Journal (22-Jan)
{in game date = equivalent 19-Dec}
Appropriately dressed for the cold and with plenty of food and the materials for a Resurrection spell, we left Sepheria studying some vital scrolls and started out by Ferry, care of Skull and his mate Bones, up to Bitter Hollow.
As it was nearly dark when we arrived and snowing, a half-orc allowed us to sleep in the back room of the trading post in exchange for some gold.
As we were breakfasting, a party of gnomes from the nearby settlement came in complaining of something odd in the Shimmerglens. We spoke with them and found they were worried about the White-Willow area. We reassured them we were aware and were looking into a possible solution. We also suggested they avoid the area as best they could for now.
After breakfast, we set out along the bank of Lake Coal. Claw and Jarrick spot a pair of ogre tracks and we cautiously following it up towards the mountains. Night fell and we were fairly sure we could find them come morning; unfortunately, when we awoke the winds and snow had erased the trail. We followed Claw, who got us lost, so instead we followed Jarrick, who was able to pick up a trail. We ended up at the base of a steep cliff, but Jarrick was able to climb up and lower a rope for the rest of us.
The little hunting trail led us to a gaping cave mouth belching out black smoke and ringing out with the sound of metal-on-metal from a forge. Just inside the cave mouth were the ribs of some behemoth bracketing the entrance. We could spot at least large kreeg ogres - one patrolling the stone shelf just in front of the cave and two more huddling inside.
After intense discussion that included Neril, who caught up, it was decided that I go in as a small animal form to scout the caves. I darted in at dusk as a little bat.
The Cave mouth, leads into a 60' corridor. At the end of the corridor there is a Rune Giant statue - later determined for certain as a mummy. It appeared to be a high ranking officer of the runelord of greed's army. There is a sehedron medallion around it's neck, which draws my attention. Past that, there are stares which go up. To the right, a small cave with a deep pit used for disposal, to the left more stairs.
At the top of those stairs, a three way choice guarded by a hill giant and three kreeg, two of whom were arguing. To the left, a huge cave filled with forges and a huge number of large ogres. To the middle, a narrower stair case that leads to a larder of dead animals and cauldrons with the three hags the Dryad Mariana warned us about. To the right was a hall with a cave off to the left with a shrine to Lemashtu as indicated by a statue of the mother of monsters (3 eyed jackal head on a pregnant woman's body) and containing a very alert undead, lich-like with icy claws and an icy crown. He was quick on the draw and smart. It was a close shave to get out of there. Following the little hall further down, it lead to a room with a throne, upon which sat a Stone Giant. He was guarded by a body guard and talking to Jaagarth and Dorella. There were multiple alcoves in the room as well as a trough or canyon strip down the middle of the room, which led to a hole in the ceiling leading out to the sky - my escape was unseen.
After I reported the position and number of enemies to the others, we sat and worked on a plan. We decided to steal the medallion as point of priority as they may have been using the medallion to resurrect the mummy. I formed a little stone hut to protect us from the elements, and we rested overnight.
Before dawn, I took an earth elemental form and used earth glide under the ground. With a few periscopes to check my position, I was able to get into the cave unseen, however, I was right in line of sight of a kreeg - if hidden behind the mummy. Eventually, I grabbed the medallion but was spotted. I dragged the medallion back into the cave wall with me and retreated. We all ran (medallion in one of the bags of holding), dropping a few stone walls behind us to slow any pursuit. Neril covered our tracks and we pushed hard overnight to get to Bitter Hollow. We rested there than pushed on back Turtleback Ferry.
We dragged Sepheria from her research and passed along our information. The medallions are know to be used for scrying but also can be used for gentle repose to preserve a body. We had thought that gentle repose had a time limitation but the medallions (perhaps by channeling life force) seemed to be able to preserve a body almost indefinitely. If the medallion hadn't been potentially able to see through the wearer's eyes and speak through the wearer's mouth, the other benefits such as false life would have been tempting. Instead, we destroyed it with Claw's maul. There was some star-metal in the alloy but not enough to bother with, so Neril disposed of the remains (I will not disclose the location in writing)*
Sepheria decided more research was needed before we went against the hags and she was awaiting importance correspondence from her sister, so we left her while we investigated the presence of a werewolf.
We tracked it for 3 days and found it over the corpse of an unlucky hunter. We were able to kill it without much difficulty and upon examining the corpse of the dead woman it became, we were not able to find anything significant. We buried both bodies and returned to town. Sepheria had received a missive from her sister stating the Grey Maidens were on their way. She also reported that her dreams were becoming clearer and she was seeing the great ring city of Kaermaga, which might lead us towards the next shard.
The weather was too awful by this point to attempt any raids on the Kreeg stronghold, so we waited. It was a few weeks before anything else happened but then a ship filled with Grey Maidens under Auriana arrived. We led them to the Fort, which we had tidied up. Many of the Maidens seemed little leery of their new station but Auriana was very pleased, rousing the Maidens with a heartening speech about destiny and purpose.
Auriana bore a letter addressed to us. The letter was from the Church of Abadar from the Cleric Wen Histani. She bade us find her at Isle Cyrian south of Pendaka.
Leaving Sepheria to her studies once more, we went down to the Church and were sword to secrecy and asked to find something important for her.
As it is secret, I will not relate it here, not until we have further information. We returned back to Turtleback to see if Sepheria had discovered anything in our absence.
[* we dropped it in the lake].
{date equivalent = mid-Feb}
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Personal Journal / Not currently for Pathfinders
Wen Histani, Cleric of Abadar, informed us that a powerful Enchantress by the name of Tirana had walked right into their vaults, bewitching the guards into simply moving aside, to steal a Thassilian relic known as the Sword of Lust. It was one of seven swords known as the Seven Swords of Sin. The weapon alone is not very powerful but it would be very bad if all the swords were gathered together and there have been quiet rumours that other weapons of the set had gone missing. They had been able to track Tirana to Kaermaga, which is known as an outlaw city. The city itself is some sort of artifact where the city/buildings make up the walls.
Wen Histani provided us with a rough map of the city and explained possible ways to enter, including mentioning the secret paths. She told us of the Dusklight paths which lead from the cliff tot he base of the city. Dusk Warden Rangers would be able to provide an escort. Alternatively, we could potentially approach from over land, or other ways. Wen recommended we go to Sirathu. There is a branch of the church within the city which can provide us with basic support but they are not able to provide us any real assistance as there is no official leader or any real law to speak of within the city.
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