Irosk

The Trade Records of Irosk Red Bridle

• Character Description

Lulvin, the 12^th (12/3/2003)

Morning breakfast with Nisik at the Gateway Tavern.Heading to see the Commerce Guild Hall

• Down along the south wall of the city, just past the temple of Utan

Guild Hall

• Shattered Hoof clan guards

Night of the 15^th - Meet Gailush to head off the Jewlers Guild caravan. In six days (the 18^th - Shattered hoof caravan moves out.

Given letter of introduction from Gailush stating that I'm a Commerce Guild member.

Nisik fills me in on previous details

• warm present at Assylum

Go to assylum - two horsemen pass on fine horses.

• Patroon - says he's not hit when Nisik is around
  • See purple liveried boy being dragged into cell
  • Possible Mage school livelry?

Other observations from the day:

• Hometown: Sofegain
• Guild colors: Green Robe

End of Day 12th.

Lilvun, the 13^th (12-9-2003)

Travel with Riku to see Makush the soothsayer, out on the western edge of town in the slums. Nisik and I are asked to stay outside if we have no questions.

Riku says that Johud is a spirit, friend to some, foe to others. His disposition to Riku is not yet determined. Riku says the soothsayer needs fresh bones from a live and unplucked bird. We head to the market and obtain a bird from the south. Heading back to the soothsayer, Riku asks his second question, about the worms. Worms have an ancient source, and have not been seen in the north. Defeating one is easy, defeating the source is difficult.

Head to the hospital to retrieve Patroon. Door to the sub-sub basement is locked today. Patroon is still there. After paying V. a crown, the four of us leave.

Patroon heads to the west of town. He attacked the trolls on the evening of the 11^th. We head out to his still. Arrive, see three business associates. Patron claims they buy spirits from him. They run away after a well placed arrow from Riku.

Find the graves of the trolls. Exhume the bodies, and see that they are two children. Patroon still sees the bodies as trolls.

The contacts (Gamesh) get Patroon around the guild.

Head to the farmhouse on the scroll found in the Baron's hunting lodge. On the way, we're ambushed by three thugs. I am grazed by a crossbow bolt. After a thug charges me, I manage to skewer one, while Riku shoots one in the throat, and the leader in the arm. In a few seconds, the battle is over. We confiscate their belongings, including the two jars of spirits.

Then we set off to the farmhouse again. The destination seems pretty run down - the gate has large weeds growing around it. It's locked, but climbable. We do so, and head back to the path. On the way, we trip over 2-3 corpses of large ox-like animals. These had a brand of Mustyach (Chevat's god). The cow also does not have eyes. There are no obvious wounds, and they are 3-7 days old.

Enter the farmhouse, looks like it hasn't been used in a week or two. Not much stuff packed up and missing. Upstairs, two bedrooms. Head downstairs to the basement. There is a chair in the middle of a pattern traced on the floor, and a desk at the far end of the room. There are also ceramic jars (6"x4.5") throughout the room, and on the table. The jars have incense and herbs in them.

Barn: There seems to be nothing of interest. ~20 cows dead on the property.

Back to the inn for the night.

Lilvun, the 14^th (12-16-2003)

Awake in the morning, and head to the Commerce guild to locate the Brewer's Guild

• Bazeel, Brewers guild member
  • Not available this early in the morning.

Breakfast in the inn. All arrive, including Viktor.

Viktor told priests that hillmen stole the body.

• spend time catching up with Viktor

Riku saw a dream of Johud after experimenting with the Baron's herbs.

• Possible rift in the Priests of THeodnay
  • Head priest abrasive
  • Underlings conciliatory

After breakfast, Riku and Nisik go to the Asylum to deal with corpse and Vanos.

I head to the Brewers guild to see if Bazeel is back in. He is and says that trading within city walls is illegal, and he will investigate.

Riku and I continue to the hospital. Take a quick peek into room, see attendant with head bashed in on floor. Vanos comes and prevents us from looking inside. He claims guy cleaning put his arm through outline before Vanos clubbed him.

Blood in outline turns wall hazy, and Nisik can put his hand through the wall. The haziness lasts for ~1 minute.

Nisik plunges through wall, we follow, seeing the rope had been cut. We find that applying blood to the wall in the cell will take us back to the asylum.

