[Completed] - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#221 Post by Keehnelf »

May 29, 1 VC - 3:00pm

The trio enters the tomb, once again surrounded by the distant echoing noises of the undead patrolling the silent halls, but they are neither confronted nor accosted by any enemies. After a perilous-feeling navigation, they reach the bottom of the stairs that open into the deep tomb in which Agathon resides. He floats near the party as they enter. "Have you succeeded in your effort?" his raspy and unearthly voice inquires.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#222 Post by Zhym »

Ulf nods slowly. "We bring the remains of the son of the King of Ashes," he says, holding the boy's wrapped body in front of him.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#223 Post by Keehnelf »

Agathon bows his head and sighs deeply. "Yes. You will find a small shrine at the end of the chamber atop the last sarcophagus, prepared by the Ashen King for the laying-to-rest of his son before his vengeance overtook him. All is prepared. Simply restore him to his prepared place."

He guides the party down the tomb toward the indicated place where, indeed, a small circle of runed stones and offerings has been laid out--personal effects of Fangir the Fallen, who became the Ashen King after his people were both destroyed and defiled. Ulf gingerly places the burned corpse in the center, and is overcome by a sudden sense of peace as the boy's spirit is finally released from its earthly prison. Agathon smiles dourly. "Now, those of us who wish to be at peace can depart. Those who will remain--you will know us by our works...Thank you, True Friends of the Firedeep dwarves..." he intones as he fades slowly from view.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#224 Post by Zhym »

Ulf exhales, filled with a sense of sanctification at a quest well completed. He leads the way back out of the tomb.

"I wonder what that means," he asks Seadu and Martin as they depart. "'Those who remain—you will know us by our works?' I hope the works are benevolent."

That was supposed to be "satisfaction" above, but I like the correction.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#225 Post by Keehnelf »

May 29, 1 VC - 3:20pm

The trio departs the tomb and finds Almaret and his companions still resting outside. One of their number is brushing the horses, a second is tending to the packs strapped to the animals, and Almaret himself sits on a rock nearby, a wooden lap-table supporting an unrolled parchment in front of him, with a pen and ink in hand. He lifts his head and smiles toward the group as they exit, and holds up a hand to indicate he needs to continue his work. He seems to be carefully drawing some details in on a large map.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#226 Post by Zhym »

Ulf looks back at the entrance to the tomb. "Do you think we should try to close it back up again?" he asks Seadu and Martin.

Seeing Almaret working on a map gives Ulf an idea. Perhaps they could share maps, giving each other a better picture of lands neither is familiar with? He waits for Almaret to finish his work before broaching the subject.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#227 Post by Keehnelf »

Almaret works with delicacy and care, and it is clear that he is a talented mapmaker, at least from a visual perspective--since his map details many areas Ulf is unfamiliar with, it is hard to say how accurate or useful it might be. Almaret does not seem bothered by Ulf's presence, and in fact after he completes his addition (a low, flat-topped rise reminiscent of the spot near which the groups now sit, with a short string of unusual runes or letters alongside it) he is glad to show off his handiwork, clearly proud of the accomplishment.

"I would be remiss to allow you to copy my map directly," he admits, "since it is property of the crown and there are some things best left unshared with outsiders. However, I am more than happy to show you the main fruits of my labor."

He runs a hand over the broad contours of the map, and it is clear that it has been intended to provide specific detail over a smaller area rather than being a comprehensive map. The edges of what is drawn are concrete enough that Almaret must know of the lands that lie beyond at least the map's north and east edges. He uses his long, delicate index finger to indicate the features as he describes them, occasionally skipping over some features to continue his virtual tour.

"As you see, our present location is near the southernmost boundary of my map. This is intentional, because none of our people have passed beyond the southern mountains and returned since the Great Darkness fell. My expedition has no license to explore there--information is our goal, and information must return to be useful." He smiles genially.

"You see the mountain you call the Finger there, closer to the middle. I drew it from a depiction in an older map, as an anchor of sorts for charting this region. Superficially it now looks much different, of course, so when I return to my homeland I will need to revise this map according to other sketches I have made. To the east are the dusty hills. We know that gnomes once lived there, but when my companions and I passed through we found only abandoned ruins and signs of recent habitation by the grathizai. We did not linger long. We know to the east of here--to the south of the hills--lie the ancient lands of the viridim, the magic folk, and a vast forest. We know little of that land, but if we have time and resources we may visit there on our return trip.

