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.

A rainbow of keylights

Lamashan 1, 4712

About an hour before dawn, the Coopers report to the Ornelos Building, ready for the Breaching Festival to begin. The remaining participants all trickle in over the following quarter of an hour. Toff Ornelos himself finally stands and addresses the crowd. Toff reminds the participants of the rules. They cannot attack other participants directly. They must also find a light key of a different color per individual in a group. He then asks if there are any questions, but no one asks any. His speech is interrupted by the arrival of Queen Ileosa of Korvosa and her large retinue, here to witness the day's graduation challenges.

When the first ray of light hits the Hall of Summoning, the Breaching Festival begins. The Coopers' group decide to start there, since it is the closest building. Darelle and Daryle are joined by Grunt Farnsworth the dwarf and four of his kinsmen, as well as by Lawrence the halfling and two of his henchmen, the Naga, and Whilenor. Mangarad and his crew head to the Hall of Charms. Gerald runs towards the Hall of Lies. Finally, Lord Garrett of Ged glides towards the Hall of Whispers. Roscoe, feeling under the weather, decides not to participates.

The Coopers search the Hall of Summoning. Inside a classroom on the ground floor, they find four red keylights, each hovering eight feet from the ground above a different desk. They carefully enter the classroom and approach the lights. Upon further examination, they are simply floating in the air. Grunt stands on a desk and touches the red light. Three of the lights immediately transform into Furies, while one of the light continues to hover. Whilenor sees that the red key light by him has not changed, so he grabs it. Grunt expected this attack, so he hits his target with his hammer. Lawrence throws two shurikens designed to shrink his target, but unfortunately both miss. The Naga also lands a series of forceful blows. The rest of the Coopers engage the Furies. For a while the combat proceeds in the Furies's favor, but a brilliant move by Whilenor, who transforms the table into a set of jaws which catches one of the monsters, flips the table in the Coopers' favor, and soon the Furies are no more. Grunt grabs one of the +1 longsword and one +1 flaming composite longbow, while Lawrence takes  the remaining three +1 longswords and sets them aside in one of the empty classrooms, hoping to come back for them and eventually sell them.

The Coopers and their allies move next to the Hall of Seeing. This building features a set of double doors that display giant harrow cards, which change to reflect the past or the future of the last person to touch the door. There are scrying devices everywhere. Inside there is a large hallway stretching from one end to the other. In the middle of the hallway are four mirrors. Each of them reflect an orange key-light in the middle of the room, but the room itself is empty. The Coopers puzzle this challenge for quite some time. Darelle is the first to touch the mirror. She sees a hellish vision. In her mind a large devil appears, and asks her to pose her question. Intimidated by the devil, she has difficulty forming a question. Lawrence and Grunt also touch the mirror, and encounter the same vision. Lawrence agrees to visit hell, but only on the day he can be heard shouting "I invoke the mark of the old god Throth." Grunt makes no bargain with the devil, and instead threatens him with the end of his hammer. Finally, Darelle figures out that by walking backwards she's able to reach the orange light and grabs it.

The Coopers then move to the Hall of Induction. Resembling a cube, this building is built of thick iron on three sides, and a series of iron plates on the fourth. It contains nothing aside from a spiral staircase and five empty floors. All walls in here are made of force, and keep all evocation spells contained inside the building. On the fourth floor the Coopers find some sort of alchemical apparatus. On one side is a large clear tank with a green liquid. On the other side, is a similar tank with a red liquid. In the middle is a pipe linking both tanks. The liquid in this section is yellow, and the Coopers can tell there is a yellow keylight inside the tube. Daryle takes no time and smashes the red tube. An explosion fills the floor, badly injuring he Coopers and their allies. however, they also acquire a yellow keylight.

Moving on to the Hall of Charms, they enter the building and quickly locate a blue keylight. Soon, though, all of the Coopers become confused and attack each other. Darelle lands a few good blows on her sister, who in turns attack Whilenor. Grunt and Lawrence manage to avoid most of the effects of the confusion and retrieve the blue light. They then depart the building.

The Hall of Whispers is the final home for many of the students (and participants) who were unable to complete their tasks. Home to powerful necromancy, this building is the site of many gruesome experiments. In the basement, they find several crates, one of which contains a purple light. Unfortunately, retrieving it releases a powerful horrid whilting spell that affects everyone in the group.

With enough lights for everyone, the group returns to the Hall of Wards and each person uses one of the keylight to enter the building. They find themselves in a large hall with doors at the end and several doors on either side. Proceeding down, they stop and examine the double doors at the end of the hallway. Grunt is not an expert, but he quickly determines that without a magical key they will be unable to open this door. Meanwhile, Whilenor, possibly in a fit of Geraldicitis (the inability to control's one actions and therefore unleash chaos on unsuspecting friends), decides to open a side door. He discovers a strange library where books fly from one shelf to another in a seemingly random pattern. Bookcases stretch three stories in the air, all around the room, with a desk with two lights in the middle of the room. At any one time there are hundred of books hurling from place to place.

Whilenor hears a voice behind one of the stacks and he discovers a disheveled human desperately searching for a specific book among the thousands of volumes. Every time he has looked at five or six books they quickly rearrange themselves and are replaced with more. Whilenor attempts to communicate with the man and quickly realizes that he's looking for a spellbook. Through careful diplomacy the druid is able to secure a description, and he endeavors to find the book, only to be thwarted by the powers of this room.

Meanwhile, Daryle spikes the doors to the library closed, and Lawrence takes care of the second set of doors leading to this cursed room. They enter the opposite room, and discover another alchemy lab. There they are confronted by Marrijkal, who informs them they have no hope of leaving this place. The Coopers quickly engage in combat against this devil agent and are almost overpowered before finally triumphing, thanks to massive hits by the Naga and Grunt. Amid the equipment, ingredients, body parts and various objects they find a large gold key with a ruby in the handle. Darelle picks it up. They also discover a spellbook. Daryle immediately connects this spellbook to the book the man was looking for in the library.

The Coopers return to the library, only to discover that while they were engaging the devil for half an hour Whilenor was locked in the library for over five days. Haggard, hungry, and disheveled, the druid reports that he had to lay motionless all of this time as the books and the human alternatively attacked him. When the man shows up in the door, Daryle threatens to destroy his spellbook, but Whilenor takes it from her hands and gives it to the man. He exhales slowly, then thanks Whilenor for saving his soul.

Armed with the magical key, the Coopers are ready to open the double doors and exit the building and claim the Breaching Festival's rewards. Only one question remain. Who should walk out first?

We're off to see the wizards

Erastus 2, 4712

After stopping on the 15th level to allow Kazmauk to transform himself back into a very human Roscoe, the Coopers and their large Hellknight escort emerge from the Emerald Spire to witness a different world. The Spire itself seems to have dimmed and barely glows, though it retains some greenish light. All around the Spire the goblin and giant camps lay in ruins. Hellknights are gathering the bodies of slain goblins and giants and building funeral pyres. In the distance thick columns of black smoke rise in the general area of Fort Inevitable. Hundreds of troops are securing the area and have already begun working on fortifying the approaches to the Spire. Two large army trains are secured and guarded, and a new camp is rising out of the ashes, flying the major Hellknight order pennants, with that of the Order of the Nail in prime position to honor Duke Mosley. The Commander escorting the Coopers invites them on behalf of the Duke to a banquet held in his triumphant honor tonight. The Coopers agree to attend.

