Session 2
Session 2:
After spending a week recovering from some serious wounds Bryst find himself at an Ale house
How'd it go out there, ya ask? Well nuff for a week a bedrest, that's how. Hah! But this adventurin sure is somethin. I ain't no formation fighter. Who would pay to watch two groups uh fighters brawl? People can find a free-for-all any night if they pick the right tavern. Well, I don't know how it is here in Brushside, but at least they could in Urna. Nah, people paid to watch two uh my kind pit our strength and endurance against each other, and my endurance is what got me through so many fights. It’s what lets me ham it up for the crowd and give a good show. And fair nuf, it prob’ly kept me alive against those goblins last week.
But hey, what I’m sayin’ here is that I’m not used to havin other people at my back like you guys. I've never had anyone but myself to look out for. Now I got Corviano at my side and Py at my back, and we’re figurin out how to work as a team. I gotta keep the monsters off Py – she’s my sister, see? But she’s also a wizard, and she can put the heat on the ugly bastards, as long as Corviano and I keep the melee away from her. That last time we got ambushed by goblins on our way back to Brushside, Py mopped up the whole group. And my brother Corviano ain’t as useless as he makes himself out to be. He downed his fair share of the goblins in that forest.
We made pretty good plans, right? Distract the goblins, split ‘em up, an get ‘em away from their nest instead uh bargin in the front door. And hey, it worked. Twice! We brought back this many left ears off uh goblins we killed [flashes spread fingers on both hands twice]. It’s my teamwork once the fightin starts that needs the work. When you’re fightin for a crowd, ya only let the crowd know if you’re hurtin if it’s part of the show. But I don’t think that’s gunna work out here with this adventurin business. How do you guys let your team know you’re hurtin without let’n the monsters think they got the upper hand?
I mean, I’ve been clocked pretty good before and welcomed oblivion. Ya get your lights knocked out in front of the crowd and fight’s over. That’s what they paid to see. You sleep it off and the tips keeps you in food and drink till ya heal. But out there in the forest, I hadn’t thought about what happens to my siblings if I passed out. I fought till I felt that familiar threshold and realized I couldn’t step through. I told ya I’m tough. I prob’ly took nearly twice as many hits as any time in a pit fight, and I don’t think my siblings could see how close I was to the end. I think if I took a couple more, I wouldn’t have woken up ever again. And if I hadn’t learned to patch myself up after a fight, I think I would have bled out, too.
Well, we made it back this time. Seems to me, though, maybe we ought to bring another fella or two with us next time. The Mercenary Order seems to be occupied town defense, so we prob’ly can’t go hire one, huh? You guys hear of any other groups interested in teaming up, or maybe a couple of adventurers that came here without a group yet?
After spending a week recovering from some serious wounds Bryst find himself at an Ale house
How'd it go out there, ya ask? Well nuff for a week a bedrest, that's how. Hah! But this adventurin sure is somethin. I ain't no formation fighter. Who would pay to watch two groups uh fighters brawl? People can find a free-for-all any night if they pick the right tavern. Well, I don't know how it is here in Brushside, but at least they could in Urna. Nah, people paid to watch two uh my kind pit our strength and endurance against each other, and my endurance is what got me through so many fights. It’s what lets me ham it up for the crowd and give a good show. And fair nuf, it prob’ly kept me alive against those goblins last week.
But hey, what I’m sayin’ here is that I’m not used to havin other people at my back like you guys. I've never had anyone but myself to look out for. Now I got Corviano at my side and Py at my back, and we’re figurin out how to work as a team. I gotta keep the monsters off Py – she’s my sister, see? But she’s also a wizard, and she can put the heat on the ugly bastards, as long as Corviano and I keep the melee away from her. That last time we got ambushed by goblins on our way back to Brushside, Py mopped up the whole group. And my brother Corviano ain’t as useless as he makes himself out to be. He downed his fair share of the goblins in that forest.
We made pretty good plans, right? Distract the goblins, split ‘em up, an get ‘em away from their nest instead uh bargin in the front door. And hey, it worked. Twice! We brought back this many left ears off uh goblins we killed [flashes spread fingers on both hands twice]. It’s my teamwork once the fightin starts that needs the work. When you’re fightin for a crowd, ya only let the crowd know if you’re hurtin if it’s part of the show. But I don’t think that’s gunna work out here with this adventurin business. How do you guys let your team know you’re hurtin without let’n the monsters think they got the upper hand?
I mean, I’ve been clocked pretty good before and welcomed oblivion. Ya get your lights knocked out in front of the crowd and fight’s over. That’s what they paid to see. You sleep it off and the tips keeps you in food and drink till ya heal. But out there in the forest, I hadn’t thought about what happens to my siblings if I passed out. I fought till I felt that familiar threshold and realized I couldn’t step through. I told ya I’m tough. I prob’ly took nearly twice as many hits as any time in a pit fight, and I don’t think my siblings could see how close I was to the end. I think if I took a couple more, I wouldn’t have woken up ever again. And if I hadn’t learned to patch myself up after a fight, I think I would have bled out, too.
Well, we made it back this time. Seems to me, though, maybe we ought to bring another fella or two with us next time. The Mercenary Order seems to be occupied town defense, so we prob’ly can’t go hire one, huh? You guys hear of any other groups interested in teaming up, or maybe a couple of adventurers that came here without a group yet?
Session 3
Session 3:
Brysts Spends some of his nights at the Lion's Paw Tarvern, a haunt for adventurers resting from thier journeys into the Thorny Grove.
Those thorns really are something, aye? We met a guy by the name O’Briggs when we first got here to Brushside, and he had quite the gash on his head. He told me he got it from the thorns in the Grove, but I didn’t rightly believe him. I bet none of ya understood how nasty those thorns can be before your first visit to the Grove, now didja? Well, we certainly didn’t. I know a bit about patching people up from my days fightin for the crowds. Ya get a split lip or a busted nose, and your knuckles are most often bloodied, but it’s all the same when you’re fightin with fists. Well I offered to help clean up Briggs’ gash on his head while we waited for the gate guard to let us in. Thewound looked like it was done by an Ax! Not some measly plant.
Now that I been out in the Grove, I get it. There’s every kind a pointy plant you’ve ever seen, and I can’t say what’s the worst. There’s the obvious stabby thorns like huge wooden daggers sprouted everywhere off the stalks like branches too angry to grow further, lookin to take damn chunks out of ya. But it’s not just the stalks. There’s spines on the leaves, wavin around trying to catch on your clothes and tangle you up, and if you’re not careful, you’ll land on the thorns while tryin to get the spines off ya. And even if ya want to move a branch away, ya can’t just avoid the thorns and grab the branches. They’re covered in prickles that give ya a terrible rash.
I got smacked by a thorn, long as my forearm, and hard and sharp as a spear tip. I ‘spose I deserved it for underestimatin things. I was able to patch up that injury, but even bein careful-like, ya can’t avoid takin little cuts all over if ya spend any time out there. Anyone here as been knows, right? Ya think you’re watchin your path, but they get ya. Ya think you’re gonna move a branch, so ya be careful where ya grab it, but a different branch gets ya. Anyone who says they been out there and didn’t get stabbed or cut by those damn bushes is a liar. Or maybe a miracle-worker. You know - or know a body who knows - how to explore the Grove without getting torn up, now that’s information I’d pay for, and I reckon I ain’t the only one.
Yeah, I didn’t expect anyone to leap up and tell the whole tavern the trick to easy access to the Grove’s treasures, and that’s fine. I don’t hear anyone tellin or askin what treasures were found or where they found ‘em either. But has anyone got a cure for the skin rash? It’s damn miserable after a day or two. I’ll bet anyone wanting to keep track of who’s been to the Grove has an easy time pickin out the cuts and red puffy skin. Maybe I’ll ask Dr. Froat; maybe he knows something to ease the irritation.
I wonder what my father would think of us out here, rootin around in bushes, hopin to find treasure. He’d probably expect it of me, seein as how I didn’t come home often anyway. He never did approve of my fights, even if I could look out for myself and live off prize money. Said it wasn’t honestly earned – but that’s bull. And he probably wouldn’t have anything to say about Py. I don’t think he’d even know her name if it weren’t for me. I’ll bet he’d be mighty surprised at Corviano though. Corviano’s the only one of us that got a proper profession in the old man’s eyes, but that don’t matter now that the old man’s dead.
And I’m damn proud of that bookworm brother of mine, comin out here and gettin somethin other than ink on his hands. Of course he took the first excuse he could to head to Ban Gentul and get back in a library . Brushside is shapin up to be the kinda good my family needed, and I have my old man’s passing to thank for getting us together again.
Brysts Spends some of his nights at the Lion's Paw Tarvern, a haunt for adventurers resting from thier journeys into the Thorny Grove.
Those thorns really are something, aye? We met a guy by the name O’Briggs when we first got here to Brushside, and he had quite the gash on his head. He told me he got it from the thorns in the Grove, but I didn’t rightly believe him. I bet none of ya understood how nasty those thorns can be before your first visit to the Grove, now didja? Well, we certainly didn’t. I know a bit about patching people up from my days fightin for the crowds. Ya get a split lip or a busted nose, and your knuckles are most often bloodied, but it’s all the same when you’re fightin with fists. Well I offered to help clean up Briggs’ gash on his head while we waited for the gate guard to let us in. Thewound looked like it was done by an Ax! Not some measly plant.
Now that I been out in the Grove, I get it. There’s every kind a pointy plant you’ve ever seen, and I can’t say what’s the worst. There’s the obvious stabby thorns like huge wooden daggers sprouted everywhere off the stalks like branches too angry to grow further, lookin to take damn chunks out of ya. But it’s not just the stalks. There’s spines on the leaves, wavin around trying to catch on your clothes and tangle you up, and if you’re not careful, you’ll land on the thorns while tryin to get the spines off ya. And even if ya want to move a branch away, ya can’t just avoid the thorns and grab the branches. They’re covered in prickles that give ya a terrible rash.
I got smacked by a thorn, long as my forearm, and hard and sharp as a spear tip. I ‘spose I deserved it for underestimatin things. I was able to patch up that injury, but even bein careful-like, ya can’t avoid takin little cuts all over if ya spend any time out there. Anyone here as been knows, right? Ya think you’re watchin your path, but they get ya. Ya think you’re gonna move a branch, so ya be careful where ya grab it, but a different branch gets ya. Anyone who says they been out there and didn’t get stabbed or cut by those damn bushes is a liar. Or maybe a miracle-worker. You know - or know a body who knows - how to explore the Grove without getting torn up, now that’s information I’d pay for, and I reckon I ain’t the only one.
Yeah, I didn’t expect anyone to leap up and tell the whole tavern the trick to easy access to the Grove’s treasures, and that’s fine. I don’t hear anyone tellin or askin what treasures were found or where they found ‘em either. But has anyone got a cure for the skin rash? It’s damn miserable after a day or two. I’ll bet anyone wanting to keep track of who’s been to the Grove has an easy time pickin out the cuts and red puffy skin. Maybe I’ll ask Dr. Froat; maybe he knows something to ease the irritation.
I wonder what my father would think of us out here, rootin around in bushes, hopin to find treasure. He’d probably expect it of me, seein as how I didn’t come home often anyway. He never did approve of my fights, even if I could look out for myself and live off prize money. Said it wasn’t honestly earned – but that’s bull. And he probably wouldn’t have anything to say about Py. I don’t think he’d even know her name if it weren’t for me. I’ll bet he’d be mighty surprised at Corviano though. Corviano’s the only one of us that got a proper profession in the old man’s eyes, but that don’t matter now that the old man’s dead.
And I’m damn proud of that bookworm brother of mine, comin out here and gettin somethin other than ink on his hands. Of course he took the first excuse he could to head to Ban Gentul and get back in a library . Brushside is shapin up to be the kinda good my family needed, and I have my old man’s passing to thank for getting us together again.
Session 4
Session 4:
After Py and Bryst killed a Pixie that had itself killed a miner in the Doro Quarry she penned the following in her journal.
Corviano went back to town to see about selling the silver eggs we found in the Grove, hope he gets a good price for them. The fisherman Max was nowhere to be found in town this week, rumor his he’s taken ill. Bryst and I heard about some strange goings on in the Doro Quarry and decided to check it out. Learned a bit about how to quarry from a friendly enough fellow named Jack. While down in tunnel 2B we learned more of the odd happenings going on in tunnel 3B. People talked of heard creepy laughing and bells ringing when no one was around.
Bryst and I decided to spend the next day in the third tunnel. While there I discovered some tiny magic mushrooms. I decided to take a sample back to the tower and see if anyone knew anything about them, but there came a laughing as I was leaving. I turned and went back and inquired to the miners about hearing it, when asked they confirmed they did now hear it. A beam fell from the ceiling and cracked me on the shoulder. I decided I would take all the mushrooms and suspected the work of a damn pixie! So I cursed the ground so no more mushrooms could grow.
In retaliation, I suspect, the pixie summoned a ghost to appear, as Bryst and I began to engage what turned out to be an illusion, I was Violently stabbed in the back by an invisible foe! Damn Pixies! With my spider swarm and animated gauntlet, we eventually beat the invisible pixie. After wrapping it in cloth and having miners feel it and confirm there was something but it couldn’t be seen, a wise miner suggested covering it in dust. We could then see our damn pixie foe. The dwarf in charge of the mine eventually came to see us back in the town after the hijinks had stopped for a few days and gifted us a dwarven war hammer, to bad my brothers suck at using weapons. Now I need to rest and heal, Damn Pixies!
After Py and Bryst killed a Pixie that had itself killed a miner in the Doro Quarry she penned the following in her journal.
Corviano went back to town to see about selling the silver eggs we found in the Grove, hope he gets a good price for them. The fisherman Max was nowhere to be found in town this week, rumor his he’s taken ill. Bryst and I heard about some strange goings on in the Doro Quarry and decided to check it out. Learned a bit about how to quarry from a friendly enough fellow named Jack. While down in tunnel 2B we learned more of the odd happenings going on in tunnel 3B. People talked of heard creepy laughing and bells ringing when no one was around.
Bryst and I decided to spend the next day in the third tunnel. While there I discovered some tiny magic mushrooms. I decided to take a sample back to the tower and see if anyone knew anything about them, but there came a laughing as I was leaving. I turned and went back and inquired to the miners about hearing it, when asked they confirmed they did now hear it. A beam fell from the ceiling and cracked me on the shoulder. I decided I would take all the mushrooms and suspected the work of a damn pixie! So I cursed the ground so no more mushrooms could grow.
In retaliation, I suspect, the pixie summoned a ghost to appear, as Bryst and I began to engage what turned out to be an illusion, I was Violently stabbed in the back by an invisible foe! Damn Pixies! With my spider swarm and animated gauntlet, we eventually beat the invisible pixie. After wrapping it in cloth and having miners feel it and confirm there was something but it couldn’t be seen, a wise miner suggested covering it in dust. We could then see our damn pixie foe. The dwarf in charge of the mine eventually came to see us back in the town after the hijinks had stopped for a few days and gifted us a dwarven war hammer, to bad my brothers suck at using weapons. Now I need to rest and heal, Damn Pixies!
Session 4:
After Py and Bryst killed a Pixie his is back at the Lions Paw the next night telling anyone that the listen all about it.
Hey now, anyone in here want to buy me a drink? Any of you miners? Possibly grateful to be rid of that viscious little pixie haunting the third shaft? Ah, I’m just kiddin – I’ll get my own drinks, but give a guy some room. Move over and celebrate with me. Well really you’re the one’s ought to be celebrating. Must be relieved to know you won’t be havin rocks fall on ya or be getting into trouble with your gear in some unforeseeable way, aye?
I don’t get what that damn’s pixie’s problem was either. Dorrick says they rarely are found underground, so it obviously must have been living there. Would have been too out of it’s way to just go down the mine shaft to mess with you lot. And if it were livin there, I say it should have been happy that you folk were makin its living quarters bigger, if anything. I mean, it’s not like any of you stepped on its foot or pissed in its porridge, right? It probably could have even shown you where the best stone was if it had been living there for a while. The damn thing looked like a tiny person with wings. Sure wasn’t a nice fellow though, that’s for certain.
It's a good thing not all non-humans are a thorn in our sides. That dwarf, Dorrick, the one as runs the mine; he seems like a fair fellow. He must be if you are all willing to work his mine, right? I mean, I know there are people what think dwarves are an untrustworthy, even dishonorable lot, but maybe it’s best not to believe everything one hears. Or maybe this Dorrick isn’t as bad as the rest – how would I know? I’m from Urna, and it’s still damn rare to see a dwarf, much less talk with one, for the common folk. Anyway, what I’m getting at is that non-humans should make an effort to be allies of humanity. I mean, there’s more of us than there are of any other race out there. Oh, you aren’t so sure of that? Well I’m no scholar like my brother Corviano, but you go ahead and tell me what other race you’ve seen so damn many of. Hey, there there, we’re drinkin and everyone’s a friend when there’s a pint in your fist. No offense meant.
But all the others should think of bein our friends if they ever want to keep on in this world. Speakin of other races, that lady Hubbard sure is a decent lass. I’ve never met an elf. Oh, no, you’re right. Half-elf. I stand corrected. But she’s got a good, useful shop filled with healing implements. This town surely must be better off havin her here. I sure appreciate bein sent her way after getting the nettle rash from the Grove. I’ll bet you miners are happy to avoid that discomfort, yeah? Well anyway, that Bell Hubbard was a cordial and proper shopkeep, and other non-humans ought to take a page out of her book. The complete opposite of that prick of a pixie.
Speakin of getting rid of that pixie, any one of you that actually do want to buy a drink for making the mine a safer place should offer that drink to my sister Py. That pixie conjured up an illusion of a ghost to distract me and attack Py, but she knew where the real threat was. She’s the one that took it down; I just made sure we didn’t lose track of the invisible little bugger. Hey now, I see a few of you lookin askance, and I know what yer thinkin. She’s in the Conclave, and you don’t want anything to do with ‘em, am I right? Well that’s hogwash. I don’t get why people treat wizards like they’re another species. Sure, wizards can seem scary, but at least they’re human. And my sister’s not some crazy evil wizard, so I’ll bet there are plenty more that are just fine. What with all the wizards comin out here and building that tower in Brushside, surely there’s a opportunity to bridge that gap.
All right, all right, maybe I’m biased ‘cuz of my sister, but I tell ya, it’s all about first impressions, right? Lady Hubbard sets up a needful salves ‘n balms shop in town and even makes candy – half-elves must be alright. That pixie pushes you down a shaft and stabs Py in the back – pixies are a menace and a pest. Dorrick’s mine keeps you all in work and drink, and he’s reasonable, so maybe dwarves aren’t as bad as people make them out to be. And wizards? Well, I’m just sayin that Py turned out all right even after bein raised by the Conclave, so take that and chew on it for a while.
After Py and Bryst killed a Pixie his is back at the Lions Paw the next night telling anyone that the listen all about it.
Hey now, anyone in here want to buy me a drink? Any of you miners? Possibly grateful to be rid of that viscious little pixie haunting the third shaft? Ah, I’m just kiddin – I’ll get my own drinks, but give a guy some room. Move over and celebrate with me. Well really you’re the one’s ought to be celebrating. Must be relieved to know you won’t be havin rocks fall on ya or be getting into trouble with your gear in some unforeseeable way, aye?
I don’t get what that damn’s pixie’s problem was either. Dorrick says they rarely are found underground, so it obviously must have been living there. Would have been too out of it’s way to just go down the mine shaft to mess with you lot. And if it were livin there, I say it should have been happy that you folk were makin its living quarters bigger, if anything. I mean, it’s not like any of you stepped on its foot or pissed in its porridge, right? It probably could have even shown you where the best stone was if it had been living there for a while. The damn thing looked like a tiny person with wings. Sure wasn’t a nice fellow though, that’s for certain.
It's a good thing not all non-humans are a thorn in our sides. That dwarf, Dorrick, the one as runs the mine; he seems like a fair fellow. He must be if you are all willing to work his mine, right? I mean, I know there are people what think dwarves are an untrustworthy, even dishonorable lot, but maybe it’s best not to believe everything one hears. Or maybe this Dorrick isn’t as bad as the rest – how would I know? I’m from Urna, and it’s still damn rare to see a dwarf, much less talk with one, for the common folk. Anyway, what I’m getting at is that non-humans should make an effort to be allies of humanity. I mean, there’s more of us than there are of any other race out there. Oh, you aren’t so sure of that? Well I’m no scholar like my brother Corviano, but you go ahead and tell me what other race you’ve seen so damn many of. Hey, there there, we’re drinkin and everyone’s a friend when there’s a pint in your fist. No offense meant.
But all the others should think of bein our friends if they ever want to keep on in this world. Speakin of other races, that lady Hubbard sure is a decent lass. I’ve never met an elf. Oh, no, you’re right. Half-elf. I stand corrected. But she’s got a good, useful shop filled with healing implements. This town surely must be better off havin her here. I sure appreciate bein sent her way after getting the nettle rash from the Grove. I’ll bet you miners are happy to avoid that discomfort, yeah? Well anyway, that Bell Hubbard was a cordial and proper shopkeep, and other non-humans ought to take a page out of her book. The complete opposite of that prick of a pixie.
Speakin of getting rid of that pixie, any one of you that actually do want to buy a drink for making the mine a safer place should offer that drink to my sister Py. That pixie conjured up an illusion of a ghost to distract me and attack Py, but she knew where the real threat was. She’s the one that took it down; I just made sure we didn’t lose track of the invisible little bugger. Hey now, I see a few of you lookin askance, and I know what yer thinkin. She’s in the Conclave, and you don’t want anything to do with ‘em, am I right? Well that’s hogwash. I don’t get why people treat wizards like they’re another species. Sure, wizards can seem scary, but at least they’re human. And my sister’s not some crazy evil wizard, so I’ll bet there are plenty more that are just fine. What with all the wizards comin out here and building that tower in Brushside, surely there’s a opportunity to bridge that gap.
All right, all right, maybe I’m biased ‘cuz of my sister, but I tell ya, it’s all about first impressions, right? Lady Hubbard sets up a needful salves ‘n balms shop in town and even makes candy – half-elves must be alright. That pixie pushes you down a shaft and stabs Py in the back – pixies are a menace and a pest. Dorrick’s mine keeps you all in work and drink, and he’s reasonable, so maybe dwarves aren’t as bad as people make them out to be. And wizards? Well, I’m just sayin that Py turned out all right even after bein raised by the Conclave, so take that and chew on it for a while.
Session 4:
Corviano was not present for session 4, he was not idle during that time. He traveled to Ban Gentul to do research and sent a report to the office of the Commemorant in Urna.
Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, in submission to Ignimius and the High Priest of the West, to his venerable Valora, Commemorant of the Church, his most esteemed greeting.
Because it has been some time since our departure, we think it fitting to occasionally apprise you of our progress. We confirm the accuracy of initial suspicions regarding the Grove. In our possession are some 37 local coins (3 g., 26 s., 8 c.) that, upon investigation as to their provenance, we have determined were mostly minted by Xyarn the Gray in Urna in 311–313. 3 silver were minted earlier, by one Reet of the Derelict in Brixworth, 255–270.
Furthermore, we too have several mundane artifacts of the legionary that likely date to the same period: 3 bronze arrowheads in fair condition, a tip of a rusted gladius, two-fifths of a plain ceramic canteen, and some small silver buckles. We have withdrawn to Ban Gentul to assemble some notes on both Conclave coinage and the history of the legions. Given the egregious inadequacies of Brushside, we hope to employ a scribe here in Ban Gentul for the next month to continue this research in our absence, while we return to Brushside.
All here are insistent that we might take up arms ourselves and retchlessly trounce off into the Grove as some gadling foredoomed to disembowelment. We have thus far been decidedly fortunate to have met no such terrific end. Though we apprehend that we have no great aptitude for martial skills, and can only hope that Valroon might see fit to make us some small conduit for miraculous intervention on behalf of those here who might be heroes. Though we still believe that this mystery will only be uncovered by careful study and consideration.
One final note, of some curious interest—it seems we have discovered the nesting site of a Giant Osprey, that rare mystical creature specially created by the celestial beings. It is clear that at one point there was a mated pair, though whether both still live is presently unknown to us. It would be quite fortunate for a Giant Osprey to incubate its silver eggs in the midst of the Grove, and thereby bless our material world.
Written at the Temple of Accommodation in Ban Gentul, on the twenty-eighth day of the month of Ignemii, in the nine hundred and thirty-eight year of the Winnowing.
Corviano was not present for session 4, he was not idle during that time. He traveled to Ban Gentul to do research and sent a report to the office of the Commemorant in Urna.
Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, in submission to Ignimius and the High Priest of the West, to his venerable Valora, Commemorant of the Church, his most esteemed greeting.
Because it has been some time since our departure, we think it fitting to occasionally apprise you of our progress. We confirm the accuracy of initial suspicions regarding the Grove. In our possession are some 37 local coins (3 g., 26 s., 8 c.) that, upon investigation as to their provenance, we have determined were mostly minted by Xyarn the Gray in Urna in 311–313. 3 silver were minted earlier, by one Reet of the Derelict in Brixworth, 255–270.
Furthermore, we too have several mundane artifacts of the legionary that likely date to the same period: 3 bronze arrowheads in fair condition, a tip of a rusted gladius, two-fifths of a plain ceramic canteen, and some small silver buckles. We have withdrawn to Ban Gentul to assemble some notes on both Conclave coinage and the history of the legions. Given the egregious inadequacies of Brushside, we hope to employ a scribe here in Ban Gentul for the next month to continue this research in our absence, while we return to Brushside.
All here are insistent that we might take up arms ourselves and retchlessly trounce off into the Grove as some gadling foredoomed to disembowelment. We have thus far been decidedly fortunate to have met no such terrific end. Though we apprehend that we have no great aptitude for martial skills, and can only hope that Valroon might see fit to make us some small conduit for miraculous intervention on behalf of those here who might be heroes. Though we still believe that this mystery will only be uncovered by careful study and consideration.
One final note, of some curious interest—it seems we have discovered the nesting site of a Giant Osprey, that rare mystical creature specially created by the celestial beings. It is clear that at one point there was a mated pair, though whether both still live is presently unknown to us. It would be quite fortunate for a Giant Osprey to incubate its silver eggs in the midst of the Grove, and thereby bless our material world.
Written at the Temple of Accommodation in Ban Gentul, on the twenty-eighth day of the month of Ignemii, in the nine hundred and thirty-eight year of the Winnowing.
Session 5
Session 5:
After Corviano, Py and Bill's run in with the Hobgoblins north of Brushside he sent a letter with all haste back to a scribe he had employeed in Ban Gentul.
To the right guiding scriptrix Sabine Clarke be this deliver.
Ex. Corviano Cormoranti
a.d. xvi kal. sext. cmxxviii
We greet thee and trust that your work continues most well. We write to you now in light of recent developments, asking that you might amend to your list of tasks several new areas of interest to ourselves.
We have recently parlayed with the chief of a local tribe of hobgoblin, Chief Grin of the Iron Rope. It is a situation unpredictable and delicate. Though we were invited to their camp, when we arrived Chief Grin imprisoned us, for our sister was grievously injured when we were overrun by kobold on our journey thitherto. To stand before hobgoblin and present any weakness such as injury, is, we have now learned, a matter of the utmost affront. With some negotiation on our part we were promptly freed and have now personally allied with these hob.
We have learned that their kind is most interested in the endeavor of historical chronicling. We have read personally a remarkably detailed account dating back one hundred eighty-four years chronicling the achievements of Grin’s family and the tribe. We greatly desire to read other similar accounts. Please add to your concerns a record of hobgoblin tribes of these regions—names and any major players. Of particular interest might be vassals of Petty King Crown of “The Hobs of the Pit.” We are also curious to learn of any references to a Chief (or Priest) Seek (forty years prior) or a Chief Stride (another thirty years ere Seek).
Belatedly, if time remains, we wish to also beseech thee to record any notes which might be found regarding the earlier town of Brushside, established some three hundred years prior. And take note especially for any reference to one Hodson family—they are some sort of “powerful and off-putting” family remaining here from those times.
We write no more, but Ignimius and Orile keep you writ at Ban Gentul, for the good of all, per your employer
Corv. C.
After Corviano, Py and Bill's run in with the Hobgoblins north of Brushside he sent a letter with all haste back to a scribe he had employeed in Ban Gentul.
To the right guiding scriptrix Sabine Clarke be this deliver.
Ex. Corviano Cormoranti
a.d. xvi kal. sext. cmxxviii
We greet thee and trust that your work continues most well. We write to you now in light of recent developments, asking that you might amend to your list of tasks several new areas of interest to ourselves.
We have recently parlayed with the chief of a local tribe of hobgoblin, Chief Grin of the Iron Rope. It is a situation unpredictable and delicate. Though we were invited to their camp, when we arrived Chief Grin imprisoned us, for our sister was grievously injured when we were overrun by kobold on our journey thitherto. To stand before hobgoblin and present any weakness such as injury, is, we have now learned, a matter of the utmost affront. With some negotiation on our part we were promptly freed and have now personally allied with these hob.
We have learned that their kind is most interested in the endeavor of historical chronicling. We have read personally a remarkably detailed account dating back one hundred eighty-four years chronicling the achievements of Grin’s family and the tribe. We greatly desire to read other similar accounts. Please add to your concerns a record of hobgoblin tribes of these regions—names and any major players. Of particular interest might be vassals of Petty King Crown of “The Hobs of the Pit.” We are also curious to learn of any references to a Chief (or Priest) Seek (forty years prior) or a Chief Stride (another thirty years ere Seek).
Belatedly, if time remains, we wish to also beseech thee to record any notes which might be found regarding the earlier town of Brushside, established some three hundred years prior. And take note especially for any reference to one Hodson family—they are some sort of “powerful and off-putting” family remaining here from those times.
We write no more, but Ignimius and Orile keep you writ at Ban Gentul, for the good of all, per your employer
Corv. C.
Session 5:
After Corviano, Py and Bill's run in with the Hobgoblins north of Brushside Py has some thoughts about how the hobgoblins treated them (her).
Corviano returned from the city, without having sold the eggs we found. He says they could be even more valuable then we thought, to the right buyer… where are we gonna find the right buyer out here? He also had learned of a legend of an old town that was out here before Brushside which may hold clues to the history of the Grove. He suggested we head to the area it was said to have been, and with Bryst sick with whatever’s going around the town, it seemed safer than the grove.
On the way out to find this lost town, we encountered a group of Hobgoblins which I thought we were going to have to fight, but my crazy brother started chatting with them! It seems they have no ill will toward the humans in the area and only wish peace. Corviano told them he could try to broker this peace, so we headed back to town to talk to the leaders and arrange a meeting. To my surprise, they too would like hostilities to cease.
On our way back to arrange the meeting between the town leaders and the Hobgoblin leaders, we were ambushed by bunch of stupid little kobolds. They were able to hit me with a few really good shots, they nearly killed me. I called a fog upon me to keep me hidden till I could set the warhammer and shovel after them. Luckily the man we higher to come along found me and bandaged my wound a bit. He was definitely not as good as Bryst, but I guess better than no one. My warhammer was able to scare off the little buggers, but of course got lost in the endeavor, gotta remember to tell them to come back.
Seeing as we were closer to the hobgoblins then town we continued on, but when we arrived the wretched creatures refused us entry and acted like we had wronged them. How rude of them since we came to broker an end to hostilities, which from what I’d seen ended in dead hobgoblins, not humans! We moved off and camped for the night, I really needed to rest. I was awoken just after drifting off to sleep because Grin, the lieutenant hobgoblin we had been communicating with, tracked us down. He was there to take us hostage, they brought us back to their encampment and put us in a cell. HOW DARE THEY! Corviano did what he does best and sat there talking with the disgusting creatures, still trying to smooth things out. Apparently my being injured offended THEM!
Corviano arranged for us to take some sort of oath to the hobgoblins that we would help make the meeting between the leaders happen and work out, so they would let us go. We all agreed, but I don’t intend on being buddies with hobgoblins, they are vial creatures. We made it back to town without being ambushed again and set up this meeting, but for now I need to rest, this whole trip is proving very taxing on my health.
After Corviano, Py and Bill's run in with the Hobgoblins north of Brushside Py has some thoughts about how the hobgoblins treated them (her).
Corviano returned from the city, without having sold the eggs we found. He says they could be even more valuable then we thought, to the right buyer… where are we gonna find the right buyer out here? He also had learned of a legend of an old town that was out here before Brushside which may hold clues to the history of the Grove. He suggested we head to the area it was said to have been, and with Bryst sick with whatever’s going around the town, it seemed safer than the grove.
On the way out to find this lost town, we encountered a group of Hobgoblins which I thought we were going to have to fight, but my crazy brother started chatting with them! It seems they have no ill will toward the humans in the area and only wish peace. Corviano told them he could try to broker this peace, so we headed back to town to talk to the leaders and arrange a meeting. To my surprise, they too would like hostilities to cease.
On our way back to arrange the meeting between the town leaders and the Hobgoblin leaders, we were ambushed by bunch of stupid little kobolds. They were able to hit me with a few really good shots, they nearly killed me. I called a fog upon me to keep me hidden till I could set the warhammer and shovel after them. Luckily the man we higher to come along found me and bandaged my wound a bit. He was definitely not as good as Bryst, but I guess better than no one. My warhammer was able to scare off the little buggers, but of course got lost in the endeavor, gotta remember to tell them to come back.
Seeing as we were closer to the hobgoblins then town we continued on, but when we arrived the wretched creatures refused us entry and acted like we had wronged them. How rude of them since we came to broker an end to hostilities, which from what I’d seen ended in dead hobgoblins, not humans! We moved off and camped for the night, I really needed to rest. I was awoken just after drifting off to sleep because Grin, the lieutenant hobgoblin we had been communicating with, tracked us down. He was there to take us hostage, they brought us back to their encampment and put us in a cell. HOW DARE THEY! Corviano did what he does best and sat there talking with the disgusting creatures, still trying to smooth things out. Apparently my being injured offended THEM!
Corviano arranged for us to take some sort of oath to the hobgoblins that we would help make the meeting between the leaders happen and work out, so they would let us go. We all agreed, but I don’t intend on being buddies with hobgoblins, they are vial creatures. We made it back to town without being ambushed again and set up this meeting, but for now I need to rest, this whole trip is proving very taxing on my health.
Session 6
Session 6:
With her brother Bryst gruesomely dyeing feet away from her, Py tries to process her feelings by writing them down but is too distraught to make much headway.
Bryst is dead! Oh this family adventure has turned horribly. Why did my brother have to be so impulsive. Now I’m stuck here with Corviano to try to explore the grove and fight its unknowns.
From the giant tree he fell, while trying to climb and see what could be seen. If only I had studied Necromancy maybe I coulda saved him….
With her brother Bryst gruesomely dyeing feet away from her, Py tries to process her feelings by writing them down but is too distraught to make much headway.
Bryst is dead! Oh this family adventure has turned horribly. Why did my brother have to be so impulsive. Now I’m stuck here with Corviano to try to explore the grove and fight its unknowns.
From the giant tree he fell, while trying to climb and see what could be seen. If only I had studied Necromancy maybe I coulda saved him….
Session 6:
Bryst is dead. What more fitting memorial could there be for a fallen adventurer than a list of what can be looted from his corpse and what each item might say about its former owner.
A partial inventory? A eulogy? Self-deprecation? Let the reader decide, but pour one out from what’s left of that barrel of bourbon to toast the life (and death) of Bryst. May his totally crushed head hinder him not in the afterlife.
Bryst is dead. What more fitting memorial could there be for a fallen adventurer than a list of what can be looted from his corpse and what each item might say about its former owner.
- A set of reinforced leather armor and two bladed cestus, not fully broken in. The leather still has most of that stiff, new feel to it, but has seen use. The owner clearly didn’t shy from a fight, judging from a multitude of scuffs and scratches.
- An unused dagger, punch buckler, and brass knuckles, untarnished. Was the owner unskilled in their use, or were these items carried as backups by an overly prepared individual?
- A huge roll of unfinished hide leather. Why someone other than a tanner would possess this is quite the quandary, but it has scratches and dirt on one side and smells faintly of pine.
- A small silver mirror, highly polished. A first judgement may indicate vanity, though the accompanying presence of a healer’s kit may indicate a finer attention to detail or cleanliness. Maybe both were accurate assessments.
- A money pouch that held as much as thirty gold a month ago, now holds a dozen, before being looted. Surely, in generosity towards the dead, this could be considered an indication of a simpler life lead rather than miserliness. It ought to be taken generously, as his surviving two siblings were nearly penniless prior to its inheritance.
- A dwarven warhammer, a money pouch filled with pixie coin, and a salve made by a half-elf. If the owner came by these through interactions with each race, it shows quite an interest in, or at least tolerance of, non-humans.
- A three-gallon barrel with a few drams of bourbon left in it. To possess such a thing personally and not be an innkeeper, one would clearly have to enjoy the respite found in liquor overly much or have many friends to share it with. Hopefully the latter explanation is at least as true as the former.
A partial inventory? A eulogy? Self-deprecation? Let the reader decide, but pour one out from what’s left of that barrel of bourbon to toast the life (and death) of Bryst. May his totally crushed head hinder him not in the afterlife.
Session 6:
Ulf's first foray into the Thorny Grove was eventful and tragic. He dutifully recorded what happened, and gives off the unnerving impression he would have been happier had the group encountered MORE evil.
I found a village beside the Thorny Grove. Parson Wingrit at the cathedral was welcoming. He told me to seek opportunities at the Red Lion Inn. There I met three siblings planning an expedition into the grove. They sought someone skilled at climbing that they might venture up a massive tree in search of the silver eggs of the giant osprey. I thought it likely that evil might be encountered in the grove. I offered my alliance with them.
The grove was choked with malign vegetation. Walking single file on a thorn-choked path we were ambushed by a snake. My new wizard friend Py summoned a rabbit and threw it to distract the snake, then sent a magical hammer to drop down on the snake from above. My non-miraculous priest friend Corviano wisely sheltered behind his vast shield and whacked the shrubbery. My roustabout friend Bryst was bitten and poisoned by the snake, then tended to our wounds. I stabbed the snake in the head.
We found that the path cut by my new companions a month before had overgrown. I found it. I began to chop the path open again and thorny branches whipped me in the face. Bryst tended my wounds and we came to the great tree.
