Grand Duchy 91

Grand Duchy of Adventure

Session 91
June 15, 2016

The Silent Stairs, The Singing Pool and Some New Friends

Loshdain 2nd Klarmont

Scouting In the Dark

After Remar casts the Mystic Mist spell to protect the campsite, Griffin and Ree head off to do a little scouting. The night is very dark, no moon shines in the sky but Griffin’s enchanted necklace sheds just enough light for the two to see by. After a while, they make it up to what appears to be a goat trail about a quarter mile away from camp. They are a good distance up the side of the rocky slope and from this distance cannot tell exactly where the camp is down below. “The Mystic Mist is doing a good job of obscuring the view,” Ree says. “If it were just a little brighter out, and we were at a lower elevation, I might be able to see the smoke rising from the camp, but from up here, without some magic, there is no way to see the camp. That’s good.” She smiles and begins to look around for signs of whatever it might have been that was following them. The two do a bit more scouting before returning to the camp.

Camping in the valley

Dangers in the Night

Back down in the camp, everyone is winding down, most preparing to try to get some sleep. The rain has stopped, at least for the time being and everyone is thankful for that. As Draven puts his prayer books away, he hears the sound of rocks scraping together nearby. As he angles his head try to hear it better, some of the horses become agitated. He hears the sound of rocks scrapping again and the snap of a twig, as if someone were moving carelessly through the brush nearby. He turns to alert his companions, but Stephan is already crouched and moving toward him, his finger in front of his lips. Draven can see Remar and Iris also crouched nearby and looking out to the darkness surrounding the camp. At first it is assumed to be just Griffin and Ree returning from their scouting mission, but it quickly turns out to be something more sinister. A horde of Zombies and Skeletons have wandered upon the camp. Fortunately Remar's Mystic Mist keeps them from entering the camp, but the companions, especially Draven, cannot abide with letting them wander on to terrorize some other hapless souls. From the safety of the Mystic Mist, the Grey Company dispatches the undead menace. After some time, Griffin and Ree return to camp and find out about the undead attack. They also report that their scouting mission revealed nothing interesting except for the fact that the Grey Company campsite was well hidden.

Soldain 3rd Klarmont

Up To The Pool

In the morning, the company burns the carcasses of the undead from the night before and then head out to find the Singing Pool. The day turns out to be hot and breezy. After a few hours of travel, the group finally makes it to the end of the valley. A strange whistling sound can be heard coming from above. A small waterfall can be seen high above, cascading over a rocky ledge before trickling down the wooded slope to turn into the small stream that runs the course of this valley spur.

The Silent Stairs

A rough rock staircase can be seen leading up, presumably to the Singing Pool up above. A few Company members stay behind with the riding lizards and supplies while the rest head up to retrieve the water. As everyone starts up the stairs, they quickly notice that all sound disappears while on the stairs. After a moment of puzzling over this, the Company presses onward and upward. After a short climb they make it to the top. Stepping off the stairs and toward the Singing Pool is met with all the sounds of the world and the very present sound of natural singing and whistling. The sound is loud but soothing at the same time. While some gather the water from the pool, others marvel at the view from the edge of the pool of the valley below. 

The Singing Pool

The view from the edge

Looking down, they can see their companions and the riding lizards, now surrounded by a group of what looks like Hutaakans, though there does not appear to be any hostilities happening. The companions quickly make their way down the Silent Stairs to find out what is going on. Ree takes a more off road route, hoping to provide cover or surprise if things don't work out well. 

Kifein

Once at the bottom, they are greeted in a friendly, if not cool, manner, by the Hutaakans. The leader of the group, a female named Kifein, says, in ancient Traldar, that they have been following the Grey Company and wish to speak with them. She says that they are interested in strangers from outside the valley and do not wish violence. Griffin and Iris negotiate with Kifein and the Hutaakans and it is agreed that the Grey Company will travel back to the main part of the valley with them in peace. Most of the Hutaakans are curious and interested in the members of the Grey Company, especially Ree, once she reveals herself and joins the rest of the group. Some of the Hutaakans appear stand-off-ish and keep away from everyone else.

Cast of Characters: 

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

Draven Rickart, a Thyatian Acolyte of the Church of Karameikos ministered by +Jason Packer with help from +Patrick Burke 

Remar Umerus, an Alphatian battle mage that escaped forced service in the Thyatian army currently marshalled by +Patrick Kelly 

Iris Varda, a Thyatian explorer and historian searching for answers and adventure, now guided by +Stephanie Kelly 

and +Jason Woollard as The DM

Grand Duchy 89

Grand Duchy of Adventure

Session 89
May 5, 2016

How Much for the Knife?

Nytdain 1 Klarmont

After some quick planning, the Grey Company heads out of Ronkan on a journey to search for the Singing Pool at the far southern end of the valley. With the aid of several of the Traldar's riding lizards, the Company makes good time and end the day at one of the large, ancient archways that span the roads of the valley. The plan is to set up a fortified camp under the arch and use it as a base camp so they can return to it if necessary. 

This will make a good campsite

Beneath the arch, the Company finds the remains of a previous campsite with Hutaakan paw prints all over the place. While Draven, Marcel, Ree, and Stephen begin to set up camp, Griffin, Remar, and Iris search the nearby area looking for more signs of the Hutaakan, but sadly, they find none. 

The Hutaakans were here recently

The rest of the evening is used setting up and fortifying their campsite. Remar even sets aside a little spot for himself up on the very top of the arch, hoping to have a good view of the surrounding area. 

Filix, a Dymrak Witch

While the Company is sitting around chatting after a wonderful dinner that Marcel whipped up, they are greeted by a mysterious visitor. Walking out of the shadows under the arch, comes a horrifying grotesque being. She introduces herself as Filix, one of the dreaded Witches of the Dymrak Forest. Her presence puts everyone ill at ease, almost to the point of terror. 

She chats for a while about minor things and even tempts Remar to return with her to the forest as her apprentice. He considers it for a moment then turns the offer down. Eventually, she gets down to the reason she is there. She asks Griffin to give her the enchanted blade that the Company had recovered from Wyrtung's magical circle some time past. He was very loathe to give the magical weapon up, but realized that Filix could easily end the Grey Company and just take the knife if she wanted. He offered to sell it to her, because everyone knows you never "give" a knife to someone. She laughed an unsettling and evil laugh, produced a copper Kopec, and bought the knife from the young Thyatian. With that, she turned and walked back into the dark shadow where she had come from, disappearing entirely. 

The Company remained on edge for the remainder of the night, though Remar still took his perch up on the top of the arch after his watch was complete. Those sleeping down below were sure they could hear him holding quiet conversations most of the night and they all hoped that he was only talking to himself, like he was often doing, and not talking to anyone else...

Cast of Characters: 

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

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

Remar Umerus, an Alphatian battle mage that escaped forced service in the Thyatian army currently marshalled by +Patrick Kelly 

Iris Varda, a Thyatian explorer and historian searching for answers and adventure, now guided by +Stephanie Kelly 

and +Jason Woollard as The DM