WayneLigon
Adventurer
Ashes of Zarhan
Episode 15: Island of the Mighty
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
Introducing: Shan Greensong, male Human Akashic3
Still on the road to the isle of the Mageborn, the group finally leaves the marsh area to enter the purview of the kingdom of Huran. The city of Blackgate, a minor harbor, is also the Royal Seat. Having heard odd things about the folk, the group decides to err on the side of caution. They keep to themselves as they enter the quiet city, noting the large number of guards, the disrepair of the outer walls, and the fearful demeanor of the cityfolk. A small place at about 5,000, Blackgate has blasted and melted chunks on the walls, as well as tightly walled and guarded farmholds close by the gates.
They ask in the marketplace about what sort of place this is, really only getting fear and distrust from the merchant they question. Trying to sell the expertly-prepared displacer beast hides, they find that the hide merchant has no real idea of their value, and so they get the idea of seeing the king. Mont especially is suspicious of what he reads between the lines in the discussion of the ruler.
The group moves through the narrow crowded streets to seek an audience with King Thorn, looking to trade with the people inside, but are turned away until it's mentioned they can provide entertainment. Knowing the King is starved for new experiences, the guard captain relays the message, and the group is told to come back later for the feast that night. They leave the small keep and turn back ti the city.
Na-Viloras goes to talk with the guardsmen even as the rest of the group seeks shelter in The Rusty Duck. The Duck proves a rowdy low class place, offering only watery ale and thin stew. The apprentices are taken aback by the surroundings, all save Thesa. Mont performs wonderfully at the Duck as they while away the time. Coin is spread generously around, and Vorz gains the company of several young ladies, especially one guardswoman named Kisa. He and Kisa disappear for a time, until the time to go back to the castle. During this time, the others have heard of the strange and sad circumstances surrouding King Thorn's only issue, his daughter Azia. Azia has had three husbands already, all of which have proven unable to get her with child. Obviously, of course, something is wrong with them; the first is said to have saddled his horse and disappeared with a large chunk of the treasury. The second and third have simply 'had accidents'. In any case, the King is desperate for a male heir to carry on his line.
At the appointed time, the group moves back up to the keep where they are treated to a sumptuous feast with the small group of nobly-born in the area, the aging king and his cold, flint-eyed daughter. Mont even sings some of his most inflaming love songs as his part of the entertainment, but she leaves the area, silent and cold. There are two other performers; the first doesn't do well at all, the young man being very nervous. He's not seen again. The second does quiet well. Mont is given a small purse of coin by the king, for his skill. Mont then goes to seek out the youth who left. Finding the boy out by the stables where he is to be 'escorted' off the keep grounds, he takes the kid aside and shows him a few pointers. Then he takes the young man, by the name of Shan Greensong, back into the keep with him. They play again when their time comes; the youth snaps one of the strings on his instrument, but Mont's playing is so good that not only does he keep the youth's mistake from being noticed, he manages to cover that part of the melody so they create this odd quasi-Litorian set of harmonies. Unusual, certainly, but well received. Shan then is offered some training, which he eagerly accepts. The apprentices do well at the feast, though this time Thesa is the uncomfortable one.
Vorz chats with the king's huntsman, and sells the displacer beast hide to him.
Nothing more is seen of the princess; Mont and Shan even sneak over to play underneath her tower windows, but the lights within are extinguished soon and they leave without seeing her.
They spend the night in the Duck, with Vorz going back to find Kisa and spend the night with her. The next day, they are on the road once more and soon cross over into the kingdom of Tharza and the domain of the Count of Wheron. Having a quiet day of travel, they do pass an odd quasi caravan of people. Careful observation by the group and Kyren's witchsight shows that they are not all they appear to be, and have in fact carefully tried to make themselves look like a small caravan of people from a particular merchant group. Na-Viloras and others can tell, though, that they have a few subtle details wrong. Kyren can tell at least one is a high-ranked Magister, coming from a country that people have said fear magisters.
They pass the group and decide to stop at the last coastal village before the road turns inland, so they can eat good seafood. The Shoe and Ship is a tightly-run and clean inn, but the people within are somewhat too glad to see travelers, especially a group as odd and imposing as the adventurers. Finally, they manage to get the tale from the innkeeper; people die on the nights of the new moon.
