RPG Campaigns

Giraine Summaries

Good morning,

Bog mindspoke with a gargoyle and cut a deal for more “crunchies” (magic image-crystals) in return for transport back up to the art hall, so you conjured some crystals and flew away, gargoyles noisily crunching on their treats. Bog returned (caught in the shaft and flushed down via undine) to the Mud Eel with news of its sibling, which pleased her, and she mentioned that Quick Sister's power might help bring the river Sarvon back to the surface, too. You paid your respects and left, now going to the statue hall to collect the dead Waertagi, which you brought to the sea cave. Ahappi deposited it on the prow of the fastship, watched by the emerging squid which slowly dragged the corpse across the deck and into the depths.

Ahappi then heard faint noises from across the cave after he spoke out aloud in Seaspeech to the squid, so he took the undine out with him to investigate, finding a second fastship hiding close to the north wall of the cave, held there by a giant pale crab; and bearing eight ?eel-masked Waertagi plus another, familiar one; the young, nightmare-plagued local “Grounded”. He rose on the undine's waters to introduce himself, and was well received by Sivis (captain) Yensloslog, a female Waertagi of what seemed like a fine bloodline (very fishy traits) and excellent aluminium armour (clearly someone important and resourceful). They explained that they'd been hiding down in the sewers for years, and in the local coastline area, first raiding the city folk (this was local news some years ago) but abandoning that after the “heat” got too intense for them, then lying low down here but having increasing troubles with the Krarsht nest above and then the ogres who came down here recently once Bog and Bradde's people opened up the tunnel downwards to the Deeper Sewers. But now, learning that their foes were defeated, they felt safe again; and safety and privacy were what they wanted. They wondered how long they could stay here, feeling torn between a pull to rejoin their kin elsewhere but their reverence of the Mud Eel (and they respected the Crassigyre, too) and they felt a duty as custodians to this ancient Waertagi holy place. They would protect it, as much as they could, for now, but asked for what help you could give. The Sivis told Ahappi of the sea cave's connections out to the oceans beyond on the Arvonesse reefs, so you had a new, easier (for swimmers/small craft) way to get into the Deeper Sewers. Miguel saw what was going on but didn't understand, yet soon Ahappi returned, satisfied, and updated you. And so you left the Deeper Sewers, successful!

In New Arv, you parted ways as Ahappi left (he collected a bunch of your metals and other loot and gave it to the Mountainsmith, striking a brilliant bargain that got him an excellent form-fitting suit of acid-proof aluminium plate armour). Bog prayed to Zorak Zoran and you debated what to do-and decided that the wizard/necromancer Vran the Conjurer was not someone you wanted to tackle this year, but he was a priority that could not wait too long. Instead, Shrett wanted to deliver a message to his sister Micaela, and asked you to come along with Fraud giving the news of Miguel's death and handing over some of Miguel's old belongings. You crossed the swamps to Cjed's cave and met them all there. Fraud tried to do as Shrett asked but Micaela saw him smile has he attempted the lie, calling his bluff and asking why this cruel joke was being played. Shrett then stepped forward and explained with Fraud's help, and Micaela gradually accepted the very strange news, showing her resilience (or even dismissal), but extracting an oath from him that he'd find their father. He, in turn, got her to promise that she would maintain the story that Miguel had died fighting the undead. Shrett also spoke with Apatune the witch, who said that she'd mostly lost contact with Quick Sister, just having a vague connection now, but she knew QS had escaped Toadhaven and gone into hiding in the swamps somewhere, “buried in the mud”. As this was still far behind enemy lines, you wondered how you'd get there-but Apatune suggested that a Mud Hag would be the best entity to aid in a search. You returned to New Arv, and soon Ahappi came back in his amazing new armour.

So you waited for Sacred Time to come. Bad news arrived before you departed for Skeleton Isle, though! (I forgot to add this in-game!) With Nolos defeated, Seshnela quickly turned its attention to Pasos-and King Guilmarn successfully brokered an agreement with Ecclesiarch Theoblanc the Pious that he may invoke the Holy Power of Crusade to finish the conquest and unite all of Seshnela (including the would-be-former Quinpolic League, which he Crusades to crush once and for all!). Nonetheless, there remains strife in Seshnelan politics that gives some foes hope. The Caste issue (how rigid are castes? Can King Guilmarn continue to use these loyal Paragons for Horali-acting-as-Talari for his political and military gain, despite Rokari protests that it is unlawful?) remains a thorny one between Crown and Church. Some factions in the Church argue for bringing to order the urban Dronari, who become too worldly. The burghers fight back using the Crown's protection, based on the taxes they bring. Tensions are rising between about this subject. What will be the fate of Rokari townsmen? And, closer to home, everyone wonders what will become of Pithdaros. The Dark Duke has sent forces to support Nolos and then Pasos, but so far no forces from Seshnela have crossed Nolos into Pithdaros. Is an invasion imminent?

