GM Note, I failed to post Session IV before we played Session V, so rather than Post the 2 Sessions in two installments, I will just post one Session here that contains the events of both the other two sessions....xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Session Begins with the Party approaching the Cave that the old veteran soldier told them about. Studing the ground around the cave mouth the party found bear tracks, while Kelvin who had come to and managed to free himself from his bonds, slipped off and searched the cave before the rest of the party, finding a large stew pot in the fire place with the fire out, but the pot and stew still warm, Kelvin quickly determined that someone was living in the cave which was divided into two rooms, the rear most being much smaller than the outter room.
The rest of the party was preparing to enter the cave when Kelvin walked out of the cave's enterance, the party was surprised to see that Kelvin was not tied to his mount as he had not been missed. Before Kelvin could fully tell of what he had discovered, a large homely woman appeared off to the side away from the party, she called to the party "What are you doing 'round here...?" The party told her basically that they were looking for a place to camp out for the night, Vulpin whom caught up to the party after attending to personal bussiness in Renown, paying praise to Berthamorea's charms while Roland insulted her. Bertha morea demained a price, which Vulpin glady offered her his service's for the night which she accepted....for the good of the party of course!
The party entered the cave and set to unpacking and tending the horses while Vulpin and Berthamorea went together into the "back room" pulling a curtain across the passageway, their making love easily heard....
After a time, Berthamorea asked Vulpin if he was hungery which he was, she kissed him and told him to wait for here and she would get him something to eat...Vulpin layed back and considered the things that he had learned...
Suddenly a Bear appear and quickly attacked Colt, Escolad and Rubix. Escolad was fatally wounded, his dying body thrown against a far wall, Rubix was knocked down and out after a massive fore-paw clawed open his chest, Colt was also badly wounded and knocked down, he managed to drink a potion of Healing and recover somewhat...
Roland and Kelvin joined the fight against the Bear, both recieving minor wounds, Vulpin hearing the fight in the outter "room" of the cave fumbled in the dark and finding his blade charged into batter wearing nothing but a look of determination...
Roland and Kelvin fought the Bear, Roland scoring a hit over the bear's eye with his large knife while Kelvin scored against the Bear's side with his short sword. Tehn Vulpin stabbed the bear from behind, the bear turning towards him while Vulpin looked into the intelligent eyes of the Were-bear Berthamorea knowing it was her, he noted that tears were forming in her eyes....
The Were-bear quickly retreated and left the cave, Escolad dead and the rest of the party wounded to one degree or another.
Rubix came around and starting cleaning Escolad's body for the last journey, while the rest of the party tried to get organized. Kelvin was on guard duty as Findalar the Elf approached the cave calling out that he was a sailor needing shelter for the night, Kelvin allowed Findalar into the cave which seemed to upset Roland who was sweating and looking like he was fighting his own inner demons.
Colt relieved Kelvin on watch while Rubix, Vupin and Findalar prepared Escolad's remains, cleaning it and dressing Escolad in his best clothing. Roland left the cave apparently needing time alone.
After awhile, Rubix, Vulpin and Findalar left the cave a short distance, they gathered wood and placed Escolad's body upon the wood pile, Findalar cast a fire spell and the wood and body quickly began to burn, Rubix begain to play on his flute a sad "Elven Farewell..."
The wind seemed to begin to circle them growing ever tighter until it seemed to lift Escolad's soul out of his body and fly away. A sense of peace and full-fillment touched Rubix, Vulpin and Findalar. They continued to watch Escolad's remains until even the last ash was carried away upon the wind.
Meanwhile, Roland marched back into the cave, sweety, eyes glassy and very distant and unfocused he begin to read out aloud a scroll written in Old Adarian. He said in a deeper voice than his own and with facial expression somehow different than normal, alsomst appearing to be someone else. Roland read... "Once Death Himself has been stared in the Eye, only then can you summon and control the denizens of Death's darkly curtained halls. Then can you hope to open the Gate without fear and without that loathing of the spirit that slays the man." Kelvin and Colt were still in the cave and heard Roland's reading. They also saw Roland's eyes and expression return to normal and his deep frown upon discovering himself to be standing in the cave with the scroll in his hand, looking somewhat confused. They began to carefully study Roland and noticed a heavy (i.e. wide) gold ring with a 10 karrot round cut ruby mounted on it. The ring had mystic and Wolflingham family engravings on it. Kelvin felt a very bad taste in his mouth and a feeling of uncleaness as his head begin to throb while studying Roland's ring.
