The Wizard of Witchfire Mt: A Sandbox Campaign in the Sterich March

[W E Ray]

And so begins the tale of a new group of heroes in the Sterich March, only a generation after Lolth's attempts to pull Istivin into her Abyssal hole on the 66th Layer.

Unbeknownst to these new heroes -- both new to Sterich and new to heroism -- a shadow taints Istivin: a vestigial presence of a long dormant Abyssal Power, The Malgoth, accidentally displaced during Lolth's intentions over 20 years ago -- now transplanted in the air and soil of the city. And it's getting darker.

But our heroes will have their hands full with the wild, untamed sandbox that is the Sterich March. Here, two Oerthly powers are converging from the mountains:

The Wizard of Witchfire Mountain, long a legend in the Crystalmists, is preparing for .... for something evil. And his army is marching.

The Azure Prince of the Jotens is the other, calling a monstrous army of his own .... and perhaps he is near to unleashing his dark plans as well.

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And now the Cast of Heroes:

[Nicolaykovic Darko]

Nicolaykovic Darko
Gish/ 1 -- Rogue/ all the rest . . . . (knowledge skills; glaive ftr; diplomat; trouble-shooter)

Well, as long as you don’t go rattling your bone box to any basher out there, I’ll tell you the dark of my time in Sasserine.

That’s where I’m from, see.

I was born with this knack for arcane spells and where I’m from that can get you into trouble or it can get you out of trouble. Guess I was just getting in.

Without going into all the seedy details, some cutters there -- let’s just call ‘em “good family people” if you get my drift, run a operation that helps other businesses run more smoothly – for a price. And the Temple of Kord there in Sasserine is always hassling them – as only those muscle-for-brains idiots can. And this leads to all kinds o’ conflict.

Well, this “family-run” guild taught me how to use my magical ability – and they started teaching me the ins and outs of the rest of their, ah, "methods" – in exchange so that I could help them as a bit of a spokesperson and such. I’m a good diplomat, see – talking and such comes naturally.

Anyhoo, just before my first real job for this “organization” began, things went sideways. Apparently small fish like me ain't suppose to find out that the Yuan Ti were business partners. And, oh yeah, some “cops” from Kord’s Temple found out who I was and who I was with. That pretty much meant there wasn’t no place in Sasserine no more where I was gonna be safe.

So I put out a rumor I was on the lamb to Cauldron – and I jumped in the hold of a boat going out to sea. After a quick layover in Saltmarsh I stowed away on another boat for Greyhawk and eventually ended up in Veluna for a year, changing my name at each stop. And now, on the run again from something we don't need to talk about here, I've made my way down to the Sterich March, pretty sure my past in Sasserine is long behind me.

Tonight, and from here on out while I’m here, I’m telling people I’m Nicolaykovic Darko. And it’s a new life for me. I’m staying at the Hale Halberdier Inn.

And the sun is beginning to set….

[Branding Opportunity]

Very nice, I look forward to reading more about it. I ran "Shadows over Istivin" as a PbP game a few years back. Let me know if you'd like the link.

[Killua 001]

Killua
Fighter

The heir to the Zaoldyeck Lands want's to aid in the eradication of evil in his home lands of Sterich.

Moreover, he wants to regain his family lands and make a name for himself.

So he's decided to venture out toward the lands of Sterich in hopes of finding like-minded people -- and of course an audience with the Marchioness to talk about his rights to Zaoldyeck.

It's getting late in the day; stopping at an inn would be smart -- and there's one there -- The Hale Halberdier.

[Trekkert of Fharlanghn 001]

Trekkert
Cleric of Fharlanghn

Born 21 years ago in a small hamlet outside of Kalstrand, Trekkert grew up toiling as a serf on farmland owned by a cruel master, a cleric of Hextor who often sent Trekkert on long overland journeys by himself to deliver messages, beginning when he was as young as 10 years old. Fharlanghn favored the boy, and guided him safely through many perils.

When he was 16, the cleric sent Trekkert on an errand from which the young man did not return. Casting the message he was to deliver into Relmor Bay, Trekkert hired on with a tradesman sailing to Hardby on the Wild Coast, and spent a year working as a messenger for the gynarchs of that ancient port.

Finding the Feminine sexism of the ruling class distasteful, young Trekkert left Hardby and journeyed through the Gnarley Forest to Verbobonc, where he again earned his keep as a messenger.

Wanderlust drove him further west, and he followed rumors of the reclamation of Sterich to an ill-fated inn on the road
outside the March's capital . . . .

[Harabi 001]

Harabi
Monk

Feeling he could no longer attain any more strength, Harabi left the temple where he was raised from birth in the ways of the monk and went out to help others as he saw fit.

Deciding to travel the countryside, Harabi has come to the Hale Halbadier Inn in the Sterich March near Istivin.

[Grymalkyn 001]

Grymalkyn
Wizard

Born 23 years ago in Greyhawk City, Grymalkyn's father was a Baklunish adventurer and his mother was a wench at the Green Dragon Inn. But she died of filth fever when Grymalkyn was 9 years old.

He grew up on the streets of Greyhawk, often sneaking into the Grey University Library to peruse grimoires and ancient scrolls. At the age of 16, Grymalkyn fled Greyhawk after making a few dangerous enemies among local street thugs, journeyed to Dyvers, and spent a few years there, supporting himself as a street magician.

At the age of 19, Grymalkyn's acerbic wit again obliged him to relocate (this time he insulted a wealthy and powerful merchant-lord's daughter), and he made his way to Neole Dra, capital of Keoland. Here he plied his trade as a street magician, occasionally copying spells from books and scrolls in the Royal Library. It was in the vaults of this library that the young mage discovered the legend of the Wizard of Witchfire Mountain, and resolved to acquire this enigmatic wizard's magical lore, whether as apprentice or as thief. He soon set out on foot for the March of Sterich,

And is staying at The Hale Halberdier Inn. . . .

[Atilla Polgar]

Atilla Polgar
Barbarian!!!

Born in a rural village of both orc and human degenerates deep in the wilds of the Gran March, this halfbreed managed to escape a raiding party of feral Dwarves. He's pretty sure everyone else in the village was killed.

Considering, thus, that Dwarves must be pretty damned tuff, he followed them south and then west into the Jotens. Showing the same feral nature as the dwarves, and showing the potential to grow in to a huge fighter, the dwarves took the young lad on as their own and continued their nomadic ways.

Things became grim for the dwarves after a "bad experience" with an old hermit in the Jotens who was just good enough at slinging spells to send raiders a'running. And only a bit after that a small group of stone giants came upon the recovering dwarves and, from a distance, buried them under boulders and rocks.

Atilla Polgar, once again, seemed to be the only to escape, fleeing the Jotens and haphazardly running straight into the Sterich March.

And now he finds himself at some roadside shack -- the smell of food and women, the warmth of light and the laughter of drunkeness are just enough to get this barbarian to come in and make some new friends at this, the Hale Halberdier!

