Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025
Present: Blaylocke, Enkili, Grynn, Leiya
Jolrael's player was sailing the seven seas.
Grynn's player will be away until Sept. 30.
It is the 23rd of Iyoltan, and the party is in Freehold, to which they had traveled last session.
Enkili has the fairly brilliant idea of seeing if the Quendi's Fortune -- the fast, magical ship that sailed us to a slavers' stronghold off of Yri, before -- could also sail us swiftly northward to Onostia. Alas, it is not easily done -- there is no canal between the Inland Sea and the great sea, so the ship would have to portage by land over to the ocean. I.e., "no."
We ask if there are other, similar ships on the ocean; again, the answer is (mostly) no; or at least, Lord Burcel does not know of any ships identical to the Quendi's Fortune.
Lord Burcel explains that he had sent another adventuring party down to Nemsh to penetrate the slavers' stronghold there. However, he has lost contact with them, and this concerns him greatly. (One of the party was using Sending -- the arcane version -- to keep Burcel abreast of events; there has been no word from them though after they landed.)
That party:
Lord Burcel would quite like us to go to Nemsh to investigate that party's fate as well as to perform the original task (infiltrate/disrupt the slavers' work in Nemsh). He gives a coin-token to Leiya, asking her to give that to the party and inform them that we (our party) are taking over the mission, and that Lord Burcel will fully compensate this other party as if their mission had been fulfilled. Burcel is distressed over their fate and does not want to have caused them harm.
Burcel instructs us to pose as merchants, representatives of the merchant Tohrma, a spice merchant from Lur. Various ideas are discussed around this. Ironleaf Hydrangea - one possible product/item that we can say we are seeking. (There is no such flower, but who will be the wiser?)
Important aside from Blaylocke: His codename/stage name shall be Allistaire Uppermiddelbottum.
We plan to sail from Freehold to Lur in the Quendi's Fortune (the magical ship). In Lur, we will rendezvous with a friend of Lord Burcel, the merchant Voska, who will tutor us in Bhellian etiquette and outfit us for the rest of the journey.
Before leaving, Leiya and Grynn touch base with their churches, but learn that their churches require nothing from them at this time/no special missions or needs.
Also before leaving, Grynn searches for and acquires three books, in hopes of learning more about Bhell.
Book 1: Glorious Desires of the King: A Fate Forfeit - biography. Written in Common. Not written in the author's mother tongue. 10gp and 725 pages. Torn/stained pretty badly. History of the Maklu Tier, starting with his father the Maklu Yaruk, who was said to have sealed a pact with the demon Shamag for eternal youth and power. Maklu Yaruk took Shelebh, daughter of Shamag, as concubine. Tier,son of Yaruk, was born of this union. More content to follow ...
Book 2: Amazing Chronicles from the Desolate Plains. Insight about a specific region or landform and the perils it may contain. Leafed through but in good condition. Written in Common, in difficult-to-read handwriting. It has something between two pages. 20gp and 812p pages. Author is Brin the Learned, author of several other books of this type. He references his other works on he Bhellian wastes. Part of the hidden cryptic text mentions clues in his other works. Th diagram appears to be part of a network of waypoints between portals.
Note: in between two pages of this book is another item -- a strange diagram and cryptic script spanning the inner space between two pages.
Book 3: Comprehensive Visions of the Burning Eye. Biography. Written in Common. Leafed-through but good condition. Bound in heavy wooden frames. 20gp and 73 pages. It references Iyogult worship and some summoning rites and such. The book references the herald of Iiyolgult, Hamza the Living Flame. It details religious ceremonies of Iiyolgult's worship, but focuses on those in service to his herald. Vague descriptions of summoning rites are included in its text.
We set sail from Freehold to Yri, then to Lur. Some of us cast silver or copper coins into the waters before the ship sets sail. Leiya casts in two coppers.
The grandeur of the great island city of Preidham in Lur outshines the previous greatness of Yri. The wealth and opulence is on overt display among the denizens of the island, especially those of the merchant class.
We see an array of exotic and unfamiliar goods, people, and animals/creatures. Seems to be a huge bazaar. Music fills the area; scents of foods permeate the air. However, there is also an open slave-market.
We make our way through the streets towards our contact, heading north where the hustle and bustle dies down a bit, and gardens are more prevalent.
We reach the estate of the merchant Voska. We seek admittance at the gates. The majordomo, flanked by guards, greets us. When we tell him who we are and of our connection to Lord Burcel, he smiles and admits us. We're guided to see Voska.
Special note: Blaylocke plays the bagpipes, leading us in a triumphal march with a roll of 28. We and his music are well-received.
The majordomo, flanked by guards, greets us. When we tell him who we are and of our connection to Lord Burcel, he smiles and admits us. We're guided to see Voska.
