Too much of a good thing
Too much of a good thing
Return to Scribe notes
GM: Chris Caulfield
Session: Winter 811 WK
Night: Tuesdays
Location: Chez Ellis in Onehunga/Chris's in Royal Oak
Starting: 14th June 2011
Level: Medium (upper end)
Party:
- Tari - Michelle (Scribe)
- Vapour - Airmage man of the year - Neil
- Sven - Kinetic therapy specialist - William
- TDP - Phil
- WordSmith - Actual Namer - Errol (MilSci)
- Mario - Dean (Party Leader)
- Sabastian - possibly
Information: Information from players for GM. Chris's house rules & beliefs
Employer
Brigette Bardott, an Aquilan Merchant seeks a discreet guild party.
Pay
Generous compensation for results. (see scribe notes for details)
Mission
The party has been hired to recover the goods that Fulk of Foxcourt stole in 499WK and which included the Crown of the Western Kingdom amongst a huge haul of crown jewels.
Scribe Notes
Summary
Hired to reclaim the missing parts of the coronation paraphernalia, information provided from the library of Konigburg. Party head to Konigburg to investigate further.
Information obtained from Lord Eirretyn Ousseal and Condelesa de Wurts. We suspect that a retired researcher Xena Darphus and the White Witches are involved with theft. Head to Cauldersfield to search for Xena only to find her 'children' and evidence of Prince Orion. Xena departed for Barretskyne 15 years ago.
Days later track down Xena and discuss prophesy, further information is obtained and we are directed to head to the Barony of Bluestone Pass in Ranke.
Baron Hans De Winter of Bluestone Pass reveals ancient secret revealing the truth of the theft an loss of crown jewels. Receive message indicating many of our allies are slain, the Drow are intent on preventing us locating the crown in order to de-stabalise the Western Kingdom.
Detailed Notes
Pay - minimum of 30,000 per person or 10,000 silver pennies per person for crown and 1000 sp per person per other item recovered, whatever works out the most. Once recovered these are to be delivered to the royal jewellery boutique in Konigburg which is Von Cleef & Arplet or to the Oswald von Liebstrau but if we do this we will need a receipt signed in blood. The guild supports this mission and has supplied the party with a dozen 10pt healing potions, 6 sturdy mounts, credit for 6 guild healer resurrections (if needed), guild rates for something, hopefully for the whole adventure - board while at guild and reasonable expenses (that will be audited by Ozbert Pennywise upon return - but didn't really pay attention to that but noted so we can claim whatever it was.
Met party employer,(Brigette Bardott) some human woman that seems to have some problem with the heat even though it isn't warm - fake fainting is such a favored activity with courtiers at the moment. sigh
Then she introduced the real employer we actually met her boss who is a merchant Salomon Von Cleef of Von Cleef & Arplet who is the jeweller of the crown jewels of the Western Kingdom. They have lost them and for legal reasons (as explicitly stated by the Lord High Treasurer, Oswald von Liebstrau, via his minions) the jewellers are responsible (due to some obscure but very specific codicil) for their safety or in the event of loss, their replacement. Believed that Fulk of Foxcourt supposed to have stolen pieces of jewellery including these crown jewels 300 odd years ago (year 499). Fulk was assassinated in the Sea of Grass after the jewels stolen but jewels not found on him. Now that the Western Kingdom has a possible King they now need them. We need to find these jewels.
Guild provides us with some information;
- http://www.dragonquest.org.nz/dqwiki/index.php/Old Kingdom
- http://www.dragonquest.org.nz/dqwiki/index.php/Kings & Queens
I swear these men have had too much beer while waiting. Sven comes up with the idea of that we obviously went back in time and ambushed Fulk and get the jewels. After sending guild security to check the vaults for notes for us, jewels, notes saying these are actually crown, etc. Obviously there was none.
We are assigned a guild librarian Conan de Burgh to do research on the following topics:
- Fulk of Foxcourt around 499
- Regent of Duke Frederick Albert of Aquila
- Alleged assassination in Sea of Grass around 499
- Stolen things, jewels, western kingdom crown jewels, etc around 499
- Rumours and Gossip and Koninburg
- Sea of Grass at time
- Assassins at time
- People involved at court
- Stories regarding western kingdom jewels
- Genealogy of Fulk of Foxcourt- known descendants
- Is there a wicked curse on the crown jewels
- Elves still alive around that time ie such as Elven Ambassador to Western Kingdom
- The current Elven ambassador in Aladar is Lord Taryc of Elfheim
- The current Elven ambassador in Seagate is Princess Isil Eth of Elfheim
- The current Elven ambassador in Koninburg is Lady Celene of Elfheim
- Known previous Elven Ambassadors in Konigburg are
- Lady Alean Harthym, ambassador from 460-500WK - retired to Borderlay
- Lord Eirretyn Ousseal, ambassador from 500-540WK - retired to Konigburg
- Known previous Elven Ambassadors in Konigburg are
Brigette is coming along with us but as we aren't heading off until tomorrow she decides to go sleep for the evening while we go out. The males prove themselves to be all talk and we head back to the guild for the evening.
Chapter 2
2nd Frost 811
Sebastian turns up a day late. It has been years since I have seen him but he appears to still have a drug problem.
At breakfast around 10am Conan comes saying he has found:
Details of astrology reading - below.
