To Rest on an Unknown Isle

Abizar asked the priest of Set his name and was told the Stygian was called Khonsirdais. The sorcerer then asked why the Dagon’s Valour was attacked. Khonsirdais shook his head and said Captain Iufenamun acted against the priest’s wishes. The Captain had spoken of once serving on a vessel which was pirated by the Dagon’s Valour in the past which resulted in a major setback to his career. Sighting it again after all those long years had enraged the Captain and he had decided to sink the ship as some form of revenge. Abizar smiled and said the priest was better off sailing with them. He then asked Khonsirdais where the galley was headed. The priest spoke of having hired Captain Iufenamun’s ship to take him to a nameless isle. Khonsirdais showed Abizar a map he possessed and said he suspected great treasure to be found there. The Stygian sorcerer called Hollan to see the map the priest held. It took little convincing for the Aesir to decide to set a new course but Hollan demanded possession of the map. Seeing no other option the priest handed the scroll to Abizar.

Meanwhile, Cortos and Malleus were debating what to do with the remaining Stygians and their Kushite slaves on the Wrath of the Driving Seas. The Cimmerian told the Stygians they could serve on the Dagon’s Valour or take their chances on their sinking galley. Several of the soldiers decided in that instant to throw away their careers and become pirates. Cortos then turned his lockpicks to freeing the chained slaves. A few precise turns and the bolts were undone. Unable to speak in the Kushites tongue, the Cimmerian ordered one of the Stygians to translate what the barbarian said. Malleus offered freedom to live an ardent life of slaying and looting on the Dagon’s Valour to the Kushites. Used to endless rowing and a whip’s kiss on the Stygian galley the former slaves all cheered in agreement. Once the new crew were aboard the Dagon’s Valour, Hollan chose a Kushite named Hajaga to be the spokesman for the Kushites and the Aesir chose the Stygian called Kehpfa to translate Hollan’s orders. The sails were again unfurled and the damaged ship sped with the wind.

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Taking the Dagon’s Valour

It was a chance comment of Cuana’s to King Conan in Velitrium which had led the Cimmerian, Dhak, Tullweim, and Xacksmith to sail a road of blood and slaughter in the Western Ocean. Cuana casually let it known that his wanderlust desired something different. The barbarian also let the King of Aquilonia know of the troubling behavior of his companions, the Stygian had always been a black-hearted fiend but the Aesir’s continued practice of carving into his arms was most troubling. Conan said he knew the solution to all that ailed Cuana. He told tales with great mirth followed by great melancholy of how he sailed as Amra the Lion, and the mighty battles on the high seas he took part in. The Cimmerian King stated he knew a man in Messantia by the name of Argentio who could get the adventurers onto a pirate ship but warned they should take care and not let their names be known as it could have deadly repercussions if a powerful merchant sought vengeance for booty lost. And so Cuana told his fellows of the King’s offer and all agreed. The Cimmerian would be known as Malleus, the Aesir would take the alias of Hollan, the Hyrkanian as Cortos, and the Stygian would be called Abizar. The adventurers set out to the capital city of Argos, Messantia, the very next day.

In Messantia the adventurers met Argentio, a fat merchant who had introduced them to a pirate named Balthazar, captain of the ship, Dagon’s Valour. Balthazar was not keen on admitting land-lovers to his vessel but it was obvious Argentio had some hold over the captain and within a few days the adventurers were surrounded by glistening blue waters as far as their eyes could see. They had several weeks of riding the swells and looting fantastic ships which carried fortunes in cargo to and from distant lands. In the beginning of their seaborne adventures the party were considered lowly deckhands and spent their time scrubbing the deck and performing menial chores while most of the veteran crew did little but lie about and drink. Some hazing had taken place but a cracked skull or two caused by the now bearded Aesir and massive Cimmerian had quickly put the practice to an end. Tensions on the ship had increased in the last few weeks as Balthazar had stayed clear of all known shipping lanes for some time. And though there were several merchant ships seen, the order to attack was never given. The captain had set his crew on a course with an unknown destination.

