Previously ...

( From 3rd November 2013 ) Things got even stranger on the second floor of the palace as the party encountered illusionary battling swords, an animated iron statue, and three people who had somehow avoided the petrification that seems to have afflicted most of the palace’s residents The magic-user Mirabalis and two of Princess Argenta’s personal bodyguards all claim to have been asleep at the time of the attack. On a more mundane note, Nephille made a new friend - a black kitten that is now trailing him around.

( From 10th November 2013 ) Much in the Palace of the Silver Princess is not what it first seems. “Mirabalis” was revealed as a doppleganger. Nephille’s black kitten transformed itself into a panther (and might have proved to be a valuable long-term ally if Gran hadn’t attempted to kill it). And three heavily outnumbered bugbears turned out to be particularly challenging foes with Andris, Nephille and The Weaponmaster all falling before they were defeated. We left the party resting and dividing up their dead comrades possessions ...

(From 17th November 2013) The palace gardens, filled as they were with strange and deadly plants, provided the party with a stern test. Bifum died after becoming entangled with a vampire rose, and Pankul very nearly did likewise. Bregomoril was also badly wounded by the thorn sprays from an archer bush. The potential reward for all this botanical interaction? A silver statuette of a dragon that currently lies next to the body of poor Bifum.

(From 1st December 2013) The silver dragon statuette was retrieved from the palace gardens without any further casualties. The same cannot be said for an encounter with a many-tentacled decapus in which Azdar became the party's latest victim. Exploring the palace further, the ballroom, with its ghostly dancers, provided a big test of the party's courage ... a test that half of the "brave" adventurers failed. Those of sterner resolve were about to enter the ballroom to investigate ...

(From 15th December 2013) After lighting fires in the palace ballroom and looting the princess's private quarters (shame on you!), the party finally tracked down the Princess Argenta in her throne room. Unfortunately she was trapped in a large ruby with a rather sinister looking dude clad in black armour. As Gran attempted to pick-up the ruby, a small army of red-armour-wearing warriors appeared from nowhere and the situation became somewhat chaotic. Zan'zu's Sleep spell worked on himself(!), Gran and Seth, but had no effect whatsoever on the red guards. Grumdin and Vuher were killed in a valiant rear-guard action (i.e. they were too slow in running away). The others managed to escape. When we left things, the slumbering trio had awoken: Seth had glugged a Potion of Gaseous Form and is floating somewhere near the ceiling; Gran, surrounded by red warriors, is looking longingly at a second bottle of gaseous form potion lying on the floor in front of her; and Zan'zu has the ruby safely in his bag of holding - if only there was some way he could escape the throne room ...

(From 15th December 2013) With the jewel-entrapped princess safely stored in their Bag of Holding, the party searched the upper levels of the palace for ways in which they might free her. Vuher's magical glowing sword didn't do the trick. Nor could they find any clues in the eerie palace ballroom. After encounters with a wight and an ogre, the adventurers stumbled across some sort of ceremony involving a symbol-laden circle, a red-robed figure, and a pulsing ruby sword ....

Desolate and abandoned, the evil alchemist's mansion stands alone on the cliff, looking out towards the sea. Mysterious lights and ghostly hauntings have kept away the people of Saltmarsh, despite rumors of a fabulous forgotten treasure. What is it's sinister secret?

(From 12th January 2014) Chasing rumours of alchemical gold within a haunted house, the brave adventurers arrived in the fishing town of Saltmarsh. A deal was struck with the Town Council to clear the house on the understanding that the party could keep any treasure recovered. The party had just arrived at the abandoned house (which sits atop a cliff, looking out to sea, some four miles east of the town) and were about to begin their investigations ...

(From 19th January 2014) Exploring the ground floor of the house, most rooms suggested a state of complete abandonment (save for a family of giant centipedes that were less than happy at their peace being disturbed). However, in two locations - the room leading out to the patio and the stairs leading down to the cellar - sinister booming voices, hideous laughter and tortured screams were heard, which subsequently sent most of the party fleeing. The more resolute members of the party (Seth, Ivansteen, Vuher and Zan'zu) steeled themselves for an exploration of the wine cellar where a rot-grub invested corpse provided a brief distraction ("chop his arm off!"). However, a boarded-over exit from the cellar led to a quite different area of the house - a well-maintained (well lit, well stocked) underground living quarters for a group of around ten people. When we left them, the party had convened by the well in the garden to plan their next move.

