Session 002: Barkwhisper

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Date Played: 01 September 2017

Level: 02

Session Synopsis
Making their way to the town of Barkwhisper the adventurers hear talk of a man named Aurus Burton performing experiments on orcs from an abandoned alchemists lab. Heading out to investigate in the name of great Adventure™ they find themselves facing an unexpected enemy.

Session Overview
The group begin at Glonrel Asylum take in the environment of the Warden's office and find his dead body, which Charming takes the mans wedding band from if in need of proof of his death and to return to his widow. Ipsen was carrying some items including a Rod of Silence and a [Porcelain Smile] and Buckles also took a claymore from the wall, finding no use for the mage the orc killed him while he was unconscious. Charming suggesting trying to get the prisoners back into their cells so as not to be seen as fully responsible of leading a prison break considering they had already killed a number of guards; Buckles was able to intimidate the already broken souls into simply going back in. The main entrance to the asylum had been destroyed, climbing up a ladder in the Warden's office lead to a tower with a single cannon and a pulley system to bring cannonballs up to the level; a well aimed shot at the door collapsed it further and the group were able to leave. Whilst up in the tower they were able to spy a campfire.

Sir Wesk stayed behind to tend to the prisoners and asked the group to send reinforcements from the nearby town of Barkwhisper, giving Charming a note and a signed writ to hand in at Barkwhisper barracks for him to claim his reward from The Inquisitors for escorting Ipsen.

As dawn was breaking the group set off on their journey, heading towards the campfire just outside the settlement, it was quickly snuffed as they approached. From the shadows Charming was reunited by his loyal manservant Sedril who had stabled their horses in the town and had been staying outside the asylum days at a time over the weeks Charming had been inside. Sedril had been escorting Sir Wesk and Ipsen along with Charming, once arriving Sedril had remained outside and never came back out, soon after the entrance was destroyed. Sedril had tried to tell the guards at Barkwhisper what had happened, but none believed him.

The Road to Barkwhisper
Setting off on their journey the group encountered a closed-roof horse drawn cart coming towards the Asylum, a prisoner cart. The group gave greeting and found that the owner was a bounty hunter named Baren, along with his young teenage son [Daryl]. After trying to explain they were prisoners of the asylum, and Baren taking offense at the half-orc Buckles in their party, swords were drawn before the situation was calmed. A look in the back of the cart showed an orc prisoner that Baren was trying to sell, though to no one in particular, unprepared to give the group a lift into town he was left to leave in peace and the group made their way to Barkwhisper.

Barkwhisper Settlement
On arrival the settlement didn't appear to have much to offer, a frontier town with little influence from the North. The group made their way to the guard barracks and informed the desk officer of the situation at Glonrel Asylum, revealing that the two guards who patrolled that route had not been doing their jobs. A glance over the noticeboard saw dozens of jobs for hunting orcs, which appeared to be quite the profitable business in the region. Another notice was for the escorting of Johnny "Four Daggers" to the barracks for a 50s reward; a local nuisance whose crimes were leaving daggers stabbed into places for apparently no reason.

One other notice stood out from the others, though still seeking the hunting of Orcs, it was offering 300g per captured orc, and wanted delivery to Aurus Burton, unwilling to hunt sentient peaceful beings, the group made their way to the Whisper Tree, a source of local legend.

The Old Man and the Miracle
Reaching the whisper tree the group met with an old man, who without any coaxing, proceeded to tell the group the legend of the whisper tree and the fallen noble. The old man informed the group that by pouring water into the hole in the tree they would receive a blessing; Torden and Charming poured water into the hole, hearing splashing from within, but little else appeared to happen. When Charming poured his offering Sedril used his prestidigitation to make Charming's arms glow, though Charming just presumed it was his naturally godly powers, turning his "blessing" to the old man he convinced the man that he could walk unaided by his stick. Much to the mans delight he dropped the stick and headed off into the town excitedly.

Slurping Oak Tavern
Onto the Slurping Oak, where Sedril had taken accommodation for Charming and himself, he also acquired rooms for the others as well as drinks. Buckles found his way to an arm-wrestling contest with one of the local famous strong-arms, with a high stakes bet he made a pretty penny from the man who almost started a fight over his bruised ego but was calmed by Charming; the man stormed off leaving his remaining winnings but they were quickly returned by Charming and Torden. Torden spent much of his time at the bar talking with the tavernkeep Babs, whilst Buckles eyed a young lad playing with daggers in the corner; Johnny "Four Daggers", who he intimidated into giving the half-orc all his daggers. The boy ran out of the tavern watery eyed but not before being stopped by Charming who demanded the boy turn himself into the Barracks and tell them Charming had sent him, hoping to pick up an easy bounty.

