Torchbearer – Cursed Lands
Episode 22
April 7, 2019
*Thump*
Making there way back to the branch-catwalk, they see a big gaping hole in the web underneath where through which they can see the ground below and the shattered remains of the cart.
The group frees Billy from a web cacoon struggling on the wall. A group of roving bandits abducted him to be sole into a travelling circus since they thought he was a child. This group set out and were an attack by another group, and he managed to escape. He lacked food and water for a few days and woke up in complete darkness.
After freeing Billy, they cut open another sack since they could hear a muffled voice – and not just random bark screams form a forests-kith. They met Aldormo the ranger, an elf. They are tall, dark-skinned and pale-haired, their raiment is a knitted vest with a bumblebee, and they are from the north Ash Lands. They are an Ash Lands elf. They grew up there and ranged all over and joined the forest rangers in the South years ago before the elves of the First Forest sealed the gates of their citadel. Now they search for a bow of the leader of the Rangers. They live amongst the trees. After pleading the group his service because they freed them, they all set off downwards.
After looking around a little bit, they made the party made their way down the sloping vines as the spider climbed after them. A little less wary now, as the large man who through it off the tree was no longer present. Rushing the group found itself at the base fo the spiral walkway and ran down the stairs.
They reach the suspended catwalk again, hustling along with it they jumped onto the first platform, and it tilted overthrowing Aldormo and Billy off. Samson helped Billy out, and they pulled Aldormo free since with their 10′ pole.
The spider follows as they descend the rest of the way. They see it coming and lite the now blocked way outside with a torch.
Billy’s break down at the site of his friend’s still body amongst the remains of the shattered cart. Inconsolable, he slumps down and cries into his hands.
Aldormo looks back and challenges the spider waiting in its dark hole to a fight to the death in the name of friendship. All while, Samson carries all the bodies to the edge of the woods straining his back he lies down and tries to meditate it away but such injuries take a toll on the body, and Aldormo summons ethereal ghost bees and challenges the spider to come and get him, all while the spider simply watches from inside the tree hollow.
Korban runs out and collects dark shield with a red star on it. Korben spends little time inside the grisly totem fey ring.
Billy filled with grief, starts to scratch the topsoil off and digs into the soft earth with his hands. He is planning to bury his friend himself. The hole slowly fills with tar that burns Billy’s hands like acid, clouding Billy’s mind with only pain.
Aldormo is observing this, “This looks like it hurts.” Billy frantically scraps the acid off on the mud, Aldromo leans in and says, “We should take your friend and have a proper burial. Preferably without injury. You should stop,” over the screams and whimpers of Billy whose hands have begun to bleed from the acid.
Aldormo begins to drag Billy away from the hole, and once a distance away, Billy pleads through tears, “What do we do now?” While Korben turns and runs off with the shield into the forest. He ran off with Samson yelling after him to come back. His footfalls were the only thing that can be heard cracking in the dark.
Camp starts fine with Billy cooking some Rabbit and Aldormo wandering off and picking wildflowers. Samson dug the grave and buried the bodies of Rasotto the dwarven adventurer and Ludolf and Sledgey, the porters. He marked their graves with the nearest large rocks he could find.
Aldormo took off their holy symbol and left it on the graves as well as flowers that they picked, keeping one and wearing it in their hair. In a haunting voice they begin to sing:
My eyes are dim
I cannot see
I have no specks with me
I have no specks to see.
The sound of the song’s haunting melody captivates Billy, and both Billy and Aldormo’s anger disappears with the last note.
Night falls with Samson’s prayer of a fair journey and for the Breath of the Burning Lord to visit them in their time of need.
Paper, Dice and Plastic 