Games, all sorts

Most stories worth telling start unexpectedly. Those destined for greatness often have no foreknowledge of what fate holds in store. This story is no different. A mission of mercy, to recover a special herb to aid a sick parishioner from the Greenwood, has returned with an unexpected bit of excitement. The bodies of soldiers were discovered. Their armor and banners were foreign. Most importantly, one of the dead bodies had a scroll case in hand…

Dearest friends-

Too long an age has passed since our lands have last spoken, and we fervently pray that your hearths still shine with warmth. Since the Sundering, the Great Wyrm of the Wood have driven our peoples apart, and to those that would attempt passage, against each other. It is against this threat that we have been dispatched to re-establish links between our lands to stand united against an even older foe.

Recently, the stars in the night sky have begun moving. Tales of strangeness have poured in from the hinterlands. Reports of cattle being stolen, fields of grain trod underfoot and mysterious disappearances were the beginning. Now, our scouts have encountered something akin to Orcs, not seen since the end of the Unhuman wars centuries ago. We can only assume that the heavens are marching to war again.

It is with this dire news that we reach out to you. However, the Great Wyrm of the Wood has seen to it that we are trapped in Fort Naiman along the old forest road. Perhaps we attempted passage in too large a number, for we began to fall to each other before the Ferals noticed our passage. It is my fervent desire that one of these messages reach the halls of power beyond the Green Wood. If so, please send a party to seek us at the fort. I fear our time is short, but if we have fallen, I have secreted the cache of documents from my government to yours in the old dungeon.

Thalia Winterbourne, Legate, Legion XI

As the party returned to Glade, a small caravan of caged wood elves, newly captured slaves for the hungry markets in Vara, trundled through the gentle mists and cool rains that embraced the town. Thigal met the heroes as the sun set in the Happy Jolly Dancer, face ruddy and out of breath, welcoming them into a back room to discuss their findings.

The woodsmen were dead, killed by black arrows. The perpetrators claimed to have come from beyond the sky. To the extent that there was a giant ship that looked as if it fell to ground crushing the palisade, their story checked out. They claimed self defense, and made no hostile moves towards the investigators. They even went so far as to help fight off marauding elves. Still, there was something strange about these Scro. They seemed familiar somehow. Though they were polite, good conversationalists and generally affable, those that met them couldn't help but feel uneasy. “As if meeting a well-spoken wolf” one guardsman said. They would be accommodated until further instruction arrived from Vara.

After thanking the party for their services, the party united in full for the first time. Thigal bought many rounds of drinks before asking for a further favor. Wealth, prominence and renown would find them should they be able to recover the cache of documents from Fort Naiman. He extended his hand, offering a map to the fort some 4 or 5 days into the wood. As they accepted it, a shiver of icy fear quickly raced through the room before receding just as suddenly as it came.

Without warning, a terrible tumult filled the sky with a sound that could only be described as metal being rent, as Thigal's eyes grew large in fear…

An unexpected attack by elves and dragons on the small village of Glade disrupted any sense of peace the adventurers may have had. Guided by Corbin, they fled through a hidden tunnel beyond the walls, carnage, and flames. Thinking quickly, they rescued a train of hostages being led into the forest, destined for feasts later that night.

With a sense of urgency, the heroes hacked their way through the forest before arriving at the fort. Guarded by the remnants of Legion XI even in death, the adventurers were compelled to run through the broken doors to avoid a beastman prowling the nearby woods.

After uncovering some banners and maps, the group made contact with the deceased legate of Legion XI. Upon recovery of the cache of documents, the undead collapsed. With the walls now unmanned, the beatman blew his war horn…

From Her Excellency Delethia Ilman, Satrap of the Empire, to Her Most Loyal Subjects-

We pray most fervently that you have survived your ordeal, and that this missive finds you well in spite of the your loss.

The time of separation is coming to an end. We are all diminished by the rise of the Wylding Wood, and its great Wyrm. Know that we are making moves currently to circumvent this obstacle. You must have been most terribly wounded to have been removed from the center of civilization. Your suffering is coming to an end.

We trust you will uphold the ancient oaths, and provide my legate all the aid she requires in fulfilling her mission. Her success will set the stage for you to return to us. I feel as a mother looking for her children, knowing they are missing, but well. Soon, we shall embrace again.

The wendigos have come, my men and women are but bone and ash now. They've pierced the cordon, and there isn't much time. My mission was to recover an ancient elven artifact from the lost on the Eastwall. I do not know the full nature of it, only that it was damaged by the Wyrm, but should allow us to bridge the Wood if repaired. I'm under orders not to disclose anything. However, if you were to recover the artifact, and complete our mission, I know the Satrap would forgive this indiscretion, and provide you with a great reward.

Make for the Tower of Mirithin, on the Plateau of Amroth, high in the Eastwall.

Thalia Winterbourne, Legate, Legion XI

The band escaped the 'wood, heading for the Plateau of Amroth. They took the opportunity to relax once clear, staying in an inn. A young man by the name of Barthain approached them, purportedly a friend of Corbin, asking for what they found. He claimed to represent a resistance band, and though he provided coin for future services, no promises were made.

Seeking to discharge their duty to the Legate Thigal, the group ventured to city of Thapsus. After a tense meeting with the local governor (and noticing an abnormally high troop concentration), the band slipped whatever tails they may have acquired and headed north.

A week of travel put them in the shadow of the Eastwall, where new friends were found: a pseudodragon named Cinder and 2 hippogriff cubs. Climbing into the high mountains, the companions were presented with the sight of a magnificent door cut from the rock, measuring roughly 100 meters wide. Above the door sat the destroyed tower of Mirithin.

Dropping in, the party angered the denizens that had taken up residence in the abandoned fortress. After triumphing, they sat in the jail, surrounded by three glass “coffins” housing a half-orc, a human, and a strange looking elf…

The remainder of Mirithin was passified without much difficulty. A few mephits dispatched to their home plane and the former fortress was secured. The party uncovered a large chamber housing more than a hundred butterfly like objects over 15 feet across each. Most appear to have died, but 8 of the strange objects seemed to be “alive,” if overgrown. Pruning the creatures back restored some vitality, and the party were able to maneuver them. Clever use of a recently uncovered scroll opened the massive doors cut into the mountainside.

After waking the trio found in the jail, they learned that the plague that haunts the 'Wood is hundreds of years old, and seems to have spread from the sky. Details of something called the Unhuman War were related, along with the advice never to fly in the atmosphere if dragons were about.

