[AU] The Ashes of Zahran (Massive Updates 2-13-04)

[WayneLigon]

Episode 5: The Mark of Kahz-Hadath

The party consists of…
Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)1/Litorian1
Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade2
Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch2
Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered2
Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond2
Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant1, Champion of Magic1
Rizz, male kobold Expert1

And introducing Theryn, male Human Warmain

Thirdmonth 8-9

After the terrible battles of the past day, the group needs to heal and rest, plus Vorz is about to get his commissioned dire greatsword from the Giant smith Tel-Morn. So the party holes up in the Three Candles, feasting and drinking and generally having a good time. Mont and Eana go out a few times, and Mont winds up playing in small markets in the better part of town as he listens for information they may need later. The group decides that Alayah could make best use of the +1 dagger they found in the statue, and various other weapons are purchased.

Mont’s listening and questioning finally pays off as he finds out what the symbol on the weapons they sold means: the White Falcon mercenaries used to own the weapons, before they were slain to a man. Or as it turns out, not quite… a young man by the name of Theryn Winterthorn proves to be the last White Falcon; he was laid up with a broken leg from a training accident and had not enough money to afford a healer. So he didn’t move north with them when the time came. He’s the one who answers Mont’s questions, so they go back to the Three Candles, where Alayah proceeds to fawn all over the handsome merc after healing him; braiding his hair, hinting very broadly, etc. Theryn appears oblivious to her charms, though he treats her very politely.

Sellik goes to talk to Mellen, the Akashic scholar who was working on some things for them. Mellen is all excited at the things he’s found. He rolls out illustrations that show the hideous bug-headed creatures they encountered in the sub-temple, and points out that they are made things; they are alchemical creations meant to be mindless guards and killing machines simply called Terrible Beasts. Sellick also notes that the weird symbol from the ogre pendants is also shown in conjunction with the Terrible Beast, and finds that it is Demonic in nature. Both Verricks also commission fine blades from Tel-Morn.

Thirdmonth 9 – That evening.

The party goes with Vorz to pick up his greatsword; Tel-Morn and Vorz perform the Ceremony of Presentation, and a very fine masterwork dire greatsword is revealed to all. More braiding and hinting by Alayah to Theryn produces no results; the party then goes to Iaska to check on the poor woman they rescued. Good news! She will live, and perhaps prosper. Iaska has done what she can to blur the already-repressed memories of the event so that hopefully the woman can return to a normal life.

Thirdmonth 10

Once more the party descends into the depths of the ruined temple in the undercity (deciding to take Theryn with them), looking to push on further down the ogre passageway. They find a crude set of alarm traps, then they manage to interrupt a meeting of some kind between a human nobleman and his bodyguards, with some kind of insect/human fusion and it’s ogre body guards. A fight ensues (Rizz once more manages to not only do the killing blow on another ogre, but critical hit another one, blinding him), and the insect thing proves to be a spellcaster, since it creates an energy blade to defend itself. After it’s death, and the butcher of the nobleman, the party offers quarter to the two mercs. The mercs (Caelyn and Teiryn are their names) present their ransom; they are from the Black Oak company, which has a good reputation in general; they were stuck in town for another week or so while another contract was being lined up and decided to hire out as bodyguards (by the cloaked and disguised insect-thing) to make extra cash. The nobleman’s body yields a goodly count of coin, trade bars of gold with which he was apparently making or receiving a payment, plus a small silver version of the spiral demonic symbol found on the ogres.

The mercs also tell of more monsters below, so the party moves quickly to the named place before someone comes to check on the meeting. The mercs say that also two faen scouts are with the other group. The other group consists of more ogre guards and a half-ogre who appears to be the leader. Quietly the group moves into position on the unsuspecting monsters, who are much more concerned with eating and dicing to pay much attention. Mont moves like a shadow clear on over to where the half-ogre is, and manages to stab him to death before the man can even react. A terrible fight with the ogres ensues, with Mont almost being killed after being double-teamed by flail-wielding ogres. Vorz sees his friend go down and charges across the chamber with a terrible screaming yell, actually knocking both ogres off their feet. The last ogre standing surrenders and they take his bond, having him tell them about what else is here. Apparently, they are the last group hired by the yaun-ti. All save the half-ogre bear the weird spiral symbol; Sellick takes the one from this ogre to use magic on later. The ogre proceeds to tell them about the terrible thing the yaun-ti served, his mate Kahz-Hadath. The party gets very worried when the ogre describes her not as a typical yaun-ti, but as a serpent woman having multiple arms. Unsure what this might be, but knowing it can be nothing good, the party retreats to the surface to store their gain and also deliver the head of the presumed traitor to Ia-Ka. She is quite disturbed to see it, and will see what the Steward wishes to do on the matter.

Mellen is also able to tell them at the insect-creature is a half-aranea, not a natural thing at all. Aranea are neutral to humans and rarely even meet with them, much less interact with them on a regular basis.

Fearing possible reprisals by either the Steward or the family of the presumed nobleman, the party moves outside the gates. They return the human and faen mercs to their company and meet with the captain, a woman named Salora Dun about their ransom and also to sell the ogre’s service to her. She agrees and binds Goraz into the company. The party then moves on and camps in an abandoned farm several miles from town. There, Sellick starts casting object loresight on the ogre pendant. He learns it’s age is three years old, the name of the last creature to touch it is Goraz the Butcher (the ogre). The next day he recasts it, skipping over Goraz’ race (ogre), finding that the name of the creator is Kahz-Hadath, and that she is a marilith. This news disturbs them greatly.

Thirdmonth 11

Having no word, the party goes back to the Three Candles after Sellick casts his spell. No word has been left there, so the group goes back to seek out another way into the underground. Rizz is able to tell them about the river entrance; a recent tunnel leads to the much older and more broken areas they are familiar with. They encounter a pack of insanely snarling dog-things that attack without mercy or provocation. A hard-won fight in the narrow tunnel soon deals with them, but now they continue to move downwards towards a lighted area….

 

[WayneLigon]

Episode 6: Into the River Tunnels

The party consists of…
Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)1/Litorian1
Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade2
Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch2
Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered2
Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond2
Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant1, Champion of Magic1
Rizz, male kobold Expert1

Thirdmonth 11

The party moves down the tunnel and sees light up ahead; a strange swirling bluish light. Readying their weapons they advance, only to trigger an unseen trap. Half of the entire corridor rotates on a pivot, dumping everyone on the left side of their marching order down into darkness. The massive stonework continues to rotate and then locks, effectively sealing off any retreat or any means of finding their friends! Na-Vilorus, Sellik, Kyran and Rizz can be heard briefly, but then their yells fade into silence….

