Here & There Again

The Myste-Hass Calender

16/02/2023

Offir gathers a company of explorers - Bert, Bertilac, Lycidias, Orvine, Novos and Randy. The group wants to circumnavigate the lands surrounding Myste-Hass.

A white robed individual, Readius Lentulis Boro acts on behalf of the Council of Myste-Hass. Jodocus the cartographer is joining the group. He was originally from Equil. Also, Sitis, a carrier falcon that will carry notifications back and forth from the city every evening to update the Council of Myste-Hass of their journey.

Arnet is a skilled ranger. Hubey and Huey Gill are good at making the most out of whatever is scavenged. Benger and Terrouin are general hands to assist with moving of goods. Bat comes as a deal with Benger, great at the heavy lifting. He's a half orc who doesn't speak.

Lucidias is a wood elf with a greenish complexion, garbed typically for a ranger with a bow, and accompanied by a pet wolf, Long Shadow.

Orvine has dark red skin, a tiefling with dark purple eyes and an emo fringe. He's not particularly intelligent.

Novos is a half-elven wizard, with dark auburn hair, a dark green robe, a staff and the slightest stubble.

Randy is a wood elf and a cleric. He is a very young individual, with green hair and loose clothing. He has shining armour beneath his clothing. He appears to be a little vain. He's for all the gods.

Bertilac looks glorious in a rustic way. He has dark, short-cropped hair, with a bit of a beard. He is tanned with chain, a green tabard.

Bert has one ice-blue eye, one open green eye and a set of dungarees of his leather armour. His corn blond hair pulled over his forehead.

The carts roll along through the wilderness, then something dives towards the carts. A griffon drops from the sky. There is another hidden rock nearby.

Bert and Bertilac try to convince the griffons to move on, helping the injured griffon and charming the other.

The group settles to rest near the river at the edge of the swamp, where Hubey and Huey are cooking up some griffon eggs with red peppers.

The group decides to rest, sending Arnet off to scout.

Novos summons his chipmunk familiar as a scouting animal.

Lucidias scouts the area for useful herbs, finding some flat-brimmed mushrooms.

Offir sends a message back with Sitis that says - "encountered griffons, aided them, not killed them. Got as far as the boundary of the swamps east of Myste-Hass." Sitis is a stiff backed bird, with a look of permanent disgust on his birdy face.

The group plays dice, organises watches and sleeps. In the second watch, there is figure in the distance towards the south east. This figure appears to avoid being seen, staying close to the trees. It appears humanoid and average size.

In the morning, Arnet sets off towards the building which Novos's chipmunk had seen.

The horses are called Channel, Sling and Uylsses.

Offir calls Sitir a cunt, then takes the message from his claw - "So glad you're doing well, and its only been a few hours. Keep me informed. Well done, we're all counting on you. Your friend Boro."

Arnet returns. He informs the group that the ground gets wet very soon, and the building looks dilapidated and unwanted. So, it unlikely to be of any importance.

The river closest to the estuary is dry. So, the group decide to drop the carts into the river bed and lead them up the dry channel. Bert takes temperamental Sling. Bertilac takes Uylsses. Randy takes Channel. The party pushes north.

The land looks strained, dehydrated. The bed seems as though all the plant life grasped for the water that once flowed here.

An hour upstream, there is a giant mass in the bed. a pile of mud, vines, growths and mushrooms, in the shape of a person, blocking the bed. It looks almost ten feet across. Arnet and Lucidius investigate, noting that there is definitely a humanoid nature to this creature.

Bertilac heads forward with his shovel, Little Bert. He thrusts the shovel into the form, then vines flick loose, violently burying themselves in the ground. Water trickles from the damaged area. There is glass embedded into the lumps of mud, broken bottles and cork.

An explosion of air erupts from the creature as it disintegrates in dryness. There is a metal item buried deep into the bank as well. Bertilac removes a shield, a broken ring and sword, which Novos identifies.

Lycidias harvests some of the usual purple mushrooms on the back of the creature, wrapping them up in some cloth.

Meanwhile, Bert tries to give Sling an apple, but he doesn't appear to be interested.

After half an hour, the group manages to clear the vines and junk left.

