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Stahl Campaign, Session #15, (10/19/03)
After everything that has happened in the last week, it’s a wonder that I even remembered this journal. Between cults, elemental beings, stolen rings, and the undead, we’ve all had our hands full.
Everything began the evening after my last entry. We went out in the weather again, and fought a very big creeper. This thing had to be over ten feet tall. It gave its death yell, warning those of its kind of its fate. There were replies, so we tried to follow them.
Looking back, it’s really quite amusing. The rain is falling hard enough to sting, we’re in a city full of stone, and we’re trying to track these monsters. I believe that we are probably lucky to have walked into what we’ve fought so far.
Rounding a corner, though, I think our luck nearly ran out. There was another large animal. This time, though, it was a dog. At least, it looked like a dog. No canine I have ever met could call down lighting the way this one was, and the bolts of energy running across its hide could only hint at its danger to those who combated it.
We backed away from the thunderhound, and it never noticed us. We didn’t hesitate to go back to the inn after that. I bathed, and fell asleep before I could finish polishing my armor. I had been pushing myself far harder than I probably should have, and it caught up with me.
The next morning, after my morning devotions, I went in search of Malachi. He hadn’t been around us lately. In fact, he had gotten a job. I wondered if this was his way of saying that he wasn’t going to worry about trying to get back to Faerun. Honestly, though, I wonder if I would go back if given the chance.
I found him patrolling in the homestead area north of town. There were a few standing buildings, and those needed to be protected. I joined Malachi on his rounds, more for a chance to chat with Malachi, than any belief that my help was really needed. This is, after all, the Halfling who stayed behind in Stahl to confront the Arch-Duke.
Things were pretty quiet, and we had one more house to check on before we could return to town. A knock at the door brought whispered conversation, and then silence. We knocked again, and someone said that things were alright, we could leave. Something in the voice sounded, wrong, for lack of a better word.
Malachi and I gained entry using Diesel to open their front door. I ran in, fearing that I would find a grisly scene. I found something that would seem perfectly normal, if not for the fact that I had just knocked the door in: A man and woman, sitting on the couch in the main room, looking at me.
The man was antagonistic, and the woman seemed genuinely frightened of him, which gave me doubts about him. Even if he really was her husband, which I doubted, I wasn’t going to brook abuse of an innocent, either.
Malachi checked the rest of the house, and calmly informed me that there was a thunderhound in the kitchen. I tried to get the people to leave, while Malachi began to fight it. The couple and I got outside, where Diesel was waiting. He then claimed that he was about to leave when I broke in. Remembering the way he’d been when I entered, I doubted it.
I put the woman on Diesel. The man was about to climb up there as well, and I told him that he had to stay on the ground. Diesel was to carry the woman on ahead to town. Malachi came out, and said that the hound was dead.
What happened next is a slight blur, but it ended with Malachi slapping a manacle on the man’s wrist, and saying that we were going to town. Oh yes, the man said he’d just wander around the homesteads. He resisted more and more, until Malachi had to use force, leading to the manacles.
We began to walk back to town. For some reason, the man kept rubbing his face with his right hand. A jeweled ring sparkled on his finger. The gem was black, but glowed, if black could be said to glow. Lightning began to strike closer and closer to us, and we had to hurry. I began to think that he had summoned another thunderhound on us.
That’s when the guy began to laugh. He told us how he’d stolen the ring from an Aradahes (ARA-des) shrine, and that he’d called to one of them, and said he’d stolen the ring. I vaguely remembered what an aradahes was from a previous conversation. They are very large, standing over 20 feet tall. An aradahes is considered a lightning fae elemental, which means that it can travel across its element very easily. They don’t worry much about good or evil, but have a strict set of rules that they obey, and are easily offended.
The lightning flashes behind us were almost certainly one attempting to catch up with us. I took the ring from the man, since he’d confessed that he’d stolen it, and told Malachi to go on ahead.
Turning around, sword sheathed, I held the ring aloft in my hand. The lightning flashed closer and closer, until before me appeared a perfect example of an aradahes. I called out to it, and indicated that I had its ring, which I had taken from the thief. He motioned for me to set it down, and back away. After retrieving it, he informed me that he wanted the thief. I told him that we’d work something out to deliver him to the aradahes, since he had a valid claim.
Right before he left, he implied that he had an issue with Vishai, but I never learned what it was. I need to remember to look that up when I get back into Vishai. I can only hope that I’m not too late to do something about it.
Reaching town, I went back to the inn, and spoke with the woman, who confirmed that the man was not her husband. She then told me that he was a sorcerer of some power, and said that she needed more sleep. I left her to her much-needed rest, and ran to the dungeons, and found that Malachi was just getting him there. I sometimes forget that I have longer legs.
