Scenario H - The Dormitory

A week ago, one of your fellow rangers stumbled into camp, escorting a Lorenthian survivor she had rescued from a troop of Hu-Mans in the Jungle Deep. During their debriefing, they mentioned seeing the ruins of the Convent of St. Emilia, once a great house of healing in Lorenthia. It is said that the nuns never turned away anyone that came to them in sickness, and that they were aided in their mission through the possession of a powerful magic artefact, the Decanter of St. Emilia, also known as the Decanter of Burning Light. 

Water poured from this silver decanter onto a wound would wash it free of any infection, poison, or other corruption. The ranger didn’t approach the convent but, from what she could tell, the place appeared abandoned. The walls were cracked, and several of the towers had collapsed. Soon afterwards, you were summoned by your captains. They explained the situation and tasked you to venture into the Jungle Deep, make your way to the ruins, and, if possible, find the Decanter of St. Emilia. Such healing powers could save many lives and prove a huge advantage in the ongoing war. Gathering your companions, and what gear you need, you set off. You took the path known as the shattered stairs and descended into the Deep, slowly making your way through the boggy terrain that stretched out before you. Following a map provided by your captains, you carried on until the land finally dried into a barren, rocky, jungle-covered expanse. You spent your nights sleeping in ditches and shallow caves, and your days dodging patrols of Hu-Mans and other foul creatures, eating meals of dried rations and whatever babelushga could be caught.

Thankfully, the map noted a couple of freshwater pools where you could replenish. After nearly eight days of travel, you caught your first glimpse of the convent. Its ruins stood at the top of a rocky escarpment, visible from miles around, even in the perpetual gloom. Conscious that anyone in the convent had a great vantage point to see you coming, you took your time approaching, flitting from rock to rock, always staying in the shadows. Finally, you reached the walls…

Scenario H - The Dormitory

The staircase leading up from this side of the hospital has partially collapsed, forcing you to step carefully, and even climb along the wall for a short distance. When you finally reach the top, you see that the destruction is even greater than it appeared from below. A series of three large holes in the floor has nearly cut the room in half, except for a few precarious walkways. Broken beds line what is left of the walls, while on the far side, a row of chests is pressed up against the back wall. Large webs stretch across the ceiling and in most of the corners, making it clear that the giant spiders from the hospital have also taken up residence here...

The nuns were obviously interrupted in the middle of supper...

The company climbed nimbly up the broken stairs, only Pattashin, hindered by the weight of his shell (and perhaps having smoked one cigar too many ?) being delayed.

Keila led the way along the southern walkway, trailed by Akriss.  To the north went Bohwihsh, screened by his Battle Ram, and Akriss' Cobra, for the way would be winding.  The Twins and Katniss provided covering fire.

The first wave of giant spiders was quickly dealt with, when, no doubt sensing the heroes presence, a tortured soul arose from amongst the wreckage.  The Twins decided to tuck away their crossbows to bring peace to this nun with a haunted face and her melancholy, chilling wail.  This left the Battle Ram in difficulty, and after a bite from a Giant Spider, the poor creature, betrayed by its limp leg, tumbled into one of the holes.  Its fall was thankfully cushioned by the impenetrable tangle of webs below.

A giant wolf now materialised as if out of nowhere, perhaps feeding on a corpse hidden by the chests.  Akriss uttered something in the hissing sibylline tongue of his people, and the gigantic animal was forced to slow.  This allowed Katniss to steady her aim and put an arrow right through it.

Good progress was being made on the southern walkway, with Keila within striking distance of the chests.  The earth chose that moment to shake - was it truly a coincidence ? - detaching huge lumps of plaster from the ceiling, and a few crossbeams.  Smashing into the chaos below, they failed however to topple any of the agile heroes over the edge.

Pattashin had by now waded into the mass of spiders in the west of the dormitory, to keep them from pursuing Bohwihsh, who was edging along the northern wall toward his target.  He took however two nasty bites.  To make matters worse, as The Twins ran to assist him, an aftershake toppled them over the edge, unharmed but out of the action.

Pattashin in trouble...

