Rise of the Runelords–Misgivings

(Pictures originally posted on the Dwarven Forge forums)

[Game date: 2013 Nov 23]

1. Session 15:
   1. Date: 2013 Nov 23
      1. Players: Derrik, Camla, Gragdar, Vaelmorn, Ameiko (played by Mark, a friend of Camla’s player)
   2. Misgivings basement
      1. Following Iesha into a very large cavern opening, they see in the distance the figure of Aldern with several undead around him.
         1. He is crouched down and sobbing over what had become of Iesha. She is cradling him as he begs her forgiveness, telling her that it was “the Hurter”, and “the Brothers” that has caused all their problems.
            1. They barely recognize the cowardly fop whom they had saved from the goblin attack on Sandpoint during the Swallowtail Festival; the same magmanious noble with whom they had gone boar hunting. True, he wore the same finery, but now the blue and gold was ripped and stained with substances beyond just dried blood. The hands covering his face were wasted and gangrenous, the nails elogated into gore-encrusted claws – and an nauseating odor to match.

1. As he catches sight of the group however, Aldern’s demeanor suddenly changes, eyes focused on Gragdar.
   1. The man straightens and enthusiatically greets his “greatest friend – the powerful and most excellent of warriors, Gragdar!” with Iesha completely forgotten.
   2. To show off his devotion to the ork priest, he points out a table behind him – now a shrine bearing Gragdar’s missing javelins, a pair of his gloves, what appear to be tufts of hair, and his name written in dried blood.
   3. He beckons for Gragdar to approach “and join us in consummating our… our hunger…”
   4. Stirring from whatever human pity she had remaining, Iesha shrieks out in rage and strikes at the remanants of her husband.
   5. At this, Aldern reaches up and pulls apart what appears to be a mask composed of strips of dried flesh – underneath which, Gragdar’s face stares back at the group!
2. Combat ensues with the ghoul servants attacking Iesha as she rakes at Aldern and he rushes towards Gragdar.
   1. Vaelmorn casts darkness on a javelin and hurls it at Iesha, covering her and the 3 ghouls attacking her.
   2. As they fought, Derrik sees a strangely humanoid shape on a wall of fungus near the table; he realizes that it somehow is his own shadow! He must eat feed on the fungus to reclaim his stolen shadown, but resists the compulsion with a great force of will.

1. The fight is quickly over, with Aldern defeated. They cut his body up and toss it into the whirlpool. Dying, his form reverts to that of the ghoul, and his face turning back into a mask of stitched dired flesh. They take the gruesome mask. They also find a note implicating “the Brothers of Seven” and a “Xanesha”.

1. They burn down the fungal growth, and leave.
   1. Aldern now dead, Iesha’s spirit passes on, and the revenant collaspes. They bury her body in the yard of the manorhouse.