Five Tower Keep Session 29: 03/21/2019 The Medusa, Old World Window, and Rex Venenum Neula

We begin this week’s session in front of the large silver mirror window discussing what was successful about Alaric's ability to pass unimpeded through the mirror.

After a short time Alaric is the first to step through again followed by Stoutwood who had physical possession of Ginger when he passes through and then Sonayo. One by one each player character and hireling step through the mirror window and to a bright plane of mirrors along every degree and axis save for one life size mirror that exclusively held one’s reflection. Each individual is drawn to the mirror that held their reflection save for Drake and his hireling.

Melderon recognizes the presence of a strong ley line and first-world influence as one of the ley line terminals that Melderon had detected that was causing discordance in the fabric of the lines.

On the other side of the mirror our characters find themselves inside the brick and timber guard tower. At the base, inside the tower, is a marbleized sink hole with worked steps circling down into the darkness about a hundred feet.  

Besides the scent of vermin, Ginger is able to detect two distinct scents as well as a third scent: the half-dragon minotaurs. Mesha hones in on a magical source at the bottom of the sink hole as well as a permeating sense of chaos and uncertainty.

Our characters reach the bottom at the same time and come to an ancient ornate roman/greek cathedral-like chamber that ended somewhere in the darkness beyond. There is a subtle slope down towards the darkness as four rows of stylized columns line the vast artful chamber.

As we traverse the chamber a large stone bear emerges from the marble floor just as a deadly bolder comes sailing in from the darkness.  But almost immediately the stone bear is magically replaced by the medusa, an old forceful creature of vast charisma and power. Rings of power adorn each hand, a number of magical auras, as well as leather clothing.

Our characters defeat her giant husband and eventually a child medusa; this has the obvious effect on the wife/mother medusa.

All becomes eerily silent and our characters continue on down the chamber until it becomes more of a natural cavern where a mirror suspended in midair much like the first mirror-window resides. This one however looks to open into the first world. Also in this cavern is all the effects of a medusa who has lived here for hundreds of years. 

Shystermeth believes these tunnels are part of the lost silver mines of Horcton. There is little doubt as our characters stand among the silver ore, amethyst, emerald ore and diamonds as well as master work tools to work the precious stones. A stone of conjuring earth elementals is among the items as well as written journals in the medusa's hand.

The medusa is not in a coven but supports Ghoronna and for the past 50 years there has been trade between her and the hags and at the end of the accord the medusa had a daughter brought of it by a giant husband. She praises Ghoronna and a the hag Queen Mother/ Coven Supreme. She refers to the Blossoming of the Swamp and Rex Venenum Neula a very old black dragon. Further we find evidence in the journals of an arrangement between the Queen Mother who came to the druid-medusa for fine treasures to use to convince the dragon to fertilize the hags for progeny. It also comes to light that the medusa traded in undamaged stone statues so that the hags revive these poor souls to sacrifice to Ghoronna.

Our characters also find 5 of each in crude vials: barkskin, CSW, CMW, CLW, hide from animals, bears endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, lesser restoration, burrow.

We rest and then turn our attention to the old world mirror-window and find that simply stepping into the window is the way through. Upon doing so our characters are immediately aware of being somewhere else; the air quality, vibrancy of the foliage is almost everything is overwhelming in this primitive jungle. Lying before our characters is a dirt path winding its way through the lushness.

After about an hour of walking the path we come to a square portal suspended in air; within it is an old ruined cavernous chamber: the other terminus of the ley line interference Melderon senses. When we begin next week we are in a ruined church in Horcton.

Five Tower Keep Session 28: 03/14/2019 Half Dragon Minotaurs, The ‘Closer’, and The Mirror Window

We begin this week’s session with a new bout of investigations (for the returning player Tony and a brief recap for the rest of us) of the silver coated tower that stood in the center of the triangle the three gardens of stone location created. Our characters surmise that, considering where this tower is located including its risen elevation from the swamp lands, it was likely an old Horcton guard tower.

Nearby on the outskirts of the clearing our characters find a sink hole, damp, full of a strange odor and alive with a warding magical aura. Our character take great pains before entering the sink hole including sending down large vermin to trip any traps and to test defenses.

Eventually our characters descend into the sinkhole- as a precaution Stoutwood has Sonayo leave a single drop of vermin repellent every 15 feet as a scent trail to find our way out of the maze should the need arise.

