Timberlands Campaign, Session 2: Dead vs Dead

December 21-31, Caudex Annales, 70 AUP

The trolls had throughly mangled the bodies of everyone slain by the hags, and the various gnawed arms and legs and viscera were unceremoniously scooped up by Herrobin's skeletal company and shuttled back to the city of Hemmelmark. The chapel attendants were already overburdened by sick townsfolk suffering from malnutrition and disease. The priest on duty was able to offer a single resurrection in exchange for a generous donation, and then the rest of the party needed to rely on restore life and limb and hope for minimal complications. The resurrection was applied to the dragon Viserion, who returned to full vigor in a burst of holy light. The others returned in worse condition. Sir Robin would never be the same again, and Zelmar decided to take a break from adventuring.

The party split up to attend to multiple tasks. First, they reported to the Duke, who was consumed by worry about the insufficient number of city guards (lost to giants, hags, and conscription for the war up north) and the fact that grain reserves (also requisitioned for the Durnovaric war effort up north) were running too low to last the winter. He confessed that he was on the verge of locking down the castle, declaring martial law, and leaving the rest of Hemmelmark to fend for itself.

Herrobin's disguised skeletons resumed patrolling the city in tireless squads, while their master watched them remotely using his crystal ball for any signs of trouble. Viserion briefly considered hunting food for the city, but quickly realized that the amount of food required to supply a Class II market is well in excess of a single hunter's capabilities.

Meanwhile, Frigodria and a few others hit the taverns to look for information and assistance. The Bleeding Cockatrice was populated by a motley crew of the usual weirdos and ne'er-do-wells, several of whom seemed interested in work, swelling the depleted ranks of the party. A rumor at the bar indicated that someone "large and intimidating" had been terrifying townspeople after dark, demanding information on the whereabouts of adventurers fitting the party's general description.

The barkeeper passed along a sealed envelope addressed to "the gnomish librarian" (presumably the long-departed Conan), which prompted immediate suspicion. The party debated between letting a skeleton open it at a safe distance and simply discarding it, and eventually decided to simply order a skeleton to carry it "south". (Since Hemmelmark is at a rather northern latitude, there's quite a bit of south available...)

Herrobin's skeletons only required another couple days to confirm the rumor of the interrogating stranger, and the party quickly converged on his location with any skeleton groups within range. The cowled intruder quickly surmised that he was being surrounded, and let out an eldritch screech for aid. Skeletons converged toward him from every direction, preventing his escape, but the party soon had to deal with the arrival of his own -- far more formidable -- undead thralls. Fortunately, dragon breath was more than enough to winnow and weaken them, leaving just a few survivors to mop up.

The scarf-masked visitor slaughtered dozens of skeletons with his greatsword, and at one point demonstrated the ability to release a powerful lightning bolt. When he was finally buried under an avalanche of magical rock, the party was dismayed to discovery that his corpse had dissipated into vapor -- not simply a ruinguard, but one who had progressed beyond the flesh into vampiric immortality.

Herrobin attempted to scry his location, but lacking an unobscured look at his face made this difficult and the image was dark and blurry -- a closed coffin in some dark place. The use of ESP, however, revealed his first priority upon reconstitution into corporeal form: calling his superiors for more capable reinforcements.

Shayna, a shaman who had been observing the party from a nearby rooftop, offered the party her services as a medium and entered into a trance...

Roster

• Edward Sir Winsley, 5th-level dandy mystic (Andrew)
• Jeeves, 0th-level gentleman's gentleman
• Frigodria Dawnbringer, 5th-level paladin (Reba)
• Viserion, 5th-level young white dragon (Zac)
• Thorvald, 6th-level spy (Zac's Mom's PC, not a henchman)
• Adonirim, 3rd-level mage
• Togast, 6th-level skinscribe (Juston)
• Herrobin, 5th-level summoner, and his scads of spooky scary skeletons (Kyle)
• Jarrus Velt, 5th-level thief (Trefor Gowing)
• John-Paul Satre, 5th-level priest of... nihilist existentialism? (Lucas)
• Aureon Thallanir, ??? (Sion Gowing)
• Merda Strega, 6th-level witch (Will)
• Shayna, shaman (Kim)

=> The number of survivors is uncertain, need to wait until we roll Tampering with Mortality

Not appearing in this adventure:

• The very young white dragon, Namazu, reporting back on the frost giants
• Zelmar (injured, retiring maybe?)
• Anatolia (at chapel with Zelmar)
• Sir Robin (badly injured)
• Zalgesh
• Sir Rock Boulder Fist, dwarven 5th-level summoner
• Tu'a'than, 5th level spriggan

Casualties

Lots of skeletons (hopefully Kyle was counting)

Treasure

None

Total gold per member: 0

Experience

Killed: Disguised vampire ruinguard [6600],  2 necropedes [2x820=1640], 5 ghasts [5x190=950], 8 gargoyles [8x135=1080]
Total: 10270 xp

Total experience from treasure: 0 xp
Total experience from kills: 10270 xp
Total experience from exploration: 0 xp
Total experience: 10270 xp
Total experience per member: 934 xp