History - Book 2 - Home Fires

History - Book 2 - Home Fires

Having narrowly evaded Grey Legion scouts, the party of Trailblazers became lost in a magical storm and wandered in vane, searching to find their way back Cold Hearth. Tired and stalked by the region’s boreal giants. The party decided the best course of action was to try and find the magical leystone controlling the local weather and shut it down.

During the overland escape the ranger, Aythas had a strange dream within which he occupied the body of a Faun Long-Knight of the Grey Legion, named Aoz. During the experience he questioned a captured female Boreal Giant as to the nature of the magical storm stranding them in the wilderness. She may have known, but refused to divulge any secrets she may have possessed.

In the end she attempted to free herself from the fanatics and Aythas drove a blade through her heart. Preventing the Grey Legion from locating the Leystone at the heart of the storm and inadvertently buying the Trailblazers additional time.

The elf awoke to see the baby, St. Ethereal watching him contently.

Continually running afoul of the local wildlife the Party eventually made their way to a much more temperate valley, and the apparent home of the leystone they sought.

Inside the valley they found abandoned cities, farms and villages. Delicate structures of wood and stone that seemed almost wholly abandoned save for a shy, pigmy frog race that called themselves the Pollywogs.

The creatures told the Party that the valley had once belonged to the North Elves, a magically advanced race that had civilized the Pollywogs and taught them to read.

The Party (assisted by a brave, Pollywog scout, named Wetleaf) made their way to the Magerium, a structure where the most powerful minds of the elves had once gathered to shape their impressive civilization.

Inside the cracked tower they met Kol, a seemingly sapient suit of armour. Kol demonstrated his skill in enchantment and willingness to discuss what he called - the Valley of the Greys, with the Party. Stating that his lover, the head mage of the elves had left with her people to deal with the Geld during the height of the barbarian’s power. Neither the elves nor the Geld ever returned to the vale, but Kol instinctively knew his mate yet lived, even if she seemed unable to return to him.

Kol promised to help the Party make use of the Valley if one day they helped him determine the fate of his love in turn. They agreed to his terms and set to work determining all the tasks set before them.

At the Leystone they were able to adjust the magical storm to allow the Party and Pollywogs to come and go as they needed, but left the storm active to strand their Grey Legion pursuers.

Kol advised that many steps were required to make the valley habitable again. Ley-crystals would be needed to fix the Magerium and choose a more suitable weather system. Stone to rebuild and rededicate the temple district. Wood to mend the houses and stoke the hearths, as well as metals to repair blades and make tools.

The Party left to bring the other Southern outcasts to the Valley of the Greys. With the illusionary storm quelled for them, they could once more find their way back to Cold Hearth unhindered.

Partway there they stumbled across a clearing, one that had recently been setup as a huge campsite. Smouldering fires, snowless patches where tents had rested and the body of a slain, female, Boreal Giant. A quick search of the body led Aythas to the conclusion that it was indeed the giant he had killed while possessing the Faun legionnaire.

Almost as soon as they’d made that revelation St. Ethereal began to laugh and coo in Aaron’s arms. Reaching out towards the forest to the east. Soon a figure baring a torch appeared, followed by several more.

As if by a miracle the refugees from Cold Hearth (plus hundreds more new arrivals) had set out looking for a new home. Led by a mysterious woman named Uma, they had travelled north-west and become lost in the magic storm.

Elder Snowfang was with them and swiftly promised the young king a long coming discipline session for running away, and offered to assist getting the people to the Party’s newly discovered refuge.

Brale and Wetleaf offered to show everyone the way, while Hugh, Korr and the ranger scoured the nighttime woods looking for stragglers (of which they saved 280 additional souls from the unknown horrors of the Hinterlands).

The Party got their people settled in dilapidated homes and set off, after a night’s rest, to find the Ley-crystals.

Kol advising them that the hot-springs the Pollywogs called home (and maintain the warmer temperatures) were failing and when they did the winter would return with a vengeance to the region.

Determined to not let that happen the Party travelled to Warpbend Vale in the the north-east end of the valley; searching for Ley-crystals in order to repair the Magerium and choose a new weather system for their refuge.

The Trailblazers were set upon by the denizens of the Warpbend Vale; primeval lizardkin - hungry and territorial haunted the underground jungles of the crystal caverns - vicious Monitors (half human-troglodytes) and Feral Trawls (half-ogre-troglodytes) larger than trolls did their best to pull the Party under, but not only did the Trailblazers survive, but made the most remarkable of meetings.

A young South Elf druid, Ashyrah and her white tiger companion, Kane were also in search of Ley-crystals to fix the weather system. Having arrived weeks ago in the Valley she avoided every type of creature and trap along the was as she broke the same path the Trailblazers eventually followed.

Joining forces, the Party was soon lured into a meeting with Warpbend’s mistress - a conniving green hag by the name of Anagh.

