PHDungeons Nentir Vale homebrew

[PHDungeon]

Game Session #7 part #1, GM notes:

In this past session the PCs finally confronted Flagg in what was their most deadly combat to date.

Starke advised them to pay a visit to Sturgleson castle so that they might get the aid of the town guard, for it seemed likely that there would be at least 30 possessed in the lair. Even with their elemental powered, clockwork armor they would be overwhelmed and slaughtered by the horde. They would need help, and Starke was not willing to contribute his own forces to the fight. Darren tried to guilt Starke into loaning his men, but his pleas fell on deaf ears and only served to wear on Starke’s patience. They were soon sent on their way. Bella tried to warn Darren that he was pushing his limits with her boss. In fact, she was surprised that Starke put up with as much from him as he did. Normally, Starke didn’t stand for even a hint of insolence. She pondered why his tolerance for the young man was so high, but came up with no answer.

They made their way through the city towards the castle. The place was degenerating into chaos. Flagg’s possessed had murdered scores of citizens the night before, and bodies were still being hauled out of gutters and alleyways. Hundreds of panicked folk crowded the streets, grieving and seeking answers. They thronged around the churches, and priests of the both Rao and the Skanzi Gods did what they could to ease their anguish.

On their way to Sturgleson castle, they visited the Skaldsholm library. There, Darren managed to garner another audience with Jarl Sturgleson’s daughter Brianna, the high archivist. He convinced her with surprising ease to accompany them to the castle to lend weight to the direness of his tale.

The young noble’s good fortune took a turn from the worse as he passed through the temple district. He was accosted by three knights of the Gold Lion- a knightly order dedicated to Roa’s prophet Amra. They recognized his Sun Templar cloak, even though he’d removed the sacred badge, and they demanded that he explain how he got it and that he turn it over to them so that they might return it to the church. He managed to convince them that he would give it back as soon as he finished his battle with Flagg and the possessed, which he told them all about. This strategy proved rewarding because he managed to convince them to gather their brethren and help the heroes defeat the fiends, turning what could have been a dangerous conflict into a boon for the party.

Soon they had met with Jarl Sturgleson and his son Leofric who was the captain of the city guard. With Briannah’s help they explained what was responsible for the mass murders and rallied the guard to help them destroy their enemy. After the meeting, Jarl Sturgleson had a private meeting with Bjorn. He had realized that Starke was helping the heroes, and he wished to recruit Bjorn to spy on Starke for him. The jarl feared Starke, for Starke had a fortress that was at least as well defended as Sturgleson castle, and he had many forces including constructs. Few people could provide much real information about the man, and Sturgleson considered him a great threat to his position in the city. Bjorn agreed to help the Jarl, and promised he’d gather what information he could.

Thanks to the work of Starke’s clockwork birds the night before, they had been able to learn where Flagg was hiding during the day. His lair was in a catacomb beneath on old temple of Rao in the Styes. The temple no longer functioned as such. It had been converted into an indoor black market and the catacombs were presumably abandoned other than local street urchins, which Flagg surely would have slaughtered.

The entrance to the catacombs was from a lower boardwalk below the level of the main buildings on the island it sat on in the Styes. The heroes had a score of Golden Lion Knights and about one hundred members of the city guard to help them. They were quite a procession as they marched through the streets of the Styes. The heroes were wearing the clockwork plate armor provided to them by Starke, and people lined the streets to watch them pass. As they neared the catacombs something concerning happened. Suddenly, each hero’s armor had a slight malfunction. It was as if the elemental bound to the armor to act as its power source had tried to escape its arcane bonds, causing a backlash of elemental energy that wounded each of the characters. The elementals were not secure, but the heroes needed the armor, so they prayed that things would not get worse and they pressed on.

They had several of the guards position themselves outside the temple and the catacomb entrance in case any of the possessed tried to escape. Then they entered the catacombs followed by the knights of the Golden Lion and many more members of the guard. The plan was that they would seek out Flagg while the knights and the guard dealt with the possessed. It would be a tough fight, and many guards and knights would surely die, but at leas the numbers were now more in their favor.

