The Sky Tower (Date 1/11/30)

The tower loomed large in the distance and continued to do so for many, many miles. It took over a day to reach it, and when the party finally did, they found an extended family of hill giants living in its immense shadow. A seamless shard of obsidian reaching into the clouds, the monolith seemed to hum with an unknown energy. Ilyana – followed once again by Brog – flew above the blanket of clouds which clung to the tower and found the zenith to be a separate, smaller pyramid of crackling energy. She left quickly.

The party decided to bypass the giants using magic and camped several hours away on the far side to prepare the proper spells. Euwyn cloaked them in invisibility, allowing them to slip up to the door which was warded by a strange lock that refused to yield to his knock spell. A 7 x 7 grid pulsed with rainbow colors. After a few failed attempts, Hedge remembered the odd code the dying old man had whispered to him just days ago. The code held the key, and the door yielded.

Inside a grand hall greeted the explorers. It, and the adjoining rooms, were covered in the dust of years and largely empty. They poked around slowly, finding a glowing table and a three-legged metal man dressed in rags. Two other metal men stood guard in the hall. Euwyn recognized their make as similar to the construct in Narlock’s laboratory. Feeling relatively safe, the group decided to split up to cover more ground. They found a library, several store rooms and a laboratory. Crystalline creatures and an animate pile of magical residue attacked them. The horrors resisted weapon strikes but fell quickly to magic.

Once the monsters were dispatched, the party found Narlock’s notes, a ghost like the one that haunted the tower, a locked room, and a menagerie featuring the skeletons of several prominent races of Malwan. As they were discussing how to bypass the energy field which cloaked the stairs-up, a pale, young half-elf with red eyes popped around the corner. He spoke in a language only Hedge could understand. “Visitors!” he exclaimed. “It’s been ages!”

Into the Hills (Date 1/11/28)

Some observers say that Hedge didn’t so much as “lunge through the collapsing portal”, but more accurately could be described as “tripping awkwardly over a fallen foe and then stumbling through the portal”. Either way, his return was very dramatic. As the party scoured the area for some sign of where the monsters had come from or where they had vanished to, a loud clatter like staccato thunder drew them back to the street. Above the orphanage, a swarm of chaos fluttered and popped angrily before disgorging a pair of grappling fighters. One was obviously Hedge, but his foe, clad in black leather, was unknown. During their scuffle, Hedge pitched the stranger off the roof, but some magic in his boots landed him safely on his feet. Hedge tackled the man, but his foe wriggled free, and the two rose to their feet facing each other in sudden recognition. The man was Fen, the child who had only moments ago been captured. Hedge too seemed a bit older. He had grown a beard. Neither could recall where they’d been, what had happened, or why they had been fighting, but some changes were clear. Fin now spoke Hedge’s native tongue, he wanted to be called Ichiban, and Hedge said his garb and weapons marked him as a hated “ninja”. Hedge volunteered to take over the young man’s training.

Relania and Euwyn met and talked over recent events. They agreed to stay together.

Marty called a council meeting to warn Malwan of the threat of deamons. A debate was had to decide which of the threats was the most immediate. Eventually, it was decided to listen to Ilyana who had been clamoring repeatedly in the background about some sort of treasure map. It turned out to be a magic map created on the scales of the dergodaemon. It revealed a treasure in the hills, something of value known to the monster lay hidden a hundred miles from where they had fought the beast.

Exploring the hills on their way north, Ilyana spotted a group of wandering giants. They had a prisoner, but the party was unable to save him. Before he expired the ancient man in strange, tattered garb croaked out a message in an unknown language. Everyone looked confused until Hedge spoke up. To him the words were clear as day, though their message was still uncertain. Red, 9, Yellow, 4, Blue, 36.

Banishment Night (1/11/21)

With haste the party returned to Malwan in time for the holy festival of Banishment Night. Hedge woke the morning of the festival from a terrible vision. He had dreamt that smoke arose out of the lake and creatures came forth, attacking the boys of the orphanage. He immediately warned the Prince and the pair hurried to investigate. All seemed quiet at the orphanage, but to be on the safe side, Hedge decided to take up the fatherly duties of the ceremony for the orphan boys, so as to be present to guard them. Euwyn made plans to stop by after his official duties, as well.

Lumi made a surprisingly accurate daemon suit. When queried, she showed Marty the book in his own family library that detailed the “enemies” of Strom. Daemons they were called. They included the both the insect summoner and the ghostly children which had guarded it.

Ilyana encountered racism in town, but also found a sympathetic ear in the form of a local apothecary owner. She was unable to get her Demon Day celebration to catch on, and eventually made her way to the orphanage with Edgar.

Euwyn received a missive from Relania. They made plans to talk.

Marty gave a heroic retelling of the battle to his congregation before heading to the orphanage with the Prince and Lumi.

After a fun and successful Banishment Night festival, while Hedge was busy putting the orphans to bed, a mysterious dark cloud formed over the orphanage. Twisted humanoids wielding spiked clubs began to emerge. They broke into the building and tried to carry off the children. Hedge recognized them as the Oni, demons from his own world. Fortunately, Ilyana was on hand, and the timely arrival of Marty and Euwyn turned the tide. The creatures were driven back across the rift, but not before taking one boy with them. Hedge jumped in after just as the portal closed.

Coronado Avenged (Date 1/11/20)

The dank hole was a moss-choked blight, an impossible abomination that couldn’t – and shouldn’t – but somehow still did exist here in the hilly country on the northern shore of Black Lake. The pungent, stench of rot rose from the crack in the earth and a persistent drone pressed upon their consciousness as the servants of Strom stood arrayed before their task. Without the bolster of his guiding hand, any man would turn away, but Brother Martin felt his lord’s power and command. This was important. This was the work he was meant to do. The enemy was released and made manifest in the land of Strom! Its presence mocked creation! It could not – would not – be tolerated!

