Session Notes

Below is where I will post my DM notes from the sessions I run. Each session will be broken into chapters with individual headings, as I do for the games. These notes will hopefully serve as a reminder of all the main events that have taken part throughout the campaign, and can be used as a reference for any player looking back for a specific event in the future.

I will also publish any flavor text that I have written for the games.

For obvious reasons each games session notes will not be published until after the game has happened.

### Prologue

The year is 549 of the 3rd Age of Malthoria and King Tytos Malthor sits on the thrown. The land of Malthoria is consumed with the talk that magic is returning to the world. It seems for what ever reason after the many years of darkness in the second age, the gods have reconnected with their creation and are granting powers to a select few. However, such with all good news, this is underlined by the whispers that there are some who plot to use this new found magic to take the kingdom by force.

As the Summer months draw to a close and the days grow shorter, many of the inhabitants of Malthoria are a buzz with the news that the king & queen are expecting a new child after the tragic loss of their infant son twenty odd years ago. This could mean a new prince to eventually take the thrown. But, will he make it down that path or will the interference of others cause him to have an unexpected destiny?

## **Book One: A Good Time to Start**

### Chapter 1: A fresh Start (18/09/15)

9:48 pm. The 17th day of the 9th month. Daronvail.

The party begin in the small town of Daronvail, a day’s ride along the north road from Dagthon. It is a dark night and the rain drums heavy on the Blue Moon Inn, although this does not dampen the spirits of the 30 odd people sat within. A smell of burning oak from the fireplace mixes in the air with Mrs Hodson’s beloved meat stew and laughter and loud conversation fills the room. An odd bunch sit in the corner, discussing something among themselves and, like the others around them, swigging from the drinks in front of them. Then suddenly someone crashes through the front door, looks around and without saying anything falls to the ground. The figure is a dwarf; drenched through, with fresh deep cuts covering his body and a wild gaze in his eyes.

“Help. Me. Help. Me. Help. Me…”

The party then:

* Rescued the dwarf and took him to a local guild for aid.
* Spoke to Jeremy Cloud about the local news they had heard of shipments going missing.
* Went off into the night with a shipment of Blue Moon Ale.
* Were attacked by a band of Orcs that were investigating a fallen wagon.
* Found a map that lead them to what appeared to be the Orc's base camp
* Defeated a Ogre that was guarding the entrance to a derelict stone building and a set of stairs leading down to an orange glow.

### Chapter 2: Deep Trouble (16/10/15)

2:17 am. The 18th day of the 9th month. Four and a half hours ride North of Daronvail off of the northeast track.

The rain continues to fall heavy and shows know sign that it is stopping. The freshly decided body of the ogre sinks into the mud face down,if it still had a face. Three people stand at the opening to what seems to be a huge stone temple, however no religious symbols can be seen. Perhaps eroded by the Malthorian weather over time. Bits of pillar and rock lay scattered about, although after being outside for some time now, anything looks better than the rain.

Perhaps this is why the smallest of the party has made his way to the threshold of the building; or perhaps it is a genuine bravery and curious nature that drives him forward. What drive little Bish Buntings forward is unknown, however what is clear is he can make out a set of stairs leading
down and a figure locked in a cage in the back of the room.

* The Party cautiously open the cage and free the inhabitant, a woman by the name of Arnwua, who reluctantly decides to help them, informing them of a list of things. This includes, the terrible fate of the missing tradesmen, who are either forced to dig till they die or kept as food for the ogres who guard the site. As well as this a strange plague that is infecting the workers and orcs, and slowly transforming them in to a rat like race.

