A summary of what happened during the game sessions:

April 13, 2001 - Session 6

After spending the night then resupplying from Riverfell, the group headed north, following a small wagon track as well as the amulet.

The first day's travel was uneventful, and the night passed without incident. The next morning, not long after the group began their journey, their travels were interrupted by two very, very large bears, coming through the side of the forest interrupting their path. Quick-thinking Margaret cast a spell that enabled her to speak with them, but they were more interested in the horses for a bit of food than in conversation.

The two dire bears were very formidable foes, surviving a fireball from Rylan and Winter's first use of his cold breath weapon. Jon was gravely wounded, saved by quick action (once again) from Margaret. One of the bears grabbed Winter and held him for a time, as Winter was unable to get free from the great strength of the bear. But finally, one bear went down, and was followed by the other not long after. Healing was passed around to everyone who was wounded, and while everyone was not back to full health, they were able to continue on.

The rest of the time to Darbin passed without any further incident, and on the morning of the third day past Riverfell, the came upon the valley of Darbin. The town looked peaceful, too peaceful. The fields were still lying fallow when they should have been planted for the spring. The orchards were untended, and while fruit was not blossoming on the vine yet, the trees were unpruned. The streets looked overgrown with grasses and weeds, as if the village had been abandoned for a very long time. At the far northern end of the valley, a large garden grew.

Sana and Jack both spotted someone moving in the village, crossing the street and going into a large, two-story building. After some discussion, it was decided that Jack would sneak down into the city through the fields, while Ezhno would enter along the street, and they would head toward that two-story building.

Jack made it down to the building with no problems, and peeked in a back window. It appeared to be an inn, from the kitchen area Jack was able to see. He started to figure out how to get in, while Ezhno made it to the front of the Green River Inn, as the sign over the door indicated. He waved the others to come down, and leaving the horses hobbled, they walked into town.

Just as the others made it to Ezhno, Jack had managed to get inside and discover while the kitchen hadn't been used in a long time, anything that could burn had been put away. Fresh vegetables and bread were left to rot on the counter, but pots had been taken off the stove and the oven's coals had been banked. As he entered the main common room, he saw about a half-dozen women just sitting about. One of them noticed him, and with a cry of "Help me!" leapt to attack him with a dagger, followed by the rest of the women, all screaming similar phrases.

The group outside heard the shouts and the movement, and opened the doors to see what was going on. They saw the women attacking; and some of the women began turned to fight the newcomers. Ezhno knocked one to the ground, Margaret attempted to calm the women, and Sana disarmed them with her whip. In short order, the women were in hand. Especially when Jack noticed the vines trailing behind the women, up the backs of their clothes, and directed his companions to cut the vines.

Each woman, when the vine was cut, collapsed on the floor, but was able to be roused with little difficulty. They each had a similar story to tell.

A few months ago, they awoke in the middle of the night to hear a the sound of flames devouring one of the buildings, and the family within screaming for help and in pain. But they couldn't do anything; couldn't move, couldn't speak. They all ended up in the garden, being called there, and met with a large creature made of plants. The creature sent them back into the village, and they just wandered about all day, falling down where they were at night. All the livestock was brought to the garden and devoured by the creature, as were some travellers through the village, as they had been ordered to attack them and bring them also.

Margaret escorted the women outside of town to where the horses were, and told them to stay there. While she was gone, Jon and Rylan investigated where the vines led, and found a large base plant, but no other vines came off of it. Ryland chopped the base plant into coleslaw (as it were) with his longsword. When Margaret had returned, they decided to head out the back of the inn to the house behind it, and investigate what they could there.

A few steps from the house, three vines began to attack the group! At first it seemed as if the party would win out in short order, as they began to hack at the vines and sever them, which ceased their movement. But just as quickly, more vines attacked, and the battle was truly engaged.

Ezhno was the first to fall victim to the vines' strange powers. Once he was hit, he was paralyzed, unable to move or act. Jack and Rylan were hit soon after, and also failed to have the strength of will to resist the vine's powers. Others were hit, but managed to overcome the plants' insidious influence.

Winter, in a smart maneuver, stepped to the side and breathed his cold breath on the vines, freezing them in place. Jon attacked the vines on the opposite side that were holding Ezhno and Rylan, and in short order, everyone was restored. Fortunately the vines did not appear to be able to mind-control their opponents right away.

Sana flew up to try to find the base plant these vines came from, but with the tall grasses it was easier to trace from the ground. Just then, the sounds of crying, screaming children came from inside the house. And the session was stopped there.

Quote of the evening - "We're saving them for later." Margaret to the bears, speaking about their horses.