Author: Antony Nicklin

(Writing up this summary made me realise we probably spent half the time talking about nothing compared to what we actually got done ahah. Anywho, enjoy! 😛 )

It’s a weary and damaged party that retreats out of Kalligan Keep’s hidden sub-dungeon, the dead body of Hengest being carried up with them. We left the platinum dragon’s head at the base of the stairwell, it currently being far to unwieldy to lift out of the pit without major work.

Aside from Hengest, Axel, Uthruk, Barmyr and Arus are wounded to varying degrees, and the mood is a quiet one. Due to this, we decide to set up for the night and rest off our injuries, taking the time to heal up. Ashton expends is healing spells to heal up Axel, who took a battering at the hands of the scorpions.

Talk turns to fortifying the hole, in case any more nasty beasties find thier way up and interrupt our rest. The best bet seems to be one of blockading the stairs leading into the room, but we also discuss constructing a makeshift bridge over the pit, as well as a pulley system to lift our loot out of the hole.

We send Recusson down to the Broken Oar to gather aid from the party from Midmark.

Eventually, we realise we can just take doors from elsewhere in the castle, and between the dwarves and Finklemur’s carpentry expertise, fit them down at the bottom of the stairs leading into the dungeon. Initially we think about using the heavy cell doors from down in the sub-basement, but figure the cells would be better used intact should we encounter any more oddly unkillable corpses.

Recusson returns with the whole Midmark party. We explain the undead creature to Dagaric  Clifford, who remarks as to it’s oddness. We troupe downstairs to show him, opening the door to the delimbed and beheaded torso, which to our dismay appears to be slowly regenerating. He grabs his holy symbol reflexively, and asks what we know of it. He decides to write a letter back to the cathedral in Midmark, as he is unsure what to make of it. Thorfus questions if it may be connected at all to the situation in Newton, but Dagaric believes they are seperate incidents.

Whilst down there, Chuq asks Master Dain’s opinion on the dragon head, who remarks it’s rather nice, and definitely Imperial. Thinks we may have difficulty selling it outside the museum or university due to it’s nature. Private buyers would likely be tricky.

Before setting up camp, we take the time to lay Hengest to rest, realising that it would be too difficult to send him all the way back home. Lacking any family but for a girl back home, we decide hold his funeral there.

With Ashton and Brice in thier roles as clerics, we hold a small ceremony for the mercer-turned-hireling, cremating his body outside the castle walls. Everyone taking the time to say a few words, particularly Barmyr as his fellow spearman.

The dwarves and wizard head back in to begin work on the doors, removing two from the barracks and taking them within. During this, Ashton and Uthruk decide to keep watch down in the sub-basement whilst we work. By evening, our work is complete, and we head down to the inn to get a free dinner.

The innkeeper by now seems to be getting less than happy with our presence, clearly no longer trying as hard with the food. After, several members of the party decide that we should retain a proper watch up at the keep. Axel, Thorfus, Finklemur and Starchy, Ashton, and Barmyr head back up and set watch within the dining room.

Nothing happens until the final watch of Axel and Starchy, whereupon the guarddog begins growling at the stairwell. Axel listens, hearing nothing up until a large bang impacts the door below. Axel wakes Thorfus, reluctant to disturb the magic users until absolutely necessary. Lighting a torch Axel heads down to inspect the door to make sure it isn’t going to break to the continuous thumping, even if it is light. We decide to wait until everyone is rested and ready to deal with the problem, and they finish the watch, the banging falling off after half an hour.

The following day is another overcast and humid day. We regroup after breakfast and prepare for another sortie into the sub-dungeon. Dagaric heals up Axel and Uthruk to bring them up to fighting strength, though Axel requires further help from Brice.

Using Starchy’s keen nose and Chuq’s ears to ensure the path is clear, we open the door and enter the oddly empty dungeon. Whatever had been banging as clearly left. We take the time to make sure the surrounding rooms are clear. Something has definitely been rummaging through one of the barracks rooms, which Starchy confirms.

At the base of the stairs, most disturbingly, the scorpion corpses have disappeared. We scout out the eastern passage first, which looks as it did the day before. Once the lantern is shone over the waters, something disturbs the surface, causing Axel to begin watching the ceiling closely.

Finklemur opts to throw a lump of coal into the water, which then causes two sets of ripples and the glimpse of something long and sinuous to head towards thier location. The party begins firing and the creatures, Chuq leading with his spear. Ultimately, another thrown stone from Finklemur kills a creature due to several misses.

Next, we check west which looks undisturbed, so we look north. A closer inspection reveals that it may merely have been a rising tide that carried off the scorpion corpses, if the fresher smelling water and lines on the walls are any indication.

The party heads south, checking out the door on the east wall. Chuq and Starchy listen again, though only the dog notices anything until Ashton also lends an ear. It seems as though something is moving around in some water.

We open the door into a large chamber with a high ceiling. A raised walkway seems to bisect the room, blocking our sight of the far wall. The floor we can see is flooded with water. A large number of old and battered weaponry line the walls, along with hunting trophies, pennants and standards. Amongst their number, Ashton recognises Midmark standards and Axel and Thorfus see those belonging to various dwarven khels. Several more bring to mind the elves.

Finklemur repeats his rock trick to ascertain the safety of the water, which sees something scaly dive upon the rock, frothing up the water. It appears larger than the centipedes we previously encountered. A second rock bares the same, if a slightly less vigorous response. We check the water’s depth, discovering it to be a rather deep ten feet. After discussing tactics, Ashton throws another rock.

Upon the movement of the creature, Finklemur slams two magic missiles into it. The party follows it up with more rocks and arrows, but are unsure if we land any hits.

Ashton wades out into the water to try and draw the creatures out. He thinks he gets a reaction some ten feet away, and continues thrashing in the water. Suddenly, there is a blinding flash of light and Ashton goes rigid, disappearing beneath the water.

We instantly try to fish him out with the pole, and something bites the end of it. The end snaps off, and several party members instantly open fire with arrows into the water. Finklemur also casts sleep, and two sleeping eels float to the surface. We fish them out and slay them quickly without touching them at all.

Finklemur tries to identify them with his book, but cannot ascertain much other than the fact that they are snake-like. Chuq recognises them as eels however. Ashton’s lifeless body returns to the surface, and we drag it out, confirming that the half-orc is unfortunately dead, his body having been ravaged by the eels teeth.

With some solemnity, we gather up the body, and prepare to return to the surface. Finklemur remains behind to cast web over the water to try and trap any additional creatures below the water in an effort to suffocate them. Something is definitely caught by this tactic, and the party disposes of it at range.

Locking the door, the Boyz head back to the entrance, briefly inspecting the northern passage and engaging in some nonsense with carrots and deciding to procure a boat. Finally. they return upstairs and lay Ashton’s body upon the dining table. After some deliberation , we decide to respectfully bind and bury the body near Kalligan. The group from Midmark join us, Dain grabbing a shovel to assist, and we head over to the local cemetary.

The second ceremony within two days is then held, and everybody again says a few words to Ashton’s memory.

After, we head into town and the harbour, looking to buy a small boat we can use to navigate the waterlogged dungeon, and also some chickens, to use as live bait to avoid any more accidents. We get a sack of five chickens and a few other supplies from the general store.

At the harbour, whilst Thorfus approaches to barter for a small canoe, Finklemur attempts to charm a fisherman to get a better price, failing spectacularly. He runs off instantly, chased by the fishermen’s angry shouts. Chuq handles the purchase, getting the boat and oars for 35 gold, much to the fisherman’s pleasure.