After futile attempts at trying to rotate the stone cylinder, the diminished group continues on, as it has no choice now. They exit into a very large sectioned room which has the look of a plaza from long ago. In the center of the area is a swirl of brilliant sapphire points of light that dim and swirl like a school of fish. Situated at four points around the display are four robed mojh, along with their bodyguards. The group moves to attack, their hatred of mojh fueling their anger; even more when it's shown that two of the guards are zombie troglodytes, of the same kind they fought at the serpent temple entrance. Two of the guards are human, but one is some kind of emaciated thing that wields a curved blade and runs on two legs and one hand. Battle is joined as most of the adventurers leap from the landing down into the room to engage the mojh. Theryn stays on the landing and snipes with his powerful bow until two of the guards swarm him and he switches to his greatsword.

Two of the serpent-men are cut down while they try spells; other magics either fail or are resisted by the adventurers. The guards join in, trying to harry the party while their masters try to complete whatever ceremony it is they were attempting. A large dog-sized spider is killed, and it's whistling cry brings up a tremendous spider from the depths, through a fallen section of flooring. And it has Kyren bound at its side, a meal saved for later! The monster drops Kyren as it answers whatever summons brought it, and plows into the heroes as they struggle against the mojh and their Dark allies.

The party finally kills the last mojh but the allies fight on; Theryn kills that last human bodyguard and wades into the fray with the undead and the giant spider. Meanwhile, Kyren has torn herself free and spotted a human female figure lurking back behind a mostly collapsed wall. She sees the figure touch a couple stones; the wall rotates and she is gone. Kyren also realizes what they are fighting in: it's some form of Witchery site, and she begins to use it to enhance her own magics. Vorz finally winds up fighting the emaciated dead thing, which drops the blade and leaps upon him with teeth and claws. A terrible fight ensues, which Vorz barely manages to win. Mont finally leaps atop the giant spider and drives his daggers into either side of its head; there is a horrible piping call from the thing, and it falls dead.

After the death of the zombie things, the party investigates the secret door, which about that time opens to reveal the witch Siana, more of the insane dog-things, and … Mont. Mont kills the woman and then is forced back as he fights 'himself'. The rest of the party watches them for a second, until Vorz determines which is the real Mont; they then move to assist and kill the shapeshifter.

Moving down the revealed passageway, they find two stairs going up and one going down; they choose to go up and find themselves in a nice boarding-house room in the good part of town. They move to take what they can, and find a nice alarm charm over the doorway. They also find an unusual range of clothing, that would allow someone to move in almost any social circle; someone's disguise kit, effectively. Taking that as well, they go back to the stairways and descend this time. They surprise a group of river smugglers, and take them prisoner after Mont kills the first one, an old man. They hold the river rats prisoner while the guards are summoned, and the entire operation is turned over to them. Guards spread throughout the small complex, and secure it.

Leaving the caverns, the party goes to meet with Ia-Ka again and they accept the offer from the Steward in the matter of the nobleman: they are given introduction to a trusted artificer in case they wish to have any of their weapons magicked, and a small amount of credit is applied towards each for this purpose. They also arrange to purchase a houseboat to move into, so that they can be near the river and not have to be sleeping indoors all the time. They also hire Conn, their friend from the Lost Quarter, to watch it for them.

Moving back down into the plaza area, they explore a trapdoor and run into an area swarming with the spider-children of the giant thing they killed back in the plaza area. Hacking their way through the skittering group, Mont is poisoned and paralyzed by a spider, but the rest of the group manages to keep the others off him. Alternately protecting one and then another person, the group fights as one to kill the monsters. More are found in the hallway, though Mont manages to set fire to their webbing some still survive to attack the party. Finally all the spiders lay dead. The area only has a few rooms, which prove to be empty save for a couple of undead spider-things. Finally the group ascends back to the main plaza area, brushing webs and spider parts from themselves. The only place left to look for their friends lies in the crumbled hole the giant mother spider came from….

 

[WayneLigon]

Episode 7: The Mother of Shadows

The party consists of…
Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)1/Litorian2
Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade2, Verrick 1
Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch2
Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered3
Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond3
Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant1, Champion of Magic1
Rizz, male kobold Expert1

Thirdmonth 12

Descending once more into the complex, they find it much changed. The boarding house above has been emptied of tenants and guards stand at the entrances; below, in the river tunnels, the place is being cleaned and cleared out. The smuggler goods have disappeared, and guards now stand at the river entrance and also in the witchery site; two witches are also present there to study the phenomena. A large grate has been placed over the largest hole, which is moved aside as the adventurers return.

Meanwhile, Sellik and Na-Vilarus has been treading water for several hours now and are beginning to wear down. Sellik casts up his rope and uses a cantrip to move the rope up into the darkness above him, hoping it will catch. Something catches it, and he hangs on as the rope is pulled up, jerking him clear of the water. The rapid ascent stops when he becomes lodged in some huge spider webs, which also resist his attempts to burn them. Moving about, becomes more and more stuck, the strong webbing almost as thick as ropes. Finally he stops struggling, and cannot even draw his blade to use more magic.

The party descends into the more natural twisting tunnels, avoiding the scraped-off webbing that lines the tunnels from the passage of the huge thing they fought earlier. Cautiously they move up, and find the passage splits into three; one huge tunnel and two smaller ones. Tracks, booted and lizard-like, lead down one of the smaller tunnels, while the other appears to have been abandoned for decades. They move down the large passage, and fight terrible shadowspiders that form out of the darkness. Vorz takes a direct hit from one, and it's freezing venom numbs much of his powerful frame, weakening him considerably. Still, the group presses on and they call for the lost companions.

Sellik hears them and tries to call back to them. They companions listen, and something speaks to them out of the darkness but their keen ears can tell it is not Sellik, though it sounds much like him. Wary, the adventurers press on into the darkness, finally finding the smaller tunnel where they heard the real Sellik. They rig up ropes so they can lower down and cut Sellik free, then draw up the Giant and Rizz. Re-united, the party retreats to the houseboat to rest and recover. Days pass as they drink and throw a party for the other river folk.

Sellik receives his fine blade and attunes it as his athame. The others make merry.

Thirdmonth 16

Having rested and recovered from their encounter with the shadowspiders, they group again presses on into the remains of the river tunnels, moving back to the large tunnel they ignored before. There, they are ambushed by wolf spiders, cleverly hidden under covers made of webbing and rubbed with stone dust to conceal them. They wipe out the smaller spiders, then turn their attention to the lizard tracks before they dare the large hole. They slaughter an entire covey of troglodytes, through the battle is fierce. Finally, though, they are ready to dare the large tunnel. They follow it's twisting passage until it opens out into a large natural cavern lit by strange fungi. They hear odd singing fill the air, singing of despair and darkness and feeding and hopelessness. Mont raises his voice against the piping tune, his strong singing voice filling the cavern with a merry and very bawdy drinking song. Here, they are again attacked by the shadowspiders, and while the rest of the party fights them Vorz and Mont move to the center of the cavern, demanding that the singer show herself.

