At the Sign of the Salient Hurcheon

Our heroes, having infiltrated the settlements of the swamp Kurrim and successfully impersonated the scheming merchant Uktannu and his associates, are at a bit of a loss what to do now they are here. To try and placate dissent in the Kurrim ranks by killing or driving off  Gal-Kyushu, a monstrous crocodile that has been hunting Kurrim. The group are travelling through the swamp, guided by Utana who finds his skills in mountains and deserts peculiarly well suited for swamplands. They continue

By a coincidence, a buzzing noise alerts the group to insects in their path. A source of honey? Alas no, these are swamp wasps, nasty things. Does Farshad’s music hath charms to soothe the savage wasp? Nah, best avoided, so they did, still followed by frogs.

The next stint brought them to a small lake fed by the river, or a wide part of the river separated by an island, depending how you look ar it. In this separated small lake, a central island was joined by a rotting wooden bridge. No immediate sign of any crocodile, they decided to cross to the island in the centre of this body of water, though the frogs stayed on the shore, watching, their singing muted.

The woods, slimy and rotten, was not the easiest to cross, all fell in, and ended up swallowing some of the water, becoming sickened and somewhat feeble. Despite this comedy of errors, they managed to get onto the island, though all the splashing about attracted a creature.

It was not, however, a crocodile. Either the Kurrim were wrong about the nature of Gal-Kushu, or this creature had eaten it.It was a Nishimiru, a monstrous serpent like creature, formed of the corpse of a celestial lizard slain by a god, this was a small one, though still long, though narrow,

In the fight that ensued, the group rued their lack of heavy armour, left behind because of the swampy terrain. The nishimiru attacked by biting, swallowing, sweeping off their feet and attemping to crush under its weight. In that fight, José Juan was bitten, poisoned, knocked down and the Nishimuru, though slender, crushed him down under many coils, Jalabu was also knocked down, but generally unharmed. Farshad though, Farshad was swallowed whole, and was being worked down the gullet.

Throughout that, they all struck, pierced and hacked the Nishimuru. Utana did sterling work with his fish spear, wrenching a great hole in its flesh, despite his enfeebled state, aided by its own writhing. That at least, gave Farshad something to aim for as, against the usual advice, he headed to the light, though the constricting muscles did not always allow him to slice further.

It was not a weapon, but two hands desperately wrenching at the hole in the Nishimuru that finally did for it, and it collapsed, Farshad wriggling free, almost like being born,  through a gap, and José Juan pulled himself out from under the writhing corpse.

Wet, sweaty, battered, bruised, sore, poisoned, they settled down to camp by a fire. And there we left it.

What will the group, agents of the state, now the face of the law and administration for the town of Spah and the surrounding county do about the mysterious Kurrim from an unknown settlement to the south, hidden in a marsh according to the logs from Uktannu’s ship,  the “Farshad’s Bounty”, Why were some of the Kurrim that escaped dressed like the Zhuezhi of Khanedarya, were the others dressed in a simpler fashion the southerners, or yet another group?

Hamid had a set of proposals

• He would send word throughout his trading network that Farshad had been unfairly maligned, and to be judged on his actions. Let his reputation reestablish itself
• He would also pay off the assassins poised to kill Farshad’s family and rescind their contracts. You’re welcome.
• However to repay the debt, Hamid said that he should take possession of the “Farshad’s Bounty”, and all its cargo. The name of the ship alone, and the logs, show that the ship and cargo derive from the schemes funded by the money and goods defrauded from Jalabu’s family.

Although the group appreciated the justice of Hamid’s claim, and the need for recompense, they tried to offer just the cargo, but Hamid insisted on the ship. Their natural cupidity and lust for loot had them trying to avoid any obligation.

Hamid, seeing the way the group were trying to avoid giving him his due, and that the ship, as a vessel known to these mysterious Kurrim, would be useful to investigating their settlement to the south, suggested postponing this part of his settlement. He has his reasons, they may be complex, or just him adapting to the avariciousness of the group, but he insisted upon accompany them to protect his ship..

The group prepared. They supplied the ship for a voyage of a month in food, expendables including arrows, and a crew of sailors and marines was found. Even with the contrary currents that head north along the coast, which would slow the ship and make the voyage south take a few days, the distance is not great, lying to the southern extent of the the area currently administered by Smersh and Utana.

There was one order of business that Fetnah saw. She had bound a spirit to protect Jalabu. As the threat was from Hamid, and that threat was gone (at least for now), the protection could be lifted. However Jalabu professed no need. He was perfectly happy with things as they were. Extending her mystical shaman sight into Jalabu, Fetnah saw the shape of the road spirit bright in Jalabu, vaguely man shaped and definitely overwhelming Jalabu’s true spirit.

Fetnah took a risk, using the pure force of her will to try and blast the errant spirit from Jalabu. She failed at first, but weakened the intruder. The best few hours she spend inscribing mystic symbols and paths of power on Jalabu, to aid her next attempt, and this one succeeded. Jalabu was wholly his own again.