Help was over coming.  Keila discovered a beautifully painted icon, which Akriss recognised as St. Doneera, the warrior priestess, right hand of Saint Emilia.  To his astonishment, the icon began to glow, and from it flowed a mist that coalesced into a gold-tinted manifestation of St. Doneera herself, come to aid the heroes against the Jungle Deep !

 

St. Doneera glides across the ruined room

Too late for Pattashin however, who despite timely assistance from Akriss' cobra, succumbed to a third bite.  As Akriss and Keila picked their way back along the southern walkway - the Ranger hoping to arrive in time to Heal his companion - that very walkway sudddenly collapsed, no doubt under the weight of the beams and plaster that were still falling from the roof.  If both Akriss and Keila managed to find a handhold, Katniss was tipped over the edge.

His hands trembling at the thought that the same thing might happen to the fragile floor on which he stood, Bohwihsh fumbled with the lock on the first chest, but got it open.  Inside he found a grotesquely shaped statue, and tucked it into his pocket.  As the hairy legs of a giant spider squeezed through an unseen hole in the floor behind him, he went on to throw open the last chest, finding, underneath the clutter of everyday life, a richly illustrated book, apparently of poems.

The heroes had not, however, reached the end of their trial, for a Shadow Knight had coalesced behind the platform from which the Abbess used to adress the assembled nuns, to bless their meal.  The Ranger was intrigued by this portent, and rather than dropping over the edge into the mass of webs to escape, moved instead to engage the fearsome foe.

As their blades clashed together, the Shadow Knight...disappeared in a whiff of blue, foul-smelling mist.  Strange indeed.... 

The dormitory thoroughly explored, some useful clues gathered and a new companion - none less than St Doneera - at their side, the Rangers of Alladore took stock and discussed what to do next.  Bohwihsh brought his findings to Akriss, and they turned out to be interesting indeed.  The idol was a statue of Balshetot, a bloodthirsty northern god.  What was a nun - or perhaps a group of nuns ? - of St. Emilia doing with such an object ?  As to the book, Akriss realised that its collection of poems actually included words of healing magic within their verses.

 

Par for the course, Akriss' magical cobra was dropped, but it took little effort to regenerate it (again !).  As for Pattashin, once the spider venom was worked out of his system, he proved his reputation for toughness.  Some skilful wound dressing by Keila completed Akriss' healing spell, bringing the armadillo back to full health..

The mission "Burning Light" has its own special rules for recovering health (and we presume that a figure reduced to 0 Health also follows them).  After a quick rest, most of the company were back to, or close to, full strength,

We use our house rules for XP acquisition for Rangers and PPs for Companions.

The Twins and their companions slew 4 Giant Spiders, and also released a Tortured Soul, no mean feat. Both Keila and Bohwihsh found some interesting items in the chests the explored, which we had decided to count as individual gains.  All this brings (48 x 2) = 96 XP, there are no shared XP from this scenario.  The Twins are now at 878 XP, reaching Level 7 and gaining +10 BRP.  They retain all their spells.

Akriss and his companions took out 4 Giant Spiders and a Wolf.  To boot, it was Akriss who brought forth the manifestation of St Doneera from the icon.  All this means a total of (20 x 2) = 40 XP.  With 685 XP, Akriss has at last reached Level 6.  His stamina improves (+1 Health).  He decides to swap out Fireball, which has proven consistently ineffective, for Teleport.

All Companions gain 2 PP, except for the Cobra and Pattashin (1 PP).  Katniss gained another 1 PP (for two spiders and a wolf), Keila 3 PP (for a chest and a spider), and Bohwihsh 3 PP (for two chests and two spiders).

This brings Keila to Level 3.  She gains +1 in Strength and +3 in Read Runes [we change +4 to one skill, to +4 in up to two skills].

All Heroic Abilities and Spells used are regained.

No treasure was found during this scenario.

Bohwihsh hands the idol of Balshetot over to Akriss, who decides to keep it on him despite the penalty to his Will.  After Akriss explains to him the contents of the book, the squirrel relunctantly hands it over to the magician, as he cannot use it himself.

Akriss has a spellbook, in which he retains his unused Shield of Light spell.

This is the end of a scenario, so there is no reorganisation.