Sequence of Events
The session began in the aftermath of the battle against the undead boar, Tusker. While the group debated whether it was Gassi‘s healing magic or a final blow that ultimately felled the beast, Amiri stepped forward to chop off its head as a trophy for the reward at Oleg‘s. After a short negotiation where Gassi tried to persuade her to go to the kobolds first, you agreed that Amiri would take the head while you took the rest of the enormous body as proof for Sootscale.
With the 200-kilogram pig on the wagon, you returned to the kobolds’ cave. Sootscale was very pleased and gave you, as promised, information: the Stag Lord and his bandit gang are based at a fortress near one of the outlets from Tuskwater Lake to the north. He warned you, however, that the “purple kobold,” the usurper, still holds power through fear and that you should leave before he returns. The purple kobold is said to be on a “holy mission” at a temple to the west. You said farewell to the enthusiastic Mikmek, whom Zogg gave some spear-throwing lessons, and left the cave.
Outside, a heated debate broke out. Zogg strongly questioned the wisdom of allying with untrustworthy kobolds. Gassi countered, pointing out the hypocrisy since Zogg‘s own people, the orcs, have historically faced the same prejudices. The discussion revealed a crack in the group’s ideologies, but they agreed that an alliance, though risky, was the strategically best way forward to stabilize the region.
You then traveled north to Oleg's Trading Post. The trading post had grown, with more tents, guards, and visiting merchants. There you were confronted by Kasten, a haughty, deposed nobleman whom Zogg recognized from his past. Kasten introduced himself as a dispatched “stabilizing force” and offered rewards: 30 gold for at least six eliminated bandits and 40 gold to “solve the kobold problem.” He waved away your Stag Lord amulets as insufficient proof. In addition, you heard rumors of a child-stealing witch at Tuskwater and a dangerous hill giant to the south.
With new information and restocked supplies, you decided to hunt the purple kobold at the mythical temple. You traveled through a persistent rain and finally found the ruins of an old temple dedicated to Erastil, the god of hunting and family. The place was abandoned, but you discovered an unnaturally foul and algae-filled pool of water. While you were investigating the strange pool, a sound was heard from the forest.
Great Mysteries & Clues
- The Purple Kobold’s Temple: You have found a dilapidated temple to
Erastil. Is this the temple the purple kobold is heading to? What is he seeking there, and why is a place consecrated to a good god so important for his dark cult? - The Corrupted Pool: The water at
Erastil‘s temple is unnatural and sick. What has corrupted this once-holy place? Kasten‘s Agenda: The deposed noblemanKastenhas been commissioned to “stabilize” the region and is offering specific bounties. Whose interests does he represent, and why are his requirements for proof so rigid? His presence complicates the political situation.- The Witch and the Giant: New threats have appeared on the map in the form of a witch at
Tuskwaterand a hill giant in the south. These could become future quests or unexpected obstacles.
Cliffhanger
In the cold, driving rain, you stand among the ruins of a forgotten temple. Your investigation of a mysterious, foul-smelling pool is suddenly interrupted when a huge grizzly bear storms out of the dense forest. You have been caught off guard, and the beast is already upon you. Gassi has just landed a critical blow, but the bear is massive, and the battle has only just begun. Is this an ordinary ferocious beast, or is it, like the corrupted pool, a sign of the evil that seems to be seeping from this place?