Meinheld

Gathering / Conference

You all have been traveling eastward for about a month for a multitude of reasons, some of which being to track down E4, return to Meinheld, and seek out Berezhki. With number one on your stops down, you all find yourselves at the next stop in your route: Meinheld. A secret hideout in the Bruadar mountains and the location of Vel’s bloodhunter order. Though many of you may just see this as a hopefully safe rest stop, and place to unwind which you all desperately need, Vel has racked up a decent list of inquiries: A letter from Chi (of which he didn’t share with anyone), questions regarding his irregular penchant for sometimes blacking out, and also the strange connection between E4 prime and an individual named Semena Mertvhyk.

Session 62: Arrival at Meinheld
You all have been traveling eastward for about a month for a multitude of reasons, some of which being to track down E4, return to Meinheld, and seek out Berezhki. With number one on your stops down, you all find yourselves at the next stop in your route: Meinheld. A secret hideout in the Bruadar mountains and the location of Vel’s bloodhunter order. Though many of you may just see this as a hopefully safe rest stop, and place to unwind which you all desperately need, Vel has racked up a decent list of inquiries: A letter from Chi (of which he didn’t share with anyone), questions regarding his irregular penchant for sometimes blacking out, and also the strange connection between E4 prime and an individual named Semena Mertvhyk.
The party arrives in Meinheld, where Vel begins to show the party around. From the Springhouse, Calarel can be heard complaining to Alaine. Calarel and Alaine express some concern over the volume of newcomers but ultimately welcome you to Meinheld. You next met up with Chi in the SLatehouse, who was excited for Vels arrival, and assures him that his physiological changes a natural adjustment to his new abilties. The group was next introduced to Gondul and Snod, as well as a new member named Axel who liked the color black a lot. The three argue in the gardens next where Axel futilely explains to Gondul why he should be allowed to undergo mutation. Gondul shuts him down and reminds Axel that he's free to go whenever he wants. Eri asks Vel to find her a sword, but their efforts go fruitless, when nightmarish visions of Palea send Vel away from the dark storage basement. After some discussion regarding the issue of lichenthropy to Chi and accidentally Gondul, Chi recruits Axel to help dispel the curse, which he agrees to, “for a price”. That night, Tem has a nightmare where he is initially speaking with Rig, until he sees alternate Tem over Tem’s should. Alt Tem asks to be let out, but is denied once again. To this Tem sees himself in the past carrying out several instances of evil acts, that he may or may not have committed, and he says he’s going get out whether he likes it or not.