Her creeping voice echoed out through her lair; sugared words that bespoke of help and knowledge. She claimed Anagh and her sisters knew the future, having seen what the Party would face. She said she was a Sow of Geld, one of the dead Lich’s many wives. The hag promised to tell them what happened to the North Elves. She told them her sisters could aid them in their fights to come; all for the price of two sacrifices a year to their fiendish coven.

The Party saw through her temptations, knowing such creatures for the miscreants they were. As they entered her cauldron-room they slew the beast and seized the Ley-crystals she had been hoarding. The ominous threat that Anagh’s older sisters were still out there, and no doubt angered by the youngest’s demise lingering on.

Returning to the Magerium, the Trailblazers were instructed by Kol on how to fix the tower’s exterior with the crystals. Wetleaf eagerly volunteered to install the stones and the party made their way to the Leystone to mend the climate.

Three options were available to them:


 * 1) a star weather system that would reduce the light of the vale and encourage the growth of both edible and useful mushrooms.
 * 2) a permanent autumnal season that would balance the choice between light and darkness, warmth and cold.
 * 3) an arid clime that would maximize light and warmth at the cost of harsher growing conditions.

Not fully grasping what their choice entailed the Trailblazers opted for the moderate one. Turning the Valley into an Autumnal paradise they watched as an arc-wave resonated from the stone. Transforming the tall conifer trees of the vale in to brightly coloured deciduous ones. The snow fading away into a light frost and the amazed Pollywog’s skins becoming every individual hue of the rainbow.

Knowing the people of the vale would need fire and proper shelter the party ventured forth into Coldscar Forest next. Within the haunted woods they fought through foul Treeblights and corrupted giants.

Worn and weary they located a set of caves amid a hill overgrown with vines and avoided the trap in front of them. The party sent Wetleaf down the smaller of the two tunnels and entered the larger of the two cave entrances.

Moving cautiously they heard sobbing in the depths and Aythas spotted something large slinking through the many side-tunnels that crisscrossed the cave system.

In a room with a cold cauldron set over a pile of human bones they found a young woman trapped inside a giant bird cage. The girl called out to them, begging to be freed before the hag returned.

Korr slashed the bottom of the prison with his great sword and freed the woman, as the animal companions with them began to growl and panic, glancing nervously around the room.

Ashyrah and Aythas readied their bows when the tunnel behind them exploded into movement as the sleeping bats overhead fled en masse from the caverns.

Immediately the firepit exploded brightly and the bones within began to burn and smoke foully.

The girl warned them it was the hag and the group shored up ranks; ready for anything.

Smoke-like mist billowed through the chamber from the fireplace, rising to the ceiling and plunging the whole area into a dense, pea-soup fog.

“I know why you have come,” a sinisterly growling voice rumbled from the gloom behind Korr.

“And I know it was you that killed my sister,” the unseen hag hissed into Brale’s ear.”

Unlike her sister, the Annis hag Girtha had no interest in parlay; only vengeance.

Korr heard something shift in the fog and slashed about, his blade somehow skewering the young woman they had freed. Her eyes pleaded in bewildered hurt and confusion as she slipped from the greatsword’s edge. But the illusion of the dying girl soon shattered to be replaced by an immense and haggard woman looming from the mist to gleefully attack the party. There had never been a female prisoner at all - only more hag trickery.

Girtha raged within the thick fog, as big as a bear and twice as vicious, her immense claws and razor teeth savaged the Trailblazers. While her iron-like hide and impressive spell resistance turned aside many of the party’s most powerful attacks.

The battle raged, the hag using the limited visibility to her advantage in melee.

Ashyrah sent her tiger Kane out to locate the errant Wetleaf as Aythas moved in to give support to Brale and Korr.

The archer’s approach proved disastrous though as Girtha seized upon him, tearing the western elf in two before Korr’s blade could end her or Hugh Mann’s magic could save him.

“You’ll all die,” cursed the hag as she choked to death on her own blood. “You’ll all die!”

Girtha fell and the party mourned the tragic passing of their friend.

Taking care, the party wrapped the elf’s body in his sleeping roll and created a stretcher to bear him home.

*

On the return trip the Oracle, Hugh Mann awoke in an luxurious bed chamber fit for a king. How he had gotten there or where exactly he was still eluded him by the time there was a rap on the door to the bedroom.

Three men, all supplicated themselves before him as they informed him were there to dress him and ready him for the day.

As they sat him within a chair before a large silver mirror, Hugh suddenly realized who’s body he was inhabiting. As the men placed an opulent hat upon his powdered brow, he knew he was inside the very body of the literal Pope of the Dour Faith - Sul Dul!

Soon after an armoured woman entered, casual and sweating she called Hugh, father, and seemed far less concerned with his position then everyone else in the bed chamber.

