This session begins with a recap of our recent activity. On Saturday, the group went to assault a Goblin Lair found in a cave to the south east. Over 20 goblins were killed. Our previous session saw three of our party members dropped into a coma: Porto, who is down for three more days (available again on the 5th of Seed Moon), Iskandar and Tsanu. In the downtime, some new characters have been rolled up.

In the meantime, we have learned that Syrah, the head priestess of the Temple of Riswa, wants to reclaim the Chapel and the environs for the Temple out to a 3 mile radius. This area and Gren in general is on the edge of the patrolled lands. Beyond, where the tall grasses grow, is wild lands and is said to be inhabited with monsters. The reward is large: 1,250 gp for the entire party with a bonus of 500 gp for dispatching a fearsome beast known as the Goreson.

Over half of the 3 mile radius surrounding the Chapel grounds is tall grasses in which Syrah wants to turn into a regularly patrolled and cleared area. As we discuss possible solutions, we know that burning the grass would be a problem. Many of the region consider the grasses a natural wonder and is generally regarded as being “very pretty”. Despite that, they are still not sacred to the Temple of Riswa.

Our tries to estimate how long it might take in game to clear a hex using the rules found in the DMG. It is determined that it would be approximately 8 hours to search a one mile area completely and there are a total of 22 square miles.

• Halzgaz hears a rumor regarding a copper mine to the south west. About 1 or 2 years ago, a demonic presence was found in the mine and strange things happened there. A local named “Mily Blige” covered it up and sealed the presence, whatever it was, inside. There are whispers amongst the workers and the rumor is spread through a few people wondering, perhaps with some animosity, what happened down there.

• Lathar knows about an Order of Rangers that are duty bound to guard magical standing stones at the base of the nearest mountains. He also hears that there are lots of people that live out on the grasslands, despite their dangers. They believe that the tall grass was planted by Louz for Scaepa (two of the gods).

• Vargas hears about the Marble Keep, that it is not controlled by Gnolls and Orcs but by tribes of Boarmen. Boarmen are more brutal and organized. It is said they have a shaman that controls storms and were able to push out the Gnolls and Orcs that once occupied the fortress.

The usual cast of characters has been changed and we have no Paladins today. Our group includes:

- Maervahr, Human Magic-User and psionically adept, AC 10.

- Lathar Cassimir, Human Ranger, AC 3.

- Halzgaz Buggard, Dwarf Fighter, AC 3.

- Tsanu, Half-Elf Cleric / Magic-User, AC 4.

- Vargas the Dark, Half-Orc Fighter / Assassin AC 3, 18 CON.

- Ghrul Oakbarrel, Half-Orc Fighter, AC 4

There is mild weather today but it is a bit drizzly. The chances of a dragon attack today is low.

A few whisps of smoke are visible in the area, an indication of some fires. It appears to be coming from the grasslands area, about 2 miles to the south west of the Chapel. The locals have been talking about what may have started those fires but it remains unknown. The next morning, we see 6 to 7 fires rising up over the morning skyline and we can smell the fires. We can hear nothing at this distance.

The wind is blowing softly to the north east and the smoke is trailing in the direction of the Chapel.

Although we will be adding a bigger map in the coming days, we can note that a river runs past the Chapel and past Gren. The fire appears to be near the border of the grasslands and just north west of the lake. This area is notably very flat.

The party travels in that direction and we come across an encampment where the grass has been stamped down and tents have been set up. We can see about 50 men standing around 7 fires. These men carry battle axes and swords.

One of the men steps forward. He has a long brown beard and a huge battle axe strapped to his back. Behind him, the group of men consist of all Humans. They wear no armor but they do wear furs, capes made of fur, and their weapons and helmets have animal horns.

His name is Grel Stronghammer and he greets Lathar. This encampment of Humans is a part of the Starwind Clan but nobody in our group knows who they are. They come from the hills far to the south and travel through these fields in search of battle.

“We are here to clear out any vermin in the area”, Grel informs us. He looks toward the ground and then at each of us in our group to size us up. He then takes his battle axe off and fidgets with it. The handle of his axe is made of stones.

Grel tells us that the Starwind Clan travels through here regularly during the season. They sometimes come across orcs and evil men whom they will fight as long as they still provide a challenge to their clan and their desire for a pitched battle.

There are a number of cheers when our group informs him about the Boarmen to the south, rumored be fortified at the Marble Keep. They could be a bold new adversary. All of them raise their swords and axes with excitement and they hug each other in elation. Subsequently, there are many conversations that start up around the campfires.

