Storm King’s Thunder: Session 22. Echoes of Elfrin

9^th Alturiak 1458DR

Leaving the phase spider lair, they decided to press on further into the forest to find Lord Dalbrek’s lair.

However they also felt the need to rest and catch their breath after the perils of the phase spider lair. Finding a sturdy and tall tree, Fenris climbed up the branches and helped up the rest of the party, where they rested and gathered their thoughts for an hour.

Feeling somewhat refreshed, they pressed on into the forest with Darius at the head of the party. After some time, he became aware of a presence watching him from the trees: a hooded figure armed with a bow. He called out and the voice of an elf woman replied. Sbe identified herself as ”Kaela Silverbow”, a traveller in the forest who had been lost for some days. Fenris suspected she was here for the same reason as they were and made the secret handsign of the Harpers, which she seemed to recognise. She revealed her Harper badge and explained she had been sent her to investigate the undead that seemed to be plaguing the forest but had become lost as the forest paths seemed to change and twist even as you walked upon them. Darius shared food and water with her and Fenris asked if she would want to come with them as they seemed to be on a similar mission. She agreed and they pressed further into the forest.

As they travelled further the trees and land seemed to become blighted: the sky grey darker and the air heavier and dank. They found a clearing with the ruins of a graveyard: a small ruined tower and a crypt in the shape of a small pyramid stood in the distance. Immediately in front of them a horde of zombies wandered among ruined graves with wights standing out in watch.

Amadeous and Fenris scouted forward and saw another figure in the distance: a pale-skinned man with red eyes who seemed to be looking out for something. They crept back to inform the party of their findings and a spirited discussion of how to best approach the crypt took place. Kaela seemed a bit surprised at how long it was taking the party to decide, which Fenris responded to by saying this was typical in his experience of them and challenged her to a game of Dragonchess.

Finally Korrak made the decision for a frontal assault by raising his greataxe and charging into the horde while yelling his own name. Carlan, her imp and fairy struck down several of the zombies in the first few seconds while Amadeous snuck up on a wight in the tower and shot him at point blank with the crossbow, pushing the creature off the top of the tower and onto the ground. Within the next few seconds it charged up the stairs, grappled Amadeous and leapt off the tower while still clutching him in it’s cold dead hands. As he lay on the floor, still in the grasp of the wight the pale figure he had seen outside the crypt rushed to him, revealing the long fangs of a vampire. It lashed out at him but was unable to bite him. The rest of the party shot, blasted and slashed their way through the horde and left the vampire wounded. It fled into the crypt and the rest of the horde fell soon after.

Dusting themselves off, they lit torches and head into the crypt. The air was dank, musty and cold and as they stepped onto the ancient stone floor they felt the crunch of bone under their feet: they appeared to be in an ossuary. They saw a door at the end of the room and head through. The next room appeared to be a hall that had at one time been rent in two by a chasm, forded by rickety bridges. Dark figures from across the chasm trudged towards them from the east while a strange flickering light appeared to be approaching from the south. Korrak, Darius and Amadeous leapt across the chasm and engaged the creatures in close combat: strange armoured constructs armed with axes, supported by more wights. As the first one fell, Korrak rushed to deal with the flickering light, which appeared to be a flaming skull. He slashed at it with his axe, dealing terrible damage but failing to smash it completely. It howled and released an enormous fireball, burning Korrak terribly. With another slash he put it down, kicking the remains into the chasm. While this happened, Darius and the rest of the party finished off the armoured constructs and the wights.

Further to the south they found more doors: one heading east and one heading west. Opening the door to the west they found a pale, thin woman manacled to the wall. She pleaded for help. Darius rushed to help her and gave some food and water, which she was grateful for. She said her name was Sarissa and she had been trapped down here as a prisoner for days or weeks (she did not know) after her carriage from Triboar had been ambushed. With an almighty grunt, Darius broke the manacles and released her. They did not feel it was safe for her to accompany them deeper into the crypt and asked Kaela to help her outside and keep her safe.

They prepared to head further into the crypt and slay the evil Lord Dalbrek once and for all.