In most fantasy worlds dragons are hoarders of treasure. In some they are (also?) destroyers of worlds. There are worlds where dragons founded existence. On Krynn the chromatic and metallic dragons battle each other sometimes interfering in the lives of Man.
In establishing the World of the Everflow I wanted a slightly different take upon how dragons (as well as other dragonkin) exist within the World.
Dragons are part of the People of Ken. They are knowers of things, especially of magic. They, and all of the Ken, control access to magic of all kinds. For millennia of millennia they prevented the People of Kin (companionship and love) from knowing magic. Through the Scholars and the Proctors of Grace the Dragons and their followers (Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes) kept their thumb on magic, eliminating all but love and the healing power of the Everflow.
Rather than piles of gold, a dragon’s home back on Ken (the continent) is full of scrolls, books, and tomes. The long lives of all Ken mean that their minds are full of mighty spells well beyond the standards of Dungeons & Dragons.
Dragon breath by Nicklas Lundqvist (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Their immense powers are legendary, the same way that our modern world views dragons — a story so fictional it is not even legend. Statues and tales about dragons are created for artistic reasons.
Within the current campaign the dragons are returning to Kirtin-on-the-Lake seeking an ancestral homeland in the Ward of Mighty Trees. These trees are essential to the Dragons life in ways that the group has yet to discover.
Those Dragons, from the Ale Dragon Brewst Griselle to a mighty Red waiting on the southern plains of Kalst’s Field, are now quite real. Some fit in well. Brewst is small enough to fit inside buildings. He drinks and cavorts. His study of brewing, distilling, and vintning is familiar to the Kin. Yes, he’s different, but there is also familiarity.
Other drakes do not cause fear, initially. They remind most in Kirtin and Daoud about the lizards of Mehmd, a Kin-ish kingdom that bonds with lizards more frequently than mammals.
KOMODO DRAGON by NAPARAZZI (CC BY-SA 2.0)
But, when those drakes fought they taught fear. Their breath of fire, or poisoned stingers, killed in ways that nature should not. The drakes are not as intelligent as a person. Unlike Brewst they do not speak. They consume. Negotiation is not possible.
Brewst, and his companion gnome Oolia, are talkers. They also use the power of illusion and charm to work their way towards their goals. The governor and the group do not know these goals. They only know that the influence of the two continues to grow.
They worked as advanced scouts for the Proctors of Grace. Their goals could be called fey-like as all of the magical Ken work in ways that are not familiar to Kin (Goliaths, Halflings, Humans). The plans of Ken take centuries or even millenia.
When life lasts at least a few hundred years the approach to the world is incomprehensible to races that live to 100 at most.
Now, our heroes have to discover how these plans impact life in Kirtin-on-the-Lake, and the two kingdoms. This process of discovery could be deadly, it will be challenging. In the end, life in Kirtin and Daoud will change. Our heroes will determine how much it changes and how the Dragons will be included, punished, or rewarded.
On their way to Qin and its surroundings the Lorebook Hunters are flying over the western hills and mountains claimed by Kirtin. These lands are far from the old Empire of Sheljar, outside of the influence of post-Awakening Telse and haven’t sent their children to defend the Northern Slope in centuries. This is unclaimed lands, far from roads, lacking major rivers, and barely settled. On their fourth day they find a small village on a river and land.
Session Notes: This took place over multiple sessions. It was all after they eliminated the threat of Parun, but discovered he is neither Scholar nor Proctor, merely evil.
Saffron, Maurice, Behn, Doceo, Aamar were present in at least one session as active PCs.
Mansaray, Samul, and Ixnyx stay at the airxip while docked at Thurible. The remaining characters are in Sheljar. Ajhenas and Kuda are on the Tower Island creating a military, while Telley is on the settled island with the Temple of Wisdom (where the goblins hid) helping the people make a life there. Braaz, and Els are working on restoring the two homes on the south end of the Island Inn.
Shonie is retired and remains in Telse.
The town of Thurible is small. There are maybe 13-14 houses and even the rare commercial buildings are also houses. The Beaver and Bottle serves strong liquor and some ale. One home also rents a couple of extra rooms when trappers come through town. Mostly, this is the nothing town of the wilderness, settled on an island in the river.
There’s one significant problem — about a third of the children have disappeared since the Awakening. It is a constant fear. The heroes, feeling like heroes, step away from their trip and pledge to help solve this problem. They search through town and discover the last known spot of the last children.
They walk the path knowing that a few kids never came back from this same journey. This path winds through and around cliffs, streams and forests. It is at times dark, at times safe.
Our Lorebook Hunters get jumped by a group of Proctors, all elves. These are eliminated, but clearly the Proctors are expanding their reach into the Western Wildes. The group tends their wounds and continues to hike through this rough land. The tracks take a turn into a little alcove, it is covered in a bush, but looks to be a cave, maybe a tunnel.
There are many more tracks of people (humans, halflings and goliaths) heading away from this entry. They decide to check the first entry. It is dark and the cave slopes down. One wall is worked stone. The other is a mix of natural rock and roots dripping with water.
Our heroes discover a chamber with a door across from them, immediately on their left and a larger double-door far to their right. They go left first.
Beyond that door is another chamber, this one occupied. A huge swarm of wasps and a disgusting woman made of human flesh, iron, stone and branches is in the room. There is a fight.
After they win the fight with the Sister of Wasps they hear a series of doors slamming, six of them. A scream of vengeance rings out as the group is trapped. An older voice says “No, they must go. They are the key to our power. You may leave.”
A door in front of them and the door behind them opens. A rope ladder drops from the ceiling. It leads to a small opening with the darkest possible green seen through the opening.
