Note:
This is a compilation of Atalaya’s thoughts and game notes taking place over several sessions that complete the Anyat scenario. It’s not really a “Story” and it is not just game notes. It was written to explore what Atalaya was thinking about and feeling during this period of the game so that I could explore my feelings about what was happening with the group and why Atalaya was so determined to return to Jacob’s Farm. As such, point of view and writing tense jump about and portions are just game notes (especially fight sequences). I’m slowly turning this into a more story-like format, but there will always be missing parts that didn’t make it into my note taking. This takes place a few days before the start of the Maids of Mayhem Campaign
Morning, 13th of Flamerule 1491
Chapter 1: Atalaya’s Musings
Atalaya’s gaze searched out Cirilli’s figure walking steadily just a short distance ahead of her. She could see her ward’s head turning as she gazed along the sides of the road, alert for dangers and for forage. Atalaya was so proud of her progress towards her goal of becoming a ranger. Her heart clutched briefly as she thought of all the risks that Cirilli was facing as she pursued this intense drive she had to learn every skill she needed to reach her goal right now. Atalaya knew that anger at the Cult of the Liche and the deeply buried fears from her time in captivity were the likely cause of her inner drive. She was worried though. Cirilli was pushing herself so hard. And while she genuinely seemed to be forming attachments to her new family and to herself, Cirilli never spoke about the time she spent within the cult’s control or even about her parents or family. Atalaya had been surprised to find out that she had brothers, especially one not involved with the cult in Parabor. But there was something strange about that. The farm family that had taken Alstad were strange and Atalaya didn’t like the looks that they were covertly casting on Cirilli. The idea that there was a demon contained under the farm’s chapel was also disturbing. That they wanted help in freeing the family from this demon was understandable. Atalaya didn’t want to have a demon so close to their home in Parabor, even if they were seldom there. Mac, however, had insisted that they needed more information about demons and killing demons before we make the attempt to take it out. She had been insisting that since we were already planning to go to Candlekeep in order to gather information to help destroy The Eye once we recovered it, we could easily add researching demons and their destruction to our list of topics of research.
Atalaya’s unease grew as they traveled towards Underwillow, their usual midpoint overnighting place. Her thoughts tumbled over themselves as she walked. “Why have they been watching Cirilli and tracking her? Why haven’t they actually done something about this demon over the generations they mentioned? Surely one of Chauntean clerics… or more than one of their clerics could have taken care of this at any point in the past. Why us? And why is Jacob pushing for Cirilli to stay.”
Atalaya turned her gaze again to her young ward. She watched as Cirilli and Grinda joked with each other and occasionally stepped off the path to harvest some of the berries that ladened the bushes along the way. The loud caws of the crows disturbed from their feasting filled the air as they filled their pouches. A blue jay dive bombed Grinda’s hand as he reached for the blackberry. He jumped back, the plant’s thorns scraping along his scales. Cirilli’s laugh rang out above the calls of the disturbed birds. “Better you than me,” she giggled. “At least your skin doesn’t tear from the thorns.”
Atalaya shook her head and tried to push her miss givings away. She briefly wondered if her mother and father had felt the same fears and concerns regarding her own drive as a child to become just like her father.
“At least I have the help of Joan to train her. And I know that the time she spent with the Greenleaf’s in Salt Marsh added to her skills. “She seems to have won the hearts of so many. Although I shudder to think about what she has been learning from Seraphina. I’m all for her learning to find and disarm traps and unlock doors, but I think that Seraphina is involved with the Harpers, like the Master was.”
The farmland slowly gave way to the thickly forested lands between Parabor and Underwillow. Atalaya’s own focus clarified as she also began to scan for danger as they walked. Occasionally the feeling of foreboding returned and she looked back along the path they had come, but didn’t see any sign of being followed by Jacob or his farmhands. In her mind she reheard the last words said by Jacob and Macterah as they left the farm. Jacob saying that “we could really use your help to deal with the demon” and his almost pleading question about when we were going to return resounded through her thoughts. Mac’s answer that they should continue to keep it contained and that we would return when we could to help them defeat it also circled around in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more it galled her that they hadn’t at least tried to do something before leaving. Even if they couldn’t return it to its own plane, they would have at least tried. Their interest in Cirilli wasn’t right. It made her shudder as if spiders were swarming over her back. Gods, she hated spiders. She wondered if she shouldn’t hate this demon just the same. Her response to spiders was to squash them, one way or another. “We need to squash this demon, this Anyat, the same way,” she muttered under her breath.
Atalaya continued scanning the land around her as she walked. Being alert in this area was so important. The feywilds frequently interacted with Faerun in this area, as she had so recently experienced. Anything could be out roaming through the woods hereabouts. But they were not far from Underwillow and they could have some elevenses at the local inn there, The Smoke Ring. The food was good and Tif was well appreciated by the Innkeeper, his staff and the locals. Hopefully, they would just eat and go on. There were still a lot of hours to the day and the folk at the farm had given her the heebie-jeebies.
She was glad that Cirilli had been able to spend some time with her brother, but that journal they found still concerned her. Those folk were much too interested in Cirilli. And the concept of keeping a demon chained up in the chapel was just strange. It seemed to have been going on for a long time. Why had they not gotten someone to send it back to whatever infernal hellhole it had escaped from? Surely there were clerics competent for that in either Salt Marsh or Riverport. And if not, the priests could get help from others in their order from other branches of their faith. It just didn’t seem right to have let this go on for so long. And now we are roped into trying to find a solution for them. But if Alstad is going to be working there, we can’t let him stay in such peril. Cirilli will worry, and I don’t want that.
Chapter 2: Elevenses and Info in Underwillow
As they approached Underwillow Atalaya noted the time, a break for elevenses was in the offing. That would eat up several hours of the day, but they could still make several more miles before the end of the day. Unless they ended up staying the night. It had been awhile since either Tif or Sorrow had spent any time playing in a pub. The wonderful concerts they had given for her family over her birthday weren’t quite the same as performing for an audience. Atalaya wasn’t even sure about when Sorrow had last exercised his skills. He hadn’t been with those of us who went to warn Keith and visit Loudwater to look for healing potions. Tif had gotten to play at the pub there for a bit, but Sorrow and Joan had been off with her father, aunt and uncle during that adventure. Before that, Sorrow and Joan had been in Waterdeep as Sorrow wrestled with the reality of Hope having been a demon. That was a rough time for Sorrow. Maybe he spent some time with his music during the weeks he had separated himself from the group. I could ask Joan when we get back to the house.
