Session 22 : The mourning glen of Gozreh

After dispatching an orcish ambush, the party discovered that the orcs had taken a prisoner. Gert, the peg-legged half-orc who owned Littleton’s tavern had been captured and tortured for information. He told the party that the survivors were being hunted down by a vicious female orc named Shiggah. The group decided to leave Sarah and Ben in Gert’s custody and lent them their expedition pavilion to hide in and keep warm while they hurried on.

Unfortunately the party arrives at the Glen of Gozreh too late. Shiggah and her orcs are waiting for them and have taken several hostages, one of which is Jerky’s mother Camille. Shiggah offers to strike a deal with the party: she will release the prisoners and tell Howling Fell that they are dead if they accept to pick a champion and duel her. If she wins the Duel, she will take Jerky’s Sword as a trophy to match her other blade. If she loses she will give the party a valuable piece of information. Shed asks her why the party should trust her, she replies that they have no choice and illustrates her argument by beheading an elderly captive: a mistake that cost her her life.

Indeed, upon witnessing this vile act this Jerky, fearing his mother might be next, refuses to negotiate and charges headlong to Camille's aid. Simultaneously, with little regard for the hostages, Shed charges Shiggah… as the two sprint forwards, a surprised Shiggah gives the order and the party watches helplessly as the orcs slit the throats of the prisoners, Jerky looking one last time into his mother’s terrified eyes before she silently meets her end. In the battle that ensues, Shiggah is found to be not an orc but a Doppelgänger that the party had crossed paths with before. It had nearly taken over Littleton with the help of Mervyn the traveling troubadour and barely escaped with Its life. It got its revenge at the cost of its life.

In the aftermath of the battle two Dopplegängers, one of which was posing as the orc Urog, escaped the glen leaving the party in shock. The dead are buried in this sacred place under the mournful song of Isaya and the prayers of Aaler. The remaining 34 villagers look to the heroes for guidance but none is found, as mentioned by Shed their situation is dire indeed: a group of peasants with no supplies or shelter in the dead of winter chased by Howling Fell. The party decides to make camp in the Glen of Gozreh for the night, hoping that the morning will bring a new outlook on their predicament.

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