[Dungeons & Dragons 3.5] Shadows of Greatness, parts 17-22

17. Fine Dining in Camber

The townsfolk have shown their appreciation of our efforts on their behalf by rewarding us with assorted items taken from the fallen foes.  Mayor Briar also brought us the wages we were owed as members of the town militia.  We now have more than sufficient funds for our intended journey to Arrabar when the weather clears a little further. 

In addition to the coins we received from the town, we were also given the magical axe that belonged to the orc leader Logrim, who accompanied Micah within the walls.  None of us are much acquainted with the use of an axe, but Rock has taken charge of it.  I took for myself three silver-tipped arrows, not of the best quality but not of orcish manufacture.  Other items were distributed as seemed most appropriate.  One of the most peculiar items we were given was a length of rope made from the entrails of a troll.  Like the troll it came from it will regenerate itself when cut into pieces.  It is an odd gift, but one that may be of good use in some future endeavor.

My heart lifts to think that we may soon travel from this place to the city of Arrabar.  It is still uncertain whether Sandrue and Phaele will remain in our company after that time, but Sandrue and Rock have spoken and seem to have resolved their differences.  While I have enjoyed my time here in Camber and will always have fond thoughts of many of its people, I am ready for a change of scene.  Travel will keep my mind from worry for Erendis.  It has now been many moons since I last saw my beloved, and though in past days she was parted from me for longer periods, I find it more difficult to adjust to her absence when I am not in the familiar climes of our home.

The townsfolk have been much anticipating the arrival of one Simon Baker for his annual visit to the town of his birth.  He is a local celebrity, having found employ with a fabled baker in Arrabar.  He was greeted with much enthusiasm when his wagon arrived in the town.  It appeared that he and his companion, a Man called Lowgrave, were attacked by orcs during their journey.  Liadan at once offered her healing, to Lowgrave, who accepted with rather poor grace.  He is not a garrulous sort and seems most uncomfortable among the townsfolk. 

Simon Baker prepared a repast of fine pastries on the morning following his arrival.  I have not seen so many folk in the First Gate Inn during my time here.  I find the crowds of Men too boisterous for my liking.  Still, it is pleasant to dine on such fare and set aside the cares and toils of the day for a short while.  Sadly the cares of the day have been set aside for good for one of the sentries on the wall.  Liadan found him, at first thinking him asleep.  There is an assassin in our midst.  The suspicions of the townsfolk have turned to Simon Baker's companion, Lowgrave, who will evidently give no accounting for himself.  It is as well that we have been here long enough to no longer be thought of as strangers, else we too should be suspect.

Part 18 is missing - my notes of the intervening episode were sadly lost.

19. Assassins

Some of the events which followed our struggle in the alleyway are not pleasurable to recall.  I am certain that my beloved Erendis would not approve, nor would Covenant have given us his blessing for such behaviour.

But I should begin at the beginning.  Once most of the attackers had been slain – which was not our intention, but they gave us no other option – we found that Simon Baker had been poisoned.  Liaden and Phaele took charge of his care.  Only one of the attackers remained alive, a man who by his behaviour was judged to be their leader.  He was badly wounded, but Liaden and Nekaya were able to preserve his life.  The town militia took charge of him and of his compatriots’ bodies. 

Rock was particularly concerned with preventing this man from taking his own life.  He demanded that the man be stripped of all garments and securely bound, despite his injuries.  The man was transported to the militia barracks, where Rock intended to keep watch on him so that he might not somehow slay himself.  I volunteered to guard our prisoner, as I have less need of rest than my friends.  Rock and Sandrue intended to question him once he regained consciousness.

We found that this man’s companions had several items on their persons that bore the mark of Thayan make.  After our previous altercation with the Thayan wizard Nethimil, I found this disturbing.  Simon Baker had told us of Thayan enclaves in Arrabar, however, so at first we did not think this had anything to do with Nethimil’s attack upon our missing friends. 

While Rock and I maintained our guard on the prisoner, and Liadan and Phaele attempted to find an antidote for the poison affecting Simon Baker, Nekaya went to the room occupied by Simon Baker’s companion Lowgrave to seek more information.  I have neglected to mention that she found Lowgrave’s corpse upon a rooftop after our fight in the alley concluded.  He had been strangled.

It seems that in Lowgrave’s room she came upon a chest that he had clung to with great care when he first arrived in Camber.  The chest also bore a Thayan symbol.  When she opened it a tongue of flame shot out and set the room ablaze.  She was able to escape with the chest, but the rest of the room was badly damaged.  That was not the last trouble the contents of the chest were to cause, though my guard duty with the prisoner prevented me from experiencing any of this firsthand.

