LIIIIIVE!!

=kerzap!=

...

Hmm.
I may just revitalise this for my game. Mebbe.
Who knows? I might want to buy a 4hr long dictaphone and hide it behind a curtain. Just so I don't miss anything >.>

Session 6 (The Word of Life)

6th Rhaan - Autumn in Sharn brings heavy storms and plenty of rain. The temperatures drop slightly, leaving the place slightly less muggy but with a great deal more wind. After several days of relative relaxation the party were contacted by a half-orc by the name of Simon the orange; so named for the slight orange sunburn on his green-tinged skin. He brought news that Jonathan Carver wished to meet with them for an evening meal and business proposal.
The group made their way down to Cliffside and were directed to a strong wooden door in an alley between two warehouses. The half-ogre doorman unlocked it for them and guided them up a long set of stone stairs within the cliff itself. They emerged onto a half-stone, half-wood landing in front of an attractively carved. Inside the party were met by an exquisite halfling woman of indeterminate years who introduced herself as Kaeya, the matron of the Riverside Haven. Told that Captain Carver was waiting for them they were led into a formal dining room off to one side of the restaurant; decorated with classical art, tastefully arranged.

Captain Jonathan Carver is a slender man of early middle age and slightly above average height. He has dark hair, well styled, and grey eyes. Looking at him and listening to his smooth words and well-honed wit, it is hard to imagine his reputation as a cold-blooded killer and the "Scourge of the Coast". Nonetheless, the tails are common enough to have truth to them, despite his urbane manner.
Getting down to business, Carver announces that he has heard of the party by reputation and is interested in offering them lieutenant shares in his next venture.
He explains that he has information about an eberron shard transport vessel from the Shadow Marches and that he wishes very much to take the ship and its cargo. As lieutenants they would each receive a 10% share in the profit, with Carver himself taking a 30% share and the remaining 40% to be distributed throughout the crew.

Having accepted his proposal, Andrew, Dha'ron, and Maker assemble aboard the Queen of Khorvaire - Carver's flagship - and assist in the planning of the attack. It was decided that they would risk the shorter crossing by open sea so that they could assault the Shadowswift closer to Carver's base of operations rather than closer to the areas protected by the Brelish Navy. Accompanying them will be the Blade of Khorvaire, Carver's other, smaller ship. The Queen is a merchantman fitted for troop and cargo transport, while the Blade is a cutter designed for interception and combat at sea.

7th Rhaan - The Queen of Khorvaire and her little sister the Blade of Khorvaire set out with the morning tide just before dawn.

10th Rhaan - The men on watch during the day notice a dark storm front on the horizon.

12th Rhaan - After keeping a wary eye on it for the last two days, the approaching storm finished approaching and hit hard!

14th Rhaan - The Blade of Khorvaire started to experience serious problems with the strong wind and high seas. Its timbers strain and it shows clearly why it is a coastal vessel predominantly.

15th Rhaan - The Blade suffered from a broken mast! Bringing the Queen dangerously close, a rope is secured to the Blade so that its compliment of marines can cross to the Queen for the purposes of the attack. Five of the attempts go without serious trouble. However two marines fall overboard and quickly go under in the heavy swell. Seven sailors and four marines from the Blade had died in total, so Captain Carver sent over another two sailors to form a skeleton crew; thus allowing the Blade to limp to shore.

17th Rhaan - Ship ahoy! The Shadowswift, with its distinctive black hull was sighted off the starboard bow. The Queen of Khorvaire corrected course to intercept and Andrew, Dha'ron, and Maker kept the crew away from the helm by shooting dead the helmsman and then the navigator who attempted to reach the wheel afterwards! A Sleep spell was targeted on the open deck of the Shadowswift, causing three of the enemy guards to drop into a slumber - one of whom slid off the deck and drowned before waking. A volley of crossbow bolts and arrows scathed the black ship's deck, killing another five enemy men before the ships ground together for boarding. Carver, Simon, Andrew, Dha'ron, and Maker made quick work of the remaining guards and began to organize the search of the Shadowswift. As Captain Carver approached the captain's cabin at the rear of the ship, the door burst open and a hulking troll slammed into him; bearing both overboard into the sea! Stalking out afterwards was the very annoyed captain of the Shadowswift: a green hag who laid into the group for a short time before being outmatched and diving into the sea and disappearing under the waves.
A short time later, Captain Carver dragged himself over the railing, covered in scrapes and cuts. He then moved from person to person, killing each and every surviving crew member of the enemy vessel, ordering no quarter for the sick or injured below.
A logbook, some charts, a small box of gems, some luxury items, and a rather nice sextant were all taken directly aboard the Queen of Khorvaire while the crew transferred the eberron shard shipment to the Queen also.
In the captain's cabin, the group also found "The Personal Log of Captain Jethya Marana" and took that too.