All Roads Lead to Orcs
Speaking with a battered and bruised "mercenary" at the bar, the group discussed strange happenings up at a nearby cave known as Pendertudd's Hovel, where some strange experiments were being conducted by Aurus Burton, little was known of him but the family name was one held in disgrace in the north for its links to the Black Monument. The man was too drunk or concerned to say much else, but ever keen for Adventure™ Charming opted to go find out more about this place. The man spoke of an old adventurer who had been to Pendertudd's before, a woman named Ellus who lived on the edge of town.

Ellus' Museum
Arriving at the museum it was a sorry affair with little to no exhibitions on display apart from a silver flask known as "Pendertudd's Gamble" that when imbibed would have the effects of a random potion. Ellus, a young woman who had lost her leg in a climbing accident, didn't habe much information on what was happening at Pendertudd's Hovel, but she had been there before and gave the group a map of its layout. Charming made a deal with Ellus to bring back as many exhibitions as possible for her failing museum in exchange for the Gamble.

Outside the group used up the charges of the Gamble by taking sips, for little else than the sake of Adventure™. Charming healed himself with his first sip and became permanently knowledgeable in the Abyssal language. Buckles was temporarily affected by a a booming voice even when he tried to whisper, and Torden was suddenly engulfed in flames for a few minutes which burned away his clothes and couldn't be extinguished even after diving into a water trough, which simply burned up the water!

Pendertudd's Hovel
Heading to the Hovel the group spy two guards outside, bandits hired by Aurus, weighing up their options and choosing diplomacy and subterfuge they loosely bind Buckles and approach. Getting easy admittance to the Hovel they enter the cave structure, a tunneled out area that lead along a gangway overlooking a huge open chamber where a great beast was chained by its arms to the ceiling. Buckles identified the creature as a Tanarukk, an orc possessed with a demon, it would appear to be the source of Aurus's experiments. Nearby were cages with families of orcs inside; men, women and children.

With no barred entrance the group made their way past a drunken passed out guard all the way to Aurus private chamber where he was in the process of performing some kind of experiment with a creature, but hid it away. Introducing their quarry Aurus approached, his eyes and face unnaturally veiny, as he reached up to touch Buckles Torden attacked. Aurus quickly blinked beyond them into the halls where they had left their rod of silence to stop him calling for backup, not expecting him to be able to escape so easily. Aurus fled into the main chamber and the group pursued.

The battle against Aurus quickly turned to a battle against him and the Tanarukk, a misplaced lightning strike from the warlock travelling up the Tanarukk's arm and destroying the rocks in the ceiling holding him in place. An arm free the battle became deadly, with Torden and Buckles attacking the creature and Charming trying to protect them, one of Aurus' own guards was annihilated by the creature that flailed its chain bindings like a whip. A moment where the orcs grabbed hold of Aurus through their cages seemed to be a turning point, but the demon-infused warlock had unexpected strength, releasing himself and then blinking to an upper gantry where he approached the Tanarukk.

Placing his hands on the creature Aurus tried to perform some sort of ritual, the creature suddenly stilled by his touch provided the opportunity for Charming to climb the Tanarukk and pull Aurus from his platform. The warlock managed to catch the ledge, the weight of Charming not enough to pry him free, his uncanny strength mustering once more. Torden attempted to climb Charming but a spate of bad luck continued as he injured his ally. Finally a push away off the Tanarukk Charming pried Aurus to the ground, as he backed up to unleash his fury, his misplaced lightning strikes once more went skyward, the loosened rock from the ceiling enough for the Tanarukk to pull free, raining down rock on the group and crushing Aurus. A swift but bloody battle later and the Tanarukk was also slain and the orcs freed.

The orcs informed the group that Aurus had taken a demon into himself and was impregnating the orc women to personally breed his own Tanarukk subservient to him. Returning to Aurus' chamber the group investigated the source of the noise from the creature the warlock had hidden from them; a baby Tanarukk. Charming slit the creatures throat and took its body, along with a book Aurus had been reading, also cutting the head free from the fallen Tanarukk and looking upon Auru's body for something that The Inquisitiors may be able to identify him from.

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