Gathered in numbers, each did his, and her, part to the limits of their ability. Mjelde called down a blessing and watched from the entrance, prepared to heal any forced to flee from the foe, while Strom’s anointed warrior charged through the slime-choked tunnels braced by her brother in arms. The chambers impediments of slime and vine slowed them not, as Ilyana’s magic lifted their step over such barriers. The swarms of biting, stinging, blood-sucking insects summoned by their enemy, or just brought into being by its blasphemous existence, were no bar to Prince Euwyn’s spells of fire. Hedge’s blessed bow drove the horror deep into its grim defile, where cornered, it had no choice but to stand and fight. Shelby fell briefly before its many flashing claws, her faith in Strom not yet sufficient to block the beast. Marty rushed forth to save her, but when he called forth the power of Strom and evil light shone in the horror’s eyes. Abandoning restraint, it opened itself up to attack as it charged through the battle to extinguish the light of Strom’s holy messenger. With nowhere to run, Marty held his ground before the living nightmare. The creature balked for a moment as if it sensed the futility of resistance in the face of true faith. That was all the opening Strom needed. Moving through the hand of a new warrior, Lt. Kenneth Ismort, Strom sent the creature back across the void to the dark home from which it spawned.

With the end of its foulness, the corruption it had caused collapsed quickly, necessitating a rapid retreat back to the light where Sister Mjelde waited with healing hands and a soothing smile.

Ferry Besieged (Date 1/11/18)

Giada had few answers. According to her, the land beyond the border was madness and confusion. She couldn’t even say for certain that it existed as “a place”. The attempt to pull answers from Shena’s corpse was even more troubling. Rather than an antagonistic verbal sparring match with her spirit, a hostile entity seized control of the body, rose into the air and spewed threats and vitriol before immolating itself in a moment of brilliant fire.

Much debate was had. In the end, it was decided Giada would stay with the party - in disguise when necessary. Calls for her to face charges, and even execution, were quickly silenced by the Prince, who called her friend.

Once the party reached the road, Marty scryed in on Bar’Bark and found the gnoll living with the humans in a thrown-together compound made of crude barricades. The Fey Queen’s threat seemed genuine, Coronado’s Ferry was under attack! The party altered their route. They found a deserted river ferry had been constructed and abandoned. Fording the river by magic they arrived in town to discover the place besieged by the daemon they had released. Many had died and the camps of gnolls and humans had set aside their differences for mutual protection. Lieutenant Kenny Ismort and his troops were holding the town largely thanks to the arrival of Paladin Shelby and Sister Mjelde.

A war party was formed. Giada (revealed to Shelby) would track the beast back to its lair, and the party would kill the beast in its hole. Shelby, Kenny and Mjelde all joined to help.

Giada’s Rescue (Date 1/11/11)

“We’re going!” Marty said. He had gone over several approaches and gambits on his way to the tower, but in the end he stuck with tried and true – don’t given Euwyn a choice. “It’s got to be now,” he continued. “I’ve got to be here for Banishment Night, the council meeting’s already come and gone, and we’re not tied up in anything. Will never have another window like this. As the Marshal, I’ve got to go, so you’ve got to come with me.”

Euwyn’s mouth opened and closed several times. There were counters to everything Marty had said, important reasons why none of them should leave, but in the end he left them unspoken. He nodded begrudgingly – let Marty think he had convinced him. What other choice did he have? Stay here? Deal with General Justice and his new military agenda… See his father still broken from a loss he might have prevented… Face Relania and see if she had forgiven him… No! Getting out of town sounded better and better the more he mulled it over, and besides, Giada had answers!

The party gathered and headed for the Fey Fort. It was almost as if they had been pushed there. With the defeat of the goblins, each had discovered new powers. Ilyana found she could spy on people from a distance and even claimed she could bring back a soul in a new body. Marty could send a message all the way to Lumi in the city. The spells in Euwyn latest tome suddenly made sense. Ilyana had found Giada with her scrying, and Marty had sent her a message offering rescue, but their efforts indicated she was under the spell of the place and had lost her sense of time.

A quick stop off in the city was necessary. They had to report the defeat of the goblins, and Shelby didn’t need to accompany them to the fort. It would be awkward, at best! The city offered many distractions. Edgar had discovered that the runes on the magic scabbard were of Drow origin, and that such creatures would know how to complete them. The council had met in their absence, raising taxes, expanding into the plains, farming and setting up fisheries. There were rumors that Justice wanted to wipe out the Boggards next.

On the way to the fort, Ilyana secret admirer hounded the party with his attention, resulting in a brief, nocturnal battle between monkeys, wolverines, eagles and a tiger. She said his name was Brog, and that he was nothing but an annoyance, which he proved himself to be until he leapt out to warn the party of a danger ahead. Shena was camped in the forest!

The party opted for the direct approach and luckily caught Shena unaware. She looked to be reading. Hedge was able to charge up to her before she could even rise to her feet. A powerful blast of ice nearly killed Marty who absorbed some of Hedge’s damage allowing the fighter to remain standing. Shena seemed to intentionally miss the Prince. Ilyana attacked from above with magic and Euwyn used one of his new powerful spells to ensnare the half-elf in choking tentacles. Though the Prince called to leave her alive, excess of firepower and zeal killed the former diplomat. No book was found among her things.

Deciding to press on and leave the question of what to do with Shena for after the fort encounter, the group found the patch of forest where the wall of reality began to blur. One-by-one they fell – or allowed themselves to fall – under the queen’s spell. Fighting back to consciousness, they shook off the dream of the fort’s never-ending revel and bargained with the Queen for Giada’s release. She agreed eventually to a trade, the party would take Giada away and promised not to return unless they had business with her. She implied that they had many more important things to do, listing the encroachment on gnoll land, an attack on their new settlement, and the threat of war posed by their new council.

Death of the Sticky Lord (Date 1/11/1)

Unwilling to let the leaders of the goblin attack escape, Euwyn had Ilyana track them to their home. There the party found the village all but deserted with just a few young goblins scavenging among the remains for food. Shelby claimed to be able “sense the evil” in even these young ones, but Prince Euwyn stayed her hand. While the party searched for clues, a familiar voice called from the edge of the village. It was Longlegs, the former chief of the village with whom they had struck the previous peace accord. His legs were shattered and he walked on crutches. Marty healed him much to the goblin’s amazement, and Longlegs vowed to gather the young ones together and lead them to safety, while the party tracked the war band toward the city. Shelby was surprised that she could NOT sense evil in Longlegs.

A day’s march toward the city found a sizeable force of goblins under the command of the Sticky Lord and the Frog-Talker Witch, but with Ilyana’s powerful woodland magic the force was easily divided and taken down. The leaders tried to flee when the battle turned against them. Marty chased down the Sticky Lord, but Frog-Talker Witch turned to mud and escaped into the ground.

