Murk

A pack of gnolls. They are nomadic hunters, scavengers, and raiders. When sure in their strength they get into a killing frenzy, a sacrifice to Krull.

Population

42

1 mother. 28 sisters. 7 brothers and 6 pups.

Mother is the pack's matron. A job for the most powerful gnoll. Her rule is always prone to challenges, so she must be the strongest gnoll in the pack.

Sisters are the clans' warriors. 2 of the 28 are pregnant. [1].

Brothers do not fight but father the pups and serve the needs of Mother and sister. They have no true given names but are often given nicknames.

Murk of note

Agreh is the tribes Mother. She is a witch and priest of the crocodile spirit Krull. She can carve an enchantment into sticks. When broken, the stick gives the breaker a one-time effect of the spell alter self. The spell is crocodile flavored.

Liver. He is a brother of the pack and the Matrons personal courtesan. Very cowardly. He is treated very roughly and has bite marks all over his body. His neck is especially scared and hairless.

Scouting the sorroundings

The Murk are on the edge. Several groups are monitoring who goes in and out of Mal'rock. If they see a combat capable party, it's better to ambush them and kill them while they are alone, then to have them join the defense of the tree.

Encounter 1

A few hundred meters north from Mal'rock 2 sisters wait hidden among half-submerged trees. They judge the party to be dangerous, so they try to take a few members out by surprise.

At one point the sisters howl, thus letting their sisters know they need help.

Encounter 2

The reinforcements come. 3 sisters jump out of the water. Their nozzles prolonged and hairless, almost leathery, like that of crocodiles.

Dead bodies attract several crocodiles. 1 crocodile of them judges that there is not enough meat for all of them so it joins the fray.

Assault of Mar'lock

Agreh spent years of prayer before she learned enough to carve in wood a thread of Krull's essence. A few more years of carving and prayer took their toll from Agreh, a chunk of power and youth, but now she has enough sticks to make her sisters a serious threat in Shaema.

Mal'rock is their test, and Market day will ensure a large enough sacrifice to Krull.

Day 1

Midday

From the trees you hear Straža calling to attention. After the initial commotion has passed you find out that a humanoid body is floating close to the island, slowed by the water lilies. This is not that strange but it can attract unwanted attention. Especially when everyone hopes for a smooth and fun market day. A crocodile has already appeared, probably following the body from farther in.

It turns out that the body belonged to a halfling, tribe unknown. It seems fresh but is missing some parts: an eye, an ear, an arm, and every one of its' teeth. His neck is also bruised.

Day 2

Sunset

A panicked scream is heard up from the branches, then a splash. A mousling guard stationed on an outer branch. After a time two crocodiles appear and try to catch the panicked mousling.

If he survives he tells a tale of a burning face in the water. It stared at him and wouldn't leave his sight. He couldn't not see it, even when he turned his head. Then he felt it entering his mind, capturing it... he panicked and fell in the water.

That was Agreh casting a spell of fear at the mousling. Her goal is to scare Mal'rock into a panic (fear makes the blood taste so sweet), and to draw more crocodiles around the island, isolating it.

Day 3

Morning

The Lemini trio.

Sunset

As the sun sets terrible noises start coming from all around Mal'rock. Crying hyena > Feast of Hyena

Mouslings are on the edge, fists clenched around javelins. The young halflings scatter underground, while the old run around, grabbing for weapons. Goats start screaming and running around the island. Black foxes are unheard and unseen.

The screams continue throughout the night. The whole island radiates fear. One of the goats-gone-wild jumps or falls into the water and familiar noises of crocodiles killing and feasting spice up the permanent howls.

At the end of the night, each player makes a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15) or gains one level of exhaustion.

The Murk know of the Mal'rock trade festival. They ambush travelers (Dwarves, their goats, their bargeman, a Goola family (Batbayars mothers' sister) two swamp apes*, some more halflings), feast on them, pile the remains on a barge and let it float to Mal'rock. First, they send a body as a message. A night of screaming, then next evening a barge of remains. Grisly scenes. Crocodiles are attracted and surround mal'rock. Gnolls somehow launch pieces of meat at the island from all sides, attracting the crocodiles in. They climb the barge and pass inland through the docks.