The heroes manage to scrape together a long rest while barricaded in the guard room. Upon waking, they set to trying to open the magically locked door on the other side of the room. Doc and Vyreth give it the 'ol heave-ho! with Fhasys' crow bar to no avail. Talos, watching the brutes with great amusement, notices a fine blue glow emanating from the seams of the doorway and realizes that it's magically locked. He fumbles around his sack and procures his only scroll of Dispel Magic... but has a hard time letting go. The group discuss options and even entertain the idea of exploring the rest of the dungeon instead, but eventually sober up and dispel the lock.
The door swings open revealing a long, dark stonework tunnel with another--this time deeper--chasm splitting the ground. Fhasys impulsively takes a running leap, nearly loses her finger hold on the far ledge, but manages to scramble up. Doc, impressed with Fhasys' performance, follows suit... only to lose his grip and tumble down the cliff to the powdery ground below. He lands with a muffled "thud". The remaining heroes scrounge around for a rope and places to tie it up, but only find one such thing on the side from whence they came. Using his Mage Hand, Talos lifts the far end of the rope up to the ground level on the opposite side while Doc summons the last of his energy to scale up the cliff. Doc holds the rope securely for the other two as they high-tail it across the chasm.
The tunnel bends to the left, opening up into a wider tunnel adorned with stone pillars and an ornately carved stone doorway. Fhasys takes lead and absorbs a nasty poison dart trap for the group. They press onward toward the doorway. The door itself is a massive stone slab, polished with more infernal inscriptions, and Vyreth and Doc get to shoving the thing out of the way... but they push the wrong way. Nothing. The other two heroes decide to try the other direction and meet success! The door slides out of the way equalizing the air pressure between the two chambers with a back draft of stagnant air. The room is small, dark, and very cold, containing a decorated chest sitting next to a sacrophagus. Black wisps of smoke-like trails dance around the floor of the room, climbing up the walls and the sarcophagus. The heroes begin to feel the weight of dark emotions--hate and envy and despair begin to settle in. Talos discovers more infernal inscriptions along the lid of the sarcophagus reading simply, "Here lies Urzaan".
Doc jumps the gun and slides the cover off the sarcophagus, the room goes dark, and a tower of black smoke erupts from within forming the visage of a crowned, emaciated, undead king with hollow red orbs for eyes. Urzaan asks why he was summoned, but gets a glib response from the heroes prompting him to attack. The party engages in a brutal encounter with two shadows and the wraith, all of which drain max HP and STR upon contact. The heroes slowly wither away with every hit and begin to worry for their safety. The battle finally ends with the heroes (barely) victorious, struggling to stand and winded from the loss of constitution, and they search the chest. Clearly needing a rest, the heroes once again brave the dungeon depths and turn in. Their first long rest is broken by a couple wights banging at the door. They try and wait it out, hoping for the unwelcome guests to go away, but no dice... The heroes open the door and face the threat. Their second attempt at a long rest is broken by a couple more shadows and combat ensues once again. The party decides they've had enough healing to get by and huddle to figure out the next course of action.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Episode 13, "Unearthing the Past" p1
Squinting to make out any detail in the pitch black hall, Vyreth realizes he's going to need a light source to be able to see a damned thing. Talos magically lights Vyreth's sword, and the scene opens up to all... The huge hall is adorned with tall, stone pillars on each side and a sarcophagus sits at the far end of the room guarded by some form of dog-like statue. Four sets of full-plate armor stand watch in the middle of the hall, arms resting on huge swords. Doc, after recognizing two of the sets as being roughly dwarf size, skirts around the side of the hall for a closer look and the rest follow suit. Doc inspects the armor and, once satisfied as to its quality and condition, decides to grab it on the way back out. The heroes, stressed from the desert journey and the encounter with the skeletons outside the tomb, decide to once again take a rest in the great hall.
While the rest of the party sleeps, Talos' curiosity overtakes him and he wanders toward the sarcophagus to inspect. Stepping on a hidden pressure plate just in front of the canine statue, a torrent of flame erupts badly singing his robe. The party is startled awake by the wave of heat and noise, and the suits of armor awaken--climbing off their pedestals advancing on the heroes in a slow, steady march. The swords they were once resting on also take flight and combat ensues.
The animated armors pack a wallop, and a couple of the heroes end up quite battered from their steel fists. Vyreth summons a pack of giant spiders to help the cause, and Talos blasts a bolt of lightning through two suits and a flying sword. Since the heroes decided (rightly so) to steer clear of the main floor and instead stick to the walls while crossing, they didn't run into the spiked pit trap lying in wait... but a spider did. With a loud metallic slam, the center of the hall opens up into a large pit, swallowing one of the spiders and locking it inside. The party watches with a mix of apprehension and relief knowing that it could well have been one of them.
Once the battle ends, Talos apologizes for waking the lot and gets to investigating the sarcophagus. Doc, in a moment of keen awareness, spots century-old foot prints in the dusty ground leading toward the sarcophagus implying prior visitors to the tomb. He goes to work sliding the heavy stone lid off and reveals an empty space inside. Fhasys pokes around inside for latches or levers and discovers that the entire base panel lifts out revealing a ladder down into a small, uninteresting room with a closed door.
Pressing onward, the heroes listen for activity beyond the door and upon hearing nothing, open the door into a long set of descending steps. The stairs eventually level into a slightly larger room split in two likely by geological movement. A 10' wide chasm stands between the party and the other side, and they set out to find a way across. While Fhasys, Vyreth, and Doc examine the drop itself, Talos spots some rock outcroppings on each side of the chasm along the northern wall and manages to lasso the far side with his rope creating a way across. Fhasys eagerly jumps down and attempts to swing her way across, hand-over-hand. Halfway across, she loses her grip and falls, her tether keeping her from hitting the ground but slamming her into the close wall instead. While dangling upside down waiting for her friends to pull her back up, she spots an old scroll laying in the dust and dirt. She asks to be let down instead and fetches the scroll. After a series of attempts, the entire party manages to make it across the chasm hand-over-hand while Talos opts to tight rope walk.
The crew comes to a tunnel junction and Doc once more spots the old footprints, now leading into a tunnel to the north. Instead of investigating the footprints further, they decide to take the path less traveled and head into the southern tunnel. The door is locked.
Fhasys fails an attempt at picking the lock, but Vyreth and Doc manage to force it open with a crowbar. They enter an old storage room complete with a small shelf, aged wooden barrels, and a chest. Fhasys immediately bolts over to the chest to see whats inside. She begins to open the lid, but the lid opens the rest of the way by itself revealing a huge maw of razor sharp teeth. The chest sprouts legs and tentacle-like arms, and lashes out at Fhasys. Combat ensues.