We wind up in a small sewer of sorts. We follow downstream, looking for the river or way out. 20-30 minutes later, we arrive at the end of sewer. Riku boots through the grate emptying into the river. We come out just outside the noble quarters. Nisik and I get out and decide to head back to the town. Riku decides to head back through the sewers, but forgets lantern.

We meet up with Viktor at the Inn. He reports: Essence of witch root tonic is being used by Compte's doctor on Elle. Compte is working with Theodnay and have been questioning the household. We catch up with him in rest of the day. Riku tells us of Nog in the hospital who's been questioned by the Priests at the Baron's place. Also reports that the Barons body is not decomposing.

Need to look and see why accountant is not accounting for Baron

Decide dot head to Fulwyn's place to see if he's around. Failing that, the plan is to travel to the temple of Mustyach and ask for Chevat.

At Fulwyn's the house nog says he's not in. Nisik leaves message for him to contact us at the Gateway Tavern.

Next, head to the temple of Mustyach. A boy approaches Riku with saw saying that Riku has seen the sign of the SUn on the west wall. Portents of the gods of the South returning. Claims to have seen the sign of the sun on the west wall a month ago at the new moon.

Lilvun, the 14^th, continued. (12-30-03)

OOC Notes

• Encounter with Jewelers guild caravan in ~ 2 days
• Idea of waylaying Compte's son's caravan
• Compte is "taking care" of Elle
  • Potion does what?
• Jewelers Guild is in pockets of Major Nobles
• Riku second coming
  • Very strange
• Priesthood
  • What's going on there?
• Sewers
  • Possible clues there too (All 4)
• Nisik's warning re: guild politics
• Body not decomposing
• Over all this: worms

Traveling to the temple of Mustyach. Wish to tell them about cows, and ask to talk with Chevat. That's the plan, at least.

Shrine to Theodnay is covered in black cloth at temple complex.

Acolyte little help, says cattle would not have been branded. Seeks a superior to talk with us. Father Eougus.

Viktor takes a hard line with him, demanding that he tells us what he knows. My insight into his motives shows that he is confused and suspicious, much like the KoPD. We question him about Chevat. He was at the temple for about two days, doing research in the library.

Older temples in the Argavelean - Eougus thought he was heading there. Mentions the Northern folks, the Theodnay of the Society of the Black Earth. Seek to enslave peasants and have them do the farming. Main temple of Theodnay is run by these folks.

Mustyach's chief theological rival is the Society of the Black Earth (monotheistic).

Leaving, I spot the acolyte heading to the west gate.

We head back to the tavern, followed by some guards of Theodnay. At the door of the tavern are six more priests/guards and the high priest.

We head into the tavern, where there are no other patrons. The High Priest asks me about the Commerce Guild's interest. I tell him about the concern the Guild has with any of our customers. He replies that the Church is concerned with the Baron's soul, but not the Baron's body.

The priest asks Riku if he could lead the priests to the Hill Beast camps. The priest also accuses Riku of being a sorcerer and attending ceremonies with the Baron.

Nisik tells the priest that the Baron was interested in Mindat sorceries. They bring the texts they'd ransacked from the Baron's library.

We look at a book that does some text rearrangement and page flipping. The book speaks to us: Bring the Chair to Yellow Banner Peak. It continues, saying that Riku's father is false and full of lies, and also says that Johud is his Master, and the Baron is with him.

We ask about which chair and who Johud is, but don't get any decent answers.

The priest seeks to purify the three of us, as Viktor has stepped out. The priest is insisting that we be purified. Riku submits to the purification, while Nisik and I resist. The priests throw a vine rope at me, and it wraps around my leg. I stab at the guard who's trying to force me into the chair, but the vine still wraps around me further. I try to hack it off me, but to little avail.

Viktor comes in with pistol drawn, and asks the High Priest to fall back. he does so. The barkeep pours us a drink on the house. We immediately leave for the Asylum.

ON the way, we meet a carriage being driven with Gailoush in it. We chat about the PRiests, who are upset about something regarding the Baron's death, but they may not be sure what. He's interested in hiring us on, especially Nisik. He suggested that we stay out of town for a couple of days, and gives us some milk wine.

We head to the slums, where Riku looks for the Johud followers. There are slogans in Mindat scrawled on some of the walls here. There are prophecies, but no mention of Johud. We head to Patroons slum house. Nisik finds the spare key, and we enter the place.

