The Wandering Whaler

[AlanBruce]

@Eneas: The S.S. Gaspée has been your home for nearly a year now.

The merchant ship has sailed to pretty much every corner of Oerth. Captain Ootiliktik, a brave and proud Darfellan, a race that dwindles on Oerth, said to have been nearly exterminated nearly a hundred years ago, has commandeered the Gaspée like any exemplar man of his race would.

Whenever those hideous and cruel sahuagins, riding their monstrous sharks would attempt a raid, woe be to them as Ootiliktik has been seen jumping off ship and engaging the marine beasts with such bravado, many on board have claimed he was possessed by the Great Whale Mother herself.

The man has a voracious appetite: he was once placed on an eating competition on board to devour two tables worth of fruit and seafood.

The crew had to scrounge down to the last copper to pay the man, who immediately set to swim beside the ship as exercise.

But besides the exploits of strength and endurance, captain Ootiliktik is almost like a father figure to his crew.

He doesn't speak much about his actual family, but rumors abound that they were taken by a very nasty sahuagin, one that sailors all over Oerth refer to as the Sea Devil or the Shark of the Depths.

This beast... the good captain has vowed to track down and kill, but he's been after that chase for years. Add the many stops at islands to restock. Trading ships along well guarded Aventi routes and well, action hasn't been at the top priority.

That is until several letters reached the Gaspée by seagull.

For one, a fellow Darfellan by the name of Akilu has asked the good captain to assist their own ship, the S. S. Dauphin to navigate the Ossian Way, especially the City of Halmathan. That is north of where you currently are, in the Oljat sea, several months voyage. The letter is brief, as Darfellan are said to be curt with words.

It is another letter, sent to you as you bask on the ship's prow and take in the cool sea breeze that has had the Gaspée detour towards the port city of Bludhaven, known for busy commerce.

It becomes apparent that not everything is fine as the Gaspée has to stop a mile away from the port city and you can barely make out a tower in the distance.

A blizzard unlike any you have seen. Anywhere.

How is it possible that from sunny skies and pleasant breezes, the entire crew has to put on thick skins to protect themselves from the cold... it's supposed to be summer here.

Ootiliktik descends with you to the massive ice bridge as the Gaspee stays a prudent distance from it, the ice shards enough to break the hull.

"Eneas, we part ways here. I will let know Burlargh where you are, and that you are safe. Go meet up with your friend and catch up with us in Halmathan after you are done here. May the Whale Mother smile upon you, lad.""

The darfellan, a foot taler than you, uses a harpoon to test the ice, causing the harpoon to break.

"Well, you won't fall in. use what you have learned in your travels, boy. The Gaspee will always be at your beck and call.""


What has happened to the sea? To the land?

http://sf.co.ua/15/07/wallpaper-1e503d.jpg


And so, you walk a mile on the frozen sea, the winds cruel and punishing as ice and snow hit your face and eventually, the Gaspee, your home for a year, cannot be seen anymore.

The City of Bludhaven is a silent cold ghost town.

Few sailors walk the pier, their ships anchored and trapped in the ice, which cannot even be broken by harpoon, pick or even spell in some cases.

The great Tower of Commerce, home to the church of Muoqol in Bludhaven has its doors shut tight and frozen, but it is at the Drunk Locathah, a very huddled and busy pub and inn that you ask around for directions and a friendly face greets you as a hooded figure mumbles at her table, a silly tin foil hat on his head and twicthy hands:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/45/9a/00/459a0056b37637f874dda8b15b5d2f96.jpg

"Not from around here, are you? Welcome to Bludhaven, once the best trade city in this part of Oerth, now, the world's biggest ice cube.

I am Slyvain Nissar, of Krell's Company. Saw your ship out at sea. Couldn't get any closer, could you? Interested in work? Many have left for warmer climates, but I don't know if anywhere on Oerth is warm right now.""

Then, you reread the crumpled letter sent a few weeks ago:


Eneas, Warrior of Courage

It has been awhile since last we spoke. I hope this letter finds you well. I am, well... it isn't the best of times now, which is why I am asking for your help, old friend.

You need to make it to the duchy of Justcrown. And as fast as possible.

I will explain everything here, but please, be prompt:

We may not have much time left.

All will be explained here, old friend.

Yours truly,

Father Aenar

[Auranghzeb]

Eneas jumped off the ship, feeling the hard cold ice under his feet. It was odd, no doubt, this amount of ice this time of the year. Not good for whalers and not good for the leviathans themselves. Many of the wonderful beasts would perish bleow the ice sheets, not able to get out and breath. He waved the crew farewell and knelt on the ice, taking out his thick seal glove to feel the ice with the back of his hand. Then he looked out, to the small buildings in the distance and started jogging towards them.

