Sons of Palumbton - Season 1: sessions 12-22

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Session 12:  The Return of Many (30 Mafeeti 782 to 1 Kiusta

782)

• While everyone is arriving at Northut, all ships are forced to wait out of dock.  A plague has hit the city and no one is allowed to enter.

• After days of waiting, the impatient Daane decides to take Montaron the Master Healer to shore to help.  While rowing there, he is seen by the others on their ships.  They all gather on the beach and are met by <a href="../Player%20Characters/Solaris.htm">Solaris</a>, the Saint of Hemator.

• Solaris tells them of the plague.  Daane insists that they try to aid the people, over the objections of some of the others.

• Over the next two days, Solaris and Montaron work on a cure while the others do their best to help the children and stop looters.  They tell the mayor, whom Solaris had already met, about everything they discover.

• Solaris and Montaron come to the conclusion that ticks are spreading the disease, and that they think they can find a cure using sharks.  Unfortunately, the clerics of Lakius are the most powerful force in the city and they decide that they will flood the city to clear the sewers and vermin.  Daane, Koth, and Malchia convince them to wait one day before the flood.

• The mayor warns that when the city floods, Sahaugin and sharks will rush into the city.  Northut has long had problems with the creatures.  He asks Koth and company to help him defend the city and they agree.

• Right before the city is to flood, Montaron and Solaris make the cure, but they cannot convince the clerics to stop the flood.  The mayor, who has long prepared for these battles, has made the city ready.  Koth and others wait on the main road for the attack.

• The city floods, and with the help of many blessings, Koth and companions are not effected by the water.  When the Sahaugin and sharks come, a holy slaughter begins.  Even the leader of the Sahaugin retreats from a magical barrage of Malchia's doing.

• After the water recedes minutes later, the mayor praises the group and offers them anything mundane they need for the trip to Palumbton.

• Solaris and Montaron agree to stay in the city to continue to cure the sick.

 

Session 13:  A Demonic Attempt (1 Kiusta 782 to 13 Kiusta 782)

• After collecting all of the equipment they might need, Acyll suggests they first try to get a ship to sail to Palumbton.  The mayor looks into it, but the recent events have made passage a ship involved and time consuming.  The group leaves on horse and foot.

• After nearly a week on the road, the group reaches Habastalai.  In the city, they rest for a night.

• Korda talks to the local cleric of Tyrogatore, who tells him that the 'Bane' is the high cleric of Tyrogatore in the city.  The Vass cleric also tells him that he challenged the 'Bane' and lost.  The 'Bane' has ruled Palumbton for a few years now.

• Koth and Malek look for Ooma and Fitznwitz, friends that had met here years ago, but they are not in the city.

• The group leaves Habastalai.  One night as they are approaching Mount Fury, they are attacked by fiendish summoned creatures.  The attack is organized by a human spellcaster who Daane believes to be the one that attacked them years ago.  Although the group nearly dies to a man, they are able to defeat the horde of summoned creatures, which included a rare demon, and the spellcaster, who they managed to take alive.

 

Session 14:  To

and Fro (13 Kiusta 782 to 25 Kiusta

782)

• After much debate and some answered questions, the group decides to return to Habastalai to give the human to the clerics there.

• When they arrive in Habastalai, they learn that many of the <a href="../Prestige%20Classes/Grovetender.htm"> Grovetenders</a> from around Habololy are in the city to discuss a small demonic problem.  After they drop off the human, they tell there story and are thanked.  The next day, the clerics reveal to the group what they have learned from him.  Besides his name, they discover that he in the second in command of the Day Turned Dark, and that the leader is Allar, who Daane thought he had killed.

• After spending a day in the city, the group heads back towards Palumbton.

• After several days of travel, they arrive at the town of Hilltops, not far from Palaumbton.  Rhyssh sneaks into town while Malchia scouts around.  They are going to go into the town, but Rhyssh finds a kills the cleric of Sutyr in the town.  The group decides it would be better to go around.

• The next day, the come close to Mount Fury.  As Daane and Malchia fly to the lair of the Grovetender to talk to him, the others wait below.  A bored Rhyssh picks a fight with some Ettins.  While the fight is easily won by the group, it alerts the Flamemaster to their presence and he Flame Strikes Koth, announces he is waiting for them.

