Kingmaker+Session+9

** Session 9** ** Defeating the Stag Lord! **
 * 10/24/15 **

The area had become much more familiar to everyone as they traveled about. A few weeks passed as autumn became colder. The weather was cold and wet with rain. The warm and dry common room at Oleg's was welcoming and popular. Most of the buildings had been repaired from the fires, but the wall of the main house was still blackened.

As the northern winds blew down from the great glacier, the companions sat in the warm common room. Naahir's fur had grown thick in the past week and he huddled close to the fire. The emerald spire and the Stag Lord were on the table's discussion.

The slayer catfolk stuck his dagger into the table, "I vote we take the Stag Lord. He has been a thorn in our side for too long." Thrice nodded her agreement, "I'm in as long as we can make his feet bleed." Lorwyn laughed softly, "Caltrips outside of his door while we light HIS house on fire?" "No, no," Thrice shook her head, "Broken glass." Lorwyn pondered a moment and then nodded, "Alright." Lyssa nodded, "I'm in." Zura and Keerina al nodded their agreement to go as well.

The grasslands were brown and the rain puddles had a layer of ice in the mornings. Naahir sat next to Lorwyn, both huddled close to the fire. The icy winds blew steadily over the group of companions. The catfolk shook his head, "Don't get me wrong... it gets cold in the Greycloak Hills too... but here... it is... so open... and barren." Thrice sat down next to him, her natural body heat rolling off of her, "It's not so bad." She shrugged.

The grasslands rose up into a plateau as they followed the river south into the territory of the Stag Lord's bandits, arriving at mid-morning. They opted to wait til dusk, huddling together in a rocky outcropping, keeping the palisade at a safe distance. Keerinal leaned against the warmth of Thrice and Naahir. He lifted up the alchemist's tail to examine it, but it twitched and slapped his cheek... much to his surprise. Naahir's furred tail brushed hers and the tiefling's tail entwined with his. Lorwynelle and Lyssa clung close watching the towers of the Stag Lord's fort.

The top of the walls had been wreathed in sharp thorny branches. There were three towers lit with torches with movement of guards walking back and forth along an upper level. There was a stone structure inside the walls and the front gate was lit with torches. The hill was devoid of cover with a wide pathway up to the gate.

Naahir and Zura crept cautiously across the plains toward the wall in the night as the others waited, poised with ranged weapons. About halfway up the hill, the ground beneath the two exploded outward as 4 zombies leapt out of the dirt, lurching at them!! The warpriest frowned in recognition, "Zombies... they're slow, but our arrows wont be very effective." Naahir slashed into the first zombie with his claws, tearing through it's flesh and nearly severing it's head! Zura pulled her axe and slashed into another's chest, exposing it's ribs! Lorwynelle watched from afar as her companions were suddenly set upon and moved up carefully toward the base of the hill. Lyssa stayed back, watching the tower for any bandits approaching as she kept her bow ready. Thrice stood next to her, watching the upper level and listening for any alarms. The zombies shuffled up to Zura and Naahir as Uriel turned back to the summoner, "It looks like our friends are being attacked by zombies..." Keer nodded to her, weaving a mage armor spell over her. Naahir slashed his claws deeply into the third zombie as Zura wove a disrupt undead spell to cast down the first zombie that Naahir had brutally slashed into. Lorwyn wove a mage armor spell around herself as Lyssa and Thrice continued to watch the towers closely. Nothing seemed amiss as the patrolling guards moved normally. One of the zombies clawed into the half-orc who grunted in pain, but managed not to cry out. Keerinal wove another protection over his eidolan and sent her up to attack the zombies. Naahir wove around the third zombie who just managed to sidestep his claws as it struck back with it's own claws to slash the catfolk! Zura sent another disrupt undead spell to cast away the zombie with exposed ribs. Lorwyn wove magic, looking around the bandit fortress to find that the whole hill glowed with a minor magic... the only safe path was the road leading up to the front gate. The fourth zombie slashed Zura with it's claws, leaving it's back exposed to Uriel who leapt in to eviscerate it in a flurry of claws and teeth! A new zombie crawled out of the earth next to Lorwynelle causing her to gasp in shock and throw up her hands defensively, a soft glowing magic missile coming off of them to shoot into the zombie as she stepped back. More zombies erupted next to Naahir, Zura, and Uriel! The catfolk slayer slashed his claws deeply through one of them as the inquisitor finished it off with her magic. Lyssa and Thrice exchanged a glance to one another as more zombies crawled out of the dirt, but they kept their ground to watch the towers. Thrice took a drink from a vial around her neck and brought up her crossbow as she watched the fortress. Uriel clawed and tore the throat out from another of the zombies, dropping it to the ground in pieces! The zombie shuffled, following Lorwynelle as she continued to step back just out of his reach, keeping his focus with minor acid that barely effected him. Naahir and the zombie sidestepped around each other as they slashed out with their claws while the half-orc brutally slaughtered another with her axe! Uriel again slashed with her claws and tore with her teeth to eviscerate the last zombie near Zura, freeing her and Naahir to move up to the path quietly where she vaulted him with a heft of her shield to the tower above! Lorwynelle pulled her longsword to strike the following zombie gracefully, but barely managed to scratch it.

