From a History of the Lords of Westmarch - Volume XIV

SESSION 7

PCS

Talos Redwand, 4th level Conjurer
Kieren, 5th level Druid
Shaw Ashcroft, 4th level Ranger (Justifier)
Eswin, 5th level Elven Thief
Lutien, 4th level Fighter (Myrmidon)

Aldereth, 4th level Half-Elven Priest of Brom the Battlelord

NPCS

Boy, the man-at-arms

Part 1

By Lady Myrs Kratys

Six they went to the maw of the mountain,

To rescue the son of the Kratys Lord;

Six they went to bring law to the mountain,

Fell beasts they fought and put to sword.

In the early hours of the day, the travelers arrived at the base of Malgen’s Keep. Luck was on their side, for none roamed the battlements to spy their approach. Foregoing the main gate and the undercroft, they climbed into their magical bag and had the druid Kieren turn himself into a bat and fly them up to the empty battlement on the second level. Entering a door they found there, they came upon a group of diseased gnolls and slew the unprepared beasts easily. Moving further into the keep, they became trapped in a chamber with two iron portcullises. From holes in the ceiling above, they heard the cackling of more gnolls, who proceeded to pour boiling oil down upon the attackers. Grievous wounds were suffered by all, before the burly fighters were able to lift a portcullis and the group could find safety on a flight of stairs leading up. Not soon enough however, as their torch bearer, an unfortunate soul from Kratys Keep they named simply “boy” had his very flesh melt away from his bones before he could reach the safety of the stairs.

Cursing their loss of secrecy, the five remaining adventurers poured into the room at the top of the stairs. Twelve ugly, disease marked gnolls awaited them. In the corner a bound prisoner in plate mail struggled to free himself. The heroes jumped into battle, but were not as quick as the gnolls. Three of the gnolls took off through doorways to the north and east. A ferocious melee took place, with the diseased beasts trying to grab our attackers and dump them into pots of boiling oil. In the end however, the companions prevailed and managed to rescue a half-elf warpriest. The priest, one Aldereth, was one of the surviving members of Brand Kratys’ band and agreed to help the companions in their quest to rescue the lord’s son. They were six in number once again.

After ferreting out some of the gnolls that had taken flight, the companions found a spiral staircase that led to the depths of the castle. There they found a sealed magical portal which they believed led to Brand’s prison chamber. It was confirmed later by a survivor gnoll that Brand was being kept in a place that is not a place. The key, our companions believed, would be in the possession of the new lord of Malgen’s Keep – a half-orc priest of the diseased demon lord Gornadhun by the name of Mullahey.

Mullahey the Half-Orc,
Blood of Malgen and Blessed of Gornadhun

Back up the spiral staircase the companions went. They came to a room with three figures pantomiming at cold stoves, who took no notice of the companions. Eswin, the Tuathan thief strode up behind one and stabbed it in the back. Too late the elfish adventurer realized when the undead zombie exploded in a plume of yellow dust. Eswin’s lungs were coated with a vile poison and he began choking to death. Kieren strode forward and was able to slow the poison with his magic, but the elf’s time to find a cure was limited.

They pushed on into a grand chamber with a large balcony surrounding it. Inside an obese half-orc sat upon a throne laughing at the small band who dared to raid his demesne. Twelve diseased gnolls popped out from beneath the balustrade of the balcony firing a rain of arrows down upon the group. Two bison headed Grueshachs also looked on from the shadows, preparing to unleash their fell magic. Lutien fired his musket at the fat half-orc, but missed. Seeing the odds stacked against them, the companions closed ranks and made a strategic withdrawal from the room. Best not to fight the diseased Mullahey on his own terms.

Trying to throw off any pursuit, the companions made their way higher up into the keep. They passed through a room littered with garbage and were assaulted by two horrendous beasts with tentacles. Having already been injured, the adventurers fought desperately and with strength of will and sword arm managed to overcome these fetid guardians. The ranger Shaw Ashcroft, betrothed of Lord Kratys’ daughter was afflicted with some rotting disease during the battle, and the company was forced to hobble on. They ascended some more stairs and found themselves in a small armory. There, they barricaded themselves in and tried to take care of their wounded.