Session 7 - Epilogue - Ending Plot Hooks and Group Names

Plot Hooks for Epilogue 

(* = a vote)

- Find Prince Lecham's buried gift for the group, deeper into Blood Coast to the Green Ilse (Southeast Cross)

** Captain Gozo's Ship in Neverwane, mystery of salted boltian trade and travel to Tarte in the Plaingraves (Central Cross)

- Austri's return to the Hillrocker Family Combine (Northwest Cross, Crater Lands)

*** Bosque's quest for revenge and join the Urraedi Arimavor (Southwest Cross, the Oncet)

**** Gawyn's search for Archomet, Nightmare Dragon and Mignola's favor (New Continent)

** Loxly's reclaiming of his kingdom from Ivanham of Nottinghoe in the Lincolnwood Forest in his land of Shergreengrave (Northeast Cross, Moon Coast)

* Noname's walking of the world till he reaches the Purple Coast and the Gray Tower. (New Continent, the Narrow Lands, Bosque homeland)

----------Plot Hook Summary----------

1. Gawyn's Search

2. Bosque's Quest

3. (Tie) Loxly's Kingdom and Gozo's Ship

4. Noname's Walk

3/5 Players Reporting + GM

----------Group Names----------

Death Fist Mongers

Klag Face Mongers

Headshot Hooligans

The Fist

The Five Fingers

Klag Assassins

Riff Raff

Bridge Burners

Wrecking Crew

Biscuit's Revenge

Biscuit's Bastards

Freebooters

The Primeval Collective

Klag's Bane

4/5 Player's Reporting

Session 7 - Prologue - Tome from Burning Cloak's Hideout - Exposition - Urmon's Excerpt

Gawyn is quickly bored with the hyguier of his party.  They are talking with the woodworker of Moondive.  Loxly and Bosque with Frederick pull their fascination and knowledge of fire together with interruptions of light negotiation.  It seems that the weight of coin in the matter is surprising not an issue. Gawyn notes this unusual behavior from his party members.  

Shrugging his shoulder, Gawyn reaches in to his pack for the tome found in the Burning Cloaks hideout.  Gawyn remembers the angular lettering and simple symbols on the sturdy iron binding stood out among the books in the laboratory of the Burning Staff.  The cover had an imposing suit of armor standing on an alter. The back a tower that resembles a sword immerging from a forest.

The tome was written by a dwarf named Urmon in Dwarvish of his adventures.  The first page of the tome plainly states a summary:

My journey through the Cross, Parapado, and Tetromin Continents. The second adventure and only search for the Indigo Eye, an elixir giving the power of foresight or deathsight and possibly both.  A failure in goal and a success in other treasures.

Gawyn begins to read, a fresh red ribbon marks an entry. The page describes a great stone longhouse of Lunascent, surrounding stone housed of the Fiveship lords and surrounding work-halls and farms supporting the large township. Urmon's adventuring company named the Blackhill's Bearhorns struck a contract with Lord Tresendar the Third-Lord, the Lord of Arms, to defend Lunascent from a coming evil.

Urmon describes their arrival in late Halwinter and wanting to leave mid-Halspring, a spand of 18 months. The Bearhorns fought a handful of skirmishs with Boltian marauder in that time period.  Urmon beinging to doubt the prophet, Lord Hexham the First-lord, and wants to leave the service of Lord Tresendar the Third-Lord.  Lord Tresendar entices Urmon with access to Echo Wave Cave and seeing the splendor of the Forge of Spells.

A number of pages of the tote are damaged by water.  

The next full story remarks Urmon drinking with Fortuna Tyke, the living goddess and savior of Mida, in the Wizard's Mess in Echo Wave Cave.  Fortuna talked of her magic warhammers named Lucky Strike and Windfall. She says the mages working with the gnomes and dwarves of the Lunascent Pact labored for 777 hours to make the hammers . 

As payment, Fortuna promised she and her line would sware to protect the Lunascent mine when called upon.  The Fivelords asked her to give 13 drips of her spirit upon 13 acorns.  The acorns would transport her in a blink to the summoner holding the acorn and the acorn disintegrates thereafter.  Ten acorns were split between the Fivelords. 

She tells the dwarf three acorns were given to her to disperse at her choosing. Urmon feeling lucky asks Fortuna for a acorn.  As for his request, he won a kiss on his forehead instead.  He felt that was a greater gift.

Urmon continues with Lord Tresendar through the long corridor leading from Wizard's Mess to the Forge of Spells.  Tresendar speaks of more than five hundred years ago, clans of dwarves and gnomes made an agreement known as the Lunascent Pact, by which they would share a rich mine in a wondrous cavern known as Wave Echo Cave. In addition to its mineral wealth, the mine contained great magical power. Human spellcasters allied themselves with the dwarves and gnomes to channel and bind that energy into a great forge, where magic items could be crafted. 

Tresendar stops Urmon near the end of the corridor.  Explains to give great respect to the spirit that guides the Forge of Spells power.  The spirit was a great explorer in her right much like Urmon and she gave her life to focus energy of Echo Wave Cave into what is known as the Forge of Spells.  Tresendar tells the dwarf to address the spirit as Lady Isadora.

Urmon tries to explain expansiveness of the chamber containing the Forge.  The brightest of the Forge. The hundreds of step-like ledges making up the boundary walls of the Forge.  The thousands bulky armored suits standing at attention on each ledge.  The armored suits bigger than any human or elf could wear, some larger that a war-ogre could bear.

Tresendar notices the awe of Urmon. Tresendar place a finger against his lips, jokingly and whispers, "They are sleeping." 

Unfortunately, tome after this point has been great water damage for scores of pages. Another ribbon marks the beginning of more legible entries.

At midmorning, the battle was won.

Urmon describes the horde of boltian and corrupted human and elf sorcerer they had slain just outside the township of Lunascent.  His Bearhorns had famously lived up to there reputation. Urmon brags of killing three sorcerers himself. The other companies called to protect Lunascent and the Echo Wave Cave had done their jobs to a minimum. Overall, Lord Tresendar was relieved in their victory.

He mentions power and gracefulness of Fortuna Tyke on the battlefield through the night.  Seemingly being on multiple fronts at the same time.

Then the landslide fell, Urmon describes how the entire Moonspire Range crumbled in front of him and all the victors.  Urmon feels doom as the rocks, dust, and mud cascade toward himself and the Bearhorns.  Urmon is frozen and accepting death.

A flash of hope in the form of Fortuna saves Urmon.  Fortuna calls forth all the lightning and wind to part the sea of rocks and debris.  Dust over takes everything and Urmon can no longer see anything.

When Urmon woke, it was early evening.  Sun still shining at the late hour and the dwarf buried to his chest in dust and mud.  Many of the human and elves were helping the surviving shortfolk from the aftermath.  

Urmon found Tresendar in a small village of tents and tarpaulin not far from were he awoke.  Tresendar, now known as the Lonely Lord, oversees the disaster.  Urmon asks if he has seen any other Bearhorns. Tresendar informs him that he is the last of his company.  Few were spared even at the brave sacrifice of Fortuna at the end.  Tresendar calls himself and Urmon the lucky few to be saved from the landslide by her actions.

Over the next season, Tresendar rebuilds a new settlement over the remains of Lunascent.  He sents for all fortune hunters and prospector to dive into the deep into the rock to search any ruins created by the Moonspires.  In time, Fortuna's body was recovered along with her hammers.  Tresendar killed the men that found the godness and hammers after they did not take his reward.  Tresendar held onto the hammers, feeling that someone worthy was seeking them. 

Over the day, resting places were made for the dead in the hill next to the encampment.  Urmon is deeply saddened to find less than a quarter of his fellow Bearhorns in the aftermath.  Depression set in once he was sure to be sole survivor of his company.

