1a. Lavinia Rose
In 1899, a 47-year-old woman in a dark Victorian dress stands on a train platform in Cheyenne, Wyoming holding a ticket for all points west.
She is Lavinia Rose and they whisper that she is a fortune teller, perhaps a witch… Lavinia’s constant companions are her oracle cards and the skull of her dead grandmother. Everyone knows that Lavinia sees things that are not there… Lavinia is touched by darkness.
Lavinia had traveled north from Santa Fe to Cheyenne, the nearest stop of “The Flyer”… the Union Pacific Overland Flyer and its route to the western sea.
Lavinia was following her most recent dream. A dream about her dead grandmother riding this train. Her grandmother sat by the window, opposite a robed woman covered in an ornate gown with gold trim.
The robed woman turned to look at Lavinia and no face was beneath the hood. This was her grandmother’s patron, the Mexican god of the dead “Santa Muerte”.
In the dream, All the rest of the rail passengers sat and read, looked out at the passing scenery or quietly chatted. They were each clearly dead… or perhaps undead, and unaware of it.
The meaning was quite clear, Lavinia must board the train and perhaps she would finally meet her grandmother’s god. Perhaps she might finally die.
The Overland Flyer pulled into the station in a billow of steam and cinders. Lavinia boarded with the rest, doubting she would ever actually see San Francisco, She had no trunks or hat boxes like the other women. She had only her carpetbag, the contents of which would have chilled any inspecting conductor… strange herbs, pungent pastes, a Sickle and an ornate handgun.
1b. The Not-So-Great Train Robbery
The Plan B Crew
A ragtag bunch of greenhorn bandits was recruited by the infamous outlaw News Carver to hit the Pacific Union Overland Flyer.
Butch, Sundance, and the rest of Carver’s regular gang “The Wild Bunch” were busy elsewhere. News had a hot tip that there was a secret payroll traveling on an upcoming Overland Flyer. He found whoever he could to help him make the heist:
News was acquainted with a local part-time bounty hunter named Percival Redfeather from the other gangs that sometimes frequented Hole in the Wall.
Percival was heard to be hunting bounties with two other shady characters named Alexium and Poindexter.
News Carver had met the formerly famous sharpshooter Josephine Smith months ago in Chicago and was quite smitten with her. Josephine had lost her family in a terrible train wreck that ended her performing career. Josephine loathed the Railways and yearned for revenge. News had convinced her to come West and find a little payback.
How to Blow a Heist
The 2 am train heist went perfectly – until it didn’t.
Percy Redfeather got shot in the ass by a hidden train guard.
Raven Alexium used too much dynamite, destroying the train caboose and rendering the big Payroll Safe almost impossible to get into.
The outlaws finally succeeded in prying the damaged safe door partly open. However, as they struggled with the ruined lockbox, Josephine Smith on lookout shouted that another train was coming up behind.
The robbers worked feverishly to retrieve the loot as the train chugging behind came to a stop in the dark just around a bend. The last thing Jo could see before scrambling down the overlook was a posse with dozens of torches and the silhouettes of horses being unloaded. It was a trap.
In the confusion that followed, News Carver was killed instantly. Passengers emerged onto the tracks in a panic and this allowed the rest of the outlaws a narrow escape on horseback into the darkness down the tracks.
A strange woman named Lavinia Rosa had been one of the passengers on the train. She confronted bandit Thaddeus Poindexter, who had been guarding the passenger car. Later, Lavinia took hold of dead News Carver’s horse and followed the gang away from the scene, All the while arguing with her invisible “grandmother” who seemed to be directing her.
1c. The Gateway
Upon stepping through the portal, Percy, Josephine, Thaddeus, Lavinia, and Raven find themselves again in the same cavern but something is different…
Blue shimmering light still washes across the stone walls, but now the stone has a strange golden hue. Occasional glimmers from tiny crystals laced throughout the cavern walls can also be seen.
Turning back to the portal, it looks very different now. The swirling blue oval is framed in a massive and intricate golden clockwork. To one side, a large crystal sits in a golden framework and occasionally pulses with light and low vibration.
A Different World
Raven suspects that perhaps this cave is from another time and the portal has sent them either back or forward. The party begins working their way back to what they hope is some kind of opening out of this same but different place.
As they retrace their path, the ambient golden glow of the small imbedded crystals make it much easier to see. When they reach the area where an archway should be mined through the water and rock, it is simply not there. No signs can be found of worked stone.
A side passage they had explored the first time allows them access to the rest of the cavern. Again they find no sign of the timbers, wooden walkways or chiseled walls so evident before.
Along the side passage, Percival discovers a small abandoned camp in an alcove. There is a ring of stones and the ash of an ancient campfire. Beside the stone ring lay the rags of what must once have been two camp beds, now mildewed from the damp and quite rotten.
Poking out from one of the sodden piles, a skeletal hand of pale bone is very noticeable. Two human skeletons are found, unfortunates who appear to have been murdered in their sleep.
Nearby, an iron bound wooden chest rests against the cavern wall with four strange metal runes on front. The runes rotate when touched and perhaps are some kind of bizarre lock.
A thorough search of the camp yields a couple of items still intact; The first is a long waxed leather scroll or map case. The cap is still on and the water seal appears unbroken. Under one of the beds, a decayed leather journal is also found.
A Strange Map
A strange map is contained in the sealed case. It appears to have the general continental outline of North America, but the marked areas are names none of the party have ever heard of.
A Bound Chest
Thaddeus and Raven are particularly interested in the bound chest. They attempt every rune rotation order they can think of, but the chest remains firmly shut.
Raven finally thinks to search the journal for clues to the chest. The leather bound book is completely waterlogged and falling apart. Water levels in the spring cavern have likely risen some time or times in the past and submerged the camp. Most of the journal pages are illegible, but on the back inside cover he finds what looks like it used to be a four digit number. He is barely able to make out the first two digits which are “4” and “2”.
Armed with two digits and some trial and error, Raven eventually hits on the right combination and the iron bands on the chest click open.
Raven goes to lift the chest lid but Thaddeus stops him. Looking closely, Thaddeus can see a fine wire exposed in space near the top where a splinter of wood has fallen away. He traces it to one of the rivets on an ornate chest corner that he suspects is a button of some sort.
Not willing to take any chances on the button, Thaddeus rummages in his medical bag and brings out a narrow pair of cutters to sever the wire. There is an audible snap as the wire parts and a click from the chest lid. Holding his breath, Thaddeus carefully lifts the lid, but finds no further fasteners. It appears the wire was not a trap but merely a hidden latch.
The largest item in the chest rests right on the top. It is a sizable book, leather bound and covered in strange runic characters. The book is closed with a flat, smooth clasp. There is a blue gem inset into the clasp and the only member of the party able to do anything with it is Raven as the clasp eventually opens to his touch.
A Latin Sign
The Wylders eventually find their way out of darkness. They note a sign at the entrance which says in Latin “Crystalode Springs“. This is a different name from the “Silverlode Mine” they had entered.
