[Chapter 1.04] The Heroes of Ashford
OOC: Putting this up here to get everyone back to town to have some opportunities for roleplaying with anyone still around and eventually help bring in the new characters.
After raiding the dragon's hoard the heroes traced their path back through the dungeon picking up their rescued captives in toe. Along the way they swung by the pantry in the first level where it seemed the townsfolk they had captured were able to shake off their magical charm with the death of the cult leaders.
The farmers and townsfolk express their deepest gratitude although many of them have the signs of severe mental shock as they recollect the things they had done while under the dragon's spell. Together with what the party knows and what can be filled in by those captured and those charmed the heroes are able to piece together a rough idea of what happened.
What Happened
Rivug, the Destroyer of Minds, was a young dragon who in a act that was greatly at odds with normal dragon behavior, established a cult worshipping him as a god run by the necromancer Gareth. It is unclear if Gareth was truly a believer or if the two were just using one another. Along with Gareth came a group of bandits and outlaws that with guidance by Gareth and Rivug were able to replace the watch of the town. Over the past year "tragedies" have befallen various members of the town guard and the constable allowing "replacements" to be brought in. While that was happening the cult was slowly going through the outer farms, capturing entire families and charming those within to serve the cult. Anyone who resisted the charm spell was killed, food for either Rivug or the other monsters under Rivug's service.
By the time the heroes intervened half the town was under the cult's spell, including many of the councilors like Carroc (the wealthy farmer), Jago (blacksmith) and Morgouse (carpenter). Father Beledrone is also implicated although it is unclear if he was charmed or was a willing member of the cult. It seemed that really the only thing left standing in their way was Mayor Osric and Pinna (town wizard). If the kobolds hadn't gotten greedy and screwed things up by the end of the season there was a good chance that the town would be completely under Rivug's sway.
The cultists had initially planned on snatching the heroes in their sleep but Father Beledrone was worried that the group might be too capable to go quietly and it might expose the cult. Instead the plan was to pull back members of the cult that they suspected had been "outed" by Pinna and fortify their defenses. When the heroes first descended the stairs it was supposed to be the entire cult ready to ambush them but the guards who were supposed to be on watch, the constable's men, were notoriously lazy which is why instead of guarding the entrance they were drinking in their rooms. This let the heroes attack while Gareth and Rivug were oblivious until it was too late.
All the major cult leaders were accounted for (dragon, necromancer, constable) and the prisoners/townsfolk made mention that there was a tribe of orcs likely still in the dungeon but without the dragon's leadership they likely would pose little threat against the town. The same goes for any other evil creature that might still be lurking about. Without the direction and guidance of the cult it is likely they kill one another claiming territory in the dungeon and the dungeon is miles away from town so the consensus is that it is unlikely what remains poses any specific threat compared to any other threat from the forest or swamps.
OOC: Pausing here in case anyone has any other questions or anything else relating to the dungeon they would like to address