The trip back to Grisal was entirely uneventful. Bonebasher insisted on taking it easy and not rushing. His plan was to allow the ghouls to catch up with us and to try and attack again, which they did, and to be fully defeated. 'It's easier if the enemy can walk to their grave than have us carry them.' His very practical logic makes good sense to me. On our return, many dwarves of the military faction came to pay their respects to the dead. Captain Bonebasher presented an heirloom shield to us as a token of gratitude. Wrendell was very pleased to accept this and carried it with pride. We were allowed to refresh back at the inn for the night, before Bonebasher took us to meet his contact. The next day we were taken down into the lower levels of the city to a library archive where we were introduced to an ancient dwarfess called Trehild Shardspike. She was particularly deaf and slightly senile. She ate at least a dozen pickled eggs and kept repeating the legend of Sister Adeleind. Trehild did eventually reveal to us that a small shred of the robes was preserved and is kept by a group of shield maidens of Sif and that this shred has powerful divine powers against undead. 'The order of knights make secret raids into Krakovar from their base of operations in The Wolfmark. They might be found in the Northern city of Jozht. There is also the Court in Exile. Queen Ursula was the monarch of Krakovar before the vampire takeover. The queen and her court may know a more specific location for the Shield Maidens, but the Court in Exile are themselves in hiding and I don't know where they are either.' 'Hmm, This information is very useful but without knowledge of where these groups are, we cannot act upon it. This is truly a bind.' 'We could make the journey to Jozht and try our luck.' 'Ridiculous! That will take months. Don't we need to act with haste and purpose?' 'There is someone.' Trehild offers. 'Jaro Whitebeard, he is a leader at the Black Fortress. He may know of the queen's whereabouts. I can give you a letter of recommendation if you think it would help. The Black Fortress is only a few days North.' 'We might also find some more ghouls to kill on the road North.' 'Very well. It would appear our options are limited. Thank you for all your knowledge.' We said our farewells and packed the wagon before leaving Grisal for the Black Fortress. Once we reached the Black Fortress and in due course met with General Whitebeard. Being a frontline outpost the security was quite strict. Luckily we had our letters of recommendation from Grisal. The General was run off his feet with planning and daily management. He really needs an assistant. We only had a short time to spend with the general but he was most helpful and gave us the location of the Court in Exile; a frontier town on the Dornig border, Kariessen. This next leg was going to be off road which meant selling our wagon, something very upsetting to Samba, his delicate feet are not used to so much walking. Kariessen sits about 100 miles North of the Black Fortress, a trek of about five days. The following morning the party set off from the Black Fortress traveling north along stock trails. For two days headed down out of the mountains, an epic view across the foothills of Dornig, we could also see a small group of riders. As the riders got closer we could make out their banner, the red and gold flag of Dornig. 'Excellent!' shouts Wrendell 'My countrymen have come to welcome me home. I had no idea I was so sorely missed. I must prepare myself.' He then spits into his hands and proceeds to smooth out his hair and buff his armour. The Dornish patrol soon rode up and surrounded us. 'Who goes there? These are protected lands and this is not the time to tarry on our border. You don't appear to be undead but you might ju...' 'Ho brothers!' Wrendell interrupts. ' It is I, Wrendell Feathermantle, Knight errant of Thornguard. Your welcome warms my heart but it is grim tidings I bear.' Wrendell proceeds to overbare the authority of the patrol and after we explain the situation and present our credentials we are allowed to continue. The next day our scouts spotted something strange. There was definitely something or someone following us. We pretended not to notice, then at a suitable point confronted them. A hooded wretch emerged from their hiding spot claiming to be a war refugee called d'Janna but It didn't take long until it became clear she was a ghoul spy and a fight broke out. The Darakhul didn't make it and amongst her meager possessions she had a similar picture to the one we found in the Black Crags. We eventually made it to Kariessen where we had to negotiate entry past crowds of refugees and finally gain an audience with the Court in Exile. The castle of Kariessen was warm and dry but not at all majestic. Out here on the edges of society anything not covered in mud is considered a luxury. The royal council made us wait for a short time before being allowed into the great hall. We first met with the local Lord Toranto for formal greetings before meeting with the official Court in Exile. Queen Urzula of Krakova