(From 26th January 2014) With new resolve, the entire party resumed the search of the house's cellars, but the whereabouts of the residents of the underground living quarters remained a mystery. Returning to the ground floor, they commenced an investigation of the mansion's eastern wing, where they were soon attacked by a group of foraging giant ants. The ants' tough exoskeletons made them formidable opponents and both Ivansteen and Grumdin were killed. As we pick-up the action, two ants remain ...

(From 2nd February 2014) Amethysts, crystals and diamonds ... all were found secreted away in various nooks and crannies of the old mansion as the party continued their search. But aside from poor Ned, who was found injured, half-naked and bound in one of the bedrooms, the victim of some unseen assailants (and Gran's rather rough man-handling), the identity of the cellar occupants remains unknown. With the party split, Melondrach, Petros, Seth and Yasimo have just been ambushed by four stirges in the hard-to-reach attic.

(From 9th February 2014) The stirges in the attic were swiftly dealt with and the party returned to the ground floor entrance hall where the unfortunate Ned was reunited with his clothes and sent on his way, somewhat the worse for wear. Resuming their search of the cellars, a secret door in the skeletons' room was uncovered which led to the alchemist's old laboratory. Long since deceased, the alchemist was found still sitting at his desk, a smooth stone clutched in his boney fingers, “reading” a book on transmutation. On the desk in front of him were various golden items including a skull, a rose and an apple. With their usual respect for the dead, the party tipped the alchemist unceremoniously out of his chair, grabbed the stone and stripped him of his robes. Bregmoril is now the proud owner of the stone, and Zan’zu was about to don the ancient wizardly garb ...

(From 16th February 2014) Having plundered the alchemist’s laboratory, the party uncovered a second secret door to reveal some caverns beneath the house that led to the sea. Here they were attacked by a group of humans, two gnolls and a magic-user. Most of the humans were defeated, but the magic-user and gnolls escaped by boat. The caverns were found to mostly contains bolts of fine silk and casks of brandy.

(From 2nd March 2014) With the land-based side of the smuggling operation shut-down, the Town Council of Saltmarsh retained the services of the adventurers to deal with the sea-going aspect. At the next dark of the moon, the party stationed themselves at the abandoned mansion and, sure enough, the expected signal from a vessel off the coast was received. Upon correctly responding to the signal, a jolly boat containing four smugglers and a shipment of silk and brandy rowed ashore where they were ambushed by the party ...

(From 16th March 2014) The smugglers in the cave below the mansion were quickly defeated and the party commandeered their boat to approach the Sea Ghost beneath the cover of darkness. A strategically-placed Sleep spell dealt with the smugglers on main deck of the ship. However, the upper cabins were found to be deserted safe for a trio of lizard men, who killed Melondrach in a brief skirmish, but whose current whereabouts are unknown.

Barely one day's march from Kelven, the uncharted tracts of the Dymrak forest conceal horrors enough to freeze the blood of civilized folk. Those who have ventured there tell how death comes quick to the unwary — for the woods at night are far worse than any dungeon. But you are adventurers, veterans of many battles, and the call of the wild is strong. Will you answer the call, or are you afraid of the dark terrors of the night?

(From 30th March 2014) In the town of Kelven, a man named Stephan approached the party with an offer of work. He was looking for bodyguards to escort a group of rare pure white horses from Sukiskyn, a nearby homestead in the Dymrak Forest owned by his brother Pyotr, to the elven settlement of Rifllian. A deal was struck and the party joined a riverboat travelling east up the Volga River in the general direction of Sukiskyn. However, before the party reached their destination, the boat was ambushed be a group of bowmen and boarders ...

(From 6th March 2014) The riverboat ambushers were repelled. A subsequent inspection of the bodies revealed that all sported a brand depicting two manacles linked by a chain on their left forearm. Many also had sore ankles and wrists. The remainder of the river journey was uneventful and the party disembarked as planned at Misha’s Ferry. However, there was no sign of Misha at her lodge, and the party were attacked by a wounded bear, which may have been Misha’s companion. The bear was killed, but not without the loss of Seth. The party spent the night in Misha’s lodge. Sukiskyn, their destination, is still a day’s march away through the Dymrak Forest ...