Which she does, as a titanic spider descends from the cathedral-like strands of black webbing that fills the upper parts of the cavern. It lands and sprays webbing at Vorz, who dodges out of the way; he turns to see stone crumble and hiss as the acidic webs drape over a rock outcropping. They lay to with sword and daggers, dodging here and too as the tremendous spider tries to bite and sting and web them up. The battle with the shadows is going well, as the inky black things can't seem to lay tooth or claw on the group. Gradually, blades take care of the shadowy threat and the rest turn to help Vorz and Mont. Arrows are fired and spears flung at the tremendous thing, which sprays more acidic webbing, and tries to poison Vorz. Finally, Vorz and Mont leap atop the thing, clinging to the spiky hairs of the monsters back and stabbing it over and over. Piping hideously, the tremendous female spider scrapes Mont off and flings him to the ground just as Vorz reverses his huge dire greatsword and drives it right through the spider's central thorax, killing it.

Panting, the heroes explore the dark webbing, taking down the hundreds of wrapped things that dot the cavern area. They also discover many hundreds of concealed passages, small alcoves burned into the living stone via acid, and holding the crushed remains of previous victims. Within the crown of the cavern, at the oldest part of the webs, they find ancient remains; some of the bodies have been here almost a thousand years! They recover a body bearing a silver spear, a ring that Mont recognizes as bearing the Ducal Seal from the old human kingdoms long before the dramojh made war on them. Bearing this artifact, the party ascends and the caverns are sealed off once more.

They go to Ia-Ka and bring her the mummified body. She ID's it on sight by the heraldry, and urges them to present this find to the Queen. They get cleaned up and bring Eana and Conn along as they go to meet Queen Andralorna; they are the last of her visitors that night. She receives the gifting of the remains and the ring with eager anticipation; they can see the wheels turning as she considers the implications of having a signet ring from the last legitimate human ruler of this area. She blesses their enterprise, and indicates she has heard of them through the Stewards reports to her of activity in the city. Leaving the Queen's presence, they meet with her chief advisor, Nashtri.

They return to the houseboat to find it has been attacked! The newly-hired guards however, have beaten back the attack and sent one of their own to track down the attackers. He fails, and the party posts a reward for any information leading to the arrest of these people. They make more warning devices for the boat, and stay up late making plans.

Thirdmonth 17

Ia-Ka comes to visit, bearing news from Nastri that the Queen would like for them to journey to the watchtowers in the southern mountains and destroy the invaders who inhabit them. Mont bargains Eana into a position within the castle staff, using her bookkeeping skills to watch over the grain accounting that will be coming as spring moves on. The group trades for horses and makes ready to ride for Wealstone, the closest city to the mountain fortresses. Wealstone nominally owns fealty to Runestone, but the Count of Wealstone has been running the area as an independent region since the wars have died down. They give Conn the command of the barge, and set up means for he and Eana to keep in contact with each other. Vorz meets with Tel-Morn the smith and has a late dinner with him; they discuss many things over wine and good food.

The next day, the party sets out overland, towards the southern mountains and whatever strange things dwell there….

 

[WayneLigon]

Episode 8: The Shadow Lengthens



The party consists of…
Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)1/Litorian2
Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade2, Verrick 1
Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch2/Mage Blade1
Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered3
Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond3
Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant1, Champion of Magic1
Rizz, male kobold Expert1
And introducing the riding dog Thunderwynd, the Mastiff of Might

Thirdmonth 19



Kyran finishes the training in the ways of the mage blade, completing the final series of rituals to bond a blade as her athame. The party decides to sell the houseboat; Mont sets Conn to guard and protect and watch Eana while they are gone to the mountains. He sets up some monies for her in case he does not return, and makes sure she is secure in her new position within the castle. Vos-Kula, the Giant artificer takes Vorz’ great blade and enchants it in a day-long rite, giving the blade back to the Litorian in a final Ceremony of Presentation. Now ready to pursue the Queen’s wishes, the party stops at Iaska’s home to give her the script from the Steward for the healing potions promised them as part of their reward. They also get anti-toxins, and she gives them a picture-scroll of various herbs and flowers to look for while in the mountains; they are comparatively rare medicinal herbs that she needs for material components and for potions.



The party sets off on horseback, with the faen Alayah riding the great black mastiff Thunderwynd. As they ride, they note the scars left by years of almost constant war. Wary farmers, now out breaking the soil and planting, eye them as the armed party rides by, uncertain if they be merchants, soldiers, or brigands. The few small hamlets they pass by are guarded and few talk to the strangers. Finally, near the end of the first day they come to the last sizable thorp between the lands surrounding Runestone and the area around Wealstone. They eat at the small alehouse, and the old gaffer there tells them about a troop of pikemen that came by the previous day, and warns them of the perils of the road. Especially he mutters almost unheard warnings about the Count that runs Wealstone now.



Fortified by the meal, the party pushes on into the evening and now they begin to pass burned farms, salted croplands, and scarecrows that once were human. They find one of these is actual a nest of stirges, and they drive off the beasts buy only after Alayah is wounded by them. That night they pass an uneasy sleep until midnight, when the watch senses something pale and stealthy moving out in the brush. It stalks closer and closer, edging towards the party, until they react and attack it. They drive down the ghastly thing, which looks like a lion about to die of starvation. It fights with bizarre tactics, it’s limbs seeming to part and recombine as it slashes at them; it lays not a paw on them before Vorz cleaves it in half, then they make a grisly discovery: it was a wight, a terrible undead creature. They look around the dark woods, now unsure of just how dangerous the lands are…



Thirdmonth 20



After a day of traveling along the mostly-deserted road, the group passes a couple more burned farmhouses, and spends lunch camped amid the ruins of a village. Now, only fire-blackened foundation outlines mark where people once lived and worked the land. Things have quickly reverted to nature over the past few decades, and these lands between population centers are not well patrolled now. The day is quiet, and no human figure is seen for the entirety. That night, they find out why as two tremendous manticores send a flurry of iron missiles into their camp while the watch is caught unawares, then attack. They seriously wound the adventurers, but eventually they are killed and dealt with. Then later that night, they ambush a group of ogres on the road. The sight of such monsters makes the young men and woman cautious and wary, now knowing why the people outside the city walls had such haunted looks in their eyes.



Thirdmonth 21



Tired and bleary from little sleep the night before, and still nursing wounds from the manticore attack, the group decides to rest for a day. They are set upon by a well-disciplined troop of bugbears who come down the road from the direction of Wealstone. The goblinoids are heavily armored, well equipped, and vicious to a man; they almost overcome the party and give them perhaps the toughest opposition they’ve had to date. Eventually they all fall, but they mark the adventurers well for their part. They rest through the night; thankfully they are undisturbed.



