The Lonely Coast Campaign – Wherever It Is Going Part 3 (Session 17)

When we ended our last session, things were looking rather grim for the party. Pounder had been arrested for the brutal murder of the child, Kettilwig, and was locked up in the Warden’s stockade, waiting for his execution the following morning. Bay and Thalimor had headed off to the Temple of Velen but had been beaten there by two of the Warden’s soldiers. Worried about their presence, the two had decided to camp in the woods near the temple despite the potential threat of goblins or worse coming across their camp. The remaining three party members (Isenthorne, Magnus, and Osric) had received a rather cold welcome in Swallowfeld but had gone to investigate the site of Kettilwig’s murder. Isenthorne had just started climbing a tree to investigate the thick and rather numerous spider webs in the trees of the area. While it was already evening for Bay and Thalimor, it was still afternoon for the trio of characters, and Pounder was still unconscious. So we had some time differences that needed to be rectified early on in the session.

We had a full table with everyone present this session. As you’ll see, this did turn out to be our “last” session with the Lonely Coast campaign. I say last in quotes because I hope that at some point we’ll come back to this setting and play in it again. It won’t be the same characters because…well, I’ll save the because for after the break. 😉

Isenthorne scrambled up a tree that looked to be relatively web free but was still pretty close to those covered in webs. She was hoping to see if she could spot any clues up in the webs as to what had created them and/or might indicate who was truly responsible for Kettilwig’s death. There were lots of webs in the tree canopy. They were thickest over the clearing where the child had been murdered but strands led off in numerous directions from that central area. A cocoon was spotted not too far away. The ranger carefully made her way over to it and cut it open to discover its contents. A dessicated cow was found within. Whatever had made these webs was obviously big and strong!

Climbing back down to rejoin her companions, the trio spent the rest of the afternoon scouting the woods around Swallowfeld. Initially, they had hoped to find a sign of the “spider” leaving the webs but they were soon distracted by the obvious numbers of goblins that were and had been in the woods. Although they never came under attack, it was obvious that a LOT of goblins were massing in the area. Larger tracks were also spotted, most likely ogres or small giants.

The trio cut their scouting a bit short and despite knowing that they probably wouldn’t be well-received in the village, headed back to Swallowfeld to report to the Warden what they had found. They never made it into the keep, however. A guard at the gate did indicate that he would pass their report on to the Warden. Although dusk was still close to an hour or so away, villagers were already starting to retreat to the relative safety of the Keep’s walls. Apparently, their was already concern that the goblins would attack again.

Heading to the Wolf’s Head Inn, the trio found the common room pretty much empty of customers with the staff busy packing provisions. They were also heading to the keep. It wasn’t long before the village was empty with all the villagers behind the keep’s walls before the sun set.

Assuming that they would not be welcomed in the keep, the group set up camp amongst the village’s buildings, within sight of the keep. It wasn’t long before some soldiers came out, led by Feng, and approached their camp. Feng explained that while the Warden did not trust them, he was not completely heartless. They could shelter within the stockade if they so wished. The offer was accepted and the trio was escorted to the stockade but not before being stripped of their weapons and warned that they would be constantly guarded.

Pounder was in the stockade. He had been stripped to his skivvies and was chained to the wall via manacles around his wrists. The half-orc had obviously been roughly treated but seemed no worse for wear from it. He had already attempted to pull his restraints from the wall but found them to be too well constructed for that. The others filled him in on what had happened since his arrest before settling down to rest.

Meanwhile, at the Temple, one rider–heard from their camp but not seen by Bay or Thalimor–had already galloped down the road back towards Swallowfeld. Now more horses could be heard but they were not speeding down the path. While Bay waited behind, Thalimor snuck forward to the edge of the woods to get a look. The other soldier that had ridden past to the Temple previously was leading the way. Godric and Malvenos following behind. Their departure had definitely piqued the bard’s curiosity and so he headed back to fetch Bay and then head to the Temple to find out what was going on.

Bay, however, had had an interesting time himself. Shortly after Thalimor had left, the warlock heard a sweet but angry voice behind him. Danu had “answered” his prior “summons” and clearly was not happy. She was very unhappy with Bay for having taken on another “mistress” and gave him one chance to explain himself satisfactorily. [Danu was referring to Bay’s transformation and apparent ties to Rosszanya, the Foul Mother, from when he had drunk the liquid in the bowl in the ancient “temple” as part of trying to save the kidnapped children.] He tried to appeal to her maternal instincts by claiming he did it all to save the children and not because he had wanted to.

This answer was not satisfactory to Danu; a pair of mortal children were of no concern to her and should not have been to him. As she departed, she reiterated her prior warning about the Green and “reiterated” her lack of further explanation on the topic. Her last words were that it was likely he would not have to worry about it for much longer.

Thalimor returned and the pair exchanged their recent experiences. Bay tested his “powers” to make sure that Danu had not already completely forsaken him; they still worked. The duo then headed to the Temple and after waiting for a few minutes after their knocking, were welcomed inside by Oswin.