Before long, about twenty minutes, as we traverse the maze of tunnels we are attacked by a winged half black dragon Minotaur who quickly receded into the mists it attacked from. It seemed folly to chase a Minotaur into the mists of a maze so we quicken our pace along the irregular tunnels.

Eventually we come to an area of the tunnels that is free of the mists, a place more common with dung beetles and spiders; a harmonious ecosystem. At this area Stoutwood ends the scent trail and Melderon puts up a magical rope trick as a fall back in case our characters are split up marking it with an offset burned 'X' on the floor. 

We explore the tunnels and find a wardrobe sized mirror under flickering dancing lights. As a precaution Melderon covers the magic mirror with a blanket until our characters can investigate. However when Mesha moves the blanket to look into the mirror she does not see a reflection; instead it is like looking through a window where there is dim light and beyond a landscape similar to our own.

First Stoutwood tries to bid the mirror to open the path in his native tongue to no effect. Tony says enter friend in draconic and gets taken upstairs; his character however looks as if he stepped into the mirror. Before any of us could try more half-dragon Minotaurs attack as our characters are briefly separated.

Battle commences, Alaric returns from the mirror, and after less than a minute the battle was over and our characters victorious. 

On the minotaurs they each have a ‘giant’s’ bag (tools, sling and stones) as well as a great axe. They each have assorted silver pieces and gemstones (amethysts, diamonds, and emeralds); enough totaling 1,000 gp for each character and 500 gp for the hirelings. We harvest their (ivory, dragon) horns, and collect 9 CSW potions.

And we gain our 8^th character level, the hirelings gain their 6^th character level. We begin next game session immediately after leveling up. 

Five Tower Keep Session 27: 03/07/2019 After the Last Stone Garden and the Metal Tower

We begin this week’s session in combat ^ ^ ^ this time with the addition of a mantadrake.

We are (of course) successful and to date have killed twenty-four greater basilisks from these stone gardens that are situated around a metal tower. After the battle our characters set to restoring Alaric from stone and to finding the other hirelings that had fled in fear from the mantadrake.

From here our characters turn our attention to the circle of five stone statues that appear more recent; all half orcs save for one, the paladin who is larger possibly a half ogre. Shystermeth retells a story of paladins of large size peylor in Horcton lore. They do not however come to life before our characters and are likely victims of the medusa.

The blood does however have an effect on a random undamaged female orog. She gasps, appears to be terrified, and attempts to flee. But soon comes to grips with the dead basilisks lying around and her former petrified condition. We express to her she is in no danger and begin to ask her questions. She describes the area close to the northern stone gardens as the place where her and her companions were before she suddenly awoke here.

As we prepare for rest, eventually Shystermeth asks if he could attempt to restore the wizard of the group of five, it was one of his goals in traveling to these stone gardens. Bosley recognizes a maker’s mark on a leather haversack on the wizard in stone statue. It stands among the other four identifiable statues.

Our characters restore four more for a total of five orog commoners who each go through a recovery process similar to the woman orog from being a stone statue.

We rest and prepare for the tunnels the next morning while the orogs make their own camp.

The next morning we all seem to share the same enthusiasm for delving into the tunnels; the orogs are set to travel, our characters suggest the ogre fens and give directions in relation to five tower keep.

Below in the tunnels we find about one hundred of piles of stone with a cat’s eye on the top- mini altars to the Ghoronna. These are in various locations and at dead-ends; here Mesha identifies the evil altar but detects no evil emanations. Also in the tunnel maze our characters find hundreds of mirrors, some as tall as the tunnel, some ornate, others more mundane or even broken.

After exploring the tunnels we set our destination to the metal tower in the center of the triangle that is formed by these gardens of the victims of the basilisks and medusa. Here we come across tiger tracks and other animals and cared for by a primeval druid hand, here is free of swamp trolls and is more jungle than swamp as a refreshing change.

We reach the metal tower at around midnight; it reaches about sixty five feet into the clear night sky in the center of a wide clearing. The type of metal is hard to discern from a distance; Sonayo approaches the tower and after a time returns and says she thinks she sees windows and a door but thinks the whole tower is covered with a flat textured silver.

