Distractions, Diplomacy and Dire Warnings: A Side Quest Summary

Frial offered up a number of opportunities to the heroes, each presenting unique benefits toward their shared or personal aspirations. For Cordelia and McKenna Moondall it was less an opportunity and more an unexpected obligation that fell upon them in the form of a task from their demonic patron, Tryxanna. Aelfric and Beorna took it upon themselves to cement relations between Frial and their Frostmerite clans. And Caellana agreed to a simple task in exchange for her favorite treasure... bread.

They meet at a tavern called the Unfinished Sympathy, which Aelfric has rented out for the entire party, including his remaining Frostmerites and there they discuss their options. Cordelia commits to taking care of her secret obligation on her own time while the others agree that the closest mission should take precedent. That ends up being the errand for Bianca Loame which Caellana has attached herself to. It seems to only be a few hours outside of the city and should be wrapped up by sunrise the following morning. With that decided they gather their wagon and follow the alchemist to her destination, a hill to the north of the city which will give her the vantage point she needs for her lunar observation equipment.

Grigor and most of the Frostmerites stay behind in the Unfinished Sympathy while the others make the trip out to the hills with Bianca. They all act as bodyguards and basic labor for her, guiding her supply wagon to the spot she's chosen. Once in the wooded area near the hill, Aelfric and several others decide to scout the region for potential dangers while McKenna breaks off on her own as usual. Aelfric encounters a group of mercenaries who are busy searching their area for their lost kin. The group is called the @Nightcallers and they offer a warning to Aelfric about a strange cult in the area as well as ogres. Undeterred, Aelfric pushes on. Meanwhile Caellana, Beorna, Berenger and Bianca begin setting up the astronomy equipment on the hilltop. Caellana helps supply some of the much-needed magic to make the equipment function.

Setting up the equipment is easily enough done. Beorna happens to notice some of the craftsmanship and runes on the devices being set up as belonging to the forge masters of Ghal Ankharmeaning the devices were built by Dwarven hands. Beorna reckons that Bianca's relative must have either been a close ally of the dwarves or a very wealthy man to be able to afford such a commissioned work. Once completed, Bianca begins her work surveying the surface of the moon while Caellana, Beorna and Berenger keep watch. All of them take moment to look through the scope and gaze on the glory of Tairos' Moon. They see sparkling, ivory-white expanses littered with countless craters, cracks and jagged peaks. While truly magnificent to the heroes, Bianca is disappointed. She believed she'd see some evidence of great grandfather having escaped Tairos and relocating to the moon.

Meanwhile, Aelfric and the others investigate nearby ruins. This dilapidated structure was once a small temple to the goddess Tatayne, The Breath of Life but now little remains of this once holy site. Yet they find signs of recent activity while investigating the outside. It's also here that they're ambushed and Aelfric almost killed by the ballista-sized bolt belonging a giant crossbow wielded by an icy, blue-skinned ogre. This ogre mentions "The Lady" reverently several times while trying to kill them but Cordelia's skunking blade finishes the the beast before they hear more. They then descend deeper into the temple's foundation where they find a small gathering of cultists in pale blue robes, reciting pious prayers someone named Lady Wintermoore while they go about the business of rigging traps (such as trapped chests, trip lines, poison darts ect) meant for travelers coming and going to Frial. Cordelia realizes some of the trapped loot chests she's been coming across over the last months might very well have come from these zealots.

Aelfric gives them very little opportunity to surrender and barrels down the stairs with Riken and Cordelia. The struggle that follows is brief and bloody. All but one of the cultists are killed and after the lone survivor tells them of living goddess they serve Cordelia executes him as well. Among the useful bits of info he was able to provide before being slain was that one of their goddess' most loyal servants was the one leading them here, an ogre magi named Ghaki and that he was still out in the woods somewhere.

