Chapter Break -- End of Chapter 14, Parts 2 and 3

Three of Wyndella's half dragon children arrive to aid the expedition to Sandstone Keep, using magical charms to maintain a massive gateway. The entire force finds little resistance at first, beyond a handful of startled Seldir seeking shelter from the sun within the crumbling outer walls. However, that changes once the Kuzani open the main accessway -- almost immediately, a shrieking fills the sky. Hundreds of frenzied Wyvern's swoop in and attack. Oddly enough, they tear at each other as much as anyone else, seemingly inflamed with an urge to mate and lay clutches of eggs at this location. Their actions are wholly artificial, so some folks wonder at the cause of such off activity. After a day of solid fighting (and a steady rain of blood), Sandstone Keep is secured, with a second battalion of Larkan Soldiers moving arriving to render aid. Cleanup of remaining Wyvern's keeps most of the mercenaries busy for the next two days while the Larkans and Kuzani set about cleaning thing up. Wyndella's children depart.

Meanwhile, Rin has found much of the Lagragon Wildlands plunged into a magical darkness. His enhanced vision, a gift from Owl, seems able to penetrate the darkness somewhat and he finds his way to his Mother's old home. Within is little more than memories... but hidden in the floor is a message of sorts. Blade was here, and left a knife to mark his passing. The next day, Soreiss picks up Rin, and finding himself plunged into magical darkness, realizes that this must be the effect of Dawnrazor, an artifact sword suspected of being in the region. Gorvalyk had spoken of a vast region of darkness a while back, and it seems none of it has yet faded.

Slip spends his free time studying with Soreiss and Krosbye, and reaps the benefits of his Usho heritage and a strong education. He picks up the rudiments of Wizardry in only a few weeks.

Rin spends time meditating in quiet contemplation, further attuning himself not only to owl, but to the greater spirit paths.

Mitu and Soreiss return to Muros's encampment with the Varukko who had aided in Sandstone Keep. They both join the battle when another attack comes, witnessing the sheer carnage and brutality that are the Krinod at war.

Mitu (egged on by Tharivol), remains at the front after the battle ends. Soreiss, however, leaves and returns to Larka City, where his services are needed by General Kethryn and Tarsus Kordir. It seems that the Sandstone Keep may gain a permanent gateway between Larka City and itself, one capable of moving many units of soldiers quickly between them. Tarsus was charges with designing the system, but seeks Soreiss's aid to finish the designs as well as implement them on the Larka City side of the gateway.

Soreiss discusses the matter with Tarsus, and they both come to the conclusion that the Eog in close proximity will have a serious warping effect on the Eldritch effects of any gateway. Slip and Rin also travel with Soreiss, offering to help the Kuzani and Larkan forces with some crafting and dowsing skills. While Rin seems fine during most of his interactions with the Kuzani, Slip became quite uncomfortable when questioned by one particular fellow some say is a "Grandfather" in training.

Soreiss takes a short trip up to the Darkweaver's transit tower when he figures out that what Tarsus and he are designing is exactly what the towers already are. On his arrival, he finds an ornately styled dagger thrust into the wall. A note pinned to it claims someone wants a meeting with him in a couple months time at the Blue Candle at a town called Epasca (Subsequent analysis leads Soreiss to believe this note may be from Marika Dracos, especially after he discovers that Epasca was the name of the village where Sashmir now stands). However, Soreiss's immediate concerns are about how the towers work, and in response to his thoughts, the tower opens the passage to Mount Thanir. Soreiss passes through to the next tower, but finds nothing of what he seeks. Only after a short while does he decide that perhaps he needs to travel inside Mount Thanir -- which means winding down the narrow path, and hoping to pass through a door barred by the Syments. Soreiss never even gets that far, with the Syment Stefan Aldroth coming up to meet him. The Syments are offering Soreiss a trade. In two weeks time he must pick up a package for them in the Kesh Confederation town of Shrewsborn, but it is a package that will reveal itself to him, as well as reveal its ultimate destination. After a successful delivery, the Syments will loan some of the Darkweaver's old notes on his tower constructions.

Back on the frontlines of Muros's war, Mitu discovers that the Phoenix's are present there, at least five if not six of them, but are not taking much of an active role beyond support. After another day or two of intense battle, Mitu also meets up with the warriors three -- Caedin, Warrin, and Fartlegoth -- all of whom are pleased to see him. During conversations with many of these people, and a steady westerly march, Mitu learns that they are crossing over the now buried ruins of Ganth, the capital city of a kingdom that bore the same name. Furthermore, he remembers something about Ganth from Adder's list of items -- the Star Scepter of Ganth -- and discovers that it must still be buried beneath them. He attempts to dig his way down (foolishly), until Soreiss arrives to pick him up, and convinces him that they will have to come back later when better prepared.

Another few days are spent figuring out where to go and what to do next -- so many loose ends remain -- with little forward progress in the nearly two and a half months since their return from the Violet Path.

[Jolt Code: 1C, 2CB, 3R]

Chapter Break -- End of Chapter 14, Part 1

Plans are made at the boathouse in Larka City as, for a time, the party members must each individually address some loose ends.

Lugh returns to the glass continent for an undetermined amount of time so he may find S'qarb and learn all he can about the order of the Druidim.

Mitu returns to Ghostrock to visit Stonecutter and his other friends, and finds the small community to be growing quickly. Already, they are seeking to expand the post and hold elections as a free city. However, they have drawn the ire of Mehbt's Arcane Council -- an always troubling situation.

Rin must take a fortnight -- and perhaps longer -- to reconnect with his past. He hopes to find the old home of his mother and with the aid of her spirit, learn more about the story of his blood.

Soriess is greeted as a traveling dignitary when he arrives at the Principality of Amundus, Taladne to return the crown stolen by Sable. The Bone King speaks at length with Soriess about various issues.

Slip helps to make arrangements for Valkar and Uvorr to find refuge among the Shadesmen. Valkar hopes to take some time nursing his ward back to health, and then findt he boy some proper training. The Shadesmen know just the place, and Valkar and Uvorr are relocated to Sashmir with the Lion, Judu Mitra.

With the timetable for the Sandstone Keep expedition advanced, making contact with the scattered persons involved becomes quite the task. Eventually, contact is made -- Lord Muros is fully engaged in the war with Akur, and reports some strangeness among the Krinod. However, he commits several Varukko troops to the expedition. Redeye returns from the desert with fifty kuzani soldiers (including miners and combat engineers), and with Soreiss's help, the Bronze Bulls offer two score of soldiers for only a nominal fee. Arius readies a batallion of Larkan Military, while using his spare time to speak and train with Sylvarsyr, Mitu, and the three knights of the Order of Oryon.

Only on the last day before the expedition is slated to depart does Wyndella make contact...

-----
[Jolt Code: 3C, 2CB, 3R, 9S]

Chapter 14: Session 09

The Necropolis of Para and Korma is under seige by minions of the Dark Road, wave after wave of otherwordly nightmares being kept at bay only barely, but three members of the Order of Oryon. Two are immediately familar, Thelius and Cadmon, and the third, the apparent leader, is soon recognized as Grand General Menotarus, commander of the Blade of Oryon. They are pressed back nearly to the closed gates of the Necropolis' sanctum when the party, much needed aid, arrives via a gateway.

Rather quickly, Rin notices a point of substantial spiritual power high up, on or above one of the clock towers. He learns that it is a dark shaman, a Koba in fact, that has been summoning these minions to assault the Order here. The Koba stands at the cusp between the spirit realms, the real world, and the Darkroad itself, calling in a new wave of attackers even as the last was struck down. Rin gets a good look at the Koba, and his description fits a figure familiar to Lugh alone... that Koba is Zulok, the Ratdog.

While the battle rages below, Rin attacks Zulok with some desperation. The Koba responds mockingly, and instead of worrying about Rin, focuses instead on his spirit totem, the owl suddenly visible near Rin. Zulok assaults Owl, bathing him in an umbra of dark energy -- Rin can feel his own spirit powers being stripped away from him. In a desperate move, Rin slashes at Zulok with Lucky Day (his enchanted sword) -- and the sword lives up to it's name. Impossibly, the sword manages to clip Zulok, even though partially transdimensional, cutting a thin line across his furry flesh. Zulok, true to his often cowardly nature, screams up at the sky (high up above can be seen the tiniest of black specks, presumably Anjoule...) and retreats. The summoned minions remain.

With Rin's sudden stroke of luck, and Zulok's surprised retreat, the battle is soon over. Menotarus thanks the party, and confirms that Thelius, Cadmon, and Hovirith will be travelling to Larka City within the week to offer assistance with Sandstone Keep. However, he decides that those three should instead remain with the party until after the Sandstone Keep expedition is completed.

At noon, the gate to the inner sanctum opens. Mitu and Soreiss complete their pilgrimage here, while some of the others perform the rites, knowing they will have to backtrack and make a proper offering to Nekarnus. Slip and Hovirith bond over water magic, spending some time practicing at Sh'kaels Necropolis. Lugh scrawls down many sad stories on the walls of Para and Korma's sanctum (it's ok, they do that here), before the next night is through.

The following day, Lugh, guarded by Mitu, returns to Nekarnus' sanctum and makes an offering. Meanwhile, the others head part of the way down the Violet Path, hoping to find the bound demon ogre. Instead of a body, they find a message in Dematic, etched into the hillside stone. Translated, it reads, "I have been shown another way". However, true to his word, he left his spirit imbued bonds of cold iron. Rin asks owl about them, and is informed that they are powered by anicent ancestor spirits, and the objects must be brought together for thier resonance to remain.

Their time on the Violet Path, the Hills of Necropoli, and the Cities of the Dead Gods has come to an end. Relieved, they return to Larka City where they are met by Tol'Uddi Dunn and Antilles, who has returned with Uvorr -- injured, traumatized and without skin. Mitu and Valkar tend to the young one, and with Mitu's healing, knit his physical wounds. However, he is a long way from healing -- enough so that Valkar realizes that he must stay with Uvorr for a time, helping him and giving him a chance to heal.

Sylvarsyr, his Taerani guard, and Zenzyk also returned with Tol'Uddi Dunn (it would seem they are establishing some ties to the Shadesmen)... however, Zenzyk becomes visibly upset when he sees his brother Hovirith and storms away.

The Bronze Bulls have made their changes at the Boat House as well. Lorin and Ruln have been set up as the commanders in charge of the Larkan operation, where it seems a cluster of a halfscore green recruits have been sent for training. Krosbye and Soreiss kick back and watch the show, even as Slip and Lugh join in for some much needed Hand to Hand practice. Mitu attempts to help, but grows frustrated -- only made worse by Zenzyk's outburst.