An uncovered diary pointed to the fleet base of Taronthis in orbit. With the new flitters fully operational, the party and 3 new friends left the bounds of Erathi behind them to make for the elven fleet base.

The base was surrounded by a constellation of overgrown flitters, save for a channel to a dockyard of sorts. A quick inspection of the dockyard showed a number of ships in various states of destruction, including 3 Man'o'Wars that had obviously been burned to prevent their capture by less friendly hands. A small, possibly overlooked tradeship, absent a helm was largely intact however.

The party set about recovering the helm they'd liberated from the Scro scout, and soon had it mounted on the new Tradesman. After a quick tour of the local spaceways, the party docked again, and set their attentions on the ruined fleetbase that overlooked the dockyard…

The approaches to the ruined tower showed the signs of battle. Broken weapons and elven bodies littered the ground. On their guard, the party entered the former naval installation. Immediately they were set upon by a patrol of the undead. The denizens were quickly dispatched, and the the base slowly began to reveal its treasure trove of information to them. Though at a cost.

The former base was infested with zombies and wights. And while they didn't pose much of a challenge, the exhaustion slowly built, leading to mistakes. However, a number of smaller treasures were uncovered as the party eventually found its way to the center of the cursed base.

It was once a temple of an unknown elven diety. It had been reconsecrated to Nemrasie, a previously unknown diety of revenge. The former priestess, Laniel, had been transformed into a Banshee. With 2 handmaidens, she kept the curse on the outpost alive. In a close fight, the party over came and cleansed the temple.

Upon returning to their ship with their hard-won goods, a shimmering in the middle of the port attracted their attentions. A Barracuda class scout, similar to the one found crashed atop the logging outpost, emerged from a veil of invisibility. In its natural habitat, it looked far more dangerous as it slowly oriented towards the damaged tradesman…

The Scro scoutship approached cautiously, flashing signal flags to the tradesman. Scro marines leapt from the ship, bobbing across the gravity plane until landing upon the dock itself. Genteel and polite, they requested to search the tradesman for contraband and for the papers. Politely declining, the question of the missing scout ship was raised, and seemed to suitably distract the Scro. A common meal was held on the docks where information about the missing scout was relayed, and the 2 sides left in peace.

The heroes then descended to the western side of the forest and beheld a large body of water called “an ocean.” They set down in the water, and after a few tense seconds of not sinking, the damaged vessel didn't sink. Putting in a port, the party did better this time with the recognition flags… until the flying blue demon met the obviously terrified dock worker. Between demographic issues and the open use of magic, the crew was given a very special escort to a safe house in the middle city.

A shadowy figure appeared and introduced himself as Talarin. He explained that he was an attache to the Elven ambassador, and had been on the lam for the last 7 years. The ambassador was being held against her will in one of the overgrown towers just inside the forest.

Without too much convincing, the party decided to rescue the ambassador and make for more civilized climes. Three hags serving as guards however disagreed. After a brutal fight, one of the hags was dead, and 2 had fallen 60 feet to the forest floor below. The ambassador was rescued as the tradesman hovered low over the city before heading towards the stars…

After consulting the map, the trip from Erathi to Mirabilis would take approximately 4 months. The journey would take them beyond the confines of their home sphere, across the vast, multi-colored realm of the phlogiston, Along the way, the crew passed empty moons, asteroids and a few scavvers. Eventually, signs of civilization returned in the form of a disabled vessel.

The crew traded signals and discovered that the stricken vessel needed medical help. Suspecting a trap, they cautiously pulled alongside and jumped aboard. Their suspicions proved to be correct when a minotaur appeared from below decks and attempted to overpower the would-be rescuers. Just as the party gained the upper hand, and mind flayer in pirate garb, replete with hat and purple overcoat appeared from below to parlay. The negotiations were confusing, but eventually the ships parted ways with only a cutlass and pistol being the cost to the pirates (well, beyond the dead…).

The rest of the trip was uneventful. Arriving in Mirabilis-space, the party was escorted to the floating city of graceful spires, where they were given a hero's welcome for returning the lost ambassador. They were debriefed on their discoveries, with particular interest being paid to the Scro and the rumors of the cloaking helms. After a month, and quite a few dinner parties and balls, the party had sold their old ship and purchased a new one. Smaller, faster, and now armed, the party was asked by fleet command to investigate the colony on Astrora. Recently re-founded on the bones of an abandoned city, it has gone quiet in the last few months. Lacking the manpower to dispatch forces to investigate, the party once again took to the stars.

Two months later, they found themselves above Astrora. Vast deserts circling the circumference, topped with green forests at the poles, and dotted with small lakes throughout, the crew enjoyed the view as they began their descent to the surface…

The newly christened Void Skimmer had been descending towards the planet for some time before running across a strange object floating just outside the… gravity well. Upon closer inspection, it took the form of the front half of a Scro barracuda. The back half was surgically removed, with one of the poor crew cut in half on the top deck. The remains of the ship were faded and gray, that gave under foot as if stepping on ash from a dead fire. No survivors were found, but a weapon system was recovered, partially intact. Surely this would be valuable to the right parties.

The ship continued its descent, buffeted by the furnace winds of Astrora. About a thousand feet above the desert surface, a blue dragon and its younger sibling streaked in to attack. Screeching about the elves being oathbreakers, it proceeded to heavily damage the ship, though Gia was able to keep control as the crew was able to vanquish the beast. Later it was uncovered that the dragon, named Thunderchief, and the colonists had a working deal and something went awry…

After resting up and making repairs, the crew approached the remains of the colony. Not much more than a palisade and some buildings, the signs of combat were everywhere. The town hall seemed to be the place where the last stand was made, but whatever attacked merely walked through the wall. While investigating, the party was attacked by a number of cat sized spider-eels. These were later to be discovered as Neogi hatchlings, attracted by the sounds and smells of the party.

Following their trail, the heroes uncovered the vile beasts layer. The Neogi took advantage of an attempt to parlay, and a scuffle ensued. By the end of it, a Neogi old master, an adult Neogi and its umber hulk guard, and a number of hatchlings lay dead. Even better for non-Neogi everywhere, dozens of eggs were destroyed, ending the threat to future travellers, at least from this band.