Notable crew folk

• Ship’s captain – Birhan
• Steersman – Nurimu
• Steersman – Biranna
• Sailor – Gharal
• Sailor – Humziba
• Sailor – Srinabhar
• Sailor – Jarveen
• Sailor – Sanvashta
• Sailor – Ishwana
• Sailor – Numa
• Marine – Sarran
• Marine – Irham
• Marine – Imrim
• Marine – Atababa
• Marine – Bakrhan
• Marine – Muhrid
• Marine – Kanah

The time in the voyage was livened up by Farshad learning the work songs of the sailors, and by Jalabu, from the Island of Dilamun, honing his swimming skills as the ship pulled to shore each night. Smersh, however, did not react well to the voyage, and was severely ill, and the sailors ensured he was always at the leeward rail. José Juan tied to concoct a cure, but that instead that caused Smersh to become even more ill, from both ends.

To aid the suffering, sickly Smersh, Jalabu, Fetnah and José Juan combined their talents, devising a soporific that would keep Smersh in unconsciousness, He required tending for the rest of the voyage, usually by Kanah and Jarveen, who seemed to have offended their officers to be given such a noxious duty.

Eventually though, they came to the marsh, contained seemingly within a broad valley and fed by rivers that led to the sea. The group, offered a chance to land on the shore or sail up the main river channel, chose the latter, To move the ship against the river current, it was poled, a steersman in charge bow and aft, marines and sailors working the poles, guiding the ship through small lakes and narrow passages. Farshad kept the drumbeat for the work, pausing only to wave at Kurrim who came out of their reed houses to cheer the ship, though they presumably thought that they were greeting Uktannu, the “False Farshad”.

Eventually they emerged into a large lake with many more reed houses, and two stone buildings. A kind of low ziggurat and another building the size and basics shape of a barn. Docking amongst a crowd of reed boats, some of which were quickly put out as a pontoon to reach the ship, too deep draft for the edge of the lake. A set of warriors led by a Kurrim woman (Olayba the Seer) greeted the group in simple and archaic Idarit, though that was not the language of the crowd’s chatter, and ask the group to accompany them to meet their chief, Yayhil.

Not all the Kurrim seemed pleased to see the outsiders, there were groups in the crowd outside and in the great Hall who seemed to view the group with suspicion and hatred. Hail seemed a little puzzled with Farshad, whom she obviously thought was Uktannu, as not only did his voice not seem so deep and gruff as normal, but more because they had agreed no longer to approach directly by water, as the great threat to the Kurrim came from the sea,

Taking the group to the ziggurat, she pointed out the images of the builders, engraved into the stone centuries before. As Jalabu had feared, the figures were Ketaeorum, the strange intelligent water serpents that the group had come up against before. Yayhil informed the group that the Ketaorum wanted their old temple back, and the Kurrim gone, and some villages had already been destroyed, and Kurrim killed, driven off or even taken captive..

And there we left it.

Having captured Uktannu, Uktannu’s ship the “Farshad’s Bounty”  the logs and cargo, all of which pointed to a strange trade with a previously unknown group of Kurrim in the marshes to the south of Spah! There had been Kurrim about the ship, some dressed like the Zhuezhi of Khanedarya, others in a simpler fashion, strange to the Haraxans.

Our cast

• Farshad – Merchant of the Rule of Ishtir, musician and Agent of the Rule
• Fetnah – Shaman from a long time ago, and a forgotten and lost land, and agent of the Rule
• Smersh – Larcenous Priest from long time ago, and a nation long gone, Databdara (Magistrate) and agent of the Rule
• Utana – Noble of the Rule of Haraxa, Agent and Acting-Databdara (Magistrate) of the nation
• José Juan – Foreigner from the far west, warrior, healer and Agent of the Rule

Absent

• Arpaesis – From the far western land of Ta-Khemet, student of Arcane Lore, and agent of the Rule, currently studying books of Lore
• Dhran the White – of humble origin in Ishtir, warrior, agent of the Rule, currently studying in the capital and trying to unionise
• Jalabu – Noble of Dilmun, Merchant-Adventurer and agent of the Rule, currently coming to terms with his inner demon, literally

Tonight was mostly catching up, resting, and training, Farshad taught all the rudiments of swimming. Fetnah strengthen her bond with he spirit ally, Smersh, studying the law and customs with Utana’s seemed Wiser at the end of it, Utana studied with Farshad and José Juan, improving his knowledge of far lands, and the tricks to survival, and so on.

Despite the evidence that his name had been vilely and unfairly traduced, Farshad still received unwarranted and undeserved abuse.

As they studied, and prepared for an expedition to the marshes of the South, a ship arrives, bearing Jalabu’s cousin Hamid and his closest  thugs. Hamid, regretting his deal with Jalabu had come for Jalabu or Farshad, to take their debt in blood.

