The shockwave of the meteors sends her reeling, but not before her barbed devil erupts from the smoke beside her. It lifts a claw and fires two scorching rays at Karzoug.
Anneka's hands gesture in a blur as she summons two successive waves of positive energy to mend the burns of herself and her companions.
Annika’s hands continue to their path tracing a complex gesture. A soft mist begins to caress the ground at her feet.
Just happened to check in and see we’ve gone inactive. This was a great game and I’m sad to see it pass. Wishing everyone the best. Happy holidays!
Hey all! I apologize for not being around much. This remains my only PbP on the Paizo forums and I just haven't checked in like I should. I'm so, so glad to hear that you're out of the weeds, Kevin! And for the rest of you dealing with health concerns, my best wishes for continued recovery. Our farm is kicking into high gear with farmer's market season up and running. My day job is about the same, which I think is a good thing. My big news is that I'm getting married next month. We've actually been together for over 16 years so this will just be making it legal :). We are eloping to Las Vegas in case you were worried that I might have any good taste at all. I will catch up in the Gameplay and try to be a bit more active :).
Anneka furls her brow. "Your service is ending in about two weeks?" "It would be nice if we could help you," she adds hastily. "It just seems that two weeks isn't that long of a time compared to, um, eternal immortality."
Anneka points a finger at the golden warrior, whose very shadow begins to bubble and rise up from the floor.
"Well-spoken for a dead man," Anneka counters.
Anneka casts blessing of fervor to magically caffeinate Drazh.
obv this is because our names start with the letter "A", like avarice. Rename yourselves and try again.
I admit I did the same thing last year during quarantine. It took me weeks to get the nerve to come back and admit that I needed time off. It was just a hard reality to come to terms with. Miss you guys <3
Anneka pops out of the invisibility granted by her ring. ”Yea,” she says and signs, ”I’ve hardly had to lift a finger since we got here.”
Hey folks, I have been lurking a bit and am glad to see the campaign continues. I am feeling an itch to play again. I wonder if there is still room for Anneka in the story? It would be nice to help finish what we started.
Hi all! So first, I’m really, really, really sorry for disappearing. Despite all the things going on, I should have reached out and communicated with you all. I know I probably led some to worry about what had become of me. That was selfish. I didn't reach out to you, and I'm sorry. Every time I’ve sat down to write and explain where I've been, I just haven’t known what to say... I'm doing fine. During quarantine, despite having more time at home, I became ill at ease and just couldn't find the fun in many things that I had before. Other things took their place and absorbed my time. As far as play-by-post, I had worked it into being part of my weekly schedule in such a way that the disruption in working from home just completely threw me for a loop. My interest waned. Any effort to return felt forced, and so I’ve stayed away. And the longer I waited, the more permanent my decision seemed. I wasn't ready to step away from my games. Now, I can recognize that my decision is made. I want to thank you for having me with you on your adventures. It’s really meant so much. Play-by-post has been such a large part of my life, and I’ve had the chance to interact with such phenomenal people that I never would have connected with otherwise. To step away has felt like leaving home. But I am still not ready to return. I might be ready again, maybe one day soon. If so, I look forward to seeing what you’re all up to. I really do wish you all the very best. -Wicked
Hi guys! Our new puppy has damaged my personal laptop. I'm waiting on a replacement part and hope to be back to posting by next week. Sorry for my absence, and thanks for being patient with me.
Anneka settles down onto the ground, producing the quill and concentrating on the way to Xin Shalast
Anneka shivers, drawing her cloak around her. Then she waves a hand, surrounding all with an opaque sphere of force. Though the wind and snow continue to fury, the cold is gone, replaced by the comfortable ambient temperature of The Rusty Dragon. "Well, did anyone bring dice?" she jokes.
Iraska and Finn savage the sahuagin, ripping its head from its torso.
Iraska also speaks to the shark . Shark: "Hi there. We had a dispute with your sahuagin friends, but if you're willing to end this fight, we'll leave the sahuagin bodies for you to eat and be on our way. You can enjoy a nice meal, and we can all keep our skins. What do you say?"
