History - Book 2 - Home Fires

History - Book 2 - Home Fires

Having
 narrowly evaded Grey Legion scouts, the party of Trailblazers became
lost in a magical storm and wandered in vane, searching to find their
way back Cold Hearth. Tired and stalked by the region’s boreal giants.
The party decided the best course of action was to try and find the
magical leystone controlling the local weather and shut it down.

During
 the overland escape the ranger, Aythas had a strange dream within which
 he occupied the body of a Faun Long-Knight of the Grey Legion, named
Aoz. During the experience he questioned a captured female Boreal Giant
as to the nature of the magical storm stranding them in the wilderness.
She may have known, but refused to divulge any secrets she may have
possessed.

In
 the end she attempted to free herself from the fanatics and Aythas
drove a blade through her heart. Preventing the Grey Legion from
locating the Leystone at the heart of the storm and inadvertently buying
 the Trailblazers additional time.

The elf awoke to see the baby, St. Ethereal watching him contently.

Continually
 running afoul of the local wildlife the Party eventually made their way
 to a much more temperate valley, and the apparent home of the leystone
they sought.

Inside
 the valley they found abandoned cities, farms and villages. Delicate
structures of wood and stone that seemed almost wholly abandoned save
for a shy, pigmy frog race that called themselves the Pollywogs.

The
 creatures told the Party that the valley had once belonged to the North
 Elves, a magically advanced race that had civilized the Pollywogs and
taught them to read.

The
 Party (assisted by a brave, Pollywog scout, named Wetleaf) made their
way to the Magerium, a structure where the most powerful minds of the
elves had once gathered to shape their impressive civilization.

Inside
 the cracked tower they met Kol, a seemingly sapient suit of armour. Kol
 demonstrated his skill in enchantment and willingness to discuss what
he called - the Valley of the Greys, with the Party. Stating that his
lover, the head mage of the elves had left with her people to deal with
the Geld during the height of the barbarian’s power. Neither the elves
nor the Geld ever returned to the vale, but Kol instinctively knew his
mate yet lived, even if she seemed unable to return to him.

Kol
 promised to help the Party make use of the Valley if one day they
helped him determine the fate of his love in turn. They agreed to his
terms and set to work determining all the tasks set before them.

At
 the Leystone they were able to adjust the magical storm to allow the
Party and Pollywogs to come and go as they needed, but left the storm
active to strand their Grey Legion pursuers.

Kol
 advised that many steps were required to make the valley habitable
again. Ley-crystals would be needed to fix the Magerium and choose a
more suitable weather system. Stone to rebuild and rededicate the temple
 district. Wood to mend the houses and stoke the hearths, as well as
metals to repair blades and make tools.

The
 Party left to bring the other Southern outcasts to the Valley of the
Greys. With the illusionary storm quelled for them, they could once more
 find their way back to Cold Hearth unhindered.

Partway
 there they stumbled across a clearing, one that had recently been setup
 as a huge campsite. Smouldering fires, snowless patches where tents had
 rested and the body of a slain, female, Boreal Giant. A quick search of
 the body led Aythas to the conclusion that it was indeed the giant he
had killed while possessing the Faun legionnaire.

Almost
 as soon as they’d made that revelation St. Ethereal began to laugh and
coo in Aaron’s arms. Reaching out towards the forest to the east. Soon a
 figure baring a torch appeared, followed by several more.

As
 if by a miracle the refugees from Cold Hearth (plus hundreds more new
arrivals) had set out looking for a new home. Led by a mysterious woman
named Uma, they had travelled north-west and become lost in the magic
storm.

Elder
 Snowfang was with them and swiftly promised the young king a long
coming discipline session for running away, and offered to assist
getting the people to the Party’s newly discovered refuge.

Brale
 and Wetleaf offered to show everyone the way, while Hugh, Korr and the
ranger scoured the nighttime woods looking for stragglers (of which they
 saved 280 additional souls from the unknown horrors of the
Hinterlands).

The Party got their people settled in dilapidated homes and set off, after a night’s rest, to find the Ley-crystals.

Kol
 advising them that the hot-springs the Pollywogs called home (and
maintain the warmer temperatures) were failing and when they did the
winter would return with a vengeance to the region.

Determined
 to not let that happen the Party travelled to Warpbend Vale in the the
north-east end of the valley; searching for Ley-crystals in order to
repair the Magerium and choose a new weather system for their refuge.

The
 Trailblazers were set upon by the denizens of the Warpbend Vale;
primeval lizardkin - hungry and territorial haunted the underground
jungles of the crystal caverns - vicious Monitors (half
human-troglodytes) and Feral Trawls (half-ogre-troglodytes) larger than
trolls did their best to pull the Party under, but not only did the
Trailblazers survive, but made the most remarkable of meetings.

A
 young South Elf druid, Ashyrah and her white tiger companion, Kane were
 also in search of Ley-crystals to fix the weather system. Having
arrived weeks ago in the Valley she avoided every type of creature and
trap along the was as she broke the same path the Trailblazers
eventually followed.

Joining forces, the Party was soon lured into a meeting with Warpbend’s mistress - a conniving green hag by the name of Anagh.

Her
 creeping voice echoed out through her lair; sugared words that bespoke
of help and knowledge. She claimed Anagh and her sisters knew the
future, having seen what the Party would face. She said she was a Sow of
 Geld, one of the dead Lich’s many wives. The hag promised to tell them
what happened to the North Elves. She told them her sisters could aid
them in their fights to come; all for the price of two sacrifices a year
 to their fiendish coven.

The
 Party saw through her temptations, knowing such creatures for the
miscreants they were. As they entered her cauldron-room they slew the
beast and seized the Ley-crystals she had been hoarding. The ominous
threat that Anagh’s older sisters were still out there, and no doubt
angered by the youngest’s demise lingering on.

