Category Archives: Jade Regent

The Jade Regent adventure path.

Kali’s Journal, Kuthona 22, 4712 Kali
Ivan’s journal Kuthona 22nd, 4712 Ivan
Ivan’s Iqaliat adventure Part II (family is everything) Ivan
Neth 9, 4712 Qatana
Ivan’s Iqaliat adventure, part 1 Ivan
Annals of the Order of the Dragon Olmas
Kali’s Journal, Neth 10 – Kuthona 22, 4712 Kali
Qatana’s Journal for Neth 17 – Kuthona 22, 4712 Qatana
What Sparna did on his winter vacation Sparna
Annals of the Order of the Dragon Olmas
Kali’s Journal, Lamashan 26 – Neth 2, 4712 Kali
Ivan’s journal Ivan
Kali’s Journal, Lamashan 17 – 23, 4712 Kali
Qatana’s Journal for Lamashan 17 – 26, 4712 Qatana
Annals of the Order of the Dragon Olmas

Character: Kali

Kali’s Journal, Kuthona 22, 4712

Kuthona 22, 4712 (afternoon, Storm Tower)

Stupid, stupid, stupid! I need to stop making little mistakes like this before they get someone killed. The speed with which one bad decision can cascade into a crisis is alarming. It is basically my fault that both Ivan and Sparna ended up in danger—I could have dealt with it if it was just one of them, but both? How do you make that decision? Gods, we got lucky.

How did all this happen?

I summoned a small air elemental and sent it up the core to just scout around for us, and it told us about the winds, and the frozen dead aimlessly wandering about. The former were strong and would hamper our flight, and that meant we couldn’t ignore the latter. After discussing it with the others, we tried a simple, opening salvo to thin their ranks: a fireball sent up the bore to detonate in the room, followed by earth elementals to push one or two down. This mostly worked. Two bodies flew down the central shaft, one crashing onto the floor we were on and the other dropping all the way to the bottom. When we ascended, we saw the burned corpses of two more.

Almost nothing went right after that. Before we even stepped off the platform we were hit by something—a spell of some sort. My air elemental hadn’t scouted the whole room—I needed it to survive or the scouting would do us no good—so naturally it didn’t see Katiyana. She had just announced her presence.

She flew through the air as nimbly and gracefully as can be. It was like the wind wasn’t even there, and yet it was all around us like some raging storm. It was a spell, obviously, and I felt my stomach sink. We’d had access to it, with the emphasis on had. Tunuak’s staff carried it, but we sold it in Unaimo. It never occurred to me that we might need the thing, or that traveling to a place called the Storm Tower might involve, well, storms. It was foolish of us.

Here’s the thing: they count on me to think about stuff like this. If I can’t make these obvious connections, then what purpose am I serving?

I watched from the ground as Olmas was literally blown into the walls by the winds. The others were struggling against them as they flew up to meet Katiyana. It was a losing battle from the very start, with her tossing spells at us at her leisure and us unable to respond. I stayed on the ground too long, moving undetected among the frozen dead thanks to Ivan’s spell. Then someone finally got a shot at her and the spell collapsed, and I was suddenly surrounded.

Ivan called out to me. “Are you OK?”

And I wasn’t OK, but I shouldn’t have said so. Ivan came down to help, and then he got hit and went down. And then Sparna did the same. And I couldn’t help both of them. It was an impossible choice. I did what I could, trying to get the demon Katiayana had summoned away from Sparna while I engaged the frozen dead to protect Ivan, but it was only delaying the inevitable. Then, miraculously, Ivan broke free of whatever magic was binding him and we just barely turned it around before killing blows arrived. It was that close.

And that’s the other thing: they count on me to tip the scales in our favor, and I can’t do that if I am occupied saving myself, or worse, salvaging some debacle of my own creation. We lost valuable time—time that needed to be spent eliminating Katiyana’s advantage over us.

When that time finally came, it took me a couple of tries to get it right. I’m not going to be hard on myself on this one: it was not an easy problem. How do you stop gale-force winds blowing down out of a 20′ hexagonal hole in a ceiling with lightning arcing through it? On the second go at it I had an idea that worked. Those platforms Radella had managed to operate? The one leading to the third floor? Sometimes she was able to create one that had a dome covering it. It looked an awful lot like a spell I had picked up but never had occasion to use.

It’s mostly a camping spell, but I am told that some wizards use it for defensive cover because it creates a dome that you can see out of while those on the outside can’t see in. It doesn’t block spells or weapons, but what it does block is wind—just like the little platforms we used to go up and down in the Storm Tower blocked the wind—because when you’re camping, who wants the wind blowing in your face? And that dome? It’s not actually a dome: it’s a sphere. It just looks like a dome when you use it on the ground.

That spell was my answer, except for the small detail where I hadn’t prepared it for the day. So I pulled that trick Eudonius had taught us, morphing a spell I had into the one I needed. (What would he think of how often I’ve been doing this? I’ve certainly felt the toll it takes on me. I don’t think I’ve done it lightly.) In an instant the winds stopped, and I looked down to see my friends converge on Katiyana in the air. If only I could have done this sooner.

Katiyana was a sylph, a being connected to the plane of elemental air. They are genie-kin, born from the mating of a djinn and a human. How a sylph ends up in the service of Sithhud, though, is anyone’s guess. I am sure it’s fascinating story that we’ll never get to hear.

Of more immediate concern is whether she was working alone or had help, and we’ll take a shot at getting some answers to that tomorrow. The Tower itself had no obvious living quarters, and there are no other structures for hundreds of miles that we know of. So if she wasn’t living there, then where? And if there is a somewhere else, is there a someone else to go with it?

For the immediate future, at least, it seems our problem has been solved. As soon as the sphere collapsed on itself the weather broke overhead. It’s been positively pleasant, with stars shining on us through clear skies.

Or maybe it’s not. A few days ago, before we even got here, I overheard Ivan talking with Koya around our nightly campfires. He’s been having these recurring dreams about being surrounded by frozen undead. In those dreams, I send a ball of fire into the advancing hoard, but the spell he manifests is strange and ineffective. Dreams are like that sometimes, but what troubles me is not his distress over his spell so much as the whole setting. I didn’t used to put much faith in dreams as omens or as being somehow prophetic, but my time with Etayne has taught me not to be so dismissive. It could just be coincidence that we found ourselves on the third floor of the Storm Tower surrounded by hoarfrost spirits, or it could be that his dreams really are a warning of sorts about the road ahead. We are only half-way across the Ice, after all, in the winter season when unknown dangers abound.

I said earlier that my friends rely on me to think ahead, and to make connections that might otherwise be missed. Is this one of those?

I think it is. The question now is, what do I do about it?

Character: Ivan

Ivan’s journal Kuthona 22nd, 4712

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Kuthona 22nd, 4712

Today we extinguished the storm tower. I just have to hope that these creatures never make their way down to Iqaliat. I have never seen beasts like this before it was truly an experience to remember.

The wind was howling to the extent that using my longbow was not even possible in parts of this tower. There were times during the assault on the tower where the others didn’t really need my help and I was wondering if they even needed me here at all.

After fighting undead at the entrance of the tower we found a tree that tried to kill us. This was a vicious tree that grabbed Qatana and then kind of spit her out in some type of pod. While the others were working on killing the living tree I ran over and started cutting Qatana out of the pod. I later found out that it was using acid to finish her off. After the tree was dead I think they said something about the tree being carnivorous. I am not sure if I will every look at trees the same way after this.

We found a control panel and Radella spent some time trying to figure out how to make it work. She was finally able to get it to work well enough to get us to the second floor. The worms on the second floor were vicious. I spent the entire battle running from or trying to escape from the worms. Both worms ended up dead at the hands of the others but I really couldn’t tell who killed which worm from the vantage point of inside one of the worms. Upon the death of the worm holding me I was thrown out and made a perfect landing but I was still invisible so no one witnessed my great feat.

We found another control panel that even Radella couldn’t figure out. Luckily for us Qatana had a spell that could cut holes into stone. These fascinating crystal creatures inside used some type of teleport magic to move around and attack us. One by one we destroyed these crystal creatures but they also had the ability to cast the spell—

“Qatana what was the spell those crystal creatures used on Olmas and Sparna? It’s for my journal. “

“Tooch of idiocy”

“How do you spell that?

“Oh you said ‘touch’. Thanks”

Touch of idiocy

Qatana, Kali, and Sparna figured that these crystal creatures were somehow have been keeping this

“Qatana what did you call that blue crystal thing in the room? ‘Machine’, right.”

Machine running for hundreds or maybe thousands of years. It only took Qatana and I about 40 minutes to pull all of the crystals out of the walls. 4 of the crystals radiated magic. Kali seemed most concerned with the two that could cause blindness but there were also two crystals that will protect us from the extreme cold.

In the meantime Radella was working to get the platform to go up to the third floor. I am not exactly sure how she figured this out as it was very complex. Before going up to the third floor Kali sent an elemental up to see what was up on the third floor. With the information that there were undead she sent a fireball up to the third floor that exploded with boom. She next sent up some earth elementals and less than a minute later two of the undead bodies went flying by.

With resist energy from the wand providing electric and cold plus my hide from undead we head up to the third floor on the platform. We all moved off the platform. There was a blue female creature with wings up on a platform 50 feet in the air.

“Qatana what was the name of that blue woman?”

Oh guess since Qatana isn’t here anymore I will have to just refer to her as the ‘blue woman with wings’.

The blue woman with wings looked tough and everyone but Kali and me flew up to engage her. This is the first time I have ever used hide from undead so I did not realize that as soon as someone attacked the blue woman with wings that it would break the spell. I suddenly found myself unable to move after being hit by one of the undead. From my vantage point I watch as Sparna flew down and vanquished one of the undead before he himself was unable to move. Things got worse as I heard a thud to my right. I wanted to turn and look by I was just not able to clearly see what it was, It definitely didn’t look friendly.

I was able to break free from the paralyzing hold this creature had on me and dashed over to Kali and Sparna to recast the hide from undead spell. This provided us with some time. I was able to free up Sparna and watched as Kali headed to the celling and surprisingly blocked the strong winds.

The battle finally turned in our favor as Sparna and Radella converged on the blue woman with wings and ended her reign of terror. Once all of the undead had been allowed to pass onto the next life those that could fly smashed the blue crystals bring calmness to the tower of storms. Clearly this is no longer the tower of storms.

We looked over the gear and her headband looked really nice. Qatana, Radella, and I all had interest in the item but in the end both Qatana and I kind of decided that it may not be the right item for us so Radella will be the one buying this from the party.

After some time Radella figured out how to make the platform go down. Seems like we could have saved time by just jumping. On the first floor Radella wanted to check out the control panel more and Olmas wanted to pick mushrooms. As it turns out the mushrooms byte back, well at least the invisible ones do. Olmas was showing off when the sword granted him the ability to see invisible. It must have been funning to anyone watching us swing at nothing. A few minutes after killing a mushroom creature it became visible. Parts were gather and we headed back to the caravan.

Since leaving Iqaliat I keep having the same dream. I am looking down at a group of undead. Right after Kali casts her fireball I cast this mysterious spell. As the spell goes off all of undead are attacked by pastel light pink and blue butterflies with imagines of stars, suns, and moons upon their wings. In what sounds like Koya’s voice I hear

“Desna’s wrath affects those farthest from her the most while those deemed worthy will be spared her wrath. “

So clearly the spell that I asked the gods for is not the one they chose to give me. Koya just tells me to trust in Desna’s wisdom and that I should have let her dance at the wedding. Turns out people in a small town can’t keep a secret.

Sesi when you read this I admit that your suggestion that maybe we should wait for my friends to return would have been the correct thing to do. After watching everyone go through the struggles of adjusting to the high ice I can see where a party would have been good for them.

Character: Ivan

Ivan’s Iqaliat adventure Part II (family is everything)

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Day 5 evening

Sesi quickly led me through the streets up to the door of her home. Inside an old woman started to dish up what looks like stew.

Sasi said “Ivan this is my Grandma”

I replied “Nice to meet you”

Grandma said “Oh Ivan we met on the night of the party. There were a lot of people there so I am not surprised that you don’t remember.”

Grandma said “come eat while it’s hot and tell me about your family”

For a couple of hours this woman grilled me for every detail about my family. I tried to change the subject a couple of times but she just kept politely bring me back to talking about my family. At one point I looked over at Sesi who was washing the dishes.

Sesi just smiled and said “Grandma won’t stop until you tell her everything”

Grandma in a convincing voice somehow persuaded me to keep talking about my family. Unfortunately she played on the fact I have a close bond with my family so it is too easy for me to ramble on about my family. I haven’t even shared this information with the group of people I am traveling with yet I spilled everything to these two.

Grandma said “Well Ivan I am glad to meet a young man with such deep a connect to his family. Now help an old lady up. I want to move over to my chair.”

Grandma limped over to the chair and sat down.

I said “Are you ok”

Sesi said “she hurt her leg but won’t go see the healer”

Grandma said “I will be alright in a few days”

Before Grandma could refuse I said while casting healing “Here I can help with that”

Grandma said “That does heal better. You hunt and you can heal. That’s interesting”

I said “Well I should be going”

I felt a tug as Sesi pulls on my arm as she said “Nope, Grandma is going to tell a story now”

Sesi guided me over to an oversized chair and sat me down. She went into the kitchen area and returned with a drink for Grandma before climbing into the chair with me. I kept waiting for Grandma to tell me to watch were I put my hands but she just started telling stories about Sesi’s family.

Hours later Grandma finally finished. She got up and proclaimed “I’m off to bed, Ivan you can stay in the first room at the top of the stairs.”

Sesi said “Good night Grandma”

Grandma replied “Good night”

Sesi yawned and said “I’m really tired”

I replied “I should go then”

Sesi cuddled in closer and just said “nope”.

A few minutes later Sesi was asleep. There was nothing for me to but to lay there and enjoy the moment.

Day 6

The morning started with the door opening and Atana walking into the house.

Sesi just turns her head towards Atana and said “Good morning Atana”

Atana said “I was going to ask you about Ivan but”

Atana continued to speak “I was hoping to get use of Ivan to help carry fire wood out to the other hunting site. His bag holds a lot of fire wood so we won’t have to make several trips.”

Sesi replied “That will be a lot more fun than helping Anuun move barrels.”

Atana said “meet me at the gate in 30 minutes”

I gathered up my stuff and met Atana and Eska at the gate. The trip to the hut was an easy walk even at the fast pace being set by Atana. Even the weather was nicer than the first trip. We quickly stacked the wood and then sat for a quick break before returning.

