RECORD OF EKSTASIA ADVENTURES
CHAPTER 2: MORGAN & STAGG
Part 1: A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH
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Interlude:
Trolley and the mutual aid band, after playing a series of gigs for a few nights in Morgan town and Stagg village, have finally made it past the ruins of Harrington and Lake Willowbea. A few cold and rough nights fending off the undead, they have arrived at the Great Frog River and are lucky enough to have wind magic to guide the boats against the current toward New Ark Village where they will seek smugglers to get them past the border. However, sinister traffickers seek to take advantage of such well-intended yet naive travelers…
Guy and Fenris travel toward the Zither border, making a pit stop at some travelling spice merchants in the Path Peaks. They pick up a Chalkanian tail, and Fenris discovers a most horrible plot via gossip at the drinker’s circle.
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The party decides to take a rest in the caverns before setting off to Morgan town. Prior to resting for the night, Third Planet looks to the west and tells the rest of the party that he can’t explain it, but he must ride off and that he will rejoin. (He is on a personal quest triggered by an oath he took many years ago…)
A carrier raven arrives shortly before sundown from Trolley, explaining to the party everything they’ve been through (see: Chapter 1 Interludes). Randir keeps drinking by the campfire as Daeryn and Dyana go to sleep. Dyana seems to talk in her sleep to someone who is annoying her with questions. Aelun keeps watch and talks to a small mouse who tells them about their simple existence of getting hungry, scared, eating, shitting, and getting hungry again, over and over until they get tired and black out only to do it all over again. Scared by the lavender-colored tiefling, the mouse flees. A wolf nearby, probably within 100 feet of camp, howls. Aelun ignores it. Randir rambles incoherently until he passes tf out. The wolf howls again; Aelun can tell something is different about this wolf’s howl, perhaps that it is undead. They transform into a wolf and go investigate.
Aelun (in wolf form) finds the howling wolf who is sniffing, scraping and barking at a holly bush in a small clearing in the woods at the base of the hills that lead up into Moonfall Caverns. Aelun, keeping quiet and stealthy, approaches the bush, and in doing so the other wolf runs off as if its shift is over. The bush smells different, like a creature of some kind.
Aelun returns to camp. Daeryn is awake and has been listening to Dyana talk in her sleep as if in conversation with a mysterious and disembodied acquaintance. This leads Daeryn to become carefully less trustful of Dyana. Aelun, returning to tiefling form, tells Daeryn about the bush. They decided to check on it in the morning.
Dyana, in her sleep, communicates with her Hashalaq Quori which is embodying the body of Cotton Casino, a japanese musician in the band Acid Mothers Temple touring the US in the early aughts.
After Randir eats some cannibal jerky without realizing it, Daeryn tells him the true nature of the jerky and Randir goes green. This concludes the party’s breakfast, and they continue to investigate the weird holly bush. Aelun tries digging up the roots, but the dirt continuously caves back in and refills the dug holes. Daeryn pokes around with her shortsword and in doing so triggers the bush to flip inside out- a mimic has attacked!
The mimic billows out a huge plume of purple smoke high into the sky as it begins to thrash and bite at the party. They strike back one by one; a few hits land, some miss; Aelun sends a guiding bolt which shocks it the pulsing, veiny stomach with sharp teeth. Daeryn calls upon a hail of thorns, mildly damaging Aelun who is standing next to the mimic. As Daeryn lets loose an arrow from her longbow and pierces the mimic directly through the center, her hunter’s mark shreds the insides of the monster and the spattering of magic thorns explodes most of the mimic. Gory ribbons of maroon and purple flesh cloud the area around the mimic as it moves slowly away. Randir slices at it with one of his dual-wielded swords and strikes the vital core of the mimic, killing the creature.
Undigested in the corpse of the mimic they find studded leather armor for Aelun and a longsword with added turquoise in the hilt making its value 20 gold. Aelun takes the sword to sell in town.
They continue for 3 more hours. They are halfway to Morgan when they stop for a quick break when they hear a galloping sound of hooves approaching. Ducking into the thicket, they all successfully stay out of sight as well as yank a meditating Dyana into hiding too. As they hide, Randir and Daeryn hear the group approach and then can see them ride past. The group appears to be nomads, five riders in the front of the caravan, two carriages in the middle, and three more riders in the back. The leader nomad tells their men to spread out and look for the party. One of them mentions that this was where the party was spotted after the purple plume was sent into the sky by their trap. The leader calls out that he wishes to help the party and for them to come out of hiding, all the while he’s slowly unsheathing his scimitar….
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Part 2: YR MORGAN ME CRAZY
The party approaches Morgan town in daylight, as Third Planet hears a mysterious call from the west. He rides towards it, remembering the oath he took as a travelling bard in a lineage the descends from the great bardpriestesses of ancient Altawam. His training at the Hainted Citadel in Zither was strict, and no instruction seemed more important than to answer the call of the initiation, which he believes he is now hearing. What will he find in the western Morgan forest?
