Fern

Fern is a female half-elf ranger PC in the Om campaign played by Jennie.

### Early Life

Fernith (aka Fern) never knew her family, save for her twin brother Fynnhanar (aka Fynn). Until the age of six they were raised on the continent of Noricum by a kindly woman with dark hair and her husband, but the twins knew they were not their parents. Fern would often dream of Elven nobles coming to proclaim that she and Fynn were lost royalty and take them away to their kingdom to reunite them to their mother, the Elven queen. These vivid dreams convinced Fern at an early age that they were hidden with this human couple in order to hide them from danger, as the woman would never explain to the twins why they were with she and her husband.

One day Fynn burned down their house (likely due to his latent sorcerer powers) and the husband sold the pair to a group called the Thugs of the Shield. The Thugs made it clear to the twins early on that they were property and if they didn’t do as instructed, they would be killed. The thugs used the twins as decoys when they would attack caravans but otherwise neglectful and abusive to the two of them, frequently beating them for errors and slights. Fern coped with her situation by retreating more and more into her theories about their "true heritage."

As the twins grew into their teens their relationship suffered as Fynn became more rebellious (earning more abuse from the Thugs of the Shield) and dismissive of Fern's theories of their parentage. Fern responded by distancing herself from Fynn and coping by smoking gnomish pipeweed.

One night one of the Shield's leader, Garidan, began to secretly assault Fern, warning that if she told anyone that he would murder Fynn. Fynn began to grow even more rebellious, even cutting off Fern's hair in her sleep. This earned the half-elf even more beatings from the Thugs of the Shield and Fern felt her only recourse was to endure the assaults from Garidan to keep both of them alive.

Though strained the twins' relationship was still strong and Fynn informed her of his developing sorcerer powers and they even practiced and tested them together.

## A Turning Point

The night Fynn developed the ability to crate and control fire he told Fern that it was time to leave the Thugs of the Shield forever. Both agreed that they would find them if they simply ran, and that the best recourse was to ensure there were no Thugs of the Shield alive when they left.

The next morning the Thugs awoke to fire and arrows from above. The last Thug to die was Garidan who succumbed to over a dozen strategically placed arrows placed by Fern.

Over the next several years Fynn and Fern traveled all over the country earning money for various jobs. Fern still clung to the hope of finding out her and Fynn’s past. She asked around at each town they came across but most people either didn’t know anything or wouldn’t even talk to her. She found that being a half-elf usually meant that neither humans nor elves would talk to her let alone show them any hospitality.

Eventually the twins eventually settled into a small town on the coast. The twins was paid handsomely for their skills fletchers, which they had picked up during their childhood. After six months Fern began to feel cautiously comfortable in their new home but Fynn had an altercation with a pair of townsfolk that resulted in the two men being set on fire. After this the rest of the village was scared enough to not accost the twins as they hastily left town. Fynn refused to offer any explanation to Fern for his actions, angering her.

## A Friend

Shortly after the twins fled the village they were attacked by a group of bandits. The attackers were easily defeated but Fynn was injured in the attack. They traveled to the next town an sought out a cleric where they found Jasper Conroy. Jasper agreed to help and even escorted them back to their inn that night and shared a meal with them. Fern was completely taken aback by the kindness and generosity of the cleric. Unlike most humans they encountered, he genuinely seemed interested in the pair and their story.

The three agreed to travel together after that, engaging in a few jobs before getting hired to an agent of the Kingdom of Gildorn to take a job in Elira. The trio discussed the matter and agreed, sailing out on a ship called the *Morning Star* to whatever adventures awaited them in the New World.

## Journey to Elira

Fern, Fynn and Jasper agreed to sign up with the Gildornian Royal Exploration Committee and in the summer of 465 they boarded the *Morning Star* with their fellow volunteers and a number of pilgrims traveling to Elira to settle farms. There she met the other explorers hired: Leandra, Boz, and a pair of dwarf kinsmen named Karvok and Noel Gorehammer.

## Missing Sailors

After a short time at sea, sailors aboard the vessel began to go missing. The captain, Christoff Fontaine, asked the would be agents to investigate. A little digging revealed that another passenger of the ship, a merchant named Braxton Wilk was a spy for Orlesea and had smuggled a vampire on board the ship to bring it to Elira.

Fern, Fynn and Jasper assisted in the investigation and when they found the vampire the group attacked it, with Karvok and Noel leading the charge. The Explorers slew the vampire, though Karvok was killed in the battle. Wilk was arrested and brought to Captain Fontaine who promptly executed him.

## Mutiny

After executing Braxton Wilk paranoia seemed to have taken hold in Captain Fontaine and he began growing more authoritarian and unreasonable in his decision and disciplinary punishments among the crew. Morale suffered and a mutiny seemed a foregone conclusion.

First Mate Clint Connery ultimately did lead a mutiny, feeling he was forced to for the good of the crew. Fern and the rest of the Royal Explorers participated in the mutiny, which was a success. Captain Fontaine, Hitashi, Guthra, and Falcus Yorn, as well as a handful of sailors who remained loyal to the captain were given supplies and set adrift in a lifeboat.

## Marooned on Socortia

Clint Connery's command was short lived, however. Shortly after marooning the senior crew a terrible storm struck the ship, damaging the mast and leaving it dead in the water. At the same time the ship's medic and cleric, Yalrick, vanished with much of Braxton Wilk's gold which led to speculation he was involved in the storm.

The *Morning Star* drifted, eventually coming to the shores of Socortia. Fern and the rest of the Royal Explorers, along with one of the ship’s sailors named "Barnacle Brain" Bob Youngin, rowed ashore to investigate the island and seek supplies for ship repairs.

Unbeknownst to them, Socortia was a haven for the pirate band called the Brotherhood of the Coast, and while the Royal Explorers were on shore the pirate vessels quickly captured the damaged *Morning Star*, stranding them all.

## New Allies

The Royal Explorers made their way deeper onto the island where they encountered a group of natives, called the Umani, led by a man named Zayeek. However, initial contact soured quickly when the man made a dismissive comment towards Fynn, who responded with a gout of flame to the Umani's face. A skirmish broke out, and Fern naturally defended her brother. During the battle a Ki-Thian monk named Wu Xen suddenly appeared and created a distraction for the Royal Explorers to escape.

They fled the Umani party successfully and Wu explained that he had been a passenger on another ship that had been sunk by the pirates, stranding him on the island as well. He knew where the pirate town Darsah, and therefore the prisoners, were but could not free them on his own. He suspected that the crew of the *Morning Star* would also be taken Darasah.

Boz, disgusted at how the battle had gone, abandoned the group, leaving a scathing note about how Fynn, and to a lesser extent Leandra, had acted in the encounter with the Umani. While some of the group decided to scout ahead to find the best approach to Darsah, Fynn, Fern and "Barnacle Brain" Bob remained behind in Wu’s makeshift camp. They were approached by a wounded centaur, whom Fynn blasted with fire before the creature could speak. Exasperated, Fern treated the unconscious centaur's wounds.

