User blog:MMetzner/Session 13 - Lizardbeasts


 * After the deaths of Landon Mutt, his personal guard Trukkum, and several of Sailor's Wyk guards, the Guardians continued looting the Governor's Mansion. Ronan and Kyanna searched the kitchen and guards rooms on the ground floor, finding Landon's fine ale. Gauner and Farrus searched Landon's library, looking for any other volumes by Vasco Magelos. Not finding anything by the famed explorer, Farrus gathered two further volumes of the 'Tales of the Thousand Islands' series.
 * While investigating the second floor landing, Gauner uncovered a loose panel on the wall opposite the room that contained the Scholar Statue where the Guardians were subjected to poisoned gas previously. Testing the switch, they found that it triggered the gas from the grating. After searching the room further, and taking fine inks and writing paper from Landon's collection, Gauner uncovered a second loose panel, identical to the one in the hallway. Taking cover, Ronan cast Mage Hand to flip the switch. When poison gas again started to seep through the grating, they flipped the switch back off.
 * After the investigations, discussion switched to what to do about the governance of Sailor's Wyk. The group were eager to control the narrative about the circumstances that culminated in Landon's death, rather than fleeing and turning public perception against them.
 * Gauner remembered from his conversations with the guards on the gate that the next shift turnover would happen at 10pm, before Kyanna instinctively added that it was currently 9:40. The group decided to wait for the guards to arrive, and spent the time bringing Landon's body down to the ground floor and laying it on a table in front of the main door. When the guards arrived, Maiya took the lead, questioning why the guards would be loyal to Valon Mutt, and that until recently they would have been loyal to Hogstone.
 * The guards spoke amongst themselves for a few moments, before one asked another "What about H'alla's daughter?". The other responded that H'aeva was in exile. The group learned that H'alla was the previous Governor of Sailor's Wyk, and had been murdered when the Mutt Clan took the island a year ago. Nobody in the group knew where H'aeva might be, but that she was well liked, and her father was seen to have been a good man. The guards agreed that they would not stop the Guardians from leaving, but that there were still many people on the island loyal to Landon Mutt, so they should leave quickly.
 * The group emerged back into Trader's Square, into a crisp autumn evening filled with the smells of roasting meat and the sounds of laughter and music. Trying to look casual, the group were making their way back to the Proud Pelt, docked on the east side of the island in one of the lesser used docking areas when they came across a body, stripped of clothing and dumped unceremoniously in a bush. Gauner immediately recognised the man as one of the Sailor's Wyk guards he had antagonised only hours earlier, and quickly the Guardians all came to the same realisation that this must have been how Jean-Jacques acquired the guards uniform and managed to escort Grace to the mansion.
 * Megalos Ergo 2.jpg group arrived back at the Proud Pelt just before midnight, and began the voyage back to Hogstone. Farrus spent the time reading the second volume of 'Tales of the Thousand Islands'. During the voyage, Kyanna felt a warm glow emanating from her pack. Taking out her scroll she wrote "Liberated the island of Sailor's Wyk from Landon Mutt' onto her Megalos Ergo. As she wrote, one by one the letters glowed a bright gold, and remained on the page.
 * Suddenly, Maiya was overcome with a painful headache but managed to regain her composure as a vision came to her. She saw a winged woman kneeling at a giant oak with stars shining brightly above. The stars disappeared and the sun came up behind her, showering her in an aura of light. As she came to, she was suddenly struck with another auditory hallucination. The voice booming "“You grow stronger again! Devote yourself to me and I can make you even more powerful. Make a cut on your hand with your greatsword and plunge the sword into soft ground, kneel at the sword and whisper my name….Morrigen”.
 * The Guardians reached the shores of Hogstone at 1:45am, with the group visibly tired after an exhausting day. As they approached they could see a campfire burning, with 8 figures and a wolf visible by the firelight. As the Guardians approached, a nervous looking halfling man stood up, delivering what appeared to be a well-rehearsed speech. He introduced himself as Markas, a brewer from Timberhill in Brightwater Bay. He also introduced his brothers Conway and Davarin, three women named Herma, Khadae and Pervara who were tailors and jewellery makers, and Big Tim, a tree of a man whom Markas introduced as a mason. The halfling went on to explain that Timberhill was now under the thumb of the Jarl Hosteen, who had made a deal with the Mutt Clan for protection. Hosteen had Mutt Clan ships controlling Brightwater Bay and they escaped under cover of night. The group asked for refuge on the island, saying that they had everything they needed to make camp for the time being, a request that the group, seeing the opportunity of continued growth and the prospect of a stonemason on the island, readily agreed to. With that, the Guardians took to their tower for a restful nights sleep.