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As the nomadic caravan of what appears to be humans and orcs with unusual clothing (for the Northeast Kingdom) searches for the currently well-hidden party, the party prepares for battle as they look at each other and try to signal as discreetly as possible. Aelun uses their magic to powerfully shout at their pursuers, who become unnerved by this and sheath their weapons. Daeryn, with a nocked arrow in her bow, lowers her weapon and steps out. The rest of the party follow suit. Dyana, who has been meditating quietly next to a nervous Randir, exits her meditation when she becomes aware of the presence of humans.
The party then intimidates the leader of the caravan in front of his followers, leading him to lose respect from them. The entire caravan stands down, including the leader who explains that they had marked the party to be ambushed and robbed but despite outnumbering them they are fearful of the aura of death (and prejudice against humans) that surrounds Dyana, who continues to belittle and intimidate them. One of the henchmen, a taller orc of ambiguous gender and half a face of yellow warpaint, smirks at Dyana’s show of power.
Suddenly, from one of the carriages, a mystical orc granny steps out. Hobbling with a cane and cloak over to the party, she tells them that she can sense something about them that is special. She continues, explaining that the threads of fate have brought them together and is pulled even tighter at Mount Willowbea. Dyana remembers that this is where her vision brought her. The orc elder then offers advice to visit the town of Morgan, where their journey will receive a boon important to their quest. The party offers to return the longsword with embedded turquoise, but she refuses. With that, she returns to her carriage and the caravan departs back north.
The party then continues and arrives at the outskirts of Morgan town around midday. Randir sees a fantastical little pixie creature that no one else seems to see, so he pursues it deeper into town. The rest of party enter the town as they cross through the derelict buildings and stables of Cutwell Square and enter the Merchant Ward, an open air market with snow-topped canopies that run over the narrow walkways between various peddler booths, half of which are currently occupied by bundled-up vendors and salesmen and the other half are abandoned and in disrepair. The party then comes to the end of the Merchant Ward to rows of shabby but standing buildings, one of which is clearly the town watering hole. A decrepit sign that reads “Morgandark Inn” loosely hangs over a double door. Outside a man is talking to what appears to be a corpse, or someone bored to death. A couple of orc and half-elf children exit the bar acting like adults who are wasted drunk, an older half-orc man chasing them out and scolding them. A prostitute rolls her eyes as she’s being led by the hand of a vomiting drunk man.
Daeryn says that they should try and find a blacksmith so they can get new weapons. They listen for the sounds of a smithy, and can detect the sounds of a hammer and anvil. They follow the sounds to what appears to be a dilapidated smithy with a broken forge bellow and cold stove. In the center of the forge is a senile old elven man. He slowly hits the anvil with no weapon on it with a hammer and just blankly stares forward at nothing. He fails to notice the party entering the forge. They ask him if he’s open for business, to which he replies cryptically. He asks if they have any Elvish Bastard whiskey, to which they reply that a missing member of their party, Randir, has some bottles of the whiskey but has wandered off. The old man tells them his name: Beigolor, and then lets them know that if they wish to have him buff their equipment that they must bring him three bottles of Elvish Bastard Rye Whiskey (specifically that exact brand). They agree and give him Dyana’s shield and Daeryn’s shortsword. Aelun then asks if he’s interested in buying their longsword with turquoise embedded in the hilt, to which Beigolor declines, citing his lack of funds as well as that he doesn’t know if it's cursed or not. The party, having attempted to detect magic on it and not finding anything special about it except for perhaps its monetary value, tries again to get him to take the sword but he again refuses. Beigolor tells them that the weapons will be ready by the following morning.
Aelun, Daeryn and Dyana leave the alleged smithy and Dyana states that she wants to find a chapel to see if her deity Anubis is revered in this town. Aelun and Daeryn haven’t heard of Anubis, since Dyana is from another world. They find a decrepit church-looking building that’s adjoined to the Morgandark Inn they passed earlier. The stained glass looks to have been removed in places and much of the building has been boarded up. They enter the church and find narrow hallways built with a dozen or so doors to rooms off of the hall. They suddenly realize that this church has been converted into a brothel, as the sounds and occupants give off several undeniable clues. They leave the brothel and stand outside the Inn next door when all of the sudden Randir approaches from the Merchant Ward drunk as fuck. Annoyed, they ask him for the rest of his whiskey which they will use as payment to Beigolor for upgrading their weapons. Randir obliges and then sees a tiny sprite-like being again and follows it off toward the derelict-looking buildings of Cutwell Square.
Randir busts into a random hut to find five orcs playing rummy on some broken crates. Their weapons are laid up against the wall. They are all drinking swill and smoking when Randir busts in, and now are just staring blankly at the interruption. Aelun pursues Randir and follows him into the orcs’ hut, transforming into their direwolf form on the way. Fortunately, the orcs are friendly and offer to deal Randir into the game. Randir drunkenly says yes but then immediately passes out on one of the makeshift cots. Aelun, in direwolf form, keeps watch over Randir as the orcs continue drinking and gambling.