Haima - Translation is blood
Questions:
Elven Ambassador in Koninburg around the time Lady Alean Harthym - Retired to Borderlay Lord Eirretyn Ousseal - 500-540 but was second in command to Alean - Returned to Konigburg
How did they know it was Fulk Witnesses who saw that it was Fulk person died soon after
Known decedents of Fulk Had no children with wife. No record of his wife after.
Assassins of the time No idea
Wicked Curse on the crown Not to anybodies knowledge. Magic appears to be stronger if pieces of the regalia are brought together, but only around making the future king look better.
Sea of Grass Covered most of the areas Seagate to Five Sisters - The others read maps and can provide information to scribe notes if necessary but source was Guild Library.
Gossip /News
- Small note on Fulk being used as a word or a statement for running away, being a coward, etc.
- Rumour around the Crown Jewels being stolen but then there was another rumour that this was rubbish and it the rumours stopped.
- Fulk killed in Sea of Grass.
Conan the Librarian is going to join us to go to the Royal Archives and Libraries in Konigburg.
Sebastian rambles about having one of the jewels, and shows a broken ring that he is wearing and it turns out after a little bit of investigation that the other half is now near Old Seagate - Turn out to be at Broc's house. Get let in by Broc's manservant, one stupid hobbit action leads to lots of pain to the hobbit, as Sebastian prods Broc's cabinet with the ring.
Asking Broc's man about the ring he gets it out and after some random conversation found that appropriate people know Broc has it in safe keeping and it isn't broken. It was found in Charity in Brastor in a crypt of some woman called Alesha. See http://dq.sf.org.nz/library/snau0501.pdf (The Lost Templars - Winter 805WK)
Wordsmith divinates ring during this "conversation" - Signet ring that cannot be copied.
Heading off to Brastor to pick up Sebastian's workshop and find out more about Alesha who was the person who had the ring in her grave.
Break out the boat at Sebastian's wharf and Sebastian's people start moving portable work gear.
Works out Conan is a pretend rune mage - he can only read runes and talk to the dead.
Get to crypt, Conan talks to dead person but he doesn't know anything as he was dead before Fulk was more than a child. Ring is all OK and not linked to the stolen regalia.
3rd Frost 811
Fly - land in Nevers. Might have been followed. Trap room and wait for an attack. Only loose women visit.
4th Frost 811
- Fly, arrive in Konigburg around noon
- Guided tour by Bridgette of the city
- Bridgette sends us to the pub for 2 hours while finding us some accommodation - townhouse for a week
- Check out townhouse
- Conan gets escorted to the library
- Condelisa arrives - Relationship with Theodore Raymond Schellenberg (archivist)
Additional information provided by her:
- Regalia held in the Martyn Tower and Fulk had 2 servants help two chests into the tower and left again. Julian and Judius were the servants - both servants were stabbed by Fulk's guard or by Fulk, and left for dead, Judius survived and recounted the information of what happened - 5 days later.
- Judius brought back from the dead from Fulk's sister Elise de Foxcourt.
- Judius said Fulk was random with his stealing, from different cases and "thinking"
- Guards were excused and 3 White Ladies helped. Body of 3 ladies were found about a week after Fulk had departed. They were decapitated so not confirmed to be the same 3 ladies.
- Gossip - went into volunteer exile as he was caught with a dancer called Jhiselle by the King's children on the throne. This dancer was not his wife.
- Fulk may have stolen the regalia the day or night before the disgrace, or caught and did it straight away choosing the regalia solely
The Hobbit does another stupid thing that causes himself pain - and to smell like death. Hasn't he heard of DA or DE? He tries to get into the hidden cellar.
Mario says there is somebody watching and writing something, location upwards after Sebastian is in causing pain.
We all go upstairs and we see a small figure after the attic opens and the rank 20 darkness is lightened. He is a golem named Gaston who works for someone working for Marius de Ridefort a Sanctuary Merchant who owns the townhouse. He bears us no ill will and we are to enjoy our stay but not to try and go into any hidden or private protected spaces otherwise we will cause us pain.
His master suggests that we pay a visit the people that I and Vapour met and played with last time we were here and to enjoy our stay.
A young Elvish boy arrives called Sharnee that comes with a note from Lord Eirretyn Ousseal. He is pleased for the invitation for dinner and would 8 pm be acceptable.
Note reads - Thank you for the invitation for dinner. Servant asks Would 8 pm be acceptable for dinner?
We say yes and now we send Bridget off to organise a caterer that can provide appropriate Elvish
Going to get Condelesa de Wurts to look into the history of Three White Ladies who might be the three women. She heads off.
We go to a pub and the males argue about staying at the townhouse, what should we talk about there, etc but remove the issue with the use of my chains.
Salicious the Gourmet arrives to provide "great treats" from the Elvish homeland, cooking for the dinner with Lord Erreyn. 8 courses for dinner. Make a trade to have 6 bottles Elvish wine from the cellar and trade with 30 bott;es of Mario's wine.
Bridgette comes back dressed for dinner. Lord Eirretyn arrives and introductions are made. Seeing the daughter of his old friend Morohtar el Aarogon moved the occasion for him to enable the dinner that night otherwise it might have been next week or so when he had time in his 'busy social schedule'. We get a huge amount of gossip, rumours and the like but come back subtley to the old gossip about the last Kingdom. Fulk brought his family shame, 480 - 489 countship to brother Damian in 499 who was Count until 501 as he died due to a lightning strike. He thinks that Fulk did it. Foxcourtian's didn't have a good reputation.
