Secrets and the Heart of Enstad

Our heroes last time were just engaging in battle with an orc Battleguard sergeant and his watch crew at a checkpoint in the sewers under the once beautiful city of Enstad - now a smoking ruin.

Doctor Holiday called out to the orc, issuing an ancient orcish challenge. The Battleguard was not one to take an insult from a 1/2 breed, so accepted and they fought on the wooden bridge over the misty sewer waters 90' below.
Back and forth the battle went until with a signal the Battleguard ordered his cohorts to attack! A massive ballista fired while archers fired from arrow slits and a large black and gold spider attacked from below. Well-placed spells from Extrano, as well as healing spells by Baris the witch-doctor are timely for the group.
The Fellowship fought on some knocked down but were able to defeat the Black Rune forces. Thograa had the killing blow, a thrown dagger right into the eye of the cowardly Battleguard, about to cut down the Doctor! Some interesting treasure was gained as well. Extrano found Benta - the goblin guide - covered in a mass of spiders tiny to the size of a man's fist. Strangely, in the end they all disappeared INTO his cloak. Not much more was said on this..

Moving onwards through the sewers, the party sees green lanterns lighting the way, and then a massive procession of figures shambling along. After some scouting, they determine that it is a long file of undead and burnt skeletons filing along and the figures don't react to the heroes. Talking to their 'guide' - Benta the goblin - they realize they must travel the same direction as the shambling dead to get to the prison where Cheeta is held. Going back to their ruse of a few guards and prisoners - Cedric, Robin Hood, Kantif and Extrano - they delve deeper.

They come across a a small underground town and more guards. Using their skill of persuasion and deception, they are able to cross a bridge guarded by more Black Runes. There was also discussion of all prisoners having to see the Seer. No one really knew whom/what this Seer was or looked like.One offering a substantial amount of gold for the 'prisoner' Robin Hood. Doctor Holiday carefully declines

and the heroes move onward now walking with the undead procession.
Along the way the green lanterns continue lighting the way. The glazed and dead eyes of the walking dead glow with an internal green light. The Fellowship see a pulsing yellow light ahead, near sunlight in brightness.
Moving forward, the adventurers come into a vast room. Bowl-shaped, massive and many roots - some 15' in diameter - hang from the roof of the chamber. A pulsating sun like force is entwined amongst the most massive roots at the centre of the room. It seems the Black Runes have excavated all around this last tree of Enstad. The Esserial is the source of Enstad's power of nature and the weather, and the Black Runes want it.
High above, the Fellowship look over the edge of a narrow walkway. The dead walk and tumble into the bottom of the bowl-shaped room. Filling it up in a mass of dead and undead writhing limbs and death. Slowly the chamber filled, the clawing hands reaching up for the roots of the final tree of Enstad.
Staying on course they decide to come back here after freeing Cheeta. Moving along the narrow ledge they see a patrol ahead. Deciding to use the 'prisoner' ruse once more. This time though one of the Black Rune dwarves recognize one of the prisoners. Kantif. It seems that the 1/2 elf was not fully open with the Fellowship as the dwarf - a Commander Taeryn Ic Zuln - calls out to the

rogue/monk, seeming to know him well.
The ruse was still working until the Commander ordered the group to hand the wanted 1/2 elf over to him. It seemed Kantif has a bounty on his head.
Battle once again ensued. This Commander Taeryn engaged the group with some well placed spells, lighting bolt, slow and more. Multiple party members down, but in the end the Fellowship were victorious, Commander Taeryn using a misty step spell and escaping them to a possibly worse fate of falling slowly-  feather fall - into the mass of undead writhing below.
The heroes move onward and then came to where Benta told them the once gnomsih inn - now converted into a prison - held all the Black Rune prisoners.
In the passage outside, they encountered an ancient elf woman, just sitting in the passage. seemingly playing a board game. It seemed the elderly elf was actually trying to finish a puzzle but some
invisible force or being kept taking other puzzle pieces off the board as she put them on. A few tidbits of information were gathered from the woman and the group moved onwards up to a double-locked iron door.
The skilled work of Kantif and Thograa in action and the 2 locks were opened. Next time is rescue of Cheeta!

Dragons and a plan for rescue

2 of our heroes were in dire straits, the Weeping Willows Stables was a burning inferno, and the Druid - Baris - and Rogue/Monk - Kantif were still underground. The two were able to scavenge most of their gear, but the main access to the stables now had falling burning timbers, and little chance of escape. Deciding to follow the Black Rune dwarves that had earlier run down one passage, they passed by locked doors. Further and further down they went, following passages and taking turns at T-intersections. A group of Black Runes tried to give chase, but they were able to escape, coming out into the smokey ruins of Enstad in a charred and blackened cellar.

The majority of the party, waited in hiding to see if their 2 companions would escape the conflagration. But this was put to a stop by a massive flying creature. Probably over 30 feet from snout to tail-tip.. a WHITE dragon. Breathing a hailstorm of
cold and frost, the fire was put out at the Weeping Willow stables, but the area was now a snow and ice covered landscape.

Deciding to return towards their steamboat - stuck in the canal, with the once mighty river now a meager trickle. The plan was to try and rescue Cheeta. Surprisingly, both groups had similar thoughts.

By the time they made it to the canal, Doc Holiday, Robin, Cedric, Extrano, and Thograa were tired but stealthily across the canal. A crew of creatures looked to be scrambling over the riverboat. They were able to find a spot to rest

- wine and spirits cellar. While down there, a secret door was found as well as the explosive trap that destroyed most of the bottles and kegs as well.
Battle was heard outside and the group surprised to see Baris and Kantiff engaged in battle with some goblins, and then a flying grey-skinned humanoid man whom rained down magic upon them. Defeating the goblins - one surrendering - the grey-skinned flyer retreated. The group retreated back to the cellar, and rested. They realized the secret door they had found was an entrance to the sewers under Enstad.
After some persuading, the heroes gathered information from the goblin prisoner, willing to guide them underground to the area where Cheeta most likely would be imprisoned.

Traveling the somewhat surprisingly not too smelly sewers, they learned that there was a great deal of work going on underground by the BlackRunes, something to do with the power source that had allowed the Elves of Enstad to control the weather for many miles around the city. The Black Rune leaders were seemingly desperate to take control of this.
The RedWater Fellowship came upon a check point - a rope bridge, multiple guards on the other side and an orc on the near side.
Some clever negotiations looked to be working until the orc saw the very prominent sword that Doc Holiday was carrying. Once owned by a

hero of the BlackRunes. the orc guard did not fall for the fast talking Doc, and battle was engaged!

Until next time..