Returning
 to the Magerium, the Trailblazers were instructed by Kol on how to fix
the tower’s exterior with the crystals. Wetleaf eagerly volunteered to
install the stones and the party made their way to the Leystone to mend
the climate.

Three options were available to them:

1. a star weather system that would reduce the light of the vale and encourage the growth of both edible and useful mushrooms.
2. a permanent autumnal season that would balance the choice between light and darkness, warmth and cold.
3. an arid clime that would maximize light and warmth at the cost of harsher growing conditions.

Not
 fully grasping what their choice entailed the Trailblazers opted for
the moderate one. Turning the Valley into an Autumnal paradise they
watched as an arc-wave resonated from the stone. Transforming the tall
conifer trees of the vale in to brightly coloured deciduous ones. The
snow fading away into a light frost and the amazed Pollywog’s skins
becoming every individual hue of the rainbow.

Knowing
 the people of the vale would need fire and proper shelter the party
ventured forth into Coldscar Forest next. Within the haunted woods they
fought through foul Treeblights and corrupted giants.

Worn
 and weary they located a set of caves amid a hill overgrown with vines
and avoided the trap in front of them. The party sent Wetleaf down the
smaller of the two tunnels and entered the larger of the two cave
entrances.

Moving
 cautiously they heard sobbing in the depths and Aythas spotted
something large slinking through the many side-tunnels that crisscrossed
 the cave system.

In
 a room with a cold cauldron set over a pile of human bones they found a
 young woman trapped inside a giant bird cage. The girl called out to
them, begging to be freed before the hag returned.

Korr
 slashed the bottom of the prison with his great sword and freed the
woman, as the animal companions with them began to growl and panic,
glancing nervously around the room.

Ashyrah
 and Aythas readied their bows when the tunnel behind them exploded into
 movement as the sleeping bats overhead fled en masse from the caverns.

Immediately the firepit exploded brightly and the bones within began to burn and smoke foully.

The girl warned them it was the hag and the group shored up ranks; ready for anything.

Smoke-like
 mist billowed through the chamber from the fireplace, rising to the
ceiling and plunging the whole area into a dense, pea-soup fog.

“I know why you have come,” a sinisterly growling voice rumbled from the gloom behind Korr.

“And I know it was you that killed my sister,” the unseen hag hissed into Brale’s ear.”

Unlike her sister, the Annis hag Girtha had no interest in parlay; only vengeance.

Korr
 heard something shift in the fog and slashed about, his blade somehow
skewering the young woman they had freed. Her eyes pleaded in bewildered
 hurt and confusion as she slipped from the greatsword’s edge. But the
illusion of the dying girl soon shattered to be replaced by an immense
and haggard woman looming from the mist to gleefully attack the party.
There had never been a female prisoner at all - only more hag trickery.

Girtha
 raged within the thick fog, as big as a bear and twice as vicious, her
immense claws and razor teeth savaged the Trailblazers. While her
iron-like hide and impressive spell resistance turned aside many of the
party’s most powerful attacks.

The battle raged, the hag using the limited visibility to her advantage in melee.

Ashyrah sent her tiger Kane out to locate the errant Wetleaf as Aythas moved in to give support to Brale and Korr.

The
 archer’s approach proved disastrous though as Girtha seized upon him,
tearing the western elf in two before Korr’s blade could end her or Hugh
 Mann’s magic could save him.

“You’ll all die,” cursed the hag as she choked to death on her own blood. “You’ll all die!”

Girtha fell and the party mourned the tragic passing of their friend.

Taking care, the party wrapped the elf’s body in his sleeping roll and created a stretcher to bear him home.

\*

On
 the return trip the Oracle, Hugh Mann awoke in an luxurious bed chamber
 fit for a king. How he had gotten there or where exactly he was still
eluded him by the time there was a rap on the door to the bedroom.

Three men, all supplicated themselves before him as they informed him were there to dress him and ready him for the day.

As
 they sat him within a chair before a large silver mirror, Hugh suddenly
 realized who’s body he was inhabiting. As the men placed an opulent hat
 upon his powdered brow, he knew he was inside the very body of the literal Pope of
the Dour Faith - Sul Dul!

Soon
 after an armoured woman entered, casual and sweating she called Hugh,
father, and seemed far less concerned with his position then everyone
else in the bed chamber.

The
 woman later identified as Annea was confirmed to be Sul Dul’s daughter.
 She had just returned from some violent campaign and was already making
 plans to push north after the last of the free refugees. But before
setting off as planned she’d stop in to see her parents and enjoy the
pleasures of the city .

Playing it cool, Hugh invited her to attend the interrogation of a man they were informed the Grey Legion had just captured.

Heading
 into the dungeon of the huge mansion they occupied the Oracle was
greeted by the sight of his former foster parent- the Mayor of the small
 southern town he had fled from.

Standing over the bloodied man was a cruel looking priest - Pirennius, the master torturer.

“Do
 you know what a child is, Mr. Mayor?” snarled the priest as a young
beaten girl, the mayor’s own daughter was dragged before him in chains.
“It is an exploitable weakness!”

The mayor begged for mercy for his child and the priest sneered.

“The boy’s name or your daughter’s life!”

“Hugh Mann,” the old man mewled. “Please. The boy’s name is Hugh Mann. He went north. We sent him north.”

Pirennius
 leaned in and patted the mayor’s shoulder, “If your words prove false
your girl shall join her mother amongst the crucified.”

Hugh cleared his throat and the old priest bowed, welcoming the dour pope.

The cruel man relayed his concern over Hugh Mann’s escape, and stressed that the mark the boy bore was one of ill-portent.

This made Annea snort in amusement, mocking the priest’s superstition.

Hugh
 feigned support of the priest and ordered the old mayor re-imprisoned
to avoid suspicion. After he’d bid the pope’s daughter goodbye he sought
 out the team organizing her expedition to the Hinterlands.

Tinitus,
 the quartermaster in charge of the trip north was overwhelmed to see
the most powerful man in the world had casually come into his office.
Obviously willing to help, the soldier quickly acquiesced to Hugh’s
demands for detailed information on the northern campaign, and a new,
more opulent hat.