Daeryn and Dyana, back at the entrance of the brothel and the Morgandark Inn, decide to split up. Dyana goes into the brothel and Daeryn enters the bar. She walks through the dingy tavern, passing patrons whose behaviors range from drunken tomfoolery to stoic silent sipping. Two patrons are being dragged out of the bar by two other patrons. At the back of the room is the bar where a tall human woman, fair-skinned and dark-haired, curses and cleans up what appears to be blood on the bar. Daeryn sits down and orders an ale, and sparks up conversation with the bartender. The bartender gives her name- Leonda - and tells Daeryn she’ll answer any question- for the right price. Daeryn slaps down 3 gold pieces and Leonda opens up, explaining that Allvan Morgan is the head of the Morgan family. Allvan’s right hand man is Reade Flatcrest, and they run the organization as the first and second in command, overseeing teams of captains and bandits who run specific jobs. Juulestra is the captain in charge of the north-most territory Koldensnoh. Allvan is the son of Henley Morgan II, who started the Morgan crime family when his cattle were slaughtered during a skirmish between current Thief King Tostig and previous Thief King Milo Burgess. King Tostig in turn gave Henley many riches and made him agree to tithe a portion of his spoils to him. Henley disappeared 13 years ago; since then, his son Allvan has come of age and has taken control of the family. Daeryn gleans this information after slowly sipping three pints of ale, and due to her elven constitution and relatively low ABV of the ale is able to not become intoxicated.
A couple hours have gone by. Back at the orc hut, the orcs are having a grand old time. One of them is sketching a “selfie” with the passed out Randir as the other orcs pet direwolf Aelun who is unamused. Suddenly, Randir wakes up; he’s a bit freaked out, as he’s had an insanely deep and confounding dream of a far away land, and is now completely sober with no hangover. Perplexed, he is nudged up by Aelun who leads him out of the hut and back toward the Morgandark Inn. Aelun resumes their tiefling form and tells Randir about the blacksmith situation. Randir is unable to explain his situation as he’s mystified by the experience.
The two of them catch up with Daeryn who is sitting at the bar and starting to get tired of being social. Daeryn pays for two rooms for the night and Leonda shows them the way to their rooms. Randir goes into his own room and Daeryn and Aelun take the other room. Randir, who was psychically linked with Dyana up until she went into the brothel, becomes curious as to her whereabouts. He leaves the inn and walks over to the brothel, where he is denied entry because one of the brothel workers saw him acting a drunk fool earlier in the day.
Dyana, meanwhile, is in a room explaining to several of the brothel workers about unionizing and is successful in instilling an attitude of comradery and workers’ consciousness.
The party is able to experience a full rest.
The next morning, Daeryn goes to the brothel to find Dyana so they can go to the so-called blacksmith Beigolor and retrieve their newly upgraded weapons. She finds Dyana out in the alleyway behind the church-turned-brothel with all of the brothel workers who are planning on striking that day to demand better conditions and protections. Dyana and Daeryn meet up with Randir and Aelun and they make their way to Beigolor’s. Once they arrive, there is no sign of Beigolor, their weapons, or any evidence of the smithy and stove being used (it’s ice-cold). Frustrated, they begin to get angry when suddenly Beigolor appears sitting at the edge of the stove, meditating. They give him the two bottles of whiskey; he slams one of them, completely emptying it, and lays it down next to another empty Elvish Bastard bottle (presumably from the night before). Frustrated by this, the party starts to turn and leave but when they do, Daeryn’s upgraded shortsword and Dyana’s upgrade shield lay on the ledge at the edge of the smithy. They turn around to thank Beigolor but he has mysteriously disappeared…
It is noon time when the party plans their next moves.
Will they be successful in warning Allvan of the Chalkanian attacks? Will they be able to glean information on how to deal with the necromancer? Find out next time!
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Part 3: TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER
It is now noon in Morgan town. Confounded by the sudden disappearance of Beigolor whilst at the same time content with their completed transaction and upgraded weapon and shield, Aelun, Daeryn and Dyana head back to the Morgandark Inn. Dyana goes to her room and meditates / prays to Anubis. Randir is awake and sitting at a table in the tavern alone, rubbing his head while trying to make sense of the experiences of the previous day. Daeryn and Aelun decide to try and warn Allvan about the Chalkanian message they intercepted while on the road, and so they make their way to the front gate of the Morgan Manor. First they will search the Merchant Ward for a component pouch so that Aelun can cast more spells.
They search the rows and stalls and eventually find a vendor with lots of herbs and spices. He so happens to have a component pouch which he gladly sells to Aelun at a fair price. Daeryn and Aelun then head to Morgan Manor.