Kelvin asked Roland about the ring as he rubbed his temples. Roland replied that "The ring is Spoils of War." After some questioning and finding out that the ring was taken from the Enemy Mage that Roland captured and then killed (in Session III) during the battle at the outpost's gate.
Kelvin asked Roland to remove the ring because, "Prince, do you posses the ring or does the ring posses you?"
Roland looked thoughtful, shrugged and then attempted to remove the ring, "Must be stuck."
It was quickly decided that Roland, Kelvin and Colt would go to the stream, soak Roland's finger to make the swelling go down so that the ring could be removed. They left just as a sudden down pour started with the crash of thunder and lightning flashing quite close, one bolt of lightning even landing about 10 yards from the cave's mouth.
At the stream, a lightning flash revealed that the reflection in the stream showed Colt and Kelvin while where Roland's image should have been there was an image of the dead mage who's ring Roland now wore. Roland was mentally stunned by the image and Kelvin decided that the time had come for action, he struck the back of Roland's head in an attempt to knock him out cold. Roland quickly recovered and fastdrew his knife, while Kelvin threw down his short sword and said he didn't want to fight.
Roland cut Kelvin's face badly, the force of the blow knocking Kelvin down, Colt attempted to takedown Roland by throwing him into the stream, but Roland used the hilt of his knife to strike Colt's head and knocked him down cold instead. Kelvin sat up, preparing to continue the fight but passed out due to loss of blood.
Rubix, Vulpin and Findalar had discovered that Berthamorea's stews was made from Elf and they disposed of it, both Rubix and Findalar deeply disturbed about it.
Roland stumbled back to the cave and informed those there that Kelvin and Colt had gone mad and attacked him without warning from behind. Rubix quickly gathered up some rope. Then Roland led Rubix and Vulpin back to the stream while Findalar was left guarding the horses.
Finding the place where Roland believed that he left Kelvin and Colt, the party began searching for the "missing" Kelvin and Coltazar. Vulpin found a large claw mark which Rubix studied and determined it was a large bear's print. Tracking the bear, the party noticed that about 20 yards off to the side, a Bear was pacing them. Roland and Vulpin started approaching the bear while Rubix drew an arrow and waited where he was. The were-bear (which it was) changed back into the form of a nude Berthamorea.
After a short talk in which Roland insulted Berthamorea, and Vulpin moved away from Roland, the Were-bear offered Vulpin a chance to be "like her" and even offered to spare all of Vulpin's friends except for Roland who must die for his insults. Vulpin refused and Rubix shot his arrow at Berthamorea missing, growing angry Berthamorea changed back into her Were-bear form and charged Roland whom stood his ground. Vulpin attempted to move into a flanking position with the thought of attempting a rear attack upon Berthamorea.
Berthamorea the Were-bear slamed into and knocked Roland to the ground, Rubix quickly fired another arrow, missing again due mainly to rushing his shot, the combined conditions of partial darkness, the heavy down pour, his bow string become looser and the sundden flashes of lightning...seeing Roland fall, Vulpin abandoned his tactics and charged boldy towards Roland and Berthamorea...
The Were-bear clawed deeply into Roland' chest causing a massive wound and as Roland grew faint from lack of blood he thrust into Berthamorea's temple knocking her out cold as he too passed out from the effort...
Vupin approached Berthamorea with his blade out but could not find it in his heart to slay Berthamorea, instead falling to his knees watching her. Rubix approached, and took Roland's knife, quickly cutting Berthamorea's throat and thus avenging Escolad's death, as the deed was done he said "For my cousin.." Kelvin and Colt having come-to in the down pour heard the fight nearby, they rejoined the party....Findalar is guarding the horses and Jasper (Roland's young servant) perhaps being the most sensible of all, sleeps quietly forgotten in a corner of the cave, warm dry and snug...
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Next session will begin with most of the party badly wounded, very fatigued and gathered a short distance fron the Cave of the Were-bear's Lair in the middle of the pouring rain of a major thunderstorm, trying to decide if they should cut off Crown Prince Roland's left ring finger (the one with the magical ring the Crown Prince currently wears as loot)...or what they should do about it...
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