We head back up to the fort, and back into the dungeon, and down the south tunnel to the eel room. Ferrying across the water in the boat, we set up a rudimentary pulley system with some rope to ease the crossing, and head over in groups of four. Thorfus, Chuq, Uthruk and Axel head over first to make sure it’s safe.

We clear the raised walkway and the ladder leading up to it, and look over to the other side, seeing a similar layout to the western side, but without flooding. Several weapons are on the floor, and it is marked with a large square, the corners almost bowl-like indentations. Some unknown substance has stained the stone within the channels and bowls.

We spend a long time inspecting this square and the surrounding walls. Nothing about the weapons seems worth much, damaged, bloodied and cheaply made. All the while, we skirt the edges of the square, everyone reluctant to cross it’s threshold.

Chuq’s expertise and dwarven senses are employed to check the area around the lines of the circle. A long and boring search reveals nothing however, so Axel gets bored and throws in a chicken, which merely results in a chicken chase to recapture the freed fowl.

Feeling a lot of wasted time, the party gets back in the boat and returns to the main southern tunnel, retrieving the boat and rope. Continuing south down the slope, until we come to a door where the corridor is also flooded. Uthruk wades through the water, as it is five foot deep, and opens the door to work out if there is a flow. It takes some fiddling, but he manages to force the door open. The air on the other side seems colder, and he can see a large octagonal room, with further doors and ornate, dragon-carved pillars arrayed around the room.

The others fetch the boat to approach, and make thier way into the room, Uthruk electing to remain in the water. Within a few minutes however, the orc begins to feel weak, and tries to head out of the water, looking pale. Getting him out of the water, we seem several rather large leeches feeding on him. We quickly set to hacking them off, though it seems to be a close call. Brice quickly runs up to heal him.

Feeling it’s necessary to clear the room, we dip a chicken into the water, and float around the room to attract whatever remains. We dredge up three more with this method, and slay them. We continue inspecting the water with the poles, but find nothing else.

Late as usual, but at least it’ll be fresh in our minds for next session 😛

We return to the party sitting down to dinner at the Twelfth Knight, the room filled with it’s usual patrons, and Jaharis bustling around to serve us our complimentary meal. 

 

After some time, one patron stood out to the party, an angry-looking, heavily muscled dwarf. He soon approaches, recognising us as having dealings with the Bargemen. We talk, and learn that the dwarf, Angry Jack, was once a prisoner and slave of the Bargemen, forced to work at a mining camp. Now escaped, he looked now to work against them. 

 

He had looked for us, the Starchie Boyz, as we were known to have put a thorn in the Bargemen’s side and broken up thier slavery ring. We invite him to sit with us and dinner is brought. 

 

Talk turns to what to do next, as we feel we are no longer needed in Vargen with the recent developments between the two guilds. As a whole, the party leans towards Newton and the undead threat there, since the river passage is currently blocked. Axel and Thorfus wish to make sure to keep abreast of news from the city at least however, so they know if the city remains safe to at least pass through. 

 

We retire to our rooms, setting watch both within the rooms and without, as Chuq chooses to watch from a tree in the nearby garden. The night remains quiet up until Chuq hears a commotion down Wall Street, along with what looks to be flickering light. He climbs up to a higher vantage point, the nearby Brewery’s roof, seeing that the fire is over near the city wall, near the Watchmen’s barracks. A number of guards are rushing down the street in that direction. 

 

Chuq quickly descends from the roof and heads in that direction. The source of the fire turns out to be the barracks themselves, and teams of guardsmen and citizens are working to fight the inferno, either by water or pulling the building down before it can spread. He spots Elisandro amongst the crowd, and learns from the injured guard that it was the Quicklings who had caused the fire.  

 

They had infiltrated the building in the night, coated the second floor in oil and lit a blaze. Captain Beamsley was still inside, having also been doused in oil and presumed dead. 

 

As the fire begins to spread to nearby buildings, Chuq tells Elisandro to evacuate the buildings and rushes back to the Twelfth Knight to gather help, shouting warnings of fire as he ran. At the Inn, Jaharis is already awake, preparing the morning’s breakfast, and the innkeeper instantly heads out. Chuq opens the nearest room, awakening Finklemur, Brice and Ashton, before waking the others. The whole party, barring Finklemur, who was nursing his wounded arm, heads out at once. 

 

Back at the watch house, the fire has further spread, and now five buildings have caught ablaze despite the fire-fighting efforts. Ashton and the three dwarves take over the hooked poles, and with their superior, battle-hardened strength, pull down the outer buildings, safely containing the fire. Once this is done, it is but a matter of carrying water to the flames and seeing to the wounded.  

 

The sun is beginning to rise once the job is complete, and as the final flames are put out, we are left only with smoking ruins and the charred corpse of Adalun Beamsley. The gathered guardsmen are gathered in the street, seemingly now at a loss with what to do. 

 

Chuq speaks up, voicing the opinion that the Quicklings need to pay for what has happened here, revenge for the Captain’s death. The guardsmen are quick to agree, as are the Starchie Boyz, and we rush off to gear up for a fight and fetch Finklemur, discussing battleplans en route. 

 

When we return, Odard Brevomen has arrived and is talking to Elisandro and the other guards. He initially believes our actions to be rash, but Chuq is quick to convince him of the seriousness of the situation, that the Quicklings are nuisance that needed to be dealt with before any more damage or injuries were caused. Odard steps forward and calls for any guardsmen that wish to assist, and fifteen, led by Elisandro step forward, armed with a mixture of longswords and bows. 

 

We head out almost immediately, coaching the guardsmen on what to expect. At the Copse, we halt at the treeline, deciding to smoke out the Quicklings with fire and surround the stump to stop any escaping. We throw down kindling and oil, and Axel tops it off with one of his improvised firebombs. Finally, Chuq covers the opening with his shirt, and improvised net to prevent escape. 

 

Nothing happens for some time, until we are alerted by Starchie barking at something within the trees. Whilst Ashton and a pair of guards keep watch at the first stump, we investigate and discover a second stump and tunnel, and repeat the process. Figuring their maybe more, we split up into groups to search or guard. Jack and two more guards watch the second stump, whilst Chuq, Brice, Elisandro and three more, hold between the two as backup. Finklemur and Axel, and Thorfus head more guards and set off in a circular search pattern around the copse. 

 

Starchie alerts us to movement, which Axel instantly firebombs, catching a small creature in burning oil and drawing out a loud scream. The rest of the group charge, but it evades them and attacks Axel angrily, though is unable to get passed is armour. 

 

Seemingly on signal, more Quicklings burst out of the trees, one attacking Ashton’s group and two more attacking Jack’s, injuring a guardsman at both points. Once more, the Quicklings prove near impossible to hit, despite our numerical advantage. Eventually however, Tys, one of the guardsmen fells one, and as reinforcements from Thorfus’ group arrive to support Jack, Guardsman Yves kills another. 

 

Not having any luck with his sword, Axel kills the one he is fighting by bombing it, at the cost of injuring himself. As everyone runs towards Jack’s position, the dwarf lands a blow, prompting it to try and escape, only to catch another guardsman’s sword. Believing it to be over, we collect the bodies, noting a viscous coating on the dagger of Axel’s opponent, who appeared to be the leader. 

 

In an odd act of barbarity, Chuq strips and grills the bodies of the Quicklings whilst we wait for the fires to go out. Elisandro sends guards back to the gates in this time to take up watch. 