We related the events of his capture to Malachi’s superiors. Upon hearing of the personal involvement of an aradahes, the lieutenant drew his weapon, and though I moved to stop him, severed the sorcerer’s head from his body. While I was planning to take this man outside the city, I didn’t see a need to harm him until then. I did take him well outside the city, and, worrying about regeneration, stuck his head on a branch stuck in the ground, well away from his body.
Later, I learned from burne that the rae had been stolen. While this bothered me slightly, since I had planned to repair my equipment and improve my weapons and armor, I accepted it as a sacrifice that had been destined to happen. What I didn’t like, though, was the fact that there was a secret tunnel leading from the minter directly in the direction where the minters had gone, or that Osborn and burne had broken into the shop to learn this.
Malachi came in, and Aza soon followed. When they learned of the fate of the rae and Orvek’s past, they agreed we needed to find this Orvek. As the story goes, Orvek was last seen several hundred years before the rise of the Delunian Empire, which was several hundred years ago. Aza was so ready to go that he wanted to leave everyone else. I suggested that we wait for morning at least, but he insisted.
I left a note for the others, in case they showed up after we left, and into the stormy night we went. Interestingly, we were headed back for Fortune’s Pass. This bothered me, as I remembered the company of soldiers we had passed. What if they ran into Orvek, who is likely some powerful kind of undead, and were decimated to a man?
Over the next several days, we travelled all day, and only rested long enough to recover our strength. Aza was pushing us hard, and I didn’t understand why. He was originally willing to ride his horse into the ground, and then continue on foot, but I was able to talk him out of such foolishness.
At last, we reached the entrance to the pass, and my worst fears were confirmed: On a stick in the center of the road was a soldier’s head. Its placement left little doubt that it was left as a warning. I built a cairn for the fallen warrior, and we headed on. Soon, we found the captain and the rest of his men. They were all dead, as well. Onward we travelled, my temper getting worse and worse.
By that afternoon, we came to a place where the road went around a bend and upward. Hearing voices coming from that direction, Malachi went to investigate. I thought about the dead guards, and the callous way that someone had butchered the bodies and left them exposed to the elements.
Malachi returned, and described a group of savages, covered in blood, who spoke in common briefly, and then switched to a strange dialect. I was reminded of a sign that we’d seen, which warned of the Sons of Gaerdna.
My book of religion mentioned Gaerdna. He was an evil deity, like B’Permak, but without his charm. The two evil deities even briefly warred, with B’Permak winning. Worshippers of Geardna covered themselves in blood, and were fanatical about their devotion.
It was at that moment I realized what had happened to the patrol. It wasn’t the undead, as I thought, but these cultists. And I would bring justice down upon them.
We readied for battle, and one of the cultists pulled some rae out of their loincloths. He stuffed it back, but not before I heard a yell, and looked up.
Coming down the side of the mountain, seemingly flying and running simultaneously, was burne. I saw Kierst and Osborn on the side of the pass as well. Surprised, but thankful, for this bit of providence, I charged into battle.
The pass was tight and it was not easy to work into the fray. Malachi sidestepped to allow me room, and we finished off his first combatant. I cast Bull’s Strength on myself, knowing that it might be needed. I then turned my attention to the leader.
Time slowed down. The sounds of the dying faded to a whisper. The clash of steel was just the tinkling of bells in the far distance. Standing before me, covered in the blood of her enemies, and her own blood, was the leader of the cultists. She struck a menacing stance, brandishing a bastard sword of her own.
Realizing that I needed to end her threat, and quickly, I dropped my shield, and grabbed my sword in both hands. I came in a downward arc toward her right shoulder; she stepped lightly out of the way, and raised her own sword in retaliation.
She never got the chance. Moving faster than I ever did before, I shifted my grip, stepped forward, and brought it across her middle. I knew I had hit her, but at that moment, I felt a force helping me push the sword through her. There was a brilliant flash of light, and my blade exited her other side, cutting her in two. Lifelessly, her sword fell from her fingers, and she dropped to the ground with a sickening thud.
That had an immediate and advantageous effect on the battle. The two remaining cultists quit fighting, and rushed to her, pleading with her to not die. I was preparing to take the cultists captive, when my companions decided to kill them instead.
Let me explain something. I’ve known Malachi, Aza, and Osborn for two or three months. They’ve shown themselves to be brave, daring, and just insane enough to fight against the odds. They know how I feel about that kind of thing, yet have no issues with continuing to do it.
