Wednesday, August 25, 2010

8/25/2010 - Khurahaen & Xe Manse

The ship was headed to Khurahaen and when we arrive the port was closed due to an attack by a swamp demon that someone had loosed in the Misty Sea.  Dozens of ships have dropped anchor and are waiting.  Ariadne seeks out Reiner and asks him to go into the sea and take a message to Kolera.  He takes a small pack with him and goes.

Omar, the first mate warns the waters are treacherous, filled with riptides and porcelain crabs.  He also hints about a place or event called the Crucible of Salt.

While waiting for it to be over, Ariadne sent Reiner into the city by swimming.  He then becomes worried later and asks Jezzik to relay a message to him.  It involves some humor as he requires a fish.  It takes some time to catch one.  Once in hand he breathes a message into it that will be relayed to Reiner when it swims to him.

Everyone finds something to do with their boredom and wait it out.  After day two the ennui finally ends after they hear a ruckus above.  They see some great beast swallow up an anchored ship not far away.  As everyone cries out and begins raising the anchor, it turns into chaos.  The demon takes on another ship before being attacked from above by a figure held in the winds.

The creature spits out a mass of slime and garbage, as well as slime encrusted undead crabs and a few men.  Some land on the ship decks  and we engage them.  Twink has bad luck and breaks her sling.  Kain reaps them like chaff as does Jhary and the others.  Halfway through the fight, Krixil wakes up and joins in the fray, destroying them by touch.

Ariadne kills the "leader" if there was one, with a consecrated bolt he got from Jezzaine.  The creature is eventually put down by Ariscio of the Three Winds, who destroys it in the sea.  Adze provides healing, but at a cost and Kain gives up his glowing leaf to ensure Twink and everyone is healed.

The port was torn asunder in the fight so we were redirected to the Mud Flats to the east of the city.  We say goodbye to the brothers when we depart.

There we left the ship on long boats.  Officials there do not charge us tax as an apology for the attack.  Krixil slips away from us, lumbering off to send down roots near the mound that acts as the center for the Amarydion religion here.  He was odd and none missed his departure.

Ariadne split away to search for word of Reiner.  The rest noted the large makeshift hospitals in place to treat the wounded.  He isn't there but Ariadne charms some people to send word to her when or if he shows up.

The city is in an uproar but it quiets down after a while.  Reiner shows up finally and leads Ariadne off to discuss things with Kolera.  The rest of us bunk down in an old, rustic mansion that lets out rooms for travelers.  The owners are odd and Sultrani gets spooked and won't go inside.

The others are not so sanguine and take rooms at the place, known as Xe Manse.  Kain spends some time in the yard and then in an attached lower level room to train with his blades.  While shadow fighting the mirrors he finds, his reflection talks to him and then drains into his eyes, taking him over.

Meanwhile, Ariadne fare well with Kolera, managing to sweet talk her factor, whose name seems to be Neggie.  He passes on to Ariadne that staying at the Xe Manse and that it has a bad reputation.  So much so that he insists Ariadne return, taking with her one of his tower guards

Twink, meanwhile is succumbing to the same influence back at the Xe Manse, though her innocence allows her to fight it better.

Sultrani meets up with Collin and Ariadne.  They agree to go in together.  A bell rings and Ariadne starts going inside.  Sultrani tries to stop her by knocking her over but she hisses and glares back at her with burning red eyes.  Eventually, Collin grabs her  but whatever it is takes over Sultrani and frees Ariadne.  With her last bit of will, Sultrani breaks her shoulder and the pain dislodges the spirit.

They see a ghostly figure in a party dress run into the mansion. 

After they recover, Collin provides the two necklaces of his god.  He hopes they will help.

They move back and see the possessed Kain and Twink threaten them from the windows of the mansion.  Uncertain what to do, they depart, going to where Krixil had taken root.

The way there was covered quickly but entered in disappointment.  He will not waken and the priestesses will give no help.  Someone speaks up, perhaps all at once it came to us, that we should go to the moon goddess' temple.  So, back to the city.