"The defense seeks to offer into evidence various skins. These were procured by Vorkstag and Grine's Chymic Works. Records uncovered at Karb Isle Sanctuary indicated a series of transactions between the two establishments. At the Chymic Works, based on probable cause to believe that criminal activities were actively afoot, and with authority founded upon--" Rufus consults his parchment. "--III Palatinates Secundus § 4018.203(a)(2), a citizen's arrest was instituted against Vorkstag and Grines. Vorkstag's violent use of deadly force necessitated a series of self-defense procedures that resulted in Vorkstag's death. However, from his office these skins were procured. Grines himself has confessed to established authorities from the Church of Pharasma that Vorkstag wore these skins during the commission of various crimes." "Let the record show that many of these bear a striking resemblance to some of the murders that the Beast has been accused of - the missing Miller of Hargen, the scandalous Harlot of Cerny Brothel, a respected merchant, an esteemed professor." "And let the record show that one skin is a grotesque, deformed skin of an 8-foot tall creature of flesh, fur, and scales, covered with fungal boils and hideous puss-filled eruptions. It matches exactly the description of the perpetrator at Karb Isle Sanctuary, given by Dr. Brada's assistant, Karl."
Anneka casts another healing spell toward the purported haunt.
Anneka speaks and signs, obviously exasperated, or on edge. "Marten and Azalia heard a rumor that these dwarves had located Mhar Massif and Xin Shalast. With luck, there is a map or some record that will lead us straight to it."
”Objection!” Rufus stands, knocking on the table with his hand. He exhibits a rare warmth of temperament, his nostrils flaring, though his voice is steady. ”The Defense asserts error! Your Esteemed Honors, the evidence need not determinately prove or disprove to be admissible. Its relevance is beyond reproach. It is a fundamental maxim of logic that the simplest explanation is likely the true explanation. The Beast has not, heretofore, exhibited any shape changing abilities. To the extent that it’s possible that the Beast’s form can change, it is more likely that it cannot, and therefore difference in form and structure is absolutely relevant to the determination of whether the witness has placed the accused at the scene of the crime. To support its motion to exclude, I challenge the prosecution to produce evidence that the Beast is capable of changing its form. Mere speculation should not serve as a rational basis to exclude the very real, very tangible evidence that is offered before this court.”
Anneka's shadowform speaks and signs, her voice oddly detached as it's filtered through shadow stuff: "And now we face the same."
Rufus carries a small cache of loose-leaf parchment, scribbling notes and questions with a raven quill. He circles a few lines and passes the paper to Gustav. 1) It must have been quite traumatizing to witness these events first hand, and to lose your eyesight. If I were you, I'd be angry. Are you angry, Karl? You must be eager to lay the blame on someone, anyone, right? To seek...retribution? 2) Karl, you stated that the doctor was working later all the time. Weren't you yourself affected by these extended working hours? Weren't you tired that night as well? 3) Please describe your surroundings at the time you observed the doctor. You have testified that it was late at night, and that by the time you reached Dr. Brada's office the fire was already burning. Was there smoke? Was your view of the office in any way impeded by the dark, the flames, and/or the smoke?
"Then you've made th'right friends." He cups a hand over his mouth, leaning in to whisper to Aureshalae with a knowing expression. "Proper paladins, they are!" "We know a fing or free 'bout th' Nayh... numah... crystals. From Saunton's journal!" He counts off the points his his fingers. "First th' shadow demon Eustoryiax possessed a crusader by th' name Maranse. Maranse's dead now, rest his soul. Course, I fink we killed Eustoryiax, too. Right. Anyway, Eustoryiax brought five...elixirs made from powdered, umm Nahyndrian crystals." "Second, Staunton himself took th' elixir, which is what turned him into a demi-deific demon...thing." "Third, a dragon and some, uhh xacarba servants of Aponavicius also tasted th'elixir 'n died from't!" "Fourth, only th' chimera servant Soltengrebbe survived th' transformation." "So we've seen th'effects o' the powder in Staunton 'n Eustoryiax. Looks like we'll be encounterin' it again if we run into that chimera, 'n prob'ly Aponovicius, too." "I guess the first fing t'figure is how t' get outta here. I've some extra arrows you can use, Aureshalae."
Sariel's training as a soldier in the crusade has wired him to view demons as enemies. But Staunton's journal had prepared him for this possibility. And he had seen first hand the creature's willingness to attack her own kind. She could have turned on them the moment they entered the tower. "Well, we've accepted your 'elp," he offers with a stunning smile. "Figure otha's can, too. Not sayin' it wouldn't take a spot'f effort to earn their trust though, what wif the, ummm, horns 'n all." "We learned 'bout ya from the journal of Staunton Vhane. That name ring any bells? He named ya an abyssal heretic. We also found yer message etched into th' stone. The prayer? Tender unto me a new existence. Let me sing the song of the spheres, see the stars with new eyes, and escape the pit into which my soul was cast." He grins, extending an open hand. "I'm Sariel Daore, 'n these's my friends."
