Yesterday we picked up with the group back at the Temple Barge,
and you headed out carrying everything and everyone you could to leave Pavis
County for who knows how long.
Groloday explained that wagons and mules were ready to hurry you down a
backroad trail to Garhound at the Pavis/Sun County border, where a contact
would give you disguises and false bona fides so you could cross the border
into Sun County safely. Srussut
remained behind to relay the message to latecomers Ji and Dorgon that they
should meet at Geo's Garhound Inn, where an ally of Groloday would help them
reconnect with the party.
En route to Garhound, the main group had little problem except a
brief scare when a Lunar patrol kicked up a big dust cloud behind them, but was
intercepted by a second dust cloud leaving Groloday grinning, "Glad they
got it together in time! It worked,
so we should have safe travel to Garhound now. You rode along rough trails on the
western edge of Vulture Country down to Garhound, and rejoined the main road to
Garhound just outside the walls, where Groloday directed you to stop at a
ramshackle merchant's trading post.
There you met Nikolai the Issaries merchant from Pavis, who had more
mules, cloaked disguises, and forged bona fides to help you cross the last
Lunar checkpoint before Sun County.
Nikolai is a chatty character and soon engaged Blu in a contest of wits,
which Blu won. Nikolai tried to convince Groloday to pay him more than the
2000L offered for the help, but Groloday maintained that it was generous enough
despite the dangers.
Inside Garhound, which had a scant Lunar presence, you came to
Geo's tavern and met the innkeep, Brodoban Narkolomir, who seemed to be a
trusted friend of Groloday and whatever organization he served (Nikolai was
just hired by middle-men to arrange the handoff of gear and act as a savvy
guide). You had quiet conversation
there in the safety of Geo's. The
plan was to find a Murgan Waddee, the Issaries innkeep of the Light House Inn
inside the walls of the Sun Dome Temple.
He was recommended as a knowledgeable man who might give you information
on those seeking sanctuary at the SDT.
Next morning, Blu and Chendry remained behind to hide out, while
Caernak (and Rup?) went elsewhere (or did they stay... I lost track here... help)
and the others (Arcus+family, Dori+child, Groloday, Nikolai, others?) went
south across the border without incident, arriving safely at the SDT by
nightfall, met just outside the walls by an exhausted group of riders including
Dorgon, Ji, and Elohwyn. You
pledged to the gate Templars that you did not seek sanctuary within the walls,
and were led to the Inn, which was the only place you were allowed access to.
Inside, you met Murgan who was chatting with local Sun Domer
farmer friends while a table of dusty merchants from Sartar/Prax chatted
nearby. Groloday and others struck
up conversation with Murgan, who refused to lower the 1W/drink or room cost
(yikes!) but offered as much food as you could eat with each drink. You nursed your first round while you
got the scoop on those in sanctuary here:
1. Kegan Stormson, a former Sartarite rebel who was a key player
in the 1615 Starbrow Rebellion, then helped start the Cold Wind terrorist cell
before Lunar pursuit in 1615 forced him to run for sanctuary here, bringing the
anger of Lunar authorities on Count Solanthos Ironpike, who then proclaimed new
literal interpretations of the sanctuary rules, making it harder for people to
gain sanctuary there. Kegan showed
up later; he's now a more pacifistic Yelmalion convert but still loves good
drink, song, and tales of Lunar wrongdoings. Elohwyn was enraptured by his tales and
former heroism but found that Nikolai caught her eye more dearly...
2. The Third Man, a mysterious individual who arrived here over
30 years ago and has stayed without saying more than 2 words since arriving,
but has been treated well and helps the Chalana Arroy healers at the hospital.
3. Lady Velota, an elven Wood Lady from the Pavis Garden seeking
refuge from vengeful Zorak Zorani trolls.
#2 and #3 never appeared at the Inn.
4. Coriander, a Lunar official of some former influence who flew
over the SDT walls on a sylph 5 years ago and gained sanctuary, much to the chagrin of the Count. He
arrived soon and sat down alone to look over scholarly scrolls.
5. Gralon of Tarsh, who came 2 seasons ago and drove the gate
guards mad, then dashed into the SDT to gain sanctuary. He also arrived later in the night. Groloday, Ji, and Dorgon swept in to
talk to him. He was interested in
their stories of the events in Pavis, then left to finish his nightly chores
after they told him of the 7 "White Moon" Monks looking for him.