Atana said “Ivan the weather is really good maybe we should stay and hunt for a day or two. What do you think?”

Eska interrupted with “I have to get back. We should start heading back”

Atana replied “what if we hunt for the rest of the day and then head back first thing in the morning?”

Eska replied “I guess that would be ok”

Atana replied “Fine then it is settled”

Atana and I spent several hours hunting before returning to the hut. Again I had to wait around while Atana and Eska get enough sleep.

Day 7

Eska has been complaining about having to sleep in the hut since last night. We started to pack up when all of a sudden he yelled “Keep your hands off Atana” while attempting to hit me. I didn’t know what to say.

Eska continued “You can’t take her away from me.” While again trying to hit me.

Atana grabbed Eska and pulled him outside. They were out there for about 5 minutes when Atana return.

Atana said “Eska is worried that once I experience you” while hand signaling the double quote sign for experience.

I replied “That’s crazy. Didn’t you tell him that we don’t have a connection like that?”

Atana replied “yes, but..”

I replied ”but what?”

Atana continued with “I don’t really find you attractive. Basically I think of you as just a friend.”

I replied ”but what?”

Atana replied “just a minute” as she heads outside.

A few minutes later Atana opened the door and walked back into the hut.

Atana in a monotone voice said “I don’t find you attractive but I have this compelling urge to be with you. So let just get this over with so I can get on with my life with Eska”

I was still trying to figure out what she had said when I noticed that Atana was halfway undressed.

I replied “wait no. we are not going to do this”

I picked up my pack and headed out the door. I glanced over at Eska and said “Go take care of your woman”

After a few minutes Atana and Eska emerged from the hut ready to head back to town. For the first several hours none of us said anything. About 45 minutes from town I saw Eska trip and fall breaking the silence with “shit I hurt my ankle”

Without saying a word to either of them I walked over and cast cure wounds on Eska.

I said “Can you walk now””

Eska replied “Yes, that feels better”

We made our way back to town without any further words between us. Eska quickly headed off towards his work and Atana just stopped.

Atana in that same monotone voice said “It’s not too late you can still have me“ as I walked past her.

I headed over and checked on Sparna and he was working on the armor. I started to walk to the defacto meeting place “The tavern” but I decided to try Sesi’s house first. I knocked on the door and a few minutes later her Grandma opened the door.

Gandma said “Ivan you don’t have to knock, just come in side. Sesi is over helping Anuun move some barrels. You should go over and help them”

Following Grandma’s instructions I found my way to Anuun.

I said “hey Anuun how can I help”

Anuun replied “Atana, Eska, Sesi, and Ulva are working over their so let just have you go with Sedna on the wagon to help her unload.”

I said “Hi I’m Ivan”

In a gruff voice Sedna replied “Yes. You are the outsider”

After about 15 minute riding with the quiet Sedna we arrived at the destination.

The man gruffly said “Why is he with you”

Sedna replied “Anuun sent him to help unload. I guess Anuun couldn’t find something useful for him to do so I got stuck with him”

The man replied “Oh. Just make sure he doesn’t drop any of the barrels”

I quietly worked to unload the barrels and then waited on the wagon as the woman finished up talking with the man. Once we finally made it back I tracked down Anuun.

I said “Anuun I don’t think it is a good idea for me to work with Sedna”

Anuun replied “Oh gosh I forgot about her dislike for outsiders. I don’t suppose her husband was any friendlier. Wait here a minute”

Anuun headed off out of site and a few minutes later I see Sesi round the corner.

Sesi in a sassy voice said “I here you have woman troubles”

I said “So does that mean I am in trouble with you?”

Sesi again in the sassy voice said “It depends”

I replied “Depends on what?”

Sesi again in the sassy voice replied “It depends on if I have to sleep in the chair by myself again tonight”

I replied “Is that an offer”

Sesi replied “Of course”

We continued working together for the rest of the day. Once the work was done Sesi and I agreed that this might not be a good day for me to visit the tavern. We headed over to her house and spent a pleasant evening that included stories of grandma’s father. I was surprised to learn that grandma’s father was an outsider before marrying her mother. Once again we fell asleep together in the chair.

Day 8

The door opened and Ulva stepped in out of the cold. Ulva looked over at us still cuddling in the chair and said “Is she awake yet”

Sesi replied “Yes”

Ulva replied “Good we need to talk”

Ulva continued with “My sister is still obsessed so I was thinking that we could take Ivan out for a couple of days of hunting”

Sesi replied “That’s a great idea. I have missed out on the last few hunts so it would be great to get away. I can be ready in an hour so get your stuff and me us back here”

Ulva replied “Ok, be back in just a little while”

A little while later Ulva and Anunn arrive all packed for the hunting trip.

Ulva said “Ivan I stopped by and told Sparna that you will be out hunting for a few days”

I replied “thanks”

We made our way through the streets towards the gate. As we passed by the general store Ulva said “Wait I want to get something”

Sesi replied “I’ll go with you”

From behind us we heard “We don’t like outsiders that treat our women poorly”

I turned around and said “Just relax. We don’t want any trouble”

I figured they were like the others in town that openly don’t like outsiders but I was wrong. The first hit from the clubs they were carrying felt like this guy was channeling Sparna or Redella. I attempted to dodge out of the way but the other two landed solid hits on me as well.

I heard Ulva yell “Hay stopped that. He is not hurting anyone”

Sesi replied “Ivan please don’t hurt them”

I heard footsteps behind me that I was really hoping it was Sesi and Ulva.

The fourth thug was holding a club up to Anuun’s face and said “Stay out of this Anuun. I don’t want to hurt you”

I simply stepped back without any weapons in hand and healed myself. Why did the gods decide at this moment to give me the least amount of healing as possible, there must be a lesson?

I felt the contact of some more maces. Everything started to get fuzzy. Everything was fuzzy but I am pretty sure that at least one of the two Ulva’s must be real. I heard talking but I just could not make out what they were saying or who was talking. There was something just in front of me but I could not clearly make out who it was. Oh it’s the ground and then the world goes completely black.

A strange voice said “Ivan”

I replied “where am I”

The strange voice said “That’s not important right now”

The voice continued “The real question is not where you are but why you are here”

I replied “I don’t understand”

The strange voice replied “Of course you don’t and that is exactly why you find yourself here right now”

I replied “Who are you?

The voice replied “That is the right question. Now don’t make me do this again.”

Day 9

The darkness began to fade being replaced by a view of a blurry room. At first I could hear talking but I wasn’t sure if it was real. Soon everything becomes clear.

Sesi said “Oh finally you are awake. Grandma wasn’t sure how long it would take for the healing herbs to take affect”

I replied “how long have I been out”

Sesi replied “Since yesterday”

I said “help me up”

Sesi sternly said “No Grandma told me you needed to stay here and rest”

I replied “can you at least let me sit up. It is easier to cast healing while sitting”

With a bit of effort and pain I was able to sit up. The first cast of healing felt so good and after the second healing spell I felt like normal again.

I said “ok I have healed myself can I get up now”

Sesi replied “No. You have to rest until Grandma says that it is ok”

Looking over at Sesi I noticed she was not wearing her normal boots and said “Nice boots”

Sesi replied “I’ll give them back once grandma says you’re ok:”

Sesi said “So just a few minutes ago before you woke up you were talking like someone else was here. At the same time this symbol started to glow”

On que Grandma entered the room and gave me a quick look over. Grandma said “What’s this about glowing symbols”

Sesi replied “That one was glowing and then this area started to glow and as you can see he now has the symbol of the wind spirit”

Grandma replied “That is the symbol of Cayden Cailean. Very interesting. So does this happen often”

I replied “No, as far as I know it has never happened before”

Grandma replied “We should keep this to ourselves for now.”

I said “Can I get out of bed now?”

Grandma replied “I’m not stopping you” as she walked out of the room.

Sesi stood up and said “Today you are going to rest. But I see no reason that we can’t have you rest in the chair downstairs”

We spent the rest of the day and night cuddling in the chair.

Day 10

The door opened and Anuun walked in with Eska in tow. An obvious look of nerviness shown on his fact and be spoke “Ivan I am sorry for going crazy, I just was so jealous. I didn’t even think they were listening when I was complaining in the tavern”

I replied “I don’t blame you for the actions of those that were just looking for any reason to go after any outsider”

Eska said “I can you guys talk to Ulva for me?”

Sesi jumped in and said “Let’s me later at the tavern. All of us”

Eska responded in a shaky voice “ok but you’re going to talk to Ulva first right?”

Anuun responded with “I’ll talk to Ulva”

On the way to the tavern we stopped in to talk with Sparna.

I said “Sparna I need a special shortsword. Something like this can only be created by someone that I would consider like family. The sword has to have these 4 symbols on the blade and the symbol of Torag on the hilt.”

Down at the tavern everyone seemed happy. I didn’t even hear any stray comments about outsiders. Everyone was friendly and I heard stories and legends about creatures that live on the high ice. It was nice to have all 7 us once again showing each other that we are still friends.

Sesi suddenly stood up and said “It’s time to go dance to the wind spirits. What do you say Ivan are you ready to try it again?“

I replied “You’re very brave while wearing those boots aren’t you”

Sesi replied “Yep”

I casted endure elements on the rest of us and we ran off to the cliffs once more, this time with clothes on. At the cliffs we laughed and danced for hours before everyone headed off home.

Day 11

The door opens and two figures of Anuun and Ulva enter. Sesi just lifts her head slightly to greet the two “Good morning Ulva, Anuun”

Ulva replied “You two are always in that chair. “

Sesi replied “It’s our spot”

Ulva said “So we never got that hunting trip in. How about we head out today. Anuun and I are ready to go.”

Sesi replied “Ivan is always packed. He is always hopeful that we are going hunting. Come on you can help me pack.”

After a few minutes they returned and we headed out. This time we made it past the gate and onto the trail.

I said “Oh wait I didn’t tell Sparna”

Ulva replied “Anuun and I stopped by the forge on the way to the house and told Sparna”

After several uneventful hours we made it back to the ice hut. We split into two group Sesi and me in one group and Aunuun and Ulva in the other. After several hours Sesi and I had all of our traps in place. It took Ulva and Anuun quite a bit longer to get all of their traps set so they return to the hut about an hour after us.

Anuun said “sorry I am not really good at trapping”

Ulva said “I actually asked him along so we could spend some time together”

Sesi said “oh Ivan likely doesn’t know that you guys are now engaged”

I must have had some kind of strange look on my face because all three of them just started laughing.

Anuun said “Ivan relax. Sesi and I both know about your fling with Ulva”

Ulva said “It was fun but my heart as always belong to Anuun. You were my last fling”

I replied “That’s ok. It has always been the story of my life”

Sesi said “What do you say are you ready for her to be your last fling as well?”

I said something like “ah ah ah ah. But grandma said it was important for me to finish helping Ameiko!”

Sesi replied “Yes my husband will have to go off and save the world. But then you will return home to me”

I replied with “ok then I will just stay here and let the others continue on with Ameiko”

Sesi replied “The wind spirit symbol that showed up while you were hurt was a clear sign. The wind spirit was telling me that I have to let my husband go off and save the world unless you really don’t want to be my husband”

I replied “ok but I think it would be better if my companions don’t know about it just yet.”

Ulva said “So just keep your friends out of the tavern and we should be ok. I will let the chief and heartmistress not to say anything. Although there is usually a party when we have weddings so that might be hard to hide.”

Sesi replied “If we hurry back to town so the party is done before his friends return then it might be possible. Most of the people don’t like to talk with outsiders anyway.”

Anuun said “What about Sparna?”

I said “I’ll just ask Sparna to not share this. There is no way we can have a party without Sparna showing up to talk with the people.”

Ulva replied “true. Besides even some of the people who don’t talk with outsiders have been talking with Sparna?

We hurried back to town to arrange the details. We stopped by the house to tell grandma.

Sesi said “Grandma were going to get married right away.”

Grandma replied “Ok, let me go tell everyone that the party is a go for tomorrow”

Sesi and I just stood there looking at each other as we watch grandma head out the door. I clasped Sesi’s hand and gently pulled her over to the chair.

Sesi said “Well we might as well get comfortable”

Day 12

We awoke to grandma handing us each a drink. Grandma excitedly said “drink up its going to be an exciting day”.

As grandma scurried off Sesi said “Maybe we can just run off and get married”

I replied “Nope. Grandma would kill both of us”

We made it through the rest of the day. Luckily Ulva and Anuun decided to get married at the same time so at least we were not the complete focus of everyone.

Day 13

The door open and Ulva entered the room. Looking at the two of us she said “You know that you are married now so you don’t have to sleep in the chair”

Sessi whispered “I think we decided that we were too drunk to make it up the stairs. It’s all kind of fuzzy.”

I began to cast delay poison to help myself but my own loud voice hurt so much that I couldn’t complete the spell.

In a low voice Ulva said “So I think we should skip hunting for today”

Sesi whispered “If either of you make me move I will kill you”

I imagined that Ulva was likely finding this funny but I couldn’t focus my eyes enough to actually see her.

Day 14 Return of the Caravan (Neth 8^th)

The others returned today and over a pint at the tavern my new friends were properly introduced to my traveling companions. One of the thugs from a few nights ago walks up and said “here Ivan I didn’t get a chance to buy you a drink Ah the other night.”

Ulva smiled and said “He was stubborn but with the help of Sparna he now has a new respect for outsiders”

Neth 10 evening

Sesi and I have spent the last couple of days at the ice hut hunting and spending time together. I told the others that she was teaching me how to better hunt on the ice, which is truthful.

Our first argument was over equipment and money.

I said “So I will feel better if you keep the boots so I know that you are protected from the cold”

Sesi replied “Absolutely Not. These boots are going to make sure you get back home to me safely. You can give them to me when you get back home”

I replied “I’m not going to win on this one am I”

Sesi sassily responded “No my love”

I replied “Ok then here is one of my extra bows, and I will get another masterwork shortsword. Since you are not going to take the boots then I insist that you take one of the campfire beads.”

I pulled 50 gold out the small bag and put the rest in the pile of stuff for Sesi.

Anger shown on Sesi face as she said “I am not some helpless woman that needs to be taken care of. I am not asking for your money”

I replied “I just decided to leave most of our money here at home. Is it ok for me leave stuff at home?”

Sesi replied “Oh, I miss you already.”

Sesi handed me a brand new shirt and said “Here I bought you a new shirt”

I replied “But this shirt is fine”

Sesi picks up my perfectly good shirt off the bed puts the shirt on. I guess that shirt is staying here.

