LOST TRAILS 4: Return to Monksblade

[ewancummins]

Three full days have passed since the fight with the gnolls...

The party has secured lodging in town.

The young woman and the boy rescued from the gnolls have been healed and reunited with the girl from the cart.
Anyone who cares to inquire learns that all three are siblings.

Sadly, their parents, Joram and his wife Ceytha, appear to have died during or soon after the raid.
Samus' follow-up patrol swept through the burned field and went back through the ruined house.
Those bones that Klokulf saw the hyenas playing with and chewing at the ruin turned out to be human: a man and a woman, hacked apart before being gnawed.

A scorched pair of skin sacks were also recovered from the site, one with a locket that the children identify as belonging to their mother.

The three siblings hang about town for now, waiting for word from their uncle in Sembia. The only thing that seems to cheer them is Raen's magic.


Benn has had a chance to look through the old books gathered in a vault beneath the North Abbey.
Most of the texts prove irrelevant to his quest, but in a couple of manuscripts he has found references to both gods and men coming to this world from afar, passing through magical gates, doors, and pools.

[ewancummins]

BENN IN THE ARCHIVES


There's nothing in the books that obviously connects with the Land of Mists, Benn's homeworld.

But, when Benn is discussing his research with the young clerk in charge of the archives, the clerk tells him of an ''enchanted fog'' that fell over the city of Marsember back in his grand-dad's days. When it lifted...
every living soul in the entire city had vanished.
No sign of attack. The houses were all intact. But the people were all gone.
And with them, the boy king of Cormyr, his aunt (the princess-regent), and the rest of the royal party visiting the city.
That bizarre event is what set the stage for the War of Succession, the civil conflict that broke Cormyr into sub-kingdoms and ultimately allowed Sembia to occupy this province.

[ewancummins]

KLOKULF

THE CIVIC TEMPLE/HOUSE OF MANY GODS

When Klokulf renews his theological conversion with the old shrine-keeper, the graybeard tells him that's he's been working on the question of the Lawgiver's possible counterpart or alter ego in this world, Toril.
"I see a few possibilities. If the laws this god hands down are all about security and protection, he might well be our familiar god, Helm. If the Lawgiver is more concerned with the bloodline and merits of certain noble or royal families, maybe the goddess called Siamorphe is the one you ought to investigate. And if your god's ordinances demand that all rebels against his power or against the despots who hold his favor should be crushed, tormented, slain, or bound in slavery...''
The man's face darkens.
''Well, that sounds like the Black Lord.''
He whispers.'' Bane.''
But then he shrugs and laughs a little.
''Of course I don't mean to suggest you'd really serve an evil power.''

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain on thinking about possible upcomming expedition to get rid of the Gnolls, he makes sure all his gear is proper working order including his pistol by doing some test firing and also seeing how they perform . If there are any gunsmiths he can that can gather materials from to make more bullets for him and Kats guns as this seem like good time to make sure ammo for both is well supplied for longer lasting Investigation in the Vaaste Swamp . For him this is just incase thing and for Kats as she uses them more than he does as Primary range weapons .

[ewancummins]

Alain on thinking about possible upcomming expedition to get rid of the Gnolls, he makes sure all his gear is proper working order including his pistol by doing some test firing and also seeing how they perform . If there are any gunsmiths he can that can gather materials from to make more bullets for him

...


Alain finds that his pistol functions properly, but that the powder in his cartridges produces brilliant green smoke.

He can't find any local gunsmiths, but he does find a plumber who can cast bullets for him, once Alain provides a sample round for the man to use in making a mould.

Powder for the cartridges proves trickier. Nobody in Monksbridge sells it, but he learns that he may obtain ''smokepowder'' from merchants or alchemists in a big city, perhaps Suzail in Southern Cormyr or any of the major ports in Sembia. It seems to be very expensive. Guns appear to be specialty items ,at least in this part of the world, the sorts of things fancy foreign mercs or a wizard's minions might carry.

Oddly enough, a weapon-seller who claims to have once provided some smoke-powder for a special order describes the stuff as a two-part mixture, with metallic blue pellets kept separate from a finer powder.
It might be that the man's description reflects low-quality, improperly corned powder, but it sounds more as if he's describing some other explosive concoction.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

KLOKULF

THE CIVIC TEMPLE/HOUSE OF MANY GODS

When Klokulf renews his theological conversion with the old shrine-keeper, the graybeard tells him that's he's been working on the question of the Lawgiver's possible counterpart or alter ego in this world, Toril.
"I see a few possibilities. If the laws this god hands down are all about security and protection, he might well be our familiar god, Helm. If the Lawgiver is more concerned with the bloodline and merits of certain noble or royal families, maybe the goddess called Siamorphe is the one you ought to investigate. And if your god's ordinances demand that all rebels against his power or against the despots who hold his favor should be crushed, tormented, slain, or bound in slavery...''
The man's face darkens.
''Well, that sounds like the Black Lord.''
He whispers.'' Bane.''
But then he shrugs and laughs a little.
''Of course I don't mean to suggest you'd really serve an evil power.''