Tolgy stares dull-eyed at the mess, slowly raising his bleary eyes to meet Jace. He grins crookedly. "Waste? Nay, 't ain't to waste, sir! Tis a baptism of the wagon, and of... *hic* of our blessed chef, patron saint of peas 'n potatoes!"
Anneka casts guidance on Azalia.
Anneka uses her restorative wand to soothe Ferocia's stomach.
"Of course!" Anneka produces her healing wand, kneeling beside Ferocia and administering healing magic. 39
She pauses, seeming to remember where they are. She bites her lip, clearly torn between one decision and another. To consume the finite resource of the wand, or to draw from her limited store of magic? After a moment she stows the wand, returning to Ferocia's wounds with hands aglow. 101
I have 8gp with your name on it!
Laori’s eyes widen in surprise, two pools of black liquid that shine even in the shaded alley. She grins mischievously at the Shoanti. ”You are so bad-ass!” Setting her implement of torture down, she replaces it with a soft chocolate chip cookie. She takes a bite. ”Mmm, yum!” ”Okay, so! Yea. When we met in Salvator’s place, I wasn’t completely honest with you. I’m part of a group called the Brotherhood of Bones. Sexist, right?! I’ve been petitioning for a change of name. I don’t care what Sial says. Anyways, we’re sort of a secret group of Zon- Kuthon worshipers from like, all across Avistan, and we collect the relics of an ancient warmonger named Kazavon. Ever hear of him? He was like, super mean. We don’t want him to be reborn or something like that. Anyway, it’s a secret, so please don’t tell! I could get in big trouble for mentioning it.” ”So. We’ve long heard rumors that maybe some relics were hidden in Varisia, but nothing concrete. So when a wanted Nidalese criminal named Andaisin was believed to have fled to Korvosa, I volunteered to travel to the city to try to track her down. Well, that’s the official version. It was really just an excuse to head to Korvosa to search for Kazavon’s relics for the brotherhood, without clueing in the Nidalese government. Who knows what the Black Triune would do with them.” ”It wasn’t too hard to find Andaisin. I mean, a trail of corpses makes a stink, you know? But I left her be so that I could milk my time in Korvosa for all it was worth to research Kazavon’s influence on the city. What I found was the proof we hoped for—seven artists and artisans whose work incorporated Kazavon’s unmistakable influence. What was really interesting, though, was that his influence was the most potent in Korvosa’s queen. When you guys defeated Andaisin and then Queen Ileosa appeared with Kazavon’s fangs displayed on her head, I was completely shocked.” ”So I waited and watched the queen, and searched for the seven artists. Unfortunately, one after the other, six of the seven proved to be dead by their own hands, so I tracked down their bodies and collected their skulls, which were the six sitting on the table in Salvator’s home. I tried speaking with them, but it was just too garbled to make sense!” ”I saved Salvator, the best, for last. Judging by his work, Kazavon’s influence was strongest with him. He had gone missing by the time I got to him but, unlike the other six, he was alive, albeit in the custody of the Emperor of Old Korvosa. I was just formulating a plan to extract him when you-know-who showed up at the doorstep!” She blinks. ”You guys. I mean you guys!” ”But then…” Laori rolls her eyes. ”The Brotherhood decided to send an assistant.” She says this while making quoation marks with her fingers. ”This shadowcount named Sial. He and his girlfriend met me here in Kaer Maga to research those fangs without drawing Ileosa’s attention. But he is such a drag! I mean, we can all appreciate a good impaling, but that guy has the biggest stick up--well, anyways!” ”So that’s about it, I guess. We’re looking through the resources in the city, and I come here to get some me time and meet new friends!” She peers at you curiously. ”So what are you up to this far from home?” Knowledge (religion) DC 17: Shadowcounts of the church of Zon-Kuthon serve as ambassadors between mortals and the fiendish kytons in service to the Dark Prince. Despicably cruel and equally horrible to gaze upon, kytons are evil fiends who feed on the fear and suffering of mortals through painful supernatural means. Their monstrous appearances vary, but their stoic and amoral dispositions are universal, for no kyton cares anything for the plights typical of the creatures they prey upon. They are beings wholly dedicated to metamorphosis achieved through horrific trials of self-mutilation and the mystical power provided them by their sapping of mortal anguish.