Aamar climbed a rope ladder and entered a dark world, thick with overhead vegetation and a huge tree trunk. As he surveyed the land he noticed a dark pool. Inside that pool of water a single hand is trying to grasp the edge, unable to pull itself out. The Cleric of Quar walks over to rescue the drowning man, noticing Bishop Ollium’s signet ring on the hand. When Aamar tries to grab the Bishop’s hand the vision of pool and victim disappears into a shower of coins of the realm — none are corporeal. Aamar also learns that every branch and leaf seems to be coming from the same trunk. When he gets close enough to the trunk it appears as if a wall. It is so large the curvature is not apparent in the near darkness above the coven.
He retreats from this other-world of an obscenely large tree.
No one else goes up. They explore the new door and try to prop others from closing again. The group works their way through the dungeon to another hag. In this case she is riding a swarm of children.
Through brilliant use of spells and tactics the heroes free the youth without an injury to Thurible’s kids. They destroy that ugly hag as well. But then, descending through the ceiling is the ethereal form of the Night Hag, the Auntie.
She speaks in hisses and pride. She announces that the group must be free, for if they succeed she will be even more powerful than she is now. They question her, but she speaks about a future that is more like a myth, a future where there are no limits on the magics of Kin.
All of the doors fling open including the barn door where the Sister of Youth used to ride her swarm out to terrorize Thurible and other farming communities.
It is dark. By reckoning the group knows it is only late afternoon, but the sky is covered by cedar branches and leaves. They are under the canopy of the same dark tree that Aamar found earlier, but now with dozens of children trying to find their way home. One is an easy ally. Saffron’s crown of forgetfulness helps break the spell put upon him, and he leads them down a path. It is in a shroud of darkness and the children start to scream out to their parents, or grandparents, their aunts, their brothers.
Doceo leads the way upon leaving. Surrounded by his three dogs he scans the exterior of the lair and finds a path. In a small clearing he sees five dogs, some exact copies of Vondal, Victus and Delg, all staring at a point in sky while covered in ice. It dissipates as he approaches.
Saffron sees two skeletons, one with a ghost-dog and the other with a skeletal bird. Both approach a wedding rope. They are headed away from her, leap the rope and laugh. It looks as if Rohan and Teegan, friends of Saffron’s mentor, are finally happy — and dead.
As Maurice flanks the group he is alone in darkness, barely able to see the Light that Aamar has cast. A loud boom startles the young halfling. In the direction of that noise he sees his father holding a key and then a huge ball of metal rip through his father’s torso. The vision ends as the key falls from his father’s hand.
Behn’s vision is of Shonie, their former companion. She is trapped in a cage, unwilling or unable to speak. Her slight form indicates starvation. There are wounds. As he touches the cage Shonie disappears.
[DM Note: I had visions established for every regular PC and have contemplated telling Mansaray and Samul what they would have seen, but maybe the group heads back to the coven. This was also the first time the group encountered something that could be considered fey.]
Upon leaving the cover of that cursed cedar and the coven they are in sunshine again. By evening they are in Thurible. Only two families are missing children, both with the same names that were used by the Sister of Wasps and the Sister of Children. For the most part Thurible is happy, for the first time since the Lorebook Hunters visited.
But now the Hunters know something new. Their quest to stop the Proctors may empower other evils, and their possible futures include pain.
The Lorebook Hunters decide that before they head south to Qin (where they suspect two Lorebooks to be) they shall eliminate Parun. Parun, as an ambassador from Azsel, has established an exclave of the slaving empire. A halfling ranger with a whip of wounding he either has a Lorebook (Enchantment/Charm?) or is a high level follower of someone who does. There is a complication, as the Proctors of Grace seem to be able to home in on those that hold Lorebooks or are imbued with magic.
Session Notes: Samul, Saffron Behn, Doceo, Aamar were present in at least one session as active PCs.
Mansaray, Mo, and Ixnyx stay at the airxip. The remaining characters are in Sheljar. Ajhenas and Kuda are on the Tower Island creating a military, while Telley is on the settled island with the Temple of Wisdom (where the goblins hid) helping the people make a life there. Braaz, and Els are working on restoring the two homes on the south end of the Island Inn.
Shonie is retired and remains in Telse.
Town of Frostfall
Aamar, Behn, Saffron and Samul are active.
Floating in the Airxip Toxić above the North River the group is searching for indications that Parun or a large camp is nearby. They stop outside of Frostfall.
Frostfall is a town of about 45 buildings inside a wall with a tow-rope ferry across towards the Western Slope. The ferry ends at the Doghorn family homestead and two other buildings. Frostfall also has an interior wall with a half-dozen homes on Maple Leaf Hill.
Thornton (Doghorn) is the Ferry hand, Juliana is his sister. Their mother operates on the town-side of the ferry. She is Isolda. Through a heavy stutter Thornton suggests that they visit his friend Aitne’s (Dustbeard) family shoppe. At the shoppe it is the goliath Grups Harpyja Stormchaser that provides the necessary intelligence about the nearby slavers.
Samul hides along the path waiting for Parun’s followers to come. Saffron is disguised as a wondering Azsel-ite. Behn and Aamar are to join the fight if necessary. They free two goliaths who are too fearful to return to the abandoned village that Parun is using as his latest base. Two Azsel monks are eliminated.
Parun’s camp is three-way fight
Aamar, Behn, Doceo, and Saffron are active.
Doceo, back at the airxip in the hills above Frostfall, notices a flight of dragons approaching. Upon conversing with Fierbas the ale drake he learns that the flight contains two scouts, two evokers and a captain. Doceo decides to rush into Frostfall in an attempt to warn the advance party.