Once the mimic is killed, a search of the room reveals some trinkets: x7 refined crossbow bolts, a suit of chainmail, x3 potions of greater healing, a long green crystal of some sort, a pouch w/some gold, and an old black leather bound tome which instills knowledge of the Infernal language to Talos when read. Not a bad find!
The heroes continue through the closed door in the store room, out into another tunnel, and through a demolished doorway into what appears to be some type of guard room. At a table on one side of the room sits two long-since deceased humanoids face-down in their plates, and on the other lies an ornate tapestry flanked by two more suits of armor. Fhasys takes the lead into the room and triggers a tripwire, launching a poison dart into her side. Vyreth, captivated by the rug's craftsmanship, decides to investigate closer while Talos attempts to animate the corpses at the table.
As Vyreth strokes the soft fabric of the rug, it suddenly leaps into the air, wrapping itself tightly around Vyreth and suffocating him. The corpses stubbornly refuse to animate, to Talos' dismay, and his imp poofs into existence atop the table for a closer view. With a terrified shriek, the imp vanishes again and the corpses begin to breath long, guttural sighs. Combat ensues.
Two ghasts, two flying swords, and a rug of smothering later... The crew loots a pouch of gold and gems from the table and moves onward toward a locked door on the opposite side of the room. Doc attempts to kick the door in, but his foot is rebuffed by some sort of magical field. Talos, realizing that his spell book may be in dire need of retooling for this dungeon, suggests they use this room for a long rest. Doc bars the doorway they came in through as best he can and the party hunkers down for the night.
While the rest of the party sleeps, Talos' curiosity overtakes him and he wanders toward the sarcophagus to inspect. Stepping on a hidden pressure plate just in front of the canine statue, a torrent of flame erupts badly singing his robe. The party is startled awake by the wave of heat and noise, and the suits of armor awaken--climbing off their pedestals advancing on the heroes in a slow, steady march. The swords they were once resting on also take flight and combat ensues.
The animated armors pack a wallop, and a couple of the heroes end up quite battered from their steel fists. Vyreth summons a pack of giant spiders to help the cause, and Talos blasts a bolt of lightning through two suits and a flying sword. Since the heroes decided (rightly so) to steer clear of the main floor and instead stick to the walls while crossing, they didn't run into the spiked pit trap lying in wait... but a spider did. With a loud metallic slam, the center of the hall opens up into a large pit, swallowing one of the spiders and locking it inside. The party watches with a mix of apprehension and relief knowing that it could well have been one of them.
Once the battle ends, Talos apologizes for waking the lot and gets to investigating the sarcophagus. Doc, in a moment of keen awareness, spots century-old foot prints in the dusty ground leading toward the sarcophagus implying prior visitors to the tomb. He goes to work sliding the heavy stone lid off and reveals an empty space inside. Fhasys pokes around inside for latches or levers and discovers that the entire base panel lifts out revealing a ladder down into a small, uninteresting room with a closed door.
Pressing onward, the heroes listen for activity beyond the door and upon hearing nothing, open the door into a long set of descending steps. The stairs eventually level into a slightly larger room split in two likely by geological movement. A 10' wide chasm stands between the party and the other side, and they set out to find a way across. While Fhasys, Vyreth, and Doc examine the drop itself, Talos spots some rock outcroppings on each side of the chasm along the northern wall and manages to lasso the far side with his rope creating a way across. Fhasys eagerly jumps down and attempts to swing her way across, hand-over-hand. Halfway across, she loses her grip and falls, her tether keeping her from hitting the ground but slamming her into the close wall instead. While dangling upside down waiting for her friends to pull her back up, she spots an old scroll laying in the dust and dirt. She asks to be let down instead and fetches the scroll. After a series of attempts, the entire party manages to make it across the chasm hand-over-hand while Talos opts to tight rope walk.
The crew comes to a tunnel junction and Doc once more spots the old footprints, now leading into a tunnel to the north. Instead of investigating the footprints further, they decide to take the path less traveled and head into the southern tunnel. The door is locked.
Fhasys fails an attempt at picking the lock, but Vyreth and Doc manage to force it open with a crowbar. They enter an old storage room complete with a small shelf, aged wooden barrels, and a chest. Fhasys immediately bolts over to the chest to see whats inside. She begins to open the lid, but the lid opens the rest of the way by itself revealing a huge maw of razor sharp teeth. The chest sprouts legs and tentacle-like arms, and lashes out at Fhasys. Combat ensues.
Once the mimic is killed, a search of the room reveals some trinkets: x7 refined crossbow bolts, a suit of chainmail, x3 potions of greater healing, a long green crystal of some sort, a pouch w/some gold, and an old black leather bound tome which instills knowledge of the Infernal language to Talos when read. Not a bad find!
The heroes continue through the closed door in the store room, out into another tunnel, and through a demolished doorway into what appears to be some type of guard room. At a table on one side of the room sits two long-since deceased humanoids face-down in their plates, and on the other lies an ornate tapestry flanked by two more suits of armor. Fhasys takes the lead into the room and triggers a tripwire, launching a poison dart into her side. Vyreth, captivated by the rug's craftsmanship, decides to investigate closer while Talos attempts to animate the corpses at the table.
As Vyreth strokes the soft fabric of the rug, it suddenly leaps into the air, wrapping itself tightly around Vyreth and suffocating him. The corpses stubbornly refuse to animate, to Talos' dismay, and his imp poofs into existence atop the table for a closer view. With a terrified shriek, the imp vanishes again and the corpses begin to breath long, guttural sighs. Combat ensues.
Two ghasts, two flying swords, and a rug of smothering later... The crew loots a pouch of gold and gems from the table and moves onward toward a locked door on the opposite side of the room. Doc attempts to kick the door in, but his foot is rebuffed by some sort of magical field. Talos, realizing that his spell book may be in dire need of retooling for this dungeon, suggests they use this room for a long rest. Doc bars the doorway they came in through as best he can and the party hunkers down for the night.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Episode 12, "Plunging into Darkness"
Armed with a bag-full of artisan cakes, the heroes make their way back to the Bumblebrook Sanctuary to placate the fairy dragon (clearly frustrated by the party's lack of curiosity as to its name). The dragon pounces on the cakes, eating them all up like there's no tomorrow and then rolling around in the leftover icing. The cakes clearly made an impression! In exchange for the treats, the dragon shows Doc the path to find Peter (from the foothills by Quanlo, down through the Ragneron Forest, and near a lake). Doc struggles to recognize the terrain, but thinks he gets the gist and flings his recently purchased platinum coin at the dragon as a token of his gratitude. The dragon reflexively flies safely out of range of the flying coin, hisses, and vanishes out of sight, leaving the coin to fall haplessly back to the ground unattended. Curious reaction. With the disappearance of the dragon, the illusory terrain fades from existence all around the sanctuary revealing a plain old, grassy, overgrown marsh.