20th Rhaan - Another light crew was sent aboard the Shadowswift and both vessels sailed for three days to Blackstone Keep in the southern peninsula of the Shadow Marches. The Blade of Khorvaire had arrived and work had already commenced in replacing the mast. Supplies were gained, ships refitted, and crew members were able to stretch out and eat fresh food at last.
During their time at the keep, the group had evening meals with Jonathan Carver and he hatched a devious plan: to wait several more days and then sail back to the Shadow Marches as if returning for another shipment of goods!

Session 5 (The Word of Life)

18th Barrakas - After the initial surprise of a talking skeleton, the battle was joined! After a furious fight, both of the undead were returned to an inanimate state and the party was able to continue on their way to the partially ruined tower nearby.

The tower was eighty feet tall and nearly square. There was a pale flickering light emanating from the rooftop and access to the building was gained by scrambling over the rubble of one largely destroyed wall. Moving swiftly but carefully, Andrew, Dha'ron, and Maker searched the tower room by room. They discovered a small amount of Cyran coins, some shortspears, a copper pendant with a tree inscribed on it, and a slim wooden box - later opened to access the wand inside - in the officer's study.
The party heard noises outside and went to look. They found rank upon rank of armored zombies in formation outside the keep, preparing to enter. Reacting to the incoming threat, the party ran to the roof and found only rubble and an elevator of much more recent construction than the building itself. The elevator's guiding beam was the flickering light that had been seen from below. It was being debated whether they should run for it another way when their hand was forced by the arrival of several zombies climbing up the walls and attacking them!
Forced to fight inside the elevator, Dha'ron's axe had its haft chopped in two by a particularly aggressive zombie before it was dispatched.

The elevator shuddered to a halt on top of the glass plateau, again resting at a recently constructed platform. For three days, the three explorers headed south along the plateau, making do with dry rations and the stale leather-flavored water from their waterskins.


21st Barrakas - At around mid-morning of their third day of walking they saw a figure silhouetted against the sky, visible between jagged spurs of glass rising from the plateau. The figure was robed from head to foot and was chanting in a keening wail, arms raised above him. There was a blood-red glow being omitted from the tablet, lighting up the figure and proving it to be the item they were seeking to retrieve.
The party dashed forwards to try to stop Saren Domant but his ritual was too close to completion to be halted and he uttered the word of power inscribed on the tablet...

...for a moment there was no reaction, then Saren contorted, twisted, and exploded in a burst of power, showering blood and viscera around where he had stood. Andrew very nearly died at that moment too, being close enough to clearly intuit the power of the spell. Thankfully his mind was resilient enough to deny the influence of the waves of power washing over him and he collapsed unconscious instead of dead!
Once he regained consciousness, the party searched through Saren's belongings and took his potions (Remove Fear and Lesser Restoration), his scroll (Resist Energy), his wand (Cure Light Wounds: 15 charges remaining), and his magically imbued morningstar (+1 Morningstar).

They then picked their way further south to the tip of the plateau and found Saren's rope ladder that he'd secured in order to leave.

26th Barrakas - After a further five days of travel the three arrived in Darguun and purchased a horse and cart in Rhukaan Draal.

2nd Rhaan - They had traveled along a riverbank until reaching Sterngate and had managed to get passage on the lightning rail back to Sharn over the course of four days. Once they arrived they found that Praxxas Magister had taken a sabbatical and returned home to the Talenta Plains for a while. Morgrave University arranged for the tablet to be taken off display and handed it into the care of House Kundarak. A silver Aurum member by the name of Harrin d'Kundarak placed it inside a chest which then went into a twin-Khyber sharded adamantine locked chest which required Kundarak blood to open the Arcane Lock and other seals.
Each member of the party was given a purse of fifty platinum coins in thanks for their efforts in returning the valuable tablet.