As the Coopers debate about their next course of action, Omok simply departs the group, heading eastwards, and without a single glance towards them. The rest of the Coopers return to Fort Inevitable, trekking through Echo Wood before emerging in the farmlands that surround the town. Emerging from the forest, they find another nightmarish vision. Thousands of goblin, emerald automatons and human bodies are spread over several battlefields, and the remains of many farms are still smoldering. The giants and goblins cut through a large swat of land on their way to attack the town. Though outnumbered, Drovust and her Hellknights attacked with gusto and managed to eliminate the entire enemy force at tremendous cost to her own troops. What remains of the Hellknights are huddled on the edge of the field, healing their wounded and dispatching any goblins still living. A makeshift flag flies above the Citadel displaying the symbol of the Seven Foxes, and all of Fort Inevitable's gates remain closed.

Climbing a tree, Daryle takes aim and fires a few arrows at the Hellknights. Three of them are hit and fall to the ground. The remaining force withdraws from the battlefield. Darelle begins examining the ruins, and she discovers eleven Geralds have perished during the fight. Some wore Hellknight uniforms, while others had civilian clothes and even a few looked like they had served on the goblins' side. One Gerald had somehow polymorphed into a giant. Being the considerate sister, she gathers the corpses and builds a funeral pyre for them, incinerating the fallen Geralds.

Roscoe also scours the battlefield and locates several magical items, including a monkey belt, a staff of authority, a ring of protection +3, and a weapon he recognizes as the Everwar Holy Fury. Daryle joins in and find a monkey belt and goggles of the treasure hunter. She looks for evidence that Greenhide perished on the battlefield, but finds none. Talking to survivors and questioning goblins before dispatching them, she finds that the goblin chief was in fact leading his army. All witnesses report seeing him leading a charge against Drovust, but a fireball exploded and it is as if he had been vaporized. His corpse had simply vanishes. 

While moving Geralds, Darelle discovers a magnetist's glove and a necklace of adaptation. She also finds roughly 50,000 crowns' worth of equipment and gems among all of the Gerald bodies. She hides the money in Mother Holworth's farm, which thankfully survived the battle.

After helping the wounded and assisting citizens of Fort Inevitable, the Coopers return to the Spire to attend Duke Mosley's banquet. They are feted as heroes, and the Duke rewards them with estates in Cheliax, to be collected when he wins the fight for the throne. Near the end of the banquet, the Duke takes the Coopers apart and warns them that their help to his cause will not go unnoticed in Cheliax and that they might find it prudent to spend time away from the River Kindgoms for a few months, at least until the dust settles. The Coopers agree to consider his advice. He also tells them that they will always be most welcomed in his halls, except for Gerald of course as his head now has a price attached to it.


Erastus 3, 4712

Leaving the Spire at dawn following Mosley's banquet, the Coopers minus Gerald, who became a victim of the Duke's desire for revenge, return to Shadowborn Manor, mourning Gerald's death, but not really. They are greeted by a woman wearing an immaculate uniform in the livery of House Ornelos, of Korvosa, in the country of Varisia. She delivers them all invitations to participate in this year's Breaching Festival, which takes place every year at the Acadamae of Korvosa. In this festival, participants enter the main building and must compete in a series of challenges and traps designed to test both their survival skills as well as the skills of the crafting wizards who are graduating from the school. The Acadamae of Korvosa is known as the premiere wizard school in Golarion, and wizards attend school for a term of ten years, upon which they must create a challenge for the Breaching Festival. Those wizards who successfully design a challenge that manages to kill an adventurer graduate with honors. Those who manage to maim an adventurer graduate, and those who fail to harm an adventurer must complete a remedial year. The rector of the Acadamae, Toff Ornelos, heard of the Coopers' exploits and especially enjoyed the smash hit It Was Inevitable. He would consider their participation an honor.

Daryle questions the envoy on the nature of the competition. She replies that the contest involves entering the Acadamae at sunrise. The first person out before sunset is the winner of the Breaching Festival, and this year will earn approximately 153,000 crowns. The Festival was last won back in 4551 by Dyson Fordyce, who entered at sunrise and came out of the Hall a few minutes later. Having won on a technicality, the rules were changed and now participants are required to make it to the Hall of Wards. No one has exited the Hall before sundown since. The mortality rate is about 70% among adventurers.

Remembering Duke Mosley's advice to make themselves scarce, the Coopers agree to attend the Festival, to be held on the 1st of Lamashan, which gives them three months to make their way to Varisia. After all, what could possibly go wrong now that Gerald is no longer with them?


Rova 30, 4712

After three months tramping through Golarion, the Coopers get their first glimpse of Korvosa, the fabled magical city and the largest city in Varisia. Stretching for miles, they are awed by its majestic beauty and its grandiose venues, with the Acadamae of Magic clearly visible on top of the city's highest hill. Several large walls protect the city from attacks, and its cosmopolitan citizens are bustling to and fro.

After entering the city, the Coopers are directed to the Acadamae of Magic, located in the middle of the city. They are met there by none other than Toff Ornelos himself. During their months-long trip, the Coopers have discovered that Toff Ornelos is considered one of the top arcane user of this age, having accomplished documented exploits beyond the abilities of most mortals. In the prime of his life, Ornelos has been headmaster for over thirty years and has overseen the instruction of countless wizards throughout Golarion.

Ornelos welcomes them to Korvosa and escorts them to a large auditorium in the Hall of Summoning, where they are introduced to the rest of the competing teams and individuals who will participate in the Breaching Festival. Mangarad is an Ulfen wizard dressed in fur robes and he is accompanied by three henchmen. Knur is a tough-looking dwarf of the Gilded Claw who is accompanied by two of his kinsmen. The halfling male Lawrence is dressed in black and is accompanied by two more halflings. His attire provides no clue as to his profession or skills. The Naga is garbed in a cloak that hides his facial features. Lacking a left arm, he instead sports a knife on his stump. Grunt Farnsworth is a mean-looking dwarf barbarian who is accompanied by four henchmen. The Coopers are surprised to see a Gerald here as well, entering the competition. This Gerald left Fort Inevitable five months ago. He sports a turtle drawing on his horn. Whilenor is a human druid with some ranger skills. The last competitor is introduced as Lord Garrett of Ged, a maleficent lich. He glowers at everyone.

Toff Ornelos then describes the rules of the competition. After signing waivers, participants will enter the Halls of the Acadamae. They will find different challenges and traps in each room. Surviving a challenge will provide a key light, then the room will reset itself within five minutes for the next set of participants. Each participant in a group will need a different colored key light to enter the last part of the competition. Individuals thus have an advantage in that they only need one light, however the challenges can be quite difficult to solve for one person. Over the history of the Breaching Festival, there has been no statistically significant advantage of being either part of a group or playing as an individual.

There are three rules the participants must follow. First, the winner is the first person who exits the doors leading out of the Hall of Calling before sundown. If there are two or more people exiting at exactly the same time, they will divide the prize equally among all winners. Second, groups and individuals can collaborate together to overcome some of the challenges, but they cannot directly harm, interfere, or attack other participants. The challenges are hard enough as is, and there needs to be enough participants to ensure that the graduating wizards' designs are tested. Finally, as mentioned earlier, there is a high risk of death, so each participant will need to sign a waiver explaining they understand the rules and the risks of bodily harm and possible death. The Breaching Festival itself is attended by many folks, including Queen Ileosa of Korvosa.

