Each player gained 1000 experience for the session.
Congratulations! You have just gained level 8. Please level your character up before our next session.
Total XP: 13500 (level 9 at 16500 xp)
Monday, May 31, 2010
XP for Unraveling the Prophecy Session #5
Each player gained 700 experience for the session.
Total XP: 12500 (level 8 at 13000 xp)
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Note, Prophecy
Here are the written materials from last session:
First, the note that we found on the Warforged we defeated in the Emerald Claw crew:
"Nash,
After you have had your fun in Breland, seek out the Hags in the Great Crag. Tell them of your valorous deeds against the Swine King's people. Present Sora Katra with her gift, and ask for an audience with her sister, Sora Teraza. I warn you: Do not approach the other Sisters before you gain Sora Katra's trust.
Once you have gained your audience, ask the Oracle the path forward for our Mistress and her goals. In particular, ask what must be done to rebirth the Bloodline of her Mark. After this, send to me what you have learned. Immediately!
Your next assignment will be to find the Settlement of Lost, and to recruit three shapeshifters. Then return to me. We shall have an interesting meeting with our old friend in the Mournland.
--Staunch."
Second, the bits of prophecy that our arcane friends relayed to us that they had heard (we don't know whether this segment of the prophecy comes before or after the one we already know, and should ask House Sivis about this if we care, when we get back to Korransberg).
"Ancient symbols old as stone
Marks of magic, twelve ascendant
Four aberrant, shunned and alone
Houses rise! Their bloodlines decant
And from their ranks shall come the One"
First, the note that we found on the Warforged we defeated in the Emerald Claw crew:
"Nash,
After you have had your fun in Breland, seek out the Hags in the Great Crag. Tell them of your valorous deeds against the Swine King's people. Present Sora Katra with her gift, and ask for an audience with her sister, Sora Teraza. I warn you: Do not approach the other Sisters before you gain Sora Katra's trust.
Once you have gained your audience, ask the Oracle the path forward for our Mistress and her goals. In particular, ask what must be done to rebirth the Bloodline of her Mark. After this, send to me what you have learned. Immediately!
Your next assignment will be to find the Settlement of Lost, and to recruit three shapeshifters. Then return to me. We shall have an interesting meeting with our old friend in the Mournland.
--Staunch."
Second, the bits of prophecy that our arcane friends relayed to us that they had heard (we don't know whether this segment of the prophecy comes before or after the one we already know, and should ask House Sivis about this if we care, when we get back to Korransberg).
"Ancient symbols old as stone
Marks of magic, twelve ascendant
Four aberrant, shunned and alone
Houses rise! Their bloodlines decant
And from their ranks shall come the One"
Saturday, May 22, 2010
C+5561
Task "Find Valuables" (r14, T+781, 0.15 complete)
Status: OK
A person, recently unpetrified as a consequence of our ongoing task, has joined my traveling companions. He seems devious and untrustworthy. I will protect him regardless. I have acquired and assimilated a light. It makes me happy. I defended my companions overnight, no major injuries sustained. Minor progress made.
Status: OK
A person, recently unpetrified as a consequence of our ongoing task, has joined my traveling companions. He seems devious and untrustworthy. I will protect him regardless. I have acquired and assimilated a light. It makes me happy. I defended my companions overnight, no major injuries sustained. Minor progress made.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Medusa hunting for fun and profit?
At the Twilight Palace, I asked around and learned a little more about Brakenworth. While he didn't cross Xorchylic, he did cross Turakbar, who is one of Xorchylic's friends; therefore, Xorchylic used his connections with the medusae in town to get Brakenworth turned to stone. Among other things, Brakenworth stole the crown jewels of Carnath. We also learned that there are so many statues in that part of town, that it would be unlikely that one of them would be noticed should it mysteriously go... missing.
Bloodrush said he knew a shifter who might be able to help us, and led us to a shop. The shifter was called Worms, and while his shop smelled somewhat rank, I was a little surprised to see bloodworms writhing in the wound of his patient, an ogre with a deep gash. I hadn't seen that kind of healing done in cities before. Anyway, he told Bloodrush that he might be able to help him out, but that we would need to bring some medusa blood (from either a male or a female) for the ritual. Some of the others discussed where to find a medusa, preferably alone, before we left Worms' place. The smell was unpleasant there, and the worms were not a pretty sight; but the worst part of our visit there was when the ogre grabbed my thigh. Ugh.
Once we were out, I expressed to the rest of the group my discomfort with the idea of medusa hunting. To my surprise, I was the only one who wasn't ready to clobber the next medusa we managed to catch alone and unawares. Bloodrush, I could understand. He made some argument about how they are all authority figures in this town and how he has never met a medusa who was good. And Clangor, I don't know that well. But I was a little surprised that Elaira was in favor. I admit that I told the others that I feared I might have to protect the medusa from them. But Bloodrush came up with a plan to investigate around town and see if any medusae were posing a threat to the populace, and I agreed that we could inquire into this area.