 

Finklemur decides to climb down the Quickling warren, being one of the few that will actually fit, and Chuq joins him. It seems to be quite sprawling, with many tunnels leading to further exits, but they find a room littered with animal corpses, particular those of cats. Another room contains makeshift beds with animal skin blankets. Eventually they find a strongbox and what looks to be the stolen treasures from Vargen. The box contains an orange-yellow potion and a large cube, each face inscribed with the ancient dwarven sigil for the letter ‘k’. 

 

They count up the money, finding 973 unknown coins, and 2506 silver coins, which they dump into the box and carry back to the entrance, transferring the coins to sacks to lift out. The dwarves take the time to investigate the cube, only noting that is made of an unknown metal, that is neither silver or platinum, and very heavy. After a final bit of fruitless searching, we pull the two out of the tunnels, injuring Chuq in the process when he got stuck. 

 

We return to town in good cheer, the guardsmen carrying the bodies of the Quicklings to display at the gates.

We wake up on the 25th Laurilden, having spent the night in the Kobold barracks. The party remains suspicious of Baewin after Barnier’s escape, and as such are referring to Ingeret the Elf as ‘Suzie’ for her protection. During breakfast, Adelard expresses his men’s desire to properly bury the dead slaves we found.

Initially wanting to leave some of his men behind to see to burial, we convince him and the other guardsmen that the living are the priority for the moment. It is unknown whether any Kobolds remain in the area, and the junlge is treacharous enough already.

We gather our stuff and leave, carrying Ashton upon a makeshift stretcher, and exit the way we came. With Chuq scouting, we make our way back along the stream and along the trails, eventually returning to the ford. Chuq goes to fetch our hidden animals and cart, startling Brygard (and the ghost of Baldin) in the process.

We pause here to completely clear the ford of traps, finding ten more of them, and in the meantime, Axel spots a figure across the river with the spyglass. A closer look reveals a solitary female dwarf, waiting on the road at the river’s edge, clad in chainmail and wielding a mace.

Since she is alone, we decide to cross, once more loading up the wagon with archers as a precaution whilst Chuq takes a swim. As before, it is a long and difficult crossing. Once within earshot, Axel call out a greeting, and she responds in kind, greeting him as a Forge-Brother.

Up close, she is striking (for a dwarf), with piercing eyes. We stop at the shore to converse, Axel and Thorfus jumping down to talk in thier native tongue. She is Brice Hissel, former Warden of the Rock, outcast due to her claims of receiving visions directly from Xen’Tellar. She is here due to his guidance, sent in dreams of a fiery disk, the god’s eye seen through a hole in the centre. She had left her home in search of its bearers, and her description matches the Xen’Khel key Thorfus was carrying exactly. Whilst we are cagey with our answers, she seems to infer that we do indeed possess it, and agrees to accompany us back to Vargan.

In exchange, she also agrees to heal Ashton of his injuries, returning the half-Orc to wakefulness. Once he is done cursing, we fill him in on recent events and continue on to Vargan. The trip is uneventful, but for passing another caravan, marked with a red wave-like sigil, who we inform of the ford’s clearing.

Back at Vargan, we see a team of City Guard hacking away at Beggar’s Copse, supervised by Elisandro, who is propped up on a crutch. Chuq heads over, both for information and to secure passage into the city. In our absence, things haven’t been terribly well. Beamsly had increased the patrols along the wall in response to our findings, partnering the guards up for thier protection. Several days later, whilst Elisandro was patrolling with Arnold, the Quicklings appeared again. Elisandro was knocked out, but poor Arnold was murdered by the creatures, disembowelled with his blood used to leave a message. A mage was called in to translate, and it simply read ‘Vengeance is swift. Strike not the quick ones.’ After this, the petty thefts continued, and Beamsly beefed the patrols up to four men.

Elisandro grants us entry, saying that we should speak to Beamsly when we get chance. We head straight for the Lone Barrel to see the Mercer’s Guild, stopping only to see Pevral at the Twelfth Knight. He comes out to see Gomez and Reinhard, and pays us right there for thier safe return, before accompanying us. Adelard leads the way.

Upon entering, the serving girl quickly fetches Emery Longstirap, and we relay to her what happened and what we found, Adelard backing up our claims. We also discuss Barnier’s escape, and find that Baewin simply could not explain what happened, especially with so many people (and two trained dogs) present. Barnier must be exceptionally skilled

Emery sends for Guild Mistress Phillis, and our payment for completing the job. Phillis talks to Ingeret, but feels we don’t yet have enough information to properly implicate the Bargemen. Realising that Barnier will likely be on his way to see Rotho Waterman as possible, its decided we need to get there ASAP to get what we need.

In the meantime, the Guild puts up the rescued at the Inn, and we discuss the Dragon Orb and its possible importance. Its at this moment Finklemur discovers the orb is missing from his pack, and we realise that Barnier must’ve stolen it during his escape.

Without the Orb, exposing Waterman would be difficult, but we decide to act anyway, hoping to bluff our way to an answer. Finklemur barters for the means to heal his arm, hoping that his magic would help in this situation, and Phillis agrees.

Emery takes the old wizard to Temple Square via horseback, whilst everyone else gets aboard Axel’s cart, Adelard accompanying us to guide us to Rotho’s base in Fen’s Edge, even paying the toll fees.

Stopping just short of the guard tower, the guardsman points out the building to us and we proceed. Outside city guards are milling about, alongside a number of grey-cloaked men not unlike the bargemen we encountered in the Kobold’s temple.

At the same time, Emery and Finklemur reach the Ark. Leaving the horse with an acolyte, they request to see the partiarch, and an Elder is brought to them who agrees to bring them to Patriarch after they ask for the means to heal Finklemur’s arm. The Partriarch resides in a small building within a garden, and he comes out to examine the injury. Unfortunately, it requires a really powerful spell to heal, and as such would cost them 6000 gold, and won’t even be possible until the following evening. Disappointed, Finklemur asks if the Guild will at least support some of the cost at a later date.

Across town, we leave some of the party in the street to watch for Barnier, whilst Chuq, Axel and Thorfus head towards the building. Chuq strides boldly towards the entrance to the Bargeman’s base, gaining the notice of the greycloaks in the process. He convinces them that we need to see Rotho, and we are taken in and lead to his room. Before we enter, it is made obvious that violence here could only end badly for us, with the city guard so close and obviously allied with them.

We talk to Rotho in the man’s office, spinning a tale of having met Barnier out in the jungle, alone and bloodied, saving him from an attack by Sumonsters. We explain that he left the orb in how possession, but disappeared, so we decided to complete his task and bring the orb to Waterman. Whilst the orb is currently ‘with a friend, visiting thier mother’, we promise to bring it to him later.

We discuss the orb itself, learning that the symbol corresponds to that of the legendary Crystal Tower, which was potentially located upon the Lonely Isle before it fell (though not to Chuq’s knowledge, being from there). The orb is apparently something that would be of great benefit to the guild, though we are unable to ascertain why exactly.

We barter then for a reward, pushing high due to it’s importance to not only Rotho, but also historically for dwarves, even factoring in it’s obviously high level of craftsmanship. We settle on a price of 20,000 gold, payable that evening, and Rotho even offers us futher work after.

Still lacking answers, we ask how he discovered that the Kobolds were in possesion of such an artifact, trying to pass it off again as if Barnier informed us of that. Rotho cites that he had done a lot of research and had luck on his side, expanding on the Kobold rumours by saying he had heard that a Kobold King, Faldinmixis, had set up the toll on the ford.

Jumping on that particular tidbit, we try to impress on him that the theft of what was obviously an important object of worship to the Kobolds, known for their reverance of dragons, would only serve to potentially push them to attack the city itself. With some difficulty, we get him to agree to warn the city watch, but fail at getting him to warn Adalun Beamsly directly, the Captain who would certainly have first contact.