Increasingly, Malachi is the only one I feel I know. Aza has too many secrets, and this insistence to find Orvek, when he’d already given up his share of the money, puzzles and troubles me. Osborn is evasive at times, and I wonder if I am aware of everything that goes on with him.
Kierst and burne have only showed up recently, but I already am increasingly leery of his connection to Varliss. Now that burne has acquired a coin, too, I wonder what will happen next.
Anyway, we burned the dead, and Kierst mentioned that there were more in an underground tunnel that led to here from the minter’s. While I grieved to learn of the deaths of the minters and their aides, I knew something was up, and it would be impractical at best to go down there to recover the corpses.
That’s when the mists started flowing back in, and Aza spoke with someone who appeared on the edges. He came back, and we set up camp in a cave, away from the smell of burning bodies. I never heard if Aza told us what that was about, since I was worn out from our rushed journey to the mountains.
The next day, I found myself dozing while I rode Diesel. I woke up when I heard burne give a shout that sounded too much like a death cry. Hopping off Diesel, I closed with these tattooed brutes, and helped the others dispatch the menaces. When they died, they dissolved into ribbons of flesh.
I healed burne some, and helped him stand. I then realized we were not alone. The shadowy figure in the mists was back. This time, though, we learned that we were to go see “Lord Orvek.” On my guard, I decided to go on in, since I came to investigate Orvek’s connection to the minters. Everyone else began to follow after me, except for Aza. He was ahead of even me.
We were lead through the mountain’s interior, and passed a row of paintings. To my revulsion, the figure in the painting had fangs, like a vampire. Suddenly, I knew what we were dealing with. A glance at Malachi showed that he recognized the same thing.
Our escort took us to a corridor of sleeping rooms, and said that the Lord would see us soon, but for us to rest first. He started to close the door, when I heard a key rattling in the lock. I snatched the door open, and told him not to lock it from the outside.
I called Osborn over, who broke the lock mechanism, and we jammed something under the door from our side. I suggested that we sleep in the hall, in watches. I couldn’t help but remember Stahl, with its secret passageways into bedrooms and who knows where else. Aza, though, settled down happily and began to eat a sandwich and read a book he had. Malachi left, and said for us to kill him if he came back a vampire.
I took first watch, and nothing has happened. Malachi hasn’t come back yet, though, and I’m beginning to wonder about him. For now, my watch is over, and I must get some sleep.
After everything that has happened in the last week, it’s a wonder that I even remembered this journal. Between cults, elemental beings, stolen rings, and the undead, we’ve all had our hands full.
Everything began the evening after my last entry. We went out in the weather again, and fought a very big creeper. This thing had to be over ten feet tall. It gave its death yell, warning those of its kind of its fate. There were replies, so we tried to follow them.
Looking back, it’s really quite amusing. The rain is falling hard enough to sting, we’re in a city full of stone, and we’re trying to track these monsters. I believe that we are probably lucky to have walked into what we’ve fought so far.
Rounding a corner, though, I think our luck nearly ran out. There was another large animal. This time, though, it was a dog. At least, it looked like a dog. No canine I have ever met could call down lighting the way this one was, and the bolts of energy running across its hide could only hint at its danger to those who combated it.
We backed away from the thunderhound, and it never noticed us. We didn’t hesitate to go back to the inn after that. I bathed, and fell asleep before I could finish polishing my armor. I had been pushing myself far harder than I probably should have, and it caught up with me.
The next morning, after my morning devotions, I went in search of Malachi. He hadn’t been around us lately. In fact, he had gotten a job. I wondered if this was his way of saying that he wasn’t going to worry about trying to get back to Faerun. Honestly, though, I wonder if I would go back if given the chance.
I found him patrolling in the homestead area north of town. There were a few standing buildings, and those needed to be protected. I joined Malachi on his rounds, more for a chance to chat with Malachi, than any belief that my help was really needed. This is, after all, the Halfling who stayed behind in Stahl to confront the Arch-Duke.
Things were pretty quiet, and we had one more house to check on before we could return to town. A knock at the door brought whispered conversation, and then silence. We knocked again, and someone said that things were alright, we could leave. Something in the voice sounded, wrong, for lack of a better word.
Malachi and I gained entry using Diesel to open their front door. I ran in, fearing that I would find a grisly scene. I found something that would seem perfectly normal, if not for the fact that I had just knocked the door in: A man and woman, sitting on the couch in the main room, looking at me.
The man was antagonistic, and the woman seemed genuinely frightened of him, which gave me doubts about him. Even if he really was her husband, which I doubted, I wasn’t going to brook abuse of an innocent, either.