This tree was as tall as the greatest cathedrals I have climbed. It was wise of my companions to seek someone as skilled at climbing as I am. We spent the night bedded in the needles at its foot.
In the final watch, I heard the cry of the giant osprey. I woke my companions. We looked up into the tree and crude arrows began to fall. I climbed swiftly up the tree, keeping below the lowest huge branch for safety. On reaching the branch I fought two small furry creatures. One I knocked from the branch to its death. The other scuttled higher to safety.
My new companion Bryst climbed up the tree after me but the winds of fate did not blow with him. Just before reaching safety he fell from the trunk to his doom. I continued up the trunk to observe the landscape. Near the top of the tree I saw the giant ospreys' nest but also many jeering creatures. I descended and helped my grieving companions bury their fallen brother.
We camped once again at the foot of the tree. We thought we would be ambushed and we were correct. Py the wizard slaughtered many furry creatures with summoned spiders. Corviano found a silver egg and a tiny skeleton beneath the pine needles.
Leaving Bryst to rest in his stony grave, we went back to the village. We paid our taxes.
Ulf's first foray into the Thorny Grove was eventful and tragic. He dutifully recorded what happened, and gives off the unnerving impression he would have been happier had the group encountered MORE evil.
I found a village beside the Thorny Grove. Parson Wingrit at the cathedral was welcoming. He told me to seek opportunities at the Red Lion Inn. There I met three siblings planning an expedition into the grove. They sought someone skilled at climbing that they might venture up a massive tree in search of the silver eggs of the giant osprey. I thought it likely that evil might be encountered in the grove. I offered my alliance with them.
The grove was choked with malign vegetation. Walking single file on a thorn-choked path we were ambushed by a snake. My new wizard friend Py summoned a rabbit and threw it to distract the snake, then sent a magical hammer to drop down on the snake from above. My non-miraculous priest friend Corviano wisely sheltered behind his vast shield and whacked the shrubbery. My roustabout friend Bryst was bitten and poisoned by the snake, then tended to our wounds. I stabbed the snake in the head.
We found that the path cut by my new companions a month before had overgrown. I found it. I began to chop the path open again and thorny branches whipped me in the face. Bryst tended my wounds and we came to the great tree.
This tree was as tall as the greatest cathedrals I have climbed. It was wise of my companions to seek someone as skilled at climbing as I am. We spent the night bedded in the needles at its foot.
In the final watch, I heard the cry of the giant osprey. I woke my companions. We looked up into the tree and crude arrows began to fall. I climbed swiftly up the tree, keeping below the lowest huge branch for safety. On reaching the branch I fought two small furry creatures. One I knocked from the branch to its death. The other scuttled higher to safety.
My new companion Bryst climbed up the tree after me but the winds of fate did not blow with him. Just before reaching safety he fell from the trunk to his doom. I continued up the trunk to observe the landscape. Near the top of the tree I saw the giant ospreys' nest but also many jeering creatures. I descended and helped my grieving companions bury their fallen brother.
We camped once again at the foot of the tree. We thought we would be ambushed and we were correct. Py the wizard slaughtered many furry creatures with summoned spiders. Corviano found a silver egg and a tiny skeleton beneath the pine needles.
Leaving Bryst to rest in his stony grave, we went back to the village. We paid our taxes.
Session 6:
Possibly because of his grief, possibly because of a shortage of messangers in Brushside, Corviano did not actually send this letter until the middle of the month of Sextilis.
Ex. Corviano to Sibylla, Materfamilias and Aunt of the siblings Cormoranti, to her dear children, our cousins, and to her servants of all ranks—our solemn greeting.
Right and good aunt, our right and true brother’s sister, we beseech you of your daily blessing and prayers. We write this only to you, and with greatest sorrow and regret. Let our household know that our brother has died.
We have been in these lands now eight weeks and on every occasion Bryst proved himself an able companion, unflinching hero, and truest of brothers. As of late, we ventured into the Thorny Grove and discovered therein a miraculous respite in this accursed thicket, a Great Tree, reaching more than two hundred feet into heaven, as if touching some great good and standing in valiant opposition to all this evil. Within this tree lay the nest of a family of giant osprey, but also some dozens of small, evil vermin, no doubt beset to foul this sacred place.
It was at this Great Tree that Bryst met his end, falling from a great height as he struggled to help a companion in trouble, a priest from the north, traveling with us that day. Pygoni cleared the tree of most of the vermin, and so with confidence we buried our brother where all but the likes of him feared to tread. Let it then be known: Bryst Cormoranti is laid to rest beneath that Great Tree, that respite of goodness in a sea of evil.
We write to you no more at this time, but Divine Ignimius have you in his greatest blessing and health. Fare thee most well, and pray for us, most revered Aunt. Written at Brushside, the morning of the twenty-ninth day of the month of Quintillis, in the nine hundred and thirty-eight year of the Winnowing, by your loyal nephew.
Possibly because of his grief, possibly because of a shortage of messangers in Brushside, Corviano did not actually send this letter until the middle of the month of Sextilis.
Ex. Corviano to Sibylla, Materfamilias and Aunt of the siblings Cormoranti, to her dear children, our cousins, and to her servants of all ranks—our solemn greeting.
Right and good aunt, our right and true brother’s sister, we beseech you of your daily blessing and prayers. We write this only to you, and with greatest sorrow and regret. Let our household know that our brother has died.
We have been in these lands now eight weeks and on every occasion Bryst proved himself an able companion, unflinching hero, and truest of brothers. As of late, we ventured into the Thorny Grove and discovered therein a miraculous respite in this accursed thicket, a Great Tree, reaching more than two hundred feet into heaven, as if touching some great good and standing in valiant opposition to all this evil. Within this tree lay the nest of a family of giant osprey, but also some dozens of small, evil vermin, no doubt beset to foul this sacred place.
It was at this Great Tree that Bryst met his end, falling from a great height as he struggled to help a companion in trouble, a priest from the north, traveling with us that day. Pygoni cleared the tree of most of the vermin, and so with confidence we buried our brother where all but the likes of him feared to tread. Let it then be known: Bryst Cormoranti is laid to rest beneath that Great Tree, that respite of goodness in a sea of evil.
We write to you no more at this time, but Divine Ignimius have you in his greatest blessing and health. Fare thee most well, and pray for us, most revered Aunt. Written at Brushside, the morning of the twenty-ninth day of the month of Quintillis, in the nine hundred and thirty-eight year of the Winnowing, by your loyal nephew.
Session 7
Session 7:
Ulf's got his wish of finding more evil. He records the events of his trip with Corviano, Py, and Aleksandr in his journal.
I and another new companion, a jolly fellow, thin and sharp as his blades, went along with the remaining siblings to an important negotiation. I won a dagger off a hobgoblin while the important people negotiated. I glimpsed possible evil in the oxbow lake.
Not long after this important meeting we were blessed with combat against the undead. Ghouls it was we were fortunate enough to encounter, first one, then two, then three.
My soul was set to trembling, locking my limbs, at the touch of the first ghoul. It is no shame to be struck still by a ghoul but it is not to be desired. Corviano revived me with a miracle before I drowned. He is an even cleverer man than he appears. Py learned that ghouls are not affected by the poison of spiders. Aleksander needled the ghoul to pieces with his darting blade.
The rest of the ghouls were turned by the power of my holy symbol. The claymore chased them to cower in tombs they had licked clean long ago. Then Py's magic hammer floated in and beat them into crumbs.
We found the remains of coffins. Of the people buried there was no piece left, apart from shreds and buttons.
Ulf's got his wish of finding more evil. He records the events of his trip with Corviano, Py, and Aleksandr in his journal.
I and another new companion, a jolly fellow, thin and sharp as his blades, went along with the remaining siblings to an important negotiation. I won a dagger off a hobgoblin while the important people negotiated. I glimpsed possible evil in the oxbow lake.
Not long after this important meeting we were blessed with combat against the undead. Ghouls it was we were fortunate enough to encounter, first one, then two, then three.
My soul was set to trembling, locking my limbs, at the touch of the first ghoul. It is no shame to be struck still by a ghoul but it is not to be desired. Corviano revived me with a miracle before I drowned. He is an even cleverer man than he appears. Py learned that ghouls are not affected by the poison of spiders. Aleksander needled the ghoul to pieces with his darting blade.
The rest of the ghouls were turned by the power of my holy symbol. The claymore chased them to cower in tombs they had licked clean long ago. Then Py's magic hammer floated in and beat them into crumbs.
We found the remains of coffins. Of the people buried there was no piece left, apart from shreds and buttons.
Session 7:
Py's journal also tells the tail of finding a long abandoned cemetery, but the highlight of the trip for her seems to be using Infest to curse the hobgoblin Grin with fleas.
Corviano and I met a strange new fella named Aleksander who just got to town. We brought him along with Ulf to try to find the old town Corviano had heard about. We followed the river north from town into the Grove. We stumbled, or should I say Ulf stumbled upon a ghoul in the river. Aleksander though an awful wiry character seems good with a sword and was able to hit the ghoul. My spiders had no effect on it what so ever.
We followed a path to a mausoleum where there were more ghouls waiting for us, Ulf was ecstatic as the undead are his specialty. After they were dispatched we found a tunnel in the mausoleum which we followed and found more ghouls, tunnels and mausoleums. I sent Phid out to look around the outside of one of the mausoleums and he showed us that this seemed to be the remnants of an old grave yard near a temple. Perhaps there is an old town here after all.
We had had enough of the grove for the time being it was awfully thick in this area, so we returned to town. We will need some special tools to cut our way through the grove if we want to get to the temple. Ulf and Aleksander come in handy when fighting both foe and grove.
Before we made our way into the grove we had the meeting with Hobgoblins. While the leaders were all chatting, a hobgoblin soldier challenged Ulf to weapons throwing contest, it turned into an amusing way to pass the time. I bested a hobgoblin with an enchanted dagger, and won a Hobgoblin dagger. I think the meeting went well for all, though I know Grin will have something to scratch at for a while, HAHAHAHA.
Py's journal also tells the tail of finding a long abandoned cemetery, but the highlight of the trip for her seems to be using Infest to curse the hobgoblin Grin with fleas.
Corviano and I met a strange new fella named Aleksander who just got to town. We brought him along with Ulf to try to find the old town Corviano had heard about. We followed the river north from town into the Grove. We stumbled, or should I say Ulf stumbled upon a ghoul in the river. Aleksander though an awful wiry character seems good with a sword and was able to hit the ghoul. My spiders had no effect on it what so ever.
We followed a path to a mausoleum where there were more ghouls waiting for us, Ulf was ecstatic as the undead are his specialty. After they were dispatched we found a tunnel in the mausoleum which we followed and found more ghouls, tunnels and mausoleums. I sent Phid out to look around the outside of one of the mausoleums and he showed us that this seemed to be the remnants of an old grave yard near a temple. Perhaps there is an old town here after all.
We had had enough of the grove for the time being it was awfully thick in this area, so we returned to town. We will need some special tools to cut our way through the grove if we want to get to the temple. Ulf and Aleksander come in handy when fighting both foe and grove.
Before we made our way into the grove we had the meeting with Hobgoblins. While the leaders were all chatting, a hobgoblin soldier challenged Ulf to weapons throwing contest, it turned into an amusing way to pass the time. I bested a hobgoblin with an enchanted dagger, and won a Hobgoblin dagger. I think the meeting went well for all, though I know Grin will have something to scratch at for a while, HAHAHAHA.
Session 7:
A religious ex-soldier from Lannia named Aleksandr joins Ex. Corviano, Py, and Ex. Ulf on their trip up the Bark River. After they return Aleksandr head to the local temple.
Aleksandr attends weekly service at the Brushside temple, where he tithes and offers a prayer:
“Venerable Keese the Dissonant, who forged of the Claymores of Abolition; hear my prayer and account of my journeys and guide me that my actions be just and my sword ever be true.
This week I arrived in Brushside, following the rumors of riches to be found in the Thorny Grove. I met Parson Sheridan, a prickly fellow, in charge of town governance. I also met Parson Wingret, a much more genial fellow who leads The Temple of the Glorious Hero, from which I pray to thee. After being further equipped with bow and quiver and encouraged to practice its use, I was directed to a local tavern to find adventuring companions.
As I have prayed to you at the conclusion of my service in the Ninth Legion, I am accustomed to the company of career soldiers. It felt fitting to seek experienced adventurers to join as I transition to this new calling. I joined Ex. Ulf, a capable Shadow Hunter; Ex. Corviano, a priest of questionable sanity and interests; and Py, a fledgling wizard with an affinity for spiders and sister to Ex. Corviano.
I accompanied them to a meeting with a nearby clan of hobgoblins, where Pn. Sheridan negotiated a border for land control. Ex. Corviano translated the whole time, whilst Ex. Ulf, Py and I competed with the hobs at target practice. I lost a dagger in the throwing contest. Had it been a duel to first blood, I would have acquitted myself better. Ex. Ulf and Py both won their contests, though Py used sorcery. I shall have to keep an eye on her, should she continue to use her magic for such frivolous pursuits. Surely that can only lead quickly towards nonchalant evil.
The politics with the hobs concluded, we set out for the grove. We were forced to follow a river path through the tangle, as cutting through the thorny growth proved exceedingly dangerous. Even Ex. Ulf, who seemed accustomed to maneuvering through the wilderness, was unable to carve a route without taking injury. We eventually happened upon an existing trail off the river that led to a graveyard, albeit overgrown by the Grove. Three mausoleums remain, resisting the Grove, connected by shallow underground tunnels dug by ghouls.
Ah, I overstep my account. I was responsible for dispatching the first ghoul we encountered where the path met the river, needing only two thrusts of my short sword to fell it. Ex. Corviano kept Ex. Ulf from drowning in the river by removing the paralytic touch-curse of the foul creature. Thereafter, possibly after coming to his senses, Ex. Ulf was able to exert his priestly power against the rest of the ghouls that remained in the area, driving them before him. While held impotent by Ex. Ulf, the ghouls quickly succumbed to Py’s magic’d automaton weaponry.
Ex. Corviano was overjoyed by the small bits of treasure we recovered from the Grove. It would seem that only metal and stone and those things not returned to dust will be found there. I am content with the coin their sale will bring.
I must be vigilant in the company of the fledgling wizard. I tolerate the association knowing I am there to witness the deeds her magic accomplishes. Her spider familiar was able to conjure an image of the graveyard for us, so her magic has utility. I will also be there should the day come when temptation brings her to summon demonic destruction upon innocents. Mayhap I can prevent that, by your grace.
Great Swordsmith, I beseech thee to accept and contemplate this simple swordsman’s prayer and account. If it pleases thee that I wield the sword justly, confer on me your blessing.”
A religious ex-soldier from Lannia named Aleksandr joins Ex. Corviano, Py, and Ex. Ulf on their trip up the Bark River. After they return Aleksandr head to the local temple.
Aleksandr attends weekly service at the Brushside temple, where he tithes and offers a prayer:
“Venerable Keese the Dissonant, who forged of the Claymores of Abolition; hear my prayer and account of my journeys and guide me that my actions be just and my sword ever be true.
This week I arrived in Brushside, following the rumors of riches to be found in the Thorny Grove. I met Parson Sheridan, a prickly fellow, in charge of town governance. I also met Parson Wingret, a much more genial fellow who leads The Temple of the Glorious Hero, from which I pray to thee. After being further equipped with bow and quiver and encouraged to practice its use, I was directed to a local tavern to find adventuring companions.
As I have prayed to you at the conclusion of my service in the Ninth Legion, I am accustomed to the company of career soldiers. It felt fitting to seek experienced adventurers to join as I transition to this new calling. I joined Ex. Ulf, a capable Shadow Hunter; Ex. Corviano, a priest of questionable sanity and interests; and Py, a fledgling wizard with an affinity for spiders and sister to Ex. Corviano.
I accompanied them to a meeting with a nearby clan of hobgoblins, where Pn. Sheridan negotiated a border for land control. Ex. Corviano translated the whole time, whilst Ex. Ulf, Py and I competed with the hobs at target practice. I lost a dagger in the throwing contest. Had it been a duel to first blood, I would have acquitted myself better. Ex. Ulf and Py both won their contests, though Py used sorcery. I shall have to keep an eye on her, should she continue to use her magic for such frivolous pursuits. Surely that can only lead quickly towards nonchalant evil.
The politics with the hobs concluded, we set out for the grove. We were forced to follow a river path through the tangle, as cutting through the thorny growth proved exceedingly dangerous. Even Ex. Ulf, who seemed accustomed to maneuvering through the wilderness, was unable to carve a route without taking injury. We eventually happened upon an existing trail off the river that led to a graveyard, albeit overgrown by the Grove. Three mausoleums remain, resisting the Grove, connected by shallow underground tunnels dug by ghouls.
Ah, I overstep my account. I was responsible for dispatching the first ghoul we encountered where the path met the river, needing only two thrusts of my short sword to fell it. Ex. Corviano kept Ex. Ulf from drowning in the river by removing the paralytic touch-curse of the foul creature. Thereafter, possibly after coming to his senses, Ex. Ulf was able to exert his priestly power against the rest of the ghouls that remained in the area, driving them before him. While held impotent by Ex. Ulf, the ghouls quickly succumbed to Py’s magic’d automaton weaponry.
Ex. Corviano was overjoyed by the small bits of treasure we recovered from the Grove. It would seem that only metal and stone and those things not returned to dust will be found there. I am content with the coin their sale will bring.
I must be vigilant in the company of the fledgling wizard. I tolerate the association knowing I am there to witness the deeds her magic accomplishes. Her spider familiar was able to conjure an image of the graveyard for us, so her magic has utility. I will also be there should the day come when temptation brings her to summon demonic destruction upon innocents. Mayhap I can prevent that, by your grace.
Great Swordsmith, I beseech thee to accept and contemplate this simple swordsman’s prayer and account. If it pleases thee that I wield the sword justly, confer on me your blessing.”
Session 7:
A letter written by Corviano to his scribe Sabine, ironically the shortage of messengers continued and Corniano beat his letter to Ban Gentul by some time.
To the true and pure scriptrix Sabine Clarke be this deliver.
Ex. Corviano Cormoranti
a.d. viii eid. sext. cmxxviii
Please know that we intend to come to Ban Gentul in some few days time, and thereupon to extend your employment with us for some months henceforth. We seek to advise you of our most recent developments hereabout the Grove.
The summit between Parson Sheridan and Petty King Crown went most well. For our own part, we have arranged a trade with the kingdom, an exchange of blank paper for copied historical accounts. We share your excitement in expanding our understanding of this surprising practice.
Our explorations have continued, but at great cost—our brother Bryst died several days ago, and the grief still hangs upon me most heavily. Yet duty offers us some small respite, and so we ventured upriver into the Grove, seeking the site of Old Brushside. We were fortunate to locate the site of the town’s cemetery. And, after triumphing over ghouls, we have recovered two names, doubtless of some import to the old town. We beseech you to add them to your inquiry: the families Gansner and Rosehill.
May Orile have you in his blessing. I write in haste within our lodgings in Brushside, on this Marketday eve.
Your faithful employer,
Corv. C.
A letter written by Corviano to his scribe Sabine, ironically the shortage of messengers continued and Corniano beat his letter to Ban Gentul by some time.
To the true and pure scriptrix Sabine Clarke be this deliver.
Ex. Corviano Cormoranti
a.d. viii eid. sext. cmxxviii
Please know that we intend to come to Ban Gentul in some few days time, and thereupon to extend your employment with us for some months henceforth. We seek to advise you of our most recent developments hereabout the Grove.
The summit between Parson Sheridan and Petty King Crown went most well. For our own part, we have arranged a trade with the kingdom, an exchange of blank paper for copied historical accounts. We share your excitement in expanding our understanding of this surprising practice.
Our explorations have continued, but at great cost—our brother Bryst died several days ago, and the grief still hangs upon me most heavily. Yet duty offers us some small respite, and so we ventured upriver into the Grove, seeking the site of Old Brushside. We were fortunate to locate the site of the town’s cemetery. And, after triumphing over ghouls, we have recovered two names, doubtless of some import to the old town. We beseech you to add them to your inquiry: the families Gansner and Rosehill.
May Orile have you in his blessing. I write in haste within our lodgings in Brushside, on this Marketday eve.
Your faithful employer,
Corv. C.
Session 8
Session 8:
A surprise inheritance turns out to be a mixed blessing for Py and Aleksandr.
Corviano traveled back to Ban Gentul for more research and what not. While he was a way, an exemplar named Tullmen visited looking for Bryst. He was delivering the will of an adventurer named Briggs, who passed away in the grove. I had to inform the exemplar of Bryst also had passed. Corviano and I where Brysts next of kin any inheritance fell to us. Briggs left him/us were all his worldly goods, and instructions that his treasure was hidden under the floor board at the Knotted Nettle Inn. Aleksandr accompany the exemplar and I to the room. We found Briggs’ traveling gear, some weapons and armor, and a coin purse and ring hidden under the floor board. Aleksander left to enquire with the innkeeper about Briggs traveling companions, I kept searching the room thoroughly.
Aleksander didn’t return to help carry all the goods home, but I found out he had a good reason. He was intercepted by Brigg’s traveling companions. Aleksander led away from the room so I could finish my search. Brigg’s traveling companions, named Antonio Kidder and Thaxter the Blue (a wizard) insisted that the ring was an heirloom that had belonged to Thraxtor the Blue’s grandmother.
They said they would return at 6:00 to talk with me. Six came and went. But shortly after a fire broke out down an alleyway near our house. I knew it was them trying to lure us out of the house so they could search for the ring—which I had hidden. So, I started my own little fire in our house so attention would be drawn to it as well.
Shortly after the commotion had all settled the quails were unsettled and Aleksander went to check on them. Thraxtor and Antonio were out there with a dead quail, saying it had died from the smoke. Aleksander invited them in to talk. They gave me the story about the ring being an heirloom of Thraxtors and that he had lent to Briggs. Antonio insisted I give it back to them. Upon my questioning why Antonio was so interested in the ring, was if it belonged to Thraxtor’s grandmother?
Antonio realized that the lie Thraxtor the Blue had chosen to tell had left him out of any ownership of the ring. They on each other rather quickly, Thraxtor cast Burning Hands on his “friend” and gravely injured him. I took the opportunity of their infighting to do some casting of my own and sent a spider swarm after Thraxtor, unfortunately Aleksander was also caught in the swarm and injured. Eventually the spiders took care of Thraxtor and I could tend to Aleksander. I yelled for help and got a neighbor to fetch a priest for Aleksander. The priest was able to revive him.
I miss Bryst and his resistance to my little friends. What a crazy few days here.
A surprise inheritance turns out to be a mixed blessing for Py and Aleksandr.
Corviano traveled back to Ban Gentul for more research and what not. While he was a way, an exemplar named Tullmen visited looking for Bryst. He was delivering the will of an adventurer named Briggs, who passed away in the grove. I had to inform the exemplar of Bryst also had passed. Corviano and I where Brysts next of kin any inheritance fell to us. Briggs left him/us were all his worldly goods, and instructions that his treasure was hidden under the floor board at the Knotted Nettle Inn. Aleksandr accompany the exemplar and I to the room. We found Briggs’ traveling gear, some weapons and armor, and a coin purse and ring hidden under the floor board. Aleksander left to enquire with the innkeeper about Briggs traveling companions, I kept searching the room thoroughly.
Aleksander didn’t return to help carry all the goods home, but I found out he had a good reason. He was intercepted by Brigg’s traveling companions. Aleksander led away from the room so I could finish my search. Brigg’s traveling companions, named Antonio Kidder and Thaxter the Blue (a wizard) insisted that the ring was an heirloom that had belonged to Thraxtor the Blue’s grandmother.
They said they would return at 6:00 to talk with me. Six came and went. But shortly after a fire broke out down an alleyway near our house. I knew it was them trying to lure us out of the house so they could search for the ring—which I had hidden. So, I started my own little fire in our house so attention would be drawn to it as well.
Shortly after the commotion had all settled the quails were unsettled and Aleksander went to check on them. Thraxtor and Antonio were out there with a dead quail, saying it had died from the smoke. Aleksander invited them in to talk. They gave me the story about the ring being an heirloom of Thraxtors and that he had lent to Briggs. Antonio insisted I give it back to them. Upon my questioning why Antonio was so interested in the ring, was if it belonged to Thraxtor’s grandmother?
Antonio realized that the lie Thraxtor the Blue had chosen to tell had left him out of any ownership of the ring. They on each other rather quickly, Thraxtor cast Burning Hands on his “friend” and gravely injured him. I took the opportunity of their infighting to do some casting of my own and sent a spider swarm after Thraxtor, unfortunately Aleksander was also caught in the swarm and injured. Eventually the spiders took care of Thraxtor and I could tend to Aleksander. I yelled for help and got a neighbor to fetch a priest for Aleksander. The priest was able to revive him.
I miss Bryst and his resistance to my little friends. What a crazy few days here.
Session 8:
Offering up prayers at the Temple of the Glorious Hero is a common event for Aleksandr. His most resent included a complete account of his confrontation with Thraxtor the Blue and Antonio. Is this just an Idiosyncrasy or does the prayer reveal feelings of guilt?
“Venerable Keese the Dissonant, imbuer of magnificent blades; hear my prayer and account of my adventures, and guide me that my actions be just and my sword ever be true.
I have moved into the house of Py and Corviano. It makes sense to share our expenses since we are partnering as adventurers already, and as always, there is safety in numbers.
Bryst (may he be resting in Paradise), the late brother of my new housemates, was apparently a good and noble man. He gave in life of his talents freely and was rewarded with an inheritance from the estate of one of the beneficiaries of his goodwill. With Bryst gone, that estate passed to Py and Corviano, and I helped Py collect the estate.
The decedent, one Archibald Briggsire, was also an adventurer. His surviving companions, thinking they held a rightful claim on the estate, pursued that claim through intimidation and violence rather than through proper legal and civil means. I was able to lure them away from Py when they initially happened upon us, taking a water pitcher to the face in the process. I exaggerated the language barrier, as you know I often do, and was able to deescalate the situation. That gave Py and I the opportunity to prepare for an inevitable confrontation.
I insisted to Py we attempt the legal and civil remedy, but it was clear that such methods would do nothing with these greedy ruffians after a suspicious fire started in an alley a few houses down. We avoided leaving our house unattended for too long by setting our own small fire before leaving to help in the alley, which worked to bring the bucket brigade to our house as well. I was able to persuade Py that we not be the aggressors nor the instigators, should they offer us further harm, which they certainly intended to. Their eventual appearance at our house later that night was accompanied by one of Corviano’s quail, obviously killed to present a message of intent. The loss of their friend clearly unhinged Antonio and Thraxter, because when they finally confronted us in our house, simple logic and questioning caused the two to turn upon each other.
I must be clear; neither Py nor I deliberately nor covertly provoked the pair. I would not attack another human unless they had forsaken Valroon or attacked me first. One moment we were discussing matters and setting clear boundaries, telling the two in no uncertain terms that we would neither hand anything over nor pursue any alternative remedies, and the next moment Thraxter blasted Antonio with a gout of fire. Luckily, Py and I were not close enough to suffer, but I stepped in to stop the altercation. Before I could do anything, Py reacted by summoning a swarm of spiders over all of us. The swarm dispatched both the ruffians and would have done for me as well had she not been able to stabilize me and call for a healer.
I am afraid I was right about this wizard being too flippant with her magic. I want to believe that she can grow in wisdom and restraint as she grows in power. While she almost killed me, she also saved my life. Thank Valroon, no innocents were killed, but she walks a razor’s edge. I commit to you again, that razor’s edge will be my sword should she lose control, sanity, or both. However, I will not judge her before that time. Judgement of her soul, of course, falls to Valroon.
Ah yes, all this praying of death reminds me that I have executed a will for whatever I might leave behind one day. As a soldier, I never thought I might have much beyond that which would have been redistributed amongst my decury. This adventurer profession, while clearly much riskier, seems to also pay much better. Thank you for seeing me on this path.
Great Equipper, I beseech thee to accept and contemplate this simple swordsman’s prayer and account. If it pleases thee that I wield the sword justly, confer on me your blessing.”
Offering up prayers at the Temple of the Glorious Hero is a common event for Aleksandr. His most resent included a complete account of his confrontation with Thraxtor the Blue and Antonio. Is this just an Idiosyncrasy or does the prayer reveal feelings of guilt?
“Venerable Keese the Dissonant, imbuer of magnificent blades; hear my prayer and account of my adventures, and guide me that my actions be just and my sword ever be true.
I have moved into the house of Py and Corviano. It makes sense to share our expenses since we are partnering as adventurers already, and as always, there is safety in numbers.
Bryst (may he be resting in Paradise), the late brother of my new housemates, was apparently a good and noble man. He gave in life of his talents freely and was rewarded with an inheritance from the estate of one of the beneficiaries of his goodwill. With Bryst gone, that estate passed to Py and Corviano, and I helped Py collect the estate.
The decedent, one Archibald Briggsire, was also an adventurer. His surviving companions, thinking they held a rightful claim on the estate, pursued that claim through intimidation and violence rather than through proper legal and civil means. I was able to lure them away from Py when they initially happened upon us, taking a water pitcher to the face in the process. I exaggerated the language barrier, as you know I often do, and was able to deescalate the situation. That gave Py and I the opportunity to prepare for an inevitable confrontation.
I insisted to Py we attempt the legal and civil remedy, but it was clear that such methods would do nothing with these greedy ruffians after a suspicious fire started in an alley a few houses down. We avoided leaving our house unattended for too long by setting our own small fire before leaving to help in the alley, which worked to bring the bucket brigade to our house as well. I was able to persuade Py that we not be the aggressors nor the instigators, should they offer us further harm, which they certainly intended to. Their eventual appearance at our house later that night was accompanied by one of Corviano’s quail, obviously killed to present a message of intent. The loss of their friend clearly unhinged Antonio and Thraxter, because when they finally confronted us in our house, simple logic and questioning caused the two to turn upon each other.
I must be clear; neither Py nor I deliberately nor covertly provoked the pair. I would not attack another human unless they had forsaken Valroon or attacked me first. One moment we were discussing matters and setting clear boundaries, telling the two in no uncertain terms that we would neither hand anything over nor pursue any alternative remedies, and the next moment Thraxter blasted Antonio with a gout of fire. Luckily, Py and I were not close enough to suffer, but I stepped in to stop the altercation. Before I could do anything, Py reacted by summoning a swarm of spiders over all of us. The swarm dispatched both the ruffians and would have done for me as well had she not been able to stabilize me and call for a healer.
I am afraid I was right about this wizard being too flippant with her magic. I want to believe that she can grow in wisdom and restraint as she grows in power. While she almost killed me, she also saved my life. Thank Valroon, no innocents were killed, but she walks a razor’s edge. I commit to you again, that razor’s edge will be my sword should she lose control, sanity, or both. However, I will not judge her before that time. Judgement of her soul, of course, falls to Valroon.
Ah yes, all this praying of death reminds me that I have executed a will for whatever I might leave behind one day. As a soldier, I never thought I might have much beyond that which would have been redistributed amongst my decury. This adventurer profession, while clearly much riskier, seems to also pay much better. Thank you for seeing me on this path.
Great Equipper, I beseech thee to accept and contemplate this simple swordsman’s prayer and account. If it pleases thee that I wield the sword justly, confer on me your blessing.”
Session 8:
A letter written by Corviano, not at all a plot synopsis--as Corviano wasn't present for this week's excitement. Unhappy with the lack of information available in Ban Gentul concerning Old Brushside, he sends a letter to another nearby major city--Equum.
Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, representative of the venerable Valora, Commemorant of the Church in Urnum, to the illustrious sage Osgood of Equm, his most esteemed greeting.
Magnificent Sage, we commend ourself to you, in accordance with your erudition and wisdom. Your great scholarship and oeuvre are known well to all in Urnum. For our part, we endeavor to bless the world as you have. Good and true Sir, forgive our rashness in writing to you in such haste. We would like you to understand the chief cause of our writing at this time:
We have come at the behest of Commemorant Valora to the southwest of Edry to learn all that we might of the Thorny Grove and its history. Yet we have come to an impasse. The locals at Brushside keep no historical record. Our own research in the libraries of Ban Gentul have likewise been fraught with a great paucity of information. We find no records of the old town of Brushside, no accounting of its families, no ledgers regarding trade.
We therefore seek any record of the Grove of Yore, of Old Brushside, or both. For such information we shall pay handsomely. Write to us in all haste, by care of the Temple of the Glorious Hero in Brushside or to our scribe Sabine Clarke at the Temple of Accommodation in Ban Gentul and we shall make arrangements.
May Divine Ignimius keep you in good health and prosperity. Written at the Temple of Accommodation in Ban Gentul, on the second Day before the Ides of Sextilis, in the nine hundred and thirty-eight year of the Winnowing. Per Ex. C. Cormoranti.
A letter written by Corviano, not at all a plot synopsis--as Corviano wasn't present for this week's excitement. Unhappy with the lack of information available in Ban Gentul concerning Old Brushside, he sends a letter to another nearby major city--Equum.
Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, representative of the venerable Valora, Commemorant of the Church in Urnum, to the illustrious sage Osgood of Equm, his most esteemed greeting.
Magnificent Sage, we commend ourself to you, in accordance with your erudition and wisdom. Your great scholarship and oeuvre are known well to all in Urnum. For our part, we endeavor to bless the world as you have. Good and true Sir, forgive our rashness in writing to you in such haste. We would like you to understand the chief cause of our writing at this time:
We have come at the behest of Commemorant Valora to the southwest of Edry to learn all that we might of the Thorny Grove and its history. Yet we have come to an impasse. The locals at Brushside keep no historical record. Our own research in the libraries of Ban Gentul have likewise been fraught with a great paucity of information. We find no records of the old town of Brushside, no accounting of its families, no ledgers regarding trade.
We therefore seek any record of the Grove of Yore, of Old Brushside, or both. For such information we shall pay handsomely. Write to us in all haste, by care of the Temple of the Glorious Hero in Brushside or to our scribe Sabine Clarke at the Temple of Accommodation in Ban Gentul and we shall make arrangements.
May Divine Ignimius keep you in good health and prosperity. Written at the Temple of Accommodation in Ban Gentul, on the second Day before the Ides of Sextilis, in the nine hundred and thirty-eight year of the Winnowing. Per Ex. C. Cormoranti.
Session 9
Session 9:
An out of character synopsis of session 9 submitted by Aleksandr's player.
When Corviano returned from Ban Gentul, Aleksandr, and Py related the events around Bryst’s inheritance and the deaths of Antonio and Thraxter. Corviano was reasonably upset about the loss of paper, but seemed partially mollified upon learning that none of his notes were burned. Corviano distributed the proceeds of various transactions made on loot from previous adventures, and the party considered what to do next.
They decided that their immediate goal would be to investigate a treasure map drawn on the inside ofBriggs’ money pouch obtained as part of the inheritance. On their way to the mapped area, the party killed a monstrous beetle. Following the mapped path was fairly straightforward, and Py managed to uncover the way forward at the point the map left off. The path led to an area of bedrock within the Thorny Grove. Without any soil, no plants could grow out of the bedrock, but branches from the surrounding area still sporadically crisscrossed the area, making it less safe than one could hope for.
The path leading to the bedrock carried the adventurers directly to the mouth of a cave, or what they later learned was an abandoned mine. They found many monstrous ants the size of large dogs both in the bedrock area and down the mine, fighting and killing them as they went. Corviano performed surprisingly well compared to past forays into the Grove. The mine had many side passages and junctions and took quite a long time to explore, and encounters with more ants eventually required a break for Corviano to miraculously heal Aleksandr. While exploring, the party realized that there were minute flecks and ribbons of gold in the walls of the mine, though nowhere was there any meaningful amount to be collected.
Getting deeper into the mine, the party encountered an ant much larger than the rest, but prodigiously effective attacks took it down before the party could discover anything about it beyond its appearance. Through luck or chance, the group managed to find the ant queen’s lair, where they heard the sound of a fiddle playing. The ant queen was enormous and her movements were hindered by her size. However, she was protected by three more of the larger ants and many of the smaller ones. Behind all of that was a wizard, recognized by Py as a low-level nobody, that was controlling the ants and making them mine gold for him.
The wizard tricked the party into believing he needed rescue and fighting the ants in the queen’s lair. The group fought the ants until Corviano thought to attack the wizard, at which point the wizard made the ants stop fighting. Aleksandr was incapacitated however, and with Py failing to tend his wounds, Corviano having already healed him, and the wizard having nothing with which to give aid, Aleksandr succumbed to his injuries. The siblings left his body behind to be eaten by the ants because they had to focus on holding the wizard hostage as they left the mine. Once out of the mine, they spitefully killed the wizard and took the magic ring he had been using to control the ants.
Perhaps fortuitously, perhaps ominously, Aleksandr had just created a will with Ex. Tulmin at the Temple of the Glorious Hero. With his estate being left to the church, the siblings will now have to decide what to do with the money he left at their house and any of his gear they may or may not recover in a future visit to the gold mine.
An out of character synopsis of session 9 submitted by Aleksandr's player.
When Corviano returned from Ban Gentul, Aleksandr, and Py related the events around Bryst’s inheritance and the deaths of Antonio and Thraxter. Corviano was reasonably upset about the loss of paper, but seemed partially mollified upon learning that none of his notes were burned. Corviano distributed the proceeds of various transactions made on loot from previous adventures, and the party considered what to do next.
They decided that their immediate goal would be to investigate a treasure map drawn on the inside ofBriggs’ money pouch obtained as part of the inheritance. On their way to the mapped area, the party killed a monstrous beetle. Following the mapped path was fairly straightforward, and Py managed to uncover the way forward at the point the map left off. The path led to an area of bedrock within the Thorny Grove. Without any soil, no plants could grow out of the bedrock, but branches from the surrounding area still sporadically crisscrossed the area, making it less safe than one could hope for.
The path leading to the bedrock carried the adventurers directly to the mouth of a cave, or what they later learned was an abandoned mine. They found many monstrous ants the size of large dogs both in the bedrock area and down the mine, fighting and killing them as they went. Corviano performed surprisingly well compared to past forays into the Grove. The mine had many side passages and junctions and took quite a long time to explore, and encounters with more ants eventually required a break for Corviano to miraculously heal Aleksandr. While exploring, the party realized that there were minute flecks and ribbons of gold in the walls of the mine, though nowhere was there any meaningful amount to be collected.
