02/10/16 Tragidore Session 13: The Crypt of Orbakh

Cult Warrior

We catch up with the heroes after their sweep through the Cult of the Dragon’s Tower of Bones that led them to Carson and Celadae, Ryngoth’s journal, and freeing of Guinemar from her torturous week at the heel of Ryngoth.

It was roughly 1 am, there was no snowfall in the Polyandrium unlike Tragidore and while there was no activity during the night, the entire burial grounds had a worked, picked-over appearance.

Conversing with Carson Raiserik and Celadae Vistani the heroes learn that the two overheard information on the cult of the dragon’s activity as well as their unusual treatment. There were not spoke to much in the couple of days following their capture while trying to find their friends.

Atta-Kann’s information is verified after Carson explains he and Celadae left Tragidore a few days behind the Blackrock Company who went in search of the Everflame questers. In their brief captivity under Ryngoth they were locked in private quarters, well fed but under guard. They were to be held until Faerlaur Onthim retrieved them. They were moved to a cell when the tower came under the hero’s attack. The rest of what they learned was also found in Ryngoth’s journal.

 

Guinemar, Knight of Myth Drannor

A general overview of the journal revealed a forgetful cleric who is not above slavery, with an obsession with magical staffs and a woman named Luersa Verurni as well as details on his/Ryngoth responsibilities toward the Endeavor. The Endeavor was started by Supreme High Dragonservant Faerlaurn Onthim at Midsummer last year- the beginning of the Time of Troubles. Over the following year the cleric Ryngoth has supervised the raiding of dozens of crypts looking for magical key-like relics to access greater, even higher value crypts and their treasures. These findings would fund the Endeavor while potent magic recovered was taken immediately to the cultists Myth Drannor nearby.

Notes on deliveries of masterwork cloaks, masks, and bracers from Darnarest’s tower to the crypt of Orbakh, as well as anything else that has come through the portal at Mystra’s shrine, including a recent tome (Key of Irithlium) that was retrieved and taken personally, by Indrith Shalla, into the ruins of Myth Drannor.

After over a year it has come down to four crypts of interest for the cult of the dragon:

·         Crypt of Kesefehon. Overseer ‘Zilvereen’ – active dig for Kesefehon’s Mythic Regalia (Arcana Staff?) *note- using seven young slaves to reveal traps or pits (some reset**)

·         Lyssic’s Crypt. Overseer ‘Ryngoth (himself)’ – suspended dig for the Divine Scarab (Firstlight- Staff?) *note- many cultists assigned recently in pursuit of adventurers. Divine Scarab needed to open the Crypt of Rothilion.

·         Orbakh’s Crypt. Overseer ‘Indrith Shalla’ – crafting and *development (20 currently stationed) *note- Indrith assigned with delivering the recovered Key of Irithlium to Castle Cormanthor.

·         Crypt of Rothilion. (Rothilion’s Staff?) *note- high value unopened crypt.

Cult Mage

Finally the heroes speak with Guinemar a Halfling Knight of Myth Drannor. She explains how she was captured after escorting Brother Zaganos and Lady Lorraine to a portal that led to their Centaur City home. Guinemar was drugged and kept a secret to everyone except for Rathwill and was used as a luck-slave; she claims this servitude aged her greatly. She also indicated Kesefehon as the Crypt the Everflame group was sent to. Guinemar was beyond grateful and offered to take Carson and Celadae back to Tragidore (Carson taking a masterwork quarterstaff, +1 chainmail, and bracers of armor +1 back to town). Before Guinemar leaves she is asked about other members of the Knighthood- Yontryl, Delia, and Themian, three ‘Knight’s of Myth Drannor’ Guinemar was not at all familiar with.

