Writeup 4th November 2021 – A mystery in Iralun episode 3

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

The group, bemused by unsolveable mysteries, mundane discoveries and which of the dust on them was brick dust and which was the dust of Elisim Deorsin’s dead relatived, decide to clean up and seek expert help. The best place for that was the Temple of Ghalmerha, the place they had come over many weeks to find, Not only difd they still have accommodation there, a library and scholars, but it is where Harvan, their employer, a scholar himself with an interest in magical things.

One mystery he solved easily, When asked about people who could shift between hyaena and human, that Harvan knew the answer to, Rabalisu or, in the southern lands of the West Bhukerat, the Hyaena folk. Rabasilu are mortals who have descent from dark, bestial spirits. If the person is good in their human form they will resist the change, as in hyaena form they are wicked, murderers, despoilers of graves and snatchers of children.  Wicked people will change frequently, to cause mischief and harm.

In hyaena form they are larger than most hyaenas, and are able to stand upright and use human speech, using words to gain entry into houses or lure others to their doom. Rabasilu in cities usually form only very small groups, but outside cities they can form large bands of extended families, usually with a lair in a cave system. When found, these caves are  piled high with bones, both mortal and animal. Many are just littered on the floor or on heaps, but some families  build them into shrines to a noted ancestor.

As far as the other mystery, and coffin bereft of a corpse and an abandoned lamp, one of his staff, Azadah, a priestess of the Three and mage of the College of Celestial Magics, shed some light, so to speak, on the other mystery. The Celestial College has three branches, those who study darker paths than her can walk into a shadow, and walk out elsewhere. With that lamp, she could have crawled into a shadow in the coffin, to emerge outside the crypt, to reenter and despoil the corpses of valuables.

The group also learned one reason why the intruder hung around the Merchant Factors, casually defacing paintings and, inexplicably dropping the thing they had stolen in a covered punch bowl. Why. They had no idea. Walking through Shadows, changing form, potentially masking themselves from the searching Nightwatchman, though not his dog, all took energy, and a tired intruder would need time to recover. Recovering, perhaps they damaged the paintings out of sheer boredom.

From the house of the Deorsin family and the Merchant Factors, the group went to “The Tower’s Base“, an upscale place of entertainment habituated by the rich and entertainers. Decried by Elisim’s steward Harpar as a sinkhole of depravity, the place seems more than that. Yes, with its mix of supposed magical and religious symbology, it is in terrible taste, but it is upscale and provides the service it overcharges for.

The group settled down, gauging the place, the rich bourgeoisie, the louche actors and folk trying to make contacts, and lets the acts do their thing, the dancing and singing containing satirical jokes, the juggler and escapologist who escaped from a locked chest with off-duty guardsmen sitting on it, the singer who started slow and had the whole club singing along with drinking songs.

Then, the last act, of the first set, a dancer, “Ihradel” was announced. The group studied the veiled dancer as best as they could, given the excited audience jostling for a good view. As Jalabu tried to study the covered features to compare to the portrait painted on the empty coffin, one of the group of guardsmen, who they would later would learn was called “Rakhi“, got up and. batting a bouncer away, tried to get closer to the dancer, shouting “”that’s not her, that’s not her””. Between another bouncer, Jalabu and his mates, Rakhi was guided outside.

Jalabu followed as “Ihradel” retreated and the owner called for Open Stage and Farshad took his chance, supported by his comrades.

Outside Jalabu asked Rakhi what he meant, and was told. Ihradel was Rakhi’s lover, or something, for a night, he had been held in jail for a fortnight, this was his first night out and he came here to see her, only she wasn’t here.

Jalabu returned in time to hear Farshad, whose act had been initially appreciated by the crowd, earn the horror and abuse of the crowd with his rendition of “The Goat Song”. Was it the song itself, the rather distasteful dance movements, or a combination of the two that were to introduce such dread into the future nightmares of those that saw it? The house band quickly came on to take over and a bouncer lifted Farshad off stage and over to his companions.

Suspecting that the guardsman was right about a fake Ihradel, they snagged the owner who admitted to the deception, Ihradel never having returned since she left to get married, neither had Aghbari, the young wastrel she had married. The false Ihradel was another dancer, Tsisanna, not a friend of the real Ihradel as Tsisanna thought that Ihradel, being gifted with natural grace and talent, could not be bothered to put the effort in to hone her skills and become truly great. A later conversation with Tsisanna confirmed that opinion of Ihradel.

When he was eventually told, the owner, Saylhin, was surprised to learn of Ihradel’s demise, but then confused when the group talked about her as living and in the present tense. After Saylhin left, one of the house musicians, Bhaddas, told the group that his predecessor had gone a little over a fortnight ago, and that the other musician Gethiuz might have information.

Gethiuz told a story of his friend Andilaz becoming suspicious of Ihradel reacting badly to being hit on the bare flesh with a silver coin. Andilaz was a Perim, and knew that, generations ago, Gethiuz’s family included a Perim, and he wondered if Gethiuz could see what Andalaz thought he could see in Ihradel.

Soon after asking him about this, Andilaz turned up in an alley, decapitated, just over a fortnight ago. No murderer was found.

This led the group to question who in the club stayed where, and they asked Saylhin to take them to where Ihradel stayed, a house converted to separate rooms and a communal dining space. Ihradel’s room had been let, briefly, after she left, but a search turned up a single ear-ring, brass with a bell, but in a concealed compartment they found two more earrings, gold and inscribed “To Ihradel with all devotion – Dahlgik“, and a closed wax tablet with notes about the Deorsin family. These, written in archaic Araya, were taken over time, mostly concerned with power and riches.

The group took the tablet and earrings, whether or not they would add anything substantial to what they know, they will find out in time.

And there we left it

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Writeup 22nd October 2021 – A mystery in Iralun episode 2

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

The group have a think, about mystery over mystery found so far. A gem stolen that only three people knew that their employer possessed, and which only their employer knew the precise location of. A new bride that no one knew anything about, who died shortly after the wedding. A coffin that had held the new bride’s corpse was empty, save for a lamp that had been high enough to have marked the lid at one point, but also in the corner to mark that, but that coffin is empty.

Other coffins had been disturbed, and some, but not all of the jewellery was taken. That having been left was silver. The group start off by interviewing the remaining staff and Lamsira, daughter of their employer, Elisim.

Lamsira, who had been, and presumably is now again the mistress of part of the family business, told the group she did not care for Ihrdel, and Ihradel did not spend any time making friends with her. Ihradel was supposed to be spending time learning the business to take it over, and while she was attentive at first, she seemed to get bored and spend her time just with Lamsira’s father and brother. Lamsira also described that she felt that Ihradel had a slightly rank, warm smell, odd for someone so clean.

