Furyondy: Chendl & Akeleor
Planting (IV) 592 - Chendl & Akeleor
Before his death, Lord Helio Harmsworth, while in Hallorn, wrote on parchment scrolls detailed accounts of all his adventures. He entrusted them to the scout Rouven of Orlane, who had guided Selred north, with orders to take them back to his family. A copy was made for the aging Lord Waldron Harmsworth, the originals went to his beloved half-sister Slainie, Nun of the Holy Sepulchre.
Lady Slainie is sent to Chendl, Furyondy's capital, to help the family wood trade. Her older brother already there, Brother Keyon of the Holy Church, is unable to assume his duties with trade allies Signora Anna Ursini Di Caronna, Sir Léssilié du Marais and the Half-Elf Druid Telinyar.
The four find Brother Keyon has been charmed by a Drow wizard to uncover secrets from the Abbey of the Benedictines of St-Cyril pertaining a radiant dark green stone rumored to have religious portent and mystical powers. They defeat the Drow wizard and his Drow warrior companion at a tavern called Clot des 5 écus. Explaining the matter to the Abbot the old Salvaitre Lauriant, Brother Keyon is forgiven; he nonetheless volunteers to atone at the Abbey for a 3 month of cloistering, with penance including vows of silence.
Wishing to understand more on this mysterious matter, and since they involve secret writings of the church, Sister Slainie uses her ecclesiastical contacts. They lead to a visit from an ambitious and charismatic young Bishop of the Church, also Chaplain of the Hart, Guislain Bombakar, now in charge of the canonical investigation. An arrangement is made: the four will investigate a clue found on the Drow Wizard, mentioning the lands of Akeleor North, in exchange of church favor. Their trade caravan was heading north to nearby Tusarne anyway.
In Akeleor they meet 8-year old Lord Cerbros Vesvakis and his mother Rhyanon. His grandfather and namesake was a famous Knight of the Hart who earned fame in the Shield Lands, as well as being the wielder of the Moon Blade and Dragon Horn Akilias 'the roar of light', prophesied to call the ancient pact between Bahamut's Dragons -the Dragons of Good- and men. His father Waunteros Vesvakis has a darker reputation, delving in necromancy and linked to banditry. Telinyar reveals his father's 'gift' bat familiar to be a Drow vampire. A quick battle ensues: Holy prayers from Sister Slainie and Lady Ursini's Celestial magic destroy the foul thing before it can escape.
A quick inquest uncovers the Drow Vampire controlled a local knowledgeable elder, Ineard, to guide it to the many Druidic stones in the nearby vast Vesve forest. The four join forces with a group of Elves also investigating on recent turmoil in the Vesve. They are led by the Druidess Quirian and the Wizardess Mialee. Ineard leads them to the closest of the 47 defiled druidic sites that surround Shadow Keep.
The sites show clear signs of taint, trees bare and twisted, undergrowth turned to thorns and thickets. Large web cocoons populate the landscape, webs abound. Lady Ursini conjures the Celestial stars that reveal all that is hidden: Ettercaps, Giant spiders and Spider Swarms emerge, enraged at the intrusion on the Defiled Glade.
Before his death, Lord Helio Harmsworth, while in Hallorn, wrote on parchment scrolls detailed accounts of all his adventures. He entrusted them to the scout Rouven of Orlane, who had guided Selred north, with orders to take them back to his family. A copy was made for the aging Lord Waldron Harmsworth, the originals went to his beloved half-sister Slainie, Nun of the Holy Sepulchre.
Lady Slainie is sent to Chendl, Furyondy's capital, to help the family wood trade. Her older brother already there, Brother Keyon of the Holy Church, is unable to assume his duties with trade allies Signora Anna Ursini Di Caronna, Sir Léssilié du Marais and the Half-Elf Druid Telinyar.
The four find Brother Keyon has been charmed by a Drow wizard to uncover secrets from the Abbey of the Benedictines of St-Cyril pertaining a radiant dark green stone rumored to have religious portent and mystical powers. They defeat the Drow wizard and his Drow warrior companion at a tavern called Clot des 5 écus. Explaining the matter to the Abbot the old Salvaitre Lauriant, Brother Keyon is forgiven; he nonetheless volunteers to atone at the Abbey for a 3 month of cloistering, with penance including vows of silence.
