Campaign Journal #12: The Bird!

Our heroes conclude their business in the treasury of (the newly-appointed) Lord Kodrak and return to the goblins.

One goblin hands Sentie a volume from his personal library: A Definitive History of the Stoneling People by Emmengal. On the first page, the book reads "An edition of One Thousand. Our history shall be neither burned nor erased." The gift seems pointed, referencing Sentie's origin in the Coruscene theocracy of Casseval.

Davana, the bard, hands Kodrak a note written in many hands:

Galix: Really Not That Bad

• Negotiated at least five Stoneling trade agreements
• And those are the ones we remember!
• Was part of the Stoneling team who negotiated that truce between Artieth and Loril
• He regrets this a bit now—Artieth got a rotten deal, in retrospect
• Was one of the researchers who assisted in decrypting that Codex of Suul thing
• That's how he met that dick Wendlaf!
• Discovered a kobold trafficking and slavery network
• That dick Wendlaf was involved so Galix killed him!
• Also, Galix warned the "authorities" for at least a year, but did anyone listen? No!
• Is basically trolling a bunch of chief dicks in Casseval, Feore, Kisra, Falxmed, probably other places
• Priests, Ambassadors, even an Earl and King and stuff!
• Even tried trolling the Hhurtik but they are bugs!
• United a bunch of people into the Delver Horde, putting an end to decades (even centuries!) of sectarian warfare
• Permanent homes, food, jobs, the whole deal!
• Some call the Delver Horde an "army" and say that it is inherently violent. This is not true. The violence is only created when they act to oppose the Delver Horde!
• Okay, that is maybe 90% true. The Delver Horde is a sort-of army. But they have justice on their side!
• Really likes the color purple and not because it is fashionable. It is just a nice color!

There is a lively discussion about the nature and ethics of armies. Raehendra is surprised to see a reference to the kobold slavery of her parents—for which they are now in prison—and she recalls hearing them argue about someone named Wendlaf. Kodrak also remembers hearing the name Wendlaf regarding an order he placed for specific ores from Kodrak's home mine.

The party leaves Backtooth Mountain to the goblins—who have said they will finish cleaning and then leave—and keep an eye out for this frightening bird.

Perhaps a mile or two from the fortress, they spot and are attacked by a chimerical wolf-dragon with an aura of disgust. The players roll well, the DM rolls poorly, and our heroes succeed in denying the creature most of its actions. The wolf-dragon is slain and crumples to the ground, acid pouring from its mouth and dissolving its body. They investigate the creature and note that its wolf parts resemble a subspecies common in the Northern Wolds—in other words, the land of Falxmed, where they are headed.

Barclay's imp, Aevyr, tells the goblins that "the bird" is dead, and the party returns to their ship. The voyage to the customs port city of Myruna—a sister city to the ruined Myrinul—will take a week. During the first couple of days, there is a heartfelt discussion about Raehendra's feelings about her parents' crimes; Kodrak continues practicing the feather fall ritual; Barclay trolls the boatswain; Raehendra continues reading the unpublished manuscript [on cryptids as pets] by Valyric Paega; and there is much partying.

In the middle of one such party, on the second day, a fifteen-foot-tall projection of Lady Ilyavoe—the Ironwitch of Fellsdare—appears on deck. She is fulfilling Bartholomew's request for a discussion...which we'll have next session!

Soundtrack:

Jack Wall, Myst IV: Revelation (2005)

Pelican, Australasia (2003)

The Main Cast, our player characters:

• Barclay Stone (he/him), human bard (college of eloquence)
• Aevyr, his imp familiar
• Kodrak Kukkerlun (he/him), dwarven fighter (battle master)
• Raehendra Tiddlybumpkin (she/her), gnomish ranger (hunter)
• Renn Summerstar (he/him), elven cleric of Lioris (twilight domain)
• Sentie Rancis (they/them), human wizard (school of transmutation)

The Supporting Cast, non-player characters:

• Davana, Stoneling/goblin, musician
• 8 other Stonelings/goblins
• Lady Ilyavoe, human, also known as Lady Dawn, the Ironwitch of Fellsdare
• Ship crew

See the full cast list at Campaigns in Elsemorn—now with photos of the miniatures used in the game!

Campaign Journal #11: Return to Backtooth Mountain

Heyzzzel thanks our heroes for saving her life from the salmyr (dire centipede). She explains that she was headed to Lyrum, hoping to find the party and accompany them while searching for her boyfriend, an author pen-named Gnome de Plume. The party asks about de Plume, and Heyzzzel explains that he is best known for his novel Swish ("a heartwarming story about a woman and her merman—except he's swapped, fish on top and man on bottom"). He is working on a story about a hundred-legged centaur ("Centaurpede") and is researching centaurs; de Plume's publisher recently contacted Heyzzzel to say that she hadn't heard from him for several months. Remarkably, Barclay and Raehendra have heard of Gnome de Plume—and may have read some of his books! Our heroes agree to let Heyzzzel come with them as long as she stays out of danger.

They continue north to Lyrum, buy some healing potions and other crafting goods, and board the ship headed to Backtooth Mountain (and then east from there). Barclay reveals his imp, Aevyr, and there is much discussion about imps and familiars. The party sleeps for the night and arrives near their destination the next morning.

Our heroes hike to Backtooth Mountain and are let inside, seemingly by the fortress itself. Kodrak is named the new Lord of Backtooth Mountain and given command of the site. The party smells food and soon encounters Davana, a musician, and 8 others, all Stonelings/goblins. They're temporarily living at Backtooth Mountain, cleaning it after Galix and his Delver Horde left, but also mooching off the food that was left behind. They're friendly enough to our heroes, directing them to the treasury, and also curious how they avoided a frightening bird outside the fortress. The party searched the area beforehand and saw no such bird.

They make their way to the treasury and encounter an automaton that holds "the Knowing" or "the Dwarfmind". It provides a variety of information:

• The runic sequence for the teleportation circles at the Thyrre dungeon and Backtooth Mountain. [Both Barclay and Sentie take this information.]
• The previous lord of Backtooth Mountain was named Thatur. He ruled at least 400 years ago.
• The Scymrelde or Scymralth was not a place (as previously thought) but an event that occurred at least 1,200 years ago.
• Something has caused a break in the timeline or the calculation of time.
• There is no record of the prison (or its prisoners) at the Thyrre dungeon, which suggests it was added later.

Kodrak, and by extension the rest of the party, is given access to items belonging to the Lord of Backtooth Mountain:

• A Cloak of Protection +1
• A suit of Dreamedder chain mail [Adamantine Armor/chain mail]
• A warhammer with a core of Hastamyr (falling star) [on a critical hit, allows an extra attack on another enemy within 5 feet; and sheds light in a 10-foot radius]

The party plans to see about this rumored bird and then head east.

Soundtrack:

Jack Wall, Myst III: Exile (2001)

Jack Wall, Myst IV: Revelation (2005)

The Main Cast, our player characters:

• Barclay Stone (he/him), human bard (college of eloquence)
• Aevyr, his imp familiar
• Kodrak Kukkerlun (he/him), dwarven fighter (battle master)
• Raehendra Tiddlybumpkin (she/her), gnomish ranger (hunter)
• Renn Summerstar (he/him), elven cleric of Lioris (twilight domain)
• Sentie Rancis (they/them), human wizard (school of transmutation)

The Supporting Cast, non-player characters:

• Heyzzzel, gnome, artist
• Davana, Stoneling/goblin, musician
• 8 other Stonelings/goblins

See the full cast list at Campaigns in Elsemorn—now with photos of the miniatures used in the game!