Anamnesis [UPDATED 4/10]

[Eosin the Red]

The Last Dominion Campaign is picking up where we left off two years ago. There is a bit of back story that I'll need to cover that before moving to the newer stuff.

First, I'll introduce the PCs and retired PCs [we had two folks move since the game started and another only plays sporadically.]

Active Characters
Arron: A bladesman of no small renown and survivor of the School of Peers. In most battles he uses a quarterstaff unless he means to kill. Arron settled with his friends in Northrun where he has established a new fighting academy. He has become a significant hero to the local warriors after defeating a Kratian Battlelord in single combat. Played by Audie.

Freya: An elemental mage infused with the power of nature. Like Arron, Freya survived the School of Peers. Quiet and reserved. Played by Chris.

Kaid Wingate: Second son of the Duke of Wingate and a full wizard. Kaid has an affinity for magical fire, which dances at his command. Kaid’s obligation to his family require that he soon choose a wife although he is bound to an elemental river spirit known as Neryn. He has come to Northrun at the request of his father to assist Sir Ambrose Wolf. Played by Kevin.

Torean Norhill: A skilled and famous bard in eastern Middea, known for his womanizing ways and his skill with daggers. Recently, Torean married the beautiful warrior-woman Isolde with whom he has a set of twin daughters. Torean suspects that Isolde is the keeper of many deep secrets related to her well hidden power of prophecy. Played by Eddie.

Jon of Strathmoor: A knight and heir to the duchy of Strathmoor. Something of a womanizer with a roguish heart. The carefree Jon has found himself knee deep in a struggle that jeopardizes his family and his inheritance. Played by Landon.

Retired PCs
Alacran: Kaid Wingate’s bodyguard and a capable warrior. Alacran chafed at the glory heaped upon the other warriors but he knew his job was to defend Kaid. Alacran was released from his service and granted land in Northrun where he resides with his family. Played by Justin.

Leonidas: Once a member of the elite royal guards of Vintria called the Immortals. What drove him from the Immortals is unknown but he keeps a low profile. His skill with the elegant Immortals Blade and his incredible reflexes make him a match for nearly anyone. The group believes that Leonidas fell to the treachery of the hag Yasha and now serves her as a black troll. Played by Randy.

Nagus: A warrior infused with the power of the Celestine. Nagus is a fearsome foe and easily recognized as a justicar of Brynn by his unnaturally white hair and freakish size. The justicar hears the voices of the dead creatures. They speak to him in riddles; warning of things yet to pass. Nagus continues to serve Brynn by traveling in the west. He also maintains a shrine in Northrun. Played by Myron.

 

[Eosin the Red]

The Last Dominion Campaign​

Flight from Redgorge
The opening gambit of the first adventure starts in the early spring of IC 1076 with two separate parties arriving in the troubled town of Redgorge. Freya and Arron were sent by Lady Brennica, the Countess of Highvale, to seek assistance against the large number of uncommonly deadly Vindel raids that had been plaguing the county since the passes opened. Kaid Wingate likewise traveled at the behest of his father to discover the source of unrest in the neighboring country of Draysen. Kaid, as a representative of the duke, traveled with two guards and the bard Torean Norhill.

The walled city of Redgorge had recently lost its much vaunted Captain-of-Arms and staunch supporter of the Draysen family during the recent Vindel raids. The city was beaten and demoralized by the loss but, equally important, the widowed Countess stood defenseless before any noble who wished to aggressively arrange her marriage. In fact, one such nobleman had already made his intentions known. Lagos, a well known and greatly feared lieutenant of Count Kerwin Riddick, had delivered an ultimatum to the city — surrender the countess and her son or he would make his displeasure known.

A harrowing escape along mountain trails by the newly formed group saw the duchess eventually delivered to Duke Wingate. Encounters within the County of Draysen with soldiers wearing the standard of Count Bailstone and Count Riddick were noted as being highly improbable.

The travelers were joined during their flight from Redgorge by Nagus, a freakishly large albino justicar in the service of the Celestine. At Orenstone, the residence of Duke Wingate, considerable discussions occurred regarding the alliance between Count Riddick and Bailstone as well as consideration that they might be working at the behest of other parties. As to which “other,” no one felt comfortable naming a prince of the kingdom as the most likely felon even if they believed this was the case.

Duke Wingate tasked his son to deliver vital messages to Lady Brennica in Highvale and investigate the raids that continued to cause problems in the counties of Highvale and Draysen. Arron and Freya were inclined to return to their homes in Highvale as well, so the group elected to remain together for safety.

Trouble at Woodbridge
In Woodbridge, the group — specifically Freya — ran afoul of an assassin. The encounter left Freya in a coma and Elder Haelfur dead (Elder Haelfur was the highest ranked Mendicant clergy in Draysen County). The warriors hired the female woodsman Isolde to track the killer down since they lacked such skills themselves. The trail led to the small town of Lichfield in the lands of Count Bailstone. The cleric’s murder was avenged in an ambush that left no survivors.

Isolde seemed eager to leave Woodbridge behind her and asked leave to travel with the group. They were also joined by the Vindel warrior and smith Ivanic. The knowledge of Ivanic helped the group establish that the recent raiding was not done by Vindel as it appeared. The most likely suspects are Count Bailstone and Count Riddick. However, Ivanic’s companionship was marred by some animosity between the Vindel and a few of Kaid’s guardsmen.

Several weeks of hunting the “Vindel raiders” in Draysen and Highvale finally paid off. Skilled archery proved the downfall of the lightly armored raiders. With knowledge pried from raiding party it was possible to locate the base from which several such groups operated from in the foothills of the Craghorns.

The raider’s camp proved to be a difficult battle, won only by the awesome power of the wizardry used by Freya and Kaid. Lagos, the lieutenant of Count Riddick, commanded the camp. Arron and Nagus, the Justicar, fought a pitched battle against Lagos who possessed the ability to assume monstrous form. The wounded were-creature used its incredible speed to escape after being sorely wounded.

With the threat to Highvale and Draysen crushed, Ivanic the Vindel took his leave of the travelers to return to his home.

 

[Eosin the Red]

Hiblus the Necromancer
Lady Brennica proved to be a skilled hostess and eager for news of the raids. She renewed her oath of loyalty to Duke Wingate through his son and proxy, Kaid.

While in Highvale, the travelers rescued Hiblus the Black from the freak show of an itinerant circus where his charred, liquefied form earned him top billing as the “slug-man.” Hiblus readily admitted to deeds black enough to earn death a thousand times over which were attested to by Arron and Freya, both had survived his attentions as youths in the School of Peers.

Apparently, Hiblus had opposed Prince Rafn over some deed so foul that even a mass murderer and torturer such as himself could not stand by without trying to stop it. He lost the encounter with Rafn. The knowledge of what prompted him to oppose Rafn was no longer his.