The woman later identified as Annea was confirmed to be Sul Dul’s daughter. She had just returned from some violent campaign and was already making plans to push north after the last of the free refugees. But before setting off as planned she’d stop in to see her parents and enjoy the pleasures of the city.

Playing it cool, Hugh invited her to attend the interrogation of a man they were informed the Grey Legion had just captured.

Heading into the dungeon of the huge mansion they occupied the Oracle was greeted by the sight of his former foster parent- the Mayor of the small southern town he had fled from.

Standing over the bloodied man was a cruel looking priest - Pirennius, the master torturer.

“Do you know what a child is, Mr. Mayor?” snarled the priest as a young beaten girl, the mayor’s own daughter was dragged before him in chains. “It is an exploitable weakness!”

The mayor begged for mercy for his child and the priest sneered.

“The boy’s name or your daughter’s life!”

“Hugh Mann,” the old man mewled. “Please. The boy’s name is Hugh Mann. He went north. We sent him north.”

Pirennius leaned in and patted the mayor’s shoulder, “If your words prove false your girl shall join her mother amongst the crucified.”

Hugh cleared his throat and the old priest bowed, welcoming the dour pope.

The cruel man relayed his concern over Hugh Mann’s escape, and stressed that the mark the boy bore was one of ill-portent.

This made Annea snort in amusement, mocking the priest’s superstition.

Hugh feigned support of the priest and ordered the old mayor re-imprisoned to avoid suspicion. After he’d bid the pope’s daughter goodbye he sought out the team organizing her expedition to the Hinterlands.

Tinitus, the quartermaster in charge of the trip north was overwhelmed to see the most powerful man in the world had casually come into his office. Obviously willing to help, the soldier quickly acquiesced to Hugh’s demands for detailed information on the northern campaign, and a new, more opulent hat.

The officer explained about the Vanguard force the legion had dispatched in to the Hinterlands (a brigade of hardened troops, led by The Long-Knights Carveer and Aoz) and went into extensive detail about how the legion used birds, from the size of tiny pigeons all the way up to enormous rocs to drop supplies and equipment anywhere in the Wurld they were required.

Thinking quickly, the Trailblazer’s Oracle ordered the quartermaster to send two expensive diamonds and 2 scrolls of resurrection to the abandoned legion camp outside the Valley. Tinitus agreed to do as instructed just as Hugh awoke in his own body far in the north.

Across from him in a cold glade, the young man opened his eyes to see the baby St. Ethereal staring at him. The infant barely swaddled despite the frosty chill in the air, his glowing face filled with delight. Hugh gave the child a wink and then moved to rouse the rest of the party.

*

The group sojourned to the old camp outside the valley. The body of the giantess Aythas had slain during his own dream-possession now looked picked over by birds and carrion eaters.

In a wet fire-pit they found a small package. Inside were two precious scrolls of resurrection and two egg-sized diamonds.

But their work was far from done. They had the means to bring back the dead, but no one powerful enough to wield it. The solution came in the construction of a new temple within the heart of Majere, the North Elf city. A proper place to worship the gods would draw the sort of person they would need to bring the ranger back from the Happy Hunting Grounds. And the stone they required to do that was located at Stone’s Throw Quarry, far to the north.

Leaving Aythas body to be watched over (and likely experimented on) by the inscrutable Kol, the Trailblazers found the quarry submerged beneath a lake of deep, frigid water all entombed beneath a solid foot of ice.

Using Ashyrah’s unfortunate sickle as an improvised pick, Korr carved a sizeable hole in the ice. While the party debated who would be diving in to check things out.

Eventually the druid was volunteered and she transformed into a giant otter to swim down and do some recon. The otteress made it approximately sixty feet before she came across a pair of blue eyed, undead elven warriors that stood on the bed of the frigid lake. The creatures turned to look at her and she zipped back up to the surface, her exploration and desire to die foolishly for what was essentially a group of absolute strangers completed for the remainder of the day.

Still lacking for options Korr slipped into the water. The Ura’s thick, natural coat providing more protection against the biting cold than anyone else’s. Slowly, (freezing as he also suffocated) the big wolf-man swam around the submerged pit, noting an old escalator/ladder at the north end that the elves had once used to haul minerals to the surface, and a pile of heavy debris at the southern end. Mixed in amongst all that were around 8 or so undead elves.

Korr retuned to the group and advised the rest of the expedition what he’d discovered.

It was agreed upon that Korr would need help shifting the debris to see what was under it. That would require the reluctant druid’s help again. Rest would be required to recharge her shape-change ability so camp was struck.

Ashyrah hunted for meat, while Brale camouflaged their campsite. Wetleaf cooking up whatever they found for dinner, as Korr and Hugh took shifts on guard.

During Korr’s late night watch two of the undead scaled the frozen escalator and chopped through the lake ice with their rusted swords. The party roused and Hugh clearly identified the monsters as winter-wights.