Thirdmonth 22



Concerned by the level of discipline and equipage of the mercenary group, the party begins to backtrack them, hoping to find their lair. The group, especially Mont, burns with anger with the thought of these things rampaging over the countryside. Near noon, they find the sight of a battle; Vorz tracking skills and scent abilities tell him there was an ambush; the pike unit they saw evidence of the other day has been ambushed and destroyed to a man… by bugbears.



Tracking the main troop, they wind their way into the hills as the land rises. They are nearing the domain of the vast southern mountains and even though those giant peaks are a white line on the horizon, their influence is felt even here as the land rises and breaks into a series of hills, gullies, deep canyons and hidden switchbacks. Following the wolf-warrior into the stony hills, miles from town or hold, the group comes upon sentries stationed in the trees. Taking them out by stealth, they manage to sneak up closer and take out the second set of humanoid watchers. They take up their positions so they can look down into the camp, and what they see there fills them with anger and dismay: more than a dozen well-armed troops drill in precise form in the small square, while others practice with bows and javelins. There are a number of small houses and barracks, plus a barn for the horses and wagons, a source of fresh water and..a group of humans that seem to walk among the bugbears as equals.



They capture one of trhe bugbears sent to relieve the dead ones, and drag him back into the forest for questioning. They find out that the bugbears are the Sharp Arrows mercenary troop, and that The Scarlet One is their master; they quickly place that name on a hooded human woman that dwells on the opposite end of the tiny vale from where the sentries here are posted. They find out troop strengths and more, before killing the bugbear. They then set a trap for the scouting party that will be sent out when the relief people don’t come back from the sentry posts. They ambush the first group and kill the Magister with them, then fall back behind prepared crossbow fire lines and caltrops to deal with the second troop, led by the human warmain. A troop of goblin slaves finds the caltrops, and the bugbears stand and fire arrows at the entrenched adventurers. Eventually, they rush the bugbears and mow them down after a hard fight. They push on to the head of the small vale, and see smoke rising from it. They crest the rise to see the last of the troop pulling out down a defile, leaving dead animals, fouled water, and burning buildings in their wake. It appears The Scarlet One wishes to deny anyone access to their facilities. Moving through the burning area, the group decides to chase down the rest of the bugbear troop; a single horse went down the other exit from the area, moving swiftly; it has a great lead on them, and they know they’ll never catch her in time, loaded with gear as they are. They chase down the bugbears and slaughter them to a man.



Tired, bloody, and sore, the group turns to backtrack towards the road, and set out down the road to Wealstone once more…

 

[WayneLigon]

Episode 9: Into the Sharp End



The party consists of…

Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)1/Litorian3

Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade2, Verrick 1

Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch2/Mage Blade1

Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered4

Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond4

Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant1, Champion of Magic1

Rizz, male kobold Expert2



Thirdmonth 24



As the month fades into shadow, the travelers move on from the ruins of the mercenary encampment. They follow the trail of The Crimson One for a time, then assured that she will in fact outpace their slower progress, they return to spend the night in one of the unburned mercenary shelters. Setting out the next day, the party has a pleasant trek through the wilderness, seeing nothing but normal game animals. The land begins to rise and break as they proceed on, and near the end of the day they find a place to camp. Nothing disturbs their sleep and the next day they move quietly down the road as it twists and begins to make more detours around the increasingly hilly terrain. As the sun sets on the 24th, they come up to an escarpment where the trail switches back several times as it climbs to the top.



At the top of this huge drop-off they find a ready-made camping spot with a large family already in attendance. They signal the camp and join with them. The travelers are simple farm folk and woodsmen, an extended family that according to the elder is moving to the area outside Runestone; they tell a tale of the Count’s guards taking not only their normal taxes but all their stores as well. “Now, we have little to plant with for the spring, since they have taken the seed and fodder both.”



Disturbed by this news, Mont circulates among the farmer folk for the rest of the night, chatting with them in small groups or alone, doing chores beside them, tending to the latrine and picket line.. all so he can hear more about what lies ahead of them on the road. In talking with the elder, one disturbing thing comes to light. Mont and the others of course tell the family of the dangers they have faced on the road, and this causes great concern. In describing the men who served with the hobgoblins, a very strange thing is found out: the warmain with them was the captain of the regional defenses of this area. Now assuming that any secrets or hidden ways are known, the causes a great deal of unrest. Who else could have turned traitor for promises of gold and power?



The evening meal is simple but there is plenty of it, and the woodsmen share freely what they have with the adventurers. The swords and armor of course fascinate the children, and the others are grateful for the healing done by Alayah. They all set watches, including the farmers, who have two boys with bows up in the trees to keep watch. The night is tense, but it passes uneventfully. The adventurers gift the farmers with gold and silver, and Mont draws up an excellent but fake document that declares the family has the right to settle in one of the abandoned plots outside Runestone.



Packing up and traveling on, they make for the indicated nearest place of civilization: a small place called Littlethorp. They pass the great stone that indicates they have come into the lands controlled by the Count of Wealstone. On the way there, they are ambushed by a pack of displacer beasts after the horse picket; these are rare animals that do not normally come down out of the mountains, but here they are, roaming the highland hills. There is a terrible fight as the party tries to cope with the powerful monsters; half the party falls to their claws and tentacle-whips before Mont spurs the wagon-horses and crushes one beast to death beneath the wheels of the cart. One flees at the sight, leaving only the alpha male, who is killed after a long battle. Torn and wounded, the party holes up in a fortified camp, not daring to move some of the wounded until they can be more thoroughly healed. Alayah and others find a number of rare herbs indicated on the sheet Iaska gave her.



Thirdmonth 27



After healing the rest of the group, the adventurers once more return to the road and their trek to Littlethorp. In the early morning, they see plumes of smoke, and make haste to find they are overlooking a small vale, where two farmhouses are well-involved in flame. Bodies of people and animals can be seen scattered about the nearest one, and they start looking for a way to go down into the vale. Before they can, though, they meet what has done this: a patrol of ettins, with hell hound coursers. They kill the ettins and their dogs, then hasten down to the farms. Only a small handful can be saved, and the scene is one of total savage carnage, a testament to the brutality of the mountain-dwelling humanoids. The only two that can be saved are an old man and a young man, who were purposefully crippled so that they could do nothing to save the women and children who writhed and died on the impaling staves planted in the front lawns. A small patrol from Littlethorp arrives, and one guardsman has to be physically restrained, he is so overcome with grief and rage.



The party hastens to the thorp, where they give out the arms and armor they’re carrying in their wagon to bolster the local defenses. Riders and pigeons are sent to warn the other hamlets scattered along the broad vale, and to the Baron’s fortified town of Whitebridge. Mont climbs one of the huge lodgepole pines in the area, and sees smoke about six miles distant; they find that is the only other bridge in the area, so the party leaves behind the wagon and races along with a small detachment of militia to head off this attack.