2a. The Desert Temple
The party decides to head south in this new golden world. They find themselves moving through the Wyoming-style wilds they are used to and down into an arid desert region.
An ancient stone ziggurat becomes visible on the southern horizon and the party decides to explore it. They find it abandoned but with new Serpent Head Statues recently carved and placed by the entrance.
Ambush
The party stops by the southern side of the ziggurat to rest by some hot bubbling pools. They are ambushed by strange serpent people.
Passing by at the time of the ambush is a patrol of primitive hunters who engage in the battle and are clearly enemies of the serpent people. They summon some kind of great winged magical bird which unleashes a massive Thunderwave that knocks the entire Wylders party unconscious
2b. Truce With The Anasi
Dazan – War Chief
The Wylders awake as prisoners of the Anasi war party. Their belongings are bundled into deer hides and tied on poles carried by two warriors for transport.
They are questioned by the leader of the war party – Dazan, the Anasi Chief’s son. Some of the warriors want the party killed on the spot as a sacrifice and celebration to the great Thunderbird.
Dazan decides they must walk back with the war party to be questioned at the Anasi fortress by the elder council.
During the days of travel, the Anasi refuse to speak with the Wylders, but the Wylders see many strange things. The golden sky is still hard to get used to.
The Soldiering Dead
The war party is warned by their scouts of an approaching patrol of the Soldiering Dead. The war chief Dazan is visibly upset and comes to the party and has their bonds removed. He then points out to them that the three leading the approaching enemy are different than the other skeleton soldiers and appear to be Undead Anasi Warriors.
Dazan had the Wylders’ weapons brought to them in preparation for the fight. He motions to them that they should focus on killing the Undead Anasi from a distance.
After defeating the enemy party, the Anasi warriors burn all of the bodies, but bring the heads of the undead Anasi with them in a bag.
After the fight, The Anasi War party releases the Wylders from their bonds permanently and treats them with respect.
A Ship in the Sky
Several days later, the combined parties crest a high ridge and the scouts point out what looks like a flying ship in the distance.
Dazan calls for everyone to take cover and explains that the ship may be slavers.
Flying Bison
On another day, the war party stops to watch a far off flying herd of Aurocha. A great thunderbird stalks the herd and dives on it. As the Aurocha land and run, The Thunderbird captures one in it’s claws and flys away with supper.
2c. Wendigo Cave
Dazan and the Anasi fear for their lives as they sense that something is tracking them and they fear it may be a Skinwalker. They decide they must lead it away from their destination or find it and kill it.
The party defeats the Wendigo and returns to their journey south.
2d. Crashed Skyship
A Giant Trap
An intact skeleton of a Viking Aesir Giant remains in the sand nearby. The party accidentally triggers a trap that brings the skeletal giant to life and they must fight or die.
After defeating the undead giant, the party explores the crashed skyship for supplies and decides to camp in it for the night. The Anasi party with them will have no part of it and make their own camp at a distance.
The party is unaware of how flammable the wood is that skyships are made of. They accidentally set fire to the ship and must flee, losing Josephine’s full backpack in the confusion.
2e. The Winged Fortress
It is a wonder to behold, built into a cliffside and only accessible through a narrow pass. All of the Anasi people have taken refuge here because of the increasing threat and westward expansion of the Soldiering Dead.
When Dazan and the party come in front of the Elders, Dazan pulls the head of the Undead Anasi warrior from a bag to show the council. The eyes of the Undead skull flash open and it begins to laugh, unnerving everyone. The undead skull delivers a message to the council from St. Yago offering to show mercy if they will submit.
The party is questioned by the Anasi elders and Chief Tyee’k about their appearance in the battle and who they are. All of their items are spread out before them and the elders wonder how they can handle the thundersticks of “Soldiering Dead”? Also, how come there is no death taint on them or their weapons?
The Name of Wylder
The elders examine the map shown by the party and ask if they are from Wyldermage for they seem to speak in the tongue of the magi. They begin referring to them as “The Wylders”
There is some question by the elders about Lavinia who is clearly a witch and should perhaps be killed, but on seeing her skull talisman, the elders realize that she may be an agent of the Lord of the Dead and should not be harmed for fear of angering that god.
Because the party fought against the Unktahi and were spared by the Thunderbird, the elders smoke the peace pipe with them. Their belongings are returned and a feast is held where they get to eat an “Aurocha” – a winged buffalo that has been hunted. The wings are large and very spicy lol,.
At midnight, near the end of the feats, lookouts bring word to the council that the Wild Hunt is approaching and everyone becomes terrified.
Recounting the Soldiering Dead
That evening around the campfire, Dazan tells what he knows of the history of the risen dead and their wars over the past 30 years.
“Little is known about the Usurper, he is rumored to be ancient and to have come from Terra. The legends say he survives on the life essence of others and he is often called Rex Sanguis – meaning “King Blood” (actually an earth vampire/voodoo loa named Dinclinsin).
His voodoo daughters have the power to raise the dead. The soldering dead will often try to take some prisoners alive and those captured are never heard from again.
His armies are deadly due to the brightiron weapons they carry and some of those weapons are even thundersticks that still work. As Soldiering Dead, they are sometimes extremely hard to kill.
The area around Mortisspire (New Orleans) is now known as Oram Caedis or the “Coast of Slaughter” due to the red bloodstained sands that now run into the southern gulf.
The undead are are war in on their norther border with the Fae of Elphame for the forests of the Appalachians. They are also at war on the southern coast with the Merfolk and slowly creeping west into Anasi lands.”
2f. Lord of Shadows
Arwan, Lord of the Shadow Realm of Aiz
Arwan travels with his Wild Hunt from the Shadow gate to Tse’ Bitai where the Wylders are staying to confront them and make them aware of their family histories. He charges them with the Bounty of St. Yago to discharge their debts to him:
To Abuela Malla:
“Greetings learned grandmother and my thanks to your Terran patron for her generous offer… The help is most welcome. Do you yearn for revenge?”
Abuela Malla says, “Every moment I wait and yearn dark master, The opportunity comes!”
“Yes, the opportunity…” Arwan smiles coldly, “And so this is your granddaughter?” (looking at Lavinia)
Abuela Malla says, “It is my lord… poorly prepared, but as well as I could do from the grave.”
Arwan’s smile deepens, “As long as she carries you, I have hope the two of you can manage it. if there is any chance at all.”
Abuela’s eyes flare red. “We will not fail!”
Arwan says, “I am counting on it. All the realms are counting on it.”
To Lavinia:
“Well met granddaughter! I am sure you have many questions. Sadly, many of them will likely never be answered. You must content yourself with what little I can tell you of your mother and father… Your grandmother died protecting them (and you). They are lost, but not dead. If they were dead in my realm, I would know it. I suspect that they may be slaves. Though I know not where.” Do not look for a happy outcome if you find them, but perhaps you can give them some semblance of peace.”
