Report on the recent mission “Misdirection“

The mission was undertaken by Bill Jingle, Delta, Layla, Roesis, Snorri, Spark, Tarndeth, Sir Verrick and Wolf, being the first mission sponsored by the Tower of the Four Winds.

The mission objective was to recover a ‘compass’ from the Darkwind shrine of the four winds, and to explore any issues related to the gathering of elemental magic in the vicinity of the Drowned Gate waystation.

The following summarises the key actions and outcomes:

The Dark Seer High Priest Alsana conducted a ritual to help us find the way to the shrine. The ritual related to the four winds. Delta, Layla, Snorri, Spark and Wolf took part, others did not. As a reminder, the winds are:

South - Fire and life (spring)

West - Dark and death (autumn)

North - Ice and war (winter)

East – Blood and famine (summer)

Over the course of the next 2 days or so we were led by the ‘Winds’ to four meetings and were informed that our actions would have consequences and formed part of the ritual.

1. We met Nathanial Winterstone of the Wizards Concillium, Dean of the White College. He is seeking to re-introduce planar travel by gathering together mana, storing elementals, and using power crystals and plates, to power a ritual to achieve this aim. We lent our aid by donating two magic items to contribute to the mana pool. He stated that they sought war with the Melnibonaians of the Vanishing Tower over their summoning of Hepaths.

2. We prevented the Wizards Concillium College of Hepathology from sacrificing a Melnibonaian priest (Jennifer) in order to summon and control a Hepath. This involved killing all but one of the Concillium, and the uncontrolled Hepath (as we interrupted the ritual). We heard that Hepaths are mustering as they cannot return to their home plane once summoned.

3. We aided representatives from the Pordaradrim tower recover a large blue seed of a giant mushroom (affectionately referred to as a Giant Evil Mushroom of Death). The spores are both diseased and poisonous, so take care when encountering them.

4. We met under terms of parley and at his request with Marcus Armitage, astrologer to the Royal Court of the Aldonar, a lich. He sought the return of his phylactery from Fortunes Keep in return for his aid and information in fighting the Dymwan and Cardonaris. He seemed genuine, though we should not forget his undead nature. He wants the phylactory so that he can be whole when he meets the True Heir to the Aldonar, Lord Erelan Black, the former death knight, now resident with the Wizards Concillium (and most notable from my perspective for having killed your humble scribe around 25 years ago).

In addition to the 4 meetings related to the Darkwind Shrine, we had a number of other encounters.

1. We met Valdamar Heralds who were also looking for a shrine in the area, and an artefact they called Lecara Tillen. This proved to be the same compass we were looking for. We met Lady Leana, Knight of the Valdemar, who swore oaths with Sir Verrick so that they could assist us in seeking the shrine and the compass. A representative of the Valdamar has been invited to the solstice celebration in around one moons time, so be warned that Shadowsfall may also be present.

2. We killed a group of Shadowsfall with a contract to kill Master Delta. We also met the Shadowsfall judge Robert Holsen. He informed us that not all judges felt it was correct that the Valdamar has lost their tower and hence not all judges felt that they should be killed as towerless, nor did he agree with the contact placed on those members of Fortunes Keep involved in preventing the Valdamar being slain on a recent mission (including Delta).

3. We met with a representative of the House of the Weaver, looking for a traitor from their tower, a drow named Langg Trochrane. Having studied with the Labyrinth he had been creating ‘things’ without permission. A reward of 500 gests and favours were offered. We did not meet the drow. They were in the area looking under the lake.

4. Also in the area were Dai-fah-Dyne, seeking the Sultans chest, and the Thissessin, assisting the Dai-fah-Dyne. Also we encountered Morgothians seeking the Sultans Chest.

5. We met with High Priest Canvasalast of the Dymwan, who raved and stormed off – clearly a person of unsound mind, as should be expected of a Dymwan.

6. We met a representative of the Collegia Magica from the Wizards Concillium who worked for Erelan Black. Spark invited an ambassador from the College to attend the solstice celebration.

7. We met Ragamuffin Heartland, a Mistweaver. As he became close to those members of the party involved in his creation (Layla, Roesis, Snorri, and Tarndeth) they felt fierce headaches and then collapsed. This appears to be linked to their role in his creation. He informed us that a Voidweaver was now resident in the Ikarthian triangle, Burblegut Fantasia. He warned us that this darkness must be stopped or it will turn against us all.

8. We met an Adamancer of Halmadans Heights. He confirmed that Sir Danos, Leader of the Heights, will attend the forthcoming solstice celebration at the invitation of Sir Clavados. He wishes to discuss the matter of a recent mission sponsored by one of the Barons of Darkhome, in which members of Fortunes Keep killed an Adamancer, and released four powerful evil prisoners, only two of whom were members of Fortunes Keep. He wishes action to be taken in recognition of this act, otherwise war will be declared. High Priest Vallen, who took part in that mission, was briefly interred in a magical crystal by the Adamancer, who was then persuaded to release him. Fortunes Keep is instructed to nominate individuals to speak in those discussions. The Adamancer also indicated that the Heights would be bringing a ‘gift’.

9. We met Lau Ping of the Celestial Beaurocracy, Ministry of Astrology. He was seeking information on the cataclysm. He noted the increase in water elementals in the area.

10. We met and killed many Kalid from the second legion who were present in the area in force. Some were reasonably powerful. On one group we found a scroll from the Goblin King inviting all goblinoid creatures to ‘join him under the crown’.

11. We met Aqua Landa, Elemental Prince of the Plane of Water, an impressive and powerful being. He had just travelled to Orin Rakatha to find out what was happening to his elemental creatures, who were not returning to their home plane, and who he considered were being enslaved. We came to understand that Nathanial Winterstone’s actions involving the ‘storage’ or embodiment of elementals is what he considered to be imprisonment. He wished us all, and in particular Sorcerer Spark, to pass on the message that the casting of Green (possibly all) sorcery must be stopped. If this is not achieved quickly, then he and many other elemental princes will make Orin Rakatha their home. It was clearly inferred that other elemental Princes felt the same way about their creatures. Of course he is also now trapped here. He also indicated that great magical energies surged through the lake, and that he would investigate and learn what he could and possibly share that knowledge if his elementals are no longer enslaved.

Enabled by the ritual we found the entrance to the Darkwind shrine, guarded by elementals of cold, fire and blood. There we met the Darkwind oracle, who described herself as the Witch of the Darkwind. She invited Delta to take over leadership of the Temple of the Four Winds and to establish a monastery. He was informed to appoint three more leaders one for each season. Delta agreed and took the compass, which needs to be returned to the temple for both to be restored. The four leaders are to be:

Spring – balance – Delta

Summer – good sphere caster

Autumn – neutral sphere caster

Winter – evil sphere caster

At the end of our mission the Dark Seer High Priest Alsana shared with us his dark vision which he had on conclusion of the ritual – which has been put in the archives under Prophecy - Green Growing Moon.

This concluded a successful mission.

Wolf, of the Seekers Guild and the Humakti Sect