However, they all are at what passes for Home. Certainly, many loose ends remain -- Sandstone Keep looms in the immediate future; Zal-Ruthara's Sanctuary and the tower of the Azuruth the Violet Mage remain unfound; Veldir Kedrith (Soreiss' "brother" and other half" remains at large, working with the Arcane Council; Slip is a wanted man; Lugh must learn more of the Druidim from the few who remember that order; and both Muros and Adder have a war that must be won. Perhaps above all, both Oryon and Bhaen could return at any moment... and no one really knows which one will be worse.

[End of Chapter 14]
-----

[Jolt Code: 1B, 6C, 2CB, 3S]

Chapter 14: Session 08

(Note: Entry was greatly aided by Rob's record, gaining him an XP for Rin)

After some final preparations at the Boathouse in Larka, the party leaves for the Necropolis of Skael, hoping to discover who this "old friend" is that Lord Death mentioned. A few names came to mind, but there was only one way to find out.

Arriving at Skael's Necropolis, they quickly discover that this Necropolis is also a very powerful Water Node that seems to have been lifted right out of a giant lake. The pary secures passage to the Node with a Ferryman operating a skiff on the shore. For a Pilgrim's Token each, the party is ferried across.

Slip finds that his Elemental powers are greatly enhanced while in the presence of the Node and he decides to show off his attunement with water by walking on the water and also accelerating the skiff across the lake. The Ferryman expresses his pleasure at this newfound capability of his craft, but then seems to deflate a bit when he's told that it was Slip who gave it the extra "push."

Initially, the structure of the Necropolis appeared to be some type of crystalline structure, but, as the boat came closer, it turned out the walls were somehow crafted from liquid water. Entering the Temple, the party is surrounded by other travelers as well as the Acolytes of the Temple. Slip revels in the augmentation of his powers, while the rest of the party ambles around the complex.

Shortly after arriving, Lugh, Soriess and Mitu discover that there is, in fact, an old friend here waiting for them. Zhebaht, the last Pradari (and a hero of the first prophecy, reformed and uncursed after the party's first visit to the Cradle of Life), introduces himself to the newer party members and catches up on current events. Topics of interest were Lord Muros, Cabot, Antilles, Corwin, Sandstone Keep, and the Scar, among other things.

Once the group feels they sufficiently exhausted all the topics at hand (and after Zhebaht does the fishman dance), they decide to travel to their final destination on their pilgrimage, the Necropolis of Para and Korma.

Here the party is met by a very disturbing sight. Amidst the large clock towers representing light and darkness, a horde of Darkroad minions is spotted attacking a beleagured group of the Order of Oryon. Quickly, the party springsinto action. Mitu boosts the endurance of the party using his True Healer gifts and Soriess enacts a translocation spell to bring them right into the fray.

For some reason, in the overwhelming presence of the Darkroad, Rin finds that he has unlocked the Shamanistic "Ghost Cutter" ability, making his weapons lethal to spirits, which does not bode well for the ethereal darkroad entities.

----
[Jolt Code: 3B, 2C, 2CB, 5R, 2S]

Chapter 14: Session 07

Death is met again in the Necropolis of Woed when Mitu, Val, and Rin discover that Woed's presence is absent, unlike the first two necropoli. Mitu worries that wherever they go, they find death -- who responds in turn that it is death that dogs the heels of the bearers. Lord Death once more decides that he will meet with the bearers, but not until later...

In the wake of Tol'Orsiss Sarai's attack of the Boathouse in Larka City, arrangements are made with the family of the fallen majordomo. They are going to Malron to be with family, and one of Ruckus' children -- the runt of the litter -- is going with them.

Then, the remainder of the party also heads to Woed's Necropolis.

While spending some time there, the PCs encounter an aloof nom wearing a tattered, dusty cloak and wielding an enchanted poleaxe. He does little more than snort derisively at them and returns to his own affairs.

Meeting with Lord Death, the PCs are informed how Nekarnus was wrong. Or, more specifically, the consciousness claiming to be Nekarnus at his Necropolis was wrong, because it was not Nekarnus at all. Death explains that come the dawn of creation, the five gods of the pentad had to align themselves with certain cosmic principles -- Darun with Death; Woed with Life; Nekarnus with Zhirihz, the power of the Ouric and the wellspring of Eldritch energy; Beluss with Subtance and Matter; and Para/Korma with Time and its markers, light and darkness. It was Zhirihz's own memory of Nekarnus to whom Soreiss and Mitu spoke -- truly an echo and not the being himself. It is the same way that while Lord Death will oft times wear the mask of Darun, that god himself is long gone, cast away with the others during the fourth prophecy.

The PCs, with much more now to think about, decide upon a plan to rescue Val's ward and isolate Skullsneer the shaman from Belovius' aid. First they seek Belavius at his tower of stars in Nekarnus' necropolis, and offer a deal. The extract of Illmorthus root will restore the vigor and health Belovius craves so desperately, and should be a fair equivalent to whatever Skullsneer had offered. In return, they want the child. The sorceror agrees, summoning young Uvorr.

However, it is not Uvorr -- much to Belovius' surprise -- but a simulacrum wearing the child's skin. Another doll of Skullsneer's it would seem, scamming Belovius as well as the party. The false child is dealt with and Belovius seems genuinely angry at Skullsneer -- and desperate for the Illmorthus root. He seeks an alternate deal, and the shard of a wellspring node is the initial counteroffer. However, a new deal is struck, with Belovius providing maps and lore about a hidden sanctum belonging to the Archmage Zal-Ruthara, in which he knows the mage's staff still resides. Powering that staff, he knows with great certainty, is a wellshard. Furthermore, that sanctum contains the mage's studies, laboratories, and other gear.

Finished with Belovius, the party turns to the rescue of Val's ward. That the boy is still alive they are fairly certain, although in what condition no one can say. They arrange to meet Tol'Uddi Dunn and Antilles at the Bronze Bull fort in the heart of Westroad (with Kestra's consent). They learn quite a bit about Tol'Orsiss Sarai and after some trouble, manage to convince Antilles to rescue Uvorr from Skullsneer's trap (when all is said and done, Antilles is, as Cabot said, his Father's son). They await word from Antilles or the other Shadesmen, and prepare to visit the remaining two Necropoli, all the while making some additional plans (Arius opts to advance the timetable for Sandstone Keep, for example).

-----
[Jolt Code: B6, 2C, 1CB, 6R, 1S]

Chapter 14: Session 06

In the early morning, the PCs begin readying themselves for the many pressing matter to be attended. Belovius and Skullsneer still hold Val's ward, Uvorr. Three of the five Necropoli remain unvisited. And an odd light flitters about the southern horizon. Rin and Slip both discern within the lights many sand skiffs fashioned of bone, crafted as if in parody of the Seldir ships. They glide around the desert sands in seemingly random paths.

And then suddenly, Rin sense a dark spiritual force flash through in one moment only to disappear in the next. Owl hesitates to name what it sensed, but confirms that it is a potent Darkroad force... greater than Skullsneer.

The PCs redouble their efforts to get ready and leave for the day. They note that Sylvarsyr and his Taerani guard are not up and about, and the contingent of Bronze Bull Mercenary Soldiers is missing. Arius has left for work, and Zenzyk Threefingers gets an early start to resupply some basic carpentry materials for the house.

When the PCs are just about ready, there is a knock on the door. What began innocently enough ends in tragedy, when an explosive force of magic sunders the door and sends the majordomo (who had gone to answer the knock) hurtling through the air, only to impact against the far wall of the inner compound and fall in a crumpled heap. A large creature of shimmering eldritch force stampedes into the courtyard, attacking any who are near. A few seconds into the melee, the true source of the problem is seen floating in the sky watching the scene -- Tol'Orsiss Sarai, the pale haired Usho archmage, has come back to finish what he'd started. The magus uses his potent dweomercraft to divide the party, neutralizing them each in turn so that he can engage in a one on one battle with Soreiss. Obviously, their last encounter was a bit personal.

The battle rages: Mitu flails around in impotent fury; an injured Val takes opportunity shots; Rin's mobility is stymied as he finds himself trapped in a force barrier; Lugh is knocked about, but takes opportunity shots when he can; Slip eats a vicious attack and falls quite early on; and Soreiss takes to the sky, being pressed and countered time and again. The Eldritch Servitor is defeateed in time, but at great cost -- perhaps even too late. Half the party is knocked about, unconscious or removed from the fighting. Tol'Orsiss Sarai is toying with Soreiss, until a clever idea (and bit of luck) dispels the Archmage's flight. Prepared with a contigency for everything, Tol'Orsiss' explosive retreat is activated -- blasting Mitu into tatters and pushing Soreiss back.

The battle ended, Tol'Orsiss Sarai repulsed once more, the PCs assess the damage. Mitu is dying, though skillful tending of his wounds gives him some stability as his own natural regeneration saves him. Val is seriously wounded, and Slip must be roused from deep unconsciousness. The Boat-house's majordomo is quite dead, his neck broken on impact. Within a minute or two, Arius arrives with Sylvarsyr, the Taerani, and a small contingent of Larka Cityguard in response to the action heard at the house. Zenzyk returns a short time later...

...And is thrust into a rage. Resigning his post, he snaps the head from his broom and handles the remainder like a sword. He inquires into the identity of the attacker, and swears that he will teach this mage what it means to attack the innocent. Lugh is the first to realize that the old swordmaster intends to slaughter the the Archmage's friends and family back in Mehbt. Lugh immediately attempts to dissuade the old man, and with some time and success, convinces him to remain and not betray his own ideals so callously. Furthermore, he convinces the old swordmaster that perhaps he should realize that there are others who wish to see Tol'Orsiss Sarai brought to task, and some of them (ahem, Mitu) could use training from a Dorrivaire School master.

The family of the majordomo is distraut, and start deciding if they wish to leave the city to return to family east of the desert. Soreiss and Slip send a message to Tol'Uddi Dunn back in Tal'Megarin regaring Tol'Orsiss Sarai. And Mitu, Val, and Rin -- all upset, still -- ask for passage to the Necropolis of Woed while the other matters in Larka City are handled.

Woed's Necropolis is sprawl of greenhouses and small huts, with a walled monastery on the west side of the highest hill. In the center of the community is an old statue, large and weather worn, ostensibly depicting the god Woed. However, unlike with Darun's and Nekarnus', there is no sense of Presense here... just cold stone. Emptiness. Having expected to sense some aspect of the god here, Mitu slumps in frustration and hears a familiar voice.