The maid, Galla, who served both the deceased and missing Ihradel and Lamsira. She painted a picture of Ihradel as someone who did not get on well with her other mistress, and that the menfolk of the house thought well of her. Ihradel was friendly enough to Galla, and gave her a silver bracelet. The group asked how she handled it, was she wearing gloves, and that was confirmed, how did the group know? Questions about did Ihradel seem more interested in gouging wealth from the family were met with negation, it seemed more the position and authority she craved,

Harpar, the steward of the household, had been present when Lamsira and Galla answered questions. Questioning him produced more evidence of an aversion to silver and, that while Elisim was initially hostile to the idea of Ihradel, a woman he did not know, joining his family, he seemed happy enough once she arrived. Aghbari worried him, as a dissolute wastrel who spent much of his time at some dive called “”The Tower’s Base””, and he suspected that that is where Aghbari met Ihradel. The group looked to the troubadour as someone with his finger on the pulse of the arts and entertainment world, but it was unknown to him.

After discussing the matter amongst the selves, and forming a picture of Ihradel not being entirely human, with an aversion to silver, as many of the demonic and supernatural creatures that they have encountered of late have been. Honestly, if they encountered a mortal, non-ensorcelled enemy, it’d be a nice change, they accepted Elisim’s offer of him taking them to the scene of the crime and vouching for them with the staff there.

Elsiim re-iterated that he was the one that discovered the theft, the room was locked when he got there, and no one else, not even his clerk, had been in.

Although they stopped off for weapons, they still had to check them with the doorkeeper. Elisim made his farewells, but not before Jose used his empathy to gauge his thoughts. His concerns seems to be, in order, getting the gem back otherwise his family’s reputation (and finances) will be ruined and his son Aghbari (but he has to have a family business to hand to his sons, so the family comes first). He is interested in what happened to Ihradel’s body, but not very grieving over the loss, though he knew her only a short while.

The merchants of Iralun have one building where business is conducted. The six largest families have private offices, the lesser business share offices, usually sharing the cost of clerks look after their books. This “”Merchant Factors”” also handles business for out of town traders, as when the group first arrived in the city with the Kotharim, and the wagons were delivered here to have the goods checked in, pre-sold goods distributed, and pre-bought goods loaded.

The Factors is a compound with warehouses and stables, but the building of interest is on the other side, it has two floors. The more public and shared areas on the ground, the private suites of the merchant families on the first.

Initially questioning the door staff seemed fruitless, the security of the suites is the responsibility of the families, they don’t know of any theft from the offices so can’t volunteer any information, and whilst the Deorsin’s clerk, Ghilhali, has the key to the outer office, he only has access to the inner office when the family are there to unlock the door, and both of the keys in the city Elisim holds, though he has given one to the group. Security is being reviewed given the theft. Whilst Aghbari and Ihradel had been in the inner offices, neither knew exactly where the gem was held, and Ihradel had never been in the strongroom.

However the doorkeeper Ghuram (more of a facilities manager in today’s way of thinking) mentions a break in and vandalism from the night previous, the same night as the theft. She shows you defaced paintings in the Great Hall, and the broken door, currently being guarded until they can get it repaired. The group notice that the door was broken OUTWARDS, not inwards and that there are signs of claw marks, and some hairs on splinters, which makes the supposition that this was the act of mischievous urchins

Guram brought back the night doorkeeper, Zhurab, previously dismissed as an unhelpful dolt, and he described a weird incident of that night, his dog, Irakl, became agitated, when let out ran around the central foyer, where there are two fountains, He ran around and around one, both are in the stylised shapes of trees, and barked and tried to climb the fountain.

Zhurab saw nothing, and eventually had to drag the dog to the office and calm it down. He did do a sweep of the building and swears blind that, at that time, all the doors and windows were secure. Although the foyer is open to the upper floor, with a mezzanine on the first floor, the roof is covered over, and in any case the fountain is not tall enough to reach anything else.

The strongroom is concealed behind a sliding panel, and there is a decoy false door, but the strongroom was open, the mechanism had been explained to you in any case and the safes were empty. Although there were obvious chests, the safes had been in a false wall, concealed behind hidden panels, now open and empty, with no obvious external sign, and not regularly placed. One of them was presumably the location of the gem, both from Elisim’s description and the fact that it has been ripped from the wall, claw like gouges in plaster, plates of iron and lead twisted and torn.

There were footprints in the dust, three different ones. A larger set, probably Elisim as he said he had been the only one there, and they seemed to be taking care not to step on the dust, a smaller set, a large child or a small adult, the group suggested that it was the deceased Ihradel, though they have no evidence of her having been here, and animal footprints that the well travelled ranger Utana identified as hyaena.

The group searched the lower floor, hoping to find sign of where the thief entered. The reports on the Offices used by lesser merchants were all undisturbed from reports by the Doorkeeper. Starting from the kitchen, and heading south on the Western side, as it was only on that side and the central foyer that the “”vandals”” had seemed to have been. The cellar proved secure, the storeroom in the kitchen was closed off, the kitchen itself they knew about, and the boards and utensils were not of interest, apart from a portion of the silver service being cleaned, the Great Hall had closed and shuttered windows, and the group felt no desire to search, the chests or boards of that room. Off the great hall is the upper wine room and the Great Hall treasury, where the silver service, including goblets, serving plates, a great covered punchbowl with ladles, and the lesser service of clay, is kept.

Almost absent mindedly, the lid of the siver punchbowl was lifted, to reveal, to the shock of everyone there, the missing gem.

This raised questions. Was this the real gem, it was the right shape and size. As you had been told, it was not set in anything, but was it a fake? If it was the real gem then why go to the trouble of stealing it, and leaving it here?

The group went back to Elisim, who confirmed that it was, indeed, the gem, and he considered that contract fulfilled. He held it up, and showed how the light shone through it in ways that confirmed that this was a gem, and not glass.

However, though he is pleased to pay you for the quick response, and you can see he is relieved beyond all measure, for if the gem had been found by one of the staff, or at the next banquet, then he could not have claimed it, never have said “”this is mine”” and been believed, and you wonder if he has indebted himself to purchase it in the first place.

Now, he says, he wants you to pursude the mystery of who Ihradel was, and is she still alive. He will pay the same as you have already received, but as a flat fee, no timed bonus, as this is less urgent. What you do if you find her he leaves to your discretion.