Our characters decide to spend the day thoroughly investigate the clearing and surrounding areas. Initial reactions are that some of our characters believe this medusa could be imprisoned here. We find a sink hole on the far end, just inside the clearing and end the game session here. 

Five Tower Keep Session 26: 02/28/2019 Throw Her A Baby Shower, The Fellowship of the Skull, and The Old Dragon of Horcton

As we begin this week’s session... three of the half-orc statues in the second stone garden gasp for air after our characters revived them from stone to flesh with the blood of the greater basilisk; they take long moment to regain their bearings and assess their situation. Our characters find these three speak broken common as well as orcish; some of our characters speak orc whilst others have the ability to comprehend languages and share with the others the conversation. Mesha notes they are all collectively evil.

Mesha channels positive energy to not only heal our characters and hirelings, but also the half orcs thereby indicating we mean them no harm and are open to a dialog.

Our characters quickly realize they are intellectually simple, and on a side note they are all males of their species. A robed half orc, an adept named Mulkrod, rips off his mask throws it to the ground and curses it in disgust. Mulkrod then notices the other robed half orc that remained stone and spats in his direction too. The bastard sword wielding half orc, a barbarian named Tailkrur and the scimitar wielder- a ranger named Koad, also come to their senses and allow Mulkrod to do all the talking.

Mulkrod thanks our characters and tells us they was betrayed by the masks (which did nothing to help them against being turned to stone); they do not remember this specific statue garden, but does remember being in a place such as this.

He also remembers a humanoid woman with hair as snakes and describes the many lizards of the area become highly active when she came upon the battle fields, herding his group together. It was all very preternatural to them, but to us this clues our characters that the medusa can control basilisks as she can lizzardkind. He goes on to describe Tozvroth (the other adept, remained as stone) said these masks would protect us, Mulkrod feels he was betrayed.

When asked what does Mulkrod plan to do next, he says they plan on returning to the ruins of Horcton. At this our characters tell him the unfortunate news of the Hags of and Sisters of Gyronna and that it's been probably been 50 years since they last drew breath. 

What of the dragon Mulkrod asks? Apparently, our characters learn, there is a huge old black dragon that lived (lives?) deep in the ruins of the old holy grounds of Horcton. It's description approaches the scope and size of the King Kazzurog. The dragon has been their the half orc's whole life. But now Tozvroth assumes he will travel north to the ogre fens to look for family.

It is here where our character begin to assemble the mosaic of dragon breaded opponents we've been facing for most of the time; they have all been of black dragon blood. Not just, we are in the swamps black dragons, but seemingly now one specific black dragon possibly working for the hags. 

When asked why our characters saved the half orcs, Mesha answers that life is too precious and Melderon tells the half orcs that we too are adventurers and we would want the same courtesy. And after the question was asked, we tell Mulkrod our main quest is to root out the hags that displaced the citizens.

We ask about Horcton and besides learning of the dragon there are two places of significance. The first is called First Well, it supposed to be where the founder of Horcton broke through the earth and first saw the sun; and the second is the Church of the Morning Sun one of three churches in Horcton.

Soon conversation ebbs and eventually our characters set to prepare for rest before we explore the tunnels below the next morning. Our characters take the usual precautions by sleeping in extra-dimensional spaces provided by Melderon. 

In the morning, Mesha, with last watch, sees the half orcs wake, eat and descend to the sinkhole ahead of us. She wakes us immediately and we hastily prepare and ten minutes later descend down the same sinkhole the half orcs. The tunnel is about 12 feet in diameter, tunneled out by ankhegs. Nearly an hour later, in the warrens we encounter the half orcs again. It was an awkward meeting and non hostile.

Over the course of the day our characters find some treasure: a third level wand, 5th level caster: Lions Courage (Thethmommon); Ring of chameleon power/moonstone ring (James); Spined shield; 5th level scroll 9th level caster: Shadow Plane Adaptation; and finally Bodywrap of mighty strikes +2 (Sonayo). In the meantime Melderon collects the half orcs discarded Masks of stony demeanor.

We rest.

The next day our characters prepare to venture to the third stone garden. It takes us only a couple of days, days filled with the usual swamp encounters, to arrive. Arrival to this final stone garden brings us closer than ever to Horcton, and serves as a kind of gate house to Horcton. During this travel we see large flying creature(s) about high overhead. Our characters cannot identify them, they don’t immediately react to us and their motives remain a mystery. We also notice that there seems to be a respect for the area within the territory of the stone garden, creatures somehow give berth to this area.