With the survivors and the remains of the Scro vessel in tow, the Void Skimmer began its return flight to Mirabilis…

After repairs and resupplying, the party began to cast about for their next adventure. After talking to the senator about possibly hiring a helmsman, the question of the pirate problem came up. The senator put them in contact with King Attalus, ruler of Pergamon-space. Pergamon was once part of the empire, but splintered after the plague. The king was aging and had no children. It was the intent of the king to bequeath his domain to the Elven Empire upon his death. This is a controversial decision, and is contested by a faction of his nobles. If the elves could solve Pergamon's rampant piracy problem, perhaps some objections would subside.

Presently, the Void Skimmer found itself in Pergamanese space. A brief encounter with a pirate vessel on the way in set the mood. Aided by a letter of introduction from the senator, the Void Skimmer was the newest scout-warship in the Pergamanese navy, charged with countering the pirate problem.

After getting a brief overview of the situation, they gang headed off to meet the dwarven mining colony in the outer reaches of the sphere. A few drinks and headaches later, they encountered the Devil's Touch. After some brief maneuvers, a vigorous boarding action took place, where the pirate vessel was claimed as a prize and its surviving crew was in chains. Their first victory under their belts, the Void Skimmer returned to Pergamon, captured vessel in tow…

A soiree was held to honor the heroes first victory. Though nobody was under any delusion that the pirate menace was defeated, the simple win, the first in months, galvanized opinions and provided an opportunity to celebrate. The party was approached by Thomas Hilgrath, Baron of Sinterhausen, to feel out their motives. He explained his position and his fears that the kingdom would be drawn into future elven wars. Whether the seeds he planted end up bearing fruit only time will tell.

A death sentence can be a powerful motivator. In exchange for leniency, the captured pirate captain Alikia offered to turn over information on her organization. She gave over a bar on Ginderath where a coded exchange would lead to a local vessel arriving at an asteroid to purchase stolen pirate goods. In exchange for the location of the asteroid, she requested clemency for herself and her crew. The deal struck, the party visited the bar to start the ball rolling, then proceeded to the asteroid.

Along the way, a ghost ship was found floating. Pelham's Sky was 2 weeks out of Ginderath according to the log books. It had suffered the same fate as the scro vessel, though this was not partially disintegrated. Taking what valuables they could, the crew pushed towards the asteroid.

A few scavvers greeted them on their arrivals, and were made quick work of. Arriving at the base, something was off. Though they were not expected, the place was locked up, and the defenders were on alert. The defenders made use of a series of hidden tunnels that ran through the asteroid to bedevil the party. The pirate mage had just been flushed from his position into a tunnel when…

The pirates surrendered. Further, upon surrendering, they asked for amnesty. They were terrified of a force they called the forsaken. Or the forgotten. Evidently the translation wasn't entirely clear. Regardless, about the time terms of surrender were worked out, Karolan came running in. The dwarf had been forced to flee with the ship. A large, double dagger hulled vessel… emerged, for lack of a better word, from empty space. Moving with hostile intent, the dwarf was compelled to save the ship.

Before giving chase to the Void Skimmer, it discharged a small landing craft. A cadre of forsaken marines and 2 officers entered the pirate stronghold to investigate. The forsaken launched themselves without regard to personal safety at the defenders, and though they were defeated, both sides earned the respect of the other. Upon reflection, the party identified the officers as holy men of an unknown death deity. The marines, a mix of men and women, were drawn from several races. Elves, humans, orcs and worse were all represented.

The party immediately left for Pergamon to warn the capital of this new player on the stellar stage. The information was imparted, and then the advantage on the pirates was pressed. They were tracked to a warehouse on Ginderath, and after defeating a mind-flayer named Ro'Tal, they were able to tie the stolen goods to Lord Hilgrath's manor…

A woman identifying herself as Ayla Hilgrath, Baronet of Ustria, burst in. She claimed to want to set the record straight with her family, and invited the heroes to follow her. They did, and were informed that Lord Richard Hilgrath's actions had become erratic in the past few years. Further, a few weeks ago he left for Cilicia, to put the issue to rest, once and for all. Unfortunately, he hadn't returned, and Ayla (his niece) and Thomas (his son) worried for his safety. If he could be taken into custody, safely, they were sure that he would help bring a resolution to the pirate scourge.

Waiting only for the Void Skimmer to be repaired, the party immediately left for the pirate enclave. The were intercepted by a pirate vessel that recognized the flags the 'Skimmer was flying. After closing to talk, the party rushed the snake-man crew and subdued the vessel, putting the Yuan-ti to the sword and releasing their slaves. Leaving their prize floating in deep-space to be recovered later, they pushed on.

After some investigation in the pirate city, they uncovered a lead that hinted that Lord Hilgrath had gone (or was taken) to Ariel Stormbane's fortress. Hot on their quarry's trail, they chased after him…

After consulting the gods to confirm the location of Lord Hilgrath, the Void Skimmer set out in pursuit. The island was small, about 10 miles from the soft, sandy beach to the nominal hill at the far end. Between the beach and the hill stood a jungle. Atop the hill, stood a six-pointed star fort, watched over by a Man-o-War, painted in such a manner that its allegiance was not in any doubt. The gang watched for a while, and learned the guard ships schedule, and then after some quick scouting, pushed into the jungle from the beach.

The trail was narrow, and the going rough, but not impassable. A few miles inland they were jumped by a number of giant reptiles that seemed from out of time. The 2 larger reptiles posed a significant threat, but were ultimately defeated by the heroic actions and teamwork of the group. Pushing up to the small hill, the jungle gave way to a clearing, allowing the party to get its first view of the fort and its defenders up close. Their timing was perfect, they had cover of night, and the war ship above had moved off station. A quick battle and some feats of strength later, and the gate was opened and many of the defenders had been defeated.

From the stately house inside the fort, a figure in black motioned for the lizard folk defending the fort to stand down. An invitation was extended to enter the house, as the party looked about trying to decide their next course of action…

The figure in black was Ubaratu. He served as the caretaker for the fort when the pirate captain was away. Polite and circumspect, he seemed to hold be holding something back. The party was able to discern there was an enchantment upon him, preventing him from speaking his mind. After breaking it, he came clean. The ship above wasn't strictly to keep enemies away, it served to keep the dragon in the basement under control.

The dragon in the basement had Lord Hilgrath under her control, and as such, needed to be dealt with. Bravely, the party descended into the lair to strike a deal. The warship, as it happened, held a number of her eggs. In exchange for Lord Hilgrath, she would accept the eggs as payment.