Goblin Swarm (Date 1/10/26)

Tension were high. The death of the General… The whispers of war… The new revelations… When Shelby asked the simple question, “who’s in charge?”, it should have been innocuous. Instead, it sparked a firestorm! Euwyn deferred to Martin, Ilyana objected to the new level of discipline, and all hell broke loose. For a time, it looked as if Ilyana might be dismissed or that Marty and Shelby would go it alone, but in the end - in a stroke of genius diplomacy - Marty suggested that when they were both in the field, the Prince should be in charge. If He wanted elves in his party, that would be His decision.

The old fort was swarming with goblins, and after a brief debate, a simple charge was decided on. Things went well until the goblin leader joined the fray, but even they were not enough to overcome group magical power and martial might.

Affairs of State (Date 1/10/25)

Edgar waved until the group was out of sight - then continued waving for a slow count of ten just to be sure the Prince wasn’t still watching him with his magic - before he finally closed the door and let himself exhale a long sigh, as he sagged against the wood for support. It had been an incredible week! Well, every week had been incredible since he had become a wizard’s apprentice and moved into a haunted tower, but this week in particular had some insane highlights. So much fallout out from a few nobles getting killed... It proved they were more important than the people of the streets. Edgar had lost three of his gang a few years back when a cough had swept through the alleys. No one else seemed to notice, but the General gets killed and the town goes into hiding. Doors locks… Windows shuttered… It would actually be a perfect time to run those streets, but that wasn’t his life anymore.

Today he was supposed to decipher the mysteries of a rune-covered scabbard liberated from the upstairs laboratory. Probably the most boring item of the lot. It didn’t even have a sword in it! He really wanted to open the mysterious tome, but Euwyn had said, no. He knew his master didn’t trust him, but that was okay, he really didn’t trust himself, and if copying runes from sheath-to-paper was what was required of him to have a roof over his head, it was a much smaller price than he was used to paying. Now granted it was a roof he shared with ghosts and angels, and now the dead body of the former Marshal, a man who could turn into a wall climbing monster and whose body now rested, preserved in the Prince’s study. That door was magically sealed. There was no way for his restless spirit to break free, shatter the wards and come after him… Edgar decided to work in his room.

As he took out his stylus, working hard not to avoid thoughts of ghosts and monsters, Edgar’s thoughts instead wandered to the Prince, off fighting goblin wizards it would seem. Justice had come back to town, disrupting the funerals with talk of goblin spell-caster with frogs for shoulders over-running his fort. He was immediately named the new general. At the same council meeting Uncle Yuri was named Grand Diplomat and Brother Martin took over Lexington’s role as Marshal. It was all crazy, and whispers on the street were of war with elves. At the funeral the King had wavered between tearful sorrow and enraged declarations that those responsible - Shena Starym in particular - would pay. Strange thing was that Edgar was pretty sure the fort was overrun with powerful fey creatures. Ilyana had said so. Could there be two forts? Certainly not! Why would you possibly need two forts? Most likely, justice had killed the fey, the goblins had chased off Justice and now the Prince and Marty would kill the goblins. So confusing… Edgar prayed to Strom that he wouldn’t have to deal with such things when he became a mage.

Magister! That’s what they’d name him. It was inevitable. The Prince was going to become King someday and who was left who could read spells? Him! It was ridiculous. He was no wizard. He had just transcribed the same rune for the fourth time in a row. Concentrate, Edgar!

But his thoughts wouldn’t stay put. There was Relania’s face, stuck in disbelief and sorrow as Euwyn told her of Lex’s death at his own hand. There was no way they were ever going to straighten that out. Not anyway Edgar could see, but maybe that’s why the Prince had Lex’s body downstairs… It was too bad though, he had liked Relania. She had been nice to him, even though she did cheat on Euwyn. But did Lex have to die? Seemed harsh… Oh! But he had killed the General. He was an elven spy. Now everybody hated elves. He hoped Ilyana wouldn’t have to leave. Giada was gone. Wasn’t she Lex’s girlfriend? So confusing.

Edgar fell back on the bed to rest his thoughts and try to refocus on his work. Lingering cobwebs from the morning creeped in and sleep started to pull him under until he heard the familiar buzzing and shot straight up. No! Ghosts were the last thing he needed right now. He had runes to copy!

Betrayed… (Date 1/10/19)

Euwyn stood in the thick, humid air praying for the rain to break to fit his mood. Fall seemed slow in coming, and he found himself sweating beneath the heavy cloak that covered his official garments of mourning. He could afford to be seen here showing “official” mourning as he stood over the unmarked grave of the man who had been his friend as long as he remembered. Lexington Starym, the Marshall, had buried without ceremony in a quiet corner of the cemetery before the sun had come up, only to keep the body’s rot from infecting the living, not out of any sense of venerating the traitor. Euwyn knew to keep his presence brief, there was the other funeral to attend today, with a parade preceding it. And then… other duties. How had it all changed so quickly?

The monster he had hunted had been Lexington! Shena Starym, the kingdom’s grand diplomat was a traitor, and a powerful spellcaster? Even Giada was somehow implicated? The elves were the enemy all along? It all seemed so wrong…

Whatever the cause, several realities were certain. The council was decimated. General Regar was dead, slain by the beast, Lexington. The Grand Diplomat had fled under more than suspicion of treason, even going so far as to blow up her own house in an effort to conceal evidence. And Lexington was dead… Dead by Euwyn’s own magic hand… The council would need to be rebuilt, and quickly too! Someone had to be there to enact the will of the people, to answer the call building like the heaviness in the air. War was coming!

But still the skies held their moisture, and the unbearable weight of the humidity pressed on all sides. Euwyn stifled his tears as he turned from the patch of earth. There were affairs of state to attend and to attend to. He must prepare for the coming storm.

The Hunt! (Date 1/10/17)

Euwyn zoomed low over the rooftops struggling not to lose his nimble quarry as it scampered in an out of sight. Having left his guardian and his healer behind him on the castle walls, he could only hope that somewhere above him Ilyana still followed in her elemental form, but adrenaline fueled the chase. Her druidic magic had caused the monster to glow green making it easy to track as long as one could fly. And Euwyn could fly! The wind against his face felt amazing, and despite the obvious danger, he felt alive! More alive than days shut in the tower… Days carrying the weight of the kingdom… Here he didn’t have to balance responsibility and his desires. Here he didn’t need to worry about loneliness as he felt his childhood friends slipping away as they continued to grow into very different adults. Here he wasn’t the prince. He was Euwyn the Wizard, master of magic and defender of the kingdom!

