Summary
The party gathered to discuss experience point mechanics and their previous adventures before entering the orcish stronghold of Khardruz. They purchased winter clothing for 2 GP each, necessary for survival in the harsh climate. The sprawling tent city surrounding the fortress bustled with merchants, nomads, refugees, and mercenaries, while public punishment areas like stocks and hanging cages lined the perimeter.
Khemsa attempted to inquire about arcane knowledge from a local who fled in fear. The party observed various activities including fight clubs, gambling, and games throughout the camp. A prominent sign reading “kill not, steal not” stood at the entrance, accompanied by a pile of humanoid skulls.
The adventurers learned of Fiadh’s Rest, a mysterious fog-shrouded island with tales of a battle involving a fairy being and enchanted armor. They secured passage with Captain Fingle, an orc commanding the peat-hauling barge Cretan, who agreed to wait four days for their return in exchange for 20% of their loot.
During their journey, the party spotted giant wagon-sized clams in shallow waters. Their attempt to harvest them led to several misadventures, including Irvane jumping in while wearing chainmail and nearly drowning. Though they managed to retrieve one massive clam, it proved worthless, filled only with silt and kelp.
Upon reaching the island, they noticed an unusual climate divide – the north perpetually shrouded in fog while the south remained balmy with unseasonably blooming flowers. Following white cobblestones through the fog, they discovered an eighty-foot alabaster tower with blue flame at its peak. They chose to enter through a crude tunnel rather than the main golden-etched doors.
The underground entrance led them through storerooms where they found brass nails, ornate walnut doors with brass glyphs, and mysterious blue flames. They encountered scorched blue gnome-like bodies and collected unusual square silver coins bearing elven imagery. The party detected powerful fae magic throughout the structure.
Their exploration was interrupted by an attack from four ghostly blue wisps that drained constitution from a party member. Slib successfully turned undead, destroying two wisps and causing the others to flee. Alsob discovered magical mirrors showing memories and a kitchen with magically appearing gourmet food.
In the feast hall, they found a leaping deer statue containing a special fae-slaying arrow. The hall featured a table that magically produced elaborate meals, though they discovered that iron and steel were damaged by the prevalent fae magic. Throughout the tower’s levels, they encountered numerous dead blue creatures and skeletons.
The party’s exploration culminated in meeting a tall elven woman with silver braided hair and bark-like skin, who tasked them with retrieving Fiadh’s skull. When they found the skull, adorned with ruby eyes, it proved capable of speech and revealed hostility toward the elven woman. The situation quickly turned dangerous, forcing the party to flee as magical flame bolts pursued them.
Their expedition yielded several valuable items including a golden pendant containing ashes worth 50 GP, fancy rations valued at 4 GP each, and the fae-slaying arrow. The party escaped with their lives and divided their earnings of roughly 13 GP each, along with 3 XP for their discoveries.
Scenes
Session Start and XP Discussion
The party discusses XP mechanics and previous adventures while preparing to enter Khardruz
- Discussion of XP thresholds and mechanics
- Recap of previous session’s fistfight with nomads
- Players purchase winter clothing for 2 gold each
- Party prepares to enter Khardruz
Exploring Khardruz
The party explores the sprawling tent city surrounding the orcish fortress of Khardruz
- Khemsa attempts to inquire about arcane knowledge from a local who flees
- The party learns about the tent city’s inhabitants including merchants, nomads, refugees
- They discover public punishment areas like stocks and hanging cages
- They learn about local activities like fight clubs, gambling, and games
- They observe the ‘kill not, steal not’ warning sign with pile of skulls
Planning the Journey to Fiadh’s Rest
The party discusses traveling to a mysterious fog-shrouded island called Fiadh’s Rest
- They learn about rumors of a battle with a fairy being at Fiadh’s Rest
- They hear about enchanted armor that transformed its wearer
- They find a Fingle, a captain willing to transport them and wait a few days
- They discuss visiting barrow ruins along the way
Giant Clam Hunt
The party attempts to harvest giant clams from shallow waters while dealing with rising tides
- Party spots giant wagon-sized clams in shallow water
- Irvane jumps in wearing chainmail and starts sinking
- Multiple party members attempt to retrieve clams using ropes and nets
- Successfully retrieve one giant clam but find it filled with silt and kelp
- Rising tide forces them to abandon other clams
- Belia suggests using the bad clam meat as fishing bait
Sailing to the Mysterious Isle
The party sails to an island shrouded in fog on its northern side, landing on the balmy southern coast
- Captain Fingle agrees to wait 4 days for the party’s return
- Party notices unnaturally blooming plants and flowers out of season
- Group stocks up on rations and dried fish from the captain
- Party leaves winter gear on the boat due to warm climate
- They observe the stark contrast between foggy north and warm south
Journey to the Tower
The party follows white cobblestones through fog to reach a massive alabaster tower
- Camp overnight in a warm glade and spot mysterious blue light that vanishes
- Follow scattered white cobblestones that form into a proper road
- Navigate through thick, clinging fog with limited visibility
- Discover 80-foot alabaster tower with blue flame at top
- Find golden-etched doors with glyphs and crude tunnel entrance
Exploring the Underground Entrance
The party explores a crudely dug tunnel leading to storerooms beneath the tower