Captain Ootolik had been a good comander, and surely enough Eneas was going to miss the clear and starfilled skies. First time he went on board a ship, one of the mates asked him why he wanted to sail when he had the size of a small bear. Eneas, a young lad back then, simply answered "I want to see what's out there". The old sailor laughed and pointing to the vast blue horizon said "Out there youll find plenty of this, perhaps no more."

Eneas was on land again, well on frozen water close to port. Bludhaven seemed empty and ghosthly. A city like this would die with a long winter. Ominuous. Ecvept of the tavern from where the smell of fish chow comes out. Eneas is hungry.

Eneas greets Sylvain Nissan (a bit confused is she the girl or the guy with the tin foil hat) with a reverence.
"Not here for long, not enought to accept work, I was making my way to Justcrown and I will need a horse or some faster transportation to get there. An Old friend, not likely the one to panic, wrote me a letter no so long ago urging me to go there."
Glancing around the crowded inn he then asked "Perhaps you know how could a man like me get to justcrown quickly?"

[AlanBruce]

@Eneas: The Drunken Locathah has a multitude of furnaces to keep its crowded patrons as warm as possible, but the moment you walk in, more than a few surly sailors and fishermen curse and belch as they down their rum.

The inn keeper is quick to get the furnaces working again as Slyvain looks at the sailors and places a hand on her belt, revealing a small dagger slightly concealed beneath her cloak.

"Please take a seat, stranger. It would be nice If we got your name first. My... associate and I work at Krell's Blades, a guild that houses some of the best hired hands in Bludhaven...

Or at least it was, before more than half left before the pier froze entirely, sailing off to warmer shores.""
However, at the mention of an urgent letter and the mention of Justcrown, the hooded figure lifts his head and his hood falls, as does his silly tin foil hat, which rolls down at your feet and you get to see him well under candle light from the brass chandeliers hanging above:

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/livingpf/images/2/2b/Blood_elf_horde_long_hair_pointy_ears_white_hair_w orld_of_warcraft.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120307011951

An elf, like many you have seen, but his hair is snow white and there is something wrong with his eyes- fear and panic as he drops on all fours under the table which rocks back and forth and Slyvain does her best to hold on to to it, lest it topples over.

"J..Justcrown, he says? Not good! Not good! Death, Deluge, Brimstone, Cracked Earth!!! Where's my hat! It keeps me safe!""

The sailors go silent as the elf desperately looks for the hat and a stupid smile draws on his face as he finds it and adjusts it on his head once more, looking even sillier.

Slyvain sighs and gestures to the elf, who keeps mumbling to himself as he raps his fingers nervously against the table.

"Please excuse him. Luthon came from Justcrown a long time ago. Something that happened to him over there left him in this state, but it could be worse:

When he wqs brought here by a good friend of mine, he wore plastic bags around his feet and skipped, refusing to stay on the ground more than usual. Some vision he had a long time ago has left him... out of touch with reality. and so, I have been charged with keeping an eye on him.""

Luthon looks at Slyvain and then at you as he composes himself and fixes the tin foil hat on his head.

"If I'll have you know, my lady Slyvain, I have faced horrors that no man ought to ever see. Things that would make your mind crack open and your eyes sink in their sockets out of sheer fear!

Your heart will wish it stopped beating, that death would be a welcome respite to the Madness that dwells in the Dark and...""

Slyvain orders the inn keeper to bring their food in a box, to go, as she holds on to Luthon's hand and looks at you.

"I think my friend here might make the sailors uneasy. She'll we walk outside?""

Once back in the frozen streets of Bludhaven, with the smell of fish carried by the frost, the elven rogue keeps holding Luthon's hand- the man does not seem in his right mind, that much is clear.

"As much as it pains me to admit it, Luthon may speak a kernel of truth, but this winter... maybe it's related to what I myself have seen so long ago. Call me superstitious, but I am glad the pier is frozen- that means the sea isn't as close.""

Luthon inspects the box given to him by Slyvain and prods the contents with a scrawny shaky finger.

"Fish? Is there any feywine in this hovel of a town for a man of my status? Next I know, I will be growing gills... not that it won;t happen, either. We are all doomed to it.""

Slyvain takes the box from Luthon and blushes in embarrassment.

"Apologies, stranger- he is usually calm. Something must've put him on edge...""

Luthon fixes his tin foil hat and walks a few paces away and pits to the street and beyond, covered by a blizzard.