Wishing to understand more on this mysterious matter, and since they involve secret writings of the church, Sister Slainie uses her ecclesiastical contacts. They lead to a visit from an ambitious and charismatic young Bishop of the Church, also Chaplain of the Hart, Guislain Bombakar, now in charge of the canonical investigation. An arrangement is made: the four will investigate a clue found on the Drow Wizard, mentioning the lands of Akeleor North, in exchange of church favor. Their trade caravan was heading north to nearby Tusarne anyway.
Guislain Bombakar, Évèque d'Hougemont et Bombadour, Chaplain d'Artois
Map of Akeleor, Vesve, etc (click to enlarge)
In Akeleor they meet 8-year old Lord Cerbros Vesvakis and his mother Rhyanon. His grandfather and namesake was a famous Knight of the Hart who earned fame in the Shield Lands, as well as being the wielder of the Moon Blade and Dragon Horn Akilias 'the roar of light', prophesied to call the ancient pact between Bahamut's Dragons -the Dragons of Good- and men. His father Waunteros Vesvakis has a darker reputation, delving in necromancy and linked to banditry. Telinyar reveals his father's 'gift' bat familiar to be a Drow vampire. A quick battle ensues: Holy prayers from Sister Slainie and Lady Ursini's Celestial magic destroy the foul thing before it can escape.
Waunteros the pet familiar bat revealed
A quick inquest uncovers the Drow Vampire controlled a local knowledgeable elder, Ineard, to guide it to the many Druidic stones in the nearby vast Vesve forest. The four join forces with a group of Elves also investigating on recent turmoil in the Vesve. They are led by the Druidess Quirian and the Wizardess Mialee. Ineard leads them to the closest of the 47 defiled druidic sites that surround Shadow Keep.
Quirian the Elven Druidess
Mialee the Elven Wizardess
The foul arachnids attempt to overwhelm the intruders but are repulsed and slain. 3 of the 10 elves are killed, including Quirian who cannot be saved from spider poison due to the dark taint on the druidic site. Ineard also dies consumed by the spider swarm.
Battle of the Defiled Glade
Ineard's terrible fate
Telinyar cleanses the site with fire and a small tree brought to life by his druidic magic carries the fallen elves into the funeral pyre. The Druid Seer later receives a vision from the restored druid stones: the Drow have provided spider monstrosities to the Forest Goblins of the Vesve, forging an alliance and calling on the Goblinoid Horde. Back at Akeleor they learn the Drow in recent years have tried unsuccessfully to ally themselves with Lizard people's tribes, worshipers of evil Dragons.
The heroes return to Tusarne where their merchant caravan awaits. They leave town only to be attacked the next night at the village of Sarrebourg, halfway to Caleport. Goblins emerge from the swamps around the Vilaine river, some riding Giant Spiders. The caravan fights its way out, leaving behind a village under murderous pillage and bloody rampage.
Unwilling to let the Goblins come out fully victorious and unscathed, with the caravan now safe, the heroes return to save a few villagers (3 women, 3 children and 1 man) and 2 caravan guards which they later hire.
Flocktime (V) 592 - North of Tusarne
After safely finalizing their caravan trade in Chendl, another caravan is prepared to return north.
A meeting with Bishop Bombakar maintains the ongoing cooperative alliance with the Holy Church, with aims to continue investigating recent events.
Upon returning north to Tusarne, news of the punitive expedition sent to deal with the Goblins, a force of Knights and Footmen 700 strong, is dire. They have been contained in a narrow strip of road surrounded by marsh lands of the Vilaine river, harassed by seemingly numberless Goblins and unable to break out.
In other news, the infamous bandit 'Le Corbusier' took advantage of the chaos to abduct young Lord Cerbros Vesvakis, holding him for a ransom of 500 gold. Coincidentally, the renowned troupe of performers "Les amis du masque" (friends of the mask) are touring Furyondy enacting a play mocking and tarnishing the Vesvakis name in a satiric comedy about the 'Vampire Waunteros'.