The food was good at The Smoke Ring, as always. And Tif and Sorrow accepted an invitation from the innkeeper, Imre Fekete to perform in the evening. The worry in the back of her mind nagged at her. “Hurry. Hurry. You need to keep moving. The cult has the eye. What are you waiting for???” Smiling, she listened as Macterah started asking questions of Tansey, another of the serving girls who had a crush on Tifinin. Suddenly her attention was riveted on the conversation. “What is she talking about? That sounds like the demon at the farm.” As she listened a new fear began to sink into her soul. Tansy was definitely speaking about the demon that she knew was “contained” on Jacob’s farm. And what was that she was saying about a white witch and a young cleric? Atalaya tried to hide the shutter that swept through her as the meaning of Tansy’s ramblings fit together with what Jacob had told them. This then was why Jacob was so interested in Cirilli. They wanted her to be bound to the demon. Atalaya reached her shaking hand to her ale and downed what was left in the tankard. “No!!!” she shouted in her mind. “He can’t have her.” “We’ll head back to the Hidden Forest. We’ll go to Olaescoa. I can keep her safe there with the help of my family.” Seeing Cirilli’s white face, she pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Still shaking herself, with her other hand she grabbed up Vasilya’s tankard and gulped the ale left in it. Vaz looked sidewise at her, surprised by her action, although his face was also grim as he listened to what Tansy was saying. He gently took the tankard from Atalaya’s hand and replaced it on the table. Then he gently pulled her into his side, his arm holding her gently against him as he murmured into her ear. “Breathe. We’ll keep her safe. That is not going to happen to Cirilli. Just breathe. I’m here.” Giving her a quick peck on the forehead, he stood up, gathered the two tankards, stepped next to Cirilli, giving her a quick hug and picking up her empty mug also and walked to the barkeep. Getting two of the mugs filled with hard cider and Cirilli’s half and half with hard and sweet cider he brought them back to the table just as Tansy was finishing. Setting the mugs down, he whispered into Cirilli’s ear, “Drink it up. It will help. Resting his hands lightly on her shoulders he waited for Cirilli to pick up the mug and start drinking. He saw the moment she realized that he had spiked the cider. “All of it, girl. It will help,” he whispered again. “You are not alone.” As she took another drink, he went back to his place beside Atalaya and handed her a tankard. “You drink too. Then shake this off. We need to go talk to some of the clerics Tansy mentioned. But you need to be able to listen and think when we do. Cirilli is not alone. You are not alone. You have all of us to help with this.”
Atalaya slowly drained the cider from the tankard. Leaning into Vaz’s strength and holding Cirilli close, she slowly stopped shaking. Information was what was needed now. Information, not just reacting to what Tansy had just said. Going upstairs briefly to claim a room for the night and putting down the bed rolls and camping gear she was ready to search out the clerics of Merika that Tansy said lived in the village, as were the rest of her companions.
Following Tansy’s directions Atalaya saw the little hobbit house with its garden of sunflowers in front of it. When they knock on the door to the cottage, an old hobbit cleric wearing the common clothing of her order opens the door and smiles as she sees them standing before her. She beckons the group into her home and offers them a seat. Atalaya needed to duck her head to keep from hitting her head on the doorframe. From her they learn that Jacob’s family had broken from the worship of Merika but were still clerics of some sort. Her information reinforced everything that Tansy had told them.
Leaving the cleric’s home Atalaya, Cirilli and Vaz wandered around the town, browsing through the shops until it was time to return to the Smoke Ring Tavern and Inn for their dinner and to listen to Tif and Sorrow playing. Cirilli, enjoying the illusions that Sorrow made throughout the performance. Atalaya’s eyes remained on Cirilli as she contemplated placing a Hunter’s Mark on her. Eventually she decided that she was being a little crazy. Nothing was going to happen to Cirilli, here in the Smoke Ring with everyone present and aware of the threat against her.
Chapter 3: Night Watch
Eventually the night was winding down. Atalaya agreed to take the second watch following Mac. Tif was going to take the final watch. Atalaya, Vaz and Cirilli take one of the rooms with two beds in it. Atalaya closes the window before they turn in. Atalaya immediately starts her meditation, although she struggled at first with the relaxing of her body and mind needed to move into the meditation state needed to revive her for the coming day.
After 4 hours Atalaya roused herself and sent Mac to bed. She seated herself outside in the hallway, where she had a clear view into the room where Cirilli slept and of the other doors and the stairway downstairs. Reaching out with her hearing and sight she settled into her watch. Her hands itched to pick up her fletching work, but she pushed all thoughts of that aside, now was not a time to divide her focus. She let her thoughts wander thinking about what she had heard, but keeping her eyes and ears alert to anything out of the ordinary.
A sudden noise from the bedroom brought her instantly alert as she stood up. She watched as Cirilli got out of her bed and walked towards the window. As she reached it she leaned towards it placing her hands on the glass. “What’s wrong?” called Atalaya. There was no response from Cirilli. As Atalaya reached her, she saw that Cirilli was sleepwalking. Trying to wake Cirilli, she called for Vaz and then the others. It’s hard to wake them up, although Tif wakes when called.
Tif comes out of his room, and seeing what is happening places a purple fairy fire lights on Cirilli which also covers Vaz. Once awake, Sorrow used a spell to wake up Macterah. Atalaya, using her Primeval Awareness skill senses a fiend/demon presence around them. Mac tries to dispel it using her dispel magic spell, but Atalaya continues to sense the presence.
Everyone moves into the larger room and Tif (and Sorrow?) makes a tiny hut for everyone to sleep in. Cirilli has a restless night. She seems nervous and wakes up frequently. The rest of the night passes without further incidents.
14th of Flamerule
Chapter 4: Morning: Encounter with Jacob’s Cultists
In the early morning hours the group discusses what needs to be done. Atalaya wants to head back to Jacob’s farm but is outvoted and they decide to continue on to Salt Marsh. Mac wants to find out more information about demons before trying to do anything about the demon Anyat, waiting outside of Parabor. She thinks that the priest of the sea god there in Salt Marsh will know more.
After a hurried breakfast is had. Cirilli is in a weird trance-like state. She is definitely not herself this morning. Gathering up our belongings and paying our tab we head out towards Salt Marsh.
The 14th of Flamerule is an overcast day, but it is not actively raining. Cirilli is not functioning. She keeps trying to wander off. Atalaya keeps her close beside her, and watches over her carefully, becoming more and more worried about her. “This is not right” she thinks. Something is here controlling Cirilli. Atalaya remains at high alert for danger and for any sign of Cirilli trying to take off away from the group. Checking with her primeval awareness she feels a non-specific awareness of a fiendish presence.
After about an hour of walking, Atalaya and Tif hear something in the bushes off the trail. A woman steps out of the bushes and onto the trail. She looks familiar. As she stops before us, she calls out “Come!” As she does so, Atalaya grabs Cirilli who tries to get away to walk towards the woman. For now Atalaya is able to stop her. And at this moment she realizes why the woman looks familiar. It is Hepsebah from Jacob’s farm. Also stepping out of the woods are Abraham, Dino, Eli and Dorcas.
