Army of Undeath

Earthday the 16th of Vatelion
Xavier & Laén arrive at the village if Cluth. Five knights in the order of Lonusso (an order of witch hunters) have entered town in search of a witch. They have enforced martial law and are not allowing anyone to leave the town. The party go to meet Kendon, but he is out of town. They make camp by his house and wait for the night.

Suspiciously, Kendon the town Beadle and village protector returns during the night.

Airday the 17th of Vatelion
Hayn, the leader of the knights, questions the party on their reasons for being there, their motives, and inspects their gear. He identifies several highly suspicious items, and confiscates them pending further identifications. Þórhal tells him about the events at the woodcutters camp, and he and two knights ride out to investigate.

The day passes.

Then Hayn returns, gathers all villagers to the town centre, and calls forth everyone who has arrived in town in the last 48 hours. Several villagers, Kendon, and the party are selected and taken to the church for questioning.

Each person is questioned in turn. The knights go to their house and strip away floorboards, open mattresses, search inside chimneys, dig up the garden, and generally tear through the house searching for evidence of witchcraft until they are certain there is none.

At Kendon's place, they find some. The evidence includes a few bundles of human hair, some written curses, some odd bits and pieces that could be used for spell components, an old book on witchcraft, and they find some glyphs scrawled in odd places. Kendon is hauled out to the street and charged with witchcraft. They read him his rights: "Trial by ordeal, trial by combat, or trial by jury". He chooses jury.

So, the whole town gathers in the church to hold the possibly only court hearing ever to happen in Cluth. Þórhal, by way of noble family ties, manages to talk his way onto the jury. It does little good though. The trial is a farce, with the other four knights (being the highest ranking officials) taking the other four seats on the jury. Regardless of not being able to prove anything, the jury deems him guilty and sentence him to burn to death at the stake.

Orders are given to collect firewood and villagers issue forth to the forest to collect. Þórhal and Xavier are unconvinced of Kendon's guilt, and go to the forest not to find firewood, but to look for the real witch. They find no witch, but rather a small army (or rather large crowd) of skeletons waiting in the forest. Like any sensible minded adventurer, they run with the skeletons in hot pursuit.

They stop at the bridge entering Cluth and hold. The skeletons attack en masse, and it is not long before Xavier is hurt and needing healing. Laén, along with three of the knights Lonusso arrive and charge into the frey. The remaining two knights are under orders to guard Kendon. Kendon protests and insists he be allowed to don his armor and help protect the village, but is denied. He convinces one of the knights to aid the defense, and a little while later a fourth knight arrives on the bridge. The skeletons begin to fall.

Some of the skeletons wade through the creek and enter Cluth. They begin to slaughter villagers and drag their corpses to the town centre.

The knight who was guarding Kendon runs past at full speed, screaming. Laén disengages from combat and heads for the church, seeking Kendon. The church is empty.

More corpses arrive at the town centre. Some of the knights attack the skeletons that brought them. A strange fog begins to appears. Then a huge clap of thunder is heard on the same spot. For a short time chanting is heard. To the immense surprise and shock of those in the fog, another four corpses rise, peel the flesh from their bones, and attack the knights.

Those standing on the bridge see Kendon leave the fog in the direction of his house. Þórhal calls to him and pursues, with Xavier and Laén close behind. The knights are left to finish off the remaining six skeletons. Kendon changes direction and heads for the nearest building, choosing a position halfway up a staircase to defend from. Þórhal boldly enters, and seeing the evil cleric cornered, charges and smashes Kendon across the jaw. Kendon reaches out and grips the back of Þórhal's head, drawing his eyes into contact. Somewhere in hell a demon acquiesces Kendon's wish. Dark energies enters Þórhal's body, and finding insufficient resistance snuff out his life essence. Þórhal arms and legs sag, his mace falls from his grip, and his body tumbles backwards down the stairs.

Laén enters the room, bow readied and arrows notched. Kendon turns his gaze on Laén and approaches slowly, stepping over Þórhal corpse. Laén disappears back out the window. Xavier, not to be fooled by once-per-day abilities dive-rolls into the room and starts stabbing. Kendon heals himself a few times, tries to flee, and is eventually brought down by shafts from Laén's bow.

GM's Notes:

• Obstacles Overcome:
  18 Skeletons (20 + 4 raised - 6 left behind) CR6
  Kendon (6th level cleric of Death and Evil) CR6
  Total encounter difficulty CR8 => 4800XP / 7 = 685XP each
  
  Xavier & Laén = 7777XP + 685XP = 8462xp (61% to level 5)
  Þórhal = 9526XP + 685XP = 10211XP (5th level!) - death = 8000XP :(