PREVIOUSLY - CAMPAIGN DIARIES 24 - INTO THE DRACOLICH LAIR

14 Elient - Day 76 - Exploring Red Larch

Red Larch is a small town, probably 500 souls in the area, a bit bigger than Phandalin. Many of the buildings face the wide Long Road heading north to south, with some smaller streets branching off. There are signs for two cross streets at the center of town - Kheldell Path to the west, The Cairn Road to the east. Another unmarked road heads to the Northeast, back into the Sumber Hills. One of the first things they notice though, is a bakery, luckily still open. Their stomachs grumbling, they step in under a sign that says "Lorren's Bakery" in common writing.

"Welcome travelers, what can I help you with?"

"We're glad you're still open." Dain replies. "What do you have left?"

"I always stay open late for travelers, always coming into town late. We have some bagettes, some pastries with lingonberries, and of course crumblecake. We have the best crumblecake in Red Larch, the whole savage north, even."

"What's crumblecake? K'ronk asks, always with a keen interest in food.

"Oh it's a specialty in Red Larch. Kind of a road food, like iron rations or jerky. It's scraps of chicken and turkey or pheasant with oats and berries in a hard loaf. Keeps for days on the road. You'll like my pastries better, but the crumblecake will last."

"We'll take some of each, Dain says, passing a couple of gold to the wirey fair-haired man. "Keep the change."

"Wow, thank you." the man says. He enthusiastically passes out several pastries, loaves and of course crumblecake. The group tears into the pastries and bread with satisfied sounds and saves the crumblecake for later. Orryn takes a nibble though and looks thoughtfully unimpressed.

"Is there a good place to stay for the night?" Orryn asks.

"The Swinging Sword, just up the road is as good a place as you will find in Red Larch. Tell Kaylessa that I sent you her way" Lorren requests.

"We will!" a few of the League call out as they leave.

"One moment." Immeral speaks up. "Might I be able to borrow a brass brazier? The tale is too long to tell, but I need to to call my hawk back to me. He was lost after a battle."

Imdarr responds "Healing the wounds of war, a noble endeavor!" It would be Tempus' pleasure that you use it." He fetches the brazier, somewhat filled with the ashes of incense. Immeral takes it and thanks him. Imdarr adds, "By Tempus' hand, may your next battle be without loss."

Immeral responds. "I completely agree!" and takes the brazier outside.

The others follow him out while Seraphina prays and in short order Immeral completes the spell to find familiar and re-summons his hawk Syldan, who seems no worse for wear having returned to its spirit form for the last several weeks. Afterwards, Immeral returns the brazier and the League leaves Seraphina to her devotions while they secure lodging.

One door north of the Allfaiths Shrine stands the Swinging Sword. The inn is a three-story stone structure, crowned by a steep slate roof that bristles with many chimneys. A signboard juts out over the door, hanging from chains. It’s a ten-foot-long carved wooden scimitar emblazoned with the inn’s name in red paint on both sides. An inn yard with stables and outbuildings lies behind the building.

As the party walks inside, they notice it is quite a fine establishment, well decorated, bright and clean, almost unfitting the town. There is a beautiful middle-aged dark-haired woman standing behind the bar, talking to the barman. She glances at you, then steps away from the barman and steps over to you.

"Greetings adventurers. Welcome to the Swinging Sword. We offer rooms, drink and food to weary travelers such as yourselves. How may we help you?"

"I'll have them readied, in the meantime Findore my barman will take fine care of you." And Kaylessa floats away.

The League step up to the bar, some glances in their direction from the locals, but they find the barman affable and he pours a round for all and they gather at a table. After a drink, some of the league start talking to the locals as well as Findore, and they gather some rumors besides the usual complaints about weather and farming...

• • The Tarnlar children are telling wild tales about plague out by Lance Rock.

  • Endrith Vallivoe found a skull impaled on a tree nearby and has been having nightmares of the skull for the last tenday.

  • Kaylessa of the Singing Sword is looking for someone to check out a mad mage at Lance Rock.

  • There is a magical fog that comes out certain nights from the hills and if you are caught in it, will strip the flesh right from your bones.

  • Tomorrow night Ageth the bard will be singing at the Singing Sword

  • Dragon cultists perform rituals under the full moon in an abandoned quarry up Larch Path.

  • The townsfolk are all excellent with the bow, they keep vermin away and bandits and orcs know not to mess with Red Larch

  • Farmer Wilton's son is not in a good way. Been bedridden for weeks. Can't shake a fever from a giant rat bite.

  • Six thousand years ago the Dwarven Kingdom of Besilmer ranged far and wide in these hills. Old Farley McGriss digs in the hills for treasure of the ancient kingdom, but says it has been getting too dangerous.