We learned about a kobold named Karol who was apparently turned to stone for no reason. We went to Little Graywall, a section of the town where most everything was very small, to find his family. Elaira talked his wife into letting us in, and I crouched down in their house as I heard her tell about her brother, Shamash (most decidedly the one we had been travelling with until just recently) the adventurer, in whose footsteps Karol had decided to follow. She told us that a male and a female medusa had turned Karol into stone while he was drinking in a tavern. She told us their names, and begged us to bring him back from stone. Her pleas really pulled at the heart, and while we did not know whether we would ultimately be successful in reversing his petrification, I vowed at least to return his statue to her and place it in a more dignified spot than the refuse pile.
We tracked the story to the tavern in which it occurred, Black Bahiri's, a tavern run by goblins. Bloodrush muttered something when we entered about how the food smelled especially good and that it must've come from the Skin Factory, a place at which I'm not sure I'd eat. The expensive lodgings at Twilight Palace are all of a sudden seeming more worthwhile. Bloodrush ordered a drink, and while he drank he chatted with the bartender. Bahiri told Bloodrush that Karol came in, and sat alone, and two medusae came in off of the street and took an interest in him; and that the lady turned him to stone after the man roughed him up. He described the medusae to us as well, with the man being bald with tattoos, and the lady was missing a head of one of the snakes in her hair. When we left the place, Bloodrush seemed a little happier than normal... it must have been the drink. He must've liked it, too, because he bought a bunch more when Bloodrush offered up a stash of substances that he kept behind the bar for sale.
Elaira asked around, and found that the medusae we were searching for would be living in the hydrahalls, next door to each other. We stood around watching the place for a few days... we got noticed but then again we weren't making a very good effort to be inconspicuous. We ended up talking to their neighbor, a Githzerai by the name of Greth. He said he'd gotten his house from one of the medusae who had turned the previous tenant to stone... he didn't say much but I guess I got the impression that he tries to lay low so that nothing happens to him, either. We watched another day or so, waiting until we would be able to get one of the medusae alone to talk to them, and I was still opposed to the idea of ambushing anyone without getting the whole story. So one day the woman left in the morning, and as the man left his house, Bloodrush approached him and asked if he knew Karol. Immediately Makarn attacked us all, which made our course of action very clear.
It was a messy battle. Makarn was hard to hit, and somehow was very easily able to overcome our defenses. Furthermore, with almost every opportunity he had, he would glare at us with his venomous gaze, causing us to become disoriented and weakened... so that even if we did manage to hit, our blows were not very strong. It was only through sheer numbers and perseverance that we managed to prevail. We didn't really walk away feeling like victors, but we were thankful for our survival.
We entered Makarn's residence and found a lockbox containing 20 platinum and 3400 gold pieces. It was only once the battle died down that I noticed my armor seemed a little more supple. Bloodrush wrapped the body in a carpet and carried it back to Worms' place. Worms did some quick calculations and said he would have more than enough for the potions for us, of which we purchased 5 (one for Karol, one for Brakenworth, and the other three for safekeeping). Even above that, though, he paid us 7000 gold.
We took Karol's family to the refuge heap to find out if Worms' potion would work, and it did. His family was most grateful, even if Karol himself was a little disoriented, expecting his wife to be some 20 or 30 pounds lighter. We advised them not to advertise the miracle that had just happened to their family; rather, to find Shamash and leave the area. Once we got Karol alone, Bloodrush asked him what really happened; he said that he was doing work on the side for Kethelrax the Cunning, a kobold warlock to the south in Sharack Cole. He said he learned a rumor about some medusae making an allegiance with a warlord, but didn't know any more than that. However, the medusae found out about it and turned him to stone.
After resting, we bought a cart and took the statue away from midtown where we turned Brakenworth back to his human form. He had an unfamiliar accent and gave us lots of useful information about infiltrating Turakbar's Fist. He said that Nym had a permanent room there on the fourth floor, and pointed out lots of areas on a map he drew. He did however, deny stealing the Chalice of Breland. It looks like it's time to sit down and figure out tactics so we can catch Nym while the trail is hot.
Bloodrush said he knew a shifter who might be able to help us, and led us to a shop. The shifter was called Worms, and while his shop smelled somewhat rank, I was a little surprised to see bloodworms writhing in the wound of his patient, an ogre with a deep gash. I hadn't seen that kind of healing done in cities before. Anyway, he told Bloodrush that he might be able to help him out, but that we would need to bring some medusa blood (from either a male or a female) for the ritual. Some of the others discussed where to find a medusa, preferably alone, before we left Worms' place. The smell was unpleasant there, and the worms were not a pretty sight; but the worst part of our visit there was when the ogre grabbed my thigh. Ugh.
Once we were out, I expressed to the rest of the group my discomfort with the idea of medusa hunting. To my surprise, I was the only one who wasn't ready to clobber the next medusa we managed to catch alone and unawares. Bloodrush, I could understand. He made some argument about how they are all authority figures in this town and how he has never met a medusa who was good. And Clangor, I don't know that well. But I was a little surprised that Elaira was in favor. I admit that I told the others that I feared I might have to protect the medusa from them. But Bloodrush came up with a plan to investigate around town and see if any medusae were posing a threat to the populace, and I agreed that we could inquire into this area.
