Brancalonia - Bay Of Princes

General/Looking For Group
10

Louisa, Ulian, Don Peppone, Farder and Krusk rescued Sanguinino from the headsman for his brother the Duke de Savedra. After going to Amanasseanase during the Red Carnival, fleeing the Two Postilles without paying your bar tabs, stealing costumes, Grand Theft Cart, prison breaking and bull-and-guard running and laying the Spinsterite Sisters to rest they successfully escaped to Captain Edwiges ship with a grateful Sanguinino.

The Duke supplied the agreed months of wine, enough to maintain the basic distillery at the Golden Cockerel.

= = =

Later confused tales around the Golden Cockerel speak of Francis, Moritz, Finnea, Theo, Bellatrix and Dorm helping the dull-witted Belloveso reach Tarantsia and rescue his golden beloved Nina.

After arriving in Tarantsia, shaking down Ubalthus the ‘Wizard’ and meeting Mabila and Terenza, the relatively pleasant Befanas of Barefoot Lake, the crew braved the Cast Iron Dungeon with its hazards and fought a scrap iron golem before making off with Nina in her cursed golden-statue form and pockets full of wizardly reagents and paraphernalia.

There was some coin in selling off the ‘salvage’ from the wizards lair but there is still work to be done to free Nina from her golden prison - she is currently cluttering up the tap-room at the Golden Cockerel and Belloveso is moping about and ruining the atmosphere.

11

Further tales around the Golden Cockerel tell how Francis, Delumathan, Quinn, and Don Peppone helped the dull-witted Belloveso find the Divine Sow and free his golden beloved Nina.

After setting out to find the Star Mount our heroes returned to Roca Bernarda to find it besieged by the marauding Toad gang led by by Turtlehead, aggrieved by having arrived to late to share in the horde of the Bigat of the Botticione. After organising the villagers to defend themselves, setting traps and repairing the walls, our heroes repelled the Toad gang, slew Turtlehead and arrested or routed the Toad gang. From there a guide took them across the river, through the Ditch of Serpents to the Star Mount where they spotted the Divine Sow being pursued by Count Julius, he who had cursed and trapped Nina.

After ambushing Julius and rescuing the Sow, a wish was granted in gratitude and Belloveso used it to free Nina. On return to the Golden Cockerel, our heroes found Nina freed from her golden prison and saw the lovers reunited - and her previous golden form free for the melting down!

A share of this was invested to start a Black Market Grandluxury at the Golden Cockerel.

12

Delumathan, Don Peppone, Korry, Gutrock, and Inana returned after two weeks away looking very well fed and with tales of breaking the siege of the cyclops-dwarves of Mount Typhon.

After meeting with the Countess di Valpergia and being tasked with finding out where her weapons shipments are, our heroes set sail on the Miss Fit with Captain Edwige the bewhiskered, which came to a sad end at the tentacles of the mighty Trinacria and left them washed ashore along the coast.

After hiking back to Vernagallo, agreeing to take a keg of beer inland to ease the way with the cyclops dwarves, our heroes make their way to the town of Castigate with its great Monastery Brewery of the Friars of the Holy Right. Their over-generous hospitality raised suspicion and after a brawl in the courtyard the true story of summonings, magical guard hounds and broken tomb seals comes out.

Delving into the crevasses of Mount Typhon our heroes find the dread Megaloschemos mummy and after a pitched fight put and end to its threat. Heading onward to the forge-fortress of the cyclops dwarves they fight their way through the summoned hounds and clear the way, being welcomed with feastings and deciding to stay for a fortnight to make sure all is well.

When eventually out well-fed heroes make it back to the coast they find the Miss Fit Z waiting to bring them and the valuable fittings they ‘liberated’ from the tomb of the Megaloschemos home.

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13

Further tales about the tavern speak of Francis, Balthasar, Quinn, Dharaxas, Mischief, Medlar and Teodoreo venturing back to the Spinsterite Nunnery and attending a very grim feast.

After Rougher recalled that from the Red Carnival the Spinsterite Nunnery in Amaunasseas should be abandoned, its treasures free for the taking, our heroes set sail on the Miss Fit with Captain Edwige the bewhiskered, aiming to take on this easy task.

After a few questions around the waterfront, the tunnel to the Abbey was found and our heroes worked their way into the old catacombs. A little prying around found the site of the fighting retreat during the Red Carnival and a handful of scorched and finally-dead Spinsterites - salvaging their outfits four of the party joined the rest of the Spinsterites at their dining, presided over by the Abbess.

Significant subterfuge and confusion and the provision of the finest possible dish to be made from the toxic Mold of the Catacombs distracted the spinsterite sisters while the party looked around under the guise of running errands. The talking mask of Sister Marangola was recovered, books and silverware snatched and eventually the treasure cache beneath the chapel altar raided.

Finally after riling the Spinsterites up with illusory cries of heretics our heroes made their escape with the hungering undead hot on their heels and rejoined Edwige to sail home once more.

14

Tales around the tavern speak of Mischief, Sare, Guthrock, Eris and Dharax interfering in the Battle of the Be(ast)damns leading to champion Gabby the Turkeys unfortunate demise and Lil’ Johnny the Cavebears emergence into the limelight.

After meeting the merchant Lufo, our plucky band of knaves were engaged to go to Torre del Mago and make sure Gabby the Turkey (five time champion) was unable to compete in the upcoming Battle of the Be(ast)damns - not fatally, just a brief unplanned holiday. Setting out along the coast aboard the Mis Fit with Edwige the Bewhiskered and crew, our band played cards, brewed potent tea and generally increased the crews existing good opinion of them. In conversation over cards they heard that the Battle of the Be(ast)damns is the source of all the best new insults and that everyone on the crew except the captain had figured out Lufo was besotted with Edwige. They arrived off the coast and were rowed ashore with a promise to be along the following night at sundown.

Hiking over a rocky spur to Torre del Mago our band arrives their late, makes their way to the Smockingbird tavern and then proceeds to incite the most roistering, rolicking night of carousing the village has ever seen. Waking up on rooves and seeing the sun rise in beached shipping boats our exhausted band partakes of Dharaxus gingery hangover cure before hiking around to the old garrison where the Band of the Rump laired. Effecting entry under the cover of the ongoing carousing of the Band of the Rump, they easily make it to Gabbys residence on the tower top before a flaw in their exit plan brings the dome and tower top down into the main hall, Gabby and band with them - to fatal effect for Gabby.