To Ridgewall
Ridgewall is the most secure fortress in all of Middea – and boastfully— within the world. The fortress is situated atop a 200 mile long cliff face that ranges in height from 50 feet to 125 feet. The wall, while assailable in many places without rope, prevents any real mass assault. At the foot of the Fortress is a smaller fortification called Breaker Keep – to gain access to the narrow defile leading up the exposed cliff face one must first take the well fortified lower fortress while it defends itself. To make the task more harrowing arrows and worse rain down from the fortress proper. Many of the best generals will not even consider a siege, instead leaving a contingent of men out of bow shot to hem the garrison in.

The news learned from Hiblus was alarming enough that Kaid felt Duke Wingate, his father, should be notified immediately. However, the Duke had left Orenstone for the Fortress at Ridgewall shortly after the companions had left a few months earlier. He had indicated plans to spend the summer closer to the troubled areas in the Eastern Marches.

The travelers arrived at Ridgewall in high summer with a problem on their hands. Isolde was with Torean’s child and was in poor traveling shape. A quiet wedding was arraigned.

Kier Wingate, Kaids’ older half-brother and heir to the Wingate lands, was in command of the fortress. Duke Wingate and Isam Fenthalion, the commander of Ridgewall, were in the field with the armies of the Eastern March. Kier divulged his plans to enter the Ravenswood with a small number of cavalry to meet an army that had skirted his fathers own troops.

Into the Ravenswood
The Ravenswood was once an ideal sylvan type woods, but that was nearly a generation ago before the war between Middea and Lorain. The Mad Prince of Lorain, Weslyn Ragnerik claimed the throne of Middea as his own and with the support of Numeria he attacked and seized the land that now bears his mother’s name — Lorain. In the intervening 18 years, seasonal campaigns have fed the Ravenswood nothing but steel, blood, and misery. Now the lands, even the trees, are suffused with the power of death, a power that fuels necromantic magic. The balance of Élan (magic) is slanted so greatly in favor of necromancy that more benign wizards have watched their power wane.

Kier's plans prompted the group to enter the infamous Ravenswoods in search of Duke Wingate and his army.

[DM Note: Torean discovered a small note from Isolde shortly after entering the Ravenswood. It said, “Beware of the man cloaked in black, if you face him you will die. Use the silvered blade against the nightwalker. It is difficult to explain my visions. I hope that when the time comes it will make sense."]

Not long after entering the forest the party was attacked by infernal creatures and one of Rafn’s personal guards. The battle was closely fought. Without the wizardry of Kaid and Freya, there is little doubt that the demonic creatures would have overwhelmed the warriors. [DM Note: The party has never figured out how they were discovered.]

Days later, the travelers discovered the dukes army engaged in a running battle through Old Bone Pass with an army bolstered by the strength of necromantic magic. The black arts were being used to harass the Dukes army with attacks by the risen dead.

A plan was hatched by the Duke to counter the magic of the necromancer with the wizardry commanded by Kaid and his companions. The necromancer was slain but at the loss of several good men to a black troll who guarded him. The battle itself seemed lost until Torean recalled the cryptic warning from his wife after he mistakenly pulled a silvered dagger that reminded him of the prophecy. The party believes the message to mean that Torean would have died if he had faced the Black Troll [DM Note: a man whose soul has been corrupted] and that the nightwalker was the necromancer (or something worse?) whom he slew with a silvered dagger. The dagger punched through arcane defenses that had rebuffed Arron and Kaid’s most fearsome attacks.

The duke continued the fighting retreat while laying a trap the next morning. Several ambushes by the group and others had left the enemy supply train crippled and the army cut off from food and supplies. However, the rumored second army [the one being hunted by Kier Wingate] cut off any further retreat by the Duke. A ruinous battle was fought in the depths of a steep valley that left all three armies crippled. Kaid and his companions prevented the total destruction of his father’s army and were lauded as heroes for the second time.

The remains of the army limped back to Ridgewall.

 

[Eosin the Red]

Andris Ragnerik
Weeks were spent at Ridgewall without word from Kier Wingate and his cavalry.

Kaid spent much of this time under the tutelage of a druid and a water spirit known as Neryn.

Soon word came of another visitor, Andris Ragnerik. Andris is the son of King Sorin and half brother to Prince Rafn. Although he is older, he was accused of treason as a child along with his mother. All titles and deeds were stripped from him including his position as heir apparent. The Wingate family does not recognize the loss of status and shelters Andris and his mother (Duke Wingate’s daughter).

Eventually Kier returned from the forest with his cavalrymen. He met with Duke Wingate and Andris Ragnerik in private. After hearing several conversations Kaid became convinced that his brother had practiced a bit of misdirection and had actually undertaken a mission for Andris, whom he referred to as his liege or my king.

[DM Note: It is apparent to those close to them that the Wingate family intends to support Andris in rebellion against Prince Rafn when and if King Sorin dies.]

The end of summer was drawing near and armies were returning to their homes for the harvest. Kaid and his companions, however, were summoned before Andris Ragnerik who had a task for his cousin.

The powerful duchy of Envernes has long been in disarray after the murder of its ruling family four years ago. Rumor persists of a young man who claims to be the son of the slain duke. Andris would like his cousin to travel to Envernes and determine if there could be truth to this young mans story.

Kaid and his companions were to travel with the army to Orenstone where they could winter before undertaking the journey north but first they needed to pay a visit the port City of Tharad in pursuit of information.

[DM Note: Andris is hoping to secure the seat of the duchy and gain an ally against Prince Rafn.]

The Black Abbey
Smoke alerted the travelers that something was not right at the abbey on the distant hillside. The monks inside were slain save for those few who might have had information. The monks were being interrogated by cultists cloaked in strange robes, which were covered in arcane symbols. The horrid battle left several of the group near death and all of them wounded beyond the ability to travel. Nagus the justicar had faired the worst taking a knife blade under his chinstrap.

Days of recovery were spent in idle conversation with the abbot. It seems the abbey had been under increasingly aggressive assault for months although they had little of value; however, the leader of the cultists had displayed a keen interest in ancient scrolls that spoke of the creation of the Black Abbey within Tharad. The only other clue was the strong accent of the old kingdoms in the words of the cultists — maybe Imbria or Dracia.

As soon as they were able, the group made for Tharad and the Black Abbey with a letter of introduction in hand.

The time in Tharad proved to be one filled with difficulty. Several run-ins with a Synod Archon named Haldun left little doubt that the organization was aware of Kaid’s wizardry. [DM Note: The Synod is a "guild" of wizardry and they ensure that rogue wizards do not endanger the public nor the crown.] Another Archon, one from Imbria, had recently arrived aboard a ship with nearly a dozen retainers. Strangely, these men hadn’t been seen in days.

While at the Black Abbey, Nagus felt that the impressive walls of black glass were not meant to keep things out but that perhaps the abbey might be a prison to hold some demonic creature. Further efforts by the companions confirmed that there was indeed a powerful spirit of evil trapped within the abbey and that the prayers of the monks kept its prison whole.

