Backstory

Ambyrmont 1,000 AC (The Team)

In this Log we are introduced to the Mystaran Days of the Week:
In Mystara there re 7 days just like our own world.and those days are:

  1. Lunadain
  2. Gromdain
  3. Tserdain
  4. Moldain
  5. Nytdain
  6. Loshdain
  7. Soladain

This episode also mentions a “Shearing Ceremony” briefly. This is a tradition where a young adult in Karameikos, is sent out from his family home, and has to earn a life on his own, proving that they are worthy of their family name. Citizens of every social status are put through this, even the Duke’s own children. For the next five or more years, they will not be able to use their family name or it’s influence for any reason and must prove themselves adult enough to contribute to society. Many, especially those without life goals, become wandering adventurers and mercenaries, searching for lost treasures or a purpose.


Ambyrmont 1st 1,000 AC – Happy Anniversary
Tonight, I cooked dinner, I made a Gnomish bread, and some sweetened deer for my wife. Happy Anniversary sweety.

Ambrymont 3rd 1,000 AC
Last night the Village men gathered and left the village to visit the tower. I was purposely left here to “guard the village” They seriously think that since I am Thyatian, I may side with the wizard…

Everyone came back confused, but unharmed. Apparently Dentiata invited them in, and gave them a tour of his tower. There was talk of golden elixers of youth, amazing magical light sources, and pipes all around transporting water to all parts of the tower.

Evidently the orc tribe is civilized and have their own barracks and recreation room. Everyone came back convinced that the Wizard had nothing to do with the missing animals, or strange events. They all talked as though Dentiata was their best friend. Adriana warned me this may happen, she calls it a “Charm” Spell.

Ambrymont 4th 1,000 AC
Bram Radescu borrowed Mikail’s Remaining 2 horses and wagon today. He struck a deal. He would go to Radlebb Keep, to restock the Tavern, and he told Mikail that he would try to get supplies for himself to restart his farm. Try to buy some chickens I believe.

Before he left town, he swung by to my house to visit Adriana. He was going to ask the Lord of Radlebb for help, but he couldn’t let the Charmed villagers know, and asked Adriana what she needed to keep removing the enchantment.

Ambrymont 7th 1,000 AC
Adriana has helped removed the Charm from the remaining 7 men who went to the castle. Mikail Tappe and Deiter Mavrov where so angered when they found out they had been enchanted for the last week that they got drunk and headed back to confront the Wizard again. These men’s anger overtakes their brains.

Tonight, I found Mikail’s body ripped apart by some beast just before the forest-line. It was a sad sight to see. I had to report to the family what I had found. I am just glad it was me who discovered the grizzly sight, as being in the army I am more prepared for it, than if one of the farmers, or worse yet, one of the children, had stumbled upon him.

Ambrymont 8th 1,000 AC
Tonight, Grigore Mavrov gathered the menfolk of the village together in the tavern. “Something must be done,” we all agreed. But words and ale flowed freely through the lips of the men present, and no one volunteered to do anything. In the end Grigore left the tavern, shaking his gray-haired head sadly.

A few moments later the we heard a shout. Rushing out of the tavern, we saw four figures dragging the struggling old man into the woods. One of the farmers who had gone to the tower was sure he recognized the largest figure as the chief orc henchman of Thaddigren Dentiata. As a mob, the men and I ran into the woods, but the orcs had disappeared— and Grigore Mavrov with them.

I am reluctant to go by myself, but I feel I must tomorrow when I am sober enough to think straight.

Ambrymont 9th 1,000 AC
Today Bram returned with Igor, and two strangers, “Fang” Strong, a not so strong looking half-orc and his gnome friend. These two listened to a half dozen people and decided that they would “Help”

I know these adventurer types, and know they are just here for the money. The half-orc looks like me may care for more than just the money, and may actually wish to help, but the gnome…

This gnome is not like the gnomes of Serraine, like my beloved’s father, and he seems a bit more cynical than most of the Highforge gnomes I have met. He actually looks like a Darokinian fop, which puts a smile on my face.

At least I am not heading in alone. These two have more combat experience than the farmers, and may have skills I need to get to the bottom of this mess.

I leave my Adriana to care for the village. I would not risk her in any sense, but she has given me a few of her “inventions” to help out. If they work like her father’s than…. I love my wife but I may ask the gnome to activate these after we arrive.

Ambrymont 10th 1,000 AC Early
The gnome’s name is something Fumblebuck. I find this name amusing. Fumblebuck, Fang and I left after dinner last night and arrived at the tower in the early morning. Our mission is to find Grigore and Dieter, and to make sure the disappearances stop.