Later that same night, Dha'ron was chased and attacked by a werewolf in the streets of Sharn! It was itself chased off by the arrival of the swifter of a pair of guardsmen. In particular a golden-eyed man who took Dha'ron immediately to a Jorasco healer and administered belladonna to stave off the infection of the lycanthropic disease! He introduced himself only as Kelmar at the time and returned to his partner just as quickly as he left. Now Dha'ron bears the taint of lycanthropy, but not the curse itself.

Session 4 (The Word of Life)

23rd Lharvion - Arrival back in Sharn from Stormreach.

27th Lharvion - The PCs are in and around Morgrave University when they hear a commotion and, upon investigation, discover that the tablet had been stolen from its display in the upper halls! An inquisitive (Creilath Movanek, a well known half-elf) was summoned and asked to look over the scene. He quickly concluded that the culprit had most likely come from the docks, as there were traces of white oakum (untarred caulkling twine) snagged on the pedestal as well as the presence of Cliffside limestone. The PCs made haste to the Cliffside docks only to see a ship starting to cast off with a pack-bearing figure near the stern. Dha'ron, being the fastest of the crew, ran down the docks - narrowly avoiding being tripped by an unseen assailant in the crowd - and leapt after the ship... falling into the harbor instead. Once he clambered out of the drink, Dha'ron, along with Andrew and Maker, witnessed a band of tritons out in the far harbor board a Brelish cutter and slaughter the crew. The good news of the day was that they could identify the fleeing vessel as the Vengeance of Falnar; Falnar being identified as a town on the southern coast of Cyre, near to the Darguun border.
They then returned to Morgrave University to prepare for a trip to the Mournland. Praxxas Magister had been poisoned, which explained his absence from the crime scene, but he did arrange for them to receive travel passes to take them by lightning rail as far as they could go towards their ultimate destination. He also arranged for a Breland Sentinel to accompany them on their mission to recover the valuable tablet.


3rd Barrakas - It had taken a couple of days to organize everything and they had been on the lightning rail route for a day now with their companion - Timar Mesis, a Sentinel of Breland - and it was now the evening of their first night in the lightning rail sleeping compartment they had been provided with. During the night hoofbeats were heard over the rushing of air and crackling of the storm elemental propulsion. Looking out the window with dancing lights cast into the darkness, the PCs saw a band of hobgoblins riding hard for the carriages. Each hobgoblin was armed and armored and grim of visage. With that in mind, combat was joined and several of the hobgoblins were dropped from their horses by magic and ranged weaponry before even reaching the lightning rail. Some of them made it onto the roof of the carriage though, and Timar burst into action, climbing onto the roof with them. As Andrew stuck his head out the window to see what was going on, he saw a blade plow through Timar's back and out his chest, tumbling him off the roof and onto the ground, lost in a blur of bloody steel as the rail continued onwards. The rest of the hobgoblins noted the position of the PCs and dropped into the carriage with them, only to be dispatched fairly swiftly.

6th Barrakas - Now without Timar Mesis, they were approaching Starilaskur - their disembarking point - when they heard the beating of leathery wings and an inhuman shriek in the sky above! There was another shriek, this one louder and more piercing, and the carriages shuddered violently and the leathery beating of wings resumed after the creatures diving attack on the lightning rail elemental compartment.
Andrew, Dha'ron, and Maker jumped to their feet and ran forwards to check on the damage, arriving just in time to witness another shrieking dive on the lead compartment, this time tearing the elemental binding asunder and partially releasing the storm elemental, driving it into a wild frenzy and propelling the carriages far faster than they were intended to go. The other carriages were decoupled by Maker, and the PCs managed to stay largely out of harm's way while the elemental raged out of control and the compartment and a half screamed through Starilaskur without stopping and straight into the thick grey mists that border the Mournland. Eventually the elemental wrested itself free of its bindings and dissipated into the air, taking the crackling of lightning with it and soaring off into the evening. The carriages coasted along the conductor stones for a further two hours before reaching a halt deep within the Mournland. Their rough knowledge of Cyran geography and trust in the fact that the lightning rail had to have stops along the way led them to trudge along the often shattered conductor stone line for a couple of hours before reaching the town of Taralanth. The town was an eerie display of what truly awaited them in this most accursed of lands: corpses lying where they fell, pallid and pale but without any sign of decay. They picked a fairly secure spot and camped for the night; Maker keeping watch through the long hours until dawn.

