Legacy of Death Part I: Most Infamous Danger

TerraDave

5ever, or until 2024
Buckthorn thanks Oronotor, the masked Mage of Saruun, for the great reward and Buckthorn fondly admires his newly enchanted bow. "I think I will need to test my skills, with this new, fine bow." Before he takes his leave of the mages, he tells them of the crystal orb that he found in Paldemar's study and the vision he saw when he touched the orb. He describes the Skull.

"I do not know what this means, though it seems an ominous sign. Do you know what this vision may mean? Hopefully it is a sign of something in the past and not a portent of things to come. I've had enough of dungeons and wizards... for the time being at least."

They do not know, but feel that a portent it may very well be.
Buckthorn helps to make arrangements for the party's fallen comrades - Rafa and Zhuva. They are given a proper burial and respects are paid.

"I think I am ready to take my leave of these halls now... I am ready to see some green fields and deep woods again."

After spending a bit more time at the Halfmoon, Buckthorn guides Noldo back to their village to reunite him with the rest of Buckthorn's kin who had been kidnapped.

Forge: Forge spends his time here and there in the Seven Pillared Hall, regaling all he can of his recent deeds while trying to sniff out some more adventure. But the offers of routine caravan guarding just don’t seem all that appealing or lucrative now that the dwarf has so much gold in his pockets and has seen the strange happenings in the Well. Forge gets pretty bored. Lucian is talking of leaving to some nearby city, maybe he could join him.

One mildly interesting person does arrive, and actually takes some interest in the various happenings at the Well and the Hall. Forge is not exactly sure what he is, but the new comer seems to have traveled widely, known other dwarves, survived a fight or two, and, lets be honest the real reason for Forges interest—besides the fact that he listens to his stories, says he can and has healed with divine and some kind of natural power. Forge knows how handy that is. Know if only he had need for it.

Lucian: Great hopes aroused by this strange under town and its wizard overlords have slowly faded. Oh sure, plenty of odds things are up, but nothing that will let the teifling take a long trip, if you know what I mean. Lucian is just about ready to go back to Northall. While nothing compared to his home town, it seems to be the closest thing to a real city that these yokels know about.

And beneath it all, somethings are bugging him about recent events. Especially Bart the disappearing wizard and his book obsession. Lucian first met Bart and Rafa (and the first two of various paladins and clerics) in the midst of a horrid ritual to bridge through the shadow the living world and that of the dead. A book was there, clearly part of the ritual. Bart's obsession? The book, rites of an extra-planar nature, the rising shadow…Oh well. At least the dark rituals and strange places confirm that there are some interesting things on this rock.

Ghen-Uia Nis was glad he spent so much time listening to Klag. It was from Klag that he learned the “common” tongue (which turned out to be different then the dwarven tongue…). It was from Klag that he first heard of the human lands, dwarven holds, and mighty cities. And inspired by Klag, Ghen-Uia began his great journey.

He avoided the Shadow Coast, were Klag had sought other dwarves but found only sadness, but visited Norvosk and Borivostok, the human lands of Ostmark and Westland, the ancient elven forest of Aldannor, and the one remaining great dwarven kingdom: Barukar.

Ghen-Uia realized that most dwarves weren’t like Klag. They didn’t go on great journeys, and they didn’t think much of strangers, unless they had gold to spend. Other settled people, human or halfling, could be almost as bad. As he traveled the land and got into one kind of trouble and another, he slowly realized that there were others like Klag, and they could be men, or dwarves, or halflings, or something else. Adventurers. A whole underworld of adventurers. Sometimes they would stab you in the back, or get themselves killed. But they might be who he was looking for.

Of course the spirits didn’t leave him, and could keep him company. And there was a new one. An angelic, elemental being that would occasionally seem to appear, and keep pushing him West.

And so Ghen-Uia kept going over the months, crossing the great rift that Klug told him was made by the gods when they destroyed the first kingdom. In another big city—Northall—he met Melora, who seemed to take in outcasts and wandering priests as a specialty. She him reminded that the first dwarven kingdoms were in this new continent, and told stories of recently discovered statues of minotaurs that came to life in a great underground labyrinth. She said there were adventurers there that might need a healer. But she also said that his destiny would be a wandering one, and that the death he had known had marked him deeply.

Ghen-Uia found a road leading into the labyrinth, and to a town deep in the earth. The Seven-Pillared Hall, which had races he had never seen before, and an inn run by halflings! Here he met another dwarf. Not as wise as Klag, but wiser then his sometimes braggart persona let on, Forge told in great detail about the bronze minatours, and other wonders of the labyrinth, and Ghen-Uia had enough insight to realize that much of what he said was actually true. While deep in the earth, something about this place was reassuring. But Ghen-Uia also had the feeling he wouldn’t be here long.
 
