August 11, the One with the Racist Dwarf

The group returned to Wolfridge Crossing (after being delayed by a spiderbite) to find the town being defended by a group of dwarves from Darmagon called the Homeland Guard, led by one Tharkon Steadfast, a gray-bearded member of the Dwarven Inquisition. The Inquisition was created to protect the dwarves from wizards and the fey, and some in the party felt Tharkon took his job a little too seriously - he had banned armed fey from the city (much to the consternation of Baiden and the rest of the party when they encountered Sharnok the dragonborn guard), and was generally dismissive of Baiden and Idilai as fey, Vensil as a wizard and Anvar as a member of the intrusive Garden of Sand. In addition, he had closed Vensil's shop for being accused of a place to harbor witchcraft and sorcery.

Mayor Creen seemed unable to stop the dwarves (and not particularly interested in doing so). The Homeland Guard was investigating lost portals in the area, so the party decided to prove itself as defenders of Wolfridge Crossing by going to help the dwarves close down an old portal that once belonged to a halfling cult called the Underfoot who once worshipped demons and the dark dragon goddess Tiamat in the area.

On their way to the location of the rumored portal stone, the group was accosted by a witch named Severell, an eladrin working for the fey mistress hunting Anvar. She, along with a group of phase spiders, wilden (tree creatures), and a dark archer trapped the party at a river crossing. The party defeated them and moved on to investigating the portal stone.

Finding the fallen tower in whose basement the stone once stood, the party descended into the basement. Anvar headed down the hall, but when a voice asked "Who goes there?" Idilai was unable to convince them that she was Anvar and that Anvar was Severell.

July 28, The One with Pleiades and the Poorly Hatched Idea

The group lowered itself into the deathtrap below. Idilai tried to convince them that she was the elf they were looking for . . . to no avail. Valandra exploded out of the box, and combat commenced.

During the fight, with the enormous warforged named Pleiades and a halfling in a gatling-ballista, Pleiades was revealed to be some half-warforged, half-minotaur monstrosity unlike anything you had ever seen.

Defeated, the players returned to Inyela Ironblossom for their reward, which included some custom tailoring from her husband Tarl.

The group then set out for Wolfridge Crossing.

July 21, The One With All the Gambling

After leaving Faelmane Bowertop, the group continued its search for Celedur Ironblossom. After much searching, with the help of the information gleaned from Faelmane's research assistant Fezik Starmantle, the group was able to gain entrance to Vance's. It took the group two trips to Vance's to get the info needed to hunt down Celedur. Apparently, a warforged loan-shark named Pleiades might know where he was, but Pleiades had gone underground. Vance, an eye-patched debonair elf who was an avid gambler, knew where he was. He gambled with Idilai, losing a finger, and revealed the last known location of Pleiades - a warehouse in the Fontis neighborhood.

When the party got there, they found it guarded by elves and warforged, whom they quickly dispatched, to lower themselves into the basement, where Pleiades waited.

July 7, The One with the Trash Monster and the Professor

The party was ambushed in the Caserma District of Pelnaad by three genasi warriors - a dextrous female causticsoul named Deska, a male plaguesoul warrior of the wild and a loosely-clothed male icesoul of giant proportions and terrifying speed. The warriors assaulted the party, and told the party that they only wanted Baiden for his past crimes. When Vensil entered the fray, the warriors identified him as a Gray Academy wizard and began to target him as well.

During the engagement, the plaguesoul genasi hit Baiden with a bag of powder, leaving him with a glowing, pulsing rune that he could not escape. Over time, the shadows in the area and the trash littering the street began to increase, until an Oppidan Wraith appeared in the party's midst. The foul behemoth of darkness and refuse was nigh unstoppable, its dark energies limiting the ability of the party to regain their breath, leaving both Valandra and Baiden near death.

When our brave heroes finally bested the wraith, they began to look for help. They found it in a pair of Iron Attendants who brought the party back to a waiting room where they were interrogated, and the Attendants made it clear they would be keeping their eye on Baiden.

When the Attendants let the party go, it was morning, so the party, exhausted, made their way back to the Institute Caraterri and to the lab of Faelmane Bowertop. There, she and her assistants attempted to remove the fey curse from Anvar. Though the ritual they invoked was strong, they were unable to both remove the curse within the scope of the limitation that they keep Anvar alive.

