The Thieves
Records detailing the exploits of members of the Dreg Thieves' Guild, particularly Guillem and Wendlow, two locals.
Session 1
Eggfast, the 20th of Lymewald
Clear, cold.
Dreg is a bog town located in 1110 that's slowly slumping into the river, and is controlled by Lord Malbleat. The most influential person around here is the merchant who owns the port, Madam Shantywood.
Guillem and Wendlow are canvassing for jobs in the Spawning Salmon, a warehouse converted into a seedy gambling establishment. They heard from a drunk that Birkmaster Monocleese is in league with witches and is allegedly going to ritually sacrifice his wife.
The propietor of the casino, by name of Sidley Crump, offered to get us involved in his operation. He warned us to stay away from Shodgury, and invited us into the backroom bar which was pretty obviously a thieves guild. The first contract offered was to rob the tower of a magician who had gone mad in the woods to the south.
Sunning, the 21st of Lymewald
Clear, cold.
The pair of thieves explored the area surrounding Dreg, and ran into some herb peddlers. Sadly, the wolfsbane on sale was out of Guillem and Wendlow's budget. They pressed on, and discovered a watermill with strangely dark windows. It turned out to be the residence of Merissien the Mutable, a magician who was willing to pay excellent prices for magical crystals. He was good enough to inform the thieves that the tower they were looking for was the Nyfward Tower, built by Nyf Nimbly.
Later that day to the south, the two adventurers found Nyfward Tower, and entered the magical structure. After a tense negotiation with some very vain manticores and escaping a hoard of boars(!), the thieves were teleported back to the ground floor by a magical trap. Despite the short length of the excursion into Nyf's tower, the pair made it out with some silverware, bed dressings, and some sort of magical scroll. They marched back to Dreg, arriving late at night. At the Thieves' Guild, they sold the cutlery and bed dressings to prove themselves to their bosses, but kept the magical scroll.
Session 2
Colly, the 22nd of Lymewald
Cold, windy, gloomy.
Guillem and Wendlow took a full day to rest and relax, doing only some light shopping.
Mercenaries are more common than usual in Dreg.
That night they used the second and final night of their "welcome package" free accomodation at The Spawning Salmon.
Chime, the 23rd of Lymewald
Frigid mist.
Guillem and Wendlow were handed responsibility of inducting Amonie Dunsallow into the guild. The trio were tasked with sorting out some sort of local issue so that Amonie could prove herself. The thieves were treated to multiple leads, including a heads-up that the bog workers' underground bar would be getting raided by the constabluary soon, so it was best to try and rob it now if ever. Additionally, a few abandoned buildings had been scoped out recently.
Lady Mulbreck's manor has fallen to fungal ruin after her husband died, but many valuable posessions are still inside.
The great Fernebal House contains a magic sword that can send its victims to sleep for a century.
The trio chose to go stake out the bog workers' bar on the other side of town. When they arrived, they found the bar was concealed within an old ruined building, with no apparent entrance. The only clue was a pair of bootprints leading to a peculiarly well-stacked pile of rubble. Once the trio cleared the rubble, Wendlow managed to unlock the trapdoor that was concealed underneath. In the cellar, "The Bog House Boys" was branded on a lot of the furniture and barrels, and the thieves lifted a map of the surrounding area from behind the bar. The map had many markings concerning the Birkmaster's manor, and was accompanied by a small purse of gold and gems.
With the bar pilfered, the trio covered their tracks as best as possible and returned to the Salmon's thieves' guild. At the guild, the rumour that the Birkmaster was in league with witches was heard from a few drunks again. In order to try and curry favour with witches, the thieves decided to follow rumours of wise women to the House of Harridown out west.
Following the Ditchway west, the party then turned south onto Harrod's Path, and eventually found the House of Harridown. They were greeted there by a very friendly pair of female human twins who were finishing each other's sentences. The thieves obtained food and lodging, and tried to warn the (almost certainly) witches that The Bog House Boys might have it out for them.
Beware of owls, for they are an omen of death. People have been disappearing after seeing them.
The trio had a round of Hameth Foam, a local beer, as a nightcap before heading to bed. That night, there was no sound sleep for any of trio though - Wendlow was disturbed by a young voice at his door claiming to be looking for their father. However, no footsteps were heard, and when Wendlow went out to check, he saw the ghost of a teenage girl. Later that night Wendlow was disturbed again by the ghost of a young boy, who he ended up playing marbles with. Apparently the boy's father had gone to the woods and not returned. Later on again in that night, Amonie and Guillem heard the crying of a babe, but chose not to investigate.
Hayme, the 24th of Lymewald
Cold, windy, gloomy.
When asked about the ghosts, the witches explained to the party that Mr. Rundalow and his 3 kids were currently staying at the inn. Apparently the father had gone out into the forest to hunt or gather firewood and hadn't returned. He wasn't able to pay for meals the last time he was here.
Elsewhere in hex 1010, the thieves found a valley absolutely festooned with black slime fungus. They harvested some, and tried to clean a shrine of Saint Ponch of the muck. A strange mushroom man with a creature in a jar came across the party and there was an oddly tense conversation. He traded in riddles, and Amonie had a potent mystical vision when he asked one that she didn't find the answer to. It appeared to be a real vision, for she was in communion with the local mycelial network. The mushroom man told Guillem and Wendlow that Amonie would know the name of the black slime mold they had just gathered when she woke from the trance.
An hour or so later, Amonie awoke and reported that the fungus was Hobb's Lewd, a rare mycelium that causes energetic cavortions. The group carried on travelling, combing 1011 for any sign of Mr. Rundalow or his corpse. They found a ruined stone house covered in nodules of Hobb's Lewd which was surrounded by tracks of strange, small footprints, similar to the mushroom man's tracks. The thieves descended into the basement where they stumbled upon a trio of the mushroom men poring over many rows of the tiny people trapped in jars. They were not at all happy to see that they had apparently been followed, and chased the adventurers out of the basement.
Back at the House of Harridown, the trio looked around the outlying buildings, and found a set of gravestones. Some of them had the last name Occland, and there were graves for a Tom, Mildred, and Gretchen Rundalow. The party also noticed that there are far too many guest rooms for the exterior size of the inn.
Session 3 - 23/02/2024
Amonie asked the innkeepers about the graves - they gaslit her about the children's graves but admitted their family had lived in the area for generations. They also admitted they could not remember the last time they had been outside.
In the barn, the thieves found some kegs, some crates of mundane supplies, and a crate full of scintillating purple moss. When Guillem ate a little, he was flooded with memories of his youth, which then permanently faded. There was another crate nearby of fresh moss as well. When Guillem ate the fresh strain, the memories returned, but did not fade that time.
Back in the inn, under the influence of the fresh moss, the innkeepers explained that Mr. Rundalow had headed off into the woods when he was unable to afford both bed and board. Shortly after, a mossling arrived with the yellow fungal creatures and gave the ladies some of the memory moss. The innkeepers named the yellow mushroom folk to be Jack O' Lanterns. They are sometimes used by mosslings as servitors.
The thieves surmised that Mr. Rundalow had been captured by the Jack O' Lanterns on behalf of some mosslings who were now dosing the landladies with the memory moss.
Inspired to try and rescue Mr. Rundalow from miniaturisation and perhaps dispel his children's ghosts, the thieves decided to set out to the fungus covered shack once again. They went at sunset such that they could approach under the cover of darkness.
The region around the shack revealed two entrances into some sort of cave system: one to the east of the hut, the other to the north west of the hut. Guillem used a summoned fairy servant to bait the Jackos away from their weird little hideout. Wendlow went ahead to scout, and made quiet entry into the glass jar shelving area. The party followed in, but couldn't find Mr. Rundalow in there. They exited via a northern door. In the next room, they found a huge diorama and two jackos painting miniatures. On the loop back, the thieves raided a small storeroom. They then killed the painting jackos, rescued a miniaturised human friar, bagged a load of money and gems, and ran back to the House of Harridown.
Wendlow purchased a private room for 5 nights. He awoke that night to the youngest Rundalow crying because they couldnt get up the stairs. He summoned Tom, the middle child, and got him to pick up his sister.
Moot, the 25th of Lymewald
Clear, cold.
Awoke in the morning. The Friar told the thieves that there were a few mosslings involved, and one seemed to be in charge. He had seen Mr. Rundalow being carried out of the jar room a few days ago.
