The Orb of Fire

Abadius 22, 4713, continued

Dhukhean awakens in a cave, bruised and battered but very much alive following his near death drop from the sky during the manticore hunt. The dwarf can hear several voices speaking in elvish. As he gather his thoughts, he notices that he is neither restrained nor unarmed, as his weapons and gear sit neatly next to him. He listens to the elves, who discuss the fall of the dwarf from the sky and what role he plays in the fact that several cults in the area have been kidnapping dwarves.

Pretending to awaken, Dhukhean grunts and shifts in his bed. When he opens his eyes, he sees four elves wearing dark green cloaks and adventuring gear looking at him with concern. After making introductions, the elves identify themselves as Sephyr, Arral, Nyin and Malsal, members of the Lord's Alliance, a group dedicated to promoting security and prosperity throughout Golarion. This group has been monitoring the Sumber Hills for the last six months, ever since the area began to attract an ever increasing number of ruffians. With law and order already on shaky foundations even before these arrivals in the area, the Alliance has taken it on itself to investigate the cause of this attraction and plans military actions to deal with it.

Dhukhean mentions his missing caravan, and he recounts the details that led him to fall from the sky. The dwarf is concerned that cultists have hoodwinked well-bred members of Feathergale Spire and have taken control of it for their own nefarious ends. The elves inform Dhukhean that they have discovered the presence of four cults in the area, and they identify them as the Black Earth Cult, the Howling Hatred Cult, the Eternal Flame Cult, and the Crushing Wave Cult, and they draw the symbol of each in the dirt.

Black Earth Cult

Crushing Wave Cult

Eternal Flame Cult

Howling Hatred Cult

These cults are not only terrifying the local population, they have also taken to fighting among themselves. Dhukhean wonders if the rise of these cults is somehow tied to the lost city of Tyar-Basil, which he himself has been researching. The elves speculate that perhaps the cults are looking for dwarves to open an ancient gate to this city.

The elves then propose to escort Dhukhean to a safe location. Worried for the Cooper sisters he has left behind, he asks them to bring him back to Feathergale Spire instead, and asks them if there is a way for him to communicate with them if he finds more information or has a pressing need. They reply that they spend most of their time in the wilderness, but that their contact in Red Larch can get them information fairly easily as they stealthily stop at the village once every ten days or so. Their contact there is Maegla Tarnlar, the wife of the clothier. Malsal shows Dhukhean the Lord Alliance's hand signal to make during a conversation to establish a relationship with the woman.

Following the hunt, Darelle returns to Feathergale Spire to report the treachery that took place in the skies to her comrades, closely followed by Savra and Ruddy, who carry the head of the slain monster. Darelle tells Savra about how Dhukhean went missing. Savra apologizes as she had not noticed the dwarf's disappearance. Savra, Ruddy and Darelle depart the Spire again on their flying mounts and look for Dhukhean, but the unseasonal fog at the bottom of the canyons hide any visibility of the ground below, and they are unsuccessful in locating him. Darelle decides to use a tree token to tell him she is back at Feathergale Spire and awaits him there. Looking for her sister, Darelle eventually ends up in their shared room, avoiding the party going on in the knights' hall.

After her sister and friends departed on their flying mounts,  Daryle found herself exploring the basement of the Feathergale Spire, where she discovered prisoners. Needing help to free them, she climbs the ladder and checks on the time. It is early afternoon. Daryle sneaks out and avoids the angry animal in the pen. She returns to their shared room, figuring that her sister Darelle will eventually come back and check on her here.

When Darelle finally arrives, Daryle discusses the prisoners kept in the basement of the Spire and whether they should free them. The sisters agree that they should, and they both wonder whether Dhukhean survived the fall. Darelle hears the wind howling outside, and she takes a look through the window. A small figure crouches next to the pillar by the edge of the cliff where the drawbridge would be lowered. She recognizes the dwarven paladin. Opening the window, Darelle drives her cloud down from her bedroom window, and takes the dwarf back to the Spire. Dhukhean tells the sisters about the Lord's Alliance and how they are investigating four separate cults. The sisters fill the dwarf in on the happenings at the Spire and in its basement. They decide it is time to free the prisoners.

Returning down to the stables, they notice that there are neither guards nor stablehands. Dhukhean attempts to convince the griffon sitting on top of the trapdoor leading to the dungeon to treat him well, but the griffon is unconvinced and attempts to shred him to pieces. Darelle decides to charm him, but this also fails due to his strong will. Finally, the ranger speaks with animals, and understands that the griffon is both mean due to his disposition, but also because he's being tortured by the stablehands so that he can act as a guardian in case prisoners made it to the hatch in the floor.

Using all of her charm and diplomacy, Darelle convinces the griffon to stand out of the way and let them through. The Coopers climb down into the dungeon. Dhukhean detects evil and identify all but the elf and the dwarf prisoners as evil. Dhukhean approaches the elf and asks her a few questions, making the Lord Alliance's hand signal, but he doesn't get a reaction out of her. She had been caught while traveling on the long road and had been brought here to be questioned by a masked man.

Dhukhean then talks with Broga, the female dwarf, who reports she was on a pilgrimage to the Sacred Stone Monastery, hoping to discover the fabled city of Tyar-Besil. Though she was welcomed with open arms by the monks currently dwelling in the monastery, she quickly realized that not all was well with the monastic order. It had been infiltrated by a cult called the Black Earth. Broga barely escaped with her life, but was later captured by members of the Howling Hatred and brought here. She has been in this dungeon ever since. Broga mentions the relative location of the Sacred Stone Monastery, and also that of the Rivergard Keep, the rumored headquarters of the Crushing Wave.

Both prisoners are weak and in no condition to trek the wilderness on their own. Daryle climbs the ladder, and frees the griffon. Since no one notices, the Coopers release the other mounts. Some of them fly away, but others remain in their stalls, content with their current conditions. Flying with the cloud, they head to Red Larch.


Abadius 23, 4713,

Arriving early in the morning in Red Larch, they land outside of town and then trek in the village. They head to the clothier, where Dhukhean is able to identify himself to Maegla Tarnlar as a supporter of the Lord's Alliance. She dismisses her husband, and the four of them talk about what happened and how two local landmarks have been infiltrated by cults. Dhukhean introduces them to Broga and the elf. How two local landmarks have been infiltrated by the cults. Finding these news filled with evil portent, Maegla asks Dhukhean to travel to Yartar with haste and notify Nestra Ruthiol, Waterbaroness of Yartar and head of the Lord's Alliance in the Sumber Hills, of what he discovered. In exchange, Maegla will shelter the two escapees and provide them with safe passage out of the Dessarin Valley on the next well-protected caravan. The paladin agrees to these terms and the Coopers head out on the cloud.


Abadius 25, 4713,

After two days of travel on the cloud, they arrive in Yartar. Entering the city, they head for the Waterbaron's Hall, in the center of the marketplace, where they solicit a meeting with the Waterbaroness. Informed of his Lord's Alliance credentials, Nestra Ruthiol welcomes the party and listens to Dhukhean retells of the events that happened. Nestra thanks them profusely for reporting this information, and advises them the Lord's Alliance will increase its patrols and investigative activities in the area.

Nestra then asks them for a favor. The Hand of Yartar, a local criminal gang composed exclusively of women, is auctioning off an item called the orb of fire. Its magical abilities are unknown, but it is believed to be a very powerful item. The auction is being conducted at the Wink and Kiss tavern by a cutthroat named Nareem Dhest, with bidding starting at 1,500 crowns. As Waterbaroness Nestra must balance several factions within the city, and she cannot be seen as seizing this item. She would like the Coopers to acquire the item and remove it from Yartar, and she is willing to compensate them with 1,000 crowns each. Dhukhean and the sisters agree to help her.