"The one you know as Nekarnus was wrong," Death says, walking up to them.

-----
[Jolt Code: B2,C2,CB1,R5,S1]

Chapter 14: Session 05

Place Holder


[Jolt Code: B2, C2, R3, S1]

Chapter 14: Session 04

[Place Holder]


[Jolt Code: B3, C3, CB1, R1, S1]

Chapter 14: Session 03

At the Necropolis of Darun, Soreiss must catch his bearings so that he may transport the party without error. As the rest of the party waits, more pilgrims arrive. They greet the PCs, but seem kind of strange when one greets Val by gripping the big man's forearm and raking his finger nails down his skin. When Val is noticably shocked by this, the man greeting him appears surprised, looking back at his companions who snicker at him. He claims his buddies told him that was a traditional Ganthur greeting, but really were just having some fun at his expense. As odd as it all way, this seems to have been just an amusing random occurence.

The PCs head to the Necropolis of Nekarnus, the heart of which a massive sealed tower. It seems that only those with some connection to the magics of the Ouric are allowed entry inside -- leaving Rin, Val, and Lugh to find their own way (and causing Lugh to not give a shit about leaving an offering for this god).

In the santum, a nearly theatrical arrangement of scrying bowls, statues, and shrouded figures dominate the scene. Slip find the whole affair somewhat absurd, and opts to leave. Only Mitu and Soreiss figure out that the outer core is a sham, and what lay deeper, within the massive central statue itself is important. After unlocking the way, the duo finds themselves lifted into a region that exists at the cusp of dimensions -- most notably the borderlands of the Outer Ouric and their own, profane realm. They feel an overwhelming sense of Presence and consciousness -- Nekarnus, or the memory of Nekarnus imprinted upon the cosmos. They make some inquiries, but Nekarnus is not responsive to their needs... only if the others (the other 3 and a half) are roused will Nekarnus agree to return. The gods of the pentad -- most of them anyway -- may be able to return.

Meanwhile, in the town surrounding the sanctum tower, Rin and Val fall into a spot of trouble when they are attacked by a pair of strange, alien beings. Purplish skinned and lanky, they attack with a combination of magic and swordplay. Lugh hears the fight, but arrives only toward the end. Val is injured and Rin is somewhat shaken when the pair of odd attackers is defeated -- one dead, the other dying.

The party reunites at an inn, with Soreiss and Mitu and Slip all returned from the sanctum, they set about interrogating their strange captive. It turns out that he is of the Wynn, the fae folk of Anderwynn, and his lord was hired by a human to send a pair of assassins to harry the party. The two Wynn had hoped to kill Val and Rin, marking them so they might keep and wear their skins. The Wynn also hints that all may not be stable and secure among the Wynn -- "Not all are loyal to Saergas". The Wynn dies soon after, but is allowed to return to Anderwynn to die -- his bones may become one with his homeland.

Val, resting from his injuries, awakens alone in his room to find a note. His ward, a child named Uvorr, has been taken and Val is being summoned, alone, to the Tower of Stars in the Necropolis of Nekarnus. Of course, he tells the others, and they learn that the tower is under the control of a sorceror named Belovius, sometimes nicknamed the Scorpion.


[Jolt Code: C2, CB1, R1]

Chapter 14: Session 02

The Player Characters encounter lord Death, for a time wearing the guise of a root farmer.

They speak with him at length, learning a great many things that perhaps changed some of their perspectives. For a short time, they are even transported back into the Cradle of Life, where she provides her guidance as well.

When the next morning comes, lord Death departs, leaving the PCs to their agenda.

The following day, the party set out to leave... but to where? The Necropolis of Woed? Or that of Nekarnus?


[Jolt Code: B2, S2, R2, C1, CB1]

Chapter 14: Session 01

[Chapter 14: Cities of the Dead, Part II: The Hills of the Necropoli]

The PCs arrive at the central Necropolis, that of Arad-Darun, the God of Death. Passing into the sanctum only at dawn or dusk, some of the party opts to make offerings while Lugh chooses to leave for a time. He seeks purification and a sense of clarity by travelling to Zaladon's Heart within that great forest over on the Glass Continent.

Mitu draws the attention of an Order of Oryon member, Olarus of the Voice. This leads to a lengthy series of discussions between the five members of the Order present at the Necropolis and the PCs (including one that leads Mitu to learn that Zenzyk Threefingers back in Larka is actually one of the missing Dorrivaire Masters, Sansoch). Perhaps some of the PCs even have some cause to re-evaluate their opinions of the Order...

Lugh returns from his time of clarity after a day and a half, having immersed himself into the waters of the forest, and for a time bleeding his consciousness with the rest of the forest... with a vast segment of Life. Upon returning, he too joins the discussion with the Order.

At Dusk, they all return to the Sanctum of Death's Necropolis.

[Jolt Code: 4R, 2C, 3B, 2S, 2CB]

Chapter 13: Session 12

Diplomacy fails...

Rather, it is stillborn when Lugh is placed to speak, but then is denied any measure of currency with which to barter or negotiate with the Red Sun representative, a haughty Earth Elementalist named Thringold.

Slip's name is revealed as Cassion Torin (Yes, he related to Cassion Octaviann, albeit distantly), and he has defaulted on a Contract with the Red Sun Trading Company. The cost of buying out Slip's contract is somewhat in excess of 10000 Guilder. A princely sum for anyone to be expected to exchange.

Rin uses his powers (and already obfuscated position) to disappear from sight and wriggle free of the confines of the entrapping stones, while Soreiss readies a series of spells, not the least of which is to send a Messenger Arrow to Slip's friends in the Shadesmen.

Indeed, the Shadesmen come, even as Rin has set himself up to ambush Thringold.

Those who come:

• Antilles, son of the Guardian and the living shadow who protects the city of Tal'Megarin.
• Judu Mitra, "The Lion", Martial Artist, and Master of the Waterdragon school in Sashmir.
• Tol'Uddi Dunn, Archmage, former ranking Professor in the College of Countermagic at the Northern Academy.
• Forvi, Tol'Uddi Dunn's apprentice, a young woman skilled in Wizardry.

With the arrival of four of the Shadesmen, all hell breaks loose. Rin slits Thringold's throat, even as Mitu and Lugh's Wolf bring the man crumpling to the ground. Antilles lashes out and slams one of Thringold's Lieutenants against the steep hillside. Tol'Uddi Dunn and Slip both fortify their position against any archers atop the ridge, while Forvi levitates Thringold's dead, half-decapitated corpse up for his soldiers to see. As if to punctuation, Rin, Mitu, and the Wolf all howl as one.

Another guest -- Vernir Guide, the often condescending Nom Waywinder -- arrives to help as well, blocking the attempts of the Spellcasters on the ridge to teleport away to safety (and reinforcements). It seems that Vernir has been watching the teleportation pathways of the Shadesmen even since Lugh tried to win over the support of the Waywinders in fighting the Dark Road. Indeed, Vernir admits that he had no stomach for the still on-going debates within his order about rendering aid or remaining neutral and told them he'd do whatever he damn well liked.

And as quickly as everything began, it was over. Only Thringold was dead. One of his Lieutenants -- an Air Emala and Air Elementalist (it would turn out) -- issued the order to surrender, while the other one remained unconscious. Forvi and Mitu both set about robbing the merchant guards (Forvi more successfully, since Mitu paused to help Rin and Lugh interrogate the remaining Lieutenant), while information was gathered from the surrendering Lieutenant.

It seems they were encamped waiting for others of the Red Sun Trading Company to return both from the hills and from the Necropolis of Darun. They are searching for the near mythical Illmorthus plant, whose flower pollen is supremely toxic, while its root (shaped like a dead man) is supposedly able to cure any disease and purge any toxin. He knows little more, except to correct the false assumption that the Red Sun is run out of Tal'Megarin when in fact, it is headquartered on Paxis, and holds an Imperial Charter. They also find the Lieutenant is somewhat sympathetic to Slip's concern, himself being only 7 years into a 20 year contract.

The PCs spare him the fate of the others, translocating him to the city of Archos, while Tol'Uddi befuddles the remainder with a memory charm and Soreiss incinerates the corpse of Thringold. For these men of the Red Sun, al they will know is that one Lieutenant and Thringold himself have disappeared. They will have no more recollection of the events.

While chatting with Vernir Guide, the PCs learn the location of the other Collosus of Calendrabarus -- somewhere in the Northern Reaches of Akur's lands. They set about trying to contact Muros, and instead find Athis Hel making contact with them. They talk a moment, and Athis offers to meet the Archon and tell him the news.

The Shadesmen and Vernir long gone, the party finishes their long walk up the Violet Path in a few days more. In the distance, high overhead, three giant eagles fly -- the sort of eagles associated with the Order of Oryon. When Darun's Necropolis looms high atop the the hill -- A fence of wrought iron bars containing a series of stone buildings surrounding a massive, black iron tower with a painted skull inset -- they note that the eagles are perching there, and all of them bear saddle harnesses on their backs.

The Order of Oryon is at the Necropolis...

[End Chapter 13: (Cities of the Dead, Part I: The Violet Path)]

Chapter 13: Session 11

After a week of Lugh's herbal remedies and the Ogren's own natural regenerative powers, Mitu begins to rouse from his coma.

A Koba illusionist has some fun with Val and Rin, before being chased away by Lugh's wolf.

Many pilgrims are met on the path, going up and coming down. Among them are several ruddy-cloaked wanderers from Sashmir, a quintet of blue-robed men who serve at the Sea Lord's Necropolis, and a familiar looking Ogren (seen at the start of the path buying supplies almost two weeks prior) journeying with a kuzani (Both of whom, Val notices, pour over some maps in the hope of finding something off the path between the Central and the fourth Pilgrim's Outposts).

With Mitu awake, healed, and generally healthy, the party makes good time, reaching the Central Pilgrim's Outpost in only a day and a half. They avail themselves of the Hot Spring, resting, relaxing, and recouperating. Three dark cloaked men -- two human, and one the strange little Koba (Bolvik the Mighty!) -- wave Lugh and Soreiss to their table. The three of them are Scions of Phantasm, members of an ancient order of Illusion crafters. One of them reveals himself to be none other that Drenwirth of Malron, the strange Wine Merchant met in Larka City who disappeared (and was suspected dead or captured by the Company) before a company attack. He explain that they are themselves in hiding but hope to locate an ancient treasure -- or would do so, had their maps not been stolen by and Ogren and a Kuzani not four days prior...