And there we left it

*COMMENTARY*
This adventure is another published adventure, from a magazine, by a respected UK RPG author. The scenario gives a “”what really happened”” including motivations for the various sections, so, why YOU may have gaps in your knowledge of what is going on, that you feel that you may be progressing along a path but you don’t know why, yet. That is how it should be at this point. You are solving a “locked coffin AND locked room mystery”

Some of the information about motivations IS there, and I am sure to include it in the write up, if you want I can be explicit about it if you think I am being too subtle.

As to finding the gem, brute forcing it as you did IS the only way to trace it at this stage, there is nothing you have missed, you have evidence for where the intruder was, some evidence of what they did when they got there, not all, but some, but no evidence telling you WHY.

You suspect that the thief is Ihradel, but nothing that ties her as live, undead, risen from the grave or a “Weekend at Bernies” style accomplice says she was here, but, again, nothing that says anyone else was here, only a small person and a hyaena.

QUESTIONS TO THE PLAYERS
However, if the bafflement is too much for you, if you aren’t actually ENJOYING this, then let me know and I will see what I can do.

If you want I can be explicit about what you could deduce about motivations from what you have earned already, if you think I am being too subtle, let me know,

If your commitments are changing, and you don’t think you can keep up with this, then, again, please let me know

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU KNOW
You are hired by merchant Elisim Deorsin, to find a gem stolen from the offices his merchant house operates from. The gem was ripped from the wall safe, actually the wall safe was ripped out, and the gem taken. There are signs of the prescence of a hyaena at the office site.

You cannot find any sign of entry into the office building, but you have found evidence of exit, again showing some kind of animal prescene. Neither have you found evidence of how the offices were entered into. Only Elisim knew the exact location of the gem. You never checked to see if the intruder went straight there or if there is evidence of searching within the offices.

There was distubance in the building, and some evidence that someone spent time there

The family of the merchant is also struck by a family tragedy, the new bride of the youngest son of the family died soon after the wedding, and just before the theft. Your employer has wondered if there was a connection, but cannot think of one.

Some coffins of the family crypt were ransacked and jewellery taken – gold, not silver. Silver was left

No one knows Ihradel’s history or family, the only clues to her background are dancer’s bells, and the suggestion from the Steward that he suspects that the couple met at a caravanserai habituated by dissolutes and wastrels

Ihradel was initially interested in the idea of being a part of a powerful (for this city) trading empire, but soon got bored when she realised the work that entailed.

The gem was found, in a place where it would not be discovered for a while, but whose discovery would be embaraSUMMARY OF WHAT YOU KNOWssing if it were known that Elisim had possessed and lost it. Why someone would make the effort to take the gem, then leave it in that place is unknown.

Elsim is gentually concerned about what the loss of this gem means to his family, He is also concerned about the mental state of his son, the widower, and also what happened to Ihradel in that order, though the first and third has a bearing on the second, it is not that he does not care for his son, but

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU SUSPECT
That the loss of the gem is not just an embarassment to Elisim, but that a lot of finance is tuied up in it and without it, his family may face severe loss of status and possibly ruination.

You suspect that the bride Ihradel is still alive or was never in the coffin. However everyone testifies that the coffin seemed weighty enough for a body at the time. If alive and escaped, then how she got from the coffin you do not know. There is a lamp there but what the significance of this you have not formed any idea.

You suspect that Ihradel was some kind of not quite human, able to transform, at the very least, into a hyaena, there is supposition of other forms, but no evidence. The apparent aversion to silver is at least indicative of a supernatural nature, as bodies inhabited by spirits that you have met in the past seemed harmed by it.

You suspect that Ihradel used magic to charm the menfolk and to stop a natural suspicion of this stranger in their midst.

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Writeup 7th October 2021 – A mystery in Iralun episode 1

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

The previous adventure in this campaign is here.

Four weeks on, and the city is returning to life. Those that were Dark kissed have returned to their senses, and whilst most have left the city, some have started lives here to make up for the terrible deeds they committed.

Outside the city, whilst there has been a lot of death and destruction, and displacement, on the positive side a lot of bandits have been either killed or have fled. For the first time in a while, the roads are safer and trade is easier.

The group have had time to train, investigate the market, and relax. They have become a familiar sight, with strangers coming to talk to them, urchins looking for work, mysterious strangers looking for assistance, such as the daring rescue of a family pet Farshad helped with.

Duties call, and Harvan brought them in for a chat. He anticipated another month in gathering information and copying texts to take back for studying the books found in the tomb. Meanwhile, Elisim Deorsin, Lord of the Council of Thirteen, and head of one of the Iralun merchant families has requested the aid of the group. Harvan cannot order them to do it, but he said he would pass the request on. This is a matter of some delicacy, so secrecy and discretion is essential, despite that, he chose this group to reach out to for help.

At the Deorsin estate, a walled off area within the city, Elisim received them and laid out the issue. He had obtained a fabled gem, the Eye of the Mountain, valuable, possessed by many powerful people and, reputedly cursed.

Though his possession of it was known only to him, his youngest son, Aghbari, and his new bride, the gem was just stolen. To complicate matters, a few days before the theft, the bride, Ihradel, died of causes the party have not tried to ascertain.

To complicate matters even further, whilst the group were talking to Elisim, it was found that the family crypt had been disturbed, three coffins had been spilled to the ground and opened, one smashed open, the lid splintered.

The family distraught and shocked, the group investigated. There were signs of stolen jewellery, ripped from the corpses, but only gold and gems, silver mounts left behind. There were claw marks on wood and dead tissue, not from a wolf, but about that size.

There was also some kind of animal fur found trapped on splinters.

Moreover, investigation of the coffin of Ihradel proved it was sealed, but proved empty apart from a burned out oil lamp.

Suspicious after talking to the maid and steward, getting a picture that perhaps the former bride had exercised some control over the menfolk of the house, and that it was possible that Aghbari had met her whilst out carousing, as it was his habit, though it is possible that his father was unaware of it.

More evidence was gathered that fed an idea that the group had that the missing Ihradel was averse to silver for some reason.

The family had closed up and tidied away the married quarters of Aghbari and Ihradel, to try and spare Aghbari further pain. A chest of Ihradel possessions revealed a portrait, that showed some features that implied that Ihradel was possibly a half-immortal, also that she had the accoutrements of a dancer, supporting the suggestion that Aghbari had met Ihradel whilst he was enjoying his wild life.

And there, we left it

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Writeup 22nd April 2021 – The path of the comet episode 8

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

Jalabu walked into the end of the demonic jubilation, and the noise below.

They regrouped, Jalabu took back the lit shield and led the way below, it led to cells and detritus, litter, bones and skills of monstrosities, warped mortals of no known shape, bestial and twisted. At the back was a huge mound, a rat’s next of immense size.