 

[PHDungeon]

Session 7: Capture the Flagg

We had caught up with Flagg, and Starke generously donated experimental suits to aid us in defeating him. They were instrumental in our victory but they could have used some fine-tuning before being used in the field.

Starke used his mechanical scouts to follow Flagg’s minions back to an abandoned temple of Rao. Every night they would pour out of the structure into the city spreading death in their wake. We had already wasted a night in resting and only had a day to prepare before more lives were lost.

Derren surprised me. Starke had told us to seek the help of Sturgleson, but on Darren’s suggestion we made our way to the library. Although he was led there partially by his libido he also had what turned out to be a very good reason to go. The head librarian there was the daughter of the mayor, if we could convince her of how dire the situation was it would be easier to get the help of the mayor. It was a sound plan, so we followed him.

On our way there a trio of Golden Lion Knights waylaid us. The cloak that we had claimed from the bodies of fallen defenders in Winterhaven was of their kin and they wished to take it back. Once again Derren’s glib tongue was a boon rather than a curse. He was able to convince them to let him keep the cloak at least until after we were able to defeat Flagg. Not only that, Derren proved his worth by convincing them to join the fight. It was almost like he was another person. For once, I was impressed by the man.

Derren was able to convince the librarian that we would be able to save the city, and her clout helped us convince the mayor who committed many of the city guard to our growing army. Now prepared, we had nothing to do but claim our suits from Starke and begin the siege. Starke wished a report and I have included it here:

To put it plainly Victor, I do not know whether these hindered us more than helped us. As soon as we reached Flagg’s hideout we started experiencing problems. If I were to guess it may have something to do with the way that the Elemental had been bonded to the armor. Every few seconds the suit would send painful shocks through my body, especially when jostled in the heat of battle. A suit that injures its wearer every few seconds is useless. If these contraptions are to be viable you will need to find a way to bind the elemental better. At the end of the battle, Torfinn’s elemental had even managed to escape.

It was not a long report; it did not need to be; though I felt it should be longer than saying: We would have done better putting on suits of rusted scrap.

The fight started in the crypts, we were attacked by a large contingent of Flagg’s troops. Our own army engaged them and we cut through quickly into the inner chamber. There we were greeted by more of Flagg’s possessed and something new- a possessed, beserker ogre. I was able to place some good shots, which only drew its attention to me. Luckily, I had been able to damage it enough that one of my allies brought it down just as it was about to charge me.

It was then that Flagg appeared, a feral beast of a man with a very large axe. His first target was me and he leapt towards me unexpectedly burying his axe into my shoulder and knocking me down. I knew I could not face him alone, after picking myself up my only choice was to try to run. Unfortunately my desperate escape proved to be my downfall, the last thing I saw was Flagg’s axe descending to cleave me before I fell.

When I awoke again Torfinn was standing over me holding an empty potion. The fight seemed almost over to my addled mind. After ensuring that I was stable he rushed back into battle. The suit continued to shock me as I got to my legs, seriously Victor these things are crap and barely any good in a fight, you have to strengthen the bonds used to trap the elemental to the power core.

Flagg was badly wounded and Torfinn, Bjorn and Derren were closing in; the boys were wounded as well but they had our prey outnumbered. Flagg’s eyes shot towards the other room as he heard singing, waiting only long enough to confirm that the Golden Lion Knights had been victorious and were now coming to our aid, with several parting shots and an impossible leap Flagg exited the room and started running up the stair deeper into the chamber, Derren leapt up after him and gave chase, disappearing up the stairs.

Flagg had been able to strike down both Bjorn and Torfinn before escaping. Yelling at our re-enforcements for a medic I climbed out of the accursed suit and ran to help my comrades. We had to pry Torfinn out of his suit as his elemental had fled, but both him and the cleric were up and nursing their wounds when Derren returned. Flagg was dead, but not by Darren’s hand. Someone had killed him quick enough to not been seen by the pursuing party and escaped a dead end room leaving only tokens of Loki as clues.