Cult Priest

With several options in front of the heroes they elect to strike at Orbakh’s crypt-turned barracks. There they find a nightmarish production facility that take the grey-hued leather, cloth and blades from Aurora’s; crafted into masterwork cloaks, masks and bracers at Darnarest’s tower; then enchanted here by spawned copies of a sorcerer named Naergoth.  The spawn, horrifically birthed by a hideous rubbery aberration spherical in shape with three tentacles ending in thorny flippers and four writhing tentacles covered with suckers for movement and combat. The alpha-Naergoth called it affectionately ‘Beautiful Flower’. All in all there were twenty spawn-copies of Naergoth (swordsmen, clerics and mages) that fell to the heroes as well as a secret shrine to Shar (secreted from the cult!).

Recovered were the Hammer of the Weaponsmith, Knife of the Boyer, and Tong’s of the Armorer as well as twenty potions of darkvision, amulets of natural armor +1, cloaks of resistance +1 and dragon-claw bracers +1.

We begin next week’s session after the smoke of battle has cleared; it is 2 am with the Crypt of Kesefehon where the Everflame kids were assigned.

02/03/16 Tragidore Session 12: The Tower of Bones

Atta-Kann Raiserik

The story continues this week after emerging from the portal and into an underground shrine to Mystra. The chamber proved fifty-feet in diameter and featured a statue of the goddess of magic in the center, a pool of water containing the (two-way) portal, and naturally growing crystal formations that radiate healing magic.

It is here the heroes encounter Atta-Kann, house Raiserik’s albino pseudo-dragon, who has been nesting here hoping chance would see allies come through the portal or the young wards somehow evade notice and find their way to the shrine and the portal home. As the Raiserik brothers speak with the lithe pseudo-dragon Zadrian, Alaric and Alan pray to Mystra.

The prayers were selfless and the sacrifices large; in return Alaric was able to supply the names of the fallen warriors that would eventually end a haunt along the path and Zadrian learns of a priestess of Shar has tread upon this shrine to Mystra in the past. Zadrian, taking an oath to forevermore walk without boots, knows that his oath will be fulfilled with the destruction of the priestess.

Arne Kordova

Meanwhile Cadthronn and Wendel conversed with Atta-Kann and confirms the timeline of when Carson and Celadae left, however the heroes learn for the first time that Carson and Celadae were a few days behind a small adventuring from the Blackrock Company who went in search of the Everflame Wardens.

Carson and Celadae were discovered and taken to the Tower of Bones almost a week ago; Atta-Kann expressed trepidation on getting too close to the tower because of a hostile dire badger, the animal companion to one of the cultists.

In the time the pseudo-dragon has been hiding in Mystra’s shrine two groups of cultists have come through the portal from Darnarest’s Tower: the first group of men took assembled master work claw bracers, sculptured leather masks, and black half-cloaks to one of the larger crypts adjacent to the Tower of Bones. The other recent group of three, lead by Rathwill, went to the Tower of Bones. The small albino creature does not know where the original Everflame wardens are or if they are alive but does warn of the haunt along the path to the Polyandrium.

Alan Kordova

After cautiously exiting the shrine, defeating the haunt along the path, the heroes are surrounded by a dozen mythic skeletons. After destroying the skeletons (completing their first mythic trial) the heroes cross the shallow stream and come to the Tower of Bones to discover necromancers animating dead on the rooftop under the night sky.

Without the element of surprise the heroes entered through the front door of the tower and defeated Ryngoth, Rathwill, several apprentices, necromancers, soldiers and guards. A five-minute search finds a Shrine to Velsharoon;  rescues Guinemar, a female luck-slave; while the rest of the tower and reveals Carson and Celadae in one of the lower chambers fed and seemingly well tended to. 

Journal of Marcus Wands: The Polyandrium

Marcus Wands

From the Journal of Marcus Thorne Wands and his time in Ruins of Myth Drannor:

The Polyandrium, meaning ‘gathering place of fallen warriors,’ is the site of an old battle between the allied forces of Myth Drannor and the orcish dark horde who pushed the defenders off the nearby hill and surrounded them, slaughtering scores before finally being routed by Captain Fflar and his new Shields of Myth Drannor.

