Northern Lords
Summary
GM: Jono Bean
Season: Autumn 817 WK
Night: Monday (starting 14th March, 7:00pm)
Location: 11 Murial Place, Ranui West Auckland
Level: Medium/High
Information: Information from players for Jono.
Play test:
Alchemist,
Assassin,
Beastmaster,
Thief,
Ranger, and others.
Preference given to those who played on Chelemby Northern Darkness part one, or guild members who's background is from the northern area.
- Party
- Ragnfríðr Yngvarrsdóttir Gythja of Hel - Kelsie
- Mungo the humble So Named by Odin Himself - Michael
- Mordrin Freya's champion- Clare.
- Silverfoam, Military Scientist, Namer(ish), played by Michael P.
- Lady Cher hero of the north, played by Sean.
- Alandis the fire eye, Fey who walk in shadows, played by Fabio.
Here is a hyper-link to the exp chits.
- Mission
- Travel to newly captured area of the Kingdom of Ibanvaal.
- Find and assist Mungo.
- Sort out some local issues
- Sort out issues with the lady of the lake.
- Time allowing follow up on a treasure map.
- Pay
- A meal of blessed náttmál for each person.
Brief overview
- The party (less Mungo) eventually met in Dagenborg; Located Mungo; and moved swiftly to Wilderness near Sulubin Jarldom — reaching that walled town after slightly killing 2 strangers (dryads) & both elves in the party ... also the Party Leader (but somehow she came back quite quickly); encountering two goddess at loggerheads ("Are you happy sister? "), etc. Rumours and tall tales confirmed Mungo (one of Sulubin's rulers) was captured by a small force of orcs, then taken west by humans into Mengala Kingdom. Sulubin is a geothermal & political hotspot.
- Mungo fled to Sulubin, barely avoiding his torch-wielding pursuers, who were "The Bitten", one of the strange groups in the hills, followers of Ohgoth. They wanted Mungo because he was "Royal and almost bitten". The party sallied forth and rescued him, deluged by black toads, fallen cupids, and the like — closely observed by too many locals. Hearts were broken (or half-so) but those Curses were removed as fast as possible, except on Mungo who was Charmed away (only because he shapeshifted) and literally swayed from side to side by would-be fellow cultists. The party rescued Mungo. Again.
- We flew to the Hills, scoped the Bitten Camp, then snuck into the guarded mines: a vast complex including old silver mines, underground river, goblins (avoided), Basilisks in ovo (mostly avoided). When destoned, found a vault with some loot and a portal to somewhere (later identified as near the WK). Then, deep down, we reached an undercroft beneath the Bitten's subterranean cathedral.
- After 24 hours prep, the Rk-10 Mechanicians with spell-containment & a versatile Binder collapsed much of the Cathedral. Party experienced waves of transformative enhanced entities magic; freed the dwarven & human prisoners; looted; overpowered all the remaining Bitten, who can be de-cursed; discovered, then recovered in flint, the lycanthropic gem (to quote the dwarves: "a Good gem, just doing bad things"); and blocked all 17 entrances to the mine complex. Everyone retreated SO SLOWLY on foot to Sulubin, where followers of the Mistress of Waters had arrived with produce & livestock to trade, a mission proposal and a monster-slaying trident. We also identified the contaminated water sources poisoned by the perfidious Geyserland minions.
- In rehousing the Bitten, a stoned temple to Freya was unearthed. An embassy from the House of Maar had marriage/alliance offers and shiny axes for Mongo, Mordrin, & the priestess. Party met the Kelpies, and were taken to the Fey Queen, where we learnt more about the Necromanticer-slash-Binder-slash-Greater-Summoner, her unnatural island lair on the back of an Undead Water elemental. Also her Guardian Monster darned from many dead creatures, a hydra of many heads: 2 basilisk, 1 fire-breathing, 1 charming, 1 poisonous, 1 screeching, and 2 that halve ones magic. The elves would be especially vulnerable. Also it smells bad. The party planned with the Fey; then removed to Sulubin to prepare (and remove gourd-vulnerable possessions/equipment).
- Got guidance and a dead-but-useful leg up from Hel. Ran errands in Dagenborg: Getting greaters; Dropping off the Late King of Menglana's bones; Feasting & Partying; Not pursuing ice giants; etc). Cunningly capture and turn the Big Bad's spies. Solved a murder. Found out how to make arrows/spears that can hurt insubstantials.
- The party and the Queen's Force were separate armies executing a pincer attack on BB's Evil Isle. After wasting time slightly denting a nearly numberless animated statue army, the party entered BB's massive underground lair and negotiated with a familiar, disenchanted Succubus. Destroyed the Djinn guard. Then ...
- Entered BB's Boudoir of Doom, doing little damage [to them] even before the Incubus tricked [barely] Marty McMungo into blabbing our plan to all the remaining enemy forces. The succubi held back while BB fled to a panic room. Taking much damage, we shattered all the shallow but expensive mirrors and hence (through Similarity Magic?) shattering & killing all the Binders on the island — namely the Big Bad and Cher (...who, temporarily ignoring death, constantly complained about the missing chunks of her body we dropped trying to escape the huge sinking island).
- Recollected Cher's fragments and repaired her better than she was. Negotiated with the Wild Fey to avoid future depredation on Sulubin's folk, and resurrected or depetrified what could be found of both their side and the Queen's troops. Gained intelligence, payment, and some discharged Kinlu from the Fey Queen. Then headed ...
- North to the Geyserland, whose people had poisoned the river and Sulubin. Their leader was an ancient friend of Mungo. The humanoid Kurriken [walrus warriors] were quite reasonable, once we destroyed (and looted, obviously) the nearby Haunt of Evil [mostly undead] that plagued them, their land, and their whale. They won't attack the Jarldom of Sulubin and will come to its aid when called.
Scribe notes
Chap.1: From Seagate to Port Chelemby to Dagenborg to Sulubin
FIRST LEG: After the Guild meeting, Lady Cher, Alandis, & Silverfoam all discussed the options to travel W & N to meet Ragna, Mordrin, & Mungo. Gullinbursti, Alandis, Sf, & wind-&waterproofed crew sailed to Port Chlemby, under SF's colours on the Ark Loyal — a hermaphrodite Caravel (i.e., mixed rigging: square and lanteen) Shipstrengthed (Rank 40) from trees harvested from the forest beyond Antecarzala. The Ship was also Wind-&-waterproofed. We carried provisions & equipment, gifts, trade goods, and some of Cher's equipment that she chose not to carry through the Pauper portal. Alandis had few tasks other than lounging near 2-hex sunbathing Gullinbursti should any fliers investigate.
Proceded to Port Chelemby. Since the days were still long (only 6 weeks after Summer solstice) the voyage manages 700-750 miles per day until a few hours from Chelemby: Travelling at 45 mph from pre-Dawn to Dusk over deep, familiar waters; at night a modest 5-10mph (magewind) is safe, especially with experienced crew.
SECOND LEG (1st Joint): After collecting Cher, and possibly some intelligence, Party sailed at Dawn at modest speed for an hour (then at max speed) NNW towards Kingdom of Rogna. Counterspelled the Magewind noonish, changing (by Shipstrength) to a Lanteen-rig Caravel; Then at max speed almost due E to Genja or Gosheim. Later, sailing at a modest (almost natural) pace to Lepesaar — even slower when approaching "our" sandbank before midnight (to rest up). Then we sailed into harbour just after dawn on the 8th and beached the Ark, Counterspelling the overall Shipstrength queuing the new broader Caravel hull Shipstrength; then counterspelling the existing hulls. (The gifts including as much of the excess freshly felled wood as they want ... saving a couple of tons for bribes gifts at Dagenborg and a "little" in the hold, just in case.
Requested Cher to shape figurehead and tail of the Swift flier: Gullinbursti's tusked head, shoulders, & forelegs stretched out in flight at the prow; the hind quarters at the rear (I'm sure she's artist enough to convey the unsubtle message to those trying to pursue us). Sent the Oracle a wax-sealed, stoppered, dark-glass ewer of "southern" wine (since she'd appreciate the metaphor and the substance).
Spent the day allegedly recovering & resting — i.e., visiting friends, gathering intelligence, and inviting everyone personally to an "impromptu" feast that night; SF provided the casks of beer and most of the food. Distributed the gifts especially quality sails (for Olvir), domestic items & honey (especially for Olm & their children), southern fruits, good-but-plain spyglasses, rope, some mirrors, to our former hosts/allies/friends, the Headman; the Oracle etc). Breached at least one cask of mead — probably two if we want Gb to share; even if flattered by the number of folk that want to drink with him, he'd only cooperate if he saw it as a chance to drink more himself.
SECOND LEG, (2nd Joint): Left Lepesaar the following day (9th) in the afternoon sailing to Dagenborg — half of the crew & 1st officer sleeping; everyone else sober, more or less. Switched watches in the evening and, when SF slept; anchored. Sailed pre-dawn, arriving at Dagenborg mid-morning (10th) ... to meet the rest of the party, and also allow sufficient time for a feast to be prepared at the castle that night ...