The furious Band of the Rump insist that a replacement for their champion Be-damner, compounded by their capture of Lufo who had been trailing the band.

Agreeing to this, the band hikes back to Torre del Mago to get nets and directions to Lil Johnny the Talking Bears lair, setting off for it immediately. Near the ruins, deep in the swamp the band is ambushed by a Sleech that bites off all of Dharaxus with a first bite but is then driven off and slain by the rest of the band. Arriving into the ruins the party finds a very grumpy Lil Johnny who demands to be left alone but is pummelled into submission and hauled back to the Band of the Rump to trade for Lufo.

After a day slogging about the swamp the band misses their appointment with the Mis Fit and overnights once more in Torre del Mago, launching another grand carouse that leads to Eris waking up married to one of the local tabaxi. Bringing them along, the band returns home to the Golden Cockerel with coin enough to replenish the wine and food stocks for a little longer.

Word comes sometime later that a furious Lil Johnny’s brutal insults swept the Battle of the Be(ast)damns.

15

Word around the Golden Cockerel is that Iluviel, Terry Hatchett, Wee Redheaded Olive from Den, Ivan Gorcher and Dharax went hunting down the Regal Herb to cure the unfortunate Tristan da Pra.

Beseeched (and offered ample compensation) by Baciccia da Pra to find a cure for his petrifying son, our heroes scour the Old Town for the Minstrel Bafer, questioning stall owners and a bar full of the queens guard and local militia before eventually spotting a tail and chasing them down. Pietrasso, helper to Bafer, was convinced of their good intent and led them to the minstrel where they heard the ballad The Stone Beauty and deduced where to search for the Regal Herb and that they needed Holy Oil of Petruccio.

After procuring the only bottle of Holy Oil in town from the Tavern of the Two Grumbles owner at a high price, our heroes set off into the wilderness for the Holy Mountain at the centre of the Batta Forest. They rescued Volpone the Old Fox from the clutches of a band of bandit tabaxi before ascending the mountain to find and harvest the Regal Herb. The bandit tabaxi tracked them down and a brawl ensued on the top of the mountain before our heroes were victorious and settled in to distill down the Regal Herb and Holy Oil combination.

Returning to Pallazo da Pra they dosed Tristan and restored his stony flesh to fleshy flesh.

A grateful Baciccia compensated people amply - enough for at least a few weeks of decent wine and meat for the stew.

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16

Finally we got into an adventure, and what an adventure it was!

After being stuck at the Golden Cockerel for weeks, we finally got hired by the owner of the Golden Sun to look into his peach cider producer because he was only delivering crappy stuff recently. Theodore was of course very eager to help with that


However, apparently we went a bit over the top and woke up with a blank mind in an unknown (but VERY fancy) bathroom. We were all not feeling too well, but Theodore taught me that you just have to keep drinking - and oh it helped (I learned a lot from him, never knew he was such a wise man before - must be his age
). While we all seemed to have gone a bit crazy the night before, you won’t believe who went over the top, got married and had a step-child called Sedrego (who by the way is a talking puppet): our cleric, Balthazar! He was able to declare his marriage invalid though and payed off his ex-wife to take care of Sedrego.

We made friends with this really cute dog (Aurora said it is a Bavelisk) called Nasher, served (because the tavern owner, Secerino, was missing) and ate some breakfast in the tavern and heard some interesting rumors about a vandalized (ups) and haunted statue. Balthazar was able to release Pelentine, the owner of the peach cider distillery, from the statue. We then were able to locate the carriage of Nasher’s owner, Mikeletto. Someone did a very bad job at driving it the night before
 Nelum was very clever and forged some papers to get the cart released from the guards. As a gesture of good faith, we decided to return Nasher to Mikeletto, so Tivadar summoned a bunch of rats (gross, but Nasher seemed to like them - apparently he was still hungry after breakfast in the tavern), and we were able to get Nasher in the cart and return them to Mikeletto, who released Secerino in return.

We got some homebrewed concoction and suddenly remembered the last night - apparently a hag overtook the distillery and we were able to defeat it - which resulted in a night of celebration and too much alcohol. But we might have forgotten to light the fire and actually burn the hag - so we had to go back and do exactly that. Wasn’t all that nice, wouldn’t recommend burning someone - it took ages and was not very nice to watch. So of course we needed to celebrate again afterwards, only Balthazar wanted to go to sleep - can’t understand why, especially because here we actually get good booze and not watered stuff like Rougher serves us
 Ah, I am so looking forward to the next adventure

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17

Dear Diary

We got a lead for a job interview. Had 4 other adventuring groups competing for the job. But of course we, The Necessary Problem Solvers, in the end secured the contract :wink: We were tasked to retrieve a magical urn. Not quite sure what it does but apparently pretty old.

In Brancalonia the civilization currently is animal ppl trying to be elves. Before that, there were elven overlords trying to turn other beings into elves, hence the current population trying to be elves, a remnant of their rulers from the old days. And the urn we were meant to recover predated the rule of the elves. It was also connected to insectoids.

Long story short we had to sail to a city then take a carriage to a town. There ask around, gather information. We even talked to an insectoid. These ppl seem to be hibernating somewhere below. So whenever they go to sleep, they do so for a very long time and when they wake up, society usually will have changed completely and be unrecognizable compared to what they knew before they went into hibernation.

We got a lead bout a lady in the woods collecting ceramics and somebody had stolen an object from her which fit the description of our insectoid urn. When we arrived at her hut, we felt a lot of strange energy all around us, including some weird creatures. A giant-kin reacting pretty much befuddled when I greeted him in giant. An animal which really was a construct wrapped in fur to look like an animal. And when we sat down in her hut we noticed some strange magic in both the tea she was serving to us as well as pretty much all the ceramics in there. A magical trap, enchantments, etc. This was the lair of a hag. As she was waiting for us to fall be asleep from the tea (which we didn’t drink) I looked at her, talking in Sylvan, ‘what are you waiting for?’. And in that moment she transformed and showed us her true self. But we didn’t roll for initiative. In fact we managed to befriend the hag. She told us about a giant who had stolen one of her ceramics and it did indeed fit the description of what we were looking for. She didn’t really want the urn back cause since many ppl seem to want it, she was scared that she wouldn’t be left alone if ppl still thought she had the urn. Instead she asked us to deliver her the head of the giant so she could mount it on her wall for a cozy new flair for her living room.

