The Stag in the Forest

The Myste-Hass Calender

Youtube Recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg-7IeiirEU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3A3MjljoiM

25/11/21 - 14/12/21 - 21/12/21 - 11/01/21 - 18/01/22 - 25/01/22

Gartok gathers Harbinger, Rasvyn, Dramos, Maolmhuire, Datura and Corym to discuss the possibility of heading north from the Tower of Dariss towards the Great Green. Maolmhuire attempts to gain some armour from the Helvettian quartermaster at the tower, Gallo.

Gartok seeks out Bern, asking for advice on heading to the the Great Green. She says to stay clear of Mother, she will say anything to get what she wants. Bern indicates that the Bear King is of fey lineage and is not the bear that appears on Gartok's path so frequently.

Harbinger places her hands on the alter of Dariss and hears Susnos communing with a multitude of voices. Alarmed, she throws Susnos away from the alter. It becomes apparent that Susnos believe she is a vessel for the gods to hear us. These voices react to Dramos, indicating that he is a godless individual. The voices say that "this is not how it is supposed to be. There should be a distance between us and them. But, this Morthel is a threat to the balance and interference is great." Fate's voice is amongst the six heard by Dramos and Susnos.

Dramos, Corym and Datura each use Susnos to commune with the Gods.

Rasvyn and Maolmhuire procure goods from the trading merchant in the caves below the Tower of Dariss. Then Maolmhuire gains a horse and cart from the Helvettians. The horse is called Terance. The Helvettian informs Maolmhuire that he is a brave boy and should be told often. But, you shouldn't work the reins to hard.

The group set off, moving towards the Helvettian fort at the mountain pass. Snow if falling unseasonably early. Arriving, they discover the Helvettian camps have been strafed by the dragon. No foot soldiers appear to have moved in, but the command tent was thoroughly burned. A number of tents had been put down and a group of humans (9 or 10) moved north.

The entrance to The Temple of Resurrection is exposed, surrounded by falling snow from the mountainside.

Rasvyn scrys on the city of Bruidor. He sees an abandoned landscape covered in snow, but there is smoke rising from far into the city.

On the southern bank of the lake beyond the northern pass, three two-headed creatures and two ogre creatures are arguing. The creatures ask the party if they are lost and advise heading back south because this way leads to danger. They talk about being hungry, but it appears they've been instructed to leave goliaths.

During the combat, Maolmhuire raises two undead, the bodies belonging to two dead Helvettians acquired at the camp that was at the northern pass. The priest of Garr had smuggled the bodies beneath straw on the cart. When Gartok and Harbinger raise issue with his loyalty to Garr, Maolmhuire promises that he intends to speak with the dead and then lay them to dead at a later date.

Dramos discovers a sack that the creatures were arguing about; inside is the corpse of a baby owlbear. Before the group can gather and discuss the encounter, a large group of owlbears descend upon them, including a gigantic winter-claw owlbear.

A blizzard sets in and it becomes apparent that the weather is unusually bad. Corym sits for an hour, whilst a bone-numbing chill exhausts Rasvyn, and creates a magical fortress dedicated to Dariss. The party gets along rest.

In the morning, Altibo communicates with Harbinger in words. He expressed dissatisfaction with frequently being forced to herd the other horses and notes an elderly man stood outside the fortress walls. This individual notes Corym's power and religion, along with questions on the other adventurers. You can call me Sulon. This man has been north and notes the permeating cold, but also the increasing heat of far north. He claims to be a travelling individual, interested in just learning and the path ahead. As Corym leaves, he says "absolute pleasure Corym. I shall remember that name." He claims to have been resting in the mountains until recently. Later, when fighting Mordon the party learns this individual was Zull, one of The Twelve Avatars, a aspect of Dariss.