Atalaya glared at the suddenly appearing group. A woman’s voice calls out, “Come!” Atalaya grabs Cirilli and then tightens her hold on her as a spectral sword appears in front of Vaz in mid strike. It hits Vaz as he attempts to dodge out of the way. Suddenly another sword appears in front of Atalaya swinging towards her head. She ducks, pulling Cirilli with her, and manages to avoid the blade.
Macterah pulls out her wand of magic missiles and quickly sends them flying at Hepsebah. They hit her and she calls out in pain even as she tries to shake off the effects of their strikes.
Atalaya, still struggling to hold on to Cirilli, see Eli make a gesture towards her and then feels the tendrils of a spell wash over her muscles and they tighten up for a moment. Reaching deeply into her inner strength she resists the impulse to freeze and shakes off the strange feelings of being paralyzed.
Tif sets his focus on Hepsebah and the beguiling tones coming from him. Tif’s smile of satisfaction indicate that his Crown of Madness spell is working.
While all this is occurring Cirilli struggles to break free of Atalaya’s grapple and after some effort she manages to pull away. As soon as she is loose she starts running away from the battle site. Crying out in fear and desperation Atalaya lunges after Cirilli and tries to catch her. She reaches out for her, but Cirilli pulls out of Atalaya’s grasping fingers and continues to run away. Sensing that Cirilli is being magically called away, Atalaya calls upon Mielikki and casts Hunter’s Mark on Dorcas, hoping to keep track of the one whom she thinks is controlling Cirilli.
Dino runs at Atalaya and casts a hold person spell on her. Atalaya feels it trying to take over her body but her silent cry of frustration provides her with the needed strength to once again deflect the effects of the spell, although it was more difficult to do this time.
Tif directs Hepsebah towards Abraham. She seems to cast a spell at him, but Abraham is not affected by it.
Abraham directs his attention to Cirilli and Commands her to “Come” to him. Atalaya watches in horror as Cirilli changes direction and starts running directly towards Abraham.
Vasilya has pulled his shortsword out of its scabbard and closing with Eli, swings the sword and scores a hit on Eli.
Sorrow watching the chaos swirling around him becomes angry and focusing his attention on Abraham, as one of the more dangerous of the attacker, flings his Vicious Mockery at him, which bites deeply into Abraham’s consciousness and makes it difficult for her to focus on his surroundings and the attack he is planning.
Dorcas, her attention still focused on Cirilli shouts out in her commanding voice for Cirilli to “Run!” Cirilli increases her speed and runs past Abraham and keeps on running.
Macterah, her attention still focused on Hepsebah moves towards her and gathering the forces of nature from the air around her sends a Lightning Bolt straight at her. Hepsebah falls to the ground on fire. Abraham, standing near her also feels the electrical charge course through his body, but remains standing and focused on the fight.
Eli, still engaged in his fight with Eli tries to cast a hold person on Vasilya. Vasilya shakes it off as Eli directs his spiritual weapon to attack Vaz again. Vaz dodges, but gasps as he takes a surprisingly solid hit from the transparent sword.
Tif, seeing that Cirilli is out of the reach of any of our group and still running, grabs onto Grinda and sings out the powerful words of the Dimension Door spell and takes himself to Cirilli. As he lands Grinda makes a desperate grasp for Cirilli but she twists out of his hold and keeps running away from the fighting and away from Underwillow.
Atalaya continues her longsword attack against Dorcas, making another two swings at the caster. Both attacks hit Dorcas, drawing blood but not felling her. Atalaya pivots slightly and makes another attack, this one at Dino and hits him also.
Dino glances in surprise as Atalaya’s sword hits him. His eyes, glazed with anger, shouts “Stop!” into Atalaya’s face. Atalaya just smiles at him and continues fighting.
Abraham moves the Spiritual Sword he had fighting Vaz to Atalaya and attacks her twice. Both times she tries to beat the swords back with her own longsword, but ends up taking minor damage with each blow. Abraham’s grin widens as Atalaya tries to determine where this new attack has come from.
Vasilya, free of the Spiritual Swords renewed his attack on Eli, connecting with an overhand thrust down on Eli’s shoulder. A satisfying spurt of blood streaks along the line of where the sword landed.
Sorrow has altered his attention from Abraham and is now intently gazing at Eli. His hand moves in an arcane gesture and points directly at Eli. Eli’s eyes go hazy and he gets a brief horrified look on his face. After a moment he is able to shake off whatever Sorrow cast on him.
Dorcas, still intent at stopping Atalaya this time holds up her hand directing all the force of her command spell through it and directly at Atalaya’s head. Atalaya tries her best, but is not able to shake it off this time. She stops, her arm lowering her sword to her side as her mind fights against the compulsion to obey Dorcas.
Mac, her wand of Magic Missiles still in her hand aimed it at Dorcas and shot off one charge. Then she turned it on Dino and then Abraham. Each blast hit its target and Abraham fell to the ground when he was hit. Atalaya watched the blast hit Dorcas and fights her way free of the compulsion to follow Dorcas’ Stop command.
Eli, anger bubbling up within him screams out a dark invocation and reaching his arm out, touches Vasilya’s side as he ducks around Vaz. Vaz cries out in pain as his side, under his armor blackens and Vaz feels some of his life force dissipating into the air around him.
Tif, still intent on reaching Cirilli, grabs Grinda again and activates his ring of flying. As they race after Cirilli Tif exhorts Grinda to grab her quickly and to hold on firmly when he gets them near her. Grinda nods grimmly, his eyes focused on Cirilli. Once they are on top of Cirilli, Tif releases Grinda. Grinda flies at Cirilli and lands on her, grappling her as he brings her to the ground. Cirilli fights her friend, wiggling and squirming until she breaks his hold and gets to her feet intent on running even further away.
Dino reaches out his hand while muttering his curse trying to Inflict Wounds on Atalaya. But Atalaya, with her refound movement, wheels away from Dino, escaping his touch.
Vaz, seeing Dino trying to hurt Atalaya, moved around Dino trying to hit him with his sword, but missed.
Sorrow, his attention still on Dorcas attempts another spell, but it seems that nothing happens. He mutters a curse.
Macterah moves so that she has a clear trajectory at the two people she has chosen as her targets. Her first blast is directed at Eli, who staggers but remains standing and fighting. Her second target is Dino he falls to the ground under the onslaught of Mac’s anger.
Eli casting a worried glance at the fallen Dino mutters something and his hand gestures but nothing seems to happen. But then he falls to the ground.
Tif, landing next to Cirilli and Grinda makes a magical Tiny Hut appear around the three of them. Grinda gives Cirilli a big hut and Cirilli hugs him back.