The Wink and Kiss is filled with patrons, drinking and enjoying the dancing girls on stage. Dhukhean goes to the bar and orders dwarven ale. After a quick exchange of coins, the barman tells Dhukhean where he can find Nareem Dhest, but warns him that she will not be pleased if they do not have gold to make a bid.

Entering a backroom near the stage, the Coopers find Nareem surrounding by two burly female bodyguards. After a few pleasantries, she tells them that she's accepting written bids for the orb of fire on behalf of the Hand of Yartar, and she will reveal the highest bid tomorrow at noon. She's not asking for the full amount to be paid now, but does need to see enough coins to convince her it is a serious bid. Dhukhean bids 3,952 crowns, and reveals enough wealth to assuage Nareem that it is a more than serious offer.

As they conclude their transaction, the window behind Nareem shatters as a bolt pierces her shoulder. Smelling treachery, her bodyguards jump into action and attack the Coopers. During the combat Darelle summons an earth elemental, while Dhukhean turns into an angel. The bodyguards are killed, and a wounded Nareem has no choice but to accept the Coopers as her protectors.

Throughout the rest of the day, other individuals and representatives of organizations come in and place bids, but none of them are as high as Dhukhean's. In conversation with Nareem, they realize that she's hoping this money will allow her to leave this area and this life behind. Near midnight, a cloaked man enters the room and lays five gold ingots worth a thousand crowns each. Daryle immediately recognizes the coats of arms of Duke Mosley. The bidder is a Hellknight sent on behalf of the Duke to purchase the orb of fire. Daryle reveals she's an officer in the Hellknights, and instructs the man to keep his gold and notify the Duke that she's taking care of the item. The Hellknight reluctantly agrees, pockets the gold, and leaves. Nareem is besides herself and claims the Coopers are trying to rig the bidding. They point out that she's a thief selling an item that's not really hers, and that the sum they propose is more than enough to help her out.

At noon the next day Nareem revels to a packed house that Dhukhean has made the highest bid for the orb of fire. Hoping to gain a quick exit from the Wink and Kiss, Dhukhean pays for a round of drinks for everyone, and the small party exits the tavern and heads to the cemetery on the edge of Yartar. Darelle and Daryle both notice that they are being trailed by three ruffians, but Nareem does not seem worried. She is unsettled, however, when a woman dressed like a pirate steps out of the shadows of a mausoleum, accompanied by four others. Identifying herself as Abdel, she tells the Coopers she will trade the money and Nareem for the item. The real leader of the Hand of Yartar, Abdel was attacked and left for dead by Nareem and her cronies, and now she plans on exacting vengeance on her former subordinate.

In the battle that ensues, the Coopers kill most of the guards, but both Nareem and Abdel manage to escape, the former disappearing in the cemetery, while the other is tracked through the sewers back to the center of Yartar before her trail disappears. Daryle secures a wooden and led container about two feet on all sides that weights about 30 pounds, and the Coopers return to meet with Nestra, who pays them 1,000 crowns each and ask them to take the orb away from Yartar.  

Dhukhean announces that they should find a proper church or temple, where they can check on the item and see how it should be disposed of. Finding a suitable place on the edge of the river by a bridge, Dhukhean channels positive energy before smashing the lock. In it is an orb that measures 12 inches in diameter. It weighs 10 pounds, and has a solid outer shell with swirling flames clearly visible inside of it. Daryle takes it out of the wooden and led case, and places the orb in her bag of holding to keep it safe. When smoke begins to drift out of her bag, she takes the orb out and notices it is glowing and getting warmer. The ranger rushes to the river, and drops the orb of fire into it.

Instantly, the water in the river is turned to steam and evaporates. The resulting heat wave blows over the sisters, who are immune, but affect Dhukhean and many of the people standing on the docks. Wooden buildings catch on fire due to the heat, while a rush of water fills the void in the river. The Coopers wisely decide to leave Yartar during this pandemonium, and they head back to Red Larch. Eventually, news will travel back to them that over 800 people died from the catastrophe, and a large swat of the city was incinerated, reminding them of a previous incident...

The hospitality of the Feathergale Society

Abadius 21, 4713 

The sun rises on a beautiful if cold winter day in Red Larch. Following the blizzard that has affected the area, the Coopers are happy to have a second straight day without any snow precipitation. Last night, when the party had returned to the Swinging Sword Inn, Ruddy had retold their fight against the Lord of Lance Rock, embellishing some of the encounters. The patrons present in the inn's common room had listened to the gnome, mesmerized by the tale. So it is not surprising, when the Coopers and their friends come downstairs for breakfast, that every seat in the  common room is taken by locals, who cheer and demand to hear the story again. Ruddy regales them again, adding even more fanciful details. Kaylessa Irkell, proprietress of the inn, thanks the gnome and his friends profusely for drawing such a large crowd and offers them a free breakfast. Thorne uses the occasion to pick some pockets and collects 24 crowns during Ruddy's tale.

Following this hearty breakfast, the Coopers pack their gear and head out to Feathergale Spire. They lost track of the raiders they were trailing in the area, and their morning encounter with Savra Belabranta, a griffon rider who invited them to visit, seals the deal. Hopefully this trip will prove less dangerous than that to Lance Rock.

Though no snow falls from the sky, the winds blow hard enough that large snow drifts have formed, and visibility is limited. Darelle uses her jar of cloud to protect the party from the worst of the elements. In the late afternoon, as the sun begins to set, the party reaches the imposing structure of the Feathergale Spire. Standing hundreds of feet higher than the surrounding hills, the Spire can be approached by a large road climbing a steep hill to a drawbridge. The base of the tower is about a hundred feet lower, with wide arches about halfway up. Aside from the drawbridge level, there are two more stories above, and the structure is topped by a parapet. Throughout the afternoon, the Coopers have kept their eyes on flying patrols high up in the sky.

As they near the structure, Ruddy suggest they approach the main entrance in a sign of respect, instead of the usual sneaking the party is known for. Climbing the path, they reach the top and stand on the edge of a lowered drawbridge. A large set of double doors stand at the other end of the drawbridge. Ruddy calmly strolls on the bridge and knocks on the door. Darelle, who followed the gnome, rings the bell attached to the wall. Daryle and the remaining party members stand on the other side, ready if combat proves necessary.

A small panel soon opens, and the familiar face of Savra Belabranta appears. Upon seeing Ruddy, her face lights up, and she gushes her excitement at seeing him, and his friends, again. Opening one of the doors, she welcomes them to Feathergale Spire. The Coopers enter the main hall, made of marble with a giant iron eagle hanging from the ceiling. Two other guards stand in this room, but a quick assessment reveal that they are poorly trained. Savra questions them on the newest developments since their last encounter, and Ruddy tells her he has a tale to recount. She invites them to the Great Hall, where they are joined by four Feathergale knights, as well as Thurl Merosska, leader of the Feathergale Spire. Over a delicious meal, Ruddy once again retells the tale once again. Savra offers a toast, and the knights heartily partake. Ruddy draws the symbol they observed at Lance Rock. Thurl closely examines the symbol. He shows the parchment to everyone, and during the discussion he pockets the drawing. Dhukean notices and attempts to discern Thurl's  motive. The dwarf suspects that Thurl has seen this symbol before. When questioned, Thurl replies that he wishes to compare this drawing to information he has in his chambers.

