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By Jared Rascher
Marpenoth 1371 DR
Marpenoth 1st, 1371 DR
Wulgar and Meriden travel around Ashabenford in order to get familiarized with the town. They witness a situation at Heresk Malorn's pool behind the High Councilor's house, and the dwarf dives into the pool and manages to save a drowning man. Wulgar and Meriden hear a conversation between Haresk Malorn and the town's resident wizard Noristuor. The drowning man and his friend bought a spell from Noristuor to allow them to breathe water. They ran out of time on their spell and nearly drowned, and now blame Noristuor, who argues that he his spell works perfectly.
Wulgar takes interest in the tales that the pool has treasure at the bottom of it. Meriden makes sure that the nearly drowned men are alright.
Meriden and Wulgar witness a figure leaping from Heresk's second story window and takes off for the forest. Heresk's servants inform him that his youngest daughter was just kidnapped by the figure bounding out of the window. Heresk immediately asks Meriden and Wulgar to go after his daughter, and gives them a compass enchanted to point towards his daughter.
In the mean time, word of a large drow raiding force has drawn off many of the Mistledale Lancers to investigate, and a note has been found in Haresk's house warning the councilor that his daughter's life can be saved if the Lancer patrols begin to ignore areas that are considered the territory of House Jaelre.
Meriden and Wulgar travel along the path that the compass indicates. Within a few hours, they have traveled into the tree line, and start to take a path parallel to the game trail that the kidnapper apparently has taken. The two walk into a clearing and their animals warn them of a gnoll ambush. The gnoll archer reveals himself, and Wulgar charges him. In the end, the dog given to Wulgar takes a serious chunck out of the gnoll's backside and finishes off the creature.
Meriden and Wulgar cross back onto the path in front of them, as dictated by the compass, and they see their prey and Haresk's daughter in the trees. The figure casts a spell and summons a fiendish scorpion to slow them down. The figure disappears into the night, and Meriden and Wulgar engage the scorpion briefly, until it disappears.
Meriden and Wulgar travel off to the side of the road again, hoping to avoid traps, and run across a brownie that is being harassed by a blurry figure that they cannot see. The brownie casts a spell that allows the two travelers to see the creature, a quickling, slowed down greatly. It still moves incredibly fast, but it is visible, and the two manage to dispatch the dark little fey.
Raeilvinorn, the brownie, thanks the two and names them Browniefriends. He also mentions that the drow and the quicklings seem to be reaching some kind of agreement.
Wulgar and Meriden track down a hideout carved into the side of a small hill, and the two manage to open the door to the hideout, and enter a completely dark room. They are attacked by a zombie, while they hear chanting down the hall.
Meriden casts a light spell on his shield, and the two charge down the hallway toward the sound of spell casting. As they reach the large room, they see Haresk's daughter in a cage in the corner, and the figure they have been chasing, a drow wizard, has just finished casting a spell that causes his image to multiply.
Meriden charges him from one side, mace raised, and Wulgar charges him from the other side with his axe. Both fall into pit traps that the wizard has set up. The drow finishes another defensive spell and sends his flying serpent familiar to harass the dwarf. Meriden enlarges himself and climbs out of the pit.
The drow wizard casts a spell and hits Meriden in the chest with a sonic orb, injuring him and knocking him senseless, just as Wulgar manages to use his shield to boost him up out of the pit and after the drow wizard.
Wulgar swings and guesses correctly in managing to strike the right wizard, sorely injuring the drow wizard. Meriden rejoins the fight and strikes him with this mace, and the drow wizard falls, unconscious, but not dead.
Meriden frees Haresk's daughter, Wulgar carries the drow wizard out after binding him, and the two scavenge the lair for a few extra coins and scrolls.
Marpenoth 2nd, 1371 DR
Wulgar and Meriden return home into Ashabenford, and Haresk great fully gives each of them a reward. Heresk's older daughter is so glad that her sister is safe that she gives Meriden a kiss on the cheek.
Wulgar now begins to calculate how he can explore the bottom of Haresk's pool, and goes to Multhimer's shop looking for anything that can be used as swimming equipment, such as snorkels.
Wulgar and Meriden make a deal with Holfast at the White Hart in to allow them to use the empty chamber under the floor boards that he once used to hide his treasure.
Marpenoth 3rd-12th, 1371 DR
Meriden spends his time acquiring equipment and getting to know the locals. He is also inquiring with the local business owners and the Mistledale Lancers if a temple to Helm would be accepted in the area. At night he spends his time trying to keep Wulgar out of trouble.
