Sessions 54-55

GILDED DREAM OF THE INCANDESCENT QUEEN

Blackmoon 13-14, 4433

One subjective day passed in Room I.

Characters:

Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 5

Robert the Swift, archer 6

Xénos, assassin 5

Uriah Sunstrife, paladin 4

Young Joe Spruce, druid 5

Getorix, M-U 4


The Floating Palace

[DM Note: This game is posted out of order because we are playing this group right away. I will post the adventures of Group 3 in the Undercity soon.]

The Wretched Company was called by the Behringer Knights to investigate a strange teleporter in the Moonlit Zone near their fort. They all stepped on and were whisked away to a magical sanctum inside a storm cloud on the elemental planes.

They were greeted by some magical butlers taking the shape of talking storm clouds. The group soon learned the structure was built by The Incandescent Queen, a monarch of the ancient world. They explored some guest areas: a large meeting room and guest bathroom with some leftover "cosmetics" (including a healing ointment). Two talking statues of robed women prevented the group from taking anything in their sight, but they returned to this room a few times later to make use of the healing goop.

One room was a huge ocean where they found some strange items, potions and some valuable-looking ancient liquor. They used the queen's boat to sail around and visited a hot springs, a coral reef where Daqqa-Jin harvested some pearls, and a natural hot spring bath.

Through another doorway they returned to the regular hallways. The group fought some more cloud butlers who accosted them. They entered a room filled with flames which proved partially illusionary. Daqqa-Jin and Uriah ventured inside and were protected from the worst effects by the magic of the hot springs they had bathed in previously. Beyond the flames they discovered a shrine where they claimed some golden candelabras and a holy relic constantly dripping blood.

At the same time, the group were accosted by Mr. Halls and Mr. Waits, strange celestial beings with the heads of animals. These odd creatures detected the scent of CHAOS on the group and launched into battle! After a tough fight that almost saw Joe Spruce killed by a Mr. Halls' magical staff, an Enlarged Robert kicked Mr. Waits off the edge of the palace and into the clouds, knocking his bow off the edge as well (too bad!). The group is able to take Mr. Halls' golden plate mail and magical staff though (good work with Stone Shape, Getorix).

The party continued onwards and fought a pack of skeletons in a jungle room. These undead emanated a poisonous aura, damaging anybody in melee combat. 

They decided the jungle was not for them, and returned to the hot springs, then to the bathroom to heal and rest. At this point the mild vibrations they had noticed under their feet for a little while became more and more drastic. It was decided that they wouldn't be able to rest properly anyway and the company pressed onward.

Player: "I think we need a bigger healing potion."

They solved a puzzle in the Hall of Primaries and opened up a great treasure room filled with strange objects and treasure, pocketing most of them. They spotted a statue of the queen with real jewelry, but elected not to loot it.

DF: "Uriah kisses the ring."
Justin, I think: "Hah, simp!"

The group fights some more miasma skeletons by leading them into a flame-filled chokepoint, then disposes of some strange radioactive butterflies. After seeing a room filled with black mist impenetrable to their vision, they decide to climb the stairs and investigate the second floor. The whole structure is shaking by now and shows no sign of abating.

They find a room with a teleporter which does not work for them! Perhaps something is needed to activate it? They come across a room with two more talking statues, which they are able to 'kite' around the central hallway so they can run through the room they were guarding. 

Progressing through a richly appointed spa room with multiple hot tubs, they find the queen's library and bedroom! The party loots some of the queen's books and her porcelain masks. The queen has a few strange mirrors in her room but the party leaves them untouched. Crucially, they find an invitation to visit the palace! 

They use the invitation to get past the talking statues and learn the password to the teleporter. On their way out they stop by one more room and discover the bodies of the Behringer Knights they were sent to find. With the palace shaking uncontrollably, the group drags the corpses to the teleporter and leaves.

Player: "Maybe the Incandescent Queen will offer us a job?"

Another Player: "Yes, your job is to DIE!"

Player: "... I quit."

DM - Not a moment too soon! It was a matter of a few rounds until the whole structure fell apart. Thanks for helping me playtest this adventure fellows! If you had any thoughts or feedback (too hard/too easy, etc), message me and let me know.

Monsters Defeated (5620 xp awarded):

Mr. Halls (2060 xp)
Mr. Waits (1490 xp)
22 miasma skeletons (1034 xp)
2 cloud butlers (1000 xp)
6 sunlight moths (36 xp)

Treasure Gained: 

pearl-handled daggers x4 

sealed bottles of ancient liquor x8

assorted pearls x3

large black pearl

glowing blue pearl

gold candelabras x4

surgical kit

old maps of the planes

javelins inscribed with lightning symbols x2

potion of youth x2

book: On Coming Forth By Night

rare books from queen's library x5

queen's mask collection x5

Mr. Halls' staff

Mr. Halls' armour

the bleeding cross

flame tongue longsword

potion of water breathing

potion (of levitation?)

queen's lorgnettes

After two battles with the undead, everyone has gained 2 Fear Points.
Robert the Swift has 14 fear points now, equal to his WIS score. Aaaaiiieee!!!

Session 48-51

AGAINST THE BAT CULT

Harvestime 5 - Goodgrove 18, 4433

Characters:

Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 5
Robert, fighter 5
Xénos, assassin 5
Uriah, paladin of Seker 3
Young Joe Spruce, druid 4
Finrod, elf 4
Lord Fesgate, fighter 4 (NPC)

After the garden party, the group returns to Viridistan and catches up on a few things: 

- Salzige is retrieved from the clutches of the Inquisition in a surprisingly cordial meeting. The guards with him didn't ask for anything. The sorcerer is missing a finger now, and tells the party about his harrowing captivity and what the Inquisition wants from the group. 

- The party blows some money carousing with their noble acquaintance Vasu Cervantes. A few mistakes are made: Xénos acquires expensive tastes and carousing now costs double for him. Cassia wakes up in the middle of Ugtargnt's temple, incensing the uptight priests with her inebriated blasphemy!

- Information is gained from two sages at the Shadow Market.

- The group spends time training and gets details on interesting quests from their mentors (more later, we wanted to jump right into the action on game day).

The Guild Quest

Robert and his comrades return to the Night Wolf Inn for their first Guild Quest. They meet up with Ms. Haven, a scarred veteran of many battles and high ranking Guild member. She lays out the situation for the party: the Guild group A Motley Crew have gone missing in Room IV and somebody needs to find out what happened to them and mount a rescue if possible. If the Wretched Company can solve the problem the first group were sent in to deal with, so much the better.

Before they leave, she gifts them some items that may be useful: a few potions and two amulets of tongues, used to speak with the room's denizens.

The party enters Room IV and searches the furniture, discovering two finely-made cutlasses which they take. Using the small sailboat provided they head north, seeking a huge island and the village of Tanaroa.

They reach Tanaroa on the second day of sailing and meet the friendly islanders who address them as "Wolfclan." The Guild has managed to foster friendly relations with the locals here. The party rests, buys supplies and gathers information about their quest and the members of A Motley Crew.

In the morning they set out with a local guide who takes them as far as the tar pits, a day's travel past the Great Wall. Daqqa-Jin's tracking skills come in handy and he picks up the trail of a group who passed through recently. It leads north into the hills, and eventually to a mist-shrouded cave entrance. The group descends!

The Cave of Mists

The company explores the cave and rapidly gets stuck into a huge pitched battle with bloodthirsty primitive cultists, accompanied by giant scorpions and a few members of A Motley Crew, now turned to evil!

Use of the Four Winds Bar and Entangle spells turns the battlefield into a giant area-denial zone, and even a pincer attack from behind cannot stop the group. They are able to capture Sebastian the assassin, and rescue most of the other captured Guild members before they can be sacrificed to the crude bat idol. Conylt the cleric does not survive, after fleeing into the lair of a demon deeper into the caves.

