In our ninth session, we continued with Chapter 2 of Empire of the Ghouls, The Holy Robes of Sister Adelind. I also introduced a Warlock Lair, the Garden of Shade and Shadows by Brian Suskind, as a side trek. Here’s the write up which contains spoilers for the campaign.
28th Harvest Tide, 92 FY
Avgost and the characters continue their journey to Jozht. Zygmunt regales the archduke with stories of his escape from the clutches of General Fraszko Grimslade.
2nd Redleaf
The sweet song of a clamor of harpies lures the characters to climb up the cliffs towards them. The party find a pair of magical goggles of shade among the debris in their nest.
3rd Redleaf
The party arrive in Jozht and escort Avgost safely to his inn, the Uncommon Porpoise. The archduke treats the characters to a meal at a local tavern and pays them their 500 gp fee.
4th Redleaf
The characters take Avgost to the Town Hall for his meeting with Skuti the Whelp and the mayor of Jozht, and then go to the Temple of the Shield Maiden. After proving themselves in single combat with Sif’s warrior-priests, they speak with Jagoda Mazurek, the high priestess, inside the main temple building.
The Tree of Knowledge, the leather-bound book given to the party by Zosia Walerska, convinces Jagoda that the adventurers are trustworthy, and she answers their questions. The order of knights they are looking for are the Spear Maidens of Hope, who wander Krakovar battling the undead. The party may be able to find them at the ruins of Yarosbirg on the anniversary of Sister Adelind’s death and ask them about the whereabouts of the Holy Robes.
6th Redleaf
After stocking up on potions, the characters leave Jozht, heading south towards Wallenbirg; then, they plan to head east and travel by barge upriver to Varshava.
8th Redleaf
The characters arrive in the village of Ogrodu which is under attack from a band of shadow goblins. The goblins have appeared from the shadow-shrouded labyrinth of hedges that has overrun the village. The party kill four and capture two of the cowardly creatures. Under interrogation, they claim to serve an umbral vampire.
The Rektor, Elena Baran, explains that the maze appeared three days ago, swallowing up half the village and Lord Mazar’s manor, shortly after the lord found an arborstone, an elven relic capable of instantly creating a wondrous garden. The party agree to go into the garden to rescue the missing lord and villagers if they can.
Richard Green | Game Designer 