That's fine with me. If GM will let us retcon that turn, I'll roll the heal.
If I can get to Ferocia within a round I can cast breath of life!
A dark cloud appears around Drazh's feet. It hurtles him toward the tree with reckless abandon!
In thanks to Hanspur for the good roll, I've created a new loot doc. I don't think we've had one running for some time?? It's linked in my tagline and I've added the loot from the troll cave. Notice how when an item is claimed you write your character's name in the "Liquidated Value/Destination" column.
purchases: 41,508 gp (I spent no money before Runeforge)
*Edit: and a wand of cure moderate wounds (4,500gp), bringing me to 8gp.
"Woah, sparkles! Claire, that's real fancy! Sir Kaeldron, Fredric d'ya see?! Davok, Draghis, look!"
I'm afraid we're all on the same page at this point. We'll have to put our heads together to ask the right questions. Here is the GM's most recent summary of the case. So let's start there. Tomorrow's trial is for Charlie's ("the Beast") charge of arson against Karb Isle Sanctuary. This requires proof of Charlie's presence at the scene. The prosecution's witness, Dr. Brada's assistant Karl, is literally blind. Here is his original statement to us. He was blinded by flames before he'd had a good look at the perpetrator. In addition, the perpetrator had to have been able to fit through the doors, and so was physically smaller than Charlie. Therefore, there is literally no evidence that I can recall placing Charlie at the scene of the crime. Karl claims the perpetrator was a creature of "flesh and fur". Does Charlie have fur? Vorkstag's cabinet contains the flesh of known murder victims whose deaths are attributed to Charlie. This is circumstantial evidence that Vorkstag took the skins from the victims. It is also likely that he, in possession of these skins, is the murderer. It would be nice if we could prove Vorkstag to be complicit in the arson. It would also be nice if we could get him to confess to these murders pinned on Charlie, or at least explain what he's doing with skins of victims of unsolved murders. All this might acquit a defendant in a real court, but it seems in Ustalav the prosecutors fight dirty. They're going to be attacking our own credibility, that of Charlie's representatives. Further, the community seems determined to find Charlie guilty regardless of the evidence we present. Tomorrow's trial is going to be difficult.
Ultimate power comes at a price!
Things had really been moving for the Avertins. With Anneka's infusion of cash into the business, Sandpoint Savories franchises had opened up in Korvosa and Magnimar. Alma and Arika still managed the principal location, but they had hired employees to help, and so they now exercised primarily creative control over recipes and branding. The franchise licenses themselves were also proving lucrative, and so what might have been a costly risk resulted in what was essentially a zero sum venture. Still, in the weeks that had passed Anneka had shown little interest in the bakery, consumed by the revelations unearthed, if one could pardon the expression, within Runeforge. A fabled, lost city hidden deep within the Kodar mountains? An ancient wizard, powerful beyond comprehension, awoken from a myrioi slumber? And who to stop him, but a band of adventurers from Sandpoint, of all places? Anneka smiles at the elken sign language. "No, I don't have any gooseberries, if that's what you're asking..." she replies uncertainly. "What I don't understand," she continues in speech and sign in response to Azalia, "is what keeps Karzoug confined. If he has awoken and is able to accomplish all that he's done, what hasn't he already emerged to, to...reclaim an empire? Destroy the world? Is it something to do with that occlusion field?"
Iraska wiggles a fin in agreement.