Doceo rushes to the group, showing up just after the fight. Samul escorts the two goliaths back to Frostfall so that they can prepare a defense of the village. It is possible that the scouting group of the Proctors threaten the poor community. The former Mehmd pit fighter convinces the commoners of Frostfall to ally with New Sheljar. A wyvern skull pouch with an undead ripper lizard is rather convincing of the power of New Sheljar.
The first fight is an encounter with two dwarven spies and their wyvern mounts. This drains significant resources, and results in Doceo being poisoned. It takes Aamar an hour to form a healing salve. He also manages to convince a herd of elk, lead by a single giant elk, to join them.
Which means that when they get to Parun’s camp there is a massive battle. On one side is an adult black dragon and two elven evokers. They occupy a tower on the NW corner of the ruins. The battlefield in front of them is littered with Azsel halflings and their companion dogs. Some are alive, many are dead. Across a small stream is Parun and two wyverns, likely the evoker mounts.
Behn sneaks into the ruins to free the enslaved animal companions. Doceo rescues a couple dozen enslaved goliaths with a few humans and halflings. Aamar and Saffron try to take out Parun.
They use the cover of a stampeding herd of elk to advance on the skirmish. Eventually Saffron places her Crown of Forgetfullness on Parun. Aamar and Saffron take fire from the Evokers. Eventually the party of four assemble near Parun. The Proctors and the Lorebook Hunters take out the slaver, but the Proctors also take out Saffron.
The party decides to retreat, as do the Proctors. Neither side is confident of victory. The heroes take Parun’s body and flee to Frostfall. They are accompanied by the former slaves. It is unlikely any of the other Azsel forces survived the numerous spells and breath weapons that further destroy the city.
Based on the fight, they adjust their maps of known adversaries. The Western Wildes do not hold safety for the group, except possibly in Sheljar and Frostfall.
With Telse rapidly devolving economically the group decides to discover if they can restore the Everflow. The issues further west can wait. Aamar is Telsean. Maurice is from Fort Ooshar, another community that depends on the waters of the Everflow. Doceo needs trade, as trade is his life.
Session Notes: Mo, Doceo, Aamar were present as active PCs.
Mansaray, Samul, Behn, Saffron and Ixnyx stay at the airxip. The remaining characters are in Sheljar. Ajhenas and Kuda are on the Tower Island creating a military, while Telley is on the settled island with the Temple of Wisdom (where the goblins hid) helping the people make a life there. Braaz, and Els are working on restoring the two homes on the south end of the Island Inn.
Shonie is retired and remains in Telse.
Planning Stages
Mayor Kellamon, Captain Piyu and Corporal Allison are meeting at the Mayor’s office. There they tell the Lorebook Hunters that they had gathered an earlier group in order to head into the opening where the Falls of the Everflow erupt from the cliff between Telse and Upper Telse. Aamar, Doceo and Mo take a couple hours to shop and then return to the offices.
They meet a group of clearly overwhelmed halflings. All are in leather or hide armor. Three have clubs, including Thad Trailhide, who Aamar has met in years past. Nerv Oxstorm has a dagger, but he’s easily frightened. Honora and Niras round out the Telse natives. Ursula Dustrain has a baton and studded leather. She admits that she’s an outsider, but has volunteered to help. Maurice recognizes her from Ooshar. She hangs out in the Drop, with Willan’s family. For now, he trusts her.
They climb up the stairs to the swing arm where Quar’s faithful take the pure Everflow from the falls to eventually convert it to Telse’s greatest export – bottled Everflow, a healing potion. After our heroes, Nerv and Ursula use the swing arm to get across the 20 foot gap between the stairs and the opening the arm breaks. Thad wishes them well, grateful that it did not break while he was suspended.
Pudding and gelatin
Trudging through the shallow trickle that winds through an unfinished cave the group is slowly rising in elevation.The path winds, at times there are small pools. Eventually one of those pools has carved stairs in the back. This is unnatural.
They slowly emerge into a 40 by 60 foot chamber with a central trough that is 10 feet wide. It looks that normally the waters of the Everflow surges through that trough. There are four columns in the chamber, two to each side, evenly spaced from the walls.
Nerv screams. He is covered in a black goopy acid that eats away at his flesh. Mo hides and Ursula disappears. Several of our heroes take damage from the Black Pudding and Nerv is no more.
Unable to find Ursula, who likely left through an exit during the fight, Mo sees an 18-inch blue orb with a slight glow. It is suspended a few feet in the air. The three heroes learn that it is inside a Gelatinous Cube. They fight this other ooze, eventually tricking the sorry thing into the trough. Aamar carries the orb in his pack, since the other two are tiny halflings.
Willan’s influence
At the far end of the of the dungeon room is a single exit. It leads to a 10 by 10 by 10 tunnel that slowly rises. The floor is kind of slick, and there are fine tiles on every exposed surface. The only light they have is from a spell. The journey through this darkness is long, slow and continues to rise. They are almost certainly nearing the mountain behind Upper Telse.
Suddenly Ursula rushes into them. She is screaming of of a goliath surrounded in wind and lightning attacking her. As they discuss this with her Mo challenges her about her past. She admits she’s part of Willan’s gang. Her trip to Telse was to get more intelligence about the Lorebook Hunters. She tried to escape, then she tried to smack them with a baton to free herself. There was a fight. She died.
The shadow of Willan continues to appear in Telse and Ooshar.
Nils and the Lightning Goats
This battle was much tougher than it should have been. I’d already weakened the group, especially Aamar, in the first three encounters. Nils was a custom designed Beserker/Barb-Storm of Sea (though fluffed as Mountains). His two animal companions are Giant Goats that have electricity climbing through their horns. They can use those as a breath weapon lightning bolt type effect that recharges on a five or six. It was nearly a TPK.
