Dream Thief's Journal - Part 1

It wasn't easy avoiding contact with the locals.  Altburg was a clean place with lantern lighting the streets at night and people greeting each other with good mornings and good evenings. Nix  didn't enjoy this. Every time he responded he'd see the momentary shock on the faces of the speaker and often outright hatred.

Slick on the other hand, was a weirdo himself and not at all judgmental. Not only that, but being around Slick often produced opportunity. His way of thinking about the world seemed to generate opportunity. 

And that's exactly what happened in the while Nix, nursed his beer.  

Eren Marlowe who they'd come to know as a wagonmaster was heading to Emberwood Village and his armed escort just quit on him. He offered 25gp each for the escort and Nix nearly spit beer with Slick asked for 30 each. What's more he roped in a couple of strangers with a wink and a nudge and before you know it we were all employed.

The new guy was ridiculously handsome, Elivelor "Eli" Høj Født Ridder or Eli for short and our remaining comrade was Laika Reyndzher, a young halfling with a fancy stick she could throw. Believe it or not, when she'd throw it, it would come back to her.

The road for Emberwood was long, but all Nix remembers of it was Eren going on and on about their destination. Just to summarize he mentioned:

• Armin Gainsbury - He offered a 1gp "Guide to not dying" 
• Aldor the Immense - He cheats people, or maybe he's just a rival of Eren's causing a jealous reaction
• Amethyst Academy are buyers of Delerium 
• Some nonsense about a shotgun wedding between a prince and a Caspian woman, heir to the throne - Nix fell asleep in this story.

There was also some above table discussion of "Contamination which I will detail in that last link.

As we moved through the forest and fields of the country side, eventually landscape grew blighted. Nothing would grow and anything with legs walked off to greener pastures. That's where Nix, Laika, Slick and Elivelor found themselves.... with Eren Marlowe complaining about how we ate all the rations far too quickly and nothing to trap or forage from the surrounds. The only thing available was mud and apparently bandits.

That's when they approached, a gaggle of them, led by some tough dude demanding to steal our horse, and enough gold to beggar Mr. Marlowe. 

"How about you give us YOUR horse and some food," Slick countered as several bandits shifted their weight uncomfortably from foot to foot.

Nix, on the other side of the horses muttered an oath and he was instantly surrounded by a spectral energy as the residual humidity crystalized on his skin like a frosty beer mug. 

ROLL FOR INITIATIVE

While the bandits hadn't eaten recently, it was clear they could still wield a mean scimitar and mace.  They lit into Slick and Eli. Slick fell to the ground leaving Eli overmatched 4 to 1.

The Bossman hit Nix and immediately regretted it as frosty feathers brushed his forearm freezing him painfully. Nix returned a blow with as he muttered a hex.

"Death is the natural state of the fallen, Grieve the dead, but do not pity them...."

Laika's arrow flew true and took the bandit boss in the head just at Eli's sword took another bandit.... and they fled for their farm, leaving behind a horse and a couple of crossbows.

Laika then showed a generosity that made Nix smile as the two of them attempted first aid. Clumsily. She fed the dark elf her potion of healing to revive him.

Slick, now in a foul mood, wanted to march not he bandit farm and take everything from them so he and Laika the ranger approached their farm house with the severed head of the Bossman in hand.  They were stopped at a distance, "What in the 9 hells do you want!" they shouted.

"I'd like you to consider that your boss is dead. You'll be needing a new boss soon." this gave them pause.

"You could do worse than to serve us." said Eli, with a steely-eyed stare from across a greater distance... and again they paused, now recognizing the head and their true situation.

And then Nix failed the third check, "I'd recommend, putting down those crossbows and talking" but reminding them of the power they held in their hands was not the right move and combat ensued.

Not the bravest bunch, they fled after being bloodied, but not before slapping Slick around again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That evening as all slept, three strangers walked into camp asking for food and shelter.... they got the warmth of the fire and all rested for a few more hours.

All were awoken to a commotion with the strangers attacking each other.... except one was transformed into a hideously unspeakable creature. There were tentacles. With mouths. It furiously attacked its former companions. The remaining strangers were so torn about killing their former companion that their attacks went wild. Unarmored and barely awake, we slew the creature, which erupted, bubbled and dissolved into a grotesque mess. The defeated adventurers fled the camp swearing never to return to Drakkenheim.