The knights are clearly unaware of the larger happenings in the Dessarin Valley, for they relentlessly question the Coopers about happenings around them. Darelle questions Savra about the Spire. Savra replies that the Feathergale Society moved in a dozen years ago in what was then an abandoned keep, and made it their own. Dhukhean overhears the exchange between Savra and Darelle about the tower being empty before the Feathergale Society's arrival. He suspects that this might have been part of the Bessamir kingdom, but the tower is clearly of human craftmanship.

Seeing that it is late, Thurl invites the Coopers to spend the night with them. Savra and the other knights can barely contain their excitement. Thurl then excuses himself,  claiming a headache. However, he invites the Coopers to participate in a manticore hunt on the morrow. The Coopers are assigned three bunk rooms that usually serve as bedrooms to the knights. One for the ladies, one for the men, and one for the short people. Of course, everyone is invited to remain in the Great Hall and enjoy the knights' hospitality. Every member of the party claims to be tired, however, and they withdraw to their lodgings. 

After about an hour, Thorne opens the window and sees two knights flying in the air. Carefully hiding in the shadows, he climbs to the third floor. In the first window he sees a room very much like his own. A man is sleeping in one of the bunks. He maneuvers to the next window on his left. Through the panes of glass he sees Thurl, sitting at a desk and writing a letter. Thorne returns to the other window, and breaks in without waking up the sleeping knight. He then sneaks out through the door, and moves to Thurl's door. His attempt to pick the lock is noisy, however, and he suddenly hears footsteps from the other side. Thurl has gotten up and is coming this way. Thorne rushes back to the room and closes the door. Thurl's door does not immediately open, however. It takes a few minutes, but eventually Thurl himself steps on the landing and goes downstairs.

Not knowing that Thorne is gone, Lawrence silently opens his door, and steps in the short hallway leading back to the Great Hall. He plans on moving down the stairs, but is unfortunately spotted by the partying knights and is invited to join them. Unable to leave without arising suspicion, the thief stays with the crowd.

A knock on the short people's door awakens Ruddy. Savra is at the door, and invites the gnome to her chambers. He readily agrees, proving the old adage, "Once you go gnome you never go home."

With Thurl gone, Thorne enters his room. He finds a letter scribbled in a child's hand writing. He memorizes it, before putting it back on Thurl's desk. Who is this Aerisi Kalinoth?

Merosska,
We are pleased to hear about the outcome of
your altercation with the Black Earth cult, 

and we praise you for the capture of one of their
prisoners. This noblewoman from Ustalav
has an interesting tale to tell, 

and we shall enjoy interrogating her further. 

Keep a close watch on the Sacred Stone Monastery. 

I want to know what our enemy is planning next.
Your beloved queen,  

Aerisi Kalinoth

As Lawrence pretends to laugh at the antics of the drunken knights, he notices four burly guards make their ways to his room. The guards knock on the door, and awaken the dwarf. They politely request that Dhukhean follow them, as Thurl wants to share a startling discovery. The dwarf grabs his weapons and agrees to go with them. The noise was loud enough to alert the Cooper sisters, who also emerge from their room. Lawrence joins the party as well, and the now large group heads back to the ground floor. They are led to a conservatory where they find Thurl. The master of Feathergale Spire is clearly unhappy to see that Dhukhean is not alone, but he makes the most of it by showing the group what he discovered. One of the exotic plants in the conservatory features a similar pattern to the symbol Ruddy drew on its leaves. Darelle cannot identify the plant, but knows that it is very poisonous. The ranger takes a few cuttings. Dhukhean suspects it could be used in ceremonies by cult members.

Map of Feathergale Spire

The party then returns to their respective rooms accompanied by their guards. Thorne, meanwhile, had rejoined his bedroom and shares what he learned with Naga.


Abadius 22, 4713 

The Coopers awaken in the morning to find a clear sky but bitterly cold temperature. As they come out of their respective rooms, Thorne informs the rest of the party about the letter he discovered in Thurl's room. Welcomed to breakfast by the knights, they are soon joined by Thurl, who appears not to have slept very well. Thorne questions Thurl about the Black Earth Cult. Thurl tells them this renegade cult is made up of scoundrels and beggars who hide their desire for wealth behind a facade of worshiping the ground. He then shares with them the location of the Sacred Stone Monastery, the headquarters of the Black Earth Cult.

As the Coopers ready to hunt the manticore, Thorne, Daryle and Lawrence decide to stay behind and investigate Feathergale Spire. While the Coopers ready their mounts, Thorne begins exploring the Spire. He first stops in the kitchen. A team of servants is busy preparing the noon meal. The rogue approaches one of the servants, and quietly engages in conversation with him. After he pays the servant five crowns, Thorne hears about the prisoner the knights are keeping in the basement of the Spire. He decides to return to the basement and watch the remaining members of the party outfit themselves for the hunt.

In the basement the Coopers find stables. Though most of the alcoves are empty, there are three giant vultures, two griffons, and one hippogriff. Ruddy agrees to ride with Savra her griffon. Darelle and Dhukhean also ride on a griffon. Two knights accompany them on their own mounts. As they fly away, Lawrence realizes that he had not seen the two riders accompanying the party before.

The mounts quick rise above the clouds, and begin searching the canyon where the manticore dwells. Savra explains to Ruddy that the Feathergale Knights have been hunting it for months, but have never successfully gotten close enough to kill it. They've struck a few blows, but have been unable to wound it enough to force it to land.

The group separates but remain within visual range. As they fly, Savra points out evidence of the manticore's passage to Ruddy. The canyon where they are flying is filled with low-level fog, making the ground all but impossible to spot. Darelle is the first one to spot the creature, and she banks her flying mount. Spotting the maneuver, Ruddy points, and Savra imitates the ranger. The other knights follow suit. A pursuit ensues, and when they get close enough the party engage the manticore. While Darelle fires volleys of magic missiles at it, Savra launches arrows. Ruddy, not to be outdone and perhaps showing off for Savra, signs that he wants to get closer, and when above the monster he jumps out of the saddle and on its back. The manticore attempts to shake him off, but is unable to do so.

As Ruddy lands a series of blows, the two knights spring a surprise attack on Darelle and Dhukhean's mount, which is quickly killed. Plummeting out of the sky, Darelle jumps on the jar of cloud, while Dhukhean, perhaps not thinking as clearly due to the altitude, tergiversates. As the ground rapidly approaches, he attempts an escape, but the straps holding him in place prevent him from doing so, and he hits the ground at a prodigious speed. The last conscious thing he sees before passing out are two pairs of heavy combat boots walking towards him. Darelle spends some time on the cloud looking for the paladin, but does not find him. The fog is just too thick. She decides to return to Feathergale Spire and report the treacherous news.

Meanwhile, flying now at a fair distance, Ruddy successfully kills the manticore. As it too falls to the ground, the gnome realizes his predicament. Fortunately, Savra closes the gap again, and Ruddy performs a manly jump back on her mount. When the falling body of the manticore disappears in the fog, Savra proposes that they return to Feathergale Spire. The cold will keep the body, and they can come back when the fog clears off. Ruddy ponders on why there would be fog on this freezingly clear day...

After watching their friends fly away, the remaining Coopers continue their exploration of Feathergale Spire. Carefully pacing around the stable, they come upon an angry hippogriff. When questioned, one of the stable boys informs them that this mount was hurt in a battle with the manticore a few weeks ago, and its rider was killed. It is ill tempered, and lets no one approach it. Daryle enters its stall, and uses her ranger skills to heal the hippogriff. Still distrustful, the creature nonetheless appears thankful. Lawrence then notices a trap door in the floor of the hippogriff's stall. While no one is looking, Daryle opens the door, and lowers herself in it. She is quickly followed by Lawrence and Thorne, who closes the door behind him.

