Chapter 13: The Mistlands
With their quest at an end, the group journeyed back to Southport aboard the Draugr. After two weeks at sea, they found themselves back in the coastal port where they were paid for their pirate bounty and parted ways with Captain Forkbeard and his crew. They visited Barnabus Asher, who performed the ritual and cured Dox of his ceremorphosis. The group also showed him the sea elf tablets, and he offered to find a buyer for them. While waiting for him to find a buyer, the group split off into the city for some much needed downtime.
Rasper researched krakens, with the help of some books from Barnabus. Thrain spent time among the city's artisans learning new techniques, while Dox caroused among the lower class hoping to find contacts and information. After a week, Barnabus alerted them that he had found a buyer. When they met with him, he delivered the payment for the tablets along with an offer. The tablets revealed some interesting information about the ancient world, suggesting that human slaves visited the sea elves with their mysterious masters thousands of years before the coming of man. The tablets' new owner was now building up an expedition beyond the mistwall, following theories by Edwin Stearns that humanity originated there. The mysterious benefactor hoped to hire the covenant to lead the expedition, along with archeologist Gaerald Murray. The group accepted the offer to be rewarded with land and titles upon their return, and set out to hire the Draugr to make the journey.
Captain Forkbeard agreed with little convincing needed, and they soon began preparing for the expedition. The captain requested funds to retrofit the ship, while the group sought out supplies, healing potions and magic items. They found a nobleman selling his family heirlooms, and through Rasper's expert negotiation skills managed to buy a magical folding boat and a decanter of endless water for their journey. After two weeks, the expedition set out from Southport with the archeologist joining them. They traveled south, and after 3 weeks at sea reached the mistwall. As they entered, they found the mist both warm and cold and windy (though the wind did not disperse the mist). Soon after entering, they were assaulted by flying demons of shadow, flying decapitated heads and a seductive man-demon with bat wings and horns. After a long battle that took the life of 3 sailors, they slew all of the demons and were able to continue through the mistwall.
On the other side, they found the mist was thinner and visibility better. Though the eerie feeling persisted, and they found land within a few hours. After a restorative rest, they set out in their folding longboat and landed on the shore of the mistlands, finding a mountainous barren land covered in fields of ash. Within a few hours of travel, they met with a group of primitive hunters who called themselves Tuhka or "ashfolk." They appeared human, but with ashen gray skin and gray eyes with black sclera. Gaerald cast a spell to understand their language (which was familiar, like an ancient form of Sydonian common and Ekorosi) while Dox spoke to them telepathically. After reassuring them they were not demons, the Tuhka led them to the nearby village of Tuhka Kotiin. There, they met with their chief and shaman and learned much about the nomadic people and the mistlands. During their discussion, a group of hunters returned and revealed they had been attacked by a roving band of Gnolls (hyena people in service to the demons of the mist), and several had been taken. The group offered to return the hunters to them, and soon left the village (leaving Gaerald behind). Before long, they found the site of the attack and managed to track the Gnolls down to their outpost nearby...
Comments