A mass grave was made for the fallen who could not be identified and a monument was erected to celebrate the bravery of the defenders. Over the years others were entombed on the site, as it eventually became a second cemetery for the city.

This region is an area of less dense foliage contains several large tombs, some capable of holding an entire family and their extended in-laws. Some of these crypts include…

Crypt of Kesefehon is the resting place of the valiant and respected commander who led the city’s defenders to many victories against many hostile invaders. In the middle part of his life he somehow acquired a strange incurable disease that eventually left him scabrous, violent and half-mad. After lingering in this mad state for years, Kesefehon finally died and was buried a hero at the insistence of those who still idolized him a hero. The tomb constructed for him is said to be guarded with traps in case those he offended tried to desecrate his body as they sullied his good name. 

Ployandrium Crypts

Lyssic was a human commander in Myth Drannor’s military forces who fought along side Captain Fflar. Many of his company were buried in his mausoleum, and when he was eventually buried here the place became known as Lyssic’s Crypt. I would note that it is said that he would rise to defend Myth drannor again, although the circumstances of his return were much in debate after his death. It is also rumored that his weapon was also entombed somewhere in the crypt. 

Built into the side of the Polyandrium's north ridge is the Crypt of Rothilion- the interment site of a great human scholar and inquisitor who dedicated his life to knowledge and virtue. Known to most as Rothilion the Honorable, this worshiper of Lathander, Tyr, and Oghma took an oath to abandon the Common tongue in favor of Elven so that he might study the elven lore of the city's builders. He used that knowledge to create and enforce laws that greatly helped the people of Myth Drannor, to become a patron of the arts and to write a number of books. He was given a hero's burial when he finally succumbed to the rigors of age. His crypt was sealed with the magic legacy of the Divine Spark.

During their occupation of the Tower of Bones, some of the the necromancers in the Polyandrium began experimenting with strange and perverted sorts of magic. One of these was the sorcerer Naergoth, a dark and brooding man with a fondness for taming monsters as well as collecting undead. His fellows discovered some of his more perverse hobbies, and he was locked up while they decided what to do with him. According to history, the wizard Orbakh, one of their necromancer brethren, died while attempting the transformation to a lich and was about to be interred. The necromancers decided to throw Naergoth into the tomb along with the dead necromancer and seal him inside using Orbakh's Ivory Scepter.

Tower of Bones

When Myth Drannor was a haven for learning, people from all over the realms came here to practice magic and create works of art. Among these were several dark wizards, who wished to take advantage of the city's proclamations of peace to study with other wizards whose allegiances might have otherwise been judged hastily. Most of these mages studied necromancy, and some wished to examine how their Art interacted with the Mythal. For this purpose these individuals built the Tower of Bones in the Polyandrium, which allowed them the isolation that many necromancers crave and yet afforded them the proximity to incredible magical resources. According to historical documents when the city fell, the necromancers fled as the overwhelming forces stacked against them grew closer. 

01/27/16 Tragodire Session 11: The Portal To Myth Drannor

Zadrian Vistani

Our session begins atop the remnants of Darnarest’s tower preparing to bring the fight to the cultists believed to be held up below. Right away there was a note of unease as information slowly made its way to the cultists that there was trouble at their door step in the form of five heroes from Tragidore.

The battle was taxing and deadly and when the last head rolled on the ancient lower level, a subbasement that also seemed to contain a magical gateway. Rescued from the escaped convict Bishimzon and the vile Handragath Zhion the Knight of Myth Drannor Yontryl Amatar told how she tracked the missing children from the trail of markings they left here and into the Cult of the Dragon’s hands. And in the process managed to get herself captured, abused by Zhion and lost the Key of Irithlium to the cultist Ryngoth, an unforgiving and forgetting cleric who is not above slavery.