After pleasantries are exchanged, and the trio reveal that they plan to spend their winter in the Necropolis of Nekarnus, Lugh returns outside to find the other PCs sparring in a nearby clearing. Soreiss remains chatting with the illusionists, even as Lugh decides to make some additional dinner outside, making a small camp just up the road (where several other pilgrims have had the same idea). Lugh purchases several vegetables from a local vendor, and starts cooking a stew. Lugh chats with other pilgrims, and soon the stew becomes a community effort, with nearly two dozen pilgrims and outpost staff in attendance. The other PCs rejoin Lugh at the cooking pot, and a camping party lasts through most of the night, ending a few hours before dawn.

At dawn, the sound of hoofbeats is heard moving up the path toward them all. The PCs and the remaining pilgrims awaken to see three Riders on their Horses. They bear the livery of Amundus, wearing heavy armor and wielding lances and large war axe's. They call for the path to be cleared, and Soreiss adds urgency to the request by shouting for everyone to do as they ask.

The riders seem to recognize Soreiss, referring to him by the name of his old life: "Lord Nur, Prince Amundus offers you his greetings and wishes you a good journey" they say to him, before resuming their business quickly up the steep road of the Violet Path.

An couple hours later, the PCs break camp and head out. In the mid afternoon, as the path winds its way into the valley between two hills, the PCs find a disturbing sight -- several camps of armed, armored men bearing the colors of the Red Sun Trading Company set atop the two hills. The party waits in the path, spotted even as they watch the soldiers on the hills, as Soreiss teleports back to the Central Pilgrim's Outpost to ask about these men. The pathguards know of the camps, saying they've been there for several weeks and have given travellers no trouble. Soreiss returns to the party with his news.

However, the party is still uneasy, especially with Slip's history with the Red Sun. They push forward along the path, but their concerns are soon confirmed. The earth seems to churn beneath their feet, rocky spears erupting around them all to cage them in. Mitu knock the rocks asunder even as new spears of rock burst upward to maintain the cage. Three men stride down the path toward the PCs, looking at Slip as they address the party as a whole: "We mean your group no trouble, however, you appear to have something that belongs to us..."

Chapter 13: Session 10

Characters are still travelling up the Violet Path amidst a series of strange and sudden storms. More than one person makes out the shape of a massive, copper colored bird resting amidst the stormclouds.

Several miles south of the second Pilgrim's Oupost, they are ambushed. Finding a wounded man on the pathside, the PCs rush to help him. However, while the man is not a willing or active participant in the plan of ambush, he has been marked as a target for a series of spell attacks that leave most of the party caught in an explosive, fiery assault. Defense Magics hold and the party remains relatively unhurt, when Soreiss and Slip both sense the sudden flare of another spell being cast.

Mitu grabs the stunned and injured man and, clutching him tightly in his grasp, hurls the both of them down the steep cliffside. Mitu slides down the rock and rubble strewn hillside just in time as a half-score mystic bolts streak past the stunned members of the party, and down the cliffside after the Ogren and his charge. Most of the bolts strike true and Mitu's body goes limp, crashing into the trees and brush, disappearing hundreds of feet below.

Everyone sees the tall robed figure standing atop the nearby bluff several hundred yards away. Simply reacting, Val, Slip, Rin, and the wolf all charge across the field of scrub and spindly trees toward the base of the bluff itself. Soreiss, however, opens a portal to the topside, and along with Lugh, they translocate near the caster...

...And find a half dozen crossbowmen armed with baneglass tipped bolts aiming right at them. The crossbowmen fire, but still Lugh and Soreiss's defenses hold true, absorbing the brunt of the attacks. The crossbowmen move into two ranks of three men, interposing themselves between the PCs and the Wizard -- an Usho mage of some measure of power -- and draw their melee weapons. A few minor spells are traded between Soreiss and the other wizard, (who almost mentally compels Lugh to leap off the bluff) and Lugh fires a few arrows into the mix before the melee troops close the distance.

Soreiss ignores them, and ports once more to move past them and stand next to the other wizard, delivering a surprisingly vicious strike with his darkblade. Lugh's own attacks -- a final ranged shot past the soldiers to the wizard's midsection, and his warwood melee strikes -- aid the battle in a small amount, though Lugh is being beaten back, knocked around by heavy melee attacks that do little real damage except to potentially daze or stun him.

With Soreiss's furious assault, the Usho seems taken aback, especially when he is unable to complete a spell after a particularly nasty blow from Soreiss's Darkblade. Soreiss is unwilling to ask for quarter -- even though the Usho is actually a more skilled caster than he -- and increases his aggression.

After taking several wounds, the Usho decides to retreat. He uses a nasty spell which not only teleports him from the field of battle, but expels a wave of concussive force that splits and sunders the flesh of a whole rank of the Usho's soldiers, but is unable to penetrate the defensive barrier triggered by Soreiss's warding stone.

With the Usho wizard gone, and only three tired and beleagered soldiers remaining, Lugh and Soreiss finish off the remainder -- taking one alive as a prisoner. Rin arrives first atop the bluff as the fight is ending, his arms replaced by feathered owl-wings. Slip and Val both struggle to climb the hillside, and there is little need when Soreiss opens a gate to port all of the party (except Mitu, who remains missing after his long, unconscious slide) up to the bluff, where they interrogate their prisoner, a soldier with a missing hand.

The Usho wizard, they are told, was hired by a man named The Blade, who is himself a Spellsword well placed in The Company. The Usho, however, is an unaligned mercenary, hired because The Blade suspected he could not remain anonymous and undetected in an encounter with the PCs. The prisoner knows little else, except that the pay was outstanding, enough to furnish them all with glass weapons.

Realizing they have gotten what they can from this man, the PCs bind the prisoner and begin instead to search for Mitu. It takes Lugh's Wolf howling to summon the other wolves in the region to find Mitu quickly. The massive Ogren is sprawled unconscious and battered, the once-injured old man quite dead, but still gripped in one of Mitu's arms. Lugh does his best to tend Mitu, but realizes the Ogren is in a deep coma. The PCs do what they can to stablilize him, and Soreiss ports everyone back to the Violet Path itself.

The PCs flag down a Pathguard and with his aid, deal with the captured mercenary soldier and drag Mitu uphill several miles to the Second Pilgrim's Outpost, where a camp is set, and Mitu's battered body is left to recover. Lugh experiments with herbs to help speed the Ogren's recovery, but knows it may still take at least a week or longer for Mitu to regain consciousness.

During this time, Rin tells the party what he knows of The Blade, and of his own colorful past as a former Company Elite, revealing his arcane fleshmark to everyone (though it had already been detected by Soreiss).

Chapter 13: Session 09

The "Last Exit Inn" is a large, sprawling building set a tthe edge of the Violet Path. It furnishes nearly forty rooms, a large tavern and eatery, and full service stables capable of handling long term affairs. Easily the largest structure in the district of Hrullgaard, and standing as it does at the very edge of the city walls, a sizable marketplace has grown around it, featuring livestock sales, water vendors, general suppliers, smiths, cobblers, and most importantly, money changers only too willing to take good coin in exchange for Pilgrim's Tokens.

The story of the Violet Path, they say, is a simple one:

When the Gods departed Gallus at the end of the Fourth Cycle, they left behind many priests and orders. The clergy of the pentad -- Woed, Nekarnus, Darun, Para/Korma, and Sh'kael -- travelled together up into the hills of this wild northland. Stripped of their priestly gifts, they had only the wizardly talents of the Grand Magus of Nekarnus (his powers, they say, severely reduced by the waning of his Lord), which were used to guide them, supposedly, by a purple light that glowed upon the stones. Legend holds that they travelled on foot at a rate of approximately 25 miles per day upward, deep into the Hills of Hrul. When they stopped each night, a priest would leave a symbol of his god to mark their place of rest. The spots are themselves holy, and the Pilgrim's Outposts line the path all the way up the Violet Path -- one for each of the five stops before the priests split in the hills at the current site of Darun's Necropolis.

Having arrived atop the highest hill (a small mountain, in truth), the priests found a dehydrated old hermit, his skin sun-darkened and split, and hobbling, his feet bloodied and raw from walking among the rocky hills. The priest of Darun insisted that with death's god in exile, life must be honored. Compassionately, he offered his heavy sandals to the old hermit so that he may walk, and offered an arm upon which the old man might find some support. The hermit spoke of a nearby spring, and the need for water. After being helped along, the priest of Darun wished to wait with the man to make sure he was healthy enough to survive.

The Grand Magus of Nekarnus was the first to voice his discontent, insisting they had still a long path to walk to reach the heart of the hills, with no time for a crippled old man. The Heirophant of Para was the next to object, insisting that he must move to follow the sun's course before nightfall. Restless too was the high priest of Sh'kael, desperate to travel north to the shores of the Northern Sea. The wizened Archcanon of Woed, though, chastened his fellows for their lack of concern, supporting the priest of Darun's decision to aid the old man. An arguement ensued, but it was the old hermit who spoke last, breaking the troublesome quarrelling. He said that four great springs can be found in the hills, each in a different direction. Thus, since their paths lead in such different directions, each priest might find his way by dowsing along the water flows from here, atop the mountain. Scoffing, the preist of Nekarnus was first to leave, almost immediately -- but using his magic, he dowsed the promised path westward, deep into the hills. Impatient, the Heirophant of Para also travelled westward, hoping to remain beneath the sun's light as long as possible, but was shown how to dowse by the silent Priestlord of Korma, who walked with Para's cleric. Sh'kael's man lingered for a time, but he could feel the pull of the sea to the north, and followed the flow of water he could sense beneath him. The Archcanon of Woed and the Priest of Darun remained with the old man overnight, until after the sunrise, the Archcanon admitted that he, too, must leave. His reason, though, gave a smile to all of their faces -- he hoped to travel the furthest from the wizard priest of Nekarnus, so as not to listen to the man's complaints ever again in his lifetime. To this end, he travelled east, holding a forked stick that pointed the way. Darun's priest and the old hermit remained atop the mountaintop, becoming friends and working the rough, rocky ground in hopes of fostering plants and a garden.

In short time, all of the clergy found their way, and each in his manner, deemed the site of their bubbling spring to be a worthy place to remain. They made their camps, and each buried the holy symbols of his god beneath the rocky earth. The gods had been lain to rest -- asleep, dead, or simply missing was unknown even to them -- their symbols planted so that perhaps something new might grow. In time, the lesser priests and flocks of faithful headed into the Hills of Hrul, finding their leaders and brethren, and helping to build the great necropoli. In time, the way of their travel became marked by the purple flame of Nekarnus' flock, coloring the worn path that pilgrims still walk today. The hills took a new name, the Hills of Necropoli, and the sprawling fields beneath the foothills, the wide harbor, and the scattered huts and villages that housed many refugees from the great wars became known as Hrulgaard, those who stand in the shadows of Hrul.