Here we realise that we have lost, and only served to give Rotho suspicions and information on us, as the Guild Master jumps on any potential slips such as us having ties and a base in the Wall District. We misdirect him towards the Winking Swordsman as damage control, where we say we will meet him to exchange the Orb, which we have no intention of doing.

We leave, and he goes to speak to Captain Leofrick about the Kobolds. As we regroup, we see Emery and Finklemur have caught up, and there is still no sign of Barnier.

We head back to the Lone Barrel. Finklemur notices Aardman once again following us, despite Ashton’s warnings previously, and confronts him. The thief claims mere curiosity, referring to Ashton’s conversation when pressed. Thorfus approaches, and asks about the Punter-Mercer conflict, and we learn that Aardman has some sort of business arrangement with the Bargeman, claiming that he wouldn’t trust a Mercer. He also describes the Kobold situation as ‘lucky’ for the Punters, and is shocked at the idea of slaves.

He leaves, and we make haste to the Wall District, not noticing any further pursuit. Back at the Inn, we fill Phillis in on what occured. It’s obvious we shouldn’t go to the meeting, and should likely lay low for now. After some discussion, we realise that the acquistion of the Dragon Orb is likely tied to dragon expedition being planned in Fen’s Edge, further solidfied when we remember that Rotho Waterman’s name was cited when we were looking for experts on dragons in Vargan.

Things looking grim, we take advantage of the Mercer’s hospitality and keep our heads down, spending the next week training for the future.

(Totally hadn’t forgotten about this. Nope, not me)

Having successfully made the river crossing, Starchy’s Boyz set about rescuing thier stranded comrades. Chuq led Thorfus and three of Adelard’s guardsmen through the forest and onto the game trail where he’d left them. Initially missing the spot, hidden as they were in the underbrush, the party stumbles across Faldspar’s Phantasmal Scarecrow.

Unsure of its purpose, they wait, discussing a plan to get around it, with Chuq volunteering to lead it away, until it raises an arm and point’s to its master. It doesn’t react to Chuq’s distraction, and so they realise they it is probably a conjuring of Faldspar’s, especially considering its silent nature.

Seeing Ashton laid out unconcious, Thorfus breaks out a health potion, but is forced to use both the ones he possessed in order to return Ashton wakefulness. The Half-Orc remains weakened by his wound though.

Regrouping with the main force, the party loots and hides the bodies of the Kobolds they slew during the crossing. Axel had been arranging scouting parties, but upon hearing the information the forward group had gathered, they decide to move in force along the game trails and head east.

Leaving the wounded guardsmen under watch with the animals in cart off of the road, they advance through the jungle. Ashton and Chuq once more take up scouting positions, with the dwarves in front and the guardsmen bringing up the rear.

Passing through various intersections, the party tries to keep an easterly heading, as well as uphill. We then head south east at another intersection, Ashton working out the route with logic and amateur tracking skills. It bears fruit, with the path swinging around to the north after a little while, the trees thinning as the ground becomes more rocky. We happen upon a little stream crossing the path, where the trail seems to end.

The river flows out of a cave a little ways up, and despite the lack of obvious inhabitance, we decide to check it out, hoping for a back entrance to the Kobold’s warren. Leaving the main force at the stream, Chuq, Ashton, Thorfus and Finklemur head into the cave, wading through the stream by the light of Thorfus’ sword.

The stream slowly deepens, until the tunnel opens out into a wider room. Ashton and Thorfus spot a heat-signature across the room, moving slowly across a block of land as if sneaking. Unwilling to let it escape, they charge it, Ashton skewering it upon his sword.

Listening carefully, Chuq hears the sound of a conversation through a cave to the east. Thorfus is brought up to translate, and they learn that the Kobolds are aware of our presence, that we’d attacked the ford. Chuq heads back to bring in the main force whilst the Kobolds discuss sending a report to Faldin Mixis and setting a watch at the cave mouth. Ashton and Thorfus dispatch a Kobold heading thier direction.

Hearing the main party entering the cave, Thorfus decides to roll the Kobold’s head into the room where they heard talking, causing a commotion. Charging in, they find another large room, manually expanded with multiple exits, filled with refuse and straw mattresses. Around 26 Kobolds are rushing around inside, gathering weapons, with more running down side passages.

Ashton and Finklemur begin to cast, Thorfus beheading the nearest one. Finklemur’s darkness blankets the north-east corner, catching most of the Kobolds, and Ashton’s light blinds what looks like the leader of the group.

At this point, the main group catches up, and Axel and Chuq charge the blinded Kobold, who manages to avoid injury until Hengest, a guardsman, spears him. Thorfus approaches the darkness, killing three at the edge of it, Kottar and Finklemur accounting for more. Several Kobolds charge out, one knocking down Chuq.

With the sounds of panicked Kobolds quieting, the survivors run, escaping through the darkness into the northern tunnel. Noise from the western passage prompts Axel to check it out, where he is met by snickering Kobolds who sent a giant weasel forward. Getting bitten, Axel hits back hard, whilst Ashton flanks it and Starchie finally takes it down.

Yet again using Kobold heads with ingenuity, we use the blinded Kobold’s head to dispel the darkness and confirm the now empty cavern. Ashton checks the south-east door, finding it locked, and Thorfus breaks it down. A hallway with heavy barred doors is beyond, and Ashton checks it out.

A number of rooms hold human prisoners, man and woman alike, some who appear to have been imprisoned for a while. After clearing the confusion of the sight of an orc opening thier cells, Ashton sends them out to the main party. We arm those who wish to be with Kobold weapons, just in case. At the end of the tunnel, Ashton finds a bedroom. He slays the Kobold within, and takes the time to search the chests at the end of each bed, finding a mix of money, weapons and armour.

Gongs sound from the north, so they party gather around the two northern entrances, ready for an attack. Large numbers of Kobolds charge in at us. Axel and Baewin, cover the left most entrance, Thorfus and Wordric the right, backed up by archers and more guardsmen. We slay the frontline quickly, and dig in for a protracted fight.

Thorfus and Chuq had gone off to the temple. Chuq heading for the Ark, Thorfus, the temple of of Meredur, laden down with the late Virgil’s belongings.

The sounds of melodic and droning chanting of multiple choirs led them easily to Temple Square, where the two split to visit their respective temples. Meredur’s Temple was a little less fancy than others in the square, but easily recognisable for it’s Trident symbol. As he approached, Thorfus could see numerous acolytes working hard to scrub clean the entrance to the temple, supervised by a slightly older cleric.

Approaching the supervisor, Thorfus gains entry, asking to see the leading priest. An acolyte is sent, and he is soon met by Sister Huguette. It is to her that he breaks the news of Virgil’s death, presenting the holy man’s belongings in offering. Saddened, Huguette accepts the gold, remarking on the traditional nature of Virgil’s gear, a trident, net and scale mail.

Feeling there should be some reward for the bringing of such news, sad that it is, the Sister offers Thorfus some of the gold back. Politely declining, the dwarf instead barters for the healing services of the temple, should it be needed in the future.

Whilst there, he takes the time to ask about some of the leads we have, gathering information on the Kobolds, Newton, Lizardmen, Dragon and Gremlin. It is here we learn that the Gremlin may just be a story of drunken guardsman.

Meanwhile, across town, the rest of the party follows Wall Street through Hightown, making for the harbour and a blacksmith. They are greeted somewhat cordially by some passing guards, but they continue to watch us suspiciously, even to the point of following us. Now keeping a wary eye, the party reaches an open area at the end of the street, centered by a huge, filthy obelisk. There is a tavern nearby, the Starving Dragon, and next to it is the tell-tale signs of a blacksmith.