[W E Ray]

Chapter 1:
"Bar Fight!"
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By chance or by whim of the gods, our young heroes were among those at the Hale Halberdier, an inn on the road to shadowed Istivin, on the night it was raided and sacked by a horde of orcs, goblins, bugbears, hobgoblins and kobolds, over 100 -- all bearing the symbol of the mysterious Wizard of Witchfire Mountain.

Though strangers, most people at the ill-fated inn fought well together -- but only the heroes previously mentioned survived, and became fast friends, blooded together.

Additionally, a bronze skinned half-elf with a Velunish accent/ mixed with a Sasserine dialect -- named Nicolaykovic Darko -- cast a small illusion and hid behind it, rescuing also the 2 serving wenches, Mina and Pelora. Thus safe from the fighting these 3 escaped the fate of all others.

And then there was the mage, Grymalkin, who managed to sneak out of a window during the fight and flee.

The others survived only by surrendering and were captured after the bloody melee in the common room. The heroes were bound and stripped of weapons, but they managed to escape later when their captors feasted themselves to a deep sleep, and with the help of Darko, Grymalkin and the 2 wenches who had escaped, even dispatched several of the raiders as they slept.

The party's absence was soon noted, however, and pursuit by the rest of the raiders, still numbering in the dozens, quickly followed.

Our heroes fled to the supposed safety of a nearby farmstead, only to find it newly inhabited by devils! 3 mischeivious Imps, some Lemures and even a Hell Hound.

Wisely, the party withdrew before the devils noticed them, and were led by Mina and Pelora to the ruins of an ancient keep, where they spent the night, undetected by their howling, torchbearing pursuers.

[Nicolaykovic Darko]

I just want to point out that I was the one who was able to save the two female NPCs and save them from what would have been a horrible fate.

Moreover, it was my Message spell that made contact with the "heroes" (how lame) as they were tied up in the middle of that orc/goblin/bugbear/hobgoblin/kobold camp.

It's not that I'm saying I'm better than the rest of you but maybe you should listen carefully to my favorite song:

Anything you can do I can do better /
I can do anything better than you

[W E Ray]

"Pelman Drudd" or
"Under the Boardwalk"
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The following day, while traveling near the road to Istivin, our heroes met with a caravan led by Willem, a retainer of the wealthy merchant-lord Pelman Drudd, and were invited to the Drudd estate, Willem explaining that Drudd seeks adventurers to evict mongrelfolk from a block of Istivin's Abandoned Quarter newly acquired by the merchant-lord.

On arriving at the Drudd estate that night, the heroes were treated to Drudd's generous hospitality, and Mina and Pelora were hired as maids. The heroes negotiated terms of commision, and agreed that they would attempt to relocate the mongrelfolk without resort to bloodshed.

The following morning, the party journeyed on to Istivin, where they soon felt for themselves the subtle oppression of the shadow that hangs over the ill-fated city. The heroes lost no time in applying themselves to the mission of relocating the mongrelfolk, beginning by exploring and investigating the impoverished neighborhood bordering the Abandoned Quarter, and proceeding to the Abandoned Quarter itself.

Finding a network of rickedly boardwalks meeting at a broad sewer access at the center of the pool of waste known as the Effluvium, our heroes braved crossing along one of the boardwalks, only to fall into the filthy water when a rotted section of boardwalk collapsed. Swimming to shore, our heroes now find themselves, drenched and reeking, at the
edge of the Effluvium.

[W E Ray]

Our intrepid heroes descended into the dark sewer tunnels beneath Istivin, following an elusive mongrelfolk into a trap. Suddenly swarmed from all sides by hungry dire rats released from cages by the mongrelfolk, they fought and killed more than a dozen rats, routing another half-dozen with fire, both alchemical and magical.

After a brief exploration of the nearby tunnels, our heroes discovered a raised drawbridge -- one of several entrances to Mongrel Town. Persistant diplomacy and lengthy negotiations followed, and the heroes began to persuade the mongrelfolk that relocating to a nearby ruined keep might provide them a safer and easier existence.

Emerging from the sewers after nightfall, the heroes hurried through the doomed streets of Istivin to Krelont Keep, seeking audience with Captain Frush O'Suggil. Escorted by halberdiers into the great hall, the heroes met Frush, along with his two old friends and former adventuring companions, Fonkin Hoddypeak (an elflord of Celene) and Redmod Dumple (dwarflord of Dumpledelve in the nearby Jotens). The heroes informed the captain and his friends of their intent regarding
the mongrelfolk, and were deputized, granting them exemption from the curfue.

Bidding the captain and his noble friends goodnight, the heroes decided to journey on to the Drudd Estate that night to update Drudd on their progress with the mongrelfolk. On their way to the city gate, a heavy stone saint of Pelor broke free from the temple facade as the party was passing below, nearly crushing Darko and Grymalkyn.

At the Drudd Estate, the heroes made their report, and inquired about Mina and Pelora, the wenches they rescued from the Hale Halberdier and brought to Drudd for employment. The heroes' distrust of Drudd increased when he claimed the girls were temporarily away in answer to requests to see them. They politely declined his offer to give them rooms at his estate, and departed.

[Nicolaykovic Darko]

Clueless! We now know that we should have cut off the bloody ears of those buggers we killed while escaping; the Marchioness put a bounty on them and we could've made a ton of jingle.

Damn it!

Also, there is something "not right" about Istivin. The missing Marchion, the curfew, the people who act a bit more dark and suspicious than one would expect. Actually, I think it's the curfew that points to something sinister, the other stuff is just extra "evidence."

I'm gonna spend as much time as I can when I'm here researching in the library -- the more I learn the better prepared I'm gonna be for whatever this Sterich March has to throw at me.

[W E Ray]

“The Red Knight”
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The next day, Darko and Grymalkyn visited the Istivin library to research the ruined keep, while the others explored the city, had equipment repaired, et cetera. It was discovered that the keep was very old, and the deed had passed on to the March when the last heir died. The only lore to be found regarding the keep concerned the Red Knight, a local ghost, formerly lord of the keep, that challenged passersby to honorable combat. The legend stated that, because he had used poison and other dishonorable means of winning contests of arms at tourneys, the Red Knight was cursed to haunt the stretch of road near the keep on moonless nights until he was bested in honorable combat. Our heroes decided to explore the keep without delay; it could make a suitable place for the Mongrelmen.

Reaching the keep as night fell, our heroes found themselves challenged by the Red Knight and his two skeletal squires. A series of desperate one-vs-one, honorable duels was fought, the Red Knight defeating the warriors one by one, Trekkert expending all of his healing powers to keep his fallen companions alive, until finally, Attilla Polgar dealt the ghost a final blow, laying it to rest.

