Tales of Tolvenia, Chapter Eleven, Part Two

Dates: 19 January 2012 to 2 February 2012. Present: Zach (Haley), Peter (Zirg), Matthew (Jaren), Habiba (Ransia) and Eric (Goblina).

The party returned to the deep cave goblin village at Thanthrang Caves and Goblina reported their deeds to the grateful shaman, chief and remaining villagers.

In the aftermath of the celebrations, the shaman informed Goblina that strangers were approaching the village. When they arrived, it turned out to be Sister Ransia Scorch, Chief Inquisitor of Lutia – along with a party of twelve guards. She interviewed the party about their part in the discovery of treasure near Treston and the capture of the mysterious elf. Jaren lied successfully about not having the fragments of the dead gods, and also handed over the repaired Cup of Thurar.

Ransia Scorch took the body of the elf into her custody and, aided and advised by Zirg, resurrected him using the Cup of Thurar. Using telepathy magic, she then forced him to tell her the truth about what he had been doing. He told a tale of lust for knowledge and disregard for life. He had been on a quest to Glauptoern and had returned with three godstones, one of which he had left behind as its effects had been too strong. Travelling towards his home in Araquost – he was, in fact, Orimbriivnor Galantras, a prince of Araquost – he had repeatedly experimented with the godstones, eventually learning to harness the divine magic they gave access to. His intentions with regard to the balruga was to create his finest and most powerful mutant yet.

The party accompanied Sister Scorch in a sham effort to recover the godstones. Zirg fashioned some fake godstones and gave them to Jaren to give to Scorch. However, Jaren couldn’t keep a smirk off his face when he handed them to Ransia, claiming that he’d just found them. She right through his lie and in a tense discussion they arrived at an agreement that the party would return with Ransia to Lutia to claim their reward, potentially face justice and attend the research into the godstones.

On returning to Thanthrang Caves, they were met with the deep cave goblins’ returning warriors, who were accompanied by large parties from two other tribes. These groups, now that Galantras had been neutralised, wanted to follow the balruga and worship it. Zirg stayed behind to continue his studies of the goblins. Scorch and the party headed back.

In the dwarven town of Huntholm, they faced questioning about discrepancies between what their papers said and what they were actually doing; Friar Rishtuk also set some alarm bells ringing. On the way up to the Clan Hall, Jaren decided to try harnessing the Heramnuri godstone to reverse some Vilstrithiani mutations. He failed and caused several Heramnuri mutations. Goblina managed to escape the party in the confusion and was able to communicate with the others about the dwarves’ reaction.

In the end, the party spent more time in Huntholm while Jaren hastily learned to use the divine magic enabled by the godstones and reverse all the mutations he’d caused.

The party returned to Bardet, where Sir Rolme Spearshaft made good on his promise to reward the party for their apprehending of Galantras. The party went shopping and acquired some bespoke magical items. Jaren received a letter from his order telling him he was the temporary Interlocutor for the Church of the Monad on the subject of the godstone he and his party had discovered.

Rolme and Ransia wanted the party to travel to the east to investigate the reports of demons, angels and massive dark cloud over the sea. The party wanted to stay with the godstones. They granted the party a week to study them at a secret location – where the other godstone – poorly hidden by Haley and subsequently found by Sir Rolme’s men – was being researched. Dolo and Malack left the party to resume doing what they loved best.

The party set off to this location along with Ransia and her guards. On the second morning, they were met by a lone eluri who appeared in their path. The eluri claimed to be Athmalniëryi Vizhnan, Special High Librarian and he demanded to be given the godstones (he also wanted Galantras, but the elf had been sent to the capital, Luteln). The party refused and more people appeared – five more eluri and five giant fighters. Vizhnan joined the group travelled with them to the isolated mansion where the godstones were to be studied. Jaren spent his week doing just this; Haley and Goblina also trained their skills.