The Wizard's Tower

After resting in the woods, the group headed back towards Hampstead, intending to locate the Wizard, Tiren's, tower. As soon as they reached the hilltop and looked down on the small town, it was obvious that whatever struck the town had made it nearly impossible to navigate without attracting the attention of ravenous undead.  They used a series of distractions and clever navigation through the streets and rooftops to avoid the everpresent ghouls.

After ziplining across a road to avoid detection, they rushed into the wizard's tower.  It was clear right away that the ghouls had attacked the tower early on and most of the lower level of the tower was in shambles.  Blood and ichor covered the walls along with burnt paper, debris and broken furniture.  They headed up the stairs to find more of the same but also a formerly active summoning or protection circle.  After trying to locate any sign of Tiren or Yeznia, the group found a unique magic recording device.  Fumbling with it, they activated a booming voice reciting steps to a mundane ritual.  Although they were able to shut the stone up, the damage had been done, and the howling of ghouls immediately followed.

Trying to get ready for the attack, the party began blasting at ghouls as they made their way to the tower and up the outer walls.  As the undead pushed their way up the stairwell and through the windows, the group (aside from Windham, who fled out the window and onto the rooftop) stood their ground and defended the tower.  Eventually, the destroyed the last ghoul and took a moment to search the tower for anything left.  With no sign of Yeznia and Tiren's death almost certain, they needed to move on to another location.  They next had to decide whether to go to the Temple of St. Lucian, locate the mayor or  Nik Harwick's place.

Children of the Corn

As the group stitched up their wounds and tended to the family's wounds, they began to ask them some questions.  They learned that the town of Hampstead was up the road but a week ago, the screaming started, followed by the fires and then the ghoul attacks.  Nik Harwick was on his way out of town to sell his ironwares at the nearest trading town when he was set upon by a neighbor, Wil Tracem.  He warded him off and the family brought him into the house and commenced boarding up the windows and doors.  They had been staying there living off the food stores for about a week but now the position was surely given away. Wyndham explained that the Band of Jenkins was on the way to Hampstead to look for Kor Yeznia, his mentor.  When asked, Byron suggested that perhaps he was visiting or staying with Tiren the wizard, whose tower is easy to find in town.  Alternatively, he may have gone to St. Lucian's Chapel or the mayor.  The Chapel is easy to locate but the Mayor may be more difficult to find, considering the events.

Looking out the windows, they could see movement in the corn fields but couldn't identify how many or what was out there.  Although anxious to make the crossing, Byron insisted they would need help in crossing the fields. 

Nik asked the group if they would be willing to locate his wife Beth, whom he was certain would be holed up in their attic.  The Harwick home is located next to the bridge over the River Lebe that cuts the town in two. 

They threw caution into the wind and used a bundle of bloody clothes to distract any ghouls as they raced into the cornfields towards the woods.  Although the distraction was effective, it didn't prevent the ghouls from swarming entirely.  After cutting their way through several ghouls, the party took some wounds and lost one of the family.  Nik, Byron and his wife and children survived.  Only the eldest, Ollan, fell to the undead.  The group reached the woods and outside the reach of the ghouls.  A well timed nature ritual protected the party and the family through the night and allowed them the chance to rest unmolested.