Over the nights, Urmon listen to Tresendar lamented the power trapped in mountains, trapped in the Echo Wave Cave, trapped in the Forge of Spells. The laments turned to curses as the nights pasted. He speculated that a forces of boltian and evil sorcerers had entered into Wave Echo Cave to seize its riches and magic treasures.  The other lords, mages, dwarves and gnomes must had abandon the fight to defend the forge. They decided to save the forge and bring down the mountains to keep the power to themselves.  Uncaring of their victory outside.  Anger set in repeatedly and Urmon could not help Tresendar see pass his pain and fear

Urmon concludes Wave Echo Cave is lost and so are his friends including Lord Tresendar.  Urmon was still deeply connected to the cave and Lady Isadora, spirit that runs the forge.  The spirit's voice echoed in his minds and he describes his on going obsession with the elixir she asked him to seek; the Indigo Eye.

When Urmon slept, his mind's eye was obsessed,  dreaming of Tresendar ruling over an army of living armor suits armed with glowing blade halberds and magic that bores holes in men from many feet away.  The armor flowing like lava down the  peaks of Moonspire, south into the Greengrave and north to the independent city states of humankind.  All was Tresendar's kingdom and every person his subject.  Death was a release and punishment. A red sun kills Lady Dorra and Tresendar madness ends.  

Gawyn notices Noname leading Biscuit to pick up a barrel. Bosque looking similar to an alchemist, seals pots fill with an incendiary mixture.  Loxly shaking hands with Frederick.  Austri inspect instruments and tools of the woodworker.

The book is safe and soon they are on their way to the Green Spinster.  The orb begins to call, burn in Gawyn's mind and tugging on his soul.

Session 6 - Echo Wave Cave - Recount, Map, Summary, Questions

Recount of Session 6

Night 1 - Moondive - Early Night (2800 - 3159, 4 hrs)

Bosque and Worra did NOT see any military forces along the Waning Road and Triboar Trail on way to Moondive.

While walking to Moondive at night, Bosque and Worra discover an area were a large group of 30+ people and dragon camped. Burnt arrows and a broken bow a left among the smoldering braziers.

Worra sees Trad, the sorceress' onceti assistant, hung in a tree missing his limbs, acid burning his limbs to stumps.  Worra guesses Trad was ambushed and map he was carrying to the Rat King stolen.

Gawyn spots Worra and Bosque.

Gawyn, Bosque, Noname, Loxly and Austri meet in Sister Garaele's House with Worra.  

Worra and Bosque say their is group named the Jack Terriers meeting the Rat King to kill him at the stone fort house, The Green Spinster.  Jack Terriers armed with dreaded boomstocks.

Gawyn, Noname, Loxly and Austri explain the night before. Eldermath's execution by the last of the Burning Cloaks and a rain of fire arrows killing half the town followed by 20+ men dressed with black dragon masks attacking Moondive.

Lastly, Trista Khador called the Burningstaff after Noname left to help the group fight an acid dragon. She then killed Gundren, Sildar, Wolfenstein, and the barkeeper when she fireballed the Moondive Dive.

Sister Garaele's helped the group kill the acid dragon trying to fly away with Trista.  The dragon was killed lightning summoned by Sister Garaele.  Loxly puts an arrow through Trista's head as she tries to burn the arrow in mid flight.  The Burningstaff disintegrates while doing so.

Sister Garaele gives an iron acorn to Loxly in order to summon her if needed.

The surviving Luck Shrine shrine maiden and mother give group 10 improved healing potions.

Night 1 to Day 2 - Moondive - Late Night and Mid-late Morning (0000 - 0959, 10 hrs)

Group Rests

Day 2 - Moondive - Mid-late Morning, Early Afternoon (1000 - 1559, 6 hrs)

Bosque builds hand bombs with the help of a woodworker, Frederick Strongbeam.  Four fire hand bombs with caltrops, four fire hand bombs with ball bearings.

Loxly builds a keg bomb with woodworker.

Day 2 - Moondive to Green Spinster, At Green Spinster, Late Afternoon (1600 - 1959, 4 hrs)

Group including Worra go to Green Spinster.

Gawyn and group purposefully trip a Fountain of Rats guarding the lower level, rats run off in direction of Echo Wave Cave. Gawyn, Noname and Bosque discover only a dead man wearing a Jack Terrier's Cuirass and jacket.  Looks to be bitten to death by a 1000 tiny bites. 

Group sets Green Spinster on fire.

Group heads into mountains and find a cravasse leading deep within rocks.  They see cart, large feet, boots and tiny mice tracks.

Day 2 - Echo Wave Cave Entrance - Early Evening (2000 - 2399, 4 hrs)

Group hears distressed animal sounds.  Biscuit seems interested. Loxly through telepathy with Biscuit that an draft ogre was injured in rock fall.  Group lets injured draft ogre limp home.

Once in entrance cave, group discovers ferroquin (destroyed) and knight (dead) crushed under many giant boulders. Unfortunately, Tharden was caught in the collapse.  Tharden is has been dead only hours, dust has nearly settled.

Austri can hear faint breathing behind another rock fail.  He discovers his cousin, Nundro, alive and shaken from ambush of the Jack Terriers, Tharden's death, and sealing himself with rock fall in a cove to protect himself.

Austri tells the group he is staying with Nundro and wants to start the rock fall to seal Echo Wave Cave.  The group and Austri negotiate, Austri give them 11 hours to explore cave. If anyone other than group members comes out the cave, Austri will initiate the rock fall.

Day 2 - Count Down - Entrance Cave - Hour 11 (2400)

Left Biscuit's cart at edge of sink hole exposing two entrances to mine.

Bosque, Gawyn, Loxly and Noname help Biscuit get down in sink hole with keg bomb.  Worra follows.

North mine entrance had lots of boot prints and one set trailing off to east entrance.

Group goes into east mine entrance, lots of rat tracks and one set of boot prints. Familiar mouse waves, Loxly kills it, dissipates into blue luminous smoke.

Group marches into east entrance into mining tunnel for 30 mins till seeing next opening and room.

Day 2 - Count Down - Mushroom'd Hallway to Assayer's office to Ancient Latrine Fight - Hour 11 (2500)

Fight 1 (Red Spikey Balloon marked F1)

Group sees glowing mushroom, phosphorescent spores, mushroom zombies. Group sets up trap with Loxly Grabbing Thorn spell.

5 zombies die.  Ignites poison mushroom cloud explosion.  Bosque and Gawyn poisoned. Noname was exposed yet not poisoned.  

Did not go deeper into area with overgrowth of glowing mushroom (green area). 

Cloud lines represent Area Characters did not explore or can see.

Worra disappears.

Find barred door to immediate north, Biscuit could not open in.

Find door to west, easily opens. Discovered Assayer's Office and 500 gp on tables and chest.  Secret door found, rat familiar helps discover group discover it.

Biscuit and keg bomb could not fit into secret passages way (Would take 1 hour to clear); Biscuit and keg bomb left in Assayer's office.

Crates are filled with solid blocks of decayed food, glass bottles, clay containers, porcelain chamber pots.

Rat familiar climbs on crates, play acts fighting and someone in danger.  Points at secret door.

Group goes through secret door. Familiar disappears into blue luminous smoke.

Fight 2 (Red Spikey Balloon marked F2)

Group looks down a hallway lined with latrine benches. As they continue to burst into the latrine, they see a man armed with an extremely heavy looking pike and an other dressed in half plate, a large ornate shield a luminous white-blue sword yelling at an unseen person around the corner.

The Half-plate man notices the group and yells at them to identify themselves. Loxly tries to convince the man they are reinforcements.  The man replies, "You are not soldiers and definitely not of the seven I brought!"

In the confusion, the Half-plate man is struck with magic missiles and steps back injured.  The man with pike, aims his pike like a bow and a mighty flash erupts from the end of the pike quickly followed by flash and noice like lighting and thunder.

An Onceti man in red robe runs towards the group and fires magic missiles again at the Half-plate man.

Noname charges the Half-plate man and dents his armor with three blows.  Killing the Half-plate man.

The group realizes the man with pike is armed with a boomstock and is probably the units sergeant.  The Sargeant fires a round into Noname at point blank.  Noname thinks about catching the projectile, yet does not attempt it. Noname now fears the boomstocks power (Noname loses HP).  Sargeant runs thru the western door behind him.

