Into the Wraith Haunt
Session One of the Path Perfidious Campaign

Vítday, 36 Scatterseed 204

By request of a mysterious patron, Grossmor – guildsman of Northmeet – consults the logs of the Guild of Adventurers to discover a number of individuals prepared to embark on a potentially suicidal mission. After due consideration he summons Salamar Russ, Jass, Jedidiah de Chesiré, Bronx, Blackjack and the monk, Brother Kak to his comfortable inn, The Rounded Pheasant. The group had not met one another before this day, and eye each other suspiciously as they listen to the early morning bustle of weary servants.

Grossmor, usually cheerful, is quick to get to the point. He and the party assemble around a worn wooden table, and the innkeeper swiftly spells out the nature of their mission: "The job sounds easy enough, but there are a couple of complications that some of you may not be too keen on. Basically, it's a case of a missing person. A gentleman, whose name I can't reveal at this stage, disappeared about a year ago. Evidence has been found that suggests either that he may be may alive, or that some brave souls could find out what happened to him. Your patron needs some competent help to travel with him to where this evidence was found, and follow what clues there are to find this missing man. Problem is that this evidence was apparently found right on the edge of the Wraith Haunt; and the chances are that you're gonna have to go in there. I wouldn't like that. Remuneration is 150 crowns per day divided between each of you, plus a bonus of 2000 crowns if you find out what happened to his man – 5000 if you find him alive and bring him back. Guild takes 10%. Any questions?"

The group's discussion on the matter is brief. Grossmor assures them that their patron is trustworthy, and that once they meet him they will still be able to back out if that is what they wish. The reason for the secrecy is that the patron does not wish the specifics of the mission to be widely known, and if the group flatly refused to go to the Wraith Haunt (and who would blame them?) the veil of secrecy should be preserved. It is soon proved that the group are sufficiently brave or stupid or both, and they agree to the terms laid down before them. Grossmor nods without satisfaction and turns to a doorway that leads into a back room of the inn. "Sir!" he calls.

The man who emerges is known to all the assembled, except Bronx who is more concerned with making sure he has a good meal before he goes anywhere. The group's patron is a man just shy of thirty seasons. He has long flowing blonde hair and his clothing, though plain, is obviously of superior quality. They recognise him as the nobleman Silas Reshen, son and heir of the baronet Sir Jessnic. Silas' good looks, large fortune and lack of a wife make him the most eligible bachelor in Northmeet. He smiles awkwardly at the group, as if he is unused to communicating with individuals of their social station. Grossmor offers the nobleman his seat as he potters off to get some wine. Silas sits and regards the party carefully. When he speaks he addresses Salamar Russ who, as a member of the Watchers on the Cusp of Oblivion, is at least respectable.

"The individual that Mr Grossmor spoke of is my elder brother, Xaldan," Silas begins. "Xaldan had no interest in taking my father's title and joining the court of Duke Colharn. He was a wizard who dedicated much of his life to opposing and destroying the undead." Salamar points out that this as a noble aim, and Silas continues. "I don't know where this obsession came from, but he would not rest in this quest of him. In the Late Harvest of last year he hired a group of mercenaries and left for the Wraith Haunt. There hadn't been much activity around it in about a year so he thought that he would be safe. He hoped to obtain some component there for a powerful spell he was working on – I'm afraid I don't know anything about arcane magic, so I can't tell you anything specific about it. In short, Xaldan never returned. My father and brother had not seen eye-to-eye for years. Sir Jessnic could not understand why Xaldan did not want to take his rightful place. Xaldan was always his favourite, and my father would have moved mountains to avoid handing the title to me. When Xaldan didn't return to the Wraith Haunt a part of my father died. He has never been the same since then. Once he was hearty, now he is frail."

"Two days ago, this came into my possession," Silas fishes a ring out of his pocket and places it on the table. The ring is heavy and probably worth quite a bit. It is made of gold and the Reshen family crest (a black hawk on a red background) is set into it. The ring seems strangely tarnished, however, as if it has spent time in a strong acid. Inside the ring, scratched into the surface are two words that can roughly be made out as saying 'help me.' The group passes the ring between them and return it to Silas. "It was found a few weeks ago by a woodsman called Custar Merry. He comes from the village of Garwood which is right on the edge of the Wraith Haunt. He brought the ring to Northmeet and sold it to a trader. The trader sold it to a man who recognised our symbol and brought the ring to me. Now I am bringing it to you. Although my father could furnish me with men and horses enough for this mission, I want to act without him knowing. I cannot afford to get his hopes up. To lose Xaldan for a second time would kill him."

The group continue to question Silas. He says that he and his brother were on good terms but they drifted apart in the last seasons before his disappearance. There is no room or home of Xaldan that they can check as the wizard did not live in the Reshen home for many seasons before he vanished. Silas would prefer that the group did not go to his home for fear of alerting his father as to what is going on.

Silas makes it clear that he would like to leave as soon as possible. If they can head out of Northmeet within the next couple of hours, they should be at Garwood by dusk tomorrow. He knows that it's been a long time since Xaldan's disappearance, but now that he has something to do, he feels the passing of time most keenly. Silas will provide horses for those party members who want one (Jedidiah and Kak decline). Bronx says that he has to eat before he goes. Silas nods and says that is fine and asks Grossmor to give the party what they want and he will foot the bill. Jass asks for a room where he can meditate for an hour. Grossmor agrees as he goes to find some roast beef, pork and pheasant for the barbarian. Blackjack disappears to find a small group of women of suitably loose morals to entertain him for a little while. Salamar also says that he has things to do, and will return as soon as he can, although he cannot promise to be within the hour. Silas says that they will wait for him and leaves to obtain horses for the group.

