We made it most of the way out of the mountains with minimal further issues. Heading down the trail, we get a view of the lakes and the town ahead. It looks like we’re going to get to the lake just about sunset, maybe a bit before. Mercury says we need to get there before sunset to make the ferry trip across the lake, so we do our best to step it up a little, pushing the horses to go faster.
We made good time, but even so by the time we get there the
ferry has already left. Looking across the lake, we can see small lights
shifting and dancing across the water. It looks like there’s some kind of
festival happening in the town across the lake.
There’s a small house here where we can stay for the night,
which is good because it has started raining. The house is empty – there used
to be a town on this side of the lake, but it was long since abandoned. Mercury
says the ferryman sometimes uses the house when he has to stay over, but
otherwise it’s empty. Fathom, Mercury and Pujol go check the house to make sure
it’s clear and ready to use. Gooseneck, Corncob, and Abran go check out the
pumpkin patch that’s behind the house. Gooseneck insists they are looking for a
‘great pumpkin’…must be a lizard folk religious thing, I dunno. I help get the
wagons tied down.
Looking around the house, Fathom finds a big fat racoon
living in the attic. We won’t mess with you if you don’t mess with us, little
buddy. Mercury gathers some firewood, and Pujol and I finish tying down the
wagons.
The Pumpkin Patch boys keep exploring and find an abandoned
but mostly intact boat house, and the remains of a burned-out house. Inside the
boat house they find some small boats, old supplies, and a few very small
boats, maybe a foot long, with lanterns on their decks. Gooseneck thinks
they’re probably used in whatever festival is happening across the lake. Abran
grabs one to take back to ask Mercury about. Corncob checks out the rowboats,
and finds them still in decent repair.
They check out the burnt house. Corncob thinks it has burned
a couple times, and has been abandoned for a good 20-30 years.
Back in the house, Pujol goes up into the attic to make
friends with the raccoon. He communicates with it, telling it we’re going to
spend the night, but have no intention to hurt it or take its stuff. He also
gives it a biscuit. The raccoon seems OK with us staying…or at least the
biscuit.
Wils, the other wagon driver, answers questions about the
mini boats. He recognizes them as part of the festival. The residents light the
lanterns and set the boats out on the water. They believe that it invites their
dead family to return for the festival, and asks them for protection through
the rest of the year.
Mercury seems upset by this talk and goes out to check the
horses. Wils tells us Mercury’s father died recently, and that’s probably why
he’s upset. Corncob, Gooseneck, and Abran all go to check on Mercury. Corncob
talks to him, and learns that Mercury’s father was part of the caravan that
never made it back to town. No body was recovered. No wonder Mercury wants to
go after the orcs.
Abran walks about the area as a mist rolls in across the
lake. Lightning flashes, and he sees something in the water. Maybe a
reflection? It didn’t last long. He heads back to the house, whistling a bit as
he goes.
We settle in for the night. Abran and I take first watch,
which is peaceful. Gooseneck and Fathom take second watch and decide to patrol
around the area. They find the door to the boathouse open. Gooseneck bursts in
through the doorway while Fathom tries to go in the window. Fathom’s entrance
does not go smoothly – she falls on some of the piled up supplies. Again,
lightning flashes. Gooseneck sees someone behind the rowboat for a second, but
then it’s gone. Fathom looks out across the lake and sees a few little boats line
up. Gooseneck doesn’t see them. There’s another flash of lightning, and Fathom
doesn’t see them anymore either. Gooseneck and Fathom come back to the house
through the pumpkin patch.
As they return, Fathom and Gooseneck see someone rummaging
around in the back of the wagon. Fathom shouts loudly, and Gooseneck charges.
When they get there, it looks like the tarp was disturbed, but no one is there.
They don’t see any footsteps, either.
They head back to the house, and see more lanterns out on
the lake. Then they see a head rise up out of the water.
Fathom’s shout woke me. I looked out the window for them.
They definitely looked agitated, so I woke the rest of the group.
Gooseneck ran forward toward the water to attack the things
rising out of the lake. Corncob and Abran take positions in the doorway and get
ready to attack. Gooseneck swings at one of the zombies with his axe, shooting
lighting at it. Corncob moves outside, using his faith to drive a number of the
creatures away.
A couple of the remaining zombies moved forward and attacked
Abran. Fathom got back into the house through the window and cast a blast at
one of the zombies. Pujol shot at one, and I swung at one in the doorway.
Gooseneck used his axe/lightning combo again.
Corncob cast a spell that caused spikes to rise up out of
the ground some of the creatures were shambling across. The zombies in the
doorway pushed forward. One attacked me, and its poison paralyzed me. Abran
attacked them again and took one out.
Gooseneck and Corncob come in through the window. Abran
shuts the door, now that we’re all inside and they are all outside. Whew!
It’s clear there are too many of them for us to fight off,
or even hold off until morning. We decide we need to follow the local tradition
– use the boat Abran brought back to invoke ancestors to protect us. Small
problem – none of us have dead ancestors likely to be anywhere near here.
But…Mercury does. His father passed very recently, and he was even originally
from the town across the lake where this festival happens.
Mercury writes a letter to his father, as is the tradition.
Gooseneck carries him over to the lake edge as quickly as he can, with Abran
going along to help defend them. I go up on the roof with my bow to provide
cover. Mercury lights the lantern and sets the boat afloat, and the creatures
collapse into dust.
Whew.
Next time, I’m so going on ahead to get the ferry to wait.
