Author: ML

Entry to Santhur

Lady Alondra the Bard, entered the city of [[Santhur]] through the grand and ornate [[Fistfury]] gates. Evidence of the masterful stonework of the Dwimmer [[Dwarves]], who once crafted the gate long ago in the past, while barely visible, was the only sign that the gates themselves weren’t just carved from a single giant block of stone. The great gates were named for the royal family of the city, who now lie dead and buried, murdered by the Mad Wizard [[Nagrazzar]].

As she entered the city, [[Alondra]] found herself in a large square, trafficked with only a small members of the public and the odd wagon or carriage. To her left, a two-story building was a-blaze, and the cries of a female child of around 4-5 could be heard coming from the upstairs window. 30-50 people were gathered watching the spectacle, including a tall man clearly bearing armor beneath his cloak, who Alondra had seen noting her entrance into the city.

Fully aware of the limited time, and her species resistance to light fire, Alondra snuck off around to find a way into the house to help the child. A quick glance around the area showed the more opportune entrance to be the alley to the back of the house, and trying that. Ducking into the flickering shadows given off by the fire, she dashed down the alleyway, avoiding the gaze of all but the most astute witnesses to the blaze.

Bursting through the door, her scales on her brow flaring gold in response to the heat, she looked around for an access to the upper floor. Her heat vision bloomed from the fire, and was no use in locating the child, on serving to make her see stars. Blinking rapidly to recover some vision, she could finally make out a set of stairs to her right, and dashed up them two at a time.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she could see the child, cowering the opposite corner of one of the bedrooms directly opposite the stairs. Calling out to the human child served to only make it cry it harder, so shrugging she eased over to the child, reaching over the bed to touch it’s shoulder in comfort. Only, as her hard encountered the child, it vanished in a puff of blue illusionary smoke and paired with a devilish chuckle from the air behind her.

“You idiot ” -Devilish speech- ” Half-Dragon fuck! Who falls for that?!” the voice hissed at her, as it moved around behind her.

Recognizing the tell-tale signs of an imp, and feeling a little foolish for falling for such a simple trick, Alondra tried something a little out of the box, and cast her favorite cantrip in the direction of the Imp’s voice. A small thunderclap smashed the room, throwing the fat little, leathery winged devil against the wall behind it. The damage caused it to lose it’s concentration and drop it’s spell of invisibility. Snarling in devilish, the Imp flew into the fire of the next room, disappearing to lick to it’s wounds.

Grinning to herself, happy with the result of the encounter, Alondra assessed her situation. The stairs, now a-blaze, were not an option. Turning, she judged the distance down and decided it would ”probably” be okay, jumped.

Later That Evening

Walking along Main Way, Alondra was feeling more and more helpless and depressed, seeing the ruins of the city around her. However people are still living in this place astounded her. Everything north of Main Way was a fire scorched mess of ruins and half-collapsed buildings. Work had not commenced to rebuild the city since the siege six months past, and now she had spent some time in the city, the reason why was becoming clear. The city seemed to lack and central source of organization at all.

The Seneschal, regent of the city, was holed up in his tower leaving all bar the castle to fend for itself.
The Nestorian garrison was too small to even try leading the city to prosperity, barely large enough to defend even their own interests in the city.
The Thieves guild was in a bitter, 3-way civil war, that had boiled out into the streets multiple times in the past few weeks already.
Traders were avoiding the city now, traveling past in effort to avoid being robbed or made to pay many ”official” road tolls.
Food was scarce, and bandits ruled the wilds outside the city, preventing reclamation of local farmland.

There was much to be done.

She started to hear some chattering in something that she never expected to hear here in Santhur: Draconic. Listening for a moment, Alondra recognized the tones of kobolds whispering in the distance before one of them called out in her direction “Gold mistress, we seek a word with you.”

Shrugging in curiosity, she wandered over to hear the kobolds request. Having heard of her efforts at the entrance to the city, the matron Great Wyrm of the kobolds tribe would like to seek a boon from the Gold Mistress, if she were willing to hear her out. She pondered the offer for a few moments, before considering that she had little to lose in following the kobolds, knowing that she could probably scare them off just with a single breath of her gold ancestry, she nodded and accepted their offer, motioning for them to lead the way.

As they led her through the ruins in the northern quarter of the city, Alondra noticed that these kobolds had a strange tinge to them, almost as if they were bronze aspected, but that was unheard of! Kobolds are a chaotic race, what gain would the find worshiping a metallic dragon over a chaotic one that would happily return their patronage with boons of power. Before long, they led her to a hole that they dropped into, onto a pile of soft refuse, and found herself in the sewer.

Making their way through a few small obstacles, eventually Alondra found herself peering into a chamber filled with what she was informed was members of her companions Kobold’s enemies: another tribe of Kobold’s, this once worshiping a red dragon. These two tribes have been fighting over the sewers for months, with the reds slowly forcing the bronze kobolds back out of everything except their egg creche. Convincing her companions to trust her, she bound their hands and cast Disguise Self on herself, appearing as a red-tinged kobold, and took her ‘prisoners’ past the ambush. Her timing was lucky, for just as she moved out of the room, another 3 red kobolds came up from the same direction they just had, and started chatting to the other red ones present.

Moving on, her and her companions suffered no further encounters with the reds, and arrived at the bronze creche within another 15 minutes or so of sewer crawling. Alondra swore to herself to find a better way into the place if she needed to come back, as there was just not enough room for someone of her stature in these hallways. Entering the egg creche, what she saw was a scared tribe. One clearly on the decline. All of the children ran at the sight of the stranger entering the area, and the guards around the eggs started hissing softly as they watched her intently.

She was approached by a wise old Wyrm, clearly one of the greats, probably over 100 years of age, and the leader of the tribe. They spoke for some time, explaining the situation, and their desperation. Pushed from every area of worth in the slums by the reds, the goblins and the thieves. With little to no available food, the tribe was starving slowly, and make matters worse, the reds had stolen half of their eggs a few weeks back, removing the chance of any chance in power balances for the next 12 months.

The Great Wyrm begged Alondra to consider to help them, with finding a way to either reclaim a stable food source, or find another way to provide for her people. She also begged that she consider helping them stage some sort of rescue for their eggs, to return some hope to their tribe.

Alondra stayed for a little while with the tribe, before committing try to help them, and returned to the surface, this time facing no impediment through the tunnels.

On her solo journey through the ruins, she was started when someone spoke to her, from off to the right. Quickly reacting to defend herself, she instead found a small boy squatting on a roof above her. Probably a thief, she mused. They spoke for a while, he revealing his name as Baudus, a theif of one of the new theives guilds. His was the ”New Blood” guild, the younger members broken off, sick of following the rigid ways of old.

They faced the old Guild, an aging group of men committed to continuing the ways of old, and the Dock Gang, the thugs and bruisers of the Thieves Guild, tired of the old Guild crowed left to join the dock gangs. They were a brutal gang, and ran a protection racket that seemed to only protect the very few remaining businesses from the bruises themselves. Baudus offered Alondra a place in the guild if she were happy to try out, as a bard would be welcome in their ranks, and with a final farewell, ran off into the lengthening shadows of the dusk.

The Inn of Angry Dragons

A large, two story inn, stands on the south west corner of the Fistfury square, just outside of the shadow of the gate. The building shows some signs of scorch marks from previous conflicts, yet otherwise seemed to be in good condition and well up kept. Upon entering the establishment, Alondra saw within that there were two groups of people present within (excluding the inkeeper). One group was a man with his guards, who were chattering away in an unfamiliar tongue. The other was a couple, instantly recognized as married just due their actions and behavior towards one another. One, the man, had a large red beard and and huge mane of red hair, was smoking on a pipe and seemed to be half listening to the other, while she, dressed in robes, and scribbling on a scroll, seemed to open mindedly talk at him.

Walking over, Alondra sat at close to the fire as possible, listening to people around her and getting a feel for the room. Before long a stew and an ale arrived in front of her, and she lowered her hood, noting the reactions of the people around her to her racial features. The couple seemed interested, as thought they knew the race but never in person, the two guards seemed to size her up before returning to their chatting. The barkeep smiled and came over for a quick word, seeming quick comfortable with the Dragonborn race, probably having spent time with one in the past. She turned back to the stew in front of her, finding it to be…. interesting. The meat was…. well, it was meat. That was probably the only the attribute you would find that did not have a negative connotation. If nothing else, it felt like meat.

The Barkeep (who gave her name as Samantha Kestor) was a short, calm woman, with a short sword strapped to her right side. After long, realizing she had a Dragonborn bard under her roof, she asked if Alondra would be interested in a song for the common room. Feeling like a change, she pulled out the wooden flute and started up a song. Before long she felt the weave of the magic ensorcell her talent and start to channel through her fingers. Time seemed to slow and speed up at the same time, and physical sensations seemed to vanish.

She came back to reality at a touch from Samantha, asking if she might be done for the night, and handing her a small pouch full of 7gp 20cp that was ‘her cut for the night’. Realizing she had been playing for an hour, Alondra eased down and back to her table, to the light applause the small crowd that had gathered in the common room without her noticing. The Inn was now packed to rafters, her songs having brought in most traveling past, and bringing in patrons for the first time in months. Samantha, clearly happy with the result, offered Alondra free room and board as long as she was happy to continue performing semi regularly. Accepting the offer, Alondra headed off to bed, stew sitting uncomfortably within her. As she settled down the sleep, the last thing she remembered was committing to find a better source of food supply for the city, and soon.