Salamar goes to the Temple of the Watchers in the city of Northmeet, where he meets with the Necros Selvin. Salamar tells Selvin of his mission and asks about the Wraith Haunt and about Xaldan. Selvin confirms what Silas said about the Wraith Haunt having been quiet for some time, but doesn't know anything about Xaldan other than the fact that he vanished. He offers to ask the archnecrotain, Varamil. Salamar is grateful and waits patiently.

After a few minutes Salamar is summoned to the office of the archnecrotain, buried deep beneath the temple. Varamil is younger than Salamar, but seems affable enough with the old man. He offers the necros a seat and listens intently to the mission that Salamar is about to embark upon. Varamil explains that there is much evil in the world, and that the Wraith Haunt is chock full of the undead. There aren't enough Watchers to purge the place, so they do their best to contain it. Many in the church believe their efforts have been successful, as there has been very little activity beyond the borders of the wood in the last two years. Varamil is not so optimistic. He believes that something is brewing within it. He does not know what it might be, but is of the unshakeable conviction that the last two years are the calm before the storm. As for Xaldan, Varamil knows that the wizard came to the Watchers more than a year ago. The Watchers knew that he was sincere in his dedication to the destruction of the undead and decided to train him to fight them. One more crusader on their side being a good a thing. Xaldan had no interest in becoming a priest, choosing to follow the arcane path. Some of the mercenaries that went with Xaldan to the Wraith Haunt were Watchers from this church. Although search parties were sent out no sign was ever seen of them again. The spell that Xaldan was working on was a magic that would dislocate an undead from the negative plane, thus eliminating many of its nastier powers such as the ability to drain life energy. Varamil thanks Salamar from stopping by, wishes him luck and asks him to return when his quest is over to inform him what he has found. The archnecrotain gives Salamar a dozen bottles of holy darkness to help him better fight the undead.

By the time Salamar returns, Silas and the rest of the party are saddled up and ready for the off. Bronx is complaining that he has eaten too much, and that he is far too sick to ride anywhere. No one believes him, but they are forced to revive the opinion when he is violently ill over his horse's head before they even reach the city gate. Silas gives the barbarian a disparaging look and wonders if Grossmor had selected the right party for this job. In total there are seven of them. Jedidiah astride his riding dog, Rover; brother Kak on foot and strolling along faster than the horses thanks to his mystic training and magic boots; and Silas and the others on horseback.

Leaving Northmeet they join the North Timberlake Road. Silas explains that they have the rest of the day on the road and will stop when they reach an appropriate waystation. There will be a track to the north which should take them to Garwood. Silas has never been to the place, of course, but he has a map and is reasonably sure that he can find it. The nobleman is obviously expecting trouble and is clad in half-plate armour that has been polished to such a shine that he is in danger of blinding his companions.

The first day's joinery is relatively uneventful. The group talk in an effort to get to know each other. Salamar is keen to learn the religious beliefs of the rest of his companions, although the line of enquiry is cut short by Bronx's affirmation that he has no time for gods. "I am a god," he says. Combined with his over indulgence and truly astounding ability to projectile vomit, Silas is fast rethinking his decision to bring the barbarian along. However, he chooses not to show his displeasure, or indeed to say very of anything as day draws on. Silas is obviously not used to associating with the common-types such as the party and, although he is doing his best to remain polite, it is evident that he is uncomfortable amongst them.

Bronx has recovered from his bout of illness and is now eyeing Jedidiah's riding-dog, Rover, with a growing appetite. The bard, Blackjack, says that he will happily get the dog for Bronx for the right price. Bronx says that he doesn't understand money, at which point Blackjacks' ears prick up like a wolf eyeing a four-hour-old lamb and he smiles discreetly. Perhaps it would be best, Blackjack argues, if Bronx gave him all the money he made on this mission for safe-keeping. That way Blackjack could buy stuff for Bronx and get the better price. Bronx agrees, but says that he wants much more than just a dog. Bronx has a dream – he wants trees. For reasons, best known only to him, Bronx appears to be the world's first tree-living barbarian and he misses his arboreal home. Bronx wants Blackjack to get him a tree and a dog, and some cows to eat. Will his share of the money be enough? Blackjack nods and with suspicious honesty says that he will have to haggle, but there should be no problem.

Just before dusk, the party reach a Sharrashan waystation placed on the road by the Odyssian Church. After donating a little of their water to the shrine of Sharrash at the back of the tower, the group settle down for what turns out to be an uneventful night. Silas assures them that shortly after dawn tomorrow they will turn north into the woodland that borders the North Timberlake Road. By dusk they should reach Garwood – at that stage they will be only a mile away from the southern-most border of the Wraith Haunt.

Terday, 37 Scatterseed 204

Their progress is true to Silas' word, and by lunchtime the group are far to the north and deep into woodland. They travel along a worn and rutted track down which timber is dragged from Garwood to the village of Oakholme and to Northmeet. As they press on, however, it becomes apparent that something is very wrong. Brother Kak, bounding ahead of the party and striking his large simian forehead on the branches of overhanging trees, is the first to spot the absence of any animal or bird life in the surrounding area. As the rest of the party stop and train their ears to the sound of silence, they agree with the monk that there are no sounds to hear. Jedidiah dismounts Rover and ducks into the undergrowth, blending seamlessly with his surroundings. The hobbit makes a wide circuit around the group to look for any life. A one point he comes to a small stream running through the forest; it is here he discovers that all the insect life has also disappeared. There is no sign of any bodies of creatures, leading the group to assume that they have fled. But what would cause an entire forest to empty of life? The shadow of the Wraith Haunt is chilling.