Arriving at the bridge, which is held secure by two wooden towers, they find the towers on fire and all of the guards there dead. They also confront a group of foes that at last makes everything clear: a troop of goblins, a small number of armored bugbears bearing the Three Arrows sign, a tall armored warrior and a terrible manticore controlled by a goblin rider. Now they see how the groups have been welded into a cohesive force by some unknown power.



The manticore proves a terrible foe, destroying the ranks of the militia with its tail spikes, killing all but two. The young man that had to be restrained back at the farms has managed to keep up with the party all the way, and so he’s in on the fray as the groups collide. Using cover and good tactics, the group takes care of the humanoids in short order, while the manticore continues to ravage the battlefield from land and air until it’s out of tail spikes. Then it closes with its powerful claws and teeth. Vorz and Mont move to fight the armored warrior, who swiftly proves to be utterly inhuman. Vorz and the thing duel with their giant greatswords while few others dare get near the swirling storm of metal. Kyren casts a spell and makes the thing drop the tremendous greatsword it’s wielding, so it returns to the claws and teeth that have served it well before, rather than risk retrieving the weapon. It’s helmet is ripped off, revealing it to be nothing less than a full troll Warmain.



After a terrible battle, the party stands victorious; of the others that came with them, only one other is savable. The young human that accompanied them miraculously has taken not even an arrow wound. The group puts out the fires, and secures the bridge until the militia can do so, then they make haste for the walled town of Whitebridge and Baron Cort.



Cort is sorely pressed when he hears this news, and promptly dispatches his messengers and stewards across his small realm, as well as sending word to the Count in Wealstone. Confirmation of these things only deepens the man’s mood. He’s out with the rest of the patrols, and takes up residence in camp with the rest of the soldiers; no man to stay on his padded chair, this baron. The group breaks apart and deals with various activities in the area, helping where they can. They also meet with the Baron and his greenbond healer Cellman. They tell of the Crimson One and find she is known in this area; she was a mind witch who created a coalition of warlords about 20 years ago in an attempt to control the Spice Road, the source of much wealth. She was defeated in battle, and assumed either dead or driven off.



That night, Alayah is up talking with the faen scouts, who ride on giant eagles to carry messages near and far, and also scout out the position of enemies. She goes riding with one, and she spots a strange creature land near the river, at the outer edge of the patrol range. Returning to the keep, Cellman says he thinks it is a terrble creature called a dragonne, though they are known to be secretive creatures who mainly want to be left alone. They are greedy, though, and if it were offered enough gold, it might join with the Crimson One’s forces. The Baron decides to hopefully offer it a better bribe rather than see such a terrible beast take to the field on the side of his enemy and designates the adventurers to deliver said bribe.



Setting out for the place Alayah saw the thing land, they find another unexpected and unpleasant surprise. Smelling the scent of death puts Vorz on alert, so the best sneaks in the group move up under cover of night and underbrush to see what’s going on. They find a small group of grim warriors, who talk in odd whispery gravelly voices, discussing what they will do in the keep once they take it. Tonight is the dark of the moon, an auspicious time for betrayal and murder. The adventurers attack and soon discover the armed and armored foes are powerful undead warriors wakened from a century-long sleep of death. There is a terribly long fight in which many are overcome, but finally the mummies are destroyed. The group finds the passes and surcoats that would have let the mummies impersonate a returning group of scouts, and thus gained access to the baronial halls where they surely would have slaughtered all and taken the keep for the enemy. Cellman bids them lie down so he can heal their wounds and also remove the horrible rotting curse the creature inflict upon all.

 

[WayneLigon]

Episode 10: The Mountains of Ash



The party consists of…

Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)1/Litorian3

Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade3, Verrick 1

Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch2/Mage Blade2

Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered4

Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond4

Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant1, Champion of Magic1

Rizz, male kobold Expert2



Cared for by Baron Cort’s healer, the group awakens the next day feeling much better and decide to take breakfast in the great hall with the others. Dogs and children run underfoot in the long hall and the group sups at the mammoth trestle table, which is scarred by generations of warriors. They meet with Ka-Rivas, Baron Cort’s seneschal, and they bend head to talk quietly about the unnatural acts of the monsters and men the barony and domain find themselves against. Ka-Rivas shows them a map of the domain controlled by Wealstone, and points out the major thrusts made by the enemy. It seems obvious after looking at reports from the faen eagle scouts that the monsters of the Crimson One aim to cut off the barony from hope of relief from the city of Wealstone by severing access to the main road. The land here is rocky, hilly, and densely forested; only the great road provides a good means of moving soldiers quickly along, not to mention wagons, supply trains and siege engines.



The seneschal also has more evil news; the faen scouts have seen that the settlement around the domain’s secondary iron mine has been completely overrun; the fires are so thick they cannot tell if a town is even there any more. More messages have been dispatched, since the primary iron mine not so far from Wealstone is the cornerstone of wealth for the domain. Without the resources and riches it provides, the humans in the area will be sore pressed to survive. Vorz and others tell him to consider hiring the Black Oak company, as they seemed honorable when dealt with back in Runestone.



The group separates to shop and look for needed supplies, including various stones, magical gear or alchemical supplies. The small town is lacking in most of these things, but they do find enough to restock and resupply the horses and food stores. Mont plays in the central market, singing songs of victories and heroes to raise morale of the townsfolk. After thanking the baron for his hospitality and dealing with him on buying the wagon of arms and armor looted from the bugbear merc troop, they head on their way towards the middle watchtower,



Fourthmonth 1



The road turns trail and trail turns track as they head towards the daunting peaks to the south and west. Their way becomes rougher as they ascend, and their passage is slow and deliberate, even with expert trackers to help them find the way and occasionally blaze new trails. At a widening of the trail, they are set upon by goblins riding upon dire wolves, and two mounted upon evil worgs. They deal with the goblins but their mounts prove difficult foes. Arrow fire from the trees also harries them, until Mont spurs his horse towards the grove, and shoots one as they turn to flee through the treetops.



Questioning the goblin they allowed to live proves less than insightful, and Rizz finishes off the creature. That night, eerie shadow sprites descend on the camp and almost kill alayah. The disturbing creatures are destroyed, but it proves only prophetic to what is to come next. The next few days sees the trail through the rough forested hills switch back and forth, sometimes following streams, sometimes devolving into a mere game track. Vorz, Mont and others, though., can see the tracks that meander along it and the land surrounding it; the tracks tell a grim tale of beasts and troops both. More ettins and gobins are seen, and dealt with as well.