Disturbing a mass of rubbish led to a vast outpouring of normal rats, swarming, scrabbling, looking for an escape, the writhing tide startled Jalabu. Momentarily afterwards. six giant rats poking their noses out of the nest.

With a wry grin Farshad whipped out a bone flute picked up from a previous exploit, and proceeds to play, charming the giant rats, leading them away, and upstairs towards a closable room.

Enraged, out came the progenitor of the giant rats, a conjoined demonic group of large rats, demonic eyes and infectious poison dripping from their claws, spells at their command, spells to freeze the blood. from behind the group followed two minior weak demons, only good for ambushing the unwary.

However here then followed an embarrassing combat . Most of its attacks would not hold and that its spells would not take effect. It’s two demonic cohorts were likewise pathetically ineffective, the rat king ended up biting itself some of the time. Even when Utana was inconvenienced by a stroke gone awry, the keen hits from his companions extricated him.

Elsewhere, Farshad led the rats to a room with door just in time, his spell broke, and he quickly nipped out and slammed the door shut, holding it against the rats throwing themselves at the door.

Eventually the rat king was slain, servitor demons and giant rats died, the latter contained by Farshad’s Herculean thews in the room to which he had led them.

All that was left was to search disgusting messes for trinkets, go back to the Inn owner, drink his gratefully supplied food and wine then fall asleep

This continues in Part One of Iralun

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Writeup 8th April 2021 – The path of the comet episode 7

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

After a night of disturbing nightmares, even Dhran and Jalabu, experienced travellers though they may be. are shattered by the experience. Jalabu loans the lighting buckler to José Juan, and the two leave to seek a quieter spot where they might forget the dreadful visions that sent them shivers and palpitations during the night.

So it was left to Jushuur, José Juan, Farshad and Utana to investigate the cellar, to see what might be coming from below. The cellar seemed unremarkable, in fact so unremarkable that it stymied our adventurers (and a set of Perception rolls over 90%). The stone was obviously sign of older construction, but architecture had to wait, as tales of the giant rats had Jushuur and Utana seeing rodents where there were none. The Cellar seemed the normal storehouse that it should be, save for the depredations of rodents and the sad attempts of Vuntosghan to keep them at bay.

Eventually, between Utana and Jushuur, a movable flagstone was found, leading down to a spiral staircase, into the darkness  and stench of a temple chamber below. The altar was of a goddess whose figure the group had seen represented elsewhere locally, but the style was southern, Mada or Haxamanis. The goddess seemed to be looking up at the light, but  the statue had been defiled at some point. There was the detritus of chests, crates, barrels and sacks that gave the group two conclusions.

1. This subcellar was used for someone’s purposes, possibly storing illicit goods, some 40 odd years ago.
2. No one else had had been around lately

Ferreting around the detritus, the group disturbed rats as big as dogs that launched into the attack. If they got close enough to bite they clambered up their target and hung on to them, making combat difficult, though Jushuur’s pommel proved useful to stave in rodent heads. José Juan, Jushuur, Farshad and Utana ended up with shredded armour, ripped by rodent teeth and claws, Utana and José had to deal with rodents on their backs.

But it was Farshaad who had the hardest time, his blows went awry, and he soon realised why, something about this rodent of immense magnitude reminded him of a childhood pet, some spark in the beady eyes, a twitch of the whiskers, it was like Mr Squeaky had come back. Sadly, though, Farshaad slew the memories of youth though, in the rat’s gaze and quiver of the whisker, Farshaad saw, not hatred or fear, but understanding and forgiveness.

An uninviting set of stairs down, redolent of rodent urine, did not immediately invite exploration, so the group hunted around the temple room, finding a bedroom, containing rotting furniture, five skeletons on stands bearing halberds and cloaks pinned with silver as well as a shelf of clay tablets. In the main room, Jushuur found the statuette of some divine figure, Utana some silver and Farshaad some electrum.

Doors east and west were found. The door west had not been explored, but east led to some relaxing changer for hedonistic pursuits, though in Farshaad’s case it was more of an opportunity to be attacked by another oversized rat. There was also a robing room for priests, devoid of any extraneous rodent rampage.

However, a secret room, leading to a summoning chamber, in which was imprisoned the skeleton of some demonic looking thing caught the most attention. Jushuur was fascinated, though José was more interested in the silver dagger lying in the summoning circle. Disturbing that seems to have been a bad idea, for the skull of the demonic figure glowed as a voice spoke, condemning those there as she had found other hosts.

And then a noise was heard, and there we left it

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Writeup 26th March 2021 – The path of the comet episode 6

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

Defintely feeling the side effects this morning, I couldn’t concentrate last night for my usual post game write up, so if I miss anything please let me know

Not much happened Chris, Norman, so no real FOMO, a lot of blether and jokes with occasional tech issues.

So, getting back to the trading post where your mules were took longer, given the injuries, but they were greeted by a silent boy and his mother. Jalabu, walked forward and indicated “No” to the woman, before giving her her husband’s ring.

The boy fled, stifling tears, but in her eyes was acceptance. She gave Jalabu a hug in thanks, probably causing a wince of pain on his injured arm, and left to a hard life as a single mother.

The rest of the community around the trading post treated them to the silent treatment, just staring, until a small man, seeing the injuries, fussed about the injured, cleaning wounds and applying salves. That returned some function, though at a reduced efficiency with two handed activity for a few days and cost a small amount. Farshad magnanimously offered to help pay, as a loan, Jalabu’s share. There was some definition of terms. It was explained to the folk living around the trading post that the sawmill should be left alone.

They left the next morning, rested and fed. About an hour’s distance from the trading post, tracks start to be seen. Examination show that the first tracks are coming from the same direction as the sawmill would have been. Later, from other directions, joined by others, including some mounted.

This led to a quandary when the tracks went off

Not much happened Chris, Norman, so no real FOMO, a lot of blether and jokes with occasional tech issues.

So, getting back to the trading post where your mules were took longer, given the injuries, but they were greeted by a silent boy and his mother. Jalabu, walked forward and indicated “No” to the woman, before giving her her husband’s ring.

The boy fled, stifling tears, but in her eyes was acceptance. She gave Jalabu a hug in thanks, probably causing a wince of pain on his injured arm, and left to a hard life as a single mother.

The rest of the community around the trading post treated them to the silent treatment, just staring, until a small man, seeing the injuries, fussed about the injured, cleaning wounds and applying salves. That returned some function, though at a reduced efficiency with two handed activity for a few days and cost a small amount. Farshad magnanimously offered to help pay, as a loan, Jalabu’s share. There was some definition of terms. It was explained to the folk living around the trading post that the sawmill should be left alone.