The party surmised that the cultists must be trying to break the creature out of its prison or to tap into its hellish power in some manner. After some arcane work by Kaid the cultists was confirmed to be the minions of the Synod Archon Nygon Toth who was currently aboard a ship anchored off shore. The archon was immersed in a ritual called “the bridging of worlds.” Unsure of what or how the spell might affect the Black Abbey, the group decided to assault the ship. Kaid incinerated the ship but Nygon Toth was able to escape [DM Note: Holy smokes, he rolled 23 BODY on an AOE Line attack] .

Archon Haldun, like Nygon Toth, survived the encounters with the companions primarily because of his diplomatic immunity, although his guardian did not fare so well.

Before leaving Tharad, Arron and Torean encountered a young orphan and sneak thief who led them into an indiscreet encounter with the owner of the Good Heart Orphanage. It seems that the manager and owner supported the care of the children by selling many of them to slavers bound for the Radiant Kingdoms. Arron now cares for the orphans with the help of the Black Abbot. No one bothered with the bloody body found in the alley behind the orphanage.

Winter had arrived with the group split. Arron, Nagus, and Freya were in Tharad while Torean and Kaid braved bad weather to return to Ridgewall. By winters end Torean was the father of twin girls. The birth was not easy and there were frightening omens that surrounded his oldest daughter.

As spring arrived the group reformed at Orenstone. The king had unexpectedly wintered his court at Orenstone, bringing nobles from distant lands to feast on the generosity of Duke Wingate. Refuse and ruin were spread deep across the countryside by the ravenous court. The duchy was financially devastated. In return for financial considerations, several members of the companions were granted lands and titles in Northrun by Duke Wingate.

The duke also asked the party if they would escort a messenger to the town of Redhel which was on the way to Envernes. A nobleman by the name of Sarvos was to deliver certain messages to Calder Middlebrook, the Count of Middlebrook.

 

[Eosin the Red]

To Envernes
The companions retained the service of a woodsman named Cetric since Isolde would not be traveling this year. The journey north was longer and more difficult than anticipated.

Near Claypool the group encountered one of the Shield Knights which reminded Arron of a prophecy given to him by a circus performer — thirteen shall fall to twelve. Maybe the prophecy referred to the thirteen Shield Knights and the Fallen twelve who were corrupted by Arleth Crow three centuries earlier?

The party was delayed overlong at Claypool where they were entertained by the earl and his daughters. Kaid Wingate would be quite the catch for the family should he fancy one of the women.

More than two score Vindel refugees were discovered little more than a day north of Claypool. Left with little choice, the refugees were escorted to Claypool where they could find work and food. There were no warriors with the refugees — only women, children, and a toothless old man. The warriors had been killed by overwhelming trollkin raids.

Already delayed by three days there was little to do but sit and wait out the snow storm that followed the refugees. Ten days later the companions set out for Redhel.

Redhel was a smoking ruin. Several hundred trollkin had massacred the city during the snow storm. Unfortunately, the companions were not free of the trap that had lain in wait of them. A fierce battle ensued with Lagos leading trollkin, mercenaries, and a black troll. Lagos was defeated but there was little way to know that his form would regenerate.

Sorely hurt, the party holed up for a few days to heal. The nobleman Sarvos did not survive long after receiving a festering belly wound. He asked that Kaid deliver a sealed scroll to the Master of Gorgoros before he went to the Great Light of Ro.

The party spent days laying low lest they be discovered by the army that had so recently been in the area. The inclusion of Lagos could only mean that this was a trap for them or perhaps Sarvos; a trap they would not have survived had the storm not delayed them.

Keeping Company with *Yasha
After more than a week of travel from Redhel, the site of a battle was discovered. The mangled body of a justicar lay at the base of a mighty oak which was badly damaged by the impact of his body. Nearby a frightened and bleeding young woman huddled beneath a holly bush, unable or unwilling to respond. Soon, the cause of the damage rose from the soil of the earth to crush the new interlopers. An elemental force made of stone and mud proved to be a deadly effective opponent but the wizardry of Kaid destroyed the magic which compelled the creature to action.

The companions deduced that the woman must be some sort of tree spirit suffering from the damage done to the oak. Nagus and Kaid tended to her through the night and by early dawn she was hale enough to show her gratitude to Nagus. The lovely creatures name was Yasha.

The Bonewalkers
The days after leaving Yasha were uneventful but slow going. Nagus was oddly weak and had trouble keeping pace. His nights filled with terrible dreams. At last the group arrived in civilized lands guided by the disturbing voices of the dead speaking to Nagus. The group came across a quiet village with a few dozen buildings but not a single fire. From the hill above the party could see dozens of graves in a circular pattern outside of the village.
Investigation revealed the graves to be those of skeletal creatures with odd, warped hands ending in wickedly sharp spikes. Nagus confirmed that these were creatures of the Ennwrathi — they were undead.

There was little that could be done against so many. Usually an infestation of Bonewalkers would be detected before they grew so large. The problem would only get worse as the undead creatures marched during the night taking village after village until it met some force powerful enough to stop it.

Looking down from the hillside something else was noted — the scroll from Sarvos was missing. In a white hot moment of clarity Nagus understood that Yasha was not a dryad but a hag in a breeding frenzy. She had taken the scroll while she was alone with Kaid.

The companions tracked Yasha into the mountains where they barely escaped a horde of trollkin. Alacran and Cetric lost their armor in the pell mell flight — the weight would have cost them their lives had they not shed it.

With little choice, the demoralized party set off for Gorgoros to inform the Archmage Elyion that they had failed.

* DM Note - most names and words have some meaning in the game and thus provide clues. Today, years after the event, Edsel figured out that Yasha is a word meaning "female demon." Brownie points for Edsel!!

 

[Eosin the Red]

The Pit of Gorgoros
There could have been thousands of messages contained within the scroll but the voices of the dead had warned Nagus of the Skull of Tzavos. In a moment of insight, it was decided that Elyion must have the Skull and that someone is trying to get it.

Alas, the party was too late. Bonewalkers besieged Gorgoros distracting the defenders while the theft was carried out. Elyion welcomed Kaid and his friends but was distant and distracted after the discovery that the Skull was missing.

Envernes
The summer in Envernes was filled with intrigue and political double dealing. Kaid eventually met with the man who claimed to be the heir to the duchy and was powerfully swayed by his arguments. It helped that the butcher who was appointed to govern the duchy by Prince Rafn could not have been doing more evil if he had tried.

The battles and intrigues in Envernes are many and complex. The influence of the Mendicant church is strong so close to the border of Touren [DM Note: A Mendicant Theocratic state.], perhaps even stronger than royal influence. It became apparent that the new duke allowed Patriarch Redeemers to operate within the duchy with impunity so long as they destroyed the sway of the Mendicants. Meanwhile, the man who claims to be the heir struggles to alleviate the crushing taxes and increasingly frequent and powerful trollkin raids from the Trollstone Mountains.

