Play Day 15 - 22/03/2013

Date: Wealday 8th Desnus.

In the lands of T aggriell

The party begin this session, on the morning of Wealday, breaking camp after an eventful night dealing with the sudden appearance of some bears.

After a hearty breakfast and once the normal morning preparations are completed, the party set off north again towards the sound of the river ahead.

After thirty minutes, Ost follows the Red Raven's track along a nearly discovered path. now.

The path continues up towards a bridge in the distance. The sound of the river is very loud

Seng and Elamros sneak up ahead through the trees and bush, just off to the side of the path.

The path ahead is blocked by a river by some fifty or more feet across. Silvery fish swim in the lee of a fallen tree that reaches nearly to the middle of the stream. A small way downstream, a narrow walkway hangs suspended over the water by thick ropes. The

suspension bridge rises to a height of over thirty feet over the banks, but drops down to a scant ten feet over the river in the centre of the crossing. The varying age and quality of materials suggests that the bridge has been repaired intermittently over many years.

As the two sit motionless in the bushes, looking over the scene, Seng feels an uneasy sense that someone is watching him. After a moment they both make their way back and advise the others what they seen.

Isabella speaks, "We can't just walk up and cross that bridge, it's bound to be a trap." Krondor smiles, "I have an idea but I'll need your skills Arforth."
Krondor starts to detail his plan, with Isabella and Seng interjecting refinements. Eventually, after a few minutes, the party gather them selves into action.

*********

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the bridge, two bored Bugbears sit atop two separate tree hide outs. Each hide out consists of wooden platform about 8 feet off the

ground, hidden among the branches of a

strong tree and hidden from the direction of the river by a front wooden barrier covered in leaves.

One of the bugbears speaks in a low, here?"

growling voice, "Me bored. How long wait

The other bugbear looks across, "Shut up! No noise. Red Raven said shoot anyone coming for three suns."

The two bugbears once again resume their "careful" watch of the bridge.
At the sound of something approaching the bridge the two bugbears grab their light crossbows and point them towards the bridge, aiming at the path on the other side.

Suddenly, three figures appear. A male dwarf in armour, a female human in armour and a male half elf in hunting clothes. All three figures are running wildly and screaming, "Help! Someone help us!"

The two bugbears begin to aim their light crossbows at the figures, ready to let fly bolts at the two lead figures, when their attention is torn to a bizarre figure chasing behind the horns. Red scaled skin catches the morning sun and strange yellow lights are flashing three running figures: a human sized creature, with the face of a demon and large white around the creature. A strange green fog is trailing behind it. It gives forth a sickly and loud scream is it opens its mouth wide, long sharp teeth visible even from this distance. A long black tongue darts out from the mouth.

"What THAT!?!" grunts one of the bugbears. "Not know. Shoot it!" the other bugbear quickly responds, with a small tremble in its voice.
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T wo very hastily and poorly aimed bolts let loose from the startled bugbears. One shoots into the opposite river bank and the other hits the middle of the bridge.

Whilst this is happening, two other figures, unseen by the distracted bugbears have moved and Elamros brake cover from the bushes and race down the river bank and onto the tree. Seng speaks, "Quickly, we must cross whilst they others make the distraction."

with speed and grace about 50 feet away from the bridge and towards the fallen tree. Seng

The Monk of Irori turns his head and looks up at the bridge. He sees Krondor, Isabella and Ost running towards the bridge, shouting for help. Behind them, he sees the illusion that the Monk's worst nightmare. Arforth has weaved around himself. The Fire Wizard resembles some hideous creature from

Seng and Elamros run down the tree trunk and jump toward the other side. Each lands into the bushes on the opposite side; losing sight of the bridge.

safely onto the opposite bank, jumping the impressive 20 feet gap, and quickly continue

Krondor and Isabella have reached the bridge now and continue to run forward but as they reach about 10 feet across, the boards under their feet give way and they begin to drop. Krondor manages to stop and grab the bridge just in time. He flings out one of his strong considerable effort holds her up. Ost has just stopped in time to avoid falling.

hands towards Isabella who is dropping fast. The Dwarf grabs onto her backpack and with

More crossbow bolts are flying wildly down the bridge. Some hit the bridge and some hit the ground on the opposite bank.