Speaking to Gartok, the man says he goes where he pulled and his advice would be to see Gartok's enemy, Mordon annihilated. Do not capture him. Destroy him. You must put him to the ground and then continue to beat him. Use everything you have and his body must be destroyed utterly until only his spirit remains. When spirits are separated from the body they are weakest. He continues, "Maybe I'm just trying to give you a little bit of luck". Datura notices the man is fascinated with Gartok and wants to give him a blessing. His eyes also focus on on Maolmhuire. He moves west.

Approaching Bruidor, it becomes apparent that a number of pillars have been destroyed. Also, the blizzard seemed to be worst where we rested. There is a goliath encampment on the south side, and smoke rising from within the city as well. Skirting the edge, the group notice a 60ft crater with humanoids patrolling this dip. Some of these individuals spot the group and mount up to meet the adventurers. They claim the lands are the property of Morthel. One goes to blow his horn and the party intervenes, killing both. Riding on, Altibo leads the scouts horses away and Maolmhuire covers their tracks in an attempt to loose followers.

The group pass a town with a wooden wall, smaller than Myste-Hass but clearly occupied. Moving on, they arrive at the Great Green. Just inside they see Mordon outlined in the forest.

Mordon commands Gartok to accept his role, to act as a new vessel for him. It is time to cast off the visage of the stag; it is the time of the bear. If he refuses, it will be Mordon's role to send him to the afterlife.

Gartok rages and rushes into the fight. Harbinger joins him, but Mordon seems immune to radiant damage. Unable to hurt this creature with radiant and narcotic, Maolmhuire calls to Garr who strips Mordon of his power for a brief moment. Rasvyn rips the mask from the Avatar. Corym calls upon his God and Dariss responds, sending a beam of radiant damage that does harm Mordon.

After a long, tough fight, Datura fires a bolt directly into his head, killing the body. A tornado of radiant energy bursts from the body and Corym sends a bolt of radiant light into the mist. The avatar is destroyed.

Fights begin over the mask, while Harbinger stomps around like a T-Rex.

The Lord of the Hunt seeks us out at the edge of the forest. He has sensed a disturbance, but he does not seem to recognise the presence of Mordon. He claims we are trespassing within the Great Green. He admits that Mordon has done much damage in the Green. Yet, his kind is repeatedly drawn here. The god of death and the god of war has been drawn in here. He grants the party time to rest, claiming we have done a service to the Great Green. Gartok asks for an audience with the Bear King, claiming he is a friend of Benadictor.

The Lord of the Hunt is alarmed to feel nothing from Dramos. He felt death on Maolmhuire and Datura, arcana on Rasvyn. He feels confusion from Gartok. He feels war on Corym and Harbinger, along with something else in the latter.

He allows us to rest. Before sleep, Maolmhuire asks one of the Helvettian corpses he has been transporting about how he died at the Helvettian Garrison near the Temple of Resurrection. He saw the dragon attack from the south.

Altibo and Hootie have not returned when the party awakes.

Datura sees an incorporeal version of Maolmhuire sitting on a log, talking but without sounds. Turning she sees that all the trees appear to have become lined columns holding up an invisible roof, the ground is tiled and an alter lies ahead with a throne atop. There is a faceless figure in the throne. The figure speaks with the voice of Garr. He traps a soul in a jar, then stores it. He claims that souls are not to be passed on, but to be stored. She watches as a store is released from a jar to enter the head which speaks with Maolmhuire. The individual says "[i]t is not the place of mortals to decide who lives and dies." The individual says Maolmhuire is resisting his pull. Datura speaks of Maolmhuire's unusual behaviours with the Helvettian bodies. Garr uses Datura to call Maolmhuire into his realm for judgement on his behaviour for the undead.

The figure, appearing to be Garr, requires two things. He says they may use whatever means necessary. Maolmhuire asks to be given this task in private. Garr addresses Datura. "Datura, I thank you for you service. When you return, you should find a temple and devote yourself fully to me. And, when you do this. I will give you a gift."

