With a little bit of fire and ice, the group slays hundreds of rats and a quintet of kobold that trail the horde. Tiring of the slaughter and deciding that half-starved kobolds pose little real threat to the Ludensheim region, the group returns to tell Miles of what they have seen and killed.
The group leaves the town by traveling along the remnants of the road by which the Horned One’s troops poured into the area. Despite being old, it is still in good repair and the group makes good time, traveling 4 days northwards without any major encounters. The landscape is barren and the cleric sustains the group with magically produced food and drink. one day, the sharp-eyed ranger spots a metallic glint from the foothills on the other side of the river.
Curiosity piqued, the intrepid and invisible party wanders to the river’s edge, accompanied by a flying Mantit, who scouts the area. Eventually, they cross the river via Coinpurse’s folding boat and the malformed one takes to the skies again. HIs time spent aloft reveals that there is a brass lined pit with a triad of ‘operating’ tables along the rim. Flesh golems are seen assembling whole bodies from the litter of spare parts that fills the pit. Soon thereafter Laddington and company spot a flesh golem shambling along, dragging a shield laden with body parts – some old, some newly divorced from their respective bodies.
The group decides to test their mettle and engage it. The Gal takes the time to summon a divine warhorse with which to conduct combat. A fireball and a cone of cold later, the golem is moving slowly – but seems to have suffered no harm. Further investigation reveals that only Bobabone and Coinpiece are capable to slaying it – and that they eventually do. The group retreats back towards the river and camps for the night. The next morning, they are attacked by a dou of river trolls carrying a net of body parts. The group and the horse fights back and slays the trolls.
The wizard goes aloft again and returns with grim news. There are a minimum of 5 flesh golems currently at the pit, and two of them are standing in a ‘doorway’ or hatch of some sort that enters the side of the pit. A tunnel extends behind them into the earth. Goldpiece immediately opines that this is a fool’s errand, while others in the party point out that a boil left unlanced just festers more and may become toxic. Plans are hatched and sanity is debated. Eventually they decide against assaulting the area and instead content themselves with marking the area for s future adventure.
The road winds on another two days and towards the end of the second a blue shimmering light can be seen on the horizon. Another day’s travel brings it within the range of the magician, who climbs high into the sky to spy with his invisible eye that which might be seen. What can be seen is a series of towers on a shale outcropping, in front of which lies a large palisaded encampment stuffed with ungern and who knows what all. As the mage observes, a host of ungern is assembling and preparing to move out of the camp. Presumably, they are headed towards the road. Upon hearing the news, the group ponders the next move.
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