Ornelos asks if there are any questions. The participants remain quiet, so the headmaster then divides the participants into three groups, so they can tour the different halls of the Acadamae where the challenges will take place. The Coopers end up in the same group as the Naga and Whilenor, and their guide is Jandar Listwin, a junior wizard who plans on graduating next year.

• The Hall of Summoning is the largest building on campus and shows evidence of having been rebuilt in the last few decades. The Hall's main feature is its large auditorium where 333 students can sit comfortably. Final exams for wizards take place here.
• The Hall of Seeing features a set of double doors that display giant harrow cards, which change to reflect the past or the future of the last person to touch the door. There are scrying devices everywhere.
• Resembling a cube, the Hall of Induction is built of thick iron on three sides, and a series of iron plates on the fourth. It contains nothing aside from a spiral staircase and five empty floors. All walls in here are made of force, and keep all evocation spells contained inside the building.
• Forever shifting, the Hall of Lies is the home of the Acadamae's illusionists, and as such not everything is at it seems.
  
• Every part of the Hall of Shaping has been transmuted over the decades, providing the building an eclectic, if worrisome, look.
• The Hall of Whispers is the final home for many of the students (and participants) who were unable to complete their tasks. Home to powerful necromancy, this building is the site of many gruesome experiments.
• Home to the school's enchanters, the Hall of Charms is imbued with power.
• The Hall of Wards is the best guarded and magically protected building in Korvosa, and probably all of Golarion. To complete the last challenge, participants must enter the hall and emerge from it after defeating the challenge inside. The first person to step out wins the Breaching Festival.

As the group returns to Ornelos Hall, site of administrative building, a wizard is thrown out of a window, shattering glass everywhere. A large retriever steps through and pounces on the prone wizard. The Coopers leap to action, and after a few tense moments are able to slay the creature and rescue the wizard. She identifies herself as Seska Imintar, and she tells the Coopers she had been working on a challenge for tomorrow when the beast escaped. Ornelos rushes to the scene, and after listening to Seska for a minute chastises her for failing to constrain her monster. He promises the Coopers that her challenge will be better tomorrow, else she will fail her graduating year. Thanking them for saving her, he bids them goodnight, and looks forward to seeing them an hour before dawn tomorrow. The Coopers withdraw to their lodgings, reading for their big adventure, and, hopefully, their even bigger payoff!

When all the threads tie together

Sarenith 28, 4712

Returning from their latest trip to the Emerald Spire, the Coopers arrive in Fort Inevitable to find the town in uproar. The entire Hellknight guard has been deployed at the gates and on the walls as if an assault was expected. People entering the town as well as people leaving are being thoroughly searched, and traffic is backed up on both sides of the gates. Noticing this, and realizing that there is now a dwarf and a gnome among their party, the Coopers decide to avoid the questions and fees their appearance would receive at the gates and instead enter through the sewer tunnels. Instead of following her siblings, Daryle heads back into the woods. She will hunt for a few hours, then return through the Juliver Gate and see what information she can obtain from the guards.

The gnome Olifrit is the first one to enter the town, followed by the rest of the party through the sewers. They head directly to the secret door that leads into Dr. Mordel's basement. A few creatures are laying in clean beds, while in the corner the silver demon paces his cage relentlessly. They come up the stairs and meet Erynna, who greets them warmly. When questioned by Darelle as to what is happening, she informs them that two nights ago, Duke Mosley returned in a covered wagon. Deathly ill, he has taken residence on the top floor of the Citadel in Roscoe's old quarters. The few that have seen him report that he is bleeding heavily from a large gash on his shoulders. Magical healing has been unable to staunch the flow, and remove curses have all been ineffective. He is ghastly pale and shivers uncontrollably. Even though it is the height of summer, fires burn in all fireplaces of the Citadel. She further tells the Coopers that though Dr. Mordel's healing and alchemy skills are well known, his services have not been called for.

They then join Dr. Mordel himself in his small laboratory on the second floor. He also greets them warmly, and tells them that he suspects Duke Mosley is both dying and highly infectious, if the rumors and gossip reported by his network of informants are to be believed. Most people who can flee the town have already done so, but the Hellknights are ensuring that valuables are left behind. Hence the heavier security details at the gates. Darelle asks him what Mosley might be suffering from. Dr. Mordel replies that to the best of his knowledge the Duke was stabbed by a demon during a campaign in the World Wound, and Mosley has never recovered. He's not sure what it could be, but with magical healing not working, it has to be some seriously powerful demonic magic. Dr. Mordel might be able to analyze the sickness and prepare an antidote, but he would have to get a sample first. Concerned about herself, Olifrit interrupts the discussion and asks Dr. Mordel to restore her hands and her left foot to their proper nature. She confesses that she used to be Gerald. Dr. Mordel agrees to do so but it will require some time, extensive and very painful testing, and most of Dr. Mordel's patience, but it should be possible to at least address some of the issues currently plaguing Olifrit.

Pulling Darelle aside, Dr. Mordel also tells Darelle that her that Fort Inevitable's enemies are marshaling their forces against the town. Events are coming to a head and the fate of the town's citizens hang in the balance, he warns her. Armed with this newfound knowledge, Darelle and the remaining members of the party, minus Olifrit, head back out of town to avoid the contagion.

Thorne enters the town a little later through the same sewers wearing a disguise. He returns to his old shop, and finds it shuttered by Roscoe's orders, but it has not yet been repurposed. The rogue gathers gear, and he bids farewell to his place of commerce. He heads to Dr. Mordel's house, but Erynna turns him away and does not let him in the house. Dejected and sad that no one recognizes his role as a hero and savior of the town, he enters the sewers and heads out. Thorne manages to avoid two Hellknight patrols, but he runs into his siblings right outside Dr. Mordel's basement. As they leave, Darelle fills him on what has happened in town, but tells him flat out that she does not trust him. They emerge from the sewer outside the walls, but unfortunately Thorne is noticed by two guards and the alarm is raised. Thorne runs away, pursued by a Hellknight patrol but eventually manages to lose them.

Daryle comes in a little later with the produce of a hunt through the Juliver Gate. She encounters Bolgur, the Hellknight half-orc who leads the guard detachment. He seems very unhappy to see him, but he's generally unhappy so she's not too worried. She tells him she's been gone for four days, and she inquires as to what is happening in town. Bolgur reports that the Duke has returned with a small escort of four guards, and is now living atop the Citadel. He's real sick, and it is said he's taking it out on the staff. Bolgur then tells Daryle that Maralictor Wirt has left her a letter. He retrieves it and hands it to her. Daryle reads Wirt's message, which tells her not to enter the town but to send word she's back with a place to meet. Daryle tells Bolgur she forgot something at the farm she must get. Could he send Wirt a message? The half-orc replies that he can, but it will cost her. Daryle agrees to leave him the result of her hunt.