Within the chest was a metal bar inscribed with some form of writing.  Nekaya took this bar first to show to Phaele and Liaden.  But when Liaden attempted to read the symbols upon it, she fell under the influence of a paralyzing spell.  It is our good fortune that the visiting priestess of Chauntea, Esther, was able to free her from the spell.  Sandrue believes the bar to be inscribed with the Netherese tongue.  These are the folk who long ago destroyed much of their world and created the great desert of Anauroch that borders so close upon my homeland. 

In the meanwhile, our prisoner, whose name Sandrue had learned was Amar (through a spell that allowed him to hear the man’s thoughts), had recovered consciousness.  But he refused to answer any questions.  Sandrue exercised great diplomacy and guile in questioning him, all for nought.  Rock chose a different course.  He threatened the man with physical harm.  I did not think he would truly carry out what he threatened, but I was mistaken.  When Amar still refused to explain why he had sought to slay Simon Baker, Rock inflicted a terrible torture upon him, causing him great pain.  I cannot bring myself to describe it in more detail.  I am ashamed that I did not seek to prevent him from doing this. 

Sandrue used his thought-detecting spell once more, and under Rock’s ministrations Amar did give a small amount of information regarding his mission.  He had come to prevent Simon Baker from sending a message to someone.  Simon Baker was himself also conscious some of this time, and did give some additional information to Liaden, though we are uncertain of the import of what he said.  She and Phaele transcribed a coded message that Simon Baker wished to give to his cousin for delivery to his uncle.  But we are not certain which cousin he spoke of, though it seems that the uncle he meant is the uncle who is a baker in Arrabar. 

We are not certain of the meaning of the message, but it refers to a choir that has not passed the first gate.  We all recalled that Covenant and his companions had been referred to as a choir in a divination performed by Jastra Moondown.  We presume that the first gate refers to the First Gate Inn here in Camber.  If this is correct then Simon Baker had been sent by someone to seek the whereabouts of our missing friends.  But we do not know why he sought them, or whether he did so on behalf of their Thayan enemies or some other persons. 

As we planned to travel to Arrabar in any case, we now have a much more urgent reason to depart as soon as may be.  We will likely deliver the message to Simon Baker’s uncle ourselves, though Nekaya is dubious of the wisdom of this course.  Simon Baker is still too ill to tell us more.  No one has been able to find an antidote to the poison affecting him, though Liaden was able to slow its effect.  Sandrue also learned that Amar has been poisoned, though he did not inflict this upon himself after we took him prisoner.  Apparently this is a normal part of his “missions”, to be poisoned in advance and not to receive the antidote until the mission is complete.  I doubt that we will be able to save his life.

I had thought that the affair with Micah was unpleasant, but the world beyond the Hidden Hills has now become a much darker place to my eyes.  I did not know of such people, nor that they might be enemies of my dear Erendis and her friends.  But I will not abandon hope.  I will see my beloved wife once more, and we will not permit her foes to succeed in whatever foul deeds they plan.

20. A Delayed Departure

I must admit that I am relieved that we have at last set out from Camber.  Yet I am also reluctant.  Should my beloved and her companions return, they will no doubt learn at once that we have gone to Arrabar.  Perhaps we shall meet them on the road, or at the least hear news of them.

Sandrue spoke once more with the prisoner, this time taking Nekaya with him during the questioning.  They did not get much more information from him regarding his purpose in Camber, although he apparently claimed that he and his companions had come merely to capture Lowgrave and recover an item that the man had taken.  This item was evidently the bar of adamantine that Nekaya found in the trapped chest in Lowgrave’s room.  It is about the length and breadth of a man’s hand in size, and inscribed with writings in the language of ancient Netheril.  The inscription refers to an enemy from below attacking both magic and heart.  We have no idea what this means but hope to learn more in Arrabar.

Before our departure we were invited to dine in the evening with Billy Tanner’s family.  They have been particularly kind to us during our stay here.  But after we had agreed to sup with them, we were approached by Mayor Briar and asked to attend a feast in our honor to be held on the same evening.  Sandrue was concerned lest we offend the Tanners, but I think that such niceties of etiquette were lost on the mayor.  Everyone in the town was invited to attend the banquet also, hence the Tanners would be assumed to be present.  We did not wish to forego a private affair with the Tanner family, but this dilemma was resolved when their meal invitation was moved to midday.