When we arrive sudden impact strikes the goemancher; Melderon barely escapes a discordant feedback weighing on the laylines; the disruption runs from Horcton to the metal tower in the center of the three macabre statue gardens and this final stone statue garden lies along that same line. It permeates with old world energy possibly causing planar weaknesses. The statues here are the oldest we’ve encountered.

Eight greater basilisks meander about as our characters repeat the tactics from the stone garden prior: isolate one and slow the others from attacking and overwhelming us. Defeating one after three rounds, from the sky a mantidrake descends with murderous intent.

Five Tower Keep Session 25: 02/21/2019 Let’s Get This Out Of The Way, Divine Intervention Seems More Likely Than A Complement From Rob.

We pick up this week’s game session with a recap of the past few days of travel to the next stone garden. Along the way we are able to fulfull and 20% of the poisonous reptiles our characters were tasked to gather. We also encounter a variety of insects, reptiles, swamp trolls, as well as large ugly birds in the air; all this is accompanied with a feeling of being watched.

We arrive to the second stone garden on our 'list' where we find several roaming basilisks including a couple of dead ones near an opening into the earth. A group of half-orcs who had been turned to stone stand in a circular formation also catches our eye. Two of these are dressed in chainmail armor and holds a large sword; another one is armored in leather or other light armor holding two scimitars; the remaining others are clad in robes and leather clothing and have a lot of animal foci upon their persons indicating themselves as some kind of shaman.

Draco comes up with the plan to isolate the whiteish basilisk, one the farthest from the other five, and go after it. While this is going on Alaric, Fulroc Shystermeth and Weston are attacked by forest drakes, and when their battle was fully realized- all involved where dropped into a sink hole and out of site.

  

Eventually our characters are successful in defeating the basilisks; we next turn our focus on the half-orc group of stone statues and begin to apply basilisk blood to the half-orc wielding the bastard sword. But while our attention is focused on the half-orc statues, from the entrance of the tunnels emerge three wingless first world dragons: Peludas.

We kill two of the three peludas and finish the evening restoring three of the half-orcs save for the one with the two handed sword and the shaman/druidic looking one. The three, when they wake, gasp for air and react. The other characters will come out of the cavern just in time to see the peludas flee.

Five Tower Keep Session 24: 02/14/2019 Happy Valentine’s Day, First-World Dragons, and at the Precipice of Success

When we began the week before last session about an hour after our battle against the basilisks (in grid M3) as we considered our next path into the tunnels below the stone garden. It is late afternoon and in the center of the wide stone garden is a sink hole and the tunnels below Fulroc Shystermeth spoke of.

Our characters descend into the tunnels where we find basilisk monster prints; Stoutwood discerns two different sizes indicating a greater and typical basilisk breeds as well as numerous Lava Stones.

Our characters turn towards the eastern tunnel under the stone gardens. Here, the air quality is bad and reeks; after an hour our characters find that this is but one tunnel in a series of warrens that extend out from a large chamber where our characters find that it is much warmer and where the walls contain exotic fungi. It is here where heat stones have been gathered and placed throughout the tunnels. Here and there our characters encounter a couple of basilisks but they give us no trouble destroying them. Our eventually characters find 5 exotic plants (fungi) we were tasked in retrieving for Gannom Pone.

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When we begin this week's session... our character's search around and eventually find a collection of old beaten treasures, valuables from nearby Horcton...

Several large pieces of decorative silver in the form of 5’ tall candelabras, statuary, and a heavy wrought mirror totaling 210 lbs of silver

+1 heavy steel shield spell resistance 15 (Draco)

Stylized +1 full plate spell resistance 15 armor of peylor (Mesha)

Tiger carved of onyx. 5,000 gp art value (size of a house cat) (Furloc)

Old fine wooden abacus with platinum wires

An old harp with silver strings
5’ Bronze casting of the Sun pitted and covered in a unique moss. (gathered for component) 20 lbs. of bronze

Throwing axe made of a single piece of adamantine (Draco)

Silver disc mirror

+1 cold iron bastard sword (Alaric)

Stone beer mug of large size

A carved stone box containing a magical radiance- it seemed familiar Fulroc 

Our characters are able to remove the stone lid to reveal another box that contains...