The party had to move camp. No one could sleep after that and .... one of the strangers had mentioned rats. Now rats were starting to creep into the dream thief's slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Emberwood Village spirits rose as Eren paid them out the full 30gp generously confessing that he was going stiff them on 5gp, but their work with the bandits and the monstrous mutant had earned the extra pay.  

Laika is from the village and so is Nix and they both led the way to the Bark and Buzzard Tavern, where a stew was simmering and cold beer was on tap. As they finished their first mug, Laika saw Ansom Lang, who was several beers ahead of them, but not in celebration, for it appeared that his sister, Petra Lang was missing. This distressed Laika a bit, but Ansom warned the party that attempting a rescue wasn't something do be accomplished by green-horns.

That that moment, in walked Drakkenforce

• Sebastian Crowe
• Pluto Jackson
• Veo Senja 

They offered a tour and some suggestions of things to do prior:

1. Visit Armin Gainsbury and sell your stuff (75% of listed value)
2. Equip yourselves
3. Get some rations

The Gilded Lily is the kind of place where you want to have Drakkenforce paying for all the drinks and by some lucky chance, that's exactly what happened for the fresh meat party, Doom Slingers. Candlelit with fancy bar maids and even fancier drinks, the Lily was hosting Open Mike night named after some fellow named Mike who apparently entered Drakkenheim proper and never returned.

After a few rounds, Slick took to the stage for some sleight of hand tricks each more amusing than the last. Nix even amplified the stage lights but no one could quit figure how he did it. Small, but wiry, Laika Reyndzher sprang to the stage and showed off with flips and handstands proving that little people can make it rain gold coins too.  Eli showed off battle moves and how to present power at the moment of impact, when a sword struck a target and even more gold trickled into the coffers. Where did this gold come from.  

Nix was quite shy feeling, both out of place and untalented compared to the others, but when kicked in the shins and pushed toward the stage he began juggling an eldritch blast, purple and glowing in the low light. Using tricks from his Tiefling he opened the door and hurled the missile out of the Gilded Lily and some how (nat 20), more gold flowed. Where did all this wealth come from?

Eventually, Pluto Jackson, Sebastian Crowe and Veo Senja retired for the evening closing the tab and Doomslinger's drink well dried up.

The streets of Emberwood were a little creepy and in the lamplight they heard Clyde the gnome talking about "Fresh Meat" asking have you seen um? Have you seen em? Seymour seemed to be the muscle of the group and Nix explained that these two were members of the Queen’s Men a loose collection of thieves with interested all over Drakkenheim. They'd never been a threat before but Nix could feel the gold coins jingling in the pouch at his waist.

The Doomslingers kept to the shadows and let "Kibble and Bits" pass out of earshot before retiring to the luxurious comfort of Laika' humble abode.

In the morning we found ourselves shopping for such items as respirators, vials and healing potions and looking for a potential lead on where to score some of this Delerium that seemed to make princes of those lucky enough to make a big score. There was rumor that Petra Lang, missing now for a few days might be worth following, but also rumor that where she went and what she was doing might be beyond our capabilities.

And with that in mind, we found ourselves talking to Blackjack Mel, de facto leader of the Queen's Men in the area and as we entered there were great chants from those assembled of "Fresh Meat."

Slick seemed at home in this environment and flat out asked for any leads. 

"Well, there's some money missing and it's supposed to be in a cave near Eckerman's Mill. The split is 60/40"

These thieves wouldn't budge on the split until we pointed out two important things. Namely, that the Doomslingers are taking all the risk and they among their members was a trustworthy Paladin.  A 50/50 split of 800 coins is better than a 60/40 split of 600 which is what you get if you deal with disreputable adventurers.

At Eckerman's Mill they the names of previous adventuring parties painted on the walls with names of those who had died scratched out. Unfortunately, they didn't' have a can of spray paint with them. This tradition seemed important; seemed to validate the Doom Slingers chances of success.

