Marpenoth 15th - Overlook then heading home?

I think we should ask about Haelyn first and if there is time ask why the people here seem so quick to want to fight us.

One priest to another... "What was that about? Certainly a priest of Moradin can expect a warmer welcome at a temple of Moradin than this! By the hammer and forge! I would have expected better than to be treated like a damnable greenskin!."

Ancestor Karros turns to the barbarian, “Haelyn? Can’t say that I know her. Wait,” the dwarf stops in his tracks. “Lavinya of Erathis was asking if anyone had seen this Haelyn. Truth be told, we’ve had our beards tied up with this renovation.”

The High Priest motions you along toward the front door, “As far as what happened back there, I guess you can put that up to jealousy. Durkik has us all working day and night on this Temple. I don’t know how the Stone Anvil is still running, there be only a handful of Moradin’s faithful still there. The rest of us are here.”

Karros shakes his head, “Durkik…sure doesn’t seem like himself lately. Well, good day heroes, may Moradin bless your path.”

It’s late in the day but not far enough into the evening to head back to the Shrine of Erathis. You decide to go back to your rooms at the inn, grab a bite to eat, and get a little rest before going back.

After a long day stomping around Overlook you retire to your inn and the portly bartender motions you over. “The fellow in the corner has been waiting for you. Said he had an important message for you.”

It is early evening, and only a handful of patrons are sprinkled throughout the establishment. In the corner you recognize the man. He is holding his head up, but it fast asleep.

‘Captain Ensyer?”

The patrol captain snaps awake, “Apologies m’lords, I’ve been up for two days straight to deliver this note. Evan Barksdale said it was important.”

Ensyer hands the note to Althalus. It is sealed with a stamp of the Temple of Helm in Rock Hammer. It reads:

Quote :

Althalus,

I’m done.

If I stay a moment longer this madman is going to kill me for sure.

Since his…transformation, the new recruits have been pouring in. Creatures I’ve never seen before nor heard of before. Something big is going to happen and I’m not going to be around for it.

They all seem to know him already, they refer to him as “General”.

He nearly caved my face in when I told him I knew nothing of Overlook. He is insane.

You should heed my warning and stay away from that city. I fear what he has in store for it.

Syvgar

P.S. He captured Horace Danim, the paladin of Tyr who was hunting him. He took great pleasure in torturing him before finally killing him.

DM Note – Syvgar was a half-orc rogue who joined your group some time ago. Althalus had persuaded him to act as an undercover agent with the mysterious Black Knight, and to report back to him what he found.


Despite the warnings you are even more resolved to get to the bottom of this. After a few hours of rest, you head back to the Shrine of Erathis under the cover of night.

The first place you decide to look into is Haelyn’s home. This small cottage on the grounds of the shrine looks comfortable, but old and rickety. Bricks are missing from the chimney, and the paint is peeling from the walls.

Lozigee fumbles around a bit with the lock and manages to get the door open.

The dust of days, if not weeks, lies over a homey little abode. An ash-filled fireplace stands in one corner, with an old table and two equally old, but comfortable looking chairs beside it. A pantry stands alongside a door that would almost have lead to the bedroom.

A faint stench, foul and out of place with the cottage’s peaceful appearance, tickles your nostrils.

You find no trace that anyone has been here in some time. In the bedroom, clothes are packed neatly in the chest by the foot of the bed, piled almost as high as the lid will allow. The stench is coming from the pantry, which contains several rotting vegetables, fruits, and cuts of meat, all swarming with ants and fruit flies.

Deciding to investigate the rest of the grounds, you exit the cottage. From the darkness, an arrogant voice says, “I’m just as glad you chose to come here at night. It makes things so much neater when we need not involve the authorities, don’t you think?” You see a bald, sharp-faced man in dark clothes all but fading into the shadows, and movement comes from several other individuals in the night around him.

Initiative!

Ok, this concludes the forum portion of the start of the Temple Between adventure. We’ll pick up right here when we are able to have a sit-down session.

that wasnt nearly enough sam... but very cool still

Awesome!

The battle took place inside the tented shrine of Erathis. Grovald and several of his cronies barged in through the canopy to effectively surround the heroes. The Lords of Rockhammer fought valiantly and were surprised to see several of the assassins were actually dopplegangers. After, Kregnok recognized Grovald as being a priest of Zehir, the master of darkness.

A search of the cottages revealed what they suspected; Haelyn gave no evidence that she planned a lengthy journey with food still in the pantry and her foot locker still full of clothes. The heroes found a partially burnt note in the fireplace that read:

Quote :

“…unreachable for a time, as I must…the priests’ orders as you would my own, for he…always be certain you destroy this mis…eneral Zi…”

Umberto consulted Merthuvial and discovered that Grovald received his orders from Captain Aerun. The heroes healed up a bit before heading out, but their night would not be a peaceful one as they were ambushed in an alley. Many of the rooftop attackers dealt out significant damage before the Lords prevailed.

They did find an interesting note on one of them that were descriptions of the six of them with the phrase, “kill them” on the bottom. Also on the note was a peculiar grease stain that Lozigee recognized as being from the Pig and Bucket tavern.

The Temple Between (UStream) - part 1
The Temple Between (UStream) - part 2
The Temple Between (UStream) - part 3