Half an hour later, Wirt meets Daryle outside in the shade of a grove by Mother Holworth's farm. The Hellknight reports on the event of the last three days. On top of the information already gathered by the other Coopers, Daryle learns that the Hellknight contingent that transits through Fort Inevitable every three months has disappeared. More than 600 troops have simply vanished. On top of everything else, quarterly taxes are due in three days, the merchants are stuck in Daggermark awaiting their Hellknight troops as escort, and the population is restless and panicky due to persistent rumors of infection. Wirt advises Daryle to avoid entering the town right now due to the possibility of contagion. She also tells the ranger that the Seven Foxes have all left the town. Daryle requests that a meeting be set up at the Hunters' Lodge with everyone to discuss the current situation. Wirt replies that she should be able to get them there in time for supper.

The necromancer Rowen, who has finally recovered from the betrayal of his cult, has spent the greater part of the last months rebuilding his evil forces. Having returned to Fort Inevitable, he decides to investigate Duke Mosley's claims to see if there's any way Mosley might be entreated to join him in his last days. Rowen contacts a highly placed servant in the Citadel, and that servant describes that the mental status of the Duke has deteriorated and he's been abusing his staff. The servant also reports that Duke Mosley is compiling a list of individuals he plans on executing before his death to settle old grudges. No one seems to know who's on the list, but speculations are rife among the Hellknights. Rowen wonders how he can capitalize on this situation. He decides to spread rumors through town and wipe up the hysteria that surrounds the fears of an epidemic. Throughout the day, more and more people gather to listen to speakers at the fountain boasting of the benefits of joining the Death Cult. Rowen rubs his hands in glee.

Daryle and Darelle connect at the Hunters' Lodge. There they are met by Shim Longbranch, who is very much out of breath. He has run all the way from Dimsdale to report that an army of emerald automatons has laid siege to the village. They are left by four different Geralds. Shim reports he barely managed to escape the siege. Gerald has threatened to burn the village down to the ground if a powerful object is not turned over to him before nightfall. Shim tells the Coopers that the inhabitants have fled across the bridge into the forest, but all fighters have remained behind to resist the invasion. The Dimsdalers have some experience with a siege, having suffered one only a few months back. The sisters agree to help Shim. Darelle summons her jar of cloud and they fly south, reaching Dimsdale a half hour later. Shim also mentions that his patrols have discovered that the giants have finally arrived and that they have setup a camp at the base of the Emerald Spire and could attack at any moment.

They spot from the sky four distinct forces arrayed against the village, all led by a different Gerald. They all appear to be collaborating together. Darelle and Daryle land beyond the village, connect with the refugees, and then enter the village. They meet Dunleaf Appletop, Dimsdale's mayor, who informs them of Gerald's demands. He doesn't know what Gerald wants, but he'll fight to protect his village. Daryle heads out and, under a flag of truce, meets with Gerald. He reveals that he has had a vision that the Hellknights have hidden a powerful weapon in Dimsdale. In his vision he has seen Duke Mosley use the weapon to destroy Fort Inevitable, and he wants to prevent that from happening. He's not sure what he is searching for, but he is convinced it is here in the village. If it is not turned over by nightfall, he will order an assault and burn everything to the ground. During this conversation, Gerald is joined by the other Geralds, who all agree that this is the proper course of action. All of them have had similar visions, and they all sincerely believe that they are saving the town from certain doom. Daryle informs the Geralds of the events that have transpired in Fort Inevitable over the last few days. Gerald is encouraged that his vision is coming true, and he threatens his sister with bodily harm if she remains in the village.

Daryle returns to the village and reports what she has discovered from Gerald. Darelle, meanwhile, searches the former Hellknight barrack and discovers a secret space behind a wall. In this small space she finds a lead chest. Even without any particular ability regarding the detection of evil, Darelle feels a faint trace of it emanating from the chest. The sisters remove the chest from Dimsdale and depart on their cloud. The Geralds sense that the object has been removed. One Gerald returns to Fort Inevitable to retrieve his wife and mother and save them from the destruction that's about to take place. One Gerald takes control of some automatons and heads back to the Emerald Spire. Another Gerald decides to search for the missing Hellknights, while the last Gerald launches an assault on Dimsdale with greatly diminished forces and is quickly wiped out. Darelle and Daryle head back to the Hunters' Lodge.

There they meet six members of the Seven Foxes. Dunleaf remained in Dimsdale. The Foxes advise they have about 80 fighters ready to seize key infrastructure areas of Fort Inevitable if an attack by giants and Greenhide leads the Hellknights to attempt a sortie. They are concerned, however, about the remaining civilian population still in the Fort. Darelle and Daryle agree that in case of an assault on the town, the Foxes' forces will need to remain hidden until needed to either turn the tide of battle or to remove weakened Hellknight forces. Abernard Royst identifies the object the Coopers retrieved from Dimsdale as the Octillio Crystal Sphere, a deadly weapon that could destroy a large section of the town.


In the late afternoon, feeling that the Death Cult has been sufficiently frenzied, Rowen leads a group of about 100 individuals out of Fort Inevitable. The Hellknights do not oppose this departure, correctly assuming that these discontented folks were better off beyond the wall, and possibly dead, in their quest to get rid of the powers that dwell in the Emerald Spire. Having taken refuge in a barn, Thorne spots the procession and follows it. The crowd walks down the road and passes in front of the Hunters' Lodge. Rowen senses the evil of the object newly acquired by the Cooper sisters, and he attempts to break into the Lodge. His attempts are repulsed none too gently by Daryle, and Rowen accepts for the time being to move his group away from the Lodge, bidding his time.

Omok, who also joined the Coopers at the Lodge, feels the pull of the object as well. Rowen attempts to convince Omok to join him and take the object by force, but reason prevails and Omok chooses not to align himself with Rowen at this time. Thorne, who has observed this whole exchange, also attempts to enter the Hunters' Lodge, but is turned away by Daryle. She vociferates a series of threats and advises him that he needs to step up. To prove his loyalty to the family, he must organize an evacuation of Fort Inevitable. If an assault does come, he must get as many inhabitants out as possible.

Thorne returns to town and, working with his remaining contacts, creates a plan that will safely see most of the remaining residents depart Fort Inevitable in the first minutes of the conflict. Darelle contacts Zoarth and delivers a message telling him about the alliance between hill and cloud giants and Greenhide, and request any possible assistance the cloud giant could provide. Worried about their new object, the sisters decide to hide it in the dimensional gate below the Hunters' Lodge. It's possible, but improbable, that a creature from that level of the Abyss would stumble upon it, and it would also remove its influence from the Material Plane. The sisters thus take into the basement, through the mine tunnels, and into the Abyss, before using the hand of banishment to block access again from the Abyss.

As night falls, the Coopers feel as ready as they ever will for what is surely to come on the following day.

Roscoe is dead. Long live the dwarf!

Sarenith 27, 4712

With all of the Proteans eliminated and the repairs to their reactor allowing the Inevitables to communicate with their plane and bring in reinforcements, the side of Law has triumphed, and the Coopers are ready to explore the rest of the level with no enemy force blocking their progress.

Leaving from the Spire, they enter a room made of two circles. On the floor of the first circle is a large red rune. On the floor of the second circle is a large green rune. Both runes are unknown. Darelle comprehends languages but is unable to understand what is written. The runes appear to be conceptual rather than language-based. Daryle throws a copper piece, and it falls squarely on the red rune. Nothing happens. Omok pushes the sisters aside and he enters the room. Once again, nothing happens. The rest of the Coopers enter the room as well.

