King Xeros Returns!

1489
Year of the Warrior Princess
Uktar 14

     Our group has just returned to Saerloon, their base of operations away from home in Waterdeep.  They are approached by Harbor master Kim Leigh, who in a rushed voice calls them into his office.  The legendary King Xeros has appeared in our harbor!  The group agrees to investigate this potentially dangerous ship and sails out to the vessel.  The "ship" is an amazing feat of engineering, and is made to just not sail on the water but also across planes of existence.  When the party arrives, there seems to be a large commotion going on the top deck, it appears the harbor guard went aboard early and tripped some automated alarms!  After a hectic fight they are able to save most of the guards from the defenses (thanks to Rusty's summon spells that soak up attacks) and continue with their search.  Riddick has some difficulty with the dangerous traps and loses several levels that leave him at less than 100% capacity.  With only a partial party, Seriade, Hannibal, and Riddick descend below decks past the trap room.  They are soon attacked by some stealthy Xill, and almost perish if not for the clever use of Hannibal's leadership and abilities.  Soon after the remainder of the group joins the party and they welcome Landon and Rusty.  They rest of the ship is explored and the main antagonist appears to be a xenophage creeper, a plant like being that mentally controls its foes.  It was using captured creatures to fuel the ship.  Once this thing was destroyed, the auto-pilot resumed control and the group barely made it off the vessel before it shifted to somewhere deep on the Astral plane!

Into old Rachikan

1489
Year of the Warrior Princess
Uktar7

    After meeting with Ellanzo and a retired Harper, Benton Grone, the group decides it is now time to shake the rust off and continue their adventuring Benton explains that his nephew has gone missing.

    One week ago, Benton Grone, a retired Harper and Eldis’ uncle, approached the Ellanzo for help. Benton explained that two months earlier, he received a letter from his nephew requesting a meeting. Eldis never showed up and Benton feared the worst. Benton begged the Harpers to send agents to return his nephew and gave the Society information on lost Rachikan’s location. He provided the Harpers with a tarnished coin displaying the undeniable mark of the Jistka Imperium, a temple-foundry. More importantly,the Harpers immediately recognized a familiar landmark in the background, the Pillars of Anferita.

    The group has teleported into  Cormyr and from there took a ship to the Pillars.  The Pillars are located to the North of the Sea of Stars just south of the World Scar.  As they were scaling the Pillars of Anferita, they were attacked by Erinyes!  Luckily Riddick was able to levitate and Landon hit them with effective spells.  Hannibal and Rusty were more hampered, but they defeated their enemy and gain a couple of nice flaming bows as loot.  At the top of the Pillars, they came upon some guards directing slaves. They were able to push past them somewhat easily and continued into a building at the top of the Pillars.  Here they found one of the leaders - a fallen Harper named Talia!  After a hectic mine car chase, and a well placed force spell by Landon, they put an end to Talia and her crew.  Walking down the rest of the way our party enters an dilapidated building from the top entrance.  After walking down a few stairs they are ambushed by a tribe of Morlocks!  These simple (but dangerous) denizens of the ruins of old Rachikan put up a bloody fight against the party but were defeated.  In the end Hannibal parlayed with their leader and made an honorable exchange of weapons.  Hannibal gave up a well worn but working long bow, and their leader gave Hannibal an old artifact.  Their leader also warned Hannibal to make haste, that more Morlocks would soon come and he did not hold sway over them.  The party hurried to their final destination, the Temple Foundry of Rachikan.  As the group approached the foundry, they were stopped outside by the enemy leader, a Thayian Cleric of Asmodeus!  He mocked the group, and started combat with them.  Hidden among the temple pillars were his followers, many using stealth.  The fight went on for several minutes, as the cleric's followers also had pet wolves that joined the fray.  The enemy was eventually vanquished, and they found that Eldis was indeed dead, having been killed and then turned into a zombie by the evil cleric.  With heavy hearts the group quickly leaves the broken city, as they can see see many Morlocks pouring in from the ourskirts.