Deadly, due to their ferocity and ability to rapidly drain soul energy from the living, the party made plans to dispatch them posthaste.

The creatures ran heedlessly towards them one at a time. With fire, arrows and steel the party put them down permanently and without a scratch.

In the morning they cut a new hole down by the east end of the quarry (an effort that ruined Ashyrah’s fine sickle) working as a team the party used ropes and muscle-power to clear the debris, crushing some of the wights beneath heavy rocks and timbers as they crashed to the lakebed.

Once cleared, they discovered a sheet of ice sealing up a tunnel on the other side.

Brale dove down and used fire magic to blast the barrier away. Immediately the reverse pressure began to suck the water from the quarry, threatening to pull the Fel down with it. Fortunately Korr and the rest of the group was there to drag her to safety as they stood back and watched tons of unsupported lake ice crash down on the remaining undead.

Within a few hours they were able to climb down into the drained pit and approach the formerly hidden tunnel. Ice and pooling water covered everything, including a sloped passage that ran under the earth.

Cautiously they moved over the grates where the lake water had disappeared into and climbed a sharp incline to discover a fire-lit room with a large dangling bird cage attached to the ceiling.

Sensing de ja vu to the last hag's lair the Trailblazers approached cautiously and noted two ice covered Fell-hounds lounging in the chamber.

Korr rushed in taking the beasts by surprise, the party followed his lead and the planar mongrels were utterly destroyed within a few moments.

Within the cage a young man, who they mistook as a half-elf at first blush, sat bundled in a set of billowing black robes.

“I am Nate Detheborne,” the figure introduced himself. “I have been trapped in this cage for two-years and know much about the hag you shall face.”

Then without even an inhale Nate told them he was really a dhampir, and that  he had come to learn magic from the hag. But that hadn’t worked out and so now he was willing to tell them all he knew of his former mistress in return for setting him free and letting him gather his weapons and equipment.

The party debated on the wisdom of freeing yet another prisoner from a hag lair, but eventually relented. Nate blathered through the process to free him, leading the party to gather that he was both younger and less sane than they’d first assumed - or at least he behaved that way.

The dhampir gathered up his supplies from a chest hidden within the illusionary fire in the centre of the room, and gave a raw potato to each Trailblazer as a reward for liberating him.

Nate then told them the monster they faced was a Winterhag named Helgha, and that  she was a mistress of cold magic. He also assured them that her vulnerability would be to flames.

The party decided to exit the tunnels and swap spells; awaiting an empowering arc-wave from the leystone in the center of the vale.

Once they had been divinely inspired they reentered and began to hunt the monstrous witch in earnest.

They discovered a door, near the back of the chamber where Nate had been imprisoned. Wetleaf spotted a trap and disarmed it, before popping the door open to reveal Helgha herself on the far side of a large, empty room.

Korr and half the party advanced only to discover the hag was an illusionary image setup in an attempt to split the party.

Back in the fake fire-pit, where Nate had retrieved his items from earlier the Winterhag dropped her invisibility and began weaving arctic energies. Instantly, a wall of ice sprang into existence sealing off the door to the new chamber, trapping half the party inside and stranding the other half in the hallway with her.

Brale, Nate and Ashyrah cast fire spells at the ice wall, weakening it as the other tried to break through it with their weapons. Magically enhanced, Kane rushed the hag and bit her with enough force to make her realize she was facing formidable foes indeed.

Swirling air formed in her palm as the heroes destroyed her icy barrier within ten seconds of her erecting it. Biding her time she waited until the majority of them were in the corridor before blasting the party with a deadly cone of absolute cold.

The terrible frost froze poor Wetleaf solid as he jumped in front of Ashyrah to protect her, while the druidess and her loyal tiger companion collapsed to the floor - lingering on death’s door.

Enraged at the Pollywog’s fate, Nate and Brale rushed to destroy the hag as Hugh did his best to save the elf maiden and her animal.

Helgha’s damage reduction and natural spell resistance served her exceedingly well against the party as wave after wave of fire and steel swept over her harmlessly.

Knocking the barbarian prone as he attempted to set up a flank attack and washing a wave of fatiguing energy over the whole party as they tried to mob her.

Finally Brale managed to clip her inside a fireball and Korr did his best to cut the legs out from under her.

The hag reared up, intent on beating the Ura to death with her staff - right up until Brale’s last Scorching Ray blasted through her magical barrier and burnt her down to a bubbling puddle of steaming goo.

Beaten and exhausted the Trailblazers claimed the hag’s stash from her secret sanctuary and headed back to the city to tell the refugees it was time to construct a proper temple to the gods.

*

Two months passed and the Vale was greatly improved.

In the city proper, a Paladin hall to the Scions of Lebelon was constructed. On the cliff-face overhead a hospital to heal the sick was established. And lastly a pitch, pavilion and amphitheatre were all made to promote athletics and the arts.