Gawyn makes the Sargeant fear him with a damage spell (Sargeant loses HP).  Loxly throws a grabbing thorne spell. Bosque throws two handbombs resulting in making the western door impassable and obscured.

The red robed wizard thanks the group for intervening and takes cover behind the group.

Six blasts from three separate boomstocks erupts through the smoke and fire from the western door.  Lucky, no one from the group is hurt. It seems through the blasts were aimed most at Noname and the red robed wizard.

Gawyn clears the flames and debris from Bosque's bombs so the group see or pass through the western door.  The group notices there is no one on the otherside of the doorway. Their is some thorned vines ripped up as if someone struggled to get free (one Jack Terrier loses HP).

The red robed wizard runs east, through the secret door into secret passage way as everyone expects a threat threw the western door of the latrine.  Noname notices and chases the wizard north through the secret passage way.  The wizard pushes open a secret door at the north end of the secret passage way.

Day 2 - Count Down - Meet the Rat King and Golum Guardian - Hour 10 (2600), Magic Resets.

Fight 3 (Red Spikey Balloon marked F3)

Noname tackles the wizard.  The rest of the group chases after Noname.  The group tied up the wizard. The group notices they are in a large kitchen. Nothing of value is in this room.

They persuade the wizard to give them information.  The wizard gives them the following:

- He is the Rat King.

- He tells you he was trying to get to the Forge of Spells.

- There is clay golum guarding the entrance and it's will not let anyone pass; it does seem to be like it could be reasoned with. 

- Clay Golum controls the mushroom zombies.

- The Jack Terriers captured him after his failed attempt to reason with the Golum.

- Jack Terriers were interrogating him about the forge and what it does. He said, "He does not know." The Sargeant and Officer (Half-plate) were close to executing him when the group charged in.

- He sent the familiar to lead them to him.

The Golum (Circle marked G)

The group have the Rat King show them the way to the Golum. They exit the kitchen through the western door, they see a large room with 40 feet ceiling carved out of the cave.  The floors, walls and ceilings look like flagstones.  Many unlight dry oil walls sconces are mounted to the walls and pillars. Many large unlight wagon wheel-like chandelier hang from the ceiling.  The group notice skeletons of many different bipedal creatures in various states of completeness and positions on the floor.  Looks as if a large fight occurred here.  

The group go up the stairs immediately north of them and slowly approach the green glowing Golum. As they pass a large pillar, the Golum stares at the group silently and near motionlessly.

Jack Terriers retreat (Blue Arrow with Jack Terrier Symbol)

They notice the haphazard fortification of tables and benches with motionless mushroom zombies laying against them. They also notice the two other doors south. One loosely barricaded closed and one leading to the Latrine.

The groups sees some tables and benches pushed outward from the fortification as if the Jack Terriers broke up the barrier to escape from the group during the fight.  The group knows the room extends further to the south west, they just can not see what is exactly there. (The cloud looking marks are unexplored areas).

Fight 4 (Red Spikey Balloon marked F4)

The Group stops when the Golum in a booming voice ask them to halt and state their business.

Gawyn talks to the Golum and gains it's trust. The Golum warns he does not trust the Rat King and the Forge has been active as of recent (you do not know what recent means to a Golum that been there for a 1000 years).  The Golum asks if he can be released from his service and seem to recognize Gawyn.  The Golum asks for Gawyn to place his head into his large out stretch hand in order verify his identity.  Golum says Gawyn bloodline is allowed to release the Golum from service the yells "Release me!". Gawyn says it is released and Golum melts into the floor and disappears.

Soon after, two shots from a boomstock strike behind them near the 30 feet wide and 15 feet tall entrance tunnel of the Forge of Spells.  The tunnel leading to the forge is straight and speck of yellow-orange light is viewable at the other end (approx 1000+ ft long tunnel to Forge).  The group kneels down after hearing the ricochet.

The next two rounds, hear the near invisible shots whizz and crack near them. They see the flash and smoke come from the south west. They also hear the something running in armor and panting heavily coming the group's way!

'

End of Session 6

----------Questions----------

1. Do you fight the Jack Terriers, run into forge or something else?

2. Biscuit?

3. What do you do with the Rat King?

4. What other options do you think you have?

5. Does your group have a name?

-----------Session 7 Knowns-----------

- You have all your spell slots back.

- Austri helping depends on player attendance.

- You have 10 hours left no matter if Austri helps or not.  Nundro wants revenge!!!

- Fighting is fast (6 second a player's turn) and talk eats up time, any negotiation or dialogue is a minimum of 15 mins.  We'll be rolling a D4 to see how many quarters of an hour a complex conversation in game takes.

- Jack Terriers want to see the Forge of Spells and kill the Rat King (and probably any witnesses) then to report to their commander, Captain Bulter.

- There are 4 to 5 Jack Terriers alive currently and they are as well equipt as the group.

- Must be in line of sight for telepathy and within 30 ft.

- You have the iron acorn!

- Worra knows the location of all the promisary notes for payment and leads.  Bosque, Austri and Loxly, want her alive. Gawyn and Noname, may not care if she lives and maybe have an idea she grants wishes if she makes it out of Echo Wave Cave alive.

----------Session 7 Ending----------

Pick three Plot Hooks, rank them 1 to 3:

- Find Prince Lecham's buried gift for the group, deeper into Blood Coast to the Green Ilse (Southeast Cross)

- Captain Gozo's Ship in Neverwane, mystery of salted boltian trade and travel to Tarte in the Plaingraves (Central Cross)

- Austri's return to the Hillrocker Family Combine (Northwest Cross, Crater Lands)

- Bosque's quest for revenge and join the Urraedi Arimavor (Southwest Cross, the Oncet)

- Gawyn's search for Archomet, Nightmare Dragon and Mignola's favor (New Continent)

- Loxly's reclaiming of his kingdom from Ivanham of Nottinghoe in the Lincolnwood Forest in his land of Shergreengrave (Northeast Cross, Moon Coast)

- Noname's walking of the world till he reaches the Purple Coast and the Gray Tower. (New Continent, the Narrow Lands, Bosque homeland)

- Submit your own!!!

----------Notes----------

Charge to 32 Hour Day, 4 long rests, Powers Reset at Dawn or Dusk (16 hrs)

Morning 

(0400 - 0759, 0800 - 1159) Sunrise 1000

(Early Morning, Late Morning)

Afternoon

(1200 - 1559, 1600 - 1959)

(Early Afternoon, Late Afternoon)

Evening 

(2000 - 2359, 2400 - 2759) Sunset 2600

(Early Evening, Late Evening)

Night

(2800 - 3159, 0000 - 0359)

(Early Night, Late Night)

Session 5 - Aftermath - Gawyn Sintarion's Waking Dreams of Red Jasper and Archomet the Nightmare Dragon

The precious red stone ball is in Gawyn's hand as the ambient magic is flows through it and trickles into the wizard.

The eynuier identified the ball was made of red jasper.  A precious magical stone.  Gawyn wants to call the orb Merlin's Cherry in the honor of one of his favorite stories.  He feels the ball's annoyance with the name.  Surprised, Gawyn feels some strange power, psychic power, trapped within.  Curious he wants to release it.

"A dragon and a sorceress died tonight.  A sister of luck called in a lightning strike.  Clouds of darkness filled with blades turned fanatics into mist. Fire fell from the sky like shooting stars granting wishes of death and distruction," Gawyn sings under his breath.

Gawyn could not sleep nor did he need to.  He chose to take the watch as the party rested; they were split among the remaining buildings of Moondive. Loxly invited to stay at Mirna Dendrar's home. Austri and Noname at Sister Astramarie (formerly Garaele) invited to rest after moving the burnt corpses of Wolfenstein and Gundren. Hoping that the blessings and being properly prepared would get you were you wanted to go on the otherside.  

Gawyn did wonder if the wolf was worth the scroll of revivify or if anyone cares that Sildar is dead.  

The thought of scroll brought him to his song and all the magical energy spilled into the air tonight. The energy is palpable.  Gawyn pulls out the orbuculum, holds it while looking deep into orb then whispers into it.  Gawyn feels the orb talking though he cannot yet hear it.  Atuning is time consuming he thinks, he can barely feel that the orb agrees.