Fourthmonth 5



The party beds down for one night after a strangely quiet two days, and find they are observed by goblins. They quickly kill the creatures, then Mont climbs the huge tree they were using, and goes into their blind up top. He finds the makings of a signal fire, and other long term supplies as well. Questioning the goblins reveals that there is a stockade of the creatures established to the north and a little to the east, several miles from the now-demolished mining town. Several ogres, goblins, bugbears and other scum are assembled there, to fight for the Crimson One. And the man known as The Wolf Lord, who has joined forces with her. The Wolf Lord, indeed, now holds the watchtower the group means to clean out and liberate.



The group encounters a pair of manticores, who have orders to detain or kill any who approach. The party drives them off with withering bow fire and spells, but the creatures return as the party stops for lunch, this time with riders! Again, both are driven off, and the riders killed. Now the party knows that someone, somewhere, knows they are on the track towards the watchtower.



And that is proved when the group bed down from the night. Three worgs come sneaking into the camp, and when discovered all race straight for Alayah! The group is beaten off, and one wolf run in fear, taken by a spell. He comes back seconds later, only to see his comrades dead, so he takes off again. The sight of the fleeing wolf sets off Vorz, and the Litorian tracks and follows the huge wolf at full speed. Once or twice the wolf almost manages to lose him, but he always catches up and manages to put a couple arrows in it. The forested hills here are like home to Vorz, who keeps pace with the fleeing creature until it turns, too weak to fight and run anymore. Vorz and it circle each other and verbally spar. Vorz finds out that the worgs were sent to specifically murder Alayah, because they knew she was the group’s healer. With this grim news in mind, the group gathers to confer, and then set out in the morning for the lair of the Wolf Lord.

 

[WayneLigon]

Episode 11: The Howling Tower



The party consists of…

Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)1/Litorian3

Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade3, Verrick 1

Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch2/Mage Blade2

Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered4

Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond4

Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant1, Champion of Magic1

Rizz, male kobold Expert2





Fourthmonth 5



The party continues on up into the rough country, spotting the gleaming flame beacon of the watchtower by night as they draw closer and closer. They spend a quiet day and night, even though they see traces of large numbers of creatures having taken the road recently. Mont takes advantage of the quiet to craft a series of disguises for the group to conceal their movements; from the far distance of the watchtower, they should look like a battered remnant of a bugbear troop coming to refresh and replenish. As they travel on, they take a short break in the afternoon, then press on to travel through the night in the mountains. Though frequent cries from wolfpacks sound in the crags, they see nothing and no-one until dawn the next day as they approach the ruined watchtower that has now become the home of the Wolf Lord.



Fourthmonth 6



Seen from the watchtower, wyvern riders are dispatched to greet and intimidate the ‘troops’, though the keen eyes of the mozh Magister discern the ruse from afar and he orders the attack. The villains plunge from the sky to rake the party with arrow fire and spells, thought the arrogance of the Magister almost costs him his life as he tells his wyvern to hover so that he can bombard the group with more magic. A searing Sorcerous Blast burns into the party, and then Vorz runs forward, leaps up to the hovering wyvern, and grabs the large docking ring on it’s harness. Bringing the dire greatsword around, the guts the wyvern in one blow, and also severs the straps that hold the double saddle to the reptile’s body. The mozh and his henchman plunge off and over the cliff along the narrow trail, dropping towards the valley floor more than 3000’ away… Seconds later, Vorz cuts off the wyvern’s head with his next mighty blow and jumps free as it follows it’s masters to it’s doom.



The other wyvern is brought low, though not before it manages to wound several. The riders leap from it and engage the group; masked and helmeted as they are, it’s hard to even tell what they are, though from the blows they take it quickly becomes apparent that they are undead: they are more of the Crimson One’s servant creatures. One grabs Kryen’s blade and she watches in horror as yellow ichor from the wound runs out, climbs up her sword and drains stingingly all over her hand and arm, which starts to burn and sting. A similar fate happens to another, and just then the telling blows are landed on the monsters; their bodies wither in the sun and pale writhing spiritforms fly from them to dissipate in the dawn’s light.



They look over the side and see that the mozh wizard has managed to catch hold of a spur of rock and it still alive. He seems to vanish and Kyren can tell he’s merely turned invisible. So they push the remaining wyvern carcass off the cliff towards him; he manages to avoid this fate, though, and flies off via spell.



Mont recognizes the poison as the ichor that produces mummy rot.. Alayah is unable to check the spread of the disease and there is no way to get the afflicted back to civilization before the disease will kill them, then raise them again as servants of the Dark. Mont, however, remembers a potion that might work and, taking some of the rare herbs from Alayah’s searching, brews a tisane that clears them of the disease. (HP spent)



The group works their way up towards the citadel, and finds the main watchtower is on a spur of rock that arcs out over nothing; a tall tower stands on a promontory near it, and they deem that something they can assault right now. So they move to it through the trails that Vorz finds, and begin to scale the sides. Seeing rhodin guards and goblins in one level, manufacturing arms and armor, drilling and practicing weapon training, they move up and find the tower divided into living quarters. Sneaking in here, they kill the rhodin guards and their dire-wolf companions, then search the rooms. One appears to be the mozh magister’s place, and Mont restrains himself from simply trashing the entire place before it can be searched.



Meanwhile the flying mozh has managed to heal himself and make his way back to the tower. Seeing intruders, he firebursts the corridor while the group is deciding on a course of action. Vorz turns, sprints, and then springs out the fourth-story window, seventy feet up, and grapples the stick-like serpentine mage. A look of horror in the monster’s eyes comes as the fly spell fails under Vorz’ tremendous weight and they both plummet to the ground. Vorz twists and uses the Magister as a landing pad, then waves the others on down. (HP spent)



Meanwhile the group has been tossing oil down the stairs and covering it with caltrops to prevent a mass rush by the rhodin, now that they realize something is going on. They start to light the area, when Mont comes out of the magister’s room with a large wooden rack containing many glass and clay bottles full of whatever potions the mage was working on and tosses them down the stairs with one mighty heave. Unfortunately, perhaps, the mage was not working on potions, and the entire rack shatters open, exposing the thirty pots of alchemist’s fire to the air. WhhooooooshhhBOOOMMM! A tremendous explosion rocks the entire tower and a large section of wall and stairs are launched into space; multiple tons of blocks and fragments and timbers crash to the ground at the base of the tower, sealing up the only door out of the place.



Rappelling down the walls, the group scatters and flees before an aerial assault can be mounted from the main citadel. They moves over the concealed trails used by the troops and make for a quasi-concealed cave high on the promontory. This proves to be the lair of the dragonne, who has been awaken by the explosion. They parley with the beast-thing and gift it with gold and treasure from the mojh room, plus promise it the take from the citadel. The thing agrees and the party falls into a fitful and uneasy rest while the watches keep eager eyes on both the cave mouth and the dragonne all night long…. They also identify some of the treasure from the mojh body and find a rust Bag of Tricks and a ring of protection; object loresight shows that the ring was forged by Kahz-Hadath, the demon they’d heard of earlier.



