Bloody good stuff ! I really dig these writeups. I find the level of detail in your setting very inspiring.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David R;487502Bloody good stuff ! I really dig these writeups. I find the level of detail in your setting very inspiring.

Regards,
David R

Thank you, BTW.  I enjoy the weekly online experience.  it is different, but enjoyable.

Session 98 was something of another hex-crawl, with the group sleeping on the second stone bridge, and waking half way through the night by a few unshriven undead (actually of their own making, from a goesi or so ago) and Triske's Body, having crawled over and grabbed Victor's ankle.
The group also managed to sleep through a large reptilain creature eating those undead 50 yards away around 3 am.  Yay, people on watch.

I enjoyed the conversation about the unshrived spirits and the areas around Steel Isle. The PCs spent a while  RPing the experience of newer characters on the sheer number of unshriven spirits, and Toden and Squire Astell explaining why so many were about still.

The group woke up, ate more dried epfel and kafee, then went north, up and started over the hills (where they spotted another covey of Hippogryphs) on a semi-flagged old road, with ruins sprinkled through the hills.  From the top of one of the hills, they could see a bay, and further, the ocean to the east.  the North was more moors, with a forest after, and to the Northwest, after the moors could be seen more hills and low mountains.  This being GS and the setting being Celtricia, as red Gerin and Tribin (the suns) started to become even at the mid day,the group sang many chanteys and rounds, led By Jon of the Frigid Song.   And again, this being GS, the Hyppogryphs were avoided.  Death happens.

The group trecked north, over the hills, and into the moors beyond.
http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/file/14957114/steel%20isle%20townlg.jpg
http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/47601960/Ensight%20hills%20of%20Steel%20Isle
AS the afternoon wore on, they knew that the next day would bring them to the settled moors of the Southern Fields, and to their friend with ties to the Sceding Tree, Shuruum.
The group ended close to the first stone bridgfe, where Moss and Jon heard human and Orcash voices beyond the trees....

crossposted....


One of the interesting things about how I like to work is that I do enoguh work to make a game or system or setting playable...then spend years and decades adding to it. I think I had about 20 spells when I first started with Guildschool, and maybe 30 skills.  
Skill list
here is the current version, 387 skills long.  
As with many things, this is partially the result of playing the setting and system for decades, and making both match each other and support each other logically.

Session 99

Moss heard the gnollic and orcash voices...
the group stood on the bridge, deciding what to do, as the red evening came on.  While they dithered, 2 gnolls and 10 orcash warriors burst through the wall of trees to the north.  They wore ratty studded leather, bits of scale maile and 2 had wooden shields.  The mainly has spears and a few axes.

The humanoid band stopped at the edge of the forest...but the uncertainly evinced by the explorers convinced the tribals to rush the 50' to the bridge.  *BLARG and ARG*!  they came on, the orcash in the front, the gnolls readying throwing spears behind.  The explorers looked at each other, shrugged, and set up to defend the 15' wide bridge.
(a very bright move)

appearances

and the group being very nonchalont about the banzai charge of the tribals did plant a seed of doubt in them.  The group showed no fear, no worry, merely set a competent skirmish line and spell casters behind getting to their business.

[/I]

So the tribals chucked a few spears that bounced off the heavier armors of the explorers, and when the yelling tribals hit the entranched and readies line, Squire Astell stepped out and crushed the first Orcash who hit the bridge with his mace, spraying the orcash behind with brains and blood. Victor cast a spell that put a red and gold sparkling glow over the whole group of explorers.  The tribals could see this was not a small casting, by the visual evidence.  The Jon Galica the Bard soke a word, and two other Ocash in the front row fell on their faces...Then, as they wavered, Moss the gartier swung at the last orcash in the front rank with his huge morningstar and took the humanoid's head right from the shoulders; just from the sheer crushing force, spinning the poor creature's body completely upside down and smashing the ruined head into the face of the orcash warrior in the rank behind, blood flying everywhere and the head ricocheted up into the air and landing behind the gnolls.
The explorers had not even taken a hangnail's worth of damage yet.

mechanics

after taking almost 25% casualties so fast, I rolled a morale check, and the gnolls were barely able to keep the orcash facing the party. then....

