Session009

Session Nine - 28th July 2023

SHORT VERSION

INTRO - At the end of the last session, Cormir and Drex were crisped by a fireball, along with a bunch of civilians who have all died.

Morthos - you have managed to stabalise Drex and Cormir by using your healing kit - you think they will just about survive... though without some impressive magical healing, they might be disfigured from the extensive burns... Looking around, you can see that there are lots of people running about, screaming, crying and wailing over the poor sods who have been crisped. Next to you, Kadra’s house on fire.

Roll a perception check 
DC10 - amongst the shouting and yelling you catch things like “The village is under attack!” "Fetch water!" “Someone go get Isperil Lightwind!”
DC15 - to notice some voices saying things like “Did that half-demon fellow just blow up Kadra’s house?”  “I thought the Heroes of Fort Frostfell were here to help, not burn the place down!”  “Someone fetch Paumine Sandlewood to put out the fire!” 
DC20 to notice the more distant yell of “Hey! Who are you. What the hell are you doing there!? Aaaagh!”

Note - It is impossible to directly see Ellie’s tent/where the fireball came from as too many people in the way.

IF Morthos rushes off to try to rescue Kadra, then...

As you are leaving, you hear yells of “Hey! Where are you going?!” “He’s fleeing, he must be guilty!” “Look the knights are coming, they’ll sort them out!” “Oi Bjalien, your adventurers are causing trouble!” “Oh thank the gods! here comes Isperil”)

Roll a DEX Check to try to weave through the crowd or Intimidation DC10 to scare them into parting

Once you get closer

Roll a Perception Check 
DC10 - you can see where Ellie's tent is still
DC15 - you can spot a commotion and some people gathered around a body over 20 yards away from Ellie's tent.  

When you get closer, you can see people gathered around a man.

In the camp:

Roll an Investigation check:
DC 10: “I saw a woman, dragging Kadra’s body, she dropped her before running off somewhere!”
DC 15: “I saw an injured woman with scaly skin, dragging Kadra’s body before dropping it and rushing away.  She muttered something, then disappeared!”
DC 20: “I saw an injured woman with scaly skin, dragging Kadra’s body out of that tent before dropping it and rushing away.  She seemed to cast a spell whilst grabbing at something around her neck, then disappeared into thin air!”
DC 25: “I saw woman with scaly skin, bleeding profusely as she was dragging Kadra’s body out of that tent before dropping it and rushing away.  She seemed to cast a spell whilst grabbing at an amulet around her neck that glinted in the firelight as if with an inner light, then disappeared into thin air!”  

You can also see a blood trail leading away.

Either way, you find Kadra's body...

What do you do? Check Kadra's body? Or search around further for this Merriath the Quick?

Roll Medicine Check
DC5 confirm Kadra is still alive.  (One of those nearby suggests maybe getting her to a 
DC15 tells you that she has been stabbed in the left shoulder where she is still oozing blood.
DC20 tells you that the wound smells funny and there is a dark stain on the cloth around the wound.

DC15 survival check to follow blood trail…  

The trail leads in a round-about route through the camp. Three more rolls each DC15 to continue to follow it...

Meanwhile, back with the others, first Cormir and then Drex are returned to consciousness through the application of some healing spells by Isperil and Paumine is putting out the flames one 5’ cube at a time using the control flames cantrip.

Cormir gets 4d8+3, Drex gets 3d8+3 go back.

The Knights turn up and make a lot of commotion, herding people around and trying to take charge. Bjalien tells them to back off and bosses people around instead. Eventually, questions get directed towards the PCs - especially Morthos if he isn't still attempting to follow tracks.

“Why did you set fire to Kadra’s house?” -“But you broke in just before it burst into flames!” “Why did you set off a fireball?” -“Well who did cast the fireball?” “What does this Merriath look like?” Invisibility?/ disguised? Suggestion that everyone looks out for strangers.

DC10 Sense motive to detect that Bjalien looks pissed off if/when mention of Kadra being a sorcerer comes up.

Some NPCs will bring Kadra to Isperil if Morthos doesn't. Once Kadra is back and also healed, things start to calm down. As the last of the fire is put out, Bjalien's two 'heavies' restore order and get some people gathering the dead and covering their bodies. Isperil will heal Kadra who says that Merriath had stabbed her from behind in her own home, coming out of nowhere (i.e. invisible) at which point she remembers nothing (i.e. poisoned dagger). She mentions Merriath hadn’t just killed her since she needed to drink the blood in some sort of complex ritual (not one Drex can copy!!!) (AND THEREFORE will need somewhere quiet and private to do it).

What Do the PCs want to do? Kadra’s can't stay at her house - as it will need some serious work to clean it up. She is scared and fraught, looking around everywhere. Bjalien suggests she comes to her place, but she doesn't want to.

Other options:

1. Staying at the Inn with the PCs
2. Staying at the Bakery with the PCs
3. Staying with the Knights
4. Staying with Paumine

If she stays with the PCs in anyway, then Kadra will mention that she was being blackmailed by Bjalien because of her being a '“secret sorcerer”.'

Nothing happens during the first night - as Merriath is finding a new home to use as a base of operations. She will chose Stronghammer's place. The next day, the PCs can notice if looking for Stronghammer that the forge is closed. Stronghammer is tied up with his wife in the back room.

Plot hooks that the party might be interested in following:

1. Saving Kadra - need to think about where Merriath might be then search around town... notice forge not working.
2. Investigating disappeared people - specifically Kylar Birthwitch - they can meet Colinus Birthwitch and recognise his signet ring.
3. Investigating Bjalien's missing locket - nothing unless they visit Paumine's House
4. Someth Skullcleaver - the carpenter, calls to them as they are passing and wants to talk. "I heard you cleared out the goblins. Confess when I heard stories from the refugees that Goblins had taken people captive, I was tempted to head out myself - but only figured out that they were holed up in Fort Frostfell after you guys got back." He shakes their hands and congratulates them for their efforts on killing the goblins and rescuing people. He looks downcast. "Sadly, not everyone taken was managed to be rescued though. I heard some were cut up and eaten by the goblins and some were taken somewhere else... I knew someone - a woman who saved my life from bandits once - I kind of hope she got taken away...
5. Returning to Fort Frostfell and seeing Ghost lady
6. Go to Clearwater and kill the undead nymph to gain an NPC healer into the party.

LONG VERSION

- Link to audio file - 

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