Episode 15: "Piss & Vinegar"

Quest Information

 * 23-26 Arah Abu, 837
 * Kassithe, hexes 9006, 1006, 1105
 * Title: The Dead Village
 * Level: 4
 * Location: a dead village, just south off the road between Tamtu-Durfa (the Village on the Lake ) and the Badlands outpost

Primary Cast

 * Craganor, warrior cleric of Inanna, Goddes of Battle & Soldiers
 * Dylan Minglewood, halfling bard of Bearden's Crossing
 * Ket-Ramat, soldier-scout, former militia member of Ag-Rakade
 * Shoklen, marsh ranger, former militia member of Ag-Rakade

Supporting Cast

 * Wemic chieftain and entourage
 * Cackling creature

Summary
The party leaves Tamtu-Durfa, the Village on the Lake, before crossing the unsettled expanse between Kassithe and Hurrethe, on their mission to find the wizard Eku-Zakir in Selihm. They have learned from Misnarta that Eku-Zakir may understand the magic that destroyed Ag-Rakade (however, they have not rejected the possibility that the wizard is actually the one responsible for those events).

Along the road, they meet the chieftain of the wemics and his entourage. This is a very odd meeting: for years, there's been a truce between wemics and the freefolk of Kassithe. Travelers stay on the road and in their towns, villages, and farms; and the wemics control the inner, wild plainslands. Rarely do the two cross paths, however this chieftain has intentionally approached the party. "We have been warned", says his spokeslion, "by a sprite, that the freefolk are here to invade our lands. We are therefore here to warn you to stay on your roads and stick to your villages."

Shoklen chimes up that the party actually saved some sprites some time ago. Ket then proceeds to show the chieftain his cloak, and relates the tale of how they saved the woodland creatures from the wizard Attil'Kusu, and were rewarded accordingly. He describes the sudden appearance of monsters in Ag-Rakade, the resulting destruction of their village, and the creatures who have been tormenting the party since they left that accursed place ten days ago. These creatures can change their form and turn invisible, and have been stirring up trouble everywhere the party goes. He warns the chieftain to be wary of such creatures, for they seem intent on sowing chaos and conflict.

A wemic shaman, accompanying the chieftain on his errand, asks more questions of the party. He is stunned, for these events should not be possible, but there is no reason not to trust a party who carries a dryad's cloak. He advises the chieftain, who wishes the party good fortunes on their way, before turning and racing back into the plains.

The next day, the party makes camp. Dylan takes first watch, Shoklen the second. Oddly, though, Dylan does not wake Shoklen at shift change. The ranger, a light sleeper by nature, wakes and realizes something is wrong. Dylan is missing! Awakening his companions, Shoklen begins to track the wayward bard across the plains. In the dark but clear night, the keen-eyed ranger spots a village, off the beaten path. On the far side, a metallic shape glimmers in the moonlight. Heading into the village, the party quickly realizes the place is a ruin, abandoned and slowly being reclaimed by the plains. A dry creek bed winds through the center, perhaps the water left the village and the people left.

After avoiding some scavenging giant ants and negotiating a few red herrings (including an unfortunate sinkhole that claimed Craganor's dignity), the ranger manages to track Dylan to a ruined shack. In the floor lies a trapdoor. Taking the ladder down, the party finds an earthen tunnel. To the west, the horrid stink of rotted flesh. To the east, the odd tangy smell of vinegar. The bard's trail heads east and, therefore, so does the party.

In an underground room full of boxes and crates, the party finds Dylan, sleeping on a mat. As they enter to wake the flutist, a gruesome shriek erupts from the ceiling, and a disgusting creature (which may have once been a human woman), reeking of vinegar, swoops down and attacks Shoklen, entangling him in her entrails and attacking with her fangs. The battle is vicious and revolting. The cackling creature briefly appears and tries to turn the tide, but Craganor uses the power of his goddess to whack the creature. Briefly dazed, the small creature managed to turns invisible, escaping further attacks from the cleric. The party is eventually victorious against the disgusting creature, but not without cost, for both Shoklen and the awakened Dylan find themselves physically exhausted. Perhaps they have been poisoned, or even cursed, by the monstrosity and her fangs?

After a much-needed rest outside the village, to recoup spells and regain strength, the party decides to investigate the metallic glint spotted earlier. "What adventuring party," says the chipper halfling, "can resist a tower with a golden roof?" Making their way through scavenging giant ants, the party approaches the tower. Sadly, the roof is only copper, but it is still impressive from outside. After unsuccessfully trying to open the door, Ket tries a window, to further failure. "Stand aside", says the battle cleric. "I'll open it." With a heave and a groan -- that may have been heard as far away as the Ter-Mith -- Craganor rips one of the shutters off its moorings. Satisfied, he assists the rest of the party in entering.