When the companions left just before the start of winter they had faced a dragon and dozens of raids by trollkin. Though they were unable to affect massive change, they did manage to break the power of the Redeemers. However, they made a deadly enemy in the person of Father Asa Baranos a powerful and gifted Redeemer who survived. It is likely that Duke Danil Envernes [DM Note: The new duke appointed by Prince Rafn] knows of their involvement and will likewise hold a grudge. They were also able to discover that the source of the trollkin raids was a powerful wizard, or maybe a hag, known as Kamiste Caylor or the White Queen in the language of the common tongue.

The Winter at Orenstone
The travelers arrive back in Orenstone with some time before true winter sets in. Duke Wingate has given over the great hall to his nephew Andris Ragnerik and is apparently ready to openly defy Prince Rafn and King Sorin.

Little of note occurs during these frosty months save for occasional envoys from distant nobles or others seeking to gain an advantageous position during the inevitable war. Nearly everyone else stays close to home during the hard winter. Kaid, Arron, Alacran, and Freya traveled on to Northrun where they stoked fires and built on their newly acquired lands. Leonidas quietly slips away for parts unknown. [DM Note: The player of Leonidas moved to Texas. The fate of Leonidas is unknown but it is believed that he fell into the grasp of Yasha the Hag.]

Torean and Nagus consult with several sources before deciding to bring Toreans daughter to the druids. There is some evil pallor over her that remains despite the best efforts of many good and holy men.

After rituals and cleansing, the druids tell Torean that they believe the girls soul is inhabited by the spirit of another creature. Oddly, Toreans mentor died at nearly the precise moment that his daughter was born. Lud was an Erenn and a follower of the old ways. He believed that his soul could only be free if his body was given back to the spirits of the water. When he died this information wasn’t understood and he was buried in the traditional fashion of the Great Fellowship — in the ground.

Torean finds an Erenn druid who can lay the soul of Lud to rest but he fears there is a pestilence growing in the lands nearby. Torean and his friends have earned a reputation for being able to deal with these sort of things and the druid will only perform the ritual if Torean will help discover the source of the illness. Torean agrees to do anything within his power if it will help his daughter.

Torean and Nagus set out in the foul weather searching for something… It doesn’t take long for Nagus to sense a shift in the natural forces of élan. The two engage Count Bailstone in a life or death battle high in the Craghorns on the narrow stone catwalks of some long abandoned monastery. The Count has the Skull of Tzavos although he obviously has no necromantic powers. Bailstone and the Skull fall from the heights to the rocky crags hundreds of feet below. However, by the time Torean and Nagus work their way down to his body, there is nothing to be found.

Toreans daughter undergoes a ritual that puts the spirit of Lud to rest, freeing her from her "illness."

 

[Eosin the Red]

Hangin Around Home — Northrun
Nagus discovers that a justicar is missing near Northrun when the attendant at the Shrine of Brynn reports that she is long overdue. It doesn’t take long to discover that she was captured in a Vindel raid trying to defend a small village.

The companions set on the trail of the raiders who have several days head start. Soon they find themselves approaching Vindel territory and eventually the city of Konstone where the Vindel hold their annual moot.

Cetric informs the companions that the moot is open to all and that most likely the young woman will end up as a “snow-wife” to one of the more powerful raiders.

Konstone is a muddy sprawl of a town that seemingly exploded into a city overnight. Tents threaten to overwhelm the city and sanitation is everyone’s problem. Yet, merchants from many different lands are present walking among the tents looking at slaves, metals, and goods captured during raids. Hidden among the merchants are soldiers, wizards, and even clerics who are here searching for more specialized “goods.”

It doesn’t take long to find the missing paladin Talwyn. She is chained to a pole where men find it sporting to see if she can be tamed. Fiery women (and men) who fight till the bitter end hold a special attraction to the fatalistic Vindel. After some advising and discussion of customs Nagus simply walks up and unchains her.

A powerful Vindel raider takes exception and demands some money for her purchase but thankfully the party realizes they will never get out alive if they show weakness. Nagus violently explodes into action pummeling the man near to death.

Afterwards the companions are invited to sit in the camp of a respected chieftain named Vorjarin. The Vindel war chief is the grandson of two Celestine making him nearly half immortal himself. There is little doubt that he has powers far beyond what the party is used to dealing with. Arron is questioned about the recent skyfire to the south [DM Note: the green fire that struck near Tharad]. Vorjarin has many other odd questions about “lowland” events some are obvious while others are impenetrable.

The impressed war chief ensures that the group knows of several warriors from Lorain who are attending the moot looking for sell-swords. Little comes from this knowledge other than being forewarned.

On the return to Northrun the companions spot heavily armored warriors high in the mountains. Keeping to shelter, they track the strange warriors for miles until they are able to intercept them. The men are members of the Kratian Battlelords and the skirmish quickly gives way to a stand off. Arron plays on the knight’s pride and challenges the leader to single combat — the losing side will surrender.

The two men proved to be evenly matched, trading blow for blow before the fight becomes defensive. Wary now, the two circle each other probing for an opening. The battle stretches out over minutes with neither side giving. Eventually injury and fatigue begin to wear the steel titans down. Arron shoves aside the final effort of the Battlelord and forces the exhausted warrior to yield shortly before he collapses as well.

[DM Note: The battle came down to burning STUN for END. Another Phase and it would have been Arron on the ground.]

The party returns with the captured knights to Northrun where they settle down for the winter.

Shadow Fiend
Once again spring sees a reunion at Orenstone. This reunion is short and unpleasant. Duke Wingate receives an ultimatum from Prince Rafn delivered by a foreign envoy who Kaid believes is also a powerful wizard.

The Prince leaves the duke little room to maneuver by ordering him to appear in Chandra along with his heir and Andris Ragnerik. Andris and the Duke agree that to place themselves in the Princes' power would be certain death. The envoy is rebuffed and dismissed but not before he promises war and death.

The Companions set out once more for the city of Tharad. During the winter there was a disaster of some sort and the sea is said to have swallowed parts of the city and thousands of citizens.

Less than a day into the journey, they find themselves facing the strange envoy who promised death and misery. There is little doubt that his power comes from the Adversary when the shadows begin to dance at his command. The companions face twisted, shadowy versions of themselves in battle — barely surviving. When the dust has settled there is no one around.

The road to Tharad is filled with refugees who have fled the city. Those who survived report that on the Feast of St Evik a green fire fell from the sky into the waters around Tharad. Shortly afterward the sea rose up and swallowed parts of the city killing thousands. The city survived but many have decided to move on because of the miasma of evil that lingers. It seems that strange and terrible things happen for no reason; stillborn children, sour milk, and all the usual culprits.

The Companions fear what they know they will find — the Black Abbey is destroyed and the dutiful monks whose prayers stretch back centuries are dead. The massive walls have been pulverized by some unknowable force. Something has escaped that had been imprisoned for millennium. There is little else to do for now.

[DM Note: The mighty city of Tharad is reduced but remains a power to be reckoned with by those who think her to be easy prey.]

The armies mobilize with the spring but no major battles are immediately fought. Duke Wingate minimizes forces in the Eastern Marches to bolster his garrisons at home. Every side — Lorain, Middea, and Wingate — is snapping up every mercenary force available for hire.