He remembers an elven archivist working in Konigburg at the time (450-500WK) named Xena Darphus who liked human history, social engineering and philosophy but who retired to Cauldersfield around 500WK - he gives us directions to where he last sent communications.
White Ladies - 3 witches called the white witches, etc that walked around giving prophecies. They disappeared around this similar time.
Dinner over
5th Frost 811
Rest the day in Konigburg
Conan the Librarian arrives and tells us:
- Found information that implicates the Lord Warden of the Martyn Tower (Elgin DeBloud) suggested that assassins be sent. Conan found a note appears that says Elgin paid assassins "Paid Ras Al Ghuhl to kill Fulk"
- Scrape of Paper found - 499 late winter a number of nobles all died and it revolved around the fighting with the shadows
- White Ladies - Missing ladies around the time however 10 miles from Koninburg that two sisters and a some other human. Their names were - Jane Southwart, Janet Bryill and Ellen Bryill were with
- Conan to be find out about who was the three woman with Fulk, Lord Warden and more about fighting with the shadows.
Condelesa arrives and provides her information.
- 2 years later it was found that 3 ladies were missing from the west. Also known as the malicious witches
- Later sightings of them around the area after they disappeared they appeared to be nicer.
- Baron Jurgan DeWinter was Fulk's Friend in North Aqualia. Became Baron due to friendship.
- Alise of Fulk was having an affair with John Frederick the Necromancer and Fulk's wife slept around
- Mario draws up a tree based on the information on Fulk.
Too late to leave for the evening so enjoy dinner with our Elvish chef, Salicious.
6th Frost
Then off to Cauldersfield to visit Xena.
Stop at a lake for lunch Mario backfires and needs a major curse removal
7th Frost
Head off to Cauldersfield Five storey Black tower Wizard Eye in, one basement floor and five up, on the fourth floor it appears to have a "heart" with a beat. Heart of the tower. Pops off in Level 4. Lots of cross breeding of races:
- 24 Ogres and Orks - Orgs
- 8 Hobgoblin, Elves and Ogres - Helgers
- 24 Goblins/Bears - Bugbears
Going to kill another village as the last one was easy. Do remember from Seagate times some attacks where whole villages were killed and bodies removed.
Plan to ambush them on the way to the village:
- Find ambush spot
- Create sedge weapons
- Use Earth Elemental to create pits including a way to hide the catapult. Also a collection point for stragglers after flash flood.
- Mechanism to raise catapult
- Hunter Traps along the river
- Need to find fur/skin/parts, etc to get GTN and practice
- Prepare Death Vine seeds to be thrown in catapult
- Get You Bastard and Xavier off the boat - animal growth them
- Walls of darkness/lightness around catapult
- Distjunction
- Psychic Gems to block sense danger
- Plan for flash flood
- Meteor shower during attack
- Fly in to pick up/kill stragglers
8th Frost
Fight.
There were 66 of them Took down scouts Wiped out all but 7 from first hit Got some to surrender had to kill a couple of the last standing You Bastard cleaned up the back scouts
Talked to some of the prisoners. "Mum" was a Witch who left here in 796 and she headed off to Barretskyne. Linking life force would have made Miles, the Helgar who is in charge, aware that his family is dead and will do something important.
Fly to tower to 300 feet, check for wards/traps, etc at 200 feet see old style white fire ward in air to stop flyers. Lucky we land before then. Sebastian goes up and knocks on the door. The rest arrive. Sleep the Helgar, control an Orc, two shoot Sebastian, Sven throws Javelin. They surrender. Go visit the heart.
Talked to the heart who is the heart of a golem. The tower is a golem like sentient entity named Gaia who is the Puissance des étoiles de Gaia.
Golem remembers her talking about Fulk. She mentioned the malicious three has being the most malicious in history. They made one small piece of information in a prophecy prolific and made it vast and important which they then used to Fulk but Xena never mentioned to the Tower why or about what.
Tower wants to bind with people of pure blood. Mario sees what happens if any of us put our blood on the heart. Sebastian and Mario look disappointed, Sven says no and the rest seem pleased. Tower can commune with anybody bound, can protect the tower and if you are in it.
Chalice of Truth activated. Bring around the slept Helgar (Rashan) - Mario and Rashan drink from the Chalice of Truth. They got messages from the company their mother is with [{The White Lodge]] saying the villages were food for some vampires so were killing the food. Not a good thing, we would have killed the vampires rather than killing the food.
The Elgards are all raised as philosophers so understand that killing their kin is just the way of the world.
Rashan says that Mother said Fulk had been fooled, The old Fates - Old woman, the young woman, the middle woman. They will have memories of each of the lives.
Stay the night, Vapour turns up with Collette his wife and very skilled healer who starts her work resurrecting for 50,000sp.
9th Frost
Head off to village find that yes they are mentally linked to a vampire and his minions - pack of vampires. Basically the villagers are food, can be used to pass off spells/fatigue blows, etc and we will need to figure out how to unlink the food. Not going to deal with now but might pass off information to other.
Return back to tower. Collette has resurrected 3 people but now needs to rest. Divination of the notes, tower makes art and gives us a locatable picture of Xena, Sebastian does a0strology reading about which is the best choice out of three options and it appears to go to visit Xena.
Spend day and night at the tower. Collette resurrects all 20 of the resurrectables.