Voska tells us that the prior group's cover was blown and they were seized. The mage Helcred disappeared suddenly (due to the Wizard Peak magic that took Jolrael), causing a disturbance that exposed the group. Dunstan and Hending were killed in the skirmish. Dionna was taken by the authorities; Fang the rogue was wounded but escaped; however, later died of his wounds. Fang was able to divulge where the slavers were taking them. This all happened in Preidham (Lur); they never got to Bhell. It is understood that Dionna was going to be sent to a hidden slaver hold south of Tarsken.
Leiya assures Voska that she will notify Lord Burcel about the party's fate.
Party discusses liberating the slaver hold and the priestess at it. One point against it is that we might blow our cover if we proceed to Tarsken and do that. Better to do the Nemsh work first.
We stay in Lur to learn from Voska about our roles, customs, nuances, etc. We get Lurian-style finery suitable for merchants. Our accommodations by Voska are lavish. He points out formal and informal addresses (superior; equal; inferior - modes of address in the language). Willful failure to abide by these is a crime (incorrect addressing of superiors as equals or inferiors; incorrectly elevating inferiors by addressing as equals, etc. -- nope. Don't).
After a few days, he feels we are ready.
We discuss travel. Prior to the war, most merchant travel went from Lur to Tarsken, then overland to Harvereen and then by road up to Nemsh. Now, it's a bit different due to the Bhell-Errod conflict. Lurian merchants now go to one of the small ports on the Bhell shoreline, then travel overland to Nemsh.
Note: Grynn comes across an idea - there does seem to be a route allowing travel from Errod to Bhell, which is how/why the slavers can get Dionna into Bhell. (Note: this is a slave/slave guild route.) Equal chance that she will be taken to Nemsh, or possibly to the south.
Additional notes about Bhell:
We decide to sail from Lur to Bhellian coast, then travel overland to Nemsh, perhaps with other merchants or caravans or the like. The sea travel will take approximately three days.
Our next game session will be Sunday, Sept. 21.
Present: Blaylocke, Enkili, Grynn, Leiya
Jolrael's player was sailing the seven seas.
Grynn's player will be away until Sept. 30.
It is the 23rd of Iyoltan, and the party is in Freehold, to which they had traveled last session.
Enkili has the fairly brilliant idea of seeing if the Quendi's Fortune -- the fast, magical ship that sailed us to a slavers' stronghold off of Yri, before -- could also sail us swiftly northward to Onostia. Alas, it is not easily done -- there is no canal between the Inland Sea and the great sea, so the ship would have to portage by land over to the ocean. I.e., "no."
We ask if there are other, similar ships on the ocean; again, the answer is (mostly) no; or at least, Lord Burcel does not know of any ships identical to the Quendi's Fortune.
Lord Burcel explains that he had sent another adventuring party down to Nemsh to penetrate the slavers' stronghold there. However, he has lost contact with them, and this concerns him greatly. (One of the party was using Sending -- the arcane version -- to keep Burcel abreast of events; there has been no word from them though after they landed.)
That party:
- 2 warriors (Denstan and Hending)
- a mage (Helcred);
- a rogue (Fang)
- a priestess (Dionna)
Lord Burcel would quite like us to go to Nemsh to investigate that party's fate as well as to perform the original task (infiltrate/disrupt the slavers' work in Nemsh). He gives a coin-token to Leiya, asking her to give that to the party and inform them that we (our party) are taking over the mission, and that Lord Burcel will fully compensate this other party as if their mission had been fulfilled. Burcel is distressed over their fate and does not want to have caused them harm.
Burcel instructs us to pose as merchants, representatives of the merchant Tohrma, a spice merchant from Lur. Various ideas are discussed around this. Ironleaf Hydrangea - one possible product/item that we can say we are seeking. (There is no such flower, but who will be the wiser?)
Important aside from Blaylocke: His codename/stage name shall be Allistaire Uppermiddelbottum.
We plan to sail from Freehold to Lur in the Quendi's Fortune (the magical ship). In Lur, we will rendezvous with a friend of Lord Burcel, the merchant Voska, who will tutor us in Bhellian etiquette and outfit us for the rest of the journey.
Before leaving, Leiya and Grynn touch base with their churches, but learn that their churches require nothing from them at this time/no special missions or needs.
Also before leaving, Grynn searches for and acquires three books, in hopes of learning more about Bhell.
Book 1: Glorious Desires of the King: A Fate Forfeit - biography. Written in Common. Not written in the author's mother tongue. 10gp and 725 pages. Torn/stained pretty badly. History of the Maklu Tier, starting with his father the Maklu Yaruk, who was said to have sealed a pact with the demon Shamag for eternal youth and power. Maklu Yaruk took Shelebh, daughter of Shamag, as concubine. Tier,son of Yaruk, was born of this union. More content to follow ...