However, this time Farshad had a surprise. He presented Hamid to Uktannu, or vice versa, and showed the suspicious merchant the ships logs. Hamid was slow to be persuaded that this was a solution to the mysteries, fraud and hatred, but eventually agreed ro worth through the documentation, from the ship and the cave, and make copies with the aid and supervision of Smersh’s scribes. These he would take, along with Uktannu, back to their family to face punishment.

We didn’t quite gets to a pool on how long Uktannu would take to escape and reappear as a recurring villain, but the players came close to that.

And, with Utana’s oath that, should Uktannu escape, he would make Hamid pay, there we left it.

Our heroes cooked up a plan to trap the ship of custom’s duty evader, scofflaw and blackener of Farshad’s name, Uktannu, a Shevam merchant who people compare unfavourably to Ea-Nasir, cheating, stealing, betraying and all using Farshad’s name. They found out their plans were passed on by a traitor, but still managed to grapple the ship, and are boarding against superior odds. 

Our cast

• Farshad – Merchant of the Rule of Ishtir, musician and Agent of the Rule
• Fetnah – Shaman from a long time ago, and a forgotten and lost land, and agent of the Rule
• Smersh – Larcenous Priest from long time ago, and a nation long gone, Databdara (Magistrate) and agent of the Rule
• Utana – Noble of the Rule of Haraxa, Agent and Acting-Databdara (Magistrate) of the nation

Absent

• José Juan – Foreigner from the far west, warrior, healer and Agent of the Rule
• Arpaesis – From the far western land of Ta-Khemet, student of Arcane Lore, and agent of the Rule, currently studying books of Lore
• Dhran the White – of humble origin in Ishtir, warrior, agent of the Rule, currently studying in the capital and trying to unionise
• Jalabu – Noble of Dilmun, Merchant-Adventurer and agent of the Rule, currently coming to terms with his inner demon, literally

Although José Juan’s player was absent, as his usual tactic is to stand off and plink with arrows, so his character was given to Phil, who runs Utana, and Smersh and Fetnah came back from the side of the boat, where they were being a bit sea-sick, to join in.

Fetnah, as fresh as she gets, invoked her Shamanic powers, with her customary “Thou who would do me harm, begone!” , affecting all the enemies who could hear her to suffer a penalty to all their Success chances, as they would be unable to get away from her. This had a serious effect on the enemy, who often missed their attacks, parries and saves just because of this spell.

Combat was joined, given the area battlefield, armour was light, which meant that any wounds suffered would have the potential to be grievous. Initial contact was mad with Farshad, Utana and Smersh on the enemy ship, but it was inconclusive. However the traitor on the Council of Spah revealed themselves. Chief of the fisher folk, Fram, steered his boat close on the other side of the merchant ship, and six Kurrim warriors leapt onto the merchantman.

Six were dressed in the fashion of the Zhuezhi gang members they had met in the town of Khanedarya, the others were clad in simple cloth tunics, their faces and bodies tattooed in unusual designs, the cries of the newcomers were strange to Utana, who spoke the ancient tongue common to many Kurrim across the world, it seemed similar but words and idioms were odd, but their intent was clear, and it was not friendly.

Concerned about Uktannu’s magic, they kept him engaged, having seen already that José Juan’s arrows could not bite him, between light armour worn and either a spell laid upon them or of his own making.

Whilst arrows flew, Fetnah and unnamed smuggler number 6 (they were named, that was Imrim) chugged the same javelins back and forward, or so it seemed, Smersh found that the speed of his dagger against unarmoured foes, Utana laid about him with his sword, José Juan sniped away. Utana did resist the temptation to slay both Farshad’s, let the Godsknow their own.

Farshad, however, grappled with Uktannu, who was unable to break free, over time tightening his grip, and avoiding rescue attempts by the marines, until he could get a knife to Uktannu’s throat and call for the others to lay down their weapons.

The threat caused the others to hold, through they did not lay down their weapons, instead they retreated to Fram’s ship and made off, pursued by other boats.

Other boats contributed crew for the cargo ship, and, after binding Uktannu to the mast and gagging him, they made back for Spah.

The cargo proved to be the expected spices, but also unusual plant extracts and weapons and armour. Nothing much better than the group had, apart from the buckler Fetnah took, but enough to equip 40 Kurrim warriors well. They assumed Kurrim as the helmets were shaped to fit their heads.

The ship, cheekily named “Farshad’s Bounty” was impounded by Smersh, in his official capacity, awaiting disposal in some manner. The food from the vessel, the stuff still edible, was taken off, the rats were left alone and Uktannu imprisoned.

There was also logs of travel and cargo found, which backed up the supposition that the weaponry came from the Land of a Thousand Gods, and that the weapons were destined for a location in the marshes down the coast, Uninhabited as far as anyone knew, save an accompanying map showed some villages and a route through the swamp.