On the way to the eastern subterrenean entrance, the party ran into some black shaggy red eyed goat things being led by a longhorn breggle and 8 short horns. They were hunting for bandits and were suspicious of the trio, but ultimately let them go.
The thieves crept through rooms until they found a huge sleeping longneck boar, and stabbed it whilst it slept. Searching through its pile of fecal matter and trinkets yielded two gemstones of respectable size.
The party ran into some mosslings chilling out. They realised the trio had killed their guard animal, and gave chase. The thieves were caught momentarily at the exit, but they managed to barge past the mosslings and give them the slip once outside the caves.
Session 4 - 24/06/2024
Back at the House of Harridown, Amonie and Wendlow found two strangers, Dale and Brom, haggling with the twin propietoresses over the cost of a room. The 4 guests sat down to a round of buttered buns, battered fish, and pints of Hameth Foam. The tiny friar mentioned that some members of the Pluritine church were keen to try and restore the Abbey of Saint Clewed. From his description, it appeared that the jack-o'-lanterns were using their strange riddles to entrance and kidnap people. The party soon headed to bed after a peaceful evening.
During the night, as expected, they were disturbed by Gretchen's ghost, who was apparently looking for the "witch room". Wendlow followed her, and found a magically locked door. There was a well-concealed slot for an emblem of some sort. Brom had a brainwave, and when he dug up Gretchen's grave, he found a small Gwyrae holy symbol had been buried with her. The group resolved to try the door in the morning.
Frisk, the 26th of Lymewald
Snowstorm.
Over breakfast, found out that the propietoresses had not been sleeping well, presumably due to the moss withdrawal. They failed to acknowledge the strange architecture of the inn, and when Amonie tried to show them the witch room, it was simply not there. The twins did mention that somebody witch-like had visited frequently in the past. The party waited for the staircase and door to reappear, which only happened when they stopped looking at it after dark.
Inside, the witch room was unlit, and notably dusty. It had plain furniture but a conspicuous lack of a bed. More promisingly, there was a part-filled potion rack and a small chest. Amonie watered the desk-top plant when she noticed it wasn't dusty, and it tranformed into a woman! It was quickly observed that she was a witch, and she explained that Gretchen had been quite friendly with her. Her perception of time appeared to have been warped by her time as a plant, and she was quite saddened to hear that Gretchen had died. When she learned of the jack-o'-lantern and mossling shrinking conspiracy, she revealed the the mossling in charge was a fungus farmer named Shmolde Mossbeard. She had dealt with him before to secure reagents for her potions. She theorised that he must have modified the moss from its original strain, as the purple scintillating kind was the usual variant.
The witch offered to restore the friar and Mr. Rundalow to their original forms before the jack-o'-lantern shrinking (a natural ability of the creatures apparently), but she wanted the theives to retrieve some Hag's Tears herb from Hag's Addle for her. Whilst they were doing that, she planned to negotiate with Shmolde. Hag's Tears is a marsh succulent with olive-green outer skin.
Hag's Addle covers 0908, 1008, 1109, and half of 0807.
Eggfast, the 27th of Lymewald
Freezing rain.
Set out for Dreg along the Harrod's Path and then the Ditchway. Back in the village, saw 4 fishermen fighting over a catch of trout. Fenced some gems to Sidley at the Spawning Salmon.
Lady Shantywood wants to meet a discerning crew to retrieve a magic ring from 1011.
Rumour says there is a pelucidium chalice hidden in a magic pool in a secret hall beneath an ancient faerie keep on Droomen Knoll.
A band of mercenaries were hanging around in the fishmarket opposite a gang of 3 yellow-smocked pluritinites and a hessian-robed monk evangelising to the allegedly sinful masses. Wendlow and Amonie purchased dogs. When enquiring about boats to Hag's Addle, the thieves were told that most sailors wouldn't stop in the wilds of Hag's Addle and went to the woodcutter's encampment (1109) instead. Wendlow hired an enforcer from the theives' guild for the group, Roese Logueweave.
Sunning, the 28th of Lymewald
The Feast of Saint Eggort.
Bitter, silent.
Went to the logger's encampment by boat. Saw 5 animated corpses fishing fresh bodies out of a marsh. At the port, saw all the wood barges and fishing boats of the beautiful trade village. A local man in woodcutters' garb was scolding two youths for laughing under an elm tree. Whilst in the marshes looking for Hag's Tears, the thieves spotted 4 walking scarecrows, downtrodden and morose due to the poor weather.
After a day without Hag's Tears, the party headed for the Stump & Poynerd tavern, where the drune were held in little respect. A local erupted from the tavern, shotuing "Oistace-kyne arise, baggle-men bedroggle!" as he ran to the north side of town. Inside, the look of the tavern was rather striking, with a varnished tree growing through the roof around which the bar was set. The bartender explained that the shouting man as part of a local tradition, and he shortly returned to buy the whole bar a round of barrowblaster.
The party stayed over at the Merry Medicant, a narrow tower-like building with absolutely gorgeous decor.
Session 5 - 03/07/2024
Colly, the 1st of Haggryme
Frigid, icy.
Good night's sleep. Found an elf speaking to the propietoress. Wendlow recruited Violet-and-Clementine, the rather abrasive elf, who was good enough (and not pressured) to buy breakfast for the troupe. Wendlow opened a tab with Clement Brancher, the propietoress, which covered the 7-size breakfast. Spent the whole day looking for herbs. Found two cuts of long-bearded yellow moss growing from a rotten stump. Also found two cuts of Witch's Oyster (visionary trance). 5 clusters of inch-round red fruit with a slimy texture (rations).
Witch's Oyster can be used to induce a visionary trance and receive an answer to something troubling the character.
Back in town, found a stout, round-faced man in his 40s furtively examining some fungal specimens brought to town by a strange black-cloaked individual. Wendlow tried to sell the guy the yellow moss, which was quite frustrating due to the guy's meandering speech. Jock Ferngal - propietor of the Stump and Poynard! He was interested in specific mushrooms. Getting information from Mr. Ferngal was a circuituitous and frsutrating process. He spoke of a fungus running wild in Bogwytt Manor, south of here in 1210. He wanted us to retrieve some Devil's Grease from the manor, which was apparently very potent. Jet black slime mould that glows in ultraviolet and grows in cracks and trees. He IDed the yellow moss as Snogglebeard, which promotes personal empathy. Sold half the yellow moss for 100gp.
That evening, Dayle and Wendlow had Witch's Oyster tea and tripped their asses off. Wendlow saw a vision of a huge mushroom glowing underground after falling through layers and layers of the purple scintillating moss. Dayle felt they were flying, astral projecting even, over Dreg, travelling further south. He saw a keep standing atop a hill quite a bit south of dreg, and flew into the ground below the keep, where he heard the bleating of crookhorns amongst corridors under the earth. Finally, they came to see a frozen pool of glowing liquid in a cold room.
The keep appears to be in 1111.
Chime, the 2nd of Haggryme
Clear, cold.
Sought ferrymen or merchants to take us and drop us off. Eventually found a dude but had to pay him quite a lot. Set off upstream. In the fungal forest, saw an elderly longhorn fishing. They only had one horn. He offered to sell us some goldenring octopus, a bloated red fish, or a long eel. Wendlow purchased all of them. One-horn offered to purchase swamp curiosities from us if we found owt. Got off the boat in the swamps and had a quick, unsuccessful forage. The strange brackish pools in the swamps appeared to be flooded, which Dayle almost plunged into. The pools had splashed up some oceanic fish and other oddments. Violet picked a beautiful snowdrop-type flower. We returned to the raft, where Hogrid Gruewater the rower was safe and sound. Saw a stilt-house off in the distance as we left.
Back in the Woodcutters' Encampment, a local fisherman was very confused by the red fish. Violet charmed the bugger and dallied too long - he realised the glamour and kicked off at Wendlow and Violet, chasing them away from the docks. Wendlow then ran the fish past the cook, but he also didn't recognise them. Wendlow then headed to the Stump and Ponyard to try and flog the sea critters. Amonie took a look around the village. Huge weathered copper bell topped with the antlers of a stag that seems to be related to the bagglemen ritual. Overlooking the village is a tall wooden church, with a pale yellow flame burning in its tower. It is a church to Saint Foggity, guider of the lost. The vicar has a shaggy dog. He is a long-term local who wants the hag gone. He and his dog Clewyd spend a lot of time in the swamp, and he was starting to map them. He let slip that Hag's Tears can be found near the pools. Vicar Jaymes Horsely. Violet and Dayle canvassed for rumours at the pub.