Timing their assault for when the ship was in space changing its helmsman, the Void Skimmer closed rapidly and proceeded to board. The Man o' War put up a fight. Its famous-in-some-circles captain succumbed under a furious assault, while its first mate attempted to steal the Void Skimmer. A last second magic duel prevented things from going to awry, and the party was then in control of the 60-ton warship.

Descending back to the planet's surface, the pirate princess' house was looted. Their portion of the deal done, the party descended to meet Karanthia the Despoiler in the darkness of her own lair…

Karanthia the Despoiler was remarkably well behaved for a dragon. Perhaps it was that she wanted something further. After handing over Lord Hilgrath and returning the hostage spellbook in exchange for one of the eggs and locations for the others, she made a request. It would appear that she was not from Cilicia, and would very much like to return home. The heroes and their new fleet of ships very much wanted to return Lord Hilgrath to Pergamon, and agreed to honor her request when they returned. The only thing of note was that the pirate haven of Cilicia City as aflame, with a Forsaken warship crashed and partially submerged in its harbor.

Lord Hilgrath was haggard and bloodied, but recovered on his trip back to face justice. By the time he'd returned, he was in good spirits, buoyed, perhaps, by the warm embrace of his son and niece. He went into protective custody to be debriefed now that the magic preventing him from speaking freely was lifted. Whilst in Pergamon, the party repainted their new Man-o-War and proceeded to repair their damage.

During this interlude, the pirates attempted to assassinate both the heroes and Lord Hilgrath. The animosity between the pirate princess and the heroes was personal now. After arranging the parole of Alikia the Unburnt to their care, the heroes returned to honor their deal with the dragon. Stormbane's hilltop fort had been scrubbed from the planet by the angry dragon. Karanthia was approached on possibly allying with the party to aid in the defeat of Stormbane. She relished the thought of revenge against her former captor, but on the condition that her eggs be returned to her home. Alikia was dispatched with the dragon and her precious cargo, with plans to rendezvous in the future.

With their sights firmly set on taking down the pirate princess, the party began chasing rumors of Ariel, and headed back to the moons of Solistin…

The first sign that something was amiss was the Scro heavy cruiser Carnivore sitting in the middle of nowhere. As it departed, its consort, the Cinder approached cautiously to request a quick parlay. Many jokes were made, and the Scro captain, Praeceptor 1st class Falda Headsplitter of the Cracked Tusk Legion asked permission to come aboard.

The heavy cruiser was on a diplomatic mission to deliver a message to the king of Pergamon, but was fired upon and compelled to depart. The Scro merely wished the Voidskimmer to deliver a copy of the message if thaTt was within their power. Business concluded (and a bottle of 220-proof Scro wine as a gift), the barracuda departed peacefully. It would turn out the message was an invitation to meet concerning a shared enemy that threatened the current status quo: the Forsaken.

Pergamon itself was the site of recent conflict. The story, as uncovered to date, is that roughly five ships landed, disgorged about 90 marauders and departed. The raiders didn't kill without reason, didn't loot, but made their way straight to the palace where they overpowered the guard and captured the king in his chambers. A proclamation was read out, demanding a (variable, depending on the teller) ransom in 6 hours, lest the king be killed. The ransom was not paid, and it was announced the king was dead. When security forces rushed the king's chambers a couple hours later, they were empty save for the king, restrained in his own rooms.

The fallout spread quickly however. The independence faction had their hand forced before the king's true fate became known, and were forced to make their move. The end result was a sudden and total civil war across the 3 planets in the system.

The heroes interrogated and investigated, but no solid leads were found. Frustrated, they continued on to Solistin to attempt to dispatch the pirate princess. A friendly contact named Rudolph Doernach as their goal.

Their journey was interrupted by a Neogi slaver attack (in the core of the system no less!) on approach to Solistin. With the navy's attentions turned inward, interlopers are starting to slip through the cracks. Mindspider defeated, the ship began its descent into the war-torn world…

After meeting Rudolph and getting the information on recent goings on with the local real estate market, the party discovered a clue. A remote hunting territory on Solistin's moon had recently been acquired under somewhat shady conditions. After getting the details on the transaction, they set out, sure to find their quarry.

Upon reaching orbit, they were able to investigate, discovering a fairly large number of campfires some distance from the manor house. Setting down a few hours away and hiking through the dense woods, they emerged on a clearing surrounding the house. After scouting it out, they made their way to a hidden entrance the previous owner informed them of.

It was a bit of an ordeal as the passage was not used frequently and had grown treacherous over time. The party easily overcame the challenge and arrived at the hidden door into the basement of the hunting lodge. Opening it silently, they dispatched its defenders with a bit of effort.

As the last defender fell, a fireball exploded in the center of the room. Temporarily dazzled by the sudden light in the dank basement, the party turned to face the new threat coming down the stairs.

The flash of the fireball faded and people dove for cover. A sudden collapse of the roof left a hole in the defensive line, but the tables turned quickly as the assault erupted from the basement, quickly driving the pirates out of the house. An invisible figure attempted to escape, but was tracked. A large ship appeared at the end of the clearing in an apparent attempt to perform a rescue. The house being cleared of enemies, the heroes surged forward. Their dragon-“friend” leapt into the air to ensure the ship didn't escape.

The ship tumbled as the dragon crashed into it, and quickly disappeared above the dark, misty, vampire-less forest. Once out of sight, their true foe stepped forward.

Ariel and her allies stood firm, with many of the heroes suffering greatly. In the end, after a near death experience or 2, the pirate princess was defeated. A strange artifact was found in her eye. It appeared to call to those that beheld it. The general consensus was to destroy the strange item. If only somebody had the will to do so…

With the pirate leaders demise, the beast was suddenly without direction. After handling the survivors of the Forsaken Folly's wreck, the captains quarters were searched. They uncovered the 30 year-old orders of a young elf captain, Tempest Moonoak, who took possession of a brand-new Man o' War, the Gossamer Blossom to Pergamon to deliver an ambassador as well as conduct military maneuvers. Following the Blossom's stay in Pergamenese space, it proceeded to Amethelia, where they uncovered a magnificent mechanism that tracked the position of the orbs and their racial denizens. As might be expected, the records at the Naval Academy on Mirabilis confirmed that Tempest Moonoak was the young officer that eventually became Ariel Stormbane.