The
 officer explained about the Vanguard force the legion had dispatched in
 to the Hinterlands (a brigade of hardened troops, led by The
Long-Knights Carveer and Aoz) and went into extensive detail about how
the legion used birds, from the size of tiny pigeons all the way up to
enormous rocs to drop supplies and equipment anywhere in the Wurld they
were required.

Thinking
 quickly, the Trailblazer’s Oracle ordered the quartermaster to send two
 expensive diamonds and 2 scrolls of resurrection to the abandoned
legion camp outside the Valley. Tinitus agreed to do as instructed just
as Hugh awoke in his own body far in the north.

Across
 from him in a cold glade, the young man opened his eyes to see the baby
 St. Ethereal staring at him. The infant barely swaddled despite the
frosty chill in the air, his glowing face filled with delight. Hugh gave
 the child a wink and then moved to rouse the rest of the party.

\*

The
 group sojourned to the old camp outside the valley. The body of the
giantess Aythas had slain during his own dream-possession now looked
picked over by birds and carrion eaters.

In a wet fire-pit they found a small package. Inside were two precious scrolls of resurrection and two egg-sized diamonds.

But
 their work was far from done. They had the means to bring back the
dead, but no one powerful enough to wield it. The solution came in the
construction of a new temple within the heart of Majere, the North Elf
city. A proper place to worship the gods would draw the sort of person
they would need to bring the ranger back from the Happy Hunting Grounds.
 And the stone they required to do that was located at Stone’s Throw
Quarry, far to the north.

Leaving
 Aythas body to be watched over (and likely experimented on) by the
inscrutable Kol, the Trailblazers found the quarry submerged beneath a
lake of deep, frigid water all entombed beneath a solid foot of ice.

Using
 Ashyrah’s unfortunate sickle as an improvised pick, Korr carved a
sizeable hole in the ice. While the party debated who would be diving in
 to check things out.

Eventually
 the druid was volunteered and she transformed into a giant otter to
swim down and do some recon. The otteress made it approximately sixty
feet before she came across a pair of blue eyed, undead elven warriors
that stood on the bed of the frigid lake. The creatures turned to look
at her and she zipped back up to the surface, her exploration and desire
 to die foolishly for what was essentially a group of absolute strangers
 completed for the remainder of the day.

Still
 lacking for options Korr slipped into the water. The Ura’s thick,
natural coat providing more protection against the biting cold than
anyone else’s. Slowly, (freezing as he also suffocated) the big wolf-man
 swam around the submerged pit, noting an old escalator/ladder at the
north end that the elves had once used to haul minerals to the surface,
and a pile of heavy debris at the southern end. Mixed in amongst all
that were around 8 or so undead elves.

Korr retuned to the group and advised the rest of the expedition what he’d discovered.

It
 was agreed upon that Korr would need help shifting the debris to see
what was under it. That would require the reluctant druid’s help again.
Rest would be required to recharge her shape-change ability so camp was
struck.

Ashyrah
 hunted for meat, while Brale camouflaged their campsite. Wetleaf
cooking up whatever they found for dinner, as Korr and Hugh took shifts
on guard.

During
 Korr’s late night watch two of the undead scaled the frozen escalator
and chopped through the lake ice with their rusted swords. The party
roused and Hugh clearly identified the monsters as winter-wights.

Deadly,
 due to their ferocity and ability to rapidly drain soul energy from the
 living, the party made plans to dispatch them posthaste.

The
 creatures ran heedlessly towards them one at a time. With fire, arrows
and steel the party put them down permanently and without a scratch.

In
 the morning they cut a new hole down by the east end of the quarry (an
effort that ruined Ashyrah’s fine sickle) working as a team the party
used ropes and muscle-power to clear the debris, crushing some of the
wights beneath heavy rocks and timbers as they crashed to the lakebed.

Once cleared, they discovered a sheet of ice sealing up a tunnel on the other side.

Brale
 dove down and used fire magic to blast the barrier away. Immediately
the reverse pressure began to suck the water from the quarry,
threatening to pull the Fel down with it. Fortunately Korr and the rest
of the group was there to drag her to safety as they stood back and
watched tons of unsupported lake ice crash down on the remaining
undead.

Within
 a few hours they were able to climb down into the drained pit and
approach the formerly hidden tunnel. Ice and pooling water covered
everything, including a sloped passage that ran under the earth.

Cautiously
 they moved over the grates where the lake water had disappeared into
and climbed a sharp incline to discover a fire-lit room with a large
dangling bird cage attached to the ceiling.

Sensing
 de ja vu to the last hag's lair the Trailblazers approached cautiously
and noted two ice covered Fell-hounds lounging in the chamber.

Korr
 rushed in taking the beasts by surprise, the party followed his lead
and the planar mongrels were utterly destroyed within a few moments.

Within the cage a young man, who they mistook as a half-elf at first blush, sat bundled in a set of billowing black robes.

“I am Nate Detheborne,” the figure introduced himself. “I have been trapped in this cage for two-years and know much about the hag you shall face.”

Then without even an inhale Nate told them he was really a dhampir, and that he had come to learn magic from the hag. But that hadn’t worked out and
 so now he was willing to tell them all he knew of his former mistress
in return for setting him free and letting him gather his weapons and
equipment.

The
 party debated on the wisdom of freeing yet another prisoner from a hag
lair, but eventually relented. Nate blathered through the process to
free him, leading the party to gather that he was both younger and less
sane than they’d first assumed - or at least he behaved that way.

The dhampir gathered up his supplies from a chest hidden within the
illusionary fire in the centre of the room, and gave a raw potato to
each Trailblazer as a reward for liberating him.

Nate then told them the monster they faced was a Winterhag named Helgha, and that she was a mistress of cold magic. He also assured them that her vulnerability would be to flames.

