Omnis tuus castra sunt inesse nos.
Sharn, Therendor 16, 998 YK
Dear Morghan—
I know this letter will likely be delivered with the last I sent, but I’m just glad I’m alive to send it at all!
We took Jin up into the city to find a healer, though he asked to go to a temple in his apparent delirium. We just let him babble on about clerics and took him to the closest Healer’s Guild. His mention of temples was timely though, as I had not realized it was Sun’s Blessing until the day was almost past. I had to make a way too brief stop at the Pavilion of the Host near our compound to leave an offering. I don’t believe any of my companions follow the Sovereign Host. We also stopped at the Broken Anvil for a meal and I sent a message to our Cannith patron, after having to repeatedly assure our friends that I could compose a note without confusing or insulting the other House!
This morning we all met again at the Broken Anvil and a courier from House Cannith arrived while we were waiting for our breakfast. He presented us, as we hoped, with the Cannith Journal. We’ve been taking turns skimming through it for any mention of the artifact. Before we headed off for the sewers below Dura, Jin decided to change his form, but for some reason, felt the need to go off and do so alone. Of course, he was still wearing the same clothing when he returned to the table, so we knew it was him.
We arrived back at the hatch, somewhat surprised that there wasn’t a soul in the market area, when it had been teeming just yesterday. K’ehleyr, who is a lot more battle hardened than the rest of us, took the journal towards the glowing blue house symbol. Thankfully, the hatch responded to that and opened up!
It got a bit nasty from there on in. The hatch revealed a vertical shaft that stretched as far as the eye could see in either direction. There had been a ladder at some point, but it had rusted away. And it was replaced with bugs. Really big bugs! We had to carefully make our way down the rough rock walls of the narrow shaft for about 500’, after which the angle became easier to navigate, though it continued in a generally downward direction. Sharn must go down below sea level as much as it rises above it!
By the time we did find a floor like level, we had gotten used to the bugs— that is, until we saw a carpet moving across the floor of a humongous cavern at us, clicking and chittering. Beetle swarm! Gib considered trying to eat them all, but they looked as determined to eat him, so we resorted to throwing lamp oil that I lit with a quick spell (see, I told you cantrips are good for things other than amusement!).
This seemed to drive the swarm off, and so we began to explore the huge vaulted chamber we now found ourselves in, hoping to find the foundry quickly.
Now, after that, things are a little hazy. I woke up on the floor of an ancient temple, with Gib trying to drip water from an enchanted fountain into my mouth. Apparently, we’d been accosted by some large acid-spewing rats, and both Jin and I had been nearly killed with their first attack! I owe Gib one. He and K’ehleyr had noticed a symbol they did not recognize at the font— Onatar, god of Artifice and the Forge. We were certainly on the right track!
Now that we were all conscious, we needed to get moving again, so we began to pick our way through the rubble of some buildings that had not stood the test of time as well as the temple had. We found one that could only be the foundry we sought, but could not find a way inside! As we debated over this, Jin found something in the journal mentioning a magic lock on some door, the frame of which had three distinct indentations in it (a pentagon, triangle and square), and in which order the indentations needed to be “unlocked,” had we only the three keys necessary to do so! Gib climbed to the top of the building, looking for another way in, and found a hole in its roof. Inside, there were two sets of glowing eyes— on two metal dogs, both obviously guarding something within. Another dog appeared to have been crushed when a section of the roof had caved in. We attempted to attack the remaining two from the roof, eager to prevent the necessity of getting close to those sharp metal teeth, but they were not willing to be baited out into the open, so we had to drop down on ropes to fight them. We’d hoped they would cease attacking when they saw the symbol on the journal, but they did not relent. Jin and Gib were both taken down by the creatures, K’ehleyr was not able to climb down with that big weapon she carries around, but she kept the metal canines off balance while I hit them. We could tell when they were dispatched, as a rod popped out of the head of each of them as they died. Each rod fit in an indentation in the magic lock spoken of in the journal, and realizing that, we cleared the rubble around the crushed dog until we found the third rod.
A panel on the forge wall had these three indentations in it, and upon using the rods, slid open to reveal that which we sought: the seven-pointed adamantine schema. We also found four potions, a map, some ancient gold and silver coins, gold ingots, and some good quality weapons and armor. Luckily, the potions turned out to be the kind that would heal our unconscious companions, so moments later Gib and Jin were helping us plan our departure from the underground ruins.
Just as we were climbing out of the foundry to return to the surface world, a flaming crossbow bolt shot past K’ehleyr’s head, and a voice called out, “Drop that schema!”