We head to the cabin. After we split from the path toward the Baron's cabin, we hear the horns of HIll People as some jump from the trees upon us. A foul beast jumps upon my back and knocks me over. Taking a swing at me, he instead hits the tree. I scramble to my feet, and get a quick strike in. The beast closes and strikes me with his tusks. He slices me good. I fend him back with another sword blow. He strikes me again, and I fall to the ground, quite injured. Fortunately, Viktor slew the beast. I was feeling quite wobbly. Riku exhibited his healing skills, and I immediately felt better.

The party then set off to complete the rest of the journey to the Baron's lodge. At the front, we find the remains of three horses. Undaunted, we enter the lodge, and do a quick search. Somebody has been in the front room, as things have been ransacked. The remainder of the house looks undisturbed. Viktor claims possession of the chair by sitting on it. Quickly I collapse and sleep through the night.

In the morning, I awake feeling much recovered. Riku changed my bandages, but seems to have removed some of the newly formed scabs. Today is the 15^thof Lilvun. We decide to spend the day resting in the area of the cabin. Riku goes hunting for food today. He returns with a fresh-killed warthog. The rest of the day is spent doing little. Nisik writes letters.

Lilvun, the 16^th (1-6-05)

Last night, I'm on watch when two hill beasts arrive and make for the horses. I fire at them, while awakening the rest of the cabin. They arrive quickly, and engage in combat. Viktor knocks one down, whereupon I strike him with another arrow. The Hill Beast refuses to fall, so I continue to fire additional arrows into him. Viktor completes the dismemberment.

Upon checking, we notice that Riku's horse has been slain by the hill beasts. Riku and I say prayers to the fitting gods. I offer Riku the use of my horse for the duration of the trip.

Riku awakes us in the morning to tell of a strange dream he had last night - it involved the Baron talking and gesturing behind a cloth screen.

We set off for the peak. Around noon, the horses start having difficulties with the climb. We tie them to a tree, and leave Nisik's familiar to watch the horses.

After ran hour, we find bodies of five militiamen. Riku offhandedly mentions that he ran across them while hunting yesterday. These men look to have been slaughtered in a rather unpleasant manner. Riku knows none of these men. Riku tells the tale of Yellow Banner Peak, but seems a little fuzzy on the details.

Arriving at the peak, we find a flat outcropping area up near the crest of the peak. The mule and Nisik make it up to the outcropping. Riku climbs up, and throws a rope to Viktor and I.

Riku finds week old tracks up here. Before doing anything with he chair, we search the area. We find the remains of a campfire. Along the tree line, we find 3' high piles of rocks. They're about 4' around. Nisik claims the right to go unbury the cairn, and he does so. Underneath the cairns, Nisik finds a Nog.

The entire cairns thing is a Chlendi custom. The nogs are very strange - they are not wearing the livery of any of the local noble houses.

We disinter the second nog. Riku says that this Nog looks to have starved to death. Riku explains about how there are organized nog fights in town, and that the nog handlers wanted to "dispose" of the audience. Most amazing!

Nisik and I explore the caves. In the first one, there are the remains of diagrams on the floor. We also find some amberite laying around. In the second cave, we find some provisions - water skins, shovels, packs, etc. THer are also some holes in the wall here. At the end of the cave, it narrows down some, but widens again after the bottleneck. I the second chamber, we find burnt out torches.

After another chamber or two, we happen upon a room with writing on the wall and a path through the dirt on the floor. Viktor torches the writing. It says "The Walker in the wastes watches here". There are also some recipes here. Nisik immediately starts copying the formulas into his book.

After a minute, we hear a voice coming from the side corridor, saying "Dohgan? Is that you?" After a minute, a large slug-like creature emerges from the tunnels. It looks like a large slug, 8' tall, two eyestalks and two hands.

The creature has a conversation with "Dohgan" about how he hasn't been around in years, and wondering if his friends were also servants.

(1-20-04)

We decide to place the chair in the room with the writing in it. We let Nissik do the furniture placement. As he sits in the chair, the spent candles flare up briefly and then go out. He stands and sits down again, but nothing further happens. I try to sit in the chair, and the waxes flare again. I try on the V signet ring but nothing happens. Finally, we let Rikku sit on the chair, after setting the smoking herbs on the candles. After the brief flare up, smoke starts billowing from the candles.