(From 20th April 2014) The party arrived at Sukiskyn to find the homestead surrounded and under attack by two clans of goblins - the Wolfskulls and the Red-blades. A third clan, the Vipers, had already made off with the horses that the party were due to escort. Battling their way into the (relative) safety of the stockade, the adventurers agreed to assist the occupants in its defense. Worryingly, the head of the clan, Pyotr, explained that this was only one of several attacks on human homesteads in recent weeks. When we left things last time, the party were facing down another concerted foray into the compound by the goblins and their dire wolves ...

(From 4th May 2014) Holed up in Sukiskyn, the adventurers continued to brave the terrors of the night - a sustained attack by the combined forces of the Wolfskull and Red-blade goblin clans, and most recently an aerial assault by giant bats. With Forlorn lying paralysed on the tower battlements, and Yasimo sprawling on the floor of the hall following a heroic but misjudged bat wrestling attempt, will the party make it through to the morning?

(From 11th May 2014) As dawn approached, the Wolfskull goblins melted away into the depths of the Dymrak Forest, whilst the Red-blades launched a final desperate assault on Sukiskyn. Yasimo fell to the axe of the Red-blade king, but the party and the homesteaders were ultimately victorious and emerged from the dark terrors of the night into the morning beyond.

(From 18th May 2014) In pursuit of the stolen horses, the party and Taras (Pyotr's son) tracked them to an "equine entrepreneur" named Fyodorll, who claimed to have legitimately purchased them from a group of goblins earlier that day. When Fyodorll, perhaps not unreasonably, refused to simply hand the horses back, the party were both ruthless and merciless in killing her and her companions. With the horses recaptured, the party set off back to Sukiskyn.

(from 25th May 2014) The party returned to Sukiskyn with the horses to find that Pyotr had been joined by a small group of refugees from the nearby lumber camp of Ilyakana. The refugees explained that Ilyakana had been overrun by goblins during the night preceding the attack on Sukiskyn and that several people had been captured, including Pyotr's brother Stephan. The party agreed to venture into the Dymrak Forest in search of Stephan. When we left them they had just survived another attack by giant bats, although they can now hear the sounds of something else approaching from further up the footpath ...

(from 1st June 2014) The party met their match in Vlack, the ice wolf riding, two-handed sword wielding hobgoblin. He decaptiated Forlorn before chasing the remainder of the party back from the path they were following. The adventurers regrouped at the former camp of Fyodorll, the murdered elf, before continuing their explorations along the forest’s northern treeline in the direction of a distant plume of smoke. The source of the smoke proved to be yet another ransacked homestead (this time seemingly exclusively at the hands of the Wolfskulls), but no signs of life remained. Whilst camping for the night, the party became aware of a group of goblins watching them from behind some nearby trees. These were swiftly dealt with, with two killed, one charmed by Sidd and three captured.

(From 22nd June 2014) With the aid of Rak, Sidd’s new-found best friend, the party plunged back into the Dymrak Forest in search of the “Kloss-lunk” (Wolfskull) goblin lair, the captors of Stefan. En route south, the “Jaggadash” (Viper) goblin lair was discovered. The Vipers had barricaded themselves in, but the party were able to quell any resistance with the judicious use of Sleep spells.

(From 29th June 2014) With the Viper goblin lair cleared out, the party resumed their trek, under Rak’s guidance, towards the Wolfskull’s lair. This took them into a petrified region of the forest, where they first attacked by a colony of giant bats, and then a party of goblins and dire wolves. When we left them, the fight with the dire wolves was not going well ...

(From 6th July 2014) The dire wolves proceeded to rip the party to shreds, with Thoran killed and both Gran and Pankul coming within a hair’s-breadth of death. It was only the timely intervention of a goblin charmed by Sidd that distracted the wolves for long enough to allow the survivors to escape. Realising that they were perhaps under-prepared and under-resourced to tackle the Wolfksull’s lair, the adventurers decided to return to the town of Kelven to restock their supplies, undertake training and research their magic items.

(From 13th July 2014) Resupplied, rested and reinforced following their stay in Kelven, the party returned to the Dymrak Forest and resumed their search for the Wolfskull lair. Deep with the petrified part of the wood, they finally located the goblins’ hideout and began their assault in search of Stephan.

(From 20th July 2014) It was a fierce and lengthy battle, but the adventurers eventually managed to defeat the small army of goblins and dire wolves guarding the entrance to the Wolfskull’s lair, leaving them free to explore the rest of the petrified complex.