was stern but kind—the death of her husband still clearly on her mind. Her daughter Zosia was also there, a living reminder to the queen of her responsibility as a mother but also her responsibility to her home nation. The third person in the group was familiar to us all though; Archduke Avgost was the same man from the sketch carried by the darakhul spies. He is bold and loud, his brash behaviour only just holding back his frustration and grief. Wrendell and I relayed the details of our holy quest to find the robes of Sister Adelind, which seemed to be of interest to the court, though they did show surprise when we presented the sketches of the Archduke and explained how we came about them. The Archduke seems quite impressed by Wrendell, identifying him as a man of action and clearly the leader of our group. The queen's daughter also takes a shine to Wrendell admiring his Northern religious symbols which causes Lea to bristle. Nickolai did his best to draw attention away from Wrendell with horrific tales about vampires. The royal court and the Lord Toranto agreed to aid us, suggesting we travel by the Fey Road. 'You will accompany Archduke Avgost on a special mission to Jozht. Take this token as a gift to the Shield-maidens of Sif.' The queen hands over a book - The tree of Knowledge is a tome containing a pressed snowdrop. 'Also these other prizes could be of assistance.' An Elven cloak and a Vial of Sunlight. 'You will leave in a few days. I suggest you get prepared and keep out of trouble in town.' When we met again, Avgost had assembled his scouting party 'I have some business to attend to in the Wolfmark and having a few extra hands might prove useful. This'll be no free ride though, I won't have you lollygagging or loafing about. This is a tough business and everyone will do their bit.' He looks harshly at each of us, obviously sizing us up. 'My trusty scout Ivo will take the lead and you will all listen to his orders.' 'Don't leave the road or wander off.' The gate to the Fey Road was opened and we all stepped through into the twilight forest beyond, fireflies illuminated a dirt road going into the distance. Travel in the Fey realm is slightly disturbing, time clearly works differently there which confuses my clockwork nature. Near the end of the first day we heard a galloping sound. We stepped off the road and saw a Nighthag riding a skeletal Unicorn rush past. Most unusual. The next day we were travelling along when Ivo spotted a strange message on the path. "Yr money or yr lyf" spelled out in twigs and bones. Everyone looked to the Archduke for guidance. 'Do we pay now or risk a fight?' While we milled about, thinking of how to proceed a dark voice boomed out from the trees. "MONEY OR YOUR LIFE" Make your choice!' 'Umm, how much money are we talking about here?' 'AMATURES!!' Wrendell, not one to bend to the will of brigands, stands forward. 'Come out here and show yourselves. We'll not be intimidated by spooky voices and idle threats.' 'THIS NO THREAT. ARGHHH!' A gust of wind blew leaves around on the road but nothing could be seen. I brightened my lantern and Samba flared his light as well. 'Eeeeechhh!!!' From the back of the group a wild patch of shadow bursts apart enveloping the Archdukes guards. Splat, Biff, the bodies are thrown across the path as the shadow cloud vanishes. Some unseen horror was at work now and fear crossed all of our minds. SWOOSH, 'There it is!' shouted Cirdan, 'Phazzarro' as a cloud of magical lights settled on the surface of the creature showing its shape even as it turned invisible again. GASHHH 'Arghhh' another of the guards was torn in half. 'Time to run for it. Follow me!' shouts Ivo as he dashed forward through the trees. 'Hmm. I think I have something for this.' Nickolai reaches into his pouches for the magical vial of sunlight. Inspired by Samba Nickolai summoned the brightness of the sun into the shady glade. Now in the harsh light of day this Shadow Drake was at a huge disadvantage and taking the oppertunity we moved in and soon overpowered the beast to the delight of the Archduke. It didn't take too long before we had found the drake's treasure hoard and rested for the night. The sight of so much gold set my gears whirling. Coin is such a crude use for such a wondrous metal. I know I could craft something worth twice as much given the chance. Avgost is now completely smitten with Sir Wrendell, his brave assault on the drake while Ivo attempted to flee has raised his estimation of his skills to epic proportions. Samba and I prepared the dead for burial but Ivo said that we might make mention to the Fairy Court in any funerary rites. The fickle fey can be easily offended. The next day we made it to another gate. 'This is the way out.' said Ivo. 'We should be at an ancient ruin called the Stone Galleries. We still have quite a way to get to Jozht but we have covered a huge distance.' We returned to the normal world into a stone plaza littered with broken stonework and an odd collection of statues. We barely had time to orient ourselves when we were set upon by basilisks, ghouls, and cockatrice.