Since it's late evening and the party has a long ride ahead of them (to the desert tomb), they decide to park it at the Troublesome Troll for food and rest. During their dinner, the heroes overhear talk between two miners of some strange discovery deep within the Thanon mine... some sort of huge, ancient stone doorway blocking a newly dug tunnel. They get some much needed rest that night, and Talos awakens before dawn to the sound of a spinning coin falling close to his ear. Opening his eyes, it would seem a plain platinum coin has mysteriously found its way into his room. Talos inspects the premises for signs of intrusion but finds none, pockets the coin, and drifts off to sleep. His dreams are filled with wonderous imagery from a lush, overgrown ruin somewhere deep within a forest, and he's overcome with the desire to visit.
Over breakfast, Talos brings up the topic of the odd coin he found and Doc notices the similarity between this and his own coin. Rifling around in his pockets, Doc discovers that his own coin has gone missing and the two discuss just how it came to land in Talos' possession. Talos claims innocence and hands the coin back to Doc for safe keeping. The lot then begin discussing plans for the day. Most decide that catching the wagon out to the desert tomb sounds like the best thing to do first, and Talos mentions that he'd rather visit these ruins he'd dreamed about... overruled. The heroes head out of the town gates, meet the driver, and get to travelling.
The journey, according to the old man at the reigns, should take about 4 hours given smooth riding (ha). The driver is clearly wary of the journey and not looking forward to what may come of it, but the pay is good. An hour passes by uneventfully as the wagon heads NE away from the foothills and into the sandy desert, and with a few lurches and an exclamation or two from the driver, the whole thing comes to a stop. A wheel had gotten stuck in the hard, sandy, stone-ridden earth. The heroes pile out of the wagon to bitch and try and help push the wagon free of its bondage. Ultimately, after the driver sticks a wedge beneath the problem wheel, the crew manages to heave it free. This delay had cost them 2 more hours, and just as they started to ride again the lot is ambushed by a pack of giant hyenas! Combat ensues.
The driver manages to fend off a couple of the beasts with an old machete until they finally grow a pair and pounce, pinning him to the floor and nearly eviscerating him. Talos' imp dive-bombs the hyena nearest to its master, latching on to its side and stinging it with a nasty poison until it collapses. Showing a bit of its devious personality, the imp then decides to join the driver and three hyenas to "stir the pot" a bit. Eventually, the hyenas are slain, the driver is healed, and the crew gets back on the road.
The remaining couple hours pass by uneventfully, and the wagon rolls up to the site of a strange visual anomaly (the tomb). Large, neon-blue rimmed "bubbles" of space seem to swirl and rotate around the axis of some invisible hemisphere sitting atop the desert sand. When inspected closer, the bubbles appear more to be tears in the fabric of space-time, providing windows into a dark, moonlit landscape dotted with ruined ivory pillars and a sporting a great gaping maw of a hole protruding from the earth.
At first, some folks in the party are taken aback with the power and mystery of this place and consider heading back to Quanlo having had "investigated" the area thoroughly. Fhasys, feeling brave and restless, first wanders into the center of the bubble swarm for a looksee and then back out to attempt to jump through one of the bigger holes. Her first attempt ends up unsuccessful, but her second try vaults her through to the other side. Meanwhile, Doc discovers what appears to be a large humanoid lying face-down in the distance. Doc, Talos, and Vyreth head out to investigate and find what appears to be the scene of a small battle between a handful of red robed mages (identified as being from the mages guild of Quanlo) and a couple blighted ogres.
The rest of the crew ends up following Fhasys into the alternate dimension (through the bubble holes), and they all decide to set up camp for a short rest. Doc stands watch for the duration and the group is ambushed by 10 skeletons that burst from the hallowed grounds and attack. Despite a few knicks, the party makes it through unscathed. As the last skeleton falls, a great, foul mass of air belches forth from the opening in the ground filling the heroes with sadness and bitterness. Steeling themselves, they gather their gear and head down the tunnel leading into the earth.
After a long descent, the tunnel finally flattens out and dead-ends at a large onyx inscribed slab blocking the way. Talos, using his knowledge of lore and arcana, deciphers the inscriptions as being ancient dwarven and reads the text to his group; it's a poem dedicated to the nasty inhabitant of this tomb for which it was constructed, Urzaan. Whipping out a scroll of Dispel Magic, Talos releases the magical lock on the slab and Doc and Vyreth manage to slide it out of the way. Standing before a dimly lit great hallway lined with pillars and torches, the heroes spot a lone sarcophagus at the far-end and decide how to best approach.
Since it's late evening and the party has a long ride ahead of them (to the desert tomb), they decide to park it at the Troublesome Troll for food and rest. During their dinner, the heroes overhear talk between two miners of some strange discovery deep within the Thanon mine... some sort of huge, ancient stone doorway blocking a newly dug tunnel. They get some much needed rest that night, and Talos awakens before dawn to the sound of a spinning coin falling close to his ear. Opening his eyes, it would seem a plain platinum coin has mysteriously found its way into his room. Talos inspects the premises for signs of intrusion but finds none, pockets the coin, and drifts off to sleep. His dreams are filled with wonderous imagery from a lush, overgrown ruin somewhere deep within a forest, and he's overcome with the desire to visit.
Over breakfast, Talos brings up the topic of the odd coin he found and Doc notices the similarity between this and his own coin. Rifling around in his pockets, Doc discovers that his own coin has gone missing and the two discuss just how it came to land in Talos' possession. Talos claims innocence and hands the coin back to Doc for safe keeping. The lot then begin discussing plans for the day. Most decide that catching the wagon out to the desert tomb sounds like the best thing to do first, and Talos mentions that he'd rather visit these ruins he'd dreamed about... overruled. The heroes head out of the town gates, meet the driver, and get to travelling.
The journey, according to the old man at the reigns, should take about 4 hours given smooth riding (ha). The driver is clearly wary of the journey and not looking forward to what may come of it, but the pay is good. An hour passes by uneventfully as the wagon heads NE away from the foothills and into the sandy desert, and with a few lurches and an exclamation or two from the driver, the whole thing comes to a stop. A wheel had gotten stuck in the hard, sandy, stone-ridden earth. The heroes pile out of the wagon to bitch and try and help push the wagon free of its bondage. Ultimately, after the driver sticks a wedge beneath the problem wheel, the crew manages to heave it free. This delay had cost them 2 more hours, and just as they started to ride again the lot is ambushed by a pack of giant hyenas! Combat ensues.