Getting deeper into the mine, the party encountered an ant much larger than the rest, but prodigiously effective attacks took it down before the party could discover anything about it beyond its appearance. Through luck or chance, the group managed to find the ant queen’s lair, where they heard the sound of a fiddle playing. The ant queen was enormous and her movements were hindered by her size. However, she was protected by three more of the larger ants and many of the smaller ones. Behind all of that was a wizard, recognized by Py as a low-level nobody, that was controlling the ants and making them mine gold for him.
The wizard tricked the party into believing he needed rescue and fighting the ants in the queen’s lair. The group fought the ants until Corviano thought to attack the wizard, at which point the wizard made the ants stop fighting. Aleksandr was incapacitated however, and with Py failing to tend his wounds, Corviano having already healed him, and the wizard having nothing with which to give aid, Aleksandr succumbed to his injuries. The siblings left his body behind to be eaten by the ants because they had to focus on holding the wizard hostage as they left the mine. Once out of the mine, they spitefully killed the wizard and took the magic ring he had been using to control the ants.
Perhaps fortuitously, perhaps ominously, Aleksandr had just created a will with Ex. Tulmin at the Temple of the Glorious Hero. With his estate being left to the church, the siblings will now have to decide what to do with the money he left at their house and any of his gear they may or may not recover in a future visit to the gold mine.
Session 9:
After the death of Aleksandr Corviano writes a letter to Ex. Tullmen, the executor of Aleksandr's will.
Exemplar Cormoranti to Exemplar Tullmen be this letter taken.
We great you well in the name of Ignimius the Divine. Aleksander of Urnum has perished in the Thorny Grove. We write to you as the executor of his estate and give an account of his last days on this earth.
Aleksandr proved himself a loyal companion and hearty adventurer. He had come to reside in our home, at our invitation, and had in some small way begun to fill a void left by our late brother. He was a new and great friend and his death brings us great grief.
Aleksandr accompanied us twice into the Grove, and both times he fought bravely. Some few days ago we came thereupon a nest of giant fire ants. Though we all fought bravely, they proved too much. A servant of the Church to the very end, he died so that we ourself might live. If only he had not bled out so quickly, we might have had the moment needed to gain our bearings and stanch the tide of blood. But alas, we were forced to hastily retreat from the Grove, most regrettably leaving good Aleksandr for the ants.
Find herewith what remains of the estate of Aleksandr of Urnum: 2 daggers, 1 short sword—a tuck, and 133 coin, forty-three of gold, fifty of silver, forty of copper.
We understand that Aleksandr left his estate to the Church, to do with as your imminences see most fit. As a fellow churchmen, and Aleksandr’s forlorned companion, I request you might remember our lot as you carry out the terms of this esteemed testator’s will. For if in dying he acted to protect us, perhaps in death he might equip us further. We leave the matter entirely in your good and just hands.
Ignimius the Divine guide us towards true heroism. Written in our lodgings on Riverside Road on the 14th Day before the Kalends of September. Per Corviano Cormaranti, Exemplar.
After the death of Aleksandr Corviano writes a letter to Ex. Tullmen, the executor of Aleksandr's will.
Exemplar Cormoranti to Exemplar Tullmen be this letter taken.
We great you well in the name of Ignimius the Divine. Aleksander of Urnum has perished in the Thorny Grove. We write to you as the executor of his estate and give an account of his last days on this earth.
Aleksandr proved himself a loyal companion and hearty adventurer. He had come to reside in our home, at our invitation, and had in some small way begun to fill a void left by our late brother. He was a new and great friend and his death brings us great grief.
Aleksandr accompanied us twice into the Grove, and both times he fought bravely. Some few days ago we came thereupon a nest of giant fire ants. Though we all fought bravely, they proved too much. A servant of the Church to the very end, he died so that we ourself might live. If only he had not bled out so quickly, we might have had the moment needed to gain our bearings and stanch the tide of blood. But alas, we were forced to hastily retreat from the Grove, most regrettably leaving good Aleksandr for the ants.
Find herewith what remains of the estate of Aleksandr of Urnum: 2 daggers, 1 short sword—a tuck, and 133 coin, forty-three of gold, fifty of silver, forty of copper.
We understand that Aleksandr left his estate to the Church, to do with as your imminences see most fit. As a fellow churchmen, and Aleksandr’s forlorned companion, I request you might remember our lot as you carry out the terms of this esteemed testator’s will. For if in dying he acted to protect us, perhaps in death he might equip us further. We leave the matter entirely in your good and just hands.
Ignimius the Divine guide us towards true heroism. Written in our lodgings on Riverside Road on the 14th Day before the Kalends of September. Per Corviano Cormaranti, Exemplar.
Session 9:
Py’s journal reflects resent events. She doesn’t seem too broken up about Aleksandr’s death. Which may not be a surprise, Aleksander seemed more religious than any of the priests she knows.
Corviano, Aleksander, and I went to follow the map that was inside Briggs money pouch. Corviano said it should lead to gold. Along the way we passed the Ox bow lake and found there are some shiny objects on the bottom that seem to be guarded by some large bugs that skate on water. We will have to return later to see what’s down there as we were not prepared for a swimming expedition.
Once in the grove we found a path that someone tried to hide and decided to follow it. We came upon some ants of monstrous size on the path. After some good whacks they were fairly easily defeated. We kept following the path and it eventually lead to a hole in the ground. We all jumped down the hole and it looked like a mine.
There were some faint gold veins in the walls. We wandered about the mine till we came upon the voice of a man who said he was being held prisoner by the ants. We fought more ants and to try to rescue the man, but were deceived by him for he was the one controlling them. Poor Aleksander was killed by the ants as Corviano and I went to confront the wizard. We got the wizard to call off the Ant and show us were the gold was. After which we kill the wizard, for no one would miss him, he had been missing for a few years already. We took the ring he used to control the Ants, I believe it will come in very handy indeed!
Py’s journal reflects resent events. She doesn’t seem too broken up about Aleksandr’s death. Which may not be a surprise, Aleksander seemed more religious than any of the priests she knows.
Corviano, Aleksander, and I went to follow the map that was inside Briggs money pouch. Corviano said it should lead to gold. Along the way we passed the Ox bow lake and found there are some shiny objects on the bottom that seem to be guarded by some large bugs that skate on water. We will have to return later to see what’s down there as we were not prepared for a swimming expedition.
Once in the grove we found a path that someone tried to hide and decided to follow it. We came upon some ants of monstrous size on the path. After some good whacks they were fairly easily defeated. We kept following the path and it eventually lead to a hole in the ground. We all jumped down the hole and it looked like a mine.
There were some faint gold veins in the walls. We wandered about the mine till we came upon the voice of a man who said he was being held prisoner by the ants. We fought more ants and to try to rescue the man, but were deceived by him for he was the one controlling them. Poor Aleksander was killed by the ants as Corviano and I went to confront the wizard. We got the wizard to call off the Ant and show us were the gold was. After which we kill the wizard, for no one would miss him, he had been missing for a few years already. We took the ring he used to control the Ants, I believe it will come in very handy indeed!
Session 10
Session 10:
The Wizard Scarthos Genis keeps a (detailed) daily journal of his adventures. He notes several observations about the leaders of the town as well as his companions.
25th of Sext., W. 938
Birch Shieldcracker and I arrived at Brushside today. It was fortuitous to make such a friend on the road, as the town guard and nearly everyone else was more interested in the dwarf than me. I’m perfectly fine having less attention on me. Under the guard’s advisement, we each commended ourselves to the local authorities. It seems that this town has an imbalance in the power structure, as the civil power here is wielded by a Pn. Sheridan. Thankfully I had no need to introduce myself there. Birch didn’t say much about his interaction with Sheridan.
My introduction to the local Magi, Telius the Bright, was also colored by this power imbalance. I cannot tell if he is a timid man putting on a brave face, or if he is a calculating master biding his time. On the one hand, his tower is impressive. It is nowhere near complete, but the parts that are finished are masterful, while a massive illusion in place of the unfinished parts properly imposes itself over the town. He clearly lays claim to all the best stone brought to town. On the other hand, Telius advised me to act small and belittled my dream for a Mystical Marketplace for Magic and Miracles. Perhaps this is not the right town for that idea. If I am to stay here, it may behoove me to seek inspiration for a different, more short-term goal until I establish myself as a successful adventurer.
Upon seeking accommodation, Birch and I met one Ex. Corviano. He seems to be a man with dreams of running an inn from a hovel he does not even own. He tried to convince us that six people could easily share a house with but three rooms, one of which was currently occupied by his sister Py, a fellow wizard of the Conclave. He already shares this building with his sister, a fisherman, and a butler, and believes it can fit a dwarf and a second wizard. He even offered his sister’s room to Birch. Perhaps it is good that he suffers the common priestly delusions that reality is different than the truth, since we eventually agreed to adventure together. A steady priest would give me more to worry about.
The butler does not adventure, but the fisherman Max joined us as we decided to track down a lead they had on a treasure trove of silver. We used a rowboat to go upriver from the town towards an oxbow lake. Along the way we were attacked by kobolds from the top of a cliff that formed one side of the river. Py used a Gust of Wind spell or effect from a magic item to blow the vermin and their missiles from the cliff face. I could not tell if it was fully a spell or just a mimicking effect, but she did not perform any of the motions or vocalizations. Either way, it was truly convenient.
Upon arriving at the oxbow lake, we made a full circuit around the lake to observe the area and any potential obstacles. We found giant water striders living on the lake, though we have yet to discover their nest or lair. Max made an initial exploratory dive to the bottom of the lake and brought back elven silver. Birch and I covered him from the boat, which was a great idea, since some of the monstrous striders attacked us. Birch held them off while I paddled us back to shore. We shall see what we can do tomorrow when the light is with us. Writing in this journal by Torch light is not ideal.
26th of Sext., W. 938
Today, Max and I were able to dive to the bottom of the lake, which we found absolutely strewn with the same elven silver pieces Max brought up yesterday. With the two of us diving, and using Corviano’s helmet as a bucket, we were able to collect almost thirteen score coins before the monstrous water striders drove us off. Interestingly, a set of Dancing Lights cast by Py drew some of the striders away the first time they attacked us. Even more interesting, those same Dancing Lights returned with the striders after breaking free of Py’s control the second time the striders attacked us. Neither Py no I have observed Dancing Lights act this way in the past.
We split the collected silver five ways upon returning to town. We must devise a better way to collect the silver. I wonder if there is no way for us to dredge the lake from land. It would take Max and I multiple days to collect it all manually, and diving to the depth of 40’ has its risks as well. If only Py or I had access to Water Breathing this would be trivial, but I am certain neither of us can cast 4th level spells. If there is someone at the Glittering Tower that can, a single casting customarily costs 35g and would only last the day, which might outweigh the benefit of paying for such a spell. We also need to find where the striders hide so we can deal with them. Upon reflection of yesterday’s activities, diving under threat of attack is an unnecessary risk. I am also concerned about these Dancing Lights. I may write back to my master to see if he has heard of such behavior.
After two days adventuring with this group, I make the following observations. Birch is as solid as a dwarf can be, and I am glad of his friendship. He is very capable in combat and very easy to reason with. Max is as capable a swimmer as I, and readily leaps to action. He also seems to be quite strong, which is a useful trait to have in a companion. Corviano has yet to inspire confidence, but he claims to have access to healing miracles, which (if true) makes him invaluable. Besides, his sister is a wizard of the Conclave. That, and his willingness to work with me without complaint as well, are worth much in my estimation. Py strikes me as a good tactician, having useful spells memorized each day and using those spells to great effect. She also is a skilled battle medic, which was quite the surprise to discover. Obviously, she is taking the more traditional path of the unarmored adventuring wizard, but I think it will be very useful to have two wizards in a group. That’s twice the spells we can plan around each day.
I am excited to see where this new adventure takes me.
Now I must stop writing and go with Birch to resolve our accommodation issues.
The Wizard Scarthos Genis keeps a (detailed) daily journal of his adventures. He notes several observations about the leaders of the town as well as his companions.
25th of Sext., W. 938
Birch Shieldcracker and I arrived at Brushside today. It was fortuitous to make such a friend on the road, as the town guard and nearly everyone else was more interested in the dwarf than me. I’m perfectly fine having less attention on me. Under the guard’s advisement, we each commended ourselves to the local authorities. It seems that this town has an imbalance in the power structure, as the civil power here is wielded by a Pn. Sheridan. Thankfully I had no need to introduce myself there. Birch didn’t say much about his interaction with Sheridan.
My introduction to the local Magi, Telius the Bright, was also colored by this power imbalance. I cannot tell if he is a timid man putting on a brave face, or if he is a calculating master biding his time. On the one hand, his tower is impressive. It is nowhere near complete, but the parts that are finished are masterful, while a massive illusion in place of the unfinished parts properly imposes itself over the town. He clearly lays claim to all the best stone brought to town. On the other hand, Telius advised me to act small and belittled my dream for a Mystical Marketplace for Magic and Miracles. Perhaps this is not the right town for that idea. If I am to stay here, it may behoove me to seek inspiration for a different, more short-term goal until I establish myself as a successful adventurer.
Upon seeking accommodation, Birch and I met one Ex. Corviano. He seems to be a man with dreams of running an inn from a hovel he does not even own. He tried to convince us that six people could easily share a house with but three rooms, one of which was currently occupied by his sister Py, a fellow wizard of the Conclave. He already shares this building with his sister, a fisherman, and a butler, and believes it can fit a dwarf and a second wizard. He even offered his sister’s room to Birch. Perhaps it is good that he suffers the common priestly delusions that reality is different than the truth, since we eventually agreed to adventure together. A steady priest would give me more to worry about.
The butler does not adventure, but the fisherman Max joined us as we decided to track down a lead they had on a treasure trove of silver. We used a rowboat to go upriver from the town towards an oxbow lake. Along the way we were attacked by kobolds from the top of a cliff that formed one side of the river. Py used a Gust of Wind spell or effect from a magic item to blow the vermin and their missiles from the cliff face. I could not tell if it was fully a spell or just a mimicking effect, but she did not perform any of the motions or vocalizations. Either way, it was truly convenient.
Upon arriving at the oxbow lake, we made a full circuit around the lake to observe the area and any potential obstacles. We found giant water striders living on the lake, though we have yet to discover their nest or lair. Max made an initial exploratory dive to the bottom of the lake and brought back elven silver. Birch and I covered him from the boat, which was a great idea, since some of the monstrous striders attacked us. Birch held them off while I paddled us back to shore. We shall see what we can do tomorrow when the light is with us. Writing in this journal by Torch light is not ideal.
26th of Sext., W. 938
Today, Max and I were able to dive to the bottom of the lake, which we found absolutely strewn with the same elven silver pieces Max brought up yesterday. With the two of us diving, and using Corviano’s helmet as a bucket, we were able to collect almost thirteen score coins before the monstrous water striders drove us off. Interestingly, a set of Dancing Lights cast by Py drew some of the striders away the first time they attacked us. Even more interesting, those same Dancing Lights returned with the striders after breaking free of Py’s control the second time the striders attacked us. Neither Py no I have observed Dancing Lights act this way in the past.
We split the collected silver five ways upon returning to town. We must devise a better way to collect the silver. I wonder if there is no way for us to dredge the lake from land. It would take Max and I multiple days to collect it all manually, and diving to the depth of 40’ has its risks as well. If only Py or I had access to Water Breathing this would be trivial, but I am certain neither of us can cast 4th level spells. If there is someone at the Glittering Tower that can, a single casting customarily costs 35g and would only last the day, which might outweigh the benefit of paying for such a spell. We also need to find where the striders hide so we can deal with them. Upon reflection of yesterday’s activities, diving under threat of attack is an unnecessary risk. I am also concerned about these Dancing Lights. I may write back to my master to see if he has heard of such behavior.
After two days adventuring with this group, I make the following observations. Birch is as solid as a dwarf can be, and I am glad of his friendship. He is very capable in combat and very easy to reason with. Max is as capable a swimmer as I, and readily leaps to action. He also seems to be quite strong, which is a useful trait to have in a companion. Corviano has yet to inspire confidence, but he claims to have access to healing miracles, which (if true) makes him invaluable. Besides, his sister is a wizard of the Conclave. That, and his willingness to work with me without complaint as well, are worth much in my estimation. Py strikes me as a good tactician, having useful spells memorized each day and using those spells to great effect. She also is a skilled battle medic, which was quite the surprise to discover. Obviously, she is taking the more traditional path of the unarmored adventuring wizard, but I think it will be very useful to have two wizards in a group. That’s twice the spells we can plan around each day.
I am excited to see where this new adventure takes me.
Now I must stop writing and go with Birch to resolve our accommodation issues.
Session 10:
Osgood, a sage from Equum, replied to the letter Corviano wrote him (after session 8). Osgood's letter is in red, Coriano's responce is in customary blue.
Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, Let this note find you in good Health. I Osgood the Sage of Equum return your fond Greetings of the 13th of Sextilis in the year nine hundred and thirty-eight from the blessing of the Winnowing. I put quill to paper soon after recite of it on the 23rd day of that month.
I remember well your visit of not 3 months ago, if only I had been able to attend you with more hospitality! We must remedy that upon your return through Equum. It saddens me to hear that your personal goal to uncover the history around the Thorny Grove has met with frustration.
I fear it falls to me to inform you that should you expect to find written record of a small village hundreds of years gone, you do not understand the Commonwealth to which you have traveled.
Our Kingdom’s character adapts, develops… Changes and Evolves, both our morals and Politics. But with creation comes also destruction. The stability and stagnation of the Great City of Urna must yield easy preservation. The Strife and Striving of our union often Sweeps away the past.
In all likelihood, even the records of the destruction of the records you seek were themselves lost to Fire, Worms, or a Purge decades ago. If such was not the case, what use would your quest be?
But not all of the past has been lost. Should you have questions you cannot answer from your location, send such monies as are appropriate and as much detail surrounding your question as possible and I will return, via messenger, what I can. All I ask is kind Acknowledgement in your Manuscript.
May your Quill be swift and its lines be guided by Castutia.
From the hand of Osgood, Sage of Equum. In the 4th year of the Reign of King Shaw’s Court.
To our right good fellow scholar Master Osgood of the King’s Court in Equum.
Illustrious Sage Osgood, we perceive by your prompt and generous Letter that your erudition are no less in deed than have always been esteemed and that your virtuous charity are their equal.
We hear your words regarding the history of this Good Commonwealth of Edry. It brings us a pain in our very soul to think of all the Story and Wisdom whose monitions and lessons have been lost to the generations. And so since arriving at the Thorny Grove we have prayed daily that the paragons and celestial beings might strengthen the adventurers here, somehow, to drive back the evils of this land and lay claim to Lasting Civilization. But instead we find many prone to ignorance, bickering, or worse.
By way of example, this past week we, along with our sister, counseled some two adventurers and a dwarf regarding the location of a great sunken treasure of unknown provenance—our knowledge, awareness, and supernatural might in tandem with their sword, swimming, and savvy. Yet these two men quickly let the evil of the dwarf lead them astray as they needlessly bickered at length about divisions of labor and proper compensation.
The childish impertinence of these adventurers have caused me some ebullition of annoyance. Pray then, forgive us. We seek patience and wisdom from Valroon. This is not our first visit to small villages. We traveled throughout Gent, including Albia, for several years. But we have never been in a place with so little regard for erudition among the leadership.
We thank you for your generous and wise offer to help us research what might be of service. For now we have as of yet many incomplete glimpses of this region’s past: remnants of an unknown classical legion, coins minted by wizards long dead, hobgoblins writing 300 year-old histories, and now, a still largely sunken treasure of elven coin.
When we have need of your assistance and intellect, we shall write with all haste. For now, we take our leave, and bless you for your counsel and exhortation, that Scriptaris bring you ever more insight.
30 Sextilis 938
Ex. Corviano Cormoranti
Osgood, a sage from Equum, replied to the letter Corviano wrote him (after session 8). Osgood's letter is in red, Coriano's responce is in customary blue.
Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, Let this note find you in good Health. I Osgood the Sage of Equum return your fond Greetings of the 13th of Sextilis in the year nine hundred and thirty-eight from the blessing of the Winnowing. I put quill to paper soon after recite of it on the 23rd day of that month.
I remember well your visit of not 3 months ago, if only I had been able to attend you with more hospitality! We must remedy that upon your return through Equum. It saddens me to hear that your personal goal to uncover the history around the Thorny Grove has met with frustration.
I fear it falls to me to inform you that should you expect to find written record of a small village hundreds of years gone, you do not understand the Commonwealth to which you have traveled.
Our Kingdom’s character adapts, develops… Changes and Evolves, both our morals and Politics. But with creation comes also destruction. The stability and stagnation of the Great City of Urna must yield easy preservation. The Strife and Striving of our union often Sweeps away the past.
In all likelihood, even the records of the destruction of the records you seek were themselves lost to Fire, Worms, or a Purge decades ago. If such was not the case, what use would your quest be?
But not all of the past has been lost. Should you have questions you cannot answer from your location, send such monies as are appropriate and as much detail surrounding your question as possible and I will return, via messenger, what I can. All I ask is kind Acknowledgement in your Manuscript.
May your Quill be swift and its lines be guided by Castutia.
From the hand of Osgood, Sage of Equum. In the 4th year of the Reign of King Shaw’s Court.
To our right good fellow scholar Master Osgood of the King’s Court in Equum.
Illustrious Sage Osgood, we perceive by your prompt and generous Letter that your erudition are no less in deed than have always been esteemed and that your virtuous charity are their equal.
We hear your words regarding the history of this Good Commonwealth of Edry. It brings us a pain in our very soul to think of all the Story and Wisdom whose monitions and lessons have been lost to the generations. And so since arriving at the Thorny Grove we have prayed daily that the paragons and celestial beings might strengthen the adventurers here, somehow, to drive back the evils of this land and lay claim to Lasting Civilization. But instead we find many prone to ignorance, bickering, or worse.
By way of example, this past week we, along with our sister, counseled some two adventurers and a dwarf regarding the location of a great sunken treasure of unknown provenance—our knowledge, awareness, and supernatural might in tandem with their sword, swimming, and savvy. Yet these two men quickly let the evil of the dwarf lead them astray as they needlessly bickered at length about divisions of labor and proper compensation.
The childish impertinence of these adventurers have caused me some ebullition of annoyance. Pray then, forgive us. We seek patience and wisdom from Valroon. This is not our first visit to small villages. We traveled throughout Gent, including Albia, for several years. But we have never been in a place with so little regard for erudition among the leadership.
We thank you for your generous and wise offer to help us research what might be of service. For now we have as of yet many incomplete glimpses of this region’s past: remnants of an unknown classical legion, coins minted by wizards long dead, hobgoblins writing 300 year-old histories, and now, a still largely sunken treasure of elven coin.
When we have need of your assistance and intellect, we shall write with all haste. For now, we take our leave, and bless you for your counsel and exhortation, that Scriptaris bring you ever more insight.
30 Sextilis 938
Ex. Corviano Cormoranti
Session 10:
Below is Py’s journal entry containing her musings about the outing to Ox Bow lake
Ventured to the Ox bow lake again. This time Corviano invited some new fellas he just met in town, a wizard and a dwarf. We found Max and brought him along too, he apparently had been off searching for the perfect fishing pole after his sickness.
Max and the new wizard proved very skillful at diving for the silver objects. Turns out they are elven coins, what they are doing out there is anyone’s guess. My Gust of Wind ring worked well to keep the water striders from all over taking us. It also worked well against the stupid little cobals that tried to ambush us from the cliff. Blew their tiny asses right back. The water striders seem to definitely be at the lake to guard the coins. I used some dancing lights to lead them away in the evening and then an odd occurrence happened the next day where they led the water striders back to us.
I shall have to inquire at the conclave and see if anyone has a theory on why that would happen. I also should make sure I have a Return Demon spell ready to send them back if it were to happen again. The dwarf prove most mighty at smashing the bugs and to my surprise my brother was able to sling a few.
Wonder if we will head back there some day, there are certainly more silver coins down there, they just take a long time to gather, and the water striders are an obstacle to being able to collect large amounts. Maybe next time I’ll try to control one and see what that does…
Below is Py’s journal entry containing her musings about the outing to Ox Bow lake
Ventured to the Ox bow lake again. This time Corviano invited some new fellas he just met in town, a wizard and a dwarf. We found Max and brought him along too, he apparently had been off searching for the perfect fishing pole after his sickness.
Max and the new wizard proved very skillful at diving for the silver objects. Turns out they are elven coins, what they are doing out there is anyone’s guess. My Gust of Wind ring worked well to keep the water striders from all over taking us. It also worked well against the stupid little cobals that tried to ambush us from the cliff. Blew their tiny asses right back. The water striders seem to definitely be at the lake to guard the coins. I used some dancing lights to lead them away in the evening and then an odd occurrence happened the next day where they led the water striders back to us.
I shall have to inquire at the conclave and see if anyone has a theory on why that would happen. I also should make sure I have a Return Demon spell ready to send them back if it were to happen again. The dwarf prove most mighty at smashing the bugs and to my surprise my brother was able to sling a few.
Wonder if we will head back there some day, there are certainly more silver coins down there, they just take a long time to gather, and the water striders are an obstacle to being able to collect large amounts. Maybe next time I’ll try to control one and see what that does…
Session 11
Session 11:
The journal of Scarthos Genis contains an account of his first foray into the Thorney Grove so detailed, its as if paper is not a rare and expensive commodity!
1st of Sep., W. 938
Today began with the most surprising of events; Py blinked out of existence. She was researching the odd behavior of the Dancing Lights from a week ago at the Glittering Tower and then… she wasn’t. I’ve been around research wizards before. She isn’t powerful enough to cast Teleport, and a Blink wouldn’t have taken her far. No one knows where she went. She reappeared later today day with almost no explanation. I’m calling it Existential Epilepsy until she learns more about it.
Assuming her priestly brother would want to know of this but have little way to learn of events at the Conclave directly, I made my way towards the would-be Insufficient Inn. I encountered Corviano dealing with some bookmaker or other as well as a messenger asking for the late Bryst. Clearly in over his head, he told the paper man to wait and not move while he went with the messenger. This is highly amusing, as he left the man there for not just twenty minutes or an hour but left Brushside entirely without notifying him.
Having nothing better to do, I walked with Corviano and described his sister’s disappearance as best I could. I didn’t see it happen, but nothing goes by completely unobserved within the as-of-yet-unfinished Glittering Tower. While he had questions that I answered as best I could, Corviano wasn’t put off in the least, simply resigning Py to her fate. I can’t decide which best to use to describe him; pragmatic, callous, or overwhelmed. In any case, the messenger brought us to the local doctor, ran by one Dr. Froat, who was having difficulty subduing a patient.
The injured man, Dallin O’Kurt, was beside himself about his sister Ellis. This Bryst seems to have left a legacy behind as a man of the people; I am perhaps a bit wistful to not have met him. Dallin mistook Corviano for Bryst and begged him to save his sister. Against his insistence, she and her husband Gorman had ventured into the Grove without him. I can finally understand the danger that involves; even with three people, the Grove is unwelcoming and brutal. Dallin offered a considerable reward if his sister was brought back alive, and a third to simply try and locate her.
Corviano accepted the request, and we left the healer’s office. With Py’s very mortal existence in question, let alone her whereabouts, Corviano asked me to accompany him on the rescue mission. I would have preferred Birch’s company on my first venture into the Grove, but he was greeting the foreman of the local quarry, another dwarf by the name of Dorrick, and so was unavailable. Max the fisherman was nowhere to be found either, so Corviano and I hired a tracker to both guide us and take up arms with us if need be, and that was probably the wisest decision we made all day.
With the directions given by Dallin, the tracker William Bonnegut was able to find the trail quickly after we entered the Grove. At first, with the path being quite wide, I didn’t think much of the thorny growth. Fairly quickly though, I learned that this blasted place would make any man break out in hives, and that’s if luck saves him from getting thrashed and torn by the devilish barbs. At least we had a path to follow that kept most of the vines away from us. The same couldn’t be said for the hapless goblins that attacked us along the way.
Unsurprising in their idiocy, goblins tried to ambush us from within the tangled mass of the Grove and almost every one of them paid for it with their lives. Both Corviano and I carry tower shields, and we were able to stop many of the fools from gaining the path. Held in the vines, we had to do little but watch them tear themselves apart attempting to maneuver through the thorns. The few that did manage to escape onto the path were quickly dispatched by William, who is an excellent shot with a bow. Corviano decided to talk to one of them in its native tongue (I hear he consorts with hobgoblins as well) before letting it escape, only for it to die on the thorns as well.
It was at this point that Py reasserted her existence. I want to know why her Epilepsy dropped her at our feet. However, she claims to have no knowledge of how or why this happened to her. In any case, her timing couldn’t have been better, as we had taken a few minor wounds. She bound our wounds and then distributed a wonderful balm that calmed the angry reaction of the skin to the Grove. She continues to surprise and impress. After regrouping and discussing with Py, we carried on, using our shields to keep the razor-sharp bladed scrub off us while William continued to track the O’Kurts.
This is where I suffered my first grave injury; a sudden pit opened before me as I pushed more growth from our path, and I fell nearly fifty feet to the bottom. Thankfully the sides of the pit were sloped, or I might have died. As it was, I took such a blow to the chest that I am still now slowed by the pain. Thankfully I was still able to move or the slimes that infested the pit would have devoured me. They were slow, however, and I was able to outpace them while Py summoned a swarm to destroy them. William’s unerring archery also took its toll on the monsters.
The pit had two passages shooting off from the bottom, and in one we found the remains of the O’Kurts. They couldn’t have been there more than a couple of days, but the slimes had left naught but bones and certain metals behind. Luckily one was the wedding band of the late Ellis, which we brought back as proof for her brother. Because the slimes had cleaned all flesh from their bones, we were also able to pack those out of the Grove and allow Dallin to lay them to rest. In the same passage where the couple lay, I used Clean to push some muck out of a pool and uncover a precious emerald. I paid for it though, as a slime was hidden in the pool and attacked me. I was unpleasantly surprised to find that the monster’s touch forced me to forget one of the spells I had memorized.
Corviano had a torch lit and used it to burn that slime, and henceforth I stowed my falchion and took up a torch as well. We then explored the other tunnel, which led us further underground. We even had to climb down a rope to reach the deepest pocket of the cave system where we fought a larger slime in a flooded cavern. Corviano and I stood fast against the fiend, but our torches were hampered from doing significant damage by the standing water from which the fiend attacked. The water also served to hide it from us, leaving us no option but to counterattack each time it lashed out at us.
William, the last to make it down the rope and join us in the fight, promptly fell into the deeper water and panicked. Only a few seconds later, the slime knocked me unconscious. Upon waking, the slime was dead, and I and William were not. I discovered later that I had been pulled into the water when William grabbed my motionless body to pull himself out, and it was Py’s quick thinking that saved us both. She summoned an ordinary fish and tossed it at the slime, distracting it long enough to get us both out of the deeper water and saving me from becoming a drowned dinner. They were finally able to kill the monster and stabilize me, eventually bringing me back to wakefulness when Corviano Healed me to stop my bleeding.
No more slimes presented themselves after that. We were able to examine the entire cave system and recovered a number of useful items, some of which we will need to give to William. He certainly earned his half share. On our way out of the Grove, Py used some kind of magic item to dominate and control a monstrous beetle. I do not know what she plans to do with it, but I will not question her. She has been too valuable. In fact, I ought to inquire if she would entertain a more formal and ongoing partnership as adventurers. It would be very good to acquire another trusted companion alongside Birch. As far as one can trust another, of course. As annoying as Corviano can be, he has certainly improved his worth today as well. I am quite certain that if Py will agree to my proposal, Corviano will be compelled to go along with it. I will admit my brush with Death has shaken me, but I hope I have found worthy companions with which to spit in Death’s eye.
Now if my ribs would just heal faster…
The journal of Scarthos Genis contains an account of his first foray into the Thorney Grove so detailed, its as if paper is not a rare and expensive commodity!
1st of Sep., W. 938
Today began with the most surprising of events; Py blinked out of existence. She was researching the odd behavior of the Dancing Lights from a week ago at the Glittering Tower and then… she wasn’t. I’ve been around research wizards before. She isn’t powerful enough to cast Teleport, and a Blink wouldn’t have taken her far. No one knows where she went. She reappeared later today day with almost no explanation. I’m calling it Existential Epilepsy until she learns more about it.
Assuming her priestly brother would want to know of this but have little way to learn of events at the Conclave directly, I made my way towards the would-be Insufficient Inn. I encountered Corviano dealing with some bookmaker or other as well as a messenger asking for the late Bryst. Clearly in over his head, he told the paper man to wait and not move while he went with the messenger. This is highly amusing, as he left the man there for not just twenty minutes or an hour but left Brushside entirely without notifying him.
Having nothing better to do, I walked with Corviano and described his sister’s disappearance as best I could. I didn’t see it happen, but nothing goes by completely unobserved within the as-of-yet-unfinished Glittering Tower. While he had questions that I answered as best I could, Corviano wasn’t put off in the least, simply resigning Py to her fate. I can’t decide which best to use to describe him; pragmatic, callous, or overwhelmed. In any case, the messenger brought us to the local doctor, ran by one Dr. Froat, who was having difficulty subduing a patient.
The injured man, Dallin O’Kurt, was beside himself about his sister Ellis. This Bryst seems to have left a legacy behind as a man of the people; I am perhaps a bit wistful to not have met him. Dallin mistook Corviano for Bryst and begged him to save his sister. Against his insistence, she and her husband Gorman had ventured into the Grove without him. I can finally understand the danger that involves; even with three people, the Grove is unwelcoming and brutal. Dallin offered a considerable reward if his sister was brought back alive, and a third to simply try and locate her.
Corviano accepted the request, and we left the healer’s office. With Py’s very mortal existence in question, let alone her whereabouts, Corviano asked me to accompany him on the rescue mission. I would have preferred Birch’s company on my first venture into the Grove, but he was greeting the foreman of the local quarry, another dwarf by the name of Dorrick, and so was unavailable. Max the fisherman was nowhere to be found either, so Corviano and I hired a tracker to both guide us and take up arms with us if need be, and that was probably the wisest decision we made all day.
With the directions given by Dallin, the tracker William Bonnegut was able to find the trail quickly after we entered the Grove. At first, with the path being quite wide, I didn’t think much of the thorny growth. Fairly quickly though, I learned that this blasted place would make any man break out in hives, and that’s if luck saves him from getting thrashed and torn by the devilish barbs. At least we had a path to follow that kept most of the vines away from us. The same couldn’t be said for the hapless goblins that attacked us along the way.
Unsurprising in their idiocy, goblins tried to ambush us from within the tangled mass of the Grove and almost every one of them paid for it with their lives. Both Corviano and I carry tower shields, and we were able to stop many of the fools from gaining the path. Held in the vines, we had to do little but watch them tear themselves apart attempting to maneuver through the thorns. The few that did manage to escape onto the path were quickly dispatched by William, who is an excellent shot with a bow. Corviano decided to talk to one of them in its native tongue (I hear he consorts with hobgoblins as well) before letting it escape, only for it to die on the thorns as well.
It was at this point that Py reasserted her existence. I want to know why her Epilepsy dropped her at our feet. However, she claims to have no knowledge of how or why this happened to her. In any case, her timing couldn’t have been better, as we had taken a few minor wounds. She bound our wounds and then distributed a wonderful balm that calmed the angry reaction of the skin to the Grove. She continues to surprise and impress. After regrouping and discussing with Py, we carried on, using our shields to keep the razor-sharp bladed scrub off us while William continued to track the O’Kurts.
This is where I suffered my first grave injury; a sudden pit opened before me as I pushed more growth from our path, and I fell nearly fifty feet to the bottom. Thankfully the sides of the pit were sloped, or I might have died. As it was, I took such a blow to the chest that I am still now slowed by the pain. Thankfully I was still able to move or the slimes that infested the pit would have devoured me. They were slow, however, and I was able to outpace them while Py summoned a swarm to destroy them. William’s unerring archery also took its toll on the monsters.
The pit had two passages shooting off from the bottom, and in one we found the remains of the O’Kurts. They couldn’t have been there more than a couple of days, but the slimes had left naught but bones and certain metals behind. Luckily one was the wedding band of the late Ellis, which we brought back as proof for her brother. Because the slimes had cleaned all flesh from their bones, we were also able to pack those out of the Grove and allow Dallin to lay them to rest. In the same passage where the couple lay, I used Clean to push some muck out of a pool and uncover a precious emerald. I paid for it though, as a slime was hidden in the pool and attacked me. I was unpleasantly surprised to find that the monster’s touch forced me to forget one of the spells I had memorized.
Corviano had a torch lit and used it to burn that slime, and henceforth I stowed my falchion and took up a torch as well. We then explored the other tunnel, which led us further underground. We even had to climb down a rope to reach the deepest pocket of the cave system where we fought a larger slime in a flooded cavern. Corviano and I stood fast against the fiend, but our torches were hampered from doing significant damage by the standing water from which the fiend attacked. The water also served to hide it from us, leaving us no option but to counterattack each time it lashed out at us.
William, the last to make it down the rope and join us in the fight, promptly fell into the deeper water and panicked. Only a few seconds later, the slime knocked me unconscious. Upon waking, the slime was dead, and I and William were not. I discovered later that I had been pulled into the water when William grabbed my motionless body to pull himself out, and it was Py’s quick thinking that saved us both. She summoned an ordinary fish and tossed it at the slime, distracting it long enough to get us both out of the deeper water and saving me from becoming a drowned dinner. They were finally able to kill the monster and stabilize me, eventually bringing me back to wakefulness when Corviano Healed me to stop my bleeding.
No more slimes presented themselves after that. We were able to examine the entire cave system and recovered a number of useful items, some of which we will need to give to William. He certainly earned his half share. On our way out of the Grove, Py used some kind of magic item to dominate and control a monstrous beetle. I do not know what she plans to do with it, but I will not question her. She has been too valuable. In fact, I ought to inquire if she would entertain a more formal and ongoing partnership as adventurers. It would be very good to acquire another trusted companion alongside Birch. As far as one can trust another, of course. As annoying as Corviano can be, he has certainly improved his worth today as well. I am quite certain that if Py will agree to my proposal, Corviano will be compelled to go along with it. I will admit my brush with Death has shaken me, but I hope I have found worthy companions with which to spit in Death’s eye.
