Against the Court of Urdor – Part 5

Misty Vale, Queen Blàithnaid’s Elfstone, and the Warden’s Pendant 

[Map of the Cursed Lands]

Our heroes – Einar Quicksilver, the Green Elf rogue of Koronande, and Kiren Hammerstone, the Dwarf animist from the Halls of Pale Steel – have endured many things over the past month. They have travelled from the fair tree city of Tauronde to the Cursed Lands that lie between the realms of Tantûrak, Koronande, and Taaliraan. And in the Cursed Lands they have escaped capture and have journeyed to a number of places, from isolated havens of civilization to terrible dwellings of redcaps, trolls, and bandits. These adventures are related in the earlier installments of this log (parts 1, 2, 3, and 4).

We rejoin the adventuring duo as they break their fast in the Blazing Hearth Inn in the town of Soggy Fields on the 22nd day of February, in the 1000th year of the Second Age of Humanity. They aim to fulfil their promise to the ghost of Prince Berethil by returning the crown of white branches to the prince’s sister Queen Blàithnaid. The queen once ruled northern Taaliraan but disappeared following the terrible battle at the end of the First Age of Humanity, after which most of the Green Elves of the land departed for either Koronande or southern Taaliraan, and the region became known as the “Cursed Lands.” Prince Berethil’s ghost assured the adventurers that his sister lingers still on this mortal plane somewhere within the Lake of Mists.

February 1000 2AH (Second Age of Humanity) 22nd:

Einar, Kiren, and Kiren’s loyal falcon Miranda, travel from Soggy Fields to the village of Misty Vale. While marching near the Lake of Mists, Kiren discerns a mystical “defensive will” emanating from the lake. Moreover, the water of the lake seems unnaturally cool. The clash between the lake’s cool water and the land’s warm air create the mists for which the region is named. There is something distinctly odd about the place. Perhaps it is a “fragment” from the plane of Faerie?

[Map of Misty Vale in the northeastern Cursed Lands]

While staying in the village, the adventurers:

• Notice that the crown of Queen Blàithnaid has sprouted white flowers upon nearing the lake.
• Inform Blarth’s father and sister – Balic and Belwyn – of Blarth’s tragic death. The bard’s magical silver harp – “Songbird” – is also returned to his family. 
• Learn that a number of villagers recently have gone missing, including: Nevynn “the Wise,” a friend of the Company of the Morning Star (missing for two weeks); Eamon the Warden of the Vale (missing for thirteen days); and Archibold the halfling farmer (missing for one day.) (The adventurers are informed of the last disappearance by Archibold’s weeping wife, Mirabella, while staying at the village’s only inn).
• Learn that the disappearances are widely blamed on the “Beast of the Lake,” as large monstrous footprints have been found near the lakeshore.
• Learn that the new thane of the village – a man of mixed Hathorian and Tantûraki heritage named Wulfric – is popular, even though his claim to the position seems tenuous. Wulfric is accompanied by a company of Tantûraki mercenaries and promises to make the valley safe.
• Are informed by the town crier that there is an award of 100 gold bars for anyone who kills the “Beast of the Lake” and brings peace to the village. 

Kiren and Einar avoid Wulfric and his minions. Instead, they visit with Eileen the herbwife, who turns out to have been romantically involved with Eamon (the missing warden) and is deeply suspicious of Wulfric. The adventurers tell Eileen that they eventually must travel to the island on the Lake of Mists. Since Kiren greatly fears drowning – like most dwarves, he is unable to swim – the herbwife offers to prepare a concoction that will enable him to hold his breath for long periods of time. However, it will take her a couple of days to create the complex mixtures. In return, the adventurers agree to investigate the footprints of the “Beast of the Lake” and try to discover what is happening in the Vale.  

February 1000 2AH 23rd: 

The adventurers leave the village and travel to the cottages near the eastern edges of the lake. There they discuss the recent disappearances with Padraig, who was Eamon’s best friend. Padraig fears that his dear friend is likely dead. And like Eileen, Padraig is deeply suspicious of Wulfric. 