Reunited, mostly
Gifts were conveyed to the castle (especially the gilt framed mirror, always popular with royalty), and we contacted Ragna or Mordrin ... hypothetically whichever was more easily Locate-able first or that we could be directed to [I'm "claiming" it was Mordrin]. A Locate indicated that Mungo was somewhere in, or near to, the new Dagen jarldom (Sulubin) that lies by the big lake (Ekjel).
POLITICAL NOTE: We did discover that the locals believe that the Jarldom of Sulubin has only been granted to Mungo/Ragna/Mordrin for life and that control of the territory will then revert to the local families. His Dagen Majesty has graciously declined to mention their obvious misinterpretation.
The next day (11th Fruit) Mordrin "lost" the entire, battle-ready party (except, obviously, the clearly misplaced Man who would be Humble) and we ended up in the highland wilderness some 30-35 miles SW of Sulubin.
Never stand between sisters who are talking between clenched teeth.
SF checked with Mordrin & that it was OK to take a minute to fell some of their trees, to make a large dinghy or small which would get us all to Sulubin within an hour. Slightly messy since the land was uneven & the logs didn't neatly stack as usual, but started rolling — but not a problem, since they were still within Shipstrength range and nobody was bowled over. Unfortunately some fey staggered out of the woods & died {DA: Dryad formerly living; "oops"} as did the life-aspected MilSci/Scribe [hard to resist death magic when people die nearby]... so the next bit is uncertain, but apparently so did Alandis (the other, sneakier Elf), and the Party Leader who (because she was a human with connections) was quickly resurrected or returned or whatever.
Hel the Death-Goddess turned up; as did Freya, each grabbing a shoulder of Ragna (or possibly of her corpse).
Apparently Hel & Freya have issues.
One said: "Sister why do you meddle with my priestess? This will not stand". (Does it really matter which one said it?) .
Anyway ... no further party-members died later that day, or not for very long.
Freya invited all to meet her granddaughter, especially Alandis, and for Mordrin to bring Silverfoam's Lute of Castrametation to discuss amends.
Presumably, Hel also said something — but the scribe wasn't informed.
The Goddesses stomped graciously departed to different parts of the woods.
"Are you happy sister"
Rumours from Sulubin
Party reached the town after noticing large dog/wolves and Seal-like creatures swimming in the lake.
There is Geothermal heating in parts of town; ships in the harbour; and LOTS of factions. When those in power (or 2/3 any rate) reached their Keep, Many persons of significance and associates turned up. LOTS of talking and Meaningful Looks, often unfathomable to outsiders. Reports about the "crazy hero" [we just presumed, correctly, that it was Mungo] include:
- Set upon by 20 not-normal orcs, well-armed, armoured, and disciplined and then taken by human guards west.
- The Drow heard of it, a battle of one man.
- A battle with 1 man fighting and it took hours.
- There is a skald wandering the land & charming people out of all their possessions.
Other info
- The local lord is Ragna Edain.
- Also important is a large Family, the RALDs, that are related to one of the runners up for Menglanan crown; they are clearly running some sort of crime racket led by an old scary women. Most missing a finger or two.
- The elves are cured. (Alandis was injured? sorry, must have been dead at the time)
- Ragna saw a seer.
- Outside was a loud howling ... wolves, wind, something very big. Mordrin has heard it before, but not yet got around to sorting it out.
Over the evening, the powers that be realise more things are going on round town that need attention:
- 6 of the captains are involved in a cartel of raiding. Far more husbands & men than wives.
- Some strange foreigners that are (it is said) living in the hills & have a mine.
- Another group with foreigners are brewing/distilling, and are involved with buying/selling arms & armour.
- Miners doing their own thing; and getting into trouble with farmers.
- People occasionally going missing in the tunnels under the Town
- The Jarldom is paid food & service, but not cash or similar.
- Trade is heavily "tariffed"/extorted by the local lordlings.
- There's also a sea creature living on one of the islands.
- One urgent case involves 5 men who each wanted to marry 1 particular woman (who would rather marry a 6th instead, but he'd been run out of town by the 5 who wanted to kill him). Her mother had 17 kids in 4 years. [actually it was 7 years she admitted]. But her Mother said it is up to Mordrin to decide the husband — there's a magical item, which she'll be giving to her eldest dtr. Who ever is left alive in a year's time is Mordrin's choice.
Finally there is a trouble-making family (called Maar) Shield is black with a white Bend (Sash), run by Hedila, the ancient shield-maiden, who has refused the kings' demands for the marriage of her daughters ... especially since they would only be 4th or 5th wives for their Dagen-sponsored Lords. [However, see §3.5.2 Emissaries from Hedila]
Chap.2: Mungo come, Mungo go
SF was distracted from the undoubtedly fascinating local politics by the gently vacillating Locate arrow on Mungo. From a nearby window, a horde of distant torches were advancing down from the hills towards the castle, also veering about the true line of approach, like a Wild Hunt pursuing a frenetically zigzagging quarry. The party armed up, spelled up, and headed to the derelict walls in a semi-defensible area. Mungo and the Horde were closing quickly.
SF, in the air, was glowing to show Mungo where to head, loudly raising morale etc; Lady Cher & Ragna defended the nominal entrance gate, while Alandis and Mordrin covered the right & left flanks in their different but very effective ways. Behind the party, interested townsfolk and local notables observed, making it imperative that the Party (and hence, the New Regime) swiftly overpower the invaders without undue loss of nominally innocent local lives. Given that the Walls were broken, almost non-existent in places, and that the landscape was scattered with copses and thickets between expanses of ice, Cher cast Ice Traversal.
Two incoming Deluge of Black Toads (Celestial special) did not particularly harm the party, but revealed the location of two of their spell-casters (due to Manasight). Mungo burst in and, rather than give an idea of what we were up against, shouted for a Skald to record his imminent acts of renown (and such a sycophant did indeed coalesce from the clottish crowd).
A couple of Mungo's immediate chasers also breached the so-called wall (mostly by stepping over it) on the near right, SF released an acid grenado and advanced towards the nearest of the small arrow-firing fliers [GTN: Fallen cherub]. Alandis disappeared but (as evidenced by a surprising number of bodies discovered afterwards) was both busy and discrete on his flank. Mordrin and her axe hewed through the foes on her side, while Ragna Summoned a Rake & told it to attack the beings attacking the town.
SF cast a Rank20 Bane under the bulk of the enemy force including 3 casters and a long lizard-like creature [reducing the BC of spells cast from within the area by 65] . And the rake exploded several of the attackers immediately beyond the "wall" ... which was a temporary surprise to some.
Ragna: "Oh it's my magic!"
The necromantic Rake even recognised that Cher was not the enemy (which isn't always as easy as it should be). The attackers' morale swiftly shattered, and they fled.
Indeed the only opponent with any backbone was one of Mungo's immediate pursuers (who even, when disarmed, wrenched out one of his own ribs), still calling on Mungo to join the forces of Oh-Goth, his leader and Mungo's natural leader too, apparently. Seems only Oh-Goth can carry "the rock" — a big, black stone that no-one else can safely handle (?? conjecturally Chaos stone).
Mungo (boasting to the crowd): "What care I for a jarldom when I am going to win a throne?"
Toady Skald (recognizing a cue): "Win a throne, my lord? From whom?"
Mungo (after a dramatic pause): "From My Enemies!"
[The crowd goes wild]
One of our heroes is missing, AGAIN
The recently revived (Ragna, Alandis, & SF) received replacement Lesser enchantments from a local ... we went down, down, down to a geothermal casting area and the effect was raised 20 ranks (i.e. "permanent").
BTW, when we studied it the next day, we discovered that a Tree of Life sapling was planted here 5 yrs ago. As yet, no effect, but there will be a population surge in the next 20 years or so. In the basement there are 6 exits (Make it clear to Mungo, we will NOT take an exit each this time either). There is light coming in through the crack unnaturally, that it lighting the tree.
SF quickly empathied & Divinated Ragna (who, as a fellow tabula rasa, clearly shewed all the recent magical impacts of the region to establish the cursed nature of the F-Cherubs' shafts and other ill. Four of us (Ragna, Cher, Mungo, & SF) were either fully or half-cursed with a Broken Heart. At its worst, the cursed victim cannot be healed at all (even by natural recuperation) and may be subject to further attacks from a distance; if partially saved, the victim only receives half-effect from all types of healing.
SF, Ragna, & Cher were de-cursed (@ 3hours). Unfortunately, when it was Mungo's turn he was gone, lured away ... but the Locate was still active and he was within a single enhanced Windwalk cast. The party was mildly harassed by fey/minions, subdued Mungo, and used Ragna's 1-shot RC-potion to quickly remove his curse, then strategically retreated to Salubin.
>>> QUESTION (from confused scribe): was it at this point or earlier that we took one of the enemy into custody to examine and ethically "debrief"?
Chap. 3: Into the Hill & Down the Mine
Sulubin: SWOT
To be fixed:
- The town walls are insufficient
- The food reserves are low to non-existent
- The harvest was not good (no hardy hybrids; very rocky terrain)
- But there are very few (virtually no) able-bodied men to harvest it anyway — with the wars obviously; but also ...