Neth 11

I said my goodbyes to Sesi and we headed down the road towards fate.

Character: Qatana

Neth 9, 4712

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Fireday, Neth 9, 4712 midnight
Iqaliat

“Wake her up already! I don’t want to miss it.” Beorn squeaked angrily.

Startled by the cry Qatana sat bolt upright from her sleeping roll and looked around. Seeing the eight little ghostly figures before her she cocked an eyebrow expectantly.

“They’ve begun,” said Badger, “and we need to go now or we’ll be too late.” The other seven chirped excitedly and pirouetted around one another in anticipation.

With a sigh Qatana quietly rose and dressed before stepping out from the wagon into the bitter cold. The mice raced before her and over the small hill to the south of the caravan. Qatana was still half asleep and followed slowly, but as she crested the top she gasped and a cloud of frozen mist settled on the tiny figures at her feet.

The northern crown was high overhead, glittering like diamonds in the black velvet sky. Red Algol shown brightly from the center like a ruby, but it was not the brilliant constellation that made her gasp.

Streaks of palest white whisked about atop the snow below, making it look dull by comparison. There were perhaps a dozen, and they appeared to be dancing in the starlight. Qatana sat down beside her friends and watched.

For perhaps an hour the small figures whisked about the snow and ice, twirling around one another, darting to and fro. Presently they ran off into the darkness, one by one until a solitary dancer remained. It too prepared to make its exit, but then glanced up to where Qatana and her friends sat.

As quick as the wind the long tailed weasel flew up the hillside and stopped motionless for a moment, whiskers twitching. Qatana reached down and gently touched its forehead, quietly uttering words of gratitude and thanks to the little creature.

It bobbed its head once and then winked cheekily at her before sprinting away into the night.

Character: Ivan

Ivan’s Iqaliat adventure, part 1

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Day 1 it’s time to party in Iqaliat

To Kali’s dismay the town held a big party to celebrate the death of the dragon and their very survival. This community has a strong bond and I heard story after story about the people killed by the dragon. This party was in part to celebrate the life of those killed by the dragon. Walking through the crowd listening and talking with the people I was a little shocked to truly comprehend how many people died at the claws of the dragon? So many people have lost loved ones to the dragon. With the closeness of this community it is hard to understand how the shaman could betray his people and bring so much death. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain these people are going through. It seems like everyone has lost someone to the dragon and a few stories recounted entire families killed by the dragon.

As I was walking between groups a man that looked maybe the age of my companions approached me. He didn’t look as drunk as most of the other people and approached with purpose. I immediately prepared myself to take on a co-conspirator of the shaman. My thoughts jumped to way would he approach me in this crowd instead of waiting for me to be alone. I relaxed when I noticed a drink in one hand and some bread in the other hand. Quickly I decided to keep on guard but see how this plays out. He approached and just started talking.

The man said “Your Ivan right? My name is Anerk. I think that it such as great thing that all of you have done for us. Such bravery is hard to find these days. I myself would have gone but I hurt my knee and that is such a long trip for someone like me with an injured leg. Are you having fun??

I replied “Yea I guess”

Anerk said “Great. So you know Kali really well right? I am sure that her bravery was a shining inspiration to someone as young as yourself. You’re so lucky to have the privilege of traveling with a fantastic woman such as her. The brown eyes of hers are so dreamy and I am sure you would agree that her figure is as dreamy as her eyes. Do the other women get jealous of her beauty? I would love to be traveling the world with Kali.”

Anerk pauses looking like he expects some type of response.

I replied “Yea I guess”

Anerk continues to talk “So you’re her friend, how can I get to know her better. Maybe you could introduce me and tell her what a good guy I am.”

I replied “I think it would give a better impression if you introduced yourself. It is not my place to get involved with Kali’s personal relationships.”

Anerk replied “Ok with your encouragement I think I am ready to talk to her. Do you know where she went?”

I replied “Ah no”

Anerk wandered off looking for Kali. I am not sure what to say when Kali questions me about Anerk. I did try to stay out of it. As I turned to put some distance between Anerk and myself I bumped into someone.

A voice said “Hi my name is Piquana. I saw you talking with Anerk. He is going through a tough time losing all of his family. He is normally a good guy and obsession with your friend is the first thing he has shown any interest in since the dragon killed

his parents and sisters.”

Paquana continued speaking “So are you enjoying the party? I still don’t really understand why after so many years this dragon suddenly decided to start attacking us now. Normally we take care of ourselves but I guess everyone some time in their life needs heroes.”

Paquana paused to take a drink and then continued to talk “Even with you taking care of the dragon there are still some that don’t trust outsiders. “

Paquana paused to finish off her drink and then continued to talk “It looks like I need to get another drink. Winter is coming and soon you won’t be able to see anything. With all of the dragon attacks I just hope that the hunters have gather enough to last through the darkness. Well I really need another drink.”

Paquana stumbled as she walked away pausing a moment to say “Tell Sparna my forge is always open for him to use.”

From behind me a female voice said “Hey Ivan do you want to have a drink with us?”

Turning around a small group of teenagers are sitting at the table. One of the guys motions for me to come over and sit with them. I accepted the invitation.

He started talking “I am Anuun, this is Eska, this is Ikiak, this is Sesi, and twins are Ulva and Atana. Here have a drink, I think you need it after Anerk and Piquana.”

Over the next couple of hours we shared stories. I told them about growing up on a farm in the south and I learned a lot about each of them. The families Anuun and Eski handle brewing and tavern in the town. Ikiak works in the general store with his family. Sesi, Ulva and Atana are hunters, both families have a deep tradition of hunting. Like on the farm people tend to follow the family path but at least here it is up to each person.

After the long evening of getting to know my new friends Ulva stands up and said “I’m ready”

I said “ready for what”

Anuun replied “Just a little run through the town. I hope you don’t get too cold”

On the way over to one of the now empty houses they explained that as part of my initiation into their little group we would be streaking up to the cliff’s and then back to the house.

Anuun said “We normal go up to the cliffs during the warm months and dance in front of the spirits but this time of year it can be dangerous. Once we get up to the cliffs the blowing wind get frightfully cold. “

Sesi speaks “Oh Anuun it won’t be that bad. It’s a warm night and we can all run back and stand in front of the fire.”

We made it to the house and waited around for the fire to get good and warm.

Eski said “Ok the fire is warm enough. Everybody get ready. Ivan we do this only wearing boots and nothing else”

I said “I will switch boot as wearing these boot would be cheating. They are magic and keep the wearer warm.”

Ikiak said “Glad we can trust you not to cheat”

Without the boots the night air was very cold. It must have looked bizarre to anyone watching the seven of us run for the cliffs. As we headed into the tunnel on the way to the cliffs several of us collided and I hit the wall and almost fell down.

Someone I think Eski said “wait Ikiak I think fell down”

We paused and then I heard Ikiak “no I am fine” as he runs past.

We all made up to the cliffs and there was a moment were my brain was telling to stop and cast endure elements. I pushed through and followed the others back to the warm house. With the help of a warm house, hot tea and warm blanks we were able to finally get rid of the chills from our run.

Ikiak said “So now you are one of us. It a brutal run but now we can just sit in front of the fire and get a good night’s sleep.”

I said “I think we should do it again!”

Anuun, Eska, and Ikiak almost at the same time said “What are you crazy?”

Atana speaks up “Spoken like a true hunter but the cold can be very dangerous”

Ulva said “Up here you need to know when to stay out of the cold”

I replied “I’m going and this time I plan to dance to the wind spirits. I have a plan do you trust me?”

Sesi said “Oh sure”

I replied “This time we are going to use magic to stay warm.”

I proceeded to cast endure elements on everyone.

I said “This spell will help keep everyone warm. Let’s go”

At that we headed out the door and back up to the cliffs. The run to the cliffs was a lot more pleasant this time. At the cliffs we began a dance to the wind spirits. It took a little patient instruction from the others before it started to at least look like I was doing the dance correctly. We danced to the wind spirits for hours before returning back to the house to sleep. I had forgotten what it was like to not act like an adult.

Day 2 Let get some hunting in before the dark night

I awoke surrounded by my new teen age friends. It will be hours before they get enough sleep so I move quietly to not disturb there sleep. As expected Sparna is over at the forge working on one of his projects. It looks as if he is working to improve his Urgosh, Odd I thought we was not working on the urgosh. I barely convinced Sparna that we should see our companions off as they head to get supplies. After some time helping get everything packed up I watched as the caravan headed out for their 12ish day supply run.

With last night’s party I expected people to be getting going late today but as we walked past the tavern they were opening up for breakfast like any other day. Neither Sparna nor I really needed food so we just walked past. I headed back to the house and quietly investigated the other rooms of the house and discovered damage to the roof likely from the dragon, with a little bit of magic the whole in the roof was fixed. I quietly wandered around the house using magic to repair some of the little things that were in disrepair. Repairing the outside used up a little more time but there were still a few hours before the others would be waking up. Walking through the area checking the other homes for damage took long enough that I could head over to the tavern and get breakfast for the group.

Over at the tavern/inn the woman cheerfully put together the “to go” package of steaming hot food. As she hands me the food she said “Well it looks like your Dwarf friend is finally going to enjoy a good hardy meal.”

I replied “This is not for him this is for the Anuun, Eski and friends”

Woman replied “Well you tell my son Eski that we need help this morning and to get right over here. Anuun’s father was looking for him. The two of them are supposed to be down moving the ale casts. Make sure they eat a good breakfast first”

The smell from the food seemed to bring them out of there slumber. I relayed the message to Eski and Anuun who quickly eat and headed out along with Ikiak. Sesi, Ulva and Atana took more time to eat and make plans for the day.

Ulva said “Sesi are you still coming hunting with Atana and I?”

Sesi replied “I wouldn’t be able to leave until tomorrow. Why don’t you take Ivan?”

Ulva replied “What do you say Ivan you up for some girls showing you up?”

I just responded “Sure. Sesi can you please tell Sparna that I am out hunting”

Atana said “It’s settled. We need to grab our stuff and get moving. Ivan are you packed?”

I replied with “Yep. I am carrying everything I own.”

Less than an hour later the three of us were on our way. Although I wonder if they really wanted me long or if they really wanted the endure elements. We head out along the wall for 3 to 4 hours before they just stopped.

Ulva said “Were here. We just need to chip away the ice around the door. You and

Atana work on the door and I will go set out the traps”

Atana replied “FINE, I CAN DO IT MYSELF I DON’T NEED IVAN’S HELP”

Ulva replied “Ivan why don’t you come with me and I will show you how we set the traps on the ice.”

I followed Ulva and once we were clearly out of earshot Ulva begins to speak “Sorry about that. My sister had way too much to drink and I think it has caught up with her. Normally it is me that she is pissed off at so this is kind of refreshing. Watch out. When she is like this she bites, hits, and kicks. Atana should be fine after she sleeps it off.”

I replied “I could try some healing magic to help”

Ulva replied “Did you forget about the part where she bites, hits, and kicks?

I said “how do you feel? I can try the healing magic on you”

Ulva replied “Like someone hit me in the head with a mace. I won’t bite you for trying”

Casting my spell I said “Here let’s try this and see if it at least makes you feel better. This is not a cure and will only last for 7 hours.”

Ulva replied “Oh that feels better. As promised I didn’t bites, hit or kick you”

We finished setting up the last of the traps and slowly headed back to the cave/ice hut. Ulva and I checked the traps later that evening and to my surprise we were already catching prey. We spent some extra time gathering up some of the worms Skygni had told me about. This is an area rich in the worms and that is what attracts the game here during the winter months. On the way back to the ice hut Ulva reaches over, takes my glove off and bites me.

Ulva said “I didn’t want you to get the impression that I am a domesticated woman that doesn’t bite.”

The rest of the night went ok and luckily today Ulva was the only woman to bite me.

Day 3 Every day is a good day to hunt

I watched as Atana woke from sleep and began to put on her boots. Heading towards the door she looked at me and whispered “Sorry. I am going out to set traps you should get some more sleep”.

I replied “wait should you be going alone? Would you like endure elements?”

Atana replied “My sister will be mad at me for going out on my own and yes Endure elements would be nice”

I replied while casting my spells “Here is endure elements and this is my beacon spell that will allow me to keep track of you. This way you can be alone but we can find you if something goes badly wrong”

As I touched Ulva with the same Beacon spell she groggily said “what is it”.

I whispered “Hush it is just me casting a spell on you”

Ulva groggily replied “Ok Ivan I trust you”

It wasn’t long after Atana left that Ulva fully woke and I explained that I was tracking the both of them with magic. I explained that she is fine and said she would be back in a few hours. Ulva and I waited around in the ice hut until Atana returned. After she had rested the three of us spent the rest of the day and most of the night out hunting.

Day 4 foggy day

We were supposed to head back to town today but thick fog started moving in so we spent the last few hours hunting before it reached us. Once the fog got thick Atana and I made one more trip out to check on the traps. It may not have been smart but with the beacon spell on Atana and Ulva we would at least be able to make it back to Ulva in the ice hut. The fog was so thick that it was hard to see the traps just feet from the ropes. We check about half of the traps when we decided it was just too hard to find the traps. We made our way back to the ice hut.

Atana said “Well it looks like we will just have to stay inside and find some games to entertain ourselves with.”

Ulva said “Ivan why don’t you tell us about all those symbols on your body?

I explained how they just appeared when I first learned about magic. Ulva and Atana examined the symbols and exclaimed that their symbol was missing. After hours of discussing the different symbols on me we called it a night and got some sleep.

Day 5

After a couple of hours I awoke and put a piece of wood on the fire. The only problem with only needing two hours of sleep is having to wait for other people to get enough sleep. I stepped outside to check on the fog and discovered that the fog was gone. I considered going out and collecting the remaining animal traps when the door to the hut suddenly opened. A groggy Ulva grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the hut.

Ulva said in a groggy voice “No going out and being stupid. Promise me you won’t go out while we sleep.”

I replied “ok”

Moments later Ulva was sound asleep again. I spent the hours working some of the hides to keep busy until Atana and Ulva awoke.

With the fog gone Atana and Ulva easily lead the way back to town. We dropped off the supplies.

Atana said “Ivan, we will be celebrating a successful hunt tonight at the tavern. You should join us.”

I replied “Again with the drinking. Should I be worried tomorrow?”

Atana replied “I am not going to drink that much. And for the record I wasn’t that bad”

Ulva just started walking down the road as she said “See you tonight Ivan”

I headed down the street towards the forge to check in on Sparna. Inside I found Sparna working with Piquana closely watching. She startled when I entered the room.

Sparna approached me and started telling me that his urgosh was somehow different.

