Session 12 - The Rusted Sentinel and the Fox's Song

Departure from the Hollows

Having bid farewell to the recovering Yarwim and the modest security of the Hollows, the adventurers press southward. The once-vibrant village remains a shadow of its former self, and though Yarwim's establishment has begun to regain some semblance of order, the land itself feels heavy with a lingering unease.

The river serves as their guide, its winding course pulling them into uncharted territory. The landscape transitions from rolling hills to level plains, dotted with patches of wilderness. Each quarter-day is marked by methodical exploration: Hyrne expertly leads the way with the aid of his Pathfinder training, while Torvin’s horse offers sharp eyes to assist in scouting. Aran and Galivan alternate between foraging and keeping watch, and their efforts yield modest spoils of vegetables and fish.

The journey is not without its challenges. Aran’s attempts at fishing leave him wounded when his hook finds his finger instead of a catch, drawing frustrated laughter from the group. Despite this mishap, the supplies begin to build, providing a sense of hard-earned security.

The Towering Obelisk and the Dwarves

The next day brings a strange comfort as the adventurers encounter a colossal obelisk encircled by scaffolding, rising like a beacon in the wilderness. A party of dwarves, led by a silver-throated stone singer named Porisia Silverthroat, greets them cautiously. The dwarves, clad in practical armour and carrying tools of their trade, explain that the obelisk is a marker of their god Huge’s divine presence—a tribute left as the dwarves push outward from their ancestral lands.

Porisia's song resonates through the air, causing the obelisk to glow faintly as the dwarves work to restore and honour it. The adventurers share a communal meal with the dwarves, exchanging stories and learning of another obelisk three days southeast. The dwarves' purpose, though seemingly mundane, carries a reverence that deeply impresses the group.

By morning, the dwarves have vanished, their work complete. The adventurers press onward, invigorated by the encounter.

The Dreadful Rust Knight

On one damp, wind-swept night, their makeshift camp struggles to keep out the chill. The winds carry an acrid scent of burning meat, waking the group to an eerie sensation of foreboding. The ground begins to tremble, and heavy footsteps approach with a metallic clatter and screech.

Emerging from the gloom is a hulking figure clad in rust-black armour, its breastplate adorned with a sigil hammered into the corroded metal. A massive sword, tinged with dried blood, rests at its side. The knight is a nightmare made manifest, motionless yet radiating menace. Torvin alone recognises the sigil as that of the god Rust, but he remains silent, his mind racing with the implications of such an encounter.

The creature makes no move to attack. Its head turns with a grinding sound, observing the group before slowly retreating into the darkness, leaving behind a heavy silence and a lingering sense of dread.

A Boar's Wrath

While foraging near their next camp, Torvin unwittingly disturbs a boar in the underbrush. The beast, massive and enraged, charges with a fury born of instinct. Its tusks batter Torvin, who barely remains standing thanks to his chainmail. The two exchange blows in a frantic melee, with Torvin’s sword eventually finding its mark.

The boar collapses in a final, bloodied heap, leaving Torvin victorious but drained. He drags the beast back to camp, offering its meager remains—a single, usable portion of meat—as a prize for the group’s evening meal.

Grelf, the Singing Fox

The adventurers are startled yet again as a haunting melody drifts across the plains. The song is mournful, with lyrics speaking of purple flowers, hidden tombs, and places where heaven and earth converge. Following the melody, they discover its unlikely source: a fox with intelligent, piercing eyes.

When Aran uses his druidic magic to commune with the creature, the fox responds in a gravelly voice, addressing the entire group. "Who else would it be? Of course, it was me singing," it says. Introducing itself as Grelf, the fox’s demeanor is both charming and unsettling. It accepts the adventurers' offer of stew and insists on staying with them for the night.

The fox exudes an aura of quiet menace that sets Galivan on edge. As the group rests, Grelf murmurs in its sleep about distant lands and arcane wonders, leaving the adventurers wondering whether they had encountered a guardian spirit, a demon, or something entirely beyond their comprehension.

Come morning, Grelf stretches lazily, offers a cryptic farewell, and wanders into the wilderness. Its song picks up again, carried on the wind long after the fox is out of sight.