Irrelevance, 18 Carnivale 2000
It is now midday. Six hours have passed since the death death of
Snerl. The 'avasculated' dire elephant has been healed. Lycaon has
returned to Lord Revda and Gazahi and between them they have led
the five remaining barghests three miles beyond the Kassini camp.
The nomads themselves have saddled their elephants and are preparing
to move out. Their reunion with Jirokichi turned abruptly sour.
Sokar is extremely angry that after everything his father had done
for Jirokichi that he should lead some a collection of murderous
beasts into the heart of his family. He has heard that six of their
finest warriors simply disappeared during the night time fighting,
one of which was Tristanna's husband, Dugin. Jirokichi doesn't mourn
for this death, but is upset to see Tristanna so fearful. Gruskar
is not as hard on Jirokichi as his brother, but even he advises
Jirokcihi to wait a long time before returning, and then to come
alone.
Jirokichi is extremely disenchanted. By leaving the Hassassini
seasons ago he had hoped to avoid just this sort of unfolding horror.
However, the one person who doesn't blame Jirokichi for what happened
is Marianna herself. The Scribe has done a remarkable job putting
the old woman back together, but his spells were not completely
up to the task. She wears her skin like a loose fitting overcoat,
and although the open wounds have been healed, it still looks as
though she has been the victim of a salvo of strokes.
Marianna says that if it is not for Jirokichi and his hellish companions
they are all as good as dead. However, despite being a seer she
is hoping rather than foreseeing this happy event. As Marianna explains
to the Scribe, her gift was inherited from her mother and the visions
come to her unbidden in her dreams. She can offer no further advice
except to say that they should head north east into the area of
the Great Dark known as Sepulcum.
Both Carith and the Scribe have an understanding of the mundane
and arcane geography of the surrounding area. They have both heard
of Sepulcum. It is the first area to the east of Tharkis that actually
has a name. Sepulcum is an area of high moorland, known for its
unnatural formations of smooth rocks, that build upon one another
to dizzying heights. Numerous stone cairns and markers dot the terrain.
But there is more to Sepulcum than that. A malign intelligence rules
this land. Ancient statues are thought to animate and wander about
the place.
Gruskar says that this is not a land the Kassini normally frequent.
Nonetheless, it is the destination of Jirokcihi and his party. Bidding
a welcome farewell to the Kassini, Jirokichi, Carith, the Scribe
and Clara rendezvous with the other members of the party and strike
out in the wilderness. Their wagon, pulled by Carith's fast zombie
horses makes fair time across the uneven ground.
What are they going to do about the barghests? The wounded Kaan
and Allyung still plot Lycaon's downfall. Lurin is evidently only
Lycaon's ally for as long as he maintains his leadership. Grom is
a coward, and Krasp is a homicidal maniac. They are a danger. Lycaon
says they are too dangerous to simply cut loose, although he doesn't
care if the other party members kill them. He thinks that when Kaan
and Allyung are fully healed they will make their play. Allyung
certainly wants to 'finish off' Carith following their battle days
earlier. Carith doesn't have a problem him trying.
Patience, 19 Carnivale 2000
The wagon-bound party begin to descend into the lower lands, leaving
the windswept moorlands the eastern Varn behind them, in favour
of sheltered valleys and grasslands. The further they travel from
the Septhys Sea, the firmer the ground becomes and the more progress
they make. The grass here is extremely high, and filled with insects
the size of pigeons.
Obedience, 20 Carnivale 2000
The tall grass begins to peter out, as the party find themselves
entering the territory of vast herds of grasseaters. Bull-sized
goats of unnatural bulk and fiendish intelligence regard the progress
of the wagon, a pungent smoke curling up from their nostrils. These
are not simple herbivores, and it is evident that they only eating
grass because they can only get grass. However, the presence of
a greater supernatural evil than they, as well as the bevvy of undead
that surround the wagon, discourages an attack.
These herds are prey as well as predators. The sharp-eyed party
notice a ripple, fifty feet in length travelling rapdily across
the grasslands just below the surface of the ground. The herds run,
but the ripple overtakes them. Some of the 'goats' fall, and the
vegetation itself comes to life, snatching and enveloping. There
is a sickening crunching sound as the goat is consumed. This is
some sort of fiendish tendriculous-like creature.
Diligence, 22 Carnivale 2000
It has now been four days since the party reached the edge of the
Varn. The wagon is passing through a lightly wooded area. The trees
here are old, but stunted, the tops of them reaching little more
than twenty feet in height. The land is barren and slightly rocky.
In the distance is a range of unnamed mountains. The party guide
the wagon down a sharp hill. At the bottom is a fast flowing stream.
It is shallow, and there is a ford that should make the crossing
simple.
But there is a figure walking by the river. The sharper eyed party
members notice a strangely uneven gait, and they realise that the
figure is walking with a crutch. Could this person be suffering
from the effects of the Blight. Courage evaporates from most of
our heroes. They halt the wagon at the top of the hill, Gazahi,
Carith and Jirokichi remain there. Lycaon walks a little closer.
Revda and the Scribe stride down the hill.
As they get closer they notice that the newcomer is a knight in
full plate armour. He is wearing a tabard that bears the symbol
of Karatath. Revda recognises the armour and the symbol. Could this
be one of the death knights that Revda saw entering Tharkis several
weeks ago?
At a safe distance they stop and Revda halloos the knight. He acknowledges
them with a gestrue, but continues to move closer. When he is only
ten paces away, he stops and speaks with an harsh whispering voice.