Naahir deftly avoided the razor wire over the top of the palisade and landed on the upper floor to see a bandit go wide-eyed at his sudden appearance. Tauzura used her might to climb the wall, but the thorned bramble scratched her flesh as she scaled over the top. The arcanist continued to back up, giving the zombie following her another slight scratch... and he continued to shuffle after her warm body. Prepped and ready, Thrice sent a crossbow bolt to sail perfectly into the chest of the surprised and now gasping bandit guard in the tower! Keer sent Uriel to slaughter the zombie continuing to lunge toward the red-haired elf who thanked her for the assistance. Naahir sank his claws into the gasping bandit's throat, and dropped him silently to the floor before looking around the upper floor to see a rather large bandit sitting by himself and messing with something on the floor in front of him. The catfolk propped the dead guard carefully up in a chair in the corner while he and Zura stayed low below the wall to throw ropes down for the others. Another guard was in a tower across the way, but he didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Keer, Thrice, Lyssa, and Lorwyn made their way carefully up the road with Uriel to climb the ropes. Naahir glanced to an open stairway where he could hear voices and laughter coming from the lower floor. Everyone carefully climbed up and over the razor sharp bramble to join their 2 companions in the tower, huddling close together. "This is the first time I've felt warm all night," Lorwyn whispered and nodded to the others before noticing the pooling blood beneath them from the bandit. She paled slightly, looking ill. Lyssa placed her healing hands on Zura, closing the half-orc's wounds. Auchs, the enormous bandit lieutenant, continued to mess with something on the floor. A large club with spikes in it laid on the ground beside him. Tauzura partially donned the bloody clothing of the bandit with Naahir helping her with the disguise. Naahir and Thrice crept carefully along the wooden planked bridge to the second tower, the old wood creaking beneath the alchemist's feet. Auchs stood up and looked around... but Zura popped up in the guard tower, dressed in the guard's clothes, and feigned a trip. Auchs scowled at her, "Keep quiet. Knights winning." The large bandit started to sit back down, but Thrice creaked another board and he whirled around, "I told you to be quiet!" Zura moved out at a leisurely pace toward the large bandit, keeping his focus on her as the catfolk and tiefling made their way to the tower. Lyssa popped up and shot an arrow into the guard as Naahir leapt out of the darkness to tear him apart with his claws. Seeing Lyssa, Keer, and Lorwynelle pop up in the guard tower, Auchs pointed at them, "Hey!" Zura quickly closed the gap between her and the bandit, and Uriel charged to join her. Thrice wove a spell around herself to make her move faster as Naahir leapt onto the next bridge, heading for the next guard tower. Lorwyn and Keer kept an eye on the stairs, watching and listening for any possible additionals while Lyssa brought up her bow and shot an arrow into Auchs. The infuriated bandit swung his huge spiked club at the eidolan, but the blue-skinned woman easily avoided him with her magical defenses. Uriel managed to slash her claws around his armor, tearing at his flesh. Zura brought up her axe, gashing through his armor to stagger the bandit back! Lorwyn noticed that the voices and laughter died out from below, so she moved out to pour oil over the stairs.

Naahir stepped to attack the bandit in the last tower, but the guard moved out of the way. Lyssa shot an arrow towards the enormous lieutenant, but in the dance of combat Zura stepped into the shot... the arrow piercing her in the back! Auchs mashed Uriel with his spiked club, but Keer pulled some of her wounds to himself. She in turn slaughtered the large bandit with her teeth and claws, dropping his body to the ground and scattering his miniature knights and dragons game.