[/I]

From behind Moss and Astell, Jon the Bard Gestured and smiled at the tribals.  Casual, calm and confident.  (and then rolled a 1% on his intimidate roll....)

--Then the tribals just went all to pieces, throwing down their arms and shields, begging for mercy...the main gnoll pled for the lives of his hunting party.  After some parley in westic the Gnoll leader was able to explain that his tribe from the Ensight hills was an enemy of the tribe of the Horned One, and actually abided by the laws of the ladies (the crones).  The gnoll pledged that his tribe would guard the road between the bridges for the explorers, and then feted them with roast venison and stolen beer.

Heck of a well parleyed outcome, honestly. [/SIZE][/FONT]

as of session 99...



Current Situation

•Tanos 28, in front of Shuruums's door, after making friends and allies with the Trine Guldana

Current Members
•Toden Hodd TorZyjman - NPC - New Gartier priest of The Shrine of Ogleic as well as part of Armor of Trade. Taken out of combat after a werewolf ripped off his arm. Returned to help lead the group after he healed and the group suffered losses.        
•Astell Arsaim - PC -  Mixed Human knight of the Bone, and neophyte priest of the Church of Obscurity and Fate.  Has a family history of dealing with the undead.  With Max gone, he is the lynchpin of the shieldwall.  Titled Squire, and has leadership potential.
•Moss - PC - Gesana Human from the Church of Obscurity and Fate. Rescued by the party at the end of the third trip to the ruins. Often opinionated.  Large, sort of in-charge with a morningstar.  
•Victor Halvor - PC - Priest from the Platform of Trade.  Taciturn and very much a healer first..a rock of stability.
•Smiggle Smiggins - PC - Hobyt spellcaster, quiet lately.
•Bournous - NPC - Omwo~ rescued from a necromantic ritual, somewhat sneaky but prone to setting off traps.
•Jon Cedric Galica - PC -GM Human of the Frigid Song of Igbar, found in a temple on the second level.  Bardic Sage, Bardic caster and a help in the front line.
•Valtonian Sunwilow -PC - Vanir Omwo~ Caster from the Collegium Arcana, rescued from the same tem ple as Jon.
•Plaes Holdir-PC-Orcash/Wolden Omwo~ Sneaky, wily and dangerous.  No stranger to killing.
 

 

Minions - Followers attracted by the parties fame and fortune


 
 

Donkeys

•Mr Gibs - Original donkey, has survived a lot.
•Fettle - donkey bought by Hamish on the 4th trip to the ruins.
•Nettle - donkey bought by Hamish on the 4th trip to the ruins.
•Odd - donkey bought by Hamish on the 4th trip to the ruins.
•Bob  - donkey bought by Hamish on the 4th trip to the ruins.
 

 

