If you go down to the woods today......

Donard 6th, Tempen, 605AR.

Resting for a few days the party gathered their equipment and decided on their next course of action. They went to se the commander of the Stonebridge garrison and asked his advice. He infromed them that he had little need of them at the moment so could not provide any work or assitance for them, however he was aware that his counterpart in Fisherbrook, just down the Dragons Tongue, may have some work going for mercenaries such as themselves. He informed them that a boat would be heading that way later that afternoon, he bid them good luck and farewell.

Arranging their passage the party assembled on the jetty below the castle and awaited their ride. The boat arried, it was a small affair carrying cloth and Ale down to Fisherbrook and Port Bourne from Corvis. The journey from Stonebridge to Fisherbrook was dull and uneventful, a bit like Fisherbrook itself. Arriving in the dull, grey and sedate town, the party headed of for the garrison commanders office. Fisherbrook was a deadend job for a commander, the town itself was run down and its society was stagnant. Nothing of note happened hear, and as a result morale of the meagre garrison was at rock bottom. Asking some rather bored guards where the commander, a man by the name of Lerrick could be found the parety explored this tepid little backwater.

Entering the military camp at the edge of the town, the lack of morale was apparent to all. The camp was delapidated, and in some dire need of anyform of military efficency. Walking amongst the dimly lit buildings the party soon found the decaying wooden hut that belonged to Captain Lerrick. Entering they introduced themselves and asked about any possible employment that there might be in the vicinity. Tegood captain. smelling particularly of gin, indeed there were several empty bottles being used as candelabras, like the kind you see in quaint little restraunts in Five Fingers, Caspia of Merwyn. The good captain, who seemed to have a habit of slurring the odd few words together told the party that he did indeed have work for them. He could accomodate them on the edge of his encampment but didnt have any real tents for them so they would have to make do with some motheaten and weatherworn ones instead. For 50 crowns the party would be hired for the week. With sometime untill the next boat taking them down river the party decided to take up the offer. After sorting out the sleeping arrangement, a lovely field on the edge of the Cygnaran encampment, they players prepared their evening meal and discussed the endless possibilities of the future.

The Following morning the Captain informed the party of their impending mission. Over the last few weeks he had been getting increasing reports of raiders attacking and destroying villages all along this stretch of the Dragons Tongue. Though there had been increasing numbers of Thrarn on the move in the area, and many had been seen in the vicinity of the attacked villages, despite the best investigative work of his men he could not prove that they were responsible for the heinous crimes. With a map of the area and the rest of the day ahead of them the party set off to investigate. They acquired, at a heft cost, one of the only four wheeled wagons in the area, loaded it up and heaeded off out into the country.

They traveled some miles and passed through many unharmed and untouched villages, there they heard tales from survivors and those who had given them shelter. Raiders who came in the night or the early morning, swift and siletn they crept upon the houses, killing and draggin away inhabitants and burning the homesteads. As they continued they often found tracks in the woods and in fields, tracks of creatures that werent all together human. Bigger and heavierset than the average man, the party belived these to be the footprints of the Thrarn. Indeed this was soon proved when they came face to face with Thrarn in the woods nearby, group of five were wallkig down a path. Unlike thier previous encounter with pasing Gatormen, Thalen managed to restrain himself and not attack them. They eyed the part wairily but continued on their way. The party continued on their way.

After some hours the party saw smoke rising in the distance, readying their weapons they set straight for it. Coming across the fields and along the road the party entered the burnt out shell of the village. Though the fiewre could be no more than a day old and that they were in no dount that the village was attacked they did not dsicover any bodies. Tracks there were however, tracks leading into the nearby forests of Thranwood. With the aid of the Kossite scout the party followed these tracks the coupleof miles to the imposing green mass, As they go closer they found that more and more tracks started to join in. The wagon however was being most un-cooperative. It being a big hulking thing decided that it was not well suited the the wooded areas of the world and so chose to remain on the flat. The players began to enter the forest and so abandoned their trusty wagon.

