Where Do We Go From Virdin?
General Summary
Flamerule 30th - Year of Rogue Dragons
Having defeated the cult of the King in Yellow and clearing out the rest of the cavern complex under the Dourstone Mines, Iluminus found itself in an unusual situation - They had no pressing quests or concerns.Midsummer - Year of Rogue Dragons
Choosing to base themselves in Virdin until the dispensation of the Dourstone Mines was handled, the five members went in different directions.Eleasis 1st - Eleasis 10th - Year of Rogue Dragons
Nicolas began hanging around with the Virdin garrison guards and Lieutenant Rydan Orvan. He was invited to participate in the raid of a goblin lair discovered by Chief Scout Merris Sandovar. After nearly a week traveling through nearly impassable mountain paths and clearing the goblin caves, Nicolas started to notice that the guardsmen drinking at the Sleeping Giant were less standoffish, inviting him for drinks when he passed through the common room. Nicolas' plater armor was also completed this week. Pagu worked with Lt. Ryden to gain a letter of introduction to Heidmarch Manor and the mages guild. He was unsuccessful. Commander Dun explained to him why the Damaran Mages' Guild was not to be trusted, but provided him letters of introduction to stay at Defender's Heart in Bloodstone City and speak with the librarians at the Librarium of the Black Wing in Southshore. There he met a young elf named Aravashnial, who had information about the Blackfire Adepts. The two spoke for much of the week. Halorin traveled to the Vaasan Gate, looking for more adventure. He hooked up with the Woodchuckers, an adventuring party of gnomes and spent the week traveling with them as they picked assignments off The Board. Sending the final payments for Goodbarrel Manor to Linden Greentallow of Goliad, Reed finally completely owned his manor. He also sent missives home to the manor and managed to have time to send a letter to his mentor, Master Bollo of the Halfling Downs, to join him in Heliogabalus and begin training the hin of the Burros in the martial arts. By the end of the first week, Reed's stuffed Deep Drake head was ready to bring home to the manor. Ulfgar made his way to the Vaasan Gate and tried selling his adamantine breastplate, after a week of inquiries he was offered 900 gp for the breatsplat, but he chose to wait for a better offer.Eleasis 11th - Eleasis 20th - Year of Rogue Dragons
Having assisted the garrison in taking out a goblin lair, Nicolas found himself in the middle of a mine manager spat. Seems like the Tilgast boys were at odds with the Gansworth boys. Things started out as bar fights, then escalated to fist fights after hours, and finally a few knife fights had to be stopped. Tilgast and Gansworth were called before Commander Dun and things eventually died down without any loss of life. Pagu again approached Commander Dun and asked for an introduction to the Order of the Golden Cup based at the Damaran Gate. There he met Revered Guardian Dulaucoth. Dulaucoth mentioned the increase in demon activity and how he believed that Vorlesh was able to summon demonic spirits to possess people and objects. He was concerned that a Vaasan outpost, Clydwell Keep might be playing host to such a possession, but had no proof. He also let Pagu know of a brothel in the Winged Wood near Darmshall that may be a front for a succubus. Halorin continued adventuring with the Woodchuckers. At the end of this week, Halorin was able to pick up the Goggles of the Night that Benezal had crafted for him. Reed spent the second week traveling back to Heliogabalus and taking care of Goodbarrel Manor. He spent much of the rest of the week working on his new brew. It took almost a tenday for Ulfgar to receive word of the Dourstone Mines. It seems that Ironspur received word from Bloodstone and Clans Hedelstone and Hammerfall were working out the details.Eleasis 21st - Eleasis 30th - Year of Rogue Dragons