"You deal with that sort of horror daily?" ”They ain’t usually that big…” Abra rubs his head, wincing. ”And if there’s a breach, we send a band. It were lucky we had you lot with us. I knew you’d handle yourselves!” Abra nudges Kynes with his knee to rouse him while Yazi conjures a wall of brambles to block the tunnel. ---------------------------------------
The Half light Path terminates in a stone bunker just outside the city walls, near the district called the Warren. Upon your arrival, Abra immediately informs the other Duskwardens of the encounter with the seugathis, then recovers your half light charms. Grumm and his sons, now adding anger to their terror, take off for the city at a run, shouting insults over their shoulder regarding the Duskwardens’ competence. Before you can leave, however, Abra takes you aside and thanks you again for your assistance in fighting the seugathis, praising your skills. To Garvid he hands a greater half light charm, instructing him in its use. He also notes that you would be well served to find a local guide in the Gap, and if you should ever need him during your stay in the city, you can contact him either here or at the Duskwarden Guildhouse in Bis. With this small speech finished, he turns and disappears back down the Half light Path. From the exit of the Half light Path, the most obvious entrance to Kaer Maga is through the Gap, a massive break in the ring of Kaer Maga’s walls where, it appears, some ancient explosion must have torn away thousands of pounds of stone. This carnage has been mostly filled in by the district called the Warren, a many-storied shantytown of rickety scaffolding and makeshift shacks, yet a wide corridor still runs through the center and plays host to a constant stream of traffic in and out of the city. The Gap is also the best place in the city to find local guides. As soon as you enter the Gap, you’re swarmed by mobs of local children offering themselves as guides (and doing their best to quietly pick your pockets while you’re distracted.). One, however, immediately distinguishes himself by locking eyes with Mouse and hailing you as adventurers. Perhaps 16 years old, the boy is skinny and wears ragged clothes, yet carries himself with a confidence his compatriots recognize, getting out of his way and leaving you to him. ”Well met! I’m Gav, Gav Nahli, the best guide in the city! I wish to congratulate you on having the perspicacity to engage my services for the laughably low price of 5 gold coins per day.” He bows, then takes his place walking beside Mouse. ”Those who pass through the madness of the Warren quickly realize the true strangeness of our great city. Rather than being bordered externally by stout defensive walls, most of Kaer Maga lies literally inside its walls.” He gestures to the enormous outcropping of gleaming, white stone extending straight up from the cliff ’s edge, its 80-foot-high walls forming a seamless, six-sided ring and its squared-off skyline broken only by a cluster of towers and minarets at the south end. ”Hundreds of feet thick, the walls are mostly hollow, riddled through with chambers large and small and housing most of the city’s population. In places the chambers are large enough that structures rise up the sides or stand free like those of a conventional city, while in others its interior is split into distinct floors, with entire neighborhoods stacked one on top of each other. These areas are collectively known as the Ring and are generally avoided by outside merchant caravans, which instead move swiftly into the bustling open-air commercial districts, the Core.” ”The Core is the only part of the city to receive natural light and is the source of our water, the Core is safest, considered neutral ground by most of the gangs. I you’ve ready coin and strong stomachs, you’ll find anything your hearts desire, from obscure magical items and exotic pleasures to occult knowledge and even human chattel.” ”I can help you find anything you need. For magic trinkets, The Wheel Unbroken is good for custom work, but if you want cheap, it’s Gadka down at the corner of Fever Street and Half-a-Chicken Walk. If you’re looking for brothels, well you have the luxury of choice. If you want them cold, it’s the White Lady up in Ankar-Te—there’s some things you just can’t do with a live boy or girl, neh?”
Sweet Calistria on a cracker.
"Hey." Sariel tests the water. "We killed your goons. 'S you a demon worshiper or what?" He keeps his bow string taught, an arrow nocked and ready.
Neolandus nods his head, expecting the question. ”Unfortunately, the Shoanti have long distrusted Korvosa, and many of them will doubtless view you as enemies, or at least with suspicion. I therefore agree with Yaziyah: begin with the Skoan-Quah, the Tribe of the Skull. This tribe has been the most open to talks of peace with Korvosa. Especially Thousand Bones. One of the last things I tried before the Arkonas got hold of me was to arrange a midnight meeting with him, but by that time the shaman had abandoned Korvosa and returned to the Cinderlands, to a place known as the Kallow Mounds. I believe the best course of action now is for you to travel to his tribe, find him, and learn from him any information about what Midnight’s Teeth actually were—and see if the Shoanti know how to fight against a power that grants Queen Ileosa the ability to survive a mortal wound.”
Vencarlo speaks up from his position by the wall. ”The easiest way to navigate the towering cliffs that separate Varisia from the Cinderlands is to pass through the anarchic city of Kaer Maga, the City of Strangers. This would be a convenient place to resupply and prepare, especially with Korvosa under martial law.” ”And to answer Garvid’s question,” continues Neolandus, ”the Kallow Mounds lay in the heart of Skoan-Quah territory, about fifty miles east of Kaer Maga.” "Anyone be good in tha wilderness? I be knowin' I ain't. What or who's ta keep us from gettin' horribly lost?" Trinia perks up. ”Oh! I’m great in the wilderness! I can tend th’ campfire, ‘n tell stories, ‘n I I’m not afraid of anything! I’d be a great help t’ya, I would! Can I go? Please?”