At the entrance gateway in the tall stone wall that surrounds Morgan Manor, they are stopped by two guards. Aelun recognizes one of them as one of the card-playing orcs from last night when Randir passed out drunk in the Cutwell orc’s hut. The other guard, a raunchy older human, asks for a light, to which Aelun uses druidic magic to light the man’s pipe. Daeryn tells the guards that they need to speak to Allvan. The human guard rudely declines their request, saying that not just anybody can enter the manor. Daeryn offers 5 gold, to which he spits and makes a crude counteroffer. Daeryn, in return, smacks the pipe out of his hands. The man is now very pissed. The orc guard tries to calm him but the man storms off. Aelun and Daeryn mention again that it’s urgent and that Juulestra sent them. The orc recognizes the name Juulestra as an important person in the Morgan gang and so tells them that he will try and set up a meeting with one of his bosses. He then tells them that his name is Gulgar. Aelun mentions that Grum, the Stagg captain stationed in Koldensnoh, was killed.
At this moment, a tall, thin and greasy elven nobleman comes walking around the corner from alongside the outer manor wall in an alleyway between the wall and the Morgan armory, just left of where Daeryn and Aelun are standing. His dark robes seem menacing and he appears to be doing calculations and jotting them down into a booklet. Having overheard only the name “Grum”, he takes interest in the party’s conversation. Gulgar explains that Aelun and Daeryn seek an audience with Allvan. They show this elf nobleman their pins they got from Juulestra, and he beckons them to come with him to his house / office where they can speak more candidly.
As this man guides Aelun and Daeryn through the streets of Darkstair, which is a much more affluent part of town that surrounds Morgan Manor, Aelun and Daeryn attempt to read this strange man to see if he is going to deceive them or cause them harm. Through their combined insight they realize that he’s not an immediate threat but something seems off about him anyways. They quietly decide that they will not give this man the full account of what they know, just that if they can meet with Allvan.
Meanwhile, Dyana leaves her meditation and joins Randir downstairs. She convinces him to help her look for Daeryn and Aelun and they ask Leonda the barkeep if she’s seen where they went. Leonda isn’t very helpful as she’s clearly hungover and not in a good mood. Randir asks her if she’s heard of any faeries or feyfolk appearing in and around town. Leonda responds that such creatures are that of legend; however, with all the weird happenings recently she wouldn’t put it past the Fates that such creatures would be re-emergent. It’s been millenia since any fey creatures were actually recorded as having been seen, however, so the chances are still pretty low. Randir explains that he drank some Elvish Bastard whiskey and could see faeries and things wandering around town, and then he blacked out and vaguely remembers seeing some crazy shit. She says she’s never heard of that brand of whiskey but that he was most likely roofied. She gives him tester tincture that helps determine if a drink has been spiked or poisoned by turning the liquid red (or a different color if the liquid being tested is red) with a single drop. He downs two beers and heads out with Dyana.
The elven nobleman leads Aelun and Daeryn to his front door. The streets are cobbled and clean and there’s not a soul in sight. They enter the man’s house. He introduces himself as Vicquinor Dirgestone and then quickly scribbles some orders into a small scroll and sends it off with a carrier raven. He asks what Daeryn and Aelun know about Grum, whom he heard them mention his name. They reply that he was found to be trafficking beings. Vicquinor stoically retorts that this was no good, and that it goes against all laws of the thief kingdom (there aren’t that many to begin with). He assures them that he will bring justice swiftly to the man. Aelun and Daeryn then tell him that he’s dead. Without questioning them further, Vicquinor tells them that he is very busy and will send Gulgar to come get them when Allvan is ready to meet. They will have dinner in Morgan Manor. Daeryn and Aelun are sent out of the house.
Dyana and Randir leave the tavern and learn from a passerby that a purple tiefling and tall half elf woman were seen heading toward Morgan Manor. They make their way to the gate and see Gulgar and a half elf man standing guard. Randir daps up the half elf and asks if he and his associate have seen Aelun and Daeryn. Gulgar confirms that he did and that they went to Vicquinor’s house to discuss meeting with the Morgan leader Allvan. At this point, the party reunites near the Morgan armory where a slight commotion is beginning to buzz up. Bandits and Morgan crew are all arming themselves with pikes, glaives, axes and scimitars as well as trying on various armors and shields. The party catches each other up on what’s been happening. Aelun tells Dyana that Allvan is a human and to be on her best behavior. Gulgar overhears and warns them gently that if anyone tries to attack Allvan it will be game over for them all.
A captain calls out to the party and asks if they’ll be joining the night watch town defense; otherwise they need to clear the street. The party decides to head back into the Merchant Ward to try and find some healing potions. Dyana returns to the brothel to assist the workers with their impending strike. The remaining three head into the rows of stalls and vendors, searching for a merchant selling potions.