As we were about to leave I came up with the idea of a new business the Brancalonia Matchmaker. And my first deed should be to bring some love into the life of our lovely new friend the hag. So I wrapped one arm around our Mr Handsome Plague Doctor and told the hag what a real keeper he is and that she should consider putting a ring on it. Well what can I say, she was intrigued.

So after that we made our way towards the presumed location of the giant, we initially tried to bargain with him since our primary objective was still to get the urn from him but he was too committed to turning us into stew for his supper. A fight ensued and as we had whittled him down quite a bit, one of our bards, fittingly from the College of Anthropology, put him to sleep and after that we ‘took care of him’.

With the urn in our possession and a lovely new piece of decoration we made our way back to our dear hag. She was very pleased and asked us what we would like in return. Since I finally wanted to get good with the quarterstaff I asked her for a magical one. She rummaged a lil and then returned with staff made out of, what seemed to be, pinewood. At the tip it had a wooden hand or rather fist. As she handed it to me she said, “her name is Julia, I’m sure she’ll love to get outside more often”. We were pretty certain, whatever this thing was now, it probably used to be a person, or maybe still was. But I didn’t mind too much, the staff seemed beautiful and very well made. As our plague doctor got his chance to ask something of the hag, we all encouraged him to be brave, but he wasn’t quite at that point yet. Still they seem to have some common interests and they might be going on a date next week :wink:

After everyone had received some trinket or some other compensation for our efforts we also asked her for an urn which might look exactly like the one we retrieved, cause we were gonna double cross our contractor. Deliver a fake version of the urn and keep the real one for ourselves. After an uneventful journey back we did deliver the fake urn and so we got everything we wanted. A magical urn, gold and trinkets from a hag :hugs:

PS Yes there was also another lady we met during our adventure, but she made us all very uncomfortable. So in an attempt to heal from this traumatic experience, I left out these parts D:

  • Signed, Oaklig
18

Polpin, Orin “Big Boy”, Giovanni Giovanni, Alliar, Francis, Marnarius, Silvan, Krokaloc and Brie ventured out to Stir the Hornet’s Nest at Het Thamsya.

After agreeing to assist the desperate First Disciplie Sumgan our party voyages aboard the Miss Fit to the island where the temple of Hey Thamsya lies. There they see the towering wasps next and understand the need to extract Master Satur from within - without breaking their meditations.

After scouting the perimeter our heroes effect entry and judicious use of a Silence allows them to deal with a Screaming Cobra. Poking about the workshops for a bit they figure out much about the automata roaming the temple and eventually turn one of the small ones to their own use to guide them to Satur.

Venturing deep into the temple and arriving at the wasps nest they spy the gruesome doings of the half-wasps but decide to ignore them. Finally sighting Satur in his repose, a last Silence and a lot of elbow grease prys a hole in the wasps nest wall enough to carefully extract the meditating master.

All was looking very well until a group of constructs blocking their path are answered with a Shatter, the ringing noise of which woke up Satur. Depositing the master outside after casting Sleep to disguise that his meditations were broken, our party returns to the temple to investigate. Frustration in the library starts a fire that rapidly catches and consumes the temple and with it the towering wasps nest which our heroes witness burning through the night as they flee hastily aboard the Miss Fit.

Some value was recovered from sale of the bits and pieces found in the temple and Giovanni now has the last remaining construct from Path of Automata.

19

Giovanni, Roger, Ray, Melinoë, Nephir and Eppu pulled off the Petchin Heist.

Lady Jaune, she who Oaklig attempted to write out of history, turned back up and called in a marker she felt Giovanni owed her, and engaged our heroes to help liberate a substantial sum of ill gotten gains from Palazzo Maganza, as there was to be a banquet and thus a window of opportunity where the location could be infiltrated. After long verbal jousting the group agreed to Lady Jaunes generous terms - a mere 1/3 of whatever they can recover in return for a map of the route in, help with disguises beforehand and a barge waiting on the canal behind the target for escape afterwards.

After substantial planning, engaging most of the patrons of the Golden Cockerel and twelve iterations of the plan, the group departed to infiltrate with costumes created by Lady Jaunes seamstress. Entering the basements through Lady Jaunes wine cellar and traversing the tunnels beneath the noble houses, our heroes fought some insect swarms then climbed up through the waste chute from the kitchens into Palazzo Maganza.

Bedecked as nobles, Giovanni, Roger and MelinoĂ« baffle and buffalo the servants to effect entry via the service elevator to the third floor where the banquet hall and the secure throne room with the Maganza’s coin were stored. Enveloping the guards on duty in a grand romance between Roger and MelinoĂ«, poisoned toasts are served and with the guards paralyzed, Giovanni works on the door - well enough to pick the lock but not to avoid tripping the alarm spell.

Things become frantic as attention is drawn - the door is barricaded from within, windows are smashed out, chests are flung into the canal below and a desperate rear-guard is mounted by Ray - suddenly supported by Giovanni appearing as the estranged Viscountess Maganza to order ‘her’ guards to stand down.

Flinging themselves from the window and clambering aboard the waiting escape barge, our heroes fish the sunken chests from the canal bed as arrows rain down around them, cloaked in magical fog. The slowest escape in the world is made by frantically poling goblin bargemen dragging the chests along the bottom until all involved decide the situation is too hot and take up the bargemens offer to hide out in goblintown. Significant carousing see’s a fortune sufficient to over-throw a city disappear across the bar-tops and gambling-tables of goblin-town, leaving our heroes feeling satisfied never to see the place again.

Everyone escaped with fistfuls of coins scavenged from the chests and Eppu’s canal-bed salvage operation. Lady Jaune supplied generous wine and meat to the Golden Cockerel for the next month in acknowledgement of a job well done.