Now if my ribs would just heal faster…
Session 11:
Py's journal is relitively uninlightening about her disappearence, as the situation is unclear even to her.
The oddest thing happened the other day, I went to the conclave to try to research why my dancing lights seemed to act so strangely. Found out they were just acting the way they want, they are demons after all. While I was there though I thought I would research a new spell, how to summon lesser demons, without actually summoning one. That’s when the strangest thing happen and I blacked out.
When I came to I was in the Grove with my brother and Scarthos. I don’t know how or why I ended up there or how much time had pasted, but it seems good that I did as they were searching for some woman and came into the Grove without any balm. They had broken out in such rashes… So I joined them in their quest as I wasn’t going to wander home alone through the Grove. They had hired a tracker named William to help in their search, who was quite useful both in tracking and with his bow.
Scarthos fell into a pit that was along the path that was inhabited by some slime creatures. They proved messy to kill but my spiders and William's good aim managed to kill them fairly easily, until we found the water slime. It was harder to kill. Poor Scarthos was nearly killed and William almost drowned. By some miracle they made it out of the water as a fish I summoned distracted the water slime and we were finally able to kill the slime.
Unfortunately we found the skeleton of the woman they came to rescue. We were able to recover it though and bring it back to town for her brother. On our way back to town we encountered some giant beetles, which I was able to use my new ring on and I turned one against the rest. Now I have a pet giant beetle! I think I’ll name him….
Py's journal is relitively uninlightening about her disappearence, as the situation is unclear even to her.
The oddest thing happened the other day, I went to the conclave to try to research why my dancing lights seemed to act so strangely. Found out they were just acting the way they want, they are demons after all. While I was there though I thought I would research a new spell, how to summon lesser demons, without actually summoning one. That’s when the strangest thing happen and I blacked out.
When I came to I was in the Grove with my brother and Scarthos. I don’t know how or why I ended up there or how much time had pasted, but it seems good that I did as they were searching for some woman and came into the Grove without any balm. They had broken out in such rashes… So I joined them in their quest as I wasn’t going to wander home alone through the Grove. They had hired a tracker named William to help in their search, who was quite useful both in tracking and with his bow.
Scarthos fell into a pit that was along the path that was inhabited by some slime creatures. They proved messy to kill but my spiders and William's good aim managed to kill them fairly easily, until we found the water slime. It was harder to kill. Poor Scarthos was nearly killed and William almost drowned. By some miracle they made it out of the water as a fish I summoned distracted the water slime and we were finally able to kill the slime.
Unfortunately we found the skeleton of the woman they came to rescue. We were able to recover it though and bring it back to town for her brother. On our way back to town we encountered some giant beetles, which I was able to use my new ring on and I turned one against the rest. Now I have a pet giant beetle! I think I’ll name him….
Session 12
Session 12:
Scarthos Genis journals about his successful information gathering trip to the Oxbow Lake with Py and William.
3rd of Sep., W. 938
I’ve realized that the most effective offense in our adventuring group is Py’s Summon Swarm. The current limitation is that for reasons unknown to me, Py only summons spiders. Even though the spell is not in my current repertoire, I think it worth my time to improve my adventuring companion’s versatility. To this end, I visited the fisherman from whom we previously borrowed a boat and obtained some useful specimens. I think he thought I was interested in fishing, but no matter.
I also checked in on Birch. He seems to be getting along well with Dorrick, the foreman of Doro Quarry. What he does with his days is a mystery to me. I floated the idea of assisting him somehow to help him establish his workshop, but in typical dwarven fashion he shrugged off what he saw as charity. I’ll have to be cleverer about it in the future. Maybe I’ll buy a two-story house where he can set up shop on the first floor and I can live above.
The silver in the oxbow lake continues to occupy my thoughts. Feeling that we need to better scout out the water striders, I convinced Py and William to accompany me to the oxbow lake. I did not expect to acquire any treasure; information was my only goal. I had to promise William that he would be involved in any future harvest undertaking, but I think this is a good development. Having William more closely tied to us gives us another able-bodied companion to call upon. I spent the time to memorize Mind Break at the Glittering Tower this morning, and I took a Magic Mark and Track Mark as well. In hindsight, I should have asked Py to take Magic Mark and multiple Track Marks, but I got lucky, and it worked anyway.
Our trek to the oxbow lake was mostly uneventful, but perhaps we should have been more cautious. William discovered heavy humanoid footprints crisscrossing the area between the Doro Quarry and the oxbow lake, surmising that there were a pair of creatures that called the area home. We did not encounter them during the day and safely exited the area most covered in their tracks.
Upon reaching the oxbow lake, we quickly found two water striders that we were able to lure close enough to the bank that I could cast Mind Break on them. It took me two casts to pull it off, and I know Py could see me flub my first attempt. It has never been a problem when applying my defensive spells; if it takes a few casts, it’s not a problem. If I ever intend to cast spells in combat like that again, I will have to seriously consider putting more effort into ensuring my spells work on their first cast.
I marked one of the striders and pulled the other out of the water so we could examine it before killing it. We found that they have very specialized adaptations where one might expect feet; in acquiring the ability to stand on water, we think they likely are mostly unable to traverse land. This discovery alone seems to have made the trip worthwhile. After waiting a sufficient amount of time for the strider to recover, I magically tracked the monster and set landmarks to ensure we could find the right direction after circumnavigating the lake.
Here is where having more Track Mark spells would have been useful. If we had not been lucky, the strider could have been anywhere else on the lake and the single tracking spell would have gained us nothing. However, we went to the bank of the lake with a slight overhang at the exact point indicated by my tracking spell and found a large deposit of water strider eggs. I was so convinced that the water striders must have a lair that I hadn’t considered that they simply remain on the water all the time. With the aquatic larvae I provided, Py summoned a spherical swarm in the water that made short work of thirty or so eggs. Hopefully seeing that swarm’s extreme effectiveness confirmed for Py that having options is a good thing.
After walking up and down the cliff-face searching for more eggs, we have made camp. Since William has seen absolutely no wildlife or monstrous tracks around this lake, we’ve lit a fire as well. It should be nice to have a fire for once while away from town.
4th of Sep., W 938
I read these last few lines above this entry with chagrin. In the dead of night we were attacked by the pair of gnolls whose tracks William identified yesterday. Even though we did not expect to be attacked, we had set a watch, and it was during my watch that we were attacked. Since I did not have my armor on, I was able to Glow the camp fire so we could see the beasts. They were head and shoulders taller than any of us and would have still been had Corviano been with us.
They came at us from two directions and dealt William a powerful blow with one of their long awl pikes before he could rise. I kept one busy, and Py summoned spiders to swarm the one that injured William. It is worth mentioning that Py has improved tactically. Her swarm was very well placed and took out the gnoll on their side without endangering either her or William. Seeing its mate fall so quickly, the other gnoll fled. Even unencumbered without armor, I was unable to keep pace with the lanky beast and it got away. The rest of our night was tense, but the survivor did not attempt revenge.
Py patched William up and we recovered a small amount of gold from the dead gnoll. With William injured, and nothing else planned, we decided to conclude our travel. I am unsure if William would agree, but I was happy that we safely returned to Brushside with at least a little to share amongst us. To summarize so I do not have to flip through pages to find it, we discovered that the water striders
· Very likely never come off the water
· Do not have a den, lair, or other defensible hole
· Seem to struggle if they lose their position on top of the water
· Lay eggs on the vertical faces of lake walls
· Are highly attracted to disturbances on the water’s surface
Scarthos Genis journals about his successful information gathering trip to the Oxbow Lake with Py and William.
3rd of Sep., W. 938
I’ve realized that the most effective offense in our adventuring group is Py’s Summon Swarm. The current limitation is that for reasons unknown to me, Py only summons spiders. Even though the spell is not in my current repertoire, I think it worth my time to improve my adventuring companion’s versatility. To this end, I visited the fisherman from whom we previously borrowed a boat and obtained some useful specimens. I think he thought I was interested in fishing, but no matter.
I also checked in on Birch. He seems to be getting along well with Dorrick, the foreman of Doro Quarry. What he does with his days is a mystery to me. I floated the idea of assisting him somehow to help him establish his workshop, but in typical dwarven fashion he shrugged off what he saw as charity. I’ll have to be cleverer about it in the future. Maybe I’ll buy a two-story house where he can set up shop on the first floor and I can live above.
The silver in the oxbow lake continues to occupy my thoughts. Feeling that we need to better scout out the water striders, I convinced Py and William to accompany me to the oxbow lake. I did not expect to acquire any treasure; information was my only goal. I had to promise William that he would be involved in any future harvest undertaking, but I think this is a good development. Having William more closely tied to us gives us another able-bodied companion to call upon. I spent the time to memorize Mind Break at the Glittering Tower this morning, and I took a Magic Mark and Track Mark as well. In hindsight, I should have asked Py to take Magic Mark and multiple Track Marks, but I got lucky, and it worked anyway.
Our trek to the oxbow lake was mostly uneventful, but perhaps we should have been more cautious. William discovered heavy humanoid footprints crisscrossing the area between the Doro Quarry and the oxbow lake, surmising that there were a pair of creatures that called the area home. We did not encounter them during the day and safely exited the area most covered in their tracks.
Upon reaching the oxbow lake, we quickly found two water striders that we were able to lure close enough to the bank that I could cast Mind Break on them. It took me two casts to pull it off, and I know Py could see me flub my first attempt. It has never been a problem when applying my defensive spells; if it takes a few casts, it’s not a problem. If I ever intend to cast spells in combat like that again, I will have to seriously consider putting more effort into ensuring my spells work on their first cast.
I marked one of the striders and pulled the other out of the water so we could examine it before killing it. We found that they have very specialized adaptations where one might expect feet; in acquiring the ability to stand on water, we think they likely are mostly unable to traverse land. This discovery alone seems to have made the trip worthwhile. After waiting a sufficient amount of time for the strider to recover, I magically tracked the monster and set landmarks to ensure we could find the right direction after circumnavigating the lake.
Here is where having more Track Mark spells would have been useful. If we had not been lucky, the strider could have been anywhere else on the lake and the single tracking spell would have gained us nothing. However, we went to the bank of the lake with a slight overhang at the exact point indicated by my tracking spell and found a large deposit of water strider eggs. I was so convinced that the water striders must have a lair that I hadn’t considered that they simply remain on the water all the time. With the aquatic larvae I provided, Py summoned a spherical swarm in the water that made short work of thirty or so eggs. Hopefully seeing that swarm’s extreme effectiveness confirmed for Py that having options is a good thing.
After walking up and down the cliff-face searching for more eggs, we have made camp. Since William has seen absolutely no wildlife or monstrous tracks around this lake, we’ve lit a fire as well. It should be nice to have a fire for once while away from town.
4th of Sep., W 938
I read these last few lines above this entry with chagrin. In the dead of night we were attacked by the pair of gnolls whose tracks William identified yesterday. Even though we did not expect to be attacked, we had set a watch, and it was during my watch that we were attacked. Since I did not have my armor on, I was able to Glow the camp fire so we could see the beasts. They were head and shoulders taller than any of us and would have still been had Corviano been with us.
They came at us from two directions and dealt William a powerful blow with one of their long awl pikes before he could rise. I kept one busy, and Py summoned spiders to swarm the one that injured William. It is worth mentioning that Py has improved tactically. Her swarm was very well placed and took out the gnoll on their side without endangering either her or William. Seeing its mate fall so quickly, the other gnoll fled. Even unencumbered without armor, I was unable to keep pace with the lanky beast and it got away. The rest of our night was tense, but the survivor did not attempt revenge.
Py patched William up and we recovered a small amount of gold from the dead gnoll. With William injured, and nothing else planned, we decided to conclude our travel. I am unsure if William would agree, but I was happy that we safely returned to Brushside with at least a little to share amongst us. To summarize so I do not have to flip through pages to find it, we discovered that the water striders
· Very likely never come off the water
· Do not have a den, lair, or other defensible hole
· Seem to struggle if they lose their position on top of the water
· Lay eggs on the vertical faces of lake walls
· Are highly attracted to disturbances on the water’s surface
Session 13
Session 13:
Scarthos Genis starts to wonder about the origins of the Thorny Grove after recounting how he, Corviano, and William were led to a long abandoned temple within the Grove.
5th of Sep., W. 938
Today I found out that Corviano has been treating at length with a tribe of hobgoblins to the north of Brushside. Apparently human history isn’t enough for him, and he got this tribe to copy their histories for him. That mercenary Sheridan seemed pleased that Corviano brokered a peace treaty with Brushside, but I know the histories were Corviano’s true goal. That man could subsist on a diet of the accounting of my great-grandmother’s daily meals and call it worthwhile. Maybe one day he’ll learn something useful and lead us to great treasure. That remains to be seen.
While traveling north with Corviano and William to the meeting with the hobgoblins, a bedraggled man stumbled out of the Grove and hailed us. His name is Roland and he is the sole survivor of his previous adventuring party. He has proven to be very sturdy, but the reason for his survival remains unclear. He tells a story of his companions going mad on the Grove and galvanizing Roland’s flight. We decided to go on a rescue mission, but I doubt his companions yet live.
Following Roland, it quickly became apparent that we would not make it today. If there were a few more hours of daylight, we might have reached Roland’s camp. At least we discovered a wonderful glass container. It’s perfectly spherical; I think it may work as a spell component for whichever invisibility spell requires spherical glass. It does have an opening on one end though, so it might not aid the spell properly. We’ll see what the morning brings.
6th of Sep., W. 938
In the middle of the night while we were camped in the widest spot on the path we could find, Roland was on watch when he heard a creepy noise approaching us. He later told us that it was the same noise he heard beneath his party’s screams, but he had not recognized its significance until last night. The noise preceded a swarm of insects that we fled with the help of a barrier of Grove growth forced into being by Corviano’s forest ring. I shudder to think, now knowing what would have become of us had Corviano not used the ring to give us time to escape.
After sleeping until morning, we found Roland’s party. It was messy. Whatever that swarm was had chewed the skin entirely off the corpses. It had to be a terrible way to go. Py has summoned enough swarms that we should have expected what we found, but it is still something to see. I’m also unsure if the swarm that chewed up Roland’s party was a demonic manifestation. I can’t rule out a demon or spell, but I’d wager that swarm is a natural inhabitant of this cursed landscape. Whatever the cause, collecting adventuring gear netted us a suit of scale mail among more common items. I am excited, as it looks sized such that I might be able to wear it.
Since we were all still uninjured and willing, we continued onward. I write uninjured, but this blasted Grove sap has me itchy and miserable. Corviano seems to be able to reduce its effects with miracles, but he has not offered to aid me as he has Roland and William. Typical. Clean seems to help, but I cannot cast it regularly. I wish Py were around; her balms are a great boon. Pursuing Roland’s party’s original quest, we ventured deeper into the Grove. Roland’s party had heard rumor of a dungeon or cave or the like dedicated to a demon associated with perception. I again lament Py’s absence if there is something demonic to be investigated.
7th of Sep., W. 938
Once again, our sleep was interrupted last night. I wonder if we’re simply deeper in the Grove that previous forays or if something else throws trials our way. Last night a hulking troll crashed through the Grove and would certainly have killed us all. The monster quite literally pushed its way down the path despite being too large to fit. It was terrifying to watch it completely disregard the thorns tearing its flesh as it bore down on us. Once again, the forest ring saved us held the troll at bay while we fled. I’m practice how to light a torch faster or start holding a Torch spell. It may be an insignificant thing in the face of that troll, but it’s the best I can do without access to Fireball. I was impressed by Roland’s courage though as he was willing to stand against the troll. Even in my armor I do not know if I could display the same bravery.
On our journey deeper into the Grove today, we happened upon three more of the same magical arrows that William carries. Not just any, but identical. How they came to be so far from the rest of the set but be in a small pile together is beyond me. We finally came upon a dilapidated temple with much of its roof fallen in and all the interior furniture long since disintegrated by time. In one corner of the main chapel, a beetle quite larger than the one Py currently controls had dug a shallow den. Roland and I dispatched it while Corviano flung rocks from the entrance of the chapel.
I was happy to use Scale Shear Surfaces for the first time today to climb the walls of the building, and it proved useful for information gathering. We still do not know how or why the Grove grows the way it does, but it had not overgrown the walls of the structure. From the top of one wall, I was able to describe to my companions the two auxiliary rooms behind the main room. The only intact door lead from the main room back into the other rooms, but it was piled high with roof tiles on the other side. These tiles were not just haphazardly strewn against the door but stacked purposefully.
As soon as we began removing them, a new beast came running from the rear room. It was a slavering werewolf, intent on killing us. Thankfully I was able to slam the door shut and hold it against the monster despite its strength. While I was holding it back, Corviano acted as Corviano is wont to do and tried to address the wolf, who amazingly took human form to taunt us. Seeing Corviano’s efforts fail, I beckoned to Roland. I let him set his sword, released the door, and watched as he skillfully slayed the rabid fiend the moment it lunged through the opening. Human though it now appeared, it was just a ruse by the werewolf to give us pause. Corviano tried to convince us that it was just a man and not a werewolf, but we did not let the shapeshifter’s corpse fool us.
In the rear room of the temple, we found where the werewolf had made its home. We also found a stairway leading underneath the building, and that is where we made our greatest discovery. It cost us in blood – literally Roland’s (I can’t help writing a little dramatically, and who’s to gainsay my personal journal?). Descending the stairs, we found an octagonal chamber. Before we could search it, wicked bat-winged mosquitos the size of dogs dropped from the ceiling and flew up the stairway, attacking us in flight. Roland, taking the lead, was struck by one of the bloodsuckers. It latched onto him and lanced him with its foot-long proboscis. It managed to drain him painfully before Roland could shake free. Meanwhile, Corviano had the bright idea to burn the vermin and managed to scorch himself in the process. Thankfully they all left after harrying us a few times, and while Roland was left dazed, he was able to move and act under his own power.
Without the murderous flying leeches returning, we got a good look at the room. It was quite large with elven runes around the tray ceiling. Corviano tells us it was some exhortation for safety from the perception demon. Maybe the elves cursed an entire wood to contain the demon, and now we call that accursed wood the Grove. In the center of the room was a cairn of soft earth rather than rocks, holding the sarcophagus of an elven priest. Perhaps the priest died to enact the curse and disturbing his crypt will release it, but let us hope not. Within the dirt burying the coffin we found an odd silver tree sculpture with a copper nest dangling from one end. The silver alone is a great find, but maybe we’ll figure out it’s purpose later. We also found four perfectly round glass lenses and two crushed brass tubes that puzzled us as well. We may have to make a trip to Ban Gentul in the near future.
Scarthos Genis starts to wonder about the origins of the Thorny Grove after recounting how he, Corviano, and William were led to a long abandoned temple within the Grove.
5th of Sep., W. 938
Today I found out that Corviano has been treating at length with a tribe of hobgoblins to the north of Brushside. Apparently human history isn’t enough for him, and he got this tribe to copy their histories for him. That mercenary Sheridan seemed pleased that Corviano brokered a peace treaty with Brushside, but I know the histories were Corviano’s true goal. That man could subsist on a diet of the accounting of my great-grandmother’s daily meals and call it worthwhile. Maybe one day he’ll learn something useful and lead us to great treasure. That remains to be seen.
While traveling north with Corviano and William to the meeting with the hobgoblins, a bedraggled man stumbled out of the Grove and hailed us. His name is Roland and he is the sole survivor of his previous adventuring party. He has proven to be very sturdy, but the reason for his survival remains unclear. He tells a story of his companions going mad on the Grove and galvanizing Roland’s flight. We decided to go on a rescue mission, but I doubt his companions yet live.
Following Roland, it quickly became apparent that we would not make it today. If there were a few more hours of daylight, we might have reached Roland’s camp. At least we discovered a wonderful glass container. It’s perfectly spherical; I think it may work as a spell component for whichever invisibility spell requires spherical glass. It does have an opening on one end though, so it might not aid the spell properly. We’ll see what the morning brings.
6th of Sep., W. 938
In the middle of the night while we were camped in the widest spot on the path we could find, Roland was on watch when he heard a creepy noise approaching us. He later told us that it was the same noise he heard beneath his party’s screams, but he had not recognized its significance until last night. The noise preceded a swarm of insects that we fled with the help of a barrier of Grove growth forced into being by Corviano’s forest ring. I shudder to think, now knowing what would have become of us had Corviano not used the ring to give us time to escape.
After sleeping until morning, we found Roland’s party. It was messy. Whatever that swarm was had chewed the skin entirely off the corpses. It had to be a terrible way to go. Py has summoned enough swarms that we should have expected what we found, but it is still something to see. I’m also unsure if the swarm that chewed up Roland’s party was a demonic manifestation. I can’t rule out a demon or spell, but I’d wager that swarm is a natural inhabitant of this cursed landscape. Whatever the cause, collecting adventuring gear netted us a suit of scale mail among more common items. I am excited, as it looks sized such that I might be able to wear it.
Since we were all still uninjured and willing, we continued onward. I write uninjured, but this blasted Grove sap has me itchy and miserable. Corviano seems to be able to reduce its effects with miracles, but he has not offered to aid me as he has Roland and William. Typical. Clean seems to help, but I cannot cast it regularly. I wish Py were around; her balms are a great boon. Pursuing Roland’s party’s original quest, we ventured deeper into the Grove. Roland’s party had heard rumor of a dungeon or cave or the like dedicated to a demon associated with perception. I again lament Py’s absence if there is something demonic to be investigated.
7th of Sep., W. 938
Once again, our sleep was interrupted last night. I wonder if we’re simply deeper in the Grove that previous forays or if something else throws trials our way. Last night a hulking troll crashed through the Grove and would certainly have killed us all. The monster quite literally pushed its way down the path despite being too large to fit. It was terrifying to watch it completely disregard the thorns tearing its flesh as it bore down on us. Once again, the forest ring saved us held the troll at bay while we fled. I’m practice how to light a torch faster or start holding a Torch spell. It may be an insignificant thing in the face of that troll, but it’s the best I can do without access to Fireball. I was impressed by Roland’s courage though as he was willing to stand against the troll. Even in my armor I do not know if I could display the same bravery.
On our journey deeper into the Grove today, we happened upon three more of the same magical arrows that William carries. Not just any, but identical. How they came to be so far from the rest of the set but be in a small pile together is beyond me. We finally came upon a dilapidated temple with much of its roof fallen in and all the interior furniture long since disintegrated by time. In one corner of the main chapel, a beetle quite larger than the one Py currently controls had dug a shallow den. Roland and I dispatched it while Corviano flung rocks from the entrance of the chapel.
I was happy to use Scale Shear Surfaces for the first time today to climb the walls of the building, and it proved useful for information gathering. We still do not know how or why the Grove grows the way it does, but it had not overgrown the walls of the structure. From the top of one wall, I was able to describe to my companions the two auxiliary rooms behind the main room. The only intact door lead from the main room back into the other rooms, but it was piled high with roof tiles on the other side. These tiles were not just haphazardly strewn against the door but stacked purposefully.
As soon as we began removing them, a new beast came running from the rear room. It was a slavering werewolf, intent on killing us. Thankfully I was able to slam the door shut and hold it against the monster despite its strength. While I was holding it back, Corviano acted as Corviano is wont to do and tried to address the wolf, who amazingly took human form to taunt us. Seeing Corviano’s efforts fail, I beckoned to Roland. I let him set his sword, released the door, and watched as he skillfully slayed the rabid fiend the moment it lunged through the opening. Human though it now appeared, it was just a ruse by the werewolf to give us pause. Corviano tried to convince us that it was just a man and not a werewolf, but we did not let the shapeshifter’s corpse fool us.
In the rear room of the temple, we found where the werewolf had made its home. We also found a stairway leading underneath the building, and that is where we made our greatest discovery. It cost us in blood – literally Roland’s (I can’t help writing a little dramatically, and who’s to gainsay my personal journal?). Descending the stairs, we found an octagonal chamber. Before we could search it, wicked bat-winged mosquitos the size of dogs dropped from the ceiling and flew up the stairway, attacking us in flight. Roland, taking the lead, was struck by one of the bloodsuckers. It latched onto him and lanced him with its foot-long proboscis. It managed to drain him painfully before Roland could shake free. Meanwhile, Corviano had the bright idea to burn the vermin and managed to scorch himself in the process. Thankfully they all left after harrying us a few times, and while Roland was left dazed, he was able to move and act under his own power.
Without the murderous flying leeches returning, we got a good look at the room. It was quite large with elven runes around the tray ceiling. Corviano tells us it was some exhortation for safety from the perception demon. Maybe the elves cursed an entire wood to contain the demon, and now we call that accursed wood the Grove. In the center of the room was a cairn of soft earth rather than rocks, holding the sarcophagus of an elven priest. Perhaps the priest died to enact the curse and disturbing his crypt will release it, but let us hope not. Within the dirt burying the coffin we found an odd silver tree sculpture with a copper nest dangling from one end. The silver alone is a great find, but maybe we’ll figure out it’s purpose later. We also found four perfectly round glass lenses and two crushed brass tubes that puzzled us as well. We may have to make a trip to Ban Gentul in the near future.
Session 14
Session 14:
An account of the events leading up to the killing of Tul the Yellow, given by Scarthos Genis. It starts with him, Corviano, Py, and Roland exploring the Grove.
19th of Sep., W 938
Why did I not buy a flint and steel? It is so cheap, and I even dedicated time to study firestarting. One day my luck will not save me, but today was not the day. Let me relate a bit since I last wrote before I get to why torches continue to prove indispensable to Grove exploration.
Corviano, Roland, and William ventured to Ban Gentul to sell the silver censor and other finds from our discovery of the elven crypt. They were extremely successful and returned with a veritable windfall of gold. And that was without selling the glass or brass, which is being studied by the academics in Ban Gentul. I feel very close to progressing to second level wizard spells, so the funds are well-timed. Roland even traded his scale mail for chain, which is fantastic, and the other set of scale mail that we retrieved recently fit me as I had hoped. I had it modified slightly for comfort, but it required no major reworking. I will need to commission a larger chest scale to more prominently display my Conclave heraldry, but I have it on a small scale for now.
Our adventuring group for now is still a core formed around Corviano, Py, myself, and more recently William, with Roland and others occasionally available to join us. Roland was rightly roused to action after our most recent trip, and so joined us again today. We were unable to decide on a proper goal and so set off to simply explore deeper into the Grove. We chose to follow a path that the siblings had previously explored so as to travel further before needing to carefully explore, and this path took us past the pit that we had previously cleared of slimes.
Here is where I wish I had purchased flint and steel; the pit still held two more slimes. Corviano lit a torch though, and so I lit mine off his before engaging the slimes. Yet again, Py’s Summon Swarm did most of the work, but in another repeat performance, William successfully shot and killed each slime with a final hit. My unpreparedness was overlooked, however, when we realized that not a single one of us had brought any rope. If the walls of the pit were any steeper, we would have been in quite the predicament. Py’s beetle helped a bit too, I suppose.
On the other side of the pit, the path through the thorns narrowed and forced us into single file. With Roland leading, we rounded a corner and stumbled upon the camp of Tul the Yellow. Unfortunately, he had his scarecrow construct and undead zombies set to attack anything on sight and the encounter needlessly escalated. I imagine he would have survived if he had called off his pets, but I do not know if I would have done so in his position. Roland immediately engaged the scarecrow, and Py animated a weapon. Tul responded by attacking with Magic Missile and Disruptive Bolt, and by then things were too far gone. Corviano Exorcised the demon possessing the scarecrow and chased after Tul while Roland and I handled the zombies. Corviano was insistent we simply kill Tul outright, but in the end Tul had sustained grievous mortal wounds and Roland was unable to save him anyway.
Upon returning to Brushside, I asked around the Conclave about Tul. He was a known regular operative for the Conclave and I was worried that this minor incident would inconvenience the organization. While it’s an annoyance, it seems that the Conclave doesn’t consider it a setback of any significance. This kind of thing is bound to happen. Wizards are a secretive lot and any attempt to encourage or enforce the sharing of plans or intentions would fall flat. While regrettable, the loss of Tul the Yellow will directly advance Py’s and my spell access. Maybe other wizards will hear of this and realize it is foolish to plunge into the Grove alone.
An account of the events leading up to the killing of Tul the Yellow, given by Scarthos Genis. It starts with him, Corviano, Py, and Roland exploring the Grove.
19th of Sep., W 938
Why did I not buy a flint and steel? It is so cheap, and I even dedicated time to study firestarting. One day my luck will not save me, but today was not the day. Let me relate a bit since I last wrote before I get to why torches continue to prove indispensable to Grove exploration.
Corviano, Roland, and William ventured to Ban Gentul to sell the silver censor and other finds from our discovery of the elven crypt. They were extremely successful and returned with a veritable windfall of gold. And that was without selling the glass or brass, which is being studied by the academics in Ban Gentul. I feel very close to progressing to second level wizard spells, so the funds are well-timed. Roland even traded his scale mail for chain, which is fantastic, and the other set of scale mail that we retrieved recently fit me as I had hoped. I had it modified slightly for comfort, but it required no major reworking. I will need to commission a larger chest scale to more prominently display my Conclave heraldry, but I have it on a small scale for now.
Our adventuring group for now is still a core formed around Corviano, Py, myself, and more recently William, with Roland and others occasionally available to join us. Roland was rightly roused to action after our most recent trip, and so joined us again today. We were unable to decide on a proper goal and so set off to simply explore deeper into the Grove. We chose to follow a path that the siblings had previously explored so as to travel further before needing to carefully explore, and this path took us past the pit that we had previously cleared of slimes.
Here is where I wish I had purchased flint and steel; the pit still held two more slimes. Corviano lit a torch though, and so I lit mine off his before engaging the slimes. Yet again, Py’s Summon Swarm did most of the work, but in another repeat performance, William successfully shot and killed each slime with a final hit. My unpreparedness was overlooked, however, when we realized that not a single one of us had brought any rope. If the walls of the pit were any steeper, we would have been in quite the predicament. Py’s beetle helped a bit too, I suppose.
On the other side of the pit, the path through the thorns narrowed and forced us into single file. With Roland leading, we rounded a corner and stumbled upon the camp of Tul the Yellow. Unfortunately, he had his scarecrow construct and undead zombies set to attack anything on sight and the encounter needlessly escalated. I imagine he would have survived if he had called off his pets, but I do not know if I would have done so in his position. Roland immediately engaged the scarecrow, and Py animated a weapon. Tul responded by attacking with Magic Missile and Disruptive Bolt, and by then things were too far gone. Corviano Exorcised the demon possessing the scarecrow and chased after Tul while Roland and I handled the zombies. Corviano was insistent we simply kill Tul outright, but in the end Tul had sustained grievous mortal wounds and Roland was unable to save him anyway.
Upon returning to Brushside, I asked around the Conclave about Tul. He was a known regular operative for the Conclave and I was worried that this minor incident would inconvenience the organization. While it’s an annoyance, it seems that the Conclave doesn’t consider it a setback of any significance. This kind of thing is bound to happen. Wizards are a secretive lot and any attempt to encourage or enforce the sharing of plans or intentions would fall flat. While regrettable, the loss of Tul the Yellow will directly advance Py’s and my spell access. Maybe other wizards will hear of this and realize it is foolish to plunge into the Grove alone.
Session 15
Session 15:
Scarthos Genis, Corviano, Py, and William travel into the Grove and find evidence that Xyarn the Grey, one of the original Sorcerers, was in the Grove some 600 years ago.
26 of Sep., W. 938
Today we set out to investigate a lead from the hobgoblin chronologies. Corviano is very excited about acquiring them and has read through much of the pages already. Apparently they date back six centuries. The lead we’re following places a tower of some kind from which a hobgoblin assault was repelled by magic retaliation. The chronologies place the tower just outside Brushside, which must be the old town. I’m very hopeful that this tower is an old Conclave or wizard tower. Finding such a tower with anything left behind would be fortuitous, though possibly more dangerous as well.
To get to the area roughly described in the hobgoblin chronologies, we had to travel past the recently established border with the hobgoblins, and Corviano negotiated our safe passage through their territory. I call it negotiated, but really he just offered everyone else’s adventuring gear other than his own. Not only that, but he also convinced us to gamble on games of skill at thrown weapon target practice. Py and I each lost a dagger, though William won something from the hobgoblins. All told, this trip into the Grove had better repay us for the forfeit gear and gambled weapons. We are spending the night at the edge of the Grove in hobgoblin territory and venturing in tomorrow morning.
27 of Sep., W. 938
Our entire day today was spent traveling and exploring. We found a stash of bronze boot hobs, the barrel that previously contained them having since rotted away. Thankfully William had a spare empty bag with him because there were too many hobs to count. We’ve each taken a few wounds from the Grove, but I think we’ve finally improved at maneuvering through the Grove beyond the point of daily mortal peril. It is still quite dangerous, but manageable. Now that I consider it, we weren’t attacked by any denizens today. I wish we were always this lucky.
Something that Py and I started tonight that I think we will continue to do is to cast Barren on our camp site within the Grove each night. Doing so will certainly have a negligible impact in the short term and in comparison to the overall size of the Grove, but over time we will see steady gains. That is assuming we are both still venturing into the Grove a year from now. Of course, our efforts could be meaningless if the Grove is supernaturally resistant, but devoting a single 0th level spell each to the cause every night seems worth the attempt.
28 of Sep., W. 938
Today we found the tower, and what a find! I can’t even be disappointed that it was only a simple military tower because it was once an outpost of the original Xyarn. The tower was extremely well preserved by a defensive spell, likely created for the purpose by Xyarn. It repelled all projectiles and kept the Grove at bay. The spell dissipated immediately when I passed my hand through it, and the Grove alarmingly collapsed towards us. Luckily the interwoven tangled mass only settled partially and did not flatten us. Each of us took minor cuts and wounds, but nothing serious. Once we cleared our way free of the settled mass, we worked our way around the tower to the entrance.
It took a lot of effort to tear through the door, but once inside it was immediately apparent that the tower was empty. Corviano’s Miraculous Sight alerted us to the presence of a ward on one portion of the floor where we discovered a trap door. We had the foresight to move all the furniture away from the door before triggering the trap so as to avoid the entire tower going up in flames. Py’s animated gauntlet was able to open the door from a safe distance and set off the fiery explosion without catching anyone off guard. It took a bit of scrambling and singed blankets to put out the trap door, but that was the only piece that caught fire.
Down the hatch we saw a ladder, but having moved the crumbly furniture away from the hole immediately prior, I suggested we add a rope in case the ladder did not hold. Py’s staff spanned the hole with the rope tied to it, and with the rope to hold some of our weight, the ladder held for all but William. Even then it only lost a rung or two, and the rope saved William from losing control and falling. At the bottom we found an extremely well-organized storeroom with a tunnel down to a well beneath the tower. Many of the things stored there were too old and desiccated to salvage, but we still found a few things to carry back to town.
Perhaps the most exciting discovery were three letters and a military inventory record. One of those letters was written by Xyarn himself! We also found a ring with Conclave heraldry styled onto a shield affixed to it; while it remains to be seen what it does for the wearer, I am happy to have another way to display my affiliation without the need for impractical robes. I suppose Py may want the ring too, but I think she already has enough for now. We shall see. For now, it will be very comforting to have a proper roof and protection from the Grove for this night’s rest.
29 Sep., W. 938
Py and I copied the letters and inventory records today. I have read Xyarn’s letter many times now and feel a connection to my line’s progenitor. It is probably just a fancy. It’s only paper. However, there was a Magic Mark on one of the papers, so maybe there’s a little more to it than wishful thinking. We found a few more things to salvage, but the casks are all very old and brittle. We will spend another night here and Mend them before transporting them back to Brushside. If only there were instructions on how to erect the defensive spell as we leave this tower tomorrow. I would like to further preserve this site for future use. Perhaps the multiple Barren castings we laid around the perimeter will keep the Grove out.
Scarthos Genis, Corviano, Py, and William travel into the Grove and find evidence that Xyarn the Grey, one of the original Sorcerers, was in the Grove some 600 years ago.
26 of Sep., W. 938
Today we set out to investigate a lead from the hobgoblin chronologies. Corviano is very excited about acquiring them and has read through much of the pages already. Apparently they date back six centuries. The lead we’re following places a tower of some kind from which a hobgoblin assault was repelled by magic retaliation. The chronologies place the tower just outside Brushside, which must be the old town. I’m very hopeful that this tower is an old Conclave or wizard tower. Finding such a tower with anything left behind would be fortuitous, though possibly more dangerous as well.
To get to the area roughly described in the hobgoblin chronologies, we had to travel past the recently established border with the hobgoblins, and Corviano negotiated our safe passage through their territory. I call it negotiated, but really he just offered everyone else’s adventuring gear other than his own. Not only that, but he also convinced us to gamble on games of skill at thrown weapon target practice. Py and I each lost a dagger, though William won something from the hobgoblins. All told, this trip into the Grove had better repay us for the forfeit gear and gambled weapons. We are spending the night at the edge of the Grove in hobgoblin territory and venturing in tomorrow morning.
27 of Sep., W. 938
Our entire day today was spent traveling and exploring. We found a stash of bronze boot hobs, the barrel that previously contained them having since rotted away. Thankfully William had a spare empty bag with him because there were too many hobs to count. We’ve each taken a few wounds from the Grove, but I think we’ve finally improved at maneuvering through the Grove beyond the point of daily mortal peril. It is still quite dangerous, but manageable. Now that I consider it, we weren’t attacked by any denizens today. I wish we were always this lucky.
Something that Py and I started tonight that I think we will continue to do is to cast Barren on our camp site within the Grove each night. Doing so will certainly have a negligible impact in the short term and in comparison to the overall size of the Grove, but over time we will see steady gains. That is assuming we are both still venturing into the Grove a year from now. Of course, our efforts could be meaningless if the Grove is supernaturally resistant, but devoting a single 0th level spell each to the cause every night seems worth the attempt.
28 of Sep., W. 938
Today we found the tower, and what a find! I can’t even be disappointed that it was only a simple military tower because it was once an outpost of the original Xyarn. The tower was extremely well preserved by a defensive spell, likely created for the purpose by Xyarn. It repelled all projectiles and kept the Grove at bay. The spell dissipated immediately when I passed my hand through it, and the Grove alarmingly collapsed towards us. Luckily the interwoven tangled mass only settled partially and did not flatten us. Each of us took minor cuts and wounds, but nothing serious. Once we cleared our way free of the settled mass, we worked our way around the tower to the entrance.
