Location:
Turimor

Current Task: Travel to Fenwatch to investigate the loss of communication with the Pelorian temple there.

NPCs Met:

• Turimori Agent

Departure

The moon was climbing into the evening sky as the party makes their way through the winding streets of Turimor towards the docks district. As they approach the docks, they see a cluster of figures huddled at the end of one of the piers standing in a solitary ring of guttering torchlight.

As our heroes make their way down the pier, they recognize the familiar figure of Dayfather Phaeton… and then, another familiar voice calls out caustically “Oh great! This is just what I need!” The swaggering form of Joan Currentrider peers out over the shoulder of the Pelorian father. As the party continues to make their way down the dock, Dayfather Phaeton continues to converse with the river captain, attempting to convince her to once again take on the passengers she has previously stated are nothing but trouble. Emphatic gestures give way to an exchange of additional payment and Joan’s protests subside.

When the group reaches the cluster of people at dock’s end, the Pelorian father greets them. “I understand you are already acquainted with Ms. Currentrider.” He reiterates their mission. Travel to Fenwatch to investigate the break in communication with the temple there. He then bids the party safe journey and excuses himself, disappearing back up the dock into the gloom.

As Phaeton leaves, another figure steps forward. A shadowy figure, his face hidden by the deep cowl of his cloak, pulls our heroes aside, “His Majesty would also like to bid you safe journey, on your mission… I should let you know that, if in your travels, you happen to come across any information linking the rumors of mysterious events in Fenwatch to the prolonged closure of the Cydonic border, there may be some in the Capitol who would be most appreciative to learn of such information. Of course, you are aware of the delicate state of Turimori/Cydonic relations, so your discretion is appreciated.”

The group offers silent acknowledgment that the man’s meaning is understood, and then turns to board the R.V. Black Otter.

Joan barks at her unwanted passengers as she unslips the lines. “Stow yer gear and stay out from underfoot. We’ll reach the far side of the lake by morning.”

Ernie, the nimble halfling mate, scrambles deftly up the mast and unfurls the small craft’s mainsail and the vessel scrapes of the dock before creaking its way out into the inky gloom of the Turimori night.

Arrival in Fenwatch

Dawn creeps slowly over the crags of the Cloud Peaks looming to the East. Its waxing light peels back nights shadow to reveal a tangle of thick, wooded lowlands, backed by rugged foothills.

As the Otter nears the shore, the town of Fenwatch heaves into view nestled along the shoreline. The layout and buildings appear typical of a frontier/border town. Larger structures showing sturdier construction occupy central locations along two main thoroughfares. Smaller, wooden houses, huts and storage buildings fill the in-between spaces and spread out beyond the sturdy center of town. Beyond these, communal gardens and stockyards form a clear buffer between the town and the trees of the surrounding swampland.

From the water, the town appears peaceful in the morning light. A single plume of woodsmoke rises from the center of town in the crisp, spring air. Joan easily pilots the pinnace up to the end of one of the docks and bids the party depart quickly. “I’ll return in three days time to collect a status report. Until then, you’re on your own.”

The group of adventurers disembarks, surveying the town from the end of the dock as Joan pulls her craft carefully back out into the lake.

The dock at Fenwatch (made in Google Sketchup)

The waterfront and visible streets appear deserted, with the exception of a shuffling clatter coming from an overturned stack of crates on the landward end of the dock. As the group begins to move cautiously toward the shore, the source of the rummaging makes itself apparent. A porcine head rises up from behind the crates as a shabby, scarred looking pig steps out to the landward end of the dock.

The party stops at the pig’s appearance and the sow does the same. Something is not right… flecks of foam drip from the pig’s lower jaw and a malicious hunger glows in its eyes. The pig lets out a sudden squeal and charges down the dock towards the party. It lunges for Content Not Found: Rayne-pc, attempting to bowl her over, forcing the rest of the party to beat it into submission. When the aggressive beast is finally dispatched, the party hears an ominous sound carried over the town on the morning breeze. Porcine squeals rise into the air like wolves’ howls, growing louder. Closer.

Thinking quickly, Content Not Found: Daethin-pc orders the group to seek defensive positions in one of the buildings at the far end of the dock. As the group approaches the street, the state of the town becomes more apparent. Windows gape black and vacant, or covered with hastily nailed boards. doorways spew detritus into the street and no living soul is in evidence… except the squeals.

The party heads into an abandoned inn at the nearest street corner and charges up the stairs. They are greeted by another of the foul swine which they had interrupted as it rooted through the inn’s shattered furnishings. They quickly dispatch the beast as the one before and then make hasty attempts to fortify their position. Content Not Found: Santiago-pc and Content Not Found: Piruk-pc dump a pair of empty bed-frames down the inn’s stairway, forming a makeshift barrier before taking up flanking positions at the top of the stairs. In the mean-time, Content Not Found: Daethin-pc readies his bow and takes up a sniping position at a street-side window.

The squeals continue to grow louder, and soon, squat hoary shapes appear down the street, moving quickly toward the party’s refuge. When the onrushing swine pull into range, Content Not Found: Daethin-pc lets fly with a withering barrage of arrows, drawing blood from several of the pigs.

The pigs cram their way through the inn’s front doorway and begin attacking the makeshift barrier. Content Not Found: Rayne-pc, Content Not Found: Eleanor-pc and Content Not Found: Kit-pc let loose with ranged attacks from the top of the stairwell. They manage to drop a number of the oncoming beasts, but eventually the makeshift barrier collapses under their onslaught and the pigs pour up the stairs.

Content Not Found: Santiago-pc and Content Not Found: Piruk-pc are waiting. The dwarf and half-orc lay into the pigs with a vengeance, smashing them back time and again. Content Not Found: Kit-pc leaves the stairwell railing and draws her rapier to lend a hand to the melee, but one of the pigs charges into the rogue, knocking her violently against the wall and sending her sprawling. The offending swine continues to press the attack, and soon it becomes apparent that it is not after Kit herself, but rather something on her person. Soon, it seems to get what it’s after, forcibly tearing the rogues belt pouch from her person and sending the spiderbot tumbling out. Content Not Found: Kit-pc quickly scrambles to her feet and immediately retaliates in an attempt to save her recently acquired construct.

The combined efforts of Content Not Found: Kit-pc, Content Not Found: Santiago-pc and Content Not Found: Piruk-pc eventually manage to rescue the endangered spider-thief and quell the tide of onrushing swine. As the last of the foul pigs is beaten to submission, an eerie silence descends over the inn, broken only by the labored breathing of our heroes and the settling of the failed barrier.