Fresh Starts on Old Quests
A Paladin's work is never done...regardless of the Deity!
The last games consisted of plenty of downtime, though some things were accomplished. Jennifer turned into a were-cat which opened up the conversation that Geliagh hates us for taking Lisa away from her. Forgan and BerakJ went to see the Great Hunter Reope Ieatus who seemed intrigued to fight against Dragon Lords following Tohorne (he's not a Tohorne fan at all). Gray and Forgan managed to convince Stormbringer, the Dragon Lord who bestowed her powers onto Randi, to join our cause against the Dark Conjoined....we think. She never really said one way or the other, but since we're not dead, we're assuming that she's on our side. Our party joined up with Forlumb's army going to fight the Dark Conjoined and their minions and we convinced Vorexian knights and seven Drak Brothers to join up with us in the fight alongside the army. Gray had a vision of Carey Billingsford being attacked by a Zaird, but there wasn't much we could do about it unfortunately. The fighting for the army began before we even reached the border of Dokorrel (which is where Justin and Ophelia were last said to be staying). Once we made it over the border, the fighting got worse. The Morrayan troops under Forlumb's command had lost faith and morale. They had never seen combat before - nevermind something so gruesome. Their own troops had fire and acid dropped on them by fly-by dragons and the casualties and the death count was astronomical.
Word comes in before we head to the Corthean Path that Orcs have arrived in Kollakra and they number more than we thought. Oh, and by the way, Justin is there with them! They're on their way to Ishayle, the Capitol. Gray also has to go back to his settlement because that knight is back to settle his personal score. This knight had arrived once before when Gray was away demanding honorable combat becasue he claims that Gray killed his wife. Since Gray was away that first time, he claimed that was an insult and a decline for honorable combat. Now he's here with his troops and a bunch of Seekers. Kevin, a mage in Gray's settlement takes out most of them with fireballs and lightning bolts, but the knight himself was boobytrapped with Kylos! Since we never engaged in any hand-to-hand combat, they were the only ones who got the blast. It was meant for us too. Not good. This is the work of a Zaird fer sher. Now Kevin is being cared for by his grandfather, also a mage. His soul was damaged from the detonation, but there is hope that he'll be alright.
Back in Ishayle, Randi and Raquel have been hanging out and trying to lay low. Stormbringer has been just outside Ishayle all week long, just staring at the sky. She won't talk to anyone and won't do anything. Randi tries to ignore it, but it just makes her more and more tense. One night, they get a couple of rooms at the inn and Randi comes a-knocking at Raquel's door. She can't sleep. Maybe talking will help....no. Maybe some tea will help...no. Ok, how about a nice brisk walk in the night air...where are you going Randi? The dragons is over there! She might be the one who's keeping you awake. So Randi stomps up to the dragon yelling at her to let her get some sleep. Stormbringer tells her she's not ready yet and she says nothing else except that Randi should sleep now. By the next morning, the dragon was gone. The two girls were planning on bringing their newly bought gowns to Gray's settlement and see if they can meet some new people there. Maybe have some fun at a party. AS they saddled up some horses, a commotion began to build in the city. Brekarium's troops were being rushed through the front gates, wounded, battered and some dead already. From teh top of the city wall, it was visible that there were THOUSANDS of orcs out there! They were surrounding the cuty and setting up seige weapons. Lilyana had put a ward up over the city preventing the orcs from getting in themselves, but anything they threw or shot would make it into the city with no problem. She said the ward would not hold forever and asked Brekarium if he had a plan.
Back in Dokorrel, the Morrayans were preparing to move forth to the Capitol City. After a brief hunting/scouting party returned, the PCs were summoned to Forlumb's wagon. He explained that he is tired of the goodie-two-shoes position he's been in. He's ready to take matters into his own hands and play dirty. He's pulling out the stops but we're NOT going to like it...wanna come along? Sure! Without any hesistation, Forgan, Gray and Elonora agreed to help him on his side mission. He explained to the three of us that he has split his soul into five pieces. He's given one to a soldier of his he trusts and has one inside himself as well. He gave one to Forgan and told him to give it to someone he trusts. By splitting his soul up like this, it's harder for him to be followed or detected - it's a different soul signature. Justin has been watching everything so far and has managed to stay one step ahead the whole way. This way, we may get the drop on them.
