Session 45

Battle in the Vault

PCs (lvl 13): Dornal, Halbarad, Phatim

The PCs are brought to the city of Nibenay, where they're kept as "guests" in confined quarters. Eventually they're escorted to the presence of a statue of the Shadow King. The statue speaks with the voice of the king himself

The statue reveals that the necklace is an ancient, inactive artefact, that will greatly increase the power fo the Oba of Gulg, something that will greatly upset the balance of power of the City-States. He orders the party to return to Gulg, and destroy the necklace they brought from Tyr.

The templars of Nibenay provide some equipment to the party, and then the magic of the Sorcerer-King teleports them to the dungeons under Gulg.

The party navigates the dungeons, facing guards, deadly traps, and a few undead, until they reach the vault where the necklace is kept.

There they face a few more magical traps, and the assault of wave after wave of palace guards, templars, the warlord Mogadisho, and eventually the Oba herself!

When they do manage to destroy the necklace, the magic of the Shadow King teleports them back to Nibenay. The Sorcerer-King congratulates them on a job well done, and lets them go with their lives.

Session 44

Shala the Hunt Mistress

PCs (lvl 13): Dornal, Halbarad, Torak

The party is thrown into the dungeons, where they meet a few fellow prisoners. Down in the dungeons, they also spot a heavily reinforced and guarded door, most probably the vault where the necklace they brought from Tyr is kept.

The night after they join the Red Moon Hunt. They're released into the Crescent Forest, with only a single weapon, while the best hunters of Gulg chase them for sport and to prove their worth to their Queen.

They do their best to escape the hunters, fighting a skilled archer named Yondar, and a band of savage b'roghs. Before the night is over, they come face to face with Shala the Hunt Mistress herself.

Having defeated this last challenge, the sun begins to rise on the horizon, as they reach a clearing and begin to savour their renewed freedom. But their joy is short-lived.

A band of Templar-brides from Nibenay is waiting for them, ready to take them into custody as "honoured guests" for their Shadow King.

Session 43

The Queen is displeased...

PCs (lvl 13): Halbarad, Dornal, Phatim, Torak

The PCs arrive in Gulg, where they're welcomed into the royal palace. There they meet the Oba herself, Queen Lalaly-Puy. They deliver the necklace, and are "invited" to spend a few days at the palace.

During heir stay, they have a chance to meet the most trusted servants of the Oba. The courtiers do not hide their  contempt for the PCs, and their interactions are tense at best, violent at worst.

In one way or another, the PCs are baited into breaking protocol, and accused of several infractions, among them a double homicide! (which they did not commit)

The party is brought in the presence of a very displeased Lalaly-Puy, who orders their immediate execution. But Shala, the Hunt Mistress, has a proposal for her Queen. To let the PCs compete in the Red Moon Hunt, a tradition during which convicted criminals are released into the forest and hunted by the nobility of Gulg.

Looking for some entertainment, the Oba agrees.

Session 42

Mogadisho, Warlord of Gulg

PCs (lvl 13): Halbarad, Dornal, Phatim, Torak

The party is in Tyr, where they're approached by Mingon of Asticles, a noblewoman affiliated with the Asticles family. She hires the PCs to provide additional protection to a caravan departing from Tyr and bound to Gulg.

Apart from its cargo of metal ores, the caravan will carry a bronze coffer containing a present for the Forest Queen herself, Lalaly-Puy of Gulg. The PCs need to make sure that the gift reaches its destination.

The PCs investigate the box with magic, and discover that it is protected by powerful spells. Unable to open the box without leaving any trace, they decide to keep a close eye on it, and join the caravan.

The voyage to Gulg seems uneventful. But two days before reaching their destination, the caravan is attacked by a horde of raiders. The PCs and the other caravan guards fight for their lives, and repel the attackers. While they're licking their wounds, a new armed force arrives at the scene.

This is a war party from Gulg, led by the warlord Mogadisho. They are here to escort the caravan to Gulg, and the PCs to the Sorcerer-Queen.