Garr asks for the son of the creator, Morthel. He grants Maolmhuire two stones to be placed on Morthel's eyes, and this will prevent anything from preventing his soul from passing on to Garr. Garr pauses, there is something in the trees and he says that time is short. Garr demands Fate's soul should be sent to him. When he dies there will be a light. Garr says it is down to Fate that Datura still lives." He grants Maolmhuire a dagger which can be used on the centre of Fate's light to destroy him. "He is not a God. He stole his powers. Something changed and we are not able to see. Datura's life is linked to yours - should you die, so shall she. She borrows your soul."

Gartok communes with the bear. The creature says the stag has not gone, but he is no longer wrong. The bear claims he will seek him out. He wants nothing but to find the river. There is too much death in the south, the bear has moved north. Everyday people are taken. The bear believes soon the killing will end because they will run out of people. The bear says that one day Gartok can come with him to the river. Until then, he must be who he was born to be; he must discover what happened to his people before he ventures to the river. If you meet the Bear King, you will not go south again. He does not want the bear to roam free.

They group decide to leave the forest. At the edge of the forest, the adventurers encounter five trolls questioning a goblin. They claim that we are allowed to pass. They came from the coast in the west.

Exiting the forest, Altibo gets back in contact. He could not enter the forest or contact Harbinger inside. The group return to where they left the horses and find their saddles, the horses missing. There are large foot prints going south-south east. Rasvyn scrys and sees a man has stolen the horses and is leading them east to a town called Nantgarth there.

By early afternoon, the group approach Bruidor and make there way towards the crater. Talking to two diggers from the crater. We're informed that there are patrols on the edge of the city which allow people in and out. Apparently, you a required a permit to scavenge and then you can keep 25% of what you keep and 75% goes to the glorious army of Morthel. The group seize two of the scavengers, tie them up and gag them. They then descend into the pit with their captors. They discover the third scavenger deeper in the cavern being eaten by an undead, devil-like creature. After defeating this creature, the party emerge through a tunnel and see a huge cavern containing chains and manacles large enough to hold an ancient red dragon. At the end is an arch, or portal like opening with a swirling mist emanating from it. Harbinger takes five magical spears from the walls. Corym picks up a magical dagger handle laid out on the workbench.

Rasvyn investigates the portal entrance, finding indents which appear to be hand shaped. Corym and Rasvyn place a finger on the keypad and are sucked through the portal, which streaks out with a loud crack of lightening.

Rasvyn and Corym are transported through to an identical archway, into a super-heated room. Magma is channelled on cracks in the floor and a dull rumble is heard in the background, the ground shuddering beneath them. The floor is tiled neatly, whilst the walls are rough-hewn stone. A cave extends behind them. Pressing on invisible, they discover a man reporting back to someone via magic. He mentions that he has not seen "The Guardian". Ravaran emerges from along one of the passageways, but he does not see Corym and Rasvyn hiding behind a column. He expresses that he doesn't much time left.

They explore further, coming across a huge-winged demon. Though they're invisible, he smells them. It seems this fiend is at the volcano in servitude to Ravaran. He pretends to offer an allegiance then attacks Corym, who retaliates, becoming visible. Combat ensues, the creature setting the two alight with fire. Rasvyn uses dimension door to teleport the priest and him back to the portal.

Meanwhile, Grayson, one of the prisoners who Maolmhuire has recruited for his cult, is illustrating the adventurers trying to work out how the portal works. Berrow cannot read and write, so stands ready. Dramos and Maolmhuire touch the pillars, with all their remaining allies, plus Altibo, holding hands between the arch. However, the transportation does not work. One of the Genai Stones inside the archway is completely black with used energy. Gartok cuts his hands and pours blood onto the stone, but it does not recharge. Meanwhile, Datura cuts Berrow's throat, killing him and pouring his life's blood onto the Genai Stone.

They replace the Genai Stone and the portal activates.

Together again in the heat, the adventurers confront the demon. Rasvyn feels something press against his mind, but he resists the effect. After heavy damage from allies, Altibo flies in and kills the demon with a swift kick to the nads.