They duo shared the dangers of the massing goblins and that an eight-day armistice had been established. Oswin for his part shared the information that Pounder had been arrested for the murder of a child and would be executed in the morning [Bay and Thalimor had left Swallowfeld before Pounder was taken]. The guards had come to warn the Temple of the dangers and to inform them of the upcoming execution. Godric, Oswin explained, had left for Swallowfeld as the old priest simply could not believe that Pounder would murder a child and hoped to stay the execution.

The discussion ranged over a variety of topics at that point but settled on two things. First, Bay (reluctantly) would escort the remaining Temple inhabitants back to Wardseld Keep along with the key books that had been transcribed again. Oswin and Thalimor would remain behind to man the wards protecting against the “great evil” said to be below the Temple. Oswin claimed that he still could not share what was below but was willing to take Thalimor down there as the wards would require someone to remain behind to maintain them and having a second would make that much easier to accomplish. Thalimor was more than willing to do this and to see the catacombs beneath.

After seeing off Bay and other priests, Oswin and Thalimor headed down into the catacombs [and Thomas and I went outside to discuss so the others would not know what was happening]. It was obvious to Thalimor that a number of wards or sigils had already been broken as they descended. Oswin simply waved that off by explaining that those were old, no longer functioning, wards and the new ones were deeper down.

Stopping in a chamber, Oswin closed and locked the door they had entered through and then turned to Thalimor, asking if he would like to meet Oswin’s new friend. Even before Aerlium revealed himself, Thalimor knew exactly who Oswin was speaking of. The demon and the priest explained that they had recently formed an alliance and had been working to harness the evil below the Temple. Their alliance was not nearly as old as Thalimor had thought…only a few days old. Oswin explained that his and Aerlium’s interests currently aligned. Oswin’s motives were largely driven by a burning desire to see Godric dead and discredited but would explain no more.

Aerlium explained that the goblins would be attacking Swallowfeld soon and so they needed to be on their way. When Thalimor protested that they had agreed to an armistice, the imp corrected him. The agreement had simply been that Aerlium would not order an attack on the people or settlements of the Lonely Coast for the nine day timeframe. The imp had ordered no such attack and so had held to their agreement. Instead, he had simply told the goblins to do what they wanted…knowing full well, of course, that they would attack.

[At that point, I told Thomas that he could play Feng for the rest of the evening and we went back inside.]

The rest of those in the stockade was interrupted when Bay was brought in during the middle of the night. He explained what had happened at the Temple, including Thalimor’s remaining behind with Oswin. The others explained that they had experienced since separating as well. With nothing else to do, they settled down for the rest of the night.

Before dawn, an alarm horn blared and woke all in the stockade. Feng entered and explained that the goblins were preparing to attack. The Warden had authorized him to release them to fight with the defenders, under his command. They agreed but Feng [and all kudos to Thomas to playing him true to character] said that Pounder would remain in the stockade. He simply wouldn’t have a child murderer in his command. The party, sans one, prepared for the battle. Feng stationed them on the wall above the keep’s gate. The total defenders could not have been more than four dozen in total and were spread pretty thin.

Shortly after the others had left, the Warden arrived in the stockade with Godric. Although the Warden was reluctant, Godric convinced him to release Pounder to aid in the defense. The priest reasoned that if Pounder truly had murdered the child, the gods would have taken their blessing from him and it was clear to Godric that that was not the case. The Warden made Pounder swear that if they survived, he would return to the stockade to await his trial, despite the lack of weight the paladin’s word had with the Warden at this point. So Pounder joined the others atop the wall.

Goblins could be seen scurrying about the village buildings by those with better night vision. It wasn’t long before a loud horn blared from the woods beyond the village. Flames sprung up all throughout Swallowfeld; every building–except the keep–was quickly engulfed in flames. Drums were rhythmically pounding somewhere beyond the flames. The smoke and light made it difficult for the keep’s defenders to see much beyond a hundred feet or so.

First through the smoke was one of the three-armed mutated goblins, riding a massive wolf. He waved some sort of battle flag in the air. Ragenald, still drunk, joined the defenders and struck first. A small ball of flame streaked from the village’s wizard to explode around the goblin and wolf, engulfing them. When the flames died down, both were still standing despite being rather singed. The goblin blew a horn which Isenthorne recognized as a goblin signal to attack before he rode out of sight.

Next through the smoke were nearly a dozen of the strange double-jointed creatures that the party had fought on numerous occasions at this point. A number of them still had the tattered remnants of a soldier’s uniform on and it was assumed that these were captured soldiers who had been transformed! The defenders prepared to defend the gate but the creatures remained widely spread out and ran directly for the wall. Despite being targeted by both spells and missile fire from the defenders, they began to quickly scramble up the walls!

Only one of these creatures was felled before reaching the top of the wall. After a quick nip at a nearby defender, the “sinspawn” leaped down to the keep’s courtyard. The defenders did their best to prevent this with Feng and Pounder both descending to the courtyard to take the battle to the creatures but still a number were able to reach the inner keep and the defenders there.

