Grand Duchy 23

Grand Duchy of Adventure

Session 23
July 17, 2014

Escape From the Petrified Forest

25th of Thaumont, 1001AC

The Company is reunited with Akaios, Ree and Bahaznic, who had remained behind to watch the horses and supplies. Both groups share stories of the events that have transpired over the last few days and it is learned from Akaios and Ree that they had observed some increased activity in the nearby forest, including something (or things) big moving through nearby and into the Petrified. This matched up with the crashing sound and damaged pathways in the Petrified Forest, though no one had any idea what it could have been.

It is decided to camp for the night again and then try to make for Susikyn in the morning, skirting the Petrified Forest around to the north and then heading through the Dymrak to the west, hoping to thread the needle between the other two Goblin lairs.

26th-28th of Thaumont, 1001AC

The next few days see the Company trekking through the Dymrak forest. Some riding and directional mishaps hamper travel a bit and some close encounters during one evening remind everyone that they are still in dangerous territory. Eventually, the rain stops, making travel easier, but then picks back up on the 28th and slows progress by a lot. Draven spends some time swinging his club left handed, hoping to be able to use it properly in his only remaining hand.

Griffin's map of the surrounding area

1st of Flaurmont, 1001AC

The Company finally makes it out of the Dymrak and gets back on the trail to Susikyn. Travel is much better now, the rain has dissipated again and they make good time. Some Goblins are spotted coming out of the woods near Susikyn but they scatter before they can be dealt with. After a few more miles of travel, the Company has arrived back at the homestead.

A warm homecoming is had and it is clear that the homesteaders, under Pytorr's lead, have made great progress rebuilding and strengthening the homestead in the two weeks the Company has been gone. News is shared, and though Pytorr is distraught that his brother still has not been recovered, he is hopeful at the news and happy that others have been saved from Goblin imprisonment. Marcel spends the afternoon helping Draven by reworking the straps on his shield to fit on his right arm and cleaning up a small mace found in the store room of the homestead.

That night, the Company settles some business (taken care of on GDA24) and are told by Stellios that they should seek out the Fairy King of Horses for help on locating this Xitaqa that Stephan has been taken to. "You must go to the Table Rock out on the Moor, and under the light of the midnight moon, stand atop the rock on one foot, whistling an old Traladaran tune. Happily, Marcel states he knows the tune well and demonstrates it by whistling and standing on one foot while perched upon a bench.

2nd of Flaurmont, 1001AC

In the morning, the Company again sets out from Susikyn with horses and supplies. Marcel remenbers to grab some personal basics and a bedroll to make his camping experience just a bit better.

The rain holds off yet another day, though it is still quite cloudy. The temperature rises to near summer highs, making everyone sweat a little more than they are used to but a cool breeze helps take care of that. It is decided that all the members of the Company are going out on this venture, but they will spilt into two forces. Griffin, Marcel, Draven and Iris will cross the river at Misha's Ferry and go in search of the Table Rock and the Fairy King of Horses while Remar, Akaios, Burik and Ree will remain on the Susikyn side and ride patrol on the trails looking for Goblins and other threats to the homesteaders.

Still no Misha at the ferry.

At the Ferry, Misha is once again nowhere to be seen, though more bear tracks are seen all around the house. Draven attempts to pilot the raft across the river, but due to his missing hand, he experiences some difficulties and nearly loses the poles. Akaios helps and takes the party across, then returns, saying he will come back in a few days to ferry them back if need be.

The four members of the company then head north into the Moor looking for the Table Rock, which Stellios swears they won't be able to miss! Unfortunatley, they do not find the rock by nightfall and camp is struck in a nice, comfortable location, concealed by some bushes and an a low berm. The four companions sit around and discuss their plan for the following day.