Former Members

•Kellik (retired) - PC - Half Orcash Gnome Blue Turtle Samurai. Known for a short temper only calmed by combat or wine. Established an Inn and Tavern in Steel Isle Town.
•Mior Carchedin (dead) - PC - Slain on the second bridge by Death Cultists.
•Hsui~ Cuo~t (dead) - PC - Omwo~ sage of the Steel Libram. Was rescued while fleeing for his life from cultists during the second expedition to the ruins. Slain by some gnolls on the 2nd floor of Vexchian during the same expedition.
•Simon Smith (dead)  - NPC - Mixed Human Bone Knight of Orcus. Not fond of Torture. Carries the title of Sirrah. Slain by a heavily armored Cultist while defending Hamish.
•Gordin Edelman (in town) - PC - Gray Marcher Human. Gartier sized, near-enough. Found captured by The Party and set free, to promptly join them on their quest. From the Church of the Solid Earth.  Staying in town after being rescued.
•Rampan the Red (dead) - NPC - Red Hobyt pyromancer from the Collegium Arcana. Totally obsessed with fire and prone to bouts of overly complex speech that leave everyone around him confused.  Slain when Carmen pushed him down a flight of stairs after he got hit by a spear trap.
•Stormhammer Lenden (dead) - PC - Human Gurellium Trader. Knows Hamish. Fell off a rope bridge after being hit by a crossbow bolt fired by a cultist.  
•Vermortis Tygea (in town) - PC - Mixed Human Knight of the Armor of Trade. Survivor of a shipwreck that was attacked by golden masked cultists. Rescued by the party and joined with them to exact vengeance. Wields the Nacdilis. Currently somewhere in town.
•Hamish Haldane (dead) - PC - Delvan Human Chandler/Water Mage/Swordsman prodigy. De facto group leader. Foundling of the Gurellium Traders, now of journeyman rank. One of the more varied caster in Steel Isle Town, now is the master of a grey Thunderbird familiar.  Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•Wurnik Woundhealer (dead) - NPC - Zyjman Orcash from the Church of Amerer the Gray also part of the Bowyers of Ceminar. Notoriously clumsy.  Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•Brother Cameleye (dead) - NPC - Hobyt (Shrum?) from the Church of Obscurity and Fate. Well versed in tracking and trap skills. Sneaky git.   Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•Carmen Ondradet (dead) - PC - Rebellious teenage Hobyt friend of Wurnik, from the Bowyers of Ceminiar. She has an unhealthy sense of entitlement. The Parties first crack shot, compared to Wurnick.  Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•MazAbd (dead) - PC - Omwo~ scholar of the Steel Libram. Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•Boyo heri Harioak (dead) - NPC follower - who wishes to be Max's squire.  He is from the Scarlet pilums. Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•Gracie Verntack (dead) - NPC follower - an orcash gnome female in chain armor, wishes to follow Maz the socialite merchant warrior. Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•Modo dren Biddlebbe (dead) - PC follower - shrum Hobyt Bard of the Fanfare, wishes to travel and chronicle Hamish's rise to fame! Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•Heddle the Foggy (dead) - NPC follower - a human from the Arcanic swords, also wants to cut short his training and learn from Max. Killed by an ornery green dragon.
•Bonatos Regiano - FratreCanis battlemage of the Arcanic Swords and follower of Max.  Had his head split in twain by a gnolls voulge in the Vexchian ruins.
• Trisk Elion - PC - Mixed Human, Hamish's godfather because of his friendship with Hamish's mother. Has watched over Hamish from afar. An old and usually somewhat laid back necromancer..his neck was ripped open buy a gnoll on the second level of the ruins.
• Maximillian Carchedin- PC - Vanir Omwo~/Kann Klaxik Cross. Cousin of the fallen Mior Carchedin and Armiger of the Arcanic Swords. His might is pre-eminent. Maintains a regular correspondence with his grandfather. Known by some as "The Accursed" Has taken to bouts of quietness and reflection after being the centerpiece of much death and destruction. Literally did not join the party on the second level and wandered the outer ruins by himself.
 

Items of Interest found or legendary
•Current booty page
•Wealth Distribution Scheme (SIG Party)
 


The NPC
 
 