Bat doesn't like foul language and insists on manners.

The lands clear a lot, opening up, until the group reach a section of river where a massive tree blocks up the river. Water laps over the trunk, red and black fletched arrows peppering the trunk, a face marked on the wood.

The group moves the caravan, carts and horses to one side away from the river. The others head to the tree with rope and Uylesses. After an hour, the group manages to clear the blockage, allowing the water to flow again.

Randy says a prayer to his gods.

Moving further north, the group actually comes across a rough bridge that has been well used. It is heavy duty, cut with a hatchet. The carts make it across without issues, moving into much drier grounds, surrounded by reeds with a reddish tinge.

The caravan moves towards the mountain edge, going around the reed. There is some kind of farmhouse in the reeds. Another hour's travel along the river, brings the group to a stone ford crossing beneath a massive waterfall where there are some horse carcasses. There is a flight of stairs near the waterfall.

With a little work, all three carts get across the ford successfully. Above, a bridge spans across the waterfall.

A track leads directly east.

The group push on another three hours, until dusk falls, bypassing the estuary by crossing the tributaries at the very mouth of the water. The forest gets thicker, dense jungle, and stone work becomes more frequent, foundations of long-ruined buildings. Ahead, a ziggurat emerges from the treeline.

Towards the mountains is a massive section where gigantic chunks of slate are buried deep into the ground, sticking up. Offir lopes up the slope to investigate further, seeing that these slate rocks are lines up perfectly. In the centre is the outline of another structure, roof gone. The stones look like there was once inscription, long-since worn away.

The central building, three or four giant stones tall appear to be the high segment of the building. Mud has filled the lower floors. There is a central pillar, a stone platform in the middle.

Novos comes up to see they are sarcophagi, and argument occurs because Offir wants to open the coffin. Orvine cracks open the lids, then collapses as a peal screams out. Everyone nearby except Offir collapses. The lid then raises up above the coffin. A semi-translucent figure of a woman lifts out.

Offir heals most of the group, then backs away. Bert chases after the banshee, stirred by some sort of power, whilst the others run. The banshee attempts to fly away, avoiding the vines that Bert calls from the ground. Other bodies are ripped from the ground with the vines, oversized skeletons.

Finally, Lycidias sends an arrow through her form, whilst the others burn her corpse in the coffin.

30/03/2023

Bertilac and Randy lay the body to rest and close the sarcophagus back up.

Arnet and Lycindias go scouting and see a deer on their trail. They try to shoot it for dinner, but it runs off into the treeline. They agree not to mention it to the group and return to the party.

Hubey and Huey Gill are cooking up some weeds.

After a short rest, the group moves forward, eastward towards the mountainous area. There is a tough slope, but the group guide the group upward, wending between the rocks and trees.

On top of the first rise, the adventurers can see directly to the south east, the top-two levels of a ziggurat. The group pushes on east. The closer they get to the landmark, they can see it is actually surrounded by a wall. Inside the walls, the ground is cleared. There are four tiers, and two torches lit on the southern exit to the pyramid.

Eventually, after traversing some rougher upward climbs, the land plateaus. Ahead is open grassland, a valley that heads through the mountains. There, at the foot of the mountain is a settlement aflame, in a plain of felled trees. The adventurers race their carts in to aid. The palisade wall is sagging with age. Some of the buildings collapse.

Whoever is defending the city thinks that we caused the fire. Persuading the townsfolk to let them in, the adventurer immediately rushed to assist the town, forming bucket lines from the well to the building over. Three hours are spent putting out fires on the houses and the palisade wall.

An official of the town, Sylwl, grey and red haired, thanks the party. He indicates that the man on the wall, Markall, believed the adventurers to brigands. Sylwl is second to the head of the town.

The settlement is called Angel Reach. It was named after a shrine in the northern mountains where a cave is carved with angle wings wrapping around a shrine.

The brigands are a persistent issues. They wear masks, but appear humanoid. They attack for money, supplies and even take people.

Iked is the new town leader. He has apparently been a godsend.

The lizard folk to the east trade with Angel Reach. They are a violent people, but the town tries hard to keep the peace. They provide them with steel from their limited forge. Their shaman gives them gems and medicines. Sometimes they try to sell painted stones. Iked is the only one who speaks their language.