A couple of spell books: Journal of Gurutz ( a half ogre monk that lived 250 years ago- a possessor may consult with the book to gain a competence bonus traveling through domains described therein), and a spell book on bark in the shape of a pyramid- written by Ivar Kolbeinssen. Both books are from 101 Spellbooks supplement)- Fulroc takes the spell book as his first choice and second choice.

An immovable rod (Group)

Ring of protection +2 (Stoutwood)

Lenses of detection (Melderon, who gives it to Stoutwood) ->Thank  you <- font="">

Pearl of power II (Melderon)

Bag of holding II (Alaric)

Horn of good or evil (Mesha)

Our characters retreat to the stone gardens where Melderon sets up a couple of rope tricks for a rest period; however, when our characters arrive to the surface we are immediately beset upon by four prepared and starved but unnaturally vibrant dragons- four first-world large green dragons.

After a long and difficult combat our characters are able to defeat three of them while one escaped. During the next several hours Stoutwood is able to skin and tan green dragon hide and yields 90 lbs of hide. As well as other parts of the dragons.

We eventually rest in Melderon’s extra-dimensional space, during which Melderon will sense the age and feedback in the ley lines in this area. The next day our characters travel back to Dock Port to retrieve our other hirelings.

About a day and a half later our characters arrive to Dock Port where we meet up with Jamal Riverwalker to report what we have encountered. He reports no further sightings of the dracolisk Alibarum Klamphus since the first encounter. We also deliver the green dragon skins to Jamal to trade in Low Port.

We pick up next week with our choice of stone gardens; one directly towards Horcton, and one north and at a higher elevation- we chose the latter.

For the next three days travel our way is harried by swamp trolls and large ugly birds that stalk us along the way. We pick up choosing our position in the next stone garden and getting the drop on the enemy.

Five Tower Keep Session 23: 01/24/2019 Alibarum Klamphus, Fulroc Shystermeth, and Stone Gardens (M3)

“You have wandered into my territory! I am Alibarum Klamphus! Tremble at my presence!”

Our characters engage the terrible beast. Indeed it was; turning Alaric to stone not once but Eventually the half-dragon half-basilisk flees before our brutal might.

Not long after the battle Stoutwood hears faint scuttling sounds and encounters the rat-folk individual Fulroc Shystermeth of Lowport (and his rat familiar). We find him odd but follow him to where he says survivors are and who have taken refuge in a sinkhole. Here inside a cylindrical cavern are 8 children. Jamal Riverwalker immediately recognizes some of them and comforts them.

Fulroc says he only arrived a few days ago and states he is a collector of treasures and information gathering. When pressed Fulroc believes Alibarum Klamphus is a new creature to the area. When asked about possible lairs Fulroc points out these odd tunnels in this area; he seeks to find more about them. He says there are tunnels like this near the areas of stone gardens. With this news, the stone gardens and the basilisk eyes all confirm a basilisk. Fulroc believes the amulet Klamphus wears is key to how powerful the dragon hybrid is.

Furloc produces a map that 'Acadami wishes they had back'… It is an ancient map dated from the defeat of Rappan Athuk. Soon enough he reveals himself as a wizard and offers to guide us to one of the stone gardens.  He has been to three of these stone gardens but he says a lonely iron tower lies at the center. He possess three stone to flesh scrolls and all he asks is an equal share.

Our attention turns to Jamal, the riverfolk and the children and what to do; Stoutwood gives Jamal a bird feather token to contact Low Port on their situation. Most of the hirelings stay with Jamal for now; Sonayo and Bosley however travel with our characters.

Our characters decide to rest here in the odd tunnel and plan on heading to the closest stone gardens in M3 the next day. Our night is spent in a rope trick as usual to escape the hag induced nightmare.

Melderon takes possession of two stone to flesh scrolls in preparation of heading out; Furloc retains one. In the jungle our characters come across two manticore nests that have been pillaged by the dracolisk. We pass through areas of swamp trolls, but are adept at evading notice. All in all it’s a fast three day jungle travel.

When our characters approach the stone garden; from about 100’ out we begin to feel the presence of the Old World. We are soon set upon by a swarm of basilisks (six). We destroy the basilisks and learn that the blood of a basilisk can restore a turned to stone victim. We gain our seventh character level. 