"Justcrown, duchy of evil monsters. Forest of wondorus and terrible secrets, best left untouched... human, you wish to go there? Hehehhehee...hahahhahahahahahaha....HAHAHHAHAHAHAH HAHHAAAAA!!!""

This laughter goes on for an entire minute as Slyvain lowers her head and shakes it, clearly annoyed and further embarrassed by her friend.

But Luthon then goes serious.

"The cold will kill you, human. No carriages make it to Justcrown. The cold kills the horses after a few minutes down the Imperial Highway! But...""

Slyvain looks at him and holds his hand, so as to not have him run off to gods knows where.

"But what, Luthon?""

The elf smiles crazily and looks at you as he winks.

"I am a devoted to Fharlaghn! God of Roads and Travel. I can get you there! Oh yes! But are you sure you want to go? It's no fun land over there, human.""

Slyvain rubs her chin and then looks at you.

".... what he says is true. Luthon is a beguiler, but he is attuned to spells beguilers cannot normally cast. If he says he can take you to Justcrown. if you really need to go there- and who would want to, but that's besides the point- he can, but...

I will have to go with him. Can't leave him out of my sight.""

[Auranghzeb]

Eneas bright smile fades away as soon as the mad elf throws himself to the ground. Sad indeed is madness, the ultimate tyrany from which claws a free man seldom escapes. Destroying the will and slowly chipping int one's sanity.
But fools are also prophets.
A dark omen creeps Eneas backspine as he accompanies them out of the inn. Not before asking the patron to prepare a good dish of chow and keep it warm for him.
The night outside is hostile and terrible. He listen carefuly to their recount. And upon hearing the name of the travelling god, he brights up. A glimmer of hope!

"I have heard of Fharlaghn's faithfull powers. He is second only to Kord in my prayers and hymns, I who revere the open road and the unnending journey.
I will take any means of transport you offer.
True, I don't like the weather and the omens that come with it, but what is the meassure of courage but to face that which frighten us? Albeit the godly protection of Kord.
Take me to Justcrown tonight, let us eat and part, the blessing of Kord, that of the immense strenght and good will, may be upon you both"

[AlanBruce]

@Eneas: A sad day it is when a bright mind is overtaken by madness.

You have heard of beguilers in your many travels. Mages who specialize in the mind- mostly in controlling others. These mages are said to rival a wizard in intellect, but as you watch Luthon desperately get on all fours for a tin hat, it becomes quite clear that the tales may have been exaggerated.

Once outside the Drunk Locathah, you smell the contents of your own to go box and listen to the cryptic words of the white haired elf.

"Ah... so you have heard of Fharlaghn, have you? Good deity, he is, yes! I used to travel all over the world beside my god, did you know that? I faced armies of the udnead! Ever done that, boy? Faced the udnead and...
""

Luthon goes quiet for a few seconds as he walks around in circles on the snow.

"...and what else did I do? Oh, of course, but what else I did is none of your business. Unless you want it to be your business...a business you certainly don't want to be a part of, that I can assure you!""

Slyvain sighs and places her hand on Luthon's shoulder.

"My friend... our stranger needs help. You said you can...""

Luthon shrugs his shoulder and gets away from Slyvain's hand.

"Yes, yes! I amy be crazy, not deaf! But you never mentioned your name, did you? Broad shoulders. Big sword. Follower of Kord...

I think I'll call you Alex. Alex is a good name, right? Reminds me of a man I traveled with a long time ago..hehhehhehehehe!""

LKuthon laughs for another minute as Slyvain snaps her fingers.

"Luthon! Justcrown....""

The elven beguiler cracks his neck and brings both of you close to him as he lowers his head and closes his eyes.

"Now, God of the Road... show me the right one.""

The entire frozen street begins to rumble and unmake itself as Slyvain holds on to your hand and presses the other on Luthon's shoulder.

"Is this normal?""

"What is normal, my dear? We are all mad here...""

And before Slyvain can respond, a flash of white arcane energy engulfs you and you reappear in another cold street with a chapel and a frozen cheery tree blossom which has almost shed all leaves as a frozen solar disc- the emblem of Pelor, hangs above the door.

Luthon bows to both and gestures to the chapel.

"Welcome to Justcrown! Home to villainy, treachery and more Cuthbertines than you'd want to see in a single goddamn lifetime... or two, or three. Speaking of, avoid the Cuthbertines...""


Luthon gets in your face and holds to your shoulders.

"Avoid them like the plague!!!!""

Slyvain rolls her eyes and pulls Luthon back as this one opens his own to go box and begins playing with his food, never really eating it.

"Well, stranger, welcome to Justcrown. I will take my friend back to Bludhaven and...""

