The Beale of Boregal

From Lexicanum

The Wandering Walk

Our heroes are on the fifth stretch of the pilgrimage path known as the Wandering Walk. After stopping for lunch at a village in the mountainous, dusty expanse of the walk, they headed for an overnight bivouac at the Mouth Cairns, where they met several other Peregrines (the name for those who walk the walk, as it were). The conversation was dominated by talk of a series of attacks and deaths in the cairns, which gave the camp a nervous, edgy feel. Later that night, as the camp drifted off to sleep and out heroes set guards, two riders approached riding a Scutimorph and the camp turned out in force to witness this, as no-one has ever seen a Scutimorph allow riders before. The riders dismounted, letting the Scutimorph scuttle off and the crowd had a chance to peruse them more closely – a young man and a girl. They introduced themselves as Patel and Seria and reported that their village had come under attack from Pallone's, large disc like creatures that are known to hunger for blood. Patel, the man, begged someone to take his sister to safety in the Cylion Basin, so that he could return to his village to help the rest of his family. After some discussion, Ildarran and Margo escorted Seria while Other set off to the village with Patel.

Divergent Paths

As they were about to set off, a figure stepped from the crowd of onlookers and offered to go with Other – it was Velma, a Jack who Other knew. Together, they set off, guided by Patel towards his village in the False Woods. As they approached the woods, they realised that the ‘tress’ were actually manufactured tubes of some sort with synth mesh acting as foliage. Round each tube was wrapped a Scutimorph and so they moved with great care to avoid antagonising the creatures. However, despite this, one of the creatures uncoiled itself and attacked, only to be cut down by the party. The behaviour of the Scutimorphs worried Patel, as they seemed much more antagonistic and agitated than normal. Soon after, they reached the village, only to find the villagers fighting a defensive battle against near invisible flying disks – Pallones. After helping the villagers fight off the attack, they were approached by Patel and Serias mother and grandfather, both of home expressed their thanks for the heroes interventions and the rebuilding of the village commenced forthwith.

Meanwhile, the others headed for the Cylion Basin, having a brief interlude when they were attacked by some form of cave bear/bird cross. After fighting this off, they reached the town, a place of respite and calm for travellers. The town was centred on several pools of differing colours, each with different healing properties. They immedaiately sought a healer and were directed to Darvin, whose shop was decorated by a sign with a brain nailed to it – perhaps not the most positive introduction to a healer. They approached and Darvin explained that while she could help them, she needed herbs from the communal garden, which was currently off limits due to a pack of Broken Hounds. They offered (with some prevarication on the part of Ildarran) to resolve the problem and headed for the garden. Margo tried to collect the required herbs (a golden pear and and some long red metal leaves) but was noticed by a hound and battle was joined. With Ildarran using lightning to good effect and Margo battling away, the Broken Hounds were soon beaten and the heroes returned to the village. Darvin and the other healers, in gratitude for their service, covered their bills while in town and Darvin set about healing Seria. The next day, a much recovered Seria sporting a face plate of red and gold on one cheek, told them she remembered little of the last few days other than feeling drawn to a man below a mountain to the northwest. She knows it was him who caused her problems but she still feels he needs help, rather than holding a grudge against him.

They set off back to the village to re-join the others and then started the long trek to the Embered Peaks, which appeared to be the mountain Seria had mentioned.

The Resurrection Machine

Having reached the mountain, they decided to sleep on it before deciding how to find the man under the mountain. During Others watch she heard howling drawing closer before it went silent. She handed over to Velma, warning her to be on the lookout for wolves. Unfortunately, Velma's skill set proved lacking, as the Broken Hounds which were stalking the party took her unawares. As she battled two of them, Other rose to her feet and began laying about with her great sword and Ildarran used lightning bolts to drive the hounds back. Having dealt with the hounds, they went back to bed until morning. As dawn broke, they noticed smoke rising from nearby and set off towards it, soon reaching the small town of Embered Peaks. The town was in disarray, with signs of fighting and rioting all around and the population on edge and paranoid.

Eventually, they found someone with a degree of sense left who directed them to the town magistrate in the Forum of the Dead. With some effort, they managed to talk their way past a confused man clearing up the outer office and, after defeating some doors, reached the magistrate. He appeared completely insane but urged them to release or kill the ‘Resurrection Machine’, a device of great age which allowed limited communication with the dead, who always lied, according to the magistrate. They moved down a tunnel into a chamber where a great membrane full of black spheres emitting red light lay. Ildarran set about disconnecting it from the wall and the membrane broke, flooding the room with gelatinous spheres and what looked like a petrified brain. The brain began drawing anything loose in the room to it to form a body as it sent out wave after wave of psychic attacks against the party, who responded by hitting it with big lumps of metal. Just as the brain began to summon the towns folk to defend it, Other got in a particularly meaty whack and the brain fell, senseless, to the floor. A brief search of the room elicited several cyphers and an artefact, a staff.

As they left the town, it was swiftly clear they had dealt with the aura of fear and paranoia that had haunted the surrounding area and they returned to visit Seria and Patel and join in a big feasting party as celebration at the return of normality.