High on the cliffs they found the small cave requiring ability checks to ascend. Once there Nix triggered a trap that dropped him to 7HP as rubble rained down and trapped him to the floor, but eventually he was dusted off and they proceeded to investigate what was clearly the scene of unspeakable horror, for in a book they learned about the previous party.

Apparently, this small group (Sten, Carl and Ricky) had been here when the mists rose and the lust for Delirium caused Sten to enter into great danger. When he returned he babbled, grew tentacles and had to be sealed behind an arcane doorway. To open the door they had to either speak 'fiend' or 'friend' to enter... but none of them had the ability to speak dwarfish.

At one point, delirium badgers came at us, numbering three, but stinking so profoundly that several of us dropped to our knees wretching. With each bite we faced a danger of contamination and these badgers were relentless. It was Laika and Eli to held the line as Nix cursed them with the hex of the blade and eventually, while a team effort, it was Laika who dispatched them displaying from of the acrobatic moves from the Gilded Lily the previous evening.

And there it was.... delirium embedded in their backs. It was the careful work of hacky surgeons, but in a matter of moments these were in vials and glowing with malice and reflecting of the greed team that had a difficult time not staring at this substance.

Oh... there was gold too

and a Teardrop gem with a unicorn swirled horn in the center. No idea that that thing will fetch, but we pocket it.

Back in town we surrendered the full 800gp to Mel. Hopefully, he might 'owe' us in the future, but at least we'd established that 50/50 was a fair trade.

Our thoughts returned to the Arcane door lock and the need to find a dwarfish translator.

Doom Slingers awoke to a sunny day in Emberwood Village, and remembering the door with the arcane lock sought out the dwarves of the The Scar. On the way, they encountered a crocodile in the path, sunning himself in the uncharacteristically warm rays of the sun.  Slick covered his face and was not very sociable, but jumped near it to shoo it away and a young girl, obviously a Crowe based on the wild red hair, came running from the field.

"Hey, leave him alone. He's not hurting anyone." she said, threatening the group with a strange, curved slab of wood. "He's our mascot" She delivers a warning by winging the stick at Slick. It whizzed around his legs an looped back into Sybil's hand. Laika's eyes lit up as she witnessed this display of skill.

Sybil's Mom, Moira,  came out, and the party learned that heading to the Scar wasn't necessary for a learned dwarf named Sollys Ironhelm was staying at the Red Lion Hotel This is where the party now headed.

At the door, Kosta Stavros nearly pulled to door off its hinges. Hooded figures (Slick) and goat-faced warlocks like Nix were not his usual custom, and he needed to know their business before allowing them entrance. Upon learning they had business with Sollys,  they were allowed into the  Library, where they found her sitting on one book while observing another through spectacles.

We bought Sollys breakfast and she was most forthcoming with her knowledge. Clearly, this dwarf was smart and wizardly.

She was very friendly and shared that the arcane locks key was probably telling use to speak the dwarven word for friend "Sagh."

She also called attention to the strange gem the Doomslingers had found. Teardrop shaped with speckles and sparkles inside, this device, known as the Gem of Brightness, was magical and of particular use for anyone who needed to see in the dark. It also has the power to send beams of light into the eyes of the enemy:

• "Light" - (free) Cast bright light 30 ft and dim light out out to 60
• "Bright" - (1 charge) Send a single beam in the eyes of one creature. On a failed DC 15 CON save they are blinded for 1 minute
• "Blight" - (5 charges) Send a 30 ft cone of light5. On a failed DC 15 CON save, all creatures in the cone are blinded for 1 minute.

Armed with this new gem and the knowledge that we only needed to speak the Darvish word for friend to open the door, we returned to the cave. The daylight revealed a crumbling but climbable stairway, making for a much easier ascent. Nixon's first attempt at opening the door only removed the bar securing it from the outside. Ath that point, the cat that had been following the party morphed into an odd-looking druid and pronounced the word correctly,  opening the door and surprising the party.

We entered the cave, Laika lit the gem, and found a band of kobolds. These fellows were a menace, but with teamwork we were able to stop them. Every hit felled its target. (These were 1 HP minions. Be happy they weren't the haze husk minions normally summoned by wights like Sten.)