In the final discussion before the group settled for the night, Farshad gave an impassioned speech, about the unwarranted and unearned abused heaped upon him as a result of the deprecations of this false Farshad, that even his companions were prone to, without cause, and that a fitting disposal of Uktannu would be to hand him over to Jalabu’s cousin,  Hamid bin Khawla al-Malmuntaqim al-Maqqaniyy, His theory being with the true culprit of the debts owed to Jalabu’s family Jalabu would be free of the debt he had taken upon himself.

And there, for a couple of months, we left it

Smersh’s player was complaining of bad rolls, but Fetnah’s spell converted some critical successes into failures, as that happens when  the roll is exactly your chance, and the chance was lowered so the roll was too high. Boo Fetnah, boo!

Having discovered counterfeit customs seals on goods found secreted in the pack of a pedlar who came to a grisly end, murdered by animated corpses. Tracing the pedlar’s movements, they discovered a cave used by smugglers who mistook Farshad for their boss Uktannu, a cruel and evil master, with no respect for the dignity of his employees, so the mistake was perhaps forgivable.

Leaving with the information that Uktannu and the next ship is expected in few days, the group have gone back to plan their next move. 

Utana swaps out for Jalabu, to keep the number at three

Our cast

• José Juan – Foreigner from the far west, warrior, healer and Agent of the Rule
• Farshad – Merchant of the Rule of Ishtir, musician and Agent of the Rule
• Utana – Noble of the Rule of Haraxa, Agent and Acting-Databdara (Magistrate) of the nation

Absent

• Arpaesis – From the far western land of Ta-Khemet, student of Arcane Lore, and agent of the Rule, currently studying books of Lore
• Dhran the White – of humble origin in Ishtir, warrior, agent of the Rule, currently studying in the capital and trying to unionise
• Jalabu – Noble of Dilmun, Merchant-Adventurer and agent of the Rule, currently coming to terms with his inner demon, literally
• Fetnah – Shaman from a long time ago, and a forgotten and lost land, and agent of the Rule
• Smersh – Larcenous Priest from long time ago, and a nation long gone, Databdara (Magistrate) and agent of the Rule

Utana, beaten down and exhausted after a few days trying to clear up after the recent horror, and establishing anew order in the town of Spah and surrounds, staggers into the   the temporary accommodation and offices that Farshad has set up, almost unable to keep his weary eyes open to take in the sight of  Farshad and José Juan enjoying some leisure amongst some of the workers from the the estate offices.

Slumping into a stool, his muscles betraying him, he is restored with some food and drink brought over by the other two, as they regale the events of the previous day.

However Utana has little time to rest before his, and the others’, presence is requested by the Council of Spah, along with Mina, Lieutenant of Cavalry, and Imintakar, a customs officer. These groups are offering what help they can to tackle the smugglers, including a couple of large boats and some crew. There is some concern about security, and regrets from the group that they just can’t use magic to solve all their problems.

In the subsequent discussion, a plan is hatched out, Council member Aruch, and other hunters, will watch the landward exits from the caves. On the nights the ship is expected, Council leader Dehra and the militia together with Mina’s cavalry will be ready on the landward side. Council member Shirzan will command a boat with the group and some other crew, Imintakar and Customs officers on the other, smaller boat. Despite the skepticism of Council member Fram, some fishing boats will work with the customs men to try and hem in the ship.

Taking the next day to prepare, the group are disturbed by a messenger from the hunters, they had spotted someone hurrying from the direction of the town to the caves, staying a while then returning. The group searched the area, and found a secret and dangerous path down the cliff. Farshad looked out to see if there were any obvious vessels close, but these are busy sealanes

There were ships of shapes and sizes

Farshad led the way down the path, and promptly fell off it, catching himself only with a very temporary grip. José Juan and, against his better judgement, Utana, got Farshad up as his fingernails were giving up the ghost.

They found a small beach, against which a small boat could be beached, and an iron ring, somewhat rusty into which it could be tied up. There was no clue as to who the messenger could have been but it seemed there was at least one traitor in the town.

There was no time top interrogate the whole town, the first night that the smugglers were expected was here, and they set off.

They were lucky, the ship arrived on the first night. A merchantmen, it obviously intends to beach at the cave, however it sends a signal to the shore.

An answering signal comes back, obviously one it did not like, as the ship started to turn away, at which point the group closed in.

Despite Farshad attempting to disembowel his friends, and anyone else within reach with his grappling hook, eventually the ship was grappled and the crew pulled them in, as Utana and José Juan injured a couple of crew with archery (archery against the unarmoured can be deadly)

The crew of the smuggler ship got ready, as Farshad and Utana leapt aboard, seeing a Shevam looking much like Farshad readying a spell of some sort and there we left it, next time for battle proper!

Coming to terms with a long deserted house and grounds somewhat littered with corpses of former slaves of a demon, the group find themselves interrupted by news from the Capital. Smersh has been granted the status of Databdara, a combination investigator, magistrate, supervisor of local tax collectors and general public morals, with Utana there to instruct him. José Juan has been contacted by an agent of his new Ambassador controller, Hortensia, and Fetnah can see her companion spirit as clearly as I of she were flesh and blood.