It took a lot of effort to tear through the door, but once inside it was immediately apparent that the tower was empty. Corviano’s Miraculous Sight alerted us to the presence of a ward on one portion of the floor where we discovered a trap door. We had the foresight to move all the furniture away from the door before triggering the trap so as to avoid the entire tower going up in flames. Py’s animated gauntlet was able to open the door from a safe distance and set off the fiery explosion without catching anyone off guard. It took a bit of scrambling and singed blankets to put out the trap door, but that was the only piece that caught fire.
Down the hatch we saw a ladder, but having moved the crumbly furniture away from the hole immediately prior, I suggested we add a rope in case the ladder did not hold. Py’s staff spanned the hole with the rope tied to it, and with the rope to hold some of our weight, the ladder held for all but William. Even then it only lost a rung or two, and the rope saved William from losing control and falling. At the bottom we found an extremely well-organized storeroom with a tunnel down to a well beneath the tower. Many of the things stored there were too old and desiccated to salvage, but we still found a few things to carry back to town.
Perhaps the most exciting discovery were three letters and a military inventory record. One of those letters was written by Xyarn himself! We also found a ring with Conclave heraldry styled onto a shield affixed to it; while it remains to be seen what it does for the wearer, I am happy to have another way to display my affiliation without the need for impractical robes. I suppose Py may want the ring too, but I think she already has enough for now. We shall see. For now, it will be very comforting to have a proper roof and protection from the Grove for this night’s rest.
29 Sep., W. 938
Py and I copied the letters and inventory records today. I have read Xyarn’s letter many times now and feel a connection to my line’s progenitor. It is probably just a fancy. It’s only paper. However, there was a Magic Mark on one of the papers, so maybe there’s a little more to it than wishful thinking. We found a few more things to salvage, but the casks are all very old and brittle. We will spend another night here and Mend them before transporting them back to Brushside. If only there were instructions on how to erect the defensive spell as we leave this tower tomorrow. I would like to further preserve this site for future use. Perhaps the multiple Barren castings we laid around the perimeter will keep the Grove out.
Session 20
Session 20:
Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, Clerk of Valor, Commemorant of the Church, to that Most Illustrious Exemplar of the North, Whose Music hath Lyfted the Spirits of the Church, our most esteemed and proud greeting.
Magnificent Musitian, we commend ourself to you, in accordance with your great talent and piety. Your Works are known well to all in Urnum. For our part, we Endeavor to bless the world as you have. Good and true Exemplar, forgive our rashness in writing to thee in such haste. We would like thee to understand the chief cause of our writing at this time:
We find ourselves, at the best of the Commemorant, at the Edge of the Thorny Grove in the small towne Brushside. Strange Treasure has been found in the Grove of late. Treasure and Knowledge. We ourselves have found several writings of the elves, including Poems.
We Wonder. They mayhap be Hymns? We include copies of two for your Consideration. What dost thou think? Pray, write to us at all haste. Or, better yet, if ye desire any Glory or Heroic, come thyself to Brushside and Study the Original Texts.
May Divine Ignimius keep you in good health and piety. Written at Brushside, at midnight of the ninth day before the November Kalends.
Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, Clerk of Valor, Commemorant of the Church, to that Most Illustrious Exemplar of the North, Whose Music hath Lyfted the Spirits of the Church, our most esteemed and proud greeting.
Magnificent Musitian, we commend ourself to you, in accordance with your great talent and piety. Your Works are known well to all in Urnum. For our part, we Endeavor to bless the world as you have. Good and true Exemplar, forgive our rashness in writing to thee in such haste. We would like thee to understand the chief cause of our writing at this time:
We find ourselves, at the best of the Commemorant, at the Edge of the Thorny Grove in the small towne Brushside. Strange Treasure has been found in the Grove of late. Treasure and Knowledge. We ourselves have found several writings of the elves, including Poems.
We Wonder. They mayhap be Hymns? We include copies of two for your Consideration. What dost thou think? Pray, write to us at all haste. Or, better yet, if ye desire any Glory or Heroic, come thyself to Brushside and Study the Original Texts.
May Divine Ignimius keep you in good health and piety. Written at Brushside, at midnight of the ninth day before the November Kalends.
Session 21
Session 21:
Freya has written a song about defeating the Ink and Scar Cult. The serious Bards in town agree that it has little artistic value. But you've heard little else being sung in the taverns of Brushside the last few days!
Into forest-gripped Brushside
an archer did stride.
Ulf's tales of ghouls
drew her straight, like a shot.
Suffering fools? Hesitate?
Freya does not!
Whispers of cults did follow her round,
this archer, fair Freya,
new in the town.
A party of priests she decided to join.
Stamping out evil, she girdeth her loins.
Let's face it, she also was there for the coins.
Stout hearted Freya,
loosed from her bow,
arrows she slotted
steady and slow.
5 of 6 hit the mark.
Hardly ever missed,
Did Freya Woundhart.
Freya has written a song about defeating the Ink and Scar Cult. The serious Bards in town agree that it has little artistic value. But you've heard little else being sung in the taverns of Brushside the last few days!
Into forest-gripped Brushside
an archer did stride.
Ulf's tales of ghouls
drew her straight, like a shot.
Suffering fools? Hesitate?
Freya does not!
Whispers of cults did follow her round,
this archer, fair Freya,
new in the town.
A party of priests she decided to join.
Stamping out evil, she girdeth her loins.
Let's face it, she also was there for the coins.
Stout hearted Freya,
loosed from her bow,
arrows she slotted
steady and slow.
5 of 6 hit the mark.
Hardly ever missed,
Did Freya Woundhart.
Session 21:
To the Family Faro, the most Good Famers of Brushside, Exemplar Corviano sends greetings.
We have reflected much on the events of yestermorn. How fortunate did the winds of the Ventus blow that forenoon! We thank Valroon that Exemplar Ulf, Freya, and we ourself came unto your rescue. Praise to Jordis that Freya’s shots rang so true!
And yet, with every passing hour our own concern for your welfare grows. How Wretched and Wrong for Good, True Family such as yourselves to suffer at the hands of such Enemies. Therefore, in the name not only of Charity, but also for Success of Civilization at Brushside, we offer to invest Heavily in your Farm.
With this gem [200 gp jade], we propose to purchase whatever seed, fowl, herd, or hands ye see fit for the coming Spring. In exchange, we propose to split the proceeds of your land evenly, half unto you and half unto our various Good and Pious causes. But only—and pray, mark these words—only until we ourself perish. Therewith the estate shall fall entirely unto you and your heirs. Soothly we say this mayhap erelong, for the Grove often brings Death to those that venture thither.
Pray, thinkest upon this matter, and we ourselves shall return unto you in some short days. In witness hereof, we set our seal at Brushside the ides of November, per Exemplar Corviano
To the Family Faro, the most Good Famers of Brushside, Exemplar Corviano sends greetings.
We have reflected much on the events of yestermorn. How fortunate did the winds of the Ventus blow that forenoon! We thank Valroon that Exemplar Ulf, Freya, and we ourself came unto your rescue. Praise to Jordis that Freya’s shots rang so true!
And yet, with every passing hour our own concern for your welfare grows. How Wretched and Wrong for Good, True Family such as yourselves to suffer at the hands of such Enemies. Therefore, in the name not only of Charity, but also for Success of Civilization at Brushside, we offer to invest Heavily in your Farm.
With this gem [200 gp jade], we propose to purchase whatever seed, fowl, herd, or hands ye see fit for the coming Spring. In exchange, we propose to split the proceeds of your land evenly, half unto you and half unto our various Good and Pious causes. But only—and pray, mark these words—only until we ourself perish. Therewith the estate shall fall entirely unto you and your heirs. Soothly we say this mayhap erelong, for the Grove often brings Death to those that venture thither.
Pray, thinkest upon this matter, and we ourselves shall return unto you in some short days. In witness hereof, we set our seal at Brushside the ides of November, per Exemplar Corviano
Session 22
Session 22:
To the good and true scriptrix Sabine Clark be this deliver.
Ex. Corviano
eid. nov. cmxxviii
Please know we intend to come to Ban Gentul before Winter, and thereupon extend your employment with us until Spring. Find enclosed copies of letters sent to Osgood of Equum and Commemorant Valora. We ask thee to write to us and inform us of thine Work on our behalf. And, pray, include any information learned which might aid us even now.
This past week, peradventure we came upon yet another Tower of Xyarn, this one though not protected by magic. (Of some note: as at the elven sepulchre, this building was also home for a were-wolf.) We found some minor magical articles and an elven millstone of curious and wondrous make. But, alas, no notes on vellum!
We write no more, but Castutia keep you writ and Orile bless you with wisdom.
Your faithful employer,
Corv. C.
To the good and true scriptrix Sabine Clark be this deliver.
Ex. Corviano
eid. nov. cmxxviii
Please know we intend to come to Ban Gentul before Winter, and thereupon extend your employment with us until Spring. Find enclosed copies of letters sent to Osgood of Equum and Commemorant Valora. We ask thee to write to us and inform us of thine Work on our behalf. And, pray, include any information learned which might aid us even now.
This past week, peradventure we came upon yet another Tower of Xyarn, this one though not protected by magic. (Of some note: as at the elven sepulchre, this building was also home for a were-wolf.) We found some minor magical articles and an elven millstone of curious and wondrous make. But, alas, no notes on vellum!
We write no more, but Castutia keep you writ and Orile bless you with wisdom.
Your faithful employer,
Corv. C.
Session 23
Session 23:
First into the Loin's Paw Inn, Roland tells the tail of how the party recovered the Statue of Ignimius from a ruined Temple. It may not be the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but what good story is?
So, we’re travelling through the grove and we come across a graveyard and in the distance, Ulf spots a bramble covered church steeple. We cut our way to it and come right to the front door, a giant, ancient wooden affair carved with depictions of Ignimius and a few others.
As we entered and took a few steps inside this seemingly abandoned temple, the eerie, unnatural silence was broken by the sound of bones creaking and debris falling. Many ghouls and some giant monstrosity in the back rose from the detritus strewn nave and advanced on us. Ulf and I moved to block the doorway leading to the main sanctuary while the wizards and Freya went upstairs to a balcony above us. Alas, there were ghouls up in the balcony as well! Py grabbed one and leapt from the balcony taking it with her, barely suffering a scratch in the fall, keeping the ones from above from attacking us from behind. As she got back behind me, Freya came down the other side and right before another ghoul was going to strike her, she shot it square in the forehead, taking it down. The balcony cleared, they both went back up to attack from distance.
The ghouls approached us and as it grew near we made out what this giant monstrosity was. It was some sort of mega ghoul! It looked like it had grown out from a smaller ghoul like an insect from a shell. A truly revolting abomination.
Ulf would have none of this. Calling down the power of Ignimius, he sent all the normal ghouls fleeing in panic from his righteousness. Alas, MegaGhoul was not affected and, seemingly in vengeance for dispersing his underlings, ripped Ulf’s newly found claymore from his hands and smashed it into the side of Ulf’s head, knocking him down and almost killing him before rounding on me.
Now, you all know Corviano as this kinda twitchy guy, obsessed with papers and trinkets, but he is more than that, let me tell you! He charged forward and pulled Ulf to safety, with no thought of his own risk in doing so. His fast action saved Ulf from certain death.
Maude came in to take Ulf’s spot protecting the door beside me right as a coating of ice covered the ground and the mighty abomination itself, conjured by Scarthos’ hands! Alas, this did not stop the beast as it shattered its way from the ice, claws flashing, as it slashed out at both Maude and me. Suddenly, as its unhold talons tore into the flesh of my arm, I couldn’t move. Only my eyes were under my control allowed me to still see everything happening. The fell creature reached back, starting to slash down to finish me off. All I could think was “move, arm. Move. Stop it, stop it!” Right before the claws would have finished me off, suddenly I could move my sword arm again! I brought my arming sword up and parried the blow which would have ended me. That’s when I noticed that Corviano, having finished stabilizing Ulf, had removed the curse of this beast from me literally at the last second. Truly we were being aided by the forces of Valroon that day.
Moments later, as arrows slammed into the creature from Freya above I turned my blade and drove it into the MegaGhoul. The impact made it lose its footing and fall. Turns out while the ice from Scarthos couldn’t contain it, it made moving very difficult. I struck it again as it rose. As I did, however, I noticed it grabbing the balcony above, apparently deciding it had enough arrows into its back. Like with its smaller comrade before, though, right before being able to reach Freya, she loosed an arrow into its face. It fell back from the balcony, never to rise again.
As for the statute, we found it in pieces in the basement. We couldn’t leave such a work of art behind so, with much labor, we brought it out of the grove so the world can appreciate it again.
First into the Loin's Paw Inn, Roland tells the tail of how the party recovered the Statue of Ignimius from a ruined Temple. It may not be the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but what good story is?
So, we’re travelling through the grove and we come across a graveyard and in the distance, Ulf spots a bramble covered church steeple. We cut our way to it and come right to the front door, a giant, ancient wooden affair carved with depictions of Ignimius and a few others.
As we entered and took a few steps inside this seemingly abandoned temple, the eerie, unnatural silence was broken by the sound of bones creaking and debris falling. Many ghouls and some giant monstrosity in the back rose from the detritus strewn nave and advanced on us. Ulf and I moved to block the doorway leading to the main sanctuary while the wizards and Freya went upstairs to a balcony above us. Alas, there were ghouls up in the balcony as well! Py grabbed one and leapt from the balcony taking it with her, barely suffering a scratch in the fall, keeping the ones from above from attacking us from behind. As she got back behind me, Freya came down the other side and right before another ghoul was going to strike her, she shot it square in the forehead, taking it down. The balcony cleared, they both went back up to attack from distance.
The ghouls approached us and as it grew near we made out what this giant monstrosity was. It was some sort of mega ghoul! It looked like it had grown out from a smaller ghoul like an insect from a shell. A truly revolting abomination.
Ulf would have none of this. Calling down the power of Ignimius, he sent all the normal ghouls fleeing in panic from his righteousness. Alas, MegaGhoul was not affected and, seemingly in vengeance for dispersing his underlings, ripped Ulf’s newly found claymore from his hands and smashed it into the side of Ulf’s head, knocking him down and almost killing him before rounding on me.
Now, you all know Corviano as this kinda twitchy guy, obsessed with papers and trinkets, but he is more than that, let me tell you! He charged forward and pulled Ulf to safety, with no thought of his own risk in doing so. His fast action saved Ulf from certain death.
Maude came in to take Ulf’s spot protecting the door beside me right as a coating of ice covered the ground and the mighty abomination itself, conjured by Scarthos’ hands! Alas, this did not stop the beast as it shattered its way from the ice, claws flashing, as it slashed out at both Maude and me. Suddenly, as its unhold talons tore into the flesh of my arm, I couldn’t move. Only my eyes were under my control allowed me to still see everything happening. The fell creature reached back, starting to slash down to finish me off. All I could think was “move, arm. Move. Stop it, stop it!” Right before the claws would have finished me off, suddenly I could move my sword arm again! I brought my arming sword up and parried the blow which would have ended me. That’s when I noticed that Corviano, having finished stabilizing Ulf, had removed the curse of this beast from me literally at the last second. Truly we were being aided by the forces of Valroon that day.
Moments later, as arrows slammed into the creature from Freya above I turned my blade and drove it into the MegaGhoul. The impact made it lose its footing and fall. Turns out while the ice from Scarthos couldn’t contain it, it made moving very difficult. I struck it again as it rose. As I did, however, I noticed it grabbing the balcony above, apparently deciding it had enough arrows into its back. Like with its smaller comrade before, though, right before being able to reach Freya, she loosed an arrow into its face. It fell back from the balcony, never to rise again.
As for the statute, we found it in pieces in the basement. We couldn’t leave such a work of art behind so, with much labor, we brought it out of the grove so the world can appreciate it again.
Session 23:
Ex. Corviano asks for guidance in a prayer to Ignimius.
Ignimius, O Greatest of Men, truly are thee Exemplar of Exemplars and Paragon of Paragons. To thee and thy Church I offer my complete submission. Deservedly art thou called Divine, as only thou among men has heard the voice of Valroon, our God, the one and only. Thee I serve and thee I invoke: judiciously vouchsafe me this which I ask of thee, and with due fealty, my Lord, I will repay thee with my allegiance. Lend me thy ear, I pray, and favor my work to aid your Church and I will repay thee by seeing to the restoration of your statue that my Grove-delving confreres and I rescued from your ruined temple.
Grant me wisdom, guide my actions and illuminate my thoughts, so that I might know what to make of these eldritch sights granted by that weirdsome elven tube. What is the Moon and who dwells thereupon? Whyfor do the Elves look upon these things? And whyfor should men, if at all? How shall I proceed now with this device? Should the tube be destroyed, benothinged as the Winnowed Past once was? Or is this a gift and calling for all Humanity?
I thank thee for the allyship of Ulf and am thankful that by your power I saved his life in the Church, as he saved ours through his miraculous Turning. I thank thee for Freya, and her amazing aim, and for Roland and his willingness to stand and walk in front of me. May their submission to your Church be strengthened and their efforts be made heroic and effective. May Maude’s newfound fortune lead to greatness for your Church and her family and her city. And may all wizards meet a swift and sweet comeuppance.
Whatever I do, may it bring your Church greater effectiveness, may it drive a stake in the heart of evil, and may it be a spring of Learning and Wisdom for all. O Ignimius, let thy greatness vouchsafe to me what I ask of thee in this prayer.
Ex. Corviano asks for guidance in a prayer to Ignimius.
Ignimius, O Greatest of Men, truly are thee Exemplar of Exemplars and Paragon of Paragons. To thee and thy Church I offer my complete submission. Deservedly art thou called Divine, as only thou among men has heard the voice of Valroon, our God, the one and only. Thee I serve and thee I invoke: judiciously vouchsafe me this which I ask of thee, and with due fealty, my Lord, I will repay thee with my allegiance. Lend me thy ear, I pray, and favor my work to aid your Church and I will repay thee by seeing to the restoration of your statue that my Grove-delving confreres and I rescued from your ruined temple.
Grant me wisdom, guide my actions and illuminate my thoughts, so that I might know what to make of these eldritch sights granted by that weirdsome elven tube. What is the Moon and who dwells thereupon? Whyfor do the Elves look upon these things? And whyfor should men, if at all? How shall I proceed now with this device? Should the tube be destroyed, benothinged as the Winnowed Past once was? Or is this a gift and calling for all Humanity?
I thank thee for the allyship of Ulf and am thankful that by your power I saved his life in the Church, as he saved ours through his miraculous Turning. I thank thee for Freya, and her amazing aim, and for Roland and his willingness to stand and walk in front of me. May their submission to your Church be strengthened and their efforts be made heroic and effective. May Maude’s newfound fortune lead to greatness for your Church and her family and her city. And may all wizards meet a swift and sweet comeuppance.
Whatever I do, may it bring your Church greater effectiveness, may it drive a stake in the heart of evil, and may it be a spring of Learning and Wisdom for all. O Ignimius, let thy greatness vouchsafe to me what I ask of thee in this prayer.
Session 24
Session 24:
Ulf recieves a letter from Ex. Corviano. It serves as both a communication and a partial session summary.
Sealed by wax in an envelope.
The envelope is addressed to “An Exemplar Ulf of the Shadow Hunters.” Two seals hold the envelope shut, one the the seal of the family Cormoranti and the other the seal of the church.
The letter:
Pious and Effective Ulf, we recommend ourselves to thee, furthermore informing you of our comings and goings these first weeks of December. We had hoped to see thee at services this frore day, but did not, and so have taken it upon ourselves to bewrite this letter and leave it on call for thee at the Temple of the Glorious Hero.
Thou may hast heared of the arrival of Sir Vel Crispus, paladin of the High Priest, and protectour of the extraordinaire of the Church, mystical or othre wise. We ourselves were of late in correspondence by way of Vision, though we must admit that his sudden appearance took even ourselves by surprise. He hast had interest in our Elven discoveries and negotiated with our party for the sale of the Elven mill stone. Though thou wert not hereabout, we thought it best to not delay the work and time of such a Lord of the Church as this. Resultantly, thine share of the stone is some seven hundred gold coin and one miraculous ring, which we have left in the care of the Temple herewithal.
Of further note, the third day before the Ides, we left Brushside in the company of Roland and the wizards and searched the lands from south by east to southeast by south of town. In the small weald nigh the road we came thereupon a monstrous scorpion. Whereat Py, instead of helping us slay the abominate beast, hath taken it as a pet, intending to keep it within a dungeon outside the city.
We fear for her sanity and the effects of her evergrowing wizardry upon those around her. Herefore, we have reluctantly made a sad but necessary decision. Herehence we shall be living at our new howse away from Py. Thereby we cordially invite thee (and certainly Freya also, if she herself are with thee) to take up permanent rooms at our howse. Ye shall find it south of town, nigh the river.
Fare thee best, and come soon to what we hope are thy new lodgings.
Tuus Corviano
Ulf recieves a letter from Ex. Corviano. It serves as both a communication and a partial session summary.
Sealed by wax in an envelope.
The envelope is addressed to “An Exemplar Ulf of the Shadow Hunters.” Two seals hold the envelope shut, one the the seal of the family Cormoranti and the other the seal of the church.
The letter:
Pious and Effective Ulf, we recommend ourselves to thee, furthermore informing you of our comings and goings these first weeks of December. We had hoped to see thee at services this frore day, but did not, and so have taken it upon ourselves to bewrite this letter and leave it on call for thee at the Temple of the Glorious Hero.
Thou may hast heared of the arrival of Sir Vel Crispus, paladin of the High Priest, and protectour of the extraordinaire of the Church, mystical or othre wise. We ourselves were of late in correspondence by way of Vision, though we must admit that his sudden appearance took even ourselves by surprise. He hast had interest in our Elven discoveries and negotiated with our party for the sale of the Elven mill stone. Though thou wert not hereabout, we thought it best to not delay the work and time of such a Lord of the Church as this. Resultantly, thine share of the stone is some seven hundred gold coin and one miraculous ring, which we have left in the care of the Temple herewithal.
Of further note, the third day before the Ides, we left Brushside in the company of Roland and the wizards and searched the lands from south by east to southeast by south of town. In the small weald nigh the road we came thereupon a monstrous scorpion. Whereat Py, instead of helping us slay the abominate beast, hath taken it as a pet, intending to keep it within a dungeon outside the city.
We fear for her sanity and the effects of her evergrowing wizardry upon those around her. Herefore, we have reluctantly made a sad but necessary decision. Herehence we shall be living at our new howse away from Py. Thereby we cordially invite thee (and certainly Freya also, if she herself are with thee) to take up permanent rooms at our howse. Ye shall find it south of town, nigh the river.
Fare thee best, and come soon to what we hope are thy new lodgings.
Tuus Corviano
Session 25
Session 25:
Ulf receives a letter from Ex. Corviano. It explains the fate of the poor Farrow family in enough detail to also be a session summary!
Sealed by wax in an envelope.
The envelope is addressed to “An Exemplar Ulf of the Shadow Hunters and Freya, lately of Brushside”
Two seals hold the envelope shut, one the the seal of the family Cormoranti and the other the seal of the church.
The letter:
To thine dear allies Ulf the Shadow Hunter and Freya the Toxophilite, thy Exemplar Corviano: greeting in the name of Ignimius—and do thou makest wise and remain ever vigilant in thy future.
We doth pray this missive doth find ye both in good health, obeying the mandates of ecclesial and civil authority as Ignimius hath instructed us. Again we doth write to thee of recent events.
Prithee, remember back some two months to the events of the Farrow family farm, when we were blessed to first meet faithful Freya. Thou both didst prove thy courage and heroism that day, and the people of Brushside are safer because of thy actions.
Alack, we have since encountered another troubling situation on the farm. Celeste Farrow, in her eighth month of pregnation, came to our new vagrom home, explaining that her husband, Curt, had expelled her from their home. As we spake with her, we noticed many bruises, making it all too clear that her husband had maltreated and injured her. As she related tales of her life the last several weeks, our mind didst at once conjecture that Kirk was being influenced, perhaps even possessed by a daemon.
We took our leave of Celeste with Doctor Frote (we are overdue for proper midwifery in Brushside), Alfredo looking after her, and took at once to assemble those we might find to help us investigate the farm. And so it was that Roland, ourselves, and the two wizards left for the Farrow farm.
When we arrived, Py and Skarthos left to investigate some body they had left buried in the orchard, while Roland and ourselves went to call upon the young master. It quickly became apparent that he was possessed. A struggle ensued, and we are most thankful that most capable and effective Roland was there, for Py and Skarthos were enmeshed by a tree possessed by a devil (which, we strongly suspect, they were able to so readily banish because the daemon was one of Py’s, irresponsibly set loose upon the world by her magecraft).
With the aid of Ignimius, we were able to exorcise the daemon possessing Colt, albeit suffering minor injury. However, as thou shalt hear, the act took an extreme toll on us, and we were not ourselves for some time. For his part, Young Kent had no recollection of the previous weeks.
If it had not been for our exhaustion, we might have thought, then, to check the brandy. For the daemon had acted through Bert to poison the batches, and in the past several days, those who have drunk deep of the draft began to go blind and needlessly slay others.
Py attempted to purchase and purify the remaining brandy, and we advocated with the local innsmen on the family’s behalf, but it was too late. The Farrows have of late occurrence moved to Ban Gentul. Thankfully we were able to purchase their farm, lest it come to naught. We are certain that once-vagrants will begin work there come springtide.
We desired to update thee both on these events, forsooth they have been rather disquieting. Herefore, we must needs remain vigilant and keep a keen eye on any potential threats to the safety of our community. We look forward to seeing thee both anon and exchanging tidings of all that hath transpired.
Orile increase thy knowledge and wisdom. Written in haste at our new lodgings in South Brushside.
Tuus Corviano
Ulf receives a letter from Ex. Corviano. It explains the fate of the poor Farrow family in enough detail to also be a session summary!
Sealed by wax in an envelope.
The envelope is addressed to “An Exemplar Ulf of the Shadow Hunters and Freya, lately of Brushside”
Two seals hold the envelope shut, one the the seal of the family Cormoranti and the other the seal of the church.
The letter:
To thine dear allies Ulf the Shadow Hunter and Freya the Toxophilite, thy Exemplar Corviano: greeting in the name of Ignimius—and do thou makest wise and remain ever vigilant in thy future.
We doth pray this missive doth find ye both in good health, obeying the mandates of ecclesial and civil authority as Ignimius hath instructed us. Again we doth write to thee of recent events.
Prithee, remember back some two months to the events of the Farrow family farm, when we were blessed to first meet faithful Freya. Thou both didst prove thy courage and heroism that day, and the people of Brushside are safer because of thy actions.
Alack, we have since encountered another troubling situation on the farm. Celeste Farrow, in her eighth month of pregnation, came to our new vagrom home, explaining that her husband, Curt, had expelled her from their home. As we spake with her, we noticed many bruises, making it all too clear that her husband had maltreated and injured her. As she related tales of her life the last several weeks, our mind didst at once conjecture that Kirk was being influenced, perhaps even possessed by a daemon.
We took our leave of Celeste with Doctor Frote (we are overdue for proper midwifery in Brushside), Alfredo looking after her, and took at once to assemble those we might find to help us investigate the farm. And so it was that Roland, ourselves, and the two wizards left for the Farrow farm.
When we arrived, Py and Skarthos left to investigate some body they had left buried in the orchard, while Roland and ourselves went to call upon the young master. It quickly became apparent that he was possessed. A struggle ensued, and we are most thankful that most capable and effective Roland was there, for Py and Skarthos were enmeshed by a tree possessed by a devil (which, we strongly suspect, they were able to so readily banish because the daemon was one of Py’s, irresponsibly set loose upon the world by her magecraft).
With the aid of Ignimius, we were able to exorcise the daemon possessing Colt, albeit suffering minor injury. However, as thou shalt hear, the act took an extreme toll on us, and we were not ourselves for some time. For his part, Young Kent had no recollection of the previous weeks.
If it had not been for our exhaustion, we might have thought, then, to check the brandy. For the daemon had acted through Bert to poison the batches, and in the past several days, those who have drunk deep of the draft began to go blind and needlessly slay others.
Py attempted to purchase and purify the remaining brandy, and we advocated with the local innsmen on the family’s behalf, but it was too late. The Farrows have of late occurrence moved to Ban Gentul. Thankfully we were able to purchase their farm, lest it come to naught. We are certain that once-vagrants will begin work there come springtide.
We desired to update thee both on these events, forsooth they have been rather disquieting. Herefore, we must needs remain vigilant and keep a keen eye on any potential threats to the safety of our community. We look forward to seeing thee both anon and exchanging tidings of all that hath transpired.
Orile increase thy knowledge and wisdom. Written in haste at our new lodgings in South Brushside.
Tuus Corviano
Session 26
Session 26:
All of Brushside is eager to hear first hand accounts of the disaster at the Grand Gala. Several narratives are circulating. Surprisingly there is little factual disagreement. What there is disagreement on is the motivations of the key players, who knew what when, and who is responsible... This is Roland's telling.
The wizards decided to throw a big party. They invited a buncha important people (Sir Valcrispis was there as well as the leading priests in town and some nobs from the nearby city), showed off some art from history that even I’d heard of before, and had a magic item auction. It’s the auction that caught my eye. I don’t much care for fancy dinners and art shows, but a magic item auction? Now that sparked my interest.
The wizards had set up the tables for the Gala on what is currently the top of the incomplete tower. They blocked off the stairway into the rest of the tower with giant blocks so the guests gained access to the top of the tower via a siege tower and bridge constructed specifically for this event. Upon arrival, we found a place at one of the two giant tables set up for dinner and sat down waiting for things to start.
After the dinner they brought in the art. The cool Ignimius statue that we recovered was supposed to be on display, but it turns out that was just done as a way to screw with the priests by putting a blasphemous name on it. Unfortunately, the priest fell for this childish trick and ended up looking petty instead of diplomatically turning it back on the wizards and coming out on top. The politics of the Conclave and Church are exhausting. Anyway, the statue got removed and taken to Corviano’s house. The other art was neat to see in person but, as I said before, not the real main event. After it was done, out came the magic items! There were various useful objects, a couple of which certainly caught my eye, but two which I mostly ignored ended up being the most important for the evening. One was a rod that could dispel magic and even make a magic item stop functioning for a short time. The other was an orb which could, apparently, capture demons. And this, my friends, is where block headed pettiness leading to outright stupidity decided to rule the day because I cannot believe that the Conclave didn’t already know that the Demon Orb had an occupant and given what it was, it had to be intended as a big “screw you” to the Church.…
As the time to inspect the items ended, a crazy lady grabbed the dispel rod. She screamed about how evil everyone was and we’re all evil too for enabling and some other ranting. I’m pretty sure there was foam coming from her mouth. Then she turned with the wand and directed it at the orb. Her activating the rod freed what was trapped inside. A shining creature with 8 glowing limbs, no longer caged, appeared above the gathering in a blinding flash of light. The Conclave Tower’s automated defenses activated, forming a protective barrier over the top of the tower. The Being used its arms to slam into the magical shield over and over. Seeing the leadership doing nothing, I jumped into action. I sprinted across the room and started gathering people to leave the way we came in. Unfortunately, in addition to keeping out the attacker, the mystical barrier also trapped inside. We could not leave the way we came in. I turned my head and noticed the large stones blocking the stairs down. “Come with me!” I shouted to the people, and we ran to the other side of the tower to start working on moving these stones. I noticed Ulf was still unable to see properly from the flash of light, but he was able to come to my call and help with the stones and we went to work.
While we were working, I noticed Py looking very agitated trying to talk to the leadership. Finally, exasperated, she shouted “that’s no demon. That’s a Celestial Being, you morons. Do something so the priests can deal with this!” Apparently, Sheridan and Tellius took “do something” as “run away” because when I looked back again a moment later, Sheridan was gone and I looked just in time to see Tellius disappear as well. I didn’t have time to worry about that as, with Ulf’s mighty help, we got the stone out of the way right when the tower defenses failed. I shouted everyone down the stairs until it was just me, Wingrit, Py, Scarthos, and the insane woman still up there. As I tried to decide if I would run to the others to rush them along, my course of action was decided for me. A wall of fog erupted, covering all who were still on the tower other than me. I ran down the stairs while saying a short prayer to Ignimious for the safety of those still up there.
After descending the stairs, I turned around to see Wingrit descending carrying the mad woman. This left just Scarthos and Py up above. The seconds at the bottom of the stairs felt like hours as I waited not knowing the fate of my comrades above. Finally, Scarthos came tumbling down the stairs, burned and battered. I tended his wounds and asked about Py. He looked at me sadly, shrugged, and gestured up the stairs. As I applied the last bandage, I couldn’t wait any longer. I sprinted up the stairs with a shield above my head, prepared to face the wrath of a Celestial Being to save Py and found only stillness. The Being had left, leaving Py bleeding out on the top of the tower. I rushed to her side and, at the very final moment before death claimed her, stopped her bleeding and saved her.
Alas, while the Beings departure was surely my gain, it was a loss to others in town. I witnessed it smite a building not far away and continue its path of destruction on the way outside of the city. With Py stable, I ran towards the sounds of the screams with Ulf by my side. Along the way we ran into Corviano and Sir Valcrispis and we all did our best to help the injured. As it always is when the powerful play games, it is us common folk who lose.
All of Brushside is eager to hear first hand accounts of the disaster at the Grand Gala. Several narratives are circulating. Surprisingly there is little factual disagreement. What there is disagreement on is the motivations of the key players, who knew what when, and who is responsible... This is Roland's telling.
The wizards decided to throw a big party. They invited a buncha important people (Sir Valcrispis was there as well as the leading priests in town and some nobs from the nearby city), showed off some art from history that even I’d heard of before, and had a magic item auction. It’s the auction that caught my eye. I don’t much care for fancy dinners and art shows, but a magic item auction? Now that sparked my interest.
The wizards had set up the tables for the Gala on what is currently the top of the incomplete tower. They blocked off the stairway into the rest of the tower with giant blocks so the guests gained access to the top of the tower via a siege tower and bridge constructed specifically for this event. Upon arrival, we found a place at one of the two giant tables set up for dinner and sat down waiting for things to start.
After the dinner they brought in the art. The cool Ignimius statue that we recovered was supposed to be on display, but it turns out that was just done as a way to screw with the priests by putting a blasphemous name on it. Unfortunately, the priest fell for this childish trick and ended up looking petty instead of diplomatically turning it back on the wizards and coming out on top. The politics of the Conclave and Church are exhausting. Anyway, the statue got removed and taken to Corviano’s house. The other art was neat to see in person but, as I said before, not the real main event. After it was done, out came the magic items! There were various useful objects, a couple of which certainly caught my eye, but two which I mostly ignored ended up being the most important for the evening. One was a rod that could dispel magic and even make a magic item stop functioning for a short time. The other was an orb which could, apparently, capture demons. And this, my friends, is where block headed pettiness leading to outright stupidity decided to rule the day because I cannot believe that the Conclave didn’t already know that the Demon Orb had an occupant and given what it was, it had to be intended as a big “screw you” to the Church.…
As the time to inspect the items ended, a crazy lady grabbed the dispel rod. She screamed about how evil everyone was and we’re all evil too for enabling and some other ranting. I’m pretty sure there was foam coming from her mouth. Then she turned with the wand and directed it at the orb. Her activating the rod freed what was trapped inside. A shining creature with 8 glowing limbs, no longer caged, appeared above the gathering in a blinding flash of light. The Conclave Tower’s automated defenses activated, forming a protective barrier over the top of the tower. The Being used its arms to slam into the magical shield over and over. Seeing the leadership doing nothing, I jumped into action. I sprinted across the room and started gathering people to leave the way we came in. Unfortunately, in addition to keeping out the attacker, the mystical barrier also trapped inside. We could not leave the way we came in. I turned my head and noticed the large stones blocking the stairs down. “Come with me!” I shouted to the people, and we ran to the other side of the tower to start working on moving these stones. I noticed Ulf was still unable to see properly from the flash of light, but he was able to come to my call and help with the stones and we went to work.
While we were working, I noticed Py looking very agitated trying to talk to the leadership. Finally, exasperated, she shouted “that’s no demon. That’s a Celestial Being, you morons. Do something so the priests can deal with this!” Apparently, Sheridan and Tellius took “do something” as “run away” because when I looked back again a moment later, Sheridan was gone and I looked just in time to see Tellius disappear as well. I didn’t have time to worry about that as, with Ulf’s mighty help, we got the stone out of the way right when the tower defenses failed. I shouted everyone down the stairs until it was just me, Wingrit, Py, Scarthos, and the insane woman still up there. As I tried to decide if I would run to the others to rush them along, my course of action was decided for me. A wall of fog erupted, covering all who were still on the tower other than me. I ran down the stairs while saying a short prayer to Ignimious for the safety of those still up there.
After descending the stairs, I turned around to see Wingrit descending carrying the mad woman. This left just Scarthos and Py up above. The seconds at the bottom of the stairs felt like hours as I waited not knowing the fate of my comrades above. Finally, Scarthos came tumbling down the stairs, burned and battered. I tended his wounds and asked about Py. He looked at me sadly, shrugged, and gestured up the stairs. As I applied the last bandage, I couldn’t wait any longer. I sprinted up the stairs with a shield above my head, prepared to face the wrath of a Celestial Being to save Py and found only stillness. The Being had left, leaving Py bleeding out on the top of the tower. I rushed to her side and, at the very final moment before death claimed her, stopped her bleeding and saved her.
Alas, while the Beings departure was surely my gain, it was a loss to others in town. I witnessed it smite a building not far away and continue its path of destruction on the way outside of the city. With Py stable, I ran towards the sounds of the screams with Ulf by my side. Along the way we ran into Corviano and Sir Valcrispis and we all did our best to help the injured. As it always is when the powerful play games, it is us common folk who lose.
Session 26:
A public vigil is held by Ex. Corviano, to honor those that fell in the attack on the Grand Gala. The solemn event is punctuated by the crying of those who lost loved ones. Ex. Corviano delivers a somewhat particular speech during the vigil.