Five Tower Keep Session 22: 01/17/2019 A Dragon Emissary, Three Named Dragons, and Travel to Dock Port

Sa'di Abd Al-Aziz the Ifrit

We start this week’s session at the Banana Tree Embassy and our social gathering. The gathering is small but soon enough an exotic Egyptian gentleman walks in, tall and strong, he appears to be flame-touched and is handsome in a rugged way dressed in reds with a fire motif. He introduces himself as Sa’di Abd Al-Aziz and comes as emissary to King Kazzurog. His name translates to 'lucky' and 'servant of the powerful'. He is decked out in magic some of which, Melderon ascertains are tainted in such a way that they are attuned to him. Al-Aziz comes in response to Mesha's letter of personal introduction to the Lowport embassy that is in service to King Kazzurog.

When asked about his resources and does he come with an offer? Al-Aziz laughs and says he comes with the questions of similar nature. The rumors, Al-Aziz says are that our characters trade in hides and raw alchemical ingredients. In fact our trade has enriched those markets. There is also word that we fight the ‘dragons’ of the swamp. Mesha emphasizes to him our fight against the Hags and asks him if he comes here for merchant opportunity or something greater?

Mesha mentions the half-dragons (owlbears and Minotaurs) encounters on the road. Mesha believes the Hags are inciting general disfavor against half-dragons (and by extension Kazzurog) thereby expanding the Hag's influence. At this Al-Aziz begins a series of questions where some of us pick up on that he’s really uninterested about the Hags.

He mentions Dragon Hill and was asking if our characters would be interested in establishing business relations. Mesha says that she would be interested, the rest of our characters say that we will consider the offer.

We ask if Al-Aziz is aware of the uprising in the swamp? He has only heard of reduced river traffic. Has he heard of Gyronna? And yes he has. He inform him that there are those who believe Gyronna itself is in Horcton. Al-Aziz does confirm Kazzurog awaits a dignitary from Stormhaven to court. Our characters ask if he has heard of our battles against the half-dragons on the road and/or if there have been attacks from half-dragons? Not to his knowledge, however the road from Five Tower Keep is not a well-traveled road.

Our final question is will Al-Aziz be reporting back to Kazzurog directly? He says he will report to the Ambassador but will include some personal notes when he sees Kazzurog. He seems keen to be the one to introduce us to King Kazzurog.

Arnil Garrod

Later Arnil Garrod or A.G. is introduced to our characters by Thethmommon, this attracts the attention of Jamal Riverwalker who is pleased to see Arnil, Jamal joins us after introductions.

Arnil, grim and defeated, comes with news of the destruction of Dock Port. He describes a massive dragon laying waste to what was Dock Port five days ago. The attack was made all the more terrifying as the creature announced his name as Alibarum Klamphus as he defiled and destroyed Dock Port. Klamphus was a scaled draconic terror who’s gaze turned villagers to stone. He doesn’t recall Alibarum using a breath weapon. Arnil also mentions a second dragon terrorizing the elves of Elf Lake (Elfhome) a black dragon and declared a hunter of a family of wild elves (the family of elves that raised Melderon). Its name is Saturim Crueldruentherruurr and it is spoken of as having acid as a breath weapon. Arnil is gravely concerned about dragons on the rise.

At the end of the social night Jamal sates that he plans on traveling up the river to Dock Port; it is our character’s agreement to travel with him.

The next morning we meet up with Jamal who has six long flat boats that will take us five days up the river.

On the morning of the fifth day our characters will come into view of the destruction Dock Port and eventually our characters see several petrified humanoids. Eventually our characters identify four tails in the water and the approach of drakes. We dispatch them in short order and return our attention to the devastated Dock Port. In places our characters discover evidence of people returning to the village scavenging for supplies.

Stoutwood looks for clues and finds the dragon in question was a large size and confirms a dracolisk which soon reveals itself.

We begin next session with two rounds to prepare for the dracolisk.

Five Tower Keep Session 21: 01/03/2019 The Camel Named Black Crocodile

We begin after ten days of downtime and pick back up with our characters during Immewrath’s full moon fights. The club, close to the Applesnooks (and not in Immewrath’s territory), is an old abandoned church (built by dwarves) are where the contests take place; the matches are non-lethal against his stable of monsters.