==== Items Acquired in this session ====

• Small fragment of an Earth Elemental
• Shield of Telemvor reborn as the Shield of the Breaking Dawn
• Karandar and Oromis relieve Blood Oath from [[Dramatis Personae#Rarugoth|Rarugoth]]
• Karandar secures the services of two Azer for the Reforging of the Vordblade
• All three Player Characters receive a permanent +2 to their Religion Skill for aiding Terranc
• Sorrow’s Discarded Cloak (Wwsnt sure who ended up with this?)
• Oromis completed his attunement to the Shield of the Broken Dawn

====== Recap ======

[[file:Warren_of_Terranc.png|thumb]]
====Isle of Charred Tears====

As Oromis steps through the portal onto the plane of fire, he is met with an abusive heat that is the temperature at which stone melts, making him thankful for his god’s protection. Before Bello and himself was a path that leads off to the left around the mountains in the distance, snaking through the ash fields that cover every other ground surface on the isle.

Behind them is what might be called a ‘coast’, a sheer drop off showing the multiple stacked layers of dark clouds of ash below, that were occasionally broken with a glimpse of magma far, far beneath the top of the ash layer. Even more rarely see was the natural wildlife breaching through the surface of the clouds, great winged beasts that hunted smaller ones in the lower clouds.

They quickly set off down the path, hoping to get their quest complete as soon as possible and avoid any unwanted attention. Despite their best intentions, within minutes Bello was looking around, before stating “I feel Kellok’s presence concentrated here. He attempts interference in our plans. We should move quicker.”

Before they had a chance to move, Oromis and Bellow got to meet Karandar Ellenvord, Baron of Nestor, as Kellok sent him into the plane of fire, directly in their path. A very tense and awkward introduction occurred before the two parties finally began to trust each other, before Bello comments that “it is dangerous for that blade to be here, we must beware of… unforeseen consequences”. He didn’t know what would happen, but he was sure that the [[Items#Vordblade|Vordblade]] could not be a good influence on this plane and that while the Ellenvord had a reputation that had allowed him to bring the blade into their presence, his ancestors that followed were less trusted with the sword, to which Karandar snapped a quick reply about ‘New Bloodlines’. Bello then explains quickly the basic history of the sword for Oromis, to keep him enlightened, before they continued on their way.

Shortly after encountering Karandar, the party encounters a large ash storm, rolling across the Plains. Hot ash scratches their faces as it sails past at high velocities, the wind screaming in protest, drowning out all noises. All characters suffer disadvantages on perception for the duration of the storm. The characters lost next to all visibility, even dark vision. The party choose to keep moving through the storm, and were soon rewarded for their recklessness. Before his eyes, Karandar watched something invisible fly off with with one of his Hand axes and two of his Javelins, attempting to both grab and spear the the thief before it escaped. Oromis had some more success, feeling the pesky fingers on his best and slapping them away, before alerting the rest of the party to the thieves. They wisely chose not to pursue the thieving Imps into the storm, instead continuing on their journey.

Around an hour more in, a flock of fire demons pass overhead, before circling back to check out the players, watching them from high above until they enter the portal. The portal is a oval disc of purple, hanging in the air between two simple stone pillars. It feels eerie and unnatural, even on a plane foreign to them. “They are things of chaos, portals. Twisting across the dark nether, these things are invariably tainted eventually, however these have been present for centuries.” From Bello.

====Khe’Allor’ia====

As they arrive on the second isle, a human figure stands fifty paces in front of them. He is cowed on a black robe, no features visible at all, their face shrouded. He watches them for a while, and speaks after a few long minutes. Bello can identify it as a specter of death. The aura of the creature can be felt, sapping the life from all around it.

====Spectre:==== “Don’t disturb him dragon-born, he cannot aid your mission”
====Bello:==== “That is for him, and him alone to decide.” *pause * “what purpose have you here, this realm yields not to you yet.”
====Spectre:==== “I guard the realms of the living, This you must know. Beware, this fight is far beyond your Ken. Stand down, go home, and you might not see me again for a long while”

====Spectre:==== *turns to Karandar * “Baron. You have come far, knowing little. This is not even your conflict in which to intervene. Have the Darkness stand down, i will not permit him to find me, and the need for concealment grows tedious. I have little time for these distractions. “

====Spectre:==== *he nods to Oromis * “Prophet, fire guide thee. Hopefully somewhere else.”

The figure then disappear. Bello explains that the figure was a specter of Death, but actually spoke with the mouth of Sorrow, the God of death himself. Bello explains that they have worked together before in times of need, Sorrow being one of the few gods left that directly interacts with mortals.

They head to the village, Bello having confirmed for Karandar that some Azer were present there. On their way they found some signs of a fight in the ash settled on the ground, but no sign of the combatants.

====The Village====

The Village is small, with only a few scattered buildings, formed of stone that was melted, formed into place and cooled and hardened. As they approach a group are talking in the town centre, A fire Giant ([[Dramatis Personae#Rarugoth|Rarugoth]]), and winged Demon (Sssslassseran) and a young Azer (Solem). The party learnt from these three of an Earth elemental just out of town (the signs found on the side of the road) that Rarugoth was willing to pay for the removal of, along with the knowledge that the plane was decaying, and finally that the village’s Azer smith [[Dramatis Personae#Tekku|Tekku]] considered himself a ‘big deal’ in smiting.

The players chose to assist with the earth elemental problem, but first headed to the smithy, in which they were subject to Tekku’s own highly over inflated opinion of himself, while Karandar danced around getting to the point for a bit. Eventually Tekku demanded to know what the job was if he wanted his help, and upon hearing that it was the Vordblade, he finally accepted the commission, stating to let him know where and when, and he would meet them there.

Oromis, using his Dwarven ancestral talents managed to communicate with the earth Elemental ([[Dramatis Personae#Gnngdr|Gnngdr]]), eventually sending it home via the portals they took to get here. Thanking the cleric, the Elemental snapped a small part of the itself off and handed it to Oromis, without an explanation before heading ‘north’. Tragically, the Elemental found that, upon leaving the plane of Fire, the directions he was given ended and he found himself lost in the nether of the Astral Plane, searching for his home, he was thankful at least for the small steps he had made back to the Plane of Earth.

====Isle of the Dance====

As they arrive, Bello explains that this is the main population centre of the ruined Warren, with most of the natural beings to this plane gathering to live here. Each of the marked ‘Demons’ is actually a village of 1-500 occupants who have settled on the isle. At Dusk and Dawn each day, the entire population of each village treks to the centre of the isle, a great plain made of a black, smooth rock that is unblemished, spanning 200 feet wide and continuing into the distance, replacing the trail or road where it lay.

The populations each gather, each in clumps of corresponding demons, but as the dawn/dusk breaks the demons break into a dance, flowing through, against and with each other, creating a vast and breathtaking pattern among them. As they dance a pillar of twirling flame and shadow slowly starts to twist it’s way up into the air, before finally falling to the ground once more as the dance finishes.

The energy offered by the dance is the worship of Terranc by the Demons. They pray in a physical form, and if Terranc was unchained he would join with the prayer in the air about, gathering the offered prayers about himself as his daily shroud.

The party observed one such occurrence as they passed through, the Demons dejected and depressed that their prayer had failed, slowly trekked home, clearing the way for the party. A good Religion check ”may” have shown Sorrow feeding off their sadness if they could roll better 😛

====The Shatter====

As they exit the next portal, they are greeted by a broken set of isles and rubble, with the three largest being held together by some form of wooden suspension bridges that remain despite the oppressive heat. The island chain looks like it may have once been part of one single isle broken into many, perhaps by an invading god or a being of similar size and power? The ground around them is broken, ridges rising up at random interfaces and sheering straight back down, a rough path leads up, twisting through the ridges of hard sharp store into the mountains beyond. They head through to the mountains, seemingly along on the planes.

”As they cross the mountains”, they are set upon by surprise by a soldier demon (Hezrou – MM p60) that initiated the combat by latching it’s jaw onto Oromis and having a good old chew. The smell was actually the first assault, but all of our plucky heroes had the constitution of dwarves, shrugging off the effects almost immediately. They quickly found the thing to have strong resistance to all of their attacks, leading to the party to fall back in disarray, before regrouping Karandar and driving the rapid beast back, leading to it fleeing and hiding somewhere back in the rocks. The players keep a close eye out for more demons, but noticed no sign of any others for the rest of their journey. Perhaps the first one let the others know, this prey was tough!

====His Watch==== – The watch of the Avatar

As they approach the Watch, there stood a solo figure clad in a simple white shirt and light grey pants standing with his back to the players, standing at the edge of the cliff looking out and studying the distant isle.

He speaks with Bello, asking why they seek him while he watches his brother in his prison, claiming that the fortress on yonder isle is not to defend Terranc, it’s to keep him in. He mentions that he sees he sees both Terranc and Kellok’s hands in play here, along with a taint of death that follows them.

When asked about the shield, the Shade of Telem reveals that he cannot grant Oromis that boon without his brother’s freedom on the next isle. Once they are at the Fortress, they should call upon him and he will aid their efforts as best he can, but declares that if the guardian is who he thinks it may be, there is little he can do to help them. In the meantime he summoned a Paladin to aid them (Vee – Kaitlin) in their journey. They had a very odd introduction, but got amicable.