The adventurers investigate the strange footprints near the lake. This involves a lot of tracking, marching about, and the like. Eventually they follow the tracks to an old dwarf hold in a hill to the north. The hold’s doors are unopenable, but the tracks end there. The elf’s keen eyes notice that they are replaced by human-sized footprints. The party follows these new prints into the jungle to the east. After many hours, they come upon an isolated hunting cabin. Within the cabin Einar and Kiren discover a trio of ne’er-do-wells: a Tantûraki warrior and two half-orc henchmen. At the side of the cabin are a pair of very large wooden “feet” with straps on them. It turns out that the Tantûraki had been using them to create the fake footprints of the “Beast of the Lake”!

The adventurers light the outhouse on fire, which draws one of the half-orcs out of the cabin to investigate. The half-orc is slain, and the others surrender. Kiren tries to interrogate the other half-orc, fails miserably, and, in his frustration, kills the prisoner in cold blood. The Tantûraki is horrified by the dwarf’s savagery, and offers to tell all that he can to the two adventures it they take an oath to let him go afterwards. Reluctantly the adventurers agree. 

From their Tantûraki prisoner, Einar and Kiren learn:  

• His name is Ivarr. 
• He works for Zepheus the necromancer!
• Wulfric also works for Zepheus, and is in the Vale to obtain the “Stone of Queen Blàithnaid,” also known simply as the “Elfstone,” which the foul necromancer seeks.
• Wulfric slew Eamon in order to obtain the Warden’s pendant, which Wulfric believes will enable him to travel to the island on the Lake of Mists and find the Elfstone. 
• Ivarr and his half-orc henchmen slew Archibold, as the halfling had discovered them creating the false footprints. The halfling’s remains were left at the Broken Monolith. 

Ivarr vows to leave Zepheus’s service and begin a new life in Dûshera. The party lets him leave, but Kiren instructs his falcon Miranda to follow the Tantûraki blackguard for a day to ensure that he does not turn around and attempt to warn either Wulfric or Zepheus. It would seem that Ivarr took his vow seriously, as he disappears into the northeast, towards Dûshera and away from Misty Vale.

February 1000 2AH 24th: 

This day the duo notices that they are being tracked by a cloud of bats while in the jungle and a murder of gorcrows as soon as they return to the valley. Worried that they are being spied upon, Kiren writes a note for Eileen, informing her of all that they have learned. He then uses his magic to speak with Miranda, and instructs the falcon to deliver the message to the herbwife. Hours later Miranda returns with a note from Eileen, informing them that she hasn’t completed the breath-holding concoction yet, and will meet the adventurers the next day at Padraig’s cabin. The adventurers then return to the jungle and manage to evade the dark birds and bats following them. They rest for the night.

February 1000 2AH 25th: 

The adventurers travel to Padraig’s cabin. There they wait anxiously for Eileen, who eventually arrives with flasks of her “breath-holding” potion. Padraig provides the duo with a rough map of the outer regions of the island within the Lake of Mists – like all the folk of the Vale, he has never been able to land upon it and so does now know what lies within the isle’s inner reaches. But he notes a steep black rocky hill upon it. 

Einar and Kiren row one of Padraig’s boats onto the lake. It is covered in cool mists – clearly, it has an eldritch nature and is out of place in the southlands of Urdor. The mists and waters resist the efforts of the adventurers to approach the isle. Einar makes a plea to the lake, explaining in the Green Elvish tongue that he and his companion desire to return the white branch crown to Queen Blàithnaid. Water spirits of the lake seem to seize the boat and beach it on the northern edge of the island.

The duo begins exploring the island. It is covered in strange trees. Kiren, drawing upon his considerable knowledge of flora, recognize them as “pine trees” not native to the southlands (save the higher regions of the Skyclaw Mountains). Once again, the lake and its isle seem profoundly out of place.

