Session 11

Having found the map to the Horn, the group goes with Tiadora to their meeting with Baron Arkov Vandermir.  Travelling into the wealthy & secluded part of town, they are allowed entrance to the Vandermir estate, a grandiose manor, full of servants, as well as discrete guards.  They meet the Baron and are treated to a feast of decadence & opulence.  Everything is grand, even the almost unnaturally large sea-food being served on massive platters.  The evening progresses along with banal pleasantries, until the dinner is finished, at which point, servants are dismissed and a frank discussion begins between potential allies under the Lord of Nessus’ banner.

The Baron shows an initial degree of reluctance.  Tiadora offers no help, but but after a few words from Galen, Yvainne & Mardus, he decides to back the Ninth Knot’s plot.  He’s quick to insist they avoid causing too much carnage in town.  But he provides them lodging in his personal manor, as well as access to a secret passage out of his manor to another nearby neighborhood of town.  And offers to work back channels to find obscure or dangerous items the party requires.  As well as giving a lay of the land & telling the Knot of the political situation in town, as well as whom the true power players are around Farholde.

Securing the backing of the powerful Baron, the Knot proceeds with gathering information around town & having Galen start crafting them some more magical gear.  During this time, Emmerick & Yvainne gather general rumors.  Quell hears about a former soldier named Hallack Amon & takes a personal interest.  Proceeding to snoop about Amon, finding out he is friends with a Dwarf smith in town, who seems a bit greedy, as well as a lute playing woman of some skill.

In addition, the 7th knot arrives in town.  Mardus & Brother Summit set up an elaborate ruse, where he takes the form of a fisherman, selling his wears by the docks & Brother Summit looks like a dock hand, standing around.  When their allies arrive, Mardus grabs Elisa’s attention & using double speak & a healthy (or based on Brother Summit’s cringing, perhaps an unhealthy) use of puns, mostly revolving around fishing “nets” made of “knots” and the like, he lets Elisa know who he is.  Mardus & Brother Summit lead the other Knot, who this entire time are in no disguises & seem mildly amused by the 9th’s attempt at subterfuge, down a side ally.  In the remote darkened ally they speak with Elisa & her crew.  Elisa wonders out load the need for such an “unusual” meeting spot, when a tavern would have done much better.  But she lays out her plan to keep any wood-be adventurers at bay.  Mardus asks her to spy on the Baron, as they still question his loyalties and she consents.  Also, Aliciette asked Brother Summit, if the group intends to go to the forest in the next few days, she would like to come along, as she needs to find her “pet” Girallon who they had to drop off on the river bank before arriving in town.

While waiting on Galen to finish his crafting, Brother Summit & Mardus make a stop in the slums of Farholde, to Lord Drownington’s Manor.  Part Bar, part brothel, part gambling & boxing den, it is a true hive of scum and villainy.  Brother Summit talks to the leader of the dubious establishment & arranges to fight in the boxing ring that night.  When evening falls, Mardus & Brother Summit return to the den of villainy with Mardus eager to wager on his companion, who he instructs to fight sub-par to play down his ability & get a more favorable match in the future.  Brother Summit’s fight with an “Iron Sanks” ends quickly, with the Monk of hell easily beating his challenger.  The match ends so quick in fact, it’s a bit of a crowd let down.  And it leaves no doubt of Brother Summit’s abilities.

With Brother Summit waiting for another fight in the ring & Galen still crafting away, the other Knot members decide to help Aliciette find her “pet”.  They begin leaving town but before they even arrive in the Caer Bryr, they witness its savagery.  For in route, they encounter a farmer fleeing for his life from a back of savage boars, led by a massive member.  Aliciette proves nearly as useful as the absent Galen & the party quickly dispatches the threat, though not before the farmer loses his life.  Continuing into the forest, within a brief time, Aliciette is able to locate her Girallon companion & thanks the 9th knot for their help before leaving them.

The knot returns to town & continues with their work.  Galen crafting, Quell watching Hallack Amon, and others doing general information gathering about town.  Brother Summit gets another fight in the fighting pits, this time with some travelling mercenary named James O’Toole.  Quell decides to get in on the action and along with Mardus bet a far amount on their fellow Knot member.  And Galen, having just finished crafting, joins in for the action.  Emmerick is also there, but the anti-paladin of Hell decides to bet a 5 piece against his ally.  The fight goes much different from Brother Summit's first match.  O'Toole appears to be a capable fighter and it looks like Emmerick might have made the right bet.  But Brother Summit prevails, knocking out O'Toole & collecting a hefty winning.

The knot, now finally equipped with arms and armor enchanted by Galen, are ready to brave the deeper forest.  The group relies on the map & blazes a trail straight into the Caer Bryr.  It's a little slow going at first, as they try to maintain their barrings.  But Galen's knowledge of geography is strong and they stay true to their course, making slow but steady progress.

Mid-afternoon Quel notices an odd fragrance on the wind, something akin to rotting plants.  The group heads toward the peculiar order to investigate and stumble into a lurking Shambling Mound.  The fight with the rotting plant creature is handled quite well with a minimum of damage sustained, considering the creature got the drop on them.

Continuing on near dusk, an odd bird-like call could be heard in the distance.  Given how their previous investigation of the day ended, and the desire to find a defensible camp before night fall, they ignore the odd calls.  That night, around midnight, the two on watch, Brother Summit & Emmerick, are awoken to the oddest singing sound & feel magic reach out to control them.  Not knowing what is going on, they draw steal & ready to wake the camp for battle.