The
 party decided to exit the tunnels and swap spells; awaiting an
empowering arc-wave from the leystone in the center of the vale.

Once they had been divinely inspired they reentered and began to hunt the monstrous witch in earnest.

They
 discovered a door, near the back of the chamber where Nate had been
imprisoned. Wetleaf spotted a trap and disarmed it, before popping the
door open to reveal Helgha herself on the far side of a large, empty
room.

Korr and half the party advanced only to discover the hag was an illusionary image setup in an attempt to split the party.

Back
 in the fake fire-pit, where Nate had retrieved his items from earlier
the Winterhag dropped her invisibility and began weaving arctic
energies. Instantly, a wall of ice sprang into existence sealing off the
 door to the new chamber, trapping half the party inside and stranding
the other half in the hallway with her.

Brale,
 Nate and Ashyrah cast fire spells at the ice wall, weakening it as the
other tried to break through it with their weapons. Magically enhanced,
Kane rushed the hag and bit her with enough force to make her realize
she was facing formidable foes indeed.

Swirling
 air formed in her palm as the heroes destroyed her icy barrier within
ten seconds of her erecting it. Biding her time she waited until the
majority of them were in the corridor before blasting the party with a
deadly cone of absolute cold.

The
 terrible frost froze poor Wetleaf solid as he jumped in front of
Ashyrah to protect her, while the druidess and her loyal tiger companion
 collapsed to the floor - lingering on death’s door.

Enraged
 at the Pollywog’s fate, Nate and Brale rushed to destroy the hag as
Hugh did his best to save the elf maiden and her animal.

Helgha’s
 damage reduction and natural spell resistance served her exceedingly
well against the party as wave after wave of fire and steel swept over
her harmlessly.

Knocking
 the barbarian prone as he attempted to set up a flank attack and
washing a wave of fatiguing energy over the whole party as they tried to
 mob her.

Finally Brale managed to clip her inside a fireball and Korr did his best to cut the legs out from under her.

The
 hag reared up, intent on beating the Ura to death with her staff -
right up until Brale’s last Scorching Ray blasted through her magical
barrier and burnt her down to a bubbling puddle of steaming goo.

Beaten
 and exhausted the Trailblazers claimed the hag’s stash from her secret
sanctuary and headed back to the city to tell the refugees it was time
to construct a proper temple to the gods.

\*

Two months passed and the Vale was greatly improved.

In
 the city proper, a Paladin hall to the Scions of Lebelon was
constructed. On the cliff-face overhead a hospital to heal the sick was
established. And lastly a pitch, pavilion and amphitheatre were all made
 to promote athletics and the arts.

The
 community grew from a determined town to an impressive city, as the
last of the refugees from the south arrived to help recapture the faded
glory of the abandoned elven empire.

In the government plaza the majority of citizens elected King Aaron to the
 role of Regent of the Vale, and appointed him a variety of advisors to
assist in the day to day operations of their new home.

The
 Trailblazers re-dedicated the temple to the Gods of Grace, appointing
Titanus’s high-priest - Life Coach Dinsmore - to direct its services.
With his help they resurrected their departed friends Aythas and
Wetleaf, before taking time off to build themselves a small hamlet to
live in and hone their newly acquired skills.

It
 was during one wind-swept morning a knock sounded out on the door of
Ashyrah’s new home. After some indecision and stalling she eventually
opened the door to speak with a slight, half-man (half-elf) who was
standing their. Odd of speech yet sharply dressed the dark-haired figure
 introduced himself as Deeter or Dirt or some such. Kane didn’t seem to
care for him, but the young man made an interesting proposition.

He
 said he had the knowhow to make a product for the Vale that would be
without equal. An herbal potion that would help folks chase away their
worries and become irresistible to the masses.

She expressed her doubts over the legality and safety of such a thing
and he assured her it was nothing nefarious. He simply didn’t know how
to grow the plants he needed in such a far-off place and wanted to
enlist the help of the region’s only druid - Ashyrah.

She
 told him she’d think about it and have to talk to her associates. He
smiled and assured her he’d have to do the same. Bidding her a good-day
he hobbled off towards some local farm he and his compatriots had taken
over, with a promise he’d be in touch.

Shortly
 after that a knock sounded out on Brale’s home, she engaged with the
fellow for a few moments, but when he refused to give his name through
her closed door or lower his cowl when the person he addressed stayed
hidden inside her home he decided to move on and the Fel female let
him.

Hugh
 Mann was visited by a family of sensible fans. Norm All and his wife
Ordina (maiden name Ree) and well as their two kids - Aver and little
Age. Together they had lunch and he showed them his new workshop.

Next
 Korr’s door was rapped upon, the Ura set his great sword behind the
portal and then swung it wide to greet his unexpected guest.

The
 cowled fellow removed his cloak to display the features of a Fel male.
The slate haired catfolk bowed and introduced himself as Sarrow. A
businessman and talent-hunter. He offered The barbarian a proposal, to
which Korr laughed at and closed the door in his face.

Brale
 spotted him, having been peeking through her front window, when she saw
 he was another member of her race, she ran out to greet him.

Sarrow
 seemed just as surprised to see another of his kind as she was, having
assumed the local alchemist was a human (at this point Brale changed
classes from Sorcerer to Alchemist of the same level with GM consent).

Sarrow
 was new to town and explained that he and his professionals had brought
 with them a great deal of money, tools and magic items, all liberated
from the Dour Faith before he and his comrades made their way north. He
promised enough help to turn the Vale into a proper country and all he
asked for in return was the right to collect taxes for the crown, have
access to anyone he wished to hire and the freedom to run his business
in an open market.

Not
 seeing how Sarrow could possibly profit off such an agreement Brale
became suspicious. She asked if he had approached King Aaron regarding
his business plans and he rebuffed the question. The Fel didn’t see the
halfling regent as anything more than a figurehead and knew it would be
the Trailblazers who would allow him to stay or not.