The driver manages to fend off a couple of the beasts with an old machete until they finally grow a pair and pounce, pinning him to the floor and nearly eviscerating him. Talos' imp dive-bombs the hyena nearest to its master, latching on to its side and stinging it with a nasty poison until it collapses. Showing a bit of its devious personality, the imp then decides to join the driver and three hyenas to "stir the pot" a bit. Eventually, the hyenas are slain, the driver is healed, and the crew gets back on the road.
The remaining couple hours pass by uneventfully, and the wagon rolls up to the site of a strange visual anomaly (the tomb). Large, neon-blue rimmed "bubbles" of space seem to swirl and rotate around the axis of some invisible hemisphere sitting atop the desert sand. When inspected closer, the bubbles appear more to be tears in the fabric of space-time, providing windows into a dark, moonlit landscape dotted with ruined ivory pillars and a sporting a great gaping maw of a hole protruding from the earth.
At first, some folks in the party are taken aback with the power and mystery of this place and consider heading back to Quanlo having had "investigated" the area thoroughly. Fhasys, feeling brave and restless, first wanders into the center of the bubble swarm for a looksee and then back out to attempt to jump through one of the bigger holes. Her first attempt ends up unsuccessful, but her second try vaults her through to the other side. Meanwhile, Doc discovers what appears to be a large humanoid lying face-down in the distance. Doc, Talos, and Vyreth head out to investigate and find what appears to be the scene of a small battle between a handful of red robed mages (identified as being from the mages guild of Quanlo) and a couple blighted ogres.
The rest of the crew ends up following Fhasys into the alternate dimension (through the bubble holes), and they all decide to set up camp for a short rest. Doc stands watch for the duration and the group is ambushed by 10 skeletons that burst from the hallowed grounds and attack. Despite a few knicks, the party makes it through unscathed. As the last skeleton falls, a great, foul mass of air belches forth from the opening in the ground filling the heroes with sadness and bitterness. Steeling themselves, they gather their gear and head down the tunnel leading into the earth.
After a long descent, the tunnel finally flattens out and dead-ends at a large onyx inscribed slab blocking the way. Talos, using his knowledge of lore and arcana, deciphers the inscriptions as being ancient dwarven and reads the text to his group; it's a poem dedicated to the nasty inhabitant of this tomb for which it was constructed, Urzaan. Whipping out a scroll of Dispel Magic, Talos releases the magical lock on the slab and Doc and Vyreth manage to slide it out of the way. Standing before a dimly lit great hallway lined with pillars and torches, the heroes spot a lone sarcophagus at the far-end and decide how to best approach.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Episode 11, "On the Road Again"
Having cleared their names with the local authorities--courtesy of Raven and the thieves guild--the heroes spent one last night in the den eating, drinking, and being merry. Talos' strange disappearance was noticed by the party momentarily, but sleep seemed more of a pressing matter than finding their pretty-boy mage, so they turned in for the night.
Talos, meanwhile, had a run-in with the local prankster being talked about all over town. A fountain became a towering pillar of water drawing the attention of some Iron Gate guards, and Talos decided he'd be better off hidden in a nearby alleyway. It was in this alley that he came face to face with the prankster, a metallic purple, cat-sized faerie dragon who took quite an interest in his abilities. After a mostly useless conversation with the dragon, Talos was polymorphed into a dog and then compelled to chase an illusory cat straight into the Gate barracks, rudely awakening them. While pleading his case (as a dog) to the irritated guards, two of them got into a heated brawl. Talos used this opportunity to get out of Dodge. Once the polymorph wore off, he headed to the trail leading up to the mages guild and was met with yet another prankster trick. This time, the entire hillside transformed into a lush forest, making it difficult for him to find his way out. Using his keen sense of direction, however, Talos managed to get to the guild in just under an hour.
Talos engaged two acolytes standing in the guild courtyard in idle conversation, showing them his mysterious glass sphere and asking to speak with Reeser about it. They brought him to Reeser's quarters, had a little chit-chat, and then Talos spent the rest of the night with a summoner who bound the sphere's inhabitant--an imp--to his soul (at the cost of some Constitution).
In the morning, Talos and his new pet met up with Reeser and a few other guild mages in the dining hall for breakfast. They discussed Quar Jezz't and his request to consume Talos' ex-mentor's soul (Weshryn), where to find Weshryn, and a task that the guild asks in exchange for said information.
Meanwhile, the rest of the heroes awoke in the thieves guild fairly rested--except for Fhasys who woke up face-down in a food dish. During the night, Vyreth overheard some folks discussing recent happenings with a missing lumber shipment from a local camp and his curiosity was piqued. Noticing that Talos was still missing, the lot decided it was likely that he'd be at the mages guild... so they headed out to meet up with him.
Once at the mages guild, they inquired about their elven friend and were lead up into the dining hall where Reeser & co. were finishing up breakfast. Introductions were made, information was shared, items identified (werewolf tooth for Fhasys, Cannesh slave ring for Vyreth, and amulet of regeneration for Doc), and at a hefty expense, Fhasys finally had the aboleth's curse lifted from her shoulders. The heroes agreed to the exchange of services--investigate a strange exposed tomb deep in the desert of Olais in exchange for magically sealing the Embershale mine--and a covered wagon was dispatched to meet them outside of town for the journey.
Leaving the mages guild, the lot decided to take a small shopping detour whereupon Doc became enthralled by the faerie dragon. A magical glade suddenly sprung up in the seedier area of Quanlo, drawing Doc's attention and compelling him to wander inside, where he met a talking bunny who mentioned Peter. As the rest of the party caught up, Doc explained that they needed dessert and shiny trinkets for the dragon in exchange for more information on Peter. They decided to hit the bazaar.
Quite a few cakes were purchased from a baker, Vyreth found some spoiled pastries and a large fishing net--presumably to catch the dragon--and Doc stumbled into a mysterious tattooed vendor selling odd bits 'n pieces from a local ruin. Despite being given any real information on the various artifacts being sold, Doc purchased a platinum coin and a glass ring which radiated warmth when held. Shortly thereafter, Doc began to catch his mind wondering to the Ruins of Enra, imagining just how awesome it'd be to go exploring there.
The heroes reconvened outside of the bazaar with their newfound treats and trinkets, and paused for a moment to decide what to do next.
Talos, meanwhile, had a run-in with the local prankster being talked about all over town. A fountain became a towering pillar of water drawing the attention of some Iron Gate guards, and Talos decided he'd be better off hidden in a nearby alleyway. It was in this alley that he came face to face with the prankster, a metallic purple, cat-sized faerie dragon who took quite an interest in his abilities. After a mostly useless conversation with the dragon, Talos was polymorphed into a dog and then compelled to chase an illusory cat straight into the Gate barracks, rudely awakening them. While pleading his case (as a dog) to the irritated guards, two of them got into a heated brawl. Talos used this opportunity to get out of Dodge. Once the polymorph wore off, he headed to the trail leading up to the mages guild and was met with yet another prankster trick. This time, the entire hillside transformed into a lush forest, making it difficult for him to find his way out. Using his keen sense of direction, however, Talos managed to get to the guild in just under an hour.