Brushing bits off the Urgosh I said “Ok let me take a look. This looks like some enchanting material. Let me check for magic”

After casting detect magic I said “Wow this is magic now. Looks like you put magic on both sides of your weapon. Nicely done Sparna.”

Piquana rushes over bumping against Sparna. She said “Sparna that’s is incredible. The way you use your hands to work the metal is amazing.”

We spent the next several hours discussing the process of creating magic weapons. Unknowingly Sparna followed the same process for creating a magical weapon that I learned. The whole time I kept waiting for Sparna to notice that Piquana was being overly suggestive and using any reason to make contact with him. I decided that anything between Piquana and Sparna was none of my business.

From the doorway I heard the familiar female voice of Sesi say “Piquana do you have Anuun’s new hinge done”

Piquana replied “Ah no I have finish it yet”

Sesi approached me and in a calm voice said “Grandma said that I should fetch you for dinner”.

Before I had any chance to respond Sesi moved forward and started kissing me. She paused long enough to whisper “Grandma insisted that I convience you to have dinner with us”. I tried to respond in agreement with dinner by it is not easy to talk while kissing.

On the way out of the forge I looked back at Sparna and said “later Sparna” but he was already back completely focused on working the armor. Sesi and I headed down the street to meet grandma for dinner.

Character: Olmas

Annals of the Order of the Dragon

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as written by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia, himself.

Sunday, 11 Neth

Our trip to Unaimo was uneventful, but productive. I was able to get a stronger bow. Additionally, I was able to get the raw materials so that Kali, with all the “spare time” that our travelling has entailed, was able to construct me a handy haversack, as well as improve my cloak of protection to +2. I’ve a sense that we’re going to need every edge when we get to the Storm Tower.

Wealday, 14 Neth

I’m finding that I get tired a lot faster. Not tired as in “I want to sleep” but tired as in “let me catch my breath.” Kali says we’re at an elevation on the ice, now, where the air is not as effective. Apparently as we get higher, the air gets less effective. She tried to explain it to me but the key thing is, we just need to go slower. It’s not just me; others (and the animals) are having the same problem.

Consequently, today we only went about half as far as yesterday. We had a quick meeting tonight and decided we should not travel every day for a while, so our bodies/lungs can rest. In fact, we’re talking about moving only a couple of days a week. Kali says after a few weeks, our bodies will adapt and the air will be just as effective as before. I don’t think this is a spell she’s doing, it just is.

I’ve never encountered it before. I don’t know if this only happens in the cold or if the same thing would happen in a warm, but tall mountain. I’ll have to remember to ask Kali. My head hurts.

The wind is a constant now. Even though there’s no trees or even rocks for it to whistle through, if you listen closely you can hear something on the wind, like an animal calling or something. It must be up ahead, given the wind direction, but it’s impossible to say how far.

Starday, 17 Neth

Rest day again today, but I think we’re getting closer to the animal. I’ve mentioned to the others, but their hearing must not be as keen as mine because they don’t hear it. It is rather high pitched so maybe only an elf or half-elf can hear it. I’m tempted to take an hour or two and go check out the ice ahead, but we’ve agreed to rest and whatever it is hasn’t attacked yet. But I can hear the desperation in its voice; it may not be long before it attacks.

It’s basically dark all day now, and sound is the only way to track it. Thank goodness for my elfin hearing. I haven’t mentioned it again to the others, since there’s no point in worrying them until I can sense an attack is imminent. Their safety is paramount, and if they’re on edge all the time, they’ll be tired, not battle-ready. It’s second nature to me, but not to them.

Starday, 24 Neth

It seems the creature I’d heard has backed off, or abandoned us. Even with my keen hearing, I don’t hear it anymore, and haven’t for several days now. The wind still howls, but it’s just wind. I’m glad I didn’t alarm the others; it would have been wasted effort.

I’ll keep an ear out, of course, but I’m sleeping much better now without that as a constant background.

Starday, 1 Kuthona

Kali and Qatana were on watch when they noticed one of those strange blue-green lights Skygni had told us about. They roused us and we noticed one actually head towards us. Kali hasted us all with a want just as the world exploded around us in shards of sound.

Or at least that’s what it seemed like. The thing shrieked, or yelled, or did something that was VERY easy to hear, and the impact of that sound turned the ice at our feet into flying shards. Several of us took damage, from the shards as much as the sound. I quickly shot it with an arrow, but fighting in darkness, even with some degree of dark vision meant my ability to aim arrows accurately was limited. This creature was flying and for all we know, couldn’t land in a controlled fashion. We were going to have to take the battle to it. Suishen bestowed airwalk upon me.

In general, this was a smart strategy. But the creature had unexpected grace and speed, and it descended to me and hit me with a ferocious sonic blast before I could react. I almost passed out, and realized I needed healing. I quickly pulled a CLW from my belt and drank it, but it only made me feel marginally better, so I called out for healing and walked toward the ground, hoping I would not get hit again before Qatana or Ivan could reach me.

Qatana was able to heal me, and all of us were able to take a nick out of it. A spot of acid finally did it in and it plummeted to the ground, but it truly was a team effort. Ivan and Qatana gave me additional healing to bring me back to full strength, in case others came by … but none did. We noticed it had really small eyes so that and the complete darkness present here made us think that the thing may have used sound, like a bat, to locate its prey.

I came away healed, but with a fresh respect for this foe.

Sunday, 9 Kuthona

Kali said we should find ourselves acclimated to the altitude sometime this week. I must admit, I don’t find myself tiring as easy as before so I think she may be right.

Sunday, 16 Kuthona

We’re resuming full speed. Everybody seems to be acclimated.

The Storm Tower is visible in the distance; the lights and flashes it seems to generate make it easy to follow in the darkness.

Fireday, 21 Kuthona

We have made it as close as Sandru will allow the caravan to go. The wind here is unbelievable, and that’s part of why Sandru wants to stop here. There are intermittent flashes of light from around the tower. We will rest tonight, recover spells, and investigate – likely, “assault” – the tower tomorrow.

Starday, 22 Kuthona

And so it begins.

The tower is several hundred feet high. The wind only got stronger as we got closer. There is a black slush here and there that Ulf has told us is not uncommon in this area … but it’s also toxic, poisonous, and likely lethal, so … no samples, no dipping, and no ugh tasting!

The tower had an opening to it. I flamed Suishen and we entered.

Inside, we encountered three creatures which seemed to be wights. They were easily dispatched – surprisingly easy. But they were just a prelude to an adjacent room, which held a plant of some sort. The ceiling here must have been a hundred feet above us, but the plant was “only” man sized with a tangle of roots that spread around the room.

Make that a carnivorous plant of some sort, because after emitting a bright blinding light, it quickly ingested Qatana and spit her back out contained in a constricting and apparently acid producing casing that was slowly killing her. While we attacked the plant, Qatana attacked the casing. The plant soon died, and others assisted Qatana in exiting the pod.

I looked at the corpse and thought – how does this even survive here? Thinking it over, it probably is only here as a sentry.

Examining walls around the center section revealed some embedded crystals that made us believe it might act as a lift. Radella played with them a bit and believed she could operate them. We arrayed ourselves, stood on the center platform, and had her work her magic.

The center section quickly rose to a room that contained two large worm-like creatures. Moving without being attacked was difficult, yet we knew the floor would sink soon. Several of us took injuries only because we needed to hastily move without regard for the creatures before us. And wisely so – several seconds after arriving, the floor did indeed descend back to the first floor.

But by that time we were battling these hungry creatures. Hungry? Well, yes, these too seemed to want to eat us. We did kill them both, but not without some peril. And an ominous sign was that the symbol of Sithud had been carved into a scale on each body.

Surprisingly, given the cold clime, these beasts did not seem to shun the flame of Suishen. In fact, he thought they might be immune to it.

There were doors indicating other rooms on this floor, but they seemed sealed (yes, sealed, not locked). Qatana used stoneshape to create an opening next to one of the doors … and it revealed a most peculiar scene.

Inside were many crystalline scorpionlike creatures – perhaps a dozen or more. The walls seemed embedded with crystals that were connected by metallic strips or wires, and the whole room appeared to generate random blue light. The scorpions appeared to be monitoring or maintaining the crystals … until the opening appeared, that is. Then they approached us.

Oh. And they could teleport. Hmm. And apparently they could cast spells, like touch or idiocy.

On the plus side they didn’t seem too hard to kill, although blunt weapons seemed more damaging then edged weapons (sorry Suishen). Despite the large numbers of them, we managed to dispatch them.

I wondered if the now damaged and unmonitored crystal room would explode or something now. But it didn’t seem to; in fact, we ended up taking out all the crystals and caching them. Using detect magic, we determined that 4 of the crystals actually seemed to radiate magic. We spent some time identifying them and found we had

[422] 2 cubic crystals, radiating abjuration. Able to create a 10′ cube within which the temp would remain 65 degrees and absorb cold-based attacks – no more than 50 in one round or 100 in ten.

[423] 2 prism shaped crystals, radiating evocation. They each had 50 charges, and they could
* act as a hooded lantern (1 charge)
* a 1′ diameter ray of light 50′ long that could blind a
creature 1d4 rds (1 charge)
* blinding flash for 30′ cone, blinded 1d4 rds (5 charges)

And we noticed that as we pulled out crystals, the humming decreased bit by bit. Each crystal pulled lowered the sound in the room, until the room was silent.

Up, again, I suspect. But do we need to recharge our spells? Would we lose the element of surprise if we recharged?

It very much seemed that pulling the crystals disabled some aspect of the tower.

Character: Kali

Kali’s Journal, Neth 10 – Kuthona 22, 4712

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Neth 10, 4712 (night, Iqaliat)

Ameiko and I spent a little time in the village square this afternoon, generally taking a break from the caravan preparations. Most of them had been done before we left for Unaimo, anyway, and we were about to spend two months—possibly more—in complete isolation. No matter my feelings about Iqaliat, I wanted some time around people before leaving in the morning. We sat and talked as the villagers went about their business in the glow of the torches both magical and mundane that dotted its perimeter, and protected from the cold by the spells on the sashimonos which stood guard at opposite ends. Most of them made a point to look at us and smile as they walked by, and a few spoke to us either in greeting or in thanks.

We were talking about nothing of consequence when she unexpectedly switched to Tien and said, casually, “You have an admirer.

The sudden change in topic and language caught me off guard, and I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly. “Excuse me?”

“An admirer. You have one.”

“Please.”

“I’m serious. He’s been watching you from across the square for a while now. Don’t look right at him, silly! Be discreet.” She admonished me when I turned my head to see who she was talking about. A little more nonchalantly, I looked around as if taking in the village. There was a young Erutaki man sitting on the other side of the square that looked away as my gaze swept across him, but in my peripheral vision I could see him turn back.

“He’s probably looking at you,” I said.

She smirked at me. “Ooohhh, no. It’s you he’s trying to work up the courage to talk to.”

“Pfft. How can you be sure?”

Smiling mischievously, she stood up abruptly and said, “Let’s find out, shall we?” And before I could object, she walked across the square to where he was sitting, spoke to him briefly, then strode off into the darkness towards the front gate. She had not gone more than a half dozen paces before he got up and approached me. I am going to kill her, I remember thinking. I am pretty sure Suishen will understand.

“Unnusakkut, Kali. I am Anerk. It is an honor to meet you,” he said, kneeling at my feet. My face suddenly felt very hot; I must have turned beet red. Somewhere out there, Ameiko was probably watching this scene and laughing. Death is too good for her.

He was just a kid, probably only a couple of years older than Ivan. He limped slightly on his left leg as he walked. I didn’t ask. I probably already knew the answer, anyway.

“I’m pleased to meet you, Anerk,” I replied. I gave him a smile that I hoped was friendly but not encouraging.

“I want to thank you for saving our village.”

I bowed my head slightly. “You’re welcome. It’s terrible what happened here. We knew we had to help.”

He looked down at the ground for a moment, long enough that the silence was awkward. Finally, he said, “I wanted to thank you during the celebration, but Ivan did not know where I could find—”

“It’s OK,” I said, cutting him off. I really didn’t want to know what “thanking me” would have entailed that night. He looked up again, looking right at me. He had that sort of nervousness that comes from talking to someone that you have a crush on. Way, way too good.

“Ivan says you stood face to face with the dragon. You were very brave to confront her with no armor.”

Personally, I could think of a few other words for that and none of them were as flattering. Still, I felt like I was being placed on a pedestal or something here and I was not comfortable with it, or where this might be headed.

“I am not defenseless, Anerk.”

He winced slightly at that. It must have come out harsher than I’d intended.

“I did not mean to offend. Of course you have magic.” He stopped there, suddenly reminded of Tunuak, I am sure. Another awkward silence followed.

Then, in a soft voice, he asked, “Is it true what they say? That he smashed her eggs?”

“Yes, he did.”

His expression turned somber. “I can understand her rage.”

“Yes. But…it was not going to stop. She didn’t care about justice; only wrath. She was going to level this village, then move on to the next. And then the next.”

He nodded. “And—”

“Kali! Sandru needs you!” Ameiko was crossing the square, coming to my rescue with perfect timing. The kind of timing that is manufactured. Sandru absolutely did not need me.

“I’m sorry, Anerk. It was a pleasure to speak with you, but I must go.”

“Tavvaujutit, Kali. Naammaktsiarit.”

Later, I learned from Ivan that his family was killed in the first attack on the village. So, naturally, now I feel like a heel.

Neth 11, 4712 (night, the ice)

Ulf is confident he can get us to this Storm Tower. It sounds so easy when you just say it like that, but it’s just one structure standing alone in thousands of square miles of frozen nothingness. Sonavut says it’s closer to the Alabastrine Peaks, which you would think would be hard to miss, but day and night are one and the same now, and under overcast skies the landscape is an ink so black we’d never see them on the horizon.

But, as I said, Ulf is confident he can get us there. I don’t know how, but this right here is why we hired a guide and if he says he can do it then he can do it. Who am I to argue?

What are we going to find there? The paintings in Tunuak’s makeshift altar are vague, even the one of the woman Katiyana. He depicted her as essentially human, only blue-skinned with black wings, and I don’t know what this means. The only blue-skinned beings I have seen that could otherwise pass as human are the yamah that occasionally visit Magnimar, and something about Tunuak’s depiction of her (and, of course, the whole connection to Sithhud) just doesn’t say “azata” to me. A tiefling, perhaps? Geniekin? (Aasimar? But what are the odds of there being two Nualias in my lifetime?) Not that it matters; I am just curious. Whatever she is, if the elders of Iqaliat are right, we are likely to encounter either her or her sway.