The group is allowed to rest within the town walls, as long as they stay together. The carts and horses are brought into the rear of town.

There seems to be about thirty old buildings, with fresh renovations. Ten guards stand on the walls, two on the adventurers.

A woman, Veni, with a scarf over her head comes over as the group settles to sleep. They offer some baked goods, but the group, except Novos, turn down the cakes in favour of feeding the orphan. She has one with her. Lau, a fourteen-year old lad, claims he doesn't like being out after night. His father supposedly died in a nighttime raid a year ago. However, Lau doesn't think his dad is actually dead.

The adventurers head to speak with Iked late that night in their main hall. Iked is middle ages with greying hair. He has working-man clothes and greets the group kindly. They have been away from civilisation for a while, but they've had food and wine put out for the group. Iked eats with the group as well.

Iked has heard of Myste-Hass, he believes it to be a dangerous place.

Offir extends the offer of help. Iked indicates that the attacks have been getting worse. At the back of the hall is a table with a cloth covering a body beneath. This is anew but disturbing development. Their throat has been gouged, their body raked with scratches of a similar size to a human hand. The neck has been torn and bitten.

There's no pattern to when they attack.

The group rests soundly. Offir sends a message back to Readius Lentulis Boro via Sitis, he calls it a bastard bird.

Bert speaks to the horses, then informs Bat that they want some hay. Bat is wierded out by the way the horses respond to Bert, but he very much respects how the beasts are very strong.

The adventurers head to the hall again and catch a glimpse of a scaled humanoid disappearing into a nearby building.

Conversation with Iked informs the group that the pathway to the shrine is marked by poles with coloured fabric attached to them. The shrine is only a day away, but the path is arduous. The shrine is dedicated to one of the Avatar's to Alaie.

The explorers head off, moving upward in the direction of the cave shrine. Lycidius notes booted footprints and bloods trailed on the ground. Someone was sitting.

The group is then ambushed by yetis. Bert tries to calm the beast, but it attacks regardless. Eventually, the group are forced to fight the creatures. Bert is sad, but kills the final one.

Orvine takes one of the yeti's hands and put it in his backpack.

The party pushes on, moving up a steep rock path. On the right hand side is a wooden pole with a piece of tattered red ribbon flapping in the breeze. Onward, the group moves on.

16/05/2023

The group decides to take a short rest.

Randy harvests two dark-blue yeti horns. They're unnaturally cold to touch.

Offir claims to be from a family of established authors - the Verdent Schmidt family.

Moving towards the shrine, Offir steps into a rope trap that swings him upside down into the trees. Creatures throw rocks at him, whilst Randy sees them repossession in the forest. Haphazardly, the group get Offir out of the tree. Randy moves closer to the trees and gets surrounded. He's knocked unconcious.

Bert heals him and then turns into a boar. The others start attacking the Kobolds.

Then Randy puts a whole host of the kobolds to sleep. But, then one of the kobolds waves a stick with a conch on it which makes a loud noise. He has a handful of sticks with coloured ribbons in his other hands.

The kobold on the hill then shouts "truce". Offir calls him down, but not before Bert and Randy kill another kobold each. He claims that there are plenty more of them. They attacked them because they have stuff and was on the path. The leader is called Varn. He says that this is not the first time they've been beaten, but they always rise again.

The kobolds do not live in the shrine. The shrine is a godly thing and gods aren't scaled.

The kobolds says there are people in the hills. They exchange things with them, then leave each other alone. Sometimes the kobolds trade with the big scales - sometimes sticks, sometimes berries, metals and hooks.

Varn tries to offer Sek to the party as a final kill, but Randy wants him in servitude. Varn says he can make more kobolds. He fertilises a lot of eggs.

Varn worships the black scale far to the north, in the mountains. He calls him a god. Mostly, he sits in the lake. Varn draws the mountains, then indicates the dragon lvies in the lake.

Offir offers Sek a gold coin for the black scale in order to lead the group safely to the shrine. But, Sek says it won't be that safe, because there are humans at the shrine.

Offir ties a rope around him and then sets him to guide us towards the shrine.