They agree and He turns back to watch the isle, ignoring further conversation.

===Guardians Isle===

They head to the next isle, and as they walk along it, all them have the feeling of being watched. Oromis uses his stone sense, determining the mountain at the center of the island to be a giant living creature, however after a rolling a Nat 1, he was unable to persuade the rest of the party of his findings. As they moved past about three quarters of the way across the isle, the Mountain did indeed wake up, and as is typical with these things, started trying to kill them.

Unlike most Giantkin, s/he does what no other giant seems to think of at these times, and sweeps their arm down horizontally across group, giving each player the choice between ducking or jumping (Athletics vs Acrobatics). Karandar, currently carrying Oromis as he hauled arse, tosses the kill-happy Hill Dwarf up & over the oncoming arm before (unsuccessfully) attempting to slide under it himself in an ‘inspirational’ moment. The players continue to flee to the bridge, as the mountain starts to fall forward onto them.

====End of the Shatter====

The last isle was just a tiny broken isle floating in the nether of fire. This isle is heavily shrouded in shadow. They could see things moving in the shadow, and occasionally could feel their passing, but couldn’t find the source of it.

As they approach the final portal, a large shadow demon coalesces in front of them, stares down at them for a moment before dispersing into a cloud of wisps as it hisses the words “Freeee our Masterrr”

====Terranc’s Muted Glory====

This island is just a single fortress built for one purpose: ====Imprisoning Terranc’s Grace====. Terranc, the Lord of the Dawn, was stripped from his Grace not long after the conclusion of the 2nd War of Existence, supposedly ambushed by once-allies who had turned on him after Ellenvord’s fall.

As they emerge onto the last isle, they’re standing around 200 meters for the walls of the fortress, a huge structure of obsidian walls, that seems to not be manned except for the 3 people standing, facing them in front of the gate, about halfway between the party and the gates. One is the figure who warned them from the other isle, standing in the centre. To his right is Azzanan, and on his left is an unknown Mage (Uzziel (OOh-Zi-El) the Twisted, Aspected to Chaos).

Bello: I think we’ve found our jailers. *touches Oromis’ shield * “Shade of Telem, we call thee to our side”

A bar of light slams down into the ground before them, and the man from the ledge earlier is now standing before the players. Sorrow has reacted with some disdain and mocking laughter as he starts walking towards them, causing Telem to stagger, who turns to quietly share a plan with them.

T: “He’s here in full! I can feel the entirety of his spirit and warren concentrated behind him, and that is something that I, in my current state, cannot withstand for more than a few moments. I will distract him as best as I can, you must get past his minions and open the cage within. “

Telem starts walking to towards Sorrow, bits of armour slowing fading in, onto his body, armouring him in resplendent full plate of a paladin, with a glowing white sword in his left hand.

For the first few rounds of battle, Sorrow and Telem duked it out, sending out massive blows that cause the earth to shake, great beams of light and spells of great darkness and death, but with Shade of Telem clearly loosing almost from the outself.

Uzziel’s first round tactic is whip a Pickled Octopus tentacle out of his robes and throw it at Oromis, casting Hunger of Hadar, Bringing the sickness of the nether forth. Azzanan on the other hand, vanishes and reappears seconds later behind Karandar, driving two knives into his shoulder blades, one missing due to hitting the Ellenvord pauldrons. The attack will threw him to ground unless after a failed STR Save. Azzanan spins and start walking straight at Bello, who drops down a little into a crouch, dropping his scepter and holding both hands out to his side, both afire with holy flame. He strains his arms and forces his two palms together, creating a massive bar of white hot fire that streaks out at the Assassin, who manages to blend into shadow and disappear right as the bar of flame would have touched him.

Azzanan shadow melded back into combat at the start of his next turn, hitting Oromis in the back this time, then melding back out again (Oromis can make a reaction attack to this). Azzanan will continued to do this until the combat ended, but repeatedly hit Bello down from 180hp to nearly 0.

After his Hunger of Hadar, Uzziel switches to desperately defending himself from Oromis and Karandar’s attentions. Using Scorching Ray and Magic Missile (Chaos) @ Level 5 against the players, he managed to get off a greater invisibility spell right at the last minute. Thinking he had teleportaled out, the players turned back to Azzanan, only to have Uzziel reappear 2 turns later and Dominate Oromis, commanding him first to heal all the enemies, before them setting him to attack the Shade of Telem. Vee, busily defending Bello, slapped out a couple of quick Sacred Flames, eventually slapping Oromis out of his trance, barely in time before he could hit the Shade of Telem.

Bellow, seeing Telem down on one knee, desperately shielding himself from waves of death of darkness. He long since stopped blocking the waves of force and is now just parrying them with what remains of his Light. Seeing the desperation of their fight, and seeing Karandar returning from trying the Vordblade on the gate to the fortress, he desperately calls out to Karandar “Your signet! Call the Darkness for aid!” before taking yet another blow from Azzanan.

Karandar got a message out, concentrating as hard as he could. From the other end his untrined mind managed to send “Sorrow… Here…” which was more than enough for the Darkness to act. As the message was accepted by Morrowdown, the signet ring flashed dark for a second, before returning to it’s normal red. Almost immediately, anyone in Morrowdorn’s circle of trusted friends of can feel a pulling sensation in their minds from him, intensely so. Intrinsically it feels like he is calling in every favor he has, all at once. Karandar was one of these.

Sorrow pauses for a moment, before worriedly declaring “No!” before the cavalry arrives. Every big Named NPC Magic User / Ally makes a showing, each arriving in a teleport stream of their element,

Characters that arrive in a semi circle behind the party.

• Morrowdorn of the Dark, first to arrive in a torment of swirling darkness that releases to show him in full battle dress, helmet on, a sword that seems to suck the light from everything around him clutched in his left hand, his right hand free.
• Xenth arrives in a pillar of water that smashed down from above, the liquid dissipating (not boiling) as it splashes against the ground. As the pillar disappears it reveals Xenth within, standing ready.
• A human warlock is next to arrive, from a tear in reality form a rift. Behind him in rift can be seen in the city of Nestor, on the western banks. A Sword of Ice at his side, hissing angrily at the heat around it, with a large leather bound book chained onto his waist, as though to prevent it from escaping him.
• Danath arrives in a bar of light similar to Telem’s, though much weaker, 4 smaller beams drop in behind him, all priests of Telemvor who are looking at Telem in shock.
• A rift tears open in the sky above, and a Bronze dragon emerges from within, roaring in challenge. The Guardian of the Isle roars back, shocking everyone and causing them to look towards it, in a tiny bit of fear.
• A massive lighting strike hits the ground, leaving any who looked blind for a few seconds, as there vision clears, Striker stands where it hit, sword and staff drawn, chest heaving, blood on his armour and weapons, looking as though he has arrived from another battle.
• Graffhand appears, rising up through the earth flanked by 4 Gold Helms of the Legion, each with dual swords that glow blue in the ashy clouds around them (The Home Guard). The ground melds and morphs out of the way as they was rise up, on a flat floor (think fallout 4 vaults entrance), to finally stand on the earth itself.
• A Forest Warden (unnamed) arrives in a cluster of vines that seems to bloom from nowhere, and then retreat, leaving the warden standing there. The retreating vines dig into the ground and start building a form that is putting itself together from the rocks behind the warden, slowly forming up into a grove guardian.
• Seviok, in a Pillar of Flame
• A Female Dragon-born arrives, Wielding [[Items#Mac_Futinaire|Mac Futinaire]], sailing down on a cloud of Air as she arrives.
• Tolarian in a pillar of Ice that creaks and cracks as it forms, before shattering outwards, the ice chunks vanishing harmlessly before harming anyone
• Several more mages that the party has never seen before, (including one that is clearly the Arch Wizard of Cantos, resplendent in his Purple robes adorned with gems and spell focuses) appearing in a mix of fire water and air, 2 druids, one veering into a Giant Black cave bear and roaring.
• The High Priestess of Ioasha appears out of nowhere, her eyes widening in fear as she lays eyes on Sorrow. She exclaims “How did I get here?!”
• Priests and significant members from other orders

As the group arrives Sorrow is mightily displeased, and can be felt gathering energy as they approach. A LOT of energy. Everyone on the other side is doing the same, but there’s combined is barely enough to match him alone.

====Morrowdorn:====

Finally, it comes to this. Sorrow, I am sent here for you, and you alone. The Balance requires you to relinquish your chair, do so, and your allies need not die on this day.

MD (via Message to party): “You do not want to be here for what comes next, I will have Tolarian get you through the gates. ” – Bello edges to the left, around Uzziel. Seeing that no one is paying him any attention now that bigger fish have arrived, he beckons the party to join him.

====Sorrow====

(Flees) “Now is not the time”, he seems to spin, his robes falling to the floor empty, as though he had never been inside them anyway. Azzanan drops into shadow, appearing briefly again behind Uzziel before grabbing his shoulder, for both of them to disappear laughing. Morrowdorn cursing before setting off in pursuit with everyone in tow.

====The Fortress====

As they approach the gate (200-250m), Tolarian pops in next to them, running along side. Gives Karandar a huge grin, before giving him shit about always getting in between ascendants and causing trouble. Tells them he’s going try to do this the easy way, and disappears again (pop!), appear at the gate ahead of them, both hands reaching out to it. In response to him, the wards on the gate start to glow, and flex, getting brighter and brighter before they finally shattering with sound of a thousand windows breaking. The Gate jumps once, slamming back into the ground, with one of the two sides slowly falling in, into the courtyard beyond. Tolarian falls to his knees exhausted, as they players pass him on the run(?), he is chanting something, nods to Karandar with a smile, and a spear of ice slams down onto him, and rears back into the sky, taking the exhausted mage with him.

