From A History of the Lords of Westmarch - Volume XIV

Part 3

By Lady Myrs Kratys

Moments after the main gate fell, the orcs attacking the north gate breached the keep. They rushed in, their rusted axes and spiked clubs swinging. The foremost of the orcs fell into a pit of boiling oil which was quickly lit aflame by Llewyn and several more of the savage beasts fell wreathed in flames and writhing in pain. Yet this did not deter the others.

Seeing the walls breached, the men in the main hall and tower bolted for the door toward the courtyard to lend a hand. Eswin herded the children from the main hall into the pantry - a much more secure room, and then dashed out into the courtyard to join the others.

Back at the main gate fifteen orcs charged in thinking to cut down the two druids standing guard, but a net trap rigged by the defenders fell on them tangling them up in a mass of limbs and weapons. The ogre entered behind and swatted a few orcs aside to gain entrance, killing them in the process. Kieren, hot with the blood of the fire giant began hurling chunks of bricks at the ogre hitting it savagely several times. The ogre swooned and nearly fell, but still came on. He stung Kieren with a mighty blow from his giant flail, knocking the young druid to the ground.

Goran Shae, in a moment of compassion for his pupil, called upon the spirit of the wood and transformed his staff into a mighty two-headed treant. But the young druid was far from bested. He picked his bruised body up off the ground and with one mighty swing from his scimitar cut the head off of the ogre. With the aid of the treant, he then made quick work of the orcs trapped in the nets. In a feat of strength I have never seen equaled, Kieren picked up a net with five orcs in it and smashed it against the keep’s walls, crushing their bodies into a bloody pulp.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the courtyard, the orcs which had felled Lord Kratys surrounded his son Bran, scoring several blows upon him. With his strength nearly gone, Bran was saved by the wizard Talos who summoned to him the power of Hypnos and put most of the orcs to sleep. He then sent his manservant Thurin in to slit the slumbering orcs’ throats.

Back at the north gate, the fighting was fierce. Llewyn, Salisbury and the attack dogs were keeping the orcs at bay – and much to their relief were soon aided by two contingents of peasants wielding swords. But out of the smoking rubble of the north gate emerged a unit of heavily armoured orcs and their captain, the half-orc Hallir. Weilding a black-bladed bastard sword named Heartrender, the half-orc called out a challenge to the lord of the keep. Salisbury took up the challenge and the two met amid the flaming bodies of several dead orcs, trading numerous blows.

When the attack dogs joined in on the combat, the half-orc cried foul. Appearing out of the gloom behind Hallir, Goomjaba the orc shaman materialized. Whispering prayers to some foul demon, he drew upon the powers of darkness to paralyze Salisbury. Hallir then began to beat upon the helpless Salisbury with his sword, sending him tumbling to the ground in a bloody mess.

Fortunately, Goran Shae was able to get to Salisbury before his lifeblood emptied to the ground and healed him of his wounds. Though he was unable to continue the fight, Salisbury was alive, and he limped to the rear of the defender’s line.

Goomjaba once again called upon the power of his fell demon lord and sent a wave of magical fear over the defenders, causing a unit of peasants, along with the druid Kieren running for their lives. The heavily armed orcs also managed to cut down a unit of peasant defenders. Things began to turn against the defenders once again.

Talos Magicks a Web to Capture Goomjaba

Knowing that if the shaman remained standing the keep would surely fall, Talos summoned his own magics and cast a web at the orc shaman. Too slow to get out of the web’s path, the orcish shaman was wrapped up and held prone by the ensorcelled web. Seeing his magical support neutralized, Hallir fought on in a frenzy, but one of the attack dogs managed to clamp its jaws around his throat and end his life. Eswin then strode up out of the night and quickly put an end to the helpless Goomjaba. The remaining orcs fought on, but by then it was a lost cause and they were quickly killed off by the remaining defenders.

It was a hard fought victory, and after all was said and done, the lord of the keep along with the valiant Sir Salisbury were bandaged up and need a week of bedrest each. On top of this only five peasants were killed. The attackers did not fare so well. They were slaughtered to a man, and the raiding of the Broken Moon tribe was finally put to rest.

When the smoke cleared and the cleanup began the next morning, the defenders realized that some orcs must have gotten away. For the fabled gem called The Salamander’s Heart had been stolen from the main hall and it was not recovered on any of the orcs’ bodies. For all the chaos, the battle had only lasted but a single night. The cleanup and the fallout however, would last many more. However, were it not for the bravery of the four visiting heroes, there would probably not be a keep left standing at all.