After observing the situation for a few minutes, Roscoe touches the red rune with his gloved hand. Nothing happens, and he does not feel any magic. He removes his glove, and touches the rune again. Suddenly he transforms into a half-orc. Touching the green rune, he suddenly loses his gender. He touches it again, and now he has both genders. Touching the red rune again, he transforms into a dwarf. Roscoe decides he likes being a dwarf. He elects to be called Kazmauk Riverbottom. Roscoe Cooper is now officially dead.

Gerald goes through the same process and eventually settles on a female gnome. She selects the name Olifrit Vowaldie, which, according to Darelle and her understanding of languages, roughly translates to Masturbation Bruises in gnomish. None of the other Coopers are interested in touching the runes, so the party moves on.

Thorne enters the next room and sees his back wherever he looks. Thorne pushes Kazmauk in one of the mists and he comes out backwards on the other side. Kazmauk falls on Omok and both of them end up on the ground. Thorne walks backwards through one of the mist mirrors, and ends up on top of them. After getting up, Thorne collects some of the mist in a jar.

Pursuing their exploration, they come across a room with a vortex in the ceiling. Islands of rock float in a large cavern of lava. The vortex is clearly opened to the plane of chaos, and with the reactivation of the reactor the vortex pulses brightly. It's only a question of time before someone walks through that vortex.

Daryle returns to the reactor and attempts to shut it down to prevent any more proteans from entering this plane, but the three kolyarut guarding it refuse. She shoots an arrow at the reactor, hoping to disable it. The arrow does some damage and creates a few sparks, but the robot arm the Coopers moved into the room immediately begins to fix the damage the ranger did. Worse, the three  kolyarut sound the alarm and begin chasing her. She sprints back to the Spire, and, using her transport token, she removes herself from this level. The Coopers claim Daryle acted alone, so the inevitables do not attack them. They look at them suspiciously, however.

Looking for the key that would open the floor doors, Thorne returns to the staircase and searches the bodies of the Proteans they had move there so they would be out of recall range, but he does not find the key. He returns to the maelstrom room. The floor has already begun to solidify due to the reactor shutting down once again.

Olifrit asks Darelle for a brass key in her pouch of spell components so she can cast a spell, but she finds herself unable to hang on to it and gives up in frustration. Omok decides to use the orb of command and asks: Where is the exact location of the key that opens the door that I am currently looking at right now? The orb reveals the answer. The key is located in the Proteans' treasure, in a secret room next to the vortex. Darelle and Thorne return to the room, and they can see that the floor is once again liquifying. The robot has repaired the reactor. They find the secret room and discover the key among many other random possessions accumulated by the proteans over the eons. They return to the Spire.

As stealthily as he can, Thorne uses the key in the floor door, and he manages to release the latch. The doors swing inward, revealing a pit that drops hundreds of feet below. There is a small series of ledges that can be used to climb down, but it will be an ordeal. The inevitables in the room are incensed, however, and they begin attacking. The Coopers decide to leave the room by heading down.

Since she had not been followed by the rest of her family, Daryle chooses to come back using her transport token. Unfortunately she lands in a space where the door has dropped open. She falls down the pit and Darelle catches her using her last blue pegasus. While attempting the climb down, Omok misses a step and drops, but quick thinking allows him to cast air walk, thus saving his life. The Coopers begin the descent to the last level of the Emerald Spire, with no more healing potions and with a female gnomish spellcaster who's unable, for the most part, to cast spells due to her huge hands. What could possibly go wrong?

Disappointment on so many levels

Sarenith 26, 4712, continued

Shaking off the damage from Gerald's fireball, the Coopers stand up again in the room with the caulborn, who did not suffer any damage as they saw Gerald's attack coming before Gerald himself was able to unleash it. They congratulate the Coopers on their choice of siblings, without a trace of irony in their tone. Gerald casts mend on everyone's burnt items of clothing, and now everything looks as good as it did prior to the fireball.

Thorne questions the caulborn about what to expect in the rest of the dungeon. They reply that the balance between chaos and order is likely to be upset with their presence here, but it remains to be seen which will eventually triumph. However, they also state that they are curious as to how the Coopers will manage to escape this room as they themselves have not found a way out. Gerald casts dimension door twice and transports the party back to the main room. The centaurs do not acknowledge their presence and remain on guard, ready to fight. The Coopers decide to move on to the next room.

Weary that a trap awaits them, Roscoe carefully enters the room, but nothing happens. The rest of the Coopers follow suit, except for Daryle. Suspicious and worried that the door will lock itself behind them, she asks Thorne to close and open it several times. The rogue does so, and the door does not lock. Daryle remains skeptical but she agrees to come in, and her fears are soon allayed. Aside from gold lines on the floor and a gentle humming, there isn't anything of interest in this room.

The next room, however, features three kolyarut evidently being repaired by giant machine pulsing with energy. Each machine's many arms sparks and moves parts from its innards and place them on the creatures. Thorne walks in and begins to talk to one of the kolyarut. The rogue questions it on what has happened to them, and it replies that it participated in a battle not too long ago. Gerald realizes that this is the same battle they saw while in the room with the caulborn. The creature explains that at the end of yet another inconclusive battle they retrieved their wounded and returned here to be fixed in time for the next fight.

Darrelle looks at the machinery and wonders if it could be used to repair the equipment in the room next to the caulborn. Gerald guesses that they should be able to. The machines appear moveable, but none of the Coopers, not even Omok, are strong enough to move one of them. Thorne manages to talk the three kolyarut into pushing one of the machine to gain an advantage over the other side. With the ability to summon allies repaired, the Inevitables will surely win this conflict. They agree and begin pushing the machine. Thorne estimates it will take about two hours to drag it across the hallways, so he agrees to supervise the progress. Bored with the lack of battle, Omok continues to read The Book of the Damned, hoping to gain more power.

Roscoe opens the door leading away from the machine room. In the next room stand two kolyarut, guarding access to the neutral space where battles take place. Roscoe attempt small talk with them, but they warn the Hellknight Commander that they are about to be attacked. Sure enough, the doors to the east burst open and in step four chaotic outsiders who immediately engage in battle. Normally in this sequence of events the other three kolyarut would intervene, but as they are otherwise engaged with Thorne, the forces are unevenly matched, even with the Coopers engaging the enemy. The Proteans inflict significant damage on Roscoe and Darelle, while Gerald manages to lose a foot and crushes his hands when a Protean appears behind him and surprises him.

It takes the return of the three kolyarut to reverse the tide, and soon the four Proteans are slain. It occurs to Thorne then that if the bodies of the dead Proteans were physically moved up the stairs a little, the other Proteans wouldn't be able to dimension door and retrieve their dead comrades to bring them back to the battle. The Coopers move the dead bodies.

Meanwhile, Gerald is healed by Omok, but unfortunately that doesn't fix his foot issue or his crushed hands. Struck by a genial idea, the sorcerer decides to use the machines that fix the kolyarut. After all, what could possibly go wrong? A metal foot and two metal hands four times their normal size later, Gerald knows the answer to his question. However, he can now move, albeit slower than before. Using spell components and precise hand movements will prove to be difficult, if not impossible. Daryle remarks that at least this version of Gerald will clearly stand out among the others.