The day had been won but not entirely by us, and considering the mark of our benefactor on Flagg’s body, I fear we may have a new foe to face rather than a friend. I look forward to a long rest and the soothing task of crafting at my workshop. Perhaps some new potion belts for the group, I am sure I saw an ancient Bal Thur design in one of Starke’s books. I will also talk to Derren about his attitude, the fool seems intent on killing himself, but I can’t let him commit suicide without some warning. At least not until after his debt has been paid.

I did spend most of the following days in my room, and I am pleased to report that I was finally able to master manifesting my familiar, Cullen. Though a little late for this mission I am sure he will prove his worth in the future. He is a scout homunculus and made entirely of crystal and is about the size of a small rodent. When not flying around, he takes the form of a simple crystal statuette I had made during my time as a blacksmith. The only regret I have is that I will no longer be able to easily disguise the fact that I am a sorceress, but I feel the benefits out-weigh the potential problems.

 

[PHDungeon]

A slightly late journal from Bjorn regarding session 6

Journal – Bjorn Thorskirk

It is good to be back in Grimsberg, even if the events that brought us back are less than pleasant. Arriving it was decided to secure the skulls we found and set off for the Androsax home. We arrived as they were being visited by Starke's debt collectors. After a few tense moments Darren paid them a sum and they left. It was probably as well we were there as it could have gone badly. Darren is still very rash and tends to put his mouth into action before engaging his brain. I hope he lives long enough to learn some discretion. The life we live is not the most forgiving.

We also learned that the city is under nightly attacks from Flagg and his creatures. Bella urged us to make our first order of business our to report to Starke. After encountering some of his men at the Androsax's it made sense not to delay the meeting as he would shortly learn of our return. It will be interesting to meet this Starke as Bella and the Androsax's have said little about him. I also can see they have very differing opinions about him, though I imagine the Androsax's indebtedness has something to do with this. Amazing how people in their pride shift the blame for their own doing to others.

The meeting with Starke was interesting and disturbing, He seems a completely mad artificer going so far as to replace one of his wife's arms with a clock work construct appendage. Yet he also runs a successful enterprise that skirts the law if not outright ignores it. There must be more to him, and I should be careful. He informed us that he had created some armour to help us in our battle with Flagg and that we would most likely need it.

There was also a message for Torffin that seemed to unsettle him. I know not what his past holds, but I do know of his actions now and will offer my support to him, which brings to mind Darren. How can I support Torffin regardless of his past and at the same time hold Darren's family past against him? It would be wrong of me to do so. As such, I resolve to give Darren the benefit of the doubt until he declares his intention.

Before facing Flagg it was decided that we should attempt to find out more about the skulls and the faith of the flaming Eye. To this end we split up Darren went to the archives and Torrfin and I the Church to see what we could find. Darren was the more successful finding a description of the ceremony to prepare the skulls and a fragment of semi prophetic eddic verse warning of the possibility end of times. There were also indications that the Trickster may be involved which could complicate things further.

We soon go to gather forces to put an end to Flagg and his monsters so I end here for now.

 

[PHDungeon]

Another journal from Bella

After all the time on the road my days back in my shop should have been relaxing but something is happening to me and it was Cullen that helped me discover it. Manifesting my familiar had made me elated, after first bringing him into being I was anxious not to dissipate him again, afraid I wouldn’t be able to bring him back.

It happened when I was changing. Cullen flew up into my face wringing his hands and avoiding my eyes as usual.

“Mistress, forgive your humble servant this question, but there is a mark on your back and your arcane power courses through it.”

Hearing that my blood ran cold. Being a changeling I had complete control over my appearance and given this persona’s need for obscurity I had no birthmarks, nothing to differentiate her besides being another pretty face. To hear that there was something on my back that I had not put there was terrifying.

I rushed to the mirror to look. It was faded but still distinct, it looked like a backwards ‘Y’. My heart raced as I realized what I had to do. I couldn’t wait till I was out of sight of Victor’s prying eyes. Ever since I moved in here I’m sure the pervert watches me sleep, but this was important and he couldn’t be watching all the time.