The first floor is as dead and dry as the village. Lots of empty crates and boxes line the walls, an old dining table and bench rests in the middle, and a bed with a sparse straw mattress sits to one side. It appears whoever lived here was some sort of hermit and hoarder, and has been gone for quite some time.

The party spots a ladder heading to the next floor. The rogue, Ket, carefully clambers up, followed closely by the protective cleric, Craganor. This floor contains what look like work tables and desks, littered with paper and scrolls; empty vials and broken pottery; small, empty cauldrons and mortar & pestles; and what appears to be dried and useless spell components. Ever inquisitive, the rogue moves to the desk to investigate the papers, and is instantly attacked by a spirit, black and malicious, with sickly yellow eyes.

Summoning the rest of the party to help, combat ensues. Ket attacks, but only his dagger manages to harm the creature. Craganor beseeches his goddess, Inanna, and casts sacred flame on the apparition. The spirit shrieks out, in a cacophonous babble. Suddenly, the cleric, ranger and bard are enthralled, their eyes glassy, their gaze vacuous. Ket-Ramat, master rogue, is on his own. The battle is fierce, Ket finds his mind fading under the spirit's relentless attacks, but eventually the ranger snaps out of his trance, and the two adventurers dispatch the creature.

After a moment to recover, Ket gathers up the sheafs of paper. Some pages seem to contain spells of a mage, perhaps Lugal would be interested in the faded inscriptions. The rest of the writings appear to be the journal of a man caught in the throes of despair. Apparently, nearly 150 years ago, this village was beset by a creature, who is only referred to as "She" or "Her". This man, apparently a studious but fearful mage, sealed himself in his tower with provisions and his research, while the monster slowly fed on the townspeople. Bit by bit, the population dwindled as She fed on some citizens and scared away others. Eventually, the town was dead and abandoned, leaving only the mage and his dwindling provisions. But still, She prowled about, feeding on stray gnolls and random travelers. The last page of the journal is only barely legible, the final entry is "I die". The party finds a skeleton along a far wall, the last mortal evidence of the occupant, who apparently transformed into an amorphous spirit after a horrible death by starvation. The wizard is now dispatched to his final rest, courtesy of four travelers from afar.

Another ladder beckons, and the party, undaunted, climbs up. They enter in another dark chamber. They are inside the copper roof, and using the light provided by the cleric, see a wondrous site. Etched into the copper, and traced with silver, is a magnificent work of art. Circles upon circles adorn the metal. Most are individual, some overlap, and others are nested within other circles. Various thick lines connect them, seemingly at random. Inscribed in fine calligraphy, words and phrases adorn the circles: "Acheron"; "Elysium"; "Limbo"; "Gladsheim"; "Gehenna". Tracing the lines shows that all lead back to, but do not connect, a large circle, upon which is written "Aruru". Is this the Aruru, the word describing this region of the land, upon which Kassithe, Hurrethe, and the other known nations sit? The circle, Aruru, is surrounded by a ring, and on that ring sits a smaller circle, inscribed with the word "Moon". Circles upon circles, all connected (or not). What could this mean? Oddly, there is nothing in the dead mage's notes explaining these drawings, whatever secret they held accompanied him into unlife.

Outcome

 * Lugal finishes decoding the Necromancer's Spellbook.
 * Dylan and Shoklen appear to be affected by the bite of the creature in the tunnel. They suffer from Level 1 Exhaustion per the PHB, and must make a CN save every night.
 * The party uncovers what appears to be a strange map, carved on the inside of a copper rooftop. They copy it down on some spare parchment.

Rewards
Return to Episode Guide
 * Craganor, Dylan, Ket and Shoklen each receive 1600 xp. This is enough for Dylan to reach Level 4, and Shoklen to reach Level 5.
 * The party recovers a horde of antique coins from the underground lair
 * 700 cp
 * 600 sp
 * 700 gp
 * 140 pp
 * 14 50-gp gems
 * The party recovers a coffer of antique coins from the tower
 * 300 sp
 * 100 gp
 * 6 50-gp gems
 * The party find parchment containing mage spells from the tower
 * 1st level: comprehend languages; detect magic; identify; mage armor; magic missile; unseen servant
 * 2nd level: arcane lock; cloud of daggers; detect thoughts; knock; locate object
 * 3rd level: clairvoyance; magic circle; nondetection