The heroes then climbed the hill to the ancient ruined keep and began a thorough exploration of the area, discovering a dark stair leading into the hillside. This led to an underground antechamber linking a wine cellar, a larder, and a family crypt. From the crypt came a lurid red glow, emanating from a stone bier at the back of the crypt. Atop the bier lay the armored skeleton of the Red Knight, grasping the hilt of a flaming greatsword in its gauntleted hands. Not daring to desecrate the tomb (just yet), the heroes withdrew to plan their next move. Returning to Istivin, our heroes each suffered terrifying nightmares that night as they slept at an inn, an undeniable symptom of the dread permeating the city.

The following day, our heroes continued to pursue their goal of relocating the mongrelfolk to the keep, but now they had an additional goal -- to unravel the mysteries enshrouding the Red Knight, and to determine what should be done with his arms and armor (and any other hidden treasures that might later be uncovered). During the course of their investigations that day, Nicolaykovic Darko also heard a rumor concerning the home of a cleric of St. Cuthbert that burnt to the ground the previous night -- a group of fire brigadiers attempting to quench the blaze swore to seeing a twisted monster, part spider and part dark elf, scurry away from the fire and over a nearby city wall!

[Atilla Polgar]

Claiming the KILL of the Red Knight's "ghost."

[Nicolaykovic Darko]

It's not mentioned in the recap but we learned from the Red Knight's crypt that he was connected with Hextor. His Heraldry adorned the whole crypt, along with heraldry of one of the Orders of the Knights of the Hart.

We're gonna have to go back to Istivin and learn what would happen if we desecrate the tomb of a follower of Hextor. How to destroy it without disturbing Hextor.

We'll come back and take care of this the proper way -- then we can get the Mongrelmen to move in knowing they won't be disturbed by remnants of Hextor's dead followers.

[W E Ray]

"Return to the Red Knight's Keep"
or "Let's Make a Home for the Mongrlemen"
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Equipped with carts and mules to pull them, our heroes returned to the ruined keep. They carefully opened every sarcophagus in the catacomb, one by one, setting off many deadly traps, and battling many skeletal knights, wizards, and clerics. As they looted, they discovered three keys -- iron, gold, and brass. At the end of the catacomb, visible in the place of honor, atop the lid of a sarcophagus, rested the skeletal remains of The Red Knight, now animated by dark magic to guard the treasures that lay hidden within the sarcophagus. Resting two nights to heal and rejuvenate the magic-users' arcane and divine powers, the heroes then approached The Red Knight's remains.

When these remains rose as a mummy to challenge the grave-robbers, all but the sturdiest of will were struck paralyzed with supernatural terror, and for an agonizing moment, only the magic-using heroes were able to muster the courage to clash with the dreaded Red Mummy. Though armed with a masterwork replica of the Red Knight's flaming greatsword, the Red Mummy struck deadly blows with its gauntleted fist, wounding the warriors and felling the brave Atilla Polgar.

[W E Ray]

"Polgar's Hill"
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Naming the hill on which the ruined keep stood "Polgar's Hill", our heroes returned to Istivin with sober hearts to confer again with Captain of the Guards, Frush O'Suggill, who informed them that the Marchioness had granted permission to restore the keep as a Mongrelfolk commune. O'Suggill also confided in strict confidence that he trusted neither Pelman Drudd, nor the Court Wizard Verbane, the Marchioness' most influential advisor.

Our heroes then visited the Mongrelfolk again, and led Grandfather, their leader, and two young mongrelfolk warriors on a tour of the Keep of Polgar's Hill. Well satisfied, Grandfather announced that he would call a meeting of the grandfathers of all the mongrelfolk in Istivin, and welcome them to live on Polgar's Hill. The very next night, under cover of darkness, our heroes led the Mongrelfolk out of Istivin and to their new home, a night that would ever after be celebrated in Istivin as The Flight of the Mongrelfolk.

Having fulfilled their end of the bargain, our heroes traveled again to Drudd's estate, to collect their reward, and to discreetly investigate the possibility that Drudd was responsible for several disappearances of young women. Drudd claimed to have sent the 2 young girls away, increasing the heroes' suspicions. Affecting a strictly mercenary aspect, they claimed to know of other young women seeking employment. Drudd invited them to bring the young ladies on their next visit, and paid them the handsome sum of 800 gold pieces for removing the Mongrelmen.

Our heroes then returned to Istivin, to divide the spoils and briefly enjoy the fruits of their deadly labors as best they could within the accursed city. Purchasing better weapons and armor sparked again the lust for adventure, lore, and treasure.

But now our heroes must immediately go north to investigate -- hearing rumors of a large battle between the monstrous minions of The Azure Prince and those of The Wizard of Witchfire Mountain.

[Atilla Polgar]

Arghhh -- I'm dead!!!!

How can I be dead -- I have the coolest name of all the heroes.

Maybe we should have a do-over.
I thought Paizo got rid of Save-or-die.
Sheesh, one failed Will Save and I'm frozen in place 'till The Red Mummy eats my brains.

At least my name is immortalized as "The Keep on Polgar's Hill."

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My name's used for the home of Mongrelmen!

Shenanigans!

NOT
FAIR

[Nicolaykovic Darko]

Hmmm, my slimy but usually agile brain remembers that Grandfather did not come with us on our initial guided tour of Polgar's Hill -- just the two young Mongrelmen. Easy to retroactively change if you wanted Grandfather to be there as well, though.

Oh, and, the mongrelmen maybe call their pilgrimage "The Flight of the Mongrelfolk" but I think maybe the morose citizens of Istivin call it "The Trail of Crabs."

. . . . More seriously, Darko's intentions -- however they came across to Pelman Drudd -- were not to mention knowing other young girls for a "mercenary" reason, but to try to gauge Drudd's response that we were a possible supply of young girls. Of course, Drudd is obviously better at disimulating than we are at catching him at it.

. . . . Also, we have a new friendly contact in Istivin -- a high ranking Cleric of Pelor named Myron of Pelor, though not the High Priest -- who we hope to begin treating as another ally equally with Cpt Frush O'Suggil . . . . In fact, weren't a small few lower ranking Clerics sent to Polgar's Hill to "heal" just as a small handfull of guards were to "protect" the workers that were working on the site? I'm hoping that we can get a handful of soldiers and handful of clerics to get posted outside of Istivin to not only be a good base camp for us but more importantly to get friends of ours OUTSIDE of Istivin's nightmare-inspiring climate.

One more thing: It may be smart of us, especially since we're likely sooner-or-later to become enemies with Pelman Drudd, to eventually contact the guy that runs the Freak Show & Bazaar -- this way we can develop an "ally" who maybe has ties to the criminal element of Istivin, or at least an element other than the "official" City Guard and Temple of Pelor. It's always good to have sources and that's the kind of source that could get us info that the good guys can't. I'd like to meet him and find out what he's all about. Realistically we likely won't get a chance to meet him until after we return to Istivin AND after we try to get more info on Pelman Drudd.

