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Session 13: On The Road Again

Katay is a small city that has been the major point of contention for three wars between Leonay and Anasazi. Deep beneath the city are rich mines, providing ore and gems. Leonay has held the city for the last forty years and the city doesn’t seem to be in danger of falling back into Anasazi hands.

The group consisting of the rogue Jelana Strongwillow, her sister-paladin Alisnier, the elf wizard Valamir Goldblossom, the human cleric Jacob Lemoore, and the half-orc ranger Grafton Mahler began their journey to the Katay two days after their friends boarded the Stormy Voyage to begin their quest to find Falon Gareth. The trip was uneventful until on the sixth day when the group met a young dwarf at the roadside campsite.

The dwarf introduced himself as Elian Battlebeard. He is a loquacious young dwarf with a powerful dose of wanderlust. Elian and Grafton became fast friends. When time came for the group to continue on their way, they asked Elian if he would like to come with them. Elian agreed, figuring it is always better to travel in a group.

The following day, Grafton ran across a large dog. He instantly took a liking to the mastiff and decided to name him Deeohgee. Grafton has a way with animals and Deeohgee is a quick learner, so over the next couple of days he had trained Deeohgee to do a couple of minor tricks.

When the group reached Katay they got directions to James Underdoo, the sage that Linus sent them to see. Jelana told the sage that they were investigating the Mathoukite cult that has apparently surfaced in the city.

James explained that the church of Mathouk has been putting on quite a show of being completely above-board with their plans. They are planning to build a small church and since they are acting as scholars as opposed to crazy, undead-making cultists, they have been able to build a place for themselves in the city.

James Underdoo offered to look into the Mathoukite church a little closer if the companions would go and look into something for him.

In the past 12 days, no trade ships have stopped in the city. Fifteen ships were expected, but none made it. At the end of Cape Kataya, there is a lighthouse. The lighthouse warns ships to stay away from the reef just off the coast. He asked the group to go to the lighthouse, about four days travel, and ask the lighthouse keeper if he has seen any ship come though in the last couple weeks.

The group left a couple of days later, after Jelana had taken care of some errands. The first two days passed uneventfully as the group trekked along the spongy ground. Halfway through the third day, the group came upon some large stones. When they entered the area of the stones they were attacked by two enormous apes! The dire apes nearly killed Alisnier and Jacob, but when the dust settled the group was victorious. After administering a couple of healing potions, the group rested through the night to regain their strength for the rest of their journey.

In the afternoon of the following day, the group stood on the shore of a muddy, flood plain. It had rained over the past couple of weeks so the water had risen to over a foot deep. The group had to wade through the muck, because it they were to go around it would add a couple days to their trip. Two hundred yards of wading through muddy water is certainly worth two days travel. The group tied themselves together and began to wade into the brown water. After about ten yards the water increased in depth to about four feet. Seventy yards later, the group was approaching the halfway point when several crocodiles burst from beneath the water. During the battle with the crocs Elian nearly drowned and Alisnier was pulled beneath the water only to be aided by Jelana plunging her sword into the back of the crocodile pulling her sister under. The group left several bloody crocodile corpses to feed the scavengers.

The group continued across the muddy water.

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