Looking back the world does seem different when you’re drifting in and out of consciousness. The pain from my wounds was intense and although I tried to keep awake I only remember parts of the journey to get some healing. As it turned out my money was stolen by those people living just above the sewers, so Captain Jak and K’ehleyr split the cost of having me healed. I’ll need to do something to show my appreciation, but that will have to wait till I acquire some funds.
We went to the Broken Anvil to get something to eat and send a messenger to Lady d’Vown. I thought it would be better if we told her in person what we needed but Jak thought the messenger would be safe. We had some dinner and a couple of drinks and went our separate ways for the night.
In the morning we meet back at the Broken Anvil for breakfast and as we ate the messenger returned with the journal. Jak flipped through it quickly as we got ready to go. It was mentioned that I should be someone else as we headed back down to the sewers. I still don’t understand why, but they don’t seem to understand that if I’m going under a different persona, I need to make sure people don’t know. They only know because it’s better for us as a group if they do.
We took the journal and headed back down to the sewers, and to our surprise the area was empty. There were some stragglers here and there, but nothing like it was the day before. As we walked down the narrow stair well to the sewers below, we kept alert for any attackers. My guess is that the Lord of Blades we were warned about thinks we gave up. K’ehleyr took the journal and went to place it over the hatch in the wall. The rest of us hid around the corner half expecting the whole place to blow up. When we noticed we were all in one piece we looked only to find this shaft that extends both up and down as far as we could see. Gib dropped a stone down the shaft while we were discussing how to best proceed. In the end we just had to climb.
It felt like we climbed for days down that shaft till it started to level out and we could walk. Gib insisted on traveling ahead of us so he can scout a bit. Then suddenly there was a thump. I ran forward to see if Gib was alright only to see this black mass of beetles coming at him. K’ehleyr helped Gib back up into the shaft as Jak took one of my oil flasks, lit it, and through it on the floor in front of us to keep the beetles at bay. After a bit the beetles scurried away and we went to explore. Out of nowhere two strange looking rats attacked us. I tried to fight back but I’m not very good at fighting, so I went to back away and that’s when everything went dark.
I felt cool water being poured into my mouth and woke up with the strangest feeling of peace. We were all alive and mostly well so we decided to continue exploring. Gib saw the building first and led us to what was the foundry. After much discussion we all ended up on top of the building. I read the journal and discovered the three keys needed to open the vault hidden behind the forge. Unfortunately there were two metal dogs guarding it. We tried several different things to lore them out as we attacked from above, but it didn’t work. So we ended up down inside the building fighting these things. The next thing I know Jak is making me drink a healing potion. Awake and with no immediate danger I took my time to explore the building and search for anything of value. We found some nice things, and I have an even better rapier for it.
As we were leaving and talking about possible alternate ways back to the upper layers of the city, a flaming bolt flew seemingly out of nowhere and almost hit Jak. A booming voice claimed to be the Lord of Blades and demanded the item we were sent to get.
Someone had mentioned getting a drink at the tavern, so we were walking over a skybridge, the evening rain warm and steady. To our surprise, there was a body on the bridge ahead, still freshly bleeding! I checked for a pulse, but the elderly human was already dead. Gib checked the man’s possessions, while Jak whistled long and loud for the town guard. Gib was showing us the man’s ID - provost of the university, professor of some ancient studies - when I became aware of someone climbing over the railing beside us. Whomever it was carried a battleaxe and charged at us, ignoring Jak’s shouts to stop and identify itself.
Gib got out of the way while I pulled out my sword - imagine, battle in the middle of the city! - and Jin waited for its charge, while Jak tried to trip it with her whip. “It” turned out to be a warforged, which attacked without a word. Jin and Gib tried to help me fight, while Jak made as much noise as posible between singing and whistling (she got plenty of attention from the locals trying to sleep, as windows shot up all around!). I swung at the thing, connecting over and over again, and dropped it at my feet just as the town guards finally arrived on the scene. To my surprise, a tiny winged thing detached itself from the warforged’s chest and flew off into the night, too fast for any of us to catch!
Next thing, of course, the town guard levelled their crossbows at us and demanded that we drop our weapons and explain the mess. Jak talked fast, handing over her ID, and then the dwarf in charge demanded all of our papers. All I had were my travelling papers, which upset them. What have I needed ID for before? Either one knew who I was, or I told them. Apparently, that’s not enough around here. I kept my mouth shut, however, and Jak vouched for me. When some of the locals came forward to confirm her story, the guards relaxed and even gave us two gold pieces each in thanks for our assistance. Two gold pieces, apparently, are also what I need for one of these “ID”s. I’ll get one in the morning, rather than worry my companions again.