In the dungeon below the stable floor, they discover a series of twelve jail cells. Each cell is occupied by a humanoid. One female dwarf is present, but she is clearly not Zeshan Wayfinder, the wife of Dhukhean's cheftain. Though the creatures are mostly human, there is an elf, a halfling, and a bugbear. The bugbear sports this symbol tattooed on his large arm. They have seen this sign before, and Daryle remembers that the tube and the message they found in the brigands' camp bore a similar triangular symbol.

Black Earth Cult

Thorne questions the bugbear, who grudgingly reveals that he was on a mission to find and make prisonners any dwarf he could find, before he was captured by knights and imprisoned here. The female dwarf, Broga, is more talkative, and tells the Coopers she was captured by the Howling Hatred Cult, but their plans for her are not clear. She doesn't know much about them, nor how they are associated with the Feathergale Society, but she does know that they worship Yan-C Bin. Unfortunately, this name doesn't mean anything to the Coopers.

When a guard comes to check on the prisoners, the Coopers quickly dispatch him. Armed with the keys, they decide to free the prisoners ...

The Lord of Lance Rock

Abadius 20, 4713 

Over the last two days a blizzard has blanketed Red Larch with another two feet of snow, so the Coopers have remained at the Swinging Sword Inn and have spent most of their time in the common room, listening to the local men and women share their tales. Aside from the fact that no one in living memory has ever seen so much snow in this area, they hear that more attacks on isolated homesteads have taken place, and that both Uthgardt barbarians and the Iceshield orcs may be responsible. In the last month,  some farmers quietly whisper, shredded corpses have been found in the vicinity of Rundreth Manor, possibly the victims of the Dark Lady who lives in the ruins. There are also reports from a pair of traveling merchants that the womford bat has been snatching people at night. Finally, several workers at Thelorn's Safe Journey wagonmaker report suspicious activities near their workshop.

When they wake up this morning, the Coopers immediately notice that the wind is not howling outside the Inn, and the sky is a bright blue. The temperature is still bitterly cold, but after a hearty breakfast Daryle suggests investigating Lance Rock and Feathergale Spire, since they are located near each other. She spends her morning manufacturing snow shoes for the party, and soon the party is out trekking in the cold Dessarin Valley. In the late afternoon, they spot the gleaming tower of  Feathergale Spire about ten miles northeast. Continuing on, they come upon Lance Rock about an hour later.

Looking around the site, Darelle notices that this giant stone lance clearly came from the sky and landed with an incredible impact. as only the shaft of the stone lance sticks out of the ground. As they search the area, Ruddy comes across a snow covered rock with what appears to be crude letters carved into it. He clears the boulder, and comes upon a message written in Common:

Come no closer 

lest you catch the disfiguring plague 

that afflicts me! 

The Lord of Lance Rock

Daryle locates a tunnel entering at the base of the lance. Following a short tunnel is a small cave, with a dead body laying in a prostating position, with his pants pulled down to his knees. The body shows clear evidence that it suffered from the plague before death. Carefully the party explores the room, but the body does not react until Dhukhean attempts to cast a spell on it. It suddenly springs up and attacks the party. The undead proves to be more dangerous than expected, and it takes the Coopers some effort to finally defeat it, but each strike it inflicted made the victim feel slightly sick before recovering.

As they explore other rooms, they keep finding bodies in similar positions, all facing towards the lance. Although some of the bodies appear to be fresher and wear local fashion, most are foreigners. Dhukhean and the sisters light several of the bodies on fire, and quickly dispatch them. Coming into a large room, they find the tip of the lance, which features a large hole with a what looks like a strange sun symbol, or, as the Lord of Lance Rock interpreted it, a fully dilated anus on it. A disembodied voice taunts the Coopers, but they taunt it right back, threatening to defile the symbol.

Soon they hear running steps, and the Lord of Lance Rock enters the room, tripping on the trap set by the rangers. All four of them land blows on the Lord of Lance Rock, but his fearsome appearance scares all but the dwarf away. Noticing him for the first time, he seems pleased to see him and claims that there are some who would love to get their hands on a dwarf. Dhukhean lands powerful blows, but the Lord of Lance Rock returns the favor.  Things are not going well for the dwarf fighting alone against the necromancer.

Ruddy, Darelle and Daryle manage to snap out of their fear, and rejoin the fight. Their combined efforts weaken the Lord of Lance Rock, and Dhukhean finally lands a mighty blow and the self-styled Lord of Lance Rock is cleaved in half, meeting his demise.

Searching his belongings, the Coopers find his favorite weapon, a +3 staff of dessication. With the Lord of Lance Rock dead, one of the threats to the Sumber Hills has been dealt with.

Assault in the Wilderness

Abadius 14, 4713

Zeshan Wayfinder and her dwarven convoy, which Dhukhean has been tasked with escorting back to Korvosa, are due today. Dhukhean arrives at the Swinging Sword Inn for breakfast. He has polished his boots, his beard, and his bald spot, and his ceremonial clothes are impeccably pressed. The scent of beard oil is pervasive throughout the dining room, and some of the patrons silently gag. Kaylessa Irkell thanks the Coopers for their help in getting most of her staff back. Breakfast is heartier and more abundant this morning, but the weather outside remains unseasonably cold and snowy, unusual weather for this area.

The Coopers decide to brave the weather and meet the convoy on the road. They saddle their horses and head north on the Long Road towards Westbridge. A few hours out of Red Larch, a storm strikes from the west and soon the road all but disappear beneath a blanket of snow. Only the trees and boulders on the side of the road indicate its direction. The snow keeps pilling on, and after eight hours of traveling the Coopers are exhausted.

Daryle finds a sheltered space and pitches her tent. Darelle outdoes her sister and uses the jar of cloud to create a cloud castle on the ground. Lawrence wraps himself in his warm blanket. Ruddy finds a rock, and has Naga heat it to a comfortable temperature. He then climbs a tall tree, bundles up in his sleeping bag with the rock radiating heat and keeps guard, watching the area despite the blinding snow. Daryle sets up a few traps that will trigger an alarm if someone, or something, approaches during the night. The Coopers divide the watches among themselves, but the night is uneventful and they are able to rest.


Abadius 15, 4713 

At midpoint in the night, Ruddy notices the storm abating, and soon the last flake fall from the sky. When a weak sun rises in the east, the entire countryside is covered with a deep blanket of white snow. Over 20 inches fell over the last day. Though it is not snowing anymore, the winds continue to blow and the temperature remains very cold. In the distance, a few miles north, Lawrence spots a flock of carrion birds, while two larger flying creatures are moving east, away from the flock at vertiginous speeds.

The Coopers trek north through the snow with difficulty. After an hour, they come to the scene of a battle, covered with snow. Two wagons have been overturned and broken, and a dozen human corpses lay underneath the snow. Though some have been slashed and pierced, most show blunt damage similar to the dead bodies from another encountered caravan under attack. Each human body wears a livery of a red star on black tunics, which Dhukhean recognizes as that of his clan. There are no dwarven bodies in the ruins of the caravan, and everything has been thoroughly looted. Lawrence and Thorne search for secret compartments and hidden places, and find that even these did not escape the pilfering. 

On the edge of the battle are two cairns. One stands about ten feet tall and appears crudely built. The other one, about three feet tall, is of human origin. Dhukhean examines the larger cairn and determines that it was built by bugbears. Digging through the stones, Dhukhean discovers that at least five bugbears wearing a distinctive brown leather armor bearing a strange symbol are buried there.