Continued on GDA24 - Seeking the Fairy King of Horses

Cast of Characters: 

Iris, the newest member of the Grey Company

Garrett "Griffin" Constantine, a Thyatian rogue of a gambler from Penhaligon rolled by +Arne Jamtgaard 

Marcel Maas, a down on his luck Traladaran soldier turned mercenary commanded by +Christian Blouin 

Draven Rickart, a Thyatian Acolyte of the Church of Karameikos ministered by +Jason Packer 

Iris Varda, a Thyatian explorer and historian searching for answers and adventure guided by +Alex Safatli  

Remar Umerus, an Alphatian battle mage that escaped forced service in the Thyatian army conjured by +Ben Lipe and currently in NPC mode. 

and +Jason Woollard as The DM

Wandered Roads 23

Wandered Roads of Varisia
Session 23
May 18, 2013

Campaign Timeline

Dismantling a Cult of Lumberjacks

Oathday, 20th of Lamashan

The heroes made their way to the sawmill. The streets were mostly empty at this point in the evening. Most folk had gone home from a long day of work and were eating dinner or drinking away their troubles. It was decided to enter the sawmill through the lower door that was accessed by a narrow staircase nestled between the building and the steep river bank. Even though the saw could not be heard running, the sounds of the mill mechanisms grew louder as the approached the lower door. It was locked and Ehlyna was ready to

Ellie picks the lock

‘unlock’ it, but Ellie stepped forward and quickly and skillfully unlocked the door and went in.

Before entering, Daellin cast Great Haste on Calina and Ehlyna, expecting a fight inside. Vexeron also buffed Samad and Ehlyna, Blurring them and making them harder to see. All ready for battle, the group entered the undermill.

The dark room under the mill contained 4 huge water wheels turning in the flow of the Yondabaraki River in the north half of the space. The southern half of the space, where the door entered, was full of cogs and axles and thick leather belts and ropes and chains, all the machinery that keeps the mill operating. Off to the right, down by the water wheels, stood a Human man. He was looking at something near the water wheel. As the entire band of 8 adventurers piled into the room, he eventually noticed them and began yelling and waving his hands for them to get out, stating that this place was dangerous. He approached but quickly backed up when he realized that they were armed to the teeth.

Ellie slipped away and went to investigate around behind some of the machinery where she ran into a masked individual sneaking up on the party with his war razor drawn. He immediately attacked her, and she jumped back to dodge the blow, but realized she hadn’t been fast enough. She closed her eyes as the long, wicked blade of the razor came down on her, then heard a grunt followed by a loud scream as her attacker somehow got his arm tangled up in a nearby belt and gear. He was ripped off the ground and slammed into the ceiling by the machinery, then fell back to the floor, his arm, mangled and unrecognizable as

Dangerous Gears

a limb anymore.

The first Human, who had called a co-worker over when the party refused to leave, pulled out his own war razor when he heard the scream from around the corner. His companion drew as well. Samad stepped up and, with a flourish, drew both of his blades. The two then fled the speeding Ehlyna and ran around the water wheels. Calina tried to cut them off and ran past the other end of the water wheels. Fortunately, Ehlyna was able to catch up to the two fleeing men and cut them down in no time, just before the brief haste magic faded. Seeing no one else on this level and no way to go up, the group went back outside and out and around to the front doors of the mill.

These double doors were unlocked and they entered. The mill was eerily quiet and empty, though signs of recent activity were present. The slowly and quietly searched the room for any hidden foes and then proceeded up to the next level. A similar situation was encountered here... empty but signs of recent occupation. Another search revealed nothing of interest.

When heading up to the 3rd floor, someone was spotted looking over the railing in the stairwell from 4th floor above. The watcher quickly pulled back out of sight. Instead of rushing right up the stairs, the group felt it prudent to check out the 3rd floor first to make sure no foes were to sneak up behind them. There were in fact 3 men on the third floor. They were wearing similar masks as those previously encountered and wielded the signature war razors as well. Several of the heroes rushed into the room while Calina and Vexeron guarded the stairwell. Kallin and Leela had been checking out a closet behind the stairwell when the battle started.

After a few moments of chasing the cultists around the saws and other mill machinery, Vexeron called out that they were being overrun from the 4th floor. The stairwell was full of hooded and masked cultists rushing down the stairs, their war razors at the ready. Vexeron tried to stop them, but they quickly overran him and tried grabbing him to take him down. The wizard took up a defensive stance and tried valiantly to hold them off. Everyone quickly repositioned in the narrow stairway area and the battle was fully underway. More and more cultists kept running down the stairs, sometimes throwing out magical commands, forcing various heroes to throw down their weapons.

