Jhensi Hallenger's Birthday

Scribe Notes

Summary

Adventure: Jhensi Hallenger's Birthday
GM: Gordon Lewis
Season: Autumn 801 WK

Party

• Brundar party employer, sort of.
• Valery party leader, scribe
• Faith
• Thaeuss
• Wordsmith
• Lucius

Employer

someone rich

Mission

Hired to do a job

Pay

Lots

Scribe Notes

Places Visited

Brightrock, Old Brightrock, (northern dwarven underground city)

Summary

Hired to escort/help Brundar to his home city, because his mother (Jhensi Hallenger) is cursed and dying, needing Brundar to save her. Travelled north (via Destiny) to village, then overland to Brightrock, attacked by mercenaries aiming at Brundar. Meet Jhensi Hallenger at Brightrock, attend feast, meet Vin & co, mercenaries hired to protect Brundar, and betray us to Pan e' Leke. Travel to Old Brightrock (deserted dwarven city), encounter Manticores, Gnolls, led by gnome Pan e' Leke (aide to Jhensi). His imps summon demons to remove curse on Brundar, and begin ritual to sacrifice Brundar to give Jhensi power. Pan e' Leke, 2 imps, 1 cherubim killed; 2 cherubim, Jhensi escape.

Persona of Brightrocks

Gaia

the earth mother, the force whom people ask for help in their magics, astrology etc

The King

who is possibly, ruled by the Queen. He is the head of the House of the Highbright (i.e. royal) family, in his seventies, but doesn't look much different from the other dwarves, other than his bejewelled clothes. The Highbright family tend to be Wicca. Apparently some high up members have connections with people high up in “the Sanctuary side of Sanctuary”.

Sonia, oldest of the next generation. Leader of the young social set. Asked Faith to bring her back a dozen truesilver ingots from Old Brightrock. Has the theoretical knowledge of the Noble mages, though not apparently a practitioner.

Sarah, (Sonia’s cousin?) a Noble Mage, helped Brundar’s curse effect, after talking with Nosander’s soul, thought removing curse would kill him.

Sammy, young boy, appeared at the feast.

13 Advisors,

(and always 13, as one dies, the next in the queue assumes the mantle automatically). They give advice to the dwarven

King. Members include:

Joseph Lockenleach, the only hereditary position (others voted on by consensus of the others, or royal favour). His son/heir is "just a boy" aged about 30.

(Aunty) Shaeile Verhichan, hostile to Jhensi becoming an advisor. Addressee of Kali's scroll (which gave detailed and accurate information about Brundar’s deceased father, giving his movements since he left Brightrock. This scroll was greeted with hysterical laughter, some disappointment to her, presumably.

Earth mage, trained in Southern Parts - unusual to have a defined college.

Dark celestial mage - Tav Lowenrock, is the about to retire advisor, who is leaving with good will, to go away to study some stuff.

Jhensi Hallenger,

a very good "Noble Mage", i.e. she asks Gaia to create something, and it is. This involves talking in an ancient draconic? language. Since her illness her creations are whimsical, and without heed of her current energy levels.

Her dreams have physical manifestations in her room while she sleeps. Everyone asks how she is, generally well respected, and feared? by the city, due to her sharp tongue, and Noble Mage status, presumably. If she dies, estates go to Brundar, and failing him, reverts back to the House of the Bright. Ascertained she will die by 1st of Vintage, confirmed as permanent death by the Priests. Vin says that Jhensi DA's as having infinite positive and negative health. Although Jhensi has some of the draconic tongue that she has been speaking in (apparently the language of magic), she is more fluent than expected and than what she was before she sickened, this perhaps being just a reflection of her increased magical abilities. Her curse makes her more attuned to Gaia, so this may be an attack on Gaia via all the noble mages eventually.

She was in league with Pan e' Leke in Old Brightrock, to use Brundar in a ritual to give her more power. This ritual was uncompleted, and she banished herself, possibly to Hell, or some other fire/brimstone looking place. Still requires Brundar for her ritual if she finds an alternative for Pan e' Leke. Perhaps her sickness/craziness was entirely a ruse to lure Brundar home.

Secretary - does as she is bid by Jhensi, keeps track of things in notepad in rear pocket. Was rather helpful during our stay. Says Jhensi had a couple of human visitors before taking sick, from Bowcourt and MMHS, although this is typical for her.

Brundar’s father - was a carpenter, left decades ago, with Brundar to look after him. Father took to working and drinking, in many towns. Jhensi had started rumours that he was a traitor leading him to leave Brightrock.

Hallenger House - after Jhensi disapperance, Brundar was allowed to take some personal effects, and the the house and it's contents were handed over to the Highbright coffers.

