Summary

This chapter will pick up where The Trials of the Seven Gods of Fortune left off. Player characters include: Lazarus, played by Drue, Saros, played by Brian, Arisu Michi, played by Dan K, and Sinharat, played by Dan H.

Session 1

Lazarus began the day after the defeat of the last of the gods readying his men for departure back to Greyfalls. His task was cut short by a young man named Chiming Bells, Deputy to the Minister of Lore, coming to the temple and asking a favor of Aktuelle. naturally Aktuelle passed the task off on Lazarus who is forced to investigate a series of odd occurances involving a non-guild slave trader. After some investigation and a lot of intimidation, Lazarus finds the last customer of the apparent slave owner, a wealthy plantation owner named Ragellious. Ragellious seemed unwilling to cooperate and Lazarus nearly attacked him, but luckily for the investigation Sinharat stepped in.

Sinharat has been on Lazarus' trail for some time, after a meeting with a guild contact he too is investigating the strange slave owner who seems to have suddenly disappeared. Thanks to a bit of smooth talking by Sinharat, Ragellious agrees to meet with them at a tavern, believing Sinharat to be a slave owner and Lazarus to be his body guard. A little investigation and a little jade uncovered the location of the contact they had been looking for, Veils Boar.

A brief encounter within a casino/brothel uncover a strange bodyguard but little new information besides a confirmed location of the owner, the Nathir region. After a bit of recon Sinharat and Lazarus jump Veils Boar and his bodyguard in the streets, killing Veils and knocking out the bodyguard. They return to Aktuelle's temple with a knocked out body guard, and two freed slaves. The slaves are unable to yield much information as their communication and memory seem limited, it is revealed they are originally from near-by Nathir. Sinharat and Lazarus decide to travel to Nathir to investigate, Lazarus' men accompany him as it is on their way back to Greyfalls.

We pick up with Saros a few weeks later as he is completing his training at The River Temple of Anistatis under the tutelage of Brilliant Tsunami Masked by the Tower. As he finishes his training he receives a mission from the Convention on Deathlords informing him of a disturbance 50 miles south of Nathir. He is to investigate the disturbance, thought to be a shadowland, and if possible discern the cause and eliminate the disturbance. He will be accompanied on this mission by Arisu Michi, a fellow Gold Faction and Convention of Wood member.

Arisu is informed of her most recent mission, and first true field assignment, while at her office within The Most Perfect Lotus of Heavenly Design. Phaeron Briggs brings her news of her first field mission in person, explaining that it is officially assigned to her by the Convention of Wood. However, Arisu picks up on the subtle hints letting her know that this is unofficially assigned as a Gold Faction mission. Her assignment along side of Saros serves that she not be alone on her first mission likely to encounter combat, meanwhile an extra set of eyes and ears is set to watch over Saros' first mission back.

Saros and Arisu meet on top of the cliff of the temple, overlooking the Yellow River before deciding to travel by horse, first to Selbina then to Blackrock Spire before entering the disrupted portion of creation. Saros and Arisu arrive in Selbina after nightfall and go straight to an inn, here they uncover that the small village of Iron Forge has been mysteriously destroyed; further investigation shows that only one boat will still head near that region of river, the Vermillion Dragon. Saros and Arisu speak with Iron Panther, the captain of the ship to learn more about the city, they learn that there was no apparent sign of struggle and no sign of bodies at the town. He was the man who started the rumor, orginally from the town of Iron Forge.

While on the docks Saros spots familiar troops, and a familiar face in Lazarus as he and Sinharat arrive in Selbina at dawn. Against his better judgment Saros approaches Lazarus, hoping to hear news of Sarefine; as they talk they soon learn that their tasks are similar and both must travel south to the now ghost town of Iron Forge. After a confrontation with a stable master Sin and Lazarus obtain horses and join Saros and Arisu on the road south, intending to stop and spend a night in Blackrock Spire before arriving at their destination. However, once things are underway Saros says the wrong thing and stirs up Lazarus' pride, the duel of words results in a duel of fists. The fight progresses unimpressively with Saros pulling a slight lead until Lazarus bites off Saros' ear, the enraged Saros proceeds to use a charm and deeply injures Lazarus. Once again Sinharat steps in to stop the battle before the two use all their essence or kill each other.

The group continues on, now divided and more tense than before, they crest a small hill as the sun begins to set and see the tall back spire the town is named after.

5 Experience Awarded

Characters

Protagonists

Solar Exalts

Sidereal Exalts

Antagonists

Expect updates to come as the story progresses.

Feedback

This is a spot where I'd like all of you to put any comments or suggestions be they negative or positive about the storyline and/or the storytelling. Try to be constructive. If nothing else just tell me what ya like.

Feedback #1

I like lamp. (Sorry, I had to.) -Dan H.

Feedback #2

Since I put this up I suppose I should start us off with something helpful. I'd like to say well done to Brian and Drue for staying in character despite the disadvantages it may cause. -Tony

Feedback #3

I just wanted to say that I like inter-character conflict (physical or otherwise). I think it is what makes role-playing more than just a game with objectives for the players to achieve. I am glad both you and Dan allow (and encourage) it when it is the most appropriate course of action for the characters to take. -Dan k

Feedback #4

The scene wherein the goblins were trying to claw and muscle their way into the barricaded house was awesome. It had a very palpable tension to it; it reminded me of those moments in horror movies where the zombie horde is finally about to bust through the window of the store the protagonists are taking refuge in. -- Dan H.