G131: The Search for Cut Coutelain

The Search for Cut Coutelain

Many centuries from now, the great tomes of history dealing with the years 208-218 (Glantrian reckoning) will describe the Company of Crossed Swords as, "An heroic and puissant mercenary company of men, dwarves, elves, halflings, orcs, etc." But that will only be a part of the story. The Company of Crossed Swords is no less than a band of brothers and sisters. Comrades in arms who hold absolute trust in one another, willing to go to the ends of the earth for a friend in need. And so it was with the Company's own Cut Coutelain, accomplished burrow-boxer well-regarded member of the CoCS, who had been possessed by an alien soul in the bowels of the Chateau de Ambreville.

With a portion of the Company away in the Ouestmarche accompanying Roland, those left on hand sprung into action to pick up the Cut-body's trail, as it has quickly evacuated Glantri City to points south shortly after achieving topside. Emptying their purses, Ja'Tubis and Audrey greased every palm from the docks to the slums with gold leaving no hot tip un-investigated, while Blackjack Dusseldorf spent a halfling's ransom on a triumvirate of guides and accompanying dog sleds. Finally gathering reliable information, the party rushed south from town to town in the hopes of cutting off the Cut-body and its companion-du-jour a dwarf by the name of Uther, an agent of the demi-human separatist group, the White Lanterns.

Whipping the dogs heartily at the urging of the Company, the three guides, Hank Codwallow (halfling), Fortho La Ducette (human), and Bloodoon Riveraven (elf), made excellent time. The party passed through Montserrat and Parfidy at top speed, unwilling to check their breakneck pace for more than a moment. Upon reaching Borbon en Auge however, the abiding Lawfulness of the party compelled them to investigate some strange happenings. The villagers spoke of a man who had recently appeared in the village with an artifact of Seff. Three golden hairs from the head of Seff, said to have the power of being cast as holy javelins to smite enemies of the church. Naturally, Audrey Carcassone desired greatly to lay eyes upon these relics, as she immediately doubted their pedigree. She pounded on the locked doors of the chapel to no answer, until Robert Hazart happened along and Knocked the door open.

The Company of Crossed Swords entered the church and were shortly greeted with a nightmare scene. Villagers, transformed into horrible wall-crawling bogeymen with limbs twisted at maddening angles attacked the party. Audrey and Ja'Tubis called on the power of true gods and drove the monstrosities back, while the rest of the party strove forward behind sharp blades and hails of arrows. Room after room was filled with these horrors until they reached a room containing a clutch of chanting priests. Robert Hazart, outraged, blasted the host with a fireball, and Snickwick Charmed the lonely survivor. The lone priest told of his master, the insidious "Keetan Huul", a being who trucks with fell powers, no doubt beyond his mere mortal understanding. Quickly taking stock of their resources, the party decided that fully taking on Keetan Huul would too greatly distract from their primary objective, and instead opted to warn the villagers and make a return visit to Borbon de Auge on the trip back.

On the fourth day, the Company's guides cut sharply southwest through the hills to gain a day's worth of travel and the party arrived in Erendil shortly thereafter. Blackjack Dusseldorf, eager to test a challenge regarding the quality of ale south of Montserrat, sought out the tavern The Thirsty Beaver. Tensions were running high in the Beaver, as a few questions to the bartender revealed that two rival gangs — the Bootblacks (run by the gravitas-envincing dwarf Knute Fortynson), and the Carrioneers were both striving to be on top in this southern hamlet. More questions yielded the location of a group of bushwhacking halflings to the west, where our heroes quickly repaired.

It was here out in the woods that the Company met 'Rosebriar's Rangers', keepers of the halfling known as "Andore", the erstwhile Cut-body. The party quickly cut a deal with Rosebriar to eliminate either the Bootblacks or the Carrioneers in exchange for their possessed friend. Rosebriar warned them that they were far south of the war's frontlines and that Darokinese patrols roamed the area as well.

Losses/Loot

No treasure was recovered, but each of the 4 PCs received 300xp for enemies defeated and a 100xp bonus for erstwhile roleplaying.

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