Back on the observatory hill Bianca took a new piece of equipment from her wagon and placed it on the ground. She said it was a called a Moon Bridge and that supposedly it could allow a wizard to travel to the celestial body above. She had never been able to make the device work but reckoned that perhaps the magic-capable Caellana and Beorna might be able to bring life to the inert relic. Beorna examined the strange stone disk, roughly the size of a small cart's wheel and ringed in ancient runes. She couldn't make much sense of it and quickly lost interest. Caellana however immediately recognized some of the symbols along the disk's outer edge. They were the same as many of those on one of The Gates she grew up near. While she didn't know what they meant or how they worked what was certain was their connection to whomever built the gates. She continued fiddling with the Moon Bridge, placing her Manacite-infused leaves into the central hole and tapping randomly on the runes while shouting "to the moon!". Miraculously, the right combination of symbols was tapped in just right order and with just enough magical fuel from her leaves. In one instant she was there, another... vanished into a flash of white light. (*GM's note. Caellana's player happen to roll a critical success on something that I had no intention of any of the players being able to operate. So... what's a good GM to do but run with it)

Beorna and Bianca took a moment to stare in utter disbelief before immediately trying to replicate the accident that took Caellana. In the meantime Aelfric, Riken, Cordelia and Berenger meet up with them to let them know about the cultists they killed and the lurking ogre magi. Before they can get very far explaining the results of their scouting activities they're drown out by Bianca's frantic shouting and Beorna's bellowing. They explain about what happened to Caellana and while the heroes are largely concerned it's Cordelia that seems the most wounded by the news. The two have becoming very close friends and the prospect of her potential death hit hard. Meanwhile, Riken begins to grow concerned as his sister is still unaccounted for.

Cordelia decides to spare no expense in locating her friend and loads the Moon Bridge full of her remaining Manacite. With her patron, Tryxanna's help Cord is able to replicate the accident that that sent Caellana away. She opens a fully functional portal that immediately begins to destabilize. There's only enough time for her and Berenger to leap through before it fades completely. They cross through and find themselves wracked with nausea and slamming hard into a stone surface. There's nothing but complete darkness and a cold hard floor beneath them. Everything seems coated in a slick, viscous gel of some kind but without light they're unable to discern more. They're able to eventually find their lantern and get it lit, casting light on a strange environment. One of blackish stone with swirls of faint lavender light that ripple through them in stiff, geometric patterns. Behind them, one of the Gates. It seems the Moon Bridge connected with this Gate and threw them across the void and through it. They're able to briefly explore one collapsed passage and another with filled with strange medical equipment and rather violent spherical security drones before they hear a familiar shout from another direction. Caellana. And she's in a very big hurry.

Back on the hilltop the remaining heroes have little time to process what they've just witnessed before a harsh, gravely voice from the brush growls "Ah, the Lady Wintermoore will be most intrigued by that trinket. Which one of you wants to live to explain its workings to her?" The ogre magi lumbers from his hiding place and quickly launches himself at the party. This creature, despite being three times the height of a man and built purely of muscle and dense white fur proves to be as agile with its martial attacks as Riken. It leaps it delivering a near crippling kick to Riken who falls and slides across the muddy earth. It than holds forward a hand; drawing power from his manacite necklace and channeling it into a powerful explosion of smoke and flame that engulfs many of the others. However; Aelfric, Beorna and Riken quickly rally after the reeling attack and prove that together they are more than an ample threat to Ghaki, the Ogre Magi. Rather than stand his ground he batters Riken within an inch of his life and takes the Moon Bridge before fleeing into the thick of the nearby woods.

They quickly decide that Aelfric should escort Bianca back to the safety of Frial while Beorna and Erik helps Riken find his sister before they all regroup and figure out next steps. Ghaki, proving his magic as capable as his physical might, harries them illusions and disguises himself as McKenna to attack them. Despite his savage strikes and quick retreats the heroes are able to track him back to his camp where the bodies of travelers, cultists and mercenaries alike are strew. Drained of their life in blood rituals meant to constantly refuel Ghaki's manacite necklace. Among the bodies is Mckenna, still alive but clearly meant to be his next sacrifice. In the brutal battle that follows they're able to retrieve the Moon Stone from him and activate the device again, this time using the last of the manacite reserves. Again a quickly collapsing portal is formed and they leap through with the Moon Bridge. Ghaki follows, not wanting to lose the prize for his mistress. Once on the other side they quickly get their barrings and also to their dismay realize the ogre magi is not with them.

