Heroes of Rasfadal
Adventuring since 1253
The Heroes of Rasfadal are an unlikely adventuring party. They were formed during the Summer Fair in Hofendal. Since then the party composition and size has changed a number of times, ranging from two to seven members at a given time. Of the original members, only Igor is still part of the group. The Heroes of Rasfadal currently consist of Igor, Daemron, Gorm , Joshua and Lena.
In the short time that they have been together the group has been through a lot. They have successfully suppressed a kobold uprising, tracked down and saved a burbric princess, travelled through bandit infested swamps, shut down a cult, saved villagers from werewolves and committed genocide.
Structure
Assets
On July 22, 1253 the Heroes of Rasfadal decided to occupy Veryne and use it as their base of operations.
History
The Kobold Invasion
Igor, Sabrina, Svarog and Dubhe met each other at the Summer Fair in Hofendal as they participated in several games until the fair was disrupted by a kobold invasion from the sewers underneath the city. The group helped defend the civilians against the creatures. After defeating a small group of kobolds they ventured into the sewers where the kobolds seemed to have come from. The Heroes of Rasfadal ventured into the sewers with good intentions, but the kobolds didn't seem to be willing to negotiate. A fight ensued and the heroes managed to defeat several waves of kobolds and their young troll. After the fighting they encountered the guard captain of Hofendal, Jonn Emmerold, along with six guards. Jonn told them that he and his men had cleared the sewers. Together they decided to follow a tunnel to see where it led to. After a long walk the tunnel ended just outside the city. After shortly exploring the woods around Hofendal The Heroes of Rasfadal went to The Howling Hound where Igor could drink for free. There they were hired by a mysterious person to find out what the soldiers of the Homeless Lords were up to. Dubhe used her charming personality to acquire the information. After collecting 2000 gold as a reward the group decided to rest for the night and planned to set out the next day.A Missing Princess and Cultists of Death
The Heroes of Rasfadal set out on their journey towards The Swamps where they planned to overthrow the bandit-kings. They travelled north towards the Swamps for several days when they heard someone cry out for help. When they approached they saw a young lady under attack by a forest troll. Together they managed to defeat the troll. The girl introduced herself to the group as Lena Azami and together they travelled further towards the city of Thring. Some members of the party were suspicious and didn't trust Lena. Igor was eager to spend the night with their new companion. The next day the group discovered that Lena had left them sometime during the night. They continued travelling north, but just outside the city they were approached by a small squad of Burbric knights. The knights asked them if they had seen or knew anything of the whereabouts of Princess Lena of Burbry. The group made it clear that they knew something but refused to give up any information. The knights were angered by this, but left it at this and hurried north. The group decided to head back to Thring to ask the old hunter to help them track down Lena. The hunter agreed and they followed Lena's trail which led north. By the end of the day they arrived at Lorrum where Lena had left a letter for Igor. The next day they travelled further towards The Swamps until they arrived at the village of Murkhil. After resting up, The Heroes of Rasfadal left civilization behind and ventured into The Swamps. It was not long before they encountered a group of bandits watching the road. The bandits demanded that the group paid a toll before they would let them pass. Igor pretended to agree and tried to attack the bandit leader when handing over the money. The bandits saw through his deception and a fight broke out. Igor cut off both the bandit leaders' hands and cut his bust clean off. Sabrina cooked the brains of one of the archers, making his head explode and Svarog tore a hole in a bandit with his eldritch tentacle. Dubhe sliced a bandits' throat ending the battle. The last bandit standing suddenly recognized his long lost love Dubhe and the two told the group how they fell in love long ago. They had both been looking for each other ever since. Finally they set off into the sunset. The rest of the group decided to press on through the night. The Heroes of Rasfadal pushed on through the night without running into any danger. The next day they managed to cover a good distance before their exhaustion forced them to make camp. During the night, however, the group was surrounded by a group of cultists and had to fight off shadows. They managed to survive and capture three cultists. The Heroes of Rasfadal decided to interrogate the captured cultists. As they were overcome with anger they went as far as to torture the cultists and even murdering two of the three, but without any result. The cultists seemed to have gone mad in their attempt to bring back Morlorrim, the God of Death. Come afternoon the group was caught by a heavy storm which forced them to take shelter in a cave. They interrogated the final cultist a second time, promising to kill him and reunite him with Morlorrim if he told them everything he knew. The cultist insisted that Igor followed his sword of Morlorrim and would find out everything they needed to know. Svarog the Soulless insisted that they could not give the cultists what he wanted and wanted to torture him even further, but Igor had enough and kept his word. The storm had washed away any tracks Lena or the knights of Burbry left and the group decided to continue to Veryne. The Heroes of Rasfadal waited out the storm and with Lena's tracks lost have decided to move on to Veryne. The village was still half a day of travel away. Svarog had read about Veryne and knew of the dangers that lurk there: werewolves are a terrible plague in the area. The group decided to double time it to the village, hoping to be safe there during the night.Werewolves
They were about three hours away when they could see faint lights in the distance, the village was close. However, they could also hear the howling of wolves, and possibly werewolves. Svarog insisted that it was too dangerous to move any further and suggested setting up camp, but Igor and Sabrina wanted to keep moving. Along the way they were surprised by a werewolf jumping out of the bushes. They sacrificed Hermann the Donkey to distract the wolf and flee to the safety of the village. In the village Sabrina found out more about the nature of werewolves as Igor mourned the loss of his donkey. The next day Igor decided to have his sword silvered by Borden, the village's smith. The group would have to wait a day until Igor's sword was done. At the general store the group decided to purchase a new donkey and call it Hermann II. Igor decided to spend the day practising his weapon skills and met one of the members of the town militia, a young man named Joshua and invited him to have dinner with the group that evening. Svarog had a talk with the village elder, Harlan, and found out that members of the same cult they encountered earlier were occasionally seen in the area. Harlan mentioned an old church to the east where the cultists most likely gathered and suggested they stay away from it. At the end of the day the group had dinner with Joshua and during the conversation they invited him to come along with them on their travels. The boy was a bit reluctant, but eager to see more of the world and decided the town could miss him for a day or two. Just before the group head off to bed they were approached by a woman begging them to find her husband and children who had been missing for over a day. The group agreed to that and planned to set out the next day. Sabrina has left during the night. Svarog and Igor visited Joshua before leaving Veryne. Borden, Joshua's father, decided to go along too, as the forest was too dangerous. By afternoon the group was ambushed by werewolves. Borden suffered a severe bite in the neck but survived. Svarog was bitten in his arm, which he quickly cut clean off. After a short debate about whether or not to press on they decided to rest up before continuing further. The group pushed forward, looking for Harlan and his missing children. After a couple of hours the tracks lead to a cave where they found the children and their badly injured father. Harlan was in no condition to walk and had to be carried home. In a race against the clock the group rushes back to the village, arriving just after sunset. The people of Veryne welcomed them back, but were worried about the wounded and what might become of them. Svarog learned that lycanthropy