When we arrived, Fumble decided to investigate the well just outside the tower. Fang and I followed, and were met with an Orc Sentry, who told us to leave. The two headed back to the forest, so I joined them, and we all waited until the orc finished his patrol, which was just as the sun rose.

Instead of checking the well this time, we approached the front door of the tower, and the gnome, Fumble, managed to convince the wolves, somehow, not to announce our presence. These forest gnomes are great with animals. Instead of entering the main door we entered the Barn and discovered a secret passage under the pony stall.

In the passage we discovered the lair of a Gigantic Spider to the side of the tunnel, in its own side tunnel. Fumblebuck, apparently has dealt with creatures like this before and knew exactly what to do. He threw his lit torch into the enclave, and set the spider’s web on fire. When the fire burned itself out, we entered and found the dead spider, and not much more. So we returned to the main passage, which lead to a door. Yes, a stone door. At the end of a tunnel duck out of the raw earth. I am writing this from the end of the passage as we rest before entering.

From a later account.
This tower is filled with wondrous devices. Each room is light by a glowing silver ball. When we left the passage we found ourselves in the basement level of the Tower. We managed to find a stairwell that lead us down farther. There, we ran into one of the orc guards, and had to knock him out. (We are trespassing technically, and don’t want to cause too much of a situation if the Wizard is not holding our villagers. Behind the orc was a magical statue that turned as we asked how to get places.

We were guided to the dungeons by this magical statue and a room that ascends and descends. This device would fit right in, on My beloved’s Serraine. In the lowest level we found Deiter Mavrov. He was not in his right mind and appeared to have been tortured. He was chained in a cell, screaming. As we approached his cell, another cell nearby opened up and a White Tiger Rakasta (Cat-person) came out. Apparently, he had also been taken prisoner. We had to knock Deiter out. Then we fashioned a sort of cot out of the bed in his cell. We were able to move him easily with the Rakasta’s Help.

When we continued looking for Grigore, we discovered a torture room nearby, and were confronted by a massive Orc, which we slew. The Orc had just finished fastening a halfling to his torture devices, and we ended up saving him. We have been joined by these two other prisoners, Ko’ar, the Rakasta, and a Falric the Halfling. They both seem to have a bone to pick against the Wizard.

Ambrymont 11th AC – After the Adventure
Yesterday we confronted the Wizard twice. The first time we carelessly ran into the Wizard’s Library while hiding from Orc Pursuers. A magical alarm had been sounding since we tried to open a sealed door in the “Lifting room” junction with the a magical statue identical to the one in the 2nd floor below ground. Anyways the Wizard managed to put us asleep magically, and when we woke up most of us were in the cells. Falric was missing, as was Grigore still.

After Koar managed to escape yet again, he freed the rest of us. We headed upstairs more cautiously this time, and found the library empty. Fang was able to use a magical crystal ball to see the Wizard in a laboratory of some sort with Falric and Girgore chained to the wall nearby.

This second time we managed to sneak up on him in his laboratory. Apparently He planned to sacrifice Both Grigor and Fulric during today’s Eclipse when the sky was black.

After we knocked out the wizard we put him in his own dungeon with a gag over his mouth so he could not cast spells.

Around midday, a troop of soldiers sent by Captain Grigore of Radlebb Keep arrived on their standard patrol of the Westron Road. They listened to the villagers and us, then took the wizard into custody leaving for Radlebb Keep.

After the soldiers left, we discovered a timid young lady hiding out in one of the rooms. Apparently, she has been Dentiata’s slave for many years. She would not come out until the wizard was gone out of fear. She would not leave the keep for fear that the Orcs would retrieve her. I had to send for Adriana, who convinced her to come to town with us tonight where she will be safe.

The ladies of the Bountiful Tappe Tavern and Inn have offered to take her in and care for her.

Fang, Fumblebuck, Ko’ar, and Fulric have been welcomed back as heroes in town. The Bountiful Tappe is keeping its promise and the heroes, all 4 have been given free flowing drink.

Ambrymont 13th 1,000 AC
Deiter is doing much better and recovering. Apparently, his insanity was not caused by torture like we believed, He was subject to a potion experiment.

Ashira, the ex-slave girl, is a capable maid in The Bountiful Tappe. The ladies are taking very good care of her, and they all are running the Tavern well in memory of the late Mikail.

Our four heroes have been recovering and relaxing at the Tappe for free this week, and Town-master Grigore has asked that they take possession of the Keep until Captain Grigore of the Keep (Not related) decides what to do with the Tower. The town-master is afraid some bandits or goblinoids will take move in, if it is unoccupied.

This gives them a chance to search it for treasures as well. We shall see how this works out for everyone.

