Session 7 Report - Return to Rheintaldorf

OOC DATE: 21/08/26
IC DATE: 14th Jubilant 1500 AF
IC TIME PASSED: Approximately 4-6 days of travel, settlement work and stone recovery, plus 1 day and night of downtime/carousing
PLAYERS: CALTHAL, LARTHAL & RATHAL

Following the events of the previous session, the party agreed to help Einar Sigurdsson and Alamdan Leadshield escort a group of around fifty settlers from Fort Red Rock to Rheintaldorf. Einar hoped to refound the abandoned settlement now that the party had previously cleared out the crystal zombies and destroyed the main red crystal there. Alamdan had joined the settlers after being rescued from suspended animation beneath the Hall of Moss and intended to help rebuild the new community.

The journey to Rheintaldorf took about a day along the coast. The party travelled ahead of the main wagon train as scouts while the settlers followed behind. About halfway through the journey, near a large blackened and lightning-struck tree, the party heard horses, clashing weapons and arrows being fired.

They found a small wagon overturned beside the route. Frightened frontier settlers, mostly women and children, were huddled inside while scarf-masked bandits menaced them. Several of the menfolk appeared to have already been killed.

Calthal used his bardic magic to fascinate the bandits, drawing them away from the wagon by telling them off in a strangely beautiful, lyrical speech. The ordinary bandits fell under his spell, but their grizzled leader resisted and charged forward to see what was happening.

Larthal attempted to use Shield of Faith but failed, then imbued his longsword with Holy Weapon. The blade shone with divine light and the symbolism of balance and justice. He struck the bandit leader hard, while Calthal kept the other bandits entranced and fired arrows into the fight. Rathal tried to intimidate the leader into surrendering. After several blows, the bandit leader yielded.

The party forced the bandits to disarm, right the overturned wagon and surrender. They tied the bandits to trees with a note explaining their crimes, expecting the following settler caravan to send word back to Fort Red Rock for soldiers to arrest them. The rescued frontier settlers agreed to join Einar’s group and help found the new settlement. They rewarded the party with 18 gp and four rations.

As the party approached Rheintaldorf near evening, they heard strange sing-song chanting near the coast. Investigating, they found a tanned human figure wearing a cloak of leaves and twigs, with feathers in his hair. He was casting stones, twigs and leaves as part of a ritual.

The figure introduced himself as Macan, a druid-like guardian of the old land. He explained that his ritual was meant to delay a great evil that had once swept through Rheintaldorf. Long ago, his people had raised three great standing stones around the settlement to ward against the evil, but the original settlers tore them down and reused them. In doing so, they broke the protection and brought doom on themselves.

Macan said the evil was linked to the Grey Death, a phenomenon where plants, animals and people lose their colour and life, turning grey and crumbling as the force passes over them. He described it not as a person that could be killed, but as a wave of unbeing that drains life and colour from anything it crosses.

The party asked Macan about Carcosa. He explained that Carcosa was not a person, but a place in the dream realms: the home of the King of Nightmares. He said the shattered second moon had been named Carcosa by someone who had glimpsed that dream-realm. According to Macan, the red crystals found in Rheintaldorf were remnants left by the passing of the same evil.

Macan knew where the three protective stones had been taken. One had been used in a nearby cave system, one in an abandoned lizardfolk temple, and one in an old watchtower north of town. He believed that, if the stones were restored to their correct positions, he could reactivate them with enough magical help.

The party reached Rheintaldorf and confirmed that no major new threat had taken over the abandoned settlement. The old houses, church, blacksmith, manor house, cliffs and farmland remained as they had left them, though small red crystal fragments might still remain scattered in the soil.

While searching the farmland, the party found the partially buried body of an elf adventurer exposed by recent rain. The corpse held a fine longsword with a fiery pearl set in the pommel. Jagged elven runes on the blade read: “Thus perish all who stand against the Vhaurak Empire.” The sword was clearly magical and worth at least 50 gp as a fine weapon.

