Meet 138, Adv 16, 10/18/25

Birthmonth the 30th, 289 of the 29th age. 8 PM. Eoghan seemed to be a bit more of himself on this day and we discussed a bit at length the averted adventure to liberate King Mombi’s Vice-queen. In fact the next day, Heatmonth the 1st, after we had set off on the Windshade. Darius talked to the ranger frankly. He admitted what happened, embracing an honest discourse and left nothing behind.

Eoghan seemed to understand, was not totally thrilled or upset about either. Eventually the matter was put behind us. Captain Twilick had put in all our supplies and using the Kaiser’s stipend, also paid for 4 additional days of food for us to take. We are going to set up a base camp at the southwest foothills of the mountains, on the river bed but safely enough away from any of the crazy wind issues or mountain predators.

It was about 3 PM when we brought the Windshade down. Some of his crew set up a simple series of blocks pre cut and notched for the skyship to rest in.  A camp was established and we bid the gnome captain a farewell for now. Where he was, he could feasibly stay there almost 2 months, which gives the party plenty of time to go to the mountain and eventually make their way inside and return.

Packs shouldered the group set off, moving up and down the hills and staying in the valleys when possible. After 3 or so hard miles, we were cresting the larger valley cleft to the mountain range. The wind was really buffeting us, hair wild and cloaks driven forward. We climbed almost 1000 feet up before coming over the top of the rise between the 2 mountains and were on the lee side of the 1st valley. The wind died instantly and we were able to find some sort of place for camp. The idea was we’d stay in the hut, but position it so it faced a rocky outcropping and no chance of the group being accosted at night. We slept well.

Heatmonth the 2nd we were on the go by 8:30 AM. At some point, Wilhelm stripped down and took Raven form. He flew east and north, scouting ahead and watching the sky. The wind was pretty fierce in places and he did find the peak in question, but as he flew closer he could feel a frightening. His avian senses were telling him a predator, and a large one, was in the area.

He flew back and after getting changed, let us know about the land between here and the Donnegarten peak as well as the feeling of a predator in the area. We opted to be on higher alert and continued to set off.

Around 2 we came to an area where a fire had burned about 2 acres of forest. Older burn, and somewhat regular in size and dimension. About 4 as we closed in on the mountain, Wilhelm changed again, this time to a black bear. He too felt a presence of passing into a predator’s hunting grounds. We stayed on high alert and it began to drizzle out. By 7:30 we were at the mountain’s base and set up camp again with the hut, once more facing to an outcropping of rocks to keep the door from being accidentally found.

We awoke the next day Heatmonth the 3rd and it was raining hard. Knowing that our time of the hut was not infinite (12 hours max per 24 hour period), Darius went out and set up some of the tarps we had to keep most of the rain off of us. It was not very well and the wind was driving. 2 Hippogriffs had flown by but kept going. And we stood out there, miserable but not going to climb the mountain while it was storming out.

Some regular and giant goats crossed our paths but by 12ish, the bulk of the storm had moved on. We cleaned up, Shim prestidigitated us, and we all linked up by rope. Then it was climb time. Darius, Connal, Eoghan, and Wilhelm all had a good idea on where the entrance to the Donnegarten system was (5,000 feet up). But the mountain was wild and untamed here. And even roped up, Shim and Wilhelm did trip and fall a few times, bashing face and twisting ankle.

We had to rest briefly at 4:30 and them kept on. By 7:PM, we found the entrance. 11’ high, 25’ wide. It was a ragged hole into the mountain itself. Hundreds of crushed splintered bones littered the outside and it stunk terribly like some animal lair. We went off a bit and found an area a few hundred yards away where we set up the Chime as well as the hut – deterring any predators from coming to the area and giving us the last chance to rest.

Heatmonth the 4th had us up and ready 5:30 AM. We broke fast, studied, and Eoghan went looking around. South of the cave entrance, he found 2 long 3 toed foot prints heading away from the cave. Each was a bit under 3’ in length and they were 7’ apart. No others. Something leaving the cave?