Ambrymont 17th 1,000 AC
I have been busy the last few days helping Adriana with her Cloud Clipper problem. When I went into town today I was shocked to find that I am no longer treated as an outsider. The town seems to have warmed up to me since the Wizard Tower events of last week.

This leaves me in a better position to negotiate. Adriana and I wish to strike a deal with the farms of Sisak to supply food and natural supplies to Serraine.

Fang has expressed desire to continue to find a sponsor, or money to help his orphanage back in Specularum, Fumble is getting a bit axious staying in one place, so I don’t know how long they will stay.

Fulric, has decided to stay with the tower until it is granted by the Duke to another.

Ambyrmont 19th 1,000AC

Today the strangest events happened. Some of which I was witness to, some of which I learned about from my new friends & companions.

When I woke up, in truth when the whole village woke up, all of the adults had been shrunk down to childhood. I appeared to be about 7 or 8 years in age, as did everyone. Adriana and I quickly checked, and it seemed that only our bodies had become younger, we still had our mental capacities and memories of norm.

When I left the house, it became apparent that the ground was covered in snow. About 2 feet of snow, actually. In AMBRYMONT?!? I rushed to the village square to find out if anyone had information. Old Runa even looked young, about 12 or 14.

The town was of course under attack, by 6-foot-tall snowmen, who were attempting to drag the citizens (now in child-size) off to the woods. The battle was tough, but our heroes dove in from the hotel on a Flying Reindeer.

When the town was safe again, Ko’ar the kitten and Fang the tiny informed myself and Town-master Grigore that it had something to do with Ashira, the ex-slave of the wizard we disposed of earlier this month, and a magical gift she was supposed to receive from a jolly fat fey in red names “Saint Nick”

Once reunited with her gift, a nice snow globe that is supposed to be her home village, this Nicholas fey appeared to come out of the globe. It was then that I discovered that the whole chaos had been set up by a creature called a Krumpus to relieve the village of the actual children.

Nicholas, myself, Ko’ar, Fang, and a living toy soldier traced the creature back to a magical portal that had opened underneath the shattered sacrifice table we had destroyed outside the Wizard Tower. Inside the portal was another winter forest, and we were waylaid by monstrous decorated trees. The trees ate the toy soldier and had to be subdued.

Nicholas took care of this Krumpus while the others and I grabbed his magical sack which held the children within. We returned the children to the village and were able to see Nicholas flying off in a sleigh pulled by his flying deer with Krumpus inside Nicholas’ bag, head sticking out.

Now here are the notes of curiosity I have based upon the things I was told by others:

Fang informed me that the only person unaffected by the youthening was Fulric our halfling friend. I write this down because Fulric has stayed a curious person since we met him, and he will sometimes disappear for a few days before reappearing. He claims to be investigating the tower, but Adriana and I both wonder.

The other was something I picked up from the flying deer and Nicholas himself.: This snowglobe was supposed to be delivered to Ashira in her hometown 13 years ago. At that time, she and her whole town had disappeared from the world. Nicholas was unable to track her down, even though she was a slave to Dentiata. And she had just recently became discoverable by Nicholas.

So, Adriana, and I put our heads together, her being the smarter of the two of us, and what we still cannot fathom is: Why would anyone make their slave magically untraceable? Our only possible solution was that maybe Dentiata was untraceable. But then I remembered Fang had used a crystal ball to find him. So that could not be true. What kind of wizard makes his slave untraceable, but not himself?

Ashira is not in any shape emotionally capable to answer or explain. This whole ordeal brought back some really traumatic memories, and she has locked herself away from everyone.

We hope the ladies of The Bountiful Tappe will be able to connect with her again, but time will tell.

Ambrymont 26th 1,000, AC
Today we received word that the Trial of Dentiata would be held at Radleb Keep on Gromdain, Sviftmont 2nd. That is 4 days away. The request is for Fang Strong, Gnubnaver Fumblebuck, Ko’ar Katamura, Grigore Mavrov, Dieter Mavrov, and Ashira, and Myself. We are to bear witness to the crimes Thadagren Dentiata has committed.

Ashira was visibly upset by this, and has attached herself more to Ko’ar, who has been helping her the last couple of days with meditation techniques. When she heard about the summons, she ran off to the Wizard tower.

Grigore & Dieter plan to leave on Lunadain, the day before. They have a lot of work to attend here before going. The rest of us will leave tomorrow morning, so as to give us time for me to acquaint the rest with the Keep, calm Ashira’s worries, and do a bit of business there ourselves.

