Our triumphant but tainted ninth session, 5 November 2011:
Eric: Balto The Warrior-Scholar
Beau: Aldan The Righteous Deliverer
Gilles: Seppo The Protagonist
Hector: Rast The Amazing Spellcaster
The Druids
The session opened with the heroes bearing the body of Foliage The Warped, run through the heart by the Iron-Shafted Spear which he led his brothers-in-arms to retrieve from the defiled Tomb of Naxim the Mountain Man; the Spear which would be used to strike down the Elder Vulture and the possessor of the Bronze Armband.
As Druids are a peculiar folk, the heroes brought the body to the sacred meadow outside Gar. They passed from the forest, still harassed by the spirits of the woods, into a meadow known to be the abode of Druids. And just like that, they emerged, one from a hole in the sod, covered with dirt and earthworms, and the others from the woods, unwelcoming.
In a demanding and eccentric manner that made the deceased Foliage's brusqueness seem downright pleasant, they accepted the Druid's body and declared it would be laid out on the Stump of the Once Mighty Oak for the birds to pick at it, as the ways demanded. The Druids made clear that the wearer of the Armband had the power to be immune to injury from the Spear -- it was Naxim who had struck down with the Spear a wicked man in his time and as those killed by it do not suffer from the effects of decay (indeed, the body of Foliage was as pristine as he ever kept it), to ensure the victim would never return to the world, Naxim was said to have bound the Armband around the leg of the Vulture and safely away from the hands of his treacherous allies.
And thus the players had one more reason to seek out the Bronze Armband -- as the Druids prepared the body for disposal the heroes quickly announced that Foliage had made his wish to be interred with the planting of the spring turnip crop, which would not begin until two weeks' time -- enough to recover the Armband, no doubt.
Madness At The Beetle
They enjoyed one last meal at The Beetle, where the people of the inn and surrounding appeared to have been struck with a sort of dangerous madness, which they blamed on the bread and beer prepared by the Outer Hold's denizens and offered as tribute. Farmers were dancing pantless over the tables; brawls were initiated with city watchmen; the madness in the place, especially that supplies of the bread were running low, was only a step short of spreading to general rebellion.
The heroes also met up with Tulia, who wished them well on their journey and once again offered her unrequited love to Aldan, who remained distant and pure, as always.
The Un-Blessed Ones
And so they set out post-haste back to the Outer Hold on the way to the Roost of the Elder
Vulture. There they met up with Milo, the old man of Fortress Town, who led them on the road to the Roost.
Milo turned back partway as the players made their way through the driving rains of late winter and early spring. On the mountain path, they emerged through the unwelcoming forest onto a craggy dome of low bushes and grasses, loose rocks, uneven rocks, and occasional caves. They approached a plateau of sorts, and sniffed out an ambush.
Foul-smelling horrible diminutive dog-men, immediately identified by Balto (an expert on humanoid philology and physiology) as Mountain Kobolds, swarmed upon the party, emerging from low caves and brandishing primitive weapons like a band of prehistoric unfortunates throwing themselves against the heroes. Aldan swished Back Talker with exceptional fury, and the heroes wreaked havoc on the tribe before Balto, holding high the spear, awed them into complete submission.
Their man-god showed mercy to the pathetic Kobold tribe. The heroes learned through primitive barks and squeaks that the tribe was that not smiled upon by the Great Vulture; they were forced by another more powerful tribe living higher on the mountaintop to live as mere animals and submit tribute to their masters.
Over the course of a restful evening outside the vile dens of the Kobolds on the rain-soaked plateau overlooking the Outer Hold, the heroes showed magnanimity by teaching the tribe such civilized virtues as washing with soap and cooking with fire.
To The Roost, The Elder Vulture
The next morning the remaining brave souls of the Kobolds led the heroes further up the half-barren mountainside, through a glen of mean trees to a natural stone bridge over a deep gully to the lair of the Blessed Ones and the trunk of the great tree and the Roost of the Elder Vulture.
As silhouettes of the Blessed Kobold tribe loomed over clifftop posts over the far base of the stone bridge and over from the great tree, the heroes maneuvered their friendly beast-men as a front line, with Aldan at the fore, to cover the bridge. Behind them, they led forth a single sheep, brought along from the Outer Hold as a bait for the Vulture, which Balto stayed with on the center of the bridge, Spear in hand. Seppo and Rast stayed back at the near base, under cover. An ear-splitting cry filled the air; the form of the Elder Vulture, as giant and fearsome as described, formed over the peak and circled overhead.
And then the Blessed Ones attacked, in numbers and with fury. Through magic, Rast created the illusion of more silent beastmen fighters on their side, enough to confuse the attackers and buy time for the heroes' overwhelmed allies.
The Vulture swooped down. At this point Seppo let loose one of the explosive bolts from his crossbow, blasting the beast in the very leg around which dangled the Bronze Armband and infuriating the bird. The huge claws dug deep into the Monk's shoulders but he leaped onto the Vulture's back and thrust the Spear into its shoulder.
Nothing. With the power of the Armband, the Spear did no harm to the bird, but did give enough purchase for Balto, hurdling around high over the mountain on the back of an infuriated magical beast, to steer it around for a second pass.
Meanwhile, the fight on the bridge was going badly. Rast, from his side of the bridge, called a retreat of the friendly Kobolds (which Aldan joined, and predictably took an spear-wound to the lower back), brought forth the cursed Crystal into his hands, and let forth a tremendous Shatter spell on the base of the bridge, which sapped nearly the last of his mortal energy but burst the bridge, in an explosion of gravel and cries of fear, dropping its unfortunate occupants into the ravine below.
High above, the Elder Vulture closed again, Seppo launched one more explosive arrow into the Vulture, blasting its feathers and causing the Armband to slide loose and fall to the ground. With the loss of its protective talisman, the injury of the Spear-thrust hit home, causing the bird, Balto on its back, to lurch forward, right into the path of Aldan, bravely standing, wounded, Back Talker ready to meet its hideous beak.
And they collided -- The Paladin's bloodthirsty blade met the craw of the doomed Elder Vulture, a single swing dispatching the beast with a screech.
Denouement
And that was that. Rast, gasping for life, was able to detect the Armband thanks to his recently-researched conjuration, in the branches of the tree at the Roost. With this they retreated to the Kobolds' cave-village, realized Rast's horse (fine and procured as a favor by Otto the theoretician) had become meat for a feast, passed through the Fortress Town where the surprise that the troublemakers actually returned was hardly concealed, and returned to the Druid's lair.
Laid out, the body of Foliage looking as fresh as the moment he was struck down, they clasped the Bronze Armband over his bicep. Behold! He awoke, like from a nightmare, the gash in his chest closed without a mark, gasping and demanding a drink, which was present to be offered. The Druids declared Seppo's suitability for the Path, which he considered, but they did not linger.
With the Undead Druid in tow, the heroes returned to the Beetle. The bread and beer from the Outer Hold had run out in the previous ten days, leading the chaos to spread to the surrounding town. Amidst this and the relief that comes from a mission completed, the bar owner summoned Aldan, to pass him a tiny chest on request from an anonymous person.
Inside, a lock of Tulia's red hair, and a note, which he deciphered from his religious training in letters: We have your librarian. Now bring us the Armband.
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