The party encounters THE LIZARD-LORD, a strange talking green statue, and pilfers a few gems, but the being seems unable to pursue them. Later, they will sneak around it to pilfer all its treasure.

After resting, burying some of their treasure and sending the survivors of A Motley Crew back to the Tanaroa with their guide. The sorceror Usucachi attacks the group at night with a summoned earth elemental, but is defeated (thanks to Young Joe Spruce's Call Lightning spell, which blows up the pistol he was carrying - oops!).

The party delves deeper into the caves. Bypassing the fly-demon with a holy symbol of Camazotz, they open the great doors into the lower level and enter... 

The City of Bats

The party explores the ruined city. They encounter degenerated, pale lizardmen and interrogate them. 

Many ghouls, mummies and giant bats are fought and much treasure obtained. Several similar-looking bat idols are taken - one from a giant scorpion, one from a mummy, another from a replica of the city. There are some close escapes but the group does well against their foes, deploying all kinds of tactics and avoiding traps with careful observation.

They cross a river of blood, explore ruined buildings, see a room filled with lava, and climb some pyramids. They find a man frozen in a block of ice, but can't think of a way to get him out. They fly over a (probably) trapped floor using the Four Winds Bar.

Young Joe Spruce catches some ghouls in an Entangle.

Thinking quickly, Daqqa-Jin kicks a sneaky mummy into a pit.

They meet a nereid named Ixcacolel, trapped in a pool of water, and give her the Bat Crown so she can escape her confinement.

Finally placing all four bat idols atop the great pyramid, the gate is opened to the inside. The group battles the final guardians of Camazotz, the DEATH BATS!

Xénos lines up a backstab on the biggest bat he's ever seen.

After a tense battle, these final guardians are slain and the sanctum of Camazotz is ripe for plunder. Uriah and Finrod feel ill simply entering this evil place, where reality itself distorts in a dizzying undulation. Ever bold and greedy, Robert the Swift pries the ruby-studded golden eyes from the great idol of the bat-god, and takes its obsidian teeth as well. 

Upon a sinister blue altar lies an artifact of great evil: the Book of Dreams, which describes the granting of wishes by human sacrifice. The group decides to take it and bury it, for now. Returning to the surface, the Wretched Company plans to rest and recuperate, and then perhaps the City of Bats holds a few more mysteries?

The Return & The Treasure Map

The group took up most of the treasure, buried the rest, and headed back to their boat. Scouting ahead of the group, on the second day Finrod spotted a strange nest of two giant spiders. Dropping flaming oil from above drove them from their nest, and then a barrage of ranged attacks caused them to speak, begging for mercy from the group. They were driven away and their gold coins looted.

Returning to Tanaroa, the Wretched Company was greeted by the locals, overjoyed that the cult of the Bat God was broken, and the grateful members of A Motley Crew, including Sebastian, whose domination by the forces of evil was finally over! The assassin was a bit miffed to see Xénos wearing his magical armour, but he reluctantly accepted that such was the price of fighting for the bad guys and - not dying about it.

Loading everything on the boat, they took an alternate route inland and returned to take the rest of their buried treasure, passing a few zombies along the way.

After loading up their boat so it was almost ready to sink under the treasure's weight, they scouted out the location marked on their snakeskin treasure map. In the wastelands stood a plateau with a crumbling temple to some forgotten god: scouting it out invisibly, Finrod spied a great black dragon resting in the courtyard, and flew away with all haste!

Returning to the Inn, the group got a message left by the Behringer knights: they have discovered a gateway to a ruin of the ancient world, and want the Wretched Company's help exploring it. Also, the war against the Mad King is escalating, and they need all the help they can get!

Their new weapon passes allowed them to stroll through the Great Wall checkpoint with ease. Thanks, Inquisitors! In Viridistan the group sold off their mountains of treasure, had their money changed to gold coins and identified their raft of magic items. Many future plans are being made. Many characters reached level cap. Lord Fesgate needs to rest and recuperate after the shock of too many fights with the undead.

What's next for the Wretched Company?

Some Weeks Ago:

A group of young and reckless adventurers disembarked from the Sea Ghost in Viridistan and sold off a mountain of trade goods and contraband, gaining much experience in the process. After training, they plan to investigate the Crimson Curse plaguing the city...

From The DM:

When I told everyone to come over for a one-shot game on Halloween 2019, I never imagined this game would make it to 50 sessions! Thanks for coming back again & again boys. We have plenty more thrills & spills coming up in the future!

Monsters Defeated (11642 xp):

2 sabretooth tigers (1020 xp)
6 giant bats (120 xp)
Pumacaja (AKA "bat-boy,") antipaladin (290 xp)
Sebastian, assassin (660 xp)
Usucachi, M-U (290 xp)
Conylt, cleric (660 xp)
42 primitive cultists (840 xp)
2 giant scorpions (380 xp)
earth elemental (2800 xp)
3 lizardmen (141 xp)
2 mummies (1720 xp)
13 ghouls (611 xp)
giant black widow spider (80 xp)
giant scorpion (190 xp)
5 giant bats (100 xp)
6 DEATH BATS (1740 XP)

Treasure Obtained (Total value something like 35,000 sp):

pile of silver coins (in chest)
pile of copper coins (in chest)
bronze shield
gold armlet
gold scepter
fire opals x5
lava rock heart of the bat idol (4500 sp)
Usucachi's spellbook (spider climb, magic missile, summon familiar, invisibility, darkness globe, locate object, ESP, stinking cloud, blink, water breathing, haste, wall of ice)
headband studded with pearls
golden ore chunk
marble urn
electrum ore (4x)
bag of pearls (11x)
gold and jade amulet
golden torc necklace
amulet of Camazotz (2x)
treasure map scrawled on a tattered snakeskin
potion (violently bubbling scarlet, with a tiny iridescent feather floating in it)
scroll of Neutralize Poison
Blizzard Bag
priest scroll (from Conylt)
assorted jade items: jaguar, egg, nose plugs
coins (500sp, 900 copper) (Xénos picked up)
granite bust w jewelry
57 gold coins (already split up)
potion (bright amethyst fluid with dark indigo specks) 
assorted jewelry (11 pcs)
priest’s bat mask 
golden goblets (2)
onyx skull 
magic sword w/ bat wing handles 
Bat Crown (given to Ixcacolel)
Bat Idol's gold & ruby eyes (5000 sp each!!)
Bat Idol's onyx teeth (16)
Book of Dreams [placed in storage]
Assorted magical weapons, armour & shields looted from foes

After fighting many undead, the group have gained 3 fear points each. Lord Fesgate seems to be acting erratically after so many harrowing encounters, and needs to rest!

Sessions 47-48

THE PARTY: CONCLUSION!

Harvestime 4, 4433

Cassia, fighter 3

Finrod, elf 3

Salzige, necromancer 4

Black Phalaros, necromancer 3

Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4

Robert the Unsociable, fighter 5

Xénos, assassin 4

Young Joe Spruce, druid 3

Uriah Sunstrife, paladin 2

Oddrick, cleric 3 of Odin

NPC - Lord Fesgate, Fighter 4

NPC - Vasu Cervantes, Fighter 2

The Inn is Under Attack!

A horde of creatures emerged from the woods and swarmed towards the Night Wolf Inn.

The Wretched Company sallied forth, along with several high-ranking Guild members to meet the foe and buy time for the Inn's employees and other noncombatants to get to safety. Deploying the Four Winds Bar and their spells, they cut through the enemy's ranks until the more powerful foes got closer, and then fought a delaying action for several minutes, eventually retreating into the Inn itself.

The Inn's magical defenses (a group of gargoyles in the shape of winged wolves) helped out, crunching through the weaker foes outside.

Meanwhile, Karakaël appeared in the tavern to report a horde of enemies rising up from below the Inn's cellars! The Wretched Company hurried downstairs to fight on this second front.