As an act of reverence, and to honor the gods, Pilgrim's tokens that reflect the old symbols of the pentad are left at each Necropolis. Often at the five Pilgrim's Outposts, token are left, much as the priests themselves had done to mark their passage.

All of this was learned by Lugh, and relayed to the party. They travel up the path, they find a wounded man stumbling down the hill. He has a magical arrow embedded in his back, and speaks of a bandit attack north, up the path, which wounded him and likely killed his two companions. Mitu and Valkar rush to find out what happened, sprinting uphill for over two hours. They find little sign of an attack at first, though eventually some evidence of a covered scuffle is unearthed -- followefd by a dismembered body stuffed into a hollow beneath a tree. Of the other body, there is no sign.

However, a pitched battle ensues when scouting up into the brush forest along a ridge, several archer/sentries are spotted. The exchange leaves Valkar impaled by an impossibly sharp arrow, while Mitu scrambles about, knowing folks from trees. Mitu does his best to heal Valkar, and end up hurting himself in the process. However, the pair pushes further upward, hoping to crest the ridge. While Valkar sneaks along the flank, Mitu approaches directly, drawing their attack. Valkar picks off a few of the Bandits while Mitu charges over the ridge. When Valkar puts an arrow through the forehead of the Bandit commander, the others flee from Mitu's unchecked fury. In the bandit camp, they find the bound corpse of the final traveller -- appearing that the brigands did not realize he was bleeding so strongly from an arterial wound. They also find a small locked chest buried in the dirt beneath the bandit leader's bedroll.

Mitu sets the camp aflame, and he and Val return to the others, carrying the two corpses and a living prisoner. En route, they encounter Slip and Soreiss, who have been pushing uphill in the hope of finding the two big men, who had been missing for so long. Eventually, all of the party reassemble at nightfall along the pathside. Soreiss opens the chest, and finds a hefty sum of money within, as well as a weak potion, and a note -- indicating that this was supposed to be a kidnapping or possibly a forced recovery. The prisoner remains unconscious, so Mitu and Lugh hope to find some of the Pathguard of the Violet Path and inform them about bandits and the attacks. Indeed, they find a guard who insists that bandits would be an impossibility on the path, since it is so often patrolled it would have been noticed. However, he suspects private mercenaries undertaking some kind of nefarious agenda. He gets directions, and after returning down hill with the corpses, rides with several guards up the path, ostensibly toward the burned out brigand camp.

The prisoner confirms that this was indeed a kidnapping/recovery, with the commander hired by some guy who sounds suspiciously like Athis Hel of Hel's Clan. However, he knows nothing else. When the Pathguard return down the hill, he is turned over to them and the party resumes their travels up the Violet Path.

Late afternoon, they reach the first Pilgrim's Outpost, an archway of towers with many tents pitched around a large, log walled hostel building. All costs are paid for by a pilgrim's token, and still more questionable traditions of the Path are revealed. To avoid stayng overlong, the party opts to head up the road a ways to make camp away from the outpost (where a strange man is rousted from the bushes, but little more occurs).

The next day's travel elicits complaint from Soreiss, who's boots are not quite fit for walking in such a rocky terrain. By the afternoon, they stop and make camp... however, that night, strange sounds are heard echoing aroudn the hills.

Late night, the party has had enough of the strange, pained howls that come infrequently but are so loud and resonant that they wake a few folks out of a dead sleep. Opting to investigate when they realize it is not the cry of an animal, they head toward a strange assemblage of carrion birds perched and overlooking a valley. A couple miles into the hills off the path, they reach the valley, and within it is a troubling sight.

Faint imbalance and daemonic magics are detected from the massive figure stooped on the ground, surrounded by a pile of bones, feathers, and feces. As they near, the figure -- an Ogren even larger than Mitu, and bearing scarred symbols similar to his own all over his naked body -- responds to them. He seems to recognize Mitu, speaking to him in Dematic. This Ogren is a former Demon Ogre, complete, yet now free of his master, the Daemok Lord of Wrath. He has bound himself with cold iron spikes driven deep in to the ground, and a large hook though his arm. He claims to seek a natural death to honor life and death, and to act as sacrifice and symbol of reverence to the old gods. He stands defiant to his Daemok master, refusing to live or die by the path of war. Though the party does not quite understand his self-imposed imprisonment, they agree to leave him be -- however, in the process of talking with this being, Mitu learns something of his past, including the name of his mother, Braena of Jillenghast -- and his own name, Dien'hadief'do (the excretion on the pile of bones). Rin senses faint spirit magic from the cold iron spikes, but the Ogren claims to know nothing of shamanism. However, he offers the spikes as a gift if, when the PCs return down the hill, he is dead.

Believing there is nothing more they can do for this troubled Ogren, the party returns to the Violet Path, and press on with the rising sun.

Chapter 13: Session 08

The PCs try travelling through the streets of Hrulgaard by night, and find themselves being watch, then followed by a horde of children who remain perpetually at the shadowed periphery of the ring of light cast by Lugh's druidstaff. However, at time, their eyes can be seen -- oily and black, and wide open. Mitu moves toward the children, lunging to grab one. The child almost disintegrates in his hand, withering and rupturing as bugs and wormlike grubs erupt from the sagging, sacklike skin and propel themselves up onto Mitu's outstretched arm. The bugs bite and burrow into the Ogren's flesh, and almost as suddenly, Mitu collapses, spasming. He is dying, but luckily his abnormally strong physiology withstands the assault. The bugs inside him die, but Mitu is far from alright. Escaping death, he remains in a coma for the better part of a day...

The party opts to spend future evenings in Larka City while travelling the central avenue through Hrulgaard by day. However, strangeness abounds...

Rin collapses as he and Lugh speak with Gorvalyk and Tarsus. Around the city, various shouts and screams accompany the action. Each would later report the same image: the face of a man, pale, his skin drawn and slightly gaunt, but not unnaturally so; long black hair streaked white in places, bird skulls braided in to it; dark eyes, flat like a moonless night. The face of Cabot Darkhollow.

Almost immediately after, those in Larka City see a golden light that resembles the sun, except for it arising from far south... the golden light spreads, bleeding out along the horizon until a massive, golden bird is seen streaking through the sky, racing north. It is, they surmise correctly, the Phoenix of Light trying to make its way to Minulex...

The party figures they know a good place to test their theory, and Soreiss opens a portal to the transit Tower by the boneshores. Outside, they can see the light approaching from the south, and the descent, just south of their actual position. They encounter Athis Hel and his animist companion, the blind woman with mastery over trees. He claims to have been watching the tower through a burning campfire, hoping the PCs might arrive. Together, they all decide to find the convocation of the Phoenixes... but immediately a wizened old woman steps from the forest. She is stooped slightly under the weight of a sword strapped across her back. Her name is Liera, and she claims to know the Phoenixes quite well, warning that their meeting is not for the likes of the party, or even for herself. The mortal mind cannot fathom what she calls "the song", the truth of their speech, which she says could damage their minds. In short order, it is revealed that she is the Talmoril, the chosen of Mevonn the Steel Phoenix, and essentially the central mortal figure among the Phoenix Cults.

She waits with the party until a spectacular light show to the south indicates that the various Phoenixes are departing. She too gets up to walk back into the trees, but informs the party that someone wishes to speak with them.

Indeed, a short while later, Minulex -- in the guise of Min the Storyteller -- steps into the clearing. He talks, confirming Cabot's reformation, and revealing that the Phoenixes have little more than questions about Cabot and their strategy of dealing with them. The central concern of the Phoenixes is discerning if Cabot is in fact the Darkweaver himself, incarnating, or if he is something similar to, but different than a Phoenix. Essentially, is Cabot their brother, or their Father, returned. They are assuming the former...

The party returns home... Mitu awakens... Rin starts feeling better, only to realize that he seems to have lost his shamanic powers. Owl seems to have fled from him. The timetable for activity must now be rushed, and the PCs realize that every moment is critical. After a series of discussions in Larka City, the party comes upon a plan. The next day, Soreiss flies to the start of the lantern path, the true beginning of the Violet Path, and marks it as a translocation point. The following morning, they plan on reappearing there, and walking the Violet Path.

And at least, after a day has passed, Rin seems to regain his powers -- Owl has returned to him.

Chapter 13: Session 07

Valkar, returning with a bounty on his head, shoots a wizard in the face.

Chapter 13: Session 06

Mitu and Rin travel to the Copper Monastery of Krakaroon in the forests north of Hrulgaard. They find the devotees of the monastery train to overcome pain and adversity and learn to refocus their energies. Mitu and Rin rest outside one of the monastery's bunkhouses for two days while Mitu hopes to get a chance to speak with the devotees of the Phoenix, Krakaroon. Unfortunately, none speak to him (though they speak to Rin, who has a few short conversations with them). They leave only after a strange, bristly bearded man goads Mitu into attacking him -- even after struck, the man simply laughs and continues egging him on.

Valkar and the giro shaman are seperated from Soreiss and Slip, and seem to disappear. The latter return to the Green Inn after being unable to find the others.

Some loose ends are tied, with Val and the Giro remaining absent. Soreiss, Slip, and Lugh rendezvous with Mitu and Rin on the ship ferrying the duo back south to Hrulgaard.

Oddly, Mitu discovers a strange package from the sorceror Tol'Mindin Laen casually tossed to the path side as the party disembarks. It answers some of the questions the ogren had about Laen and making contact. Indeed, the sorceror recommends finding the dream box beneath Tol'Regottin's grave in Tal'Ushorin. He also includes several arcane scrolls containing spells cast easily by any adept ranked wizard -- these spells should make communication easy. Soreiss quickly learns one of the spells, and uses it to magically shoot an arrow containing a message for Laen updating him with information fed by Mitu and Lugh.

While awaiting a response, they attempt to make contact with the Firelord, Muros, using a small fire (made away from prying eyes) to establish a link. Indeed, Muros responds readily. He, too, is updated on much information, and he provides some information in return, including news of the fallen Uli's death at the hands of several of Muros's elite soldiers. When Muros is told of the plan to have a weapon forged of Eog intended specifically to slay the Dark Dragon, Akur, he offers the party full support. He states that he will send a warband of Varukko Kon'Dai to accompany the travellers to the Eog Mines at Sandstone Keep when the time comes.