Ambrymont 27th, 1,000 AC
This morning, Valdemar Vlem came up and asked to join our trip to Radleb. At Sunrise was his Shearing ceremony and he is off to find his way in the world for a few years. We all agreed as it was not supposed to be a difficult journey.

Wasn’t supposed to be. I guess we jinxed it when we said those words.

When we went to pick up Ashira from the Wizard tower where she had spent the night, she was frantic saying that “Kyl” was missing. This made no sense, but when we calmed her down, she informed us that a creature named “Kyl” had been living in the Wizard Tower for years and had somehow managed to evade us the entire time we searched the tower.

Kyl (Pronounced “Keel”) was a flying monkey the size of a small cat. Ko’ar and Gnubnaver were able to figure out where he went. Ashira was so worried that we took a short detour. Again, short is what we thought.

It didn’t take long for Kyl to be found, he started trying to lead us, calling out to us in spoken words that he needed to find family.

That monkey led us for a day of running around in the forest, in what seemed like circles. A nearby Druid took interest in our plight and decided that we were worth helping. So, he helped us follow the creature, apparently called a “Tabi.”

Ambyrmont 27th From a later Account
Around noon we took a break to rest, the monkey, Tabi, or whatever kept insisting we continue on, but most of us were about to give up, and head back towards Radleb. Ashira was determined to help Kyl, but I feel like she was using this to keep her mind off of seeing her old slave-master again. Valdemar seemed to be enjoying his first adventure, but Ko’ar, Fang, Gnubnaver, and I all felt like getting to Radlebb was a more important activity. We all wish to be sure that Dentiata was sentenced to death for the crimes he had committed.

Our short rest and discussion on where to go was broken when two of the ugliest, 10 foot tall, Ogres came thundering through our rest spot. They looked at all of us and saw lunch. If it wasn’t for Fang’s quick thinking and use of the Wand he got from the Wizard Tower, we all would have met our end. Fang raised the wand, and the two ogres froze in their spot, paralyzed. The druid then just knocked them over. We all ran at that point, to put some distance between us and the ogres before they could move again.

By nightfall, the only ones who knew where in the forest we were, were the Tabi, and the druid. Kyl explained that since Kyl felt that Ashira was finally able to leave the area herself, he should find his family, so as to not be alone. We relented and promised to help. Fang used his Crystal Ball that night to verify, that yes, somewhere in this forest was the mysterious family of Tabi. I took first watch, and we rested this night unmolested by any evils.

Today we received word that the Trial of Dentiata would be held at Radlebb Keep on Gromdain, Sviftmont 2nd. That is 4 days away. The request is for Fang Strong, Gnubnaver Fumblebuck, Ko’ar Katamura, Grigore Mavrov, Dieter Mavrov, and Ashira, and Myself. We are to bear witness to the crimes Thaddigren Dentiata has committed.

Ashira was visibly upset by this, and has attached herself more to Ko’ar, who has been helping her the last couple of days with meditation techniques. When she heard about the summons, she ran off to the Wizard tower.

Grigore & Dieter plan to leave on Lunadain, the day before. They have a lot of work to attend here before going. The rest of us will leave tomorrow morning, so as to give us time for me to acquaint the rest with the Keep, calm Ashira’s worries, and do a bit of business there ourselves.

Ambyrmont 26th From the Journal of Fulric Panawin

I have been spending a lot of time in the Wizard Tower these past 2 weeks. Thaddigren Dentiata enjoyed puzzles a lot. So much so, that most of the secrets of his tower are locked behind puzzles. I have found only a few I am sure, but as I find more, I am sure that there are many more. It feels like every day or every week that he lived in this tower, he created another.

There is a number puzzle in the laboratory that revealed another batch of his insanity potion that he used on Dieter. There was a pictogram lock in his closet that I found and have not yet deciphered, and so far there is a strange carved face of his just under the bed of one of the prisoner cells in the basement.

Ashira is unaware of these, as she was ordered to leave her then-master alone when he was working. The poor girl. She still comes back to the tower every night to sleep since the incident with the snowmen. Last night she came back here to sleep again. And my suspicions of another servant locked here was finally confirmed.

Since I don’t sleep, I have been using this time to wander around the tower investigating more and more. Researching what I can. This usually involved reading a lot of the books in the library. As I was reading, I noticed something moving in the shadows. I followed it invisibly, until it rested in a hidden room in the 3rd basement. It was a Tabi, a flying monkey the size of a small cat.

Ashira had been coming into the tower so often to make sure that it was fed, and cared for, and I was so busy investigating that I didn’t even notice. That’s when I remembered a passage I had read in the Library. It was a spell of entrapment, that was supposed to summon and trap a being to the tower. I had first thought it was Ashira, or even the Orcs, but they all were able to leave without problems, but the Tabi had never been seen outside the walls. I am sure of it.