Malachi checked the rest of the house, and calmly informed me that there was a thunderhound in the kitchen. I tried to get the people to leave, while Malachi began to fight it. The couple and I got outside, where Diesel was waiting. He then claimed that he was about to leave when I broke in. Remembering the way he’d been when I entered, I doubted it.
I put the woman on Diesel. The man was about to climb up there as well, and I told him that he had to stay on the ground. Diesel was to carry the woman on ahead to town. Malachi came out, and said that the hound was dead.
What happened next is a slight blur, but it ended with Malachi slapping a manacle on the man’s wrist, and saying that we were going to town. Oh yes, the man said he’d just wander around the homesteads. He resisted more and more, until Malachi had to use force, leading to the manacles.
We began to walk back to town. For some reason, the man kept rubbing his face with his right hand. A jeweled ring sparkled on his finger. The gem was black, but glowed, if black could be said to glow. Lightning began to strike closer and closer to us, and we had to hurry. I began to think that he had summoned another thunderhound on us.
That’s when the guy began to laugh. He told us how he’d stolen the ring from an Aradahes (ARA-des) shrine, and that he’d called to one of them, and said he’d stolen the ring. I vaguely remembered what an aradahes was from a previous conversation. They are very large, standing over 20 feet tall. An aradahes is considered a lightning fae elemental, which means that it can travel across its element very easily. They don’t worry much about good or evil, but have a strict set of rules that they obey, and are easily offended.
The lightning flashes behind us were almost certainly one attempting to catch up with us. I took the ring from the man, since he’d confessed that he’d stolen it, and told Malachi to go on ahead.
Turning around, sword sheathed, I held the ring aloft in my hand. The lightning flashed closer and closer, until before me appeared a perfect example of an aradahes. I called out to it, and indicated that I had its ring, which I had taken from the thief. He motioned for me to set it down, and back away. After retrieving it, he informed me that he wanted the thief. I told him that we’d work something out to deliver him to the aradahes, since he had a valid claim.
Right before he left, he implied that he had an issue with Vishai, but I never learned what it was. I need to remember to look that up when I get back into Vishai. I can only hope that I’m not too late to do something about it.
Reaching town, I went back to the inn, and spoke with the woman, who confirmed that the man was not her husband. She then told me that he was a sorcerer of some power, and said that she needed more sleep. I left her to her much-needed rest, and ran to the dungeons, and found that Malachi was just getting him there. I sometimes forget that I have longer legs.
We related the events of his capture to Malachi’s superiors. Upon hearing of the personal involvement of an aradahes, the lieutenant drew his weapon, and though I moved to stop him, severed the sorcerer’s head from his body. While I was planning to take this man outside the city, I didn’t see a need to harm him until then. I did take him well outside the city, and, worrying about regeneration, stuck his head on a branch stuck in the ground, well away from his body.
Later, I learned from burne that the rae had been stolen. While this bothered me slightly, since I had planned to repair my equipment and improve my weapons and armor, I accepted it as a sacrifice that had been destined to happen. What I didn’t like, though, was the fact that there was a secret tunnel leading from the minter directly in the direction where the minters had gone, or that Osborn and burne had broken into the shop to learn this.
Malachi came in, and Aza soon followed. When they learned of the fate of the rae and Orvek’s past, they agreed we needed to find this Orvek. As the story goes, Orvek was last seen several hundred years before the rise of the Delunian Empire, which was several hundred years ago. Aza was so ready to go that he wanted to leave everyone else. I suggested that we wait for morning at least, but he insisted.
I left a note for the others, in case they showed up after we left, and into the stormy night we went. Interestingly, we were headed back for Fortune’s Pass. This bothered me, as I remembered the company of soldiers we had passed. What if they ran into Orvek, who is likely some powerful kind of undead, and were decimated to a man?
Over the next several days, we travelled all day, and only rested long enough to recover our strength. Aza was pushing us hard, and I didn’t understand why. He was originally willing to ride his horse into the ground, and then continue on foot, but I was able to talk him out of such foolishness.
At last, we reached the entrance to the pass, and my worst fears were confirmed: On a stick in the center of the road was a soldier’s head. Its placement left little doubt that it was left as a warning. I built a cairn for the fallen warrior, and we headed on. Soon, we found the captain and the rest of his men. They were all dead, as well. Onward we travelled, my temper getting worse and worse.
By that afternoon, we came to a place where the road went around a bend and upward. Hearing voices coming from that direction, Malachi went to investigate. I thought about the dead guards, and the callous way that someone had butchered the bodies and left them exposed to the elements.