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The Wretch’s Boon

Tullweim heavily set the bardiche haft on the ground and used the weapon as an aid to keep his bruised and bloodied body steady. Cuana offered to patch the Aesir’s wounds and the barbarian nodded in agreement. Xacksmith asked of the groaning from the altar-hut but before Dhak could answer, the Stygian was stricken by tormenting agony. The sorcerer’s head felt as if it was aflame and the demonic mark on his chest burned as if all the fires in hell were about to burst forth from Dhak’s black heart. As the Hyrkanian moved to aid the bewitched Stygian another figure lunged from a nearby hut. For a brief moment Xacksmith doubted his eyes as he witnessed a Hyborian woman with tawny locks and blue eyes, dressed in the manner of of a Pict, charge the sorcerer with a spear. The woman howled as she plunged the point of the weapon deep into Dhak’s belly. The Hyrkanian responded by slamming the hilt of his arming sword onto the woman’s skull, robbing her of her senses. Xacksmith quickly bound the woman with the rope he carried. The Stygian’s blurred vision began to clear as he spoke aloud in the Demonic tongue of his master, “Dekanawidah, Lord of worms, a sacrifice has just made herself known to me.” Dhak plunged his arming sword into the unconscious woman while intoning further dark words in the horrid tongue of infernal creatures.

Weak groans still issued forth from within the grim altar-hut and the Stygian entered after he wiped his blade clean and Xacksmith looked on in shock. Inside the disgusting daub-and-wattle hut decorated with skulls and other ghastly relics of past sacrifices and rituals laid a tortured form. Dhak asked the wretch if he could speak Aquilonian and the man answered in the affirmative, saying he could speak many tongues both noble and dark. The Stygian narrowed his eyes in response and asked who the man was. The mutilated man spoke through broken lips and stated he was a Ligurean druid who was captured by the Wolf Picts and was to be a great sacrifice to Machk’s demon masters. Dhak told of the slaying of the Pict shaman and the druid solemnly nodded stating it was strange days when the lights best chance was for evil men to war with evil men. The Ligurean then asked if the Stygian intended to slay the Paramount Chief of the Wolf clan, Sagoyaga. Dhak stated his blade indeed thirsted for Sagoyaga’s blood but Machk had let it known the Paramount Chief was near Velitreum with a strong force of warriors ready to put the fort to the fires and it seemed the Stygian would have to collect the Pict’s head another day. The Ligurean chuckled and said he could help the Stygian collect his trophy this day and to look for a white stag which would lead the party to their fate. The druid then used the last of his strength weaving a sorcerous incantation, the final words croaking with his dying breath.

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The Path to Osekowa

Only the occasional cries of a waking bird broke the heavy silence of the forest in the grey light of pre-dawn. In the distance Tullweim saw the group’s destination, a Pict village called Osekowa, home to Sagoyaga, the Paramount Chief of the Wolf clan. Sagayoga had managed to do what no previous savage had done, getting the disparate tribes of Pictland to set aside their differences and join together into an unstoppable, belligerent army of raging cutthroats and bloody-handed savages. It was he whose life needed to be brutally ended. Osekowa had a palisade around its perimeter like previously encountered Pict dwellings, but instead of completely surrounding the village, the palisade ended at the border of a swamp. Xacksmith spotted a lone sentry in the watch–hut guarding the gate of the palisade. Dhak suggested killing the sentry silently by bow-shot, but after a brief exchange with his companions it was decided the distance and number of shots required to kill the Pict watcher would give time to alert the savages in the village. The adventurers decided their best path to Osekowa would be through the nearby swamp, which the watcher’s hut was blind to. Cuana led the party as they crept toward the swamp, slid down into the murky water one by one, and waded toward the village, with only their heads showing from the surface of the murky depths.

The adventurers slowly made their way, tense in anticipation of the bloodshed to come, when the Aesir was grabbed by a hideous creature which burst from underneath the stagnant water. Tullweim fought with the creature, which looked as if it had once been human but now had an unusually long neck, webbed hands which ended in claws, scales, and pointed teeth. The foul abomination struggled to plunge the northman’s head under the water’s surface but the mighty Aesir’s strength was too much for it. Tullweim gritted his teeth, overcame the revulsion which threatened him and threw the horrid mockery of human life back. The other adventurers noticed 7 more of the horrid creatures emerge from the dark pools of water around them. Cuana drew and plunged his greatsword through the chest of one, then cried out in alarm as an alligator clamped down upon the Cimmerian’s arm. Dhak and Xacksmith pushed away the brutes which surrounded them and swam to a nearby protrusion of land. The Cimmerian pulled the alligator’s jaws open enough to free his bloodied arm then finished off the abomination which was still impaled on his sword. In a rush of movement Cuana slew a second servant in the swamp and plunged his greatsword through a third. Meanwhile 2 of the creatures wrapped their scaly arms around the Aesir, pulling him down into the hazy water below.