After the curse-removal ritual failed, the Valandra and Talon interrogated one of Faelmane's assistants, a Fezik Starmantle of the Westmote Starmantles. Valandra and Talon heard Fezik mention the name Vance's, and they grilled him until he divulged the method for gaining entrance to the gambling parlor. In doing so, the found out that Celedur, the fourth husband of Lady Inyela Ironblossom, owed one hundred gold farthings to a loan shark named Pleiades. Pleiades is (rumor has it) a hulking warforged who had his head sculpted into that of a bull. One hundred gold farthings isn't enough to cause someone to disappear, though, so something is clearly afoot.

At Valandra's insistence, Baiden and Idilai made it clear to Faelmane that in addition to Anvar's curse, they had sought our her guidance and knowledge with regards to what might appear to be an invasion from the Feywild. Faelmane said that the Witenagemot had lost contact with many nations in the Feywild recently, and has assumed that it was the doing of Corleth, the Archfey Lord of Midnight, whose dominion includes the area where Pelnaad appears in the Feywild. She promised to send help to Wolfridge Crossing, and sent a message to Mayor Creen, and informed the party that the key to Anvar's troubles might be found in either Darmagon or the Astral Sovereign.

June 30, The One with the Flamepanthers and the Arrival in Pelnaad

(With thanks to Jon) After retrieving the gnomish band’s promised bow and chainmail from the trees above, the group moved on toward Pelnaad. When dangerous thunderstorms struck, our heroes decided to take shelter in a nearby cave. Over a campfire, each member recounted their experiences the past few weeks with one another, and shared food, drink, and shelter. Woken by growls outside one mouth of the cave, the party was assaulted by flamepanthers. As the band of adventurers defended themselves against the two prong ambush, they realized that these beasts hail from the northern mountainous reaches near Darmagon. Idilai and Anvar thought it odd that they had traveled so far from the mountain regions they called home. The battle was a hard-earned victory, however, as Baiden nearly succumbed to an overpowering gout of flame, that spurted out much akin to blood or phlegm.

Valanvar in tow, the group made its way through the nearby marshes en route to the fantastic fey city of Pelnaad. Baiden, Anvar, and Valandra stayed at the rowdy Happy Dragonborn Inn the first night in the capital, while Idilai led Talon and Vensil to the more tepid Three Bookshelves. At dusk, Idilai took the wizard and solemn deva to the rooftops in Pelnaad as they observed the districts of Aeglise and Caserma warp in from the Feywild. In the morning, they would reunite inside the Happy Dragonborn, where Anvar, Baiden, and Valandra would be sobering up. However, a unique adventuring opportunity came across the group’s lap in the form of a frail elf and her half-giant manservant. Lady Inyela Ironblossom, a former witan (councilmember) of Pelnaad and sister to Randon Summersong, needed help finding her husband.

Apparently, Inyela's fourth husband Celedur has gone missing, and she was seeking adventurers to find him and return the fool to safety. Since the merry band would be milling about the various districts of Pelnaad, they agreed to keep an eye out. Of note were two locations in Eastmote where Celedur was known to spend plenty of time: Vance’s and The Weeping Falconer Inn. Despite Talon’s objections, they agreed to keep a watchful eye and report to the frail elf at her estate in Caserma.

Led by Anvar, the dwarf who had never been to Pelnaad before, the party eventually made it to the rumored location of Vance’s. However, they were greeted with sharp eyes beyond an iron door with a peephole asking for “the password.” Despite his best attempts at bribery and compliment, Baiden could not deter the guard from his duty to disallow those without the proper phrasing into Vance’s. Despite nearly being tempted by a pack of sly children just outside Vance's to follow them down the street for more information. Baiden suggested stopping in at The Weeping Falconer to see if they could find anything about Celedur or a password to Vance’s.

Inside The Weeping Falconer, the group made its way through the crowded pub to what seemed to be the head of the establishment, a buxom elven woman named Bizelle Petalwing, who informed our intrepid heroes of the Falconer's one rule: "Keep your hands off the ladies!" As Idilai and Talon scanned the crowd for onlookers, Baiden was able to extract as much information as he could surrounding the disappearance of Celedur (who was described as a gambler, a john, and a braggart. Exiting the Falconer, Idilai pointed out the approach of dusk and an opportune time to seek out Faelmane Bowertop (fah-EL-mah-nay) at the Institute Caraterri in the district of Caserma.