 

Session

15: 

Fiery Nemesis (25 Kiusta 782 to 28 Kiusta 782)

• The group fights its way up the mountain, harassed by fireballs and fire elementals.  They finally reach the cave of Morton the grovetender and Koth announces himself.

• Morton greets them and allows them to enter his grove, where they spend the night resting.  Morton tells them that his animals tell him that Montaron is on his way and will arrive in a day.

• For two days, during which Montaron arrives at the mountain, the group plans and scouts.  Rhyssh catches a messenger and discovers that the flamemaster has alerted the Bane in Palumbton.  He also sees several Ettins go into the cave of the flamemaster.  The group decides no more time can be spared, and they go towards one of the smaller caves.

• Fully prepared when they reach the sanctum of the flamemaster, the group charges in, only to be assaulted by prayers of Sutyr that could there mind and deceived by illusions.  They are set upon by Ettins, whom Koth dispatches quickly.

• The flamemaster and a massive elemental rise out of the volcanic pit at the center of the cave and attack the group.  fiery spells rain down over the group, and the surviving Ettins continue to fight.  Rhyssha and Daane are subdued by the power of the flamemaster's words, and Korda is killed by the largest Ettin.  Malek and Malchia manage to defeat the fire elementals, while Montaron and Acyll kill the large Ettin.  Koth battles the flamemaster, both opponents enlarged and enspelled.  In the end, Koth's hammer crushes the flamemaster chest, causes his head to nearly burst, and knocks him back into the pit.

 

Session

16: 

Two Towns of Freedom (28 Kiusta 782 to 30 Kiusta 782)

• The cave of the Flamemaster begins to fill with smoke and gas.  The group collects the remains and belongings of Korda, as well as the swords of the Ettin and flees.  They also rescue the one prisoner who was alive and shackled.

• They reach Morton's cave, where they spend the night resting.  Morton reincarnates Korda, who for his good deeds in helping Habastly is returned as a halfling.  The also talk to the prisoner, whose name is Ken.  He is from Hilltops and was an assistant to the dead cleric of Smofarf.  He was blamed for the death of the cleric of Sutyr in Hilltops, who has been brought back to life by the Flamemaster.  The group agrees that they will go to Hilltops and confront the lesser cleric of Sutyr.

• Montaron remains behind with Morton to investigate the still smoking mountain and collapse many of the caves leading to the temple of Sutyr.  Before they do, Malchia is able to protect himself and find two used scrolls in sealed cases and a bright red potion in the smoke filled temple.

• While that is happening, Rhyssh heads to Palubmton.  For nearly one full day, he watches and harasses the 'Bane'.  During that time he frees a dwarf from the stocks.  When he goes to sleep well hidden on a rooftop, he is finally discovered by Scain the Huntsman, who kills Rhyssh with one arrow before he can react.  The rest of the group is unaware of Rhyssh's fate.

• Malchia reaches Hilltops first and the guards fire bolts at he and Nefario.  Malchia retaliates with fireballs and lightning bolts which raze the shrine of Sutyr and set several other buildings ablaze.  The town goes into a panic and it takes the others the rest of the day, with Ken and the mayor's help to calm everyone down.  Daane is key to calming the people as he stands on the shrine of Smofarf for hours regaling the townsfolk.

• The mayor thanks the group, but very wary still, asks them to leave.  Korda goes to the shrine of Tyrogatore where he meets Gasol, an elderly cleric.  Gasol tells Korda, and later the group, all he knows about the 'Bane' and bids them defeat the man, who had defeated and killed Gasol's master, the former high cleric of Palumbton.

• The group returns to Morton's cave, where they again rest.

• The next morning, the head to North Palumbton with Montaron.  Rhyssh is still no where to be found.  When they reach the town, they are accosted by a young guard whom Koth scares away.

• In the town, they go to Koth's home, where they find his orcish father.  After a tearful reunion, they group is told that the 'Bane' had a vision of their return and took away both Koth's and Malek's families, except Koth's near immobile father.  He left a message that if the two were to every return, the families would pay a price.  They also learn that Barry tried to stop the 'Bane', and his eyes were removed as a punishment.

• As they talk, Malchia sees more guards approaching.  They all go to meet the guards, and the others have to hold back Koth from killing the guards.  As it is, they are quickly subdued and surrender.

 

Session

17:  

When the Direct Approach Fails (30 Kiusta 782 to 6 Leenot 782)

• Daane calms the townsfolk while the others interrogate the guards.  They meet up with Barry, who gives them more information.  Koth destroys the drowning post that had been built on the beach by the Bane.

