Having agreed to help the guards of Korloth determine what exactly happened to the Orcs and the Elf who were killed within the city, the group begins their search by investigating the corpses. As had been described to them, the elf corpse was dead from a sword wound, but otherwise untouched. The orc corpses however were a very different story, in addition to their eyes missing, they were disemboweled and their innards used to make runes of unknown origin.

When the group arrived the guards were just finishing their investigation, and allowed them to search around. While there was not much to see, Barwell was able to discover a small scrap of bright red cloth poking out between the teeth of one of the orcs. Deciding that the scrap came from the orcs’ attacker the group begins to search about the city.

Their search for the garishly dressed man in red first took them to the city’s market place. While there was no hint of the man in red, the group did have the chance to sell off most of their acquired gemstones. Barwell also found himself drawn towards a man who was selling a rather large badger covered in spikes. After some discussion however, it was determined that training and raising such a volatile animal was likely beyond the barbarian’s capabilities.

With no luck in the market district, they moved onto the town’s small library. Upon arrival they immediately noticed a figure sulking around the library’s roof. It took them only a few moments to be able to chase down and confront the figure, who turned out to be the second wood elf who was known to have come to the city with the others. After the chase the group learned from the elf that they had set up a few meetings with potential buyers. The group determined that the wizard was the most likely of the buyers to have had a hand in things.

However when they located him, this seemed unlikely. He was very upset at the idea that the sword was no longer for sale. He begged them that if they should ever change their minds, he would be willing to pay more money, any amount of money. While it seemed unlikely that the wizard was the culprit the group decided to check out his residence to be on the safe side.

On their way there they discovered a building that would occasionally flash bright light. Some investigation lead them to believe that the Cult of Bane was operating here. As they broke into the house they found the man in bright red robes being instructed to leave and take the information back to their church. While the sword was important, getting the information back to their leaders was at least as important. Additionally the Jeweled Sword was located, it was conspicuously placed in the chest of a still living man who stood in the middle of a ritual circle.

As the man in red and his companions left via the back door, the group decided to engage with the cultists preforming the ritual, allowing them to escape. As the group fought the cultist guards, the four magic users were able to complete their ritual, which resulted in a massive explosion. When the dust cleared, the sacrifice attacked the group with the Jeweled Sword still protruding from his chest. As the fight progressed it became clear that the sacrifice was possessed by a massive demonic worm, capable of consuming bodies or inhabiting them as it chose.

The battle was a close run thing, but in the end the group was able to take down the creature and retrieve the Jeweled Sword.

After leaving the group of Orcs, the party begins to make their way east towards Korloth. While their travel through the forest was mostly uneventful, a hulking creature seemed to be following them (or at least traveling in the same direction). Thankfully the group was able to keep their distance and did not have to confront the creature.

As they exited the forest, and continued their travel along a well worn dirt road, they came upon a group of four men in armor searching through a wagon, while two people lay on the ground. The group claimed that they were simply exorcising their right to claim a tax for the use of the road. Tiyeri was very suspicious, and the conversation quickly lead to a prolonged fight. The fight lasted longer then either side probably would have expected, if only because for a time it seemed like no one could land a solid blow. Finally, with a bit of luck and Barwell’s anger, the group was able to dispatch the four men. They quickly helped up the couple, who checked their things, and set about on the road through the forest, undisturbed at the prospect of meeting an owlbear. In addition to finding a number of coins upon the bandits, they also located four semi-precious stones, a Dark Grey Stone, a Milky Pink Crystal, a chunk of Amber, and a cut Green-Yellow Stone.

With this detour completed, the group quickly found themselves at the gates of Korloth. Barwell noticed that for a major trading hub it was very strange that no one was waiting to get in. A conversation with the guards quickly reveals that there were some gruesome murders that locked down the city. When the party mentioned that they were looking for a group of Orcs, the guards immediately sent for more guards to escort them to the Captain. After peace bonding their weapons the guards escorted the party to the barracks, where they met an older guard with elaborate armor, Gregor, the captain Jon Lukas, and a man who spoke many languages with blue hair named Arlain. During their discussion they learned that the orcs (and one of the elves) had been killed, their eyes removed, their possessions taken, and their innards placed into rune-like shapes.

Realizing that the sword was now gone, the party agreed to help in hopes that they would located this missing family heirloom in the process of the investigation.

After letting the mage, of the Church of Bane, leave, the group continued on their way down the tunnel following the trail of the Orcs.

While the majority of their journey was uneventful, early on the group heard an odd sound emanating from one fork of the tunnel. They quickly decided to sent Yako and Tiyeri to investigate. The pair quickly determined that the tunnel ended in a small, vaguely dome shaped, chamber. Without an adequate source of light the two could not get a good look inside the chamber, however they did see something within. Something about their own width, but close to 8 feet long. When Yako left to locate Barwell, Tiyeri noticed the thing rise up half its length, scurry to the back of the chamber and disappear. When the party was reunited, with a torch, they noticed an old decaying body and a large number of coins scattered about the room.

