Silent in ponderous thought, Connor finds himself admiring his wife as she takes the helm while he broods, as he is wont to do. As the discussion of an alliance gains traction though, he breaks himself from his reverie.
"We certainly could use a reliable ally at the moment. I feel pressed on all sides and even a glimmer of hope seems worth pursuing. That said, Candlemere isn't finished and a quick jaunt out there to rededicate the ruin to the holy community of Erastil is a must before we trek to Varnhold."
He stands and stretches, "Rest well and pack for a long travel. I feel we won't be returning to New Hope for a spell."
Larisa nods in agreement. "If were are lucky then Erastil's influence will prove to be a guiding light for the region. I pray that he will stand with us in the coming conflict." She gives Cvetka a nod before leaving to pack for the journey.
After several days of rest and provisioning at New Hope, the Party travels once again to Candlemere Island. After a short boat ride over the rolling waters of Candlemere Lake, you arrive on the sandy shores to find the island once again covered with a forbidding fog that limits your vision. As you traverse the brambles and stinging nettles, you again find it impossible to avoid being cut and stabbed by myriads of sharp thorns.
After spending most of the day slogging through the briars, you once again spot the ruins of the stone tower in the distance. As you approach, you see blasphemous symbols softly glowing on the tower's stones. Though there is no sign of the will-'o-wisps, you again feel as if something unseen is waiting or watching from the deep shadows that fill the spaces between the tower stones. As you get closer you are overcome with an intense feeling of unease.
Distracted by the news of the impending conflict Larsia cuts herself on the thorns as she casts See Invisibility. She grimaces as she plucks the plants from her hand, clutching her gut as she feels ill.
Kess casts Mage armor as the party arrives, though the added protection doesn't save her from the thorns as she feels herself get stung again. "I hate these blasted things," She hisses, shooting a ray of frost at the offending briar.
As the party comes up to the tower she follows Larisa and casts See invisibility. "Now would be a good time for some protections Veronica."
Even shifted into her hybrid wolf-woman form, Veronica is unable to avoid the perils of the thorns.
"Let me know when we get close to the monster, and I'll try to make it visible," she says.
"Let's get in and do this. Veronica, be ready with the electricty resistance as soon as we need it. Given the limited duration, let's take the risk of waiting until that absolute last opportunity. Everyone stay close."
You stand outside of the ruins. Larisa sees nothing invisible. The forest around you are deathly quiet. The sense of dread slowly seems to be increasing.
Seres casts mirror image and prepares to advance with the group.
"It's quiet... too quiet."
Larisa casts Divine favour on herself, preparing for a possible fight.
Shrugging, Connor casts lead blades on his lance and bristle on White talon (-2 AC, +2 damage) as they head in. He openly displays his symbol of Erastil.
"Alright Veronica, what do we need to do to rededicate this place to Erastil and eradicate this taint?"
As you enter the ruins a large orb ignites in a bluish flame within the fane of the forsaken temple. Orbiting the larger orb are seven smaller ghost lights that glow an incandescent green. The smaller orbs each are shaped as a different animal skull.
"We have to be rid of these wisps and outer things, then I have to perform a ceremony to consecrate the altar. We may need to clean and repair parts of the temple and altar service if they have been desecrated. This is a lengthy process, so we have to make sure we've driven out the wisps long enough for me to finish the reconsecration!"
Veronica moves among the team and, not taking any chances, deploys her communal resist energy (electricity) spell.
Bolstered by Veronica's magic, Seres shakes off the wisp's fearful aura.
Seres waits for the others to move to engage and follows a few feet behind. He casts magic missiles at the nearest wisp.
After waiting for Veronica's spell, Connor and Whitetalon move up and ready for approach taking on the aspect of the bull.
Summoning her courage Larisa shakes off the fear and moves up to get a better angle, studying the large wisp.
Kess darts forward hugging an old decrepit wall for cover.
3
Ice Spears
Rime Winter Grasp
2
Cure Moderate Wounds
Ironskin
1
Mount
Snowball
Snowball
Cure Light Wounds
0
Dancing Lights
Read Magic
Detect Magic
Ray of Frost
Veronica casts resist energy on the group.
Seres blasts the lead wisp with a force bolt.
Connor and Whitetalon move up an prepare for the coming onslaught.
Larisa and Kess both move up.
The wisps move forward with alarming speed and surround both Connor and Kess. White Talon is able to wound one of the smaller ghost orbs with his bite.
Larisa imbues her weapon with bane as she fires on the large wisp.
Seeing herself flanked Kess draws the winter winds around her and leaps into the sky.
Veronica moves to a central location from which she can unleash her bless spell for the team.
As she goes she gestures and the wolves bound forward to gang up!
Freki has to go the long way 'round, but Moondancer and Geri manage to gang up on the wisp that Zeke's fighting. Geri snaps at it to try to create an opening for Moondancer.
Moondancer manages to snap her jaws on the wisp while jumping into the air!
Seres casts another volley of magic missiles, this time targeting the giant wisp.
Connor and Whitetalon full attack the large wisp
Larisa fires twice on the blue orb, but the will-'o-wisp easily dodges the bolts. Kess flies up above the melee.
Veronica blesses the party while one of the wolves manages to catch a will-'o-wisp.
Seres blasts the giant ghost orb with a force bolt.
Ezekial slices through a will-'o-wisp with his kukri - nearly destroying it.
Connor is unable to hit the nimble blue orb with his lance, but he manages to distract it sufficient for Whitetalon to lock his jaws on the orb.
The giant will-'o-wisp blasts Connor with electrical energy that burns through Veronica's magical wards . The lesser wisps attack Connor, Ezekial and Kess, but are unable to do any damage.