Atalaya, wanting the opportunity to question Eli about the reasons behind this attack and information about where Jacob is, hits Eli on his head with the hilt of her sword and incapacitates him. Everyone scrambles to tie him up, gag him and blindfold him in an attempt to negate any of his spell casting abilities.
Mac opines that we should just kill him, but Atalaya responds by saying that since he was not actively able to fight them now, she could not just kill him in cold blood. Mac grumbles, but Atalaya remained firm that he was a captive and that she would not kill him outright.
(End of game session)
Chapter 5: The day continues
Atalaya stood in the middle of the pathway looking around at the carnage surrounding her searching for Cirilli. Myracia’s soft voice in her head telling her that Cirilli was safe in one of Tif’s tiny huts reassured her. She stooped over Dorcas’ body and began rifling through her clothing looking for anything that would let her know more about what was going on. Finding nothing but a component pouch she looked around her for a pack but found nothing. Muttering in frustration she headed over to where Vaz and Sorrow were dragging Abraham off the path and into the woods. “Wait!” she called. “We need to search them.”
Vasilya shook his head. “There’s nothing there. I’ve already looked. Nothing but what Sorrow assures me are just spell components. Not even a clerical focus as far as he could tell.”
Atalaya nodded and turned to search Dino’s body, although she didn’t really expect to find anything on him. Finding no surprises, she checked Hepsebah and once again came up empty handed. Sighing, she looks around to find Macterah to get her help moving the bodies, but Macterah is nowhere in sight. Another glance reveals that Eli is also missing. “She’s taking him to wherever Tif and the kids are,” Atalaya thought. Grabbing Hepsebah’s body from under her shoulders Atalaya prepares to drag her into the woods. Vaz appears as she does so and picks up his feet. “Let me help, we don’t want to leave drag marks, you know.”
The bodies were quickly removed and left for the carrion eaters to find. Atalaya smoothed away as many of the signs of the altercation as she could before she, Vaz and Sorrow followed Myracia’s mind call to the others. Tif dissipates the tiny hut and Atalaya pulls Cirilli into her arms, her heart pounding as she searches Cirilli’s eyes for any signs of mind control or confusion. Finally satisfied that Cirilli is unhurt and is more present than she had been all morning, Atalaya shifts her gaze to the prisoner sitting cross legged near Macterah. .
“So how about we play a game of ‘Yes and No’,” she asked in a very conversational manner as she sat squatted down in front of the prisoner.
Eli’s eyes grew wide under his blindfold and he tried to scoot away from her as her hands grasped his shoulders. Her sudden push and then the release of her hands had Eli falling to his side.
“There’s nothing to worry about, you just answer by nodding or shaking your head.” Atalaya's anger was barely contained. Her hand clenched on the hilt of the dagger at her waist. Taking a deep breath she reached for her customary calm. It took her several breaths before she reached it and asked her first question.
“Was it your group that disturbed Cirilli’s sleep last night?”
Eli tried to sit up, but without the use of his hands he simply struggled on the ground.
“Hmm… I can’t really make out what you are trying to say. That was you or one of your friends that woke Cirilli last might and had her trying to leave the inn?”
Eli went still, but did not indicate either yes or no.
“Okay, so yes. How about this, were you one of the people following Cirilli since the beginning of this year?”
Again no response from Eli.
Atalaya nudged his side with her foot. “You are not improving your standing with us. “One final question, “Is Jacob working under a time deadline to do something to contain the demon?”
Atalaya saw Eli hold his breath for a moment as her question sank in and then he began tugging frantically at the bonds binding his arms. “Enough!” snapped Atalaya as she pushed him onto his back. “You would prefer I give you over to Macterah?”
His emphatic head shaking amused Atalaya and the tension in her body melted. “Bind his legs,” she directed Vasilya. “We need to talk.”
Once Eli was further bound, the heroes moved away from him, but within sight of him to talk.
“We have to return to the farm, “ Atalaya insisted. “We can’t allow this to continue. They have been following Cirilli since at least the beginning of the year. I don’t know what he means by needing Cirilli to help with containing that demon of his, but whatever it is, I will not allow it. He should be working on destroying it, not containing it. We need to head back, right now, toss Eli on his doorstep and tell Jacob to keep his folk out of our way and away from Cirilli.”
Macterah looked at Atalaya in utter amazement. “You can’t be serious. That’s ridiculous. That’s the last thing we should do. We don’t know how to deal with the demon and we don’t know what he wants with Cirilli. Taking her back there is too much of a risk. It’s giving him exactly what he wants. We need to go on to Salt Marsh. She can stay with the Greenleafs. They can keep her safe and we can go to Candlekeep and find out what we need to know. And find out about demons. Then maybe, when we are ready to go back to our house in Parabor we can deal with the demon. Or not. It’s not our problem anyway.”
Now it was Atalaya’s turn to look at Macterah in amazement. “Didn’t you read the journal? They were following her and had eyes on her the whole time she was with the Greenleafs. She isn’t safe there if they want to nab her. The only time they lost track of her was when we went to my mother’s house. And that was probably only because of the mode of transportation we used to get there. If we hadn’t been keeping watch last night they would have taken her then. We can’t live like that. Cirilli can’t live in constant fear of being compelled to go to them again. We need to stop this now.”
“You are a fool,” Macterah hissed. “You can’t take her back there. I won’t go back there. We aren’t prepared to handle a demon. Of all the stupid, idiotic, ill thought out, dangerous ….” Macterah sputtered to a halt, unable to find another word to convey her outrage.
“Enough Mac. I didn’t say that we had to handle the demon, just convince them to leave Cirilli alone. I’m not going to leave her vulnerable to being kidnapped. What do you expect me to do?”
“Get out of here as quickly as possible and get more information about what is going on and what is needed. How can you put Cirilli at risk by going back there? You aren’t thinking. You seem like you don’t care that she could be hurt or taken if we go back.” Macterah glared angrily at Atalaya. “You. Are. Not. Thinking. This. Through.”
Her eyes wandered across the faces of all the others who were just watching the argument. “Tell her. It’s a stupid idea. We need to go to Salt Marsh and then on to Candlekeep. Boz, tell her.”
Vasilya looked like a deer caught in the middle of a wolf pack. He unconsciously stepped closer to Atalaya, his hand going to her shoulder. “Now Mac, Atalaya has some good points. They seem to be following Cirilli and have little trouble finding her and little trouble enchanting her into their clutches. That’s not a good combination. Maybe we should…”
“No way!” Macterah almost yelled. Her draconic accent becoming more pronounced the angrier she got. “You are not thinking this through. Come on. We are going to Salt Marsh.” She strode back to Eli, cut the leg binding off him in a single swipe of her dagger and yanked him to his feet. Shoving him forward she barked, “Walk. Now.”