Talos engaged two acolytes standing in the guild courtyard in idle conversation, showing them his mysterious glass sphere and asking to speak with Reeser about it. They brought him to Reeser's quarters, had a little chit-chat, and then Talos spent the rest of the night with a summoner who bound the sphere's inhabitant--an imp--to his soul (at the cost of some Constitution).
In the morning, Talos and his new pet met up with Reeser and a few other guild mages in the dining hall for breakfast. They discussed Quar Jezz't and his request to consume Talos' ex-mentor's soul (Weshryn), where to find Weshryn, and a task that the guild asks in exchange for said information.
Meanwhile, the rest of the heroes awoke in the thieves guild fairly rested--except for Fhasys who woke up face-down in a food dish. During the night, Vyreth overheard some folks discussing recent happenings with a missing lumber shipment from a local camp and his curiosity was piqued. Noticing that Talos was still missing, the lot decided it was likely that he'd be at the mages guild... so they headed out to meet up with him.
Once at the mages guild, they inquired about their elven friend and were lead up into the dining hall where Reeser & co. were finishing up breakfast. Introductions were made, information was shared, items identified (werewolf tooth for Fhasys, Cannesh slave ring for Vyreth, and amulet of regeneration for Doc), and at a hefty expense, Fhasys finally had the aboleth's curse lifted from her shoulders. The heroes agreed to the exchange of services--investigate a strange exposed tomb deep in the desert of Olais in exchange for magically sealing the Embershale mine--and a covered wagon was dispatched to meet them outside of town for the journey.
Leaving the mages guild, the lot decided to take a small shopping detour whereupon Doc became enthralled by the faerie dragon. A magical glade suddenly sprung up in the seedier area of Quanlo, drawing Doc's attention and compelling him to wander inside, where he met a talking bunny who mentioned Peter. As the rest of the party caught up, Doc explained that they needed dessert and shiny trinkets for the dragon in exchange for more information on Peter. They decided to hit the bazaar.
Quite a few cakes were purchased from a baker, Vyreth found some spoiled pastries and a large fishing net--presumably to catch the dragon--and Doc stumbled into a mysterious tattooed vendor selling odd bits 'n pieces from a local ruin. Despite being given any real information on the various artifacts being sold, Doc purchased a platinum coin and a glass ring which radiated warmth when held. Shortly thereafter, Doc began to catch his mind wondering to the Ruins of Enra, imagining just how awesome it'd be to go exploring there.
The heroes reconvened outside of the bazaar with their newfound treats and trinkets, and paused for a moment to decide what to do next.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Episode 10, "Pulling Strings"
Having been lead by a man named Levin into the den of the Red Hand--the infamous thieves guild of Quanlo--the heroes were treated to a curiously warm welcome by the guild's leader, Raven. Over dinner, the group discussed a growing web of intrigue and opportunity they'd unknowingly spun in their dealings with Quanlo and the Iron Gate.
The Red Hand had been made aware of Demetrius' return to Quanlo and had planned an elaborate scheme to profit off of his misfortunes. Since Doc was wanted in the murder of Draven Hensely--the head of a local strong arm organization called Slabtown--a sizable bounty was out for his arrest and the guild wanted a cut. A letter was drafted to a key witness in the murder, Orin Thren, aimed at using him to clear Doc's name in exchange for the bounty. Unfortunately, Doc had since become wrapped-up in a group of unlikely compatriots who took it upon themselves to stir up even more trouble with the Iron Gate by murdering a caravan of slavers and subsequently evading arrest. The Iron Gate was now on full alert and new bounties had been posted for each suspect, including one "mysteriously disappeared" mage (Talos). Needless to say, things had quickly become very complicated and the potential for profit quadrupled for the Red Hand.
Raven had dispatched Levin to secure Demetrius, but got a bit more than he'd bargained for. He decided to come clean with the (now defunct) plan to clear Doc's name in exchange for the bounty, trusting that the ragtag group had enough sense to invent a contingency plan. Putting the guilds' bargaining chips on the table--loaner equipment, contacts and information, access to the group's stolen belongings, and desire for both gold from the bounties as well as insider leverage into Slabtown (courtesy of Doc)--Raven asked that the party come up with a proposal in exchange for clearing all of their names. Finishing dinner, Raven offered to also return with a writ detailing the specific accusations and bounties within an hour's time and left the heroes to huddle.
This was clearly a complex and befuddling set of circumstances for the heroes. They sat around the table for a good hour, first learning more about Demetrius' history with Quanlo and Slabtown and then detailing their options. The first thing discussed was gold; specifically, how much of their own bounties they wanted for themselves once the deal was done. Doc quickly decided that he would be more than willing to provide insight into Slabtown as the primary bargaining chip, seeing as he wanted nothing to do with the seedy organization, and Vyreth expressed deep concerns over the authenticity of the Red Hand's offer. Vyreth asked for some sort of guarantee or collateral just in case the guild decided to pull a fast one over on them, and decided that their missing equipment could play such a role. An hour or so had passed by this time, at which point Raven returned to the table with the writ of accusations totaling nearly 1,700gp in total bounties! The group had a few questions answered and points clarified, then Raven retired for the night leaving them to finalize their proposal.
As the party slept, Fhasys' keen ears woke her to the sound of a muffled conversation involving some strange occurrences around town. It seemed as though pranks were being played on the townsfolk by some unseen creature or force, causing mischief and completely befuddling the local authorities.
Come morning, the group made their way out of the dirty common "cavern" space where they'd slept back into the dim lighting of the central chamber and found Raven awaiting them at a table. Over breakfast, they discussed the terms of their freedom. Demetrius was nominated as the chief negotiator, proposing that the party offer the following in exchange for clearing their names:
The Red Hand had been made aware of Demetrius' return to Quanlo and had planned an elaborate scheme to profit off of his misfortunes. Since Doc was wanted in the murder of Draven Hensely--the head of a local strong arm organization called Slabtown--a sizable bounty was out for his arrest and the guild wanted a cut. A letter was drafted to a key witness in the murder, Orin Thren, aimed at using him to clear Doc's name in exchange for the bounty. Unfortunately, Doc had since become wrapped-up in a group of unlikely compatriots who took it upon themselves to stir up even more trouble with the Iron Gate by murdering a caravan of slavers and subsequently evading arrest. The Iron Gate was now on full alert and new bounties had been posted for each suspect, including one "mysteriously disappeared" mage (Talos). Needless to say, things had quickly become very complicated and the potential for profit quadrupled for the Red Hand.