Ryngoth

Yontryl overheard brief conversations and believe The Endeavor involves using slaves in recovering talismans *magic keys to the more secured vaults and buildings in Myth Drannor from the crypts in the Polyandrium. This missing Tragidore wards are likely working a dig site while Ryngoth is believed to be at the Tower of Bones a small base of operations for the Endeavor.

The group decides to rest and recover as Yontryl informs the heroes of the need to know perils of Myth Drannor:

A magical ward called a Mythal covers the entire city, in fact the Myth* from the name Myth Drannor indicates its Mythal characteristic, a gift upon the city from the goddess of magic in ancient days. It prevents magical travel into and out of the city; protects individuals from falling from great heights and in some cases enables folk to levitate; the mythal grants low-light vision and enhances magic with the light descriptor. Furthermore creatures summoned against their will are always hostile to its summoner; astral projection is improved; and banishment and binding magics almost always succeed. There are wild and dead magic zones as well, but those are blessedly few and far between.

The heroes recovered the spoils from the cult- magic items, supplies, and equipment; returned Yontryl’s elven steed; and gave her the responsibility of taking the three captured cultists back to Tragidore. While there she hopes to check for messages from Delia Navamir and Themian Ailduin her fellow Knigthts.

Then the heroes turned their attention to the gate. Darnarest’s tower was built on the remains of an elven structure dating back to the Weeping Wars where a portal to Myth Drannor was crafted.

Zadrian, having previously seen this magical gateway in a vision, was able to open and travel through the portal followed promptly by his companions.

The travel was swift and unlike anything the heroes had ever experienced in their previous adventures; a strong vital pathway of magic and part of the ancient Elven Ways. The heroes arrive in a large cavern and shrine to Mystra worked into broad acoustical designs that cause the chamber to ‘sing’ with each subtle noise or lap of water from the large pool of water that takes up one-third of the shrine. The sword Clarity immediately has a positive reaction to the waters here indicating its kin-ship to both Mystra and these waters. Luminescent naturally forming crystals, along with a continual flame torch provide the only light.

As more light was produced, Wendel discovers Atta-kann, House Raiserik’s mischievous pseudo-dragon.

Darnarest’s Tower

Cormanthor, the Elven Forest and the seat of the ancient Elven Court hides many secrets under its great green canopy that was said to have once covered the entirety of the Elven Realm. Lost communities with no ties to the current world; ruined cities that are far from abandoned; as well as personal holdings- crumbling keeps and towers belonging to long dead nobles, successful heroes, or notorious villains.

This ruin was once the tower of Darnarest the Bladesmith, a wizard of moderate renown who specialized in creating magical blades, most notably the scimitar Clarity. His tower was attacked by an adult red dragon in the Year of the Evening Sun (1303 DR) fifty-five years ago. The prevailing theory was as the result of mercenaries who attacked (and were slain by) the dragon boasted that Darnarest's blades would bring about the dragon's downfall. This lead the dragon to investigate the name Darnarest and a confrontation between wizard and the dragon, they had a short aerial battle that resulted in Darnarest’s grim demise. There after the dragon is said to have half-melted the tower and tore apart the remains in search of magical blades that could be used against the dragon.

Today the tower is nothing more than a few short walls, piles of stones, and rocks scattered over a 100-foot-square area. Most of the useful rocks were carted away by other builders years ago, leaving only the split or partially melted smaller stones strewn over the small clearing. Much of the rubble collapsed and filled in the staircase leading to the subterranean levels, preventing those areas from being despoiled until recently…

01/20/16 Tragidore Session 10: Into Cormanthor

Wendel Raiserik

We begin this week’s session with the characters Zadrian, Wendel, Alan, Arne and Cadthronn huddled around the Wellspring monolith immediately after receiving the incarnates Tolger Mann, Milsa Meet, and Rhoma Vistani- an act that completed your first mythic trial. It was evening, cold and these individuals were naked so the group decided to make their way to the imprisoned alchemist’s townhome.