is a curse and not an infection, realising that he cut his arm off for no reason. In an alley he attempted to regrow an arm using a ritual, but was unsuccessful, though his wound was now covered by a green glowing substance. He decided to go to the tavern and drink until he blacked out. Igor visited Mirah, Harlan's wife, to see how the family was doing and had dinner with them. At the end of the day he fell asleep in his chair, exhausted from the rough day they had. The next day The Heroes of Rasfadal decided to follow the new lead on Lena. Joshua decided to follow them for at least a couple more days, as there was not much he could do in the village and the idea of rescuing a princess excited him. About halfway through the day they found the mysterious church, a ruined building sitting on top of a hill. They entered carefully, but quickly found out that the building was empty. They explored the rooms and found some curious vials and bottles with purple liquid, but were unable to find out what they did. Finally they found a hatch, leading down to a narrow corridor lit by magical torches. They quickly found that they had entered a mysterious dungeon. The hallway continued and seems to lead into an open area. To their right wass a doorway which led into a room, covered in magical darkness. Svarog decided to explore the room and found a tunnel leading to what seemed to be a crypt. He walked back to the group and they continued exploring the hallway which made a turn to the right and led them to the crypt. Several smaller tombs were lined up on the sides and on the opposite side of the room is a large sarcophagus. The group decided to open it. As soon as they touch the body inside the torches that lit up the room start burning purple flames. From the tombs along the wall came skeletons and a fight broke out. They managed to defeat the undead and Svarog took a magical rod from the sarcophagus. The group decided to rest up and go back to the church. Just when they were about to climb back through the hatch they heard voices outside. After a short discussion the Heroes decided to go upstairs and see what was going on. They agreed that a show of force was the best way to go and try to intimidate whoever may be outside. A couple of cultists came to see what was causing the noise, and soon a fight broke out. In the next room a ritual was being performed. Lena was being offered to Morlorrim and two other prisoners were up next: a dragonborn named Trishula and a human named Albion . The fight disturbed the ritual and amidst the chaos another came to join the battle. A Tiefling named Daemron with his own mission of stopping the cultists, snuck in to help the group. At the last moment the two prisoners were set free and together they utterly crushed the cultists.New Acquaintances
The Heroes of Rasfadal introduced themselves to their new members and together they decided to set out to Costurch. On the way there they passed through Eastbridge. The Heroes of Rasfadal arrived in the little village of Eastbridge. A foul stench plagued the place, and the heroes were unable to identify where the stench came from. They decided to go to the Brothel & Inn, where the stench could not reach for some twisted reason. The majority of the group decided to enjoy the evening at the bar, ordering drinks in the company of the staff. Svarog didn't trust the place, and after some investigating he noticed a draft in the place, though there seemed to be no source of it. He informed Daemron and Albion who agreed to investigate further. They managed to find a hidden passage that led to a cave where the stench was even worse than outside. Following the caves they found a demonic creature of rot and mould. Daemron and Albion decided to go back up to inform the others while Svarog stayed behind. In the Brothel the rest of the group enjoyed their drinks. Igor treated an unsuspecting Joshua to the services of the house, while Trishula, very drunk by then, headed to the kitchen to "help" the cook. In a clouded moment of bad judgements he slapped the cook on the shoulder, but did this so hard that the cook lost his focus and broke the illusion he was concentrating on. It was revealed that the brothel was a ruined building and the cook was in fact a demonic creature. A fight broke out, and Igor and Lena rushed upstairs to save Joshua. They managed to defeat their foes, and head down into the caves where they encountered Svarog. He showed the group a crooked smile and then disappeared. Confused, the group encountered the demonic creature in the caves, where they are assisted by a new ally, a druidic lizard named Upavii. They managed to slay the beast, but not before nearly all members of the group were infected by the creature's poisonous spores.Foul Deeds Await
In Eastbridge the Heroes fought off the undead and staged a plague before moving to Costurch. Along the way they encountered the knights of Burbry, still looking for Lena. The group hid Lena and told the knights they hadn't seen her. Their leader, Bartrent IV , knew they were lying. Daemron offered to help them look for her and meet again in two days. Then the Heroes then started to devise a plan to stage Lena's death as the result of a plague in order to get the knights off her back. They even went as far as to plan to kill Bartrent IV, hoping to destabilise the Kingdom of Burbry. Finally they arrived in Costurch where the priest healed them. And it turns out they were just in time. After some discussion the plan was to wipe out a bandit settlement or camp and stage a plague and then stage another plague in Costurch. The Heroes would then convince Bartrent IV that Lena had died of the plague so they'd return to Burbry and leave her alone. Daemron threatened the priest of Costurch and made him swear not to treat any sick people. Igor, Upavii, Lena and Joshua headed to Nylark to wipe out the bandits there. it turned out that there were not only bandits, but also innocent men, women and children. Upavii seemed untouched by their actions, but Igor had a change of heart. Lena and Joshua were not so sure they were in the presence of Heroes anymore. Early in the morning the heroes met up in the tavern of Costurch. They agreed not to stage another plague and prepared to meet the knights of Burbry. Around noon the knights entered the tavern and they had a short conversation in which the heroes told them that they learned Lena is in the village of Nylark, which had been struck by a plague. Daemron offered to go with them to investigate and with the knights he rode off to Nylark. Meanwhile Joshua and Lena had a heart to heart and talked upstairs. When the knights left, Joshua left the party to return home and check up on his family. Igor and Lena didn’t talk much and spent most of the time in silence. In Nylark the knights found the supposed body of Lena, but realised something was off. They asked Daemron a few more questions, giving him a chance to come clean, but he kept up the lie. The next day Daemron and the knights returned to Costurch and in the tavern Bartrent IV confronted them about the fake plague. Seeing that they couldn’t fool the knights anymore, Igor started a brawl and Daemron dealt a killing blow to Bartrent. The other knights fled, but the party managed to capture them. With his last breath Bartrent spoke a final message: "Igor von Kahrlich, this means war”. After defeating the knights the Heroes regrouped. Daemron brought back the knight that tried to run, but Upavii left without telling the group where he went. As they were discussing what to do with the knights they were addressed by a dwarf named Gorm Firespitter. Gorm had fought with Igor in the War of the Vale and Igor believed he had died in the final battle. Daemron decided to contact his god Enkk to ask him for help. Enkk believed he could help the group, but needed something in return. Eventually Daemron offered him the knights' souls and the body of Bartrent IV. He proceeded to perform a ritual to give Enkk access which kept him busy for the rest of the day. In the meantime Igor and Gorm went inside the tavern to catch up. Gorm was introduced to Lena which quickly went south as the two started arguing and insulting each other. Eventually Lena stormed off after throwing her wine in Gorm's face. The next day the group split up to do their own things. Daemron visited Father Yrthad who offered his apologies for expelling Daemron from the church and expressed regret for not offering help at the time. Gorm went into town to buy some potions and later that day Daemron did the same, shoplifting some interesting items in the process. Igor bought a new set of armour and sold his old one. Halfway through the day Daemron spotted a battered person approaching the town and quickly recognised him as Joshua. The group hurried to help the boy off his horse and into the tavern. Joshua told them that he went back to Veryne and found the village massacred. He was quickly introduced to Gorm and then brought upstairs to rest. As Joshua was resting the group discussed what to do next. They agreed that they wanted to continue their quest to dethrone the bandit-kings. Their first target would be Gyn. On their way to Gyn's stronghold they would pass by Veryne and promised Joshua to investigate the village. They set out in the evening and travelled through the night. Early in the morning of the 22nd they arrived at Veryne.Reclaiming Veryne