Ahead his quarry, realizing he could not lose the faster mage, dropped through a window, shattering shutters in a splintered shower. A scream followed and Euwyn plunged in after. A girl cringed terrified in her bed as dim light flickered in through the open window and a single door which stood ajar. Darting into the hall, Euwyn’s arm went numb and dropped limply to his side. Cornered, the beast had ceased running and bared its teeth! Without a thought magic burst from Euwyn’s fingers showering the creature in a rainbow of light meant to render the monster unconscious. Instead, it merely staggered back shaking it lupine snout, trying to clear its eyes. This beast was far more powerful than Euwyn had surmised! Suddenly everything came crashing down on him. He wasn’t some foolhardy adventurer who could so blatantly risk his life this way! He was the Prince of the kingdom. He had responsibilities, to his subjects, to his father, to Malwan. And here he was standing alone in a tight hallway with a beast half-again as tall as he and one nearly immune to his spells. The girl screamed again and Euwyn seized the distraction to spur his frozen limbs to action. Reversing his course, he snatched the terrified girl from her bed and flew her out the sundered window to safety.

Later the group gathered at the city wall. Ilyana had taken up the chase Euwyn had abandoned and followed the creature up and over the wall. As she pursued it toward a nearby stand of trees, a powerful blast of frost exploded around the druid nearly freezing even her air-form solid. The spell had seemed to come from a larger air elemental, hiding in the trees and working in concert with the hairy monster. The group tracked the pair to a glade where it seemed to vanish. Later Ilyana questioned the trees who blamed the frost on their branches on an elven woman, much like herself, who had appeared from nowhere before gathering up the wounded monster and flying away.

Then Euwyn had an idea. He had found a spell in his voluminous tomes which would let him transfer his consciousness into another body. Using this, he theorized they could wake the doll, Lunette, and use her ability to bypass the shield archon to gain access to the upper floor of Narlock’s tower. It worked! In addition to a stately and well-preserved master bedroom, the floor contained Narlock’s primary laboratory. The principle piece was what looked to be a giant made from metal, with tangled gears and clockwork springs inside. It had met a violent end, and Narlock looked to have been in the process of dismantling the thing when he was last here. Among the notes were schematics for a large, underwater vessel. Euwyn also managed to ferry down several incomplete magic items before the spell wore off. But in all, the true gem of his quest, had to be a familiar looking tome. With similar binding to the three already in his collection, this book had to contain a fourth tier of magic!

New Warden Among Other Things (1/10/15)

King Feran Malwan sat by the General’s bedside, watching the old man breath. His moments of peace – though quiet – were more pleasant than the periods of madness where he would rave at unseen enemies and not even recognize the king’s face. Better for the old dog to sleep. Logically, he knew this was becoming all too common, but Feran’s heart refused to let go of the hope – hope that the old man would wake, give him that crooked smile and bark at him something like “a king should have better things to do…” He had been doing so well, too. For a few weeks he had been the old Regar. Storming around the halls, barking orders at the staff and mumbling about the elven threat. A relic from a bygone age, it didn’t seem he would ever change, but time wasn’t having that. Time was going to have the final say.

Brother Marty’s arrival was a mixed blessing. The boy’s touch was able to bring the Regar around and back to his senses, but Feran had barked at Euwyn, vented his frustration on the young prince who was only giving voice to his own inner fears. He would apologize later, but Euwyn had such horrible timing. When Regar looked at him and asked after the young priestess, Mjelde, Feran knew the old dog was back. “But for how long?” a tiny voice cried unheard deep inside him.

These days back in town, as fall settled in and temperatures grew steadily colder, were filled with numerous activities. Brother Martin subjected the General to a curse and a zone of truth attempting to get to the bottom of the man’s strange relationship with the King. He uncovered two things: one, Regar loved the king like a son, and two, Strom didn’t like Marty cursing loyal, Malwanese citizens. Lexington dispatched Lt. Kenny Ismort to Coronado’s Ferry to retrieve Mjelde so she could see to the general. The Councilor suggested Euwyn break off his relationship with the Bell family, but recanted when Euwyn mentioned love. “We’ll work it out, somehow,” she had said. Shelby stepped down from her post as warden, and after much debate the job eventually fell to her second, Captain (now Warden) Wallace Frasier, a young officer carrying Shelby’s support and the least argument from the nobles. Euwyn reached out to Yuri for help with Relania’s embattled family problems, and Yuri promised to fix everything.  A monster was spotted in the city. Long-limbed and hairy, it bounded across the rooftops of the bazaar. For a time, it was thought the Edgar might be the monster, but he had a strong alibi, having been present at the original sighting. Marty bumped into Lumi at the castle, and the two made up, at least far enough for Lumi to stop sleeping at the forge.

On the day Mjelde returned, Euwyn assembled his team to begin making nightly patrols in search of the monster. Lexington refused, calling the idea stupid. He and the Prince argued for a time, with Euwyn finally conceding that Lex’s help wasn’t essential. He had no idea of the Marshall’s plan of a secret triste with the Lady Bell that night. Euwyn and the rest spent a cold night wandering the streets until nearly midnight when Ilyana, transformed into a bird, spotted the beast near the castle walls!

Twidi Saves the Day (Date 1/10/9)

Biting her lip against the pins and needles shooting through her hands, Twidi Harraden worked her fingers back to life. Something was going on, she was sure of it, and she was going to need working hands if she was going to be of any use. What had been four trolls was now down to two. Only one of the boys and Big Mama remained.

Not long ago there had been the thunder of a rock fall which had woken her from slumber. Whatever it had been, it had called away the other male and led big mama to extinguish the cook fire. Maybe it was rescue... It had to be! She and minors had been trussed up like swaddled infants for days, and why? When the mine had been attacked, Twidi thought for sure they were dead. Her, her father, and all the other miners. Dead! Or at least they should be. The trolls obviously had no compunction against eating people. They had gobbled down the ones who had fought back, but once they were gone, the trolls had started hunting rather than eat the rest. It was weird. Many times the hungry males had leered at her, one even went so far as to lift her from the pen before being shouted down by Big Mama. She was keeping them for something. Twidi couldn’t guess what, and didn’t really care. Twidi was still alive. She wasn’t sure about her father though. He hadn’t moved since he’d been dropped into the pen. If he was still breathing, it was too shallow for her to see. Don’t worry about that now. She could hear her father’s voice. First things first. She prayed to Storm that he still lived, but first thing was escape, and for that she was going to need her hands. The knife hidden at her back would be useless without her hands.