The Nameless Spires are supposedly the ruins of an ancient civilization, one that even predates Thassilon (which is as far back as my knowledge of history goes). The Storm Tower is rumored to be much like the spires of that place, only off by itself because…because otherwise, it’d not have a name, I guess. If Katiyana really is responsible for the growing ferocity of the storms, then it stands to reason that the tower, itself, figures into her plans. Perhaps she is harnessing some ancient magic or power that was once dormant inside, or maybe the purpose of the tower was to influence the weather and she has merely appropriated it for her scheme with Sithhud.

Sithhud. Not much is written about him. Legend says his domain was taken from him by another demon lord. Clashes among the ranks of the Lords and the Gods are rare, but decisive ones are even more so.

I imagine he did not take it well.

Neth 14, 4712 (evening, the High Ice)

We have reached the High Ice. Honestly, it mostly looks the same as the regular ice (the low ice?) except of course that it’s higher, and the only reason I know we’re here now is because Skygni said he’d accompany us this far and today is the day he took his leave.

The air has been getting thinner as we climb in altitude. The whole ice shelf slopes upwards towards the north, and every day it is a little harder to breathe than it was the day before, and we are a little quicker to tire. Ulf says it takes about a month to adjust to the conditions, and we’ll have to decide soon how we want to progress: stop and camp, travel slowly, or just push on. Strictly speaking there is nothing wrong with doing the last one—we are just as vulnerable spending that month traveling as we are sitting still—except for that part where we’d reach the Storm Tower still short of breath and easily exhausted.

Our progress has been slow thanks to the storm that rolled through on our way to the dragon’s lair and buried the ice road in several inches of snow. Of course snow doesn’t melt in subzero weather, but eventually the wind blows it off the shelf into warmer zones. “Eventually” just hasn’t happened yet.

Neth 19, 4712 (evening, the High Ice)

I am really feeling the effects of the altitude now, along with everyone else. We’ve chosen the “slow travel” option, and will be moving the caravan one or two days out of every week for the next month. This will keep us from going stir crazy without running the risk of pushing ourselves and the animals to the point of exhaustion. It’s not ideal as no one wants to spend this much time just camped in the middle of nowhere, but we are all too aware of our physical limits and know it’s the right thing to do.

It’s beautiful up here in it’s own way.

Nihali is less impressed. The magical devices I made keep us warm most days, but the spell that powers them has limits and every so often it is cold or windy enough to exceed them. She is forced to stay wrapped up in one of the covered wagons until these cold snaps pass.

Neth 25, 4712 (afternoon? evening? daytime? who can tell?)

A wagon axle broke today. The constant buildup of ice had made it brittle and that was that. Fortunately, we have plenty of wainwrights among us and their knowledge plus a few spells had us back up and moving in short order.

It’s not enough to mend broken objects with spells. This is something I learned long ago watching the occasional repairs in mom and dad’s warehouse. An axle, for example, is but one piece in a system of moving parts, and there is more to the repair than just making the spindle whole again: the surrounding pieces must inspected for secondary damage and the whole unit properly reassembled. It takes skilled hands and a skilled eye. It also takes time. Spells just accelerate some of the steps.

It’s been three months since I sent my last message home. Do they worry about me? I think they must, even though they know not to expect to hear from me again for several more weeks. I purchased a scroll in Kalsgard for a spell that, if I understand it correctly, I can use to see them and even exchange whispered messages, but it’s still beyond my ability. Every few days I give it another try—I want to learn it, not cast it—but progress has been agonizingly slow.

Kuthona 6, 4712 (night, the High Ice)

A couple of nights ago we were attacked by one of those glowing lizard things Skygni had warned us about. We’ve seen a couple of them from a distance since reaching the Crown, but this was our first close-up encounter. Qatana and I were on watch when we saw it streaking across the sky, only instead of circling in the distance it made a turn in our direction. We had just gotten everyone woken up as it passed overhead.

Skygni said that they were dangerous, but not precisely how so we had to learn the hard way. Olmas, once again, was critically hurt. After the fight was over, we determined that it probably sensed the world entirely through sound much as a bat does, only it could also send out sonic pulses in far greater strength and intensity than needed for navigation. This is what struck Olmas. And a few others. And our encampment.

It stands to reason that some of the creatures that live up here have adapted to the long winter night by not needing to see at all. We’ll have to be mindful of this.

Kuthona 12, 4712 (night, the High Ice)

I am not tiring as quickly and as easily as I used to which probably means were are close to having adjusted to the altitude, if not there already. As soon as Sandru and Ulf give the word, we’ll head to the Storm Tower at our full speed.

When skies are clear, we can just make out the Alabastrine peaks under the stars, far on the horizon. It shouldn’t be much longer.

Sparna presented me with a gift. It was one of the nicest, most thoughtful things anyone outside of my family has ever done for me. He said it was in thanks for a spell I’ve been casting for him every few days, but this goes far beyond that.

Some time ago he asked to borrow my crossbow, which I hardly ever use—I think the last time was in Brinewall—and when he returned it, it had been enchanted in a way that I had not thought possible. Bolts shot from it no longer draw blood. When he explained this to me I thought I was going to start crying right in front of him. Few people understand. I mean really understand. Ameiko, Qatana and Koya, for sure, but Sparna?

I actually thought he didn’t like me all that much. You just get that sense, you know? But as I get older the more I am coming to understand that I’m just not any good at reading people. I’ve also come to terms with the fact that I was not a particularly pleasant person to be around when I was a child. I was quick to anger, easy to offend, and prone to small outbursts. I still have shades of all three. I am my own worst enemy at times.

Crystalhue, 4712 (evening, Alabastrine Peaks)

Sandru took the caravan to within a few miles of the Storm Tower and then brought us to a halt. I don’t blame him. The first priority is to keep Ameiko safe, and that means keeping the caravan safe. We will set out on foot early in the morning.

There’s no question we are at the right place. A strange, blue glow emanates from the top of the tower and it was this light that guided us in. As Sonavut and Iqaliat’s chief had told us, storms swirl about its spire even when the weather is clear around us. The tower seemingly gives birth to each morozoku, feeds it until it is weaned, then sends into the perpetually night sky. The blue light from the tower illuminates the cycle for us to see, reflecting off the snow on the ground and the peaks on the mountains, and bathing everything in a soft, violet light.

Today is Crystalhue. There is no sunlight to shine through my prisms and no community festival to attend, but there is the central fire where the caravan is encamped, the magically-enhanced lanterns that provide our light, and of course my friends. I took out the small, glass and crystal bead sun catcher that I purchased in Kalsgard before we left, and hung it from the covered wagon so that I could watch the fire sparkle through it as the others ate. In memory of Asvig and in honor of Helva.

It is somewhat apropos that we have come here on the winter solstice.

Kuthona 22, 4712 (morning, the Storm Tower)

The Storm Tower rises some three hundred feet into the air, a hexagonal column of basalt cut like glass growing out of a pool of black slush. A ball of blue light crackles at its apex, feeding a budding storm overhead.

We’ve seen the slush before. According to Ulf, it’s a common sight around the Crown of the World and is one of the region’s more deadly hazards: a highly toxic, poisonous sludge that flows out of cracks in the ice. Its source seems to be the Nameless Spires, but what created it is a mystery.

We weren’t really sure what we’d find here; I reserved some of the mental energy I use for learning spells so that I could adapt to the situation at hand. Just a couple of months ago, I couldn’t afford to do this because I needed every spell I could possibly learn each morning, but as my abilities grow I find that each one takes less effort to commit to memory. I spent some time preparing for the assault on the third level now that we know what it is that we don’t know.

While I did this, the others began the tedious task of pulling gems out of the walls. This room is filled with them, the stones connected by an intricate network of wire. The crystalline entities that were inside seemed to be operating or maintaining this bizarre display as though it were some sort of machinery, but of course there is no mechanism. Just the gemstones, wire and magic of a type that I could not identify or even make sense of. How long have they been here? What were they doing? What was the room’s purpose? We have no answers, but this could very well date back to when the tower was created; the crystalline beings eternally performing a duty that has not been relevant for thousands of years.

The remorhaz were more recent occupants. Both bore the mark of Sithhud, each etched into one of their scales. Someone (Katiyana?) purposely brought them here, almost certainly to serve as guards for what lies above us. It was a lovely trap that produced a tense moment for Ivan.

We keep getting tripped up by the unexpected.

Much like the ground floor. A giant, carnivorous flower had taken root. How it manages to survive here with, I assume, no source of food is a mystery (another reason why I miss Etayne). Qatana got “swallowed” whole (do carnivorous flowers swallow? Is that even the right term?) and ejected in a constricting, digestive pod. I’ve never seen anything so alien. We had to literally cut her out of it to save her life.

The others are almost done collecting gems. It is time to move.

Character: Qatana

Qatana’s Journal for Neth 17 – Kuthona 22, 4712

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Starday, Neth 17, 4712 night
On the Ice

We have traveled north from Iqaliat for nearly a fortnight and have reached the “high ice.” We are now high enough that the air is much thinner than to what we and our beasts are accustomed. From here on we must acclimate and move forward slowly. Very slowly. Perhaps a day or two of easy travel each week for a month.

I envisage a tedious thirty days ahead, but like many of life’s unpleasant circumstances it too will be endured. My friends are already chittering to themselves about how to make the time go by more swiftly.

“Find another white dragon to slay!” Star suggested most eagerly, to which Timber countered, “No, play more games!”

“I’ll finally have time to finish my novel.” Pookie said, with a wistful air.

I suspect they will remain well nestled beneath the five layers of shift, shirt, jumper, coat and cloak I’ll be wearing; each ready to cry out in bitter protest if I let so much as a puff of cold air reach them.

Skygni has left us, and I will miss his company. Perhaps we will see him again if we pass this way on our return. If we return.

Sunday, Neth 25, 4712 night
On the Ice

Only a week on the high ice and we’ve already broken an axle. Fortunately with Sandru’s knowledge and a Make Whole spell what could have been a long delay became a short pause.

Most days we do not move: we pull the wagons into a circle and keep the lights shining. It is dark all of the time, except for our little island of magical brightness. We then sit around camp keeping ourselves busy, unless we are on guard duty. The scouts get away for some furtive hunting, but most of us remain close to the comfort of the light.

Many of us do not need to eat, but it is still nice to have a hot meal and feel the warmth spreading out from a full belly. Ameiko and I are busy and doing our best to present a wide variety of meals throughout the week.

Starday, Kuthona 1, 4712 late night
On the Ice

After dinner, while most of the camp was asleep, the sky was lit by streaks of blue green streaks of light. They began to swirl about the caravan high above, and probably attracted by our lights. Kali and I were on watch and being mindful of Skygni’s tale of lizards dropping from such lights, we raised the alarm.

Sure enough lizards were soon swooping down upon us, crying out with sonic bursts that blasted the snow and ice into sharp projectiles. They were ferocious beasts that proved difficult to slay. They were also tenacious and even after we killed most of the… flock? swarm? the survivors continued to dive at us until each was slaughtered in its turn.

The lizards had tiny, almost non functional eyes, which explained why attempting to blind them had little affect. If we encounter them again deafness will be more helpful.

Moonday, Kuthona 3, 4712 night
On the Ice

We have been enshrouded in the howling winds of a blizzard for the past two days, making conditions even less pleasant than usual. It’s a good thing we’re still only traveling once a week.

Moonday, Kuthona 16, 4712 night
On the Ice by the Alabastrine Peaks

Finally we are able to travel each day at a reasonable pace. We can see the Alabastrine Peaks up ahead and off to the right. The look like white hulking crags dimly visible in the perpetual starlight. After so long in the nearly featureless plane of the high ice I think they’re beautiful.

Fireday, Kuthona 21, 4712 night
On the Ice before the Storm Tower

By mid day we saw a bluish glow from the north which grew larger and brighter as we advanced. The ice beneath our feet reflected this eerie blue glow and the Alabastrine Peaks turned from pale white to indigo.

Later we saw it: the Storm Tower, standing tall and thin like a fang rising up from the stone and ice. Its top was obscured by a brilliant blue globe of light, about which whirled a tempest of clouds with violent velocity.

“That’s close enough!” Sandru announced as he brought the caravan to a halt some miles away. He was right. The tower looks more than dangerous. It looks unhealthy. Tomorrow my companions and I will approach the tower on our own.

Starday, Kuthona 22, 4712 late morning
Storm Tower

We could see that the tower was hexagonal in shape and soared several hundred feet up into the blue blaze and swirling clouds. It sat in the midst of a dismal pool of slushy oily ooze, and a tumble down rampart led across this pit to an open gate. The wind, which had increased steadily as we walked the two miles from camp, roared out from the entrance with such ferocity that it was difficult to move or stand while in its path.

We cautiously entered and a trio of wights descended upon us. We quickly destroyed them and looked around. Snow drifts had piled up in the corners, and a central chamber lay directly before us. It was from there that the wind was blowing.

The ceiling of the ground floor was a good hundred feet up. Rooms on either side of the central chamber offered some relief from the arctic blast, and so I moved off to the right. A large network of interlacing roots covered the floor and led up to a large tree creature, which took an unfriendly interest in us.

We engaged the tree-thing in combat, but I was quickly taken out of the action when the thing swallowed me, and then spat me back out encased in a tough woody cocoon. Digestive juices began to burn my skin as the sack began to tighten around me.

My friends cried out in alarm.

“It burns! It burns!”

“We need to break out!”

“I can’t breathe!”

“You don’t need to breathe.”

Fortunately my companions were there and Ivan carved away at the woody sack that held me. I emerged from the trap just in time to watch Olmas beat the living crap out of the tree-thing, which fell to the ground with a loud splintering sound.

After some healing we explored the rest of the ground floor. There was not much more to see. On the opposite side from the tree creature was a room filled with mushrooms. Olmas thought they were edible, and we may harvest some later. But it was the central chamber that held our interest.

It was hexagonal like the tower itself, and some sort of panel was set in one of its walls. I looked up inside the chamber and saw that it was the bottom of a shaft that lead up to the top of the tower. It was through here that the wind whistled down from the giant glowing blue orb.

Radella studied the panel for quite a while before fiddling with it. A platform appeared in the center shaft and climbed about a hundred feet up before it paused, and then moments later vanished.

There was only one way to go, and so with spells of Featherfall at the ready we stood in the shaft and Radella operated the panel. Up we went until the platform stopped and we quickly lept off.

A pair of remorhazes were waiting for us. It really makes you wonder what the hell these creatures do that are simply standing around guarding remote places like this, and who feeds them?