Daemron and Lena went ahead to scout out the village. They snuck inside and saw massacred bodies at the church. They opened the gates to let the rest of the party in and together they investigated the village. All tracks eventually led to the church and Daemron snuck in. Inside the church had been a massacre as well. There were about a dozen dead bodies and Daemron realised that one of them was still alive and bit. He let the rest of the party in and tried to wake the person, but they were in shock and turned into a werewolf. The group ended up fighting off several werewolves, defeating most of them. The final werewolf fled and got away, alerting many other werewolves in the area. As the group watched the last of the werewolves escape they realised they weren't done yet. They decided to barricade the church and prepare to defend it. Igor, Daemron and Lena started barricading the windows and doors. In the meantime Gorm and Joshua started searching for a tomb or catacomb and found a tunnel leading down to a small catacomb. There they found several graves of old protectors of Veryne, members of the Silver Watch. They called the rest of the party to check it out and they decided to see if the graves contained anything to help them. They found silvered weapons that were carried by the protectors. Joshua told them that the Silver Watch was an old order that protected the area from werewolves and the group decided that these people would not mind them borrowing the weapons for now. Outside they heard the werewolves breaking into the church and prepared to fight. Outside Aely, a wood-elf ranger, approached the village and saw werewolves circling the church. On top of the church was another figure, Albion, who also saw that the village was under attack. The two attacked the werewolves outside and were quickly joined by the Heroes who defeated the wolves that entered the church. In the fight Albion was bitten. After the fight Igor wondered if they shouldn't keep the weapons as they proved very effective against werewolves, but the rest convinced him to return the weapons. As they were clearing the bodies they found that one was of a young girl who turned out to be Joshua's neighbour and crush. They burned her body, along with those of the rest of the villagers. Next they discussed what to do with the village. Some members suggested occupying and holding it for the Homeless Lords, but other's wanted to leave the village. In the end they decided to use Veryne as a base of operations and try to defeat the bandit-kings, starting with Bandit-King Gyn. Albion offered to upgrade everyone's weapons in Borden's smithy. Igor joined him to learn how to improve his own weapon. Aely decided to scout the surrounding area and spend a day sneaking through the Veryne Forest. Over the course of the day she found out that there were at least 20 more werewolves in the area. Daemron travelled back to Costurch where he asked Father Yrthad to come to Veryne and help his infected friend. Yrthad told Daemron he had some business to take care of outside the village and later that day they left together. On the way Daemron told Father Yrthad more about what they were doing and planning to do. Father Yrthad told him that overthrowing Gyn would take a lot of people and that they would need to gather support in nearby villages before they could attempt such a thing. When they arrived in Veryne they met Albion in the smithy and Father Yrthad offered to take a look at Albion infliction. Yrthad took a look at Albion and told him that he suffered from a terrible curse for which he could offer no solution himself. He believed that there had been people who had been cured from the lycanthrope curse, but it was not through reliable means. One way that he heard about was through the help of a swamp witch; but he warned; "the price you’ll pay may be higher than you’d like, even if you don’t know it at first." Albion decided that he wanted to get rid of the curse at all costs and together with Igor he prepared to venture into the forests to the west, hoping to find a witch to help them. The rest of the party had business in the village and couldn’t join them, but Joshua warned Igor that things might get real bad if Albion would turn somewhere along the way. In order to be prepared Igor decided to have a test run with Albion and locked him in a cell in the dungeon below the town hall, taunting him to trigger his curse. Albion kept his cool for a long time, until Igor damaged a precious medallion. Albion started to change and within seconds Igor stood eye to eye with a terrible monster. It showed no semblance of the person it used to be and tried to attack Igor from the cell. When Igor repaired the medallion Albion returned to normal, exhausted and weary. He was so tired that they would have to put off their trip into the woods for a couple of days and decided to rest for a while.Trouble In Myrewatch
Meanwhile Daemron went out on a little adventure of his own. Using his false identity he headed to the village of Myrewatch, disguised as Head-priest Eddy of Annaaru. He staged his arrival with the rising of the sun in the east, hoping to impress the villagers. Most of them were reluctant to greet him. Eddy headed straight to the church where he found the village priest performing his morning prayers. He decided to intimidate the priest by praying louder and with more determination himself and the two entered into an awkward contest of who could pray the loudest. Eventually Eddy introduced himself to priest Longwyn, who told him that he had been troubled by werewolves and members of Gyn’s gang for a while now. He had asked for assistance from the church before and thought Eddy was sent to him to fix his problems. Eddy inquired about how Gyn’s gang had been troubling the village and Longwyn told him that Wynhardt, a Lieutenant of Gyn in charge of the Myrewatch area, had become more aggressive lately. “Taxes” had increased significantly and his men got more and more violent against the villagers. Eventually Eddy asked about Myrewatch castle and learned that it had been more or less abandoned since the War of the Vale started. Eddy set up a base of operations in the castle and spent the night there. The next day Wynhardt and his men stopped by the village to collect taxes again. The villagers were instructed to line up and hand anything they produced over to the bandits. Wynhardt himself went straight to the church to go over the list of produced goods to make sure everything checks out. Eddy decided to join and Wynhardt let him. After the meeting Eddy told Wynhardt that there were some valuables in the castle as well that he wanted to offer. Wynhardt took some men with him and followed Eddy into the castle. Through the clever use of magic Eddy managed to split them up and be alone in a room with Wynhardt and one of his men. He attempted to kill them both, but Wynhardt escaped. Eddy cast an illusion on himself to look like Wynhardt and ran out of the castle shouting that the other was an intruder. After a short debate Eddy managed to convince the bandits that he was the real Wynhardt and the true leader was knocked out and captured by his own men. Eddy told the bandits he wanted to deal with the “imposter” himself and took Wynhardt into the castle where he killed the man. He then ran off. Later the bandits found out that Wynhardt had been killed and realised they were fooled. The second in common, Rycard, took over and ordered his men to find the killer. He went to the church and dragged the priest outside demanding an explanation. At that moment Eddy walked in with false wounds and blood hoping to convince them that he was also a victim of the murderer. Rycard recognized him with a frantic look.The Swamp Witch
