Into the Swamp; or, The Trell-Beast's Knell

Our introductory session from 24 April 2011:

Dai: Aldan The Righteous Deliverer
Giovanni: Rast The Amazing Spellcaster
Dave: Samaras The Unlucky
Ziad: Vrannian Nimbus

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Starting from the town of Poori, the northernmost stop on the usual inland maritime trading routes, the PCs hiked into the swampy interior of a northern Dark Ages wasteland. They were on the hunt for the Trell-Beast, a magical creature and legend of the Old Times, most notable for its viciousness and the unknown powers of its hide.

After two weeks on the hunt through rain, wind, and discomfort in this late-fall march, they approached the tiny village of Akikorva, known to be close to the Beast's hunting grounds.

On the outskirts they discovered a burned and looted farmhouse with a deaf-mute farmer cowering inside, afraid dreaded goblin raiders would return. Indeed, they did, and the PCs defended against a brief siege, firing back from the windows and door and routing the vile humanoids.

Moving into the nearby village, they learned through mystic signs and conversations that some of the villagers appeared to stay fast to their worship of the very semi-mythical Trell-Beast the PCs were hunting, despite the second-best efforts of the Priest of the New Faith in converting the locals from their false beliefs.

They learned a fire festival to mark the start of winter was to be held, during which time the Trell-Beast was to be conjured in an outpouring of faith and tradition. Indeed, after the PCs prepared the unwitting village with traps, sentries, and even thoughts of improvising a giant ballista, they spiked the cauldron of ceremonial stew with intoxicating herbs, which only served to further whip the celebrating and half-nude pagan villagers into a frenzy.

Then the goblins arrived -- were they there to join in the worship or seek revenge for their fallen brothers?

Meanwhile, in the ensuing house-to-house melee, accentuated by pyrotechnics conjured from the festival bonfire, the piercing howls of the summoned Trell-Beast began to fill the night air.

And then the giant Trell-Beast, like a dire wolf with the beak of a hawk, tore into the fray, immediately seeking out the unfortunate Priest and making a sacrifice of him as a brief and fleeting victory for the Old Ways.

The Trell-Beast ended up having a splintered staff crammed into its jaw, which mercifully prevented it from inflicting more misery on the players, and eventually fell to an onslaught of fire, wood, and iron.

Upon its expiring, the corpse of the Beast, just like that, shriveled before the PCs' eyes, revealing the body of the village wise-woman and leader of the Beast cult, draped in a thick hide of fur and skin; the object which they sought to mine for its power.

Despite this ominous sign, the PCs quickly collected their hide and snuck out of the village before the festival died down and the worshippers sobered from their intoxication. Aldan briefly considering taking up the missionary role in place of the deceased Priest, but ended up joining his fellows as they slinked back toward Poori; this band of misfits was sure to bring with it better chances for greater heroism and service.

In the end -- they were heroes, perhaps, for ridding this nowhere land of a dangerous Beast; though at the cost of one more of the Old Ways' fading traditions. Certainly this act would not come without its due consequences.