They moon goddess' priest lets us in and we pray before the pool.  Sultrani goes the extra mile and sacrifices her true name to the pool.  Help comes in the form of an aged man, heavy with power.  He says little but smiles much and in the light of the moon walks the city to the mansion, us trailing behind him.  He has us stay outside while he goes within.  In minutes, light streams from the mansion and then smoke.  We resist going in but only just.  In seconds Twink and Kain come out, free from their possession.

The man speaks with everyone before leaving to go back to the goddess.  He gives his name, Sotineln Moonwalker and marks Kain's cheek and Twink's shoulder with the mark of the goddess.

Exhausted but free, they depart.  Collin takes them back to Kolera's Tower, sure she will let them stay.  Neggie greets them and lets them while Ariadne rejoins up with Reiner, who is finally awake.

Everyone beds down except Ariadne who meets up with Kolera.  To Ariadne's surprise, she's a gnome.  Loquacious too.  They haggle and deal; when it ends, Kolera get back her goods: the lightning in a bottle.  Ariadne gets a line on a ship, a skyship to be specific, for which she gets to be the captain.  She won't own it until she finishes the journey and has to work for Kolera for a time afterward.  She wants Ariadne to pilot a trade route from Khurahaen to Arad in Aradnast.


Wednesday, August 18, 2010

8/18/ 2010 - Blood in the streets

After arriving into town, Kain is pulled aside by a guard.  He still holds allegiance to Hyrkhallia and warns Kain that the king has called an emergency session.  It will be bloody.

Greywing departs, promising to return.  The rest decide to follow up and visit with Tandris at the College of Magik, after visiting an 'old friend' of Sultrani.  Ariadne was on the way and since the way was clogged ahead with people and everyone was hungry.  She had been humming and singing for dinner.  Drawn into it, everyone joins here, listening to her tale of far of Maelshyra set to a violin.  Perosk, the owner, later talks to her.  She had inquired about certain business and he only knows of one reputable merchant.  That of Velar, a mover of quality goods.

Everyone leaves to gather up tea at the market.  Ariadne, not quite part of things yet, tags along at a distance.  She watches when Kain speaks to Throon, who talks to him about a contract of protection.  Uncertain what to do, Kain says no but the Throon bids him to look him up at the Brown Coin later.

Sutrani splits away to meet her friend while the others continue through the market.  Kalabar's hobbits meet and warn Twink to leave the city.  They tell her that Kalabar has offered a trip on a boat to get out of the city before it gets bad.  Ansi, one of the hobbitt gang, has a quiet word with Ariadne.  Kalabar knows of her and offers on his behalf to purchase his wagon of goods for 20 crowns.  After some bartering she agrees.

Ansi introduces her back to the party, insinuating that she would be a good comrade.  No one has any issues, given his recommendation and they go to the college.  Sultrani joins back up and they have a pleasant time with Tandris.  Given the rising tension they think the trip by ship is a good thing and move rapidly to the docks. 

The Hespira awaits them.  The captain is Adze.  She dislikes the interruption in her trip to Khurahaen but has agreed for up to 3 days treasure hunting in the Wrecks.

Kain slips below to work out while Twink goes into the kitchen.  She pisses off the cook but makes good on it.  Kain meets up with Jhary who is training.  After some discussion they take a liking to one another and train together.  He talks about his two brothers as well, Jezzik and Jazane.

Ariadne spends much time on the trip gathering information.  They talk of salt zombies, ghoulsand other things in the wrecks.  He also spends some time talking to Jezzik and the three brothers and the group come to a quick accord and liking to one another.

Ariadne spends some time with Sultrani and they come to an accord.  She will guard his back on her journey.  Kain spends some time with the three brothers, especially Jhary.  They spar and work with one another, taking in a great appreciation for each others' measure of skill.  His brother, Jezzik, examines Kain's blades, remarking that underneath their battered appearance lies true quality.

Time passes, three days to be exact.  Three days of boredom with little more than endless sparring and talking.  Notes are swapped and we find that the three brothers work for the College of Magik in Talismonde.  Well, actually only Jezzik truly works for them since he has a position in their arcane retrieval department.  The other two assist as time and occasion allow.

