Session One Hundred and Thirty-Five (Graveyard of Empires Summary)
Session 135 December 14, 2016
24th of Tanrelden on the JG to Vargen
AD Clock 00.000.04.21
In response to a note Chuq sends to Adhemar at the Ark Cathedral, Alaric Winterbegh visits the Jolly Gorgon early in the morning. After Thorfus welcomes Alaric aboard, he reports that Grand Master Langstom’ return to Curabel is not expected soon and he is there to remove any curses we suspect afflict us. Alaric blesses the Jolly Gorgon, removes any curses from Edan and Thorfus and takes possession of the rusty sword found at the Keepers’ Estate that burned Edan as he held it. Before leaving, Alaric interviews the party concerning their possessions and fearful flights by the Grell Ghosts.
With his exit, the Jolly Gorgon sets sail. A couple of hours on the trip to Kaligan, we pass a squat boathouse at anchor, someone is fishing on the deck but can’t see Chuq’s wave as we slip by. Eventually we enter the cove at Kaligan and go ashore with Bellisonte and Sturloc attending. As we search the deserted village, we notice smoke from a fire in the old imperial fort. This prompts us to investigate. The fort is occupied by a small force of Midmark Militia. A sortie challenges the party until they learn our identities. After that they are hospitable and escort us on a tour of the keep showing us their efforts to improve it. During the meet and greet, they mention seeing a mysterious ship that matches Chuq and Ronan’s ghost ship excursion and of the occasional undead wandering from Newton. After a bit of food and toast, we excuse ourselves then return to the abandoned Kaligan to experiment with the adamantine cube Thorfus keeps with his kit.
As suspected, once Thorfus (and it seems only Thorfus) says “Kehl” in ancient dwarven, the cube quickly expands with a dance of shifting shapes and rotating surfaces into a 30 foot tall metal tower about 20′ foot square on each side. There is a single door without handles or hinges that swings open when Thorufs says “open” in ancient dwarven, a ceiling trap door inside responds the same way allowing egress to the battlements on the roof. To close either he has to speak the word “Close” in ancient dwarven. After exploring the small interior, we exit, stand clear and watch as “Khel” for a second time reverses the process and the fortress is now a cube again. The cube/tower’s metal material seems very tough indeed. Edan suspects that with a lot of effort, the metal could be removed and repurposed into armor, weapons or tools.
We board the Jolly Gorgon and continue our trip to Vargen. Before berthing in a western berth, most of the party assumes rather minimal disguises like Thorfus braiding his hair and Chuq changing his shorts for trousers and a waist coat. Captain Thorfus is greeted by Sinnove the dock master who charges 7sp a day for his berth. Synnove is very solicitous, suggesting we visit the Winking Swordsman tavern or hiring his boys for errands or repairs. He also explains the deep water docks are bare because of Thorton’s (Jardin’s) trade embargo and that most adventuring types have moved upriver to Xen Khel since the SilverThrone is paying.
We decide to spend the night at the Twelth Knight in the wall district. Planning to visit the Ark Temple on the way so that Chuq can check in. During our walk, Chuq speaks with one or many flagellates publicly whipping themselves and chanting prayers in the street. He invites us to talk to Fishwick at his retreat north of the city. We learn Fishwick preaches of a fiery end to the world from above the sky among the stars. Seems Fishwick’s former favorite drinking hole was the Starving Dragon not far from where we are speaking with the flagellate. Ale was Fishwick’s favorite libation.
As we approach the High Town square, shouts and screams as weapons are drawn can be heard. The night cap warns of mortal violence ahead, people want to kill each other. We can see a commotion by the north east corner of the square. Two gangs are brawling. By standing worshippers, pilgrims and clerics are fleeing the battle. The combatants are indistinct from each other. A man in chainmail with a long sword seems familiar to Chuq. This spurns the monk to get involved with Ronan charging into help. The other side breaks ranks, chattering in some cant as they flee. The man in chainmail survived and we learn he is Captain Leafrick of the Bargemen. After a brief discussion, Leafrick joins his dispersing bargemen, imploring us to look him up to help out the Bargemen.
Guardsmen arrive and interrogate us. They understand we wanted to help make the streets safe. With a warning to be safe, they allow us to part and visit the Fellowship Grove. Asking a druid about Orion, a former Starchie Boy, we learn that he left the grove after getting word from his home village and has returned there to investigate. Next stop was the Ark Temple, where Chuq learns form an dog frothed cleric that Chuq was the last monk to check in and that Master of Spring Archembald was checked in on the 4th of Foreldon.
At the wall street gate, the guards eventually recognize Axel, Chuq and Thorfus and allows us through after they were bureaucratically making our passage difficult. As we part, Chuq asks the guards to invite Captain Elisondro to the Twelth Knight for a round of drinks on the party. Checking in on Phillip Vigore the jewel dealer, we are initially barred entry until Ronan has a one to one with Phillip. Phillip decides to forgive us for Finkelmur’s crimes, especially since we might be the only source of commerce he has in the foreseeable future. Next we patronize Jaharis Fraunk of the Twelth Knight.
After Chuq rents all the empty rooms for the night and paying for meals and drinks for everyone, including any visiting wall district guardsman, Jaharis’ loose tongue relates all he can remember of Kottar’s last visit. Kottar arrived with an odd group of men and elves that mostly kept to themselves. He asked for a sage to learn more about rumors of a Bronze Dragon lurking in the northern mountains. Benedictus Sharesen, located a bit past the Wall District watch house, researched for Kotar and likely knows where to look next. Chuq learns via the Night Cap that Kotar had Jaharis promise not to tell Kotar’s friends (Axel, Chuq (especially Chuq) & Thorfus) about his business. Seems Kotar’s patronage wasn’t as lucrative as Chuq’s.