Kynes, Will DC 20:
That evening, you have the skin-crawling sensation that you are being watched, as though someone were scrying upon you. Li:
That night, you have the dream again. You find yourself running, barefoot, across the white sand beach overlooking Sandpoint Harbor. The morning sun shines down upon the Varisian waters, casting that azure blue ablaze. Even this early in the day, local fishermen are returning from their morning routes, their nets overfull with silvern, shimmering fish. Seagulls caw and swoop low overhead as they search the sands and surf for a catch of their own.. Your chest heaves with each breath and you realize you are tired, that you’d like nothing more than to stop and take in the beauty of the harbor, but just now the reason that you are running dawns on you. Someone is chasing you. Heavy boots thud across the sand. Hoarse and heavy breathing, haggard, rises and falls just behind you. And you know that if you stop or slow, that if the person pursuing you were to catch up to you… You quicken your pace, running farther from the town and out onto the deserted beach, where the crash of waves would surely muffle any call for aid... Li, Will DC 21: You jolt awake from the nightmare, dripping with a cold sweat. You have the skin-crawling sensation that you are being watched, as though someone were scrying upon you.
Talfryn and Yazi, on Midnight’s Teeth:
Kazavon’s fangs, also known as Midnight’s Teeth, are a story of Shoanti telling, and so little has been preserved in the learned halls and libraries of Korvosa. What little information existed was gleaned by Neolandus in his extensive investigations. Kazavon, however, was a figure of historical interest, though the historical accounts are so muddled by speculation and narrative drive it is not clear what truths are preserved in their tellings. The Shoanti living in Korvosa are so removed from the folklore of their ancestors that the story does not register with Yazi. Talfryn, on Kazavon:
As a purely historical figure, Kazavon's name appears in a handful of chronicles on Varisia. Several hundred years ago, a brutal warlord of Zon-Kuthon conquered much of the Hold of Belkzen. His violent expansion and assaults against the neighboring countries of Ustalav and Lastwall quickly became far deadlier and horrific. His tactical brilliance, combined with his savage armies of orcs and barbarians, broke every army they encountered. Kazavon's downfall occurred in his own castle, located somewhere near the Hold of Belkzen, though accounts differ. Some sources point to an entire host invading the castle, while others suggest that only a few assassins infiltrated the stronghold to defeat the warlord. Talfryn and Yazi, on the Cinderlands:
By far the least hospitable landscape in Varisia, the Cinderlands have been written off as worthless by most of the region’s residents—fit only for the crazed Shoanti barbarians displaced over the centuries by immigration from Cheliax. Yet such views are shortsighted, for within the Cinderlands’ borders lurks a surprising display of life and geologic diversity. In addition to a host of dangerous monsters and wildlife, the environs themselves are perilous. Food and water can be difficult to secure in this region. Other significant threats include cinder cones and emberstorms. Cinder cones are hills of volcanic fragments built up around volcanic vents. During the eruptions of these magma fountains, earthquakes shake the land and the small volcanoes vent incredible amounts of ash, cinders, and explosive projectiles through their flanks and summit craters. The majority of the material expelled by cinder cones consists of massive quantities of miniscule ash particles, which is dispersed across the Cinderlands by the constant winds. The largest cinder cones can eject buckler-sized globs of half-cooled molten rock and trapped volcanic gases with enormous force, potentially shooting them great distances. Cooling as they fly through the air, these natural bombs solidify into elongated tear-shaped rocks, making them aerodynamic enough to travel up to a mile. The impact of one of these bombs causes it to shatter explosively. An emberstorm, on the other hand, can form in the aftermath of a particularly large wildfire. Because the generated heat is so great, the surrounding oxygen burns swiftly, creating inward-facing wind currents. Once this occurs, a perpetual cycle of oxygen, ash, and embers feeds the fire and intensifies its heat, giving it its own renewable source of fuel. The winds produced by this phenomenon can reach hurricane-force gales that cause an emberstorm to grow to devastating sizes. With a good wind behind it, the storm can travel hundreds of miles, appearing from afar like a black blizzard that flickers with fire. An emberstorm consists of two parts: the edge and the heart. Within the edge, the ash-choked winds howl. In the heart, they rage. Although the Cinderlands are arid, they nevertheless host a wide range of hardy flora and fauna. Ember poppies, galroot bushes, flask and lotra trees, and scrubs dot the landscape. Venemous snakes, ankhegs, and chimeras roam the desert, while bands of orcs, and even giants, stake their territorial claims. Perhaps the most intriguing residents of the Cinderlands, however, are the Shoanti. Three Shoanti tribes inhabit the Cinderlands, each with their own traditions and unique lifestyles. The Lyrune-Quah (Clan of the Moon) are nomadic worshipers of Desna. The Sklar-Quah (Clan of the Sun) are the largest and most war-like of the tribes. The Sklar-Quah endure dangerous trials before they become warriors. The Skoan-Quah (Clan of the Skull) dwell in the easternmost region of the Cinderlands. Many of their shamans, including Thousand Bones, have worked with Korvosa to try and build peace between their peoples. As a result, the Skoan-Quah have been increasingly shunned by the other Shoanti. Yet since the Skoan-Quah are known to have the closest connection to the land of the dead and guard Shoanti anceestors from evil spirits, the other clans have grudgingly refrained from truly ostracizing the tribe.
