Last we saw, the party was playing chicken with a massive undead… thing (think Dragon-Terrasque hybrid with a bit of stone giant tossed in for good measure), before using the Lich’s Portal to escape at the last moment.
After the portal dumped them out in the lower city of Mare, Rug & Erak quickly managed to break stealth, drawing the attention of Orcs that were looting city and starting a vast running battle against hundreds of the greenskins. Each PC dropped unconscious at least once in the following battle, before it ended at the steps of the Royal library, as Karandar and Erak shared a mid-air cleaving of a mountain troll, it’s head (and a good chunk of shoulder) falling to the dirt with the ‘thunk’ of a leaden weight.
The PCs were thanked by the three members of the [[Items#300 of Mare |300 of Mare]] who were guarding the library at the time ([[Items#67|67]], [[Items#113|113]] & [[Items#201|201]]), and were ushered inside, where they were they met the [[Reader]] for the first time, who was sitting reading the deck, flicking cards out of the deck held in his left hand, for them to hover when released, turning in the air to face him in place. The Reader made some comments as he first saw the players, observing each of their auras and remarking upon it, as below
He reads off each card in order
- “Weaver of House Life, she has returned to our world, fighting to remake her place, yet I sense already how she leans on you to follow her goals Destriant. Remember, she should serve you as much as you do her.”
- “Captain of House Fire. You have been claimed, Karandar, yet surprisingly not by darkness. “
- “Lodestone, a new role for you prophet, from blazing dawn to the striking light. Befriend Striker, he can show you the way.”
- “Soldier of the Forrester House. Huh.” stops for a second “That’s actually honestly surprisingly, I did not expect that of you warrior!”
- “An interesting group, surprising at the lack of a warren walker, yet still, I sense great power and potential here. Thank you for aiding us with the greenskins here, yet again they crash upon the walls of Mare, seeking for that which they cannot have.” (Note: Lugdush)
He looks again at the cards
“Call over those of the 300, and I will retry my reading, with you all together”
He then performed a reading with them all there, as is detailed here: [[Reader#Siege of Mare – 1156|Siege of Mare – 1156]]
After the reading, as they rest in the Library, Erak is visted by the Lady of the Living Wood and given a message:
//”Destriant. I have a boon to ask of thee, A cult whom worship mine graces resides on the second Layer of the City you are within. I prefer if these worshippers would remain among the living if this could be arranged I would be most grateful
I have a gift for the exchange in mind already, but it is time sensitive as you see, one of my IRON BARKS have fallen in the chaos of my return and I wish to keep it’s memories alive. if ‘you can save the cult, I will assist you in finding materials for your golem project, if you allow me to place the soul of CRADDATHUS within your finished product.
If you can neutralize the Shaman of the Warboss, I can give aid you with my warren, however I am too weak to Challenge Slerikek as I am now, so he must go first.//
May moisture find your roots, Destriant, and may your creepers find soft loam.””
====The Relief of Mare====
[[File:1156-Mare.jpg|thumb|The ‘Tactical Map’]]
The Party chose to send Erak and Karandar to infiltrate the Warcamp, striking for the Shaman and Warboss, while 67 would make a stand by the gates, drawing as much attention to himself as possible. The plan was that once the Shaman was removed, the veil of Slerikek’s foul energies would disperse, and the Reader would be able to Retrieve E & K.
They set off over the northern hills, looking down upon the Orc camp. As Dvoik and 67 started their distractions, the two heroes launched downhill, Karandar using his winged cloak, Erak running behind, each of them decimated handfuls of goblins with each turn. Barely a few minutes have passed before the PCs wade their way though the goblins, and find themselves charging a pack of ogres. Karandar, using his cloak, lifted and launched Erak up and at the Ogres, killing a handful on the first blow, before the barbarian joined him and completed the slaughtered.
67 & Dvoik were falling back, into the “The Killing Ground” (a local name for the 300 meters outside the walls, that the siege weapons of the upper cities were designed to strike. The men on the siege weapons, seeing the mass of orcs below start opening fire on the fight, creating even more carnage and confusion.
E&K finally make their way to the Warbosses tent, dealing with the elites at the front door, before Erak makes a risky move and offers Terranc his Ancient Blade back, on the condition that he assists them here. Terranc accepts his bargain, taking and the blade and with 2 Devas at his side, start decimating the camp even further. Terranc mainly concentrated on the Hill Giants.
