Sugar Plum Yuletide (Saving the Innocent)

Note: This adventure is based on the "Banquet of Death" module for 5e. It has been adapted for edition and level.

21 Frostkolt 348 AC

Grotto tells Raven what just happened. After, gathering all of the weapons he threw, he recasts "Inflict Serious Wounds" into his spell-storing axe.

Grotto and Raven both check on Dakara. Grotto asks, "Would me and my friend here be able to do an exorcism? I think I can handle the lead but you said two priest were required."

She shakes her head, "No. Both priests must be ordained. If you can capture these possessed elves, I will help them." The dwarf nods and turns to check on Mortimer who is asleep and resting quietly.

"It's settled then. Let's put an end to this," Raven crouches to scratch the white dog behind its ears. "Lead the way, Nala."

Dog, elf, and dwarf take off, leaving the harvest temple and racing into the woods. "I informed Lord Harrick about the cursed pies, so there shouldn't be any danger of further demonic infestation. All that remains is to treat the already existing victims," Raven informs Grotto before explaining Nala and her relationship to Carla.

After only a few minutes, the white hound slows. "Sharp-ears ahead," the dog says with a slight whine.

Raven signals a stop, "Good girl. Wait here. Grotto and I will handle this."

Ahead, the road narrows to a single lane as it passes through a pair of low ridges, capped by trees and small boulders. "Nala says that there are elves with bows hiding along the ridges that shot at her when she tried to return to her master's home. Carla is, or was, hiding out in the house."

Grotto peers up the road. "How do you propose to capture or incapacitate those that are possessed so that we can exorcize them back at the temple?"

"I was thinking we would go up there, knock them out, and bind them," Raven replies. "I will sweep right," he points at a tree hanging out over the trail, "toward that tree and see if I can get these elves to reveal themselves and then make a bit of an arc to the other ridge and see if we can find any more."

"Want me to stay behind and you can push some my way or have them give chase then i can ambush them. I am not the most stealthly of dwarves to sneak up on them. We may be able to flank them that way."

"Sounds like a plan to me. I'd rather not kill these people of we don't have to." With that, Raven leaves the road once again and starts making his way towards the first likely ambush spot. He reaches the base of the ridge and begins to climb, picking his way carefully up the rock face.

A trio of elves on the north side of the road see him scaling the escarpment and begin firing arrows at him. Raven flattens himself against the wall, seeking as much cover as possible as the arrows zing all around him.

Raven begins reconsidering his plan to take these elves alive. "It's not their fault, Raven," he grumbles to himself, "They're innocent victims, Raven," he continues, "Let's take them alive, Raven. Me and my big mouth!" He crunches in closer to the wall as an arrow shatters against the rock scant inches from his hand. "This is some b#%$÷€!"