20

Balthazar, Hyde, Marnarius, Maxi, and Nephir survived through Black Rose Rising.

After rumour comes to the Golden Cockerel that a mysterious hunting lodge has appeared in the town centre our heroes venture forth to check for un-attended treasures. Stopping into the Ordained Octopus, some cards are played, a brawl incited and some tales about the strange lodge gained from a local knave who claims to have been there. Roping in some competent looking foreigners, our heroes set out and find the shadow-wreathed forest lodge sitting where everyone recalled a row of houses being.

Working their way past poisonous thorn-vines, our heroes find a recently abandoned noble house in a familiar yet strange style. Poking around find clothes and things turned to shadowy versions among perfectly ordinary fine wear. A gang of local toughs emerge, seeking to drive away these new interlopers but Hyde scares them back with some thaumaturgical assistance and the time won is used to slip throuh an illusory wall.

Making their way through the house the party finds more evidence of noble finery from a different world. Paintings of grand battles, fortresses on clifftops they know to be empty and heroically posed sabre-tooth tigerlings show a world where history took a different, grimmer, path. Through the windows into the courtyard the party spies an eruption of overgrowth, plants pressing against the panes and movement beyond. Hyde scuttles off while the rest explore, spots a sabre-tooth hacking at the greenery and ambushes them with an expert sniper shot from their crossbow. The party moves on, finding strange shadowy forms in a grand library, trapped in some sort of time loop. Struggling past the illusions, Marnarius, Nephir and Maxi study the residents scattered notes find details of the Egg of Gaia, a great plant artefact of the ancient elves, something to travel between worlds.

More noises in the courtyard sees other sabre-tooths approaching, Hyde snipes another and another before being located and a fight starts. Collectively the party vanquish these foes but a hideous crackling noise from the courtyard, like a great tree falling, says something is not right. All the greenery in the courtyard is drawing to the Egg at the centre, forming something.

Desperate research reveals that the artefacts next stage is as a draconic form and the party dashes to the courtyard and lays down all the magical damage they can to weaken the thing before it wakens. Their quick work helps and though the thorn-and-rose dragon wakes and lashes out at all around, felling Marnarius and forcing Balthazar and Hyde to flee, they are able to finish it off and flee with some snatched up armfuls of loot before the Egg moves itself and the lodge on.

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21

Giovanni, Polk, Mirla, Marnarius and Finnea Fox ventured to the Tomb of the Screaming Skull.

Running low on funds, our heroes take on a task from the recently ressurected Marchioness to go poison his killer Skullcrusher. Bringing along Fluffy the viperwolf cub that Finny had recently ‘domesticated’ our heroes set out for the city of Forza aboard the Miss Fit Z and their familar crew.

Arriving into Forza, the dockmaster is convinced by this party of two bards, two rogues and a blade-singer that they are a travelling performing troupe and on asked for places to go, recommends the fighting-pit at the Circular Spine.

Spending a day practicing and publicising their show, the crew turn up wt the circular spine, have Fluffy eat the booked performer and then put on a daredevil show with flaming oil, blade-dancing and, viper-wolf riding all accompanied by the two bards virtuouso performances. The crowd loves them, the passed hat is filled with coppers and distracted patrons do not notice their pockets being further picked. Elated, our heroes proceed into a full night of carousing after the performance and find themselves in the company of local ne’erdowells who cover their tabs in return for future favours.

A sober Mirla recollects all this and deduces their drinking buddies last night were the Gatebreakers, who work with Skullcrusher, as they regroup and plan the next day - most of which is spent duplicating a valuable document that was lifted during the show last night. Finally getting back out on the town, the group decides to intercept their carousing companions and after pitching their idea of a follow on show with Skullcrusher as the star, they are given direction to where he resides in the petrified forest and sent to what the Gatebreakers assume is their certain doom.

Another nights rest and the party set off into the great forests, turning the tables on some goblin spice plantation press gangs and using the official seal stolen from the dockmaster to assert their authority. With paroled prisoners and a goblin-cart of pepper they proceed onward toward the Petrified Forest.

Finally they find the howling desolation of the Petrified Forest and within it the fallen Tomb of the Screaming Skull. Unsettled by the howling winds, the prisoners flee, and the goblins wail their doom but the party proceeds. Coming to the base of the fallen tomb they find a campfire with an armoured, helmed figure sitting by it. Once the figure is revealed to be Skullcrusher they pitch their performance idea but find it humourlessly rejected. Further discussions are cut short by Skullcrusher bringing his great beaked axe into play and a fight ensues.

After significant effort, Skullcrusher is downed and then loaded onto the cart to haul back. Another performance at the Circular Spine goes well and then the party sets sail for home and reward by the Marchioness.

The Marchioness has also assigned the illusionist apprentice Alfonse to ‘extended practical studies’ at the Golden Cockerel to help out.

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22

Ragnar, Tux, Boethius, Cpt. Sparrow and Sabasaba ventured to the Island of Creeping Doom and clashed with the Smiling Shark.

Alerted by the crew of the Miss Fit that they had overheard some ne’er-do-wells talking about how they had run aground a dwarven prince and were going to pursue and kidnap them, our heroes boarded the Miss Fit and set out for the Isle of Creeping Doom (probably just a name) taking advantage of the fine fishing on the way.

Arriving at the island and crossing the outer reef near dusk, they spy a wrecked dwarven vessel and the Smiling Shark at anchor with a camp on the beach.Otterling Sabasaba swims some recon - listening in on the camp, the guards on the Shark and poking about on the wreck - recovering documents, a seal-ring and a set of the princes pyjamas.

Deciding that this is the moment for speed, our heroes are put ashore by the Miss Fit and trek inland, picking up the scent of the prince. Pursuing the trail they avoid traps laid by the princes rearguard, trick the pursuers - none other than the infamous Butteratti - into a false chase and close in on the dwarven survivors, finding them on the grounds of a floating ruin of an elven tower.