Once there they heroes are reunited with Anna Pimm, Bethany Solerer, and Gideon Raiserik as well as Verith Raiserik, Cleric of Savras and Titus Vistani, cleric of Torm who come with the letters from Carson and Celadae. It was Zadrian who suggested going after the children lost to the forest depths during their coming of age trial, a sentiment shared by Wendel and the rest.

Everyone rests completely over night. The next morning each of the returned souls are recounted their tale and slowly they begin to remember their last moments by different party members. Tolger seems to adopt Alan as his surrogate son; Milsa and Wendel make an awkward connection that could become romantic; and Zadrian reconnects with his mother who claims to have been in Mystra’s presence. Furthermore Rhoma claims to have returned to lead their family out of Tragidore; during this Zadiran receives a vision of an ancient-crafted magical gate.

Cadthronn Raiserik

After gathering extra warm clothes, food and supplies from the alchemist’s stores Wendel summons horses to transport them to Tragen’s Crypt where the Everflame is said to burn everlasting. After three hours of travel, getting the heroes approximately half way to Tragen’s Crypt Arne eventually spots the ancient lantern that was ceremoniously used to transport the Everflame each year.

Then the sounds of a galloping horse running from its tormentors heighten the tension as the heroes successfully captured what turned out to be Yontryl Amatar’s, the Knight of Myth Drannor’s elven horse as well as two cult of the dragon members one of which betrayed his cult brothers and act that enraged the other man.

Yontryl Amatar- Knight of Myth Drannor

After a short amount of time the heroes learn of a ruin not far from here that contains up to ten other cultists, Bishimzon as well as Yontryl as a prisoner. Wendel and Alan scout ahead and find two sentries and a stone staircase going into the lower levels of the tower that once stood here. Alan is able to slip into an irregular square room where several men have familiar crates of small masterwork blades, hideous grey leather, and bracers all laid out like an assembly line.

We begin next session immediately after killing the two sentries; everyone is atop the ruin’s foundation poised to surprise the rest of the evil cultists. 

Message to the Family

Similar messages were left with the Vistani home and Raiserik tower two weeks ago…

Mother,

Celadae

Carson and I have decided to try to find our friends before the winter snows hide the clues to their fate. We intend to follow the ancient path to Tragen’s Crypt and try to track them. We simply cannot wait another day not knowing what happened to them and feel they, Mura and Helmo included, would come looking for us as the lots were originally cast for the Quest for the Everflame.

All my love,

Celadae Vistani

---

Father,

Carson

I grow weary of city affairs when everyone I love is lost to the unknown. I care not about house rivalries father; these are friends I grew up with, not pawns in a game of castles. And I am not alone, Celadae feels the same. Together we are taking Atta-kann into the forest east to follow the old trail to the Founder’s crypt to find our friends and to complete the quest by returning the Everflame.

Your son,

Carson Raiserik 

01/13/15 Virtues Session 35: The Execution of Fumi Laumstaucher

Henregard Firecaster

“By the Builder,” The volcano dwarf warpriest of Clangeddin said under his breath as the alu demon revealed was paraded in front of the citizens of Bouvet Keep. The term expressed a combination of astonishment and disbelief. Around the warpriest scores of people shouted words of hate and phrases too vile to be repeated; from his vantage point he could see his close friend Barit standing among the heroes of virtue and most notably Dolgrin Ironshield, the paladin from Barit’s dream-vision.

The warpriest felt a surge of emotion wishing he stood by his friend when under scrutiny from the high priests of the Temple, but the warpriest fell to the weight of bureaucracy and doubt; but there was the proof of Barit’s vision- in the flesh. Tears of regret flowed down his soot-grimed cheeks and beard creating pale streaks from his brown eyes down to his red beard.