• They decide to lock the guards up in their own cell and head immediately towards Palumbton, hoping to have surprise on their side.  On the road, Malchia spots a flock of birds.  He decides to give Nefario a bite to eat but is shocked when the birds swarm and attack.  Malchia changes shape so he can fly and sends Nefario away, but the flock pursues the bat.  The other are too far below to help.  Malchia lands as the others take cover and Nefario tries to fend off the flock.  Malchia is able to dispel the swarm, but is then killed by a single arrow from behind.

• The group rushes forward to find the killer.  They fall prey to and avoid several traps and reach the edge of Palumbton where a dozen arches are waiting behind the wall.  They charge the wall with spell and hammer, overwhelming the archers.  They then send word and begin to parley with the Bane.

• Korda goes alone to talk to the Bane and deliver his message from the high temple of Tyrogatore.  He is at first polite, but then smashes an icon of Dedestroyt in the temple and rushes away.  While returning to his friends, he finds Rhyssh's skin hanging from the gallows.

• After several hours, Montaron returns Malchia to life, but barely.  The group finally accepts a deal from the Bane.  They will leave Palumbton and the Bane will send Koth's sister with them.  The group agrees and returns to regroup at North Palumbton.

• The next day, Malchia and Koth go to speak with Morton.  They arrive to find five elves, who say they are from the Rosetree kingdom.  Morton tells Koth that he can no longer help, or the Bane has said that he will execute five hundred innocents in Palumbton.  Koth and the elves return to North Palumbton.  The elvan leader, Feslyn, tells the group what they know of the Bane and the area.  Feslyn communicates with his superiors in the kingdom to tell then what has happened.  The elves agree to send one other elf, known to Daane and Montaron, to aid them.  His name is Keldaan. 

• The group decides to go to the Temple of the Plains, a temple to Habastly and several of the goodly faiths of the Counsil.  Feslyn says that Keldaan will meet them there.  Koth and Malek collect the rest of their families to take with them.  Koth pays the guards of North Palumbton to do their job and not obey the Bane.

• The elves lead the group towards the temple for three days, at the end of which, they summon a hare to guide them the rest of the way and take their leave.  During that time, they discover that the Huntsman is tracking them, but he is to good to be stopped unless the group spends several days trapping him.  The morning after the elves leave, Acyll's eagles spots a large group of Ettins approaching, following a trail apparently lain by the Huntsman.

 

Session

18: 

Horde and Hammer (6 Leenot 782 to 10 Leenot 782)

• The group spots and moves towards a small copse of trees.  They plan to set up a line of defenses at the edge of the trees and send the wagons and family away through the trees' cover.  Montaron will go with them to protect them after he blesses the remaining group.  Malek summons dozens of creatures and the other prepare with their spells.

• When the Ettin are in range, Acyll and Daane launch bolts and arrows, while Malchia and Malek unless fire and ice.  The Ettins stop their advance and begin to break out boulders and javelins while partially encircling the trees.  Some Ettins, killed by the fireballs, are raised as flaming undead and charge the forest.  The leader of the Ettin dons a bronze suit of armor and unveils a banner of Sutyr that prevents fir from harming the remaining Ettin.

• The dozens of summoned creatures engage the undead Ettin and defeat them.  The remaining Ettin smash and burn the trees with boulders and flaming javelin.  Malek drives the flanking Ettin away with spells.  For many more minutes, the boulders fall, doing little damage to the well covered group.  They finally decide to sneak away through the back of the forest, leaving some of the summoned creatures as a decoy.  Within minutes, they discover the Ettin are breaking camp to give pursuit.  The group turns around and takes cover again in the forest.  Now the Ettin are closer to the trees, and the group and summoned creatures can attack without being bombarded.

• The summoned creatures charge out and the Ettin return the charge.  Only the lead Ettin and his two acolytes make it immediately to the forest and engage the group.  Acyll, Korda, Daane, and Koth charge in and after Acyll softens up the leader, Koth quickly dispatches him.  Daane and Korda defeat the acolytes and then the group charges into the mass melee of Ettin and summoned creatures.  A minute later, no Ettin are left standing.

