- The party met another adventurer who was stuck in a pit trap on the other side of a portcullis near “Bride.”
- After lifting the portcullis, they helped him climb out of the pit.
- The adventurer introduced himself as Jon Marston, a fighter and acolyte of Helm who had lost his party during a fight with some octopuses in a nearby underground lake. He had run and fallen into the pit trap.
- He confirmed that his group was here to get Bride, and that they had stowed away on a smuggler’s ship that had some children as prisoners.
- Their plan was to get Bride, rescue the children, steal the ship, and leave.
- The party then encountered Bride.
- She explained that she was very old, perhaps 4,500 years, and that she had been polymorphed into a sword. Bregor knew this was not possible.
- She tried to lure the party’s melee characters into taking hold of her as she desired to be held by a powerful warrior. However, she was locked in a force bubble that she explained was part of a curse that she lived with. Her creator had placed a shield around her that could only be dispelled when three people, one each of good, neutral, and evil alignment, breached it together.
- Alma agreed to represent “neutral”. Jon Marston agreed to represent “good” and Kriick put on a magic ring that allows him to mask his alignment and he pretended to be “evil.” Their plan worked and the force bubble was dispelled. Bride said that the ward would return if she was abandoned — this was to protect unworthy would-be wielders such as the town drunk from gaining possession of someone as powerful as she.
- Bride explained that she desired to be bound (warded) with all of the party members. When asked what that meant, she explained that there would be a magical connection between all who were warded and they could sense emotions from each other and could generally tell which direction the others were in if they were separated.
- She also explained that she was a normal +1 sword but could do other things when she had enough power. However, all who were warded to her had to agree before she could do anything. It was a governor in her design meant to check her if she got too powerful.
- After much debate, Kriick, Jon, and Bregor were all bound to Bride, with Jon wielding her. As they touched her, she said “Today, my marriage to Tyleem RoarDeep is over. He no longer interests me. My desire is to he warded to strong adventurers and to be wielded by a strong warrior.”
- Later she said:
- “Before you, I appear as a sword, yes, a talking sword. But before I was …….. before I was impris…..before I took …. this form, I was a wizard who had studied for 30 years. Some would say that I was the most powerful wizard of the Silver Towers. Lies, but jealously often breeds lies. Alas, I was and am still a wizard. You may find this hard to believe but I am over 4,500 years old.”
- The party took a long rest while Kriick explored the lake and was nearly attacked by an octopus.
- The party, now fully healed, attempted to elude the octopuses with the assistance of Druidic magic. Alas, they were spotted and three octopuses attacked.
- Alma was nearly dragged to the bottom of the lake by an octopus, but Hestia, Bregor, and Argone, using spells, weapons, hexes, and the good old fashioned “extended an arm”, were able to pull her from the creature’s grasp.
- The party continued past the lake and found a secret passage into a bandit/pirate base.
- After much strategizing, the party got off a surprise attack that took out the enemy’s caster.
- Bregor and Kriik killed a drunk smuggler with ranged attacks.
- Hestia blasted another drunk smuggler over the bar, breaking dozens of glasses. This smuggler struggled to his feet.
- Hestia sprouted fire wings and took to the air, amazing everyone and terrifying the injured smuggler who dropped to his knees and prayed to the “demon” not to hurt him. The “demon” honored the prayer but Argone did not and hurled a javelin through the smuggler’s chest, pinning his dead body to the wooden bar.
- The bartender fled the tavern area, yelling his head off.
- The session ended and we will pick back up next week in the middle of combat.