Sek guides the group up the canyon, the steep elevation. It's towards the afternoon as the group come across a cluster of tens at the base of a cliff, where there is a worked opening. The tents are browned and old, but no one seems to be around them.

Offir says that Sek can go, but he should tell Varn that they shouldn't interfere again. Sek says he'll be beaten, because the kobold expression is "beat the messenger". He determines its safer to hang around the group.

Offir attempts to play music for the group, but gets a crossbow bolt in the lute. Someone tells the group to stop, or next bolt will go in Offir's face.

A dark eyed man, with red beneath his eyes comes out. He claims there are two-dozen arrows pointing at us right now. He claims that our group is from the town, up here to take lives. They want our weapons and food to stay alive. They claim the town is theirs before Iked turned up, pushed this guy out. Suddenly everyone changed their attitude. They started rounding up the kids and putting them up in an orphanage. They attack, trying to get their women and children out. The people go into the town hall and then come out different.

The scouts said they saw us down at the town.

The man, Exard, claims that they didn't mutilate the corpses, they're not animals.

They do not trust us at all. They claim that they will only talk to us if we completely disarm ourselves and there is not an instance of any magic.

The adventurers propose a mediated meeting between Iked and Lau's father.

The town's priest, Kamah, died as soon as Iked arrived. Kamah was a worshipper of Alaie.

Some of the group are ill. They are all malnourished. A very sick man is brought out to the group, he's skeletal thin and missing an arm. He has been badly injured and scarred, but he likely has a septicaemia.

Randy casts spare the dying on the man, which seems to aid him a little.

Exard lets the group rest in the camp. Sek spends all night trying to light a fire with two sticks.

There is a yellow-orange glow, with a flicker from the entrance of the cave.

The group have a long rest.

Some of Exard's people go up to the shrine and leave offerings there occasionally.

Iked keeps the children well guarded. The others will fight to the death before being taken. The only people they've managed to get out are not under his thrall.

The adventurers head to the shrine. It is an open-aired building built on top of the cliff. There is a high-backed alter, which looks very much like a throne. There is a female statue on it with wings that reach out. She is wearing a golden amulet with a red stone, with a little dust on it. Various offerings have been offered.The chair has been here a lot longer than the statue.

Randy prays at the altar and a sense of peace washes over him. He opens his eyes feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and whole. Randy gets the oddest sensation the statues head has turned.

Offir asks in his head - "Do you have a hold over the people below you?"

The group investigates the other statue, whilst Sec pretends he's left something in the shrine. He tries to go back up. But, the group get him to return to the group. The other statue has badly eroded etchings. It's made in two parts, like the bottom may contain something. But, its huge and heavy which would make it near impossible to bring up here. It's made from copper. The claws are bigger than those that scratched the victims in the town. The stone is a similar age to the throne.

Sec wants to come with the party because his mate hen pecks him. He doesn't have big ambitions. He wants a shirt, a walking stick and a hat.

The party make it back to the town. The gate has been haphazardly fixed. The guard on the gate has been asked to bring the group to a grain-storage barn where Sylwyl is. He's in a barn that is full of grain. Apparently, the grain you'd to be stored in a different building and has been shifted.

A couple of the caravan members have been trying to catch birds. They have acquired a larger cauldron.

Randy asks if we can be escorted to the orphanage to say some prayers for the children. But, Sylwyl says that they'll escort us later in order to ensure the safety of the children.

Hubey says that he has spoken to Iked when he was picking up a barrel of drink from The Splayed Goat.

Jodicus is drawing an in depth map of the town and local area, but says he hasn't seen Arnet or Terrowin.

Its mid afternoon, about four hours until sunset. The group wants to move on tonight. It's raining badly though.

Offir and Orvine head into The Splayed Goat, whilst the others head to the orphanage.

Offir leans that the owner of the original Splayed Goat recently died. He's chatting to the barkeep, then Iked arrives. He places a hand on Offir's shoulder. Offir mentions Randy's plan to deliver a sermon to the children. Offir mentions not finding the bandits, and Iked starts acting weird. He places hands on Offir and starts trying to convince him to stay. "Look at me."