The large courtyard opens into a square, about 50m x 50m, well constructed of blocks made out of the same material as the walls. In front of them stands a Sphinx, made of stone and fire, who watches them gleefully.

“Welcome Travellers, to my lair, answer my questions, if you so dare”

“The world is in a strange state, The Grave has swallowed the Dawn, muting its fire. The Sun, chained in place, watches these events angrily ploting its eventual revenge, The Grave now hides from the Night, who was now unleased by the chaining of Dawn.”

“Who is the Grave?” (Sorrow), lets them try twice. Bello helps on second guess. “

“Good, you seem to know more about the world than you look. What knows all languages that have been spoken?” (An echo)

“Last question, and with this you may pass, little morals: What is locked away behind me?” (Terranc’s Power, or Grace)

“Thank you mortals, please, go forth and release my lord.”
The Sphinx shirks back, letting you pass.

In the next room is simply just a giant barred cage, covered in runes. Within floats a cloud like shape, bouncing from side to side of the cage, looking for a way out. The shape is a mix of shadows and flames, dancing around each other, and occasionally revealing a golden ball at the center.

Bello: I cannot dispel this, it is beyond me, can you?

Oromis remmbers his Scroll of Dispell Lvl 9 and casts it.

As the dispel goes off the cage vanishes, and the ball expands a bit, seems to test that the cage is actually gone, before sounding a single gold tone that echos across the entire warren, before fading away.

Bello: “I think our mission here is complete” as Telem approaches through the gate to thank them for saving Terranc. He explains it may still take some time for the effects to work, but the Warren should now return to its natural state, and hopefully Terranc will return to the plane of fire soon to reclaim his seat in the pantheon. Telem grants Oromis use of the shield, channeling the now released Grace of Dawn to change the shield to instead be the Shield of Dawn’s Light.

Bello then portals them home, Karandar getting whisked away mid stream by Kellok, to arrive in his tent once more, mere moments having passed on their plane.

Kharak Sanbell, Home of the Goblins

The party reassembled after a day’s rest, during which Timble “Lizard Slayer” had gone out on a reconnoitre task for Blacktooth, coming back with tales of the Nogrod, a cloaked assassin, crazy Gnomes and talking felines.

Karandar witnessed Sal dragged away screaming into a portal, but was unable to help her at the time. Having no clues to where she had been dragged or why, he chose to continue his journey into the mountain instead of aimlessly searching for his companion. A Halfling ranger named Kivan had joined the party, having travelled to the area in an effort to escape a debt owed to the Nestorian Thieves Guild. The Halfling seemed to kneel a lot, but seemed a capable ally.

Timble spent some time shopping in the goblin town, before Blacktooh asked to do another reading for the party, concerned by what he saw from Timble’s reading. As the goblin king arrived, he was joined with his two Bugbear bodyguards and his apprentice shaman Kurz. Karandar draws blood with the shattered remains of the Vord blade, before drawing the cards as Blacktooth channelled his energy.

The Reading

Cards Drawn

Guidance: Sorrow
A Failed Roll

Risk: Calm
When first drawn, this card looks torn and tattered, with shreds hanging loosely. Upon a second glance though, it’s as normal as ever.

Deceiver: Slerikek
A Failed Roll

Adversary: The Giggling Terror
This drawing causes Blacktooth to start looking nervous.

Patron: Calm & Change
Stuck together, back to back
A Failed Roll

Focus: Guardian
This card shows a knife, on a grey background.

As the last card settles, a savage gust of wind blows through the Kharak, whipping the cards around and throwing all bar one around the room. The only card left on the table is Calm, returned to the tattered state it was in when first glanced. One last card flew off the deck on its own, landing on Calm perpendicularly.

Blacktooth, snarls commands at his Bugbear guards, who run off immediately in differing directions, before he turned back to the party, strokes his chin fuzz (goblin beards, amirite?) and thinks for a moment before responding:

You, all of you, stand near the centre of a great Web of deceit and potential destruction all of which is seemingly focused in northern Vestar. You have inconclusive alliances, yet the sides still have not yet been decided, even that is unclear.

You appear to have made allies and enemies far beyond your own abilities and you run the risk of being absorbed into their retinue or simply even just wiped off the game board. Your patrons are completely misaligned, at odds and ends with each other, their alliance one of pure coincidence. I know nothing that can aid you yet, your adversary is a newer card, and much of its intentions are still unclear. We shall try this again as you leave the mountain, and see if things are clearer.

Something… significant is coming between the darkness and the shadow and you seem to be central to the change that will take place. Be wary, both shadow and darkness are known for trick those they need to get them on side.

I will send Kurz with you, she is a capable healer and will assist you on the way to the dwarves. She will also show you the way out to the Gate of Skyshaft, but past that she will not be able to guide you.

Blacktooth leaves the party to get to know one another, having many things to now think about.

Delver’s Pass

A short trip, escorted by a handful of goblins leads them to the rear entrance of Kharak Sanbell. Outside a storm blew, but the goblins were quick to point out that there was nearly always snow falling on Sanbell’s northern slope, and waiting it out might take days. Start on their way down the snowy path, having a few stumbles at first, then a near miss with a stone giant, and Timbles brief encounter with the Kot Bayun, they arrive at the entrance to Delver’s Pass. A nondescript opening into the side of the hill Kurz filled the rest of the team what was ahead.
Moving into the pass, they immediately found it to be a wet, humid, and exhaustive mess inside, with a small stream flowing down the stairs they were climbing. Kurz and Karandar worked to snap some glowing quartz off a pillar for light, and the party set off in full.

‘Ware the Dead!

They soon come across a door slightly ajar in the side of the cave with the words “’Ware the Dead” scratched in the stone above it. Kurz, using detect magic, notices two slightly magical beings within, along with some small item. Timble, scouting it out, found a Spectre within that was quickly dispatched by the group, who were then hit from behind by the other magical figure, a Poltergeist. Slamming them forward into the tomb with a wave of force dealing 35 damage, he cackles and slams the door shut on them with a sly wave.

The party erupt from the tomb, expecting a fight, instead finding nothing in the passage at all. Searching the tomb, they found a worn ring of spell storing, only capable of a single lvl1 spell. Timble & Karandar, both having failed the check, gained a stack of exhaustion from the encounter, due the humidity in the passage.

Silencio!

Moving onwards and upwards, they find the tunnel opens up into a small clearing, and within can be heard something similar to blades being slapped together, along with a strange noise, almost like a hollow echoing pulse.

Timble, remembering the noise from a previous adventure long past, snuck into the clearing and ambushed the first Hook Horror he saw. Dramatically leaping with two knives out, just as Kurz dropped silence on the Hook, he landed on it’s back and driving the blades home multiple times, badly wounding the beast. Karandar then stepped up and started hacking the thing to pieces, with some further assistance from the rest of the party, before a second Hook Horror appeared, quickly demoralized by the Baron and the Ranger, leading it to flee.

Timble put some work into trying to keep a separated Hook hand, before finally acknowledging the futility of his efforts and the lack of support from his friends (aww). However, he had already accrued his 2nd stack of exhaustion. The poor little drenched mouse was starting to breathe raggedly and with an occasional wheeze.

Of Mice and Monsters

The next encounter on the path was none other than a sleeping Rock Troll, snoring louder than a small earthquake. Karandar chose to toss Timble across the gap first, leaving the mouse folk time to pick the trolls pockets before Kivan arrived as well. Timble, finding a dead Cave Mouse, decided to bring the corpse along and give it a proper burial. They made their way past the cave troll before hearing a new rumbling sound, accompanied by a sharp increase in water flowing into the cavern. During their discussion about what to do, a wall of water appeared, forcing them back towards a ledge back behind the sleeping troll. The party set off at all possible speed, arriving at the ledge just in time but finding the troll already occupying the space within.

Karandar tossed Timble up first, who seized the opportunity to drive some blades into the Troll and leap off kick it forwards, just as Kivan looped his self-knotting rope around the trolls neck and pulled with Karandar, bringing the beast fast down onto the floor. Using the troll as a stepping stone, they jumped onto the ledge just as the water swept past, taking the poor troll with it. Timble suffered most from the exertion and gained a 3rd exhaustion stack.

Aldritch Banhammer

Hours and hours later, the stairs finally gave way to a large open area, leading to a large abandoned dwarven forge suspended above a pit of magma. Exploring the area, they found a large number of runes emblazoned magically on the wall, before Timble made contact with Aldridge Banhammer, A runesmith who was left behind in the initial invasion who had been surviving on summoned food and what he could take from the orcs he killed and dropped in his lava pit afterwards.

