When last we saw our heroes, they were laying in wait for a Black Rune dwarf slaver wagon. Ready with spells, arrows and weapons, the group had Master Senji take the riverboat upriver with Cedric sick with a fever and Cheeta tending to him.As the two-wheeled cart approached the bridge over the river, the group struck - the crack of Doctor Holliday's musket starting the ambush. the musket ball and then arrow from Robin Hood, then Kantiff fired and struck the beardless dwarf in glossy black leather armour. Then Extrano's bolts of energy slammed into him as well. The Witch doctor Baris, put up an area of spiky plants in front of the horse and wagon and the alarmed beast reared up. Combat was joined.
As more missiles magical and not slammed into the dwarf, he fell out of his seat, bleeding out on the ground. One of the 2 outriders, had his warhorse attack Baris and the massive hooves crashed down onto the witch doctor.
One of the prisoners - surprisingly - opened the cage door and jumped up onto the top of the wagon yelling at the group to stop. A second 'prisoner' jumped out, and started to tend to the dwarf. The adventurers faltered. This, was not what one thought slaves would do for a slaver? After some wary negotiation, it came about this was NOT a Black Rune Clan (BRC) dwarf. He - now being tended to by an older woman who went by the name Leesha - was a gnome. It seemed he - Hiljanus Tesorrn went under cover to help slaves and get them away from the BRC.
With the Doctor Holliday's help and some healing from the Witch doctor - the group were very leery of the wooden-masked man at first - Hiljanus recovered from the various wounds inflicted on the gnome. The 3 slaves were comprised of the older woman, a dark-skinned white haired elf - a drow - by the name of Saris and a young girl whom was unconscious. She had Extrano noted a tattoo of a god the birdman knew well from Verbobonc - Saint Cuthbert. The wizard learns of his final messenger run - the Wizard's tome. It was for a wizard's manse! The Rule of Five. Five arch wizards of the realm, owned the building that once was at the location he was supposed to deliver the book to. The manse disappeared? Possibly magically transported..? The gnome and his team appreciated the heroes forthright support and welcomed them to a hidden vale they called home.
Taking the steamboat further upriver, they met up with the disguised Hiljanus and his team once again. Taking leave of Master Senji and Cheeta, the group traveled by a rutted path just wide enough for the wagon until a turn with a large nondescript tree. the two outriders - Lenis and Sarah quickly jump off their horses and move a blind of camouflaged leaves to reveal a path. Letting the wagon by the two riders quickly and efficiently hide the path and catch up to the wagon and party walking along.
Traveling over fairly rough terrain and through wast deep snow they finally come to edge of a cliff and a zig-zag trail going into a valley. Serene and beautiful, a waterfall - frozen in the winter - showers down to a small lake. A group of buildings are near the frozen lake. The party sees a few small figures out on the frozen. huddled over something.
Taking the group down to the vale, Hiljanus tells them of his work to fight the Black Rune Clan and save as many slaves as possible. Nearly all the people here were once slaves. After the party
arrives, a young gnome lad runs up and looking curiously at the group, whispers
to Hiljamus. The gnome looks concerned.
“There is a.. “ Hiljanus
pauses and continues “something I must deal with. Reed, take these guests up to
the Manor house. Tell Seweena to prepare rooms and dinner for them. “ Rubbing the boys curly hair, he nods, “Now
go. I will deal with the well.”
The young gnome dips his head and start scurrying around the group, trying to hurry them.The manor house is a
2 story building, L-shaped, the one side made for small folk, the long “l” part
of the L for man-sized creatures. Entering through the
gnome sized area, door, tables chairs and more are all small.
Reed yells out for “
Weena!”
A female human
woman, greying long brown hair in a ponytail, weathered skin and blue eyes,
hands covered in flour sticks her head into the sitting room from the kitchen.
“Now I told you to
git that stables cleaned…” seeing the party she stops mid-sentence and looks to
the party and back to Reed. “Hello.. Ahh..”
Reed pipes up
“Grandpa says to feed’em and treat’m like honoured guests. These 3 Granpa just
saved” pointing to the 3 former salves, the girl still unconscious. “Grandpa has
gone to deal with the well.” He deftly tries to take a muffin from the platter
Saweena holds. The cook easily raises the platter out of reach. “Reed! Go git
yer brothers, they are ice fishing by the fall. Get the south end rooms open,
get the fireplaces lit and beds set. THEN you can have your dinner..now off
with you!” She tosses him a muffin.
She takes the 3
former slaves off to be healed and rest yelling out “Fenna” saying “ set
yourselves down a while, over by the fireplace and warm up!” Another young
gnome, female with blonde hair, looking like a sister to Reed appears and
silently helps the 3, When the cook returns,
She takes cloaks, jackets and hang them to dry.