Einar and Kiren head south along a path through the woods. The mists and strange vegetation cause them to become lost. Einar hears the voice of their former pixie companion Neriss calling out to him for help. She tells him that her foot has been caught in the roots of a tree. The two adventures are confused but suspect that the pixie’s voice must be some kind of trick. Eventually Kiren becomes separated from his elvish friend and loses his way. He blows his falcon whistle – and while Einar hears it, he cannot tell where it is from. Nervously, the elf blows the faerie whistle that Neriss gave to him before their separation. The elf continues to hear the pixie pleading for help but is wary of leaving the trail, and so returns to the beach to rest for the night. Kiren and Miranda also rest for the night, lost in the unearthly woods. They are afflicted by an unnatural cold and so relocate. Eventually the cold air subsides.

February 1000 2AH 26th: 

After much difficulty, the adventurers find one another early in the day. Einar recalls his people’s lore, and is convinced that the lake and island are indeed from the plane of Faerie, a realm of wild chaos. 

The adventurers take the eastern path this day. Eventually they encounter a bizarre tree. A cloud of pollen engulfs the duo – Einar is rendered hopelessly inebriated, whereas Kiren finds himself sneezing constantly. A pair of eyes open on the tree and then abruptly close. After some fumbling about the two move away from the area and recover. 

They then decide to take the western path again. Eventually they come upon a burbling putrid bog. They decide to use one of the potions of breath-holding so that they don’t have to breath in the bog’s fetid air. Kiren becomes tangled up in some vines but manages to get out with some help from Einar. The duo then leaves the boggy area, continues south, and comes upon an ancient battlefield. They find a massive chunk of black ice with a silver spear embedded in it. Warily the adventurers avoid the ice and spear and continue on their way.

[The black hill of Dùn Tùr]

Eventually the adventurers come upon the spire of black rock that rises into the sky from the misty isle. Upon a side of the rock are a pair of silver doors. Where the doors meet is embedded a stylized symbol of a hound. Einar impatiently touches the door and yelps in pain as his hand is frostbitten. The silver doors exude an unearthly cold. Fortunately, Kiren successfully draws upon his healing skills to help Einar.

After some deliberation about how to proceed, Einar tries touching the hound symbol with the flowering crown of Queen Blàithnaid. To the relief of the adventurers, the silver doors magically swing open! The duo enters the black spire and ascends a twisting stairway.

Eventually the duo exits the stairway to find themselves at the top of the spire. There they come upon a pleasant flat field, about a hundred metres across, of verdant grass, lavender, and bright shrubbery. The air is cool but the sun is bright. Golden flowers bloom in patches. Beneath them the adventurers can see the mists that blanket the isle and much of the lake. In the centre of the field is a small white stone cabin, with a simple stone bench and well nearby. 

A daunting elfin warrioress approaches the two adventurers. Her beauty is unearthly and disturbing. This is none other than Queen Blàithnaid – discovered after centuries of hidden seclusion!

The queen demands to know why she has been disturbed. Einar and Kiren quickly explain their oath to Prince Berethil. They return to her the white crown that was stolen from her, on the eve of the great battle against the forces of the Autarch, over an eon ago. Moved by her brother’s tormented fate, the queen tells the adventurers to inform the prince’s ghost that she forgives him for his theft and betrayal. Perhaps his spirit now will be able to finally return to Faerie. She also gives to the duo her Elfstone, and makes them promise to deliver it to Prince Eldanar – the monarch with whom she co-ruled Taaliraan centuries ago. 

Queen Blàithnaid explains that, by means of the Elfstone, she is aware of a number of events that have transpired recently in the Vale. In response to the adventurers’ questioning, she informs them that Neriss is not on the island – the voices they heard were malevolent deceptions. She also reveals the Eamon is dead but the Warden’s pendant that he wore was a false one. Suspicious of Wulfric’s plans, Eamon had hidden the true pendant in the ancient Warden’s Mound to the south. The queen suggests that it be recovered and be given to a person pure of heart to become the new Warden. 