Year Four
Spring of IC 1080, the campaign resumes.

 

[Eosin the Red]

YEAR FOUR​

Spring of IC 1079, the campaign resumes.

Jayme looked across the table and smiled incredulously at his father. “You want us to take command of a hostile city filled with 70,000 people. Just the five of us?”

Prince Andris nodded as if the matter were already settled. “Cousin, there are already factions and struggles within the city that threaten to tear her apart. All that you need to do is make the right allies to remove this dagger from our breast.”

Hearing this the swordsman, Arron, walked away from the table, “I am not a diplomat.” He thumbed the pommel of his blade to remind everyone exactly what he was…

“No, you are a soldier and this is a war for Ro’s sake and sometimes soldiers have to fight with tools other than swords. I am a soldier as well but imagine the disaster that would befall us if I confined my efforts to simply spilling blood. We don’t get to choose all of our battles and heaven help us if we lose this one.” Prince Andris had stood during his tirade, more than a little put off by the young knights attitude. His goblet came to hand allowing him a moment to settle his frustrations. The current impasse in the war efforts only played to Rafn’s advantage.

"Look, let's start small. The Duchess recieved a letter asking for assistance a few weeks ago. An old servant of hers works for one of the noble families in Tharad. It would seem the family has fallen on hard times. The heads of house both perished on a shipboard fire 2 months ago and the heir is missing. In the interum his sister, Lidia Vanderboren has assumed the duties. I am not sure what the nature of the problem could be but it offers us a chance to forge a hidden alliance at the least and may offer us insights into what is happening in the city." The Duke took the pause as an opprotunity to move the discussion to a sitting room. His relaxed mantle of leadership helped keep all heads directed and level.

At the door to the sitting room the duke looked on his two sons and his grandson - who would claim the throne of Middea as his own - they were so different. Before anyone else could speak the duke poured some wine and lifted it to all, "Here is to small steps and great deeds. No war is ever won by a single event. Go to Tharad and see what there is to see. Rumors are wild since the Night of Fire. The city is divided. The night is dangerous and given to those who rule through fear and foul deeds. If we can stop this - if you can stop this - I know you will."

The wine flowed freely deep into the cool spring night while strategy and operations were discussed. Here in the private dining room of Cabryn Fortress there was no ceremony and no one question went unanswered, save for the most important question of all — could five men neutralize the gaping tactical hole in Andris Ragnerik’s campaign to remove his step brother from the throne?

DM Note One: Andris and Duke Wingate gave the players each 50 gold coins ($5,000 USD) to start them on their campaign. I purchased nearly five hundred play coins from “Dead Man’s Chest” and gave these out as real coins that they will spend during the adventure. The props went over well and add a “cool” flavor to the city where money talks.

DM Note 2: The other prop is the massive vinyl map of Ptolus. It is a great visual and was the main selling point of buying the book for me. I picked the thing up at Gencon 2006.

Tharad
The wait to enter the city took most of the morning. Refugees and those who feared that they would soon enter that status crushed together in the mud and rain waiting to pay the “gate toll” in the hopes of finding sanctuary behind the impressive walls. The curtain wall encircling Tharad was massive and daunting but then all walls appear that way until an army stands before them.

Arron and Tara entered the city first. The young urchin was saved from slavery years ago by Arron and had lived under his protection since, first in Highvale and then in Northrun. Arron considered leaving her in Northrun but her knowledge of the city and her determination to help her foster father won her a place in the mission. Ducked through the gate taking a little traveled side street leading Arron to a quiet hostel where the pair were greeted as old friends.

Torean, Isolde, Shir (the nanny), and the twin girls crossed the massive gates later in the day. A day spent wandering the city convinced Torean that he could best leverage his talents from Emerald Hill in Midtown among the Erenn. The neighborhood has a dangerous reputation but Torean has past dealings with the Erenn, enough that he feels his family will be safe.

Freya and Jayme (known as “Kaid” the minor nobleman from Envernes) entered Tharad shortly before nightfall. The two quickly parted ways.

Day 2:
Arron walked the cobbled streets of the Guildsmen District searching for the House of Iron where all manner of metal workers meet to discuss guild business and life in general. The smoky haze of industry stung the country boys throat and eyes.

The cold stares of the meeting hall were no more than he expected. Like steel, those who work metal must prove their temper. After producing a letter of introduction and proving his status as a journeyman weaponsmith a small mousey man assigned him to report to a foundry for a few days work to see if his skills could earn him a place at a masters forge.

Toren wandered the city save for those areas where it was obvious that he would not be welcome. Inns, watering holes, and dens of inequity were too many to keep track of but a few places stood out where a man like himself could get some work.

The evening was spent in the Gatehouse Pub in the company of a guardsmen deep in his cup over a woman. The conversation was gently steered towards those who might broker information within the city. In truth the poor fellow didn’t know much other than the unofficial word among the guard that included several citizens who were “off limits” unless you were feeling particularly stupid. Two names came out of the exchange: Echaebin, a secretive informant who could get nearly any answer for a price and Kirow, one of the Arimite “merchants” who lived in the closed neighborhood called the Kaarie.

Day 3:
Arron bustled among the clerks and minor bureaucrats of Oldtown, shuffling from line to line in an effort to establish himself (read get a license and guild approval) to perform ad hoc work as a scribe.

Freya applied himself at the Foundry (Rolled a 3 on his Weaponsmith check). His work so impressed the master smith that an offer to work as a journeyman was immediately extended to him.

Isolde secured a house in Emerald Hill for the family. Torean didn’t press for details. While he had been carousing for the last few days, it was obvious that his wife was meeting with the strange women who sometimes came to visit her in Northrun. He was startled to see her get results so quickly and without needing any money.

Early morning in Dalenguard Jayme/Kaid applied to have the Baron recognize his patent of nobility. His father’s men had prepared the patent ensuring that it would pass any scrutiny. Unfortunately, the various fees amounted to a large amount of gold in part because Jayme has neglected his administrative skills in favor of his study of magic.

As he settled in for the evening, Jayme was surprised to find a well appointed carriage waiting for him at the inn. Soon, he was wished towards Dalenguard and beyond into the Nobles District. The Vladaam Estate overlooks the cliffs of Dalenguard but location is the least opulent aspect of this magnificent estate.

Dinner with Navanna and Godfried Vladaam proved more than Kaid could manage. The canny Navanna implied, coerced, twisted, and cornered Kaid several times in the after dinner pleasantries. By the time she had dismissed him, Kaid had accepted an offer to reside at the Rosewood Estate in return for future considerations to her family. Kaid was ill prepared for this style of confrontation and kicked himself during the carriage ride for his lack of understanding who or what just occurred.

Day 4
Meeting Lidia Vanderboren and uncovering her problems...

 

[Eosin the Red]

Adventure Week 1 (Part 2)
Day 4
DM Notes: The party has elected to spilt up in Tharad/Ptolus to maximize individual threads of data. This is pretty routine for our Dark Champions characters but it remains to be seen how well this will work in a world without cell-phones or quick travel. Already there are some issues that arose due to Kaid generating an ugly random encounter when he registered his patent of nobility by his lonesome.