South bank of the Hameth, near Lake Longmere lives a beautiful woman named Agnall, who is very hospitable.
Islands of fungi have been seen drifting through the black waters of the swamp, as well as a monstrous frog.
The bargemen reckon the goldenring octopus is poisonous. A local fisherman corroborated that idea. Nobody knew about the red fish. Apparently the eel looked edible. Took the eel to the chef, and when he cooked it up, it was delicous!!! The small octopi were definitely lethal poison. The chef and the propietor had a meal with us. Clement wants a magic dog as a pet and to marry a dashing swordsperson. Apparently good smokeleaf is available in the encampment.
Session 6 - 10/07/2024
Hayme, the 3rd of Haggryme
Clear, cold.
The next morning, the party awoke after a good night's sleep in the Merry Mendicant. Set out to find Hag's Tears again. Explained to the boatmen the plan, and they were amenable given it had worked before. Uninterrupted journey to 1008, but once again didn't find any Hag's tears.
Back in town, Amonie, Dayle, and Bram went to speak to James Horsely whilst Wendlow went to the docks. He managed to repair his relationship with the fisherman that Violet had annoyed yesterday. The trio found an enormous old oak tree with a roped-off grassy area at its base that is used for weddings, dances, and special occasions. It is called the Oistace Tree. Allegedly over 1000 years old.
Amonie found Father James rushing down into the village from the church, looking to warn people to stay inside as he had seen the hag stalking the borders of the encampment. The party headed back to the Merry Mendicant, and spoke to Clement about the hag. Apparently the vicar had been there longer than Clement. The hag is known as Black Alice in Castle Brackenwold. Apparently the hag stalks the swamps at night, looking for flesh. She can allegedly be found in a good mood sometimes, but her gifts are not worth the costs.
Had some scran and headed to bed.
Moot, the 4th of Haggryme
Freezing rain.
Set out on the same plan as yesterday, but the party spotted something in the mud just north of the encampment. Some huge leeches were shlurping around on the river bank, but the party outran them on the barge. On the shore, Amonie was successful in drumming up some herbs, including two doses of hag's tears and a bundle of marshwick - Seeds of a marsh flower ground to a blue powder - grants save vs animal poison if taken with wine. Also found two bundles of bogsnips - marsh parsnips.
Back in town, had a hearty fried bogsnip meal with cook.
Frisk, the 5th of Haggryme
Feast of Saint Clister.
Frigid mist.
Set out from the Merry Mendicant for Dreg via boat and then onwards to the House of Harridwyn. Got there with time to spare. Nothing had changed from the outside. Inside, the propietoresses looked much more bright and lively! They were very happy to be off the moss. They mentioned that the witch had brought back Mr. Rumbalow, albeit shrunk. They were kind enough to offer the party the night's stay for free.
In the witch's chambers, the party met the full-size Tom Rumbalow (senior). He was on his fifth day of restoration. He was distraught about the loss of his children, but held no ill-will to the old barkeeps. He revealed he was an Oistace-kyne, and didn't believe in the Drune at all. Tom did not like Vicar Hogbeard at all, the evangelist priest from Dreg.
Spoke to the witch, she was happy enough to take the hag's tears off of our hands in exchange for the tiny vicar's re-sizing. She also gave us 100gp in Duke Argibald coins for a dose of Snogglebeard. The party stayed over for a restful night after a hearty meal of Hameth sprats, sausage and mash.
Eggfast, the 6th of Haggryme
Feast of Saint Ponch.
Clear, cold.
Next morning, the party met the friar in full-size, and agreed to help him clean the shrine of Saint Ponch out in Hobb's Lewd valley. It looked set to take the whole day, and the party got lost on the way to the shrine. They wound up back at the inn, where Friar Arfred Wolder was distraught to have missed the chance to clean the shrine on the Saint's own feast day. To commiserate the holy man, Wendlow put down some cash for a feast
Sunning, the 7th of Haggryme
Relentless blizzard.
Stayed inside out of the cold. Arfred mentioned that there were combatant branches of the Pluritine church. That night, Amonie spoke to the witch about Shmolde. She told Amonie to not bother her again without good reason but did note that Shmolde wouldn't be bothering the inn again.
Colly, the 8th of Haggryme
Frigid, icy.
Amonie stopped the party from going off-course on the way to Hobb's Lewd valley, and the party spent the day clearing the shrine of the slime mould. Once done, Arfred commited to building out the path over winter to make the place more accessible. He then prayed, and summoned a great bounty of scones and fish for the party to eat.
Chime, the 9th of Haggryme
Frigid, icy.
Made it back to Dreg with no issues. Dropped Tom off at the ferry port with a few silvers. Back at the spawning Salmon, touched base with the guild boss.
The Boghouse Boys are planning to make a move on the Birkmaster. Sidley Crump wants them stopped.
Sold the poisonous octopi to Sidley for 40gp total. He reccomended the Boghouse boys be dealt with peacefully - he only wants info.
Session 7 - 24/07/2024
Violet rejoined Amonie, Wendlow, and Roese to go investigate the Boghouse Boys. The BHBs are generally bigoted, but Hogbeard's Zealots (yellow-smocked pluritinites) are the real religous extremists.
Birkmaster is a slight human man in black silks, often seen looking self-important on the streets of Dreg. He's really just a bureaucratic figurehead for the true economic power in the village - Madam Shantywood.
The quartet headed north out to the bog farms to try and catch some of the bogworkers and convince them that they'd had an encounter with a witch and wanted revenge. They were very hostile with Violet, but Wendlow managed to talk them round using some fellow proliteriat style rhetoric. They were interested in his offer of help, and looked to contact him at the Mermaid's Arms later that evening. Wendlow introduced himself to John as "Wen".
The party headed to the Mermaid's Arms, on the west edge of town, near a mermaid statue and wishing pool. Pool-dredger is a common insult in Dreg. The inn is also sometimes known as the Mermaid's Arse. No gambling, lewdness, or sea shanties. Burly, black-haired barkeep. It's a pub for travellers and quiet locals. Booked rooms and got some pie for the evening. The barkeep asked Wendlow to keep an eye out for a wiry human woman, late 30s, with cropped black hair, many earrings, both eyes, many tattoos of burly breggles. Probably goes by 'Gil' nowadays.
John arrived to speak to the gang. He was happy to vouch for Wendlow and co. but needed some more evidence so he could persuade his comrades. Wendlow retold the party's recent adventures through a bigoted lens, which was enough to perusade John. John told Wendlow that he was needed to break into the manor on Eggfast after the feast, when the Birkmaster and his entourage would be knackered from the three feasts in a row. The party (bar Violet) were told to meet the BHB the next day at the spot out near the bogs in order to get a full briefing.
Later that night, Wendlow snuck out to the Spawning Salmon to inform Sidley of the developments. The thiefmaster instructed Wendlow to go to the BHB meeting as planned to get more info. The plan was to notify the Birkmaster via a noble messenger to ensure the bureaucrat took the threat seriously. Sidley was thankful for the info, and told Wendlow that he didn't need to be involved "on the night".
Hayme, the 10th of Haggryme
Snowstorm.
Amonie had a look around the church of Saint Wyck, the patron of ferrymen and grandfathers. The reverend mother was a thoroughly depressing cynical woman who seemed to just want peace and quiet.
Roese went out to buy maille. Wendlow picked up a clay pipe and some Old Doby.
At the meeting, Wendlow met Brigg "Hollowhand" Meagre, an intimidating bloke who seemed to mostly believe Wendlow, but demanded that he stay at Brigg's farm for 3 nights until the big event. Roese and Amonie were allowed to leave. They filled Sidley in on the situation, and he told them that Wendlow would have to take the fall with the BHBs, but he would do his best to get him sprung from the force.
Roese, Violet, and Amonie booked themselves and the dogs in for three nights at the Mermaid's Arms.
Moot, the 11th of Haggryme
Bitter, silent.
Feast of St Flatius.
Violet headed off to meet Sidley Crump and officially joined the Thieves' Guild. He mentioned that aside from the Birkmaster, most Dreg residents wouldn't be doing much for the feast days. To prove himself, Violet was tasked with a personal job for Sidley.
Sidley wants Violet to find out why his wife was really visiting Lankshorn, allegedly it is to visit an ailing cousin. Apparently she is next setting off on the 15th of Haggryme.
Amonie and Roese planned to visit Madam Shantywood that evening. In the meantime, they canvassed the fishmarket for rumours.