Grel turns to us and says that he “owes us his thanks” as the heralds of great combat. As we continue the conversation, we find that they consider the area to be under the domain of the Starwind Clan. Thouthg they can speak the common tongue, their speech has a gruff tone. They give us their respect as fighters as we talk as do fighting men and they are, all of them, men. Some of the clan, maybe around 10 individuals, are equipped with better looking weapons, nicer cloaks and jewelry. Overall, the clan are a people of the land, tanned and weathered.

They come from an unnamed hill country originally. Gren is in a valley, situated between the hills that are at the northern tip of a hill range which extends over 60 miles. Grel Stronghammer explains that all of the hills are his domain. Hundreds of orcs and gnolls also reside within these hills.

We speak to him of the Old Chapel that can be seen to the north east and he says that tales tell of a very powerful necromancer the dwells below the Chapel grounds. He and his clan will slay anyone such as this despite their magic powers but the halls of dungeons are not their domain. Instead they desire to charge through fields and to cleave enemies in twain. He wishes that they can lure the necromancer into his fires so they can spread their bones to the wind.

What follows is a series of answers to an array of questions for Grel Stronghammer:

• The party asks Grel if they are you responsible for these fires we saw along the skyline. Yes, those fires were their campfires.

• He states that Grel Stronghammer is named after his father and he prefers the axe as a weapon.

• There are beasts of all kinds that take to the grasses when their dander is up.

• Grel has only seen two things recently amongst the grasslands. He has seen that some miles to the north east was a single strand of campfire smoke not unlike their own. It was not a powerful enough force for the Starwind Clan to engage in combat. And in the hills to the south and to the north are Orcs.

• He tells us to beware of the Goreson. It is the scourge of the region. They resemble a bison but are also demonic and have no souls. Their horns and hooves are like those of bison but their demonic origins grant them flight. Thus, they rise above the grasses to hunt their prey and their enemies. They are completely aggressive and dark and, unlike bison, are not grouped in herds. They are too great to be paired off with another of their kind. The Goreson might appear anytime of day and they will rise above the grass, as a tide of death. They can cleave three men down before slowing their pace. These beasts are true fliers but Goreson will only hover a few feet above ground. They say that they will never miss their charge. A number of men among their clan have been killed already and more yet will join in death. Despite them losing their men, the Goreson is considered to lack honor.

• Men like the Starwind Clan are not uncommon in these lands. When they find another tribe they may fight them to the death. Their group is all that is left and they are the whole of the Starwind Clan. They have slain all the other clans from the region, not a single other one survives. There is another clan with whom they engage in the trade of knowledge and they roam in the fields to the north.

• This land, the northern edge of the hills, is as far as the Starwind Clan go. The angle amongst the trees and mountains, and those fields to the north of about 10 to 15 square miles is under their domain.

• The Blood Moon clan roams in the north and they do not range into the fields. They only stick to the hills.

• His clan has once or twice met travelers within those woods. They were mounted and cloaked while traversing the fields. They exchanged words with these men who seemed to be on their way to the town to trade. They said that they hail from the woods to the north west and they each wear a brooch in the shape of a white sun on a black field.

• He explains that their clan never seem to know where there is battle anymore.

• They say that their number worships only a few gods and the favored god of each man may vary. Scaepa is of particular interest to their clan. They believe he comes to them in dreams and guides them to the next battle. There is also reverence for Riswa and Grack.

The party undertakes the clearing of the grasslands, as per the wishes of the Temple.

No monster lairs are found this day.

The party cleared three more hexes and nothing was found.

Nothing.

After traveling 20 to 30 minutes into the woods that border the edge of the mountains, we come to the edge of the woods. We hear a low droning noise from up ahead and a vibration at our very feet. It seems to be coming from the direction of the north east. Is it a Goreson? We estimate that the source is somewhere between 130 and 190 yards.

Maervahr gets on top of Halzgaz's dwarf shoulders. He can see into the distance and see an earthy mound that rises above the top of the grasses, like those an insect might build. There is not seen any movement within. Lathar begins checking for tracks, but does not find any.

We redirect toward the woods and find the area filled with evergreen trees that are common to the area, despite the temperate region. There are miles of woods, quiet and peaceful. There is an unusual silence to these woods and the trees are much taller than the ones found in the West Reach of Hollow to the south east. We do not find any dangers within.

We return to Gren and meet up with Thomas Duskhallow.

We describe the insect 6 to 8 foot tall mound and he believes them to be giant ants or giant wasps, but more likely the latter. Giant Wasps are dangerous and their sting will make you paralyzed. They can also be great in number, typically between 20 and 40. Despite their danger, they are known to collect gems, often valuable gems, and some may take the risk to gain the reward. Fire is known to instantly burn off their wings but that will not kill them outright as wingless Giant Wasps can still crawl. It is known that their poison sting can paralyze a human for days, lasting perhaps 2 to 4 days, until either the victim dies or a cleric removes the poison with divine magic. By this time, the wasps will have laid their eggs and the larvae will devour you.