Allies

•Chorbit - Hobyt Trader Secundus of the Sceding Tree. Employer of The Party. Very well connected, slightly racist vs Ogriilites
•Shuruum - Hobyt Guild Farmer outside of Steel Isle Town for the Gurellium Traders. Fond of Hamish, pays tribute to The Witches, fairly well off, employs 2 farm hands. Also has  a wife and four daughters, one of which is married to Kellik.
•Sirrah Bjorniad - Sergeant of the Gurellium Traders, recently promoted Hamish to journeyman.
•Kostok Grisli - Klaxik smith on the street of smiths, is going to repair two sets of ancient Venolvian masterwork lamellar for the party in exchange for Hamish and Rampan being avaiable to enchant somethin for him.
•Sirrah Joru Hamikal Ovreisiol - From the Church of  Obscurity and Fate (Darkling). Had Brother Cameleye join the Party. Had a small silver chest stolen by the Cultists, the party is currently on the lookout for this item.
•Trebiouc - Omwo~ apprentice in the Sceding Tree and Knights of Trade. Currently guarding Shurrums farm from harm.
•Eddon the Green- Human, part of the Eddon's Folly adventurer group. Met with The Party Kostok Grislis shop, and after swapping stories about foes vanquished, invited them to meet at a tavern later that night. The other three members of the Folly are Heemius of Bookenders, the red Dwarf and the merchant. Invited the Party to the chaosian festival
•Cal - Orcash Trader Quintus in the Sceding Tree. Knows Gordin from his past.
•Hessium - Omwo~ Member of the Bookenders, learned sage who did some trade with The Party. Extremely surprised to see the fancy scroll cases the party found.
•Magister Garfielt - Magister of the Steel Libram. Helped the Party with identifying some scrolls.
•Magister Pendelton - Magister of the Bookenders, did some trade with the The Party.
•Karras and Serah  - Members (Omwo~ and Human, respectively) of the Penal Few adventuring company from Stenron, who work in the service of the Church of Inkmisa. Have arranged a meeting with Moss about some business.
•Hammerclaw - Necromantic Giant who guards a bridge. Has a very nice axe, and helps people in exchange for food (dead bodies count as food).
• Trine Guldana-jexom, gnoll from the Trine...promised to aid the party and patrol the old trail between the bridges.
 

Neutral

•The Witches/Crones - Two ancient Omwo~ witches that live in the woods outside Steel Isle Town. Payed tributed by Shuruum.  Hated deeply by Kellik. Upset over actions by Hamish, they have still settled the feud between themselves and The Party. Wear ancient green leather armor. Now respected by Hamish since they've taught him some of their lore.
•Werewolf Pack - Pack of werewolves loyal to The Crones. Shebos the werewolf, child of the crones?,  was killed by The Party.
•The Red Knight - Omwo~ Knight in red Scale, scimitar and shield enchanted by powerful Earth Magic. Formidable foe.
•Pehnnie - Scalik Undershaman, hit it off with Stormhammer.
 

Enemies

 

Alive

•Stronghoen - Minotaur leader of the beastmen in the Ruins. Superb with an Axe. Betrayed some trust from the Witches and destroyed something his ancestors were supposed to guard.
•Unknown Caster - Mysterious and powerful caster, killed Crawdaddy with a Pilum of Bone spell. Escaped from the group afterwards. Believed to be a Death Cultist; if so, possibly a Priest of the Dark Way.
•Oracular Skull - Strange silent skull that floats inside a warded and trapped room. The roof of this room changes magically, or so it seems. Created by a Thanatosian cult, it can see the future.
•White-gray Sauroid - Giant flying lizard seen by the party, who were lucky enough to be able to hide in the bush.  
•Golden Masked Leader - Leader of the Cultist Procession, badly wounded by Hamish and Carmen but managed to escape in a great display of magic
•Green Sauroid - Ornery and chlorinous; killed the majority of the party on the disastrous fourth expedition to the ruins.
 

Defeated

•Crawdaddy (dead) - Sympathetic Lizardman defeated in combat atop the ruins. Gave the party some information but was killed by someone unknown powerful caster.
•Priests of the Dark Way - One of these powerful caster/fighters has been slain by The Party, thanks to Brother Cameleye. Wore a fanged golden ring thought to denote rank, currently worn by Hamish Haldane. Observed to have used both Death and Necromantic magic.
•Wight - A wight that was killed by The Party, wounded Max with its Scimitar of Bloodletting.
•Fungeletons - Skeletons covered in a strage fungus, easily dispatched by the group. A small vial of the fungus was recovered by The Party.
•Giant Centipedes - Fast but weak creatures with a potent venom.
•Carrion Crawler - Attacked the Party as they crossed the chasm, was obliterated in a single blow by Kellik.
•Lamellar Armored Cultists - Four cultists armored in ancient masterwork lamellar carrying pilums and using earth magic. Three were slain by the party and the last committed suicide after releasing a Horned Bear
•Horned Bear - Very large horned bear, slain handily by Kellik. It's head has been taken by Hamish as is his custom.
•Cultist Procession - Killed ten cultists (two in lamellar), captured two (slain in the night by something mysterious) and the Golden Masked Leader escaped.
•Whistle Cultist - Omwo~ Cultist caster, died by choking to death on a whistle.
•3 Gnolls - Three gnolls encountered after the party returns to the ruins
the first time after their encounter with the green dragon.
•Numerous gnolls and even ogres on the second level on the 5th trip.