This was not before the killing began though. The Kossite Scout quickly got inot an argument with the Druid. The Kossite thought it to be an excellent idea to draw his gun on the druid. Ogrim the ogrun, not liking this much then hit the Kossite, knocking him off the wagon and uncocious. The rest of the party then drew all their weapons and poinjted them at Ogrim, infroming him not to kill the Kossite. A tumbleweed went by. Ogrim dispatched the helpless Kossite. The Druid was not best pleased at the murder, so he ordered Ogrim to do a penance. Burying the recently departed friend, the rites seen to by the Cleric, they party headed off into the woods.

The tracks that they wrre following soon petered out and filtered off in different directions. However after an hour or so in the woods they spotted in the distance a young girl walking though the trees rather slowly. Approaching her to discover who she was, she suddenly stopped. Turning about to face them the part could clearly see that she was dead, a large part of her abdomen was missing. They were dealing with the undead. Recovering from their initial revulsion the abomination was quickly destroyed and burnt. Pressing on, now intrigued as to what dark forces were at work within these woods, the party prepared themselves for the worst.

Hiking through the thick vegitation the party eventually came to a clearing. There was located an old settlemetn, long since over run with trees and vegitation. There they saw a group of Thran. Eyeing them wearily they stodd and watched. Weapons were readied on both sides. After a few tense moments, the Thrarn left the clearing and headed off into the woods. Searching the edges of the clearing the part soon picked up the tracks they were follwoing again. The tracks continued to wind through the trees, taking the ever deeper into the valleys that lay hidden beneath the leafy canopy. After some hours the party came across a small gully. The sides were steep but the tracks continued in the soft earth below and their was clear evdience of people climbing the sides. Securing some rope to a tree the party descended. Following th tracks the party soon encountered yet more undead monstrosities. Felling these creatures the party moved on dow nthe gully untill at last they came to a old wooden door, set into the rock faced end of the depression. Seeing no guards about the party moved up to the door. At this point from above them a abnd of the living dead appeared, defending themselves the party waded into the creatures surrounfing them, destroying them all. Recovering themselves the party opened the door and entered.

A tunnel lead down intothe darkness. Lighting up various torches and lanyterns the party proceeded. Descending they entered into a large circular cavern. The corridor sopend out and at the foot of somr steps were two score of undead monsters. From the simple stumbling corpses to fulyl armoured warriors. At their head, sitting upon a large rock was a strangely androgenous man. His skin was pale as abalbaster and his hair black as night. However his eyes were a strange violet colour. Smiling he stood, and silently pointed at them. The creatured before him turned and advanced upon the party. Ogrim took up the lead, blocking the stairs with his vast bulk attacking all that came with in reach of his spear. The others lined up behind him. Holding their position the party repulsed the waves of undead clambering up the steps. The Cleric banished as many of the creatures as he could, sending them fleeing or collapsing into heaps before him.

The pale man had dissappared though. Finishing off the remainder of the undead the party began to investigate the room. It was rhe that it reappeared. As if from out of no where it struck, short sword flashing and stabbing at the party. As quickly as it came he was gone again, only to reappear and strike another blow. After some severe injuries to themselves the sword that the fiend was using broke. Stopping the fiend bowed and disappeared once more. This time it did not return.

Patching themselves up the party continued to investigate the caves. Scattered about the room was various boxes and crates. Though these contained food, supplies and other such useful itesm that one could need in surviving in the woods, there was nothing of great value. There was however a door loctaed at the back of the cavern. It was open. Entering they discovered three bodies. Their blood was still wet. They had all had their throats cut. Searching the room the party discovered various items, letters, tatoos on the bodies that lead them to the conclusion that they had been dealing with Cryxian necromancers. Yet they could not discover the reason for the pale firnds presence. Gathering up the important itesm and any valubales they could find, they headed out.

Returning to their wagon, which had been enjoying peace and quiet of the field alongside the road, they mounted up. Ogrim pulling they turned about and headed back to camp in Fisherbrook. As the bumped and trundeled along the road they noticed in the woods, moving alongside them, large numners of Tharn, perhaps 200 or more. These shadowed them for a while before turning off and disappearing. Reporting their discoveries to Captain Lerrik they returned to their tents. Recouping from theoir wounds and collecting their pay the party bought passage on the next boat going down the river.