Blood River, Ep. 5

The members of Man I Love Fishing found their new wharfside headquarters in Aeroford beset by a strange, chilling mist. The fog heralded the arrival of a troop of undead skeletons, servants of the dark god Dagon. With a powerful display of magic, the necromancer Fang Goldskin seized control of five skeletons and turned them against their own, sparking a chaotic street brawl that ended in heaps of shattered bone. This violent display earned them an audience with Madame Rosequartz of the Drayman’s Guild, who hired them to travel to the nearby island of Hogger Rock and eliminate the source of the undead.

Accompanied once more by the eager young boatman Jacob Jr., the party returned to the cursed island. They delved deep into a forgotten temple, overcoming a swarm of undead beetles in a trapped chamber before discovering a hall of desecrated tombs. Within, they found the remains of one of the missing townsfolk they had been searching for. At the hall’s end stood a sarcophagus dedicated to Madarat, a Dagon sorcerer.

Provoking the sorcerer, the party ambushed the skeletal mage. The battle culminated in a dramatic wizard’s duel between Fang and Madarat, which ended with the ancient sorcerer exploding from the sheer force of Fang’s magic. Their victory was short-lived, however. In a hidden chamber, they discovered a cursed ivory sword upon an altar. Taking the blade unleashed a monstrous, three-eyed lavender worm, which instantly turned the cleric Hobbs and Jacob Jr. to stone with its gaze. As the great worm consumed Hobbs’s statue, the surviving adventurers made a desperate escape, sealing the monster in its chamber and fleeing Hogger Rock with Jacob Jr.’s petrified form in tow.

Back in Aeroford, they pooled their newfound wealth to pay a temple to restore Jacob Jr., who was left deeply traumatized by the ordeal. Their grim task complete, the party collected their rewards and contemplated the cursed blade they had claimed, a powerful but dangerous relic of a vanquished foe.

OUTLINE:

A Skeletal Welcome

A mysterious, cold mist filled the party’s new headquarters in Aeroford.
A troop of skeletons were heard marching outside.
Fang cast ‘Control Undead’ and successfully commanded five skeletons to attack the others.
The ensuing chaos destroyed the entire undead patrol, attracting the attention of the Drayman’s Guild.
The party found a small opal on one of the skeleton’s swords.

A Mission from the Guild

The party met with Madame Rosequartz at the Drayman’s Guild.
They were hired to travel to Hogger Rock and eliminate the source of the undead.
A Taric reading produced ‘The Lord of Swords’, which Madame Rosequartz saw as a good omen.
The party convinced Jacob Jr. to once again row them to the island and join their adventure.

The Horrors of the Temple

The party returned to the Temple of Dagon on Hogger Rock.
A trapped door unleashed a swarm of silent, undead beetles.
Hobbs successfully turned the swarm, allowing the party to destroy it with fire.
They discovered a hall of plundered tombs and found the body of a missing townsman, Lucius.
They identified the main sarcophagus as belonging to Madarat, a sorcerer of Dagon.

Duel with the Sorcerer

The party set a trap of oil and caltrops and lured Madarat from his sarcophagus.
After ensnaring the skeleton, the party attacked, with Jacob Jr. scoring a critical hit.
Fang challenged Madarat to a wizard’s duel and won spectacularly, causing the sorcerer to explode.
They retrieved a valuable diadem from the sorcerer’s remains.

The Guardian Worm’s Price

The party discovered a secret chamber containing an ivory-bladed longsword on an altar.
Taking the sword triggered a trap, summoning a massive, three-eyed lavender worm.
The worm’s gaze instantly turned Hobbs and Jacob Jr. to stone.
The worm consumed the petrified Hobbs, forcing the party to flee.
They escaped with Jacob Jr.’s statue, sealing the monster within the temple.

An Expensive Aftermath

The party returned to Aeroford with the remaining body and Jacob Jr.’s statue.
They paid 100 gold to a local temple to have Jacob Jr.’s petrification reversed.
They collected their rewards from Jacob Sr. and the Drayman’s Guild.
The ivory sword was identified as Dagon’s Claw, a powerful but cursed weapon.
The party caroused and gained experience, and a new character, Sebo, was introduced.

