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• Aros – Lightfoot Halfling, Rogue
• Galiena Erenaeth – Half Elf, Celestial Warlock / Druid
• Baldur – Human, Pack Chain Warlock (Spear) / Paladin
  • Hellina Kaitlyn Deramu – Human NPC, Wererat

The party rides, using Ramgor’s wagon, all the way back to Felhorn – but they park the wagon outside of Felhorn while Galiena goes into town. She tells Kaitlyn that Baldur is waiting for him just outside of town, and she proceeds to go up to her room and get her staff – and heads back down where she speaks to Gergie Woodfire, owner of the White Fang Tavern and Inn, and offers to pay gold for their rooms – and that they will be back shortly.

Balgun Sternrest, who was the third and final date for Galiena, (we met him back in Session 7 and Session 8) waved to her. She approached him and smiled, “I will be back, shortly, if everything goes according to plan,” she knew, even as she said the words – nothing has ever gone according to plan really, since she had come to this cursed island. “Our date can’t start yet – I want to make sure it’s a fresh start. I still have some things to take care of.” As she turned to walk away, she locked eyes with Ramgor who was looking at her longingly, missing being around her. She paused, briefly considered going to him, but knew the others were waiting and turned away and left the tavern.

She returns to the wagon, and they proceed to Green Haven, where they meet with Eric Crowfeather and Crescent the dragon. Eric gets someone from Green Haven who is skilled as a smith – but not truly one, as most of the smiths were arrested by Lord Brenmoon.

Crescent explains it’s going to take some time to forge the armor – however, if they return and check – they can get updates on how the armor is going. In the meantime, Crescent explains, there are a number of things plaguing Green Haven, one of which is a species of birds known as Perytons. At one time, they numbered only a few here on Eaglerock, because the Rocs would feed on them and keep their numbers down. With the arrival of the curse and the departure of the Rocs, the Perytons have no natural predators above them and their population has blossomed. Perytons, Crescent advises, require the hearts of humanoids (primarily human) in order to breed; and with the constant feel of night over Eaglerock and people disappearing all the time, no one has sought to do anything about the Perytons.

The Perytons have even gone as far as attacking the wereravens, because they know the wereravens true form is that of a humanoid.

“We’re going to head back down to Green Haven, and get some rest and decide from there,” Baldur says, heading back to Green Haven. When they get to the Drunk Dragon Tavern in Green Haven, they take a seat in one of the darker corners. Darko floats out of Galiena’s bag and looks around the room.

“There’s a lot of people in here,” Darko whispers, his voice hollow. “I assume we’re here to pick out someone for me to possess. That young man, over there, slumped against the bar looks like an easy target.”

“No,” Galiena whispers and shoves Darko back into her bag, well aware if the towns people saw him, they’d suspect the party of necromancy and hang them for their crimes.

“Have you ever had Cider?” Baldur suddenly asks those at the table, as he pulls Kaitlyn closer.

Kavium smiles, “I have.”

“As have I,” Galiena nods.

“I never have,” Darko’s muffled voice calls out from inside Galiena’s bag.

“With these enchanted apples,” Baldur says, “I bet they could make some incredible cider. Baldur approaches the bar, along with Galiena, and speaks to Gogert Wayfair, and ask, “Sir, have you ever considered having the people of Green Haven make some form of cider with their apples?” (DM Side Note – Galiena had mentioned, in real life, getting her kids Go-Gurt just as I was thinking of a name – so I used “Gogert” for the bartender’s name and Wayfair comes from the idea of Waffer cookies).

Baldur and Galiena, mutually explain, “The cider is make by taking apples, cut and ground them until they’re mash or similar to applesauce. The mash is then wrapped in cloth and pressed into fresh juice. You then take that juice, add it to a barrel – such as a rum oak barrel – the yeast will convert the sugar in the juice into alcohol after about two weeks, then the cider is ready.”

At that moment, a bell begins to ring out – this isn’t the same as the “Witching Hour” bell – this is a different bell.