Eventually the kolyarut reach the generator with the fixing machine, and it begins humming as it slowly repairs it. Thorne keeps an eye on the whole operation, but it becomes clear that within the hour it will be fixed.

With the cycle broken and a lack of allies to rejuvenate, the Inevitables triumph over the Proteans. The Coopers can now safely explore this level. Unless Gerald does something dumb ...

Law versus chaos

Sarenith 26, 4712


With the investigation of the poisoned sausages now wrapped up, the Coopers decide to head back to the Emerald Spire and explore the 15th level. They trek through Echo Wood, then arrived at the tunnel leading to the Splinterden level. Suddenly they hear two familiar voices. Thorne steps out of the shadows and tells his siblings that he'd been waiting for them. Daryle's first reaction is to pull her bow and notch an arrow, but after a few tense moments the other members of the Coopers agree to let Thorne and Rowen join them. Not that they trust them or anything, but perhaps it would be easier to deal with the Emerald Spire with a full complement of party members. Thus, for the first time in months, the entire party is together.

After some discussion as to whether to move to down to the 15th level or perhaps clear the 9th level for real this time, the Coopers decide to head to the depth of the Spire. They use their transport tokens to teleport to the 14th level. Scattered around the room, they are greeted by the lich Nhur Athemon, who inquires about the happenings outside the Spire. Roscoe relates some of the events that have taken place, then the Hellknight questions the lich about how the Coopers can travel down to the 15th level. Thorne maneuvers around Athemon's throne, getting in a position to backstab the lich. Nhur Athemon remains focus on Roscoe, however, and magnanimously opens a secret staircase leading downwards by pushing a button on his throne. The Coopers head down.

After about a descent of 600 vertical feet over more than 1,000 steps, they reach a strange level, with gold wires embedded in the floor. Two creatures looking like mechanical centaurs stand guard, but they do not attack until Thorne steps in the room and begins to pull the gold wire out of the ground. The battle is short, and the party takes a beating until Darelle releases a cloud from her jar of cloud and reduces visibility to zero. The Inevitables threaten the Coopers with certain death, but Thorne wisely states that they are in fact here to support the Inevitables' quest to eliminate the Proteans. Darrelle recalls her cloud, and the creatures allow the Coopers to freely move about the level as long as they don't touch anything and that they take the fight to the Proteans.

In the next room, they discover two creatures looking like large mechanical eyeballs who were clearly expecting them. They are manipulating various parts and appear to be rebuilding something. They reveal that they have been fighting the Proteans for eons, and that the battle is at a stand still, neither side being able to communicate with their plane of origin. The Inevitables wish to keep the Spire's gate closed, while the Proteans wish to open it and release chaos in the world. The Inevitables control the gate, but the Proteans have the key. Tempted by all of the wonderful stuff laying around, Gerald briefly considers taking a few spare parts, but a deadly look from his sister Daryle moves him along.

The third room looks like a power generating station, and the wires here hum softly. A set of doors lead out of this room into another one, and all lawful creatures are able to walk through freely, while chaotic creatures suffer some damage. Omok is the worst off, but he quickly heals. In this room they meet the caulborn, who are observing what is happening in another part of the level. In their conversation the Coopers quickly gather that the caulborn are monitoring the situation and taking copious notes, but appear to support neither side.

Gerald decides to add a variable to the fight between the Proteans and the Inevitables in the Spire room, and he casts fireball on the large window, hoping to ignite the room beyond. Unfortunately it is only a screen and the room where they stand is engulfed in flames. Gerald and the other Coopers take significant damage. Daryle shakes her head in disbelief. Here we go again, she's thinking...

The poisoned sausages investigation

Sarenith 22, 4712

Waking up from their really bad collective dream, the Coopers find themselves laying in very soft beds in separate rooms at the Juliver Arms. Doliver apologizes profusely for their predicament and mentions that others also suffered the same fate. The Coopers are puzzled. How did they all suffer the same dream, and why? A few questions reveal that all of the individuals around town who were affected had consumed Karlyle the Butcher's freshly made sausage. But why would Karlyle want to poison everyone?

The Coopers are also confused to find Gerald in their mists. Gerald reports that he'd been out from work yesterday and prepared a meal of sausage. Daryle gets angry that there are so many Geralds running around. Omok proposes that they start killing each Gerald they encounter until they stop encountering them. Then at last they will be free from the sorcerer's gaffes. Gerald agrees that he needs an identifying mark to distinguish him from the others so that his family members know that he's the real one. He goes to the blacksmith and gets him to carve a dragon design in his protuding horn. There! A unique design. What could possibly go wrong?

Meanwhile, Omok questions the orb of command "What being planned to put hallucinogenic drugs in our food that made us have a collective dream?" The orb indicates that Master Lobeck, one of the high ranking poisoners in Daggermark, has planned the poisoning operation. Omok is mad that the orb does not tell him why, but the orb only answers one question per day. Roscoe is vaguely familiar with that name. Master is Lobeck's first name, and not an honorific. He is described as bald with a tonsure haircut, and is supposedly the third highest ranking member of the poisoners' guild.

Roscoe reports to the Citadel and talks to the second in command. There are several reports that others in the town have experienced a similar food poisoning, but none of them seem to have experienced as vivid dreams as the Coopers. Seventeen individuals were arrested for disturbing the peace. In all likelihood they suffered from this poisoning. Daryle checks the Hunters' Lodge. Shim Longbranch has nothing to report. They did not eat any of Karlyle's sausage yesterday. Shim mentions that the new recruits' training is going well.

Gathered back at the Juliver Arms, the Coopers decide to postpone their trip to the Emerald Spire and instead investigate the sausage poisoning. The sausage was smoked and freshly made that day. Doliver brings his last sausage. Roscoe detects poison, and it comes back as clearly poisoned. Gerald identifies the sausages and discovers traces of evocation. The sausage is both poisoned and magical. Or is it a magical poison?

Daryle decides she will talk to Karlyle. The butcher is happy to describe his sausage-making process, and shows the Coopers his instruments. Daryle discovers that the spice blend that Karlyle puts together has been altered. Darelle pinpoints angel blue as the suspicious herb that has been added. This herb grows in the depths of the Mwangi jungle. It is used by shamans to inspire dreams and acquire visions, and is considered to have some evocative magical properties. Karlyle mentions that early yesterday morning Jeff, the baker's apprentice, had come by to deliver bread before dawn and he had pointed there was a man on the roof. Karlyle and his apprentices had left the shop for a few minutes and had scanned the roofline, finding nothing. Jeff swore that there had been a man up there. The butcher and his workers scoffed and returned to work. The alteration of the herb mix must have happened then.

The Coopers decide to find Jeff. He's a simpleton who has worked with the baker for over two decades. Darelle questions Jeff about the man on the roof, and Jeff swears there was a man up there yesterday at dawn, but he did not get a good look. The Coopers head back to Karlyle's neighborhood. On the roof they discover traces of footsteps. It last rained three days ago, so the footsteps are recent. Omok  investigates the building on the other side of the street, and finds an old deaf woman. Omok removes deafness from the old woman. She had not heard anything. But her granddaughter reports that there were noises on the roof two nights ago. Omok returns to the roof and places a symbol of sleep on the weathervane. He hopes to affect the rogue if he returns in the night.