Leaving the situation in the Watch’s capable hands, we headed on to the bar. Before we reached it, however, a cloaked figure emerged from the darkness and approached us! Jak again asked for ID, and it showed her a ring, which apparently was good enough for her. The unknown person asked us to meet at the Broken Anvil tavern at dawn, to learn more about the murder we’d so nearly witnessed. Personally, I’d think it’s the Watch’s business, but it may lead to interesting things...
At the bar, it turned out that Gib had rifled the professor’s pockets quite thoroughly. He’d also taken everything off the warforged that he could, and went through it all at the bar. He used the money he’d found to pay for our food and drinks, at least! The rest? An apple, a quill, ink, and paper, and a strange little book with a mithril-threaded symbol on the cover and blank pages that had a funny feel to them. Jak said there was magic on the book, and Jin suggested taking it to his brother in the morning. His brother teaches spellcasting and may be able to help... which turned into a discussion about what changelings “do”. Jin morphed into a copy of me and got the evil eye from the bartender while I laughed - too bad he can’t fight like me in that form, too!
Gib crashed at Jin’s place, while Jak was kind enough to put me up at her family compound. I really hadn’t thought about how large this city would be, and I was very relieved to find that there was stabling for my horse, Huerga. In the morning, we all met at the Broken Anvil. We were greeted by a halfling, who asked us what we needed? - “Breakfast!” We answered, and she led us to a table where a person was already seated. “Your guests have arrived”, she said, and we found ourselves seated with a very noble-looking human woman. Over drinks, she explained that she and the professor had been looking for a family heirloom of House Cannith. The professor thought he’d found it’s location, but now he was dead.
She hoped we’d take up the job of finding it, although it would be much harder without the book the professor had been carrying... so, after much glaring and kicking under the table, we got Gib to give up the book! Sure enough, when her ring got near the book, they both began to glow, and writing appeared on the pages. The food arrived, and we ate breakfast while she scanned the pages (and Gib sulked at us all). Finally, she told us what she’d learned: the heirloom, an adamantium plate the size of your hand in the shape of a seven-pointed star, is fifty-seven levels below one of the city’s great towers, in an ancient foundry. We’ll get a thousand gold pieces and the goodwill of the House if we can find it! She handed us a hundred gold and a map to start with, but kept the book, much to Gib’s dismay.
Jin then asked about who owns anything else we might find while hunting around in the depths, and the Lady reassured us that all the family wants is the seven-pointed star. She did warn us that someone called the Lord of Blades also wants the heirloom, and probably sent the warforged we’d encountered. We thanked her for the warning and headed off to get supplies for our trip. Several days’ rations, weapons permits, and ID for me - they even painted an image of me on it! Finally, we followed the map into the depths of the city.
I was glad to be well-cloaked, I won’t deny it! Jak, too, wrapped herself up well. As we descended, the place got darker, drearier, and smellier. The people became more ragged, and garbage was everywhere. It took a moment for me to realize that some goblins were actually selling the stuff to others! The map led us to a cavernous room, and ended at something called “E213”. When we looked around, we saw nothing... so Gib, a goblin himself, worked his way through the crowd to ask a goblin garbage seller what or where E213 might be found. Unfortunately, Jin was not far behind...
The crazy changeling didn’t give Gib a chance to do things quietly; he held up a gold piece - gold! - and demanded that the goblin tell him where to find E213 and he’d get the gold, but if he didn’t, he’d get a sword! Instantly, he was surrounded by the goblin’s friends, daggers drawn. Gib ran away without looking back, and Jak and I turned and walked away as fast as we dared as well. Jin kept right on chattering, even got a doorway pointed out as the place to find E213, threw his gold to the goblin and started walking. Jak and I kept going the other way, listening to the crowd in case someone mentioned anything useful. No one did, but Jin noticed that he’d lost the rest of us. Naturally, he tried to draw us into his suicidal grasp, calling our names out loud and running after us both! We acted like we didn’t know him but he would not take the hint - not even after I grabbed him by the throat and bounced him against a wall.
I suddenly understand why people don’t like or trust changelings. This Jin must want to die.
While Jin was blathering on about how we take life too seriously, Gib reappeared and distracted me from contemplating whether the Watch would care if I offed the changeling in these regions. Gib said he’d been watching the doorway and had arranged things so that we could safely descend, despite Jin. He also said there were two more changeling shifters who had entered the doorway before us, so we were prepared for trouble as we walked through the entry and stepped down a staircase.
The sound of falling water was deafeningly loud, but it did little to dispel the stench of the sewers. Gib waved at us to wait at the bottom while he snuck around the corner to check the place out. He soon returned and waved us on, then had us stop a second time. This time, he looked up and threw a dagger at a shape above us, which dropped down and attacked us with a rapier! I managed to work my way through the others and attack it, but it tumbled away and Gib and I followed it into another room. The first creature turned out to be a warforged, which Gib killed (another small winged thing detached from its chest and flew away), but the two shapeshifters we’d been warned of now approached and attacked.