A swirling storm of ice forms above the portal and knocks down Rasvyn and Maolmhuire. Corym heals them. The priest of Garr removes the fully-charged, red Genai Stone from the portal door with a mage hand. Harbinger rides across the magma on Altibo, hiding behind a pillar where Ravaran casts wall of force, encasing Harbinger. Gartok activates the Teleportation Shroud Necklace. There is a women in a white robe, with a satchel and a potion on her belt. Ravaran uses disintegrate on Corym, but the women is a divination mage. Gartok is dominated by Ravaran, Harbinger is released and runs at the mage. Ravaran and his accomplice teleports out.

In the aftermath of the fight, Maolmhuire casts spare the dying on the guard caught in the fireball and Rasvyn uses a dagger to remove the magical earpiece that sits in the man's ear. Corym receives a message from Reinhold - "The tower is falling. The Helvettians are undead."

An illusion of Ravaran appears taunting the group, particularly Gartok and Corym.

The inside if the cavern looks like it was constructed for an individual with a much bigger physiology. There is a dragons horde, including: 5200cp, 14000sp, 210000gp, 66000pp, 30 gem stones, [M]studded leather, an hour glass filled with sparkling sand, flute, [M]crystal ball, [M] 3 potion bottles, windchime, [M]headband, [M]leather satchel (similar to Rasvyn's), large scroll wrapped around a wooden rod, [M]long sword black handle and pommel, The blade is red, [M]cloak, jar filled with a liquid and immobile purple tadpole things and a suit of leather armour.

As we are filling sacks with money and investigating the magical items, a spurt of lava explodes and we hear a voice. "Master, have your returned. I have guarded your things." A huge, demon arises, dripping in lava. He has made a deal with the dragon. His lord has bade him to guard his treasure for a thousand years.

We make a new deal, Coyrm will stay and the others are allowed to go. Dramos heads on and begins drawing a teleportation circle. Corym sets off sprinting. The balrog pursues. Harbinger smacks him for a whole bunch of radiant damage. The group try to detain the creature from attacking both Dramos and Corym. Eventually, Harbinger kills the creature and it explodes, knocking down all the godly folk. Altibo dissipates after fighting gallantly. Dramos must abandon his circle of teleportation in order to heal Harbinger.

Dramos begins casting again, the others drag as much treasure as possible into the circle, and then they emerge in teleport circle below the tree at the north lake. Foot prints in the snow indicate that someone was here within the day, and the circle is snow free.

Rasvyn ferries small groups of people on the Magic Carpet in order to leave no tracks. Then, the group try to rest at the base of the mountains with the protection of Corym's guardian of faith. Maolmhuire brings the injured, burned man, or "Crisp", with him.

Rasvyn sends a dream to the ancient red dragon, informing him of Ravaran killing the balrog, and then the wizard stealing his horde. Rasvyn asks "How can we free you?" The dragon is angry that wizards are always trying to manipulate him. A voice echoes in the chamber commanding the dragon to wake.

The horde collected included: 3300cp, 6000sp, 80000gp, 40200pp, 30 gem stones, [M]studded leather, an hour glass filled with sparkling sand, flute, [M]crystal ball, [M] 3 potion bottles, windchime, [M]headband, [M]leather satchel (similar to Rasvyn's), large scroll wrapped around a wooden rod, [M]long sword black handle and pommel, The blade is red, [M]cloak, jar filled with a liquid and immobile purple tadpole things and a suit of leather armour. Rasvyn and Maolmhuire identify some potions (including some Oil of Sharpness), the armour, bag of holding, frostbite Spears (1D6 cold damage), the crystal ball, the Cloak of the Bat, the dagger handle (which has one charge left. Within 5ft of a creature with a collar, you can deactivate the collar), the earring (which has a message spell ability with a range of two miles), and a Vorpal Longsword.

Maolmhuire informs Datura that Garr has been unable to return Datura's soul to her body. So, he offered a part of himself to save her. However, they're souls were now tied and if one dies the other does as well.

After a long rest, Gartok awakes as a grey bear. The group return to the Tower of Dariss in pandemonium.