LEGENDS OF EKSTASIA:
Tarry Crew
BOOK II
CHAPTER 1: Prologue
23 Moonshine, 169 CE
The adventuring group known as Tarry Crew has defeated the necromancer demi-god Nosferatus!
During the battle at the peak of Mount Willowbea, the Bone Rod of Shavinati rendered Nosferatus vulnerable who thus was smote unto destruction with a deadly strike by the Turquoise Sword of the Nirvarak, a nomadic orc tribe whose relic was lost and then found by Aelun and the Tarry Crew. Dyana and Colonel Melina Werdell dueled until Dyana cinematically kicked the Chalkanian militant off of the bow of the airship Hurricane.
After the battle, the party was ferried by Cidwell and his airship back down to the caves of the Ogvak, an orc tribe of mystics who’d helped Tarry Crew find their way to challenge and defeat the necromancer.
They now find themselves celebrating and resting, enjoying solace and healing among the hospitable orcs of the mountain caves.
Xyryra Ton, a Nirvarak orc nomad who’d encountered the Tarry Crew previously, had also joined the celebrations as all the inhabitants of the Willowbea region of the Thief Kingdom (aka the Northeast Kingdom) had noticed the lack of storm clouds at the peak of Mount Willowbea and thereby were informed of the defeat of the great evil that prevented their dead from finding eternal rest.
In the caves, Cidwell, Ridi and Keyran, of the Shyrmpinatus Consortium, a resistance group who oppose the imperial Chalkanians, enjoy drink and revelry as Daeryn keeps her wits about her and refuses strong drink. Dyana proselytizes about her religious beliefs in Anubis, God of Death from another world-system, as Randir and Aelun relax and enjoy the celebrations.
The Tarry Crew discusses what to do next and decide they wish to find a way back to Niminya where they seek a peaceful existence away from the conflicts of the continent Gyrusia. Xyryra overhears this and says that her cousin Zhartul Ton-Rend, a “well connected” citizen of the capital of the Thief Kingdom “Wilmingtown”, can help them find passage back to Hollindagen.
Eventually the celebration comes to an end and everyone settles in for the night.
24 Moonshine, 169 CE
The Tarry Crew sets out from the Ogvak caves and descends the mountain, making their way through the lower cliffs and then the valley beyond. As they reach the forested valley at the base of the spires of Mount Willowbea they find the corpse of Col. Werdell scattered in the snow having been kicked off the airship at the top of the mountain mere days before. Among her remains the Tarry Crew finds a mysterious tome which Daeryn recognizes from her time with Captain Kalindyr in Port Magdalia. They also find an absurd amount of imperial platinum as well as Col. Werdell’s notepad which mentions the names “Lt. Brandt Hubrecht”, “Serafin Darkclaw”, and “Juhn”.
They continue until reaching the shore of the lower Lake Willowbea at nightfall where Daeryn spots several tribes with horses before taking a night’s rest.
CHAPTER 2: Horsin’ Around
25 Moonshine, 169 CE
In the morning they spot a tribe of orcs and elves riding by horseback southward and stop them. Xyryra recognizes the leader- it’s her estranged sister Helek. Xyryra is hesitant to interact with her sister at all but the Tarry Crew’s desire for horses to travel on leads them to attempt to barter with Helek for horses. Helek challenges them to an arm wrestling match in which Daeryn single-handedly dominates all three rounds. They win five horses for all of them to ride and make friends with the swift animals. Daeryn is additionally awarded two mysterious round stones with strange etchings in them.
The Tarry Crew travels beyond the foothills of the Mount Willowbea region and reach the moorlands of White Clay. They ride all day without incident before camping for the evening.
26 Moonshine, 169 CE
Just before sunrise they are attacked by an owlbear who’s been possessed by some sort of wraith. Aelun, being a druid, is reluctant to injure the owlbear as they’ve known many owlbears in Niminya who aren’t violent, but Daeryn wastes no time in using her ranger’s hunting skills to put down the raging monstrosity.
As the owlbear dies a black ichor evaporates from its corpse as a brief image of a wraith appears and speaks: “LIRI… IS… MINE!”
Aelun recognizes the name Liri as “Lady Liri”, the archfey who presides over the unseelie court in the Feywild.
The Tarry Crew travels all day without further incident. Just before sunset they cross the small White Clay River and camp for the night.
27 Moonshine 169 CE
On Randir’s watch early in the morning he spots a tuft of blond hair sticking out from under the snow. He and Aelun investigate, finding the corpse of a nobleman. Meanwhile Dyana is given a vision in her dreams from Anubis of a nobleman who is searching for one who “is deserving of his estate”. Upon awakening Dyana casts “Speak with the Dead” and asks the corpse five questions, accidentally burning through the first three. Eventually they discover that the nobleman, named Lord Hartvale, wants his family to know that he did in fact die and for them to begin to grieve, as they probably just believe him to be missing. (He also had a moderately-high “body count”.) On his corpse they find the deed to his estate and a plain-looking tan bag.
Tarry Crew continues by horseback for most of the day before reaching the Pike River, which is much deeper and swift than the White Clay River. Aelun casts “Walk on Water” on the horses and they cross the wide raging river easily enough.
They travel slightly past sunset and make camp.
28 Moonshine, 169 CE
Now in the flat plains of Wilmingtown, the Tarry Crew rides without seeing much, save for one thing.
A bright gleam or flash occurs from the sky. It’s pretty difficult to spot exactly what it is, but Aelun is the only one who can really see more than just the gleam. They spot what appears to be a golden slither dashing to and fro around the sky like a bird. Aelun then loses track of the object before shrugging it off.
The Tarry Crew now find themselves among the outer rural region of the city of Wilmingtown. They notice agricultural fields growing roots and potatoes. The climate is a little more temperate here but the earth is still partially covered in snow this time of year. They camp, now only 16 miles out from the palisades of the Thief Kingdom’s capital city.
29 Moonshine, 169 CE
After passing through the farms, homesteads, shantytowns and hamlets of the rural outskirts, the Tarry Crew eventually comes to the northwestern gate of Wilmingtown. The guards there demand registry and tribute, which each of the Tarry Crew gladly shells over, all except Dyana who wants to sing a song for Thief King Tostig the Sunderer as her tribute. The guards begrudgingly oblige but forewarn the party that the stakes are higher for such a tribute, as if the Thief King is not amused the penalty will be exceedingly steep. The guards joylessly lead the Tarry Crew through the busy streets of Wilmingtown to the massive hall of the Thief King, where Tostig the Sunderer awaits his amusement.