11/07/2023

Lycidias and Randy head to the orphanage. It's a single story building with a thatch roof. There are two men standing outside the door.

Conversation with the guards, Cyra Lark and Layla Tortoise, is very friendly, but the men says that they aren't even allowed in the orphanage. When Randy says that Iked has sent Randy to look out for the health of the children, because some of them might be sick.

They don't know how many kids are inside. They say that they're own kids are at home.

Cyra Lark seems very suspicious of the gods and prayers.

Layla Tortoise mentions that he has a formal request in to change his name.

Lycidias creeps around the side of the building, where there are seven windows about fifteen foot up. They stealth around the back of the building.

Bert and Bertilac are tending the horses. Novos is moving through the rain towards those tending the horses, carrying something. He brings a bottle of wine, but he says Iked won't notice - he has so many. The group share a drink.

He hasn't seen Arnet and Terrouin.

Meanwhile, Offir looks into Iked's eyes. Iked is pale. Iked is trying to convince Offir to stay.

Orvine suddenly sees what has been happening behind him.

Iked tells Offir that he is going to go back to the caravan and tell them that he's going to stay. Offir walks away, then Iked hits him.

Sylwl asks Bert about what the group saw in the mountains, then says that Bert would be good with the children. Then he stamps on Novos's chipmunk. However, he abandons that idea when the group meet up with Randy and Lycidius who mention not being allowed into the orphanage.

Sylwl heads to the Splayed Goat, surprising Orvine and biting him. Iked looks suprised.

Offir tries to convince Iked that they should talk about this reasonably, but it becomes apparent that this whole situation is being controlled by Sylwl, Iked just being a puppet.

Sylwl says that everyone in this town is here for him.

Offir is drained, collapsing. Magic missiles from Novos wake some of the group from the vampires influence.

Bertilac decapitates Sylwl.

Iked looks confused. He appears very pleased that Sylwl has been killed. He says that Sylwl used him, but until the moment he was woken he loved him.

Lycidius and Bert run to the orphanage. Lycidius goes into the orphanage, there is a long coridoor with doors and archways. There is a person knelt down looking into the room. Beyond, the children have been chained to the walls, fed on repeatedly, only kept alive because of magic.

The pair heal and remove the shackles from the children, laying them in the centre of the orphanage.

The adventurers try to garner the attention of the townsfolk. They tell them about Sylwl being an unnatural creature.

Randy finds a piece of ivory sculpted into a skull.

Arnet and Terrouin have both been drained and ripped up.

Novos says that if Iked tries anything, he will put him down.

Sek says that he does not like it on the caravan because everyone is much bigger than him. He says he needs another kobold, otherwise he might be lonely. Sek needs another female kobold to be happy, but not his mate. They make eggs and then the male kobolds fertilise.

Sek wants a piece of beef, three candles, a wasp or bee, a jar, and a female mate.

Sek calls his wife by a name that only exists in draconic - "ackhh". It probably means bitch.

Sitis arrives, attacking Offir's hand - yet again! Boro's message is just niceties.

After a night of rest, the group head north towards the outcasts with a list of orphaned children.

Bertilac tries to disarm a trap that others failed, and gets smooshed by a spiked trap. Whilst Randy is healing Bertilac, he sees two wasps in the sap. However, whilst trying to capture them, he activates another trap.

One of Exard's rangers fires an arrow, then goes off and gets others. Exard confronts the group and Iked. Exard kills Iked.

Meanwhile, Randy and Bert try to capture a wasp to no avail.

Bertilac goes up to the temple to give Iked his last rights, burying him in the land below. He prays to Alaie. He feels a presence, his words carried somewhere where some representation of Alaie acknowledges his faith and stands with him.

Randy calls out for Sek's wife. Three kobolds pop their heads up. Randy offers them candles and beef, which they can't believe Sek gets, because he was the least of them. They say that the chief has all the kobolds, and the female kobolds are in season as well.

Egloot runs off. The other two decide to come with the caravan, but they want Sek dead. So, Randy says that if Sek dies, there will be no beef or candles. They are Snipu and Keple and don't speak common, unlike Sek. They then drink all of Randy's water.