"It is a little early.  We will continue walking together you and I, orb."

Gawyn is in front of the dragon.  

Gawyn fiddles with a rhyme,  "Poisonous fumes emiting in the air.  Poisonous flesh laying there. Poisonous blood leaking down into the ground.  Trista turned this magnificent being into a clown."

Unsure if this singing and rhyming is him.  He asks the red ball.  It replies with a faint inability to discern and likes the funny words the young wizard is saying.  Gawyn feels the orb and himself intermingle in thought, time and space. Before Gawyn realizes it, the orb is about to touch the dragon's head while it is in his hand.

"Touch," the orb whisperers yet echos in Gawyn's mind.

Gawyn third eye is open. Something was waiting. The orb's curiosity might have been a mistake.  Both are seeing something different, something new.  

A beast of blood, blood lit with rage and terror. Light shining red from within.  

A beast of night, night dark with eternity and entropy.  Dark holding thick without.  

Both swirling, pulsing and racing in all directions. Both larger than the astralos yet they can fit within your mind.  Both consuming worlds of the older age and feeding your new soul with dispare.  In the ecstasy of timeless distruction the beasts have borne many children. 

The one you see is here below your feet.  Broken and segmented. It's is writhing in smoke, calamity and ephialtes.  It brings fear to your time of rest, peace and dormancy; that is only when it passes. 

It's scream makes both your heart and thoughts quiver and bleed.  The onceti with composure waring, can feel it will turn us all into piles of organs then tip the scales of reality.  Sending our collective pulp running, gushing and rippling off the edge of the earth into the stary abyss; maws wide open, the parents await.

Gawyn is back in front of the dragon.  

The orb about to touch the dragon again.  Gawyn pulls the red jasper ball away from the dragon as hard and fast as he can.

"Will not ride that mare again," out loud Gawyn says.

A voice different then his own speaks into his mind, "No simple mare that be, it is the king of mares thye did see."

Gawyn is in front of the Luck Shrine.

Astramarie pulls him into her home.  Gawyn floats into the single room house.  In a corner, Noname is sleeping in a well kept modest bed and further recovering from the green dragon's poison slash.  Austri in his bedroll tucked under a large table in the center of the room and a low fire burn in a fire place behind it.  

Gawyn admires the lanterns hanging from a beam that holds up the slate shingled roof; astral glint sparkling in the flame.

Astramarie gets Gawyn's attention and he sits were she has pulled out a chair.  They talk a number of hours in seconds.  Noname begins to cough and he becomes a geyser of green gas.  It ignites from the glowing lanterns, burning the rafters and beams.  Each lantern falling, bursting and burning on the table.  Austri stares into Gawyn as the roof falls burning, crushing and killing Austri.  Astramarie in wreathed in lightning takes Gawyn's heart and placing it in a copper censer.  She ignites the heart in the censer and shoves the smoky burning orichalcum vessel in his chest.  Looking for escape Gawyn see only Noname's jet of green coming to give him the gassy kiss of death.

Gawyn is in front of the Dragon.

"Damn thee, no more rhyming!"

Again the voice in his head, "Rhyming is fun, now I am done and now this time for some puns.  I wish could have archo-MET you in the past.  You are an ACRHO-met-TYPE I have seen before.  Now, it is time to know your new ARCHOMET-SIS. Archomet the nightmare dragon and the Archometlings!"

Gawyn is standing in void above and admiring the jewels of light scattered in all directions on black velvet curtains.  He spots with all his senses spots a starless toom, an inky piece brakes off from the whole and climb from the primal darkness below. An unspeakable distance covered in a breath. The vale of shadow and heat swallows Gawyn. He endures the pain of aphotic burning against his flesh. 

He focuses on his inner self beyond the natural impulse to run.  He feels the need to chew his leg off caught in the toothy trap of unlit terror.  He catches a glimpse of his teeth dripping with flesh.  He knows he can not out run this fright in the steel trap box residing in his head.  The immaterial is the forest this beast hunts. Between brooding, over scrutiny and under reasoning.  

Gawyn taps into his guarded emotions and finds a red diamond of kindness, protection and love. He grasps it, holds it then brings it into his heart.  Mygnola the Red pushes pink-white blinding radiance out and in, absorbing and exploding; shreading and over coming the hate and fear.   

Gawyn is cold. 

He is laying flat on the ground and starring into the fading black sky as the sun has started to turn back the night. Sun's light returns and so does his focus, he is then looking into the lifeless eye of Trista and the scorched arrow logded in her other.  Frost covers both bodies. The orbuculum is firm in Gawyn's grip and untouched by the morning chill.

Trista moves. Pulled away. 

Quickly before Gawyn can move his head, Trista is almost out of sight. He catches a single glowing yellow eye with dead mage in tow.  A message burning in his psyche sends his head whipping back. Simply it states, thank you. The burning flies away and gone the glowing eye from view.

Then comes a name, Mygnola, to his memory.  Gawyn tries to place the name to face or place and can not.  He is compeled to look at the orbuculum and recognizes the orbuculum was created by Mygnola, no deeds or memories come to mind beyond the name given.

Gawyn gets up.

His Interest in the object is further sparked with the waking dreams over during his watch.  The wizard walks to Mirna's home for breakfast and a quiet place for his wits to be safe.  Gawyn places Merlin's Cherry into a leather sack as he enters.  Welcomed by the surviving hyguier family and his friend, he longs for banality of life.  The pancakes are served and enjoys the presents of his first bite.

----------Result----------

Mygnola's Red Jasper (Merlin's Cherry)

Damage stored:

48 Psychic Damage

Defeat Archomet and his Archometlings (Gawyn and those that have carried Mygnola's Red Jasper)

- Find layer of Archomet

- Survive random attacks from Metlings

- Reward: Access to Mygnola the Red as patron and patron's knowledge, wealth, item and weapons.

Archometling, Nightmare Dragon (5e Creature)

Large dragon, neutral evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56), max 196

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR       DEX       CON      INT       WIS      CHA

18 (+4) 10 (+0)  18 (+4) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +8, Wis +4, Cha +5

Skills Perception +8, Stealth +8

Damage Vulnerabilities radiant

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities psychic

Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18

Languages Common, Draconic

Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Amorphous. The dragon can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. It can make one tail attack in place of its two claw attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.

Frightful Scream (Recharge 5-6). The dragon lets out a bloodcurdling cry that pierces the mind of any who hear it. Each creature within 40 feet of the dragon must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 14 (4d6) psychic damage and is frightened. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't frightened. An affected creature may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, it cannot be frightened by this dragon's Frightful Scream for the next 24 hours.

Session 4 - Cragmaw Castle - Part 4 - Parley

Bosque could hear the arguments from the hallway leading to where the discussion had started. Through the door it sounded like Marco and Austri were doing most the arguing.  Once Worra and Bosque walked in they could clearly hear it wasn't arguments, they were slinging insults at each other.

Loxly was standing next to Lecham both looking embarrassed.  Lucky none of the other gybolts we're in the room, other wise this would have gotten violent.

"Quit it," Bosque pushs the two apart. Marco and Austri stop a moment. They look like they are going to start again till they notice Worra.

Austri and Marco say in unison, "Why is she here?!"

"She is here to help us," Bosque says diplomaticly. "Also, we cannot let anyone in the Moondiver Mine. It needs to stay lost."

Austri looking more upset, "You sided with goblins! You were hired to get Gundren to protect him!"

"We were hired to protect a cart and we were paid," Loxly smugly says, he walks closer to Austri. "Out of the graciousness in our hearts and coin promised to our pockets we have arrived to this juncture."

"It just so happens my kin found Gundren  alive, you should be delighted," added Lecham.

"I am yet. You are all supposed to be his friends," the dwarf pleas to all in the room.

"Ah ho-ho, I am no friend of the figora. I spare him only because Prince Lecham was spared," Marco leading over the table while standing on a chair. "No one can open that mine, it means more oppression to my people, more death."