From a History of the Lords of Westmarch - Volume XIV

Part 2

By Lady Myrs Kratys

With preparations complete, the assembled defenders of Kratys Keep could do nothing but wait. The day wore on and still the orcs of the Broken Moon warband did not attack. As day moved towards night, there was an explosion in the forest. Eswin’s booby trap had gone off as the horde attempted to move their catapult. Orc limbs could be seen flying into the air amidst broken timbers and smoke. A cheer went up amongst the defenders as the first blow had been struck before the battle had begun.

As the sun set, movement was detected in the orchard around the keep. Orcs were moving in from two different fronts: from the north where the more vulnerable back gate was situated; and from the west were the main gate stood. Archers took up positions on the tower and the second floor of the main hall overlooking the north gate. Another unit of archers was positioned atop the smithy in clear view of the main gate. Kratys and his family, along with Goran Shae and Kieren stood just inside the main gate. Salisbury, Llewyn Kratys, the two attack dogs Cyrus and Canus, and a unit of heavy foot took up positions behind the north gate. The children were gathered in the main hall with five sheep dogs to look over them.

The bulk of the orcish horde appeared out of the orchard to the north, carrying with them a battering ram. They charged up the hill with shields over their heads for protection. Archers managed to lay a few low, but being untrained peasants most of their shots missed the mark.

Just in front of the north gate the orcs stumbled on a pit of pitch the defenders had dug. Eswin fired a flaming arrow into the pitch and two units of orcs were quickly immolated. The attackers however, were not deterred and continued on with their assault, reaching the north gate and beginning to hammer away with their battering ram.

At that moment, another group of orcs led by the hulking plate-covered ogre appeared to the west and began their assault on the main gate. Four units of orcs broke off with scaling ladders and moved towards the southwest wall. Kratys, his wife, and son moved to intercept them, while Goran Shae and Kieren stood by the main gate with the two hunting hawks. The ogre picked up a plough which had been set against the main gate and began using it to break it down.

Lord Tarran Kratys Defends His Keep

The orcs scaling the southwest wall were the first to breach the keep. Tarran Kratys moved out front to protect his wife and son, valiantly taking on the twenty orcs by himself. Unfortunately, there were too many of them. Though he fought with the bravery of the heroes of old, he was quickly surrounded and struck viciously from either side, falling to the ground in a pool of his own blood. Archers on the roof of the smithy moved over and began raining arrows down upon the orcs, taking out five of them. Brand Kratys, the lord’s son, moved in to delay the remaining orcs while his mother moved Lord Kratys into the barn to see to his wounds. After seeing his mother safely bar the barn gates, Brand retreated with the orcs in hot pursuit to the middle of the courtyard.

Things were beginning to look bleak. With the orcs inside the walls, some of the peasants began to panic, yet it was the courage of the five remaining heroes which kept them in check. The main gate was the next to fall. The ogre had battered it down with the plough and then sent the plough soaring through the air into the interior courtyard, narrowly missing Kieren and Goran. Eswin, Talos and the archers in the main hall took note of this and descended down into the courtyard to offer what aid they could. Seeing himself as the lone defense against the huge ogre, Kieren drank a mighty potion he had secreted away. His limbs began to pulse and seemed to grow in size, giving off an unearthly heat and his eyes began to blaze with the power of the eldritch giants of fire. His mentor Goran stood by calmly making no movement to defend the keep, watching his apprentice as if gauging the young druid’s worth. Fifteen more orcs armed with wicked axes barged through the remains of the main gate bearing down upon the two druids, with the ogre not far behind.

Continued…

From A History of the Lords of Westmarch - Volume XIV

Part 1

By Lady Myrs Kratys

The year 606AT was dying slowly, with workers in the fields around Kratys Keep halfway through the Tenthmonth. Many of the young men had left for Beltigost’s crusade against the mad king Aldurnus II, leaving but a handful of able-bodied men tasked with both protecting Malgen’s Gap and collecting the harvest. As such, the keep’s vulnerability was high and it was ill-prepared for an orcish attack. But fortune was with the people of Kratys Keep during that fateful autumn, as four brave heroes from the capital of Vodymsira had accepted an invitation from Lord Kratys to celebrate their liberation of the lord’s son earlier in the year. Were it not for their presence, the history of the Westmarch would have been very different indeed.

