidden to be about their business quickly as within a couple of days the place would be sealed off.

Within the chambers the group identified a stretch of tunnels they believed might hold the hidden chamber, thanks to Dimrock’s map, and quickly located it. The secret doorway swung open to reveal a room containing an ancient sarcophagus and four skeletal guards, standing unmoving in the corners. Dorcus entered boldly and poked at one of the creatures, causing all four to immediately attack. Seeing events unfold Lyra immediately cast her Sleep spell, only to watch agog as Dorcus dropped into magical sleep… and the four skeletons continued unaffected! During the ensuing chaos Kratos also collapsed due to his wounds and things looked dire indeed for our heroes. However, Dorcus awoke after being attacked by a skeleton and the tide of the battle turned. In the nick of time the group was able to stem Kratos’ bleeding and drag him out of the place. Jewel located two magical rings in the stone coffin and checked Grulnor’s abode, which had been stripped bare of all but an old cookbook. She took the cookbook with her in hopes of returning it to the aging hobgoblin.

Back at Thorneford the group brought Kratos to Alira and Dimrock, realising that it would have been wise to ask one of them to join them in their endeavours. Alira is able to revive Kratos and perform healing prayers over the injured. Resting overnight, Jewel visits Grulnor in the morning… to discover that he is temporarily out of the dungeon and talking in the great hall with an unknown person! He indicates to Jewel that all is going well and thanks her for bringing him his cookbook. Visiting Alira and Dimrock for more healing the group then finds the herdsman Lewel Cowlan, who claims to have discovered a previously unknown dungeon several hours walk from town. They negotiate for him to show it to them, bargaining down to the price of one crown each. With Dimrock unavailable they invite Alira to join them and she accepts. The group sets out and shortly out of town realise… They cannot keep up Lewel’s pace. It is likely to take until dark for them to reach the location. They agree to set out first thing in the morning. Back in town the adventurers purchase some supplies for spending the night in the wilds, should it come to that.

Setting out again shortly after sunrise the group made good time along the road. Shortly before departing the road a group of a dozen heavy riders halted their travel. Led by a black-robed priest named Velric the warriors demanded to know our heroes’ business before continuing on their way to Thorneford. Departing the road the group made their way up some rough and broken cliffs to a plateau. Being led south of a small wood where local giant eagles nest, Lewel led the group to a rockslide where he had been pasturing cattle. The rockslide had revealed a rough tunnel entering the rock face.

After entering the tunnel the group discovered that it gave way to a seamlessly carved stone tunnel with side passages. The side passages (four in all) end in rooms containing coffins and clay statues of snake-men. Navigating several poison gas traps the group recovered a small amount of jewellery and stones.

Reaching the end of the main passageway the company found the way blocked by a stout door barred with a large piece of stone set in a pair of steel hooks. Several of the group combined their strength to lift the bar… which triggers a great stone hammer! Most of the group jumps clear but Kratos and Dorcus are injured, with Dorcus losing consciousness and requiring urgent medical care. Stabilising the barbarian, they drag her to safety in one of the chambers they previously cleared.

Pressing forward the heroes investigated the large chamber lying beyond the door. Within they discovered three coffins painted with snake people along the northern wall, while an opening in the southern wall provides an exit from the area. The centre coffin was clearly larger than its neighbours and, after briefly studying the coffins, Jewel tries to slide the lid off one using a pole… only to have three animated skeletons emerge from the coffins and attack. The group briefly defends against their advances until Alira calls upon the power of her faith to drive them back. The creatures return to their resting places and pull the coffin lids on behind them.

Through the southern opening the group found another chamber, containing a large idol that looks like a cross between a toad, a snake and a heap of intestines. They saw that water had eroded the floor, revealing a hidden passageway beneath the idol.

Realising that their time was now short, they retreated to where they left Dorcus and rested overnight, taking turns on guard. During Jewel’s watch a large cobra approached, stared her in the eyes for several long moments, then left. All other watches passed uneventfully.

In the morning Dorcus recovered consciousness and the group returned to Thorneford. Finding Lewel at the Drunken Goose, Jewel learns he has drunk away much of what they paid him to guide them. Jewel extracts a promise from him to keep quiet about the dungeon he led them to, in exchange for one of the amulets they recovered from the place.

Session 2: Unexpected Orcs.

8th day of the Thaw, 519 AE. (14-Mar-2026)

After the hanging of Zana, the town watch searched Thorneford for several days in an effort to find the halfling Gor’bmp. No trace of him was discovered, and it is now widely assumed that he escaped the town. During this time Dimrock the dwarven cleric, Jimothy the warrior, and Lyra the elf were each questioned several times by the authorities.

Soon after, the weather turned harsh. Wind and snow swept across the region and have continued without much relief.

During the following days Dimrock devoted himself to duties at the temple, strengthening his ties there and mastering a new prayer of faith. Through his time among the clergy he learned that Sir Brothik and his men have been campaigning southeast of Thorneford, hunting outlaws and monsters in an effort to make the wild lands there safe for settlers.

Dimrock also became friendly with a young acolyte named Alira, who had known Morningstar. She was deeply troubled that Morningstar’s remains had been left behind in the chambers beneath the tannery.

The borough reeve also sought out Dimrock. He expressed concern that a dungeon lay so close to the town and asked whether the adventurers intended to return and deal with it. The town could not offer much payment—only twenty-five crowns each—but the reeve promised that the paperwork required to establish a formal adventuring company would be drawn up free of charge if the group would undertake the task. Such registration is required for adventurers operating in the region. Dimrock told him he would see what could be done.