The others soon returned with a local Umani named Jubal, who had agreed to help them free the prisoners in Darsah. Jasper healed the centaur, who identified himself as Atrayu and stated he had to get to the Umani queen, Aziza, as soon as possible in a town called Zaros across the island. The Royal Explorers agreed to escort him there, but stated that they needed to free the prisoners of the two ships first. Leaving Bob there to guard Atrayu, Fern and the other Explorers set off to Darsah.

## Rescue Mission

The group concocted a plan where Jubal, who was known to the pirates in Darsah and believed to be an ally, would pretend to sell Wu, Jasper and Fynn as slaves to get them inside with the prisoners. Meanwhile Fern, Noel and Leandra slipped into the town from another angle and stood ready to back them up if needed.

The plan worked and in short order they had freed several sailors and passengers from the *Morning Star*, as well as Wu’s ship, the *Derry Boy*, and a third merchant vessel called the *Sea Horse*. They promptly made for the docks, with Fynn gleefully setting fire to the town along the way.

Once at the dock they found the captured vessels as well as the pirate ships *Scourge* and *Inferno*. The Explorers opted to take the *Scourge*, as it was the largest and fastest, and boarded the ship. Unfortunately there were pirates on board, led by "Bloody" Anne Adler. Adler could not hope to win against the sheer numbers of the mob, however, and many of her men were killed and she was forced to leap overboard and flee.

The skilled sailors from the three captured ships moved the ship out of port while Fynn gleefully set fire to all the other ships in the harbor to prevent pursuit. They attempted to stop to pick up Atrayu and "Barnacle Brain" Bob, but found that they had fled their camp with a vague note about being attacked and forced to leave to make their own way to Zaros.

## Journey to Zaros

The Royal Explorers sailed their purloined ship around Socortia, landing from the north for Jubal to lead them inland to Zaros to meet Queen Aziza. During the journey they were attacked by a jaguar and were forced to slay it. Shortly after the battle they found a jaguar cub, which explained why Fern’s efforts to placate the creature were unsuccessful. Fern, knowing the young cub would likely not survive without it’s mother, took in the creature, naming it Lynx.

When they arrived in Zaros, they were greeted by Zayeek, the warrior that Fynn had maimed in the jungle. The group begrudgingly surrendered to them, stating that they needed to speak with Queen Aziza. Zayeek took them to a council of elders who declared that before any potential meeting Fynn and Jubal (who had previously worked with the pirates) would need to undergo a trial by combat.

Fern was ill inclined to allow Fynn to fight in such a battle, especially when learning that he would not be allowed to use his magic. The point was rendered moot, however, when Wu volunteered to be Fynn’s champion and fight for him. Jubal and Wu proved successful, earning clemency for Jubal and Fynn (to Zayeek’s rage) and a meeting with Queen Aziza.

Aziza explained that she wanted the pirates, who had allied with her cousin Akembe who wished to usurp her, off of Socortia. She said she had to perform a ritual at the Temple of Shadow and Light to secure her realm, but that the a shaman named Wyzad was needed to perform the ritual. Wyzad had been enslaved by the pirates and was being held in the emerald mines to the east.

At the same time, logs found on the *Scourge* revealed that the Kingdom of Orlesea was pursuing an alliance with the pirates and would have a representative arriving at Socortia within days and would need to be intercepted and delayed so the did not grant the pirate the ability to chase the *Scourge*.

The Royal Explorers decided to split up to tackle these two goals, and Fern accompanied Wu, Noel and Jubal as well as a large force of Umani warriors to raid the Emerald Mines and free Wyzad. Meanwhile Fynn, Jasper and Leandra would return to the *Scourge* and attempt to stop or at least delay the Orleseans.

## Attack on the Emerald Mines

Fern went through the mountains with Wu, Noel, Jubal and the war party, led by an Umani named Tariik. Upon arrival at the mine Tariik stated he’d attack a nearby supply depot to lure away most of the mines guards while the Royal Explorers slipped into the mine to free the prisoners.

When they arrived the pirate in charge of the mine “Fast” Edilath, mistook them group sent from Darsah by Silas Thatcher to deal with a massive problem that had occurred in the mines. Continuing the ruse, they got “Fast” Edilath to explain that  there had been a riot below and that the none of the men sent in to quell it had returned. The only slave that had emerged from the mine had been driven insane.

Fern, Jubal, Wu and Noel entered the mine to find that it was full of zombies, seemingly the reanimated corpses of slave and pirate alike. They began fighting their way into the lower levels, where Fern’s archery skills proved very useful. At one point when Wu and Noel had fallen into a pit filled with zombies she waded in with her katana, distracting some of the creatures at a key moment and arguably saving both men.

Once they reached the lower levels they came upon around two hundred slaves and a few surviving pirates that had barricaded themselves in a room. They loudly informed the slaves that all the pirates in the mine, save the few guards, were dead and the slaves immediately slaughtered the pirates present.

The slaves informed them that Wyzad was on the lower level and some believed that he had been the cause of the zombie infestation, though Jubal stated that this did not match with Wyzad’s reputation and the Umani’s strong dislike of necromancy.

Fern and the others continued deeper in the mine, eventually finding Wyzad guarded by more undead and seemingly under the control of a floating, glowing orb. While Fern lay down arrow fire the others engaged the undead. Eventually Noel was able to destroy the orb, causing the remaining undead to crumble and Wyzad to slump to the ground, apologizing and explaining that he found the artifact while digging and had tried to harness its power to free the slaves but that it had taken control of him.

With Wyzad in tow, Fern and the others collected the prisoners they’d freed and left the mine. By the time they emerged Tariik’s force had pushed the pirates forces back to the mine, and the emerging slaves wiped out the remainder of the pirate forces.

Upon learning that his apprentice Kinnier had died in the battle, Wyzad lamented that there was no one who could perform the ritual needed to keep Socortia safe, as he had been tainted by the orb. Upon hearing that about Fynn and Jasper, Wyzad heartened, stating that they could perform the ritual together and that he would show him how. Fern was hesitant to put the responsibility on his brother though, fearing that his apathy about just about everything would lead to him refusing or just not trying very hard and messing up the ritual. Still, Wyzad insisted that the ritual had to be performed and there seemed to be few other alternatives

The survivors of the war party and prisoners departed, heading for the Temple of Shadow and Light, where they were to rendezvous with the rest of the Royal Explorers.

## The Battle at the Temple of Shadow and Light

Fern, Noel, Wu, Jubal, Wyzad and the Umani warriors and former slaves all arrived at the Temple of Shadow and Light to find a large force of hundreds of pirates and rebel Umani already there and blocking the causeway that was the only path to the temple.

The numerically superior pirates and rebel Umani immediately engaged the few hundred warriors and former slaves but suddenly a large force of Centaurs, led by Atrayu and "Barnacle Brain" Bob Youngin burst forth from the woods and helped in the battle. Atrayu told them that they had encountered Jasper, Leandra and Fynn near the temple, and urged the Royal Explorers to reunite and get to the temple.

With Wyzad and Jubal in tow the Royal Explorers reunited swam to the Temple of Shadow and Light as the battle raged on. They ascended to the top an Wyzad instructed Fynn and Jasper on the ritual they must perform to keep the fae at bay.