We drew up and entered. The cave sloped down, uneven ground at best. Ceiling was a rise and fall between 11 and 15’ of height. Lots of scat, bones, and uneven ground – we’d move half speed at best. Some green scales, lots of them, found on the ceiling and floors. Two passages out of here – east and south. Faint noise to the east.

Nate took out his Seshele Trident, raised it to his eyes, and looked through it. He got two visions – to the east was a 13” cave bear head on its hands snorting and looking. To the south, a 35’ long green scaled wyvern.

Damn it.

He let us know of the threats and we then proceeded to discuss at long length what to do and how to handle these foes. Heatmonth the 4th, 7:50 AM

2nd Campaign, Session 20. 10/14/25

5:40 AM, Icemonth the 19th. The group wanted to enter the kobold lair. Fjord shared with the party to the best of his recollection the size and placement of the caves. We looked it over and even if the kobolds were sleeping, approach would be difficult at best. We narrowed it down to just Gun, Fjord, and Nevah to sneak in, with the rest of the party to follow on and when they had been told the coast was clear.

The three, Halfling, gnome, and half-ogre snuck down the 40 feet of cave passage to the first main cave. There were kobolds to the left and right, half a dozen each. They were resting on small nests of dragged together cloth and other scraps. Across the way was a 13th kobold, in a chair, but after observing it for a bit, Gun was sure it was asleep. They pointed and signed which way to go first and working left to right, coup de graced each kobold one at a time, knife to the throat, ear, eye, muffling their grunts as each expired. It took time but when done, Gun snuck to the last sleeping one and killed him off.

We could see the 60’ deep pit here with the boulders and eye hooks in place that were part of the trap to catch the group earlier. Gun looked in the next room. There was a pair of passages on the east side heading south, and a larger chamber to the west where we could see some sleeping kobolds. And 2 large boars. Awake. Watching us. AND there was another kobold on the south end of the chamber also in a chair supposedly to keep watch but asleep as well.

We went back and talked, inspiring the rest of the party to close. We had the idea to use Atlas’ sleep spell to put a larger number of them asleep. So he had to move up. And we knew that missile fire was going to count. Somewhere in here we assumed Yandr was still at, and if Fjord was correct, was still chained up on some level. There was another guard on the other side of the room, also seemingly asleep.

Gun tried to enter, moving quietly, but the boars were getting excited at his presence so he turned and returned to the group. They got a plan together and at 6:25, they launched it. Arrows and bolts flew, followed by a sleep spell which took out some of the kobolds, but even Atlas knew it was an underpowered spell. A stab to a sleeping kobold took care of the guard and Cara joined the Halfling near the front line.

This noise did wake up Yandr. The paladin pulled the slack towards the boar we was chained to, and as soon as he could, he jumped up and launched himself at its back, knees pressed tight. It squealed and immediately took off, dragging the other kobold still chained to the paladin. We filled the air with arrows and bolts, while the few that were slept were wakened by other kobolds near them. Battle lines were swelling. A kobold guard tried to slow the pig but was yanked off his feet, while the other one smashed into the wall.

Yandr tried to angle his boar to breeze by the Halfling and pick up Gun, but they failed to connect and he rode past down the corridor. One of the kobolds badly wounded was heading for the wall to blow the signal horn. Cara sent Ply the giant rat to intercept. And then Atlas had a great idea, “Sorry, Cara!” and fired another sleep spell off, hitting the rat.

“Hey!”

This allowed the spell to go around the corner and encompass the guard trying to blow the alarm, sleep him and a few others. Yandr had wheeled the boar and was riding north back up the hall. He came to Gun, pulled the Halfling aboard the charging boar, and the animal trampled the nearest kobolds to death.