I returned to the Library and dug through the pile of books I had been reading. It was here somewhere I knew it. I found the book and opened it to the passage. There was a counter spell. It would not send the poor Tabi back to whatever world it came from, but it would release it from the Tower. I began the ritual as soon as I scrounged up the components. No creature should ever be confined to a rock tower.

Ambyrmont 27th From the Journal of Fulric Panawin

This morning, the Tabi was gone. It had woken up and left just around sunrise. The poor Tabi was ecstatic. When Ashira woke up she ran around the tower screaming for “Kyl”, I am guessing that is the Tabi’s name. Not long after Julius arrived with the others of our team. They had planned to leave for Radlebb Keep for Dentiata’s trial. Instead they are now planning to follow the Tabi and then make it to Radlebb right after.

I remain here. My goal is to find more about the “Sons on Night” a Warlock clan that the Fey-King Oberon has asked me to keep an eye on. After they left, I returned again to the library certain that the information must be in one of these books. Unfortunately, the books appear innocent enough, but knowing Dentiata’s obsession with puzzles I am certain there is a code that will unlock their true meaning.

Ambyrmont 27th – Julius Valarian

This morning, Valdemar Vlem came up and asked to join our trip to Radlebb. At Sunrise was his Shearing ceremony and he is off to find his way in the world for a few years. We all agreed as it was not supposed to be a difficult journey.

Wasn’t supposed to be. I guess we jinxed it when we said those words.

When we went to pick up Ashira from the Wizard tower where she had spent the night, she was frantic saying that “Kyl” was missing. This made no sense, but when we calmed her down, she informed us that a creature named “Kyl” had been living in the Wizard Tower for years and had somehow managed to evade us the entire time we searched the tower.

Kyl (Pronounced “Keel”) was a flying monkey the size of a small cat. Ko’ar and Gnubnaver were able to figure out where he went. Ashira was so worried that we took a short detour. Again, short is what we thought.

It didn’t take long for Kyl to be found, he started trying to lead us, calling out to us in spoken words that he needed to find family.

That monkey led us for a day of running around in the forest, in what seemed like circles. A nearby Druid took interest in our plight and decided that we were worth helping. So he helped us follow the creature, apparently called a “Tabi.”

From a later Account – Julius Valarian

Around Noon we took a break to rest, the monkey, Tabi, or whatever kept insisting we continue on, but most of us were about to give up, and head back towards Radlebb. Ashira was determined to help Kyl, but I feel like she was using this to keep her mind off of seeing her old slave-master again. Valdemar seemed to be enjoying his first adventure, but Ko’ar, Fang, Gnubnaver, and I all felt like getting to Radlebb was a more important activity. We all wish to be sure that Dentiata was sentenced to death for the crimes he had committed.

Our short rest and discussion on where to go was broken when two of the ugliest, 10-foot-tall, Ogres came thundering through our rest spot. They looked at all of us and saw lunch. If it wasn’t for Fang’s quick thinking and use of the Wand he got from the Wizard Tower, we all would have met our end. Fang raised the wand, and the two ogres froze in their spot, paralyzed. The druid then just knocked them over. We all ran at that point, to put some distance between us and the ogre before they could move again.

By nightfall, the only ones who knew where in the forest we were, were the Tabi, and the druid. Since Kyl felt that Ashira was finally able to leave the area herself, he should find his family. We relented and promised to help. Fang used his Crystal Ball that night to verify, that yes, somewhere in this forest was the mysterious family of Tabi. I took first watch and we rested this night unmolested by any evils.

Ambrymont 28th, 1,000 AC
When we woke, we continued to follow Kyl, as he seemed to know which way to go. It was some time after, while we raced through the forest hoping to be finished all of this in time, that we ran into another odd fellow in the forest. This elfin-centaur with wings too one look at Kyl and tried to grab him out of the tree. We immediately took offense at that and defended our friend, whom he had called a thief.

Rolane was his name, and he was on the trail of a Tabi who had absconded with his family sword. He was determined that Kyl was involved, and if not was a thief in his own right. We negotiated that if he could refrain from hurting our Tabi friend, he could follow and ask the Tabi family about the sword.

He begrudgingly agreed as he had been wandering aimlessly in the woods for days and had no other leads. A black dragon was seen shortly flying overhead. I hope this is not an omen of things to come.

Ambyrmont 28th – Much later
We have been picking up a lot today. Around Noon the druid, Galladin, informed us that we had been followed for most of the day. in the Early afternoon, a vulture headed monstrosity followed by 2 human zombies crashed into us, trying to avoid a bear. This Nagpa, as they are called apologized profusely. It also had been trying to find the Tabi encampment, and had been following us to make life easier.