Healers Guild

keep Jhensi alive by the herbal tea. They tend to not ask for help from Gaia, instead relying on their own herbs, empathic and alchemical skills. Figure she should have been dead several times, don't know what's keeping her alive other than their tea. Gave some tea for Brundar too.

Astrologers

three were doing a divination/reading on Jhensi (casting stones), when the curse 'bit back', and they've been at the healer's guild ever since, with fits etc. Similar to Dark Circle effects, from the sounds of it - related? They have continuous nightmares about a demon dancing on Jhensi, which took fright at something and fled. By demon, implication being imp sized, with claws, fangs, wings, possibly bat like. Also, a wee holy (and holey) pot, being wielded by said demon. Ties in with our Guild reading.

Magic

Usage college per se are rare, however not unheard of.

Namers banned by the advisory, at the beginning of somebody or other's tenure, didn't like nosey parkers divination stuff. Possibly tied in with Kali's missive to Verhichan. The priests say that Namers were expelled 30 years ago because a commoner learnt the college, then misbehaved a lot, compelling people to do things.

Illusionists also expelled, possibly only gone underground (unliterally).

Mind mages are about.

Necromancers are about.

Noble Mage The ability to be a Noble Mage is an innate talent, which the dwarves check for. Using Noble Magic uses a lot of energy (as much as a GK spell and a SK spell if asking, twice that much if demanding), and mana is treated in many ways as an entity in its own right. noble mages rarely speak while performing magic, and even more rarely speak Draconic.

Jhensi Hallenger noble mage extrodanaire. Not a good teacher of the arts, despite being the best about.

(Princess) Sarah Highbright advocates using the existing substances around her rather than creating from nothing - much easier apparently. Effortlessly summons food across the table at the feast.

Frederick a trainee Noble Mage, not highly trained, he seems to like working in the mines. A relative demon expert in Brightrock. He hasn't used magic to directly check what is happening to Jhensi, because it is dangerous. We ask Frederick if he can assign his 'Trace' to Lucius' Locate - apparently not.

Miner created the fortifications for the table ballista competition at the feast

Priests

Their house had a forest theme (Faith's reading?), and they (a young one, and a _very_ wise one) seem reasonably forthcoming. Their work confirmed what others had said about Jhensi (permanently) dying in Vintage. They had a vision of an imp travelling from New Brightrock to Old Brightrock (a symbolic vision, not an image). No-one in Brightrock is known to have any dealings with demonics either for or against them. Provides Roland, to guide us through the tunnels to the Canal to Old Brightrock.

Vin and Co

are all male human experienced mercenaries from Carzala (yet not associated with Seagate Guild) who is compelled (mechanism unknown, but failure is fatal) to protect Brundar, as Jhensi's survival is linked to Brundar's well-being.

His employer (from down south) is not stated, but the others in the group are reporting in to the Advisory. They are staying with Advisor Lockenleach. They have worked together about 7 years, and are very professional, last been at Brightrock 3 years ago, doing separate business. They had astrology reading done indicating three daggers (2x binder, 1x ensorcelers) would be of help to us in protecting Brundar, and presented them to Thaeuss at the feast.

(+10% to spell base chance when wielded in off hand, silvered, also rank 9 weaponsmith, with base chance bonus) These daggers also give some locating to their group. The daggers were used by Pan e Leke in the rituals for Brundar and Jhensi and were and destroyed. They also presented us with drawings of animalistic totem poles, carved with old dwarven runes, alongside a river, as being a place for us to visit to help cure Jhensi. Seems to indicate Old Brightrock, not they have visited there. They had also been employed by Pan e Leke, to deliver Brundar, which they did by betraying the party as a Pan e' Leke and some nolls approached, by kidnapping Brundar.

Vin is a Namer, which is sanctioned by the Advisory. Skills include woodland ranger, and fighting with quarterstaff. Under effects of Lesser Enchantment, but no curses. He has no tattoos or runes branded on him. Works for fear of his death by his employer. Crystal vision “will Vin betray us?” : Shadows moving, fire erupting, play of swords and dash of fur, then Vin stuck on sword. i.e. Yes and we get revenge, or No, he betrays his employer to us, and dies. Was killed in Old Brightrock, near Pan e' Leke's house in Goldentyne

Lowenk Grabsfarr Mind mage, “communications expert” (8people mind speech). Uses falchion (magical) and crossbow. At large.

Kurr Felt Dark Celestial, specialising in walls and wings. Uses (magical) Katana, apparently won through a competition of agility and stealth. At large.

Employer of Vin (& others?) Baron from Aquila, has ostentatious bedroom, seen via crystal. Compels Vin with fear of a long excruciating painful death if his identity is revealed, or Vin fails in his mission. Has hold over Vin because of something Vin’s grandfather did. Was out to stop Jhensi completing her

ritual, hence knew of it beforehand somehow.