Grinda glanced at the adults and then darted around Mac to the other side of the prisoner. Taking his elbow Grinda carefully guided him through the forest until they met back up with the path.
Atalaya watched as Mac, Tif and Grinda pushed through the undergrowth. With a sigh she turned to Cirilli. “What do you want to do? Do you want to face Jacob or do you want to head to Salt Marsh. This affects you more than anyone else.”
“I… I am afraid of Jacob. I want to go to Salt Marsh.” Cirilli looked up at Atalaya. “Please. I don’t want to go back.”
Atalaya nodded. “Very well. We press forward.” She scanned the area, picking up the scraps of rope from the cut bindings and stuffed it into her pack. “You need to be within arm’s length of someone at all times. Those were not the only people on the farm.” Cirilli nodded her agreement.
They caught up with Mac and Tif. Sorrow whispered to Grinda and Grinda gave him a big grin and moved aside allowing Sorrow to take Eli’s elbow. Grinda made his way to Cirilli and started recounting his mad dashes with Tif to reach her. Soon the two were giggling as they walked between the two groups of adults.
Atalaya jogged up to the front and started scouting. She frequently went into the brush to either side of the path looking for any signs of watchers or other dangers. She relished the discipline of scouting. It took her mind off her concerns about Jacob and what he had planned for Cirilli. But the lingering doubt regarding the direction of their travel remained.
We continue through the woods and eventually cross the High Road. Moving to the west of the road we found a place to camp for the night. After making a camp, getting a fire going and having some dinner, Atalaya decides that Eli needs to be given some water and a little food. Mac just wants him to have water. Atalaya listens to Mac’s arguments. While this was happening, Grinda ties himself to Cirilli’s wrist and Mac gives her some cloth scraps to put in her ears when Eli is ungagged. Mac hopes that it will keep her from hearing any command spells from Eli should he try one.
Atalaya growls at him, that if he wants any water or travel biscuit he best keep his mouth engaged in drinking and eating, because the first sound he makes that does not fit into that category will bring a swift swordstroke across his neck. With Sorrow and Vaz providing guarding, Atalaya removes the gag after again warning Eli that if he wants anything at all to eat or drink, that is the only thing he is going to do at this moment. She gives him an adequate amount of water and a travel biscuit.
Eli accepts the water and food without attempting to say anything. After he finishes that, he is regagged.
Chapter 6: Night Time Spiders
Watches are set. During the 3rd watch (Tif and Grinda’s watch) a blue/white spider suddenly appears and attempts to attack Tif. Tif screams for help. Grinda calls out and wakes everyone else up.
Sorrow gives Tif Bardic Inspiration.
Mac: gets up, grabs her crossbow and fires an acid bolt at the spider.
Spider: recoils from the acid that is dripping on its body. It blinks out and reappears right behind Mac.. It jumps at Mac and sinks its fangs into Mac. While Mac is able to shake off some of the poison effects, she still takes 12 points of physical damage and 20 points of poison damage.
Atalaya: stands up, moves 17 feet to get into a better shooting position and holds her action until she has a clear shot at the spider.
Cirilli: Casts Hunter’s Mark on the spider and shoots it.
Vaz: Stumbles out of his bedroll and moves 15 feet and takes a shot with his short bow. Vaz’s shot kills the spider!
Everyone has a feeling of foreboding.
Tif goes over to the kids and puts up another Tiny Hut.
Another spider blinks in by Vaz.
Vaz: turns and yells. The spider is right on top of him. The spider sinks its fangs into Vaz’s arm. Vaz struggles and staggers. The spider draws back and tries to grapple him.
Atalaya: takes her two held shots at the spider.
Grinda: shoots his crossbow bolt through the Tiny Hut wall and hits the spider.
Sorrow: cursing in a guttural language jumps over the log and through the fire. He casts Hideous Laughter on the spider, but the spell has no effect.
Mac: With an aching shoulder, shoots another acid bolt into the spider and takes him out.
Everyone looks around, waiting for another spider to appear. When nothing happens, Mac pulls out some goodberries and eats them.. Atalaya and Vaz finish up her goodberries and then each take the healing potion that is in their belts.
Sorrow puts up another Tiny Hut for the rest of us and everyone turns in for a long rest, leaving Eli bound by the firepit.
(END OF GAME SESSION)
Chapter 7: Atalaya’s Early Morning Musings
After Atalaya completed her restorative meditations for the night and was not able to settle into sleep with Cirilli in the other tiny hut, she shifted around into a sitting position and picked up her fletching kit and began to work on repairing her used arrows. As she did, she thought about everything that had happened while they were at Jacob’s farm, the information they learned while in Underwillow, Cirilli’s strange sleeping walking and tranced state, and their confrontation with Jacob’s farmhands. She had been uneasy the day before regarding the group's decision to continue to Salt Marsh rather than return to confront Jacob. As she continued to think about everything that had happened, the desire to return to the farm to confront Jacob increased, and the dread that something terrible was going to happen if they didn’t filled her. She wasn’t sure whether or not they should just confront Jacob or bypass him and deal with the demon first. The need to do something before Jacob was able to escalate things again grew the longer she sat, methodically working on the arrows. She realized that she had allowed Cirilli’s very understandable fear sway her from what she knew she needed to do. Resolving to return alone if no one would join her, Atalaya finally felt the beginning glimmer of peace within her. Yes, this was the right decision. Jacob could not be allowed to harass Cirilli. And, Cirilli wasn’t going to be safe from him until he understood that we were not going to allow him to steal her away from us. And that in no way was Cirilli going to become the next sacrifice to Anyat. She would return alone if she had to, but she hoped that she could convince the others, or at least a few of them to go with her.
Should she let Cirilli come too, if she wanted to? Atalaya considered that as she pulled out the next arrow that needed repairs. Cirilli has grown in her skills over the past months. She was actually a very driven learner. And the outcome of whatever confrontations happened was going to affect her. She had the right to confront those who were trying to capture her and use her. Yes, Atalaya decided, if Cirilli wants to take part in whatever is to come, she has the right. In fact, she needs to confront what it seems this cult has planned for her. And I’m not going to let that happen without my being there with her. Which is another good reason for making sure this happens now when we are all together and can support and assist her. This confrontation needs to happen when we are ready for it, before Jacob has a chance to recover from the losses of yesterday.
Pre Dawn, 15th of Flamerule, 1491
Chapter 8: More Spiders!
Right before dawn while Tif and Grinda continued their interrupted watch they heard a rustle in the bushes in the direction of the firepit and the captive Eli. Tif briefly saw a very fast flash of white and blue light. Tif was not certain what he saw but when he looked again at the firepit, Eli was no longer there. Tif tells Grinda not to leave the dome. Tif yelled at the people in the other dome trying to wake them up.