1490

Year of the Star Walker's Return

Ches 24

 

Ellanzo Loyalar, The Open Lord of Waterdeep, Ches 24 - personal memoir:

 

     Today I sent Hannibal and his league of companions off on an important quest.  The Lords of the Sword Coast have gathered our resources to pool knowledge to combat the Word Scar and these damn rifts that have been plaguing the lands for the last few months.  The wise are gathering at Myth Drannor to seek what insight they may from the gods.  What can I do?  Keep peace as long as I may I suppose.  The proletariat has put their trust in us, we must at least keep the illusion of law and order even if the world is plunging into darkness.

      My old friend and retired Harper, Benton Grone came to me with a problem.  His nephew seemed to have discovered the lost city of Rachikan, and brought back some old coins as proof.  Now it looks like his nephew has been abducted and he has asked me for help.  Is it just a coincidence that the World Scar and Rachikan are so close together?  Could some long lost knowledge be brought back to aid our fight against the demons and devils that spew from this god forsaken tear in the fabric of existence?

     My son, Jax and Leif I have made commanders in Waterdeep.  As sons of the city there is no question where their loyalties lie and I am sure they will give me their all in defense of the city and our surroundings.  It looks as if Hannibal has gathered some new friends to replace his old ones.  The drow woman he brought back looks amazingly like Riddick, but what do I know, those damn drow look all alike to me.  That Landon kid they convinced to join with them down in the under-dark seems to be a friendly sort.  He looks to have found his true faith since he has come to the surface.  I can appreciate a holy warrior more than most, but I feel sorry for him, he looks as if a stiff breeze may blow him over.  The summoner traveling with them calls himself Rusty, I am not sure what to make of this creature.

     I have arranged for our mages to teleport the party as far as Cormyr, from there I have made arrangements for a sloop to carry them as far as they can go.  I will say a prayer to Lathander for them.

The Days Grow Dark

1490

Year of the Star Walker's Return

Ches 22

     Much has changed since my son's brave band returned from Moil.  Lolth's epic ritual brought unexpected consequences upon the land.  A large scar as appeared north of the Sea of Stars.  Scholars and the wise have called this the "World Scar".  It now appears that this large crevasse is indeed growing.  Out of it a constant stream of Demons and Devils come raiding and killing all in their path.  A call to arms has come from the area and all good people are needed to aid in the defense of the lands.  On top of this, rumors flow of rifts opening up at a moments notice to other dimensions and other worldly creatures pouring out while the rift remains open.  So far these rifts have been few and far between and we hope they can be eliminated all together.  The wise have called a council in Myth Drannor.  The greatest of Faerun's mighty were summoned: Elminster of Shadow Dale, Khelban Blackstaff of Waterdeep, and Elladon of Myth Drannor to name a few.
    Magic, that ever fickle mistress has been harder to harness, clerics sense a further distance from their gods.  The rift seems to be the center of a singularity that is disrupting magical travel and communications near it.  The Harpers have taken a lead on investigating this mystery.  If nothing else the current events have bought people closer together.  Most nation's petty squabbles are now put aside until this threat can be extinguished.

- Ellanzo, Lord Protector of Waterdeep and the open Lord of Waterdeep.

A dream comes to you...

??95

Year of the Wanderer's Arrival

Alturiak 1

 

Scene - Children running out of an old wooden classroom, one drow child remains behind.  The teacher, a young female drow approaches her.

Miss Laeru, please tell me again about the time that was before!  Child, sweet Condix, you have an obsession with ancient history!  Condix: But I love hearing about all the old heroes like Zecks and Riddick!  Laeru: Child!  Where did you hear of Riddick?  That tale we usually don't teach the children until they are much older, since it can scare the young.  Condix: But please tell me something about them please!  Laeru: If that will get you outside for recess then yes I will teach you the rhyme of Riddick's sons:

Riddick was a dark elf of a failed house.

Lolth that was hunted his family until Riddick was alone.

She beg and beg to have him for her,

he spurned her seven times and was punished. 

As part of his pain she made seven gains, 

each to a priestess and one to Lolth.

They became the seven and were added to Lolth that was' star.

