Refugees From Real Life

We had found a secret passage leading into the lighthouse, and were making our way inside. We thought we had found a corpse, but it turned out to be a live Human, old, tall and gangly. He had been long struggling against the ghouls, and was apparently the only non-undead left in the town.

He was apparently a political official in the town, and told us the story of how, six years ago, Lord Ventwerhoffen's son was killed. Subsequently, his wife died in childbirth, and it was thought that the abominable child died as well, although that might be wishful thinking. The father lost his sanity.

Around this time, the Maiden's Tears (the spring that supplied the town's water) went bad, and that's when the trouble with the undead started.

The apparent leader of the ghouls, an aquatic elf named Elioss, continually tries to capture the old man, perhaps to gain access to the lord's manor, in the center of the isle.

We decided to investigate the manor, but found the way made somewhat more difficult by a flooded fen. Someone had built a dam in the center plateau of the isle. We soon found out why, as undead things rose from the water. They gained strength by putting sucking leeches on us! Eeew! We managed to dispatch them, but the memory of a swamp-soaked undead thing vomiting leeches all over me is one I shall carry for a long time.

From the journal of Alfonznot, warrior of the dwarves:

The carrock blew off course to the east. The human sailors seemed unable to deal with the weather. Some sort of swimming lizard -- long-necked things, with rows of fanged teeth! Their bites were most unwelcome. Fortunately, they were pretty cowardly, but even so, I was nearly bit in two and knew no more until one of my companions healed me.

Apparently, while I was out, my friends had quite the time navigating the shoals. We finally landed at Adama's Tooth. Ahh, to be on land again, trusting my own feet rather than the ramshackle craft and skill of the human sailors.

Our mission was to investigate an assassination ... done by a toy! We'd destroyed the toymaker, but his deadly minions had already been sent out.

We found Pyritar, the town, largely deserted, though we saw some old footprints, as well as a small amount of cash. The town inn's ledger entries ended abruptly three years ago. Something bad happened here.

We found mention of one Nicola -- a frequent guest at the inn, who would show up every few months on a small boat. She once met a local noble, name of Ilona, which the ledger-keeper thought unusual enough to make a special note of it. It was unclear if this had any significance to the mystery of the town's desertion, but it was all we found.

Water-ghouls! Nasty things, but they could not withstand our cleric's power. (What was his name again? I should probably make some effort to get to know these people, since it looks like we're going to be spending some time together.)

Ah, some more clues. A fisherman's journal ... "water going bad," "townsfolk going to the sea." Hmm... some sort of necromantic plague?

We found a lighthouse at the top of the cliff. On approaching, a chamberpot greeted Barley on the top of his head. An unfriendly voice asked us to get a book.

We found a secret passage into the lighthouse. Now we shall get some answers....