4 days spent at the tower
13th Frost
Vapour sent a wind to tell the guild where we are going in case we don't come back. Morning head off
Fly for 8 hours and stop at a little village and stay at a pub. Barkeeper said Barreskin town is under mist. Don't know what is in there as nobody comes back out.
14th Frost
Head off to last distance to Barreskin. Just outside Barreskin we land near an Abbey which isn't in the mist. Knock at Abbey and ask for Xena Allowed in to see Xena She had been expecting us as she had a foretelling
Foretelling
"We shall discover the magic and then greet the regal poet, In her white dress, looking her brightest as a star of the universe, then I shall tell her of the dark of the earth - and she will only regard me with cool, blank eyes. The Weather Vain, the Star Maker and the Rutting Claret shall be there, Along with the Fae-schist, the dwarf of names and, the Corsair and the Tsunami. But we are livid. We are true and pure, and no one will touch us. Then we shall sing to the mountains and make them bow to our please and the pleas of those who feel our pain, the death of hope. We will all sing and weep and smile and weep - And we will flood those who live and rote And without minds or hearts - they will feel our tears around their ankles, and then, we shall be perpetually suspended - in some sky, where their eyes will finally see the crown recovered and seated once more upon a wolf king.
Asked her about what she knew about the Fulk and the theft.
- Lead astray by the malicious witches, three fates are what they are referred to now.
- Convinced him somehow, probably something obscure thing out of a prophecy probably about his unborn children
- Wife was finally pregnant and this was the very last chance they had and the prophecy was probably around keeping the kids well by his help.
- Wife remarried quickly to Victor of Doe who had twins but are probably Fulk's kids - Jacqueline and Blase.
- She has important information around the lost crown. Around the time of the theft, Fulk was leaving/resigned from post.
- Was packing quite rushed fleeing the next day. His brother Damian was helping clean up the problem. Wife harped about it being a foul, etc. Sister was grieving.
- Damian was suspicious as he was too nice rather than being political like the rest of the family. He might have been an influencer.
- Damian was sad about his brother but would do his best about becoming Count. Damian could have been king if he had married the right girl.
- Damian always engineered everything to make himself the hero / good guy.
- Damian was fried by a lightening strike and was fused to horse.
- When the assassins returned with 12 heads - Fulk, 8 men in arms, valour and 2 barbarian guide killed. Found out later that Yurgen, Fulk's friend wasn't killed as he wasn't with them. As the assassins hadn't found the jewels they were held and never seen again.
- Shadow war - 13 days, 13 nobles were killed before the assassins were paid and appropriate reparations.
- People who paid for Fulk's assassin - Elgin the Blood, Lord Martin, Lord Miles Mountcrife, the Duke himself, Lady Nadise (Duke's mistress), Lord Marshall of the Dukes armies.
- After assassins died they all stuck with the same story - Early Ice after Fulk disappeared, the assassins hadn't heard about Fulk but heard that Jezelle had turned in Lunar so the head assassin went to talk to her. He got information and she appeared to be dead the next day. 13th Ice, found Fulk.
- Jezelle had given him a locket which they could locate and find. Killed all and brought head backs after dumping the rest of the rubbish gear and near Brastor
- Found the 13th person was missing, Yurgen.
- Royal rangers sent to follow up. Followed for a while including a stay at Seagate. Stopped in at pub called First Light in South Lending (Currently called The Golden Light which is built on top of the previous pub which is built on the First Light). All 13 were there when left pub, when they were killed there was only 12. Death not far from South Lendings but before Griffin Valley. Half Rangers died due to being attacked by griffins. Headed back.
- Hill or valley with some woods with a cave nearby.
Yurgen information.
Yurgen died in 545, died in Blue Stone Pass in Ranke. He had arrived in 499. Baron of the area was Yurgen's uncle and Yurgen turned up to "help" marrying his uncle's (far removed) daughter. Baron was signed off by Fulk. He had lots of kids that still leave here. De Winter's of rank.
Mists bad.
Stay overnight.
15th Frost
Two areas to go:
Blue Stone Pass Go to the Fulk and co's death area
Going to Blue Stone Pass
Tact on getting information at Blue Stone Pass - Say that we are there as it is time to finish Yurgen's prophecy and we are here to finish it, no questions asked.
Fly to Blue Stone Pass, arrive quite cold. Organise to see the Baron at 11 am tomorrow. Blue Stone Pass is on a volcanic area with tubes and dwarf/earth elemental tunnels to travel through after paying toll. Baron Hans De Winter the 7th in his 80's and we will need to sped
Ask the sky
7th son of the 7th son sits high in his mountain He sees all but remembers not He is who you need to see
Baron Hans is the 7th son of the 7th son.
16th Frost
2.40 am
Whispering wind arrives - Condolesa been missing since the night of the 10th. Theodore was found with his throat cut, Lord Erreyn killed, and I have just escaped from being sold into slavery. B
Plan what to do and how fast we can get there.
Message Back:
Will be there by there by the 18th, night of 17th if lucky. Hide if required, we will find you. Send critical information if you can.
Send a message to Xena but didn't work as it couldn't find her or companions - Must be well protected.
Get up next morning, storm has slackened.
Head up to the manor house earlier than needed to defend if necessary as Mario thinks somebody might attack it before we get there. We pass a 4 man patrol of the Barons guards grumbling about patrolling in such weather and the guard tower half way along the path to the manor house where there are two guards at the top looking out being cold, bored and waiting for some excitement in their day.