 

The Organizations

•Death Cultists - The Dark Way, worshippers of Thanatos, Orcus and Hewecar. Symbol is a silver skull pendant. Operating out of the Ruins. Possible connections to Steel Isle Town. Possible fanged golden ring to denote higher rank. Members have been seen to use Chaos, Death and Necromantic spells. They had a stockade outside the Vexchian ruins that was cleaned out by The Party.
•The Beastmen - Various bestial humanoids that live in the ruins under the command of Stronghoen. Lizardmen and Gnolls have been encountered. Slain Ogres and FraterCanis have been sighted, killed by Cultists (presumably). No spell casters from this faction have been encountered yet.
•The Witches - Opposed to the Cultists and the Beastmen. The Beastmen betrayed their trust and destroyed an artifact earning the ire of The Crones. The Party owes them the Pearl of Water if they manage to find it in return for healing Hamish.
•The Sceding Tree - Huge multinational trading guild with strong presence on the Island.  
• Trine Guldana -Large tribe of Oggrilites living in the Ensight Hills, follows the rules of the ladies.
 

Items of Legend

•Pearl of Water - Artifact created by Korang the Artificier, used to control something. The Party agreed to give this artifact to the Witches should they come across it.
 

People of Legend

•Korang the Artificer - Ancient artificer of Steel Isle, created the Frater Canis and foul Bearmoth, among other creatures. Also created the Pearl of Water
•Magister Lyam Pendleton - Servant of Korang, the Party found some scrolls addressed to him well hidden in the ruins.

Session 100 tonight.

We're almost back to town, so probably anti climactic.  But still a good barrier.

Quote from: LordVreeg;490094Session 100 tonight.

We're almost back to town, so probably anti climactic.  But still a good barrier.

Lots got done.  Group was moved quickly throguh shuruum's, through the gate, through the Leeward docks, up to the Leeward Bazaar (by the magnificent Iambic Treblehorn, where Eddon yelled down at the group) and off to the House of Chorbit.  We played that interchange, and Chorbit again was so impressed he rented out the top floor of the Red Priest inn for the players for the hawaak.

Session 101 next tuesday.  The group needs to get out of their armor and stuff (for legal reasons, and because of social ones) and sell stuff...whcih is not as easy in my setting as some.

Interesting Steel Isle Game last night.  Session 102.
another pure role play, but with some strange humor and some pathos.

Group finished drinking with Eddon, with Bard Jon playing the Zitan with the chanting bards.  Group got pretty drunk, thinking of absent friends, etc.  Under the influence, Plaes and Moss got into an argument. Moss stalked off.  He went to a BAr with a Marcher infuence.

Group suddenly remembered the headless, semi-animate body of Triske, still tied to the back of a pack animal back at the Red Priest Inn.  They stumbled out, sans Moss (who was eating fish and drinking Island Magic Beer) and pelted back to the Inn...where the body was missing.  Semi-animate, remember...

[/I]

Moss saw an ugly bar fight with a klaxik woman being knifed by 2 human toughs...and no one would help.  He ran back to get Heemious and Eddon.

Meanwhile, the rest of the drunkards looked for tracks, and yelled to see if anyone had seena  headless body walking around, since they had lost one.  Then they remembered that only Moss was a real tracker...then Plaes heard some screaming from the inn, wilst Squire Astell fell asleep in the barn.

Heemious and Eddon had no healing abilit, so they went upstairs to get a priest, and then ran back to the Bar...but the klaxik woman was dead.  

Meanwhile, the others ran up the stairs to the Red Priest Inn, and up to the second floor, to track the screaming down and find their wandering, headless body...but instead interupted a grisly theft.  
"You're not our headless body..."[/SIZE][/FONT]

Session 103

Moss was still separate from the group when we started at 8:30pm, on Tanos 30.
The rest of the group was standing over one sleeping human body, which Burnous and Jon were tying up, one dead Hobyt Body, and a carved up hobyt female in a long black gown.

