Session 25 December 11, 2016

Session 25 December 11, 2016

The party returns to Mannheim in the early evening of the 21st. Zho ni visits the church to procure scroll supplies before joining the rest of the party at the Freelancers guild to spend the night.

The next morning, as the party is traveling to the docks to purchase canoes for the portage through the Many Mouths, a small colony of bats bomb their path with several skulls that burst into augmented Skeletal Warriors as they land. The skeletons split into squads of skirmishers and archers and join the giant and swarming bats in assaulting the party. Most of the public flee the scuffle. Those that loiter witness Zho ni send all of the skeletons packing and the rest of the party slay the fearless bats.

The band pursue the skeleton’s wake through the city. The city guard dispatched a single skeleton and those guards mopping up joined our pursuit when we explained our intent. The surviving skirmishers are found with their backs to the river docs engaged with city guards who make way when the party rushes in. When the last skirmishers falls, the archers emerge from the water and fall to our blows. The defeated skeletons leave only the skulls, their bodies dissolve into nothing. Zho ni collects the skulls in a sack and crushes them to avoid further animation. Its hoped the shards might be useful later.

Otiben convinces the party to spend a week in Mannheim to train as a Hero. The night before he begins, we are summoned to appear before the Thane. He expresses his concern that it has been about a month since we were tasked to fix the Many Mouths and the recent attack gives a real sense of urgency. We explained the success of our first investigation and how we learned Vorigan was a greater threat than we could have handled. After explaining the steps we have taken to better overcome the challenge, we promise to set out as soon as Otiben is a hero. The Thane explains Randolph’s status as an independent when we try to coerce a sponsorship from him to augment Otiben’s skills.

On the night of the 27th, Embrek arrives at the Freelancer’s Guild. His good tidings are that the Mithril vane was excavated, secreted away and awaits smelting. Since the Yuletide is imminent, he and the other miners have left to celebrate. He begs leave to visit with old friends and families which Zho ni grants gladly. But his heart changes when Zho ni explains the Necropolis assault commences on the morrow. Embrek is geared for action the next morning.

Our trip down the River Dross passes easily. After a night at the Urdjan Knight Ironclad, the party sets off for the Necropolis. During our march, a giant slimy moss covered mound of moving plants lifts from the mire. It bears down on the party under a hail of arrows, flaming oil, bolts of pure energy and Urman’s fiery airburst. After its monstrous limbs yank Batukahn and Embrek off their feet and into its brambles, Otiben delivers a most skillful backstab, allowing us to save the two before they suffocate. We find a few trinkets in its remains then set off for the Necropolis again.