They left the next morning, rested and fed. About an hour’s distance from the trading post, tracks start to be seen. Examination show that the first tracks are coming from the same direction as the sawmill would have been. Later, from other directions, joined by others, including some mounted.

This led to a quandary when the tracks went off west, circumventing the river trading town of Majinv. Does the group follow this large body of folks, signs from the sawmill indicating they are murderous worshippers of a Dark God, in some way connected to the driving of a nature spirit to raising a dreadful curse, or do they leave word for Baltajniz about his sawmill? The reason being that, without warning him off, he may try to reoccurs the site, negating the deal with the spirit.

” text Behind the scenes note, it might have seemed that I was trying to push you towards the town, but if you had gone after the large party of folk then I had stuff prepared for that, it wasn’t as railroaded as it might have seemed, just that there would be consequences for either choice true text ”

Entering Majinv, a rather cosmopolitan town for such a barbarous land in the arse end of nowhere, you find the warehouse and office of Katyavan (” text changed from Katayvan to be more pronounceable true text “) . She was not expecting you, but did expect some activity regarding the mill from Baltajniz. She can’t offer you money or work, at least not in the direction you are going, west.
She sends a runner out, though, to find you accommodation, which she will pay for, as a measure of thanks, and offers to resupply you with some rations and wine.

All along a bustling river front, the trading season opening up, the only place with space for you all is “The Dancing Lamprey”, a lodging house that also supplies fine food, but is oddly bereft of customers.

The owner, Vuntosghan, and staff, well, daughter, Annranesta, seem at their wits end and it doesn’t take much prodding, as excellent food is served to get him opening up about his woes, for the last few months his business has suffered a curse of larger than normal rats. Biting, spoiling food, gnawing though the fabric, leading to the death of is baby daughter and indirectly that of his wife

He has lost cats and dogs to the rats. Poison seems to have little effect except to make the droppings more noxious. The only information, if it can be called that, is that a bargeman called Klemnotyes, a foreigner from the far south west, seems to know, something.

He offers the only things he has of value, a string of pearls once belonging to his wife, and a buckler that has some magic properties as payment if the group can solve his problems.

They at least agree to do some investigation, Jalabu takes the buckler.

The group go off and find the barge, The River Hound, and find the barge an playing music to himself as he waits the rest of the crew to return from carousing. It is possibly the danger of immanent return, as well as busy buildings and boats nearby, that curtails Jalabu’s preference for torturing the man rather than just talking to him, though, in his defence, that might be his natural wish to instruct his new pupil Utana.

Klemnotyes tells a story of having come of a story about what he thinks is the Inn that he had had from his father, a noted mage in his own land. Before the attempts by the Haxamanis empire, the wide spread empire that once occupied the lands now ruled by the Haraxan Kingdom, Ishtir, Sardes and more, ruled here also. At that time there was a tower raised by a general of the Haxamanis, a sorcerer who, legend says, turned aside from the path of light and studied forbidden lore and consorted with unclean things.

In the aftermath of the failed campaign to conquer the Great Forest, the Haxamanis retreated, and the tower was burned down in the chaos.

Klemnotyes believes this lies under the Dancing Lamprey, the latest venture in a building that has for a few years had a bad reputation.

So, armed with this information, but reluctantly, the group return to sleep at the Dancing Lamprey. Jalabu, Farshad and Utana suffer such disturbed sleep, full of scratching noises and unpleasant dreams, that they wake up fatigued.

Not much happened Chris, Norman, so no real FOMO, a lot of blether and jokes with occasional tech issues.

So, getting back to the trading post where your mules were took longer, given the injuries, but they were greeted by a silent boy and his mother. Jalabu, walked forward and indicated “No” to the woman, before giving her her husband’s ring.

The boy fled, stifling tears, but in her eyes was acceptance. She gave Jalabu a hug in thanks, probably causing a wince of pain on his injured arm, and left to a hard life as a single mother.

The rest of the community around the trading post treated them to the silent treatment, just staring, until a small man, seeing the injuries, fussed about the injured, cleaning wounds and applying salves. That returned some function, though at a reduced efficiency with two handed activity for a few days and cost a small amount. Farshad magnanimously offered to help pay, as a loan, Jalabu’s share. There was some definition of terms. It was explained to the folk living around the trading post that the sawmill should be left alone.

They left the next morning, rested and fed. About an hour’s distance from the trading post, tracks start to be seen. Examination show that the first tracks are coming from the same direction as the sawmill would have been. Later, from other directions, joined by others, including some mounted.

This led to a quandary when the tracks went off west, circumventing the river trading town of Majinv. Does the group follow this large body of folks, signs from the sawmill indicating they are murderous worshippers of a Dark God, in some way connected to the driving of a nature spirit to raising a dreadful curse, or do they leave word for Baltajniz about his sawmill? The reason being that, without warning him off, he may try to reoccurs the site, negating the deal with the spirit.

” text Behind the scenes note, it might have seemed that I was trying to push you towards the town, but if you had gone after the large party of folk then I had stuff prepared for that, it wasn’t as railroaded as it might have seemed, just that there would be consequences for either choice true text ”

Entering Majinv, a rather cosmopolitan town for such a barbarous land in the arse end of nowhere, you find the warehouse and office of Katyavan (” text changed from Katayvan to be more pronounceable true text “) . She was not expecting you, but did expect some activity regarding the mill from Baltajniz. She can’t offer you money or work, at least not in the direction you are going, west.
She sends a runner out, though, to find you accommodation, which she will pay for, as a measure of thanks, and offers to resupply you with some rations and wine.

All along a bustling river front, the trading season opening up, the only place with space for you all is “The Dancing Lamprey”, a lodging house that also supplies fine food, but is oddly bereft of customers.

The owner, Vuntosghan, and staff, well, daughter, Annranesta, seem at their wits end and it doesn’t take much prodding, as excellent food is served to get him opening up about his woes, for the last few months his business has suffered a curse of larger than normal rats. Biting, spoiling food, gnawing though the fabric, leading to the death of is baby daughter and indirectly that of his wife

He has lost cats and dogs to the rats. Poison seems to have little effect except to make the droppings more noxious. The only information, if it can be called that, is that a bargeman called Klemnotyes, a foreigner from the far south west, seems to know, something.

He offers the only things he has of value, a string of pearls once belonging to his wife, and a buckler that has some magic properties as payment if the group can solve his problems.

They at least agree to do some investigation, Jalabu takes the buckler.

The group go off and find the barge, The River Hound, and find the barge an playing music to himself as he waits the rest of the crew to return from carousing. It is possibly the danger of immanent return, as well as busy buildings and boats nearby, that curtails Jalabu’s preference for torturing the man rather than just talking to him, though, in his defence, that might be his natural wish to instruct his new pupil Utana.

