Author: EtinerraDM

1st Entry – I will attempt here to record details of my travels, in the hopes that will be of some use to whoever may find this. If recent events are any indication, the party that I’ve aligned myself with will continue to uncover evidence of supernatural evil and Chaos, and if I and the others should meet an untimely end the knowledge may be valuable to anyone after that may also be trying to rid the world of these evils and make it a better place. My only request is that the finder of this eventually return it to the monastery of my Order, the Brotherhood of the Night.

Morning came with a bit of surprise today for Obroam and me, the sight of the rest of our travelling companions shuffling over to greet us, obviously hungover, bruised and battered, and naked as the day they were born.

After taking a moment to recover from this vision (we may never truly recover), we sprung into action, first securing whatever clothes we could get our hands on (Obroam and I chipped in some gold to help but mostly what we found was ill-fitting). Mort offered to go on au naturel, insisting that his own fur was enough of a covering, but I think it’s for the best that he wound up back in actual clothing.

It turns out our companions had left the inn the night before looking for more advanced revelry after our recent victories (I was celebrating in the manner of my Order, with a good bottle of wine). They had wound up at a rough local establishment which we returned to and learned some disturbing news from a poor fellow with very few teeth left in his head… that they had been attacked and robbed from a group that had splintered off from the Woodstalkers but had also kept that name. And through more digging we learned that they may have gone to make base in some very old, dangerous ruins in the area. If only that were the only disturbing news that we were to discover this day!

While checking in at the church on the poor prisoner we had freed from imprisonment & torture, Hazam (whom we also learned was a friend of the local loremaster, Blind Pete), Mila confided in us that she’d seen the head priest Adran acting suspiciously. Inspecting his room, we discovered a box under his bed that was emanating intense warning feelings towards Obroam’s senses as a paladin. I determined that it was trapped with a poison needle, so we wound up taking Mort’s suggestion of opening it with blunt objects rather than toying with the lock.

Inside was an unholy symbol that could only be used in the worship of an evil deity of Chaos.

And so, we now have a new priority: we must hunt down Adran and confront him over this. We were able to convince the local authorities of the need, and the plan is for Obroam and I to go and visit Blind Pete to learn what more we can of this object, while the others complete a mission of their own, and then we give chase to what appears to be a priest that has fallen to the sway of evil. May the Night look kindly upon us!

With the enemy on the back heel, we pushed on, attempting to smash through the door. Not an easy endeavor as it was quite study and things were being piled against it.. Before we could breach the door however, the two leaders appeared upon the balcony, wearing plate and bearing unnatural weapons. The robed figured used a smoking implement to summon the thing we feared most in this campaign, the wraith. Saying a prayer to Tangadorin, I left the door to my fellows and went to interpose myself between the unholy abomination and my friends.

As the party worked the door, and unwholesome aura and wailing grew closer until i saw it. Like a thing dredged up from nightmares, part skeletal and part unnatural blackish green energy, a ghostly vestige of a damned soul.  Margo and I readied flasks of holy water and tossed them upon the creature as it approached. This did little to detour it as it reached out with is hand in an attempt to violate me with its touch. But Tangadorin Protects!!! His holy all seeing light shined before me and staved off the creatures boney claws.  Quickly following this Egill was able to turn the undead monstrosity, sending it back to the building it oozed from. 

Turning my attention back to the main building, a skirmish was taking place at the entrance between the last defenders of the dark ones and my team mates. Short work was made of these two and the final push was upon us as the leaders of this group of villains came down the stairs. Unbeknownst to me, Pickles had detained them up stairs for several minutes by jamming a door, buying us the time we needed to turn the dead and defeat the defenders.

With nothing left but them, we advanced to finish this terrible mess. Blows were traded back and forth, their plate armor making it quite difficult to land a decisive blow and even allowing their head priest to push past us and out the door. The necromancer used his magics to puppeteer our priest Egill, having him move in the way of our attacks and defend him, but it was for not as my blade stuck as true as Tangadorins light pierces all darkness, laying him low.

Now we give chase to the last member of this dark coven, he shall not escape justice!

After regrouping, our company advanced upon the den of the Dark Ones with caution. Not knowing if they had more ambushers lying in wait. The abomination that was once Houden shambled to meet us, speaking in a hollow and unwholesome voice, asking us to join them and that we would only perish if we fought. I had his men give it a volley in response. The undead retreated into the building from our fire. With no other deterrent, we set up for the conflict.