They find the same vendor who had sold Aelun the component pouch earlier that morning. Daeryn inquires about healing potions; the vendor shadily replies that he does but no one catches on to his ruse. He attempts to sell them two false and unglowing “greater potions of healing" for an exorbitant price of 300 gold. Right when Daeryn and the party hand over the money, a voice calls out from a few paces away. A taller orc bandit guard approaches the party and scolds the vendor, telling him that he’s been warned already and now must leave town or be cleaved in two. Daeryn draws her shortsword and holds it to the vendor’s neck and he returns their money. The vendor flees and the party keeps their gold, but still have no healing potions. The orc introduces himself as Rukk, who is in charge of leading the defense of the town of Morgan against the nightwalkers- the undead who come out at night. The party declines and Rukk tells them that should they change their minds they are welcome to meet him at the armory at midnight.
Afterward, Daeryn, Aelun and Randir return to the tavern and await Gulgar. Dyana rejoins them, leaving the brothel just as the strike commences. This causes a small commotion in the square out front of the inn where the striking workers chant “In the name of Anubis! We deserve better protections and healthcare!” Dyana smiles, having accomplished something she is proud of.
While they wait, they agree on a plan: they wish to warn Allvan of the Chalkies’ impending attacks, knowing that the Morgans employ Chalkanian defectors. They also wish to ask him for supplies and a few extra men to go with them to Mount Willowbea and confront the necromancer. They wish to propose that Allvan and his men fortify the town against the Chalkies while they head out to stop the necromancer.
Gulgar finds them at the bar and leads them on to Morgan manor. It is late afternoon and the sun will be setting soon. They make their way through the outer gates of the wall surrounding a decently sized building that clearly formerly belonged to a wealthy family but now it is mildly time and weather worn in appearance. Inside the manor, the party is forced to give up their weapons by two Morgan henchmen who place magic-cancelling bracelets onto each of them. The bracelets block magic casting by causing silence to prevent them from chanting spells. Gulgar heads further into the house while the party awaits their meeting with Allvan Morgan…
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Part 4: WORST DINNER PARTY EVER
Two Morgan captains, Lorice and Bundtgrine, remove all of the party’s weapons from them and make them wear the magic-cancelling bracelets. The two of them leave the room and tell the party to wait here. Aelun and Daeryn make sure with Randir and Dyana that everyone is on the same page- don’t tell anyone about the Chalkanium memo except Allvan himself; and that overall their plan is to warn Allvan, have him bolster his defenses here in Morgan town, and to convince him to give them supplies and extra fighters to head to Willowbea and take down the necromancer.
Gulgar enters a few minutes later and leads everyone though a middle room with two locked doors on either side and sliding double doors straight ahead, behind which is the main room with three long dinner tables set up long-ways. The decor of the house is that of bandits- clearly some evidence of extreme wealth but too rustic and unkept to be a noble’s home, though clearly it was so in the past. Sitting at the center of the table is Allvan, a human man in about his 40’s with dark hair and rapscallion features. In a husky voice he welcomes the party and introduces Reade Flatcrest, his main second-in-command and most trusted friend. He also introduces Vicquinor and awkwardly announces him as his most trusted advisor and bookkeeper. Allvan then acknowledges that the party have already met him. He then introduces Leonda, who is also in attendance, though looking slightly uncomfortable and somewhat irritably anxious. She’s looking away from Reade, who is sitting next to her and doting over her, unable to not look at her while grinning. Also in attendance at the dinner is a bad-mannered elf bandit captain named Jorfer. Gulgar joins them at the end of the table.
Randir immediately downs his chalice and takes Dyana’s, asking her mid-chug if she’s going to drink her wine. She replies with a scoff and a sigh. Allvan intensely stares at the four party members as he drinks from his gem-encrusted chalice. Vicquinor asks the party how and why they came to Morgan, and they briefly explain that they were shipwrecked and found their way inland to Koldensnoh where they met Juulestra. Vicquinor mentions that he knows Juulestra but doesn’t care much for her. He also explains that he used to work with Father Milton in helping travellers find shelter in the church there. When he asks about Father Milton they inform him that Milton has passed away. Daeryn checks her insight into Vicquinor and can subtly tell that he’s holding back some information.
Jorfer asks if any of the party have any food allergies and before anyone can answer he blurts out that Vicquinor’s the only elf he’s met that has a gluten intolerance. The food is served, Vicquinor with his own gluten-free dish, and the rest of the party dig in. Allvan, staring intensely at Randir who’s nervously drinking more wine, charismatically bursts out that he’s delighted everyone can enjoy this meal together. While eating his food, Vicquinor stops and looks as though he’s seen a ghost. Jorfer is grinning and cackling maniacally while looking at Allvan who’s smiling back. Vicquinor then keels over face-first into his food, dead. He’s been poisoned. Aelun, Dyana, Daeryn and Randir stop eating their food as this happens. Allvan assures them that so long as they aren’t traitors working for the Staggs- like Vicquinor- then they should have nothing to worry about. Shocked by this revelation, Gulgar and the party all look at each other. Aelun suddenly divulges the fact that they are here to warn him about a message they’ve intercepted: that since the Morgans employ Chalkanian defectors and those abandoning their imperial post, the town of Morgan has been targeted for attack by Chalkanian forces.