Atalaya, wakes everyone in her bubble up. Talking it over, we guess that it was another one of the spider things that we had been fighting earlier in the morning. And that he came and dragged Eli off to eat him. Atalaya thinks that would be a perfect end for Eli. And it will save them the trouble of continuing to haul him around.
Atalaya asks Vasilya how he is doing. Vaz replies that he is doing okay but that he feels like he has a hangover.
Atalaya decides that it is close enough to dawn to go ahead and start making some coffee.
15th of Flamerule
Chapter 9: Morning Arguments
As the group sat around the fire eating breakfast they discussed what Tif and Grinda saw. Atalaya said that she needed to go back to the farm and confront Jacob and maybe deal with the demon if that seems appropriate.
Mac becomes very upset, saying that this was a ridiculous idea. That taking Cirilli back there was just placing her at additional danger and that the only logical thing to do was to continue on to Salt Marsh.
Atalaya replies that she is not able to do that. She has to go back and that she will go alone if need be. They can go on to Salt Marsh, get the boat and she will meet back up with them in Riverport. Vasilya sends her a glaring look and says that he will go with her. He doesn’t want her attempting that by herself.
Mac seems to accept that Vasilya will want to go with Atalaya, but asks Sorrow to go to Salt Marsh with her. Sorrow says that he can’t do that. If his brother is going back to the farm, he will be going with Atalaya and him. Sorrow says that they will need him if they are going to try that.
Atalaya asks Cirilli what she wants to do. To go back to the farm or on to Salt Marsh. Cirilli seems scared but says that she wants to be there to confront Jacob. She says that she can’t just let others face that for her.
Mac continues to argue against Atalaya heading back. When Tif is asked what he wants to do, he replies that he would go back with Atalaya.
This seems to shake Mac, who seemed to think that Tif was going to want to go with her to Salt Marsh no matter what.
Mac eventually decides that she will also go back to the farm, but makes it abundantly clear that she is upset, that she thinks that this is the wrong thing to do and wants nothing to do with helping to plan it.
Chapter 10: We Head Back to Jacob’s Farm & Meet Theca
We head back towards the farm, making our way around Underwillow rather than spending the night there. We stop and make camp in a secure area somewhere about 30 minutes away from the outskirts of the farm. Sorrow and Tif set up the Tiny Huts again. (Hut 1: Tif, Mac, Grinda and Myracia. Hut 2: Sorrow, Atalaya, Cirilli, Vaz)
Sometime in the night while Atalaya is on watch she notices a fawn sniffing around the fire. She watches as the fawn paws over the bags that were left outside the huts, and seems to graze on any food scraps that it can find. At one point it puts its front legs up on the dome of the tiny hut near Cirilli and licks at the hut.
Deciding that this fawn is demonstrating very un-fawn like behavior Atalaya quietly reaches for her bow and arrows, readies the bow and takes 2 shots at the fawn. She hits the fawn with both shots. The fawn falls over and dematerializes. Suddenly a strange creature appears in its place. It squeals. It is wearing clothing. It is humanoid and otherworldly. In the place of hair it has a diaphanous membrane that covers her head. Her skin is translucent. She has no horns, but there are spikes that come out of her forearms and back.
Atalaya and Sorrow cautiously make their way out of the hut to confront it.
Sorrow: Are you a Tiefling?
Creature: Yes.
She tells us that she got the Eye out of the sea and gave it to someone, but can’t remember who. She also adds that she loves shiny objects and that she has been following us. She also says that she is from the sea.
Vaz has come out of the hut and hears most of this. He says, “I have never seen anyone like you.” He then asks her name.
Creature: Theca
Atalaya: Where did you give this man the Eye?
Theca: Salt Marsh
16th of Flamerule
Chapter 11: Scouting Out the Farm
As the sun comes up, Theca puts on goggles to protect her eyes from the sun.
Theca tells them that she would like to join them and wonders if they are going to do anything exciting. Atalaya asks her about who sent her to follow them. Theca doesn’t remember who did that. She insists that she will be of help to the group in their current adventure.
Atalaya tries to discuss what the next steps should be, getting no input from Tif or Mac in regards to what they think should be done. Atalaya with the help of Vaz, Sorrow and Theca decide that the first thing that must be done is to get some more information about what is happening at the farm and how many people are left there in order to plan more successfully. Mac is to turn herself into a Mastiff, Theca turns herself into a rat.
Atalaya, Vaz, Mac and Theca make their way onto the farm and first search out the barn while Tif, Sorrow and Grinda stay at the campsite to guard Cirilli.
Mac and Theca enter the barn and head upstairs. They see signs that something had been slaughtered in the barn. They explore the barn, Theca finding a gold coin. It is very shiny.
Mac makes her way outside the barn and then circles the barn. She doesn’t see anything unusual and doesn’t see any people.
Mac and Theca make their way to the farmhouse. Vaz and Atalaya also make their way there, having to work at stealthing their way there. Vaz and Atalaya hide themselves in some trees near the corner of the house. Mac (as a mastiff) goes up to a window and looks in, seeing Jacob, Eli, Alstad, Mother and Allison getting ready to eat. Mac plays “hungry dog”. Alstad sees her and gets a piece of chicken skin and takes it out to Mac. Mac eats it and then rubs up against Alstad to thank him. Then she drops down onto her back begging for a tummy scratch. Alstad does so and gets his hand licked by Mac. Alstad pets the “dog”.
Theca scouted around the house very stealthily. She makes it into the house and then up the stairs to the upper floor. Finding that she can’t really search the room, she reverts to her normal form. Looking through the room she finds linens in the chest, a few things scattered around the room. Seeing the ladder she heads up into the attic area.
Meanwhile, Mac runs around, encouraging Alstad to play with her. When she can, she checks out the window again, counting people, 1, 2, 3… (there was a whisper from GM to Mac).... They are discussing what happened last night. Atalaya can hear bits and pieces of the discussion, but can’t get close enough safely to hear everything being said. Alstad tries to lure Mac into the house to get her something more to eat.
Theca, in her normal form, checks out the attic, sees the paintings and finding nothing of interest climbs out a window and downstairs and sneaks out of the house, joining Atalaya and Vaz hiding in the tree(s)/shrubs near the house.
Eli is saying that “they had Cirilli, but she got away. The people in the kitchen were very concerned. Eli continues telling them that he had spent the night tied up and that the spiders came and got him. Jacob says, “alright, good. I hoped that would be the case.”