Our cast

• José Juan – Foreigner from the far west, warrior, healer and agent of the Rule
• Farshad – Merchant of the Rule of Ishtir, musician and agent of the Rule
• Jalabu – Noble of Dilmun, Merchant-Adventurer and agent of the Rule, currently coming to terms with his inner demon, literally

Absent

• Arpaesis – From the far western land of Ta-Khemet, student of Arcane Lore, and agent of the Rule, currently studying books of Lore
• Dhran the White – of humble origin in Ishtir, warrior, agent of the Rule, currently studying in the capital and trying to unionise
• Utana – Noble of the Rule of Haraxa, Agent and Officer of the nation
• Fetnah – Shaman from a long time ago, and a forgotten and lost land, and agent of the Rule
• Smersh – Larcenous Priest from long time ago, and a nation long gone, Databdara (Magistrate) and agent of the Rule

The scene opens as it would to a normal day in any adventurer’s hero’s life. Smersh and Fetnah are clearing Smersh’s home, having a major clear out, just as the players are, though one hopes the players do not have to also deal with a few stray spirits. Smersh, aided by the local priests of the Cold Ones, led by the senior priest An-Dimikhan, are also intending to ritually cleanse and reconsecrate the family temple and door shrine.

Back in the town of Spah, in a temporary office set up by Smersh’s factor Afghaq, Farshad is going over the accounts, and noting the current outgoings to labourers hired to clear away the corpses and renew the road to the Estate, the start of which is encroached by the marshes.

In another corner, José Juan is going through a collection of cuttings from the estate’s feral herb garden, checking against a book of herbs of the region sent by Hortensia, perhaps not all are intended purely for the kitchen, occasionally checking with Jalabu, who has brought some of the Alchemist’s equipment from the house and is conducting experiments of his own with the plants.

The cavalry troopers have been left behind until Smersh can gather constables of his own, and their officer Mina comes in with news of a strange find. Taking the group with her, she points out some of the contents of the dead pedlar, Amuura’s, pack. These proved to be valuable spices in waxed linen, but the packs had Haraxan customs seals. Fake ones, reasonable fakes. The spices marked on the packets, pepper corns, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, saffron, anise, cumin, tumeric, whilst not as valuable as they would be in José Juan’s homeland, is still of sufficient value that cheating customs is worthwhile.

The group had a think, and decided that returning to the house where they found the dead pedlar would not be productive, it had been searched and all traces would have been walked over many times. So they asked around. Amuura was a frequent visitor, but had not been seen since heading south a few days ago. She did not have any particular person she stayed with, but stuck to a few homes that she would trade goods with for accommodation. She was last seen heading down the south road to the gate there, which also functions as a jail, militia armoury and duty barracks. However a cavalry trooper rode there, and she found out that Amuura did not pass through the gate.

There was a question here about a rule in another RPG about automatic success in a task if a greatly extended time was devoted to it. This is what the current manuscript for BtBG says about that.

“In most cases, if a character wants to do something, and have the knowledge, time and means to do it, then they will succeed.

Example, the characters want to break through the mud brick wall of a building to get at the oil pots within. They have picks, the building is empty and no guards. They will be able to do it, but it will take an hour or so.

The group searched around the path that Amuura would have taken, and found a side path heading back through the marsh to the coast. There was no trace of Amuura’s tracks, but they touch a hunch and carefully followed it, pinging on a path atop the cliff edge. Heading south, they looked every so often until they saw signs of a sea cave

There was no path down from the seaward side, but they followed the path on, and spotted a cleft in the rock, with a possible entrance, they scrambled up the rocks and through the narrow passage, finding themselves in a small chamber, their way guided by Jalabu’s magic shield.

The passage from the left headed down, and forked, they took the upper fork, intro a damp chamber into which a spring leaked, the damp floor covered in algae.

The floor was treacherous, but Farshad was able to cross, his feet dry, using the fallen bodies of Jalabu and José Juan, who were not so lucky. Picking themselves up, they continued, through what appeared to be a room used for sleeping, with beds, bedding and personal belongings moved aside to keep the area clear for, something.

One way out led to the main way in from the outside world, the other back towards the sea cave, carved by the stream coming down from the hills. Having established a route out, they took the other route, but the sound of voices ahead caused them to mask the light, and continue cautiously on.

The found a store room and workshop, in which a Kurrim and three humans worked, unarmoured by armed with close combat weaponry. Although the group approached  stealthily, eventually they were noticed, but rather than outrage it violence, the Kurrim looked at Farshad and said

“Hello Boss, didn’t expect you until the ship arrived in three or for days time.”

With aplomb and conviction, Farshad leant into the mistaken identity, learning that he was presumed to be one Uktannu, and that this place received valuables from inland, and exported them to the Lands of a Thousand Gods, and received goods in return, in both ways avoiding taxes, but faking the stamps to make distribution easier, and profits higher as there would be less need to bribe officials to look the other way.