The noon meal was not such a small affair as I had at first anticipated, as there are many Tanners in Camber.  The evening feast was much larger.  After spending much of the day in preparation for our journey, it was pleasant to relax and dine without care.  There was much consumption of ale, along with music and dancing.  Though I am not familiar with the style of dancing practiced here, it is not difficult to learn, and I invited all of my lady companions to dance with me during the evening.  I only wish that my dear Erendis had been present to do the same.  I think that Sandrue was still feeling the effects of our activities on the previous day, for his demeanor during the evening was even stiffer and more awkward than usual, and the more so in Phaele’s presence, oddly enough.

My friend Rock had consumed more ale than was wise prior to the dinner.  He missed the midday meal altogether, and only a spell generously cast by Liadan allowed him to attend the feast.  During the dinner he gave a gift to Commander Puffleweis, of whom he has become very fond during our stay here.  I think that he sought to present his gift in private, but like most of the residents of this town, Commander Puffleweis has a large family and most were attending the feast.  Rock seemed rather discomfited by their scrutiny of the silver rings he presented to her. 

We made our final farewells early the following morning.  Rock was somewhat the worse for wear, as Liadan’s spell could only hold off the effects of excess ale for a time, not remove them altogether.  During our first night away from town, we examined the contents of a chest the mayor had sent to us.  It contained some of the belongings of the Thayans who attacked Simon Baker.  Though we were all reluctant to use any objects bearing Thayan emblems, there was a magical shortsword in the chest which I took, as I am the only member of our group who would find much use for it.  There were also four potions of healing marked with the symbol of the goddess Waukeen, two magical cloaks, and a suit of magical studded leather armor.  I now have one of the potions in my possession.  Erim reluctantly took charge of a wand containing a spell to inflict fiery wounds with one’s hands.  He does not seem much interested in spells which cause harm to one’s enemies.

After a time we crossed the Wintercloak River, fording it where Nekaya had crossed when she traveled to fetch the priestess Esther.  We had intended to escort Esther back to her temple, but she chose to remain in Camber a while longer.  After crossing the Wintercloak, we drew alongside the Winterwood, which is reputed to house a large green dragon that we hope not to meet.  We feared that this hope might be in vain when the horses grew nervous and I sensed something large moving among the trees.  Then an enormous bear, larger than a horse, emerged from the forest. 

Phaele attempted to drive it off by showering it with her spell of snowballs, but this only aroused its ire.  It charged her and struck her a fierce blow with its huge claws.  I could not move as swiftly as I should have liked and was unable to put myself between her and the beast.  Phaele’s spells are strong but she is not.  She was able to strike it with a ball of fire despite her wounds.  I maneuvered Aratan behind the beast and struck it a minor blow.  Then it turned on me and slashed me, though not seriously.  Aratan did not fare so well.  I drew back from the bear and dismounted quickly.  Sandrue bravely - or perhaps foolishly - approached the bear closely enough to cast a spell that required him to touch it.  It was little surprise that the bear turned on him.  Liadan healed some of Phaele’s wounds and then struck the bear a mighty blow with her mace.  I moved up on foot to stab at it again, though only one of my blows was able to penetrate its thick fur.  Nekaya, who had also been raked by the bear’s claws, struck it twice and it fell to the ground.

I could not see what Rock did during the fight, and Erim’s horse had tried to bolt when the beast charged.  Once the huge bear had fallen, most of our group was injured and panting with weariness.  Liadan was able to provide enough of Lathander’s blessings to help us recover our health.  I am particularly grateful to her for aiding Aratan, who was quite sorely injured.  It is to be hoped that we will not encounter anything else so dangerous for at least a few more days.  The next town, Nimpeth, is still some days’ ride distant. 

21. The Winterwood

It seems that our journey to Arrabar will not be a quiet one. Such is the consequence of having chosen this life as an adventurer, I suppose.

I think that when we reach Arrabar, or perhaps even in Nimpeth, I shall seek out an armorer and try to obtain a shirt of chain.

It was late afternoon when we concluded our brief but strenuous encounter with the huge bear. Phaele and Rock chose to remove some of the beast's claws as souvenirs of the meeting, but we did not wish to otherwise disturb the body and left it to be devoured by carrion eaters.

A short while later we established our camp. We were passing through the area between the Winterwood and the foothills of the Cloven Mountains. During the night we detected some activity in the forest, though nothing approached us. I spied a distant light while on watch, but it was too far to cause concern.

Sandrue has taken to slipping a short distance away from the camp to pray each morning. May his goddess watch over him in this dangerous place.