  • Nahaeliya Drouth and her Fine Poultry shop poisoned the chickens of Mhawndyvver's Poultry

  • Red Larch needs a constable, but nobody wants the job so Harburk serves reluctantly.

  • There is talk about the town forming a council and electing a mayor. Word is that Dornen the Stonecutter wants the job, but the farmers in the north don't like government.

  • Forsin - There are dust devils that talk to one another in the Sumber Hills. They call the undead to where you are.

  • New veins of fine marble have been growing business in Red Larch with much trade in Waterdeep, but it's bringing unsavory workers into town - including "those dwarves", Cavalin, a farmer, doesn't know why the dwarves don't stay underground where they seem to like it.

  • Wallery Bendit says a horse was stolen from his barn and the tracks he found the next day by the fence were of a cloven-footed devil.

After coming back together and digesting the rumors, the party is disappointed there are no rumors of weapons from the Caves of Chaos, and they are curious about the stolen horse and the cloven-footed thief, but Kaylessa returns and tells them their room is ready. She also says that "after you talked to Findore, it seems clear that you have good intentions in Red Larch. I would like to offer you a small quest if you would hear me out in the next room." Of course, The League is interested.

Kaylessa navigates them to a long table in a room to the side of the main hall, shooing a pair of locals away. She shares her concern that there have recently been some odd disturbances in town - a cult called the Believers that were worshiping moving stones in a cave below town (they were hanged or run out of town). Fogs that persist in the Sumber Hills in bright sunlight, sudden hot gusts of wind sweeping out of cool hills, and colored lightning appearing nearly anywhere, at any time, cloudy day or not. "Fell magic." she calls it. She have a suspicion that the trouble is coming from Lance Rock, a place long known to be cursed, but she has not been able to convince the town elders to send a party to investigate. "If you would be willing to investigate Lance Rock and ensure no sinister forces are working there, I could offer you 50gp for your efforts."

"We were going to first see if we could help the farmer's boy, the one bitten by the giant rat." Seraphina tells Kaylessa.

"That would be nearly on the way to Lance Rock. I will give you directions to both in the morning." she replies.

K'ronk responds "It's a date then!"

With that, the league is shown to their rooms and is off to sleep.

15 Elient - Day 77 - On to Lance Rock

The morning comes with a startling surprise. Clinker is gone. There is no mystery where he is, as he has left behind a short note.

Friends, I have decided to go back to the Lost Peaks for the remaining gold. I should be able to hire help in Yartar. I just could not sleep at night knowing the cultists had all the treasure for just a throne for their dead dragon. I hope to see you all again some day, I'll pay you back for the wagon and oxen. - Clinker

The party is somewhat stunned, but says nothing, worry gathering in their minds how the little gnome will survive an encounter with a dracolich, but then Orryn reminds them of something. "Clinker is a survivor, you don't get to be an old deep gnome without being one. He will figure it out. I'm sure he'll be OK." The others nod, but some are less that sure.

K'ronk moves to check something in his backpack, digging through it and then doing some arithmetic. Then he confirms, "Clinker still has his message box. We can still communicate to him, and if he's in trouble, he can tell us."

"I'll write him a message." Atlas tells the others. "He should know we're not mad, but that we want him safe."

The group gets breakfast at the inn, but the food is surprisingly terrible. Kaylessa is in the room and notices their reaction. "I'm sorry about the food, we just had a kitchen fire not too long ago, and everything is being cooked outside. We seems to keep having kitchen fires, so this time we are building the kitchen from stone, but it will take time."

The party is done eating a very short time later and Kaylessa walks them to the edge of town. "Do you have horses to gather?"

"Just Lady D. our Owlbear" says Orryn, coming back from the stables.

"We had an ox and wagon, but not anymore." Atlas says, with some dismay. "We're short a gnome prospector too."

"There are horses to be had in town for the right price." Kaylessa says.

"We'll walk." says Nowhere and the group groans audibly.

From the edge of town, Kaylessa points South. "The Wilton farm is about four miles south of town on the Long Road. They have a log home that has been whitewashed, but is always peeling. It's a shame they did not come to town for help, Imdarr could have laid hands on the child, but perhaps he is too sick to travel. Anyway, you see that point to the southwest, just over the hills, that is the top of Lance Rock. It will be maybe another four miles from the farm. You should not have any trouble traveling overland, it's just rolling hills and streams."

"We'll see you in a bit then." Nowhere says, and starts marching with the League a step behind. The day is cool, but their brisk walk keeps them warm and in no time they are at the farm described by Kaylessa, a wooden sign hung on a post declaring the family name "Wilton".

