An untamed frontier. Dark cults. Fickle fey gods. Ravenous fiends. Nothing black powder and sorcery won't fix... . Timberlands Campaign Diary
After recovering from the prolonged battles against the cannibal cult, the party traveled along the banks of the West Orange River. Downstream was the Grim-Faced Bridge, a relic of the dead Empire of Enuk'Lun which still bore the sorcerer-king's face along its columns. The area had been inhabited by a dwarven family, the Longnails, for quite some time. Said dwarves had established a thriving cattle ranch, butchery, and housing for those who passed along this vital route. The East and West Orange Rivers joined into one not far away and was too wide for most to ford. This made the bridge invaluable.
The heroes made their way to the road and followed it to the causeway. They found the area inundated with pavilions, stands, and tents for there was a harvest festival in full swing. The Longnails had gone all out this year, attracting patrons and sellers from the surrounding areas. All manners of wares were being hawked, delicious foods being sold, and multiple acrobats and bards entertaining the crowds. Needless to say, after the long travel and recent horrors experienced, the champions were glad for some relief.
At the front of the festival lay a ruined guard tower of Enuk'lun where a scaffold was erected. There the Lord Mayor of Upland Haven, Ludgera Bliktrud, railed against mustel (otterfolk) river pirates. She whipped up the crowd gathered with lurid tales of their misdeeds and had a local pirate hunting captain by her side; along with two dead mustel pirates on display in their coffins. It appeared Ludgera was trying to drum up support for a militia to 'cleanse' Brey Docks, a haven for river pirates overall. The party's bard, Gwaedd, being a mustel and reformed pirate was none-too-pleased at this display.
However, the otterfolk's companions quickly lifted his spirits as they noticed the sprawling beer tents near the middle of the faire. Orym the half-orc gunslinger and Siegfried the satyr wizard headed over to Gwaedd to get some much-needed brauts and booze. Though, Orym was distracted along the way as they passed a pavilion from the Convent of Quiet Grace from Hillsbrook Valley. The holy sister there was accepting donation and selling apples the Convent was famous for. Orym made a donation in the name of his brother, whose mind was fractured investigation the now-dead town of Vinemoure. He learned that the Convent's bigger harvest festival was on for next week, which would match when the party was expected to arrive in the area.
In the meantime, Sykes the eladrin rogue and Wild the tabaxi rogue, took a leisurely pace with the elf runesmith Arvantel in tow. The dignified Arvantel made small talk with Sykes while Wild took in the sights. They stopped at a display for the Morning Gossamer Trading Company Booth. There a young widow, Sunna, along with her employees were advertising their trade route services along with their petitioning to get an exclusive trading post deal with the Longnail's done. The heroes chatted a bit and moved on, taking in a few clothing vendors. However, that's when Wild found out there was an archery competition.
Riley the changeling dervish of the party, had wandered over to the bard's booth. He had a brief conversation with the woman running it, Malyn Pondtree, as she got her group of goblin tumblers and fire-eaters off of their break and back to entertaining. Malyn was happy to help Riley get set up to adopt their harlequin gear and add to the festivities. Nearby a satyr magician and his assistants put on a stage show for children.
Orym and Gwaedd left Siegfried to his drinking. The wizard had made fast friends with the drunkard couple running the beer tent, a dwarf named Meadhorn and a satyr named Katzchen, and settled into drinking his fill. The gunslinger and valor bard made their way to the competition range and arrived shortly before Sykes and Wild. Orym and Gwaedd decided to enroll in a pistoleer obstacle course set in a large bar there. However, it was soon clear that Orym outclassed all the competition much to Gwaedd's chagrin. The pair visited a nearby gunnery vendor and picked up some magically enhanced powder. At the same time, they made some connections that might help them sell the stockpile of pistols and muskets they'd recovered from the cannibal cult lodge.
Sykes and Wild stopped at a melee weapon dealer tent nearby and chattered with the excitable goblin that ran it. He had a variety of trick arrows that interested the ranger, as well as a dagger of venom that tempted the assassin. However, the goblin's story about an 'unbreakable arrow' caught Wild's attention. Soon the vendor disappeared into his tent to get the interesting item. Not soon after, though, Wild felt the unmistakable chill of his former 'fairy godfather' he Mercurial Counselor, He Who Winter's Bite Dreads. Wild extended his ranger senses and realized that there were several fey throughout the event, which worried him greatly.