We learned about a kobold named Karol who was apparently turned to stone for no reason. We went to Little Graywall, a section of the town where most everything was very small, to find his family. Elaira talked his wife into letting us in, and I crouched down in their house as I heard her tell about her brother, Shamash (most decidedly the one we had been travelling with until just recently) the adventurer, in whose footsteps Karol had decided to follow. She told us that a male and a female medusa had turned Karol into stone while he was drinking in a tavern. She told us their names, and begged us to bring him back from stone. Her pleas really pulled at the heart, and while we did not know whether we would ultimately be successful in reversing his petrification, I vowed at least to return his statue to her and place it in a more dignified spot than the refuse pile.
We tracked the story to the tavern in which it occurred, Black Bahiri's, a tavern run by goblins. Bloodrush muttered something when we entered about how the food smelled especially good and that it must've come from the Skin Factory, a place at which I'm not sure I'd eat. The expensive lodgings at Twilight Palace are all of a sudden seeming more worthwhile. Bloodrush ordered a drink, and while he drank he chatted with the bartender. Bahiri told Bloodrush that Karol came in, and sat alone, and two medusae came in off of the street and took an interest in him; and that the lady turned him to stone after the man roughed him up. He described the medusae to us as well, with the man being bald with tattoos, and the lady was missing a head of one of the snakes in her hair. When we left the place, Bloodrush seemed a little happier than normal... it must have been the drink. He must've liked it, too, because he bought a bunch more when Bloodrush offered up a stash of substances that he kept behind the bar for sale.
Elaira asked around, and found that the medusae we were searching for would be living in the hydrahalls, next door to each other. We stood around watching the place for a few days... we got noticed but then again we weren't making a very good effort to be inconspicuous. We ended up talking to their neighbor, a Githzerai by the name of Greth. He said he'd gotten his house from one of the medusae who had turned the previous tenant to stone... he didn't say much but I guess I got the impression that he tries to lay low so that nothing happens to him, either. We watched another day or so, waiting until we would be able to get one of the medusae alone to talk to them, and I was still opposed to the idea of ambushing anyone without getting the whole story. So one day the woman left in the morning, and as the man left his house, Bloodrush approached him and asked if he knew Karol. Immediately Makarn attacked us all, which made our course of action very clear.
It was a messy battle. Makarn was hard to hit, and somehow was very easily able to overcome our defenses. Furthermore, with almost every opportunity he had, he would glare at us with his venomous gaze, causing us to become disoriented and weakened... so that even if we did manage to hit, our blows were not very strong. It was only through sheer numbers and perseverance that we managed to prevail. We didn't really walk away feeling like victors, but we were thankful for our survival.
We entered Makarn's residence and found a lockbox containing 20 platinum and 3400 gold pieces. It was only once the battle died down that I noticed my armor seemed a little more supple. Bloodrush wrapped the body in a carpet and carried it back to Worms' place. Worms did some quick calculations and said he would have more than enough for the potions for us, of which we purchased 5 (one for Karol, one for Brakenworth, and the other three for safekeeping). Even above that, though, he paid us 7000 gold.
We took Karol's family to the refuge heap to find out if Worms' potion would work, and it did. His family was most grateful, even if Karol himself was a little disoriented, expecting his wife to be some 20 or 30 pounds lighter. We advised them not to advertise the miracle that had just happened to their family; rather, to find Shamash and leave the area. Once we got Karol alone, Bloodrush asked him what really happened; he said that he was doing work on the side for Kethelrax the Cunning, a kobold warlock to the south in Sharack Cole. He said he learned a rumor about some medusae making an allegiance with a warlord, but didn't know any more than that. However, the medusae found out about it and turned him to stone.
After resting, we bought a cart and took the statue away from midtown where we turned Brakenworth back to his human form. He had an unfamiliar accent and gave us lots of useful information about infiltrating Turakbar's Fist. He said that Nym had a permanent room there on the fourth floor, and pointed out lots of areas on a map he drew. He did however, deny stealing the Chalice of Breland. It looks like it's time to sit down and figure out tactics so we can catch Nym while the trail is hot.
Unraveling the Prophecy: A Glossary
Here is a listing to aid us in keeping straight all the information we've learned about Unraveling the Prophecy.
Aelwyn: The addressee of the letter that Valyn carried.
Alvian: A gnome of House Sivis. An intellectual type, who spoke in depth with Keh'r about "Tasker's Dream."
Barth: Bloodrush's contact at the Bloody Tooth. He provides information in exchange for gold.
Black Bahiri's: A tavern in Little Graywall where Karol was turned to stone.
bloodgin: A powerful ale sold at Black Bahiri's.
Bjornhelm: a dwarf cleric working in House Sivis.
Blood of Vol: The Emerald Claw people belonged to the Blood of Vol, an unaligned religious organization.
Bloody Tooth: A tavern in Graywall whose customers are primarily monstrous humanoids, but where the rest of us are unlikely to be harmed. Bloodrush has some contacts here for getting information.