Eventually, most all of the cultists were dispatched or slain. One remaining foe turned and

The Cult Leaders Mask

raced back upstairs. Daellin, followed by Ellie and some others, pursued. At the top of the stairs, Daellin found several more cultists and the cult leader, a masked Elf standing behind them. The cultists were wating for someone to rush up the stairs and they leaped forward to attack immediately. Daellin used his magical defenses to Blink forward, directly in front of the cult leader. The leader took a slash at Daellin while the others stepped back and surrounded the heroic Elf. Before Daellin could stop him, though, the masked Elf disappeared from sight.

The remaining cultists were quickly taken out by the rest of the heroes and in a last ditch effort, Daellin cast a spell to allow him to see those that were invisible. Unfortunately the spell was too much for the Elf to manage and as he scanned the room, he passed out. Nearby, Ehlyna pulled her two Black Dust vials from her potion belt and flung them in random directions, hoping to catch the location of their invisible foe.

Ehlyna took care of the downed cultists while Kallin and Vexeron stood guard over the fallen Daellin. Samad carefully scanned the room, looking for tell tale signs of footprints in the sawdust that covered every inch of this workshop area. Calina, Ellie and Leela searched the adjacent room, only to find a dirty cot and numerous dried and stretched once-living faces pulled over wooden frames hanging from the walls. A wooden footlocker did reveal piles and piles of odds and ends, knicknacks and other assorted junk in addition to 3 interesting tomes. One identified as probably a spell book, one a book of fairy tales titled The Syrpents Tane: Fairy tales of the Eldest,  and the third a thin ledger written in some unknown language.

Next, the three ladies climb the ladder in the corner and enter the rookery above this macabre chamber. The three quiet ravens still perch in the screen fronted cage. It sits on a writing table with several quills and small pieces of paper. Each raven has a letter carrier tied to its leg. Vexeron mentions that if a feather was plucked from one of the birds and it was set free, he could use his magic to track where it goes, possibly leading them to the next phase of their investigation. Calina did not want to pluck any feathers, so Ellie did and

A raven's feather for a Seeker spell

then set all three birds go.

Daellin, now conscious, gathered up the magical masks from all the fallen cultists and the group, unable to find anything else of interest or value in the sawmill, prepared to leave. Calina suggested hooking up the empty wagon from the first floor to the horse that Ehlyna brought and taking it back to the Kaijitsu estate. Finally, after it was quite dark, the heroes made it back to their new home with a stolen wagon in tow.

Continuing Story Doc

Continuing Story Summary

Safely back at their base at Kaijitsu, the group plots their next move. Kallin wanders off to search for the Temple of Pharasma , Daellin looks to hire some help and Calina heads out of town to see her animal friend, Paka. Leela and Ellie go off in search of buying some baking supplies then off to see Shelia Heidmarch at the Pathfinder Lodge so Leela can turn in the maps she had been making of Thassilonian ruins near Sandpoint. At the Pathfinder Lodge, Shelia invited Leela and her new friends back for dinner and an offer of employment.

Session Notes

The return of Ellie!

We were missing Greg (Vexeron) and Jodi (Ehlyna) this time around, but this session saw the return of Megan (Ellie). It also saw the addition of the groups newest member, Sully. He was that parasite thing that had taken root in Megan's insides last year and kept her from the table. He was a good boy, quiet and didn't distract TOO much, though JeCorey may disagree with that last statement, as Sully was being used to taunt and intimidate him.

• Outside the Gates of Magnimar (Calina)
• Visiting the Church of Pharasma (Kallin)
• Busy Work (Daellin)

Characters Present:

Kallin Hawkril, (236pts) Half-Orc shaman and budding Priest of Pharasma - played by +Daniel Ernst
Calina, (335pts) Varisian Human archer and scout - played by +Carol Coburn
Leela Cardnool, (248pts) Gnome scout, cartographer and Illusionist - played by +Lisa Smith
Daellin Silvanthalas, (289pts) Elven Farstrider Ranger - played by +Ben Lipe
Vexeron, (282) Human wizard - played by +Greg Grady
Ehlyna Fuzziface (247pts) - Dwarven Warrior - played by +Jodi H
Samad Aldhul, (251pts) Human ex-mercenary - played by +JeCorey Holder
Ellie , (194pts) Halfling Finder of Things - played by +Megan McCarron

and +Jason Woollard as the DM