Cordelia, now reunited with Caellana and with Berenger in tow reunited in the long halls of the only function passage they found. Together they witnesses strange sights such as walls that flicker and flash with purple light at the slightest touch of their hands. Corridors that open into more passages not by simple doorways but rather in response their thoughts. And, more of the spidery drones Cordelia discovered early. Silvery orb-shaped devices made of metal. Each about the size of a melon and possessing a glowing central eye and tiny needle like bladed legs. It's those limbs that they'd use to slice and stab at them with. They'd also learn that the more they meddle with the bizarre place the more agitated and numerous the drone attacks became until they were forced to flee back to the gate chamber. It's here that the party (minus Aelfric, Grigor and the Frostmerites) reunited. Together they quickly devastated the tide of drones assailing them (with considerable help from Erik's rage and Cordelia's summoned fire elemental, Glenn)

They take time to catch their breath and try to understand exactly where it is that the Moon Bridge brought them. Some of the party tries to make the Gate or the Moon Bridge function while the others explore the gate chamber and connecting tunnels. After multiple failed attempts at reactivating the gate or the bridge they decide that their only viable option is to explore the depths of wherever it is they are and find some means homes. Caellana is the one that has the most luck connecting with this place. Her thoughts seem strong enough to order passage walls to open and even to summon a ghostly swarm of glowing symbols to hover about her. The symbols, when touched in a certain order seem to interact with the walls, the building and some hidden reservoir of knowledge. None of it proves particularly useful to her or the others because whatever language this place speaks in is not one any of them are familiar with.

They travel through the slick, stone-like tunnels guided by the lights in the walls and Caellana's best attempts at "thought-speech" with the voice of this place. In their wanderings they discover another gate chamber with a gate that was recently used. They assume this is the one Ghaki was routed through and that he must be near. They also come across a room filled with large glass tubes built into the walls. Some of these tubes are empty and others contain nothing but a thick bubbling green liquid. Their purpose becomes much more clear when they find a tube with cracks in in, all the liquid gone and only a clutter of ancient bones at the bottom. Further into their search they even uncover some with what look like humans floating in them. These humans all look vestigial, half formed and inert. They leave this chamber quickly, unsure what to make of it and uneasy with lingering long.

It's further into the mass of tunnels that they find Ghaki himself. He's wrenched several of the strange human-like bodies from their tubes and is using what little life force they have to refuel his necklace. The heroes quickly ambush him and that's when they discover something else truly amiss here. Even if they had manacite to cast magic with the effort would not be worth it. Ghaki channels his fireball again using the energy in his necklace but rather than function normally the spell critically fails before it can even leave his hand. His entire forearm is rendered into a ragged mess when the spell detonates inside his flesh. He quickly surrenders and Caellana urges them to accept his pathetic plea for mercy. They bind the ogre magi and continue on their way.

Finally, the flickering symbols in the walls lead them to a dead end, a wall made of the same ugly stone as everything else. While them contemplate their next move Caellana examines the dead end wall, running her hands across it and not conscious of what her thoughts might be saying the voice of the place. She activates something and vanishes again, pulled from spot and transported to somewhere else. Perhaps on the other side of the wall but perhaps anywhere. After the wave of stomach-churning nausea passes she looks around to see a room with no exit. The only light comes from more of those tubes in the walls but these are occupied with fully formed humans. They're all perfect specimens, healthy and hale but like the others they too are inert. She does notice something else strange. These fully-grown humans are covered in strange glowing tattoos that seem to take the same appearance and color as the lavender light that flickers in the walls. It's at that moment that the back wall slides open to reveal a final tube, larger than the others and this one holding a nightmare. A spider-like creature easily the size of horse and marrying together the traits of an eel, arachnid and lamprey all in one terrible form. The liquid in this tube is flushed quickly and the glass barrier opens to allow the creature to step out and toward her.

The others frantically try to operate the walls just like Caellana was doing, preying all of this wasn't just leading up to them losing her again. Finally, Cordelia is able to replicate the same effect Caellana had earlier and all of the party is consumed in a flash of light. When they arrive a familiar illness grips them though Cordelia feels extremely taxed by the effort. Communicating with this place strained her mind to the brink. They arrive to see Caellana conversing with the strange creature that had emerged from the tube earlier. They're startled by its appearance but based on Caellana's interactions with it so far they don't react with hostility.