The group can't determine what the cause is, though they quickly determine it is some kind of being. Vorz finds strange narrow claw marks on the roof of the foundry, where an odd shadow had been seen last new moon. It apparently looked in the windows, then waited over the door. That night, the blacksmith's apprentice went missing. Sometimes bodies are found, simply… dead. The innkeeper sends the group up to the cemetery hill to see what they can see. Vorz detects a foulness on the air, occasionally, and when the group gets to the cemetery, Sellik casts about for traces of magic. Seeing a moving patch of magic, he calls out and the group begins to pursue based on his directions.
Thus, it's Sellik who first sees that the mist around him has a face, just before it forms into the shape of a mojh vampire! The undead beast latches onto Sellik and envelops him, burying its muzzle in his neck and draining him almost to death in one blow! The group rushes to attack it, and soon manages to drive it off. Hurt and in mist form, the thing tries to flee up into the dark night sky, but Vorz leaps up the twice-dozen feet to slash at it with his sword.. then Na-Vilorus picks up Alayah (who has a readied Battle Healing spell) and tosses her through the monster. Alayah's spell laces the thing with positive energy, apparently disintegrating it.
Returning to the graveyard, they find the things grave and take the things they find there, including a magical amulet.
The remaining travel to the port city of Whitehearth is uneventful, and they ride into the walled city under cover of darkness and find accommodations at the Whale and Sail.
The next day, while looking for a decent ship to ferry them across to the island, Mont notices one of the dockworkers is subtly watching them. Doing nothing strange, being totally ordinary, the man still manages to position himself so he can keep an eye on the group; he's that good of a trained observer. The group manages to capture and disarm the man, who has several hidden weapons on his form. Kyren's witchsight reveals him to be an Akashic/Oathsworn, He's been paid 600 gold bits to observe the group, and retrieve the boy they've escorted thus far. Citing the man's total professionalism, they allow him to live, and Mont swears he'll have a little 'talk' with the Jeweler's Guild when they return to Runestone.
The ship sails, and they get to the mist-shrouded island where the academy stands. They are met at the docks by a group of magisters, and the apprentices taken away. The group turns the spy over to the academy disciplinarian person. The group gets to spend a wonderful night in the clean and well-maintained inn, situated in the 'foreign quarter' of the huge and sprawling complex.
Episode 15: Island of the Mighty
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
Introducing: Shan Greensong, male Human Akashic3
Still on the road to the isle of the Mageborn, the group finally leaves the marsh area to enter the purview of the kingdom of Huran. The city of Blackgate, a minor harbor, is also the Royal Seat. Having heard odd things about the folk, the group decides to err on the side of caution. They keep to themselves as they enter the quiet city, noting the large number of guards, the disrepair of the outer walls, and the fearful demeanor of the cityfolk. A small place at about 5,000, Blackgate has blasted and melted chunks on the walls, as well as tightly walled and guarded farmholds close by the gates.
They ask in the marketplace about what sort of place this is, really only getting fear and distrust from the merchant they question. Trying to sell the expertly-prepared displacer beast hides, they find that the hide merchant has no real idea of their value, and so they get the idea of seeing the king. Mont especially is suspicious of what he reads between the lines in the discussion of the ruler.
The group moves through the narrow crowded streets to seek an audience with King Thorn, looking to trade with the people inside, but are turned away until it's mentioned they can provide entertainment. Knowing the King is starved for new experiences, the guard captain relays the message, and the group is told to come back later for the feast that night. They leave the small keep and turn back ti the city.
Na-Viloras goes to talk with the guardsmen even as the rest of the group seeks shelter in The Rusty Duck. The Duck proves a rowdy low class place, offering only watery ale and thin stew. The apprentices are taken aback by the surroundings, all save Thesa. Mont performs wonderfully at the Duck as they while away the time. Coin is spread generously around, and Vorz gains the company of several young ladies, especially one guardswoman named Kisa. He and Kisa disappear for a time, until the time to go back to the castle. During this time, the others have heard of the strange and sad circumstances surrouding King Thorn's only issue, his daughter Azia. Azia has had three husbands already, all of which have proven unable to get her with child. Obviously, of course, something is wrong with them; the first is said to have saddled his horse and disappeared with a large chunk of the treasury. The second and third have simply 'had accidents'. In any case, the King is desperate for a male heir to carry on his line.