I pulled mirror behind my changing screen into the corner and in a moment I was the Lady Reanna, a persona I had adopted to get closer to Starke when I first arrived in the city. The mark was still there. A thin sheen of sweat broke out over my skin. Quickly I undressed and changed again, this time into Darrak Ironfounderson, a male dwarf persona I had taken on to learn the secrets of their blacksmithing. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the mark persisted. Finally I became my true shape and after several minutes I was able to breathe again when I saw that the mark did not disappear.

I changed back into my current persona and fell upon my bed my mind racing. This must have something to do with me being a sorceress, finally my abilities had cursed me.

I search Starke’s libraries to try and find out what the unnatural mark means and check it everyday for changes…it is darkening as each day passes …hopefully that is not a portent of things to come.

 

[PHDungeon]

Preface: A couple of weeks have passed since the Flagg and his possessed minions were defeated. The heroes have spent the time in Grimsburg resting and recovering from their adventures. In a recent conversation with her patron Viktor Starke, Bella received a new mission. Starke has asked her to lead an expedition to the Nerathi mainland. She is to go to a town on the mainland’s northwestern coast called Alaster. There she will be representing Starke at an auction being run by hobgoblin merchants from the Kazanki empire. He has provided her with all the information she needs for the mission including a description of the item he’s interested in. Four of his men are to accompany her, and she has been provided with a sea captain who will be transporting them to Alaster on his Knarr. She has also opted to recruit her former adventuring companions for the job, as they have proven themselves to be valuable companions.

PCs
Bella (changeling rogue/sorceress 4)
Darren Androsax (human, fighter 4)
Deryl Androsax (human, sorceress 3)
Bjorn (human, cleric 4)
Torfinn (Deva, Invoker 3)

Bella's journal Session 8: There’s a Storm Coming

Victor,

Everything was going smoothly. We are a week into our journey and my only problem was that Tarl was a lazy, useless piece of skin; he followed orders though and Harg kept him in line; it was nothing I couldn’t handle. The North Sea is known for being rough and this proved true, a storm appeared in front of us that Captain Garn has told me would kill us if we attempted sail through it. Fortunately we still had plenty of time before the auction so I acquiesced to his experience and took his advice that we find a safe shore and wait for the storm to pass.

The nearest shore turned out to be anything but safe. A Nerathi village was near where we were trying to beach the ship, and the local lord and his militia greeted us. Although not friendly by any means, I thought I had been able to negotiate a temporary peace so that we could rest until the storm passed. He agreed to let us stay and even seemed interested in trading with our sea captain. He had the cargo unloaded into the village tavern and allowed us to sleep on its floor. Derren whined of course, still holding onto a lordling’s pride even though the arrangement was more than I expected from a people with obvious animosity towards us.

That doesn’t mean I trusted them. I had Tarl watch the boat on the shore and Cullen watching Tarl. The peasants were asked to leave to give us our privacy but Derren bought them all a round of drinks. I did not drink or eat anything anything I was given, though I sent food down to Tarl and allowed my men to partake and enjoy. Bjorn agreed with me, having brought his own food and drink with him. Derren was more trusting, drinking himself into trouble. The peasants cleared out of the inn as the sun set; they were a dispirited lot. Bjorn was just as cautious as I was. He started barricading the door soon after the last of them left. It was early into the night that we became aware that the food and drink we’d been given was poisoned. It wasn’t a deadly poison, but it did serve to make those who had consumed any fall into a near catatonic sleep. At that point we realized that our suspicions were correct and something was amiss. The tavern keeper’s daughter, affirmed our fears by trying to secretly warn us that her father was working with lord Vance to drug us so that the lord could catch us off guard.

Shortly after learning of our dire situation, Cullen returned in a panic. My familiar reported that a small devil-like creature had slit Tarl’s throat after he had fallen asleep on watch duty at the beach. Perhaps the arcane power growing has made me bolder, but my first instinct was to run out and face our enemy. Bjorn was more level headed; he suggested that we remain in the inn, as it was a more defensible position. I could easily see he was right, so we stayed. I sent Cullen to scout, for the most part the village was empty but what he found in the village’s church was worrying, a humanoid devil, it would seem we were to be made into a sacrifice.