And then came Sten... still in armor, still defending the caves, but now transforming into a horrible abomination. Spikes emerged from his bursting armor; vicious, octarine claws sprouted from his outstretched hands; his eyes glowed with an ominous purple light. Our attacks hit, but appeared to do little damage. Finally,  with fire and eldritch blast we took Sten down, but not before his contamination touched us.  For now,

• Laika had two levels and grew a mouth in her stomach. It can be used as an unarmed strike, dealing 1d6 + constitution modifier piercing damage on a hit.
• Slick's eyes.... hidden earlier from view had now merged into a single eye with the ability to emit a beam of energy as a ranged attack (20/100) using your intelligence modifier. Deals 2d6 radiant damage on a hit.
• Nix's Nails began to fall off.... 8 in total, leaving only his two big toes.

We searched for treasure and found it, thankfully, because fixing this contamination was going to be difficult.

• 5 gems worth 25gp each
• Robe of Patches - each patch with some kind of stitched image (magical)
• Delerium Crystal (2 lb.) Worth 1,000gp set into 23 lb of meteoric rock of unknown, but undoubtedly great, value. See Tobias Crow at the smithy. 
• Delerium Fragments x3
• Potions of Health x2
• 500 gp

It's time to head back to Emberwood.

Returning to Emberwood Village, salvia dripped from Laika's midsection and while Nix  was tired and hungry, he couldn't help but to peek inside Slick's cowl to check that he has a single eye rather than two. Nix worried a fingernail until the contamination broke it free. That made 8 nails lost. Great.

"I think we need to deal with the contamination first," said Eli, "Even before we sell any of the treasures we've found."

There was ascent from everyone as they entered the Church of the Sacred Flame and saw Hanna nearly exhausted, her normally tight braid frazzled, but helping a devout worshiper deal with a contamination issue. Wiping sweat from her brow she greet the party and apologized for her exhaustion and lack of sufficient spell slots. 

High Flamekeeper Ophelia Reed entered wearing flowing robed of yellow and white. She is a stout black woman in her late forties with a warm smile, rounded features, and braided hair. 

"Mutations and taint," she exclaimed, "These are the hallmarks of those who the Church must help."

In short order the Doom Slingers had paid their bill and had the contamination completely removed.

They sought out Tobias Crow at his smithy, finding the fires banked and the family preparing for dinner. While impressed, Tobias declined the removal of Delirium from meteoric iron on the sounds that hammers and Delirium do not mix. He suggested that River could be found at the Red Lion Inn but rather than pursue the issue so late in the evening, the Doomslingers returned home.... and suffered the effects of decontamination which shall not be named here.

The next day they showed the Delirium to River who promised to separate it and make a healthy payment of 750gp for the chunk. She also mention that since they party appeared to be capable, perhaps they could seek out a rumored Street of Craters which would surely have more wealth and more than a little danger. They took the quest

Side note: The dang Queen’s Men appear to be trolling Slick by wearing eyepatches. We aren't clear if this means the Queen has knowledge of the patch, or that she wants to use what she knows about Slick to get him to attend her.  Either way, this appears to be a quest hook (Slick's Eye Patch)

Approaching Outer Drakkenheim from the west the party searched for the Street of Craters and after 6 hours found the place, but so did a pile of rodents with slings, firing bullets made of delirium (little bastards.

Nix seems the main target and had to use a shield spell for the first two rounds as he shouted curses at his foes. Still a critical hit scored. Eli too was a target, but also a menace with his axe, plowing through the front ranks.... but it was the second rank of Doom Slingers that struck next, Cokolkhan wild shaped into a hyena and was in their ranks in a flash, ripping one rat and reaching for a second, horrifying blood flying into the scene. Laika threw her boomerang with great effect and Slick, rapier in hand pierced those that remained near Eli with a sneak attack.

One rat fled, and the party went to work searching the street, gathering the spoils of battle.

Nix, unobserved took at few of the delirium bullets into his possession. The Raven Queen had recommended this course of action while he wretched from the decontamination and while it seemed risky, he bit.

The DM rolled for wandering monsters and we concluded the session.

