This adventuring group started at the same time as The Five. It begins with three characters and will be The Three. It is also designed for some drop-in session and semi-permanent from the core. They are also searching for a Lorebook, but their direction is not to the West, but to the North and Sheljar. Their journey is darker.

The Three consist of;

• Human, Paladin, Oath of Shield. This is a Paladin that does not have spellcasting, but does have some divine power. He carries a tower shield and is one of the protectors of Kirtin. Their companion is a draft horse.
• Human, Mundane Ranger, path unknown. Her companion is a panther. She is originally from Daoud.
• Goliath, Commoner (Tinker). He is from the outskirts of Telse, towards Bell’an’fair. This worshipper of Nok wants to learn why thinks work.

This is a group with a bit more fighting weight behind it. Though the Goliath doesn’t hit often, when he does he crushes. Seeing this Piyu and Allison send them off towards the Stench of Sheljar. They were at the same speech about trying to find the Lorebook, as well as Telse’s place in a post-Awakening Kin.

At the urging of Allison they head north through the fields and orchards towards Sheljar. The small group continues though a land that loses civilization quickly. After a few days they meet a family of minor nobles that escaped the stench of Sheljar. Not yet in the bogs and fogs of the fallen empire they learn that even these former leaders no longer tread north on the road. One of their sons left once. He is forever gone. All trade is to the south and the family heavily armed.

A couple days later the group avoids the road now. There are others on the horizon, conflict isn’t desired. This is a scouting trip more than anything else, for now. Off in these woods there is a pile of mostly bones. Their forms are not human, goliath or halfling. There are heavy brows. One has large tusks. The tiny one has a misapportioned mouth and a huge forehead. Each has a crossbow, with the largest of these being usable, with some work. The goliath tinker fixes it. It’s nearly the size of a balista. For him it is just a heavy crossbow. There are only a couple of bolts available. There is also a tiny map of the Sheljar area.

And two days later they enter the bogs and marshes of Sheljar. Their necks wrapped in perfumed kerchiefs so they don’t endure the physical smell their is still a sense of foreboding. On the edge of the settled lands of the dead kingdom they make camp for the night. The small house they found has some rotting hay. It is mostly a ruin, with some soft land to the east that settles into some sort of pond or stagnant water. There is a paddock to the south.

In the late hours the animal companions come aware. They sense something outside of reality nearby. The panther growls waking the group. Skeletal shadows walk towards the nearly sleeping bodies. Only the goliath can see, but the ranger thinks quickly and throws a little flame towards the advancing undead. The party can see 2 skeletons and 3 zombies.

The battle is fast, fierce. Being unfamiliar with combat the tinker struggles to stay involved. Without the panther and the healing abilities of the Shield all would be lost. But they tough it out. All remain living. When the combat is over they sleep a little closer to each other; their companions a little uneasy; their hearts beating faster.

Sheljar is a place where the dead walk.