6 June 2012
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Johnna, Morgan, Sam, Scott, Tod
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Korth

Phaedra is infected with tektites.  They constantly alert her enemies to her location.  She is in constant danger.  The only way we know of to destroy them is to find a Creation Forge and then create anti-tektite-tektites.  In order to be successful, we need three things.  First, a Creation Forge.  There is a being in the Mournlands known as the Lord of Blades and he is rumored to be in possession of a Forge.  Second, we need an artificer, someone with the knowledge and skill that allows them to use a Creation Forge.  We were hoping Rune would assist us, but there is another possibility.  Third, we need luck.  A lot of luck.

King Kaius suggests to us that we send a letter to rune through House Orion to see if he can aid us on our current adventure.  We need a skilled artificer to work a creation forge, but not necessarily dragon marked artificer.  We also discuss contacting Lance, in Atur, the warforged artificer we met previously.

Kaius says the Lord of Blades, someone he considers a radical, may be building an army to kill the “fleshies”, because procreation for the Warforged is outlawed.  Grom wants to look for a  way to come to a peaceful accord with the Lord of Blades.  Arolan and Shanti explain that a peaceful approach, although noble, may not be a viable option.  Even King Kaius says that he believes there is no way the Lord of Blades could be swayed from his diabolical plans.  The Lord of Blades, says Kaius, is a radical that can not be redeemed.

After the meeting with King Kaius, Shanti researches The Twelve, one of the premier centers for magical research in Khorvaire established at the conclusion of the War of the Mark.  She heard whispers that there may be a Forge in Darguun, which was once part of Cyre.  Phaedra prays at the Temple of the Sovereign Host, and thankfully is not attacked.  Arolan and Grom play Jacks outside the palace.

After regrouping, Sauda admits that she does not want to go into the Mournlands.  Shanti does, however, and thinks she’ll make grand discoveries while there.

We go to Atur and talk to Lance, the warforged artificer.  Lance is toiling away when we greet him and he is happy to see Crusher.  Lance shares his amazement that Crusher has kept his promise to try to improve the warforged lot in life.  Lance has even been allowed to finish the tomb to the Unnamed Warforged.

After telling him that we have something serious to discuss with them, he takes us to his house.  We tell him that we need to remove the tektites infesting Phaedra and that we need a Creation Forge and someone to operate it.  He says House Cannith may be running an illegal forge in Sharn, based on the fact that he has seen new warforged since the War.  We ask for his help.  He chuckles and warns us away from the Cannith forge in Sharn because it’s most likely too well protected.  He suggest we try to use the forge in Metrol, in the Mournlands.  We are almost certain that the Lord of Blades has a forge in Metrol and have no idea at all where the rumored ones in Darguun or Sharn might be.  Lance is willing to join our cause.  There is much rejoicing.

Lance says he'll need a couple weeks to learn how to use the forge.  Then, in order to speed our progress, Lance produces horses and a war pony.  Before we embark, Crusher makes a confession.  He feels that some of what the Lord of Blades says holds merit – that it is wrong to force the warforged to die out as a race, and Lance agrees.  Crusher does not think war is an answer, however.

We ride across the plains of Karrnath, up to where it borders the Mournlands on the river.  Metrol lies across the border, but we can’t see past the wall of dead gray mists that stretches across the horizon.  We do eventually arrive at a little, ramshackle hamlet – a camp being used as a trading depot.  The place is very utilitarian, a down and dirty commercial venture.  The inhabitants raid into the Mournlands, scavenge what they can, and ship off their findings for whatever they can get out of them.

As we approach the guards, they ask us to identify ourselves.  Grom shouts out, “Grom!” and continues on with made-up titles that he thinks sounds good.  The guards look positively frightened.  One young squire drops his crossbow and runs away yelling, “Oh, gods, it’s Project Mayhem!  They're here to kill us!”  The shaken guards asks what we want.  Grom says we want to join the camp.  Arolan shouts out his name and that he wants somewhere to sleep.  A couple more people run away.