They seek the college's cargo on the ship called "The Fairy Maiden".  The group seeks out Kalabar's goods on the "Hobbitt's Kiss".  Except for Ariadne who is after some goods for Kolera, who lost them when one of her vessels ended up at the Wrecks.  After some discussion, they agree to team up and work with one another.

The captain warns that he will not come too close to the mass of the Wrecks.  Still, he does come close, to an area where a mass of recently torn free wreckage has formed a path of sorts.  That seems good so the others agree.

It is late morning when they disembark.  The way is wet, dangerous and shifting.  Some quick discussion and the revelation that Jezzik at least has a way to navigate to his cargo, they decide to go after "The Fairy Maiden" first.  After long it doesn't surprise any one that they come across ghouls.

After some quick communication they wait it out, letting them pass by.  Then, as luck would have it they come across the remnants of the vessel that Ariadne sought.  She sends her servant, the merman Reiner down below to explore.  Things go horribly wrong then.

While he is below he awakens something.  Something akin to a Kraken!  It explodes out of the water, slapping down Twink.  Or, it would have but the protective magics that Jezzik had put on her kick in and she is transported back to the ship.

Everyone is embroiled in the battle, usually avoiding writhing tentacles as they slam into and upset the area.  Jezzik is pulled under and Jhary quickly follows afterward.  Lightning flickers down below, showing he's still alive and fighting.  In the end the water settles as it sinks below the surface, finally dead.

We take stock and lick our wounds.  The fight was not without hurt but all is well enough.  The Lightning in a Bottle is recovered, still intact in its crates.  Luck follows along with them and they quickly find the Fairy Maiden wreck and then the Hobbitt's Kiss.

Getting back involved getting into a struggle with the ghouls and spirits that possessed some swollen salted bones.  It was a quick struggle that ended with them wet and a little more blooded but otherwise healthy.

On the ship, the three brothers talk more freely.  They tell Twink about the Century Soup Festival in Viruelandia that starts in a year.  They also speak about the possibility of joining the group planning on participating in the World Ring Quest that will start in Talismonde.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

8/11/2010 - Talismonde and the Streets

A lot happens here but the notes are lost.

However, as a scattered series of events that occurred:



Graywing finds foes and friends here.  He loses a feather and it is used against him with the feathers as part of the fletching.  It nearly slays him.

Twink meets Kalabar and learns of their relationship.  He's an underworld and street figure of some reputation and heads the Great Hobbitt Network, or so he calls it.  She also attends a party at his underground club and he tries to marry her off to a good hobbitt boy that will take care of her.  She has know of that and splits.

She learns about his adventuring days and love of treasures finding.  Not in keeping, just finding, mind you.  He loves collecting maps, tales and different artifacts to remind him of those days.

Kain earns some more bumps and bruises here wrestling with hobbitt martial artists. He also get some serious fighting time in too but loses as often as he wins.  His bad luck still holds.

Twink is approached by a shade, that of a ghost relating to Elf Hill.  Some research is done into it, enough to find it was a mass burial site from back in the Nexus War days.  Everyone purposely distracts her away from pursuing it.

They see some of the landmarks and sights of the Grand City (Talismonde).

They get in a fight her, the one where they track down some thuggee/assassin types and where Graywing is nearly slain by an arrow fletched with feathers from his own body.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

8/4/2010 - From Ravenrook to Talismonde

Notes for this day are missing.  It will be filled in if they can be found.

After waiting through Triangularus and a few days after, the players are at a point to move on.

Kain the thief looted the shrine and found nothing. Greywing was told were remaining treasures were to be found by the crows spirits.

He passes the leaf of Glisir to Kain. He kept the sword and lamp.

Simek sailed the Yggdrasil's Child to see Malus, who is dead. The players explain the situation and then talk to them until they desire to be dropped off in the Quarries, near the Black Jade Mountains.


In short, from the shrine on the mountain we took ship on the Yggdrasil's Child, a ship with a main beam formed from a limb of the very tree.

It was a long trip.  Kain's weapons had been damaged at the shrine and he avails himself to the metal worker on board.  He's dwarven, of course, and beats on Kain's blades.  They are whole again but ugly as sin.

Many other events, mostly small happen.

They travel until the ship docks in Talismonde.