"To the north of the hills lies a moderately-sized forest, bounded on the north by the river as it runs down from the Lake of Statues in the eastern mountains."
He indicates a thick river running east to west across most of the map, which turns to the south in the west before disappearing from view into the unknown. At the eastern end, it stretches up into a set of steep-looking mountains topped with glaciers that dominate the eastern portion of the map, though open territory seems to appear beyond. In the midst of those mountains is a long, narrow lake oriented north-south that appears to be the river's source. Such is Almaret's art that hair-thin lines representing the tree-dotted western slopes of the mountain are clearly distinguishable from the rocky slopes on the eastern side.

"If one follows the mountains north beyond the river, eventually one will reach my homeland, including Thryss," here he motions to a small icon that looks like a soaring tower. "...and Hokumet here," He points to the northwest across an empty stretch of map to a set of rough-looking hills upon which is perched a formidable fortress. "In the midst one finds the Ancient Waste. Our oldest histories tell that this land was once the domain of a people both fair and strong, but that they were overcome long before the Great Darkness and their works all laid to ruin by their enemies. If you travel in that land, it is possible to uncover artifacts and edifices of fantastic construction, but so too the creatures there are deadly and cunning and seek out the blood of men. Beyond, to the West, lie the Warden's Domains. We do not trespass there, since the Great Darkness came out of the north. The crown and the histories say that the Warden fell to the Darkness and now serves it from his iron tower. Those who come within sight of it do so in court with their doom."

He frowns and puffs out his mustache as he looks at the low ridge of hills that are marked here, along with the simple circle that presumably denotes the warden's iron tower, and hurries back to the eastern part of the map where Thryss can be found. He outlines some of the area around that in more detail. "To the east of Thryss, one can enter the mountains and find my home, Azamet in Gizal, among the wooded slopes and streams that blend in the north with the forest that meets the sea." Here he shows how the north end of the north-south mountain chain gentles as it mingles with and transforms into a light forest before meeting a curve of coastline in the northeast with a handful of islands dotting the expanse. "Further north are the farmlands of the crown's territories, before in the far north, past the edge of this map, one encounters the fortified northern border that holds the line against the Great Darkness."

He nods, satisfied. "It is a work in progress. But I have made great strides with it, and I will complete this blank southern section before my return to Thryss. I am happy to hear your tales of landmarks I should seek out in my travels, but as a principled cartographer I cannot of course fill in my maps based on hearsay." He smiles.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#228 Post by Zhym »

Ulf listens attentively as Almaret shows him the map.

"Your map is breathtaking," he says. "The lines, the detail—truly the work of an artisan, fit to hang in the halls of a king."

Relieved of the need to draw a map, Ulf avoids making what would look like a child's scrawlings next to the master's art. Instead, he describes the landmarks he remembers. "If you travel directly west, you will come to a ring of standing stones with an altar in the center of them. It was the home of a creature called Mangore. It took the form of a massive wolf as large as a bear. What I know of it I learned through stories—I never met it. The stories say that it was a corrupted, twisted druid of seeming ancientness. It killed all who lived in the dwarf tomb and dwelling behind me. The lone remaining member of that clan, a dwarf in whose veins flowed the blood of the rightful king of his clan, went mad with vengeance over the death of his people and his son. He laid a curse upon the place and set out to destroy everyone he saw as his enemies. The eruption of the Finger was his work. It destroyed Mangore, or so it is believed. A lone wolf remains at the rings to the west. It, too, speaks. I ask you not to harass it if it does not attack. I have pledged to find more of its kind so that it will no longer be alone."

"Were you to stray slightly northward on your trip west to the standing stones, you would come upon an ancient watchtower of the dwarves of old. I know naught of its current status, but one of my kind had announced his intention to take it for himself and his clan."

"To the southwest of here is a tower of onyx. Those who traveled there dared not attempt to gain entry after a voice warned them away. A short distance west of the tower is a chasm infested with stirges—blood-sucking bat-like creatures with long, sharp, pointy snouts."

"Roughly south by southwest of the ring of standing stones is the tomb of the horse king. A short distance to the west of that is the town of Vaul, our settlement in these lands."

"Stranger things lie to the west of Vaul. Though I have seen them, I did not map them carefully. There is a tree with fatal maternal instincts, someone called Seesil the Musician, more ancient dwarven watchtowers, and, far to the west, swampland."

"I hope these landmarks serve you in your cartographic explorations," he concludes.

FWIW, I've about RP'd all I can RP with these folks, if it's just chit-chat from here on out. Unless Seadu has anything else he wants to talk about, I'm okay having the groups part ways and moving Ulf's group back towards Vaul.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#229 Post by Zhym »

Speaking of the Horse King's tomb, Ulf has a thought.

"Did you happen to run across a tall man, lanky, with long blonde hair and beard but bare upper lip? He might have had an axe and a sheild with a polar bear's head painted on it. We was overtaken by a black smoke in the tomb and fled north, saying something about 'twelve days.' That was the last we saw of him."