Order of Entry:

• Viktor
• Nissik
• Me
• Rikku

We suddenly appear in a set of plains with hills in the distance. Purplish skies. The rasses aren knee-deep in this clearing. Outside the clearing the grasses are 3-4' tall. There are no markings, no rivers, no towns. Viktor and Rikku go to cut a small sapling to mark our clearing.

We meet some creatures.

• Icor

We seem to be encrusted in a membrane that Icar and his mates peel away from us.

We are escorted to the south toward where we are told there is a river. Johud wages war upon them, and rules the city across the river. Described as large with horns and tusks and takes many forms. Johoud took his name from the city. The City of Travellers we're heading toward is Zoat. The Watcher in the Wastes is the lord of th eNorth, but no one lives there anymore -> now a frozen waste.

We're sold into slavery.

• 12 Ivory rings was our price

Wispy, goggled guy purchases us. He has blue, human eyes => It's the Barron. He gives us a <something>.

• Utamo - have very powerful warriors amongst their kind.

I buy some trade goods. Eat red and green berries. Awake in cave - chair is shattered n + 1 day, head back into town.

(2-3-2004)

Discussing what to do with the Barons' corpse, and how to convince people to stop looking for him. I head back to the Shattered Hoof clan. Gaiuish is unavailable, guards tell me to come back later. Very strange. Caravan was leaving at noon. Another was coming in today, and will be leaving in two days. I head back to the Gateway Tavern.

Head back to the tavern to find it's been burned. Ask a local merchant (a leather merchant) what happened. he states two nights ago, some priests of Theodnay were there, blessing and consecrating and burning. There is another inn nearby, the Earl's Dead Fish. Inside, I meet Nisik. He says that he was told the Compte had the place burned. How true this is or what part he played in the affair, I do not yet know.

At dusk, we gather a cart, and head down to the Asylum. We find the doors shut, which is very unusual. Opening the gates, we find five slaughtered horses. They died of slash wounds from a beast, and have no distinctive clan or other markings on them. Heading to the service entrance, we find the doors have been broken, forced outwards from the inside. Heading into the asylum, we see sets of footprints - one booted and one with claws. Also, something was dragged, but we cannot tell what. Inside there are bodies that have been torn up. The bodies look like they were priests of Theodnay.

Find Vanos - he says the priests mostly killed his men. he didn't see the beasts. The priests came two nights ago, looking for Heresy.

Riku checks the body, and it's still here. We head up to Fullwyn's cell to check it out.

Rounding the stairs to a landing, we see Chevat at the top of the landing. He's holding a torch. Upon further examination, it appears as if his eyes and mouth are sewn shut. We don't' get a good look at him, for at that moment, a peptialion being with a snake-like body, a human torso and head, and atrophied human legs. The head seems to be Fullwen, but has a strange jaw.

Viktor fires at the beast with his pistol. he strikes the beast, but the beast bites him on his shoulder. Riku strikes him with the dream world dagger, and causes it to scream loudly. I feel nauseous, and fall to my knees and vomit. Nisik casts spells toward Chevat.

Viktor fails to strike with his dreamworld dagger, but Riku strikes it again. I rise to my feet and land a feeble blow. Nisik performs more magic.

The beast turns on Riku. Viktor strikes another blow at it. It starts to splash green blood over everyone. Riku stabs at the beast. Chevat-thing starts issuing a chanting sound, but his lips aren't moving. I rush up and attempt to stab Chevat. I miss. Immediately thereafter, Nisik summons some grease upon the stairs. Both Chevat and I fall.

The beast takes a large chunk of flesh from Riku, and knocks Viktor down with his tail. Viktor strikes the beast with his special blade. Now, only two voices scream out when he's hit. Riku fends off another claw with a dagger thrust to the maw. Both Chevat and I are struggling to stand in the Grease. Nisik casts something and a demonic monkey appears on his back. Streaks of blood appear.

The beast misses our party members, while Viktor strikes it again with the dream world dagger. Riku strikes a final blow. The beast collapses and a black vapor issues forth from it's maw. Nisik and Viktor start hacking and coughing when the vapors comes. I stand and try to move to Chevat to slice his throat, but fall after attempting to move.