Convincing the guardians that they are there to rescue them they enter the tower and find the dwarf prince tragically deceased from injuries sustained during the wreck. While an animated tea service waits on them they try to decide what to do with this unfortunate circumstance. Detecting a fiendish presence above they ascend the ruin and bargain with an imp that has been locked in the library of this ancient wizards tower for centuries.

In return for its freedom - both from Ragnars mighty grip and from the tower itself - the imp agrees to puppeteer the prince back down to the shore. Our heroes persuade the princes companions that Boethius is simply that good of a doctor and also persuade the animated tea service that their duty to stay at the tower is long expired and to come with them. They set out back towards another beach, dodging the Butteratti through the night as they go.

After signalling the Miss Fit and getting picked up just ahead of the Shark catching them, the ships conduct a pursuit around the island towards the break in the reef. The party deploys all their magical tricks and cunning, eventually seizing their chance as the Shark closes while they work through the reef to fire its sales with an accurate volley of flaming arrows, firebolts and the ruthless employment of a ‘reduce’ spell on the forward timbers of the Shark.

Leaving the Shark foundering, the Miss Fit makes rapid progress for the dwarfs original destination, Forza. The last of the princes servants takes on the mantle of the ambassadorship thanks to the rescued seal ring and documents, expressing the gratitude of the dwarven kingdom. The tea service adapts well to life at sea, being rapidly welcomed into the crew.

The dwarven embassy gifted them coin, vittles for the Golden Cockerel and full pardons for service to the dwarven king.

23

Thanks to Boethius, Hyde, Rogere, Marnarius and Basil ventured to the Necropolis of the Enchanted Depths

A familiar face, Alermo of Roccaspra who fought with the party against dragons in Treasure of the Bigat and Bride of the Bigat, arrives at the Golden Cockerel to seek the aid of our heroes. They have word that a brotherhood of would-be monster hunters - the Steel Drakes - find the world to civilised and seek to conduct a ritual to unleash monsters so that they might find glory in slaying them as in times of old. Alermo figures this is likely a dreadful idea but is no subtle magician and begs aid from the party to help stop this.

Marshalling their resources the party consult a local sage, finding that there are many, many possible monster summoning rituals varying from leaving out treasure, to Orbs of Dragon Command through to releasing monsters from sealed away vals. Realising the partial copy of the Great Red Book they ‘rescued’ on a previous adventure might hold the answer, they set to trying to locate the old dwarven vaults in the current day. To speed their travel to where Alermo had been invited for the ritual they once more call upon the Miss Fit and also enlist them to help interpret the maps.

Venturing down the coast to Forza aboard the Miss Fit, our heroes arrive into Forza and decide to overnight at the Circular Spine before venturing on to Darkwater, the village where the ritual is to be held. When Hyde shoots the brawler in the fighting pit, a mass melee kicks off which turns into the visitors from the Golden Cockerel taking on the two dozen other patrons. Giant hermit crabs are dual wielded, ceilings collapsed, barrels used to steam-roll patrons and multiple party members downed before they with through to victory.

The next day, venturing out along the road to Darkwater, they come to a shrunken town in the ruins of an old dwarven necropolis, a gaping rift leading down to the depths. Sneaking expertly around down they realise that what life remains here thrives on fishing relics out of the dwarven ruins below. They send Alermo on with instructions to play along with the Steel Drakes. Eavesdropping on the Steel Drakes camp of second sons, cadet-branch nobles and other noble no-accounts they hear of a scheme to open a dwarven vault below and release the monsters within.

Creeping into the ruins ahead of the Steel Drakes grand ritual the alchemists within the party marvel at the dwarven wisdom and capabilities etched on the great bronze walls. They find still functioning alchemical workshops, arcano-technical storage where extinct plants still grow and a great vault full of monsters imprisoned in crystal pillars filled with honey. Hatching a plan, the party cook up an explosive agent using the dwarves own ingredients and equipment, set it to detonate in the vault of crystal-encased monsters and rig the doors to be unopenable for the inside - and then wait.

When the Steel Drakes finally venture down to enact their ritual the party is waiting, warning Alermo to wait behind before trapping the rest of the Steel Drakes in the vault they long sought with a fizzing-fused explosive that shortly detonates, shatters many of the crystal prisons and grants them the monster slaying chance they sought. Once the screams died down the party tripped the ancient purge system to eliminate the monsters. This was only partially effective they found on peering back inside the vault, but decided to seal the doors and leave.

With Alermo to vouch for the plot, supported by the excavation notes and plans from the Steel Drakes, the parties send word to the powers-that-be of their service to the realm and request their just reward.

The reward pays for running costs for the Golden Cockerel and feeding of Fluffy, some of bounties were pardoned. The families of some of the Steel Drakes seek to discuss exactly what happened to their relatives, these conversations are probably best avoided.

24

Craig, Missy Mississippi, Ashington Shepherd William, Marcillus and Sylvio carried out the Ironoak Run.

Approached by Folbitz, a black-marketeer operating out of the Golden Cockerel, our party agrees to help escort him on a trading run up the river to Appollonia. Setting out on a barge, the party notes some shady characters approaching the Golden Cockerel as they round the river bend out of sight. Further up the river, swiftly driven by the strong efforts of Missy, Craig and Marcillus, they spy guards from Cat Castle also on the watch for traffic on the river but Folbitz has hidden amongst the cargo and they pass unnoticed.

Arriving at the riverside Inn of the Rugged Hearth, Folbitz has them stop early for the night then reveals that the real purpose of their trip is to pick up cargo from contacts of his inland. A barge full of obviously disguised river-patrol arrive and the players engage them in cards while Folbitz hides out the back. After taking most of the guards cash, angering the sergeant with talk of unions and hearing that Folbitz is wanted as a trader in hallucinogens and inciter of revolutions, the party venture out back and rough up Folbitz to check his story. Folbitz insists that the facts are the same but the perspective is different - the guards want him because new perspectives cause them to question the status quo. Squeezing him for more money the party ups their promised pay with performance bonii.

Departing the Inn they camp in the forest then venture into the Ditch of Serpents swamp the next day, stumbling over a dreadful Sleech which chews up Craig and Missy before being downed. Arriving to Ironoak, a druidfort, they are welcomed and granted hospitality and guided through the druids various brews and produce before being sent back on their way with cargo and a charter to trade their hallucinogenic mushroom wine.