Finklemur stops a passing sailor, a grizzled man known as Sweeting, who agrees to exchange some stories for a drink or two. Whilst Ashton and Faldspar head to the smith to purchase the militiaman some new weapons, Axel and Finklemur sit down with the sailor.

Finklemur purchases the drinks (with some embarrasment and difficulty), and Sweeting proceeds to tell us about an area full of shipwrecks, infested with the undead. Apparently, there is a large treasure haul just waiting to be grabbed, but remains due to treacherous waters and zombies.

He believes he once saw a winged dragon as boy, flying past the moon, but knows nothing of vampires. There are Elephants in Curabl however.

He tells us of a crazy old man, Alfa Fishwick who was laughed out of town after claiming to have received a heavenly visit. Then, he tells of Water Elementals, how he was once on a ship that was sunk by them, and also how they are less dangerous at sea, where it’s harder to force a crash or beaching.

We leave, arriving as Ashton is finishing up, and getting information on a Clothier. Axel sells the gnoll battleaxes and hands over FaceCleaver for repair.

We leave, meeting Chuq and Thorfus outside, exchanging the information we had gathered, before heading up to the Clothier, wherein Ashton exchanges his worn out militia uniform for a more ranger-like garb, and Orion also purchases some ‘city-clothes’. Finklemur gets extravagant, buying himself some fancy new purple robes.

Next, the bowyer, where Ashton and Thorfus purchase new bows, and we get Sturloc’s crossbow repaired. The tanner is next, bumping into a less-than-reputable seeming Alchemist on the way, where Ashton finishes off his rearming with a set of studded leather armour, a backpack and a set of tools, he himself being a tanner by trade. Whilst the work is done, we discuss dragons again.

Axel slips into daydreams here, realising how close he his to home for the first time in months, remembering that he knows of one of his father’s old associates living over in Farharbour. What little he hears of the discussion points to the political situation of Vargan and the makeup of the Council of Ten.

The Gremlin rumour is again pointed out to have come from a drunk, but there is also news of numerous thefts and pranks, notably of which was the break in of a money changer and the loss of hundreds of gold.

We also learn the effects the Kobolds are having on trade, and just how much that is profiting the Punters Guild, giving them strength and votes enough to begin muscling in on the Sink.

At the harbour, we arrange passage for Chiq and Rowlie to Midmark so they can carry our message to Thornton. For 15g each, Reinholdus Tactin ferries them on his Flying Jackal, insulted that the cost would be any less, despite advice from a fisherman known as Tilly.

From there, we visit a Tinkerer, all the way over in Long Market, to purchase a spyglass for Finklemur. Following the Bargeman’s Road and getting directions, we the Tinkerer’s dilapidated home. Conversing at the door, we Orion sucessfully haggles him down from a price of 150g to just 100g, but Finklemur accidently insults the weird old dwarf in trying to pay with a cracked emerald, that it ends up as payment as well. The old man also offers him a carrot.

Returning to the blacksmiths, we once more pass by the alchemist, who believe to be something of a snake-oil salesman, and manage to sell of the Bubrie beaks for 50g each by hyping them up as aphrodisiacs. Finklemur also sells a potion for another 100g, along with jungle herbs and powdered silver for a little more.

After reunited Axel with his axe, we return to the Twelfth Night to talk to Peverell, but he is out, so after sorting out lodging, we decide to begin investigating the gremlin.

At the gatehouse, we meet with Elisandro, the guard who charged us extra to enter and has a guilty concience, who gives us directions as to where we can find his captain. We follow this to talk with Captain Adalune Beamsly, who is leading the investigation and offering reward, and also Arnold LaPoundmaker, the gremlin victim.

Other guards present seem to think it’s a big joke, but the Captain fills us in on the various crimes occuring in the area, and that the gremlin, or rather gremlins, some small, impossibly fast blur have been seen nightly and maybe responsible for the disappearing cats.

Arnold describes the creatures the same way, saying he encountered childish giggling during a late night patrol, and following the sound, was beset by numerous gremlins from an alley. They poked him repeatedly with needle-like objects until he passed out, stealing his clothes and leaving him in the gutter.

Shown the scene, we decide to set an ambush later that night. In the meantime, we check out the most high profile incident by visiting the money changer. Mane Joldir runs the establishment, accompanied by some very burly guards, and she describes the event to us, how that the guards didn’t even notice what had happened until it was done.

She also shows us the room the money was taken from, the floor of which is now covered in a circle of symbols and shapes of language unknown even to Finklemur. As we leave, the mage advises she hires a wizard who knows the ‘Comprehend Language’ spell in order to translate it.

With that, we return to the inn to wait on Peverell.

And session summary. Little rushed, but everything important is in their I think. Also realised we completely forgot about the fact that Apidius is likely involved with the traitors…

Getting the damned assassin’s head is perhaps the easiest thing we’ve since we arrived in this damned city, and Drays was happy enough with it. Happy enough to even reward that old mage Finklemur with a book of spells and a promise to personally feed his bloated corpse to Lysander one day. Bloody devilfish. All I got was an eyeful of something that’ll haunt me the rest of my days, us dwarves are too close to crotch level.

We got escorted back out of that foul-smelling warehouse. That far too happy female cultist hoped she’d see us again, I think I hurt her feelings. Crazy woman.

The rest of the party was far less hostile, but we leave, heading straight for New Gate so we can report back to Thornton and hopefully save his hide. I don’t like how quiet it is out on the streets, little more than a few groups of gathered men around has me worried, and my hand doesn’t leave Face-Cleaver’s handle the whole time.

Naturally, we run across a snag. Someone has dropped the gate’s portcullis and there’s a puddle spread across the approach. Faldspar confirms it’s oil. Looks like the guardsmen are preparing for a siege. Not in the mood to be hanging out in the open, I shout for Apidius.

The mob on the other side seems to be drowning me out though.

Of course, this is where yet another ambush hits. Three people are walking towards us, spreading out to surround. They’re confident, and with good reason. It isn’t hard to recognise the mage and cleric from the previous night, which means the swordsman in the middle is none other than Nigel.

“Last time it seems I underestimated you. Not 24 hours and you’re up and meddling,” he says in a poncy accent.

The bastard seems genuinely surprised to see us, but his confidence is more than a little scary. We outnumber them almost two-to-one, but he spouts promises of enacting righteous vengeance upon us traitors. What a loon. We answer in kind, me and Thorfus preparing to fight, though Tarion wants to talk and Finklemur seems to be wanting to just flee. Of course, before I can even move, the cleric locks me down with her foul magic, as if in revenge for my numerous attempts on her life last time we met.

There is nothing worse than being unable to act as your friends battle around you, but all I can do is rage internally. At least the guards in the gatehouse seems to have noticed our plight, but I can hear thier confusion. The portcullis is locked down and Apidius is missing. Seems the pear-shaped fool was rotten. I watch as the others meet our would-be assasins. Old Finklemur, out of spells goes right for the mage and starts beating on him, interrupting the mage’s spell. He well and truly fights like an old man, and somewhere down the line they actually end up knife-fighting, but the old man is unable to do more than nick his foe, and takes a spell that somehow makes him look even older in reponse. Somewhere along line the crazy mage actually started lecturing his opponent on proper use of his charm spell!

Nigel goes right for Thorfus, and falls upon him like a whirlwind with a pair of scimitars. My brother dwarf fights well, even getting in a few good strikes, but is forced to hide behind his shield until a lucky strike finally cracks it.

