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February 21, 1996

Stone Soules Summary XIV: Griffon Castle and other Mysteries

"A griffin is a cross between a lion and an eagle:

...Later that afternoon we found a castle with a griffin on top and
attacked it.

We fought long and hard and eventually we won and captured the Duke and
rescued the Prince.

Lowar cast Knock on the Gate and reduce was cast at the Porculus to create
a door through it."

These are essentially a part of a logbook that we received from Holland.
Our scouting has revealed that Griffin castle is similiar to what was
described except we see no Griffin. There is a Gate and porculus.

The castle is approx. 200ft x 200ft square- with gate houses in the middle
of the N and S walls and Bastion towers in the middle of the E and W
walls. The Four corners have a circular tower about 50ft high and 30 in
diameter. Next to the bastion tower on one side are two buildings believed
to be the stables. in the center is a well. Next to the other Bastion
tower are two buildings with wooden roofs. There is a separate building in
the courtyard with a wooden roof.

We estimate 4 watch shifts of 6 crossbowmen each and 2-3 cavalry patrols
of 6 each, so the estimate of guards is around 40-50. We anticipate
magical traps and guardians around the areas where the records would be.
The illegal goods are probably themselves untrapped, but the area they are
kept in may be.

The lack of a griffin anywhere in sight leads us to believe that the Duke
is now present at this time.

What do we want to know before we attack?

(1) the presence of enemy spellcasters - clerics in particular- try to
identify armoured guards without edged weapons.

(2) the presence and relative location of the Duke's records and the
illegal goods

(3) the presence magical guardians or creatures which aid the guards when
the castle is attacked.

(4) Who and where is the commander of the castle, assuming the Duke is
away- In a combined sneak/frontal assault if the commander is
incapacitated or killed quickly then the defenses of the castle may be
more easily overcome.

(5) is there extensive dungeons- or significant areas underground?

I suggest we send Ludo in deeper with a potion of flying and a token of
dimension door ready to use to escape. Ludo could identify the building
used as the barracks for the guards and the identity and location of the
castle headquarters. He may also observe and identify possible
spellcasters and the castle commander.

After this important info has been gained, we should think about covertly
exploring areas of the castle. Closely before the our assault, I could use
a dose of the flying potion to fly invisible over the walls. I could meet
Ludo, also invisible, close to the buildings to be explored. With Find
Trap and Detect Magic cast before, we would have a small amount of time to
try to find the areas where the goods/records are kept and where the traps
are. Once this area is identified, we would leave the building, and Ludo
would return to inform the rest of the party. I could hide invisible in a
area specified by Ludo and would remain in the castle until the party
attacks. If discovered, I would have a dose of the flying portion or the
dimension door token to use to escape.

When the party does decide to attack, I suggests that Ludo climb over the
walls invisible again and find me. Together we would wait close the the
castle headquarters and wait for the party's attack signal. When the
attack begins, Ludo and I could attempt to backstab, hold, command, or
otherwise kill or incapacitate the commander and the headquarters area.

The party's attack could go as follows: Theo or Faranyn or Cassana uses the
potion of climbing to climb up and attach a rope somewhere on top of the
wall while invisible. As he lowers the rope, the rest of the party will
see the rope visible and begin to start climbing on the wall while the
clerics command or hold the crossbowmen. Once the party is on the walls
they start assaulting the towers. The few guards on the walls will be
overwhelmed quickly and the larger force awakening around the castle will
be leaderless.

Should the castle's guards and forces be defeated easily, then we will
bound survivors and go about exploring the castle expediently. If the
defenses prove to be initially overwhelmed but reinforcements are coming,
then the party could try to dispel the traps around the records, kill
whatever beasts guard the records, and try to escape. If the party is
clearly facing difficulty defeating the castle forces, then a retreat may
be necessary.

Overall, the castle's defenses look too easily overcome, so I suspect
there is more to this than we are led to believe. Could be that there are
significant guardian forces within the castle other than the guards. Could
be that the party was set up and the Duke is suspecting this attack- We
could succeed in breaking into the castle but be trapped inside by his massive
reinforcements awaiting nearby the castle. Almost certainly the Duke has
an added precaution to take if the castle is attacked, particularly since
the castle was attacked and taken before. The Duke may have manupulated
Holland to attempt to get the party to try this.