Brakenworth: A human thief who was turned to stone by the guard for stealing the Chalice of Breland from Turakbar. We turned him back into flesh to get intelligence on how to infiltrate Castle Turakbar.
Broken Sword: A tavern in Graywall whose customers are primarily mercenaries.
Caradhas: A legendary Orc warden, also known as the Lady in Green.
Varagga Chala: The name of the Oni that was Brakenworth's associate.
Chalice of Breland: The artifact that got Brakenworth in so much trouble. It's nonmagical as far as we know. Brakenworth claims he didn't take it.
The Great Crag: one of the minotaurs we defeated in the Labyrinth had instructions to go to the Crag to find Sora Teraza to ask about the prophecy relating to the Deep Door; also Nash's note instructed him to seek out the Hags in the Great Crag.
Cyrus: a skinny, old goblin who used primal magic to try to recover Horadric's memory. He was turned into a dog and travels with us.
Deep Door: A minotaur was carrying instructions to go to the Crag to ask Sora Teraza about the prophecy relating to the Deep Door.
Dor'alla: This is the name in the note in the changeling assassin's pocket from the scuffle on the lightning rail. The note said to "convince Dor'alla."
Droam: the country we are currently in. Sora Katra is said to be the voice of Droam.
Elwood: The sender of the letter that Valyn carried, containing an interpreted piece of the prophecy.
Emerald Claw: The sect of people we defeated along our journey to Turakbar's Fist. Horadric said they were an extremist sect of the "Blood of Vol" and are led by a necromancer called the "Queen of Death."
Ephraim: This is the name of the changeling assassin who committed suicide after the scuffle on the lightning rail. He had murdered a high-ranking elder of House Sivis, according to Reader.
Fangrin: The gnoll mage that Bloodrush fought in the challenge circle.
Graywall: A city to the west of Korranberg. We tracked Nym here and also trying to uncover the meaning of the section of the prophecy that relates to this city ("wall of red stone").
The Hags: Sora Katra, Sora Teraza, and Sora Maenya, daughters of Sora Kel.
Karol: A kobold; Shamash's brother-in-law; we turned him from stone to flesh and reunited him with his family before suggesting that they find Shamash in town and flee. Karol had learned a rumor about the medusae making an allegiance with a warlord.
Karrnath: Brakenworth stole the crown jewels of Karrnath. Also, the Emerald Claw sect were from Karrnath.
Kethelrax the Cunning: A kobold warlord who lives to the south in Sharack Cole; he has lots of kobolds in his employ.
Khadrous: The owner of the Labyrinth.
Korranberg: the location of House Sivis. There is a lightning rail station here.
The Labyrinth: an underground hotel run by minotaurs that specializes in harboring fugitives. We followed Nym's trail here, but were led to Turakbar instead.
Makarn: The male medusa who attacked us and we subsequently killed (and sold his blood to Worms, in exchange for some stone-to-flesh potions).
Mordac: This is also a name mentioned in the note in the assassin's pocket from the scuffle on the lightning rail. The note said to talk to some folks including Mordac.
Mror Holds: The current lands comprising Clangor's former home.
Mournland: Nash and Staunch were to meet their old friend in the Mournland after Nash's instructions were completed. Reader Thrane has also gone to the Mournland.
Narath: Clangor's former home.
Nash: The warforged who was a member of the Emerald Claw; we defeated him and found on his body a note carrying instructions.
Nym: A gnome, betrayer of House Sivis. We tracked him to Turakbar's Castle in our successful attempt to recover Reader's memory unit. We returned him to House Sivis.
Oni: We heard tell of an oni who was a possible enemy of Xorchylic, named Varagga Chala. Can probably be found at the Venomous Voice.
Orcus: "Prince of Undeath," a demon, an anomaly in the Pantheon.
Prize of Caradhas: Caradhas' legendary weapon.
Prophecy: See below for the portion of the prophecy that we already have learned. We also know there is a prophecy relating to the Deep Door.
Queen of Death: The leader of the Order of the Emerald Claw and a powerful necromancer. The note that Nash was carrying instructed him to ask the Oracle what must be done to rebirth the Bloodline of her Mark.
Rattigan: A gnome with glasses, who is convinced that all of the people who have experienced memory loss are part of a prophecy.
Reader Thrane: A warforged we found in Rivenroar, who had his memory unit stolen by Nym. He has reportedly left for the Mournland.
Rivenroar: A dragonmark appeared here also.
Settlement of Lost: Nash was to find the Settlement of Lost and recruit three shapeshifters.
Sharack Cole: a place to the south where Kethelrax the Cunning holds his operations.
Sora Katra: one of the hags, known as the voice of Droam (the country). Nash's note warns to gain her favor first by offering her a gift (in this case, a warhorse artifact).
Sora Kel: The mother of the hags, apparently.
Sora Maenya: one of the hags, known as the iron fist.
Sora Teraza: one of the hags, known as a powerful oracle. Our leads indicate that she would be found at "The Crag."
Staunch: The author of the letter to Nash; seemingly the planner behind Nash's actions.
Street of Shadows: The street harboring the church of gnoll mercenaries is located here. This is where our information on Fangrin leads.
