RUUUUUUNNNNN….Buzz, buzz ..... Clink, clink?

The party gathered again off the henge platform and headed north towards what they expected to be the edge of the forest and the Spirits of the Past plateau. Lilli decided it was also time for a little extra prep work each night, using torn shreds from a sack to mark off an area about 30 yards around the evening camp site. It was dense, dark and they knew they were treading in to more dangerous territory and a little extra sighting help would be a good thing.

Day 8 in to the forest presented an unexpected encounter. Around midday they came across a small pond in the woods. Sitting along the water edge, backs towards them, playing, were what looked like two small Halfling girls. If they were what they should be, this would be the two girls, Niamh and Siaorse, they had been looking for. Now sure, Lilli attempted to disbelieve thinking it might be an illusion, but it remained. Now she cautiously approached, calling to them without using their names. But she did use the name of the mayor in Irlhome. One of the girls lifted her head but did not turn and then returned her attention back to the water. Jade joined Lilli and the two moved in closer trying to get a better look at them to evaluate the situation. The kids lifted their heads and it became apparent there was a problem. The kids flesh was ashen and their bodies were strewn with gash wounds. Having made eye contact the demeanor changed and the kids charged at Jade who quickly used her martial skills to disengage from them.

By chance, one was also engaged with Lilli and wildly attacked at her. Lilli was still torn and held her attack but Rennala had no issues firing the first bow shot, sinking an arrow solidly in to this small child figure. The wound appeared to hurt but it did not bleed. It more or less oozed a pus or ichor. The second then charged at and jumped Jade taking her down in to hand to hand. Cord had raced up to see what was going on only to exclaim “Holy shit, they ARE zombies!” At that, Gwynn addressed his turning powers to the two, both reacting to flee. The one entangled with Jade scrambled trying to escape. Rennala fired a shot in to it and Jade helped by pushing her off, landing in the shallow pond. Lilli attacked the one fleeing from her with her sword, Gwynn struck with a Spiritual Whip, Cord struck a heavy blow with his scimitar and Jade used a Rael’s arrow as the group destroyed the two targets. Rispin used her position towards the rear to scan the area for any other surprises.

The conflict ended they examined the bodies where Jade found names sewn in to the back of the tunics revealing the names of the two Halfling children. They took the piece of the clothing to provide back to the families and Gwynn searched for a suitable location to bury them. They completed this task and moved on.

The next day as the continued on their path north Lilli pulled them to a stop having spotted an oddity. What looked to be a mouth mounted on the side of a tree. Jade came forward and identified the item as a Magic Mouth. As she neared it close enough to make the identification it activated. In a loud booming voice it said “Be it known, all who pass here are subjects of the General.” Unswayed, they chose to pass the mouth and continue north. A little later as they made their way through the thickening woods several of the party members could hear a voice in the air that said “Welcome to our troops, join us.” On they went and made camp for the evening.

During the first watch Halrfold was the only one to hear it, but it was critical. From his guard direction he heard a shuffling sound approaching. He peered through the darkness and the trees finally able to make out a line of creatures coming towards them in a military line. Or rather, several lines. He called for Gwynn to start clearing out as he kept an eye on the enemy as it came forward. The preparations became frantic as party members were rudely shaken awake and directed to make a hasty departure. As they made the hasty maneuver Gwynn could feel the approaching evil and a sense of dread. Moving ever quicker now Erik helped Ben in the wagon. Rispin and Rennala mounted their horses and began to trot away. Cord quickly prepared the wagon horses and then jumped in to the drivers seat shouting the direction he planned to pull out to clear the way. Jade and Lilli were the last two on to their horses.

Halrfold chose to try to slow the oncomers a little. Using two Entangle spells he centered them on where he made out larger concentrations of figures. Gwynn issued forth a Prayer spell to help everyone get out as the sound of a warhorn could be heard from behind the oncoming lines. As Cord pulled the wagon out Erik reached down to help Gwynn in to the back and Halrfold was the last in using a Dimension Door to travel right in to his wagon seat. Now in a controlled retreat Cord steered the wagon south west hoping to get past the marker line of the magic mouth. They travelled for about 2/3 of a day eventually passing another mouth that issued the same announcement they heard before. Cord continued on a few hundred yards more to make sure they were comfortably beyond the line before turning more due west. At some point during their retreat LIli heard a follow up warhorn blast. It was her interpretation this sounding was to call back the troops and stop their advance.

Now they were heading almost due west and luck was with them as the days passed without any interruption. After a couple of travel days they realized the heavy shadows on their mind causing nightmares was beginning to lift and the forest was becoming thinner and easier to travel through. But now there were other creatures to mind. Charging in on them from the trees came a line of ogres. Halrfold tried to slow them with an Entangle but it failed to trigger. Rispin scored the first hit with a Magic Missile as the creatures closed. One caught up with Rennala striking her with a critical blow. Halrfold now had another chance to slow them and this time the Entangle worked. It worked so well he actually got off a second catching even more of the clan. With the ogres slowed Jade cast a Shark Bolt, scoring hits from the mystic creatures as Gwynn buffed the party with a Prayer.

