Journal Entry 01.00 - The Beginning

Dame Imokan recruits the party to help find her sister. Quest is based on Alchemist Hursing’s research. Hursing’s nephew, Jerig, is rescued from Lord Madamus using a map they stole from Spango’s tavern. Jerig is catatonic from his captivity.

The story so far:
5 diverse individuals with no common background are drawn to the same location, at the same time.
That location is Dame Imokan’s Solitude on Vat Street in the 4th Tier. It is in the middle of the vineyard district. The day is the 8th of the month of Ja Gorahz.
Each of you came for a different reason. Tars is looking for a long lost blood brother. Graykar is seeking answers to his past. Falgrieg was asked to attend by a superior officer as a favor. Morvion is seeking knowledge (and had a dream). Aja was drawn by cryptic messages.
When each of them arrives, they are met by the Majordomo of the place, Zurrelevants in one of the studies. They then meet Dame Imokan. She introduces herself.
“Gods be praised, more of you showed up than I expected. Some of you I know or know of – some of you I haven’t met. I am Imokan – a sorceress of some modest skill. I also dabble alchemical studies and the studies of fortune telling. It is this last skill which has set these events in motion.”
She then points to a nearby table which has several items of interest.
She also explained the that items came as a gift from the royal house of Si’Lachian. (One of the human house holds which attends one of the daughters of Si’Nassa). With it was a note “Use what you can . . . it is a worth the quest, your answers are worth the question.”
There are more items than there are guests. She seems surprised that so many showed up. Indicating the items, she says that each item has a past and it is possibly drawing each of the characters to it. If you pick it up, you can keep the item, in exchange you must each agree to work for Dame Imokan, help her achieve her goals.
Each character picks up an item and it bonds to them. In doing so, a visible effect takes place in the room indicating that something important has happened. It also seems to awaken something in each character, what that is remains a mystery at this time. At this time, in keeping the items the bond was forged and each of you have agreed for now to aid Dame Imokan. (Dame is a title, by the way, similar to Sir – a woman who has been knighted.)
Dame Imokan then tells her tale. She has been doing research into the disappearance of a close family member (you now know it is her sister Gráinne Líadan who has been missing for 2 years). Dame Imokan was looking into the same research her sister had been investigating – why is travel to other worlds currently impossible. In doing so, she came upon a 150-year-old journal by an alchemist named Hursing who had attempted similar pursuits. (The journal entry is listed in your handouts. )
She then stresses, “Forces are at work here far beyond my ken. This is a mission which has been failed at least once. This is a mission that our Matron has at one time condoned. A current great house is currently backing this effort. What more needs to be said?”
So, things needed and obtained to complete Imokan’s work to date.
1. Hursing’s Journal (in Imokan’s possession – accessible to each of you if needed) 2. The alchemical process to unlock possibly unlock a gate to another world, or at least advance its research.(Imokan has this, just missing some reagents. The main reagent appears to be in ruins mentioned by Hursing) 3. The formulae for Hursing’s Rune – unknown 4. The reagents for Hursing’s Rune
a. Blue Silk Tree Bark – can be purchased in town for 30 gp’s, or you can go about 100 miles north to the halfling farmlands and just get it directly.
b. Blood of a Banshee Spider – gigantic fearsome spider found in the distant west. Morvion knows that some tribes hunt it as a rite of passage for their adolescents. His tribe never followed this custom, however tribes near his did so and he is aware of the practice, and aware of which tribes you would need to contact.
c. Crystal Ooze from deep within a Lizard Man mound.
5. A location (a map would be helpful) to the ruins mentioned in Hursing’s Journal. 6. An eventual trek to these ruins to obtain the missing reagents and any more hints of needed research.