After a midmorning meal Arron, Torean, and Freya met at the Ghostly Minstrel to discuss the upcoming meeting with Liddia Vanderboren. Kaid arrived late, looking pale and a little nervous to be greeting his companions.

“I think I found us an inroad to the dirty politics of the city,” he said trying to soften the upcoming topic. “I am sorry to be so late but I needed to move my stuff into the Rosewood Estate in the Nobles District.”

Eyebrows raised at the comment. Prior discussions had indicated that Kaid had nowhere near the funding required to insinuate himself into the upper echelons of society.

Freya smiled at Kaid’s obvious discomfort. He liked to see the rival mage squirm and this was obviously a squirmy situation.

“The Vladaam family has graciously offered to foot the bill of my rebuilding efforts. I had an eventful dinner with Navanna and Godfried last night.” Kaid tossed a small chapbook to the table, the dog-eared corner marking the entry on the Vladaams.

“One of the oldest noble families of Middea dating their foundation to a time before Sojen. The Vladaam’s have incurred a dark reputation that only seems to grow with time. The current head of the family has been traveling for years but his children are some of the most notorious residents of Tharad. The family is rumored to be involved with dark magic, crime, and other things too foul to mention.”​

It was quickly determined that Kaid was likely to be watched if the Vladaam’s intended to use him towards their own ends (whatever those might be is a mystery). The meeting quickly broke up after deciding that Kaid would not accompany them to the Vanderboren Estate this afternoon. Torean would pay Kaid a visit tonight and they would discuss other issues related to maintaining contact.

The men donned fine clothes and cleaned themselves up a bit before trying to get through Dalengaurd without a nobleman to escort them. Concocted reasons for visiting the Vanderboren Estate went over well, earning them the meeting that had been delayed for a week.

Liney, the maid who originally sent word to the Duchess of Wingate, answered the door with a shuffling walk. The woman was old, far to old to be serving as a maid or to be answering the door. Still, the stooped woman led them to a sitting parlor where they were to await the pleasure of Lady Vanderboren. The house was massive and well appointed but curiously empty of any other servants.

A short while later several men-at-arms appeared from the Lady’s private study. These were rugged sorts, not casual thugs. The leader, Borgrim, looked over the companions taking note of Torean and Isolde. Arron had maintained his scribes garb and somehow escaped notice (lucky roll).

The study was musky with a feel of old wealth and power. A polished wood desk decorated with intricate engravings sat in the corner although the enchanting Lidda sat among the new comers rather than behind the desk.

Small talk was exchanged while the friends introduced themselves and explained that they had been contacted by the maid Liney. The news upset Lady Vanderboren but it was obvious that the needs of her pride were less potent than whatever drove her maid to seek help.

Arron was the first to address the issue directly by tackling the question of the mercenaries, “who were those men and what are they doing for you?”

Lady Vanderboren took a moment to study the scribe who addressed her so forwardly. “My younger sister is in Chandra at the leisure of the crown. I want her back before she ends up married to some fool nobleman, which would make me expendable,” the words weren’t harsh; they were simply the way things were for an unmarried female in command of prestigious titles. “Those men are going to get her for me and ensure that nothing happens to her.”

Lady Vanderborn took the bluntness to ask a question of her own, “why does Duke Wingate want to help me?”

Isolde approached the noble woman, “He needs allies where they can be found but he doesn’t presume to extort your trust.”

Arron elaborated, “the Duke sent us but whatever we might do for you is of our own will and offered freely.” It seems the young bladesmen might be smitten by the beauty of Liddia Vanderboren.

Satisfied with the answers Liddia explained her predicament. “My mother and father died during a fire on one of our ships, the Ice Runner. Technically, that left my older brother with all titles and honors but he has been missing as well. The duty of running the house has fallen to me. When Mother and Father died they left behind a fortune but the vast majority of that wealth is stored in the vaults of Oldtown. The vaults are held in trust by the Baron and may only be opened with a signet ring proving the identity of the bearer. I don’t have that ring and right now, I cannot get to it because some stinky, smelly, commoner thug in the employ of the harbormaster has swindled me out of money and fathers ship. I paid 80 gold crowns in back fees for mooring on the city docks but now the pig denies that he received any money. I tried to contact the harbor master but without the funds to buy friends in court, I have been dismissed. That fat slug dismissed me as if I were some street walker who he was done with… He wouldn’t even consent to meeting with me.” Liddia sat heavily into an overstuffed chair, acutely aware of how angry the subject made her.

“I know where my fathers ring is and if I can get ahold of it the majority of my problems will melt away. Will you get on board my fathers ship and retrieve the ring for me?”

Specifics were addressed in an effort to clarify where the ring might be and what this Assistant Harbormaster — one “stinky commoner thug” named Sollis — might be doing with the Vanderboren ship.

Later that evening…
The door to the Rosewood Estate opened slightly so that Torean could see a sliver of light escaping. “Yes,” came a liquid voice from behind the door.

“I am to see Lord Kaid,” replied the bard.

“I’ll see if he is expecting you?” the voice was condescending and grated on Torean’s nerves. The door shut in his face.

A few more minutes in the damp night air passed before the door swung open. Olivier, the butler, waited for a moment before motioning Torean into the manor. “Wipe your feet.”

Torean was escorted to a door down the long southern hall where he was instructed to have a seat. Olivier backed out of the room with a warning, “please don’t soil anything with the oils from your hands. It is all quite valuable.”

Minutes later Olivier and Kaid appeared in the doorway. Kaid moved to sit and dismissed Olivier. The butler glided down the hall stopping to speak with a maid who suddenly found herself moving toward the sitting room to complete her "cleaning."

Torean made small talk for a moment to ensure that Kaid recognized that they were being observed. “I can give you a schedule of my performance fees, if you have some parchment."

Kaid waved the maid over and instructed her to find Olivier and some parchment.

During the unobserved moments the two formulated a plan to meet up at the Black Swan Tavern where they could talk without being overheard. If needed Kaid would meet Isolde (Torean’s wife) and take her to a room which would likely be dismissed as a noble dalliance of no significance.

Oliver entered without knocking. He inspected to room - sure to find something missing - before handing over the parchment, commenting “the paper is expensive, my Lord.”

After Torean had left, Kaid cornered Olivier to ask about taverns. Several upscale establishments were mentioned and rejected before Olivier hit on one that would be “pedestrian” enough for Lord Kaid.

DM Note: Olivier is obviously the Vladaam handler and fears Kaid not in the least. His condescending attitude was the source of many chuckles.

Day 5:
Much of the day is spent around the docks trying to pick up information about the Harbormaster, Sollis, and the Blue Spray. [Torean’s Streetwise].

The Blue Spray was not moored as was expected but was instead anchored a few hundred feet out in the bay. As night fell, Kaid arrived along with a rough looking thug trailing him. Arron waited until they were all in a seedy dive before picking a very short fight. Interestingly, the thug had fingernails painted black.