Another sound, loud, like a cave-in but different, startled Twidi and the trolls. The noise was little more than a curiosity to Twidi, but the big mama troll freaked. She jumped at the noise and began barking orders to the remaining male who moved cautiously toward the cave mouth. It had to be an attack, a rescue! Twidi abandoned caution. This was it! Tonight it was escape or death. She pulled the knife from her belt and bent to work on her ankle ropes. No sooner had Twidi begun sawing before Big Mama came to the pen, pushing aside a mine cart as easily as Twidi might a campfire stump. Folding herself back up Twidi watched in horror as the troll matriarch hefted the man next to her. She was pretty sure it was Ward, but in the dim light she couldn’t be certain. It looked almost as if Big Mama planned to put the helpless minor into the strange harness on her back. Though most of Twidi’s mind was consumed in terror, a tiny voice pondered the harness and its purpose.

Twidi saw the steel first, then the man wielding it. Both had come from nowhere, and with their arrival, time turned to a blur. The man got swatted away. She hacked manically at her bonds. A troll roared in the distance. Other men poured into the cave. A huge troll shadow fell over her and great hands scooped her up. Unable to do more than twist in the unbreakable grip, she flashed out desperately with the tiny knife. Meat! A startled roar of pain. She fell. And then she was scrambling across rocks working to free the other miners. Another explosion rocked the cavern, this time dislodging a shower of rubble. Nearby voice shouted. Did they say, “The Prince”? No time to worry about that. The ceiling might give way at any moment, and she doubted her tiny knife would do much go if the trolls returned….

Suddenly it was bright as day, almost too bright to see. Gentle hands were pulling her away from her work. Soothing voices spoke of calm and concern. It was over. They were free! The magic Prince had come to their rescue. There he was, sitting across the cavern talking to a strange looking woman. She must be an elf! And this one talking to her, was one too. Lex, did he say? Such a strange bunch. There was the miracle man! And who was the huge one with the sword on a spear? Before she knew it they were gone. She could scarcely remember talking to any of them. Had she? It was all so surreal - like a fantasy. They hadn’t even waited a day, once the Miracle Marty had healed her father and the others, they were off, back to the city. Malwan… Before it had always seemed so far away, but today, it was her capital.

Bell’s Ball (Date 1/10/7)

Euwyn was a fool for showing up. Relania knew this clearly, but she had to admit to herself she was glad he did. If the Prince had done the wise thing and given her party a miss, that would pretty much be it for the Bells. Next would be a marriage to some disgusting, lusty, old, widower lording to pay off the family’s debts and excuse these latest accusations of scandal. Her parents could… what? Run a shop selling off the few family heirlooms they hadn’t been ordered to hock… Hire on as servants in the house they used to own… Get real jobs! Oh, it was all too horrible to consider, and – as it was – unnecessary. Prince Euwyn was here, along with half a dozen aunts, cousins and the like. Despite her family’s current financial woes, this newly budding scandal, and her advanced age – all of 19 – Euwyn was still interested. And only she knew why…

Only she knew the prince’s secret. Kenny Ismort! How could the Euwyn like, Kenny Ismort? Given, he was cute and could be charming when he tried – even she had been charmed by him as a girl – but his whole façade just rubbed her wrong. Everyone knew his family’s corrupt past – and present! They made so little attempt to hide it. Kenny’s attempts to rise above it all and “give back” to the community weren’t fooling anyone. He still came home for holidays. Still had his house paid for with Ismort ill-gotten gold. He was no saint. She would have to steer Euwyn to more realistic options once they were married. Someone a little more genuine, far lower profile, and a little less attractive wouldn’t hurt either.

She watched as her family fell all over themselves trying to please the Prince. No matter how many times she told them this was the exact wrong tack to take, they couldn’t help themselves. Taking the opportunity the momentary solitude gave, she examined his note again. Such a strange sentiment… Sometimes she wondered if maybe there might be more in his heart for her, but no— They had agreed, this was going to be a marriage of mutual benefit. She would give him an heir and protect his secret life, and he would provide for her family. She would help him with the intrigues of court and in turn, he would let her. He wasn’t the only one with a secret passion.

The gift was equally interesting, a magic bird that could actually fly and could carry notes back and forth. It was wondrous! She knew she should be more amazed – and she was – but part of her brain couldn’t stop thinking about the book that Lexington had found. So many mysteries! So much history! In her mind she had left this party behind and was flipping over pages with the dashing young marshal. But he was gone, off setting up the fishery and patrol routes to protect the kingdoms growing holdings. Maybe when he got back, she could send him a note…

Lexington’s party returned to find injured men come from the hills. Martin healed their wounds and the group told their tale. A fierce band of ogres had set on the mine, and they few had escaped. The rest of the miners and guards had been trapped in the tunnels and were feared dead. Assembling the team, the party rode forth at first light, arriving as sun set on the mine to find the shipping station at the base of the cliff deserted. Fearing the trolls might still be around, Lexington and Hedge were sent to scout. They found a single troll guard stationed outside watching the trail, a rock fall trap engineered to spring on any who would approach. Inside the cave, the miners were still alive! Three more trolls were there, including the powerful matriarch. They were eating mountain goat meat raw, while keeping the humans as prisoners. The most peculiar thing was that each troll wore a strange harness on their back.

The scouts reported their findings, and it was determined the harnesses were to allow the trolls to carry human as shields against the prince’s fire magic. This was a trap, and a terribly cunning one at that. Rather than spring it, Euwyn came up with a trap of his own. Lexington was sent invisibly to trip the rock fall, seemingly by accident. When the trolls went to repair it, they would jump the smaller band, dividing their forces. Hopefully the trolls wouldn’t bring their human shield to such menial labor.

