The root of the Emerald Spire

Sarenith 30, 4712

Thorne drops a few barrels of red dye in the town water supply early in the morning. Within a few hours, the tension has ratcheted up even further, and there is palpable panic in Fort Inevitable. During the day, Daryle and Darelle go to the Temple of the Golden Key and purchase several potions of cure heavy wounds, cure medium wounds, and cure light wounds. Both sisters anticipate that the battle with the Vault Keeper will be a tough one. They also purchase potions of invisibility from Falandra, who has just brewed a new batch. Darelle then goes to Abernard's house. The sorcerer is there, reading a book on his porch. Darelle shoots the breeze with him for a while, then asks him if he could identify an item for her. He agrees, and examines the hand Darelle discovered in the Emerald Spire. After a few moments, Abernard tells her she's the owner of a hand of glory. Darelle thanks him.

Following his failed attempt at leading his cultists to the Emerald Spire, Rowen grabs his scrolls of magic missile from his ruined estate and returns to Fort Inevitable. Kazmauk remains outside the town's walls at the Hunters' Lodge and awaits the return of his sisters with trepidation. He's ready to return to the Emerald Spire. Omok continues to read the Book of the Damned, hoping to unlock all of its knowledge.

The Cooper sisters finally return, but it is too late to leave the Hunters' Lodge. The group decide to head out early in the morning.


Erastus 1, 4712

Awake before dawn, the Coopers realize that Olifrit is gone. Instead of the gnome, they find a Gerald in the building. This Gerald wears priestly robes and seems saner than some of the other versions they have encountered in the past. The Coopers wonder how he eluded security and entered the lodge, but after a short discussion, the rest of the group agrees to take Gerald with them They begin the trek to the Emerald Spire. Each of them experience a sense of foreboding. This could be the day they triumph over the evil that dwells at the root of the Emerald Spire, or this could be the day when their adventure comes to a permanent end. It takes them out of the morning, and the Coopers give the Spire a wide berth, hoping to avoid the large giants and goblins encampment at the base of the Spire. Their circuitous route allows them to not be seen from the Spire, but they also can't see it. They enter through the secret tunnel leading to the Splinterden level. From there, they use spire tokens to travel to the Vault, the sixteenth and last level of the Emerald Spire.

Arriving at the base of the Spire, the Coopers first stop by the strange creature that looks like a pillar of stone. Ooviroon is happy to see the Coopers return so soon, and he asks them for news of the outside world. Darelle reports on what has happened in Fort Inevitable, and questions the outsider on the happenings down here. Ooviroon has no news. He's now happily digesting the remnants of the grugs the Coopers killed and fed him a few days back. Darelle questions him on the origins of the Spire. Oorivoon explains that eons ago Vault Builders, which hailed from the Plane of Earth, arrived on Golarion shortly after its creation. Using seeds of crystallized magic, they seeded the planet with vaults, spaces where they could study the nature of life. The Vault Builders were responsible for creating numerous spaces throughout Orv, Golarion's third and lowest level. When the Vault Builders departed following their war agains the Aboleth, a Vault Keeper was left behind to guard the Emerald Spire. Named Iluchtewhar, this Vault Keeper has slowly gone insane over the eons, according to Ooviroon. Oorivoon further talks about what motivates Iluchtewhar, and mentions that as an outsider from the elemental plane of earth he is vulnerable to bludgeoning.

After this discussion, Darelle bids goodbye to Ooviroon, and the party heads northwards. Kazmauk stops and examines the strange stone sphere. Daryle notices that the sphere is completely smooth and has no seams. Omok uses divination and determines that the stone sphere was built by someone to protect itself against an enemy coming from the root of the Emerald Sphere. Gerald uses spell craft and realize that the structure was built overtime with a large number of shape stone spells. Rowen makes some quick calculations and believes that one could move about 25 feet in using some sort of teleportation spell and be safe.

Tired of these arguments about the best way to penetrate the sphere, Darelle uses a hammer and chips away at the stone wall. Surprisingly, the wall crumbles easily. Kazmauk grabs tools and also begins to bash away, and soon most of the Coopers are at it. After half an hour, they emerge on the other side into a small cavern. Inside they discover a small fey floating on air. She introduces herself as Eriniell, and she invites them inside. She also informs them they must not touch the floor as Iluchtewhar can sense their thoughts when they are in contact with the earth. She tells them she used to be one of Iluchtewhar's servant but eventually realized that he had been corrupted by the Spire. She has been hiding behind this barrier, protecting herself from the Vault Keeper, hoping to strike at him when the time was right. The Coopers, sensing a possible alliance, tell Eriniell that the time is now, and manage to convince her that today is that day. She agrees, and mentions that Iluchtewhar is dwelling beyond this room. The Coopers ask how they are supposed to go there. Eriniell tells them they could travel through the roots that spread around this level, but she has the ability to dimension door to his lair. After some negotiations, she agrees that she and her children will transport the Coopers to Iluchtewhar's personal chamber by means of this spell. Darelle then notices that there are several invisible stalkers in the room with them, all hovering behind the fey. The Coopers are ill at ease but decide this seems the best plan.

As they speak with the fey, whispering of wind causes Rowen to change personality and he becomes very self assured. Eriniell casts dimension door and the Coopers and their allies arrive in Iluchtewhar's room. Eriniell immediately engages in combat, and the Coopers join in. Kazmauk hits with sword but realizes that his attack is ineffectual. Only magic and blugeoning will hurt Iluchtewhar. Darelle and Thorne unleash a torrent of magic missiles, while Kazmauk engages with his lesser weapon. Omok joins in, and Rowen casts a few spells as well. Iluchtewhar replicates against the party by unleashing a blast of razor-sharp crystals that strike everyone but Thorne. He also summons earth elementals to fight on his behalf. Daryle engages one of the elementals, while the other strikes at Omok. The party is quickly depleted of healing spells, and finds itself on the tethering edge of doom. Iluchtewhar has suffered massive hit, yet he is still standing. It is clear, however, that he is slowly maneuvering himself towards a side door to escape the room.

While fighting, Rowen hears sounds coming from the hallway leading to this room. Is it reinforcements? Daryle moves away from her earth elemental long enough to spike the doors close. As combat rages, one of the Coopers nears death, followed by another one. The Coopers have met their match and will surely perish.

Suddenly the door explodes outward, crushing Rowen beneath a ton of splintered wood and rubble. Duke Mosley enters the room, resplendent in a dust-free and shiny uniform. Mosley does not look sick in the slightest. Followed by a horde of Hellknights, he greets the Coopers and unleashes a wave of healing, restoring everyone's strength. Kazmauk turns around and deals the death blow on Iluchtewhar, who explodes in a shower of sparks and green crystal dust, hurting everyone with debris. The Coopers are surprised to see him Mosley. The Duke tells them that he has been faking his near-death to fool his enemies into thinking him weak. His plan was to capture the Spire all along, and now thanks to the Coopers' valiant efforts he controls the structure. He tells them that war is coming to Cheliax, and he will use the enormous power of the Spire to attempt to dethrone his mother the thrice damned queen, Queen Abrogail Thrune II. He is grateful to the Coopers for their assistance, and he invites them all to a banquet tonight to celebrate his brilliant victory. All, except Gerald. He tells the sorcerer that he will give him and his myriad copies a day's head start, then it will be hunting season.

In a private conversation with Daryle and Darelle, Duke Mosley informs the sisters that while his forces have been assaulting and clearing the Spire, the former Lady Commander Audara Drovust has been leading the quarterly relief force of Hellknights against Fort Inevitable, hoping to catch Mosley dying in bed with a small guard protecting him. This force left their planned itinerary at Daggermark and seized Mosswater before trekking to Fort Inevitable. Unfortunately she encountered a force of goblins and giants equipped with emerald automatons, and both forces are fighting within view of the Fort. Furthermore, he lets them know that a rebel force has seized control of Fort Inevitable and removed the few Hellknights who did not switch allegiance. As it is, both Greenhide and Drovust will exhaust themselves against each other, and the victor will be unable to seize the town back. Mosley tells them his own army has suffered some losses, but are now encamping in the Spire and will not be challenged by Drovust, Greenhide, or the rebels in Fort Inevitable. He apologizes to the sisters to have made them pawns of his plans, but as a thank you he recognizes that the Hellknights' possession of Fort Inevitable has now run its course and he agrees to leave the town alone. After all, he will need all of his strength and manpower to secure the Spire and study it.