NPCs:

Jacob Jr.: The 16-year-old son of Jacob Sr. Eager for adventure, he joined the party on their expedition to Hogger Rock, but was turned to stone by a monster. After being restored, he was left deeply traumatized.
Jacob Sr.: The redheaded, middle-aged owner of the bait and tackle shop in Aeroford. He hired the party to find the townsfolk who went missing on Hogger Rock, including his son’s friends.
Lucius: One of the missing townsfolk from Aeroford. The party found his decayed body propped up against Madarat’s sarcophagus in the temple.
Madame Rosequartz: An elderly, hunched dwarven woman who runs the Drayman’s Guild in Aeroford. She is sharp, perceptive, and in possession of a strange scrying device called an oraculum. She hired the party to clear out Hogger Rock.
Madarat the Sorcerer: An ancient, skeletal sorcerer of Dagon who was entombed in the temple on Hogger Rock. He was awakened by the party and destroyed in a magical duel with Fang.
The Lavender Worm: A massive, serpentine monster with three eyes that guarded the cursed sword, Dagon’s Claw. Its gaze instantly turns living creatures to stone. It consumed Hobbs and was sealed away by the party.

ITEMS:

Brass Dagger: A dagger with a brass blade taken from Madarat. It functions as a silver weapon, making it effective against certain supernatural creatures.
Citrine (x14): Small, yellow gemstones pried from the brass holy symbols of Dagon found in the desecrated tombs of the temple.
Dagon’s Claw: A +1 longsword with a brass hilt and a blade made from a single jagged piece of ivory. It allows the wielder to cast Command on aquatic creatures but is cursed, compelling its owner to never part with it and preventing them from harming servants of Dagon.
Gold Diadem with Ruby: A golden crown-like ornament taken from the skull of Madarat the sorcerer. It is inlaid with the symbol of Dagon and a single large ruby.
Tiny Opal: A small, iridescent gemstone found set into the hilt of a longsword wielded by one of the skeletons that attacked Aeroford.

LOCATIONS:

Aeroford: A port town on the Blood River, serving as the party’s base of operations. It is home to the powerful Drayman’s Guild.
Drayman’s Guild: A fortified building that serves as the center of commerce and power in Aeroford. It is led by Madame Rosequartz.
Hogger Rock: A gray, boulder-like island in the bay near Aeroford, constantly shrouded in a cold, oppressive fog. It houses a forgotten temple to the dark god Dagon.
Temple of Dagon: A dark, ancient complex hidden within Hogger Rock. It is filled with traps, undead, and profane carvings dedicated to the eel-octopus god Dagon.
Wharfside Shanty: The party’s four-room headquarters in Aeroford. It is rundown and unfurnished, but provides a safe place to rest.

FACTIONS:

Cult of Dagon: The worshippers of the evil ocean god Dagon. The cult appears to be ancient and is responsible for the undead infesting Hogger Rock. Their holy symbol is a fishhook with three downward curves.
Drayman’s Guild: The primary mercantile and political power in Aeroford. They manage trade and logistics, and also serve as a de facto city guard. They are organized and run orphanages for their fallen members.

QUESTS:

Clear Out Hogger Rock: Hired by the Drayman’s Guild to find and eliminate the source of the undead emerging from Hogger Rock.
Find the Missing Townsfolk: Hired by Jacob Sr. to find two missing townsfolk and the bodies of two adventurers who were lost on Hogger Rock.

PLAYER CHARACTERS

Eric: A magus who conceals half of his face behind a mask and long hair. His background has left him energy-scarred, hinting at a dangerous past with magic. He proved resourceful in the temple, using spikes to cleverly jam a closing stone door.
Fang Goldskin: A Vishkania (snake-person) necromancer with a ‘Road Warrior’ background. He is cunning and powerful, able to control undead and unafraid to boast of his prowess, often calling himself a ‘wizard’ to avoid suspicion. His magical duel with the sorcerer Madarat ended the fight in a single, explosive moment.
Gublakitepe: A Fletchling wizard hailing from the mysterious ‘Nether Regions’. As a creature of shadow, he is cautious and observant. He is able to read diabolic runes, providing the party with crucial lore about Dagon’s history.
Hobbs: A tall elf cleric devoted to Aerie the White Bear. He had distinctive white hair styled like a magistrate’s wig. His faith proved crucial when he successfully turned a swarm of undead beetles, but he tragically fell victim to the petrifying gaze of a guardian worm and was consumed.
Sebo: A human fighter who joined the group after the events at Hogger Rock. He is skilled with blades and has taken up the cursed longsword, Dagon’s Claw, found in the temple.
Haixia: A half-elf paladin of the Four Dragon Kings, serving as a deckhand with a jaunty hat. She wields a scorpion whip, which she uses to punish herself for humanity’s pollution of the oceans. She is fiercely protective of the sea and its creatures, and her combat skills were key to trapping the sorcerer Madarat.