I ended up fighting them both for a moment - when, suddenly, a valve opened in the room and water smashed into the shifters, knocking them down. Jin managed to kill one, I killed the other, and I sat down to catch my breath while Gib looted the bodies. I got a second dagger out of it, at least. We moved on, carefully checking the various passages and rooms for the mysterious E213. Finally, we saw a blue glow... and found a large door, with the same ancient symbol as the journal glowing on it! Gib looked it over, musing out loud that we should have the journal or the signet ring to match the symbol, then tried to open it. He set off some kind of trap!
Three acid orbs struck us, ouch! Then, Gib and Jin got into an argument about how to open the door. Gib tried again, while Jak and I backed around a corner. Sure enough, it went off again, this time injuring Jin enough to drop him to the floor, barely breathing. Jak tried to read the runes, but came to the same conclusion as Gib - we need to head back up to the Broken Anvil and ask for something with the symbol on it. We could use a little healing, as well. After all, I’m not about to kill Jin when he’s unable to defend himself properly...
We climbed back to the market, hauling the semiconscious Jin. Gib fast-talked us through the crowd, and Jak cast something that cleaned us all off quickly - many thanks, Jak! We walked back to the Broken Anvil, keeping an eye out for a house of healing. We found one, and it was open! We paid for healings, discovered that Jin had “lost” his coin pouch (surprise!), and chipped in to pay for his healing as well. The hostess at the Broken Anvil was happy to sell us another meal, and helpfully found a messenger to take a note to the Lady at House Cannith while we ate. We then went to our various resting places.
The next morning, we met at the Anvil, and found a package with the journal and a note asking us to return it when we’re done. Some of the pages now stay visible, so Jak read them while we ate breakfast. Jin went off to “change” and returned as a half-elf named Enaliis or something. We descended to the same place as the previous day, finding the market gone and the room empty. The stairs were still smelly and loud, but no one attacked us this time! The bodies were gone, too... and the glowing blue door did not react to the presence of the book.
After some time and much talk, I offered to try actually touching the door with the book - and everyone else scattered! Thank the ancestors, when I touched the door with the book, the sigils matched up and the door swung open without incident. The others looked around the corner, and I looked inside the door.
There was a passage, about five feet across, and full of crawling bugs. It went straight up and down as far as the eye could see. I looked for a ladder - found the rotted remains of supports, but it was gone long ago. I found out that goblins have a taste for centipedes, as Gib picked through the bugs... then offered to go ahead and climb down our ropes as far as they reached. Off he went, despite Jak and Jin’s help, and I held the rope until he slowly climbed back to us. He said that the shaft went down even further than our ropes tied together, but the sides are rough enough to climb down slowly. So, I took his armor to lighten his load, and we all set off down the shaft.
Five hundred feet down, and the shaft began to angle. We balanced carefully, and continued. After what seemed like forever, the shaft leveled off and Gib was able to re-don his armor. Quietly, we set off down the tunnel, Gib leading well ahead of the glow from Jin’s lantern. After walking a while, we all heard an “oof”! We hurried up and found the tunnel ended in a dropoff, exiting into a large cavernous room full of ruined buildings and the sound of slithering and chittering. There was a six-foot drop to the floor, and no sign of Gib. Not for long. Suddenly, Gib came screaming out of the darkness!
Without a second thought I threw myself down at the edge of the tunnel, holding my hands down to grab Gib and swing him up to us. As he leaped for my hands, I could see a swarm of bugs following him in a wave by the glow of Jin’s lantern! Poor guy... he crawled right into my backpack while Jak and Jin made an oil bomb to prevent the bugs from swarming up into the tunnel after him. As they smashed it below us, he threw a finger at the bugs - I know THAT wasn’t in my pack! - screaming about Bad Things. Apparently, there were too many to eat.
Jak and Jin tried whipping and slinging at the bugs, but anything they killed was quickly replaced by more. Gib and I looked out into the cavern at the buildings and ceiling. Gib tried climbing along the wall, finding it rough enough to do so safely, and headed off toward a ruined wall while we watched. The swarm followed along beneath him but was unable to climb, thank the ancestors! Plus, by the time the fire burnt itself out, the swarm had dissipated. I don’t know what set it off, but we were able to drop down to the floor unmolested. Carefully, we picked our way around the rubble to Gib.
He was looking out over the cavern, and described seeing a less-ruined building, so we followed his lead. We were almost there when two giant rats came around a corner and advanced on us. The things had bony armor, and caustic saliva dripping from their jaws. One leapt at Jin, Jak whipped at it, Gib dropped his rope and a pot (which would have made me laugh any other time, I thought he was joking about dropping heavy things so as to fight more effectively!), and we attacked the second rat together. Next thing I knew, Jin was trying to hide from the rat attacking him - behind me! As he dropped to the floor, Jak kept up her attack, and when Gib and I killed ours I was able to turn and attack the second easily.