Although Fern was proven correct that a Fynn did not take his task very seriously, they nevertheless performed the ritual successfully, emitting a bright flash of light. This was noticed the pirates and a squad led by a minotaur captain named Zarrilak. They began to climb the temple to pursue. Calling upon Blood Magic, Wyzad promised to hold them off as long as he could, urging the Explorers to get into the temple and find the weapon that Queen Aziza would need to defeat the pirates.

Inside the temple the Explorers found several doors, seemingly to other planes of existence, that they had to traverse to make their way through. During one moment Fern nearly plummeted to her death in a seemingly endless chasm, but Wu had offered a boon to a nearby air elemental to save her and was about to offer to serve the being for a time before Jasper was able to banish the creature to its own realm, at its request.

In another such challenge the Royal Explorers found themselves in a fiery realm facing a flame based creature that was demanding a portion of their life essence to pass. Fynn seemed completely enamored by the creature and chatted amiably at it, to Fern’s annoyance. Fynn complained bitterly when Fern and the others slew the beast.

After a number of challenges and monsters defeated the Explorers were able to secure a number of ancient Irda created Stone Golems with magical gems powering them all controlled by a circlet. Just as they were about to seize the weapon the Zarrilak appeared, bereft of his followers and wounded from his fight with Wyzad. The minotaur who promptly charged Fynn but stumbled and was soundly defeated and slain by the Explorers. Jasper donned the circlet, giving him control of the golems, and the Explorers left to rejoin the battle.

The pirates and rebel Umani refused Jasper's calls for surrender and so the cleric sent the golems to fight. The creatures made short work of the enemy and, combined with the attacks of the other allied forces, their surviving fighters broke and fled in short order. They surrendered the circlet to "Barnacle Brain" Bob, who promised to deliver it to Queen Aziza as he wished to remain on Socortia. The Explorers and the freed passengers and crewmen returned to the Scourge to continue their journey to Elira. Jubal accompanied, stating that he felt he'd ruined his reputation by supporting Akembe and wished to travel to the new world to explore.

## Back on Track to Elira

With the influx of the skilled sailors from the *Sea Horse* and the *Derry Boy* from the emerald mines, the *Scourge* had more than enough crew to operate properly and was repaired and prepared to sail. The Royal Explorers decided to change the vessel's name to *Sea Bitch* and settled in for a long voyage to continue their trip across the Trackless Ocean.

Many of the sailors felt their voyage was now blessed by The Twins because of the existence of Fynn and Fern on the ship, and in spite of doing little to encourage it a group of the sailors on the *Sea Bitch* became fervently loyal to the two of them, even sewing a flag to honor both them and The Twins.

During the journey Wu Xen also took it upon himself to try to help the relationship between Fynn and Fern, crafting each a wood carving in their likeness that when put together makes an even more impressive piece of art. He also told them the “Sad Tale of Emperor Bo and his Sons”, which emphasized the disaster that can occur when siblings simply fail to talk. Fynn did not seem to care about either of these, but Fern appreciated the effort, though remained pessimistic that it would have any result.

On the 21st of Father, 465, they encountered a mermaid who begged their help to free her lover who was trapped in the wreckage of a trapped ship below the water. Fern, Wu and Jasper agreed, going under the water with the mermaid and freeing the trapped merman. They were rewarded with a large amount of silver bars that were in the hold of the sunken ship, which they gave to the crew of the *Sea Bitch* as a reward to help boost morale.

## Missions in New Gildorn

The ship finally arrived in New Gildorn a week later. The Royal Explorers soon met with their supervisor, Royal Cartographer/Spymaster Atticus Brock. After receiving their report he extended an offer to Wu Xen to receive a commission and join the Explorers on their missions, which he accepted, and provided the Royal Explorers a report of the current status of things in New Gildorn, advising that he had arranged for quarters for the group and that he would meet with them the following day to provide their first mission.

## Battle at the Mowett Whaling Factory

The following day, the 29th of the Father, the Wild Runners attacked Waymere. While some of them attempted to set numerous fires throughout the city, a group of them attacked the Sea Bitch and had taken the First Mate, "Black" Bill Nimbert, hostage and retreated to the Mowett Whaling Factory along with a half dozen of the factory workers and issued a series of demands.

The Royal Explorers and Jubal immediately headed for the factory. The area was cordoned off by the city watch but Leandra parlayed with the guards, who reluctantly allowed them through. The Explorers split up to get through the walls that surrounded the factory and attack from three different angles. Fern and Fynn approached from the north while Leandra and Jubal scaled the southern wall together and sneaked into the area while Jasper, Wu and Noel attacked from the west.

The fighting was fierce but Fern and Fynn were able to once again combine arrow and magic to great effect. Fern’s leopard, Lynx, also proved most helpful in the battle. They were able to lay low the leader of the group, executing him on the field. Unfortunately, during the fighting Noel was killed while trying to save the factory workers, who were ultimately executed by the elves. At the tail end of the battle Fern had accidentally wounded Leandra, and Fynn's callous response led to her to leave the Royal Explorers in a rage.

Immediately after the battle the Explorers were called to an audience with Waymere's Governor-General, Duke Marcus Cornelius Agrippa. The duke thanked them for their efforts at the whaling factory and advised that he would arrange to have Noel resurrected. He informed them that he was naming Jubal as Gildorn's Ambassador to Socortia and that he would send a fleet of ships there to drive out the pirates and secure an alliance with Queen Aziza. The Duke also assigned a local dwarf, Corin Ironcheek, to act as a scout and guide to the area and then ordered them to report to Atticus for further missions.

The surviving Wild Runners were executed the following day in a public display by Duke Agrippa, who preceded the hangings with a speech declaring that the elves had been defeated by Gildorn and therefore had to accept their place as a subjugated people, and that any elf who raised arms against any Gildornian was to be summarily put to death. Fern, half-elvish herself, was displeased about this edict, and soon came to feel that elves and half-elves needed a place to live in peace and safety together.

## The Charter for a New Settlement

Once Fern realized the that the elves of New Gildorn were treated as second class citizens and actively persecuted by Duke Agrippa’s policies. She and Wu Xen had already committed a great deal of funds to ensure that the new settlement that the settlers who came to Elira on the *Sea Bitch* would have financial leeway to start their settlement, but she wanted to do more.

Working with Atticus Brock to ensure the legalities were met, Fern drafted the Charter of the new settlement that was about to be settled. The charter specifically required that it be a place where any race, including Elf and Half-Elf, could live side by side in harmony and must be treated as equals. Due to the vast amount of money and effort Fern contributed to the fledgling community, the settlers decided to name the settlement Fernstead.

## Caravan to Dunkirk

The first mission for Fern and the rest of the Royal Explorers was to escort a caravan of new settlers, mostly made up of passengers from the *Morning Star* and the *Derry Boy*, to the area south of Dunkirk where they would settle. Due to Fern’s recommendation the Explorers were also to be supported by a squad of soldiers under the command of Captain Hunter Brynan.

The caravan departed Waymere on the 1st of Gatekeeper, 465 and almost immediately ran into trouble. Less than a day on the road they were attacked by a Wild Runner named Korroticus who lay a Mimic in the road as a trap. Fern and the others slew the Mimic and captured Korroticus, interrogating him. Though he declined to identify himself as a Wild Runner, he claimed he attacked the caravan because his people were conquered, subjugated and were being systematically wiped out or forced to serve the Gildornians. He bid the Explorers to simply slit his throat claiming that "he knew they were just going to kill him anyway.”