[W E Ray]

Re: The Circus: I predicted that you might have some dealings with the guy who runs the Circus arena, especially after word of your limpy, heroic deeds reaches his ears. He is always looking for fresh meat for the arena, be it captured monsters, condemned criminals, or foolhardy adventurers.

[W E Ray]

"Dryads, Hags and the background for The Wizard of Witchfire Mountain."
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After equipping themselves for a lengthy trek through the Sterish countryside, our heroes left Istivin and journeyed to the Davish river at Istivin's Crossing, an ancient village being rebuilt by laborers two months after it was raided by goblinoids and orcs. There they spoke with Tomas Carpenter, foreman of a crew of carpenters building a scaffold around the ancient blockhouse at the heart of the village. He warned the heroes of certain dangers rumored to lie up the river, including a dryad who ensnared men with her fey beauty, and a green hag named One-Eyed Moll, whose "boys" were a trio of monsters -- an ogre, a troll, and a minotaur. The heroes also spoke with the village alderman, Balthazar, who confirmed the foreman's rumors. Promising to lend what aid they could in the future, the heroes departed Istivin's Crossing, journeying northwest along the north bank of the Davish River in search of a battlefield where, it was rumored, the humanoid minions of The Wizard of Witchfire Mountain clashed with those of The Azure Prince.

After noon, the heroes came upon a great, ancient oak standing on the riverbank, amid a well-tended orchard of appletrees. The sound of soft feminine weeping alerted them to the presence of Springblossom, the Dryad. Growling and bared fangs alerted them to the presence of her pet mountain lion. The heroes, through the astute advice of Grymalkyn, the glib tongue of Darko, and the comeliness of Trekkert of Fharlanghn, befriended the melancholy dryad, and much was revealed by her relating a story of The Wizard of Witchfire Mountain.

The heroes learned from Springblossom that the Wizard's name was Malkyron, and that he had been her lover for many years when he was a younger and kinder man. As he began to see and feel the effects of age while Springblossom retained eternal youth and beauty, he resolved to find a way to slow or stop aging, so he could be with his beloved forever. He discovered a secret in Witchfire Mountain that he claimed would keep him from aging, but only while he remained in the caverns within the mountain peak. She was bound to her tree, and he was now bound to his mountain. Malkyron became obsessed with finding a way that he could live forever without being confined to Witchfire Mountain, and his obsession led him down a dark path, to the Mage of the Vale. Under the tutelage of The Black One of the Vale, Malkyron learned necromantic secrets that he claimed made him immortal. However, when he returned to Springblossom, it was to bid her a final farewell, for his immortality had come at a terrible price, and he could no longer love her. As a parting gift, he had given her a magical Comb of Beauty, her most prized possession, but, to her great sorrow, the Comb was recently stolen from her by One-Eyed Moll's "boys", the minotaur, troll and ogre, who gave it to their green hag 'mother' as a gift.

Having told her tale, Springblossom promised to reward the party in whatever way she could if they returned the Comb to her. Thanking her for informing them regarding the Wizard, our heroes bid farewell to Springblossom and resumed their search for the battlefield.

[Grymalkyn Magus]

I have been in the March of Sterich only two weeks now, and already opportunities to further my quest for arcane power have been presented! I have joined a band of ruffians and graverobbers, whom I rescued (with the help of an oily chap named Darko, who though a ruffian, has demonstrated some magical apptitude) from a horde of humanoid raiders that besieged the Hale Halberdier. Though I usually do not keep so dubious a company, the prowess of these new companions cannot be questioned. In addition, we have managed to amass an impressive sum of treasure, with which I can purchase scrolls, wands, and other necessities.

We have hired our peculiar services out to a merchant named Drudd, whom none of us trusts. He recently purchased a block of abandoned and decaying warehouses in the Abandoned Quarter of the bedeviled city of Istivin, from which we relocated several clans of mongrelfolk to Polvar's Hill (named for perhaps the most fearsome of the ruffians, a half-orc who fell in battle with the Red Mummy). This was a most perilous, yet most rewarding venture, for we met with a local ghost known as the Red Knight, laid him to rest by besting him in a duel of honor, but not before he nearly laid to rest each of our fighting ruffians.

It was Polvar who dealt the ghost the blow which sent him on to the Nine Hells; perhaps it is only fitting that it was Polvar who suffered the brunt of the Red Mummy's wrath, and was sent on to whichever outer plane his brief, brutish life has earned him. Prior to incurring the wrath of the Red Mummy, we encountered many undead skeletons, some the remains of spellcasters that retained their deadly powers (but alas, none entombed with a spellbook), which rose out of sarcophagi we found and robbed in a catacomb under the Red Knight's ruined keep. The ruffians nearly got themselves killed numerous times by cunning traps warding the sarcophagi.

When finally we came to the bier on which rested the Oerthly remains of the Red Knight, we discovered to our profound horror that though we had laid his ghost to rest, his remains rose up as the Red Mummy to vent his wrath on we graverobbers! The more weak-willed ruffians were frozen with fear for what seemed an eternity, during which only Trekkert (a holy man of Fharlaghn), Darko, and myself could muster the courage to assault the mummy (albeit with spells and out of reach of the mummy's fatal strokes). It was in this desperate melee that Polvar was felled by a skull-crushing blow, but at last, we prevailed. Having cleared the ruined keep and catacombs beneath it of all dangers, we relocated the mongrelfolk of Istivin to Polvar's Hill, and received a handsome reward of 800 golden crowns.

We spent much of our treasure in Istivin, the ruffians on better arms and armor, Trekkert, myself, and Darko on scrolls and wands, and listened to rumors regarding the troubled March. Two powerful warlords are amassing goblinoid raiders, to what I can only surmise to be fell purposes, and letting them loose on the countryside to pillage and slaughter the Sterish.

The most fortuitous discovery we have made yet is that one of these warlords is the legendary Wizard of Witchfire Mountain! It was tales of this enigmatic mage's arcane prowess that led me to Sterich, and though he is clearly not a man of high moral standards, perhaps he would still welcome me as his apprentice. I forsee potential conflict with the ruffians, however, for their curiosity has been piqued, and they seem intent on dealing with the Wizard as an enemy -- a course of action almost certain to end in their doom! Perhaps I can manage to mediate in a way that prevents this dire outcome, while allowing me to pursue my quest for power under the Wizard's tutelage.

The other warlord is an equally enigmatic figure known as The Azure Prince, and from what we have gathered so far, he dwells in the Jotens at the headwaters of the Davish, supposedly in a fortress made of ice carven from a glacier. We shall no doubt learn more of this Azure Prince in the course of our adventures, but for now, he is a mystery.

Thankfully, these two vie against each other for the March, and skirmishing between their mercenaries has served to distract them from what might otherwise be more frequent raids on the Sterish, and has depleted their numbers to boot. Following a rumor of such a skirmish, we came upon the oak and apple orchard of a dryad, Springblossom, whom we had been warned of by certain folk in Istivin's Crossing, and befriending her, we heard the most fascinating tale!