Recognition lights Klokulf's eyes at the mention of the epithet, then his face becomes a stern mask at the shrine-keeper's final comment. After a moment, a thin lipped smile forces itself across his face. "Yes, that would be ridiculous," he says. Extending his hand for a formal shake, Klokulf continues, "You have been most helpful. I am sure I will find the Lawgiver soon with the excellent leads you have given me."

[Adam]

Bennedict thoughtfully strokes his mustache, tiredly pushing his spectacles up from his eyes. "What became of this Marsember? How far away is it Has it been resettled? Are there any records here in the library about the event?"

He smiles, chuckling quietly to himself. "Apologies, I don't mean to bombard you with questions. It's just that this is the only half-decent lead I've found."

[ewancummins]

Bennedict thoughtfully strokes his mustache, tiredly pushing his spectacles up from his eyes. "What became of this Marsember? How far away is it Has it been resettled? Are there any records here in the library about the event?"

He smiles, chuckling quietly to himself. "Apologies, I don't mean to bombard you with questions. It's just that this is the only half-decent lead I've found."

''Oh, it's not a long journey. The city is inhabited today-but by monsters and pirates! There's a smaller town east of it on the seacoast, New Marsember, settled by Cormyrean refugees and some of our traders--the new settlement is an enclave of the Protectorate. I think I can find something about the vanishing, if I poke about the stacks..."


The clerk returns with a slim, leather-bound manuscript. It looks new.

The title page reads:

Notes on the Cormyrian Civil War

by Raunic of New Marsember

printed in Selgaunt
by Messers Vertibox and Crandall
1472 Dale Reckoning

Flipping through, Benn quickly locates a relevant passage, early in the text:

The roots of this devastating and tragic conflict (1373-1387), which slew many thousands and shattered once-proud Cormyr into seven lesser realms, are often traced back to Azoun V’s many amorous conquests. The lusty king’s romantic exploits produced a stable of bastards that would rise to contend for Cormyr’s throne after the violent dissolution of the Regency Council during the second ten-day of Marpenoth, 1373.

Of course, the Succession Crisis that prompted the creation of the doomed Regency Council would never have come to pass without the mysterious events that occurred during the final days of Flamerule, 1372:

-the disappearance of both the boy-king Azoun V and his protector, Princess Regent Alusair, on the road to Marsember-

and

-the disappearance at the same time of the entire population of that city.

Anecdotal accounts describe the Regent and her party entering a thick mist. She had characteristically refused to turn back on account of the vagaries of the weather
Her last recorded words were " It’s only a wee fog, nothing unusual for Marsember."

Diviners and would-be prophets have made many conflicting claims about these strange vanishings, and it is my opinion that we may never know the truth. The gods, or else some dark powers of the universe, have veiled the truth from our sight just as the mists may mask the shoreline from the gaze of watchful mariners.

The clerk reads along with Benn.

"Huh. Well, as you can see for yourself, this book was published earlier this year. It was the only recent thing I could find... I don't know if we have any older texts that describe the events in Marsember before the great vanishing, but I'll be glad to look about after my other work is done. "

[Adam]

"Monsters and pirates. Wonderful."

He reads the words, nodding quietly to himself. "Yes. This fits. Though whether it's possible to recreate the events..." he trails off.

"You've been most helpful," he finally comments, flipping open his notebook and jotting down the relevant facts.

[ewancummins]

The Governor invites all the out-world adventurers to meet with her at the Old North Abbey, the evening of the third day.

[Lord Skybolt]

Before the 3 days are up Alain tries to get some Powder for his and Especialy Kats Guns .

[Lord Skybolt]

Gather Info Check for finding powder for the guns, for 1st day .
0 +8 =9

Second Day Roll .
1 +8=23 on that roll .

[ewancummins]

OOC

VIEW CONTENT:

Before the 3 days are up Alain tries to get some Powder for his and Especialy Kats Guns .

Sara (Van's PC) had the guns.

Unless Kintire has changed things, Kat relies on her wits, stealth, and a blade/rapier.

But we can double-check with Kintire.

[ewancummins]

OOC

VIEW CONTENT:

Gather Info Check for finding powder for the guns, for 1st day .
236166:0 +8 =9

Second Day Roll .
236166:1 +8=23 on that roll .

zilch first day

Finds what appears to be a legit source the next day, a merchant who can bring the stuff in a week or so.

[Lord Skybolt]

OK then Will direct the powder to in town merchant for pick up later .