Sir Edgar Salisbury and elderly knight errant, Talos Redwand a nobleman and conjurer of modest skill, Kieren the wild druid, and Eswin the Tuathan elf arrived at the keep on the 10^th of Tenthmonth, dust-covered and weary from a four day travel. After they had cleaned and refreshed themselves, they were treated to a feast in their honour for deeds done in Brysgod some months before. Tales of high adventure were shared, thanks were given, and the celebration lasted well into the early hours of the morning.

When the sun crested the horizon to the east, the peasants and the lord were already hard at work in the fields. All day they toiled until at last the sun began to sink behind the Greycloaks and they began heading toward their homes. It was then that a watchman on the keep’s tower noticed a dust cloud moving in swiftly from the north. The pealing of the watchman's bell brought the peasants in with all swiftness and the gates were barred. Lord Tarran Kratys however, was not among their number.

Several tense moments passed; at last, Lord Tarran Kratys appeared from the cover of the orchard that surrounded the keep. He was bleeding heavily and had been pierced in three places by black-shafted arrows. Hot in pursuit of the lord were five bandy-legged, crooked backed orcs with murder in their big red eyes. Kratys hobbled his way to the gate and was hoisted over the wall through the efforts of Talos and his manservant Thurin, while Eswin and Keiren directed a unit of archers to fire upon the orcs. When all was said and done, Tarran Kratys was safe behind the walls of the keep and three of the orcs lay dead upon the ground, with the remaining two fleeing into the orchard for cover.

After the Lady Myrs bound the lord’s wounds, Kratys confirmed their fears. The Broken Moon orc tribe had taken advantage of the Westmarch’s vulnerability and marched on Kratys Keep to settle an old score. Watchfires were lit and stones of magical light were placed around the keep, as the freeholders made preparations for a siege. An hour after sunset, a lone orc carrying a flag of truce approached the gates. Claiming to be the herald of Hallir, leader of the Broken Moon warband, he stated the orc cheiftan’s terms. If Kratys surrendered, the orcs would slay the men quickly and the women and children would be taken as slaves. Knowing better than to trust an orc, Kratys refused. The fate of those within the keep would be sealed in battle, not surrender.

Hallir the Blood of Malgen, Half-Orc Chieftain
of the Broken Moon Tribe

As the keep continued its preparations for the siege, Eswin and Kieren left on a reconnaissance mission to gather information on the strength of the Broken Moon tribe. Eswin easily blended into the shadows of the forest with his elven cloak, and Kieren used his ensorcelled cloak to turn himself into a bat so that he might fly undetected above the orcish horde. While in the orchard, Eswin learned that there were near a hundred orcs in the warband, led by a brutish half-orc chieftan named Hallir. A gnarled old shaman by the name of Goomjaba and a heavily armoured ogre were also counted among their number. To Eswin’s dismay, he also learned that the warband was busy building a catapult and scaling ladders for the siege. Using a magical formula he had procured in his earlier travels, Eswin managed to booby trap the catapult. He also made an assassination attempt on Hallir which proved unsuccessful, so he melted back into the shadow of the trees. With Kieren’s aid, Eswin made his way around the orchard and managed to slay several straggling orcs along with five drummers whose pounding was weakening the morale of those within the keep.

When they returned to the keep, they informed the lord that the orcs were not yet prepared for their assault. In a last desperate attempt to find aid, the druid Kieren spoke to one of the lord’s hawks and instructed the bird to fly with all haste east to the Dimwald Forest, where it would find Kieren’s mentor Goran Shae. As the sun once again made its appearance in the east, the two hawks returned to the keep. One began to shed its feathers and grow, and within less than a minute Goran Shae, master of the Dimwald stood before those assembled in the keep. A glimmer of hope was kindled in the hearts of all those present.

Continued...    

Tales of Inolba Chronicle I: The Drums of War

The Stage is Set

The Drums of War sound in the north. King Aldurnus II of Old Althyria has recalled his ambassadors from Beltigost and sent raiding parties across the border to test the defensive strength of the kingdom. The king of Beltigost, from his seat in glorious Athelnesse has called upon his vassals and bannermen to muster their forces and attend him at the captial in preparation for war. The Duke of Perrinwall, a staunch ally of Beltigost has called forth most able bodied men in his realm to honour his oath to the king of Beltigost. As such, the western frontier of Perrinwall, having sent many men to the Duke, is vulnerable. As a gesture of his gratitude, the Duke is sending some adventurers out to Sir Tarran Kratys, Lord of the Westmarch, to offer what aid they can. For his part, Tarran Kratys is anxious to meet them in person, for not 9 months ago at the ruin of Barrick's Keep they rescued his son from certain death and lifted the curse of eternal winter from the village of Brysgod which lies under his protection. What adventure awaits the adventurers on the western frontier is unknown, but what is certain is that the area is rife with both danger and opportunity.