- People go missing in the night, presumed to be the Bitten, but there are also strange things in/under the Lake. (Solved in Chap.9)
- Even the ships are undermanned.
Other points:
- Fishing is good. There are rack of drying fish by the shore.
- The water is rained on; but it parts around the "Strange Island" by about 100ft.
- Even if we can't rescue/restore sufficient of The Bitten, suggestions to consider and practical actions include:
- Mordrin can organize work levies for urgent repairs (& plan/prioritise tasks), although there are few workers currently.
- SF, with the Lute, can clear surface Stones from potential farmlands & gather them for building materials/fill. Ditto [non-dryads] trees, ...
- Find/Bribe witches to cooperate on Blessings, etc.
- Ditto for an earthmage to cut stone (by elemental?) if there is a suitable source within easy transport (e.g., on or near the lake). Can Cher shape a rock outcrop into building blocks?
- Allow a Woman to be the Head of a Holding/business, with rights to own/control it, even if married. (Ragna will have practical advice and the influence to sell the idea)
- If party resolves the main missions, organise trade/mission (with whom?) to transport grain, etc. Aside: Transporting stuff up to the headwaters of the Nekro from most of Ibanvaal (and, by extension, foreign countries) is easy. The problem is the next 15 or so miles to the shores of Lake Ekjel.
More immediately, Mungo debriefed us on what he remembered of the Stronghold/Mines of the Bitten, e.g., the blue, hard, Strange substance that's almost glass-like and gives bad dreams when sleeping near it — latter know as the blue-crystal [LOOT!] We then powered up, including the necessary recasting of spells lost when most of the party killed.
Suggested new S.O.P. Since Sulubin is low-mana, we should move out of town until we reach normal mana-level — just costs 2 or 4 fatigue from SF, depending on the method/distance. Once DA confirms a Normal Mana Level [NML], we complete the power-up in a tactical position. Especially as we'll need 2 enhanced WindWalks for the entire party to reach and scout the territory of The Bitten.
In Fact, we located it closer to the Town than expected so, for the return, touch (non-Dryad) wood we only need an unenhanced Windwalk to get back. [SF's normal max range = 20¼ miles; 74 miles when enhanced]
IN preparation, Mordrin Braided our hair (not Cher obviously) for resistance to Charm at +50, etc, enhanced duration of 1 spell effect.
We then drank Tea +45 stealth 13 hr; +5 fat, 13 hr; 130 min for -5 off rolls.
Specific casts:
- From MilSci: Enhanced Counterspell-Celestial-special... also gen, unless you expect to request a change (not all requests granted); Water&Windproofing; Water-breathing; (NOTE: For SF's counters, effects, etc, see PDF linked to the Buffs section). Since SF can get extra target(s) to non-damage, non-self spells of 1 per 5 full [real] ranks , he gives priority to spells that multiple party-members want.
- From Pty Leader [Ragna] +16 defence, +7 stealth; +7 fat & +4 end armour tot; ??Weapons spell +7BC, +2 damage.
- From Alandis: 28 pts of Fire protection
In the Land of the Bitten
We variously noticed:
- There were some 20 shanties and several paths around the place.
- Mordrin "sensed" the mine (again), as did Mungo.
- 3 armoured sentries guarded the palisaded entrance to the Mine-complex.
- The Palisade had rips out at the top, and there are 3 more guards on the inside, communicating regularly with the outer guards.
- Puddles disappeared into the ground ?!
- 6 people were cooking over fires, in ordinary clothes; cooking for a lot (at least 40+), with 3 armoured guards on look-out.
- So a lot of people were missing or elsewhere (raiding? Down the mines?), due back quite soon to judge from the food.
- Some huts were (recently?) destroyed by a large creature.
- There are FOUR other mine entrances ... with scoria in front of them;
- Large pack of wolves in a kennel-like area.
- There is open ground in front of the main mine entrance, & we could clearly see something like a large "breathing in and out" effect (undetectable creature? Mine or magical mechanism?)
- Moving to a better viewpoint, DA-ed a few GTN Human; Lycanthropy curse (for the past 9 months 4 days in that case) ; Not pacted.
- Those 3 armoured guards paid attention erratically to the palisade's approach. There are people inside that occasional stir the guards up. (Good! Better bored than paranoid/vigilant)
- "Something" left large gouges on the ground from the palisade. Heavy on one side.
We climbed down Mordrin's magic rope from the top of the hill above the Main mine entrance, and snuck past the 3 guards on the inside of the palisade.
In the Mine(s)
The route down soon split into 2 paths. We went down the one with old wooden rails every 2ft or so.
Mungo the decidedly NOT humble turned into a lycanthrope, lost his anti-charm hair braids (as usual), but managed to resist the Call of the Wild/Insane/Leader.
Air was flowing through the area. We enter the large ribcage (Blue whale ribs, v old) as a chamber.
There was a ladder up to a room; 2 entrances going down; and a water flow. Mungo remembers that the Left route goes down 2 miles, where there is the blue stuff (mentioned before) POTENTIAL LOOT for latter?]; the Right passage goes to the silver mine & to one of the other exits. Both ways have had about 40-odd sweaty humanoids.
We followed the direction of Mungo & Mordrin's foot-tapping itch and continue down. Don't know where the water goes to, or from, but it is drinkable. About 3 hour of hard exercise. The wooden rails crossed a wooden bridge and continue into a hole. 5 minutes later, came across supplies of food in sacks, hand-carts, and creatures (Goblin). Waft of hot, rank (no, sulphurous) air from below. 5 more minutes later saw lava tricking down the wall.
Ragna saw a wispy figure over some rags (presumably somewhat undead), mauled, & sees the body itself. (human GTN, died about 14 hours ago). Mungo remembered this was once a goblin warren. Ragan interrogated her dead, but magically cooperative, witness:
- What enemies did you see other than goblins? A: "A fierce creature the size of an ogre (may have been), and some fighting orcs in armour, controlled by a goblin priest".
- What else should I know? A: "They came for the fire sands". [Potential LOOT?]
- How can I find out more? A: "You should talk to Roggeth". Possibly the same as the OhGoth we heard of earlier
Goblins, petrification, Something Scary
Alandis noticed the stench of bad creatures on the air (orcs or such?). Fortunately we are We protected from fire [28 pts of fire protection]
6 goblin scouts preparing to secure the entrance we came from and a larger group (goblins & orcs) only a few are in old weapons all with good (non-gobbo) weapons and re-tailored armour. There is an egg-like rock, like a stalagmite but unnaturally so. And soon we saw more egg-shaped things including one on the tracks. We decided to investigate:
Ragna: "Don't Extinguish your flame! Just hide it."
Alandis the elf (with a hint of sarcasm): "And where am I going to put it?"
Ragna: "You're Fireproofed, what's the problem?"
Cher made part of the Ovoid Transparent and was Petrified. Mordrin threw a blanket over the egg. ("Doesn't someone have a de-petrification spell? ... Oh! ...") So the party rested while SF completed a Trueform ritual on Cher. We got her to move while another volunteer (Morale-raised Alandis) looked and the DA of how long until it hatches came back as 10 years.
Further down, some creature was throwing refuse (bones & tatters of fur, etc)and a few coins tinkled out of a room. It smelt bad. (Mungo smelt sulfur & goblin and a hint of cinnamon). Ragna the leader suddnely decides we should leave (Something in the sagas about the Sound of Small bells, the Smell of Cinnamon) so we started to go, but Alandis put on a Ring of invisiblity & looked in through the doorway ... and experienced Real Fear. Apparently saw something 4-legged, like a lizard-centaur, odd, weeping wounds? Very unpleasant. We sneaked past.
Cool Vault; then a basement beneath an Attractive place
The wooden tracks ran out in to a large cavern with several dwellings; large pots, lava, some sort of a smelter or refinery. Clearly designed for humans. Red glow from the lava. Some human bodies & goblin bodies with goblin arrows in them ... silver tipped (for Lycanoids presumably), also apparently poisoned. the Installation was built within the last 2 years — clearly refining silver.
Cher & Alandis identified, with thiefy sense, a locked vault. (Mechanician SF thinks quite good quality). Alandis cracked the padlock [2 chests in there empty loosely refined silver, maybe 50% pure & a small box of red stones (Salamander tears); LOOT!]. Also a large thin sheet of copper cold to the touch. Transparency, by Cher, showed a short archway into a snowy landscape (but nothing to DA to establish plane/region etc)
Two hours later, after sporadically hearing goblins, including combat once, we reached a basement with arched supports holding up ceiling slabs. Stairs went up to a wooden hatch; Cher makes that one-way Transparent too. Lycanthropes: about 15 of them in a large room (stone flags) paying attention to something we can't see. This is the place that M&M are attracted to. High up above there are chains from the ceiling going down to 8-foot diameter balls, Streams of lava providing light for the chamber.
Chap.4: Thoughtful Destruction, Looting, & Fortuitous Offers
We were undecided which/whether to break some of the pillars. The master mechanicians decided to go for a greater "deconstructive" effect on strategic arches above, using multiple spell-containments simultaneously.