Unfortunately, Jak ended up on the floor, too, before I could kill the second rat. Gib and I found ourselves dragging Jak and Jin to the less-ruined building, hoping we could block ourselves in long enough for them to recover. The building’s outer walls were highly decorated, making it look like a temple. The ceiling was collapsed inside, but there was still some peaceful power within the walls. Gib blocked up the door a little against the bugs, we set Jak and Jin against a wall, and we took a quick look around. Gib found a font, with a little liquid left in the bottom. Hoping against hope, he scooped some into Jak’s mouth - and her wounds healed! She was soon awake, and we used the rest on Jin to get him back on his feet as well.
Jak was able to identify the place as the temple of the god of the foundry, which led us to hope we were in the right place to find the seven-pointed star. The temple itself was empty, so Jak set a detect magic spell on herself, and we began to search the rest of the buildings. We found two more tunnels out, and, finally, another building that was still whole - and its doors still closed! The symbol etched on the doors matched the book’s, but we couldn’t get it unlocked. Gib climbed onto the roof, however, and found another way in: a hole had been smashed in the roof, ages ago. He could see “bad puppies” roaming around inside, but it seemed our best bet, so we all climbed up after him.
We could see a big furnace and forge at one end of the room, and things on shelves all around the walls. Sure enough, there were two dog-shaped constructs roaming around, growling at Gib when he chucked rocks at them. We tried a few things to deal with the dogs - first, lowering Gib on a rope (quickly hauling him up when the dogs charged), then, usnig him as bait so Jin could lasso one when it went for Gib (which didn’t work, the dog bit through the rope and dropped to the floor again). The dogs learned fast, refusing to come close enough to be shot at or roped, but waiting out of range for us to hit the floor.
Finally, Gib stayed on the floor, holding out the book with its symbol while I lowered Jak. No luck - he was attacked as soon as he looked away from the dogs. Jak was there to help, and I lowered Jin as fast as I dared, then pulled the rope up and thought about how to get to my associates without falling on my head. Finally, I tied the rope to the handle of my scimitar, balanced it across the opening, and lowered myself into the thick of the fighting. This left me with just a dagger to fight with, but better than nothing! Jin was already out on the floor. Again. Jak killed a dog, but Gib went down, and I helped Jak kill the last dog. I was able to stop Jin’s bleeding, and we found different shapes popped out of the dogs’ heads that matched holes in the front of a vault in the foundry. We cleared stones off a third dog that had been crushed by the ancient ceiling fall, and opened the vault.
Two sacks, four gold ingots, four vials, a fragile roll of parchment, and - the seven-pointed star! I put the plate in my pack, while Jak discovered that the vials were healing potions, and we got Gib and Jin back on their feet. The bags held ancient silver and gold coins - probably worth even more than usual due to their age and rarity. The ingots are probably worth fifty gold each as well, and the parchment looks like a map. Jin searched the room, and found weapons and armor wrapped in oilskins and still useable. Some of the armor fit Gib, and I decided to keep a masterwork mace (in case my scimitar is left on a roof again) and a sunrod (for when folks with me can’t see in the dark). I climbed back up the rope, and pulled everyone and the loot up onto the roof.
We had just reached the floor again and were ready to head back to the surface and House Cannith when a crossbow bolt bounced off the wall above our heads. A voice shouted out, telling us to give up the heirloom and no blood would be shed. Methinks I smell a battle brewing...
Sharn, Therendor 17, 998 YK
And we found ourselves face to face with another warforged assailant!
It was a long fight (for we chose not to turn over our hard-earned item!) and K’ehleyr was knocked unconscious once. I managed to pour that last healing potion down her throat while the guys kept the creature occupied, and within a second of Gib striking the killing blow, we were all trying to jump the warforged before the body hit the ground, hoping to prevent another one of those “Final Messengers” from fluttering away. It was too fast for us, though we were able to see that it flew off in the general direction of the shaft we’d climbed down earlier. We did manage to get a nice sword off its body, and Jin and Gib worked at taking some of the adamantine off of it, which K’ehleyr and I thought was tantamount to skinning a sentient creature.
We were in no shape to climb the shaft back to the surface, so we opted to hole up in the ancient temple for eight hours; hoping that no other warforged would be dispatched to find us. I estimated that they were looking for us about every twelve hours, but had no way of knowing if they were keeping to a schedule. I was able to cast some small healing spell on Gib, who’d been severely beaten up during our last encounter, and used what I had left to mend, or at least strengthen, the tattered map we’d found in the foundry. It appears to be of land between Cyre / Mournland and Darguun, though I do not recognize any of the symbols marking the map. I also attempted to get some practice in on my fiddle, having lugged it all the way down with us, but I managed to break two strings in two minutes.
