The gnome does manage to recall some information about the area.
[sblock=Pok]
Droaam is a region ruled by monsters. Few of the civilized races dare to test its borders. Their connection with the rest of Khorvaire is limited to a single House Orien roadway that passes through Graywall and into The Great Crag.
Droaam shares a tenuous border with The Shadow Marches to the west while the Byeshk Mountains keep it from expanding into the Eldeen Reaches to the north and the Graywall Mountains keep Breland safe from monstrous invasion, while the Barren Sea borders the nation to the south.
edit Society
The Daughters of Sora Kell have changed the land of Droaam with will, intelligence, and a small army of ogres. The ogres have created roads that link the few major communities. The Daughters have also created racial diversity that you would not think could work in a kingdom of monsters. You can find harpies, ogres, and orcs in the same street going about their own business but you could only find these in the major cities. The rule of the land is the strong rule the weak. The Hags only care about major threats like: raids and battle between monsters communities, raids on caravans, or anything that will look bad to the other kingdoms. Lesser crimes are mostly ignored, unless you are doing something to one of the warlord or their minions. A rare few, mostly the followers of the Queen of Stone, look at law with a sophisticated view. Government is a form of despotic feudalism, the most powerful warlords give tribute to the Daughters of Sora Kell and they get to rule sections of Droaam. The tribute is paid in gold, goods, or soldiers and laborers. This works because the Daughters have an army of ogres and mass magical abilities at their back.
[/sblock]
The group navigates the mountains with relative ease, somehow finding it easier to travel in than the rough terrain than the relatively easier terrain of your previous travels. Maybe it's the camaraderie that was developed during your last evening together, but what matters is that you're doing much better.
With Lanharath in the lead, his keen eyesight combined with Pok's knowledge of the area, keep you from straying off course and you're doing well following the trail. Lan spots a corpse under a pile of rubble and a pouch next to it. Inside is a scroll case, although the seal is broken.
[sblock=If you read the note (and speak Elven)]
From: "Iokaste," Droaam Redstone Envoy
To: "Kalistos," Droaam Redstone Principle
Kalistos --
It is done.
I trust you have arranged for my payment. Our mutual friend in Sharn will be attending to the transaction with House Kundarak. You requested a detailed account of the proceedings, and so I shall set to paper here my account of the relevant events.
After commissioning a coastal skiff from a village south of Breland's Shadowlock Keep, I made landfall on Droaam's rocky, southern shores three nights ago. Traveling in Orcish guise, I moved by night into the lands of the Daughters of Sora Kell. By dawn I had arrived at the gates of Vralkek.
This is indeed the Land of Monsters, and I have never seen the like. Filthy shanties ringed the perimeter of the town proper with thousands of goblins and orcs squatting amongst rock mounds and tents. Bands of gnolls appeared to be patrolling these warrens, harnessing vicious worgs and other dire beasts. Outside the gates, a crew of several hundred ogres labored among newly constructed fortifications, employing monstrous draft horses and laying a stone road headed north along the Scar River.
Within the gates, a vision I shall not soon forget. A bustling coastal town, spilling over with commerce and industry -- and not a single representative of the common races in sight. Ogre smiths bartering with bugbear soldiers, uniformed minotaurs drinking with brightly-dressed harpies and medusae. And worse -- shambling, squamous things moving about the shadows, fiendish shapes circling overhead.
I also observed several detachments of troll infantry moving purposefully through the city. To my eyes, Vralkek serves as evidence enough that the Daughters are succeeding in their efforts to unite the monstrous denizens of all the Barrens. If their reach has encompassed this southernmost port, I tremble at the thought of what is being wrought in the strongholds of Graywall and the Great Crag. The sister hags command a great power indeed if truly they rule this nation of monsters. Perhaps they should have been invited to parley at the Thronehold Accords after all.
In any event, you may inform your superiors in Flamekeep that their suspicions are confirmed -- Vralkek appears firmly in the control of the Daughters of Sora Kell. As to our other bit of business ...
I rendezvoused with the fire giant warlord Gorodan at the meeting place you specified. He arrived with a retinue of three rather clannish-looking ogres, who promptly (and predictably) attempted to extort by force and intimidation the materials with which I came to barter. I restrained myself, and it's likely all three will recover enough to walk again at some point. Gorodan was reasonable after that little dance, and we made the exchange with no further unpleasantness.
Indeed, he seemed very pleased at the trophies you had secreted in the haversack. He's really rather bitter about his banishment from Xen'drik, you know. I assume the severed heads he pulled forth once belonged to those who had wronged him. That gift was an inspired touch, Kalistos -- Gorodan became quite friendly after that. We bartered in peace, he and I, and even shared a mulchmead sinister before we parted.
Included here are the maps Gorodan provided. The first details a concealed route into the territories of the Battalion of the Basalt Towers in Xen'drik. I'm told Gorodan enjoyed an intimate affiliation with these fiend-worshippers before his exile to Droaam. I suspect this map will fetch a premium in Stormreach.
The second is a map to the seasonal gathering point, in southern Droaam, of the Dark Pack lycanthropes your Thrane patrons wish to hunt. As you are aware, I disagree with passing this information to the Thranes. If the Silver Flame wants to continue its war against the shapeshifters, let them do so openly. I am uncomfortable with abetting clandestine race murder. Nevertheless, I pass this information to you as per our agreement. I can only hope you have another purpose in mind. Otherwise, the burden is upon you.
Most truly,
Iokaste
[/sblock]
After a few hours the mountains turn into foothills, then finally back into more level terrain. Unfortunately, the weather seems to be turning against you as the wind begins picking up and thunderclouds are visible on the horizon. As dusk approaches of the second day, you stumble upon an ancient ruin shrouded by stunted spruce—a shrine or temple reduced to a foundation pit and half a dozen pillars among the trees.
[sblock=OOC]
With Lan, Valahad, Feall, (and the group's success on Endurance) you have enough to complete the challenge. (although River's roll was a fail on Religion)
Skill Challenge: Locate the Black March
12 successes before 6 failures: 12 successes, 5 failure
[/sblock]
