Empires of Arcadia: Episode 21

__NOTOC__
==Recap==
===Day 256===
The Yaka Rangers are in the sideways dungeon in Hearthome. A Manscorpion appears in front of Thorbjørn and throws him down a pit. Thorbjørn manages to grab onto the ledge. The Manscorpion attacks forwards and backwards with breath weapons and its scorpion stingers. Korrin uses his knockback and almost pushes the Manscorpion off the ledge. Thorbjørn gets up and knocks the Manscorpion down.
The party regroup and look down the pit and see nothing. Also the path ahead is frosted over. The party decide to rest at the top of the pit and wait for the Manscorpion to come back into view. Flinthart Bluesteel investigates the frosty path and thinks it is either a deliberate measure, or a side effect of a monster. 
===Day 257===
The party finish resting. Zai & Flinthart suggest leaving the Dungeon. The party decide to continue regardless.
They see the next chamber has raised platforms that have sarcophagi on them, four in total. 2 of the sarcophagi look older than the others. Flinthart detects 4 undead from the sarcophagi. Zai and Flinthart again repeat their concerns, and this time the party agree to leave.
Outside Flinthart summons a mount, an Elk, and they travel back towards Yaka.
===Day 258===
At camp when Flinthart wakes up in the morning he finds a large scorpion crawling across his chest. He moves it off without incident.
The party get to Yaka and rest for a week.
===Day 265‬===
The party set out again eastward towards Ember's Keep.
===Day 268‬===
The party smell the scent of chlorine, the same smell from Green Dragons. The party take cover and go on alert. The party spot a small green dragon. Zai calls out that the party mean no harm and will keep moving on. The dragon doesn't attack the party.
===Day 269‬===
The party encounter a tyrannosaurus. Zai goes in to stun it, but gets bitten unconscious. Flinthart heals up Zai. The party then defeat the tyrannosaurus. 
The party arrive at the Dwarven Outpost of Tombstone at the edge of Mount Skyshroud.
:You have come to the outpost known as Tombstone. It is thusly named because of the graveyard that sits out in front of it that seems to be fairly well tended to. All the trees are kept back, there is a small fence made of stone that goes around this graveyard that has a whole bunch of markers on it. Beyond the graveyard, pressed up against the mountain is a doorway. Unlike the other entrances that were made to look inconspicuous, this one has a nice firm carving around the doorway, with a regular large door set into it, banded with metal. It has a handle on it and intricate Celtic knots going up and around the doorway.
The party go to the door and speak to the Skyshard Dwarves. The Skyshard Dwarves are paranoid of the party. Zai shows the Bluesteel carved jade writ of passage, but it is ignored by the Skyshards. After being paid a jade, the party are allowed inside and use the passageway. Zai shares the news that Goremarsh the Orc has been slain. Flinthart asks about the tomb in Hearthome. The dwarf explains the old rulers of Hearthome were buried in the tomb.
The party get led down the passageway towards the Ember's Keep exit, the party take passages that avoid the main settlements of the Skyshards and travel for 3 days.
===Day 272===
The party exit at the Blackrock Outpost. It is a trading town. There is a pair of humans selling their discoveries from the swamp, and buying steelheads for their spears. The two humans, Vicks & Wedge, are from Ember's Keep. The party arrange to travel with them to Ember's Keep. Vicks warns of the Hydra of the Swamp.
As the group travel out into the jungle towards the swamp Zai finds out that Ember's Keep have Ferris's Copper Tablets, but are considered the holy book by the people there.
The party reach the edge of the swamp. They test the water breathing amulet and it works. It takes a round to adjust from each mode. Flinthart wears the amulet and his armor.
In the night while the party are camping 2 shambling mounds attack the party. Zai stuns one of them, then the party destroy that one in a round. The other shambling mound decides to retreat back into the swamp.
===Day 273===
The party cross the rest of the way across the swamp to Ember's Keep
:Ember's Keep sits atop of a stone mesa that rises out of the swamp. It looks like it has been reinforced over the years, where the rock may have eroded away, it has been filled. The keep itself is made of stone, a couple hundred feet on a side. The entire population is crammed inside the keep. There is draw bridge that drops on the northwest and southeast sides of the keep.
Vicks explains that Ember's Keep was a former outpost of Nekkraut and the swamp around it predates the Breaking of Arcadia 1500 years ago.
Inside the party see the population live off salvage from the swamp, and looks run down. The population looks inbred. Zai asks why they haven't moved away from the swamp. Vicks explains that some people tried that with Dorak, however around a hundred years ago there was a landslide that destroyed their defenses and the population were slain by monsters.
Flintheart observes the walls are not in a good condition. The repair work is shoddy. Flinthart suggests to Zai they could negotiate to get the Dwarves to fix up the walls. Zai says maybe just move the 400 to 500 people to Yaka to live instead.
The party are escorted by Vicks and Wedge to see the town council. The council consists of 3 people. One a warrior (Grace), one in normal robes (Jaren), the leader (Psiphon) in nice-quality comfortable robes. Behind where the council sits is the altar where the Brass Book sits. Vicks makes introductions, explaining just how powerful the party is. Vicks and Wedge then leave.
After greetings, the party suggest that the population of Ember's Keep move to Yaka. As the council consider this, the meeting is interrupted by a panicked local Ranger. The messenger says the younger sister of Psiphon has been captured by the Hydra while searching for berries near the Hydra's Lair. Half the party was slain, but the younger sister of Psiphon was captured.
Psiphon says the people of Ember's Keep will join with Yaka if the sister is saved. If the sister is alive, they will hand over their treasures as well. Zai accepts the quest without negotiating specifics to Korrin's ire. Korrin speaks out and directly asks for the book. The council reluctantly agree after Jaren does some divination using the book and an icosahedron (20 sided die).
Korrin asks the surviving ranger for details about the hydra's attacks. 
==Experience==
8275 exp each
* Flinthart Bluesteel levels to level 7
** Max HP from 58 to 67 (+9)
* Zai levels to level 8
** Max HP from 52 to 59 (+7)
* Korrin levels to level 8
** Max HP from 62 to 74 (+12)
Category:Empires of Arcadia Episodes