This morning when we were ready to head back to the surface, Gib tried to find another route that would avoid the one the Lord of the Blades and his warforged assailants might be watching, but all tunnels out save the one had collapsed. He did find four large fire beetles though, which we fought (I killed two with a whip!). Gib and Jin took the “lanterns” off of the bugs, which provided us with enough light for the rest of the trip up.
Luck was with us; there were no complications on the long climb out of the catacombs, nor was there any unpleasantness waiting for us. I cast a quick spell to clean everyone’s clothing, and then we set off to the Broken Anvil again, both to eat and send a courier to House Cannith. At this point I discovered that the journal I’d earlier taken from Gib for safekeeping was no longer in my possession. I am sorry to say I accused the goblin of swiping it from my pack, but he was sincere when he told me that he did not and I was free to search him. Jin believed Gib to be telling the truth, so I let the matter drop.
Lady d’Vown soon arrived to meet with us, and was delighted that we’d retrieved the schema (and better yet, she made no mention of the journal), and mentioned that she may have other work for us in the future; we can check in periodically at the Sivis message station at the Barmin Tower. She paid us and left; and we went to sell off what we collected that we did not wish to keep. K’ehleyr and I went to sell the ancient coins to a collector and also sold the gold ingots and some various armor and weapons. Jin and Gib were gone for a long time, as they wanted to sell stuff that no reputable dealer would purchase.
They eventually arrived back with us for our next meal, but had not managed to sell the “warforged repair kit” and seemed a bit distressed about that; they were glad to take their shares from what K’ehleyr and I had sold.
I have a bad feeling about this.
Hope all is well with you!
Your sister,
Jak
The Warforged stood between us and the surface; we stood between him and death.
Later once we were again under the light of day, Jin and I set out to find someone who wants to acquire some adamantine plating. Note to self, I am going to have to teach Jin how to ‘pull back’ just a little.
Have some gold coming, always a good thing. Strange though, I earned a good night’s sleep yet I was haunted by dreams of an ancient tale my grandmother told me of a man who was dressed in red from head to toe, a man who slaughtered hundreds of my kind. This was many, many years ago and he can’t still be alive. Yet I feel his eyes. Some ale will help in the morning.
We found ourselves face to face with another warforged. I thought this one would fall as easily as the rest, but I was gravely mistaken. Round after round of blows came and went as this thing focused most of his attention on K’ehleyr. She fought as best she could but fell under its attack. Then the thing turned its attention on me. I wanted to run, but I figured I could hold my ground for a little while, so I stayed and fought knowing I would die as soon as the creature hit me. Gib was trying to get its attention, but he was having no luck with that. Captain Jak dumped a healing potion down K’ehleyr’s throat. She was up before I knew she was healed and in moments her revenge was complete. The warforged is dead, and to be honest we are no worse for wear.
Now it was brought to my attention that warforged naturally cannot see in the dark. After we searched the body I noticed the it had no light source of any kind. We discussed this for a bit and decided to explore a little. We searched the ruins for hours and all we found were some fire beetles we needed to kill. So we took our time climbing up the shaft and went to the Brocken Anvil. We sent Lady d’Vown a message and she came down that night to retrieve her item. While we waited for the Lady to show Captain Jak realized she didn’t have the journal anymore and started to ask us if we had it. She focused her attention on Gib, but I told her I believed him knowing full well he had it. Later on that night I told him I knew but I wouldn’t tell anyone. He still denied it. That hurt, after I backed him up and convinced Captain Jak for him he still didn’t trust me.
In the morning Gib and I went for a walk to see an old friend of my sister’s. The same guy who was able to get me the forged papers. I thought he would be able to either buy or get us in contact with someone who would buy the warforged plating Gib had taken off the creature. After some beating around the bush Gib and I left without any useful information. We were on our way back to see the ladies when I noticed we were being followed. I mentioned this to Gib and he led me down and alley. We hid opposite of each other. I couldn’t see a thing and was waiting for Gib’s signal when I heard some footsteps approach us and stop dead in front of me. I heard someone attack and thought the thing following us was sent by the Lord of Blades and it had found Gib. So I jumped out of my hiding place only to find a really old man dying on the end of my blade.