Wulgar reasons that the only reason that Haresk dislikes others diving in the pool looking for treasure is because it is on the edge of his property and because his daughters bathe in the pool. He reasons that if he finds proof of what the treasure in the pool is than no one will bother Heresk any more and he will be happy.
Wulgar spends a week, each night, diving into the pool. Eventually at the end of the last day that he is trying for he finds a large stone arch underwater, a stone arch that is covered in carved runes that he does not recognize.
Wulgar gets up out of the water and writes down the runes as best as he can remember them, then Wulgar and Meriden travel to Noristuror's tower to see if the wizard might know anything about the archway and the runes. Noristuor complains about his lack of time and privacy, but eventually agrees to look into the puzzle. He also tells the pair that within a few days he might be ready to take a last trip before the winter sets in, and he will need bodyguards.
Marpenoth 13th, 1371 DR
A halfling named Nelsmer Longtrail arrives in town and begins inquiring about adventurers. Wulgar and Meriden hear about this and manage to catch up with in at the White Hart Inn. Nelsmer tells them that he has not heard from his gnomish friend and former adventuring party member Gerlricks Cybondan for some time, and he wishes the two adventurers to check in on him. He also says that if anything has happened to the gnome, he wishes to have the gnome's deed so that he can deliver it to the gnome's niece and nephew, his only living relatives, in Damara.
Meriden and Wulgar take the job, and agree to meet the halfling the following afternoon. In the meantime, Naurvintha, Haresk Malorn's older daughter, has come to call on Meriden, trying subtly to let him know that she is interested in him.
Meriden and Wulgar decide to go out on the town this evening. The first place that they stop in is the Velvet Veil, as both are curious as to the interior of the building. Wulgar is entertained (though only in the most innocent way) by some of the halfing dancers, and Meriden catches the eye of one of the Catfolk dancers, Brealithra.
Outside of the Velvet Veil, Meriden and Wulgar are confronted by a Catfolk male. Saerlith, a Catfok scout, is upset that his sister is working in such an undignified profession and for humans no less. Meriden and Wulgar point out that neither of them made use of her services, but he is unable to be consoled.
Meriden tries to calm everyone down, and Wulgar begins to step down, until Saerlith manages to slash off part of Wulgar's mustache. Wulgar then tackles the catfolk scout, and pummels him until Saerlith is unconscious. Meriden makes sure that the catfolk is alive and well, and the two go back to the White Hart Inn.
Marpenoth 14th, 1371 DR
The pair gather their equipment, and get their directions from the halfling employer, then set off into the north western wilderness from Ashabenford. Just before they set up camp for the evening, the pair run into a wild wandering krenshar.
After the pair set up camp for the night, the two begin to hear voices up ahead in the woods. Trying to investigate, the two find a path that leads down into a rolling wooded dell, that then builds back up into a hill. This corresponds to the location that they were going to, and thus waiting until rested in the morning.
The voices are from a group of goblins that have a treasure chest up ahead, huddled around a campfire. Not wanting the goblins to wander up on them during the night, Meriden and Wulgar decide to check out the camp now.
The goblins notice the pair descending the trail, and the goblin leader Vrulth hails them. Vrulth complains about finding a gnome's house that his goblins had started to loot along with some allied kobolds. The kobolds waited until the goblins started hauling treasure outside, then locked the place up and reset all of their traps.
Vrulth at the very least wants to get into the treasure chest, but it is locked and probably trapped, and none of his goblins have any expertise with opening locks or dealing with traps. As Meriden speaks with the goblins, more goblins circle around behind them and block their path of escape.
Vrulth assumes that dwarves are good with traps, and thus orders Wulgar to open the chest. Meriden calms Wulgar down, and Wulgar convinces Vrulth that the trap is disarmed. Vrulth is struck with the poison as Wulgar and Meriden tear into the nearest goblins, keeping the goblins between them and the goblin archers up the trail.
Wulgar and Meriden then chase down the archers and finish them, then drag the chest back to the camp. Wulgar throws daggers at the chest to try and set off any traps, and then hacks the chest open. Wulgar and Meriden then set up camp, ready to enter the gnome's house on the next morning.
Marpenoth 15th, 1371 DR
Since the goblins have warned them about the traps in the house, upon wandering up to the hill, the two have decided to check the front door for traps. Cutting down smaller trees and scaling them down, the prod the door, then brace another tree against the top of the door frame, saving them from the porcullis trap at the front door.