Meanwhile, Igor, Gorm and Albion set out to find a Swamp Witch in the Myrewood. Their journey led them through murky and uncomfortable terrain. As they were travelling they spotted a giant dragon flying over, a sight none of them had ever seen before. Gorm proceeded to share his family history, telling them about how his great great grandfather Gumbar Dragonfoe defeated a golden dragon in single combat. The dragon then cursed his family line with dragon magic. The next day thick, dark clouds came rolling in from the west and the temperatures decreased. The day remained dark, cloudy and cold. Finally they arrived at the forest. When they entered the dark and foreboding woods they soon started hearing cries for help. "Help me! Help me! I don't know where I am!" The group decided to investigate and came across a desperate, malformed human figure, confused and scared. It was unable to be reasoned with, and in its desperation it clung on to Igor with its hooked arms. Igor soon lost consciousness, and the creature, unable to comprehend what it did, assaulted the others, until it was slain. The group decided to rest for a bit before they continued travelling to the witch. In Myrewatch, Daemron, disguised as High Priest Ædwyn, or Eddy for short, was greeted by a furious Rycard, brought to the church and ordered to wait. Not long after they were brought outside and stood face to face with Gyn, who displayed a terrifying show of force by constraining and choking Longwyn with animated chains as he negotiated with Eddy. Gyn offered Eddy to become the new leader of Myrewatch, as Longwyn failed him. Eddy told Gyn he would consider it only if Longwyn lived. Gyn agreed, shattering Longwyn's legs and leaving. The next day Rycard, the new Lieutenant of the Myrewatch region, arrived asking Eddy if he agreed to Gyn's terms and Eddy informed him that he would act as the new leader of Myrewatch, hoping to be able to use the situation to his advantage. Meanwhile, Igor, Gorm and Albion camped outside the forest and suffered nightmares of their deepest fears. Grom dreamt of a battlefield where he found Igor dead, picked clean by crows. Igor envisioned Castle Karhlich in ruins. Within the rubble, he discovered a message from the elves: this is payback. Albion dreamed of a burnt Heroes Guild, where he found the bodies of the party. The next day they ventured into the forest in search of the witch but found no success. They spent another night and experienced the same nightmares, even more intense this time. The following morning, upon waking, they noticed traces of magic in their surroundings, realising they were close to the witch. Gorm called out to her, and a picturesque cottage appeared behind them. Upon entering, they faced their worst fears. Gorm walked through a battlefield strewn with hundreds of corpses. Igor was alive but gravely wounded, beyond saving. Gorm made the decision to end Igor's suffering, after which Igor was picked clean by crows. Igor witnessed his home in ruins, with his father Osgor von Karhlich at the entrance, accompanied by two elves. Igor decided to attack the elves and cast a firebolt, accidentally hitting his father as one of the elves used him as a shield. Albion saw the Heroes' Guild engulfed in flames, surrounded by numerous strangers. Among them, at the entrance, he found his current and former party members. He heard his name being called from within the building. Rushing inside, he encountered Alleria. "No! Stay away from me!" she cried out to Albion. Overwhelmed by a bestial urge, Albion pounced on Alleria, tearing her apart. In the pool of blood, he saw the reflection of a wolf. They then found themselves in a pleasant room. After some investigation, another person entered. "Do not be afraid. The visions need not be real," she reassured the group. They quickly got to the point. Although the woman tried to maintain the façade of innocence for a while, the group remained steadfast, and after some back and forth, they negotiated a deal with the witch. Her initial offer was to lift the curse in exchange for a human heart every morning. Albion immediately refused, sparking negotiations. She agreed to provide three weeks of protection in exchange for a dragon scale from Gorm, and an additional week if they buried a freshly harvested rabbit heart each morning before dawn. After that, the protection would cease until the group brought her a dragon's heart. Igor demanded to know her name, but she refused, causing him to storm off. Gorm and Albion persisted and managed to extract the name "Mother Sunshine" from the witch. They finalised the deal and returned to Veryne. The following day they returned to Veryne, where they saw about ten men working to rebuild the village. Gorm spoke with the carpenter Gustaf and appointed him as the official furniture maker of the village. He then instructed him to fortify the village. Lena was extremely anxious and inquired about the group's plans. They told her about their mission to find a dragon's heart. Lena questioned why they no longer wished to fight against the bandits. The group explained that this task was more urgent, but Lena seemed dissatisfied. She told them to at least get Daemron back, and the heroes left for Myrewatch.Bring It Down
In Myrewatch, Daemron, still disguised as Priest Eddy, went out to investigate. After a group of bandits had visited the village, he followed them to see where they had set up camp. It turned out to be not far from the village, but he didn't dare explore too far on his own. The next day, Igor, Gorm, and Albion arrived in Myrewatch. Together with Daemron they devised a plan to set up an ambush and kill Gyn. They came up with the idea to lure Gyn to the tower of Myrewatch and then set fire to its foundation to make it collapse. They took two weeks to prepare everything. Under the tower, they gathered fat pigs that would burn well. They also weakened the tower's structure. Additionally, they set up a fake camp in the nearby forest and claimed to suspect members of Viper's Gang were there. They invited Gyn to see for himself from the tower, where they would then lock him up and set the tower on fire to make it collapse. Once everything was prepared, they sent a message to Gyn that his presence was urgently required. When Gyn arrived in Myrewatch, he was received by Priest Eddy, while the others pretended to be Annaaru's acolytes. Eddy led Gyn to the tower, showing him the camp. When Gyn and his guards stood by the window, Eddy quickly ran to the door and locked it, trapping Gyn and his men inside the tower. Then, he gave the signal to set the tower on fire. The heroes were well-prepared, and the tower quickly became engulfed in flames. They heard the cries of the guards, but then they saw something unexpected. Gyn threw his men out of the window and was lifted out by animated iron chains, using them to climb down the tower. Once on the ground, Gyn appeared unharmed, but at that moment, the tower collapsed. It tilted and fell to the side, burying Gyn and his men. As the heroes tried to flee the wreckage, Daemron was struck by a piece of stone and was knocked unconscious. As the heroes searched for Gyn's body, they quickly found the chains tightly bound around Gyn by the two guards. Then they saw Gyn's hand move. As the dust settled in the aftermath of the tower's collapse, Gyn emerged from the rubble, seemingly unscathed. Daemron lay unconscious nearby, while the remaining heroes, Igor, Gorm, and Albion, gathered themselves, preparing to confront their formidable foe. In the distance, the sounds of approaching bandits echoed through the air, signalling the arrival of reinforcements. With at least twenty adversaries closing in, the odds seemed increasingly daunting for the outnumbered heroes. Undeterred, they launched into battle against Gyn. Yet, their efforts were swiftly thwarted by the sheer strength of Gyn's magical chains, each link fashioned from razor-sharp blades. In a matter of moments, Albion fell, incapacitated by Gyn's relentless assault. Gorm and Igor fought valiantly, their determination unwavering even as Gyn's forces closed in around them. But despite their courage, they too succumbed to Gyn's overpowering might, leaving them at the mercy of their adversaries. Meanwhile, the approaching bandits added to the chaos, their presence casting a shadow of uncertainty over the heroes' plight. Igor, realising the futility of their struggle, fought on with a grim determination, attempting to strike at Gyn despite the odds stacked against them. Yet, his efforts were in vain as a sudden blow to the back of his head rendered him unconscious, joining Daemron in the realm of darkness. Later, as the heroes awoke in separate cells, their minds swirled with questions and uncertainty. Through the confines of their confinement, they could communicate with each other, but the mystery of their whereabouts lingered like a shroud of uncertainty. Their captors wasted no time in subjecting them to interrogation, each hero facing the relentless scrutiny of Rycard, the enigmatic figure behind their capture. Despite the brutality of their questioning, Gorm, Albion, and Igor remained steadfast, refusing to yield to their captors' demands. As the days passed, the heroes endured further interrogation, their resilience unwavering even in the face of adversity. Yet, amidst their steadfast resolve, a nagging concern gnawed at their thoughts— the absence of Daemron, their steadfast companion, leaving them to wonder what fate had befallen him in the midst of their ordeal. ???PRISON BREAK???Monster Hunting