As they enter to investigate further, a massive centipede drops from the ceiling onto Barwell, knocking him to the ground. The group quickly dispatched the creature before it can do them any harm. From the lair they gather a few coins and items, including an unknown Clear Yellow Potion, a Potion of Arcane Mark, and a Scroll of Make Whole.

Moving further down the tunnel, by the end of the next day the group finds the exit back to open air. Before them is a vast forest, cloaked in the darkness of night. The group decides to get some rest before exploring the forest further in search of the Orcs. As they take their watches, Barwell notices that at least three cloaked, humanoid, shadows are watching them. After alerting the others, the party decides to investigate, leading them to learn the shadows are actually Wood Elves.

The Wood Elves quickly explain this is their home and while they mean the group no harm, they had to be sure that the group meant their own people no harm. After a quick, diplomatic discussion the party learns that the elves have seen the orcs they were looking for, and the elves agree to house the party so long as they remain peaceful.

When the group reaches the Elven settlement, it quickly becomes clear that not all of the orcs have left the elves. In the morning they arrange for a discussion between themselves and the orcs. After some talking, and reassurances that the group meant the orc tribe no harm, the leader of the remaining orcs agreed to give the party a bit of information regarding The Jeweled Sword in exchange for their word that they would investigate the Church of Bane. According to her, the Church has been harassing her tribe, and other orc tribes, for years. And they fled to the Canyon Caves in an effort to escape from them.

The group agrees, and are given two things. First, they are told that many of the tribe’s remaining warriors, along with a small number of wood elves, made their way to The City of Korloth, about a day and a half from the elven settlement. Second, to show they had dealt fairly and honestly with the orc’s leader, she gave them a very old blade.

With their agreements made, the group party ways with the elves and orcs (after a few party words on the nature of Bane).

After resting for the evening in The Gilded Dragon, Tiyeri woke up around dawn to a knock on her door, a city guard came to inform her that Sherif Stark was looking to meet the group at the city guard’s barracks before noon. After discussing the situation they decide to meet with the Guard Captain. Upon entering the common room of the inn, and again when they entered the market street, the group noticed an extraordinarily large amount of foot traffic, including a number of guards in unusual uniforms.

These uniforms were different from the city guards, they were dark yellow with a black striking hawk. This is the symbol for the noble family of Ara, The Idair Family.

When the group arrived at the barracks, Sherif Stark informed them that the lordling who had lost The Jeweled Sword was in fact a well known thief who specialized in imitating noblemen and stealing from them. The jeweled sword actually belongs to the Idair family. The Idair family is the current ruling family of the Ara nation. Sherif Stark believes that the family was keeping something back from him about the sword, partially because they wanted it back so badly. Because the guard was stretched so thin, he asked the trio (who had previously shown their worth by acquiring orc ears for him) to retrieve the sword. In return they would receive 300 gold pieces as well as some reward for the Idair family.

The group retraced its steps to the cavern, and there a number of Stark’s guards had located a hidden passage that Tiyeri had suspected existed. Working for a number of hours, Barwell and the others were able to remove the ruble that blocked the hidden passage way.

As the three made their way down the tunnel they encountered a number of orc bodies with their eyes missing, similar to what they had seen when they encountered the necromancer previously. Eventually the group realized there were a number of people ahead of them. While they tried to sneak up on them, Barwell proved to be slightly too noisy, and the group engaged them in combat (Tiyeri and Yako were hidden at this point and thus were able to attack first). The combat ended quickly when Tiyeri put their leader to sleep, allowing them to interrogate him.

At first very little was learned, the mage making remarks implying that he was a dead man no matter what happened. But when it was implied that they were not after the sword, he became more talkative, more interested in saving his own life. In exchange for his freedom he was willing to give what information he had on the sword. Namely, that the tunnel they were in lead them two days north to an old forest, known as a place for orc tribes to gather. He also mentioned it was likely carried by the orc chieftain, and that the Church of Bane, of which he is a member, was after the sword as well.

Lastly he spoke at length of why the sword was so important. It was jewel encrusted, and possessed a strong magical aura. But no record of what kind of aura, nor of its properties, existed. However records did indicate that numerous attempts to discover its offensive properties (attacking with it, both living beings and inanimate objects) showed it had no more offensive properties then any mundane sword.

After this information was given, the mage was released, sans weapon and armor, and fled down the way the group had come.

Every campaign gets an Adventure Log, a blog for your adventures!

While the wiki is great for organizing your campaign world, it’s not the best way to chronicle your adventures. For that purpose, you need a blog!

The Adventure Log will allow you to chronologically order the happenings of your campaign. It serves as the record of what has passed. After each gaming session, come to the Adventure Log and write up what happened. In time, it will grow into a great story!

Best of all, each Adventure Log post is also a wiki page! You can link back and forth with your wiki, characters, and so forth as you wish.

One final tip: Before you jump in and try to write up the entire history for your campaign, take a deep breath. Rather than spending days writing and getting exhausted, I would suggest writing a quick “Story So Far” with only a summary. Then, get back to gaming! Grow your Adventure Log over time, rather than all at once.