Episode 7: Combs and Zombies and Orcs

Episode 7: Combs and Zombies and Orcs
23-25 Elesias 1481 DR

The next day, the Jug or Naughts decided to investigate the rumors of undead chasing miners away from Old Owl Well in the foothills of the Sword Mountains just south of  Conyberry. On the way, Bobby brought the jeweled comb to Agatha and transcribed some of a book he found written in Sylvan in the hopes of getting it translated somewhere.

The party spends the night in Conyberry. During PewWee and Madislaka's watch, an owlbear rumbled into camp. A minute later, face cleaved by  Mulan, it lay on the ground, emasculated and smoking, much to the detriment of a nearby tree. Madislaka sustained severe injuries in the fight, but was pulled to safety and healed in time by Eldeth.

The next morning, fully rested, they set off to investigate the undead … a dozen undead, to be precise. As they approached the ruined tower of Old Owl Well, twelve zombies shambled out toward them. Bobby let loose magic missiles on two of them, and, at the sound, a short, red-robed man with a necromancy symbol tattooed on his forehead hustled out. He called off his zombies (which were, in fact, his), and spoke with the band of adventurers.

The necromancer, Hamun Kost, hailed from Thay, in the far east, and was in the Sword Coast to study magic present in the rocks around Old Owl Well, which was once a stronghold of the ancient magical empire of Netheril. Orcs south of his camp had been harrassing Hamun's efforts, and he asked the  group to handle it for him in exchange for payment. The Jug or Naughts didn't seem impressed with Hamun's morality or motives, but decide to Bobby's dismay not to press a fight. Instead, they make their way south to deal with the orc threat, which was on the agenda anyway, since Harbin offered them 100gp to eliminate the band of marauders that had been harassing travelers on the Triboar Trail.

After dispatching a lone orc scout in front of the cave at Wyvern Tor, our heroes decided to lure the rest of the cave's inhabitants out by sending down pieces of the dead orc. Bobby, using mage hand and PewWee's extra short sword, cut off the dead orc's ear and carried it down into the cave. The orcs erupted and began to charge out of the cave. Bobby stepped in front of the entrance and shot a sheet of flame down the passageway. He was then promptly bowled over by a very large and very angry ogre. A second orc charged out of the cave, and both he and the ogre turned their attention to Eldeth. The party focused their fire on the ogre, first with PewWee turning its leg into a sieve and then Mulan slicing open the burned strip on its stomach. Bobby finished the brute off with magic missiles, leaving just the orc, which did not last long against the combined strength of the fighters.

The party descended into Wyvern Tor, picking their way around six charred orcs, previously incinerated by Bobby's burning hands spell. The orc threat having been decidedly addressed, the Jug or Naughts decided to rest up in Wyvern Tor overnight and  set out the next day on their next adventure…