7th-19th Barrakas - Again combining their sketchy knowledge of the landscape with Dha'ron's survival skill of finding north, they set out southwards for a long journey into the unknown. After twelve days of staying out of sight and skirting any major threats, they came across a horrifying sight - animated corpses locked in eternal battle - made even more eerie by the lack of any sound beyond the clashing of arms and armor.

27th Barrakas - They had been flanked by the glass plateau for several days now, its jagged presence a constant companion on their travels. On this particular night though, they would witness a savage storm illuminating the scene with flashes of purple lightning. Lightning that revealed a stone tower nestled near the base of the glass plateau. Lightning that, between periods of oppressive darkness, revealed a pair of heavily armored skeletons; each bearing a pair of wicked scimitars. One of the skeletons levelled its undead gaze at the group and rasped out in a harsh whisper "you should not have violated our lands..." and the pair moved in to attack!

Session 3 (The Word of _____)

Since the conclusion of the Lady Elaydren’s task eleven days ago, the intrepid delvers had been resting and recuperating at the student accommodations near Morgrave University.

As they had been made aware, there was an expedition leaving for Xen’drik on the morning tide, an expedition sponsored and led by the University’s own Praxxas Magister.

…

When they arrived at the Cliffside docks they found their ship by the bustle of academics nearby and the presence Morgan Baker. Praxxas was in an incandescent fury, fuming from his spot on the quarterdeck. It was swiftly revealed that the eminent banker - and younger son of the House – Thangon d’Kundarak had left for Stormreach on an airship! Having heard of the expedition, he had put his case before the House elders in Sharn and achieved the backing to mount a rival expedition.

Needless to say, this was the source of the Provost’s rage.

…

With fair weather and strong winds, the best time that The Xen’drik Voyager could hope to make was a ten day crossing from Khorvaire. The crew bent to the task and the trio stayed out of the way, letting the sailors do their jobs.

…

A rough, but fairly quick, crossing and twelve days later, they docked in Stormreach harbour. The students and mercenaries leapt into action, preparing the equipment and collecting the purchased mounts so that they could make haste into the untamed jungles of the northern reaches of Xen’drik.

…

Oppressive heat soaked the adventurers in sweat and the moisture of the air. Joining that was the ever-present itching brought about by the multitudinous insect population, each tiny mosquito-like bug eager for a taste of fresh Khorvairean blood! Hours of travel yet lay ahead and the rough trail out of Stormreach was enough to set the riders jarring with every yard travelled.

…

Dry dust and wet air do not a happy man make. It was no different on that long day either. Finally they reached a wooden way-station with a rough palisade around it. The mercenaries set up watch and broke out the supplies so that the junior academics could prepare a quick supper. After eating the Provost stood up on his chair and reminded everyone that the reputation of Morgrave University rode upon their shoulders and that the next days would be rougher yet as they had hit the end of the track and would have to cut their own from now on.

The students were nervously excited, the mercenaries resigned and early to sleep.

…

It would turn out that the mercenaries had the right idea – rising before dawn to hack a path through thick undergrowth is no-one’s idea of fun, not once the reality of the situation sinks in. Now everyone who could swing a blade got to take a position to the front of the line once in a while, helping to carve their way towards the ancient ruins that they strived for.

…

Hot, sweaty, bug-bitten, and covered in dirt and the sap of assorted jungle plants, the expedition clawed their way into an enormous clearing, a natural valley into the jungle floor. There below them rose a massive structure, low and square and built of huge sandstone blocks. The proportions seemed slightly wrong to those with architectural expertise, Andrew particularly commented on the fact to Praxxas who merely nodded with a weary grin and told him to wait until they got down to it.