24 hours later, we were fully buffed and prepared, triggered the attack from a safer distance down the corridor. There was a lot of noise and a rush of almost instantaneous dust as the undercroft also collapsed. Almost immediately Mordrin felt we've done a good thing, as there was no insistent pull anymore. Alandis's elemental (The Rock) confirmed that there was a big mess; and gave us alternative directions to reach the transformed large chamber.
It took over half an hour to take that route and, along the way, there were several waves of what looked like (under Manasight) fine points of starlight washing out of the stonewalls and impacting us — some form of enhanced entities-magic impacting (shame most of us were under Counter-celestial counterspells instead).
Uplifting & Romantic Ruins
We ended up on a stone walkway with wooden balustrade overlooking a large silent ex-cathedral with freshly fallen drifts of rubble. The vast chamber is damp in one end: water falling 40ft, splashing onto shattered stones, making spray & mist, cooling & wetting the air. A dozen limbs were sticking out of rubble. Looking up, we see gaping holes, cross-sections where three former corridors or walkways no longer exist. The ex-Cathedral is now a huge chasm: very poetic and inspiring, except for a bizarre Area of Silence 78ft away. Mana is streaming in all directions.
We heard some people in the gallery above: Mungo & Alandis swarmed up and grabbed them by the head. They were unbitten children who'd followed the felons that had carried off their fellow villagers. The children said the abductors were foreigners from the north that cook funny & speak a funny language; Furthermore, the kidnappers had found something & were trying to use it because they said it would enable them to control the local lord. The abductors have also been trading with the goblins for prisoners.
Debriefing and Freeing the Captives; Much looting
When asked, the kids confirmed Oggroth was there, & his enemies. Oggroth can change into strange things & has a raiding council. They have a ship that is coming, bringing something. There were 3 guards at the cells, but all the others were at the cathedral. Lots of abandoned rooms.
The Party lootingly looted lots of loot. We spoke to the ex-prisoners, especially those working in the kitchen: most(?) were still normal, but all susceptible to magic. There were tons of food in store (Cheese is from Cauldersfield); there is a trading route near the forges. They go there every few days & bring food.
Alandis tied up the guards (one of which had been Bitten for 9 months & 4 days). There were 50ish humans and 10 dwarves (one of which, recognised by Mordrin & SF, had been at the Siege of Tallin). The Dwarven prisoners had bribed the guards with promises of alcohol (bad alcohol). The Dwarves were on patrol in Cauldersfield. The portal they came through (home at Iron Hills) is near a fortress at the edge of Cauldersfield established to ensure that the Western Kingdom doesn't get too unruly (or Too Ruly either, which is possibly worse).
The Black Stone & The Lycanthropic Gem it covered
The Dwarves were asked by Oggroth to appraise the Black Stone (which was Flint) and they accidentally told him how to lift it ... which was a mistake because it was hiding an evil gem. The black flint was a container of 2 halves, and inside was that gem. "A Good gem but doing bad things".
The gem could turn people into lycanthropes, depending on your type of magic. Conjecturally an Elemental exposed to the Gem might become smarter more cunning, dirtier, more gritty.
Ragna asked how the Stone could be made to cover-up the Gem again. We'd have to wrap it in flint.
Party Found Flint; Encased Gem fragments; Took Folk & Food to Sulubin
It took time & effort, but the next day 2am we're out at the surface. It took 2 days to seal all 17 entrances to the mine (not just the 5 obvious ones), but we also saw 9 possible large pieces of flint and Cher made excellent containers.
- Party swiftly overcame the remaining Bitten guards, intending to cure them also; and later scared off some bandits.
- Mordrin led us to the gem room; small bits were coming out from under the rock, but we followed Alandis' plan and found the missing bit.
- In total we cleared out 4 tons of food.
- Examined the copper-sheet portal [LOOT!(?), or maybe needs to be placed under Sulubin's protection?]: it's a slow portal to Cauldersfield (about 1200 miles) taking 36 hours; potentially dangerous with stampeding beasts.
Alandis met with a tall white humanoid with long brown nails. It said:
- There is a bad creature on the island in the fjord,
- she has sent her minions and destroyed 3 of our trees.
- In three nights, Our Queen will send a minion to meet you.
- Our Queen is of this realm, but not of this realm, she lives in the trees.
A small boat was quickly constructed from the shanties to swiftly. Which panicked the rescued. They assume that the Scarred Necromantic Priestess (Ragna) had bid her pale Familiar (Moi? Familiar?) create a death-boat to whisk them all off to the Land of the Dead. Regretfully the boat was counter-spelled (Blame the party leader for her threatening appearance and abrasive manner).
Emissaries bearing livestock & items to trade; also weapons
Arriving slowly at Sulubin, eventually, by foot, much much later, we discovered that there were a lot of sheep and other produce that have been delivered by Dwarven warriors from Trond that follow a seer, the Mistress of the Waters.
They explained: "She said you would give us a fair and honest price." Also brought 9 boxes of substance — grey flint boxes (as Ragna guessed beforehand). "She's also brought you [LOOT!] a weapon [a trident] and we have brought you a Bottle of great Weather. Our Mistress seeks alliance. She is the Mistress of the Waters. I have this [pulls out a small bowl and some powder/Seeds]: consume this in wine and mead and it will give you an image of where to go]. She extends you an offer to parley (Under a banner of artichokes). There is a great meeting of war-leaders in the capital soon, you are all welcome."
Cher Divinated the Trident: A weapon for killing sea creatures. Seems to do more damage and can be used once a year to SLAY a Creature of Evil.
Cher also Divinated the goblin arrows: on a normal the success, the 2nd arrow (if it hits) will be one step better. Similarly the 2nd spec. grev. will ALWAYS be a spec grev. ...
Divination of a few of the Bitten confirmed their Lycanthropy was from a MA 6 Greater curse — either from a bite or from water that was contaminated (from the Gem). We can fix/remove it.
There are four sources of water, all of which the people draw water from (susceptibility to all sorts of transmitted things):
- 2 streams run through the town ... one used for washing, one for drinking. Both are contaminated.
- Another stream which comes into town but goes through near the basement of the castle
- The aqueduct bringing water from further up, over the waterfall is fine.
Chap 5: Basilisked Beavers; Coal; Emissaries with Axes; Kelpies & company
Housing the Bitten securely
Since we have 25 Bitten with us that need to be quarantined until they can be cured, Alandis considered getting his elemental to build subterranean cells secure seclusion wards. But The Rock (his elemental) sensed open spaces and things "living like him" ... so it makes a tunnel and we descended down into the main "hollow" to see a life-like scene of beavers apparently worshipping around an altar in a stoned(?) dwelling with 4 exits: one S to the river; 1 N goes 700' or so into a stone place; 1 E goes down; 1 W going to the castle.
Mordrin & Mungo detected the scent of Mustelids — related to the LaLange noun mustele meaning a weasel, Destinian, or other carnivorous mammal with short legs, a long body, and musky scent glands under its tail. They also distinguished goblins, and a Baslisk to the north. This temple was dedicated to Freya, judging from the iconography; the Altar smelt valuable to our Dwarf.
The Trond dwarves helped shift the coal (to rehouse the prisoners/patients under Cher/SF's guard/ guardianship) while the rest of the party squabbled over which animals to sacrifice for some new building. Gradually, they were distracted into being useful. First Alandis chastised a disorderly fire elemental in the Oven who was uncontrolled now that its Salamander tears had run out (it takes 3 tears for 2 years control).
The subdued elemental claimed that the People of the Geyserland have been poisoning the local water (which fits with the Divination/DAs on the Bitten).
Emissaries from Hedila
Then 4 strangers from another clan were announced. They were from the House of Maar, but travelled semi-incognito in large Black and white checked cloaks, which showed furs and chain when removed. All have excellent boots.
Mordrin the Dwarf: "Cos even when you dress down, you always keep your good boots".
Apparently they tried to capture or duel Mungo when he was loose ... quite unrelated to the attempts of the Bitten and nymphs — it's a very common urge he brings out in most people.
An older woman, Palar, spoke. They wanted fair talks with Mordrin, Mungo, and the Priestess, seeking trade & alliance: "We understand neither of you nor the dwarf are married, so we seek alliance through marriage. Our mistress (Hedila, a significant neutral force in Mengalan politics ... because of all her powerful daughters, one of whom will her heir) brought a gift for Mungo (etc) — 3 fine axes. (NOT LOOT?) Darrow (the youngest dwarf, who got tired of moving coal, says that Clan Maar have ALWAYS turned up to attack those whom they said they would; quite honourable in their behavior; and they are under threat at the moment, so they'll probably try to involve you in their situation. They have, so far, resisted the charms of their next door neighbours (drunken oath-breakers; poisoners, have betrayed 2 kings in the past 5 years) — so (even) Mungo is a great catch.