Fishing in Dreg is good compared to Lake Longmere, where the beastly "Big Chuck" dwells in a crystal cavern at the bottom of the lake with his treasure hoard. Apparently the long-lost mirror of the witch queen is down there.
Violet ran into 3 longhorn breggle knights in service of Lord Malbleat. They were charging through town on horseback, headed for the Birkmaster's manor. They were welcomed in as heralds for somebody rocking up tomorrow. This caused quite the commotion amongst the manor guards. Headed to the Mermaid's Arms to try and pick up more rumours.
Rowing to the north cove of the Shantywood Isle and presenting a white rose will allegedly get free entry to the Chateau for a night.
Told Sidley about the knights arriving in town. He reckons Lord Malbleat could be visiting tomorrow. This seriously complicates things for Wendlow getting sprung from jail apparently. He told the trio to reconvene back at The Spawning Salmon sharpish tomorrow morning.
That evening, Wendlow was present at a high-tension meeting of the crew of 20 misguided bog farmers. Brigg is a firm leader tortured by dreams of the evils coming to Dreg. He is concerned with duty and morality and protecting the "good common folk" of Dreg.
In the same evening, Violet, Roese, and Amonie headed to the Shantywood Isle on the free boats, landing at the southern cove and heading up to the Chateau. It rather seems to be the upmarket hooters of Dolmenwood, serving a wide range of clientele. Madam Shantywood took the trio through to her office. She was very clear that any failure to retrieve the ring would be taken as admission that we had stolen it. She was incredibly haughty, and did not take well to Amonie, and then even moreso Violet interrupting her. The elf was evicted at swordpoint from the chateau.
Session 8 - 14/08/2024
Frisk, the 12th of Haggryme
Bitter, silent. Feast of St Quister.
Amonie and Roese went to meet Sidley. He suggested putting them inside as servants in advance of the break-in, all they needed to do now was find out from Wendlow what time the break-in would be. Roese suggested an exchange of notes on arrows to communicate with Wendlow. At Brigg's farm, Roese got Wendlow's attention using their whistles, and told him to enact the archery plan. It took a while for Brigg to give up on Wendlow's archery skills, but once he did, Amonie and Wendlow were able to communicate. The BHB plan to hit the manor around midnight once the drinking and carousing of the feast is done.
Pranic Birklin is a minor breggle noble who is Sidley's guy on the inside. Amonie and Roese ditched their stuff and headed to the Birkmaster's manor in servants clothes and little else. A+R went in via the servant's entrance. It was rowdy, the dancing had begun. 6 of the Birkmaster's guards were stationed in the pantry, clearly expecting trouble. Matron Harner guided us to see Birklin. Peeling Malbleat wallpaper in the dance hall, different twin chandeliers, mismatched crockery, many minor nobility whirling on the dance floor in the centre of the room. Birklin met us in the hall, and we found a quiet spot. He confirmed that most people would be knackered tomorrow, and we should keep our heads down until then. He mentioned he was putting on a front just as much as we were.
Back in the ballroom, saw the Birkmaster but no sign of his wife. Roese headed to help in the pantry, Amonie stuck around in the ballroom. Roese heard a fellow servant mention that they were off to tend to Mrs. Hilda Monocleese, and another asked to be updated on how she was looking as she had been ill of late. Amonie heard a couple nobles talking - a court sorcerer mentioned a magician and adventurer of some repute lived in the Dreg area at some point.
A+R kept their heads low for the rest of the evening. Roese overheard a drunk noble suggesting that it was in Malbleat's bloodright to rule all of Dolmenwood. Malbleat didn't seem against it, but was certain it wasn't the right time, and didn't wish to speak openly about it. Birklin had heard that Malbleat had kidnapped a missing woman from Lankshorn. At midnight, the Birkmaster made a grovelling address to the guests and declared the party over.
Eggfast, the 13th of Haggryme
Feast of Saint Aeynid.
Cracked on with the cooking early morning, the nobles arrived for a very very late breakfast.
At 10pm, the dancing started again. Monocleese was knackered, and fell asleep drunk in the dining hall. It was 2 hours until the BHB raid. Amonie went to sniff up a rumour about Hilda Monocleese. Two Birkmaster guards were seen dragging a hammered merchant to the front entrance. He attmpted to re-enter the party, and managed to slam the door behind him. Amonie looked on as Monocleese was instructed to rip down the merchant's trousers and hang him from the belltower. It did not go well - the merchant walloped Monocleese before he was swiftly chucked down the main stairs by some Malbleat knights. Amonie confirmed with a servant that the lady Monocleese was unwell, and took her up on her offer to help tend to the lady. Past a guarded staircase, Amonie and the other servant ascended to the Lady Monocleese's bedroom. Hilda: a gaunt, pretty woman, coughing, folorn look. Apparently her husband's attention had been elsewhere recently, possibly on Madam Shantywood. She felt her illness had taken a turn for the worse, wanted the illness over with, and had a feeling her husband did too. Lady Monocleese had heard of numblings, a rare fungus that might be able to help. It was south of Lake Longmere (0607, 0708, 0608, 0508).
Down on the ground floor, Roese saw Malbleat ask the Birkmaster for a tour of the manor, which the latter seemed to be dreading. Amonie and Roese started seeding the rumour that a servant of Wendlow's description had gone missing. Amonie saw the rumour of Malbleat ruling breggle lands circulating again. Roese overheard a minor local human noble speaking ill of Madam Shantywood, apparently she lusted over too much and should know her place - he also mentioned that the grip on Dreg was slipping, but stopped speaking sharpish after that. Malbleat quite backhandedly ripped into Monocleese for the architecture of his manor.
At 10 minutes to midnight, shouts were heard from outside as the merchant (this twat again!) started bothering the robbery crew. Wendlow managed to defuse the situation, and get the merchant to leave. Shortly before midnight, Wendlow and a small contingent of BHB (but not Brigg!) ascended the ladder to the servant's entrance and broke in. The Birkmaster's guards pounced and captured the BHB, but the rumour worked, and Wendlow was treated as a captured servant. Malbleat arrived in the pantry, and ordered his knights to run through the BHB. Amonie and her mate went to check on Lady Monocleese, who was fine and secure thankfully. Slept with the servants that night.
Sunning, the 14th of Haggryme
Exited the manor with Birklin at around midday. Rode out of dreg a short way, and then looped back to town.
Session 9 - 04/09/2024
Amonie sent a porter to Jock Ferngal to ask about numblings, with instruction to bring the reply to Sidley Crump. Wendlow asked around at the Spawning Salmon and confirmed that Bogwytt Manor is the fungus-ruined residence of Lady Mulbreck. With a few greased palms he learned the manor is so blanketed with fungus that it is hard to find the entrance.
The party started getting gear and staff together for an expedition south to find the Lady Shantywood's ring. Bram hired a bodyguard, Longtittle Bootswap. Slept over at the Spawning Salmon.
Colly, the 15th of Haggryme
Frigid, icy.
The larger party set off for the House of Harridwyn. They reached it safely, and continued south along Harrid's path to recon hex 1011's landmarks. En route, they ran into a slumbering moth-like creature draped with silk and linen. The party successfully snuck up on the sleeping beast and slew it from ambush. It had impressive antennae, nasty claws, and freezing breath. 4 more beasts were sleeping on piles of crushed bones inside the grotto, surrounded by scraps of rich clothes. Stole a bundle of silks and got away to the House of Harridwyn.
The party were welcomed warmly by the ladies of the house, and had a few plates of Hameth Sprats for dinner before turning in for the night. Amonie got told that a handsome knight had been through recently. He had mentioned visiting a master bladesmith in Lankshorn for a blade of pure iron.
Chime, the 16th of Haggryme
Clear, cold.
Headed south to 1011 with the intent of searching the hex. Found a shadowed glade with an ominous boulder in the centre of it. Dirt around the edge of the boulder showed sign of being dug up and re-filled fairly recently. Dug up the earth and started looting a great treasure hoard, but 7 hooded creatures coalesced out of mist on the edge of the glade and gave chase - DRUNE MAYBE????? The creatures deadened the air and prevented all sound as they approached. The party managed to escape with a decent chunk of treasure.
The belt that Wendlow escaped with was odd - the next time somebody said his name, it took him a second to remember that it was him.