We learned the Wizard's true name, Malkyron, and that the dryad and he had been lovers many years ago. We learned that he discovered some secret in Witchfire Mt. that would slow or stop his aging, but that he longed to find a way to be with his beloved Springblossom instead of confined to the mountain. We learned that he apprenticed under the even-more-legendary Mage of the Vale (perhaps Malkyron emulates his dark master with his current mysterious title), where he learned necromantic secrets that would give him immortality (I suspect Malkyron became a lich), but at a cost -- he no longer could feel love for Springblossom. He gave her a parting gift, a comb of beauty, but it was taken from her by a trio of monsters -- an ogre, a troll, and a minotaur -- who in turn gave it as a gift to their mistress, a green hag known as One-Eyed Moll.

We found the battlefield where the skirmish had occured, haunted by ghouls that tried to eat us, and beheld a most curious sight -- a black-robed cleric of Vecna had locked himself within a large iron cage on a wagon pulled by animated horse skeletons, presumably to study or perhaps make allies of the ghouls. He cursed us angrily when we began to slaughter the ghouls, and aided them against us with unholy waves of negative energy that opened wounds on our flesh! At this point, another ruffian named Tull appeared to join us in our fight, and he proved most puissant with the greatsword he wielded. Apparently, Tull is a drunkard favored by the gods, for he was sleeping off the ale he had scavenged during the day (while the ghouls were presumably dormant in burrows) from the wineskins of fallen humanoids scattered about the battlefield, and went unnoticed by the ghouls until he was awakened by the sound of battle and joined us against the ghouls. We laid to rest two waves of ghouls before the rest decided we were more trouble to eat than was worth their effort, and the Vecnite priest fled in his wagon, commanding his skeletal horses away to "the Mountain" (perhaps he is a minion of the Wizard).

When the dust cleared, alas, Darko had fallen prey to the ghouls and was beyond saving. We brought his remains back to Istivin, where our ally Myran of Pelor convinced the high priest to use a scroll stored in a vault of the House of Radiance to resurrect our fallen companion. Though we did not have enough treasure left over to pay the debt, the newly-risen Darko, who now calls himself Ezra, has vowed to serve the church of Pelor until the debt has been paid.

Now we are eager to pursue this priest of Vecna, for his wagon and horses left tracks that Trekkert has been able to find and follow, and we have returned to the countryside to discover where the tracks will lead. Last night, as we followed the priest's trail west toward the Crystalmists, we met and defeated One-Eyed Moll's "boys", who had the most ridiculous names -- Sweetums the ogre, Shnookums the minotaur, and Darling the troll! On their disgusting persons we found hag's eyes, trinkets through which the hag can scry, and determined that we must take the fight to her, lest she stalk us and murder us when we are most vulnerable.

A journey south of a few hours brought us to a rotting village on the bank of the Davish, abandoned years ago when Sterich was conquered by giants and evil humanoids from the Crystalmists and Jotuns, called Frogwallow. Here we hunted for the hag, and she ambushed us, crawling out from under a stage on the village green to attack. Fortunately, my invisibilty spell protected Killua as he was carrying one of three barely-alive men from the stage, where they had been chain to pillories. A brief scuffle between One-Eyed Moll and the puissant ruffians ended when Tull's greatsword cleaved the hag's hideous head in twain! Fortunately, the blow missed the dryad's comb of beauty, which was tangled in the hag's scraggly hair. When Tull removed it, I was surprised that the hag became even uglier than before, which none of us had thought was possible! When Tull put the comb in his own locks, the bastard became even handsomer than he already was, another thing we thought not possible!

Now that my journal is caught up, I must sleep as best I can here in the stinking village of Frogwallow, for tomorrow we resume our pursuit of the Vecnite priest. Perhaps his trail will lead to Witchfire Mt., where I can discover for myself whether I shall gain the Wizard's lore as apprentice, or as a thief among ruffians and graverobbers!

[Trekkert of Fharlaghn]

Fharlaghn, Eternal Traveler, I give thanks to you for preserving my life where others have fallen to one peril or another. I give thanks to you for leading me to stalwart companions to share in my travels, the better to deal with the many dangers that stalk this land of Sterich. Grant strength and fortitude to my companions and myself, and grant that I may not lead them to doom, or fail them in a time of need. I, Trekkert, am your humble messenger for all time.

[Atilla Polgar]

*Coming back from the grave to haunt Grymalkin until he gets my name right.

IT'S "POLGAR" !!!

[Nicolaykovic Darko]

Grymalkyn Magus wrote:

I forsee potential conflict with the (great and awe-inspiring heroes), however, for .... they seem intent on dealing with the Wizard as an enemy.

Dude, like, what's wrong with you? He's like, sooo lichdom.

[Grymalkyn Magus]

Nicolaykovic Darko wrote:

Grymalkyn Magus wrote:

I forsee potential conflict with the (great and awe-inspiring heroes), however, for .... they seem intent on dealing with the Wizard as an enemy.

Dude, like, what's wrong with you? He's like, sooo lichdom.

What is this!? I see I must ward my journal with deadly spells! [Bluff check: 4] A pox upon any foolish ruffian that snoops into my personal belongings!

OOC: Grymalkyn's accent is sort of Indian, like Abu from Simpsons (even though he grew up in Greyhawk, where I imagine the local dialect sounds somewhat English, or maybe German, since the GH area was originally the land of a landgraff).

[Captain Frush O'Suggill]

Killua 001 wrote:

Killua

Fighter

The heir to the Zaoldyeck Lands want's to aid in the eradication of evil in his home lands of Sterich.

Moreover, he wants to regain his family lands and make a name for himself.

So he's decided to venture out toward the lands of Sterich in hopes of finding like-minded people -- and of course an audience with the Marchioness to talk about his rights to Zaoldyeck.

Your Highness,

The adventurers I have deputized have proven to be good friends to the March. They risk their lives against monsters and enemies of the March on a daily basis, and two have already fallen in the line of duty. One of these was resurrected at the House of Radiance in return for a vow of future service to Pelor and the March, but the other, who laid the Red Knight to rest, and in turn was laid to rest by the Red Knight's mummy, now lies entombed in the catacomb beneath the old keep. His company now calls the hill on which stands the keep Polgar's Hill, and I humbly beseech Your Highness to consider declaring this the official name on future maps of the March to honor the hero who gave his life worthily in service to the March.

In light of this deed and others, including the peacable relocation of the mongrelfolk and investigations of Drudd, the Wizard and the Azure Prince, and most recently, evidence that at least one priest of Vecna is recruiting ghouls from the sites of recent battles in the March, I also humbly beseech Your Highness to consider expediting the claim of one of these heroes, Killua Zaoldyeck, to Castle Zaoldyeck and the former Barony of Zaoldyeck.