The heroes opt on scouting the marsh lands to gauge enemy forces. The dangerous foray is successful: they find a small drow contingent amidst the Goblins who have many more giant spiders including a gigantic elephant-size Arachnarok spider.
A plan to save the remaining beleaguered knights is brought to Tusarne's Baron Clarence de Bauge. He accepts. A force of 500 of his Tusarne soldiery will launch a surprise attack from the marsh while the trapped Knights attempt a break-trough.
Not sharing his battle plan, the Baron splits his army in two. A force of 300 mixed infantry and crossbowmen led by his trusted Captain Jocet is to perform the surprise marsh attack, guided by the heroes. Meanwhile the Baron leads his 100 mounted knights with a supporting force of 100 footmen to break the encirclement on the narrow road.
Surprise is achieved in the marshes. The Drow Leader is taken down by Sister Slainie's holy purifying flames. Lessilié kills the Drow Knight (Raptor rider), wounds and drives off the Monstrous Displacer Beast. Lady Ursini smites down the Raptor with Celestial magic just after the fiend slays Captain Jocet and, together with Telinyar and Slainie, help drive off the humongous Arachnarok spider.
Encouraged by this astonishing initial success, Sir Lessilié urges the men to press on forward. But the action was foolhardy, the men already wavering and the enemy too numerous. The already spent force routs and is decimated, with only 50 survivors out of the initial 300.
This result was nonetheless perfect for the Baron's battle plan. He had expected the surprise force to be routed and/or destroyed in the inhospitable marshes, and was counting on the fact the unexpected attack on their flank would make the goblins counterattack, which they did. This would allow his own smaller but mobile force to charge the narrow road and extirpate the trapped soldiery, which they also did.
The overall results: 300 of the initial 700 from the punitive force are saved (400 casualties).
250 of the Baron's 500 men survive, with his Knights intact (250 casualties).
Goblin casualties are hard to ascertain, with estimates ranging from 500 to 1000.
Wealsun (VI) 592 - Radelan area
Following up on information gained through the Swampaire Callot de la Coupe, the heroes seek out the lair of the Bandit Le Corbusier. They find out 2 groups also seek the bandit, looking to get their hands on the young Lord Vesvakis and the Dragon Horn Akilias. One is a group of lizard creatures, worshipers of a dragon cult called the Followers of the Scaly Way. The second is a group of Drow.
Near the suspected location of the Lair near the now-ravaged village of Radelan, the heroes run into the Drows. The Drow are defeated: one escapes and one is captured (killed: 7 Drows including the leader, 4 Morlocks and 2 strange humanoid creatures with unusual powers). Le Corbusier shows up after the battle. He understands his prisoner is valuable and raises the ransom to 750 gold. He also understands he is more vulnerable than ever with so many parties seeking him out and says he has abandoned his lair to go into hiding. He also says the Drow wanted to negotiate a generous ransom for the young Lord but he won't deal with foreign enemies of Furyondy. Feeling a strange connection to the Druid Telinyar, he offers him a boon. Telinyar chooses the release of Lady Rhyanon. The bandit complies.
The captured Drow is brought to the Baron of Tusarne for questioning (torture). They learn the Drow are to strike at the New Moon, less than 2 days away. Assembling in haste their caravan, they offer Lady Rhyanon to join them along with any survivors of Akeleor and the Northern lands. The caravan immediately departs with a hundred refugee in tow.
Giant Spider
Unwilling to let the Goblins come out fully victorious and unscathed, with the caravan now safe, the heroes return to save a few villagers (3 women, 3 children and 1 man) and 2 caravan guards which they later hire.
Flocktime (V) 592 - North of Tusarne
After safely finalizing their caravan trade in Chendl, another caravan is prepared to return north.
A meeting with Bishop Bombakar maintains the ongoing cooperative alliance with the Holy Church, with aims to continue investigating recent events.
