Chapter 1: A Wizard's Amulet

Nebbleshuven listens carefully to the debate, but offers no comment. After the incident with the evil badger-headed stags, he would prefer to defer to others for the moment.

Faionn gives a small sigh listening to the others bicker. She is quickly losing respect for this young wizard who thinks he knows everything. Even when he assures Ryenne that the lich cannot be, it sounds like he's assuring himself. And what of the very real wizard likely pursuing us right now? How powerful is he?

She addresses the party. "While I must agree with Ryenne—even a living master of the arcane cannot be underestimated—arguing here can do us no good. Let us escape to Fairhill while we can, then see what can be done about this Feriblan and his apprentice." Then she adds, hopefully, "It may not have to come to life or death."

Ryenne nods, ending her part in the affair. They know her thought on the matter. And yet, even as she protests, she knows that she is duty bound to seek out a Lich, if one exists.

Not merely to throw herself uselessly against it and die pointlessly. Rather, to summon an order down on the place to have it cleansed.

The Wizard's Amulet
Grand Duchy of Reme
Somewhere on the Tradeway
Mid summer
Late in the night

At the urging of several party-members, the wizard and his retinue continue traveling through the night. It is hard to see where you go, and the flickering light from the torches reveal shadows hiding behind every tree at the roadside. Some hours pass, and the muscles in your legs are screaming for reprieve. You watch as Galdar, who took the lead, stops and turns. He looks as though he is about to say something, when suddenly the a droning sound comes from the treeline. Three small, feathered, bat-winged anteaters, each with a vicious-looking proboscis, fly from the forest in your direction. Stirges! You know that they think you easy prey, and all they desire... is your blood!



First Round of Combat
Combat Order
Stirges
Party

Before you can react, the creatures fly towards their targets and attempt to latch on. Faionn is able to defend herself from the probing needle, but Galdar and Nebbleshuven are not so lucky. The proboscis of a stirge is sharp and strong enough to punch through armor, and it does just that. Both of the victims feel the needles stab through their armor and skin, as the enemies begin sucking out as much blood as they can get.

"Hold still, man!" Ryenne calls, as the man tries to stab the thing with his dagger! She lines herself up to smash down at the stirge where her blow won’t follow through into the man.

Datura whips out her bow and with her keen night vision fires two arrows; one at the stirge sucking on Nebbleshuven and one at the nasty on Galdar...

Faionn, frozen in surprise, barely deflects a proboscis by bashing it away with her spear. Seeing the other stirges plunge themselves into Nebble and Galdar, she thrusts her spear into the one attached to Nebble (obviously running the spear next to rather than through him).

"I'll smash you to pulp, you filthy vermin!" Monaghan cries, slapping at the stirge attached to Nebbs with the flat of his blade.

Nebbleshuven feels as the stirge is knocked from his body, and can see in the torchlight as his own blood leaks from the smashed creature. He feels rather light-headed from the significant blood loss, but manages to stay on his feet. Olaf lumbers forward and strikes at the stirge draining Galdar. It had already taken an arrow from Datura but had continued feasting; however, the mighty blow smites the creature and destroys any hopes of it ever feeling full. Galdar then takes to the final stirge, hoping to cut it from the air, but finds his attacks dodged. A few words of arcane from Corian lead to a bolt of energy flying from his fingertip, and that very bolt smashes into the final stirge and knocks the flight and life from it.

End of Combat

The three assaulting stirges lie dead upon the ground, and you have all survived. The evening is upon you, and there has been no sign of that damned raven. Corian suggests that you find a site to camp near here, as Nebbleshuven doesn't look so good.

Datura recovers what arrows she can with glee. The stirge attack had been more exciting than anything else she had witnessed in the last week!

Nebbleshuven does his best to express his gratitude. Thank... you... all.. for... saving... my life. He rests, nearly exhausted from the effort.