When Larthal handled the sword, he felt queasy near his coin pouch. Testing revealed that gold now burned him while he carried the blade. Later, Meera identified it as a Vhaurak blood sword. It cannot be safely used while carrying gold, but when the wielder kills a creature with it, or brings a creature down to the verge of death with intent to kill, the blade draws in blood through its runes and restores 1d6 HP to the wielder.

The settlers arrived at Rheintaldorf by nightfall. Calthal made a speech explaining the importance of the three stones and the need to respect the older powers of the land. Einar Sigurdsson and the settlers accepted Macan’s guidance, especially after the disaster at the Hall of Moss. The villagers agreed to help restore the stones, and watches were set overnight so the settlers could begin learning to protect their new home.

The next morning, Calthal encountered three young robed travellers entering the settlement. They introduced themselves as Meera, Ruda and Yash, three apprentice mages from Al-Jiraya. They had travelled to Xerkassa with their master Verun, but he had been killed by pirates and brigands. Yash and Ruda wanted revenge, while Meera was more cautious and open to staying with the settlers.

The apprentices believed the pirates responsible were the Blacktide Remnants, formerly led by Captain Magnus Greaves and now commanded by Vera Salt. Since the party had previously helped cause Greaves’ death, they recognised that their interests partly aligned. The apprentices had also sensed a powerful lodestone nearby, which matched Macan’s description of one of the missing protective stones.

The party persuaded the apprentices not to rush into a reckless revenge mission. Yash agreed that they would help the settlement and the stone restoration, provided the party swore to help defend the village if the pirates came for it. A blood-rune oath was made between Yash and Calthal.

Meera spent several hours identifying the Vhaurak blood sword. She confirmed its curse and life-draining property, warning that it was not a friendly weapon.

The party, Macan, the three apprentices, Alamdan Leadshield and several settlers recovered the first stone from a nearby cave system. The stone was a large standing stone carved with Sylvan runes of warding and protection. With Alamdan’s engineering knowledge, ropes, carts, levers and pulleys, the group managed to haul it out and return it to Rheintaldorf. Macan showed them where it should stand, forming one point of a protective triangle around the settlement.

The party then chose to recover the second stone from the abandoned lizardfolk temple. They took Alamdan and the three apprentices with them, leaving the settlers behind to avoid risking them in the jungle. Although the current characters had not been there before, Gnurl had told them of the place: an overgrown stepped temple once belonging to the Blackscale lizardfolk, later claimed by plant gods and used for sacrifices.

Inside the temple, Calthal found 2 gp among the bones of old sacrifices. Alamdan used ropes and spikes to help the party cross a collapsed section safely, then lowered a rope into the cave system beneath the temple.

In the caves below, the party encountered a giant frog. Its long tongue lashed out at Rathal but missed. Calthal shot it, Larthal attacked with his Vhaurak blood sword, Meera struck it with a magical bolt, and Rathal finished it with a crossbow bolt. The frog was cut apart for useful materials, including lungs, tongue and sticky residue.

The party searched the caves and fought two mossy, vine-covered plant creatures that had been hiding among the rocks. One was killed by Larthal using the Vhaurak blood sword, which briefly invigorated him even though he was not wounded. The second was damaged by Meera and Rathal, then finished by Alamdan with a crossbow shot.

After a long search, the party found the second protective stone buried beneath heavy rocks near an underground stream. Alamdan proposed building a raft to float it out. Using giant fungus stalks, wood from an old treasure chest, the giant frog’s lungs for buoyancy, and the frog tongue’s sticky residue as lashing material, the group built a crude raft. After several hours of work and no further encounters, they floated the stone out through the underground stream and downriver to Rheintaldorf, where it was set into place.

Only one stone remained. According to Macan, it had been used in an abandoned watchtower built by the first settlers of Rheintaldorf. The party again took Alamdan and the apprentice mages with them.

At the ruined tower, pig-orc archers ambushed the party from the upper level, injuring Calthal and Rathal. Larthal healed Calthal, while Calthal used bardic fascination to hold the pig-orc archers’ attention by talking at length about the importance of rocks. A wounded pig-orc chieftain then appeared, wearing armour, bone necklaces and a bone crown.

