01.1 Family Reunion

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Carlton Blacks Mercenaries
Company members:-
Krachtig (Vervalsing Voorwerp de Meesten Krachtig) – Gnome Illusionist/Thief
Taran – Half Elf Fighter/Priest of Mannnanan Mac Lir, cousin to Carinne and Galvish
Carinne Rhianne Talynnart – Half Elf Ranger/Mage, Cousin to Taran and Galvish
Galvish – Half Elf Fighter/Thief, Cousin to Tarana and Carinne

23rd Lifran 210 Fourth Age (FA)
Galvish arrives and joins his family members and Krachtig at Specularum, just in time to attend the ball the next day for Amber.  The ball went off without a hitch although Taran may have been indiscreet in his selection of nighttime companion.

We have a week before our training begins and are at a loose end when word reaches us of the farmers we had helped on the journey were having problems with their children going missing again, man we are going to have to leash these kids.  We receive permission from our CO Kalan Ghent to investigate the disappearances before we need to report back for training, just don’t get yourself killed he says.

We follow the farmers son who told us of these events back to their new homesteads, the people are pleased to see us and pray for their childrens safe return.  We discover that in this area there are many different farming families but only the children of the newcomers have been taken.  

We scout around for track and Carinne soon picks up childrens tracks heading away from the village, it looks like two children were accompanied by an adult, this may have happened several times.  We continue tracking till it gets dark, at this point we camp on the trail set a watch and cast a wyvern watch to help keep us safe.  Not long after we settle down the spell is triggered and Taran jumps to his feet to find a group of zombies preparing to attack.  The rest of the party is hastily roused and close quarters fighting ensues, Taran, Carinne and Galvish make short work of their opponents but Krachtig is struggling to put his enemies down so we step across and in a few quick blows end the fight.

We relocate out camp away from the corpses and sleep a good sleep.  In the morning we continue on the trail which soon ends in a swamp.  Galvish and Taran decide to cross through the middle of the swamp whilst Carinne and Krachtig skirt around the edge.  It is not long before Krachtig mentins he has just seen a strange creature, slim and attractive that might have tried casting a spell on him, Carinne goes to investigate but sees nothing….

Meanwhile halfway through the swamp the two cousins are assailed by three lizard men hurling javelins, we return fire with arrows when we discover that Galvish has made a poor selection in his choice of bow.  Galvish falls unconscious after being hit by two of the javelins, Taran rushes to his side and quickly heals him.  The creatures close to hand to hand combat and the warrior priests two blades quickly even the odds but not before Galvish takes another fearful wound.  With these swamp dwellers now dealt with we continue onwards and meet up with the rest of the party on the other side.

We come across a hill with what appears to be standing stones, when we start to enter the patch of well manicured grass which surrounds the top of this hill we lose the trail, we investigate the top and find an altar but, apart from some unknown runes engraved on the stones, deduce nothing.  We go back down to where we last saw the trail and soon discover a hollowed tree with a cleverly disguised elevator.

Upon descent we discover some well stocked rooms, including a lavishly appointed bedroom.  Then we find some large doors which are ornately carved, when these are opened we gaze upon a horrific site.  The room beyond opens out to a temple with robed and armed figures about to prepare for some ceremony, in one corner the children we have come to save lie bound and drugged in a stupor.  The temple is dedicated to Vashanka.  Quickly Galvish fires his bow at a figure standing in the midst of a pentagram and slays him whilst Carinne casts her sleep spell at the priests and guards at the far end of the chamber, Taran engages the nearest guard in combat and Krachtig stands safely behind the door.

All of a sudden the combat is turned on it’s head as the main priest cast a spell which causes Taran and Krachtig to become paralyzed.  Carinne and Galvish are now fighting valiantly although it is not long before Carinne is felled.  Galvish with a final surge of energy overcomes the last guard and rushes to help his comrades.  Before gicking the sleeping priest.

With no prisoners to interrogate we surmise that the Vashanka worshippers were going to sacrifice the children to end the drought the countryside had recently been suffering.  We search through the temple and generally desecrate and loot then place.

We return the children to their families and warn the other nearby farmers that these people are friends of ours and we do not want to come back and find anything has befallen them.  Suitably warned we head back to barracks in time to undergo our basic training, thus taking up the month of Watenay.  During this time Carinne, Krachtig and Taran receive gold and ivory badges from Amber which will help protect them in the forthcoming troubles.

We then set off with our company to the Isle of Lorin where there is plenty of unrest and work to be done, on the ship we meet up with our company engineer Barrigan Stonebeak a dour dwarf.

Party funds (includes previous adventures monies following shares)
251 GPs
Potion of Invisibility (3 doses) – present from Amber
Potion of Flying (3 doses) – present from Amber