“What’s that?” Galiena asks Gogert.

“Lord Brenmoon’s men have been spotted coming this way,” Gogert warns. “I’d take your weapons and hide them – and him, he needs to get rid of that armor or else Lord Brenmoon’s men will arrest or execute him,” he says, pointing to Kavium.

“You don’t think they’re here about the ore and iron we mined,” Galiena whispers softly.

“Could be coincidence, regardless, tell your boyfriend to get rid of his armor,” Baldur growls, as they all begin to run for the stables to hide their equipment and armor beneath bails of hay; but the sounds of the men entering the town indicate there’s no time. Kavium simply throws his armor into the nearest haystack, with little time to bury it while Aros dives into the nearby haystack. In the chaos, neither Galiena or Baldur saw where Aros leapt, assuming he’d vanished into the shadows, and shove their weapons into the nearest haystack – unaware that’d been the same haystack that Aros had jumped into – and both of their weapons struck him. (DM Note – Had them roll a to hit, not expecting either would land a hit – let alone both – and one of them – Baldur! – for a critical hit!)

Kavium, Galiena and Baldur meet Kaitlyn back inside the Drunken Dragon Tavern and see that Lord Brenmoon’s men – all armored and equipped with weapons – are already roughing up several patrons, forcing them to leave a table so they could have their table, food and drinks. They hear Gogert whisper, “Don’t do anything – or else you will be arrested or killed. They come here, rough up some patrons, sometimes they arrest a person or two for no good reason, or take a woman – but to try and fight them is only going to get you in trouble – and possibly the establishment and anyone who is foolish enough to take a stand.”

Baldur, while sitting in the corner, uses Disguise Self to look like an old woman. A farmer by the name of William Barrington warns Baldur not to do anything foolish. Lord Brenmoon’s soldiers question individuals if they’ve seen anyone “new” on Eaglerock. One of the soldiers approaches Baldur, in his disguise, and says, “Old woman, I don’t think I’ve seen you before…”

“I live in the mountains,” Baldur says, trying to intimidate the voice of an old woman. “I come down from time to time for the apples.”

“You certainly look like an old woman who would live in the mountains,” he laughs.

The guard’s eyes scan the table and come to land on Galiena, “Well, aren’t you a beautiful young lady?”

Kavium immediately stands up and puts himself between the guard and Galiena, snarling, “That’s my wife, you’re speaking to. Watch where your eyes linger and your tongue whispers.”

William Barrington sighs and whispers, “So much for not doing anything…”

“Well,” the guard smirks, “these lands belong to Lord Brenmoon. And anything on this land is his to claim. She is on this land, thus making her his to own. I will take her to Lord Brenmoon to see if she will be honored as one of his concubine… and who knows,” he looks Galiena over, “she may even be worthy of the woman he may call his Queen. A great honor to be sure.”

Kavium shakes his head, and clenches his fist, “She’s not going anywhere.”

Baldur, still disguised as an old woman says, “You can’t take my daughter!”

William Barrington sinks further into his seat, muttering disparaging words about “heroes”…

“This beautiful woman,” he gestures to Galiena, “is your daughter? How did someone like you make such an attractive female?” He turns to Galiena, “You live in a cave with your mother? You look much better… in every way… than she does.”

“Well,” Galiena smiles, “my mother. She’s old, as you noticed. And she needs a lot of help. If you take me, there will no one to help her go to and from her home in the mountain caves.”

“Shouldn’t your husband be doing that,” the guard looks to Kavium.

“I do help,” Kavium mutters.

The guard shakes his head. “Fine, fine,” and scans the room and sees another woman and goes to her and says, “Well, she was too much trouble, I guess you would make a fine second choice,” he laughs, grabbing the arm of a young woman named Delilah Hopetree.

William Barrington, who is finally sitting back up now that the attention has gone away from the table he shared with Baldur and the others, heaves a deep sigh of relief.

Baldur cries out, as the old woman, “Wait! You can’t take my other daughter!”

