Great-grandchild of the sister's gibbon's friend of the nephew of the Campaign that Would Not Die, now in 3.25e
Møøse Trained By: Hugh Foster

Ruins and RTA

Fifty-Mile Fort, Tellaran Road north of Kelorsal, 28th October 2100, 1am


David, the Hanged Man

Fifty-Mile Fort, Tellaran Road north of Kelorsal, 28th October 2100

Fifty-Mile Fort, Tellaran Road north of Kelorsal, 29th October 2100, Midnight

Fifty-Mile Fort, Tellaran Road north of Kelorsal, 29th October 2100

Kelorsal, 31st October 2100

Three days’ travel passes without significant event, and in the afternoon of the third day they come into sight of the ruins of Kelorsal.

Set on a gentle rise, the city overlooks two nearby lakes, Tomar and Marendur according to the map Ewen provided. Three of the great Roads meet here; the one the party are following meets one coming from the north and one leading south-east towards Reital. 


Doesn't really look quite like this but it gives the atmosphere

It was clearly once a splendid place, walled and with large central buildings. Now, regular mounds and lines in the grass are all that remains, with copses of trees here and there. The overall spirit of the place is of deep sadness, a living, vibrant place fallen into ruin, abandoned forever.

The other two roads show signs that some travellers do pass this way, tracks and wheel-ruts where trade persists between Tellare and Minensal, and occasional camping-places with firepits, none used in the last week or so.  There seems to be no sign of any occupation. The city will take a couple of hours to traverse.

Ewen, still grateful, shakes hands all round and heads off east along the Reital road.


As the party head south through the grassy ruins, those with a Good alignment (Baggy and Chambu) feel a slight pull, a sense of affinity, off to the west of the street they are following.

Investigation leads to a set of fairly significant-looking ruins. The walls are no more than waist-high, but the footings and broken columns are magnificently crafted. A large gap, probably once filled with double doors, leads into a spacious main area with smaller ones – chapels? – to either side. The sense of affinity is much stronger, and both can tell that this was a place consecrated to a deity of some sort, if not primarily of Good, then of a compatible ethos.

After a little hunting around, Chambu locates a carved symbol on the remains of the altar - a book held open - and Baylock - who had, ahem, read of such in a book once, recognizes it as the symbol of Aderra. As he relays this, the speaking of the Goddess's name seems to trigger something.

A wisp of glowing mist coils up from the symbol, forming into the shape of a young man with reddish hair, dressed in mail and wearing the symbol of Aderra around his neck. He smiles at the party and bows. “Hail, travellers. In life, I was Sigred of Narthal, priest of Aderra and troublemaker in the days of the Dragon Varkar.” A faint but rather infectious smile crosses his insubstantial face. “My Goddess was at the forefront in the struggle against the Beast, as was I in my small way. Though she has fallen on lean times, and her people are scattered, she sends me to support your quest – in no way does she want him returned to this world!”

The party query him about the Godess's help, and he continues

“The aid I can offer is three-fold. Firstly, of course, knowledge. I have been granted the power to answer three questions you may ask me, whatever they may be, if the answer is within my Lady’s knowing. You may ask now, or later as you choose.”  

“Secondly, wisdom. Though the visions granted to the two Dragon Gods are true visions, and you are the Chosen Ones,” for an instant he grins, like the boyish exuberant he once was, “sorry about that; there will be powerful beings with a strong interest in the success of your quest whom you may be able to gain as allies. In particular, hidden deep in the capital of the fallen Empire, the Archmage Skufruss of the Kin has no desire whatsoever to be reunited with his father. His assistance, should you be able to secure it, would be very valuable. Be careful, however, seeking other allies, as the Cult and the Church of Sabath have had years to spread their influence.”

“Thirdly,” he points at the base of a huge triple pillar, “seek there for a legacy of those who once gathered knowledge and wisdom, tempered with mercy, in this place.”