Ever Your Highness' humble servant,
Captain Frush O'Suggill

[Cindy Rauh, Kilwin's proprietor]

My dear Captain,

I have considered your humble requests, and have found them to be fair and just. Therefore, the hill of the Red Knight's Keep shall hereafter be known as Polgar's Hill, and the mongrelfolk's commune shall be known as the Keep of Polgar's Hill, to honor as we should this fallen hero of the March.

In addition, I will bestow upon Killua Zaoldyeck the title of Baron Zaoldyeck, and recognize his lawful claim to the Barony. However, there are complications which young Zaoldyeck and his company must contend with themselves, for as you well know, another claimant has brazenly occupied Castle Zaoldyeck without my consent, and has garrisoned therein a band of brigands. If Zaoldyeck can evict this pretender and his brigands, the title, the castle, and the Barony shall be lawfully his.

Fondly,
Resbin

[Atilla Polgar]

VICTORYYYYYYYYYYYYY
.
.
.

I
AM
IMMORTAL

[Nicolaykovic Darko]

Hey, the Marchioness is pretty hot.

[W E Ray]

“Vecna?!?”
Or ”Where the PCs search the Battlefield, fight some Ghouls and NICOLAYKOVIC DARKO falls”
.
.

At dusk, the heroes found the battlefield. The bones of goblinoids and orcs were strewn over an area several hundred feet in diameter, abutting the Davish River. Packs of ghouls, wild dogs, and buzzards scavenged among the bones, and in the midst of the battlefield was a large steel cage on a wagon to which undead skeletal horses were yoked. Locked inside the cage, apparently for protection from the ghouls, was a man in black robes over plate armor, his face concealed by the shadows of a cowl, and the unholy symbol of the Eye and Hand of Vecna hung on a chain around his neck.

The caged Cleric mocked the heroes, and as they fought off a dozen ghouls, he channeled negative energy to inflict further harm on them. The ghouls paralyzed Harabi and Nicolaykovic Darko during the fight, and Darko was slain, but with the timely aid of a young paladin named Samhain Aqualung Tull (who had just awakened from a drunken slumber on the riverbank), the heroes prevailed. The priest of Vecna commanded his skeletal horses away to "the mountain", and fled from the battlefield.

After a cold, rainy night in the wilderness, our heroes returned to Istivin, the strong fighter Killua carrying Nicolaykovic Darko’s body. They brought the fallen hero to the House of Radiance, Istivin's Temple of Pelor, where their ally, Myran of Pelor, convinced the high priest to use a scroll of True Resurrection on their comrade in return for a vow of future service to the church. The risen hero renamed himself Ezra as a symbol of his new life.

The heroes then reported to Captain O'Suggill and spent a restless night at Krelont Keep before purchasing more supplies for their adventures, including potions, scrolls, and wands. Having done so, our heroes set out again, leaving Istivin to search for the trail of the priest of Vecna who had escaped them on the battlefield.

Trekkert picked up the trail, and our heroes followed the tracks westward across grassland and low hills. By chance, however, as they were seeking shelter for the night, three monsters were just beginning to hunt.

[Samhain Aqualung Tull]

SAMHAIN
…………AQUALUNG
……………………TULL

Paladin a'course

Peoples is jealous of me, mate.

Ah yeah, it's cuz the gods 'emselves ‘ake the times outa their own schedules just a keep an eye on me.

Why just the other day Pelor 'imself came to me in a dream and he says to me, in a'riddley whispery, 'hat I needs to gets out o' the Free City an' go to Sterich.

Well, ain't never 'eard a no bloody “Sterich” I says to Pelor in me sleep, an' besides that I even particularly like this ol’ hole in The River District I’m in presently.

But well, you know how ol’ Pelor is – so ‘ere I am rolling on along the Storich Land, avoidin’ that dark ol’ city a Isstvan – Mayaheine herself tol’ me it was all shadowy, see – she’s a been flirtin’ wi’ me for years now in me dreams – and after sleepin’ a night there an’ havin’ all sorts a bad dreams – I gots ta agree wit’ the sexy girl abouts Ixtvin.

Anywayses, I’m a rolling along the river here in Starick Marches till un I gots to sleep – an’ I’m right in the middle uhva boincin’ Mayaheine on me knee an’ ‘avin’ a glass o’ finey red winey – an’ alls the sudden-like I’m a waken to the sexy sounds o’ battle.

An’ if there’sen anythin’ me likes more than boincin’ a perty little goddess on me knee – it’s a fightin' evil critters.

An' shores enough I wakes up not a hunnerd feets from some dead people fightin' some livings people an’ just like that’s – I gots me a party!

[Ezra of Pelor]

I awoke this morning in Istivin -- in Pelor’s Temple, Myran above me smiling with the radiance of one who has seen a great miracle from his god.

With all humility, I know I am that miracle. A new man. I am alive not merely because Pelor is Powerful. Not because Pelor stands for the Light of the Sun and the Life it provides. I have been raised because my friends, both my adventuring comrades and Myran of Pelor, have spoken on my behalf to Pelor. Something more profound even than standing back-to-back in battle against enemies.
And Pelor answered!

Whatever names I used in Veluna during my exile, whatever names I used during my flight from Sasserine – whatever name my father gave me at birth – they have no meaning.

I am EZRA.

[W E Ray]

“One Eyed Moll”
.
.
.

Our Heroes’ scent was picked up by Darling the Troll, one of One-Eyed Moll's "boys", who led the other two, Snookums the Minotaur and Sweetums the Ogre, on a hunt. The three boys intercepted the heroes on the Priest of Vecna's trail, and a bloody melee ensued. By sword, magic fire, and hurled acid vials, our heroes prevailed, slaying Darling and Snookums, and capturing Sweetums for interrogation.

Tricking the ogre into thinking they were mercenaries seeking to serve One-Eyed Moll, our heroes learned that the Hag had recently inhabited the abandoned village of Frogwallow on the north bank of the Davish. With a stroke of his blade, Samhain Aqualung Tull avenged all of the ogre's past victims. Searching the bodies, the heroes discovered baubles called "hag's eyes", trinkets that could be used as scrying devices by the hag that made them. Knowing that One-Eyed Moll would soon be after them, the heroes decided to bring the fight to her instead, and headed south for Frogwallow.

The heroes reached the abandoned village of Frogwallow just before midnight, and found three haggard and emaciated men chained to pillories on a stage in the village green, whom they immediately began to free from their chains. As Killua carried the last of the victims off the stage, One-Eyed Moll leapt out from beneath the rotting boards and attacked! After a brief struggle, the hag's head was split down the center by a mighty blow from Samhain Aqualung’s sword, bringing an end at last to her evil deeds. Samhain Aqualung took from the hag’s scraggly gray locks the Golden Comb -- Springblossom's Comb of Beauty -- and set it in his own hair for the time being, and the heroes began a thorough search of the village, finally discovering the hag's treasure at the bottom of a well.

[Ezra of Pelor]

Hey Trekkert, you ready to go find that Cleric of Vecna?