But they press on regardless, moving further and further into the silent forest. By the look of the track, no heavy traffic has passed over it in the last three weeks. It is the late afternoon before the group comes to an area of cleared forest. A rusting axe is stuck firmly in a tree stump, and the small logging cabin is devoid of life, the door moving harmlessly in the wind. Kak investigates the hut, but discovers little more than some stick furniture and crumbs of food. The group is of a mind to press on to the village before it gets dark, but they are trepidatious about what is to come. Jedidiah volunteers to take Rover through the undergrowth toward Garwood and quietly check out the state of play. Rover seems none too keen with this idea, but the hobbit manages to persuade him and the two head off into a thicket.

They are only about a quarter of a mile from Garwood, and it does not take too long for Jedidiah and steed to bound into the town. It is a small affair, made up of about twenty or thirty wooden cabins. At the centre of town is a larger building, probably a chapel of some sort. As Rover pads silently about the town, it becomes obvious that the town, too, is completely deserted. The people left this place, but they did not leave willingly and they did not leave without a fight. The doors of many of the houses have been kicked in; and there is evidence of fires having been started in parts of the town. Jedidiah has seen enough and spurs Rover out of the town before whatever happened to the villagers of Garwood happens to him.

Less than half an hour later, Jedidiah leads the rest of the party into the village. It is late in the afternoon by this stage, and there is probably less than an hour of daylight left to the group. Cautiously, they split up. Jedidiah and Kak accompany Salamar, as he advances around the town using his holy abilities to sense the presence of the undead. Silas and Jass separately search the houses while Bronx sits himself down under a tree and surveys the scene. Blackjack, thinking that much of the wealth of the town will be in the chapel, heads in that direction, to help rescue any imperilled coins or gemstones.

Investigation the houses reveals terrific claw marks left in the wood by powerful talons, smashed furniture and general destruction. Salamar has detected no sign of the undead, and begins to move out of the village to see if he can locate a graveyard where the dead of Garwood are buried. Blackjack heads into the chapel, which had evidently been consecrated for the Church of the Land. It is a square building with double doors and four low openings in the wall that serve as windows. The altar has been turned over, and more of the furnishings smashed. However, there is movement beneath the altar table. Black shouts for Salamar. The old cleric hears the bard's shouts and returns to the village. He is intercepted, however, by Jass. Believing Jass' voice to be shout he heard Salamar listens to what the sorcerer has to say. Jass explains that he has found tracks on the ground. He's no ranger, but there are many clawed feet, that seem to be leading the villagers and the livestock out of the town. Upon examination Salamar declares that they belong to ghouls, a particularly nasty form of undead that paralyses with at touch. At this point everyone hears Blackjack's cries coming from the chapel, and they rush to his aid.

What Blackjack has discovered is not dangerous, but may be important to their investigations. An old woman lies cowering beneath the altar. She is too weak to move and eyes the party with suspicion and fear. Blackjack crouches down toward her and sings a gentle song of healing that restores some colour to her cheeks. The old woman is gently led to a pew and sat down. Blackjack says that if the other party members can talk with her, he can monitor the woman's thoughts and try to coax some information out of her. Gradually, through patience and magic, the assembled begin to put together a picture of what had happened at Garwood. The woman's name is Esme, and she says that the village was attacked one week ago by a mass of undead creatures (ghouls) that paralysed and carried off all the villagers. There had been no trouble from the Wraith Haunt for as long as anyone could remember, and the attack was completely unexpected. Only Esme was spared. She hid in the chapel and in the confusion tipped the holy earth of Terranor onto her body. The undead creatures would not approach her. Bronx and Blackjack examine the earth, but there is too little left to make effective protection or a weapon. "They come at night!" Esme says about the ghouls. Every night for a week they have come, and every night she has cowered. At this moment Salamar can feel the moonrise, can feel his power flooding back into his body. It is dusk.

Decisions now have to made quickly. It would be suicide going into the Wraith Haunt after dark, so the party must remain in the village. The chapel is the best place to stay and make a stand until dawn. Silas sets the altar straight and suggests bringing the horses inside where they can be protected. But what to do with Esme? After some discussion it is decided that Brother Kak will carry her back through the southern woods to the waystation they spent last night in. Thanks to Kak's training as a monk and his superb magic books of unknown origin, he could get to the waystation and back in a little more than four hours. He would be travelling through the woods alone in the dark, but hopefully he would be able to out-pace any undead that tried to molest him. Kak is willing and eager. He scoops Esme up in his arms and runs off into the night, as his companions barricade themselves inside the chapel.

Obviously, they take watches to guard against the undead. On his watch, Salamar sits at the northern end of the chapel concentrating in the direction of the Wraith Haunt. After an hour his meditation bears fruit as he detects the presence of undead lurching their way toward them. In an instant the group are at their posts: Jedidiah at the north-eastern window; Bronx at the north-western window; Jass at the south-western window and Salamar (and Silas) at the south-eastern window. Blackjack secures himself to a ceiling beam and gets ready to watch the show.

Concentrating Salamar alerts the group that the group of five undead have turned, and are heading en masse to Jedidiah's window. The hobbit climbs onto the sill, looking out into the dark with his keen eyesight. Suddenly, he sees movement and leaps from the window out into the night before anyone can stop him. Unseen by his fellow, Jedidiah lands in the middle of a group of five, blue-skinned misshapen ghouls. Drawing his sword, the hobbit spins on his heel, becoming a dervish of energy and slicing them all seriously about the knee-caps. He kills none of them, however, and as he bounds back they catch him a wicked blow with their claws. Fortunately, Jedidiah's constitution is equal to the task of resisting their poisoned touch and he lands agilely back on the window-sill only a little worse for wear.

Jedidiah readies his sword again as the ghouls move forward. Only three can touch him this time as he takes a step back in readiness. Unfortunately, he has forgotten where he stands, and the hobbit whirlwinds off the windowsill missing all his assailants and landing face-first onto the floor. Jedidiah is acutely aware that his one dazzling display of martial prowess was only witnessed by the undead monsters currently trying to kill him. However, before the ghouls can press their advantage against the hobbit and infiltrate the chapel, Bronx bounds across the room, his battle-axe at the ready. With one swing of his powerful arms, Bronx brings the axe cleanly through all three of the ghouls; neatly decapitating the trio with surprising alacrity.