Day 16 - October 1st, 420

 * The Guardians woke to the sound of horns. Looking out of the tower windows they could see people running from the Sleeping Stag towards the walls of the Keep. Gauner managed to see three new ships out by the docks, of around the same size as the Proud Pelt.
 * Outside the walls, a raiding party sounded horns, as one prepared a catapult. From behind an iron cage Gordyn Greyship and a flagbearer strode forward, and shouting so that the Guardians could hear, demanded that the five of them come out and face his army alone, adding that if they did not, they would burn every farm, every tree, and every building on Hogstone.
 * It didn't take the Guardians long to realise they had no choice but to fight the oncoming army. However the wily rogue Gauner immediately thought to have someone replace him when the five exited the castle, while he could sneak out using Kyanna's invisibility spell and dismantle the catapult. Farrus approached Alyn, to fill the spot replacing Gauner. Alyn was reluctant, having seen the army facing them and realising that his power was nowhere near that of the Guardians. However, hearing the conversation, Thom stood forward, declaring that he would fight with them. He mentioned concern that Hardin, the archer who had been on watch during the last shift, had not checked in.
 * As the Guardians exited the castle and began to approach Gordyn Greyship, his army began to encircle them. Meanwhile Gauner began sneaking toward the catapult. Gordyn Greyship spotted the group staring at the cage, and arrogantly taunted them. Pulling a large cloth material from the top of the cage, the Guardians saw two lizardbeasts, scarred and decayed with piercing red eyes staring back at them. A high-pitched wail came from the cage as they screamed anger at the Guardians. Greyship after the group what they thought, and that there hadn't been beasts like this on the island for 300 years.




 * Not waiting around for another word, Maiya initiated combat.


 * Gauner, having already reached the catapult, started work on dismantling the mechanism. He nimble hands unscrewed the pully and immediately the taut ropes became slack and the crank fell to the floor.
 * Realising the creatures were clearly of the undead, Farrus drew his Holy Arrow, aiming at one of the lizardbeasts Farrus on this rare occasion misfired, the arrow sailing far away from the creature. Immediately the creature pounced at Kyanna, knocking her to the ground before biting viciously at her neck.
 * Captain Ronan stepped back from the fray, pointing a hand at Gordyn Greyship she called out "SURRENDER".
 * Unfurling her wings, Maiya grabbed hold of Thom, lifting him out of harms way and placing him on top of the lizardbeasts cage before dropping on top of one of the beasts.
 * Gordyn Greyship, under the command spell of Ronan, threw down his greataxe, raised his hands and shouted "We're not match for you, I surrender", turning to run from the battlefield. His men appeared confused and demoralised at this. Maiya, seeing him running away, swooped over the field to get to him, attacking him with a flurry of hacks and slashes, and killing him instantly.
 * Meanwhile, the sheer number of the Greyship army began to overwhelm the Guardians, Thom was knocked unconscious, and Farrus was mauled by one of the lizardbeast hunters.
 * Finding herself surrounded by three raiders, Ronan cast Thunder Step, transporting herself from her position to the top of the lizardbeast cage and leaving behind a field of electric charge which killed two of the three.
 * Farrus placed a Brand of Castigation on one of the Lizardbeast Hunters, causing it psychic damage each time it attacked an ally nearby. Almost immediately one of the beasts fell foul of this curse, causing its brain to sizzle and killing it instantly. One of the raiders retaliated, hitting Farrus on the back of his head and knocking him out cold.
 * Maiya saw Farrus fall from across the battlefield, and flew over to pour a potion into his mouth. Farrus regained his footing, firing a couple more bolts before he again was overwhelmed by raiders and knocked down for a third time.
 * Gauner's back and forth battle with the raider who was operating the catapult finally came to an end courtesy of one of Gauner's daggers, as the raiders numbers started to thin.
 * Suddenly, the undead lizardbeast saw the unprotected and undefended Thom. Running at top speed and pouncing on him, before ripping and clawing at him until he lost consciousness before ripping a chunk out of his neck, killing him instantly. With the beast distracted, Gauner made his way to Farrus, pouring a potion into his mouth and bringing him back to consciousness again.
 * Seeking swift and immediate revenge for the fallen archer, Maiya thrusted at the undead beast with her greatsword. The beast let out a defiant roar, that turned into a whimper, before it collapsed to the ground.
 * Gauner knocked the only remaining raider, the flagbearer, to the ground, using Thaumaturgy to magnify a deep booming voice telling him to "STAY DOWN". The flagbearer complied with this, and the battle was done.

The Aftermath

 * As the group gathered around the fallen Thom, a feeling of disbelief washed over them. Gauner broke the sombre tone by suggesting wheeling the catapult inside the city walls and trying to repair it, and to take the undead creatures to the Hall of Beasts. Farrus took Thom's body inside.
 * Maiya began questioning the flag bearer, asking what instructions the men remaining on the Greyship fleet were given. The boy told her that the men were there just to guard the ships and that they posed no immediate anger.
 * Kyanna suggested making her and Ronan invisible and heading to the docks. Ronan left Algie with Gauner while Maiya placed the flagbearer inside the cage previously used for keeping the lizardbeast hunters.
 * Ronan and Kyanna searched the island looking for anyone who may have not made it inside the walls, luckily it appeared as if everyone was safe. Scouting at the docks, they noticed 2 remaining Greyship vessels, both around the same size and specification as the Proud Pelt, and both with 3 sailors on board.
 * Inga, Steffon and Goreg opened the city gates, relieved at the victory. "Home safe now?" asked Goreg. "Home safe now" replied Gauner.