* Cayden bravely takes the lead down into the depths of the ruin and finds a huge underground excavation site. 2 orcs sit on ledge of a bridge looking over the workers below, and with one quick swoop, Cayden ties a rope round each orcs neck and pushes them off the ledge, hanging them both instantaneously.
* The huge chasm is filled with wooden bridges, Leading down to a blood red gem in the center of the excavation, being uncovered by mutated rat-orc workers. A strange, horned priest wearing a thick brace on one arm is reading from an ancient dusty tome, conducting some kind of ritual to the gem before him & a shadowy figure wearing black crow feathers around his neck watches on.
* Although managing to defeat the feather wearing man, the ritual is completed and the gem cracks open. From inside a strange looking man, his skin rotting and his black robes ragged, steps forth claiming to be 'The Plague master'.
* Arnwua try's her best to pierce the horned priest, but as she stands at his back, thrusting her blades towards him the floor cracks and erupts with a swarm of flesh eating rats. The horned priest and 'The Plague Master' leave through a portal to return to the Priest's "Lord".
* Party run as the place fills with the filth ridden rodents and Arnwua is dragged under, along with the other workers, who are devoured instantaneously, their flesh ripped from their bones within seconds. The pressure of the rats swarming through the cracks in the rock causes a huge cave in, sealing Arnwua's tomb behind them.
* The Party head back to Daronvail in silence through the rain and as the reach the hill looking down on their safe haven, only to find to their horror, its on fire. Strange rat folk run loose among the streets, lead by mutated rat-ogres. They are met by a town guard who tells them that the refugees are headed to Dagthon and the guards will hold the attack off as long as they can.

### Chapter 3: The long road that lies ahead (06/11/15)

6:23 am. The 18th day of the 9th month. Just south of Daronvail.

As the cart trundles along, the thick black smoke bellows out from Daronvale, siloeted against the rising sun behind them. The rain from the days before has finally calmed to a light drizzle, but the damage has been done and the south road is covered in mud that has been washed down from the hillsides. The four riders sit in silence, the shock of the night’s events rushing through their mind. In the distance a crowd of people flock in the same direction. Refugees. How quickly things can change, and yet for all the misfortunes and terrors from the night’s events one thing stands positive. The four friends now have purpose in their life. Revenge for Arnwua, retrieve what is theirs or a quest for answers; all now have a reason to be.

After a short ride the wagon catches up with the rabble of people and the four riders make their way to the front. A woman leads the pack.

* The party met up with familiar faces and new allies. The herd of people were being lead to their safety by a young lady named Emmaleen Perkins; accompanied by Mr Hodson of the Blue Moon Inn where the party had met the night before, who explained that his wife was tragically killed in the fire the night before. Also among the crowd was a man by the name of Thelonious Mett, a shaggy haired, bearded man wearing an eye patch.
* During the night, whilst Cayden sits on watch, a rustling is herd from the tree line of Black Oak Forest, but before anyone can be alerted, Cayden is struck by darts and passes out. In the morning two things become apparent, the darts had a strange black feather on the end and the only child of Mr & Mrs Hodson is now missing!
* The party (joined by Thelonious) quickly decide to make their way into the forest to find the missing child and bring the culprits to justice. After traveling for a few hours, the group stumbled upon a strange cabin in the woods. What was truly strange however, was that although she had never been there in her whole life, Emmaleen recognized it.
* It is soon discovered through a family picture and journal that this cabin was somehow connected to Emmaleen and her father who in turn had connections to a league of assassins known as The Order of the Black Crow. What was more shocking however is what the group found in the basement. Upon hearing a noise coming from below it was discovered that the Hodson child (Holly) was being used as a test subject. She was strapped to a metal table by a large mesh of chicken wire that was cutting into her naked body. Above the frighten child's head was a pipe connected to a large vat of the a yellow substance; a virus of some sort.
* Before the party had time to question the girl or explore the selves of documents, a horde of mutated rat like ghouls attacked the cabin. After a bloody but valiant fight, in which Orlac (and possibly Bish) were infected by the mutants blood; the same stuff Holly Hodson was forcefully exposed to and the cabin was burned to the ground, the party were surrounded by the resident elves of Black Oak Forest. They were then taken by force to the elves Headquarters, The Black Oak, knocked out by the same darts as Cayden the night before and Thelonious was left for dead.
* The party awoke shackled by chains to a wall in a small room with a uniformed elf who tried to interrogate the party as to what they were doing in the forest. However the party managed to escape. Whilst the group tried find a way out Orlac did a quick surveillance of the area and found Holly locked in a cell. However it seemed that the virus had taken hold of her. She started contorting, spouting out a strange language and telling Orlac that "The Plague Lord" is coming to bring a reckoning to the world in a deep voice. Then without warning the contortions became more violent until Orlac had to put her out of her misery with a painful scream.
* Orlac then returned to the interrogation room where Ed had located the party and showed them a way out through a small window.