I sent Cullen out to guard our perimeter and started waking everyone up. We did not have long to wait. Soon the town’s militia with their lord, and his son and nephew closed in on the building. They burst through the back door and the front only to find us awake and fully armed when they expected us to be sleeping.

The Lord’s son lead the charge and Darren managed to get a sword to his throat when after Bjorn beat him on the back with is warhammer when he came through the door. Derren tried to negotiate our safe release, using the prisoner as a hostage, but his father would have none of it, he didn’t seem to care much for his child. Upon renewing their attack the Lord’s son was the first casualty. They had us outnumbered but we had them outclassed, bottlenecked and surprised by our combat readiness they died quickly. Deryl proved to be the most effective, taking down entire groups of warriors in devastating arcane attacks. We soon had them retreating to the church with no losses of our own.

On my insistence we rested at the tavern before tackling the devil in the church. Deryl wanted to go to the Lord’s Palace, but the rest of us insisted on taking on the devil in the church first. When we were ready we made our way to the front door.

Derren held us up a little recovering the Lord’s horse, he said that it would be instrumental in the fight; personally I think that he’s just been envious of his sister’s horse. Derren led the charge into the church. Luckily, the initial attack had contained the majority of the Devil’s forces and few remained. Androsax rode his horse through the front line of foot soldiers and doing a flying leap landed in front of the devil. It was impressive, but strategically unsound. Now the foolish fighter was facing the toughest challenge in the room and was far from re-enforcements. Based solely on his tactics the Gods must be smiling on him, it surprises me everyday that he still lives. The battle was less climatic then I thought it would be, despite his arrogance the devil was dispatched quickly, and I am satisfied to say I had the pleasure of delivering him the killing shot.

We now only need to search the rest of the village and after the storm passes we should still have plenty of time to make it to the auction. Everything is going as smoothly as can be expected.

Belladonna

 

[PHDungeon]

I forgot to mention a couple of things regarding session #7 and the final fight against Flagg. It was certainly the toughest fight the heroes had faced. They had fought their way through several possessed, while a huge battle between the remainder of the possessed and the watch raged around them, to get to the section of the catacombs where Flagg had been hiding.

Flagg first sent in more of his minions, including an ogre that had been possessed by one of the golden skulls. This proved to a tough fight, and it was made worse when Flagg began reigning fire magic down on them from a balcony that looked over the room they had been fighting in. Their elemental powered clockwork armor helped protect them from the fire, but they were hampered by the fact that the elementals did not seem to be fully bound to the armor and were causing them trouble with electrical backlash and gears jamming in the suites (they thought that I was very evil to give them cool homebrewed power armor that fired blasts of fire and electricity and then have it malfunction on them in a harmful way. It was very paranoiaeque for those familiar with that fine rpg). At any rate, they did their best against Flagg, but they were battle weary, and he was extremely fast and hearty (high defenses and plenty of hp). At some point during the course of the fight each PC was reduced to negative hp, and by the time guard and Gold Lion knights had finished dealing with the possessed and come to help the PCs there both Torfinn and Bjorn were unconscious. Darren and Bella were both badly wounded as well. Luckily Flagg decided to retreat at this point. Darren pursued Flagg up a flight of spiral stairs that led to an abandoned church of Rao that sat above the catacombs. However, when he reached the top of the stairs he found that Flagg was already dead. His golden skull was missing and there was a sprig of mistletoe in his mouth and gold coin with the symbol of Loki sitting on his chest.

If I had pushed a little harder and been real nasty I could have landed a kill or two, but I showed some uncharacteristic mercy. They each got beaten within inches of their lives, but they persevered in the end, and I think they were satisfied with the overall outcome, even if they didn't manage to land the killing blow. They knew going in that they were a little over their heads, so I think they were just happy that they managed to escape with their lives.