Upon this news, Darelle sends a message with her tree token to Dr. Mordel reporting what has transpired at the Spire. with message of new management. Rowen, who explores the next room, finds a strange device. Duke Mosley, who enters the room, chats amicably with Rowen and they discuss the purpose of the device. A large map shows the entirety of Golarion with blinking spots scattered throughout. When Rowen begins touching parts of the Orvgate, a potent artifact that allows travel to other Vaults throughout Golarion, Mosley backs away. The necromancer pulls the first lever, which lines on a specific Vault that appears to be in the expansive jungle of  Mwangi. As soon as Rowen touches the second lever he is transported far and away to that Vault. Mosley shrugs and walks away. 

Thorne, sensing his opportunity, swiftly melts in the shadows and leaves the scene. Making it back to Fort Inevitable, he retrieves a few items and flees the area, motivated either by Duke Mosley's revenge or the ire of his sisters ...

Darelle notices that the green dust that used to be Iluchtewhar begins slowly drifting on the floor. She uses windwall and blows it all away. The Coopers have successfully conquered the Emerald Spire, but so much unanswered questions remain!

Of Hellknights and Gold

Sarenith 13, 471, continued

Roscoe cracks the accounting books of Fort Inevitable, both the real ones and those kept on the side and abandoned by Thorne since his disappearance. In the latter he discovers a letter. It is clearly coded.

He spends a few hours trying to break the code before he realizes that this letter is written in a similar code he used to employ with Thorne when they were both younger, back at the farm in Novensia.

Roscoe is pretty sure that Rose is Thorne, and Demon is Duke Mosley. But who is Lotus? Roscoe wonders aloud about why Mosley's death would create civil war among the Hellknights.

Roscoe continues to peruse the books, and he also discovers the following amounts that are not accounted for, even though there are "receipts" that prove the expenditures:

• 34,000 crowns have been paid for bonuses for the out of town workers that helped rebuild Fort Inevitable.
• 47,000 crowns have been paid for various repairs to the town wall and other Hellknight structures around Fort Inevitable, but upon investigation only minor work was performed, and certainly nowhere near the price the Hellknights paid.
• Finally, there are 120,000 crowns that have been paid in miscellaneous expenses, including 13,000 listed as incentive pay for Roscoe. Roscoe never received any of this money.

When Roscoe relates these findings to Omok, the hobgoblin decides to question the orb of command to discover who benefited the most from the gold that was misappropriated. The orb of command answers that the largest beneficiary of this gold was Duke Mosley. Thorne has not been seen by any of the Coopers since the sisters tracked him to Braddon's General Store on Desmus 4. Roscoe puts out an order among Hellknights to report on his movements if seen. 


As if this was not enough, Doliver Reedbank arrives at the Citadel and he hands Roscoe a list of Thorne associates, as promised during their last meeting:

• Roger Silverfish, employee of Drurn's Tannery, who helped Thorne hoard and move food during the famine.
• Nolan Crueleye, Nethan Scarletlance, and Ivan Browndog, mercenaries from the Salamander Company provides muscle.
• Daman Blackelk, who ran the racketeering racket in the tent city during the winter.
• Selif Redlyon, who works at the Poldmar stables and who is responsible for smuggling merchandise in and out of Fort Inevitable through horse equipment.
• Ossian, who sold water from his private well at inflated prices.
• Dwayne Saucyeye, who works at the Ironworks, melted precious metals into mundane items so it could be smuggled out.
• Regan Redeve, who works for the stonemason Zoldor Maril, has built various structures throughout the area, and indicates 3 specific locations. 

Roscoe orders Thorne's associates surveilled, and their comings and goings logged. If they meet Thorne, he wants them all arrested.

Meanwhile, Shim Longbranch arrives at the Hunters' Lodge along with several other youths of the area, sent by the Seven Foxes to train. Darelle gives the ranger the keys, and he swiftly gets the youths organized into training groups. Daryle is impressed by Shim's exacting efficiency. Roscoe arrives over in the late afternoon, and brings his sisters up to date on what he has discovered in the accounting books. Daryle mentions that he should talk to Wirt to get some background information on the Duke.

That night, Roscoe, Omok and the sisters are in the Commander's office. Roscoe sends a messenger to the Juliver Gate and requests that Maralictor Wirt report to his office. When she arrives, he asks her about the Duke. She informs him that Mosley is the bastard child of Queen Abrogail II of the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune, ruler of Cheliax, and he has spent his youth at Court. It is rumored that he headed out with a large army to the Worldwound to burnish his military credentials. When asked about the reference to the Hellknights fighting each other, Wirt reports that the situation in Cheliax is tense. Not everyone agrees with the diabolical pacts that have bound Abrogail II's authority over the state. Despite marshaling forces and effort, the Queen has been unable to eliminate all opposition. As the possibility of a civil war increase, Mosley has built a base of supporters throughout all Hellknight orders and clearly plans to take control of the organization and use it. Roscoe questions Wirt which side Mosley would support, and she answers that she's not sure, but he owes allegiance to his mother. The fact that there is doubt, however, means that his support is clearly not unwavering. Daryle asks Wirt where Audara Drovust, the former Lady Commander, fits in this picture.

Wirt replies that Audara also grew up at court, the third daughter of a minor noble at the same time as Mosley. It is believed that Mosley forced himself on her, and she has developed a hatred for the man. Upon her return to Cheliax, she purchased a barony and remained there over the last four months, developing her estate. The discussion then moves to the Hellknights and their Orders and organization. How could Mosley, who is from the Order of the Nail, be able to infiltrate and control the other Orders? Wirt speculates that he has been implementing sleeper agents for at least a decade in the other Orders, ready and awaiting his signals to throw them in complete chaos or even directly eliminate their leadership.

After Wirt departs, the Coopers decide that the financial crisis threatening the Fort must be resolve. They decide to head back to Mosswater and retrieve more money from the treasury in the ghost city.

On her way home, Darelle stops by Dr. Mordel's house. When he comes downstairs to meet her, she asks him if he could investigate her blue powder so that it could be replicated. He tells her he will do his best.


Sarenith 14, 4712

The Coopers head out in the middle of the night on their horse. They arrive mid-morning. Their first order of business is to ensure that the Food to Dye For remains a viable shelter. Their thorough inspection reveals that it indeed is. Roscoe is impressed at the quantity of bones that litter the roads. The Coopers then proceed carefully to the lighthouse. After searching the lighthouse, they find no disturbances that would indicate that someone has been in the building. Climbing to the top, they verify that the light has not been tampered with since the last time they were here. Daryle and Darelle carefully remove a section of the lense, and glance inside. Gold still glitters.

Thus, over the course of the day, Roscoe, Omok and the Coopers manage to retrieve approximately 100,000 crowns. They place the money in old chests found in various houses around the city, then park the wagon in the warehouse behind the restaurant. While working, Roscoe wonders aloud if there was an astrologist or an oracle who might have predicted this disaster. The others do not know. Whatever happened here, Roscoe rhetorically asks.

As the sun begins to drop, Darelle and Daryle return to Food to Dye For with the money. They carefully barricade themselves in the old restaurant. Omok and Roscoe remain in the lighthouse, curious to see what types of creatures come out at night. At sunset, Omok blasts the horn of Ovtik to summon whatever creatures dwell in the water to come to him. The creatures come out of the water, and soon the lighthouse is surrounded by some kind of undead ogres, pushing ahead of them undead orcs. They all try to climb the tower but can't. More fearsome are six-legged beasts that look like undead rhinos. They begin to meander the town, leaving the ogres and orcs behind. Roscoe and Omok debate the wisdom of attacking the undead, and eventually agree that they make great guards for their treasure, and that eliminating or greatly reducing their numbers would be to Coopers' detriment. They decide to wait.

Unfortunately, the monsters' constant wail is grating. Omok, being deaf thanks to the horn of Ovtik, can't hear, but Roscoe begins to suffer under the noise. During the night Omok helps himself to the treasure inside the light.