As the group emerges into a large glade they feel howling winds around them. This glade has a huge muddy pit in the middle with steep cliffs and dense forest backing into more steep cliffs. There is a forty-foot tall pedestal within the muddy pit.Across the muddy area are two giant goats with lightning crossing between their horns.
Aamar, with the orb, climbs the pedestal. There appears to be a spot for the orb to rest there. It takes him a bit of time to get to the top. Mo slips into the forest to provide long range cover while Doceo watches at the base of the pedestal.
Just as the Quarite cleric places the orb at the top Nils, surrounded in lightning and wind, leaps from the far cliff and the two goats charge. The encounter is at distance to begin. The pedestal starts sinking and water surges out from the orb. Two of the heroes are now standing in water as they face off three electric opponents.
After taking a bit of lightning Doceo casts fireball and nearly destroys both goats. Maurice’s bow and Doceo’s fire bolts finish them off. Nils is raging on Aamar. The large goliath is attempting to chop through Aamar. The little halflings try to aid Aamar, but to no avail. Their cleric falls.
Things get very hairy. The animal companions are trying their best to save the people, but Nils is too powerful. Doceo finally thinks to cast First Aid on the fallen cleric. Aamar is back at one hit point. He casts Hold Person on Nils, who had been knocked prone when Doceo’s warhound bit him (it took a roll of 3 or less on a d20 to fail, Nils failed). The Hold Person works as well. A prone and paralyzed Nils is rapidly destroyed.
The group of combatants is standing in several inch deep waters of the Everflow. Their only known route away is starting to fill with water.
Never take a 200-foot dive
With Nils defeated the three heroes notice the rising waters about to flow to their escape. Aamar knows Nils and respects his family. While Doceo and Maurice run the hours through the tunnel Aamar is attempting to return the body of Nils to his home. Dragging a goliath through the tunnel and cavern slows the cleric down.
Using rope and Mo’s great leaping ability the animal companions and halflings get across the 20-foot gap easily. The water is starting to flow again. Aamar stuck with the huge body feels the water rushing past him. It may be impossible to return the body to its ancestral home. Instead he retreats to the chamber, puts Nils up in the room to the side of the trough and squeezes through the remainder of the tunnel nearly surrounded by water.
When he pops out of the Falls of the Everflow he tries to leap to the platform but falls short. A large human he tries to grab his companions. Mo gets one hand on him, but Doceo fails. Hanging on for his life, 200 feet above the lake Aamar is in serious danger. He is slipping. Mo quickly ties off a rope as Aamar falls.
Thinking quickly the Cleric of Quar casts Thorn Whip catching it on the platform and pulling himself up just enough, slowing the fall. Mo ties the other end of the rope off. The two halflings pull their deeply injured friend up as Usrula’s dead body pops out of the Everyflow plummeting into the lake below.
With various desires to return to Telse, as well as a discovery that the people of Qin may have a couple Scholars hiding in their midst, the group flies the working airxip from the Temple of Wisdom over the Western Wildes. The crew is a mix of goblins, rescued pirates and player characters. Together, they will head towards the mountains just to the east of Telse.
Session Notes: Mansaray, Samul, Doceo, Aamar were present as active PCs.
Mo, Behn, Saffron and Ixnyx travel via the airxip, but are crew, not PCs. The remaining characters are in Sheljar. Ajhenas and Kuda are on the Tower Island creating a military, while Telley is on the settled island with the Temple of Wisdom (where the goblins hid) helping the people make a life there. Braaz, and Els are working on restoring the two homes on the south end of the Island Inn.
Shonie is retired and remains in Telse. She features in this story as an NPC, barely.
The session began with a sharing of information.There is great concern for Telse. Firbas, the ale drake, let’s them all know that the Proctors declared war on the Scholars that remain, as well as any caster that has escaped the normal bonds placed on Kin. Aamar and Saffron are targets due to their Lorebooks. Behn is a target as well. Combating the Proctors with their fleet of dragons is not yet practical.
But the present PCs learn that the Scholars are a mixed group of potential allies, definite enemies and aloof erudite knowledge seekers. Those that cannot be convinced to side against the Proctors have Lorebooks or similar devices. Those can help in a battle of mighty magic backed by dragons against the scrappy Kin, who are defined by their beloved companions.
Qin seems to have one or two of those Scholars. Parun, or his boss, is probably one as well. There is also Chorl, who they will need to finish off at some point. But for now, south to Telse and eventually Qin is their direction.
The group gets a few volunteers from their rescued allies and borrows the working airxip, a small two-master with one heat room, and two huge props to help it travel. They head out.
Just a day into their journey they notice a camp with a central holding facility, four tents and a few dozen dogs. This is in the territory where they know that Parun’s Azsel forces roam.
They will attempt to rescue the captives, and if Parun is present end his service to Azsel.
It is a harsh battle. There is a warlord, mage, two archers and two scouts in opposition. Plus, as Azsel-ites most have dogs that come in a latter wave. That wave is almost entirely wiped out by a single fireball from Doceo.
Mansaray versus the warlord is almost like a kaiju battle. The two trade blow and blow and blow as the fight rages around them. Samul focuses on the archers. Doceo tries to end the threat from the scouts. Aamar and the mage trade spells and blows.
The victory leaves them bloodied, wounded, drawn down and exhausted. Unfortunately, Parun is not at this camp. His raiders are working the West unhindered. The group attempts to convince those rescued to head to Sheljar for safety.
After another couple days of travel they arrive above Upper Telse. The xip settles into a mountain valley. Doceo visits Shonie to collect the rest of his cash from the merchant-seeker. There they find out that the Everflow isn’t flowing.