(From 27th July 2014) The party fought their way into the depths of the Wolfskull’s lair, only to discover from a captured goblin that all the prisoners (apart from a mute old woman) had been led away a few days ago to somewhere call “zit-AH-ka” to see “Ol’ Skinny-Legs” ...

(From 10th August 2014) Back at Sukiskyn, nobody had heard of “zit-AH-ka”, or “Xitaqa” as it is properly known. However, Pyotr’s mother Kuzma suggested that the “horse man on the moor” might be a good source of information. A meeting with Loshad, a chervall, was convened and a deal struck. In return for killing two werewolf enemies of the chervall, Loshad promised to provide directions to Xitaqa. A further condition was that the adventurers must set their horses free within a month.

(From 17th August 2014) Within the werewolves’ den, the party set a night-time ambush for the returning killers. Shame about the horses - I'm sure Loshad will understand.

(From 24th August 2014) With the werewolves defeated, Loshad upheld his side of the bargain and provided the adventurers with directions to Xitaqa where Stephan was reportedly held prisoner. Loshad described the former Hutaakan settlement as lying to the north, atop an escarpment, on the far side of the Volaga river, it’s most obvious and distinctive feature being a ruined tower.

(From 7th September 2014) Upon crossing the Volaga River, the adventurers were challenged by a band of men on horseback. When Sidd explained that the party’s destination was the nearby ruined tower, the horsemen opened fire, killing Sidd as well as Bregmoril, Davian and Tangle. A Sleep spell quelled the onslaught, and the attackers were found to have the same marking (two manacles linked by a chain) as the bandits that ambushed Kalonos’ boat on the way to Misha’s Ferry over a month ago. Under interrogation, the horsemen revealed little of their purpose other than the mention of an organisation known as the Iron Ring. Pressing on to Xitaqa, the ruined settlement was found to consist of of low, windowless, stone buildings nestled within a tangle of gullies. The only signs of life were brightly-coloured baboon-like apes, a group of which attacked the party but were driven off.

(From 14th September 2014) As they threaded their way through the maze-like ruins of Xitaqa, the party came across yet another goblin lair - this time occupied by goblins wearing yellow skins and heavy iron collars and wristbands. Their clan symbol appeared to be a ruined tower.

(From 21st September 2014) Battling through more goblins and their baboon slaves, the adventurers finally reached the foot of the ruined tower at the centre of Xitaqa. Entering, they found themselves in a dusty old library with a spider infestation ...

(From 21st September 2014) The party’s assault on the ruined tower of Xitaqa continued. The library spiders were despatched, as were a group of crossbow-toting hobgoblins guarding the tower’s main entrance. Within the tower itself, the party faced a sterner test - two ice wolves and their old adversary Vlack, Yalivan succumbing to the wolves’ freezing breath.

(From 5th October 2014) Invisible to each other whilst fighting an invisible fiend ... what could possibly go wrong?

(From 12th October 2014) The "invisible" minotaur was successfully held and beheaded, and Stephan was rescued. Stephan explained that he had been captured and interrogated by a wizard named Golthar who was desperate to find a tapestry that he understood to be located in one of the Dymrak Forest's homesteads. Golthar believed that, with the aid of a magical needle and thread, the tapestry would reveal the location of an ancient and wealthy lost civilization. But as the party pursued Golthar, the wizard was to have his revenge on the next level of the tower ... long-standing party member Pankul was killed by a trio of Magic Missiles, whilst Petros' retainer Galdor was smashed by a living statue. When we left things, the party were fighting a desperate battle against two living statues and Golthar was nowhere to be seen ...

(From 19th October 2014) The party battled all the way to Golthar's quarters at the top of the tower, with the only additional loss being the unfortunate Hemi. Golthar himself, or rather four of him, made a hurried escape by flying through a blasted section of wall, leaving the party to loot his room and retrieve the magical needle and thread. Back at Sukiskyn, the tapestry revealed its secret, the silver needle and golden thread stitching all by themselves to transform the wall hanging into a map showing the location of a Lost Valley in a distant mountain range. Stephan was keen to proceed immediately in search of the ancient civilization using the delivery of the white horses as cover to distract the attentions of Golthar and the Iron Ring. However, the party were more interested in heading to Kelven to spend some of their hard-earned gold ...