As the League approaches, the middle-aged farmer guards the door curiously, his sword gathered as the League approached, wife behind. He looks half-elven. "Can I help you strangers?"

They stop yards from the door and Seraphina steps forward. "We are the Owlbear League, we travel to Lance Rock to investigate problems that seem to be befalling the town. We heard that your child was hurt recently, and thought we would stop while passing by. I am Seraphina cleric of The Raven Queen, and a healer. With your permission, I can help your child."

The farmer glances back at his mate, and receives some signal none of the others can detect. "I am Amer Wilton, this is my wife Ferther, and you are welcome in our home. Except for maybe the Owlbear."

Orryn stays atop Lady D., smiles and comments "Not a problem."

Immeral says, "Why don't just you go in Seraphina?"

She steps up to the home and the couple stands aside, Ferther leading the way. Farmer Amer stands at the door though. While Seraphina goes about her business, Nowhere asks. "What do you know about Lance Rock?"

Algon replies, "I stay away from it, seems like there is always trouble that way. Talk of ghosts, talk of werewolves. Talk is never completely right, but I never went out of the way to find out the real story."

"Well, we're going to take a look and see if there's anything amiss." Nowhere replies.

"I'd like it if you didn't stir up any trouble." Amer chastens.

"I agree 100 percent." replies Immeral.

Heading up a tight set of stairs to the farmhouse loft, Seraphina learns the details of the attack from Ferther. She tells Seraphina that her son Manne was out by their barn, playing with his siblings, chasing chickens or whatever they normally do, when the rat came out from the fields and attacked him. The kids ran screaming for help. He fought it, but it was bigger than they could imagine and her husband Amer killed it with his sword. She shares that she didn't want the kids carrying swords so young, but this has shaken her beliefs.

The boy lays in a comfortable but rustic bed, shivering in the warm room. He is sleeping, but his breathing is labored.

"Imdarr threatened to come here and help." Seraphina says.

"Imdarr is a bit too militant. We won't be asking his god of war for help, who knows what that could bring down on your family."

Seraphina nods and carefully removes the blanket covering the boy, she smells some of the infection in his leg before she sees it, uncovering the bandaged wound in his thigh. Before discussing more about her own deity, she begins casting a healing spell. Unusually for Seraphina, she says some of the prayer in the common language.

"Mighty Raven Queen, as you shepherd our souls in the afterlife, I ask for your strength to shepherd this boy back to health. May my devotion be enough for your blessing. Keep me under your wing my lord." With those words, a light emanates from Seraphina's hands and she lays them upon little Manny.

The wound, awful in sight and smell starts closing rapidly, and Seraphina uses the former bandage to wipe away the remains of the infection. The delighted mother smiles as does Seraphina back at her. The boy awakes and offers a big yawn to his audience. "Can I play?" he says, and Ferther gathers him up. "Your brothers and sisters are in the barn." she says as Seraphina turns to leave, climbing down the narrow stair as Manny tries to struggle out of his mother's embrace.

Seraphina steps out into the light again, passing the farmer. "Is he OK?" Amer asks.

"Yes, and he'll be rushing down in a minute." she laughs.

"I can't thank you enough." Amer begins.

"You already have." Seraphina replies. She turns to the others, "Lance rock?" They nod, and she notices the kids now out from the barn, petting Lady D. under the watchful eye of Orryn. "Just don't try this with a wild owlbear" he tells them.

"Will you come back for dinner? We could at least make a meal for you." the kindly farmer tells them.

"We'll see how long this takes." Nowhere says with kindness but also her signature determination. With that, they head west.

K'ronk steps forward, casting a firebolt down at the darker end of the cave, and the corpses at the far end start moving. They are clearly zombies. Dain charges the monstrosities, his rage taking over and he drives into the first with his spiked shield and obliterates the torso of the first, covering himself in the black aged blood of the monster.

K'ronk casts another fire bolt to hit another and Immeral casts ray of frost to weaken a third. Atlassa stays at rage and throws a combat dart, Orryn steps up with his rapier and hits a fourth, Seraphina's mace Lightbringer springs to life in the presence of the undead and she bashes a fifth while Nowhere attacks the last with Icerazor, hitting and delivering icy magical spiders upon the fearsome enemy.

The zombies attack, only hitting Orryn with a brutal smash of their powerful limbs. Dain tries to finish one with his shield, but he only strikes a glancing blow. Kronk uses firebolt again, scorching one of the creatures, Immeral does the same, ending its undead life. Orryn hits with the rapier while Seraphina casts ???? and the scorching flames from her hands burn three of the zombies, killing one.

MORE TO COME...

• Lance Rock

NEXT - CAMPAIGN JOURNAL 27 - CAVE OF THE NECROMANCER.