Session One Hundred and Sixty-Five Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 165, January 10 2023

Introduction

We continue at 2:00PM on the 17th of Anurilden (00.000.08.13 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party having escaped from Gharaz'Khel and preparing to begin their journey back downriver. The group has until the 20th to reach the mouth of the Khelrun, where they plan to rendevous with the Bronze Wizard before continuing on to Feldmark. Will they make the journey in time? Can they avoid Slaad and other monstrosities on the way back? Can they avoid the Infected Giant in Feldmark and complete their mission? Can everyone keep the secret about the gods from Lambertus? Find out next time; or not. The weather is good and the terrain around us appears clear of dangerous animals and monsters.

Velkin looks for something to mark this area in case we come this way again.

The intent is to chop of branches to make noticeable near the crown of the hill, so it is visible from downhill via telescope. (Almost undetectable unless one knows what to look for.)

The DVL detector shows green and beeps.

Glompus & Thorfus take off their DVL energy resistant suits, and Prixithalma already took off her suit and resumed human size.

We make a travois to transport the large amount of platinum.

We keep to the North side of the river, the same as we came to the Khel.

It starts to get dark before we reach the river, so we look for a good campsite that is somewhat defensible.

We skip a fire since our position is so exposed on the hillside.

Normal watch is help, with Lambertus taking his place.

Velkin suggests using blood magic to cast web to block one side of use and the thicket on the other. Then use the healing buds since they will only last for 5 days.

First watch is uneventful.

Second watch, Thorfus uses his blessed spyglass to see if he can hear anything troublesome. Having been reminded Renthark of the Slaad he is more on edge.

Velkin and Peronell on Third watch. Velkin asks Thorfus if he can borrow his spyglass and Thorfus says, 'No.'

When Thorfus dozes, he swaps his spyglass for Thorfus', with plans to swap before morning.

Peronelle asks what Velkin thinks about Lambertus? The discussion ranges from how it is positive as he is happy, but much different.

Peronelle doesn't think she would travel with us if she forgot the party finding her.

Velkin is greatly challenged trying to swap his spyglass back with Thorfus'.

Glompus holds up a platinum piece and asks Lambertus if he wants the elf or the dwarf, and Lambertus picks the grumpy dwarf.

Lambertus asks Glompus to fill him in on the adventures he had with the party.

When Glompus tells him he's only been with the party 4 or 5 days. Lambertus asks about that.

Glompus mentions the ship but skips that, Lambertus thinks nothing of it as it is pretty boring.

Glompus mentions the giant undead monster in Feldmark. Lambertus asked if we had anything to do with it.

Then discusses the dwarven Khel, and something with a lot of eyes called a Jubilex.

Glompus tells Lambertus that Lambertus welcomed him and they did watch together. Lambertus said, "I knew I had a good feeling about you."

Lambertus says he doesn't think he knows any gnomes. Some lived in Midmark, but he never met him.

Things range into the gods and where we are going.

Their watch is uneventful and Lambertus and Glompus wake up everyone.

We make good time and reach the river about an hour after sunrise.

We are about an hour out from the Northernmost farmsteads and the weather is good.

Up ahead Glompus sees dead things hanging from the trees, so he flags down Velkin to have them stop.

It looks like they've been skinned and gutted with entrails on the ground, and their heads are gone.

Glompus sneaks up to the clearing and finds cow sized creatures.

A rope has been thrown over the trees and been skinned and the entrails on the ground, and the meat is left on the carcass.

These are obviously new since we came this was a couple days ago.

The tracks are a mess. These creatures were still alive when brought here.

The rope is on par with the better elven rope we've seen.

The necks appear to have been sliced very cleanly.

We decide to move on as we can discern nothing specific about the ropes.

We reach the farmstead and Glompus checks it out and it has been trashed.

Glompus looks for any signs of tracks and can only determine that things have been through but can't determine numbers or direction.

We move closer to the river, seeking boats to speed out trip downriver.

Up ahead and inland there is a farm that is burning. We can avoid it by staying near the river.

We decide to have Thorfus listen in with his spyglass when we get close.

We see a burning farmhouse and can hear the crackle and roar of the flames. Soon catch site of a blue frog-like creature. It is throwing things in the house, they appear to be living things, like the mole creatures.

Velkin asks Prixithalma to make him invisible.

Thorfus relays what he sees and advises the party to move on.

As daylight fades, we think we are on the verge of the mill.

We decide to press on to the mill.

Behind us, Thorfus detects another column of flames from another farm.

We set up in the mill with watch from the upper window, and Velkin sets up on the roof.

During Druul's watch there is a fire much closer and hears a lot of croaking and distressed moos cut off mid-moo.

We prepare to head out.

Glompus peers out and gets a bad feeling but doesn't see anything.

When Kauri comes out, he definitely catches a blue glow back the way we came from, just beyond the fence in the first field is glowing, maybe 300 feet away.

Kauri catches site of one more bluish glow off to the North and disappears right around the waters edge for the river.

Renthark comes out and says in very broken common, "Slaad here now?" Yes, "We fight." We hope not.

Do you want to go? Yes, They know me. Bad blood.

He looks at Kauri and asks where are they? As he asks he divests himself of items....

He says, where? You can point, they know we see.

Kauri points them out.

I can fight, if you want to go.

Glompus says, if you fight, we all fight.

If we fight, I could lead them to a better location.

Renthark points to the middle of the open space and challenge them.

Prix prepares to transform.

Right now, you don't look like threat. I challenge, they ignore you and come to me.

Maybe I see Bortham very soon.

I'll have a much better death then him.

Cast Protection from Evil on Renthark.

Felix casts Protection from Evil on Renthark, and Lambertus casts Protection from Evil on Kauri.

Kauri casts haste on the fighter types and himself.

Renthark opens the door adn says, I hope we celebrate victory soon, in Deep Gnome, turns around and jogs to the middle of the yard and starts shouting in another language, louder than we've ever heard him.

The reaction doesn't take long, coming out from the crops are three blue creatures and two from the water.

Not an all out run, but they are suspicious. They decide to go for it.

We end with Renthark banging his sword and the Slaad emerging from fields and river thinking they will rend them.

We feel Prix expanding slightly and redder than usual, and not just her hair.