Through watery eyes the warpriest of Clangeddin, also known as Henregard Firecaster to his friends, watched Fumi Laumstaucher consign to death at the hands of the heroes and vowed to join Dolgrin Ironshield’s followership to remove the gilt of doubt against his closest friend and to discover a new religious purpose.

---

We begin in the midst of what will be three days of investigation into the breach in the bay; gathering information on the whereabouts of Count Keirkin; and the raids and capture of more followers of Orcus. Bards from the Northern Lights college are enlisted during this time to disseminate all manner of news and information.

We also did some research into the two ancient books gathered from the magical chest (type IV bag of holding): The Tome of Rilenia and the Spellthief’s Collection.

Of the ones that suffer the Fumi birthmark some displayed no sign of conspiracy or evil devices, though the vast majority had been reared by the cult even going by an Abyssal Orcus calendar and not this world’s.

Scrying for Count Keirkin reveals to us by way of the Admiral Nelandrach Olithir, that the Count is on a barge along the south west coast- but he is on the move.

Looking into the breach we learn that the bubble dimension that once was home to the dragon Tenebirs has reached a saturation point and was now filtering water from Earth into the breach, the elemental plane of water, and back to Earth. It appears we have a few months to act on this before the open reaches a catastrophic level.

The Tome of Rilenia contains a section of what went wrong with the Ways and the author’s concern over the unforeseen dangers. The author presumes knowledge of a ‘creator’ elven wizard in his or her references as Rilenia (a taken name not his given or truename) and a wizard mark. Information gathered from the MacCaugh later revealed that Relenia’s remains likely rest in Ferraq Tulle in Miar Moshea graveyard under the likeness of a creator wizard.

 

Miar Moshea

Spellthief’s Collection are ancient pirated spellfroms the formost leaders in various old-world schools of magic. The Collection mentions Myrddin Og and the MacCaugh’s as well as other prestigious wizards in their field. It also had various wizard marks the Spelltheif collected.

Dramen uses a contact other plane to answer a question: will the rod of cancellation be adequate to close the breach? A: It’s a good start. Dramen furthermore contacts his host Smendric for aid; the same question was posed to the Traveler. And while the answer was very similar- it was a good start- it also came with a warning that closing the breach would draw undesirable attention from someone or something… There were locations shared between the host and avatar on Earth as well as below the waters.

Then a question was poised about Shar’s abyssal son. The Monitor’s son is the result of a dark drow god’s revenge against Shar’s hubris. Alicia depression resulting from the many miscarriages and still births drove her towards necromancy to bring about an offspring she so desperately wanted to give to her husband Shar. This venture into the dark side lead to the abyssal son we see now as an asset from the demon-web pits on loan to Orcustown.

At the end of three days came the execution of Fumi Laumstaucher preceded by formal declarations, charges against the accused and their sentence and our fellowship as administers of Boulvadian justice. Our names are also cleared as accessories to the Duke’s death. On and on it went building the anticipation of the citizens.

Dolgrin, Kotri Steelreaver, Rydin, and Syrendross participated in the executions as Dramen and Kyras summoned dire sharks in the bay to consume the cultist’s remains as they were dumped into the waters. Fumi was paraded out to great wails of hate from the populace who wanted her dead.

Rydin blasted his horn of goodness as eight blades from the four heroes of Virtue took her mortal life; although Kotri was left with a brief curse that likely bodes ill for us for the future.

Bards spread news of a bright future under Nelandrach Olithir including rebuilding the docks that will boost jobs and bring prosperity.

The Breach in the Ways

Later in the Admiral’s company we discuss our immediate and long-term intensions. He provides papers for us to take to the various duchies naming us as court officers of Bouvaldia.

The next forty-five days are spent in downtime as Dramen crafts a mythic rod of cancellation to close the breach as the rest of us occupy ourselves in other ways.