And the group was still in the bag.

So a Rose (the Hobyt woman with black curling tresses and a long black dress)  and Plaes have a heart to heart...the dead man is an ambassador from a BrightLands trading guild making overtures to the Church of Obscurity and Fate here on the Island; and someone apparently had an issue with it.  Victor and Toden healed her up, as well, though she was still covered with her own blood.  Plaes notes a few other interesting bits of jewelry, and also manages to take everything off the sleeping assassin.

The Drunkards agree to hide the body and take the unconsious assassin (Jon succesfully slurred a shuttered sleep spell on him on session 102).  She leaves with a wink to the beffuddled and inebriated Plaes, walking by Moss on the way out, covered in blood but smiling.

The group goes upstairs to rest, slepp,m and sober up.  Moss goes out to get Squire Astell, who is still asleep in the stables.  
And By the way, Triske's Headless, semi-animate, VICTOR-LOVING corpse is still at-large.

Moss notes a lot of carriages about, and a few other things, then they go to bed, after a brief conversation with moss and Jon.  Trader Secundus Chorbit of the Sceding Tree Traders had rented the entire top (4th) floor of this prestigeous inn for them.

Of course, after this incredibly long day, (that started some 9 sessions ago) things still have to go wrong.  Very wrong.  Jon wakes the group up from their deep, inebriated slumber,  screaming, as he had smelled something andheard something and went to check.  His hand was burnt...and the group smells smoke...and they are on the fourth floor.


[/I]

Luckily, the group for once acts quickly and get's Toden's 50' of silk rope, Jon pushes a 600 lb bed over to a window (oooohhhlook..lots of fire below us...and look at all the people...), and they toss a rope out.  Valtonian breaks and ankle and a few folk have trouble getting down the 4 stories...Jon SLides down with one hand carrying his ancient Vicorian Zitan in the other...and as Moss lets out the assassin, the building starts to crumble, and literally, as the bed starts to go through the floor, Moss us going down the rope, and that starts to yank the ropw back up...as Moss makes it down.

The Whole Red Priest inn Implodes then, destroying the stables, and only one donkey escapes...as Fire magi from the collegium arcana as well as 2 deductors with fire magic try to keep the blaze dampened enough not to spread[/SIZE][/FONT]

session 104 in the books, with the group

OK, Spells found in the scrolls and books so far...
Now the group has to work on the hard truth of selling or keeping these spells.  Spells can be worth 5-20 Gold Horn per spell point if selling, but buying teaching scrolls can be 30-50 Gold Horn per sp, if the spells are even available.
(from an ooc standpoint...some of these spells are very cool and would be useful to this group.  Our Guildschool system actually has it's own spellbook built to mirror the history of spellcasting and the setting itself.)

Jorm Haddars's book...
Insect Feast...Bee blade...canine soul...   Silent Strike...  Detection of poison

One of the ancient scrolls found under the Temple...the authority spells would rock for this group.  Some of these are rare, as these scrolls are Vicorian in Origin...
rigid lock...  lesser authority... greater authority...  Perservere

The other ancient scroll...
lesser control..locktight...charm of life...  fertility charm..Great Strike

Rampan's Spell Book...(God, I miss Rampan as an NPC)
Immunity to Heat...Flaming Sphere...Minor Fire Blast...Smokepuff...Starlight, Fire...PiggyBlaze ...Least eye...Source Charge, the most popular cobat buff spell in Celtricia...Omnipotent Eye...Flame Blade


So the group all got a ton of spells...and this is alos one of their primary sources of potential wealth. It makes poor economic sense to sell these if casters want them, but the opposite is certainly true.  We need to make sure Valtonian gets a look, as well...

session 107 was a regroup, still in Steel Isle town.  Social skills were used (with Victor scoring good loyalty from Yeomic, his tiny gnome/hobyt crossbreed neophyte priestess of the Platform of Trade.

group spent money and time learning skills (it would have been a good session to watch on the mechanics side if anyone wanted to see the mechanics we have for learning new skills in a skill based system), though Squire Astell needs to spend his loot (he has over 1100 gold horn to work with.)

