Back to a very cold Sequarl in the run up to Yule. Word comes in from Meriad, an outlying settlement in the south west of Sequarl under the stewardship of Grettir’s sister-in-law Sitrin and her husband Vahn, of an attack. Grettir wastes no time in gathering his companions. Paradoxides, Ubaron and Kolgrim summon the Night Wind and between them the three wizards carry Grettir, Wilf and Jason to Meriad to see what is afoot. They arrive within an hour of hearing the tidings. It seems that outlying farms have been subject to a raid by hostile forces. Witches and werewolves are reported. Farms are burning; farmfolk are slain; farmfolk are missing. Vahn has a couple of sledges readied for Grettir and supplies local guides on skis as they set off to the scenes of crime. There they find tracks. Paradoxides powers up a wand and leads the party in pursuit. The local guides stay behind to assist the survivors.
Over the next couple of days they follow the trail. A forest troll tries to interfere with their progress and ends up very dead. The discovery of the half-eaten body of a middle-aged woman, sadly confirms that they are on the right track. They have a strange and inconclusive encounter in the night with a white stag that wanders through their encampment.
The trail leads inexorably to the House of Bagurn. In the days of Empire it had been the seat of a domain adjacent to Sequarl but fell into ruin during the Black Years. Some 17 years past Grettir and his allies had extirpated a powerful orcish warband from the ground floor (House of Bagurn and After – A30). Events conspired to prevent them from further exploring the ruins, but he had returned with Sho, Gadan, Nickar and Eggo the following year (Lair of the Ice Wyrm – B26). They found a dragon sleeping in the basement of the erstwhile Old Imperial stronghold. They slew it and took from it many mighty treasures. Adventurers had returned once more ten years ago, led by Eggo of the Holy Brotherhood. They had discovered yet more hidden levels and fought undead in them (Return to the House of Bagurn – D25). Eggo had even tried to build an Osiran temple and settlement in the substantial ruins, but it proved an impractical venture, especially during the dark years when Oglog was “King” in Itaen. Eggo had given up after some years. Now it seemed it was a lair of witches and werewolves.
They approach the gatehouse, equipped with solid oak double doors – no doubt wrought in Chittagong and transported here at great expense by Eggo. Paradoxides conjures his vorpal blade and reduces them to matchwood. The warriors charge in to be met in the gatehouse by three counter-charging centaurs armoured and armed with fine weapons. This is a surprise – the only previously encountered centaurs had been friendly. The centaurs were difficult opponents but Grettir, Ubaron, Wilf and Jason, with help from the sorcerors, put them down after a fierce struggle. By this time, the centaurs have been joined by an absolute host of wolves, wargs – many with hobgoblin riders – and werewolves. Little threat to the adventurers individually, en masse they threaten to overwhelm with sheer numbers. However, the heroes stand firm, no-one loses their footing; no-one is separated. Eventually the number of slain foe begin to outnumber the living and the wolves retreat to the back of the bailey where they had been fighting. Amongst the wolves they can see a female figure casting runes. Thick mist billows out from her fingers obscuring all from view. The surviving wolves flee out through the unguarded gatehouse as the adventurers press forward. Paradoxides dispels the mist but the witch has disappeared.
Searches reveal the mouth of a tunnel. It is very small but Grettir crawls in nevertheless, dagger in hand. The tunnel becomes narrower and Grettir is forced to wriggle himself out. Ubaron’s cat familiar is sent in to investigate further but the witch is gone.
Paradoxides teleports away to Basi for a pre-arranged rendezvous with Girindor. Meanwhile the rest of the party set about looting the battlefield – the centaurs have some good equipment and there is a score of wolf and warg pelts to be collected. They also discover a cell in which they find three women and a small boy. They have been ill-used but are essentially unharmed. Grettir is pleased that at least some of those snatched may be restored to their families in Meriad.
Paradoxides returns with the shivering elf, translated suddenly from the sultry climes of Basi to the depths of a Northern winter in the coldest year. Someone probably hands him a cloak and he is pressed into service to read the tattoos upon the centaurs, some of which are in elvish. They reveal them to be called: Storm Shadow, Red River and Dancing Axe. The elf helps them explore the ruin. It has been turned over by adventurers several times and lived in for years by Eggo – they find little that is new and of interest. However, they do find what they take to be the witch’s private quarters and secure some personalia (hair) that they believe to be hers. They also find a secret door behind which is a stash of weapons, water and iron rations, which they guess to be a Ranger cache set up during Eggo’s residence. They leave it in place.
Early that night an Ettin – a two headed giant – strolls up to gatehouse and hails it, calling for Cresta. Grettir, Wilf and Jason rush out and surprise it. They want a prisoner so they attack its legs. It goes down and is subdued and dragged into the bailey. With some magical assistance it is interrogated. It has little information but can tell them that it was answering a call to arms for a raid on Sequarl being organised by a witch called Cresta. The magicians go to work on his heads, replacing what little will it has in them with a desire to serve and please them. The elf heals up his legs.
Around midnight, a witch shows up on a broomstick. The elf is on watch and throws a fireseed at her. She flees in an north-eastward direction, leading to speculation that perhaps she lives in Sequarl Town. In the morning they charge the ettin with guarding the place and depart for Meriad. They return the hostages and then ride the wind back to Sequarl Castle in time for the beginning of Yule.
G-9
OE Date: December 694
Characters: Grettir, Ubaron, Wilf, Paradoxides, Jason, Girindor NPCs: Kolgrim
Real World: June 2007; Where: Surbiton
See also Ubaron’s Diaries