I couldn’t see Faldspar for a while, but I feel the heat of the flames on my back. He appears moments later to help Thorfus, looking like a barbarion warrior and wielding a flaming scythe, though he’s unable to land a blow on Nigel. Tarion tries to help too, throwing up clouds of sand in an effort to blind the Imperial, but takes a blow from the cleric’s mace before Faldspar can intervene.

Feeling it to be well worth the use, Thorfus tosses aside his ruined shield and activates sword of his, moving faster than should be possible. I saw him strike Nigel four or five times, and the Imperial’s face becomes one of shock. He had those weird red tattoos on his head like our old friend the goblin, and they glow brighter with each wound until his bloody head catches fire! I could swear I saw a dragon in the flames before his head exploded, throwing me and Thorfus back.

This where I’m working on secondhand information as Faldspar and Finklemur filled me in one what happened whilst the rest of us slept. With the death of their leader, the mage and cleric fled. The guards finally got through to us, and they convinced Gosprend to let us get out of New Town. He sent us down the canal with an escort. They had to avoid a few mobs near the paper bazaar, but found Perette and got us all back to Thorntons, along with Nigel’s corpse.

At Thornton’s, the two magic-users explain what they can whilst clerics are fetched to wake us up. As the two remaining members of our group, myself and Thorfus are able to clear up the story. Talessin had been playing us all along it seemed, though I wanted to believe he’d been under duress from the Imperials wanting to use his research to kill the mayor. Thornton seemed tired and defeated at the news, but gathers together a troupe of greycloaks to pay a visit it to Talessin.

We get no answer, and the Lucky Gam’s barkeep hasn’t seen Talessin for weeks, so Finklemur (yes, the old man is more than you’d think) smashes the door open and we enter. I lead the way with the wizard at my side, up through tower. It smells foul in here, like rotting meat and death and we discover why when we reach the workshop. It looked more like a morgue now, machine parts replaced by six cadavers, each and every one of them with thier skulls open to the air.

We are attacked then by the very same ape Galron slew in the sewers, but with the Greycloaks help, we cut it down, only one poor soul getting battered in the process. The also sported an open skull, an ancient dwarven cube within. The room alone is pretty damning evidence, and it seems we found Nigel’s kidnapping victims. We conduct a short but frantic search for Em, who is luckily not a victim, and climb up to Talessin’s quarters.

The tinkerer’s room is a mess, books strewn around, and Talessin himself is lay on the bed, blue with clothing wrapped around his neck. The only movement in the room is a naked woman, systematically ripping pages from books and burning them, oblivious to everything. Finklemur puts her to rest, removing them cube from her skull. The books turn out to be a collection of journals, spellbooks and automaton research, she’d been trying to destroy evidence. A note in the margin of one of the surviving journals implicates Talessin and Jardin irrevocably. Our knowledge of Automatons makes us a threat to his plans, and he is responsible for the ambushes.

We search the room, finding Imperial Platinum and an odd crown. After some discussion, Finklemur puts it on. He engages in conversation with someone mentally, learning little other than that they want to kill Faldspar for some reason, before they leave. Any further attempts to converse simply causes our two robed friends to faint.

Thornton is somewhat pleased with the outcome of the day’s endeavours, planning on calling a council meeting in the morning. We gather evidence, raiding the potion store in the process, which makes Finklemur happily reckless.

It feels good to be through with it all, even if there are still a few untied ends, it’ll be nice to spend a few days not having to look over our shoulders and uncovering plots. Might even be able to get some training in, which I feel we’ll need down the road if Nigel is any indication of the strength of our enemies.

Wanted to write out Axel’s perspective of our almost party-wipe. I have taken some small liberties with the events, but it’s mostly on point. Enjoy!

Axel sat sombre and quiet in the back of the wagon as the party made it’s way across town to Lord Thornton’s. It had been a long day, wandering all over Newtown in search of answers, and the dwarf felt they had perhaps gained more problems than answers. The night grew dark, and a light rain fell upon them, souring his mood yet further. A commotion up ahead caught the party’s attention and they looked up as Minitius, thier wagon driver, slowed his horse to a halt in the middle of a bridge.

Looking over, they could see a cartload of cabbages spilled across the road, a man and a woman arguing amongst the scattered vegetation. Tension spread throughout the group, and they all looked around warily out of pure instinct even as an arrow landed amongst them from across the canal. Someone shouted ambush, and Axel moved instantly, rolling off of the side of the wagon to the street, as the wizard Finklemur ducked for cover, Faldspar readied a spell,  and Tarion drew his bow.

The elf’s keen eyes spotted the target, but his return shot missed it’s mark. Following his lead, Axel drew his longbow and nailed the archer with a powerful shot. Shouting begins, and the once-arguing cabbage farmers turn and advance on them, drawing weapons. Finklemur dove for cover behind the wagon, dragging Minitius behind him, but is dismayed to see yet more attackers closing in from behind.

Seeing Thorfus engage the two in front, Axel readies himself to join his dwarven brother only to feel a surge of power splash against him. Whatever the magic wanted to do to him, the young dwarf resisted it, and he spun around to see a cleric step up alongside the shocked looking mage. The woman spoke, a prayer, and once more magic hit him, this one stifling and oppressive. He sees Tarion release another arrow and freeze up, Finklemur doing the same even in the face of an advancing swordsmen. With a defiant roar, Axel pushes through it and draws Face Cleaver, tossing the longbow aside.

Realising that the two magic-users were perhaps the biggest threat to them, he charges, warcries issuing forth from his lips. Shouldering past the mage, he swings his axe at the cleric, reasoning that killing her would free his allies. The cleric is surprisingly nimble however, and Face Cleaver sparks off of a concealed vest of chainmail.

Rage fuels him, and Axel presses the assault, but the mage snarls a word and he is engulfed in a torrent of flame. Battlecries turn into a roar of pain, the fire heating up his mail, scorching his skin and hair and clothing. The dwarf rolled out of the fire, putting the cleric between him and the mage, renewing his assault. The woman meets his axe with a mace and they dance back and forth, neither able to hit the other.

Periphally, Axel is aware of the rest of the party. The distant clatter of weapons beyond the wagon where Thorfus fought, the heavy splash of Minitius diving into the canal and the sickening meaty impact of a sword impaling the frozen Finklemur. He realises that this is no mere assault by desperate bandits, and unlike the group devestated by Thorfus in the sewers, this group was made up of consummate fighters. As if to punctuate the thought, the cleric cried out, seizing an advantage to bring down her mace in heavy blow that shattered his shield. The dwarf cries out in pain, his arm numbed by the attack.

There is another splash, someone else had jumped into the river, and a groan signals Thorfus falling to their attackers.

“We’re going to die here,” Axel realises forlornly. Outnumbered and outmaneouvred, thier best warrior down and half the party unable to act.

As if to assauge his fears, a chanted prayer echoes out and he sees Ir’Alle directing the holy energy at Finklemur, healing the old mage of his wounds. The cleric leaps down from the wagon, racing to meet him, calling out encouragement. They fight together against the two ambushers. Passing over his shield, Ir’Alle heals Axel’s wounds and the dwarf surges forward with renewed vigour.

A third attacker charges through the rain, skillfully ducking under the Midnight Star to deliver a fatal blow to the cleric. Crying out in rage and grief, Axel plants himself of his fallen friend’s unconcious body and engages the three with desperation. For all his skill however, the young dwarf was tired and hurt, fighting three humans alone. Ir’Alle’s shield is wrenched from his arm and the world goes black as the woman laughs triumphantly, striking his brow with her mace.