Daryle goes to tell Dr. Mordel about angel blue  Erynna tells her she hasn't seen Mordel. He ate ome of the sausage for lunch yesterday. The ranger decides she will wait until sunset to see if the doctor will stir.

Roscoe returns to the Citadel and visits prisoners. All of them tell a similar story of eating sausages, then experiencing strange and uncomfortable dreams. Roscoe orders the prisoners released, and does not assess fines for their breach of peace. Roscoe then heads back to Karlyle and he orders the butcher to use entirely new spices and "beef" up his security.

At dusk, Dr. Mordel awakens with an incredibly powerful headache. Daryle explains what happened to many of the residents of Fort Inevitable. Mordel reports that he experienced heightened frustrations and angers and loosened inhibitions while under the sway of the sausage. Darelle brings a sample of angel blue to Dr. Mordel for further analysis.

Daryle notifies the rest of the seven and explains what has transpired in town the last two days. They agree to be on the lookout for strange events. The ranger also decides to camp outside the treasury, remembering that one time when someone broke in and stole all of the money under similarly strange circumstances. Omok, for his part, waits on the roof. Their fears are unfounded however, and the night passes quietly.


Sarenith 23, 4712

In the morning, a different Gerald appears in town, trailing strange sand under his boots. Daryle recognizes the sand as being the same one located in the old mine near Shadowborn Manor. This one gets a tiger carved in his horn. Darelle visits Falandra, and discovers that there's a third Gerald working there. Falandra and Darelle discuss the problem, and Falandra remembers reading a tome about what was called the "Cassandra Effect." A wizard had supposedly developed a spell that could summon a mirror image of a living person, with the same memories up to the summoning. This sort of spell could explain the presence of multiple Geralds that seem to appear then disappear at random.

Daryle and Roscoe devise a plan to tell every Gerald they meet to be at the Hunters' Lodge in a week's time at 4pm. When they all show up, they will be captured. Daryle then decide to explore the tunnels and goes to the mine. She discovers that it is still in operation, but there are no Hellknigths present. Further investigation by Roscoe at the Citadel reveal that Thorne had ordered the mine closed a few months back because the supply of iron ore had been depleted. Clearly, it had not been.

The Coopers and Omok go to the mine with 24 Hellknights. The miscreants turn out to be connected with the poisoners' guild, and despite heavy losses the Hellknights under the valiant leadership of Roscoe manage to regain control of the mine. Gerald sheds a tear for the loss of his turtle a year ago in this very spot under less pleasant circumstances.

Not another dragon!

Erastus 4, 4712

When they returned to Fort Inevitable yesterday, the Cooper sisters agreed to investigate who would possibly want Zoarth dead. This morning, Darelle and Daryle gather at Darelle's house for a light breakfast.

Gerald returns to Fort Inevitable with his mother Gertrude and he wants installs her at his house. However, she currently lives with her cousin outside of the town walls but comes and visits. Gerald is currently trying to regularize her situation with the Hellknights.

Over two years ago, in an incredible plot twist that no one would ever have believed, the back of his hand had been branded with a rune signifying a vow of marriage with Miévi, a younger daughter of the Elven chief  from across the river where the family farm was located. Though old, for a human, she somehow had been smitten with the under fifteen years old, pimply faced and no-prospect Gerald and had, one suspects in a fit of utter insanity she was often plagued by, decided that he, a teenager without abilities, money, or even a reputation, would make the perfect husband. Something about his bloodline, she muttered to her confidants. Could she smell the demons that plague the Shadowborns, or was she simply crazy?

Be that as it may, Gerald also brought back Miévi Gertywindindlysin with him, and quickly realized that it may have been a mistake to do so as a wife can be very demanding of one's time. Gerald's wife was supposedly two days behind but should be arriving within the day, but then it turns out that she's already been here four days because she arrived with the quarterly caravan. Gerald has to pay the Hellknights a fee of 100 crowns to receive the proper permits for his wife to live in Fort Inevitable, since she is elvish.

Gerald takes his wife and his mother to visit Falandra, Abernard, and Dr. Mordel. He runs into several people along the way, including Roscoe, Nissa, and Cassandra, which almost leads to a catfight between the sorceress and Miévi. He then runs into his sisters, who have come into Fort Inevitable to resupply before heading out to track where the giants came from. Sensing an opportunity to abandon his new wife, Gerald jumps at the chance to go with his sisters, and they decide to report their departure until tomorrow so Gerald can settle his affairs and attempt to catch the double that has been going around town for the last month pretending to be him. His plan is simple. Since he is supposed to work with Falandra tomorrow, like he did today, he will be the first one at work and he hopes to catch the fake Gerald in the act of impersonation.


Erastus 5, 4712

Gerald arrives at work bright and early. It's almost a relief after the long fight he and Miévi had over his behavior with Cassandra while she was still in the woods around Xer. Who knew Elven wives could be so temperamental? By noon, the fake Gerald still hasn't arrived at work.

Darelle touches base with Dr. Mordel about her blue pegasus powder. Dr. Mordel's alchemist research shows that the magical ingredient missing is a pegasus' hoof. Mordel can order one, but it will take at least three months before it will arrive in Fort Inevitable. Or Darelle can take her chances and hope to find one in her adventuring. Darelle is concerned that finding the missing ingredient will be very difficult indeed.

Finally, in the afternoon, Daryle picks up her siblings and they head out. They plan on trekking back to the giants' fort and hope that the tracks continue from there.


Erastus 8, 4712 

After an uneventful trip through the wilderness, the Coopers reach the giants' fort in the morning. They discover a large path that has been traveled by a group of giants heading west towards Zoarth's house. The path also heads east, but both rangers are able to identify that the eastern path is not as recent as the western path. Clearly the giants stopped here for a few days before continuing on their mission.

The Coopers pursue the trail and continue eastward. The terrain changes from forests to a barren landscape, and soon the vegetation disappears all together. Darelle remembers the warning Zoarth gave them about a dragon living in these parts. Soon they see in the distance a large worm floating in the sky. The Coopers attempt to find shelter, but are unable to locate anything other than tall boulders. The worm is moving fast, and the distance is closing rapidly. Daryle recognizes the monster as a crag linnorm, a type of wingless dragon. It's pretty dumb, but very vicious.

The Coopers engage in combat with the creature. Gerald takes to the sky, while Darelle becomes invisible. Daryle fires arrows after arrows, but the dragon is too quick and Gerald suffers the effects of its breath weapon before crashing to the ground. Darelle strikes it with her sword, but she too is taken down. The dragon returns for another pass, but Daryle's true shot shatters internal organs and the dragon crashes to the ground, where it is quickly dispatched. Gerald is healed and revived.

The Coopers decide to look for its lair, and as dust comes over the barrens they find it. Along with a large quantity of coins, they discover a +2 frost longsword, a +1 heavy steel blinding shield, a wand of cure serious wounds (19 charges), and gauntlets of dexterity +2. The siblings share the items and decide to camp here for the night.

Gerald, you killed me again, thank you very much

Sarenith 21, 4712

On this beautiful morning, Roscoe inquires with the guard if there has been signs of Thorne. The head of the night watch reports that the rogue has not been seen since a warrant was issued for his arrest. His associates have revealed some details about his various operations, but all of them are unawares of the extent of Thorne's network.