Another brief but fierce skirmish later and the remorhazes were dead. The symbol of Sithude had been etched into both of their scales — not much of a surprise there.

This level was also divided into different rooms, but the doors out from the main chamber shut and locked. Control panels were next to the doors, but even Radella found them too complex to decipher.

Fortunately the tower is built from stone, and so I used Stone Shape to create my own doorway.

Bizarre crystal scorpions scuttled about a room of glowing clear crystals. They began to swarm the opening, and we were prepared to take them out one at a time. Unfortunately they dimension doored out and among us and it soon became a free for all melee. We bashed and blasted the things as they stung and clawed at us, using a surprising and effective combination of spell and force.

We killed them all and looked into the room. A bewildering array of crystals and wires connecting to one another lined the walls. There was a low humming sound and we detected a large number of magic effects from some of the crystals, which we pried out.

[422]

2 cubic crystals of abjuration: activated by pressing a side.

Creates a 10 foot cube is created within which the temperature is 65 degrees. It absorbs damage from cold based attacks, but it can be destroyed with 50 points within a single round or 100 points in 10 rounds.

[423]

2 prism evocation crystals: activated by command word (50 charges).

shed light like a hooded lantern (1 charge)
1 foot diameter 50 foot long ray of light to blind a creature for 1d4 rounds (1 charge)
a 30d foot cone of light to blind creatures for 1d4 rounds (5 charges)

We also collected the other non-magical crystals and the humming stopped.

What is next? Up obviously. The ceiling here is also a hundred feet high, leaving room for another chamber (if each floor is as tall as the others) before the top of the tower. There is a panel here that will no doubt call a platform to take us up

Questions:

We used a some spells to get past the guardians on these lower levels. Are we ready to head up now?

Some of my companions were hit by Touch of Idiocy effects from the crystal scorpions. Should we restore them before proceeding? I think we need to.

Are there any protective spells we can cast or have on hand before heading up? Not knowing what is up there makes it hard to know.

Why didn’t we bring more cheese? Thanks Pookie.

Character: Sparna

What Sparna did on his winter vacation

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Father, Mother

A number of questions posed in my last missive, namely the nature of insanity, have been answered. But in doing so, more questions have arisen. My fear that Papa Sparn’s present, is what my future holds, has become reality.
Sparna stands at the town’s gate watching the caravan disappear over the horizon. Thinking to himself, “Two weeks til they return, the peace and quiet will be welcome.”

Retiring to the blacksmith’s forge, Sparna begins to work on dividing up the dragon hide into workable pieces. Time flies as he loses himself in his task. Eight hours later, he stretches and looks around. The activity in the workshops around him have slowed as the last of the sunlight fades. Nodding to the other craftsmen and women as they leave their shops, he starts to organize his area in preparation for tomorrows tasks. The dragon hide is tough and hard to work with, but the potential is there for a suit of armor he’d be proud to show his mother.

As he finishes his preparations for tomorrows work, he realizes that while working on armor is still satisfying, it’s not as fulfilling as it once was. His eyes focus on his urgosh in the corner and once again his thoughts return his grandfather obsessing about imperfections only he could see in his work, “Is this my future?”

Maybe if I combine soot with highly flammable alcohol and some refined oil……….

not quite right, maybe if I replace the oil with Kerosene……….
hmmm what about amber…….

no, no, no that won’t work unless I add some quartz……..

And if I heat it up to bright yellow before adding the gold dust…..
.
.
.
.
.

Day 2:
Early morning finds Sparna slumped over the anvil, having fallen asleep in as he polished the axe blade of the urgosh.

Putting the weapon back in the corner, he returns to his work on dragon hide armor.

Sparna spends the day working on cutting, shaping and preparing the dragon hide. The villagers stop by from time to time to see how things are going, never one to waste an opportunity to learn Sparna regularly pauses in his work to ask questions about the high ice.

Picking up his urgosh as he readies to leave, he notices what looks to be a blemish on the spear end of the urgosh.

Having a little time ………. grabbing a rag, some rendered dragon fat, soot
.
That’s not quite right, the coals should be more blue than yellow Add some cobalt
.,
.
Now that’s too blue, some copper maybe
.
Better, better
.
.
.
now if I hammer it just this fast………
.
.
.
Once again, morning finds Sparna slumped over the anvil. Polishing cloth in one hand, urgosh in the other.
“Maybe it’s time to see if Ivan can enchant this, like he has for others in the caravan”

Finding out that Ivan is out with a village hunting party, Sparna falls into pattern of working on the dragon hide during the day, and at night talking with the villagers about their history, their gods, and legends of the high ice.

After a couple of days Ivan returns.

“Hey, I’m ready for you to enchant the urgosh”, Sparna tells Ivan at breakfast the next morning.

“Sure, lets go to the forge and get started. I’ll work on enchanting it, while you work on the armor”, replies Ivan.

At the forge, Ivan goes silent as he prepares himself for the task at hand. Staring at the urgosh, Ivan’s eyes widen in confusion

I: “Ummm, this is already enchanted. When’d that happen?”

S: “It’s not enchanted, you think I’d let just anyone work on this?”

I: “It’s has a minor enchantment on it, making it a little harder and sharper. Both ends even”

S: “I tell you it is not possible, the only person who has ever worked on it is me”

I: ” So logically then, you enchanted it”

Remembering the late nights from earlier this week, Sparna’s eyes open wide……..

I have gone beyond Papa Sparn’s madness and somehow emerged a Magesmith. My companions are still mostly insane, but I no longer worry about that for myself.

Character: Olmas

Annals of the Order of the Dragon

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as written by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia, himself.

Wealday, 17 Lamashan

The town shaman is dead at our hand, and although it was perfectly justified, it was going to require some explanation. I suspect “he started it” after specifically warning the town about the dangers of the outsiders is not going to cut it. However, if we return with the hearthmistress … she was at least neutral to us, and this evidence plus our story might be sufficient for her to remain, at least, neutral.

In the meantime, there is one way that the shaman can still help us, and that is by his generous bequest of his belongings to the victors (us).

[399] 2 potions bark skin
[400] cloak of resistance +2
[401] ring of mindshielding
[402] staff with a decorative fork on top [5]
with 1 charge
detect snares and pits
endure elements
long strider
pass without trace
with 2 charges
freedom of movement
[403] cold weather outfit
[404] unholy symbol of Sithud

The latter was recognized by Kali and Qatana, who informed us that Sithud was a powerful demon lord who once was a god. So, checking my list, I see, ah yes, there it is.

[*] Antagonize enemies that are more deadly than a white dragon

Glad I can put that one behind me.

Right, retrieve the hearthmistress. Fly spell has worn off, so we’ll have to hoof it. According to Radella, there might yet be a guard to get past. It occurred to Kali that the guard, if there was one, might be controlled and not inherently evil, so we might not want to kill it. Good thought, although at this point it would not likely have occurred to me.

And sure enough, we did find the guard. Although he took a swing at me, he missed, so I gave him the free swing and held up my hands: “Whoa whoa whoa, friend here!” Qatana tried hold person – didn’t work. Ivan tried a dispel magic – no apparent effect. Sparna tried to intimidate: no go. Kali created a circle against evil but that too seemed to have no effect. Sigh.

On his next swing he cut me good, but mindful of our goals I tried to disarm him rather than kill him. I succeeded – he dropped his weapon, fell to the ground, and we could now see a small, 1′ tall creature riding on his back.

I can’t imagine a situation where that is harmless, so Sparna and I quickly dispatched it. Or, at least, it disappeared. The guard quickly came to, and looked both frightened and defensive. “Do you serve the traitor?”

Ah. Fate has brought us exactly the thing we needed: a witness.

Naquun told us that he had been in service to the shaman willingly, but many days ago, after returning from his visionquest, he called him down. He summoned the creature we saw to take control of him and after that Naquun was helpless to disobey him.

Some drawings and runes on the wall had drawn the attention of both Kali and Qatana, but Naquun had little to offer about them. We sent our grateful witness back to town to retrieve the hearthmistress.

When the hearthmistress and the chief returned, they were speechless. We barely needed to say anything at all, since Naquun retained all memory of what he’d been forced to do. We confirmed that the shaman was dead, and asked if the five pictographs – one of standing stones, one of blue towers in a frozen city, another of a single tower beneath pale peaks, yet another of a storm that appeared to be devouring towns, and lastly, one of a blue-skinned woman.

They were aghast at the sight of the broken dragon egg, but knew not why it was there or what it meant.

We climbed to the altar at the top of the peak to make sure it had not been desecrated or damaged. (It hadn’t.) We discussed the frozen spirits we had dispatched, and the chief griml acknowledged that some of them were indeed from the village.

The chief and hearthmistress wanted to destroy the body immediately, but Qatana convinced them to keep the body until tomorrow, because she wanted to try Speak with Dead with it. they agreed on the condition that they also be able to attend.

Oathday, 18 Lamashan

Everyone eagerly reconvened to talk to the dead shaman. Qatana performed the increasingly-familiar ceremony and asked:

Why is the dragon attacking the village?
– So that Sithud’s will be done.
What is the will of Sithud?
– Return to his rightful place.
Why did you trick the dragon into attacking the village?
– I did what must be done.

I felt those were fairly useless answers, but Kali and Qatana seemed satisfied. As per her new and slightly disturbing habit, Qatana retained the head.

We conclued that we needed to journey to the white dragon. None of our success here would have any reason to stop the attacks. If the dragon knew the human responsible had been executed, maybe it would stop. But again, none of that can happen without notifying the dragon.

By way of thanks, and aid, the chief offered us

[unnumbered] claws of the ice bear – +2 confidence on climbing,
3 times/day spider climb for one round

Fireday, 19 Lamashan

We’ve left on our trip to the home of the white dragon. Regrettably, the caravan will not be coming with us – too much of a target with no real benefit (other than making the trip a bit more comfortable for us).

Sunday, 21 Lamashan

Weather acted up, slowed us down. Snowstorm. Very cold.

Moonday, 22 Lamashan

We have arrived.

Unlike a “traditional” dragon lair, in this environment there is only one place for a white drago to live, and that is underground. We have found a rip in the ground which, we are told, is the lair of the dragon.

Dragons. Everybody talks about them but nobody ever does anything about them. Well, that’s about to change.

We magicked up with protection from cold, and resist cold (mine, courtesy of Suishen), even Draconic Reserve for Sparna. We added Fly, and Dark Vision. And down we went.
later
So much for negotiating.

The dragon was, understandably, predisposed against local humans. Its nest had been clumsily staged to look like it had been raided by the town of Iqaliat. When we found the dragon, both Qatana and I tried to tell it we had caught and executed the real murderer, but it was a mother filled with bloodlust. She went on about how all 2-legs were murderers and untrustworthy, and she kept breathing wintry blasts at us. Surprisingly, due to our magicks aforehand, those were much less painful than the claws and bites. Still, when we decided to swing instead of talk, it took maybe 30 seconds for us to, collectively, bring her to her death.

Although – she did come close to exiting the hole and wreaking havoc on the town. Sensing she was close to death she decided to go out in a blaze – er, frosty haze – of glory. It was only as it attempted to exit that some bit of Qatana’s magic was able to reach it and drive the killing blow. Having shot dozens of feet out of the hole, the dragon peaked, then fell back down the hole, falling past us, and slamming into the floor below.

A quick examination told us she was dead … but also revealed the older skeletal remains of another dragon, which probably explained why the dragon had no hope of replacing the eggs, increasing her despair.

Kali and Qatana were both morose about this turnout, and while I’m disappointed we had no choice but to kill it, I was fully prepared for this very likely outcome. I’d have frankly been surprised if diplomacy had worked.

We took time to catalog the things we found in the ice cave.

[405] arrow of lesser dragon slaying
[406] short sword +2
[407] 2 potions of protection from arrows
[408] ring of featherfall
[409] terra cotta horse – 1/day reroll an attack roll +1, 1/day summon
a phantom steed
[410] wand of enfeeblement [15]
[411] MW light steel shield
[412] MW cold iron spiked gauntlet
[413] MW composite shortbow +2 ST
[414] 11 arrows
[415] MW spear
[416] climber’s kit
[417] 200′ silk rope
[418] 2 pieces of amber (100gp ea)
[419] 6 bloodstones (50gp ea)
[420] 2 blue sapphires (500 ea)
[421] quiver decorated with winter wolf fur (500gp)

And there was coinage. Lots of coinage.

6208 copper
5042 silver
1188 gold
404 platinum

We shrank and brought back the dragon bodies. There was talk of making armor from the dragon’s hide.

Fireday, 26 Lamashan

We have returned to the village, and are being hailed as heroes. A big celebration is being planned – as big as one may party in a small town in the frigid north in the winter season – and to be honest, a little rest and relaxation sounds kinda good right now.

Starday, 27 Lamashan

We are leaving for supplies at Unaimo, probably the last major supply town before heading out on the high ice. After peering at the pictograph some more, the elders say they blue-skinned woman may be a disciple of Sithud, and may be trying to restore him to power. She may have already succeeded. If the woman can gain control of the “Storm tower”, that would be Very Bad.

It would seem we have another purpose to our journey across the ice. No longer is it enough to save the town. Now we must save the region.

Before leaving, the hearthmistress gave us additional gifts. One was, not surprisingly, a totem of friendship – we would always be welcome in town. And the other may prove quite useful: the sashimono of comfort. By attaching it to a lance or a caravan frame, it can grant protection to well below zero. This may be how we sleep comfortably in the horrible northern cold.

Character: Kali

Kali’s Journal, Lamashan 26 – Neth 2, 4712

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Lamashan 26, 4712 (night, Iqaliat)

Iqaliat wants to celebrate, and I get it. I mean, if my village was being terrorized by a dragon or some other monster, and strangers arrived out of the blue and just “took care of it”, I’d probably want to celebrate, too. In fact, I’ve been there. I grew up in Sandpoint, right?

And, maybe if I had tried to persecute and even execute those same strangers when they first showed up on my doorstep, I might go a little overboard in trying to make them feel welcome during round two. So I don’t want to say that this little gala is wrong. It’s just that…I expected there to be at least some acknowledgement that we’re throwing a party over the death of something that shouldn’t have had to die at all. That wasn’t even a threat until someone went out of their way to provoke a fight. Can we at least acknowledge that?

When I tried bringing this up to the chief and the hearthmistress? Blank stares. OK, fine, we’re just going to ignore all that, then.

They pulled us aside to talk about what they had learned from Tunuak’s secret shrine while we were away. Fine by me. I couldn’t take one more minute in the village, anyway. Iqaliat would just have to celebrate their heroes without the heroes.

