Heroes of the Mist

The next day we decided to follow the road around the ShadowMist, a known barrier of mist that killed all who entered, and hoped to eventually reach some town. The ranger Aven decided to go shroom-hunting, and eventually we set off looking for him. We came upon a young screaming lady surrounded by three very ugly looking fiends. We fought bravely, but it was abundantly clear we were out-matched, especially when Jackson was very nearly fatally wounded. Much to my surprise, when they apparently held the upper hand, they professed their hatred for us and teleported out.

The young woman was named Leilo, and she had red hair and very peculiar looking yellow eyes. She claimed only to have been travelling in the woods (yeah right) when she was attacked by those fiends. She also had a black cat named Day, who had the same color eyes. I'm guessing she's either a were-wolf or that cat is her familiar.

We proceeded onwards and Kithra was mysteriously sucked away by some random portal. We eventually came upon a large trading town and met a bard who joined our group. We camped out for about a week where we did some (much needed) resting and learnt a little more of the local lore. Leilo did indeed turn out to be a magician of some kind, and the two of us and the bard traded spells. Departing once more, we soon came upon a Vistani camp, where we decided to stay for the night.

The Vistani seem like a very friendly people, and have a good sense of humor (which is more than I can say about Jackson). Aerin and I had our future read by Madame Carla, where we discovered that our fates were entwined (physically even, woohoo!). We also managed to learn that we were heading in the right direction towards the artifact which we seek, and that additionally the "Prince of Shadows" currently holds it. We thanked Madame Carla, and went outside to go watch Jackson wrestle the bear. Thinking to myself that this fight would be no contest, I cast Enlarge on the bear, which promptly grew one and a half times as big. Unfortunately, the muzzle and safety gloves on the bear snapped off as well, and Jackson now had a more than capable opponent. In the end, despite the bear appearing to be ahead, Jackson managed to get a hold on him and threw him to the ground, rendering the bear unconscious. Jackson wasn't too pleased about the role reversal (no sense of humor I tell ya), and knocked me out stone-cold. Nonetheless it's easy to forgive such a poor-witted beast as it is, and I hold it no grudges.

We took off soon afterwards and eventually made it to Tepest. We were in the woods when we were attacked by a group of halfling-lizard hybrids that rode wolves. We dispatched the first few with ease, but they called for back-up and soon we heard a small army marching towards us. Fortunately, a wily stranger came to our rescue and the horde fled in fear. He told us his sob story about the woman he loved, named Brianna, being falsely accused of being a fey creature (ain't nothing wrong with that in my book), and we agreed to help out for a small price.

We first found an old huntsman who had raised Brianna as a child, and he agreed to bring us to a hermit Vistani woman that had found Brianna (I'm not so sure that Brianna isn't a fey creature after all). That night, as we slept at the huntsman's house, we were attacked by a huge ogre that appeared virtually indestructible. After the initial onslaught, the ogre took off and vanished. We looked around and couldn't find the Marrashi. The next day she was back with us, and told us about a dream where she fought with strange creatures. Strange indeed...

After daybreak we made our way to the old Vistani woman. She was cavorting with some fey creatures when we arrived, and more importantly had by her side a spirit, named Arun, in need of help. She informed us that should we help this spirit reach his body, that he would be able to give us vital information that might clear Brianna's honor.

So off we go in search of the spirit's body, which just so happens to lie on an island in the middle of the lake that the dwarf trader Kelvin had been seeking. Kelvin had his heart set on killing some crocodilian creature in that lake, and the ranger Aven seemed pretty excited about it too (never mind the fact that he was the one who fled when we encountered the were-crocodile). But the Vistani woman clearly told us that it would have to wait, and that we were fated to meet it at some later time.

As we rowed our way to the island, we heard a soft melodic voice that enraptured the Marrashi and the crusader Stephen. A thick magical fog came upon us, and we could hardly see a thing. The bard was with us however, and she began to sing a counter-song to the siren's voice, which succeeded. Slashing blindly, we got lucky and managed to kill the siren. Actually, we weren't quite that lucky. Aven landed the fatal blow, and with her dying breath the siren cursed Aven for life. He's now mortally afraid of water, the irony of course being that we're now on an island.