The Tears of Thenglas Part 3 - Fudwick's Tale Concluded

Session 1 Part 2

Player Characters

Eswin - 4th level Tuathan Elf Thief

Kieran - 3rd level Human Druid

Talos Redwand - 3rd level Human Wizard (Conjurer)

NPCs

Sir Edgar Salisbury - 3rd level Human Fighter

Thurin - man-at-arms and innkeeper's son

Ungash - man-at-arms and local gravedigger

Whitherbranch the Grueshach

After passing through Barrick’s personal chamber and finding a magical dagger, they finally arrived at Barrick’s laboratory. The floor was covered in ice, making movement difficult. On a throne carved o’ ice sat a terrible monster. It was half again as tall as the tallest human I’ve ever since, with coarse black fur and the head o’ a bison. Now its like hasn’t been seen in Inolba in centuries, but we Gnomes know them well, for they come from Tir-Na-Nog, that Faerylunde beyond the Veil. This was a Grueshach, one o’ the harbringers o’ winter. What it was doing near Brysgod was anyone’s guess, but sure as me aunt Sally is blind, this thing was evil. In one hand it held a scepter carved o’ bone and in the other it held a hunk o’ human flesh, which it casually munched on. Now I been across all o’ Inolba and tried some exotic fare, but I can’t think o’ much that would taste worse than raw human flesh. Surrounding the great beast was a cadre o’ ugly little goblins with yellow flesh, beady red eyes and rusty cleavers.

The heroes tried communicating with the beast, but it spoke a strange alien language that they did not understand, and immediately moved to attack them along with its goblin servants. The battle was joined. The goblins moved to block the heroes from their master, but Talos magicked all but one o’ them to sleep. The lone goblin, seeing its companions felled so easily tried to beat a hasty retreat, but Talos tossed a dagger at him and buried it in the base o’ its skull.

Undeterred, the Grueshach flew into a rage. He charged at Kieren, butting him with its thick skull, and sending him skidding across the ice. Salisbury moved to challenge the beast and they traded a few blows, each coming away bloodier as a result. Talos craftily used his magic to make Eswin invisible and the clever Elf moved in behind the Grueshach and tried to bury his weapons in its back. As he reappeared though, the Grueshach caught sight o’ him and he was unable to finish the beast off. For his efforts, Eswin was struck on the shoulder with the mighty bone scepter and though he felt icy chills shoot through his bones, he managed to stay in the fight. With the beast surrounded, it was only a matter o’ time before our heroes landed the killing blow, and sure enough Eswin drove his sword through the beast’s black heart and it slumped to the ground dead.

With the battle ended, the party searched the laboratory. For though they had killed the beast, they had not yet found the cause for the curse o’ winter. When they inspected the icy throne, the spied a small Faery frozen within. The Emerald Leaf Pendant they found in Barrick’s Library began to hum and when they placed it against the throne, the structure cracked open and out tumbled the shivering Faery. She introduced herself as Thenglas, Barrick’s lover, and the Faery o’ Spring. She had been trapped in the icy throne for over a year and had been prevented from bringing spring back to the lands around Brysgod. Now that she was free, the curse o’ the eternal winter was over. Noticing the Eswin look pale and sickly, she kissed his forehead and the poison coursing through his veins disappeared.

In the next room they came across the frozen remains o’ three humans and an Elf. Thenglas explained that they were not dead, but merely frozen. The White Widow Spider had bitten them and frozen them solid. With her warming touch, Thenglas thawed the men and they breathed the free air again. The leader o’ the company introduced himself as Brand Kratys, son o’ the Lord o’ the Westmarch and thanked the heroes profusely for their aid. The two other men were his men-at-arms. The Elf was one Luramin K’Naan, a spellficher from Cin-Da-Bor. He was a bit rude to the heroes and demanded that they hand over the bone scepter wielded by the Grueshach, as he claimed it was o’ Elven origin and needed to be returned to his realm. The heroes, though they did not trust the Elf, relented in the end.

