The Story Continues...

As the night wore on, the adventurers continued their investigation of the zombie infestation at the Abbey of St. Tranda.  They found themselves joined by Kriv - a Dragonborn hexblade who had barely missed the company at the Shrine of Kings.  After a quick update on the situation, Kriv joined in the investigation.

An inspection of the chapel turned up nothing suspicious.  Even if the corpse of St. Tranda was seeking new life, it would have been unable to claw its way through ten feet of stone.  There were no clues to aid in the investigation, however.  As such, the adventurers decided to consult Brother Thayer - a former necromancer who had not formed a high opinion of Hyacinth or Aislinn.

Upon questioning, Brother Thayer suggested that the spell in effect was of great and dangerous power.  In his words, it was either an ancient necromancer working with great skill or an untamed talent accidentally unleashing horrible power.  After some persuasion by the Dragonborn, Thayer was convinced to actively participate in the investigation.

It was decided that a holy feast should be arranged.  Anyone with necromantic spirits or powers strong enough to weave the curse would likely react violently to food consecrated by Bahamut.  The last of the Abbey's food stores were gathered into the chapel, and a small feast was commenced.

As Prior Caelor said the traditional blessings, two of the monks grew ill after eating the blessed food.  One was Novitiate Rayen - a young man recently rescued from a necromantic cult.  The other was Brother Ardun - a scholar of great inquisitiveness.

Rayen revealed that he had very little memory of his time in the cult - as if he had been mentally dominated.  His memory only cleared once he had reached the Abbey, at which time his personal belongings had been removed.  This led the company to the Abbey's storeroom, where Ardun was in charge of safekeeping the monks' personal effects.

As it turned out, an amulet was missing from Rayen's possessions.  The amulet was later found in Ardun's room, hidden in the desk drawer.  The strange trinket appeared to belong to the Blackvine Cult - a dangerous necromantic religion that had been hunted to extinction 400 years prior.  Oddly enough, the amulet seemed relatively new.

With the pieces falling into place, Brother Thayer understood the true nature of the curse.  A powerful demon resided within the amulet, channeling through Ardun's unintentional release.  Were it not for the power of St. Tranda and Bahamut, the curse would have been far more widespread.  The most reliable remedy to such a curse would be the host's blood spread upon the amulet - blood released by a zombie.

After some more insight, Rayen suggested that he offer his soul to the demon, luring the creature into the open.  If the demon were defeated, the curse would be broken.  As a backup plan, Rayen offered his life, knowing that he could then be sacrificed to break the curse.  He felt a grave responsibility for Ardun's accidental involvement, and he refused to let Ardun be killed for his mistake.

The adventurers gathered in the chapel with a few of the more stalwart monks.  Rayen spoke a few incantations and lured the demon out of its abode.

After a long battle with the beast, it became clear that it was too strong.  It claimed Rayen's soul and began to retreat back into its natural realm.  Rayen was killed at that opportune moment, and the curse was broken.

The company departed the next morning, after recuperating from the battle.  Astra - home of the Guardians - lay two days' journey from the Abbey.

On the first night of the journey, a small goblin shaman named Pluck intruded upon the adventurers.  He sought their aid against slavers.  Somewhat reluctantly, the company investigated, finding over a dozen goblins enslaved by way of magic collars.

After defeating the human slavers, the adventurers laid claim to several hundred gold pieces and two magic weapons.  They also took with them 14 magic collars, the password to unlock them, and a pole that controls them.

The goblins rescued, the adventurers continued on toward Astra, where they would meet with Kregis.

Session 1: 7/21

The Story So Far...

Coulter brought Erik the (human) cleric to the table, Mary played as Aislinn (a somewhat socially stunted Shardmind Psion), and Conni rolled up an Asmodeus-worshipping pixie bard exile by the name of Hyacinth.

My NPC - Torwal, a goliath paladin - was leader and shepherd of the group.

Erik and Hyacinth both encountered Torwal & Aislinn at the Shrine of Kings outside Emberwane.

They were recruited into the Guardians' investigation of increased necromantic activity.

To that end, they set off to the Abbey of St. Tranda, where a zombie uprising has trapped 14 monks in their ancient home.

It was almost two days' journey to the Abbey, and the night's camp was intruded upon by two not-so-stealthy goblins.

Both were quickly spotted and scared off back into the woods.

Upon arriving at the Abbey the next day, the adventurers handily defeated a dozen zombies outside the gates.

They then decided to enter the Abbey through its kitchen outbuilding, rather than fight two rather large undead giants.

In the darkness of the kitchen, however, they encountered a horrific undead aberration comprised of the kitchen's various meats (after all - dead flesh is dead flesh to a necromancer).

The creature - dubbed "the Sneaksy" by Aislinn - put up quite a fight, briefly knocking out Erik the cleric.

In the end, everyone survived the encounter with minimal damage, even though Hyacinth and Aislinn had both been pounced upon by the zombie meat golem.

With the kitchen secured, the adventurers made their way through the tunnel that lead to the Abbey.

Aislinn decided to make her presence known by pounding on the door and calling for the "smart fleshbags" to answer.

After a bit of confusion, the monks summoned Prior Caelor, the leader of the monks.

An investigation is underway by the adventurers to determine the cause and extent of the necromantic magic.

Torwal has retired to the Abbey's guest quarters, being somewhat in disagreement with the group's methods.

Suspicion has fallen on Seleth, a recent initiate who was seen writing a coded letter and who has a locked box hidden under his bed.

Other monks have been questioned, but nothing conclusive has yet been discovered.

At the time of the session's end, Aislinn was asking the various monks if anyone could build her a new Sneaksy to take back to Kregis (master of the Guardians), and she is reporting her findings to Torwal.

Erik and Hyacinth are investigating the chapel of the Abbey with the Prior's assistance, hoping that the body of Saint Tranda is not somehow involved with the zombie plague.