For what it’s worth, the village elders had been busy trying to figure out what their former shaman had been up to. What he was unwilling to give us through his spirit, they had been busy working out from what he left behind.

“The morozokus are the scourge of the demon lord Sithhud. The dark-haired woman, the one he calls Katiyana, may have found a way to restore his power.” When we first arrived, we’d been told that strange, black monoliths had been appearing on the landscape. No one knew what they were for, but given Tunuak’s pictograms? The general consensus was that they were connected somehow. I couldn’t fault the logic.

“The tower in this pictogram may be the Storm Tower. It is similar to the towers in the Nameless Spires, but it stands alone near the Alabastrine Peaks.” It’s called the Storm Tower because, yup, storms always seem to be swirling around it. No one puts any thought into these names.

We were told that the storms have been getting worse each year, slowly working their way farther and farther south. Whatever plan this Katiyana has? It seems to be working. She’s not just a threat to the inhabitants here, but to Avistan and Tian Xia, too. She’s been operating up here unopposed for quite a while. I think it’s time for some opposition.

Don’t get me wrong: I am no crusader. We were pulled into this mess and all but forced to do something morally repugnant to fix it. This Katiyana person is the why, and I aim to do something about it.

Neth 2, 4712 (evening, Unaimo)

About half way to Unaimo, we lost the sunlight completely. The next three months will be in total darkness save for the lights we bring with us. It’s unnerving.

We’re in Unaimo just for the day to resupply for the trip over the ice. If it wasn’t so late in the year it would be a busy trading town, but being the off season it’s more subdued. I got my share of inquisitive looks when I was filling every inch of cargo space with the provisions we purchased there. I think they were waiting for me to volunteer the answer. Fat chance. I wouldn’t have said anything even if they’d come out and asked.

We leave for Iqaliat in the morning. Then? It’s up onto the Ice.

Character: Ivan

Ivan’s journal

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I had some doubts about the villagers believing that the shaman was responsible for the dragon attacks but I kept my mouth shut and let the smart people figure it out. By pure luck we were able to free the guard from the creature that was enslaving him. Once the guard started thanking us for saving him from the shaman it seem pretty clear that the best option is to have the guard fetch the chief and hearth mistress.

They spent quite a bit of time talking about the pictures on the walls. I was wondering if Skygni had seen anything like this before. Obviously we can’t bring Skygni into the village as they would freak out. In the end Qatana did her speak with the dead spell and we learned that he was acting on behalf of Sithhud. It turns out that the Oracle recently went on a vision quest to the nameless spires. Kali kept making comments about Oracles going on vision quests but isn’t our quest with Ameiko kind of turning into a vision quest? When Kali was first showing us about the high ice she specifically said that we wouldn’t be seeing the nameless spires. I kept thinking that someday I wanted to visit the nameless spires.

Stepping onto the high ice was like walking into another world. I don’t think that it is as dramatic as the story Skygni told me about falling through a tree. I stopped to enjoy the moment. It would have been easier to enjoy the moment if Kali wasn’t still going on about having to actually walk. This landscape is so different and it is easy to see how people can get lost. When the weather kicks up finding your way out would be very difficult.

The others are so impatient that they could not even give me a few minutes to take in the splendor of the high ice. These people really need to learn how to enjoy the moment. We are 4 days away from the dragon and they can’t wait 5 minutes to let me enjoy the moment.

So we started the trek towards the dragon. Kali was up to her usual planning only this time I think the plan was to reason with the dragon. How do you even reason with a white dragon? I saw Kali talking with Skygni and I have to wonder if she was trying to find out how she could reason with the dragon. Skygni is very practical with his opinion that it is crazy to go after dragons there is plenty of food that is easier to kill. There is a lot of since in what Skygni is saying but the fact is that we need to get the caravan passed the dragon. I think we have a better chance dealing with it on our terms rather than hers.

We witnessed a blue green light streaking in the sky. Skygni said that sometime lizard-birds drop and that they are very nasty. If I had to guess I would say that this light comes from the nameless spire. Even I can see that fate is guiding us to the nameless spire. But at least for now we march towards the dragon.

A few days into the trip a storm turned everything white and we were forced to wait for the storm to pass. I was about to head into the storm to test my beacon spell but I did not want to be responsible for something happening to any of the others if they noticed that I was missing and tried to find me. I will have to test it later when they wouldn’t go looking for me.

The dragon luckily was not very old and our resistance, darkvision and fly spells pretty much gave us the upper hand. I was having troubles hitting the dragon so I was wondering if she had something protecting her from arrows. We did find some protection from arrow potions so maybe that is why I couldn’t hit her with any arrows. We decided to take the whole dragon back with us. I promised some dragon meat for Skygni once we get back to the village. Once the villagers saw firsthand that the dragon was dead they through a huge party. Kali was upset and tried to convince them this was not a joyous occasion but I could tell they were not even really listening to her. Kali didn’t seem to understand that they felt that they did not have future as long as the dragon lived. When you have to live off the land life can be hard.

Skygni feasting on the dragon meat almost seemed like something special for him. I am not sure that many winter wolfs get to feed on dragons. He seemed very pleased with himself. To get supplies the caravan decided to head to Unaimo on a supply run, Sparna decided to stay in Iqaliat and work on his weapon. There is something odd but familiar in the way Sparna is working with his weapon, It reminds me of how I enchant weapons. I have decided to stay in Iqatiat as well so that I could watch over Sparna and spend some time on the high ice. This way I can try out my spell without anyone searching for me.

Character: Kali

Kali’s Journal, Lamashan 17 – 23, 4712

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Lamashan 17, 4712 (evening, Iqaliat)

Our suspicions about Tunuak are all but confirmed, and though we still don’t understand exactly why we have at least been given a glimpse at the larger picture. The altar he had made for himself at the base of the chimney was decorated with a number of paintings that he, himself, had created. Not all the details are clear to us, but collectively they tell a story about storms being unleashed on the northern reaches of Avistan and Tian Xia, swallowing people, ships, cities and countries in a permanent winter that would rival even Irrisen. At the center stood a winged, blue-skinned woman that none of us recognized, but who Tunualk had named: Katiyana.

The symbol of Sithhud was everywhere. Tunuak had drawn Katiyana grasping the three fingered claw in her hand. The floor of the cavern was littered with bones, and the ones large enough to hold it had been etched with his rune. The nascent demon lord of the frozen dead, ice and storms.

The storms. The Erutaki here call them morozokus and speak of them as though they are living things. “The old gods of the wind oversee them,” Sonavut said. Maybe, maybe not, but they may not be far off the mark, here. I found a reference to them in one of the books we picked up back in Kalsgard. They were named after the druid who first saw and described them, and he wrote that they seemed to be guided by some malevolent intelligence. So, gods of old? Maybe, but Sithhud feels closer to the mark, and he was all around us down there.

How did this happen? How did Tunuak go from village shaman to all of this, whatever the gods this is? The answer, apparently, is a vision quest.

I’m not an expert on these things—it’s times like these that I really miss Etayne’s counsel—but I understand the broad strokes. I lived most of my life in Varisia, and you can’t spend that many years there without learning a thing or two about the Shoanti. Some of their tribes have rites of passage that sound like much the same thing: you spend several days in the wilderness, alone, fasting, waiting for the spirits to send enlightenment and revelation. Among the Erutaki that live here, according to the hearthmistress, those seeking vision quests seek out none other than the Nameless Spires because “that is where the wind spirits live”. The same Nameless Spires that appeared in the paintings in Tunuak’s cavern. The same Nameless Spires where Tunuak went on his vision quest.

He went out there seeking guidance from the old gods, heard voices on the wind, and came back towing hoarfrost spirits, smashing dragon eggs, bargaining with quasits, and spreading the sign of Sithhud like seeds. What in the name of the gods happened out there?

The chief has agreed to let us speak with his spirit, like we did with Kimandatsu. Obviously they want answers, too.

Lamashan 18, 4712 (morning, Iqaliat)

Kimandatsu wanted to gloat. She wanted to talk. She wanted to tell us everything, even in death. But Tunuak? His essence was evasive. He admitted to his crimes, he just wasn’t forthcoming with the details. But he told us enough: Sithhud wants to reclaim his place among the demon lords, and Tunuak intended to help him. We just don’t know how the pieces fit together.

“Why did you smash the dragon’s eggs?” Qatana asked.

“I did what must be done.”

See what I mean?

I am distinctly uneasy with the situation we’re now in. As the chief was quick to point out, “Regardless of what Tunuak has done here, the dragon is still attacking our village.” Yeah, sure. And how would you respond if someone killed your children?

Gods.

We’re going to try and bargain with her. We don’t exactly have proof, but we have enough of the story, and Tunuak’s remains to show her, so she might be willing to listen. I admit that it’s probably not going to work, but if there’s even a chance we can put a stop to all of this then we have to try. But we also have to prepare for the worst.

It’s going to be a four-day hike to her lair. That’s one way. I wanted to use the caravan to get us most or even part of the way there, but Sandru would not budge. Which, I suppose, is understandable: the caravan might prove too attractive a target should she pass overhead. And, this way, if she gets away from us and tries to seek revenge on the village, Ana and Shalelu will be there to help. But regardless of how much sense it makes? I just don’t want to walk.

It’s Lamashan, and that means the days are quickly growing shorter as the nights get longer. The sun rises (if you can call it rising) late in the morning and hangs low in the sky just above the horizon for only a couple of hours. Most of our waking time is spent in dawn and dusk light, and when the weather is sour it’s as good as dark. There is something isolating about walking across the frozen landscape in a fading sky, no matter how many people you are with.

Lamashan 22 (evening, dragon’s lair)

She’s dead. I don’t think it’s what any of us wanted, but that’s how it ended. We tried to parley. We brought her the proof that Tunuak had paid for his crime with his life. Whether or not she believed us didn’t matter, however. What he had done to her was unforgivable, and she was going to punish “all two-legs”, everywhere, in retribution. Iqaliat was almost certainly just the beginning. She would have been hunting and killing humankind for as long as she was alive and able to do it. Even when we had her bested, and she knew it, she refused to give, so deep was her anger. This. This is what he had done.

I actually stood face-to-face with her. It is a position I never want to be in ever again, but I did it. Was it foolish of me to walk into that cavern alone and call out to her? Probably. But if we were going to try to talk to her, it had to look that way, too. By appearances, I was the least threatening so I volunteered as spokesperson. I never even heard her coming, and I bore the brunt of the ice and sleet from her breath, protected from harm solely by the spells we had prepared. Fortunately, Radella was beside me in an instant. The bitter cold I could handle. Her teeth and claws would have been another matter.

Mere seconds later, most of the rest of us were on her. For a terrible moment I thought she was going to get away. We made the mistake of not holding someone back in reserve. I had images in my head of her bearing down on Iqaliat, only this time not stopping at just a few Erutaki and their goats. After what we had done to her, she would not have stopped until the village was buried in blood and ice.

I took a cue from the harriers of my youth. I went after her pride, taunting her the best I could, hoping it would be enough to turn her back at us. It was to no avail. Fortunately, Qatana was just fast enough following her up the chute and she did something—I am still not sure what—and the dragon fell, lifeless, just as she was clearing the top of the rift.

Testament to Tunuak’s sins was found in a small cavern: shattered eggs, a stone hammer, and a tribal talisman. It was, in all honesty, a clumsily staged scene, but how sophisticated did it really need to be to enrage a white dragon? That is a rhetorical question.

We’ll be taking her body back with us. In the morning, I can prepare the spell to shrink it down. I also suggested to Sparna that he make armor from her hide. This whole thing has been such a waste of life. Why compound it further by letting her body rot to no purpose?

Or maybe I am just fooling myself. Pretending to still have the ideals that I left in Avistan. I know I’ve changed since this journey began. The question is, how much?

I’ll have four days walking in the gods-be-damned snow to think about the answer.

Lamashan 23 (morning, dragon’s lair)

Skygni was actually impressed. I get the feeling that this doesn’t happen often. He kind of looked at us for a moment, then said, “You may make it across the ice after all.”

Character: Qatana

Qatana’s Journal for Lamashan 17 – 26, 4712

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Toilday, Lamashan 17, 4712 evening
Iqaliat

The village shaman, Tunuak, lay dead upon the frozen floor of his secret underground lair. Hundreds of human bones and dozens of skulls, each marked with rune in the shape of a three fingered claw, were strewn about the lower level.

Kali and I conferred over the rune and realized it was the holy symbol of Sithud, a powerful demon lord who was rumored to have at one time been a god. How could a god cease to be divine without actually perishing? My guess is that he did not take this demotion well.

No matter, we searched Tunuak’s body and recovered the following.

[399]	2 potions of Barkskin
[400]	+2 cloak of resistance
[401]	ring of shielding
[402]	staff of journeys [5 charges]
[403]	cold weather outfit
[404]	unholy symbol of Sithud

Five pictograms had been painted upon the walls around the altar depicting scenes of the frigid waste to the north. Standing stones, blue towers of a frozen city, a single tower beneath alabaster peaks, a storm of clearly supernatural origin with spiral arms devouring towns, and last of all a blue skinned woman.

There was writing beneath the woman, which Kali translated as, “Katiyana, who speaks to me on her winds from the tower in the Storms.”

We made our way up the ramp and arranged ourselves to open the door at the top. There had been a guard, a villager, posted on the other side when Radella passed through (invisibly) earlier, and we did not wish to kill any more villagers.

The guard attacked — almost mindlessly so. Charm spells and Hold Person had no affect on him, but his eyes were those of one who was being controlled. We had no choice but to fight, and Olmas did his best to knock him down after first disarming him.

As the guard fell and small bat like creature leaped from the back of his head. A quasit! Sparna and Olmas wasted no time in slaying it.

The guard came to a short time later, and he looked frightened. “Who are you? What are you doing here? Do you serve the traitor Tunuak?” he demanded.

“Tunuak is dead,” Olmas said. “Good!” spat the guard.

He then told us how Tunuak had been a faithful shaman to the village for many years, but some time ago he went on a vision quest into the frozen wastes. When he returned he seemed different: less helpful and more angry. Not long ago he had asked the guard to accompany him into the tunnel that led up to the village altars on the high ice above, and there Tunuak has summoned the small bat winged beast that had taken over the guard.

Little did he realize that however unpleasant his captivity, it had saved his life. All of the other experienced village guards had perished in the quest to defeat the dragon.

The guard trotted off to inform the village elders of Tunuak’s treachery, and bring back the hearth-mistress and chief.