After watching Dhukhean explore the larger cairn, Daryle examines the smaller one but realizes there is no easy way to remove enough stones to peek inside, and she's not comfortable desecrating someone's resting place, even if it is an enemy. Lawrence, meanwhile, looks for evidence of trails on the west side of the road, and eventually finds a large trail blazed through the wilderness. An attempt has been made in camouflaging its entrance into the clearing where the battle has taken place, and the depth of snow indicates that a large group of about fifty individuals came through here, then returned the same way.

Lawrence advises the party of his discovery, and soon they are on the enemies' trail. Darelle and Daryle estimate that they are probably about twelve hours behind them. The Coopers follow the trail north over ten miles, and eventually turn back east towards the Long Road. Once again the trail blazed by the large group has been camouflaged so that it would be less visible from the road. They then travel on the road for another four miles, before another trail, once again camouflaged, heads east in the Sumber Hills. Naga transforms into an owl and flies up. He can see far towards the horizon northward, but the Sumber Hills stretch eastward. He can spot evidence of the trail heading along the foothills, and then reconnects to the Stone Trail. He returns to report his findings.

The trek through the wilderness emerges back on the Stone Trail, but once again the trail veers off the road and enters the Sumber Hills. Lawrence discovers a finely made white scarf. Thorne identifies it as dwarven, while Dhukhean recognizes it as Zeshan's scarf. 

With night rapidly approaching, the Coopers set up camp. Naga spots several fires in the distance, probably the town of Beliard. Closer to their camp, however, along the Stone Trail about two miles away, is a small fire. Naga flies towards it, and lands nearby. Four heavily armed men protect a small wagon. Two of them are cooking dinner, while one is guarding and the other is putting the finishing touches to the tents. He eavesdrop on their conversations. Aside from their concerns about possible attacks by bandits, the men are worried about rumors they have heard in Westbridge that Old Gnawbone, a green dragon who dwells in the Sumber Hills, has been more active of late. Naga flies away, startling the guards, who let arrows fly. He informs the Coopers of what he overheard, and the party gets ready to spend one more frigid night in the wilderness.


Abadius 16, 4713 

After a light breakfast, the Coopers break camp, and examine their options. Lawrence spots three flying creatures in the distance, about four miles away, flying a northerly course following the Dessarin River. Should they attempt to contact them, or are they hostiles? Daryle uses a mirror to shine the sun towards them, and the creatures immediately turn and head their way. Soon the Coopers realize that the three creatures are actually griffons with riders on their backs. One of the rider lands. A beautiful human woman wearing a winged helmet and a finely crafted armor lands her griffon, and disembarks. She introduces herself as Savra Belabranta, a captain in the Feathergale Society, a group of flying enthusiasts with deep pockets who repurposed a small castle south of here in the Sumber Hills, and who enjoy flying with their griffons. Given all of the troubles around the Dessarin Valley, they've been keeping an eye out, and her patrol has been on the lookout for a large group of bugbears who traveled through this area two days ago, but lost them in the storm.

Thorne asks her what the Feathergale Society is. She replies that the Feathergale Society is a group of well off individuals, mostly hailing from Korvosa, Tanram and as far away as Caliphas, in Ustalav. These individual share an interest in the noble calling of aerial steeds and found the Sumber Hills to be perfect for their sport due to the high winds and turbulence. Talking to her, Thorne gets the distinctive impression that she's a rich and spoiled person who achieved her title not through her accomplishments but through her family's influence. Savra invites the Coopers to Feathergale Spire next time they are in the area, so that they can ride together. Thorne gives her a healing flower.

Resuming their pursuit, the Coopers continue deep in the Sumber Hills, and find themselves at the end of another exhausting day still in the wilderness. They pitch camp, select watches, and they try to get as much rest as possible.Unfortunately, during the night their camp is attacked. During Naga's watch, he hears growling and scratching sounds coming from outside the cloud castle. He wakes Ruddy, and the two of them step outside to investigate. They are confronted by three large toad-like beasts with six legs, each ridden by a small fey creature. They immediately attack. The battle goes poorly for Ruddy and Naga at first, but soon, with the rest of the Coopers joining the attack, they are able to defeat the attackers, killing all fey and two of the beasts while one escapes.


Abadius 18, 4713 

With injuries and running low on supplies, the Coopers return to Red Larch. On their way through the southern part of the Sumber Hills, they see Feathergale Spire in the distance...

Rumors in Red Larch

Abadius 13, 4713

Following their long trek from Korvosa to Red Larch, the Coopers spent their first exhausted night in the small village, but managed to get some rest overnight. Waking up early in the morning, they find that the winter weather is unsettled, with gusts of cold air and a temperature hovering near freezing. Arriving in the dining room for breakfast, they are met by the Swinging Sword Inn proprietor, Kaylessa Irkell. She seems frazzled, and when Darelle politely inquires, Kaylessa tells her that four of her workers did not report to work this morning. Rumors are spreading around the village like wild fire, and the latest one has it that a plague is spreading throughout the homesteads around Lance Rock, a large rock formation about an hour southwest of Red Larch. And two days ago it was the rumors of ghosts have been seen near an old burial mound of the Uthgardt tribe not far from town. Kaylessa bitterly complains that the area has changed for the worse over the last six or so months, and she apologizes that breakfast will be a lighter fare than usual, given her small staff.  

Darelle and Daryle head to the dining room, and are soon served a breakfast of bacon, eggs and oatmeal. Four local workers are also sitting in the dining room, eating their breakfast. Three are clearly stone cutters, for their heavy winter coats are covered with stone dust, while the fourth appears to be a carpenter. They pay the sisters no attention as they enter, but Darelle soon notices one of the stone cutters' attention perk up when Dhukhean joins the sister after his night at the Allsfaith Shrine. While the dwarf orders breakfast, Darelle watches the worker stand up and depart, leaving his plate half finished but soon eaten by one of his colleagues. The ranger stands, and decides to follow the worker. Witnessing her sister get up and leave the Swinging Sword Inn, Daryle also stands and follows her.

Ruddy enters the dining room and orders breakfast. He questions Kaylessa about the livery uniforms and she reports that over the last six months many caravans have been attacked, and it seems the more heavily armed a caravan, the higher its chances of being attacked. Kaylessa doesn't know much about House Goeland aside from the fact that it is a large transport and hauling concern in the area, moving goods on the long road. With his breakfast finished, Dhukhean informs Ruddy that he will be at the Allsfaith Shrine to consult their library and see if he can discover more information about the dwarven kingdom of Besilmer and its capital of Tyar-Besil.

Naga, who slept in a farmer's barn, arrives at the Singing Inn for breakfast. Ruddy tells him about the caravans. Naga suggests that they set up a decoy with a caravan, to entice the brigands to attack them. Both continue to elaborate plans while they finish tiehr breakfast.

Meanwhile, Darelle follows the worker, who makes his way to Dornen Finestone, where he enters the plain square building always coated in gray-white shrouds of rock dust that serves as the business office. Wishing to investigate further and to get closer, Darelle disguises herself and enter the quarry. A solicitous worker in his mid fifties comes along and welcomes her to the business, and asks if she needs any assistance. Darelle replies she's interested in stone slates for a house in Korvosa, and the worker shows her several samples. Impressed, Darelle asks to meet with the owner to finalize a sale. The worker takes her to the business office, and as they enter Darelle notices the worker from the Singing Inn exiting the owner' office, after receiving a slap on the back. The worker walks out of the office with a grin on his face, and does not appear to recognize the ranger.