I fear for the worse, so despite a clearly thought out attack, I believe
risk to the party is immense. I predict a 50/50 chance of either
succeeding to overthrow the Duke or total party annihilation, with very
little middle ground.

Xavier

February 14, 1996

Stone Soules Summary XIII: Who Said 13 Was an Unlucky Number?

Well,

here' some further information you might all consider interesting. During
our party's New Years Party in Middle, an assassination attempt was made.
It was foiled chiefly by the use of the magic Bell near the War Room in the
Tower. When a "riot" broke out during the party, we suspected a trap and
fled into the War Room while a patrol took care of the riot. Shortly after
arriving in the War Room, a loud crash was heard outside. Upon opening the
door, Faranyn glimpsed the remains of someone apparently killed by the Bell
creature. Later, we discovered that this was the assassin's plan:

To cause the riot, then sneak into the tower and locate everyone. Kill
sleeping people if necessary, then he was going to through these fire stops
(evacuate all air from a sealed room like the War Room) into the room, and
seal the door with a couple of Wall of Ice tokens and then use a Dimension
Door token to escape. Luckily for us, the Bell stopped him, but only
barely. He hadn't even had time to consider anything else since he had just
entered the corridor and was listening at another door.

Upon _Speaking with Dead_, we discovered that the assassin was sent directly
from the Duchess of Andevar and the Citadel Commander of Montinelle (Sir
Bracken)'s Chief Agent, Menlow. The Duchess has had the assassin kill
several other people which he listed, none of which really rang a bell.
Then, we got the Head of the Church (Nevronian), Farrah, in End to witness
these questions along with the record-keeping of a Bard.

Isn't that interesting?

Well, later, Holland visited us, but that's a story for another time, and as
the rest of this, confidential (though comments are welcome).

Kyle/Alegra

and some more...

Well,

In addition to the assassination plot discussed on my Sat. morning message,
the group played again on Saturday afternoon to plan so that the next game
will be challenging and ready to go. They took their job quite seriously,
and so we are poised at the edge of a quite exciting adventure, the location
of which is familiar to some of you.

We decided to make our case (against the Duke of Andevar) we need a little
more evidence that he trafficks in contraband goods, etc. Holland "happened
to mention" a castle to the north of Andevar's territory, called Griffin
Castle (something some of you should be familiar with). Therein, much
contraband and perhaps some of the Duke's evidence (journals, etc.) is
(probably) held. We are about 9 days away from attacking it. On the 9th
day, several Dunadorian Council people will be "happening to pass nearby on
the way to a meeting in End." On that 9th day, we are going to take the castle.

We have already been observing it for some number of days, and we have some
information from Holland's group that went there searching for the Prince(?)
some years ago (including some of you, I think). Much future intelligence
will be gathered but we are hoping to be at least somewhat successful.
Helping to oust the Duke of Andevar would be the least we could do for
Dunador...

Kyle/Alegra/Faranyn

(BTW, I wasn't actually at this game)

February 13, 1996

Stone Soules Summary XIIb: Comments from the Gallery

Folks, I don't know how to tell you this but I've been waiting for this
sort of information for a long time. A couple of years ago, a group of
characters, under the leadership of a character of mine, entered Sark
determining to infiltrate it and send intelligence back to Koralgesh and
the Sarkian royal faction. At the time we were seeking the aid of some
bigger players and half of our party went to Andevar to see his aid.

Needless to say, the half that went to Sark were ambushed and the entire
operation flushed down the toilet.

Seems that the World Empire had been informed that a party of massive force
was approaching Runk(sp?) intending to destroy everything.

I have, for some time now, thought the informant was a member of the
Sarkian royal faction as we discussed our plans with them before we left
Koralgesh. Now I believe otherwise.

-Sean Paus

rodger@ac.wfu.edu said:
Damn damn damn.

These people NEED to contact Konrad with whatever proof they have!!!! Damn!!!!

Who's maintaining the list??? I need to be added...

time to go take over the f***ing country. wonder if Keith would help?

-Rodger

> Duke was aiming to send weapons to the Central Government Fire Giants with
> the hope of destabilizing the End frontier of Dunador, it would be
> treason. And the penalties are best case banishment, worse case death.