A dwarf woman,
missing one eye, brings in steaming mugs of tea and hot chocolate. Platters
of roast ribs, vegetables, and cheese and buns will arrive.
Saweena asks the
group of current events, about where they come from etc. She tells them
she was a slave of the BRDC, saved by Hiljamus, as are all the folks here. She is horrified to hear about the Sorenson Outpost. There has been little
traffic for some time now - both by river and road. Saweena tells them scouts from the vale have seen many units of Black Rune Clan troops - ranging from dwarf warrior units to ,mercenary companies, to groups of flying creatures heading west towards Enstad - the Elvish capital city passing by their hidden vale.Doctor Holliday learns of news of Ulek from a hunter whom arrives for dinner - Janks. The southern mountain pass is being fought over by the Duchy and allies against the Black Runes.. no word on the mountain pass near Enstad. The doctor is resolute in travelling there now.
Reed returns
with 2 what look to be brothers, all look to be same age, triplets. The other
2, Ruud and Rand. Advise rooms are ready and fireplaces lit. Hiljamus does not
return. Saweena orders Reed and Rand to find him, while telling Ruud to help
clear up table. Ruud runs off with his brothers leaving the table mess. Saweena sighs and shaking her head cleans up.
5 minutes later Reed comes back “Weena! Grandpa is down the well, they came back!”
Discussing with Saweena and one of the hunters just back - Janks - the party leans that there are goblins down the well. Poisoning there water supply. Coming from the Kron hills.
Saweena, picks up a pitch fork from outside the door, at first ready but the heroes volunteer to save the old gnome. There is a spring
down below.. Old ruins of a shrine legends say she tells the group..
The rectangular well entrance is large, many of the stone blocks having worn inscriptions on them. Unreadable to the group. The party prepares and climb down the well with the aid of a new rope after the original breaks. At the Battling further in they encounter more of the small boat-riding goblins as well as some shamans. Battling through they finally come to a landing area where they see Hiljanus - unconscious and bound by a large gaping crevice. A shaman stands over him, chanting while other goblins prepare to defend and battle is engaged again until a large ogre like creature appears to assist the goblins. The battle goes back and forth - Kantiff falling but being aided by Thograa. All party members battle the crafty goblins, Kantiff ambushing some, Extrano getting off key spells, Doctor Holiday, his musket booming in the confined space and Baris healing the party with his totem and more.
Finally they defeat the enemies and save the gnome. Further exploration reveals a strange temple with three stone statues - a woman in fine robes, a broken statue of an older man in wizard robes and in the centre - a skeletal figure in fine robes. A lich...?
It seems like there is some great religious significance here, but the party had never encountered or heard of the three. Robin touches the lich and after a moment steps back shaking his head.. seemingly alright? Doctor Holiday has enough of what he looks to see as evil and something against his new found purpose - the Raven Queen. Taking up his sword he strikes the statue of the lich a huge blow.. as it cracks there is a muffled BOOM! and both Robin and Doctor Holiday are thrown back. The amulet of Orcus glows hot on Robin's chest and it seems to protect him, while Doctor Holiday is amazed as a shield of raven feathers cover the 1/2 orc and protect him. They both realize as they stand up after being dazed and eardrums ringing that if they had not each been protected by their specific patron(?) they would be very dead.. fortunately the rest of the party were not in the room!
The rooms start to rumble and shake.. the party quickly retreats and makes it up the shaft of the well. A surge of water rises up behind them and finally settles at about 20' down. The whole tunnel area now submerged. Hiljanus recovers under the care of Doctor Holiday and Saweena. The party are given gifts and offered a bounty in regular supplies.
They wish they could stay longer in the - now - serene and quiet vale but they know Master Senji, Cheeta and their boat ride awaits. Saying fond farewells and the vale inhabitants waving - the triplet boys throwing snowballs at the party for sometime - the adventurers once again board their steamboat and travel onwards. 1 and a 1/2 weeks of travel - uneventful - until Master Senji advises they are about 3 days out from Enstad. They smell something.. after a moment, Extrano advises it is smoke. Looking west they see a slight glow. Even at night, the western sky is lit. Flying up the wizard sees something and falters coming back to the boat.
Enstad.. is.. burning. The famed capital. The jewel of Oerth. Once thought to be the most wonderful and beautiful city for hundreds if not thousands of years, was on fire.
Master Senji shakes his head grimly. "The trees there.. some are well over 200' tall! That is why we see the glow." He spits overboard. "Damn Black Runes!"
The fiery glow does not stop at night, indeed the smell of smoke and the glow gets brighter as they chug along the river.
What will they find in the once Elvish capital city of Enstad - now looking to be an Apocalypse of fire and ruin..