Aamar attempts to visit Sealm, the wizened leaders of the Faithful. Sealm has passed away. His grand-nephew Nils is not around Upper Telse. Sealm’s passing happened on the same day that the Everflow stopped.
Bishop Ollium and the rest of Quar’s church have some Everflow bottled and saved, but they will run out. The two rivers will stop flowing shortly after the locks on the pool let out their remaining water. The economy of Telse, Ooshar, Mira, Qin and others count on that river traffic and/or the magical, healing waters of the Everflow.
And there are dragons seeking to destroy the city.
Over these two sessions the goal was to gain a few clues to the larger arcs around the Scholars and Proctors, while also exploring the place that the group now calls home. Those in the second session also got to used “downtime” of a couple weeks with some player agency.
Session Notes: This took place over two sessions. Doceo, Saffron, Samul, and Behn were in the first session.
Aamar joins them for the second one. The remaining characters are in Sheljar with Ajhenas on the Tower Island, while Telley is on the settled island with the Temple of Wisdom (where the goblins hid) helping the people make a life there. Maurice, Mansaray, Els and Kuda are working on restoring the two homes on the south end of the Island Inn. Ixnyx cannot shed Brazz as she established a taut-line message system between the three occupied islands.
Shonie is retired and remains in Telse.
Halfing Slums of Sheljar
Behn, Doceo, and Saffron took one of the mulgoblins that committed to their aspirations and the rowboat down to the isle south of the broken bridge. Here they encounter two occupied buildings. One is a small alehouse with a covered dock area, but there are huge reptilian creatures on those docks. The group ignores them and circles the full isle. There’s a field, and a platform, and abandoned hovels.
Except for one home, with its low roof, unwelcoming for the humans, and the poor mulgob NPC, the hearth has a fire and creepy laughter. It turns out to be from a goblin, who has made this place her home. She never stops laughing, and in fact, cripples their NPC with Hideous Laughter. Her continuing attempt to charm others results in a small conflict.
When the group manages to defeat the little one, which takes a bit as she heals herself rather than taking some damage, a small pastel mote flies into the mulgob. That mul then behaves exactly as the little gobkon, but with big fists too. They dispel the magic infecting the mul and then cast Gust of Wind to blow the mote into the sky. There is a nilbog somewhere else in Sheljar now. A problem that could turn up later.
Downtime
With drop in sessions that rarely require the same PCs two times in a row players can collect downtime between sessions. I opened up our final session of 2016 by asking those present how they used the days or weeks that passed. This will now be an off-table discussion, but will be carried forward.
Aamar – The Cleric of Quar has a month of time. This is split between two activities. The first is the granting the blessings of Quar to the lands that will now be farms. These actions mean that when winter comes to the bog-city the few dozen living there will not have to trade for food. He also took an overland trip to the Glass Tower (we will play this as a 1on1 session or through chat).
Behn – He chose to explore a few of the unexplored islands and “kill another one of those creepy ground beasts.” Asked who joins him in slaying the tunneling nightmare he answers. A few players get 1,000 xp for off-camera action.
Doceo – Unloads his cart, and starts making plans for future trade routes. He also works the various crowds and factions to learn what exactly he’s now involved with and how this can help him in the future.
Saffron – The Bard sends a message to her childhood mentor Teegan. There she discovers that Teegan’s brother Rohan is almost certainly The Necromancer, a scholar that Saffron helped kill. Saffron is also worried about how she’s become a killer.
Samul – He needs a boat in order to some day rescue or purchase the freedom of his beloved – Fairuza. So, despite not educated in shipbuilding or piloting he collects a few hulls, about a dozen sails and other supplies. From all of that he gets one barely-able-to-sail seafaring sloop (crew 3, holds 7 others, 1 small covered area, no cabin, moves 20′ under normal conditions).
Gathered and recapping their various activities the group is at the Sheljar Inn (Samul’s palace, just ask him). There, as they chat the clang of Ixnyx taut-line system interrupts. It is the line from the Tower Island where Ajhenas is working with a few muls, a hob, sometimes Kuda, towards building a working defense. The highest tower has noticed ships in Sheljar Bay between the Statue and the shore. In the past the trade ships stay well on the outside of the Statue, with Sheljar still being presumed haunted by the rest of the Western Wildes.
There are two galleons and three ketches. Two of the ketches are firing Firebolts on another ketch. Samul mobilizes his navy. It’s a single sloop. He asks a couple mulgobs to man the sails and Aamar, Behn, Doceo and Saffron join the excursion.
The sloop rushes out past the two galleons, getting close enough that Doceo welcomes them to the protected waters of New Sheljar using Message. The galleons ask for help, their escort is under fire. Their flags declare that they are from the trading family of Qin. The Qin to Mira route was once prosperous, but is now risky. The galleons call the opposition pirates.
Taking one of the pirate ships by surprise, appearing from behind the galleons the sloop has the wind at its back. Saffron casts Walk On Water for the crew of the sloop. Aamar is at the rudder with Saffron besides him. Samul rides the bow while Doceo and Behn are in the center ready to fire on the enemy.
It is a complex fight. Samul, nominally the captain, he thinks, leaps from the ship and sprints across the low waves. Behn and Doceo throw Fireballs at it. Aamar prevents the other two vessels from sinking, though they still burn, by casting Plant Growth on the kelp and seaweed. Later, Doceo leaps from the stern, walking on water as his own vessel provides cover from the attacker.
But the vessel which our Lorebook Hunters are fighting is well armed, and protected by casters. One of those spellmen keeps throws a Fireball at them. Later it casts an Ice Storm. She is not dedicated to an element, just the death of those on the sloop. (Spoiler: it doesn’t work).