Klemnotyes tells a story of having come of a story about what he thinks is the Inn that he had had from his father, a noted mage in his own land. Before the attempts by the Haxamanis empire, the wide spread empire that once occupied the lands now ruled by the Haraxan Kingdom, Ishtir, Sardes and more, ruled here also. At that time there was a tower raised by a general of the Haxamanis, a sorcerer who, legend says, turned aside from the path of light and studied forbidden lore and consorted with unclean things.

In the aftermath of the failed campaign to conquer the Great Forest, the Haxamanis retreated, and the tower was burned down in the chaos.

Klemnotyes believes this lies under the Dancing Lamprey, the latest venture in a building that has for a few years had a bad reputation.

So, armed with this information, but reluctantly, the group return to sleep at the Dancing Lamprey. Jalabu, Farshad and Utana suffer such disturbed sleep, full of scratching noises and unpleasant dreams, that they wake up fatigued.

west, circumventing the river trading town of Majinv. Does the group follow this large body of folks, signs from the sawmill indicating they are murderous worshippers of a Dark God, in some way connected to the driving of a nature spirit to raising a dreadful curse, or do they leave word for Baltajniz about his sawmill? The reason being that, without warning him off, he may try to reoccurs the site, negating the deal with the spirit.

_Behind the scenes note, it might have seemed that I was trying to push you towards the town, but if you had gone after the large party of folk then I had stuff prepared for that, it wasn’t as railroaded as it might have seemed, just that there would be consequences for either choice_

Entering Majinv, a rather cosmopolitan town for such a barbarous land in the arse end of nowhere, you find the warehouse and office of Katyavan (_changed from Katayvan to be more pronounceable_) . She was not expecting you, but did expect some activity regarding the mill from Baltajniz. She can’t offer you money or work, at least not in the direction you are going, west.
She sends a runner out, though, to find you accommodation, which she will pay for, as a measure of thanks, and offers to resupply you with some rations and wine.

All along a bustling river front, the trading season opening up, the only place with space for you all is “The Dancing Lamprey”, a lodging house that also supplies fine food, but is oddly bereft of customers.

The owner, Vuntosghan, and staff, well, daughter, Annranesta, seem at their wits end and it doesn’t take much prodding, as excellent food is served to get him opening up about his woes, for the last few months his business has suffered a curse of larger than normal rats. Biting, spoiling food, gnawing though the fabric, leading to the death of is baby daughter and indirectly that of his wife

He has lost cats and dogs to the rats. Poison seems to have little effect except to make the droppings more noxious. The only information, if it can be called that, is that a bargeman called Klemnotyes, a foreigner from the far south west, seems to know, something.

He offers the only things he has of value, a string of pearls once belonging to his wife, and a buckler that has some magic properties as payment if the group can solve his problems.

They at least agree to do some investigation, Jalabu takes the buckler.

The group go off and find the barge, The River Hound, and find the barge an playing music to himself as he waits the rest of the crew to return from carousing. It is possibly the danger of immanent return, as well as busy buildings and boats nearby, that curtails Jalabu’s preference for torturing the man rather than just talking to him, though, in his defence, that might be his natural wish to instruct his new pupil Utana.

Klemnotyes tells a story of having come of a story about what he thinks is the Inn that he had had from his father, a noted mage in his own land. Before the attempts by the Haxamanis empire, the wide spread empire that once occupied the lands now ruled by the Haraxan Kingdom, Ishtir, Sardes and more, ruled here also. At that time there was a tower raised by a general of the Haxamanis, a sorcerer who, legend says, turned aside from the path of light and studied forbidden lore and consorted with unclean things.

In the aftermath of the failed campaign to conquer the Great Forest, the Haxamanis retreated, and the tower was burned down in the chaos.

Klemnotyes believes this lies under the Dancing Lamprey, the latest venture in a building that has for a few years had a bad reputation.

So, armed with this information, but reluctantly, the group return to sleep at the Dancing Lamprey. Jalabu, Farshad and Utana suffer such disturbed sleep, full of scratching noises and unpleasant dreams, that they wake up fatigued.

The basement of the Inn awaits…..

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Writeup 11th March 2021 – The path of the comet episode 5

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

The group gets themselves together after a night of rest, then start out to the sawmill camp, interrupted by the accidental finding of the detached head of a Shevam lodged in the roots of a tree. The fear ridden head was left where it was found, as they continued across the dam to the sawmill.

The entered the mill, in good shape considering, the wheel had been raised, the mechanisms at rest. There was a puzzling lack of invading rodents or bugs and even the grease on the cogs and spindles seems to have been eaten by something.

As the group carry on investigating, finding rags and blood, detritus, climbing up first one floor, then towards the third, at this point they were attacked, whilst on the stairs, by owls, owls with razor like tongues that sought out flesh to bore into and extract the blood. Swift, silent, relentless, good fortune and armour protected the group, or most of them, José and Jalabu left, like Jushuur, without the use of one arm, gushing wounds needing patched up.

There were fine moments, Jushuur and Jalabu both managed to spit two of these vampiric menaces out of the air, indeed, Jalabu slapped another out of the air with the flying corpse flicked from his sword.

Patching themselves up, they found, on the top floor of the mill, the blood owl nests and a closed room, in which was a tidier, more recently occupied room, in which were two corpses of men brutally murdered, a pile of blankets, and a chest containing clothes, two daggers probably relatively recently placed there, but an older secreted pouch with two gold nuggets in it.

Going outside, the bodies from last night were gone, and tracks led to the graveyard, the graves recently returned

Turning resurrectionist, they exhumed a body, and cut its head off, only to find that plant tendrils grew out, dragging the head back to the body. Appalled, the group built pyres, exhumed all the bodies, and burned them. Well, apart from the time José went a little mad after communing with the overgrown hut and tried to stop them, wrestling others to the ground before he was stopped.

An examination of the remaining camp showed some documentation that might , concerning some kind of plot, a couple of tool sheds and a perfectly normal well.

That left the overgrown hut, covered in plants in a way unique in the place, José suggested the nature spirit that rumour had said was angry, and let’s face it, plant zombies are fairly strong circumstantial evidence of that, might lift the curse if they could agree to leave the wood to return to nature, abandoning the offing

The hut sent out a little girl, another of the plant motivated creatures, the deywafa. She spoke for the spirit, and the group agreed to make the case for the spirit to the owner.

They left to camp out the night to rest, before next time they plan return to the village and collecting mules and servants.

The Blood Owls get a better chance of a grievous wound to normal, but even so, this shows how deadly grievous wounds can be. And how slow natural healing is, and how rare magical healing is.