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#230 Post by Keehnelf »

Almaret looks a bit nervous at this last bit. "A black smoke, you say?" He frets for a moment. "Old stories of the Great Darkness tell of the Shadelords, monsters composed only of ice and darkness, who would overtake a man by inhabiting his body and drive his mind to madness as his flesh performed the most foul and profane of deeds...I hope, for your sake and mine, that this is not the same force working on your friend. I will have to investigate this horse king's tomb on the way to your city, and learn more. Then I might be able to advise better."

He salutes Ulf and the others once again. "We are almost ready to depart, headed west--but our aim is quick movement, so please accept our apologies that we will ride ahead. We will happily bring news of the success of your venture to your people. A momentous day for the dwarves of your heim!" He gives a short, barking laugh and his cheeks grow rosy under his dusky skin.

After some more preparations, the trio heads off at a slow trot to the west, eventually disappearing ahead of the party as they make their own preparations and depart in the same direction.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#231 Post by Zhym »

Ulf heads back to town.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#232 Post by Keehnelf »

May 30, 1 VC - 6:10am

The trio packs up their things and heads west across the moorland, back toward town. Just before dark, they make camp on a low rise overlooking the surrounding terrain because the night is overcast but also warmer than it has been in some time and a fire should not be needed. The night itself passes uneventfully, but just after dawn Seadu spots a pair of horses moving along at the base of the rise to their west, slowly grazing and passing steadily toward the south.

Please deduct one day's rations each.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#233 Post by Zhym »

Rations deducted.

Is Ulf still sleeping?

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#234 Post by Keehnelf »

No, the group is up and beginning to decamp.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#235 Post by Zhym »

Ulf remains as quiet as possible and waits to see if Seadu or Martin tries to capture the horses or make friends.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#236 Post by Keehnelf »

June 1, 1 VC - 3:30pm

Neither of the clerics seems predisposed to attempt anything with the horses, so the party continues on. The next day passes uneventfully, and then the following night--after which, as the first light of dawn reveals the landscape, the party sees the two horses once again grazing nearby. They appear to be following the party, a hypothesis that is confirmed as the trio continues to head west toward Vaul and the pair of horses trail behind, keeping the group in sight but remaining out of reach.

By mid-afternoon, the walls of Vaul come into sight in the distance, and the horses remain, curious but alert, outside as the group returns to its base of operations and regroups.

(I will be moving these adventurers ahead to June 11, which is the current date, and posting a close-out on this thread in a bit--feel free to do any final RP or interaction with the horses if you'd like!)

Please deduct one day's rations each.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#237 Post by Zhym »

I just realized that if Seadu is willing to join Ulf on his new quest, the problem of how to talk to wolves is solved.

Speaking of which, I wonder if there's any value in talking to the horses—either to make friends or to find out what areas they avoid because there are wolves around.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#238 Post by Zhym »

That said—please don't hold off on the wrap-up post waiting for any horseplay.

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#239 Post by Keehnelf »

Just been busy--that's why I didn't include it in the earlier post :)

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Re: Expedition - Ulf/Mission for the Dwarves - May 20, 1 VC

#240 Post by Keehnelf »

The party returns to Vaul at 3:40pm on June 1, ready for a bit of recovery and debriefing after their busy expedition to the east. They arrive with light hearts, knowing they have brought the dwarven curse to an end and made parts of the land easier and safer to navigate for all travelers, while also acting on behalf of Falles and earning his grace.

Falles' grace is clear on the morning of June 2. When workers arrive to continue construction of the dwarvenheim, they find engraved over the door of the entrance, which had already been constructed, a panoramic depiction of the flat-topped dwarf tomb with the sun rising behind it, inlaid with gold and shimmering in the morning sun.


Expedition closing report:

Actions: 2,320xp
2 hobgoblins defeated
1 orc lieutenant defeated
1 dire wolf defeated
2 wolves defeated
Gnolls evaded
End Fangir's Curse

Treasure/Loot: 1,364xp
+1 longsword
114gp
floral ceramic flask (unknown contents)

This makes a total of 3,664xp, or 1,222xp per participant in the expedition, before bonus for high attributes. Of this, 774xp per person is assignable as item experience.

The characters who participated in this expedition are eligible to participate in new expeditions as of June 11, 1 VC, if they wish to turn things around quickly. If not, they will be subject to time moving forward in accordance with the expeditions currently underway, and will depart at the current date of the most advanced expedition. Martin White, having gone through this entire expedition as an NPC, will be converted to an NPC full-time since I haven't heard from dogma. He will become the religious caretaker of the dwarvenheim and head priest of the faith of Falles within Vaul.

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