Strange Aeons / Dreams of the Yellow King pt. 10 / Eire the 26th through 28th, 3592 CE / 7-14-22

General Summary

Aboard the Starling, Esp and Hemlock are researching the books of Baron Haver Lowell IV in order to locate various rare gifts in the Dreamlands. They hope that by presenting these gifts to the resident of the Dreamlands known as the Mad Poet, they may glean information to help them reverse the curse of amnesia placed on them by the Baron. After a full day of reading and research, Hemlock is ready to stretch his legs, just in time for the Starling's arrival at the shanty town of Riverton on the shores of Lake Encarthan. Hemlock has requested the stop specifically to locate their comrade in the Dreamlands, the half-orc named Zolkri. Captain Fred warns Hemlock that the residents of Riverton are fanatics, worshippers of a strange off-shoot of the Church of Ciril called "the Followers of the Drowned God." She drops the investigator on the docks and then pulls anchor, giving him a half hour to be ready to depart. As Hemlock walks down the rickety planks, he is greeted by both Zolkri and Naerel Twice-Born, the half-elven spiritual leader of Riverton. Naerel tells Hemlock he has important news to share, and though Zolkri is in a hurry to be away from this strange village, Hemlock agrees, knowing he is stuck there until Captain Fred's return. In one of the hovels, Naerel shares that a strange ship with red sails docked in Riverton at midnight 3 nights ago. The captain was an otherworldly creature wrapped in cloth who gave a description which matched that of Hemlock, Esp and Trakir. His companion was a woman Hemlock believes might be Melissa Korova, the escaped leader of Rushton's Cult of Hastur. The captain gave Naerel a ruby the size of a fist which the distraught priest believes is cursed and now insists Hemlock take with him. At that moment there are cries of terror from the villagers, and Hemlock and Zolkri emerge to find Riverton being menaced by a magical beast called an ahool. The beating of the ahool's mighty wings dislodges a rock fall, freeing the being who had been trapped beneath it for the past 50 years. His name is Mason, and he is a gargoyle Adventurer. Seeing the ahool, a creature he knows to serve evil forces, he leaps into action, badly wounding the monster. Meanwhile Hemlock has consumed one of his elixirs, which allows him to grow to a mighty height and finish of the monster. Mason introduces himself and, after discovering how much time has passed since he was interred beneath the rocks, requests to accompany the party. Captain Fred arrives right on time and picks up Hemlock and his new companions. Hemlock has sustained some serious injuries in his fight with the ahool, and the next day is spent recovering and being treated by Zolkri as Esp continues her research. She feels she is very close to breaking the code for the first gift. As the Starling leaves the vastness of Lake Encarthan and heads down the Natra River, they occasionally spot other merchant and fishing vessels along the river. One rowboat in particular approaches the Starling, the mendicants onboard hailing the ship and requesting aid. But Hemlock and Mason don't like the looks of them, and with their ruse discovered, the druid henchmen of the Dream Witch launch an attack on the Starling. Mason leaps into action, literally, and boards the rowboat, but two of the transformed druids are rapidly approaching the Starling in animal form.

Character(s) interacted with

Hemlock Shores, Zolkri, Mason, Esp Platyrhynchos, Trakir Firebrand, Naerel Twice-Born, Rough Dog, Reuben, Gossamer, Otis, Captain Fred, an ahool, Rivertonians, sailors, druids of the Moss Lich

Report Date

15 Jul 2022

Primary Location

Riverton