Get let in, wait for the Baron. Meet and start chatting. Willing to help. Heading down to the family crypt under the manorhouse.
Jurgen's Death Bed Foretelling. He was doomed to live a long life but if he didn't make amends he would remain a revenant as punishment. 7 from Seagate would return and ask about Jurgen and his friend Fulk. Going by the names that were in the foretelling that Xena had.
"What we are is what we were prior to the letters of our life." This is the first page of a journal which we can look at. Also we need to look at Yurgen's coffin.
Runes on Jurgens coffin translated to:
I was not the friend I should have been and I betrayed him for the love of another
I took the silver and saw them die in the night.
I killed the three women to hide his friends but doomed them all to death and doom.
Fulk was led astray by the three evil hags who held his children's lives as the prize.
He was forced to treason and he did as asked and took the items of destiny along with the crown
I told them where to find us and then fled into the night with my money.
I left the goods there in the claim of Angus McVeigh of Regar's Keep, the prospector who lured Fulk to death.
Fulk brought Angus's claim and signed the deed hidden in his trusty axe haft for all time.
I fled far and came to help distant family away from the corruption of court.
Elise proved a pawn too and in my purse of silver found details spurning me.
Who won in the end I don't know but pray for my soul a traitor to my friend.
Mario trys to cast and finds it is very difficult. The Baron has poisoned our wine but gives antidote now he trusts us.
Cover the runes so that anybody else looks don't see it. Changed the Baron's memory so he couldn't remember the runes.
Get Baron's hired witch Elize de Mort to talk to the dead.
Answer:
- 70 miles east of South Lending
- Heading to the claim, this is where they killed
- Angus McVeigh is a human redhead who was heading back to his family
- The sealed chests are in the claim
- Elise tried to sway Jurgen from his friendship for her love however she spurned him in the end
- The ringleader was the fates and Fulk
Elize casts a ritual to allow us to talk to The Fates - the Current Fates. A tunnel appears which we walk down and end up in a hot summer's day. Mario says that Lunar is always beautiful - Not sure if he knows where we are or is assuming. Meet the fates - young, medium and older ladies. Discuss:
- The well tanned ones - Drow - are trying to keep instability to get their lands back and fulfill ancient vows of revenge and death.
- Drow know where we are and will attack us soon. They are very close - just outside the manor house. They will attack between the Manorhouse and the village (some 800 yards).
- Where is the Axe? Where the family left it (buried with Angus).
- Crown Jewels - where they were have been for centuries
- Is it Time? The old woman is tiring and needs new blood to carry the kingdom forward.
- Bridgette will be fine if we don't intervene in te next few days - she seems resourceful
- The best counterspell to have on us when attacked by the drow.
* Fire - Sabastian * Namer - Wordsmith * Fire - TDP * Fire - Sven * Celestial - Mario * Celestial- Tari * Celestial - Vapour
- Anything else we could help: To heal the wounds of the past we must revisit the roots of the one Tree. (Tari specific)
- They killed Xena and the family she was with in Barretskyne but lost several of their number in return, she died well.
- How to cause the most pain to the drow. Killing the wife or not but make sure one survives to get more information.
- The Fates give us information about some nearby toads which have an anti drow toxin in their blood. Sebastian looks at the toad and the dozen of them all die, giving up their goop as they expire which is but into bottles and applied to blades. The party's blades are coated with some help from Sebastain who 'remembers an old man telling him how to apply poisons to blades' and so the party gets blade toxin on the weapons (sword and daggers - enough for 2 strikes that get through to the blood of the target) that will do an additional 6pts of Damage (FT wrapping to EN) for 6 pulses to any drow the toxin affects.
Sebastian casts lessers which become "Medium Enchantments" and -4 of dice for next month - until the noon of the 16th of Ice 811
We leave the fates, power up, quickened and head off to the pub expecting an attack.
Fought on the way back to pub.
Killed a number of them including one of the drow but drained soul into TDP's sword. But captured the second drow - a male. Had Namer, Celestral, Fire, lots of invested magics. A mercenary assassin escaped into the sky and departed northwards.
One of the others which are part of the Khatovar Mercenary Guild will ransom himself and the 4 others bodies for 10,000 silvers each. He realtes that his companion that has escaped will likely return to the Khatovar Mercenary Guild and he will relate the issues involved to him.
Gives details on Drow. They were controlled to do the Drow's bidding. They were given task to deal with the "interlopers". Know what we are searching for. Killed lots of people we had talked to except Bridgette. Lost 6 drow in fight with Xena. Started with 18 in the group originally. They don't speak Drow so not completely knowledgeable.
Petrify and turn to stone all 5 of the Khatovar Mercenary Guild people (4 dead but 1 alive) and put them on TDP's boat and shrink it. Will break them out at Seagate to appropriate ransom agreements.
Provides details on location of warehouse they were working out of in Koningburg.
'Binding Will' on the male Drow and question the females soul by way of TDP's soul sucking sword.
Party to put in questions here:
GM to add answers to questions
Talking to the Drow and a big clap of thunder and a portal opens. Spiders of differing sizes start arriving.
We fly away, TDP and the two drow are being tracked so we head to the guild who help us out really quickly. All including TDP are manacled to block the search.
17th Frost
Find out that the big spider is the servant of Malthus. Maandar'rik is a spider demon from Alusia.
Send out messages to Aryan and others to see if we can get people to rid the Baronies of the spiders and spider demon.