The community grew from a determined town to an impressive city, as the last of the refugees from the south arrived to help recapture the faded glory of the abandoned elven empire.

In the government plaza the majority of citizens elected King Aaron to the role of Regent of the Vale, and appointed him a variety of advisors to assist in the day to day operations of their new home.

The Trailblazers re-dedicated the temple to the Gods of Grace, appointing Titanus’s high-priest - Life Coach Dinsmore - to direct its services. With his help they resurrected their departed friends Aythas and Wetleaf, before taking time off to build themselves a small hamlet to live in and hone their newly acquired skills.

It was during one wind-swept morning a knock sounded out on the door of Ashyrah’s new home. After some indecision and stalling she eventually opened the door to speak with a slight, half-man (half-elf) who was standing their. Odd of speech yet sharply dressed the dark-haired figure introduced himself as Deeter or Dirt or some such. Kane didn’t seem to care for him, but the young man made an interesting proposition.

He said he had the knowhow to make a product for the Vale that would be without equal. An herbal potion that would help folks chase away their worries and become irresistible to the masses.

She expressed her doubts over the legality and safety of such a thing and he assured her it was nothing nefarious. He simply didn’t know how to grow the plants he needed in such a far-off place and wanted to enlist the help of the region’s only druid - Ashyrah.

She told him she’d think about it and have to talk to her associates. He smiled and assured her he’d have to do the same. Bidding her a good-day he hobbled off towards some local farm he and his compatriots had taken over, with a promise he’d be in touch.

Shortly after that a knock sounded out on Brale’s home, she engaged with the fellow for a few moments, but when he refused to give his name through her closed door or lower his cowl when the person he addressed stayed hidden inside her home he decided to move on and the Fel female let him.

Hugh Mann was visited by a family of sensible fans. Norm All and his wife Ordina (maiden name Ree) and well as their two kids - Aver and little Age. Together they had lunch and he showed them his new workshop.

Next Korr’s door was rapped upon, the Ura set his great sword behind the portal and then swung it wide to greet his unexpected guest.

The cowled fellow removed his cloak to display the features of a Fel male. The slate haired catfolk bowed and introduced himself as Sarrow. A businessman and talent-hunter. He offered The barbarian a proposal, to which Korr laughed at and closed the door in his face.

Brale spotted him, having been peeking through her front window, when she saw he was another member of her race, she ran out to greet him.

Sarrow seemed just as surprised to see another of his kind as she was, having assumed the local alchemist was a human (at this point Brale changed classes from Sorcerer to Alchemist of the same level with GM consent).

Sarrow was new to town and explained that he and his professionals had brought with them a great deal of money, tools and magic items, all liberated from the Dour Faith before he and his comrades made their way north. He promised enough help to turn the Vale into a proper country and all he asked for in return was the right to collect taxes for the crown, have access to anyone he wished to hire and the freedom to run his business in an open market.

Not seeing how Sarrow could possibly profit off such an agreement Brale became suspicious. She asked if he had approached King Aaron regarding his business plans and he rebuffed the question. The Fel didn’t see the halfling regent as anything more than a figurehead and knew it would be the Trailblazers who would allow him to stay or not.

Brale advised that she would discuss the matter with her companions and Sarrow thanked her before bidding the hamlet a fine day.

Later the party were invited to a ceremony and city renaming. The nobles and court of Aaron wanted a chance to reward those who had risked more than just their welfare to aid the refugees of the Vale. Along with this came finding a name for their new home that fully encapsulated all they were trying to do.

Along the way the female party members and Nate the necromancer stumbled upon a couple of Air Rangers from the newly established Search and Rescue teams. A woman had stumbled off a cliff and they were trying to save her.

After some indecision and a bunch of screaming, Ashyrah climbed down and grabbed the woman. While Nate struggled to keep everyone from falling over. Finally, Brale took hold of the sorcerer’s shoulder and managed to drag everyone to safety.

On a similar road to the capital the males of the party encountered two Earth Guards from the Citizen’s Militia being attacked by a tree-blight. The two men had wounded the creature, but were definitely losing. The adventures moved to engage and quickly dispatched the monster and saved to men.

Afterwards Korr chastised the men for fighting so dangerous a foe, but the guards shook their heads and remained resolute in their defence their new home.

*

At the castle the party found themselves underdressed and unprepared for the newest wave of nobility that seemed to have join the community. Racial slurs and biting comments were bantered about them in hushed tones. The overall experience went a long way to show the Trailblazers exactly what sort of people were latching onto the tiers of power and trying to insinuate themselves into the Regent’s court.

The party’s standoffishness kept them milling about the entryway and the entire group missed the renaming of the city from Majere to that of Nascent; A fresh beginning and new start for their beleaguered people.

Eventually, drawn by either mischief, boredom or a sense of duty the group made their way into the throne room and were summoned to the platform by Aaron. The halfling boy stood on a raised walkway so he could look each of them in the eye.

