Lost Trails: The Harrowdale Horror: Part 8

[ewancummins]

…Alain is the last to squeeze back through the narrowing portal.

CRUNCH

The way stands shut.

The adventurers, all together again, have a chance to review the findings of their brief expedition to the cross-portal sewer and the street above it:

Inscriptions in the stonework on the far side of the portal appear much like the words incised on the archway of the cellar-alcove, but the far-side cravings refer to ‘The Sanctum in the Southern Woodlands’ as the destination, rather than indicating passage beneath the Darkbringer’s Holy Hill.
An offering of ‘corrupt flesh’ and the right magical passwords and gestures ought to open the portal from that side, at least in theory.

If, as footprints in the cellar suggest, the lady who serves the Darkbringer fled through the portal, she did not leave a clear trail through the sewer. Multiple tunnels and a shaft with a ladder up to a covered exit offer several routes by which the enemy might have fled.

Topside through the trap door, the explorers had little time for questioning locals, but they did at least learn the name of the city: Yulash.

Perielle tells her friends that Yulash has an unwholesome reputation...something about an ancient evil rotting under the city. If only she’d paid more attention to her lessons, she’s sure she’d recall the story.
From what she’s heard, the city is infested with dark cultists, assassins, and spies.

She does recall that some of the refugees who settled here in Harrowdale this summer were from the neighborhood of Yulash, fleeing some sort civil conflict or religious persecution—she’s unsure of details.

After consulting their regional map, quizzing Perielle, considering the information obtained from citizens on the far side, and piecing together what scraps of travel-lore they have picked up since coming to this strange world, the party determines that Yulash lies between 250 and 300 miles NW across a major forest and near the Moonsea. It's near the cities of Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar.

The portal thus makes for a shortcut of over half the remaining distance to Phlan, maybe even two-thirds of the way.

[alhoon]

Raen sighs. "I am not surprised in the least about the reputation of Yulash from what we've seen on the Harrowdale side of the portal.
As usual, this world has more need for heroes than heroes available. Frankly, I believe we should stay on this side for a day to make sure everything is getting back to normal and guard the portal from this side and then inform local authorities about what we have found. They or we should take out the tree-things and try to seal the portal... preferably after we jump through it to save a lot of travel time. "

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

"Perhaps now that the witch has been run off, the plant creatures can be convinced to move on," Klokulf suggests. "Even so, with much of Harrowdale's populace dispersed, it might be difficult to have authority reasserted here."

[alhoon]

Raen turns to Perielle "Is there some kind of remaining authority in these lands where we could take our findings and seek support?"

[ewancummins]

Raen turns to Perielle "Is there some kind of remaining authority in these lands where we could take our findings and seek support?"

The acolyte answers,
''Yes. The rulers led the people to seek shelter in the countryside and nearby towns, from what our fisherman friend told me earlier. That makes perfect sense. We just need to get in touch with another settlement, I think, to get word to the authorities. A pony would be awful handy right about now!''

[alhoon]

Raen turns to Bennedict.
"We have a local member of the clergy to give credence to our words, even if she's an acolyte. I think we should try and contact the authorities. Or some of us should at least while the rest guard this place to make sure the evil doesn't return to clean up the corpses and set up again."

[Lord Skybolt]

"I agree we should leave some members of our group here to guard against the portal being openned again from the otherside and takening up were they may have left off . I for one, volunteer to be one of those to guard against such an occcurance ."Alain says in agreement with Raen .

[RocEter]

"I will travel with the Perielle to the nearest settlement." Clive says.

[kintire]

Kat nods

"I'm happy to stay and guard. Well okay, maybe not HAPPY... but prepared to!"

[alhoon]

Raen seems a bit torn on whether to go to the authorities or stay here.
"I prefer to go to civilization but if I am needed here I will stay." he says. To Benn, he says "You are an articulate person and have the most information about what happened. You should definitely go to the authorities and give your report."

[Adam]

"I can remain here and deal with the portal. The plant men and I have...some sort of rapport established, so if things break down maybe I can avoid any more conflict"

[alhoon]

"True as that may be Bennedict, the plant men are far from here. Your unique rapport and understanding of the situation would be crucial when we try to explain what happened to the authorities."

[ewancummins]

RUINS within HALVAN'S KEEP, ABOVEGROUND

Alain and Katrin prick up their ears at an indistinct noise from someplace in the briars...

The adventurers who go to investigate the sounds soon discover the source: a gang of ten or more vegetable-humanoids entering the central ruins from the south. The creatures take up positions partially concealed behind the broken walls and masses of wild thorns, watching silently with their big black eyes intent on the smallest movements of the human explorers.

[Adam]

"True as that may be Bennedict, the plant men are far from here. Your unique rapport and understanding of the situation would be crucial when we try to explain what happened to the authorities."

Bennedict nods. "That being the case, I can oblige. How sure are you that they're gone?"

[ewancummins]

"True as that may be Bennedict, the plant men are far from here. Your unique rapport and understanding of the situation would be crucial when we try to explain what happened to the authorities."

Bennedict nods. "That being the case, I can oblige. How sure are you that they're gone?"

Presently, it comes to Benn's attention that the plant-humanoids are indeed not gone; at least some of them have drawn quite near the party in the ruins!

Addressing them in a mixture of the common tongue and pantomime, he tries to convince them to cease their hostilities with the local humans and end the occupation of the town.


The others make preparations for travelling to seek the absent authorities or find survivors, or else stand guard over the cellar portal lest the mouth reopen and belch forth some fresh horror...

SIR CLIVE & PERIELLE, afternoon

VIEW CONTENT:

Sir Clive leaves the ruins with Perielle, striking out across the countryside. They encounter a shepherd who tells them which way a large group of refugees had gone several days ago. North.

On the trail of the refugees, Sir Clive and his companion soon run into a patrol of armed men on the road. All the riders wear gray cloaks.
The armed horsemen turn out to be militiamen. They prove quite friendly after their captain, Dalton, recognizes Perielle as an acolyte of the temple of Tymora (his patron goddess, as it happens).

The graycloaks provide extra mounts for Sir Clive and Perielle. The Captain bears a writ from the rulers of Harrowdale, authorizing him to restore order in the evacuated town prior to its eventual reoccupation. Sir Clive's account gives him much more information beyond what his scouts have discovered, for which he seems grateful.
The dozen soldiers in the Captain's band wear acid-browned mail-shirts under their gray cloaks and carry swords and bows. They don't look or act like a bunch of green militiamen--being picked men, no doubt, with experience in hunting down bandits and tracking fugitives, possibly veterans of some war unknown to Sir Clive.
Captain Dalton once refers vaguely to a larger force held in reserve...

...THAT EVENING

Sir Clive has returned to Halvan's Keep leading a big gray horse he didn't have when he left, with Perielle hiking through the woodland path at his rear holding the reins of a chestnut parlrey.
Not far behind, soldiers in gray cloaks march in loose order, their eyes scanning the trees and the ruins.

When Sir Clive leads the cloaked men into the central ruins, the plant-men already have been gone for a couple of hours.

Benn and the others watching the portal have spotted none of the vegetable-savages since those creatures departed, and observed no hint of activity of the portal since their earlier jaunt through it ended.


One of the graycloaks, a tall man with black hair and a square jaw, casts a wary glance about the ruins and then calls out:

"Ho there, adventurers! I am Captain Dalton of the Harrowdale Militia. Come forth and speak with me. Your companions found us on the road and told us of happenings here and of your party's deeds."