Back in the Inn, Coriander overheard talk of the events in Pavis
and came over very interested, blurting out that the monks were not after
Gralon but more likely him, and he wanted help leaving the SDT safely in return
for his silence about the likely rebel affiliations of the party. These monks were not of the White Moon
he insisted, but were assassins out to kill him! He said Gralon snuck out the back door
of the In looking worried, and was
surely about to flee. You sat
Coriander down at a distant table and grilled him. He used to be a high-ranking priest of
the Red Moon (Sedenya), but was ousted from power in the Heartland after a Dart
War left his noble house dead or exiled, and he fled here to get sanctuary from
his foes in the Empire. He wanted
to get away from Prax and the Lunars forever, but first knew that he had to
help the party stop Gralon, who Coriander claimed was up to evil magics that he
had been seen practicing for.
Coriander was intentionally vague, knowing that his secrets kept him
valuable to the party, but revealed that the evil magics of Gralon threatened
many good people of the River Valley.
Coriander then went to bed.
Arcus went to find Lord Belvani and warn the Count of the dangers
related to Gralon and the monks, but guards made him wait for Adio, one of
Belvani's bodyguards, who said that "the Count knows all" and
"Gralon of Tarsh has already left the SDT".
Soon after Arcus returned, Coriander stumbled downstairs with a
bloodied head, saying that he'd been knocked out and left for dead by Gralon,
but recovered and healed himself.
He was beyond words with fear of what Gralon would do and begged for
immediate help, wanting to leave the SDT and track down Gralon to stop his evil
acts.
Arcus prepared to inform Belvani of this development, but a full
file of Templars led by Adio showed up at that moment and asked the party quite
politely to leave the compound with Coriander immediately, and make due haste
to leave Sun County thereafter. Coriander
said that he knew Gralon was headed north, but would not reveal where or how he
knew. Some of you rested outside
and Arcus found a safe way to get his family to the village of Goldbreath, but
the heathy fighters trudged onward, urged by patrols to leave. You heard that Gralon had lept the walls
on a sylph only a few hours earlier.
A hot day riding into the northeastern badlands of Sun
County. You reached the northern
border the next day, spotting a ~50man Sable rider force coming toward the SDT
early in the morning, then a Templar unit riding to meet you by nightfall at
the border, where Adio again appeared and said that they were there to ensure
your safe passage out of the county, with fresh horses and supplies. They made breakfast of oatmeal for you
in the morning and helped you ford the river into Pavis County, then watched
you ride north following Coriander's directions. Very soon you found the body of a Pavis
County zebra rider messenger, with no sign of death but judging from the attendant
scavengers only a few hours dead.
Tracks showed him riding here from the west, then the tracks of a booted
man appearing out of nowhere at his body and riding off on the zebra. A few more days of weary travel and you
reached the town of Far End; Dorgon's survival skills helped keep you from
extreme danger from the heat or water loss. Along the way you found a messily
killed llama that Gralon must have gotten food from, and Coriander seemed to be
warming up to you, trusting you more.
He revealed that Coriander was a silly alias he took during sanctuary,
and his real name is Lukaros, while Gralon is really called Nolantor. Nolantor was another prominent Lunar
official who did obscene experiments with evil Lunar sorceries in the heartland
but was also forced out, and seems to be plotting something very big and nasty
with his talents.
At Far End, you heard that Lukaros had passed this way looking in
bad shape, but bought gear with his last pennies and left for the north trail
into the Desolation Hills, which would either lead him into the impassable
Rockwood Mountains, or to the desert Wastelands. A large caravan of foreign merchants was
just a few days north of you, easily caught in time to restock supplies. You got plenty of gear and followed him,
finding his camp outside of town soon after, but his tracks were hard to follow
on this trail. Lukaros insisted
that he stayed the course north.
Yet around
At this spring, Lukaros yelled "Lunar magics swell, arm
yourselves! They come for
me!" And you threw magics
aplenty for a few round, watching for the assassins. They manifested out of
nothingness to attack you, and were fierce fighters: six cloaked men (all ~90%
skills!) who threw Madness spells and worked well as a tandem unit, and a
seventh creature who had a broo's head and iron scale armor and mastery of the
scimitar. It was a tough fight and
you all fought fiercely. Luckily
their Madness spells all failed (Lukaros will explain later that their favored
tactic is to drive men mad, then use Command Lunatic magic on them to force
them to kill their friends -- just think if Elohwyn had gone mad!). One by one, you dropped the monks while
the broo-headed man (probably Ronan the Prosecutor) fought with amazing skill,
disabling Groloday down twice, then almost killing Lukaros who healed himself
while Ji got in the way. Ronan was
very tough (120% sword, lots of magic, good sword) and seemed immune to most of
your weapons and Elohwyn's spirit.
But Ji's Fireblade got a lucky blow, and severed Ronan's head cleanly,
ending the fight just as Elohwyn managed to step in.
We'll pick up there next time -- no time to loot bodies etc right
away, so hold back on that. Some
people's wounds are burning with poisons... and you're out of Heal Body!