Session 10 - 12/09/2024
Violet met Wendlow in the House of Haggryme after checking with Sidley that the wife-stalking job wasn't urgent. Amonie asked the propietoresses if they knew what the skull-faced creatures that had chased the party yesterday were. They are antler wraiths, are agressive to those who disturb their stones, but cannot touch a pure-hearted virgin. The party stayed over at the inn.
Hayme, the 17th of Haggryme
Cold wind, gloomy.
On the way back to Dreg, the party ran into a trio of talking woodland animals on the path. The stoat greeted the party in an effacious manner. The owl offered them a riddle whilst the squirrel offered cryptic knowledge in exchange for a ration.
"Hooden men skulk and creep around skull creek."
"I have seen that Dreg festers in the Nag Lord's foul fumes."
"There is a Drune some way west of here, and for his daughter's life he does fear."
The critters were called Pip, Nibble, and Twitch for the weasel, squirrel and owl respectively.
The party made it the rest of the way to Dreg. Sidley was impressed by the haul, and apparently not fond of bugs. The guild took a 10% cut of the loot. Sidley did a double-take as he hadn't recognised Wendlow when the crew first walked in. Horses are subject to a 50% markup in Dreg and The Woodcutters' Encampment. Amonie told Sidley about the forest animals. He took the rumour seriously, and mentioned it could be linked to the visions that Brett Hollowhand had mentioned having. The party resolved to set out to Castle Brackenwold to buy horses. Stayed at the Spawning Salmon that evening.
Moot, the 18th of Haggryme
Icy, steady snow.
Headed upstream to The Woodcutter's Encampment. A wedding was happening at the Oistace tree, and the atmosphere was lovely. Went to the Stump & Ponyard to see Jock about the best route to Castle Brackenwold. He told us to follow the Camp Road, and it would be about 18 miles.
The group led a small out-and-back along the Bogwytt Path. Saw a totally moss-coated three-storey timber mansion. Heard the whinnying of ponies once we entered the grounds. There were just under 20 dwarf ponies. A servant came out to greet us, and mentioned we were in the estate of Jolly-Oistace Pollard. He invited us in to a cramped illogical space filled with palpable neglect. There were memorial hands made of famous woodcutters. Some of the old portraits in the hall had very consistent symbolism we didn't recognise. We were introduced to a sedentary middle-aged man who appeared to be an opium smoker. He made great pains to make us comfortable, and seemed very interested in Violet's fairy heritage as he was deadly bored of the mortal plain. His main hobby appeared to be breeding dwarf ponies. When Wendlow mentioned he had done Witch's Oyster tea, he asked if they had any Azoth - an extract of Fog Lake cave crystal made by recrystallisation when within earshot of the lake shore.
On the way out, we were bombarded with scraps of food by half a dozen floating gremlins, who promptly disappeared. The estate was called Ferneddbole House. On the way out we met Mudmurloe, a well-dressed but knackered manservant who had been to Fog Lake for Azoth.
Back at The Woodcutter's Encampment, the party asked around about the Jolly-Oistace at the Stump & Ponyard. The only rumour we heard was one of Mudmurloe waiting on the shores of Fog Lake and refusing to tell anybody what he was there for. Apparently the Jolly-Oistace used to live at the Lumbermaster's Manor, but now the Elders live there, where they keep the art of furnging alive. Furnging is a traditional woodcutter practice that heightens natural properties of the wood. The group headed to the Elder's Manor. One of them agreed to see us, but was supicious of the party until Wendlow mentioned that they were the people responsible for returning Tom Rumbalow to the encampment. When we asked about the Jolly-Oistace, the elder spoke dismissively of him, describing him as and indolent person who had forgotten their traditions.
Just before closing, the party stopped off at Marrowbold's Smoke Shop, and spoke to Megwynne, the propietoress. She was a very amicable person, and rather enthusiastic. Wendlow tried a strange type of pondweed that granted gills. Expensive at 200 gp. Stayed over at Tom Rumbalow's, knocking back Prigwort Tipple and smoking Old Doby.
Session 11 - 18/09/2024
Frisk, the 19th of Haggryme
Icy, steady snow.
The party set out for Castle Brackenwold, heading east along Camp Road. The wood thinned out as we headed along the road. Spotted a track leading perhaps to Fog Lake, and a beautiful treehouse inn. Seemed a friendly place, called The Roost. 2 merchants were knocking around, with a pair of guards each. Neither carried any specialty items. Wendlow ordered a pint of Cobbsworth Pale for himself and Roese from the barlady, Zamina Ladle (late 30s, plaited red hair, freckled, green gowns with ivy motifs). Amonie heard about Vagues in more detail - horrible thick fogs full of ghosts that rise from the ground and confound navigation for days on end.
Half a mile from The Roost lay a cute two-storey cottage leaning at an alarming angle with a small orchard attached. The door was answered by a beret-wearing youth, who seemed rather confounded by our presence. She is the supplier of apples to The Roost, and is interested in where her apples end up once they hit Castle Brackenwold.
Once out of the forest and in view of the castle we spotted a massive crag to the south of the town. There was also a densely wooded hill nearby. Passed through the outer city sprawl, full of seedy taverns down twisting streets, populated by everyday peasants and craftspeople. Arrived at the dragon-shaped western gate of the inner-city wall, guarded by 7 maille-clad soldiers in black tabbards emblazoned by unicorns. Inside the walls, saw multiple places of learning and even a proper court of law. Spotted a strange mismatched building with no visible doors, apparently guarded by a brass imp. The imp spoke, asking us if we had an appointment with the magicians of the Shadow House. It explained the building was home to the city's guild of magicians, who ran a very marketised business.
Found the Grand Market in full swing, with a great bounty of wines and spirits available for sale. A local toff explained that the tabbard-clad guards were the offical city watch, not beholden to any specific noble house. As the toff wandered away, saw a teenage thief fail a lift from him and be chased down by a half-dozen city watch. Animal market day is normally Colly, but a few horses were available today. The group purchased a full suite of mounts. Elsewhere near the market, the party spotted an inn: a grandiose 4-storey building with painted wood panels in the style of a manor house. The horse merchant reccomended we stay at The Poppycock (in the outer city).
On the way to the outer city, Bram attempted to dechipher the runes on a strange statue named The Eidolon. He was prevented by an old man who explained that the runes have never been deciphered. Folk claim it represents a cloaked attacorn, the offspring of the naglord, leading angels into the Nag-Lords clutches. The church claims it is a depiction of the righteous of Dolmenwood driving out evil. The Eidolon stands in a square next to an absolutely incredible cathedral.
At the Poppycock, we were greeted by a stonking smell of Burglar's Blend pipeleaf. The barwoman appeared to match the description of the person that Ogham Tweede, propietor of the Mermaid's Arms, had asked us to track down. When Wendlow mentioned Ogham to the barwoman, WHO WAS CALLED GIL, she dragged him across the bar and into a backroom. She explained that her and Ogham were an item 20 years ago. 15 years ago, a burglary of theirs on Redwraith Manor (estate of Lord Malbleat) went south, and they were chased out of the manor by dogs, knights, and "something else". Gil had seen some knights dragging a girl to the ground as they escaped. She asked Wendlow and co to get a message to Ogham, and tell him to come see her. She was also open to some sort of link with the Dreg Thieves' Guild, and was very grateful to the party for bringing her the message.
Wendlow and Roese spent the evening getting absolutely slaughtered on a mix of Pokey Nog and Old Swythener.
Session 12 - 02/10/2024
Eggfast, the 20th of Haggryme
Clear, cold.
Asked Gil if she got any cider in from The Roost or its nearby orchard. She told us that a shipment came in regularly, and reached a portly barman in the inner ring. Amonie, Wendlow, and Roese headed to the inner city, passing by the still-impressive cathedral. The trio were pointed toward the Chateau or The Bitter Rose, both high-end drinking establishments. At the Bitter Rose Inn, an old wooden manor nestled up against the wall of the innermost ring, the trio found themselves in an exquisite dining hall. They were politely turned away due to their dogs and weapons, so resolved to have their entourage attended to and return in more appropriate dress.
After acquiring some high-quality drip, the trio returned to The Bitter Rose, and dined well on high-end food (including jellied lamprey for Wendlow). The slow-speaking butler, Adel Butterweave, owned up to being the importer of Roost Cider, but he insisted that the adventurers assist him in investigating the status of his employers. His pay packets arrive via private courier. He insisted that all investigations must be done without violence (and above-board if possible). He noted that he was paid on the first of the month.