Once freed from their captivity, the heroes made their way back to Veryne, but their return was met with a storm of fury from Lena. She raged about their prolonged absence – a simple task of retrieving Daemron from Myrewatch had turned into a harrowing ordeal, lasting over two weeks and culminating in a daring escape from a dungeon. However, the heroes paid little heed to her anger, focused instead on the tasks that lay ahead. Igor and Daemron forged an unlikely alliance with Rycard, Achmed, the newly appointed barber of Veryne, and Eliza, a skilled huntress from Burbry. Together, they embarked on a hunt for the elusive werewolves that plagued the surrounding forests. It wasn't long before they stumbled upon a lair, and with quick thinking, they sealed off the entrance and lured the ferocious beasts into the open. Though the battle was fierce, the hunters emerged victorious. Yet, their triumph was marred by a troubling revelation – Rycard had been bitten during the skirmish, casting a shadow of uncertainty over their victory. When they returned to Veryne they decided to head out to Costurch, hoping that Father Yrthad could offer advice. Meanwhile, Albion and Gorm set out on a quest of their own, accompanied by Lilliana, a Druid from the esteemed Heroes' Guild and Albion's childhood crush. Their mission: to locate and confront the mighty dragons that roamed the land, fulfilling the pact they had made with the witch. After days of arduous travel, their journey led them to a towering mound of dragon dung, a telltale sign of the beasts' presence. Despite Gorm and Albion's eagerness to press on, Lilliana's curiosity was piqued, and she insisted on investigating the mound further. Unable to resist her charm, Albion agreed, and their quest took an unexpected turn. Determined to uncover the truth behind the dragons' whereabouts, the trio set sail across the bay, their destination set for the distant shores of Costurch. As the waves carried them ever closer to their goal, the promise of adventure and peril loomed large on the horizon, driving them forward into the unknown. On their journey to Costurch, Gorm, Albion, and Lilliana encountered an Elven druid named Belanore, who decided to join their quest. They reached Costuch shortly after Igor, Daemron, Eliza, and Rycard had arrived. Gathering in the tavern, they discussed their next steps. Rycard learned of the massacre in Nylark and the party's involvement. Igor admitted to his actions, unaware of how disgusted Rycard was by them. Rycard saw the heroes as murderers little better than Gyn. In Costurch, they questioned the locals about the dragon's whereabouts and discovered it was headed towards the ruins on an island to the northeast. Deciding to pursue it, they sought passage on a ship, approaching merchants at the docks. Captain Arr-thur demanded a fee of 100gp, which the party couldn't immediately afford. They turned to Father Yrthad for help, who, after a heartfelt conversation with Daemron expressing his concerns, offered to cover the rest of the fee. The following day, they embarked with Captain Arr-thur and his crew. Passing by Nylark, Igor requested a brief stop to attend to some matters. The captain agreed, and Igor, accompanied by Belanore, rowed ashore. In the village, Igor sought to make amends with the villagers he had wronged, expressing his remorse and intent to atone for his past mistakes. However, his pleas angered the souls of the villagers, causing them to combust into a large fire, from which they emerged as wights. Witnessing the chaos from the ship, the captain initially wanted to depart, but Gorm persuaded him to stay. Eventually, Igor and Belanore managed to return to the ship in time, but the captain felt the incident was more trouble than he had signed up for and demanded additional payment. Reluctantly, the party sold their horses to cover the cost of the inconvenience and were dropped off at the ruins where the dragon had been last seen.The Ruins of Milyra
The ruins on the island were the remnants of an ancient city that had long preceded the oldest empires and even the Age of Dwarves. Similar ruins dotted the continent, remnants of a long-forgotten civilization. The buildings appeared to have been large and tall, with towering doorways. The heroes established their camp in an old watchtower and took turns keeping watch. During his watch, Belanore spotted bleak, dim, blue lights flickering amidst the ruins of the city. His owl companion observed several other lights scattered across the island. Additionally, he caught sight of the spirit of a womanly figure near their camp and alerted the others. Gorm projected himself into the Astral Plane, where he beheld the ruins as they once were—a vast and majestic city bustling with life. Yet, the inhabitants appeared lifeless, unaware of his presence. Guiding the others through the city, Gorm led them to a doorway. Upon entering, they found themselves engulfed in an endless blackness, with steps leading down into what seemed to be a void. The heroes descended the stairs leading into a central chamber, which boasted five doorways. The room appeared well-kept, with pristine walls and stonework. Each doorway bore unknown runes or symbols. Venturing into the first room, they encountered beautiful paintings depicting a golden dragon and peculiar humanoid creatures. Suddenly, they were gripped by a memory from the dragon: “They experienced the moment of their manifestation from their own perspective. They felt the power of the gods coursing through their bodies, realising they had been granted a form to fulfil the gods’ will. They witnessed the precursor race surrounding them and sensed they would play a crucial role in their lives as protectors and defenders.” Returning to the central chamber, they found it older, as if more time had passed. They proceeded into the second chamber, where they beheld paintings of priestesses worshipping the god Dragon. Here, they collectively experienced a second memory: “They witnessed the relationship between themselves and a spiritual leader from the precursor race. They felt a profound connection with this individual and understood they could learn much from each other. They observed the initiation of this person as the new spiritual leader of the precursor race and felt the pride and joy shared by all. She was adorned with a golden sun crown and presented with a golden sceptre adorned with a sun at the end. Known by many names, including Lady of the Sun, Lightbringer, and Mother Sunshine.” Recognizing the name Mother Sunshine as the one given to them by the witch, they immediately debated the relationship between the Witch and the Dragon. Gorm speculated that the witch intended to confuse or deceive them by providing the name, while Albion entertained the possibility that the witch spoke the truth and may have once been a priestess of the Dragon. Upon returning to the central chamber, which had deteriorated further, they found the doorway to the first chamber collapsed. Undeterred, they entered the third chamber, where a weathered painting depicted a mighty battle between the golden dragon and a giant black serpent. Another memory unfolded: “They relived the moment when they and the precursor race faced a formidable foe. They felt the adrenaline surge as they prepared for battle. The enemy, a monstrous black serpent, had sought to mimic their power, but they triumphed by seizing its jaws and breathing radiant fire into its head. They felt the relief and triumph of the precursor race as they cheered and hailed their name.” Returning to the increasingly dilapidated central chamber, they found it overgrown and partially ruined, with sections of the ceiling collapsed. Undeterred, they dared to enter one final room. Inside, they discovered a serene yet half-collapsed shrine. Here, they witnessed the dragon’s final memory: “They witnessed their people's gradual descent from grace and their subsequent angering of the Gods. Ultimately, the gods decided to erase their people, and a dark mist enveloped the world. Their people fled from the mist in desperation, but to no avail; all was consumed. When the mist cleared, no trace remained of their people, only the mighty cities they had built.” Returning to the central chamber for the last time, which now teetered on the brink of collapse, they found one unexplored door. Fearful of being trapped in the dungeon’s ruins, they chose to leave as the dungeon collapsed behind them. Armed with their newfound knowledge, the Heroes opted to negotiate with the dragon before resorting to violence to obtain its heart. However, reaching the dragon's lair proved to be their