Session Date: 2/12/2023
Dia pulls the librarian aside and asks who we are and if he knows us. He explains he knows we are just adventurers and Dia names us all for him. Brother Raghnall points out we need to get to Oceanscar before the wine does because the thing that possessed the abbott kept his personality.
We come across the corpse of an orc, dressed as a servant. In recent history we know that orcs have their own nation: orcs are related to elves and were made to be the servants of elves. This is no longer a common practice, but some still do it. The orc froze during the winter storm that the Frosty Princess Glaciebella stirred up. He may have been a courier, which seems accurate sinc ehe has a letter that was sent to the abbott. Rohan tries to get Dia to read it but she hands it back. The letter is asking for more barrels of wine in elvish, and is signed by Felu.
Arythas digs a grave with the help of Iskra warming the soil. While he is preoccupied, Rohan finds a bank note for 100g in his bag. Arythas does not notice Rohan taking it. We also take the rations.
We continue on but eventually Iskra and Arythas start arguing on where to go. Dia and Rohan continue on and everyone gets separated.
Dia starts getting very afraid of this and Rohan notices a dwarf ranger sneaking up on them. Dia casts a sacred flame and then thaumaturges fireworks to signal us. The dwarf is not pleased and explains they must keep safe before looking for their friends. He warns of a woman called Maldare Everpass and there is a clearing ahead that they will be safe in. He is out scouting for the Bloodsoaked Banner, his organization. His group made camp on the way to Oceanscar. They are looking for a guy but will not say more than that. Dia admits that they are also looking for someone, but she isn’t sure who. Rohan explains we are after a cart because we had a gear mix-up.
The Bloodsoaked Banner are veterans from the war who are a renegade supernatural hunting group. They are very intense.
Arythas and Iskra find a small camp — Iskra smells tea and Arythas sees a bugbear woman. She has a steep mug and is drinking coffee. They go to the woman and awkwardly ask if she knows the mountains. She says yes, and that she is currently on break. We silently sit there with her, and she eventually explains there is a clearing nearby and she takes us there. Dia and Rohan are there.
Arythas and Iskra argue a bit with Dia and Rohan, and the bugbear woman — Shevore — tells us there is a camp further down the way an we can stop there.
Iskra can tell that Shevore is touched by Tristan, and Shevore recognized Dia for who she was immediately, though she says nothing about it.
Arythas looks down and sees a dwarf with his sword drawn. He has some questions, but Iskra bolts and the dwarf follows. Rohan commands the dwarf to stop and Arythas commands Iskra to calm. The dwarf realizes that none of us know that Iskra is cursed. We find out that that the dwarf has the same curse as Iskra and the dwarf explains he’s looking for someone named Tristan. Iskra says he’s looking for a “her,” not a him. Regardless, the dwarf apologizes profusely and we let him go, with Dia asking him to delay the wine cart, if possible.
Rohan walks with Iskra and asks how Mordaine and Iskra could sense some the curse in each other. Iskra says yes, but he doesn’t want to talk much about it with Inky gone. Rohan reassures that we will all help.
Dia beings asking Arythas about his god and Arythas explains that he was put here to purge the world of evil and that he was not very bothered by the abbey because he is used to tragedy. They awkwardly discuss religion and Dia eventually asks what to do if you don’t know what is and isn’t evil. Arythas has to pause and think about this, then responds he would have to ask Bahamut for guidance on this.
As we continue, Rohan starts to play in the snow and it isn’t long before an older man is watching us. He is an older gentleman, a blue dragonborn with some cracked scales. He holds himself like a warrior and is very reserved around Arythas. The group stops to build a snowman, then continues playing. The dragonborn’s name is Amtal, which is familiar to Arythas, though he can’t recall why. He needs to speak with Inky to try to recall why.
We continue on and reach a valley with two camps — the Bloodsoaked Banner and The Family of Light (Church of Pelor) camp. Dia is panicking and wants to avoid the actual valley but we say no. Dia agrees to go to the Bloodsoaked Banner’s camp. We are let in by our dwarven friend. He explains that each camp is looking for a legendary paladin and the situation is tense because they want him to train their people. Dia is aware they mean the dragonborn Artem, AKA the Earthshaker, that helped with the snowman.
Rafferty — one of Dia’s brother — notices her and it is clearly very uncomfortable. Dia tries to back up and the group protectively encloses around her. He wants to know why she is around and if she would join him on his mission. She says no over and over, and tries to convince him the Earthshaker is gone. Rafferty isn’t listening and it goes until Govemon Soldos — the elfin leader of the Bloodsoaked Banner — steps in and sends him off.
The Bloodsoaked Banner and the Family of Light are looking for Artem Vorvarax, paladin of Bahamut, the Earthshaker. The Bloodsoaked Banner want him to help with their initiative while the Family wants him to train their “paladins”. Dia gives a note to Govannon Soldos for Artem to read.
Dia asks how he knows Bertram. She cannot find him, as he is missing. She explains that he may be in a dungeon somewhere where it is snowy and she asks for any information on him if they find something. While he has no promises, they will add him to the list of people to search for.
Iskra has some questions for Soldos:
- Have you heard about a big tragedy lately? Not the fey storm — anything where a lot of people died?
- He hasn’t heard anything specific.
- Iskra is looking for someone — not the same person as Mordaine, but someone who is connected. If one is there then the other is likely not far behind.
- Mordaine was searching for Tristan for much more than a few years. Soldos hasn’t heard anything specific on that front.
Artem Vorvarax — The Earthshaker — Paladin of Bahamut. Story: the most famous is that he used his power to destroy a dam and it drowned a small town. There was a magical project being developed in the town that would have caused devastation but the town wasn’t evacuated so it was stopped at what cost.
Iskra seeks Mordaine down to talk. Mordaine is very sorry as he knows nothing about the woman Iskra is looking for. She gave him tea and then the curse was no longer a thing. Mordaine thinks she isn’t human: perhaps a fey, or celestial, but definitely not a fiend.
Arythas spends a lovely evening talking with Dia about happier things to calm Dia down. The two have a nice conversation as the evening draws on.