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TerraDave

5ever, or until 2024
Months pass since the treacherous mage was slain at the shrine of Vecna. A summer comes and just about goes.

When Buckthorn gets a letter. Not a common thing in his village.

And the letter is from Bart.
 
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TerraDave

5ever, or until 2024
The letter said much, but certainly not everything:

Dear Buckthorn,
I hope this finds you well.

Again, I must apologize for my absence in the Well of Demons. I allowed myself to be consumed by a distraction that drove me to the edge of my mind and has now consumed much of my personnel fortune.

However, I know believe that this was not all in vein. I hope you can trust me enough to embark on another adventure, one that will take you across much of the known lands and bring us to one of the most infamous sites in them.

I can add little more know. One must be careful with these things. But great wealth and fortune await, as does the defeat of an old evil that may not be as bound as some thought.

It is my hope that Forge at least and perhaps Lucian can still be found in Thunderspire. It would also be nice to find another healer. So hard to keep a good healer. If you can gather them, please take them to Northall. At the Hare and Cap, on the Street of Scribes, I will make further contact.

Fear note, brave Halfling! All that is asked is a trip to a near city and a chance to reunite with old friends.

With Sincerity
Bart

Buckthorn did in fact manage to find both Forge and Lucian, and even a healer, Ghen-Uia Nis, who was at least willing to return to Northall. While he does not emphasize the “wealth and fortune” bit of the letter, the others, tiring of the mages hall, agree to make the trip.

The headed north on the closest thing resembling a road. A run-in with some truly oversized stag beetles capable of a great flying leap sort of attack was the most eventful occurrence, and soon enough they find themselves on the Rift of Retribution, waiting for the tide to lower to take the “Blight Bridge” into great Northall.

BloodWars02.jpg


Lucian remembers well enough the way to the Street of Scribes, and there is little problem in finding the Hare and Cap. There is a problem in finding Bart. Eventually another note is handed over.

Dear Buckthorn
If my most expensive divinations are correct, you have gathered our companions and are wondering what this is all about.

I have taken the initiative, and will be on my way to Borovostok. I encourage you to meet me there. For in the nearby wildlands is one of the great ruins that has challenged treasure seekers and lore hunters for centuries. I believe I know where it is, and more importantly that we can survive the adventure!

And I have grown concerned that something stirs, something in the dark and shadow. It has haunted me

But enough of that. You must act in most trust of what I say, clearly a daunting proposal. However, we did have fine adventures and saved one another many times. I hope that is enough to undertake what I ask.

To start, find a ship heading to Borovostok. It will be much faster then overland travel.

With Sincerity
Bart

The letter is greeted with a certain skepticism. But options are not many. And at least the choice of ship is in the hands of the four adventurers. At the Kraken Lucian and Buckthorn find the crew of the Siren with captain Tellard. Passage is free, if they can fight. At the Apothecary, gnomes sell Forge and Ghen-Uia some healing potions, but also make Ghen very uncomfortable.

Tipped off by Benedict, the cantish talking tiefling bartender of the Cap and Hare, Lucian and Buckthorn also find a shop of duergar (maybe even Grimmerzhul duergar) selling various flaming vials and arrows.

The next day the voyage begins. Ghen-Uia calls upon his primal knowledge to fight off sea-sickness and everything seems fine for the first 10 days. But the captain had said something about “Rasserian Raiders”, though he probably did not anticipate the young burly royal frost giant with two hench trolls on a great bit of moving ice. Moving right to the ship.

As the giant approached, he pelted the ship with great pieces of ice as Buckthorn returned fire and Ghen-Uia summoned his “mother”(!) on to the ice flow to attack the nordic monsters. Mother had a hard time hanging in with the trolls, but this did not dissuade Forge from jumping right onto the flow as soon as he had the chance. Nor did it stop Lucian from pelting them with dragon-fire tar then using his dagger to briefly blind the giant and a troll. This was not well received, as Lucian was pounded, Forge was kicked off the ice, and all four well hurt by the oversized royal Rasserian.

Eventually one troll was brought down (and finished with a flaming arrow from Buckthorn) and the giant was bloodied. Even the crew showed up with flaming brands (aka faggots) to pelt the creatures. The giant was done with his sport, and directed the ice flow to leave. With Forge still on it. Fortunately, Ghen-Uia was able to walk out on the water, grab him, and drag him back.
 

TerraDave

5ever, or until 2024
Some days after the visit of the ice hurling giant, the Siren turns down a great river and made a scheduled stop in Dussleberg. After docking at the great city, the crew generously took their leave while instructing the party to watch the ship. Not all obeyed.