(From 26th October 2014) Saddlebags bursting with gold, the party headed to Kelven to spend their ill-gotten gains. Weapon skills were honed, new spells learned, equipment purchased, retainers hired and churches established. Even the Bag of Holding got a spring clean. But the party's extravagance didn't go unnoticed by the Iron Ring and the adventurers found themselves ambushed in a side street. Oh, and what was that law about spell-casting?

(From 9th November 2014) The Iron Ring ambushers were defeated, but not without the loss of Hildigrim and Avis and resort to prohibited arcane arts. Unfortunately the party were somewhat slow in leaving the scene of their crimes (damn that pesky Web spell) and were collared by the Kelven town guard. A few days in jail and a stiff fine later, the adventurers set forth on their return to Sukiskyn.

(From 16th November 2014) The party returned to Sukiskyn without further incident. Here they collected Stephan and the remaining white horses and commenced their journey north under the cover of horse traders. However, at Misha's Ferry they were once again ambushed by the Iron Ring. Tomba fell in the ensuing battle, but the rest of the party eventually made it safely across the Volaga River. A few miles further up the road the adventurers once again encountered the perpetually troubled Loshad, who this time implored them to rescue a group of captive horses and humans from a nearby encampment ...

(From 30th November 2014) The slavers put up a strong fight, with magic dominating the battle, but eventually the adventurers were victorious. The brave Stephan, the party's guide, was however slain. Let's hope someone in the group knows where you're heading.

(From 14th December 2014) Angry at the lack of support provided by Loshad in the battle with the slavers, Quinn launched an attack on the cherval and came off second best. Badly wounded, Loshad vanished into the wilderness and the party acquired another powerful enemy. Continuing west towards Kelven and Rifllian, a chance encounter with a merchant led to news that a yellow-robed Magic-User and a tall dark woman were enquiring after a group of adventurers that sounded very much like the party. When we left things, a night's food and lodgings were being negotiated at Gnomes' Ferry.

(From 21st December 2014) Enquiries in Kelven about the yellow mage and his female companion only revealed that they had left the city some days ago. With no further leads, the party secured passage on The Mudlark, a river boat heading north up the River Windrush to Threshold. An overnight stop in Rifllian brought further tales of the duo stalking the party. Continuing north, the Mudlark was ambushed by a group of bandits known as The Scange. The attackers were quickly defeated and, under interrogation, the party discovered that the Scange had been hired by the tall, dark woman to intercept the party. On a more mundane note, Amber acquired a dog and Petros added to his collection of fancy soaps.

(From 4th January 2015) What do the adventurers get up to in Threshold, the last bastion of civilisation before they set forth into the terrors of the uncharted North? Petros hires a retainer, Holin, a human Fighter. Additional muscle for the perils to come. Amalric and Frichim catch sight of their robed pursuers across a busy street, but lose them as they melt away into the crowds. A fortune teller sees “ a tall man in yellow robes, in Threshold, standing outside a riverside building beneath a sign bearing two crossed swords ” as she glimpses into Falco’s future. Amber acquires a second dog, “Jackie”, an undernourished but even-tempered hound that looks like it could handle itself in a fight. Gran and Zan’zu squabble over a staff.

(From 11th January 2015) With "Mule" the mule added to the party and fully loaded with provisions, the adventurers left the (relative) safety of Threshold and began their trek north into the Black Peak Mountains. The first day of travel through the lands south-west of Threshold was uneventful, but on the afternoon of the second day a dense fog descended upon the valley and the party found themselves in an area with many hyena-headed humanoid corpses impaled upon stakes. A surprise attack by four ghouls left Amalric and Falco paralysed, as well as Amber and Falco gravely wounded.

(From 18th January 2015) After the attack by the ghouls, things went from bad to worse. An ambush by a gnoll shaman and her assistants added Gran to the list of paralysis victims. Badly weakened, the party took refuge in the shaman’s hut, which proved to be a fateful mistake. The hut was soon surrounded by gnoll reinforcements and Amber, Lanben and Zan’zu were all killed in the subsequent assault. The remaining party members, all of which were either paralysed or (pretending to be) under the effect of Amalric’s Sleep spell, were captured by the gnolls.

(From 25th January 2015) Blindfolded, the captured party members were taken to a gnoll village and imprisoned in a small building. Petros managed to create a small hole in the thatched roof and wriggle his way to freedom. The rest of the party, unarmoured and weaponless, decided on the direct approach ... a front-door breakout through the gnoll and ogre guards ...