LEGACY the Path of Heroes - Session 023

TEMPLE OF ELEMENTAL EVIL
SESSION 023 - The Cabin in the Woods

FREEDAY, 07 FIRESEEK (MID WINTER) 579CY
The wet wood sputtered and crackled as it started to burn. The moisture in the wood caused thick grey tendrils of smoke to drift up into the darkness of the chimney. The half-orc pulled his thick cloak around his shoulders, before kneeling before the fire to warm his large hands. The cabin was getting colder with the approach of evening; and the half orc felt a rumble in his stomach with the approach of supper.

The companions had spent better part of the day clearing the cabin and the barn of the dead bodies of the earlier battle. Jurgen had spent most of his morning gathering the silky strands from the giant spiders and placed it in some large sacks he had found in the old barn.
 

Seta watched as the young barbarian gathered up with spidery webs, shaking her head as she start burn the remaining strands of web from the cabin’s walls and rafters, this seemed to spur the barbarian to work faster in gathering the silky strands much to his frustration and to her delight.

Duerin and Markus had spent the afternoon finding a place to bury the bodies. They eventually found a place some way off from the back of the barn that was nicely secluded deeper in the forest. Duerin began the rites of passage as soon as Markus dropped the last body into the shallow grave they had just freshly dug. The Cuthbertine priest had felt it necessary to give these men a proper burial, so that they could find peace and be guided by the hand of St. Cuthbert in the afterlife.
 

That evening the friends gathered in the large cottage and raised a toast to their friend Duerin, as the dwarf and the girl would take their leave in the morning. Duerin assured the young barbarian that he would get the girl to her family in Verbobonc after they had rested in Hommlet and he had a chance to speak to Brother Terjon

The friends never forgot where they were, even though they spent the night in merriment and toasts to their friend, so too did they too keep a vigil eye.
 
Seta had placed her sword within easy reach from where she was seated should the need arise. Her telepathic bond with her weapon had kept her ever aware of any approaching danger.

Soon the friends turned in for the night, not wanting to overindulge in the night’s festivities as morning would bring new challenges. Each of the companions  took their turn to stand guard in case of danger until morning.

As luck would have it the companions evening past uneventfully.

Duerin prepared a nice warm porridge for breakfast and not long after they had eaten then dwarf and the young girl said their goodbyes. They climbed up on their horses and turned to leave.

The companions watched as the dwarf and the girl trotted down the path into the forest before losing sight of them. Markus patted Erehwon on his shoulder as they turned and headed back into the cabin.

The weather soon took a turn for the worst and the friends found themselves snowed in with little to do. Markus and Jurgen had managed to secure the remaining horses in the barn before the weather had turned really bad. Jurgen settled down close by the fire and continued to work on his piece of scrimshaw while chewing on a piece of dried meat.

Markus and Erehwon meanwhile had taken a bet to see who could find a hidden compartment in the cabin. They searched the cabin high and low for the lack of anything better to do, each intending to outdo the other. They moved the barrels and the bolts of cloth around that they had found earlier. Jurgen reminded them that some of the goods belong to the surviving merchant’s daughter that had left with Duerin. Jurgen had been employed to protect the daughter and the merchant's goods, but had failed to do so. He had promised the dying merchant that he would get his girl and goods home safely.

It wasn’t long after when the half-orc let out a cry of joy as he found a trap door hidden under a rug under a table in the corner of the cabin. Markus reached into his pocket begrudgingly and pulled out gold coin. He flicked it over to the half-orc, “Next time you won’t be so lucky!” said Markus as he made his way over to the half-orc.

Erehwon caught the coin with grin, before reaching down and pulling open the trapdoor. The door creaked open to reveal a small dark opening with a narrow flight of stone steps leading off into the darkness.

Climbing down the steps Erehwon and Markus found themselves in a small dry cellar. Markus’s torch flared to life. The cellar was packed with  large barrels. The barrels were marked with writing indicating that’s some were wine from Celen, others brandy from Keoland and at least one or two marked with dwarven symbols. Bolts of cloth of different patterns and colours were packed in a corner, some as far Wooly Bay other as far as from across the Nyr Dyv. Amongst the barrels and bolts of cloth were also portraits, chests and crates of different sizes. Looking through the stuff they found an assortments of clothes, letters, coins, jewellery and other personal items.

So the friends spent the rest of the afternoon searching through the items for information or anything of use or value.

