Session 008 - The Swamp

## Desnus 26, 4724, Day 23

The group has taken the last three days to rest, recuperate, and prepare for their upcoming journey to the swamps around `Cordelon` to investigate their strange dream many days earlier.
On the first day, they learn how Opalneria joined the Disciples of the Damned after `Varrick`, the original guild leader, took her in after her family had been killed by a cult.
Years later, she would narrowly avoid death with the rest of the guild when she stayed back sick while everyone else went to investigate cult activity.
She would then begin rebuilding the guild by recruiting Ivan and Amoretta.
The disciples would leave later that day for Cordelon.
By the third day, The Austere was struck by inspiration and not only recreated Avoh but improved him.
-# .

When everyone is ready, the party decides to purchase tickets for a riverboat headed North to help them catch up with their friends sooner.
On the trip, the boat is attacked by multiple boggards and a water drake.
They succeed in killing all but one boggard and severely wounding the drake, driving them away, but not before some of the other passengers were slain.
-# .

They arrive safely at the Pathfinder branch of `Gray Falls Lodge` spending the night in safety.
They learn that the forest just north of the lodge is extremely dangerous due to Fey influence and that the leader of this branch has gone on an expedition into it due to their fascination with the first world.
As such, they have no quests the party can take but do offer information on the Disciples since they had been there somewhat recently.
After learning that the Disciples had left for the swamps some time ago, the party sets off after them.
-# .

They travel west for several days and at one point find a would-be adventurer being harassed from multiple kobolds.
The group learns that the man had stolen food from the kobolds and refuses to return it.
Athe offers the kobolds some waffles to settle the dispute peacefully and they agree.
With the conflict avoided, they proceed on the journey.
-# .

As night begins to fall, the party find and travels together with the Disciples of the Damned through the beginning of the swamp.
They find Zogla bound and dragged along by an Ogre in the company of Boggards.
They rush to attack the creatures, rescuing Zogla and learning that `Zahir`, her brother, and some other villagers have been have been abducted.
-# .

They all hurry further into the swamp and find the villagers bound to trees while more boggards perform some ritual.
The ritual completes as they draw closer and the water drake they fought previously appears, consuming the boggards and growing in strength before charging at the party.
It is quickly slain and the villagers are freed from the binds.
While Zogla, Zahir, and the other villagers return to safety, the group takes a short break to bandage their wounds.
-# .

The adventurers proceed further into the swamp, finding the house from their dreams, and proceed inside to investigate.
The interior is forboding and they are unable to find any solid clues about the people in their dreams.
Before they leave, a magical rift opens amongst them and all but Opalneria are sucked in.
-# .

Athe, Kat, Thaniel, and The Austere find themselves in a strange world inhabited by shadows and separated from Ivan and Amoretta.
With nowhere to go but forward, they explore the world as it builds itself around them with each step.
They come upon a large structure of exquisite design that is intersected regularly by disconcerting barriers of shadow, preventing them from seeing beyond each veil.
They find themselves capable of crossing through the divides with no harm and continue exploring until crossing one such shadow has them in immediate free fall in a void.
-# .

They spot a few distortions of light they are approaching and manage to enter one upon getting close enough.
They find themselves transported to a small island featuring a large lighthouse.
Upon the shore, they find two elves speaking to each other.
The elvish woman is confused at their appearance when they ask for help and the elvish man's form shifts into something more monstrous and unsettling.
As before, they suddenly find themselves falling in the void once again.
They find the next distortion and approach once more.
-# .

They find themselves within a large and decorated estate.
They explore further, noticing a distinct lack of life and Kat eventually recognizes the place as her family home.
Further exploration brings them to a large room filled with well-dressed shades conversing for what appears to be some banquet.
It is here that Kat recognizes this scene as the party for her eighteenth birthday.
Like clockwork, a shade with far more distinct features she recognizes as her father calls for attention among the party goers.
The group watch silent as he thanks them for attending and announces Kat's betrothal with a man of another house.
-# .

The rest of the scene plays quickly and the party find themselves following the shade of Kat to her father's study.
The ensuing argument plays just as Kat remembers, still enraged by the words her father had used to dismiss her disagreement.
However, the scene did not end as it should when have her shade left the room but instead continued with her return and prompt agreement to the wedding.
As the party could feel the familiar sensation of being transported once again, the copy of Kat locked eyes with the original and smiled.
-# .

The group now found themselves among the snow-covered market stalls of some town at night.
Walking through the streets, they find a strange creature feasting on their confusion that refuses to answer their questions.
As they decide to go on their way, the creature that had seen transform from an elvish man appears amongst.
Realizing they are not in a position to fight the thing, they run through the streets and further out into the snowy waste.
-# .

The elvish woman they had seen before eventually appears before them before opening a portal and urging them to enter.
With no other options, the group sprint their way through the snow and ice before charging through the portal as a group.
The party emerges from the portal back into the house of the swamp before closing.
Opalneria stands before them and rushes to hug them.
They learn from her that they've been gone for two weeks and she has been waiting for them all this time.
However, her smile fades with her next question: where is Ivan and Amoretta?
-# .

## Sarenith 13, 4724