Trekking back across the swamp and around the inn they load their barge and set off up river, getting a good head start before the guards notice and give chase. A long chase up river sees them in sight of Appollonia before they run the barge aground and offload the illicit cargo into the woods. Missy starts and argument with the guards, insisting they need better pay and lighter duties which leaves them arguing on their boat as they drift back downriver.

To finally enter Appollonia they spend a day creating a religious parade with wicker costume and sun masks for a festival to Pelor. Marching on the city their convincing display attracts more locals and further persuasive argument wins them entry to the city with Folbitz unnotived among them.

Folbitz delivers the ancient trade charter to the merchants guild then sells the now-legal mushroom wine, thanking the party for their assistance.

25

With funds and food running short, Rougher approaches Zell, Francis, Drog and Alek with a scrap page “recovered” from others of the group at the Golden Cockerel, a page from the Great Red Book marked with dwarven sites from the time of the elven invasion. He points out that all the other sites on the page have detailed catalogs of the contents but this one does not - it must be still sealed and therefore full of treasure! The site lies in the Ditch of Serpents, up near Appollonia - familiar terrain, Rougher assures them that no doubt the job will be easy

Sceptical but hungry our heroes hitch a barge ride up the river, noting someone tailing them as they leave and boarding another barge behind them. Laying a false trail that they disembarked at the end of the day at the Rugged Hearth, the riverside inn, they travel on a little more and disembark at the nearest point on the river to the place they seek. Hiking through the forest to the edge of the Ditch of Serpents as night falls, they spy campfires and move towards them. Finding some common folk from Appollonia in religious festival costumes camped for the night they join their camp.

Asked if they shared their dreams about the New Sun, our heroes lie that they do, put together the Appollonians tale with the festival cooked up by others from the Golden Cockerel a month previously and in the morning tell them they have had further revelatory dreams and lead them to the mapped site.

After some searching and more digging the find a stubby archaeolith tower, force the door and descend into the pitch blackness. Natural darkvision and gifts from patrons and deities furnish all the party ability to see in the dark but still it is disquieting as they descend. A spiral stair opens to a great ramp, both stained with ancient blood, watched over by a bastion. At the base of the ramp they find another door into darkness so complete even their gifted sight fails. Alek ventures in and plunges from the tilting blocks of the bridge into the frigid pool of liquid darkness beneath. Hauled back out by his comrades, Zell draws on his tabaxi gifts and boons granted by all his comrades and sprints across.

Locking the bridge on the far side lets the rest cross and they find a barrack room and a sizzling mutated goblin corpse. Poking at it a bit Zell consults his patron and is told this thing is anathema. Covering it with a blanket and trapping it beneath a chest, the party proceeds upstairs to the spiral library. There they find a shelves packed with scrolls that they figure must be valuable and start stuffing them into their bags. Distracted, they are ambushed by two more mutated goblins, these blazing with sickly light. Tipping a shelf and then casting back their physical forms before banishing them entirely, the party wins some quiet to further explore.

At the top of the library, the top of the bastion they had seen from without, they find a dwarven planning station and glean snippets of the Membrane Wars and the infectious light of a strange sun that spreads to herald its coming. The also find notes that this place is a containment unit and sigh as they realise the have to check whatever it contains is still there.

Making their way back down they find that the Illumined vessel they had trapped under a chest is awake and trying to free itself. They fail to snipe it from ambush and then have to sneak up on it from behind light-blocking blankets before dousing it with liquid darkness from the bridge room.

Fetching buckets of liquid darkness from the bridge room they proceed past many disturbed warning signs and find a pair of mutated goblins gnawing on the biomechanical roots of a great dome within which liquid darkness sloshes. The damage from the gnawing causes brief gaps in the darkness and when those capture the light of the goblins, the chamber blazes with the sickly light. Our heroes shelter beneath a blanket tetsudo and chase the goblins with mage-handed buckets of darkness as Zell stays out, braves the light and acts as spotter.

Finally a mildly irradiated Zell guides the others to dousing the last goblin with liquid darkness and they set to work Mending and Healing the contraption before retreating and shoring up the damaged barriers.

Back at the surface, with flasks of darkness and pockets full of scrolls, they exhort the New Sun cultists that they have been successful, that their work today will cause the New Sun to rise tomorrow but they must never speak of this place. Highly persuasive, the cultists are raised to a pitch of fanatical devotion and vow to take the secret to their graves.

The recovered scrolls sell off for enough gold to provide for the Golden Cockerel and Fluffy for another while.

26

Our heroes Astrid, Prismo, Philbert Brombeery, Lortash Brombeery and Kierkorak - are approached by Alfonse the apprentice illusionist on “extended practical study” at the Golden Cockerel with a tip that their master the Marchioness is looking for adventurers.

Visiting the Marchioness at their very overt wizards residence they hear how someone broke into a decoy vault looking for a dreadful book that they hold secure and that the Marcioness needs them to find out who seeks it and stop them as best they can. With satisfactory pay terms agreed, they set out with Rufus the butler to tour the vault site and be shown what tracks the Marchioness was able to scry out.

The ‘vault’ turns out to be a non-descript town-house, and after some prying and investigating they find no more info than valuables and decoys were ignored by whomever broke into the illusion-hidden vault. Querying the local grandma-on-her-balcony they find that a hogling visited a few nights ago and the week before then passed by with some others - a notably ugly man, a marionette and a worn-looking noble. Following the winding trail to a public well Prismo plunges in as soon as they arrive, drawing a crowd as they ‘search for a lost ring’ - the guard arrives being unusually alert but a remarkably quick and stealthy decision to vacate the premises has them avoid notice.

They decide to seek information at the Red Serpent, notorious for its rebels without cause, where pumping the barman for information and a brawl sparked by Prismo and Kierkorak lead to clues that identify the men seen outside the false vault - the Butterati - and to a new fighting pit in town. Venturing to the Iron Quill our heroes spot the Butterati and Astrid decides to flatter Ghino, leader of the Butterati and gets shown down to the ‘entertainments’ below while the rest trail along.