Brale
 advised that she would discuss the matter with her companions and
Sarrow thanked her before bidding the hamlet a fine day.

Later
 the party were invited to a ceremony and city renaming. The nobles and
court of Aaron wanted a chance to reward those who had risked more than
just their welfare to aid the refugees of the Vale. Along with this came
 finding a name for their new home that fully encapsulated all they were
 trying to do.

Along
 the way the female party members and Nate the necromancer stumbled upon
 a couple of Air Rangers from the newly established Search and Rescue
teams. A woman had stumbled off a cliff and they were trying to save
her.

After
 some indecision and a bunch of screaming, Ashyrah climbed down and
grabbed the woman. While Nate struggled to keep everyone from falling
over. Finally, Brale took hold of the sorcerer’s shoulder and managed to
 drag everyone to safety.

On
 a similar road to the capital the males of the party encountered two
Earth Guards from the Citizen’s Militia being attacked by a tree-blight.
 The two men had wounded the creature, but were definitely losing. The
adventures moved to engage and quickly dispatched the monster and saved
to men.

Afterwards
 Korr chastised the men for fighting so dangerous a foe, but the guards
shook their heads and remained resolute in their defence their new
home.

\*

At
 the castle the party found themselves underdressed and unprepared for
the newest wave of nobility that seemed to have join the community.
Racial slurs and biting comments were bantered about them in hushed
tones. The overall experience went a long way to show the Trailblazers
exactly what sort of people were latching onto the tiers of power and
trying to insinuate themselves into the Regent’s court.

The
 party’s standoffishness kept them milling about the entryway and the
entire group missed the renaming of the city from Majere to that of
Nascent; A fresh beginning and new start for their beleaguered people.

Eventually,
 drawn by either mischief, boredom or a sense of duty the group made
their way into the throne room and were summoned to the platform by
Aaron. The halfling boy stood on a raised walkway so he could look each
of them in the eye.

“Not
 everyone here knows how you helped us, but I do,” he told them. He
remembered how they kept him safe in the wilderness and found the very
city they now called home. For their courage and loyalty he awarded them
 all an Honour of the Vale medal. Each one a magical amulet that would
protect them in battle.

Thanking
 the Regent the party was applauded by the crowd and then stepped from
the dais. Hugh Mann, Brale, and Nate departed for home, while the elves
and Ura decided to stay and see what happened afterwards.

Korr
 began drinking and regaling the partygoers and one particular female
Ura of his exploits, while Aythas and Ashyrah glared at anyone who dared
 get to close to their personal space.

While
 unnoticed by anyone, Wetleaf spotted a little, green Polly he knew in
the crowd and slipped off with her to pursue their own night.

\*

In the morning, Korr and the elves awoke in the Magerium, to find Kol pouring over the map of the vale irritably.

“Is this your plan?” he asked snidely. “To party and drink until the Grey Legion finds you?”

Korr tried to brush off the comment saying they would fight a glorious battle if that occurred and Kol corrected him.

“It will be a glorious defeat.”

Aythas pressed the creature as to what it recommended and once more Kol pointed them towards the Blood-Tooth mines.

Korr
 snarled, feeling the automaton was once more pushing them into
excessive danger. The fear the last two hags had put into the party
lingered and there was still one more to go.

Kol
 reminded them that his advice so far had helped them establish a
burgeoning kingdom. While they could not refute his words, they at least
 could be as prepared as possible for what they may face in their next
endeavour.

The group met back up at the Hamlet just as Nate stashed the corpse of a goblin he had found around the back of his house.

Searching
 their new home libraries the group scanned for info on the mines of the
 Vale and any Dark Reach tunnels that may connect to them.

They found out several things regarding Blood-Tooth;

1. Non-Drow, Dark Reach enemies composed of Fire, shadow and earth have seized the mines.
2. The mines were once a powerful and evil Geld lair. Liberated by the elves

the new creatures that own the mines now may have breathed horrid life
back into the ruin.

1. The mines are very extensive and very prone to cave-in
2. Myceloid fungus had been a problem for the elves. A nuisance more than a real

danger the colonies had spores that could mind possess people and
transform them into more fungus.
.

After
 they studied up on the mines, Ashyrah and Brale told the party about
their visitors. The party all agreed they both sounded suspicious.

After
 much debate as to what they should do and in what order they should do
it, Brale suggested they reach out to St. Ethereal, the largely
overlooked deity they had been given to protect with their lives. The
blessed, fragile miracle that they couldn’t really answer with any
certainty as to where he might be from moment to moment.

Upon
 them wondering where he was at, the child appeared. Now a teenager, St.
 Ethereal explained that he was staying with the clergy at the rebuilt
temple.

He
 told them how the priests had had to tell him who he was and that the
party were not his family. The Trailblazer’s arms-length conversation
with the boy surely impacting how the god would feel about them later in
 life.

They
 questioned him as though he were their equal, none taking a knee or
beseeching his aide with any humility, yet gracious as he was, the deity
 answered them as best he could.

His
 answers were sadly cryptic, due to the fact he hadn’t really been told
by anyone what was right or wrong or even what the valley truly needed.
In the end he apologized for not being of more help.

When
 the party determined it would be best to deal with the strange
newcomers before the mines they left St. Ethereal standing alone in
their hamlet, without so much as a thank you for the god’s time.

Driven
 by their need to protect the valley and safeguard the future of their
endeavours, the Deity forgave their abrupt departure, but deep down he
wondered what sort of people his worshippers were now so dependent upon,
 and in the end he ponder would any of them matter as much to the
Trailblazers as the party’s own ambitions or the next adventure?

\*

The
 party located the farm being used by Deeter and his people. Fifty or so
 men and women clearing land and fixing buildings as they readied it for
 their use.

It
 was decided that deception would likely yield more answers than direct
confrontation so Brale summoned her owl Moshie and Ashyrah assumed the
form of a large raven.