They were clearly in shock as we led them into Tunuak’s hideout, and had little to offer in the way of explanation of the pictographs or their shaman’s behavior.

We would have to seek answers directly from Tunuak himself.

Wealday, Lamashan 18, 4712 evening
Iqaliat

We had three questions to ask Tunuak, and Kali and I performed out usual pas de deux with Owl’s Wisdom to give us our best chance for answers. I then bent over the body and began.

“Why is the dragon attacking the village?”

“So that Sithud’s will may be done.”

“What is Sithud’s will?”

“Return to his rightful place.”

“Why did you trick the dragon into attacking the village?”

“I did what must be done.”

While not as helpful as they could have been, his answers did confirm that the dragon was tricked into attacking Iqaliat, and that Tunuak was serving Sithud.

The villagers wished to burn Tunuak’s body, but we removed and kept his head for our pending encounter with the dragon.

We spent the rest of the day discussing how to reach the dragon’s cave, which was several days journey north. Ulf would act as our guide and Skygni would accompany us as well, although neither Ulf nor the winter wolf go with us to meet the dragon itself.

Oathday, Lamashan 19, 4712 evening
road north to the white dragon’s lair

We made reasonable progress, but as we were setting up camp we saw streaks of blue green lights racing across the horizon, then curving around and returning. We asked Ulf what they were, but it was Skygni who replied.

“I have seen those lights. Sometimes they are just light, but sometimes lizard birds fall from the sky from the light. The birds do not taste good.”

Sunday, Lamashan 21, 4712 afternoon
road north to the white dragon’s lair

We have been once again waylaid by severe winter weather. But this time we are without the comforts of a caravan. We have gathered together in a snow cave Ulf taught us how to make. But there is no fire and it is still cold, although not nearly as cold as outside. The night will be colder still.

Moonday, Lamashan 22, 4712 evening
the white dragon’s lair

To be honest I had expected a cave set high in the side of a mountain.

There were no mountains: after the road scaled the cliff face leading up to the crown the landscape had flattened away to gently undulating snow covered hills. I kept expecting the hills to lead up to peaks of staggering heights, but instead they levelled out into a stark empty plain of nothingness.

By noon we stood on the edge of an enormous black tear in the white snow. After our eyes adjusted to the gloom we good see ridges and rock spires reaching up from the distant and invisible depths below.

We prepared for the descent with spells that granted us protection from cold, vision in the dark, sending messages among us, and of course the ability to fly. Ulf waved as we jumped over the side and drifted down.

Perhaps sixty feet down was a cave entrance in the vertical wall of rock, but it was sealed by a plug of clear ice.

Further down was another entrance, which with Pookie’s encouragement I followed to a nest of broken dragon eggs. Amidst the egg shell fragments was a hammer and the talisman from the village. I relayed my findings to the others.

At the same time Olmas had gone lower down where the glint of something shiny indicated he had discovered the dragon’s horde.

Across the chasm, halfway between Olmas’ and my tunnels was a much larger cavern that led straight back into the rock. Kali landed here and moved in, while the rest of the group played catch up.

“Oh great and powerful white dragon, we wish to speak with you!” Kali called out.

A moment later there was a tremendous roar as a blast of icy breath engulfed Kali. As the ice cleared the form of a large white dragon appeared mere yards before her.

“Treacherous hairy apes!” it snarled, “You destroyed my eggs, and so I have sworn that all of your kind shall die!”

Kali and I tried to reason with it — even Pookie threw in a clever suggestion or two — and most of our companions stood by without taking any aggressive action against the beast at great personal risk. But the dragon was blinded by rage and beyond all reason.

It continued to attack and threaten not only our deaths, but the deaths of everyone in Iqaliat, and in so doing it brought about its own destruction.

It was truly a mighty and powerful foe, but we were many and not without our own formidable abilities. I did little during combat but aid my friends with special abilities and healing. Presently the dragon became aware of its own mortality, and it created a bank of freezing fog through which it fled deeper into the cavern.

We pursued it and my friends continued to rain blows and spells upon it. Ivan cleverly blocked off its attempt to escape down another fissure in the earth with a well placed illusion of a wall of fire.

You cannot imagine just how fast a dragon can move until you encounter one. The creature took flight and raced back through the cavern and up and into the main rift.

We were only able to follow it to the cavern’s mouth and watch it sail up and away.

It was going to escape.

I sighed as Star grumbled, “Just do it!” I summoned an ally of pure force in the shape of a barbed devil. The devil struck the dragon twice, and the dragon plummeted the full four hundred feet down to the rift floor, hitting it with a loud crack and an explosion of snow and ice fragments.

We flew down and confirmed that it was dead. Another needless death of yet another creature that refused to listen to reason. I am still depressed by this outcome, although there was nothing else we could have done.

We collected the dragon’s body (it made no sense for it to go to waste), and rose up to the treasure chamber and gathered everything from its horde.

[405]	arrow of lesser dragon slaying
[406]	+2 short sword
[407]	2 potions protection from arrows
[408]	ring of featherfall
[409]	terracotta horse: once per day the bearer can reroll an attack with a +1 luck bonus once per day the bearer may summon the spirit of a war horse
[410]	wand of Ray of Enfeeblement [15 charges]
[411]	master-work cold iron shield
[412]	master-work spiked gantlet
[413]	master-work composite short bow
[414]	11 arrows
[415]	master-work spear
[416]	climber’s kit
[417]	200 feet of silk rope
[418]	2 pieces of amber (100gp each)
[419]	6 blood stones (50gp each)
[420]	2 sapphires (500gp each)
[421]	leather quiver elaborately worked (500gp)
	Coins: 8208cp 5642sp 1188gp 404pp

We flew about the rest of the underground complex, and after finding only empty interconnecting passageways we returned to the surface. Ulf had seen the dragon briefly soar up and out from the rift before plunging back down, and was relieved that we had survived our encounter. Skygni seemed impressed with us for having slain the dragon.

We secured a rope to the lip of the crevasse for Ulf, and descended down to the first chamber where we have made camp.

Fireday, Lamashan 26, 4712 evening
Iqaliat

The trip back to the village passed without event. The sameness of the landscape and weather (the only variation on the latter being more snow and cold) made for a tedious trek. The villagers were ecstatic with the news of the dragon’s death, and created an impromptu party to celebrate.

Few of us felt inclined to attend, and the words passed from Kali and I to the chief and hearth mistress that made it perfectly clear that it was one of their own that brought the wrath of the dragon down upon the village, and it was because him that the dragon had to be killed.

Despite this bleak pronouncement of guilt, the villagers were delighted with us and we were welcomed as trusted friends. How fickle are simple folk who so readily let fear and sweet lies sway their reason. Less than a week before these same people wanted us banished or dead.

Idiots. I have no plans to go back inside the village between now and when we leave.

We have much planning to do before we take the caravan onto “the ice,” and more provisions to purchase. Sparna is crafting armor from the dragon’s hide, which will take some time. We have tried to use as much of the dragon’s body as possible, and have even given some of the meat to Skygni as a reward for his companionship.

The hearth-mistress and chief visited us for dinner, but they brought disturbing news. They village elders had visited the pictograms and feared they bode evil for all those who lived near the ice. Worse (for us) what they found indicated that it would be impossible for anyone to travel across the crown until this evil were dealt with.

It came as no surprise that it was Sithud’s doing. As I suspected he was not content being just a demon lord, and was actively working toward becoming a god once again. And “actively working” meant an increase in supernatural storms among other equally unpleasant (and deadly) things.

We have no choice but to find the mysterious lost city at the north pole and stop Sithud’s threat. Either that or abandon Ameiko’s quest and return to Sandpoint. Well, that’s not going to happen.

In appreciation for what we had done (and were about to do) for the village the hearth-mistress gave us a magical Tien silk blanket. Any creature within thirty feet of the blanket would be comfortable in the cold.

Our oxen and horse will appreciate that after the caravan reaches the ice during the heart of winter.

Character: Olmas

Annals of the Order of the Dragon

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as written by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia, himself.

Toilday, 9 Lamashan

Travelling in a caravan is, for the most part, a boring use of time. Oh sure, there’s the duty of it all, and I want to see the caravan succeed, and I’m even one of the active people, not just sitting in the wagon, but actually out riding on Kasimir, but nonetheless, it is a lot of “nothing happens”.

Ulf seems to enjoy this – as much as anyone could enjoy bitterly cold weather that is. Suishen grants me endure elements, so for me it never really rises above discomfort, but it’s the tedium. The cold numbs the mind as much as the body. So it was with a slight quiver of excitement when a large white dragon – no, make that silver, which is a much better tiding – flew towards us and as it passed overhead, reported, “Travellers! Be careful! Ice trolls ahead in your path!” before ascending again and flying off.

Nehali, able to scout further ahead than any of us (and less obtrusively, too), checked it out and reported back that there were a group of the creatures apparently camped just off the trail. They were not likely visible from the trail, but nevertheless within easy striking distance of it. Likely their campsite was chosen because it made it easy to ambush people on the trail.

A brief conversation with Ulf yielded the opinion that ice trolls were like normal trolls, only different. When more detail was requested, we learned they were likely blue and probably smarter. “Smarter than a troll” if said in the wrong context could lead to swords being drawn, but it sets the bar so low that we were genuinely unsure of what to expect.

We arranged ourselves in what we thought would be a battle-helpful manner, and advanced, leaving the caravan behind. the biggest surprise was that upon finding the troll camp, one of them advanced to us with his arms open, saying in broken Common, that “if you lost, we help. No big worry.” He then said something in Giant to his companions and they slowly, calmly, began to walk not toward us, but around us, as if to flank us. (I learned later that the troll had foolishly said, “We don’t have to find dinner, friends! Dinner finds US tonight!”)

Since I didn’t think even a smart troll would be all that smart, I approached the lead troll glibly. “We’re not so much lost ourselves, but this rock is. It is not of this place – you can see that, right? Look! Its edges are worn down, no doubt from the harsh cold. You seem to be comfortable in the cold, so I’ll bet you can explain, right?”

The troll stopped and if it were possible for the troll to look perplexed, he did so. “The .. rock? It is … it does not matter!” But his companions continued to gently try to flank us.

“Oh, I quite agree,” I responded, “but this rock is real.” I nodded at the rock and raised an eyebrow to the troll in a “you know what I mean” gesture. He stood their speechless, wondering what part of Common he was not understanding correctly.

About this time, one of the trolls realized my sword was on fire. “Firewielder!” he shrieked, and all pretense at conversation was off. But the task was done – the delay had allowed Kali to summon three fire elementals. While they were not huge by any stretch of the imagination, the ice troll were very much against their appearing. He attacked me, I swung back, and the battle was one.

They were armed with axes the size of battleaxes to us, but they obviously were relying more on numbers than sheer fighting skill. Suishen cut happily into their cold flesh, and a glance around me revealed that Sparna, Radella, and even Qatana were doing a number on them as well. The real fire elementals made the trolls very wary of Ivan’s false image of one. Kali levitated above the fray and cast spells while safely out of harm’s way.

In the end, the eight ice trolls would trouble this world no more. A search of they and their camp revealed only two things of any interest: 80 gp, and

[385] a ring, which later was identified as a ring of sustenance.

The danger removed, we returned to camp. At dinner, Ulf told us a tale of the “Arctic Chimera” which was part walrus, part polar bear, and part white dragon. It tried to bring an avalanche down upon his caravan, but he lured it away and saved the caravan. Or so the story goes

Oathday, 11 Lamashan

Really cold. REALLY cold. Even with Endure Elements – “enduring” is not the same as “enjoying”. The wind picked up today, and it is snowing. We only got about half as much travel in.

Fireday, 12 Lamashan

Wors ! Didn t th k it p sibl , but it is. Ink fr z ng in b ttl . Only 1/4 as m ch t day.

Starday, 13 Lamashan

C uldn t m ve t day. At al .

Sunday, 14 Lamashan

Less cold. Deep drifts. About 3/4 speed. Seems almost warm by comparison. Snow is not my thing.

Wealday, 17 Lamashan

We have made it to Igaliat. The normal caravan route normally bypasses this town, but Ulf wanted to consult with them about conditions over the Crown. Ulf has a talisman of friendship which was given to him by the hearth mistress and which should afford us entry.

— later —

Town very suspicious of us. Even Ulf feels it. The hearth-mistress welcomes him, but the town is tense. Apparently, a white dragon has been harassing their town, to the point of taking or killing townspeople. Their shaman thinks it is a holy retribution for failing to honor their religion, and insists a more rigid adherence to sacred rules is needed. In fact, we discovered upon talking to him in public that he believes we should be sacrificed.

That really is unwelcoming.

The hearth-mistress vetoed the idea, but did suggest that overnight might best be the total length of our stay. We offered to look into the white dragon issue and she was certainly accepting of that .. just don’t stay in town to do it. 3 parties of men from the town left to do the same, and never returned, she pretty much doesn’t expect to see us return again.

Oh, and she also offered the northern route is already blocked by “hungry storms” not unlike the one we encountered this last week. The old gods of winds drives the storms, it is said, and they believe they are but one more bit of evidence that the gods are angry with the town.

Meanwhile, Radella noticed the shaman drifting away, and with a deft invisibility spell from Kali, she went to follow him. She apparently found him taking a path into the mountain that was guarded by both locks and guards, and she followed as long as she dared before returning and bringing us up to date. She encountered a ghostly figure that seemed to see her even though invisible, and Ulf said it might have been a frost spirit – basically a soul that has died at the hands of cold.

The dragon, we were told, is about 60 mi north of the town. It’s about as big as a horse. That’s probably our next stop, but first we wanted to learn more about this shaman. As a group then, we returned to the area Radella had seen, but in a slightly different manner. She had seen an opening in the mountain leading to the same area, and rather than deal with the locks and the guard, we chose to use the more direct route, courtesy of Fly spells.

Owing to their dark vision, Radella and Sparna entered first. As I entered, I had Suishen turn on his flame. I sensed we were about to be in battle and wanted every advantage I could have.

Below us we could see the shaman, and an altar. As he saw us, he seemed to cast a spell, and eight frosty looking spirits appeared near us. Radella nodded; yes, these looked like the figure she had seen. And while we’ve no way of knowing whether they were created as Ulf said, we do know they were undead. One managed to hit Sparna and his shout (and behavior) seemed to leave him less nimble than normal.

I also know that flaming Suishen made the spirits most uncomfortable.

Eventually we worked our way to the shaman, and after dispatching him discovered something on the altar that was both shocking and telling. There on his altar lay shards from what appeared to be a white dragon’s egg.