A horde of the same wretched creatures waited behind some locked portcullis gates. One of the 'leaders', a hideous and short fishlike entity, was able to speak. It addressed the party, asking for its "sister" Oolpoollib. The Wretched Company didn't know what to do, especially when the beasts produced several wood elves and a few unfortunate Guild members as hostages, including the young & helpless Ruby Stone!

The conversation was short and unproductive. The creature spoke harshly but cryptically about the Guild Master. 

Just when it seemed there was nothing anybody could do, terrible magics were unleashed. A few party members collapsed with crippling headaches while the monsters began to explode, unleashing a storm of blood & gore throughout the cellars. Waves of fire and lightning followed, destroying whole packs of creatures. The magical assault emanated from a stooped, cloaked figure leaning on a staff, surrounded by a dark halo of energy...

Was this the mysterious Inn Master?

Monsters Killed:

tons!!

Treasure Gained:

none

Experience:

[This is a "story award" for lack of a better term, based on character level and how many days of the festival characters attended. There was no opportunity to gain treasure, and the mass combat XP would have been divided among a huge number of allies. So this award is my thanks for showing up and trying out a different game session from the usual! This XP award is unique and breaks past training caps, just this once. It has already been added to your XP totals. - DM]

Cassia - 900 xp

Finrod - 900 xp

Salzige - 400 xp

Black Phalaros - 900 xp

Daqqa-Jin - 1200 xp

Robert - 1500 xp

Xénos - 1200 xp

Young Joe Spruce - 900 xp

Uriah Sunstrife - 600 xp

Oddrick - 300 xp

NPC - Lord Fesgate - 600 xp

NPC - Vasu Cervantes - 200 xp

Sessions 45-46

THE MIDSUMMER PARTY

Harvestime 2-3 4433

Characters:

Cassia, fighter 3

Finrod, elf 3

Salzige, necromancer 4

Black Phalaros, necromancer 3

Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4

Robert the Unsociable, fighter 5

Xénos, assassin 4

Uriah Sunstrife, paladin 2

NPC - Lord Fesgate, Fighter 4

NPC - Vasu Cervantes, Fighter 2

For Those Unable to Attend:

You missed the social event of the season!

The Night Wolf Inn's midsummer garden party was a rousing success. Financed from the Guild's own coffers and the contributions of dues-paying members like you! 

This was one of the most successful gatherings in the Guild's history:

The party had 872 attendees over the course of three days. Over 2,000 meals were served; 1,400 pints of beer poured; 128 bouts of wrestling, armoured and unarmoured melee; 350 arrows fired; 210 spears thrown; 59 prizes awarded; 0 deaths and only 1 disappearance!

Read on to learn more about the experiences of our Guild members at this year's party:

Day 1

The group arrives with old Olayinka, who thanks them and walks off to meet her old friends and set up shop. 

The opening ceremony is marred only by the presence of the local tax-collection bureaucracy. Finrod's interruption and the legal acumen of Mr. Blackrest put these troubles to rest swiftly, but the party may have made an enemy.

Cassia and Finrod join the Guild for free. Daqqa-Jin gets a magical tattoo at great expense that grants him a magic shield for a limited time.

The party meets the salt merchant Thando, now prosperous, who tells them to see him later. They buy some astral dust, then some magical cigarettes from a slug-man. They bid on some treasure maps at auction, but don't win them.

Many characters join the contests of skill and arms, most progress up the leader boards to the next day.

Some wild wood elves arrive, and after a tense moment they are welcomed. They brought ominous warnings of evil forces entering the forest and humans despoiling their grave-sites.

Salzige and Finrod get alcohol poisoning at the drinking contest, coming nowhere close to winning. Cassia and Uriah do well at the singing contest. Daqqa-Jin tries his hand at Evocation, watches other players get cursed and walks away with a bit of money himself.

The group investigates the library, speaks to a kindly old man doing research, and is asked a strange question by a talking bust of Asmodeus (shudder!). They learn a few clues about the cellars.

In the smoking room, they hear the mounted animal heads chant a strange song which Rain magically translates for them.

Assorted rumours and chatter was heard from other attendees, too much to write down here.

Day 2

When the party wakes up, Salzige is missing! Finrod has a note in his pocket: 

"You know what to do. -B"

The Inquisition is at it again! The party concocts a plan with James to bring some fake "stolen information" to Bolivar to get their friend back. We will see how it works later on.

Daqqa-Jin wrestles TORG the ogre and wins! He gains a potion of heroism as a prize and moves on to day 3. Cassia and Uriah both lose at dueling in extremely close matches. All those in other contests of skill continue.

At the auction, Finrod wins an expensive mithril ingot, useful!

The group goes fishing and is almost eaten by a giant carp.

Other guild members come up to the party asking questions - almost like a fan club. The party tells the story of the Four Winds Bar and Daqqa-Jin demonstrates its power, and they relate their adventures in the cellars. The low-level rookies are suitably impressed.

A notice board is tacked with signs, including advertisements for adventurers wanted and announcements of brave expeditions.

Uriah does incredibly well at the singing/oratory contest, reciting an ancient hunting poem of his people. He has a strong chance of winning on the final day.

Black Phalaros has not done much so far, but decides to try Evocation, and plays an entire nine hands at a prestige table! Not only does he win some good money but he draws a mystical combination and is warded against death for a month. The entire tavern watched this event in rapt attention, he is developing a reputation as a savvy gambler in the Guild.

Late at night, the party watches a fight in the ballroom, where a barbarian fights a massive illusionary dragon and loses (badly). They learn how the ballroom works.

Blessedly sober, the group goes to sleep in preparation for...

Day 3

At the auction, many wondrous items are sold. Finrod buys a magical Everfull Purse of gold.

Thando finds the group and thanks them with 6,000 silver worth of jewelry!

Phalaros buys the magical book Evocations of the Doomed City for a kingly sum. This book will summon up the mythical lost City of Brass.

Nobody wins the archery, spears or knife contests, but several prizes are won for placing: free time in a few Inn rooms, and maps to points of interest within. One map is for Room I, and will surely be useful in the war against the Mad King.

Daqqa-Jin loses his wrestling match but wins several magic potions for making 3rd place.

Uriah wins the oratory contest and chooses a pack of IOUN stones, getting tremendously good results!

In the smoking lounge at the end of the night, the Guild VIPs are playing a high-stakes card game when a horde of monsters emerge from the woods! Even James seems shaken by this development - the whole Guild is in danger!!!

Treasure Gained:

jewelry box (6000 sp)

Experience Gained:

none

Sessions 42-44

RETURN TO FORT BEHRINGER

Thistleburn 19, 4433

Characters:

Daqqa-Jin, Barbarian 4

Robert the Giantslayer, Fighter 5

Xénos, assassin 4

Uriah, paladin 2

Young Joe Spruce, Druid 3

Mardonius, Magic-User 3

NPC - Lord Fesgate, Fighter 4

NPC - Vasu Cervantes, Fighter 2

NPC - The Behringer Boys: Otto, Hans, Stefan, Leonhard

For Eric!

The Wretched Company (joined by the young daredevil Vasu Cervantes, and his M-U friend Mardonius) returned to the Moonlit Zone to liberate Fort Behringer.

With clever ploys they ambushed a starving gnoll patrol and drew a large part of the main gnoll army out of the castle. A flying Mardonius dropped flaming oil to sow chaos inside the fortress. At the right time, the party rushed an abandoned spot on the walls and climbed up into the fort, then Young Joe Spruce cast an entangle spell to further tie up the gnolls.

Xénos boldly followed the fleeing giant Kucmalog up the tower, Robert close behind. The assassin caught the giant in the highest rooms of the tower, but his strike fell short of causing instant death. Robert caught up in time to back him up and the troublesome moon-giant was slain.

The group was almost trapped by the gnolls, but decisive and bold action by Uriah led to a one-on-one duel to the death against their chief Trorgezz. The paladin prevailed [I don't know how! He was a 6th level monster with a magic weapon! Seker smiled on you that day. -DM] and the rest of the gnolls fled confusedly out of the fortress, hungry and lacking leadership.