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Writeup 25th February 2021 – The path of the comet episode 4

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

Having reached the camp, the group take stock, noting the arrangement of the buildings as provided by an inadequate map, hastily drawn on an iPad not using decent software nor an Apple Pencil

The nearest, and smallest building was investigated, surrounded by heavily armed people as Farshad was pushed forward, the stench, reminiscent of a tanner’s yard, soon revealed why, as it was a latrine over a pit. A handy stick, with shreds of sponge on it, let Farshad investigate it to some degree. The pit was deep, and Farshad declined to go down too close, possibly the thing that saved him for some noxious worm creature dropping on him.

The next group of buildings were quarters, in various states of disrepair, seemingly intended for groups of four, though one stood out because of the lush greenery growing on the wood, and inside where some kind of partitioning had taken place. Doors proved to be one of the mightiest enemy that the group had faced to date, bouncing Farshad back and betraying Jalabu.

The mounds of earth, looking like graves, however were bare of growth, with just earth mounds, no markers, but no grass or other plants on them.

The last thing looked at was a larger building, armed with a discarded wooden shovel, Jushuur probed a shutter open and a door to this building, showing a seeming office and a living space, presumably the foreman’s office, the clay tablets seemed to confirm this. A quick shovel around produced a hand, with a ring on it. Jushuur retrieved the ring, seemingly a luck piece, and it was recognised as similar to that seen on the hand of the woman who assaulted Jalabu and Utana the day before.

At this time, the group decided to head across the stream and make camp, setting a watch. As Farshad’s watch gave way to Jushuur’s, noises were heard from across the river, clumsy, loud, stumbling noises

Waking the others, they got close and saw glimpses of rotting corpses walking about. Firing at one across the river, it was destroyed. Utana and Jalabu went across the river to see it more closely, Farshad went across the dam at the mill, being attacked as he did so. He ran to join the others who found themselves beset by more of the corpses.

Though they had faced walking dead folk before, these are different in some way, though they have not had a chance to examine it closely. The fight was hard pressed, the corpses attacked with claws that had erupted from the fingers, the teeth were lengthened. They may have stumped around clumsily, but in fighting they seemed fast, striking first.

Across the river, José was unable to exert his usual leadership, so Jushuur rallied the group as best he could, and the fight seemed to hard press the group, Jushuur was grievously wounded in his left arm, but Utana’s armour proved useful, though the light armour of the others was sorely tested.

Jushuur, angered, almost cut one undead down by himself, sorely injured as he was, finished off by José and Jalabu, they crossed the river and assisted in the destruction of the rest, though there is a worry about infected wounds from these filthy creatures.

After cutting the heads off the creatures, the group retreated for the rest of the night to their camp. There is much still to investigate, none of the buildings have been thoroughly explored, not all the buildings have had even a cursory look yet, the creatures that attacked your whose trinkets you took, hoping to get word back to the families, not much is known of them.

And so to next week. I’ll work out some stuff with Norman on medical issues off line, and there is the matter of owed XP from me not noticing the “double on success rule”, it won’t be double, but it will mean some additional XP.

On a note. DQ isn’t, mostly, that complex. The rules are not that well organised, which causes issues, but it is not possessed of a rule for everything, instead having a great GM tool to cover most situations, the Difficulty roll, but that still requires GM busking it.

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Writeup 11th February 2021 – The path of the comet episode 3

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

The group consider what to do next. Yenab the Shevam is still under the care of Baltanjiz, but the secret of what had happened still eludes them. Baltanjiz has sent for help from the Temple of Ghatama, the city God of Thought, Wisdom and Harmony to see if the Shevam could be healed. rejoined by Farshad, who is dressed in the apparel of a minstrel, his other profession.

José suggests that the Temple might also be a useful place to find information on the curse that is affecting Yenab and Baltanjiz’s sawmill, and thus they head there. The Temple is simpler than the city Temple of the Three, but as the original city deity, it is older and much loved. The group enters the public precinct where they are intercepted by a priest, Galdaya-Shirim, who, once he finds out their mission, is willing to assist them, knowing that they are helping Baltajniz and Yenab, Despite the contribution of 30 silver dan they are still not allowed into the Temple’s holy areas, pointedly taken away from them, but they are taken around the compound to the Index. The Priests of Ghatama serve their city, but the rites are secret, their mysteries revealed only to initiates.

After much searching through the indexes, some information is given, not about the curse, but about the area

In the area, maybe not the sawmill itself, but not far from it, is reported to be holy to in a place of power holy to a nature Goddess unkown to Ghatama and secret priests tend it.

It is reported that the deep woods are the haunt of perim, and a gate to their realm in the spirit world is there.

This gives the group a possible cause for a curse, either an angry Goddess or spirits, or both.

They return, make their farewells to Baltajniz, who gives them a descriptive route to the sawmill, and as they depart, Jalabu, who had been staying in the background with Utana’s servant, reveals his secret to al lthere, he is known to Farshad, once the merchant families of Farshad and Jalabu had embarked on a joint venture. That venture was successful, for Farshad’s family, Jalabu’s house had lost much thanks to some very curious wording of the contract and disposal of the goods, and Jalabu was here to press his claims on Farshad, the chief architect of the arrangement.

As Farshad tries to talk his way out the highly dangerous situation, it is hard to know who is more discomfited, Farshad, or his current business partners, whose new found wealth is invested in a scheme of Farshad’s. After witnessing Farshad’s reaction, Jalabu leaves it for the now, but advises Farshad that he seeks restitution.

The group ride on, leaving the main mountain trail past the watchful, and unfriendly fort of Tazjin, where their passage is marked but not interrupted.

A little bit beyond, a hidden tunnel, where a cleft in the rock takes a narrow trail through the cliff wall that otherwise denies easy passage to the other side of the mountains. From the other side, the hidden valley rises up, and near the end of the day they come to Fysiz, a few houses and gardens around a trading post used by hunters, loggers, prospectors and herdsmen.

In the centre, the trading post, inn, smithy, stables, whatever is needed, welcomes the group in the form of the owner, Bagin. They are welcomed as bringers of news from the outside world. José does what he can to bring relief to the sick, Farshad entertains, and Dhran, Jalabu and Utana, after settling the animals and arranging accommodation mingle. Dhran it is who learns of the belief of some that the market for the wood was drying up, and are told that they believe some sort of insurance fraud was being undertaken. A passing remark tells of gold in the stream that provides the saw mill its power, though no one claims to have brought any here.

“`During the night, at the end of the watch, Jalabu hears a noise, waking up Dhran, who prepares his nearest weapon. Jalabu, carefully going to the leather wall of the stables they are sleeping in, leans out, trips on a food trough and falls out, face first in from of Rudim, a child.

