Chapter 3 - Race towards Elkin

General Summary

After an episode in the town of Bardinca, the adventurers, armed to face destiny, have set out on yet another quest. They hold a message: a threat from a man named Ungruld, the apparent apprentice of Koschei, who plots against the princess of Icenglav. Now, they travel out from the town of Bardinca, along the wintry roads.

The party, after finding supplies (such as healing potions) within Bardinca, they began their walk toward Fenebach. Along the way, the party came across a small cabin to rest. Some goblins tried to attack them for intruding, but Charles Mane scared them away. However, as they rested, the goblins returned and tried to kill them in their sleep. The party vanquished the goblins. One of the goblins, however, spoke even in death, channeling the words of Ungruld:

So, you are the ones who vanquished my apprentice, Amadeus? And now do they send you to warn the princess? Heheh… Your efforts are in vain. Even now, I send a mighty dragon, Gorgek, to capture her. My minions will stop you before you can make it. HAHAHAHA!

Then the party rested, frightened by their experience. The next morning they ventured forth, but Ungruld tried to slow them down. Along the way, the party came across two encounters, the first of which was a pack of wolves. They scared away the wolves. Then, further down their journey, forest robbers tried to attack them, but Charles intimidated them with a lie, saying an army was backing them and he was a general. The forest robbers thus ran away in fear. However, the final encounter happened as the party came across an orc warband. The orcs were not frightened and tried to kill the party. Saphira was knocked unconscious, but Charles and Aldric managed to beat the orcs.
After two days of travel, the party finally arrived at Fenebach, but all too late. Smoke came from the city. Claiming to have a letter for the queen, the party was allowed inside by the city guards. They would wait an hour before seeing the queen. Thus, they went shopping around the city.

• Charles Mane found a weapon upgrader, but was short on gold, so he went into a casino, called the Crossed Staffs Inn, and started to gamble. He won a few rounds of poker, gaining 30 gold in the process, enough to upgrade his weapon.

• Saphira went looking for potions and medical supplies. She would evidently use her own alchemy kit to create 1 healing potion.

• Aldric bought ball bearings and grappling hooks for further dungeon diving.

After an hour, the party met Queen Natalia III, very sick and wounded. Natalia III told them what happened: a dragon, named Gorgek, attacked the city and kidnapped her daughter, Natalia Durkavna. Along with him was the necromancer Ungruld, who cast a terrible curse on Queen Natalia. The royal clerics tried to heal her, but their efforts did not work. Queen Natalia would die, and if her hair could not pick up the throne, it would unleash the banished Koschei. The party inquired from the queen where to start their search, and she told them her spymaster, Haemir, could assist them.
From Haemir, the party learned he spotted goblins, bearing the symbol of a needle (Koschei's mark) on their arms, near the Ruins of Elkin. He requested the party hurry there the next day. After a rest at the Crossed Staffs Inn, the party awoke, and Charles got his sword upgrade. They were granted horses by the queen's order, and thus sent off for Elkin. Along the way, the party was waylaid by hobgoblins, trying to kill them, but they swiftly defeated them.
Near the end of the day, the party traveled forth toward a road. At the crossroads, it read "Toward Noke, West is Elkin", and the party went due west. They met a dragonborn farmer named Xavier, who told them the ruins of Elkin was an old Dragonborn place of sanctuary, but was abandoned after hundreds of years. He pointed the party toward the ruins and warned them to be careful. Heading forth, they came toward a ravine. Aldric tried to scout ahead, but accidentally alerted himself toward a small camp of goblins. The goblins leader alerted his cohorts, and the party got into a messy battle. Charles Mane was knocked down, but with Saphira's healing, he managed to get up and distract the minions. Saphira and Aldric got the boss alone and blasted him with Aldric's portable canon. With the goblins defeated, the party decided to take a rest, being badly wounded.

Rewards Granted

The party collected the following items:

• Charles Mane upgraded his sword after gaining money from gambling. As such, his standard greatsword became a +1 blade with magical properties.

Missions/Quests Completed

The party managed to make it toward Fenebach with their news, but it proved too late, as the dragon Gorgek and the wizard Ungruld had beaten them to the capitol and captured the princess.

Date (in world)

December 9th-13th, 5699.

Report Date

31 May 2020

Snow Queen by Pierre Droal

Queen Natalia III, the Ice Wizard, was wounded by the necromancer Ungruld, and feared she had two weeks to live. If she died without passing her crown to her heir, she feared Koschei could escape his banishment.

Player Characters

Charles Mane is a human fighter of noble birth, hailing from the Kingdom of Goth. However, because of his lazy lifestyle, his family hates him, including his scheming uncle. Now in his 50's, he is now on a quest for glory.

Saphira is a half-elf life cleric, devoted to the mercy of Cardia. She finds herself on a quest to help the people of Icenglav to extend care to those who seek it.

Aldric Gemcutter, a gnome artificer from Avenve, finds himself looking for new inventions and ideas. He now travels in Icenglav to discover new possibilities, and uncover the secrets hidden beneath the snow.