Hearing commotion from above, a bandit came around the lower floor spotting Lorwyn between the slats of the wood above and yelled out, "They're on the second level!" Tauzura leapt off the edge to drop to the lower level while Keer threw a torch on the oiled stairs, lighting them on fire. Lyssa healed the eidolan before Uriel followed the half-orc to the lower level.

Thrice stabbed at the bandit, but again the bandit moved with luck, avoiding the attack... but his luck ran out as magic missiles came from across the fortress from the arcanist, dropping him. The tiefling turned around and nodded her appreciation as she and Naahir moved across the bridges, heading to join the others.

The bandit on fire went running, but Zura caught up quickly, chopping him in half with her axe! Lyssa healed the tiefling as she paused to weave a magic shield over herself. Lorwyn dropped down to the lower level. The catfolk leapt deftly to land beside her, but bandits were waiting for them below with bows drawn, and one of them shot Naahir as he landed.

Thrice dropped below and rolled a fiery vial to land at one of the bandit's feet where it exploded, killing the bandit and catching the next one in a wave of fire. Lorwyn moved up beside her and echoed her with a flaming arc from her hands to finish off the second bandit.

Uriel and Zura moved deeper into the hall ahead as Naahir shot past them to pierce an arrow into one of the bandits. Lyssa dropped down to the lower level beside the catfolk as Keer moved down the stairs, avoiding the fire, to join the others.

Dovan, one of the lieutenants, was standing in front of a barred gate down the hall. He pulled a lever and dashed away quickly! A deep roar came from within the gate and an owlbear stepped out to tear apart one of the archer bandits standing too close!

Zura engaged one of the bandits with her axe as Uriel rushed the owlbear, trying to hold it back. Keerinaal investigated the back room to find a trap door to the basement. Taking his time to study and assess Akiros, Naahir sent an arrow into the lieutenant.

Akiros went into a rage, charging Thrice with a hefty hit of his sword! The tiefling reeled back as her blood sprayed the wall! Thrice threw a fiery alchemy vial as an arcane flame shot out from Lorwynelle, both rushing over the barbarian... but the bandit didn't even seem to notice through his rage!

Uriel turned around and slaughtered the rogue behind her with her claws! Naahir shot an arrow, but it glanced off of the bandit's armor. Lyssa moved up to heal and bless Thrice as the owlbear's razor sharp claws tore through Zura! Amazingly the half-orc roared at him, still retaining enough consciousness beyond her life's blood to heal herself!

The large and muscled lieutenant pommeled the tiefling in his rage, avoiding the thrust of her spear. Uriel clawed into the owlbear as Keerinaal moved behind her through the hall. Naahir tumbled deftly through the bandits in the hall as the arcanist shot an arrow through the hall, missing the raging lieutenant. Lyssa swung her flail, but she too missed the tough barbarian-like bandit.

The owlbear squeezed the half-orc inquisitor in his claws and bit into her with his sharp beak as she fell unconscious in his grasp! His other claw tore a jagged wound into the eidolan as she continued to fight him. Akiros turned his sights on Lyssa, the healer, slicing through her armor to tear a jagged wound into her chest! As the warpriest cried out, something snapped in the lieutenant, and he realized he was fighting a woman... his rage instantly broke... leaving him fatigued... and overcome with remorse, "What am I doing?! This is insanity!" The chain of a holy symbol dangled around his neck.

Thrice took a step back and drank a healing potion, closing up her wounds and renewing her strength, and Lorwynelle sent a magic missile into the owlbear. Keerinaal wove a rejuvenation magic over his eidolan who continued to slice into the owlbear with her claws, causing it to drop the unconscious half-orc. Naahir dug his claws into the back of one of the bandits as Lyssa dashed over to pull Zura away from the owlbear, shouting out, "Pull the lever!"

"What's going on here?!" A rumbling voice echoed down the hall as the sickening smell of alcohol wafted ahead of the approaching Stag Lord. A thick solid arrow sank into Naahir's back as another sailed off drunkenly down the hall. Glancing back, the catfolk could see the red eyes glowing in the stag helm. The lieutenant nodded to Naahir, "Make it quick, catfolk..." Akiros stood with his arms open, waiting... as the slayer stared at him, bewildered, with a raised eyebrow. Thrice threw one of her alchemy bombs to explode into the stag lord and Lorwyn stepped around her companions to send out a line of flame that caught on the alcohol vapors wafting around him.