 

[PHDungeon]

Darren's journal from session 8

Dear Corvin,

We have been delayed at the treacherous town of Tarlane on the Western coast of old Nerath. This side of the North Sea is grey, bleak and fierce. The way was choppy and all those years sailing to the villa did nothing to quench my nausea. Still, I hoisted ropes with the captain’s lads and was all too happy when a storm forced us ashore. We met a local lord who had heard nothing of the Androsax name. Nerath seems a backwards place, at times – ironic, isn’t it?

The whole town was sullen, and it was deeper than the rain. I thought to cheer the villagers up by buying a round in their tavern, but only the barman’s daughter took kindly to me. It reminded me of that time we went wenching in Stratfjord on Avondar. But I digress. They brew strong stuff, because before too long, I was out. Deryl or someone eventually woke me up in the tavern – it had become dark, and my friends were all tense. After wiping some sour waters off my face, I gathered that some little devilish creature was spotted around our ship down on the shore below. We had landed in a town of devil worshippers!

Things remain hazy, but I remember Bjorn and I positioning ourselves at the front door. I made Deryl hide in the rafters – don’t worry – she was safe the whole time. Torfinn huddled by Bella, who had the tavern in complete tactical control. The captain guarded our goods, and his sailors guarded the back. There was a crash at the entrance and Bjorn, our sly priest, opened the latch before the second pounding. The lord’s nephew Neville toppled in and I held my blade to his throat after Bella pinned his hand to the door with a bolt. Threaten as we did, it was only a moment’s breath before new invaders swarmed us. Before us was Lord Vance astride his gallant horse, dwarven ironguard mercenaries, local militia, and a priest of Asmodeus in robes of scarlet and crimson, counselled by a foul imp. The barman, who I later learned had tried to poison us – must have opened the back door, as militia men suddenly rushed in. Bjorn macerated the head of the lord’s nephew without a second’s thought and I slashed his throat. Lord Vance seemed untroubled; his nephew had died before we killed him.

Hounds leapt at us, and as I struggled with a pair, Bella nimbly kicked off the side of the bar and flew over her enemies. I think she learned that move from me. Torfinn and Deryl competed, sending blasts of arcane and eldritch lightning into their ranks. Militia men exploded, while Bjorn stepped outside and called upon the full furry of Thor to smite the devil-men. Bella launched bolt after bolt, never losing her head in the fight. Our combined fury helped clear my head. Our reputation as Skanzi monsters was deserved! After plunging my blade down the throat of one of the dogs and explaining to Deryl the necessity of such cruelty, Bjorn and I charged into the remaining sycophants of sin, forcing the ironguard dwarves to surrender, and cutting down Lord Vance and the cleric where they stood.

All that remained was the church and the devil inside. The lord’s horse proved hard to catch, but it allowed me to burst in and reach the devil in one fell charge. I further insulted it by telling it to go back to the abyss. Bella told me later that devils come from hell. Maybe not the best moves – but with Bella’s bolts behind me, I was invincible. She dropped that devil with a bolt strait to the head and the thing exploded in flames. Much as I hate to admit it, that proud, austere woman of craft and secrets can keep her head about anything. Well, anything but her love for a certain evil genius.

 

[PHDungeon]

Darren's journal from session #9, continuing the events from session #8.


Dear Corvin,

The rain continued well into the night. We decided to explore the church after heaping all the diabolic sacraments atop the cursed altar. After fiddling with a particularly hideous statuette near the dais, I discovered a secret staircase into the bowels of the church. We discovered the church’s treasury, and following it further, came upon the high priests’ domicile. Two women had arose early to bake bread, oblivious to our recent fight. We questioned them, and it appeared that there were few foes left over to vanquish. We also learned of Florinn, a pious servant of Rao, and therefore tormented son of Lord Vance who had lain rotting in his father’s jail. While some of our party wished to free him right away, others thought to secure the Lord’s manor first. Several of the mercenary Ironguard dwarves had fled there and we worried that they were stealing Lord Vance’s treasure, which had become rightfully ours through gory battle and glorious bloodshed.