Atalaya catches Mac’s attention and gestures for her to try to bring Alstad near the tree. She does so and Alstad follows her. Atalaya tries to grapple him, but he is faster than she expected and dodges away from her. They convince him to follow them, quietly, to go to Cirilli. Once they get him to the campsite, Cirilli and Alstad get to see each other again briefly before Atalaya starts questioning Alstad about his involvement with Jacob and the others and what he knows about what is going on and about the attack on Cirilli outside of Underwillow. He seems genuinely confused with the questions he is being asked, claiming to know nothing about what had been going on. Atalaya gets him to tell them about what he knows about the chapel and the cult’s habits with going into the chapel. Alstad claims not to have gone into the chapel. He also says that it seems that when the others go into the chapel it is during the night.
Alstad is sent back to the farmhouse, so that Jacob and the others in the house will not become suspicious regarding his absence.
Chapter 12: Cavern Fight with the Cultists
Atalaya decides that the best time to get into the chapel is now. Uncertain of who will go with her, everyone agrees to go although Mac and Tif hang back at first. Atalaya enters the chapel, followed by the others. The altar had been returned to its normal position in the middle of the room, over the entrance to the tunnel below.
After the altar is moved aside, Tif sends Atalaya, Vaz, Theca, Cirilli and Grinda down to the bottom of the shaft using feather fall. Once they reach the bottom he then lowers Sorrow, Mac and himself to the bottom of the shaft, again using Feather Fall.
The tunnel smells terrible. In the distance the faint rattling of chains is heard.
Atalaya asks Tif how far down the tunnel he went before. Tif says he doesn’t remember.
The group slowly and quietly make their way down the tunnel. Then they hear the winch being lowered. Jacob and Allison are lowered into the tunnel. Then Eli and Mother come down.
Atalaya and the group hid in a side chamber, with Cirilli hiding behind a large stalagmite so that she cannot be seen by those entering the chamber. As Eli enters the chamber, Vaz makes a sneak attack, hitting Eli.
Sorrow casts Vicious Mockery at Eli. Eli misses his save, taking 2 points of psychic damage and has disadvantage.
Tif shoots at Eli and hits him.
Jacob: enters the room, sees Theca and casts COMMAND at Theca, telling her to “Come”. Theca shrugs off the spell.
Mac: Pulls out her Magic Missile wand and shoots at Eli, who takes 15 points of damage.
Cirilli: Shoots Eli. Eli falls to the ground and dies.
Vaz: Grabs his shortsword and attacks Jacob. He hits for 17 points of damage.
Allison: Hears the commotion and starts heading up the corridor.
Grinda: Moves behind Tif
Mother: Steps forward, sees Vaz and casts HOLD PERSON on Vaz. Vaz is paralyzed (for up to 1 minute) This is a concentration spell.
Atalaya: Grabs her wand of Paralysis and shoots at Mother. She is paralyzed for 1 minute. This breaks her concentration on the HOLD PERSON spell freeing Vaz.
Theca: Poison sprays Jacob. Jacob makes his saving throw.
Sorrow: Moves 30 feet. Then casts VICIOUS MOCKERY on Jacob. He fails his saving throw and takes 2 points psychic damage and disadvantage on next attack roll.
Tif: moves next to Vasilya, sees Jacob and shoots him with his crossbow, hitting Jacob for 8 points of damage.
Jacob: casts SUGGESTION at Tif saying “You could save yourself a lot of trouble…” Tif finds it reasonable to not fight anymore and can’t quiet remember why he was in the first place. His head is fuzzy and he has a confused look in his eyes.
Theca: Tries the Poison spray on Jacob. Jacob fails his save and takes 19 points of damage. Jacob recoils, sputtering and breaks his concentration and Tif’s head clears.
Mac: Runs up to Vaz and shoots a Lightning bolt at Jacob. Jacob’s save fails and he dies from the Lightning. Mother and Allison who were standing near Jacob make their saves and take 14 points of damage.
Cirilli: doesn’t have a shot. She stays back.
Vaz: drops back and jumps forward and goes after Mother. He hits Mother with his shortsword for 13 points of damage.
Allison: Casts SPIRITUAL WEAPON. Hits Vaz with it. Using bonus move, moves it to Sorrow and hits him. Sorrow reacts to the attack and burns Allison.
Grinda: Runs up to Tif and pulls him back.
Mother: Breaks from the Paralysis.
Atalaya Tries to Paralyze Mother again with the wand, but Mother makes her saving throw.
Sorrow: Gives Tif Bardic inspiration. Then casts HIDEOUS LAUGHTER on Allison. She makes her save.
Mother: Reaches out to Vaz, casting INFLICT WOUNDS. Vaz is able to dodge to decrease the damage she causes, taking only 15 points of damage instead of 30.
Tif: Pulls Vaz out of his way and then casts CROWN OF MADNESS on Mother, telling her to attack Allison.
Theca: Attacks Mother with Poison Spray. Mother makes a save.
Mac: Magic Missiles at Allison, who takes 30 points of damage. She goes down.
Vaz: Steps back and shoots at Mother, but misses.
Grinda: Holds his action
Mother: Turns and heads down the corridor towards the noise of rattling (chains?).
They can hear Mother muttering to herself. The footsteps fade away.
They hear growling and screaming and rattling of chains. Then it goes quiet.
They then hear something shuffling in the opposite direction and heavy breathing.
In the sudden stillness Atalaya makes her way to Vaz and hands him 15 Goodberries to eat. Mac gives Sorrow 6 Goodberries. Sorrow is back to full hit points. Vaz is still down 5 hit points.
GAME STOPS HERE for the night.
(16th of Flamerule continued)
As the screaming ends we gather around Vaz and Sorrow with Atalaya and Mac providing Goodberries. With our focus on our hurt team members Theca stealths away from the group and vanishes from our sight.
Tif creates a Mage Hand to hold a torch and sends it down the corridor that Mother disappeared in. We can hear occasional rattling chains coming from that direction. Atalaya leads the others down the tunnel with Tif just behind her. The others follow behind us with Grinda and Vaz staying close to Cirilli. Sorrow is in the back. We creep down the tunnel. After a bit the tunnel turns to the left and the foul stench of this underground space increases. We continue to hear faint chain rattling now and then. The corridor opens up a bit, and Atalaya and Tif can see some steps heading downward and they also see a chain reaching downward from the ceiling.
Creeping forward a slight bit more, Tif and Atalaya can make out an occasional weird breathing sound that makes the hair prickle up on the back of Atalaya’s neck.
Tif has the mage hand place the torch on the floor before the steps and then move to the chain. The mage hand then floats up to the chain and tugs on it sharply. Atalaya, bow drawn, moves up next to Tif.
Everyone hears the Mother’s voice calling out to them, “You don’t know what you are doing. Come down.” Then the chain snaps tight and we hear a hissing, “Yes, yes.” Then the Mother’s voice says again, “Come on down.”
Atalaya calls out, “We don’t understand. What don’t we know?” As she realizes that the voice of Mother is not really the Mother, but is instead a mimicry of Mother. She tells the rest of the team that this is not the Mother, but most likely the demon talking to us.