The chieftain introduced himself as Grimgoth. He had once ruled a nearby pig-orc tribe but had been overthrown by his treacherous shaman, Naztoth. According to Grimgoth, Naztoth had once been his right-hand man and a shaman of limited intelligence. After being sent out to chase interlopers from the tribe’s headquarters, Naztoth returned with a strange staff and suddenly displayed much greater magical power, intelligence, planning and treachery. He seized control of the tribe, forcing Grimgoth to flee with a few loyal warriors.

Rathal negotiated with Grimgoth, offering healing in exchange for permission to recover the stone. Grimgoth agreed. The pig-orcs lowered their weapons, and the party searched the tower. Alamdan found that the third stone had been built into a collapsed section of the wall.

Rathal healed Grimgoth, leaving him still injured but much improved. Grimgoth became more favourably disposed toward the party, though still in a rough pig-orc fashion. He agreed to help with the stone in exchange for future aid against Naztoth. Rathal swore an oath with him, giving him hair while he offered a sliver of his own flesh in return. The oath was serious by pig-orc standards: if broken, Grimgoth would be expected to come and exact punishment personally.

While recovering the third stone, Alamdan found a hidden storage chamber beneath the tower. Calthal crawled inside and discovered a skeleton holding a finely made mace dripping salt water, along with a locked chest. The mace spoke aloud, saying, “I smell opportunity.” It proved to be a +2 magical mace that constantly drips salt water, has a very acute sense of smell, and allows the wielder to reroll natural 1s when using it.

Calthal opened the trapped chest, narrowly avoiding a dart trap. Inside he found 100 gp.

The party returned the final stone to Rheintaldorf. Macan gathered the three stones into their correct positions, forming a protective triangle around the new settlement. He then performed a ritual, drawing temporarily on the magical power of the party, the three apprentices and himself. Meera contributed a particularly strong surge of power. At the end of the ritual, the runes on all three stones began to glow, and everyone within the bounds of the settlement felt a sense of peace. Rheintaldorf was now protected by an ancient ward against the Grey Death.

Einar Sigurdsson, Alamdan Leadshield, the apprentice mages and Macan all agreed to remain with the settlers. Einar thanked the party and offered a small reward of 20 gp. He also asked the party to help name the new town, since the settlers wanted a fresh start rather than remaining tied to the old doom of Rheintaldorf.

The party named the settlement Free Rock, in honour of the three restored protective stones and the freedom of the new settlement from Rheintaldorf’s curse.

The party then returned to Fort Red Rock for downtime. They received 7 XP each from the session. During carousing, Calthal gained a trained panther from an exotic animal trainer, Larthal earned a future magic item identification favour after saving a mage’s pet but also ended up owing a major favour to a robber who took pity on him, and Rathal drunkenly agreed to a duel at midday with a rival adventurer.

• Elf bard.

• Fascinated the bandits during the wagon ambush.

• Helped negotiate the surrender and capture of the bandit group.

• Made a stirring speech to the settlers about the importance of restoring the stones.

• Met Meera, Ruda and Yash when they entered Rheintaldorf.

• Swore a blood-rune oath with Yash to help defend the settlement if pirates attacked.

• Used bardic fascination on the pig-orc archers by talking endlessly about rocks.

• Crawled into the secret storage chamber beneath the tower.

• Found the talking saltwater mace and 100 gp.

• Gained a trained panther during carousing.

• Elf priest.

• Used Holy Weapon during the fight with the bandit leader.

• Took up the Vhaurak blood sword.

• Learned that gold burns him while carrying the blood sword.

• Used the blood sword against the plant-creatures beneath the lizardfolk temple.

• Gained access to an additional level 1 spell after levelling.

• Gained a future magic item identification favour during carousing.

• Owes a major favour to a robber who took pity on him during downtime.

• Elf spellcaster.

• Helped intimidate the bandit leader.

• Helped decide to tie the bandits to trees and have Fort Red Rock authorities arrest them.