…

After an hour or two of careful walking down the steep incline, the expedition made camp in front of the stairs leading up to the ruin. Each stair had a rise of eight or nine feet before the next! Clearly this was one of the ruins of the ancient empire of the giants!

The mercenary guards set to making a crude wooden palisade around the camp site, arranging low hides in which to stand guard.

Pitons were hammered into the steps and rope ladders hung so that the Provost’s tent could be set up on the third of the five steps. Andrew and the Provost shared some fortified wine and discussed archaeological matters as the heat of the day transitioned into the warmth of the night.

…

The next day the eleven students started making sketches and rubbings of the structure and its inscriptions. Praxxas, Morgan. The trio hauled themselves up the rest of the steps and into the structure proper while the four mercenaries took turns resting and guarding. They found twenty foot long tracks in the walls that had been filled with a kind of bitumen. Dutifully collecting a sample, they continued into the building and encountered a huge atrium with sunlight streaming into it. The passages slowly angled downwards as they kept going inwards until suddenly the ground gave way under Praxxas and a huge trap door swung open and sent him falling into darkness! The four of them anchored a rope and slung it down the pit quickly, intending to follow and recover the Provost. It was at that moment that Dha’ron noticed a rumbling and then a huge round boulder dropped from a space in the ceiling and bounded down the tunnel, hurling ragged shards of stone ahead of it, clipping him in the head and disorienting him enough to fall into the pit! Serpent-quick, he snapped out his hand and snagged the rope briefly, only to be jarred loose and fall several more yards before entangling his arm and halting his fall. The others watched him fall past them in stunned silence and hastened their climb to see if he was alright. Bruised, bleeding, with strained muscles from the catch, Dha’ron was as alright as he was likely to get for the moment and the four people present took stock of their situation.

…

Standing at the bottom of a deep pit below the structure, they could see recent signs of foot-traffic in the carved earthen tunnels around them. Choosing a path they explored for hours deep beneath the surface of the jungle above. They found clear signs of inhabitation and were ambushed by a black-skinned, white haired, hissing drow male, poisoning Andrew before being cut down by Dha’ron’s axe. The other three dragged Andrew out a tunnel they found and disguised the exit once more, laying caltrops in front of the tunnel mouth to slow down any followers.

…

By this time night had fallen over the clearing and the unfamiliar stars shone above, on either side of the Ring of Siberys. They found themselves not far from the campsite and limped on in, preparing to sleep… a sleep broken by the gurgling scream of a dying man!

Dha’ron reacted quickly hurling himself to his feet and seeing the bright white hair and flashing violet eyes of a dark elven assassin spin away from the body of the guard whose throat he had just slit from ear to ear. He moved into the attack with his axe glinting in the pale starlight, grunting as he powered its blade through the air at the nimble drow. An arrow tore out of the darkness of the camp perimeter, then another. Putting down the slender dark elf, the party of explorers quickly found and eliminated the archer in the tree-line also. Panting with exertion they turned to observe their situation.

…

Faces wrinkled and scowling from the stench of blood and death, they piled up the evidence of the drow’s grim work. He had murdered all four mercenaries and eight of the eleven researchers in the camp. After dropping the bodies into the exit tunnel and rigging a crude trap over the entrance, they climbed up the stairs once more, leaving the students who remained in the command post and pulling up the rope ladders afterwards.

The night had not been a total waste, though the deaths of their companions far overshadowed the measly six hundred gold and twenty heavy silver coins that they had pulled from the dark elves. They had also recovered the fine quality bow that the troublesome archer had been utilizing to good effect.

…

Andrew, Dha’ron, Artificer Corporal: 9th Brelish Company, 3rd Warforged Regiment, and Morgan all resolved to return to the structure’s tunnels and search fully for the Provost one last time. They gathered a small collection of items on their way through the tunnels: Another three hundred small gold coins, four vials of anti-toxin, some exotic spices, and a strange dark elven hanging ornament. Ultimately, however, their biggest find was the drow spell-caster in his rooms! A very short battle ensued, with the unsupported sorcerer falling quickly and yielding his small stash of potions and scrolls to the explorers’ hands out of his own dead grasp.

It was short work after that to recover the Provost from his cell deeper in the tunnel system.