Weston, a fighter from Gibraltar, came to Lowport to make enough money to start a mercenary company. Fights with a pole-axe and wears a magical mithril breast plate. He comes to Alaric as his hireling.

 

After these ten days word is still about that the Dragon-king remains in the harbor and because so, he must be waiting for something. Word is that it’s a large convoy of trading vessels from Stormhaven.

Weston

The old church is a sturdily built dwarven built one story construction with vaulted ceilings and is surrounded by a rail fence. Two towers lead to the fighting area; one for Immewrath’s favored monsters and one tower for challengers to enter by. By the end of the night we correctly guess that Immewrath rents the temple from Bushwood Applesnook.

The night starts with minor fights between challengers (humanoid vs humanoid). In the stands, rat folk jeer and jape at the combatants. Dwarves represent the brokers here. Some of our characters gamble for the first hour before the first combatant from Immewrath’s stable. All around us are what seem like a hundred and a score of smokers, gamblers and party-goers.

Jamal Riverwalker

The first fighter from Immewrath’s stable looks like an ogre-crossed rat folk who comes in with much fanfare. The fight lasts for nearly 15 minutes where a human beats the barbarian rat folk to a pulp.

Next was Drake against his combatant and after a heated battle, Drake defeats his opponent earning gold for himself. Also during this time Alaric invests in training and gym fees for a group of fighters.

The next item on our character’s agenda is our social gathering at the Banana Tree Embassy with hopes to attract investors; create a staff here in embassy for upkeep in our absence; as well as continuing recruiting efforts to expand the Black Parrot Mercenary company. We focus on the possibility of lost mines, lost magic from souls who have been turned to stone, and a variety of treasures from previously undiscovered ruins and the promise of old world treasure.

A sponsor named Jamal Riverwalker offers his services in two ways having heard of our intentions, he could pilot a vessel to Dock Port or sail to said port and wait for us at Dock Port for our character's eventual return to Low Port. It was an offer to the company for his services. He is our first investor.

Garnered Devotion

Fen stood in silence as he watched Father Borone strap the silver bracers around Mesha’s wrist. A mixture of celestial imagery and Yahweh symbology they were a gleaming representation of both her heritage and her faith. Fen could feel her aura of goodness strengthen as the last clasp was securely fastened. Her hands began to glow with a warm light as she laid her hands upon the bloodstained book titled Reborn.

As Father Borone began his sermon Mesha started pushing her life-giving energy into the book. With every passage, the resolve in Father Borone’s voice strengthened. With every passage, the holy energy emanating through Mesha’s hands into the book intensified. As the sermon reached its climax the edges of the book had already begun to curl, straining to contain the powerful energy being forced into it. The tree embossed on the cover was barely visible as the integrity of the book began to break down. Mesha and the high priest joined hands as the last line of the sermon was spoken in unison. Suddenly the book burst into flame consumed in a matter of seconds.

Fen was first to admit his utter lack of magical knowledge. Some of his gear functioned in ways that he could not comprehend or even explain. It was only recently that he stumbled across Father Borone and began to accept the teachings of Yahweh. Before today his religious experiences were limited to feeding rabbits and tending the gardens. As he worked he would listen to Father Borone make comparisons between life today and the historical events from his bible. He had never read or heard about anything like the events he just witnessed. He didn’t even know how to describe what he had seen. All he knew was he felt better than he had in years. The holy energy released had completely alleviated all his aches and pains. Beyond that, he felt a calmness of mind for the first time since his dismissal. After being falsely accused of making advances towards the daughter of Lowports Minister, he was removed from his position as sergeant at arms for the trade council. His dishonorable discharge had disgraced not only his reputation but left what he felt was to be an everlasting mark on his soul. Just his presence during this ceremony of divine cleansing had eased this burden and given him a clear conscience.

He watched as Mesha counted out 500 coins the bulk of her remaining funds. As she hugged Father Borone goodbye she handed him the sack gold. Admiring his recently enhanced bow, another gift from Mesha, Fen knew he was finally back on the right path. He looked forward to the swamps, to be back in action and to serve the greater good. He was humbled by the opportunity Yahweh had presented. He would prove his faith by honoring his patron and in the process bring honor back his family name.