The Cloaks

**The Cloaks** are a group of adventurers that through mistakes, mayhem, and mishap have reopened The Kingdom, struck a critical blow against the local slave trade, and unwittingly set the world on a path towards inevitable doom.

Steven's Early Years Blog

## Founding

### Joining Forces

The original members were summoned to Yeti's Call by Tasha with promises of adventure, fame, and fortune. They heeded the call and met up to explore the mines near the city. They encountered some Giant Spiders, a Giant Snake, dark elves, and grey dwarves. Realizing that they needed some help in battles, they returned to town and enlisted the aid of a formidable warrior, the northern lass, Zinnasadi. Returning to the mines, they delved deeper. The first major treasure they found was after figuring out an ancient dwarven puzzle trap. Worth noting that it was mostly Steven that worked this one out, earning some respect from the others that may have thought he was just supposed to be the muscle. After days of wandering around they found a massive tunnel complex and two Red Dragon Wyrmlings. After trying unsuccessfully to talk to them, they were forced into battle. Once one of the dragons was slain the other flew off. Janis had been burnt in the face and his clothes burnt off, but Steven tried to help Janis aim some eldritch blasts at the retreating wyrm but it got away. They dragged the carcass out of the mines and back down to town, Janis wanting it as a trophy, but noticing that they were being watched. They encountered some wolves and Dire Wolves and limped back to town. Noticing that there were horribly placed human body parts strewn about the path...left for them to find...they knew there was an evil intelligence messing with them from the within the woods along the path between Yeti's Call and the mines. After a rest, they returned to the woods to investigate, finding a Winter Wolf and several Dire Wolves and wolves. After an epic battle, the Winter Wolf lamented that we did not parlay and then she died. The threat was over. Steven took her pelt as a trophy.

### Naming the group

Back at Tasha's guildhouse, they hired a tanner, Jonathan Taylor Tanner Thomas, who took a few days and turned the Dragon carcass and Winter Wolf pelt into amazing cloaks for Janis and Steven. He also made cloaks for Adrian and Malark from Dire Wolf cloaks that had been collected. At this time, the four decided their group would be called "The Cloaks".

### The Early Days

Some side notes from Yeti's Call, The Cloaks made friends with a few of the city Guards, including a Lieutenant, and Steven made friends with the Priestess of Helena that worked the Inn, Carolyn. They also noticed a CHILD murder an old man. Well, Adrian didn't realize what he saw. The Cloaks' interactions with the Guard Captain and Mayor were unproductive at best...we will revisit that later. The Cloaks left Yeti's Call and headed South towards the forests of the Howling Rise region. Along the way they came upon a new farming village made up of young couples. They were worried because of increased wolf howling and activity. The Cloaks stayed in the area for a while to investigate and help build palisades for the young farmers. Steven determined that the wolves were just returning to the region from being called North to Yeti's Call by the Winter Wolf. Now that her evil reign was over, the wolves were migrating back to their normal homes. The Cloaks wished them well and continued their trek towards Howling Rise. They next encountered a mystical graveyard were they fought a cluster of zombies and skeletons...followed by a handful of shadows. After investigating a crypt, they fought more walking dead and then were confronted by the Vampire Knight, Tara. Due to an unfortunate misunderstanding, Steven attacked her and there was a brief fight where Steven received a horrible scar across his chest and they were all knocked unconscious. The Cloaks woke up and Zinnasadi was missing. Steven's horses were dead. A nice old cleric of Prudis named MELTY FACE helped them and told them he was investigating a mystic graveyard. They exchanged information and agreed to help each other out if they gained more information. On foot, they continued into the Southern Forest towards Howling Rise.

West of Howling Rise, they became aware of localized bandit problem and were determined to get to the bottom of it. Beginning their investigation from a small village, they determined that there was an ambush point up the road. Feeling confident they could outsmart some bandits, The Cloaks set out to ambush the ambushers. After eliminating the baddies and figuring out that the bandits are forcing men from their homes and making them help rob the trade routes by threatening their families. The Cloaks were able to get a location and intel about the main bandit camp, ambush another bandit patrol, and head to the main camp where they defeated the bandit leaders, who were psychopathic, sadists who had slaves that they kept for torturing and worse. The Cloaks needed to call the local authorities in Howling Rise to come and assist with rehabilitation and mental/physical health for the refugees. Steven sent a raven to Aurelia Jelen, one of the Council members of the nearby city to request help. A contingent of clerics and rangers arrived the next day.

## Adventures of The Cloaks

### A One Year Hiatus

#### Malark

Malark returned to Howling Rise and underwent extensive training with Rangers to advance his combat abilities. He also spent a lot of time hanging out with Steven

#### Janis and Milo

Janis devoted much of the year helping the freed slaves from Fairwater get their lives back in order and also constructing a his tower near Rurall. Milo stayed with Janis during this time. They joined up with Steven and Aurelia and journeyed to The Vale to pay respects to Milo's people. Aurelia crafted monument to honor them.