Thenglas took her leave and began flying throughout the lands around Brysgod breathing spring back into the earth. By the time the heroes had returned to the village o’ Brysgod, the snow was melting and a warm westerly wind was blowing at their backs. The villagers greeted the adventurers with all the pomp and circumstance expected for heroes o’ the realm. Much feasting and drinking ensued, for it was a time to rejoice. After two years o’ unending winter, spring had finally returned to Brysgod.

And that me friends, is how the long winter o’ Brysgod was broken. Now if you’ll forgive an old Gnome, he must make his way to bed. Mayhaps we’ll cross paths again one day and I can share another tale o’ high adventure with ye.

The Tears of Thenglas Part 2 - Fudwick's Tale Continued

Session 1 Part 2

Player Characters

Eswin - 4th level Tuathan Elf Thief

Kieran - 3rd level Human Druid

Talos Redwand - 3rd level Human Wizard (Conjurer)

NPCs

Sir Edgar Salisbury - 3rd level Human Fighter

Thurin - man-at-arms and innkeeper's son

Ungash - man-at-arms and local gravedigger

Many apologies for my extended absence, but I was at the bar ordering meself a mug o’ warm cider when I couldn’t help but notice the bartender’s peculiar nose. While not as prominent as me own, it is still a fine nose, big and round like a ripe onion. O’ course, I had to compliment the man on his excellent snout, but he took offense as if I were insulting him. After much discussion, I was in fact able to calm the man down and assure him I meant nothing but respect. When all was said and done I think I managed to convince him. A fine man that bartender. If you get a chance next time ye go to the bar, be sure to check out his nose. It is a fine specimen.

Anywho, where was I? Right, right. Our heroes had just slain the White Widow spider and were making their way closer to the heart o’ Barrick’s Keep. But first they had to pass through the crypt area, where Barrick’s apprentices had been laid to rest. Unfortunately for our companions, the apprentices did not rest easy and their undead remains were blocked passage into the other areas o’ the keep. Two o’ them were mindless walkers, but the third, he was something different entirely. He had a long greenish tongue, razor sharp teeth for rending flesh, and patched skin the colour o’ a dreary Autumn sky. Before the foul beasts could lay their diseased hands upon the party however, Talos Redwand dazzled them with flashes o’ colourful magicks, rendering them unconscious. It was no difficult task after that to finish off the helpless creatures.

The party then set about searching the apprentices’ coffins, in hopes o’ finding some loot there. The job o’ a hero does not pay well, so those whose job it is to thwart evil must find recompense for their labours in whatever way they can. Some call it tomb-robbing; meself, I call it resourcefulness. Unfortunately, Kieren was a little too hasty in opening the first coffin and he set off a trap. A green mist filled the room and though it had no adverse effects on the companions, it did reanimate the corpses o’ the apprentices and the heroes had to combat the undead abominations once again. This time instead o’ spell, they used cold steel to slice the monsters to pieces.

Not wanting to make a second mistake, Eswin carefully checked the next two coffins for traps. The first one he disarmed easily and the heroes made out with some gold along with a vial o’ exploding liquid, which they secreted away for later use. On the last coffin, Eswin himself was a bit hasty and triggered a poison needle trap which pierced his finger. The poison made him feel queasy and unwell. Kieren inspected him and to his horror concluded that Eswin had but an hour or so before he dropped dead from the poison now coursing through his veins. Kieren prayed to Danu the Earthmother for aid and was able to slow the poison and give Eswin a few more hours o’ life. It was clear that they needed to find an antidote soon, or Eswin would succumb.

With time no longer on their side, the party began moving quickly through the rest o’ the keep. Passing through a ballroom filled with trash, they attempted to cross over to Barrick’s laboratory. But the room’s guardian had other plans. A translucent cube o’ jelly, nearly invisible to the eye, surprised them and grabbed Salisbury with one o’ its pseudo pods. The remaining companions hacked away at the strange creature and before it had a chance to drag the poor old knight to his doom, they managed to kill it.

The Tears of Thenglas - A Tale Told by Fudwick Turnipstew

Session 1 Part 1

Player Characters

Eswin - 4th level Tuathan Elf Thief

Kieran - 3rd level Human Druid

Talos Redwand - 3rd level Human Wizard (Conjurer)

NPCs

Sir Edgar Salisbury - 3rd level Human Fighter

Thurin - man-at-arms and innkeeper's son

Ungash - man-at-arms and local gravedigger

Surein ye heard o’ the cursed winter that befell the village o’ Brysgod not two years ago? Ye haven’t? Well then, gather round, gather round, and I shall tell ye the tale, for I was in Brysgod in the days that the curse was lifted. My name? Oh, it’s Fudwick Turnipstew. But that’s not important, for I play no part in the tale other than that o’ mere observer.