Alliance Axes
These are The Best Weapons Mungo has seen in all Ivenia so far. DA indicates in addition to any plusses to hit or damage that each axe has: Resilience, Binding, Subjugation, & Destruction. Each is valued at, maybe 18-22k or thereabouts. All very fine and no one outshining the other:
- The Axe can be used as +1 on rank above max rank in the weapon's skill in any of your axe-skills ... with 1-H Battleaxe, 2-H battleaxe, or handaxe
- Does your height (in ft) as additional damage up to +21; and those under 21ft are compensated by an increase strike chance of 21-{their height in ft}
- You may sacrifice some of your Strike chance as defence.
- Resilience — upon a fumble (etc) to break it will get your default MR chance of NOT breaking.
- Binding, Subjugation: chance of binding & controlling creatures that are born and under your WP.
- There is a Set of axes, people who have another in (there are 17 other axes made before these) and you can recognise your fellow set-members.
- Mordrin believes that it was a partially-order set of axes, where each successive Axe was the same or better than the preceding one {QQ recorded correctly??}.
"Those who work for the gods, get something".
Dwarves find this all amusing.
Alandis deduces that that the Clan of Maar are who he met on the first night.
Kelpie Exposition
Down to the shoreline went all the party ... except the ONLY party-member who is a specialist in shorelines. And meet the 7 kelpies. One spoke and offered out slugs, crush shell, and wax "for your ears, so that they don't change your minds." Using the plugs transformed her voice changed from pleasant to harsh. She advised:
- Yes we know of the "dead" in your waters, it is making us all unwell.
- There are 3 men that work for a blind woman, people from the Geyserland; they have badness in them. [see Chap.10]
- We do not go to that island [of the Necro/Binder/Summoner].
- We will cast Changing the Waves and you will ride with us back, but don't take your plugs out. ASIDE: SF flew down when asked and joined the party and had his ears plugged. We all rode off and, rounding the point and go thru an area of warm water. There are small elves running beside us. Meet an entourage waiting for us; One clearly more regal than the rest. The Kelpies all kneeled (and some of the party were courteous in stance too). The exposition continued ...
- My Queen is happy to meet you, you are the best news in ages. Much to discuss.
- There is a great evil living on your land, on the island. A powerful creature that has charmed a guardian to protect its lair. While it is distracted by us; you could sneak in and slay it without attracting the Death curse.
- The guardian is a hydra, made from many dead creatures.
- Its mistress is a Necromancer and Greater Summoner (who is both living and dead) with a shard of her true spirit well-hidden.
- We have 3 gourds that will respectively destroy all silver, bronze or truesilver within a mile.
- (when asked) The island is not attached to the bottom of the fjord, it is attached to an Undead Water element.
- No harvesting trees or calling on dieties!
- Here at high altitude we are more easily heard by the gods.
- The hydra has 2 basilisk heads; also 1 that breathes fire; & 1 charms you; & 1 that can bite and poison you; and 1 has a screeching roar that you cannot resist easily; 2 of them halve your magics/powers (which has severely hurt us).
- It has six attacks against fey; Your elves will be vulnerable and the dwarf less so.
- We can give you 3 necklaces (each has 9 charms that will halve the bad effect). [LOOT??]
- Our seers has seen that you will use powerful magick.
- (to Ragna) You may give this dagger to your mistress, who will recognise it. [NOT loot]
- You may wish to take garlick with you.
Although they offered to attack (the diversion) at dawn after a signal from the castle, clearly that will clash with the Ribbons braided into our hair — See! Fey are very understanding ... on some issues. So instead we arrange that they will attack the next 1 hour after midnight on our signal (we're given one of a pair of sympathetic jugs to signal with).
Chap.6: Hel, spies, patients, and planning
We tried to get Lost to Dagenborg, but it didn't work; thus Mordrin assumed we were being scried or observed. So we entered a cave, and were able to exit far from Sulubin — so, almost certainly, we were being physically observed earlier.
To Hel & back (via Dagenborg)
At Dagenborg, an old priestess hails Ragna, and we follow her ... to Hel apparently. We descended to the temple's basement where other priestesses like Ragan (possibly the same ones as before) were working around the Obelisk. Going thru its crack, we found ourselves on a dark well-trodden earth trail through a snowscape and headed downhill. After several hours (Three? Five? hard to tell), we approached The Hall — a giant out front but no-one chained to the post. Passed through the "mud room" antechambers and entered the Presence of Hel. She was dressed very simply. Ragna retuned the dagger ("You have done very well"). Hell offered Ragna the leg [LOOT! seriously! but possibly just a loaner?] (seen propped up against the mud-room wall) ... apparently it's very good to "boot undead elementals".
Hel to Mordrin: "I had been meaning to [pauses] ...reconnect with My Sister. Thank you for arranging it".
She arranged for Mordrin to learn Snow reading.
Hel to Mungo: "Hero of Odin I have a message for you to deliver to Him". She blew on some knucklebones, put them in cloth, and gave him them. "Do not touch them; Try not to lose them; Give them to your Master; Although I must warn you that there are others that will have their eyes on you".
SF beseeched something to help deal with Greater Summmoners. He can now inflict damage on undead with his counterspells, by a special twist of his hand when casting: Anything with a bone in their body will take damage equal to the Rank of the counterspell (save for half). In return he must complete 3 quests for Herself in the next 33 years.
While in Hel's realm, Mungo was told that a dog is showing strange interest in Him: M. the Humble: "A dog you say?" Ragna: "How many heads does it have?"
After many, many hours we returned to Dagenborg arriving just a few minutes after we left the obelisk-room. Ragna had been persuaded to leave the Bones of the previous King of Menglana from her bone-ball inside a special bowl provided by Murma.
Alandis and Ragna went to get +6 Greater Enchantments to replace those lost when the Sisters last "reunited". SF tagged along, to Divinate them while they were sitting still. Alandis had a known disability, but preferred not to have it fixed.
Mungo, accompanied by Mordrin & Cher, returned the bones to the altar of Odin; almost immediately there was a heavy storm outside and the bones disappeared. Half a dozen fish fall from the sky in front of Mungo. After lots of DAs, we ate them freshly cooked.
Knowing that there would be feasting our honour, Mordrin composed a saga about the actions of the party. Both it and her agony-aunt advice (it's a Freya thing) were well received. Mordrin, Mungo, & Alandis took part in the postprandial racing around the Great Hall on shields and would have defeated the challenger who was saved by the bell an alarum sounding at the gate. There was a very heavy downfall outside but, look through the rain, the spell let us see 3 ice giants striding out of town. SF threw a Locate (110mi range; 21 hours) at one. Six of the ships have been holed by the mark of the trickster.
Various women were batting their eyes in Mungo's direction who played hard to tie down. However we all woke up in the main hall. Ominously 70 ravens had hit the castle wall in the storm (& were dead).
Spies Ambushed
After 4 hours of walking Lost, we returned near Sulubin. All the rangers spotted signs of people on the eastern side of town spying at various points, who hadn't yet seen us. SF simultaneously cast the same short duration Windwalk on Mordrin, Alandis, Ragna, & Mungo. Being synchronised, they all surprised & subdued their chosen targets at the same time. A woman stepped out of a tree and grabbed the person about to stab Alandis from behind (could have been professionally embarrassing). The swiftly caught another each and the remaining few surrendered quietly.
They'd been hired by a human (allegedly) who worked on "that island" (pointing to the one it never rains on). "He said to look for you people and to alert him when you get from the Mine — we missed that (might have been a bit drunk) and then we missed you when you left. If we see you leaving we're supposed to give 1 flash at the top of the hour followed by 1 for N, 2 for E, 3 for S, 4 for W". They'd been given a water-clock. And a similar signal at the half hour once we'd returned.
They pretended to be reluctant to swap sides — until Ragna icily suggested telling them we'd pay them with their own teeth. The leader added "Flying creatures came & took two 2 of my friends away. They were singing".
Sulubin update: Disenchanted fey; Mindworms; Briefly murdered cook; Moonlight weapons
Someone has thrown up a section of wall. 25' long and about 20' high. A joint effort by The Rock (elemental), the dwarves, and the Maar.
Checking the Bitten patients, Mordrin removed some mind-controlling worms, which also cured the Lycanthropy! She & Ragna cure another 6, while SF started a 9-hour Remove curse ritual.
Some flying Creatures has been spotted ... "un-enchanted fey". In other news, someone had murdered the cook. Ragna removed a hand-bone and questioned the deceased while she was an impartial witness, who said she was the stabbed in the back by someone left-handed smelling like a guard (i.e., like a watch-fire). Then Mordrin resurrected her & got a similar story.
The fire elemental said it was a shadow — a sneaky thing that comes from a place of cold. So Cher looks in her special crystal at the specified time, and we see an inky stain on the wall come to life and stab the cook. Then, speak of the devil, it came back but Alandis whipped out his shadow dagger, stabbing the Shadow which then shattered into 47 shards of black cloth. [DA: Animating magic was Binder. SF Divinated it.]
The Fire Elemental said that can go from the back of the oven to 3 different places including a Place of Moonlight that, if you dip arrows in a pool there, it stains them so that they can hurt insubstantials.
Chap.7: The mysterious Island
To be added later: First section where we Arrived on Island, defeat animated attackers and then pragmatically ran away to the underground complex of vast chambers, mirrors, stairs & landings, clockwork glass spiders, etc.