This concludes Chapter 1 of Dragon Age: Heroes of Virtue

We begin next session playing the *Followers group who are traveling to Emmerdin Pac Napiay with the lost knight of the Lynx.

01/06/15 Virtues Session 34: And the Horse She Rode in On

The Admiral

Admiral Nelandrach Olithir was beyond relieved when Dolgrin and his compatriots arrived to Hollow Mount. The previous day was a wash of blood and death with the taking of the alu demon, also known as Fumi Laumstaucher. Several of his men had fallen but no where near the bodycount that would have been without the treasure Dolgrin and his friends gave in support, spoils from the Barge of War.

Around the heroes, men and militia under the Admiral toiled at securing prisoners captured this day and the last.

“Dolgrin! You have returned! I am grateful for your return. I have need of few trusted ambassadors.” Nelandrach said in tones of grave seriousness and stifled relief.

---

We begin the session in the midst of an upset and agitated caravan after defeating the attackers whereby we took two prisoners. We discover that the female sinister guard rider had disappeared. Dramen detects a scrying sensor seemingly focused on the caravan; possibly through the evil-aligned teamster.

We bread into separate watches, but that did not seem to stop someone from killing Jhonsun and absconding with an unknown amount of goods and or magic. A storm had hit, and when the dust settled we discover that not only had ‘sinister female’, known later as Ghabbi, had turned up missing; so had two other teamsters as well as ‘the seamstress’ of the caravan.

 

Ghabbi

Magical lights were created for Griphen so he may press the caravan farther and arrive at Reiv Stone by daybreak. In the meantime Dramen investigates the Count’s personals and items collected along the way. Dramen conspires with Griphen for a personal item from the seamstress to eventually scry on her riding hard to Reiv Stone with Ghabbi atop her horse.

Meanwhile Kotri is trying her hand at the magically locked, then triple trapped and locked chest; and a masterwork strongbox. After a time, including Dramen casting x-ray vision, the chest was opened revealing treasure; many of which were distributed and the rest inventoried. Among these were two *ancient spellbooks from before the dragon age and before the Sundering.

Without further delay we teleport to Reiv Stone, appearing near the afore seen horse- now exhausted- with Ghabbi searching the perimeter of Reiv Stone and the Seamstress keeping watch. And after a few tense moments we capture the women and retreat into the confines of Reiv Stone and the company of Ghair, a bard who recants our tale against the Inquisitor- with style.

Questioning the women we find out they are sisters who, while not under the direct influence of Zaid Aclair the Inquisitor, see that following Zaid’s orders are unquestioned and that they did not see an alternative.

We rest. The next morning the caravan arrives at Reiv Stone where they intend to stay a full day before continuing to Bouvet Keep and delivery to Fumi Laumstaucher. However that plan is scrapped as the idea was poised to pay the caravan and have the Count’ personals remain in Reiv Stone.

That morning Syrendross attempts to scry on Shar’s abyssal son, only to realize several things about his host persona. On Earth the Monitor is an ancient demigod and as such the son of a demigod would inherently defeat scrying attempts. Alternately Kyras being from Earth, the Macaugh is the Green Man on this, his home plane.

After this Dramen along with Syrendross teleports everyone including Darina, two caravan attacker prisoners, Corker, and an individual bearing a Bouvet Keep crest of importance. We appear at Hollow Mount to present ourselves to Admiral Nelandrach Olithir to find the Mountain excited in the aftermath of taking Fumi Laumstaucher and many cult followers captive.

The two prisoners join the throng of prisoners captured in the fight and Corker (given a +1 cloak and +1 long spear) is taken into endenturement under the Admiral to ten years as we are debriefed on what has occurred during our Reiv Stone antics.

Alu Demon

There is no justice short of death for Fumi (alu Demon) and the cult followers and therefore will stand for execution tomorrow in the harbor- us being the executioners and for the Keep to stand witnes.