Sarenith 15, 4712

Just before dawn monsters leave. Roscoe is completely wiped since he couldn't sleep at all during the night. The Coopers reunite in the lighthouse over breakfast. With so many chests, they decide that it would be safer to travel by cloud. Darelle summons her jar of cloud and the Coopers head back to Fort Inevitable. Roscoe deposit the money in the treasury. That should be more than enough to pay upcoming expenses and retire any debt Fort Inevitable accumulated under Thorne's trouble leadership in the treasury.

Darelle brings back a barrel of Mosswater Dye and leaves it at the Hunters' Lodge, planning to study it and extract the recipe to replicate it in the future. Shim informs the Coopers about the progress of the trainees over the last day. He thinks that they should be ready to lead in about a month, though more time training would provide them with better odds of surviving an attack.

Returning to the Fort, Darelle talks to Mordel about what might have triggered so many demons. He doesn't know for sure, but he suspects that an expedition by the Hellknigths about two years ago might have hastened their arrival. He also provides her with a recipe to recreate the blue pegasus. Now all she will need is to gather the ingredients. Thankfully there is a laboratory she can use at the Hunters' Lodge.

Roscoe asks Wirt about the status of Thorne's associates. She replies that there have not been any unusual activities. With the quarterly muster and trials coming up soon, Roscoe decide it's time to round them up. They may be more talkative under arrest, and if nothing else they will provide a good spectacle for the crowd as they are executed. Warrants are issued, and Hellknights are dispatched to seize them.


Sarenith 16, 4712

Roscoe decides it's time to mint new Hellknights. Accompanied by Omok, they head out to the Hunters' Lodge. There, Roscoe leads Omok and three of the trainees down in the mine, where they confront the demon behind the crystal. Omok breaks the barrier after some effort, and in the fight everyone is bloodied but the demon is dispatched, and the hobgoblin and his three companions are immediately officially appointed as Hellknights by the Lord Commander himself.

Taking a look through the gaps in the broken crystal,  Darelle sees shadow dimension beyond. How can they prevent other creatures from stepping through? Daryle suggests that they consult Abernard. The sisters trek back to Fort Inevitable and meet with the old man at his house. Abernard welcomes them, and he tells them they just missed their brother Gerald. Darelle inquires as to whether Abernard noticed anything weird or different about Gerald, and reports her beliefs that an impostor is running around. Abernard states that in fact Gerald has not been his whinny self lately, and no calamity has befallen the town.

After hearing the sisters' plea for help in sealing the gap in the crystal, Abernard travels to the Hunters' Lodge and takes care of the problem.

It's not only porridge boiling over in the giants' lair

Gozran 1, 4712

Five days after their return to Fort Inevitable from the mountains where Byrsag dwells, the Coopers decide it's time to head back to the giants' lair to investigate whether Greenhide managed to secure an alliance with them. Since it's the three months mark, and the merchant caravan, accompanied by hundreds of Hellknights heading to the Mendev Crusades, has stopped by Fort Inevitable, the Coopers go shopping to acquire much needed supplies. The merchants also brought several wagons of foodstuff which they sell at exorbitant prices, along with building materials.

Darelle buys the belt of the fair lady, and after some arduous negotiating she brings the price down to 10,000 crowns. But since she doesn't have enough money on hand, the merchant agrees to a price of 12,000. Darelle pays 5,000 now, and will pay the other 7,000 in three months when the merchant returns. She also buys the corset of the fair lady for another 10,000 crowns. She puts down 4,000 crowns as well as various magical items she no longer needs and will owe 5,800 in three months. She overhears a rumor that a caravan led by devils from Cheliax was ambushed a month ago a day after entering the River Kindgoms.

Daryle, meanwhile, purchases a plain old bow +2 for 6,500 crowns with half deferred in three months. And despite several tempting offers, she refuses to purchase a dress, remembering what happened the last time she purchased such a garment in the caravan. She overhears the rumor that Duke Mosley led an assault upon a demon fortress in the Worldwound and he suffered a grievous injury.

Gerald takes more time to purchase various items throughout the merchants on the greens outside of the town. He buys parts to make scale mail, a plain earring, an ear cuff, a few plain gold and copper rings, and two short bows. He plans on using these various purchases to create new magical items he can use. Gerald decides he will craft magical bows for his sisters. He overhears a rumor that the former Lady Commander, Audara Drovust, appeared at the Thrice Damned Court of the House of Thrune and was granted the title of Marquess of a minor domain in the Menador Mountains.

Because it is tax day, the Coopers report to the Chancellery and settle their tax bills. Darelle in particular feels bittersweet about her tax bill. On the one hand it is lower, but that's because her house burned down in the great Fort Inevitable fire. She still plans on rebuilding her house when building materials become available.


Gozran 5, 4712

Sixteen days after encountering the giants' lair, the Coopers trek return to the scene. The last snow fall occurred two days ago, and the tracks outside the giants' stronghold indicate that many people have walked around the compound. Daryle suggests that they wait. Around dusk they notice the stone giant from the previous time, accompanied by his orc slave, come out and fill water buckets in the frigid water before returning inside and closing the doors behind them.

They sneak to the outside door. Darelle falls into the door, but Gerald manages to catch her before she falls to the ground. The barn is almost empty, with only a few horses and three wagons. It is clear that the party has been over for some time. Daryle takes a peek up the tower, but she cannot see anyone up there. The Coopers decide to risk entering the giants' lair.

Inside they find that the giants are feasting, and in the room the Coopers spot a barrel of Zelnaux wine. Gerald drinks a potion of invisibility, and after Daryle opens one of the side door he steps through it. The hallway is empty, so Gerald heads to the end, and he leans on the door to listen. He can hear the lively conversations of the various cooks working in the kitchen. He returns to his sisters and he reports what he overheard. Daryle comes up with a clever plan. Let's put horse manure in the food, which should make the giants sick. Gerald heads back to the stables, and he harvests some before returning to his sister without spilling any on himself.

Daryle quietly opens the door, Gerald enters the kitchen. A giantess is currently belittling five orc cooks and two servants, so she doesn't notice the open door. Gerald goes to the first roaring fire and does his deed before leaving the kitchen. Hopefully this pot will be served tonight. With this accomplished, the Coopers decide to retreat to one of the empty rooms and wait for the giants to pass out or be poisoned.

Four hours go by, and eventually the party wraps up. A few hours later, when all is quiet, the Coopers emerge from the armory and begin exploring. They encounter a few rooms with slumbering giants. Then, they come across another giant's room, but this one is richly adorned. As they caucus and discuss what to do, an orc carrying linen walks in the room from a hallway. For a second the orc is paralyzed with fear, and Gerald uses this opportunity to try to keep the orc quiet by making hand gestures. The orc signals back that they are standing in front of the chief's room, and it is not safe to be here. Eventually the Coopers agree to follow the orc, but they suspect a trap.

Fortunately, the orc takes them to the kitchen, where the giantesses have retired for the night. Only orcs are present. The orc introduces himself as Gord, and he explains to the Coopers that his bretheren are prisoners in the basement, but some of them have freed themselves and are waging a rebellion against the giants. They have no weapons and they are guarded by bugbears. The Coopers agree that freeing the orcs would cause pandemonium among the giants, so they agree to help Gord and his troops. Gord shares the password the orcs below use below, "Ugly Eyes," with the Coopers. Daryle tells the orc Gord to wedge the door shut behind them, so no bugbears escape.

Darelle is first down, and she throws a few copper coins down to see if it attracts the attention of any of the guards. No one appears at the foot of the stairs, so the party heads down. They come upon a series of cells containing orc prisoners, as well as a hallways that has been closed by debris. Two bugbears are shouting arrows through slits into the hallway beyond the debris. The Coopers engage and the bugbears are quickly eliminated.

They continue their exploration, and they come upon a small room with two orc prisoners chained to the wall being tortured by four bugbears and one ugly ogre. Itching for a fight, the Coopers engage and are quickly triumphant. Gerald frees the prisoners, but they are too far gone to be of any use. In the next room down a short hallway they come upon another series of cells, with more bugbear guards. The combat is brutal but quick, and the bugbears do not manage to raise the alarm.