“Not everyone here knows how you helped us, but I do,” he told them. He remembered how they kept him safe in the wilderness and found the very city they now called home. For their courage and loyalty he awarded them all an Honour of the Vale medal. Each one a magical amulet that would protect them in battle.

Thanking the Regent the party was applauded by the crowd and then stepped from the dais. Hugh Mann, Brale, and Nate departed for home, while the elves and Ura decided to stay and see what happened afterwards.

Korr began drinking and regaling the partygoers and one particular female Ura of his exploits, while Aythas and Ashyrah glared at anyone who dared get to close to their personal space.

While unnoticed by anyone, Wetleaf spotted a little, green Polly he knew in the crowd and slipped off with her to pursue their own night.

*

In the morning, Korr and the elves awoke in the Magerium, to find Kol pouring over the map of the vale irritably.

“Is this your plan?” he asked snidely. “To party and drink until the Grey Legion finds you?”

Korr tried to brush off the comment saying they would fight a glorious battle if that occurred and Kol corrected him.

“It will be a glorious defeat.”

Aythas pressed the creature as to what it recommended and once more Kol pointed them towards the Blood-Tooth mines.

Korr snarled, feeling the automaton was once more pushing them into excessive danger. The fear the last two hags had put into the party lingered and there was still one more to go.

Kol reminded them that his advice so far had helped them establish a burgeoning kingdom. While they could not refute his words, they at least could be as prepared as possible for what they may face in their next endeavour.

The group met back up at the Hamlet just as Nate stashed the corpse of a goblin he had found around the back of his house.

Searching their new home libraries the group scanned for info on the mines of the Vale and any Dark Reach tunnels that may connect to them.

They found out several things regarding Blood-Tooth;

the new creatures that own the mines now may have breathed horrid life back into the ruin.
 * 1) Non-Drow, Dark Reach enemies composed of Fire, shadow and earth have seized the mines.
 * 2) The  mines were once a powerful and evil Geld lair. Liberated by the elves

danger the colonies had spores that could mind possess people and transform them into more fungus. .
 * 1) The mines are very extensive and very prone to cave-in
 * 2) Myceloid  fungus had been a problem for the elves. A nuisance more than a real

After they studied up on the mines, Ashyrah and Brale told the party about their visitors. The party all agreed they both sounded suspicious.

After much debate as to what they should do and in what order they should do it, Brale suggested they reach out to St. Ethereal, the largely overlooked deity they had been given to protect with their lives. The blessed, fragile miracle that they couldn’t really answer with any certainty as to where he might be from moment to moment.

Upon them wondering where he was at, the child appeared. Now a teenager, St. Ethereal explained that he was staying with the clergy at the rebuilt temple.

He told them how the priests had had to tell him who he was and that the party were not his family. The Trailblazer’s arms-length conversation with the boy surely impacting how the god would feel about them later in life.

They questioned him as though he were their equal, none taking a knee or beseeching his aide with any humility, yet gracious as he was, the deity answered them as best he could.

His answers were sadly cryptic, due to the fact he hadn’t really been told by anyone what was right or wrong or even what the valley truly needed. In the end he apologized for not being of more help.

When the party determined it would be best to deal with the strange newcomers before the mines they left St. Ethereal standing alone in their hamlet, without so much as a thank you for the god’s time.

Driven by their need to protect the valley and safeguard the future of their endeavours, the Deity forgave their abrupt departure, but deep down he wondered what sort of people his worshippers were now so dependent upon, and in the end he ponder would any of them matter as much to the Trailblazers as the party’s own ambitions or the next adventure?

*

The party located the farm being used by Deeter and his people. Fifty or so men and women clearing land and fixing buildings as they readied it for their use.

It was decided that deception would likely yield more answers than direct confrontation so Brale summoned her owl Moshie and Ashyrah assumed the form of a large raven.

Heading off to opposite ends of the farm. The alchemist’s owl entered the barn’s loft and overheard a conversation between Deeter and his foreman about making a sugary pop for the valley. And how they just needed the druid’s help to make the sugar cane grow in colder conditions.

Ashyrah in the meanwhile snuck inside the house and while eavesdropping from the stairs to the second floor heard two men arguing in the kitchen.

The gruffer of the two was displeased with only making beverages. He wanted to use the crew and land to grow poppies and start up a thriving drug trade like he had in the south.

He planned to kill Deeter and kidnap Ashyrah if she didn’t willingly comply.

He then spotted the raven watching him from the stairwell and drew his knife.

“It’s just a raven, Carl,” argued the meeker man.

“There’s a druid in this valley,” Carl said. “A raven or a spy, don’t matter if it dies.”

He swiped at her, but Ashyrah managed to fly off before he could hurt her.

Back outside, as twilight approached the party agreed that the druidess should go back in by herself to see if they could convince Deeter that Carl was planning on betraying him without alarming Carl and having him hurt Deeter before they could intervene.