To Thaddeus:
“Well, young rogue… You have made it this far, I confess that I had my doubts, about all of you. The cause of your presence here is two-fold, First, you represent your people. Not your father’s people, but your great-great-great grandmother’s people which you may someday be fortunate enough to meet. The more important reason you were chosen however does concern your father’s people. Specifically your father’s cursed brother, the Confederate Commander Jenson Poindexter. Do you recall him?”
“I name him cursed because that is what he is – as is pretty much everyone, including all of you, in this affair. Jenson’s curse is that he died in your world but lives again in this one through demonic means. He is not alive, he is undead. He is called “The Fist”, or sometimes “Commander Fist”, it is a sarcastic translation of his true title “Commander Poindexter” because the cursed Commander ironically lost his right hand at the same time he lost his life and has since been fitted with a brightiron enchanted fist.”
“‘The Fist’ is the commander of the legions of soldiering dead that have been raised and somehow drawn across the veil from your world.” Arwan scowls and the anger flares in his eyes, “That damned war of yours has nearly been our undoing. Three decades later and your dead from the south and east still march our lands with near invincibility. All to further the ambitions of the mad warlock St. Yago.”
To Josephine:
“How much do you know of your father, young ranger? I am not talking about your Quaker stepfather William Smith… I speak of your true heritage. Did your mother Alice never tell you the truth? Not even as a fantastical dream?”
“Have you never wondered where your extraordinary skills and sight come from? The shape of your ears?? How out-of-step it must have felt in that world around you, one of the half-elven?”
“Surprising… Very Well, Your real father comes not from your world but ours. I thought your mother would have shared the wayward adventures that brought her into these lands and back out. She sojourned here many years… met the famous Fae Ranger Leoras Swiftkin and wed him before the Faerie Queen herself.”
“Your father suffered a bad fate… and still does. My spies and those who inevitably come to me have never been able to give the details of how he lost your mother. Only that she unwittingly passed back through the veil while she carried you in her belly. He abandoned all else in his grief and never stopped seeking a way through… Had he succeeded, he would have searched to the ends of your Earth to find the two of you.”
Arwan paused in reflection, “I do not think ill of him… some have said that he willingly went to the mad warlock for help. I think it more likely that his epic search on this side for a passage through the veil led him to ultimately be trapped and killed by our enemies. In any event, he is quite a prize for them. Not only a blow to the Queen of the Fae, but now a dread tool in the hands of the warlock. Leoras’ spirit was enslaved and his body resurrected by Yago’s cursed daughters. he is the warlock’s thing now… an unrelenting remorseless killer. If as they say,”The Fist” is Yago’s right hand, then Swiftkin is most certainly his secretive left. A sinister weapon, gloved in stealth and gloom, an arrow or knife in the dark.”
Arwan rides a step closer to Josephine, “I have only one piece of advice for you young half-elf… should the opportunity come, do not hesitate and do not miss.”
To Percy:
“And what of the other ranger in your group?” Arwan turns his gaze on Percy, “Greetings tracker. Like your companions, you have been summoned to represent your people. Not your Shoshone ancestors, but your ancestors of this world. The ones who gave you those blue hues though you may not know much of the realm of air. Your people are blameless in this matter, nevertheless, someone must fulfill their duty in this struggle and it has fallen to you instead of another.”
With this, Arwan gestures to the host of dark riders behind him… One figure separates from the shadowed group and rides up to Percy. In the firelight, Percy can make out the darkened features of his long-lost brother Scott, now a rider in the wild hunt. Scott still wears the breeches and moccasins he did when he disappeared, but his upper body is bare to the wind. The results of Scott’s final battle in life are still visible on his body.
Scott seems unable to speak, but Percy senses that his brother is fully aware of Percy he is and is pleased to see him. Across Scott’s back, Percy notices a black shadowed longbow that his brother now removes and holds down to him. Scott’s fathomless black eyes peer into Percy with meaning as he hands his younger brother the bow. As Percy reaches out for the weapon, Scott removes his hands swiftly lest Percy’s fingers might graze his dead brothers flesh and be damaged.
With a final look, the Wild Hunter that was Percy’s brother straightens in his saddle, turns, and rides back into the shadowed host. Arwan says, “This task would have fallen to your brother, but I will not risk him and he has already earned his life’s valor. His place is here now and so you will go in his stead. His gift to you of this weapon from our realm is your brother’s will and I have granted it out of respect to him. Besides, you will surely need it where you are going.” Arwan then laughs with the coldest, most terrifying mirth imaginable.
To Raven:
Arwan scowls, “And so we come to you at last. ‘the wayward wizard’ You have much to answer for, Mr. mighty, magi-wannabe. It is your family that has brought this on us all. And what is this thing with your name? Do you imagine that by styling yourself as ‘Raven Alexium’ that the blood shed by your kin has escaped your hands?” Arwan shouts, “It has not!”
After a very cold moment, Arwan stares at Raven and harshly commands, “You must put an end to your grandfather once and for all.”
Arwan studies Raven’s confusion, “What? Are you also so ignorant as to have no understanding of your own family? Are you not the grandson of voodoo queen Marie Laveau?? Where is your grandfather? where are your aunts? Do you think that one simply stumbles into the gifts you have found?
After a long silence, Arwan relents and sighs, “Though you may be blamed for your blood, I grant that you cannot be blamed for what may be impossible to know. I will impart to you a brief and ugly history of your family line beginning with your grandfather, the infamous Santiago Paris.”
“Paris was the first man married to your grandmother Marie. together they had three children; Angele, Felicite, and your mother, Evangeline. While three sisters were small, Santiago Paris disappeared and sometime thereafter, the two oldest girls disappeared as well leaving your grandmother and mother to fend for themselves. Madame Laveau subsequently remarried and life went on for your family.”
“But your grandfather Santiago was far from dead. He had abandoned everything including his family as he dabbled with dark forces that have consumed him and made him wholly evil. These forces called to Santiago and led him through the veil from your world to ours. Not long after, He returned to Terra and kidnapped his own daughters. Back in this world, Santiago has raised and controlled every moment of their lives, all to use the inherent voodoo powers from their mother and raise the dead of your world into our own.”
“In your Terran city of Baton Rouge, there lies an empty grave with your grandfather’s name on it. But your grandfather’s life on earth did not end as Santiago, it ended as St. Yago. That is what he was buried as and that is what he is called now in this world.”
“So your grandfather Santiago Paris has become the warlock St. Yago, and you have become the escaped convict Raven Alexium. But now you must become more than that. You must defeat your own family with what they have given you. You must master the gifts inherited from your grandmother’s side and those conferred upon you by your grandfather’s side. You must become Xavier the Savior, or you and your friends will never again see the light of an Earth day.”
To the Party:
Arwan remains upon his horse, sitting in silence as the Wylders work to process the information that has just upended their reality.
“So it would seem that without knowing it, each of you has, as sly young Poindexter here would say, ‘skin in the game’. These are obligations of family blood and you hold them to me.”