Krondor heaves Isabella back up and onto the bridge, on the opposite side of the gap in the bridge.

The Cleric gets up quickly, "We have to get off this bridge quick!" She starts to run towards the opposite side, when after another ten feet the boards under her feet again give way and she drops out of sight quickly.

Bolts come flying toward Ost and Krondor and both get hit. Ost rolls bleeding towards the edge of the bridge, looking down into the water, "Your Cleric is struggling to stay afloat in the river." The half-elf tracker looks upstream towards the glint of silver off three large silver objects that have appeared in the water, just near the fallen tree and the rocks that get her out now!"

surround it. Ost shouts out, "By gods! Giant Silver Pike. They will carve her up. We have to
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Arforth steps forward toward the edge of the bridge as the illusion he was holding slowly arcane words of power. A white web suddenly appears in the water, trapping two of the large silver pike in an underwater net that is secured against the rocks. fades away, revealing the true form of the elf wizard. He raises his hand and quickly speaks

Unaware of what is happening on the bridge or the danger Isabella is in, Seng and Elamros, continue carefully into the bushes, using the trees for cover to hide their approach. They can hear the sounds of crossbows and make their way over to the sound. They soon locate one of the bugbears in its hidden tree house. Seng moves around behind the bugbear and approaches from behind. As he does so he notices the second bugbear in the other hidden tree house about 40 feet away.

The Monk easily climbs the tree trunk, almost gliding up. He stands behind the bugbear doing so knocks the monk over. The monk stumbles forward and falls off the platform, rolling into a ball and coming to a stop on ground.

and begins to kick out when, by pure chance, the bugbear turns to grab more bolts and in

Elamros lets fly an arrow at the bugbear which hits him on the side, dark blood flowing from the wound.

Back at the bridge Krondor jumps over the first gap in the bridge and gets to the second reach down to grab her but can't reach, "Dam it! Why did I bring no rope!"

gap, looking down into the water to see Isabella thrashing in the water. The Dwarf tries to

Ost is kneeling down on the bridge and has brought out his hunting bow. He aims an arrow at the last remaining giant silver pike and lets loose his shot. The arrow hits the fish squarely in the centre.

Arforth points one finger at the fish and two blue arcane bolts appear at his finger. The bolts fly fast out and enter the water with a hiss. As the bolts hit the fish, the giant pike breaks in half and a dark cloud of blood fills the water around it.

Isabella, giving up trying to swim or stay afloat, takes one last gulp of air and drops to the bottom of the river. She begins to walk along with bottom towards the other side.

Krondor jumps over the second gap and starts to make his way forward, his shield held in front of him to ward off any more bolts.

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The two bugbears, seeing their position overrun, jump down onto the ground and run off in opposite directions.

Seng gets up and begins to chase one.

Isabella manages to reach the other side and breaks the surface of the water, desperately no more bolts are flying towards them. gasping for air. Krondor, Ost and Arforth have also reached the other side safely now that

Isabella, now very wet, Krondor , Ost and Arforth join up with Elamros and quickly follow Seng; who has managed to reach one of the bugbears.

The bugbear and Seng stand facing off at each other. Neither ready to attack one on one. the Monk and the 7 feet high bugbear. The creature is obviously speaking but no one can understand it's speech. Dark blood flows from a wound on the creatures side.

Low, guttural sounds come from Bugbear. The rest of the party join the stand off between

Isabella nods her head and speaks a soft prayer, as she does so, the guttural sounds of bugbear change in her ears alone and she can understand the creature.

The bugbear speaks, "Me not fight. Me go. You let me go. I help you."
longer hurt.

Isabella nods and through basic hand gestures gets the large bugbear to agree. The Cleric of Cayden Cailean raises a hand and prays. Soft blue light spreads out. The wounds on the party and the bugbear heal up. The large bugbear feels its side and sees that he is no

The creature takes out a brass token with a mark on it, "You go. Come to ice with stairs. Show this to Cale. Long eared one. Magic. T ell him you friend. No harm Red Raven. You pass."