First thing we need to do is gather blood from Raquel, Sashraddon, and Gray. Gray gives his up without question - just a small vile is needed. Forgan is sent to Ishayle to find Raquel. He hires some 10 year old boys to find her and keep Randi off their backs. He knows how much she hates him. Raquel was working on helping to heal some of Brekarium's wounded and one of the kids found her and managed to get her to Forgan before Randi could follow. She took him to her room at the inn and he asked for her blood, explaining that it was for the King. She figured it was a spell component and unlike Randi, she trusted both Forgan and the King. She easily gave it up. Elonora was sent to Sashraddon who was getting out of a meeting. She said that the nobles are losing faith in her Father and are pretty much planning an uprising. All we need now is a rebellion. Sashraddon readily gave up her own blood knowing it was for her father and Elonora was allowed to take the table scraps back to the troops. Back at the camp, Forlumb had set up a small altar of sorts and began to work this spell of his - the bond between Gray and Sashraddon was blessed and bestowed upon by Venna, and Raquel is the Granddaughter of Venna. The combination of a drop or two of these bloods became a small purple-red glowing orb like thing. That was neat.
Then we go see Errol Lavert in Malfestus. This is the forest that Raquel's Mom lives. Not only was she there and happy to have visitors, but there was also the Elven woman (another love of the Advisor) and her son, and the Advisor himself was there! Forlumb explained that he can't give out his name, but he does have a cure for the Advisor. He knows that the Advisor is dying because of the loss of his most recent love, but he assures them and they allow him to be seen. Lying as if in his deathbed, the Advisor noticed nothing as Forlumbn placed a silver choker around his neck. Forlumb explained that this may take a while to work, but it should heal him. During that time, Errol allowed Forgan to gather up some holy water from a sacred Haltessan stream. Only he was allowed to go since he was the first Paladin of Haltessa. Forgan knew (from the Salmon of Wisdom in the pond) how much he needed and that is should all be used at once. He filled his water skins and promptly went off to frolic. He began trying to track the white stag and somehow ended up 12,000 miles away! forlumb gatheres the rest of the party and we went to meet up with him and move on.
Off to Ishayle to meet with Lilyana...not such a pleasant meeting. Approacting the steps of the temple, and in a demanding voice, Forlumb asks for "it". Lilyana adamantly refuses and says her mother does too. What they were referring to was the "Key". a Relic so powerful that the gods don't even know the full extent of its power. It's understandable that Lilyana and Venna don't wnat Forlumb to have it, but he's said he's used it before and knows how to. Forlumb threatens to let the Advisor die if she doesn't hand it over. That's her brother! Now he's really playing dirty. She agrees and he brings out the purple-red orb to heal him. He then takes the key from her once she's fished it out of a shallow pond. That choker was only to teleport him here! Sneaky...The key is a blue saphhire with runes all over it. The reason nobody knows it's full powers is because it is from the God of Creation! It's older than them even!
Now that we have that, we go to the High Magi's library. Uhhhh...this ain't good... Forlum says to stay here and he'll be back in a minute with the book he needs. There are bookcases floating about everywhere and the library seems to go out in a mile in all directions with bookcases haphazardly floating around. In that minute he's gone, we're attacked by all sorts of things which don't want to be killed but are real keen on the idea of killing us. We destroyed lots of bookcases and books in the fighting and got lots of negative attention. However, like he said, he's back in a minute and has what he needs.
Where to next? On to see Calios, the Demon lord sent out of hell and now learning what life is like as a Mortal. This is the guy who had all those evil butterflies! He trapped Tarren's soul! But we weren't here to free Tarren. We were here to free Kasser - the guy who made the Kasser Device! The best gnome tinkerer EVER. He's AMAZING...even though he's a gnome. He's liek the Malcom Zioniss of Tinkering! Yeah - that good. Forlumb managed to convince him to do so by offering him the robes of the only mortal woman to ever love Calios (or as he calls himself now - Sergei). He's so new to feelings and emotions. These robes offered sentimentality - another new feeling to him that he can now explore. And then out came Kasser out from the depths of hell! YAAAY!
Kasser wants us to take him to Agapollack (his old home) and that's where we were headed anyway. Kasser goes through his old stuff and finds out what's left from the 500 years and the recent battles. The Manicles (something Forlum specifically asked for), the Mechanical Hydra, a reality-altering box, and lots of clockwork stuff are just a few of the tiems we found in his various workshops. We spoke with Scott Wraith who has been named the "king" of Agapollack now that it's free from the grasps of hell. He was really happy to see Forlum (who he called the Traveller). Forgan swore that he would return to Agapollack to speak with the ancient Haltessan priests there. not many from Agapollack are younger than 500 years old, so there is some lost knowledge to regain and they have plenty to learn and experience. We borrow Kasser to use the Manicles for us then we'll let him go "home".