So in the waning hours of night, we stormed the lord’s keep. Deryl grew bored of Bjorn’s hammering at the solid oak front door, and in an uncharacteristic whim, used some spellcraft to leap up to the second story window. I heard her scream and with panic in my throat, clambered up the vine-laced trellis after her. Our friends broke through the door and faced off against several pikemen barricaded behind a row of barrels. I would have assisted, but became, uh, delayed in my passage through the arrowslit window of the study on the second floor. I think it was the width of my arms, not the beer belly that made it difficult. I saw Deryl yank a crossbow bolt from her leg, hidden in the corner of the room. She was wounded by safe for the moment, and two dwarven bolters were upon me. At last I was able to slip through the window and onto the carpeted floor of a rather spare study – but not before taking a few bolts to the posterior. Biting my tongue, I leapt at the dwarves, sister at my back, hurling clouds of murky magic and blinding dust. I managed to bounce off the lord’s bed and plunge my blade strait through the first bolter’s gut. I could hear Bella, Bjorn and Torfinn square off with more bolters near the stairs, as they had dispatched the pikemen and hand hurried up to lend their aid.

Deryl and I slew the grimy dwarven thieves, and we traded insults with them to the best of our ability. Bella whispered something to the last one standing in their native tongue, and he grew pale. Then even more pale, as we mercilessly bled him dry with blade thrusts.

Freeing Florin was done at last, and the next day we sailed off to Alhaster and the auction, only days away. Arriving in the town, we discovered the place was overgrown with devil worship at the behest of its prideful, vain ruler, Lord Zeech. After a night’s rest, we managed to clean up and attend the auction. Deryl made off with my auction paddle, and as I sought her in the crowd, a tapestry of our great grandfather St. Aurielus was up for sale. Bless Deryl, for she bought it for the family. It will look grand in our hall in the vale! The main item for bid was apparently what we came for. Bella placed multiple bids on it – a hulking, spiked creature of stone and steel from the fallen empire of Bhael Turath. We were outmatched by Prince Zeech in the bidding, but the fool means to parade the thing through the city en route to his palace. It’s a long way, and lots can happen while on parade.

Wish us luck, older brother.

Derren

 

[PHDungeon]

Victor,

There will be a slight delay in the acquisition of the package due to complications. The storm had delayed us more than I thought and we arrived in town just as the auction was taking place, which left us no time to plan. Your item was the most sought after with several interested buyers, the most prominent of which was Lord Zeech.

During the bidding he sent his minions to the other parties with a message, that winning the item was very important to him and should we allow him to get it at a low price he would sell it back to us. It was a weak ploy. I could see his assistants making their way through the crowd, most likely offering the same deal to everyone else. It was obvious that should this lord get his way we would merely be bidding on the item again, this time at a higher price; better to risk his wrath and get it at the auction than back down to threats.

Unfortunately many had the same idea and the price was driven up beyond our cap. Lord Zeech has acquired the item, though at a higher price than he intended, and he means to parade it back to his palace. Several of the interested parties looked disgruntled, and I suspect that they may try to steal what they could not buy. I am sending Cullen to hide with the Zeech’s prize and stay on it no matter what.

You will get the item.

On a more positive note, a Quiver of Infinite Arrows had come up for bidding and I was able to acquire it at a low price. As it was more than I currently have I must ask for 3,500 gp, which I will pay back in full. It is a rare find and appears to be elvish in a design. The casing seems to be ideal for camouflage in wooded areas. Once I have learned more of rituals I should be able to make it a little more to my style, but in the meantime it should serve me greatly.

I should see you soon with your item.

Belladonna

 

[PHDungeon]

Journal Bjorn Thorskirk # 9 & 10

We are back at sea now and on our way to the auction, I now have a moment to resume my recollections . Having cleared the temple to the foul devil we proceeded to the rectory for further investigation. At this point we learned that the prison held one of the former lord's sons, a man named Florin who was in disgrace for following the church of Rao. Certainly an improvement over devil worship, if only barely. It was said he was visited nightly by an angel and healed of his tortures that were inflicted daily. Truly a sign of his faith as he had little respite from his torments even in the night hours.

