Grand Theft Sky ship

As I mentioned last week, the last adventure is an adaption of "Palace in the Sky" by John and Martin Szinger, published in Dungeon Magazine 16 in 1989. It took me a week to create all of the battle maps I would be using in Roll20. The players were hired to put an end to the raids of the cloud giants but I underestimated their desire for the skyship the cloud giants were using. It greatly outweighed their desire to explore the castle. They stole the ship and took off - never entering the main castle. But I am not going to let them get away with things so easily. The cloud giants will have no difficulty learning who stole their ship, the players always make sure everyone far and wide knows of their exploits. The giants have a flying castle capable of going anywhere. Tracking down the players will be easy for them.

Session 112: Stealing the Cloudship

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC), Domago (human cleric NPC).

The adventurers have silently entered the gatehouse of the Cloud Giant’s castle, sealing most of the bugbear guards behind a wall of iron. There are only eight bugbears in a guardroom standing between them and the flying ships of the sky raiders.

The heroes open the trap door and scramble up the steps as quickly as possible entering the guardroom. The bugbears are momentarily caught off guard but they quickly grab their weapons and attack pressing the heroes back against the open trapdoor. One bugbear runs to a gong and begins striking it raising the alarm. Aldus and Eathwund launch themselves into the melee. Eathwund is slashed by swords twice as he finds himself fighting two opponents. Alrix uses his sword of dancing to keep the bugbears at arm’s length. Lakima casts summon monster and summons three orcs to help the group. The orcs attack the bugbears from behind. Domago casts silence on the gong quieting the alarm and then casts healing on Eathwund. The fight is over in less than a minute. One bugbear tries to flee to the roof up a ladder but is killed by a volley of magic missiles from Alrix. Another bugbear tries to run for a door to the battlements but is caught down by Aldus and Eathwund. The last of the summoned orcs is dispelled.

Looking out an open window in the chamber Lakima sees the flying longship and another smaller craft floating only 45 feet away. He casts a luminous bridge from a scroll and urges everyone to hurry across to the longship. As they are traversing the bridge, he yells at Alrix to fireball the small ship. Alrix casts a fireball and it explodes around the smaller ship burning the wood and vaporizing the mast but the magic of the vessel protects it from further damage. Everyone scrambles aboard the larger boat.

“How do we make it go?” Fenris yells, looking around.

Lakima casts a fireball at the small ship and the second burst of fire magic is enough to break the enchantments on the ship. It lights on fire and plummets thousands of feet to the ground below. Lakima and Domago move to the back of the ship and examine a strange wooden pillar that is covered in runes. Lakima ascertains that they are magical and Domago can see some giant language runes as well. But they have no clue how to operate the ship. Meanwhile, Eathwund calls out a warning that a cloud giant and several bugbears have been alerted and have come to the battlements of the castle. They can clearly hear the booming voice of the cloud giant.

“What is he saying?” Lakima asks Domago.

“Nothing good,” Domago replies.

Domago and Aldus busy themselves cranking and loading a ballista on the bow of the longboat. They spin it about to face the castle.

Lakima yells out that he will figure out the ship later and he summons an air elemental from the plane of air to do his bidding. A large dark cloud with lightning-yellow eyes appears alongside the flying ship. Lakima orders the elemental to push the ship through the sky to the west. The elemental grabs the bow of the ship in misty hands and the ship begins to speed through the air backwards to the west. The cloud giant castle begins to recede behind them. But after a minute, the cloud castle and its cloud begin to follow the ship. At first, the castle seems to be gaining but after a half hour, it is clear that the ship being pushed by the air elemental is faster.

The strange pursuit continues all day until the sun begins to set. The cloud castle by this time has fallen several miles behind and is no longer discernible from other clouds. Lakima instructs the air elemental to take them down until they are just above the treetops of a pine forest. At a clearing, he tells the elemental to set them just above the ground by a few feet. Lakima has had to concentrate on the air elemental the entire time to keep it from gaining its freedom and attacking. Fenris drops over the side of the ship and climbs a tall tree to keep watch. Lakima tells everyone he will need to stay awake all night to control the elemental. Late in the evening Lakima feels his concentration slip for a moment and dismisses it just before losing control.

The next morning Lakima casts identify on the flying ship and he is able to learn the command word for the longship and how it functions. With their newfound knowledge, the adventurers cautiously ascend from the ground to 1,000 feet and scan the horizon. They do not see any suspicious clouds following them so they head back to Wolford. They find that the ship is slow without the air elemental pushing it along. But they manage to improve the speed by setting the single sail. Sailing into the wind is clearly going to be a problem.

The flying ship descends down to the Ironflood river outside of Wolford. They attempt to maneuver upriver like a boat but quickly discover that the flying ship is not watertight. The ship is ascended a foot out of the water and makes its way to the bridge over the river. The flying ship causes a brief panic as locals scream about the sky raiders attacking, but they are able to calm the locals and a group of militiamen who meet them. They request that the seneschal meets with them. A large crowd of townsfolk starts to gather and gaze in wonder at the flying longboat. The seneschal arrives with a group of guards after an hour. Lakima assures him that the cloud giant issue has been dealt with and asks that the Earl of Calwell be informed. When asked if the giants are dead, Lakima only answers that the giants have moved elsewhere.

Lakima calls out if there are any sailors in the crowd. A few men wave back but when Lakima offers them employment on the flying ship only one young man is brave enough to step aboard. He introduces himself as Cowan and assures Lakima that the rigging on the ship is simple and easy to handle for someone with his experience.

Eathwund does see his father in the crowd waving his arms about trying to get his attention. But the ship soon ascends and Eathwund only has time to wave to his father and give a shallow bow.

With Cowan’s aid, they get the ship moving at a good pace at an angle to the prevailing winds back to the west headed for Edgerton. The trip takes 5 days, and they steer a circuitous route avoiding mountains and tall hills. All those who are not resting keep a sharp lookout for a strange cloud or a flying castle. The ship has a high freeboard that blocks most of the wind but it is still freezing cold on board. Lakima begins planning ways to provide shelter. On the third day, they attract the attention of a flying three-headed chimera with the heads of a goat, lion, and dragon. Lakima summons an air elemental that fights and kills the chimera.

The evening of the fifth day flying through the clouds they spot Edgerton on the horizon. The ship floats down to anchor just off of the aerie where their lost hippogriff used to nest. Few in the city notice the flying ship arrive. But a company of the watch does check in on the manor house to make sure it is not a threat. Alayna meets them on the roof and marvels at the new acquisition.

“Where did you steal this?”

The next day Lakima and Aldus (his coin purse newly filled by Lakima for providing protection) head over to the Mages Guild. Lakima checks in on Rune Frost the headmaster and on the new librarian, he has hired. Then they head over to Cromly’s smithy. Cromly asks Aldus if the great sword he forged for him is to his satisfaction. Aldus tells him that it is not. He is unhappy with the balance and the edge. He asks Cromly to recommend a weapon smith with more skill. Cromly is stung by this comment and assures Aldus that the great sword is the finest in Thurmany. Lakima tells Aldus that maybe they can find a better sword in Gundamark – the kingdom of the dwarves. A stunned Cromly watches as they leave the shop.