Keerinaal pushed the lever by the gate, lowering it to trap the owlbear inside, freeing Uriel to move to engage the Stag Lord. Naahir shook his head at the guilt-ridden lieutenant, "That would be too easy..." He vaulted off of the wall, tumbling down the hall to land behind the Stag Lord. The half-elven warpriest laid her hands on the fallen inquisitor, healing some of her wounds and stopping the bleeding.

The owlbear growled angrily as it's claws grasped desperately out of the gate. Keerinaal moved further away. The Stag Lord struck at the catfolk drunkenly with his sword, barely scratching him. Thrice doused the Stag Lord in another fiery explosion. Akiros turned to the warpriest sullenly, "What can I do?" Lyssa healed Zura again, bringing her back to consciousness as she glanced up at the lieutenant, "Repay your debt." "And how can I do that?" he asked her. "Kill your master," she looked up seriously into his face. He nodded and turned to move down the hall.

Uriel bit viciously into the Stag Lord as Naahir, dripping in blood, gritted his teeth through the pain to slash into the bandit leader with his claws! Akiros charged into the Stag Lord to slash into him with his sword as Thrice pierced the leader with her spear! Lorwyn sent a magic missile into the Stag Lord as Uriel continued to slash into him with her claws.

The Stag Lord struck drunkenly into the eidolan as his former lieutenant continued to pommel him! The Stag Lord stumbled, "Traitor! I will end you!" Thrice tried to pierce him again with her spear as Lorwyn continued to shoot another magic missile from her wand. Zura moved up into the hall as the Stag Lord backed into the corner, surrounded by the group and unable to use his bow. Uriel and Naahir slashed him with their claws as Lyssa bestowed her companion with bless. The Stag Lord drunkenly stumbled, swinging his blade wildly. The group charged him, striking him all at once... until he stopped moving.

Naahir turned to the former lieutenant warily, "What's your story?" "I was once a paladin... certain circumstances led me to fall from grace. I fell in with the Stag Lord... but he grew more and more brutal as time went on... and then when I seen how valiantly you all fought against him... and how I shamefully struck your priestess... I realized that I could no longer go on being a bandit... so I thought that either you all would kill me... or the stag lord would... I am shocked that I am not currently dead," Akiros answered. "What would you do with your life now?" Lorwynelle tilted her head. He turned to Lyssa, "Whatever you would have me do to atone... I could never be a paladin again... but perhaps I can do something more with my life." The warpriestess nodded to him. Naahir nodded, "We can work on that... but for now, you're going to have to hand over your weapons." Akiros nodded and handed over his weapons, "Beware... the Stag Lord's father is locked up in the cellar. He guards the Stag Lord's treasure." "Who is his father?" the catfolk asked. "He is a crazy druid," the former lieutenant shook his head, "from what I understand... he raised the Stag Lord... beating him... until the Stag Lord became strong and threw him in the cellar, beating him instead."

The group put the owlbear out of it's misery behind the barred gate and rested for the night. The following day going down through the trap door to destroy the crazy old druid waiting below.

+1 Rapier 4 Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds 2 Potions of Cure Light Wounds 1 Potion of Restoration +1 Longsword 3 +1 Beastbane Arrows +1 Leather Armor +1 Composite Longbow with +2 Str Amulet of Natural Armor +1 Stag's Helm (+2 Perception and once per day as a free action makes a target "flat footed" to get a sneak attack) 10,950 gold, coins, and jewelry = 1825 gold each! 6 exquisite miniature silver knights and 6 exquisite miniature silver dragons (worth about 50 gold for the set) 10 Longbows 260 Arrows 5 Short Swords 5 Spears

Bandits Reward = 800 gold = another 133 gold each! Stag Lord Reward = 5000 gold = another 833 gold each!

*New Bloodstone Charter* Be it known that the bearers of this charter... having delivered the northern reaches of the Green Belt from the scourge of banditry... and having provided detailed maps of the lay of the land... and having no small amount of work in the exploration of said land... and having culled hostile monsters and indigenous hazards... are hereby granted the right to rule. The natures and laws of rule are theirs to define, and the well being of this new nation is theirs to protect. In accordance to providing a stable nation in the Green Belt, let there be a generous stipend of funds, advice, and support provided to this pledge of a nation as a token of Bloodstone's good will. Such that future relationships between you and Bloodstone might be mutually beneficial. So witnessed under the watchful eye of the lords of Bloodstone and the authority granted by the Lord High Paladin of Bloodstone.

1600 xp each!!