(Sorry for the late write-up, busy week)

The party returns to the Cock and Bull at sundown, just in time for the city-wide curfew. The Inn is still housing a large number of Islanders, taking shelter from the rioting, and the usual atmosphere has been replaced by a quieter one. Holden is still acting as a doorman.

As we enter, Elspeth calls us over to tell us that there had been several people looking for the group whilst we were out. Jocassa had been by, asking for us to visit her in Newtown, as well as a shady character looking for Sthorm, our long-missing thief.

After dinner, Tarion, Faldspar and Thorfus decide to head around to the townhouse. A Greycloak is waiting for them, who after a moments pause, reveals himself to be Perette. The Greycloak is checking up on us, particularly after our altercation with Elain Grell’s gang.

The boy’s uncle, Magistrate Arden Grell didn’t take too kindly to us squaring off against them, as well as our appropriation of Elain’s sword, which happened to be a family heirloom, salvaged from one of Baldric Evenkeel’s foes. He’d called for our apprehension for assault and theft, only to be quietened when Lord Thornton had asked the question of why the students had been out after curfew in the first place.

Unfortunately, Thornton still wants to question us, and sent Perette to bring us in. It seems however, that Perette has taken a liking to us, and elects to tell Thornton he was unable to meet us due to being ‘busy’ with something in Newtown. He also warns us to be careful with the law.

The subject changes to our involvement with Beren, widower of Kaitlyn and murderer of the mayor. The man is now dead, his head found in the canal, but the question arose that a man supposedly having spent his entire life as a poor labourer was surprisingly skilled with a sword when he assaulted the mayor.

The entire group of people associated with the Bullywug kidnapping are such being brought in for questioning, including us, as we all had some connection to Beren through it. Advising us to not be at home for a short while, Perette then leaves.

Wary of traps, the three finally enter the townhouse, and go to bed. Axel stays a while in the Inn, mingling with the townfolk there, but doesn’t learn anything new except that most intend to return home the next day.

Joining the others in the house, he gets caught up on the meeting with Perette, and he and Thorfus agree that we should set a watch. Aside from someone distant shouting on Axel’s watch, and a pair of figures, one human-sized, one shorter, running down the street on Thorfus’, the night passes without incident.

The next morning, after some discussion, the party decides they should stash thier money somewhere safer for the time being. After some thought, they decide to ask Rowland, and laden themselves up, hiding the lockboxes inside thier backpacks.

Rowland’s goodwill continues, and though unusual, he doesn’t mind locking up our lockboxes after we assure him it’s just money within. He’s happy to have our trust.

We then head to the paper bazaar, where Faldspar searches out Velten. The mage tosses an inkwell at him, which he sidesteps. This causes Velten to initially mistake him for a mage, and when Faldspar reveals he is an illusionist, remarks that perhaps he was at the back of the class.

Faldspar buys the writing supplies necessary to copy down his new spell, when Jardin appears. Naturally, the party is suspicious of someone we have confirmed is evil, but he is merely shopping, and even recommends Faldspar visits Wright’s General Store should he need some training. Edus Applebee reportedly would help him.

Whilst Faldspar heads off to a cafe to copy the spell, the rest of the group head off to the General Store. Tarion talks to Withem Wright, who communicates secretly using thief’s cant sign language, asking if Tarion is ‘one of us’. Tarion responds in kind, undercover of thier verbal conversation.

Axel gets bored and goes to stand outside, and everyone follows, allowing them to talk more freely. Withem tells Tarion to seek out Gutter’s Mad Dogs, and specifically a half-orc named Gartham for training. She advises Tarion that they’ll send him a message.

After this we head up to Rowlands again, this time to retrieve Ir’Alle’s morningstar, newly decorated and enscripted.

Rejoining with Faldpar, we head to the Flotsam and Jetsam, we once more hire Kilmar, Sturloc and Kottar, passing them the extra supplies we gathered, then head towards the University, watching all the time for people following.

The University itself is quiet, the gates closed, and we enter the sewers without trouble, following the now familiar path back to the Goblin’s home. The tattoo’ed goblin greet us as usual. He informs us that the area has been quiet as of late, and they’ve decided to stay.

We call in a favour from them, asking the goblins to carry back and old onto some tapestries from the tomb until we return for them. They refuse to enter the tomb itself, but follow us to the opening. Roping down, we retrace our steps, gathering the two closest tapestries and passing them up to the goblins.

On the way to the second, we come across a sphere sat in the middle of the room, motionless. Unusure of what to do, Axel tosses gears around it, trying for a reaction. Each time, the sphere, spins around and inspects the gear, returning to it’s original spot after. After several failed attempts to actually hit the sphere, Thorfus takes over and hits it directly.

The sphere instantly charges us, seams appearing in it’s body, but it is felled by Ir’Alle’s club before anything can happen, and begins to hiss and spit like a boiling kettle. Thinking quickly, Faldspar bashes it away with his staff, and we hunker down behind the tapestry as it explodes.

We have to put out fire that caught the tapestry, but retrieve it anyway. Heading deeper into the tomb, we resolve to concentrate our search on finding the caretaker, deciding to finish exploring the area we had previously discovered. As we progress, we find that the doors and janitor-bot’s hatch that we had previously spiked have been unspiked. Respiking just in case, we continue east and south, finding a room with three sarcophagi as expected.

Not wanting to deal with the paper-thing automaton’s again, the group lines up and destroys them all simultaneously. After this, we check the coffins, pushing the buttons to see the animated lids. One here is different, instead of moving, the replica cube instead glows, revealing the letters, adcfg repeated over it in ancient dwarven. We loot the coffins as usual, finding less than previous coffins.

Heading back and further south, we find a locked door Tarion cannot open, and so we try another. The room beyond holds another pedestal at it’s walls are lined with numerous alcoves, each one holding a data cube, for a total 120. After consideration about taking them, we decide that there information may be less important than those we found with the dead dwarves.

Further west, we find another three sarcophagi, notable in that they are all completely plain. Each one holds a jawless dwarf in plain-black robes, with these being the first skeletons to not have the top of thier skulls removed.

We try the locked door again, Tarion trying to brute force it open first, then Axel succeeding in opening it the same way. We enter a small room that almost appears to be a cosy apartment, with a kitchen area and a chair, table and bookcase.

Ir’Alle inspects the bookcase, finding numerous Ancient Dwarven tombs on the subjects of Astrology and Astronomy, mixed in with romance fiction.

Thorfus picks up a notebook from the table, which appears to be some kind of personal diary, each entry counting up in decimal places coupled with abbreviations of what may be coordinates.

It is only half full, and flipping to the end, he reads what seems to be the final entries of a dwarven caretaker. They speak of explosions in the south, and a crytal tower being destroyed. Abandonment with no word from Marshalls or Voices. Savages and a worsening rebellion, driving them north. ‘They’ll soon be wielding those they have stolen from us…’

It ends with ‘This tomb must not be desecrated’, and appears to be the final farewell of the last caretaker, some two thousand years ago. We take the all the books with us.

Along a small corridor, we find a dusty bedroom. There is a body on the bed, surrounded by dark stains, the top of it’s skull messsily removed. There is a large key on the table, which we take.

Leaving the books back at the entrance, we head north into the tomb, finding an undamaged gate leaning against a wall, next to a previously blocked passage. Remarking a trap with chalk, we head east looking for a secret door. We collect another tapestry and spy a small glowing orb. Axel and Tarion hit it with arrows, the elf’s destroying it. We enter a room with two sarcophagi topped with female dwarves wielding staves and notice a humming noise in the background. Thorfus heads down to the the trapped door with the key, but it opens without incident thanks to the key, revealing the room with the rotating bridge.