"Zon-Kuthon... wasn't that strange girl a follower? The one who was so enthusiastic about Salvator Scream's paintings?" ”Which girl do you mean?” asks Neolandus.
Let's explore everything. How many times will we get a chance to see Runeforge?
An exquisite mirror, Anneka thinks, plucking it from the corpse of the ancient wizard. Vanity to the last, she adds to herself, checking her hair.
Anneka peeks at the journal entries, flipping to the end. Her forehead wrinkles with concern as she reads. Dropping the journal onto the desk, she speaks and signs. "Clearly, being locked in a dungeon for countless years has made the prisoners of Runeforge irritable. They fight like children! With deadly powers." "Karzoug's city, Xin-Shalast, is said to lie in the mountains near a peak called Mhar-Massif. According to the journal, it's surrounded by an occlusion field. What is that?"
Jasan invites everyone to join him and several ranch hands for dinner, after which he leads his new guests into his basement so they can talk frankly without being overheard. Trinia squeezes through the door as it’s closing, demanding to stay and listen with a stubbornness that can only be explained as an echo of the Shoanti sorceress. When Vencarlo introduces Neolandus by name, Jasan’s eyes widen and he whistles in admiration at the audacity of his home becoming the refuge of Korvosa’s seneschal. Trinia chuckles. ”I thought you looked familiar. I think I seen you in the castle when I was there t’paint the king. I’m Fra--Trinia Sabor.” Neolandus gives a gracious tilt of the head, but then it’s straight on to business. ”Blackbird Ranch is a large place, but not large enough to accommodate us forever. Worse--we are known fugitives, and Queen Ileosa will spare little expense in tracking us down. Me, in particular. Now, you are doubtless wondering why Ileosa should be so fixated on an erstwhile seneschal. The story is long, and I don’t have all of the pieces yet, but I will tell you what I do know. And yet, by telling you this I make you complicit. Not only that, I am placing a target on your backs. For the information I possess, although limited, is enough for our dear Queen to see all of us dead.” ”She must be stopped,” Vencarlo interrupts, pounding the wall. ”I will gladly wear a target if it means ending her reign of tyranny. Let me share what I know, Neolandus, while the others decide if they wish to join our band of provocateurs.” Vencarlo paces the room, gesticulating wildly as he speaks. ”I might have hated the queen, but my personal code prevented me from even contemplating assassination as a way to get Korvosa’s government back on track. This left me with few options. When I first heard rumors that Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis might still be alive, and furthermore, might be hiding out in Old Korvosa, I grew increasingly obsessed with finding him. My investigations led me to that artist, Salvator Scream, but he was particularly close-lipped in revealing anything; it took several meetings, bribes, and reassurances on my part to prove to Salvator that I wanted to help Neolandus.” ”But when Salvator revealed to me that he’d given Neolandus to the Arkonas for safekeeping, well I was fit to be tied! My rage frightened Salvator so much that he fled from me, and not long thereafter, the Red Mantis attacked my academy as they continued their own search for the seneschal. I suspect their leads led them along parallel lines of investigation that pointed to my… illicit work... and they thought I would be hiding Neolandus. If only! I survived the ambush, but when I attempted to infiltrate the Arkona palace a day later, they captured me. I had thus found Neolandus, but I was as much a prisoner as my quarry. And, you know the rest of that tale.” He cedes the floor to Neolandus, who claims it as a practiced orator. ”I’m touched, Vencarlo. Truly. And now, if you are all ready?” He clears his throat. ”This story begins decades ago, with the birth of the late King Eodred II’s step-brother, Venster Arabasti. Venster was born first, but he was cursed with deformity, and the corrupted blood of a tiefling. He harbored great jealousy for the successes of his younger brother, King Eodred. The king allowed Venster to live in the castle, a secret, for fear that