Session 47 - Let's Just Go For A Little Swim

Wed 13th Oct 19:45 - 23:30

In-game timeline: Nightal 13 - Nightal 15 DR1489

Our "Heroes" are reunited when Dwarrow returns from a night with his betrothed, and revealed that he spent at least some of the night discussing some of the problems around town that they may be able to help with. He seems less worn out after a night with his fiancée than Alwaith, who came down to breakfast somewhat tired after a night of bad dreams. The group are keen to help out and decide to start by looking into the issues that Mistloch has been having with the rising waters. They visit 'Stilts' at the General Store in Settlestone to see what he knows about the supply issues from the nearby town.

Stilts is a friendly dwarf and his shop seems pretty well stocked, except for an increasing lack of fresh vegetables. He explains a little about the issues that are happening at Mistloch - rising waters destroying homes and crops and reducing the ability for the fishing fleet to work efficiently. He suggests that if they are keen to help out, that they head to the town and talk to Hesta, who manages the fishing fleet, and Bronlen who runs the local store.

Prior to leaving town, Devon is keen to visit the blacksmith for some reason, and the rest of the group tag along. After that they hire a horse and a couple of ponies and head south to the town of Mistloch.

Once in the town the group find out about the problems with the rising waters. They decide to head to the Haunt - the island in the centre of the Mistloch - to investigate the rumours of it being haunted, wondering if that is the reason behind the problems with the waters. They manage to find a fisherman, Grantal, who is willing to take them to the island, though he gets a little worried when they approach the island to find it shrouded in a thick mist with increasingly turbulent waters and they start to hear loud wailing and strange lights. With Grantal refusing to spend time finding the perfect place to land on the edge of the Haunt, the party are dropped off close to the island and are forced to wade ashore, while Grantal rowed away, promising to wait for their signal and come to collect them - assuming it was safe!

As the group waded ashore, the waters around them suddenly start to rise up in a strange and disconcerting fashion. Devon forges ahead and races through the water, not quite reaching the rocks, but managing to pull ahead of the group. Drogan rushes ahead too, and pulls just in front of Devon, but they are both still shy of the rocky shoreline. Alwaith, looking worryingly at the strange form beginning to rise from the water, casts Fly on himself and Dwarrow and rises up from the water, out of reach of the water form and heads towards land, remaining hovering above the coastline. Dwarrow, surprised at his suddenly sprouting wings, also lifts himself from the water and flies to land, alighting on the rocky coast, a little uncomfortable at the strange feeling of flying in the air.

At this point the water-form rises high in the lake around them and smashes down upon Drogan and Devon, who are still in the water. Devon manages to withstand the crashing waters, but is pushed away from his dwarven friend. Unusually, Drogan loses his footing and is dragged underwater by the engulfing wave, and finds himself restrained underwater, unable to breathe or to move.

Devon manages to clamber onto the rocks, and, hearing a woman's voice calling out "Kai, Kai", his attention is drawn to a female figure amongst the rocks. He swiftly notches and arrow and points it at the female, telling her to release Drogan from the waves. Drogan goes into a rage and attempts to break away from the restraining waters and, surprisingly, fails to do so.

Alwaith, hovering above the rocks, hits the water-creature with Toll the Dead, but the damage seems to be easily shrugged off. The female form cries out for the group to stop attacking, and then she calls out, presumably to the water creature in a language they don't understand. The waters do seem to subside a little, though Drogan remains restrained under water.

Dwarrow reaches into his backpack and readies a rope to throw to Drogan, but unfortunately the barbarian once again fails to break the grappling waves. Devon once again threatens the female and she begs them to stop attacking and tells them she is trying to get the water creature to stop. Her apparent pleading seems to have another effect, and it releases Drogan from the grapple, but does smash a watery fist onto him as he rises. 

The group, unsure whether to attack the creature or wait, hoping that it will continue to back off, decides to hold off their attacks, but keep things readied in case the female is unable to persuade it to retreat. As Drogan rushes away from the waters to reach the shore, he is once again attacked by the creature, though the dwarf feels that the attack is made with less conviction than previously. The group continue to hold off and their discretion is rewarded when the water creature, seemingly persuaded by the female, backs off and the waters subside. As Dwarrow cures Drogan of some of the harm caused by the creature, Devon and Alwaith confront the female.

She introduces herself as Glisten, a dryad and a friend of the water elemental, Kai. She eventually tells the group their story and, prompted by the mention of Angelica - a name that seems familiar to Alwaith, tells them too of the legend of Angelica and the Haunt.

Alwaith is keen to visit the stone where Angelica was put to death centuries previously and Glisten takes him and Dwarrow there. Sensing that the spirit of Angelica is not yet laid to rest, Alwaith puts his hand to the stone and converses in Sylvan. He is surprised when he feels a response from the spirit of Angelica, and, when he enquires as to the location of her remains, two words form in the stone before him - Azkael's Tower. As the words fade away, he is clear on what he must do.

Regathering with the others, they decide to return to the shore and then then can discuss their next steps. With the waters now subsided and relatively calm, and the mists clearing a little, they summon Grantal back. Glisten meanwhile fades into the woods, requesting that they keep her, and Kai's presence a secret if possible.