Present

• Presto the Wizard
• Erdudfyl the Ranger
• Rhys the Fighter
• Adhamh, changeling follower from Eglantine Grove.

Missing in Action

Tristan (“the poxy Bard”) the Bard; Shank (a very private person) the Thief; Áron the changeling follower;

Killed in Action (so far)

Elvira the Troublesome; Torg the Fearsome

Background

Play starts in the village of Ruiger Moor in Cantref Mawr

Ifan the Black, Bandit with a Bounty on his head
Wanted for banditry, slaughter, and crimes against the gods.
Ifan is new to the area, increasingly infamous.
Presto knows of a magical treasure, defended by an unnatural threat.
Rumors of the undead coming from the hills to the west. (“West” is western side of Cantref Elfael)
Undead are known to fear the sun. Some may lair underground, some may lair in dense wilderness.

The Druid Elspeth has a simple proposal for Erdudfyl. Journey to the village of Ruiger Moor, which has cut off contact with the grove for more than a week. Find out what curse afflicts the town, and if possible, resolve it. For this, the group will receive the favor of the Druids of Eglantine Grove. As assistance, two of the changeling youths (Áron and Adhamh) will provide guidance and assistance.

Erdudfyl and Presto decide to head back to the village now to avoid being caught out in the dark, leaving the remaining areas of the tomb for later investigation. One the way back, they meet Rhys the Fighter (no relation to Sergeant Rhys of the Ruiger village militia), a landborn peasant with a secret, looking to make a new life for himself. He’s quickly “adopted” into the group, as Presto and Erdudfyl can use all the help they can get.

Play

Day 16, Sunset, Spring Season (the Budding new moon +2), Year of Empire 2375
Weather Forecast: Overcast skies, moderate wind, intermittent fog

Erdudfyl, Presto, Rhys and Adhamh are tromping through the Ruiger Valley, returning to the village from the site of Queen Eimhear’s tomb. Given the rapidly descending sun (cue: accelerated video of a sunset in the mountains), Erdudfyl recommends taking a shortcut through the boggy central valley. Increased risk, increased reward of getting to safety quickly if succesful.

Goodness, is Erdudfyl unsuccessful. The party is still among the mire and detached islands of sphagnum when it’s dark enough for the haunting green lights of foxfire begin bubbling up from the beneath the surface. A short while later, with the party nearly in a flat out run, a crash of unearthly thunder (sans lightning), and a massive explosion of mud, dirt, moss, and water. The spectral figure of a mounted horseman stands atop the trackless mire, wizened skin and primitive bronze armor. It leaps into combat immediately. Erudfyl stands her ground, launching volley after volley of iron tipped arrows at the creature, to little effect. Rhys attempts to protect Presto, with the end result of both going ass over teakettle into the slowly closing rift the horseman emerged from. By they time they emerge, Presto’s spellbook is waterlogged and damaged, and it transpires that while the bog-wight is immune to piercing weapons (at the least), she has no special defense against the magic of wizards. Or the witch-cursed troll arms of the young Fighter Rhys.

The armor and apparently accursed (frost forms along the blade, cold enough to shiver those holding the pommel) weapons of the wight are kept for trophies.