Worra then speaks, "Hillrocker Family Combine. Your family's company, Austri, is in league with Rithal."

Austri defensively says, "My family only digs and we are small combine.  We are not the Montefellers or Rockbattens. We..."

"Gundren wants to be!" Worra ends Austri meek posturing, "He would not give Saroeun the location of the mine when dangling in front of the owlbear. Yet he would fill the room with threats of his coming power, your family's military and connection to Rithal."

Bosque loudly says, "Okay, okay. Let's get this business over. Worra has things to tell us all."

Worra runs a hand over her bald head and says something under her breath.  A large piece of parchment appears in the middle of the table. Ink begins to appear on the parchment as if invisible pens are drawing upon it. Amazed in silence, everyone sees a map of the area.

"Sildar has sent word of Trista Khador's capture and that she is a powerful conjurer to the Nevers^," Worra continues. "In response, the Crosian marchine garrison would send a large platoon of cuirassary* with probably two spellcasters to ensure her transport and imprisonment. Also, to reestablish the constabulary Trisha turned into the Burning Cloaks."

Bosque adds, "Worra and I will go to see how large this group is. If it is more than expected, Sildar's interest lay in occupying Moondive and start securing the area for exploitation of Echo Wave Cave."

Everyone takes in the map as Worra draws a dark green house just east of Moondive. Worra explains the mark, "My olseur**, Trad, has destroyed Gundren's map in route to eliminate the Rat King at a fortified farm house called Green Spinster. Trad will meet you in three days in Moondive. He will be an oceti dressed in a similar cloak as myself."

"He'll be dead and I doubted he'll destroy the map," Austri poking at Worra confidence. "We'll probably be strung up a tree with a smile carved from ear to ear!"

Worra gives a look to Austri that startles him and nearly sents him to the floor.  

She continues drawing and talking. "We all meet up in Moondive in three days then head out to the Moondiver Mine and ensure it says hidden."

Austri straightens himself and looks as proud and confident as he can muster, "If my family is to walk away from the mine, make it impenetrable and stay lost; what is our competition?"

"Hundred thousand gold. How does that sound, Austri?" The statement sounded of no consequences to Worra.

Austri jokingly says, "It will need to be platinum."

Quickly Worra accepts and explains how she will bring the official papers from Neverwane on Bosque and her return to Moondive. The map fades away.

"Well, my fair maiden, I'll need a platinum codpiece and shoes to match to dance away from this opportunity." Loxly jest and querying for a bribe.

"You get fifty thousand gold. Do not ask for more or it will turn into copper," Worra snips.

Embarrassed Loxly nods and does tempt his chances.

Worra gives attention to the gybolts, "Any request, Prince Lecham?"

Lecham and Marco whisper to each other. They ask Worra to step out of the room and close the door behind them.

Bosque puts his ear against the door and motions for everyone to quiet.  Everyone eyes drawn to him listening. After a few minutes, Bosque motions everyone to start talking. Loxly talks about Lincolnwood Forest^^ and his realm of Shergrengrave^^^.  Austri fanes interest so poorly Loxly and Bosque been to laughs making the room feel natural.

Bosque backs away from the door as the goblins walk in followed by the onceti.  The laughter dies down as Marco and Worra gives the hyguier disapproving looks.  

Prince Lecham is sad and addresses the three adventures, "I am going to leave you. As my parting gift you may have Wolfenstein.  He will serve you as faithfully as I had planned.  Marco and the remaining gybolts will meet with our kin and return home.  Our mission is complete."

Lecham hugs Bosque then Austri. When it is Loxly's turn, Lecham says, "You have given us boltian a chance to live, a chance to fight! I will leave gifts buried at the foot of Knotted Rock near Wyvern Tor^^^^ after 5 days from now.  It will not look like much, just trinkets and things of nature. Yet they are the greatest gifts a boltian could give his friends."

Marco takes Lecham by shoulder and kisses his prince on the forehead. Marco says one more insult to Austri then simply says to Bosque and Loxly, "Ah-haha, thank you for returning my prince, higoras! I hope to see you again."

At midmorning, Austri and Loxly are getting Gundren settled in the wagon.  The necromancer's tent helped keep the morning frost from hindering the rigging of the cart.  Biscuit, draught-orge, was ready to move. Austri and Loxly including Wolfenstein began their journey to Moondive.

Loxly was curious how Bosque and Worra will travel fast enough from the Nevers to Moondive in just three days.  Loxly figured she must have some sort of onceti surprise.

----------Result----------

Quest to Wyvern Tor (party)

- Prince Lecham's gifts buried near the foot of Knotted Rock.

- Go to Echo Wave Cave and collapse entrance 

Collect 100K Platinum Pieces (Austri Only)

- Convince Gundren, Tharden, and Nundro to give up on the Moondiver Mine.

- Collapse the Moondiver Entrance.

- Worra to give instructions on getting rewards.

Collect 50K Gold Pieces (Loxly Only)

- Collapse the Moondiver Entrance.

- Worra to give instructions on getting rewards.

Entry into Urraedi Arimavor and location of mentors killer (Bosque Only)

- Collapse the Moondiver Entrance.

- Worra will give two toll piece (soul exchanged for gold) and instructions on getting reward.

---------Notes---------

Trad, Loxly, Bosque, Austri, Gundren, Worra, Marco, Lecham,Cuirassary, corrinque, Nevers, Wyvern Tor, Olseur, 

Cuirassary* soldiers that ware a breast and back plate armor. Many carry boomstocks with bayonets.  Normally supported with brigantry, platoons carry large shields and swords or spear/pikes.

Olseur** rank below Mailey and is a mailey in training. Normally from a different noble house or school of training.

Nevers^, nickname for Neverwane and Neverwax, fortified cities on opposite banks of the Waning River.

Lincolnwood Forest^^ 

Shergreengrave^^^

Wyvern Tor^^^^

Corrinque+

Marchinette++

Session 4 - Cragmaw Castle - Part 3 - Urraedi Arimavor

Worra releases Bosque's wrist.  They look into each other's eyes seeing anger fade and reason return. In a somber moment, Bosque returns the three coins to Worra.

Worra asks, "How did you get that coin?"

"I will not tell you," Bosque said. He places the coin back into his pouch on his leather necklace.

"You must, Bosque. There are a powerful few that seek these coins and a great deal of dangerous beings that have them. If you possess one of the coins, you have entered into a deadly game of last one standing."

"Then tell me how you got yours if these are so dangerous. Why would you hold on to them?"

Worra hesitates, thinking. She holds her three coins in her hand, places them in the pouch and ties her belt on.

"Urraedi Arimavor*, translate to a soul for gold," said Worra quietly, "To say those ancient words tempts faint to bring them to your door."

Confused Bosque says the words back, "Urraedi Arimavor?" At this time Bosque notices that Loxly, Austri, Lecham and Wolfenstein are gone. 

Worra gives Bosque a stern look that makes him yield and understand the serious nature of uttering the murderous group's name.

"If you must mention them at all, call them coin-seekers or coin-followers.  Coin-followers scrye for their name said out loud. Coin-seekers scrye for these coins as they scream into the astralos^ when they appear."

"I don't believe you."  Bosque says wanting to no longer listen. "I have killed dozens of creatures and people since I have carried this coin. With how you are talking about it, the boogyman should be here by now. Already killed me."

"I'll tell you where I found them then," Worra finally reveals. "One coin found was where Gundren was ambushed in the mouth of a green goblin. One coin outside the cave of King Klag in the mouth of a red goblin. The last coin in King Klag's mouth with his face pulled off."  Worra then says, "I figured a great killer, a monster, was on our trail seeking the Rat King or the Moondiver Mine."

"I did not carve King Klag's face, that was Loxly."

Worra continues, "The face doesn't matter! Who delivers the kill, gets the coin. The soul taken in trade, the deposit left in the dead's mouth. Given to you instead of Death as the soul is stolen from the astralos.  You have left a trail for them to follow."