It was in the spring of 606 AT as the humans o' Inolba count the years. The village o’ Brysgod had suffered through an entire year o’ desolate winter; their crops had failed and what little aid that was sent from the capital was not nearly enough. I had come through Brysgod in search of a local potato soup recipe, for if you’re not aware, I’m a chef of some repute in the lands o’ the gnomish peoples. The Lord of the Westmarch had sent his son to investigate the cause o’ the curse, but he had failed to return. The folk were losing hope that they would ever see the buds o’ spring again.

One chilly night, some two weeks after the Lord of Westmarch’s son disappeared, three strangers walked into the tavern where I was enjoying the aforementioned potato soup. They made their intent known right away: they were bound for the ruins of Barrick’s Keep, where the cause o’ the curse was thought to be. They introduced themselves as Talos Redwand, a highborn wizard; Kieran, a druid with the dusky skin and long locks o’ the Godain peoples; and Eswin, a Tuathan Elf from the realm o’ Cin-Da-Bor. Before setting off to the ruins, they were joined by Sir Edgar Salisbury, a local madman in his twilight years who fancied himself a knight errant; Thurin, the innkeeper’s son; and Ungash, Brysgod’s gravedigger.

Now indulge me a while as I recount the history o’ old Barrick. Barrick was a human wizard who lived in these lands more than a century ago. He built his keep outside o’ the village o’ Brysgod thinking to quietly retire there and live out his remaining years. It was said though, that while he was there, he fell in love with a Faery who dwelt in the woods near his keep. Legend claims that when old Barrick died, his beloved Faery Thenglas continued to visit his home yearly to spend time with the shade of her paramour. Most o’ the folk in Brysgod thought tales of the romance between ghosts and faeries to be utter rubbish, however. But our story will prove that such tales are true.

As our heroes came upon the broken ruin of Barrick’s Keep, they discovered many unusual tracks in the snow, indicating that a number o’ strange creatures occupied the place. Leaving young Thurin to tend to the horses, they carefully entered the keep. In a small sitting room they came across the skull o’ old Barrick. When they lit the candle inside the skull, Barrick’s shade materialized, warning them that some foul creatures had overtaken his home. In a flash o’ fiery light, Barrick imparted some o’ his knowledge to Talos Redwand in the hopes of better preparing him for what lay ahead.

The party then headed to Barrick’s Library, hoping that they could gain some valuable knowledge by reading the tomes contained within. No sooner than they had set foot in the musty room however, they were beset by the room’s guardian - a clanking automaton of plate mail brandishing a rusty ax. The battle was swift and furious, but our party managed to easily out-maneuver the slow moving construct and it was not long before they sent it clanging to the floor, dispersing the magic that held it together. Unfortunately, most o’ the books within the library were ruined and useless, but our heroes did manage to find a green emerald leaf pendant, which – unbeknownst to them at the time – would aid them later in their exploration.

As they made their way eastward through the ruin, they came upon a crumbled outer tower. Strands o’ ice criss-crossed above them, making a haunting melody as the wind blew across it. Some o’ the party grew weak and their limbs sluggish as they listened to the wind’s music. Suddenly, a large spider dropped from the icy webbing thinking to make a quick meal out o’ them. It was white as the purest snow and radiated waves o’ cold air, further draining the strength from the sword arms of the group. Eswin and Kieran danced around the nimble bulk o’ the spider while Sir Salisbury charged it head on and Talos stood in the rear preparing to unleash his magic. Once, twice, thrice, the great spider’s frosty fangs sought purchase in the soft flesh o’ our heroes, but they were too quick. Once again, they surrounded their enemy and their blades sung as they slashed at the monster’s exposed flanks, until finally Kieran managed to bury his scimitar in the beast’s soft underbelly, pinning it to the wall in the process.

Twice our heroes had been challenged and twice they had answered, with nary a scratch against them. Yet there were greater challenges waiting ahead, deeper in the keep.

Forgive me, but my old throat grows dry. Abide here but a moment while I wet me whistle with some ale. When I be refreshed, I’ll come to the cause o' the village o' Brysgod's wintry woes, and how our heroes managed to lift the curse.