Viktor climbs the stairs, which are now free of Grease. He strikes Chevat on the head with the pommel of his dagger. Riku also climbs the stairs, an calls for Nisik to call off his monkey. Riku strikes him with the pommel of his short sword. Chevat grabs something from his neck, and casts another spell. The world exploded in fire around me. I fly back and strike the wall. Riku fares little better. My world fades to black.

Nisik and Viktor pour a healing potion down my throat, and I come to, seeing Riku bending over Chevat working on him with bandages.

We decide to bury the Barons' body in Viktor's root cellar. When completing this, we receive a message from Gaiush, asking me to bring the sorcerer. We rush to his residence, where we see Gaiush's son chained to the wall, blindfolded and gagged. Staked to Gaiush's desk is a white worm.

Two to three days later (3-10-04)

--- Two to three days pass.

Riku and Viktor do some questioning about things:

Chevat gives some information about himself and the worms:

• They are hunting worms
• The priests of Mustioch had expelled him
• There is a group, but he feels they've moved on to another city by now
• he says that FUlwen's body had been purified
• Worms are part of a sorcerers cabal, and the worms allow the sorcerer to control the mind

of the infected.

Back to the moment of finding Glaiush's son with the worm:

Glaiush's son (Mouton) had been acting strange for 2-3 days. Was drinking with Glaiush, and started coughing. The worm was expelled from Mouton.

We offer to accompany Mouton to BOlog with the caravan that leaves tomorrow at noon. Glaiush honor-bounds us [for something, the notes are incomplete here - the Editor]

For me, the evening is spent packing. [Viktor and Riku do some burning - the Editor]

Ciebah is the caravan master. Day one passes uneventfully.

Day two passes in similar fashion, until we stumble across the eight slain Cuvauw militiamen. Their horses were also killed. Riku discovers that the guard were killed earlier in the morning. Soon after arriving, we are shot at by musketeers. Just the start of larger attack. We are split into two groups - horsemen who want to flank, and those who stay with the caravan.

(3-23-04)

[Session missed - the Editor]

Lulvin the 24 ^th (3-30-04)

Evening.

Catch up with Rikuu and Nisik about their events of the day. They went out goblin and sorceress hunting and were rather successful. They have given me some brass figurines and bolts of cloth to sell to the guild.

We are meeting at a tavern called The Hive. From Nisik, I obtain the location of where the bandits had their lookout to watch the caravan route. This may be useful to the Guild.

Rikuu and Nisik go us rooms at the Naetath family compound. I go to the guild and sell the figures and cloth. I make above the appraised value, of which I'll take 10% for my commission. Either way, the party made 90 gold coins.

Viktor goes and speaks with Asa, the sorceress. She's due to hang tomorrow. He strikes upon the idea of freeing her, and seeing if she'd give us contacts, especially in the pits with the Racyne Lodge.

I travel to the Guild and ask the guard about the pits and the Racyne Lodge. The guard mentioned that the pits had fights and some higher class Gentlemen's pursuits. They seem to be mostly run by certain well-to-do nobles or other families. He warns that many of the fights are fixed.

We meet up at the Hive afterwards.

I head up to the bar and find that Tybyat is sitting over in the corner. I also obtain information on the location of the pits. The barkeep made sure that it wasn't my boss or the guard who was asking before he told me the information. I paid him a few coppers for his troubles.

While I'm talking with the barkeep, Rikuu leaves with a whore who I appraised earlier. He returns quicker than we expected. The Golden Domes were occupied by a pair of gentlemen from the Nagai tribe (which is my tribe as well).

Viktor talks with Tybyat about local business opportunities.

We decide to purchase Asa. The intoxicated jailer doesn't actually charge us for her. Viktor has a writ for her, but refused to have her branded. He hand is broken. We head back to our accommodations, where Rikuu works on her hand. Viktor sets the term of service at a year and a day, after which she'll be set free. Asa accepts these terms.

The Knights and servant retire for the night.

Lulvin the 25 ^th (3-30-04)

Nothing odd happens during the night.

I eat most of Viktor's breakfast. We then head to the Guild, where a carriage takes us to the doctor's office/compound. The carriage is greeted by a Nog who shows us in, and gives us brandy and a potion for Muton.

