10th Darkmoon
We did some rumor searching, starting in Gladenstone, where we linked up with Soren again. We pooled some money and went hiring some henchmen, I took on a gnome man-at-arms/scoundrel, and Soren took on a gnome summoner and gnome illusionist/fighter; didn’t catch their names. Provisioned additionally a tent and stove, for warmth. Can’t rely on the grace of others forever.
We heard tales of some Crystal Vale, the last stand of many. Sounded like it had a great deal of treasure, if we could find it. A sage brought us information on how to find it, and after checking our horses and gear, we depart in the direction of the Shining Keep.
13th Darkmoon
Past the last of the gnomish villagers we encountered a number of pilgrims headed to Gladdenstone. They had little to tell us, and we carried on. The weather has gotten colder. At a brisk walk the cold is comfortable.
14th Darkmoon
We saw many lights above the fairy lights and below the moons. One looked like a ship aflame, going north.
We took the ferry across the Iron River. 1cp per person, 1sp per animal and cart. The caravans who were going north said the roads south were clear, and rumors of war in the briars.
15th Darkmoon
Big Tom on 2nd watch saw a man flying through the sky. Described as wearing all white, having long white eyebrows and beard, standing on a little cloud, heading to timberlake. We will be breaking camp shortly.
Evening now. Midday, a panther with tentacles and an image that flickers surprised me, jumping over my horse and landing several hits. I remained in the saddle though and retreated while the fighters tried to land hits. We did not kill it, but drove it into a careful retreat. Hopefully that doesn’t return for us.
We found a little depression to make camp. We think we’re getting close.
16th Darkmoon
The day breaks warmer. A spelljammer was spotted during morning tea, out of the western sky, heading east.
//a day and a half ago we crossed the road between Wyvern Keep and Timberlake. No travelers encountered.
At end of day some of us caught sight of a rainbow running along the ground. Come morning, we hope to find the vale.
17th Darkmoon
Evening after all things. Dismas is in rough shape, I’ve made sure I can find this place again and we’re pulling out.
I found the Vale in the morning, in a small valley that was like a rip in the ground 40 ft at it’s deepest, covered by illusory terrain. A cloud of steam rose up out of a vent, and at the far end there was forest, so high in fact it reached up above the illusion itself, while still being completely invisible to those who don’t know of the trick. And there were a great many bones scattered about, of men, horses, humanoids. A third of which fell running away from the forest. A few wagons too. Anything of value had been stripped away it seemed, with care taken to extract everything. A ton of fighting indeed has taken place here.
We moved the horses to the box of wagons, and discussed what we would do. The summoner’s familiar grabbed a clairvoyance spell for Dismas, and he went off looking into the cave venting steam. He described as he went.
He saw a pinecone thing on a vine in the trees, bobbing; into the cave a distance, a pool of water--a hot springs by later description--piles of treasure, and a beautiful, shapely woman whose back was turned away from his sight, and hair was wrapped in a towel. The woman noticed his observation, and called out, but Dismas had spooked already, turning back toward the entrance. He described a large cabbage, and thought he was going to die… and then dropped with a sigh. Dead. Horror etched his face, as his hands fell away.
His henchmen had to be convinced to not run off immediately by Bill. A line of six steam mephits came screaming out of the cavern alongside the sounds of two women singing, and we elected to move the horses up and out, after it became clear they weren’t going to attack us. We moved five hours away before stopping to rest the horses, and waited while the summoner reached for Raise Dead for Dismas. He succeeded! He lives. But he’s in rough shape. He needs a week of solid rest, which we can’t give him out here. It’s four days to the Shining Keep.
He described the thing that killed him as some sort of combination of moose, warthog, and pickle. The ugliest thing he ever saw. Bill recognized it immediately, calling it a cat-o-blep-as.
Catoblepas.
We speculated the woman could have been a medusa. An awful thought. But something we could prepare contingencies for. Bill’s shield will come in handy.
19th Darkmoon
We encountered a man in all white on a white horse w/ black mane and tail, with lance and pennant: white horse and white sword on its cloth. Even his sword at his side was white. His shield held the symbols of the Knights of the Starry Banner, so we were at ease… but the man was a giant! More than a foot taller than me!
He stopped to ask news of the road, and we told him of the things we encountered. He expressed some surprise, and then cantered over to Dismas, and asked if he could aid him. After he laid a hand on Dismas, a bit of color I hadn’t noticed missing returned to him. He explained it was his duty.
The knight then called out to Bill and said his time comes. He wheeled away, and then just… disappeared. There one step, and then gone another. Bill signed himself immediately. As one we all looked around and between ourselves.
21st Darkmoon
We made it to the Bright Keep, who would allow us to stay for 3 days without pay. Dismas was taken to the hospital, while the rest of us went to talk to a captain Sylvester of the Order about the things we saw in the Vale. We also learned the knight we met was the famed Sir Lyon, the Plainswalker. A FOUNDER of the Order.
[3rd day into our stay]
Ran across Bill slipping a gold to the castellan. I suspect he’ll be doing that every day we’re here. Fine by me.