Heading
 off to opposite ends of the farm. The alchemist’s owl entered the
barn’s loft and overheard a conversation between Deeter and his foreman
about making a sugary pop for the valley. And how they just needed the
druid’s help to make the sugar cane grow in colder conditions.

Ashyrah
 in the meanwhile snuck inside the house and while eavesdropping from
the stairs to the second floor heard two men arguing in the kitchen.

The
 gruffer of the two was displeased with only making beverages. He wanted
 to use the crew and land to grow poppies and start up a thriving drug
trade like he had in the south.

He planned to kill Deeter and kidnap Ashyrah if she didn’t willingly comply.

He then spotted the raven watching him from the stairwell and drew his knife.

“It’s just a raven, Carl,” argued the meeker man.

“There’s a druid in this valley,” Carl said. “A raven or a spy, don’t matter if it dies.”

He swiped at her, but Ashyrah managed to fly off before he could hurt her.

Back
 outside, as twilight approached the party agreed that the druidess
should go back in by herself to see if they could convince Deeter that
Carl was planning on betraying him without alarming Carl and having him
hurt Deeter before they could intervene.

Deeter
 was delighted to see her even as Carl stared at the elf lecherously.
Soon the ruse was up and Carl and his people readied to kill Deeter and
take the druid hostage. His plan lasted three whole seconds. That was
how long it took for Wetleaf, Kane and Maxine to leap upon Carl and
Aythas’ arrow to end his flailing life. His cohorts running off into the
 night like the cowards they were.

Deeter
 was both amazed and smitten with Ashyrah and thanked her profusely for
her assistance. She agreed to help him make his product, but suggested
they try stevia (an herb native to her cloud forest home) rather than
sugar.

Before
 they could celebrate more a man on a horse came running in like Hester
himself were chasing him. The party slowed the man and he dismounted in
huff, waggling his finger.

“I was just shaken down by a band of brigands! Those paladins are useless.”

When
 pressed on who had stolen from him the man indicated to a keep in the
distance. “A grey haired Fel and his cronies did it, and they said they
were working for you!”

 Travelling to Lake Empherene in the center of the Gray Vale they discovered an old keep in severe disrepair. The new occupants having erected a makeshift, wooden palisade around the portion of the keep where the stone walls had buckled in due to neglect.

The bandits within were clearly the ones they sought, and after a short lived battle the party entered the keep and confronted the brigands leader, a grey-furred Fel, Brale immediately recognized as Scarrow.

Having never received an answer from the Trailblazers, he and his people had fixed up a lair and had turned to banditry in order to sustain themselves. Yet one more problem for the seemingly overwhelmed party who were seeing signs of their indecision and absent-mindedness beginning to fester within their new homeland.

Taking pity on the Fel and his surviving men they decided to allow Scarrow an opportunity to set up tax-collection within the Vale - a decision they did not inform the Regent or his advisers of.

 Exhausted and frustrated the Trailblazers opted to return home to their hamlet for a rest before setting out to the Blood-Tooth Mines to deal with the final hag.

  May 11, 2020

After a fitful night’s sleep the Trailblazers awoke in their homes and began to prepare for the long walk to Bloody Tooth Mine. The notion of a fourth hag awaiting at the end of their journey weighing heavily upon all of them.

Ashyrah opened the door to her house and Kane rushed down the road towards Aythas’ cottage. As she exited, Deeter appeared at the edge of her garden gate. The soda-maker looked nervous and without even a good morning he began reciting a seemingly well rehearsed speech to the druid.

“Forgive me, I was raised by gnomes, so I only know their customs and not those of the elves. And as we all know life - much like a gnome - is very short.”

“I have come to begin a courtship with you, Ashyrah. I maybe shorter than the other half-elves you know, but I was assured by my foster parents that’s only due to the small house I was raised in. Half-elves, as we all know, can only grow as big as the environment they are kept within; that’s just hard science.”

\*He handed her a small cage\*

“To begin the wooing I offer you a small rodent, as is the time-honoured tradition. In this case a hamster. His name is Boo. He’s a giant, space hamster, only obviously miniaturized. He has agreed to watch over you and your property. I assure you he is most capable - a thirty year veteran by some accounts, he has the most outlandish stories about defending some far off place called Toril. But I digress, this is about a potential marriage, and not entertainment.”

Without a word the Southern elf pushed passed him and began to follow her tiger.  Undeterred, Deeter chased after her for a short-while.

“Is it Aythas, the ranger? Has he already won your heart? I am merely an exceedingly wealthily merchant with lands and titles, while he has what - an incredibly high constitution? How can I compete? An impressive specimen - I cannot fault you, my lady. Though, if you change your mind I shall be here!”

Ashyrah left the half-man behind and reached the cottage; only to find the front door standing wide open. She checked the property and found the ranger missing. His tracks leading into woods north of town.

Unable to change the fact the Western elf had departed in the night she made her way to the centre of the hamlet (temporarily named Riverside until they came up with a better name for it or not) and awaited the others.

Brale, the summoner-bard and her air eidolon Enzo arrived first, a newly resurrected Wetleaf in tow. Hugh Mann and the Ura barbarian Korr arriving shortly after.

15 minutes passed before the group started wondering where Aythas was, only to be dispassionately informed by the druid that he wasn’t in the hamlet.

Everyone cast concerned looks at each other. First over Ashyrah’s delay in relaying where Aythas was and then what could have befallen the ranger. When pressed on why she didn’t mention the Western elf’s disappearance earlier the druid shrugged and mumbled something about not being his keeper.

When asked if they had missed anything else that morning she replied with a succinct, “No.” While freeing her new hamster from its cage.

Hugh eventually calmed the group. Despite Aythas’ recent return to life, he was more than capable of taking care of himself. Plus he had his animal companion Maxine with him.

With an arduous journey ahead and daylight already burning, the group assumed the ranger would catch up when he could and set their sights on Bloody Tooth Mine.