Swine King: Nash had apparently committed some "valorous deeds" against the Swine King's people.
"Tasker's Dream": This involved compression rates to send data quickly through the speaking stones.
Talia: a kind apprentice gnome who helped take care of Reader in Korranberg. Nym said he had given her the information from the memory card. She has disappeared.
Rhesh Turakbar: A minotaur warlord who works for the daughters of Sora Kel. His castle is called Turakbar's Fist. We have followed Nym's trail to his castle.
Twilight Palace: The expensive hotel we stayed at in Graywall.
Venomous Voice: a tavern in Graywall featuring harpy singers; Varagga Chala has a stake in the establishment.
Warden Keep: Valyn has delivered a letter there. The first dragonmark appeared here.
Worms: A shifter running a healing shop in Graywall. He pays handsomely for medusa blood.
Xorchylic: The Illithid (mind-flayer) who runs Graywall.
Memory Card: Here are the images that Rattigan retrieved from the memory unit; Nym said they were pieces of prophecy:
- A swirling sea of golden dust floats in the dark room in the depths below Rivenroar castle. It forms into an image of an airship, flying over jungle. There are large warforged with heavy armor on the ship. (He thinks the jungle is Xen'Drik)
- Next image: A picture of a half-elven woman holding a map in her hand. Other men and women wearing the green armor of the Lyrander house stand behind her.
- Next image: A woman with elven features and a pale complexion except for the golden scales on her neck and the backs of her hands. She seems to be beckoning to a black portal ringed with silver, and a skeletal hand reaches through.
- Next image: What appears to be Ke'hr blazing with electricity. The marks on his face are similar, but also slightly augmented with other, subtler lines. He looks older. He stands before a door that snakes forth tendrils of glittery darkness.
- Next image: A party of warforged wandering through the Mournland. Reader Thrane is holding onto another, larger warforged, shaking him and appearing to shout. [Signs point to this image being of a time after the memory card was removed, as Reader looks damaged.]
Prophecy: Here is the prophecy we know so far:
"The fall of one nation,
Erased from the great between,
Shall herald an open door,
A break in the armor between,
A dragon and its dreams,
A wall of red stone,
A huffing bull provokes,
Let him charge against a crimson brother,
Let him break against a charging oak
And give his wisdom to another."
We learned a new section of prophecy as we swam in the tunnels beneath Turakbar's Fist:
"Ancient symbols old as stone
Marks of magic, twelve ascendant
Four aberrant, shunned and alone
Houses rise! Their bloodlines decant
And from their ranks shall come the One"
The letter Valyn was carrying also held a piece of the Prophecy:
"Converging darknesses to heroes give rise,
When terror, madness, contagion,
and death fly upon these skies,
Look to your Lady, and to another,
Do not ye hesitate! Pass on the Prize!"
Aelwyn told of two stanzas of prophecy that appeared when the dragonmark first appeared at Warden Keep.
"The missing child, hiding in plain sight,
Can heal a kingdom or break a throne.
In the City of Knives, in absence while she doth sing,
Skirmishes spark, which rivals nurture to flame,
For if her death they invoke, then one shall rise to be King.
And as a King, what of his fellows?
When he arriveth, the flame's past spread afar
And wide, and with the ships of the half-bred,
and the self-forged, and storm-born,
Khorvaire shall be broken, its Treaty stained red."
Aelwyn: The addressee of the letter that Valyn carried.
Alvian: A gnome of House Sivis. An intellectual type, who spoke in depth with Keh'r about "Tasker's Dream."
Barth: Bloodrush's contact at the Bloody Tooth. He provides information in exchange for gold.
Black Bahiri's: A tavern in Little Graywall where Karol was turned to stone.
bloodgin: A powerful ale sold at Black Bahiri's.
Bjornhelm: a dwarf cleric working in House Sivis.
Blood of Vol: The Emerald Claw people belonged to the Blood of Vol, an unaligned religious organization.
Bloody Tooth: A tavern in Graywall whose customers are primarily monstrous humanoids, but where the rest of us are unlikely to be harmed. Bloodrush has some contacts here for getting information.
Brakenworth: A human thief who was turned to stone by the guard for stealing the Chalice of Breland from Turakbar. We turned him back into flesh to get intelligence on how to infiltrate Castle Turakbar.
Broken Sword: A tavern in Graywall whose customers are primarily mercenaries.
Caradhas: A legendary Orc warden, also known as the Lady in Green.
Varagga Chala: The name of the Oni that was Brakenworth's associate.
Chalice of Breland: The artifact that got Brakenworth in so much trouble. It's nonmagical as far as we know. Brakenworth claims he didn't take it.
The Great Crag: one of the minotaurs we defeated in the Labyrinth had instructions to go to the Crag to find Sora Teraza to ask about the prophecy relating to the Deep Door; also Nash's note instructed him to seek out the Hags in the Great Crag.
Cyrus: a skinny, old goblin who used primal magic to try to recover Horadric's memory. He was turned into a dog and travels with us.
Deep Door: A minotaur was carrying instructions to go to the Crag to ask Sora Teraza about the prophecy relating to the Deep Door.
