Mystara 2012 Campaign Journal: Session 23 (10/21/12)
Words of Creation: Part One
Characters
Azrael, Marten, Frederick, Finn, and Solinari (NPC)
Events
Eirmont 19-25, AC1012 - Solinari tells the group about Ramana, the lost member of the order of the Sublime Chord:
"Ramana left Alphatia in search of an ancient Nithian artifact known as the Dreamshard. According to legend, the shard taps into the world of dreams and can give its master the power to tap into that world, and to visit and affect the dreams and nightmares of others.
Ramana’s research led her to believe that the shard was last in the possession of a Nithian wizard by the name of Khaldun. His home was on the same site which would later become Feador, in Alfheim. When exactly he lived there is unclear, but it was before the elves arrived and laid the spells that created the forest of Canolbarth (which happened in 800 BC). Ramana found no record of the wizard ever leaving that area, nor of the Dreamshard appearing in any time or place after that. She believed that the shard must still be there, somewhere, or that the elves must have found it and kept it hidden from the world.
She left Alphatia and went to Alfheim six years ago (in the early summer of AC 1006). I assume that she was there when the Shadow Elves invaded and cursed the forest. Ramana and her companions were never seen again. But I believe that she found the Dreamshard, because I have been having frequent dreams in which she appears and sings to me. The dreams showed me both of you, Frederick and Finn. Ramana sent me to find you, so that together we may seek her out and free her from whatever malign force binds her."
Frederick informs Aleena Halaran that he will be leaving Karameikos for a time but is non-specific about the reason. When pressed, he does let her know that his group plans to go to Aengmor.
Eirmont 26 - As the party is preparing to set out, a page comes looking for Frederick and informs him that he Baron wants to see him. Frederick meets with the Baron at Tarnskeep and is asked about the trip he is planning. when the Baron learns that Frederick will be traveling across the Fiend's Bridge and through Sandeis and Armstead, he gives Frederick a silver ring. This is the same ring of communication that Azrael and Marten took from the assassin known to them only as "M." Baron Halaran hopes that if Frederick gets the ring close enough to its counterpart, he may be able to track it and find more information about its owner and the assassin.
The party then sets out across the mountains. When they reach the Fiend's Bridge, they find the travelers' shelter there has burned down some time ago. Halfway across the bridge they are stopped by the soldiers, who turn out to be hobgoblins in disguise. More hobgoblins emerge from the blockhouses and attack from both sides of the bridge. One manages to fire a signal arrow into the gorge, and disappears back inside the blockhouse.
The party dispatches the hobgoblins but while they are recuperating and investigating the blockhouse, Maelvula appears in the sky above the bridge. An intense aerial battle ensues, and Marten is killed before the party manages to drive off the erinyes, who once again teleports to safety before they can kill her. The party gathers up their scattered horses, Marten's body, and the bodies of the hobgoblins in full plate when another group of hobgoblins and hellhounds are heard approaching from beneath the blockhouse.
The party sets an ambush for the hobgoblins and drives them back into the tunnel beneath the blockhouse, down a long flight of stairs to a partially collapsed chamber. A spiral staircase leads down into darkness, but the party manages to kill the hellhounds and hobgoblins before they can flee down it. From below, a gong is heard sounding, as well as shouting and more barking. The party decides to load up their horses and flee the area.
They travel all day and reach Threshold well after midnight.
End of Session
We will roleplay the meeting with the Baron when you go to him to ask that he raise Marten from death. He will have questions, and there will be a price (in addition to the 5000 gp material component for the spell). I am assuming that you will agree to his conditions, so Marten will be raised and ready for action. However, he's going to lose a lot of XP for dying (see below) so he'll be back to level 8.
Experience Points
Party XP from combat: 6,532
Story awards will be given at the end of the adventure
Each character receives 1,307 xp.
Marten also loses 8,000 xp for dying.
You may notice that I did not divide xp based on the creatures you fought before and after Marten's death. This was deliberate, since I believe that losing a party member should have a negative impact on the rewards that the rest of the group earns. Therefore Marten gets a full share for the encounter, minus his level loss, to reflect that negative impact.
Incidentally, Maelvula also receives an unspecified amount of xp for defeating Marten.