03: The Lord of Lance Rock

   

Imdarr Relvaunder

As darkness settled, the adventurers returned to Red Larch, deciding to rest before continuing their investigations. Morning, however, brought a new challenge: a fierce wind that made walking difficult and sent unsecured objects tumbling through the streets. Braving the gusts, Bessok was met by Imdarr Relvaunder, a cleric from the Allfaith's Shrine and a fellow member of the Order of the Gauntlet. Imdarr implored Bessok to gather his companions to deal with the supposed "plague" at Lance Rock. It wasn't a plague, he revealed, but a necromancer they'd been hunting, and a reward of one hundred gold pieces awaited his "removal."

Aerego Bethunder

For the moment, the group focused on their existing mysteries. Bessok sought out Aerego Bethunder, the man Joe had heard about previously. Their conversation was unremarkable, with no mention of the masked men, the "meetings," or anything pressing. Perhaps they'd return to him later. However, their persistence paid off as they successfully tracked the masked men to Mother Yolantha's Boarding House. As the men sat around a table, Rowan positioned himself inside, observing and listening. His lip-reading ability proved invaluable, allowing him to glean their conversation without needing to hear a word.

The masked men were cautious, avoiding any sensitive discussions in public. Yet, a crucial slip-up occurred when one of them inquired about Rotharr's whereabouts, revealing he had gone missing. With some surveillance underway, the group decided to wait until morning, allowing Gark to prepare his spells for the impending assault on Lance Rock.

Map of the Necromancer's Cave

The next morning, the wind had finally subsided, and the weather returned to normal. The group located Lance Rock and a nearby cave system. A chilling warning, ostensibly from a "Lord of Lance Rock," proclaimed the presence of a plague. Inside the entrance, they found a dead body that horrifyingly reanimated upon their approach, attacking them. Further down the corridor, two more undead perched on a ledge, dropping rocks before descending to engage in combat.

Skeletons

Pressing deeper, they encountered a tighter passage where three more strange zombies, an "undead entertainment group," awaited. As they engaged these foes, skeletons emerged from an opposite cave, rushing directly at Gark. Through clever tactics and strategic positioning, they swiftly dealt with all their attackers.

Spotting two chests in an adjacent area, the group approached cautiously, wary of obvious traps. Their hesitation prompted the Lord of Lance Rock to cry out in despair at their inaction, then cackle as he retreated further into his chamber. As suspected, the chests were empty, and the adventurers continued along the other path.

Here, a gruesome sight awaited them: corpses being dismembered and then re-stitched, some even recognizable faces from Red Larch. Before they could react, another zombie attacked, followed by numerous skeletons from deeper within the cave. The "Lord" commanded his minions to kill, then cowardly fled to hide, hoping his undead army would do his dirty work. During the chaotic battle, Bessok made a startling discovery: the undead showed no interest in him, as if he were one of them. He dropped his shield and began smashing skeletons apart with his Warhammer held in both hands.

Oreioth the Necromancer

With the undead threat neutralized, the group pursued the necromancer, with Gark racing ahead in the form of a Dire Wolf. He found the Lord in a tapestry-covered room dominated by a strange pedestal radiating an ominous aura. A glowing image of an eye, strangely shaped, seemed to watch them wherever they moved. The necromancer proved more resilient than anticipated, draining the life from Gark's Dire Wolf form until it dissipated, reverting him to his Half-Orc self.

By then, the others had caught up, and the battle truly began. The necromancer desperately teleported across the room to target Joe, who was dealing significant damage with his bow, but Joe was too agile. Bessok moved in to heal the wounded ranger, while Gark, now transformed into a bear, charged from one flank, and Rowan attacked from the other. Finding the perfect opening, Rowan delivered a brutal dagger stab that almost severed the necromancer's spine, ending his reign. The "Lord" collapsed, dissolving into a puff of purple smoke that swiftly vanished.

Searching the room, Rowan discovered niches behind the tapestries, filled with various treasures, including a Wand of Magic Missiles. Their task complete, they prepared to return to town to claim their reward.

Back in Red Larch, as they approached the Inn, they found a man tacking a message to the noticeboard. The Mirabar Delegation is missing, the notice declared, urging all able-bodied adventurers to focus on finding them. Further information could be sought from the local Constable or Watch Captain. Without a moment's hesitation, Gark ripped the message down and started heading directly for the Constable's home, eager for the next adventure.