Deeter was delighted to see her even as Carl stared at the elf lecherously. Soon the ruse was up and Carl and his people readied to kill Deeter and take the druid hostage. His plan lasted three whole seconds. That was how long it took for Wetleaf, Kane and Maxine to leap upon Carl and Aythas’ arrow to end his flailing life. His cohorts running off into the night like the cowards they were.

Deeter was both amazed and smitten with Ashyrah and thanked her profusely for her assistance. She agreed to help him make his product, but suggested they try stevia (an herb native to her cloud forest home) rather than sugar.

Before they could celebrate more a man on a horse came running in like Hester himself were chasing him. The party slowed the man and he dismounted in huff, waggling his finger.

“I was just shaken down by a band of brigands! Those paladins are useless.”

When pressed on who had stolen from him the man indicated to a keep in the distance. “A grey haired Fel and his cronies did it, and they said they were working for you!”

Travelling to Lake Empherene in the center of the Gray Vale they discovered an old keep in severe disrepair. The new occupants having erected a makeshift, wooden palisade around the portion of the keep where the stone walls had buckled in due to neglect.

The bandits within were clearly the ones they sought, and after a short lived battle the party entered the keep and confronted the brigands leader, a grey-furred Fel, Brale immediately recognized as Scarrow.

Having never received an answer from the Trailblazers, he and his people had fixed up a lair and had turned to banditry in order to sustain themselves. Yet one more problem for the seemingly overwhelmed party who were seeing signs of their indecision and absent-mindedness beginning to fester within their new homeland.

Taking pity on the Fel and his surviving men they decided to allow Scarrow an opportunity to set up tax-collection within the Vale - a decision they did not inform the Regent or his advisers of.

Exhausted and frustrated the Trailblazers opted to return home to their hamlet for a rest before setting out to the Blood-Tooth Mines to deal with the final hag.

May 11, 2020

After a fitful night’s sleep the Trailblazers awoke in their homes and began to prepare for the long walk to Bloody Tooth Mine. The notion of a fourth hag awaiting at the end of their journey weighing heavily upon all of them.

Ashyrah opened the door to her house and Kane rushed down the road towards Aythas’ cottage. As she exited, Deeter appeared at the edge of her garden gate. The soda-maker looked nervous and without even a good morning he began reciting a seemingly well rehearsed speech to the druid.

“Forgive me, I was raised by gnomes, so I only know their customs and not those of the elves. And as we all know life - much like a gnome - is very short.”

“I have come to begin a courtship with you, Ashyrah. I maybe shorter than the other half-elves you know, but I was assured by my foster parents that’s only due to the small house I was raised in. Half-elves, as we all know, can only grow as big as the environment they are kept within; that’s just hard science.”

* He handed her a small cage*

“To begin the wooing I offer you a small rodent, as is the time-honoured tradition. In this case a hamster. His name is Boo. He’s a giant, space hamster, only obviously miniaturized. He has agreed to watch over you and your property. I assure you he is most capable - a thirty year veteran by some accounts, he has the most outlandish stories about defending some far off place called Toril. But I digress, this is about a potential marriage, and not entertainment.”

Without a word the Southern elf pushed passed him and began to follow her tiger. Undeterred, Deeter chased after her for a short-while.

“Is it Aythas, the ranger? Has he already won your heart? I am merely an exceedingly wealthily merchant with lands and titles, while he has what - an incredibly high constitution? How can I compete? An impressive specimen - I cannot fault you, my lady. Though, if you change your mind I shall be here!”

Ashyrah left the half-man behind and reached the cottage; only to find the front door standing wide open. She checked the property and found the ranger missing. His tracks leading into woods north of town.

Unable to change the fact the Western elf had departed in the night she made her way to the centre of the hamlet (temporarily named Riverside until they came up with a better name for it or not) and awaited the others.

Brale, the summoner-bard and her air eidolon Enzo arrived first, a newly resurrected Wetleaf in tow. Hugh Mann and the Ura barbarian Korr arriving shortly after.

15 minutes passed before the group started wondering where Aythas was, only to be dispassionately informed by the druid that he wasn’t in the hamlet.

Everyone cast concerned looks at each other. First over Ashyrah’s delay in relaying where Aythas was and then what could have befallen the ranger. When pressed on why she didn’t mention the Western elf’s disappearance earlier the druid shrugged and mumbled something about not being his keeper.

When asked if they had missed anything else that morning she replied with a succinct, “No.” While freeing her new hamster from its cage.

Hugh eventually calmed the group. Despite Aythas’ recent return to life, he was more than capable of taking care of himself. Plus he had his animal companion Maxine with him.

With an arduous journey ahead and daylight already burning, the group assumed the ranger would catch up when he could and set their sights on Bloody Tooth Mine.