A mop up followed and then healing was dispensed. Yandr and Fjord went through the items still here. All magic items have been taken, but normal equipment was still here or on the kobolds in the area. The boar that Yandr rode he spent extra time with, rubbing and talking nicely to it. “This one is mine,” he said, looking down. “Mine.”

Cara meanwhile had cast animal friendship on one of them, hoping that well meaning intentions and a herd mentality would have the other 2 follow along. Total count so far? 20 kobolds and 2 guards. Yandr estimated the entire kobold enclave to be over 50. The rest were with the chief, probably west of here.

We cleared the room and by quarter to 8, had dropped every kobold body down the 60’ pit, leaving only blood stains about. 2 passages south, the both went to the same place, splitting up and joining together. Eventually the passages split again at the bottom of a 50’ cliff. The other passage had the same. Fjord took out the grapple hook, we tied rope to it, and then took a few turns hurling it up and dodging the falling thing before it stuck at the top.

The half-ogre climbed up, eventually rolling to the top of the cliff. There was an alcove here, 2 stools, and a rolled up rope ladder. He could faintly hear voices echoing down the long hall past here, kobold and distant. He whispered loud down to the party, dropped the rope ladder down, and checked the hall, seeing it joined with the other cliff. 2 stools here but no ladder. He ran back and slid down the rope to the bottom as the kobolds were coming close. They waved and shook the rope until the grapple let go. Then the party ran back north while the kobolds were complaining about “Where’s the ladder” according to Nevah who spoke their language.

We went back to the area by the beach and figured we’d go around this way. It was after 9 by this time so we were on alert. We followed the passage, passing the area that had been seeded with hot coals yesterday. We did find a side passage that we entered and explored. Dried fish, nets, a place for the kobolds to prepare food. We took some barrels of it, the nets, and went back to the beach, hiding everything in the alcove there for now.

We then went back and continued down the passage. We could hear some echoes, and maybe some water sounds? Glow was up ahead. Eventually we could see the passage had widened to easily 35’, but there was a 20+’ chasm there, filled with lava. 3 bridges of stone crossed over the gap. Each bridge had a couple of kobolds there, 2 of them with warning horns. The light from the lava was spoiling their infravision.

We did not want to risk a fight there so it was a sleep spell sort of plan again. We wanted to hit the middle group and hope the spell was strong enough to hit both sides especially the horn wielders. So we drew weapons, a bless spell fired off, we got ready, and at the extreme limit of the spell range, Atlas fired off a sleep spell – dropping just 2 kobolds.

Wtf?

Coming out from UNDER the bridges, basking in the heat from the magma, were 2 lava lizards! (1 had been put to sleep). The hissed at us, the kobolds drew up ready for the fight, and we took in the area before committing ourselves to charging. Icemonth 19th, 10:10 AM.

Meet 137, Adv 16, 10/11/25

Birthmonth the 21st, 289 of the 29th age. 7:30 PM, the group was in the Suds and Foam Inn and Hotel in Nightdale and were discussing the merits and flaws with the attempted mission to try and get Vicequeen Tensia from the Royal Estate and cruel ministrations of King Mombi Castian.

Eoghan was being constantly rebuked by the party. Patsy. Death wish. Unfair. What's in it for us. Not going to do it. Eoghan tried to explain that the mission was accepted and if need be, his word counts and he’d go on his own. It was a circular discussion for over an hour.

We had gotten an overview layout of the Estate here in town, plus what we had gotten as information from Adept Stacy and Ruffles Foxian. The Estate was roughly an acre - grounds are about 300' wide by 135' north/south.

There is a main road, King's Boulevard, that runs north of the Royal Estate. Across the Boulevard is a stretch of 4 acres called Lower Hill Park. It is there that Stacy is anticipating portalling the party to.

As for the Lightning Cart to get out of Freemanor, the party would have to leave the Royal Estate and travel west for 1/2 a mile to the Station. Ruffles Foxian will have a cart waiting for them there, just off the main junction so no one should notice it, and a pair of drivers ready to race them away and back to Nightdale.