At the appointed time, the group moves back up to the keep where they are treated to a sumptuous feast with the small group of nobly-born in the area, the aging king and his cold, flint-eyed daughter. Mont even sings some of his most inflaming love songs as his part of the entertainment, but she leaves the area, silent and cold. There are two other performers; the first doesn't do well at all, the young man being very nervous. He's not seen again. The second does quiet well. Mont is given a small purse of coin by the king, for his skill. Mont then goes to seek out the youth who left. Finding the boy out by the stables where he is to be 'escorted' off the keep grounds, he takes the kid aside and shows him a few pointers. Then he takes the young man, by the name of Shan Greensong, back into the keep with him. They play again when their time comes; the youth snaps one of the strings on his instrument, but Mont's playing is so good that not only does he keep the youth's mistake from being noticed, he manages to cover that part of the melody so they create this odd quasi-Litorian set of harmonies. Unusual, certainly, but well received. Shan then is offered some training, which he eagerly accepts. The apprentices do well at the feast, though this time Thesa is the uncomfortable one.
Vorz chats with the king's huntsman, and sells the displacer beast hide to him.
Nothing more is seen of the princess; Mont and Shan even sneak over to play underneath her tower windows, but the lights within are extinguished soon and they leave without seeing her.
They spend the night in the Duck, with Vorz going back to find Kisa and spend the night with her. The next day, they are on the road once more and soon cross over into the kingdom of Tharza and the domain of the Count of Wheron. Having a quiet day of travel, they do pass an odd quasi caravan of people. Careful observation by the group and Kyren's witchsight shows that they are not all they appear to be, and have in fact carefully tried to make themselves look like a small caravan of people from a particular merchant group. Na-Viloras and others can tell, though, that they have a few subtle details wrong. Kyren can tell at least one is a high-ranked Magister, coming from a country that people have said fear magisters.
They pass the group and decide to stop at the last coastal village before the road turns inland, so they can eat good seafood. The Shoe and Ship is a tightly-run and clean inn, but the people within are somewhat too glad to see travelers, especially a group as odd and imposing as the adventurers. Finally, they manage to get the tale from the innkeeper; people die on the nights of the new moon.
The group can't determine what the cause is, though they quickly determine it is some kind of being. Vorz finds strange narrow claw marks on the roof of the foundry, where an odd shadow had been seen last new moon. It apparently looked in the windows, then waited over the door. That night, the blacksmith's apprentice went missing. Sometimes bodies are found, simply… dead. The innkeeper sends the group up to the cemetery hill to see what they can see. Vorz detects a foulness on the air, occasionally, and when the group gets to the cemetery, Sellik casts about for traces of magic. Seeing a moving patch of magic, he calls out and the group begins to pursue based on his directions.
Thus, it's Sellik who first sees that the mist around him has a face, just before it forms into the shape of a mojh vampire! The undead beast latches onto Sellik and envelops him, burying its muzzle in his neck and draining him almost to death in one blow! The group rushes to attack it, and soon manages to drive it off. Hurt and in mist form, the thing tries to flee up into the dark night sky, but Vorz leaps up the twice-dozen feet to slash at it with his sword.. then Na-Vilorus picks up Alayah (who has a readied Battle Healing spell) and tosses her through the monster. Alayah's spell laces the thing with positive energy, apparently disintegrating it.
Returning to the graveyard, they find the things grave and take the things they find there, including a magical amulet.
The remaining travel to the port city of Whitehearth is uneventful, and they ride into the walled city under cover of darkness and find accommodations at the Whale and Sail.
The next day, while looking for a decent ship to ferry them across to the island, Mont notices one of the dockworkers is subtly watching them. Doing nothing strange, being totally ordinary, the man still manages to position himself so he can keep an eye on the group; he's that good of a trained observer. The group manages to capture and disarm the man, who has several hidden weapons on his form. Kyren's witchsight reveals him to be an Akashic/Oathsworn, He's been paid 600 gold bits to observe the group, and retrieve the boy they've escorted thus far. Citing the man's total professionalism, they allow him to live, and Mont swears he'll have a little 'talk' with the Jeweler's Guild when they return to Runestone.
The ship sails, and they get to the mist-shrouded island where the academy stands. They are met at the docks by a group of magisters, and the apprentices taken away. The group turns the spy over to the academy disciplinarian person. The group gets to spend a wonderful night in the clean and well-maintained inn, situated in the 'foreign quarter' of the huge and sprawling complex.