Return To Caladan

The Return To Caladan

The following events transpired after Arvin's Avengers returned from being hopelessly lost in the dungeons beneath the Moon Tower

• Caladan has fallen to Empress Kushanna allied with the Pirates of the Blue Rose.
• Morak is installed as ruler.
• Gnarly creates a defense of thorny brambles around the Moon Tower
• The Avengers ally with “The Watchmen”, former watch-members of Caladan and opposed to Morak's rule.
• Battled with an army of undead lead by Father Halford of the Black Sun.  The Watchmen are all killed.
• Halford and his army are defeated.
• Capture of the Crimson Skull of Yam Gregak from Halford, now in Vinny's hands.
• It was found that Halford was working with Zenopus.
• Exploration of Halford's Black Sun Temple (beneath a cabin in the woods).
• Black Sun temple followers all killed.
• Black Crown stolen from temple.
• Halford is killed by Argg and Skwanky in the pit of the Hydra.
• Captured travelers and townsfolk are rescued from the Temple of the Black Sun.

Skwanky has gauntlets of ogre strength
Vinny has the Skull of Yam Gregak
Televon has the iron crown

Six months have passed since the fall of the Temple of the Black Sun.  In that time, Lord Morak's rule has become more solidified within Caladan  Any small uprising against Morak was quickly and violently put to rest.  Overall, his rule isn't overly cruel and the town slowly returns to it's regular prosperity but he does have other things on his mind...

But talk of the defeat of the undead army that has been harassing travelers on the road south of Caladan gives the citizens something to debate, discuss and sing about.  Arvin's Avengers are initially looked upon as heroes. Traders and gypsies gather around the tower to sell their wares.  But that is short lived, however, as the murder of a number of traders, their blood drained, raise the superstitions about the mysterious tower once again and the mysterious Lady in White.  Not to mention the numerous Mushroom-men roaming the grounds.  The tower and it's heroic inhabitants are once again shunned.

To protect her father's life, Lemunda agreed to wed Morak.  Osric still lives within the grounds of the former Merchant Guild but is a broken man. 

Kushanna's troops move through the city and gather in the plains north of the Iron Hills and Harrowood.  Arvin's Avengers receive word via Tuk the Owl that small skirmishes have taken place between Kushanna's and Blackmoor's troops.  It is felt that the siege of Blackmoor will begin soon.

A letter is received by the occupants of the Moontower attached to the foot of a Raven.  It reads:

WARRIORS OF THE MOONTOWER
YOU ARE SUMMONED TO ASSEMBLE
IN THE PRESENCE OF
LORD MORAK
RULER OF CALADAN
IN THE EVENING OF THE MORROW

Signed with what can only be considered the stamp of Morak.

The Southern Road

Ptholomus the grain merchant packed up his cart and with his wife Julia, daughter Maggie, his nephew Boris and his wife Agatha along with two hired men at arms rolled through the south gate of Caladan. The gate-guard waved them down.

"Hail, merchant," he said. "Where thou may be headed this fine day?"

"Why we are headed to the town of Braken to sell our wares to the fishermen," replied Ptholomus.

"Ah, that is well," said the guard. "But travel with haste and caution for I hear tales of mischief in the woods along the Great South Road."

"We too have heard the talk, that is why we hired these two veterans here."

The guard look over the two burly warriors sitting in the back of the cart.

"Very well, then," said the guard. "Safe travels to you."

And the merchant road off down the Great South Road towards Braken.

Though the winter was long and dark and the night of the Black Sabbath especially eerie, the hint of spring in the air was enough to give anyone hope. Even the hired men cajoled with their employer.

Their journey was slow and by mid-day they were well away from Caladan and the new Moon-Tower and were soon surrounded by the thick woods with bright green buds, chirping birds, and pretty white flowers.

Ptholomus brought the cart to a halt for standing in the middle of the road with is back turned was a ragged soul.

"I say," shouted the merchant. "You are blocking the road and we would like to pass."

The ragged figure just stood there without heed.

"Are you a hungry traveler? Perhaps we can offer you some food?" again the merchant shouted but no answer was given.