Allvan shrugs off Aelun’s revelation of the threat, citing the harsh weather and remoteness of the Northeast Kingdom. He reveals that the purpose of inviting them for dinner is to try and recruit them for a mission: steal the “Ghost Step” needle and ink from their Stagg rivals. This magic item is used to tattoo an enchantment onto a person that gives them resistance to physical attacks and helps them stay light on their feet, allowing better stealth and avoiding traps. Daeryn stands up and calls Allvan a fool- it won’t matter who’s ahead - Morgan, Stagg, any of them- if the Chalkanium invades, there will be nothing left. Allvan retorts by stating the fact that in 169 years of the Chalkanium’s existence, never once have they set their boots down in the Northeast Kingdom, let alone their sights. They are weakened nowadays and wouldn’t dare risk open war with Guk and Zither. The three nations of the eastern continent may not have open borders with each other, but they certainly wouldn’t let their neighboring countries fall to the likes of the empire.
At that precise moment, glass shattering and shouting can be heard from either side of the house. Jorfer stands up and draws his dagger, rushing over to protect Allvan. Allvan, drunkenly (but holding his liquor well) bolts up and pulls down his battle axe from the ornamental shelf behind him. Reade enters a defensive position as well. Leonda shadily steps away from the table while shooting a quick glare at Allvan.
Daeryn and Randir grab forks and knives from the table and get into a battle-ready stance. Aelun rips off their magic-cancelling bracelet and transforms into direwolf form. Dyana remains seated and enters a meditative trance of reverence to Anubis. The shuffling sounds become clear that there is fighting happening beyond the doors outside of the dining room.
The air is tense with heavy breaths and anxiety, each person preparing for battle. From the eastern side of the room, the door is flung open as two Morgan henchmen battle Chalkanian foot soldiers- lunging, feinting and parrying at each other’s attacks. One of the henchmen is slain by the soldiers. Randir and Daeryn attack the soldiers, injuring them but unable to put them down. Aelun in direwolf form leaps into battle and kills one of the soldiers. Randir and Daeryn then try to barricade the door shut to the remaining soldier and potentially more invaders from breaching the dining room. Allvan, watching the fight and holding his weapon, slams another glass of liquor down.
Daeryn calls out to Jorfer and asks him where their weapons are being stashed. They each cast off their magic-cancelling bracelets and all of them are now able to cast magic spells. Jorfer replies to Daeryn that the weapons are stored in a room to the southeast of the dining room. Aelun and Dyana hear that and leap through the doors toward the weapons cache and find two more Chalkanians fighting two Morgans in the middle room. Using their dinner’s silverware and Aelun’s direwolf teeth, they fend off the soldiers. One of the Morgans perishes in the fight but the other one retrieves their weapons and toss them to Aelun and Dyana who carry them back to the dining room.
They toss each party member their respective weapons. The west door now busts open with more Chalkanians; Lorice and Aelun leap into action to try and barricade that door. Now armed with their familiar weapons and able to cast magic, the party effectively dispatches several of the invaders with assistance from the Morgans. Gulgar falls unconscious in battle but Aelun is able to stabilize him.
With the various hallways barricaded and the dining room secured, Allvan and Reade declare a plan to barricade inside the basement to rest and come up with a new plan. They make their way to the west hall where another fight breaks out with more invaders. After those Chalkanians are put down, Allvan walks past Leonda and then he slumps over.
Leonda stabs Allvan with precision, fatally wounding Allvan in an act of betrayal! Daeryn shouts the chants that summon the ensnaring strike of vines and grasping plants that subdue Leonda as Lorice lunges in to strike her with his blade, but Aelun holds him back, exclaiming that there’s no time. Every single person slain in the battle is starting to come back to life as ghouls and zombies!
They shove everyone down the hall and retreat into the basement and barricade the door. Aelun stabilizes Allvan with their healing hands, bringing him to a reasonable lucidity where he is no longer on death’s doorstep.
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Part 5: ESCAPING MORGAN TOWN
11pm Waxing moon
Morgan town is on fire and there is much chaos and fighting amongst the Chalkanian attackers, Morgan townsfolk, and the undead.
In the corner of the room, Leonda is tied up and held prisoner. Reade and Lorice block the door as Allvan Morgan, leader of the Morgans, regains his composure. He pisses in a pot in the corner of the chamber; Randir pisses next to him awkwardly, having drank a fair amount at dinner.
Daeryn intimidates Leonda in order to try and find out why she tried to kill Allvan. Leonda explains that her family (the Bladeswoods) used to be in control of the town and earned all they had through fighting and thieving over generations. She mocks Allvan, pointing out that Allvan's father didn't earn shit, as he was gifted all the riches and spoils when king Tostig offered him the town in recompense for Morgan's loss of cattle during the Kingsgame in which Tostig won the Thief King crown.
Dyana searches for a secret door or any exit other than the stair door but doesn't find anything.