Eventually, Arwan points a finger at Percy, “What did they call your recent tracking profession in your world? A ‘Bounty Hunter’? Very well then. And so it shall be in this world. I, the Lord of Death and Eternal Ruler of the Shadow Lands do now charge the five of you with the Bounty of the mad warlock known as St. Yago. You will defeat his generals, you will kill anyone who gets in your way, and bring this cursed mage, dead or alive, to the Shadow Gate. You will bind his body with these…” Arwan reaches into a saddlebag, removes a black smoking set of spiked chains, and tosses them at Percy’s feet.
“It will take everything you have” Arwan gestures to each of the party in turn:
to Percy, “You, to track and find the way forward through impossible odds.”
to Jo, “You, to watch, pass unseen, and dispatch with extreme prejudice.”
to Thaddeus, “You, to find what lies ahead and avoid certain death, all while dealing it out.”
to Lavinia, “You, to mend life, and carry my revenge upon the unwelcome dead.”
to Raven, “And lastly you, to bring an end to this. To fight fire with fire. But beware! For Yago’s power is not his alone.”
3a. Sky Wagon
After departing the Anasi Stronghold named Tse’ Bitai, The party decides to head directly east over the sands of the Oazim desert and make for the Fae lands. Their journey is uneventful until they near the eastern edge of the desert and come across what is left of an abandoned caravan left in a dry riverbed.
The party searches the caravan and finds some minor treasure, a huge volume of silk fabric, and a warded vessel that they open to release an Air Elemental who then aids them.
The party decides to attempt building an air balloon to attach to one of the caravan wagons and they are successful. Their new Air Elemental ally agrees to propel their new floating sky wagon further eastward.
3b. UnderCor Tunnel
As the party attempts to continue their way east through the tunnel system, they are overtaken from behind by a large troupe of Cordah Dwarves who are moving a shipment of Aerralyte east through their tunnels to a buyer. They will share no further details.
The Cordha Dwarves assist the party in their travels east and provide them with an exit when the tunnel ahead appears to have been naturally flooded.
4a. Lady of the Marsh
It does not go well for the woman.
They discover a cave below the pool the house sat in that leads to gruesome discoveries and to some treasure.
4b. Pukwudgie Village
The party encounters a band of small porcupine people. After a short battle, the porcupine people flee and the party tracks them to their village. Peace is made and a small bit of trading with the small people who call themselves Pukwudgies.
4c. Flagulus Snagulus
The party continues east through the Marsh Fens towards the Rendezvous, on the way they encounter a giant Flail Snail and are forced to flee from the snail.
5a. The Rendezvous Market
5b. Festival Games
In addition to the trading market, the Rendezvous also hosts game booths and competitions.
5c. Rumors & Quests
Rumors & Quests
Rumors
- The mage Orezahl dwells in the forest 10 days to the northeast. He has always been a regular at the Rendezvous but has not been seen for several years now. Many regular Rendezvous visitors wonder what his fate may be.
- Dwarven miners have stumbled into a sealed cyst beneath the Hele Hills, and it is said they now transform into giant insects at night.
- Therli’s Delve is beseiged by the armies of the Undead Commander “The Fist”.
- A magical fountain which grants great wisdom lies somewhere within the land of the Lagarto peoples.
- A stone golem has escaped from the workshop of Thige the Wizard at Wyldermage.
- The cavernous lair of an ancient dragon lies somewhere west of the Vanir Mountains and the Dragon is stirring again.
- The ghosts of a party of adventurers wanders the Machy Vale.
- The party agree to undertake a couple of quests while they are at the
Quests:
- Vojta seeks a company of adventurers to discover who murdered his traveling companions, and why. He wants to recover the bodies of his fallen comrades.
Vojta and his troupe were waylaid just near the hills just North by the river, North of Rendezvous. Some kind of monstrosity or abomination.
Vojta was the only survivor, he is too upset to talk about it. He is looking for someone to avenge his fallen comrades, and would give his life savings to recover his 5x comrades and bury them.
Vojta expects the gems and prize weapons destined for the shooting competition were left with the bodies. He would guide us back to the attack area in the Langrath Hills.
The Wylders agree to help Vojta avenge his fallen party of travelers. - The mage Orezahl dwells in the forest 10 days to the northeast. He has always been a regular at the Rendezvous but has not been seen for several years now. Many regular Rendezvous visitors wonder what his fate may be.
There is a good chance of a lot of treasure in the high walled house, but no adventurers have ever returned. It is close to a bend of the river on the way to the Chahokia settlement. SW of Chohokai about 12 days.
5d. The Lechuza
The Lechuza
The party gets their asses kicked. Vojlta dies. The Wylders run to save their skins.
6a. Caravan by the Stream
The party travels east again after fleeing the Lechuza encounter, traveling beside a stream. They come upon a deserted Caravan campsite.
The party follows the tracks from the Caravan east and encounter a lost female bard in the woods who tells them that her party is trapped in the manor of Orezal and they need help.
The party agrees to help and soon arrives at the gate to Orezahl’s mansion.
6b. Guardian of the Gate
The Wylders discover that a fierce Rhinoceros roams the high grass grounds between the gate and the manor of Orezahl.
(Note: – Orezahl’s Manor is a renamed mini-quest adventure by Survive RPG known as The Mad Manor of Astabar“)
6c. Skulls with Runes
Gaining entrance to the main floor of the manor, the party discovers a skull with a strange rune painted on the forehead in the alcove beneath the stairs by the entrance.
(Note: – Orezahl’s Manor is a renamed mini-quest adventure by Survive RPG known as The Mad Manor of Astabar“)
6d. Attic Whispers
The party encounter a set of undead twin girls that lead them on a merry chase around the mansion.
(Note: – Orezahl’s Manor is a renamed mini-quest adventure by Survive RPG known as The Mad Manor of Astabar“)
6e. Percy the Teddy Bear
Percy and Josephine do battle with a giant enchanted teddy bear. Percy attempts to climb inside the Bear but accidently becomes the bear and must run away from the other adventurers who do not understand that they are now hurting him.
(Note: – Orezahl’s Manor is a renamed mini-quest adventure by Survive RPG known as The Mad Manor of Astabar“)
6f. Orezahl's Study
The Wylders eventually find Orezahl’s secret study in the Attic. It is locked and by solving the puzzle of the runed skulls, they are able to open the door.
One of the party members accidently triggers a Portal Trap and is teleported to an Ethereal Dimension when they are attacked by the undead remains of the wizard Orezahl himself.
The rest of the party follows and eventually defeats undead Orezahl, but finds themselves stuck on the Ethereal Plane. They must choose one of four portals to return and they choose one that drops them into an unknown swamp!
(Note: – Orezahl’s Manor is a renamed mini-quest adventure by Survive RPG known as The Mad Manor of Astabar“)
7a. River and Raft
The Wylders depart the Ethereal Plane through a portal that teleports them into the air many feet above a fetid unknown swamp. They fall through the trees and must catch themselves.
With no idea of where they are, they attempt to get a bird’s eye view and can sight what looks like a river to the east. The river is tuning North to South.