The Royal Estate is 1 story for the most part, but there is a 2nd story on the east side of the manor house. A gazebo is beyond that. The Groundskeeper's cottage (Maurice Groundsman) is on the southeast section of the estate, and there is a separate barracks building on the southwest section of the estate. As for the normal people who take care of the estate when King Mombi is not there: Maurice Groundsman (Gnome), Poplar (Treant), and both Mr Peppers and Throatripper (2 Giant Minks).

King Mombi and the Vicequeen travel with an entourage of 12. We know it includes His group of 4 royal guard, 1 personal body guard, Kings thief, kings magic user, kings priest, Cook, valt, chamberlain, and the Vicequeen’s maidservant.

We just didn’t think it was a good idea. It was here that Wilhelm spoke up. He suggested that he could scry at the location, get more detail of the place. He had 4 reflecting pool spells at his fingertips, so we filled the tub with water and then using some of the bath oils, prayed to Shakak and began the scry of the place. First he had to center on us, then he flew the image northeast to Freemanor, then to Lower Hill Park, and then the grounds. One of the 8 trees on the property was a Poplar, so we pegged that as the Treant. Then he sieved into the 2nd floor and looked over the great room there and the spell failed.

We noted a brief pause as we scried, crossing the fence line. A latent ward was there but not active. Stacy had mentioned that when the king is there she cannot portal us onto the grounds. Since the King was not there, the wards were down. Good to know. Maybe the kings magic user establishes them when they arrive?

Wilhelm fired the spell off again and restarted it where he left off, the 2nd floor great room. He went through the 4 doors here, 3 were nice bedrooms and we guessed thief, magic user, and cleric. The last was the water closet – lavatory, bathroom, shower. He took us down through to the 1st floor where the great room was here, looking out the front and back doors. The spell ended and he cast it again.

We picked up Mombi’s room. Big bed, wall of fetish gear, cage, small bed in corner. Then another bed room we assumed was the body guards, another water closet, a servant bedroom, and then the dining room with a S table capable of seating 21. The spell came to an end again and it was the 4th and final one.

The last rooms were the kitchen and the pantry. Then he took a look at the barracks, could house 6. We then went to the groundkeep’s cottage where we saw a mink outside. Maurice was there and was running over a to do list of things he needed to put in place before the King arrives. We zeroed on it and saw mention of something about wards, security, lights, and heat at the basement.

We saw no basement. With only a minute left or so on the spell, we looked over the map and decided to try the gazebo. It was big, 20’ diameter. The other mink was sleeping under it, on a grated door. Bingo., We sieved through the door and saw a room with 30 to 40 odd switches, wheels, toggles, and the like. There were some latent power here not hooked up, and four long glass and copper tubes (like fuses) on a shelf below where they would be inserted to complete a connection.

Scry ended.

We had more knowledge now. Take down the wards from the inside? Sneak in and hide until the King arrives then lower the wards and dimension fold out? The minks were a problem. The Treant was a problem. There seemed to be little wary way to do it. Mombi was to arrive on the 23rd and would be there to the 29th. We forced a vote, blind. And ended up with 4 not to do the mission and 3 to do it. Eoghan was not happy and said he’d do it anyway if need be.

Eoghan suggested we rest and come up with a tighter plan tomorrow. As the ranger drifted off, a few of us were trying to come up with an alternative. What if, what if, the Groundkeep could NOT enact the wards because the magic fuses were missing? Would that be an option? He would send message to the King and the trip to Freemanor to use the Fey Fountain would not happen and then Eoghan’s mission could be squashed.

Wilhelm, Connal, Shim, and Nate all set off at 10 after nine. They went to the kennel where they bought 2 rabbits and a shitty wooden cage. Then they walked out of town, and traveled the 11 or so miles to Freemanor. The roads were empty and we got there about 2:30 AM on the 22nd. We avoided the watch by staying in the park area and eventually came across the King’s Boulevard to the Estate. A detect magic revealed no active magic on the fence.