Nicolas is asked by Commander Dun to help escort a load of weapons heading to Darmshall. Apparently it wasn't as secret as everyone thought. You'd think that every bandit, goblin, and orc band in thirty miles knew you were coming. And then returning with the payment was just as bad. Armed with knowledge and contacts after two weeks if investigations, Pagu looks to find interesting magic items for sale, a ring of protection at least. Heading back to Bloodstone City, he again stays at the Defender's Rest. It costs 100 gp to put out the feelers, but he finds information on several items available in the city. He shares the list with his companions, being unable to afford the ring that he was looking for. Feeling that the new batch is in good hands under the supervision of Bolfin and Cadreth, Reed heads back to Virdin, stopping at every inn and tavern along the way to share some of his brews and take orders. Halorin continued adventuring with the Woodchuckers and spends his night serenading the crowd at Muddy Boots, he becomes something of a sensation. Near the end of the third week, the delegation from Ironspur finally arrives in Bloodstone Vale. Clan Hammerfall is represented by Ulfgar's second (older) brother Golran, while Clan Hedelstone is represented by Wulfbrand Hedelstone. Eight Hammerfall miners and six Hedelstone miners. Baulind Dolvak, represents Iron Lord Murnaros and the Dolvak Clan. Ulfgar is invited to attend and participate in the negotiations as Dourstone Mine is turned over to Golran Hammerfall, who is installed as the new mine manager in Virdin.Elient 1st - Elient 10th - Year of Rogue Dragons
Finally making it back to the Gate, Nicolas is there when Telmuth starts calling names for the Board. Targon the Brave, a cleric of Tempus, is looking for someone to join the Teeth of Tempus on the raid of an ogre cave in the Black Holes of Sunderland. Their dwarven fighter Thongrimm is recovering and they need a fill-in. Having the time, Nicolas agrees to help. Unfortunately, the ogres had very little treasure (or personal hygiene). The bounty for the job barely covered your food and drink at Muddy Boots, but at least you ate well! Pagu begins looking to find a proper noble who would recognize and knight me as a Knight of Virdin. Not realizing how dangerous those inquiries are until he is approached by a man with a strange coin. "Copper for your thoughts,' he man says. It takes Pagu a bit to realize that he is speaking to Riordan Parnell. He and Parnell speak at length, and Riordan relays some messages from "a certain Professor of Elven Studies" at Granmalkin Academy. Leaving him with a way to contact Riordan, and telling him that an agent named Ash will be the contact for Iluminous, Riordan bids the Rageborn good day. It takes almost two weeks to make it back to his companions in Virdin, but along the way, Reed felt that he had tremendous selling potential. Halorin wraps up his performances at the Gate, and with the Woodchuckers, but not before investigation where the Dragon Flight Circus is located. Hearing that they are heading back to Impiltur as autumn moves in, Halorin sends word to his family that he is well, that he has joined an adventures group and is working on looking for something so valuable, that it could be used to break the contract with the Performers. By the middle of the week, the Hammerfall Mine is back in operation, Golran is able to hire some of the miners back who worked for Dourstone, but many were snatched up by Gansworth, Tilgast, and Parrin. There was some initial resistance from the other mine managers, and Mayor Ferrin was forced to call in the garrison at first. By the end of the week, things started to get back to normal in the mining town of Virdin - however messed up "normal" was.Elient 10th - Year of Rogue Dragons
Gathering together for the first time in weeks, Iluminus takes stock of their options.- The know that the Dourstones were sending the severed heads to a "crazy" necromancer named Enoch in the duergar city of Hagegraf, with the Deepearth map, they know how to get there from the Hammerfall Mines. When speaking to Parnell, he relayed Tai's determination to find the heads, and Parnell added that Tai may not have mentioned that his Uncle, the great bard Galeroth Soranor, was found beheaded months before Tai arrived in Heliogabalus and joined the Damaran Mage's Guild.
- A derro alchemist near the Hammerfall Mines has created a drug that makes fawning and compliant addicts from those who partake. The notes suggest that the derro are working on an inhaled version, which would spell doom for Virdin and maybe all of Bloodstone Vale.