They ultimately decided not to execute Korroticus, nor to turn him over as the Duke’s edict would require his execution as well. They chose to release him instead, explaining the charter drafted for the new settlement. Korriticus, surprised by their stated goals, agreed to not attack any more caravans and to take their message to the Wild Runner leader. They Royal Explorers freed the elf, risking the ire of the duke as Captain Brynan stated he would note what happened in his report.

## Mutiny at Midway Inn

The Caravan reached Midway Inn the following night and on the 3rd of Gatekeeper the Royal Explorers became embroiled in a murder mystery that turned into a full blown mutiny. The night of their arrival the local cleric, Harn Bronzeaxe, was murdered in the temple of The Mason. Captain Brynan asked Fern and the other Royal Explorers to investigate along with the  leader of the Brightblades (the local militia,) First Rider Davin Firth.

The Royal Explorers soon split up to follow up on clues. Fern and Wu worked together, soon learning that Davin Firth had a bad gambling problem and had lost a great sum of money to Harn in games of chance. The dwarf further added insult to injury by refusing to accept Firth's ancestral blade as collateral for a payment plan and then humiliated him with a public sermon about the evils of gambling and called him out by name. Further investigation by the duo revealed that Firth had slipped out of his quarters the night of the murder and returned with a large bundle some time later.

Evidence uncovered by the other Royal Explorers either pointed to Firth or exonerated other suspects, including a bard named Hibblepibb the Hilarious whom Firth had treated as the prime suspect.

Before Fern and Wu could report this, however, Firth had planted evidence implicating Hibblepibb to be discovered by the stable master and, once it was, he searched the gnome's room in the inn where he "found" some of Harn's belongings.

So that they could safeguard Hibblepibb Fern and Wu, joined by Noel, demanded to see gnome, as he had been imprisoned. Firth agreed, locking the trio in jail as well. While imprisoned the trio heard Firth rally the other Brightblades and declare that he had found evidence that Midway's owner, Varis Dorn, was an Orlesean Spy and that the Royal Explorers were agents of the Orlesean Crown and had to be slain. He even said that the caravan of settlers would need to be killed, insinuating that they too were spies.

Fern was able to get a message to Fynn to warn him of what was happening and worked to escape the cell with Wu, Noel and Hibblepibb. Fynn informed Varis Dorn and rallied a number of Brightblades to him and faced off with Davin Firth’s faction in the courtyard.

By the time Fern and the others escaped their cell and arrived on the scene the violence was just beginning, although it was abruptly ended by a fireball from Fynn. All of Davin Firth’s followers were killed in the blast and Firth himself was wounded and immediately surrendered, horrified at what his actions had cost his men. Varis Dorn immediately executed Firth.

The battle seemed to be over, until cacophony of blood curdling screams was heard from within the temple of the Mason. Gryff Stonepusher, Harn’s chief acolyte, had led the other acolytes in some ritual to enact justice upon Davin Firth when they learned he was the true culprit. However instead a horrific spirit had possessed Harn’s body.

The creature that was Harn murdered the rest of the acolytes and raised them as zombies and attacked the assembled forces. Fern was sniping the zombies from afar and delivering the death blow to the creature that was once Harn Bronzeaxe with two arrows to the head.

Varis declared that the matter was done and drinks were on the house, and Midway Inn fell into celebration as everyone began to liberally partake. Hibblepibb had fled the inn altogether during the battle and the following day the Royal Explorers and the caravan moved on, leaving behind Captain Brynan and Wu to help clean up the mess and reorganize what was left of the Brightblades.

## The Kirathi Caves

Barely a day out of Midway Inn a fierce storm struck the region, forcing the caravan to take shelter in a nearby cave until the storm passed. The caves turned out to be the tomb of the ancient elf king Halthadrian, though they did not know this at the time. Worse, a group of the settlers’ children had gone exploring in the caves and had not returned. Fern and the Royal Explorers went to look for them during the storm, and wound up finding a that the cave system as quite vast.

After delving quite deeply they came upon a well adorned tomb with golden doors. Writing upon the doorway indicated that only those of elvish blood could enter. As a result, only Fern and Fynn entered.

Within the twins explored and found the skeletal remains of Halthdarian. To their shock it seemed to come to life, but not to attack. It told them that they would be his Heralds and were prophesied to find the new king that could unite the elves. Although Fynn was skeptical, to Fern this helped to cement her childhood theory that the two were special and chosen by greater powers to be more than their humble upbringing would imply.

The spirit of Hathadrian had no information on the fate of the missing children, however, and ceased to communicate with the twins shortly after delivering it’s proclamation ceased to communicate with them. The Royal Explorers continued on eventually finding a cave of slaughtered kobolds with a lone survivor named Zog. He said that his people warred with a tribe of creatures called skum and that they likely kidnapped the children as slaves. He agreed to lead them to the skum town under the caves if they would help him gain his vengeance.

Zog led the Explorers to a series of boats and down a rushing underground river that led to the skum village, located on a large rock in the middle of an underground lake. Unfortunately the downriver journey was quite difficult and dangerous and the party was soon separated. Fynn and Fern’s boat was destroyed in rough underground rapids and though Jasper leaped off his boat to help them, they all still nearly drowned.

Fynn suffered grievous wounds in the crash but Jasper and Fern were able to get him to a small cave that led off the water and heal him. Though now in good health again, Fynn refused to look further for the children, advocating merely departing the cave and abandoning them to their fate. Fern and Jasper refused, however, and continued ahead with the aid of Jasper’s magic to cause him to fly and Fern to be able to meld with the stone and travel safely along the rock-face without fear of drowning in the rapids.

Jasper was able to move faster than Fern and by the time she arrived on the skum island where their village was, events were already unfolding. She found the rest of the party on the island, seemingly arguing with the skum as they had just summarily executed Zog. Fern emerged from the stone to attempt to help calm things down, but her sudden appearance startled the skum and they attacked immediately.

Fern made heavy use of her archery skills in the battle that followed and several skum were killed, though a handful fled into the water. Wu was able to secure all the missing children but as the Explorers began to contemplate their departure, one of the skum shamans returned, riding on the back of an enormous hydra. Corin and Noel claimed that they had spotted a potential path to escape and led the group there. Fern lay down suppressive fire, wounding the hydra and specifically targeting it’s rider, while Jasper and Wu brought up the rear. Eventually they escaped, making their way through the caves and eventually meeting up with Fynn.

The group and their charges made their way to the caves exit, where they were met by a group of angry elves led by Korroticus who were upset that their sacred caves had been invaded. Fortunately Wu, who had caught up with the group late and therefore been able to parlay with the elves, had explained the situation.

The twins told Korriticus what they had seen, and he confirmed that the tomb had never let anyone in before. He told them that the elves had not been united since their fallen king in the tomb, and that they would need to have a moot in the city of Kal-Thalas to choose their king. He explained that they would need to be present to help find the rightful next king.

The elves invited the humans in the caravan to join their camp that night in the spirit of cooperation between the elves and humans. Though some of the human farmers were reluctant they ultimately agreed and an impromptu feast was held.