As is normal for me nowadays, this message is out-of-character:

If you ask somone who knows about recent politics, then I THINK (could be
wrong) that you would be told that Andevar has recently been acting like a
country independent of Dunador. Thus, while the inhabitants of Dunthrane
might consider it treason, the Duke himself probably would not. That is not
to say that Dunthrane wouldn't put political pressure on the Duke, but it
would be more on the lines of international politics than an internal affair.

There are also rumors that the Duke of Andevar allied himself with the World
Empire troops.

I am intentionally not endorsing any of these rumors but merely reporting them.
Treat them as you will.

-David Chappell

>I don't know if you guys have already discussed this, but in case you haven't,
>perhaps we should start calling back on some old friendships. It may be a
good
>idea to mail Koral Gesh and find out if we have any chance of political
>protection in that avenue. I think that we should generally look into our
>options of escape and basically find out which avenues we can use, by mailing
>people of power located at each of those options.
>
>Regardless, we should be ready to ship the "cultists" out of Dunador at a
>moments notice, as they sound to be in the gravest danger. We should also try
>to find out who are allies are in Dunador... Shouldn't we at the very least
>have Ceydric and Faranyn's family as allies? The other people who I think we
>should attempt to ally ourselves with are the leader of End (I forget his
name)
>and his family. He might decide to back us based on the fact that this Duke
>we are afraid will press charges against us was trying to do something that
>would have greatly harmed End in particular.
>
>As I said, you guys probably thought about all this, but just in case, I
>decided to mail.

-Sean Guarino

Here's our information:

1. Word of Borglin that he was paid by the Earl to kidnap him, kill the
merchant caravan, but save his bodyguard and him while they were
transporting the illegal Giantish weapons secretly (the caravan thought they
were some other items). Then he and Borglin would arrange for the sale of
the weapons, in what otherwise looked like a kidnapping and ransom. When
the Earl did not provide the necessary monies, he kept the Merchant leader
(Johanna) alive to put pressure on the Earl.

2. We have documents from the Duke of Andevar ordering the sale of illegal
weapons.

3. We have the Merchant and her witness to the total destruction of the
caravan at a word from the Earl. He pointed out, apparently, which people
should be killed first, etc.

4. We passed an Andevarian patrol a couple of days south of Fort Halfred,
looking for a "lost patrol," that could have been the human party we bested.
They were WEEKS north of Andevar's border and had no real good reason for
being there. They looked nervous but there was no way could put the pieces
together at the time.

5. We witnessed the breaking of contract of the Central Government Fire
Giants and the human party in trying to seize the weapons.

6. We have the knowledge that if the CGFG got their hands on the weapons
the FG colony near Middle would fall easily, and the assurance that these
CGFG would come after Middle and End in short order. Our experience
verifies that the the FG near Middle are not friendly but are not going to
be attacking us; a rough truce of sorts has been worked out over years, with
somewhat mutually satisfying efforts in collaboration (against the lesser
demonspawn, against the Central Government Fire Giants, etc.).

7. Andevar has never treated us well on any of our trips to Montinelle, and
frankly this doesn't surprise us. But, as they say that is "hearsay."

Kyle/Alegra

February 07, 1996

Stone Soules Summary XII: The Meaning of the Message

Well, well, well.

The situation was bad enough as it was with the Nevronian cleric, etc.
The political situation was sticky and confusing and we weren't sure WHAT
was going on. Now, get this...

It seems that Ser, the Steward of Middle, was sent express mail before we
arrived back in Middle giving him a 100 g.p. gem, and offering him a sum
100 times that if he poisoned the entire party. He had merely to meet an
agent for the poison. [question to Edwin: where was the meeting place?]
Luckily for us, he refused to meet anyone.

As if this weren't bad enough, it appears that the Duke of Andevar is one
of the co-conspirators of Earl Belzar, and the letters came from the
office of the Chief Steward of Andevar, with the Duke's signatures. The
letters indicate a definite exchange of illegal weapons (a 10,000 g.p.
fine) but do not specify parties involved. If it could be proven that the
Duke was aiming to send weapons to the Central Government Fire Giants with
the hope of destabilizing the End frontier of Dunador, it would be
treason. And the penalties are best case banishment, worse case death.