 

Queen Blàithnaid then prepares the Elfstone to take the adventurers to the edge of the isle, where their boat is located. She gives her magnificent sword, “the Queen’s Thorn,” to Einar. Then she sits down on the field, takes a final breath, and transforms into a beautiful flowering thicket. Her time on the Mortal Plane has ended and her spirit has returned to Faerie.

After a few moments of reverential silence, Kiren carefully examines the Elfstone. He then uses it to travel with Einar through the Ethereal Plane – a realm of glowing mists and swirling silver clouds – to the location of their boat. Since the artifact had been prepared by Queen Blàithnaid, the journey is successful. 

The adventurers deliberate about what to do next. Einar recalls that the ancient Standing Stones to the south is where the Green Elves granted the Vale to men and recognized Aelfwine as the first Warden a thousand years ago. Amazingly, he also recalls a little-known tale that Aelfwine was slain by his own brothers at the Standing Stones years later and was subsequently interred in the Warden’s Mound. They decide to go to the Warden’s Mound and see if they can recover the true Warden’s pendant.

The duo takes the boat to the western shore of the Lake of Mists. They start to travel south but notice that they are being observed by some gorcrows. Annoyed by these feathered spies, Kiren uses the Elfstone to travel via the Ethereal Plane to the Warden’s Mound. The dwarf succeeds but is greatly wearied by the task. He drinks some of the Green Wine from Prince Berethil’s barrow and is refreshed.  

The adventurers determine that they are actually on a hill to the north of the Warden’s Mound. They travel south to the correct mound and discover a pair of tarnished silver doors with the same Hound symbol that they had encountered earlier at the black spire. With some difficulty, the duo manages to open the doors. The two companions then explore the ancient barrow. 

In the course of their explorations, the adventurers are attacked by four terrible ghouls! Kiren is battered badly and knocked out while Einar severs the fingers of three different ghoul hands. (The elf considers renaming his sword “Finger Cleaver” because of this.) Einar and Miranda stand guard by the unconscious dwarf, waiting for him to recover. Eventually, after seven hours of rest, Kiren awakens. He uses some herbs and magic to recover further. 

After some additional exploration the heroes find the true Warden’s pendant. They also find some tapestries that portray the events immediately after the final Great Battle on Urdor at the end of the First Age of Humanity, a thousand years ago. These include the granting of Misty Vale to men, the Green Elves gifting the Warden’s pendant to Aelfwine, and the departure of the Green Elves from the Cursed Lands. 

Worried about encountering Wulfric’s forces in their weakened state, Kiren, Einar, and Miranda leave the Warden’s Mound and head west to the Tower of the Morning Star. They travel through the night and reach the tower early the next day. While tired, the adventurers are pleased with their success. They have: 

• Solved the mystery of the “Beast of the Lake.”
• Completed the quest given to them a month ago by the ghost of Prince Berethil.
• Recovered the Elfstone of Queen Blàithnaid.
• Recovered the true Warden’s pendant.
• Obtained the powerful magical sword “the Queen’s Thorn.”

Truly, Kiren and Einar have travelled far on the difficult path to greatness!

Notes:

• As always, all posts relevant to this campaign and setting are available at this master page.
• The map of the "Cursed Lands" is from the larger map of "Ardor" by Peter Fenlon (produced for the old ICE campaign module, The Court of Ardor). I've added some locations to the map.
• I drew the map of "Misty Vale" but most of the locations on it are taken from the adventure in the Against the Darkmaster core rulebook.
• The adventure described in this post is based on the "Shadows of the Northern Woods" mini-campaign in the core VsD rulebook. It was heavily modified to fit with my campaign and setting.
• All of the pictures in this post are taken from the core VsD rulebook.