Sweat dripped from Eli's handsome curls as he readjusted his mask after overturning a piece of roof from a nearby house. He kicked the dirt furtively. It was clearly hard work, but light still gleamed from his breastplate as he looked around for another potential place  where treasure might be hidden.

"Why would someone declare a street full of rubble to be bursting with Delerium?" asked Nix as he held the hand cart up and sifted through he debris below it with his mage hand.

"Are we even sure this is the right place," asked Laika, emerging from an overturned shed. She'd been the only one to find anything and that was just a mud crusted bag with ten gold pieces trampled into the earth.

Slick heard them first, Haze Husks, creatures overwhelmed by the purple haze of Drakkenheim, no longer themselves, belligerent, irrational, only wanting to kill. The could run, but he loosened his rapier and drew his hand crossbows ready for action.

Laika was already firing from the gloom, both her boomerang and crossbow cut loose scored hits, but these creatures, while damaged seemed to not care.

Slick finished one and it exploded a confetti of foul pestilence causing all nearby to shudder.

"Creatures of the past, do not oppose the living," shouted Eli, his gleaming visage somehow connecting with its primitive brain and forcing it to cower.

Cokolkhan invoked a whirlwind, forcing them away from the Doom Slingers so that they could be killed at a distance and lessen the chances of contamination, but Eli still was touched. 

When they were gone, the party heard celebration on the other side of a building and Nix slide around the edge of the building to see a trio of adventurers who had found the Delirium denied to Doomslingers. He counted three, a mage, elven ranger and a large fighter in gleaming armor.

Nix moved back and invoked this thaumaturgical powers replicating the sounds of the husk creatures only louder and these newly found adventurers cautiously approached.

In the end, there was no violence, but this was not a certain thing as Eli was still aching for a fight. The mage, a hedge wizard, asked round of drinks at the Bark and Buzzard and all tensions faded.

Once trio of successful adventurers were gone, Doomslingers decided to investigate a house, two stories, but in poor condition and this is where they found the treasures they sought.

"What a lovely evening glow," commented Laika as they looked back on Drakkenheim. 

The others turned and beheld Darkkenheim at night, a haunting spectacle a sprawling metropolis of black stone illuminated by a coronal glow against a malevolent inky sky. Its towers, spires, and ramparts described and highlighted by the purple glow, their outlines jagged and menacing.

Just as they were turning back it attacked.

The manticore, a fearsome beast, with powerful tail flinging spikes. Its fur is a mottled brown and black, and its eyes glowing with an unnatural ocarine light. The manticore's wings are spread wide, as it raked the doomslingers again and again from a distance.

Slick fingered the trigger mechanism of his hand-crossbows, but judged the distance too great. He opted hold his action. 

Laika secured her boomerang instead. Firing her crossbow with halfling aim, but the single bolt seemed of little effect against the rain of quills the beast shot back.

Coko transformed into a giant spider and awaited the moment it came into range, for he would capture it and pull it to the ground.

Eli shouldered his shield and flung fire bolts from his hands, and ability granted him by his elven heritage and Nix fired eldritch blasts scoring a critical hit.

The creature swooped downward and focused on Nix whose lack of armor making him an easy target, but as the quills struck him, Nix invoked Hellis Rebuke and the Manticore was briefly wreathed in flames, scorching it's furry form.

Slick cast a faerie fire spell on it making it easier for all of those shooting at it and Nix called on the raven queen for protection, his form now blurred and a difficult target. This time the creature missed him

And Eli dropped him with the help of the others.

And that is the story of how the Doomslingers returned to town with Manticore meat, entering the Bark and Buzzard, providing meat for the stew that sustained many a prospector.

After a time, the three adventurers they'd met earlier returned with tails of gargoyles coming to life. It's seems the danger of Drakkenheim were too much for them and they were calling it quits

Pulling on a few threads, the Doomslingers heard a tale of Sollys needing assistance with the Queen's Men and of what must be a powerful collection of Delerium where the Gargoyles ambushed the other party.

Dust motes danced in the dim, chamber as my boots echoed hollowly upon the stone floor of the forgotten crypt. The others were nowhere to be found and frankly this crypt seemed out of place in the old abandoned house they'd been investigating. This was clearly a vision from my patron, the Raven Queen.