### Chapter 4: The Sea of Time  (08/01/16)

* The party start to run through the forest with no clear idea of direction, only knowing they want to put as much space between The Black Oak and them as possible. Unfortunately luck was not on their side and they quickly reached a huge chasm too wide and deep to jump. With the sounds of the Elves hot on their heels, the party banded together to unwedge a large fallen oak from a divot in a rock nearby. However it took longer then they had hoped and although they manged to prize it from its resting place they elves arrived as they began to cross.
* The party did all they could to slow the elves, entangling them in roots and firing arrows at they enemy but this forced the party to rush across the makeshift bridge, causing the smallest of the group, Bish, to plummet to his death. Although devastated by the loss of their ally and friend there was no time to morn and the crew kept running.
* Shortly after they stumbled across a clearing, a momentary rest to compose themselves and realize what had happened to their fallen comrade. However as soon as sanctuary had been given, it was taken away with the momentary realization that there was a low, strange humming sound coming from a blue orb floating in the center of the clearing. Upon further investigation the orb appears to not only summon whoever gaze's upon it to touch it against their will but also melts the unfortunate soul who's will is not strong enough to resist.
* The Orb however seemingly transported the party to the yellow mountains far in the north as the sun was rising. Quickly the party searched for shelter on the mountain side and made their way towards a small cave light by a glowing light. Upon exploration the party found three points of interest. A fire, a door standing solitary in the center of the room and a message written on the wall that read "Follow the four finger man". The door is inspected and although it seemingly leads to nowhere, with the observer being able to walk around it, one by one the party open and enter it, walking towards a blinding light and the sound of calm waves. Bish is the last to enter, sticking around to full examine the situation.
* The party find themselves the other side of a small shed door on a floating island,smooth to the touch with blue tribal tattoos covering the surface. A few trees providing shade and as their eyes adjust to the bright light, the realize they are not alone. Sitting at the edge of the island is a gnome, peacefully fishing. Whether he has noticed the party or not, he pays no attention to the newcomers. One of the party asks him where they are and without taking his focus off his pole he explains to them that his name is Continuum. The party continue to ask question but continuum only answers in strange riddles. He explains that this is the begging of all time and that time is not linear as most mortals perceive it. Any event that has happened in the past can be re-viewed in the sea of time that they float upon. All the events that have been lived by any mortal, weather they are along the time line in a linear fashion or have been jumped to prematurely, come to the beginning of time. "It is as easy as flicking through the pages of a book and selecting the moment you wan to see, however it is not always wise to do so". The party also ask him about the strange smoothness of the island and what continuum is fishing for. He tells them that they are upon the back of a giant turtle and that although he has been fishing for over a thousand years as mortals perceive it, he is yet to catch something. In a million to one coincidence, If coincidence exists, at that very moment a giant carp jumped out of the water and swallowed the whole turtle, including all the riders.
* The party awaken, still dripping in a strange tent, the sounds and smells of a busy market outside. As they exit their new surroundings, they realize they are in the streets of Dagthon. Among the crowd is a tall ginger figure; Thelonious. However there is something different about him, he is not wearing a eye patch. Before the group can reach him to question his change they are stopped by a pickpocket, who tries to rob Orlac. He runs at realization that he has been caught and in his panic falls from the wall he climbs to escape, breaking his neck as he hits the ground. Upon further inspection he has a note on him that explains that he will be paid to assassinate the group.What also becomes clear is that he has 4 fingers and a black feather on his person. The party guess he was headed to a nearby shop in the cliff face.
* The Shop in question is 'Mr Techizakie's Curiosities" and sure enough inside is the small bug eyed gnome Mr. Techizakie. At the first mention of the crow feather he changes his friendly attitude to one of hostility driven by fear. However with some 'persuasion' he reveals that the Order of the Black Crow have their city HQ beneath his shop, deep in the rock of the city's natural walls.
* Portal room and Cayden's Bracelet
* Museum and murder.

### Chapter 5: Continuum & Ultimatum (19/02/16)

* Esacape the museum
* the moving platforms
* Space between time
* The Wasteland
* The fighting pit

### Chapter 6: A shortcut to the end (25/03/16)

* Ultimatum's ansers
* The book
* the libary and the vision
* the door to the end