On this day a ship arrived in port, and several new adventurers disembarked. They soon found their way to the Map’s End Inn: a half-orc barbarian named Dorcus, a halfling scout named Jewel, and an elven warrior-mage known as Kratos. Dimrock sought them out there, and they agreed to enter the chambers beneath the tannery with him in exchange for an equal share of whatever was found. Dimrock also asked Alira if she wished to accompany them, and she agreed.

The party decided to locate the second entrance to the underground chambers. With the aid of Dimrock’s dwarven senses they eventually discovered it—a narrow crawlway that opened into a larger passage where they could stand upright.

Jewel scouted ahead of the group. As she crept along the corridor she caught the smell of smoke and roasting meat. Moving as quietly as possible, she discovered a group of orcs gathered in the entrance chamber, feasting on what appeared to be roasted elf. The party attacked and defeated them. Grim examination of the remains revealed that the orcs had been eating the body of Morningstar. Her head, however, was missing.

Passing through the refuse-filled chamber, the group killed a lone giant centipede. They then moved on to the pit trap passage, though they could not determine how the traps were triggered without risking a fall themselves. Continuing onward, they reached the room where the dungeon had first been entered. There, mounted upon a spike across from the original entrance, they found Morningstar’s head. Alira wept at the sight.

Pressing into unexplored territory, the party opened a door and encountered an ancient hobgoblin who called himself Grulnor. The creature appeared intelligent and surprisingly personable, showing no immediate inclination toward violence. Grulnor seemed to possess considerable knowledge of the dungeon’s inhabitants. He explained that many of the creatures now dwelling in the complex were recent arrivals, displaced by other monsters further south and west. He also revealed that two secret doors existed within the dungeon—one of which the party had already passed several times. In exchange for revealing their locations, he asked that the adventurers intercede on his behalf with the town authorities. The party left him for the time being.

Retracing their steps, they eventually discovered one of the secret doors. Inside they found a glowing golden chalice and the desiccated corpse of a cleric bearing a fine silver holy symbol.

Continuing their exploration, they briefly searched a chamber filled with old paintings and graffiti but found nothing of note. Soon afterward they entered another room where six glowing skulls were embedded in the walls. A group of orcs was attempting to pry them free. The adventurers launched a surprise attack, killing most of the orcs while one managed to flee. The party succeeded in removing two of the glowing skulls, though the others broke apart during the attempt. They also discovered a concealed panel in the north wall containing a small bag of coins.

The group then mapped much of the remaining complex. Eventually they returned to the chamber where, only a week earlier, the children had been rescued. Opening the door, they discovered the escaped orc speaking with several of his companions. The orcs demanded that the adventurers drop everything and leave.

Instead, the party attacked.

The fight went poorly at first. Several members of the group were injured and fell unconscious. At a crucial moment Dimrock managed to heal one of his companions, and the tide of the battle shifted. In the end the remaining two orcs surrendered.

Under questioning they revealed themselves to be members of the Bloodmaw Horde. They had little useful information to offer beyond the claim that they had taken treasure from nearby dog-like reptilian humanoids. This treasure consisted of two heavy bags of coins tied to a stout pole for carrying.

Deciding they had pushed their luck far enough for one expedition, the party chose to withdraw. They gathered the coin, recovered the remains of Morningstar, and made their way out of the dungeon to fight another day.

Session 1: Trouble at the Tannery.

1st day of the Thaw, 519 AE. (28-Feb-2026)

The first day of the Thaw marks the beginning of the adventuring season, and on this day five strangers found themselves drawn to the town of Thorneford, gathering at the Map’s End Inn. Their meeting, though coincidental, would quickly prove fateful.

Before long, a desperate man arrived, pleading for aid. He was the husband of the local tannery owner, and his children had gone missing from the cellar beneath their home. The strangers agreed to help, determined to locate the missing children.

In the tannery cellar, they discovered a hole broken through one of the walls. This opening led into a series of nearby subterranean chambers.

The party entered the first chamber, navigating a single crude trap. However, in a passage beyond, Morningstar fell victim to a hidden spiked pit trap. Pressing on, they passed through a chamber filled with refuse and foul slime before reaching another chamber with a second entrance and multiple exits. There they encountered a human fighter named Zana, who joined their company.

Further exploration brought them to what appeared to be an unoccupied bedroom. Behind a tapestry, they discovered a concealed entrance leading to a catacomb stacked with old bones. Exiting the catacomb, they found a passage in which a door stood on the north wall. Beyond it, they discovered the missing children imprisoned in a hanging cage, guarded by several small, dog-like reptilian humanoids speaking in an unknown language.

A fierce fight ensued. Jimothy fell unconscious from his injuries, but the party persevered. At the fight’s conclusion, the elf Lyra magically put everyone in the room to sleep. With the creatures subdued, the children were rescued. The adventurers dragged their unconscious companion from the chambers and took the tapestry with them, leaving the remainder of the passage unexplored.

The children were returned to their grateful parents, who offered their entire life savings as a reward. The party, however, accepted only a modest amount of coin.

Later, the adventurers attempted to sell the tapestry to a trader in town. Dissatisfied with the price, the halfling thief Gor’bmp and Zana attempted to rob the trader at weapon point. The trader’s screams brought the town guard. Gor’bmp slipped away into the streets, but Zana was captured and swiftly executed by hanging from the castle gate.

For several days afterward, the guards searched Thorneford for Gor’bmp, but the halfling was never seen again.