Dame Imokan’s final words from the initial meeting:
“You won’t see me much, my research, along with my social obligations leave me little free time. If you do decide to keep the items which you have chosen – or maybe they have chosen you for I doubt any of us can deny that something just happened, we need to set some priorities."
“I need you to collect the needed items for the rune. I will work on recreating the formulae, however if you can find any more information on Hursing, that would be great. I am leaving it to you to also figure out the location of the hidden city, for now.”
“If you diligently work for me, I will grant you free lodging on my properties here at the my Long Tongue Winery. I will give you a stipend of 5 GP a month, and Zurrelevants will be your contact if you need anything more. I also have a small estate outside the city about 6 miles up river. If you desire not to stay in the city, you are more than welcome to stay that way."
With that out of the way, the group now decides the first step is to find more information on Hursing. All Dame Imokan can help you with is the knowledge that Hursing has a known living descendant named Jerig.
After a little research, you find that Jerig was last seen working at the Jolly Southbend Tavern. Venturing there, you find that no one acknowledges Jerig at first. After some attempted strongarming, you find that Jerig hasn’t been seen in some time (possibly a month. )You also come into contact with the owner of the Tavern, a duplicitous halfling by the name of Spango Garnetkiller. He attempts to speak charmingly with you, however you end up eventually getting him angry in the matter of Jerig. He finally admits that he might know where Jerig is at, he is away on business for Spango’s liege, Lord Madamus.
Spango gives you a basic task to go get some goods from the harbor for him, and in return, he takes you to meet Lord Madamus. This turns out poorly. Neither Spango or Madamus is interested in helping you find Jerig. However, Lord Madamus is now familiar with some of you as are his men.
After some more effort, you find from one of the tavern workers who speaks to you in hushed tones that Jerig was taken away for ‘reconditioning’. Believing that Spango is lying, you attempt at first a small break in into the roof of the Spango’s establishment. This goes awry as you start to make a hole in the roof and are met by Spango’s half elven girlfriend Ascilli (uh-silly) wielding a crossbow. She makes eye contact with Falgrieg.
Waiting a day, your group tries again by going in through the sewers. This time you succeed. In the process you found some magic ink, a basic wayfinder compass, and a map to Jerig.
The magic ink – after investigating you find it is a type of invisible ink. Write your message. Then place the paper on another written document. Say they command word and the original message disappears to be replaced by whatever was on the page of the other written document. Whenever the counter-command word is spoken, the original message reappears.
There is enough ink for about 30 messages or written pages. This ink is magical and could also aid in scribing spells. Using the skills of Aja and Falgrieg, there is a possibility of repurposing the ink.

• Alchemy Craft skill DC 15+1d6 – repurpose the ink to a new command word. Failure will use half the ink.
• Alchemy Craft skill DC 22+1d6 – figure out the original command and counter-command words. Failure will use half the ink.
• Alchemy craft skill DC 25+1d4 – do both.

Using the map to find Jerig, you find he has been buried behind an abandoned glass works factory near a magical Nasparillo tree covered in Chilla vines. In his coffin you found a ring of sustenance (with a +3 vs disease) on him, a half spent Dwarven Air Coal, and a continual light stone. (like continual flame, but the regular effects of a light spell)


Jerig is quite insane. Sneaking him back to the Dame Imokan’s Solitude, she has her people tend to him in the basement. Everyone is keeping this hush hush that you brought him back.


It’s now been 2 weeks. During that time, the following has happened.


You have trained for your new levels. You have each received 2 gp from Dame Imokan for services to date as payement (1 gp a week, +1 gp at months end). Falgrieg especially needs to train as he is taking on a whole new class. (for game purposes, I would say some of his skills may be skills he already learned in his first 100 years of life, they are just now becoming relevant again.)


Asking discretely, no one has been able to find a cure for Jerig’s insanity. It is like his mind is wiped and he has the emotional intellect of a new born. At least he’s calm now. No priests you or Imokan has asked is capable of casting a spell strong enough to cure his insanity. It is simply out of their reach. Best guess is maybe in 6 months to a year he can be taught to talk again.


When you first got back, you heard rumors that Spango was looking for some of you. That ended after a few days. Rumor now is he has been looking for his girlfriend Ascilli. Word on the street is she robbed him and then disappeared, killing one of his guards in the process. This supposedly happened about the same time as you robbed Spango.

Recently Falgrieg and Graykar both have been getting the feeling that someone has been trailing them when they leave Imokan’s estates. Despite attempts to reveal this trail, nothing has worked. Maybe they are just overly nervous.

The Study at Dame Imokan's estates which she allows the characters to use as their personal retreat.