When this exchange ends, they find that Wyndella, the Archon of Frostkeep, is among them. She says she read Laen's note, and was interested in hearing more. She is updated with much of the same information, and gives the party some information that they, too, are lacking -- she suspects the final golden pylon that completes the ancient weapon of the Nendir'ha is in Xakros's old sanctum. Before departing, Wyndella adds that she will offer rapid travel for persons heading to Sandstone Keep, provided that some of her children are present for the expedition. Indeed, the expedition has grown substantially.

Chapter 13: Session 05

Chapter 13: [Cities of the Dead, Part I: The Violet Path]

Captain Ahze goes aboard the massive floating fortress of the Corsairs to deliver word of the dark road and the mirror black to his superiors. Other party members also move about the Corsair fortress.

• Rin -- searching for a means of selling his less than valuable gems -- is almost sucked into another scam involving a jeweler and an alchemist. Instead, he heads below into the depths of the floating fortress where he is aided by a cloaked human man with bright green eyes who brings him to see a cranky old Kuzani mystic who tells him a strange tale about a man with no name.
• Val engages in a bit of friendly gambling, showing off his ranged weapon skills and winning a bit of coin.
• Mitu is rid of his wretched ogre boots, and has a pair of new, metal splinted leather boots made custom for him. He also makes contact with the Sorceror Blackrobe, whom he notes is on the fortress after seeing a trio of Nightclan warriors.
  
• Slip translates the strange paper given to him by the Giro snake shaman, and it is most assuredly the Third Revelation, the Prophecy of Ama, a Nuzin murderer.
• Lugh meets with a blacksmith on the fortress, a cousin in the Pazuna clan.
• And Soreiss? He studies obsessively.
  

Ahze's ship leaves the Corsair fortress and within five days, they have reached the bustling port city of Hrulgaard. However, nothing goes easily. Val is bogged down in local policy and regulations, and has to hire a middleman to facilitate the scheduling and (with luck) the sale of his goats. Slip is wary, since there are over a dozen Red Sun Trading Company vessels in the harbor. Rin seems anxious, and is eager to get out of the city. Indeed, Mitu is excited about leaving the city as well, when he learns of a Tal'Mora fighting sect dedicated to the Phoenix Krakaroon which is located about fifty miles north up the coastal highway. Both Rin and Mitu leave the city immediately, hiring a coastal ferry to shuttle them nearer to the monastery.

Lugh, Soreiss, Slip, and Val (and the Giro, very well hidden all the while) head deeper into the city, take a quick bite of dinner, and get the recommendation of a good place to bed down for the night -- The Green Inn. Indeed, the place offers a full array of services. The party secures a group suite and baths for each of them.

However, Val seems startled by several persons watching him. One person disappears without a trace, while another seemed only to be admiring the man enormous longbow. The third, a Nom, takes flight when confronted. Val takes up the chase, accompanied by the Giro, who seems bent on killing the Nom -- and indeed poisons him in the tussle.

The Giro uses his powers to obfuscate Val and the dead Nom, as they drag the corpse back to the party's suite at the Green Inn. The Nom is searched once Slip, Lugh, and Soreiss are updated on what is happening. They find a fair amount of money, and a trio of keys. Some of the locals help them identify where some of those keys are from. That evening, they hope to investigate further...

Chapter 13: Session 04

The party sits in relative boredom as the ship sails out into the sea, heading around the southernmost Braggol islands and out into the wide ocean. They encounter a pair of haughty Heron School archers who keep to themselves. Also they find that the half-eled Ahze said was on ship is none other than Fenwyk, the charlatan and montebanc. Lastly, is a large Ganthur named "Val" who has filled the aft hold of the ship with a massive goat pen containing fifty goats.

The first day passes without much incident, with Slip offering to help Val with the foul odor caused by his goats. Using his elemental magic, Slip "powerwashes" the area, scouring it clean. Mitu works on a battle mask, Soreiss studies, Lugh reclines with his wolf, and Rin retreats to the aft poopdeck, sitting in the shade of a tarp fastened to the high rails.

The second night, however brings trouble. Lugh and Mitu both take doses of Lugh's black lotus dreaming elixir, falling into deep slumbers. Being a cool night, the rest of the party also remains on deck, with only Rin seemingly absent. No one say much of him the second day...

Lugh finds himself in the Ymorphus, possibly the city of Oneiros. However, everything is covered in a dense fog obscuring all view, and the sense of absolute corruption clings to the place. Dark silhouettes move in the distance, and faint whispers of conversation can be made out from nearby. Lugh went to investigate...

Meanwhile, Soreiss and Val both note that something seems strange on ship. Stars and the moon both grow dim, then fade entirely. The sails are filled as if by a full wind, yet there is a definite feeling of not-moving. Below the ship, the ocean seems to have disappeared entirely. The ship sits in an empty, black void. They hear strange whispers... then feel wet things sliding unseen past them, cutting them with fine, razor thin cuts as they pass.

Val tries to awaken Lugh, but he is unresponsive. Mitu, however, comes to consciousness slowly, though he remains quite groggy. The crewmen on ship start flipping out, and Slip heads to the captain's quarters hoping to find him. However, Slip realizes that space seems odd here, the stairway continuing on and on... He races back trying to head up the stairs, barely managing to do so ahead of this darkness that seems to be stretching space around him. Soreiss, standing still and growing more and more angry, begins to decompose where he stands, changing quickly into a liche-like body as he glares up at the darkness, enraged at his inability to fight.

Mitu runs below deck, but find the stairway to be much the same as Slip had. At first, "Number Three", the echo of his demonaic consciousness, freaks out, and then, suddenly, is silent... even absent. Mitu begins to channel life energy, which has some effect... he tries to attack the darkness (I attack the darkness!), but it yields to his blow, and returns to its initial shape. After a second attempt, he notes tendrils of darkness reflecting the light -- this place seems almost alive. As the tendrils begin to move and shift, he notes several small, green snakes pushing their way out from the darkness. The snakes regard mitu, then push their way up the stairs to the deck. Mitu crawls after the snakes, even as the life energy of his healing fades away... he is suddenly alone.

Slip is cut across his back by the same wetness that slit open Val's cheek and arm, yet he loses far more blood, which drains from him at an alarming rate. Slip attempts to call upon his water mastery, but it fails him, drying out faster than he can call it.

Val falls into a meditative trance, and suddenly feels trapped, confined and unable to move. The feeling passes quickly when he hears the angry hoot of an owl, and realizes that he is laying on the deck of the ship, staring up at an owl perched atop the taller mast.

...In the Ymorphus, Lugh chases ephemera and stumbles upon a massive structure. Contained by nearly ten feet of cold, bronzelike metal, Lugh can see hundreds, thousands of faces contorted in fear. This grisly scene only frames a vast black surface, standing at least forty feet high, and perfectly flat. At first Lugh sees nothing, and then a shape grows clear... a luminous eyed shaman, with over a dozen skull-like masks in a bandolier across his dark robed body. He is somewhat portly, and a thin mask over his eyes does not cover the intricate, green pigmented facial tattoos drawn over his features... though it takes him a moment, Lugh realizes that this is the warspawn Soreiss described seeing in the last moments of unlife held by the Crypt King of Demon Lore. It was no wonder the liche was defeated; he faced a powerful dark shaman. Behind the image of the shaman come all the sounds of whispers and half spoken words... loud and yet hushed at the same time.

Lugh struggles to force himself awake, but cannot seem to succeed at withdrawing from the Ymorphus. The dark shaman reflected in the surface seems to laugh and sneer, even as Lugh invokes the power of his druidstaff and tries to wing at the dark polished surface. However, this darkness too seems to yield and return, cracking slightly, but sealing itself just as quickly. Always the darkness yields and returns, the shaman mocking Lugh all the while. Desperate, Lugh finally manages to emerge from the Ymorphus and force himself awake, but not before hearing a voice from the shaman say, "I will show you your fear...".

On the ship, Lugh jerks away. Snakes emerge from below deck, followed by Mitu, who is nearly catatonic and totally given up on everything. Lugh cries out something about the Dark Road, and gets to his feet. The snakes make their way toward Slip, who backs away, panicked. Val takes a shot at a snake as it attempts to bite the young elementalist, killing one. However, the others keep moving toward the man, while the strange owl swoops down toward Val's head, hooting angrily. Val's vision shifts first -- even as Lugh cries out not to harm the snakes, for he already sees the truth. The owl is Rin, a naked man with broad owlwings for arms, swooping about the ship and hooting at the darkness to keep it at bay. The serpents are a small Giro, a shake shaman adorned in snakeskins and bones, who takes a small knife and cuts Slip's hand to clasp it in his own, mixing blood to free him.

In turn, the little snake shaman frees Soreiss and the crewmen from their particular problems, while Rin-the-Owl seems to hoot at Mitu, to set the big Ogren free. The darkness receeds, the sails drop, and the sky is visible once more. However, Mitu is still given up... though the Giro tries to help, it is Lugh who seems able to speak to Mitu and talk some sense into him. So the Giro talks with slip instead, revealing that he stowed away to meet people who look almost just like the "five" player characters (though there are six, the Giro can only count to five, the number of fingers on one of his hands). The only difference, he tells Slip, is that in his vision, the pretty man (Lugh) held a thorny staff... so he must wait for the real people from his vision. Only after Slip tells Lugh to make his staff thorny, and the Giro is done being wide eyed, he begins to rummage through his various pouches and purses, looking for his "paper".

The snake shaman pulls out a small scroll, handing it to Slip. The writing is in an old form of Imalim, in the dialect of stones. Slip can read some of it, but it will take him time to make sense of it...

...only later does he realize that he holds in his hands the Prophecy of Ama, the Third revelation of the Fifth Cycle.

Meanwhile, Captain Ahze rushes to the deck, where his crewmen are being tended, some of them still screaming. Ahze is upset and unbelieving, until someone mentions the "Dark Road". Then his demeanor changes, and he makes up a bullshit story about having to head deeper into the sea to avoid shallow reefs. Since the party already suspects Ahze of having ties to Sable's Corsairs, they mention the old Luma's name to Ahze.

The Captain then explains that Sable must be informed, since there are standing orders to report anything out of the ordinary that may be related to the darkroad. Another day further out to sea, and the party comes across a Corsair Bastion, a rigged vessel built from the wreckage of Kuzani Steamships and more conventional wooded ships. Ahze brings his own smaller vessel along side, and hails them...

Chapter 13: Session 03

After resting most of a week in the Bulls' base at Westroad, the party handles a few loose ends including collecting a bounty in Larka City for the heads of Demon Ogres, getting Mitu some clothes, conversing with Gorvalyk the Windwalker about Air Emala, and replenishing basic supplies.