Unfortunately for the group, it was into the wee hours of the night and the university seemed to have shut down. Despite this, they were able to bribe the guards outside the faculty housing to gain access. Rushing up to Faelmane’s room in the middle of the night, they knocked on her door and were greeting with a kind face and inviting nature. Faelmane invited the party in, put on some tea, and prodded as to the meaning of the adventurers’ late visit. The party pointed out the odd curse that had been ailing Anvar, and Faelmane investigated with excitement. It was decided that, in the morning, we were all to reconvene at Professor Bowertop’s laboratory, and Anvar would be subject to a full analysis of his curse. Both apologetic and appreciative, the group bid Faelmane adieu and set off to sleep for the evening.

However, just outside the university, whilst crossing one of the city's many canals, Baiden and his mates ran into a group of, apparent, familiar faces. Three genasi - a plaguesoul, a causticsoul and an icesoul - accosted the group and informed Baiden that he had failed them "for the last time."

June 9, The One With the Gnome and The Treensformation

(With thanks to Jon) A great sense of urgency flooded the minds of Talon, Baiden, and Idilai after emerging from the portal in the nick of time. Upon their relaying the disturbing images of a great fey army amassing in the Feywild to Valandra, Anvar, and Vensil, the party agreed that their next move should be warning the town of Wolfridge Crossing of a potential threat to the region. Eventually, they made their way back through the network of tunnels and emerged above ground - in the chapel where they had encountered Wervin. In the meantime, the rest of the party attempted to restore the crumbling church and its grounds so that it looked undisturbed. Soon thereafter, they made their way into the Black River Vale towards Wolfridge.

After traveling all morning and afternoon, the group prepared camp for the night. As they sat around the fire, eating and reminiscing about the recent events, two injured individuals emerged from the dark forest – a dragonborn and his Darmagon-warforged (an intelligent golem made of wood, metal and stone). The pair, who would later introduce themselves as Patrelli, and his manservant, Timber, had come under recent attack by bandits local to the areas surrounding Wolfridge Crossing. Patrelli professed to own a caravan that often traveled between Darmagon and Wolfridge carrying raw metals (and other profitable items). Most of the caravan died, but they did not - Patrelli had put extra guards on duty after he crossed paths with a messenger from Arthur Cassy on his way to Darmagon (a move that saved his life). In the wake of the onslaught, they fled and sought refuge elsewhere. Despite some tough interrogation from Talon, the party agreed to assist both of them and invited Patrelli and Timber to stay over night. It was decided that they could accompany the group back to Wolfridge Crossing, since they were headed that way in the first place.

The next morning, breakfast was had and the band of, now eight, adventurers made their way out of the Black Wood Vale towards Wolfridge Crossing. Just beyond its borders, a great storm surprisingly assaulted the party. As it grew in power, soon branches, and eventually entire trees, were caught in its winds. Of the group, poor Anvar the Flat-Footed – despite his stout and resilient nature – was overcome by what seemed to be the trunk of a tree flung by the great storm in his direction. As the party watched in horror, poor Anvar screamed as branches, roots, and leaves tore and slashed both clothing and skin. Valandra valiantly came to his aid, and was able to shield the fallen dwarf from the storm of debris with her towering shield. However, it was too late. For as soon as she did so, the violent winds and branches dissipated, but a grim message had been carved by the thorns into Anvar’s broad shoulders. YOU KILLED MY SON. I'LL SEE YOU SOON, it read. Despite Idilai’s best efforts in healing, it appeared that Anvar was now cursed. With poor Patrelli and Timber spooked, and Anvar being cared for, the group doubled their efforts to get back to Wolfridge before any other mysterious events came their way.

Once the party arrived back in Wolfridge, a smattering of events took place. Patrelli and Timber were escorted the Elven Halfpenny, and were rewarded handsomely with a Darmagonian writ valued at 100gp. Some members of the group sought out Baldwin Lovelle, but were unsuccessful in gathering any information, let alone getting inside the building. It was then that the suggestion came about to warn Mayor Creen of the events in the Black River Vale. Idilai parted from the group to check in with Melmellandria at the Free Temple, but said she would rendezvous in the morning. While at the temple, the two elves discussed the nature of this “curse” that had come over Anvar and ways to lift it. Anvar later showed up to pray at the Free Temple. Mayor Creen suggested seeing an elven loremaster in Pelnaad who had been apart of Mayor Creen's adventuring band and one of the founder's of the Crossing. Valandra checked in with Simon, the captain of the town guard to alert him of the potential fey invasion; she also told him of the attacks on Patrelli’s caravan.