We pass wagons, a few small smith stalls, several tents, and one small building.  Arolan’s eye is attracted to one of the scavenged items being cleaned.  He’s determines at a glance that it is a crown with a crest of a lesser office of the Cyre royalty – Cyran crown jewels!  Hoping the smith doesn't know the value of the item, Arolan starts bargaining for the item and quickly obtains it for only 45 gold.  Going their separate ways, both Arolan and the smith mutter under their breath, “Ha ha.  Sucker.”

Grom, imitating Arolan, looks around and picks up the first thing he sees (a ruby).  He asks how much it is and the smith says 35 gold.  Grom says it not worth more than 45.  The smith, slightly confused, agrees to Grom’s puzzling terms.

Shanti is interested in and investigates everything.  She discerns a strong stasis spell on all of the scavenged items.  The items are infused with some kind of magic outside of her experience, but healing and the growth of the life web has been slowed down significantly.

Out of the wooden building walks an imposing half-orc.  Grom recognizes him almost immediately.  It is Ikar the Black.  He was once a decorated Karrnathi officer during the Last War.  However, since the war's end, he now heads up Ikar's Salvage, a team of mercenaries and laborers (including warforged and Karrnathi undead) that searches the Mournland for lost treasures, selling former Cyran equipment.  It is rumored that he has dealings with the Emerald Claw.  Crusher makes a mental note of that fact.

Ikar looks us over and says, “So, you're the guys making trouble in my camp.”  Arolan responds by saying that he's only been purchasing items and that he wants a place to sleep.  Crusher says that we are here to escort Shanti in her efforts to investigate the effects of the Mournland, and to make purchases.

Ikar, not fooled for a moment, does not want to trade falsehoods.  He doesn't want us interrupting his trade and demands to know the real reason behind why are we there.  Crusher and Lance say that they need to enter the Mournland to talk to the Lord of Blades.  Crusher promises to help Ikar on his next foray into the Mournlands and not interfere with his operations.  Ikar accepts and says that we should stay together during the crossing.  It is a day’s walk to Metrol.  His company stays outside the city, partly because there are horrors beyond imagining within Metrol.

We camp for the night.  Arolan volunteers to help with the watch and takes Grom with him.  Arolan pumps the guards for information.  He learns they battle mourners, living spells, and undead spirits of warriors haunting the battlefields.  They talk about what they find and the cost in life.  The night passes uneventfully.  These are just former soldiers choosing a dangerous occupation because they find the risk worth the gold.

We head out with Ikar and his scavengers in the morning.  The mist wall dominates the landscape.  Ashanti investigates the mist.  It evades her touch and she notices it moves independently of the wind.  Arolan says, loudly, “Good morning!  Get it?  Morning…mourning?  I've been waiting all night to say that.”  No one laughs.  Ikar says, “If you had been there, you would not joke.”

We walk into the mist.  Visibility is dangerously low.  Ikar says that this is a good passing point, it being only a mile or so wide – instead of the normal 15 miles.  Since our magebred destriers wouldn’t come into the mist, we send them back to Korth.  Ikar warns to not go faster than a walking pace.  He says that we will inevitably be attacked, it’s just a question of when.  Our trek will take 8 hours.  Arolan figures out somehow that we can heal, but being bloodied makes healing less effective.

Crusher summons Winsome Dog to accompany him during the trek.  Arolan sends tricky ahead to scout.  Grom uses his Tremor Sense power.  We try to push on, but we keep tripping and succumbing to the elements.  Phaedra leads us through, avoiding the hostilities and pitfalls in the mist!  

The ground softens and gives way from under our feet as spectral hands come out of the ground, clawing at Shanti, Crusher, and Grom.  The dead gray mist attacks Phaedra.  Phaedra shoots and hits hands clambering at Crusher.  The creatures are formed of ashes, their eyes burning with sickly green fire, arms gaunt and body ashen – Ash Remnants.

Shanti uses a daily power and accidentally creates a living spell.  During the combat, Crusher collapses and so does Phaedra.  Eventually, one ash remnant and the living spell were destroyed.  The two other ash remnants were made bloodied and they give up in hopes of easier prey.

find 1500 gp each
1100 xp each for battle
1100 xp each for skill challenge
200 xp for roleplay at table
200 xp for roleplay on thread
50 xp for voting yes and attending