Lurthon interrupts the rogue as he takes out a shrimp and stuffs it in his mouth.

"Technically, my dear, I will take you back to Bludhaven. No one would survive a week's travel through the Imperial Highway. let's get the facts straight now.""

Slyvain smiles and shakes your hand.

"Good luck...Alex? It's Alex, right?""

And so, Luthon swallows the shrimp and Slyvain places her hand on the elf's shoulder as both disappear in a blizzard.

What a strange fellow. Who knows if anything he said was worth paying attention to or not, but at least you are here.

And now to knock on the Pelorite Temple.

It's heavy footsteps and a familiar voice that answer your knock as the door opens and clad in full armor, ready for war, you see the old preacher:

https://alzrius.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/cleric.jpg

"By the Shining One! Here I thought my letter would never reach you!""

Aenar gives you a fraternal hug and invites you inside, where many of the neophytes are silently praying as Aenar asks you to stay silent as he goes with you to a small study.

"How was your trip here, Eneas? I hope it was uneventful. I wish I could say the same about Justcrown, but we are in grave peril, my friend. Many brave men...and a woman, which I beg to dispute her loyalties, but that's a different story- have sacrificed much to keep Justcrown from freezing over.

How mad is it? The winter, I mean? has it stayed within Justcrown... or beyond?""

[Auranghzeb]

Eneas barely has chance to shake the effects of teleport before the other two go away...

strange couple

He thinks to himself as he walks in the empty frozen streets of Justcrown, somehow the cold here seems even deeper and more evil than in Bludhaven.

As the sturdy oak door opens and Aenar appears Eneas reads in the pelorite's face concern and despair.

He greets him warmly and follows him silently to the back chambers of the temple. The faces of the praying fellows, desperatly lost souls. Kord protecs them because their arms can't hold a sword, and they are craven.

Eneas can't help but feel a bit disdainful towards them. It is obvious that something is going on and a proud strong individual should sacrifice anything to solve it... not wait for the sacrifice of others. And yet, what can these children and weak old people do... Kord helps them all.

In the back of the building:

"Dark times indeed my good friend. I got teleported by mad elf a few minutes ago. Barely this evening I jumped on port, or at least on the frozen sound of the port of Bludhaven. The Ice and the cold have spreaded, it would seem, to the whole north of Oerth and further south than it is normal. Cattle die and people are concerned. Beasts in the sea are migrating south. All the Whalers and merhcants we encountered reported the leviathans going south.

Further more, that Elf I mentioned, Kord bless the moment I found him, brought me here because he had been here before and spoke terrible ills about Justcrown. As if somehow this place had played a part in the loss of his sanity...

Tell me friend. What's going on and how can I be of any help? You know yo have my sword

[AlanBruce]

@Eneas: The low prayers of the young acolytes in the temple are hopefully falling on graceful ears.

Aenar sits with you in the private study and listens to the situation beyond Justcrown and shakes his head.

"It is worse than what I had imagined. So her winter is spreading all the way to Bludhaven? Johann and the others are losing the war, then...

My friend, you have tackled leviathans out in the seas of Oerth. I have taken on beasts that should not even exist but in some obscure text, hidden forever and sealed in a vault!

The good people of Justcrown may not be aware of it, but a war wages beyond the gates of the duchy- an ancient war.

A war I was a part of.... and a war I cannot help directly now. Those who would defend Justcrown have gone to the Fey Woods to stop it and so, I have remained here with the few who can muster blade and spell.

We are the last line of defense should my friends in the forest fall and to be frank, Eneas... the idea of them failing terrifies me. Not because I would have to stand my ground again against the cruel lords of the forest, but because of the carnage they would bring upon the flock, sheltered and praying.""

Aenar gets up and looks at your blade and s mile draws upon his face.

"Tyrantbane... you still keep it sharp, I hope? I called you here exactly for that purpose Eneas- to deal with tyrants. Cruel fiends who claim lordship over the forest yonder. Fiends that...""

Aenar stops mid sentence as something glows in his pouch and he takes it out and you see a small blue marble that he places against his forehead.

"By Pelor, we just may have a chance. Eneas, we will continue this briefing at the church of the Cudgel. Inquisitor Kalypsia says she has a visitor from far off lands. Let us be on our way. All will be explained there, my friend.""

And so, Aenar guides you out of the pelorite chapel and to the imposing Cuthbertine Fortress, where the guards bow to him as the snow pummels your body from above and are lead inside, where the pelorite knocks loudly at a massive oak door. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?500643-A-Blade-in-the-Snow&p=21208233#post21208233)