Overture from the succubus
Clearly she wishers her freedom, but may be restricted in the actions she can perform. We converse and asked her questions. She particularly addressed "the one not born like the rest" — provoking noticeable jealousy in the stance and comments in Ragna, Mungo, and even Mordrin.
She frankly advised us that we should wear cloth sacking on our feet, and take action in the next couple of hours before her Master rises. "I have 3 sisters who are wonderful, but in the way ... The Master will be lying on a bed sleeping, but my sisters will hear you." ALSO:
- When specifically asked about objects that will break control, told there is a Silver amulet that binds them.
- There is a LH gauntlet (Silver?): anyone he touches will be dead.
- There will be trouble with the Monster holding up the island (undead water elemental), which will return to the place it came from.
- There is a captain of the Guard, a powerful Djinn. Those who defeat him will get a great reward.
Captain of the guard defeated & Mungo frustrated
Proceeding on, we duly encountered a room with three, virtually identical, sworded brawny humanoids in puffy trousers. Behind them was a pottery urn 4' tall. SF DA-ed the urn & groaned (Djinn trap). As some of the party DAed & took stock of the situation, Mungo announced ("Not too loudly!") his heroic and demi-god-like descent and therefore his right to challenge the Captain of the Guard. They were moderately impressed; One replied and acknowledges that Mungo's was sufficiently grand and that his defeat & slaughter would indeed be of Note. However, before the combat could begin, the Namer (on Ragna's gesture) cast a Ctr-Air-special counterspell and the Captain (& illusionary images) were sucked in to the urn, which shattered.
Left behind was an ornate Solid Door seemingly made of some 4800 snail shells, looking like a dense bead curtain. Cher cast a 1-way Transparency on the door (so we could look in). We see an Arabie Harem-like chamber — with voluminous draperies, cloth upon cloth, and steps down to a sunken bath. Counters were renewed.
Chap.8: The Boudoir of Doom
We entered, the double doors closing behind us. Hear snoring (of 5 beings) beyond the curtains. The draperies/curtains of the large pillared sleeping area were Telekinetically swept back to reveal: a partly extruded, silver-armed skeleton; ditto copper; 2 iron golems; 2 earth golems; some humanoid with flesh stepping out of the walls; an "elvish maiden"; large piles of chainmail intertwined like metal snakes; 2 succubi; 1 incubus.
The plan was that the party was to engage the enemy, use magic (where possible) to attack the evil Master/Mistress-mind & minions, otherwise to lure them out to the antechamber ... because we knew we couldn't do any combat damage inside the bedchamber.
As we approached, the Chains began withdrawing, started whirling, revealing 2 humanoids.
Alandis rushed in and, from his spell-catcher, triggered a Rk20 Hellfire, but apparently it was sucked into the Incubus' sword, setting it aflame; and, in return, Alandis received 9 Diamond-tipped javelins (one for a little endurance) no effect either ... but Manasight indicated a flow of magic to Alandis, who failed the E&E resistance and suffered a [later revealed, in divination, as false] déjà vu moment believing that his wounds were actually inflicted while sparring with party members the day before. Mordrin rushed into the room; SF raised morale & a potion.
Then Mordrin did an endurance on her the skeleton & the otherly golem(ish) thing which tried to overstrength her (without success!). Mordrin threw it into a pillar (admittedly was aiming for the doorway). A succubus was attempting to draw Alandis into a wall, so he turned into a fire elemental but there was no noticeable damage to the Succubus. (Cher & Ragna were aware that something very odd was happening ... and remembered that Alandis yesterday burst into flames and burnt them &mdash also clarified under later Divinations).
The double doors, now closed behind us, was beginning to shape into a face. Couldn't see the Silver amulet binding the Succubi. However we did see blue puffs of dust roiling out, as if apparently dislodged from the curtains. [As if! probably a trap or unnoticed ward] The dust was instantly recognised by Alandis as blue lotus dust which removes magic; expires durations; etc. So, the party began a swift retreat while SF, near the door, raised morale.
As the party fled, the Incubus (who'd fought Mungo before) called out mockingly: "Mungo pwauk pook pook pook".
Mungo: "I'm NOT running away, it's a RUSE to lure you outside where we can use our weapons".
Multiple party members: "Mungo!!"
Mungo: [defensively] "But he called me a coward".
MilSci: "He was wrong, you're not a coward"; [Harshly] "You're an IDIOT".
Ragna, still in the room, used her Salamander eyes on the woman, no apparent effect. Some of the party, especially the swift-moving elves and Cher made it to the antechamber as did some of the elementals — one of which Alandis grappled from behind. Mungo charged a golem with his spear, while Mordrin ran up the wall, across the ceiling, aims to drop behind another.
Incubus : "Mungo pwauk pook pook, what is your NEXT plan of attack?"
Mungo: "Trapping your people using the side-exits in the Wards".
Alandis continued to tango, but the succubus retreated into the room. Meanwhile some succubi down the hall were observing the situation (and the state of their nails) while an excessive number of daggers hung in the air pointing directly at us. Indeed both ends of the corridor were blocked by apparently threatening but not immediately combative succubi. We realised that the Evil Mistressmind really was having difficulty with The Help. Clearly a succubus will follow instructions to the letter, but resent it when a binder attempt to force her into service ... as anyone would!
Mungo was threatened by an golem, while the skeleton had initiative (60!) on Ragna & Cher and attacked each with a bony foot in the the chest. Alandis cast a Blackfire from the spell-cactcher, which Mordrin resisted and the 4 enemy didn't. Mungo attacks his skeleton and turned it into dust.
A smashing time: Shattered Binders
Since we'd apparently overcome so many of the Very Evil Binder/Summoner/Necro's mininos, and she knew from experience that we were capable of killing succubi or dispatching them to their home plane, apparently she fled to her Secret Room of Last Defence to recover and wait until a day when she could summon up further support.
We had a hypothetical discussion with the Succubi, to avoid potentially immanent, but quite unnecessary, unpleasantness.
Suc #1: "We'll head back to the Master's private room, where all the mirrors that break will hurt him ... all binders actually."
Suc #2: I will have to be careful though NOT to look into the cracked mirrors so that I am not trapped in an unknown dimension. The slowest one may vanish into the mirror room." =
Firstly, we shattered the mirrors by simple violence (which hurt the attackers but could be Empathied back). Then Cher took a "Forget about Death" potion and Alandis laid waste to the mirror with strategic Balls of Fire. Who are we kidding, he thoroughly trashed the place, Cher was shattered into 9 separate pieces, but not technically dead. Still quite chatty, in fact.
Eventually a young woman arrives (on her flying stool)to advise that our actions had killed her master. His soul was trapped in a jar and she said she'd give it to us AND a piece of LOOT that she knows of, so long as we don't use it against them. We were conducted to the centre of one of chambers back in the Complex of Stairs/balconies/etc, where stood a large spider made of silver scales [LOOT]: She gave us a rod that can animate it [counts as a necessary part of the previous loot]; also the jar [NOT loot, but we have to take it] "Leave with it; don't open it anywhere in our realm".
The party tried to leave quickly since the entire island was starting to shake and sink beneath the waves — a very common occurrence in such situations. Besides we were warned by the Succubus.
Chap.9: Recovery; then treaty negotiations & cheese
Since everyone still had Waterbreathing, etc, and some of us are good swimmers, all the missing bits of Cher were found within an hour, and we variously swam/climbed/rode-the-spider to the shore. (But must check the twinkly thing down in the fjord sometime).
Then Windwalked back to Sulubin Keep where, in the Sapling-of-Life chamber, Cher was put together by the two Mechanician-Healers and the Healer-Jeweller (who also instilled a Restore life ... Cher will be conscious until she falls to negative half EN). Thanks to the crystal wires (made by Alandis & the elemental) Cher now counts as an two targets and will requires a range of Touch for single target spell to affect her.
A little later, at the castle, a letter was delivered to Ragna (from the succubus).
What (bad) stuff happened while we were away?
- A "bad gaseous thing" walking around the castle.
- There was moaning from the area they weren't to be (i.e., the Basilisk chamber) and a couple got lost.
What (bad) stuff happened while we were back?
- Earth elemental helped build wall.
- Alandis was away with the fairies: Gwynith (A girl keen on Alandis) warned Mordrin that Alandis was "stepping out" with a fairy-like woman ... well "stepping into" a tree actually.
- Alandis came back, warning a new hat ... just the hat. [LOOT!]
Dryad: "Yes, I know Alandis; He made me blush".
Mungo: "That because he's a fire mage".
[Ah! sweet, naïve Mungo]
The Champion of Freya entered the tree with the dryad, to fetch back Alandis' clothes and anything else he'd cast off. She also saw a pile of exhausted nymphs and dryads. Before we returned to the Fjord, SF Divinated everyone, to check for Death-curses and other trade-related accidents:
Mungo has a scale infection down 1 side of his leg that give him +5 MR to Entities magic.
Alandis is working up a resistance to fey charm (& is supernaturally virile at the moment).
