Session 7 Plan

## Recap

During our last session, the party was travelling from Deron's Fall to the town of Acreborrow, in pursuit of a man known only as the Minstril. He has taken a mysterious artefact, Bryoden's Runic Tome, and is apparently heading for Middencrest. The party travels with Elsabel Flickering, a Tiefling bard who has passed on what she knew and agreed to help the party so long as they're able to help her sister, who she's saving money to help.

The party met a number of strange travelers on their journey. Lord Henry Stafford and his entourage, apparently a refugee Lordling from the Canton of Ridlen, forced out due to a disagreement with another official. The party then split, with Edolie, Alyellor and Elsabel zooming ahead on horseback, while Chester, Ahmen and Cobble remained in the slower cart.

The first three ran into a cartographer named Blots, a little loose in the head, but overall surprisingly helpful. After a full nights dash, the other three managed to catch up in the cart, after an inspiring effort.

The party also interacted with a pair of Torian Knights from the city of Gruus, both of which dismissed their desires and proceeded to continue south to quell a rebel uprising.

The party split once more, with Edolie and Alyellor arriving in Acreborrow the following evening.

The other three also encountered Blots a little behind the faster trio, and saved him from a pair of Gryphlings - large half griffons of a sort. Chester and Ahmen destroy the pair, rolling 2x Nat 20's and saving the cartographer. As a sign of grace, he offers that they stay with them for the night, as they're still a few hours short of Acreborrow.

Blots informs them that he'd seen the Minstril, and the man had been interested in Mortes Mill. Blots then revealed a Stipen and inscribed a series of intricate Arcs to form a protective barrier around the sleeping group. Cobble stood watch as the others went to sleep.

Only a few hours later, Cobble watched as both Chester and Ahmen shot to their feet, a kind of black tar leaking from their eyes like tears. After a close inspection, they find that Blots is dead, his eyes burned and charred. It looks like his heart has been torn from his chest, a pool of blood beneath him. He lies with an odd smile, the words 'Sweet Bliss' written with his own blood in the dirt.

His Stilpen withered to thick dust, mixed with a black crystal like charcoal, inside of it's leather case. (linked with the Arcanist, disintegrates upon death).

## Edolie and Alyellor

Come across Acreborrow. A town a little larger then Deron's Fall. More farms here, and a bit more variety. Sheep, cattle, horses. Overall, flatter land. A small, local booksmith named Fletch. He's a weedy man in his 40's little more than a scribe. If they ask him, he knows nothing about the Runic Tome, or Arcs for that matter.

Locations:

The Acre: Patch of ground kept green for travelers to pitch tents, for minstrels and bards to perform, for people to sell wares. Small market going there when the party arrives.

Borrowed Bunk.

* Telemaine. Fat innkeeper, well fed and a little lazy. Black hair turning white, scraggly beard. Voice: A bit whiny.
* Kris. Waitress. Young with a prominent nose. Laidback and easy going, but also a little lazy.
* Dodson. Local Mediator. Kottur with light grey fur and very blue eyes. Wearing light blue, grey and white robes. Young for a Mediator, but slim. Spoke with the Minstrel, who was very interested in the creation myth of Toria. Specifically about the Marred.

The Minstrel has come through. In fact, he stayed at the Borrowed Bunk only last night and played a few songs. Shared some stories as well - old stories, fairy tales and fables. They don't know where he's headed, but mentioned that he left that morning.

Dodson spoke with the Minstrel at length about theology the previous night. The man seemed very interested to know about the Binding of the Marred.

The Minstrel has actually paid Telemaine and a few of his fellows to watch if anyone asks about him. If the party bunks at the inn, he will send some men to attack them to stop them asking about it. If any survive, they will run out and into the crowded bar, accusing the others of attacking them.

Guardsmen:

* Watchcaptain Nel. Hard woman, grunts a lot. Reddish hair and darker skin. Has a few scars. Sick of the border skirmishes as a local lord's making some noise, add to a slow increase in bandits coming from the south.
* NPC names: Jenna. Vis. Matthews. Few that are nursing wounds taken from some bandit attacks from the south.

She heard the Minstrel play at the inn, said he was too tinny for her taste. Doesn't like of folk. She knows that he was looking to buy a horse, as he asked if the Guardsmen knew where the best one's were kept. If the party bring the innkeeper and assassins to her, she will be judicious, but very much align with the innkeeper. Doesn't trust newcomers.

Saddles And Sods

* NPC: Drendy. An elven man getting on his years. Clean shaven with long dark hair. Rotund, despite his height.