• The group catches the wagons a day later and three days after that, they reach the Temple of the Plains.  Once there, they meet up with Keldaan who is waiting for them.  They meet most of the clerics of the Temple.  Heath, the Grovetender, and Malchia get off on the wrong foot and Malchia is barred from the Temple.  The others rest.

Session 19: 

Debate before the Storm (10 Leenot 782 to 30 Leenot 782)

• During the first week waiting for Junior, the group rests and learns about the land of Barnstenagor.

• Malchia search the land around the Temple for ruins and artifacts.  At the end of the week he discover a buried town and begins to excavate it.

• When Junior arrives at the end of a week, he is accompanied by a dwarf.  The dwarf introduces himself as Gremmor.  He says that he was freed from Palumbton by Rhyssh, who he has learned was a companion of theirs.  He says that he will help them however he can.  The group thanks him and discusses if they can trust him.  After some divining spells, they agree that he is trustworthy.  The dwarf goes on to tell them what he knows of Palumbton and the 'Bane'.

• On the day that Junior arrives, he dines with the group, including Malchia.  Junior tells them that he has been investigating Palumbton and has heard much of their story.  After much discussion, the group asks Junior if he can learn more about the 'Bane' and if he can set up a meeting with Scain under a flag of truce.  Junior agrees and heads out to do those things that night.

• The next day, two elves named Uriel and Mariel arrive.  Uriel is a Bladelord from the Guardian Temple.  He had come to the Rosetree Forest to investigate the death of a Guardian in the forest.  He discovered that several demons had been found and they had released a plague.  He then heard of Keldaan's task and decided to come and talk to the group, who he had figured out were the same ones that had killed a demon not so long ago north of the forest.  When Montaron tells Uriel that the group had encountered the disease too, and that he and Solaris had found a cure, Uriel is shocked and recommends they take that cure to the forest.  With it, they may be able to ask the king for more help in defeating the 'Bane'.

• The group decides to wait for junior's return before doing anything.

• Malchia continues to dig and finds a small town, but only one skeleton.  He discovers that the skeleton has a magical shield, a symbol of the dead deity Forsha.

• When Junior returns, he tells the group what he learned in Palumbton.  He also learned that a cultist of Hemator has arrived in North Palumbton and driven away the 'Bane's' guards.  The same ones that Koth had bribed to legitimately protect the town.  The group realizes that it must be Solaris, and they will go to speak with him.

• Shortly after the group gets to North Palumbton and tells Solaris what has happened, a bell sounds from the shrine of Lakius.  The look out cries out that barbarian raiders and sailing towards the town.

 

Session 20: 

(30 Leenot 782 to 7 Mafeeti 782)

• The group tells all of the townsfolk that are not able to flee towards the caves.  Barry and the Mayor lead them.  The able men and women begin to fortify the beach following Acyll and Korda's instruction.  Malchia heads to the lighthouse where he will wait to watch the ships come.

• The five barbarian ships wait two hours for the tide to come in and then start towards the beach.  When they are within range, they begin to fire bolts, arrows, and catapult.  Their barrage does little damage before Malchia unleashes a storm of fireballs.  Before the ships reach the beach, two have been destroyed and the crew is dead or swimming for their life.

• Three ships reach the beach.  One ship disembarks to be met by Solaris.  He is nearly untouchable for the barbarians, who can do nothing but go around.  Before they can cross the beach, Malek cuts them off with an ice wall, and Solaris commands they retreat, which they do.

• The second ship is met by Daane, Korda, and Malek summoned creatures and Montaron's spells.  The group fights hard, but they too are forced back to their ship.

• The third ship meets Koth, Keldaan, and Acyll.  Before the battle progresses too far, the leader of that group challenges Koth.  The others stop fighting and the two square off.  After calling Drunnbar down upon Koth, the fight begins.  It is qucik and deadly, with Koth's quick hammer winning the fight.  All of the barbarians retreat.

• After a day's rest, and after all of the town's folk return, Solaris heads to Palumbton to collect some information.  He meets with Gnickle, the owner of the No Farther Inn, and the dwarven cleric of Drunnbar who is under house arrest.  After several days of discussion and divination, they agree on a plan.  The cleric will meld through the stone and capture Koth and Malek's families so that they are free to confront the Bane.  They plan to confront him while he is administering punishment at the gallows.