• Negotiated with Grimgoth at the ruined tower.

• Healed Grimgoth, improving relations with the exiled pig-orcs.

• Swore an oath with Grimgoth to help him against Naztoth in the future.

• Took part in restoring the three protective stones.

• Drunkenly agreed to a duel at midday with a rival adventurer during carousing.

• Duel remains unresolved.

• Elderly Valonian priest.

• Former leader of the Hall of Moss settlement attempt.

• Led around fifty settlers from Fort Red Rock to Rheintaldorf.

• Wanted to establish a safer new settlement after the Hall of Moss disaster.

• Accepted Macan’s guidance regarding the protective stones.

• Asked the party to help name the new settlement.

• Remains in Free Rock as spiritual leader and organiser.

• Ancient dwarven engineer rescued from the Hall of Moss.

• Joined Einar’s settlers to help rebuild.

• Used ropes, spikes, pulleys, levers and carts to help recover the standing stones.

• Helped retrieve stones from the cave, temple and tower.

• Found the third stone in the collapsed tower wall.

• Found the hidden chamber beneath the tower.

• Remains in Free Rock to help build the settlement.

• Druid-like guardian of the old land.

• Wears a cloak of leaves and twigs and feathers in his hair.

• Speaks accented Common and a dialect related to Sylvan.

• Was performing a ritual near Rheintaldorf to delay the Grey Death.

• Explained that three protective stones once warded the settlement.

• Explained that Carcosa is a place in the dream realms, home of the King of Nightmares.

• Explained that the red crystals were remnants left by the passing of the Grey Death.

• Directed the party to the three missing stones.

• Performed the ritual to reactivate the stones.

• Remains in Free Rock to watch the stones.

• Women and children whose wagon was attacked by bandits.

• Most of their menfolk had already been killed.

• Joined Einar’s settlers after being rescued.

• Gave the party 18 gp and four rations as thanks.

• Grizzled leader of the bandit ambush.

• Resisted Calthal’s fascination.

• Fought with two curved blades.

• Surrendered after being badly wounded.

• Tied to a tree with the other bandits for Fort Red Rock authorities to arrest.

• Scarf-masked raiders attacking a frontier wagon.

• Fascinated by Calthal’s bardic magic.

• Forced to surrender, disarm and right the overturned wagon.

• Tied to trees with a note explaining their crimes.

• Apprentice mage from Al-Jiraya.

• One of Verun’s three surviving apprentices.

• More cautious and diplomatic than Yash and Ruda.

• Helped identify the Vhaurak blood sword.

• Helped locate the protective stones.

• Contributed strongly to Macan’s ritual.

• Remains in Free Rock.

• Young apprentice mage from Al-Jiraya.

• One of Verun’s apprentices.

• Sensitive to magical energies.

• Helped locate the lodestones.

• Wanted revenge for Verun’s death but agreed to remain and help.

• Remains in Free Rock.

• Eldest of the three apprentice mages from Al-Jiraya.

• Angry and impatient.

• Wanted revenge against the Blacktide Remnants and Vera Salt.

• Swore a blood-rune oath with Calthal.

• Agreed to help the settlement if the party would aid against the pirates should they attack.

• Remains in Free Rock.

• Powerful mage from Al-Jiraya.

• Master of Meera, Ruda and Yash.

• Brought the apprentices to Xerkassa.

• Was killed by pirates and brigands, believed to be the Blacktide Remnants.

• Current leader of the Blacktide Remnants.

• Former second-in-command of Captain Magnus Greaves.

• Believed responsible for the death of Verun.

• Reportedly leading a bloody campaign of raiding and revenge along the Kalamak Coast.

• Former pirate captain of the Blacktide Remnants.

• Previously killed after being thrown to the giant crab.

• His death left Vera Salt in command.

• Wounded pig-orc ex-chieftain.

• Former leader of a nearby pig-orc tribe.

• Overthrown by his shaman Naztoth.

• Fled with a few loyal pig-orcs and occupied the ruined tower.

• Negotiated with Rathal.