I was stunned of a second and then noticed someone standing at the far end of the alley yelling “Murderer”! Gib grabbed the money pouch and ran. I followed. We ended up at a bar in a rather undesirable part of town. After a couple of hours of deep thought I figured that this guy was up to no good and it’s better that he died then having the rest of us be led into a trap. On the way to meet up with our lady friends I wanted to get some new clothes. Gib came with and I bought two new outfits. I also got some of the coin Gib took off our follower and the day ended rather well. That night however I didn’t sleep well at all. I find it’s easy to justify some things in the light of day, but at night when your mind wanders….
Rhukaan Draal, Eyre 6, 998 YK
Dear Morghan—
I’m sorry I’ve not written in over two weeks! Time has gotten away from me again.
Nothing exciting has happened for two weeks anyway; I had barely seen Jin or Gib during that time, though that is likely because K’ehleyr and I spent most of our time in the upper wards of Sharn. In fact, we even had the pleasure of going to one of those galas that seem to occur whenever we’re in town. I usually don’t see anyone I know at those, but as luck would have it, Lady d’Vown at least knew we’d be there, and got word to me to meet her at the Broken Anvil the next morning— perhaps another opportunity to find an heirloom of her house?
I quickly fired off a note to Jin’s house, hoping he and Gib would be free to join us, and the four of us met the lady the next morning. She didn’t get to do more than hand us a bag containing provisions and instructions before we were attacked right in the Inn— we were set upon by four kobolds and another warforged! Taking out the kobolds was not difficult, just annoying, but keeping everyone standing proved difficult! Lady d’Vown was injured and I saw her dive behind an overturned table, and then we were all being irritated by the spear-wielding kobolds as we tried to get to the real threat. In fact, at one point the only thing between me and the warforged was K’ehleyr, and she was unconscious at the time! I didn’t think I’d get to her before she expired, but suddenly there was a fog filling the room, pouring out from where the House Cannith heir was crouched—allow the four of us to escape without being seen. We got K’ehleyr up and headed for the closest house of healing, then opened the haversack that the lady had left with us.
Not only do we get to go look for another schema— this time we are traveling in style! We’re on a Lyrandar galleon (the Nautilus— one with a water elemental of course!) just now arriving in Darguun’s capitol, and will be heading into the Mournlands— to a place called Whitehearth. Perhaps that old map I found will be useful, though I’ve been told that the entire country has been “altered” and doesn’t even remotely resemble what is on maps of Cyre. In addition to mundane camping equipment and supplies specific to our mission, we’ve been provided with healing potions— hopefully we won’t need them, as I’ve heard from other travelers that healing doesn’t work quite right in the Mournlands.
We had a spot of trouble, actually, while on our way here. On our third night in Kraken Bay, we were boarded by seaweed-covered skeletons who slew four of the crew before we could take them out— Gib was also hurt, but I was able to heal him. Unfortunately, the ship did not have a cleric of any sort on it, or the crew might have been saved.
I’ll try to write more soon— we’re about to dock!
Your loving sister,
Jak
I wake with a start, a scream stuck in my throat. It’s the third time since the incident with Gib. I wash my face in the basin I keep in my room and look into my mirror.
“I have to get over it.” I tell myself, but I am unable to do that. “This is going to kill you if you don’t deal with it.” I say to my reflection. It’s still hours before sunrise. The blessed part of the day where my haunting dreams face and I seem to find some sort of peace. Until then I wander the shadowy halls that my mind seems to have become. It was all very clear two weeks ago. I did what I needed to do in order to survive. The catch is this guy was defenseless to me. He was totally unable to defend himself against my attack. Granted he was doing something that obviously he shouldn’t have been doing. That, however, is a small comfort.
I awake again a few hours later. My brother is up and getting ready to go to work as I lay in bed unable to face him. My thoughts are clouded and I’m begging for some sort of distraction.
Gib stopped by sometime after lunch to see how I’m doing. I think he sees it but he won’t discuss it with me. Several hours later we receive a letter from Captain Jak to meet her and K’ehleyr at the Broken Anvil at breakfast. I’m thankful when I wake without these troubling dreams and hope I can get through the day.
Outside the inn Captain Jak hands me a slip of paper and the message on it is rather disturbing. We four enter the inn and barley get a “Morning” in when Lady d’Vown tells us to take the backpack and get out. Immediately after, aother warforged with four kobald companions enters and attack Lady d’Vown. We fight as best we can and kill the four kobalds, but it cost us. K’ehleyr was down and we are no match for the warforged without her. Suddenly the inn fills with a pure white cloud, and Lady d’Vown takes her leave. I run and grab K’ehleyr and head towards the nearest house of healing. Looking over my shoulder I see Captain Jak and Gib right behind me.
After some healing we examine the backpack finding our mission and a lot of supplies. We spend the next couple of hours discussing our options and getting additional supplies. Now we’re on a ship toward our destination. I attempt to occupy my time by learning as much as I can. The only other distraction was a fight with some skeletal creatures that climbed aboard.