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Loose Ends

Tullweim leered at the men who had carried supplies throughout this journey and said, “leave now and we shall spare your lives.” Sir Gasparus’ retainers did not hesitate and fled like rabbits from wolves as Xacksmith checked Cuana’s still form for any sign of life. The Hyrkanian thought he caught the slightest of breaths from the Cimmerian and immediately went to work binding his many wounds. Tullweim was still furious at Sir Gasparus and the Pict the Aesir had taken as a lover, Arisawe, but when he caught sight of Xacksmith’s ministrations he stepped over to give what aid he could. The Hyrkanian was doubtful his work could help the Cimmerian in the short-term and Tullweim suggested using some of the poultice Cuana carried with him. At the same moment, Dhak checked Lady Coelia and found her to be still among the living. The Stygian roused the young noblewoman, gave her some water from his canteen, soothingly caressed her head and asked what had happened while the party was beneath the earth. Coelia told of being struck from behind and dimly heard the sounds of battle before she lost consciousness. The Stygian surmised that must have been the Ligureans attacking Gasparus and Arisawe and gestured to the druid’s bodies which laid strewn about, all with deep sword wounds. Lady Coelia gulped, then breathlessly inquired if the adventurers had succeeded in their task. Dhak responded in the affirmative, but not without cost. Tullweim then asked the sorcerer how he managed to convince the devil, Dekanawidah, to awaken the staff. The Stygian simply said, “I did what was necessary.”

After a quarter hour of work, Cuana was finally brought back from the brink of oblivion. The Cimmerian was pleased to see his companions had bested Arisawe and Gasparus. To which Dhak said there was work yet to be done with the treacherous pair and leveled a murderous glare at their unconscious foes. Knowing full well the results would not be pleasant, Cuana and Xacksmith convinced Lady Coelia to go with them into the mist, away from this place of deceit and death. The noblewoman agreed, casting a nervous look at the Aesir and Stygian. Dhak waited a few minutes, then instructed Tullweim to put Arisawe on the blood-stained altar. The barbarian laid the Pict on the ancient altar and held her down just as she stirred. The Pict shaman begged for her life, pleading for mercy as Dhak held his blade above her. The Stygian spoke in the Demonic tongue, giving the Pict’s soul to his new master as he plunged the sword through Arisawe’s chest. Tullweim was a bit shaken from witnessing the act of murdering a woman he had grown close to and asked why they had not put Arisawe to any questions of her and Gasparus’ betrayal. The Stygian replied that it was easier to do things this way. Dhak then used his control of the necromantic arts to speak with the dead Pict. Arisawe gasped in horror as her soul, which had left her body to demonic agony, was wrenched back almost as quickly.

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Blood and Smoke

The long weeks of travel had taken its toll on the journeyers. Each day consisted of traversing through trackless wilderness in blistering heat, swatting away strange insects, finding a defensible position to make camp, and hunting for whatever game could be found. Each night was full of strange sounds and restless sleep. Tullweim in particular had keenly felt the isolation and burden of this trip as his disturbing nightmares continued. The Aesir would wake gasping in the middle of the night, believing he had committed some unspeakable atrocity to his companions. Only after checking all in the camp could he lay back down, but still his mind was troubled. This day, Tullweim felt the heat acutely and his mind wandered far from where his feet landed. He barely heard Cuana call after him and was surprised to see his companions had stopped and were gathered around one of Sir Gasparus’ retainers, who lay face down in the ground.

The Cimmerian saw the strange daze his companion was in and moved to his side. The signs of a high fever were evident in the Aesir, his eyes were glassy, sweat poured down his face, and a faraway look was cast. Sir Gasparus’ retainer was in worse shape. His mind was addled and the weakened worker mumbled nonsense. Arisawe looked over the retainer and then Tullweim and found evidence of a red, bloated, insect bite. The Pict guide feared the barbarian and retainer had caught a deadly disease from the bite and suggested the group find shelter quickly so she could tend to them. Sir Gasparus furiously bemoaned the delay in their journey stopping would cause and suggested leaving the Aesir and retainer to whatever fate their gods had for them. Cuana refused and seemed about to strike the noble when Lady Coelia intervened, stressing the importance of having a warrior such as Tullweim to succeed in their task as well as a healthy retainer to carry their supplies. Sufficiently mollified, Gasparus berated the other retainers to lift their companion as Cuana guided Tullweim. Arisawe informed the group of an old Pict village nearby which she believed to be abandoned and where the 2 ill travelers could be treated.