A chill crept down my spine when I saw it - a tome, bound in leather as black as the void, resting upon a stone altar. A faint, ethereal glow emanating from enigmatic book, casting eerie shadows that danced and writhed. As my fingertips brushed the ancient leather of the tome. Its cover's glow engulfed my hesitant hand. A voice, cold as the grave, echoed within my mind.

“To unlock the secrets within these pages,” it intoned, a whisper carried on the wind of eternity, “you must pledge yourself to me. Swear upon the shadow, to serve the Raven Queen without falter. Your life, your soul, your magic, all shall be bound to my will. Do you accept this oath?

In the silence that followed Nix reached out and touched the cover. The leather felt cold and smooth to the touch, almost like living skin. A faint, otherworldly scent of decay and ink clung to the pages, a heady mix that filled my senses along with the feeling of a feathery touch of a raven's wings on my shoulders.

He opened it.

Ritual Spells:

• Detect Magic
• Find Familiar
• Identify

• Prestidigitation
• Mind Sliver
• Minor Illusion

Elivalor awoke from a long rest feeling 95% better after his contamination was lifted. What remained was a slight headache behind his eyeballs.  He splashed water on his face and joined the others around in the kitchen. Laika was cooking something delicious, finding clever ways to season thin strips of manticore meat and make them palatable.

"River has our money and we need to visit her," said Slick, "But why does she want to meet us by Eckerman Mill?"

"It's a good question," replied Cokolkhan, "It has me a bit worried that we may have missed something in the caves behind the arcane door. Perhaps she 's not telling us everything."

After breakfast as the others departed, Nix announced that he wasn't going to the mill and instead had business in Emberwood Village. He remained, to purchase spell components, summon a familiar and complete the fitting of new scale mail armor.

"What took you so long," Said River impatiently, "You were to be here quite some time ago." The look of distraction and worry was apparent on her Tiefling face.

"I broke the Delerium while removing it from the meteorite, but I'll pay you full price for it," she pushed, "but I need another piece of the same size and quality. There are reports that the Rats Nest Tavern was struck during the fall. This is the best lead I can give you. Oh.... and your money is with Tobias Crow. I'll need result soonest.... tomorrow!"

"What an odd creature," said Eli as they walked back, "I wonder what has her so stressed."

In town the party found Nix chatting with Ansom Lang about his lost sister Petra Lang. Apparently, the Hooded Lanterns could spare no more bodies for the search, but Ansom knew the rats had taken her. Nix had all but promised they'd rescue Petra before he knew that party was already heading to the Rats Nest Tavern. Happy coincidence.

"What if she's alive, but contaminated," asked Nix, "What then?"

"Bring her back, if there is anything I can do for her, I'll do it," he said with a look of worried desperation in his eyes.

Turning on his heel, Eli muttered an oath, "Leave no one behind, and certainly never leave them with rats."

At the Tavern, Nix released a black cat from his cloak and together with Laika they slunk into what appeared to have once been a disreputable tavern, but is now merely another blasted building with a crater hole in the middle.

Cat hissed, having smelled the rats and the party descended some 10 feet into a system of underground tunnels. At the point of the impact, there was a hole where, presumably a sizable piece of Delerium had been removed.  On the ground, evidence of it being drug across the floor and down a muddy passage.

Laika, hidden in the gloom, slid down the curving passage and found a place to observe what appeared to be nearly a dozen rats whinging about a goat man that eats rats alive.

"He is real I tell you," said the first, "Powerful goat man.... no eats Chunker!" The rats are thoroughly confused by creatures that don't eat their kills.

Slick made the decent next and discovered a pit trap at the base of the slide. Apparently, these clever creatures wanted those sliding down to drop into a pit of rats complete with spikes in the bottom.  He nudged a rug that camouflaged the pit so that it was apparent to all.

Cokolkhan and Eli came next and made a terrible racket.  <>

The battle that ensued say Laika emerge as an action hero, flinging boomerangs and firing hand-crossbows while Coko set fires beneath the feet of the leader while Slick and Eli massacred yet others. By the time Nix got there little needed doing except cleaning rat feces from Eli's boots with a prestidigitation spell.  So much mud. 