Remove the locate from TDP however need to have the ability to remove a Death Curse of 38 MA from TDP. Kilroy turns up to remove curse however he chooses to turn into a cat to tease TDP. TDP's death curse is to be terrified by creatures that has more legs than his. Guild security and Kilroy find this very funny.
The Drow are put in stasis with the woman having her soul given back. Guild will not be taking them out of stasis for at least 24 hours so we can be a decent distance away.
9 hours and the curse is removed.
Sebastian asked the night sky where we should go to get the axe. We were told to go to the church at Reagers Keep.
Guild security returns in the morning. They had a scout go and check it out. The tower where we were. The tower was destroyed and a big hole that was 66 feet wide and 666 feet deep. There was essence of Maandar'rak, Lloyth and Malthus around the area. The manor wasn't damaged.
Head off Regar's Keep via portal. We head off and meet the representative at the end of the portal who tells us that there are 8 chapels but we get sent to two - Whyte chapel and Estars Rest.
Going to Estars Rest to check it out. Meet Father Godfrey (a Raphaelite) to find out if Angus McVeigh is buried there and he is so we go to have a look.
Sebastian tries to get rid of the drow taint nNot sure with what but it appears to be the holy water in the church font which seems to react upon him like acid. The Priest said that his god believes that Sabastian has had evil thoughts and needs to atone for his sins. He screams like a small child.
As graves go, this one is pretty nice. TDP can see that there is an axe, pick and gold bars.
Open the grave gets the axe out and check that there is a piece of paper. The axe is well made and has a coating of gold. In the bottom of the axe there is a screwed bottom which comes out and the parchment with details and a map.
We take the map and leave a replacement map directing the reader to Masada.
Have to wait for the grave to be re-consecrated and we head off. Fly to South Lending and stay at the Golden Light Inn.
18th Frost
Found right spot, 80 feet down tunnelling with Earth Elemental. Detected 10 revenants who when told we were here to restore the crown they become animated then armoured and said their job is to stop the kingdom being restored. We killed them and got the 6 chests that they were looking after. 6 chests have been disintegrated. Collect all the goods out of the disintegrated chests and the other 6 chests to the guild.
Arrive and put it into a special room to open but they are all fake.
So either Fulk stole fakes or was stolen on the way. We remember that Xena had worried about the brother who helped Fulk pack.
Need to talk to Fulk's brother who is buried in Foxcourt. Need to talk to the Marquiser to see if we can get access to the crypt.
Fly to Kondesburg to pick up Conan
19th Frost
Pick up Conan and continue onto Bowcourt to get an audience with the Marquiser
Conan tells us a whole lot of information that we already knew but seems excited so we let him talk.
Arrive organise to see the Marquiser and stay at the Crackling Rose. Get a note to say we have an audience with the Marquiser in the East Garden at 11 am.
20th Frost
Dress appropriately to see the Marquissa. Have a nice discussion with her about jewels polishing equipment and she happily gave us a writ to get access to the get access to the family crypt/help at Bowcourt.
600 barrels of wine free to the Marquiser for the wedding from The Pavoni Family.
Fly to Bowcourt, Marshall Alexander at Foxcourt.
Get access to the crypt, go to Damien's tomb and he isn't there. Look in with wizard eye, find a mine has been created from under the grave a long time ago. It heads back to the tower. Somebody has stolen his body. There are faint emulations of evil in and around the tunnel. Tunnel looks like it has been dug out and has claw like marks left. Something big and evil but a long time ago.
Look at the cave via wizards eye. About 600 feet dug out with claws and picks with the rest to the tower being covered via lava tool.
Leaving the guards to help our retreat, 2 guards watching the lady of the house.
Head up the tunnel, nothing found until we get to a rank 20 darkness. Remove and have a ward hidden. Remove ward and continue. Get to ladder up to Damien's Foley (tower) and another darkness. No ward under this darkness.
Around the area there are bones of around 11 entities.
Wall off the tunnel that goes further into the mountain and head up the ladder - some traps on the steps. Walk on air so not a problem. Sebastian was finding if there was traps on the trap door. While waiting down at the bottom of the steps we find an undead eye that feeds Wordsmith's weasel.
Get through the bottom of the tower and kill a whole lots of spiders and ants. Check out the rest of the tower via wizards eye. More and more cobwebs as we go up. Telescope right at the top find six books that were owned by Damien of Foxcourt. Check out the books after making safe to read.
Sebastian opens the book and looked at if for about 10 seconds then closed the book talking about somebody in the book and that he doesn't remember what he wanted him to do. Mario hypnotises Sebastian and he says that there is a person in the book called Lilith that if he becomes her friend he could become a rank 15 Sculpture but his dad said not to trust people like this.
Check second book to find it has 48 pages, 48 souls, none of them Damien of Foxcourt contained within. None of the books has Damien's soul in it.
Divinate first book - Repository, book of knowledge, has a few people in it, etc. Lock books back up and look to come back and collect
1350 feet and it goes out to a large cavern. Wordsmith says it is more than 150 feet length. Sebastian puts out some light and we see it is about 350 feet deep.
Water in the middle with some water in the middle. Whole ceiling is cobwebbed. 9 entries into the room. There are tracks heading straight out the otherside.
TDP wizard eyes the pool and there is shiny things in it. Random collection of magpie like items and a glass eye which is not magical.