Striking a bargain with the players, he used the Spectre dust to enhance both Karandar’s Greatsword (+1d6 Dmg, 3 Charges, Each charge allowing Karandar to do 1d10 Poison damage on an attack of his choice, regaining one charge per short rest or all for a long rest. If the target fails a DC 16 Con Save they take 1d6 Poison damage for 1d6 turns. (‘’’DM Note:’’’ You were right, I regretted it.) ) and Timbles Hand Crossbow (+2 Magical Weapon). Promising to tell the dwarves he was there, they headed off, finally arriving outside again in to the sun.
As they exit the tunnel, they are on an open clearing that looks out over the entire valley. Below them is short path that leads down the mountain for maybe 5 minutes’ walk, before it strikes out across the empty void as a tiny stone bridge. It spans the entire distance to Misty Peak, across the way, and is 10ft in diameter at it’s widest points. Misty peak is shrouded in…. mist. The top of the mountain disappearing into the cloud, along with the final parts of the span below.

Back outside

Deciding to setup for camp first, Kivan taking the first watch, he noticed a boulder flying at them just in time, getting all of them out of the way just in time. Using his ranger skills to help them stealth, they set off down the hill, hoping to get out of the target zone of the Stone Giants, successfully dodging all of the rocks, before arriving at a campsite on the face of Misty Peak, having crossed some crazy dwarven sky bridge to get there. As they arrive at Misty Peak, the Giants die down and go back to what they were doing, over the sport of the hour.

After resting for a long enough to regain all health and stats, the party sets off for the Skyway, the last obstacle between them and the mountain of Skyshaft herself. As they first set out, a monstrously large Black Dracolich flies overhead, snapping at creatures on it’s back, bellowing in pain, while the whole party suffered from dracofear.

Musing at the sight, they set off again before coming to a gap in the path, about 10ft long. Timble set off at a run to jump over, failing miserably, but showing that it was instead an illusion to show the path missing, and landed squarely on what looked like just air. Treading carefully they joined him, and set off, finding another illusion an hour or so later.

As they finally came within sight of the mountain, a black cloud seemed to come off the side of the mountain, swarming the players and mobbing them, forcing them to run for the end of the way or be overwhelmed. Charging forwards, they come to another gap in the path. Timble, expecting nothing more than another illusion jumps for it, passing through where the illusion was and sailing down to his death.

Quick thinking on his part led to him hooking his grapple into the broken path as he fell, arresting his fall. Karandar, seeing this from behind, tossed Kivan across the gap and grabbed Kurz and leapt over it himself, all while on the run. Dragging the mouse up from his dangling leash, the party continued to run for the gates, passing through them and losing the ravens behind them.

Skyshaft

Kharak Carosh lay within, a defensive keep that lay in complete ruin. The city inside the gate has been gutted and looted by successive invaders, with nothing left now but potential shelter to those who might wish to rest. The Kharak is un-gated, relying on the main gate for defence, and is built into the left wall of the chamber that the gate opens in to, with tunnels going back into the mountain for days. As the players pass through, the cross into area that would have once been only accessible to pure blooded dwarves, causing Karandar to wondering to himself if he was breaking some ancient treaty, before shrugging and continuing on anyway.

An amazing carving ran along the wall, showing the history of the storm dwarves from the dawn of time. Reading as they went, they had an odd premonition of being watch. Thinking it just a scrying, Kurz used detect magic, scaring herself when she saw twenty some greenskins standing not 20 feet away from them, invisible. One, are large ogre with a twisted metal arm, snarled and strode forward, accepting a challenge of single combat with Karandar crying “To Death!”.

An unexpected duel

The duel erupted in savage violence, neither rager holding back, nor thinking of their own defense, just trying to cut down the other. While that was taking place, Kivan and Timble, expecting the orcs to backstab them, hatched a plot to sneak around and hit the orcs the minute they did something bad. As the half-ogre started to lose his health, Karandar could see his wound’s clearing, implying the shamans to be cheating, but chose not to tell anyone.

As the baron gained the upper hand, the Ogre had had enough and ordered his men forward, triggering a response from the hidden party members. A savage fight broke out in the cave, orc and human/goblin/mouse/Halfling straining to win when survival was on the line.

A 4-man pincer

Thanks to some trick shots and nice AoE, the battle started to turn in their favour, first as the archers started to go down and then when Timble took down both shamans. One of the Shaman managed to get a summoning spell off, bringing in an Earth elemental that seemed familiar to Karandar. The Shaman died before the elemental could be put to use, and now it was freed from the shamans influence, quickly starting to squish archers, turning the tide completely in the favour of the adventurers.

Karandar, getting the crit he wanted, smashed the orcs twisted eldritch arm off it’s body, “TUHDING!” Into the floor below, and the Orcs started to flee. Knowing the shamans and their resurrection abilities were key, Timble worked on stopping the orcs take the corpses with them, Kivan quickly realising what was going on and used the card of winds to assist. The Elemental turned at the noise of the oncoming Ogre and smashed it with an arm as it fled past, throwing it against a wall 40ft away to slump down dead before saying goodbye and de-summoning.

The party was left standing among a pile of corpses, surrounded by even older bones, wandering what kind of mess they’ve gotten their selves into.

While the Baron prepared for the next part of their journey, Timble decided to accept Blacktooth’s offer to scout out the partially collapsed tunnels under the goblin settlements. Having first a reading of the deck that showed vampires, death, darkness and shadow watching his path. Heading down, he found himself in the middle of some sort of war of attrition between two tribes of Kobolds and Troglodytes. Watching the conflict, Timble chose to join the Kobolds side in the conflict (after narrowingly avoiding death from a series of traps laid by the Kobold Trapper).

Timble eradicated most of the tribe with his hand crossbow of death, before running into a cloaked figure who informed the Mousefolk that his adventure was a test, and it was time for his final one: The Nogrod! Timble hit the figure first, thinking to end the combat early, with it blending away, and the Nogrod moving on him.

Running back the way he came, Timble fled from the Nogrod and its great blade, warning his chatty pursuer as he did so. As he crossed the cavern he saw a group of three gnomes barrel past on a steam cruiser, fighting off a great tentacled beast that had wrapped itself around them.

Scrambling up the wall and slipping away, lantern half size clanking behind him, he took a blow nearly cleaving im twain. The mouse just slipped away in time as the great axe wielding monstrosity smashed against the rubble blocking the passage. As he gathered himself again in safety, he found a strange eyepatch in his possession.

[[Items#The Eye Patch]]

Baron Karandar Ellenvord,

We trust this finds you well in your journey abroad of the Holdings, however duty calls, and an attention must be brought to your attention to find measure of your vote. Within you will find the standard information packet mailed to all lords in the field or unable to attend today’s council meeting, within is contained all of the information provided to fellow sitting members before it is brought to debate upon the floor.

Azulan Fort Line

[[File:Nestorian_Fortline.PNG ]]

A number of members of the Lord Council have raised issues of the vulnerability of our primary freight and trade channels, and wish to bring it to further debate among the council.

Nestorian trade has long been delivered to other nations by mainly land routes, in part due to tradition, national alliances, and the danger of the lands to the west. As the western lands have been pacified and continue to the be settled, along with the continued development of the Delagore docks, large scale ocean trade has become a reality for the city of Nestor.

The Lord Council is concerned that if river trade along the Azule continues to accelerate in popularity, the city may find itself with a vulnerable and exposed trade artery passing through hostile territory. The Lord Council are proposing the construction of twenty two (22) river, sea and lake forts between Port Pardue and Delagore.

The forts would be manned by the Nestorian Guard, or barring that the mariners of the 3rd Legion. The fort would be designed to be resupplied by river craft via a dock, the river craft to be manned by the same organisation who operates the forts (The Lord Council would advise a “River Guard” to be trained as river trade expands anyway, to protect our interests).

The fortline is expected to cost approximately 36,000gp in total, over a period of 5 years (7,200 / year). These costs would be partially (10%) subsidised by an agreement between the Lord Council and Baron Delagore to use their personal wealth. The remainder would be financed by a reshuffling of budgetary finances, along with a 5,000gp loan from the Stone Bank. The Lord Council agrees that these costs seem excessive for a fix to a potential future problem, however they have been discussing the issue for almost a year without reaching a consensus, and such wish the Barons and counts to weigh in.

While there is a current conflict that has forced trade to divert and use the Azula river, this will only continue for the current campaign season at most, and is not the basis of this dicussion. The forts discussed within will take up to 3 years to complete fully, and will have zero impact upon the outcome of the conflict.
<br><br><br>

Argument For

Nestor lives and breathes on the back of it’s trade. If the trade stops, so does the city, and then so do the holdings. None of us are immune to this. We cannot find ourselves in a situation where the pirates of the lattice or simpleton orc marauders can bring our mighty city and the glorious holdings to their knees with simple raiding! We cannot allow this to happen, we need to make Nestor great again!

These forts would allow for river patrols, safe bulk shipping, and increased wealth for every resident of the holdings! With the new fleet setting sail to protect our ocean tread, the horizon is the literal limit for how far we can now ship Nestorian goods!

Voting For

• Duke Silvaro, Duke of Nestor<br>
• Duke Pirtarvan, Duke of the Eastern Marches<br>
• Duke Vocten, Duke of the West<br>
• Morrowdorn, Lord Mage of Nestor <br>
• Graffhand, Lord Cleric of Nestor<br>
• Tankov Silverfist, Lord Admiral of the Nestorian Fleet

Argument Against

Nestor already stands at a crossroads for her future, accused of warmongering and deception on a national scale. Building a series of military forts is only going to antagonise an already delicate situation on the global stage! Morrowdorn and his cronies won’t stop starting wars with everyone, and now we want to build bigger walls? Really? Are you that un-selfware?!