Wendlow and Amonie ordered dogs to be delivered to The Spawning Salmon for them, likely arriving on the 24th. Left the pub to have a mooch round town. Ran into a knackered-looking grimalkin carrying herbs toward Castle Hill. We offered to help him take his baggage to the herb garden on Castle Hill. The group ascended up toward the castle itself up on Clod's Seat. The gate was flanked by two 30' statues of headless warrior kings and guarded by 10 elite ducal guards. Escorted toward the ducal keep, and could see the great black church off to the west. Knights were practicing in the toruney grounds. There was also a separate building with scholarly looking folk entering and exiting. A further building was quite clearly a large barracks. The grimalkin trader took us to an area of walled gardens where nobles were frolicking. 2 monk attendants seemed protective of Mistress Hanctra Waldefroum, but she greeted Lord Whippletongue warmly, and agreed to purchase herbs off him. He turned out to be selling writhing mandrakes, and Waldefroum happily bought 3 doses from him at 100gp each. She mentioned she had once found numblings near Lake Longmere in her youth. Slimy, scarlet fungus, bearing a resemblance to humanoid organs. They are capable of regrowing organs, but only the specific organ they resemble. The group of 4 sat with the Mistress under the yew tree in the garden. She spoke about the tree as if she'd had proper conversations with it - high level holy spell-user! She offered to buy any rare herbs off of us using church funds. The herb peddlers were eventually shooed away by the mistress' attendants.
Lord Whippletongue denied having any set trade route, instead wandering the woods. He asked the party for a snack of giant rats, before running off to The Bitter Rose once amonie mentioned nippers was on sale there today. The party returned to the Poppycock for the night. They informed Gil about the potential route into the castle, and she was very enthused.
Sunning, the 21st of Haggryme
Relentless wind.
On the way back to Dreg, almost ran straight over 5 elves who were walking cross-country. They each had hair of slender willow leaves. They enquired as to the nature of our travel, and asked about Dreg. They had come from Prigwort, currently in the business of simply exploring the mortal realm. They hailed from the Realm of Wyforth, a place of golden meadows. Amonie made an imperceptible slip-up with them, and as they left, they forced her to walk on all fours for half a minute. Whilst thinking about numblings, Amonie did recall that Lady Monocleese looked a little yellow - perhaps a liver issue.
The party returned to Dreg safely, and toasted their return with Sidley over glasses of Pokey Nog. He was well-impressed by the party negotiating with Gil on his behalf, and welcomed them as family. Sidley planned to set up a route to get Azoth to the Jolly-Oistace. They needed a cook-house near Fog Lake, a warehouse and attendant in the encampment, and a courier to get it to Ferneddbodle House. Sidley agreed to go halves with the party on the setup costs for the operation.
Before turning in for the night, the trio of theives went to see Ogham Tweed at the Mermaid's Arms. He was overjoyed, paid the party in full, and immediately started making plans to go and see Gil. This entered the party into negotiation with Miss Tweed, Ogham's aunt. She is a skilled magician, and wanted the party to investigate why Dreg was getting more and more violent - she believed magic was afoot. As part of this, she confirmed the forest creature rumour about the Nag Lord's foul fumes.
Session 13 - 09/10/2024
Colly, the 22nd of Haggryme
Bitter, silent.
Feast of Saint Pannard.
Wendlow, Amonie, Bram and the crew geared up to go raid 1011 for the ring. Set out for the house of Harridwyn on horseback along the Ditchway. From just off the road in the forest, 3 10' tall floating snails started acting agressively toward the party. With the horses spurred, the party outran them, despite the ease with which the molluscs navigated around the wooded terrain. The party arrived at the House of Harridwyn, greeted as usual by the garrulous landladies, Mallowyn and Trellayde Occland. The trail to the shrine of Saint Ponch seemed in good nick - Arfred was clearly doing good work. Wendlow paid for the two porters' room, food, and ale.
Chime, the 23rd of Haggryme
Frigid mist.
Feast of Saint Simone.
The party set off south down the Harrid's Path to search the area. West of the great boulder with the horde beneath, the party found a ring of standing stones surrounding a pile of human remains. The mists swirling around the area seemed similar to the antler wraiths' miasma, so the party gave it a wide berth. Elsewhere, they found a pink-tinged pool of water in a brambled clearing surrounded by statues of nymphs who were averting their eyes. No ill effect came of Bram when he stared at the water and then backed away. He saw no evidence of anything in the pool, and the statues were not wearing any jewellery.
Elsewhere, in the centre of the hex, the party found yet another circle of standing stones, this set next to an artifical flat-topped hillock. A small path wove its way through the undergrowth, evidently misused for some time. A clanking metal sound was audible through the trees pressing in on all sides. Amonie advanced forward for some reconnaisance. She saw 13 iron owl cutouts clanking in the breeze. They were rusty and rain-streaked, with pentagram eyes. In the standing stone, a slime-covered skeleton of a stag twitched and emitted a green mist. Seven henges of three stones each were positioned in the henge circle. The iron owls are symbols of THE DRUNE. The party moved up to the mound whilst hugging the treeline away from the stag skeleton. On the south side, there is a rough-hewn slab-covered entrance facing toward the path that leads from the mound to the standing stones. On the western side, there is a secondary entrance at around 10 o'clock, burrowed into the earth, 2' wide hole. The burrow hole descends 15' into a chamber below. As Roese shone the torch in, she was attacked by lamprey-like worms tongues nesting in the tunnel. The party fought off the worms, but Wendlow was wounded.
With Wendlow's wounds in mind, the party chose to retreat to the House of Harridwyn. They found the trail, but on the way home ran into a group of 17 woodgrues out on a flame party. When Wendlow agreed to dance, the woodgrues started playing a melody that drove many of the party into catatonic hysterics. They eventually moved on, after explaining to Wendlow they were just travelling jokesters, they told him of some standing stones in 0911. The party foraged on the way home, finding 3 sets of Black Meddler rations, and a dose of Hogscap.
They stayed at the House of Harridwyn that night.
Hayme, the 24th of Haggryme
Icy, steady snow.
Bram, Longtittle, and Wendlow stayed at the House of Harridwyn to rest up whilst Amonie and Roese went out to collect the new dogs and paper from Dreg. They got lost on the way despite Amonie's skills, ending up at the shrine of Saint Ponch where Arfred was building the new path. The trio prayed together at the shrine, and Arfred confessed that he was rather tired of staying at the House of Harridwyn due to the landladies' somewhat emasculating banter.
The duo made it to Dreg, and picked up the dogs. The papers had not arrived. They then went fungus shopping, and purchased two doses of Spirithame. Amonie went to see Ogham's auntie to ask about Antler Wraiths. She told Amonie that the wraiths came from The Brydging Ring, an accursed and bewitched place. She also encouraged Amonie to not disturb her solitude too frequently.
With that, the gorls returned to The House of Harridwyn.
Session 14 - 16/10/2024
Moot, the 25th of Haggryme
Frigid mist.
With the newly returned Violet, the party set off south towards the barrowmound. They reached the clearing unmolested, but spotted a trio of giant rats feeding on the wormtongue corpses. Amonie tempted them away from the burrow entrance using a portion of black meddler. The party descended into the barrowmound using the burrow. The room underneath was damp and part-collapsed. During the investigation, TONGUES ARRIVED. They were dispatched after they scared Ezekiel off. Nicked a mouldy book and took the eastern door off its hinges.
The collapsing door pulled a tapestry down with it - evidently once a hidden door. The tapestry depicted the gates of heaven, where Saint Sedge was meeting the warrior Sir Chyde. Bram danced with two animated skeletons and they told him the name of their dear Sir Chyde's dogs. Used the names to animate the dogs guarding the great stone doors. This pulled the huge doors open. We had found the ghost of Sir Chyde! He was kneeling under a portrait of a beautiful elf woman who was pictured in the faerie ring above. The party accepted a quest to take Chyde's betrothal ring to the realm of fairy for him. His wife was called Princess Snowfall-at-Dusk.
Wendlow was the first to pass in to the realm of fairy. He came to a glade with a frozen lake, and in the centre was a huge white marble tower. Wendlow fled the fairy realm and returned to the mortal world.
Whilst he was there, 5 days passed in the mortal realm.
The Day of Virgins
Clear, cold.