Exard is taken to see the children. There is a steady realisation that comes across the town, of the deception and memories that have influenced them. It is coming up to night by the time that the group meet again. It is night when Exard moves back to the hall.

Exard makes a statement - he is taking the hall. Things are going to change. The town won't be weak again. The town should be grateful to the adventurers, but they will be gone in the morning. They will be moving on.

Sek does not like Snipu. They go hunting and return with a duck, a chicken and some soap.

Offir talks to Exard, proposes opening trade routes with Myste-Hass and making contact with the Council of Myste-Hass.

They offer the group food if required.

Offir sends a message back to Borro via Sitis, informing him about the goings on in the village and informing him to send an envoy from Myste-House to Angel Reach to begin trade.

The caravan pushes onward.

14/09/2023

The ground to the south is rugged, so the caravan moves north again and then cuts east across the mountain range.

The carts begins slipping on wet ground though, when trying to descend from the mountains.

Sek has hurt his leg, which he blames on falling down the stairs. The other kobolds have treated him badly. Randy hits Keple to discipline him. Then, Randy gives Sek a crossbow.

The group are forced to detach the horses from the carts and guide them manually, then drag the wagons down the valley floor. The ground here is a firm black soil, peppered with black rocks.

Huey has collected up some rat droppings which he thought was raisins. Hubey has clearly been eating them.

The group stops for Drear Mushrooms on toast.

It is significantly cooler in the valley, the air damp. The caravan pulls up, making a small area where the group will make camp for the night.

Lycidius goes out hunting with Sek for food. Sek sees a fish. A crab bursts from the water and knocks Sek unconscious straight away. The crab then clamps down on Lycidius. He barely escapes, but his hound assists. The rest of the caravan intervenes. Then, they have a delicious crab dinner.

Novos hands everyone a silver coin with their initials on so that he can locate them in the future.

Bert tucks in the kobolds tightly. Randy puts Keple to sleep, then threatens Snipu.

The group takes the horses and cart across a narrow section of water, but its sketchy and the wagons become submerged, causing the loss of two barrels of crab meat and a bag of oats.

Moving past the pools, the caravan sees a crab shell, covered in tarp and propped up on logs. There are embers of an old fire. The group crosses the river slightly onward.

Novos gets Orvine to throw his chipmunk familiar across the water, but the creature hits a rock on the way over and is instantly evaporated.

A curtain twitches by the crab shell. A bearded individual, horned appears. It's clearly nervous. He barely says anything and doesn't help. Randy calls him a twat as they move away. He follows. He is wearing a sleeveless robe. He is about 5ft tall. He says he is on a religious pilgrimage from the mountains in the north. Any shrine is a goal for him. Brindios is his name.

Eventually, the caravan breaks the mountains and find themselves looking across the terrain ahead. Low hills span off to the south.

Brindios is pleased to receive Alaie's blessing from Bertilac. Offir tells Brindios that Randy is angry because he was sexually abused by an uncle.

Brindios started his journey so long ago he doesn't remember where. He spent some time in Wolfspine, but he did not enter Angel's Reach because he had an odd feeling about it. He did take a look at the shrine though. He says that, from his experience, its better not to sit on the big chairs in temples - they're for more important people.

Brindios has been to Myste-Hass before, he took a tour of the temples about a year ago. He claims not to know about the dragon incident.

He's only planning to travel with the group for a couple of days.

The group settle for the night in another camp. Lycidius brings home a doe for two days worth of hearty food.

The kobolds bring back some pink-spotted mushrooms, a dead sparrow and a bag with six bent lockpicks (one is straight) to Randy.

The group rest for the night, even though Keple and Snipu don't return until after the first watch.

In the morning, Huey makes breakfast with the pink-topped mushrooms. They are bitter.

Brindios listens to his horn in the morning. Apparently, it makes the sound of nature louder.

Bert advises Offir to wear the glove when talking to Sitis and feed him a little raw meat to placate him, but Offir doesn't have a message yet so doesn't send him back.

The group completes another smooth day of travelling south. There is plenty of game and birds. The ground is soft, dune-like, which causes the caravan to pause.

Randy releases that Sek never retrieved his crossbow, so he equips him with a bent and rusted sword instead.