Venster could not survive on his own. Now and then, when His Majesty was seized with pity or boredom, he would visit to play cards, although those visits usually ended with argument and insults.” ”Then, Venster disappeared. Highly suspicious. I had long suspected Ileosa was up to something, and when the king’s step-brother vanished, my suspicions were confirmed. But I made a fatal mistake: I underestimated Ileosa. I confronted her privately, gave her the benefit of the doubt, not understanding what she had already become. She responded by sending the Red Mantis after me. Through a combination of luck and knowledge of the castle’s layout, I survived the assassination attempt.” Neolandus winces. ”But only barely. I went into hiding among contacts in Old Korvosa, afraid and powerless to move against the queen as long as her Red Mantis allies remained active.” ”Poisoned, wounded, I fled to Salvator’s doorstep. Salvator did what he could to tend my wounds, but was forced to tear apart my uniform to get a splint on my broken arm. I was delirious, but managed to convey to Salvator that I needed a place to hide. Salvator nursed me back to health, whereupon I confided in him that I believed Queen Ileosa had murdered her husband, and that she’d entered into an alliance with the Red Mantis. I told him she had changed recently, grown worse. I refused to divulge more to him, for the less he knew, the safer he’d be. With the aid of Salvator and his network of contacts in the Old Korvosan artistic underworld, I managed to both recover from my wounds and avoid the Red Mantis. Yet, I needed more time to think things through and do some research. “ ”Yet as things in Korvosa grew worse, and the assassins grew closer to discovering me, I realized I needed to find a new hiding place. Salvator had just the patron in mind—the Arkonas. Long a fan of Salvator’s grisly work, Glorio Arkona gracefully agreed to hide me in his estate as a favor to the artist. Of course, gaining control of the seneschal played perfectly into the Arkonas’ plans to upset the queen, for according to Korvosan law, only the seneschal can legally depose a corrupt monarch. I became little more than a caged pet to the Arkonas, an insurance policy they were waiting patiently to cash in while Old Korvosa grew more desperate. And, you know the rest of that tale.” ”However, after I recovered from the attack but before Salvator handed me over to the Arkonas, I spent much of my time conducting clandestine interviews, poring through records in Endrin Academy, and piecing together rumors to try to determine what caused Queen Ileosa’s sudden personality change from a petulant queen to a scheming tyrant.” ”I knew that Queen Ileosa had been “borrowing” the treasury key to look through Korvosa’s treasures. I was also familiar with several old and obscure legends about the rooms below Castle Korvosa— chambers, it was whispered, used to hide something of great power or terrible evil. I had heard mention of something called Midnight’s Teeth, believed to be a sacred relic of great import to the Shoanti. Circumstantial evidence indicated that the Shoanti kept these teeth somewhere inside the pyramid that now serves as Castle Korvosa’s foundation.” ”Further research uncovered a chilling old legend. Several hundred years ago, a blue dragon agent of Zon-Kuthon named Kazavon brought the orcs of the Hold of Belkzen to their knees before attacking Ustalav and Lastwall, until he was finally defeated and his remains scattered. According to the legend, some of his body parts, including his fangs, contained fragments of the dragon’s essence.” ”I suspect that Midnight’s Teeth and Kazavon’s fangs are one and the same. The description of the queen’s new crown sounds to me as if she now wears the teeth on her brow, the implications of which are deeply troubling. Hard facts about Midnight’s Teeth remain sparse, since Korvosa’s founders didn’t think it important to preserve much in the way of Shoanti culture. Yet the Shoanti have very strong oral traditions, and if anyone knows the truth behind Midnight’s Teeth, that truth is doubtless hidden among their historians up in the Cinderlands.”
Organized Play Characters
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Kade 77
Bryn 77
Braxton 77
Bradyn 77
Brad McDowell 137