Ghen-Uia, who did stay behind, took the opportunity to poke his shifter nose into pretty much everything. As it turns out, sounds not coming from the hold turned out to be the most interesting finding.

The shifter would hear these—odd knockings in the hold--latter.
After the crew returned minus a member, who did not arrive till morning. And the captain wasn’t least bit startled to see Buckthorn on his return that night, was he?

Back to the noises. Investigation in the hold leads to Lucian hearing sounds in his head. A trick with Ghen’s “mother” leads the captain and another mate to calling out for “Old Petey”, hitherto unmentioned in the many days on the ship.

Forge was having none of it. Back to the hold. Old Petey shows his mad wraith self, the captain leaps down to the lower deck and suddenly looks like Lucian, and its on! The old crew (well, except one) has been killed and replaced by doppelgangers and their ghost pirate buddy.

Forge and Ghen fight the wraith in the hold, while Lucian gets shot by Buckthorn, just about mortally wounded in one blow by the doppelganger that took his place, healed by Ghen, and then knocked another of the doppelgangers into the sea to get his revenge.

(not all the fight is reposted here...)

The captain has just drops into the hold…first taking the form of Ghen and then Forge, greatly injuring each. Meanwhile, the Wraith heads up top, and with the other Lucians (including the one that climbs back on the ship) proceeds to torment the real Lucian. The rogue blinds and trips, but is finally driving him to jump off the ship himself.

Buckthorn stays in between, shooting suspect Lucians and eventually the actual Forge (who he misses), after Forge is clawed by Ghen's "Mother". Eventually, the dwarf is dropped by the captain. It looks bad...

Ghen revives the dwarf! Then bravely strides to the top deck, and is dropped himself.

Even as the Ghost returns to the hold to finally finish the dwarf off, Lucian climbs back aboard, and the one normal sailor joins the fight...

Forge, you finally bring down the captain, revealing his non-human nature as he drops, and hit the ghost in the process. Somehow the Lucian survives. You let the ghost drive you up the stairs. Why not?

Lucian, calling on every resources at his disposal to resist a wave of incredibly bad luck, including maybe someone called the lady of pain, finishes off his doppelganger—leaving a strange gray corpse behind—and in the same move shifts over to the shaman.

Ghen, a horrible gnome made poison is poured down your throat by the rogue. You knew not to trust them. Mother told you. It of course brings you back to consciousness, allowing you heal everyone with divine power, especially Forge.

Buckhthorn, a couple of more arrows, and a third grayish rubbery skin thing is revealed.

Mad Wraith Pirate Ghost: has one last bit of fun as he floats up to the lower deck and compels Forge to take a big chunk out of Ghen (19 on the vs will attack|they really are out to get you shifter!). Ghen is just about dropped again (1 hp left). But the Wraith realizes that the gig is up, and fades back into the shadowy Nearworld, gibbering all the way.


Its you, that sailor, and this ship.
 


TerraDave

5ever, or until 2024
Its still night, and relatively calm right now, and will probably be for the next day or so. But he has been on the boat long enough to know how volatile the weather can be on the Breakice (and that longer term prediction needs a higher result).
 

Buckthorn

First Post
Buckthorn regards the sailor. "You must understand that you are under suspiscion. Your crew, well, uhm, what used to be your crew mates, just tried to murder us ina most grusome way. Are you one of these creatures? You came late to the ship and I recall the captain looking surprised to see you. Perhaps you are not one of these creatures. Can you tell us what happened last night? Why you were separated from your mates?"


Buckthorn will try a perception check to see if he can determine whether or not the sailor is lying and is in fact not a changling.

To Forge, Ghen, and Lucian (away from the sailor). "If we think we can trust him, we need him. I have some skills at sailing, but we need more than one erm small, but stout-hearted, sailor to man this big-a-ship. I say unless he gives us pause not to trust him, we should use him. Besides, he is but one now and we are four."
 

TerraDave

5ever, or until 2024
Its insight, and a d20, but thanks for adding the roll!

The sailor looks pretty scared "Uh, I don't know! They all just vanished. Then I could'n find em, then I got lost, then I got tired so I got a room."

"I thought we was gone a load the cargo, and just left. And the capn was acting a bit funny, though he sounded just the same!"

Actually something is a bit off.
 


ecayford

First Post
Forge ties up the sailor. To the others: I believe a piece of flesh will clarify whether he is one of them. It will not prove he didn't lead his comrades into a trap.

Forge will search the captain's cabin, leaving the questioning to the others. Perception check for valuables papers etc. He spends some time in there.
 

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