[[File:20170929 215339a.jpg|thumb|The Kill Count]]
Karandar rushed the tent, engaging the mutated Ogre warboss and his Troll Shaman, who put up a decent fight for the Barbarian. Meanwhile, as per her message, The Destriant of the Wood (Erak) was given access to the full might of Illoshiana, Path of the Living Woods, and started slinging waves of energy around the camp, killing thousands of Greenskins per round.
Karandar, failing his perception save in the Warbosses tent, missed the sneaky fingers stealing the second half of the Vord blade. Erak was first to find it, as The Don dropped stealth, cackling like a mad-man and drove the anti-order blade deep into the Destriants back, severing his ties with the warren, and for a brief moment, exposing him to the Ever.
The Fight was all but over, Karandar having slain the warboss and his Shaman, Terranc had returned to his Warren, Erak was drained, and the Greenskins in disarray, having lost 10,000 of their original 45,000, and quickly fled the field.
====After the Fight====
The party zapped back to the city at the side of the Reader, and started the process of recovery, before setting off on their way back to Nestor.
While the fight outside had been raging, Rug headed out to hunt the Orcs in the city, bringing back 36 scalps and 2 new tattoos (?!). Rugs wolf is also with him suddenly, when asked Rug replies “Rug call, wolf come, is how work.”
Aloi edged away from the wolf giving it sideways glances and the Reader drew a card quickly, and stared at it for a moment before slipping it back into the deck.
Oromis had held the Library, holding off a small tribe of Ogres with the Reader and the 300.
67 and the 300 head back to the keep to report in, saying they will let the Duke know of their presence. The Reader offered to take them to the leafy cult, or up to the keep, or sneak them to the docks to avoid pomp.
First Erak chose to visit the local Cult of the Wooden Lady, finding a opium den filled with a priest and his Harem, who use Naruniga’s blessing to aid in growing their uh… stimulants. Yeah. Stimulants. Anyways, think whacked out hippies (Like, whatever maaaaan.)
They then visited the Duke, who gifted K & E with a single Stone of Recall each as a reward. Each stone will summon 67 (and anyone he choses to bring with him) to aid them.
After this, they head down to the docks, meeting up with Captain Horn of the Nestorian Marines, who briefs them on the situation, highly recommending they NOT fight Captain Moss when he tries it.
“I’ve heard of this ship,” stated Aloi, “if the rumors are true, this is either going to be a smooth sailing, or an adventure in it’s own right.”
Captain Moss ran a hard bargain, gaining 75gp per person, and challenging them to a fist fight, but no one accepted. The party them retreated to one of the Inns on the side of the docks, finding significant amounts of alcohol, and set to trying to dry it all before morning.
==== On the Ocean ====
As they set off the Captain chained himself to the poop deck with 2 cold, rune emblazoned bronze chains and starts bellowing orders. Legion Captain Horn will explain if asked that the captain refuses to pay a debt to the demi-god spirit that resides under Greenskin bay, and uses the chains to stop the spirit dragging him down to it.
They were met with days of storms and rough weather, exhausting the crew and party both, leaving them 5 exhaustion stacks down, but eventually the weather cleared around the time they turned at the Zardik Point and started to the head north.
Pirates set upon the ‘fleet’, and once successfully vanquished, the rest of the alcohol emerged, with a rather wild night in tow. Karandar and Aloi were rumored to have hooked up below decks (can anyone say “heir”?), and post that the journey was nearly over. A large part of that time was absorbed by Aloi guiding the party members in rudimentary secrets of the Warren, and guiding them towards access to their first warren point (3 for the Destriant) and a single ability each.
The Party reached Delagore safely, and chose to go by road to Port Pardue, instead of by the river (DM: Lucky choice.), and finally arrived in Nestor, to be surprised by a grand Triumph that Morrowdown and the Council had thrown for the parties benefit, selling their excellence to the mob.
==== Back in Nestor====
After the triumph died down, they went shopping, finding a new store in Adventure Lane (Jeremy’s Store – “Now, will you be paying in gold, or in terrible sacrifice?”) and experiencing Bruce having a fist fight with the new pastry vendor (and losing).
Here the session ended