Randir asks Allvan how to escape the house. Allvan explains that the only way in and out of the basement is through the single door which is currently barricaded. Behind the door is the staircase that leads back up into the house, and that they can jump through anything of the windows and scale the wall, or simply leave through the front of the house, but that perhaps would be too obvious and potentially guarded. He also offers anything that may be of use to them in killing the necromancer, since he can’t take revenge on leonda and kill her until the necromancer is dead and the undead cease to be.
Lorice offers to cover them as they escape. The party makes their way up to the west corridor where all the windows are busted out. The smell of carnage and raging flames billow through the broken windows. Beyond the stone wall that surrounds the house is an orange glow of inferno. The sounds are that of battle- clashes and clatters punctuated by screams of terror and rage. In the yard within the walls are puddles of blood, broken pieces of armor and jettisoned weaponry. Dyana exclaims that she will vanquish these abominations who are an affront to the god of death itself. One by one they leave the house and make their way over to the wall. Daeryn and Aelun find a small trench that runs along the base of the wall that leads to a trap door that leads through the wall and out onto the streets of Morgan.
As they exit Morgan and manor they recognize the street as the street that Vicquinor’s house is on. This section of the city is not on fire but there are burned corpses and signs of battle. Dyana expresses her concern for the workers of the brothel. They all agree to head in that direction and then do so.
On their way, they notice that much of the fighting has shifted to elsewhere in the city. The armory door is wide open but there is fire and smoke coming from the roof, making it hard to see. Daeryn runs inside and finds an unscathed short sword and adds to her repertoire, now dual-wielding two short swords.
When they approach the brothel it is completely in flames. The sex workers are finishing off a zombie, whose undead fortitude prevents it from being completely killed. With a murmur of prayer to Anubis, Dyana finishes off the zombie with the “toll the dead” spell. Dyana takes a moment to communicate with the brothel girls and finds out that they’re fortifying the north section of the town and have been joined by Stagg fighters, as well as others. Before they can say any more, the workers run off toward the north where the intensity of the fires and fighting seems to be happening.
In the Merchant ward, where previously there had been countless vendor stalls and merchants peddling wares, a raging blaze seems to extend into space. The rank odor of burning wood and corpses disturbs everyone in the group, espeically Daeryn, who remembers the genocide she fled in occupied Abacus as a youngster. It doesn't appear that the Chalkanians had been attacking civilians- however, once several of the Chalkanians and town defenders fell in battle, they were reanimated as undead and created absolute chaos. The party then flees to the southwest part of town.
Most of the Morgans and townsfolk who were fighting the Chalkies and the undead have wiped out all enemies in the center of town and have now moved to the fighting to the north of the town in the outskirts. More of the structures in the center of the town are being engulfed by intensifying flames, which is pushing all living and undead creatures toward the edges of town. Enveloped by a sense of duty, Daeryn makes a case for joining the townspeople in fending off the invaders, but Aelun and the rest of the group state that they need to flee town and deal with the necromancer. Dyana, proud and satisfied with the united front she’s created from unionizing the sex workers of the Morgan brothel, votes to leave the town and continue on their quest to put a stop to the undead. Randir also agrees to head to Mount Willowbea, where the final confrontation with the undead will happen.
They all head south, being careful to avoid flames and crumbling structures, but they don’t encounter any creatures, living or otherwise, save for many corpses; some of which are charred and mutilated from combat. . As they head southwest to leave town, they are waylaid by invading Chalkanian soldiers fighting some undead creatures at the edge of town. Randir expresses that he loves killing Chalkies, and they all enter battle with the soldiers. Daeryn, leading the front of the party’s march in sneak-attack formation, summons up her connection to the earth as a hail of thorns begin to encircle and flow around her nocked arrow, giving her longbow an aura of forest green. Her shot barely hits one of the Chalkies who are (up until now) preoccupied with their fray with the two remaining undead attackers. Aelun, at basically that same moment, shouts as they unleash a fire bolt towards one of the undead creatures. The creature’s hoarse vocal chores shrill into the air as it is consumed by flames. Daeryn continues their attack with another shot, this time taking a tiny portion of the Chalkie’s ear off. The undead ghoul, now aware of the party, dashes over to bite Daeryn. As its teeth sink into Daeryn, it digs out a substantial amount of flesh from her neck, injuring Daeryn a bit. However, her elvish constitution prevents any of the necrotizing effects of the bite from causing any paralysis. Aelun takes a moment to assess the battle as Dyana prays loudly to Anubis. The rest of the party are unfamiliar with this deity as she shouts in a tongue unknown to them. Darkness and lightning form around Dyana as she holds out her gesturing hands, causing the two undeads to flee Dyana and the dark aura emanating from her. Randir moves into position, calling upon his roots as a forest dweller to summon entangling vines which almost ensnares one of the Chalkies; however, the targeted soldier is able to withstand the spell and avoids succumbing to Randir’s magic. As this happens, one of the undead flees into the far distance. The other soldier, now afraid of the party, attempts to flee into the town. Aelun launches another fire bolt with a chant and hand motion, striking the fleeing Chalkie. As he falls to the ground, flailing as he burns, Daeryn lands a precise arrow on the burning fascist, ending his life as the flames eat at his corpse. The other undead is quickly dispatched by the party, and their way forward to leaving the south via the southwestern path is now clear.