We followed the spirit Arun up to the ruins in the middle of the isle, and proceedeed into the old keep. There, after briefly wandering about, we passed through a set of double doors into a room that reeked of rotting flesh. At the end of the room were two human figures, visibly rotted and with maggots crawling over them. I quickly retched while Arun raced towards his deceased body. The body slumped over, and as Arun's spirit faded out, he told us to seek the Fropoloulu. That was when the second body moved slightly, and we all realized that it was still alive. I quickly retched yet again while others of us fled. The dwarves Feldon and Kelvin were strangely attracted (more like obsessed) by it, and they instead stood around poking at it and such. Feldon and the crusader Stephen eventually cleared the maggots and cured the poor soul, who was visibly still in shock.

We rowed back to town (not without some trouble, since Aven was deathly afraid of water), and stayed there the night. Feldon, the dwarf crusader of Xvim, told us he was going to go townsmen hunting. He had found a really interesting sword that creates zombie servants, and so he needed some unwilling subjects. I volunteered to go help him kill some folk, much to the surprise of some. The dwarf trader Kelvin also accompanied us. As we left the inn, a rotting corpse was seen at the edge of town, and we all pursued it. It always managed to remain a couple of feet ahead of us, somehow. Finally I grew bored and went back to sleep, and that's when according to Feldon the corpse disappeared. He and Kelvin tried in vain to find it the rest of the night apparently. I guess some things are indeed stranger than reality (hehe).

The next day we set out for the old Vistani woman Remma, who informed us that a Fropoloulu was the local name for a Bowrie, an evil invisible faerie creature. She told us we'd need a tincture of midnight in order to uncover the little creature. Unfortunately, the only known supplier are the three hags that lord over this domain. Definetly bad news. We set off for their little hut, did them a favor, and in return got what we asked for. I'd rather forget that whole incident, since the sight of the three hags had me running in terror.

We set off for Brianna's trial that was to happen in two days. When we got into town, Kelvin again played the part of a merchant and his retinue, and we all got rooms at one of the inns. That night, we decided to abduct Lorelie Wyan (the girl who had accused Brianna) and ask her some questions. The ranger Aven went invisible, and Feldon accompanied him to Wyan's abode. At the door, Feldon feigned being lost while Aven managed to sneak inside. Unfortunately, he wasn't as quiet as he would have liked, and Sir Wyan and one of his assistants were soon convinced they had an evil presence in the house. Aven fled, turning visible in doing so, but yelled out a curse that implicated Lorelie as the evil-doer.

Feldon felt it wasn't enough, and the two of them returned again. This time when the door opened Feldon commanded the assistant to sleep. Unfortunately Sir Wyan had also answered the door. Feldon tried to command him as well, but he resisted and tried to arrest Feldon, who promptly fled. Wyan, having identified Feldon as one of the occupants at the inn, quickly gathered a group of vigilantes and set off after him. Learning of what happened, we all packed our goods and left the inn immediately, not willing to face an angry mob.

The next day we all woke early and gathered our wits about us. We decided that those of us that wouldn't be recognized would enter the town. Jackson would hold Aven's magical sword, which would enable us to see invisible creatures. Leilo would hold the tincture of midnight, which would reveal the Bowrie when tossed on it. I would mingle among the crowds, and Weylan would be invisible with its bow ready on one of the roofs. As the trial began, Jackson yelled out that he could see the Bowrie on Lorelie's shoulder, and Leilo went into action. As the Bowrie became visible, it screeched and tried to run away. Weylan was ready however, and skewered the little creature through and through. The town's people acclaimed us as heroes, and Brianna was set free.

Addendum by Feldon Hammerblow

Tanus died today as we were pursuing Loht, the Prince of Shadows. We followed him to the dwelling of a banshee darklord. Tanus and most of the party did not survive the ensuing melee, and he perished from the banshee's wail. I'm hereby now giving over this memoir and the rest of Tanus' goods to his cousin Valas, who will safe-keep them.