But the game is not up yet. The two remaining ghouls appear at Salamar's window and reach in after the cleric. Silas bravely puts himself in harm's way, and the ghouls rake the nobleman painfully across the chest. Silas feels his muscles tighten with paralysis and he slumps to the floor, rigid as a board. Fortunately, Salamar has Mortis on his side, and the Watcher summons up his dark energies to complete dominate the minds of the ghouls. "Don't kill them!" Salamar announces. "They're mine!" The ghouls stand motionless, completely under Salamar's control. Bronx still wants to kill the ghouls, and Salamar promises that he can, just not quite yet. The cleric orders the ghouls to protect the chapel and stop any creature from entering it, except the members of the party. Soon Silas comes around and is helped to a seat. Hopefully, the dominated ghouls will keep the rest of the undead at bay for the remainder of the evening. They hope that Kak is faring better than they.

Kak's journey to the waystation was completely without incident. He was able to speed down the forest track faster than a horse and soon returned to the North Timberlake Road. The waystation is unoccupied when they arrive, and Kak meets the acquaintance of Jordan, a travelling mead merchant and his two dozing minders. Jordan, although shocked at being woken from his sleep by a grinning half-orc, seems a good short and promises to watch over Esme for the evening. They help Esme into a bed. Kak tells her to wait until the party return, and she weakly nods her head. Kak believes that she will be safe (well, at least safer) in this place. Esme asks Kak to search for her granddaughter, Ellen, who was taken from Garwood by the undead. Kak agrees to do his best. The monk now informs Jordan of what has been going on, and succeeds in scary the living daylights out of him. Jordan says that he will be vigilant during the rest of the night, and thinks Kak a madman for heading back north this evening. But Kak says that he must go, and with a polite bow the monk whizzes off into the night.

Kak's journey back is not so easy. There are ghouls on the road and the monk uses all his agility and speed to avoid them. He manages to get back to Garwood, and to creep up on the chapel however. He sees two ghouls standing outside it, but is fortunately spotted by Salamar before he despatches them. The ghouls under Salamar's thrall stand aside and Kak is readmitted to the chapel, where they tell him of the battle with the undead. It is Salamar's belief that he can command these two ghouls to command to whence they came, enabling the group to follow them back to the source of this evil and hopefully to the missing villagers. "And to Xaldan!" Silas says. Before she left, Esme had told them of the location of Custar Merry's house, and they plan to check it out in the morning. Reunited, the group settles down for the rest of the night, always keeping a watchful eye for trouble.

Zephday, 38 Scatterseed 204

Dawn finds the party in Custar Merry's house searching for any clues regarding the disappearance of Silas' brother. There is little to find in Merry's house. They discover a locked chest with a pouch of gold (obviously the money he got for the sale of the ring), but Salamar forbids Blackjack from taking it. They now have only one lead: the ghouls that Salamar had dominated.

When told to return to their home, they head off in a northerly direction, following the tracks that Jass discovered the previous day. The horses balk at the idea of going any farther north, and after some discussion Silas suggests turning them loose. They cannot leave them tied up in Garwood waiting to be eaten by the undead. The horses are left to freely graze in town, and the group marches on without them (although an increasingly unsure Rover accompanies them).

The party moves silently to the north, every step taking them perilously nearer the Wraith Haunt. Jass' familiar curls tightly up in the sorcerer's clothing, desperately hoping that his master will come to his senses and turn around and go home. As the day presses, so the heat and the humidity greatly increase. All around them the healthy wood begins to change and take on the character of the Wraith Haunt. The vegetation begins to decay, water is collected in fetid brown pools and the adventurers slip and slide on the putrescence of the forest floor. The stench is quite disgusting. Crooked branches from gnarled trees twist as they meet overhead; the leaves on the trees are black. Each member of the group is soaked with perspiration; Silas in his half-plate is particularly suffering from the turn in the weather. There is no mistaking that this is a place of evil and danger.

They can hear the howling of wolves throughout the afternoon – further away, but then nearer as the pack moves in toward the party. They are stalked for two hours through the muck of the Wraith Haunt, pausing occasionally to listen to wolf-noise. It is without warning that one wolf breaks from the undergrowth, mauls Blackjack and then disappears into the woods on the other side. The bard falls in pain as Jedidiah throws an axe at the creature catching it in the flank. Although it was a heavy blow, the wolf feels no pain and makes good its escape. As Blackjack wobbles to his feet, Bronx volunteers to find the hobbit's axe. He skips through the undergrowth, spying the handle of the axe and grabs it. Unfortunately there is still a wolf attached.

What follows is a furious lupine attack on Bronx that would probably have killed any other member of the party. By the time that Silas, Blackjack and Kak have arrived to aid the barbarian three wolves are hanging off various parts of his body, with more jumping into the fray. The creatures are not driven off until five are killed, and even then it is obvious that there are still very many more out there. The party hurries on as best it can away from the wolves, Blackjack not having time to heal the party's wounds. The group blunders on, they can imagine the wolves right behind them, snapping at their heals. Suddenly, they stagger out of the thick, slimy thickets and onto a cleared area of ground. In front of them, bordered by tall living trees is a avenue of space cleared from the surrounding much, that goes on for at least 300 yards in front of them. Behind, the sounds of the wolves have stopped. Why they will not follow them here is more than a little disconcerting.

