March 18th, 2023
Bellum, Dolorem 11th, 1193 (Continued)
The weather is cold and misty, so we bundle up. Sigmund has agreed to stay in town for a week to create water while the diseased water runs it’s course. We check on the body pit and it’s still burning–Sigmund believes the disease to be the Burning Plague. Ty will take advantage of the cold weather and do some outdoors training. Meanwhile, Ralzer is making a new gun. We are also a little sick from the disease, so we spend time recovering.
Iustitia, Dolorem 12th, 1193
Ralzer is looking pretty sick and he needs to rest while Ty continues to train outside. Ralzer will be crafting while resting.
Mors, Dolorem 13th, 1193
Ralzer is looking better!
Vita, Dolorem 14th, 1193
Ralzer looking less good.
Mare, Dolorem 15th, 1193
Ralzer getting worse…
Terra, Dolorem 16th, 1193
Ralzer getting better!
Forte, Dolorem 17th, 1193
Ralzer getting worse…
Bellum, Dolorem 18th, 1193
Ralzer is getting worse in spite of the really good stew that Sigmund has made. We go check on the burning pit of corpses. While Sigmund is rooting through the bodies, Ty makes copies of the runes in the lower room. Sigmund is able to identify the language as orc and the copying goes smoothly. The writing looks to be a plea to Neith for assistance in revenge. It seems that the orc was confident that Short Rock Pass was to blame for the massacre of his tribe about 10 years ago.
We go back up to gather information on what happened 10 years ago. Sarah Ainsworth, the owner of the Running Horse, has some stories to tell. About 10 years ago someone started a militia to take care of an orc stronghold in the mountains. However, only one person from Short Rock went with them. She thinks his surname was Wilxis. The mayor confirms this, but can’t offer much more information.
Iustitia, Dolorem 19th, 1193
Ralzer gets a little better and Sigmund follows up on that Wilxis person. Mayor Sendar believes that Wilxis left town a while ago.
Mors, Dolorem 20th, 1193
Ralzer doesn’t get better and we decide we’re going to have to make the trip to Ironwald Downs, a 4.375 day trip.
Mare, Dolorem 22nd, 1193
Ralzer finally gets over the Burning Plague and travel on the main road is pretty safe. Late in the morning the sky takes a strange deep purple color that starts flowing towards us. It feels really nice, even the grass starts to grow extraordinarily fast–this effect is very wide. We certainly seem to be turning purple, while the snow around us isn’t. Sigmund uses detect magic and is almost knocked out. He says that the effect is stronger than even the Well of Knowledge in Delanshire, which is an artifact. After about 500-600 feet the effect begins to fade and it looks like a huge beam from the clouds. Our skin remains slightly purple, which fades over a few hours, but a small patch stays on our necks. Over the next couple days of travel we meet other people that saw this phenomenon.
Forte, Dolorem 24th, 1193
We arrive at Ironwald Downs in the early morning and Ralzer escorts us to his place. The purple bruises on our necks seem to be becoming pattern of some kind. Ty and Ralzer don’t know their way around, so Ralzer will be the guide. We first go to the temple of Nissa.
Sigmund looks into his divine connection as an oracle and Ty wants to have an expert look at her book; an Expounder, Nadal, will help us with both. Based on the reading he performs, he believes that Nissa may be Sigmund’s source. He also suggests that the author of Ty’s book may be the cause of it’s value. However, when Ty explains that she believes it’s value is not driven by money, Nadal suggests speaking to another specialist and will schedule a follow-up.
Before we leave, Nadal notices out markings. He tries to hide his concern, but tells us that 4 months ago similar markings appeared on other individuals as a result of an artifact being activated, a dagger, whom are now missing. They are Camael, an aasimar cleric of Madri, Samjogo, a tengu ranger, Greynor, a half-elf paladin of Madri, Poshment, a gnome oracle, and Tinley, a suli monk. The dagger was used in the assassination of a city council member. The assassin died in the custody of the Legion of Bones and rumor says the assailant had serpentine organs.
The church of Nissa had the missing individuals investigate a crazy brigand that began talking gibberish. The church believes this could be the sign of a prophecy, and if true, could be bad. However, if even one sign is proven false, then it’s safe… for now. If we decide to pursue this, Nadal asks that we see him first.
Sigmund wants to visit the city’s famed gardens, which are in a very nice part of town.