; C
; C
; C
; E
; K
; K
; K
; L
Veronica calls upon Erastil again and prepares herself for battle.
The wolves and wargs continue snapping at their wisp prey, the one they've cornered with Ezekial.
Seres keeps attacking the giant wisp, hoping the others can handle the lesser ones.
Larisa darts back a step closer to Veronica, shooting the giant wisp again.
Kess flies over the battlefield, a cold mist trailing behind her as she darts behind Connor. She places a hand on his shoulder, channeling healing energy into him.
Connor bellows a challenge and he and Whitetalon continues their focus on the large wisp
;
; must be a miss
;
;
;
Veronica calls forth the divine power of Erastil to guide her in battle. Freki manages to leap up and destroy a wisp.
Ezekial attacks the nearest wisp but the ghostly orb nimbly dodges his blades.
Seres blasts the large ghost orb with another set of force bolts and fragments off a portion of its essence.
Larisa likewise hits the giant blue orb with another bolt.
Kess descends to heal Connor.
Connor pierces the elder will-'o-wisp with a powerful strike from his lance causing the ghost orb to shudder and then suddenly burst in a flash of malignant energy.
Over the next several minutes you are locked in the battle with the remaining will-'o-wisps. The wisps hit you again and again with their energy strikes, but Veronica's ward holds true and protects you from damage. As you kill the insidious will-'o-wisps, more float in from the surrounding briars - you destroy wave after wave of the ghostly orbs. After what seems an eternity, the the last wisp is destroyed and darkness once again settles over the forsaken temple. You know that you have finally cured Candlemere Island of its cancer of ghost lights. The shores around Candlemere Lake are now safe for your people to settle.
Exhausted from the battle and spent of his arcane power, Seres drops to his knees on the damp moss. He tosses aside the burnt out husk of the wand. "Is it over?"
Veronica pants and wipes sweat from her brow. The furry mutton-chops that come with her shapeshifting droop.
"For the moment," she says. "I need to set up my materials to consecrate the shrine of Erastil, bring back the protection of a divine aura. It'll take me about an hour. Then it should be safe to rest for a bit."
Connor sighs, "Good row, folks. New Hope is a better place for having done this. Let's savor the victory, give thanks to Erastil and help Veronica seal it in, if you will. We should set off for Varnhold and the Nomen Heights soon after, I think."
Connor is correct, you are thinking of the will-'o-wisp encountered at the temple ruins in the Narlmarches. That willow-o-wisp identified itself as Sivvious, apostle of Yog-Sothoth. You have received reports that Sivvious has aligned with the Stag Lord and is now a leader within the Theocracy of Yog-Sothoth.
Larisa sighs, taking a seat in the ground as she takes a moment to rest. Between the back ground illness from the thorns and stress she was tired. "Praise you Veronica, Erastil was with us today." Looking into the darkness she enjoys the quite noises of nature as the party recuperates. "Yes Connor, time is a luxury we don't have. But lets rest for a while, until Veronica is finished." She beckons him over, leaning against the old stone as she conjures a cool drink of water.
Kess descends to the ground, the gust of frigid air dissipating from her. She gives Larisa a small nod and moves to stand by Seres. "For now," She says, gently placing a cold hand on his forehead and channeling a healing burst of energy. "You have done very well." Kess frowns slightly, noting internally that she still had much of her magic unspent due the wisps being immune to much of it, with only her healing having beening needed in the battle. "I should get myself one of those wands, after all I do not think this is the last ground of wisps we shall have to face."
3
Ice Spears
Rime Winter Grasp
2
Ironskin
1
Mount
Snowball
Snowball
0
Dancing Lights
Read Magic
Detect Magic
Ray of Frost
After defeating the will-'o-wisps and clearing Candlemere Island, your party travels east to the Nomen Heights. You travel along the road to Restov, which passes through both Fort Serenko and the town of Nivakta's Crossing.
This wooden fortification has stood for years on the southern border of Brevoy, but with the growing tensions between Rostland and Issia, the soldiers and scouts stationed here have been recalled to Restov. The fort itself is abandoned - your examination of the fort reveals evidence that it was abandoned in a swift but orderly manner.
The southernmost village in Rostland, Nivakta’s Crossing, is an alert town of tradesmen, hunters, fishermen, and trappers. The village itself is surrounded by a wooden palisade and is set on the northeastern bank of the Shrike River. A low bridge allows access over the river here to the wilderness to the south — the southwestern side of the bridge being fortified by well-manned guard towers. The people of Nivakta’s Crossing are sturdy, down to earth, and possess stunted senses of humor. Serious to a fault, they are somewhat suspicious of visitors from what they call “the South,” but they’re willing to take your coin for trade nonetheless.
The large city of Restov is located at the southern edge of Rostland. It’s the cultural center of southern Brevoy and the birthplace of the world-famous Aldori dueling style. Restov is an excellent place for you to visit if you need to sell off expensive items or want to shop for the same, since New Hope hasn't quite matured to a point where this is an option.
You know that the citizens and government of Restov have increasingly concerned with their neighbors to the north in Issia. the political climate in Restov has become dangerously tense — at this point, any perceived interest by Rostland in the Stolen Lands could well be interpreted by Issia as proof that Rostland is attempting to increase its holdings in preparation for civil war. As a result, Restov’s government is increasingly forced to disavow any contact or alliance with its agents to the south. At the same time, the government is reallocating its defensive forces to the north to strengthen its border with Issia —s hould it come to civil war, Rostland does not want to be caught off guard.
You know that the settlement of Varnhold lies on the southern road from Nivakta's Crossing.
"Do you think they'd be upset if we "house sit" the place while they're away?"
*
Seren will ask any of the locals willing to talk to them about any fey in the region, or any related stories.
Make a diplomacy check Seres.