We Have Seen the Enemy… (Date 1/10/4)

Marty broke down in tears, confessing his fault. He had thought he and Mjelde were simply talking about her fears at being left in Coronado’s Ferry as the sole carrier of Strom’s grace, but with one simple query, “Are you cheating on Lumi?” she undid him. It all came out in sorrowful torrent. She consoled him as he begged for some clue as to how to set things straight. “Come clean. Break it off with Drova. Confess to Lumi. And maybe, MAYBE, she’ll forgive you.”

It was a harsh recipe, but in his heart Marty knew it for truth. As the horses rounded the south-east corner of Black Lake, he confessed his fault to his friends. This sparked a long and rather fruitless discussion with many takes on the wisdom of the priest’s plan. The bottom line being the discovery that, Hedge’s world was VERY different from their own.

The rest of the group rode for town while Hedge and Marty headed down the side trail into lumber territory to face his fate. It was a clean cut, straight through. Even when Drova floated the idea that she would be happy just being his girl on the side, Marty stayed true to his plan and ended it. He didn’t look back to see her running out on the porch, watching as he left with tears in her eyes.

Lumi took the news about as well, seeming largely angry that Mjelde had been right and she had been wrong to defend Marty. Despite the late hour, she stormed off into the night saying she would be staying at her mother’s.

Prince Euwyn realized he was late. The Lady Relania Bell’s nineteenth birthday was only days away and he had no gift. Securing funds from the kingdom coffers, he secluded himself in his workshop working long hours to complete a magical present. Several matters sought to intrude. The town’s council had met and made plans to claim the land lying between the capital and Coronado’s Ferry, expanding fisheries along the route as they went. A tax holiday was also declared to encourage loyalty. The young Lieutenant Kenny Ismort made his report, and the Prince was so taken with the man’s outlook and temperament, that he promised the young soldier a place in his coming administration.

Lexington went a different route, searching old bookstores and the library archives for a book on Malwanese history and court intrigue, finally locating a tome about the Age of the Lost Twins as a gift for the Lady Bell.

Then Hedge got bored and enlisted Ilyana’s aid in finally exploring the depths of Black Lake. It was his hope that speaking with a bottom-dwelling fish, and perhaps exploring those same depths in person if needs be, the could shine the light of reason on the young prince’s superstitions OR if said, superstitions were found to be grounded in fact, shine that same light on a serious threat to the kingdom, one that needed to be dealt with. Securing a boat, he and the young druid rowed out to the scene of the mysterious stalk of high summer. Taking on the form of a water elemental, Ilyana summoned a deep dwelling catfish, who confirmed in no uncertain terms, that danger did dwell below. “Don’t go to the city of the fish-people!” Swimming down to the stygian depths of the lake she saw it all for herself. Drowned-looking humanoids with translucent skin and webbed hands and feet tended to kelp farms around a vast complex of tunnels in the lakebed. As she watched, the creatures seemed suddenly expectant, their attention focused on a large hole at the center of the complex. A horror emerged!

Fleeing back to the city, they hurried to tell the Prince what they had seen!

Demon Prince (Date 1/9/30)

A young lieutenant by the name of Kenny Ismort, had taken upon his own authority to secure the injured gnoll in his tent and stood vigilant guard outside pretending he didn’t see the stinkeyes being shot at him by his own men. They claimed not to have heard the story that the prince and the Marshall had befriended a group of gnolls, and that this band’s actions seemed to indicate these might be those very creatures. They had not hurt anyone in their approach and when met with force had retreated rather than retaliate. The one he protected had clearly to his ear barked out the name “Marty”, though no one else agreed. We would see what the Prince said. If the Prince ever came!

The prince arrived with his men and proved the young lieutenant right, even gave him a special acknowledgment and asked that he follow up with him in town later.  Marty healed the wounded gnoll, who bowed in reverence to Strom, then the party gathered him up and headed into the woods to find the others. They found them hiding in a thicket fearing attack from a creature they called, The Demon Prince. Attacks had decimated BarBarks village, first bugs, then storms, then demons. Now only six of them remained. They blamed their old priestess, and begged for asylum.

The attack came shortly after the party’s arrival. The Demon Prince proved to be a grotesque humanoid with a monstrous fly’s head dressed as a filthy mockery of a Malwanese noble. Its powers attacked the mind, but once it’s minions were defeated it fled.

A brief discussion was had, and eventually it was decided to take the gnolls to Coronado’s Ferry. They set them up on the far side of the village. The party cleared out a warehouse by the dock to serve as their clubhouse, while the gnolls cleared several collapsed buildings on the periphery of the town as a place for their camp. After a few days, a contingent of soldiers, settlers and businessmen including Giuseppe and Mjelde arrived to begin the town’s reconstruction. Lex pointed out his claimed territory, peaceful introductions were made with the gnolls, and the Prince’s entourage gathered to head home.

Harvest Rain (Date 1/9/21)

None but the oldest living citizens of Malwan could recall a harvest festival with similar bounty. The streets teemed with happy people sharing, food, song and spirits. Even beyond the walls, a tent city had sprung up, and here to throngs danced and celebrated blocking Prince Euwyn and his entourage as they hurried back with the news of Coronado’s Ferry. News that would come too late on that day, for the King had already retired by the time it reached the castle.

Marty heard that Mjelde had returned and asked after him. When he found her, she related the news that Shelby and Justice had begun a romance while sharing time down at the fort.

In the morning Euwyn delivered the news to a partial and distracted collection of councilors, slipping away once questions turned from the demon to talk of colonization.

Left to their own devices, Ilyana and Edgar flirted with the idea of disobeying the Prince’s orders and trying on the powerful, but potentially, cursed ring they had brought back. Though she was certain the ring was safe to use, and excited about its power, Ilyana was true to her word not to touch it, though it pained her greatly.

At the invocation ceremony, during the King’s address a powerful storm swept across the lake from the west, soaking the various stands and displays and driving the fancily dressed citizens from the streets. Though the downpour was brief, a powerful stroke of lightning shattered a temporary façade under which Shelby and Justice had taken cover with several civilians. Bravely tossing others to safety in her stead, Shelby was buried under the rubble. Justice tore at the wreckage in the rain as several others, including Giada and Lexington, hurried to help. When she was pulled free, Shelby was alive but one of her legs had been shattered. It was obvious to all who saw that, if she lived, she would never walk again.

Lexington stabilized her with a magic potion and dispatched Giada to summon Brother Marty. Word spread quickly, and the entire party gathered at the fallen warrior’s side. The situation was grim and the atmosphere matched, until Marty was struck with an idea. While the magic of the ring purportedly only healed damaged sustained while wearing it, if the damaged limb were severed, perhaps it would grow back whole. It was their only shot.