The creature quickly pulls the swarm of swirling symbols that's been around Caellana from her and to itself. It then begins tapping away at the intangible keys and scuttling about the chamber interacting with various devices while Caellana tries to explain what's going on.

She and the creature seem to have been communicating with each other via thought-speech. The voice it used to communicate with her was calm and collected yet the shrill, hissing screeches from its fanged mouth were anything but. She relays to her friends that the creature is from a race of beings known an Xikhani, servants to slumbering masters known as the Architects. The creature said it was the helmsman of this place, a bio-labor transport vessel that sailed the stars like ship sailed the waters around Tairos. So much of what it said was beyond any of their understandings but Caellana continued to piece things together. This vessel was one of many that were bound for Tairos in an age long before written history but this one suffered an accident and crashed on the moon instead. The helmsman went into stasis and only awoke occasionally to feed on some of the bio-labor workers. What remains of its vessel is now scattered fragments littering the lunar surface.

Caellana also comes to pick up some less than promising facts as well. These creatures, the Xikhani, they're slave masters and expert shapers of flesh. They see most living things as inferior and fit only for feed or enslavement. This one happened to view them as equals though due to their ability to survive the defenses of the dormant vessel. She reasoned with the creature and asked if it could get them back to Tairos to which it agreed so long as they discard the Moon Bridge once they get there. They didn't really understand why it was requesting it but they had little choice but to agree.

Once it activated the gate the heroes stepped through and emerged through one of the old gates nearest to Frial though still over a day's walk. Cordelia decided to defy the agreement they struck with the helmsman and instead give the Moon Bridge to Tryxanna for safe keeping.

The heroes arrived back in Frial after a long day's march back. While most of them returned to the Unfinished Sympathy tavern to let Aelfric and Grigor know they were still alive Cordelia and Mckenna went to turn in Ghaki to the Grand Order of the Lions and also to use the opportunity to implement their plan to steal the bracelet from the Lions' reliquary that Tryxanna tasked them with. After they accomplish this brief but dangerous task they too return to the tavern to sleep off the madness of the last few days.

The following morning they discuss what other unfinished business they have after hearing news from one of the caravan riders that Rehele and the rest of the wagon teams will be arriving in about four days time. Caellana is too shaken-up by the bizarre events involving the Moon Bridge to take part in the conversation but the rest of the party decides it is time to take up the opportunity that Aelfric and Erik happened upon. Visiting Fort Tycon and trying to return it to Frial's control.

He spends some time looking into the matter on his own while the others prepare for the day's journey by foot. There is some discussion about getting horses from the Lions or the Kreastos of Frial but they decide it best not to owe anyone a favor.

The fort was originally built by the long dead human nation of Balmoral to protect their outpost of Frial from threats to the west which at the time were numerous. The land previously was unclaimed though dwarven mining teams were plentiful in the area. The region was known to their people to contain plentiful deposits of iron ore. The Dwarven King of Ghal Ankhar signed an agreement with Balmoral to recall the miners from the area Balmoral wanted to build Tycon.

Current maps made both by Frial and Ghal Pelor recognize Tycon and her surrounding land as belonging to Frial. And, since Balmoral is a dead nation both those maps now recognize Frial as its own sovereign nation. Dwarven maps don't. By dwarven standards Balmoral is a leaderless land fractured into small colonies, shanty towns and ruins. No colony can lay claim to the founding nation. Balmoral waits for a new king to reclaim it. The elven nation considers Balmoral a dead nation and does not recognize the sovereignty of its surviving colony. To them, that would be as unthinkable as their own capital being destroyed the elven peasant lands believing themselves the inheritors.

With this information in hand they head off on their journey to Tycon. Riken reviews the map and the old road they're following and finds a suitable set of ruins to make camp at rather than march through the night. The campsite turns out to be the dilapidated foundation of an ancient temple belonging to Sandor The Guardian of Tairos. The take in a moment to breath in the old glory of this place, built by Balmoran hands many centuries ago. Its edifice still stands and a testament to the magnificence of their empire and their devotion to the sun god. From here they're able to see other nearby monuments as well like the remnants of the Guardians of Halmer, two colossal statues built in honor of Sandor's heralds. They can also spot the dusty old watchtower of Brinotheth far away on its distant peak. A once proud redoubt that stood vigil against threats from the west long before even the Fae came to Tairos. Yet, like all of Balmoral's monuments they're slowly losing their battle to the inevitable march of time that assails their walls.