At the end , we rolled quickly for the other new followers attracted by your strange message...and Astell has a new squire, a huge 8' tall ograk with a 21health who weighs almost 1000 lbs.

session 108 next week.

OK, session 111 was long and interesting, then ended with a huge combat versus a big scary!

The group started at Shuruum's, then found a few bags of food left for them.  the group left going east then south on the Farm Road into the Sothern Fields, through other farmlands, and picking up rumors from passer's by, noting the way the Trine Guldana (the gnoll tribe) had become pretty accepted by these hardy farmers on the edge of civilization.

The group moved through this are, passing farmlands as the ground and terrain became more moorish.  Trees became more gathered into copses, and the day became warmer.  
Then, after moving into the proper moors, the group came over a rise, to hearing screams of pain and anger and huge thrashing noises from a large copse of trees down the hill.  A gaggle of Gnolls, bloody and damaged, from the Trine Guldana, came puring out of the copse, and PLaes, Jon and Billo White (followed by the rest of the group) ran to meet them and to support them.  Jexom, Headman of the Trine War Party, warned them of a horor released by the cultists.

The group penentrated the trees carefully, moving slowly in.  they heard screams abruptly cut off, and strnge giggling and what sounded like words...then Plaes (who, like Burnous, was using the trees to angle around for flanking/backstabbing) was able to see what was skittering and giggling...

fully twelve feet high, in spider form, yet with a man's body and a hairy skulls face, it moved with arachnid grace and towards the group did turn and race, with wild mane and hairy, envenomed tail...

Bravely is the only way I can describe the way the explorers went to work against this terror of Korang's Gene Vats, as it was a nightmarebeast faought in deepest shade, dodging tree and root.  Billo, Jon, and Moss made up the van, with Jon and Moss taking most of the attention, Valtonian, Vicotr and Toden behindcasting, and Burnous and PLaes sneaking around trying to backstab or flank.

The creature had a heavy carapace, and while Jon's thick armor absorbed many blows that could have crushed a man, both from claw and stinger, and while Moss and Billo suffered acid being spit at them, ultimately the group fought hard and well.  After Moss' Morningstar, ensourcelled by Valtonian, smashed into the creature's gibbering skull face and released a source charge, the huge thing started to think batter, and when Plaes and Burnous cut it's back legs out from under it, it tried to retreat, but the group surrounded the skulled horror in spiderform, and overthrew it.

Session 112 last week was healing and cleaning up.
Lots of damage fighting the Death Root Mother.

After that, they spoke to the Trine Guildana (the Gnollic Ogrillite tribe), who said they needed a few hawaaks to heal up.

The group continued on through some of the lower moors, discovering a few new peices of Venolvian ruins.  Session 113 startes with them moving back towards what they now call 'the First Bridge', and ancient Venolvian span where they have had a few combats.

Sessions 113 -116
these sessions continued the treck from the edge of the habitated lands (the Southern Fields) and through the first part of the Moors to the Silberti Swamp. (map of that area here)  This is the fifth trip to the Ruins of Vexchian.

There were a few arguments, and a few night hauntings as well, which is hardly surprising with all the unshrived souls still caught here from the War of the Shield.  (the PCs also have the headless body of Trisk Elion, animated, wandering around in the trackless wastes, with designs on Victor's head.)

Then, as they got close to the First Bridge (the trip is segmented almost in thirds by 2 of Venovian Bridges), they found the remains of death cultist's they had fguht before in this area before (someday the'll learn to shrive some spirits someday, or maybe at least to burn some bodies; less moral, but it stops some of the issues.
9 zombie warios, some fast, smelly Omwo~ one, and a semi cognizent, clever mailled orcash undead.  His Maille turned out to be dificult to penetrate, as well.
That was a fight.  The PCs took the fight for granted, and it almost cost them a few times.  Moss was knocked down to 1 hp, healed back, then knocked down to below 0 and almost lost when the mailled one burst into flame and grappled with him at the end of the fight.