Book 2: Amazing Chronicles from the Desolate Plains. Insight about a specific region or landform and the perils it may contain. Leafed through but in good condition. Written in Common, in difficult-to-read handwriting. It has something between two pages. 20gp and 812p pages. Author is Brin the Learned, author of several other books of this type. He references his other works on he Bhellian wastes. Part of the hidden cryptic text mentions clues in his other works. Th diagram appears to be part of a network of waypoints between portals.
Note: in between two pages of this book is another item -- a strange diagram and cryptic script spanning the inner space between two pages.
Book 3: Comprehensive Visions of the Burning Eye. Biography. Written in Common. Leafed-through but good condition. Bound in heavy wooden frames. 20gp and 73 pages. It references Iyogult worship and some summoning rites and such. The book references the herald of Iiyolgult, Hamza the Living Flame. It details religious ceremonies of Iiyolgult's worship, but focuses on those in service to his herald. Vague descriptions of summoning rites are included in its text.
We set sail from Freehold to Yri, then to Lur. Some of us cast silver or copper coins into the waters before the ship sets sail. Leiya casts in two coppers.
The grandeur of the great island city of Preidham in Lur outshines the previous greatness of Yri. The wealth and opulence is on overt display among the denizens of the island, especially those of the merchant class.
We see an array of exotic and unfamiliar goods, people, and animals/creatures. Seems to be a huge bazaar. Music fills the area; scents of foods permeate the air. However, there is also an open slave-market.
We make our way through the streets towards our contact, heading north where the hustle and bustle dies down a bit, and gardens are more prevalent.
We reach the estate of the merchant Voska. We seek admittance at the gates. The majordomo, flanked by guards, greets us. When we tell him who we are and of our connection to Lord Burcel, he smiles and admits us. We're guided to see Voska.
Special note: Blaylocke plays the bagpipes, leading us in a triumphal march with a roll of 28. We and his music are well-received.
The majordomo, flanked by guards, greets us. When we tell him who we are and of our connection to Lord Burcel, he smiles and admits us. We're guided to see Voska.
Voska tells us that the prior group's cover was blown and they were seized. The mage Helcred disappeared suddenly (due to the Wizard Peak magic that took Jolrael), causing a disturbance that exposed the group. Dunstan and Hending were killed in the skirmish. Dionna was taken by the authorities; Fang the rogue was wounded but escaped; however, later died of his wounds. Fang was able to divulge where the slavers were taking them. This all happened in Preidham (Lur); they never got to Bhell. It is understood that Dionna was going to be sent to a hidden slaver hold south of Tarsken.
Leiya assures Voska that she will notify Lord Burcel about the party's fate.
Party discusses liberating the slaver hold and the priestess at it. One point against it is that we might blow our cover if we proceed to Tarsken and do that. Better to do the Nemsh work first.
We stay in Lur to learn from Voska about our roles, customs, nuances, etc. We get Lurian-style finery suitable for merchants. Our accommodations by Voska are lavish. He points out formal and informal addresses (superior; equal; inferior - modes of address in the language). Willful failure to abide by these is a crime (incorrect addressing of superiors as equals or inferiors; incorrectly elevating inferiors by addressing as equals, etc. -- nope. Don't).
After a few days, he feels we are ready.
We discuss travel. Prior to the war, most merchant travel went from Lur to Tarsken, then overland to Harvereen and then by road up to Nemsh. Now, it's a bit different due to the Bhell-Errod conflict. Lurian merchants now go to one of the small ports on the Bhell shoreline, then travel overland to Nemsh.
Note: Grynn comes across an idea - there does seem to be a route allowing travel from Errod to Bhell, which is how/why the slavers can get Dionna into Bhell. (Note: this is a slave/slave guild route.) Equal chance that she will be taken to Nemsh, or possibly to the south.
Additional notes about Bhell:
- Re: weapons and armor. Merchants are not usually heavily armed and armored. Enkili will need to pose as our guard.
- Note also re: religion - the clerics can wear their clerics' vestments under their other garb, but they should hide the holy symbols and refrain from proselytizing, and just generally behave with great discretion. Foreign travelers are allowed to have their own faiths, but they are not allowed to evangelize or speak out against the official state religion.
- In Bhell, we will likely need a translator, though Common is common enough in cities, trade, etc.
- Grynn may fit in well into Bhell as we go, due to his half-orc heritage, so he may be accepted more readily.
We decide to sail from Lur to Bhellian coast, then travel overland to Nemsh, perhaps with other merchants or caravans or the like. The sea travel will take approximately three days.
Our next game session will be Sunday, Sept. 21.