That ketch also bombards the sloop with its catapult. And there is a dazzling display of lights that charms half the crew (Hypnotic Pattern). It’s two Archers (Volo’s Guide) also provide additional, deadly, long range support.
Behn goes unconscious shortly after throwing a Fireball back at the damaging caster. A sorcerer should not take two arrows, a fireball and an ice storm. Saffron eventually heals him.
Remember when Samul ran across the waves? Enraged and Frenzied he enters the opposing boats with his chain whipping through the pathetic crew quickly and easily. Even the Archers and mages have little defense, especially when they are bothered from afar by Saffron and Aamar.
Eventually our heroes, though they be a bit grey, take the ship with two of the pirates promising loyalty rather than dying. Doceo searched the captain’s quarters and discovers that they are part of Willan’s group of bandits, thieves and pirates.
Six of the two entrapped and burning vessels are saved as well. The group captures a larger ship, armaments and maybe can take the two ketches trapped in kelp and get something savable from their burning hulks.
The two galleons have sailed off to safety over the horizon. Maybe they’ve made it clear that the inner passage is no longer haunted, certainly protected and now safer than the open seas.
Maybe they’ve also let Willan know that two of his pirate ships are gone.
In this session our heroes discover that Chorl did not die in Cortez’ volcano blast. Instead he’s captured other Lorebook Hunters and is also turning people into monstrous combinations of human and animal. Prior to Chorl’s dark arts centaurs, minotaurs, satyrs, aarakocra, and various werebeasts did not exist. Now they do, and they will plague the Western Wildes. They are accompanied by owlbears, cockatrices, perytons, and who knows what else wanders the world now.
Session Notes: This took place over two sessions. Doceo, Mansaray, Saffron, and Samul are the participants. Most of the remaining characters remain at the Island Inn, or as Samul calls it “His Palace.”
Shonie is still retired and in Telse.
Brazz, Els and Kuda are rescued from the evils of Chorl.
After a few words the escapee from Azsel asks to see his falcon, who has shadowed Aamar. Mansaray explains that he’s been to the Cliffs of Gallinor and back to the Glass Tower. In both locations dragons fly, ridden by fey creatures of myth. Saffron gasps in fear. When he headed north to avoid the fiery breath and piercing eyes he discovered that Chorl still lives. The wizard controls fierce army, and holds three Lorebook Hunters captive, under torture. They are likely the group that Mayor Kellamon sent north when he hired The Five.
Doceo, Samul and Saffron volunteer to join him in rescuing these souls from Chorl’s grasp.
If the group is successful all PCs but Shonie will be united at Sheljar. If they fail, there will be new characters created.
Bridge to Chorl’s Camp
Leaving Sheljar’s formerly rich neighborhood the group heads out over a narrow stone bridge from the height of the far northwest island to the mainland. Crossing this bridge they are set upon by several cockatrices and an odd minotaur-like creature with horns coming from its knees. Saffron casts stink cloud and Doceo blasts a fireball. Combined those do quick work of the petrifying bird-lizard creatures. Mansaray and Samul finish off the deyong quickly.
After a few more miles they are in the forest edge near Chorl’s camp. A mix of giant eagles and aarocrocka attack. It takes a bit for the missile weapons and spells to prevent those allies of Chorl from warning the camp, but they are finished quickly. A magic user that rode one of the eagles causes a bit of trouble, but not much.
The group is slightly weakened, and their goal is nearby.
Raiding Camp
The heroes see an access point to the camp along the ridge to the north. Mansaray knows that it rapidly descends to the sea, and there may be an escape route along the shore of Gilkey Bay back into the bog-city of Sheljar. There is one tent between them and a forge-cottage.
Saffron, the normally non-violent bard, sneaks into a tent along the northern ridge. Inside is a a sleeping bear-man. She stabs it through the heart. Thankfully the group fits in the tent. They see they can into the forge and hide, looking for a better opportunity to attack or to sneak into camp, rescue the prisoners and flee.
Again the bard has to lead the way. She’s small enough to crawl through a window. Daylight is still an hour or two away.
Mansaray and Samul come in the door while the rat-man is dealing with Doceo and Saffron. The giant rat and wererat are dead, quietly and quickly.
But, Chorl, in his shimmering green-gold robe, heads to the camp’s main fire. He asks a minotaur named Dustin to check on Yacoob at the forge. A new supply of arms is necessary for the war.
Doceo sends his dogs out to distract the minotaur. The rest come up with a plan. Mansaray and Doceo will create a distraction by burning down the main building. Saffron, Samul and Boo will rescue the captives. Then they will all run.
Saffron keeps watch on the fire-pit where Chorl is speechifying to most of the followers he has present.
Chorl’s speech
Saffron overhears Chorl tell his gathered fiends the following.
Rohan’s Book of the Dead has disappeared. Cortez’ Tome of Enlightenment is still within Sheljar. We must capture both in order to take the Glass Tower from the Proctors of Grace. Our forces in Crinth will return. The River Tribes fell to Azsel and Briarwall will likely be next. Azsel control the entire north. We of Ritual and Blood must Awaken the Everflow or Kin will fall to slavery and ignorance.
He mentions a few other Scholars that have ignored his appeal, instead trusting in Cortez and the Scholars’ Oath of Kinship- the Comedienne, the Composer. He awaits word from the Aegis Guard, Cannon of Qin and Eldritch Knight. The Trickster refuse to join him as he focuses on profit.