Next stop, the army. As the troops begin to pack up and get ready to push forth, Forlumb gives that Magi book to the Watcher. Even the watcher is dumbfounded...and he's seen EVERYTHING! Forlumb tells him to read the 14th chapter and know it well. We're going to perform a ceremony...tonight. Elonora is the focus of it because of her spiritual link. The Watcher paints all these symbols all over her according to what the chapter tells him. They tell her she's going to have to have faith. The only other possible candidate would be Randi and SHE doesn't have that strong of faith, not that she'd volunteer in the first place! Meanwhile, Gray, MacCarr, Jennifer and Forgan sent off with Vorren (the Air Dragon) to meet up with the Olenak family (family of the Dragon who got sucked into Ophelia's soulstone) and try to convince them to side with us. It went pretty well, but they said they'd get back to us in three days. Jennifer did most of the talking and most of the convincing and she did pretty darned well! Vorren then went off to get his family in on the deal if he could. His two brothers and his sister would be the most he could muster, but we'll take all the help we can get.
Now for what Forlum calls "end game". That sounds pretty final. For our last trip, the party arrives in Malfestus - the very same cavernous, dark court room we were before in the Dragon Breeding grounds. We meet directly with Sh'karris Dr'nell (the "judge" who sides with the Father who sentenced us to exile last time we were there) who just happens to be biased, really powerful and scale 4! The silver and crystal dragon leered down at us wondering what we came here for since we're banned. Forlumb then whips out this ANCIENT scroll and begins reading aloud in dragon, invoking the spirit of the Dragon directly. Dr'nell freaks and so does the Raven! The raven BOOKS it out of there and Elonora becomes possessed with The Dragon Spirit (and Tohorne who comes along for the ride). Forlumb calls out to the Dragon Spirit by way of this scroll.
Forlumb: *reads ancient scroll*
Elonora (Dragon Father):I heed the ancient right even though I have been trapped and beaten and mangled beyond recognition and complete comprehension.
Forlumb: Why did you let yourself get trapped?
Dragon Father: To save one man - Carey Billingsford
Dr'Nell: WHAT!? But...but..he's HUMAN!
Dragon Father: Landwalkers hold the key to the future.
Tohorne: I will take him!
Then Forlumb takes the Key (the saphhire relic) and puts it on Elonora's head, entering into her body like it was a curtain and he pulls out the Dragon Spirit!!! (I'll take what's behind Centaur #1, Johnny!), but Tohorne just laughs. He knows he can conquer us all by himself...and now he has Elonora (no big prize, but something to bait them with)! That is until Forgan drops the gallons of Haltessan Holy water on her! She's enveloped in blue flame, Dr'Nell is freaking out completely and Kasser magically puts the Manicles on him, shutting him up with just a command. Elonora is all f***ed up and there's no way to heal her. Her deforming scars are a curse from Tohorne himself. But at least she's alive! And now, with the Dragon Father freed from Tohorne, we'll have lots more help on our side. Randi can change form freely if she wishes with no bad side effects and she still has that grudge against Justin. The Lava Dragon, mother of the Fire Maidens is free to leave her lair and fight against Ophelia directly with no call from Tohorne whatsoever. Followers of the Father won't be as tainted anymore and will see the Dark conjoined for what they really are and will hoefully fight against them.
We're going to need all the help we can get. We're still up against Justin & Ophelia, the MASSIVE amounts of Orcs and Zairds running about. The Malfestians in Satile are still rampant and invading everything they can find and the Dragons have come to re-claim their lands on this continent. Calios has the Elves looking for genocide and the Seekers are starting a civil war amongst their ranks. Vendrill has plagued most everything imaginable and Brenin is still schmoosing his way to better information to stay one step ahead at all times. Krak Vir has recently returned and is trying to do all sorts of damage to holy types on both the sides of Evil and Good and now Geliagh has turned her back on humanity and has targeted us in particular because we took away her only freind..not to mention that the Spiritualists and the holy types aren't the best of friends especially with this lycanthropy thing going around these days. So like I said, we need ALL the help we can get!...but at least Mac will have plenty to write about in his songs!
I know your're dying for more...and we hope evil does more dying...We'll be sure to see you on NEXT WEEK'S EXCITING ADVENTURE of JAYSTORM!!!!!