Chatting with the wilder Fey
We went down to the waters edge and the Water-breathings were renewed. Mungo call out and we spoke to the Fjord Kelpies/Silkies/Fey, "some of whom may" have been under the unavoidable sway of the binder. (That's the official, polite fiction)
Wild Fey: "There was a huge landmass that sunk & did damage to everything. There was a battle on the shore of the island. Many creatures fighting this fell monster, and it fell down. And we feasting for hours."
Ragna: "On water-breathers or others?"
Fey: "Both"
Ragna: "Bring us what you've not eaten ... we want to check who they are"
Fey: "Why would we do that? We do not want to share our food with you."
In the end, they agree to bring us the bodies (to inspect, not eat) and agree to not eat local land-people in exchange for exotic Cauldersfield Cheese: "For 12 blocks of cheese a year, we will not charm your people into the lake."
There were Fey, elves, and human mercenaries (29 can be reconstituted out of the 37, or part thereof, corpses). We get one we recognised & she confirms that the other kelpies were our allies. She also said, "There was a kraken; 9 including our general were turned to stone. To find the Queen, Head up the river." We returned with the bodies for the now usual task at the usual place. There's a fuzzy life buzz from the tree (fuzzy like a caterpillar): Divine spark of life, the gift of Freya. Lots of people resurrected ... All of which are attract to, even charmed by, Alandis.
Included in the revived & depetrified were 6 foreigners from Kin-Lu who were indebted to the Queen and were pledged to fight for her to the death. SF chats to them, but Mungo is suspicious because there something that they're hiding. They are eager to enter into Mordrin's service
Chatting with the Queen and her Fey
We went upriver to the falls, to visit the queen, Waveriding thanks to the Kelpies. There were copacetic sparkles drifting off Alandis as he surfed !? At the falls, we passed through the mists and were greeted by about 60 others who were clearly expecting us. The queen congratulates Mordrin and her strategy, to ensure we "Got rid of a foul, shared enemy." She discussed shaping or improving the blue Lycanthrope crystal (LOOT!) by shaping it into amulets of protect or talismans that concentrate power, or infuse it into your weapons. "Please feel free to rest here today. The Kinlu have indeed been good & faithful servants; and they will be to you too, Mordrin."
As privately mentioned by the Queen, a handmaiden of the Queen approached Mordrin, advising that "Three of the hand maidens are very taken by 3 of your new servants; but it is probably best (for the humans) if it is done secretly."
One of Queen's Kelpies (to Mordrin about the Wild Fey): "You have feed them cheese??? If they've eaten sentients, they will have a hunger for cheese".
Mordrin: "That's ridiculous. I've never eaten a sentient and don't hunger for cheese".
Cher: "That's funny, I'm the opposite".
"
However it seems there may be a rapprochement between the factions — especially since, as the Queen put it, "The bad kelpies had fallen into bad company (whom We have killed)".
Ragna: "Who is poisoning the water?"
Queen: "My agents tell me there is a whale that has had some terrible magic inflicted on it. Its pustules and wounds seep into the water & poison it. It has corrupted our people."
We were advised The geyserland has Kurriken which are like walrus people.
LOOT! The queen, ascertaining that we know the Southern trade city of Chelemby, gave us a line of knots on a silver & bronze thread that they will honour [LOOT!]
The kelpies use psychic surgery to remove Cher's liver and repair (or possibly eat?) it.
Chap.10: Geyserland and the source of the poison
We headed up the fjord, northerly, and reached glaciers with sheer edges. Finally there was a waterfall. On foot, we walk around behind the waterfall to a cave (of significance). Mungo smelled the party, sulphur, and pustules. It was extraordinarily deep and came out the other side of the Mountain. We could see a plane below and evidence of geysers miles away.
With counterspells on, we Windwalked down (not too fast but long duration), across salt flats & crystalline areas, reaching a place with a large boneyard: Huge bones piled hundreds of feet high, most naturally, and many more scattered across the land. There was a serious array of pools of mud and geysers: carefully orchestrated pools hundreds of feet across, like locks down to the water & clearly used as a water-way. There was a live whale in one of these pools near an array of gigantic bones nearby, also a camp with lots of the walrus-kind (kurriken). Mungo & Mordrin recognised some of the insignia, and the whale is indeed one that they had travelled on.
An Old ugly kurriken recognised Mungo and thanks him for arriving before she dies, to fulfil his promise (to...?) [didn't say what] and heal the sick, putrescent whale. SF Divinated it: Had lots of Rank 4 & 5 healing; systematically draining; vampire bites & Mind attacks; MA 19 Curses of Senility, Amnesia, sores, ... while some of the party socialised and found out what's happened recently.
Local Walrus-warrior (to party): "There are some hobbit traders over in the hot pools."
Ragna: "I'll go over to the traders, but I don't want to buy a hobbit".
The Evil Ones in the crypt to the west
The area was marked out by guards and Long ribbon on poles; and, closer in, a Ward: Necrosis & Putrid wounds. There was a large barrow leading to an underground structure with a dangerous reputation, especially after dark. (Even in the day we felt it: Something scary; not of this place; not alive but "other").
Some of the party "Larded up" ... heavily smeared with biological goop that partially protect against the undead. The entrance looked as if it had been made by badgers or beavers from the Bones of different creatures. We had a flood of encounters as we pressed forward into the barrow.
A one-armed Wolfish humanoid [DA: "Hero", like a Valkyrie] and challenged Mungo (&/or the party): "Why have you summoned me here? No, you tricked me. You never summoned me."
Apparently he had to be challenged to one-armed combat
Mungo [heroically]: "What weapon have I to duel with that only needs one hand?"
Wereupon, the Healer/Priestess had a sniggering fit; and Mungo blushed.
So Alandis challenged him, and won — on points, since the one-armed man wasn't struck down by Alandis' blows, but actually grew in size (as the plentiful corpses about him diminished disturblingly). Likewise, Mordrin challenged & survived; And then Mungo.
Rushing on, we met a cadaverously thin, pale elf.
Mysterious Elf: "Close your eyes and count to 10".
Mungo: "Why must I do that?"
Elf (pitifully): "Because I need to get a head start." [Of course he was dead within 2 seconds]
We reached an impressive bone-&-sinew portcullis with a fearsome bolt thrower behind it. When Alandis and Mordrin moved forward to check the gate's mechanism/traps/weaknesses, an ogre stepped forward with a spear, viciously thrusting at them through the portcullis. As Mungo stepped up, the MilSci suspected a trap (well, duh!) and dropped an item to hopefully dismiss all elementals in the area, and the ogre was smashed so violently from behind that he spurted through the portcullis like an over-boiled spud through a masher.
Mungo (defiantly: "HA! He just slapped me with his meat."
[Name withheld]: "That's going in the Sea Gate Times"
Scribe (prissily): "The Sea Gate Times is not that type of publication!"
The party was almost swarmed with undead and Cher went down (mostly faking it), and an assassin mercilessly stabbed Mungo, currently a werewolf, in the back with multiple blows doing lots of damage (while another tried the same on Alandis, but couldn't surprise him). Mungo tore his opponent apart and shook himself spraying Blood, Lard, and bits of Skeleton off his fur everywhere ... but especially on Alandis.
Alandis (sternly): "MUNGO! NO! Stop rolling about in the things you find."
The party rushed deeper into the Barrow. Ahead & behind us, some baroque elvish warriors were staring at SF (who was grumpy when he found he couldn't cast any spells). We entered a larger chamber and were surrounded by Undead foot-troops while 3 monkeys with bandoliers of flasks climbed across the ceiling. Each monkey had a cord in its mouth, attached to all its flask-stoppers. Obviously Greek fire or some such. So Mordrin leapt onto the ceiling attack and slew the nearest monkey as the undead mobbed us.
Mordrin: "What do we care? We've got Fire Protection!"
There was a cascade of exploding monkeys and the room burst into flames which shot down both corridors beyond our sight.
Soon after, as more undead charged. Alandis got out his stone from the Temple of the Sun (literally a stone from the physical Temple ON the Sun) and released sunlight everywhere for hundreds of feet for a few minutes. And we charged down to the end of the Barrow, where the treasure lay. (LOOT!)
Ragna enhanced the damage but calling on all the bones in range to leap into her ball of bones. Yeah! That was a LOT of bones, ... the Bone portcullis, dozens of genuine skeletons, building component, everything. A large Ball of Bones rolled up to us (and indeed over & through us) to sizzles in the light. Several of us were punctured by multiple, very swift, pointy bones. Some unpleasant grievous wounds. (I needed that liver.)
Some loot was quickly DAed (eg, Armour that can be destroyed by the blood of the holy) and the Lamp was polished and the Djinn released. But mostly everything was rapaciously swept up [see appended list] and we ran or flew to the exit.
The Entryway had changed. It was falling apart and Alandis burnt the remaining bone (that was beyond Ragna's grasp) with green gunk made it extra-flammable.
After a couple of days, SF was healed, then the Whale was, and any afflicted Kurriken too — the Walrus-warriors promising to come to "our" aid if called for.
We returned to Sulubin.