Half a day later the Trailblazers found themselves in a region of snow-covered, windblown steppes. The temperature having dropped considerably in the northern, more inhospitable part of the vale.

As they went they noted a series of geysers in the near-distance. Jets of violent steam that rocketed 20 feet into the drab skies. At first the party found it intriguing, one more previously undiscovered, natural phenomenon in their new home, but their wonder soon turned to alarm as the geysers grew closer and closer, like they were moving with purpose towards them.

Everyone pulled weapons and prepped spells as the geysers came within 40 feet, the pressure and heat forcing the group to look away as the steam exploded from below.

Brale sent Enzo forward to investigate and watch through his eyes as he peered down into the newest hole to witness a scaly, coiling body made of glowing hot scales getting reedy to spring upward.

Korr advanced, standing by the snowy tunnel, great-sword in hand as he waited for whatever it was following them to emerge.

Seconds later a monster smashed its way to the surface - a frilled-centipede with spines that radiated heat like a furnace. Ashyrah identified the creature as a Remorhaz, a deadly denizen of the northern wilds.

Arrows were fired and Enzo attacked but the beast’s harden scales repelled their initial assault, and with a single bite the monster swallowed Brale whole.

Enzo became enraged, smashing his claws into the Remorhaz’s side and drawing boiling blood as he did so. The retaliatory heat that washed out from the creature’s body almost destroying the eidolon’s physical form.

Wetleaf hit the monster’s bulbous eye with a pencil-sized arrow and Korr sliced into its flank with his sword.

The Remorhaz suddenly began to choke, it’s latest meal disagreeing with it as the magic of Brale’s bitter armour began to take effect. A moment later it retched, spraying the injured summoner onto the snowy earth.

The party attacked in earnest, Ashyrah hitting the beast with a nettle-burst of explosive thorns and acid, while Hugh let his healing energies wash over the Fel and her minion.

Korr soon delivered the finishing blow, severing the monster’s spine and dropping it dead.

The party rested for a moment, stunned by the suddenness and fury of the attack, before harvesting the Remorhaz’s heat-organs and pushing on to the mine.

They arrived a few hours before dark at a collapsed rock face. The entrance to Bloody Tooth had been buried in a landslide years before and now only a narrow crack of an entrance remained; barely enough room for a medium-sized creature to carefully squeeze through.

No one rushed to be the first through, everyone assuming they might get stuck if they tried to enter.

Ashyrah ordered Wetleaf to follow her, shape-changed into a snow-owl and hopped into the passage. Conditioned to obey elves the Pollywog acquiesced. The inky blackness of the mine was all-consuming and they were forced to move very slowly to avoid injury. Fortunately, the tunnel didn’t lead them off a cliff or into some bottomless pit.

After 100 feet or so Wetleaf stopped them and told the druidess to listen. In the dark they both made out the sounds of armour shifting; as if heavily burdened figures were attempting to stand still and quiet.

The Pollywog was freaked out and Ashyrah had ‘seen’ enough. She snatch the shrieking scout into her claws and flew them back down the tunnel to the waiting party.

Outside the group knew there was nothing else for it, with the sun slipping away they needed to press on. One by one they turned and slid carefully through the crack in the mountainside.

Hugh and Brale cast light on themselves and Korr took the lead with Kane and Enzo. As they approached the tunnel that had concerned Wetleaf, Kane began to growl, sensing what the scout had, yet just as unable to locate the lurking threat.

Hugh cast ‘light’ on a stone and tossed it down the passage, but the illumination revealed nothing.

Brale cast ‘see invisibility’ on herself and gasped as three powerfully squat dwarven forms materialized a shirt distance up the tunnel.

While relaying what she saw she spoke the common word for Duergar and the three invisible, grey dwarves guards sprang into action.

Wielding mithral hammers the Dark Reach creatures appeared amidst the party as they launched their attack.

Kane was heavily injured in the fight, but saved by Hugh Mann’s channeled healing energies, and one by one the toughened dwarves were laid low by the Trailblazer’s efforts.

Cautiously the party crept deeper into the mine until they entered a passage that began to crash down all around them. Brale, Ashyrah, Wetleaf and Boo proved fast enough to avoid the crushing rocks, but in doing so they wound up on the wrong side of the impassable collapse.

Within minutes a Grey Dwarf patrol appeared through the dust and ordered them to drop their weapons in surrender.

Ashyrah threw her hamster at them, Boo striking the lead Duergar in the eyes, drawing blood as he bounced.

“Surrender or we kill the rat!” roared the injured dwarf, holding the tiny hamster up menacingly.

Worriedly Brale and Wetleaf laid down their weapons and Ashyrah sighed in annoyance as she followed suit.

They were then tied up in ropes and pushed along down the tunnel-way.

“Let’s see what the hag makes of them,” spat the leader, as they led the captured adventures away from the rest of their cut-off friends.

\*

Aythas awoke in the wilds of the vale. Cold, wet and injured; he found his hands covered in his own blood; his fingers stuck together into tightly-balled fists amid the gore.

Moving slowly he washed his hands in a freezing puddle and wondered how he had wound up in such a remote location.

He and Maxine’s tracks were the only ones he saw, both sets of prints splattered with blood. Having the option to travel back the way he had come to discover what might have transpired during the missing night, or tracking down Maxine and seeing if she was alright.

His sore hands bore bite marks, having seen no evidence of wolves or other canid he was forced to assume Maxine had for some reason attacked him during his unconscious trip.

Sliding on his chewed gloves, he set off to the north-west to find his dog.

The harsh trail led Aythas through over three freezing hours of stumbling through the snow until the elf’s keen eyes spotted a copse of trees that Maxine’s tracks headed straight towards. Unfortunately, the blood in the snow had done more than helped him find his animal companion, it had brought snowbound predator down on them as well.

Three Frost-Snappers - shaggy, velociraptor-like aberrations with no visible eyes and toothless mouths shaped like those of a snapping turtle.