The party swiftly looted the fortress, except a few ancestral Behringer pieces, and Daqqa-Jin flew back to Rauffe's camp to gather the troops. 

The group discovered a magic mirror and saw many sights with it including the real Sage of Lune, replaced by an impostor and imprisoned - on the moon?!

Meanwhile, Daqqa-Jin was leading the rebels through the forest when they encountered some black-robed priests of Uthummaos, whom he spoke to briefly before blasting them all with the Four Winds Bar's lightning.

The victorious party was visited by an emissary of the Carrion King, who congratulated them and provided a way to contact him in the future, since it seemed they were "going places."

The company returned to the Ruined Town in an effort to right old wrongs: they restored most of the missing pieces in the Solaris shrine (only a halo and some kind of large piece are missing). Daqqa-Jin proclaimed for Karttekeza, sacrificing a valuable black sapphire in an effort to replace the gems taken long ago, then turning the shrine's water back on, washing the evil mud that infested it away. The god's influence is spreading back into the world.

Liberation!

The group returned to the Forgotten Village and discovered it occupied by the Mad King's troops, and their ally Shandril held captive by the traitorous, one-handed sergeant Baran.

Xénos once again showed his skills, shanking Baran through a window as the rest of the group held his attention.

Mike, upon learning Xénos has 17 STR: "and they called him... the Creatine Kid!"

Shandril was rescued and a pitched battle took place through the city streets and fields. These troops were fairly weak and no match for the Company. After more than half their number were slain including all their leadership, the rest surrendered and agreed to join the rebel cause [great reaction roll!]. From now on, some of the flowers grown in the village would be skimmed off and sent northward to the rebels, while the rest go south to the Mad King's troops.

The group left with many new options, clues and plans, but first: selling treasure back in Viridistan!

Monsters Defeated (4229 xp)

Kucmalog, Moon-Giant (1560)

Trorgezz, Gnoll chieftain (680)

1 Gnoll sergeant (100)

10 Gnolls (470)

1 gray ooze (80)

4 moon-moths (284)

Baran (460)

19 king's troops (190)

3 clerics of Uthummaos (405)

8 clerics of Uthummaos (1080 - Daqqa-Jin only)

Treasure Found:

sack of gold coins (200)

sack of gold coins (500)

gold belt buckle (250 sp)

silver crescent blades (200 sp each)

gold ring, studded with diamonds (2200 sp)

7 LARGE silver trade bars (7000 sp total)

giant-sized platemail (4000 sp)

giant-sized shimmering robe (1200 sp)

finely crafted 2-handed sword (1000 sp)

gem-encrusted peacock pimp chain (2200 sp)

black sapphire gem (2000 sp)

altar-stone of solaris [replaced in shrine]

3 metal angel halos [replaced in shrine]

12 holy symbols [10 donated - 2 kept]

seal of uthummaos (magical) [kept]

scroll of protection vs. undead

gold dust of heroism

sparkling moon-moth dust (as web spell)

red & white luckstone

one-handed flail +1

Lion's Blade +0

giant's dagger (shortsword +1)

greatsword +2/+4, frost brand

giant 2-handed mace +2, 13 STR to wirld, casts knock 1/week

velvet jewelry box with fly candy (magical - from carrion king)

Treasure Shares:

100 gp, 3375 silver to each player character

50 gp each to Vasu and Lord Fesgate

[XP totals posted when I get back from work]

Session 38 DOWNTIME & UPDATES

Thistleburn 11, 4433

The Wretched Company celebrated their new expanded membership roster by whooping it up at The Sign of Olive & Lotus, spending well over ten thousand silver pieces! Even the normally impassive eunuch Merinius is impressed - the group is moving into the ranks of the Emerald City's most decadent.

Clif hit the house spending limit last night (4000 silver pieces!), hoovering up liquor, throwing dice, grabbing the girls, sniffing powders and buying rounds for everyone. Somehow in this state he gambled especially well, winning some extra money [already added]

Finrod gambled especially poorly, losing extra money [already deducted]

Black Phalaris was in his cups and said something rude to an officer of the City Guard! This will surely cause problems for the group later...

Xénos drunkenly invited a young man named Vasu Cervantes on the group's next adventure! He seems to be the third son of some noble house and if he comes to any harm there will surely be trouble. [He will come along on the next session that Xénos plays in]

Hirath, the city guard sergeant who Finrod charmed, actually showed up to have a few drinks with the group. He hung out for a while and left at some point, you don't really remember when. He seemed pretty chill for a guard, anyway. 

Machado, Tafari & Kelci have all spent some of their shares on carousing and each gained a level.

Rumours & News:

When the characters go carousing they will automatically get cool rumours based on money spent. It's assumed that they are buying people drinks, chatting folks up, etc. What you hear might change depending on where you carouse (nobleman's chatter at expensive places, the 'word on the street' in dive bars, etc). If you want to just ask around town, the rumours will be the more generic news of the day in the marketplace or whatever.

***

- The undead war is still on, troops are mustering but there have been no decisive moves made yet. What is the Emperor waiting for?

- An elf over in Otherside is bragging that he has explored the legendary lost Temple of Esma and returned alive.

- Clif's mentor, the powerful elementalist Unazhon Conchobar told him a strange tale: long ago a lich-lord named Shodredh Dachod built a flying sanctum on the astral plane. Many treasure-hunters have sought the wondrous wealth inside, but a strange magic protects the place: the more powerful the searcher is, the harder the sanctum is to find! Unazhon himself cannot reach it; perhaps Clif and his friends will be able to?

- The church of Seker may have a task for Uriah in the near future, he should check back soon.

- Overheard at The Sign of Olive & Lotus: a man with a military bearing, perhaps an off-duty Legion officer was speaking about the undead war: "The vasthosts are ready but we haven't marched yet! The Emperor is going to let Shah Kijdawr deal with himself - and when the restless dead have wrecked all of Smyrsis Province, it'll be all the reason necessary to depose him and install someone new in Tell Qa. The two have never seen eye to eye."

- The necromancer Zalán has a request for his two apprentices, Black Phalaros and Salzige: find the mysterious Shadow Market. This enchanted location can only be found at night, by secret alleys & passages unknown in the daytime. The precise route is obscure, but a sorcerer named Rogat has been overheard discussing the matter - perhaps you can ask him?

- Finrod's mentor is an elf woman named Melpomene. She is something of a local figure in Elftown, wearing a simple black & white robe resembling a nun's outfit. She is concerned about rumours of a new criminal gang popping up called the Night-Born. Apparently they are exclusively elven and have access to strange magics that nobody else recognizes.

Downtime Activities:

Finrod read the Libram of Silver Magic, raising himself from 2nd to 3rd level! A precipitous increase for the elf.

Salzige read the Libram of Gainful Conjurations, raising himself from 3rd to 4th level! He also left the mysterious stone idol with Zalán, hoping his mentor could understand more about it.

Daqqa-Jin and Salzige have been overcome by the darkness of the Moonlit Zones! They have developed neurotic lassitude & are plagued by doubts and fears. This causes them to hesitate in battle. They will be surprised 50% of the time and suffer -1 to initiative rolls.

Uriah cannot carouse due to his paladin's code, but he may spend money on philanthropy. He decides to spend 338 silver on a worthy cause and donates to The White Hand, a tradesman's group that focuses on neighbourhood improvements in the Old City and Dockside. It goes well for a first attempt and although he is an unknown adventurer, a few folks take notice of him and are enthused to see a real-life paladin involved in their cause.

Philanthropy:

Donating money to various causes. Anyone can attempt this but it is (right now) the only option for paladins and others similarly restricted by a special code of conduct. It includes donating to various causes around town, attending events, or even giving out meals to the poor by hand. 