Menagerie Barn
Just outside the barn is a man and horse. The man is wearing the tunic of a Shield of Kirtin. Both man and horse have suffered. Samul and Boo free them from their bonds, telling them to hide behind the barn. Saffron hides behind the corner. Inside the barn they see a centaur, a panther with human, a minotaur, an aarocrocka, another aarocrocka, a goliath with a chicken and a werebear. They are guarded by an aarocrocka and a centaur.
Saffron, Samul and Boo take out the guards.
At the same time Doceo and Mansaray set fire to the main house. At one point Mansaray tackles Chorl and throws him in the fire. Doceo pelts him with sling bullets. Eventually Saffron casts dissonant whispers, which forces Chorl to flee north and east, towards the large statue in Sheljar Bay.
Samul, Mansaray, Doceo finish off Dustin, the blond minotaur, when he returns as the rest of Chorl’s creatures flee. A werebear that Boo released is angry, but is also scared away as Boo hides in the safety of the forge-cottage. The other occupants of the barn are left tied up after the werebear shows that not all are friendly.
Boo and Saffron also released Brazz, his chicken and Els and her panther. They hid with Kuda and only rejoined the rest when it was clearly safe. They have horror stories to tell
Searching the Forge
After the various centaur-like creatures fled south and the bird-like peoples flew out northwest the group is alone in the camp, with maybe an hour before a metals delivery is to come. That delivery is from a mine to the north and west.
They search the forge finding a letter in Crinthian, the chest for a suit of plate armor, a few blades, javelins and arrows. There’s a smattering of gold and silver about the area as well.
All seven and their companions return to Sheljar. They have news of the extent of the Scholars influence and control throughout the Kin and the Land of the Everflow.
Searching for a second Lorebook has consumed much of The Five’s resources. During this search, with a goal of more power and the elimination of the Stench of Sheljar, they have acquired property in the abandoned bog city. They have earned the enmity of the Necromancer, a group calling itself the Proctors of Grace and maybe more of the GobKon. In session 21 one of those enemies dies. Spoiler alert: you already saw the headline.
Session Notes: Aamar starts at the Inn. His player is present. Mo and Ajhenas start at the Temple. Their players are not present.
Shonie is still in Telse, they think. Mansaray’s whereabouts are unknown. His falcon is remains at the inn, but seems aggravated lately.
Ghost Dog on the Bridge
As night falls Aamar is worried. His group is caught away from their inn, their safehaven, where no tunneling nightmares have appeared and no undead have come. He decides to leave the inn at night, with the blessing of Quar bringing daylight down from above.
He walks surrounded in the bright light of noon, something foreign in Sheljar with its fog and stench. On the long bridge to the central city island he sees a spectral dog. That dog sees him and runs. The guard at the temple, Ajhenas, also notices the dog as it runs through the wall of the Library of Glight.
Aamar, with the wisdom of Quar behind him, suggests that he join the group as they attempt to corner the Necromancer and take another Lorebook. This will also mean that The Five can use magic effectively, rather than sporadically. Ajhenas and Maurice, with their companions, head back to the inn to assure that none approach across the bridge.
Canceled Repairs
Samul is on the last guard. Up in the bell tower he watches. In the faint light of dawn, through the fogs he sees a couple goliath-sized skeletons approaching with wood, axes and a huge hammer on shoulder. They are accompanied by two human sized skeletons, one with a bow. They are walking towards the collapsed vestibule. They may be merely repairing the trap he’d sprung a few days prior, but they are also armed.
“Waken,” he shouts in his Mehmd accent. “More skeletons come to the entry.”
As the rest of the group rises, not bothering with armor, but grabbing their arms he leaps off the tower to the roof of the nave. He then leaps again attempting to chain-whip the largest skeleton. That attack hits, but throws off his balance and he falls prone, twisting an ankle.
Prior to his allies coming he takes out one of the large walking dead. As they come the little repair crew is ravaged. They cannot stand against the combined group of mystical powers, melee and teknology. Even without their armor they are hardly wounded. Only Samul’s fall is the significant injury.
Death of the Necromancer
It is dawn. A few moments to eat and prepare their armor. Then the group heads back to the Library of Glight. From the ghost dog to the sealing off of other exits they know that the Necromancer is there, though he’d somehow hidden from their previous search. Now they are healed. The power of the Lorebook of Cortez is with them. Aamar’s prayers to Quar continue to gain strength.
This portion of their quest will end for either Sheljar’s master of death, or for our heroes.
They take a frontal assault, but upon entering the Library split up. Behn leaps upon the tops of the bookshelves. Ixnyx, Aamar and Bernie take the hall along the wall closest to Temple. Samul and Boo (in skeletal ripper form) take the center aisle. Saffron turns herself invisible, with a devious plot in mind.
Spotted the Necromancer starts casting spells. Aamar responds. Bernie rushes the man in rather normal robes (the group already has his nicer robes and dagger from when they raided his temple-home). Ixnyx and Behn start shooting with their missile weapons.
Samul and Boo face the spectral dog. That ghost dog charges Samul and disappears into his body. Our Mehmdian Pit Fighter is possessed. Boo runs out of range.
Many blows are traded, some fighting the possessed body of their friend, others fighting the spell-caster, who is still weakened. Eventually Bernie, the bear, Boo, the skeletal ripper lizard, and Samul are down and out. Saffron slipped her Crown of Forgetfulness on the Necromancer as he took more blows from the rest. She also stole his folio sized Lorebook of Rohan.
Aamar, Behn and goblin Ixnyx finish off the Necromancer in a mix of sorcery, prayer and teknology. Much healing is needed. Betwixt vials of the Everflow, Quar’s gift, and Aamar’s prayers the group heals. They flee back to their inn – as conquerors. Four zombies try to stop them and fail.