We docked today, I haven’t had any dreams yet, and I hope they are done. At least till this is finished.
Some time past from our last work for the crazy old lady, but once again she called us for a mission. Never got ambushed before getting a job before, that was interesting.
More Warforged scum and some Kobolds, forced us to flee the meeting. Got the job though. Have to go on a ship, not happy about that.
On the bright side, my guild saw this trip coming and now I have some extra fun ahead. Sojin, my mentor, has a bit of revenge that is long overdue. Some people just don’t understand that if you have a problem with a member of the Goblin’s Tower, every member of the Goblin’s Tower has a problem with you.
Oh, dream won’t go away. Seer says it is a warning, if you believe in that sort of thing.
Rose Quarry, Eyre 9, 998 YK
Morghan—
I have just realized that this is the first time in my life that I’ve been away from anyone in House Lyrandar for more than a few days! You had best try to meet up with me soon, or I’ll have to pretend K’ehleyr is my sister.
Rhukaan Draal has not changed since the last time I was on a ship docked there, but it was the first time I’ve been to the “Bloody Market.” What a crazy place! None of the vendors had anything I could possibly use, but a few coins for their time could get them talking. I learned that the ones with the most useless junk tended to have the most valuable in formation, and vice versa. Once this dawned on me, I quickly found the guy with the most useless wares and got the info we needed to find our contact, though I did “trade” my fiddle with two broken strings for the information. At some point during the hour or so that this took, Gib wandered off. Or perhaps he didn’t— there were so many goblins in the market that he could have been a few yards from us just blending in! K’ehleyr chose to just keep watch (and look less like a Valenar elf) and Jin was uncharacteristically quiet.
We found our contact, Failin, in a tavern just west of the market. The merchant that had given us directions called it the “Clenched Fist” and though there was no placard, there was an actual clenched ogre’s hand nailed above the door. It’s just as well that Gib had wandered off, as the clientele inside was clearly not goblinoid.
Jin found the person we sought— a red-headed, blue-eyed gangly human called Failin, so we sat down at his table and began to negotiate. He said he’d take us to Rose Quarry by land cart! I was thrilled by this, as I’ve never been on a vehicle moved by an earth elemental before, but I told him we had to wait for Gib. As luck would have it, Gib had figured out where we were and was waiting outside, so we gave our fare to Failin (who promptly gave it to the tavern keeper) and we left to walk to his cart. We had just stepped outside when two things happened— the first, two bugbears came out of nowhere and yelled “Failin, you cheating bastard!” and second, Failin was no longer with us. Come to think of it, make it three, as Gib had disappeared again as well. I was hesitant to get in a fight with the locals, but I had no problems with confusing them, so I shouted something to the effect of “How stupid do you have to be to not see the guy that you were looking for just ran past you into the marketplace?” which thankfully worked. Better still, Failin and Gib reappeared moments later, so we were able to get the cart unmolested.
The land cart was an interesting vehicle— it looked to be made of wood and stone, with wheels that merged with the ground when Failin took control of the elemental. I saw that he has a House Orien dragonmark, but he was emphatic that his last name was not d’Orien, so I’m not sure what his relation to Orien is, if any. Nice enough guy though, but not too talkative, or rather, he talks, but manages to not say anything about himself. I wonder if I would have been able to control an earth elemental, but did not get to find out!
It took us over three days to get to Rose Quarry, and we arrived at dusk. Long before we got there, we could see that horrid gray mist that surrounds the Mournlands stretching across the horizon in front of us. Rose Quarry is just outside of that area. Failin did volunteer the information that much of the red rock used in construction came from the mines here.
Rose Quarry is small— about 300’ by 400’ all told, and for the most part, the village is burned to the ground. From the land cart, it appeared that there was a large section covered in ice. We also thought we heard the sounds of picks on the north end, and could see four tents, a campfire, sixteen horses, and men and skeletons milling about in the south end! Gib decided to check out the south while the rest of us, who didn’t think we could be as quiet as our goblin companion, decided to check north. Failin waited at the cart.
Disaster! The “ice” we saw, was in fact, a large sheet of glass covering the plateau the village sits on. Two figured were moving quickly towards us— dwarven zombies, covered in what looked like glass shells! We were able to beat them back (I had to sing loud enough to inspire my surprised friends, but quiet enough to not be heard at the campsite) for a while, but K’ehleyr was struck hard by one and went down. I was able to heal her, and told Jin to retreat, but he would not. Suddenly we hear commotion on the other side of the village— Gib must have been spotted. I again called to Jin to retreat as K’ehleyr and I were about to run ourselves, when we saw him go down under the combined attacks of the two undead dwarves....