Venturing down a long spiraling staircase they find below a huge space, the Iron Quill bar just being the top turret of a great buried dome. Philbert and Lortash shadow Astrid and the Butterati down the nightingale staircase while birdfolk Prismo and Kierkorak glide out into the darkness and collide with a great black iron idol looming over the space.

Between poking around and querying the Butterati they find that fights are being held with a ghoul-nun from the Spinsterite Abbey and that the noble, Signore Maganza, has taken over the rooms at one end and is directing their efforts. A great altar to one side of the fighting circle is the last focus of the few dozen people gathered for the fights.

Prismo and Kierkorak commune with the Queen of the Terrorbirds as they perch upon her ancient statue while Philbert, Lortash and Astrid scout the rooms. Dreadful snarls and scraping noises come from one side so Philbert and Lortash sneak into the other. Within they find Signore Maganza and interogate him as to his plans. He readily admits that he seeks the Marchioness book to trade to an imp for the restoration of his houses fortunes - and Philbert and Lortash slay him where he stands. Deciding from the flash that the moment is nigh, Prismo and Kierkorak impersonate the dreadful statue and panick the crowd into fleeing back up the dark, railing-less staircase. The Queen gleefully approves as some plummet to their doom in the fighting pit


Philbert and Lortash seize documents and valuables before joining the flight. Astrid detours to investigate the whispering altar, making some quick offerings of blood and treasure to have questions answered. With their colleagues climbing out, Prismo and Kierkorak glide down, have last moments with the altar and the spirit in the idol respectively before following.

The Iron Quill bar having been cleared by the panic, Lortash grabs some bottles while Philbert sets the place alight to bury the dark site below before they venture back to tell the Marchioness of their success. Without Maganza, there is no link to a buyer and the Butterati no longer seek the book.

Everyone gets paid by the Marchioness as promised in return for the documents grabbed from Maganza. The valuables from Maganza’s dresser provide enough for re-provisioning the Golden Cockerel and making sure Fluffy is fed.

27

Runs Free, Francis, Darla, Maxi the Tabaxi, Hyperion and Gwansora attended the Cat Castle Masquerade.

Our heroes found themselves on an unusually fine day in the Golden Cockerel - thanks to the largesse of the Duke, grace of his upcoming wedding. The food has been good these past weeks, the wine has been punchy and everyone has generally been enjoying themselves until this courier drops a package in front of Francis saying that this was to be published in the local newspaper.

Francis on opening it finds a note that says, by the time you read this it will be too late, I will be the Duchess of Catcastle and my guards will be on their way to fling you into my cells. The signature below it is Saetha, soon to be Duchess Catcastle. This puzzled and alarmed our companions for as best they knew they had no reason for Saetha, someone they had twice fought dragons alongside - in Treasure of the Bigat and Bride of the Bigat - to dislike them and also as best they knew the person getting married to the Duke was the Comptess de Rigilie, not Saetha at all.

A little bit of poking around outside finds a poster where there is a relatively crude woodcut that, if squinted at, could be indeed the figure of Saetha set beside the Duke in the announcements. Our heroes decide that they need to perhaps interfere with this wedding or at least stop Saetha getting married because they rapidly become convinced that she is masquerading as the Comptess de Rigilie to inveigle herself into the Duke’s arms. Cat Castle is locked down tightly except for a single opportunity - the grand masquerade before the wedding.

Asking around they figure that they know at least one friendly noble in Alermo de Rocaspera, the dragon slayer they have crossed paths with on multiple occasions - surely they have a masquerade invitation.

The heroes set out in different directions, gathering information before reconvening the following evening, having established that: Alermo is in residence at the Ordained Octopus, there is a manor for the de Rigillie somewhere in the town and the masquerade invitations were printed at a local printworks.

Chasing up Alermo they get a friendly welcome and with minimum convincing he hands them a copy of a masquerade invitation that Francis and Runs Free then use the local printing press to run up more pristine copies .

Meanwhile the others of the party go to household de Rigilie, some going in through the front door to act as diversion, while others infiltrate around the heavily ivied walls at the back. After very little time, it becomes obvious that the de Rigilie are a household of serpent folk, ancient and proud, with a great portrait of the Countess de Rigilie sitting on the staircase indicating that she is, in fact, also clearly a serpentfolk, and therefore the person in the photo in the handbills being portrayed as betrothed of the Duke cannot be the Comptess.

The cat-burglaring duo effect entry into the top floor, finding many rooms heated to an uncomfortable degree, and find the Contessa wrapped in fine silks and embroidery, reading a great book before her, heat-radiating sunstone. After convincing her they mean no harm, they attempt to bring the Contessa out to defend her name and chase off this imposter, before a lightning-genassi Majordomo intercepts them. They get some bad vibes, but it ends in a stalemate, with the Contessa insisting she will go to the masquerade, and the Majordomo having the player-characters ejected into the street.

With a little to-ing and fro-ing, a day is spent making costumes, and Alermo is requested to escort the Contessa to the masquerade to make sure that nothing untoward happens to her at the hands of the Majordomo. Our heroes follow shortly thereafter, and because they are not attempting to bring their fine wagon to the masquerade, they manage to skip the queue of quite a lot of the nobles and end up finding themselves in the masquerade.

Some running around and attempting to ascertain what is going within the masquerade on identifies that there is a large contingent of the household of the Duke and some other contingent much like our heroes dressed in costumes that are more elaborate than expensively manufactured. There’s a couple of attempted pickpocketing of the riches on display, and a watch laid over the Contessa and her hanging moon float then leads to a confrontation where the timely intervention of the players leads to the Contessa’s manservants being able to overrun those attempting to block her passage, drawing the attention of the entire ball, including the Duke and all those involved in this plot, including Setha.

With the Contessa asserting her identity and rights, Saetha realises the gig is up, attempts to teleport away, but Francis hold persons her in a lightning spell quick-draw contest. Restrained, Saetha is dragooned to the dungeons, and the Duke expresses his appreciation for their assistance before cancelling the nuptials. Our heroes make off with some filchings and other minor rewards, but also the gratitude of the Duke, which significantly reduces most people’s bounties

Everyone got paid by the Duke and an some extra cash was found by fencing valuables pick-pocketed from the masquerade guests. The Duke sent perishables from the cancelled wedding feast to re-provision the Golden Cockerel and make sure Fluffy is fed. In addition everyone had the 100gp worth of bounties against them pardoned.

