Session #3 : The Lake

Cast of Characters:

• Borin
• Brand
• Fedwig
• Lumpy
• Red
• Russell

While setting up camp in the tunnel, the party is joined again by the cleric Borin and Red. They each tell of their adventures while they were absent.
Red was investigating the burned city and found some hidden traps and had some rubble fell on him from unstable buildings.

Borin went to the lake near the Evermoors in order to lay the ashes of The Lonely Maiden to rest. His divine magic awoke beings in the lake. As they came closer, Borin found them to be undead, skeletal dwarven pirates! They warned him against worshiping Hoptimus, and asked to show him the “truth”. The cleric refused and had to do battle with the skeletons. After much difficulty, he prevailed! He found an odd coin and an interesting waterproof satchel among their rags.

The party was very interested in Borin’s tale and investigated both the coin and the bag. It was found that the coin was very old, from a kingdom that no longer exists. And a map was found inside the bag. Upon further investigation an “X” was found on the map leading the party to believe that it was in fact a treasure map.

A lot of discussion happened between the party as they tried to decide where to go next. Eventually the party came to the conclusion that they should investigate the lake further.

Once at the lake, Fedwig set about studying a spell that would allow him to speak with the undead that had accosted Borin. Brand totally helped.
Lumpy shapeshifted into a frog to investigate the lake further.
Red started skipping stones into the lake.

Suddenly a group of bandits emerged from the brush and demanded tribute from Fedwig and Brand!
A HUGE crocodile was attracted by the stones and attacked Red and Russell at the edge of the lake!

Red and Russell dispatched the beast thankfully before Red could be eaten.
Brand calmly explained to the bandits that they outnumbered them, and that they should sod off. Two more bandits came from the woods accompanied by wolves and the fight was on!

Eventually the party triumphed over the bandits and wolves, finding some gold and an interesting note in their pockets:

R-
Everything is set and ready to go on your signal.
-V

Lumpy’s grand lake adventure had him plunge into the depths of the deep lake, avoiding large stalagmite-like protrusions from the bottom. At the center of the lake he found a sunken ship, split in two and partially buried beneath the silt at the bottom. He also had to avoid the female of the crocodile pair who had made her home inside the ship and was guarding a clutch of eggs. Bravely daring to get closer, Lumpy was able to scoop up a prize from the lake floor, dodging the female crocodile, and swimming as fast as he could back to shore.

Once there, Lumpy and the party discover that the prize he carried was an intricate skeleton key with silver filigree and a decorative metal-mesh ribbon. And even better, the filigree on the key matched the decorative stitching inside the waterproof satchel that Borin found!

Fedwig was finally able to cast his spell, and due to his diligence studying and Brand’s help, he was able to compel one of the dead dwarven pirates to answer three questions.

• Question: Can you identify these objects? (The bag and the key) — Answer: Yes
• Question: What is the significance of these objects? (The bag and the key) — Answer: They lead to and unlock the treasure we were searching for.
• Question: What do you know of this? (The stone) — Answer: It is the Chaos Stone. It was created by the same forces that drive us. It will be your undoing. And now you know too much!

Places:

• Kindlewood (now known as Nevermore), a formerly-wealthy town located on a trade route near the Evermoors. Used to boast a lovely tavern and a stone mage tower. Former home of Brand and Lumpy
• The Evermoors, a stretch of swampland to the North-Northeast of the ruined Kindlewood
• The lake, borders both Kindlewood and the Evermoors. It is located at the northern end of Kindlewood and empties into the Evermoors. Has large crocodiles living in it and also a sunken ship
• The Lonely Maiden, formerly a cozy tavern within Kindlewood, now a burnt ruin. Russell and Borin met Fedwig here
• The Bloodprow, a sunken ship Lumpy found at the bottom of the lake. This was mentioned by the skeletal figures that Borin met
• Oakbridge Keep, a keep to the southwest of Kindlewood

Notable NPCs:

• “R”, single initial printed on a note the party found on a dead bandit
• “V”, single initial printed on a note the party found on a dead bandit
• Hoptimus the Thirsty, dwarven deity whose worshipers include Borin Ironbottom

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