The two hired men-at-arms looked at each other. The smaller one hopped off the cart and, with is hand on the hilt of his sword, approached the figure standing in the middle of the road.

"Are you without hearing, friend?" the guard said. "We need to pass."

Still no answer. The guard looked back to his companions then to the sides into the trees suspecting a trap. He drew his sword fully and approached the man.

"Come now, do not be insolent," said the guard as he placed his hand upon the shoulder of this haggard man, though man he wasn't. The figure quickly turned around and his face was a decayed mask of death! This fiend raised it's clawed hand and brought it down across the neck of the hired-hand severing his jugular. Blood flowed freely as the guard spun around and fell to the ground dead.

Ptholomus and his family gapped in shock at the violence before them. Maggie screamed and covered her face. The remaining hired man leaped from the cart with his sword drawn and charged towards the ghoulish fiend who just stood there with dripping claws and unholy grin. Suddenly, from the trees on either side of the road rushed a hoard of these ghastly creatures. The warrior was overwhelmed and taken to the ground before he could even raise his weapon. The cart and it's occupants were covered with these undead horrors. The sound of rending flesh and bone filled the quite springtime afternoon.

Suddenly from the forest, a voice called out. "Cease!"

The beasts froze in their slaughter and looked up as a dark robed figure stepped out of the forest with a mailed arm raised.

"Kill their bodies but do not consume them," said the voice. "Let them swell our ranks.

He reached out a mailed arm to pet the greasy head of a beast. "Worry not for there will be plenty of flesh to fill your ever hollow souls soon enough as has been foretold to me when I had bestowed onto Her my gift. For, lo, Caladan's doom and all of Eri'an's is nigh!"

A Farewell To Pigs

The old withered hag rolled her few belongings into her worn leather pack. The previous night's dream had disturbed her so that she felt she must take her chances in the wild and warn those involved.

"Besides," she thought to herself and smiled, "t'would be good to see how th' las is getting on."

She hoisted the pack upon her bent back and walked out the door of her tiny shack. The crone trudged through the snow to the pen where she kept her pigs.

"Farewell boys, don't cry fer your ol' mama." she laughed. "I'll be back an' I'll bring ya a present too."

Then she waved her hand over the pen and with closed eyes mumbled a few incantations. The little woman took one last look at her home and then, with the forest to the east, headed south through the snow towards the coast and the city of Caladan.

An extended cut of "A Night at The Cloven Hoof"

Perhaps something like the following happens one night...

"The four happily sip at their mugs as the belly-dancer's hip shake to the hypnotic rhythms of the south played by her dark skinned companion.

They turn their attention to a sulking brute of a viking sitting at the bar pondering the bottom of his tankard of brew as the burly man explodes

"Cursed Mummies!"

and slams his meaty fist onto the bar, making all the tankards jump and slop a portion of their contents onto the bar, all save for his own.

As many of those at the bar move to safer seating the door slowly creaks open and a tall slender man in purple swirling colored robes worn over a set of sinister looking black plate mail moves cautiously into the taverns hoppy, meat smoked filled depths. The man's glassy eyes roll over those inside and fix upon the sullen northman and moves steadily towards him. With a firm slap to the back he pipes

"Hail Viking!"

as a cloud of Lotus smoke bellows forth.

"How is it we came to be within the same dream? Hmm, friend Wolfheir? Perhpas we are spirit brothers or we have shared Lotus born of the same seed?"

Wolfheir snarls

"Fool Cleric! We're both awake. At the Cloven Hoof!"

The Holy man of Morpheus looks about awkwardly for a moment.

"Aye. You speak truth brother Wolfheir. Let me fill your tankard friend. I know you are still upset with me over the Mummy Rot. While it can be fatal sometimes the best thing is just to forget it ever happened and it just clears up on its own, I shouldn't have reminded you."

The Viking glared at him

"Aye! You think! Those Mithra bandits took me for 800 gold! You owe me!"

he accused with a finger to the face.

"Hmm perhaps..."

Televon said stroking his chin mechanically.

"I shall make good of it, brave Wolfheir."