…

Completing the exploration was now a priority. It would have been a tragedy to have so many die and still return empty-handed. Thus, after a few hours of careful searching, the trio, Morgan, and Praxxas all found their way into an enormous room with a massive altar rising up out of the centre. A wide stone causeway led out into this room with a long drop down into darkness on either side. Once they had clambered up onto the top of the altar, Praxxas Magister brought out some old notes and prepared a ritual. This ritual caused many beams of light to burst from the pillars around the room and into an indentation in the surface of the altar. Shavings of mithral, adamantine, iron, copper, silver, and gold were obtained, as were a whole emerald and a sapphire. Added to the minerals were several drops of blood, and from it all was fashioned a reddish translucent enamel tablet, measuring one by two feet in size, and scarcely more than an inch thick. The tablet, was, however, totally impervious to harm. Not even an adamantine stylus could scratch the surface!

The one thing that was discerned almost immediately was that it contained a spell… …and not just any spell; it was an unknown Power Word, heretofore unheard of.

…

After a hard ride back to Stormreach they embarked on a vessel, and, after exchanging cheerful farewells to their rival, Thangon d’Kundarak, sailed back to Sharn.

There they received membership to Morgrave University’s Archaeology Department (bringing with it a ten per cent discount on university services) and ten platinum coins each.

…

The Tablet was placed on display in Morgrave University.

(Next time I write up a session I’ll be sure to include dates and keep to the facts and let your memories bring out the details!)

Your friends (The Word of _____)

Just a quick update while I consider whether to make the next session verbose or factual.

Hello good evening and welcome to the Top Five Lists' special presentation of "People with whom the adventurers are 'friends'! Let us kick things off at number five:

5. A tribe of northern Xen'drik drow.
4. The Lord of Blades' servants.
3. Cultists of the Blood of Vol.
2. A half-dragon (black) spitting out a warning about the Draconic Prophecy.

1. Timar Mesis.

Session 1 (The Word of _____)

Sharn. Zol the 3rd of Nymm, 998 YK.

The scorching sun of the mid-afternoon kept the temperature hovering at the upper reaches of tolerable.
There was the distinct acrid smell of ozone and an audible crackling in the air. The cause was evident; tamed lightning blazing in a hemi-spherical ring around the front of a shining carriage, itself streaked with grime from long travel.
Shouts and crashes rang out up and down the platform as the throng of people tried to embark or disembark or sell things or steal things all around.
Standing around in abject confusion was a minor oddity, even to this cosmopolitan crowd. Warforged. By the dozen. A new race, they were less common even than the bestial shifters in these parts. Warforged, to the eyes of the population here, seemed to come in two varieties: large and very large.

Standing apart a little from the crowd of living wood and metal was a larger than usual specimen of the warforged race. He, like the others, bore the Brelish sigil on his brow. Unlike most of the others, this one was clad in massive plates of dark metal. Furthermore, he also carried an unusual assortment of toolkits and books. Seperated by profession and rank from most others, he was alone even so close to his comrades.