We dropped 4 invisibilities on us, and in addition to 2 invisibility to animals and Connal drinking his potion of infravision, two of them crossed the road, hoisted over the fence, and were on the property, leaving Nate and Wilhelm to keep watch from the park. The monk and gnome (carried of course), crossed about halfway to the gazebo before Connal took out one of the rabbits and tossed it in the direction of the mink. It shot up and gave chase after the rabbit who ran west.

We slid under the gazebo, Shim fired off a silent portal spell, and Connal undogged the lock and lifted the metal door. We climbed down the stairs and he pulled it closed but did not lock it.

They went to the machinery which had enough of a glow to see by. Shim took the 4 fuses and we left 2 of the Lynching Dwarf toys from Tilani here, to give whoever would look around the belief that this were instigated by the elves. They climbed out of the hidden area, closed and locked the door, then tossed the 2nd rabbit at the now 2 minks who were eating the first one. They ran for the fence, vaulted over and rejoined the rest of the group across the street. We made our way west to the main gate and by 3:25 AM, were on our way back to Nightdale.

Along the way we dropped the fuses randomly in the woods. The night grew lighter and Wilhelm was growing exhausted, staggering and trying to stay awake. By 7 AM, Nate was having the same problem, the two of them weaving back and forth. Our pace slowed. Shim fell asleep being carried. Connal offered to slap faces to keep everyone awake. By 9:15 we wad arrived back at Nightdale, went to our room, ignored Eoghan and the others, and fell asleep with agreement to get up in 4 hours.

The rest of us kept Eoghan busy who wasn’t stupid and asked lots of questions, but truthfully, Darius and the others couldn’t really tell him what was going on. Eventually the rest of the party woke up by 2ish, they ate, and Shim directed the group to Townsquare to check out the King’s itinerary. For meetings, permits, heads of state things, his travel plans are often posted so courts can adjust to his schedule.

The space where it would say he was in Freemanor from the 23rd to the 29th was now marked as cancelled and that he would be here in Nightdale. “What did you do?” Eoghan asked. “Oh my! I guess he’s not going to be in Freemanor. So that means the mission is off.” The ranger was pretty mad. “You guys did something, what was it?” No one would agree to anything, just saying that it was a strange coincidence.

Eventually Ruffles contacted Eoghan and let the Ranger know that given Mombi’s concern over Tilani Elves taking a shot at him, he was going to forego his trip this quarter to Freemanor and stay here closer to home. Lady Amathea wanted to let him know that she was sorry and that if the situation were to change at some point in the future, she’d love to give him another opportunity.

Eoghan was not happy. At all. We boarded the Zephyr’s Windshade on the morning of the 23rd and Twilick set us off, heading all the way back to Bork Keep. We arrived on the 28th in the afternoon. During the time we looked over his maps and indicated where we were going to go next (Donnegarten). He mentioned that was Flyover country and those mountains had a lot of wind shear. He could fly over them, but weaving through them risked the Windshade. However, south of it was a clear area by a river. He could set up a camp there with the water supply nearby. Goblins occasionally run through the area but they are easily avoided and tend to stay underground.

We agreed, figured it was a day and a half from where Twilick suggested the camp and the Mountain. So we spent the next 2 days going through all that Bork Keep had to offer us. Picks, shovels, augers, oil, shields, bags, rope, anything and everything. We reorganized the Hut, cleaned it out and set it up tighter internally. With all our beds as well as the supplies and stuff we now had, the Tiny Hut’s 900 square feet interior was about 2/3rd full.

This was it, we were going to board the Windshade and set off on Firemonth the 1st in the morning.

Adventure averted.

Meet 136, Adv 16, 10/04/25

Birthmonth the 16th, 289 of the 29th age. The group went to the Therbaric School of Magic to see about making any sort of trade for weaponry or the like. A few things were presented and we made a few purchases accordingly. What we wanted to do though, was go back to the 5 schools and see about maybe having the opportunity to join.

