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Session #20

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Sat July 22, 1178 (08:00) - Thu July 27, 1178 (18:00)

The players wake up in the Goldminer's Homestead, a modest inn in the city of Aurium. Having just narrowly escaped a chase by Fanviryn and her wolves, they chose to take some time to recuperate and explore the city. Astrid decided to study some maps and learn where to search for the lost adventurers who raided Zerendar's vault in the north. Knowing they were on their way to the kingdom of Mezdamol, she retrieved some maps of the region to find the most likely area they might've gotten lost. She has some theories, but is not sharing them yet. Teemo ventured off to Grumpy's Hunting Market, a market for hunting goods in the Golden Markets district of the city. His initial goal was to sell a single item: his bear paw, acquired a few weeks earlier when fighting a bear in Fieldsgrove. He completed the sale for a mere 3 silver pieces, but noticed a unique item on the countertop - a wolf head, tinted a light red. This was allegedly the head of one of Fanviryn's wolves, on sale for 50gp. Choosing not to purchase it, he looked around for other interesting vendors before turning back. Though none had anything particularly interesting, he did get stopped by a scout for Evlen'Has Zemtyr's Beasting Contest team, inviting him to sign up to join the hunt! He was told to visit Dribar Trading Co. in the Stockyards to learn more. Carnage and Fang decided to visit Orin's Smithy, a blacksmith in the Golden Markets, to sell some of their weapons for gold. They chose to track it down using a plume of black smoke in the sky, which led them to a small, ignored blacksmith shop at the edge of the markets - definitely not Orin's. Though most passerby gave the place a wide berth when walking, they chose to approach and knock. Here, they met Jaggena the blacksmith - who was willing to sell them explosives and poisoned crossbow bolts, and shared their sentiments against the Gnoma government. From her, they got a list of contacts friendly to their cause in various cities around the kingdom - though there did not seem to be any real organized resistance groups. Eventually, they tracked down Orin's Smithy far on the other side of the market, where they sold Fang's ancestral orcish blade for a hefty sum of cash. Interestingly, Orin did not have a traditional furnace - his was activated by pulling a small lever, and did not produce any smoke whatsoever. As the groups were getting ready to meet back at the inn, a horn sounded from the city gates. Wolves were attacking the city! The group (except Astrid), along with a large number of hunters from the market, made for the gates, where the city guard were keeping them away from the action. Fang noticed, not far a way, a strange red bird eyeing the party, and recognized it as one of Fanviryn's birds. Throwing a javelin at it, he took it down, and Carnage caught it as it fell towards the crowd. It had a simple note attached: "I'm watching you, my little mice. -F". Of course, they sold the bird to the highest bidder amongst the crowd of hunters. Finishing off the day, they discussed where to travel next, deciding to go to the Mezdamol Flats the following day. In the morning, they approached the Prospector's Path at the east end of Aurium, learning it took a toll to pass through. Instead, they offered their protective services to a small supply caravan in exchange for passage with them through the toll road. Just before reaching the tunnel, they saw a large bird flying from the distance - carrying some large objects. In preparation to fight what was obviously Fanviryn and her lackeys, they sent the caravan off ahead for safety (from the danger they brought on themselves), and prepared to fight. As the bird approached, the objects she carried became visible - two wolves, on in each talon, ready to be dropped onto the group. Their quick thinking saved them, allowing them to blast the bird out of the air and force her to drop the wolves accidentally, as well as return to her regular form (as it was, of course, Fanviryn herself). The party caught a glimpse of her, a tall drow, in the second before she exited the Moonbeam and shifted back into a bird to escape. Finishing off the wolves as they crashed into the party at immense velocities, the party joined back with the caravan in the tunnels ahead. After five days and five nights of walking, staying at various inns and hamlets along the way, and viewing the raging Elltyr River in the middle of the mountains, the party finally reached the city of Cuprium, and prepared for yet another adventure.