It is over. They’ve acquired a second Lorebook and one set of robes they have yet to identify. Victory is theirs, just maybe they can control all of Sheljar soon.
Smaller merchants are willing to move goods. Those unfamiliar with local histories and legends are also more willing to move those goods to an area where normal humans would be afraid. This is the tale of a small-time merchant, rare smuggler who took a job that may beyond his abilities.
Session Notes: This is a first time player who is also testing my Uncommoner concept. They started at 4th level because they will be joining The Five, eventually.
It is also a solo session.
Hiring
Wandering past the Fine Market in Telse, Doceo is approached by another halfling. This one is from the west, probably Telse. She is strong, lithe. Doceo just sold a few goods that he’d picked up on the way, and has yet to approach the House of Quar.
This new one sees the empty cart, points and offers more work. Bargaining takes place with warnings to not be followed, as there is a slaver trying to track the group down. Doceo gets a higher rate via the negotiations.
His cart is loaded. In the next ten days he must head into Sheljar, a supposedly haunted city, to deliver some basic staples. Two messenger pigeons are sent with him and full payment will be given upon delivery.
Attack of the Worgs
Three nights out Doceo and his two mastiffs are attacked. As the previous nights they head well off the main road. On this eve they find some sanctuary. If not for his loyal companions Doceo’s little smuggling operation would be over quickly. But the three of them take down the two worgs. It is a rough fight and takes some time to recover. These are not normal wolves. The Western Wildes surrounding Telse are stocked with the unfamiliar.
Feral orchards
Another day north towards Sheljar, now half way on his journey, Doceo notices an encampment out to the east. This camp with four tents and several fires is at the edge of sight. There are a variety of races present.
He leaves the road and heads into a feral apple orchard. Continuing on lane in the orchard that parallels the road the halfling feels undiscovered, until he notices a raven that stays about four trees in front of the small cart.
Doceo attempts to scare it off, but all that does is get the raven to stay another few trees away. But it still shadows the cart.
At the edge of the apple orchard there is a small rock wall that demarcation about eight inches tall. The next orchard is pears. Doceo notices the old homestead. He sets a false trail to the barn there, starting a small fire as the storm errupts overhead. The heavy rains, clouds and thunders should provide him cover.
Then he hurries off on the real path. At the next demarcation he doesn’t have time to take down the rocks, instead he finds an old cart and uses it as a ramp. The player suggested this in a moment of player agency.
The spaces between the vines runs east-west rather than north-south. Doceo hurries to the west and the gully at the edge of the property heads up a few lanes and then hides inside the vines. Looking back he notices two humans, a scent dog and a raven. They look confused. They’ve lost the trail and Doceo has escaped these hunters.
These simple five are part of the born generation. They know they have powers that are unusual, but their parents learned. The all know of an idyllic time that seems naturally unattainable, forgotten. None are lost. They just know that by growing up on Kin in a post-Awakening world violence and turmoil are normal.
Questing is just a path. For Aamar and Shonie the well-being of Telse matters. Others are searching for money, relatives, purpose. The initial five with their dogs, iguana and bear cub make their way through the streets of Telse for the West Gate where they will collect foodstuffs. A short pause when Aamar and Behn buy a mule to carry their things is all their time in this city of kin and beasts. Passing doorways with varied openings that span sizes for Goliaths down to small dogs the journey starts.
On the Telse side of the West Gate is authority, civilization. On the western side is one of the many ghettos growing as various others try to jockey for power and influence in the once minor town. Which power controls a gate changes regularly. As the Five leave Telse’ simple life they weave through a crowd of Obscon’s followers.
A cult that believes the Awakening signals the end times, followers of Obscon take what they want. They do not worry about punishment in the current world, because it is a failing world. One of the faster growing powers on Kin the Obsconders are dangerous in that they want only joy of self, not political power.
Carefully the Five work their way past this assortment of people. There is no violence, just worry.
Keeping a standard pace the Five walk along a path through the hills of the Wilde. To the northwest they see Dakhan Thaeeb’s active volcanoes. The rough land of commodity farming where any day could end in fire. To the south is the Ferments, a land of liquors both natural and Kin-made.
As the afternoon passes fewer caravans pass. This western road is fading to trail as it winds through these hills. With sunset coming our Five hopeful heroes settle into the night. A warm fire with a mix of gathered and brought wood starts quickly. Watches are set. The mule is staked off in the dim light, but still within this common camp clearing.
Samul’s iguana sneaks inside the warm nook of an armpit. The Western Wildes aren’t the warm lands of Mehmd.
A watch is planned. Still just over a half day from Telse the idea of an attack feels absurd to the group. The rotation is about preparedness for an unknown future.
Until late, during the witching hours, when dogs’ hackles rise. Something is near. Eyes glint in the darkness.
It is a pack. Four standard wolves and one that looks like it could take down an Goliath roams slightly behind two to the north.
A battle ensues. Behn sets fire to a tree when his fire bolt misses. Samul’s chain smashes the great wolf across the shoulder and face. Shonie and her retriever take one down. Aamar and his cub take a couple down. This is a winnable event.
Blood flows. An initial confrontation pushes the group, but not to the edge. Behn fells the final wolf at a couple dozen feet. His crossbow is more effective than his spell.
After the battle is a time for recovery, relaxation. Samul takes the ear of that massive wolf. His first souvenir.
Wakefullness comes late. Midmorning after some gathered roots and berries, along with a small portion of the purchased rations is a meal. The wolf bodies are set aside, none of the Five’s animals dine on the flesh of wild beasts.
They’ve survived. They’ve learned something about each other. They may have learned more.
As they return to the trail two things come apparent. There is a small dust cloud of speedy rider headed their way, and the dark smoke of a fire back towards Telse.