The costs are prohibitive as well, 36,000gp would be better spent on schools, development and settlement opportunities, instead we’re supposed to waste it building a series of towers along a river that we ”might” colonize, at ”some” point? Okay, sure thing Duke Silvaro!

The river traders can hire guards if it’s so dangerous! Why should we, as lords and citizens of Nestor, be paying for the traders convenience? Let them cover their own costs! If the river was truly ””’that””’ dangerous, the Lord Council should sue for peace and send the Legions to clear out the area, but I doubt you’ll see that happen!

Voting Against

• Duke Crayz Hodun, Duke of Hodun Marches
• Duchess Tirian, Duchess of the Plains
• Coril Sevenswords, Marshall of Nestor
• Tefflum Solidstack, Publicly Voted Representative

Karandar left Santhur a week after Nagarazz’s fall, heading south-east to Kervic, a town who has contacted the legion for assistance.

===== Chapter #1 – Session #1 =====

Arriving, he found the town’s keep to have been morphed into some weird, living mass of vines that had integrated itself into the keeps walls. Dealing with the Druid in charge, Karandar noticed some references to ‘his master to the north’ implying some form of Over Druid in Kithloth’s Revenge, before dealing with the druid (swordily) and having Sal cleanse the building with another fireball (having snuck into the keep invisibly before unloading a fireball in the druids rear as the combat started.

The Town Council’s remaining three members have petitioned to join the Holdings with Karandar’s backing, and have a small detachment of the Nestorian Guard in residence during the war with Relast.

3 weeks to the south and west, they enter the quarry at Ioa, just as the wizard Tolarian drops in, taking the party to a small wood just south-west of Tabalian. Moving in, Karandar’s Company of 350 (Ist Legion) ambushed forces of the River Guard twice, before hitting back and moving in to hold the west back of the river against ~3800 River Guard.

They fought til the night fell, Karandar taking personal command multiple times to hold the line as the Magus of the River tried all kinds of tricks to break their defense. A timely summoning of a Giant Octopi into the river was a sight to be seen, and the beast still plagues the town to this day. In the end, night fell and the Guard fell back.

The next morning they found the level of the river had dropped. Investigating, Sal found the Magus manipulating the river upstream. Hitting him with no warning, she killed the 3rd Magus of the River, Defender of the Flows, Bearer of Shalin, and took control of the river, sending the massive amount of water east instead of west with a wall of earth. The water smashed the town of Tabalian, breaking buildings and wiping out the garrisoned guard forces, who promptly quit the field and headed south with all haste.

=====Chapter #1 – Session #2 =====

Midway Post was the next stop on their journey, finding a new companion in the (terrible and ineffective) card thief, Timble Softpaw. Many hijinks ensued in the Inn, including a devilish Aledrake, A Bearfolk who just wanted to be left in peace, and an Alcoholic* Storm Dwarf Runelord who had a map to give to his new drinking buddies. Guards recognized Karandar, but the situation was dealt with, with a suave set of words and some terrible (am I noticing a trend on this rogue ?) dagger-play from Timble.

Tangor’s Outpost was another week south, a town populated with some seriously strange people, who the group quickly figured out to be tired beyond all means. Keeping watch from some crazy earth bunker Sal made, the players quickly noticed that as soon as the whole town’s populace went to sleep, they came out to work at the strange Sawmill Timble had been scouting out earlier. As they watched, some wagons crewed by Orcs rolled up to the loading docks and the sleeping townsfolk started loading lumber.

Moving in, the Heroes wiped out the orcs almost immediately, before heading into the Administration building and setting off the Horror of Hadar trap. Sal gale-forced herself out of the area, while Karandar fought through and engaged the (quasi)Warlock in the circle of power below, who was mid-conversation with the Blood God of the Wastes. The Blood God abandoned his follower to die, and Karandar chose his fate swiftly.

He was visited by Kellok a few times, before being sent to Terranc’s Warren to assist Oromis in freeing the grace of Terranc.

===Dreaming of Kellok ===

Kellok appears to Karandar in his dreams. The juggernaut appears a giant human shaped flamed being, formed into a set of shining plate armor with a large symbol embossed on the front in Red. Arcana DC 12 = the symbol of the Enviromental Elements, sixteen balls, 4 each of fire wind earth and water circling one large grey orb. The smybol is located on his breast, on the right side.

He honours Karandar for his service, commending him on his efforts to push all inferior beings into following his way. Intimidation is greatest strength of the Inferno, and should be used to his advantage at all times.

He is here to gauge Karandar’s mettle, and likes what he sees, foreseeing a lot of potential greatness in the man. He can also feel a linkage from him to the Blood God of the Wastes that will need to be investigated further. He warns that the Helm and Arms are independent, yet will work together to try and reclaim the breastplate, and the Barbaran should be wary.

He tells Karandar that on the eve of the morrow’s morrow, he will be needing his services, as he can feel powers gathering for the spring solstice.

He fades, whispering the primary prayer of the church “Fire Conquers” and so fades the dream.

With his gods aura sticking around him like a cloyingly sweet smell, Karandar has an advantage to Intimidation checks until the next session.

===Afterwards ===

A few small events happened on the trail, including meeting some Dwimmer merchants who were very interested in Dvoik’s tale. The dwimmer grow a little quite, trading glances before one gently asks “Have you seen our brother? Do you know where he is?”, the answer only seems to sadden them, sharing several glances of unknown meaning before they cheer back up and start baking some travel bread in the coals (or a soup of its early).

They part ways pleasantly, giving Karanndar them a 2d8+8 Healing Potion for their travels, and naming them both Dwimmer Friend, Karandar for his service to Dvoik, Sal just because she is a warden and they are linked to Dwarves in a special way, and because bother of them quest for Skyshaft. They are told to contact the Dwim if they are ever in need, and they will come.

later, NIS agents drop in with a supply drop / gossip session from Nestorian IInd Legion and Faen (Warlock of Ice). The Party ended their immediate time on the road, with a rest in Caer Cloznia to recover and re-supply.

• Long life Food and Water for 3 for 3 weeks (most of the bulk)
• Whetstones and oil and basic supplies like rope and such.
• 3x healing potions, 4d8 + 6
• 3x Scroll of Cure Wounds @ Level 4, signed by Graffhand
• A Wand of Godly Benefits, 5 charges, also signed by Graffhand – 1CHg = Bless – 2Chgs = Find Traps, Detect Magic – 3Chgs Cure Wounds Lvl 2. Regains 1 charge per day, unless underground in which it regains 3. On 0 Charges, 80% chance destroyed
• 50gp.

===== Chapter #1 – Session #3 =====

A week later tour Heroes set out bravely set out for the beleaguered dwarves of Skyshaft. In the forest they faced many challenges, including a herd of Black Wyrmlings, and a pair of trolls. Not all was bad, with a visit to a High-Elven outpost resulting a parallel quest to steal a ring from the Orc Warboss.

They arrived at the mountains and made way for Karak Sanbell, the first stop on the way to Skyshaft. As they entered, Timble scouted out some goblins, and had 2 rounds of spectacular style combat (5 confirmed kills) before they surrendered. The goblins led the players back to their master, Blacktooth (who is the only person to give the Orc Warboss a permanent wound so far), who negotiated with Karandar to work on a deal with the Dwarves to let the goblins keep the mountain they’re in, in exchange for attacking the Orcs from above.

====== Ambush at Tabalian (1156 NR) ======

==== Nestorian 1st Legion====
* 334 Legionaires
* 191 Crossbow/Medium Infantry
* 76 Heavy Infantry
* 23 Scouts
* 34 Cavalry
* 10 Redhelms
* a Large River Cave Octopus (summoned)

====2nd Riverguard Army====

• 5000 Riverguard
  • 4,500 medium Infantry
  • 300 Cavalry
  • 200 Heavy Infantry

====Nestorian Casualties====

• 203 Legionaires
• 118 Crossbow/Medium Infantry
• 41 Heavy Infantry
• 12 Scouts
• 26 Cavalry
• 6 Redhelms
  ====Riverguard Casualties====
• 3,421 Riverguard
• 23 captured
• 1,181 killed in combat
• 2,217 drowned either crossing the river, or killed later in the flooding of Tabalian

A high pitched battle fought between elements of the Nestorian First Legion under the command of Baron Karandar Ellenvord and the 2nd Riverguard Army under General Stefano Elgario. The engagement was fought over three consecutive days, ending shortly after sunrise on the third morning after an explosive up-river conflict between the Forest Warden, Sal Wildvine, and the 3rd Water Walker, Toscarion, resulting in the flooding of the town Tabalian.

The conflict was fought primarily in or around the pair of barges that provided the crossing of the Alvarin River, with the Nestorian forces repeated throwing back the crossing attempts of the Riverguard.

==== Initial arrival and ambush ====

Karandar and his Centuries of the 1st had recently arrived at [[Santhur#Ioa|Ioa]], having marched south from their recent part in vassalizing the town of [[Santhur#Kervic|Kervic]] into the [[Nestor|Nestorian Holdings]]. They were met outside the town by Striker, magus of Air, who used his epic magicks to portal the half-Blade to the northern side of the Alvarin river, just north-west of Tabalian.

Scouting the position, the Nestorians found the forward elements of the 2nd Riverguard Army arriving in Tabalian, and pulled back across the other side of the river and preparing an ambush from concealment in the treeline north and south of the (east-west) road, just over a rise about 1700m back from the rivers edge. The scouts of the Riverguard were dispatched in an expert manner, giving no signal as to the upcoming assault, and so the first 500 man company of the army was decimated by several crossfired barrages of from the legion regulars.