The bugbear throws the token onto the ground and slowly backs up. As he disappears from sight the sound of his running can be heard.

Isabella takes the token and the party return to the path to continue their journey. *********
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As the party continue the weather quickly turns cold, unnaturally so. The winds from the north are painfully cold and snow is dropping. Stopping, the party take out their cold weather gear and equip themselves, before continuing.

The ground is broken and the way forward is rough. The snow makes tracking the Red next few hours. It gets colder and the snow gets heavier as they progress.

Raven's path easier now. Jagged mounds of white snow force the party to zig zag for the

As the sun overhead reaches its peak, only dimly seen through the white clouds and snow, the trail of foot prints in the snow passes between two steep tors up ahead. Eight stone T umbles of snow, covering ancient stone staircases, are visible between the ledges. outcroppings, each as large as a small cottage, protrude like teeth from the gorge's mouth.

Krondor looks at the stone stairs, "They look ancient. I think this is the spot that ugly bugbear was talking about."

Elamros speaks, "I'll scout ahead and see what's here."

Isabella steps forward and pulls out the brass token obtained from the bugbear, "No time. We need to catch up to the Red Raven. This had better work."

The Cleric steps in front of the party, holding the brass token up high, and shouts, "We wish to speak to Cale. We seek the Red Raven but we are not his enemy."

The echoes of her voice bounces around the white gorge mouth. No response comes. Isabella shouts again, "Cale, we want to pass, we are not your enemy."
A loud, male voice, responds, "You know my name and you hold our token. For that you are still alive. Speak. Why should I believe you?"

The voice echoes around the gorge.

Isabella lowers her hand and continues, "We know about his quest. He wishes to rescue his to make sure the vernal key is returned to Winewold once he has used it."

love Geppa and he needs the vernal key to do so. We do not want to stop him. We only wish

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"Interesting," the male voice responds. On one of the far ice ledges a figure stands. A male elf, with long white hair, dressed in a blue shirt, with a heavy fur are not what I expected."

cloak wrapped around him. "You

The figure begins to descend the stone stairs and walk towards the party. As he does so he raises one hand and opens it with a hand gesture.

Immediately, twenty heads pop up, from all around the party from the ice ledges. Light cross bows are held by each person and are pointed towards the party.

The male elf stops in front of about the Red Raven and his wit and mind as you are with

Isabella, "I am Cale. You know goals, so you must be a sharp of your weapons. I believe you. T ell

me, Cleric of Cayden Cailean, what will you do with the Red Raven if I let you pass?"

Isabella takes a step towards the elf and looks into his eyes, "I intend to help him. The him to succeed."

quicker he gets what he wants, the quicker I get what I want. It's in both our interests for

"Well spoken. Then let me tell you this, for I shall let you pass. The Red Raven has followed his love into an enchanted prison. A section of the mountain that is not of this plane but you may not leave unless you use the vernal key to open the doorway. I believe this is a from the plane of air. That prison holds a dangerous prisoner. Once you enter that prison fool's errand, and I have told the Red Raven this. I do not believe he will succeed, and that is why I remain here and have chosen not to enter the prison with him. If you choose to go you are either braver than you look or just ignorant of the danger you face. Either way, take this parchment, it is in code but the Red Raven can read it. It will tell him you are someone he can trust."
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 The elf holds out a scroll which Isabella takes.

"Good luck to you," Cale says and holds out his hand to Isabella. The Cleric grasps his hand and shakes it. The Cleric immediately senses the great power this Sorcerer has. Cale narrows his eyes and looks at Isabella intently, "I sense a great destiny in you my lady but I causing you sorrow and despair to you and those around you." also sense a great darkness. Choose your path carefully, for what you wish for may end up

Cale turns and leaves.

ledges.

The party make their way through the gorge, under the watchful eyes of the men from the

*********

And as the party leave the ice gorge mouth, at noon on Wealday the 8th of Desnus, that is where the play session ended.

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