Farshad was convincing as Uktannu, and José Juan and Jalabu as prospective partners, explaining their exotic looks, played their part to the hilt. They got a look at the goods on the shelves, and the stamps and dies, but José Juan did get a look at the books used for naming the couriers used to carry packets off, including Amuura, and the goods assigned to her match *most* of what was found.

Checking the main cave, they saw other workers preparing loads for the ship when it came, the workers were also convinced the Farshad was this Uktannu. By this point, Farshad was promising too meet the demands of the workers, increased pay, any pay actually, releasing their families, giving them false expectations, and hope,  of Uktannu.

Leaving before they pushed it too far, the group headed back, cudgelling their brains. Farshad remembered that one Uktannu had some dealings with his family, years previously, and that memory logged Jalabu’s memory.about an approach for a business venture from one Uktannu that his family rejected. This was before they got involved with the venture they blame Farshad for going wrong.

And so back from the Smuggler’s Cave to the village of Spah, fore scones with cream and jam and lashings of ginger beer!

Having dislodged the demon, Marshiyu-shamawpti from their lair along one path to the afterlife of The Cold Ones, and allowed lost souls to continue their journey, the group have returned to the chapel and Smersh’s descendant, who plans to remain to guide the lost.

Our cast

• Utana – Noble of the Rule of Haraxa, Agent and Officer of the nation
• José Juan – Foreigher from the far west, warrior, healer and agent of the Rule
• Fetnah – Shaman from a long time ago, and a forgotten and lost land, and agent of the Rule
• Smersh – Larcenous Priest from long time ago, and a nation long gone, and agent of the Rule
• Jalabu – Noble of Dilmun, Merchant-Adventurer and agent of the Rule, currently coming to terms with his inner demon, literally

Absent

• Arpaesis – From the far western land of Ta-Khemet, student of Arcane Lore, and agent of the Rule, currently studying books of Lore
• Dhran the White – of humble origin in Ishtir, warrior, agent of the Rule, currently studying in the capital and trying to unionise
• Farshad – Merchant of the Rule of Ishtir, musician and agent of the Rule

This was a bit of a slow one, having chased the dead and gone the the Lands of the Dead, they had not explored the House of Spionem before, but now they had destroyed the demon, the threats that had lurked here were no more, so it was more of a tour of the ground level of  the house than an active adventure.

It was not just the door to the family temple that was encumbered by long dead corpses that stopped in their tracks when the demon as dismissed, the house has many strewn around it, as to the marshes and lands around the estate, these they saw, as Farshad went bah to the town of Spah to start coming to grips with the accounts of Smersh’s estate, and take a measure of Afhaq, Smersh’s factor.

The Compass Rose in the grounds, formed of painted and decorated stones, whist accurate, gave Jalabu the hereby-jeebies

First, the central courtyard, this shows the nature of the building, repairs and replacements over the centuries, everything replaced but still the same house, styles changed, techniques changed, but still the same house. Continue reading →

Having entered the start of the path the souls of adherents of the Cold Ones must follow, they have found many souls too scared to follow the path as a demon, Marshiyu-shamawpti, lurks ahead, devouring those that come clear. They have also been attacked by souls upon whom the demon feeds and discards, even as they are enthralled by it. They had just found one such soul, Lusa, dwindling, unable to proceed as long as the demon is there.

Our cast

• Utana – Noble of the Rule of Haraxa, Agent and Officer of the nation
• José Juan – Foreigher from the far west, warrior, healer and agent of the Rule
• Farshad – Merchant of the Rule of Ishtir, musician and agent of the Rule
• Fetnah – Shaman from a long time ago, and a forgotten and lost land, and agent of the Rule
• Smersh – Larcenous Priest from long time ago, and a nation long gone, and agent of the Rule

Absent

• Arpaesis – From the far western land of Ta-Khemet, student of Arcane Lore, and agent of the Rule, currently studying books of Lore
• Dhran the White – of humble origin in Ishtir, warrior, agent of the Rule, currently studying in the capital and trying to unionise
• Jalabu – Noble of Dilmun, Merchant-Adventurer and agent of the Rule, currently coming to terms with his inner demon, literally

Our start was delayed, our VTT wasn’t admitting two of our players, thanks to Norman (José Juan) for a bit of lateral thinking to get everyone on as level a footing as we could manage.

Persuading the starveling Lusa to accompany them, swearing that that they would deal with the demon Marshiyu-shamawpti, the group proceed, finding themselves in a cave dominated by a huge plant rising out of a pool fed by the river that the dead follow on their journey to judgement, the water, unlike the picture, a dirty, dark red brown. The huge tendrils of the plant sway as if in an unseen and unfelt breeze.