Finding something odd in the mechanism, the Blossom received permission to investigate a “dark-orb” in the mechanism, and set off the main star-charts. Upon arriving, the log reports that the protective crystal sphere was fractured, with the space contained therein dark and cold. The last log entry reports that, short on supplies, they landed on a dark asteroid that held a modest settlement.

A core group remained loyal to Stormbane, but the rest, with some draconic encouragement, hung up their black flags. A flotilla of 2 vessels returned Karanthia to her home, while the rest returned to Pergamon, running the blockade with a demonstration of overwhelming force. Upon their arrival, they learned the king had requested Imperial aid in breaking the back of the naval blockade. Should they complete one last request for him, he'd be able to aid them not with money, but lands and titles.

Enticed by this deal, the future Counts of Pergamon (and soon thereafter, the Elven Empire) departed with an ambassador to meet with the Scro.

Some months later, the Voidskimmer, now with a working cloaking helm, arrived in Gal'durash, the capital of Ro'Tar-space, and were seated before the Governor-General, Surgoth Bonesplinter.

The Scro Governor-General was a good-natured, jovial sort. Though ostensibly talking to the ambassador, the alienness of the (half-)elves and gnome before him sometimes allowed his curiosity to get the better of his diplomacy. In the end, a history lesson was provided. A great feast was held, and though the fare was probably a bit spicier than the (half-)elves would have preferred, the tiefling found it most enjoyable.

The Governor's plan involved setting up a neutral system joint ruled by both the Elven Empire and the Scro. To accomplish this, he planned to ask for elven aid in moving some elven-faction civilians caught behind Scro lines when the last war ended. Unfortunately, they live on a planet full of feral orcs, and were hostile to his emissaries. To this end, the Scro employed the Voidskimmer to relay a message. Scro muscle is to clear the way for elven transports to evacuate the citizens. But first, the beleaguered civilians needed to be informed.

The Voidskimmer set off to deliver the message. The trip itself was uneventful, though the last holdout of the colonists was largely overrun by creatures from the depths of the planet. The party, however, triumphed, and the message was delivered. Pressed from the feral orcs above, and the new menace of the underdark horrors from below, most appeared quite relieved and ready to depart.

With the message delivered, the Voidskimmer headed back to “civilized” space, confident that the erstwhile colonists would be able to handle themselves for the next few months until the evacuation fleet arrived. The journey back was uneventful. Their arrival in Pergamon was tranquil, with the civil war effectively over. The elven fleet had done its job through force of reputation for the most part, and the majority of rebel vessels simply surrendered rather than fight a losing battle.

The military situation was stabilized, so King Attalus turned his attentions to the political ones. Divesting the rebel counts of their lands, he set about firming up his base. Fully 41 new counts were invested in a mass ceremony, with the crew of the Voidskimmer being recipients of counties clustered together on Solisitin. With the balls and receptions the order of the day, the King made a request.

The upcoming conference between empires was to focus on the shared threat of the Forsaken. Realizing how little the was known of this erstwhile foe, he remembered a little detail mentioned off hand in a report dealing with the pirates of Cilicia. A Forsaken warship was destroyed above the pirate city, and crashed into its harbor. If the new counts could attempt to salvage information from the ship, that would prove useful in figuring out how to confront this growing menace.

Unfortunately, the warship (a Retaliator-class heavy cruiser, as will be discovered) had sunk beneath the waves, requiring special preparations for the salvage. Once these were complete, the crew dove towards the depths of Cilicia's core, finding the Retaliator resting on a debris-strewn submarine island. Between an unexpected encounter with a particularly solicitous ghost that was unceremoniously dispatched, and a small village of Sahaguin that dwelled on the island, their descent was more exciting than anticipated.

Alighting atop the command pagoda of the cruiser, the party entered the stricken warship. Initially finding no resistance, they pushed into its belly unsure of what they would find…

Initially there was a demand, barely audible, to leave the ship. Further investigation yielded the dead officers of the vessel who were not quite ready to give up the ship. A scuffle ensued, wherein the spirits of the dead constantly flitted through the walls in an attempt to isolate and defeat heroes individually. Though it was a tough fight, the party won the day.

With the ships defenders defeated, the party proceeded to investigate. Beyond two scrolls and a crown worn by the captain, nothing of interest or value was recovered. This was highly odd as the drawers and chests were all locked, but the contents were simply absent. Shrugging it off, the party pushed deeper.

They entered a room dominated by a large portal that would have been open to the sea. However, due to the geometry of the ship's settling, it managed to mate up with a recently dug tunnel that descended deep into the undersea island. There was a ring of chairs, with shackled remains, hooked up via adamantine wires and inlay that served as some sort of control device. Tying the entirety of the mechanism together was a large diamond. The party disassembled the mechanism and to return to the surface. Before doing so, however, they noted the glint of treasure way down the shaft below.

After resting up, the heroes returned to the stricken vessel and descended the watery well. They were met by a morkoth and its sahuagin allies (and sharks!). It was a close battle, but the heroes prevailed and reclaimed the treasures of the deep. Returning to the surface, they were able to spend a bit of time enjoying Cilicia's delights before their next ordeal.

As newly minted counts, the heroes responsibilities are slightly different. Mercy received a message of an impending peasants revolt in her county. Being responsible for the safety and well being of all the inhabitants of the county, she was compelled to act.

Baron Zultan of Sombor, a hereditary baron newly invested in the position, had requested aid. The village of Milovan's Wood had ceased paying their taxes. Attempts to collect were rebuffed with the soldiers that were sent through the forests attacked and killed. Not having the resources to deal with the intransigent peasants on his own, he appealed to his feudal lord, Mercy.

After quickly taking stock of the situation in Sombor, the party flew to Milovan's Wood. An older woman, Anika Babayka, greeted them gruffly at a hastily erected palisade and bid them enter. She explained that the wood was hungry. In addition to taking their children and some nearby woodcutters, it had swallowed their tax carts. She was quite simply unwilling to risk the safety of any more of her people until the government helped.

After conducting interviews with some women that were attacked by wolves nearby, and looking into a logging camp where the loggers had disappeared, they were attacked by a large pack of dire wolves. They tracked the wolves back to their den, where numerous skeletons were found. A careful counting, however, revealed that not all the missing villagers could be accounted for.

Almost on queue, a stranger appeared and a fight broke out. The stranger was over matched and quickly was dispatched. However, he collapsed in a heap of dust and ash. Clearly something sinister is afoot…

The gang tracked the the vampire spawn back to a nearby abbey. The abbey had obviously been abandoned and was overgrown. An iron gate hung loosely from pillars to the compound. Upon entering, the companions were beset by a particularly ill-tempered set of foliage. Victorious, they pushed towards the entrance of the abbey.