• Two days later, the group heads towards Palumbton on summoned Hippogriffs.  Their plan begins well, as the bane and his crew are not fully prepared at the gallows.  But before the group can descend, the Bane get lost in the large crowd and heads off hidden among his warriors.  Solaris search magically, but cannot find him before he unveils himself in the Stadium.  There, the Bane calls down the group to fight.  He is accompanied by his bodyguard Mangore, the Graplore champion Jake, and an inquisitor that has been tracking Solaris.

 

Session 21: 

(7 Mafeeti 782)

• The group descends into the stadium on their Hippogriffs.  Malchia remains in the air and unleashes Lightning, Fire, and Magic Missiles.

• While all of the others land, Malek lands far from the combat so that he can summon and conjure throughout the fight.

• Scain reveals himself when he nearly kills the invisible Malek, who then has to fend off Scain's animals before helping his friends.  Scain and Malchia spend the fight arrow and spell.

• Koth faces off with the Bane, but is unable to hurt him.  Korda is pinned by the Bane's monks.  Daane and Montaron are also pinned.  Acyll is forced to fight the Inquisitor.  Solaris and Jake square off.

• After realizing he cannot hurt the Bane, Koth knocks Mangore out of the fight.  Daane, Montaron, and Korda eventually are freed or free themselves.  Daane holds the Inquisitor at bay after the Bane knocks out Acyll.  Jake, who at first parleyed with Solaris and stayed mostly out of the fight, becomes frustrated and knocks out Montaron.

• The Bane and Koth fight endlessly.  Korda jumps into the fight and begins to break the enlarges Bane's belt and the others follow suit.  Before they can break it, the Bane knocks out Koth and Korda retreats to help Daane.

• Malek's summoned animals begin to arrive.  Pinning Scain and holding off reinforcements.  Korda knocks out the Inquisitor.  Solaris revives Koth, who picks up a sword and fells the Bane.

• Solaris offers a truce to Jake, who accepts it.  But, as soon as the summoned creatures back away from Scain, Malchia unleashes a barrage of magic missiles on him.  Jake yells treachery, and the fight begins anew with the group all severely winded and wounded; Montaron dead or dying on the ground; but only Jake, a dozen lesser monks, and the Scain's apprentice Ward left facing them.

 

Session 22: 

(7 Mafeeti 782 to 21 Mafeeti 782)

• Ward quickly heals Scain, who promptly escapes the hovering Griffons and ducks into the bowls of the stadium.  Ward does not escape the Griffons, and is held for the rest of the battle.

• Malek summons a Gargantuan Centepede to stop Jake.  The creature stops him long enough to allow Solaris, Acyll, Daane, and Koth to heal.  Jake then quickly knocks Koth back out.

• Korda faces off against some off the Bane's men that had arrived and fought their way through some of Malek's summoned creatures.  He easily defeats all that approach him.  Then he and Daane see the Inquisitor and a new shadowy human.   They begin to parley with them, trying to convince the Inquisitor that his fight is lost and that he should leave.

• Malchia descends to the arena to allow Nefario to make sure the Bane is dead.  Nefario begins to devour the Bane when Scain attacks.  Malchia responds with a fireball and Scain is not seen again.

• More of the Bane's men arrive, but they are met by Malek's creatures and spells.

• Solaris is finally able to convince Jake to end the fight.  Jake agrees, but attacks Malchia first, forcing him to flee the arena.

• The Inquisitor and his assistant leave peacefully.  The Bane's remaining men flee.  Ward agrees to go with the group.

• Jake retrieves Mangore's still living body as well as the Bane's holy belt.

• The Duke then arrives with dozens of soldiers.  After getting an explanation, he tells the group to collect what they need and leave the city.

• Koth goes to the cleric of Drunnbar and retrieves his and Malek's families.

• Acyll goes to the Dead Elf Inn and retrieves the body of the elf from above the bar.

• Korda goes with Jake to clear out the temple of Tyrogatore.  He remains in Palumbton while the others head to North Palumbton.

• Two days later, Solaris leaves for the elven forest with the elf corpse from the inn.

• The day after, the old guards arrive in North Palumbton.  Koth dismisses them, and informs the Duke that North Palumbton will no longer pay a 'tax' for their protection.

• Korda summons the elderly cleric from hilltops to run the temple.

• Two weeks after the fight with the Bane, Daane, Acyll, Keldaan, Montaron, and Malchia bid farewell to the others and head for Northut and eventually Port Springs.

Continue to Sons of Palumbton - Season 3: sessions 23-27