## Arrival at Dunkirk

The caravan finally arrived at Dunkirk on the 6th of Gatekeeper, 465. A carnival was in town, and Fern entered and won an archery contest, although the standard carnival shenanigans briefly caused her to think she had been cheated and led to some friction between the carnival operators and the Royal Explorers. When all was said and done Fern, though annoyed, came away with a heavy pouch of coin for her victory.

The caravan and the guards were able to make the last leg of the journey on their own, meanwhile the commander of Dunkirk’s guard, Captain Roderick Beauford, requested that the Royal Explorers investigate a rash of disappearances from in and around the city.

The group began by investigating the latest disappearance and Fern was soon able to locate a trail outside the city. They soon encountered a fawn named Xerxes who decided to play a joke on Fynn by causing the half-elf to laugh uncontrollably against his own will. Fern reacted to a spell being cast on his brother with a knocked arrow and a demand for Xerxes to depart immediately, warning that Fynn would do worse when the spell expired. The fawn did not take her seriously, to his own detriment as Fynn indeed burned him with an acid spell as soon as he regained control of himself.

Xerxes, in response, used his magic to animate a tree which immediately charged Fynn, though Fern leaped in front of the tree to protect his brother, suffering a great deal of damage. Fynn, seeing his sister grievously injured and heeding the requests of the rest of the Royal Explorers agreed to stand down and offered a half-hearted apology. Jasper healed Fern of her injuries, but Fern still fumed at the rough treatment she and Fynn had received from the creature. Mollified, Xerxes too stood down and informed the group that a band of orcs led by a troll had taken up residence in a nearby cave and was responsible for the kidnappings.

Following Xerxes’ directions they group located the cave and soon learned that the orcs and the troll had been kidnapping and eating travelers and citizens who wandered out of town. Fortunately several of the kidnapped townsfolk were kept for slave labor or to hang onto until it was time to eat them and were still alive when the Explorers found them. Among the prisoners was an elf called Opal who agreed to help the Explorers defeat the orcs and troll.

Although the fighting was incredibly fierce, the Royal Explorers were able to slay all of the creatures and free the citizens. The troll had had an ioun stone which Fern claimed and had made into an amulet. The item turned out to be an intelligent item called Fiyang’yellak that claimed to have a great deal of knowledge of the Irda and could help one with magical ability. Unbeknownst to the others, the creature began to speak to Fern a great deal.

## Battle with a Witch

The Royal Explorers returned to Dunkirk where an assassin named Yokwan attempted to murder them, but was defeated. Under interrogation, he admitted that he had been hired by the Black Hand to assassinate them. The Explorers  strongly suspected that they had been hired by the Brotherhood of the Coast in revenge for their efforts on Socortia.

Meanwhile the rest of the Royal Explorers, with Opal continuing to assist, were tasked with a mission to investigate strangely powerful rats that appeared to be targeting the local grain stores. If left unchecked, the issue would develop into a major problem with the colony’s food stores.

The investigation brought them into the acquaintance of a local ranger named Penelope Strong (whom Fynn quickly developed a crush on), and up against a witch who had been causing trouble in the area and turned out to be the culprit behind the rats. The witch was unfortunately able to perform some experiment on Penelope that turned her into some sort of bird human hybrid creature, but the Royal Explorers were able to secure Penelope's safety and slay the witch.

## The Temple of the Triad

With their work in Dunkirk complete, the Royal Explorers decided to return to Waymere. Opal continued to accompany them, and they brought Penelope Strong with them in the hopes that either the Church of the Mother or the Grey Wizards of Waymere could help cure her of her condition.

The group reached Midway Inn again, where Jasper had a vision that he believed was Namas telling them to head west into the forest. He felt he could not ignore such an obvious message and the others agreed to accompany him.

Ignoring warnings from a pair of elves they encountered in the woods, they continued to an ancient ruin surrounded by a haunted grove. They were attacked by zombies that held illusions of their loved ones, but successfully fought their way through the grove in spite of this.

The ruins proved to have been a temple long since destroyed, as if by some great cataclysm or explosion. The structure seemed to have a deep basement below ground that looked mostly intact though. As they were about to enter they were accosted by the spirit of an elf, who bade them to destroy the magical stones within and to close the gate.

After fighting their way past a group of telepathic brains in jars that attempted to dominate the minds of the Explorers to make them fight one another, they continued further into the temple. They soon found what seemed to be the bodies of creatures experimented on and long dead. All that was left was skeletons with portions of metal fused to their bones. In order to continue further the Explorers were forced to try to operate a strange altar to open a final door. Doing so did open the door, but caused the skeletons to reanimate, seemingly due to an object on the altar that powered the creatures.

The battle was fierce. Noel, Opal and Wu focused on destroying the object while the others attempted to fight off the monsters. Eventually the final blow was struck and resulted in a massive explosion of electricity. Fern, throwing her already injured brother to the ground, leaped upon him to protect him and was struck by a blast of electricity that killed her instantly.

## Experience in The Afterlife

Fern found herself in a feast hall before a table filled with a sumptuous meal. She was greeted by an elf who identified herself as Arnarra Valdi, and revealed that she was the mother of Fern and Fynn. She stated that she was a Kirathi elf of the Lorathel Tribe and that she fought in the War of Conquest. She stated that the enemy had surrounded her tower and that she was in dire straits and beseeched the gods to aid her.

To her shock The Twins answered her prayer, offering to save her for a price to be named later. She agreed and the gods transported her to Norcium to live among the elves there. There she met the twins' father, of whom she refused to discuss further with Fern.

Arnarra told Fern that after she and Fynn were born the gods returned, stating the price for saving her was to take the children as the elven people would need a sword and shield, forged in the fires of hardship and strife, to protect them from then coming storm. Arnarra died soon after.

Arnarra warned that ancient enemies were rising and dark forces gathering in the world and that the peoples of Eastern Elira could only survive if they were united. She urged Fern to seek knowledge from the “ancient ones” stating that the enemy was using that knowledge and it was the best way to combat them.

Arnarra told Fern that she was on the right path to seek justice and protect the weak, and that she loved and was proud of her. Fern’s mother’s final words to her was an urge to protect Fynn, warning that while Fern took after her, Fynn took after her father.

## Resurrection

The day after her death, Fern’s companions were able to reach Waymere and have her resurrected at the temple of The Mother. Arnarra’s words and warnings rang deeply in Fern’s heart. Her feelings all along that there was something special about she and Fynn were validated, but her joy was tempered by the ominous warning to not let Fynn die because he took after his father.

## Investigating Pirate Activity

Around this time Fern and Jasper had a conversation about the cleric’s increased use of redleaf. Jasper retorted calling Fern out on her own frequent use of pipeweed, and the two agreed to both abstain from their preferred substances. Neither wound up keeping this vow for more than a couple of weeks though.

Fern and the other Royal Explorers met with Atticus Brock, who informed them that while the Battle of Socortia was a success pirate activity was still on the rise. Given the attempt on their lives in Dunkirk, the Royal Explorers agreed to investigate possible pirate contacts in the city. The investigation led them to the Helsley Warehouse, where they were forced to deal with a series of traps but managed to capture two pirates and extract information from them. They learned that “Bloody” Anne Adler was behind the attempt on their lives and was after the documents and Irda tomes that were on the *Scourge* when the ship was taken.