Along with Orin Lamir, the party ports to Ordona on the Sea, the site of Orin's home. The party hopes to secure passage on ship bound north to Hrulgaard, and during their stay in Ordona, will be camped at Orin's house.

While some folk relax and recouperate, Rin decides to get involved with a pair of seedy looking gentlemen who appear to be trying to find a fence for some stolen gems, including a sapphire the size of a small plum. Rin meets them, sees the merchandise, and decides to change the plans slightly. Using money secured from the other party members to buy several cut amethysts, Rin offers them the flat cost of the amethysts for everything they have. Readying to fight, he seems to bluff them into compliance, and wanders outside, into two other accomplices. The newcomers launch a volley of bowfire and force Rin to retreat. He takes a circuitous route and thinks he loses them.

During this time, Slip learns that the Red Sun Trading Company, an organization with which he once held close ties, is in town seeking guards for a large freight haul. These traders are not too well disposed toward the young elementalist, who left under dubious circumstances when he fled Mehbt.

Also, Mitu gets quite inebriated for the first time in his life thanks to Orin... who just could not resist the challenge.

That night, everyone beds down quietly, except for Rin. He stays awake and is startled to notice that two men are skulking around the fenceline of Orin's property, looking for someone. Rin sneaks about and sets to ambush them... Slip, being quite a light sleeper, hears the footfalls and hushed chatter of these folk, and awakens. He notes Rin moving behind one of the pair, and slips his blade to the man's throat, holding him immobile under threat of death. Meanwhile, Slip lets loose a bolt of water that catches the other man quite by surprise and leaves him in a crumpled heap, unconscious.

Rin and Slip question the hostage, who informs them that he and his cohort were hired to make a good show of harrying Rin, without actually doing him any serious harm. It was all a ruse to make Rin believe a fine glass forgery was a real Sapphire, that its value was so immense that people whould kill him to reclaim it. In truth, it was nearly worthless, as were half the amethysts. Though Rin's doublecross saved him some money, he still is the worse off for the scam. The two men explain that they are hirelings of the Red Sun Trading Company, paid by the pair of grifters to make a good show while the real culprits escape from town.

Lugh joins the inquiry, having awakened to the sounds of conversation -- and Mitu remains snoring, asleep in a puddle of his own drool. The man does indeed appear to be a hireling of the Red Sun, and as Rin is about to let the man escape with his life, Slip decides to put the man out. He looses another water bolt, fearful that when the guard speaks to his superiors, he'll make mention of an Usho water elementalist in town. Slip is unwilling to draw their attention, and an alternate plan is readied.

The pair are brought to Larka City, and a favor is asked of Commander Kethryn. The pair are to be detained in Larka City for several days, then set free. Kethryn laughs, and quickly concocts a story about a potential health hazard which requires medical examinations and a period of quarantine.

However, Soreiss and Rin (an Mitu initially, though he opted to turn back early on) decide to pursue these grifters using a spell of seeking upon the faux sapphire. They learn quickly that the grifters are travelling by river turtle. They catch up at a small hamlet about 20 miles upriver, and confront the grifters in a dive tavern. Fortunately (or unfortunately), direct conflict is avoided as one of the pair seems quite aware of Soreiss's legend as the flame of Whitefalls. The grifters are convinced to give back the money stolen... and Rin takes a bit extra for good measure.

Later that morning, with everyone back in Ordona, the party asks around about ships bound for Hrulgaard. While many are indeed headed that way, Lugh decides to speak with a the captain of a smaller ship. Captain Ahze is a half-Nohn Luma from Sashmir, a no nonsense kind of fellow who makes it clear that on his ship his word is to be obeyed. However, he offers them a price quote that seems reasonable to Lugh, and the party secures passage on the ship.

The following morning, Captain Ahze and his various passengers leave Ordona, and head out to the open sea, a bit further out than the coastal traderoutes...

Chapter 13: Session 02

Chapter 13: [Cities of the Dead, Part 1: The Violet Path]

Fleeing the oncoming assault of dragons, Soreiss ports the party back to the crossroads where first they had left off their trail in pursuit of Orin Lamir's path. Rin opts to stay behind and scout, having some suspicions about the heavy spined brambles that grow on all sides of the road. Meanwhile, Soreiss, Lugh, Slip, Kestra, Mitu, Arius, and the soldiers return to the Bulls' base at the town of Westroad.

Wounds are bound and Mitu makes some adjustments to his armor. Soreiss casts a charm of finding on a blade belonging to Orin, hoping it will lead them to him. The seriously wounded are left at base as the remainder promptly return to the trail of Orin through another teleportal gateway of Soreiss's.

There is no sign of Rin upon their return; however, hidden low in the briars is a piece of red cloth. They investigate further, and find that it marks a very large circle of camouflaged wooden planks that hide some kind of tunnel access. The party opts to descend, but realize that the mercenary soldiers will be hard pressed to fight in the much more close quarters tunnels. Yet another teleportation gateway dismisses the mercenaries back to Westroad, with only Kestra remaining to help rescue her leader.

The party believes that Rin has passed through here, and find similarly red-cloth marked passages as they pass. Following the trail set by Rin, and matched by the Finding Charm of Soreiss, the party moves deep into the tunnels and eventually come upon a door, behind which both Slip and Soreiss sense arcane wizardry. Mitu notes that the party wants to get through the door, and takes it upon himself to try and tear it from its hinges.

However, while the big Ogren busts open the door, sundering a wooden bar on the far side, he makes himself an easy target. A bolt of blue-white flame impacts his chest, and Mitu staggers... then loses control for the first time in over a year. He charges into the chamber -- where four armored Ogres are rising to attack, and another, smaller Ogren in fine clothes, is half obscured by a stalagmite while arcane flames dance around his hands. Mitu impacts against a magical barrier just into the chamber... He lunges at it, bursting through it with a mighty swing of his club, and continues forward until colliding with a second barrier that surrounds the smaller Ogren spell caster.

The fight is on, as spells fly and a massive, fiery explosing covers most of the party. The spellcaster taunts Mitu, seemingly able to stymie him at every turn, and distracting him enough for on of the Ogres to land enough hits to knock him cold. Hurt and shaken, the party fights on, forcing the magic slinging Ogren -- who seems quite wary of Soreiss and his odd necromantic aura -- and his Ogre pals onto the defensive. When it seems all is about lost, he disappears...

...and a few minutes later, a projection of his voice seems willing to parlay. The party demands Orin, but the Ogre says that he does not have the man. Instead, he recommends that they seek deeper, to the regions controlled by the giant troll or by the dragons. He adds, the dragons never take prisoners. Since Soreiss's finding charm seems strong, it would indicate that Orin remains alive. Which means the trolls must have the party's friend.

The party agrees not to push any more fighting with the arcanely gifted Ogren or his troops, and in return they are given safe passage though to the deep tunnels.

The party moves steadily through the area, eventually passing once more into an area without troops or guards. The tunnels become quite grisly, smeared with blood and who knows what else, with skulls set here and there in various stony alcoves. They note an occasional red cloth -- Rin is still marking a path that coincides with their own directions. For almost an hour, the party pushes forward, and eventually hear the sounds of rushing water. The passage widens and at the edge of an almost sheer cliff, Rin sits huddled in the corner, gasping for breath and obviously hurt from the lack of plentiful, moving air. Past Rin is a vast chamber into which a trio of waterfalls cascade. Small islands of stone are connected by lashed together bridges far down at the bottom. A steep staircase leads down on this side. At the chambers height is a small aperture through which a faint ray of sunlight streams, and from which what little fresh air that circulates spawns. Dozens of Trolls mill about the islands below.

Most strangely, though, is that this place is a pure Water Node, and Slip feels the boost to his elemental abilities. Rin, they decide, is far too hurt and far too vulnerable down here, and open a gateway for him back to the surface while the rest of the party considers their plans.

Slip and Soreiss note other passages on the chamber's far side, past the various Trolls. Picking the passage that is set roughly in the same direction, Soreiss opens a gateway, and the party translocates just behind the furthest set of visible guards. Knowing the Trolls have keen senses of smell, Kestra decides to keep the chance of their detection to the lowest likelihood and casts a shroud of invisibilty upon the party -- hiding them and their voices. Now the Trolls will have only their senses of smell... and while they do indeed smell something odd, they pick out the Ogre scents and think it is just something from the Ogre band from nearer the surface. However, the party moves quickly down the tunnel, getting away before the Trolls get curious enough to investigate.

This tunnel begins as another grisly path, with skulls (three of which are fresh from the mercenary soldiers) and gore coloring the area. However, this soon ends when the path abruptly turns perfectly smooth. Lugh's affinity with stones reveals this area once was shaped by an earth elementalistm nearly half a millenia ago.

The smooth passage leads into a perfectly round, domed chamber with three other exits. In the center of the room is a posted guard, a troll covered head to toe in gleaming steel scale armor wielding a broad-headed Bardiche. The guard seems vigilant, even canny, which is an unlikely trait for most Trolls. He smells the Ogre scent on the party, and first assumes the Ogren wizard from the shallows was sneaking around again. However, when he catches the scent of humans, he becomes more agitated, intuiting some kind of ruse or betrayel.

Not giving him a chance, Arius and Mitu charge the Troll. Spell casters offer distance support, especially Slip who uses his expanded power to pull the water from the Troll's body, leaving him tired and constantly pained. The fight is short but brutal, leaving all fighters battered and bruised. However, the party is victorious, and Mitu strips off the Troll's armor after Arius decapitates the fallen warrior. They incinerate the body as they look around.

The finding charm is acting strangely, and eventually Lugh points out that the charm is indication that Orin is somewhere below them. In an adjoining chamber, they find the means of opening a hole in the floor, and trigger it. Mitu, Lugh's wolf, Kestra, and Slip all fall down the open chute, with Slip using his water powers to catch himself and Kestra, who seems to flutter down slowly using her magical cape. Mitu and the wolf, however, hit the ground hard almost forty feet below. Arius spikes a rope and climbs down to join them, while Lugh, Slip, and Soreiss follow.

The level of carnage increases, with thousands of bones (and a few wet chunks) littering the floor and pushed up against the walls. More skulls adorn the upper walls, and a red, smoky flame sputters from a short way down the hall...

Lugh senses imbalance and corruption, and both Mitu and the wolf are overcome by the stench of old blood. As the party nears, both Soreiss and Slip can sense faint traces of magic up ahead, the sound of heavy breathing and laughter can be heard by all.