The Wylders make their way to the river’s edge and construct a large crude raft. They travel south on the river for a couple of days until an ancient temple complex comes into view on the East bank…
7b. Gatorman Shrine
(Note: The Gatorman Shrine Encounter is based on the Gatorman Shrine section of the D&D Adventure Book: Tomb of Annihilation)
7c. Grunglungdun
They bring their raft to shore and enter the hedge to discover it is a maze they must travel through to get to the inner temple.
After traversing the maze, they find themselves at the edge of a small lake enclosed by the magical hedge with the Frog Temple in the center. Strange Frog People are present everywhere in the lake and Frog guards stand at the temple door.
The Grippli
The Grippli of Grunglungdun toil under the tyranny of their despotic king, Groak, who is obsessed with summoning the goddess Nangnang and mating with her.
To please their king, the Grippli have erected a 60-foot-tall mud shrine, where Groak plans to woo the goddess and where she, in turn, can bless him with generations of god-touched, royal Groaklings.
Although the Grippli are traditionally scheming, greedy, and generally unpleasant to deal with, the Grippli of Dungrunglung are experiencing desperate times. The Soldiering Dead threaten their existence, and Grippli poison is ineffective against the undead.
Groak
(gold Grippli elite warrior wearing a circlet of blasting) is the lovestruck king who seeks to woo the goddess Nangnang. Charismatic but unstable, Groak can swing from friendly to homicidal in the span of a few seconds. Because of this, his people dare not even whisper a harsh word about him. Groak wants to be seen as a visionary and a romantic, and he loves to hear stories of the outside world. However, he threatens anyone who dares to question his inflated self-image. Groak tolerates adventurers as long as they entertain him, generally agree with everything he says, and are willing to aid him in his quest to realize his divine destiny to become Nangnang’s consort.
Krr’ook
(red Grippli wildling) is a Grippli priest who fears the king’s madness. She whispers favorable signs and omens in the king’s ear to keep in his good graces. Secretly, Krr’ook suspects that the Great Ritual to summon Nangnang will fail. Consequently, she fears for her life. She approaches the adventurers to see if they can help her fool the king on the night of the ritual. If Krr’ook senses anything out of kilter, or if the ritual goes awry, she scapegoats the adventurers and delivers them straight into the king’s infantile wrath.
Roark
(orange Grippli elite warrior) is a dutiful and dangerous grung warrior, dedicated to his mad king. Roark thinks all this goddess-summoning nonsense is distracting from the real issue at hand: defending Dungrunglung from the undead. Secretly, Roark’s loyalty is to the tribe first and Groak second, but Roark is dutifully abiding by the king’s obsession for now. He is suspicious of adventurers yet open to help in defending his village from the undead.
(Note: This Grunglungdun Encounter is based on the Dunglungrung section of the D&D Adventure Book: Tomb of Annihilation)
7d. Dead Halls
The Wylders escape an attack on Grunglungdun by the Soldiering Dead through a tunnel that leads them underground into the Dead Halls.
They face several puzzles and encounters but eventually make their way back out of the halls through the main entrance.
Obelisk
The obelisk radiates a strong aura of abjuration magic under the scrutiny of a detect magic spell or similar magic, Clearing the vines and moss from the south face of the obelisk exposes a message carved into it. The message reads as follows:
“Fear the night when the forsaken one seizes death’s mantle and the seas dry up and the dead rise and I, Acererak the Eternal, reap the world of the living. Those who dare enter take heed: The enemies oppose. One stands between them. In darkness, it hides. Don the mask or be seen. Speak no truth to the doomed child. The keys turn on the inside only.”
Hidden Entrance Door
A short tunnel ends at a slab of worked stone, whose edges are marked by relief carvings of grinning skulls. Four lines engraved at the center of the slab cross one another to form a star, with both ends of each line marking the location of a cube-shaped cavity cut into the door — eight cavities in all
The nine trickster gods are:
Moa, Wongo, I’jin, Obo’laka, Papazotl, Kubazan, Nangnang, Shagambi, Unkh.
(Note: This Dead Halls Encounter is based on a section of the D&D Adventure Book: Tomb of Annihilation)
7e. Akaza's Quest
The Wylders depart the Dead Halls to travel South and soon encounter an old woman living in a large hollowed out tree. She gives them a quest to travel to Firefinger and retrieve a carved wooden tiger mask.
7f. Firefinger
The Wylders travel southeast from Akaza’s Tree into open marshland and can clearly see the natural stone pinnacle known as Firefinger in the distance.
Firefinger is home to a colony of Pteranodons and has several levels of caves carved into the narrow pinnacle that must be traversed to get to the top.
After making it to the top and defeating the Pteranadons, the Wylders recover the Mask.
On an impulse, Percy holds the mask up to his face. The mask immediately grabs hold and Percy falls unconscious.
The Wylders discover that the source of the fire that gives Firefinger its name is an ancient altar with an eternally burning golden flame. Strangely, the flame does not give off any heat the Wylders discover that it is a portal that takes them to an ancient golden hall holding many such similar portal fires.
(Note: This Firefinger Encounter is based on a section of the D&D Adventure Book: Tomb of Annihilation)
8a. Discovery of Portals
The Wylders emerge from the portal on Firefinger into a massive golden hall containing many such portals, each with a fire burning in the center.
They choose to rest there for the night and investigate the meaning of these strange portals. Each circular portal base has different runes inscribed around the Five Realms symbol. They assume these must be names and try to decipher them.
During their investigation of the portals, Percy – still trapped by the mask – begins thrashing violently.
8b. Shirkhala
As Percy remains unconscious and thrashes in pain from the carved tiger mask melded to his face, tendrils of black mist appear from nowhere on the floor around him and begin to envelop him.
Thaddeus has been trying to minister some medical aid to Percy and as the thrashing begins, Thaddeus makes another attempt to remove the mask. Percy swings violently, knocking Thaddeus back 10 feet and the black mists consume Percy as he disappears from sight.
A massive black and gold striped Weretiger emerges from the mists where Percy’s body had been. The weretiger stands a full 8 feet tall and is wearing the carved wooden mask that was bonded to Percy’s face.
After taking over Percy’s body and morphing, The Weretiger turns to discover the rest of the party. He immediately recognizes them as Wylders due to their brightiron weapons.
“Ah, Wylders?? – Fresh Meat!”
Shirkhala immediately pounces forward, attacking Josephine as his chosen prey, Wounding her with a deadly swipe of its claws.
While the Weretiger is attacking, Percy regains consciousness and finds himself a passenger in his own mind. He can only see out through the wooden eyes of the tiger mask. Faint sounds of struggle come to Percy but they are far away.
Percy discovers that his mind is now strangely connected to another, an ancient malevolent weretiger being who regards him as prey. The weretiger whispers to Percy with his own thoughts, “First I will feast upon the bodies of your companions, then I will feast upon your very soul! Ahahahaha…”
Suddenly the ancient were-being pauses in thought, seeing something in Percy’s memories that appears to surprise him. Digging through Percy’s memories and actions of the past, The events of the Wylder’s passage to this world through the Veil Gateway at Crystalode Springs are pulled to the surface of Percy’s mind.