The fires that we saw last week disappeared days ago.

Out group discusses some strategies to deal with the Giant Wasp next but not necessarily by engaging the mound directly. We can set the area afire after clearing a crop circle around it, for example. The next itself is kind of a mix between regular wasp nest and as ant nest, with an underground complex.

We head back out to the grasslands to clear the lands. On this day, nothing is found.

Traveling during the later hours of the 6th day, we can hear movement coming from up ahead, about 80' distant. We can see at the tops of the grasses that there is a small group approaching. Maervahr can hear the parting of the grasses as it moves through, along with the clicking noise of mandibles.

A sizable creature about 40' away is moving through the grasses. Suddenly, a Giant Ant bursts forth from the undergrowth and charges straight at us! Some of the group managed to brace their weapon for a charge and the Giant Ant goes directly after Halzgaz. He has a two-handed sword which is very long so he gets an attack first as he meets the charge. The Giant Ant has an AC 3 but it is only 2' long. Halzgaz manages to strike it first and slices it in half! Fortunately, there is no other movement and Maervahr collects some ant parts for his cryptic spell components.

Nothing.

Nothing.

On this day, the party finds eight small, ruined buildings in the middle of the grasslands. They are delapidated and appear to have collapsed in. One of the buildings still seems to be in better repair and has been given new life, restored, with a door out front.

Our group begins investigating the grounds, digging through stone and wood which seems to be hundreds of years old. There is a lot of debris including bundles of dried grasses and thatch as well as ancient rocks obscured in the overgrown grass.

As we are digging through, we hear a door close. Stepping out of the restored building is a man with a deep gray beard. He is wearing a brown robe, has a blade on his side and a kite shield strapped to his back. His appearance suggests the he is middle aged and slightly balding. He is likely a hermit living out here.

The group approaches to parley with him. He introduces himself as Bedford and he is living in this house, preferring to keep to himself. He says that he is fortunate not to have a nest of Giant Ants living around here. On further questioning, he confirms that he has seen a smoke rising to the south east, about half a mile away.

Here follows a series of questions and answers we had with Bedford:

• When questioned about what lies inside, beyond the door to his building, he questions why we felt the need to go in. Bedford explains that this is his home.

• Someone asks about what this ruin once was before and Bedford says that he found no missives or diaries within, no writings. He does not know what it is and he has not found anything other than a single copper piece. He believes it may have once been ruled over by someone that tamed these fields. The coin he found is stamped crudely and otherwise has no quirk that can be traced to a time or source. The coin he found had no discernible marking.

• Looking around the grounds, we realize there is no garden here. During our interactions, we notice that Bedford wears armor beneath his robe and his sword and shield are in good condition. His sword and sheath appears to have a silver tone to its border and to the trim. It is split through the middle to provide reinforcement.

• We ask him how he sustains himself and he explains that merchants pass through wilderness regions from time to time, even where there are no roads. Groups of merchants stride forth to meet with him and he sometimes sells items to these merchants. He buys what he needs from them and he eats by foraging or hunting small game found amongst the ruins. There are no other such ruins within a mile of his own.

• He does ask us if we have anything to sell for he would especially like to purchase magic potions or other baubles as he has an interest in furnishing himself with the finer things. He has had healing potions in the past but the merchants rarely carry such things. He offers us 500 gp for our healing potion.

• During the conversation, the grounds are investigated further by some of the others and no other footprints are seen in the area, indicating that he must be alone.

• Someone inquires about what he did in his previous life, before coming to this place to reside. Bedford says he was once a guardsmen for a group of merchants known as the Silk Caravan. He tells us how he came across an isolated village and made such a great profit that he was able to rise in his social stature and made a small fortune. The mortality rate of guardsmen is high so he decided to change his lifestyle after that.

• When asked about dragons or flying creatures, he has seen both. They flew over the Hills to the north east, both Manticores and Dragons.

Lathar, the Ranger, finds evidence that something that was dragged that was a couple feet wide. There is a trail coming from the southern grasses toward Bedford's house and into a storm cellar on the side. He finds it strange that he only hunts small game but this indicates a much larger creature being dragged into the house.

Bedford has no other companion here, no animals or pets. Some say not to trust a man without a dog in this situation.