As such, we are in, as they say, over our heads. Though it is unlikely
that the Duke of Andevar will admit that the party we killed were his
agents, if it were to come out the wrong way, the party might be tried for
their murders. If so, Ceydric or Faranyn could be the Champion and choose
trail by combat, but if the Duke of Andevar pressed the issue, he would
have to fight Kirkroy, the Champion of Andevar, who on a recent Dunthrane
Day, even beat the great Norall during the tournament (Norall is an even
worse case scenario if Hollend becamse involved). And if we were found
guilty, execution for most of us, and burning at the stake for Alegra,
would be a most unhappy end to our adventuring careers.

Reason #1 why Dunadorian politics is bad: Dying is always an option.
Reason #2: if you are a non-Nevronian cleric (read: unwashed cultist) it
is even more likely.

Kyle/Alegra

February 01, 1996

Stone Soules Summary XId: Summary of a Summary

GROUP A: Faranyn, Eli, Xavier, Cassana, and Ludo
At the Stone Giant ruin
GROUP B: Alegra, Theo, Jerem, Pap, and Claude
At Borglin's

GROUP A was disappointed, the deal was a hoax, and had to hike home.
HIGHLIGHT: Eli's Sleep-spell Hunting Technique

GROUP B made a deal with Borglin and the Fire Giants. They got the
Merchant, some cash, all the magic items, transportation to Fort Halfred,
and the destruction of the Giantish weapons.

HIGHLIGHT: The two spell books, the wand, and other cool items, and everyone
surviving.
LOWLIGHT: Discovering the party we encountered and thrashed included a
_Nevronian_ cleric. We also failed to save the mage before he died.
At first we had to look at ourselves and say, "Well, what kind of group were they
for working with FIRE GIANTS, anyway?! ... ... Wait a minute, WE were
working with Fire Giants, too... uh..."

Basically: We lost a couple of months, got some cool items, lots of XP, and
involved in political intrigue we didn't want to be in, gave Middle and End
a little breathing room from Fire Giants, saved a hostage, and are otherwise
in the same position we were in last year.

The word of the Year is: TRAINING.

Alegra/Kyle

Stone Soules Summary XIc: Clarifications on a Theme

Let me clarify the following points a little:
>The caravan the Earl was with was carrying weapons for the fire giants
>around the End area (enough for 200). These giants were the unfriendly
>ones which besieged the fire giant city near middle. This city rebelled
>against the central fire giant clan rule and the latter wishes to attack
>and defeat the city. They also may have hostile intentions against End and
>Middle and 200 of them can definitly do alot of damage (Middle would be
>overrun, probably End as well)
>The Earl decided to fake a kidnapping and sell the weapons to someone
>else. He did not have the proper payments for Borglin, who took the Earl,
>his bodyguard, the weapons, and the head merchant, which may have
>important political ties and may be of great help to political enemies of
>the Earl.

The giantish weapons were of Realmish make, supplied to the giants of
Cromwell during the war. These were captured and fell into other hands.
Ultimately, the fell to the Earl who decided to sell them illicitly to some
folks who could use them.

Well, the Fire Giants are in a funny situation. The Fire Giant Colony, near
End (what we call the Fire Giant City) is in rebellion against the Fire
Giant Empire (Central Fire Giant Government). This rebellion was to be
squashed by the group of Fire Giants that attacked the City and marauded
near Middle. When we assisted the City, the attackers were repelled.
Neither of these groups likes the humans who live nearby, but the Fire Giant
City (rebels) appear to be (more) willing to coexist. Basically, if the
weapons fall into the Central FG Government's hands, they will come to
attack the city again, which may eventually fall, and then those Giants will
attack End and Middle, without a doubt, at some point. If the attack is
repelled or never advanced because the weapons are destroyed or captured,
then the FG City will not (at least right away) attack us.

These Fire Giants we encountered near Borglin's (the ones who we joined)
were familiar with us from the siege incident or other incidents and
enlisted our aid. They wished to prevent the Central Govt FG from getting
the weapons and were prepared to destroy them if necessary (they have a
mining outpost and can make weapons). In return for our help, we would get
all the booty from the adventure and would help prevent the destruction of
Middle and End.