Percy can hear the thoughts of the Weretiger as it considers that perhaps if it can return to this gateway, there may be an opportunity to escape Aerra and find fresh hunting grounds in Terra.
However, In order to find the portal, Percy realizes that Weretiger will not risk damaging Percy’s memories and must keep him intact until the portal is found again.
“Enjoy your small reprieve puny one, The essence of your soul should be perfect for the transition to your other world.”
Percy gets the sense that the Weretiger is perhaps desperate to escape something here on Aerra. As part of their mind connection, Percy finds that he can also see many of Weretiger’s many eons of memories. Percy is even able to read the ancient symbols on the portals in the Hall of Fire because the Tiger understands this ancient language.
In the Hall of Fires, the fight continues, the Weretiger combats and takes damage from the rest of the party. A strange sensation can be felt on the weretiger’s back… a kind of burning. His chest is also beginning to tingle…
The weretiger looks down, surprised to find a thin black bowstring across his chest. The string is hot and searing and burning into his fur. The smell of burned fur also comes from his back.
“What is this? What is burning??”
The Wertiger reaches behind and takes hold of Percy’s Shadow Bow which has been the force burning his back. The Weretiger attempts to throw the bow away but gasps as he discovers that shadowy tendrils from the bow have wrapped around his arm and he is unable to release the bow.
The Shadow Bow has somehow magically remained on the Weretiger’s back despite his morph of Percy’s body. The bow is now slowly enveloping him in its “Shadow Touch”
The Weretiger wheels upon hearing it and says, “No!! Arwan! you bastard!!” It bolts from the fight with the Wylders. Still stuck clutching the bow, and dives randomly into one of the nearby Portals.
As the Weretiger transitions through the portal, all reality momentarily fades for Percy. He finds himself no longer trapped in the mask, but instead, standing naked in a strange and dark shadowland forest. The mask is no longer on his face.
Percy does not know if this is all still something within his own mind, or if he is physically somewhere else. There seems to be no hot or cold, no wind, only a benighted eternal woodland of twisted black tree shadows.
Percy calls out, searching for anything or anyone, within a moment he hears rustling in the murky undergrown and an unwelcome figure emerges. The Weretiger has found him. The Weretiger wears the mask and still holds Percy’s Shadow Bow.
Percy hopes he can perhaps reason or bargain with the weretiger, but the weretiger charges forward, ignoring Percy’s pleas. The being begins growing in size as it leaps, grabbing hold of Percy like he is but a small plaything.
The Weretiger clamps Percy in its mouth drops to all fours (one front paw is still trapped by the shadow bow) and dashes off through the trees.
Moments later, a distant hunting horn sounds, and the baying howl of dogs can be heard. Percy has heard this horn before, and instantly recognizes it as the call of the Wild Hunt!
Percy’s mind flashes back to the terrifying night in Wyoming when he lost his brother. The memory sears him, but the feeling this time is markedly different. This is a far different forest and perhaps not even real. Percy knows he is not the prey this time, the Weretiger is sought by the Wild Hunt.
8c. The Run Down
The Weretiger bounds through the shadow forest away from the sound of the horn but is unable to escape it. The shadow forest shifts around them as the Weretiger flees and the call of the Wild Hunt comes first from behind, then in front, then one side or the other.
The baying of hellhounds grows louder and closer, it is a hopeless moment. Ultimately, after what seems like days of flight, The demon-eyed dogs from the pits overtake and surround the Weretiger, trapping him in a shadowed grove.
Figures on horseback come behind. silent dark hunters with long lances and hanging lifeless banners. The dreadest of these riders comes to the forefront.
Arwan, Lord of the Shadowrealm and leader of the Wild Hunt sits atop a powerful black Destrier. He has no helm, his long white hair flows down over black armored shoulders. A gold and black hunting horn hangs beside the sword at his hip.
Arwan looks down on the Weretiger with ageless dark eyes and a grim smile. The Weretiger speaks, dropping forgotten Percy from its mouth, “Curse you and damn you Shadow Lord for your treacherous ways!”
Arwan laughs, “No, Shirkhala, you well know that it is you who are trapped in a curse, or did you think the mask would hide you from me forever? And I? Damned? How can I be damned when I am master of the damned as you well know. I rule both the damned – and the sublimed! “
Shirkhala says, “Your power diminishes! Perhaps it is true as they say that Yago will defeat you! Are you so in dire need of help that now you turn to Wylders as your poor pawns?”
Arwan says, “This one? (referring to Percy) a new tool from a small set I have bargained for. I fight the Terran Undead with their own Terran living! I fight with every weapon I have. I fight with all the power of the Wild Hunt! And now, you too Shirkhala shall aid me in this battle of the ages, for it is finally time that you joined us, that you took your fore-ordained place in the Wlid Hunt!
Shirkhala growls defiantly, pacing back and forth as though trapped in a cage…
Arwan says, “Come now, I caught you fairly according to our wager and you owe me greatly for the souls you have devoured to keep yourself immortal over these past millennia. Those were my souls by right and thus you belong to me.”
As Arwan speaks, Percy is aware that his mind connection with Shirkhala is still in effect. He sees the memory of Shirkhala shift to his wager with Arwan which took place 3 millennia ago. Since then, Shirkhala has roamed the world to keep free of the Wild Hunt and has hunted and devoured the bodies and souls of thousands across all the Aerran Continents.
More ancient memory visions fleet across the Weretiger’s mind:
– Stalking humans and apes in the deep African jungle
– Hunting wild Yaks in the high mountain passes above the Mongol steppes
– Hiding from dragons that fly over the lush rice paddies in China,
– Battling whirlwind Djinn in the endless sands of Arabia, being tricked by them and imprisoned in the carved mask.
Shirkhala growls again, knowing he has lost the wager and must now obey and fulfill the dark bargain. “And what of this Wylder?” referring to Percy who is lying on the ground at Shirkhala’s feet, “and the mask curse upon me”
Arwan says, “You are freed from the mask. Though it retains from you some of your former strength and power to morph. The mask with both its curse and strength now falls to Percy who shall find it a most painful boon. He cannot escape it just as you could not.”
“Although…” Arwan looks at Shirkhala, musing, “Your body was destroyed by the Djinn as you first became trapped by their curse. But Percy’s body remains intact. I think on Percy, the mask will only manifest whenever he morphs and becomes Weretiger as you did so long ago.”
Shirkhala protests, “But that is not the mask’s purpose! I could never control it!”
Arwan says, “Yes Shirkhala, but you have only ever been Aerran and Weretiger. Unlike you, Percy is alien to this world. He is both a Wylder and Shadow-touched. He can wield Brightiron! The curse was designed for you, not him. His very “Alienness” may grant some measure of control to fight the domination of the curse.