Divulge

Baylock examines the pillar and with no difficulty finds a separate section, around 18” square. This lifts out like a plug, revealing a glittering, life-size crystal skull. Once revealed, it lifts into the air to hover at around head height, glances at Sigred, receives a nod, and addresses the party in a slightly fussy voice.

“Hello, Boss. I am Divulge, a Mimir in service to the Goddess Aderra. How may I be of assistance?”

“Good luck on your quest,” says Sigred’s shade, and fades into the air.

The party are initially sceptical of Divulge; though he has been in existence for nearly seven thousand years, they wonder whether he has any information relevant to the current world having been under a brick for the last 125 years. However, he demonstrates a few of his fields of interest and explains that he has access to information to fill in the gaps. "I read books and ogle girls," he explains, leering a bit at Baggy and Nazariel, "and I know things."

He also hints at prior service with an evil Necromancer, where he had committed deeds and learned things that he had explictly expunged from his memories.

While Baggy, Nazariel and Chambu tidy up and pay respects to the altar in the ruins and prepare a campsite there, Baylock takes Divulge for a walk through the ruins, where the skull points out flawlessly buildings and streets, describing them in their heyday. At Baylock's direction, he takes him to a bank; this turns out to be the ruins of a Guild Venter bank. Despite Divulge's detailed description of the magnificence of the place, Baylock is a bit disappointed; he'd been hoping for buried treasure. His sharp eyes pick up a glitter, however, and he retrieves a single golden coin, of Tellaran mint. This cheers him up as at least some treasure, and his opinion of Divulge improves marginally.

Kelorsal, 1st Nov 2100

After a night spent in the ruins - which seem less prone to the sense of spiritual abandonment that permeates the rest of the city - the party heads south towards their goal.

Local Road, North of Cyrn Waethelin, 3rd Nov 2100, mid-afternoon

The group are following the remains of another Tellaran road heading towards the Cyrn. Other than occasional villages visible within ½ mile of the road, they have encountered no-one.

As they round a corner, a screaming horse and pitiful cries for help can be heard up ahead as well as the roaring of something big and wild. Turning the corner reveals a dreadful scene.


This is as at the end of the battle but hopefully gives an idea. The cart should be turned over, but I couldn't find one - click it for larger image!

A wounded horse is stuck in the harness of its overturned cart kicking and screaming in panic and pain. A man and a woman hide under the cart, and the horse has several nasty wounds from the owlbear’s claws.  

However, the racket has also attracted a pack of wargs, which have attacked the owlbear to try and steal its’ prey. They are currently busy ripping fur and feathers off each other but sooner or later one of the two parties will be driven off and the peddler, his daughter and the horse will be lunch. Three dead wargs already lie on the road and the owlbear has several nasty bite wounds.

Baggy moves in on Binky, aware she can't charge with the wagon in the way so curving to the left, and sniffs the air - roast dinners? She glances down as Binky slips and realizes one of his hooves has skidded in a dark patch, spilled from the cart - grease? She yells at the carter and the young woman - his daughter? - to flee into the trees behind her but eother they can't hear her or they are too frightened to move; they don't.

The party engage, Talian and Baylock sliding into cover to the right to snipe with deadly effect and Chambu Summoning two celestial bears. Taking advantage of the fact that the wargs and owlbear are busy with each other, Baggy draws her greatsword and starts hacking wolves down as the bears tear in from the other side.

Nazariel, sensibly standing right at the back, sends blast after blast of Magic Missiles - four at a time now, her power growing steadily - into the Owlbear, the only target she can see above the cart, horses and bears.

Working as a pack, the wargs manage to Trip the Owlbear, and after that it vanishes under a heap of coarse-haired claws and teeth. The arrow from Talian [I think!] that ends its' life is only a mercy at that point.

By this point only a couple of wargs remain, and they try to back away and escape; arrows and Baggy's sword put an end to that, leaving only the horse and a couple of wounded wargs whimpering and the stunned carters still cowering under their cart.

Session Date: 4th May 2021; in Cyberspace!
May the Fourth be With You!