"No, no, no," Bosque says as he places his hand on the latch of the door. He then turns back, "This is some ploy.  You know too much about this. A person who is afraid of these men behind the coins would have left them where they lay.  Your aim is something else?  This is an opportunity for you, no?"

Worra releases some tension in her body. Bosque notices she seems more relax and maybe out of this Worra will tell him a little more than half truths. She adjusts her cloak. Yellow trim brighten to the color of gold and the blue shines for a moment then deepens into the color of night.

"I need killers, Bosque.  Even to generate coins, you needed to have killed someone carrying one that wanted you dead. No small feat."

"I am no killer," Bosque says, more to himself then to her. "I'm just a man, looking for work.  And this coin, I stole it from a deadman."

"Who are you try to make believe you? Me? No." Worra moves closer to Bosque, her hand on the latch Bosque is holding. "You're on a quest, a quest for vengeance. Probably because of the man you said you took that from. And I'll tell you, only killers can walk that path and be successful."

Bosque looks away. He can feel her gaze going right through him. Worra keeps speaking.

"In truth, I need killers to keep the Lost Mine of Moondiver lost.  You and your friends, they can help. I know enough gold or platinum will make you all forget this mine exists. The eynuier, I might be able to buyoff, if not you will need to find a way to keep them silent. I know they are close with Floed Rithal and the Carracque** of the Cross Kingdom cannot have the mine.  The eynuier cannot profit because Rithal will profit. Rithal is a monster, breeding a court of monsters. All petty and prideful. All ruling in the name of greed and gluttony.  They would rather murder their own people then feed them. That is why Rithal ignited the Long War. His coffers need war, his sychophants need war, all the profiteers need war.  The mine will let Rithal finally clench the Blood Coast, flood it will material and weapons, turning everything south of here into battlefields and unmarked graves of undesirables like indeguier^^, bloodfolk^^^, trauti^^^^, and onceti.  Till finally, the Green Isle is taken and he breaks the Onci Treaty***. After he devoures the Oncet he will move his boomstocks, firejacques, farroquins, all his terratine and nautrine**** to the next continent."

Bosque looks into Worra's eyes, "I have goals and you have goals. Turth. What does it matter?"

Worra opens the door, "If that is not enough, does it matters if you find your mentor's killer?"

"You cannot know that."

"Austri was right, I'm a vendishona," she smiles dryly as her arm blocks the door. "I know many things. I am many things. I am whatever needs to be done and what needs to be done now is for you to follow me.  Your friends are about to have a meeting you need to attend."

----------End---------

Notes

Urraedi Arimavor, Carracque, Carraque Floed Rithal, Onci Treaty of 333, Bloodties Treaty of 371, Carraque Goldbrau Alexidrina Hanotter, Crosian-Oncet Beachlands, Straight of Oncet, 

boomstocks, firejacques, ferroquin, terratine, nautrine, farronaut, Astralos, Trauti, Bloodfolk, Blood Coast, Calendar - Eye of Praise

*Urraedi Arimavor, urrea (gold, basque), dirua (money, basque) arima (soul, basque), voor (for, dutch), an elusive and mysterious group of assassins from the Masoka continent, mas (snake, samali), inyoka (snake, zulu).

**Carracque(named derived from Carrack sailing ship from 18th century), Emperor, King, Czar.

***Onci Treaty Armistice treaty signed in the year 333 by Carraque Goldbrau Alexidrina Hanotter (Queen Victoria Alexanderia Victoria Hanover) say troops or ships from the Cross Kingdom cannot enter the waters within 1000 leagues of an Onceti Island. Onceti and Crosian ships, citizens or troops are not allowed within the Straight of Oncet or occupy within 100 miles of the Crosian-Oncet Beachlands. Dwarves-Eynuier are allowed to transport and occupy within unoccupied lands and seas if both Oncight Council and Carraque of Cross have given permissions. A similar treaty was made with the Boltian, called the Bloodties Treaty of 371. Broken by Floed Rithal (Adolf Hitler) in 407.

****boomstocks, firejacques, ferroquin, all his terratine and nautrine (crude breach-load cartridge rifle), (direct fire artillery), (iron golem-like armor that can carry various firejacques and close combat weapons, controlled by a noble-warrior called ferronaut), (land forces, army, 100K combatants), (sea forces, navy, 1000s of ships with 1000 sailors per ship, galleys/triremes as favored ship).

^Astralos, a combination of outer space, the plains that spirit reside, and the multiverse.

Indeguier^^, Onceti for Boltian (gybolts, dibolts and orbolts).

Bloodfolk^^^, Humans of the Blood Coast, many settlements and city-states prosper from self rule and trade with Boltian, Onceti, and Trauti.

Trauti^^^^, a species of anthropoid with bifurcated horns emerging from their foreheads or temples. Variety of skin colors including Human tones and every color in nature.  Some have deer-like facial features. Know for abilities in magic, trickery and moving large amounts goods over land and sea.  Tribal, mysterious, nomadic, generally good in business to a point some think of them as thieves and running confidence schemes.  

+Fursa, Furca, the yoke, Y cross. Located in the southern March of Coarsica.

++Current year/season/month/day is 410 Halfall Hexadane Balsday

Calendar of Eye of Praise

Seasons - Forwinter Winter Halwinter Halspring Spring Forsummer Summer Forautumn Autumn Halfall

Months - Henalish Dilish Trilish Unlish Tetradane Hexadane Septadane Leviathane Octover Novemver Decemver

Days - Monday Tuesday Wednesday Loknesday Thursday Friday Balsday Valsday Sunday

36 Days/Month, 11 Month/Season(Earth year), 10 Seasons/Year(Earth Decade).

Session 4 - Cragmaw Castle - Part 2 - Glick

Marco and the other surviving gybolts were cooking on a open pit.  Marco was an excellent cook and had prepared large elongated limbless beast for the grill.

Raeshard, Marco's gy-eil-rams*, poked fun at Marco saying, "Look at the lagaer**. He thinks he is Cochiso!"

Marco's Muraduera***, they decided only a couple of mugs of figora^ bradies ago, burst into laughter.

"Haw-ha, if Cochiso was better at butchering he would not have been skewered by ." Marco finishes his boast and continue with a toast, "To Cochiso, a better cook would not have turned himself into a fillet! Cochiso, wish you were here to cook this filthy thing!"

"Cochiso!"

The cheer died down for a bit as Marco continue to cook the fatty juicy thing. Around the mouth, the tentacles were starting to crisp and beak was showing some char. The fat sizzled with salt and other seasonings Marco or his group found.  Marco could not bring to mind the specific name of the beast they are cooking. He knew by the grain and color of the meat, the amount of fat between muscle and skin, and the smell after butching how and what to use to bring the best flavors forward and send other unsavory flavors to the back.  

If the world was kinder to his kin and kind, Marco would work in a kitchen. His dream was not far from most boltain^^ wanting no more than to enjoy life with drink, food and friends.  Though he would make a great lagaer in the greatest kitchen, Marco's greatest gift is to stay present with the task at hand.  If his blade requires him to make death or food. If his hand requires him to steal or welcome.  If his mind requires him to be serious or jovial.  

Marco was ever present to the way his people were treated.  Their lives were nothing north of the Blood Straight.  The Cross Kingdom and others with power look at them as labour, murders and criminals. Boltian are expendable and replaceable.  Things to be put to death. 

On the Green Isle, he could not say things were perfect yet a gybolt like himself could a happy and content life. From the king to the common, each understood their roll and the fluidity that life is and holds us too.  Each city-state supporting themselves and the prosperity of the continent. The Litany of Monwelt Hasaw**** comes to mind.

Marco remembers how his family was proud to send him off when he was young to defend the Blood Coast Settlements, northwest of Green Isle across the Blood Straight. He needed to live 2 years then entry into the legear apprenticeship was guaranteed.  An easy tour for most in the last forty years.  Of course he would be there to when the Cross Kingdom broke the peace, trying to rekindled the Long War.

"Jolae! Wake up figora, you are not dead! You live and we gybolts save you!" Raeshard says jocularly, "Strange as that maybe for you! It strange for me too! Ha ha!"