He begged for forgiveness, and pleaded for us to not hurt him. “De’ath” was apparently looking for a very rare book on the ancient History of Traladara, and just like Rolane, was somehow convinced that the Tabi had it. He explained that he was afraid to return to the flying city of Serraine without the book. He apparently needed it to appease the Librarian of the “Great Library”, and feared if he did not get the book, he could never return home.

De’ath promised to stay out of our way and to even just follow behind. Rolane took an instant dislike to him, but I feel that could just be his way. Between Rolane’s insistence that the Tabi were all thieves, reinforced by the thought that they also held De’ath’s book, and the smell of the 2 rotting zombies following us as pack mules for the Nagpa, it is surprising that we made the distance we did unscathed. We have also started to notice some strange, life like statues showing up in the forest. One was a Hobgoblin, another was an elf.

From my calulations we were moving in the opposite direction of Radleb Keep.

Near nightfall we stopped to rest again. If we did not find the Tabi Camp soon, we would be forced to head back to Radleb. As we rested, a grizzled old Tabi suddenly appeared in the center of our group.

The old Tabi, who Kyl called “Quenstin”, begans by tthanking us for bringing Kyl home, and that he appreaciated the time we had given to do so. To Rolane, he told the pegataur that he, Quenstin, does indeed know where to find the sword he seeks (Rolane is quiet at first, and then blusters somewhat. Galladintook a moment to calm him down after Rolane tried to grab the old Tabi.

Quenstin explained that the tabi do not have it themselves. “Do not be so presumptuous, pegataur. One thief does not make us all thieves. Learn some common sense!”

To De’ Ath the tabi said, “We do have what you want, but you don ‘t seem to be thinking of what to offer us for it”, rather pointedly. De’ Ach, groveling as usual, asked what the tabi wanted. “The ring, I think”, he replied. De’ Ath whined until Quenstin replied, “without the book, old Marazumi will make sure you can never go home. The ring, please”, and the nagpa, looking almost stunned, left it at the feet of the old tabi’s projected image.

The old Tabi then looked at Ko’ar and told him that he knows where his borther is, and will tell him, but there is a task the tabis require them to carry out first, which required the aid of Rolane and De’ Ath.

Quenstin dispelled his projected image and approached in real life, with a ring of five hefty tabi bodyguards around him. Eight more tabi were lurking in the underbrush.

Quenstin commented on the stone creatures nearby and their cause: a large gray lizard which laired in a nearby shallow ravine. The creature was a threat to the tabi and Quenstin was reluctant to risk his own people. He felt that the deeds, and information were a good trade, if we could rid the area of the menace. He offered to keep our two “non-combatants” safe while we performed the task.

Ashira and Valdemar were given food and rest while we were led to the ravine and a cave entrance.

Ambyrmont 28th – evening

We entered the cavern carefully with some silver mirrors loaned to us by the Tabi guide. The cavern was immense and the first major room we came across was empty, except two stone elves, and a large bolder that appears to have fallen off the roof onto a poor elf a few years ago.

After doing a thorough search of the cavern, we rolled the bolder off of the dead elf, only to find bones and some chain armor, that our druid friend assured us was magical. We moved into the cavern beyond, using our mirrors for guidance, and saw the beast. It was a basilisk for sure, and large grey snake-like monster, whose eyes, if legends were true, could turn you to stone.

Rolane closed his eyes and entered swinging his sword around missing, everything but the walls. De’ath stayed in the main cavern calling out directions to Rolane by looking in his mirror.

While the others were attempting to attack using their small hand held mirrors, I removed one of the bags I had brought with me from my backpack. I had brought it and a few others to bring seeds and other farming tools and materials back home from Radlebb when we left, but this was more important now.

Taking my bag, I slipped behind the distracted beast, and taking the bag I held firmly in my hand, I prayed that it would not toss its head back to see me. I leapt forward and threw the bag over the beast’s head tying the bag tightly around the neck. So it’s eyes could no longer be seen.

Seeing my initiative, our Druid friend, Galladin, transformed himself into a bear, and began mauling the creature full force and I Struggled to stay on its back. Keeping that bag over its head. Following Galladin’s lead, Gnubnaver, Ko’ar and Fang joined in the foray and began stabbing and clawing at the body of the basilisk, while the bear-shaped Galladin bit and clawed at the neck.

After a short struggle, the basilisk stopped thrashing and fell dead.

We removed the head, and sealed the bag. I have no idea if a dead basilisk head would still be as accursed as a living one, and did not wish to risk turning my companions to stone.