Philanthropic donations are capped by the character's social class. Right now everyone's is low (since they are mercenaries and assorted lowlifes). Although temples are powerful social forces, individual priests & paladins (especially those that go on adventures) can still be of low social class.

At your current class we will try out a cap of 1000 sp for doing philanthropy between adventures. After engaging in this activity and spending silver, make a save vs. spells and we'll see if anything special happens - there may be bad or good events, just like with carousing!

Cost of Living:

Prices have gone up with the undead army spreading from the Starrcrag Mountains. Suppliers of all kinds are finding lucrative deals with the troops so getting good stuff in town is becoming a bit difficult. Standard cost of living is up, which is reflected in the totals below.

I will remind you of these next session but here they are for now.

Experience Totals:

After carousing and using magic books, the party's experience totals are here:

Sessions 37-38

THE SLAUGHTER AT THE TOWERS

Thistleburn 6-11, 4433

5 real days passed during the sessions, including 10 subjective days in the Forest of Dreams

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5
Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4
Robert the Unconscious, fighter 5
Salzige Brauen, necromancer 2
Xénos, spy 2
Uriah Sunstrife, paladin 1
Cassia Tannin, fighter 1
Black Phalaros, necromancer 2
Finrod, elf 1
Clif, elementalist 3
Lord Fesgate, fighter 4 (NPC)

Battle For the Towers

The party was trapped in a moonlit zone prison tower, surrounded by a small army of gnolls and their leader the moon-giant Kucmalog. 

Investigating the ground floor brought the attention of two animated statues. Their stone surfaces were hard to crack, and Robert shattered his magical Executioner's Axe during the fight! The group opened up another prison cell and fought two werewolves. They rescued five knights of the Behringer family in the process, swelling their army's numbers further. 

The party negotiated with the moon-giant and convinced him to open the doors of the prison. At that point, battle was joined! Kucmalog laid down terrible strikes with his enchanted sword and called curses on the group, blinding Daqqa-Jin and Hamon and turning them invisible. His gnoll squads swarmed around the tower and a pitched two-rank battle was joined at the doorway.

The slaughter was terrible! Almost 30 gnolls driven mad with hunger, fear and rage, pressing forward with halberds. Occasionally one would stop to chew on a downed foe, or even one of their own number. The party led them into a trap with flaming oil, blinded them with the fireworks of the Four Winds Bar and then battled them nose-to-nose with the help of the Behringer family knights. 

One by one the party members were knocked out, blinded or otherwise incapacitated until only Uriah was still fighting. Just when it seemed like the gnolls might push through, the rest of the shades arrived from deep inside the tower, alerted by a flying Xénos. Picking up the fallen gnolls' weapons, the 100-strong rebel army pushed forward, slaying the ravenous beasts to the last.

The group was in possession of the field, but still in a tricky position - most of them were knocked out or crippled, the clerics were out of spells and several Behringer knights and shade soldiers had been killed in the battle. 

Even so, fate was with them. Other than a small pack of snarling gnolls who did not attack, the party was not molested on their way out of the Moonlit Zone and back to the rebel camp by the lake. 

Rauffe welcomed the group with all the hospitality he could manage. A great meeting took place with the rebel leaders and the party, with everyone sharing their stories and trying to piece together events. Reymund the Pale agreed to make an extraordinary bow for Gorr, as soon as a workshop can be assembled for him (costing about 8000 silver). Rauffe happily presented Daqqa-Jin with a glass lantern filled with ethereal fireflies as a gift for rescuing so many of his men. 

The party was asked to assist the rebellion further: 

-- The surviving Behringer knights want to recapture their ancestral home from the gnolls, but they need help.

-- The two priestesses are convinced something is wrong with the Sage of Lune - she has gone mad, or been possessed, or something! They want to cure this ailment and turn her back to the path of good, rather than destroying her for allying with the Mad King.

After being outside the moonlit zone for a day or so, the moonlight curse faded from Daqqa-Jin and Hamon. The party rested up, dealt with some logistical issues, brought some equipment in for the rebels and then headed out.

Back in the Night Wolf Inn tavern there were some interesting people. Uriah signed up to the guild for cheap, because he was broke. A ventriloquist was doing a spicy act about the Emperor. Some guild members were mourning a fallen comrade, others were preparing for a mission. A blue-haired elf in black chain named Karakaël was friendly and voluble. He was interested in the party after hearing they had found their Four Winds Bar behind the clock in the library. News of the group's success seems to have spread amongst other guild members.

The group returned to Viridistan to sell their loot, train, identify items and carouse.

New Arrivals

Meanwhile, the party who had recently raided the Vault of the Warlord in the distant north [see the special play report a while back] finally made it to Viridistan with their revived friend St. Nolan, patriarch of Seker. After Black Phalaris gave him back his Staff of Healing, he was so happy that he removed the curses afflicting the group from Warlord's gold.

After then paying to have the cursed gold itself un-cursed, the Vault crew still had 50,000 sp of trade bars left (!!!) which they split up into equal shares. 

Other details were figured out: Gorr had his madness healed with a Cure Disease spell and a cursed item removed by the church of MAN-PAC. Spellcasters dealt with their mentors and got new spells. Party members identified items, traded equipment and sorted out who could use which intelligent weapons.

With new alliances formed, the group agreed they would call themselves THE WRETCHED COMPANY.

To carouse as much as they wanted the group headed up to the Cliffside district, to the Sign of Olive & Lotus. Finrod charmed the gate guard, who was happy to let them pass with an invitation to join them for a drink later. At one of the most expensive joints in town, the group got ready to take some richly deserved R&R...

[More details on rumours, mentors etc. coming in DOWNTIME POST.]

Monsters Defeated:

28 gnolls (1316 xp)
1 needlebeak (190 xp)
2 werewolves (380 xp)
2 caryatid columns (560 xp)

Treasure Gained:

firefly lantern
friendship

Treasure Sold:

topaz eye gems (2*1400 sp)
sapphire eye gems (4*900 sp)
robes with gold thread (1800 sp)
cursed mace -1 (0)
vacuous grimoires (2*1000 sp)

Money Gained:

most players noted already

Xénos - 585 sp gained after carousing costs [see next post]

Session 36

HUMANS, COME OUT TO PLAY...

6 Thistleburn, 4433
about 1 subjective hour passed during the session

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5
Robert the thrice-cursed, fighter 5

Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4

Xénos, spy 2

Uriah Sunstrike, paladin 1
Lord Fesgate, fighter 4 (NPC)

The party was in a Moonlit Zone tower, being shot at by crystalline guardians disturbed by Daqqa-Jin's horn of blasting attack [last session]. After a single hit from their lasers, Gorr's madness overcame him and he went berserk! He slid down a staircase in a stone coffin steered by Daqqa-Jin, risking a lethal fall, to crash into the enemy [a lucky attack roll by John averted disaster here]! They defeated the crystal beings, but not before the maddened ranger was clubbed unconscious by their glassy fists.

The party regrouped with their shade allies and progressed further down the tower. They defeated a pack of demonic winged heads with judicious use of a net to rescue more shades, and liberated some from a room with cages full of angry black birds. They spoke with two Lune priestesses who were happy to heal the group and help out. These two also relayed some details regarding the last days of their order, the Sage of Lune's behaviour, and the moon's alliance with Uthummaos.

While crossing a bridge between the two towers, the group spied a telltale light down below. Daqqa-Jin flew up with the Four Winds Bar and saw a pack of two dozen gnolls, led by a tall, luminous figure that could only be the moon-headed giant, Kucmalog!

The barbarian got the giant's attention and engaged him in conversation. The giant clearly wanted the group out of his prison, and probably fed to his gnolls too. This chat lasted long enough for Robert and Lord Fesgate to bash down the bridge door, bringing their crew into the second tower.

