Forbidden Lands - Session Four

From the Journal of Verik

Whether it was curiosity or greed we had decided to exhume the mother and child’s tomb. Learning from past mistakes we were overly cautious but we were able to find a few golden knickknacks that we could never expect to fence at the Hollows. We decided to take the remains of the family and bury them in the town's graveyard hoping that this would break the wife's curse. Leaving with the remnants of the family the door slammed shut and the vines magically grew back to cover the door. I paid the price with a limp as forcing the door open caused a large chunk of rock to smash my foot! The brazier with the green light was still lit. We buried the remains and had Nirvea inspect our newly acquired weapons and gear. Inquiring more about the curse she thought there was a Druid spring to the south that could be blessed and that would extinguish the green flame. The next few days were spent recovering from wounds internal and external. Corliss spent some time with the Smith to learn a trade. He and I, to no avail, tried our hands at being lumberjacks but ended up facing down a bear one day and the next getting caught in a freak downpour. We came to Miss P with an idea of us clearing out the temple, of which she thought would incur the wrath of the undead. We’ll probably do it anyways. She asked for taxes which I paid with the silver rattle I found in the temple. She told us of slavers to the west as we declared an interest to stay as a deterrent, she may have been dropping hints or sending us to our peril. Belinda speaks to her with closed fists. In picking up our weapons from Nirvea she informed us that the woodsman and Kjel, our Wolfkin companion, hadn’t returned yet and that was highly unusual. The woodsman has a hunting lodge not too far away that we will investigate. Belinda during her recovery had befriended Perko and he informed her that he was spying on us for Misses P and that if he didn’t he would be kicked out of town. A decision had been made to depart the following morning with Perko to the woodsman's hunting lodge. Wisely Perko informed Belinda, whom I think is getting a handle of his hand speak, that Misses P wanted us dead and had a rather nefarious plan for doing so. I need to clarify with Belinda on some basics but I think I’m picking up on Perko's way of communication.

Alachran, the Orc Smith and Baritone

With our horse loaded to bear we headed out onto the plains. I’m not one to believe in the fates or higher beings but our trip ran afoul of hard rain and a swarm of mosquitoes. As evening approached we came across a copse of trees and could hear what seemed to be the clattering of weapons, not necessarily battle and shouting. I crept forward to see a male Orc “rehearsing” a battle with an Elf. A strange site indeed, I quietly made my way back and brought the others forth. The Orc was concerned about Belinda being some sort of Orcish police, of which Belinda remained aloof. We came to find out they were rehearsing a "play" for the Orc’s tribe? I remained on the periphery in case this was an ambush. Belinda offered the Dwarvish hammer to the Orc and who claimed he could fix it and did. We are about to share a camp with the two.

Forbidden Lands - Session Three

From the Journals of Verik

Corliss Antere

The Raven Sister, Nirvea, accompanied us to the ritual known as the Passing. She also introduced us to an Elf names Corliss Antere who wanted us to find a crown of rubies for the elves but Belinda wanted no part of that. He’ll live forever, or so I hear, so he can wait a few weeks while we figure things out in the Hollows. The event went well into the late hours of the night and there seemed to be a strong sense of community. The older gentleman who would be passing told us the Yawim really did seem in for the money and less vested in the town. We had the luxury of sleeping in as the ritual went well into the night and upon awakening we set off to see Yawim to try and figure how well he would take to meeting with Mrs. Pollmor. The Elf also was propositioned to perhaps work for the Dwarf against us or Mrs. P. We did take note that Kjel had disappeared with the huntsman but with tonight being a full moon who knows?
Belinda wanted to see some matters and would join us soon leaving the elf and I to try and test the loyalty of his men. We found Bertram the foreman who gave us little to work and even less time. I offended him with a bribe which set him off towards the brew house. Belinda joined us again and we slipped around back and through a window. We could hear the muffled sounds of Bertram and Yawim talking and when Bertrman left so did we, back the way we came. We entered the establishment with the elf approaching Yawim to find out more about his proposition. He was blunt and loud about what the Dwarf wanted him to do which brought some Orcish ire. Belinda quickly took the verbal offensive about Dwarven penises of which there was no penile parrying. He quickly advanced on her rolling up his sleeves and taking a fighting stance which earned him a stab in the gut from Belinda. The elf lunged with his spear causing the dwarf to try and step back not realizing that he had exposed more of himself. My blade connected, severing his left arm. Fountains of blood went everywhere. In the back earlier we had found a chest and a quick and thorough search found a key. We were barely able to get it open when Bertram and four workers barged in with clubs and a fight in their eyes. It was a blur in those cramped quarters, I assumed we would’ve gotten the better of them and we did but it was a humbling experience. We made sure that nobody perished ans nearly gelded two of them. I dropped one with a clean cut to the neck. Mrs. P and the guards showed up and we relinquished the bar to her. We still have the brewer's recipe book from the chest and were able to find more funds and take the better furniture from his house to ours. The funds he kept from the taxes were buried somewhere is what his the bad news in his journal told us.

The Cerulean Helm

The night of the full moon we had got the temple and cleared away the moss and found a door, Spirits did their best to keep us away from it, even assaulting Belinda. I think I heard a few ribs crack. We dropped in on the Raven Sister who was able to heal Belinda and we set out again in the morning to try and see what was behind the door. A crypt inhibited by an old Count's wife, a specter of sorts I imagine. We tried to reason with her and everything happened so fast. Belinda had taken the Dwarfs “magical” hammer and fought tooth and nail as she was used to fighting from a far safer distance. We were able to best her and upon opening the crypt some sort of Death Knight attacked us. It gave a soul piercing shriek and we now found ourselves fighting another undead apparition. We fought as a team, with bravery and an Orc’s instinct not to fall in battle. The spoils of our encounter was for me a new “magical” sword and the Elf fancied a helmet so he took that. I imagine we're going to be sleeping in again.