East meets West in Harn
Gate Sergeant
The gang finally reached Harn after a month of wandering in the Blood Plains. The so-called city was tiny, hardly larger than Balthazar's Bazaar District back home, but the streams of smoke and the sounds of commerce promised a restful night in a bed.
They paid the steep entrance fee upfront, a full month's worth. The Sergeant informed the party that foreigners were restricted to the Domed Plaza Area, unless escorted by militia or a noble. When questioned about it, she dully repeated some local history. "The city of Harn has never been taken by an outside attack, but only from within. This law is a precaution against such an attack."
Mizzcleo thought that this seemed fascist.
Abboud thought that this seemed like a good challenge.
One of them may have been right.
Warm Clothes
The gang all bought fur cloaks to protect themselves from the cold when they travel further west.
Abboud and the Tailor
Abboud decided that he wanted something special, a custom fit nobleman's outfit, specifically a Harn nobleman's outfit. He discreetly expressed these wishes to the tailor with an extra 10gp to keep quiet. The smallish man scoffed, "you look nothing like us. I should report you to the authorities." The impulsive Thief decided that he needed to abort this plan and cut his losses. Giving a whispered threat of pain and a glance, he made the tailor realize who was actually the one getting in over their head.
In the end, a fine fur lined suit was made, something that a rich traveling merchant might wear, and it fits Abboud perfectly.
Lucky finds
The gang found some silvered weapons for sale. A short sword, javelins, sling bullets, maybe a few other things that I can't recall.
Wiblo plays chess
Wiblo played the local game of choice and won 5sp.
WTF?
The gang decided to hire a butcher, slaughter one of their mules, and turn it into mule jerky. They added ten days of dry rations for one person to their food stock. Were you trying to teach the other mules a lesson?
Restock
The gang got enough food and feed to last them 20 days on the road, plus some mule jerky.
Bob The Elf
Bob The Elf joined the party.
4xp for everyone
From Hot to Cold
Travel with Caravan
The gang joined a caravan traveling west to Hammerfast. The caravan leaders assumed that they would travel with them the whole way. The party was tight lipped with all outsiders about their real travel plans of going to Lune Valley instead of Hammerfast.
Split from Caravan
Midway into the mountainous pass through the Dawnforge, the gang unceremoniously told the leaders that they would be heading north towards Lune Valley. The caravan leaders were surprised, but there was nothing they could do about it. With curt goodbyes, the gang headed two days north into Lune Valley where they found Jora's Last Inn and Emporium.
Lune Valley and Jora's Emporium
Mostly buried ruins dot the Valley of Lune. Nothing much remains or is known of Yore Kingdom as it was lost and repeatedly looted long ago. The gang followed the only river northward into the box canyon towards Lune peak. At the base of the peak, built upon the stone remains of centuries old structure, sit Jora's Emporium.
Jora Xplorah is an old timey prospector that acquired the skill of leather working. The Emporium is a large two-story building with three generations of Xplorahs living upstairs. The family sustains itself with a small farm and a barn full of animals. They will occasionally travel southward out of the box canyon to the Mountain Pass in order to trade with any passing caravans.
Jora likes to pick through the nearby ruins of Yore Kingdom in hopes of picking up something of value. He usually doesn't find much. The best thing he found was The Pilgrim's Diary. Jora can also make winter clothes capable of withstanding arctic conditions.
Mizzcleo reads a Pilgrims Diary
Abboud bartered his gold necklace for the Pilgrims Diary and 4 pounds of salt. He gave it to Mizzcleo who happened to be the smartest person in the group. Mizz Cleo learned three fun facts about St Brynned's Abbey:
- The legend holds that the Water of St. Brynedd has a distinctive azure glow
- The Queens and Kings of Yore were often depicted riding a chess horse
- The Fountain of St. Brynedd is located in a secret enchanted garden
Warmer Clothes
The gang learned that the path to St Brynned's Abbey led from the south side of the peak to the north side. From there, the path was a series of switch backs up the north side of the mountain. Jora explained that once on the opposite side of mountain, the gang "heheheh would be 'xperiencin' a butt ass col' lik'n ter no other heheheh" Jora had 5 sets of Arctic tier winter clothes for sale (15gp).
[PCs without these winter clothes make a Fortitude check every hour or suffer 1hp cold damage]
This unfortunate development forced the gang to select only five characters that would head up the mountain to St Brynned's Abbey.