- Found brass nails in barrels that could be used as caltrops
- Discovered ornate walnut doors with brass glyphs
- Encountered mysterious blue flame blocking passage
- Found two scorched blue gnome-like bodies with brass daggers
- Retrieved unusual square silver coins with elven imagery
- Detected powerful fae magic throughout the area
Battle with Wisps
The party encounters and defeats ghostly wisps while exploring storage chambers
- Four blue wisps attack and drain constitution from a party member
- Slib successfully turns undead, destroying two wisps and causing two to flee
- Mummum smashed jars containing herbs and ointments
- Alsob discovered magical mirrors showing memories
- Find kitchen with magical food and fancy rations
The Magical Feast Hall
The party discovers a feast hall with strange magical properties
- Found leaping deer statue with special Fae-slaying arrow
- Discovered table magically producing gourmet food
- Slib ate magical food described as extraordinarily delicious
- Discovered iron/steel is damaged by the fae magic
- Khemsa realized they’re in a fae domain due to absence of iron
Exploring the Tower Levels
The party explores multiple levels of the mysterious tower
- Found rooms filled with dead blue creatures and skeletons
- Discovered toppled statue of elven maiden
- Located circular stone ring walkway with no barrier
- Found barricaded stairway and broken doors
- Discovered valuable rations and noble clothing
- Mummum retrieved golden pendant containing ashes
Confrontation with Tower Residents
The party encounters the tower’s current and former occupants
- Met tall elven woman with silver hair and bark-like skin
- Woman tasks party with retrieving Fiadh’s skull
- Found Fiadh, skull with ruby eyes that can speak
- Discovered conflict between Fiadh and the elven woman
- Party flees when situation turns hostile
- Magical flame bolts chase them during escape
NPCs
Fiadh
Former tower resident whose skull contains ruby eyes. Can speak, hover, and shows hostility toward the elven woman who has taken over the tower.
Elven Woman
A tall, attractive being with silver braided hair and bark-like skin who has taken control of the tower. Commands blue goblin-like creatures and seeks Fiadh’s skull, promising treasure in return.
One-Legged Monsters
Strange creatures with a single leg and mostly mouth, found dead among other remains throughout the tower.
Wisps
Blue, candle-like spirits bound to the tower that can drain constitution from living beings. Proven to be undead in nature as they were affected by Turn Undead.
Blue Creatures
Mysterious humanoids with dog-like ears and blue skin, roughly gnome-sized. Found both as guards for the elven woman and as corpses throughout the tower.
Enoq People
Human reindeer herders native to the region. Some have settled in Vishrun while others maintain their nomadic lifestyle.
Captain Fingle
An orc captain who commands the Cretan, a peat-hauling barge with a crew of four orcs. Agrees to wait 4 days for the party’s return in exchange for 20% of their findings and provides them with smoked fish rations.
Locations
Howling Caves
Mysterious caves mentioned by Captain Fingle, known for strange howling sounds and good fishing. Located half a day’s sail west along the coast.
Alabaster Tower
An 80-foot tall white tower on Fiadh’s Rest with multiple levels, magical blue flames, and various magical chambers. Features include arrow slits, golden-etched doors, underground entrance, mirror room, feast hall, and evidence of recent combat throughout.
Vishrun
A southern city where many settled Enoq natives live, having aligned themselves with the Empire.
Fiadh’s Rest
A fog-shrouded island with a mysterious history involving a battle with Nathair, a fae warlord. Known for magical treasures including enchanted yarn. Features an unusual climate with the north perpetually foggy while the south remains balmy with unseasonable blooming flowers.
Khardruz
An orcish stronghold and busy port city surrounded by a sprawling tent city. Features trade gates, temples to chaos gods, and public punishment areas. Marked by a warning sign with pile of skulls and requires winter clothing to survive.
Spells
Feast Illusion
A magical effect in the feast hall that creates illusory but tangible gourmet food appearing in a rolling bank of mist.
Turn Undead
Successfully cast by Slib to destroy two wisp creatures and cause two others to flee, confirming their undead nature.
Detect Magic
Used by Khemsa multiple times to analyze the magical nature of the tower and its contents. Revealed pervasive fae magic that felt like wading through tar while being wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket.
Items
Ruby-Eyed Skull
Fiadh’s skull with rubies inset into its eye sockets. Can hover and speak, found on a stone plinth in the tower’s undercroft.
Noble Lady’s Clothing
Elegant woolen and linen garments with embroidery depicting deer and bees, suitable for nobility. Found in tower bedroom.
Fancy Rations
High-quality food items including honey-glazed nuts, herb-infused cheese with saffron, and dried meats. Worth 4 gold each.
Golden Pendant
A pendant with a deer’s head design containing gray funerary ashes and bone fragments, worth 50 gold.
Fae Arrow
A special arrow with blue feathers and brass hunting tip, retrieved from deer statue. Lethal to fae creatures but dangerous to possess around them.
Magical Mirrors
Four gilt-framed standing mirrors about 5 feet tall, rimmed in gold and silver. Show viewers memories from their past when looked into. Valuable but difficult to transport.
Square Silver Coins
Unusual square silver pieces etched with images of an antlered elven woman and unknown glyphs around the edges. Found on dead blue creatures.
Brass Nails
A handful of rusty, bent brass nails found in the tower that could be used as improvised caltrops.
Enchanted Yarn
Magical yarn previously retrieved from Fiadh’s Rest by other adventurers, meant to be spun into garments by a fairy weaver.
Dubious Heroes 
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