"Odd," says Jass' familiar, poking its serpentine head out of the collar of Jass' coat. "Look at the trees, see how they move in the breeze." The fact that there is no breeze, and that they are moving is the point that the viper is trying to make. Something is evidently amiss, but as the same can be said of the entire Wraith Haunt, the group sees little choice but to proceed. Salamar urges caution, however, and sends his captive ghouls forward, commanding them to hug the nearest tree. This they do questionlessly, although they do look a little daft (and one could almost believe that they realise this). Blackjack shakes his head slowly. The ghouls are of this place, their acceptance proves nothing. He walks up to the nearest tree and shoves a dagger deeply into the wood.

The effects are immediate, spectacular and painful. The tree instantly animates and thrashes out with two powerful branches sending Blackjack flying twenty feet back to the party. He is conscious, but barely, and gingerly gets to his feet. "Oops" he says charmingly. Contorted faces of malice are now visible on each of the trees that line this avenue. All are alive with movement, their branches rustling wildly at the presence of the party. "Run for it!" exclaims Kak as he gathers Blackjack up in his arms and tears off down the avenue. The rest of the party follows, but none can keep up with the monk. Branches from many trees lash out at the group as they run past, striking Bronx and Jass heavily and almost killing them. Salamar too is hit, and the old man falters I his stride. Sacrificing his own safety, Jass steps forward and casts a haste spell on the old man propelling him forward at a breakneck pace toward the end of the avenue and relative safety. All reach the end alive, but they collapse with the effort of the run and begin to imbibe many of the healing potions that they brought with them. The danger is not over yet, however, as they watch in disbelief the trees begin to uproot themselves from the ground and move slowly by unstoppably toward them.

Without any further rest the party retreats once more, running through decomposing bracken and mouldering ferns. Within moments they break from the forest into a stretch of open ground that rises into a hill. The pursuit of the treant-like creatures cease at this point, as they come to the top of the hill. The grass at the summit is black; standing at the apex of the hill is another tree, although this one has been dead for some time and has been reduced to a dark cavernous shell of fossilised wood. Its surface is crawling in scores of beetles and centipedes, and a large and tanglesome root system stretches out over most of the hill. The ghouls stop dead at the edge of the charred grass, and stand transfixed at the stump. Salamar can sense something desperately wrong about the sight in front of them. With slight concentration he can tell that the whatever is before them is undead, and is considerably more powerful than anything the group has yet come across.

"Why are you here?" comes a dark, cavernous voice from the tree. "You do not belong here, fleshlings." A face forms on the stump of the tree, similar to the trees that just attacked the party, but it is older and more evil. "The Wraith Haunt is no place to be, after dark." The party look around them – gloom is gathering, and it will be dark within the hour. They attempt to bluff the creature, saying that they are being taken by the ghouls to their master. The stump scoffs. "You are servants of Sarakite? I do not think so. No one goes willingly into her embrace. They are led blackened and bleeding to their deaths. I snatched the ghouls from your thrall to lead you here. Now, come closer."

Quickly trying to stall for time, the party asks the stump who Sarakite is. The response is one of total surprise. "You do not know Sarakite? She is the Witchwyrd, ruler of the Wraith Haunt and the lord high emissary of the Dark One in the North!" The tree goes on to say that she is the greatest power in the Wraith Haunt, and that none can match her. He admits that she is more powerful than even he is. Sarakite had slept for a long time, but has recently reawakened and the creature of the Wraith Haunt have been flocking to her side. "Now, come closer."

The group feels the urge to move toward the stump, but it is not yet a compulsion. Bronx threatens that they will burn the stump to the ground. "You haven't the fire to threaten me," he says. "Who are you?" asks Salamar, to which the tree replies "Blackroot." The branches and the roots of the tree begin to move ominously. "Where are the villagers of Garwood?" the party asks; "Where is my brother?" speaks Silas. "They are all taken down to the citadel," Blackroot snarls and begins to edge closer to them. The party retreats rapidly running away down the far side of the hill and into the woodland once more. Behind them they can hear the angry cries of Blackroot, but he does not pursue them.

Salamar now commands his ghouls to find Sarakite herself, and the party sets off after them. Just before dark they come upon an enormous domed structure poking out of the forest. The building was obviously once very fine, but now it is covered with decaying creepers and the approach is completely overgrown. There is a large rent in the domed roof. The ghouls seem content to continue, indicating that Sarakite is not within the structure, but Salamar can sense an unusual amount of negative energy, and thinks that the place bears further investigation. Also, with night approaching they need to find an easily defensible place from the horrors of the dark. Salamar stops the ghouls and the party approaches the citadel.

Using an orison, Salamar is able to tell that the building is approximately 1500 years old (6000 seasons). The nature of the Wraith Haunt has meant that the building has not withstood the ravages of time well. Much of the outer casing has fallen away, but the shell of the structure seems to be intact. Two large bronze doors bar their way into the citadel. They were once ornately carved, now all that the party can make out is a vague symbol that seems to resemble a vertical sword-blade with a five-pointed-star balanced upon it. No-one has seen such a symbol before. Bronx pushes the doors open and enters the building.

The site before them might have once been very impressive, but is now covered with the detritus and decay of time. The ground floor of the citadel is one vast chamber. Two large and dangerous staircases sweep upward to a very large balcony. There are many doors off either side of the chamber, otherwise the area appears to be empty. Outside the light is fading, inside it is already dark and magical light enables the party to see much of the scene. Then, the group can hear a heavy voice in their minds. "The humans you seek are here. Act quickly or be killed!"

Blackjack looks around incautiously and then hurries to one of the old stone doors and pulls it open. He is in a tiny room, the floor thick with dust. As he watches dust motes leap from the floor, spinning and coalescing together into a vaguely humanoid form. Blackjack backs out into the main chamber as the insubstantial figure shoots past him to hover in the air. "A wraith!" exclaims Salamar. At this point they detect movement in the back of the chamber – a pack of ghouls, perhaps a twenty of them begin to pick their way swiftly toward the group. Blackjack immediately runs for the stairs, and Kak is quick to follow his lead. "To the stairs," says the monk, "we can defend ourselves more easily there." Kak, Salamar and Silas follow Blackjack to the stairs. Jass, Jedidiah and Salamar's ghouls remain in the middle of the chamber. Jass uses his magic to enchant Jedidiah's weapon so it has a hope of affecting the creature. Bronx throws caution to the wind and snarling in a berserk rage races across the chamber and throws himself into the thick of the pack of ghouls. They close around the barbarian.

