Stone Soules Summary: The Founding of Middle-of-the-Road and Early Adventures
The Anarchists
They intercepted a cargo shipment to the Barony that Ceydric went and followed them. They just dumped the stuff in a ditch and tried on purpose to have us receive a message on one of the people we killed there. It was garbage about the Duke of Andevar wanting the "royalist upstarts destroyed" or somesuch. That was what ultimately caused the Dunadorian Central Government to send us a small unit of troops headed by Al.
Zalk the Sage
He's a sage at the School of Wizardry, foremost in Magic Item research who took a box we had brought him and figured out the combination so that none of the 100+ magic traps would destroy us or it. It had Tuggutian currency (paper) inside.
Great Old City
Looks like we found the remains of a group from S.M.A.R.T. in the desert monster's lair. But the Jack of Clubs we just have a log in code...the one from S.M.A.R.T. blew up when we tried to open it (4-40 points damage).
End-of-the-Road had monsters we wouldn't have expected in the ruins! Who would have expected to find a desert monster there! Edwin said he was disappointed that we had killed the desert monster because he was supposed to "haunt us for weeks." We were happy to disappoint him; as it was we just randomly picked his lair to search.
Gerald & the Party
Gerald has not yet been accepted by Theo and Ceydric as member of the party. Alegra is voting for him (sort of a Triumvirate). Gerald has been with Alegra, Aria, and Ludo for just about 6 months. With Ceydric, entourage, Theo, Norm, for about 4.5 months (though Ceydric and company were constructing the barony at this point and not available much). With Snag for maybe 2 weeks, and with Faranyn and the rest for less than a day.
Be aware: Dari has a mountain lion and two squirrels, maybe more animals. Snag has a tendency to eat/attack and then eat a lot of things. Watch your animals, though he's never attacked Grien before. Interesting fact: Grien did more direct damage to Molehill in our battle than Alegra did.
Early Adventures w/Gerald
Not much exciting happened, actually. We spent a long time fighting off a caravan raid by anarchists... The rest of the time was spent patrolling and mostly just in administration.
Gerald is alive and well. The most adventure he was really involved in was raiding a couple of Sarkian army deserters (Ogres -- excuse me, they were "dismissed") and a giant and normal ogre. Faranyn relates to you his conversation with "Gwog -- 2106" in ogre. I'll get back to you on that -- it was really interesting, actually -- information about the World Empire and Sark.
Plans
We are planning on doing recoinnasance (bad misspelling) in the Greate Olde City this very weekend. Middle is almost finished (to start) and has some citizens, including an alchemist, a Phaulkonian,and a Nevronian temple, a shrine to Felcon, God of Travellers, and a small Auroran work of art, sometimes called a "temple," but it makes everything else look shabby. But ostentacious decoration is not a Phaulkonian trait.
Sphinx
The sphinx has the body of a lion-like creature, and the wings and head of a great eagle. He looks like a griffin in many ways. He is about the size of a horse.
The bards at the End mailpost know that a sphinx occasionally arranges to send out mail through bugbear intermediaries. They nothing of his powers or habits. Mail was delivered to the sphinx by way of a secret box. Info beyond that is confidential.
He wears at least one magic ring. The sphinx asked to be called "Master."
He is interested in many things, apparently, including archaeology, and he is a member of the Brotherhood of Sages. Grammar and style, however, are not included in his interests: "I can mix metaphors as I please. . . ."
Breaks
The party took numerous breaks between adventures. They stop for about forty days at a time for various logistic reasons. This is exactly not long enough to get to the Northlands look around and get back. Thus, Gerald was constantly stuck in the immediate area.
Gerald presented an idea for local travel during the "dead time" between adventures. Gerald offered to help fully scout the land around the Soulestone and the future barony. Gerald intends to explore, take notes, and map the area in more detail than has been done to date. This will not only help patrol the area to uncover other monster lairs but also provide long-term benefit to the barony. Such a survey can help with various plans, including military strategy. Gerald asked and obtained Ceydric's approval, and several party members also liked the idea. However, it was quite some time before the party actually implemented the plan.
Magic Potion
The matter was received quite warmly. Alegra tells you privately that that may salvage your status with the group. She is busy right now organizing a new church, but she is glad to show you around. Incidentally, there is no test required. We'd rather save the potion. Plus, she makes that point that a "friend of Gram is a friend of mine."
Update: It will take until the end of 2172 to finish the city to a point where we can leave it. If you wish, you can travel during any of the last half of 2172 that we will be in Middle. All of the info. I gave you about the barony is also filled in.
Arathorne Barony
Some facts about the Barony decided at the last game:
1. It will be called the Arathorne Barony after Ceydric and Faranyn Arathorne.
2. The tower is known (primary for the future keep) is known as the Soulestone (or Soulstone).
3. The town will be called Middle-of-the-Road or Middle for short (like End, a day or so away). This was designed, incidentally, to give the impression of wanting to stop at Middle since certainly End must be much farther on the road ;) for player's ears only, though!
Kyle