Session 63: Meinheld: The State of Bewylndir
The next morning Sal joins Vel to the library, where they find a map of Bewylndir and books on beasts of the land, air, and sea (nat 20 on the sea book). Meanwhile Tem seeks out Gondul in the Springhouse, where the two begin to agree to trade artificer and smithing techniques, and Tem begins his multi-day training on Gondul’s corner-cutting smithing techniques.
  The group next resolves to find Axle and go through with the lycanthropy lifting ritual. Sal meets him in his room where he's singing emo songs. Sal flatters him and receives eye liner in return. He tries to lay the seeds to an Eri-Axle romance, and also retrieves a portion of his lost mulberries that Axel had found downstairs.
  After meeting with the rest of the party it's revealed that Axle requires something from each of the party members in return for Shar's blessing. Sal gives up his mulberries, Brogg gives advice for Eri, Vel promises to train him, and Tem promises to make him some sunglasses. Before removing her curse, Axel sheepishly asks Eri for a date. Eri laughs at him and he falters, asking instead for a candle out of embarrassment. He then runs away sobbing.
  We then begin a lesson with Chi about the order. She explains that it started as a monster hunting guild but its evolved. Bewylndir is a highly magic-based society, and as such there are lots of regulation surrounding the use of magic. The head of the council of arcana is Ffwrnais Featherdream, a very corrupt official head of the BCA. She explains blood magic is highly contentious and seen as an abomination. As such users of it are highly marginalized. In 882, the Hallowhale Massacre occurred in the capital. There was a cult of the demon lord called the Pale Night who practiced blood rituals and it got out of hand, it was put down but the event acted as a reason to criminalize blood magic, punishable by imprisonment, exile, or death. She explains the restrictions on magic are highest among the commonfolk, with a blind eye turned towards those that can afford it. He is also connected to a group called the Phoenix gang, a criminal organization involved in smuggling, embezzlement and other unsavory things. He is also directly or indirectly responsible for the imprisonment and death of many innocent people. Several are from their own order, including Chi's grandparents.
  She explains there’s talk of the Council of Arcana merging with the High Council. The High Council is the Queen's court, those that bring all the other councils together and make all the laws. The queen has always kept the two separate, but recently there’s rumors of a merge happening, which is highly peculiar. This would give FFwrnais a ton of power. There was a recent mission where Shistner revealed intel on a group of Phoenix individuals heading to Behemith to meet an individual named Mr. Wiggy from the Marble Syndicate, a merchants guild located in the Platinum Estates, responsible for many injustices in the city, particularly ruining Lower Lalt with the Calx trade. Tressanna Duncan mentioned them during the Crack Rack Grand Reopening.
  Chi was supposed to contact Mr. Wiggy, a member of the Marble Syndicate who was involved in the Phoenix gang about a month ago. She explains his house was in Balsam, where she entered it and hid in the closet while Wiggy was talking to Saida Elris and Ulseriph Wilgrettor. Wiggy told them to pick up something which would be dropped outside of the city, and to take it back to the Capital. She wants to know what it is. She also lets on that when she was at the house, she found something that she took. It belonged to Wiggy. It's a knobbly staff with a C shape at the top with a crystal in the middle. She says she used it to get back to Meinheld. Tem identifies it as the Staff of Dark Odyssey.
  Eri finds a temporary weapon with Gondul and plans to train with him to learn the Greatsword with Gondul and Snod. Calarel finds it pertinent to give her unasked for greatsword tips. Sal resolves to read his books in the library, and finds Alaine in the common room of the Sky House where they begin to build rapport. Brogg summons Ogrekind and sets the date for tomorrow morning. He learns that getting back from the Shadowfell is far more difficult than getting there. He joins Sal, Alaine and Sned to drink, after which Elaine and Sal soon pass out.

Session 64: Bone Throwdown
  Sal is passed out drunk but wakes up in the night to overhear a door close and conversation between two unknown figures, a guy and a girl. He hears one ask the other how much Alaine told them, and the other respond that Alaine doesn’t know herself. The next morning Brogg fills Brogg and Tem in as Eri spars with Snod underneath the Outhouse. Brogg catches Axel staring at the fight from down the hill, and Axel, seeing as his cover has been blown, cuts in on the sparring match with Eri as if that was his plan the whole time.
  After the fight, Sal questions Snod on whether there are factions or other social dynamics within the Order. Snod replies that she doesn’t think so, but their used to be years ago, and dropped a name Sal would have heard for the second time: Semena Mertyvck. She said she doesn’t no much, but fancy man (Calarel) was there when it happened. Brogg interrogated Axel on what he was snooping around for, just to find out, again that it involved Eri. Meanwhile, Tem and Gondul share artificing and smithing info. Gondul asked about Tem’s Bronze work and its dangers, to which Tem responds that its probably fine. Tem finishes his second day of training by finishing a chain shirt.
  Eventually, the group finds themselves in the mess hall of the Springhouse (with the exception of Vel who had been conferring with Chi for the day), where they ate and and discussed the days events. Alaine joins everyone and Axel contacts Shar to determine whether or not we will be able to get back from the Shadowfell. The augury spell resulted in a strange symbol formed by sticks which Eri confirmed to be “yes”. You all went to pick up Vel who was talking with Chi, and called Ogrekind to give you a boost. He told chi not to worry, snapped his fingers and everyone collapsed to the ground before Chi’s eyes.