Lathar realizes that he has a healing potion that he could sell and after some discussion, Bedford brings us inside his home. After entering the building, Lathar sneaks off into the storm cellar from outside while Tsanu talks to Maervahr as a distraction. Maervahr uses his psionic ability of Clairaudience to listen inside. He can hear the squeaking of numerous rats down below the structure.

Lathar finds that the storm cellar appears to be made of graying wood and does not have a lock. It has two handles on the door that goes to an opening under the house. He moves back inside to sell his potion.

The front of the building only has grass, no other objects. Maervahr also opens the door to the storm cellar just barely. We can see about 10' under the earth and there is a strong scent of death that arises from the place.

Lathar sells his healing potion to Bedford and leaves. Maervahr moves back into the main building and sees Bedford who looks at Maervahr briefly in thought. We inform Bedford that we smelled something rotting from his cellar and he explanins that he killed a hog and put it in his cellar. At that point we lead him over to the storm cellar and he is taken aback as we open the cellar door. Inside the cellar, there are creatures scratching on the wood steps…Giant Rats.

Bedford becomes alarmed, “Who do you think you think you are? These rats are my friends. I care for this group.”

He says that the hog was prepared and dressed out in the field so at to not attract wild animals. He points to the side in the field where he supposedly did this task.

Our suspicions have been raised and before we can discuss this any further, Vargas the Dark attempts to assassinate Bedford! But his attempt fails…

The wound created by Vargas immediately closes up as though it was nothing. Combat begins…

Maervahr throws a dagger, which strikes true but it does nothing to him. Someone throws a burning oil flask into the cellar, which breaks and starts a fire upon the Giant Rats, dealing 1 point of damage for 3 segments.

Bedford pulls out the long blade from his hip and it glows with greenish blue hue. He also spins his shield around takes and it in his hand. 4 of the rats die from the fire and 4 others engage Tsanu in melee. Bedford swings his blade at Ghrul and misses.

After half their number have perished, the Giant Rats flee after failing their morale check. Maervahr casts Burning Hands upon Bedford and he becomes engulfed in flames, they wash over him and he shouts in pain as the flames clearly effect him.

Using his shield, Bedford's AC is type 6 but we would to hit an AC 4. Ghrul hits with his mace and it has no effect.

Some of the group decide to try overbearing Bedford, and 5 people pile on him. His spell already cast, Maervahr goes inside the house to look for something to attack him with. Tsanu manages to knock him to his hands and knees and now they are grappling with him.

Maervahr does not find anything special in the house but he does grab a torch seeing that the flames can cause him harm.

4 people are now on top of Bedford and someone has taken his sword. They strike him and it cuts clean through as he takes 9 damage from the longsword. Bedford moves no more.

Despite his supernatural nature, he does not shift form into anything else, even though he does have a ratty smell. Whatever he was remains unknown for now.

Bedford had a sword, a shield, studded leather armor, a key and Lathar's Potion of Healing.

We unlock the door to one of the previously unopened rooms inside the building using the key. There are two chests in the room. Each of the chests are latched but they are not locked. We click the latch up and the chest opens revealing a bunch of coins, a ton of them.

80 pp, 595 gp, 800 sp, 3,000 cp. About 4,700 total coins in weight including the chest.

We divide up the loot through random rolls to determine who can pick first. Halzgaz goes first and Bedford's magical sword goes to him. Ghrul takes the shield.

We head back down to the basement, which is a 20' x 20' room. There are 10 skeletal corpses of humanoids stacked in a pile here. One of the corpses still has flesh. We don't know for sure but they were either human or elven. There is also a stack of clothing including a couple of cloaks, about 10 outfits worth, covered in rat droppings and strands of hair. It appears the clothing once belonged to the victims before they were stripped and fed to the rats. A gruesome and tragic fate.

The party searches again on the main floor, looking for any records that might be evidence against Bedford or who the victims were. We find nothing at all. Some of the rafters are investigated, nothing is found and we head back to town with our treasure.

Although the group is encumbered, we make it back to town without incident.

The long sword and shield are both magical but the studded leather armor is not magical. We can get 2,000 gp for the sword and 2,500 gp for the shield. Exchanging out some coin with the Money Changer comes at a 3% cost.

In the end, the magical shield goes to Ghrul and the magic longsword goes to Lathar.

Maervahr collected the following to use at a later time for inks or spell components:

• Giant Ant parts.
• Bedford's blood (suspected to be a were-rat)

We each gain a total of:

• 25 pp
• 248 gp
• 214 sp
• 756 cp

54 combat XP. 386 treasure XP.

TOTAL 440 + 10% (Maervahr) = 484 xp

Maervahr paid 100 gp in upkeep at the end of the session.

We are now on the 13th of Seed Moon and there are 4 more miles to go before we fully clear out the hexes.