In this session our heroes discover that Chorl did not die in Cortez’ volcano blast. Instead he’s captured other Lorebook Hunters and is also turning people into monstrous combinations of human and animal. Prior to Chorl’s dark arts centaurs, minotaurs, satyrs,  aarakocra, and various werebeasts did not exist. Now they do, and they will plague the Western Wildes. They are accompanied by owlbears, cockatrices, perytons, and who knows what else wanders the world now.

Session Notes:
This took place over two sessions.
Doceo, Mansaray, Saffron, and Samul are the participants.
Most of the remaining characters remain at the Island Inn, or as Samul calls it “His Palace.”
Shonie is still retired and in Telse.
Brazz, Els and Kuda are rescued from the evils of Chorl.

While guarding the west bridge after a couple days of peace with the gobkon Samul notices a huge goliath walking calmly towards the island. He recognizes Mansaray from their time in and around the Glass Tower. Mansaray was presumed lost when Cortez set off a volcano to destroy Chorl‘s attack from his camp of Nak.

After a few words the escapee from Azsel asks to see his falcon, who has shadowed Aamar. Mansaray explains that he’s been to the Cliffs of Gallinor and back to the Glass Tower. In both locations dragons fly, ridden by fey creatures of myth. Saffron gasps in fear. When he headed north to avoid the fiery breath and piercing eyes he discovered that Chorl still lives. The wizard controls fierce army, and holds three Lorebook Hunters captive, under torture. They are likely the group that Mayor Kellamon sent north when he hired The Five.

Doceo, Samul and Saffron volunteer to join him in rescuing these souls from Chorl’s grasp.

If the group is successful all PCs but Shonie will be united at Sheljar. If they fail, there will be new characters created.

Bridge to Chorl’s Camp

Leaving Sheljar’s formerly rich neighborhood the group heads out over a narrow stone bridge from the height of the far northwest island to the mainland. Crossing this bridge they are set upon by several cockatrices and an odd minotaur-like creature with horns coming from its knees. Saffron casts stink cloud and Doceo blasts a fireball. Combined those do quick work of the petrifying bird-lizard creatures. Mansaray and Samul finish off the deyong quickly.

After a few more miles they are in the forest edge near Chorl’s camp. A mix of giant eagles and aarocrocka attack. It takes a bit for the missile weapons and spells to prevent those allies of Chorl from warning the camp, but they are finished quickly. A magic user that rode one of the eagles causes a bit of trouble, but not much.

The group is slightly weakened, and their goal is nearby.

Raiding Camp

The heroes see an access point to the camp along the ridge to the north. Mansaray knows that it rapidly descends to the sea, and there may be an escape route along the shore of Gilkey Bay back into the bog-city of Sheljar. There is one tent between them and a forge-cottage.

Saffron, the normally non-violent bard, sneaks into a tent along the northern ridge. Inside is a a sleeping bear-man. She stabs it through the heart. Thankfully the group fits in the tent. They see they can into the forge and hide, looking for a better opportunity to attack or to sneak into camp, rescue the prisoners and flee.

Forge of Lies

 

Again the bard has to lead the way. She’s small enough to crawl through a window. Daylight is still an hour or two away.

Mansaray and Samul come in the door while the rat-man is dealing with Doceo and Saffron. The giant rat and wererat are dead, quietly and quickly.

But, Chorl, in his shimmering green-gold robe, heads to the camp’s main fire. He asks a minotaur named Dustin to check on Yacoob at the forge. A new supply of arms is necessary for the war.

Doceo sends his dogs out to distract the minotaur. The rest come up with a plan. Mansaray and Doceo will create a distraction by burning down the main building. Saffron, Samul and Boo will rescue the captives. Then they will all run.

Saffron keeps watch on the fire-pit where Chorl is speechifying to most of the followers he has present.

Chorl’s speech

Saffron overhears Chorl tell his gathered fiends the following.

Rohan’s Book of the Dead has disappeared. Cortez’ Tome of Enlightenment is still within Sheljar. We must capture both in order to take the Glass Tower from the Proctors of Grace. Our forces in Crinth will return. The River Tribes fell to Azsel and Briarwall will likely be next. Azsel control the entire north. We of Ritual and Blood must Awaken the Everflow or Kin will fall to slavery and ignorance.

He mentions a few other Scholars that have ignored his appeal, instead trusting in Cortez and the Scholars’ Oath of Kinship- the Comedienne, the Composer. He awaits word from the Aegis Guard, Cannon of Qin and Eldritch Knight. The Trickster refuse to join him as he focuses on profit.

Menagerie Barn

Just outside the barn is a man and horse. The man is wearing the tunic of a Shield of Kirtin. Both man and horse have suffered. Samul and Boo free them from their bonds, telling them to hide behind the barn. Saffron hides behind the corner. Inside the barn they see a centaur, a panther with human, a minotaur, an aarocrocka, another aarocrocka, a goliath with a chicken and a werebear. They are guarded by an aarocrocka and a centaur.

Saffron, Samul and Boo take out the guards.

At the same time Doceo and Mansaray set fire to the main house. At one point Mansaray tackles Chorl and throws him in the fire. Doceo pelts him with sling bullets. Eventually Saffron casts dissonant whispers, which forces Chorl to flee north and east, towards the large statue in Sheljar Bay.

Samul, Mansaray, Doceo finish off Dustin, the blond minotaur, when he returns as the rest of Chorl’s creatures flee. A werebear that Boo released is angry, but is also scared away as Boo hides in the safety of the forge-cottage. The other occupants of the barn are left tied up after the werebear shows that not all are friendly.

Boo and Saffron also released Brazz, his chicken and Els and her panther. They hid with Kuda and only rejoined the rest when it was clearly safe. They have horror stories to tell

Searching the Forge

After the various centaur-like creatures fled south and the bird-like peoples flew out northwest the group is alone in the camp, with maybe an hour before a metals delivery is to come. That delivery is from a mine to the north and west.

They search the forge finding a letter in Crinthian, the chest for a suit of plate armor, a few blades, javelins and arrows. There’s a smattering of gold and silver about the area as well.

All seven and their companions return to Sheljar. They have news of the extent of the Scholars influence and control throughout the Kin and the Land of the Everflow.