In the crowd below, waiting their turns to reach the front of the line and have their papers checked for entry into Sharn by road were two other people, alone also amidst the host.
One was as human as the next, it seemed, and wore travel worn clothing. He also bore with him a bulging pack and many pouches about his person. Sweating heavily, he frowned as he dabbed at his face with a cloth.
The other was one of the afore-mentioned bestial shifters; thickly muscled and also scowling in the afternoon heat.
---
Words were exchanged as the human tried to suborn a 'forged into serving him as a porter, then introductions were made and the three ended up in line nearby heading into Sharn's lower levels. After deciding to head up to the Morgrave University to seek gainful employment they made their way upwards through a maze of stairs, passages, and elevators. With hours of climbing behind them, the trio found themselves caught in a rainstorm and dashing from cover to cover and light to light in the evening darkness.
---
A shadowed and rainswept bridge between towers lay in limpid pools of pale light. A figure quickly threw itself over the edge and lay in wait unseen.
Andrew, Dha'ron, and Artificer Corporal: 9th Brelish Company, 3rd Warforged Regiment move across to the bridge and encounter a prone figure, pale and seeming smaller than life... Bonal Geldem, a Provost of the very institution they seek. Dead. They search through his papers, thus discovering his identity and uncovering a journal marked with a strange emblem. As they started to move out of the rain, the figure from under the bridge leapt into action, attacking with hisses of spite and hatred directed at the "flesh-loving scum" of the other 'forged. Upon her death, Cutter's Final Messenger flitted off into the night, carrying with it a message to persons only guessed at.
---
Before long the Watch arrived and, assured that the odd trio had not instigated the murder, allowed them to be on their way. Later, however, they received a message from a cloaked man - "go to the Broken Anvil and present this token if you wish to know more about the death of Provost Geldem."
Curiosity waged and won its secret war against prudence and they once more set off through the towers and bridges of Sharn.
---
Having entered the Broken Anvil, the trio were led into a private room in the back. Inside was a cloaked female figure who drew back her hood when they arrived. She was a young woman, dark haired and fair of feature. She introduced herself as Lady Elaydren d'Vown of House Cannith and asked them if they had recovered the journal of Bonal Geldem. The journal was produced and Elaydren confirmed that the sigil was an ancient version of House Cannith's own crest. Lady d'Vown asked them if they would be willing to undertake a retrieval of something on her behalf. Assured that they would be well recompensed for their efforts, they were told that the item in question was a seven-pointed star of hard metal etched with symbols.
---
Finally they reached the towers of Morgrave University, an enormous building separated from one of the higher levels of Sharn by a huge floating bridge. Moving through the University District of Upper Menthis they find themselves eventually in the archaeology department; one of the few places bustling even at the late hour of their arrival. Inside they find a large number of hustling, nervous students being ordered around by an aristocratic voice. The source of the voice is a three foot tall halfling in fine clothes with a proud stance. He declares himself to be the Provost of Archaeology "Praxxas Magister". Charmed by the knowledgeable yet deferential attitude of Andrew, Praxxas informs them that there would be an expedition to Xen'drik in two weeks and they would be welcome aboard. Also that if they "make it back alive, by the gods you'll be members!" - alluding to gaining research and lecture privileges at Morgrave.
---
Praxxas was told of their current errand, and with a whip-like crack of his voice he summoned over an anxious looking student who was then swiftly press-ganged into tagging along with the trio to offer assistance. Morgan Baker, a somewhat timid young human, promised to do all that he could to help while he was with them.
---
Having already been given a crude map to assist their search, the four explorers set off into the depths of Sharn this time. Winding down through the levels of the great city, they knew that they needed to find the E-213 valve cluster in the sewers; the last place that Bonal Geldem had been investigating.
Before they could find it though, they reached an arrangement with a goblin marketeer called Shakan. He would give them directions in exchange for some money and lamp oil for trade.
---
The stairs down to the valve cluster were steep and damp and led directly into peril. They were assaulted on the stairs by a hidden warforged and then almost immediately by two shifter thugs. They dispatched them and made their way through the treacherous waters and gushing valves before descending again into the depths. This time they came out in an ancient set of underground structures and were assaulted by a swarm of hungry beasts and then a pair of mutated rats. They found respite in the form of a consecrated shrine that allowed them safety and a small font of curative waters. Unknown to the group of urban spelunkers, they were being watched!
---
After a few hours of rest, they stalked into the darkness. The finding of an old workshop was a clear sign that they were on the right track; a sign further confirmed by the short battle with the last guardians of the forge. Dha'ron took the worst of the battle and had to be revived to consciousness by a trickle of the curative water in their waterskin. They did make off with some old coins and find the schema they had been sent to retrieve though! An event which forced the hand of the waiting warforged - Saber!
The battle was intense, once again leading to Dha'ron's savage rage leaving him drained and unconscious!
---
Returning to the surface was a pleasure for all concerned, and Elaydren rewarded them all as promised. Another reward came in the form of the value of the antiquated coins they had gathered from the forge. They were worth ten times their weight due to their age! They also dealt with Thangon d'Kundarak and exchanged some ingots for cash at the House.
---
All in all, it was a successful first foray into the world of House intrigue and adventure! Andrew, Dha'ron, and Artificer Corporal: 9th Brelish Company, 3rd Warforged Regiment would be in the company of Praxxas Magister and Morgan Baker: Intern again soon enough as they made preparations to sail for Xen'drik!