Dor'alla: This is the name in the note in the changeling assassin's pocket from the scuffle on the lightning rail. The note said to "convince Dor'alla."
Droam: the country we are currently in. Sora Katra is said to be the voice of Droam.
Elwood: The sender of the letter that Valyn carried, containing an interpreted piece of the prophecy.
Emerald Claw: The sect of people we defeated along our journey to Turakbar's Fist. Horadric said they were an extremist sect of the "Blood of Vol" and are led by a necromancer called the "Queen of Death."
Ephraim: This is the name of the changeling assassin who committed suicide after the scuffle on the lightning rail. He had murdered a high-ranking elder of House Sivis, according to Reader.
Fangrin: The gnoll mage that Bloodrush fought in the challenge circle.
Graywall: A city to the west of Korranberg. We tracked Nym here and also trying to uncover the meaning of the section of the prophecy that relates to this city ("wall of red stone").
The Hags: Sora Katra, Sora Teraza, and Sora Maenya, daughters of Sora Kel.
Karol: A kobold; Shamash's brother-in-law; we turned him from stone to flesh and reunited him with his family before suggesting that they find Shamash in town and flee. Karol had learned a rumor about the medusae making an allegiance with a warlord.
Karrnath: Brakenworth stole the crown jewels of Karrnath. Also, the Emerald Claw sect were from Karrnath.
Kethelrax the Cunning: A kobold warlord who lives to the south in Sharack Cole; he has lots of kobolds in his employ.
Khadrous: The owner of the Labyrinth.
Korranberg: the location of House Sivis. There is a lightning rail station here.
The Labyrinth: an underground hotel run by minotaurs that specializes in harboring fugitives. We followed Nym's trail here, but were led to Turakbar instead.
Makarn: The male medusa who attacked us and we subsequently killed (and sold his blood to Worms, in exchange for some stone-to-flesh potions).
Mordac: This is also a name mentioned in the note in the assassin's pocket from the scuffle on the lightning rail. The note said to talk to some folks including Mordac.
Mror Holds: The current lands comprising Clangor's former home.
Mournland: Nash and Staunch were to meet their old friend in the Mournland after Nash's instructions were completed. Reader Thrane has also gone to the Mournland.
Narath: Clangor's former home.
Nash: The warforged who was a member of the Emerald Claw; we defeated him and found on his body a note carrying instructions.
Nym: A gnome, betrayer of House Sivis. We tracked him to Turakbar's Castle in our successful attempt to recover Reader's memory unit. We returned him to House Sivis.
Oni: We heard tell of an oni who was a possible enemy of Xorchylic, named Varagga Chala. Can probably be found at the Venomous Voice.
Orcus: "Prince of Undeath," a demon, an anomaly in the Pantheon.
Prize of Caradhas: Caradhas' legendary weapon.
Prophecy: See below for the portion of the prophecy that we already have learned. We also know there is a prophecy relating to the Deep Door.
Queen of Death: The leader of the Order of the Emerald Claw and a powerful necromancer. The note that Nash was carrying instructed him to ask the Oracle what must be done to rebirth the Bloodline of her Mark.
Rattigan: A gnome with glasses, who is convinced that all of the people who have experienced memory loss are part of a prophecy.
Reader Thrane: A warforged we found in Rivenroar, who had his memory unit stolen by Nym. He has reportedly left for the Mournland.
Rivenroar: A dragonmark appeared here also.
Settlement of Lost: Nash was to find the Settlement of Lost and recruit three shapeshifters.
Sharack Cole: a place to the south where Kethelrax the Cunning holds his operations.
Sora Katra: one of the hags, known as the voice of Droam (the country). Nash's note warns to gain her favor first by offering her a gift (in this case, a warhorse artifact).
Sora Kel: The mother of the hags, apparently.
Sora Maenya: one of the hags, known as the iron fist.
Sora Teraza: one of the hags, known as a powerful oracle. Our leads indicate that she would be found at "The Crag."
Staunch: The author of the letter to Nash; seemingly the planner behind Nash's actions.
Street of Shadows: The street harboring the church of gnoll mercenaries is located here. This is where our information on Fangrin leads.
Swine King: Nash had apparently committed some "valorous deeds" against the Swine King's people.
"Tasker's Dream": This involved compression rates to send data quickly through the speaking stones.
Talia: a kind apprentice gnome who helped take care of Reader in Korranberg. Nym said he had given her the information from the memory card. She has disappeared.
Rhesh Turakbar: A minotaur warlord who works for the daughters of Sora Kel. His castle is called Turakbar's Fist. We have followed Nym's trail to his castle.
Twilight Palace: The expensive hotel we stayed at in Graywall.
Venomous Voice: a tavern in Graywall featuring harpy singers; Varagga Chala has a stake in the establishment.
Warden Keep: Valyn has delivered a letter there. The first dragonmark appeared here.
Worms: A shifter running a healing shop in Graywall. He pays handsomely for medusa blood.
Xorchylic: The Illithid (mind-flayer) who runs Graywall.