[6th day]
We learned of a secret to kill the catoblepas without having to cut it down. We’re putting the pressure on Bill and his magic shield, with the assistance of a gaze reflection. We think this will work. Probably. I think I still best visit brother Cuy in case this doesn’t work.
[last full day at the keep]
I purchased a set of whistling arrows. Worthless to fight with, but might get some attention. I’ll command our archers from up on the rim, and hopefully we can attrite it from above if we can draw it out into the open, if all else fails.
[Day 8 at the keep]
We leave this morning. There’s an excitement and nervousness, but everyone woke at the appointed time, and the horses were saddled and ready.
4th Newsun
Our plan to kill the cat’ went off without a hitch. Bill survived, and we rappelled down the cliff. The monster was chained down, somehow, but that was no issue ultimately. The trophies were claimed while we joined them.
We lined up to storm the cavern with the two women. Bill unfurled and read the scroll of Protection from Elemental, which saved us as a line of lightning mephits met us which broke around us without issue, with Bill leading.
The haunting sound of singing came to us as we entered, and charged upon the first. It was a hag, awful and ugly, turning to look at us immediately. Molly and Gnelvin fell dead behind me, as I loosed arrows. Dismas fell mid step on his way to the pool, his men rushing forward. Half of Soren and Bill’s men fell as well. The strikes of the fighters combined with my arrows and it’s head was sundered.
Then the second woman’s voice called out from deeper in the cavern, claiming to be a hostage. I set for ambush while one of the dwarf cleric cast detect evil. He shook his head, and when I nodded then another called the creature out. Out of the corner of my eye, I loosed several arrows, and the medusa fell, dead in seconds. Bill leapt over and sliced the head off the monster, turning it away.
Everyone slumped. The tension fell from all of us. Bill remained the only one standing, alert for that moment, and feeling the pool, grabbed Dismas and pressed his body into the pool. Immediately, he came up gasping for air, and at my feet Molly and Gnelvin stirred and pushed themselves up, disoriented, but alive. Miraculously, wondrously. Hugs and cheers went around, all of us glad to be alive.
Once we had checked the cave was secure, we each bathed in the pool, and felt the energies of magic envigor us. I don’t know by what mechanism, but I knew I possessed a Wish. And then we checked the loot pile. There was so much. So much. We divided up the loot, and then loaded it all into the Jan wagon, after hitching it to some of the horses, and hauled it out.
8th Newsun
We’ve returned. We’re getting the items identified, and our henchmen broke for the nearest tavern once they gave them leave.
23rd of Newsun, King’s 16
Once we took care of our remaining business, trained to confidence and linked back up, we saw to the forging of the manacles to Bill’s wrists… Bill, Soren, Dismas, and I bought drinks in a private room and just… sat there for a number of minutes, before anyone spoke. I don’t recall who spoke. Maybe it was me… but we just asked “how did we survive all that?”
================
Time breakdown:
Day 0 Prep = 11th Darkmoon
Day 1 Depart and begin travelling to CV = 12th Darkmoon
Day 6 Arrive at CV, Dismas dies/rises retreat to SK = 17th Darkmoon
Day 10, Arrive at SK, resting for a week, research = 21st Darkmoon
Day 17 Depart SK started back to the CV = 28th Darkmoon
Day 21 Arrive at Vale, WIN, begin return = 4th Newsun
Day 25 Arrive at SK = 8th Newsun
Day 39 Two weeks to level up = 22nd Newsun
Day 40, Stiff drink, caught up in timeline with the rest of the setting = 23rd of Newsun, King’s 16
Rewards
85,000gp total liquid value
Apparatus of Kwalish (Bill)
Portable Hole with a wizard’s laboratory <missing books> (Dismas)
Halberd +5 of dancing (Bill)
Halberd +5 of sharpness (Bill)
x2 Dagger of Assassination (Dismas x1, Soren x1)
Horse collar of platemail barding +2 (Dismas)
Horseshoe of the zephyr (Soren)
Mantle of the Celestine (Soren)
Helm of Underwater Action (Merrin)
Ring of Swimming (Merrin)
Seven Leagues Boots, can travel 21 miles in a step (Merrin)
Manacles of the Oppressed, AC 4 18/00, can’t wear armor or shirts, but can use bracers or rings of protection, and always feels like they’re wearing a woolen cloak (Bill)
Note: you must understand: that the very last three items on this list selected were the Seven League Boots, Apparatus of Kwalish, and the +5 Halberd of dancing. This was a crazy haul for us all.
Wishes
Soren used his wish to remove the scholar level limits on Soren/Dismas, and enabling them to reach level 8 for both of them.
Bill used his wish to change his longsword expert to halberd expert.
Merrin would later use his wish to locate a Ring of Three Wishes (this was a suggestion of Sam, and it has… consequences)
Finally:
The monsters killed are a loot haul all their own, and now that we have a medusa’s head, we can do yet more things….
We also have a rainbow lantern, we hang on the Jan wagon.
/End
[14780 per PC, 7390 per hench]
[5000gp per PC, 2500 per hench]
Other XP rewards:
[100xp per PC, half for hench, for banter]
[100xp for Bill, for discerning the purpose of the steam mephits]
[500xp for a good plan for PCs]
[3000xp for Dismas, resurrecting + getting his wish taken from him]
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