After a lovely breakfast, Darelle heads over Nolm's Bindery to talks to Falandra about Gerald. She inquires about the different Geralds that have been reported around Fort Inevitable, and Falandra says she has in fact noticed inconsistent performances on the sorcerer's part. Falandra wonders who would take the time and spend the magical power and the money necessary to resurrect Gerald multiple times. Darelle speculates that someone, or something, is attempting to sow chaos, and that Gerald is the perfect agent for that. But who would be able to do so in Fort Inevitable? Falandra believes only High Mother Sarise Dremagne from the Temple of the Golden Key, is capable of performing a resurrection, but she also suspects that the Hellknights also possess this capability.

Darelle then proceeds to the Temple of the Golden Key. She meets with High Mother Sarise, and they discuss Gerald's multiple appearances. Sarise also believes that an agent of chaos must be at work. She acknowledges that she has the power to resurrect a dead person, but it would require a substantial donation to the temple, and in no case would she resurrect a Hellknight. She also suspects the Hellknights possess this ability, but when the Lord Commander Varden was assassinated he was not resurrected. She believes this entire incident was a power play between different Helknight factions.

Omok, meanwhile, spends some time reading the second chapter of the Book of the Damned and gains a new ability.

Daryle arrives in town, and she finds her siblings and Omok. After a meal of sausage, fresh bread and ale, at the Juliver Arms, they gather their gear and they begin the trek back to the Emerald Spire. In the forest, they encounter a disheveled Gerald, bearing scratches and evidence of having been in combat. He reports that he was just coming back from the Spire where he had looked on the 13th level for them, but was attacked by a strange gnarled man and a bunch of twigs on the way out. This Gerald reports having been away from town for four days. A discussion among the Coopers about what to do with all of the Geralds running around. Gerald is incensed that someone would be usurping his good name for nefarious purposes. Omok tells Gerald he can get rid of the other Geralds for a small cost. Gerald says he will think about it, but he really wants to find the other Gerald, discover out who is behind it and why. Maybe, the sorcerer muses, he could unite all of the Geralds and take on Greenhide and his cronies.

Roscoe proposes the idea of a tattoo to identify each Gerald with a specific number, so at least they'd know which one they're dealing with. Gerald is game for it. He could also stylize the blade embedded in his head with a different design. Daryle cuts the conversation short and gives him a shallow cut on the right arm. That should identify at least this Gerald. This is the moment that Gerald chooses to reveal that he has a wife. Gerald officially took her last name of Gertywindindlysin and is no longer a Cooper.

With the death of the Mistress of Thorns, the 9th level is now open for exploration, so the party decide to travel back and liquidate the remaining residents. Unfortunately they never acquired the rune for her level, so they will need to travel either to the 8th level, or to the 10th level. Considering that the 10th level is where the magma dragons lived, the Coopers wisely decide to head back to the snakepeople's level.


The Coopers complete the trek, enter the tunnel leading to the Spire, emerge on the 3rd level, and teleport down to the 8th. Immediately it is clear they are in a section of the dungeon they did not previously explored. The Spire appears to be located in a hatchery. There are several large eggs laying around in carefully built nests. Omok grabs an egg, and so does Roscoe. Omok plans to either cook the thing or see what hatches and raise it as a pet. Unfortunately Roscoe is attacked by an emperor cobra but he drops the egg on its head and it falls unconscious. Roscoe cuts its head and decide to keep the head and dry it out later. Darelle discovers a couple of goblin bodies that have been bitten by the snake. She searches the bodies and discover a lone copper coin. The coin appears to have been minted by Greenhide.

Gerald opens the door, and it explodes in his face. He closes the door and returns to the middle of the room, shaken. Roscoe carefully opens the door as well. It explodes again, the trap having had time to reset while Gerald was explaining that he had not seen anything.

Roscoe enters the room, and recollections immediately flood him as to its purpose. The paladin discovers the entrance at the bottom of the stairs has been barricaded, so he heads for the next door. Darelle follows, and Omok decides to break through the door just as Gerald casts a knock spell. At the same time, a flight of arrows is loosened from the barricade and each Cooper takes a few hits. They enter the next room but not before being splashed by a rain of acid. Gerald, who witnessed this attack, emerges from the hatchery and he sends a fireball against the barricade. It is soon engulfed in flames with the yells of many goblins coming from its ruins. Daryle crosses the expanse of the shrine and joins the rest of the party. She thinks about closing the door, but doesn't. Gerald follows suit.

The room they now find themselves appears to be a sacrificial room with three snake statues. It is evident by the lack of desecration that the goblins have not entered this room. Darelle uses her acrobatic skills and jumps around the room, hoping to trigger a trap, but she finds none. The Coopers explore the room but find no other exits. Daryle climbs one of the snake statues and discovers that they can be turned. She turns her statue, and Darelle does the same for the other statue on the same wall. A secret passage opens.

The hallway leads to a hot spring that must be crossed to reach the other side. Gerald  casts ice storm as Daryle examines the spring, catching her by surprise. She avenges herself by firing an arrow and hitting Gerald. The sorcerer has accomplished his goal, however, and the water is frozen solid. The Coopers run across the ice to reach the door. The ice soon melts and the hot spring begins to flow again. Darelle notices that there is a passage underneath the hot water. Since she and the rest of the Coopers are protected against natural heat, she decides she will swim and see where the passage leads.

Darelle emerges in a room with a staircase ascending and another one descending. This looks very familiar. Against the wall, by the pool from which she emerges, is a statue of a snake holding an emerald in its mouth. The other members of the party also make the short swim and come out. Darelle reaches over and touches the emerald. She immediately disappears. Again this feels very familiar to the Coopers. What was it that happened the last time they did this? The remaining Coopers argue among themselves about what they should do next. Omok tires of the conversation, makes the jump to the statue and touches the emerald. He feels pulled away but manages to resist the effects. He successfully pries the emerald out of the snake's mouth, and he decides he will try to touch Gerald with it. Unfortunately Gerald is rather nimble, and he avoids being touched. Roscoe has enough, and he touches the emerald and soon joins Darelle in the snake's labyrinth.

Meanwhile, Omok and Gerald continue to fight, and soon it becomes a full-blown confrontation. Omok uses a slay living spell while Gerald dimension doors the hobgoblin back into the acid temple. Daryle jumps back in the spring and emerges in the other room. She opens the door and discovers a set of goblin sentries. She manages to kill three of them, but the fourth one is proving to be rather tough. Gerald, who was closely behind his sister, sees his sister on the ground in mortal danger, and he unleashes a fireball, instantly incinerating her opponent but also slaying her. Omok, who was coming from the other side, summons a land shark and attacks Gerald, who joins his sister in death. Omok then touches the emerald and is transported to the snake's labyrinth to join Darelle and Roscoe's doom...


Sarenith 22, 4712

The Coopers awaken one at a time, in warm beds at the Juliver Arms. Doliber is soon with them, and apologizes profusely. The Coopers had eaten the sausage and had all collapsed on the floor soon after, along with several other customers who had also partaken of the inn's fare that noontime. He's not sure how his stock of sausages got poisoned, but all of the victims report living through rather vivid nightmares. Thankfully, a full night's rest did wonders and none of them feel any of the ill effects of this rather strange food poisoning. So, after all of that, the events at the Spire were only a dream. But it felt so real ...