first challenge. Belanor's owl spotted a prominent hill on the island's far side, a likely candidate for the dragon's abode based on their visions. Journeying through forests and swamps, they remained wary, especially of the eerie blue lights glimpsed in the woods. As night fell, they set up watches. During Belanor's watch, he sensed the presence of malevolent entities in the camp. Gorm, on the next watch, encountered spectral beings, visible to him only in the Astral Plane. Though they stared back, they refrained from hostility. Gorm maintained his vigil until morning. Unaware of the spirits, Igor took the final watch, falling victim to possession by one of the entities. The following day, they pressed on toward the hill, leaving the forest behind. Climbing its slopes, Gorm noticed Igor's altered behavior and confronted him. In response, the possessed Igor attacked, setting off chaos as Helena, his Dire Wolf, joined the fray from behind. Amidst the turmoil, Albion and Rycard succumbed to their werewolf curses. Fortunately, the heroes managed to expel the spirit from Igor and subdue the werewolves, allowing Albion and Rycard to revert to human form. Exhausted but resolved, they realized they could no longer delay addressing their afflictions. Upon reaching the hill's summit, they discovered a vast, well-concealed entrance leading to what they presumed was the dragon's lair. After a brief wait, they ventured inside. The passage extended deeper and farther than expected, eventually opening into a chamber bathed in golden light. Serene ponds, soft moss, and ancient pillars adorned the space, where the dragon lay, its once-golden scales now dulled and its form frail and aged. Drawing closer, Igor addressed the dragon in Draconic: "Milyra!" As the dragon stirred awake, her movements were sluggish, her head heavy. Yet, even in her weakened state, she dwarfed any creature the Heroes had ever seen. In her prime, she could have decimated entire armies with ease. Demanding an explanation for their presence, the dragon listened as the Heroes pleaded their case. They recounted their plight—the werewolf curse, the witch's offer to lift it in exchange for a dragon heart, and the trials endured to reach her lair. The dragon showed little regard for the humanoid races that had supplanted her own, but the Heroes persisted. They shared the memories they had experienced, empathizing with her plight. Bereft of purpose now that her people were gone, the dragon hesitated. However, when they mentioned the witch's name, Mother Sunshine, her demeanor shifted. Intrigued, the dragon demanded details—where the witch lived, her appearance, and her promises. Though the Heroes doubted the witch's credibility, the dragon's desperation to reclaim a fragment of her past overrode skepticism. Commanding them to lead the way, she insisted on confronting the witch herself. Exiting the cave, they found themselves in the clearing outside the witch's hut, the island nowhere in sight. Turning back, the cave had vanished, replaced by the hut. Belanore and Gorm entered the hut, informing the witch that the dragon heart awaited outside. Their plan was to lure the witch out, allowing the dragon to confront her if she proved deceitful. Smiling, the witch agreed to step outside, seemingly eager to receive the dragon heart. As the witch emerged, the dragon saw through her facade. In an instant, she rose up, unleashing a torrent of radiant flames upon the witch. Amidst the inferno, a sinister laughter echoed, and a dark shadow coalesced. From the flames emerged the Black Serpent, the vile creation intended to mimic the dragon's power. As Milyra and the Black Serpent clashed, giant constrictor snakes emerged from the ground, attacking the Heroes. While locked in battle with these monstrous serpents, the goddesses engaged in a fierce struggle. Milyra, her golden scales and strength restored, faced the freshly born Black Serpent, which coiled around her in a deadly embrace. Despite her efforts to break free, the Serpent's grip tightened, breaking Milyra's wings and piercing her with its venomous fangs. Yet Milyra fought on, refusing to surrender. As the Heroes battled the constrictors, Rycard succumbed to his curse once more, transforming into a werewolf. Igor and Gorm attempted to subdue him, but his strength proved overwhelming, and they were forced to kill him. Realising Milyra needed their aid, the Heroes directed their attacks at the Serpent, weakening it with their combined efforts. However, the Serpent managed to inflict a grievous wound on Milyra, sinking its fangs into her throat. With a mighty roar, Milyra seized the Serpent's jaws, unleashing a torrent of radiant flames into its head, finally defeating it. Despite their efforts to tend to Milyra's wounds, they proved too severe. With her dying breath, Milyra offered to share a part of her soul with the Heroes, curing them of their affliction. They requested Rycard's revival, and the dragon granted their wish. They remained with Milyra as she passed, ensuring she did not die alone after millennia of solitude. After the Clash of Dragons, the heroes pledged to honour Milyra by establishing a settlement in her memory at the battleground. They planned to raise a mound over her resting place and construct a temple in her honour, naming the settlement Milyra's Rest. However, before any of this could be done, they needed resources and time to construct the mound, which would take at least a month. Returning to Veryne, they devised plans to continue its reconstruction. Joshua was appointed as the mayor of Veryne and instructed to keep paying taxes to Bandit-King Gyn's men when they arrived. To gain favour with Gyn's men, the people of Veryne were encouraged to treat them well and offer them free drinks during tax collection. Meanwhile, the heroes would smuggle resources from Veryne to Milyra's Rest to begin construction on the new settlement. From there, the heroes parted ways for a time. Igor journeyed with Lilliana, who transformed into a Giant Eagle to expedite their travel across the continent. They first visited the Heroes' Guild, seeking heroes interested in studying ancient religions and aiding in the construction of a new settlement to combat the Bandit-Kings. While Lilliana consulted her contacts at the guild, Igor travelled to Twyrif to promote their settlement, but met with limited success. Returning to the Heroes' Guild, they joined a group of heroes assembled by Lilliana. Resting briefly, they set out southward towards Igor's father in the Barony of Vallendal. Along the way, they encountered the Duke of Arnallan and his retinue, who revealed that the king's health had deteriorated, prompting the summoning of all the great lords to the capital. A few days later, they reached Igor's father's manor. Lilliana departed for Veryne, while Igor met with his father in the family crypts. They discussed his brother and the war, but struggled to connect deeply. Osgor, Igor's father, cautioned him about the looming dark days and approved of his plans to overthrow the Bandit-Kings. Returning home with a handful of men and their families, the journey took about two weeks. Arriving in Ferral on September 15th, Igor rallied support for their new settlement, recognizing the kingdom's instability following the king's passing. Gathering followers along the way, Igor returned to Veryne with a group of 90 people ready to aid in building Milyra's Rest. Meanwhile, Albion also journeyed to the Heroes Guild, but travelled on foot. Arriving a day after Lilliana and Igor had left, he found several heroes eager to join him in aiding the construction of Milyra’s Rest. Opting to stay at the Guild for a while, he reunited with Alleria, his old mentor, and visited Headmaster Fenwyn. Albion noticed Fenwyn had aged significantly since their last meeting, realising the Headmaster was nearing the end of his life. The next day, Albion returned to Veryne with the heroes from the guild. After a few days of travel, they arrived, and Albion sought out Harold and Lucinda, Veryne’s mages, requesting their assistance in training the heroes. He then visited Rycard, who had been silent since the Clash of Dragons. Rycard's resurrection had not fully healed his wounds, leaving him scarred and struggling to speak. Albion learned that Rycard harboured deep resentment towards Gyn and vowed to seek revenge. Meanwhile, Gorm took action and, accompanied by Eliza and others, set out to capture a live werewolf. Hoping that their blood, infused with Milyra’s Blessing, could serve as an antidote to lycanthropy, they succeeded in capturing one. However, their experiment failed miserably, resulting in the werewolf's painful death. Daemron ventured to Lonshard, a village controlled by Viper’s Gang, another Bandit-King. He attempted to infiltrate the gang and proposed to establish a cult