Now clear, Kaid made his way to one of the open fires where he could use his magic [Fire Sight] to look aboard the ship where lanterns lit the deck.

Two guards were noted on deck but it was the lantern in the main hold that revealed chained humans stacked like cordwood and guarded by a nasty looking woman with a crossbow. The ship was being used to store slaves.

The luck of Ro was with the land loving party as they made their way unseen to the Blue Spray. Torean’s knives took care of the two watchmen (one of whom was asleep).

The hold proved no more difficult to Arron as he nearly killed the crossbow toting woman with a blow to the head. The slaves were in sorry shape: dehydrated and malnourished, they were unable to even attempt to escape. Several had smothered or been crushed at the bottom of the piles.

The revulsion of such sorry treatment of other humans paled in comparison to the discovery of a caged Blackfire Wight. Somehow this sorry lot had captured one of the Ennwrathi creatures and apparently planned on selling it.

Filled with righteous wrath, the party delivered a bloody ending to the remaining slavers (all 4 were sleeping). Sollis and his “woman” were discovered in the captains quarters (don’t ask). The two were questioned and the gene pool was enriched by their passing.

There was a good deal of concern over the next coarse of action. The slaves could not be left to die and the Blackfire Wight had to be disposed of but it was unlikely that the party could accomplish either without significant risk. Eventually, a signal for aid was sent from the deck of the ship to which four sailors answered. A few gold later and the ship was moving towards the piers. The Blackfire Wight was dumped, cage and all into the sea.

Day 6
An early morning trip to the Vanderboren Estate earned the group much praise. Arron once again stated that Lady Vanderboren owed them nothing for the favor. He also made it known that the ship was being used by slavers, including Sollis, who would never be a problem for the Vanderborens again.

The money for the back mooring fees was returned to Liddia without ceremony or fuss for which she was very grateful and even a little stunned.

In the afternoon, the party (disguised as guardsmen with helms) met Liddia at the Oldtown Vaults where they were able to access the Vanderboren riches. Unfortunately, much of those riches had already been taken by Vanthus Vanderboren — Liddia’s missing brother. Still, there was more than enough to settle many of the problems facing Lidda as well as enough that she should be able to hire staff and collect on dues owed to her.

Evening…
As Liddia and Arron were parting ways, Arron asked a favor to help maintain his identity. He would like to be “hired” as the Vanderboren scribe which would give him access to the nobles district and an alibi if needed. In return for being at the estate, Arron would help perfect her sword skills. Liddia consented to the favor. The smile on her face hinted that she liked the idea of being closer to the young swordsmen. No doubt that she was not the only one who entertained improper ideas.

Session Wrap Up
Experience: All players were awarded 2 XP and an DM allocated 1 Point City Knowledge: Tharad. I should be able to post each characters total XP after some digging but they average around 190 points, give or take.

Experiments:
I provided fake coins for the players to use as a visual and tactile prop. Money is darned important in a city style game so the props get some use. These went over well with the group and earned several favorable comments. One player had wealth, which is now a verboten Perk in my fantasy game. To compensate for the loss he got 60 gold crowns up front and he got his XP back.

Observations:
One: Kaid got beaned with an ugly random encounter and made due. Unfortunately for him, he talked his way into a disad. Right now he has an obligation to the Vladaam Family (and he is being watched on an but if he ever reneges on his Obligation that'll turn into a Hunted. It isn't as all fired bad as the group is making out other than he is associated with some really creepy people who will no doubt attempt to suck him into their depravity.

Two: The party is sorely underdeveloped for city style play. Interaction skills suck, non-combat skills are non-existent, and-obviously-knowledge of the city is infantile. Only the bard has a set of significant city skills and the party is mostly split up. I am intrigued to see where XP are getting spent.

Conclusion:
It was a fun game. We didn't get as much done as I expected but much of that was the choice of the players. I tried to bypass the settling down and finding a place to live in favor of a more adventure oriented first time out but they were having none of that and wanted to establish their new place in the city before meeting Lady Vanderboren. I think this had as much to do with Kaid's misfortunate encounter as anything else.

 

[Eosin the Red]

Day 7
Freya continues to work the forges at Ragan Varri’s forge. The work is hard and he is little appreciated particularly by the Journeyman he has displaced.

As evening approached and the day’s work was winding down, a middle aged Mendicant priest entered the smithy in a panic looking for Ragan. The master smith, who was as hard as the iron he forged, had left more than an hour ago on guild business which left Freya and another Journeyman in charge.

“I need Ragan or the guard to come quickly,” he shouted at Freya. “Dear Lord, I hope we are not too late.”

Stepping towards the priest Freya’s confidence disarmed the normally placid spiritual man. “I can help you,” was all the mage said.

The two exited the building with Freya shouting orders to close the shop and ensure that the fires were properly stocked. Down the street Father Etain Enderson explained — “Two rough looking men have been watching St. Gustav’s for the last few days. Tonight they decided to follow a young seamstress named Shaylin. I am afraid they mean her harm. I have followed all three hoping to find a guardsman but these days those are hard to find.” As the two talked, Shaylin ducked down a narrow street towards Saches where she worked with the two ruffians ducking into the alley quickly. They were making their move.

The young woman crumpled to the ground from a blow to the head before Freya could act. Disregarding Elder Etain, Freya manipulated the winds that were his. The first thug clutched at his throat as the his breath was ripped from his chest. He collapsed. Dead. [DM Note: Natural 3 on spellcraft roll]

The second thug grabbed for his dagger but in those few seconds Freya was able to redirect the flow of his magic, choking the him into unconsciousness.

Unopposed, Freya picked up the limp form of Shaylin and carried her down the street to the Arishaun Hospice. The healers there quickly moved to tend to the bleeding woman after they spoke briefly with Elder Etain.

Freed of his burden, Freya stepped outside the door with the priest. “I hope you understand that I don’t want news of my abilities to reach the wrong ears,” said the mage.

Etain summoned his priestly demeanor, “You are blessed by Ro. Why would I interfere with what is a gift to you from the fires of creation? You are a good man and I can see that, your secrets are safe with me.”

Convinced that the priest posed no imminent threat, Freya returned to the alley to question the surviving would be assassin. Both men sported the black lacquered fingernails that marked them as belonging to the gang known as the Pale Dogs. The interrogation didn’t take long. The punk was terrified of Freya and his power to snuff the breath from those who displeased him.

The bungling thugs were hired by a man who paid them to murder the young seamstress. After finishing the job they would meet up at a red warehouse near the dock on Crispen Street.

Freya thumbed the sword at his side considering the scum before him. Some would pay good money for news of a magic user who wasn’t affiliated with the Synod. He really didn’t have a choice.

Two bodies were dumped into a communal burial pit at the necropolis the next morning by the City Guard. Both thugs worked with the Pale Dogs, case closed.

The rest of the party spent the working towards establishing themselves or in the case of Torean, carousing around the seedier parts of town sniffing for intriguing rumors.