Raven had dispatched Levin to secure Demetrius, but got a bit more than he'd bargained for. He decided to come clean with the (now defunct) plan to clear Doc's name in exchange for the bounty, trusting that the ragtag group had enough sense to invent a contingency plan. Putting the guilds' bargaining chips on the table--loaner equipment, contacts and information, access to the group's stolen belongings, and desire for both gold from the bounties as well as insider leverage into Slabtown (courtesy of Doc)--Raven asked that the party come up with a proposal in exchange for clearing all of their names. Finishing dinner, Raven offered to also return with a writ detailing the specific accusations and bounties within an hour's time and left the heroes to huddle.
This was clearly a complex and befuddling set of circumstances for the heroes. They sat around the table for a good hour, first learning more about Demetrius' history with Quanlo and Slabtown and then detailing their options. The first thing discussed was gold; specifically, how much of their own bounties they wanted for themselves once the deal was done. Doc quickly decided that he would be more than willing to provide insight into Slabtown as the primary bargaining chip, seeing as he wanted nothing to do with the seedy organization, and Vyreth expressed deep concerns over the authenticity of the Red Hand's offer. Vyreth asked for some sort of guarantee or collateral just in case the guild decided to pull a fast one over on them, and decided that their missing equipment could play such a role. An hour or so had passed by this time, at which point Raven returned to the table with the writ of accusations totaling nearly 1,700gp in total bounties! The group had a few questions answered and points clarified, then Raven retired for the night leaving them to finalize their proposal.
As the party slept, Fhasys' keen ears woke her to the sound of a muffled conversation involving some strange occurrences around town. It seemed as though pranks were being played on the townsfolk by some unseen creature or force, causing mischief and completely befuddling the local authorities.
Come morning, the group made their way out of the dirty common "cavern" space where they'd slept back into the dim lighting of the central chamber and found Raven awaiting them at a table. Over breakfast, they discussed the terms of their freedom. Demetrius was nominated as the chief negotiator, proposing that the party offer the following in exchange for clearing their names:
- The Red Hand would first secure the party's equipment from the Iron Gate barracks as a down-payment on the deal.
- The heroes (except for Doc) would hand deliver the guild's letter to Orin, forcing his hand in admitting guilt for the murder of Draven and thus clearing Doc of the murder charges.
- Demetrius would remain in the den during this time and divulge the inner-workings of Slabtown so that the Red Hand could assume control of the organization.
- The party would take a 90/10 cut of the bounties (in their favor).
- The Red Hand would work their magic in clearing all remaining crimes.
Raven thought the supplies request made sense and immediately agreed to that provision, and salivated over the thought of being basically handed Slabtown on a silver platter, but the cut of the bounties was essentially the opposite of what he'd been thinking. After all, the guild's primary interest in orchestrating this whole deal was gold. Raven and Doc argued over the bounties for a good long while, both posturing and intimidating to gain advantage, but--taking advantage of a slip in Doc's resolve, Raven made a play which forced him to second-guess their position. In the end, the group agreed to a 50/50 split in addition to details on Slabtown, Raven drafted a contract which the party signed, and fetched the sealed letter for Orin.
The heroes (sans Demetrius) headed out to deliver the letter while Doc stayed behind to have a chat with Raven. Talos took the lead some 20' ahead of Vyreth and Fhasys, all under cover of Vyreth's magical shroud. They encountered a heavily armored Gate guard along the way, accompanied by some type of mage, who seemed to notice Talos approaching. Talos, in a moment of fast-thinking, used Suggestion to motivate their hasty retreat and they made their way to Orin's home. Fhasys scouted the perimeter looking for alternate means of entry while Talos and Vyreth stood watch. All she ended up finding was a half-open window on the second story. Fhasys convinced Vyreth to give her a boost but she missed and the two collapsed to the ground. Determined to try again, Vyreth gave her another boost in which she barely hung on to the window sill and pulled herself inside.
Meanwhile, back in the den of the Red Hand, Doc had finished explaining which buttons and levers to pull in order to assume control of Slabtown to Raven. The two continued conversations over drinks talking about Quanlo, the Iron Gate, and catching up on current events and rumors. Doc was given more detail regarding the "Quanlo prankster" and, to his surprise, his old friend Peter. Some scouts that had come back from a lumber camp in the nearby Ragneron forest had stumbled upon the man strolling through a particularly pretty glade, whistling to himself and looking happy as can be. They positively identified Peter, but remained hidden until he'd passed so didn't have a chance to speak with him. As their conversation wound down, Doc was finally given access to the Red Hand equipment stores (at a discount) and was handed a gold religious medallion of mysterious origin that radiated warmth when hung from his neck.
Fhasys discovered a ransacked and mostly quiet second floor, but heard faint whispers and shuffling coming from downstairs. She descended to the first floor which, again looked as if it'd been ransacked, and proceeded to snoop around for hidden doors. Discovering a latched basement door beneath a rug, Fhasys finally opened the front door and let the others inside. She yanked the door open to the surprise of two guards standing at the base of the stairs (who immediately scattered), Talos sent a light-bubble into the darkness, and Vyreth cast sleep on... somebody.
Fhasys cautiously headed down the stairs and discovered four guards--two standing shaken, weapons partially drawn, and two trying to wake up the (now sleeping) Orin. Dialogue ensued. Fhasys repeatedly attempted to intimidate the guards to hand over Orin, while the guards postured to obtain the letter first. Hitting a stand-off, Vyreth pulled out his big guns and transformed into a bear, letting out a loud roar after poking his upper torso into the entrance. The roar was enough to snap Orin out of it, and he approached Fhasys to read the letter. Understanding what must be done, Orin sent one of the guards out to notify the Iron Gate of his whereabouts and the heroes headed back to the den to report to Raven.
On the way back to the thieves guild, the crew was nearly spotted by another regiment of guards, but something very odd happened as they walked past... In the blink of an eye, the well armored lot was reduced to their undergarments by some unseen force who then let out a devious cackle. The guards, in a moment of clear shock and embarrassment, took off running leaving the party completely confused.
The crew reassembled in the den, explained the goings-on to Raven who in turn gave them their equipment and supplies as-per the plan. Raven advised them to lay low for the rest of the day and through the night until word of their innocence made it up the food chain, so they ate and drank in good spirits. Talos slipped off at some point during the festivities to "go to the bathroom", and a couple hours later Fhasys begun to notice his absence. But, for the most part, the now inebriated lot really could care less and let him be. Talos, under a cloak of invisibility, made his way through town and to the gates of the mages guild to speak with Reeser about his strange little glass sphere.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Episode 9, "Consequences"
After the brutal squabble with the slaver caravan yesterday afternoon, the party had relocated the wagons, horses, slaves, and corpses south of the road in the foothills in order to stay out of the public eye and to get some R&R. Most enjoyed a quiet night of slumber in the wilderness, except for Fhasys who opted to take one of the horses behind a rock and mutilate it in her sleep (see curse). The heroes awoke early in the morning feeling rested, then set to the task of dealing with the dead guards' bodies.