#### Steven and Aurelia

Steven arrived in HR and made his way to Aurelia’s home and found her in a state of sadness.  She was glad to see him of course.  It was a sweet reunion.  She knew there was something wrong.  He held her and told her he was staying with her.  She began to sob but smiled through it.  He continued to hold her though the night.   She had nightmares and he did his best to calm her.  He remained with her and took care of her but after a few days, playfully urged her to get involved in activities.  She began to help with things around the house at his suggestion.  During this time, Steven noticed odd behaviors…and sometimes actual spells of mad behavior.  He was not sure what to do.  Elli, in her right mind, had little recollection of these spells, but felt there was something gravely wrong happening.  Steven had one of the Acolytes named Cara, who seemed to get along well with Ellie, divert to assisting with her care.  Bethanne the Bard took an interest in the events surrounding The White Wolf in Howling Rise.  She was often there to help calm Ellie when things got bad.

Steven was praying for guidance and Helena’s will every day.  Steven prayed for Ellie’s physical, mental, and emotional health.  He kept the Kingdom music box away from her and even refrained from using the necklace during the first period of time…attempting to rely on personal relation to get to her.

He began to take her with him out into the town for short walks, and to visit friends, and to visit the Temple build site.  As the weeks went by, her sadness began to fade, but her mind continued to be sick.  Steven asked her about this, and she wanted to be better, but was scared.  She was happy for his return but her mind was still clouded.  It was a very rough time for them.  Steven sought Ellie’s consent to consult clerics.  Max from the guild checked on her during their visits to the Temple site.  Steven had relayed the story of the Void to Max during the trip from Fairwater.  After a few checkups, Max used a Lesser Restoration spell on her and advised Cara and Steven to keep an eye on her.

Things went well for days and Steven took her to the lake for a picnic.  They spent the day lying in the shade talking about aspirations and friendships and their future together.  He held her in a patient embrace.  When they returned home that evening, she looked at him smiling and pulled him close.  He could feel her heart racing…but then her eyes went wild and she pushed and pulled at him all while muttering in gibberish.  He tried to calm her.  The episode eventually subsided as she collapsed exhausted.  As usual, he held her tight, prayed, and slept lightly.

He spoke with Max the next day, and they visited the main Temple of Soltarus.  They listened to the story up until this point and asked to observe her.  She stayed with them for a few days after Steven went to get her an overnight bag with some things.  They advised Steven to leave her be.  She smiled and told him to go get some rest.  It had been two months without him leaving her.  He went to speak with Alexander Dalca, who informed him that Ellie’s place on the council had become honorary, out of respect for her long service, and hoped for her return, and they have chosen a new interim council member.  Steven  then went to check on the Helenite Temple.   Steven gave an inspiring speech to the acolytes and volunteers and bought them a round at the pub that evening.  He returned the next day and waited nearby the Temple of Soltarus and asked a cleric for an update.  Nothing yet.  He told them he is heading to Rurall for a day and flew up there to be with Janis and Milo.

Upon returning, he learned that she had another episode and the High Nature Priest cast Restoration on her again and even Remove Curse.  Steven carried her home and he and Cara and Bethanne watched over her for days as she tried to break a fever.  She finally came through and after another day of feeling week, Ellie was in good spirits and was grateful for the attention and effort everyone had given her.

In the next month or so, Cara and Steven anxiously watched as Ellie acted as her old self.   Her depression had not returned.  She was not acting unlike her old self in any obvious way…

Steven didn’t want to, but many thought it best for Aurelia to get back to health and strength by regaining some degree of independence.  Steven was okay with this…as he was still seeing her every day, but spending more time at the build site.  One afternoon he decided to pay her a surprise visit, he caught her in what appeared to be an “action loop” doing the same thing over and over in her house, dusting an old book off and putting it back on the shelf, then doing it again.  He backed up and said her name so as not to startle her and she acted as though nothing was wrong, but when he mentioned it to Cara, they both started noticing odd behaviors still.  Crazy things.  Steven told Elli and she was unaware and thought it was a bad joke, but deep inside knew he wouldn’t.  When Cara confirmed it, she knew it was time to ask Narita to help.  They had nowhere else to go.  Narita came to the house the next day and said a bunch of “druid stuff”, as Steven would say, but Bethanne paid careful attention.  The things that Aurelia had seen, but maybe more importantly where, and mostly, who, were probably responsible for the lingering madness affecting her.  Other symptoms she has could have been a part of this or other things all together, but in that moment Narita held her dear friend tight and cast a cocktail of spells to bring Aurelia back to them.  Aurelia lurched as something inside her fought back; Steven felt a dark presence flicker and fade but remain.  Narita knew that Aurelia was beyond the help of mortals. She stayed with the group for the day as they cared for Elli, who again was fighting fever. She recovered much quicker this time, but over the months, the learned that Aurelia was still afflicted. Most were resigned to live with this as the new norm and try to comfort her. Steven would never leave her…but he also would never give up trying to figure a way to restore her. This time together strengthened their bond and they decided to marry. word was sent out, and The Cloaks reassembled at the end of the year back at Leilani's Inn.

## Members

* Adrian
* Malark
* Milo Strongthorn
* Steven Rogers
* Garrus
* Zinnasadi
* Rhys Oakenshield
* Ehryllil Gladthorne