Session 1

Date: 1/7/2018

Attending: Jake, Justin, Dave, Aaron, Joey, Wes

Absent: None

Start Time: 7:20 p.m.

The session began with a sharing of tales by each PC, and identifying the items brought. Then we began the game in earnest. The original 11 castaways are:

Soromir – Wes – longsword +1

Khalo – Joey – magic horn

Oranthal – Justin – spellbook

Osbert – Dave – longsword +1

Jace – Aaron – magic figurine

Norris – NPC – prayerbook

Ostar – NPC – spellbook

Ular – NPC – hatchet

Jerek – NPC – sheath knife

Blaine – NPC – sweetcake

Old Jarl – NPC – no item

The dinghy landed on the beach of a modest size island, some 20 miles across and dominated by a volcano and thick coverage of jungle. The beach is soft sand with the occasional large rock here and there. Upon landing the group confers and decides to split into two parties to search for fresh water. There is an argument over who is in what group, with the final rosters being the 5 PCs with Ostar and Norris, and the others in the second group led by Jerek (nominally). Jerek leads his group off to the east along the beach, following the shoreline, both groups agreeing to return to the dinghy by nightfall.

Casting their gaze about, Khalo and Jace notice what appears to be some sort of structure, perhaps a tower, built on the side of the volcano. Soromir notices a path leading into the jungle and the Party heads down it, exploring. After about 15 minutes and a mile or so in they come to two squat carved statues of blocky design, roughly 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide, and between them a Wildman bound to the statues with two ropes. Each rope circles a statue and then is knotted around his wrist suspending him slightly in the air.

Osbert cuts the Wildman free and after some attempts to communicate it is found that he can speak broken Sylvan – which Oranthal also speaks. Questioning him, they discover that his name roughly translates to Born-Under-Red-Sky and that he is a criminal.

This is Demos the Cursed Isle and no Wildman tribe lives here – for it is home to a demon. Criminals are brought and left for the demon to devour, which was to be Born-Under-Red-Sky’s fate. His crime was seeking to learn forbidden knowledge. The Forbidden Isles are made up of six islands situated around a lagoon. The Wildman Tribes live on a cluster of three to the southeast. Born-Under-Red-Sky says that one of the islands is avoided because it is home to a flying lizard, big enough to carry off a whole goat. The westernmost island is also avoided because humans lurk there, burying boxes under sand and hiding in secluded coves. These humans and the Wildmen kill each other whenever encountered.

With Born-Under-Red-Sky’s help the Party finds fresh water and drinks their fill. Khalo and Osbert fashion a crude bucket of sorts out of leaves and sticks with the intent to carry water back to the dinghy. Suddenly they hear a scream from the east. They retrace their steps, harvesting the two pieces of rope from the statues (15’ each). Oranthal examines the ground around the statues and finds a cat-like paw-print the size of a dinner plate. He speculates the “demon” could be a tiger.

Coming back to the dinghy on the beach they see that the other group has returned and turned the boat up on its side, taking cover behind it. Blaine is not with them. Jerek tersely informs them that they followed the beach to the east until it rose and became a cliff. From there they entered the jungle. Half an hour or so later Blaine was suddenly thrown through the air and devoured by something they couldn’t see. Osbert then steps out in front of the dinghy, between it and the jungle and draws his sword. Norris meanwhile whispers that he senses something darkly evil in the jungle.

Osbert, on guard, suddenly sees a paw-print forming in the sand as if a very large cat was stepping out onto the beach – but no cat is seen. The sand then rolls back, as if the unseen paw withdrew into the forest. Soromir, who saw it too, realizes that the “paw” withdrew once it was about to enter the direct sunlight of the beach. A moment later Norris says the presence he felt is gone.

After much discussion the party decides the creature is a hellcat – a beast from hell that is naturally invisible. Khalo is insistent on trying to ambush the beast by laying a trap using hidden vines in the sand. It is the party’s belief that it will not enter sunlight, but will have full run of the beach at night. While many are reluctant it is decided to try Khalo’s plan.

Heading into the jungle to find the vines need for Khalo’s trap, the party sees the reflection of metal deeper in. Exploring they find the entrance to a ruined building. It is partially collapsed, but enterable with some squeezing. Concerned about diminishing daylight, the party returns to the beach, choosing not to take Oranthal’s suggestion of hiding in the building through the night. Jerek, Ular, and Old Jarl retreat out into the surf in the dinghy while the rest of the party waits on the beach.

The party sets a watch. Unbeknownst to all Khalo falls asleep during the first watch – the plan being dependent on him staying awake all night. During Soromir’s watch Ular – having swum in from the dinghy – approaches him and attempts to redirect his attention. Soromir – suspicious – refuses to turn his gaze from Ular, who suddenly and viscously attacks him with his hatchet. As Ular does so he angrily comments that he has heard Soromir’s conversation in the jungle about “leaving Ular for bait” and killing him. Jace is awakened by the fight and wakes up the rest of the group which quickly dispatches Ular. Osbert demands to know what happened. After a brief discussion the watches resume. The rest of the night passes uneventfully.

In the morning, again after discussion, it is decided to return and explore the ruins found on the previous day. Before they head out Jerek expresses discontent that the group does not have a clear leader (himself being the obvious choice). In response Soromir confronts him verbally and lets him know that none of them will listen to Jerek in a leadership role. Without another word Jerek walks off along the beach alone. The rest of the group goes to the building.

On arriving they see that runes are carved around the entrance in what was a spell or ward of some type. Oranthal determines that since the frame around the entrance is cracked whatever spell was in place is no longer active. The party enters.

They come to a hall and a door that is pretty much destroyed by time. Beyond that door in a room they find 4 large centipedes (stat size: medium) that then rush to attack. The hall is tight quarters for a fight and limits the group’s ability to maneuver.  The centipedes do not have the same concern, and climb on the walls and ceiling to attack from above. After a drawn out fight the insects are slain, and the group prepares to continue into the ruins.

End of Session

350 XP