Gerald finds more orcs in cells. He tells them the passphrase. These orcs are ready to fight back even if they don't have any weapons. They are willing to join with the Coopers. The orc chieftain tells them about One Eye, a giant who wanders the corridors with his two carnivorous apes. Daryle tells the orcs to stay behind. The Coopers will clear the rooms heading back to the stairs, and the orcs will then be able to escape. Darelle sends her tree bird with a message to the rebels to let them know help is on the way and to assist in any way they could. The Coopers are now ready to move on and confront One Eye.

The Changing of the Guard

Abadius 1, 4712

As the bells of the temple begin to ring, announcing the birth of the new year,  Daryle begins searching the offices on the ground floor of the Citadel. She finds all the doors locked, so she feels confident Mosley's men must have gone to the upper level to ensure the Lady Commander was dead. She moves up to the second floor.

Meanwhile, Gerald heals himself using a potion of healing he had smuggled inside. He winces a little at the smell, but quaffs it anyway. Feeling better, he also decides to head upstairs, and heads straight to the fourth floor.

Darelle, in the Lady Commander's room, sees the army outside the walls continues to move. Drovust asks Mordel what her next move should be, and he advises her that Duke Mosley has begun his final move, but it is not yet time to intervene.

Arriving on the landing, Gerald notices two Hellknights standing strangely still. He observes the situation for a few minutes but realizes that the Hellknights must be paralyzed. He climbs behind the nearest one and puts a blindfold on him. By doing so, however, Gerald breaks the spell. The Hellknight bites his finger and holds him hostage. Moving forward with a dagger pressed hard under Gerald's chin, the Hellknight pushes the sorcerer forward until he is in striking distance and he throws his knife at one of the two guardsmen by the Lady Commander's door. Gerald trips the man behinds him but ends up underneath him.

Hearing the commotion outside, Darelle removes her skirt and charges out of the Commander's room. A brief but bloody battle ensues, and the Coopers are triumphant. Daryle comes charging up the stairs but finds the situation under control. Mosley's assassins are quickly dispatched. The Coopers return downstairs, but Daryle ties the door to the 2nd floor.

Duke Mosley, having returned from the wall, is once again in the Receiving Hall surrounded by his men when the Coopers return to the ground floor. He tells the ladies to move along, but he takes Gerald with him to the bathroom to wash off some of the demon goo off the sorcerer. Coming out of the restroom, he invites Gerald to accompany him to the treasury to account for the gold that might be missing. He tells the sorcerer that he finds it odd that during a green storm and a battle someone would have been able to physically break through the defenses of the treasury, buried deep under the Citadel, and steal more than 600,000 crowns without being noticed. The Duke tells Gerald he believes it was a set-up from the inside, and he wants to confirm his opinion.

Daryle and Darelle are being pressed to leave the Citadel, but they grab a hold of a drunken Bolgur and decide to carry the stinking half-orc down to the prison floor to find Roscoe's new offices. Mosley's men let them take the drunkard downstairs. In their brother's office they discover the Book of Warrants, that include the warrants served on all the prisoners. They notice that the prison cells are all empty, and that Thorne has successfully escaped. Darelle takes Thorne's warrant and burns it. She then notices that there are no warrant, or even a prisoner file, on Dr. Mordel. It's as if there was no reason for him to be here in the first place.

Daryle decides they must rescue Gerald, or at least follow them to the treasury. Darelle wakens Bolgur, who leads them back to the first basement floor and to an intersection. Unsure of himself, he heads in one direction, while the Coopers head in the other. Fortunately for Daryle and Darelle, their keen ears hear the sounds of a wench coming from Bolgur's hallway, and they retrace their step. They find the sound coming from behind a locked door. They barricade the door from the outside and wait.

Inside the room Duke Mosley, Gerald and the Duke's men are heading down a large platform, more than a hundred feet below the sewers and the base of the Citadel. They arrive in a large antechamber with two large iron-plated doors guarding the way. The doors radiate magic and Gerald is quickly able to determine that several guarding spells have been placed to protect the treasury. The Duke politely asks Gerald to open the door, but the sorcerer declines, finding reason after reason to allow the Duke to do the deed himself. Unfortunately, this is a battle of wits that Gerald cannot win, and, in his last desperate gambit Gerald tells the Duke that only a ranking Hellknight could open the door without triggering the trap. The Duke commissions Gerald on the spot, offering him the grade of Signifier of the Hellknights. Unable to come up with another delay, Gerald comes up with what he thinks is a clever plan. He triggers one of the traps, a fireball spell, but at the same time he casts one of his own and sends both of them towards Mosley and the rest of the group, knowing that he will most likely suffer terribly. And indeed he does. But as he falls towards unconsciousness, he notices four of the Duke's seven men collapse to the ground, crisply burned. The remaining three appear grievously wounded. To his amazement, however, the Duke look as freshly pressed in his white uniform as he did when he first walked in the Receiving Hall.

Daryle and Darelle  wait a while by the door when they finally hear the winch start again. Soon, the sounds of people behind the door can be heard. There is a short struggle with the barricaded door, and then a hush. Suddenly, the wall next to the door begins dripping, and it turns into mud. A hand sticks out, then another, and soon there is a rough doorway. One of Mosley's badly burned man steps through. Daryle quickly dispatches him. Duke Mosley steps through next. Daryle shoots a few arrows at the Duke, two of which hits. But he then rubs his arm and a large fireball discharges, and both Coopers are hit. Mosley's remaining swordsmen charge the sisters, and a fight ensues. Mosley, meanwhile, hangs back, a few small blood stains slowly spreading on his otherwise immaculate uniform.

The Coopers manage to slay one of the swordsmen, but a stalemate is quickly reached, with neither the swordsman nor the sisters able to triumph over the others. Duke Mosley then proposes a truce. He tells the Coopers he is neither after the Hellknight treasury nor does he wish to become Fort Inevitable's master. How is it, he asks the Coopers, that he would know so much about the comings and goings in the area without a spy? He reveals that he has in fact two independent spies who are not aware of each other. He's willing to make a deal with the Coopers to end this stalemate. If they leave the Citadel now, the Duke will go about his business, and he guarantees their safety and that of Gerald and Roscoe. In fact, Roscoe will be appointed Commander of Fort Inevitable. When questioned about Thorne, he tells them there is nothing he can do for the thief. Daryle tells Mosley that she needs a token of good will, and Mosley agrees to reveal that one of his spies is Maralictor Wirt. Daryle realizes that she's the only one who had told them about the thief of the Hellknight treasure. Perhaps they had been set up after all.

After conferring with each other, the Coopers agree to Mosley's terms, but not before they retrieve Gerald from the treasury room. Soon thereafter, all of the Coopers exit the Citadel and retire to Shadowborn Manor.


Abadius 2, 4712

After a restless night, Gerald leaves Shadowborn Manor and heads back to Fort Inevitable to meet with Duke Mosley, who had previously invited him for breakfast. The Duke is enchanted to see him. He tells Gerald that the matter has been resolved, and that he will depart with his army in the afternoon, after the changing of the guard ceremony. Later in the afternoon, Audara Drovust will also depart Fort Inevitable, along with the usual contingent of Hellknights returning to Cheliax. Gerald realizes that the Lady Commander is about to depart with a very large treasure, and there is nothing they can do about it. He does request a letter certifying his commissioning as a Hellknight officer. Duke Mosley laughs and gives this letter to Gerald, certifying his appointment as a Signifier.

Hellknights present themselves to Shadowborn Manor and deliver invitations for the Coopers to attend the Changing of the Guard ceremony where they will be awarded the  receive the Second Level of the Order of the Crow. The Coopers respectfully decline, citing ill health.

Over the next few days, Daryle spends some time hunting, while Darelle returns to visit Mother Holworth. She catches up on the news from Fort Inevitable. Mother Holworth tells her that things have relaxed a little in the area. Taxes were not due until the 2nd instead of the 1st of the quarter. Both Mosley and Drovust have departed, and the garrison is now down to about 1,000 men.