- Then there is the mystery of Slaughtergarde. The Mage's Guild was certain that the next piece, searched for my the Blackfire Adepts, was somewhere northwest of Mistmoor.
- Revered Guardian Dulaucoth suggested that Pagu and his companions search the Winged Wood for a succubus "pleasure den", or investigate the strange happenings at Caldwell Keep.
- Finally, the map of the Deepearth region is filled with all manner of interesting locations, just begging for a band of adventurers to find and raid. Also, somewhere in the Deepearth region are the entrances to the dungeons of Castle Perilous, where Aravashnial suggested that Areelu Vorlesh lairs. The young elf also suggested that she may be searching for an Orb of Dragonkind, for Zhengyi was known to command dragons, and why else would the dragons, good and evil combined, slay anyone who dares to approach the Castle ruins.
Elient 12th - Year of Rogue Dragons
It takes a few days to put plans into practice, but on the 12th, Iluminus sets out on the road (trail actually) to Mistmoor. In the five days it takes to get to Mistmoor, they encountered all sorts of creatures, dire wolves, ogres, a band of kobolds, but nothing that posed a significant threat. They came across one of the old black obelisks that Pagu says dot the entire countryside of Vaasa. They mark its location and the location of a burial cairn on their maps for future reference. Finally, late in the day on the 17th, they arrive at the Castle of Mistmoor. Heading through a half-abandoned village, with walls that look like they've been hit with many catapult shots, north of the Beaumaris, they take the bridge into the outer bailey. There is a bustle inside the keep, and people point the group to a cheery inn named Delmars. There they meet the owner Gabriel Lugallo. Over the course of the next few hours they meet many in the outer bailey. Soon they are treated to the appearance of Jinst Farreacher, a wood-elf follower of the Mistmaster. The night goes on, the drinks go down and stories are told. The band gets the impression of an adventurer's base, where everyone knows one another. The Mistmaster isn't having luck beginning a settlement, due to attacks by giants and rumors of his "evil actions", but that hasn't stopped the people who flock to his banner. Iluminus searches for the location of the Slaughtergarde ruin and the nearby drwaven ruins of Delhalls, thinking they might be the same. Jinst relayed her scouting of a large caravan heading west into a valley many miles south of the Delhalls, and everyone tells the band that no one who has gone into the Delhalls has returned, so there is little information on the dwarven ruins.Elient 18th - Year of Rogue Dragons
The next morning, they are greeted by Corum "Stormeyes", first apprentice to the Mistmaster, and commander of the Mistmoor Guard. Seems that they've angered or upset Lugallo, and they are moved to quarters in the Middle Bailey. The Middle Bailey seems to be the area for the Mistmoor Guard. Nicolas spends sometime helping around the area. There, they are visited by the Mistmaster himself, Garath Blackhand. Garath introduces himself and over ales and hours, relates some highlights of his adventuring days and how Mistmoor Castle came to be. Iluminus was asked not to visit Delmars, but to use the Grog Shoppe at the docks, where riverfolk stop and trade. After explaining their own quests and trading "war stories" with Blackhand, the party convinces the Mistmaster to help speed them on their journey.Elient 19th - Year of Rogue Dragons
In the morning, Iluminos is escorted into the Inner Bailey and to the Great Hall. There they are taken to the roof where the Mistmaster casts a spell allowing them to walk on the air at an accelerated speed. Rising into the air, it takes the party a few minutes to accustom themselves to this new method of traveling before they begin to follow the Beaumaris River upstream. After eight hours of travel, they begin to descend once they reach a major fork in the river. This was the location that Jinst saw the caravan heading west. Finding and following the tracks, Iluminus noticed not just caravan tracks, but the tracks of a gnoll band atop those. The tracks led into a mountain valley. When they heard the gnoll howls and chitter, they stealthily climbed to the top of a rise and saw a large camp spread out in front of a cavern. Everyone in the camp was dead, for gnolls still walked among the dead, feasting. Where Do We Go From Here?Notes
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