What followed next was a plea from the Admiral to us to serve as ambassadors carrying a document of royal recognition to each of the ten duchies and finally to the King in Lockshire to properly elevate the Admiral to Duke of Bouvalida.

We pick up next week with the execution of Fumi and her followers to the ways, the closing of the ways, and our departure on our quest to the other duchies. 

12/30/15 Virtues Session 33: Count’s Caravan

Darinia

“My name is Darinia Ononia.” The beautiful half elf maid said in a bewildered voice. She was quickly regaining her wits, even from under the influence of Zaid Aclair, her resolve was strong which was likely why the inquisitor had to make yearly pilgrimages to Reiv Stone.

“We are agents of virtue,” Syrendross said. “No more harm will come to you by that man.” The drow motioned to the covered form of the vile inquisitor. “I know this may not be much comfort to you, but we stake no claim on his bodily affects. What he has on him is yours to help build your life or to return to it.”

With these words the drow surrendered a silver masterwork dagger, the one given to him by Noel. Denosia’s mother and where Syrendross and his friends first heard of the Order of the Lynx.

---

After gathering our wits after defeating the Inquisitor we introduce ourselves to Ghair and the missing Darinia Ononia. We learn a little about Ghair and his specialties as a shadow dancer, a temptation Rydin could not resist in comparing dance styles. It was revealed that Ghair had trained apprentices, five for each duchy, for the Inquisitor. There are ten duchies. While the details were confused for him, it portended ill for us in the future. We learn that Riev Stone, well the caverns below, were/are a save house for drow elves cut off from the underdark by the Sundering.

This gets the attention of Syrendross who remembered the drow byway glyphs in Bouvet Keep and where that led. He asked Ghair if there was any place the Inquisitor went exclusively, hoping for a shrine to orcus. Ghair remarked the drow caverns.

This led to talk about dragons and a quick visit to the real ‘stage’ (not the replica in Northern Lights) and a painting of a black and bronze dragon in an embrace of some kind. The overall design had a heart-shaped overlay that was present in Reiv Stone heraldry. The painting was set over the heart of Reiv Stone before the Sundering.

Ghair’s family, before the Sundering, were primarily known for their exquisite bardic performances and divination magic. Reiv have estates in Mogerin, Lockshire and a school in Emmerdin Pac Napiay.

 

Griphen

We decide to focus our attention to the prisoner wagons; filled with various political prisoners, landholders, and characters such as Corker; to find that were being attacked by many summoned dire wolves.

Once driving the dire wolves away we discover that any chance of tracking our primary foes from Castle Keirken, chief among them Abriana Arcool. Kyras finds the papers on the prisoners as we deliver the freed individuals to Reiv Stone and shift our focus on the six more wagons that are further down the path.

Dramen Teleports us just behind the heavily laden caravan noting drivers and riders, two (one each) proved to be evil with Count Keirken coats of arms.  We find they are transporting Count Keirken’s personal possessions.

As some of us speak with one of the riders, Griphen acquiesces to take an early respite fearing diabolists lie ahead.

Soon the caravan was set upon by what turned out to be highwaymen save for one Halfling by the name of Palicia. She told us her connection was with Sammik in the group and warned us of the evil Yolanth before Palicia stated her intentions to return to Emmerdin.

We picked up some treasure along the way and was awarded 2,500 xp. We begin with the caravan of Count Keirken’s personal possessions or at the DMs pleasure.

(3) Masterwork longswords

Cold iron longsword +2

Belt of cure potions (3 CLW, 2 CMW, 1 CSW)

Masterwork Platemail

Amulet of Natural armor +3

Masterwork Ring (10,000 gp)

Cloak of resistance +1

Disruptive metamagic rod (Lesser) -Zaid

Amulet of the Abyss –Carvanatos

Belt of physical might (+2 DexCon) –Carvanatos

Wand of Lightning bolt CL8 (36 ch.) –Carvanatos

Headband of Inspired Widsom +2

7,000 gp