The Coopers head back to Fort Inevitable to pay their taxes and the interest on the late payment. Gerald attempts to convince the Tax Collector that, because of his filial relationship with Roscoe, the charges should be waived. The Tax Collector chuckles and refuses. The Coopers then withdraw money from the bank so they can pay Captain Rémi, when, in the next few days, he returns to Fort Inevitable to collect his fee for transporting them away from Razmiran.

With this first year now over with, the Coopers are faced with five remaining questions:

1. Who is Karlyle the Butcher?
2. What about Greenhide?
3. What's Abernard up to?
4. What is Mordel's role?
5. What are the green storms and what causes them?

Duke Mosley Makes a Play - NOT DONE

Nehn 31, 4711

Remembering what happened at the Summer's Ball and how constrained she felt at having to fight in a dress, Darelle decides she will wear pants under her dress.

Roscoe returns to the Citadel and meets with the Lady Commander Drovust one more time. She tells him of the plan, such as it is. She plans on "dying" then being immediately taken back to her room. Only six other Hellknights will know she has not passed. She will then await Duke Mosley's move. Roscoe can enter in contact with her through Alfred the pageboy. She also tells him that if things go horribly wrong, he is to return to Cheliax and report to Citadel Gheradesca where he is to deliver a report she hid in the cornerstone of the fountain.

Daryle decides she will be violently ill a few minutes after shaking the Lady Commander's hand and will use this excuse to leave the Citadel and flee to Gerald's house. She will also shake many people's hand, including Gerald's, so that she's not accused of being responsible for Drovust's sickness and apparent death.

Still in his prison cell, Thorne talks to Mordel to see if the vampire will escape with him and the rest of the prisoners when the time comes. Mordel tells him no, he will remain here. Thorne briefly entertains the idea of capturing and sacrificing one of the prisoners to Mordel, but then abandons it as impractical.

At ten o'clock, the carillon begins to ring, and the New Year's Eve party starts. Over the course of twenty minutes, over 150 civilian guests join the 90 Hellknights already present. Drovust has positioned armed guards every few feet along the wall to keep an eye on the hall, and all the guests are searched when they enter. A valet announces every guest, and as they enter they are welcomed by Drovust. The first Cooper to arrive is Darelle. Gerald is next. Duke Mosley makes an entrance after the sorcerer. At 5'1 and wearing a full military uniform, he looks ridiculous yet it is undeniable he exerts a certain magnetism. Accompanied by 17 unarmed guards and companions, he occupies a large space. Finally, Daryle arrives at the Citadel. She goes down the receiving line, and she shakes every person's hand, including the Lady Commander's. The assassination plot is now in motion.

As they gather together by the refreshment table for some small talk, Roscoe mentions to his siblings that nine of Mosley's men are expert swordsmen, and the others may be veteran spellcasters. Clearly the Duke is up to no good. Speaking of the short man, he leaves his guards behind and he approaches the Coopers. "Hello, Riverbottoms triplets," he says in a high-pitched voice. The Coopers look at each other. Does the Duke know about their past? Daryle corrects him, telling him that their surname is Cooper and not Riverbottom. The Duke winks at them, and replies that, of course, he was mistaken. He questions Roscoe on the apparent lack of leadership within the Fort Inevitable Hellknights, especially given the destruction of the northern wall and the too close for comfort failed invasion led by Greenhide and ilk. Roscoe plays it cool and admits that it could have gone better, but under the circumstances as the commander he did the best he could. Gerald then brings up the green storms and the monsters that afflict the area at seemingly random intervals. Mosley seems very interested in that phenomenon. The Duke then turns to the Emerald Spire and the adventures the Coopers have had there over the last year. Once again, Gerald is careless with his words and begins to tell a few stories until Daryle pokes him in the ribs to shut him up. The Duke thanks the Coopers and moves on to other guests.

A few minutes later, Drovust collapses on the ground. The crowd immediately goes silent. Several Hellknights rush in and carry her away back to her room. Maralictor Wirt requests a doctor or a healer, and Darelle volunteers. They rush upstairs. Darelle mentions to Wirt that Mordel is in a jail cell, so she orders he be brought up to the Lady Commander's room, and asks Darelle to fill him in on the details as they climb the stairs.

A demon appears

Fighting

Daryle helps civilians escape the Citadel's receiving hall.

Mordel and Darelle arrive on the 4th floor and are admitted to Drovust's room. Mordel appears to advise her.

Thorne escapes from the gaol and heads out through the door in the panic

Roscoe kills the demon

Daryle locks the gates and remains inside the Citadel.

Thorne goes to the store, gets his gear, and decides to head out of town.

Roscoe leads Mosley and some of his men to the wall. Mosley sees the army moving towards the Fort and dispatches Roscoe with a message to stand down.

Gerald notices that some of Mosley's men remained in the hall and are now issuing orders.

Daryle sees Bolgur and tells him the Lady Commander is in danger and that two of Mosley's people were missing.

What will happen next?

New Year's Eve

Nehn 18, 4711

Darelle and Daryle discover Gerald meandering the forest early in the morning. After a few hours of rest and healing, Gerald reveals that he sat at the table with Greenhide and the goblin revealed to him that his informant inside the Hellknight compound thought that there was to be a civil war soon. The goblin chief is planning to sit this one out and take on the winners of this bloody and debilitating conflict. After that, he remembers that Greenhide had him escorted away from the Spire and he spent the night in the forest, with wolves howling all around him.

Strangely, Gerald does not recall how he received the large scar on his breastbone. The scar looks angry but it does not appear to have been infected.

Roscoe is summoned to Lady Commander Drovust's office. There he is met by the Commander as well as all of the high-ranking Hellknight officers. Roscoe is officially granted all rights to carry the title of Hellknight, due to his slaughtering the demon Sartoss. He is also appointed as the warden of the Citadel's goal, a series of twelve cells in the second basement where criminals and enemies of the Hellknights are kept.

Nehn 21, 4711

Roscoe overhears a conversation between the Lady Commander Drovust and Maralictor Wirt concerning the arrival of Duke Mosley and a few thousands Hellknights, who are heading to the Wound of the World. Drovust expresses her worries that the Duke may be making a power play to remove her from her office, so the guard must be deployed to protect Fort Inevitable. Hellknight soldiers loyal to Drovust will remain inside the walls, while newly arrived soldiers will not be permitted inside Fort Inevitable.


Nehn 30, 4711

Duke Mosley and his troops arrive, as well as a large merchants' caravan. The merchants set up by the commons outside the gates, while the newly arrived Helknights pitch camp in a crescent formation around the southeastern section of Fort Inevitable. With over 4,000 troops, this camp is huge.

A siege mentality quickly spreads through Fort Inevitable. Local citizens are allowed in and out of the Fort, but newly arrived Hellknights must remain outside the walls. Local Hellknights provide as an excuse that the town is overcrowded with the merchants' arrival and that, to maintain law and order, the number of soldiers inside the walls must be kept to a minimum.


Nehn 31, 4711

With the New Year only hours away, the Hellknights deliver golden embossed invitations to each of the Coopers at their residences, except for Thorne. Each of them is invited to attend the celebration at the Citadel. Darelle and Gerald are inclined to go, but Daryle remembers the last time she participated in a Hellknight celebration and does not want to go. She tells the Hellknights delivering the invitation that she's not feeling well and will most likely not be there.

A few minutes later, someone knocks on Gerald's door in Fort Inevitable. He answers in his bathrobe, and is greeted by a messenger boy who's delivering a letter from his mother, Gertrude.

At the same time, Erynna, Dr. Mordel's personal assistant, delivers a letter from Dr. Mordel to Darelle. She tells her that Dr. Mordel is in grave danger in prison and is likely to die there.

Finally, an armored Hellknight imp delivers a letter to Daryle. It looks like she must attend the New Year ceremony after all.

 

Given these two rather poor options, Daryle decides she must consult with her siblings. First, she checks to make sure their treasure remains undiscovered. She then heads to Fort Inevitable to visit the merchants and gets a nice walking stick she can take into town.

Meanwhile, six burly Hellknights come to Tom Braddon's General Store shortly after it opens. Thorne is the only employee there. A Hellknight hands him an arrest warrant with Thorne's name on it. The rogue quickly thinks about fleeing, but he realizes he is hopelessly outnumbered, so he accompanies them to the Citadel.