In the morning, the party regrouped, bought a mule named Valanvar and set off for Pelnaad. There, they would seek out the loremaster Faelmane Bowertop (fah-EL-mah-nay). Not even a day into the Pelnaad Marshes, a curious gnome with explosive white hair named Nimrok. He invited the party to play a game – of sorts – and inticed the group into it by offering them a bow and set of armor they had “come into the possession of.” At the announcement of this “event,” five other gnomish bandits appeared. Nimrok tossed an apple to each member of the party and invited them to eat it; only Idilai and Vensil did so (each bite was shared by a bite from a matched gnome). Much to the amazement of the party, the apples turned both Vensil and Idilai (and their corresponding gnomes) into trees! The gnomes then took this opportunity to attack the group. During the battle, Idilai and Vensil were able to manifest control over their tree-forms and come to their compatriots' aid.

After a hard-fought battle, Nimrok opened what seemed to be a door in a tree, and escaped through it. After dispatching the rest of the gnomes, the group attempted to pursue him, but could not detect the method by which his escape happened. They were able to reclaim the bow and the chainmail from the tree for the group to have. The party made camp for the day and waited for Vensil and Idilai to slowly return to their humanoid figures.

June 2, the One with the Portal

(With thanks to Jon) Upon being discovered, Wervin had some rather nasty things to say to the party. Despite the pleas of Idilai and Baiden to cease his misbehavior, Wervin confidently displayed his true power. Arcs of lightning shot out from his fingertips and reanimated the souls of the slain adventurers in the center of the temple. The battle raged on, and seeing the tide slowly turn against him, Wervin nearly managed to escape. However, careful tactics and strategy from Valandra prevented this and lead to his eventual demise.

After sundering his runed armor and defeating Wervin (and his minions) and looting a shiny cloak from his cold body, the group discovered a small rectory tucked away from the main temple area. Inside was a hole dug into a tunnel below. Idilai and Baiden went outside to make sure the previous tussle had gone unnoticed, and then dragged the bodies inside and shut the doors. Meanwhile, Vensil cast light on poor Anvar and he was lowered into the depths.

The man-made tunnel went on for quite some time; often weaving in and around several old buildings of the village that once stood within the Black River Vale. After some time, they ran into, and startled, a fair-skinned eladrin who – at first glance – seemed to be arming traps. It was then that Talon thought it best to grapple his face in an attempt to subdue the creature and gain information. Unfortunately, he did not know his own strength and snapped the neck of the eladrin. The efforts of the group would not be in vain; however, as they eventually dispelled a ward and picked a lock and came into possession of a chest filled with a small fortune in silver rods.

The adventurers pressed forward through the tunnel. They began to notice odd undergrowth in the caverns below the former city, and soon realized that leaves were spreading and expanding on all sides of the tunnels ahead of them. Nonetheless, they would proceed until the tunnel system opened up into a final, large room. Inside it, poor Zorella was bound to a portal. But waiting for them was an eladrin with the horns of a goat, who did not share his name.

Met with hostility, the party brought the fight to him. Within the first few seconds, the creature used his powers of the wind within the room to push Zorella through the portal. Her passage through was resulted in a bloodcurdling scream and the activation of the portal. However, this fueled the determination of the group even more. The battle would rage on, and eladrin soldiers poured out of the still-open portal. Taking notice of the odd runes inscribed in the floor, Vensil smudged one out, and informed the rest of the group that doing so would impair, and eventually close, the portal itself.

It was a hard-fought battle, but the group soon realized that the runes were arranged in a way that mirrored a pentagram; the fifth and final rune – according to Vensil’s study of magical incantations – should reside on the other side of the portal.
Eager to see what was beyond, Baiden hopped through.

He was met with an amazing sight. Emerging through the misty portal, the half-elf found himself high atop a branch of a monstrous tree miles in height. Before him, a sword lay in a stone with the fifth rune etched upon it. He lunged for it in an attempt to dislodge the blade, but was not successful. As he looked over his shoulder he noticed what seemed to be a legion of fey warriors approaching the portal. Idilai then burst through to see what had become of Baiden. Her attempts to dislodge the sword were also unsuccessful. Talon finally came through, smudged out the final rune, and then told the other two members to get out while they still can. The portal closed just as Baiden finished passing through.