Upon entering the house, the pair encounter several groups of kobolds, many armed and ready to attack any foes that come into the place, originally expecting their old goblin allies to try to return. Nearly every door is trapped, and Wulgar takes to throwing kobold corpses as hard as possible against doors to set off any traps that might be there.
In one bedroom, the pair manage to find a dead kobold, a dead human female, and a dead gnome. In this room a spirit appears to the two. The spirit appears to be absent minded, and is disoriented, and mentions that he has to get to the deed before anyone else does.
The female body has a holy symbol of Selune on it, and the kobold has a poisoned blade in its hand, and both corpses appear to have been poisoned by the kobold.
In the kitchen the pair rescue a halfling, the gnome's cook Glenim Torncloak, from kobolds. Glenim fills the group in on the history of Gerlricks' adventuring party. Gerlricks Cybondan led a group of adventurers, the Company of Low Ceilings, composed of himself, Runduth and Korad Steelbane, dwarven brothers, and a halfling, Nelsmer Longtrail. Gerlricks created a magical portal to store the groups treasure in, and created a magical deed that would open the portal. Only the four members of the group could use the deed to open the portal, unless everyone on the deed was dead. Nelsmer apparently betrayed the others, and tried to kill them. The rest survived, and Nelsmer was taken off the deed by consent of the other three. The two dwarves left the party to return to Citadel Felbar, and were taken off the list. Now that Gerlricks is dead, the deed opens the portal for anyone.
The dwarf and cleric travel to the second level of the house after making sure that the halfling was barricaded into the kitchen. The fight several more kobolds in the meantime, as well as finding several more traps, especially on the gnome's laboratory and study room. Eventually, they find the gnome's bedroom, which is currently held by the leader of the kobolds, a sorcerer.
The kobold sorcerer manages to blast the dwarf, severely injuring him and knocking him unconscious. The cleric, Meriden, manages to take out the sorcerer from a distance, then heals his dwarven friend. The spirit of the gnome arrives again and explains to them that the halfing wants the parties remaining treasure, and he wishes to pass it on to his nephew and niece in Damara. He bemoans that if he only had some means to write on the deed, he could amend the deed so that only his niece and nephew could open the portal. Meriden remembers the ghost oil that he found back in the drow wizards lair, and soaks a quill with it. Gerlriks' spirit amends the deed, and then asks them to take the deed to his niece and nephew whenever they get the chance to. Meriden and Wulgar agree to this, and the gnome gives them some of the equipment that he was going to give as a gift to his guest, a cleric of Selune that he was wooing.
Marpenoth 16th, 1371 DR
Meriden and Wulgar escort Glenim Torncloak back to Ashabenford, and they give the halfling some gold to help him to start a new life now that he isn't a cook for Gerlrick's any longer. The travel home is not particularly difficult, and when they get back, the two make sure to introduce Glenim to Multhimer's shop to buy some provisions.
Meriden and Wulgar rest up and check in with Noristuor about the job that he wants them for. Noristuor tells them that he will be ready to go two days hence, and to meet him at his tower first thing in the morning on that day.
Naurvintha talks to Meriden, and the two decide to go on a picnic on the next day. Wulgar convinces Meriden to go out with him that evening. They avoid the velvet veil this time, but then they end up going to the Ashabenford Arms Inn. A meeting of the councilors of Mistledale has just let out, and the two meet up with Ulwen Sharin, Targen Holdfast, Sister Alena, and Dumic the Red.
Wulgar ends up playing chess with Ulwen Sharin, and Meriden decided to have a nice theological discussion with Sister Alena of Chauntea, but soon finds out that Sister Alena has very little use for anyone that does not worship Chauntea, and Sister Alena tries to convert Meriden. Meriden decides to move on from this discussion as gracefully as possible.
Wulgar and Meriden start to rent out an empty farmhouse on a farmer's property on the edge of Ashabenford. After moving their equipment in (they still leave their treasure under Holfast Hapenshield's hiding place at the White Hart Inn), they go back to White Hart and have a drinking contest, which ends badly for both of them, as Holfast has to have one of his workers throw them in a cart and dump them on their new front porch.
Marpenoth 17th, 1371 DR
Wulgar and Meriden are both in sorry shape. Meriden is awakened by Naurvintha, and tells her that he is feeling “sick” but to check back with him in a bit later. Meriden and Wulgar decide to travel to the temple of Tyr to see if they can be healed of their “poisoning”.
The clerics of Tyr lecture them on the dangers of such reckless behavior, and several of the clerics berate them as being little better than mercenaries, especially considering that as a cleric of Helm, Meriden should be finding a decent cause to support. After being healed, and having their lectures, Meriden and Wulgar go back home.