Televon spun around to face the bar keep, then to Jesse the barmaid, then back to the bar keep and abruptly raised a finger

"BARKEEP! A keg of your most best yet cheapest ale! For LORD MORPHEUS! Requires a baccanal this night!"

and with that the cleric turns to the patrons of the Cloven Hoof

"Hear me Oh dreamers of Caladan! I, Televon humble servant of Lord Morpheus call you! This night I shall share with all, a secret of my cloister. An intoxicant of Lord Morpheus' own devising! Only sent to his most faithful! This night shall we sup upon it and revel in his gossamer embrace! Lord Morpheus' Moon Milk! Chasen thee to the Dreamer's Den at the Moon Tower!!!"

and with that he turns abruptly once more to the viking.

"Brave Wolfheir, please accept my invitation to this most fine of keggers out at the Moon Tower. The druid and I would like to unveil our latest endeavor: Lotus laced Honey Mead! Tis sure to be popular."

and with that he slaps Wolf on the back and spins and strides off kilter out into the night. The viking sighed heavily and looked back to his tankard.

"Fool cleric. Damn Mummies."

from outside he can hear Televon

"Come young Jack. That Keg isn't going to haul itself back to the Moon Tower! Lift with your legs Boy, with your legs!"

and the Viking's scowl held for a moment then broke and a great laugh echoed through the taverns hall.

Keeping Wolf's ears open...

I sit at my usual stool at the bar.

Drowning my sorrow of paying 800gp to heal that ferocious mummy rot.

I will burn every mummy like thing I see..

Lot's of talk I hear in the Cloven Hoof.

We might be in for some trouble if the town thinks we are causing problems.

I think the barge would have been a better idea. I like the water.

Architects Rendering of 'The Moon Tower'

An early rendition of a possible Tower of Zenepus with major updates and revisions creating The Moon Tower. Complete with 4 levels, including Sacrificial Altar/Bachelor Pad, Thieves Den, Viking Drinking Hall and Lotus laced Dreamer's Den. The Moon Symbols would point towards the city of Caladan.

One Night At The Cloven Hoof

The dancing girl made her way around the tables picking up a few silver coins from various onlookers and barflies.

In one corner of the tavern were gathered together some of the dock workers chatting over their ale.

"So's I hear that ol' Zenopus' tower 'as a new residents." Says one.
"Aye, 'des call 'demselves Arvin's Avengers." Says the other finishing up his flagon.
"Arvin's Avengers? 'ho's Arvin?" a third says.
"Dunno," says the first. "Musta been a friend o'theirs an' 'des avengin' 'im. 'Dems dat group o' mercenaries wots been sneakin' around that blasted tower."
"Dats dem?" says the second.
"Aye", replies the first.
"Down on the docks we's 'eard that they's been in-n-out o'the basements o'dat tower. Pulling up gold and things they are, so's I 'ear." adds a fourth waving down Jesse the barmaid.
"Gold ya say?" questions the first. "An we's 'ere workin' our fingers ta th' bones on th' docks fer a bunch o'greedy merchants! Wot's th' (merchant) Guild says 'bout dem?"
"Not a word." replies the fourth.
"Wot! Dems not paying no taxes?" the first says.
"Mayhaps 'des workin' fer da' guild?" the second chimes in.
"Dunno." says the fourth as Jesse steps up with their ale. "Hey, las, wot knows you on dem folks up at the tower?"
"They's regulars 'ere. Matter o'fact, they just hired three o'me customers just the other day. Hired them as Men-at-arms they did. The coin was good too from wot I 'eard." Taking the few coins handed to her, Jesse walks away. "Theys callin' it the Moon Tower."
"Th' Moon Tower?" says the third. "Wots a Moon-tower".
"I heard des' got wit 'dem some wizard, you know, dat skinny guy wot walks wit a limp".
"Well, no good can come of it, I says" says the second.
"But des' bringin' up gold." says the fourth slightly distracted as the dancing girl approaches.
"Aye...'dat...they are..."says the first as he tosses a copper at the scantily clad performer.

The four happily sip at their mugs as the belly-dancer's hip shake to the hypnotic rhythms of the south played by her dark skinned companion.