Murder Of Crows
| Murder Of Crows | |
|---|---|
| Date | 09/12/24 |
| Storyteller | Unseelie |
| Tier | Trainee |
| Player Characters | Anima, Dendra, Dendra, Pashiro The Wind Song, Patton, Seskro |
| Rewards | 250 xp, 75 gp, Bloodstone (250sp)x10, Walking Cauldron |
| Result | Success |
| Author | goblin |
| Downtime | 6 |
Log
Murder of Crows
Three black crows lay dead,
Raised and felled by goblin hands;
Exile stirs no more.
My Dearest Lady Emiko,
I hope this letter finds you well, my esteemed Lady. I write to recount my latest venture into the northern reaches, where I was dispatched alongside a handful of trusted companions to investigate a troubling series of murders in a goblin village. Our host, the village chief Featherbite, had requested our aid in uncovering the culprit behind the deaths of three crows. These crows held a deep connection to the tribe, and their loss was a grievous wound to the village.
The party consisted of several capable individuals: Anima, a ronin whose quiet demeanour masks a formidable strength; Dendra, a gnome with both the skill of a fighter and the artistry of a bard; Seskro, a keen-eyed kobold ranger; and finally, Patton, an elven sorcerer of unusual appearance, accompanied always by a mischievous goat. Together, we set out to unravel the mystery.
Investigating the bodies of the crows we found that the first had a strange bite mark, the size of a goblin but not of sufficient depth so as to the killing blow - noticeably the creature was found dead and foaming at the mouth. The remaining crows had seemingly died after slamming into a building. Seskro consulted a kobold alchemist who stated that the creature was poisoned. After she noted to the alchemist that the bite matches a goblin it sparked their memory as they told a tale of a goblin exiled 8 years ago by the name of Flerg. After speaking with the witnesses we consulted the chieftain who recalls exiling Flerg years ago for learning forbidden magic and who was caught by the crows. Having found the perpetrator of the attack we once again approached the tribe's Speaker, a druid who communes with the crows, and Anima sent the Speaker's remaining crows to track Flerg's whereabouts. However, to our horror he had informed us that another crow had gone missing - but he didn’t seem concerned. We found him irritatingly terse. Eventually he returned with news of a possible location.
With this information in hand, we searched the woods which led us to a desolate ruin, cloaked in fog and silence. An ancient church, long forgotten by time, stood at the heart of the forest. Goblin tracks guided us to a hidden entrance beneath the building, which we opened with great effort, revealing a crypt below. I should have expected the stench of undeath. No sooner had we entered than we were beset by vicious undead hounds, skeletal and ravenous.
The battle was swift and fierce. Seskro felled one of the creatures with her arbalest, and Dendra fought beside me as we dispatched another. Patton’s goat, in a display both amusing and unexpected, clambered over me mid-battle, though it caused no harm. The last of the hounds were slain by Anima and Dendra, their combat prowess impressive as ever.
At the heart of the crypt, we confronted Flerg, a necromancer twisted by his exile and his dark arts. His minions, creatures wreathed in shadow and smoke, rose to defend him, but they were no match for us. Seskro's bolt struck true, and Dendra was relentless in the assault, grabbing hold of Flerg before he could even attempt a spell. Anima's blade was swift, delivering the final blow in two swift strikes that ended the goblin’s life.
Yet even in death, Flerg's dark magic lingered. The Flameraised, his cursed minions, continued to fight in his stead, using the smoke to veil their movements. But we pursued them through the haze, cutting them down one by one. It was Anima who dealt the fatal blow to the last of the Flameraised, her precision flawless.
With the combat over, we discovered the grim truth. Flerg had been attempting a powerful and dangerous ritual—a spell designed to terminate a bloodline. It was a potent and vile magic, and we could only imagine what destruction it might have wrought had we not intervened. The Speaker, having retrieved his surviving crow, confirmed that the murders were tied to this dark sorcery. In his grim way, he remarked, "We found the murder of crows."
My Lady, the goblin village has been spared from further sorrow, and the Speaker’s crows now rest in peace. I remain ever in your service, and I continue to uphold the honour of your name wherever my path may lead. The Goblins of this village challenged me in many ways - my patience certainly - but also my relationship with nature. The crows were not symbols or guardians or spirits - they were merely friends. I endeavour to continue my travels cherishing such close friendships for their own sakes just as they do. Perhaps this is why you are so deeply fond of me . It is my hope to make you proud of your vassals journey.
I remain ever in your service and await my next task with both sword and verse at the ready.
Yours faithfully, Pashiro The Wind Song