With Robert in the lead, the group explored the larger tower swiftly. Many rooms were populated only by monsters, all of which were flesh and blood beings instead of shades. Packs of needlemen, birds and spiders were all seen. Two knights known to Lord Fesgate were rescued: Otto and Hans Behringer, and the three began catching up immediately. Five other knights were stuck in a cell with two werewolves, but nobody wanted to open it right away - although Otto & Hans insist that their relatives should be liberated as well.

At the top of the tower, three frightening creatures waited in a hot magma-filled cell, this one NOT frozen in time: horned humanoids from the waist up with long red snake-tails. In exchange for their freedom, the entities offered the party some elemental ice gems called Lemcienee inside their cell. Nobody was sure about letting them out just yet.

Trapped and in need of a plan, the party discusses their options. They have many shades with them, but the gnolls are tough foes. And who really knows what a moon-giant is capable of?

Thus ends year three of the campaign. 

Thank you all for playing, I'll see you in January for the beginning of YEAR FOUR!

Monsters Defeated:

7 crystal guardians (665 xp)

11 vargouilles (1298 xp)

Treasure Obtained:

4 gemstone eyes

Prisoners Rescued:

45 regular citizens

24 rebel troops

Geroldus Estieveran, noble knight, shade
Ysmena & Helouys, Lune priestesses, shades

Otto & Hans Behringer, noble knights, flesh & blood men

Session 35

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE

Thistleburn 5, 4433
A few hours passed during the session.

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5
Robert the Swift, fighter 5
Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4
Salzige Brauen, necromancer 2
Xénos, spy 2
Lord Fesgate, fighter 4 (NPC)

The party continued their talk with the Carrion King. It explained a few more details about the moon-headed giant Kucmalog & discoursed on his magical items. A flaming sword and a magical mirror, apparently one of many that exist in the kingdom. Then it gave a dire warning about a dangerous location in the moonlit zone. The creature also offered to trade any one of his magic items in exchange for Salzige's hideous, nightmare-inducing idol.

The group moved on, following the Carrion King's directions. They came upon a guardpost with moon-gnolls who were willing to negotiate and were interested in the group's plan to open up the prisons. The leader of the gnolls agreed to take the party to the prison towers in exchange for eating anybody they found inside!

Gnarg the gnoll and five of his troops accompanied the group, with one needlebeak. They ran into another gnoll patrol at a circle of standing stones, and there was a standoff. A few of these gnolls joined the group looking for easy food, but the others wouldn't come along - they declined to attack their comrades, letting the group leave after a tense moment.

The Prison Towers

After Gnarg helpfully relieved the gnoll patrol that was circling the towers,  the group had the run of the place. The front doors could be easily opened, but the group used the Four Winds Bar to fly up to the floating mini-tower. 

They saw a symbol & altar of Uthummaos and an investigated an old stone coffin, decapitating a corpse in there and taking some treasure. Then they were accosted by a terrible wraith, demanding they swear fealty to King Wakelinus and Lord Uthummaos! Gorr was having none of that, and struck the altar with a mace.

Gorr: "Fuck Uthummaos and fuck You!"

For his defiance, the ranger was blasted by yellow laser-beams from the sinister wall carvings!

As the guardian spirit attacked, Daqqa-Jin spoke the command word "Azerix" to activate another power of the Four Winds Bar, unleashing a blast of deadly lightning in every direction! It did terrible damage to the insubstantial creature but harmed the group as well: Xénos, Salzige and Lord Fesgate were all knocked flat! Gorr managed to grit his teeth through the pain (and pass his WIS check, keeping a tight hold on sanity for the moment) enough to splash the monster with holy water.

The creature was defeated, but at serious cost: Lord Fesgate got knocked unconscious but was alright with a bit of healing. Xénos barely survived a lightining-induced heart failure, and would be near-useless in a fight from now on. And Salzige lay in a coma, totally unresponsive...

The party unlocked the nearby cells, rescuing many shades from the time-prisons. They met a nobleman Lord Almery IV and his entourage: Hamon, Ranulph and their quarry, Reymund the Pale! They had to battle some giant snake-creatures called Jaculi to rescue some of the rebels, who suffered a handful of casualties. They threw down the Jaculi's corpses for Gnarg and his friends to eat.

Lord Almery was overjoyed at the rescue. He suggested they clear the tower in case more rebels were imprisoned further below.

Inside the smaller tower, Daqqa-Jin destroyed mounds of crystal with his horn of blasting, which shivered and broke apart from the stress. From the remnants of the crystal formations crystal golems emerged, blasting at the barbarian with scintillating energy beams. The whole group retreated back up the stairs, pouring lamp oil to cover the retreat. 

The situation as it stands:

7 crystalline men inside the tower are chasing after Daqqa-Jin
8 gnolls and 1 needlebeak led by Gnarg wait on the ground for more food
a handful of rebel troops have weapons, the rest are unarmed

Rebels Rescued:

40 rebel soldiers (5 died)
Hamon, the Unbreakable
Ranulph, the Silent
Lord Almery IV
Reymund, the Pale

Monsters Defeated:

13 Jaculi (247 xp)
1 Uthummaos' guardian (300 xp)
9 giant moths (342 xp)

Treasure Obtained:

2 topaz "eye" gems
robes embroidered with gold thread
ornate mace of strange aspect

Session 34

I SURVIVED A MOONLIT ZONE...

Thistleburn 5, 4433

7 subjective days passed inside the Forest of Dreams

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5

Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4

Robert the Hard Pressed, fighter 5

Salzige Brauen, necromancer 2

Xénos, spy 2

The party fled from the disastrous attack on Fort Behringer [last session], pursued through the moonlit zone by a pack of gnolls led by a half headed moon-giant! After several gambits and tricks including some airborne hijinks with the Four Winds Bar, the group escaped the gnolls' pursuit and reunited with the lake men and the bandit Rauffe, who was sad to hear of Eric's demise.

They returned to the Forgotten Village, where things seem to have declined. Arlen the magistrate was slowly degenerating, Baran the guard-captain was nowhere around and Lauriel the paladin had fallen in combat. Shandril the priestess of Solaris was the de facto leader of the village now. 

They held a sad funeral ceremony for Eric Withakay. The last original member of the party, the silver-tongued orator (or maybe he just got lucky) who had rallied the citizens of Drydale against the witches [yep, all the way back in session 1, three years ago] was dead. A crusader for good who had sworn his oath to a deity from this strange realm and championed its people. After being poisoned in Issachar Dimorites' mansion months ago, death held no mystery for him anymore. At the end of the ceremony, a blinding light flared from the Crucible of Solaris, and Eric's body was gone - transported to the arms of Solaris for his final repose.

After reuniting with their shifty pistol-wielding ally Xénos, the group rested, re-supplied and turned right around towards the moonlit zone, not even stopping to chat in the Night Wolf Inn.

They entered the forest through a different route, passing over a swift-flowing river of fog. They fought some giant carnivorous flies, and progressed towards a ruined tower nearby.

Outside the ruined tower, they spoke to a strange sickly-looking bird with a glowing white aura, like the ones the moon-gnolls kept caged. It called itself Ip-Ip, asking for food. It explained that the tower was the domain of the Carrion King, who lived there with a swarm of giant flies. The party fed it more and told it where to find some giant fly carcasses to feed on further, and it hopped along.

Daqqa-Jin entered the tower, and met the Carrion King himself.

This bizarre and unsightly creature was friendly & civil, eager to talk and bargain. He offered to trade with the party for gems, magic items, living captives, or secrets. The group traded him two secrets:

1 - The story of the magical book Pheldrazash, carried by their old friend Lothos who is being unduly influenced. Lothos is now a member of the Gloaming Tower.

2 - The story of Magrometh the Piper, and how the group released the horde of undead on top of the sacred mountain above the dwarven village Mishell.

For these secrets, the Carrion King told the party where to find Reymund the Pale in a nearby prison, and began a discourse on the kingdom's moonlit zones...