Marco looks up as the dwarf with broken jaw tries to say to the gybolt, "It is strange for me to feel so much pain that I cannot smash your pointy nose into your own butthole!"

"Jolae! I love this figora! So much passion for violence! Hard to understand, yet I understand he likes butthole!"

The group laughs, yelling, "Butthole!"

Marco chuckles to himself as he starts up batter for the cornmeal pancakes. While cracking eggs and measuring dry ingredients. He watches a gybolt wraps his long fingers roughly around the dwarf's head then kisses the brow of the dwarf and let's go wildly let's go. Marco sees the sharp pain that causes the dwarf. Marco focus on the meal and knows the figora is tough and a gybolt's kiss is nothing to what broke then dwarfs jaw.

Again, the group laughs. The dwarf tied to chair winces as he straightens himself. The dwarf knows it's more to keep him upright to drink and eat with them then to keep him as a captive. They keep forcing more drink in his cup and in his mouth since he was found in the same room as the thing they are cooking.  He admits to himself that the suprise hospitality of these gybolts is much better then what was intended for him this evening.

Gundren, from far from the others hears a gybolt say, "Look a figora, ah...dwarf. You dwarfs all no each other, no?"

The dwarf then hears the sound of nails clapping against stone coming toward him. Quickly surprised by the feeling and sound wet licks directly in his ear.  After thinking he was about to experience the pleasure of being eaten alive again tonight, all he heards is stead panting.

"Gundren?" A voice said over the gybolts celebrating. It was deep as a stone well. In Gundren's mind, he figured he was projecting the voice to sooth himself.

"It's Gundren!?" Another voice said sounding of a sunlit forest breeze. 

Gundren slowly turnes his head sideways managing to see only light and dark blurs, finally making out four different height figures near him.  He could not recognize the new voices at first. His vision was blurry before drinking and his people's brandy was making it far worse. Yet the dulling of his senses was well worth the dulling pain from the beatings, torture and gybolt cheers.

The familiarity layed in the tip of his tongue.  He sees a lantern swing in his face then the light steadies as it is set on the table.  Blinded, he feels fingers on his face as he is hugged around his head and held against a chest dressed in well-made fabric.  The hug feels of home and family, the fingers on his face brought him to is youth.  Specialty of a cousin that found it hilarious to wake his family's guest with prolonged finger pokes to the cheek then running slowly away once the guest was roused awake.

"Gundren, it's Austri. Austri Frosti, your cousin."

Gundren then feels a flash of happiness, embarrassmemt and acute consciousness.  He wipes the dry blood and wet drool from is lips. His best attempt of being presentable and regaining a feeling of status above his cousin as the smart leader and business magnate of their family's company.

Gundren breathing in deep, pushing Austri away and holding up his fist at right angle to his shoulder in Hillrocker salute says, "As expenditionary leader of the Hillrocker Family Combine, get me to Echo Wave Cave!"

Gundren then sees black. Austri and Loxly see their friend and employer in need of proper rest and healing. Prince Lecham and gybolts see the hilarity of the figora's head suddenly hitting the aged hardwood table with a echoing crack. Gundren'n head spilling drink, now pouring on to the stone below, and sending fritters to the floor. Wolfenstein uninterested before, sees a meal within her reach. The wolf gobbles and laps up the mess before any other creature can enjoy it.

Marco baring witness, enjoys the antics of his friends and allies. Finished with the meal and preparing wooden plates he asks, "Aw haw-haw! Now that our entertainment is complete. Grab a plate and food to eat! After discussion about our joint future, yah?"

The last part directed at Loxly, Austri, and Lecham.  Austri replies, "Oh dear, this Glick looks delectable, well seared and medium rare! A real treat. Our conversation may favor you Marco if can get the piece that contains the beak and tentacles."

Marco, finally recalls the name of the beast, "Aw haw-haw, I knew it, glick!  Staple or delicacy for your people?"

Face down on the table, Gundren yells, "Stop talking about the glick that way. It was going to eat me!"

--------- Results ----------

Gundren Rockseeker

- Knows the way to Echo Wave Cave.

- Tells you Worra helped kept him alive, King Saroeun wants to kill him almost immediately.

- The owlbear broke his jaw while nearly choking the beast to death with his chains.  He was found underneath the unconscious owlbear.  In anger, King Saroeun had him feed to the glick four days ago against Worra wishes.

- Does not know where his map is. Suggests Worra or King Saroeun has it.

Gundren Rockseeker 

Race: Hill Dwarf

Gender: Male

Height: 4ft 7′

Age:   113  

Class: Bard (Guild Merchant)

STAT BLOCK

AC 11, Hp 32, Proficiency +2, Speed 25ft

Alignment: Neutral  

Languages: Common, Dwarven, Gnomish,

Ability Scores:

Str 16 (+3) Dex 10 (+0) Con 15 (+2) 

Int 12 (+1) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 15 (+2)

Multiple Attacks: Handaxe (+5 to hit, 1d6+3   slashing damage)

Spellcasting: 1st level Bard, spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, to hit with spell attacks +4)

Spells: 

Cantrips (at will):  Mending, Prestidigitation,

1st level (2 slots):   Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Detect Magic,  Sleep

Skills: Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Persuasion,

Equipment: Handaxe, A diplomats pack, Jeweler's Loupe, Leather armour under baggy clothes, Letter of introduction from his guild, 12gp, 20sp, 9cp,

Racial Traits:   Darkvision (60ft / 18m / 12sqr), Dwarven Resilience,   Dwarven Resilience, Stonecunning

Class Features: Spellcasting, Bardic inspiration (d6)

^figora, boltian for dwarf, an insult and commonly used throughout boltian societies.

^^Boltian, combined name of all gybolts, dibolts, and orbolts.

*Gy-eil-rams, man at arms, 

**Lagaer, chief, outdated term for king or ruler. Used in boltian kitchen as lead cook.

***Muroduera, Marauder, small bands of 15 to 25 boltian that pillage and plunder for the good of their city-state and nobles. Specialty when the group is focused against interest, treasure or goods of higora (humans), figora (dwarves), and sigora (elves).

****Litany of Monwelt Hasaw, "Life is not fair, life owes you nothing, life can be taken away.  You can still be kind, you can still help others, you can still help yourself."

Session 4 - Cragmaw Castle - Part 1 - Worra

The northwest tower that King Saroeun, the dibolt's^ leader, used as his quarters roared with celebration after Marco separated the Saroeun's head from dying leader's body.  The gybolt's^^ in Marco's band made the majority of noise and only grew louder as Marko raised the head in front of him and paraded the head till the gybolt's settled in the castle's main hall.

The group, paid by Gundren Rockseeker, lay in various states of recovery in the makeshift quarters between Saroeun's tower and the turret the owlbear was held in.  Lecham, the gybolt prince, helped Gundren's cousin and socersor, Austri. Loxly slapped Bosque awake and mocked him for getting knocked out.  Wolfenstein, the group's dibolt raised wolf, quickly recovered and was licking the faces of those in the group.

Bosque still in a fog sees a dark feminine shape emerge from the direction of Saroeun's room. Bosque's senses sharpen with hot blood pumping through his veins. Pushes past Loxly as he stands up ready to fight.

"Hold your steps, no farther or face the bite of my fangs!" Bosque yells while barring his magical boomerangs.

The figure steps further, ignoring the warning and showing herself in the light of the oil lantern sconces. 

"Hyguier^^^, your fang's are short and bark too loud. Common of your kind and common of my kind to ignore."  She said cooly and unthreated.

The group gives their full attention to the women in front of them. She looks to have the features of those from the Islands of Oncet*.  Long neck, arms and legs with bald head, long earlobes, spindly fingers and an aura of mystery.  The cloak she wears is similar style to that of the necromancer they faced at Old Owl Well a couple of days ago.  The cloak, instead of the blood-red of the nameless necromancer, was deep blue with a yellow embroidery trim around the hood and sleeves.  Her clothes were impeccable clean, a detail that marks nobles or spellcasters.