The snow has lessened, permitting us to move more quickly. It is also growing warmer. We passed the approximate location where Simon Baker claimed that he and his companion had been attacked by orcs. We saw no sign of orcs in the vicinity, though we did observe the footprints of a giant and those of some large wolves. We suspect that Simon Baker was waylaid by the same group that attacked him in Camber.

We are nearing Nimpeth. Nekaya passed through this territory with her master prior to his untimely death, and also when she left Camber to fetch the healer Esther. She tells us that we should reach the town within two or three days. That is, if we survive so long. The Winterwood is filled with strange things. As we camped near the edge of the forest Liadan, Nekaya and Phaele caught a glimpse of flashes of light among the trees. I heard the sound of what appeared to be a large animal moving about. We broke camp and decided to move toward the foothills to avoid the area, fearing that it might be the dragon. Then Nekaya observed a wisp of smoke and a flash of red. We began to fear that some other band of travelers might be in difficulty. We approached the area where the smoke had been seen with some trepidation.

Not far beyond the tree line we found a campsite, the fire still smoldering, surrounded by eight or nine bodies. Farther amongst the trees lay a large creature that we at first mistook for a small dragon. All were no longer living. We observed Thayan symbols on the persons of the slain folk. Then Rock and Nekaya indicated that they heard a voice, chanting as though casting a spell. Nekaya charged Pekuah toward the voice. A man appeared, clad in red robes, his flesh covered in tattooed markings. It was obvious to all of us that he was one of the Red Wizards of Thay. None of us were comfortable with his presence, but I was surprised by Nekaya's reaction. I think that she might have slain him on the spot had cooler heads not prevailed. I remarked to her that hatred is one of the evils of the world, which seemed to make some small impression on her anger. On reflection, had our visitor been an orc I should likely have reacted much as Nekaya did.

The stranger explained that he had only just arrived and was seeking another member of the fallen group, a woman, whose body did not lie near the campfire. Rock appeared from behind the man, startling him slightly, and reported that he had observed signs of several very large animals in the area, as well as indications that a second of the dragon-like creatures had been there. It seemed that the missing woman was also a wizard and might have summoned the other creatures to combat the dragon-things. The Red Wizard begged us to help him find the woman, offering us a share of all the goods her dead companions had borne.

Nekaya I think would have been willing to let the woman suffer whatever fate she came to, but the rest of us were not sanguine with leaving a lone traveler in the clutches of whatever creature had apparently captured her. We agreed to aid the wizard, though Nekaya tried to insist that he give up all of his spell ingredients and have his hands bound so that he could not cast spells. Sandrue pointed out that his tattoos were of a magical nature, indicating that it would be impossible to prevent him from spellcasting merely by binding his hands. Dissatisfied, Nekaya rode Pekuah directly behind him and stared at him intently all the while.

The wizard introduced himself as Tyree and referred to the missing woman as Milla. We did not introduce ourselves to him, except perhaps for Sandrue, who is ever courteous. As we began to follow the tracks Rock had found, the wood grew darker and more forbidding. Then Liadan and Nekaya reported that they saw what appeared to be trees moving toward us. In a moment it became apparent that they were not trees, though they seemed to be made of plant material. The creatures rushed us and I ran forward to meet them. As they neared they swung the hair-like substance on their heads like a horse swishing its tail and flung numerous thorny needles at me.

The needle-creatures were not overly sturdy and my blades cut into them like an axe into wood. I could not see much of how my companions fared, for there were many of the creatures around me. Out of the corner of my eye I glimpsed some of Phaele's magical snowballs hurtling at several needle-creatures, and I saw Rock smash one of them to splinters with his silver hammer. The creatures surrounding me threw more of their thorns at me until I must have resembled a briar hedge to my companions.

The creatures were swiftly dispatched and Liadan came to offer me some of Lathander's mercy for my thorny wounds. Still I spent much of the next little while removing thorns from my person. They do not cause serious injury individually, but enough of them in a single victim could certainly be deadly. I am only relieved that they do not appear to contain any venom. My friends tell me that it seems the creatures bore some enmity for folk of the elven kindred, as they directed most of their thorns at Nekaya and myself. Erim was spared because he did not come forward into the fray.

Tyree pushed us to continue our search quickly. We continued to follow the tracks at Rock's direction. As we moved yet deeper into the Winterwood, the darkness grew more oppressive and we saw increasing numbers of very large cobwebs strung between the trees. I think that all of us were dismayed by this foreboding atmosphere, though not so much as to abandon our chosen quest. We heard the sounds of plants being torn by something large and came face to face with an elk of awe-inspiring size. We retreated cautiously to avoid arousing its ire.