## The Battle for Stonewatch Abbey

Atticus Brock informed Fern and the other Royal Explorers that their frequent use of their credentials as agents of the Crown were drawing attention, so he made them a proposal. A number of caravans to Waymere from the Silvercliff Mines had vanished and evidence pointed to bandit activity. Atticus suspected the culprit was a rogue Gildornian officer turned bandit leader named Goddard Brandik who had holed up at Stonewatch Abbey, a nearby abandoned structure. Atticus stated that if they could liberate the abbey and bring Brandik to justice, he would it to them for a single gold piece and incorporate them as an official mercenary company, and continue to employ them in that fashion. The Explorers agreed and departed immediately, arriving at Stonewatch Abbey on the 1st of Twins, 465.

While en route to the abbey they were ambushed by a group of bandits. The Royal Explorers fought them off, slaying several and interrogating the survivors. They learned that the bandits there were, indeed, led by Goddard Brandik, and that they had been reinforced by a group of Orleseans led by Lord Balamer "the Blue." Further, the men stated that since the arrival of the Orleseans training and attacks on caravans had both increased. The men stated that Brandik and Balamer usually remained in the abbey with a couple dozen men, not in the camp with the rest of the soldiers.

Opal scouted ahead in the form of a bird and confirmed that there was, indeed, a large camp of men about a mile from the abbey. With Opal's report of the topography the Explorers planned an approach that would take allow them to use the hills to approach the abbey without being seen by the men on the walls.

By the time the Royal Explorers were in position to attack the it was nearly dusk, which helped to cover their approach. Using a combination of magic and skill, the Explorers climbed to the top of the abbey's tower, making their way down and systematically eliminating the bandits within as quietly as possible. They were on the second level of the tower before the bandits managed to detect them and sound the alarm and the Royal Explorers were quickly forced into a position where the had to defend the tower from the inhabitants of the Abbey on three different fronts.

Fern and Opal returned to the top of the tower, where a squad of men advanced on the tower with a ladder. The two called upon their nature magic to both pin them in place with a growth of plants, but also to add dangerous thorns to the plants. While the magic held the men and tore them apart, Fern picked them off with her bow, essentially killing the squad to a man before they got anywhere near the tower.

While Corin and Wu held the second level of the tower and Fynn, Jasper, Noel and Opal took on Goddard Brandik and Balamar "the Blue" on the first level of the tower, Fern began to hear Fiyang’yellak in her head, strongly urging her into the basement. There she found the lair of Balamar "the Blue," and proceeded to explore it at the amulet's bidding. Meanwhile Balamar, nearing defeat by Fern's companions, teleported to his quarters and was shocked to find Fern there.

The two did battle briefly, with Fern ending up temporarily disarmed. Fortunately Fynn, Jasper, Noel and Opal had slain Brandik and his other companions by this point, and joined her. Together the five of them were able to defeat Balamar, and Fynn summarily executed him.

The abbey had been successfully taken, however there were still well over 100 enemy soldiers in a camp in the hills below. Worse, Noel had accidentally set off an alarm, causing the men to rally and begin marching upon the abbey.

Fynn attempted to use the orb that Balamer had tried to recover to contact Atticus Brock for reinforcements, but found that the blue wizard's soul was within the orb and trapped Fynn’s there. The sorcerer's body was a mindless husk while he and Balamar wrestled for control.

While the others scrambled to prepare a defense Fern, overwhelmed with her brother’s fate and thinking only of her mother’s request to protect him, went through his belongings to attempt to find something to help. Stumbling upon Fynn’s journal Fern learned that he had known of the abuse Fern had suffered at the hands of Garidan while they were with the Thugs of the Shield. The journal indicated that Fynn had purposefully had burned off Fern’s hair to make her seem less appealing and hopefully limit the attacks she endured. The journal also indicated that he had murdered Garidan when this ploy failed. Shocked, Fern wrote a response in the journal, confronting Fynn and demanding that he communicate with her should he emerge from his current crisis. Fynn would later respond in the journal to Fern’s message and after another brief exchange through the book they talked some and their relationship, though stills trained, was slightly improved. Fynn still insisted that Fiyang’yellak be turned over to him, however, which Fern begrudgingly agreed to.

Meanwhile, within the orb, Fynn was forced to duel the Balamer within the magical mental space of the orb. Fortunately Fynn was able to defeat Balamar, but was rendered blind in the process. The Royal Explorers were able to get the approaching soldiers to turn on their Orlesean masters and slay them, and then either recruit or successfully buy off and send away the remaining men.

Interrogating one of the surviving Orlesean officers revealed that there was a secret cult worshiping The Triad, a trio of evil gods who had been sealed away and their lore erased by the rest of the gods. It seemed that this cult was the real reason behind the search for the Irda artifacts, in an effort to return the beings to Om.

## The Ride to Waymere

The Royal Explorers secured Stonewatch Abbey and Jasper healed Fynn's blindness. They determined to inform Atticus Brock immediately that the abbey was successfully taken, and that Goddard Brandik and Balalmer “the Blue” were dead. Since Fern was the most skilled rider among the Royal Explorers she agreed to ride to Waymere to make the report.

During the ride, Fern paused at one point to water the horse, accidentally trodding upon a ring of mushrooms. This seemingly angered a band of pixies who demanded Fern entertain them as recompense. Lacking time or inclination to do entertain the pixies, Fern refused ultimately leading to a small skirmish. The pixies shot her with tiny arrows, causing her to fall into a magical slumber. When Fern awoke, she found that her hair had been braided in a silly manner and her horse was gone. Cursing her luck, Fern continued to Waymere on foot, arriving after dark and reporting in to Atticus Brock.

Atticus provided the paperwork for ownership of the Abbey and to incorporate the group, who had chosen the name Fate Fighters, as a mercenary company. Atticus also provided instructions for how to handle the members of Goddard Brandik’s forces that had stood down and were willing to join the Gildornian Army.

Atticus also warned that the captain and senior crew of the *Morning Star* had been recovered, and had levied charges of mutiny against her, Fynn, Jasper, Noel, Leandra and Boz.

Fern bought a replacement horse in Waymere and returned to the Abbey promptly, coming across her original mount wandering around, with its mane braided and its magical horseshoes gone. She also passed along Atticus warning that, according to Atticus, a large force of 2,000 Gildornian Soldiers had arrived in Waymere for reasons unknown.

## Investigation of Attempted Assassination of Gunnar the Wolf

Atticus Brock hired the Fate Fighters for their first mission, asking them to investigate the many assassination attempts upon Gunnar the Wolf, the Thuunish prince. They met with Gunnar and while he denied he needed assistance, his nephew Meegosh was poisoned during the meeting. Jasper saved Meegosh’s life, prompting Gunnar to agree to allow them to investigate.

Using the investigation as an excuse to allow Fynn and Fern view Merith, an elven community leader unjustly imprisoned by Duke Agrippa, the Fate Fighters visited the prison. Upon viewing the elf, both twins agreed that he was the true king Halthadrian’s spirit had spoken of. Vowing to free him, they provided him with a magical potion to allow him to change shape and escape.