28

Hyperion IV, Ragnar Stonefist, Wanda, Glug-glug, Canelli and Heart encountered the Wages of Vice.

After getting a letter requesting aid from Madame Samira Arah, Queen of Coins, our heroes set out for Zinda, arriving during the March of Vice, a festival celebrating the magnificent jeli fruit upon which the cities recent wealth has been built.

Entering the city they persuade the gate guard they are there solely for work, not to have fun and get the entry fee waived on condition of their not having fun throughout the festival.

Making their way slowly down the stream of people arriving into town they spot something interesting, the glint of gold in an alley. Investigating they find a dwarf, dead with all his valuables scattered around him. As Glug-glug was just establishing that this was a case of poisoning, guards of the Silent Verse turn up and shortly their after the head of security for the city - coincidentally Madame Samira Arah, their would-be employer.

Taken to a nearby coffee house for a discreet talk, our heroes are informed that the death they were found at was the second such attack on an heir to the Kings of Gold, the ruling merchants council of the city, of which she is a recently elected member.

They travel towards the Thornapple tavern to question the first survivor, Zenia Ruba and as they progress through the crowded markets, there is panic and mayhem as a stall holder attacks a richly dressed man - our heroes wrestle them down and tie up the snarling, snappping, incoherent merchant. Witnesses confirm a cloud of pink dust and a figure dressed in green and yellow just before the merchant went beserk. The guards arrive once more and attest that the near-death victim is another heir. After an attempt to back-track and pursue the green-and-yellow clad figure is foiled by the throngs of the festival crowd, our heroes proceed to the Thornapple to talk to the first survivor.

At the Thornapple they meet one of the Kings of Coin, Myx Nargis Ruba, the victims father, who is cagey with details and directs them to his daughter. Zenia describes how there was a pink mist then she felt ill and her servants, some she knew all her life, went berserk. At this point the dance act everyone was waiting for arrives and just as they begin their act, the lead dancer throws sequins in the air - accompanied by a pink dust - and suddenly the dancers are attacking Zenia!

Our heroes leap into action, tackling the lead dancer down and subduing them while the two back-up dancers come to messy ends at the hands of the pair of tabaxi fighters.

Shocked by this, Myx Nargis confesses that all the heirs were once pledged as payment to a witch in return for their creation of the jeli fruit but the witch is dead, so they suspect a curse. Our heroes figure a much more material hand is in play, the figure in green-and-yellow. Hearing that the festival parade is being lead by another of the heirs, they head in that direction hoping to intercept the attacker.

Squeezing their way towards the head of the parade they are just in time to see a sudden eruption of vines grappling the cart and its oxen, then a flung pouch scatter pink ash all over the cart occupants and guards. With half the party leaping to block the guards and the other half running to intercept the attacker, a frantic few rounds of parrying guards and chasing the agile attacker finally culminates in the attacker surrounded and surrendering on a rooftop.

A dark twist in the air appears and snarls curses, leading them to conclude the matter is not fully over, but the active threat is dealt with.

Their employer pay their wages and grants the reward for stopping the problem. Sale of jeli wine provides funds to feed and provision the Golden Cockerel and keep Fluffy and his brothers fed for another moon.

29

Darla, Nisfegerrik, Galadriel, Balthus Darkcloud and Francis completed Written in Blood.

Our heroes were presented with a missive by Rougher - a request by Folbitz the merchant to go to the town of Promise and meet the merchant Aunt Dellie. They met some goblin bargemen and made their way up river before hiking out to Promise.

The arrived to find the Awakening festival in full swing and joined in, getting dolls made, songs composed and performing magic acts. Suddenly, among the brightly dressed revellers, some shambling farmers attacked the crowd.

Leaping into action, our heroes defend the people and taken down the attackers, slaying all but one. As they fell the last, a lady emerges from the crowd - Aunt Dellie. The attackers were farmers from an outlying community, one of them with a drawing of a grim scene of grasping hands clutched in their hand. Examination of the survivor reveals some kind of magical control or coercion. After negotiating compensation, our heroes agree to check in on Dellie’s niece Kianna, in who’s hand the sketch was drawn.

Others of the community attempt to tag along with the heroes - Lady Dre and Proclaimer Ward - but they are seen off with harsh words and thrown fists before the party hike out to wards the farmstead where Kianna lives.

Through sickly fields and blighted terrain they travel before coming upon a farmer being chased through a cropfield. Fighting off the coyotes, the heroes rescue Uncle Polder who tells them something of the drying Ribbon and the dangerous Rattle. Staying overnight the heroes then hike out and are nearing their destination when the ground collapses and Francis finds himself in a pit fighting off crawling claws. Dispatching those, they continue, arriving at Kiannas farmstead they find a cluster of houses abandoned and daubed with grim paintings in red mud.

Carefully checking through the house they hack through the floor and find a tunnel stinking of rot and echoing with a faint song. Seeking the true basement entrance they find more controlled farmers standing stock still. These are attacked immediately and felled - two killed, two bound - before they continue down into the tunnels.

Down they go, into a newly dug cavern where they find a girl singing the song amids a pile of corpses and another pile of limbs. Confirming this is Kianna they find her confused and scared of ‘Culley’ her friend who drowned, no, who she saved. Trying to bring Kianna away, the heroes are confronted by ‘Culley’, the pile of limbs rising like a grotesque undead starfish to claw and crush them. Darla nearly meets her maker in its grip before they fell it and it splinters into a scurrying pile of crawling claws. Pursuit and flung magic destroys these claws before they get far.

With the monster, this soul-shaker destroyed, the remaining farmers begin to wake and after an hour so does Kianna, herded back towards Uncle Polders farm and thence onwards to Promise. Kianna is returned to a grateful Aunt Dellie.

Aunt Dellie rewarded everyone for restoring Kianna to her. The completed trade with Aunt Dellie and Folbitz provides food and provisions for the Golden Cockerel and keeps Fluffy and his brothers fed for another moon.