We emerged into a clearing that held the strangest sight I have yet seen. The remains of two stone towers stood connected by some lower structure. One tower was merely a stub surrounding an immense oak, while the other was partly supported by a construction of the giant webs we had seen. A great wall of webbing stood beyond the second tower, with a funnel-shaped opening leading off into impenetrable darkness. I fear we all determined that nothing would persuade us to enter that opening. It seemed unlikely to be necessary, however, for if the woman had been carried off by one of the dragon-creatures it could not have passed through the opening without tearing the webbing.

A pond stood at the foot of one of the towers, with the remnants of a pier extending out into it and some sort of lifting device. I wonder that anyone would choose to dwell in this unpleasant wood, but perhaps it was not so unpleasant when the towers stood whole. As we cast about for signs of where the missing woman might have been taken, an enormous insect alit behind our party. Rock at once made to attack it. I think that all of our nerves were on edge. Nekaya went to strike the insect, as did I, but a second creature appeared behind me, looming over Phaele and Sandrue. I turned and set my blades at it. The two insects were never able to harm us, being cut to pieces in a few breaths.

As we recovered from this latest encounter with unnatural creatures, we observed that there was a sort of nest in the oak. The carcass of another huge elk lay on the ground not far from where we stood, but oddly it did not appear to have been touched by wild beasts that devour carrion. Perhaps no ordinary beast wishes to touch the flesh of such unnatural things, or perhaps there is something here that frightens other creatures away.

22. The Drake in the Tower

I missed this session due to illness and assembled this journal entry based on discussion with other players. Our usual explanation of an absent player is that the player-character is 'watching the horses', so during this session Telemnar was watching the horses.

Once we had disposed of the enormous insects, we began to look about the area for signs of the Red Wizard’s missing companion.  A vine upon the ground rose up and endeavored to entangle some members of our party.  It was unable to hold anyone, and Rock slew it with the magical rod he had taken from the giant we ambushed near Camber. 

This struggle, brief though it was, alerted the second dragon to our presence.  When it descended upon us from its lair in the great oak, Nekaya at once rode forward to oppose it.  The dragon spat a foul substance upon her and she fell as still as a figure of carven wood.  Fortunately Liadan was able to pull her to safety and called upon the Morninglord’s blessing to free her. 

Our horses were greatly disturbed by the presence of the dragon and I occupied myself with calming them while my companions battled the creature.  Sandrue attempted to parley with the dragon, but it appeared that the slain dragon we had seen near the Thayans’ campsite was its mate and it would not be reasoned with.  I was not able to provide much aid to my friends as I could not seem to make a shot that would penetrate its hide, but they soon brought the creature to its knees.

Rock then took pity on the dragon, not wishing to slay it, and administered a healing balm.  He then tried to enlist its cooperation, or at least persuade it to let us depart unmolested, but despite his kindness the dragon would not be swayed.  It scrambled up the great tree so that it could attack us from the safety of its lair. 

In the meanwhile, Erim had cast an enchantment upon himself and floated up to the dragon's nest.  There he found that the Red Wizard’s companion had already been slain, so he took up her body and began to descend.  Just as he escaped from the dragon’s lair, the creature discovered that he had stolen its prize.  Driven into a fury by this, it rose up intending to fling its paralyzing spittle at us, and Rock fired his crossbow at it.  Though the potion he had administered to it had given it the strength to climb the tree, it was evidently still grievously wounded, for it plummeted to the ground, narrowly missing the descending Erim.

Once the threat of the dragon was eliminated, we began to argue over the nature of the agreement we had made with the Red Wizard.  The wizard sought to take possession of a book of magic that the slain woman had carried.  This book contained spells of necromancy, and a number of my compatriots - most particularly Nekaya - were reluctant to see this in the hands of a Thayan mage.  After considerable discussion it was agreed that the book would be handed over to the wizard, though we all found it most distasteful to realize that he had suspected all along that his companion was dead and showed no sorrow for her demise.  Once he had the book, he produced a scroll of magic and vanished.

Following the Thayan’s departure we explored the ruins of the towers for a time.  We stumbled upon a number of valuable items.  These included a mace of quicksilver that can alter its form, a unicorn horn containing healing magic, several holy emblems of the nature god Silvanus, and a chest of ironwood that Erim found among the roots of the vast oak tree.  When we had gathered up these objects we made our way back to the Thayans’ campsite.