The trail of the large delirium piece faltered here, but they followed the path most trodden, into a maze of tunnels. Nix marking with paths with a faintly glowing neon exit sign with arrows pointing to the way out and Cat bringing up the rear cautious, ready to alert the party to danger from behind, but in this case it came from ahead.

Now they were in a room with rats nests, terrible tangles of roots, sticks, fibers bedding harvested from the contaminated city above. Rats fired crossbows, confronted them with slings from above and flung insults from all around. Fear, panic and determination filled the room in equal measure.

In the form of a Hyena, the druid ran through the maze warren after what turned out to be a leader. A frustrated Eli followed, but the narrow passages kept him from engaging except with flame bolt or long bow. Slick and Laika climbed a short 'butte' in the center and dropped a trio of ratfolk there and before long the battle was over.

Nix slid his long sword, faintly glowing with the light of the raven queen back into it's sheath and placed another mark on the wall.....

"This place, no doubt, hides many treasures in the ratfolk nests," said Nix, "Maybe even Petra Lang, I caution you all that fire could kill her, especially if she is in a weakened state."

...

Laika, the gloom stalker advanced through the tunnels like a shadow, softly padding toward danger. She was one of the few of us able to stand upright in these warrens burrowed out by the short-statured rat-folk who we could all smell.

The large-footed Hyena, Cokolkhan, was behind her, quiet, but clearly visible to any with dark vision and that's how the rest of us knew to advance into the room with the Delerium crystal and the massive hunk of space iron.

The rat-folk were shocked as a boomerang struck the first of their number followed quickly by a crossbow bolt and they were and after Coko and Laika. They had the Hyena pinned down leaving the rest of the party unable to attack so Slick cast his 'dancing lights' spell making it appear as an apparition in the room, faintly illuminating the space as Nix and Eli climbed a dirty hill to fling curses and javelins at the enemy.

The Battle that ensued saw the delerium laced sling bolts tracing horrible arcs through the fetid air, some striking flesh, some glancing off armor, but many striking the damp walls with a thick sound. Snarling hyena man tearing into their rat-folk and their terrified shrieks cut off by well-timed thrusts of Slick's now wet weapon.

That was when the sniper revealed himself firing from deep within the a nest that provided great cover. 

"Stay away from my SHINY," shouted another voice as Eli landed not a pace away from the Delerium that everyone sought. 

As the battle continued, again the Doom Slingers got the extra hand on the sniper, but the there was another embowered in the rats nest, a warlock rat, and this one was struck by Cokolkhan "ice knife" before she could protect herself in with arcane magics. She answered the battle back, but knew that fleeing was her best bet and down the tunnels she raced.

Nix closed his eyes and sent, "Cat" after her. His familiar danced from shadow to shadow. The gloom stalker followed the cat more cautiously and this is why she detected the signs of Petra Lang, the first part of our mission.

Nix broke contact with his familiar and shared the news as Laika check Petra from mental instability before freeing here from bonds.

"We've met both objectives," said the goat-faced Tiefling, "We should consider leaving this place. One of those ratlings spoke of a Rat Prince."

"A prince, huh? Sounds like a royal pain," quipped Slick, "Let's separate this meteoric iron from the delerium crystal and be on our way"

And this they did, Slick using thieves tool and his gloved hands. 

Nix feed Marlowe Mix to Petra much improving her spirits and before long they were outside the Rat's Nest Tavern and on their way back to see River with the Delerium she desperately needed.

But Drakkenheim is rarely that easy and on this occasion, Slick paused in his tracks giving casually turning to the others.

"We're being watched," he said, "Several, I think. Make no sudden moves"

"Come out and join us," called Slick, "We know you are there."

And from around the corner seven bandits emerged, red-handbands of the Queen’s Men wrapped tightly around their heads. The first of them spoke.

"We'll be taking everything you have, Adventurers."

Eli moved forward, gleaming armor and all. His clothing was clean because Nix had removed all trace of the filthy rat warrens. The paladin was striking in this place of grayish despair.

"Your threats are as empty as your lives. Surrender your ambitions, or face the consequences," he entoned with all the authority of nobility. All of this amplified with Nix's thaumaturgical magics.