>From a standpoint of other matters, if we left them alone they would
probably die or not fully accomplish their goal, the merchant (who was the
one person who could testify against the treasonous Earl) would be dead, and
all correspondence about the deal with the FG destroyed, leaving us with one
expensive, disloyal but irreproachable Earl and nothing to show for it. We
didn't have much of a choice, actually, despite the safe passage the FG
promised us.

>but were unable/unwilling to pay the 8,000 gp he requested.

This was an initial haggling price, mind you! :)

>The area near the lair of Borglin is infested with undead at night.

According to Borglin, if we remained past dusk, we would fairly
instantanously become "permanent residents of Ashen Rock." Ashen Rock is a
tomb of an ancient civilization of grand proportions. Also, the "Haunted
Place" of which the Fool spoke. You can "feel" the unnaturalness.

>The Earl believed that he was being rescued from Borglin's lair. He
>doesn't know about the transfer at Stone Palace.

Yup. Are there two bandit/ransomer groups or one? We'll find out next week!

>We were completely successful. We killed the fire giant Shaman, the
>party mage and cleric during the first few segments. Attacking them from
>the rear as well as the distraction of Borglin's pets in the lair proved
>to be decisive. One of the four fire giants helping us is unconscious, and
>claude was badly wounded as well as the other three fire giants. All ten
>enemy giants was well as the humanoid party were killed.

Let's just say a few things:
Theo and Claude ripped the giants apart. It was quite humorous. Theo was
blinded, but had blindfighting and the benefit of a _Prayer_ and so was
virtually unaffected by the blindness.

Surprise was the decisive factor here.

Note: None of the Central Govt FG or helpers got beyond the central
entranceway, which indicates that further resistance may be found inside.
Perhaps leaving the Merchant wouldn't be bad if we could ransom her safely
later without risking Borglin's wrath. Otherwise, I suggest we take all the
booty we can carry and HIT THE ROAD! (only hours before Borglin arrives home).

BTW, We could also help the FG destroy the weapons/carry them and bargain a
mutually beneficial guard for the trek out of the Jungle. If they stay too
long, though, we have got to leave.

[We later determined that the GOOD adventuring party we had destroyed was called the Twisters. Oops.]

Kyle/Alegra

Stone Soules Summary XIb: A Sick and Twisted Playground

Telvar is now alot more interesting than what it appeared to be before
yesterday. I read alot of weird fantasy, spy thrillers, and sci-fi
suspense, so I like sick and twisted playgrounds. The element of intrigue
is a welcome alternative to the tradition adventure of killing monsters and
getting treasure.

Of course we did that too. Killed 10 fire giants and a party of adventures
of respectible skill. We did this with only half the party, but of course
we did have help and the element of surprise.


Let me go back to the beginning of the evening yesterday as the party
continued through the jungle of the Tusloa (sp). While heading towards the
volcano, hawk spotted many people. Ludo investagated and found a city
of Tusloa. We decided not to remain in the area, and we continued towards
the volcano (corner rock). After crossing a river the next day, we were
attacked that evening by Tuslow. From above they attacked with javelins
coated with powerful poison. Eli's sleep spell caused five of them to fall
to their death- this broke up the attack. We continued traveling.

After a day or so, after passing tusloa totems facing the direction we
were going, we came upon an old road. This road led to an old temple
sacrificial place and led further on to the lair of Borglin. We decided to
pull the a rope which turned out to be the doorbell. After fleeing to
consider our course of action, we later returned with a negotiating group
of Faranyn, Pap, Xavier, Eli, and (invisible) Ludo. We then proclaimed to
the orge answering the door that we wished to discuss the ransum of Earl
Belzar. We were then led in to talk to Borglin himself.

Borglin had agreed to turn the Earl and his bodyguard to a group at this
stone palace 4 hours away (by roc- 14 days by land) for 10,000 gp. He was
suposed to meet them tomorrow at 10:00. For 3,500 gp, he agreed to make
one trip prior to the meeting and carry up to five of the party. The party
ultimately accepted this offer and Faranyn, Cassana, Xavier, Eli and Ludo
were eventually carried close to the meeting site where they could ambush
the group retrieving the Earl.