Gerald is still on his porch, pondering his mother's letter and the meaning of his large scar when he sees Thorne being led away in handcuffs. He shrugs, then decides to go see Dr. Mordel. He carefully gets dressed then heads out. The town is packed with soldiers, more than usual, and it seems like every Hellknight in Fort Inevitable is out on the walls and throughout the streets.

Darelle, meanwhile, goes to Dr. Mordel's house and meets the four patients currently under the doctor's care. It is clear that two of them are under palliative care and do not have long left to live. But the other two have exotic diseases. The first one, a woman, has strange purple plaques on most of her body. These plaques appear to move randomly, and sometimes angry blue dots appear and disappear in the middle. Her chart's information informs Darelle that Dr. Mordel believes the woman to suffer from papura tohu disease, a disease common on the elemental plane of water but that generally only affects amphibian species. Mordel speculates that she came in contact with the frogmen during the most recent green storm. The second patient appears to be a dwarf whose right side has been transformed and looks like a scaly lobster. Even his arm has been changed into a claw. Mordel has not arrived at a diagnostic but he recorded that the claw arm can be cut and it regrows. She begins to take care of them.

Arriving at Dr. Mordel, Gerald instead meets Erynna, who tells him it looks like the good doctor has been detained by the Hellknights. Darelle returns upstairs, and she tells Gerald what she knows about Mordel's arrest.

Thorne lucks out and is locked into the same cell as Mordel. A quick verbal exchange between prisoners on this level indicate that many of the leading citizens are currently housed here, and most have been arrested since sundown. Thorne tells Mordel he plans on escaping, but Mordel tells him he will remain behind. Mordel appears dejected and seems to have lost the will to live. He reveals to Thorne that he is sort of a vampire, but he believes in facing justice, even the harsh judgment of the Hellknights.

Meanwhile, Roscoe reads the prisoners' report, and realizes that Thorne is now a resident of his facility. He takes a walk down to the second basement, and finds his younger brother spending quality time with Dr. Mordel. According to the gaol's roster, Thorne has not currently been scheduled for execution. Nevertheless, he decides he must somehow arrange to free his brother. Roscoe thus returns and passes a note and a key to Thorne to escape.

Eventually, Daryle enters Fort Inevitable and locates Darelle and Gerald. She decides to call a family meeting. Gerald tells her he saw Thorne being hauled away to the Citadel. Daryle decides to ignore that for now, and a message is sent to Roscoe. About an hour later, the four Coopers are reunited. After a quick conversation, it is clear that the Coopers are in danger. They agree that the assassination attempt must take place, but the course of action is to reveal this attempt to the Lady Commander Drovust so she can fake her own death. Duke Mosley will then spring his plan into action, and the Lady Commander with her trusted guard can thwart him. Roscoe says he will approach Drovust and share this information with her.

Thorne unlocks the door and discovers that the other prisoners are willing to attempt an escape. He comes up with a quick plan. They will overpower the night guard, when the staff is reduced inside the Citadel's lower levels, and make their way to the sewer system.

Roscoe returns to the Citadel and talks to the Lady Commander Drovust alone in her office, and reveals his information. Drovust eventually agrees to fake her own death, and tells Roscoe to tell no one else about this subject.

Darelle and Gerald try to visit Dr. Mordel in the gaol, but are turned away. The Hellknights are on edge and will not let anyone in, even if they appear sick.

So the plan is set. Daryle will fake being ill and will shake the Lady Commander's hand after using a dose of the calamby poison from Daggermark. An hour later, the Lady Commander will convulse and will apparently die. The trap will be set.

The Treasury of Mosswater

Nehn 1, 4711

Noah Harve is a wandering rogue traveling through the River Kingdoms. After spending some time south, he decides to head towards Numeria. Having bypassed Fort Inevitable due to its unwelcoming reputation among rogues, he is forced to seek shelter when a storm comes through. He hides in what looks like an abandoned manor. After settling in, he falls asleep. In the morning, after a restless night, he hears the sounds of people outside.

Gerald, Daryle and Darelle arrive at Shadowborn Manor, having just returned from their first visit to Mosswater. Daryle discovers a set of humanoid tracks on her property, and decides to investigate. The tracks lead around the house, but do not seem to enter it. A cursory look reveals nothing is missing inside the Manor. Tired from the trek from Mosswater, Gerald heads to the kitchen and cooks an aromatic and mouth-watering breakfast.

With everyone inside, Noah steps outside the building through a window and leaves the property. He comes back to the front door and knocks. In the kitchen, Daryle is the only one who hears the knock at the front door, and she sends Gerald to answer it. In front of him stands a vagrant, smelling in need of a bath and haggard-looking. The vagrant introduces himself as Noah Harve, a passing traveler, and requests shelter for the day. Gerald finds Noah rather presumptuous and truculent. Noah is introduced to Daryle and Darelle in the kitchen, and he immediately recognizes them as the wanted triplets from Razmir. A price has been placed on their head: 10,000 crowns if all three are brought back alive, or 1,000 crowns for each head returned to the living god.

Daryle finds Noah shifty, but after some back and forth Noah and the Coopers agree on a contract. Noah will work for the Coopers in exchange for room and board. He will keep all monies he discovers up to 5 crowns, and this applies per find. In the conversation with his sisters, Gerald tells them that his plan is to gather enough evidence that if they must they can pin the theft of the Hellknights' gold on Noah.

With this business finally completed, the Coopers repackage provisions and head out. Their first task will be to secure a wagon. Daryle heads to the goblin mine near her property to get her hands on a wagon, but the Hellknights have already secured the facility and the guards on duty do not allow them to ener the mine. The Coopers must find another wagon. They finally settle on borrowing one from Alina Merlon, their aunt.She lends them an old farm wagon, and she lets them borrow her oldest horse, fondly named Poor Old Horse. Darelle has taken care of it over the last year, and it is pleased to see her. The Coopers hit the road again.

Nehn 2, 4711


The Coopers and Noah arrive in Mosswater early in the morning, after spending the night a few miles away from the center of the dead city. Nothing has changed in the last two days, and their hideout appears secure. They leave the wagon outside, but Darelle brings Poor Old Horse inside the restaurant to keep him protected. They then begin transporting crates of jugs filled with dye to the wagon. Over the course of the morning and early afternoon they manage to remove 40 cases of 6 jugs of dye and load up the wagon. But then Noah notices a brigantine ship quickly sailing up river. The ship sports a triangular flag, with a field of blood red, and a cat in the middle having clawed a bird. Noah runs inside and tells the Cooper. Darelle immediately recognizes the description Baron Katkis' flag.

The Coopers come out to prepare for attack, but they notice that the ghostly ship has already docked. Four specters rush up the road and attack. The battle lasts a while, but eventually the Coopers emerge victorious. During the battle Noah escapes with the wagon, but Daryle catches up to him. He had stopped two streets away to wait for the battle's end. Daryle still remains suspicious of this vagrant.

With a full load and enough adventure for the day, the Coopers return to Fort Inevitable where they arrive early the following morning. They turn in their cargo of dye to the Hellknights and receive a receipt from Maralictor Wirt for the cargo's value of 10,000 crowns.

Over the course of the next four days the Coopers empty out the basement of the restaurant and turn in a total of 30,000 crowns' worth.

Nehn 6, 4711

Once again the Coopers head back to Mosswater, this time without the wagon. The focus of this trip is to once and for all locate the mythical town treasury. They plan on searching every building until it is discovered.

They head out late at night, and they make good time, so much so that they arrive on the outskirts of Mosswater before the arrival of dawn. That's when they notice that the light of the lighthouse is on, with a lovely golden hue. The beam rotates every thirty seconds. Even at a distance, they can also hear the roaming sounds of creatures haunting the streets of the dead city. The Coopers decide to wait until the first light of days.

An hour after sunrise, the Coopers head straight to the lighthouse. It appears there was an attempt in the recent past to barricade the building, but it failed as the gates have been breached. Inside bones are scattered, but the presence of adventuring gear indicate that a party was here recently. Noah discovers a face mask, while Daryle finds a warrant, issued by Razmir, for the Riverbottom's arrest dead or alive. These must be the remains of the Living God's soldiers. The presence of these soldiers, seen only a few days ago heading to the lighthouse, seems to be a strong indication that they believed the treasure is in this building.