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The Decision is Made

Sir Gasparus was in a foul mood after the dawn Pict attack. The knight let out a snide remark that it was Arisawe and Tullweim’s caterwauling the night before which beset the savages upon them. A brief discussion was had by the travelers on whether an attempt should be made to rescue the captured squire, to which Sir Gasparus stated, “We can’t match their pace. Even if we could track them they’d have already done whatever horrors to the boy they aim to. And now that we’ve been seen the Picts will search for us in greater numbers that will jeaporadize our task and endanger the lives of the nobility who tasked us. No. Our way is North, toward Nuadwyddon. Arisawe tells that the Ligureans believe it to be a sacred grove near Cimmeria. But following this trail will make us easy to track.” Cuana nodded in agreement. The idea of traveling off the trail was discussed and thrown out of hand as the horses Lady Coelia and Sir Gasparus rode and armor worn by the adventurers would slow the party down to a glacial crawl. Arisawe added the attackers ornamentation marked them from the Wolf tribe. Likely from Dji’ionondo’s village, Tsorahsa, which was dangerously close by. With a wary eye on the forest surrounding them the decision was made to set upon the trail north.

Tullweim was visibly agitated during the party’s passage through the wilderness. His mind was troubled with memories of dreams the night before. These were unlike any nightmare he had ever suffered. In his restless sleep the Aesir dreamt he’d grabbed Lady Coelia in the night, clasping his cold, iron hands around her mouth and throat. She awoke and struggled helplessly as Tullweim carried her through the forest like a rag doll. Deep into the dark, silent woods did the barbarian carry her until a large boulder was found. Lady Coelia was forced onto the boulder with Tullweim’s left hand and in his right was an axe. The Aesir slammed the young noblewoman’s head against the rock, stunning her, then the axe was brought down, splitting the woman’s once beautiful head in two. The nightmare had not stopped there, but Tullweim shook his head and shuddered, determined to forget the rest. As it was, he could not stand to look at Lady Coelia. But despite his efforts his eyes were constantly drawn to her. The barbarian longed for a drink from Gasparus’ whiskey jar to help drown the disturbed dream into oblivion. But that would have to wait until the nobleman fell asleep when Tullweim could forget his troubles with Arisawe. The Aesir thought he’d ventured into dream again as he caught the discernible scent of death in his nostrils. He was relieved to see he was not the only one who noticed the faint stench of rotting flesh.

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The Caravan to Oriskonie

It had been 6 weeks since the War of the Wolf began and the Westermarck burned. The Picts rampaged through Schohira. Thandara was harried extensively by the Otter and Alligator tribes. Conawaga was under siege. Plagues disrupted the settlers and the cities were quickly evacuated. Aquilonia sent in more troops, which resulted in Nemedian opportunists testing the flower of the West’s strength. A bounty for Picts was put into effect to bolster support against the savages seemingly unstoppable advances. One silver coin of the realm for each Pict head or scalp brought in. Large bounties were posted for Sagoyaga (1,000 sp), Machk (500 sp) and Dji’ionondo (200 sp). Bounty hunters from across the Thurian continent arrived to try their hand at capturing Sagoyaga and his followers. An Aquilonian knight, Sir Gasparus, son of Gaspar, arrived with his troops and asked for volunteers and scouts to bring in Picts. In between slaying savages Cuana, Dhak, Tullweim, and Xacksmith had found much work escorting caravans between what remained of settlements. Their most recent job was escorting a caravan of supplies from Conawaga to the Oriskonie province. The adventurers hoped to make as quick progress as possible as a carrier bird delivered word that Lady Coelia had gained knowledge about the curious Staff of Dekanawidah and needed the parties’ help.

