We made sure that any treasure was stored away before making our exit from Lareth’s chambers. We picked our way south through the guard rooms and at the post, decided to not go through the entire dungeon at this time, and instead head out the secret exit that sloped up and emerged some 200 yards away from the Moathouse. We waited in the gathering gloom to make sure that no one was watching us before sneaking back, limbering the horse to the wagon, and then leading it out of the courtyard and back to the main roadway.
It was after 6 PM and with only a single torch to light the way around us, made the slow slogging trip through the low road and back through the swamp heading on our way to Hommlet. We were all hurt, and tired. Spells were pretty much gone and we were struggling to stay up and awake. It was late, very late, when we finally arrived back at town. As we came down the short road to the main thoroughfare, standing outside the Watchtower and blocking the road 4 wide, were a handful of Burne’s men. They were standing there, spears at the sides, swords on the waists.
As we came to a stop and tried to address them, they were sort of slack jawed and oblivious. They didn’t reply but from the tower we could see Burne himself step out and address the party. Some barbs were exchanged and things were growing tense when he pointed at the party and said a few arcanic words…ending with “Ignitus”.
And a spray of sparks flew out, landed on the ground…and set the oil soaked earth ablaze. The fire raced across the wagon’s bottom as the fire sprung up. We were scrambling to make a decision when arrows flew from the tower – pegging Elmo multiple times and slammed into the ranger and down to 3 hit points! The spearmen were making steps forward and Elmo wanted to cut the horse free that was screaming and whinnying.
And then Burne cast a Wall of Fire and boxed the party in, walling off any escape out the back. They scrambled over the side, getting burned for their efforts. Furd charged forward to help Elmo who had gotten kicked by the horse and was stunned, falling out of the cart. More arrows flew and we were getting ripped apart. Rowan called to Demeter and summoned a Hippogriff! The eagle-horse creature flew through the hail of arrows, straight for Burne who was unable to turn the wall of fire this round as the hippogriff ripped, bit, clawed, and tore into the most wonderful mage of Hommlet.
Furd had Elmo up and they were running and he got speared for his efforts. More spearmen charged the party hoping to take them down. Burne was badly hurt before the hippogriff was torn apart and then we could see Rufus running across the field to come to us. Time to go. Rowan called a giant badger next and Furd took down one…and then a second spearman. Elmo helped kill another and we ran off north into the woods, leaving the fire and wagon behind. We hoped to find someplace to hide but the woods here were not too dense and Albert suggested using the dice to call the Hut.
At first nothing happened and then he rolled very low…and there was a sputter to all of us…And we found ourselves suddenly in day time in the woods again – but it was now 12 hours in the future. It was 10:30 on Restmonth the 13th, and we were all still exhausted, hurt, and no spells. It was obvious that someone had been in this area searching for us but did not find us. We needed to rest. It also sounded like the town was being overrun. Auva was captured? Maybe the rest of the council. Rannos’ men were convinced someone was hiding us and if we were not brought out by sunset (5:30), they were going to kill 5 children.
We were quiet and came up with a plan. In Jaroo’s home, there was a potion of Rejuvenation, also known as Sorcerer’s Balm. If drunk, would give the imbiber the equivalent of 8 hours of rest – and for a sorcerer, replenish all their spells. This would give us the entire repertoire of Aredhel’s spells once again which was the best bang for the buck. But we. Were. Fricking. Exhausted. Rowan was adamant that we needed to rest, even if just a few hours, before daring to sneak back into town.
So, we headed east outside of town almost 800 yards and then turned southward until we had a deep copse of trees to hide in. We set up a camp and the party rested, Elmo agreeing to keep watch. 2 hours. That was the plan.
Elmo did not hear the stalkers in his exhausted state sneak up to him and then strike him in the head, knocking him out. The rest of the party were similarly treated, hit and beaten, tied up, and we knew no more – captured.
It was some time later when Aredhel awoke first. She was in a dungeon cell, cold and damp stones. Terjon and 3 of his men were here. The Cleric was angry and wanted to know which person dared to kill Lareth. Do you know what you’ve done? The dark hope? The silver fair? Who dared? Tell him so he could instruct them on what they did.
Aredhel thought about it and then said that she did it. She struck the killing blow. Terjon was surprised and stunned. He thanked her for her honesty, and then hack the bound half-elf’s ear clean off. As she was bleeding and stunned, he told his men to beat her half to death and then have their way with her. He left her there, screaming, as we went down the hall to the next chamber.
Inside was Furd and 3 more guards. The half-ogre was also bound, but not just ropes, chains as well. We could hear Aredhel screaming and Furd was rocking and twisting. Terjon smacked him across the face with a cudgel but the half-ogre RIPPED the chains apart, used the free ends, and smacked Terjon in the head. The guards were surprised as he stood behind the priest and wrapped his chain around his throat, pulling it taut. “Back up! Now!” He commanded, grappling with the Cleric.
Terjon was pulling and trying to break the grapple but couldn’t do it. The guards made to step up and Furd pulled tighter! Terjon was spasming and kicking. Everyone was yelling. Next door, the guards were at the door, leaving off their abuse of Aredhel, wondering if they should step in to help or follow orders. Aredhel heard a voice in the gloom, a dark shadowy section of the floor, beckon her to come closer. “Come on, kid,” the voice whispered to her. “I’ve got you.” Hurt and bleeding, she crawled to the patch of night and could feel somehow that she was hidden. It was verified as the guards turned to look for her and she could see them but they could not see her. “Where is she?!”
“They’re not playing fair,” the voice said, “and we can’t really get involved,” it continued, “but that isn’t to say I’m completely without options. Thanks for praying to me Aredhel. Name’s Hades.”
Furd was keeping the guards away, dragging Terjon about, blocking blows with the priest’s body if possible. This wasn’t going to last forever and he had to finish it. The half-ogre redoubled his efforts, pulling and yanking and with a horrid crunching sound, broke Terjon’s neck and killed him. Some spiders and mushrooms fell off the dead cleric and the guards in the area all fell over, knocked out.
For now.
It was Restmonth the 13th, about 3:30 PM. We have no armor, weapons, equipment, healing, spells, or personal belongings. 4 of us are still unconscious and everyone has burns, cuts, lacerations, and trauma. BUT, we have taken out Terjon and according to the map we had seen in the Moathouse – that was 1/3rd of the foes here in Hommlet. If we could try and take out more, maybe we could free up some of the town citizens and overwhelm the last of Lareth’s people here. And we have an hour and a half before Rannos Davi and his men kill off 5 of the town’s children. It’s time to be heroes.
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