The abbey was guarded by a pair of twisted treants that sought to decline the party entry. Not having it, the treants were quickly reduced to kindling. Sneaking in the damaged door, the heroes took a quick break to recover.

The interior of the abbey had obviously seen better days. It was dilapidated and collapsed, but structurally intact. There were an excess of vampire spawn haunting the dark corners, but they were quickly dispatched. A disembodied voice attempted to reason with the heroes, convincing them that he was within his rights to torment the town that tortured him 300 years ago. The party disagreed, and pursued the vampire lord deeper into the abbey…

The altar concealed a hidden shaft that dropped about 40 feet into the earth. The smell of damp air wafted up carrying with it the distinct smells of death and decay. The first challenge, however, was a simple grate that barred passage. After much hemming and hawing, the decision was made to simply for the gate through brute force. An hour later, and a gap small enough to permit entry had been forced.

Dropping down on to the decrepit stairwell soon revealed the first trap. Though rigged to collapse, the party successfully descended the stairs without triggering it falling on their heads. The catacombs they found themselves were ancient, and contained the bones of thousands. Set into the walls, the bones and skulls of generations made up a macabre wall covering that added subtly to the sense of dread.

A handful of wights were roused from their slumber, but were quickly dispatched. Beyond a room with hundreds of years of bloodstains running down it, and a room with seeping noxious gasses, the vampire lord was the only thing of interest in the tomb.

Lord Jaromir attempted to parlay once more, offering generous tax payments should he be granted dominion over the town. The countess was to have none of it, and a battle broke out.

The outcome was never in doubt, and the vampire was defeated relatively quickly. Almost immediately the fog began to dissipate and green slowly began to creep back into the plant life.

With the county freed from its erstwhile lord, life returned to normal, at least for a handful amongst the spheres.

With the elimination of the vampiric threat, and the nascent cult of revenge growing in Mercy's realm, the party was able to have some much needed rest. Plans were made to invest their the spoils of the last few years of saving the spheres into improvements. Indeed, the populations of the counties seemed to greatly appreciate the investment after the civil war and years of absent or disinterested rulers. After a couple weeks, the group returned to Mirabilis for repairs and refit.

A summons from Senator Tamrieath brought them back to their reality. A meeting was arranged with the senator as well as a Scro special operations officer, Barpug Witchhammer (Magister of the Brain Spike Marauders). The Forsaken pressure on the Scro empire has continued to exacerbate the troubles there. The “Gruumsh” faction has been gaining support, and while still locked out of the corridors of power, the number of supporters of the old ways is growing. Further, the first waves of Scro refugees have begun to arrive in Elven space. While the elves have been opening, tension exists.

On top of the politics, the military position has become clearer. Scro intelligence indicates a ship gap, where the combined Scro and Elven fleets falls short of Forsaken strength. To resolve this, it is imperative to boost the size of the allied fleets. This requires reopening the great ship yards of Erathi.

A task force of vessels, Elven Marines and Scro Warriors is to make for Erathi, secure the jump gate and work to re-open the shipyards. Of course, this means somebody needs to deal with the dragon…

Two months later, the party found themselves in orbit above their home world. After dislodging a Forsaken party attempting to rebuild Taronthis, the party descended to the surface to make contact with Corbin, Volt's old “friend.” After learning the political situation, and needing to access the library of either Vara or Korvefe, plans were made…

The Forsaken presence on Taronthis was the tip of the iceberg. While the party was investigating planetside, a trio of Forsaken Retaliators departed Korvefe to dislodge the nascent elven presence. The Forsaken were compelled to retreat back to the planet with the loss of one cruiser and damage to the two others. The elven/scro contingent lost a Man-o-War and a Barracuda, but held the battlefield.

Alarmed, the allied forces called a quick summit. The party was dispatched to Korvefe to determine the nature of the enemy presence there. The trip down was uneventful. After penetrating the cloud bank, however, a hellish scene unfolded. The Forsaken in the city were attempting to burn away the forest, making a bee-line for Quinyala. Though only a few miles in, the surrounding settlements were covered with choking ash and soot. Something else foul floated on the embers as well, as the Greenwood's sickness spread to the villagers and townsfolk.

Passing through burned out husks of cannibal-filled houses, the party eventually gained access to the city. After locating the Forsaken vessels, they carried out an audacious plan to disable them on the ground, then called in an airstrike to destroy the hulls.

With the issue resolved, at least short term, they decamped for Vara. Meeting with High Lord of the Republic, and her newly arrived beholder advisor, Gronthox, she laid out a sympathetic view of her government struggles against Lord Stern's rebels. With Gronthox's guidance, she was aware of the forces beyond her own moon, and was receptive to the initial elven advances.

With the ice broken, Ambassador Nalandiel was contacted to make more formal arrangements as the heroes busied themselves in the library…

The ambassador brought dire news. Information on a Forsaken occupation fleet was uncovered in the aftermath of the battles in the sphere. Further, their arrival, in a mere couple weeks, put the defenders of Erathi and Taronthis at a disadvantage without hope of reinforcements. The heartwood on Quinyala would be needed in Mirabilis to unlock the gate, sooner than later.

With the Forsaken driving the clock, the party set out for the underbark with all due speed. They covered the ground to the forest itself quickly, and made their way to one of the root tunnels that had breached the surface. Unfortunately, a band of wood elves had setup around it as a sacred site. The wood elves, however, were quickly dispatched, and the band dropped past the denizens that lived in the mouth of the tunnels into the underbark itself.

The tunnels were wet, claustrophobic, and muddy. Beyond a few challenges easily overcome, the heroes made good time towards the center of the forest. They befriended a young green dragon, dubbed Struesselnau, with a gift of lots and lots of food. Their new ally warned them of the wyrmling chamber ahead, and provided guidance for how to pass through safely.

A short time later, this time walking through massive twenty-foot diameter root tunnels, they arrived in one of the great chambers below Quinyala. Roots hundreds of feet feet wide dove deep in to the soil, creating vaulted chambers and corridors, all easily visible from their vantage point. In the middle of the grand vault beneath the tree rested a large green dragon, tail stirring slightly in time with the dripping of water percolating through the soil above…

The parties greeted each other warily. The wyrm exuded confidence as it was on its home territory, the heroes perhaps less so. The dragon suddenly left, allowing the party to make the core of Quinyala. Tight and cramped, only the halfling was able to advance up into the tree. Once there he came face to face with the rot that ate at its core.