My fellow residents of Brushside, my heart aches with sorrow. We gather here to remember the lives lost in this tragedy. In the face of such violence and devastation, it is natural to feel anger and confusion. But instead of seeking revenge or assigning blame, we must seek to understand what went wrong and work towards a greater good.
You may have learned about the gala waiter who tried to kill Tellius the Bright. You may have heard the whispers about her motivations. Some say she was driven by insanity. Others suggest she was seeking justice. Motives do not matter. Our actions define us. This woman failed to weigh the unintended consequences of her actions. And those consequences were devastating.
As we all know, magic is both evil and harmful to the world. No one disputes this. We have seen this throughout history. Ask Ulf about Krovianca. Ask Celeste about Farrow Farm. Or ask those who lost their sight or watched a loved one be murdered.
With so much evil and destruction wrought, why does the Church not destroy the Conclave? Why would priests, even a paladin, attend a gala held on Conclave grounds? I will tell you why. Because, as Orile taught us, even the most knowledgeable cannot predict every outcome. We must exercise caution. For sometimes even the smallest of actions can have devastating results.
We must always remember that magic is not something to be taken lightly. We must be mindful of our actions, as this servant was not. We must work to prevent unintended consequences. How? Look to our duty. Orile warns us, stressing in Accusations that it is not enough to simply avoid vice, but we must actively seek to fulfill our duty in all aspects of our lives.
The events at the gala were not just a random tragedy. They are a reminder of the ongoing battle between good and evil in our world. As a follower of Ignimius and student of Orile, it is my duty to stand against the forces of darkness and work towards the greater good. But I cannot do it alone. I need the support and cooperation of all those who share these values and goals. This is our duty: to see human culture succeed and excel.
To the wizards among us, I implore you to recognize that you too are part of our community. Without the hardworking individuals who provide for our needs, from the farmer to the ferryman, where would any of us be? We all share the responsibility of protecting our society from the destruction caused by magic.
Let us honor the memory of those we have lost by striving for a brighter future for Brushside. Let us stand together in peace, understanding, and unity, working to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. Let us work together to rebuild our buildings and invest in our city’s future. If we look to our duty, if we strengthen our culture, we can create a better tomorrow for all.
Thank you.
A public vigil is held by Ex. Corviano, to honor those that fell in the attack on the Grand Gala. The solemn event is punctuated by the crying of those who lost loved ones. Ex. Corviano delivers a somewhat particular speech during the vigil.
My fellow residents of Brushside, my heart aches with sorrow. We gather here to remember the lives lost in this tragedy. In the face of such violence and devastation, it is natural to feel anger and confusion. But instead of seeking revenge or assigning blame, we must seek to understand what went wrong and work towards a greater good.
You may have learned about the gala waiter who tried to kill Tellius the Bright. You may have heard the whispers about her motivations. Some say she was driven by insanity. Others suggest she was seeking justice. Motives do not matter. Our actions define us. This woman failed to weigh the unintended consequences of her actions. And those consequences were devastating.
As we all know, magic is both evil and harmful to the world. No one disputes this. We have seen this throughout history. Ask Ulf about Krovianca. Ask Celeste about Farrow Farm. Or ask those who lost their sight or watched a loved one be murdered.
With so much evil and destruction wrought, why does the Church not destroy the Conclave? Why would priests, even a paladin, attend a gala held on Conclave grounds? I will tell you why. Because, as Orile taught us, even the most knowledgeable cannot predict every outcome. We must exercise caution. For sometimes even the smallest of actions can have devastating results.
We must always remember that magic is not something to be taken lightly. We must be mindful of our actions, as this servant was not. We must work to prevent unintended consequences. How? Look to our duty. Orile warns us, stressing in Accusations that it is not enough to simply avoid vice, but we must actively seek to fulfill our duty in all aspects of our lives.
The events at the gala were not just a random tragedy. They are a reminder of the ongoing battle between good and evil in our world. As a follower of Ignimius and student of Orile, it is my duty to stand against the forces of darkness and work towards the greater good. But I cannot do it alone. I need the support and cooperation of all those who share these values and goals. This is our duty: to see human culture succeed and excel.
To the wizards among us, I implore you to recognize that you too are part of our community. Without the hardworking individuals who provide for our needs, from the farmer to the ferryman, where would any of us be? We all share the responsibility of protecting our society from the destruction caused by magic.
Let us honor the memory of those we have lost by striving for a brighter future for Brushside. Let us stand together in peace, understanding, and unity, working to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. Let us work together to rebuild our buildings and invest in our city’s future. If we look to our duty, if we strengthen our culture, we can create a better tomorrow for all.
Thank you.
Session 27
Session 27:
The masses get another song from Freya, it tells the tail of her killing two ogres outside of Brushside (some other people were also there). The simple tune and popular topic make it a toe tapping hit.
Brushside's plucky heroes, fight for you all.
Buy us a drink and listen, enthralled,
to a tale that'll raise all the hairs on your head,
of the night Freya Woundhart shot two ogres, dead.
A party of orcs, two ogres in tow,
threatening Brushside, and all that does grow.
Outside the walls, farms for the plucking,
"NO WAY" said our heroes and out they went rushing.
A plan, hatched by Corviano, off to his chateau,
a hale group of fighters, to see what was below.
At a third-story window, our heroes stood, all.
In darkness, unseen, their enemies did crawl.
Scarthos the wizard, timely risked all.
Conjuring up a huge fireball.
Bravely he flung it, Brightly it burned.
Our heroes, resolved, were heartened to learn
dozens of orcs lay burning, a pile.
Seeing this sight, Fair Freya did smile.
Arrows she shot, a total of six
All but a time (or two) did she hit.
The power and might of her backbiting bow,
formidable Freya, her enemies did show.
Ogres they fell, first one then another.
So celebrate Freya with a round, my fair brothers.
The masses get another song from Freya, it tells the tail of her killing two ogres outside of Brushside (some other people were also there). The simple tune and popular topic make it a toe tapping hit.
Brushside's plucky heroes, fight for you all.
Buy us a drink and listen, enthralled,
to a tale that'll raise all the hairs on your head,
of the night Freya Woundhart shot two ogres, dead.
A party of orcs, two ogres in tow,
threatening Brushside, and all that does grow.
Outside the walls, farms for the plucking,
"NO WAY" said our heroes and out they went rushing.
A plan, hatched by Corviano, off to his chateau,
a hale group of fighters, to see what was below.
At a third-story window, our heroes stood, all.
In darkness, unseen, their enemies did crawl.
Scarthos the wizard, timely risked all.
Conjuring up a huge fireball.
Bravely he flung it, Brightly it burned.
Our heroes, resolved, were heartened to learn
dozens of orcs lay burning, a pile.
Seeing this sight, Fair Freya did smile.
Arrows she shot, a total of six
All but a time (or two) did she hit.
The power and might of her backbiting bow,
formidable Freya, her enemies did show.
Ogres they fell, first one then another.
So celebrate Freya with a round, my fair brothers.
Session 27:
A report made to Pa. Sheridan by Ex. Corviano, detailing the defense of some of the few outbuildings and home steads around Brushside.
To Sheridan of Brushside, Exemplar, Parson, and Leader of the Citadel
Let this missive bear witness to the deeds of mine adventuring band upon the night of the Kalends of Primense, within the year nine hundred and thirty-ninth of the Winnowing. It is the firm duty of Exemplar Corviano, the humble servant of the Office of the most Exalted Commemorent, to convey the events of that fateful night, despite the disdain that hath been afforded mine station.
Upon the accursed eve, we stood resolute against the shadows that dared to encroach upon our land, and offer this chronicle of our deeds:
* Two ogres, monstrous in their vile stature, were laid low by Freya's righteous aim.
* The lives of twenty-five orcs were extinguished, their wretched existence brought to a rightful end.
* Seventeen foes remain unconfirmed in their fate, their shadows cast upon the uncertain tapestry of battle.
* Alas, three structures succumbed to the flames, their demise etched in the annals of our city's tragedy.
* Fourteen buildings, though damaged, bear witness to the tenacity of our defense, their scars a testament to our determination and mettle.
Know this, Pn. Sheridan: the orcs, driven by their vile ambitions, dared to probe the outskirts of our towne, testing the mettle of its defenses. Their sinister intent hangs heavy in the air, a harbinger of the storm that brews on the horizon.
Writ in mine unyielding duty,
Exemplar Corviano
A report made to Pa. Sheridan by Ex. Corviano, detailing the defense of some of the few outbuildings and home steads around Brushside.
To Sheridan of Brushside, Exemplar, Parson, and Leader of the Citadel
Let this missive bear witness to the deeds of mine adventuring band upon the night of the Kalends of Primense, within the year nine hundred and thirty-ninth of the Winnowing. It is the firm duty of Exemplar Corviano, the humble servant of the Office of the most Exalted Commemorent, to convey the events of that fateful night, despite the disdain that hath been afforded mine station.
Upon the accursed eve, we stood resolute against the shadows that dared to encroach upon our land, and offer this chronicle of our deeds:
* Two ogres, monstrous in their vile stature, were laid low by Freya's righteous aim.
* The lives of twenty-five orcs were extinguished, their wretched existence brought to a rightful end.
* Seventeen foes remain unconfirmed in their fate, their shadows cast upon the uncertain tapestry of battle.
* Alas, three structures succumbed to the flames, their demise etched in the annals of our city's tragedy.
* Fourteen buildings, though damaged, bear witness to the tenacity of our defense, their scars a testament to our determination and mettle.
Know this, Pn. Sheridan: the orcs, driven by their vile ambitions, dared to probe the outskirts of our towne, testing the mettle of its defenses. Their sinister intent hangs heavy in the air, a harbinger of the storm that brews on the horizon.
Writ in mine unyielding duty,
Exemplar Corviano
Session 28
Session 28:
The story of the clearing of the Oxbow Lake as told by Roland... Hopefully it will stand as how the lake became permanently safe for the people of Brushside.
My party had scouted out this lake a few times before I got to town and, heck, even I’d been there before, but we thought it wasn’t worth messing with. I walk around covered in metal which is really not helpful for swimming and the thought of fighting some monster on his turf with no armor was not appealing. When we heard that even more of our colleagues had gone missing exploring it, however, we couldn’t sit on it anymore.
Knowing it had treasure at the bottom, we brought along some of Corviano’s employes who could swim to help collect it after we made it safe. From a previous encounter, we knew that there was some sort of lake monster that attacked when the bed of the lake was disturbed, so we made a really long spoon out of thick branches and a bucket to collect coins and stir up a ruckus. While Corviano’s Crew used the device from the safety of the shallows we stood at the ready, waiting for the monster. I loaded my crossbow and scanned the depths looking for any movement. Scarthos, spell components in hand and the first words of his magics almost on his lips, did the same as Py sat stride her scorpion, ready to strike.
Moments later, I see a fast dart of movement coming straight for us. I fire my crossbow as I hear the first words of Scarthos’ arcane chanting. The beast darted to the side, avoiding my bolt, and went straight for Scarthos, barely missing him in his attack pass. I slashed with my glowing blade as it went past me, making a bloom of dark blood erupt into the lake. The dread fish dove for deep water to come around for another attack but just before it left our vision, Scarthos’ finished his incantations and the beast was stunned. Acting fast, I tossed Scarthos my pickaxe and he made, essentially, a giant fishing line to drag the beast from the water before it could come to. As he was in the depth retrieving the cruel creature, I heard one of the Crew cry out. Two zombies had crawled from the lake while we were focused on the monster and advanced on us. Py, Corviano, and I all rushed our left flank to protect our people. As I struck down one of these abominations, and Py engaged the other, we heard another shout from behind as two more attacked our right flank. Knowing Py had this other one in hand (well, claw and tail to be more accurate) I raced back to the other side to save those in danger there. While there were some minor injuries, we were able to prevent the lake from claiming any more lives that day. Scarthos, with some help, dragged the foul fish from the water and we finished it off. It was possessed by some foul demon and had animated the corpses of the missing town members we had come out to look for. While sad that we could not find them alive, we brought their bodies back for a proper burial and now, no one else should fall victim to the lake and the town now has another source of clean, abundant water.
I am concerned about another demon possession killing people. We cannot afford to be under assault of Eshrenel and his forces while also worrying about these encroaching orcs and ogres…
The story of the clearing of the Oxbow Lake as told by Roland... Hopefully it will stand as how the lake became permanently safe for the people of Brushside.
My party had scouted out this lake a few times before I got to town and, heck, even I’d been there before, but we thought it wasn’t worth messing with. I walk around covered in metal which is really not helpful for swimming and the thought of fighting some monster on his turf with no armor was not appealing. When we heard that even more of our colleagues had gone missing exploring it, however, we couldn’t sit on it anymore.
Knowing it had treasure at the bottom, we brought along some of Corviano’s employes who could swim to help collect it after we made it safe. From a previous encounter, we knew that there was some sort of lake monster that attacked when the bed of the lake was disturbed, so we made a really long spoon out of thick branches and a bucket to collect coins and stir up a ruckus. While Corviano’s Crew used the device from the safety of the shallows we stood at the ready, waiting for the monster. I loaded my crossbow and scanned the depths looking for any movement. Scarthos, spell components in hand and the first words of his magics almost on his lips, did the same as Py sat stride her scorpion, ready to strike.
Moments later, I see a fast dart of movement coming straight for us. I fire my crossbow as I hear the first words of Scarthos’ arcane chanting. The beast darted to the side, avoiding my bolt, and went straight for Scarthos, barely missing him in his attack pass. I slashed with my glowing blade as it went past me, making a bloom of dark blood erupt into the lake. The dread fish dove for deep water to come around for another attack but just before it left our vision, Scarthos’ finished his incantations and the beast was stunned. Acting fast, I tossed Scarthos my pickaxe and he made, essentially, a giant fishing line to drag the beast from the water before it could come to. As he was in the depth retrieving the cruel creature, I heard one of the Crew cry out. Two zombies had crawled from the lake while we were focused on the monster and advanced on us. Py, Corviano, and I all rushed our left flank to protect our people. As I struck down one of these abominations, and Py engaged the other, we heard another shout from behind as two more attacked our right flank. Knowing Py had this other one in hand (well, claw and tail to be more accurate) I raced back to the other side to save those in danger there. While there were some minor injuries, we were able to prevent the lake from claiming any more lives that day. Scarthos, with some help, dragged the foul fish from the water and we finished it off. It was possessed by some foul demon and had animated the corpses of the missing town members we had come out to look for. While sad that we could not find them alive, we brought their bodies back for a proper burial and now, no one else should fall victim to the lake and the town now has another source of clean, abundant water.
I am concerned about another demon possession killing people. We cannot afford to be under assault of Eshrenel and his forces while also worrying about these encroaching orcs and ogres…
Session 28:
A prayer offered by the devoted Ex. Corviano after Grundlefin the Demon of Oxbow Lake was finally destroyed.
A prayer offered by Corviano, in the Temple of the Glorious Hero:
Ignimius, O Divine of Men,
In reverence, I beseech thee, thou Exemplar of Exemplars, and Paragon of Paragons. Thy resplendent history, enshrined in sacred tomes of yore, echoes across the annals of time, kindling devotion in faithful hearts. To thee and thy Church, the bastion of truth, I prostrate myself in complete submission. Thou art the chosen vessel, the conduit through which the voice of Valroon, our god, resonates, undistorted and pure.
Grant me, thy humble servant, the privilege of thy divine audience. I entreat thee, in the reflection of the Oxbow Lake's cleansing, a crucible where darkness was dispelled, where the waters, once tainted, now ripple with purity. The echoes of this purgation resonate through the ink of my very soul, as a testament to thy divine grace, inspiring unwavering devotion within my heart.
Protect us, thy devoted flock, from vile demons and the relentless grasp of undead horrors. Strike down the Originator of these foul Presences, a specter whose shadow darkens our path, a scorpion’a sting that lingers, a menace beneath the sands.
I extend mine gratitude for the valiant Roland, whose swift courage raced back and forth along the lake's edge, rescuing the Recompensed Beggars I had brought there. I give thanks for Ulf, who fought alongside us. And for Scarthos, whose cunning helped us ensnare the lake monster, I beseech thee all admonishment and punishment Scarthos, that in thy boundless wisdom and Awful Justice, he may find a better service to thy people.
Whichever path I tread, let it be illuminated by the radiance of thy divine purpose. May my actions be the quill, inscribing wisdom upon the parchment of existence, shielding thy Church and People from the encroaching shadows and the fountain from which the waters of Learning and Wisdom flow for all. O Ignimius, I implore thee, let thy boundless greatness vouchsafe to me the boon I seek in this fervent prayer.
With deepest reverence,
Corviano, Servant of the Church
A prayer offered by the devoted Ex. Corviano after Grundlefin the Demon of Oxbow Lake was finally destroyed.
A prayer offered by Corviano, in the Temple of the Glorious Hero:
Ignimius, O Divine of Men,
In reverence, I beseech thee, thou Exemplar of Exemplars, and Paragon of Paragons. Thy resplendent history, enshrined in sacred tomes of yore, echoes across the annals of time, kindling devotion in faithful hearts. To thee and thy Church, the bastion of truth, I prostrate myself in complete submission. Thou art the chosen vessel, the conduit through which the voice of Valroon, our god, resonates, undistorted and pure.
Grant me, thy humble servant, the privilege of thy divine audience. I entreat thee, in the reflection of the Oxbow Lake's cleansing, a crucible where darkness was dispelled, where the waters, once tainted, now ripple with purity. The echoes of this purgation resonate through the ink of my very soul, as a testament to thy divine grace, inspiring unwavering devotion within my heart.
Protect us, thy devoted flock, from vile demons and the relentless grasp of undead horrors. Strike down the Originator of these foul Presences, a specter whose shadow darkens our path, a scorpion’a sting that lingers, a menace beneath the sands.
I extend mine gratitude for the valiant Roland, whose swift courage raced back and forth along the lake's edge, rescuing the Recompensed Beggars I had brought there. I give thanks for Ulf, who fought alongside us. And for Scarthos, whose cunning helped us ensnare the lake monster, I beseech thee all admonishment and punishment Scarthos, that in thy boundless wisdom and Awful Justice, he may find a better service to thy people.
Whichever path I tread, let it be illuminated by the radiance of thy divine purpose. May my actions be the quill, inscribing wisdom upon the parchment of existence, shielding thy Church and People from the encroaching shadows and the fountain from which the waters of Learning and Wisdom flow for all. O Ignimius, I implore thee, let thy boundless greatness vouchsafe to me the boon I seek in this fervent prayer.
With deepest reverence,
Corviano, Servant of the Church
Session 29
Session 29:
An anguished prayer offered by a grieved brother, Ex. Corviano.
Ignimius, Divine Guardian of Souls, I beseech thee, thou Sovereign of Afterlife, to incline thine ear to this lamentation, a mournful dirge echoing from the depths of mine very being. With a heart heavy as a tome of ancient lore, I lay bare my transgressions.
In the Thorny Grove, where shadows entwine with thorns, my brother Bryst, erstwhile a valorous spirit, found himself ensnared in the cruel clutches of undeath, a revenant robbed of the peace he deserved. The blame rests upon my shoulders, for I failed in my sacred duty. I believed the blessings of the Great Ospreys, residing in the grand tree, would safeguard him. Alas, foul treachery befell those noble fowls, expelling them from their sanctuary. In their absence, malevolence seized Bryst, binding his spirit to the very corpse that once housed his vibrant essence. His anguished cries reverberated through the grove, "LEFT," he cried aloud, a haunting testament to my heedlessness.
In my desperation at the sight of my dear brother, undead, I invoked thy divine power, channeling the miracles bestowed upon me by thy Church. With the fervor of my unwavering faith, I stemmed the tides of darkness, quashing the malevolent force that had animated Bryst's form. As the vile energy dissipated, his body lay lifeless once more, a stark reminder of the duty I had forsaken.
Now, burdened by this weighty obligation, I traverse deeper into the Grove, bearing Bryst's remains bundled in my pack. I solemnly vow, O Ignimius, to honor his memory with a sacred burial, to inter him in consecrated ground where he may find eternal repose. I implore thee, watch over his soul as he embarks upon the Underworld's labyrinthine paths, unburdened by the weight of my neglect, until he faces the Trials of the Dead.
O Ignimius, in penitence and fervent supplication, let thy divine greatness vouchsafe to me what I ask of thee in this prayer.
An anguished prayer offered by a grieved brother, Ex. Corviano.
Ignimius, Divine Guardian of Souls, I beseech thee, thou Sovereign of Afterlife, to incline thine ear to this lamentation, a mournful dirge echoing from the depths of mine very being. With a heart heavy as a tome of ancient lore, I lay bare my transgressions.
In the Thorny Grove, where shadows entwine with thorns, my brother Bryst, erstwhile a valorous spirit, found himself ensnared in the cruel clutches of undeath, a revenant robbed of the peace he deserved. The blame rests upon my shoulders, for I failed in my sacred duty. I believed the blessings of the Great Ospreys, residing in the grand tree, would safeguard him. Alas, foul treachery befell those noble fowls, expelling them from their sanctuary. In their absence, malevolence seized Bryst, binding his spirit to the very corpse that once housed his vibrant essence. His anguished cries reverberated through the grove, "LEFT," he cried aloud, a haunting testament to my heedlessness.
In my desperation at the sight of my dear brother, undead, I invoked thy divine power, channeling the miracles bestowed upon me by thy Church. With the fervor of my unwavering faith, I stemmed the tides of darkness, quashing the malevolent force that had animated Bryst's form. As the vile energy dissipated, his body lay lifeless once more, a stark reminder of the duty I had forsaken.
Now, burdened by this weighty obligation, I traverse deeper into the Grove, bearing Bryst's remains bundled in my pack. I solemnly vow, O Ignimius, to honor his memory with a sacred burial, to inter him in consecrated ground where he may find eternal repose. I implore thee, watch over his soul as he embarks upon the Underworld's labyrinthine paths, unburdened by the weight of my neglect, until he faces the Trials of the Dead.
O Ignimius, in penitence and fervent supplication, let thy divine greatness vouchsafe to me what I ask of thee in this prayer.
Session 30
Session 30:
The first to disseminate their version of the latest foray into the Thorny Grove is Roland... In the Lion's Paw Tavern he entitles his tail "Fighting Ferocious Frozen Foes in the Chilled Cone Cavern". No one has reason to think it leaves out major events that shaped the course of the battle.
We entered into a deal with a wizard who had used Fly to scout the grove. She provided information as to a location of interest and, in exchange, we’d give her some of the loot we find. I could not leave right away, as Derrick Cole was seriously ill and needed to be stabilized before I could join the party in the Grove. As soon as Derrick looked like he was in the clear, I geared up and went after everyone else. I caught up with Py, Scarthos, Corviano, Uly, and Freya on the edge of a very strange hole in the ground. It was cone shaped and covered in ice that melted into slime when fire was applied. What made it even stranger was that after some time, it refroze on its own despite the temperature that day being above freezing!
Not taking any chances on something so strange and slippery, Ulf used his climbing skills and rope to secure a safe way down into the maw of the cavern. As he worked his way down, it opened into a larger room where almost a dozen 5 foot long blue and white monstrous beetles skittered along the floor. Corviano noticed signs of small animal struggle near the edge of the sinkhole earlier, so we devised a plan using a summoned prey creature and Scarthos’ wizardry to take care of these scurrying scoundrels. Carrying a summoned construct of a rabbit with him, Scarthos made his way carefully down the rope till he could see the creatures. He tossed the fauxbbit in the middle of the beetles, who all rushed it making them perfect fodder for his magical manipulations. As they fought over the remains, Scarthos summoned a fireball in their midst, killing all but three of them. Two badly injured ones escaped leaving just one beetle left on that level. I climbed down and engaged this beetle while the rest of the party joined. As I struck it down, it hit me with some sort of freezing blast from its gruesome mandibles that superchilled my armor. Thankfully, I had further protection on under my armor or the chill would have frozen it to my skin!
While Ulf prepared the rope to go down the opening the two injured beetles used to escape, we searched this floor and found the remains of one of the missing adventurers that Corviano knew. We collected his corpse so we could return with it to give it a proper burial. As we finished this, Ulf came climbing back up from the level below with two beetles in pursuit. Py swung down at the first beetle as it emerged but the beetle somehow parried and pulled the blade as she attacked. She lost her balance and fell to the floor below, which was a slanted tunnel leading down to another hole. Unable to get her grip, she started sliding down. While the rest of us took care of the two beetles, Scarthos jumped down the rope and slid after Py, catching her just before she fell to the third level.
As they caught their breath and got ready to climb back up the rope to rejoin us, there was a rumbling sound and a gigantic worm rose up from the opening next to them. Right before it could bite down on them, Scarthos hit it with magical force giving them time to escape back up to our level. Right on their heels, the worm rose up and attacked. It sprayed Ulf, covering him with freezing goo and then swung around hitting both me and Py. The hit was so fierce it knocked us both to the ground and I lost consciousness. I came to with Corviano standing over me having just healed me.
I quickly took in the situation. Py, having downed one of the healing potions, animated flames from Freya’s dropped torch and sent them at the worm. Ulf, having just been struck by the creature, took one step and collapsed. Scarthos, his hand crackling with negative energy, grasped the monster sending the energy coursing into it. Freya, having already sent multiple arrows into it, launched in another. I jumped to my feet and engaged the worm just as Freya’s final shot tore into one side of its head and through the other side. As it collapsed down the hole, I took a swipe and so did Scarthos. Not knowing what else might be below, we climbed back out of the cave to rest for the night before continuing. As we explored later, only a few beetles remained that we quickly dispatched.
The first to disseminate their version of the latest foray into the Thorny Grove is Roland... In the Lion's Paw Tavern he entitles his tail "Fighting Ferocious Frozen Foes in the Chilled Cone Cavern". No one has reason to think it leaves out major events that shaped the course of the battle.
We entered into a deal with a wizard who had used Fly to scout the grove. She provided information as to a location of interest and, in exchange, we’d give her some of the loot we find. I could not leave right away, as Derrick Cole was seriously ill and needed to be stabilized before I could join the party in the Grove. As soon as Derrick looked like he was in the clear, I geared up and went after everyone else. I caught up with Py, Scarthos, Corviano, Uly, and Freya on the edge of a very strange hole in the ground. It was cone shaped and covered in ice that melted into slime when fire was applied. What made it even stranger was that after some time, it refroze on its own despite the temperature that day being above freezing!
Not taking any chances on something so strange and slippery, Ulf used his climbing skills and rope to secure a safe way down into the maw of the cavern. As he worked his way down, it opened into a larger room where almost a dozen 5 foot long blue and white monstrous beetles skittered along the floor. Corviano noticed signs of small animal struggle near the edge of the sinkhole earlier, so we devised a plan using a summoned prey creature and Scarthos’ wizardry to take care of these scurrying scoundrels. Carrying a summoned construct of a rabbit with him, Scarthos made his way carefully down the rope till he could see the creatures. He tossed the fauxbbit in the middle of the beetles, who all rushed it making them perfect fodder for his magical manipulations. As they fought over the remains, Scarthos summoned a fireball in their midst, killing all but three of them. Two badly injured ones escaped leaving just one beetle left on that level. I climbed down and engaged this beetle while the rest of the party joined. As I struck it down, it hit me with some sort of freezing blast from its gruesome mandibles that superchilled my armor. Thankfully, I had further protection on under my armor or the chill would have frozen it to my skin!
While Ulf prepared the rope to go down the opening the two injured beetles used to escape, we searched this floor and found the remains of one of the missing adventurers that Corviano knew. We collected his corpse so we could return with it to give it a proper burial. As we finished this, Ulf came climbing back up from the level below with two beetles in pursuit. Py swung down at the first beetle as it emerged but the beetle somehow parried and pulled the blade as she attacked. She lost her balance and fell to the floor below, which was a slanted tunnel leading down to another hole. Unable to get her grip, she started sliding down. While the rest of us took care of the two beetles, Scarthos jumped down the rope and slid after Py, catching her just before she fell to the third level.
As they caught their breath and got ready to climb back up the rope to rejoin us, there was a rumbling sound and a gigantic worm rose up from the opening next to them. Right before it could bite down on them, Scarthos hit it with magical force giving them time to escape back up to our level. Right on their heels, the worm rose up and attacked. It sprayed Ulf, covering him with freezing goo and then swung around hitting both me and Py. The hit was so fierce it knocked us both to the ground and I lost consciousness. I came to with Corviano standing over me having just healed me.
I quickly took in the situation. Py, having downed one of the healing potions, animated flames from Freya’s dropped torch and sent them at the worm. Ulf, having just been struck by the creature, took one step and collapsed. Scarthos, his hand crackling with negative energy, grasped the monster sending the energy coursing into it. Freya, having already sent multiple arrows into it, launched in another. I jumped to my feet and engaged the worm just as Freya’s final shot tore into one side of its head and through the other side. As it collapsed down the hole, I took a swipe and so did Scarthos. Not knowing what else might be below, we climbed back out of the cave to rest for the night before continuing. As we explored later, only a few beetles remained that we quickly dispatched.
Session 30:
After the exploration of the Frozen Slime Cave Corviano writes a letter to Osgood a sage and ally.
To the venerable and excellent Osgood, sage of Equm, Corviano, exemplar and historian of the Church, hearken unto us in the spirit of scholarly fellowship.
In our present days, our endeavors in the hinterlands of Brushside do consume our hours, as we labor to advance the cause of civilization and alleviate the burdens of life. Yet amidst these toils, our thoughts harken back to our adventures in the Thorny Grove.
At our side stand three valiant warriors, Roland, Freya, and Ulf the Shadowhunter, blessed companions in our quests. Alas, we find our own contributions wanting. Consider an expedition undertaken on the 12th day before the Kalends of Orile: within the Thorny Grove, we stumbled upon an icy cave, ensconced in frozen slime. Unsurprisingly, within this cavern dwelled a fearsome ice worm, a monstrous foe that nearly claimed us. Roland, Ulf, and Freya smote it with their weapons, while Skarthos, the mage, wielded horrible negative energies. Another sorcerer conjured infernal fires and weapons to assail the beast. Our attempts, alas, faltered. We slung stones and kindled our torch in vain, our efforts ending in failure, as is often our fate.
Admittedly, fortune and divine favor have occasionally granted us victories in battle. Yet, we confess in utmost secrecy to thee, these triumphs owe much to chance and the blessings of Ignimius. We can parse the most subtle conjugations of the elves, yet the language of combat eludes us. Still, we are grateful for the miraculous powers bestowed by the church. In the aforementioned cave, we healed Roland, rescuing him from certain demise.
However, as earthly riches accumulate and administrative duties encroach upon our time, we yearn to be of greater aid to our comrades. Thus, we reach out to thee. Should thou be privy to knowledge of wondrous artifacts that could enhance our abilities, and their owners be open to barter, we would be profoundly thankful. Rest assured, we shall generously reward thy assistance.
Orile have you in his blessing and in his keeping. Written at Feather’s Edge, the 28th of Primense, 939, Per Exemplar Corviano
After the exploration of the Frozen Slime Cave Corviano writes a letter to Osgood a sage and ally.
To the venerable and excellent Osgood, sage of Equm, Corviano, exemplar and historian of the Church, hearken unto us in the spirit of scholarly fellowship.
In our present days, our endeavors in the hinterlands of Brushside do consume our hours, as we labor to advance the cause of civilization and alleviate the burdens of life. Yet amidst these toils, our thoughts harken back to our adventures in the Thorny Grove.
At our side stand three valiant warriors, Roland, Freya, and Ulf the Shadowhunter, blessed companions in our quests. Alas, we find our own contributions wanting. Consider an expedition undertaken on the 12th day before the Kalends of Orile: within the Thorny Grove, we stumbled upon an icy cave, ensconced in frozen slime. Unsurprisingly, within this cavern dwelled a fearsome ice worm, a monstrous foe that nearly claimed us. Roland, Ulf, and Freya smote it with their weapons, while Skarthos, the mage, wielded horrible negative energies. Another sorcerer conjured infernal fires and weapons to assail the beast. Our attempts, alas, faltered. We slung stones and kindled our torch in vain, our efforts ending in failure, as is often our fate.
Admittedly, fortune and divine favor have occasionally granted us victories in battle. Yet, we confess in utmost secrecy to thee, these triumphs owe much to chance and the blessings of Ignimius. We can parse the most subtle conjugations of the elves, yet the language of combat eludes us. Still, we are grateful for the miraculous powers bestowed by the church. In the aforementioned cave, we healed Roland, rescuing him from certain demise.
However, as earthly riches accumulate and administrative duties encroach upon our time, we yearn to be of greater aid to our comrades. Thus, we reach out to thee. Should thou be privy to knowledge of wondrous artifacts that could enhance our abilities, and their owners be open to barter, we would be profoundly thankful. Rest assured, we shall generously reward thy assistance.
Orile have you in his blessing and in his keeping. Written at Feather’s Edge, the 28th of Primense, 939, Per Exemplar Corviano
Session 31
Session 31:
Having noticed that Scarthos sometimes writes down his thoughts and days in a journal, Roland grabs a paper and a quill. Thinking “I might as well keep in practice with this whole reading and writing thing..” he writes down the events of the last trek into the Thorny Grove.
It’s been a full past few days. First, we hear from the town crier that Sheridan, the leader of the town, is taking a census of sorts of everyone of fighting strength in town. We go along with it and sign up. We are all certainly ready to defend Brushside. Heck, we’ve been doing that for months already anyway! In addition to the census, all are ordered not to mess with the orcs. This kinda threw a hiccup in some of my thoughts with how we could weaken them, but we soon learned why when we were called in front of Sheridan. I won’t repeat what happened with the meeting, as I don’t know who might find this and we were asked not to tell anyone. Its easiest to keep secrets if you don’t say them!
Oh, and to top it off, two guys fed me some story about how my sword was actually theirs and they attacked me to take it! It didn’t go well for them and they ran off after only a matter of seconds. If that encounter is any indication, I would say the sword thinks I’m the rightful owner.
We got the impression that we had some time before Sheridan would need us, so we met up with the flying wizard lady with the info on locations. We paid the gold fee she demands and she told us about a carved stone entrance into some sort of cavern complex that had caught her eye so we set off to find it. Along the way, we passed the Oxbow lake. We noticed that a lot of the trees had been cleared and there were people working on building a dock. Don’t get me wrong. I greatly like the riches we find in the grove and I’m not going to lie and say that isn’t why I go, but at the same time, it is highly fulfilling to see that our actions are also making the lives of people better in addition to our financial prospects.
When we hit the Grove proper, the wizards played around with magics to test some theories they had with insects and anti-plant magics. It… did something, but they seemed disappointed in the results. Some grove died, but not enough for it to matter and I suspect it will come back like it always does. That’s why we try things though! Ya never know!
After that we hacked our way through until we found a small path leading in the direction we believed would take us to the cavern. As we traveled along this trail, I noticed something strange in a tree. Hanging by its neck, with one eye gouged out, a dead and half gone rat slowly rotated in the breeze. Further along, we found a blackbird in the same state, and then another woodland creature after another all field dressed the same creepy way.
About 30 minutes later, the pathway opened up into a small clearing containing the sought after cavern entrance. Taking the lead, we head inside and quickly come to some sort of extremely crude door. It was more just planks stuck together with pegs than a proper door. It wasn’t even on hinges! I grabbed it and pulled it aside. As I did so, three rocks fell and echoed further into the chamber. Whatever this cave contains, we just let it know we were here. This is confirmed as I see the shadow of some humanoid creature flee deeper into the cavern. I start to follow and as I pass a hallway, two rocks come flying past my head. I turn and charge towards the source.
As I get close, my sword illuminating the way, a handful of these creatures came into view. They looked like some sort of half orc, half goblin creature but with only one eye! They weren’t too tough, though, so we quickly dispatched them and using a Swarm, Py started clearing hallways and rooms. When we hit a T, we started heading one way when Corviano said something in some godless tongue and ran away from the party in the other direction. Cursing, I chased after and found him staring blankly ahead at 5 more of these creatures.
Thankfully he wasn’t killed for his foolishness outright as Scarthos quickly sent out magic to incapacitate all 5 of them at once. When they fell, Corviano snapped out of it and promised not to do a dumbass thing like that again. We went down the original hallway and encountered what looked to be some sort of strange ritual being performed by 3 of the one eyed creatures. Py sent her swam over them and I scratched out the circle they were standing on. Nothing seemed to come from the strange activities of these 3. Was it just a distraction from what came next?
For when we looked back where Corviano ran into the 5 monsters, they were all now gone and others of these monsters attacked us from multiple directions. Two of them were larger and wielding two clubs. They hit pretty hard, but didn’t for very long. And that was it!
We found a mystical necklace and a couple of earrings that mostly worked for things called “Cyclopean Monstrosities” which I guess is what these are called. When we got back to town, we paid taxes and the wizard lady ended up wining the necklace on a roll for giving us the information. Not a super interesting venture into the grove, but we made some profit. Next time, though, I need to remember to get the chainmail from Ulf before heading out if he isn’t coming with us. That was a boneheaded thing to let slip my mind!
Having noticed that Scarthos sometimes writes down his thoughts and days in a journal, Roland grabs a paper and a quill. Thinking “I might as well keep in practice with this whole reading and writing thing..” he writes down the events of the last trek into the Thorny Grove.
It’s been a full past few days. First, we hear from the town crier that Sheridan, the leader of the town, is taking a census of sorts of everyone of fighting strength in town. We go along with it and sign up. We are all certainly ready to defend Brushside. Heck, we’ve been doing that for months already anyway! In addition to the census, all are ordered not to mess with the orcs. This kinda threw a hiccup in some of my thoughts with how we could weaken them, but we soon learned why when we were called in front of Sheridan. I won’t repeat what happened with the meeting, as I don’t know who might find this and we were asked not to tell anyone. Its easiest to keep secrets if you don’t say them!
Oh, and to top it off, two guys fed me some story about how my sword was actually theirs and they attacked me to take it! It didn’t go well for them and they ran off after only a matter of seconds. If that encounter is any indication, I would say the sword thinks I’m the rightful owner.