“Do you perceive now what handy tools my Wylders may become? Cursed Yago’s legions of soldiering dead will eventually sweep across our land if we do not fight brightiron with brightiron! None in this world can stand against them long unless we somehow tip the scales.”
Shirkhala growls and is silent, deeply troubled by the thought of facing the soldiering dead.
After a long moment of quiet, Arwan says, “It is time! Shirkhala, I, Arwan, Lord of the Shadowlands and leader of the Wild Hunt hereby use my powers to set aside your curse of the mask and lay upon you a greater one! You are commanded to take your place among us and serve the immortal cause of The Hunt!”
Arwand reaches up and claps his hands above his head, thunder explodes around them all as a roiling column of black Shadowfire drops out of the mists above and strikes Shirkhala, consuming him.
As the blinding flash clears, there is no sign of the Weretiger, Only the Shadow Bow remains on the ground, not far from Percy.
Utter silence fills the grove as stifling magic permeates the air and smothers everyone present with expectation. Even the hellhounds do not whimper.
Beside Arwan seated on his Black Destrier, a dark figure fades into existence. It is Shirkhala, now bound to the hunt and wreathed in shadow. His eyes remain two golden points of light, foretelling the death and terror of anyone he now stalks as part of the hunt.
Arwan turns and addresses Percy, “Take up your bow again Redfeather, It is good to see you and your misfits finally being of some use. I have been patient with all of you as you troop about the Westryn Lands, seemingly going everywhere but toward cursed Yago and his minions.”
“But perhaps you are right as you think, and you need more power and resources before you face the inevitable. Do not waste time though! Every day the enemy’s forces grow. Build your strength, find your allies, the great battles are still to come.”
Percy feels that he does not want to miss this opportunity to ask the Lord of Shadows something, but he can find no words. Arwan wheels his shadowy steed around, blows his great horn and gallops off into the dark mists with his company behind him.
The last figure to pass Percy is familiar to him, it is his shadowed and silent brother, Scotty, riding now eternally with the greatest hunters of all time. Scotty pauses and looks down at him with a faint smile and perhaps some pride, thumps his hand on his heart, and then rides on.
Percy finds himself once again alone among the shadow trees. He picks up the bow, looks after the Wild Hunt, and suddenly convulses with pain as the mask once again appears on his face, taking hold of him and casting him into darkness.
————————
Another memory Percy retains from Shirkhala is that the old woman they met in the tree was a Weretiger acolyte of Shirkhala who sought to trick the Wylders into retrieving the mask of her master, then kill them and take the mask for safekeeping.
8d. Icecairn
The Wylders follow the Weretiger through the portal it has leaped into, desperate to somehow save Percy. They find themselves on a frozen pinnacle, far above a featureless icy plain.
The weretiger is here, just beyond the portal flames, lying unconscious on the stones, the shadow bow still wrapped around its hand.
Moments tick by and everyone freezes as they debate what the hell they are going to do now. Should they try and bind the weretiger? Will they be damaging Percy if the weretiger morphs back?
Icy winds cut through all of the party, reminding them that they must move. Anyone who stays here will die. But the massive tank of fur and claws lying at their feet is immovable.
As the party makes plans to somehow drag the weretiger back into the portal, the weretiger spasms, lets out a great howl, and fades from view. In its place lays Percy, clothed and intact, but clearly suffering the wounds inflicted earlier on the weretiger’s body.
Thaddeus is relieved to see that the mask has fallen from Percy’s face – no trace of it can be found. The party quickly bundles Percy up and pulls him back through the portal to what they hope is a safe return to the Halls of Fire. Their hopes are rewarded when they find themselves once again in the golden hall.
Percy remains unconscious as Lavinia casts a group healing spell and Thaddeus further attends to Percy’s wounds with what bandages he has left.
The party is badly in need of rest and recovery. Setting a watch, they hunker down to get some sleep.
In the morning, much of their vitality has been restored and even Percy revives to tell them of his strange visions.
One of the memories Percy has retained from Shirkhala brings a revelation to the group. The old woman named Akaza whom they had met at her tree den was secretly a Weretiger as well and an acolyte of Shirkhala.
Akaza had charged the Wylders with finding the tiger mask at Firefinger, to trick them into fighting the Pteradon colony for her and retrieving her master.
Akazan then planned to kill them and take the mask for safekeeping.
Now The Wylders must decide how to move forward. Based on Percy’s new Shirkhala memories, they catalog the name of each portal and debate which one they might risk going through as they certainly do not want to return to the frozen pinnacle of yesterday now known as “Icecairn”
They ultimately decide to travel through the portal named “Lumina Cove”
The Halls of Fire are a series of three halls containing almost 20 portals.
List of Portals discovered in the Halls of Fire:
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9a. Tropical Waters
The Wylders step through the portal they have labeled “Lumina Cove” and find themselves on a towering rocky pinnacle in the middle of the waters of a large tropical cove.
They decide to descend the pinnacle using their climbing gear and make plans to traverse the cove waters to the mainland on the east side. They do not know where they are in the world, but they know it is in the south, and because the ocean is to the west and the mainland is to the east, they could even be on the West Coast.
Making it to the beach, Percy attempts spearfishing but cannot find suitable wood for a spear. However, there is ample driftwood for a fire and Percy spots crabs running around on the sand. Josephine is quite happy with this news as she loves crabs, so Percy and Josephine set about getting a campfire going and gathering crabs for a feast.
Thaddeus is more interested in the water. The party estimates that it is about half a mile across the water to the eastern shore, but Thaddeus wants to know what is under the water and goes for a long exploratory swim.
Eighty feet down, Thaddeus spots a sunken wreck on the sandy bottom. As he approaches to investigate, Something shoots out of the wreck through a hole in the side and swims quickly away to the south. All Percy is able to get an impression of is a long tail and flowing hair. Mermaid.
9b. Shipwreck
Thaddeus discovers a shipwreck at the bottom of Lumina Lagoon but he is captured by a mermaid named Keyna.
9c. The Pirate Dead
The Wylders go in search of missing Thaddeus and behind the shipwreck at the bottom of Lumina Lagoon they find the entrance to large natural caverns occupied by a few undead pirates.
9d. Nereo Summons You
As the Wylders are searching Lumina Caverns for Thaddeus, they are approached by a group of Merfolk. The leader of the group simply says, “Nereo summons you to the wedding.” then the Merfolk turn and go, expecting the Wylders to follow.
The Merfolk lead the Wylders to a vast underground lake where a great white whale in a harness is waiting to take them all out into the ocean to an unknown destination.
10a. The Dowry
Whale of a Ride
After Thaddeus is captured, he is taken by the mermaid Keyna and two accompanying mermen to a vast underground lake where they all board a great white whale in a halter.
The whale takes the group out into the ocean and after a few hours travel, they arrive at the undersea city of the Biminian Merfolk called Biminus.
City of the Biminian Merfolk
In Biminus, Thaddeus is taken and presented by Keyna to her father Nereo, Lord of the Biminian Merfolk. Keyna claims Thaddeus by the rites of their culture as her mate!