The second company to cross the river were engaged as they found their fellow’s corpses, with the legion heavies holding the line behind Baron Karandar, as the regulars circled behind the Riverguard force and opened fire with their crossbows.

Hearing sounds of the conflict, General Elgario ordered forces to halt at the rivers edge until the situation can be assessed. Few survivors made it back to the Riverguard lines, with the legion having killed nearly 1000 men in two very short spans of time.

==== River Defense ====

The Legion setup a defense of the northern side of the river, and spent the next two days deflecting both rudimentary and magical river crossings by the guard, with the Red Helms and the baron leading the defense personally to keep up morale. The riverguards spellcaster squad led several assaults across the river with dimension doors and teleportation, that were barely defeated by the quick-footed Nestorians.

==== Flooding of Tabalian ====

On the third morning of the conflict, the Nestorian forces noted that the rivers flow had significantly decreased. Sal Wildvine investigated upstream with the Red Helms, find the Water Walker Toscario siphoning off a large part of the river in a magical resvior, ready to flood onto the Nestorian force. Striking before the mage could detect her presence, she and the Red helms struck!, defeating and killing the mage and releasing the torrent of water.

Racing ahead of the flood, Sal summoned her Earth magic and built a floodwall, directing the water away from the Nestorians, not realising she had instead sent it towards the town. Watching helplessly, the Nestorians both up and down-stream watched the remainder of the 2nd Army and several parts of the town washed downstream.

==== Aftermath ====

Several hours after resuce efforts had begun, a small exchange across the river between General Elgario and Baron Ellenvord marked the official cessation of conflict, and yielded the day to the Nestorians. After rescue efforts had completed, both Nestorian and Riverguard forces retreated from the area back to their respecting main forces, the defeat having discouraged the Riverguard from attacking again for several more months, and effectively keeping them out of the greater conflict completely.

The town of Tabalian saw some rough months after the conflict, somewhat offset by the assistance provided by people and church of the nearby town of Vineheart. A Nestorian volunteer force arrived almost 3 months after the conflict to assist in rebuilding the town. The volunteer force had been organized by, and working with supplies provided by Count Actin Tardin, who is said to have do in the name of the his friend Baron Karandar.

The First legion, which had been besieged within Dansa by the “Mad Horde” of Nagrazzar for the past 2 years, finally broke the siege and linked up with the second legion. There they regrouped, and fast marched south to encamp north of the city of Santhur, the capital of the mad wizard.

Lacking the numbers to envelop and siege the city, the legions made a lightning strike for the Palace.

//Karandar//

Led the assualt upon the FistFury gate with a majority of the 1st and the entire 2nd legion, primarily a distraction, but also deisgned to allow his forces to reinforce the other parties once the gate had been taken from behind.

//[[NPC – San Dolio | San Dolio]]// Led the attack against the river gate, a small gate that lacked the large defenses of the other. Utilizing the Wind Magus, Thov, Dolio dropped a centtury behind the gate and quickly took it, and moved to flank Karandar’s gate with his other 3 centuries.

//[[NPC – Striker | Striker]]// Was supposed to sailing a small riverboat fleet around the city, and take it via the docks, however that never really worked out. Nagrazzar lauched a pre-emtpive strike upon the lighting magus, and somehow in the ensuring fight, the boat (a small ship really) that Striker was upon was launched forward and terminal velocity and was embedded into the city wall. From there the Magus and his guard of Battlemages and Red Helms forced their way into the city.

The City

Karandar and Dolio cleaned up the Fistfury gate and moved on the palace without significant resistance, linking up with Striker and going straight for the Mad Wizard. Entering the Palace, they found it to be a trap, and as Red Helms died around them, the three, along with a Barbarian Ruginar, managed to drop the wizard with a wooden spear (breaking his Metal-proof magical shield amulet), but not damaging him significantly.

Unknown to the other two, Morrowdorn was waiting for word to make his move, and when Striker made him aware of the changes, the High Mage of Darkness arrived, and engaged the Mad Wizard directly, ending the war in the massive conflagration about the city, that ended in the destruction of nearly half of the “Wealthy District” of the city.

The Mad Hordes, no longer under the Mad Wizards control, seemed to awake, dazed and confused. With no memories of how they got here and why, and seeing blood-lusting Nestorian Legionaries in and around them, most surrendered without much trouble, bring the 8 year ‘Liberation’ to an end.

======Voting Items======

• Expansion of the Legion(s)
• Port Parda Fish Farm expansion
• Reduction of Nestor Guard presense in Clouda

=====Expansion of the Legion(s)=====

Barons [[Graffhand]] and [[Morrowdorn]] have proposed to the Court that for the nessecary defense of the city and protectorates of Nestor, a second Legion of 5000 men and women should be raised.

The Lord Council has already garunteed the funds to raise the legion and their equipment via the coffers of the Lord Council and a contract of bulk manufacture from the [[Dwarves | Dwimmerfolk]].

====Points of Consideration====

===For ===

• The First Legion is fully commited in Santhur, and the use of a second legion would signifcantly increase the effectivness of our forces in the area.
• Reduced use of the guard as a militant force when required
• Securing the border with thh [[Forest of Uni]] against increasinly frequent Hobgoblin raids.

===Against===

• Cost. The first legion costs 7,000gp per month to the city, and it would be expected that the second follows suit. While those funds are currently availible, they could be used elsewhere for more contructive purposes.
• Diplomatic relations with [[Relast]] are already strained, in part due to the raising of the first legion and the push south into Santhur. Raising of another legion may lend further strain upon the situation.

====Port Parda Fish Farm Expansion=====

With the outstanding success of the then experimental Fish Farms at Port Parda, a request is made for 10,000gp of city funds to expand the farms by a further 30%. Expected revenure from the expansion is estimated to be in excess of (7-800gb) a month, combined with the stability of a more diverse consistant food supply for the region.

=====Reduction of Nestor Guard presense in Clouda=====

The Nestorian Guard has requested the reduction of the guard presence in the town of Clouda. Currently 250 guards are stationed there, origionally to assist during the inital conflict with Santhur, however as the legion pushes further south the requirement has decreased.

The Ambassadors of the Guard have requested the total number of the guard station in Clouda be reduced to 100, which is still a significant improvment on the origional 15 guardsmen that were stationed there before the conflict.

==== Where we’ve been ====

Dvoik and Karandar recovered from their previous adventure in the goblin cave-dwelling, while swapped a couple of stories and starting to get to know one another. Karandar learnt of the basic origins of the Dragon Rod that Dvoik currently carries, and that it was found in the treasure of [[Jerendrak]], a young white dragon that was slain by Dvoik and a full village of Hill Dwarves (that had been suffering through Jerendrak’s presence until Dvoik’s intervention).

==== The Troll’s Bridge ====

The following morning, the two set off, continuing their journey to the Windy Wood in the West. The trip was uneventful until their arrival at the Troll Bridge, where they observed a female Necromancer (known to Dvoik) arguing with a group of Orcs guarding the bridge. The conversation rapidly turned violent, and before either of them could blink, all 6 Orcs were on the ground, corpses steaming.

The Necromancer raised the recently deceased bodies back to undeath, before appearing the teleport away.

Karandar promptly decides to charge the skeletons. Karandar nearly dies (again), with Dvoik finishing off the last of the skeletons and handing Karandar a glowing Health Potion and quaffing one himself, returning them both to full health.

As the last of the steaming bodies settles to the ground, another group of orcs emerge from the trees to the north of the bridge. While Dvoik and the Orcs posture at each other, the Mountain Troll who rules the Troll Bridge emerges, demanding 15gp ‘Blood Money’ for each slain orc. The party doesn’t have anywhere near enough gold, and a…. discussion about repayment ensued, somehow ending with a (recently near death) Human Barbarian intimidating the Mountain Troll into letting them go.

Marching on, specifically not looking back to ensure they seemed confident (and definitely not having time to loot the corpses), the party failed to notice what happened as they walked away.

==== Overturned Wagon ====

Later that afternoon, the adventurers discovered an overturned wagon on the southern side of the Cassiopean Way, peppered with a few poorly made goblin arrows. The wagon was well constructed, seemingly of a higher than average quality, and was recently filled to the brim with Alchemical supplies and potions.

The following items were found while the adventurers were exploring the area:

• A small pouch, containing 30gp and a recipe in a language you have never seen before.
• 3x Health Potions (2d4 +2)
• A Mysterious Silver Liquid in a stoppered vial with a bulbous end.
• 2x odd, potions with metallic flecks the shape of shields floating within
• A letter of stationary, for the Baron Mendore.

As they turned to leave the area, Karandar did happen to notice a couple of hand crossbow bolts stuck in the wall behind where the driver may have been seated, however apart from the goblin arrows in the other areas of the wagon, there are no other signs of a struggle.

==== Goblin ‘Revenge’ raid ====

The party, unhappy about the Necromancer’s presence in the area, decided to do a half forced march for half the night before resting, the aims of putting more space between themselves and the Necromancer (unknowingly succeeding).

Roughly 2-3 hours after getting to sleep, Karandar wakes up to the sight of Dvoik being clubbed by a Goblin while the dwarf still slumbered. Finding himself unarmed an on his back, the Barbarian grabs a hand axe that was under the pillow (DM is still sceptical on this -__-‘) and enters the fight against 6 poorly armed goblins.

