Shadows on the Road

From Wintershiven to Midmeadow

The Party met up with the caravan as it it assembled outside the southern gate of the city of Wintershiven. The abrasive merchant, Sereth Durnan welcomed them,and introduced him to the other members of his Company Lira Veylin and Borak Ironhand. Once everyone was ready the set out on the long journey to Midmeadow in the Kingdom of Nyrond, about 550 miles to the southeast.

The first couple of weeks travel were more or less quiet save for Darrow's unpleasant incident with a hungry worg. Fortunately his friends were able to save him being dragged off into the woods to meet an unpleasant end as the worg's supper! The peace was however brought to an end as the road passed through the fringes of the Adri Forest where they were attacked by bandits. Although the bandits were eventually all killed, it was touch and go for a bit. After looting the bodies, Halfdan found a crumpled bit of paper on one of the bandits that detailed the caravan and instructed that the second wagon not be burned! 

The caravan set off again, and although they encountered several interesting personalities along the way, including some Inquisitors of the Pale, they managed to cross the border into Nyrond and head to Midmeadow. Durnan stopped short of the city and warned the members of the Party to be on their guard int he city as it had fallen on hard times and there might be trouble. They spent the night in an inn in the city, but although there was signs of trouble elsewhere in the city, it did not come near the caravan, possibly as the Party had set double watches through the night.

A couple of night's later their camp was again disturbed as someone sneaked into the camp, almost managing to get into the second wagon. Fortunately Halfdan was able to capture him with judicious use of Tasha's Hideous Laughter. Rurik, Garrick  and Halfdan began to interrogate the thief, a swarthy man with spiral tattoos on his body.  However before they could get much out of him other than he was sent to recover "the god's stolen property!" the man took poison, killing himself. As the Party surveyed the body, Sereth and the others arrived. As they did, Halfdan cast detect magic on the bedy, finding nothing, them on impuse swung round to focus on the wagon, also finding nothing!

From Midmeadow to Diamond Lake

The journey from Midwinter to Radigast City took eleven days but, except for a rather bizarre encounter Darrow and Rurik had with a magic floating lantern,  was without incident. On arrival in the city, Sereth led them through the streets of the Blue Gopher, a tavern and inn located in the northern part of the town. He informed them that  they would be staying here until he arranged passage across the Nyr Dyv.

The stay in Radigast was again uneventful. Most of the Party remained at the inn, keeping watch as various people turned up to collect crates and packaged from  Lira's wagon, but nothing untoward occurred.  Jhilsara went exploring the city, but found everything quiet and normal. Sereth returned that afternoon informing everyone that they would be boarding a Rhennee barge the next morning for the crossing to Greyhawk City . Next morning they wagons and horses were duly loaded onto a large barge and they set off across the lake.

Two days into the voyage, just after dawn,  Halfdan fortunately spotted what looked like a black fog rising round the barge. He quickly informed the others so when a bunch of pirates swarmed over the side, they were prepared and quickly fought them off, though Jhilsara was badly wounded in the fight. Halfdan's judicious use of Tasha's hideous laughter again proving invaluable!

A day later they arrived in the Free City itself and took lodgings in the Low Seas Tavern. Again people arrived to collect packages from Lira's wagon but there was nothing suspicious or untoward again. Only Darrow ventured out, and that was just to sample the  the notorious River Rat Inn, before returning to the more genteel aspects of the Low Seas.

They set out early heading for the final stretch of the journey to Diamond Lake. As they entered the Cain Hills, they passed a recently opened barrow. It emanated a strange disquieting sub-sonic hum that caused some anxiety and fear, but  but there was nothing within only entry stone-lined graves and disturbed earth.

That night they settled down to camp on the road for the final time, only for their rest to be disturbed by attacking skeletons. As the battle raged Darrow suspected the skeletons were a distraction and rushed back to the second wagon where he was able to stop another robed and tattooed figure, this once carrying a staff, from gaining access.

Next morning they arrived at there final destination. Sereth stored all of his goods in a warehouse. There were only a handful of crates left for collection and one by one they went till only a single crate remained. Frowning as the sun began to set Sereth asked the Party if they would deliver it. The Party agreed heading to the address Sereth gave them, a neat looking house near the Rusty Bucket tavern.

On arrival at the neat looking house they found it empty save for the body of an elderly man, his chest had been cut open and his hear removed! The Party according decided, that they should open the crate. On breaking it open they discovered the interior was lined by a thin sheet of lead. Within was a wizard-locked casket with a strange spiral design, similar to the tattoos they had seen on the cultists. 

Rockford fetched a hammer and pry-bar from the shed and the chest was swiftly opened. Within were numerous pages of what appeared to be the scribblings of a madman and a blackened dagger with silver spiral inlays. Halfdan identified the dagger as The Keen Dagger of Madness. Perusing the pages, one of them seemed to be hinting at the location of a lost dungeon where a great treasure was hidden.