Upon returning north to Tusarne, news of the punitive expedition sent to deal with the Goblins, a force of Knights and Footmen 700 strong, is dire. They have been contained in a narrow strip of road surrounded by marsh lands of the Vilaine river, harassed by seemingly numberless Goblins and unable to break out.
Initiate Agnien D'Isenbart of the Celestial Order in Caleport
In other news, the infamous bandit 'Le Corbusier' took advantage of the chaos to abduct young Lord Cerbros Vesvakis, holding him for a ransom of 500 gold. Coincidentally, the renowned troupe of performers "Les amis du masque" (friends of the mask) are touring Furyondy enacting a play mocking and tarnishing the Vesvakis name in a satiric comedy about the 'Vampire Waunteros'.
Le Corbusier (named for his 'corbeau', not his skill in architecture)
The heroes opt on scouting the marsh lands to gauge enemy forces. The dangerous foray is successful: they find a small drow contingent amidst the Goblins who have many more giant spiders including a gigantic elephant-size Arachnarok spider.
Arachnarok and Forest Goblins Spider-Riders
Drow Warrior
Drow Displacer Beast
Drow Lizard Raptor Mount
A plan to save the remaining beleaguered knights is brought to Tusarne's Baron Clarence de Bauge. He accepts. A force of 500 of his Tusarne soldiery will launch a surprise attack from the marsh while the trapped Knights attempt a break-trough.
His Grace Clarence de Bauge, Baron of Tusarne
Mounted Sergeant
Tusarne Soldiery (& Coat of Arms)
Surprise is achieved in the marshes. The Drow Leader is taken down by Sister Slainie's holy purifying flames. Lessilié kills the Drow Knight (Raptor rider), wounds and drives off the Monstrous Displacer Beast. Lady Ursini smites down the Raptor with Celestial magic just after the fiend slays Captain Jocet and, together with Telinyar and Slainie, help drive off the humongous Arachnarok spider.
Encouraged by this astonishing initial success, Sir Lessilié urges the men to press on forward. But the action was foolhardy, the men already wavering and the enemy too numerous. The already spent force routs and is decimated, with only 50 survivors out of the initial 300.
This result was nonetheless perfect for the Baron's battle plan. He had expected the surprise force to be routed and/or destroyed in the inhospitable marshes, and was counting on the fact the unexpected attack on their flank would make the goblins counterattack, which they did. This would allow his own smaller but mobile force to charge the narrow road and extirpate the trapped soldiery, which they also did.
The overall results: 300 of the initial 700 from the punitive force are saved (400 casualties).
250 of the Baron's 500 men survive, with his Knights intact (250 casualties).
Goblin casualties are hard to ascertain, with estimates ranging from 500 to 1000.
Wealsun (VI) 592 - Radelan area
Following up on information gained through the Swampaire Callot de la Coupe, the heroes seek out the lair of the Bandit Le Corbusier. They find out 2 groups also seek the bandit, looking to get their hands on the young Lord Vesvakis and the Dragon Horn Akilias. One is a group of lizard creatures, worshipers of a dragon cult called the Followers of the Scaly Way. The second is a group of Drow.
Swampaire Callot de la Coupe & Frogwife Madame De Verre
Near the suspected location of the Lair near the now-ravaged village of Radelan, the heroes run into the Drows. The Drow are defeated: one escapes and one is captured (killed: 7 Drows including the leader, 4 Morlocks and 2 strange humanoid creatures with unusual powers). Le Corbusier shows up after the battle. He understands his prisoner is valuable and raises the ransom to 750 gold. He also understands he is more vulnerable than ever with so many parties seeking him out and says he has abandoned his lair to go into hiding. He also says the Drow wanted to negotiate a generous ransom for the young Lord but he won't deal with foreign enemies of Furyondy. Feeling a strange connection to the Druid Telinyar, he offers him a boon. Telinyar chooses the release of Lady Rhyanon. The bandit complies.
The captured Drow is brought to the Baron of Tusarne for questioning (torture). They learn the Drow are to strike at the New Moon, less than 2 days away. Assembling in haste their caravan, they offer Lady Rhyanon to join them along with any survivors of Akeleor and the Northern lands. The caravan immediately departs with a hundred refugee in tow.
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