Wendlow returned! The party planned to climb the tower using rope and hook, and give the ring to the princess. They made it to faerie unharmed, and Wendlow started ascending the tower. On the second storey, Wendlow peeked in a window. A great feast was happening in there, with guards standing around the edges protecting some Frost Elf gentry. On the third storey, Wendlow spotted the princess chilling in the bed chamber. Once alerted, she opened the door to the thief, and Wendlow handed over the ring. The two lovers embraced, and resolved at once to be wed. They thanked Wendlow's kind heart, and once he explained that he was here only by the grace and help of his friends, all of the party were invited in to the wedding.
Wendlow was escorted downstairs past the feasting nobles, who began to rejoice. The trio carried on down to meet the panicked blue goblin doorman and his troll friend, the former of whom thoroughly gave up trying to take names once the whole of the rest of the party was invited in. The feast was magnificent, although all the party were afflicted with a deep desire to return to faerie. Also, Violet's skin turned purple from a whacko mushroom.
The princess told us to watch out for elves as fair as snow, for they are as cold as ice - frost elves. Ser Chyde was kept animated as a ghost by the magic of the soulbinding ring for 9 centuries whilst his love held an eternal wedding feast in the hope he would persevere across death and find her. The princess told us she may call on us once more if the couple grow tired of their imprisonment by the cold prince.
Hayme, the 3rd of Symswald
Feast of Saint Medigor.
The party returned to The House of Harridwyn.
Interim
Moot, the 4th of Symswald
New moon. Clement, cheery.
The Thieves woke up in the House of Harridwn on a fine Spring's day, glad to see Winter off into the past. The group set off up the Harrid's Path but manage to lose their way despite Amonie's best efforts. They traipsed through tall, sighing birches bored with beetle holes and past a profusion of busy ants and their mounds that make up the tangled forest in the vicinity of the House of Harridwn but did not recognise their surroundings one bit. Thankfully, the party found their way onto the Ditchway regardless, but quite a bit further East than expected.
They made it back to Dreg and its familiar tall, wonky houses clad with tarred wooden planks. they made their way past the Mermaid's Arse Arm's and the statue "Young Merble", through the bustle of the Fish Market (where they found it incredibly hard to keep track of Wendlow...) and up to the Spawning Salmon, that ever so familiar squat warehouse.
Inside, Sidley hurried them all up to the balcony:
"When your lads came back and said you might be a while they really meant it eh? But I no better than to think anythin' woulda got the better o' you lot. So what you got? You get the ring?"
Upon learning that the thieves had not returned with the ring, Sidley's face became grim, though the large amounts of wealth did ameliorate that concern almost entirely.
"Listen, I'm not gunna sit 'ere and pretend this is good. Madame Shantywood carries a whole lot of sway around these parts. And when she finds out you lot have come waltzing back into Dreg with a whole load of loot and nothing for her? It won't be pretty. I'll see what I can do, but I've a feeling we'll hear word from her first"
Sidley fences the items for you anyway, and hands you over the sum of 10,080gp (apologies if this is wrong sum, feel free to correct me if my maths is wrong).
"Listen, I'll do what it takes to try and smooth things over, but next time you're in Dreg, you better look sharp. Who knows who'll be out for you."
Wendlow took the time to check the box from the tomb and identified it was trapped with a poisonous needle. He took the time with the resources available to him at the guild to open the box and found inside: a silver Chapes holy symbol (50gp), a scroll in Liturgic, a prayer book of stamped gold leaf (worth 500gp), a box of 20 holy wafers (preserved after all these years).
Bram Deciphered the scroll found in the box from tomb of Sir Chyde, and identifies it as a Holy scroll of Hold Person
Both of Wendlow's porters had stuck around, keen to work with the infamous thief once more.
Session 15 - 23/10/2024
Amonie and Wendlow headed off to ask the local cleric at the Church of Saint Wick about the holy wafers. They were too late to catch the priest before she closed up the church, so returned to the Spawning Salmon.
Sidley agreed to have Wendlow renovate a few of the old private rooms in the Spawning Salmon into a granny flat if he could find out why his wife was going to Lankshorn so much. It cost 200gp and work started right away (finished on Frisk, 12th of Symswald). Amonie started planning locations for her hunter's lodge.
Frisk, the 5th of Symswald
Feast of Saint Ingrid.
Reverend Mother Hadlewreath was reading as Amonie approached. She was astonished by the thieves' tale and the items they had recovered from Sir Chyde's tomb. She was despondent about Dreg's prospects, and refused Amonie's offer of renovation. She mentioned that the foul aura around Dreg had kept the Pluritine church's influence away for a while now. The wafers were identified by her as definitely abnormal. She seemed cheered by Amonie's generous donation.
Wendlow declared "fuck it" and brought a barge, and Amonie hired two sailors to pilot the fine vessel, name The Gift. They reached The Woodcutter's Encampment without issue, and Wendlow showed off his new barge to Tom. He layed out the Azoth business proposition, and Tom agreed, trusting Wendlow's judgement and asserting that the elders probably wouldn't notice the azoth trade coming in and out. He asked the thieves to pick up a bottle of Prigwort Pure for him in Brackenwold, and invited them to stay over tomorrow night.
The party swung by Ferneddbole house, but Mudmerloe wasn't present. They travelled on to Castle Brackenwold safely, and in the streets there, encountered the captain of the guard, Merriman Bogle, returning from a stag hunt. He came across as a self-important bag of bluster. He asked the party to find his eldest son, Jocund, who was missing somewhere around Prigwort. The party were freed of his interminable presence when they turned off to go to The Poppycock.
At the inn, the party found both Ogham and Gil, both of whom were very clearly besotted with one another. They greeted the thieves warmly, and Ogham seemed much more comfortable back in his old thieving ways. The party went alcohol shopping at the market in the city centre. They made their way up to the innermost ring, where they met the captain of the guard again. He escorted them to meet the herbalist noble lady. She identified the strange fungi as coming from a pouch of limitless fungi, and believed our story about having met Ser Chyde. One fungus would cause eyes to shrivel up and regrow on the palms of the user's hands, one would turn skin purple, and one would enlarge the user temporarily. The party traded the former two for the latter as thanks for Mistress Hanctra Waldefroum's fungus knowledge. Captain Merriman escorted the party out.
After a late night with battered pizzle, woad in the hole, sourcroute, and ether of blue, the party settled in for an uncomfortable sleep.
Session 16 - 30/10/2024
Eggfast, the 6th of Symswald
Blustery, drizzle.
At the grand market, Wendlow comissioned the restoration of the princess portrait painting for 150gp, and ordered two safes (80gp each). The painting would be ready the next morning, and the safes would be ready on the 11th. The party picked up a few adventuring odds and ends before returning to the Woodcutter's Encampment to share a bottle of Prigwort Pure with Tom Rumbalow.
Sunning, the 7th of Symswald
Windy, cloudy.
Waking up with a mild hangover, the party made their way back to Castle Brackenwold to pick up the painting. They arrived unmolested, and sold the painting to the man who had restored it for a grand price of 1450gp. They stopped over at the Poppycock that night.
Colly, the 8th of Symswald
Clement, cheery.
Feast of Saint Dullard.
On the way back to the Woodcutter's Encampment, the party ran into a confused-looking breggle wearing fey clothes. He explained that he had been kidnapped by elves at a young age from Lankshorn, and once Violet assured him that he was not a kidnapping elf, he agreed to accompany the party back to Lankshorn. He told the party that he had been taken to faerie by a fairy door near Lankshorn itself, and transported to the realm of the Earl of Yellow.
The party arrived back in Dreg on Wendlow's barge. At the docks, the party was accosted by 4 female soldiers bearing the insignia of Madame Shantywood. Wendlow took the Amulet of Ruvinaith from Violet and faded into the crowd using his belt of blending. Each other person in the party was marched to the ferries and presented before a furious Madame Shantywood. She read the party the riot act, and gave them an ultimatum - the ring, 10000gp, or their lives. They were escorted back to the Spawning Salmon at swordpoint, where Wendlow had been telling Sidley of their last-ditch gambit to use the Amulet of Ruvinaith to wish Madame Shantywood's fury away from them. As Shantywood's guards burst in the door, they were met by heckles and the drawn blades of thieves. Wendlow muttered his wish:
I wish to immediately depose Madame Shantywood from power and replace her with Sidley Crump of the Dreg Thieves' Guild, who will still maintain control of the aforementioned guild and retain his prior affections whilst Shantywood loses all memory of her prior position, power, and grievances.