The owner, Elak Dornen, welcomes Darelle to Red Larch and asks her if she found anything she was interested in. Daryle enters the office and joins her sister. Darelle places an order for rock slates, and Elak Dornen agrees to ship the slates down to Korvosa in a forthnight for 160 crowns. He seems very happy to have concluded a sale, and when questioned, reports that business has been bad these last six months, with caravans and merchants being attacked by bandits, and with the local constabulary unable to deal with the influx of miscreants. He guarantees delivery to the sisters' house, and if the wagon does not arrive he will personally drive another team with slate down to Korvosa. The sisters thank him and depart, determined now to find the constable and learn more about what may be affecting the area.

Dhukhean returns to the Allsfaith Shrine, and searches for any historical references to Besilmer in the large library housed in the shrine. Unfortunately, the dwarf kingdom is either of no interest to the locals, or so far back in time that he does not find many references. He does discover, however, that the dwarves of Besilmer constructed a magnificent stone archway made of smooth, fused hard green granite that stretched from one shore of the Dessarin River to the other, extending about two miles and reaching four hundred feet in the air and comfortably exceeding the largest spring flood ever experienced by the river. This site, which was constructed over a millenium ago, once witnessed the appearance of the dwarf god Magrim to rally the dwarves of Belsimer against a horde of orcs attempting to cross the bridge to reach the western side. It is during this battle that King Thorild Flametongue perished, but not before defeating a hill giant. Upon his death his remains were buried in the Halls of the Hunting Axe in Tyar-Besil.

The sisters successfully track Harbuck Tuthmarillar, constable of Red Larch, at his wife's shop, Jalessa Orna's Butcher. The butcher shop occupies the first of four identical single-story stone buildings that run from the street towards the edge of the village in a line. The shop can be identified by a painted sign showing a ham being carved by a large iron cleaver. The second building appears to be a smokehouse, with two large chimneys emerging from the roof on either side, while the third building, with currently emptied flower pots and a clothesline indicate this is the owner's residence. The fourth building appears to be the constabulary office, with its two small windows sporting bars.

When they enter the constabulary office, the Coopers find Harbuck talking to a ruffian in the one jail cell. Harbuck turns to the Coopers and politely asks them what he can do for them. When they express their support and that they are interested in helping enforce the laws in the area, Harbuck appears relieved. Daryle produces her Hellknight credentials, and Harbuck immediately deputizes her. They question him about the caravans being attacked. Harbuck reports news similar to what Ruddy and Naga learned. He doesn't know why this increase in criminality is happening, but he knows that his forces are hopelessly outmatched. He informs the Coopers that of all the current problems affecting Red Larch, his biggest concern is the presence of mysterious figures wearing stone masks watch over Mellikho Stoneworks' stone quarries at night. Workers now refuse to work with torches, even if guards are present, which directly impacts the local economy.

With lunch being served at the Swinging Sword Inn, the party reunites and eats another light meal. Daryle sits at the table with her new shiny badge, while Darelle retells what they found out during their morning errands. Kaylessa once again apologizes to them for the low quality of the food and of the service, and complains about her staff not showing up to work. Ruddy announces that they will go meet with the workers to make sure everyone is safe and sound, and to encourage them to return to work. Kaylessa gladly provides them with the location of their residences, and, once their meal is finished they head out. They find the first three workers well enough. One of them simply wanted the day off because he felt it was too cold to walk to work. The other two have heard rumors of the plague in the homesteads near Lance Rock and were instructed by their parents to remain home until more information could be obtained. Dhukhean shares that he doesn't believe there is a plague, and that it is safe for the workers to return to the Swinging Sword Inn. That leaves the last worker, who lives on a homestead an hour east of Red Larch.

The bitterly cold winds have picked up, and with them snow flurries, when the Coopers arrive at the Rumford homestead. Thick pillars of black smoke arise from the ruins, clear evidence that the homestead was attacked and torched. Where once stood a sturdy stone house, two outbuildings and barn, and several fenced-in fields, nothing but smoldering wreckage remain. Naga determines that the fire were magical in nature. The Cooper sisters explore the ruins but find no bodies, despite the fact that eleven people were reported to live here. Darelle spots several small pools of blood on the ground, and finds clear marks that both animals and people were hauled away by a large group of humanoids. In the distance, Dhukhean spots six riders on horses, who cautiously ride in.

The leader of the barbarian riders confronts the Coopers and question why they burned the homestead. The Coopers reply they are not responsible for what happened here but rather were investigating. The barbarian leader introduces himself as Argos, third son of Ferndell, leader of the Elk Tribe of the Uthgardt, and that they have been stalking the Sumber Hills looking for bandits who have taken refuge in what the tribe considers to be its lands. Argos doesn't care for the homesteaders, whom he considers to be encroaching on the tribe's territory, but he he is saddened to see that they came to harm. The Coopers are convinced that Argos and his men were not responsible for the destruction of the homestead. They bid the barbarians goodbye, and they follow the tracks left by whomever attacked the Rumfords.

After nearly an hour, they catch up to an encampment nested on the bank of a hill, barely protected from the wind. Two large tents have been pitched, and a corral has been hastily assembled to house the Rumford animals. Four brigands guard the approaches to the camp, while six more sit at campfires. There are no signs of prisoners. The Coopers immediately launch an attack on the camp, and the brigands soon find themselves overwhelmed. From one of the tent emerges a Gerald, who cackles and returns inside the tent when he sees his men being overpowered. Daryle sets his tent ablaze, but the sorcerer dimension doors to the top of the hill and unleashes a series of fireballs on Dhukhean. Ruddy and Naga dispatch a number of the enemy, while Darelle spots two of the brigands entering the second tent with their daggers drawn. Naga flies and lifts the tent, dropping it on the remaining brigands fighting outside, while Darelle enters the space and fights the other two, who were bent on eliminating their prisoners.

With the combat wrapped up, the Coopers have managed to rescue all eleven members of the Rumford family as well as their animals. Dhukhean heals their wounds. In the wreckage of Gerald's tent Darelle finds a warhammer called Jawcrusher and a sealed tube. On the tube is the following symbol:

In this tube is an unadressed letter written in child-like handwriting informing the bearer that any captured dwarf is to be taken to Thurl Merosska. Who is this person, and why would he want dwarves?

The path less traveled

Abadius 3, 4713

The riots of Korvosa eventually settle into a simmering low-level civil war, with Korvosian troops putting down roving bands of opponents. Queen Ileosa remains unpopular, but martial law and Hellknight support have now brought the situation to a stalemate. Having returned from their trip to Magnimar as escorts to Duke Mosley's niece Olivia nearly three months ago, the Coopers put their affairs in order and clean Zellara's house to make it their own. Dhukhean pursues his dwarven clan's mission of setting up its embassy despite the troubling times. Thorne secretly conducts several missions for Mosley, while keeping an eye on the local Hellknights for him.

Ruddy McStabby, a rugged gnome slayer bounty hunter, arrived in Korvosa a month ago, hot on the trail of Geralds. He has been hunting them down all over Golarion after receiving a commission from Duke Mosley, who remains holed up in the Emerald Spire, exploiting its magical energy. In the last six months Ruddy has eliminated seven of the pesky Geralds. In Korvasa, he ran into the Cooper sisters and they commiserated over the plague of Geralds that have been unleashed on the continent. The sister loved their triplet brother, but also hated him.

Naga spends the three months following the Breaching Festival in Korvosa working as a mercenary on ships plying the trade routes between Korvosa and Cheliax. Along the way he hears that Duke Mosley has finally been disinherited and disowned from his mother, her Infernal Majestrix, Queen Abrogail II of the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune and a price has been put on his head. Rumors of forces gathering on both sides of what promises to be a bloody conflict for the future of Cheliax are spreading rapidly along the Inner Sea and even faraway coasts.