As the fight progressed, poorly for all, a female human Rogue just appears in the middle of the fight, 5ft from Karandar, holding a sword hilt with a shattered blade. She joins the fight against the goblins, slaying two in the resulting combat, while watching the barbarian fall backwards, crushing the life from one of the two goblins who were clinging to his back, repeatedly stabbing with their knives.

The surviving goblin is Intimidated by the barbarian into giving up their reason for being there (Looking for the Goblin Boss from the previous session, who fled, and the item in his possession), before letting him run back to probably drown while trying to swim the river.

The new rogue, introduced as Ered of Nestor (Played by Kaitlin Lapthorne), is awkwardly introduced, giving very little backstory and motives to her being here, probably trying to avoid answering why she had Karandar’s family heirloom in her possession as she arrived.

NB: I feel it should be noted, they left Dvoik on the ground during this whole thing, no one even bothered to check if he was even alive!

==== The Merchant ====

The following morning the party sets off once more, continuing to head west, before coming across a Merchant heading for Port Pardue.

The merchant had a few small items for trade, before remembering an old set of splint mail that he had been unable to sell off in the past.

Karandar inspected some of his wares, before purchasing the following for ”25gp”

• The Splint Mail (semi-damaged) – Gives AC13 +1, will grant AC14 +1 when repaired. (Also, who just puts on a set of armor that a merchant couldn’t sell, that has magical properties?!)
• 30ft of Rope
• ?? (Books at home, have been typing this from memory, will update, was something minor like Health Pots)

He also passed on the following pieces of gossip he had heard in Delagore:

• The Princess in Cassiopea has offered a 1sp bounty to anyone who can bring her proof of having slain a Red Claw, leading to many in the area to think this is a token gesture.
• Baron Seled has left Delagore, and is said to be headed to Port Pardue to assist with the Hobgoblin threat.
• His Children, Torosk (26m) and Felanor (22f) are currently overseeing the running of Delagore.
• All of the Delagore dry docks (3 total) have been seized by the Baron Council for private works. So far the bones of the ships being built are looking suspiciously like medium-large warships/escorts.

[[Newspaper – Early 1154]] – Before he left, he gave Ered a copy of the most recent Bray, a newspaper of the Nestorian regions.

==== The Misty Morning ====

As they continue travelling west Dvoik shares a little more about his past, giving a brief description of his travels with the Necromancer (Nerdizer) and Morrowdorn deep into the UnderDark.

He gives little detail, but tells a tale of a huge breeding pit ran by a Lich formerly of the first empire, that was a cruel affair of Human and Elven women locked in cattle pens deep below the earth, pumping out children every 12 months, that would be rapidly aged, killed, raised back to undeath, and sent to fight against the Lich’s enemies for as long as their bones held together.

Following that depressing tidbit of information, it somehow manages to get worse.

As they walk through the thickening mists, some ass rolls a nat 20, and sees a dark figure looming in the mist behind them. The figure is not moving, and as Karandar keeps walking the figure disappeared into the mist.

Moments later 3 Skeletons burst from the ground around the party, immediately engaging in combat. The fight was brutal, and seemed to be over by the second round (in favour of the adventurers), however as the round ended, another 3 skeletons burst from the ground, and in two more turns, another 3 arrived, leaving the total at 6.

The 6 Skeletons surround the party, but disengage, as the Necromancer appears suddenly, 20ft in front of the party, demanding the Dragon Rod from Dvoik. He obviously refuses to hand it over (think of this thing as an atom bomb). Before Dvoik even finished his denial, the Necromancer made a ‘come hither’ gesture with her finger aimed behind the party. As they turn, they see the figure from above (now identified as the Nogrod), standing about 10ft behind them, having somehow made it that close without being seen or heard.

Having seen the Nogrod, and being acutely aware of what that thing is capable of, while surrounded by undeath, and a pissed off Necromancer, Dvoik made an offer to instead give Nerdizer the location of the [[Crown of Thanaz]], an item that the First Empire has been trying to recover for centuries. Nerdizer accepted the deal almost immediately, receiving the information and dispelling the skeletons before disappearing again.

==== Conclusion ====

Hours later, as the party is headed west after their encounter with Nerdizer, they stop for a moment a to take in the sunset before them. As they start to move again, Dvoik happens to look back the way they come from, seeing a dark silhouette stopped on the distant horizon, resembling the form of the Nogrod.

Dvoik shivered, before starting to contemplate whether a guarantee of ‘Safe Passage’ from Nerdizer also included the Nogrod…

== Stat Blocks ==

[[File:Skeleton-Minotaur.PNG]]
[[File:Skeleton.PNG]]
[[File:The_Nogrod.png]]
[[File:Nerdizer.png]]
[[File:Orc.png]]

== Start ==

What came before:

Goblin cave, with a big spider. Boss Goblin escaped downstream on the Under Azula.

Karandar was laid low by a Hobgoblin in the final fight.

Starting:

Camp, same (above ground) camp that they fought the goblins in previously.

Dvoik making food on a fire, wants to head off early in the morning when Karandar has rested.

If RP Happens, Dvoik is a little more willing to fill in some of his backstory.

• Gloss over exile for now.
• Will discuss the fighting of Jerendrak the White and the discovery of the Rod of Dragon Bone that seems to be a Rod of Power.
• Will discuss Xenth and Graffhand (semi dislikes, but respects what he has achieved away from the Mountain Homes)

==== Middle == ==

Encounter 1:

The Bridge

• See Nerdizer talking to a group of maybe 7-8 orcs on the other side of the bridge (too far to hear)
• If they wait, watch her take out the group of Orcs, and resummon as 7 sentinal skeletons
• Skeletons will fight immediatly, as the last one drops, the Orcs from the forest come to see whats happening.
• River is a DC 27 Athletics to cross, on fail, make a lot of noise and get seen. DC 15 Ath to get to shore. If not, float down the river
  (Dvoik: Out of sight, and out of the campaign for now, have the rod wash up near where he fell)

(Karadar: final DC 12 to get to the lower back (will come back to a bleeding Dvoik, on the edge of getting fucked up by a troll), if not then take 1/2 health and 1x exhaustion, but he doesnt get to the bank until it rejoined the Azula).

==== Troll ====

Considers you liable for his losses, wants 10gp per dead orc (Mountain Trolls believe in Blood Money, or each slave needing to be ‘paid off’ if you kill them).

Persuade DC
<12 – Not having it at all
12-16 – Will take 5gp
16+ – Sees your point, will just take the toll, plus 5gp for wasting his time.

Intimidate DC
<24 – He comes at you, “easier just to eat you and take you gold!”
25+ – He thinks you’re a little unstable, and not worth the trouble.

=== Alchemists Wagon ===

A few hours beyond the bridge, they come across a wagon that has been run off the road and is laying on its side.

As you inspect the wagon, they find it to be an Alchemist’s personal wagon, of someone quite wealthy.

Searching the Area for Clues

Perception DC

<10 – It looks like an alchemists wagon, goblin arrows are stuck in the side, explaining where all these damn heal pots are coming from. – (Health Pot x3 – 2d4 +2) + (Mysterious Silver Glowing Potion)

10-15 – Seems like it belonged to a wealthy alchemist – 2x Potion of Bodily Armor (+3 to AC for 24 Hrs)

16-18 – You find a letter head for ‘Baron Mendore’, it might have been his wagon. You also notice that amoungst the goblin arrows, theres two things that dont add up. 1. Wheres the body.

2. Why are there two finecrafted hand-crossbow bolts stuck into the headboard of the wagon?

18+ – As you turn to leave, you notice a small pouch that had fallen up under one of the wheels as the wagon rolled. Within you find a small amount of gold (30gp) and a piece of parchment, that has something that looks like a recpipe on it, but in a language you cannot read.

==== End ====

=== The Misty Morning ===

Thefollowing morning, you have the misty encounter. Book has soo much more info than me.

Starts with 3 skeles popping up next to you, then 1 per 2 turn for 3 turns until 6 total.

Then Nerdizer pops up and starts chatting with Dvoik, sicks the Nogrod on you, and its all business from there.

Finishes as Dvoik yields the location of the Crown of Thanaz, in exchange for Nerdizer not pursuring the Rod until after we give it to Xenth (let her deal with it!)

Or Isaac breaks it somehow.

=== Merchant Meeting ===

Catch up with Merchant going the other way, get a copy of the Bray, bit of gossip from beyond (Delagore + Cassiopea)

• The Princess in Cassiopea has offered a 1sp bounty to anyone who can bring her proof of having slain a Red Claw
• Baron Seled has left Delagore, and is said to be headed to Port Pardue to assist with the Hobgoblin threat.
• His Children, Torosk (26m) and Felanor (22f) are currently overseeing the running of Delagore
• Theres a couple of suspicious vessels in the Delagore dry dock, looking suspiciously like warships in the making.

=== The Nogrod Returns ===

Around an hour after your meeting with the Merchant, as you crest a hill, turn and look behind you to see what seems to be a single figure standing on the horizon behind you.

Perception 20 will show its the Nogrod.

The Nogrod will continue to silently advance.

=== If have time, Attacked by Goblins in Sleep (Revenge) ===

Do a Wisdom Saving throw, 13+ means you wake just as the goblins take your weapons, leaving it as 1 vs 6 goblins (dvoik is brutally knocked out cold).

If kate is here, teleport her in now to help.