Malachi returned, and described a group of savages, covered in blood, who spoke in common briefly, and then switched to a strange dialect. I was reminded of a sign that we’d seen, which warned of the Sons of Gaerdna.
My book of religion mentioned Gaerdna. He was an evil deity, like B’Permak, but without his charm. The two evil deities even briefly warred, with B’Permak winning. Worshippers of Geardna covered themselves in blood, and were fanatical about their devotion.
It was at that moment I realized what had happened to the patrol. It wasn’t the undead, as I thought, but these cultists. And I would bring justice down upon them.
We readied for battle, and one of the cultists pulled some rae out of their loincloths. He stuffed it back, but not before I heard a yell, and looked up.
Coming down the side of the mountain, seemingly flying and running simultaneously, was burne. I saw Kierst and Osborn on the side of the pass as well. Surprised, but thankful, for this bit of providence, I charged into battle.
The pass was tight and it was not easy to work into the fray. Malachi sidestepped to allow me room, and we finished off his first combatant. I cast Bull’s Strength on myself, knowing that it might be needed. I then turned my attention to the leader.
Time slowed down. The sounds of the dying faded to a whisper. The clash of steel was just the tinkling of bells in the far distance. Standing before me, covered in the blood of her enemies, and her own blood, was the leader of the cultists. She struck a menacing stance, brandishing a bastard sword of her own.
Realizing that I needed to end her threat, and quickly, I dropped my shield, and grabbed my sword in both hands. I came in a downward arc toward her right shoulder; she stepped lightly out of the way, and raised her own sword in retaliation.
She never got the chance. Moving faster than I ever did before, I shifted my grip, stepped forward, and brought it across her middle. I knew I had hit her, but at that moment, I felt a force helping me push the sword through her. There was a brilliant flash of light, and my blade exited her other side, cutting her in two. Lifelessly, her sword fell from her fingers, and she dropped to the ground with a sickening thud.
That had an immediate and advantageous effect on the battle. The two remaining cultists quit fighting, and rushed to her, pleading with her to not die. I was preparing to take the cultists captive, when my companions decided to kill them instead.
Let me explain something. I’ve known Malachi, Aza, and Osborn for two or three months. They’ve shown themselves to be brave, daring, and just insane enough to fight against the odds. They know how I feel about that kind of thing, yet have no issues with continuing to do it.
Increasingly, Malachi is the only one I feel I know. Aza has too many secrets, and this insistence to find Orvek, when he’d already given up his share of the money, puzzles and troubles me. Osborn is evasive at times, and I wonder if I am aware of everything that goes on with him.
Kierst and burne have only showed up recently, but I already am increasingly leery of his connection to Varliss. Now that burne has acquired a coin, too, I wonder what will happen next.
Anyway, we burned the dead, and Kierst mentioned that there were more in an underground tunnel that led to here from the minter’s. While I grieved to learn of the deaths of the minters and their aides, I knew something was up, and it would be impractical at best to go down there to recover the corpses.
That’s when the mists started flowing back in, and Aza spoke with someone who appeared on the edges. He came back, and we set up camp in a cave, away from the smell of burning bodies. I never heard if Aza told us what that was about, since I was worn out from our rushed journey to the mountains.
The next day, I found myself dozing while I rode Diesel. I woke up when I heard burne give a shout that sounded too much like a death cry. Hopping off Diesel, I closed with these tattooed brutes, and helped the others dispatch the menaces. When they died, they dissolved into ribbons of flesh.
I healed burne some, and helped him stand. I then realized we were not alone. The shadowy figure in the mists was back. This time, though, we learned that we were to go see “Lord Orvek.” On my guard, I decided to go on in, since I came to investigate Orvek’s connection to the minters. Everyone else began to follow after me, except for Aza. He was ahead of even me.
We were lead through the mountain’s interior, and passed a row of paintings. To my revulsion, the figure in the painting had fangs, like a vampire. Suddenly, I knew what we were dealing with. A glance at Malachi showed that he recognized the same thing.
Our escort took us to a corridor of sleeping rooms, and said that the Lord would see us soon, but for us to rest first. He started to close the door, when I heard a key rattling in the lock. I snatched the door open, and told him not to lock it from the outside.
I called Osborn over, who broke the lock mechanism, and we jammed something under the door from our side. I suggested that we sleep in the hall, in watches. I couldn’t help but remember Stahl, with its secret passageways into bedrooms and who knows where else. Aza, though, settled down happily and began to eat a sandwich and read a book he had. Malachi left, and said for us to kill him if he came back a vampire.
I took first watch, and nothing has happened. Malachi hasn’t come back yet, though, and I’m beginning to wonder about him. For now, my watch is over, and I must get some sleep.