I am.

I have to personally thank him for "encouraging" me to become Ezra.

Think he'll be surprised to see me after our last encounter? ;)

[Samhain Aqualung Tull]

SAMHAIN
..........AQUALUNG
....................TULL

'Ey mates -- lookin' forward ta workin' wi' everyone stills -- but I gotta shout its from the mountain tops 'hat once Lydia hears abouts a imps and a lemures and 'e hounds of 'e hells down 'ere in Storiches, she's a gonna be tickling me ta go an' kills the li'le bloody bastids, i'nt she, now?

An' you knows she's a gonna be hearin' this, now dunna ya, mate?

Now dunna gets me wrongin -- I'm a thirsty for that Vecna boye, too -- but devilses is devilses is devilses as me mate Pelor always say.

An' Lydia, 'hat purty ol gal an' her purty white locks an' the way she goes a whisperin' in me ear a' night is enough ta make me get me ole sword straight up a' 'he sound a killin' some devilses.

'Hat Lydia, she'll make a Paladin out a ya, 'hat's fer surein!

[Trekkert of Fharlaghn]

Ezra of Pelor wrote:

Hey Trekkert, you ready to go find that Cleric of Vecna?

I am.

I have to personally thank him for "encouraging" me to become Ezra.

Think he'll be surprised to see me after our last encounter? ;)

Fear not, Ezra. The tracks of wain and skeletal hooves are frozen into the cold ground, and with Fharlanghn's blessing, I will follow them to wherever they may lead.

My only fear is that they will lead us to even greater evils. He is wise in lore, but I fear that the mage might be foolish in his ambition. For now, he has proven a valuable member of our company, but let us be vigilant. The pursuit of power often leads to its abuse.

[Grymalkyn Magus]

Samhain Aqualung Tull wrote:

SAMHAIN

..........AQUALUNG
....................TULL

'Ey mates -- lookin' forward ta workin' wi' everyone stills -- but I gotta shout its from the mountain tops 'hat once Lydia hears abouts a imps and a lemures and 'e hounds of 'e hells down 'ere in Storiches, she's a gonna be tickling me ta go an' kills the li'le bloody bastids, i'nt she, now?

An' you knows she's a gonna be hearin' this, now dunna ya, mate?

Now dunna gets me wrongin -- I'm a thirsty for that Vecna boye, too -- but devilses is devilses is devilses as me mate Pelor always say.

An' Lydia, 'hat purty ol gal an' her purty white locks an' the way she goes a whisperin' in me ear a' night is enough ta make me get me ole sword straight up a' 'he sound a killin' some devilses.

'Hat Lydia, she'll make a Paladin out a ya, 'hat's fer surein!

By Boccob's Blessed Book, you reek of cheap spirits, man! My suggestion is that we first discover where the Vecnite's trail leads to, and then we can go slay your "devilses".

[Trekkert of Fharlaghn]

Grymalkyn Magus wrote:

Samhain Aqualung Tull wrote:

SAMHAIN

..........AQUALUNG
....................TULL

'Ey mates -- lookin' forward ta workin' wi' everyone stills -- but I gotta shout its from the mountain tops 'hat once Lydia hears abouts a imps and a lemures and 'e hounds of 'e hells down 'ere in Storiches, she's a gonna be tickling me ta go an' kills the li'le bloody bastids, i'nt she, now?

An' you knows she's a gonna be hearin' this, now dunna ya, mate?

Now dunna gets me wrongin -- I'm a thirsty for that Vecna boye, too -- but devilses is devilses is devilses as me mate Pelor always say.

An' Lydia, 'hat purty ol gal an' her purty white locks an' the way she goes a whisperin' in me ear a' night is enough ta make me get me ole sword straight up a' 'he sound a killin' some devilses.

'Hat Lydia, she'll make a Paladin out a ya, 'hat's fer surein!

By Boccob's Blessed Book, you reek of cheap spirits, man! My suggestion is that we first discover where the Vecnite's trail leads to, and then we can go slay your "devilses".

Narrator: Trekkert regards Grymalkyn with a long, scrutinizing gaze before speaking.

Trekkert: The tracks are set in frozen ground, Grymalkyn. I can find them again. I think Samhain is right. The devils are the greater evil, and I believe they pose a more immediate threat to Sterich. We should go back to the farm and deal with them as they deserve.

[Michael Johnson 66]

DM's note: After slaying One-Eyed Moll, our heroes advanced to 4th level (having started at 1st level on the fateful night of the Assault on the Hale Halberdier).

[W E Ray]

I've spent money for Silversheen but that's not gonna help everyone. Just PCs who bought some -- of course, we do have a Cleric who can Bless less insightful PCs' weapons....

It'll be interesting to see if Samhain Aqualung has any reaction to the desecrated idol to Beori....

I'm afraid of invisible, flying imps during a ground fight with lemures and a hell hound.

[Ezra of Pelor]

*doing some house-cleaning

Hmmm, what's this hiding in the bottom of my bag -- it's the non-magical, locked book we found in The Red Mummy's tomb. I'd forgotten all about it. Hopefully we'll get a moment for me to look through it.

[Michael Johnson 66]

Ezra of Pelor wrote:

*doing some house-cleaning

Hmmm, what's this hiding in the bottom of my bag -- it's the non-magical, locked book we found in The Red Mummy's tomb. I'd forgotten all about it. Hopefully we'll get a moment for me to look through it.

Selected entries from the journal of Nulberken Kolwysst:

16 Wealsun, CY 285 -- I killed my beautiful mother today. I put concentrated oil of taggert in her perfume. After she stopped writhing, I (inappropriate for this forum).

22 Readyreat, CY 288 --
I have finally done what I have long desired to do. I have savored the sweetness of living human flesh. I slipped a dose of a sleep potion into her soup, brought her to my secret chamber, bound her to my table, and waited for her to awaken. Then, I (inappropriate for this forum).

10 Planting, CY 290 --
Last night, I prepared a dose of giant scorpion venom for Langemoor, to poison his blade before his duel with Esterley. In return, he has promised to acquire the lovely morsel Amaline for me.

15 Planting, CY 290 --
Langemoor was true to our bargain, and Amaline has proven a most resilient diversion. She can't last much longer, however, so I shall need a new plaything soon. I know enough of Langemoor's deeds to keep him complicit in my own, but I must not prod the beast until he snaps at me. Must be discreet.

4 Coldeven, CY 293 --
Langemoor has threatened to reveal my evil deeds to the others. I must silence him first. I shall see to it that his opponent receives a poisoned lance before their joust at the tourney tomorrow. That will pay him in full for his threat.

11 Coldeven, CY 293 --
Langemoor recovered from the poison, and on his orders, I have been thrown in the oubliette to rot. I must find a way to escape before I am executed!