Tif and Grinda make Major Illusions of themselves. Tif then has his illusion call out to say, “Here I am, what do you want?”
Anyat, the demon comes out and then pounces on the Tif and Grinda illusions and tries to grab them. When nothing seems to happen she sits on “them” and snarls and looks slightly confused.
Atalaya casts Hunter’s March and then shoots the Thunder Arrow that she had drawn in her longbow as they left the chamber where they had fought the cultists. It misses, but without pausing she reaches for her next arrow, draws and lets it fly at the creature. The +1 arrow hits causing a total of 10 points of damage.
Sorrow moves forward until he is just past Cirilli, to better protect her.
Anyat: starts moving, climbing the stairs and moving into the tunnel. She sees Tif and leaps to attack him. Swiping out one of her clawed hands at him, she misses as Tif is able to dodge out of the way. She then tries to bite him but (after a critical fail) sprawls on the rock at Tif’s feet.
Cirilli is too far back and out of any line of sight to do anything.
Mac runs forward past Cirilli and shoots her Magic Missile wand over Grinda’s head at Anyat doing 27 points of damage.
Grinda runs back to grab hold of Cirilli as the illusion of Grinda fades away.
Tif: Stabs Anyat with his dagger, causing 5 points of damage. He then attempts a shot with his hand crossbow, but misses as Anyat twists away from him.
Atalaya shoots twice more at Anyat, missing with her first shot, but Anyat’s dodge of the first arrow places her right in line of the second and she takes another 15 points of damage.
Vasilya moves forward near Atalaya and shots his shortbow hitting Anyat.
Sorrow gives Bardic Inspiration to Macterah. He takes no other action as he has no line of sight on Anyat.
Anyat goes after Tif again, making 2 slashing attacks on Tif, both of which hit. She causes 9 points of damage and then 18 points of damage. She then reaches in and bites him. Tif feels a ripping pain and the room goes dark as he falls unconscious to the ground in front on Anyat. Anyat steps and hunches down over him.
Cirilli is yelling and trying to climb past Sorrow.
Macterah runs up toTifinin, grasps his foot and casts Spare the Dying. Then holding tightly to his foot she moves 5 feet back. Anyat responds to her movement away from her by attacking Mac with 2 swiping slashes of her clawed hands. The first misses but the second hits Mac causing light damage.
Grinda continues to try to hold on to Cirilli.
Tif remains unconscious but is stable.
Atalaya makes 2 more shots at Anyat with her longbow, both hitting Anyat causing 11 points and 9 points of damage.
Vaz also lets an arrow fly with his short bow and hits Anyat. Anyat screams in pain? Anger? She flees towards the hole but then seems to explode into a dust and powder that falls to the ground.
It is quiet. The weird feeling that everyone had been feeling goes away.
Cirilli is crying and hopping up and down with her hands over her head.
Grinda helps Vaz move Tif back to the chamber room. Atalaya helps Cirilli to the chamber room. Helping her to sit down, she turns to Vasilya and immediately casts Cure Wounds on him, restoring 11 hit points. Grinda talks to Tif as Cirilli pulls out a healing potion to give to Tif, restoring 7 hit points. Mac hands him 7 Goodberries. She then pulls out a Potion of Greater Healing that she gets Tif to drink which provides him with 14 more hit points.
Atalaya, realizing that she hasn’t seen or heard Theca searches through the cavern for her and then checks the tunnel. There is no sign of Theca.
Mac eats her last 7 Goodberries.
Cirilli looking around for Atalaya says, “That feeling I had in my head, it’s gone now. I don’t feel strange anymore.” She then goes over to Tif and gives him a big hug. “Thank you.”
We talked about what to do next. Mac suggests that we cause a rockfall to seal this tunnel. Everyone agrees with that. Grinda wants to turn himself into a spider to search the area where Anyat died and the hole to make sure that there was not another way in/out. He eventually convinces Mac to let him do this. Atalaya and Vaz go with him to the area that the last fight took place in as backup, if needed. Grinda explores the area as a spider and finds nothing to report. No exits. Reverting to his actual form, Grinda then begins investigating the walls looking for a good place to cause a rockfall. Finding an appropriate spot, he shows Atalaya exactly where he wants her to shoot her Thunder Arrow. Atalaya hits the exact spot he showed her and the wall comes tumbling down, burying her shattered arrow deeply within the rubble.
The party makes its way back to the end of the tunnel to the shaft from the chapel. Atalaya and Mac climb the chain to the chapel and then use the winch to bring the other team members up. We close the trap door over the shaft and then move the altar back into place. Once everyone makes their way outside the chapel, Macterah bars the door and then casts Heat Metal to cause the metal bar supports to heat to a burning bright red. Sorrow then picks up a couple large rocks to protect his hands and then uses them to bend the metal of the supports around the bar and into the wood of the door, sealing the chapel the best we can.
Looking up into the night sky, Atalaya estimates that it is sometime past midnight.
The team wearily heads back towards the farmhouse, wondering what has happened to Alstad and whether or not anyone else is present. Mac expresses her concern about Alstad’s loyalties, stating that she is not going to trust him.
Reaching the house, they search it carefully, going room by room but finding no one. Finally they gather in the room that holds the ladder to the attic. Atalaya gestures to the others to be ready for anything and then climbs the ladder, planning to open the trapdoor into the attic. But reaching the top she notices that the door is padlocked shut. Climbing back down she changes places with Vaz, allowing him to check the lock for traps and then to unlock it. Vaz then opens the door carefully as everyone else is prepared to defend him if needed. But rather than another spider creature or cultist, it is Alstad’s head that pops into view.
“I was ready to bash anyone who tried to come in here.” he stated as he made his way down the ladder. “I broke a leg off the bunk up there to use to defend myself. They locked me up there and went to kill you in the chapel.” Looking around, “You are all alright? This was really messed up.”
Alstad then offers to keep watch for the others so that they can sleep. The party looks around at each other, the thought that they were going to keep their own watch written on each of their faces. They head back downstairs to rummage through the kitchen for some ready to eat foods, realizing that they had not eaten anything since midday. Ham, biscuits, fruit and salad are on hand and make a satisfying meal. They then settle down for the night, keeping watch amongst themselves. Alstad also sat up, gazing into the night, his thoughts clearing troubling him as he looked across the empty farmland.
The rest of the night passes quietly. Everyone has a long rest.
17th of Flamerule
Finishing their long rest, the team gathers in the kitchen to get a breakfast together. It is late morning as they sit down to a nice hot breakfast including eggs and bacon, some freshly made biscuits and pressed apple cider.
As they are eating Alstad asks who owns this farm now. Macterah says that he could. Alstad says that he would like to stay on here and bring others from Parabor who are in hiding to here. He hopes that this can be a safe place for them.
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