Loxly draws his bow and smirks handsomely at the mysterious women, "Darn no further, not a step more. I will not mine to share my love of violence as I prick thee with my shafts adorn with bright festive feathery quills."

She smirks back, "You, I must test your skill in piercing..." Her sentence interrupted by the breeze of the arrow let loose by Loxly. She felt the kiss of a quill on her ear as the arrow point clapped and bounced of the stone wall behind her.

Loxly with a full grin retorts, "I must say she is speechless with how I passed with flying colours. Now, stand still and let us ask questions to peer pass your guise of mystery."

Bosque with dagger in hand points at the women says, "Hands up and let up cut through your vail of perplexity and get to the point quickly." As he approaches, Loxly covers Bosque with arrow aimed and knocked, ready to draw and release.  The woman complies with hand raised.

The eynuier^^^^, gybolt and wolf ready themselves on the other side of the road keeping the onceti women in view and using the corpse of the owl bear as cover.

Bosque pulls open the cloak from inside keeping out of Loxly's line of fire and ready to strike.

Bosque asks, "What is your name? I wish to not to just address you as just woman or her as I search you."

"Worra," she replies. "I am the second mailey** of the Rat King."

Feeling the areas that a person can hid most blades and daggers, Bosque is satisfied Worra poses no danger with bladed weapons. As he feels the waist on second inspection, Bosque nods his head to the left and points at the potential area of interest out to Loxly.  Bosque steps away and still behind Worra to prevent her from going the way she came.

Loxly admires the long royal blue dress+ under the cloak.  He notices the fine black embroidery sewn into exquisite garment. Much of it looking of symbols he cannot recognize.  At the waist line he see a flat folded satchel attached her belt that Bosque felt.

"Mistress Mailey, would it be unkind if I ask you of your belt? I hope it is not the lench pin that your entire ensemble in place," said Loxly, stay neatly between cordial and frivolity.

With half smile and lowering her hands slowly to her belt and unwrapping the leather knot, Worra wryly says, "This from only man in the wild I have seen in tights with a codpiece."

The belt she tosses behind her, landing closer to Bosque than Worra. The sound the belt made striking the stone floor suggested something of metal in it.

As Loxly laughs and says something smart, Bosque draws his blade as he lowers himself to secure the waist leather. Bosque does not care for the banter in these moments. He listens, looks and feels for changes in the air that warn him of impending violence. 

Bosque focused sight on Worra, listening for the things that matter. Figures locked on a trajectory to the belt.  The leather is fine and great quality, his touch examines the pores and cut edges. The craftship is surpasses anything he has worn. He can almost smell the leather master's sweat and oils worked into Worra's leather sash.

Bosque now standing with belt satchel open, sight begins to spin and narrow.

Austri sharply yells at Worra as Bosque steps back then catches himself, "What magic did you cast on my compatriot you onseti vendishona***?"

Before an answer is given Austri is a slow blur. The eynuier charges the onceti^^^^^, his hammer held high in a blue hue cast from within.  Confused and unworried, Worra lightly touches the hammer and easily directs the blow away from her.  Austri flies hammer first into the feathers and fur of the owlbear.

Loxly in his mind sides with violence and loses touch with his gift of speech and fires an arrow starving for blood.  The bolt of wood and iron is denied by the quick hand of the onceti. The ranger struck dumb can only watch as Worra gracefully spins and land Loxly's shot right into dirt covered stone floor in front of his feet.

Growls and snares echoe in the room. Lecham, the gybolt prince, holds Wolfenstein back by the collar and fists full of fur. The struggle is near comical as Lecham and Wolfenstein circle each other bouncing off the wall, the owlbear and tripping over dead dibolts. The wolf seeks flesh to tear as the iron collar bites further into the gybolt's hands. Lecham's purple blood begins to cover fur, iron, dirt and stone.

A roar. A command. A plea. 

"Stop!" Bosque yells.

All freeze. All look. All listen.

Bosque ends the madness. Absorbing it all and concentrating it all within the look in his eyes.  Shaking, he holds three coins the entirety of contents of the satchel on the belt. Fire and light from the oil lamp sconces gleam from each gold coin. 

Stepping toward Worra, Bosque whippers, "How are these the same? How are these scratched the same? The eques of man on the face, the horned eye on the feathered bird?"

This time the onceti's composure fades to worry. Her eyes water, her eyes dart back and forth, looking directly into the madness of the ranger's face.  Worra steps back and trips on the massive claws of the silent unbreathing owlbear.  She doesn't catch herself and falls into the nook between the beast's beaked head and outstretched arm.  Trying to back away from Bosque, each strike of his boots against the stone floor driving more fear into Worra's mind. 

Bosque stops in front of the her never braking contact with Worra's eyes. He takes off his necklace that is no more than a thin lanyard and small sack all made of leather.  He produces a fourth coin. A coin that is an exact facsimil. A coin found on Bosque's dead master. A coin that drove him to the Cross continent.

Bosque voice shifting from shock to anger as he says, "How? What magic is this onseti? I swear on my master's grave, you will not leave here if you do not tell me how these three coins are in your possession."

Worra's composure returns as she stands up. She grapes the wrist of Bosque's hand still clasping her three coins.  

In a snarl, she says, "Neither of us will leave here if I do not tell you what is searching for these coins."

Worra and Bosque talk, sharing details they hold concerning the unique gold coins and ignore the other adventures.  The party listens for a time then get bored then start searching the castle and collect the treasures that are rightfully theirs for the taking.

--------- Results ----------

Treasure List (Total 600 gp)

Weapons (308 gp) = 7 Chainmail; 1 Armor, hide; 12 Longsword; 20 Shields; 1 Javelin; 1 Crossbow, Heavy; 4 Longbows; 13 Shortbows; 13 Scimitars; 13 Leather Armor, Gybolt; 80 Arrows; 5 Spear; 4 Morningstar; 2 Greatswords

Rations/Misc (25 gp Total) = 1 Cask, Small, Dwarven Brandy; 4 Cask, Medium, Salted Pork; 7 Cask, Large, Grain, Rotting; 1 Sack, Leather

Additional Coin (267 gp) = 220 sp, 250 ep, 120 gp

Unique Treasure List

3 Potion, Healing

1 Scroll, Silence; 1 Scroll, Revivify

1 Quarterstaff, Fine (10 gp, Stylized Feathers engraving, light feeling, 1 lbs.)

1 Statue, Gold, Sun Onseti (in crimson cloth)(divination magic, Any creature grasping the statue can ask it a question and receive a telepathic response, as though it had cast augury. Once a creature has asked its question and received a response, it can never activate the statuette again.)

Serasram* Worship Set (330 gp) = 1 Censer, Serasram (120 gp); 1 Chalice, Serasram (150 gp); 1 Knife, Serasram (60 gp); 1 Cloth, Black, Serasram

Notes:

^Dibolt, conventional fantasy Bugbear or Hobgoblin.

^^Gybolt, conventional fantasy Goblin.

^^^Hyguier, conventional fantasy Human.

^^^^Eynuier, conventional fantasy Dwarf.

^^^^^Onceti, conventional fantasy Elf with long earlobe versus pointy ears.

*Oncet, an archipelago of independent nations of the Cross Continent. Archipelago makes up the southwestern area of the Cross Continent.  Many arcane and historical colleges are located in Oncet.  Majority of the islands have independent truces and dealings with the mainland government of the Cross Kingdom.  The Cross Kingdom see the Oncet as part of their dominion and frequently stamp out riot and rebellion within the Oncet.

**Mailey, embody the roles of knight and messenger, many are trained within the Oncet at island of Burning Tower. Mailey's offen wear yellow as a mark of their role within a court.

***Vendishona is a person that lays people in hypnotic trances for pleasure or adventure.  Many waste their mortality in the vain pursuits of these vicecasters, training their life energy for fleeting experiences.

****Sarasram, the first gybolt king. Deified for halting the advance of the Seagourds. Seagourds is the name the gybolts gave the progenitor's of the Cross Kingdom.

+royal blue wool facecloth decorated with a scrolling border design in applied slightly purple-blue silk velvet, navy ribbed silk, wide and narrow navy silk braids.