The magic rushed through the air. The armed guards quit on the spot. Sidley felt his position in Dreg change. Madame Shantywood's power dissapated, her chokehold on Dreg fallen away into the arcane. Sidley invited the party to take a walk outside with him. Out there, the party were run upon by a coughing wheezing unicorn-headed man-thing. It coughed out an accusation "do you know how long I have been sowing these seeds". He attacked. After a very brief exchange, Roese, enlarged, split the man-thing in half with her sword. He dissapated into soot, and flew away with a parting croaked statement "father will know of this". The crowd around the skirmish began to applaud. The twisted creature was likely a son of the Nag Lord.
Interim
8th Symswald
A historian who had been delving into the strange legal status of the Shantywoods found that their island state was, in fact, wrongfully dispossessed from the Crump family hundreds of years ago, and so cedes immediately to their oldest living predecessor: one Sidley Crump. He delivered this news not long after you slayed the offspring of the Nag Lord. This coincides with a sudden bout of amnesia that has befallen Madame Shantywood.
9th Symswald, morning
An armoured and equipped mission from the Pluritine Church descends on Dreg, they claim to be of the Order of St Faxis and sent by Sanctus Primus himself to root out the darkness in Dreg once and for all. Having heard that you slayed the son of the Nag Lord, they order a message to be sent to you thanking you greatly and saying that your efforts will be reported back to Sanctus Primus. They garrison in the Church of St Wick and, seeing its state of disrepair, immediately enlist builders to help restore its glory.
As well as this, they come upon Hogbeard’s Zealots and congratulate them on their fervour, thanking them for being a bastion of religous fervour in the morass of Dreg.
The Boghouse Boys make a return, rallying the people of Dreg. They are led by a stalwart and purpose driven Brig “Hollowhand”. He is seen reprimanding a thief in the market, who is reportedly on duty for Lyren Shodgery, and asks him if he has any information on the location of Wendlow Dogoode.
Session 17 - 12/11/2024
Chime, the 9th of Symswald
Low cloud, mist.
Wendlow and Amonie spent some time glad-handing with the leader of the Saint Faxis detachment, and were informed that their recent deeds had been looked upon very favourably by the church. Mollequip Sunderman, a cleric who had been refused from the Saint Faxites, was invited to join the party.
Back at the Spawning Salmon, the party rendevouzed with Sidley, who invited the party to accompany him to a tour of Crump Isle. After taking The Gift over the river, Sidley reassured guests at The Chateau that business would be proceeding as usual, and went to see Shantywood. In the madam's office, the disoriented Chandilore Shantywood and her two adult daughters were outraged and unnerved by the sudden change of hands, but Sidley managed to smooth things over by allowing the ex-owners to stay in the chateau indefinitely. Wendlow and the gang spent some time exploring the isle, and found that as well as the south dock for guests, there was also a northern cargo dock on the isle.
With the Shantywood Crump Isle surveyed, the party chose to confront the Boghouse Boys in the fish market. After an incredibly tense negotiation, Wendlow agreed to help Brig rebuild the Bog House, and pay some compensation to the families of those slain by Malbleat. In exchange, Brig guaranteed his union workers would take security jobs at the Spawning Salmon and agreed to let bygones be bygones with Wendlow.
After the deal was sealed with a drink, Wendlow handed over Jean the mule and his barge The Gift to Roese, as well as the contracts for Dimothy and Chidewyck's services. The party drank prodigously to celebrate Wendlow's retirement, sharing a late and teary night in the upstairs bar of the Spawning Salmon.
Hayme, the 10th of Symswald
Barmy, clear.
Feast of Saint Whittery.
That morning, sporting a mighty hangover, the party set out for Lankshorn to return Sun’s-Turning-Tide, the kidnapped breggle, to his family. They stopped by Arfred Walder's shrine on the way, where he was ecstatic to hear of the church's resurgence in Dreg, and informed Amonie that the witch who lived at the House of Harridwyn had relaxed a little as of late, and might not be so opposed to being contacted again. The party pressed on north-west into a patch of forest where the ground was tainted a strange orange. There, in this new patch of forest, the party saw a pair of giant weasels being chased by a pair of frolicking scarecrows.
The scarecrows traded a dose of ofteritch with the party, and elected to accompany them to Lankshorn. A short while later, the party emerged out of the forest to find themselves overlooking the dung-scented town of Lankshorn. Looking down from a slight rise, the party could see a dolmen ring up on a hill next to the town as well as a tall-steepled church which towered over sturdy stone houses. On the way to the market, the gang passed by a church which Mollequip identified as being dedicated to Saint Pastery, who could cure afflictions. Mollequip was bowled over by the enthusiasm with which Amonie and Roese insisted he learn the curing spell.
Bumped in to Mrs Crump at the market.
Planned to expose her paramour with a fake cure affliction spell.
Amonie and Mollequip escorted Sun's-Turning-Tide through the streets of Lankshorn, until he finally recognised a door tucked away in a side street. The door was answered by an elderly breggle lady, who became teary-eyed upon seeing her son. The duo that had brought him home were invited inside for a meal, where they were inducted with some tenets of Lankshorn superstition.
Roese spent some time in the inn and market asking about the apothecary and Mrs. Crump. Crying the magic phrase "leelee-glablea" summons shub's nana (nag lord's grandma?) to whisk away an unwanted child in exchange for 13 pieces. Roese also discovered that the apothecary regularly made trips back to Dreg, and that locals were not aware of his illness.
Session 18 - 26/11/2024
Roese, Amonie, Dimothy, and Chidewyck stayed over the Hornstoat's Rest that night, though the Bogway's stable was reccomended to them as a place for mounts of all kind. Mollequip made a rather poor impression at the church, and ended up staying at the inn as well. The propietoress, Margerie Stallowmade, served Roese and Amonie a heady beverage of Purple Aspintheon that night along with her four kids. The landlady was keen to hear about the party's experiences in faerie, for she wished to journey there to try the incredibly rare Golden Aspintheon, a shimmering silver and gold beverage that changed its taste to suit the user.
Roese enquired with Ms. Stallowmade about the apothecary, and the landlady's tone immediately shifted - she locked in, engaged her gossip centre, and told the party that the apothecary had been seen with an allegedly married woman. She was clearly a canny rumour monger. After a round of good food, one of the landlady's sons started pushing together tables to make way for a fantastic local folk band.
Moot, the 11th of Symswald
Bright, fresh.
'Twas a dusty morning for Roese after the excitement of the previous evening. When the party headed to The Man o' Gold apothecary, they were informed by Ms. Crump that Sydewick the apothecary had passed away in the night. She seemed keen to hurry the party out the door. In total disbelief of the adulterer's ruse, the group placed an order at The Hornstoat's Rest for some food for her, and set all folk but Amonie on stakeout near the apothercary shop to make sure he did not make a runner for it.
Amonie went to see the famous blacksmith to the south of town. He was a reserved man, and after going into great deal as to the specifics of his craft, he introduced himself as Joremey Whilpston-Puddingfoot. He offered a great many services, including cold iron and silvered blades, and moon-forged weapons which carried minor enchantments. He also claimed to be of fairy ancestry, for his grandfather was sired by a wandering elf. He offered a moon-bathed blade as reward for finding the elf's indentity.
That day, on the stakeout, Mollequip spotted Ms. Crump hanging up a for sale sign outside the apothecary, and she drafted the porters into putting up leaflets advertising the sale of the business. Amonie headed to the church, where she made a small donation and informed the well-adorned local priest of Sydewick's alleged passing. He took the donation keenly, and asked Amonie to inform the local lichward of the matter. She, along with Mollequip, headed to the vicarage on the outskirts of town. There, the rather dour lichward bestowed the rites to retrieve the body unto Mollequip, and explained to Amonie that the body must be retrieved, and that she should fetch him if there are any issues.
At the apothecary, Ms. Crump shut the door on Mollequip, and locked it. Roese sent Dimothy to run to the Lichward, whilst she looped round to the backdoor. Sydewick, covered in zombie makeup
After locking away the prisoners, Amonie headed to the pub to collect the food and take down the "for sale" notices the porters had put up. Margerie expressed an honest fondness for Amonie, and treated her to some Green Aspintheon - an invisibility sight drink. She handed over the food, and asked the hunter to return when she liked, and to bring more trouble. Margerie told her sons to take the "for sale" posters down.
The two prisoners caused no trouble overnight.
12th
Chilly, damp.
Made it back to Dreg safely after palming off two guards in Lankshorn by claiming clerical jurisdiction over the prisoners. Found Dreg in a sorry state, and discovered the outskirts had been attacked by crookhorns