Monsters Defeated:

3 giant flies (87 xp)

Treasure Obtained:

none

Session 33

ASSAULT ON THE FORT

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5
Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4
Salzige Brauen, necromancer 2
Eric Withakay, cleric 5
Lord Fesgate, fighter 4 (NPC)

Battles with the Gnolls

The group had enough information from the two surrendered gnolls [last session]. The captives were tied up and left in an abandoned building while the group moved on, following the same tracks of looted objects as before. They saw more ruined buildings, crumbling and abandoned, and an old well.

The group came to a clearing that was bisected by a crude 10' high wall, built from loose and crumbled stones. A snarling gnoll popped up over the top and trained a bow on Daqqa-Jin, while Gorr climbed a tree to get a better view. Daqqa-Jin brought some food for the hungry creature, jumped up on the wall and saw a whole group of gnolls lying in wait. A fight began! Two large birds with glowing white auras were released and seemed to attack at the gnolls' command, but were shot out of the sky by Gorr and Salzige. Eric was hit in the leg and began bleeding out but used a scroll to stop it before he lost consciousness.

After the fight, Dawn Bearer delivered an electric shock to Daqqa-Jin with a "Sorry old chap, really need somebody more compatible, what?" and the barbarian was forced to drop the magic weapon. 

[DM Note - This was my mistake. I actually forgot this rule for intelligent magic weapons several sessions ago. Daqqa-Jin should never have been able to wield Dawn Bearer at all, so I hope you enjoyed your bonus use of this magic item!]

They came to a crossroads with a big stone mile-marker pointing in four directions:
Back the way they came it said Single Tower
To the left, Greater Towers & Red Shrine
To the right, Lesser Towers
Forward, Fortress Behringer

They asked Lord Fesgate about the Behringer family. He said that many of them fell out of favour with Raeldus I around the time he was imprisoned, but he knew not why. The tracks led towards the fortress, so the group progressed that way.

Fort Behringer

The trail led to a walled fort on a hill. The party approached up a winding path but were stopped by some warning bowshots. A crew of gnolls snarled from over the wall: 

"Man-things, you shall not enter here! We will feast on your tender flesh..."

The group weren't sure what to do but decided on the direct approach, charging forward under a storm of arrow fire! Using the Four Winds Bar, Eric blasted a cloud of choking black smoke in front, with paralyzing dust that Gorr had harvested from some magic butterflies - it didn't reach the gnolls, but Daqqa-Jin used his horn of blasting to push it forward over the fort's wall. 

Still using the Four Winds Bar, Eric flew up and spotted a horde of gnoll archers on top of the keep. He flew back down, grabbed the horn of blasting and flew back up at point-blank range, attempting to disable all the gnolls in one swoop. 

The gnolls were alert, their canine eyes keen. An absolute hail of arrows struck Eric while he activated the horn, and the few that remained un-stunned after the blast were able to hit him a few more times. Bleeding from a dozen wounds, he plummeted to earth - stone dead before he even hit the ground [-6 hit points and a roll of 2 on the "Death Table" - nobody can survive that!].  

With barbarian courage, Daqqa-Jin climbed up to Eric's body at the foot of the keep's walls, backed up by Gorr and Salzige's missile fire. Braving arrows and flaming oil, he grabbed the Four Winds Bar and desperately flew away with his comrade's body.

On the slopes beneath the fort, Lord Fesgate gritted his teeth and attempted to shield his friends from arrows as best he could, but several shots made it through his antique platemail [he is at 4 hit points]. A general withdrawal began.

The sound of a windlass & chain cranking can be heard - the fort's gate is opening, and what fresh hell will be unleashed from within??

Monsters Defeated:

11 gnolls (517 xp)
2 birds with glowing auras (380 xp)

Treasure Obtained:

none

Session 32

RUMOURS OF WAR

Sunstrong 15 - Thistleburn 5, 4433
10 days passed during the session
2 subjective days passed in your most recent trip into the Forest of Dreams

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5
Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 4
Robert the Unconstitutional, fighter 5
Eric Withakay, cleric 5
Salzige Brauen, necromancer 2
Lord Fesgate, fighter 4 (NPC)

Smuggling

The group headed out of the Forest of Dreams, ready to sell their ill-gotten gains in Viridistan. The Night Wolf Inn was as normal: some red-skinned Altanians and pale, fiercely painted Amazons were drinking in the tavern. Salzige attempted to interact with the warrior-women but was rebuffed, amidst the jeers of the eastern barbarians.

On the way back to Viridistan, a great traffic jam of farmers, merchants & travellers had formed outside the Great Wall. Daqqa-Jin went up to the gate and learned that due to a distant war, Emperor Seheitt was instituting new taxes. 

The party split up. Gorr, Fesgate and Salzige remained in the Forest of Dreams for a few days. Fesgate still had a broken leg, and Gorr's sanity was beginning to fray after many battles with the undead! Robert and Daqqa-Jin went through the gate on foot and proceeded into Viridistan.

In the Emerald City, everyone was talking about THE WAR! It was clear that news of the disaster on the sacred mountain [Session 18] had finally reached the general populace. Many rumours swirled. The most significiant: Shah Kijdawr is stretched thin and has few troops available to counter this new threat. Everyone is waiting for the Emperor to step in and send one of the Vasthosts north, but so far this has not happened.

Prices are up! Metal ores, lumber, wine & other goods have increased in price, leading to overall higher cost of living. Temples are sending priests & magic to help deal with the threat, increasing prices for religious services, spellcasting, scrolls, etc.

At Seven Visions, mistress Zvezdana Ozi had news. If the group wanted, she could call in that favour and put them in touch with some 'scary characters' who would be happy to buy some of the strange magical items they had recovered a few sessions ago. They decided to table this for now, and worked out a plan to smuggle their treasure into town.

The party brought their treasure to Targnol port [last seen in Session 2] where they contacted a shady character named Tilki who put them in the hold of a logging boat with a nice bribe to the captain. When they got to Viridistan they were picked up in a small dinghy and brought into town by one of the boat-people, a strange folk who live their whole lives in connected networks of boats & rafts on the waters of the Nereus Firth. This got them into the heart of town and past the guards at the Great Wall, for a simple 10% cut to their patron, Zvezdana.

She identified some of the group's items (including a robe of eyes, sweet) and they did a few errands in town & caught up on the news. Patchey, the proprietor of the Dragon's Eye Inn, gave them a letter that arrived a few days prior, which said only:

Meet me at the Green Lion statue at mid-day this week. The pelagic argosy sights land.

Knowing this was their Inquisition contact, Daqqa-Jin and Robert went to the meeting by the Green Lion, an ancient statue in the middle of a wide plaza by the sea. A shifty viridian who called himself Bolivar greeted them. He wanted to know what they had discovered about the Night Wolf Inn, but Daqqa-Jin didn't tell him anything he really liked. Some haggling (and subtle or not-so-subtle insinuations) followed. Bolivar said if they could give him something really useful about the Inn Master, or the overall agenda of the Guild, he could maybe see about helping them with a special gate pass to bypass the tax-collectors at the Great Wall.

Return to the Moonlit Zone

The group caught up with Rain in the Night Wolf Inn's smoking room. They saw a strange enigma - the animal heads on the walls animated and chanted in an unknown language. 

The elven bard explained the workings of the magical Four Winds Bar and the command words to activate it. She once owned one of these rare & powerful magic items, but traded it many years ago for her magical mandolin. The finding of this item seemed a respectable achievement. Rain listened with interest to the group's plans for the future and offered advice about the Inn's cellars.

Back in the Forest of Dreams, the group progressed further into the Moonlit Zone. They passed through the ruins of an old town now overgrown with trees. They passed by an old structure decorated with the sign of a red cross and two snakes, only glancing inside briefly. 

Coming to a clearing littered with buildings, they were spotted by a group of tall humanoids with the heads of snarling jackals & black eyes, covered in silvery fur. Battle was joined! The humanoids charged while a few of their fellows fired bows from cover.