Eathwund heads across town to Milner’s court and enters the Sign of the Purple Bugbear tavern. His tavern manager Yana is happy to see him. Yana explains that the tavern is making a good profit. He does tell Eathwund that some local merchants have asked if Eathwund would provide them protection from local gangs. Many of the local merchants are being extorted for protection by more than one gang. Eathwund’s reputation has kept all gang members out of the Purple Bugbear. Eathwund tells Yana that he will check with his friends. Yana also tells Eathwund that Wexley Windham (their partner in a copper mine in Whetwhistle) is staying at the tavern. He requested a discount on account of being a partner with Eathwund. Eathwund tells him that this is fine. Then he leaves and returns to the manor.

Back at the manor around lunch, the company gathers. Eathwund tells the group about the trouble with gangs in Mirdton. Lakima presents a convincing argument for not getting involved. Eathwund also mentions that Wexley is staying at the tavern. Lakima suggests that they return and talk to him. Eathwund, Lakima, and Aldus head back across town to the tavern. There they find Wexley seated in the tavern eating lunch. He happily greets his partners. Wexley tells them that he is in town to meet a merchant who purchases the copper they mine. He tells them about the progress at the mine. About how they have found some ancient workings and a lot of old mining equipment that is aiding them in digging out the copper.

A one-legged man arrives in the tavern walking expertly about on a cane. The man is in his forties and very roundly built. He shouts a greeting and is overjoyed to be meeting the “famous Company of the Black Dragon”. Ignoring the business that brought him to Edgerton to meet Wexley, he introduces himself as Dexter Longwood, a former adventurer. He asks them if they have ever heard of the Crimson Company. None of them have, but Eathwund nods his head politely. Dexter launches into a story about how he lost his leg which led to the group breaking up. One member, a young wizard named Norine Gayheart continued to adventure with other groups. When he was last in Edgerton he met a member of her last group – now long retired who gave him the sad news that Norine (and all her party) entered a wizards’ tower and never returned. Dexter asks if they would be willing to enter the tower and recover her body. He would like to give his old companion a proper burial. He assures him that the surviving party member told him that the tower was a short distance away on the south bank of the Dolm river. He has only 200 gold to pay them but they agree to do the job figuring it will be a quick one.

Lakima asks Cowan the first mate of their flying ship to find a shipbuilder to make the ship capable of floating on water. He also tasks him with finding another sailor and a tent to provide some protection from the elements. They then head to a weapon shop on Emerald Street a short distance from the Purple Bugbear. Dexter told them that Alda, the surviving member of Norine’s last adventure company, works at the shop. They find a simple weapon smithy. They ask the smith if they can speak to Alda and he directs them to a woman crafting a dagger. Alda is suspicious at first but when she learns Dexter sent them, she agrees to talk. Norine was part of a company of four adventurers. They entered a wizard’s tower 20 years ago and none were ever seen again. Alda was a young girl at the time and cared for their horses and maintained the camp while they entered dungeons and caves. She says she waited for a week and then sadly returned to Edgerton. She used the money the group left to apprentice as a smith. She tells them that she has a copy of the map they bought in Dolmvay showing the location of the tower, but she will have to get it after sunset when her work ends. Lakima hands the shop owner a gold coin and asks to buy Alda’s time. The shop owner agrees. As they wait for Alda they have a conversation with the shop owner. He complains about the local gangs all demanding protection money. Once he learns who Eathwund is he asks Eathwund if he would be willing to scare off the gangs. Lakima steps in and tells him that they do not get involved in guild business. Alda returns and gives them the map. Lakima gives her a few gold coins.

They leave and make plans for travelling to the wizard’s tower. Cowan has not started work on the tent or the hull of the ship. But he has hired a sailor named Dagmar to join the crew. They fly off to the east and on the first day, they see a hippogriff flying toward them. As it gets nearer, Lakima shouts at that "That's our hippogriff!". Gnomeat the hippogriff has escaped from the cloud castle and returned to them. The hippogriff lands on the ship. Lakima expresses concerns that the hippogriff might have been freed on purpose to track them, but the rope around the hippogriff's neck is frayed as if the hippogriff slashed through it to make its escape.

The Cloud Castle

A few weeks ago the players in my Swords & Wizardry campaign took on the Sky Raiders - a group of cloud giants with a flying castle in the clouds. I used "Palace in the Sky" by John and Martin Szinger, published in Dungeon Magazine 16 in 1989. I kept the noted palace and its inhabitants changing the statistics from AD&D to Swords & Wizardry (which are really similar) but I removed the rest of the adventure. I changed the hook to fit my campaign and I did not want the semi-solid cloud with its enchanted forests and inhabitants. Instead, I moved the gatehouse to be directly connected to the tower and had the flying longboat tied off to the gatehouse. This is a large castle map and I created seven battle maps in Dungeoncrafter for Roll20. As written for AD&D levels 7-10 this is a really tough adventure with a lot of rewards (including a flying ship).

Session 111: The Cloud Castle

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC), Domago (human cleric NPC).

The Company of the Black Dragon has accepted a contract to put an end to the raids of a group of bandits that are called the Sky Raiders. In return, they have a contract from the Earl of Calwell granting them possession of the raider’s flying boat.

On new years’ day, 498 the Company pack up and prepare to leave Dolmvay. The elven adventurer Flora tells her companions that she has decided to stay in Dolmvay as a guest of the Irrlenov family (this was a player character but the player has vanished without any message, which happens sometimes at virtual table games like Roll20). The rest of the company make their way by carriage to the river docks. There they are able to find a boat headed upriver to Edgerton. Lakima informs the captain of the ship, Brent, that they wish to be set ashore at the Hillside Farms ferry. He is then to take their trunks of clothes on to Edgerton for delivery to the Black Dragon Manor. It takes a day to make it to the ferry. The captain tells them he is going to dock here for the night. The company sleeps onboard. The next day they wave goodbye and take the road north into the Kingswood. The squire Ian carries Alayna’s remaining travel trunk on his back with the aid of a harness that Aldus rigged up. When the road fords the Corabel stream the company turns into the forest following the stream. They have a brief encounter with some Elven rangers who allow them to proceed into the forest. By late afternoon they arrive at their destination, the Bridgeway. The custodian of the bridge, Ezmerladen, greets them and agrees to send them to Edgerton and watch the Asboro bridge in Edgerton for an hour to re-open the bridge so they can return. Alayna is reluctant to step off the Bridgeway at first but follows once Lakima leads the way. The entire group pops out onto the bridge in Edgerton startling some locals. They head over to the Manor and Lakima heads up to the rooftop aerie to get their Hippogriff Gnomeat. Alayna tells everyone she is going to surprise the riverboat crew by greeting them when they arrive in Edgerton in a day or so. The company heads back to the Asboro bridge and Lakima leads the hippogriff there. The portal opens and they step through to the Bridgeway again. They then ask Ezmeralden to send them to the old stone bridge in Wolford in Calwell.

The company, Lakima, Eathwund, Alrix, Aldus, Fenris, and Domago step off the Bridgeway again and arrive in Wolford in the early evening. They apparat into existence in the middle of the bridge and startle several local fishermen who were fishing off the bridge. One fisherman is so startled he topples over the rail and falls into the frigid, fast-moving river. Alrix quickly steps behind a building and turns into his true form of a couatl and flies over the river and rescues the man. He changes to his half-elven form just in time to pull the man from the water. The grateful fisherman invites him to his home for dinner. Alrix accepts but says he first must check on his friends.

Meanwhile, the rest of the company with a hippogriff walk from the bridge to the town gates.

“Hold on there. You canna bring that beast into the town!”

The town guard at first refuse to let the adventurers enter the town with the hippogriff. The guards are a little familiar with the beast as hippogriffs are a menace in Wolford valley. The company insists that the guards send a messenger to Seneschal Glint to announce their arrival. While they wait for the messenger to return, Alrix arrives and tells them he will meet up with them later. Alrix then returns to the cottage of the fisherman to enjoy a fine stew. Unfortunately, he lets slip during the meal that he and his friends were the reason the fishermen landed in the river – and he is asked to leave.

Word is brought back to the town gate to let the adventurers enter – with their hippogriff. The guards still caution them to find a safe stable with few horses for the hippogriff. Eathwund, who grew up in Wolford, suggests stabling it at the Pikeman inn. They do find the inn is willing to take the beast. Lakima pays for stabling and also purchases an old nag to feed the hippogriff. Alrix joins the group as they head across town to the palace to meet the seneschal. They learn some details of recent attacks, one of which occurred a few days ago and was just outside of town. They return to the Pikeman to get rooms but find that only the common room is available. Looking about at the dirty, flea-ridden common room they decide to find another inn. The nearby Grey Willow inn does have rooms and they settle-in. Fenris leaves to get up to his usual mischief, Aldus declares that he is going to sleep. The rest of the company gets a meal and listens in on the conversation in the Inn. The guests include some travellers and merchants, all of whom are talking about the sky raiders' attacks and speculating about the source. Lakima buys some merchants some drinks and listens to their tales. One man is sure that the red dragon Skorn is involved, probably carrying the flying ship. Another man scoffs at this saying that Skorn is old, fat, and sleepy and never leaves his lair. Another suggestion is that the bugbear raiders are really disguised agents of the rival realm of Thurmany.

The company has an uneventful night. The only interruption is when Fenris returns very early in the morning. The next day they talk about where to look first. Fenris tells them about a local mage named Isorin who went missing recently. He got directions to the wizards’ tower from a local friend of the mage. The company walks a mile north of town to the wizard’s tower. It is a small two-story tower that looks undisturbed from the outside. The front door is ajar so they enter. Inside they find clear indications that the tower was ransacked. Food and valuables have been taken although Fenris finds a lockbox with some coins in it that was missed. They do find a spellbook but the explosive runes trap protecting the spellbook is triggered by Lakima when he opens it. The book is turned to ash and Lakima and Fenris are injured in the blast. Domago uses some healing magic to heal them.

On the roof of the tower, they find a looking glass and a notebook. The earlier notes in the book detail the number of hippogriffs, griffons, and giant eagles in various nests throughout the valley. But the last notes detail the arrival of a strange cloud in the valley near Eyebrow peak. Isorin’s notes make mention of the fact that the cloud hung unmoving near the peak for days. Then he notes the appearance of a flying ship appearing out of the clouds.

Eathwund points out Eyebrow peak and Lakima uses the looking glass to view the cloud near the peak. He notes that it is indeed unmoving. The cloud is fairly low in the sky. Lakima estimates it is no more than 2,500 to 3,000 feet up. He says that with his memorized fly spells, the hippogriff, and Alrix’s flying form they should have no trouble reaching the cloud. Alrix and Lakima discuss the cloud and come to the conclusion that it is probably magically solid so they can land on it.

The group travels on foot across the valley and sets up a camp beneath the mysterious cloud. They camp for the night and Lakima prepares three castings of the fly spell. The night is uneventful and, in the morning, Lakima sets to work casting spells. He casts fly on Eathwund, Domago, and Fenris. Domago asks repeatedly how long the fly spell will last and Lakima assures him it will last more than long enough. Domago keeps asking. Lakima finally takes out a scroll and casts fly on himself. With Aldus on the back of the hippogriff and Alrix in his true form, the group flies up into the clouds. It takes about a minute to reach the clouds. They find they can fly right through the cloud. When they emerge above the cloud, they see a magnificent stone castle floating in the clouds a short distance away. The castle seems to rest on the clouds with no visible means of support. Tethered to the gatehouse is a pair of flying ships.

They decide to fly down into the clouds a little to arrive at what looks like a gatehouse. As they approach the castle, they do see some movement on the battlements but as far as they can tell no alarm is raised. They land on a wooden platform extending out of the front of the gatehouse. A portcullis blocks the entrance and they see two bugbears wearing blue tabards standing guard inside the gatehouse. Before the surprised bugbears can react to their presence, Lakima casts Charm Person on them. One bugbear falls under his influence. Lakima asks them to open the gate. His new bugbear friend tells him that he will go instruct his friends on the winch to open the gate. He turns to leave but is held by the second, uncharmed bugbear. Then Lakima casts sleep and the uncharmed bugbear slips into dreamland. The charmed bugbear waves and heads off. A short time later he returns and the gate slowly rises.

“Let me send your friend somewhere more comfortable,” Lakima says and touches the quill of laminae to the sleeping bugbear. The unfortunate bugbear is sucked into the book of monster summoning. The bugbear who remains tells Lakima that the main gate is just up the stairs he points out. The company slowly moves up the stair. Behind them, the gate starts to lower trapping poor Gnomeat outside on the landing.

Fenris silently climbs the steps and surveys the room above, he comes back to the group and tells them there are four bugbears. Eathwund and Aldus ask about the plan.

“Should we rush them?” Aldus asks.

Lakima tells them they need to be quick and quiet about it. Everyone runs up the steps and they catch the four bugbears flat-footed. Aldus and Eathwund each quickly kill a bugbear, while Alrix (back in half-elven form) and Lakima kill another with magic missiles and Lakima’s Staff of Striking. Domago is less successful with the bugbear he is fighting and the humanoid is able to bellow for assistance several times before being killed. A door opens at the end of a nearby hallway and more bugbears run toward the adventurers. But Lakima casts a Wall of Iron completely blocking the south side of the gatehouse from them. Fenris is then sent up a stair to scout the next floor. He returns a short time later to report eight to ten bugbears and he eagerly tells them that the flying ships look to be tethered to the tower at the level above.

Lakima tells them that they need to take out the bugbears quickly and then steal a flying ship. Domago questions that they are here to put an end to the raids.

“Without their ship, there won’t be any more raids,” Lakima says.

“Now let’s get ready.”

Handing over spells

The Emerald Locket item from the published adventure “The Emerald Locket” in Dungeon Vault magazine #22, gave me the opportunity to provide a source for high-level magic-user spells. The mage character in the campaign is now 11th level and more powerful than any friendly NPC mage in the realm. It is no longer possible for him to buy spell knowledge and he cannot expect to find many high level spells in dungeon treasure piles. In the published adventure the emerald locket held the ghost of a mage and an unexplained "ethereal codex" of spells. I decided that the emerald locket was a magic jar for the mage who would try to possess anyone touching the locket. But also that the locket was tied to a codex of forbidden and powerful spells held on the ethereal plan. The catch is that to read the codex a mage would have to read it on the ethereal plane.

This is one of the things I have to consider when stocking a high level adventure. The mage character is always looking for more spells but the fighters want more magic weapons. The two do not feel equal. Giving an additional +1 or ability on a weapon is not as necessary as new spells. It would not be fun if the mage gains the ability to cast 6th-level spells but finds he doesn't have any in his spell book.

In the game, it did not go as planned. The Mage thought that to free the codex he needed to destroy the locket. This was not the case, the codex became unanchored on the ethereal plane and floated off to oblivion.

Session 110: The Ethereal Codex

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC), Domago (human cleric NPC).

The company stands before a set of stone steps in tunnels beneath Dolmvay. The steps lead up to a chamber lit with flickering firelight. A pair of corpses lie on the steps and the area is covered in veils of cobwebs.

Fenris cautiously advances up the stone steps and immediately notices suspicious vertical cracks at regular intervals in the stone walls. He looks over the steps and spots a step that appears to sit up a little. Sliding a metal wedge into the step he disables the trap. He calls back to the rest of the company to let them know that it is safe. Fenris then checks over the two skeletons. One holds a fine-looking longsword. Nearby a shield lies on a stone step. Both items are handed to Lakima and placed in the bag of holding.

The entire company reaches the top of the steps and enters a square chamber. Magical flames burn in a pair of empty stone braziers flanking a pair of metal doors. Strange writing in gold metal marks the doors. To the left and right are a pair of smaller doors. Fenris walks up to the gold doors and reaches out a hand to check them.

“Wait!”, Lakima yells. He and Alrix are able to read the writings which are draconic and promises that intruders will be incinerated. Eathwund uses the power of his sword and says that he can see magic flowing throw the double doors. At this moment, Eathwund spots movement and turns to see the ghostly form of a young man stepping through a metal door on his right. The man regards the group of adventurers and then lays his eyes on Eathwund.

“Wizards! Free us!” Eathwund hears but none of his companions seems to notice. Eathwund tells his companions that he can see a ghost.

Lakima suggests they open the small door on the right. Fenris tries but says the door is stuck. Eathwund solidly hits the door with his shoulder but it does not budge. He uses the power of the sword again and increases his strength. When he slams against the door a second time it gives way and slides inward scraping against the floor. Inside they find a small chamber with three stone sarcophagi – two upright and one lying on the floor. There is also a stone table with parchment and scrolls lying on it.

“I can see the ghost”, Fenris says. All of the companions can now see the ghostly young man. Eathwund looks at the ghost and notices its form change to that of a ghostly rotted corpse with bones visible.

“I don’t like the looks of the ghost now,” Eathwund says.

Lakima steps through the ghost and walks over to the stone table. He picks up one of the sheets of parchment and finds that it is damaged but readable. The script is in old common. While the others wait, Lakima reads through the parchments and scrolls.

“If you promise to free us, I will tell you the password to the door,” the ghost says to Eathwund.

“I will free you,” Eathwund promises.

The ghost tells Eathwund the password and begs him to free his mother and him.

Lakima tells everyone that the parchments tell of a magic user named Maria Rutter who was part of a guild in Dolmvay called the Covenant. She was their archivist and one of her duties was to protect a tome of forbidden magic called the ethereal codex. She was attacked by an evil wizard who desired the forbidden magic. During their duel, her manor was burned to the ground killing her three children. Maria fought off her attacker but died soon after.

Lakima suggests they move to the other small metal door. Eathwund says the password the ghost told him out loud as he walks past the double doors.

“What did you say?” Aldus asks and looks at Eathwund quizzically.

Eathwund tells him about the password. Then he tries forcing the second door. It does not budge. Aldus then tries and the door shakes but again does not move. Domago gives it a try as well with the same results.

“Stand back,” Fenris says, then takes a run at the door and leaps striking it with his foot. The door is shoved open by the force of his leap enough to provide an entrance.

Inside they find another small stone-walled chamber. Against the wall on their right is a stone table covered in scrolls and parchment. A few damaged and unreadable sheets of parchment lying on the floor. To the left, the wall of the chamber has collapsed and a tunnel leads off into the darkness. While Lakima busies himself reading the parchment and scrolls, Fenris slips through the crank in the wall and explores the tunnel beyond. Domago directs light into the tunnel using his coin that has continual light cast upon it.

A short time later Fenris returns. He tells everyone that the tunnel leads into some tunnels they explored earlier near where they found the shaft to the Underdark. Lakima finishes reading the scrolls and tells everyone that they describe an Emerald Locket that holds the ethereal codex. A spellbook containing many powerful spells that had been outlawed in Valnwall. The mages of the Covenant sought to retain the knowledge of the spells even if they were not allowed to learn them so they had them gathered in one spellbook.

The entire group returns to the double doors. Eathwund walks right up to the doors and says the password he was given again. He then fearlessly reaches out and grabs a metal handle and pulls one door open. Beyond they see a set of steps leading down into another chamber lit by an eerie green light. The company, led by Fenris, descends into the green-lit chamber. Magical torches light the chamber. At the far end to their right, they see a raised platform. On a stone table, they see an object projecting a blazing green light. Because of how bright the light is they are unable to make out the object. Piles of bones and rusted swords lie on the floor between them and the stone table. Wooden benches face the table. The entire layout is reminiscent of a church.

The company spreads out and Lakima tells Fenris to grab the glowing object on the table. Domago, Aldus, and Eathwund take up positions behind Fenris. The thief moves as quietly as he can toward the raised platform on which lies the stone table.

When Fenris just starts to step past the piles of bones, the bone pile erupts and five skeletons leap to their feet to attack. The skeletons appear to be crudely held together and each has four arms with four hands each holding a rusty longsword. Two of them fall upon Fenris and hack and slash the poor thief into a bloody mess. Fenris falls unconscious to the stone floor. Aldus and Eathwund leap into the attack trying to draw the skeletons to them but one skeleton runs at Lakima. Alrix directs his sword of dancing at one of the skeletons and stays on the stairs preparing his battle ax. He is all out of melee spells.

“They are not undead!” Domago shouts. Lakima looks at the approaching skeleton and notes the green glow keeping it together. The skeletons appear to be some sort of magical construct.

One skeletal gets past Aldus and Eathwund and slashes Lakima cutting the mage twice. Domago and Alrix both move to block the skeleton from Lakima. Lakima seems unconcerned and strikes the skeleton with his staff of striking. Eathwund and Aldus both find themselves fighting two skeletons and dodging and parrying blows from eight swords each.

“Blow the Horn!” Aldus shouts at Domago.

“Save Fenris!” Lakima shouts at Domago.

Domago continues to fight off one of the skeletons and moves to reach Fenris. Stepping away from the combat he heals Fenris and then pulls out and blows the silver horn of Valhalla. Seven Einherjar appear out of nowhere and launch themselves at the skeletons. Fenris regains consciousness and crawls to the stairs from the chamber.

One by one the einherjar are dispelled by the skeletons. But they buy the group time. Eathwund and Aldus both smash a pair of skeletons putting them down and Alrix destroys the last one with his ax.

“Domago, quickly use the Staff,” Lakima urges, “The emerald locket is sure to have more defenses.”

Domago uses up many charges of his staff of healing as he moves about healing members of the group. Eathwund spots the ghost of the young man descend the stairs and walk into the chamber. The man watches them all expectantly.

Once everyone is feeling well enough to continue, Lakima directs Fenris to the locket on the stone table. Fenris moves up and grabs the locket. He freezes for a moment and then drops the locket to the table and scrambles back.

“There is someone inside the locket!” Fenris says.

Lakima walks up to the table and examines the locket. It is a green gem held by gold wire attached to a chain. He carefully reaches out and touches the gem. Lakima feels transported into a green glowing space. Suddenly, a withered old crone of a woman leaps upon him reaching for his throat. Lakima struggles and then asserts his mind and wins control. He drops the locket on the table.

“It’s a magic jar holding Maria Rutter,” Lakima says, “She tried to possess me but I was too strong for her.”

Eathwund looks at the locket and he can see a ghostly book lying on the stone table. Eathwund tells everyone that there is a ghostly book where they are seeing the locket.

“Smash it Eathwund.” Lakima says.

Eathwund steadies his sword Wormbane above the locket and brings it down with full force on the locket. The gem is shattered into dozens of shards. Everyone hears a woman shriek as the green glow disappears. Then they hear a bell begin to toll.

“Bong, bong, bong.”

“The book! The book is it still there!” Lakima shouts and looks at Eathwund.

Eathwund shakes his head, “No, it is gone.” He looks about the chamber, “And so is the ghost of the boy.”

Lakima curses and then scoops the fragments of the emerald locket into the bag of holding. As the bell continues to toll, he tells everyone that they had better get out of there. The bell is likely warning the mages guild of the locket’s destruction or theft.

The group leaves the chamber just as the tolling of the bell stops. As they exit the tomb of Maria Rutter they are attacked by four troglodytes. Domago again blows the silver horn and eight einherjar hold off the creatures. Aldus and Eathwund both kill a troglodyte and the remaining pair try to run away chased by the berserkers. On the way back to the sea cave they stop and liberate a golden idol of the sea god from a troglodyte altar.

The group leaves the tunnels and descends to the sea cave. They can see that the tide is starting to rise so they quickly leave the beach and return across town to the Black Dragon Inn.

The next day a few messages arrive. Lakima receives an invite to a dinner party at Cadriel Tresallinde’s manor. Alayna insists that they go. The group also receive a contract signed by Earl Uther of Calwell. Lakima takes the document over to a lawyer to get it registered at the town hall. 

Aldus is anxious to get some gold in his pocket and wants to sell the gold idol immediately. Fenris suggests that this is an opportunity to visit the Stone temple – a pawnshop near the Traveler’s Gate. Almost the entire group sets out for the shop. The shopkeeper Amir quickly empties the shop of guests once he is sure that his new visitors are trying to sell “acquired” goods. He agrees with Fenris’ assessment of the idol's worth but tells them he can only give them ¾ of that price as he will have to melt it down. Aldus haggles with Amir long enough to get the price up a little more but Lakima loses patience with the arguing over what he considers small change and makes a deal. After they leave Aldus tells them that he feels that Amir took advantage of them. He tells Fenris to rob the shop at his first convivence. Lakima tells Fenris not to as they do not need any legal issues.

“Too late,” Fenris smiles and shows a cheap gold necklace.

A day later, Lakima returns to the shop asking about a gift for an alchemist and Amir sells him a coin of transmutation that turns other coins into coins of less value. Lakima feels as an alchemist, Alayna should find it interesting.

On new years eve, Lakima, Alayna, Eathwund, Aldus, and Alrix go to the Tresallinde manor for dinner. Alayna has brought a traditional Yule gift for the household. During the meal, they meet several nobles that they met earlier at the Yule ball. It is a pleasant meal marred by the death of Lord Ganther val Hummbridge. Lakima quickly deduces that Jorrun val Thurman’s missing date is the guilty party. The woman he introduced as Irina has gone missing. Nathen Melius, who is at the party, assures everyone that he will take care of reporting the events to the duke and making arrangements. The company returns to the Black Dragon Inn. Lakima tells everyone that they should head back in the direction of Edgerton on the next day but stop at the magical Bridgeway to make the quick trip to Wolford and start looking for the sky raiders that they have been employed to deal with.

The Sea Cave

A few weeks ago during my Swords & Wizardry campaign, I dropped in a quick dungeon adventure to break up what had become a few sessions in the big city of the campaign. I modified “The Emerald Locket” a short adventure published in Dungeon Vault magazine #22. I made changes to fit the Swords & Wizardry rules and for the adventure to fit my campaign. I made some changes to the actual emerald locket which is the goal of the published adventure - but I will detail it in the next post.

This session did give me a chance to roleplay the players accepting a job from one of the "big bads" of the campaign. I made sure to plant the seed of doubt in their minds that he would be true to his word.

Session 109: The Sea Cave

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC), Domago (human cleric NPC).

The members of the Company of the Black Dragon are at a Yule Ball given by Duke Robert at the Palace in Dolmvay. The night is getting late and most of the important guests including the Duke have left.

The members of the company slowly start to come back together – with the exception of Flora who is sitting with a human woman and is in a conversation. About a third of the remaining 40 or so guests are standing in a circle around the table where Dona Maria is seated. The woman is telling one of her famous stories. Lakima turns to his wife Alayna and suggests that the party is pretty much over and they should leave. Alayna looks around for any important guests and not seeing any, she agrees with Lakima. Eathwund and Fenris seem eager to leave as well. They collect Aldus and Domago and start to head for the door. Lakima does stop and lets Flora know that they are leaving. Flora decides to join them. The entire group takes two carriages back to the Black Dragon Inn.

Early the next morning at breakfast, Lakima meets Eathwund. He asks Eathwund to join him in going to the Valenon to deliver Aashdoshan’s Staff. The two take a carriage to the East Gate of the walled city within a city – the Valenon (a sort of Vatican in this world). This is the home of the Church of Law and Order in Valnwall (and the world). At the gate, they find they are expected and they are quickly led to the enormous domed Cathedral of St. Poul. In the cathedral, they are led down into the vaults where they meet Lawlord Ethun Barrigan. Barrigan shows them a metal box in which they plan to store the staff. The box is unfortunately too short for the staff but Lakima is able to unscrew the sections of the staff and place the two femur bones and the eye of the Ghoul King in the box. The Lawlord quickly locks the metal box and gestures at some church guards to take it deeper into the vaults. That task complete, the Lawlord invites them to his quarters. There he asks them to fill in the details of the history of the ghoul king's body parts they found.

After a short meeting with the Lawlord, Lakima and Eathwund leave the Valenon and take a carriage across the river to the Palatial district. They stop at the Emerald Rose Inn where they ask for Earl Uther mor Calwell. They are asked to wait and soon find a nobleman waiting with them. Finally, Earl Uther arrives accompanied by a bodyguard. The Earl tells the pair about the raids that have been occurring in northern Calwell. At first, all that was reported was raids of livestock and food by bugbears who seemed to disappear at will. But the latest reports tell of a flying ship crewed by the bugbears and a pair of cloud giants. The nobleman who has also been waiting is asked to join them and is introduced as Sir Taris of Wolford. He tells of the most recent events reported by his seneschal. Lakima does not discuss a monetary reward – instead, he requests to be able to keep the flying ship should they capture it. The Earl agrees and tells them he will send over a contract. Sir Taris also gives them a letter of introduction to his Seneschal in Wolford. Before the Earl excuses himself, Lakima asks if he can speak to the Earl’s servant Nevain (Lakima’s stepfather). After waiting a few minutes with only the Earl’s bodyguard for company, Nevain does arrive. Lakima asks Nevain how he is and asks about Nevain taking a job in Edgerton. Nevain quickly dissuades Lakima telling him that he is happy in the employ of the Earl. Lakima also asks if Nevain knows the name of a reputable alchemist that Lakima could employ as a teacher in his school. Nevain suggests Lakima ask his daughter.

They say goodbye to Nevain and leave the Inn. Eathwund tells Lakima that Sir Taris is an absentee landowner. He grew up in Wolford and never once did Sir Taris visit. Lakima and Eathwund then take another long carriage ride across town to the Inn of 100 Floods at the Travelers’ gate. This is a very busy Inn. They ask to visit Dona Maria but learn she is not in, having stayed at her patron’s manor the night of the ball. Eathwund and Lakima return to the Black Dragon Inn and meet with the other members of the Company. While relaxing back at the Inn, they learn that the news from the ball that is making the rounds in Dolmvay is about a deadly duel that occurred the night of the ball after they left. Lord Petros was accidentally killed by Lord Varlen in a legal duel.

That afternoon they decide to take a meal at the Wooden Eagle Inn. An Inn that Alayna assures them has excellent food. Alayna, Lakima, Eathwund, Alrix, and Aldus go together. At the Inn, they nod to some guests they recognize from the ball. It seems many of the merchants that were at the ball also frequent this Inn. In particular, they notice one merchant who nervously keeps glancing at their table. The man finally works up the nerve to approach the table and hail Aldus as a friend. Aldus responds that he does not know the gentleman. The merchant insists they spoke at length at the ball and introduces himself as Eamon Carvell. He asks to join them.

Eamon tells them a story of woe. He owes money to a broklaw gang in Baytown and the gangsters kidnapped his son in demand of payment. Aldus dismissively tells him that this is not the sort of thing a knight would deal with. Lakima, however, tells Eamon they will pay his debt in return for taking his son. Eamon is rather shocked by this statement. But Lakima explains he means to apprentice his son. Eamon is unsure and notes that his son, Heinrich, is already an apprentice cooper. After some more persuading, Eamon agrees though he worries about what his wife will say. The group returns to the Black Dragon Inn.

At the Inn, they sit and discuss the best course of action. Fenris has joined them and Lakima suggests that Fenris scout out the situation. Fenris tells them he knows of this gang and tells them that they are one of the most dangerous.

The next morning at breakfast Fenris returns – looking and smelling like he spent the night in a ditch. Domago has also joined them for breakfast. Fenris tells them the bad news. The gang knew that Eamon would not be able to pay them so they sold his boy to Murtha – a witch who has a hovel in Baytown. Word is that this witch took the boy to a sea cave as a sacrifice to a sea god. This sea god is an evil spirit that some sailors and fishermen make small sacrifices of copper and silver to in hopes of avoiding storms. The witch is said to have tied the boy to a rock and left him to drown when the tide rises as night falls.

Lakima shrugs and says that he guesses that is the end of the story. But Domago is aghast.

“We must save that boy!”

Lakima tries to dissuade Domago telling him it is illegal for them to take on an adventure without guild membership. The priest will have none of it. He insists he is going to the cave immediately whether they join him or not. He then looks at Eathwund. Eathwund sighs and says he will join him. With that Aldus, Lakima, Alrix, and Fenris also agree to come.

The group takes a pair of carriages to the Baytown Gate. A gate that leads down to Baytown is usually kept closed. A quick exchange of silver from Fenris to a guard and the gate is swung open. They walk down a stone path to a beach. It is clear from the sand and seaweed on the beach that this area floods at high tide. Fenris leads them to a series of three sea caves.

“That one,” Fenris says pointing at the largest sea cave.

The group enters and finds an enormous cave that has been carved out of the rock 60 feet below the walls of the city. The cave is full of pools of water and debris. It is clear that this entire cave floods at high tide. Near the center of the cave, they see an unmoving young man chained by his ankle to a stone altar. They approach the altar and shake the boy awake. The boy appears a little slow to comprehend the dire situation and he is clearly hungover. Fenris picks the lock on the boys’ ankle while the other members of the group spread out. Alrix places a fancy urn filled with some gems at the base of the altar to placate the sea god who might be angry at losing his sacrifice.

At that moment four crude wood spears are hurled at the group from a ledge 12 feet up on the left wall. One spear strikes Lakima injuring him. Eathwund, Aldus, and Alrix move up into defensive positions. They see a pair of troglodytes up on the ledge readying more spears. Lakima yells at Domago to blow the Silver horn of Valhalla. The horn is blown and four berserkers appear on the ledge and attack the troglodytes. One troglodyte is pushed from the ledge and crashes into the sandy floor of the cave. Eathwund moves up and attacks the troglodytes. More troglodytes appear on the ledge and throw more spears. Some of them leap down and charge Alrix and Aldus. The berserkers are soon all dispelled. Domago uses his sling to fire exploding bullets at those troglodytes still on the ledge. Lakima sits down on the ground and stares into a gem while speaking an incantation. After a few moments, he curses and then tries again. The troglodytes use teeth and claws against Eathwund and Aldus and Eathwund is clawed several times. Slowly they dispatch the troglodytes one by one. Lakima gives up on his possession attempts and throws darts at the creatures. Alrix uses his sword of dancing. That last few troglodytes run away. One runs back from the ledge and another tries to run across the cave but the sword of dancing skewers it.

“Fenris, climb up there and kill that creature, don’t let it get away,” Lakima yells, and Fenris scrambles up the rock wall to the ledge. “And throw down a rope,” Lakima yells as Fenris disappears from sight. Fenris returns a few minutes later and tosses down a rope. He tells them that there is a tunnel here leading up to a maze of tunnels. He saw some wood barriers and then came back.

The group takes notice of the situation. They realize that the boy Heinrich ran away in the confusion. Presumedly home to his parents. Eathwund is bleeding badly so Domago prays and heals some of his wounds. Fenris waits patiently up above. They decide to climb up to join him. The tunnel goes up about 20 feet and joins three other tunnels. Fenris reports that all three tunnels are blocked by crude wood barriers made of simple spears. He saw troglodytes guarding the barriers. Domago casts continual light on a coin so everyone can see. Alrix moves ahead until he can see the barriers with his darkvision. He hurls a fireball spell just over one of the barriers. He explodes and incinerates the barrier and a pair of troglodytes. Eathwund and Aldus rush forward to take advantage of the surprise. Eathwund finishes off a troglodyte lying on the cave floor. They enter a large cave, on the far walls are two ledges, each about 10 feet high. A number of troglodytes wait on the ledges with raised spears. In the center of the cave is a large flat rock covered in dried blood. A few golden idols rest on the floor near the altar rock.

Lakima enters and casts a lightning bolt killing or badly injuring all of the troglodytes on one ledge. This is enough for the remaining troglodytes who pull aside one of the wood barriers and try to flee. In doing so the troglodytes circle behind the group. The entire group runs after the fleeing creatures. They catch them at another wooden barrier. A short fight ensues and Alrix, Aldus, and Eathwund kill all of the creatures who were fleeing. But another pair of uninjured troglodytes appear and attack. One is killed and one is injured and flees into the dark tunnels.

With Domago and Fenris in the lead, they follow the sound of the creatures’ feet slapping on the stone floor. The pursuit leads into a cave with five exits. On one side of the cave is a structure of human origin made of well-fitted stone blocks. Steps lead up to a chamber lit by flickering firelight. The stair is blocked by curtains of cobwebs. On the stair, they see some broken human skeletons. Fenris points to the cave floor and tells everyone he can see a trail of dark blood leading into one of the tunnels. They decide to follow the fresh blood trail. The trail leads to a descending passage where they encounter four more troglodytes. Three of the creatures are killed in the fight – but one gets away. They follow it down a slippery tunnel to a large hole in the cave floor. A dark tunnel leading straight down. Fenris is sent down on a rope but he reports that the hole seems to have no bottom. They drop a stone and after a long wait, they hear a plunk as it hits a pool of water. Fenris tells them that the pit is about 240 feet deep.

The group decides not to try and descend. Instead, they make their way back to the stone stair. Fenris approaches the stair but does not ascend.

“Some of these fellows look like they might have been cut in half,” he says pointing at the skeletons on the stair.

Running a Medieval Ball

A few weeks ago the characters in my Swords & Wizardry campaign were in the big city of the campaign to attend a Yule Ball. It was a chance for them to meet the big NPCs of the campaign. I had a number of plot hooks and small disruptions planned for the ball if they only pulled on a few threads. The session ran smoothly and I enjoyed it but I think only one of the five players enjoyed themselves. To make matters worse this was the session that one player invited a non-gaming friend to sit in (he played the NPC Fenris). The lack of dungeons and dragons to fight probably soured him on gaming. Well, I tried.

Session 108: The Yule Ball

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Flora (elven thief), Aldus (human cavalier), Fenris the Filch (human thief), Domago (human cleric NPC).

The Company is in Dolmvay with several days to wait before the night of the Yule Ball. Lakima decides to spend much of his time in his wife’s room at the Black Dragon Inn. He sends out one of the Inn staff to buy him some passable common merchant’s clothing. Later Lakima asks Aldus to buy him a list of items. He offers Aldus some spending gold to do so. With nothing better to do, Aldus is accompanied by his squire Ian, Eathwund, and Alrix. Aldus asks Fenris where he can find the Adventurers Guild Hall. Fenris tells him that it is located on Riverlord island. Aldus and company head over to Riverlord island and Aldus asks at the Adventurers’ Guild Hall about buying magic items. The bemused attendants explain to him that this is the Adventurers’ Guild, not the Mages Guild. The Mages Guild is located at the southern end of the island. They do ask Aldus if he would like to register as a member of the Guild – only 50 gold per year. He declines. The group does look about at the magic shops near the Mages Guild but none of them cater to non-guild members. The entire disappointed group returns to the Black Dragon Inn.

Lakima suggests that they ask around in the Scholars’ district where he is sure they can find magic ink and quills. The entire group sets out again. Aldus stops a man in the middle of the street and asks about magic. The man is suitably startled. Eventually, they ask about ink and quills and they are directed to a tiny shop called Dyson’s Delve. Aldus and Ian enter and ask about ink and quills. The owner is a peculiar fat man with one deformed large eye and one normal eye. The man hops about the cluttered shop showing them quills. When Aldus lets it be known he is looking for magical ink and quills the man hurriedly tells them to close the door and blinds. Then he produces the items from behind a bookshelf. They negotiate and Aldus is able to buy everything on the list that Lakima gave him.

Outside Alrix wanders off and explores the neighborhood. He notes several houses of scribes, alman, clothiers, and a few theatres and libraries. He decides to enter one particularly cluttered library. He finds several books on local history and settles down on the floor to read them.

Meanwhile, back at Dyson’s Delve, the owner attempts to entice Eathwund into buying one or more treasure maps. He requests 450 gold and suggests the treasure will be 10 times or more than what the map cost. Eathwund decides not to purchase a map. Finally, the owner hints that he has a map to a Mud Sorcerer’s Tomb but Eathwund does not ask to see it. Before returning to the Inn, Aldus gives his squire 20 gold and tells him to be back in the evening.

A few days later Lakima takes up the invite to visit the Windmaster Bryan Stulaker. He brings Fenris along for protection and travels incognito dressed as a common merchant. Sturlaker welcomes him inside and they are served lunch by invisible servants. They discuss some of the exploits of the Company of the Black Dragon. Sturlaker reveals that he has had his eye on their group since the events of last year when they aided the Library of Antiquity. He notes the Amulet against Scrying the Fenris is now wearing and comments that he has not been able to watch their adventures of late. Lakima tells Sturlaker of the threat of the White Worm. Sturlaker seems to have some knowledge of this through his “contact in Edgerton.” He is horrified when Lakima tells him about the three body parts of the Ghoul King they have in their possession. Lakima asks if there is some safe place where the items could be stored. Sturlaker tells him that the only place capable of protecting the items would be the Vaults beneath the Valenon (a district of the city controlled by the church of Law). He ponders this for a while and tells them he does know one member of the Church they should be able to trust – Lawlord Ethun Barrigan. He will try to arrange a meeting with him. Fenris and Lakima eventually depart.

On Dechem 26 the day of the Yule Ball arrives. They discuss the issues they will have at the ball without weapons, armor, or magic items. Lakima decides that they cannot risk bringing the Bag of Holding. Alayna assures him that the bag will be searched. The Duke has survived several assassination attempts and security will be high. They can bring weapons onto the Palace grounds but will not be able to enter with them.

The company arrives at the Ball dressed in their finest. Lakima, in particular, is wearing a robe that calls to attention that he is a wizard. They enter the Palace grounds and are forced to check their weapons in the guardroom before the doors (although Fenris manages to sneak in a dagger). No one checks for magical items. They enter and some members chose to be announced by name and others are announced as members of the Company of the Black Dragon. The main ballroom is a huge room with about a hundred guests milling about in a mob of people. Food is brought to guests by servants and there are tables laden with food where they can help themselves. They see nobles openly eating food while standing and talking with their peers. A few people sit at tables. A wide area has been kept clear for dancing and a small group of mistrals plays nearby. Flora immediately attracts the attention of the group. They have only spotted one other demi-human in the crowd and he was the halfling chamberlain.

The party splits up. Lakima, Alayna, and Alrix wander about as a group. Eathwund and Aldus walk over to the food and start helping themselves. Fenris dodges into the crowd eyeing the expensive baubles on the fingers and about the necks of the nobles. Domago walks over to where he sees some priests who have been invited to the party. A short time after they enter, the ambassador of the Vanhurr elves is announced and her companion. Lakima makes his way over to Ambassador Wildblossom and converses with her in elvish. The elves answer a few questions politely. They learn that the elves have yet to be given the invitation to visit the newly arrived fey elves of Haven. Lakima lets them know that his group ended the curse that kept the fey elves in winter. The elves move along into the crowd and Lakima briefly finds himself standing beside Earl Claude of Thurmany. The Earl promises to introduce the party to the Duke when he arrives.

Duke Robert arrives escorting a beautiful young woman announced as Lady Osene. He is accompanied by the Wolflord (head of the ducal guard) Lord Mikael. The Duke makes his way to Earl Claude of Thurmany and makes polite conversation with nobles who come to introduce themselves.

The next major stir happens when Earl Uther of Calwell is announced. Traveling with the Earl is a Lady Sasha and Alayna’s father Nevain. As they pass Alayna whispers at her father demanding to know why he had not told her he was in Dolmvay. Nevain smiles and asks if she has a poison antidote with her and moves on. Lakima asks Alayna if her father is going to cause any problems. Alayna does not know but explains to everyone that Earl Uther is Duke Robert’s older bastard half-brother – who is known to believe that the throne of Valnwall should be his. She suggests that they keep their eyes open. They watch Nevain for a few minutes but he does nothing suggesting he plans to poison someone.

With the Duke now in attendance, the halfling chamberlain calls for quiet and introduces the entertainment – Delanna the bard. The woman sings an enchanting elvish song about the coming of winter to elven lands. Lakima and Alrix judge that the bard is using some type of enchantment magic. Enough to make her music captivating without actually controlling the audience. The crowd listens in silence and cheers when the song is finished. The regular musicians then take over again led by a halfling lute player.

Spotting a small party of dwarves seated at a table, Lakima makes his way over to introduce himself. He meets the dwarven ambassador Emdain Darkstone and a female dwarven mining expert named Nisdyl. Emdain tells them Nisdyl was unable to return to Gundamark because of problems with frost giants blocking Icefang pass. Lakima tells them that his group of adventurers were the ones to unblock the pass. Emdain is suitably impressed and is not at all surprised when Lakima brings up the story of the White Worm. The dwarves of Gundamark are aware of the rumors about the creature. Emdain gives Lakima a token from the dwarves of Gundamark. He tells him it will announce him as a friend to any Gundamark dwarves and even the gnomes of Winterhaven. During the conversation with the dwarves, Lakima notices a middle-aged woman eavesdropping. At the close of the conversation, he turns and asks the woman if there is anything he can do for her. She makes an apology and quickly walks away. As he watches her retreat, Lakima notices that she goes to speak with a white-haired, bearded old man sitting in a corner – Windmaster Bryan Sturlaker.

Lakima notices now as he turns from the dwarven delegation that he has misplaced his wife. He spots Alayna dancing with a distinguished gentleman on the dance floor. Lakima heads over to the halfling minstrel and hands him some gold and asks him to play a tune from the Sea of Sands. The minstrel snaps up the gold and tells him he knows one song – he hopes he likes it. He proceeds to play a popular dance song from Lakima’s homeland. Lakima walks over to Alayna and cuts in and proceeds to lead her in one of the dances of his homeland. The other dancers leave the floor as they are all unfamiliar with the tune or the dance. Lakima manages to remember most of the dance moves – somewhat clumsily – and Alayna does her best to follow his lead. At the end of the dance, there is a round of polite applause.

“We are going to be invited to so many parties!” Alayna says.

Lakima and Alayna move off the dance floor as the music being played returns to the music that the locals are more familiar with. Lakima is approached by Cadriel Tresallinde as he steps into the press of people, Cadriel recognized the music as he is from Southport near the borders of the Sea of Sands. He discovers that Lakima is a member of the Company of the Black Dragon and he asks how many men he has underarms. He is disappointed when he learns of the size of the group. Cadriel is hiring mercenaries in Dolmvay to launch a coup in Southport to install himself as Emperor. He invites Lakima to come and visit him at his Villa in the District of Nobles.

On the other side of the room, Fenris continues to look for nobles to rob. More like a game than through any intent. He is surprised to spot a familiar face. He watches as a servant moves through the crowd serving food. He watches closely and realizes the man is Kavien – someone he worked with in the thieves’ guild 3 years ago. He checks the other servers and spots two more familiar faces. The brothers Throck and Adin were also members of the guild. Fenris makes his way over to Alrix and Lakima and tells them that he suspects a heist is in the making. He has counted three servants who are actually members of the thieves guild. He points them out to everyone. Lakima waves one of the thieves over and is offered a tray of food. While the man has his attention focused on Lakima, Alrix gazes into his eyes and charms him. Alrix then asks what heist is being planned. They learn that the three thieves plan to steal a painting from the adjoining library. They thank the man and move away. Lakima steps up to Earl Claude who is standing with Duke Robert and Lord Mikael. He tells them that the Duke is about to be robbed. Lord Mikael, who tells them the security of the ball is his concern, is skeptical. But he sends a guard to detain one of the men they point out. At this point, they can only spot two of the thieves. The guard returns several minutes later to confirm their story. The man they detained is a member of the thieves guild. Mikael orders more guards to the library and tells them to detain the other two men. Eventually, the guard returns to tell them they detained the second fake servant and caught the third trying to make a break for it. Mikael does thank the company for their help. The Duke appears amused by what has happened at his party. Earl Claude takes this opportunity to introduce Lakima and Alrix to the Duke. They get to spend a few minutes speaking with the Duke before he makes an excuse to move along.

The group continues to mingle about the party. Lakima finds himself near his father-in-law Nevain so he goes over and introduces himself to Earl Uther. The man seems to lower his opinion of Lakima when he learns he married into his food taster's family. He is interested when he learns that Lakima represents the Company of the Black Dragon. He recalls their adventure facing off against the blue dragon Synastarax. Earl Uther asks Lakima if the Company would be interested in a job. Lakima tells him they have some free time but they are not cheap. Earl Uther tells them of problems he is having in the north with “Sky Raiders”. He tells Lakima that he is staying at the Emerald Rose Inn for the next few days. He suggests that they pay him a visit which could benefit their mutual interests. Lakima notices that his father-in-law has a strained look on his face. Earl Uther makes his goodbyes and moves on.

At this moment, Lakima hears raised voices and sees a fat man in a clerical vestment shaking his finger in Flora’s face. Lakima and Alrix quickly move through the crowd to intervene. They hear the cleric accuse Flora of being a “creature of chaos” who should be banished. Lakima steps in to confront the cleric who tells them, “do you know who I am! I am Patriarch Sorlund.” Lakima appears less than impressed. The situation is defused when a grey-bearded fat man arrives who looks like sainted Klaus. The man informs Sorlund that he has overstepped his bounds and asks him to move along. An angry Sorlund is led away by a member of this entourage. The man who intervened introduces himself as Lawlord Ethun Barrigan. He apologizes to the group and again to Flora directly. He tells him that only the most conservative members of the church have views like Sorlund. Lakima realizes that this is the man Sturlaker told them he would try to arrange a meeting with. Lakima takes the opportunity to quietly tell Barrigan about the parts of the Ghoul King they have in their possession. Barrigan is shocked and has to sit down to recover. He tells them to bring the items to the Valenon – East Gate first thing in the morning. He will personally make certain that the items get into the Vaults. Lakima thanks Barrigan and moves on to the party.

Nearby, Lakima spots a woman who looks to be from the Sea of Sands. Both her appearance and her dress. He walks over and introduces himself. The woman introduces herself as Dona Maria. She is indeed from the City of Veils. She tells Lakima that she has been in exile in Dolmvay for six months. She makes a living retelling the stories of her homeland. Her local patron sitting nearby tells Lakima that the stories are wonderful. During the conversation, Lakima learns that one of the favorites is the story of Maikin the mighty – defender of the City of Veils.

The night continues on and some of the guests appear to have imbibed too much wine. Fenris finds himself standing near a drunk noble with a gold ring set with emeralds on his finger. Fenris reaches in to snatch it off the noble’s finger but he finds it is stuck. The noble notices the tug on his hand and looks unsteadily over at Fenris. Thinking Fenris is shaking his hand he returns the shake and then sits down in a chair. Fenris quickly moves to another group of guests.