Before Wild could investigate the tent, the goblin exited, clearly scared out of his wits, and offered the unbreakable arrow for free. No matter how much the ranger pressed the vendor wouldn't share what happened. Likewise, the aura of the ebony court fey was gone. Wild and Sykes left the vendor with some worry, but even still Wild made a good showing in the archery contest. They grouped back up with Orym and Gwaedd, along with Riley who was shapeshifting as they tumbled along. The last three decided to head up to the beer tents again and get into a drinking contest while Sykes and Wild headed off to track down one of the other fey at the festival.
Orym, Riley and Gwaedd had to wait on the road though, as a hawk-nosed nobleman bearing a cane with a dire-fly-in-amber got into his gilded carriage. The coachman was as ugly as he was incautious of pedestrians as he headed off. Wild sensed yet another fey nearby.
Sykes and the others first ran across the Agate Family Booth. This dwarven trading company is also trying to press palms to drum up a trade courier business and petitioning to build an exclusive trading post with the Longnails. The dwarf in charge is even going so far to spread rumors that the widow Sunna murdered her husband to take over that trading business and can't be trusted. The two heroes and NPC (Arvantel) didn't spend much time there. Arvantel finding their behavior especially arduous, however, he was struck by the idea Sykes offered to find some gemstones at the vendors here. She thought Arvantel could runesmith them and start saving to be able to buy a lake ship again. He was grateful for the direction.
At the end of the festival grounds, the trio happened on a giant, sleeping caterpillar with a mushroom hut on top. The hut had a sign with silver teeth spilling from a coin pouch. Inside was a fey crone, Tulah Silverteeth, selling cigars, pipes, and fine tobacco. The sister of Eya Goldteeth (Session 5), Tulah was just as pleasant and helpful. She helped Wild with a pipe and starter tobacco. In the meantime, Sykes noted Arvantel pining over a brand of cigar and secretly purchased some for them. In the shop, they also met who would become their newest party member, an agriother (bearfolk) nature cleric, Eshkar. A servant of the fey Golden Court, Eshkar was also a lover of the pipe. He made quick friends with Wild and Sykes.
The cleric had a reason though. He'd overheard that they were on their way to Hillsbrook Valley and he'd recently received an ill-fortune from an eladrin soothsayer at the festival, Ida Cronewood. It seemed something evil to do with the waning court was stirring in Hillsbrook valley and to combat it Eshkar needed to find 'the forgotten summer'. Incidentally, Sykes' amnesia is hinged around her inability to shift to her summer aspect. Eshkar soon confirmed he was in the right place. The now quartet headed off to meet the rest of the party.
However, they found the rest of the party in dire straits. Though Siegfried had a few hours head start on Orym and Gwaedd the jolly satyr had outlasted them both. The half-orc and mustel were passed out at their table. Riley, who had not participated, was having an amusing conversation with Siegfried about how feet felt different than hooves. Eshkar made his introductions to the conscious party members. Meadhorn, the dwarf running the tent, helped the heroes move their wasted friends to a sleeping pavilion nearby and Sykes handed out cigars as they chatted with the bearfolk.
Once introduction and motivations were discussed Sykes and Wild decided they needed to talk to this seeress themselves. They headed over to Ida Cronewood's tent. The elderly eladrin was happy to receive them and give them a reading. The heroes might not have been happy with the results…
Wild asked if his former fey master was following him. Ida's channeled reply was "He who once owned the land will not relinquish what grew upon it. He watches it with a wary eye as sunrise and sunset marshal against dusk itself. What was once owned now flies true toward its target."
Sykes went next, inquiring after her missing memories and locked summer aspect. Ida spoke the following; "Sliced from the cycle, Summer will never come if Autumn eats Winter before this is done. The blade failed to strike true and hope was sunk along with you. Break the herald's smile before the first snow comes."
Shaken by these fortunes, the pair walked away from the tent. They didn't get far, though, before Ida came lurching out and snatched Sykes's arm. With her eyes rolled back and speaking in a male voice with an unknown accent, the oracle spoke. "Enuk'Lun is not the First Empire. Enuk'Lun will not be the Last. Enuk'Lun was not the First Empire to be eaten by Ruin. Enuk'Lun will not be the Last eaten by Ruin. Buffoons will dance atop Enuk'lun's bones. Buffoons will suffer the same Fate. Empires will always set, as Ebony as the Night."
Wild watched with wide, worried eyes. A clutch of autumn leaves and forest litter danced over him and down the road, carried on a chilled wind.
Comments
Post a Comment