BUFFS
MORDRIN: Braiding Ribbons in Hair gives +50MR vs Demonic/Magic/Bardic-voice charm. Also 25% reduction to mêlée damage from behind, lasts till [the next] dawn. (for all except Cher)
Cher (whre practicable & necessary): Tea +45 stealth 13 hr; +5 fat, 13 hr; 130 min for -5 off rolls. (for all)
Alandis: Fire protection 8 (or 28) points. (for all)
SF: Water breathing 13 (or 33) hours (for all)
Water & Wind proofing, 5 days & 3 hours when enhanced (for all)
Counterspells where practicable and advisable (various Ranks)
Also: when it is safe, SF can cast a megahex that enhances the effect of non-damage, magic cast on targets there, or from that megahex, by 20 ranks.
Loot List (by chapters)
Loot, borrowed stuff, & other important things recovered or repaired.
Chap.1
n/a; other than trade ... and consequences for felled dryad trees.
Chap.2
n/a
Chap.3
From the Vault & nearby:
- emptied 2 chests of partially refined silver (maybe 50% pure)
- Small box of red stones (Salamander tears) ... possibly using some for the local Oven-confined elemental
- Goblin arrows (Divinated in Chap. 4)
Chap.4
From the Mine complex:
- some 4 tons of food (including Cheese from Cauldersfield ... some/most used in the Treaty negotiations)
- Rescued villages & townsfolk from Sullubin
- Released the Dwarves
- Captured 25 of the Bitten, to be cured & rehabilitated.
- [Lycanthropy] crystals ... later modified by the Fey Queen (or others)
- Party-found flint, shaped into boxes, for the crystals
- Removed Slow portal to Cauldersfield (about 1200 miles; taking 36 hours) "temporarily to Sulubin, since the mines had to be sealed, but presumably the Dwarves MIGHT(?) find it advantageous to have quick access to their Rescuer (and local Lord) Mordrin ... or maybe take it with them to position elsewhere.
From the Mistress of the Waters:
- Quality flint boxes (gift )
- Trident
- Bottle of Great Weather
Also: Trade with Trondian followers of the Mistress of the Waters: livestock, etc, for a "fair & honest price".
Chap.5
Possibly the Alliance axes from Clan Maar, for those willing to accept the collateral alliance obligations & relatives.
From the Fay Queen:
- 3 Gourds from the Fay Queen (for the mission; not used; wants back?): destroy all silver/bronze/truesilver within a mile.
- Sympathetic jug for signalling the Fey Forces (Used; not reusable? wants back?).
- 3 necklaces (already somewhat Used?): each had 9 charms that will halve the bad effect.
Chap.6
From Hel:
- Leg of Booting undead
- For Mordrin: learnt Snow reading for the favour of killing half the party, etc.
- For Silverfoam: Damage-effect of Counter Necro-couterspells (needs fire action? pass action?), for 3 quests yet to be requested.
- For Alandis: learn to make poison, which takes 24hours to make, 1/2 of time makes cold damage. Also Bone of ox tail passed to Ragna to make an amoulet that protect from Hel!
Chap.7
n/a
Chap.8
From our succubus co-conspirator:
- Large spider made of silver scales (with control rod).
- Soul-jar contained the dregs of the Evil Binder/Necro/Summoner's soul [!NOT loot]
Also: a blue gem from the large jar where the Mungo challenged the 2 djinn
Chap.9
From assorted Fey & side-effects:
- Alandis' hat.
- Fey queen's Quipu of Credit at Chelemby.
- Alandis: +5 resistance to fey charm.
- Alandis: (temporary) supernatural virility.
- Mungo: a scale infection down 1 side of his leg that give him +5 MR to Entities magic.
- Sulubin's don't-lure/eat-our-people treaty.
Chap.10
From the Geyserland Undead Lair:
- 12 daggers.
- chest (containing ... ?).
- Rack full of Nordic weapons.
- portable armstrap of throwing darts (?)
- 9 Icky candles.
- 2 suite of armour ... At least 1 of which is destroyed by the blood of the holy.
- a balled horde of undead.
- 2 backpacks.
- 3 purses.
- Bolts of cloth.
- Furs that seem warm to the touch.
- A thoroughly polished oil lamp.
Djin's wishes for each partymember:
- Uncapped characteristic of choice.
- Function at +1 rank (beyond what you've achieved through all other means) in your choice of weapon.
For the party (OR JUST those that challenge the 1-armed undead Bandit [CHECK THIS]:
- Switching handedness, whenever you want, 1ce per day.
From the Fey:
- Ragan has an extra 2nd-hand skull (that can prepare).
- Ragna can make her potions into cake.
- 3 red stones.
- 2 bonsai.
Also, for Mordrin/Sulubin, 8 Kinlu retainers; 8 Dwarven retainers; 1 basilisk; 1 grumpy elemental (unless you used the Salamander Tears).
And, to Mungo/Sulubin/etc, for healing the Whale and destroying the Undead, the Kurriken (Walrusfolk) prmis to come when you call.
Calendar
Provisional dates of events (subject to GM confirmation)
Autumn | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Moonday | Duesday | W'ansday | Th'rsday | Frysday | Reapsday | Sunday | ||||||||
Lugnasad | ||||||||||||||
Fruit (4) | ||||||||||||||
1 | Guild Meeting SF assembles Crew,Boat,supplies | 2 | Alandis, SF, Gb, & crew depart | 3 | 4 | 5 | Arrive Chelemby afternoon; collect Cher. | 6 | sail | |||||
7 | Arr. Lepesaar early AM; | 8 | 9 | 10 | Arr Dagenbg AM; meet Ra & Mor | 11 | from Dgnbg.get lost; half party killed;Reach Sulubin; Mungo & Bitten that night. | 12 | recover; decurse; Rescue Mu again | 13 | ||||
14 | Windwalk to Mines & enter | 15 | in Mines | 16 | in Mines | 17 | in Mines | 18 | Loot Mines & rescue people | 19 | ditto | 20 | Seal Mines, find flint, etc | |
21 | ditto | 22 | slow march to Sulubin | 23 | Arrive Sul. | 24 | Check Water, etc | 25 | 26 | Clan Maar arrive | 27 | |||
28 | Met Fey Queen | 29 | Dgnbg, Hel, Party | 30 | Ret. Sulubin; turned spies | |||||||||
Harvest (5) | ||||||||||||||
1 | spies signal fake PMdiversion to Mine | 2 | ... & return;Construction, training etc | 3 | 4 | |||||||||
5 | 6 | Fake PM signal to mine | 7 | Pincer attack on island 1am; sinks | 8 | treat with wild fey: res. & depetr. both sides | 9 | 10 | 11 | Geyserland arrive; destroy Barrow | ||||
12 | Healing ... | 13 | and ... | 14 | recovery | 15 | Equinoxback at Sulubin | 16 | 17 | Seagate Autumn Fair | 18 | Seagate Autumn Fair | ||
19 | Harvest Moon | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | |||||||
26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | Michaelmas | 30 | |||||||||
Vintage(6) | ||||||||||||||
1 | 2 | |||||||||||||
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||||||||
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | ||||||||
17 | Blood Moon | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | |||||||
24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | Beerfest |
Provisions, Trade goods, & Gifts for the voyage
ESSENTIAL PROVISIONS
- Good-quality Provisions for a crew [of 20] for 3 months (approx. @60sp/day);
- plus about 6.000 sp worth for a few feasts for Crew & guests (especially at Lepesaar), including caged chickens (& feed), good Beer, fresh fruit; root vegetables; grain.
- Casks of Antecarzalan Mead for Gullinbursti. [request Cher to itemize several]
Trade goods
should include
some 8,000-10,0000 SP
sheep-skins, blankets;
axe heads; adze heads; small casks of long, heavy nails;
casks of dried Summer fruit;
decent ropes; simple metal boxes of hard-tack;
parchment; candles (wax and tallow).
Plus SOME Borovian luxury/specialties: Mirrors in various sizes & styles; spyglasses (mostly practical, a couple flashy) -- [all produced at cost]
Plus a Further 30,000 sp of purchases made at the Quartermaster's discretion for trade.
Profits from the voyage to be split 1 for SF; 2 for the lens/mirror workshop; 2 for this voyage's Quartermaster; 3 for the crew.
Specific gifts
Separate from the Trade goods:
For Olvir: quality sails and ropes (purchased); wood & leather spyglass.
For Olm (his wife) & other Lepesaar villagers: quality pots, knives, buckets; southern fruits (some fresh, mostly dried); sweetmeats; honey; quality candles; Several bushels of wheat; selected culinary/aromatic herbs. Also Iron Axe- & adze-heads. and a few tons of green lumbar
For the Soothsayer (near Lepesaar): a sealed elegant, glass, stoppered flagon of dark wine
For the Dagenborg Queen, Halfreth (who was so helpful last time): Flashy, gilded mirror; small casket of southern pearls
For the Other queens: silver needles; combs; etc. (not too valuable).
For the Dagenborg King, Osidar: a silver-chased, brass spyglass and several sunstones (polished calcite crystals, "taken, with permission" from the region of the Superstitious mountains); a chess or game-board with pieces of exotically coloured wood.
about 5,000sp worth of bribes/douceurs (over & above the remaining Green Lumber)