We gave the Elf Bones a proper burial, and collected his things. A magical pair of boot, which we gave to the Druid, and I was granted the armor. Out of respect for the dead, we would take them with us, rather than risk them falling into goblin or even orc hands. We knew no self-respecting elf would wish that.

When we returned to the Tabi Camp it was late evening.

As promised, Rolane was reunited with his family sword, and De’ath was granted the History book he needed. We all rested that night, knowing we would be parting ways in the morning. For Dentiata’s hearing was the day after tomorrow, and we had quite a distance to travel. We talked a bit before going to sleep this night.

De’ath talked about his passion for Ancient History, and all the fascinating things that had happened in the distant past. Rolane invited us to join him any time in his home country of Alfheim, where he would show us how a true Pegataur treats friends. Valdemar talked about his dreams of making his name in carpentry and being able to return to his family in a few years, having proven himself worthy of the family name. Fang talked about the orphanage that had taken him in as a baby, and how he was trying to find ways to pay them back for the life and love they had granted him.

Ashira and Ko’ar remained silent throughout this, not wishing to talk about their past, and I’m certain Galladin and Gnubnaver listened but redirected any questions that came their way.

Ambyrmont 28th – Fulric, Late Evening

The 4 books have given me a lot of information. They are written in Nithian; a language I have begun to remember from my last lifetime on the mortal world. It is not an easy thing to do, remembering that far back.

Here are my notes on the “Sons of Night”

The Sons of Night
This group of evil warlocks believes that the world will one day be consumed by the Dread Night, a lightless and lifeless void. Before that happens, they, the Sons wish to rule the world and prepare it for its destruction. Many of the spells they research have to do with darkness and death. The Sons of Night believe that sacrifices to the Dread Night will give them personal power to further their ends; such sacrifices also bring the time of the Dread Night closer.
Most such sacrifices are of animals, but human sacrifice is performed in special ceremonies where the celebrant expects to gain great power in the form of knowledge or spells. A Son of Night who is ready to more power prepares such a sacrifice. The sacrifice, following an hour-long ritual, must be performed at the end of a moonless night, with the symbolic intent of extending the darkness into eternity. The blood of the victim is channeled through grooves in the sacrificial altar to drip onto a specially prepared parchment (usually black). Magical writings form on the paper, revealing to the celebrant a new spell.
If the sacrifice and ritual are completed during a Solar Eclipse the amount of power granted is supposed to be even greater due to the rarity of these events. If the sacrificed creature be of Fey or other immortal being, the Warlock may be granted near unlimited power. What would he have gained if he had successfully sacrificed me during that eclipse, I wonder. It states that the creature that is sacrificed is eternally destroyed, their soul will not enter the afterlife, Fey will not return to the Feywild to be reincarnated again, and other immortal creatures will have similar fates. To this date, nobody has completed an eclipse sacrifice of a Fey.
The brotherhood believes that true power is gained through individual cunning and cleverness, but they realize that by cooperation they can further their desires. The books do not give any indication of their numbers. Their purpose is to gain personal power and wealth while hastening the oncoming of the Dread Night and the end of the world. Most members have an interest (ranging from fondness to obsession) in puzzles and tricks. The Sons of Night respect the qualities of cleverness and ingenuity in all creatures, even their adversaries. Thus, most of the brotherhood will give particularly clever opponents one chance to escape. The Sons of Night can be recognized by their fascination with puzzles, their sacrifices of black animals, and their adoption of anagrams for their names.
The Sons of Night, have no real leadership. The cult is organized into groups of seven members, each group called a “fraternity.” Individuals know the other members of their fraternity and occasionally correspond with each other. The existence of other fraternities is known, but communication between them is rare. Each fraternity has an unofficial leader called the “Darker,” the most powerful member of the group, who maintains ties with Darkers in other fraternities. A Darker has the authority to settle disputes between fraternity members by setting up a contest, usually involving magic and trickery. The Darker is also the one who decides upon the site of the annual meeting of his fraternity. He does not, however, actually command or rule the other members.
Anyone who wishes to become a Son of Night must find a member who will agree to sponsor him. The initiation process lasts a year before the new member is allowed to appeal to the Egg of Coot for acceptance. The appeal involves tests, ordeals, and the teaching of the brotherhood’s secret language and doctrine. As part of the final initiation ceremony, a Son of Night takes a new name that is related to the society in some way. Upon the induction of a new member, the Darker leaves the fraternity, and, through a series of tests set up by the departing Darker, a new Darker is chosen. It is assumed that the previous Darker goes to join another, more powerful fraternity.