Inside the temple they find an entirely different sight, one far less appealing to look upon. Vines, branches and moss coat the floor, pillars and walls. Fissures in the foundation have opened for the creep of thick roots and overgrowth to release their tangle into hall of worship. And, a massive cluster of knotted trees grows in the center and out the skylight once meant for the light of the sun.

As they explore the area they find messages scrawled on to the walls in messy, fading fading white paint. In one corner they it says "Love, hate and pain are all faces of the same beast. Your nature". Elsewhere they see the words "Your walls and your ways are a memory fast fading from this world. Soon it will no longer remember you". Near the center of the room by the mass of old trees they find they were sown through through the corpses of dead humans. Each of the trucks having grown through rib cages. Before they have much time to contemplate what horrors unfolded here the sound of snapping branches and creeping vines deafen them. The trees in the center of the room clump together into a seething mass of hateful foliage from which a sinister and massive eye emerges. One of the heroes has time to identify the menace as a Shambling Mound and to know with certainty that it hungers for living flesh.

Berenger is pulled into the mass and nearly slain by its crushing branches but Cordelia is able to pull him free and unleash Glenn, her fire elemental while the rest of the party holds steady against its attack. Together, they're able to kill the nightmare with flame and blade.

They set out the next morning after having recovered from their battle with the plant monster. The last leg of the journey is made swiftly and without incident. Soon, they spot Fort Tycon in the distance and can't help but marvel at the sight of it. Despite the centuries, the overgrowth and decay the walls of the fortress still stand as a majestic reminder of who once ruled this land. Many of the towers still stand as well; high over the plains and blooming trees. Tycon is a symbol of something Tairos has long since forgotten.

The gates are locked shut and a voice calls down to them when they approach. The husky tone and accent of the Ghal Ankharan dwarves, something Aelfric and Beorna are familiar with. He introduces himself as Dugrim Fellhammer, the gate keeper of this hold. While they plead with Dugrim for access to begin a diplomatic mission Cordelia begins skulking about the exterior walls of the fort to try and gain access elsewhere.

Cordelia is able to get access to the far western side of the castle and once inside she discovers several key pieces of information. There are almost no dwarves here. In fact, her scouting only reveals little more than a dozen individuals inside the castle at all. The Fellhammer occupation force consists of six very old, very proud dwarven veterans and the rest a mixed group of individuals from all manner of walks of life who seem to serve the Fellhammers either out of loyalty, duty or oath. The only exception is two very argumentative and geriatric humans by the name of Cotton Burris and Old Bill who act as the Fellhammers' mechanics. They spot Cordelia sneaking around but also prove to not be very bright as they bite on the rather flimsy lies she tells them both.

Eventually the party at the front gate is allowed entrance so long as they do not bring their weapons with. Something more than a few members have issues with. In the end, only Erik and Aelfric agree to their terms. The rest wait outside the gate.

Inside, through Cordelia's subterfuge or Aelfric's formal meeting they are introduced to the castle's inhabitants. Several human followers, the six remaining members of Clan Fellhammer and two ancient gnomish constructs that were haphazardly restored by them. Aelfric and Erik have the chance to meet with King Robagun Fellhammer himself and to hear out his side of the issue at hand.

They learn that Fellhammer isn't the Clan's original name but instead one assigned to them as a mark of disgrace. Originally, they were the protectors of a caravan of dwarven miners who had come to settle this region many centuries even before the Queen's War. In turn, they were promised this plot of land by the dwarven King of Ghal Ankhar. However, the king chose instead to use this region as a bargaining chip in a trade dispute with Balmoral. In the accord that followed this land was given to Balmoral instead and when Robagun's kin rejected, saying this land was promised to them for the work they'd done the dwarven King stripped them of their family name, titles and clan holdings. They became outcasts. And now, only six of their bloodline remain and they aim to uphold an oath they made to their ancestors. To take back this land and then reclaim their family name.