Memory Card: Here are the images that Rattigan retrieved from the memory unit; Nym said they were pieces of prophecy:
- A swirling sea of golden dust floats in the dark room in the depths below Rivenroar castle. It forms into an image of an airship, flying over jungle. There are large warforged with heavy armor on the ship. (He thinks the jungle is Xen'Drik)
- Next image: A picture of a half-elven woman holding a map in her hand. Other men and women wearing the green armor of the Lyrander house stand behind her.
- Next image: A woman with elven features and a pale complexion except for the golden scales on her neck and the backs of her hands. She seems to be beckoning to a black portal ringed with silver, and a skeletal hand reaches through.
- Next image: What appears to be Ke'hr blazing with electricity. The marks on his face are similar, but also slightly augmented with other, subtler lines. He looks older. He stands before a door that snakes forth tendrils of glittery darkness.
- Next image: A party of warforged wandering through the Mournland. Reader Thrane is holding onto another, larger warforged, shaking him and appearing to shout. [Signs point to this image being of a time after the memory card was removed, as Reader looks damaged.]
Prophecy: Here is the prophecy we know so far:
"The fall of one nation,
Erased from the great between,
Shall herald an open door,
A break in the armor between,
A dragon and its dreams,
A wall of red stone,
A huffing bull provokes,
Let him charge against a crimson brother,
Let him break against a charging oak
And give his wisdom to another."
We learned a new section of prophecy as we swam in the tunnels beneath Turakbar's Fist:
"Ancient symbols old as stone
Marks of magic, twelve ascendant
Four aberrant, shunned and alone
Houses rise! Their bloodlines decant
And from their ranks shall come the One"
The letter Valyn was carrying also held a piece of the Prophecy:
"Converging darknesses to heroes give rise,
When terror, madness, contagion,
and death fly upon these skies,
Look to your Lady, and to another,
Do not ye hesitate! Pass on the Prize!"
Aelwyn told of two stanzas of prophecy that appeared when the dragonmark first appeared at Warden Keep.
"The missing child, hiding in plain sight,
Can heal a kingdom or break a throne.
In the City of Knives, in absence while she doth sing,
Skirmishes spark, which rivals nurture to flame,
For if her death they invoke, then one shall rise to be King.
And as a King, what of his fellows?
When he arriveth, the flame's past spread afar
And wide, and with the ships of the half-bred,
and the self-forged, and storm-born,
Khorvaire shall be broken, its Treaty stained red."
In the Labyrinth
We went shopping and met for dinner in front of the Twilight Palace, where Elaira performed. When we met, I was a little surprised to see that in such a short time, Bloodrush had managed to acquire a tattoo. It's on his face, right on his cheek. I can't really make out what the symbol is. I think if I ever get a tattoo, I will probably ask around so I can get it done by someone different. The next morning, we went to the Labyrinth, located in the quarry in the caves. We found a barred hole; an entrance to the caverns. Though no one approached when we entered, I could see a minotaur guard within, and Elaira and Horadric talked to him and convinced him to give us rooms at 3 gold a night. Expensive by most metrics, but a bargain for us given what we've been paying at Twilight Palace! Bloodrush paid for the rooms and the guard showed us the dining hall and our rooms. What I liked best about this place was how vast the hallways and rooms were. Easily large enough for me to stretch out, unlike the close quarters on the lightning rail and at House Sivis.
After checking out our rooms, we decided to go to the dining hall and try to gather information about Nym. What we learned is that we are apparently horrible at this. The only highlights were that Bloodrush intimidated an orc into mumbling something about a gnome who wasn't a gnome (I can't put together what's going on here, but it seems like it might be related to a changeling like the one we saw on the lightning rail); and Elaira overheard someone talking about the daughters of Sora Kel: Sora Katya, Sora Teraza, and Sora Maenya. Before we knew it, a fight broke out. I think Horadric started it, but I can't be sure because our efforts were poor all around and there were people getting angry with us all over the place. In the end the ones who actually resorted to violence were six minotaurs and two rogues. At first, this battle was somewhat frustrating for me: I positioned myself near the front lines only to find myself slid across the entire room and almost bull-rushed twenty feet straight down. However, I was able to open a breach in the earth and the resulting vent of chaos let me get back into the fray. At some point their mage activated some kind of gloves that caused a great hedge to sprout forth, and it looked like this was going to be a significant impediment to us; however, the fellow didn't last long and when he perished, the wall disappeared. After all of our foes had been defeated, we found some thieves' tools, 1300 gold, and the Green Thumbs gloves. We also had ourselves a couple of prisoners to interrogate. Horadric said he thought he could figure out how to work the gloves, so we let him have them.
We learned that these fellows worked for a minotaur warlord named Rhesh Turakbar, who worked for the daughters of Sora Kel. One of them knew a gnome who worked for Turakbar also, who had a dragonmark. We suspect this was Nym. He said he'd last seen Nym at Turakbar's castle, and he vaguely gestured in the direction we would find it. They said their job was to collect pay from Khadrous, the owner of the Labyrinth, for their "protection." We also learned that there was a guy named Brakenworth who was captured by the guard in Graywall, who knew a secret way into the castle. However, he was turned to stone outside the last tower in the city, so getting the information from him would prove to be difficult. As we continued our interrogation, the minotaurs claimed that the castle had a sizable fighting force with archers and over 500 fighting men, with traps everywhere. I suspect that they were exaggerating, or perhaps I should say I hope so at least.