The traveller is a death knight, and was in the servant of Mínaris,
and he has encountered the Blight. The knight introduces himself
as Lord Drennan is surprisingly candid about what happened. He addresses
himself exclusively to Revda.
Drenna explains how the forces of Mínaris were tracing seven
interlopers from the Northern World. They were holding the seven
Blades of Virtue that had been stolen from the Dark Lord. They were
confronted and given the opptunity to follow their tainted blades
and join the service of Mínaris. They refused and they ran.
Apparently, they had a destination in mind - a portal that led out
of the Great Dark. The army of demons gave chase and battel ensued.
One of the seven were killed. Drennan takes pleasure in recounting
that.
Revda is very interested to hear about a portal that leads out
of the Great Dark - could it be something his wife could take advantage
of? However, he does not interrupt Drennan's narrative. The seven
blades were handed to seven death knights (of which Drennan was
one). In the Great War, the seven swords were wielded by Death Knights
in Karatath's service and used the blades to boil away all the seas
in the northern world. Drennan was not one of these knights. Only
one of the seven could boast such achievements in his past.
However, the blades were booby trapped. When the death knights
invoked their greatest power they dissolved, spreading out around
them like a thick black snow. Where the snow touched knight and
demon it burned, inflicting terrible wounds that could not be healed.
Mínaris is a well of great power and he used that to defend
himself. The interlopers from the northern world were not effected
either.
The black snow killed one of the giant goristro demons. It fell
to the ground ontop of Drennan, pinning him but also shielding him
from much of the snow. Everything else was destroyed and the interlopers
excepted through their portal. When Drennan pulled himself free,
Mínaris was gone and he had to find his way back alone with
no steed or companions.
The black snow lay on the ground all around him, in large drifts.
It was still deadly to the touch and he had to pick his way through
it. He was not entirely successful. Worse, it seems to have risen
up into the atmosphere of the Great Dark. The curse, the blight
is travelling on the wind as a great storm system. It snows down
this horror, and everything it touches is destroyed. It is coming
this way. Drennan is trying to beat it to Tharkis where he may gain
aid.
The Scribe has heard the legends of the Blades of Virtue. Seven
swords created in the last great war by the enemies of Karatath.
Karatath stole the seven and bent them to his own ends. Years later
the northern forces stole six back. It was these six that were booby
trapped and spread the blight. So is the seventh sword untouched
and still at the site the Blight was released?
More pressing concerns: who is affected by this Blight? The interlopers
were no affected. Why? Because they are no tainted? Because they
are from the northern world? How to test such theories without ridiculous
risk? At least it doesn't seem to be contagious. It is acidic, dissolving
flesh and bone while it is in contact with a person, but as soon
as it is removed its effects cease. The Scribe examines Drennan,
looking at his wounds (no leg, no hand, half his skull missing)
but he can find no sign of the Blight.
Revda suggests that this is enough information, and that they should
return to Tharkis with Drennan. The Scribe thinks overwise. They
have other goals. They need to find a sample of the Blight. Meanwhile
Carith is sewing herself into the wagon, and other party members
are watching the sky warily. This is a foe that they cannot easily
defeat.
Lord Drennan takes his leave and heads back to Tharkis. The party
do not think that he will arrive safely. Lycano notices that the
entire exchange was overheard by Lurin, and believes that Allyung
was also spying on the conversation. The barghests know everything
that they know now.
It is a sombre party that ford the stream and continues the journey
to Sepulcum. They are travelling toward a darkening sky. At altitude
Clara attempts to determine if this is rain or the Blight. She cannot
tell, and the black clouds grow ominously above the travellers.
The night they cluster in the wagon for shelter. Carith increasingly
paranoid about the black snow. Outside, Lycaon and Revda stand vigil
- both of them watching the sky. It is deep into the night when
the clouds give up their secrets and a gentle shower envelops the
wagon. Fortunately: it is rain.
Abstinence, 23 Carnivale 2000
The wagon turns to the north and the sky becomes less angry. There
are mountains visible in the distant east as they work their way
along a flat track that lies parallel with a fast running stream.
This track is an open sign of civilisation. This route is evidently
used quite regularly, although they have not seen any other travellers.
The river is choked with large primitive fish, with leg-like fins.
These slippery piscines are leaps and slipping over one another
in an attempt to get upstream. Their progress is dogged by a collection
of man-sized chitinous scorpions who are scoring easy meals from
the defenceless creatures.
Jirokichi feels hungry. He heads over to the river and easily plucks
one of the fish from it. Unfortunately, he overbalances and falls
flat on his back in the middle of the writhing throng. The situation
quickly goes from embarassing to dangerous, when one of the scorpions
grabs him by the ankle and grabs him to the far side of the river.
It buries its stinger in Jirokichi before the nezumi can react.
Jirokichi trusts that his magically enhanced constitution will be
sufficient to stave off the threat of this creature, but the second
jab paralyses him and he falls to the ground. Another scorpion scuttles
over and the pair quickly begin to eat him.
Clara uses his eldritch blast to flash-fry one scorpion and drive
away the second. Animated troll skeletons, summoned by the Scrive,
retreive Jirokichi and a handful of fish and deposit him in the
back of the wagon. When he comes around, he is slightly embrassassed
by eats voraciously. The uncooked fish is covered in a translucent
goo and tastes rather unpleasent.
Temperance, 24 Carnivale 2000
By mid-morning the party comes upon a village. They see a large
wooden stockade, mounted on stone foundations. The barghests are
far behind the party at present. Using magic to disguise the horses
pulling the wagon (and to make the others invisible) the party approach.
Revda rides forward. He thinks he can hear sounds from the scaffold
at the top of the wall.
The Art of Calumny
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