The next day, they gift the dragonne with more gold and gems, and he takes them via air and via slow fall they drop down on the top of the main citadel, where they kill the ettin watcher and begin firing at the bugbears in the secondary court above the chasm. They force their way down to the second level of the tower, and thus begins their assault on the Citadel of the Wolf Lord….

 

[WayneLigon]

Episode 12: Lair of the Wolf Lord



The party consists of…

Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)1/Litorian3

Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade3, Verrick 1

Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch2/Mage Blade2

Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered4

Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond4

Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant1, Champion of Magic1

Rizz, male kobold Expert2



Fourthmonth 6



The group kicked open the doors to the top part of the main citadel, following the fleeing bugbears. There they were confronted by goblin sentries and the remaining bugbears, plus a strange type of undead-looking creature resembling a flayed human being. Battle was joined, the flayed-things proving to be stout and powerful foes even as the goblins and bugbears died under their swords. Finally, the flayed things fell, but not after dealing wounds to the group. Pressing their advantage of surprise, the party charged down into the next level, finding it to be where the dire wolves were trained and kept.



Set upon by the dire wolves, their bugbear trainers, goblin kitchen help and a couple of armored rhodin guards the group had a tough fight ahead of them. Mont separated from the group to deal with two of the wolves and their trainer, but they proved too much for him, and he was driven almost to death under their fangs. Na-Vilarus leapt to save him with a timely bottle of healing potion, and soon the group was back to full strength. Vorz held the stairs while the spellcasters worked havok with the wolves and goblins. Kyran leapt down into melee combat, as did Sellik once he was done with his spells.



Meanwhile, a rhodin guard leapt down an open pit to flee, causing a roar of hate and anger from beneath: the wolf lord. Mont, Na-Vilarus, and Vorz jumped down to the next level to confront the lord of the citadel and found themselves looking at almost ten rhodin guards in heavy armor, the gigantic 12-foot-tall man-wolf that was the Wolf-Lord, and his goblin spellcaster.



While the battle raged upstairs against the remaining dire wolves, Mont leapt to deal with the spell-caster first; his first series of blows killed the tattooed goblin and then he acrobatically dodged the lumbering guardsmen. Na-Vilarus began to deal with the rhodin, leaving Vorz to fight the Wolf-Lord. Vorz dealt the battle-axe-wielding beast mighty blow after mighty blow but saw the blade barely cut into the monster’s skin. Standing his ground, he then wound up and dealt the monster a truly terrible stroke, severing it’s head in one blow.



The Wolf-Lord fallen, the rhodim began to escape as their morale broke. Looking down at the Wolf-Lord’s corpse, Vorz was surprised to see the flesh melt and shift.. and become the body of a giant. The battle in the floor above done, the adventurers rested and began to prepare to harry the ones who fled. Out in the main courtyard, they came under attack from ettins, leading the last of the bugbears. Dealing with the last large force in the watchtower, the party then summoned the dragonne to fulfill their bargain with it. Gifting it with some of the rich treasures the Wolf-Lord had stashed away, they also beseech it to carry a message back to Runestone.



It does, and days later a ring of indigo fire appears in the courtyard. Giants begin to walk through, knocking snow from their boots and cloaks. It is over seventy giant infantry from Runestone, along with the caster that brought them. The aged woman rests with the party for the night, then the next morning recreates the portal so they can begin to journey home, leaving the giant warmains to guard and cleanse the citadel. The journey back to Runestone took several hours of timeless walking in an alien landscape, under alien moons. Once the group came under attack by powerful spirit cats, terrible servants of the Dark. One bodyguard has his soul torn from hos form, but the others survived to hours later stumble out into the warm spring weather of Runestone.



Fourthmonth 11


The party rested, knowing they would be brought before the Queen soon. Easa comes to Mont with interesting news

 

[WayneLigon]

Episode 13: Return to Runestone



The party consists of…

Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)2/Litorian3

Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade4, Verrick 1

Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch3/Mage Blade2

Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered5

Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond5

Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant 3, Warmain 2

Rizz, male kobold Expert2





After Arida (ah-ri-dah) the Red delivers the party back to the city of Runestone, they all meet with the Queen’s advisor, Nastri. Nastri calls a council consisting of the Steward, the Queen’s Magister, and a female giant named Ua-La, who sits in as an observer. Kyren notes the tattoos on the woman’s wrists and arms; she’s undergone the ritual to empower her unarmed attacks. Ua-La, it turns out, is an Oathsworn Runemane from the Empire that lies to the west. At the Council, the group describes the situation near Wealstone, especially their concerns about the Count.



Eana and Conn have been busy in the meantime. Eana takes Mont aside and shows him a preserved thumb; that being the only thing that remains of the caravan master that brought them to Runestone in the first place (see Episode 1); his anger at Mont’s treatment of him in front of his servants prompted him to pay for attempts on Mont’s life. Now, Conn is trying to find who the merchant hired to summon up shadows…



In reward for taking the citadel, the group is given an in-city villa (10 rooms plus ample courtyard) in the good part of down, near to the Gate of Swords. The Councilors take their info and digest it, conferring with the Queen and others over the next several days. The adventurers visit the lair of the Artificer, to claim the second part of their reward: access to the giant’s services in enchanting their weapons. Several orders are placed, which will take almost a month to complete.



Fourthmonth 18



The group moves into their new abode, and begins to hire on personnel. They finally settle on Rokus and Aria Wright, an old married couple who will cook, clean, manage the house and grounds, and in general take care of the place during the group’s extended absences. Guards are hired, two to stay on at any time in rotation. Four guard dogs are also purchased, and given to Alayah to train.



Once these tasks are done, the group holds a housewarming party for the people they know, and also invite the dock people up, that they got to know during the short time they had the houseboat. Of course, the dock folk are more than eager for any party, as are the friends of friends, and the neighbors, all of which come to see what these new people are like. Ia-Ka and Tel-Morn show up, and Vorz spends much time with both over the course of the night, finding out what’s been going on in their absence. During the party, they also find that some of the men from the tentacle-expedition have delved into the old temple ruins on their own. They found a large series of subterranean tunnels, and hacked open a sealed chamber. Doing so freed a pair of creatures that killed most of them, and wounded the rest. Concerned from the man’s description, Alayah investigates the huge man’s recent wound.. and finds that he has the Rot, as if from fighting the undead. Lending her powers to cure the man so he will not rise again, the group makes preparations for the next day.



They decide to wait a day, so that one of the weapons will be ready. Going to the artificers tower and doing the Ceremony of Presentation, they then go see the healer Iaska. They buy some healing potions, anti-venom, and a couple of precious disease curing potions. Thus armed, they go to the Lost Quarter the next day and there find that creatures come at night to steal people from the hovels. Sometimes those people are seen again, most of the time not. Vorz tracks the creatures to the old well that is the second main entrance to the ruined temple complex they’ve dealt with before.