As they travel throughout the night, the sounds and glow of the flames and carnage of the burning battleground of Morgan begin to dissipate into the background. The party is successful in avoiding any contact with any of the combatants but witnesses Chalkanian reinforcements and undead creatures move toward the town of Morgan. They press on, bearing witness to two airships with the Chalkanium crest and colors upon its hull and sails retreating westward away from Morgan town. One of them suddenly explodes as its wreckage impacts the land directly west of the party’s southwestern direction of travel. The other airship flees to the west past the downed Chalkie airship. As it reaches below the horizon, another orange glow lights up the crest of the horizon. Immediately after, another airship with black sails and no markings flies eastward toward Morgan.
(4am, Waxing moon)
The party, traversing snow fields interrupted by occasional patches of coniferous forest, begin to feel the weight of exhaustion and frigid cold upon them. Aelyn takes notice of the land around them and realizes that there’s a river nearby about 3 miles south of them. They head toward the river and set up camp to rest, far away from the carnage but still a little rattled by the events of the night in Morgan.
Dyana takes the first watch, praying to Anubis and meditating on death. She tries to detect undead and can pick up the essence of moving undead heading west to northeast back up towards Morgan town. She can psychically hear the suffering cries of undead souls trapped between life and the sweet release of a proper death. She reflects on her vision, that Anubis is guiding her to stop this abomination to death, the so-called Necromancer of Mount Willowbea. After two hours, she wakes up Aelun and goes to sleep.
Aelun watches for about forty minutes when the sun begins to breech the horizon. Just south of the camp, presumably on the river, Aelun can see birds defying their normal migration paths as if disturbed by something moving on the water there. Nothing else really happens, and now it is a sunny morning as Aelun wakes up Randir as they lay down to sleep.
Randir stretches as he begins his watch. The sun is out and everyone is asleep. He finds a dry log to toss on the fire and keeps the warmth of the fire going to keep everyone restful. He reflects on the fact that the undead have only been seen at night or in the darkness of caves. Randir keeps a sharp and keen lookout and sees the plumes of smoke from the smoldering Morgan town in the northeast of the camp. Deer, rabbit and the other regular snowy flora and fauna of the Northeast Kingdom make their way about here and there. All seems peaceful for the first time in a while. Randir whittles a stick as he whistles a tune he’s heard in his dream (sounds like “norwegian wood”). About an hour later, he sees a winter frog, a majestic creature related to the Anurathion, and is very rare to see in nature. He sees it as a blessing from the Great Frog Deity of the North and omen of good luck. With a bassy ribbit, it hops off toward the east. Randir lays down, waking up Daeryn to take the watch.
Daeryn watches for the last 2 hours while everyone finishes their long rest, rejuvenating their energy for casting spells and healing themselves. She forages about the area surrounding the camp, finding poison berries, but then is able to find non-poisonous winter berries. After sitting down and eating some berries for a little while, she notices the unmarked airship they saw overnight that shot down the Chalkanian airship fly overhead, heading from Morgan after circling around the town and then heading toward the southwest. She can see over the river to the south of them a pillar of smoke moving from east to west. Daeryn snuffs out the fire so as to avoid any detection. She keeps a keen watch for the rest of the hour, packed up and ready to roll as soon as everyone wakes up. She notices the airship loop back around and head toward Morgan town again.
12pm Noon
Conditions are clear and there don’t seem to be any enemies nearby as the party awakens and gets ready to head south to cross the river.
As they travel south, Daeryn scouts ahead to try and keep an eye out for enemies in the snowy wilderness. About 2 hours later, they reach the banks of the Morgan & Stagg River. Not seeing any creatures or people around, they also take note of the fact that there is no direct way across the frigid and swift waters unless they ford it. The width of the river at this part appears to be 70 feet. Randir asks Aelun if they are able to transform into a sea-faring creature of some kind. He describes the winter frog he witnessed while on watch to Aelun, who is able to understand his explanation and conjure the form of an insulated amphibian (despite some of the hair and features being mildly unsightly and “derpy”). Dyana blesses Aelun with resistance to the cold and then conjures a mage hand to assist pushing the party and Aelun across the river. After travelling about 25 feet, Aelun, in frog form, gets scared by Dyana’s mage hand and slips on an underwater rock, tossing the party into the frigid cold water and injuring them slightly. Eventually they barely make it to the other side. Dyana, now exhausted from shivering, sits down to meditate on Aelun’s fur-covered frog-form back. Aelun returns to their original tiefling form and the party takes a few moments to warm back up and shake off their exhaustion.
Looking off to the south, they all can see the storm-covered slopes of Mt. Willowbea, the summit obscured by black and purple clouds occasionally flashing with sidewards-striking lightning….
***