• Was healed by Rathal.

• Swore an oath with Rathal regarding future aid against Naztoth.

• Currently using the ruined tower as a temporary base.

• Pig-orc shaman.

• Former right-hand man of Grimgoth.

• Returned from chasing interlopers with a strange staff.

• Became much more intelligent and magically powerful.

• Overthrew Grimgoth and seized control of the tribe.

• Likely connected to the staff of heightened intelligence previously left behind.

• Major future threat.

• Small group of pig-orc archers loyal to Grimgoth.

• Ambushed the party at the ruined tower.

• Were fascinated by Calthal’s stories about rocks.

• Lowered their weapons after Grimgoth agreed to negotiate.

• Starting and ending point of the session.

• Einar’s settler caravan departed from here.

• The party returned here for downtime and carousing.

• Former cursed ghost settlement.

• Previously overrun by crystal zombies and red crystal corruption.

• Reoccupied by Einar’s settlers.

• Became the site of the restored protective stone triangle.

• Renamed Free Rock at the end of the session.

• New name for the refounded settlement at Rheintaldorf.

• Named for the three restored protective stones.

• Protected by Macan’s reactivated warding ritual.

• Home to Einar’s settlers, Alamdan, Macan and the three Al-Jiraya apprentices.

• Intended as a fresh start free from the old curse of Rheintaldorf.

• Route from Fort Red Rock to Rheintaldorf.

• Site of the bandit ambush against frontier settlers.

• Near a large gnarled petrified tree.

• Coastal location near Rheintaldorf.

• Where Macan was found singing and casting stones, leaves and twigs.

• Site of his delaying ritual against the Grey Death.

• Nearby cave system where one of the protective stones had been discarded.

• Filled with rubble from the original settlers.

• The first stone was recovered here with settler labour and Alamdan’s engineering.

• Former Blackscale lizardfolk outpost.

• Claimed by the plant gods.

• Once used for sacrifices.

• Contained an upper temple and lower cave system.

• Site of the second protective stone.

• Damp natural caverns beneath the lizardfolk temple.

• Contained fungus, moss, an underground stream, giant frogs and plant-creatures.

• The second stone was buried beneath heavy rocks here.

• The party built a raft to float it out.

• River or watercourse used to float the second stone back toward Rheintaldorf.

• Connected to the underground stream beneath the temple.

• Old watchtower built by the original settlers of Rheintaldorf.

• Constructed from scavenged stone.

• Occupied by Grimgoth and his pig-orc loyalists.

• Site of the third protective stone.

• Also contained a hidden storage chamber.

• Narrow chamber beneath the ruined tower.

• Found by Alamdan after the third stone was recovered.

• Contained a skeleton with a magical mace and a trapped chest holding 100 gp.

• 18 gp:

  • Given by rescued frontier settlers.

• Four rations:

  • Given by rescued frontier settlers.

• 2 gp:

  • Found among the old bones in the lizardfolk temple.

• Vhaurak blood sword:

  • Fine longsword with fiery pearl pommel.

  • Worth at least 50 gp as a valuable weapon.

  • Inscribed with elven runes: “Thus perish all who stand against the Vhaurak Empire.”

  • Curse: gold burns the wielder while the sword is carried.

  • Benefit: when the wielder kills a creature, or brings it to the brink of death with intent to kill, they regain 1d6 HP.

  • Blood is drawn into the blade’s runes and converted into life energy.

• +2 saltwater mace:

  • Fine mace decorated with stylised ocean waves.

  • Constantly drips salt water.

  • Speaks aloud.

  • Personality: opportunistic; “I smell opportunity.”

  • Has an acute sense of smell.

  • +2 to attack and damage.

  • Allows rerolling natural 1s when using it.

• 100 gp:

  • Found in the trapped chest beneath the ruined tower.

• 20 gp:

  • Given by Einar Sigurdsson and the settlers after Free Rock was founded.

• Approximate final split:

  • About 48 gp each from the adventure’s monetary rewards, before individual downtime choices and item allocation.

• Longsword.