The dragon returned, angered that the heroes would go behind its back. A great battle ensued, with the heroes eventually wearing the dragon down.

As it lay bleeding out, the party decided to spare the great beast. Perhaps it could be rehabilitated…

The heroes healed the dragon, and when it came to it spoke as if a great fog had been lifted. Though healing Quinyala would take years or decades, the impact on the great beast was immediate. I bestowed gifts on the party and offered the gnome access to its library of magic tomes that pre-dated the sundering. Unfortunately, Tanriel wasn't present as he had immediately headed to Mirabilis with the heartwood to restore the gate.

After a few days of well deserved rest, word came from the fleet that the heroes were needed. The plan was to dispatch the party and the remaining Scro marines to capture a Forsaken cruiser and crash it into one of their carriers. If the party was willing it should hopefully help preserve the Elven fleet. Of course the accepted.

Without much ceremony, however, the jump gate they'd worked so hard to key into the Mirabilis network came to life. Bridging vast distances, the allied fleets began moving into the system. The first vessel, however, experienced some soft of strange phenomenon as it immediately began tumbling out of control. It would turn out that all on board, save Tanriel, were dead. He was not alone, however, but in the company of a cadre of demons. The demons defeated, Tanriel was extracted as the Elven warship plummeted to the planet below.

Nearly simultaneously, the Forsaken fleet arrived arrayed for battle. Advancing under the cover of concealing magics a large number of assault transports and small fighters sortied from the capital ships. The Elven navy had only just begun to deploy as the fight was joined. The heroes and their Scro escorts targeted a cruiser and made their way towards it. Stealthily capturing it, they proceeded to ram it into one of the carriers, causing significant damage. As the remaining Scro marines joined the party on the Barracudas, they plotted their next moves.

The Forsaken were repulsed, but the losses on the Elven capital vessels were high. The heroes were summoned to speak with Eliyon Starbirch, Archduke of Mirabilis. He confided to them, under the strictest secrecy that the empire was in fact no more. It had splintered after the capital, Angelath, fell silent. Some of the former imperial provinces managed to stay in contact, but their drifting amongst the phlogiston have deprived them of physical contact. Petty jealousies and fears kept them from using magic to reunite themselves. First, meetings would need to be had, summits held, bridges built. These first steps towards reunification are all the more necessary given the recent losses and the months it would take the Erathi shipyards to come online.

Offering grand promises, the Archduke offered much should the heroes be able to follow the path of Tempest Moonoak and the Gossamer Blossom to Amethelia to consult the orrery in the Temple of Talpharie she discovered. By uncovering the current locations of the former imperial capitals, vessels could be dispatched and the reknitting of the empire could begin.

After some upgrades, the party set out into the unknown. The arrived without incident and quickly discovered the town had fallen into disrepair, seemingly devoid of life. Campfires were seen some distance from the city, and were investigated. The first, an encampment of goblins recently descended from the mountains, didn't provide much beyond some trade goods. The second, human refugees struggling to scratch out an existence in the great forests of Amethelia, provided information that proved more useful.

The city itself was overrun by gnolls following a lengthy decline, as the party would soon uncover. Walking into the outskirts from the overgrown space port was an exercise in paranoia, with the sense of being watched omnipresent and palpable. Eventually, they were ambushed by the ravening beasts, but triumphed pretty easily.

A chance encounter with a petrified elf, whom they saved, provided some more insights. As the city was overrun, the citizens attempted to flee to the 6th planet of the system. It would appear that not all made it. After being calmed down, he told them where to find the temple they sought and was taken about the Void Skimmer for safe keeping while the heroes approached the temple.

The temple itself looks to have collapsed in on itself, though the front matter remained intact. Smoke and steam billowed out of it, obscuring the entry. Raina pushed into it, and after the sounds of metal scraping was challenged to stop and turn around. She didn't…

The steam closed in around them, burning their flesh and lungs with every breath. An enemy lurked in the steam as well. As they advanced, they ran into animated guardians, protectors of the temple serving long after the it had fallen into ruins. The steam complicated things, but the heroes eventually won out. They were able to get through the main door of the temple before the scalding steam boiled their skin.

The remains of the temple would have been magnificent when in good repair. Mechanical, steam-powered, creatures sat idle on the wall, their motive force robbed from them by some catastrophe below ground. The main sanctuary seems to have collapsed in on itself, leaving only the catacombs below to explore.

Descending below ground, the super heated steam above once again gave way to the ambient chill of the planet. The sound of rushing water or steam racing through hidden pipes seemed omnipresent. The first sign that anything was amiss was a brief glimpse of a floating orb with tentacles reaching out for the party. The beholderkin lay defeated and the companions decided to rest.

After recovering, they delved deeper, bypassing a handful of crude traps before arriving at a room populated with gnolls intended to slow them down. This proved to barely be a speedbump as the heroes made quick work of them. Taking a deep breath, they steeled themselves for the next challenge to their entry…

The omnipresent rumble and rattle of ancient steam pipes grew louder. Small jets of steam periodically escaped from holes in the rock, increasing the humidity and pushing back the ambient chill of the planet. Pushing deeper into the old catacombs of the temple, they met resistance in a cadre of gnolls that had setup a defensive position. The heroes made quick work of the position, bypassing the walls and arrow slits to attack the defenders from behind.

Undaunted, they pushed into the bottom level of the temple. Here, a pair of large golems stood watch before a mighty door. Blasts of superheated steam randomly shot from the ceiling, causing great pain and restoring the golem's wounds. Though the blows from the golems were mighty, the heroes triumphed, defeating the golems and getting through the great doors before they revived.

The orrery towered over the the heroes as they entered the large underground vault. Several enemies stood between them and access to the mechanical marvel. Most were quickly dispatched, while the beholder that claimed this place for its own proved slightly more resilient. Eventually however, the flying beast was brought low through teamwork and perseverance. Before them lay the most complete map of the known universe, and the answers to the questions that brought them here…

The beholder, once again under the sway of gravity, crashed messily into the solid ground, sending a shower of gore around the assembled heroes. The chamber was silent, save for their breathing and the occasional groan of someone shaking off an injury. After a quick break, they turned their attention to the impressive contraption before them.