Among the bones Noah finds a strange rapier. Well balanced and exquisitely crafted, this weapon is also marked with Razmir's seal. Noah decides to keep it. The Coopers search the lighthouse. Darelle ascends to the top, and finds the light source. It is a strange crystal, about four feet in diameter and five feet tall, sitting on top of a stone pedestal. Darelle examines the crystal, and she discovers a hairline crack. She wedges her dagger in, and tries to pull it open. Unfortunately, she is unable to exercise enough force to move the two halves apart. When Daryle arrives she begins helping her sister, and together they are able to move each half away enough so that an arm can fit inside.

The golden hue is more pronounced on the inner part of the crystal. It is solid, but warm to the touch. The inner crystal is of a different material than the outer crystal. As night begins to fall, the inner crystal lights up, but the light is more diffuse than yesterday. Working together, the Coopers manage to put the two halves of the outer crystal back together.

Everyone then treks back to their shelter at the restaurant. During the night, they hear the cries and shambles outside of the monsters haunting the dead city.


Nehn 7, 4711

The Coopers come up with a plan. Over the next three days, they build a better barricade, retreating each night back to their shelter, and making sure that an access point remains open for the monsters to enter the lighthouse.

Nehn 10, 4711

On the third day, they close the doors and lay down large beams. They should be well protected tonight. When the light comes on, the Coopers can see the strange monsters outside moving in groups of two or three. They are hideous-looking, with large heads sporting no eyes but large noses. Each monster has four arms and four legs, and moves crouched low to the ground, grabbing and gnawing on bones with many sets of sharp teeth as they move about. The monsters come and examine the barricade, but do not push their way in.

Darelle and Daryle are once again at the top of the lighthouse. The crystal shines golden, and Darelle observes small sparkles inside that look eerily like coins. They pry open the outer crystal, and Darelle carefully moves her hand forward. Instead of hitting the inner crystal, her hand goes through, and she touches a few coins. She pulls them out. The gold crowns have a variety of faces and dates, but none of them are more recent than 100 years ago. The Coopers have discovered the treasury of Mosswater.

Nehn 11, 4711

In the morning, the Coopers head back to Shadowborn Manor with about 20,000 crowns. Over the rest of the month the Coopers manage to haul away 324,233 crowns from the Mosswater lighthouse. Most of it is buried around Daryle's property, but the Coopers submit 124,233 crowns to Maralictor Wirt. As a reward the Coopers are awarded 12,250 crowns and receive the written thanks from Lady Commander Drovust.

Where is the money?

Lamashan 28, 4711

Two days have passed since Fort Inevitable was attacked, and the town has slowly recuperated. The bodies of goblins, frogmen and the undead have been gathered and burned, and work has begun on fixing the collapsed part of the north wall.

The Coopers have been "invited" to the Chancellery by Lady Commander Drovust. Daryle brings small games, while Gerald brings a box of sweet treats. They are led to the Commander's office, where Drovust is waiting for them, many guards well armed and armored lining the walls.

Drovust tells the Coopers that during the assault the Chancellery's vault was broken into, and 431,567 crowns and gems and precious items worth roughly 200,000 crowns were stolen. This fact is not widely known throughout town at this point, but were this knowledge to spread it would cause chaos in the town as the bank could not make its financial obligations. And though she considered charging them with dereliction of duty, she has ultimately decided not to do this.

However, since in a very real way the Coopers have an obligation to the town, she tasks them to head to Mosswater, the ghost town, and recuperate the treasure that is rumored to still remain in the dead down. Each Cooper is provided with a small gem that contains some magical healing, and are then escorted to their residence before being guided to the Mosswater Gate. There they encounter their brother Thorne, returning to Fort Inevitable from a business trip.

Daryle berates Thorne for having skipped the battle, but then tells him he has to come with them to Mosswater. Grudgingly he agrees to follow them. Darelle and Daryle explain the reason for their trip to the ghost town, and Gerald provides background information on the events that took place over one hundred years ago.

On their way to Mosswater they stop by Shadowborn Manor for supplies. The property and the building have not suffered during the most recent green storm. They provision themselves and grab a few weapons and more gear.

Lamashan 29, 4711

The Coopers arrive in Mosswater late in the morning, after an uneven trek on a well-trodden path. The deserted town stretches in front of them. The buildings have been whitewashed by the relentless sun, and thousands of objects glitter in the streets. To the Coopers' dismay, these objects are the bones of the violently deceased about a hundred years ago. They look like they have been lovingly and patiently polished so that they glow under the sun's rays.

The Coopers enter the first large building their come upon. The building is abandoned, and there are bones scattered about. It looks like it has been ransacked several times over. Thorne searches the building but finds nothing of interest. It appears that years have passed since the last time someone was in here. Finding the location fairly decent, the Coopers decide to remove the furniture and bones and pile them in the house next door. Gerald's plan is to fill up empty buildings and burn them as they go along so that they don't search them again. 

Next, the Coopers head to Mosswater's town hall. A three-story fortified structure, the building may have been architecturally interesting in its heyday, but damage done from generations of looters as well as the ravages of time have tarnished the structure. Access to the building is easy and shows that it could not be used as a safe base. The ground floor holds the reception area as well as several offices. The second floor holds more offices and the town archives and library, while the third floor is composed of the mayor's personal quarters.

Searching the building Daryle discovers a large bulky ledger indicating that on the day before the town's death there were roughly 300,000 crowns in the town's coffers. The town generated on average about 10,000 crowns of dye business a month. Gerald discovers that all books dealing with religion are missing from the library, but he also comes across A Very Detailed History of Dyemaking in Mosswater, written by Charles Ludwig.Though it does not contain the specific recipe for creating the famous Mosswater dye, Gerald believes the instructions are precise enough to derive a close process in a short time. He also gets his hands on two more books, A Philosophy of Magic and Orcish Erotica Poetry Part 2. Thorne, meanwhile, discovers the mayor's appointment book in a false bottom. Interestingly, two days before the town's destruction there is a cryptic entry. The name Baron Katkil is written and underlined twice. No other name in the appointment book has a similar treatment.

Gerald recalls reading something about Baron Katkil. He was an infamous pirate a century ago who would ransom towns and villages near rivers throughout the River Kingdoms. Those that did not pay were attacked and some of them were destroyed. The presence of the Baron's name in the appointment book a few days before Mosswater falls indicates a probable cause for its destruction.

Meanwhile, Darelle spots five soldiers and a priest from Razmir. Standing by the cathedral, they appear to be consulting a map. After several minutes, they head out towards the manufacturing district and the Coopers lose sight of them by the lighthouse in the middle of town.

Carefully, the Coopers creep out of the town hall and head towards the cathedral. Dedicated to Abadar, the building's spires stretch to the sky, but, like the town hall, its majesty has been severely diminished due to battle damage and years of weather. Inside, all religious symbols that could be carried have been removed, but those carved in the stone remain, glaring down at the visitors. There are dead bodies everywhere, and clearly many of the town's original inhabitants took refuge in vain here.

Searching the vestry, Thorne comes upon a series of letters exchanged between the head chaplain and the town's mayor regarding the ransom demanded by Baron Katkil. Dated four days before the town's demise, the exchange indicate that the chaplain strongly urged the mayor to resist the pirate and make a stand against corruption in the name of Abadar and the inhabitants of Mosswater.

Noticing that the sun was slowly drifting towards the west, the Coopers decide to head out of town and find refuge for the night. However, they are attracted to a building next to the cathedral which has a restaurant on its ground floor. Called Food to Dye For, it appears well fortified, with an exterior that hasn't been breached. Thorne sucessfully picks the lock, and inside the Coopers find a nicely decorated main area. Furniture and dishes have been pushed to the side and piled against the windows, but otherwise the room looks undisturbed. It is clear, however, that many people have used this place as shelter.

Gerald is attracted to several cookbooks inside the kitchen, but he falls in a trap. Daryle almost become the trap's victim, but Darelle joins her brother down the pit. With Thorne's help Daryle is eventually able to rescue her siblings.