In the chamber a gigantic Troll sits lounging on a makeshift throne. At his feet are a pair of spiny, unnatural looking dogs. Across the chamber is a pair of trolls and a naked, human man spiked to a wooden "X". The man is recognizable as Orin Lamir, though he is covered in blood and large portions of his skin are flayed from his torso. The trolls seem to be torturing Orin at their lord's command.

The massive troll laughs, and tells the party that if they come nearer the man will die.

Lugh tosses Mitu and Arius a potion each, even as the pair are moving quickly ahead without consulting the party. The pair quaffs the potions and turn invisible as Kestra mutters the words to a spell that heightens the physical speed of several people. Mitu grows even more determined when the voice in his head informs him that this massive troll is demonic in nature, and refers to it as Mitu's cousin.

The demon troll does not see Arius and Mitu, but his dogs do. They dogs breath flame, but have little effect on the two warriors. Slip, however, moves forward and into the demon troll's line of sight -- Slip has little time to act before the troll flicks a long, sticklike object his way which turn into a long streak of lightning in mid air. Slip is struck hard and slammed backwards into the wall. The elementalist slumps down, knocked into a coma.


Arius and Mitu strike, barely wounding the demonic creature, who responds by punching Arius hard in the chest with his spiked fist and knocking the young man sprawling. Mitu leaps back as the Troll rises and swings about, lifting the sword that had been leaning next to him on the throne's edge. Mitu harries the demonic Troll, who it turns out is also a product of the Pain Demon, Tolixenos. Arius, who remains on the ground, regains his senses, gasping for breath and waiting for his moment to strike. Soreiss teleports behind Orin, and grabbing him, teleports away again before the Trolls have a chance to kill him. Lugh's wolf squares off with the demon dogs (LORDS OF LIGHT!), and Lugh moves forward to try and take shots at the demon troll. Kestra readies a magical barrier in front of herself, even as Soreiss returns. The pair of wizards use spells to tear chunks from the demon Troll' flesh from a distance. Mitu keeps the bastard distracted, and Arius strikes with blow after blow to the creature's Stomach and Vitals.

The demon's henchmen see Soreiss across the room and begin to chase him around, though he basically ignores them by using his magical defenses to keep out of their reach. Eventually, between Mitu's constant avoidance and taunts, Arius's vital strikes, and the incessant minor damage and distance harrying by the spellcasters, the demon troll is overwhelmed and stunned from a particularly vicious blow.

Lugh's luck takes over, and using one of his cold iron tipped arrows, embeds a shot in the monster's skull. With his death, the demon dogs (LORDS OF LIGHT!) disappear in a plume of flame.

Though Arius, Mitu, and Slip are all seriously wounded, and Kestra and Soreiss are all but exhausted, they turn to face the Trollish henchmen. The pair of trolls look frightened, and in halting Talish, plead "Surrender?". When told to drop their weapons they comply, and are then told to run. A gateway openned by Soreiss returns the party to Westroad, where Orin and Rin both are resting. Lugh binds Arius's wounds, and the young warrior sets about tending to others of the wounded. Mitu and Lugh handle the most seriously wounded, especially Orin, who is the recipient of many applications of healing balm. Everyone passes out, hurt and exhausted, but finally safe.

The party rests their much needed rest...

Chapter 13: Session 01

Chapter 13: [Cities of the Dead, Part 1: The Violet Path]

As some of the party spend a final night in Larka City among their friends, Soreiss, Slip, and Rin travel to the Bronze Bull's camp in the Lagragon Wildlands. They hope to find Orin Lamir, leader of this Trollkin hunting band, and secure his aid in their journey to Hruulgard and the Hills of Necropoli.

However, the palisade-walled camp is dotted with fires that blaze barely controlled. Slip extinguishes the remaining fires, and Soreiss learns that Orin has been missing since noon of the previous day. Furthermore, the Trollkin who attacked the camp were exceptionally well outfitted, organized, and seem to have been accompanied by something that seems only too similar to the description of a Dragon.

Slip, Soreiss, and Rin head off in the direction of Orin's patrol's route, with Rin having mixed success in tracking their passage. They find a wall of brambles that would be impassible to horses, and note that the patrol split, a larger portion of the eleven man force heading north. They opt to search in that direction, and find a busy crossroads that has not only the hoof print of the passing horses, but dozens of different, enormous boot prints. Ogres they figure, definitely Ogres. They follow the horse tracks east for only a few dozen yards before they find a dead horse in the road, brought down by half a dozen spears sticking through its flank. Using a bit of necromantic magic, Soreiss sees the last moments of the horse's life -- confirming a sudden ambush of Ogres who seemed to rise up from beneath the briars. They find no more sign of the patrol, and decide to return to camp, relay information, and get help. Slip remains behind at the camp to help put out fires in case of another attack, while Soreiss and Rin travel around reporting information.

Unable to find Lorin and Ruln at the Iron Wolves encampment at the Kinlari Hunt, and unwilling to take the time to search the region around their last posted checkpoint, they head to the Bulls' field office in Westroad and speak to the wizard Kestra. She takes a great deal of interest when the possibility of a dragon is mentioned and she promises that twenty men will be mobilized within two hours time.

During that two hour window, Soreiss and Rin return to Larka City, and speak to their allies in the Boathouse. They wait for Lugh to return from walking his dinner date home, and awaken Arius from his slumber. Mitu is concerned and offers his help, as does Lugh and the young warrior Arius, even though he knows it will get him in trouble come morning. They port to Westroad, and picking up Kestra and the troops, port again to the Lagragon camp.

A battle rages, fires burn on all sides of the camp and the front gate is no more than smouldering cinders. Slip and a handful of soldiers race to extinguish the flames while two large units of men are harrying over a dozen Ogres just beyond the wall. Kestra immediately orders her units to put out the fires and the front gate and join the soldiers outside in fighting the Ogres. She casts a spell of invisibility upon herself as she lifts into the air...

Indeed, about two dozen armed and armored Ogres surround the camp's burning walls, tossing pitch and oil to the flames. Soreiss opens a gateway though the southside of the fort, and Arius is the first through. The young warrior charges the largest and best equipped of the Ogres and nearly cleaves the Trollkin's leg from his groin. A second blow finishes him off in seconds.

Mitu, Soreiss, and Rin all pass through the magical gateway, and joing the battle. Rin leaps about taking attacks where he can find them and avoiding injury by virtue of his speed and mobility. Mitu charges, and knocks an Ogre sprawling to the ground, and then wades into the fray. Soon the big Ogren finds himself trading blows with several of the Ogres. Soreiss is charged by Ogres on sight, but his magical defenses save him until he is forced to take to the air, where he launches mystic bolts of flame at the battling Ogres. Arius cuts a path through the Ogres, focusing on one at a time, except when others seem to be having some trouble. Mitu trades blow for blow with one of the Ogre captains, eventually embedding a spiked club in the captain's head and felling him.

Meanwhile, Lugh remains within the camp and begins to summon a change in the already wet weather. Soon, the drizzle intensifies to a total deluge, thunder crashing and lighting flashing across the sky. Lugh takes to a lookout tower and begins raining lightning down upon the Ogres. His wolf joins Kestra's forces, and begins tripping up some of the Ogres.

Kestra and the Bulls are not faring so well, trading close range missile volleys with the Ogres. Kestra's magics seem to have little effect, until she uses a kind of lightning magic far beyond her normal range of power. Soreiss senses something strange about that power, even from across the battlefield, and knows it did not come from her at all. However, the magic is effective, leaving several Ogres sprawling. One unit of Bulls advances, even as Lugh brings his weather magic to bear upon this cluster of the fighting. Slip also finishes putting out the fires of the camp, and hurling spears of ice, joins Kestra's soldiers.

Arius, Mitu, Rin, and Soreiss soon have the ground littered with dead Ogres. Kestra's forces, while having a slight advantage, still struggle with the remaining handful of attackers. However, with the heavy hitters now able to join them, the remaining Ogres are mopped up in short order... only then do they notice that on cluster of Ogres seems to have fled the battlefield entirely.

As stripping the bodies of the dead commences (and an inventory of the wounded -- 11 wounded, 2 dead), Kestra gets a shocked look on her face. She shouts for Soreiss to open a gateway... and even as he complies, everyone sees the winged, serpentine silhouettes of six dragons advancing quickly from the north...

Chapter Break -- End of Chapter 12

Chapter 12 has ended and the party stands at the precipice of greater danger and greater impact upon the events of this cycle of Prophecy. They've drawn more attention from their enemies and proven they are up to the challenge. As they ready themselves for a long journey to northern Kinlara, into Hrulgaard and beyond, into the Hills of Necropoli, let us consider what the party has only recently accomplised. From the tragic to the heroic to the blandly social, their world has definitely begun to change.

Maraianna Taviann has ceased to exist -- indeed, that she ever truly existed at all is in question. An extension of Marika the Dragon, supposedly a heroine of the 2nd Prophecy held in stasis by the Darkweaver until the end times, Maraianna has been returned to where Marika sleeps...

A Flesh Collossus of Calendrabarus has been revealed in the Southern Boneshores, while another remains unaccounted for...

The Crypt Kings have been scattered. Two are dead, and a third has betrayed his order and tossed his lot with the Nendir in a bid for mastery over the undead. The remaining four have disappeared...

Contact has been made to further the attempts to forge a blade from Eog, capable of housing Krosbye's spirit and slaying the Darkdragon, Akur. Oddly enough, the smith who says he can help lives in the very city that bears Krosbye Turwin's name...

Several of the Legendary Artifacts have been discovered, including Thorgrimm's Girdle and the Jeweled Skull of Cahabi...

New allies have been made, most notably the "Warriors Three" -- Caedin Ulnir, Warrin Fynir, and Fartlegoth Bearneck. The Phoenix's seem to have taken an interest in this trio, even as they head to the glass continent to aid the Firelord, Muros, in his quest...

Slip, a water elementalist on the run from the Arcane Council seeks refuge in the party...

Rin, a mysterious man who claims to recieve messages from an owl asserts that he was sent to them...

A Nendir Fleshcrafter was defeated, her floating tower turned to rubble...

Distrust and misunderstandings almost lead to mass conflict within the party...

The groundwork for a united Mercenary Alliance is set, with the Bronze Bulls, Hel's Clan, and the Iron Wolves all amicably disposed toward each other and bound my a mutual hatred of The Company...

Soreiss discovers that he is an incarnation of the Lichelord Athrin Nur, locked in a game of existence and self-sovereignty...

And the Kinlari Hunt has been abandoned, left in the hands of others to resolve as they see fit. They party realizes that they have more important tasks to attend than the violent intricacies of Vampire politics...