We got the impression that we had some time before Sheridan would need us, so we met up with the flying wizard lady with the info on locations. We paid the gold fee she demands and she told us about a carved stone entrance into some sort of cavern complex that had caught her eye so we set off to find it. Along the way, we passed the Oxbow lake. We noticed that a lot of the trees had been cleared and there were people working on building a dock. Don’t get me wrong. I greatly like the riches we find in the grove and I’m not going to lie and say that isn’t why I go, but at the same time, it is highly fulfilling to see that our actions are also making the lives of people better in addition to our financial prospects.
When we hit the Grove proper, the wizards played around with magics to test some theories they had with insects and anti-plant magics. It… did something, but they seemed disappointed in the results. Some grove died, but not enough for it to matter and I suspect it will come back like it always does. That’s why we try things though! Ya never know!
After that we hacked our way through until we found a small path leading in the direction we believed would take us to the cavern. As we traveled along this trail, I noticed something strange in a tree. Hanging by its neck, with one eye gouged out, a dead and half gone rat slowly rotated in the breeze. Further along, we found a blackbird in the same state, and then another woodland creature after another all field dressed the same creepy way.
About 30 minutes later, the pathway opened up into a small clearing containing the sought after cavern entrance. Taking the lead, we head inside and quickly come to some sort of extremely crude door. It was more just planks stuck together with pegs than a proper door. It wasn’t even on hinges! I grabbed it and pulled it aside. As I did so, three rocks fell and echoed further into the chamber. Whatever this cave contains, we just let it know we were here. This is confirmed as I see the shadow of some humanoid creature flee deeper into the cavern. I start to follow and as I pass a hallway, two rocks come flying past my head. I turn and charge towards the source.
As I get close, my sword illuminating the way, a handful of these creatures came into view. They looked like some sort of half orc, half goblin creature but with only one eye! They weren’t too tough, though, so we quickly dispatched them and using a Swarm, Py started clearing hallways and rooms. When we hit a T, we started heading one way when Corviano said something in some godless tongue and ran away from the party in the other direction. Cursing, I chased after and found him staring blankly ahead at 5 more of these creatures.
Thankfully he wasn’t killed for his foolishness outright as Scarthos quickly sent out magic to incapacitate all 5 of them at once. When they fell, Corviano snapped out of it and promised not to do a dumbass thing like that again. We went down the original hallway and encountered what looked to be some sort of strange ritual being performed by 3 of the one eyed creatures. Py sent her swam over them and I scratched out the circle they were standing on. Nothing seemed to come from the strange activities of these 3. Was it just a distraction from what came next?
For when we looked back where Corviano ran into the 5 monsters, they were all now gone and others of these monsters attacked us from multiple directions. Two of them were larger and wielding two clubs. They hit pretty hard, but didn’t for very long. And that was it!
We found a mystical necklace and a couple of earrings that mostly worked for things called “Cyclopean Monstrosities” which I guess is what these are called. When we got back to town, we paid taxes and the wizard lady ended up wining the necklace on a roll for giving us the information. Not a super interesting venture into the grove, but we made some profit. Next time, though, I need to remember to get the chainmail from Ulf before heading out if he isn’t coming with us. That was a boneheaded thing to let slip my mind!
Session 31:
After the discovery and defeat of the Cyclopean Monstrosities Corviano writes a letter to a knowledgeable academician.
To the right Magister Therionus of the Academy of Ban Gentul of Edry at Ivystone Lane,
We humbly beseech thee, esteemed Magister, to accept our greetings. Pray, may this missive find thee in robust health and fervent spirits. In our recent forays, peradventure, we hath encountered a humanoid presence within the Grove, whose form, function, and fettle hath heretofore been unbeknownst to us. Venture we did into their subterranean abode, and herein enclose we a map of their dwelling. Thou shalt also find our sketches of peculiar totems suspended from the Grove's verdant stems, outside their lair, their arcane symbolism escaping our meager understanding.
This enigmatic being, marked by a singular, grueful eye, emanated a divine aura that bespoke an ancient lineage, a blend of orcish and goblinoid essence heretofore unimagined. In our attempts at parley, employing both goblin and orcish tongues, we discerned no spark of recognition within their solitary orb. Whether a common tongue among the Grove's denizens exists or if these creatures, akin to the diminutive furry goblinoids we previously discussed, do not speaketh, remains a riddle unsolved.
When our attempts at discourse foundered, the creatures met their inexorable fate. Subsequent to their demise, we happened upon arcane artifacts, indicating their kind to be known as "Cyclopean Monstrosities." Our curiosity is deeply piqued, and we implore thee, venerable Magister, if thy vast repository of knowledge holds any insights into these cryptic beings or their enigmatic origins.
With earnest anticipation, we await thine esteemed counsel and wisdom.
So once again, and yet once more, Farewell most heartily. Corviano
After the discovery and defeat of the Cyclopean Monstrosities Corviano writes a letter to a knowledgeable academician.
To the right Magister Therionus of the Academy of Ban Gentul of Edry at Ivystone Lane,
We humbly beseech thee, esteemed Magister, to accept our greetings. Pray, may this missive find thee in robust health and fervent spirits. In our recent forays, peradventure, we hath encountered a humanoid presence within the Grove, whose form, function, and fettle hath heretofore been unbeknownst to us. Venture we did into their subterranean abode, and herein enclose we a map of their dwelling. Thou shalt also find our sketches of peculiar totems suspended from the Grove's verdant stems, outside their lair, their arcane symbolism escaping our meager understanding.
This enigmatic being, marked by a singular, grueful eye, emanated a divine aura that bespoke an ancient lineage, a blend of orcish and goblinoid essence heretofore unimagined. In our attempts at parley, employing both goblin and orcish tongues, we discerned no spark of recognition within their solitary orb. Whether a common tongue among the Grove's denizens exists or if these creatures, akin to the diminutive furry goblinoids we previously discussed, do not speaketh, remains a riddle unsolved.
When our attempts at discourse foundered, the creatures met their inexorable fate. Subsequent to their demise, we happened upon arcane artifacts, indicating their kind to be known as "Cyclopean Monstrosities." Our curiosity is deeply piqued, and we implore thee, venerable Magister, if thy vast repository of knowledge holds any insights into these cryptic beings or their enigmatic origins.
With earnest anticipation, we await thine esteemed counsel and wisdom.
So once again, and yet once more, Farewell most heartily. Corviano
Session 32
Session 32:
Crawling out of the bowels of the Citadel the party has a tail of heroism to tell, Roland however decided to record mainly the truth in the journal he uses to practice his letters.
Horsestrocities and Horrid, Hidden Fae
Knowing that the orc army would eventually besiege Brushside, Sheridan asked us to explore a water source that is under the Citadel. This water source was discovered about 25 years ago, but it was guarded by some sort of demon horse creature. Many died and they sealed it up. If we get cut off from the river, the town will need another source of water so we agreed to check it out.
On the bricked-up wall, there was a drawing of a horse rearing out of what looked like a river of some sort, serving as a warning and confirming the stories Sheridan told us. Some workers smashed down the wall, revealing a stairway. I went first, with Ulf and Corviano right behind me. After descending for about half a minute, I heard something crumbling and the stairs beneath my feet disintegrated. Py, Freya, and Scarthos were far enough behind but Ulf, Corviano and I all tumbled down the stairs along with debris and various strange objects such as urns, bowls, candlesticks, and cutlery. We all survived, but every time I moved my arms or took a deep breath, I felt sharp pains going through my entire chest. Not a good start to a giant monster fight!
We dusted ourselves off and took in the situation. A rapidly moving stream of water flowed along the floor UP from a hole in the ground at the far end of the room ending in a reverse waterfall going up the wall and ending on the ceiling! The floor was covered in pots, pans, and hundreds of random household items, not just from the stair collapse. Something had collected them and placed them around the chamber.
Shortly after Scarthos finished tying a rope up above, so the rest of the party could get safely down (and all of us safely back up later) we heard a sinister whinny and from out of the darkness came a half horse, half eel monstrosity which charged us. It attacked with bites and hooves and then reared back and breathed out boiling water, covering me and Ulf. Then, something small stabbed Corviano. He looked around but saw no one who would have done that. This happened a few more times. After hitting this Horsestrocity with multiple arrows, it was looking really rough. Freya fired one last arrow, which would have finished it off, but it unnaturally dodged.
Upon seeing this, Py recognized a phantasm for what it is. “It isn’t real, its an illusion!” she cried out right as it reared back to breathe boiling water over me and Freya. I scoffed and walked through the fantasy of a twisted mind, knowing I’d be safe. The creature disappeared, but we were still getting needled from something. Py heard the twang of a bow from behind her and wheeled around unleashing a massive gust of wind from her magic ring. There was a high-pitched scream that ended in a thud against the wall. Feeling around, she found an unconscious pixie, which she made sure would never wake up and torment this town again.
With the pixie dead and its magic along with it, the water reversed course and drained down the hole, trying to take us with it. Fortunately, we were able to avoid being washed away down the hole and now the town has a safer source of water.
Crawling out of the bowels of the Citadel the party has a tail of heroism to tell, Roland however decided to record mainly the truth in the journal he uses to practice his letters.
Horsestrocities and Horrid, Hidden Fae
Knowing that the orc army would eventually besiege Brushside, Sheridan asked us to explore a water source that is under the Citadel. This water source was discovered about 25 years ago, but it was guarded by some sort of demon horse creature. Many died and they sealed it up. If we get cut off from the river, the town will need another source of water so we agreed to check it out.
On the bricked-up wall, there was a drawing of a horse rearing out of what looked like a river of some sort, serving as a warning and confirming the stories Sheridan told us. Some workers smashed down the wall, revealing a stairway. I went first, with Ulf and Corviano right behind me. After descending for about half a minute, I heard something crumbling and the stairs beneath my feet disintegrated. Py, Freya, and Scarthos were far enough behind but Ulf, Corviano and I all tumbled down the stairs along with debris and various strange objects such as urns, bowls, candlesticks, and cutlery. We all survived, but every time I moved my arms or took a deep breath, I felt sharp pains going through my entire chest. Not a good start to a giant monster fight!
We dusted ourselves off and took in the situation. A rapidly moving stream of water flowed along the floor UP from a hole in the ground at the far end of the room ending in a reverse waterfall going up the wall and ending on the ceiling! The floor was covered in pots, pans, and hundreds of random household items, not just from the stair collapse. Something had collected them and placed them around the chamber.
Shortly after Scarthos finished tying a rope up above, so the rest of the party could get safely down (and all of us safely back up later) we heard a sinister whinny and from out of the darkness came a half horse, half eel monstrosity which charged us. It attacked with bites and hooves and then reared back and breathed out boiling water, covering me and Ulf. Then, something small stabbed Corviano. He looked around but saw no one who would have done that. This happened a few more times. After hitting this Horsestrocity with multiple arrows, it was looking really rough. Freya fired one last arrow, which would have finished it off, but it unnaturally dodged.
Upon seeing this, Py recognized a phantasm for what it is. “It isn’t real, its an illusion!” she cried out right as it reared back to breathe boiling water over me and Freya. I scoffed and walked through the fantasy of a twisted mind, knowing I’d be safe. The creature disappeared, but we were still getting needled from something. Py heard the twang of a bow from behind her and wheeled around unleashing a massive gust of wind from her magic ring. There was a high-pitched scream that ended in a thud against the wall. Feeling around, she found an unconscious pixie, which she made sure would never wake up and torment this town again.
With the pixie dead and its magic along with it, the water reversed course and drained down the hole, trying to take us with it. Fortunately, we were able to avoid being washed away down the hole and now the town has a safer source of water.
Session 33
Session 33:
The betrayal of Brushside put to verse by Freya. Valrenian thinks its great... after just a few tweaks.
Brushside to arms, the orcs have appeared
ringed round our town and all we hold dear.
Outbuildings aflame, put to the torch.
Corviano's chateau naught but a scorched
ruin. Panic begins to run free,
looters, and worse, in our town on a spree.
Shadowhunter Ulf, across looters he came.
With rescued supplies, briefly was he blamed.
Proof he did offer, healing from the gods.
The soldiers released him and bettered our odds.
Not a moment too soon, as a boulder flew in.
A giant did heave it, with the strength of 10 men.
Our heroes, a crew of adventurers, ran fast.
To a gate in the wall, a large number amassed.
Ready, their skill and might did they proffer.
Unreasonable Jericho spurned all they offered.
"Away from the gate, your help is not needed"
Corviano refused, a premonition had seeded.
Why turn away fighters, all armed to the teeth?
A suspicion was forming that beggared belief.
A crew of just six waited, secreted, they hid,
and watched at the gate, Brushside! Be glad they did!
A treason, a tragedy, the gate, it swung high.
The orcs breached the town, disaster was nigh.
Our heroes, the six, into action sprang they.
Each had a part, all important to play.
Scarthos sent mindbreak, the orcs to forestall.
Ulf bravely, gateside, stood risking it all.
Freya with arrows an ogre did fell.
Pye's swarm, orcs devoured, too many to tell.
But Roland, great hero, the whole town he saved.
He ran to the tower and though he is brave,
Inside, a fate waited, unfairly, the worst.
A soldier stood fighting, unknowingly cursed.
Roland, heartbroken but faithful, he did,
cut down the soldier, in truth, just a kid.
The gate? Roland closed it, the danger had passed!
Except for the giant, who boulders did cast.
Corviano, the priest, not known for his fighting,
Blindness he cast, the giant ran, smiting
itself on a building, knocked out, not down to stay
Corviano and mace waded into the fray.
Brushside, believe it! Corviano stood tall
beheading the giant, he protected us all.
The betrayal of Brushside put to verse by Freya. Valrenian thinks its great... after just a few tweaks.
Brushside to arms, the orcs have appeared
ringed round our town and all we hold dear.
Outbuildings aflame, put to the torch.
Corviano's chateau naught but a scorched
ruin. Panic begins to run free,
looters, and worse, in our town on a spree.
Shadowhunter Ulf, across looters he came.
With rescued supplies, briefly was he blamed.
Proof he did offer, healing from the gods.
The soldiers released him and bettered our odds.
Not a moment too soon, as a boulder flew in.
A giant did heave it, with the strength of 10 men.
Our heroes, a crew of adventurers, ran fast.
To a gate in the wall, a large number amassed.
Ready, their skill and might did they proffer.
Unreasonable Jericho spurned all they offered.
"Away from the gate, your help is not needed"
Corviano refused, a premonition had seeded.
Why turn away fighters, all armed to the teeth?
A suspicion was forming that beggared belief.
A crew of just six waited, secreted, they hid,
and watched at the gate, Brushside! Be glad they did!
A treason, a tragedy, the gate, it swung high.
The orcs breached the town, disaster was nigh.
Our heroes, the six, into action sprang they.
Each had a part, all important to play.
Scarthos sent mindbreak, the orcs to forestall.
Ulf bravely, gateside, stood risking it all.
Freya with arrows an ogre did fell.
Pye's swarm, orcs devoured, too many to tell.
But Roland, great hero, the whole town he saved.
He ran to the tower and though he is brave,
Inside, a fate waited, unfairly, the worst.
A soldier stood fighting, unknowingly cursed.
Roland, heartbroken but faithful, he did,
cut down the soldier, in truth, just a kid.
The gate? Roland closed it, the danger had passed!
Except for the giant, who boulders did cast.
Corviano, the priest, not known for his fighting,
Blindness he cast, the giant ran, smiting
itself on a building, knocked out, not down to stay
Corviano and mace waded into the fray.
Brushside, believe it! Corviano stood tall
beheading the giant, he protected us all.
Session 35
Session 35:
The resent events of the siege are the subject of a song Freya's is working on. Valrenian thinks its great... but why doesn't it mention Quinn the Werebat? The people want to hear about Quinn the Werebat!
Our city besieged, sadly stifled within
brave scouts, with lives they're willing to spend,
News of our allies we desperately need.
Information, hard fought, we will certainly heed.
An army approaches, reinforcements we hail,
arriving on time, our scouts on their trail.
One week, though, remains until the big battle.
we spend it in planning and harassing at all
times. Our minds are set on reducing the dangers.
Orcs, ogres, giants, priests, wizards, our rangers
have found out their leader's place of abode.
We poke and prod, always to lighten our load,
and even the odds faced the battle to begin,
Brushside, determined to prevail and to win.
The resent events of the siege are the subject of a song Freya's is working on. Valrenian thinks its great... but why doesn't it mention Quinn the Werebat? The people want to hear about Quinn the Werebat!
Our city besieged, sadly stifled within
brave scouts, with lives they're willing to spend,
News of our allies we desperately need.
Information, hard fought, we will certainly heed.
An army approaches, reinforcements we hail,
arriving on time, our scouts on their trail.
One week, though, remains until the big battle.
we spend it in planning and harassing at all
times. Our minds are set on reducing the dangers.
Orcs, ogres, giants, priests, wizards, our rangers
have found out their leader's place of abode.
We poke and prod, always to lighten our load,
and even the odds faced the battle to begin,
Brushside, determined to prevail and to win.
Session 37
Session 37:
The siege is broken and the party are all big damn heroes! Freya's song's are quickly becoming the accepted chronical of the party and Brushside as a whole, and the story of the breaking of the siege is no exception.
All through the countryside the orc army had tramped,
Til around fair Brushside the foul creatures camped.
The siege stretched on and the food did run low,
Then Brushside’s favorite heroes struck a mighty blow.
Slipped out as assassins, went after Old Trug.
The orc leader should have kept his cat pelt as a rug.
Our heroes rushed back, defending the town.
Roland, the cat pelt, wore like a crown.
Scarthos and Ulf lent their claymore and dagger,
Helped push back the orcs with a smile and swagger.
Pye loosed her swarms, the orcs they did slaughter.
Losing their nerve, orcs fell back like water.
Freya shot arrows, they flew to the enemy,
So many she loosed that her quiver ran empty.
No more to shoot, Freya shouts, “Need ammunition!”
A boy from the town made it his mission.
Four ogres she felled, before Corviano charged
The rest like a madman. His targets loomed large.
Hobgoblin elites broke through the orc ranks.
Brushside surely owes the hobgoblins thanks.
The battle is over, destruction so awful. In
Time, townsfolk arrived like Jordan McLaughlin.
He retrieved Freya’s arrows. We owe him all thanks!
So, Brushside, rejoice! And buy him some drinks!
The siege is broken and the party are all big damn heroes! Freya's song's are quickly becoming the accepted chronical of the party and Brushside as a whole, and the story of the breaking of the siege is no exception.
All through the countryside the orc army had tramped,
Til around fair Brushside the foul creatures camped.
The siege stretched on and the food did run low,
Then Brushside’s favorite heroes struck a mighty blow.
Slipped out as assassins, went after Old Trug.
The orc leader should have kept his cat pelt as a rug.
Our heroes rushed back, defending the town.
Roland, the cat pelt, wore like a crown.
Scarthos and Ulf lent their claymore and dagger,
Helped push back the orcs with a smile and swagger.
Pye loosed her swarms, the orcs they did slaughter.
Losing their nerve, orcs fell back like water.
Freya shot arrows, they flew to the enemy,
So many she loosed that her quiver ran empty.
No more to shoot, Freya shouts, “Need ammunition!”
A boy from the town made it his mission.
Four ogres she felled, before Corviano charged
The rest like a madman. His targets loomed large.
Hobgoblin elites broke through the orc ranks.
Brushside surely owes the hobgoblins thanks.
The battle is over, destruction so awful. In
Time, townsfolk arrived like Jordan McLaughlin.
He retrieved Freya’s arrows. We owe him all thanks!
So, Brushside, rejoice! And buy him some drinks!
Session 38-40
Session 38-40:
The party explored a cave in the Grove, coming back with some treasure. But that event is wildly overshadowed by the song that Freya writes about it, which becomes a run away hit virtually immediately. It goes on to became a cultural touchstone being sung and referenced in other songs, plays, and nursery rhymes for centuries to come.
The Horrible Cave
by Freya Ogreslayer Woundhart
Deep in the grove, pious roses grow
Atop a cave defiled by guano.
Near to our knees, the foul muck grew deeper.
Belfry went first, our bow-wielding creeper.
Refrain: The cave, the cave, the horrible cave!
I thought it would be my everlasting grave!
We were first beset by a myriad foes
Whose skin repelled both swords and arrows.
The Batwolves might have killed us, the creatures so fierce,
But when their hues changed, their skins could be pierced.
[Refrain]
We dug in the guano, piled high as a mountain.
Laboring more, we uncovered a fountain.
Elven silvers, we sought them, discovered a few.
With a scaly man watching, my horror, it grew.
[Refrain]
Crossing a bridge, I grabbed at a "rope".
A spidercrab in a ceiling crack pinched all my hope.
Sticky and stuck, I was drawn to its maw.
I reached for my dagger to use as a saw.
Scarthos, he saved me, with his mindbreaking trick.
With the spidercrab mindless, escaping was quick.
But I plunged in the rapids, was swept straight away,
When Ulf's safety harness went taut, saved the day.
[Refrain]
Hookhanded insects, we fought them off well,
killed all except one which Pye charmed with a spell.
[Refrain]
The scaly mens' arrows fell on us like rain,
Until Scarthos's fireball returned fiery pain.
[Refrain]
We escaped from the cave, came back to sing this song,
with our treasure all carried by Roland the Strong.
[Refrain]
[Repeat refrain]
The party explored a cave in the Grove, coming back with some treasure. But that event is wildly overshadowed by the song that Freya writes about it, which becomes a run away hit virtually immediately. It goes on to became a cultural touchstone being sung and referenced in other songs, plays, and nursery rhymes for centuries to come.
The Horrible Cave
by Freya Ogreslayer Woundhart
Deep in the grove, pious roses grow
Atop a cave defiled by guano.
Near to our knees, the foul muck grew deeper.
Belfry went first, our bow-wielding creeper.
Refrain: The cave, the cave, the horrible cave!
I thought it would be my everlasting grave!
We were first beset by a myriad foes
Whose skin repelled both swords and arrows.
The Batwolves might have killed us, the creatures so fierce,
But when their hues changed, their skins could be pierced.
[Refrain]
We dug in the guano, piled high as a mountain.
Laboring more, we uncovered a fountain.
Elven silvers, we sought them, discovered a few.
With a scaly man watching, my horror, it grew.
[Refrain]
Crossing a bridge, I grabbed at a "rope".
A spidercrab in a ceiling crack pinched all my hope.
Sticky and stuck, I was drawn to its maw.
I reached for my dagger to use as a saw.
Scarthos, he saved me, with his mindbreaking trick.
With the spidercrab mindless, escaping was quick.
But I plunged in the rapids, was swept straight away,
When Ulf's safety harness went taut, saved the day.
[Refrain]
Hookhanded insects, we fought them off well,
killed all except one which Pye charmed with a spell.
[Refrain]
The scaly mens' arrows fell on us like rain,
Until Scarthos's fireball returned fiery pain.
[Refrain]
We escaped from the cave, came back to sing this song,
with our treasure all carried by Roland the Strong.
[Refrain]
[Repeat refrain]
Session 41
Session 41:
This is an out of character synopsis for session 41, from the point of view of Scarthos' player.
After the party’s last adventure into the Grove, the members took care of loose ends:
Scarthos, Py, Ulf, and Rolland all met with Glender the Spry to report on the spoils of the recent foray into the Grove. With only a single magic item recovered, the party offered Glender more money to continue a good relationship with a lucrative information source. Despite the offers, Glender settled for the previously received information payment.
Belfry, possibly with the help of Corviano, got to work translating the Elven texts brought out of the Grove. There were a lot of them, so it may take some time.
Scarthos pursued collecting various spell components, including taking advantage of an abundant supply of copper to get some rings made.
Rolland finally put to rest the lawsuit against him, ensuring his continued ownership of his magic leadership sword. The dolt that brought the lawsuit against Rolland hired some court-sanctioned muscle in the form of a judicial gladiator of sorts. Rolland didn’t rise to the thug’s provocation, knowing that the “might makes right” solution wouldn’t be necessary to win his case. He was proven right when the court ruled in Rolland’s favor later that week.
When Rolland was accused of using money to weasel out of (solve) his problems instead of solving his problems through his own strength, he pointed out his accuser’s hypocrisy in spending money to hire a champion to fight Rolland for ownership of the sword after failing to mug Rolland himself. A crowd gathered to support Rolland, and some brave but unfortunate soul chose to throw some fruit at the hired thug. The thug used the situation to accuse the bystander of assault, and Rolland agreed to defend the bystander in a future trial by combat against the same thug.
Hearing of Rolland’s commitment to champion for the fruit-thrower and the judicial contest scheduled thereby, Ulf commissioned a new shrine to Quinn the Werebat. It was built in a corner of the main open area that will be used for the judicial contest. It is a fine shrine, located in a clearly appropriate area, and will duly elevate Quinn in the minds of the people as they spectate such events.
The biggest event centered around Py. Most would describe it as horrifying, while some might have seen opportunity in it; no one knows exactly how Py felt. She may have felt threatened, or even outraged, though her actions directly afterwards indicate she may have felt little but annoyance:
Py previously hired workers to repair her tower after the orc siege, and after the party’s recent expedition, she commissioned building an enclosure for her new hook horror pet. Until that is ready, she has been taking the heavily cloaked and hooded monster around with her lest it be left alone unattended. The villagers of Brushside didn’t take kindly to her shopping with a monster for escort and foolishly attacked her in a mob. She warned them off verbally, but they attacked anyway, injuring her new pet. She simultaneously summoned a spider swarm and a horde of earth elementals, wiping out most of the mob in short order. Seemingly unconcerned afterwards, Py carried on with her shopping, moving on to her next errand without giving chase to any fleeing remnants of the mob or paying attention to the baker’s dozen of corpses.
Panicked villagers brought Ulf, Rolland, and Scarthos to the scene of the mob’s destruction. Ulf and Scarthos each left the scene shortly after arriving, each saying he would search for Py. Ulf, having left first, found Py and urged her to head back to her tower. He agreed to finish her shopping for her and also take a payment for the shopkeeper whose shop got heavily damaged by the earth elementals. Rolland immediately began dealing with the aftermath, respectfully arranging the corpses. Most of the corpses were obviously bitten to death by insects, while one disemboweled corpse evinced slashing wounds consistent with the blades of a hook horror. Tellius the Bright and Necrosius the Shadowed made a flashy appearance as well, leaving shortly after charging Rolland and Ulf with collecting bystander testimony of the event.
Py returned to her tower, finding her workers walking back to town on her way there. She will likely have a harder time finding more laborers willing to work for her in the future after the day’s events. The workers had been told to leave by Tellius and Necrosius, who visited Py at her tower to both admonish her for her methods and encourage her on proper use of her station and power as a high-level demonologist.
Pn. Sheridan and Pn. Wingret summoned Rolland, Ulf, and Scarthos to ensure that Py would not unleash destruction on the town again. The parsons emphasized that Py overreacted with the level of spells she used and that she could have used less dramatic means to resolve the situation. Scarthos pointed out that perhaps the clergy could do better to remind the villagers how foolish it is to attack any wizard, let alone such a powerful demonologist. Pn. Wingret seemed to take offense, denying any responsibility for his charges’ actions. The party promised to talk to Py to ensure no future recurrence as well as to keep her away from town for a while.
This is an out of character synopsis for session 41, from the point of view of Scarthos' player.
After the party’s last adventure into the Grove, the members took care of loose ends:
Scarthos, Py, Ulf, and Rolland all met with Glender the Spry to report on the spoils of the recent foray into the Grove. With only a single magic item recovered, the party offered Glender more money to continue a good relationship with a lucrative information source. Despite the offers, Glender settled for the previously received information payment.
Belfry, possibly with the help of Corviano, got to work translating the Elven texts brought out of the Grove. There were a lot of them, so it may take some time.
Scarthos pursued collecting various spell components, including taking advantage of an abundant supply of copper to get some rings made.
Rolland finally put to rest the lawsuit against him, ensuring his continued ownership of his magic leadership sword. The dolt that brought the lawsuit against Rolland hired some court-sanctioned muscle in the form of a judicial gladiator of sorts. Rolland didn’t rise to the thug’s provocation, knowing that the “might makes right” solution wouldn’t be necessary to win his case. He was proven right when the court ruled in Rolland’s favor later that week.
When Rolland was accused of using money to weasel out of (solve) his problems instead of solving his problems through his own strength, he pointed out his accuser’s hypocrisy in spending money to hire a champion to fight Rolland for ownership of the sword after failing to mug Rolland himself. A crowd gathered to support Rolland, and some brave but unfortunate soul chose to throw some fruit at the hired thug. The thug used the situation to accuse the bystander of assault, and Rolland agreed to defend the bystander in a future trial by combat against the same thug.
Hearing of Rolland’s commitment to champion for the fruit-thrower and the judicial contest scheduled thereby, Ulf commissioned a new shrine to Quinn the Werebat. It was built in a corner of the main open area that will be used for the judicial contest. It is a fine shrine, located in a clearly appropriate area, and will duly elevate Quinn in the minds of the people as they spectate such events.
The biggest event centered around Py. Most would describe it as horrifying, while some might have seen opportunity in it; no one knows exactly how Py felt. She may have felt threatened, or even outraged, though her actions directly afterwards indicate she may have felt little but annoyance:
Py previously hired workers to repair her tower after the orc siege, and after the party’s recent expedition, she commissioned building an enclosure for her new hook horror pet. Until that is ready, she has been taking the heavily cloaked and hooded monster around with her lest it be left alone unattended. The villagers of Brushside didn’t take kindly to her shopping with a monster for escort and foolishly attacked her in a mob. She warned them off verbally, but they attacked anyway, injuring her new pet. She simultaneously summoned a spider swarm and a horde of earth elementals, wiping out most of the mob in short order. Seemingly unconcerned afterwards, Py carried on with her shopping, moving on to her next errand without giving chase to any fleeing remnants of the mob or paying attention to the baker’s dozen of corpses.
Panicked villagers brought Ulf, Rolland, and Scarthos to the scene of the mob’s destruction. Ulf and Scarthos each left the scene shortly after arriving, each saying he would search for Py. Ulf, having left first, found Py and urged her to head back to her tower. He agreed to finish her shopping for her and also take a payment for the shopkeeper whose shop got heavily damaged by the earth elementals. Rolland immediately began dealing with the aftermath, respectfully arranging the corpses. Most of the corpses were obviously bitten to death by insects, while one disemboweled corpse evinced slashing wounds consistent with the blades of a hook horror. Tellius the Bright and Necrosius the Shadowed made a flashy appearance as well, leaving shortly after charging Rolland and Ulf with collecting bystander testimony of the event.
Py returned to her tower, finding her workers walking back to town on her way there. She will likely have a harder time finding more laborers willing to work for her in the future after the day’s events. The workers had been told to leave by Tellius and Necrosius, who visited Py at her tower to both admonish her for her methods and encourage her on proper use of her station and power as a high-level demonologist.
Pn. Sheridan and Pn. Wingret summoned Rolland, Ulf, and Scarthos to ensure that Py would not unleash destruction on the town again. The parsons emphasized that Py overreacted with the level of spells she used and that she could have used less dramatic means to resolve the situation. Scarthos pointed out that perhaps the clergy could do better to remind the villagers how foolish it is to attack any wizard, let alone such a powerful demonologist. Pn. Wingret seemed to take offense, denying any responsibility for his charges’ actions. The party promised to talk to Py to ensure no future recurrence as well as to keep her away from town for a while.
Session 41:
Straight from the horse's mouth, here is how Py remembers the unfortunate events in Brushside. I am not sure if "Necroman" is a misremembering by the Player, or irreverence by the Character.
Py’s journal excerpt:
Went to town today to purchase some goods for repairing the damage to my tower. I decided to take Hank so he wasn’t left here with the workers, I covered him with a cloak so as to not draw unwanted attention in town, but alas someone noticed and formed a mob. I tried to calm them down and told them to let us finish our errands, and warned them not to attack. They attacked anyways… perhaps I over reacted a bit with my response. Phid and Hank could have probably handled the situation. But I wanted them to know not to mess with PY!
The elemental dirt horde was probably the wrong choice. I should have done air like Necroman said, or perhaps just a swarm of dirt would have gotten the point across. Now I need to find a new set of workers because apparently the normal one are too afraid to finish the job. Also I am supposed to avoid town for awhile, which is fine I’d rather stay out here and work on my work, but without everything being finished it is an inconvenience. Tellius has also threated to make me leave town, I hope it doesn’t come to that…
Straight from the horse's mouth, here is how Py remembers the unfortunate events in Brushside. I am not sure if "Necroman" is a misremembering by the Player, or irreverence by the Character.
Py’s journal excerpt:
Went to town today to purchase some goods for repairing the damage to my tower. I decided to take Hank so he wasn’t left here with the workers, I covered him with a cloak so as to not draw unwanted attention in town, but alas someone noticed and formed a mob. I tried to calm them down and told them to let us finish our errands, and warned them not to attack. They attacked anyways… perhaps I over reacted a bit with my response. Phid and Hank could have probably handled the situation. But I wanted them to know not to mess with PY!
The elemental dirt horde was probably the wrong choice. I should have done air like Necroman said, or perhaps just a swarm of dirt would have gotten the point across. Now I need to find a new set of workers because apparently the normal one are too afraid to finish the job. Also I am supposed to avoid town for awhile, which is fine I’d rather stay out here and work on my work, but without everything being finished it is an inconvenience. Tellius has also threated to make me leave town, I hope it doesn’t come to that…
Session 41:
Belfry has concerns about Py's actions, and it leads him done a theological rabbit hole in a letter to Corviano.
From Feathers Edge, ante diem tertium Idus Hebia, 939.
To my dear savior, mentor, and wellbeloved friend, Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, Priest of Orile, Sage of Antiquity, Historian of the Office of the Commemorate, at Equm ; Ex. Belfry Hubbard, Monk of Tolin, Sage of Plants, his heartfelt greetings and a ready will to do your pleasure.
May this letter find you in robust health and spirits as high as your aspirations. The quiet of Brushside has been disrupted by events that have troubled our community and now beckon your keen wisdom and leadership.
I write with a heavy heart, to tell you of the turmoil wrought by the actions of your sister, Pygoni. She brought that accursed hook horror into town with her. A mob formed and Py’s response was extreme. The result was grave, with many lives lost to her formidable magic in defense against a misguided mob. The air now hangs heavy with grief and tension, demanding our utmost care to heal and mend.
Parsons Wingrit and Sheridan called upon the rest of our party to ensure such tragedies do not recur. Regrettably, my duties to your farm kept me from participating in their council, and I returned only to glean the gravity of their deliberations from the unhappy look on Parson Wingrit’s face.
In my quiet hours, I've tended to Orile’s thoughts in his “The Insidious Good.” He asks us, should we follow our hearts or do our rightful duties? Hearts sometimes lead us astray, but duty, like the Church or a good parent, guides us and helps us behave. But is this the complete picture? I see virtue as a tree. Its trunk, duty, makes it stand strong and true. But if we do not listen to our hearts, I fear the tree is as in winter, bare and stark. Yet, embraced with empathy and a sincere longing to do good, virtue blooms into something far better – a tree alive in spring or summer, not only strong and tall, but lush and rich, offering shade to the weary and fruit to the hungry.
These thoughts sharpen the question of Py's actions, caught between her heart and her duty. Where is the line when one’s desires conflict with the well-being of others? To me the answer seems clear. But it becomes muddy when the individual in question is a demonologist. Muddy because to oppose her could cause the deaths of many.
Master Corviano, your guidance is sorely missed. I await your safe return and the wisdom you shall bring to these troubled times. Please inform me of when we may expect you.
May our hearts till the soil for understanding and compassion to bloom, no matter the season. Valroon have you in his keeping, and may Ignimius and all the Paragons guide you in virtue.
Ever yours in service and loyalty,
Belfry
Belfry has concerns about Py's actions, and it leads him done a theological rabbit hole in a letter to Corviano.
From Feathers Edge, ante diem tertium Idus Hebia, 939.
To my dear savior, mentor, and wellbeloved friend, Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, Priest of Orile, Sage of Antiquity, Historian of the Office of the Commemorate, at Equm ; Ex. Belfry Hubbard, Monk of Tolin, Sage of Plants, his heartfelt greetings and a ready will to do your pleasure.
May this letter find you in robust health and spirits as high as your aspirations. The quiet of Brushside has been disrupted by events that have troubled our community and now beckon your keen wisdom and leadership.
I write with a heavy heart, to tell you of the turmoil wrought by the actions of your sister, Pygoni. She brought that accursed hook horror into town with her. A mob formed and Py’s response was extreme. The result was grave, with many lives lost to her formidable magic in defense against a misguided mob. The air now hangs heavy with grief and tension, demanding our utmost care to heal and mend.
Parsons Wingrit and Sheridan called upon the rest of our party to ensure such tragedies do not recur. Regrettably, my duties to your farm kept me from participating in their council, and I returned only to glean the gravity of their deliberations from the unhappy look on Parson Wingrit’s face.
In my quiet hours, I've tended to Orile’s thoughts in his “The Insidious Good.” He asks us, should we follow our hearts or do our rightful duties? Hearts sometimes lead us astray, but duty, like the Church or a good parent, guides us and helps us behave. But is this the complete picture? I see virtue as a tree. Its trunk, duty, makes it stand strong and true. But if we do not listen to our hearts, I fear the tree is as in winter, bare and stark. Yet, embraced with empathy and a sincere longing to do good, virtue blooms into something far better – a tree alive in spring or summer, not only strong and tall, but lush and rich, offering shade to the weary and fruit to the hungry.
These thoughts sharpen the question of Py's actions, caught between her heart and her duty. Where is the line when one’s desires conflict with the well-being of others? To me the answer seems clear. But it becomes muddy when the individual in question is a demonologist. Muddy because to oppose her could cause the deaths of many.
Master Corviano, your guidance is sorely missed. I await your safe return and the wisdom you shall bring to these troubled times. Please inform me of when we may expect you.
May our hearts till the soil for understanding and compassion to bloom, no matter the season. Valroon have you in his keeping, and may Ignimius and all the Paragons guide you in virtue.
Ever yours in service and loyalty,
Belfry
Session 42
Session 42:
Corviano writes a letter in reply to Belfy, see Belfry's letter after session 41.
To the right worshipful Ex. Belfry Hubbard of Feather’s Edge be this deliver.
Thy recent missive hath reached us here in Equm, compelling us to hasten quill unto parchment, that we might offer counsel from afar as we are able.