The creatures and the party jostled for positioning and the new group heavy hitter, Halrfold, loosed his first Psionic Blast of the encounter, instantly knocking out one of the ogres. Cord moved in and dropped the first of the creatures as Gwynn tried a Spiritual Whip that misfired. Erik was hit hard by another and Rennala dropped a second ogre. Halrfold used a Eyetrick spell to distract one engaged with Erik who took the opportunity to sweep through the two on him. Jade and Rispin hit the same target with Magic Missiles as Gwynn hit with another Spiritual Whip.

The battle continued, Rispin issuing another Magic Missile as one ogre struck a severe blow on Gwynn, crushing his leg. Cord struck down a third with his scimitar as Rennala is stabbed by an ogre using a spear, dropping her sword as she tried to attack back. It was now that Lilli was able to get her horse charge ride by attacks in order, striking the creature that had focused on her. Halrfold let loose another spell, this time a Hail Stone, dropping the fourth ogre, as Jade loosed another Magic Missile and Gwynn misfired a Spiritual Hammer. One ogre now struck Cord causing him to drop his scimitar in his follow up attack. Lilli scored a tremendous hit on a ride by killing the fifth ogre, Halrfold cast yet another Hail Stone and the rout was on. Erik scored kill number six, Jade number seven from a Magic Missile and the Psioinc Blasted sleeping ogre was dispatched to end the encounter.

Healing was performed and with some good luck the party travelled for several days in peace and quiet, finally leaving the forest behind, breaking out in to the rolling grassland between the Forsaken Forest and the forest that held the city of Middletown, which is where Cord set his direction. Five days passed without incident until a disturbance was heard during the night watch. A buzzing was heard nearing the camp. The sound came on and veered to the side, moving past. But then it turned making way around the group which was now in full wake up everyone mode. The sound continued moving around, eventually completing a full circle before diving in at tremendous speed, revealing the attack by a small swarm of giant Wasps.

They descending quickly on top of the group scoring a number of initial bite hits. Halrfold was ready having prepared his Holy Dart. He let fly and scored three hits as Rispin fired a Magic Missile and Jade, Rennala and Lilli squeezed off their final fire bow shots. Rennala was the unlucky recipient of the first sting attack and dropped to the ground, paralyzed. The creature attempted to settle down on her, biting in to grab but Halrfold blasted it in to brain sludge. Rispin and Jade fired more Magic Missiles, this time on a wasp trying to attack one of the horses. The Wasps returned bite attacks and one finally was able to sting Jade, who also dropped paralyzed. The Wasp settled on her, bit in and began lifting her off the ground attempting to fly away with her body.

The bugs pressed their attacks, one now striking critical hit on Cord, stunning him. Gwynn cut loose a Spiritual Whip and then Lilli fell as the third victim of a sting, also becoming paralyzed. Only Cord, the fourth stung victim was able to withstand the poison. Now with the forces diminished Rispin cast Aganaver’s Scorcher, Halrfold cast Hail Stone and a hit by Erik felled the third wasp. Gwynn cast a Spiritual Whip which failed, causing it to attack wildly but by some stroke of luck actually struck the intended target, the one lifting Jade off the ground, killing it. Cord chose to swing down at the one now settled on Lilli and scored a decent blow as Halrfold used another Hail Stone on the same one, killing it. The last wasp alive chose to retreat, flying away at great speed.

The encounter over, the group tried to perform healing. All normal wounds were able to be cured but the paralysis remained. Gwynn attempted to use a Remove Paralysis but it was unsuccessful on all the victims. They loaded Jade, Lilli and Rennala in to the wagon along with everyone else unable to ride a horse. The extra horses were hitched to the wagon and off they went at double speed heading for Intertown. Across the open rolling grassland Cord pushed the wagon on, extending the usual travel time in to the earlier evening and then starting up again early the next day. Luck was with them as they avoided any further confrontation and pressing their travel were able to roll in to Intertown after sun down. Familiar with the town having grown up in nearby Middletown, Cord remembered the most significant church in town was the Celtic. He wended his way there and knocked on the door hoping for some assistance. The door was opened by a clergy man who was happy to assist….for a proper donation. The priest offered Cord a shot of his good whiskey. Cord understood the language and made an initial offer of 50 gold that was quickly batted aside by the clergy man. Cord was informed the offer needs to be “appropriate” and he upped the ante to 200 gold per person. This almost got there but the priest said the offer needed to be a touch more substantial. Cord offered another 50 per and the deal was accepted.

Father Murphy quickly went to work and was able to Neutralize Poison on each of the victims. They each recovered fully except for Rennala who suffered a loss of constitution. The three ladies wanted some privacy to clean up and Father Murphy was happy to oblige. While they waited he spoke further with Cord suggesting a complimentary donation to the church would be a good idea. Cord agreed and gave another 100 gold for which Father Murphy gladly shared some more of his fine whiskey. Once the ladies had cleaned themselves up the group headed for the local inn to stay the night.

The next morning Cord was met by Father Murphy at the Inn. He told him he was not sure but something was off in one of the patients. He was sure Rennala was not only paralyzed but had some form of disease. He would be happy to help if needed but Cord let him know he believed they had a cleric that could handle the situation. If not, they would come see him straight away. Cord let Gwynn know and then joined the father at the breakfast restaurant around the corner from the inn. And as it turned out, he was right. Gwynn used a Cure Disease to rid Rennala of an acute Urinary disease.

Their conditions tended, the morning meal consumed, the party gathered up to head north.

And now.... another Halrfold original bardic tale.....

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