The rogue we had captured was a mercenary. He said he knew about an associate of Brakenworth's that was an Oni; that the Oni might be a possible enemy of Turakbar. He did tell us that Brakenworth had crossed the law and possibly had crossed Xorchylic, the Illithid who runs Graywall. He said that Brakenworth had stolen something of great value from Turakbar which was never recovered. We learned that Turakbar rarely leaves his castle, excepting the occasional hunting party; and we learned a little more about the three hags: Sora Katra, the voice of Droam; Sora Maenya, the iron fist; and Sora Teraza, the powerful oracle.
Upon a search of the rooms of the foes we had defeated, we found a paper instructing the group to go to The Crag to ask Sora Teraza about the prophecy relating to the Deep Door. We suspect that the Deep Door is underneath Graywall, but don't know much else about it.
When we finished with our business and went back into the public areas to try to gather information, we found the minotaur guard rather strongly encouraging us to leave due to the trouble that had ensued so soon after our arrival. On our way out, Bloodrush started blabbing loudly about how the owner of the labyrinth didn't pay the protection fees. Judging by the shocked reactions he got, if his rumor spreads, I don't think that Khadrous will have a good time of it.
Our plans are to head back to Twilight Palace and regroup, but I think overall there is interest in finding out more about Brakenworth and whether we can acquire any useful information from him before heading after Turakbar's Castle to try to nab Nym.
After checking out our rooms, we decided to go to the dining hall and try to gather information about Nym. What we learned is that we are apparently horrible at this. The only highlights were that Bloodrush intimidated an orc into mumbling something about a gnome who wasn't a gnome (I can't put together what's going on here, but it seems like it might be related to a changeling like the one we saw on the lightning rail); and Elaira overheard someone talking about the daughters of Sora Kel: Sora Katya, Sora Teraza, and Sora Maenya. Before we knew it, a fight broke out. I think Horadric started it, but I can't be sure because our efforts were poor all around and there were people getting angry with us all over the place. In the end the ones who actually resorted to violence were six minotaurs and two rogues. At first, this battle was somewhat frustrating for me: I positioned myself near the front lines only to find myself slid across the entire room and almost bull-rushed twenty feet straight down. However, I was able to open a breach in the earth and the resulting vent of chaos let me get back into the fray. At some point their mage activated some kind of gloves that caused a great hedge to sprout forth, and it looked like this was going to be a significant impediment to us; however, the fellow didn't last long and when he perished, the wall disappeared. After all of our foes had been defeated, we found some thieves' tools, 1300 gold, and the Green Thumbs gloves. We also had ourselves a couple of prisoners to interrogate. Horadric said he thought he could figure out how to work the gloves, so we let him have them.
We learned that these fellows worked for a minotaur warlord named Rhesh Turakbar, who worked for the daughters of Sora Kel. One of them knew a gnome who worked for Turakbar also, who had a dragonmark. We suspect this was Nym. He said he'd last seen Nym at Turakbar's castle, and he vaguely gestured in the direction we would find it. They said their job was to collect pay from Khadrous, the owner of the Labyrinth, for their "protection." We also learned that there was a guy named Brakenworth who was captured by the guard in Graywall, who knew a secret way into the castle. However, he was turned to stone outside the last tower in the city, so getting the information from him would prove to be difficult. As we continued our interrogation, the minotaurs claimed that the castle had a sizable fighting force with archers and over 500 fighting men, with traps everywhere. I suspect that they were exaggerating, or perhaps I should say I hope so at least.
The rogue we had captured was a mercenary. He said he knew about an associate of Brakenworth's that was an Oni; that the Oni might be a possible enemy of Turakbar. He did tell us that Brakenworth had crossed the law and possibly had crossed Xorchylic, the Illithid who runs Graywall. He said that Brakenworth had stolen something of great value from Turakbar which was never recovered. We learned that Turakbar rarely leaves his castle, excepting the occasional hunting party; and we learned a little more about the three hags: Sora Katra, the voice of Droam; Sora Maenya, the iron fist; and Sora Teraza, the powerful oracle.
Upon a search of the rooms of the foes we had defeated, we found a paper instructing the group to go to The Crag to ask Sora Teraza about the prophecy relating to the Deep Door. We suspect that the Deep Door is underneath Graywall, but don't know much else about it.
When we finished with our business and went back into the public areas to try to gather information, we found the minotaur guard rather strongly encouraging us to leave due to the trouble that had ensued so soon after our arrival. On our way out, Bloodrush started blabbing loudly about how the owner of the labyrinth didn't pay the protection fees. Judging by the shocked reactions he got, if his rumor spreads, I don't think that Khadrous will have a good time of it.
Our plans are to head back to Twilight Palace and regroup, but I think overall there is interest in finding out more about Brakenworth and whether we can acquire any useful information from him before heading after Turakbar's Castle to try to nab Nym.
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