Deciding against burning them due to concerns about smoke, Vyreth and Doc wheeled the cart of corpses out of sight, behind a huge boulder. While the duo dealt with the bodies, a heavily armored dwarf flanked by the two slaver guards who had fled the scene shortly before the battle sauntered into the camp and engaged Talos in conversation.
The dwarf had ridden from Quanlo representing the Iron Gate, Quanlo's local law enforcers, sent to investigate claims made by the two slaver guards that the caravan was under attack. The two guards set out to investigate the camp for signs of struggle and to locate the missing guards and Talon while the dwarf explained the situation to Talos. Unfortunately, Talos wasn't feeling so friendly this morning and decided to cut the conversation short by sending an arc of flames in the dwarf's general direction. Combat ensued.
Talos was readily cut down by the dwarf and the two guards rode into the melee to help subdue the rest. However, after a few blows were exchanged, Doc decided to try and talk some sense into the visitors and offer peaceful resolution. Explaining that Talos had been cursed and is under the influence of witch craft, he pleaded that the guards allow the party to continue their journey unimpeded. The dwarf offered his own suggestion, one which involved the heroes surrendering their weapons and waiting until the investigation was complete. Fhasys decided she'd had enough talk and combat resumed... for a short while anyhow, until the rest of the visitors made an appearance. An archer loosed a couple arrows from behind a rock, and a mage cast Hold Person on Vyreth thoroughly irritating him. In a sudden change of heart, Fhasys decided to be the first to put her weapons down and the remainder of the party followed suit. Doc was allowed to stabilize Talos, and the guards began securing the party's weapons, binding their hands, collecting the slaves, and resuming the investigation. It wasn't long before one of the scouts discovered the wagon of corpses and the investigation came to a close. Talos meanwhile, as a guard was attempting to bind his wrists, cast invisibility on himself and climbed atop the slave wagon. The guards scouted the area but couldn't locate him.
The heroes were stuffed into a single wagon alongside the slaves, and the entire crew rode back to Quanlo in formation, Talos still invisible and riding on top. During the short 15min ride back to Quanlo, Vyreth managed to loosen Fhasys' bindings and vice-versa. The caravan arrived to the city gates, was met by a regiment of Iron Gate guards and the mayor, and the heroes were ordered into the holding cells beneath the barracks until questioning. The wagon containing the slaves was turned around and sent to its original destination... something or some place referred to as "Thanon". All of the party's belongings remained in a pile in the courtyard while they were escorted through the city. Talos, still invisible, followed closely behind.
The group was lead through the various districts of Quanlo and eventually through the Iron Gate training grounds, through the barracks, and into the holding cells. Talos kept an eye on the system of gates that were unlocked and locked as they were lead to their cells, and lingered in the guard room deciding what course of action to take next. Using the power of Suggestion, he convinced the lead guard that better times were to be had at the local inn where a fresh shipment of whores and booze had just arrived. Thoroughly convinced, the lead guard convinced one of his lackeys to follow suit, and they headed out... much to the disapproval of the remaining guard. Talos then made quick work of the last guard by bludgeoning his head in with an iron poker, very unbecoming of him but... desperate times... As Talos set to removing the guard's armor, he suddenly was hit with an urge to search for keys! He found one.
As much commotion was being made outside in the barracks over the jailkeeper's sudden decision to abandon his post, Talos unlocked the holding cell gates and descended into the room where his friends were being held. The sound of voices and footsteps began to draw near and Talos readied his bow. A sound of astonishment erupted from the guard room above as the body was discovered, and Talos once again went invisible. The new guards came barreling down into the jail cell room only to find... nothing. Once their bewilderment wore off, they went back upstairs to sort out the situation. Talos followed the guards back out, through the barracks and into the training courtyard in search of a major distraction. He doused a nearby wooden awning with oil and lit it on fire, drawing the attention of most of the guards in the barracks. As the guards went to work dousing the fire, Talos resumed his rescue operation.
Zapping the locks of his friends' cells with a few strategically placed Magic Missiles, the party was once again united! Vyreth cloaked the entire crew with his own version of an invisibility blanket, and the heroes hastily made their retreat. Doc, recalling a shady hideout that he and his friends used to frequent--the Troublesome Troll--decided it'd be best to head there in search of shelter. The heroes wound their way back to the lower wards and toward the Troublesome Troll spotting several "wanted" posters for Doc along the way, but just as they came close were beckoned into a side alley by a stranger shrouded in shadow. Fhasys, putting two-and-two together, was struck by the fact that they were invisible yet this person could see them? Indeed.
The half-elf man, dressed to the nines in assassin-like garb, armor adorned with symbols of red painted hands, introduced himself as Laethin, member of the Red Hand--a group that Doc recognized as being the local thieves guild. Doc reassured the party of Lethin's qualifications and, given the current risk to themselves, they all decided to follow Laethin's advice. The group was lead through some more dingy back alleyways, into an old abandoned church, through a secret wall, and down into the nest of the Quanlo thieves guild to discuss "a proposal" with the guild's leader.
Despite their temporary shelter in the Red Hand den, the Iron Gate has intensified their search for the entire party. In addition to Doc's mug being posted all around town, the Gate now has reason to suspect them in the murders of the slaver guards (on Quanlo's payroll), the murder of one of the jail keepers, and now a mysterious fire that was set just outside the barracks. Things are not looking good for our friends this day, but they still have important business to attend to with Reeser in the mages guild... If they can manage to get there in one piece.
Despite their temporary shelter in the Red Hand den, the Iron Gate has intensified their search for the entire party. In addition to Doc's mug being posted all around town, the Gate now has reason to suspect them in the murders of the slaver guards (on Quanlo's payroll), the murder of one of the jail keepers, and now a mysterious fire that was set just outside the barracks. Things are not looking good for our friends this day, but they still have important business to attend to with Reeser in the mages guild... If they can manage to get there in one piece.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Episode 8, "Journey to Quanlo"
Having had successfully liberated three frightened horses from their sure demise at a nearby ranch, the party continued the remaining 60mi leg of their trek to Quanlo.
