Episode 95: Digging Up The Past

As the team recovers from a long day James attempts to reason with the powers that be, and Siv revisits his roots in the back alleys of Terlis. But when it becomes clear they have few options left, the HOB venture to dig up the past in hopes of a more peaceful future…

###### **DM/GM Intro**

It started as a simple Dungeon Run, in a simpler time before the pursuit of truth made everything so complex. These 5 adventurers, each from a different part of Aïn, were forged into a team the day they found The Secret Keeper's Amulet. It brought them into contact with the Natural Order, a group of Wizards searching for the lost Wardens, the 100 foot tall elemental beings who had kept the peace for generations. The mighty Wardens had been captured and held in dangerous locations across the realms. A wizard of the Natural Order named Torvalt "the timid" informed the team that their discovery of The Secret Keeper's Amulet made them the most important people in the world. With it they could unlock the Wardens hidden memories, visions of Aïn's forgotten history and clues about the grave threat the Wardens were created to fight. In their quest to learn more, the heroes of Bingle journeyed to Terlis, James' hometown, where the only surviving document from the fabled Aureate Age was held under lock and key. James' old mentor, a member of the Natural Order named Hermil Fesh, led them to the book only to see a mysterious figure from Siv's past steal it right out from under them. To make matters worse, Terlis was in a state of lockdown. An arcane murder had prompted the Chief Regent of Terlis, Persa Samuels, to institute a Moratorium on Magic in the city strictly prohibiting spell casting outside the walls of Nightstone Abbey, the school where Fesh taught spell craft. Other faculty members of the Abbey were tasked with enforcing the Moratorium alongside the city guard. One such wizard was Audric Lucern, a festidious rules keeper who insisted the team quarantine their baby phoenix companion, Meep. They refused and Lucern ended up dead, slain in the exact manor Uggo had publicly threatened. Though they were innocent the heroes of Bingle were wanted for the crime and forced to flee the city in the cover of night. The team continued to track down and free the Wardens; Storm Warden, Inferno Warden, the Typhoon Warden, each time the Amulet granted them a glimpse from the past. With each new discovery, new questions. They learned that their were 5 Wardens in total though the world only knew of 4, and they began to piece together the roster of shadowy operatives who had managed to take the Wardens captive.
[8:59 AM]
Fardinald Ertinfert a mad scientist, Yan Mo an amphibious warrior, Vik a sly con artist who had stolen the book in Terlis, and their leader the powerful spell caster known as the Ashen Mage. Their adventure also took the team back in time 22 years where they witnessed the rediscovery of a magical sword hilt that looked strangely reminiscent of The Secret Keeper's Amulet. When they finally came face to face with the Ashen Mage atop the volcano known as Skyscorcher Peak, she attempted to recruit Fahima Tadhg into her cabal. But that offer angered Vik who smashed an ornate urn held by the Ashen Mage unleashing a torrent of hideous creatures into the realms. In the ensuing weeks these demons had ravaged the lands attacking towns and cities alike. The heroes found a connection to the demons and to Ertinfert the inventor with the Orcs of Ook Duun and Thorn. They traveled to Thorn where Uggo's brother ruled and defeated a vile Aboleth that had corrupted the citizens with an unquenchable rage. Uggo overthrew his brother and became the new War Chief of Thorn, but faced an impossible dilemma in the city. To give his people back their resolve he sacrificed his connection to his ancestors, transferring their energy into symbols of life, death and a connection to the past. But the result was that Uggo was weakened, every ounce of experience and skill he had gained as a Barbarian was lost and he was reduced to a low level Paladin of the Candle Queen. When the team returned to Terlis to consult once again with Hermil Fesh and Torvalt "the timid" they quickly learned just how impactful Uggo's sacrifice would be to their quest. A horde of angry demons breached the Northern wall of the city and in repelling the attack, Uggo was knocked unconscious and the team nearly defeated. Though they were in direct violation of the Moratorium during their battle with the demons, Lily's seeming spell had disguised them as a merry band of musicians and they were able to talk their way out of further prosecution from the guards. Remembering that their time traveling adventure had placed the mysterious sword hilt in a bank vault in Terlis, they disguised themselves once again and negotiated their way inside. Though the magical item was held deep within a diabolical trap, the team confidently guess the password to the safe on their first try and gained access to the vault. What they found inside was a small stack of unusual gold coins stamped with a dragons profile and a chest with the hilt still inside. Returning to Fesh's office in Nightstone Abbey, Fahima cast identify to glean the items magical properties, and what she learned was astonishing. They held in their hands ,The God Slayer Blade. A weapon so powerful it could only be charged by you, the Watchers of the Timestream. In your wisdom, your judgement and your interaction, you alone have the ability to decide when and where such force should be used. As we ended last week, the team reckoned with the immensity of what they had found as well as their precarious position inside the city. Having seen the exiled citizens of the Shantytown to the North slaughtered by demons, Siv's fury toward the ruling class threatened to overtake him and James' slow transformation into something demon like at the hands of his dark Patron compelled Fesh to reveal the similar story of Freesha Pol. A cautionary tale that did not bode well for the Warlocks future. Still wanted fugitives in Terlis, the team also inquired about Jorl the merchant who was arrested for doing business with them. Fesh revealed that Nightstone Wizards were responsible for detecting magic within the prison as Persa Samuels was still clinging to the perceived security of the Moratorium. We pick up this week as the heores of Bingle continue to recognize that nothing is simple anymore.