[W E Ray]

After a cold and unsettling night in Frogwallow, our heroes decided to bring the three emaciated men they rescued from One-Eyed Moll to Istivin, where they could recover from their hideous ordeal. On the road south of Istivin, they were overtaken by a band of KNIGHTS OF THE WATCH – Sirs Vaghn, Caramon, Tristan, and Gawain -- and their squires, who were bringing dead and wounded companions to the city for burial or healing. The knights reported having slain some Hill Giants the day before in the foothills of the Crystalmists, though obviously at great cost.

Trekkert expended all of his healing powers to aid the wounded knights, earning their thanks. Sending their newly-acquired Silver Raven ahead to herald their arrival, the heroes traveled with the knights into Istivin, and on to Krelont Keep, where the heroes reported their victory over One-Eyed Moll and her "boys" to Captain O'Suggill, and were rewarded with a thousand golden crowns. O'Suggill informed Killua that the Marchioness had declared him the rightful Baron Zaoldyeck, but that his familial castle was inhabited by a pretender, and he must evict the current occupants himself.

The next day was spent purchasing potions, scrolls, and other equipment that might prove useful in combating the devils they had seen weeks ago at the farm near the Hale Halberdier.

[W E Ray]

"DEVILS"

....Or, "The Azure Prince Revealed"
.

Departing Istivin in the early predawn hours, our heroes arrived at the devils' farm just minutes before sunrise to find the disgusting Lemures spreading gore and body parts over the frozen field. Ezra scouted the farmhouse, overhearing the squabbling of the three Imps -- Wart, Thorn, and Snipe – and discovering that they planned to plant wynnis seeds supplied by "allies of the master" after the thaw, harvest the wynnis, and introduce an illegal devilweed trade in Istivin.

Attempting to creep through a window into a bedroom, Ezra alerted the keen-eared imps of his presence, and noticing the ensuing silence, fled back to his companions, who were hiding about a hundred feet away. With shrill whistles, the imps summoned the six lemures from the field and the hell hound from the henhouse, and led them after the heroes.

The imps (invisible and flying) and the hell hound caught up with the heroes first. The hell hound quickly fell beneath the blades of the heroes. The imps used their innate powers of suggestion, convincing Killua to drop his greatsword, but the heroes, having consumed potions of see invisibility, assailed them with arrows, Grymalkyn sending hornet-shaped magic missiles after the devils from his wand. The lemures arrived a moment later, and were quickly destroyed by the heroes. After Snipe was sliced in half, the other two imps attempted to flee, but were shot down by the heroes, bound, and separately interrogated.

From the Imps, the heroes learned that the Azure Prince is an Ice Devil from Cania who had fled the court of Mephistopheles after betraying the archdevil to what the ice devil had thought were spies serving Baalzebul, but were in fact agents of Mephistopheles testing the loyalty of his subjects. With him fled several lesser devils, the imps, lemures, and hell hound among them. After climbing out of the Fearful Pit layer by layer, they discovered a permanent gate leading to a mountainside in the Jotuns, overlooking a glacier at the headwaters of the Davish. The devils caused an avalanche to bury the gate.

The ice devil declared himself The Azure Prince and commanded the lesser devils to capture slaves to carve a fortress out of the glacial ice. The imps revealed that they were sent out to tempt mortals, and after they happened upon the farm and slaughtered the farmer and his family, they began hassling travelers on the nearby road. After word of their evil spread, a cult of devil-worshippers based in Istivin contacted them and proposed a dark alliance, offering to supply enough wynnis seed to plant the entire field, and to distribute the dried leaves (also known as devilweed) in Istivin in an attempt to addict the populace and make them easier for the Azure Prince to corrupt. Having learned all they could from the imps, the heroes sent them back to the Pit on the ends of their blades.

After several hours of much-needed sleep in the farmhouse, the heroes conducted a thorough search of the farm, unearthing a couple caches hidden by the farmer, including the deed to the farm, and discovering the devils' accumulated loot inside the henhouse. They then returned to Istivin, to report their victory over the devils to Captain O'Suggill and Myran of Pelor. O'Suggill rewarded them for their heroism with magic items from the treasury. The House of Radiance deducted 1,000 gp from Ezra's resurrection debt in return for this service, which the priests of Pelor were planning to send Ezra to do anyway, and Ezra paid the balance of his treasure to the church after purchasing the supplies necessary to continue adventuring, further reducing his debt.

[Samhain Aqualung Tull]

Michael Johnson 66 wrote:

16 Wealsun, CY 285 --

I killed my beautiful mother today. I put concentrated oil of taggert in her perfume.
After she stopped writhing, I (played smurf).

Dude, you gotta stop perusing Monte Cook's Book of Vile Smurfness

[Michael Johnson 66]

Samhain Aqualung Tull wrote:

Michael Johnson 66 wrote:

16 Wealsun, CY 285 --

I killed my beautiful mother today. I put concentrated oil of taggert in her perfume.
After she stopped writhing, I (played smurf).

Dude, you gotta stop perusing Monte Cook's Book of Vile Smurfness

LOL! Yeah, my alignment is shifting toward chaotic smurfy.

[Ezra of Pelor]

We've learned that the Azure Prince is a Gelugon.

I'm actually much more relieved now about the whole thing. As an unkown, nebulous villain there was much more fear. Now that we know not only that he's a Gelugon but also a bit of his Infernal background, we can research Ice Devils in general and hopefully this one in particular.

...We're on the trail west now to track down the Priest of Vecna and then take back the Zaoldyeck Keep from whatever squatters have infested it, reestablishing Killua's rightful place. I hope that we can use the keep as a base of operations to eventually plan a strike against the Ice Devil. But that seems distant considering what we now know.

Of more pressing concern -- a priority as soon as we've eliminated the Priest of Vecna and retaken Zaoldyeck's Keep -- awaits us back east in Istivin (we've less than 2 weeks to spare out west!). As much as I had hoped to avoid the shrouded town, we now have knowledge that an infernal cult has taken residence there. We have no choice, then, but to stay in Istivin for a while, tracking these diabolists down and sending them to the Hells where they belong.

I will recommend to my heroic companions that as we track the Priest of Vecna we pay attention to our direction -- and if we veer too off the course of the Zaoldyeck Estate, we choose which is more pressing, the Vecnaite or the Zaoldyeck Keep.

If we find the Priest of Vecna's lair we should appraise its strength and then return to Istivin earlier than we would like -- and unfortunately, we'll have to spend time there. Our days of avoiding staying in Istivin more than half a day are over.

I seriously doubt we can find the Vecna Cleric in time -- or at least find his lair and deal with his undead. My prediction is that we will search west untill we reach Killua's Estate, appraise the strength of the forces there, and either eliminate them quickly or have to return to Istivin with only knowledge.

It will become difficult, very soon, to prioritize.

[Trekkert of Fharlaghn]

Fharlanghn, Eternal Traveler of Time and Space, grant that the spirit of our fallen comrade, Harabi, journey swiftly to the peace of Bytopia. We give thanks that we could share in part of his journey, and he in part of ours.