The beasts raced across the tundra towards the elven ranger. Aythas fired his bow, dropping one of the monsters even in his weakened state before being overwhelmed by the remaining two.

In the copse, Maxine smelt Aythas and the snappers. Two of the ranger’s arrows were still lodged in her side; the elf having attacked her in the night when she’d come to lead him home. Something unnatural had occurred in the dark, and now for the first time in her short life the dog feared her master.

Still, as Aythas was taken down by the aberrations she burst into actions. Her jaws tearing into the throat of the lead monster while the third fled for its life.

Aythas awoke again, this time the sun was partially setting in the arctic sky. Sore and freezing he found Maxine watching over him, from a distance.

He staggered to his feet and approached his companion. Maxine shied away. He looked over her wounds and removed one of his own arrows from her side; something horrible had happened to them in the night.

After taking time to bind both their injuries, he oriented himself and headed home.

The hamlet was quiet as he returned, the locals telling him the party had left without him for the mines. He took a stash of healing potions and began tracking them. Finding the carnage of the Remorhaz he gathered he was on the right path. Soon he found the mines and entered. Lighting a torch to find their way he met the group just as the tunnel collapsed.

Kor and Hugh would have greeted the missing ranger with more exuberance if they weren’t also worried for the other missing half of the party.

Fanning out they found a secret passage that skirted around the collapse and ducked through in pursuit of the druegar who stole their friends.

The tunnel emerged next to a large chasm, thirty feet across and bottomless in depth, on the other side the capturing gray dwarves and the rest of the party.

Several of the druegar began firing crossbow-bolts. Some attached to wires that allowed the dwarves to pull enemies towards them, an in this case towards the bottomless chasm that separated the two groups.

Braille, Wetleaf and Ashyrah began resisting, breaking free and casting spells. The eidolons of the Fel and a retooled Hugh leapt across the chasm to engage the druegar in melee.

The battle ensued with the party dispatching the lesser grunts and managing to force the lead druegar screaming into he pit, but the remaining lieutenants began to overwhelm the eidolons and the two female party members.

Eventually Braille fell and Enzo was dispelled. Hugh recalled his guardian angel back to his side and Ashyrah surrendered much to Kane’s distress.

Wetleaf, torn between his freedom and protecting his captured friends hopped down from the wall and placed his hands on his tiny head. The dwarves grabbed him roughly and then fled i to the tunnels with their prizes. Several druegar had perished, but in the end the retained all their original prisoners leaving the party to chase after them.

The Trailblazers rushed south and entered a nightmare cave of purple mushrooms. Spores clouds erupting from the ground as large tree-sized mushrooms towered over them.

Myceloids emerged from the tree-shrooms, fleshy mushroom-men of evil intent. The party tried to maneuver in the dank confines of the cave, but Hugh and Kane both became infected with the Purple Pox, a terrible disease that may kill the tiger and turn the holy summoner into a new colony of the insidious fungus.

Unable to cure the infection and pressed for time, they slew the creatures and gave the room only a cursory glance - Aythas finding a magic mace - before moving on.

They followed the tunnel, avoiding a sunken room filled with dark water and found a t-section that intersected with the gray dwarves’ passage. Moving south the temperature in the tunnels grew hotter and hotter; the stinging scent of sulphur biting at their noses.

Soon they discovered a forge room, lava flowing around the edges and the work area dominated by a 14 foot-tall metal-woman.  Being a favoured enemy, Aythas recognized the being as a Slag Giant, and knew they were not inherently aggressive.

Hugh braved the situation and drew the giantess’ attention from her meticulous weapon’s crafting.

The slag giant doused her glowing fist and the glowing Mithral she forged into a great basin of water nearby, filling the room with a cloud of steam.

The summoner introduced himself and questioned her at length about her identity.

“By the gods you can talk,” chuckled the unperturbed giantess.

Hugh confirmed her statement and pressed forward with more questions.

The creature assured them she had no interest in combat and only sought to work the meagre offerings the gray dwarves brought her.

“Once the dwarves of old sang to the veins that ran through this place, but now, their degenerate offspring barely eek out an existence here.”

Her words spoke of a possible alliance the North Elves may have shared with the Stone Dwarves of the hinterlands. It seemed apparent that the two race’s fates in the vale had been interlinked. When the Mountain Dwarves fell to darkness it was more than likely a significant factor in the elves’ own fate.

Hugh asked if the giant would be their ally if they freed the mines from the Druegar. She agreed as long as she was able to continue her work. They agreed. Then she purposed an exchange, she’d tell them what lay ahead and make noise enough to drown out their approach to the barracks to the south. In exchange she asked for a dress. A glamorous gown made of a soft fabric, by hands that had never forged metal.

Once more the Trailblazers agreed, giving her their word. She told them her name was Jorda, and that she would hold them to their word.

Forewarned about the dangers ahead, Jorda began to hammer her forge loudly; affording the group a bonus to stealth.

The tunnel led to a barracks of Druegar, the dwarves were animated and ready for invaders. Their bunks unmade and empty as the dozen of so gray dwarves watched the north tunnel for danger.

The party discovered the barracks had no exits, but their tracking and Jorda indicated that their friends had been taken this way.

Aythas used an alchemist fire to set one of the bunks alight, giving the surfacers a chances to see as they avoided the dwarves’ attention. Fanning out they used the cover of smoke and loud hammering to set more more fires, while searching for exits.

They discovered a secret passage to the south. Soon it was open allowing Kor and Hugh to hide beyond it.

Much to their chagrin the group discovered the druegar’s privvy. Perplexed as to why they’d hidden the bathroom behind a concealed door the party nevertheless used the area to avoid the firefighting dwarves and wait until they had a chance to explore the far side of the barracks.

As they waited Kor and Hugh detected the sounds of chains rattling within the bathroom but couldn’t locate the source. Unnerved, they decided to make a break for it, when Aythas heard tiny voice from the back of the room call out in elvish, “please, don’t leave me here!”