We had the charmed orc commander open the doors, and then the fight was on. We gave the forces inside a volley before their clerics told them to advance, what followed was a bloody affair.  A hoard of goblins and a pair of orcs along with Houden, all undead, fell upon us. Blade cut, spears stabbed, blood and ichor ran freely, and people died. Though they knew the risks and their desire to to right by their friend, Houden’s men fell on by one. First Mitch, then Duncan, Larry, and Stew. Each brought down by the foul creatures and their relentless onslaught. Mal, though wounded is still alive and I will do my best to keep him that way, it will already be a sorrowful task to dig five graves tonight. Two of the Dark Ones were also slain in this melee, one being distracted by our Illusionist’s spell, rendering him ineffective for the fight. The Last of their ilk retreated inside and judging from the sounds has mustered a last stand of sorts.

Today shall be the last of this effort. Now is time for the final push, May Tangadorin’s all Seeing Light illuminate our path to victory. 

1st day of Winter, 59AD

Now is the time. We make for what I hope is our final push into Girffin’s Keep. After recovering from our wounds, the party has hardened their will and we are determined. I spoke with Houden’s men and the ones who helped before have agreed to help us deal with these dark ones and reclaim Houden’s body. We have planned to take out the orc bowmen atop the moathouse first. The Men at Arms will provide distractions from range with their slings, while a small team scales the walls to take the fight to them on the roof. Should all go as planned that will leave a small number of Clerics, a Necromancer, and their undead to deal with.

But….we learned they have one true horror for use to contend with, a Wraith. My will is Strong and my Faith in Tangadorin true, may his light that Shines through my blade be enough to vanquish the dread specter should it appear. I fear not for my own life, as it is Tangadorin’s should it be cut short. But Houden’s death still weighs heavily upon my mind. I fear his body has already been turned into a vile undead form. I cannot stomach the thought of more of my companions meeting similar fates. By his all seeing lighted eyes, may Tangadorin protect us.

*Tears can be seen to stain the pages of the journal slightly*

It is with a heavy heart that i find myself writing in this journal again. Much had happened to distract me from my entries. And now i must record our groups successes and failures. 

We had traveled to Tanneth and spoken with the Warden, Houden’s father, about the state of affairs at Griffin Keep. The presence of beastials, Ogres, and Dark clerics. After gaining his support his court wizard used magical means via a teleportation nexus to transport us back to the hidden chamber in the basement of the keep. Once we had gained the surface and the yard, after dealing with several orc zombies, we decided to breach the temple like structure with its large glass window. This proved to both advantageous in our efforts to cleanse the place, but also ruinous for our party as well.

Inside we came face to face with the dark worshipers for the first time. Their alter of Chaos was so foulsome that it almost took the breath from me, but by Tangadorin’s light I did not falter. Battle was engaged, my illuminated blade seeking to cut out all their darkness and our party took to slaying them and their undead. However, though we dealt with the first group quite well, even capturing one of the dark ones, reinforcements were soon at hand. A wave of goblin zombies came through a door, though they didn’t last long as Egill dispatched them with his faith in Tyr. But that was not all, three more dark ones and a wave of orc zombies followed. Though we fought well, the situation was rapidly growing out of hand and retreat was deemed necessary. We fought our way back out of the temple, with the jeers of those dark ones chasing us as their zombies relentlessly pursued. 

We made it to the yard, where Mort was able to use his magic and ensnare the hoard of undead with a fast tangle of vines and roots. Things seemed as though we would all get away, sadly this is not so. As we made our escape toward the walls, bowmen orcs rained bolts down on us from the moat house. It was one of these bolts that took Houden, my friend and companion’s life. As he fell he told me to tell his father he died in battle. With my shield arm broken from the earlier conflicts, I stowed my blade in my belt and hoisted my friends body from the dirt so as not to leave it for the foul machinations of these villains. Egill came back to assist me with the task, but that to proved folly. As we tried to make the walls, more bolts rained down upon us. Even as I write this the wounds of those bolts have only just been sealed in my back and side. But it was Egill that took a near deadly strike. The burden of two bodies was to much for me to ferry away in my condition. And faced with either bringing back Houden’s body for proper rights, or attempting to save Egill’s life, for at the moment he still drew labored breath, I made the only choice available to me. May Tangadorin forgive me, I left Houden’s body there so that I could save Egill. 

Once clear of the walls and safely in the tree line, I gave Egill a potion that thankfully saved his life. Not much was said on our way back to town, though our prisoner did rouse once before a swift elbow put him back in his place. He is currently in the custody of the constable. Now i lay here, in the Temple of the Light, receiving Treatment for my wounds. Though only those of the body, for the wounds of my pride and soul are mine and Tangadorin’s to see to. The death of my friend weighs upon my, more so leaving him to the hands of those vile dark ones whom i have no doubt will render him into one of their undead monstrosities. Should I encounter my friend in such a state, I will destroy what he has become as my god and faith demands. I think to myself, what more could I have done? Could I have been faster? Struck truer? I shall pray on this. And when time allows, I must answer to Houden’s father for the death of his son. May Tangadorin give me strength.