Carrying Shelby by wagon to the tower, they laid her out and presented her with the situation. She placed her faith in Strom, much to Justice’s chagrin. A spell deadened the pain, the ring was donned, and the axe strike was true and strong severing flesh and bone cleanly. All stared (save Edgar who had been sent from the room) as no blood spurted forth. The wound healed over into a clean stump at first and then, in a matter of minutes, as they watched, a new and pristine limb grew in its place. Shelby got gingerly to her feet, tested the leg and found it strong, before dropping to her knees in front of Brother Marty and swearing her life anew to the service of Strom.

Shelby was there in church the next day, sitting alone – word was that after strong words, Justice had left the city in the early hours, returning with his men to the frontier fort.

Marty saw her and smiled as he prayed over the largest flock he had ever seen in the temple. The place was getting cramped. Among the teeming multitude, he saw Drova looking up at him with beaming eyes and just a few rows back Lumi was sitting her head bowed in prayer. He cast his mind forward to the end of the ceremony when both of them would come to see him at the same time. A silent prayer ran through his mind and was - to his great surprise - almost immediately answered! Prince Euwyn arrived with the party. He was needed. Gnolls! Or something… In his excitement he had missed the precise threat, but bidding the congregation a hasted farewell, he hurried to follow.

Coronado Sleeps (Date 1/9/19)

While Euwyn, Lex and Giada explored the areas around Coronado’s Ferry – at one point fighting off a family of hibernating bears when they disturbed their cave – Marty led his team in a stealthy approach on the city itself. Stealth was essential as giant insects swarmed everywhere, no longer confined to the city limits. Once the team got close, Ilyana called for a groundhog. It took several hours for one to appear, but once it did, the druid was able to question it. The animal confirmed that the city was unsafe, and that no animals went there. While interesting, this information wasn’t very helpful, so they decided to sneak closer. They found a giant tree growing near the town cemetery. Again, Ilyana called upon her powers to interrogate the massive oak. It was able to relate far more information. The town had been dead for a long time, since the people had left and the bugs had come. Also, there was a dead space, a large, stone cavity sitting under the town hall – the center of the bug infestation! How to safely approach…

Hiding in the shadows of the graveyard, Ilyana prepared a new spell and began to burrow through the earth. Marty and Hedge were able to follow close behind her, crawling through the cramped, temporary tunnel. They hit a wall! A wall of stone stretched underneath the town, one end reaching toward the hall, the other down toward the docks. Unable to stop for fear the tunnel would collapse on them, Ilyana made a quick choice and headed away from the hall. The tunnel connected to a chimney which broke the surface at a giant metal door. Runes around the edge told the story: “Here lies Coronado may his slumber be our salvation.” The ancient lock was rusted through and yielded to Marty’s mace. Iron rungs set in the stone wall descended into darkness. Marty warned that they might not be safe, and indeed the fifth rung down gave way to the slightest touch. At the base of the chimney, thirty feet down, a tunnel extended toward the hall, but horrors waited in the darkness. Not the undead! These were far darker creatures, flying snakes with row upon row of spiky teeth and a spooky child-like entity who warned of the coming of, “The Master”. As soon as these were dispatched a horrid, three-legged, multi-eyed beast sprouting a vicious array of insectile claws scrambled out of the darkness. As it came, the senses of the party went. Their minds slipped away and left them drooling in horror unable to even raise a hand to protect themselves. Death seemed certain, until the thing lifted Marty as easily as if he were a child and his armor slipped – or did the beast move it aside to see what lay beneath… Marty’s birthmark, his holy symbol of Strom – and upon seeing it, the creature recoiled! It broke and fled to the surface. As it left, the party’s senses returned, though the fear lingered.

At the hallway’s end, they found a broken sealing symbol and a shattered sepulcher, its contents ripped free and dismembered. Tatters of the cloth which had wrapped the body lay all around and on one of its hands was a powerful magic ring. It seemed on cursory examination to be able to restore its wearer from even the most grievous wounds.

Mosquito! Date (1/9/17)

Ilyana sat in her cell grinding her teeth as she stared up at the tiny window that could so easily spell freedom. A moment’s concentration would turn her body to air, and she could be back to the forest and away from this insane city. But curiosity stayed her. She wanted to understand this place with its maze of streets and crowds of people all scurrying about with such industry and often selling such delightful treats. She needed to solve the puzzle of the humans who had changed so much from her memories. Forgotten magic!? All following a single god?! It all made no sense. But mostly she needed to know WHY she had been incarcerated. And so, she waited.

Marty was surprised to find Shelby and Mjelde gone in advance of the festival. It seemed so unlike the extremely professional soldier to desert her post while Lexington was out of town, but her absence was obvious. And to take Mjelde with her…

Euwyn stashed the bell in tower, silencing the clapper and placing the powerful item on one of Narlock’s stasis pillars. Noise outside attracted his attention, and he went to the observation platform to confirm that Hedge had indeed arrived to haul away the food the farmers had brought as tribute in lieu of cash. Donating it to the orphanage seemed the best thing. He had no network set-up to sell it, and Edgar had likely carried in enough for the two of them. No, three of them. Where was Ilyana, anyway…

Lexington couldn’t sleep. All around the city was alive at all hours, buzzing with people swarming in from all over in advance of the festival. The streets seemed to be selling food and wares at all hours and when there wasn’t selling to be done, there was carousing. But none of this is what kept him awake, it was Ilyana’s dream. A massive body, buried in the earth, growing and thrashing as insects gnawed at its pulsing form. He woke with a start, and immediately the fearful thoughts came again, “Did we unleashed a horde of bugs from Coronado’s Ferry by removing the bell?” He had to know…

Convincing the others wasn’t difficult. Everyone shared the same lingering doubt. It would be nothing to ride out and check. Just to be sure in advance of the festival….

They gathered their forces, freed Ilyana from prison and rode forth. On the second day they met the advancing line of insects. Giant mosquitos attacked the party as they crossed the river. Two of their horse were killed, including Marty’s brave charger which he had saved from the gnolls just months before. Stashing the remaining mounts on the far side of the river, they approached the town in stealth. The bugs were everywhere! Far numerous than in visits past and it had been just three days. They need to find that body and somehow get to the bottom of this mystery, and quickly too! Splitting their forces, they snuck forward to search.