Half a day later the Trailblazers found themselves in a region of snow-covered, windblown steppes. The temperature having dropped considerably in the northern, more inhospitable part of the vale.

As they went they noted a series of geysers in the near-distance. Jets of violent steam that rocketed 20 feet into the drab skies. At first the party found it intriguing, one more previously undiscovered, natural phenomenon in their new home, but their wonder soon turned to alarm as the geysers grew closer and closer, like they were moving with purpose towards them.

Everyone pulled weapons and prepped spells as the geysers came within 40 feet, the pressure and heat forcing the group to look away as the steam exploded from below.

Brale sent Enzo forward to investigate and watch through his eyes as he peered down into the newest hole to witness a scaly, coiling body made of glowing hot scales getting reedy to spring upward.

Korr advanced, standing by the snowy tunnel, great-sword in hand as he waited for whatever it was following them to emerge.

Seconds later a monster smashed its way to the surface - a frilled-centipede with spines that radiated heat like a furnace. Ashyrah identified the creature as a Remorhaz, a deadly denizen of the northern wilds.

Arrows were fired and Enzo attacked but the beast’s harden scales repelled their initial assault, and with a single bite the monster swallowed Brale whole.

Enzo became enraged, smashing his claws into the Remorhaz’s side and drawing boiling blood as he did so. The retaliatory heat that washed out from the creature’s body almost destroying the eidolon’s physical form.

Wetleaf hit the monster’s bulbous eye with a pencil-sized arrow and Korr sliced into its flank with his sword.

The Remorhaz suddenly began to choke, it’s latest meal disagreeing with it as the magic of Brale’s bitter armour began to take effect. A moment later it retched, spraying the injured summoner onto the snowy earth.

The party attacked in earnest, Ashyrah hitting the beast with a nettle-burst of explosive thorns and acid, while Hugh let his healing energies wash over the Fel and her minion.

Korr soon delivered the finishing blow, severing the monster’s spine and dropping it dead.

The party rested for a moment, stunned by the suddenness and fury of the attack, before harvesting the Remorhaz’s heat-organs and pushing on to the mine.

They arrived a few hours before dark at a collapsed rock face. The entrance to Bloody Tooth had been buried in a landslide years before and now only a narrow crack of an entrance remained; barely enough room for a medium-sized creature to carefully squeeze through.

No one rushed to be the first through, everyone assuming they might get stuck if they tried to enter.

Ashyrah ordered Wetleaf to follow her, shape-changed into a snow-owl and hopped into the passage. Conditioned to obey elves the Pollywog acquiesced. The inky blackness of the mine was all-consuming and they were forced to move very slowly to avoid injury. Fortunately, the tunnel didn’t lead them off a cliff or into some bottomless pit.

After 100 feet or so Wetleaf stopped them and told the druidess to listen. In the dark they both made out the sounds of armour shifting; as if heavily burdened figures were attempting to stand still and quiet.

The Pollywog was freaked out and Ashyrah had ‘seen’ enough. She snatch the shrieking scout into her claws and flew them back down the tunnel to the waiting party.

Outside the group knew there was nothing else for it, with the sun slipping away they needed to press on. One by one they turned and slid carefully through the crack in the mountainside.

Hugh and Brale cast light on themselves and Korr took the lead with Kane and Enzo. As they approached the tunnel that had concerned Wetleaf, Kane began to growl, sensing what the scout had, yet just as unable to locate the lurking threat.

Hugh cast ‘light’ on a stone and tossed it down the passage, but the illumination revealed nothing.

Brale cast ‘see invisibility’ on herself and gasped as three powerfully squat dwarven forms materialized a shirt distance up the tunnel.

While relaying what she saw she spoke the common word for Duergar and the three invisible, grey dwarves guards sprang into action.

Wielding mithral hammers the Dark Reach creatures appeared amidst the party as they launched their attack.

Kane was heavily injured in the fight, but saved by Hugh Mann’s channeled healing energies, and one by one the toughened dwarves were laid low by the Trailblazer’s efforts.

Cautiously the party crept deeper into the mine until they entered a passage that began to crash down all around them. Brale, Ashyrah, Wetleaf and Boo proved fast enough to avoid the crushing rocks, but in doing so they wound up on the wrong side of the impassable collapse.

Within minutes a Grey Dwarf patrol appeared through the dust and ordered them to drop their weapons in surrender.

Ashyrah threw her hamster at them, Boo striking the lead Duergar in the eyes, drawing blood as he bounced.

“Surrender or we kill the rat!” roared the injured dwarf, holding the tiny hamster up menacingly.

Worriedly Brale and Wetleaf laid down their weapons and Ashyrah sighed in annoyance as she followed suit.

They were then tied up in ropes and pushed along down the tunnel-way.

“Let’s see what the hag makes of them,” spat the leader, as they led the captured adventures away from the rest of their cut-off friends.

*