2xp for everyone
From Cold to Arctic
Ned the Warrior (2nd Lawful)
Orn The Warrior (2nd Neutral)
Mizzcleo the Wizard (2nd Neutral)
Wuzra the Wizard (2nd Neutral)
Eni the Cleric (3rd Neutral)
Travel up the Mountain
The crazy prospector was right. It was indeed butt ass cold going up the north side of the mountain. Nothing was encountered.
Outside the Abbey
The gang reached the clearing where the Abbey was located. The surrounding cliffs provided protection from the worst of the cold. Orn discovered some fresh tracks in the snow leading to the Entrance room of the Abbey.
The Entrance Room
1xp
The gang followed the tracks into the snow-covered floor of the Abbey. This initial room was 40 feet wide and 20 feet long with frescoes on the east & west walls and a closed portcullis in the north wall. The tracks led past the portcullis.
- West Fresco: Four paladins in splendid vests, kneeling. Each has a shield displaying a chess piece (a Rook, a Bishop, a Queen and a King).
- East Fresco: A crowned woman riding a white chess horse, and a crowned man riding a black chess horse.
The gang lifted the portcullis and propped it open with some mundane javelins.
The Central Room
2xp
Judging from the exterior, this is probably the largest room in the place. A 60 by 80 foot room with a large fountain in the center. Stone columns line the outer edges of the room. Points of interest in the room:
- Fountain in the center of the room with statue. The statue is a black stone king and white stone queen, pouring ice-cold water from a bronze amphora they hold together.
- A dwarf corpse lying near the fountain.
- West exit: A door slightly ajar. The footsteps lead through here.
- Three open exits to the north. The central northern exit has stairs leading up.
- 2 east exits: Closed doors.
Ned and Mizzcleo approached the Dwarf corpse. He wore winter clothing, chainmail, weapons. The Dwarf's body was frozen solid. In fact, the body was colder than the stuff he was wearing. That's odd. Anyway, the body was looted.
Next, they approached the fountain. Mizzcleo detected some minor magic that allowed the fountain to function, but nothing else. Ned noticed some gold at the bottom of the fountain pool. A strange rippling was spotted in the pool. Ned and Mizzcleo decided to drag the Dwarf corpse to the pool with intentions to throw it in. That's when the strange water ripples revealed themselves to be Ice Vipers!
Two translucent snakes attacked Ned and Mizzcleo, striking from within the pool. Ned reacted first and dragged Ned away. The Vipers managed to strike Mizzcleo once who suffered some freezing damage onto of the piercing damage. The party eventually killed the vipers. They found 53gp and a brass key.
The Tombstone Room
2xp
The gang tracked the footprints to the ajar western door. When they fully opened it, they discovered three people with their hands raised in supplication. Behind them eight tombstones lined the walls and two of them were broken open along with the urns located within them.
The trio's names were Dog-ear Benn, Ratty Rod, and Charming Jeena.
Dog-ear Benn claimed that "we're just grave robbers like you guys! We don't intend no harm!"
"Well then why didn't you guys help when heard us fighting the ice vipers?! Huh?!" Ned asked.
This stumped the trio. As they glanced towards each other for an answer, Orn rushed forward grabbed one by the throat and leveled his sword towards another. That's when the crying and begging really escalated. They gave the party the treasure they had found so far (20gp, a pearl earring, and a silver ring.
The party forced them to break more tombstones and open the urns found within. They opened two of them. Whenever the urn was broken open, it had a clear effect on the person. They would stare off into the distance for a moment, as if their mind was in a different place, then their eyes would refocus. It was clearly an unpleasant experience. They complained of disembodied voices cursing them.
The whole situation sent the gang into a moral conundrum. A discussion ensued. In the end, they allow the three grave robbers to leave with their treasure.
XP Totals
T's characters
Ned The Warrior (2nd Lawful) 74
Wiblo The Halfling (2nd Neutral) 101
D's characters
Orn The Warrior (2nd Neutral) 130
Abboud The Thief (2nd Chaotic) 75
A's character
Wuzra The Wizard (2nd Neutral) 56
Vappsnác The Warrior (1st Neutral) 20
J's characters
Eni The Cleric (3rd Neutral) 174
Turmus The Warrior (3rd Neutral) 169
B's characters
Mizzcleo The Wizard (2nd Neutral) 106
Bob The Elf (1st Neutral) 6