Early in the morning, Dhukhean receives a messenger from his clan. This dwarf informs him he must travel on the Long Road leading from Korvosa to Kaer Maga. The chief's wife, Zeshan Wayfinder is traveling with a retinue from the Kodar Mountains, where she visited family, and is now heading to Korvosa to inaugurate the clan's new embassy. Dhukhean is instructed to meet her caravan in the village of Red Larch, where she is expected in about ten days, and escort her back to Korvosa. Dhukhean is proud of the honor of being asked, and he decides to ask the Cooper sisters if they would like to accompany him on what he expects to be an uneventful trip.

Gathering together for a communal evening meal at the Pier's Lantern to celebrate the new year, Dhukhean outlines his upcoming travel plans. Darelle and Daryle readily agree to escort the dwarf, happy to be leaving the city behind for a few weeks. Naga, Lawrence, and Ruddy are cajoled in coming with them. Thorne, who arrives late, elects to go with the group as well. Thus, arrangements are made to depart the following morning and head to the village of Red Larch, a few days south of Kaer Maga.



Abadius 12, 4713

For nine days the Coopers' trip is uneventful. Instead of journeying on the Long Road, they choose the Kheldell Path. Less traveled and longer than the Long Road, Kheldell Path avoids many settlements and, paradoxically, offers a speedier trip. The weather remains cold and gloomy, with a few days of sunshine and decent temperatures. Spring is still a few months away in this part of Varisia. The rangers successfully gather food along the path, and for nine days the expedition makes good progress

priest wearing dun colored robes leading the search of the wagon. The priest appears agitated and is clearly looking for something, as he yells at his men to hurry up and find the object he desires. The remaining Coopers cannot see the priest from their vantage point, and Ruddy has no way to notify them. Thorne moves forward and, using a tree for partial cover, fires an arrow at the bandit he deduces is in charge. Surprised by this attack, the bandits are slow to react and the Coopers rain arrows on the hapless bandits. Soon, however, the battle is joined.

When Dhukhean enters the fray, the bandits' attention shift to him. The priest emerges from the shelter of the overturned wagon and casts a spell. The ground in front of Dhukhean erupts like a geyser, spraying stones everywhere and inflicting serious damage to many members of the party. Then, three huge earth elementals emerge from the ground and launch themselves at the dwarf. Lawrence moves through the forest on the opposite side of Ruddy, and stabs a bandit to death. Thorne continues to fire arrows along with Daryle, while Darelle and Dhukhean move in for close quarter combat. Thorne notices that though the elementals appear to collaborate with the bandits, they are not commanded by them. The elementals' movement blocks their view of the rest of the battle, however, and Dhukhean soon finds himself in trouble. Incapacitated by a powerful blow, he is unceremoniously grabbed by an elemental, who attempts to pull him underground. Quick thinking by Naga and Darelle slays the elemental, but Dhukhean is buried to his beard in hard-packed ground. The remaining elementals are soon dispatched, and efforts are undertaken to revive and dig Dhukhean from the ground.

Meanwhile, Ruddy and Lawrence kill several bandits. Seeing his troops depleted, the bandit chief gives the retreat signal, and the remaining bandits, including the priest, manage to slip away back in the forest.

Ruddy boards the wagon and begins searching it. He discovers a crate containing four silver candlesticks marked with a strange symbol, an X with a squiggle line underneath:

 
He also finds evidence that two dwarves were aboard the wagon. Part of a cloak remain behind, and a booth is found partially buried in the road, indicating that the dwarves were most likely pulled underground by elementals. Lawrence, who also climbs aboard the overturned wagon, discovers two books in a secret compartment. Both books are covered in dark leather with iron bindings and inscribed in golden letters. Written in dwarven, the books are eventually shown to Dhukhean, who identifies them as volumes III and IV of the history of Besilmer, a dwarven kingdom which, atypically, was pastoral in nature. They built their capital at Tyar-Besil, site of a mighty battle between dwarves and the last outpost of a Drow empire.

Ruddy shows the cloak and the boot to Dhukhean, who identifies the items as belonging to dwarves of the  Mindspin Mountains to the East and not part of the caravan from the North the party is expecting to meet in Red Larch. The Coopers clean up the battle scene, and after a pause to recuperate continue on their trip, arriving at Red Larch an hour before sunset.

In the village, Darelle, Daryle, Thorne and Ruddy book rooms at the Swinging Sword Inn, a three-story stone inn topped with a very steep slate roof dotted with a multitude of chimneys. The signboard, which hangs from chains above the door, displays a wooden scimitar emblazoned with the inn's name in red paint on each side. The property also features stables and several outbuildings to accommodate patrons' needs. Welcoming and luxurious by the area's otherwise rustic standards, each room features a hearth with a light fire, warm draperies and tapestries illustrating several scenes of recent history of the Dessarin Valley. Each room also has its own private bathroom with running water, provided by an intricate rooftop cisterns and heating system.

Despite the winter cold, Naga and Lawrence look for and locate a barn. The local farmer reluctantly agrees to let the halfling and tiefling use his barn for shelter for the night.


Dhukhean visits the Allfaiths Shrine, and meets both Imdar Relvaunder, a priest of Gorum, and Lymmura Auldarhk, a priestess of Shelyn. The priests are pleased to see the dwarf and agree to let him stay with them for the night.

Of feys and hags

Lamashan 2, 4712

Having survived the Breaching Festival by escaping from the contract devil Chyvvom, the Coopers and the surviving members of their party are invited to attend a large banquet at Castle Korvosa to celebrate the signing of a new trade agreement between a dwarf clan of the Linnorm Kingdoms and Korvosa. A representative of Queen Ileosa personally delivers embossed invitations on golden sheets. The Cooper sisters are leery, but accept the invitation nonetheless. With free time on hand, the sisters decide to explore Korvosa. At Evelyn's Potions and Experiments, Daryle purchases a dozen cure light wounds and a few cure medium wounds. She also purchases two potions of invisibility, and a potion of feather fall. Darelle locates an herbalist shop called Bergman's of Korvosa and purchases three bundles of angel blue herbs, which would make about 6 to 8 doses of the poison. She also acquires a bundle of bishop's weed. A small plant with pale blue flowers and pale green leaves with blue veins, bishop's weed can be crushed and mixed in with wine to provide a certain level of protection (+5 bonus on Fortitude saves to resist a disease or a plague) against non-magical plagues. Its effectiveness lasts for about a week. Over 100 crowns a bundle, the price of bishop's weed goes up rapidly in times when diseases spread far and wide.

Continuing their tour of Korvosa, the sisters come upon a small out of the way magic shop, the Eye of the Beholder. Darelle purchases a rod of escape, while Daryle acquires the Book of Geometry. Their money from the reward spent, the sisters return to the Upslope House, a quaint two stories bed and breakfast located midway up the hill leading to the castle. This building features ten rooms that can accommodate up to twenty-two people. They spend a relaxing afternoon and make last minute preparations to attend the official dinner. Their brother Roscoe has remained in his room since their arrival in Korvosa, and refuses to leave for reasons of his own. The sisters share their invitation with him, then depart for Castle Korvosa.

Dhukhean Grimmail is a dwarf paladin who accompanies the dwarf delegation. Fourth in command, he is there to supervise the security of the delegation. With the official dinner in a few hours but with all preparations done and ready, he decides to explore Korvosa. At first, he searches a shrine to the dwarven got Torag, but even among the multiplicity of gods and goddesses worshiped in the city, this god cannot be found. He turns his attention to the various stores that peddle wares more exotic than what he is used to, and quickly locates the Eye of the Beholder. After arduous negotiations, Dhukhean purchases a  belt of incredible dexterity +2. Pleased with his new acquisition, he returns to the palace and prepares for the official dinner.