Bugs! Date (1/9/14)

Bugs! Bugs were everywhere! Crawling on the walls. Squirming along the ceiling. Scuttling across the floor. All fixated on the party! With bulging eyes and clicking mandibles, they came from every direction. Placing their backs together, the party fought to hold the space, barring and barricading doors and windows as they claimed the guild hall using swords and spells. Marty was able to heal the cuts and burns received from the battle, while the swarm crawled all over the exterior of the building emitting a constant, mind-numbing drone.

Ilyana spoke of a bizarre occurrence. During the battle she witnessed several fire beetles heading for a back room. When she maneuvered to look, she saw the bugs battling a zombie. She didn’t think much of it in the heat of battle and, in the relative calm of the aftermath, an investigation indicated they had destroyed one another.

With nothing else to do the party spent the day, much as they had the night months ago, huddled in the guild hall surrounded by a horde of enemies. As the sun went down, the bugs retreated back into the city. Then at sunset, the bell appeared as it had before, but this time as it tolled, Euwyn was there to seize it. The few zombies which had formed quickly dissipated. Hedge was dispatched to see if the streets were clear, but as soon as his feet hit the first floor, the ground erupted with new undead horrors. These looked like animate piles of grave dirt and where they touched the ground erupted seeking to bury Hedge alive! The team defeated these with the help of their new cave druid and beat a hasty retreat back to Malwan.

Return to Coranodo's Ferry (Date 1/9/11)

With the Harvest Festival fast approaching, Lex decided to seize upon the opportunity to spur the group into doing a quick dive into the lingering mystery of the city on the far side of the lake. He found the Prince embroiled in an illicit liaison with Relania Bell, and Brother Marty struggling to help Mjelde with her Father Haddad issues. Marty had just arranged for Shelby to take the young priestess under her wing for a course of martial training.

The party took the road around the lake, forded the river using the power of Strom, and entered the city. Not long after their arrival, the insects appeared, swarming in from all directions. No sooner was the first wave defeated, then another scurried forth to take its place. They ran! Ducking and driving through the deserted streets now home to an endless, teeming throng of giant insects! Hoping to put a quick end to things, the party made swiftly for the town hall. But gazing up into the bell tower, they found the spire empty!  

The Dead Princes (Date 1/9/6)

The group spent the journey back mulling over concerns about the fey and getting to know Ilyana, their new druid companion. Marty split off to spend some time with Drova and to tell her about her brother and father. Justice split with the group and headed for his fort.

Immediately upon their return, the group was met by Hedge. He had made a discovery and needed them to come quickly! While excavating the orphanage, Hedge and Edgar had discovered a pair of dead bodies in ruined, royal garb. They were obviously children, and each wore a magical, golden necklace. Preliminary investigations found they were males, in their early teen years, with no obvious life threatening injuries. Marty believed he would be able to speak with their souls in the morning once rested and properly prepared, so the sight was sealed up and placed under guard. The street urchins and orphans were sworn to secrecy.

Ilyana settled in at the tower. Marty stopped by the towered and urged the Prince that he must be more open in his worship of Strom. Euwyn said he would think about it. Mjelde told Marty she worried Father Haddad wanted to sleep with her. She feared if she refused she would lose her position or worse.

Marty had to officiate at the daily service, so he was delayed in arriving at the site. When Lex informed Shelby that a half-elven druid from the fey fort was now staying with the prince, she hurried to the tower to check her out, concluding after a few minutes that she was either an innocent child or a very artful spy. At the site, Euwyn considered identifying the necklaces, but stopped when Tiaco warned him not to mess with them. The bodies were removed in concealed carriage to the castle. Euwyn and Lex did some research and discovered a pair of twin princes from 57 years ago who disappeared on the lake, believed to be killed by Deep Tentacles. When Marty arrived, he used the power of Strom to rouse the souls of the corpses to discover. 1. They were the missing twins. 2. They had been killed by their mother using the magic necklaces. 3. Their mother had killed them because they were showing magical aptitude! Shelby ordered the matter sealed, and Euwyn took the deadly jewelry into his possession. No sooner than she got around other people though, did Ilyana start fueling the rumor mill.

Marty talked to Father Haddad, who claimed innocence and theorized that it was likely just Mjelde misreading her support for lust, probably not able to see men in any other light. Haddad decided he would simply back off and return her to light duties in the temple so as to avoid any further confusion.

Return to the Fey Fort (Date 1/8/30)

Practice continued as the party made their way through the forest. Every night when they stopped to camp, Yuri would recite the monologue with Lex to accompany him, working on the finer points and polishing up the performance. It became rote for all within earshot.

One day, just as they suspected they were getting close, the woods became dark and shadowy and whispering figures darted in the corners of their vision. The prince called a retreat and they backtracked to safe ground to prepare themselves for the show. That night a beast wandered out of the fey-tainted forest. Covered in acidic pustules, distorted and hunched, it was Antionne! He fought like a madman bereft of his senses, and the prince called for his capture rather than killing. Together they brought him down and bound him to a tree.

In the morning as the party was preparing spells, the wilderness came to them. The darkness deepened and all around them voices chortled and gibbered. One by one they fell into enchanted slumber. All save Marty who decided to fake it. Figures stalked in from the shadow, gathering up the sleeping party and carrying them to the fort to be presented before Queen Boudicca. They pled their case and played their song. Well, Yuri was disqualified for having already performed for the queen, so the performance changed to Lex on flute with Marty doing oratory and Justice providing drums. The performance was accepted and turned into a revel.

At the party, Lex was turned out by the Queen Boudicca, who said, he could not remain. The party also met a druid named Ilyana who asked them to wish for her release. And the Queen granted them audience with Gaston, who seemed content, if melancholy, and asked that his father be released in his place. He apologized for killing himself and explained how the Queen knew of his music and gathered his soul upon dying and reincarnated him here. He whispered to the Prince that the Queen might be a threat and that Malwan might benefit by having someone on the inside, namely himself.

The party were given leave to return, if in the future they felt their kingdom needed to parley with hers in an official capacity, and they awoke where they had fallen – even Marty. Antionne was among them. His sanity returned, he rejected the notion of returning to the lumber consortium just yet and decided to strike out on his own to find the companions he had traveled with.