William Barrington growls under his breath, “By the goddess! What are you doing?” as he proceeds to sink back down into his chair.

The guard looks between Delilah and Galiena, then to Baldur. “She is your daughter also? She looks nothing like your other daughter.”

“Other father,” Galiena whispers.

“That’s right! That’s right! Different fathers! I got around,” Baldur cries out as an old woman.

“Well you have that daughter,” he says, pointing to Galiena, “and her husband.”

Baldur approaches the guard and tugs on his tunic, “Please no! She’s my favorite daughter!”

Delilah shakes her head, “Old woman, you must be confused. Do not endanger yourself.”

Baldur turns to Kavium, “Shouldn’t we do something about this? Doesn’t your religion say something?”

“Lord Brenmoon seems to follow my goddess’ sister, Prentora, who is the darker side of what my goddess preaches,” Kavium whispers.

Baldur still disguised as an old woman, moves quickly in front of the guard, “Take me instead!”

The guard shoves Baldur away. “You are not Lord Brenmoon’s type. We will trade this one for the other,” the guard smirks.

“Fine,” Baldur whispers as an old woman. “Like I said, she’s my favorite. Please, wait outside and I will go say goodbye to Galiena.”

The guard looks, “We will hold this one until the other comes outside.”

Baldur shouts, from inside to sell the show, “I told you she was my favorite daughter! Now get outside!” Baldur steps inside and casts Disguise Self on himself to look like Galiena and steps outside and goes into the wagon.

Galiena inside hisses, “Kavium, go outside and see what’s happening.”

Kavium, confused by everything strolls outside, and mutters, “Um, what are you, uh, doing with my wife?”

Baldur, disguised as Galiena, says, “It’s fine! Go inside! I will be Lord Brenmoon’s mate!”

“The choice,” Kavium tries to sell it, “it’s so sudden… I am… so broken.”

The guard releases Delilah and escorts Baldur (as Galiena) into the back of the wagon. Baldur waits inside of the wagon for a moment – then uses Disguise Self to appear as one of the guards and uses stealth out of the back of the wagon, not drawing attention to himself.

As a guard, Baldur follows the wagon to the edge, then turns and begins yelling at a random person and approaches them as the wagon continues and Baldur reverts to himself. As he is walking back to the Drunken Dragon Tavern, he hears several people around the town inquiring as to who got taken.

Baldur, Kavium and Galiena return to the haystack and Baldur yanks out his spear and finally allows the pinned Aros to climb out of the haystack, extremely bloodied.

“What happened to you?” Baldur asks.

“You guys did,” Aros growls. “I hid in there and then the rest of you shoved your weapons and hit me. Your stupid spear pinned my leg to the ground.”

Baldur hears the dragon’s essence – Kor’Shar – growl, “I am not useless.”

As they return to the Drunken Dragon Tavern, Baldur approaches Delilah and says, “I know you didn’t want to be my daughter, so you don’t have to call me daddy.”

Baldur suddenly feels a fierce tug of his ear, as Kaitlyn pulls him to the bar and growls, “That will be enough of that,” the wererat features surfacing for a brief moment.

“So what happened with the guards?” Aros asks.

“I used Disguise Self to change my appearance,” Baldur smiles. “I changed into an old woman and then into Galiena.”

“Yeah, now they think they took me,” Galiena growls. “So when the time comes and they check the wagon and I am not there – guess who they’re going to come looking for? Me.”

“Oh, I mean, that’s true,” Baldur nods.

“And Kavium called me his wife,” Galiena adds laughing.

“All of this happened while I was pinned in the haystack? You got married, then taken, but not taken,” Aros shakes his head.

“No one got married,” Galiena clarifies.

“Are there any drinks available?” Galiena asks Gogert.

Gogert puts Vikarus on the counter and Galiena shakes her head, recalling the last time she’d had that. “Do you have anything lighter?”

Gogert nods and pours another drink for Galiena. “They’re going to come looking for you,” he says, solemnly. “Once they see you’re not in the wagon. They will come back here, demanding to know where you’ve gone. Your friend, though he had his best intentions, has caused this town a lot of trouble.”