The doctor (Thoad is his name) takes a work provided by Nisik and performs some measurements and other poking and prodding upon it. He asks us questions about how many worms, who, etc. He starts the testing procedures upon Mouton. These procedures will take 17 hours or so. I volunteer to stay through the duration.

Rikuu gives the doctor the torch to poke and prod at. He doesn't find much of interest.

The doctor seems to be under the impression that he is going to be performing some examinations upon me, but he is mistaken.

Lulvin the 25 ^th (4-6-04)

The nog was very much mistaken about who the patient was and who was the observer. A few words later, and I make my way from the place. I head to the Hive, where I meet up with the rest of the Knights. A nog serves us some pipe weed and the semi-curved pipes.

Rikuu tells us of a dream he had last night about a chair, the Baron's and a pipe. We decide to head back to our abode. The sun sets over the mountains, and we see flakes of snow falling.

Nisik sits on a chair in the circle, and smokes the herbs and stares into the mirror. After forty five minutes, Nisik snaps back into this reality. He reports that the Baron senses that Johoud moves, and we have enemies in Bolog and other towns. The Baron says he will contact us again in 10 days. Coincidentally, this is the day before the Compte's formal ball.

Nisik stays in the study, while the three of us and Asa head to the pits. This structure seems to be carved into the hillside itself. We donate various amounts of coins to the Nog doorman, and proceed into the chambers. Rikuu purchases some firewater, ointments and powder. Aesa says the powder is tingling and the ointment is numbing.

We make our way to watch some of the pit fights. Rikuu does well on the first match, but the blindfolded Nog costs us each 6 gold coins. A third fighter appears with an unnatural tentacle grafted onto his shoulder. Rikuu points out that the owner of this fighter is wearing a symbol of Mustioch. Aesa says that he's new, and not from Bolog - he's relatively new, but this fighter is new. The owner leaves before the fight starts. Viktor takes a writing quill and parchment and tries to find the owner.

When the fight starts, a most surprising twist - the "human's" arm can extend! After a few minutes, the end of the arm sinks its hook into the ape opponent's flesh. Near the end of the fight, the ape knocks off the man's helmet. He has no hair and several large, crude stitches along his face. For a coup de grace, the "human" fighter contorts his skull along the stitches (they open up!) and spews forth a thick black inky substance onto the ape.

The crowd goes silent. After the shock, several shout that this is an unfair fight. Aesa comes back and informs us where Viktor went. Rikuu and I follow. The bouncer gives us two masks after we ask for them. Rikuu gets one of a pigs face, and seems oddly pleased. Mine is a more mundane drama mask.

We meet up with Viktor and a couple of "bottles of wine". I count, and think there are 12 or so people down here, and three to four of the loaner masks.

Upon leaving, Rikuu pays the extra money to keep his pig mask.

We arrive at the inn to some foggy substance. We get up to our hall, and see that the doors have been kicked in and both of our rooms. We look at each room quickly and see that they've each been ransacked. Also, Also, Nisik is tied to his bed, and gagged. Strange non-Hetari customs. Looking out the window, Viktor and I spot two fleeing peoples. We immediately give chase, following them out onto the streets of Bolog. Viktor fells one with a shot from his pistol. We leave the body there, and continue to pursue the remaining fugitive. We come to an alleyway that T's into another street, and lose sight of him. Viktor heads left while I go right.

I don't get very many steps down the alley before the bandit finds me, with a well-placed sword thrust. Quickly regaining my composure, I strike at him with my dagger, soundly connecting with him. The scoundrel grabs two tubes which contain a powder that forms the fog we saw in our rooms. He uses the tubes, creating a large volume of the fog. I manage to stab him a second time, but after that lose him in the fog.

Viktor arrives at that time, and fortunately recognizes me as friend, and does not shoot me. We search, but cannot found our quarry. Grabbing Viktors cloak, we fan away the fog, and search for a blood trail. We spot some from where I stabbed him, but neither Viktor nor I can spot where it leads.

To help us out, I run back to the room to get Rikuu. By this time, he's dragged our first victim back to the room. He does seem to be alive. We bind his hands, and then Rikuu, Nisik and I meet back up with Viktor. RIkuu seems to have little trouble following the tracks of our thief.

I realize that the mirror is gone, and that the thief I fought was carrying a sack.

It is now near dawn on Lulvin the 27^th.