As the sun set upon the foothills, the heroes stumbled upon a campsite recently wiped out by some sort of green acidic slime. Talos attempted to identify the source of the slime, as did Doc, but came up empty handed. The only survivor was a man whose lower half had been disintegrated by the slime. Talos managed to eek some semblance of a conversation out of him before putting him out of his misery. According to the dying man, he'd heard some sort of terrifying roar from the sky just before the attack, leading the party to assume it was the dragon they'd seen the night before during the funeral pyre. Rummaging through the merchant's pack, Talos found an invoice of a handful of gems to be sold to one Orpheus Loraine of Cannesh. He also found a hand-drawn sketch of... something; what appears to be a desert landscape with strange "tears" superimposed.
That night, during Vyreth's (second) watch, the camp was assaulted by a small gnoll raiding party. The gnolls attacked from the darkness of night, as the party decided against lighting a campfire, and Vyreth was impaled by a spear from mob. Combat ensued.
The following day's ride was, for the most part, uneventful. Temperatures climbed hotter than the previous two days and the sun was out at full-blast. The terrain slowly started shifting away from grassland to more of a rocky, arid desert. Somewhere around noon, the party spotted a medium sized caravan far ahead on the trail kicking up dust. Scrambling to come up with the best course of action, Fhasys rode on ahead to meet the caravan with Talos "invisibubbled" and sitting behind her. Two of the caravan guards broke formation to speak with her and offered little in the way of useful information. They urged her to continue riding around the caravan and to pay no notice. Relaying this information back to the party, Vyreth and Doc decided that they should all approach the caravan and attempt to speak with the leader, a red-headed woman riding in front, dawning a fine set of splint mail armor and riding a well armored horse. As they were discussing how to proceed, two of the caravan guards broke formation and raced past the heroes, riding at full-clip toward Quanlo.
The woman in charge, who soon introduced herself as Talon, was equally as useless as the guards behind her. Giving up, the party rode on ahead and then slowed a bit to keep the caravan in their rear-sights while coming up with a new plan of action. During Vyreth and Talon's brief conversation, Vyreth noticed one or two slaves as being from his village, and he felt his blood start to boil. On what seemed like a whim, the entire party about-faced and charged the caravan, determined to lay waste to the guards and free the slaves.
The battle between the heroes and the slavers was likely the toughest the party had encountered to-date, and Talon was not a woman to be trifled with! She easily tore through Doc, then Vyreth, and then Fhasys before finally succumbing to her wounds. Vyreth, hanging on to a shred of his consciousness, managed to drag himself over to Doc in order to lay on hands. Doc, returning the favor, got back to his feet and helped finish off the last remaining guard who was chasing Talos down. Aside from a handful of well-maintained gear, the heroes discovered a scroll of revivify (3rd level), a handful of coin, and a slave invoice on which was both written the name of Vyreth's lost love, Varishna, as well as one Bruenor, headmaster of the Thanon mines. While Varishna wasn't amongst the slaves rescued today, Vyreth finally had a lead into his agonizing past.
Once combat had subsided, the reality of the situation hung heavy over the party's shoulders... They were standing right in the middle of a main thoroughfare surrounded by the bodies of 6 slain guards, Talon herself, and her badly injured horse, and now responsible for the lives of 8 slaves who had no idea where they've been, who they've been bought and sold by, or where they were going. Since it was still mid-day, the crew decided they'd better gather the bodies, horses, and wagons, and drive them South toward the foothills in order to hide the evidence and decide what to do with the slaves. Tomorrow, they would complete the journey to Quanlo.
As the sun set upon the foothills, the heroes stumbled upon a campsite recently wiped out by some sort of green acidic slime. Talos attempted to identify the source of the slime, as did Doc, but came up empty handed. The only survivor was a man whose lower half had been disintegrated by the slime. Talos managed to eek some semblance of a conversation out of him before putting him out of his misery. According to the dying man, he'd heard some sort of terrifying roar from the sky just before the attack, leading the party to assume it was the dragon they'd seen the night before during the funeral pyre. Rummaging through the merchant's pack, Talos found an invoice of a handful of gems to be sold to one Orpheus Loraine of Cannesh. He also found a hand-drawn sketch of... something; what appears to be a desert landscape with strange "tears" superimposed.
That night, during Vyreth's (second) watch, the camp was assaulted by a small gnoll raiding party. The gnolls attacked from the darkness of night, as the party decided against lighting a campfire, and Vyreth was impaled by a spear from mob. Combat ensued.
The following day's ride was, for the most part, uneventful. Temperatures climbed hotter than the previous two days and the sun was out at full-blast. The terrain slowly started shifting away from grassland to more of a rocky, arid desert. Somewhere around noon, the party spotted a medium sized caravan far ahead on the trail kicking up dust. Scrambling to come up with the best course of action, Fhasys rode on ahead to meet the caravan with Talos "invisibubbled" and sitting behind her. Two of the caravan guards broke formation to speak with her and offered little in the way of useful information. They urged her to continue riding around the caravan and to pay no notice. Relaying this information back to the party, Vyreth and Doc decided that they should all approach the caravan and attempt to speak with the leader, a red-headed woman riding in front, dawning a fine set of splint mail armor and riding a well armored horse. As they were discussing how to proceed, two of the caravan guards broke formation and raced past the heroes, riding at full-clip toward Quanlo.
The woman in charge, who soon introduced herself as Talon, was equally as useless as the guards behind her. Giving up, the party rode on ahead and then slowed a bit to keep the caravan in their rear-sights while coming up with a new plan of action. During Vyreth and Talon's brief conversation, Vyreth noticed one or two slaves as being from his village, and he felt his blood start to boil. On what seemed like a whim, the entire party about-faced and charged the caravan, determined to lay waste to the guards and free the slaves.
The battle between the heroes and the slavers was likely the toughest the party had encountered to-date, and Talon was not a woman to be trifled with! She easily tore through Doc, then Vyreth, and then Fhasys before finally succumbing to her wounds. Vyreth, hanging on to a shred of his consciousness, managed to drag himself over to Doc in order to lay on hands. Doc, returning the favor, got back to his feet and helped finish off the last remaining guard who was chasing Talos down. Aside from a handful of well-maintained gear, the heroes discovered a scroll of revivify (3rd level), a handful of coin, and a slave invoice on which was both written the name of Vyreth's lost love, Varishna, as well as one Bruenor, headmaster of the Thanon mines. While Varishna wasn't amongst the slaves rescued today, Vyreth finally had a lead into his agonizing past.
Once combat had subsided, the reality of the situation hung heavy over the party's shoulders... They were standing right in the middle of a main thoroughfare surrounded by the bodies of 6 slain guards, Talon herself, and her badly injured horse, and now responsible for the lives of 8 slaves who had no idea where they've been, who they've been bought and sold by, or where they were going. Since it was still mid-day, the crew decided they'd better gather the bodies, horses, and wagons, and drive them South toward the foothills in order to hide the evidence and decide what to do with the slaves. Tomorrow, they would complete the journey to Quanlo.
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