Descending to the lowest depths, the group wades along the shallow outlet, eventually reaching a place where the ancient drainage system crosses and recrosses into dozens of openings. There, they’re attacked by undead goblins and rats, then people, then lizard men. Finally, they face a tremendous shark-thing that stinks of undeath. Barely managing to defeat these foes, they pressed on to the opened chamber, there fighting two invisible foes. Mont sets one on fire, while the other one is splashed with dust; both become partially visible, the figure wreathed in flame much larger than the human-female-sized second figure. The large mummy almost kills two members before he’s brought to death once more, and the woman follows soon afterwards. As the spell around them fades, the smaller is seen as indeed a human woman, but the other mummy turns out to be a tremendous troll… Searching the area, the group finds a hidden cache of treasures; old, old coins… and a jade statue of the demoness Kaz-Hadath. Unsure of what to make with the demon’s connection to the mummies, they take the old coins (and a drawing of the woman’s face, since the Queen seems to be interested in the olden times of the area), and retire back to the villa to rest and recuperate.



Fourthmonth 21



A new day dawns…

 

[WayneLigon]

Ashes of Zarhan
Episode 14: The Mageborn

The party consists of…
Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)2/Litorian3
Sellik, male Verrik Mage Blade4, Verrick 1
Kyran, female Verrik Iron Witch3/Mage Blade2
Mont Nuyen, male Human Unbound Unfettered5
Alayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond5
Na-Vilarus, male Giant Giant 3, Warmain 2
Rizz, male kobold Expert2

Fourthmonth 21

As the days warm and grow longer, the party begins to settle into their new permanent residence. Mont uses the leisure time to practice forging several documents relating to Mojh while the magic-types work on putting permanent glowglobes around the villa rea, and even offer them to the neighbors (of which a number accept the offer). The group decides to hang around the city while the artificer works on their magical weapons.
Fourthmonth 23

The group invites the healer Iaska to dinner, and talks to her about her brother Arad, the politics of court and the city, and anything she's heard about the Count of Wealstone. During this time, they also ask her to recommend a good trustworthy Magister that they can use from time to time.

Na-Vilarus goes to the Guild of the Akashics to deal with the scholar Mellen and research some things about the past history of The Crimson One. Alayha Bonds with the Green to determine if there is any significant taint or threat to the green growing world around the city; she experiences for the first time the odd effect of doing this within a city.

Fourthmonth 26

Mont goes to Court, generally mingling and talking, seeing who is who and who wants what. He's there in the capacity of entertainer, and when the Queen makes her appearance he comes out with a song praising her bloodline and her efforts, sending a subtle message about support and that the Queen has a legitimate claim to the throne. (Perform roll: 31). Alayah continues to cultivate rare herbs in her garden, looking at finding seeds and researching the proper conditions for growing what she needs in the way of spell catalysts. Sellik joins the Giant at the Akashic Guild to research weird tales and local legends, just to see which ones might be based in truth. He also looks at the local geography.

Meanwhile, back at court, Mont is making acquaintances with two sibeccai salt merchants: Keselott the Moneychanger and Elilisot the Wide-Handed, a mated pair who have traveled to here from the Empire to seek new trading routes and concessions. They invite the sibeccai to a party that night.

The party is a collection of young people from Court and others, commoners and merchants alike. Ilmon the merchants son, Cheya, daughter of the Queen's Huntsman, Theros, son of the master of the Stonemason's Guild, Mellis, an apprentice Magister, and Ilara, a merchant's daughter all attend. The strange and exotic lives of the adventurers are quite the talk of any circle and the young Court personages know they'll make a lot of social credit by attending. The party gets too wild and 'uncouth' for a couple, through the young lady Ilara maintains a good face about it though she leaves. One large source for the 'uncouth' aspect is the faen Akashic Tethya, who runs an information service down by the Crow Gate. In fact, she even has one of the crows with her, bloodstained beak and all. She tells amazingly outrageous stories, makes innuendos about the court, the nobles, the wealthy and powerful, drop hints, makes allusions, whacks people on the butt and generally behaves in a totally scandalous manner while maintaining everyone's dignity at the same time. It's quite an amazing balancing act to watch. Along with the treats made by Alayah and others, the party is a big hit.

Fourthmonth 27

The party continues on into the next day, with most of the revelers leaving as dawn lights the way home. They break for breakfast, and Vorx is able to go pick up his newly enchanted blade.

Shemes the Magister shows up at the villa, being the one sent by Iaska. They discuss with him the ability to send messages back and forth to Baron Cort, and why they might want to do this. The man is uncertain, but will speak with his old master to see what might be done; his master knows the rare Teleport Other spell, and he may be able to send not only messages but also physical things that way. Alayah pays him a great deal of embarrassing attention, rubbing his feet, making him herbal teas, seeing that he has a soft cushion to sit on, etc. They discuss payments and other ways for him to help establish a form of backdoor communication with the baron.

Fifthmonth 1

The group is contacted by Shemes for a job; the Goldsmith and Jewelers Guilds are feuding and the conflict has spilled over into the Magister community; one of the Master Goldsmiths children is an apprentice in their small academy. They feel it's safer for the boy outside the city, and there are two others that need to also go to the island academy at Sa-Luros, so they wish the party to discretely take them overland while a decoy group goes by sea (the expected route). Mont gets Conn to create soap-replica heads for decoys of their own, and the group slips out of the city via the former-smugglers river entrance. They take a punt up the river to a ford, then continue on via cart from there. The apprentices are Coran, the Goldsmith's son, Thesa, a girl from the slums, and Ra-Calus, a Giant who is the son of a Magister on the island they are going to.

The group moves out quickly, then slows to a normal pace as they travel in civilized lands. They get a bad scare when they encounter the Flashing Blades mercenary band camped outside the hamlet of Thris, all 2000+ of them; one of the largest bands still in existence. Vorz runs back to Runestone to seek advice in case this is an invading force they've stumbled across but finds out from Ia-Ka that the Queen has in fact hired these people to work for her for a time. Rejoining the group, Vorz keeps a wary eye on the mercs. They're well-behaved, vigilant and more accommodating of the peasantry than most companies. The group continues on their way, eventually passing out of the civilized lands on their way into the kingdom of Huran.

Fifthmonth 3

Just outside the border to Huran, as the road parallels the vast salt-water marsh, they encounter a group of stirges who descend on them like giant bloated flies. The apprentices prove they can be somewhat useful, delaying or disorienting the monsters. They prove less useful when a rampaging group of inshon rise out of the swamp to attack; in fact, Coran almost dies right there, his throat almost torn out by one of the mutated monstrosities. The attack by a hunting pair of displacer beasts signals that civilization has truly been left far behind...