During the investigation Fern recovered a pin showing the telltale markings of the Lorathel Tribe of elves, but all agreed that this alone was not enough to draw any conclusions. By investigating the poison that nearly killed Meegosh, they were able to narrow down the dealer of the type of poison used to a merchant named Garmund. From there they were able to determine that a man later identified as Preston Massaro actually purchased the poison. After a stakeout and a brief skirmish the Fate Fighters apprehended Massaro and handed him over to Atticus Brock.

Brock thanked them, but warned that Massaro was the servant of Felix Lapubelle, Duke Agrippa’s private spymaster. He stated he would interrogate Massaro, but warned that writs of arrest were drafted against Fern, Fynn, Noel, and Jasper for their alleged mutiny on the *Morning Star*, and he advised they leave Waymere as soon as possible.

Calling upon The Traveler Jasper teleport the accused back to Stonewatch Abbey, while the others agreed to gather Opal (who had remained with Gunnar to guard him) and arrange to get Merith out of the city when he escaped at nightfall.

## Trouble at Stonewatch Abbey

Fern, Fynn, Jasper and Noel transported back to Stonewatch Abbey, to find that the staff was suffering from an infection of spores from a plant that had been left in the greenhouse. It was controlling the staff, and they were acting quite strange and even attacked the Fate Fighters. The four were forced to do battle with the plant, and Fern knocked a whole in the ceiling of the greenhouse to shoot the creature from afar while the others battled it. The Fate Fighters were victorious and the plant was slain, curing most of the staff.

Shortly afterwards Corin arrived driving a cart of goods and with Penelope Strong (who had been found wandering the streets with limited amnesia and invited to stay at the Abbey) in tow. Unfortunately a group of wizards soon teleported to the abbey and attacked, seemingly determined to recapture Penelope. In the battle that ensued Fern attempted to snipe the wizards, but they were able to use their magic to delay the group long enough to teleport away with Penelope.

## Regrouping

As Fern and the others were regrouping from what had happened, Opal arrived with another shock. He reported that Gunnar’s party had been attacked by Wild Runners, who seemed to be in the service of The Triad. Though Gunnar and his entourage had proven victorious, he had suffered a grievous wound from a cursed Irda artifact and when they sought assistance from a nearby group of Gildornian Soldiers, the Gildornians had attacked and tried to assassinate him. Opal reported that he and Gunnar only survived because of the intervention of Korroticus and a group of elven rangers, and that most of Gunnar’s retinue died securing their escape.

Fortunately Wu arrived with better news, reporting that Mertih had escaped prison using the potion they gave him, and that Wu had successfully smuggled him out of the city.

## Journey to the Elf Moot

As Heralds of the True King, Fynn and Fern were expected to attend the Kirathi Moot in the town of Kal-Thalas on the 10th of Twins. Accompanied by the cleric Decius, Fern and the Fate Fighters departed on the 8th.

During the journey there, however, they encountered a nymph named Nixie who, to Fern’s surprise, was accompanied by Xerxes the Fawn. Nixie had managed to seduce Opal and entrap him in a *Geas*, but Fern vowed that if she laid eyes on Xerxes she would slay him.

However, Nixie explained that Xerxes currently served her, and that she’d laid the *Geas* upon Opal because she needed help purging a necromantic taint from the forest. She explained that a necromancer had inhabited a nearby graveyard and was performing blood magic and necromancy. A group of elves led by an elf named Kalfaran had already tried to slay the beast but they had all been slain. Kalfaran’s spirit had survived due to a magical charm he wore, and he appeared to inform the Fate Fighters that the spirits of his men were captured by some sort of foul magic the necromancer had rather than passing to the afterlife. Though still angry at Xerxes, the other Fate Fighters were able to convince Fern to refrain from violence for the greater good.

Nixie offered her hospitality, and herself, to the men present, and Xerxes did likewise to the women (and Corin when he declined her). Fern declined the offer, however, threatening the Fawn’s life if he came anywhere near her.

The following day managed to find their way into the tomb of the necromancer in question, a half-orc cleric named Azoth Rah. The group was forced to fight their way past a never ending horse of undead to reach Azoth, and had to destroy a magical gem that was powering his magic.

The turning point in the battle came when Fern’s pet leopard, Lynx, accidentally stepped upon a magical rune that Azoth Rah had previously cast. Unfortunately the rune slew the animal outright, and the magic spread out to also slay Opal.

Fynn was finally able to destroy the shield protecting the gem and grasp it, using the power of Fiyang’yellak, used the gem to destroy the undead and free the spirits of the elves and other slain individuals. Once the danger had passed, Fynn revealed that Fiyang’yellak had agreed to help Fynn destroy the gem only if he would recover an ancient Irda tome at the graveyard. While the other Fate Fighters recovered from the battle, Fynn and Jasper entered the tomb to recover the book. There they recovered the book but awakened an ancient Irda liche named Puzurc Na’da.

Using Fiyang’yellak, Fynn was able to teleport them to the remains of a temple in an unknown mountain far to the west. Jasper was able to teleport most of them back and with the assistance of Decius they were able to slay the liche.

Fern, highly distrustful of Fiyang’yellak and the fact that Fynn had needed to sacrifice part of his life essence to use it, demanded that the sorcerer remove the amulet. Fynn refused, however, even after Jasper too demanded Fynn remove it. After a brief scuffle, during which Fynn found the amulet almost controlling him against his will, they were able to remove the amulet from Fynn and Jasper took possession of it.

## The Kirathi Moot

The Fate Fighters arrived in Kal-Thalas and soon met with Korroticus, who made arrangements for Opal to be resurrected. Corin made it a point to ensure Fern and Fynn were dressed in as fine a garb as was available for “their big night” fulfilling their duty as Heralds of the True King.

The moot was held at the height of the full moon on the 10th of Twins in the Grove of the Dancer. Fern waited patiently as the usual motto business was tended to, until it was time for she and Fynn to speak. Finally it was time, and the two had arranged a speech, where she and Fynn would finish one another's sentences to try to evoke the sense of having the blessing of The Twins. Although their jitters caused a rough start, they eventually found their footing and finished the speech well enough, endorsing Merith as the true king of the Kirathi elves.

Merith followed them with a rousing speech about how the Gildornians had wronged the elves and would continue to do so and how capitulation would only end in their destruction. He avowed that he would live in peace with any who showed elves equal respect but he would just as readily bring war to those who sought to harm them.

Merith was challenged by Gallerius, of the Lorathel Tribe and the leader of the Wild Runners. Gallerius denounced Merith because of our support, denounced the Fate Fighters as stooges of the Gildornian crown and implied that Merith had not been imprisoned by Duke Agrippa, but collaborating with him. He stated that only he could save the elven people and that he would destroy Gildorn and form an elven kingdom himself. The moot adjourned to reconvene the following night at the full moon to vote on who should be king, Merith or Gallarius.

Fern was troubled by the results, fearing that Gallarius, even if he weren’t a servant of The Triad, would be serving their purposes by opposing Merith.

The second session of the moot met the following day but Iolaus, the lone delegate from the Nilthanar Tribe who had urged them all to abandon naming a king and going against the Gildornians, was conspicuously absent.