Between the group, they were able to divine that the orrery showed not only the current state of the spheres, but the previous states too. Further, the universe that it presented was far, far larger than they could have imagined. Between trial and error, a bit of insight, and a touch of divine guidance they figured out the story of the last few hundred years.

The imperial capital fell during the last unhuman wars, but not to the orcs, as was feared, but to the dark elves. The errant capitals were discovered, as were the the provincial capitals that had gone dark. The orrery showed that most were not dark, but burned with colors other than elven blue. Of interest, the fractured sphere that transformed the elven captain Tempest Moonoak into the pirate queen Ariel Stormbane was a mere hop away and had the ancient name of Kroatac.

Finally, the great orrery showed the contagion of the Forsaken spreading from a dot in space along the Elven-Orc frontier going back several hundred years. The sphere was gone from the orrery in the current day, but looking back in time they discovered the source: Adrestia.

Not wishing to leave such a treasure to be discovered or looted by the wrong parties, the heroes beseeched Ashura, and the entire device was moved en masse to Mirabilis. With that, the team headed home to report their findings.

Their journey was, however, not without incident. Upon gating into Mirabilis-space, demons assaulted the ship. Though they were driven off, a large beast from the pit exploded violently when defeated, inflicting significant damage on the Man-o-War. The vessel pulled into the imperial docks with the signs of battle still fresh, and smoke still rising from the spot where the fiend exploded…

Repairs were made quickly. Feeling the sands of time moving quickly, the decision was made to strike out for Kroatac immediately. The journey was long and uneventful. The heroes arrived at the fractured sphere following the route Tempest Moonoak laid out for them.

The fallen captains log book was accurate. The sphere wall had more than a passing similarity to a cracked egg scorched on a fire. The Man-o-War easily threaded its way through the large cracks, where the Flow intruded on the inky blank void. The system was dominated by a sickly blue-green star orbiting a mass of inky darkness that seemed to drink in not just light but to be alive with a malevolent energy. Indeed, discontent and rumors immediately began to ripple through the crew. By the time the ship had arrived at the asteroid outpost from Moonoak's log, a number of crew members had jumped over the side, tempted by visions of family beckoning them home.

The asteroid itself was dark stone. Small twisted forests grew on its thin soil, populated by strange creatures that seemed to revel in throwing lightning bolts at each other. Lakes of oily black lapped at rocky shores. A large stone cathedral dominated the remains of a village.

The heroes entered the cathedral and were immediately confronted by a trio of unholy creatures. After perfunctory attempts at communication, a battle broke out. By the time the dust had settled, the heroes once again stood triumphant and three minions of darkness lay defeated. Seeking to destroy the eye, the companions pondered their next move…

In the distance a serpentine demon woman kept to herself as the heroes found a passage down into the bowels of the asteroid. The first chamber they came across was quiet, almost peaceful, save for a faint odor of oil in the air. A dedication to the fallen heroes of an elven vessel seemed strangely out of place in the cathedral of darkness. The sailors, however, still seemed on watch, and they confused the mortal interlopers for combatants in a battle several hundred years ago.

After the heroes put the restless dead back to sleep, they found a door that led deeper into the catacombs. A handful of ghoulish demons attempted to get them to become permanent residents, but except for the faerie dragon, all emerged largely unharmed.

Finally, they came to where the lich kept his phylactery. It was watched over by a dread demon, bound by magic. A mighty battle was joined, and as expected, the heroes emerged victorious. The phylactery was tossed through a gate that dominated the vault that led to the black hole in the center of the system. Demon banished, eye and lich destroyed, it was a good day…

Word arrived that the Scro had fallen to the Forsaken menace. A wave of pent up violence, rage and anger washed across the border, slamming into Elven space with shocking speed and brutality. The gates served as a life line in the rising tide as system after system was surrounded and interdicted. Mirabilis was besieged.

The heroes asked for guidance. Mirabilis was holding, and the best use of their talents was to take the fight to the enemy and knock out their command and control. To that end, they set course for the missing sphere, the genesis of the Nemrasie cult: Adrestia.

Adrestia proved cold. A background hum permeated the sphere causing irritation and anger. Just after entering the sphere, they ran across a derelict vessel that was scene to a great slaughter. All aboard the orc vessel were dead, with the many of the corpses exhibiting great sores and chunks of hair that had been pulled out.

The derelicts behind them, they headed to stash the Man-o-War in the asteroid field. Before arriving, however, a great void dragon intercepted them. Though they were ultimately victorious, the great beast inflicted significant damage not only to their persons, but their ship as well.

Towing their battered warship, they once again set off for the asteroid belt in hopes of arriving safely…

When adrenaline was flowing the buzzing stopped. As the fear of the dragon's assault faded, it slowly crept back into consciousness. The asteroid belt was still a good ways away, and towing the damaged Man-o-War slowed things a bit.

On the approach, a pair of scro vessels engaged the heroes. While they were defeated, it was noted that the Scro all exhibited the same tell tale signs of self harm that the other vessels in the system had demonstrated. With that unpleasantness behind them, they proceeded to make for the asteroid belt.

They arrived without further incident. They did spy a number of small dragons in the distance. Seeking to head off an encounter at an inopportune time, they ventured forth to dispatch the nascent threat. With the situation stabilized, the heroes patched up the Man-o-War and sent it homeward. With the warship gone, things appeared as they had started, a small ship with a band of heroes looking at the unknown. With that in mind, they began to plot their next move.

The heroes plotted their next moves with the help of the gods. All signs pointed to the dead planet in the inner solar system. With the course locked in, the secured their gear and set course for their destiny.

Drath was a dry world, appearing as chalky gray ball of ridges, mountains and empty oceans. The skeletons of great forests stretched across its surface, with the bones of the trees casting dark shadows against the otherwise colorless world. The remnants of large cities hugged the coastlines of non-existent seas and empty river beds. A single Forsaken heavy warship stood sentinel over their holy world.

Skirting the guard, the dragonfly dropped into the atmosphere of the dead world looking for anything that might stand out as odd among the gray featureless expanse of the plains. Spying a trio of dragons guarding the remains of a city, they crew landed some distance away, making their way on foot. A bowl, a hundred yards across lay where a thriving city center should have been. At the center, a small building with a simple door.

The attempts to sneak past the dragons failed. In the ensuing fight, the heroes were badly mauled. They, however, made it to the sanctuary at the bottom of the depression. The dragons did not follow.