The battle that follows is swift and brutal. As many ghouls that can swamp Bronx while the rest head toward the stairs. Kak and Silas stand at the foot of the stairs ready to protect Salamar, who begins to intone a spell. Jass uses his magic to wound the wraith who descends upon him in a screaming frenzy. Blackjack continues to rush up the stairs, hoping to find something that can help them (or is at least worth a lot). The sight he finds gives him pause. To the right of the landing is an enormous archway filled with obsidian that glows red from the magical pulsing of a crystal set supported by a strange metallic frame. A voice is heard from behind the wall – the same voice that they heard when they first entered the citadel. "Your friends will fall, only I can save them. Release me."

Down below, everyone thought that Bronx was a dead man, but the barbarian is showing surprising resilience. Too stupid, perhaps, to acknowledge the paralysing touch of the ghouls he cleaves his way through them. They are grinding him down, but suddenly it looks as though the ghouls are out numbered one to ten. Silas is paralysed and falls unconscious at the first touch of the ghouls, but Kak is hardier. Using his canny skills and ostentatious dexterity he manages to keep the creatures at bay, engaging three at once. Jedidiah and Jass fair less well against the wraith. Jedidiah's weapon (even though enchanted) is making little impact against the undead creature, and the foul wraith has snatched at the heart of Jass draining him of his life and his vitality. The sorcerer fights on, but he is weakening with each breath he takes.

"Who are you?" asks Blackjack, not wanting to release another unknown force into the battle. "Release me," says the voice. "Destroy the crystal." The imprisoned is quite single-minded about it's escape, having been trapped behind the obsidian wall for the last two years. The voice tells Blackjack to destroy the crystal, only then will it be able to escape. Blackjack wants more information. The voice says that he is a sorcerer, that his name is Drake and that he wants to be released. He wants vengeance against the undead, and he will help Blackjack's friends as a result of this. "Release me!" Blackjack is still not convinced. "What do you know of Xaldan?" he asks. "Xaldan Reshen? I know of him. Release me and I will tell you!"

Bronx cleaves, Kak punches, Salamar mutters, Jedidiah swipes and Jass has the life drained out of him some more. During the fight the group can begin to hear screams and cries for help coming from a far door. They redouble their efforts and fight on. Salamar's spell finally comes off and a swirling elemental of negative energy appears above Jass and barrels into the wraith. The wraith dances aside as the elemental creature attempts to save Jass from the undead's cold embrace. Up above, Blackjack leans over the side of the balcony and drops a bottle of holy darkness into the throng of ghouls besetting Bronx, ignoring the voice from behind the wall. Salamar begins to throw them at the ghouls attacking Kak. Jedidiah takes a bottle of the darkness in each hand and smashes them together within the wraith. The vile creature implodes into nothingness. It has been destroyed, but Jass has paid a heavy price. He is inhumanly pale and very near death.

Bronx has now miraculously despatched all the ghouls that fell upon him, and he is helping to clear the throng at the bottom of the stairs. If Silas had been conscious then he would have decided that bringing the barbarian was a good idea after all. Salamar moves his own ghouls out of the way of Bronx's flashing axe. The barbarian has the red haze of battle over his eyes and it seems that nothing can stop him. Jedidiah helps Jass to the far stairs and up to the balcony, out of the way of the remaining ghouls. Suddenly a second wraith oozes from under the doors where the cries for help were coming from. It hangs in the air surveying the scene – this proves to be a fatal mistake. Calling upon the power of Mortis, Salamar catches holds the creature motionless, in awe of the cleric and helpless. Swiftly he sends his elemental in, to soften up the creature; when that disappears at the termination of the spell it is up to Jass to finish it with bolts of magical energy.

The ghouls now dead, Bronx races up the stairs to find someone else to fight. On discovering no-one he drops to the ground exhausted, his supernatural vigour ebbing from him. In a moment, the entire party is on the balcony. Silas slowly comes around, apologising for succumbing to the ghoul-touch a second time. Blackjack explains about the crystal, the wall and the creature behind it and the group turns their full attention to it.

"What do you know of my brother?" Silas demands. "Release me and I will tell you," the voice responds. Salamar points out that Drake is in no position to bargain and so the argument continues. Kak, seeing that the undead have been vanquished for a time and that this discussion could take ages, hops downstairs and through the door where the cries for help could be heard. He discovers a dreadful sight that almost overpowers his senses. Of the 100+ villagers of Garwood only sixty remain. The survivors are close to death, badly malnourished and many have been partially eaten by ghouls. The fact that they are not even remotely fearful of a large half-orc blundering down the stairs into their midst shows how far gone they are. Kak tells them that they are here to help, and that he has no clue how they are going to get so many weak individuals out of the Wraith Haunt and to safety. Among the survivors is Ellen, the granddaughter of Esme. Kak tells her that her grandmother survived the assault and is safe. He returns to the other party members allowing the survivors to make their way into the main chamber in their own time.

Back on the balcony the bargaining over the release of the creature continues. Salamar challenges the creature's motives and morality. "I did not say I wasn't evil, I merely said that I hated the undead. Our goals coincide. You are powerful otherwise you would not have got this far. You may have the power to save yourselves, but you do not have the might to save your precious villagers. You have seen what you are up against, you need me. Release me!" When Salamar says that they managed to defeat the undead without his help, Drake tells him to go to the far wall and use his ability to sense the undead. Salamar does so and with alarm realises that many hundreds of undead creatures are converging on the citadel. Now that night has fallen a veritable legion of ghouls and wraiths have their surrounded. They could never fight them all. Kak, hearing this, bounds to the outer bronze doors and slams them shut, barring them from the inside. As he turns he sees that most of the survivors of Garwood have clambered out of the dungeon and are now waiting on the grand hall. All are tempting targets for the undead.