For another 3,500 gp, Borglin gave us some very interesting additional
information. The information of interest is as follows:

The Earl paid Borglin to kidnap him and kill all the merchants, drovers,
and guards except the Earl's personal bodyguard.

The caravan the Earl was with was carrying weapons for the fire giants
around the End area (enough for 200). These giants were the unfriendly
ones which besieged the fire giant city near middle. This city rebelled
against the central fire giant clan rule and the latter wishes to attack
and defeat the city. They also may have hostile intentions against End and
Middle and 200 of them can definitly do alot of damage (Middle would be
overrun, probably End as well)

The Earl decided to fake a kidnapping and sell the weapons to someone
else. He did not have the proper payments for Borglin, who took the Earl,
his bodyguard, the weapons, and the head merchant, which may have
important political ties and may be of great help to political enemies of
the Earl.

Borglin wishes to ransom the merchant as well. We discussed her ransom,
but were unable/unwilling to pay the 8,000 gp he requested.

The area near the lair of Borglin is infested with undead at night.

Borglin's roc is nested high above Borglin's lair.

The Earl believed that he was being rescued from Borglin's lair. He
doesn't know about the transfer at Stone Palace.

While Borglin was flying to the meeting the next morning, a group of 10
fire giants from the central fire giant clan as well as a party of
adventures (cleric, mage, invisible dwarf fighter or thief, and two other
fighters) came to Borglin's lair and started to overwhelm the
defenses/pets. There objective was to ransack the lair and retrieve the
weapons which everybody believed to be in Borglin's lair.

While the remaining party of five: Allegra, Theo, Claude, Jerem, and Pap
were leaving the area, they were approached by a party of four fire giants
from the fire giant city. They sought aid in an attempt to ambush the
another fire giant party. Our party agreed and set up for an ambush.

We ambushed the other fire giants and attacked them from the rear as they
were advancing into Borglin's lair and overwhelming his defenses.

We were completely successful. We killed the fire giant Shaman, the
party mage and cleric during the first few segments. Attacking them from
the rear as well as the distraction of Borglin's pets in the lair proved
to be decisive. One of the four fire giants helping us is unconscious, and
claude was badly wounded as well as the other three fire giants. All ten
enemy giants was well as the humanoid party were killed.

This is where we ended (at 0400 saturday morning!)

This is all the time I can spare for this now. Everyone feel free to add
information that I left out.

Jack

Stone Soules Summary XI: The Pre-Summary Summary

Well, well, well...

"All is not as it appears to be."

Let's just say that Edwin's mind is at times a sick and twisted playground
(but we like it that way). Short: way cool adventure. Long: All was not
as it appeared to be.

End result: the party split, but everyone's alive, and no one knows what's
going on, but we have cool new items and took on some pretty fierce fighting.

If any desire to write a summary, do so.
Kyle

Stone Soules Summary Xb: Ludo's Take on the Situation

Some additional information and thoughts --

Some people (Ludo at least) suspect that the people at Fort Halfred are
in on the plot to capture the Duke or are aiding Borglin for some reason.
They've acted very suspiciously:


When we arrive, and ask to see the General, we are put off for several hours
until supper-time, then the General falls asleep, at the table, before
answering any of our questions. Ludo had Thurmond spy on him, and he "woke
up" about 15 minutes after we left the room.

I think the whole buisness at the fort was a delaying action. They
managed to delay us for 2 whole days there!

The giant Borglin is supposed to be expecting and prepared for trouble,
and I think the fort is his first warning and line of defense.

Also, on the way to the fort, we spent the night in a creepy swamp.
Thurmond was scared the whole night long, and Ludo didn't get much sleep.
Ludo thinks that swamp might be the haunted place -- the place where
Borglin is supposed to exchange the Duke with his ransomers. It has
several things going for it as the site of the exchange: It's near the
road/trail, and its not a very nice place, so perhaps Borglin would
expect the ransomers wouldn't want to stay there long enough to set up a
trap or ambush for him.

The creature on the giant wasp could be a messanger for Borglin, didn't
similar creatures carry messages for G.O. in the Indacara jungle?

What we need to decide is, how much time do we have before the Duke is due
to be exchanged? Will be be able to make it to Borglin's home and
overpower him before then? If not what are we going to do?