Auvry - The wise ruler of new Waterdeep

Irrinid - The sorcerer, he who walks unseen

G'eldnetdar - The Fell Joker

Belaxle - The Knower of Secrets

Rhylvend - Paladin of the Anti-gods

Vornyrd  - Hunter of Elladon, ruiner of Myth Drannor, slayer of Silvera, Unholy Terrror

Micartran - The unfaithful, he who is unwelcome

Hannibal's Journal - Ches 20 1490

My purpose is clear and organizing my thoughts in my journal has reinforced that. I have notified Piergeiron the Paladinson of my intention to pursue a resolution to the Lolth situation and have resigned my commissions to Waterdeep.

Riddick, Landon, Azten and I will now gather information from allies and find new companions to take the fight to Lolth!

Hannibal's Journal - Ches 14 1490

Much has changed in Faerun since we escaped the foul domain of Ascerak.  While the immediate threat to Waterdeep has been turned back, the diabolical goals of Lolth's ritual have become manifest.  The world itself is seemingly being torn apart and with it our group and my loyalties.

Across all of Faerun, portals to the Abyss and fouler dimensions have opened, spilling demons in vast numbers across the countryside.  The nations of Faerun have (for the most part) put aside their petty squabbles and united to stem the tide...barely.  The losses have been appalling, cities razed to the ground; entire tracts of land simply vanishing into swirling vortexes of Chaos.  The just and honorable death of the Chronepsis has been replaced with the foul wrongness of Faluzure.

No nation has been spared and I must decide where I should lend my sword and banner.  What of the loyalties to my comrades and friends, my duties to Waterdeep...where will my efforts affect the greatest benefit in a world turned upside down?

It is this uncertainty that has me organizing my thoughts in my new journal.

Where we stand now:

My comrades - From the start, we were an unlikely band of misfits.

Jax, a wizard doomed to die at 30.

Leif, a shaman so distraught by his father's death that he was able to manifest him from beyond the grave.

Krux, an outcast from a monastery on another plane of existence.

Diovanni, the son of a noble paladin who was never quite good enough for his father.

Brolgar, a dwarven mercenary cast out of his homeland.

Riddick, a drow, last of his family line, hunted like a dog by his dark race.

And I, a disgraced soldier, who gave up his honored place at the Arkosian Academy for a love that was never returned.

Along the way, we befriended other outcasts:

Solomon Kong, a "warforged" warrior from a different world who stood as a statue for centuries before we released him.

Azten Anlagg, a doomed prisoner of the Drow who had the courage to take up the fight against his captors after we freed him.

"Landon", a badly mistreated Drow who gained his freedom by overcoming his mistresses and was essential for our escape from the Underdark.

This unlikely group of heroes has overcome enormous odds to repeatedly turn back threats to Waterdeep and play a pivotal role in defeating the last Drow invasion of the surface world.  We are now close friends, bound by staring down the Unblinking Eye and coming out alive.  We have become an effective fighting unit and I would lay down my life for any one of them.

Unfortunately, we are at a crossroads.

Brolgar died valiantly in the war with the Drow.

Jax, Leif, and Diovanni have gone home to Waterdeep to defend it against the Abyssal onslaught.

Brother Krux has been elevated to the head of his monastery and left for the Astral Plane to deal with political intrigue that threatens the existence of his Order.

Solomon Kong never recovered from the foul magic of Ascerak's lair. The most powerful mages and clerics of Waterdeep were employed. We even gained the aid of Artificers from his home world of Eberron.  Unfortunately, his diminutive, donkey-headed form couldn't recover. We interned him in Waterdeep with a monument that emphasized the noble warrior he was.

That has left Riddick, Landon, Azten, and I to determine how we deal with Lolth's Curse.  While all of us have reason to hate the Drow; Riddick, Landon and Azten have very personal reasons. 

I find a return to Waterdeep to be very enticing.  The Lords of the Shining City have honored me with titles and responsibility.  They helped me move beyond the disgrace of the Arkosian Academy and to realize my potential.  But that seems like a defensive move.

Of all the cities in Faerun, they have the most resources to mount a defense against this Abyssal threat.  I feel my duty is to protect all the people of Faerun.  The best defense is a good offense and we must find where to strike to end Lolth's Affliction.

My decision weighs upon me. I've found myself withdrawing from my comrades while I mull over my possible paths and responsibilities.  I've taken to using the surprisingly wise Josesphus as a sounding board. I hope that my friends don't find me crazy confiding in a doorknob!