"You have made you point," says Salamar. "Tell us about Xaldan Reshen and we will release you." The voice pauses for a moment in consideration and then says. "Very well, I will trust you. But I warn you not to break your word with me. You would not have me for an enemy. Have you slain all the ghouls in this citadel?" the party say they have. "Then you have killed Xaldan Reshen. He was captured by Sarakite's forces about a year ago. He was turned into a ghoul to better serve her, but Reshen was a necromancer and he was able to hold onto a kernel of his own mind. This was more curse than blessing because he knew of all the unspeakably evil deeds his body committed over the last year and could do nothing to stop them. We spoke occasionally, when he could speak. He longed for true death. Now, you have your story: release me now."

Silas is visibly shaken, and descends the stairs to see if he can find Xaldan's body amongst the slaughtered ghouls. The group agrees to release this Drake, and after Jedidiah has made the podium on which the gem stands safe, the gem is removed. Attempts to smash it against the ground are futile, and so it is handed to Bronx. As everyone else runs for cover, he lifts his axe over his head and brings it down on the jewel smashing it into many pieces.

The red glow engulfing the obsidian wall flickers and dies. At once a tremendous from beyond lashes out at the wall causing the citadel to shake and debris to fall from the roof. There is a second crash and a third. Villagers and party members run for cover as large chunks of masonry crash to the floor. A crack appears in the wall that deepens with each successive attack. Pieces of obsidian fall to the floor and shatter. In moments the entire wall is in ruins, smashed to fragments by the powerful creature within. Standing in the archway is a red dragon. Two-hundred feet long with noxious smoke pouring from its mouth. "Free!" it says. "Free at last to exact vengeance!" Jedidiah takes a step forward, summoning up his knowledge of red dragons. "Gerrius?" he asks. The dragon laughs at him. "No mortal, not Gerrius. Not yet. I am Furnice! Stand aside or feel my wrath!"

With that the dragon takes to the air; the force of the wide her wings kick up are enough to knock the assembled to the ground. Furnice rises up through the dome in the citadel and the sounds of a tremendous battle can be heard raging outside. Flashes of flame and spurts of magic can be seen. The bronze doors begin to glow red hot, and then they melt into a heap of worthless slag. After several minutes the party feel brave enough to poke their heads out of the doorway. They see fiery devastation surrounding the citadel. Nothing moves except Furnice, who sits on her haunches smugly regarding the chaos she has caused. As the party emerges she snaps her head back and faced Blackjack eye to eye.

"Do you know how long it has been since I have eaten?" she asks of the bard. Furnice makes it perfectly clear that she has no intention of helping the party get the villagers to safety beyond the Wraith Haunt, in fact she is quite blatantly happy to eat the party and the villagers. It is only when the group offers to pay the dragon to get then out of this mess that Furnice begins to come around. Her own hoard was lost long ago, and the prospect of five thousand crowns from the coffers of Silas Reshen are appealing to her. She agrees to trailblaze them a path out of the Wraith Haunt and arranges a place where Silas must be to deliver the money to her in two week's time. "If you renege on this deal, know this mortal: I will not cease until I have killed all humankind who dwell in my domain. I shall destroy you and all your families. Mark me well." Blackjack says that this seems to be perfectly fair, and that if she's going to destroy all these undead nasties in the area, she might want to start with Blackroot. "He's on that hill over there," the bard smiles helpfully.

Again Furnice takes to the air, and again she rains fiery death upon the creatures of the Wraith Haunt that had imprisoned her for so many years. Blackroot's hill erupts into a firestorm and it is difficult to imagine how a creature made of wood, no matter how powerful, could have survived the conflagration. The party make it plain to Silas that he must keep the bargain with Furnice, and that if he does not, the lives of many innocent people are at stake. Silas, however, seems too intent upon the corpse of his brother Xaldan that he pulled from the wreckage of the citadel than anything the group has to say. They let the matter lie, for now.

It takes twice as long to leave the Wraith Haunt as it did to enter it. The party hears the sound of wolves again but this time they are howling in fear, not menace. The fires of Furnice cut a swathe through the dank vegetation, boiling it in an instant and sending foul smelling vapours into the air. The progress of the villagers are painfully slow and they are absolutely terrified by everything around them. All about then the undead and evil treants meet their ends at the dragon's hand. If there the witchwyrd is watching over this particular confrontation she does nothing to strengthen the hand of her forces. Furnice overwhelms them. Eventually, painfully Silas, the party and the surviving villagers of Garwood limp closer and closer to salvation.

Caladay, 39 Scatterseed 204

It is almost lunchtime by the time the group returns to civilisation. Furnice flies off into the air without a word leaving the humans to their own devices, trusting that they will keep the bargain they made with it. True to his word, Salamar Russ gives Bronx the opportunity to behead the two ghouls that he enslaved, and that have travelled with them throughout their journey from the Wraith Haunt. They have not emerged at Garwood, but on the North Uris Road. They are just a couple of hours from the town of Oakholme, and the group decides to make for that place with their refugees. The squire of the town, a man called Osroth, has a reputation of a just and fair man who will be kind to the villagers of Garwood.

Kak quickly leaves the party to check on Esme back at the waystation, but the old woman is not there when he arrives. Kak returns to the others and they arrive at Oakholme in the early evening, and Silas talks with Squire Osroth and with the local mayor, Gulgill. The party are treated to rooms in the local inn just off the main square. Esme is found in town and reunited with her granddaughter. She thanks Kak and the others profusely. Ultimately this is reward enough. Ha.