“I know,” Galiena says, while taking a drink. “I will see how we can fix this.”

Dearbhán gets into a drink, and unfortunately, becomes intoxicated as well, breathing his euphoria breath directly into Galiena’s face – but she’s able to hold her breath and avoid the breath – but Aros, who is standing near Galiena feels the effects dissipate – and he, however, fails his savings throw – and Aros stands there in a euphoric haze, gazing around the room.

Galiena tries to control Dearbhán, trying to grab him, but he manages to avoid her grasp, blinking in and out of invisibility.

Eventually, Dearbhán lands in Galiena’s hair and settles down after the patrons at the tavern tip her 9 gold to her, thinking this had all been a part of the show. Galiena looks over at Baldur, “You really should make that up to Kaitlyn.”

Baldur glares at Galiena. “Yeah and maybe you and Kavium should continue your date?”

Kaitlyn sighs, “It’s true, though. When you left for Kaltore and before – I’d been waiting around at The White Fang and eventually asked Gergie if I could work for him while I waited for you to come back. He let me work with him, which was nice. I was able to earn some coin of my own again, and keep me distracted wondering if you were all right. Life here on Eaglerock has been very different. Ever since the ship I was on shipwrecked here and I was found by the … former … occupants of Starfall Manor, and … changed… I’ve struggled so much with everything.” (DM Note – We discovered that Kaitlyn was turned into a Wererat by two male occupants of Starfall Manor back in Session 3.)

They decide to go out to the orchid for apples, and as Aros looks around, he notices he is the “5th wheel” in this scene – where Galiena and Kavium are on a nice date, while Baldur and Kaitlyn walk the other way, together. Galiena and Kavium continue to walk with Aros, boosting him into the tree to get some apples.

Aros begins picking apples as Kavium and Galiena walk. Kavium looks at Galiena, “I admit, at first, I was drawn by your beauty – and I just wanted you for one night, and I would have moved on. But having been on these adventures with you, I can see what Ramgor said is true. You’re very brave, very strong – not the best climber,” he laughs, “but that doesn’t stop you. Your dedication and caring for your friends runs deep.”

Galiena nods, blushing slightly. She pulls her hair aside and reveals a small rune on her neck. “My friends and I,” she explains, “we’re all connected – enslaved, really – but the wizard Mordak, but on Eaglerock he’s known as Razathorn. That rune on my neck – Aros and Baldur have it too – and at any time, we can get summoned away to Mordak’s side into one of his many wizard towers, typically to be demanded to do a task of some kind. There was another with us – a bronze Dragonborn Sorcerer named Wickedstraza who was with us. Like me, she’d been infected with Lycanthrope – but Aros, with his dagger was able to cure me – but she was summoned back by Mordak, and we’ve not yet summoned her back. We’ve held back because it’s been already too long – the Lycanthropy would have already taken effect. If she’s a wererat, and she’s not had the time to control it the way Kaitlyn has – then… We’re … afraid to bring her back. What if she’s out of control? Could we strike her down if we needed to? We hope that Mordak, when he summoned her – found a cure for her… But we’re not even sure if he would care to, or if he would just kill her.” Galiena’s heart sinks, thinking about Wickedstraza. “It’s frightening being bound to an evil wizard such as Mordak, who can just yank you away from everything. We all went to him to learn magic from him – but it wasn’t until it was too late that we learned his true nature.”

“All of you?” Kavium asks. “Aros is a spellcaster? I have never seen him use spells?”

“Aros,” she smiles, “he was in Mordak’s wizard tower looking to steal something and got caught. Mordak marked him with a sigil, like he’d done with the others, because he said he may call on Aros sometime to try and steal something from someone – in case a relic of importance comes up that he doesn’t want to dirty his own hands with.”

They all meet back at the orchid’s entrance, where Aros proudly displays a large bag of apples and says, “Look at all the -“

And he disappears.

Galiena cries out, “No!”

TO BE CONTINUED…