in service to Ennk in Veryne and surrounding lands. The gang agreed, and Daemron began setting up a spy network and saboteurs to hinder Gyn’s operations. Belanor travelled to the Feylin Forest, seeking his Druid Master's old hut. After repairing it, he investigated the corruption in the forest but found no answers. Returning to Veryne, he joined the others. With all the heroes gathered in Veryne, they discussed their next move. Remembering Bandit-King Tyn, Gyn’s brother, they considered contacting him and sowing discord between the siblings. They devised a plan to orchestrate a battle between them, hoping to weaken the victor and seize the opportunity to claim the spoils. But first, they needed to prepare. The heroes decided to persuade Tyn of their cause by pretending to be nobles from the Milyrian Empire. Tyn, a bandit who fancied himself a king, genuinely saw himself as a new nobility, though his rule was far from noble. The heroes dressed themselves and several people from Veryne in black tunics and created banners for their new realm. They took on fake names and titles, bringing Lena along under the false name of Louise Desmarais d’Artagne. Though Lena had been a princess, her attempts at teaching noble etiquette to Eliza proved disastrous. Fortunately, Lilliana, who had often pretended to be a princess in her youth, successfully taught the others how to act like nobility. With their fake identities and titles settled, they set out for Tyn’s Keep. After a day's march, they encountered a small checkpoint on the road—a wooden gate with guards marking the border of Tyn’s land. Convincing the guards that they were nobles seeking an audience with Tyn, they were allowed through. Another day later, they arrived at Tyn’s Keep. Tyn’s Keep was a small castle on an island just off the shore, connected by a wooden bridge. The keep comprised a three-story tower, with the top story made of wooden beams in stucco and a gable roof. Extending from the tower were walls forming a small courtyard, with a few buildings along and on the walls. The gate was a two-story structure. The keep had once belonged to House Dondar, but Tyn had claimed it when the lord and his men left to fight in the war. The heroes were greeted and led to an entrance hall, where they waited briefly before being ushered into the great hall. Tyn eagerly awaited them there. The heroes regaled him with stories, both true and false, of the war, the battles they fought, and their adventures, as well as the lands they claimed to hail from. Tyn was impressed and curious about their visit. The heroes explained that they represented a new empire, the Milyrian Empire, and aimed to overthrow the squabbling lords of Rasfadal. They sought Tyn’s support, promising him lands and riches in return. They needed an ally to help them overthrow the other bandit-kings and lords of Rasfadal. Tyn appeared overjoyed and excited by the idea. Although he harbored suspicions, he didn’t let the heroes notice and acted convinced. He mentioned that he had a pact with his brother Gyn that he could not break, but otherwise, he was happy to support them. After a hearty meal, Tyn offered them to stay in his keep as long as they liked and make themselves at home. The heroes went to the guest room and gathered to discuss their next plans. Igor wanted to ensure they weren’t being watched. He checked under the door for any feet on the other side, then pressed his ear to the door to listen. However, he failed to hear Tyn’s guard, who was pressed against the wall next to the door, breathing quietly. In their room, the Heroes discussed their next steps. They devised a plan to pit Tyn and Gyn against each other, orchestrating a conflict that would force the two Bandit-Kings to engage their armies in battle. They planned to convince Tyn that they would hide their forces from Veryne nearby and attack Gyn from behind once his men were engaged with Tyn, creating chaos and routing his troops. Regardless of who won, the victor would be weakened enough for the Heroes to overthrow them with the combined forces of Veryne, Myrewatch, and Milyra’s Rest. To start, they agreed to gather as much information as possible about Tyn’s operations. The next day, Belanor met with Tyn’s guard captain and asked for a tour of the castle, offering insights on how to better defend and maintain it. The captain obliged, and Belanor estimated that about 80 bandit soldiers were stationed there. The barracks looked ragtag, and the armory contained basic, poorly maintained weapons. When Belanor asked to see more weapons, the captain grew suspicious and ordered him out, locking the armory. Meanwhile, Albion and Lilliana approached Tyn, asking for permission to visit the library. Albion pretended to be an Elmaran noble, adopting an Elmaran accent that Lilliana found charming. He told Tyn that in his homeland, those who captured a stronghold became its lord, and he wanted to research if similar laws applied in Rasfadal. Tyn, flattered, granted them access to the library. There, they dusted off old books and family chronicles, learning that Tyn’s Keep was originally Donar’s Keep and gathering information about the Swamps' population. They estimated Tyn commanded around 700 men, while Gyn could muster over a thousand. Once they felt they had gathered enough information, Albion suggested returning to the others, but Lilliana asked to stay longer to enjoy his accent. Albion agreed, smiling and the two made passionate love. Gorm approached one of Tyn’s lieutenants and asked to train Tyn’s troops. Granted permission, he taught the recruits faulty techniques, hoping to exploit this in battle. He also bonded with the men, aiming to sway them to their side during the conflict. Meanwhile, Daemron explored the castle, seeking secret information. He spied on Tyn’s men, gauging their loyalty and attempting to make some of the most loyal soldiers disappear, though without success. Igor spent more time with Tyn, ensuring his trust by sharing war stories and claiming the title of Count of Milyria. He tailored his conversation to Tyn’s interests while extracting details about Tyn’s bandit-kingdom. He also mentioned their small army in Veryne and his encounter with the Duke of Arnallan, carefully steering the dialogue to gather as much information as possible. By the end of the day the Heroes left Tyn’s Keep. On the road back to Veryne they discussed what they learned and did, and made further plans. Based on all this information they plotted the routes that Tyn and Gyn’s armies would take and where they were most likely to meet. Daemron offered to boobytrap the road for Gyn’s men, making sure to thin out his army and even the odds a bit. Back in Veryne, the heroes forged a document claiming that Gyn was no longer the rightful owner of Veryne and that the village now belonged to Tyn. They sealed it with Tyn’s seal and hung a banner with Tyn’s symbol on the Village Hall, hoping to provoke Gyn into declaring war on his brother. Meanwhile, Gorm, who remained at Tyn’s Keep, worked on siege equipment with his mercenary crew. They created two machines capable of launching multiple arrows at once, planning to set them up in the forests flanking the battlefield to give the impression of a larger force. Igor and Belanor spent the week spreading rumors throughout the Swamps about planned attacks by Gyn and Tyn, hoping to spark unrest and trick one of the bandit kings into attacking first. They then returned to Veryne to prepare for the impending battle. Albion spoke with some heroes from the Heroes’ Guild. They informed him they would help defeat the Bandit-Kings but had no interest in supporting the proposed Milyrian Empire. They believed the lands should be returned to the Lords of the Swamps who once ruled them. Lilliana agreed and tried to convince Albion to abandon the Empire idea so they could return to the Guild after the battle. Albion remained uncertain about his decision. After a week of preparation, Daemron’s spies reported that Gyn was coming to collect taxes. Igor, Albion, and Belanor left for Milyra’s Rest before Gyn and his men arrived. Daemron disguised himself and hid among the crowd, ready for the confrontation. As Gyn’s lieutenants, along with thirty bandits, arrived in Veryne to collect taxes, they noticed the banner of Tyn. The lieutenant immediately went to the town hall, demanding to speak with Joshua. Joshua, having been informed of the plan, knew this was the moment to prove his allegiance to the Heroes. He shared the lie about Tyn’s conquest of Veryne and presented the sealed, forged letter. The lieutenant wasn’t easily persuaded, and Joshua desperately scanned the crowd, hoping to spot Daemron. However, Daemron’s disguise made him unrecognizable. Noticing Joshua's struggle, Daemron stepped forward to support his story. The lieutenant, now convinced, called for