We returned to the Thaumaturgy school (Bardarian) where we went through a variety of tests to measure our potential cunning. After a few hours we learned that a few of us might have the ability to attend the school. Base is 20 crowns and 2 months of effort.

We returned to the Long Horse Inn, arranged room and board for 4 days, and then for the next cycle of days, attended the other 4 schools accordingly. Perseverance, Logic, Bravery, and Strength. Each time there was a learning curve to possibly attend. A few of us were on the border and could possibly get a chance, but it was a 4 month commitment. We did not know if we were going to have that kind of time.

Finally on Birthmonth the 20th, Eoghan was approached by a gnome who wanted him (and a second of his choosing – he picked Shim) to come and meet with the Lady Amalthea (unicorn) about a possible mission. The 2 of them went to the east end of town where they had a chance to go to a forest clearing and meet with 3 figures.

The Lady Amalthea of course. Then there was Ruffles Foresight Foxian, Dweval’s 2nd son and one of the most powerful and influential gnomes in Nightwoods. And Stacy Willowbright, a gnomish Adpet of Urdlen, the god of bloodlust and hatred.

We learned that Stacy is the Vicequeen Tensia’s Elder sister. She was chosen without a chance to pass by King Mombi almost 3 years ago and the gnomish king has been using her cruelly all this time. Stacy has been trying to get her freed of the unliked king but so far no luck.

Lady Amalthea has put together an opportunity. It turns out that King Mombi is to visit the royal estate in Freemanor in 3 days for some showing the flag and to enjoy the waters of lust from the fey fountain there. His Vicequeen is to be with him. He is expected to stay there a week. He has a retinue of 12 that travel with him.

The group’s job, free the Vicequeen and head back to Nightwoods, then take off on their Spelljammer before the Skyguard can be summoned to stop them. When they arrive at Bypass Lady Amathea will meet them there and use her magic to regrow Eoghan’s hand. It means they will be banished from Nightwoods but they will have the thanks of most everyone involved.

Questions were asked. The moment the vicequeen is taken, a royal alarm and alert will go off, identifying the person who took her. At no point are we to permanently harm or kill the King. The goal is not regicide – but rescue. To sweeten the deal, Ruffles would make sure a temple and some orphanages to Lathander would be built. Stacy also had a way to transport us to a tree right outside the royal estate so we would not have to walk thorough Freemanor and risk being seen. As for escape, Ruffles would make sure a Lightning Cart would be available to the party as soon as they finished the rescue, regardless of the time of day or night, so we could race off back to Nightdale.

Eoghan could say no and there would be no negative implications, but if he accepts the mission and fails then that would be a negative mark. There are 4 powers that run Nightwoods, and even though the gnomes are the greater portion of it, they are not alone. The Fey, Centaurs, and Ents matter just as much.

Eoghan accepted the mission and left with Shim, heading back to the group. He soft sold it to the party, didn’t have some answers, and when we tried to find Ruffles, we had no luck as he was not staying at an Inn. The group eventually agreed to help Eoghan and we figured our first job was to head back to Nightdale and let Twilick know.

So we hopped on a Lightning Cart the next more, Birthmonth the 21st, and rode through all 3 towns, arriving back at Nightdale by 5 PM. We went to the Suds and Foam to get rooms again while a few of us went to the gnomish Captain and share with him what we needed.

He was…unhappy. But agreed to help. He did comment that we had done something against the Elven king some weeks ago, and now we were doing something against the gnomish king. Are these our missions? Are we making problems for the Kaiser? He agreed that the Windshade would be ready to fly by tomorrow and would wait for us to arrive as soon as we could.

Went back to the Suds and Foam, ate, and by 7:30 that evening, shared with the rest of the group what the plan was. We hoped to get a layout of the estate and maybe an idea of who is in King Mombi’s entourage.