Yet Sacred Time came and you boarded The Shadow, with Amur piloting you to the southwest. He met difficulties as he reached the island, cursing uncharacteristically, whipped by wind and scouring rain. “It's just not right! The waves look nothing like the currents the rudder struggles against, and the sails flutter illogically as if the winds lie! I cannot comprehend it!” Soon with a grinding shudder the Shadow struck a jagged rocky reef and halted abruptly, knocking down some crew. You easily could hop or climb and wade down into the surf or rocks, and reach shore, however. You were greeted by a grim, bland grey-black volcanic landscape; unfamiliar from your prior two visits. The land of Skeleton Isle was even bleaker now than ever seen before. All colour was gone. It was entirely bereft of any signs of life; not even a leaf or twig. The rains and winds that pelted The Shadow were oddly non-existent; now it was calm and silent, with a twilight or pre-dawn haze of just enough light to see by. Here and there the land seemed to have impossibly absorbed the ancient hulks of ships, remnants of their masts and hulls jutting haphazardly out of the igneous rocks. There were no trails, no clear landmarks, just an endless wasteland.

But, Ahappi marshalled his feelings of connection with Granno from his encounter in Hell, and sensed that there was a presence to the west across the island, so he led you that way. (Very helpful indeed!!) Passing inland to the west, you began to feel a discomfort seeping in. Even your own flesh was taking on a grey tone, and your feelings were dulled. It was as if Skeleton Isle was draining the essence of life from you, or challenging it. Soon something changed. There were no more remnants of shipwrecks amidst the rocks. Instead, taking their place were bits of bone at first, and pale bone-dust coating the rocks, then occasionally more complete skeletons frozen in situ in the rocks; almost all of them seemingly humans. But the oppressive feeling was only worse further from the coast. Beginning to feel too weak, Bog turned back and, thankfully, managed to retrace his steps back to relative safety at The Shadow.

Then a lone figure was visible trudging across the wastelands, turning toward you from a distance but not showing reaction. Ahappi saw that it looked like a human, in rags-matching “the Theophobe” met before. The mysterious man approached, frowning and talking to himself in Brithini. Shockingly here, the human features inside the rags were of vivid real-world colour; he remained the same early middle-aged man you'd met before. Finally he addressed you: “I will allow thine pathetic vessel to limp away in the new year. Most sailors have learned better than to come so close, and none survive to come this far in the between-times. Ye seek something, but there is little here to seek. So it is an important thing. I will know of it.” And Ahappi explained what you sought, and he confirmed there was such an essence, then said he wanted information: “The people of the Pier, of Waertag, comb the Seas of Fog and ply the darkest depths; I would know more of them.” Ahappi would say some things about local Waertagi you knew, but not of the ones in the Deeper Sewers or other secret ones. At first the Theophobe was not satisfied with this lack of full disclosure, but eventually Ahappi convinced him that honouring his promises to others was worthy of a shred of respect, so he told you more. “Two broken essences await amidst the anguished bones, here in the direction of death, of the Gates of Dusk. Ye come from life, from the Gates of Dawn. Continue past mine cave, disturb it not, and darest the abandoned frames of men who crowd yearning for all that they be denied. There ye will find the two that were one.” And so you passed onwards.

The oppressive feeling intensified beyond imaginable levels as you passed the low volcanic mound with a grim cave, fish skeletons hung outside on racks. Shrett quavered, and you all felt the struggle to continue against the pall of Skeleton Isle. More and more bones were evident in the desolate landscape ahead. Soon, there were complete or mostly complete skeletons lying mostly exposed on the surface; some long-eroded, some looking fresh or even with dried blood and withered flesh on them. Then ahead you saw a bizarre and unnerving sight: hundreds of skeletons milling about the land. Shrett held back, not entering the crowd, while the rest of you managed to evoke The Breath of the Dead and move through them without much trouble.

Coming closer, you saw that the skeletons showed no reaction to you but they seemed not just to be moving randomly or without purpose. All were moving their jaws, if sufficiently intact, as if they were vocalizing, but no sounds emerged. All were gesturing as if they seeked to convey some message, but the gestures were vague and repetitive, not directed at anyone except that sometimes the skeletons showed some degree of accidental interaction that lasted a few confused moments. Further ahead there was a massive pile of bleached white bones and numerous whirlwinds of pale dust skittering around it; the only non-stagnant air evident since the coasts. The skeletons surrounded this heap of bones in their hapless wandering crowds. Approaching, you saw the pile of bones stir, and the whirlwinds converged toward the side of the pile facing you. Something big was happening. Shrett pulled out his bow…

Next time: climactic campaign events happen! Not to be missed. -John

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