Gyn. Meanwhile, the bandits began their collection, rougher than necessary, taking half of everything from the village houses. Later, Gyn arrived, outraged by Tyn’s supposed betrayal, cursing him for breaking their pact. He declared that Veryne was back under his control and stationed a permanent garrison of thirty bandits to fend off Tyn if he returned. Over the next few days, the Heroes prepared for the impending war between Tyn and Gyn. Igor, Albion, and Belanor were in Milyra’s Rest, aiding in the construction of the mound and building homes for the villagers. Belanor sent a vial of his blood to Daemron to weaponize it against Gyn’s garrison, using his owl to fly it over. At Tyn’s Keep, news of a potential attack by Gyn arrived. Tyn, however, was not convinced that his brother would risk an attack, believing in the sanctity of their pact. Gorm, still at Tyn’s Keep, sent word to the other Heroes that Tyn was not taking the bait and suggested a new plan: to kill Tyn’s scouts at the border, hoping to provoke Tyn into action. When Gyn’s garrison arrived in Veryne, Daemron identified some loners in the group. He took some of Viper’s men and eliminated the loners, replacing them with his own. This gave him the opportunity to strike from within when the time came. In Veryne, Daemron and Joshua convinced the garrison that Tyn’s scouts were nearby and should be taken out before they reported back. Belanor went ahead, hoping to find one of Tyn’s scouts first. He spotted a scout but couldn’t risk getting closer across an open field. Hiding in the trees, he used a poisoned arrow to wound the scout, aiming to test the effectiveness of their altered blood in low doses. The scout, hit in the shoulder, fell into the bushes, out of sight. Belanor waited, fearing Gyn’s men would spot him. The scout didn’t get up, and eventually, Gyn’s men found a blood trail. The scout, not mortally wounded, had crawled away. Gyn’s men tracked him, killing him upon finding him. Other scouts then arrived, and Gyn’s men overwhelmed them, but one scout managed to escape. The next day, the escaped scout returned to Tyn's Keep, reporting the attack by Gyn’s men. No longer able to deny Gyn’s actions, Tyn declared war on his brother and sent messengers to gather his bandit army. Over the next few days, news of Tyn’s declaration of war spread across the Swamps. The Heroes prepared to join the war. Daemron traveled to the battlefield's location, setting up his archers in the forest near Gorm’s siege equipment. Gorm led Tyn’s forces, with Tyn traveling as their leader. They departed from Tyn’s Keep with a force of 700 men, heading to a narrow strip of land between a river and forests, forcing Gyn to attack from one direction. Igor, Albion, and Belanor took all able-bodied men from Milyra’s Rest and traveled to Veryne to gather the forces there. In Veryne, they found Joshua donning his father’s armor and battleaxe, preparing to join the fight. Leaving Lena in charge, Joshua joined the Heroes and the Veryne forces. They traveled with a force of thirty men to the battlefield, positioning their forces behind a small hill to attack Gyn’s men from the rear once engaged. As they waited, Joshua confided in Igor that he was scared. Igor reassured him that it was okay to be scared in times like these and admitted he was too. Gyn’s army, heavily weakened by Daemron’s traps but still 900 men strong, arrived. As the armies faced each other, Tyn rode forward on his horse and addressed Gyn: "Dear brother, let us talk and end this conflict peacefully. I don't understand the cause of your actions, but I have no desire for a fraternal war and will do my best to resolve this." Gyn responded: "Stop your act and claim my land like a real man!" Tyn, outraged, tried to continue the conversation, insisting that he had no intention of claiming Gyn’s land and was only here because Gyn broke their pact. The Heroes, fearing where the conversation was heading, decided to intervene. They shot an arrow into the ground near Tyn’s horse from the trees. Both Bandit-Kings, unsure of what had happened, stopped their conversation and returned to their armies. Tyn demanded an explanation from Gorm about who was in the forest and why they were shooting at him. Gorm tried to persuade Tyn that it was Gyn trying to provoke him. However, Tyn saw through the lie and informed Gorm that it was his own men in the trees. Gorm then suggested that Tyn lead the charge against Gyn to show his superiority as the Bandit-King. Suspicious, Tyn commanded Gorm to lead the charge instead. Following Tyn's command, Gorm initiated the battle with a volley of arrows, marking the beginning of the War of the Bandits. Gyn’s men responded with a volley of their own as the siege engines in the forest, along with Daemron’s archers, unleashed a storm of arrows upon them. Gorm ordered his men to hold their ground as Gyn’s infantry advanced. In the trees, Belanor climbed higher for a better view, shooting arrows into Gyn’s army from above. Despite their efforts, Gyn’s forces quickly overwhelmed Tyn’s men. Desperate, Gorm used his magic to cause an earth tremor, knocking down the frontline of Gyn’s men and toppling a tree. Belanor, thrown from the tree, transformed into a bear mid-fall and landed amidst the enemy. Gorm then enlarged Belanor, turning him into a giant bear that tore through Gyn’s ranks. Upset by the turn of events, Gyn used his demonic magic to summon razor-sharp chains that erupted from the ground, weakening Tyn’s frontline. At the same time, a slumbering forest troll, awakened by the uprooted tree, began wreaking havoc on the battlefield. Igor, Albion, and the Veryne forces waited near the hill for the right moment to strike. Gorm took advantage of the chaos caused by the forest troll and the giant bear to breach Gyn’s lines, pushing his forces closer to Gyn. Arrows rained down continuously, creating a deadly barrage on both sides. Sensing the opportunity, Igor, Albion, and the Veryne forces charged, attacking Gyn’s men from the rear. Daemron maneuvered his men around Gyn’s army, joining the rear attack, while signaling the infiltrators within Gyn’s ranks to strike from within. Amidst the chaos, the Heroes fought with a wild fury, hacking and slashing through enemy forces. Their rage drove them forward, like untamed beasts. Eventually, they managed to isolate Gyn, leading to a fierce duel between the Heroes and Gyn amidst the raging battle. The battle raged fiercely, with Gyn proving much stronger than the heroes had anticipated. His chains, magically animated like razor-sharp snakes, grievously wounded the heroes repeatedly. Albion was knocked out multiple times, but Igor refused to let him go, using all his divine powers to keep his friend from succumbing to darkness. Slowly but surely, their combined attacks and spells began to weaken Gyn. Fueled by rage, Rycard charged at Gyn, only to be impaled through the chest by one of Gyn’s chains, killing him instantly. Daemron, closest to Rycard, seized the moment to stab Gyn with his ritualistic dagger, whispering, “Ennk sends his regards.” As he did, he too was impaled by one of the chains. The fight took a dark turn, and in a final desperate move, the heroes all charged at Gyn together. Their relentless assault finally brought Gyn down. As Gyn died, his body turned to black dust, and a dark cloud rose from it, flying toward Tyn and entering his body. Tyn let out a thundering scream, “GYN!” and turned his furious gaze toward the Heroes. Strengthened by Gyn’s spirit, Tyn unleashed a flash of dark light that shattered their minds, then charged at them. A second duel began, but the Heroes, still severely weakened from their battle with Gyn, were at a severe disadvantage. It seemed they were going to lose. In a last desperate effort, Albion, already on his last strength, grabbed Tyn and used his magic to teleport both of them in front of the siege engine. In a self-sacrificial act, they were both pierced by a barrage of arrows. Albion was fatally wounded, but Tyn, though barely standing, was still alive. From Albion’s medallion, an angelic being emerged just as the other Heroes arrived. Together with the angelic being, they took down Tyn, finally ending the tyranny of both Gyn and Tyn. The Heroes rushed to Albion, but they were too late to save him. Lilliana held Albion’s hand as he died, the battle finally over. The bandits halted their fighting, and a profound silence fell over the battlefield. After a tense moment, they bowed to the Heroes of Rasfadal.
Is there loot?!
Timeline
Heroes of Rasfadal (Done)
Former Members
Dubhe
Sabrina Blackwood
Svarog Trishula
Upavii
Heroes of Rasfadal (Done)
Founding Date
1 July, 1253 AP
Type
Adventuring Party
Alternative Names
Villains of Rasfadal
Location
Dubhe
Sabrina Blackwood
Svarog Trishula
Upavii
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