The cave of Marshiyu-shamawpti

The group were suspicious of this, a suspicion confirmed when the flaunt started dropping off soul husks held in thrall. The things were almost totally drained of their being, but they were still a threat, if ignored they would cause damage, but luckily for the group they no longer had much substance so could be felled easily.

Lusa did what he could to tackle the husks

As expected the tendrils started trying to smash or grab the members of the group. Farshad was the first victim, though he was soon let free in an unfortunate manner, dropped to the ground after Fetnah did something remarkable.

Impossible under normal circumstances without great preparation and sacrifice, unlikely in a cave on the outer fringes of the netherworld, Fetnah invoked the Fires of Heaven, wrath of spiritual fury, the wrath of the gods and great spirits manifested! The demon was set ablaze, as was Farshad, on fire and, in the demon’s pain wracked writhing,  dropped on his head.

Note, somewhere over play I communicated the rules on Shamanic Chants incorrectly, and it sort of stuck. Summoning the Fires of Heaven is the most extreme weather magic, impossibly difficult, no character could summon such a display without taking those steps mentioned previously to boost their chances, but I had made a ruling before and stuck with it, it will go back to RAW hereafter.

Their foe was severely wounded and in such pain that it was unable to direct its thralls, who hung about unmoving. Fetnah herself was felled, slumped to the ground with the effort of her summoning, her connection to spirits tenuous, her grasp on reality weak, she fell unconscious briefly.

Whilst all this was going on, Utana and José Juan had been clearing the husks, with spear and arrow, Smersh had been less successful, his attacks going wide, his defences bypassed. He found that he, and José Juan, were snatched up off their feet by their ankles. This shift in tendrils though allowed Utana to see the core, in which was a twisted, sneering, arrogant, ugly face. This became Utana and Farshad’s target as Utana fired arrows and Farshad daggers, after Farshad had sliced off a tendril. When she came to, Fetnah concentrated on patching up Farshad.

Utana and Farshad were not alone in this. Being swung around, having their heads bashed against walls. Jose Juan tried to strike at the tendril holding him with his sword, but Smersh tried to unlimber his bow and shoot. His stomach muscles must be tremendous.

Utana’s luck was with him that day, two of his three strikes were as on the mark as any he had made during practice, and cause as much damage as the Fetnah’s summoning, and between that and the strikes of José Juan and Farshad, and the embarassment Marshiyu-shamawpti felt on Smersh’s behalf did for the demon.

The plant shrivelled, shrinking in on itself, withering and withdrawing as it was banished from this place, not dead, but this form destroyed. The blood red water cleared and became silver and shining. Lusa straightened up, and held themselves more confidently, soon the path was full of spirits, thanking our heroes for freeing them.

The world starts to fade, causing consternation as everything blew away as in smoke, and they were drawn back to the light, passing through, they found themselves back in the crypt of the the Temple in the grounds of Spionem’s House, now Smersh’s.

The ghost of Smersh’s distant descendant, Smersh IV, closed the portal, it cost much to hold it open for mortals. He would not be passing on, he would retain his purpose in helping others to find the start of the road to the afterlife.  This continued haunting excited Farshad and Smersh with commercial possibilities.

It took Utana, José Juan and Smersh some effort to open the door to the temple, for it was blocked by a press of stinking corpses from on the marsh.

And there we left it

To recap, the Shaman Fetnah and her ally Smersh were frozen in time for 1,500 years, victims of a trap of spirits who refused to pass to the Underworld, a pocket realm of undead slaves serving their undead master and his court.

Rescued by a band of Agents of the Magistrate of Eshtaband, a city in the Rule of Haraxa, they join up as Agents as they adjusted to the modern world. Then, stranger than much that has happened, Smersh found himself presented with a deed of inheritance to an estate granted to a son he never knew he had, still in the family after a millenium and a half.

Obviously there was a catch, the estate is not as extensive as it once was, the power of the position is reduced, oh, and the estate is crawling with the  restless dead, and they were rescued by Smersh IV, the disembodied spirit of a descendant. He took them to the estate Temple, still proof against the undead, and explained the problem. Spirits denied rites and offering could not easily find their way to the Afterlife. The dead can still find their way and he, drowned in the marsh, denied rites, has found a way, and hoped to help others, but a malign entity is blocking the way, and he hopes that the group can defeat it, and reopen the way.

Our cast

• Utana – Noble of the Rule of Haraxa, Agent and Officer of the nation
• José Juan – Foreigher from the far west, warrior, healer and agent of the Rule
• Farshad – Merchant of the Rule of Ishtir, musician and agent of the Rule
• Fetnah – Shaman from a long time ago, and a forgotten and lost land, and agent of the Rule
• Smersh – Larcenous Priest from long time ago, and a nation long gone, and agent of the Rule
• Jalabu – Noble of Dilmun, Merchant-Adventurer and agent of the Rule, currently wrestling with his inner demon, literally

Absent

• Arpaesis – From the far western land of Ta-Khemet, student of Arcane Lore, and agent of the Rule, currently studying books of Lore
• Dhran the White – of humble origin in Ishtir, warrior, agent of the Rule, currently studying in the capital and trying to unionise

The group checked the Portal opened by Smersh. They could see through it to the other side, they tested going through and coming back. Apart from the other side being colder and that vision between both being blurred and sound muffled, they were able to go through and back, but Smersh IV would need to stay behind to hold the portal open.