A second pedestal had joined the one in the centre now, this one omitting a brighter heat source, and we prepare to fight.

Session 7

We return to our party the morning after getting out of the sewers. Galron, along with Walteris, the gnome fighter we rescued, are both still bedridden by thier injuries. Ir’alle takes the time to meditate, and uses a healing spell to bring Galron back to up to strength. Still weak and a little groggy, Galron nevertheless takes the time to examine the gems we acquired. Whilst he does not recognise the large gemstone, he is able to name and evaluate the others, a carnelion, a tiger eye, a sapphire and a black hematite.

Leaving Walteris to sleep off his injuries, the party decides to run some errands. Almost as soon as we step out of the house, we see Efam waiting for us. The boy says he is here to collect Sthorm, to take him to someone who wants to see him. Agreeing, Sthorm leaves with the boy. The rest of the party head into the Cock and Bull for breakfast, and ask Elspeth for recommendations on jewelsellers in the area. We also ask her to keep an eye out for Jocassa and Em, should they come looking for us whilst we are out.

First stop is Orsabet’s, where Axel picks up his new set of banded mail, selling off his old armour. Then we visit Tylic’s in order to get his axe repaired.

We then head straight to Roland’s Gems, a little ways up West Copper Street. Roland quite happily buys the four smaller gems from us, netting us 71 gold, not too much under the estimate. The larger gem has him impressed though, and he quite honestly admits he could not afford to purchase such a thing from us. The gem is a Fire Opal, easily worth several thousand gold pieces. He points us towards Almear Trueletter, the jewellers guildmaster, who owns a shop over in the High Market, on Goldsmith Street. The idea of thousands of gold pieces has us excited, so we head back to our house to collect our lockboxes and hail a wagon to ferry us across the city.

Almear’s shop is suitably fancy, with plenty of large and expensive looking jewellry on display. We are shown in by a pair of apprentices, who upon seeing what we have to sell scurry off to fetch thier master in as dignified manner as possible. Almear, rotund and richly dressed, comes out to survey the Fire Opal, describing it as finely worked. He eventually asked if we could wait whilst we gathered some friends to give a second opinion. The apprentices run off to fetch two people, and Almear takes the time to ask us a few questions, pointing out Ir’Alle’s religion and enquiring after our adventure. The apprentices return with Methias Islot, the guild secretary, and Alvus Runnelbrook, an ancient and famous elven sage. The two take the time to survey the stone and after some time Alvus turns to us and begins to tell a tale. When he first met Baldric Evenkeel, when the now God first arrived on the island, Baldric possessed a dwarven crown, that upon the brow was mounted a large fire opal. It had been thought to been lost at sea, when Baldric’s fleet was decimated and he went missing. Alvus has no doubt that this is in fact the exact same stone. We take the time to explain how we found it, then the sage leaves, passing us a note to meet him for tea after. We begin to haggle over a price, being at first offered 9000g, but Galron is apparently too shocked by the artifact of his God in front of him that the final price is 9250g. We accept half of it in gemstones, and load up the wagon, and take finder’s credit for when Almear sells the stone to the Ark.

We leave, and join Alvus for tea across the street. Here, we tell him about our adventure in the bathhouse, discussing Baldric and devilfish, and learn about the history of the old dwarven empire and slavery. We hear that merpeople live in the bay, that had been responsible for keeping devilfish and bullywugs away from the city, but after thier king died have been at civil war. We discuss dwarven keys and automatons. After a short while, Alvus thanks us for filling gaps in his knowledge, and asks we pass on any more knowledge we may discover.

The party heads back to Cock and Bull, whereupon we see a bit of a commotion outside. A crowd has gathered around Jocassa and Em, who are stood with thier families and widowed spouse of David and Kaitlyn. They offer us a small sack of silver as a reward for rescuing the two girls, which we politely decline. Bran, Kaitlyn’s husband, is frustrated however, angry at the fact that we thoughtlessly rescued the girls, when they city guard did nothing but call his wife a prostitute. In this time, Ir’Alle spies a shadowy Greycloak within the crowd and tries to calm him. Whilst we unload and hide our new riches, Ir’Alle takes the group into the inn and buys them a meal. He asks Elspeth if she knows much about the greycloak, and asks that she informs him if the guard is seen around again. Sitting down, the group seems nervous but thankful, used to a little more squalor up in Newtown. We take the time to question Jocassa and Em about how they got captured, learning that they were all abducted whilst they fished in the canal before work. David seems to have been a similar case, as he occasionally worked along the canal. They don’t remember how they got below ground, probably due to being knocked out, but there is a number of sewer entrances along the canal. We learn that people go missing in the area for a large number of reasons, since Newtown is a rough place. We try to reassure them that things will look up for them soon.

We then discuss the Empire, as just the previous year, privateers had been attacking on it’s behalf.

Offered the money again, we turn it down, and Thorfus even adds two gold to the bag, which is then given to Moratel, David’s widow. After this, we escort them back to Newgate.

We drop in on Desric to enquire about trainers in the area. For Axel and Thorfus, he reccommends four different warriors, and we take the address of Jabir, a dwarf. He points Ir’Alle towards the House of the Brotherhood and Galron to the city’s large cathedral. As there is still daylight, all but Galron head off to thier respective trainers.

Ir’Alle takes another wagon down to the House, arriving during the End of Day ceremony. He joins in, and at the end, approaches the leading cleric, Father Aleya. The Father already trains several initiates, but asks Father Qais to take on the task, and they agree to begin in the next day after morning prayers. He decides to stay with for dinner, honoured in getting to sit at the top table, and discusses is faith with the priests there.

Meanwhile, the two dwarves find Jabir’s home with a little difficulty, as Quill Street is unmarked and somewhere off of the main road, near the paper bazaar. Jabir, an older dwarf with a finely braided beard, answers, and takes us through into his yard. Watching us display our skills against a practice dummy, he agrees to begin training us the next day.

We then return to the Inn, and head into our townhouse, where we find Walteris awake. After explaining where we are, and the fate of Ermengarda, he decides to remain for one more night to finish resting.

Later that night, we are all awoken by loud knocking on our door. Looking out of the window, Axel sees a large group of cloaked men waiting for us. With caution, we talk through the door, unwilling to trust the men, even though they announce themselves as city guard and are merely here to escort us to someone for a chat. Eventually, we gear up and cautiously exit the house, still refusing to go with them as they lack sanction or a letter to say why they are here in the middle of the night. The leader, Captain Oslin orders Elspeth brought out to vouch for them, scaring her. Apologising, we reluctantly allow them to take us by cart to Thornton Manor.

We reach the large manor, and after handing over our weapons, we head into the kitchen, were we meet Lord Thornton. He seems to be rather well informed, possesing files on all of us, and asks us a number of questions about our involvement with Jocassa and Em and our adventure. We point out the deficiences in the guards of the city, and whilst we admits he lacks the manpower to ensure the sewers are swept clean, he agrees to talk the guards in Newtown after thier treatment of Bran. He tell us that the Devilfish have been causing a lot of problems. Of note was a recent attack on a small fishing boat, after killing the fisherman’s family, they left him with a message.

“Thank the Storm that blew in at the Cock and Bull for your good fortune. Lysander does not forget those who serve him.”

Lord Thornton wonders if this in connected to our friend Sthorm. He then says that if we are looking to help, he has several things that need looking into. First of course, is to talk to the fisherman. He also suggestst that we look into Magistrate Arden Grell’s ghost troubles. Whatever we do, he urges us to act carefully, as tomorrow we will be known as heroes.

With that, we return home, and spend the next week training.