Sebastian checks out the tunnel that has the tracks and there are 6 skeletons that we get rid of easily.
Head down the tunnel and see movement down the tunnel. It is larger than a human. It appears to be shambling. Horseshead and 6 arms. Like an ogre but is a flesh golem. Others come up behind it but they are trying to distract us while also coming up behind. Kill from the front and head ahead watching behind.
Up ahead is a cavern that is darker, more oppressive. Similar to the affect of the dark circle. Decide to deal with the spectres now.
Kill them all and wizards eye into cavern and find that there are two entities - one sitting on a throne with a large gold key around it's neck, an 8 foot tall female skeletonal lord with a crown with some skeletons and gouls. Big cupboard in the corner.
Heal up and plan to go in.
We enter and start to fight. Some injuries but we are all OK. We kill Damien by destroying his mirrors and hitting him a lot. His guards are killed including the Death Night, we free the chained woman who happily passes and the others left alive flee when Damien dies.
We grab his key but not open the cupboards. We investigate the area. There is a space that looks like a girl's room. Found a letter to a child which appears to talk about a plot against Seagate Adventurers Guild and to come and kill us. Talks about family members being in the enemy's camp. Need to pass the letter onto the guild.
Vapour and Sebastian go for a swim to see what is at the bottom of the lake. We find a Sabre and MorningStar.
Put all loot and chest into TDP's boat and shrink it. We head back to the town and chain ourselves into a room of an Inn to keep safe.
21st Frost
Flight to Nevers and stay the night
Wordsmith divinates sabre - anti undead Sabre. Called Heartstaker can call down sunlight, solar flare, affects wielder and anybody within 13 hex in diam
Morningstar - Called - Angels Fury - hurts undead, hurts demons and angelic artefact. Extra if you are pacted to a powers of light.
Books - Necronomicon, Midnight in the garden of good and evil, The Mountains of Madness, Shadows over Pelicemouth, The Watches, The Whisperer in the Dark.
22nd Frost
Fly to Konigburg . Guards are much more interested in security than when we were just here. Await our employer at the gate to get our passes to enter Koningburg.
Head down to the jewellers premises were we get him to prove he is who he says he is before we open the boat.
Check the crown to confirm it is the crown and it is. Check all the gear and head up to the castle pretending that Mario and Vapour are sick. Otto von Liebstrau (the Lord High Treasurer of the WK) is asked to meet with us and a whole lot of guards await his arrival. Once Otto arrives Salomon speaks with him and we then head down to the basements and pass off the crown and the other missing pieces.
Head out go back to the jeweller and get paid. He purchase the replicas as well.
Search for Bridgette. Find her and she is OK. Say goodbye.
23rd Frost
Fly to Barkstin to see Xena and her group to see if we can help them but the monastery is a crater like a dark sphere has been through.
Head back to the guild successful.
Pass note over to the guild and submit scribe notes.
Buffs
Other:- +3 FT for a restorative meal from Vapour (anyone got better?)
What went missing
The following items are missing, allegedly all stolen by Fulk.
- The Crown of the Western Kingdom
- 2 Bejewelled Tiaras
- 4 sets of Earrings
- 3 ornate necklaces
- 10 Gems
- 7 Rings
- 19 small pieces of ornamental appearance, including;
- A small golden censor
- A set of 4 daggers, a small golden, a jet black, a silvered and a white dagger.
- A small silver/gold ball
- A small book - this is detailed as being skin bound
- A small crystal
- The helm and skull of Ulric the Wolf
- A small bag of small golden squares
- A truesilver rod which has grooves in it for something(s) to be embedded into it
- A small vial of silver liquid.
- A small truesilver medallion
- A leather and gold sword sheath engraved with 12 small runes
- A magnifying glass
- A golden lamp
- A golden Torc
- A pair of 2 small truesilver wands
- A silver pendant
- A silver Placard
- A small golden hourglass
- A leather engraved leash
People
Salomon Von Cleef the owner of Von Cleef & Arplet and royal jeweller. Responsible for the (missing) crown jewels of the Western Kingdom. Party employer.
Brigette Bardott Hired the party on behalf of Salomon Von Cleef.
Conan de Burgh Guild library researcher the party convinced to accompany them.
Condelesa de Wurts Agent of Salomon Von Cleef, obtaining infomration from the royal library of Kronesburg for the party via Theodore.
Theodore Raymond Schellenberg archivist in the royal library of Konigburg.
Lord Eirretyn retired elven diplomat living in Konigburg
Xena Darphus elven archivist located in Konigburg during the time of the theft and know to engage in social experiments (suspected invovlement!). Now retired and belived living in Cauldersfield
White witches Lord Eirretyn tells of 3 witches called the white witches who were known for their prophecies. They disappeared soon after the theft. Possibly the white ladies in the theft rumours and astrology reading?
Vapour and Tari's prior acquaintances
The following list is by no means exhaustive as the two of them and others in the party met and interacted with a large number of people when they were last here (see EnTitleD to die for), however this is a list that 'springs to mind' of possible contacts.
Vapour
- Lady Zoya de Crowvyn. b788. She has long black hair and dark brown eyes, she is 5'3" but stunning. (PB 22).
- Lady Griselda de Ville b 790. 5'6", PB 20, She has long red hair. She is a lady in waiting to Duchess Meredithis, Ulric Schwarzrotgold's future wife and future Queen of the Western Kingdom
- Lady Lutice Knoll, b785. 5'7", PB 18, Long Blonde hair. Her brother is Johannes Knoll
- Lady Penelope Devereux, b780. 5'9", PB 19, Long deep brown hair.