Thy ethical ponderings have waked much disquiet in our breast, stirring not a little concern. Verily, the heart is a perilous thing. Whilst capable of propelling us toward heights sublime, it is equally prone to fits, rages, swoons, duplicitousness, and self-delusion. It waxeth hard when mercy is requisite and waneth soft when vigilance is needful. It therefore easily leads one astray.
Thou suggestest that sans the heart's inclinations, duty becometh cold and uncaring. Unto this, we query: What harm lies therein, if duty, perceived as cold and distant, be yet fulfilled? For that alone matters—the performance of rightful duties, creating a society resilient against evil and capable of elevating heroes to repel its encroachments.
Duty, akin to a steadfast lighthouse, standeth unwavering, guiding us through the fog of moral ambiguity and the tempests of evil. The heart, fickle and capricious, oft leads us into waters most perilous. When life's sails are billowed by the caprices of the heart, even the noblest of intentions may chart a course toward unintended consequences.
Such a path is oft trodden in the guise of righteous indignation, easily embarked upon yet fraught with peril in its potential to disrupt the tranquility of mind required for wisdom. We thus counsel caution in thy interactions, particularly with Py and Skarthos. Be wary lest anger cloud thy judgment and disrupt the harmony necessary for collective understanding and progress.
Ere long, thou wilt, by course of the Bark River, doubtless return to Old Brushside to examine its ruined Conclave Tower. We harbour fears regarding the protections that lie buried there, for wizards are fervent in guarding their secrets. And even righteous indignation, should it swell enough to mislead thy heart, could lead thee astray. Thy duty to Py and Skarthos lieth in guiding them, as far as they allow, toward choosing the good over evil. And to stand ready to undo the evil that their magicks will undoubtedly bring forth. Emotion can easily blind thee to thy duty. Therefore, we entreat thee, take heed.
And also—be their friend, and in so doing, display the goodness of Valroon for all to witness. In the complexities of thine interactions, let thine actions be a beacon of the virtues our faith upholds. By exemplifying the true spirit of Orile’s teachings, thou guidest not only Py and Skarthos but also illuminatest the path for others at the crossroads of moral quandaries.
In these trying times, remember that the greatest strength often lies in the gentlest word. May thy journey be guided by wisdom, thy decisions imbued with understanding, and thy heart fortified with the courage to choose the path that aligns with the highest ideals of our faith.
We eagerly await the recounting of thy ventures upon thy safe return. May Valroon's light shine upon thee, and may the firm-guiding hand of Ignimius be upon thee always.
In scholarly companionship and with highest regards, Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti. a.d. XVII Kal. Ign.
Corviano writes a letter in reply to Belfy, see Belfry's letter after session 41.
To the right worshipful Ex. Belfry Hubbard of Feather’s Edge be this deliver.
Thy recent missive hath reached us here in Equm, compelling us to hasten quill unto parchment, that we might offer counsel from afar as we are able.
Thy ethical ponderings have waked much disquiet in our breast, stirring not a little concern. Verily, the heart is a perilous thing. Whilst capable of propelling us toward heights sublime, it is equally prone to fits, rages, swoons, duplicitousness, and self-delusion. It waxeth hard when mercy is requisite and waneth soft when vigilance is needful. It therefore easily leads one astray.
Thou suggestest that sans the heart's inclinations, duty becometh cold and uncaring. Unto this, we query: What harm lies therein, if duty, perceived as cold and distant, be yet fulfilled? For that alone matters—the performance of rightful duties, creating a society resilient against evil and capable of elevating heroes to repel its encroachments.
Duty, akin to a steadfast lighthouse, standeth unwavering, guiding us through the fog of moral ambiguity and the tempests of evil. The heart, fickle and capricious, oft leads us into waters most perilous. When life's sails are billowed by the caprices of the heart, even the noblest of intentions may chart a course toward unintended consequences.
Such a path is oft trodden in the guise of righteous indignation, easily embarked upon yet fraught with peril in its potential to disrupt the tranquility of mind required for wisdom. We thus counsel caution in thy interactions, particularly with Py and Skarthos. Be wary lest anger cloud thy judgment and disrupt the harmony necessary for collective understanding and progress.
Ere long, thou wilt, by course of the Bark River, doubtless return to Old Brushside to examine its ruined Conclave Tower. We harbour fears regarding the protections that lie buried there, for wizards are fervent in guarding their secrets. And even righteous indignation, should it swell enough to mislead thy heart, could lead thee astray. Thy duty to Py and Skarthos lieth in guiding them, as far as they allow, toward choosing the good over evil. And to stand ready to undo the evil that their magicks will undoubtedly bring forth. Emotion can easily blind thee to thy duty. Therefore, we entreat thee, take heed.
And also—be their friend, and in so doing, display the goodness of Valroon for all to witness. In the complexities of thine interactions, let thine actions be a beacon of the virtues our faith upholds. By exemplifying the true spirit of Orile’s teachings, thou guidest not only Py and Skarthos but also illuminatest the path for others at the crossroads of moral quandaries.
In these trying times, remember that the greatest strength often lies in the gentlest word. May thy journey be guided by wisdom, thy decisions imbued with understanding, and thy heart fortified with the courage to choose the path that aligns with the highest ideals of our faith.
We eagerly await the recounting of thy ventures upon thy safe return. May Valroon's light shine upon thee, and may the firm-guiding hand of Ignimius be upon thee always.
In scholarly companionship and with highest regards, Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti. a.d. XVII Kal. Ign.
Session 44
Session 44:
A straight forward and pretty accurate retelling of the (perfectly legal) slaying of Capt. Gelico (and 16ish other people) written by Roland's player. Particularly useful for the players that couldn't make the session.
Having just recovered an orb of scrying from the ruins of an old Conclave tower in the Grove, Py, Roland, and Scarthos decided to try to find out where Captain Gelico, the Betrayer of Brushside, was hiding out. Since magic which augments sight works through scrying, they decided to wait a day for Scarthos to memorize Magic Sight and See Invisible. Theywould meet around noon to attempt the divination, hoping to catch him out and about near landmark’s they could recognize.
The next morning, before leaving home to meet with Scarthos, a bounty hunter by the name of Victor Tumblegrass knocked on Roland’s door. Victor said he’d found Gelico in the city of Equm going under the name Todd Pattingson. Gelico had been gathering a crew of thugs so Victor couldn’t take him on himself. Roland agreed to go along with Victor and pay him the 100g if they were successful. Together they left to make preparations. Roland met with Scarthos who suggested they get something official so they aren’t just murderers in another city. This is sensible, so Roland goes and talks to Sheridan (intentionally shunning the Baron) and gets a writ declaring Jelico an outlaw and also three horses for the journey. The four set out right away for Equm.
When the party arrives at Equm, they set up in an inn while Victor meets with his contact. It turns out Gelico had left that morning heading east after entering and leaving a shady temple. Thinking maybe he heard we were coming and paid for divination magic at the temple and that is why he left, Scarthos uses the orb to scry Gelico. The orb shows a picture of Gelico in a nice inn room, along with a wizard, a dude in plate armor and, on the bed, are vestments of the Mercenary Order. Py is able to make out some of the things Gelico said by reading his lips “Ordain…Mercenary…Three Mothers… Men.” From this, the party decides Gelico is going to be heading towards the Three Mothers, possibly to set up a bandit crew. No matter his motivations, knowing where he is going, the party decides to race through the night to get ahead of him and set up an ambush along the road.
Upon finding an excellent location where they could see far along the road the party hid behind a large rock by a tree and waited. Sure enough, a few hours later Gelico with his band of thugs, numbering over twenty, come into view. The party waits till the head of the column is past their hiding spot and strikes. Py starts it off with a summoned swarm near the back half of the group and seconds later, a fireball explodes on the front half, hitting Gelico, his Lieutenant, and the mage. Before they have much time to react, Roland hits the mage with a crossbow bolt and Victor follows with an arrow, felling the mage. Scarthos dropped a Frost in front of the group, which included Gelico and his lieutenant, who were charging Roland and Victor then backed up to keep the ones flanking us from getting to Py. Alas, they were able to get up before Roland and Victor could reach them. One of the nobody’s viciously struck down Victor and another chopped down onto his motionless form, killing Victor. Roland struck Gelico once and a second time before a new swarm summoned by Py rolled over him, his lieutenant, and the rest of the thugs around Roland. The lieutenant surrendered and ran from the swarm, with Roland following close by. The last few other hirelings turned and ran and Py dropped the swarms.
The party explained to the Gelico's lieutenant the true identity of “Todd Pattingson” and returned his sword and let him leave with his horse. They then looted the field of battle, coming away with a large amount of armor and weapons. They lined up the bodies along the side of the road and secured the bodies of Victor and Gelico to horses. Just as they finished, a patrol approached. Roland explained the situation, showed the writ of Outlaw, and said he was the Hero of Brushside getting Justice. The leader of the guard looked at him and said, “You’re not Freya!” Apparently Freya’s songs have spread from Brushside, easing the encounter. They escorted the party back to Equm where they delivered Victor’s body to his sister and Roland gave her the bounty, as Victor’s next of kin. The party sold all the loot and returned to Brushside.
Upon approaching the gates of Brushside, Roland shouted “The traitor Gelico is dead!” They opened the gates and people of the town swarmed the party as they, very slowly, made their way to the citadel. After reporting to Sheridan, Roland stood atop the wall of the citadel and told the tale to the waiting citizens. In his re-telling, he specifically talked up Py and her contributions, which turned her from “Maniacally Evil Villain” into “Shady character but kinda okay” Then the party used 100g from their loot in the adventure to throw the biggest festival the town had ever seen.
A straight forward and pretty accurate retelling of the (perfectly legal) slaying of Capt. Gelico (and 16ish other people) written by Roland's player. Particularly useful for the players that couldn't make the session.
Having just recovered an orb of scrying from the ruins of an old Conclave tower in the Grove, Py, Roland, and Scarthos decided to try to find out where Captain Gelico, the Betrayer of Brushside, was hiding out. Since magic which augments sight works through scrying, they decided to wait a day for Scarthos to memorize Magic Sight and See Invisible. Theywould meet around noon to attempt the divination, hoping to catch him out and about near landmark’s they could recognize.
The next morning, before leaving home to meet with Scarthos, a bounty hunter by the name of Victor Tumblegrass knocked on Roland’s door. Victor said he’d found Gelico in the city of Equm going under the name Todd Pattingson. Gelico had been gathering a crew of thugs so Victor couldn’t take him on himself. Roland agreed to go along with Victor and pay him the 100g if they were successful. Together they left to make preparations. Roland met with Scarthos who suggested they get something official so they aren’t just murderers in another city. This is sensible, so Roland goes and talks to Sheridan (intentionally shunning the Baron) and gets a writ declaring Jelico an outlaw and also three horses for the journey. The four set out right away for Equm.
When the party arrives at Equm, they set up in an inn while Victor meets with his contact. It turns out Gelico had left that morning heading east after entering and leaving a shady temple. Thinking maybe he heard we were coming and paid for divination magic at the temple and that is why he left, Scarthos uses the orb to scry Gelico. The orb shows a picture of Gelico in a nice inn room, along with a wizard, a dude in plate armor and, on the bed, are vestments of the Mercenary Order. Py is able to make out some of the things Gelico said by reading his lips “Ordain…Mercenary…Three Mothers… Men.” From this, the party decides Gelico is going to be heading towards the Three Mothers, possibly to set up a bandit crew. No matter his motivations, knowing where he is going, the party decides to race through the night to get ahead of him and set up an ambush along the road.
Upon finding an excellent location where they could see far along the road the party hid behind a large rock by a tree and waited. Sure enough, a few hours later Gelico with his band of thugs, numbering over twenty, come into view. The party waits till the head of the column is past their hiding spot and strikes. Py starts it off with a summoned swarm near the back half of the group and seconds later, a fireball explodes on the front half, hitting Gelico, his Lieutenant, and the mage. Before they have much time to react, Roland hits the mage with a crossbow bolt and Victor follows with an arrow, felling the mage. Scarthos dropped a Frost in front of the group, which included Gelico and his lieutenant, who were charging Roland and Victor then backed up to keep the ones flanking us from getting to Py. Alas, they were able to get up before Roland and Victor could reach them. One of the nobody’s viciously struck down Victor and another chopped down onto his motionless form, killing Victor. Roland struck Gelico once and a second time before a new swarm summoned by Py rolled over him, his lieutenant, and the rest of the thugs around Roland. The lieutenant surrendered and ran from the swarm, with Roland following close by. The last few other hirelings turned and ran and Py dropped the swarms.
The party explained to the Gelico's lieutenant the true identity of “Todd Pattingson” and returned his sword and let him leave with his horse. They then looted the field of battle, coming away with a large amount of armor and weapons. They lined up the bodies along the side of the road and secured the bodies of Victor and Gelico to horses. Just as they finished, a patrol approached. Roland explained the situation, showed the writ of Outlaw, and said he was the Hero of Brushside getting Justice. The leader of the guard looked at him and said, “You’re not Freya!” Apparently Freya’s songs have spread from Brushside, easing the encounter. They escorted the party back to Equm where they delivered Victor’s body to his sister and Roland gave her the bounty, as Victor’s next of kin. The party sold all the loot and returned to Brushside.
Upon approaching the gates of Brushside, Roland shouted “The traitor Gelico is dead!” They opened the gates and people of the town swarmed the party as they, very slowly, made their way to the citadel. After reporting to Sheridan, Roland stood atop the wall of the citadel and told the tale to the waiting citizens. In his re-telling, he specifically talked up Py and her contributions, which turned her from “Maniacally Evil Villain” into “Shady character but kinda okay” Then the party used 100g from their loot in the adventure to throw the biggest festival the town had ever seen.
Session 44:
After Gelico's death Corviano seems to experience a crises of doubt and offers a prayer to Orile.
Orile, Harbinger of Truth, I implore thee, thou Arbiter of the Final Journey, hear my prayer.
From within the resplendent chambers of Edry's Great Temple in Equm, my mind falters, unfocused by uncertainty and doubt. Like a quill that hesitates upon the parchment, my heart wavers between the ink of duty and the blank canvas of desire.
The tales that reach mine ears, of valiant kin and dear comrades entwined in a perilous dance with fate, cast a shadow upon my soul. In my quest for comfort, culture, and luxury's embrace, have I forsaken the path that binds our destinies together? Gelico, that Base Betrayer of Brushside, a specter of treachery, has been brought to justice. But at what cost? Scores dead, a bounty hunter slain—without the guiding light of the holy, without the miracles of Ulf and Belfry, what fates nearly befell my companions?
The same insidious tendrils of ambition that ensnare the heart of men threaten to cloud my vision. As a mirror might distort or amplify an image based on its curvature, ambition and vanity can warp our true selves. O Orile, have I fallen to this cautionary tales I remember from your works? While my hands labor to craft miraculous wonders for my compatriots, I stand at a precipice, where the winds of political strife from Brushside beckon me towards treacherous depths.
In this maze of doubt and despair, my thoughts invariably drift to the safety and well-being of my companions. For if tragedy should befall them in my absence, the weight of such a loss would be a stone tablet, etched with a history of regrets.
Adorn the path before me, Great Orile, as a manuscript illuminated with all skill and devotion. Let not my vanity blind me to the needs of those who depend on my strength and wisdom. As buried relics await rescue, guided again to the light of day, so too do I seek your guidance, Orile, to navigate the obscured paths of my journey.
In humble supplication and fervent hope, I lay bare my soul before you. Amen.
After Gelico's death Corviano seems to experience a crises of doubt and offers a prayer to Orile.
Orile, Harbinger of Truth, I implore thee, thou Arbiter of the Final Journey, hear my prayer.
From within the resplendent chambers of Edry's Great Temple in Equm, my mind falters, unfocused by uncertainty and doubt. Like a quill that hesitates upon the parchment, my heart wavers between the ink of duty and the blank canvas of desire.
The tales that reach mine ears, of valiant kin and dear comrades entwined in a perilous dance with fate, cast a shadow upon my soul. In my quest for comfort, culture, and luxury's embrace, have I forsaken the path that binds our destinies together? Gelico, that Base Betrayer of Brushside, a specter of treachery, has been brought to justice. But at what cost? Scores dead, a bounty hunter slain—without the guiding light of the holy, without the miracles of Ulf and Belfry, what fates nearly befell my companions?
The same insidious tendrils of ambition that ensnare the heart of men threaten to cloud my vision. As a mirror might distort or amplify an image based on its curvature, ambition and vanity can warp our true selves. O Orile, have I fallen to this cautionary tales I remember from your works? While my hands labor to craft miraculous wonders for my compatriots, I stand at a precipice, where the winds of political strife from Brushside beckon me towards treacherous depths.
In this maze of doubt and despair, my thoughts invariably drift to the safety and well-being of my companions. For if tragedy should befall them in my absence, the weight of such a loss would be a stone tablet, etched with a history of regrets.
Adorn the path before me, Great Orile, as a manuscript illuminated with all skill and devotion. Let not my vanity blind me to the needs of those who depend on my strength and wisdom. As buried relics await rescue, guided again to the light of day, so too do I seek your guidance, Orile, to navigate the obscured paths of my journey.
In humble supplication and fervent hope, I lay bare my soul before you. Amen.
Session 44b
Session 44b:
A semi-asynchronous session has Corviano's player tightening up a lot book keeping and administration of the settlement he is building east of Brushside, Feather's Edge. To that end he writes a letter at a Wine Merchant in Ban Gentul.
To the distinguished and prosperous merchant, Harveson Jenkins, esteemed bearer of great wines and spirits from lands both near and far, Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, in reverence to Ignimius and all his Paragons, sends his most respectful and warm greeting.
Esteemed Master Jenkins, esquire:
From the edge of the enigmatic Grove, and amidst the burgeoning new expanse of Feather's Edge, we extend our greetings to the heart of Ban Gentul where prosperity and opulence flourish under the care of merchants of repute, such as yourself.
Feather's Edge is a testament not just to the land's inherent bounty but to the indomitable spirit of those who, under our guidance, have seen the potential amidst the thorns and brambles of Brushside. As the sun dawns and fades, we have seen this outpost metamorphose from mere whispers to tangible opulence, its brilliance echoing the Spirit of Edry.
Each week sees additions to our troves: coins of past eras, legacies of legions that once trod these paths, and the growing hum of trade that brings wealth and prosperity. Yet, as Feather's Edge grows, there's an inkling within us that reminds of the importance of bonds transcending mere commerce – bonds forged in mutual respect and admiration.
It is in this spirit, Master Jenkins, that we write to you. Not just as one entrepreneur to another, but as visionaries sharing a common thread. Your prominence in Ban Gentul is whispered with deep respect in hallowed halls and marketplaces alike. We believe that an alliance forged between us would weave tales of grandeur for generations to come.
Thus, we extend an invitation not just to trade but to kinship. To journey together, to share tales, to sip wines under the vast expanse of stars, and to forge legends together.
May Ignimius, in his infinite wisdom, continue to bless your endeavors and may our paths intertwine in the most fortuitous of ways. Written at Feather's Edge, on the eve of the Kalends of Ignimii, in the nine hundred and thirty-ninth year of the Blessed Winnowing.
And we shall pray for the continuation of your wealth and success. With humble admiration, Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti.
A semi-asynchronous session has Corviano's player tightening up a lot book keeping and administration of the settlement he is building east of Brushside, Feather's Edge. To that end he writes a letter at a Wine Merchant in Ban Gentul.
To the distinguished and prosperous merchant, Harveson Jenkins, esteemed bearer of great wines and spirits from lands both near and far, Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti, in reverence to Ignimius and all his Paragons, sends his most respectful and warm greeting.
Esteemed Master Jenkins, esquire:
From the edge of the enigmatic Grove, and amidst the burgeoning new expanse of Feather's Edge, we extend our greetings to the heart of Ban Gentul where prosperity and opulence flourish under the care of merchants of repute, such as yourself.
Feather's Edge is a testament not just to the land's inherent bounty but to the indomitable spirit of those who, under our guidance, have seen the potential amidst the thorns and brambles of Brushside. As the sun dawns and fades, we have seen this outpost metamorphose from mere whispers to tangible opulence, its brilliance echoing the Spirit of Edry.
Each week sees additions to our troves: coins of past eras, legacies of legions that once trod these paths, and the growing hum of trade that brings wealth and prosperity. Yet, as Feather's Edge grows, there's an inkling within us that reminds of the importance of bonds transcending mere commerce – bonds forged in mutual respect and admiration.
It is in this spirit, Master Jenkins, that we write to you. Not just as one entrepreneur to another, but as visionaries sharing a common thread. Your prominence in Ban Gentul is whispered with deep respect in hallowed halls and marketplaces alike. We believe that an alliance forged between us would weave tales of grandeur for generations to come.
Thus, we extend an invitation not just to trade but to kinship. To journey together, to share tales, to sip wines under the vast expanse of stars, and to forge legends together.
May Ignimius, in his infinite wisdom, continue to bless your endeavors and may our paths intertwine in the most fortuitous of ways. Written at Feather's Edge, on the eve of the Kalends of Ignimii, in the nine hundred and thirty-ninth year of the Blessed Winnowing.
And we shall pray for the continuation of your wealth and success. With humble admiration, Exemplar Corviano Cormoranti.
Session 45
Session 45:
Belfry seriously considers the murder of a helpless human political enemy... Good thing Ignimius cares only for your actions and not your heart.
Tolin, gentle whisperer of leaves,
In my small voice, amidst a whirlwind of feelings — confusion, difficulty, heartache — I reach out, seeking your age-old wisdom and the clarity of your gentle whispers.
As I pour this libation upon the earth, may it serve as a humble offering, nurturing the plants as your wisdom nurtures my soul. Remember the Thorny Grove? I am here now, wanting to do good, just like you. But it's so much more than tales, with its sharp brambles and those biting bugs. I tried to embrace it, to be its friend, but it lashed out, Tolin. It hurt me so.
Yet, from that pain, Corviano emerged, like the first rays of sunlight piercing the morning fog. When I felt most alone, he reached out, mending my tattered shoes, and by the grace of Ignimius, rejuvenating my broken body. My heart grows fond of him, Tolin, not as one cherishes a budding flower, but with that deep, enveloping warmth - like the love for a Da or Naneth [elven for Mom].
Today, the town was astir. As Parson Sheridan locked horns with Baron Sapping, I, hoping to avert harm, threw food and attacked the Baron with my sleep-magic pixie arrow from Corviano. The Baron is fine...physically. I yearned for his fall from grace—his pride and foolishness irk me. Yet, in my anger, I almost caused a riot that would surely have led to many deaths and much destruction. Thank Valroon for Roland, whose level-headedness stopped it.
But then, chaos! An Evil Well reared its wicked head, and amidst the mayhem, I sought to free Corviano's spy from the Baron's clutches. But... oh, Tolin, I faltered. In my missteps and failings, I pray for your understanding, seeking the strength to amend and heal. My heart whispered dark deeds of murder. But I overcame and, instead, delivered him to Py, Corviano's shadowed sister, so that she might shield Corviano from harm.
With these seeds, I invoke growth not only in the soil but within myself. Let them grow strong, as a reminder of Ulf's enduring spirit. Now lost, taken by that malevolent Well. His absence weighs heavy on my soul, for I could've been at his side, a beacon against the dark. And perhaps, then, he might have lived.
All I desire, Tolin, is to radiate goodness, to shelter and cherish everyone — Corviano, Ulf, Roland, and even those clouded by their own shadows like Py, Skarthos, the Baron and Sheridan. In moments where darkness tempts me, whisper through the rustling leaves, guiding me back to the path of righteousness.
As the canopy shields the forest floor, may your protection extend to all, even those who walk in shadow. Dear Tolin, safeguard Corviano, hasten his steps home by Valroon's wind. Bless Parsons Sheridan and Wingrit. I ask that they might quickly come to see Corviano as I do. And light my way, even if the path ahead bristles with thorns.
Grateful am I for your unwavering presence. Amen.
Belfry seriously considers the murder of a helpless human political enemy... Good thing Ignimius cares only for your actions and not your heart.
Tolin, gentle whisperer of leaves,
In my small voice, amidst a whirlwind of feelings — confusion, difficulty, heartache — I reach out, seeking your age-old wisdom and the clarity of your gentle whispers.
As I pour this libation upon the earth, may it serve as a humble offering, nurturing the plants as your wisdom nurtures my soul. Remember the Thorny Grove? I am here now, wanting to do good, just like you. But it's so much more than tales, with its sharp brambles and those biting bugs. I tried to embrace it, to be its friend, but it lashed out, Tolin. It hurt me so.
Yet, from that pain, Corviano emerged, like the first rays of sunlight piercing the morning fog. When I felt most alone, he reached out, mending my tattered shoes, and by the grace of Ignimius, rejuvenating my broken body. My heart grows fond of him, Tolin, not as one cherishes a budding flower, but with that deep, enveloping warmth - like the love for a Da or Naneth [elven for Mom].
Today, the town was astir. As Parson Sheridan locked horns with Baron Sapping, I, hoping to avert harm, threw food and attacked the Baron with my sleep-magic pixie arrow from Corviano. The Baron is fine...physically. I yearned for his fall from grace—his pride and foolishness irk me. Yet, in my anger, I almost caused a riot that would surely have led to many deaths and much destruction. Thank Valroon for Roland, whose level-headedness stopped it.
But then, chaos! An Evil Well reared its wicked head, and amidst the mayhem, I sought to free Corviano's spy from the Baron's clutches. But... oh, Tolin, I faltered. In my missteps and failings, I pray for your understanding, seeking the strength to amend and heal. My heart whispered dark deeds of murder. But I overcame and, instead, delivered him to Py, Corviano's shadowed sister, so that she might shield Corviano from harm.
With these seeds, I invoke growth not only in the soil but within myself. Let them grow strong, as a reminder of Ulf's enduring spirit. Now lost, taken by that malevolent Well. His absence weighs heavy on my soul, for I could've been at his side, a beacon against the dark. And perhaps, then, he might have lived.
All I desire, Tolin, is to radiate goodness, to shelter and cherish everyone — Corviano, Ulf, Roland, and even those clouded by their own shadows like Py, Skarthos, the Baron and Sheridan. In moments where darkness tempts me, whisper through the rustling leaves, guiding me back to the path of righteousness.
As the canopy shields the forest floor, may your protection extend to all, even those who walk in shadow. Dear Tolin, safeguard Corviano, hasten his steps home by Valroon's wind. Bless Parsons Sheridan and Wingrit. I ask that they might quickly come to see Corviano as I do. And light my way, even if the path ahead bristles with thorns.
Grateful am I for your unwavering presence. Amen.
Session 45:
Barron Sapping unsuccessfully tried to Depose Parson Sheridan. Soon after a song viscously mocking the Baron started spreading through Brushside. The style (and quality) of the anonymous song is highly reminiscent of "The Horrible Cave" by Freya.
The Fainting Baron
by Anonymous
Baron Brice Sapping demanded a meeting
Sheridan obliged, his hand raised in greeting
Refrain: O sing a song of Baron Sapping!
Came to Brushside, started yapping
Worthless letter he was flapping
Hit by lettuce, and now he's napping
The lily-livered Baron had not friendship in mind
Plotting a takeover, "I'm in charge now," he whined
[Refrain]
Sheridan scoffed and showed him his back
The yellow-bellied baron shouted "Alack!"
[Refrain]
"I have a King's letter, Sheridan, you're accused!"
But Sheridan replied, "Sir, you are confused."
[Refrain]
"I saved the town of Brushside from the awful orc siege,
Far greater service than you did for our liege."
[Refrain]
The good honest folk who heard this exchange
While lunching in the piazza all thought it strange
[Refrain]
Their murmuring grew and a lettuce was flung
and splattered the baron, his ego was stung
[Refrain]
He shouted at his guards, the fair citizens to attack
Then the Baron fainted and fell flat on his back
[Refrain]
Like a sack of potatoes, his guards hauled him away
If he has a lick of sense, out of Brushside he'll stay!
Refrain: O sing a song of Baron Sapping!
Came to Brushside, started yapping
Worthless letter he was flapping
Hit by lettuce, and now he's napping
Barron Sapping unsuccessfully tried to Depose Parson Sheridan. Soon after a song viscously mocking the Baron started spreading through Brushside. The style (and quality) of the anonymous song is highly reminiscent of "The Horrible Cave" by Freya.
The Fainting Baron
by Anonymous
Baron Brice Sapping demanded a meeting
Sheridan obliged, his hand raised in greeting
Refrain: O sing a song of Baron Sapping!
Came to Brushside, started yapping
Worthless letter he was flapping
Hit by lettuce, and now he's napping
The lily-livered Baron had not friendship in mind
Plotting a takeover, "I'm in charge now," he whined
[Refrain]
Sheridan scoffed and showed him his back
The yellow-bellied baron shouted "Alack!"
[Refrain]
"I have a King's letter, Sheridan, you're accused!"
But Sheridan replied, "Sir, you are confused."
[Refrain]
"I saved the town of Brushside from the awful orc siege,
Far greater service than you did for our liege."
[Refrain]
The good honest folk who heard this exchange
While lunching in the piazza all thought it strange
[Refrain]
Their murmuring grew and a lettuce was flung
and splattered the baron, his ego was stung
[Refrain]
He shouted at his guards, the fair citizens to attack
Then the Baron fainted and fell flat on his back
[Refrain]
Like a sack of potatoes, his guards hauled him away
If he has a lick of sense, out of Brushside he'll stay!
Refrain: O sing a song of Baron Sapping!
Came to Brushside, started yapping
Worthless letter he was flapping
Hit by lettuce, and now he's napping
Session 45:
Ulf's Tragic death at the 'hands' of an evil animated Well shakes the party and the citizens of Brushside. Freya composes a somber song of mourning for Ulf's death. It touches even the hardest of hearts (submitted by Ulf's Player).
Lament For Ulf
A song by Freya
At a quiet noon in Brushside
The sky was blue
The sky was blue
The heroes heard a shout
And ran to see what evil was about
In the alley rose a tower
Ne'er seen before
Ne'er seen before
A structure slender, all alone
With red roof and walls of stone
From the tower swung rope and bucket
And it walked
And it walked
As the houses near were crushed
To the tower the heroes rushed
The tower stopped and faced the heroes
People screaming
People screaming
Roland's blade met stone with clang
While toward the towertop, Ulf sprang
The deadly bucket swung with vengeance
Ulf was climbing
Ulf was climbing
A stony blow knocked Roland back
While Freya's arrows swarmed to the attack
Ulf soon reached the tower's summit
And cut the rope
And cut the rope
So the terrorbucket fell
Hewn away from monstrous walking well
High above the street he stood
Ulf the Mighty
Ulf the Mighty
Then as his dear companions cried
Stepped to the cobbles and swiftly died
Py was muttering spells obscure
The tower shaking
The tower shaking
And then it tumbled, stones like rain
smashing poor Ulf's body where he was lain
Celebration mixed with mourning
The well was vanquished
The well was vanquished
its tower sundered but at great cost:
The famous shadowhunter sadly lost
Ulf's Tragic death at the 'hands' of an evil animated Well shakes the party and the citizens of Brushside. Freya composes a somber song of mourning for Ulf's death. It touches even the hardest of hearts (submitted by Ulf's Player).
Lament For Ulf
A song by Freya
At a quiet noon in Brushside
The sky was blue
The sky was blue
The heroes heard a shout
And ran to see what evil was about
In the alley rose a tower
Ne'er seen before
Ne'er seen before
A structure slender, all alone
With red roof and walls of stone
From the tower swung rope and bucket
And it walked
And it walked
As the houses near were crushed
To the tower the heroes rushed
The tower stopped and faced the heroes
People screaming
People screaming
Roland's blade met stone with clang
While toward the towertop, Ulf sprang
The deadly bucket swung with vengeance
Ulf was climbing
Ulf was climbing
A stony blow knocked Roland back
While Freya's arrows swarmed to the attack
Ulf soon reached the tower's summit
And cut the rope
And cut the rope
So the terrorbucket fell
Hewn away from monstrous walking well
High above the street he stood
Ulf the Mighty
Ulf the Mighty
Then as his dear companions cried
Stepped to the cobbles and swiftly died
Py was muttering spells obscure
The tower shaking
The tower shaking
And then it tumbled, stones like rain
smashing poor Ulf's body where he was lain
Celebration mixed with mourning
The well was vanquished
The well was vanquished
its tower sundered but at great cost:
The famous shadowhunter sadly lost
Session 46
Session 46:
A letter written by Corviano to the Forester's Guild in Ban Gentul. Towards the end he throws Valrinian the Bard under the bus, who, let the record show left on his own after accidentally taking credit for a song (The Fainting Barn) he didn't write.
To the Esteemed Foresters Guild of Ban Gentul,
in the Resplendent Guidance of Divine Ignimius, Founder of our Faith, and the Great Blessings of Rota the Nigh-Unnamable, who doth overseeth the expanse of our Trades and Livelihoods; from Ex. Corviano Cormoranti, Priest of Orile, Officer of the Commemorant, Founder of the New Settlement rightly called Feather’s Edge, and Member—along with Freya, Roland, and Ulf—of the Destroyers of the Grove, we extend our fullest greetings and readiness to engage in commerce.
Feather’s Edge, located as it were less than a half mile west of the Last Wood, a verdant expanse of several thousand acres, is uniquely situated to leverage the profound expertise of the Foresters' Guild. Thy role in this fair Country doth extend beyond mere forestry; it doth encompass the stewardship of a vital treasure. And we have in our unique possession secret knowledge from the elves about arboriculture, a wisdom that only we ourself, Corviano, can now disseminate.
We write to you this day not solely as an individual but as a voice for the people of Feather’s Edge, a community abounding with potential and promise. We seek skilled foresters, journeymen and masters, to employ in the nurturing environment of our burgeoning settlement.
To facilitate this venture, we propose employing foresters with a sign-on boon of one month's salary. Feather’s Edge is not merely a settlement—it is a resplendent haven where the skills of folks such as yourselves are highly prized and venerated by those with coin to spend.
Ye may have heard of a recent trifling misunderstanding between ourselves and Baron Sapping (and his entourage from the Good King’s court). Rest assured, this fleeting disquiet will soon become a tale of yore. Regard it not with concern. For those who honor us with their partnership, nay, Friendship, in such an Enterprise shall find themselves recipients of bounteous Fortune.
For it is we ourself, Corviano, who possess the skill to unravel the secrets of the Grove and the riches therein, who resurrected Ulf from a horrendous death, and who standeth poised to reclaim the lost knowledge and wealth of the Golden Age.
Thus, we do beckon you to join us at Feather’s Edge, to become integral members of a community that doth cherish skill, valor, and the tireless pursuit of a brighter morrow. The Destroyers of the Grove are committed to vanquishing the malevolence at the heart of the Grove and ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for the Reaches of Edry.
Find us on the way to Brushside, just past Bennet's Copse on the road. Call for me or my stewards and confidants, Alfredo and Belfry, at Freya’s Tavernhall.
Let it also be heralded: Valrinian the Bard, once a treasured member of our community, was recently ousted for uttering slanderous verses against Baron Sapping. We now find ourselves in great need of singers and songers, thespians and players, to fill the lacuna left by his disloyal departure. Spread the word, we beseech you. Trustworthy souls of enterprising spirit who demonstrate their prowess shall receive handsome recompense.
Penned upon our desk at Feather's Edge, Idibus Ignimii 939, with the highest regard and anticipation, Corviano Cormoranti
A letter written by Corviano to the Forester's Guild in Ban Gentul. Towards the end he throws Valrinian the Bard under the bus, who, let the record show left on his own after accidentally taking credit for a song (The Fainting Barn) he didn't write.
To the Esteemed Foresters Guild of Ban Gentul,
in the Resplendent Guidance of Divine Ignimius, Founder of our Faith, and the Great Blessings of Rota the Nigh-Unnamable, who doth overseeth the expanse of our Trades and Livelihoods; from Ex. Corviano Cormoranti, Priest of Orile, Officer of the Commemorant, Founder of the New Settlement rightly called Feather’s Edge, and Member—along with Freya, Roland, and Ulf—of the Destroyers of the Grove, we extend our fullest greetings and readiness to engage in commerce.
Feather’s Edge, located as it were less than a half mile west of the Last Wood, a verdant expanse of several thousand acres, is uniquely situated to leverage the profound expertise of the Foresters' Guild. Thy role in this fair Country doth extend beyond mere forestry; it doth encompass the stewardship of a vital treasure. And we have in our unique possession secret knowledge from the elves about arboriculture, a wisdom that only we ourself, Corviano, can now disseminate.
We write to you this day not solely as an individual but as a voice for the people of Feather’s Edge, a community abounding with potential and promise. We seek skilled foresters, journeymen and masters, to employ in the nurturing environment of our burgeoning settlement.
To facilitate this venture, we propose employing foresters with a sign-on boon of one month's salary. Feather’s Edge is not merely a settlement—it is a resplendent haven where the skills of folks such as yourselves are highly prized and venerated by those with coin to spend.
Ye may have heard of a recent trifling misunderstanding between ourselves and Baron Sapping (and his entourage from the Good King’s court). Rest assured, this fleeting disquiet will soon become a tale of yore. Regard it not with concern. For those who honor us with their partnership, nay, Friendship, in such an Enterprise shall find themselves recipients of bounteous Fortune.
For it is we ourself, Corviano, who possess the skill to unravel the secrets of the Grove and the riches therein, who resurrected Ulf from a horrendous death, and who standeth poised to reclaim the lost knowledge and wealth of the Golden Age.
Thus, we do beckon you to join us at Feather’s Edge, to become integral members of a community that doth cherish skill, valor, and the tireless pursuit of a brighter morrow. The Destroyers of the Grove are committed to vanquishing the malevolence at the heart of the Grove and ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for the Reaches of Edry.
Find us on the way to Brushside, just past Bennet's Copse on the road. Call for me or my stewards and confidants, Alfredo and Belfry, at Freya’s Tavernhall.
Let it also be heralded: Valrinian the Bard, once a treasured member of our community, was recently ousted for uttering slanderous verses against Baron Sapping. We now find ourselves in great need of singers and songers, thespians and players, to fill the lacuna left by his disloyal departure. Spread the word, we beseech you. Trustworthy souls of enterprising spirit who demonstrate their prowess shall receive handsome recompense.
Penned upon our desk at Feather's Edge, Idibus Ignimii 939, with the highest regard and anticipation, Corviano Cormoranti