Jalabu had been suffering from fever. Fetnah has grafted a Spirit of the Road, Oblat, to him, as protection. Unbeknownst to Fetnah, Oblat was a Spirit of Heat and Dust Devils,  and prolonged exposure was causing Jalabu to burn up. However a crisis point seem to be reached, and Jalabu cooled somewhat, but he does seem somewhat more impulsive.

And so they went through, Jalabu less cautious than was his wont, even discarding his magic buckler, which José Juan snaffled, in case Jalabu wanted it back. The way ahead was along a path of sharp stones under a grey sky of diffuse light, ahead was a forest of dead trees and undergrowth of fallen branches, dead leaves and bones. The group moved on, until Jalabu, seeing winged creatures flying  high up,  not bothering anyone, let fly with an arrow, lightly wounding one (I think the longest range shot in this campaign to date).

The thing dives, a horrific amalgam of bird, bat and mortal forms, it dove onto Jalabu, jinking away from his outthrust sword and bearing him to the ground, trying to rip him apart with its fanged, beak like muzzle. The others tried to wound it without hurting Jalabu, and wounded it enough that it tried to fly off with Jalabu. It did not manage that, but it did escape with its existence. Fetnah did find out something interesting. her connection to the spirit world was stronger here, she found the power came to her easier, but it was also more likely to slip out of her control. Smersh found that, though dropping his mace to draw his knife meant that he could strike more often, of course dropping the mace and drawing his knife was itself time consuming. A conundrum!

Similarly, Farshad found his connection to the crow spirit Aribu, housed in a wooden crow puppet, stronger, that they could communicate clearly.

The group moved on, coming to a fork in the road through the woods, one path going into uphill into denser woods, the other down as the wood thinned. Such tracks as the sharp stones showed indicated the lower path to be the one most travelled, and so they continued down that one, emerging into a canyon, both sides covered in caves in which the lethargic, desiccating forms of spirits. They were slow moving, some could barely raise their heads to  look at the group. An underground river the colour of dark-red dried blood rose from the rocks halfway down the canyon.

One did manage to get to them shaky but standing. Asking for details, the spirit, Eshanna begged for help, explaining that this was as far as many spirits get, those that go on ahead to scout never return, either using the path ahead or the path that goes up the hill to another way ahead. The first news of difficulties was when a party of spirits were following the path, and those behind saw those ahead overcome by horrors.

They do have a name for the entity blocking the way, Marshiyu-shamawpti, “The Final Death”, it consumes spirits and they are gone forever.

The group followed the path by the river as it headed towards a dark cave mouth, the path dipping to the level of the river, the mud slippy but made walkable thanksto embedded bones and shells. Carefully they entered the cave mouth, trying to avoid the lank, stringy, unpleasant moss that fringed it.

The path led into a chamber that stank of the sulphurous emissions from spouts in the walls, that caused some to cough and splutter. The path diverged from the river, which dove under the rock again, and they quickly left by the rising path, taking time to recover their stamina and clear their lungs.

The way ahead was across a rock bridge,  dark, bottomless chasm at either side, Smersh went ahead to scout, and failed to hear in advance of time the crack of a breaking stalagmite above, which bruised him severely and he too had to rest.

Once everyone was rested, they entered the next chamber , which was the bottom of the entrance at the top of the hill, the walls studded by slabs set into it as steps spiralling up. In the middle of the chamber was a desiccated spirit, motionless as any corpse, its body marked as if bound by rope. The group moved on, only for Utana to find that the spirit had got up to grab him from behind. It was unable to drag him back to the chasm, and the spirit found its feet grappled by Jalabu and stretched out like a blanket. When the unlife was beaten out of it, a fibrous, twisted, rope like thing escaped out of the mouth of the spirit, slithering quickly off.

José Juan looked at the body, and wondered if the unquiet dead in the House of Spionem were like this, however he had not examined those creatures closely, and a brief fight in a dimly lit house was not enough to have given him ant detailed view.

The path went through a passage into a chamber covered in more of that sticky, unpleasant moss. Ahead was a chipping sound, not quite bird, not bat, something animal like, but sonmething about the noises hinted at some sort of speech.

Farshad noticed a low sound coming from the wall. Parting the fronds of the moss, and not enjoying it, Farshad saw a lethargic spirit, Lusa, obviously near its last, begging for help. The group sacrificed food and wine feeding it, burning food and spilling a libation. Lusa exam panel on the information on Marshiyu-shamawpti. It captures and enslaves those it does not consume utterly, though even its servants it consumes.

And, on that bombshell, we left it.