Justin: "Just call me Michael Vick!"
DM: *laughs in horror*
Chris: "Not exactly, you didn't cast charm on them and make them fight each other!"

It didn't take long for the group to defeat their foes, with the last two jackal-men casting themselves on the group's mercy.  

Jackal-man: "We surrender! No kill!"
John: "This isn't a no-kill shelter..."

Chris: "I'll fire at the fleeing archer." *volley of arrows hit, the jackal-man dies*
Justin: "Gorr's arrows sent that one to a farm upstate!"

The group interrogated the survivors, learning a handful of details about the region and the name of their master, a moon-man named Kucmalôg.

Other Things That Happened

Gorr rested in the Forest of Dreams in the boughs of Grandfather Tree for a subjective 5 months! [recovering 5 fear points in this time] The wise tree spoke of many obscure & ancient things through the sighing of branches and the whistling of the wind. The ranger can't remember much, but perhaps in time this lore will come back to him...

Gorr is still suffering from madness at this time - he is capable of fighting at a distance with a bow but if things get too stressful or monsters/strangers get too close, I will have to make a roll to see if he loses his composure!

Salzige has been learning spells! The stone idol of a winged, monkey-like humanoid speaks to him in his dreams. After a few weeks, he awoke feverishly one morning and transcribed the spell chill touch into his spellbook. A few days later, he had terrible nightmares. Although he could not afterwards recall them, he was so shaken that for two days, even ordinary tasks were quite difficult [if he had been adventuring some penalties would have applied]

Monsters Defeated:

10 white gnolls - 8 killed, 2 surrendered (470 xp)

Treasure Found:

none

Treasure Turned In:

giant gold statue of Ahmon-Ibor
2x purple gemstone eyes (Robert kept these)
2x crimson incense (Eric kept for tithing)
silver grave trinket
silver plate set
2x silver scimitars
9x jewelry from Tannoch crypts (Gorr kept a red cross medal, Daqqa-Jin kept a gold chain)
glass-fronted scroll case (magic scrolls inside were kept)
scroll of sanctuary

Money Awarded:

Young Joe Spruce: 801 sp 

Cost of Living:

[I didn't want to spend time calculating this during the session. I will remind each of you next time]

Gorr: 235 sp
Daqqa-Jin: 97 sp
Eric: 163 sp
Robert: 168 sp
Salzige: 40 sp
Cassia: 11 sp
Xénos: 27 sp
Joe Spruce: (already deducted above)

Experience Totals:

Daqqa-Jin has reached level 4!
Robert the Swift has reached level 5!
Young Joe Spruce has reached level 3!

Session 31

INTO THE DARK

14 Sunstrong, 4433
A few hours passed during the session

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5
Daqqa-Jin, barbarian 3
Robert the Adequate, fighter 4
Eric Withakay, cleric 5

Clearing the Shrine

The group continued exploring the old shrine of the six-armed god Karttekeza. They fell upon the remaining mud-men, still distracted by Salzige's skeletal servant, and wiped them out with ease. They found another lever and attempted to get the water turned back on to clear out the muddy lower section. This they were not able to do, but they did reset the two trap-levers after Daqqa-Jin burned off the yellow mold covering them. 

Clearing away pieces of the macabre mosaic in the fountain, underneath there was an original painting of six-handed Karttekeza. Pressing all six hands at once revealed a secret stairway downwards into a hidden treasure room. Inside they found many oddities:

- an old robe of indistinct faded colours, hanging on a brass mannequin
- eight worn scrolls in a wood & glass display case
- a metal quiver of 13 arrows made of stone & crystal
- two bricks of crimson incense, redolent with a peppery smell

They explored the flower-garden and reached a domed structure where two gargoyles lurked. The group's fierce initial attack drove them off, flying for their lives! Daqqa-Jin climbed up the dome and examined the painting on its underside, including a massive shiny moon rendered in silver foil.

They found a ruined church with a grand mural on the back wall, labeled King Wakelinus & Queen Purah. It showed a young, regal-looking king in rich robes & a chest full of medals marrying a woman with a green dress, red hair & an elaborate seven-pointed crown. Oddly, the queenly bride wears an expressionless white mask. The wedding is officiated by two high priests: a man attired in robes of Solaris and a woman who bears a close resemblance to the Sage of Lune. The only other distinctive clue was charcoal graffiti around the building, saying "The Carrion King Lives!"

They explored an ancient long-hall decorated with heraldic shields & rusted weapons, some of which they recognize as symbols of the land's noble families. Daqqa-Jin sat on a strange throne that echoed with the sounds of ancient celebration. He was possessed by the spirits of the kings of old, who spoke from his mouth in ominous tones:

Spirits: "Two questions we will answer with the wisdom of old, and then we would walk in the world of flesh once more!"

Eric: "What caused Solaris' light to leave the land?"

Spirits: "Wakelinus entered into a traitorous compact with the Moon! In the days of old, a perfect symmetry was kept between sun & moon, each taking their allotted time in the heavens. The Mad King, in service to Uthummaos, convinced Lune to ally herself with him, betraying this age-old balance. Now darkness covers the land, and the moon's gaze lies heavy everywhere, with no sunlight to be seen."

Robert: "Where is the demon Varthatov?"

Spirits: "Below Wakelinus' Folly, the monument to the Mad King's hubris. The demon lairs in a darkened temple of Uthummaos underneath, where wafts the cold breath of dark chasms!"

Meanwhile, Daqqa-Jin experienced a vision of the hall as it was of old, a roaring fire in the hearth and many knights & lords at a grand feast. Three shadowy figures surrounded him, their eyes only glittering pinpoints of light. They reached forward hungrily for his life but he resisted with some effort, throwing himself off the throne and regaining his normal senses.

They found an old shrine of Solaris, now thoroughly trashed. The altar-stone was dragged away, all the metal fixtures & pieces were pried out and the statues were defaced. Daqqa-Jin followed the trails away from the shrine, and they led towards pathways in the forest where perhaps these pieces were taken. Many corpses of colourful forest-jellyfish were strewn about, and more graffiti about "The Carrion King" was scribbled around. 

The final structure of interest was a grand, unfinished building, perhaps intended at one point to be a temple of Uthummaos. A large mural of that dark god's sigil was painted on the back wall, and a smooth black glassy statue stood in the center. Unmindful of possible curses, Robert pried out the two purple gemstone eyes, the statue's only distinctive features.

The ruined city explored thoroughly, the group headed into the forest through the southward path, where some of Solaris' looted shrine must have been taken.

Entering the Moonlit Zone

The group met a pack of unicorns on the path, but they were skittish and fled quickly.

The party came to a clearing with a few ruined buildings and a mostly-intact old public house. A few dozen ragged shades, their volition totally gone, milled around the area helplessly. The group ignored them and was ignored in turn.

The party explored a locked wine-cellar and were set upon by three wights, each one missing its left hand. The creatures were dispatched with enchanted steel, but not before one drew Robert's life-force out, leaving him perilously close to death [only 2 CON left].

In the cellar were three intact wine kegs: one sour & vinegary, the second a magical healing draught and the third filled with the sparkling shadow-wine the group has seen before. Daqqa-Jin availed himself of the second keg's healing properties, and the group saved some for later.

Behind one of the empty casks was a hidden room. A tiny shrine littered with brittle bones & debris held a great golden idol of the feared demon lord Ahmon-Ibor! The group built a makeshift sled to help carry this heavy piece of loot and looked towards leaving the forest, returning to Viridistan to sell off all their treasure.

Monsters Defeated:

5 mud-men (235 xp)
3 one-handed wights (330 xp)
2 gargoyles, chased off (1000 xp)

Treasure Obtained:

potion (faint glowing blue)
faded robe (magical)
quiver of stone arrows (magical)
box of scrolls (magical)
2 purple gemstone eyes
golden demon idol
healing wine

After experiencing the horrors of the restless dead one too many times, Gorr's hold on his sanity has become tenuous!