• Created or used by the Vhaurak Empire.

• Normal longsword statistics.

• Wielder cannot safely carry gold.

• Gold burns the wielder’s flesh.

• If the wielder kills a creature with intent to kill, or reduces it to 1-2 HP in a life-draining blow, the sword restores 1d6 HP.

• The target’s blood is drawn into the elven runes on the blade.

• Mace +2.

• Damage: 1d6 + 2.

• Attack bonus: +2.

• Constantly drips salt water.

• Allows the wielder to reroll natural 1s when attacking with it.

• Has a personality and speaks.

• Has an acute sense of smell.

• First words spoken: “I smell opportunity.”

• Each character gained 7 XP from the session.

• At least one character levelled up.

• Calthal reached level 2.

• Larthal gained access to an additional level 1 spell.

• HP increases were rolled during the session.

• The party returned to Fort Red Rock.

• They spent 300 gp on a full day and night of raucous celebration.

• The carousing roll gained a strong bonus from the money spent and Calthal’s bardic involvement.

• Gained 5 XP from carousing.

• Received a trained panther from an exotic animal trainer.

• Gained 5 XP from carousing.

• Saved a mage’s pet.

• Gained a future favour: one magic item can be fully identified by the grateful mage.

• Was nearly robbed while extremely drunk.

• The robber took pity on him instead.

• Larthal now owes that robber a major favour.

• Gained 5 XP from carousing.

• Drunkenly agreed to a duel at midday with a rival adventurer.

• The duel remains unresolved and will be handled in a future session.

• Who exactly is Macan, and are there others of his kind still alive?

• What is the true nature of the Grey Death?

• Is the Grey Death connected to Carcosa, the King of Nightmares, or the shattered moon?

• Can the three stones keep Free Rock safe permanently?

• Will the Vhaurak notice the restored ward?

• What is the history of the Vhaurak Empire in Xerkassa?

• Who was the dead elf adventurer holding the Vhaurak blood sword?

• What else has the Vhaurak blood sword done?

• Can Larthal resist the sword’s temptation to kill for healing?

• What does the talking saltwater mace truly want?

• Who created the mace?

• What will Calthal’s trained panther be like?

• Who is the robber to whom Larthal now owes a major favour?

• Who is the rival adventurer Rathal agreed to duel?

• Will Meera, Ruda and Yash remain loyal to Free Rock?

• Will Yash’s blood-rune oath cause future complications?

• Will Vera Salt and the Blacktide Remnants attack Free Rock?

• What exactly happened to Verun?

• Can the party eventually help the apprentices avenge their master?

• What is Naztoth planning with his increased intelligence and strange staff?

• Is Naztoth the pig-orc shaman empowered by the staff left behind by the previous party?

• Can Grimgoth be restored as pig-orc chieftain?

• What will happen if Rathal breaks the oath with Grimgoth?

• Will Free Rock become a stable settlement or another doomed colony?

• Rathal’s promised duel with a rival adventurer remains unresolved.

• Larthal owes a major favour to a robber.

• Calthal has gained a trained panther.

• Free Rock has been founded and protected by the three stones.

• Help Grimgoth reclaim his tribe from Naztoth.

• Investigate Naztoth, the strange staff and the now-intelligent pig-orc shaman problem.

• Deal with Vera Salt and the Blacktide Remnants.

• Protect Free Rock from pirate attack.

• Follow up on the Vhaurak blood sword and the Vhaurak Empire.

• Investigate the Grey Death and Carcosa further.

• Develop Free Rock as a new settlement and base of operations.

• Free Rock founded.

• Three protective stones restored.

• Ancient ward reactivated.

• Einar Sigurdsson, Alamdan Leadshield, Macan, Meera, Ruda and Yash remain in Free Rock.

• Larthal carries the Vhaurak blood sword and cannot safely carry gold while using it.

• The party has a talking +2 saltwater mace.

• Calthal has a trained panther.

• Rathal has an upcoming duel.

• Grimgoth considers the party potential allies.

• Naztoth is now a major pig-orc threat.