Session 57 - Mrs Wednesday is Majestic
In-game timeline: Start of session: 1489DR Nightal 14. End of session: 1489DR Nightal 25
Our Heroes are basking in the glory of saving (most of) the children of Moonfall. Derrick thinks he has fleas. Well, more accurately, the rest of the party thinks Derrick has fleas. They spend some time in Baldur's Gate practising their new level 7 abilities before deciding to head out.
Derrick and Jaxii head to the library with Iwee. Iwee disappears to the "Demons" and "Self Help" sections, much to the concern of the librarian, Gladys. Her concern at that is short-lived, however, when Derrick approaches and asks if they have any books on Werewolves. Not "how to avoid", more like "how to become". Gladys wishes she had an emergency button she could press.
Derrick finds some basic books, but they pretty much all just advise steering well clear of ALL lycanthropes. Then, with Jaxii's help, they discover an older, more useful book called The Lore of Lycanthropy, which seems to contain much more information. It is, however, not an easy nor a quick read. Jaxii immediately encourages Derrick to steal it. Derrick decides to buy it instead. His attempt at flirting with the elderly librarian fails and he is overcharged.
Iwee, meanwhile, is looking for answers. She doesn't find any. Though she does find a bit of information about some Demonic names they have come across on their travels - more specifically about the Demon Lord Fraz-Urb'luu and the Demonic Prince, Abezethibou - the One-Winged Demon. What she discovers does nothing to endear either of them to the innocent little gnome.
Karoshi is off doing his own thing. Which, on this occasion means asking in the nearby temple about similar things to that which Iwee is researching. He finds out a little more about something called the Dark Rising, that involved Fraz-Urb'luu some 2-3 millennia ago. He also hears that although the One-Winged Demon was not heard from or about for many centuries, there have been a few recent reports that he is once again at large in the Realm. Worrying.
They decide to pay a visit to Karoshi's old Temple, as it is only a week or so journey to the south, before heading back to Neverwinter. Using Iwee's new Sending ability, they manage to contact Cap'n Grayson Hatchet (formally Bryn) on board The Tired Adventurer, and arrange for him to collect them from Baldur's Gate in 15 days from now (on 10 Hammer DR1490), to take them up to Neverwinter.
They purchase a horse, which they name Mrs Wednesday, and a rickety old cart and set off south.
As they approach the Cloud Peak mountains, they are being very careful as they have heard about bandits in this area at this time of year. And it seemed they are right to be careful.
An ambush has been set up involving some large trees dragged across the trail at a narrow point. They are unsurprised when they are set upon by some goblins, though they are surprised at how accurate their arrows seem to be! With arrows coming from front and rear, they consider their options. With Derrick being a little peppered with arrows, and the goblins managing to hide well - though not well enough to avoid a very successful Shatter spell from Iwee - they decide to make a run for it over the trees. Mrs Wednesday and the cart would not manage to get over the trees, but this doesn't stop them! They decide to abandon the cart, but Derrick uses his new Enlarge ability to make Mrs Wednesday grow in size. Derrick then manages to calm her down from the shock of suddenly growing, and then to somehow convey the need for her to jump over the trees - something of which she is now capable in her enlarged size.
And this she does, in majestic fashion, leaping over the trees to the other side. The rest of them follow, including Sully, who is able to clamber over the trees. They are rather exposed while climbing, but Karoshi protects their backs by casting Darkness, causing all of the fired arrows to miss and they make it to the other side, scaring off what they presume to be the last remaining goblin on that side. As Mrs Wednesday returns to normal size, they continue on their way, minus a cart.
A few miles further on, along a side track from the main path, they arrive at Karoshi's Temple. They had known that it had been raided some week's before, but are not prepared for the sight before them. The Temple appears abandoned. Bodies, many pecked by carrion, and seemingly picked clean of weapons and armour, were scattered around the lower levels of the Temple complex. They look at a couple of nearby bodies to confirm they had been killed probably some weeks' prior, stabled Mrs Wednesday and Sully, and then head towards the upper level.
Pacino is sent a-circling around the upper level, to see if anything is around. With Derrick 'zoned-in' to Pacino, they both see two giants walking around the main Temple area - more may be inside the large Temple building - and the giants seem to be aware of them, as they are walking towards some piles of large rocks that had been gathered at the top of the steps leading down to the lower level - at the base of these steps are standing our group of Heroes.
And so we leave them, looking up at an abandoned Temple which is perhaps not as abandoned as first thought. Pacino is quickly heading away from the giants, who are in the process of picking up some large rocks…