DM: Rasz
Colleagues: Vraela, Aether, Theila, Myk, Ace
Purpose: Investigate the marshlands south of White Moon Cove, the area known as the Ghostwood Marsh.
Annotated Map:
Day 1: Monolith, goblin corpses
Monolith. We discussed a stone monolith, or obelisk structure (map). Etchings give the appearance of being covered in vines. No entrance located around the base. The obelisk radiates the aura of Enchantment magic layered over Conjuration. Markings apparently not Druidic in nature. Hidden within vine etchings is the symbol of a cup, noted below. Aether recalled some religious lore regarding ‘cupbearers from a fountain of life’. More investigation required.
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Goblin Corpses. Several goblins had been recently hung by the neck in a tree above our campsite, though we only realized it partway through the night watches. Signs indicate they hung themselves. Later evidence supports the hypothesis that they were possessed and forced to commit suicide by malicious lizardfolk spirits within the swamp.
Day 2: Fog, Altar, Goblins, Lizardfolk Revenant
Fog. A thick fog greatly obscured visibility. Scent of sulfur, or ‘rotting eggs’, as the smallfolk would call it. Disembodied wails sound from all directions. Shadows and flitters of movement within the fog and foliage, seemingly hallucinatory.
Altar. Altar dedicated to the Evil Lizardfolk Demon Lord Sess’Innek located (map). Symbol of Sess’Innek prominent on altar: a green, clawed, reptilian hand. Altar radiated Necromancy and Conjuration magic. Aether dispelled the magic of the altar, then requested I Shatter it. Altar appears to be neutralized using this methodology. Advise avoiding physical contact with altar, as evidenced by the account immediately below.
Goblins. We came across 3 live and 1 dead goblins. Goblin named ‘Zi’ was until lizardfolk spirit possession and had been forced to kill his comrade, ‘Len’, under its control. Goblins seemingly not familiar with spirit possession. Possessing ghost was eliminated, at length, after possessing others present. Forcible unconsciousness of the host appears to be required to expel the spirit. Lizardfolk spirit spoke in Draconic: “I will take back my land… My land. Get out or die.” Based on the goblin’s subsequent testimonial, Zi was possessed after physical contact with an altar of Sess’Innek. Goblin commented their tribe is farther West, on this side of the Rotmoor River. Zi was transferred into our care after the other goblins commented on planning to execute him as punishment. Zi currently resides in Ruined Oak, seeking guidance at the local temple under Ragna.
Lizardfolk Revenant. Lizardfolk elite of some status that had been killed in a previous outing appeared in a nighttime ambush, though seemed semi-corporeal or fog-like. Summons lizardfolk undead from the swamp with a horn that makes no audible sound. Was fended off before it could be completely eliminated.
Day 3. Temple, Return
Temple. We discovered a crumbling temple to ‘Sess’Innek Reborn’ (map). It appears that a cult of lizardfolk is attempting to revive their deity to some manner of renewed vitality or existence. The back wall of the temple was a massive mat of seashells that hid a large entrance beneath. We eliminated several lizardfolk, though very much living and corporeal ones this time, with crossbows. We were able to deceive the lizardfolk within the next chamber of the complex to allow us inside by impersonating those we had just killed in speaking Draconic. The doors in this place are thick slabs of stone that do not yield easily. Perhaps an expert in lockpicking, destruction magic specialist, or several strong individuals with a proper battering ram. Neither multiple Shatter‘s nor an improvised wooden ram provided us with any practical results on the following stone door we found after eliminating the cultists we had deceived into letting us inside. I doubt such tactics would work to fool them again.
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Return. After realizing we could not progress into the temple proper, we returned to White Moon Cove via the same route we had taken into the marshland, and encountered nothing of note.
Recommendations for followup:
Primary Objective: Return to the Temple of Sess’Innek Reborn with a team of specialists, eliminate the cultists within, and purify the area of the Demon Lord’s presence for the current and future safety of White Moon Cove.
Secondary Objective: Conduct further investigations into the Monolith discovered.
Reporting Investigator: Vraela Songheart, Apprentice Degree in Magical Studies