Nereo interrogates Thaddeus about who he is and where he is from. Upon hearing about the Wylders and their mission from Arwan, Lord of the Shadow Realm, Nereo sends messengers to summon the rest of the Wylders to the pending wedding.
The Dowry
Nereo also presents Thaddeus with his Bride’s Dowry…
10b. A Merfolk Wedding
After the banquet, the rest of the Wylders are shown to guest quarters in the city of Biminus while Thaddeus and Keyna retire to the Newlywed Grotto…
10c. Crabwreck
An alarm goes off signaling that Biminus is under attack from an Ancient Giant Hermit Crab called Crabwreck. The Wylders join in the defense and discover Crabwreck’s only weakness is the soft tissue on his back that can only be accessed through the wrecked ship the hermit crab uses as a shell.
Crabwreck turns and departs into deeper waters. The Wylders are rewarded by Nereo with access to one of his treasure vaults.
After resupplying from the Treasure Vault, the Wylders depart again on the great whale Phyryss for Lumina Cove.
11a. Return to the Cove
When the Wylders return again to Lumina Cove, Thaddeus lays out a message in rocks as a challenge to his undead uncle Jensen Poindexter.
Wylders climb back up the Lumina Cove pinnacle and us the portal to teleport back to the Hall of Fires.
11b. Surrounded by Fire
In the Hall of Fires, the Wylders have decided that they need to pursue their original plan of entering the Faewoode to contact the Fae Queen.
Nereo had given the Wylders a damaged map and what little portal information he knew. Based on this, they choose Celestia’s Veil as their next destination. It was believed that this portal was located on the Southern edge of the Faewoode.
Upon arriving at the Celestia’s Veil pinnacle, the Wylders discovered that all of the forest to the South was blackened and burned. The woods to the East and West were still burning. The woods to the North remained intact but covered in a thick pall of smoke.
The Wylders considered departing back to the Hall of Fires, but a thin cry for help carried on the wind from the South, and the Wylders felt they needed to go help and investigate. Perhaps someone was trapped by the fire…
11c. Burned Pixie Village
The Wylders never discover the source of the first call they heard, but after an hours travel, They discover a burned Pixie village and a Pixie chained to a tree. The Pixie warns them that it is a trap but it is too late and the trap is sprung… Six of the Soldiering Dead have been lying inactive under the burned soil. They spring out and attack the Wylders.
After defeating the Soldiering Dead, the Wylders free the prisoner pixie and attempt to minister to her and talk with her. She says her name is Neluthel, but she soon falls unconscious from her wounds.
The Wylders search what is left of the burned village and find one dwelling partially intact under a burned tree. they retrieve a small wicker box of treasures they believe may belong to the wounded pixie.
The Wylders decide to depart North back to the Celestia’s Veil portal and take the unconscious pixie with them, hoping to heal and revive her.
11d. Elven Patrol
As the Wylders are returning through the burned forest North to the Celestia’s Veil Portal, They come across recent tracks of an elven patrol. They check these tracks for a few minutes and are confronted by a group of undead elves who immediately attack them.
After defeating the undead patrol, the Wylders find an important treasure. A navigation kit is in the patrol leader’s belongings. It includes a manual of celestial navigation as well as an ornate elven sextant.
The Wylders return to Celestia’s Veil, climb the pinnacle and teleport back to the Hall of Fires. They hope that the effects of the magical golden hall may somehow help with the healing of their pixie patient.
12a. Cloud City
The Wylders spend the night at the Verdantus Portal while Raven attempts to use Celestial Navigation to establish where they are on the Aerran map.
12b. Meeting Monte
Monte Vhal
The Wylders meet Monte the Traveling Tinker on the road from the Verdantus Portal to the Faewoode.
Monte shares the “Tale of Moraz, the High Hob” with the Wylders.
A Pixie Pyre
The Wylders and Monte create a funeral pyre for deceased Neluthel, as she had requested and cremate her at sunset.
Monte helps the Wylders keep vigil over the passing of the pixie messenger Neluthel as she succumbs to the deadly ghoul disease.
Later by the fire, Monte shares the “Tale of Eryngath, the Fae Queen’s Consort” with the Wylders
Neluthel has charged the Wylders with delivering her messenger mirror to the Fae Queen herself.
Trading with Monte
The Wylders complete several trades with Monte when he opens up his tinker’s tent – both individual trades as well as group trades from their Bag of Holding:
Group Trades
- 875gp for the sapphire necklace
- 1gp for invisibility eggs
- 300gp for black pearl
- 275gp for 3 ruby
- 175gp for 2 emeralds
- 200gp for 5 opals
- 10gp for saltwater pearl
12c. A Looted Camp
The Wylders come across an abandoned camp with a female dead body laying by the fire. While searching for supplies, part of a ruined journal is found with the last two written pages still intact…
The journal seems to have been kept by someone named Peyton.
12d. Ambush at Angel Bridge
Ambush at Angel Bridge
The Wylders stop and make camp by a large boulder near an enchanted bridge entrance into the Faewoode.
Late that night they are attacked by a band of six Duergar Raiders who have tracked them after they left the Looted Camp the previous evening. It was easy to track the Wylders due to Mastodon tracks!
Warding Stone
The Wylders defeat three of the Duergar Raiders and the rest flee. In the light of morning, the Wylders examine the area around the bridge and discover that the large stone in their battle area contains a warding rune that was damaged during the fight.
Map to Abandoned Mine
As the Wylders are checking the bodies of the fallen Duergar, one of them is not dead and is crawling to escape. Percy captures the escaping Duergar.
The bodies of the Fallen Duergar contain a crude map that marks a nearby abandoned mine as well as a list of slaves that may be kept there.
12e. Shallow Creek Mine
The Wylders have found that due to the broken warding rune at the Angel Bridge, it is not possible to cross into the Faewoode that way.
They have a crude Duergar map showing the position of the probable Duergar Hideout. The map also shows a Troll Bridge further North that could possibly go into the Faewoode.
They decide to retrace their steps to the Looted Camp they passed and try tracking the Duergar from there to the abandoned Shallow Creek Mine to free the three prisoners on the Slave List looted from the fallen Duergar in last night’s ambush.
The party enters Shallow Creek Mine with their Duergar prisoner. Theyh encounter a mud pit they must go down into. They find a satchel in the pit that includes a sealed scroll of Summon Past Companion that may be very important to Josephine.
Climbing the other side of the mud pit, the party’s position is given away by their Duergar prisoner. They can hear other Duergar somewhere in the mine ahead of them hiding in the dark.
At a crossroads, They place trip wires on the front and right passages, choosing to try the left passage.
Williburis Gurthndir
Williburis Gurthndir is a happy-go-lucky spirit, he takes being a ghost lightly considering the circumstances.
Williburis wants the mirror to be returned to the memorial in the forge so his soul can be remembered by the dwarven mountain Gods and he can be released from this place.
Williburis is happy to answer questions about the mine. He will also make fun of you if you mess up.