Arriving at Castle Korvosa, the sisters are met by a beautiful woman dressed in magnificent full plate armor—the queen’s handmaiden, bodyguard, and closest companion, Sabina Merrin. She examines the sisters' invitation, then allows them to proceed to the Great Hall. The sisters find their seats midway through a long table set for 150 guests. They are sitting next to the dwarven delegation, and find their dining companion to be a talkative dwarf named Dhukhean.

King Eodred II welcomes the guests, and pronounces a short speech on the value of this new commercial alliance. He then introduces his queen, Ileosa, and excuses himself from the dinner. Where the King is clearly in his mid eighties, Ileosa is beautiful and very young, barely in her twenties. It is clear to the sisters that she is the true power in Korvosa.

After the speeches by the Queen and the leader of the dwarf negotiations team, Darelle asks Dhukhean if he knows Grunt Farnsworth. Dhukhean recalls that the Farnsworth clan exiled one of its own about fifteen years ago. Darelle questions the dwarf on what happened, and Dhukhean replies that that Farnsworth individual had insisted upon shaving his beard for a time, to the horror and shame of his clan, forcing his exile. Dhukhean then relates the origins of his name and why he serves the dwarven god Torag.

During the proceedings, Dhukhean detects evil and notices that about a quarter of the guests are of the evil persuasion, especially those sitting in the Queen's entourage, but the sheer number of people makes it impossible to distinguish exactly who possesses evil tendencies. Spotting Sabina, Dhukhean shares with the sisters information that he gathered about the Queen's bodyguard. According to rumors, Sabina was once the protégé of the famed weapons master Vencarlo Orisini, whose family has been influential in Korvosa for generations. Sabina left the school under dubious circumstances after she fought bitter duel with her former master. Since her departure from Orisini’s academy, she found her way into the Korvosan Guard. Her skills has led to a swift rise through the ranks, and her ferocity in battle and her gothic beauty are said to have caught Queen Ileosa’s eye. The queen requested Sabina be discharged from the Guard, then quickly reassigned her to her current role as royal bodyguard, handmaiden, and, according to gossip, lover. Whatever Sabina’s actual relationship with Ileosa, she is rarely seen far from the queen’s side.

Darelle and Dhukhean then discuss the treaty his clan and the Korvosans are signing in the morning. He tells her about the frost giants that plague his land, and she tells him about Zoarth, the cloud giant who dwells in a castle with thousands of cats. Dhukhean had never heard of Zoarth, and finds the concept of a cloud giant owning many cats a wonder.

When the dinner wraps up, Dhukhean and the rest of the delegation return to their lodging. They are  staying at The Wise Dragon Inn, a three level inn with an attached restaurant. They plan on returning in the morning, to sign the treaty. The sisters, meanwhile, also return to their bed and breakfast and spend a quiet night sleeping their worries away.


Lamashan 3, 4712

Unsure why they remain in Korvosa, the Cooper sisters leave the Upslope House and meander through Korvosa. Encountering an old woman peddling on the side of a busy street, Darelle offers her a crown. The old crone in exchange announces she will perform a reading for her. Darelle receives a Harrowing reading from the elder Shoanti woman. Using the sword pattern to answer Darelle's general inquiry abut the future, she lets Darelle pick the first card to determine the alignment of the reading. Darelle draws the Inquisitor, which represents overwhelming strength that catches the subject up in something much more powerful.

The reading indicates that Korvosa is about to endure catastrophic events, driven together by a conjecture of evil intentions and the manipulations of a force beyond their comprehension. However, as outsiders they can save Korvosa from itself. The Shoanti woman then has a vision, and in a small and distant voice relays a cry for help from the forest outside of town. Someone is in desperate need of a ranger.

As Dhukhean's services were not needed for the final signature, he was given leave to wander the town, and came upon the two sisters as the Shoanti woman was performing her reading. He remained in the background, but as the Coopers began to walk towards the North Bridge he joined them, and they agreed to walk in the woods together. The main road quickly became a small path, which forked into an even less traveled passage. They came upon a series of bloody prints that led to a thicket of trees where they found a dead Gerald. He had been badly cut, as if a thousand pieces of paper had been used on him all over his exposed skin. Strangely, there were no footprints other than Gerald's anywhere. Daryle searches the body and finds that this Gerald carried twelve hushing arrows and a small brass key. They burn and bury the body. 

Following the path in the reverse direction, they quickly come to a small pond with a majestic oak tree in the middle of a small island. Carefully, they cross the water and arrive at the island. About 20 feet up the tree they find a small house, with the delectable smell of fresh bread baking wafting down. The Coopers announce their presence, and a small fey creature flutters down to meet them. She introduces herself as Liveoak, queen fey of the oak pond, and welcomes them to her domain. She offers them water and bread. Darelle questions her about other humans that may have passed through here recently, and she can tell that Liveoak is being evasive in her answer. Dhukhean decides to not touch the food. In the conversation that follows, Liveoak reveals that her fey sisters are missing, and she has not seen them for a few days. The Coopers announce they will help her find them.

Dhukhean, who has the brass key, comes up with a clever plan. He inconspicuously casts detect evil, and the fey returns a strong sensation of chaotic evil. He shares this knowledge with Daryle and Darelle, who decide to depart. Politely excusing themselves, they tell Liveoak they will search for the fey and come back with any news.

In the woods on the other side of the pond they locate a large stone that is clearly out of place in this location. They find the likeness of the fey queen carved into the block. Darelle employs a potion of invisibility and uses her hand of glory but sees no invisible creatures nor the fey queen herself. Coming up with a plan, Darelle uses her jar of cloud and flies across the pond to the oak. As she does not see or hear Liveoak, she peeks inside the small house and notices a tidy space with a small kitchen, a bed with four posts, lots of colorful fabric draped everywhere, and a small chest with a brass lock. She takes the chess with her back to her cloud, and opens it. Inside she finds several fey dresses, as well as a glass jar containing a liquid stone-like substance.

She returns to the stone. Dhukhean, careful not to touch the substance, opens the jar and uses a stick to spread the substance on the stone. The stone salve restores the true fey queen to life as she slowly turns back to flesh. Once she has recuperated, she introduces herself as Liveoak, queen fey of the oak pond, and tells the Coopers that a hag has captured her sisters. The Coopers and Dhukhean quickly agree to find this hag. Following the small river that feeds the pond, they come upon a large burrow. Climbing down, Dhukhean is confronted by a hag. Daryle and Darelle join, but are engaged by another hag that was hiding in the roots.

Dhukhean strikes a mighty blow and kill his hag. Beyond her he sees a horrific scene. A third hag stands, holding a small fey in her crooked hand. She snaps the fey's neck, then bites her head off. Next to her is a small cage with five other fey creatures trembling. The hag's hand reaches towards the cage. As Dhukhean enters the room to save the remaining fey, a large earth elemental emerges from the mud and tackles the dwarf to the ground.

The sisters and Liveoak join the fray once again, and they are soon able to defeat the hag and her elemental servant. No other fey is harmed. Liveoak rewards the Coopers for their bravery and help with an onyx ring worth 500 crowns, a pearl necklace worth 500 crowns, and a miniature golden sundial worth 300 crowns. Dhukhean declares that he would like to honor the fallen fey by setting up the sundial at the base of the majestic oak tree to commemorate her passing, and the Cooper sisters agree. Liveoak thanks them profusely. She and her remaining sisters set up the memorial, and pronounce a short service honoring her fallen sister's memory. The queen then thanks the trio for their help in wiping out the hags, and informs them that they are most welcome to visit anytime they wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city.