He sold the Minstrel a pair of horses for quick travel. The man seemed to have a good eye, as he bought the best two he had in stock.

Enderin: Older man, but spry for his age. Balding head, with a ring of grey behind his ears. Furious grey moustache and reading eyeglasses that make his eyes look large. Wearing a dark blue travelling cap tied, travelling cloak (also dark blue). Arcanic broach.

Appears as a hatchwork of glowing blue lines generated from an Arc that appears. Incredibly complex interweaving of lines and sigils.

What is he doing? On a mission from the Crown down south. Local City Lord of Glimmerby by the name of Remus Tebesh is stretching his authority, with a group of Guardsmen under his watch. Has increased taxes in his local area, claiming to need them for a fishing industry expansion. However, has been strong-arming the populace, and several dozen have died.

If asked about Byrodin's Tome, or rather to the point of the conversation, he is surprised it's been found. An anomaly from a time before proper Arcanism. For years, it sat in the halls of the Arcan University in Hewenholde, Toria's capital. It sat alongside it's cousin the Brightbook, though it was part of a series of five books known as the Sequence.

Enderin knows that no Knights would take it seriously. Very few have ever heard of it, forgotten to time. However, Enderin has translated parts of it, but also states how little it actually contains to a true Arcanist. It's like comparing a lump of raw iron to a polished steel sword - that's how old and crude the Arcs there are. To some one like Daalia, the Arcs within appear more dangerous than they actually are - they're raw, but can't properly be used.

Enderin emphasizes this when he hears the name Duster. Duster is the common term for a crimelord how operates out of Middencrest, specialising in art and relic thievery. A cat burglar, intent on finding old relics and art pieces and selling them on the black market. Duster likely has a desire for it as it's a lost Tome of the Sequence, taken nearly 50 years ago when it was being transferred to Ridlen for further study. They may see it as a prize long lost.

Combining all members of the Sequence isn't catastrophic - they are historical books written by Arcanic pioneers. Valuable, and well protected, but again unrefined.

Enderin cannot help directly, he's on a mission from the Crown, and this isn't something he can do. However, he entrusts it to Edolie. It would be a mark of pride for Torian society for the Lost Tome to be returned, especially in the Arcanic community.

If he pushes deeper, it seems like Enderin isn't scared of the book - his words that it's not dangerous seem genuine. He's not being deceitful, but he is keeping some things back. Perhaps because of the company he might be in, or a lack of knowledge on his part that he doesn't want to show.

If pressed, he will admit that it was a failing on his part. The transportation of the Tome and some of the relics were under his council, one of his first roles as an Arcanist. It's shameful that he let that history of Toria get stolen. He thought it had ended up in Canares, and so imparts that retrieving it would settle a personal shame from himself.

What he will do is warn the town of Arcridge - he knows a Watchcaptain there, to scan the area for the Minstril. It's too low profile to be broadcast much wider, but the Minstril would have to go through Arcridge to get to Middencrest.

## Chester, Cobble and Ahmen

If they loot around Blot's wagon, they find a lot of maps, inks of all different kinds. Food of a variety of different flavours, a diary full of half thoughts and babblings. He has about 30 gold strewn throughout - on a 1-10 perception they find 10 gold. 10-15 is 16 and 15+ is thirty.

Magic Items:

The Splinter Ring: Appearance of a pair of rings designed to be worn on each hand. They are a band of leather wrapped in silver and cobalt, with a number of Arcs sketch across them. It looks utilitarian, like it was used often, but the Arcs are intricate. Lasts for one hour, recharge at dawn. Splits the individual wearing it into two, but they share a mind. All stats, including health, halve between them. The copy also looks faintly ominious, as if composed of Arcs and intersections. Blots used this ring to draw more maps.

Potion of Regular Healing:

The Everquill: a thin quill pen with a bent feather from some kind of red bird. Arcs are inscribed along it's length. When used, it produces a thin line of ink and seemingly never runs dry. However, the tip is fine and the ink black, so you get the sense that Blots used this for the more abundant linework, and used other quills and inks to add detail and gradients.

Blots. Travelling cartographer. Dressed all in green and brown. Shorter fellow. Friendly chap with a wide face and mouth, full beard. Carting around a bunch of maps. Dealt with the Minstrel too - he bought a few maps. Specifically ones north of Onsfar and Middencrest, around Mortes Mill. Seemed to want to know the autonomy of it all. Speaks oddly, like his mind is muddled about - between serious and nonserious. Has seen the five books of the Sequence before, and they messed with his head. Final words were 'Sweet Bliss'.