As I remember, Broglin wasn't the one who was going to kill the Duke, the
Duke's ransomers are (but we can't really be sure..). If Borglin is just
trying to get money for his prisoner, we could try to emiminate the
ransomers from the picture (by ambush?), and then deal with getting the
Duke back from Borglin without having to worry about him being killed.

Ludo (Joey)

Summary X: The Capture of Earl Belzar

Here's a brief summary of our quest --

A Dunadorian Earl, Earl Belzar, and others are being held by a cloud giant
named Borglin on the edge of the Indicara, near Fort Halfred, at Corner
Rock. The Earl was captured by bandits on the old wilderness road. Special
delivery bards have been through the Wild Wood Inn 4 times in the three
weeks he's been captive with deliveries to the giant.

Friends of some bandits we took captive on the way to the WWI arranged to
bring back the Earl from the giant (a ransom). What is not commonly known
is that the Earl is to be brought back dead. (We however don't know the
Court intrigue here, etc.).

The directions to "where the Earl is" are:
Big mountain to right--cave
Cave is disguised as a building.
Borglin is there, expecting trouble, expecting the ransom.
Around past the Mountain in the Haunted Place.
Something other than what is obvious is going on.
"At the Corner" -- Corner Rock near Folt Halfred.

People in Fort Halfred know and deal with Borglin on a regular basis --
"normal guy." Borglin rides a Roc.

Corner Rock is a volcano, active. The jungles surround it. Tuzloi natives
live in area around Fort.

Grey figure on back of giant wasp seen in trek toward rock.

Alegra

Stone Soules Summary IXb: Answers to the Stone Soules Quiz (devised by Kyle) on People We've Met

SS: PEOPLE WE'VE MET:
----------------------
1.Hawk Fist-Slam U.Hack-and-slash brief member of the SS
-> Y.Former Ranger member of the SS, not Alegra's friend
2.Vidannallos BB.Cleric near Southern Waste, fought a Beholder
3.Laird the Druid* DD.Helped Kergul
4.Fyar the Druid* CC.Took care of Dranigh at one point
5.Antarcus EE.Renegade Ranger "wanted for questioning"
6.Demitrius AA.Frazzled old guy delivered to on Turney's journey
7.Fenn* M.Caravan leader after Turney
8.Finn T.Assassin worshipper of Sharkaas
9.Sobair O.Champion of End, fought anarchists
10.Jonias II.Knight at Anchor Rock
11.Grien G.Alegra's former Falcon.
12.Jana Marina Bendallis H.Former thief member of the SS
13.Turkonis* X.Half-elf cleric, former member of the SS
14.Turkaneous* F.Alegra's horse
15.Derek Blackstone D.Ranger leader of The Knife
16.Alvin E.Started an adventuring group March 15, 2167
17.Alexis I.Traitor at Molehill's
18.Bruce P.Our friendly anarchist insurgent
19.Norall J.Champion of Dunador, jousted on Dunthrane Day
20.Kirkroy N.Champion of Andevar, jousted on Dunthrane Day
21.Laura of Baranar S.Cleric who left the party due to Alegra's cowardice
in battle
22.Zhrogruckz Z.Bugbear chief killed by the Lesser Ones
23.Ghizorak R.Enemy of Ceydric, member of Fleshrenders clan
24.Zaras Q.Half-elf we saved in Tan-El
25.Mierin* FF.Merchant who thinks he's a snake
26.Milf GG.Zaras' mage companion
27.Rat C.Borin's henchman
28.Eunice B.Kid Ludo pretended to be
29.Kendall Y.Former Ranger member of the SS, not Alegra's friend
-> U.Hack-and-slash brief member of the SS
X.Half-elf cleric, former member of the SS
30.Bernard Hemps HH.Possessed by Kergul
31.Dranigh Cye A.Former Ranger member of the SS, Alegra's friend
32.Tap* V.Sergeant hired in Teft on our first "Independent
33.Spencer* K.Guy who ran a timber caravan Dranigh was on
Adventure"
34.Keefan W.Ranger who came to Dranigh's funeral
35.Geranth* L.Guy who trained Borin the final time he was a member
of the SS

* are the ones Edwin got wrong.