This Egg of Coot, I have read about it before, but cannot remember where. I will have to go back through the books I had read to find it.


Picture Credits:

  • The Fighting in the Tavern & The Statue from Dungeon Magazine #24 by David O’Miller
  • The Maps from Dungeon Magazine #24 by Diesel
  • Gnubnaver Fumblbuck Picture: https://images.all-free-download.com/images/graphiclarge/dwarf_gnome_fig_231721.jpg
  • Deer, Tree-Monster & Toy Soldier from the Adventure: Saving Christmas by Dream Realm Storytellers. Artist: Muhammet Feyyaz
  • Snowman Monster from: Honestly, I cannot remember…… I Grabbed it from Bing-Images off a clipart site for my players to understand it’s appearance 2 years ago… and I cannot find the original website, please let me know if it is yours and I will credit you or remove it, your choice. (Sorry)
  • Nagpa & Pegataur both come from DRM2 – Creature Catalog From TSR (Published in 1993), ART in that book by: Jeff Anderson, Helen Bedford, Gary Harrod, Tim Sell, Brian Williams, Geoff Wingate, Pete Young, and Dave Simmons. (I’m sorry I am not sure which artist did these two pictures, if you know please inform me, and I will correct the credits.)
  • The Tabi Picture is modified from the Mystara Monstrous Compendium Published by TSR in 1994, the Art is by: Arnie Swekel

Fyrmont, 1,000 AC

Fyrmont 9th 1,000 AC – Ack Ack Day
Today in celebration of the battle against the dragons, We took some of my wife’s “Bang-Tossers” out into the field and set them off. These little bags of powder explode into bright colors and loud noises when wet. We did this near the forest-line, to show the creatures there we were not afraid.

Some of the villagers came up to see what the all the commotion was. We explained that today was the day of a great battle my wife’s people had won, and that we were celebrating by scaring the local monsters away. They were happy to join, in. I think it was the first time in a long time I saw anyone smile in town. Luckily Adriana had made hundreds of these things, with a little help from Amber and I, of course. Most of the town got involved in tossing water on these little balls and watching them shoot into the sky with blues and purple colors, only to explode with dazzling noise and brighter colors.

Fyrmont 10th 1,000 AC
There was another “eclipse” as Adriana calls them. They sky went dark in the middle of the day. And everyone hid their children indoors for fear the orcs would come and take them.

Fyrmont 15th 1,000 AC – Ixion’s Day
With the success of Ack-Ack Day just a week ago, the villagers were more comfortable setting up Adventure Day. They went about their day with the children running gleefully around looking for their treasures and tokens. That however all came to a stop when someone realized that Skelly, Amber’s older brother had gone missing.

Immediately all parents scooped up their little ones, and a search began. We searched the area carefully. The whole town had to be turned upside down before anyone would entertain the idea that the animal disappearances had just been escalated. after about 3 hours of searching the entire town, he was found, alive and well.

Skelly wouldnot tell the adults where he was, but Amber came to let us know he had been out to find the giant wolves, or even the Tiger that the wizard is supposed to have prowling in the woods nearby. She didn’t know if he was successful or not.

Felmont 26th 1,000 AC
A large number of the farms’ horses went missing as everyone was guarding the other animals. The farmers are baffled, and angry. They have had enough, and I fear that their anger may outweigh their sense.


Fireworks from: http://getdrawings.com/images/fireworks-drawing-6.jpg

Diary of Julius Valarian (Felmont 1,000 AC)

Felmont 1st 1,000 AC
Beast’s Day seemed too personal this year. The townsfolk still held their fake battles against the Beastmen of ages gone by, but the fact that there was a tribe of orcs living just outside of town in the wizard’s tower did not make them feel comfortable doing so, and the usually loud boisterous chattel was toned down immensely.

Felmont 15th 1,000 AC – Day of Valarius
I spent the day outside with Adriana today, away from work. It was nice to just have time to relax in the sun with my wife again. We had planned to have a picnic near the forest-line again this year, but when we arrived there, I was sure I could see large creatures moving through the growth. We opted to head back to the house and spend the day just outside of it, near my weapons in case.

Nobody else seemed too keen on celebrating the day of love with all the missing animals happening, and the big wolves and orcs being seen in the forest line. it is a shame.

Felmont 24-27th 1,000 AC
Over the last four days we have had shooting stars. I hope it is not a bad omen.

Felmont 27th 1,000 AC
Today more of the Goats & Sheep went missing from farmer that were wide awake one moment, and fast asleep the next. Every one of them claims they were hexed.


The Romance Picture from: https://i1.wp.com/www.thebillyleepontificator.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Medieval-couple-love.jpg