The proceedings were interrupted by a group of Gildornian soldiers and Grey Wizards teleported to the center of the Grove of the Dancer and attacked. Fern took on a sniping position in a high tree, shooting down several enemies and from her vantage alerting them that a large force of Gildornian soldiers, aided by Iolous, was marching on the Grove.

In short order the surviving wizards had captured Merith and three other elven leaders using magical brooches to teleport away with them. Jasper concocted a hasty plan where he, Noel, Fynn and Fern took the brooches off some of the dead soldiers to activate and try to follow the captured elven leaders to rescue them while Opal, Wu, Corin and Decius remained behind to try to salvage the situation in Kal-Thalas.

## Escape from the Grey Wizard’s Tower

Fern, Fynn and Jasper, found themselves teleported into a maze in the basement of the tower of the Grey Wizards of Waymere. Noel was nowhere to be seen, nor was the captured elves they were coming to rescue. They quickly surmised that because the elves were being held by soldiers who activated brooches they were wearing (and Noel had simply activate a brooch on a dead soldier) while Jasper and the twins had removed the brooches and activated them, they had been sent to different locations.

In the room where they appeared they also found elf wizard named Blasius who informed him that the Grey Wizards had kidnapped his friend, and that he had come to rescue him but all teleportation spells merely put him back in the room they were on so he was trapped. He had been afraid to go deeper into the maze due to the monsters within.

With Blasius in tow, Fynn, Fern and Jasper made their way through the maze, slaying the monsters and avoiding the traps encountered. Blasius died in the effort, but Fynn, Fern and Jasper were able to escape the maze. During their flight from the tower they encountered Noel, who had been captured and interrogated by Felix Lapubelle, but managed to escape.

Together the four managed to escape the tower through a hole that had been created in the kitchen days earlier when a gnomish designed stove had exploded, and slip out of the city. They returned to Stonewatch Abbey where they soon reunited with the rest of the Fate Fighters.

## Rescue of the Elf Lords

Noel had managed to procure some papers before fleeing Lapubelle’s interrogation, and Fern examined and successfully encrypted a letter that revealed when Merith and the other elves taken at the Kirathi Moot would be moved from the Grey Wizard’s Tower to the city prison.

With the assistance of Atticus Brock Fern and the others struck the prison convoy, which included a handful of Gildornian Soldiers as well as Brego Vossen and Ju-Lin of the Red Spears Mercenary Company. A brief skirmish resulted Brego and the soldiers being run off and Ju-Lin being captured.

Fynn teleported to Fynn’s Crater, near Stonewatch Abbey, with Merith, and two of the other elves and the final elf, Athos, was freed. Jasper soon revealed that Athos was actually an impostor, and the “elf” promptly attacked, forcing Fern, Jasper and Noel to slay him.

Fern later learned that Fynn was also able to defeat the other three elf impostors and was also ambushed by Boz in an unrelated attack, but successfully escaped his that assault as well.

## Escaping Waymere

Fern and the rest of the Fate Fighters pursued their original exit plan, now with the captured Ju-Lin instead of the elf lords. Traveling to the Underdens to make their escape via the smugglers exit but instead they stumbled upon a slave auction where several elves captured by the Gildornian sack of Nilthanar were being sold.

Fern agreed that they should buy as many of the slaves as possible to free them, particularly the children who were being sold as “bed warmers.” However when Iolaus, the elf who had led the Gildornians to the moot, was brought up she argued he should be left to his fate. Wu argued that he acted out of terrified fear and was trying to prevent the deaths of another uprising, and had no doubt learned his lesson, and they bought and freed the elf in spite of Fern’s objections.

After saving as many elves as possible, including an elven leader named Bethalanalas Argwyn, the Fate Fighters were able to smuggle themselves out of the city and, thanks to Fern’s woodland skills, return to Stonewatch Abbey with their charges in record time.

## Rescuing Allies

The group quickly realized that the decoy elves had been used to keep the Fate Fighters busy while Felix Lapubelle and his men moved to arrest Atticus Brock. They soon learned that he was to be executed along with the real elf lords and Wynona Falco (for “allowing” Merith to escape). Fern and the others had no desire to abandon their allies, nor the elf king, to their fate and began making plans to rescue them.

Striking a deal with Ju-Lin to spare her life in exchange for her assistance in crafting the plan to free the prisoners the Fate Fighters returned to Waymere to perform reconnaissance. On the way to the city, the group gained the alliance of who women, Margot and Kelathadan, whom they freed from a Gildornain press gang.

Traveling through the sewers to enter Waymere, Fern and the others gained the alliance of a sewer nymph named Aguria by slaying a young black dragon and freeing a small group of elven prisoners led by a warrior named Tolthis.

## The Battle of Waymere

Duke Marcus Cornelius Agrippa had arranged a grand parade set to culminate in the execution of the prisoners on the 20th of Twins, 465. The plan called for the Fate Fighters to disguise themselves as guards to get near the proceedings and attack when the time was right to free the elves, Atticus and Captain Falco.

Fern took up her position near one of the buildings that likely held the prisoners and waited for the signal to spring into action. As they waited for the moment to strike, a combined force of Orleseans, pirates of the Brotherhood of the Coast and minotaurs of the Kythonian Imperium attacked the city.

Using the distraction Jasper and Fynn launched the attack. While Kelathadan and Margot, were positioned near Fern, moved to free Wynona and the other human prisoners, Fern used her archery skills to snipe at anyone to moved to intercept, and kept the GIldornian bowmen from shooting her allies.

As one of the birdlike clones of Penelope Strong was released by the Grey Wizards and attacked her position, Fern and Margot were able to bring the creature down with a combination of arrow fire and brute strength.

Soon, however, the Gildornians became far more concerned with trying to hold off the attackers than stop the Fate Fighters and, led by Wynona Falco, the soldiers formed a line and began to hold off the enemy. Fern and Jasper, meanwhile, took charge of trying to get as many of the non-combatants present to Southgate to escape the city and convinced the guards there to open the gates to allow them out.

Fern and Jasper reunited with the others in the sewers to learn that Atticus had not been present, and that only Merith and the elf Memnon had been rescued, the others having been killed in the fighting. Fynn soon joined them with an unconscious Penelope Strong, who had been controlled by the Grey Wizards and fighting them in the battle. They made their way through the sewers and reunited with Corin, who had managed to capture Felix Lapubelle.

Dodging the Red Spears, who had been informed of their escape plan by Ju-Lin and sought to ambush them, the Fate Fighters made their way to Red Spears headquarters to free Atticus Brock. After slaying Ezra Thorne, the cleric of the Red Spears, they freed Atticus and slipped back into the sewers to escape the city through Southgate, joining the stream of refugees heading south to Midway Inn.

Fynn returned to the Abbey with Margot and their prisoners and charges, and Fern and the others Fern traveled with the caravan. Fern did her best to hunt to find food to help feed the refugees for the three day journey to Midway inn.

## Abilities

Fern is a skilled archer and capable melee fighter. She is skilled in hunting, tracking and woodland survival. She is also able to craft bows well enough to make a living at it if she so chose. She is also skilled at treating burns, a skill she picked up by necessity due to Fynn's tendency to burn purposely her hair off against her will.