Tari
- Voldar Nordburg, the son of the Lord High Marshal, Bernhard Nordburg
- Royal Master of the Stables, Karlos Nadasdy
- The Bearer of the Royal Banner, Franz von Studnitz
- Charles Rothschild, son of Fulk Rothschild, a usurer in Konigburg who is a serious financial backer of a number of ventures and nobles
- Francoise le Clerc. Francoise is the son of The Master of the Lower Cellars.
- Horatio ven de Klaxon, Horatios father Conrad owns a small fleet of boast that transport people and goods around Konigburg
- Byron de Mille, A poet at court and troubadours - he is well built with a toned physique.
Certain high ranked nobles would be useful to talk with but its all a judgement call.
Astrology
Constantly told of him as one who should have soared
Reaching and seen for us the path of safety,
On a path whereof there is not either day or night,
Wounded were we that we shared not his devotion
Never shared with vixens of the time
Longing for men at ease at home, when the sight
Of ills obscured aggrieved him and the mighty
Of haima was a warning of the gods,
The crown of men shall lead to blood once more.
Is assured somehow that time would make us wise,
So our pleasure was to wait; and our surprise
Lo, it was hard when we confessed the dry return
Of our regret for we were still to learn
Some wisdom or for more than we may yet know
That Alusia has not a school where we may go
Interpretation
Vapour and Sabastian has some Vapourlicious thoughts on the astrology reading, here is what we think is happening:
Fulk was working as part of a group, to save the western kingdom from a prophesy (or otherwise known future) of disaster and lots of bloodshed. Fulk was in fact dedicated to the crown, and to avoid this fate the crown of the western kingdom had to be hidden to avoid a new king being crowned.
In this group were the three women and his sister.
How did it happen: Fulk was so devoted to the cause he was willing to sacrifice his life, volunteering as the fall-guy that would be blamed, chased, and caught or (in this case) killed. The deaths of the three women were faked, to allow their escape without suspision, and they most likely left with the actual crown and critical items. Fulk probably left with some minor items to cement the plot.
To achieve all of this required a witness to blame Fulk for the theft. Unfortaunely, the guards all but (or did?) killed both 2 servants. Fulk's sister (who was in on the plot) valiantly brought one of them back from death, to see the plot through to the end, condemning her brother in the process.
So I suggest that Fulk and others - involving at least some family - still knows this story, passiing it down the generations, and have been "waiting" for the correct time.. - Who are the three women? unknown - and we should try to find out. - The sister was probably involved, so it may be a family plot, but not necessarily. - being passed down generations also suggests family group is most likely.
Why shag on the throne with the maid? Sounds like a good way to go out to me :-)
Comments?
There is lots more that possibly could be conjectured from the reading, but that the overview.
Some possible inferences from the astrology.
- "us" is definately a group, perhaps family.
- "constantly" = wife "should have soared" = probably just means "been great"
- "Reaching and seen for us the path of safety... neither day or night." Unknown, could be underground, could be another plane.??
-" never shared with vixens of the time" the 3 women weren't so devoited
- "crown of men shall lead to blood once more" = indicating they must hide the crown to avoid fate
- "time would make us wise...pleasure was to..." = hide it until right time (whenever that is)
- all the stuff about ills obscured - unknown.
- "suprise,... dry return of our regret .... still to learn some wisdom.... alusia has not a school wher we may go"?
Damn! they can't complete what is required or learn what they need on Alusia. either information, or perhaps it is not on alusia, so they can't find it?
And of course the crown loot is lost would sums up the current state: They've lost it... oops!
Calendar
Magic | Rk | Effects | Dur / Enh | Mario | Sven | Tari | TDP | Vapour | Wordsmith | Sebastian |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Strength of Stone (Tari) | 17 | +17 EN | 18 / 35 Hrs | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Enchant Armour (TDP) | ? | +25 Def, 6/3 Arm | ? / ? Hrs | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Flying (Vapour) | 6 | 3.5 / 6.5 hrs | ||||||||
Feather Falling (Vapour) | 4 | 2.5 / 4.5 hrs | ||||||||
Air Walking (Vapour) | 6 | 3 / 6.5 hrs | Y | |||||||
Vapour Breathing (Vapour) | 5 | 3 / 5.5 hrs | ||||||||
Waters of Str(Who) | 16 | D+14 STR | 85m | |||||||
Buff (Who) | rk | what | dur |
Winter 811 | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Moonday | Duesday | W'ansday | Th'rsday | Frysday | Reapsday | Sunday | ||||||||
Samhain | ||||||||||||||
Frost 811 (7) | ||||||||||||||
1 | Guild Meeting | 2 | Guild | 3 | Fly to Nevers | 4 | Koninsburg | 5 | Koninsburg | 6 | ||||
7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||||||||
14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | ||||||||
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | ||||||||
28 | 29 | 30 | ||||||||||||
Snow 811 (8) | ||||||||||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||
12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Solstice | 16 | 17 | 18 | Yuletide | ||||||
19 | Days of Chaos | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | |||||||
26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | Twelth Night | |||||||||
Ice 811 (9) | ||||||||||||||
1 | 2 | |||||||||||||
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | First Plough | 7 | 8 | 9 | |||||||
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | ||||||||
17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | ||||||||
24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |