Act 8 - A Touch of the Green

The Age of Magic is ended, Bhall, the Goddess of Fire, has succumbed to the whispers of Agares and fallen into Hell. Her worshipers and creations driven mad, and fire, which has been a powerful ally to man, has turned against him. Each good god was charged with the opposition of an evil god. Bhall was responsible for balancing Mulcarn, the God of Winter. Finding himself unopposed Mulcarn has broken The Compact and moved into Creation.

Creation was on the verge of another open war between the gods, that which they had outlawed with The Compact. To keep that from happening a deal was struck and the gods agreed that one god would enter Creation to challenge Mulcarn. That was Sucellus, the God of Nature. The two gods battled across the face of Creation, entire civilizations still recovering from the Burning Skies that marked the fall of Bhall were destroyed by their power. In the end Sucellus was killed and Mulcarn remained.

The Eternal Winter has begun...
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Act 8 - A Touch of the Green

Post by Vardaen » Fri Apr 13, 2018 8:23 pm

Image The wrinkled hills and watered dells of the land make up a tiny corner of the Ictian frontier, cupped between the mighty River Foam to the east and the swift-running plains to the west. Its folded topography makes large farms uncommon, but the copses are thick with deer and glades teem with smaller game (rabbit, pheasant, and wild hokie in particular), often nesting in the ubiquitous tangles of river blackberry that give the area its nickname “the Blackthorn Dells.” Innumerable moss-banked streams and tumbling waterfalls feeds the river that travels south, descending from the Churchyard Hills that mark the northern verges.

** December 17th, Oldfen, 52 Years after the Fall of Bhall **

Its been two weeks since you left Falcon's Hollow on a supply run to Olfden. The travel has taken a great deal of time, and there were plenty of dangers along the way. Yet it was the Baron of Olfden itself that has proven to be the most dangerous. After encountering an army from Icatia come to retake the town from the traitorous Baron you joined forces with General Vendikon. Spying out the town, infiltrating the keep, and confronting the Baron in battle saved an all out war from taking place. Now with some of your job complete, the town safe, and under Icatian control once more, your wagons are supplied, well enough, perhaps not completely however.

During the siege you discovered evidence that the Baron has a plot in motion, sinister and vile, and one that could cause all sorts of trouble for the god fearing people of Icatia. So you've struck a deal with the General. He will send soldiers to escort your sleds north to Falcon's Hollow and you will go south, to Chimera's Cove to investigate the dangers there.

You prepare yourselves to head south, Milon has convinced Tessa to keep going south with you for greater supplies. The widow of the Carnival had no plans to travel back to Falcon's Hollow in the first place, and all the soldiers in Olfden have given her no reason to stay there with Kimi. Poor Kimi still hasn't found her ranger father, so its been settled. Tessa, with Milon and Kimi will head south with you as far as Springwell. There they will seek Kimi's father, Milon can gather more supplies and Tessa can escape her past. The other sleds, lead by Stormy Pearl, Bichaela of the Falcon Hollow's merchant group, and the independen dog sledders will return to Falcon's Hollow with what they have under Ictian escort.

The wind whips, and the snow on the ground blows about in the wind as you stand at the gates of Olfden. The wagons heading north, and home to Falcon's Hollow are starting to pull out east along the road before they will turn north. With them are half a dozen Ictian Soldiers and one Knight of Lietbur. Your own sled, loaded with some supplies, is ready to head east along the road before turning south. You worry that Calabim forces may be heading this way at the Baron's summon, without knowing the fight is over, and you don't want to get caught up with any of their warriors or their Order of the Ebon Hand. So you will give the River Foam and wide berth and travel south over land a good long while to Springwell that sits among the Blackthorn Dells on the frontier lands. Rumor has it winter hasn't reached that far south yet, so Milon has bought a set of wheels to attach to the sled if you run out of snow to travel on.
Welcome to the next chapter! Everyone should level up.
It should take about 5 days to reach Springwell in this weather. (150 miles)

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Milon Rodham - Milon is one of the older woodsmen still working in Falcon's Hollow. He is known as a wise tracker, an accomplished explorer and a font of knowledge about the Darkmoon Wood. He was able to assist in locating places like the Elder Tree and Ulizima's Hut.

Kimi Eavewalker - Daughter of the famed elven ranger Idris and a beautiful seamstress named Kitani, Kimi has not seen her father in two years. The ranger is constantly away adventuring and tracking down relics for a mysterious patron. Kimi idolizes her dad and has grown into a fearless tomboy chomping at the bit to follow in her father’s adventurous footsteps as soon as she is old enough to wield a sword. Kimi is the protector of her band of friends, often scrapping with boys twice her age who try to bully the others. She usually wins these bouts, and many of the town’s children are afraid of her. She was suffering from the Blackscour Taint, but was healed by the group. She has taken to learning more about her elven ancestry with Celevan's help. Kimi's mother Kitani died during the Carnival of Tears, she Kimi still blames you for letting her mother die.


Tessa Kelrand - Namdrin Quinn should have amounted to nothing more than a rootless vagabond performer and sometime thief, no doubt destined for a young death and a shallow grave. But love intervened. When a constable named Tessa Kelrand caught the handsome young half-elf robbing a temple, she changed his life forever. Tessa tamed Namdrin—first with her sword, then with her heart. She fell as hard as he after their first clash, and their scandalous affair blossomed into romance. Tessa turned in her badge, Namdrin abandoned his larcenous ways, and the two lovers became adventurers out to make their own fortunes. With Tessa at his side, Namdrin discovered hitherto untapped wells of courage and skill, and he quickly became an impressive swordsman.
The pair’s travels soon brought them to the peril-fraught environs of Darkmoon Vale, where they wagered their lives on one harrowing adventure after another. After their first few journeys, they returned to the lumber boom town of Falcon’s Hollow with sacks of dwarven gold and jewels pilfered from the crumbling strongholds riddling the looming mountain of Droskar’s Crag.
Sadly, their success—like their love—was simply too good to last for long. On their return journey through the vale one cold morning in early spring, the dark fey of Darkmoon waylaid the young adventurers and captured Tessa’s soul. And just like that, Namdrin’s love, his life’s redemption, his wife of six years, was simply gone, her body carried off into the darkness of the forest by a horrific shade. Quinn’s heart shattered like a shard of brittle ice, and he returned to Falcon’s Hollow a grim shadow of his former self. He put aside his famed swords and his enchanted crossbow and it seemed he would fade into ignominy. Fate, however, had other plans. Not long after his wife’s death, a traveling carnival stopped in Falcon’s Hollow. Driven by a compulsion he is only now beginning to understand, Namdrin joined the troupe of misfits and charlatans and brought a taste of real magic to their act. After only a few short months he ran the whole show, and over the following summer it grew from a mere sideshow into a dizzying array of color and sound. During one visit back to town known forever after as the Carnival of Tears the PCs freed Tessa from the stone, and shattered not only the magic that bound her, but the love between her and her husband. Tessa and Namdrin had a falling out over his lack of heroism to save her. He has taken up with Kabran Bloodeye owner of the Rouge Lady brothel, and Tessa has decided to leave town never to return.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Act 8 - A Touch of the Green

Post by Grimbold » Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:51 am

Torias travels along. He seems to be in good spirits, telling some jokes or stories, but mostly lecturing anyone who is unfortunate enough to be in hearing distance about different historical ways of writing certain letters and spelling certain words in different languages five hundred years ago.

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Act 8 - A Touch of the Green

Post by Eilandor » Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:24 pm

Braedon rummages through some of the local shops for some necessities before venturing south. Aela's interest is peaked when Braedon scoops up a handful of turkey jerky out of a barrel and pays the shop-keeper before tossing a piece on the ground. After replenishing his stores of arrows and bartering for an upgraded longsword, he meets the others near the gate. His beard is longer now that it's December, nearly three times in fact. Casting a protection from the elements spell upon himself, "Let's hope we find warmer weather the more south we get."
Number Two: "You are number six."
Number Six: "I am not a number, I am a free man!"
Number Two: "Muh ha ha ha ha!"

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Act 8 - A Touch of the Green

Post by Muskrat » Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:43 pm

Reluctant Follower of Dreams is uneasy as they move south. She is worried what kind of trouble may hit Falcon's Hollow in their absence--the place seems to be a magnet for bad events. On the other hand, a clear and present danger lies to the south and they know of no one but themselves that can deal with it. She just hopes they are not too late.

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Act 8 - A Touch of the Green

Post by AdamDaBomb11 » Thu Apr 19, 2018 2:34 am

Drak takes the time to find a shop that sells magical scrolls before leaving.

He now travels quietly along with the group.
Buy Scrolls (If possible); 2x Endure Elements, 1x Enlarge Person (75 gp total)
Buy Scroll Case (1 gp holds up to 4 scrolls)
Claim Scroll of Vampiric Touch from party loot (Makes 4 scrolls total).
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Three Days From Olfden - Visistor

Post by Vardaen » Thu Apr 26, 2018 5:50 pm

Celevan is silent during most of the time leading up to leaving Olfden. He collects a few items from the stash and does a bit of shoping himself. He seems worried about Kimi and Milon joining the group south, for he wonder's if the magnet for trouble isn't Falcon's Hollow but is the fellowship of friends now riding south on the sled.

For three days you travel south on the sled making good time. The winter weather clings tightly to the land, but there is a bit of reprieve on the third day. The snow fall in the region is clearly less and less and Milon comments it may soon be time to switch out rails for wheels. During the evening of the third day as you sit around camp telling stories and singing a few folk songs you are alerted to new arrivals!

Out of the fading gloom a trio of figures appears. You are on edge and go to protect yourselves but soon realize they are no threat. A large man wades through the brush to the edge of your camp and offers up a wave with a hand that could crush a man's skull. He smiles and his soft voice and polite manner seems in contrast with his great size. "Well hello there fellow travelers. I wonder if you might be up for a bit of company." He motions at the two with him, a younger woman (but not by much) with close cut hair and a thick goat hide pelt wrapped around her against the cold nods. The other is a ten year old boy, a spitting image of his father except for the great size. He is shivering against the cold. None of them seem properly attired for the climate.
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J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Three Days From Olfden - Visistor

Post by Muskrat » Thu Apr 26, 2018 6:35 pm

Dreams stands and walks to them. "Welcome, come sit by our fire--you look cold. We'll get you some food." Once they are seated, she says, "I am Reluctant Follower of Dreams, though most just choose to call me Dreams. How did you come to be traveling out here?"

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Three Days From Olfden - Visistor

Post by Vardaen » Thu Apr 26, 2018 6:40 pm

"Why thank you." the man replies and the trio move over and sit by the camp fire happy for the heat. "I am Carver, this is my wife Lillianna and my son Casius." The two smile and nod and offer polite greetings as they are introduced. Casius notices Kimi and the two kids look at one another with some hope in their eyes. Carver continues on, "We are refugees, fleeing from the battles in Montford. To be honest we didn't think this through all the way, but we had to leave when we did." He slings his light pack on the ground, clearly they are ill prepared for this trip.

Lillianna gratefully accepts the offered food, "Lietbur's blessing on you kind folk. I just knew he would provide, and here you are. You are too kind."
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Three Days From Olfden - Visistor

Post by Grimbold » Fri Apr 27, 2018 7:09 am

Torias adjusts his glasses and looks at the three. "I'm Torias. We've just come down from Olfden. There, the fighting is over. You might find refuge there. What's happening in the south?"

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Three Days From Olfden - Visitors

Post by Vardaen » Fri Apr 27, 2018 3:48 pm

Lillianna replies to Torias, "Demons, and foul creatures from The Pit rise up and attack the unrighteous."

Carver speaks over his wife, "Montford has been attacked by things out of the Pit of Bhall, hellish hounds, demons abominations too foul to describe. The militia was doing what they could, but without the regular army about things turned bad quickly. We had to leave as quick as possible."

The three look down at their shoes or in the fire, melancholy on their faces, as they try and not remember the horrors they have seen.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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