Wulgar goes to the barracks of the Mistledale Lancers and decides to try and play chess with the drow wizard prisoner. The Lancers tell Wulgar that the prisoner is currently being interrogated by a “guest” and is indisposed.
Meriden goes on his picnic with Naurvintha, and Naurvintha is very enamored of him and impressed with his adventures so far, especially his tales of the war in Cormyr, and his plans for a new temple.
Marpenoth 18th, 1371 DR
Novice Watch Meriden Greystag and Wulgar Browniefriend of Hillsafar Hall report to Noristuor's tower. The tiefling wizard berates them for being late and tells them that he will meet with them in a few moments in the foyer. The wizard proceeds to tell them that he will teleport them just outside of the town of Scardale, as he as enemies within the walls, and he wishes to make sure he enters in a manner that is discreet.
Meriden and Wulgar appear with Noristuor about a days walk from the gates of Scardale. The wizard hardly says anything to his bodyguards. On the road, they encounter a pair of orcish brothers, tribal champions looking to spend their gold in Scardale.
The pair challenges Wulgar and Meriden. The first, brandishing a double axe, charges the pair and is quickly dispatched by Wulgar. His enraged brother, armed with a fullblade, attacks the two and lasts for quite a while until the pair finally knock him unconscious. While the first brother is dead, the second one is merely unconscious, and Wulgar strips him naked and takes all of his possessions.
Within only a few moments of leaving the orcs behind on the road, the pair and Noristuor are attacked by creatures tunneling up from the ground. The beast, a strange cross between dwarf and badger, identify themselves as groundlings in the employ of the Zhentarim, and tell the two adventurers that if they leave them the tiefling they have no quarrel with them.
Meriden and Wulgar refuse to leave their charge behind, and they fight off the two Zhentarim assassin beasts. Noristuor refuses to say anything on the subject except, “I have many enemies.” After a while, Noristuor seems to fall into deep meditation, then speaks, asking to camp outside of the town gates for the night before entering.
In the middle of the night, the pair are awakened by a wizard demanding a duel with Noristuor. The wizard identifies himself as Mulvrinari the Slighted, and states that Noristuror owes him a spellbook. When his bodyguards refuse the wizard access, the wizard enlarges himself and begins to grapple with the dwarf. After a titanic wrestling match and a horrific beating from the two adventurers, the wizard dimension doors himself away, vowing revenge on Noristuor.
Noristuor only says, “I have many enemies,” and then returns to bed.
Marpenoth 19-20th, 1371 DR
Noristuror leads Meriden and Wulgar to the Thayan Enclave in Scardale to make some purchases. The pair bandy some words with Zhentilar troops as well as Sembian Silver Ravens, but in the end come across no trouble.
When the two adventurers arrive at the Thayan Enclave, they see that Noristuor has already arrived at the Enclave, and that he sent an illusion with the pair in order to distract and draw out any of his foes. He tells them that they are staying in an inn across from the Four Dolphins fountain, and to keep out of trouble until the next day when he will be ready to teleport them home.
Despite being warned off of them, the pair travels to the Docks. Upon arriving at the docks, they enter a bar, and then run afoul of a pair of halfling toughs, who inform the pair that they are now in Dancer territory, and that they need to pay a tax. Wulgar ends up scaring the two halflings off, and Wulgar and Meriden leave the bar.
In the alleyway outside of the bar, the pair of halflings accost the adventurers again, and this time the altercation almost comes to blows, but the dwarf manages to make a truly horrible threat against that halflings that they are more than willing to believe.
Because of the bravado of the pair against the halflings, before they can leave the docks they are approached by a man in grey robes, adorned with skulls. The human identifies himself as Sentesk of the Long Death, and says that he has been watching them and considers them worthy opponents.
Merdien and Wulgar fight Sentesk, and while the monk severely injures Meriden, Meriden manages to withdraw and renew himself with his healing magic, granted by Helm. Wulgar manages to strike a fatal blow on the monk, and the monk fell, unconscious, but dying from blood loss. His last words were to smile and laugh about serving death one way or another. Wulgar was annoyed by the monks mocking, and Meriden, formerly a battlefield medic, was offended by the monks disregard for live. Meriden heals the dying monk and stabilizes him, and Wulgar pays an inn keeper nearby to nurse the monk back to health.
The two then return to the inn room that Noristuor secured for them.
The next day when they awaken, they speak with Noristuor, who then teleports all three of them back home.
The content of the Mistledale Camapign is the property and copyright of Jared Rascher, and is not to be published or redistributed without permission.