As the hour was late we decided to leave him safely where he was for the moment and ensure the village was secured. To this end we went to check out the lord's manse. When we arrived we were set upon but the dwarven mercenaries we had earlier spared on condition they leave immediately. As they had broken their parole they paid the price. It was a short but nasty fight in close quarters, and given their ability with crossbows probably a better location for us to fight them.

Having cleared the last vestiges of the old regime, we freed Florin and established him as new lord. Given how steeped in evil this region is I do not have a lot of hope for him having a long reign. However, he is most definitely a modest improvement. He said he believed that there were many in the village who would support him. I hope for his sake he is right.

Not long after setting up the new lord the storm broke, and we were again on our way. Given the suddenness of the storm and its breaking soon after we had excised the rot here, I think the Storm Lord may have had a guiding hand in our presence. I never cease to wonder at the Majesty of the Lord. It may be that this area has a greater destiny than I know. I shall have to keep it in mind.


We have made it to Alaster, and barely in time as the auction is tomorrow. The city proper is an orderly place, though it seems there is a pall of fear that keeps it in order. This would not be a good place to stay for long, and my skin itches as if I am under constant unseen eyes. We attend the auction tomorrow and with luck I will pick up Bella a little something, though checking I do not seem to have the resources I thought. We shall see.


Jarl Sturgleson,

My lord I have learned, what it is Starke was after here. It is some sort of construct called a Warforged.
I do not know much about these and your scholars my be able to find out more. There is some talk that they may be self aware even alive in a way that a golem is not. I had no interaction with it personally and cannot comment further. Though it is possible that it is nothing but a very advanced construct which would be more concerning in Starke's hands.

Let me relate events as they transpired. We made port barely in time for the auction. Having secured quarters outside the city walls we prepared for the following day. At auction we failed to win the construct for Starke, and I must admit I was not too disappointed, however Bella may have earned the enmity of the local lord in forcing up the final price, and if not that certainly later actions.

The lord having won the auction announced he would parade his acquisition though the city to his palace. Bella had some plan for stealing the construct if it should make it to the palace, but there were several other interested parties at the auction who seemed eager to obtain it so we were not sure that it would make it that far.

To ensure it made it as far as the palace we decided to shadow its progress, and not far from the new construction of the palace walls the procession was attacked by a dark spawn and its shadowy companions. Seeing opportunity we also sprang into action and fought the assailants.

In the ensuing battle I noticed that the leader bore a symbol of the dark trickster. This renewed my efforts to ensure that they did not gain possession. We either killed or ran them off and in the chaos Bella, Darren and the construct slipped away.

Darren later let us know that Bella, using a scroll, opened a portal though which she and the construct passed. When we make landfall in Grimsburg I will find out if Starke does indeed have possession or not and let you know.

Your respectful servant,

Bjorn Thorskirk

Journal

We are again at sea, and may or may not have succeeded in the task we were sent for. Though I think it would be a bad idea to return while the current lord is in power. We went to the auction and while we failed to gain the item Starke sent us for Bella won an item she long wished for. I had hoped to obtain it for her but it was beyond my means. For that matter it was beyond hers as well. She has gone into debt with Starke to posess it. I gave here what I could to reduce the debt, and the hold Starke has over her. She is a valuable companion. One I hope is okay, for she is not with us now. Darrel tells me that she and the construct passed through a portal she cast from a scroll after the battle of the town square.

I have also encountered a minion of the untrusted one. Their interest in the construct we were sent to get concerns me but not as much as the fact that whatever way we travel we are running into signs of them. There is something far greater at work, and I hope we are srtong enough to face it when the time comes.

I have felt my powers and confidence increasing since leaving the monastery, but am aware of my shortcomings. I trust in Thor to see me through however and his challenges have only strengthened me so far. I can only do as i see right and hope it carries me through.

I am a little concerned about Torrfin, he seems a little more distant as if there is something bothering him. I will let him know that if he needs anything I am there to support him. As for Darren, he seems to blow which ever way the wind blows, he is young and still finding his way but he needs to soon develop a path and stick to it or he will alienate all. I shall have to take him to one side and talk to him soon.