Exploring the rest of the building the Coopers come upon the wine cellar. All bottles but one have been smashed. The surviving bottle, buried under a pile of broken glass, is a fine vintage from Zelnaux Winery in Dimsdale, indicating some trading between the halfling village and Mosswater over one hundred years ago. Behind the walls Thorne discovers a secret passage leading to the real wine cellar. Inside they find a large collection of fine wines, many from Zelnaux, as well as thirty crates of dye and an elevator to another building behind the restaurant. These crates do not sport the town's tax seal, meaning that they are contraband crates. Someone here was involved in smuggling. In total, the cellar's contents are worth an estimated 30,000 crowns.

Given that no one has found this place in the last century, the Coopers feel reasonably safe in spending the night here.

Lamashan 30, 4711

In the morning, having survived the whining and the steps outside throughout the night, the Coopers head back to Fort Inevitable with two jugs of dye and a few wine bottles. Their plan? Returning to Mosswater with a wagon and begin hauling the merchandise out of the cellar.

Assault on Fort Inevitable! - NOT DONE

Lamashan 24, 4711

Following the Coopers' revelations of the previous day, the Hellknights, led by the Lady Commander Drovust, ride out of Fort Inevitable an hour before sunrise. Heavily armed and riding hard, they expect to arrive at the Spire mid-morning. Meanwhile, Roscoe is commanding the remaining garrison. He is not impressed by the quality of the personnel left behind. He immediately makes several decisions.

First, of the remaining 120 soldiers in the Fort, 10 Hellknights are sent to shore up the defenses of Dimsdale, the small halfling village a half day's away and Greenhide's likeliest first target. Roscoe then dispatches 20 more Hellknights to reach the other villagers and bring them in to Fort Inevitable. He assigns 80 soldiers to defend the walls, and 5 to stand by the tunnels. Finally, one Hellknight is stationed by each sewer hole with oil, horn, and straw. Feeling well prepared, Roscoe is sure he has covered every eventuality.

Darelle decides to talk to Dr. Mordrel. He tells he has a feeling that a catastrophe is about to occur, but he can't or won't be more specific. He also tells her to keep an eye on the graveyard. Darelle walks by on her way to the command center, but the graveyard appears undisturbed.

Gerald vows to talk to Abernard to get a few scrolls to protect his house. Daryle, meanwhile, positions herself by the Mosswater Gate to help the defense.

Despite a desperate plea to the inhabitants of Fort Inevitable, no one seems willing to come out and help in the defense of the town. The hatred for the Hellknights runs deep among the populace.

So, the Coopers spend the rest of the day preparing the defenses of Fort Inevitable for a possible assault.


Lamashan 25, 4711

In the middle of the night, the skies darken, and by the dawn it is clear that the day will be stormy. The clouds have a tint of green to them, and the population remains locked inside their dwellings. It's another of the freak storms that periodically afflicts the area. So far the Coopers experienced one of them earlier in the year, but Roscoe had been away from the area during that time. Daryle fills him up on the details of the monsters coming out and the gigantic shepherds that haunt the countryside. The Coopers are now nervous. Most of the Hellknight army is out in this weather!  

Roscoe orders the inhabitants of all surrounding areas to immediately take shelter in Fort Inevitable. Runners are sent out to alert other communities.

Hours go by, and the storm continues unabated. The grounds become saturated with water, and


Darelle leaves with the potion of invisibility

Messengers sent to the Emerald Spire and to the port.

Assault on the town

Lamashan 26, 4711

1

Where did the money go?


Second level of the Eagle? 

The demon lord Kro'akoth - NOT DONE

Arodus 24, 4711

After spending a night in Karklosh's quarters, the Coopers decide to return home to restock supplies, especially for healing potions. Following their beating at the gate of the 7th level, this seems like a reasonable decision. They climb back to the third level through using a transport token and exit through the tunnel about a mile away from the Emerald Spire.

Roscoe obtains his free potions of cure medium wounds from the Hellknights while Daryle purchases them from the Temple of the Golden Keys. They all spend the night back in their own quarters, happy to have returned above ground.

Arodus 25, 4711


After a good night's rest, the Coopers trek back to the Spire and return to the entrance of the 7th level, encountering no enemies along the way.

Darelle carefully walks through the trellises of candles, while Roscoe decides to walk with his back against the wall. Daryle is not so lucky, and triggers the candles of penitence trap. An explosion detonates and hurts all three members of the party. The candles immediately turn off. Carefully, Darelle opens the heavily fortified but unlocked door, revealing a short corridor leading to another similar door.

When she opens the second door, she sees a large room filled with a barricade made up of rubble and wood poles. Six fiendish troglodytes stand behind the barricade, weapons at the ready. Darelle attempts to jump the barricade but misses and impales herself on a pole sticking out. She pulls herself free but she has lost valuable time. Roscoe attempts the same. He clears the barricade but unfortunately drops his weapon. Meanwhile, Daryle fires two arrows at the same time and hits one of the troglodytes through the rubble. The combat continues for a while, but eventually the Coopers are triumphant. 

After drinking a few potions of cure medium wounds, the Coopers loot the bodies. All of the troglodytes are armed with mastercraft falchions inscribed with the symbol of a flaming serpent. Each weapon radiates a faint evil signature. The dead monsters also all have an amulet bearing the same symbol. Roscoe identifies the symbol as that of the demon lord Kro'akoth. Alarmed at the presence of supporters of Kro'akoth, the Coopers decide they must return to Fort Inevitable to alert the Hellknights.

They trek back to town, where they meet the Lady Commander Audara Drovust and report to her what they discovered. The Lady Commander is obviously concerned and disconcerted at the news, and she decides to upgrade the Coopers' equipment so they can fight the followers of Kro'akoth on the Hellknights' behalf. To her trusted soldier Roscoe she gives a falchion of fury +2, following the rebranding of the very weapon he brought back as a warning. She also gives him a Rod of the Python to help him fight the Serpents. To Darelle she gives a short sword of defiance +2, which will help her remain alive when most would have surrended to death. She also receives a pair of Acrobat Slippers to help her fight on difficult terrain. Finally, Daryle is entrusted with a bow of impact +2, along with a Vanishing Sheath to keep a weapon hidden. Thus equipped, the Coopers should be better able to face the threat of Kro'akoth's worshippers.

Arodus 26, 4711

In the morning the Coopers return to the Emerald Spire. This time, they bring Gerald along since he returned from studying at the College of Magic. He has been working on an enchanted weapon. It is a short bow that when you fire an arrow the bow also fires a magic missile spell. The missile hits the target even if the arrow misses. Damage will be 1d6 + 3d4+1 if both attacks hit.

They descend back to the 7th level, and they carefully cross the fire trap. Back in the ambush room they discover that there has been an attempt at reinforcing the barricades, and the bodies have been removed. Roscoe listens to the south door, while Daryle places her ear to the west door. Roscoe hears sounds of bones snapping and loud chewing, while Daryle hears snoring. The group decides to open the south door. They will hide against the wall, while Thorne stands in view of the door and acts as bait. The plan works too well. Two fiendish troglodytes who were eating come rushing out and land blows that drop Thorne down. Roscoe and Daryle successfully attack and slay the fiends. 

In the troglodytes' dining room they find barrels, one filled with javelins, and the others with rotten food. The last barrel, however, contains a strange dark blue crystal powder. Darelle collects a vial full of the powder.

In the other room they stumble upon two sleeping troglodytes that are quickly dispatched. However, Gerald decides to use a javelin from the dining room so he returns to the room to grab one. He is immediately attacked by a necrophedius which emerges from the fire pit. During the battle Thorne is incapacitated again. The construct, however, is quickly dispatched. Thorne is healed again.

The party continues their exploration, and finds a long corridor with two iron doors. The first one is hot to the touch, while the second is at room temperature. Thorne opens the door. Inside, the Coopers discover Sartoss' jail.  

The jail with  

Gerald summons a wolf that kills the troglodytes 

Thorne takes six scales.

Statue with heads chopped off.

Battle with Sartoss



Thorne takes the two fangs of Kro'akoth, and the pearl of power. Gerald finds six funeral masks used in Sartoss' evil rituals.