Cordelia ends up crafting a deception that the dwarves accept as fact. She fakes a document of Ghal Ankharan origin that states diplomats from the old dwarven kingdom are in Frial and ready to negotiate with the Fellhammers and the Grand Order of the Lion and to also offer amends for their exile. The Fellhammers agree to leave the next morning for Frial with the party. Most of the party is completely unaware of what to do with this situation now as they expect all that awaits the dwarves in Frial is rebuke and possibly imprisonment.

On their journey back the heroes realize a group of soldiers have been sent to take the dwarves into custody. These soldiers are part of Frial's constabulary and serve the Kreastos. The Kreastos wants their own people to be the ones to bring the dwarves to justice rather than the heroes; who are seen more as agents of the Grand Order of the Lion. They believe it will garner them more confidence with the citizens of Frial and show that they're just as capable of accomplishing things as the Lions are.

There's considerable amounts of mixed feelings now that some of the heroes know these dwarves are pawns in a political struggle between Frial's Kreastos and the Grand Order of the Lions. While they're in agreement that the dwarven claim to the land is not legitimate there are several among them that strive for the most positive outcome possible as these old warriors are very pure-hearted and noble. Aelfric is chief among those that wants to see this end well for everyone. As a Frostmerite he's spent a great deal of time with dwarves and has nothing but respect for the oath they've sworn even though they are on the wrong side of the law. During their first night on the road back he reveals to the Fellhammers the truth, that there is no dwarven delegation waiting for them in Frial and that they were tasked by the Lions with "liberating" Fort Tycon. King Fellhammer receives this news as a bitter, duplicitous and cowardly betrayal of trust. The squabble and even come to blows before the King and his men leave in the night to return back to Tycon. As soon as Aelfric recovers enough from the wounds King Fellhammer dealt him he than vanishes into the night trying to find them and talk reason with them before they reach their the fort again.

Aelfric's disappearance into the wilderness becomes an issue as he doesn't tell any of the party what his plan is. Beorna, having only some of the information to mull over, presumes that he viewed the defeat at the hands of King Fellhammer as a deep disgrace on his own honor and that he has taken up what the Frostmerites call "The Long Walk". A solitary journey into the wilderness to either satisfy the wound done to their personal honor or to die alone. Believing that is what Aelfric set out to do none of the party chooses to follow after him right away.

During the night and early hours of the morning Aelfric is able to track the dwarves. Though they have a head start on him they're much slower on foot. The brave Frostmerite crosses paths with a hungry manticore while on their trail but he arrives only moments to late. He witnesses the dwarves having been rounded up and chained by the Frial constabulary. Aelfric introduced himself to them in the hopes that something can be worked out. Their leader, Captain Ulso Gavin, explains the plight of the situation they're in. The Grand Order of the Lion is steadily increasing its control over Frial's streets and leadership. Bringing in the dwarves and liberating Fort Tycon would only bolster their growing popularity. However, if forces loyal to the Kreastos were responsible than it would go great lengths to restore some of the lost confidence the people have for their traditional government. Aelfric rides with them, having no choice in the matter save for violence and he's not willing to unleash himself on these soldiers. He's also deeply conflicted, unsure of where the right choice in all this lies.

The rest of the party decides to follow Aelfric's tracks the next morning, hoping to at least find his body if Beorna is right about him taking the Long Walk. They're able to spot from a distance Aelfric riding along the main road with the Frial constables. The constables, fearing the heroes might be agents of The Lions or worse, bounty hunters, Fellhammer's people or any other number of dangers they speed ahead on their horses. During the next day or so the heroes do their best to catch up with the constables and Aelfric. On Aelfric's side of things he's able to slow the ride of the constables by serving some of them his hallucinogenic mead (and mixing some of it into their horses water).

Finally, both sides met and the heroes made the decision to let the constables be the ones to bring in the dwarves, planning to speak on their behalf for leniency once back in Frial. Once back in the city the Kreastos sends a hidden agent to reward the party with 1,000 gold coins for their caravan but explains to them that their can be no public show of appreciation or acknowledgement for their hand bringing the dwarves to justice. They take their coins and agree to the conditions while watching the dwarves as they're dragged into the city's prison.