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 ...