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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Amaroq" data-source="post: 1849097" data-attributes="member: 15470">Issue #15: Out of the Swamp: Episode 5 of 5The day never does lighten, and the wind and rain build to a tremendous fury, but it seems that the defeat of the Twilight Warden has put an end to our pursuers.Finally, as a dark day descends into night, we reach the edge of the swamp. We’re thoroughly exhausted and soaked to the bone. We can dimly see the lights of Kratys Freehold, perhaps an hour’s walk further, through the rain.Chuck shakes his head. “I expected more trouble,” he yells, and it is hard to hear him over the whistling of the wind.“Even the monsters of the swamp have more sense than to be out in a storm like this!” Telryn declares.Miriel turns to the five lizard men. “Here we are,” she yells. “Do any of you wish to come with us?”Drinks With Orcs shakes his head, and Red Scale says, “No, human lands.” Swims With Fishes and Fists of Fury are equally unwilling. Swims With Fishes points to Stone’s bag, and the half-orc gives them some gems as their share of the treasure.Hands of Fire steps forward, and says, “I will.” He says something rapid in Draconic to the other four, and Fists of Fury nods as though accepting a commission.Through Telryn’s interpreting, Paks shouts to the other four, “Thank you for everything, your hospitality and your assistance. If your tribe ever needs my services, I am forever indebted for your help.” She points out the lights of Kratys Freehold, barely visible through the rain and dark. “Send word through them if you need my help.”A crash of lightning illuminates the night scene, and we start hurrying towards the Freehold.By the time we reach the Freehold, the ground is flooding. The storm has grown to an incredible strength, and we walk bent into the wind. Lightning flashes several times a minute, and it feels as though the gods rage against the very earth.It takes all of us calling and pounding on the gate of the freehold before the guard in the tower can hear us, our words whipped away by the wind. He alerts the townsfolk, and finally we are let in and led to the great hall.Taryn Kratys greets Paks warmly at the door of the hall. “It’s you!” he exclaims. “We thought you were dead!” As she steps out of the way, and the refugees file into the hall, he exclaims, “And who are all those people with you?”He’s even more surprised when Hands of Fire ducks into the hall. Some of the women and children scream, but Paks introduces him. “This is my ‘brother’, Hands of Fire. He and his tribe helped us against the ratmen, or we would all have perished.”Llewyn comes down the stairs into the room, and rushes across to Chuck. “Chuck, you're alive!” she shouts, giving him a big hug. Then she straightens up and pulls away, saying demurely, “Oh, um... It’s nice to see you.” Even Stone draws admiration and a warm greeting from his former drinking buddies – the golden crown he wears, taken from the ghoul-king, draws many questions.As we dry off, Paks and Miriel tell a brief version of our story, with commentary by Telryn, Chuck, and Stone. Myrs makes us some food, and as the long tale comes out, everyone is amazed at our adventures. Even Taryn, as experienced a swordsman as anyone we know, is very complimentary. Finally, at the close of the story, Paks tells Taryn, “And so we brought them here, hoping that they might find some work here as you rebuild after the attack.”Telryn says, “The first thing we’ll need to do is find them some clothes, but…” He stands and up raises his voice. “You are all welcome,” he says, “To stay at the freehold as long as you need to, and as long as you’re willing to work.” Myrs brings some clothes. Not all of them fit the refugees, but they are certainly better than the clothes they wore in, which Myrs takes to burn, in case of disease.We also take the time to cast some healing. Stone and Chuck are the most badly hurt, and Miriel, Goldpetal, and Novalia all cast healing spells for both of them before they are back to fitness.As the evening winds down, Paks asks Dorin about his story. Dorin says “I was a traveling smith,” he says, “And I was traveling in western Vesh about six months ago, many miles from the swamp. I was attacked by ratmen, which I never expected to see so far north. They knocked me out, and when I came to I was being dragged through the swamp. I thought I was going to die a slave, but we dwarves are a hardy lot, and I survived longer than most.”“Where do you want to go now?” Paks asks him.“Do ye know the Laughing Ogre Inn, in Southport?”“Of course we do!” she exclaims.“My cousin, Thorin Silvershield, used to travel with Fox Dunharrow, back in the old days. Does he still keep the inn?”“He does,” she assures him, “And he’s been a good friend to us.”When the meal is done, we plead exhaustion and retire for a room, where we count Stone's loot. There are 33 gems of various sorts, cheap and badly cut, 55 platinum pieces, 6575 gold pieces, and 321 silver pieces. The gold pieces are a great variety, from all over, and Paks shakes her head. “We won’t be able to sell these at face value,” she says. “We’ll have to exchange them.”We all sleep through the night, perhaps twelve hours, even Goldpetal, who normally sleeps far less and prefers to sleep outdoors.The next day, after arising late, we tell Taryn the whole story. When we get to the part about the red pearl, he says, “That’s a pearl of Khadum. Every once in a while they wash up from the sea that is tainted with the blood of the titan. They are sometimes called a Pearl of Agony. If you know the name of a person, the pearl can inflict grain pain on them. It is most frequently used to subdue people to the will of the holder, with the threat of further pain if they do not comply.”Telryn takes the day to cast identify on more of the items we found. The silver scimitar turns out to be a magical silver scimitar, and, as Paks had determined, very evil. He says it will strike true, and for more damage, than a normal scimitar, but he can't tell what else it does. The two books Telryn brought out are Slytherin to Leadan translation. Leadan was the old empire language, and many current languages are descended from Leadan, though different from it and each other. Telryn knows Leadan and thinks that he could learn Slytherin by studying this book. The silver ring has three arrows inscribed inside. Novalia tells us that this is the symbol of Tanil. Telyrn figures out that you can twist the ring, and it makes it easier for you to hide. This doesn’t work if somebody is looking right at you, or if you are garishly out of place, but it would work very well in woods or darkness. The wooden ring is some sort of alarm system, which warns you if you’re near titan-sanctified areas.The potions are Blur and Vision.The amulet is a powerful talisman, which helps the wearer spot things out of the ordinary. “It may have other powers,” Telryn warns. Chuck is very excited by the amulet, and Miriel hands it to him. Paks gets annoyed. “Don’t start grabbing,” she says. “Let’s divide everything in an orderly manner.”“I just want the amulet,” Chuck says.“And the armor, and the flick knives, and the manacles,” Paks points out. We spread the treasure out in front of us, and find that we have acquired: •    33 assorted (cheap) gems •    55 platinum pieces •    6575 gold pieces •    321 silver pieces •    5 pieces of jade •    7 sapphires •    16 pieces of quartz •    A non-magical scroll containing a message in Slytherin•    The red “Pearl of Khadum,” or “Pearl of Agony” •    6 obsidian stones •    An evil silver scimitar, probably with additional powers •    Sltherin to Lieden dictionary (2 volume set) •    A silver ring inscribed with 3 arrows which helps the user hide•    A wooden ring – Warns of Titan-sanctified areas •    A cloudy potion of Blur •    A clear potion of Vision •    3 vials of glitter ink •    2 vials of acid •    The parchment ledger scrolls •    The silver, jet, and bone amulet •    A masterwork scimitar •    A fine mace, perhaps a masterwork•    The supple studded leather armor which Chuck is wearing•    15 poisoned flick knives Safe and dry in Kratys Freehold, we can finally begin to relax.</blockquote>

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