Sharday, 40 Scatterseed 204

The group heads off to Northmeet on horses procured by Silas (he wants these ones back again). Their adventure some begin to think of what they will do with the money. Blackjack reminds Bronx of their agreement, and Bronx says that he will give Blackjack his money as long as he can have a few trees, some cattle and Jedidiah's riding-dog because it looks delicious. Blackjack agrees.

Morday, 41 Scatterseed 204

They arrive back in Northmeet on the holy day to Mortis, precluding Salamar from talking to Varamil about the situation in the Wraith Haunt. True to his word, Guildsman Grossmor finds the money for the party, paying them each a total of 390 gold crowns each. This represents earnings greater than the national average by a factor of 975. A good four-days work, they think.

Blackjack is quick to go to work, effortlessly forging a deed for a small copse of trees located just outside Northmeet. He then buys some cattle and (having a twinge of conscious) a knackered old dog that looks a bit like Rover. Using his skill with make-up and curlers Blackjack turns the old mongrel into a creature vaguely approximating the hobbit's pet and presents the whole caboodle to Bronx who is completely thrilled. He thanks Blackjack and leads his cows out of Northmeet, ties them to his trees and settles down to roast his dog. Without a doubt the half-orc is a very peculiar individual – but with an extra 300 crowns in his pocket, Blackjack isn't complaining.

Silas thanks the party wholeheartedly for the help and valour and says that now he must find a way to break the news to his father. Sir Jessnic has always clung on to the hope that somewhere Xaldan was still alive; accepting his son's death will be difficult. Jedidiah and Salamar remind him of the bargain he made with Furnice. Silas says that he doubt the dragon will keep his side of the bargain – Furnice is known in Northmeet and caused much trouble in the area before her imprisonment – but he will take the matter under advisement. This does not bode well for the future.

Salamar takes Jass to one side and tells him that the wounds he suffered from the wraith are permanent without magical restoration. Fortunately, the money Jass had earned on the mission is just enough to pay for the casting of such a spell of the one of the churches of Vítaeous. There are no Vítaen clergy of sufficient piety to cast such a magic in Northmeet, but Salamar is planning on going on a pilgrimage to the nearby Village of the Eighteen Churches, where all the faiths are heavily represented. He invites Jass to come with him, and the sorcerer accepts.

Jedidiah is keen to travel to a large library to research the name Sarakite and find out what Blackroot meant by "Lord High Emissary of the Dark One in the North." He plans to leave for Northmeet to look for clues in Eurikas, the greatest temple of the Scriveners of Doom.

Sunday, 42 Scatterseed 204

Early in the morning, Salamar meets with Archnecrotain Varamil in the temple of the Watchers. He is, once again, shown in by Selvin who is surprised to see the old priest alive and in one piece. Varamil greets Salamar like an old friend and congratulates him on surviving the Wraith Haunt. Salamar sits down and relates every nuance of the adventure to the Archnecrotain. Varamil listens intently, nodding his head sagaciously at appropriate moments. It is obvious that he is quite concerned.

"Furnice, eh? Well, don't feel guilty it sounds as though you had no choice in the matter. I was a necros when Furnice was at large before. She terrorised Northmeet and the surrounding villagers, ate travellers on the King's road, haunted the Barrowmoors. It was one of Colharn's first major decisions as duke. He organised a large force of warriors to scour the land looking for the dragon's lair. We never did find it. Now we know why: she was lodging in the Wraith Haunt – a place that we would never have gone. You can imagine can't you: one day Furnice is the nastiest and most powerful creature the Wraith Haunt holds, then one day this Sarakite wakes up and suddenly the dragon has met her match. Interesting to know. I will inform the Duke of this at once. This Sarakite bothers me. That we know so little about her and what she is doing and why. I will look into the matter further."

Salamar says that regardless of what Furnice once did she was doing Mortis' work on that night. She slew vast numbers of undead creatures. As did the barbarian Bronx. He should be commended. Varamil nods. "Is he a religious man?" the archnecrotain asks. Salamar shakes his head. "He doesn't consider any gods other than himself worth worshipping." Varamil chuckles and asks Salamar to bring the barbarian to him.

Salamar finds Bronx in his small copse outside Northmeet eating what looks to be Jedidiah's riding dog. Salamar explains the summons and Bronx agrees to come with him to the temple. At the temple Varamil offers Bronx membership of the Shadow of Mortis – an elite organisation made up of warriors who come together to destroy the undead. "You would be called upon when you are needed. If you were willing." Bronx says that he's willing as long as he can sit in his trees for time to time. Salamar can't imagine Bronx to ever have been in his tree.

Vítday, 43 Scatterseed 204

The party goes its separate ways. Bronx remains in his copse living a life he has been dreaming about for days. Blackjack sees his skills can be put to good use in Northmeet and is drawn toward the dodgier area of town. Kak heads off to Oakholme. He vows to use the money he was given from this mission to help the people of Garwood build new lives. Jedidiah de Chesiré takes the North Uris Road south to the capital searching for more information on mysterious Sarakite. And Salamar, Jass and the viper head north to the Village of the Eighteen Churches for reflection and restoration.

Halfway there, Jass turns to Salamar. What Blackroot said about Sarakite being the lord high-emissary of the dark one in the north, means something to him. He recognises the term "Dark One" as being specifically given to a demon from ancient mythology. A creature always assume to have been fable and never to have truly existed. "Which demon," asks Salamar. Jass pauses with melodramatic flair.

"Karatath."

The End of Into the Wraith Haunt
Salamar, Jass, Kak and Bronx continue to follow the Path Perfidious in Dancers in the Dark
Jedidiah de Chesiré next appears in The Empty Chair

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