Session 018 - The Serpent Lodge and the Fall of Ælflaed

In-game year: 484

Summary

The conroi returns to Wilderspool to confront the serpent-marked “surgeons” of the Serpent Lodge. The healers reveal their true nature—transforming into serpent-things and calling forth a new manifestation of the serpent goddess. In the brutal fight, Ælflaed teleports into the melee and is mortally wounded; she dies before the knights can reach her. The lodge is destroyed and the serpent goddess slain (final blow: Maewyn Succat). In the aftermath the knights discover their squires skinned on tanning racks. With the lodge’s chirurgeons dead and several knights gravely wounded, they race south to the City of the Legions; Sir Madoc is saved there. Over winter they learn grim news: Uther Pendragon’s army was ambushed and decisively defeated by the combined Saxon armies of Octa and Eosa.

Scene/Beat Log

• Return to the Lodge: After the horrors of Wilderspool and growing instability in the company, Millicent talks Liam down from the brink of madness.
• The conroi returns to the healers’ guild: the Serpent Lodge.
• Drustin brings the severed head of the serpent goddess as a trophy.
• The Unmasking: Millicent forces entry and demands answers; the “healers” begin transforming into serpent-people before the knights’ eyes.
• One of the healers rises into something far worse—another manifestation of the serpent goddess.
• Drustin brandishes the severed head, enraging the serpents rather than cowing them.
• Battle in the Serpent Lodge: The fight turns into a desperate, grinding struggle in confined quarters.
  • Ælflaed teleports directly into the fray and is mortally wounded almost immediately.
  • Sir Madoc, still injured, advances toward the combat.
  • The conroi cannot break through in time to save Ælflaed; she dies amid the melee.
  • Millicent is nearly slain; Liam is wounded by the serpent goddess.
• The lesser serpent-things are cut down; the conroi surrounds the serpent goddess and brings her low.
• Final blow: Maewyn Succat crushes the serpent goddess’s skull with his staff.
• The Fate of the Squires: Searching the lodge reveals the squires’ bodies/skins—stretched on tanning racks and identified by birthmarks.
• A race for life: With the serpent surgeons dead, the nearest chirurgeons are ~20 miles south in the City of the Legions.
  • Sir Geraint (uninjured) rides ahead with Sir Madoc; Madoc is saved in time.
  • The rest follow; the conroi winters in the City of the Legions.
• Wider war turns: During winter recovery, news arrives that Uther Pendragon’s army was ambushed and decisively defeated by the combined Saxon armies of Octa and Eosa while the conroi fought the serpents.

Characters (appeared / impacted)

• Millicent — restores order by talking Liam down; leads the confrontation; nearly slain.
• Liam — pulled back from madness; protects Millicent in the fight; wounded by the serpent goddess.
• Drustin — bears the serpent goddess’s severed head; provokes the serpents by brandishing it.
• Sir Geraint — uninjured; rides ahead with Madoc to reach chirurgeons in time.
• Assterius — present; returned to the conroi this session (no explanation recorded).
• Ælflaed — teleports into the melee; mortally wounded; dies during the battle.
• Sir Madoc — grievously injured; saved by reaching chirurgeons in the City of the Legions.
• Maewyn Succat — delivers the final blow that kills the serpent goddess.

Consequences & New Facts

• The Serpent Lodge’s healers were serpent-things tied directly to the Wilderspool cult.
• The squires are confirmed murdered and used as hides/skins in the lodge.
• The conroi relocates south and winters in the City of the Legions.
• News: Uther’s host is decisively defeated by Octa and Eosa.

Open threads / follow-ups

• Who sponsored or protected the Serpent Lodge within Wilderspool?
• What was the cult’s endgame with the abducted squires and the three infants?
• Political fallout: explaining the conroi’s “Saxon quest” while Uther was defeated.

Timeline entries to add

• The conroi returns to the Serpent Lodge in Wilderspool; serpent-healers transform and a new serpent-goddess manifestation is slain (final blow by Maewyn Succat). Ælflaed dies in the battle. (Source: Session 018 - The Serpent Lodge and the Fall of Ælflaed)
• The squires are found murdered and skinned on tanning racks in the lodge. (Source: Session 018 - The Serpent Lodge and the Fall of Ælflaed)
• The conroi races south to the City of the Legions; Sir Madoc is saved by chirurgeons; the conroi winters there. (Source: Session 018 - The Serpent Lodge and the Fall of Ælflaed)
• Word arrives: Uther Pendragon’s army is ambushed and decisively defeated by Octa and Eosa. (Source: Session 018 - The Serpent Lodge and the Fall of Ælflaed)

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Next: Session 019 - The Well of Bargains and the Demon Princess