Rudim tells them his father worked in the mill, but that he had not been seen for months, and he would guide them in exchange for food or useful goods for his mother. Utana and Jalabu take the boy to his mother who, angry, threatens them with her broom. As she shoos Rudim inside, Jalabu is able to gift him with a coin, and get his mother, Dyrcas, to talk, briefly. She confirms the boy’s story, and the groups fear that the boy would, at best, find the corpse of his father.

Jalabu and Utana gift Dyrcas with some coins and leave her, promising to find an answer for her.

Leaving Utana’s servant behind, with the mules, the group eschews the wide trade trail. for a narrower, but straighter route up the hill, coming to a stream that is the same as feeds the sawmill, Farshad, going head, finds the drying shed where the wood is dried, and a raised plot with mounds of earth on it, the group join him, and there we left it

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Writeup 28th January 2021 – The path of the comet episode 2

Posted on September 13, 2022 by hurcheon

We are joined by Andy Staples, so the group now consists of four areas of intersection with me

  • NORMAN AND ALISTAIR – old friends from Strathclyde University RPG days
  • ANDY, PHIL and MARK – Having met Andy through C&S, I then met Phil and Mark through Andy via Hârn
  • CHRIS K – DragonQuest, obviously and through Andy sat in his RQ playtest
  • CHRIS H – UK-centric RPGING internet

The alleged charlatan, Zokia, was held for those two days, but so, in a friendlier way, was the group. If Zokia was proven innocent then the group would pay for defamation of the potion seller.

Over the two days the owner of the caravanserai. Himmun, has arranged a tribunal. Totally against the laws which would insist that the potion seller would be turned over to the magistrate. This is a low and rough justice, the potential victims being customers, friends and neighbours of Himmun. To form his tribunal he has arranged for Kuldiz, the merchant Farshad had been talking to when he was robbed and a trader, of sorts, and dabbler in alchemy, Jalabu, an associate of both Himmun and Kuldiz.

The morning of the tribunal, Farshad holds up a piece of pottery, with writing scratched onto it. He looks agitated as he tells the groups that he had received a message from his family about an exciting business opportunity, and he needs to go and attend to that. He will catch up with the group, unless they are executed for defamation of character. He leaves, with great alacrity

Noon comes, as does the tribunal. Himmun has set up some basic useful tools for an alchemist, a fire, some pots, spoons, a few chemicals, and Jabalu retreats to the kitchen to analyse the potion.

Back in the main room, the group and Zokia are told that they can cross examine each other. Zokia starts, demanding who does José think he is, denying a chance of a cure, a glimpse of a healthy future to these people.

In response, José uses Soothe Pain to render Zokia insensible. It will be four hours by the time he recovers, giving Jalabu time to examine the substance. He is lucky, and determines that these are relatively common poisons, and in this combination one is a painkiller, soothing the afflicted, and the other a soporific, making the victim suggestable. Moreover they are addictive and will harm the user over time.

When the charlatan wakes up, he is dragged off by burly men, never to be seen by the group again.

Kuldiz reminds the group that he told Farshad of a contact in the next town, Khayy, on your route. This contact, Baltajniz, might be useful to the group to aid their journey. Moreover, Jabalu knows both Baltajniz and the way to Khayy.

The way is well travelled and safe, and a couple of days sees them at the gates of Khayy. Utana decides that queuing for the toll is not for him and, almost as haughty as his mule, he rides past the folk waiting to pay their tolls and addresses the guards with the full power of his rank. Unfortunately the guard is not impressed, possibly Utana’s foreign accent, but he decided to kick it upstairs, fetching his captain. The captain, impressed by the bearing of Utana and nursing a hangover, says to himself, I cannot be bothered, and waves them all in.

Baltajniz’s town estate is in a well to do, but not the best part of the city, a walled compound with many buildings around a courtyard and garden. The major domo greets you and, recognising Jabalu, leads you in, guiding you to a guest chamber as grooms take your mules.

After some small talk, Baltajniz tells you that the safe route whilst risk free, will take you out of your way because of the mountains, but that he knows a way through, to the next big town, Byni on your route. One that will take days off it. However, there is a price. He has a sawmill up in the Mountains that delivers its product to his agent in Byni. Last year,while he was trading in the East, some disaster befell it, there were many deaths and only a few graves, the rest of the bodies were left lying. By the time he returned, winter and the spring floods stopped him going to look. He offers you guidance to the other side of the Mountains, if you investigate what happens and leave word with his agent.

The group agrees, and a question about survivors brings the name of Yenab up, a Shevam cook, whom Baltajniz just learned was drinking himself to death in a scummy inn in the rough part of town, “”The Lost Hope””. The group, disarmed appropristely, leave Dhran and Jushuur with their gear left the quiet, clean streets of the merchant area, down through the busy part of town where Guinon saw, but did not register, an amulet and talisman seller with signs that in fact they are a Rune mage.

They reach the filthy area of derelicts and the hopeless, the “”Preston”” of Ishtir, and the inn, bypassing a “”Have you been to a Harvester before”” joke that fell flat, and finding the only Shevam that is both on their own and near paralytic. Yenab seemed scared, telling of a beast that killed them one by one, ripping soft flesh from bodies, leaving them where they could be found. Yenab fled, but still the dreams haunt him, the beast willing him to join it, to rend, tear, bite and kill.

José uses his empathy skill on Yenab, and is blasted by the pain and fear in his mind, Yenab is sincere.

They decide to take Yenab to Baltajniz, via the talisman seller. Some of the symbols are incomplete runes, showing knowledge without forming them. The Rune Mage, Ferhosz, analyses the aura of the Shevam, and sees a sickness born of a god, beyond his power to heal, has cursed Yenab. He suggests that the priests of Ghatama, a secretive order worshipping a regional god of Thought, Wisdom and Harmony, might be the best people to talk to,as it is said that they know sorceries affecting the mind. This costs Utana 3 gold and he is not best pleased.

Guinon buys a well thumbed papyrus book pertaining to ciphers and codes, though it is better than the stall keeper knows, having extra annotations, algorithms and techniques, this cost her 7 and a half gold.

The group go back, and give Yenab to Baltajniz’s care, as an employee of his. The merchant accepts this charge, though he is less thrilled by the annotatedExpense Claim forms. He holds that his payment for what you are doing is the route, but Utana persuades him that care for Yenab is separate to that. Reluctantly Baltajniz agrees, and refunds the money, even for Guinon’s book, which is not really anything to do with Yenab, but he is befuddled at this point.

And there we left it

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