Seta sat leaning her chair back against the wall watching the half-orc and Markus picking through the items that they had discovered in the cellar. She could just see out of the window that was next to her, the way she was seated. Resting her head against the wall she looked through the narrow gap and could see that the storm had started to let up. Settling back into the chair she closed her eyes and started to dose off….

“SETA! SETA!” called the sword. The young woman jumped from her chair as the words tore her from her slumber.

Peering through the narrow slit Seta could just make out a band of people entering the clearing that lead up to the cabin. The group in the lead seemed to be bound and were being spurred on by what looked to be men with spears. One of the men in the front called the group to stop, as they approached the clearing. The man turned to talk to a tall figure that had stepped up alongside him as did two men with bows drawn and arrows nocked.

The tall figure stepped forward, its thick cloak obscuring its features as it seemed to be focused on the cabin before it.

LEGACY the Path of Heroes - Session 022

TEMPLE OF ELEMENTAL EVIL
SESSION 022 - The Betrayal

 

WATERDAY, 05 FIRESEEK (MID WINTER) 579CY
Seta sat in the corner of the tower on a rickety chair and watched the companions as they settled in for the evening. “What had mother got her into this time …” she thought as she chewed on a bit of dry trail rations.

Looking across the room the saw the dead druid’s body lying on the far table covered with the black cloth that the half-orc had torn from the fortified window. The half-orc had started to gathered the druid’s belongings and was stuffing them into a large pack he found lying nearby.

Seta sensed someone was watching her, looking up she caught the one called Markus watching her. When her eyes met his he quickly looked down and continued cleaning his large axe. She continued to watch him as he went about cleaning his weapon, she could see that she was unsettling him. Every now again he would stop to take a swig from the bottle of Keolandish brandy he had found sitting next to him.

Seta’s attention soon switched to the dwarf who was busy over at the hearth making some sort of meal, she guessed. The kitchen wasn’t her place; she got by with what she had in her backpack and with what coinage was in her pocket. She never found the need to learn a lesser skill liking cooking.

After watching Duerin for a bit she found her thoughts drifting to that of her father, as she flicked the dagger from one hand to the other. She looked at the old blade that rested on the chair in the centre of the room with the rest of her belongings. “Keep your left knee facing your opponent Seta, feel your blade in your hand let it become an extension of you,” instructed her father. “Let your opponent strike first, use his momentum against him, let his anger get the better of him, he will soon tire.” She heard her father say as they went about their lessons. Seta’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted with a loud crash as a clay jar exploded above Markus’s head.

“Y-y-o-o-u and that dumb oaf, Erehwon almost killed me in that room!” screamed Siam. “What were you thinking when you closed the door and trapped me in the room with that poisonous gas? Did you even stop to think what you were doing other than to save your own miserable arse? I have a good mind to run you through,” cursed the young rogue as she grabbed Markus.

“Come on Siam, it wasn’t that bad. I knew you would be alright,” grinned Markus. “It all worked out in the end,” he said as he slapped her hands away.

“This is not over!” Spat Siam, glaring at both Markus and the half-orc. “Far from over …” She said as she walked across the room and settled down in the corner.

Duerin tried his best to change the sober mood by of the group, but not even his cheery disposition or his warm meal helped.

After the meal the companions settled in for the evening and soon they were a sleep. Markus weary of what Siam said and might do to him, kept a close watch on the rogue, but soon the warmth of the room and lack of sleep overcome the young ranger.

“Seta … Seta … The human female is gone,” called the sword. Seta felt the urgent call of her sword in her head, her eyes opened to a quiet, dimly lit room. Seta made her way across the room to retrieve her sword.

“One moment she was there, then the next she wasn’t. I could just sense her footfalls as she crossed the room, before she slipped into the far chamber. She remained in the chamber for some time before I could no longer sense her, it was as if she just vanished. ” said the sword.

Crossing the room to the chamber Seta tried to open the door, but found that the door was jammed. “Markus, Erehwon, get up! The bitch has run away,” shouted Seta.

Jurgen followed the group of men through the dense brush to a small clearing with large cottage and a barn. He could make out the sounds of horse from within the barn, as he watched the men enter the cottage.

The barbarian realised that he better get comfortable and brace himself for a long cold night. He dare not make a fire, but at least he had his thick fur cloak to keep him warm. Jurgen found a suitable tree that over looked the cottage and gave him enough cover and protection to settled down in. Using his rope the barbarian secured himself to the tree in case he should fall during the night. Sitting on the branched he checked that the looped he had made would provide him with a quick escape if the need should arise.