A summary of the travails and triumphs of our intrepid adventurers over the past few months..TORCHING THE CASTLE The party, after securing the warpstone meteorite, brought it out to the Wayward Derelict and left it in the lead-lined casket they took from Castle Eslohe, with only a terrified Dumpling to guard over it. They then returned to the castle, and confronted Magritte and her mother, both evil spellcasters. The remaining guards, a giant clockwork scorpion, and a number of mutated cats opposed them, but the party was victorious. Cyrus set fire to the castle and together the group headed back to the boat. Once there, they allowed a few survivors of the assault - a merchant from Eslohe and some kitchen staff, to board so they could be dropped off at a nearby town. Before leaving, they saw the village of Eslohe, or what remained of it, had been attacked by beastmen and minotaurs. As they passed by in the boat, Dronk fired a single crossbow bolt in defiance at one of the minotaurs, striking it directly in the head from an astounding range. During the journey back up the river away from Eslohe, Cyrus interrogated the kitchen staff, who displayed suspicious physical characteristics. He threatened to kill any mutants, and one of the staff, with unusually long fingers, leapt overboard and desperately tried to swim ashore, only to be killed with a single shot from one of Cyrus' pistols. The next day, they reached the town at the head of the estuary of the River Reik, Barenfahre. Here, they allowed the remaining refugees to depart. Heading ashore, they realized there was a warrant out for the arrest of the priestess of Manaan, wanted for questioning in the death of one tax collector nearly a year earlier. Cyrus received a message from the Ordo Fidelis, instructing that they avoid Altdorf and go directly to Castle Grauenburg, outside Bogenhafen. They hurried to take aboard fresh food and other provisions, then headed back south along the river. RIVER PIRATES Their deadly cargo hummed ominously within it's lead lined casket. Occasionally as they traveled the group sensed they were being watched and suspected the cultists were using scrying magics to find them. They hurried down the long river passage as quickly as they could, travelling even at night, when it was difficult to navigate the river rapids when they occurred, hoping to reach their destination before any pursuers could catch them. During one such night trip, the Wayward Derelict smashed against some rocks, causing a small hole below the waterline. The party made what repairs they could and continued their rapid journey southwards. After bypassing Altdorf, as they approached Castle Grauenburg, they found a strange vessel floating, seemingly deserted in the middle of the river. Cautiously, they approached and could see that the decks were covered in a heavy canvas. Their suspicions were aroused when they saw movement beneath the canvas - and confirmed when a group of heavily armed river pirates burst forth, firing guns and moving to board the close-by Wayward Derelict. Edmee sprung into action, chanting words of power to Manaan, and caused the river to churn and swell - throwing a mighty wave at the pirate riverboat, causing it to capsize, throwing the pirates overboard. Some drowned, or were swept downriver, others climbed aboard the capsized vessel, shivering with cold - while still others, including the pirate captain, swam for the Wayward Derelict, under fire from Dronk's crossbow and Cyrus' pistols. Many of the pirates were killed before they could reach the boat, but a few managed to make it and clambered aboard, where they engaged the party in melee. When the pirate captain reached the deck, Hugo and Dronk gasped in astonishment - it was Philippe Descartes, the cheat who had attempted to swindle the party the first night they met, what seemed like ages ago, in the Coach and Horses Inn. He apparently had had a change of career - he drew a cutlass and charged the group. AN ASSASSINS BLADE The fighting was close-fought and deadly. In the melee, a purple-cloaked figure climbed over the side, unnoticed by the group. He charged towards Edmee, who was deep in a trance, throwing more waves at the pirate vessel, sending it away from the Wayward Derelict. Before anyone could react, he pulled a faintly-glowing blade from his robes and plunged it into the priestess' chest, inflicted a ghastly wound and causing her spell to fail. The group realized in horror that the assassin had used was one identical to that used to kill their companion Baroon - which had caused his physical form to twist unimaginably into a monstrous Chaos Spawn. Edmee gasped in pain as the assassin turned to attack others, before falling dead from a strike from Hugo's wavy-bladed greatsword. The group finished off the remaining river pirates, including Philippe, and turned to Edmee, expecting her to transform any moment. Whether she was saved by the grace of Manaan, or through sheer force of will, none can say - but certainly, she did not change, nor mutate. However, the wound was deep and would not heal from magics. The group bandaged the wound as best they could, and set Edmee belowdecks, hoping she would recover. Afterwards, they dumped the corpses of the river pirates and the Purple Hand assassin overboard. Overnight, Cyrus checked on the unconscious priestess and re-bandaged her wound, checking for signs of mutation. Satisfied on finding none, he returned to his impatient watch above decks. Hugo chewed the weirdroot he had found in Castle Eslohe, while Dronk counted the bottles of Maudite brandy he had recovered from the wine cellars. In the morning - a welcome sight - Castle Grauenburg, their destination. As they pulled into the small harbour, a group of Knights Panther marched down to meet them..
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The WizardIn time, you will come to know the tragic extent of my failings... Past Journals
September 2017
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