Day 8
A pre-dawn meeting between Torean and Freya led to a day long investigation of a lowlife named Vaggar. By nightfall the team was confident that they could take him in the warehouse where he was to meet the men who tried to kill Shaylin.

After using Kaid’s Firesight the team entered fully expecting that a bowman would be hidden in the dark recesses of the building. Freya took the lead, unleashing lightening from his hands on Vaggar and his vicious dog. Kaid and Torean took out the archer hidden in the rafters, while the surprise of a third man prompted Arron into action with his blade. The whole affair lasted seconds.

Vaggar proved slightly more difficult to break. Two daggers through the palm of his hands convinced him that bravery would only earn him a slow and painful death. Vaggar was hired by Toridin Cran to subcontract the murder of Shaylin. Torean had heard of Linech Cran, an underboss for the Balacazar Crime Syndicate but the name Toridin was a mystery to him — presumably the two were related.

DM Note: Discussion followed the violence. The party doesn’t really know much about Shaylin save that she may be pregnant and that someone wants her dead. Several party members have Disadvantages that predispose them to help out a woman in distress but they are scratching their heads over why. Father Etain thinks she was seeing a man but that the two broke off their relationship a few weeks ago but he isn’t sure of the man’s identity. Shaylin doesn’t know why anyone would want her dead and won’t talk about her relationship nor her possible state of pregnancy.

Day 9
Arron spent the day visiting with a man named Kirow and a Emissary of the Jann [DM Note: The Jann worship the God-King Tarannis in the Radiant Kingdoms but have a sizable compound here in Tharad. Tarranis is one of the Celestine but fuels his immortality by blood sacrifice.]. Arron is hunting information on the Maibus and two legendary swords; Namring and Sojen’s Sword. Both are lost but if either could be found they would prove potent symbols in the hands of Andris Ragnerik.

Arron cannot afford the rates for information related to the Maibus but he does manage to swap information related to the creature.

[DM Note: The Maibus is an Ennwrathi who once served Bal Samedi, the creature believed to have been imprisoned within the Black Abbey before its destruction. Maibus has plagued Middean Kings since the founding of the nation seven centuries earlier and is responsible for the death of more than one of the august rulers.]

Day 10
Much of the day is spent in mundane activities for the team. Two items of significance occur.

Breakfast finds Torean sitting across the table from a withered crone who must have seen at least a hundred winters. She silently gums her eggs while Torean feels a little uncomfortable under her gaze. It isn’t lost on the bard that his wife is nowhere to be found. The conversation that occurs when Motehr Kiva is satisfied with her meal concerns the parties interest in Tharad and their intents. Mother Kiva shares a parable that boils down to “the road to hell is paved with good intentions… watch and think before you act lest you make things worse.” Finished with her interview, Torean finds himself dismissed from his own kitchen.

Arron heads to the Redoubt, the chapter house of the Kratian Battlelords. Luck is with him and the Battlelord Markken is within the building. Arron finds no end of snickers since he is dressed as a scribe but once the Battlelord appears the laughter stops. Arron returns the knights armor to him which he had held for ransom after defeating the warrior some months ago. Duly humbled, Markken explains that he cannot just accept the armor back without tendering some payment. Arron smiles.

The two arraign a meeting between Arron and the Captain-Commander of the Chapter house, Terrin. It will be some days before the meeting which will occur around noon so that Terrin can “test” the mettle of Arron without the sun providing any advantage.

Day 11
Much of the day is spent engaged in mundane activities for the party. Kaid finds the whole day consumed with preparations for a party that evening at his mansion. The Vlaadams have expressed a desire to see the new lord inducted into the local social life. The party starts out well enough with several nobles in attendance. Kaid is introduced to a local girl from a wealthy family who might make a good match considering her families financial support (remember he is playing a disenfranchised nobleman) but she quickly leaves in a huff after she feels insulted. After night falls and dinner is finished the party degenerates into a drunken revel. Many of the polite citizens excuse themselves before things get too out of hand.

Kaid finds himself alone with Godfried Vlaadaam sipping a strong spirit provided by Olivier. He quickly uncovers several salient facts about the brutish Godfried — first, he is sadistic and considers peasants to be nothing more than objects to provide him with some sport and second the mountainous warrior is hitting on him. Kaid demurs the advances of powerful man only to find that he is feeling quite faint. Fearing that he has been given something that might render him more pliable to the charms of Godfried, quickly makes an exit and stumbles towards an inn with a pre-rented room to use in just such an emergency [Arron rented it for him].

Day 12
Torean spends most of the day searching the seedier parts of town for Vanthus Vanderboren the missing brother to Liddia. Late in the afternoon he strikes gold. A strung out sailor named Sillas knows where Vanthus is hiding — a few miles outside of town in a smugglers cove. He will show Torean the way for a few coins and a the hopes that Vanthus suffers some nasty fate.

Fearing a trap, Torean rounds up his friends before heading out of Tharad.

Sillas leads the group to a small riverbed called interestingly enough, Smuggler Flats. Everyone is on high alert fearing some sort of ambush but they are disappointed to find only a small entrance to a cave hidden among several boulders on the only nearby high ground. Sillas indicates that Vanthus had been using the cave as a hideout and if they want him, they will likely have to go in and get him.

The party gathers some ropes and torches before climbing down into the 30 foot pit. When the Arron makes his descent into the pit the group hears a sickening thud as the body of Sillas hits the floor. Only a brief glimpse of Vanthus is to be had before a heavy boulder rolls over the exit.

Something in the darkness begins to move…

Session Wrap Up
Experience: All players were awarded 3 XP for putting the pieces together without much in the way of clues.

Observations:
One: The adventure went along well tonight. There was both proactive and reactive happenings which will enhance the game in my opinion. There were a few meta-game issues which I felt required to hash out. The first issue is communications. I am going to have to do something to fix the 4 hour in-game lag time that it takes to get everyone together. That will mean some form of instant communications ~ jokingly referred to as the “magic speaking rock.” I am not keen on the cell phone like Thoughtstones of Ptolus but I have an idea that will work for me but it still ends up being a cell phone no matter what I call it.

The second issue is Kaid’s involvement with the Vladaam family. I just needed to remind everyone at the table that this is an 8- Watched and not some around-the-clock surveillance by a demented Jack Bauer with CTU tasking the magical satellites on the Kaid.

Conclusion:
Another fun game to run, even if the party remained separated and semi-functioning in fantasy terms. Even in fantasy, you have to have some reality and the way the team is handling things is feasible. It does slow down some aspects of the game and gives everyone the chance to roleplay out encounters but not everyone is equally suited handle in-character verbal exchanges.

I like the cliff hanger endings that allow the game to pick up with a bang when we return to the table. Tonight’s trap was a perfect choice. Still, not everyone was enthused about the trap and was pretty sure that they were heading into one. This was a case of looking in the wrong place for the trigger mechanism of the trap. Vanthus was secreted away 64” from the opening of the cave and hidden among some rocks. He had ample time to conceal himself and the range penalties virtually ensured that without a physical sweep of the area he would go undetected.