The caravan consisted of 5 wagons pulled by 10 horses. There were 4 mounted mercenaries, and 2 rangers guarding the convoy as well as the adventurers. Late in the afternoon Cuana called attention to the unnaturally silent forest. The Cimmerian told one of the soldiers to spread the word to the others an attack was coming. The soldier was at first annoyed at the foreigner’s orders, but realized the likely truth in Cuana’s words with the unusual stillness in the air and moved to alert the others. The soldier had just turned to the 2nd wagon when an arrow impaled the mercenary. The sky darkened by the stone-tipped bolts that came from the surrounding forest like a swarm of deadly insects followed by the ominous beating of drums. Man and horse alike were hit and the mercenaries dove for cover. A large group of snarling wolves burst forth from the forest biting the caravan guards. Cuana’s greatsword spilled the guts of several of the beasts and the Cimmerian made for the trees to hunt for Pict scalps. Dhak, Xacksmith and one of the mercenaries defended the caravan from the attacking wolves. An arrow through the neck killed the closest mercenary and the feral beasts crowded the Hyrkanian, biting and dragging him to the ground. Tullweim aided Xacksmith, clumsily swinging a bardiche, and cleared a wolf off the borderer with a final yelp.

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Niyohontehsha of the Wildcats

Cuana and Tullweim both swore as they witnessed the awful change of one of the captive settlers into another panther-like abomination. Though the rite turned their stomachs to watch it did not quell Tullweim’s fury as he roared out a challenge. The were-panther snarled menacingly, snapped its bonds and leapt at the Aesir. The foul beasts teeth and claws ripped through Tullweim’s armor and lacerated the flesh beneath. The indomitable Nordheimer responded with 2 mighty swings of his greatsword, deeply wounding the creature which but moments ago was a man. Cuana followed the Aesir’s attack with a powerful assault of his own, splitting the top of the creatures head from its jaw in a swath of bright crimson. Amidst the scene of carnage, the Pict women and children continued to dance as the shaman intoned in an ominous cadence.

Meanwhile, Dhak and Xacksmith made their way along the inside of the wooden wall which defended the Pict village of Niyohontehsha. The two adventurers heard the fierce pitch of the battle as it raged at the center of the village and the Stygian had grown impatient. Dhak did not like not having a precise plan for rescuing a phantom woman from the Hyrkanian’s dreams. Xacksmith had his doubts as well but as they turned a corner the Hyrkanian was struck with familiarity at the daub-and-wattle huts which surrounded him. Xacksmith rushed towards a particular hut of grim aspect. The feathers, animal skulls, and scalps did not give the Hyrkanian pause as he flung open the hide-door covering. Inside the hut a beautiful women with lustrous hair, which fell in waves past a warm face, sat reposed on a mattress of animal pelts, surrounded by skulls and other grisly relics of former prisoners. The woman’s bright hazel eyes and full, soft lips showed alarm as from within the hut another were-panther pounced at the Hyrkanian. It was but chance which caused the creatures claw to snare the door covering instead of Xacksmith’s face.

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The Pictish Wilderness

Dhak, Cuana, Tullweim, and Xacksmith dodged arrows as they carried the settler women off the breaking-apart raft onto the shore of Pictland. On the opposite bank a group of 13 savages fired as the adventurers fled behind the cover of trees. The Stygian stopped a moment to pull an arrow out of the young settler woman who cried out in agony. The matronly settler broke the daze she’d been in for days past and doted over the hurt woman as Dhak wrapped scraps of cloth around the wound. Cuana lifted up the young woman and all but Tullweim pushed further into the Pictish wilderness. The Aesir followed behind, pausing every few minutes of travel. Trying, desperately to conceal their trail as much as possible. At one of these stops Tullweim saw what looked like deliberate puffs of smoke from the opposite shore. The Aesir was certain the smoke was some sort of signal meant to alert the Picts on the same side of Thunder River the adventurers were on.

As the party moved through the wilderness Xacksmith stopped mid-step. The paths of trees seemed oddly familiar to the Hyrkanian and he realized he had been to this place before. Xacksmith informed the others that he knew where a Pictish village was. The Hyrkanian led the travelers to a barely noticeable path used by the Picts. The borderer and 2 barbarians determined that a massive group of savages had walked the trail towards the river a few days past. The adventurers surmised these were some of the same Picts who had attacked Schondara. Xacksmith blazed a trail, no civilized man could see, for several miles through the winding forest and whispered of the Picts village in his dreams.

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