Those guarding the walls could do little else at that point as their attention had to be directed back to the foes outside. A trio of ogres emerged from the smoke. Two were carrying a large tree trunk between them, a battering ram! As the ogres approached, the defenders focused their attacks on them. The lone ogre not encumbered with the ram returned the attacks with a deadly javelin of his own. It struck Osric and was thrown with such force that it passed right through him to emerge from his back and fly into the courtyard. [It was a critical hit for over thirty some points of damage.]While other defenders had already fallen under the attack of the sinspawn, Osric was the first of the party to fall in the keep’s defense.

The ogres reached the gate and struck it with the ram. The gate held against the first blow but only barely. Feng ordered that all nearby focus on keeping the ogres from breaching the gate. The defenders had to hold off the attackers a bit longer. He explained that the Warden had sent messengers both overland and by boat to Wolverton explaining the situation. He had also requested that a ship be sent to evacuate the residents of Swallowfeld in the event that the goblins massed in numbers too large to defend. That ship had arrived during the night. The Warden, who had been strangely absent in the battle to date, was seeing to the evacuation of the non-combatants via ropes down the cliffs to boats that could take them to the ship.

Feng led by example and leaped from the wall to land on one of the ogres to take the battle to the attackers. Bay followed his example but not quite as gracefully. He fell from the ogre and landed nearby. Another bash from the ogres and the gate was breached! Dozens of goblins began to advance through the smoke!

Bay, realizing that Danu had withdrawn her patronage from him, decided to give in to the other power that he felt coursing through him…the power from the Foul Mother. He ripped into the ogre’s leg with his shark’s teeth and swallowed a chunk of flesh and blood. More important than the physical act of that act was the spiritual acceptance of what it meant. Bay fell to the ground and began to convulse and…change.

Meanwhile, one of the ogres was dropped and then another. Feng took up position outside the gate ready to defend it with his life as Pounder stepped through its remains to do the same. Those plans, however, were changed as Bay continued to grow and transform. Feng decided that Bay was now a threat to the defenders and attacked, leaving a massive gash in the still mutating form. A gash that healed as what was once Bay now stood as some massive cross between a man and a shark, standing some fifteen to twenty feet tall!

The advancing goblins were stunned by the sight of this majestic creature and stopped in their tracks, falling silent. Then one voice sounded out from their ranks, saying, “Rosszanya.” A near religious hush had fallen over this section of the battlefield as the goblins began to chant “Rosszanya” in a hushed and reverent whisper, over and over and over.

[At this point, Bay was now essentially a creature of the Foul Mother (for those that know, think of her as something like Lammashtu from Golarion). I gave him the Monster Manual, opened to the page with the Bulette and told him to read it and attack. It was only a bit later that remembered that a bulette was also called a “land shark” as I had initially just been leafing through trying to quickly find a creature whose stats would work, in a pinch, for what Bay had become.]

Although the goblins on this front had stopped fighting, this wasn’t true on the other fronts. The sounds of battles and human yells made it clear that the goblins were overwhelming the defenders. The all clear horn, however, sounded from within the keep. Although the party didn’t know this, Feng knew that this meant that the evacuation was complete and that the defenders should retreat to the boats as best they could.

At this point, however, the order to retreat was too late. It was clear that the defenders were lost and doomed. There was probably no way that they could make it down the cliffs and to the ship with the goblins streaming over the walls. Plus, one look at what Bay had become showed Feng that if this shark thing reached the ocean, the ship and its passengers would be in danger. Charging the monstrostiy, the half-orc sergeant ordered for everyone to attack it and yelled that he would see them all in hell!

As the goblins continued to watch on with reverence, battle was joined between the remaining defenders and the Bay-Shark-thing. The battle was fierce. Feng was nearly bit in half by the thing, covered in his own blood as much as that of all his opponents, including the once Bay. With the focused attacks of Isenthorne, Magnus, Pounder, and Feng, [and Osric, who had received minor but sufficient healing from Pounder], the once Bay was defeated. During this fight, Isenthorne had noticed that nearly a dozen of the mutated goblins–the apparent leaders of the horde–had gathered at the front of the goblin line to watch this fight. When the once Bay fell, they roared in intense anger and the horde advanced nearly as one.

The numbers were simply too many for such a small number to stand against and the heroes fell. They are remembered as heroes…heroes who stood against overwhelming numbers and gave their lives so others could live. Before they were overwhelmed, however, Isenthorne, from her vantage on the keep’s wall spotted a disturbing sight. On a hill, not too far away from the keep, she spotted a pair of figures…Oswin and Thalimor. Sitting atop Thalimor’s shoulder was the imp, Aerlium, and the thing was smiling.

[And that was where we ended the session and this campaign.

Well, that’s about it. We’re going to do some Deadliest Link the next couple of weeks due to scheduling issues and then pick up with a new campaign after the July 4th holiday. It’ll probably be Forgotten Realms, since that is the kind of default for 5e. I went around the table and asked everyone for one word to describe something that they’d like to see in this campaign. The responses were: Intrigue (Rachel), Ghosts (Muse), Horror (Miles), Sentient Weapons (Todd…I let that count as one word), Politics (Thomas), and Murder (RJ). Some ideas are percolating in my brain but we’ll see what eventually bubbles up in a few weeks from now.]