And that's when he emerged. Brand, the Gym-Bro, bare-chested and all muscle was decorated with green tattoos and his smile belied a man who knows more than he'll ever share.

"Nix, I see your goat-faced visage has not chaaa-aaanged" he chided.

"Brand, you are with the Queen’s Men, I see and still using intimidation to get what you want.... Well, I've changed since you saw me last, I hold the power of the Raven Queen. You'd best stand aside."

Brand made some quiet aside to his men who chuckled, either because they were as dimwitted as he, or because they enjoyed the sort of abusive humor the muscle-bound fighter was capable of.

"Brand, have you any news of Jake or Candy," enquired Nix, knowing full well they laughed at him.

"Oh, I've seen her," he replied cryptically, and Nix felt his heart skip 3 beats, "But I'll never share her whereabouts with you. You may pass, but know that we will follow you and should you slip up, you ass is mine, goat-boy."

Nix wanted to kill him in that moment. To Cry havoc and let slip the power of the Raven Queen, but he could not risk the delerium, nor the life of Petra Lang, but most of all, Brand knew something Nix desperately wanted to learn. The location of Candy, his childhood friend.

They pass, but feel the presence of the Queen's Men dogging their heels as they continue on their way to meet an impatient River of the Amethyst Academy.

Nix took it upon himself to navigating the lesser known ways of the city,  insisting he could outsmart Brand and the Queen’s Men and over time they did outdistanced that lunk-headed gym-bro and his crew.

This was the desolate urban sprawl of outer Drakkenheim, skeletal husks of a buildings, a charred and broken monuments to despair. Walls, once stout, now crumbling ribs, with vacant windows gaping like hollowed eyes. It is within such places, a grotesque ballet unfolded, a macabre dance of flame and shadow as two entities, formless, cosmic and unknowable writhed amidst the conflagration, their essence as ephemeral as the flickering tongues of fire.

These abominations are not of flesh and bone, but formless condensations of entropy, their being a mockery of life itself. Their flames are not merely heat, but a devouring hunger, a cosmic malice that consumes all vitality. With a grace both hideous and mesmerizing, they glide through the inferno, their movements suggesting an intelligence, ancient malevolent and alien.

<>

Laika and Petra Lang, both urban rangers, attacked first and boomerang, bolt and stone struck, but also passed through the creature. Was it diminished, maybe. Yes, maybe.

Slick, froze for a millisecond and then attacked with shocking speed. The creatures again seemed little harmed, doubtless resistant to normal weapons

Cokolkhan cast Moonbeam which lanced down from above.

The creatures themselves flung fire at Nix and Eli igniting them while gliding forward further dispensing the pain and agony of flame. Slick, Laika, Cokolkhan and Petra backed away unable to handle the fire, but continuing to attack from a distance.

Nix, smiled, for while the flames enshrouded his form, they did not harm him as they harmed the others. He took the damage for once, proud of his diabolical heritage and hexed the creature:

"You think you can hurt me? Pathetic," he spat. Then reaching into his pouch his hand came back grasping a delerium crystal, barehanded. He continued to intone the words to a spell. "Sul'barash, al-deleriatum....," the delerium crystal burst into twisted arcane energy. Raw and barely contained, the energy burst from his chest an octarine bolt shooting forth to take the first flame creature, outlining, diminishing it.... and it was diminished.

Eli struck with his battle-ax almost feeling the ax bite the fiery flesh as he unleashed this divine smite.

"You've no place in this world," he yelled!

And the creatures continued to burn the DoomSlingers. Coko went down, as Slick cast Faerie fire on the creatures granting the party a definitive outline to attach and focus their attacks.

Laika and the Petra, both urban rangers did their best, and as the first creature fell, the fires they caused were extinguished.

Nix focused the second bolt of energy as the power he channelled hollowed him out. Bolts now came from his eyes, ears and mouth as he formed the unthinkable energy into an attack on the second entropic fiery apparition. this was not enough.

"We will rebuild and restore what is rightfully ours," yelled the paladin as his strode through the second creature delivering the second critical hit in as many rounds. Again he channeled divine smite the fire was gone.

Eli fell in that moment, the flames now gone, but the paladin too extinguished.

Cokolkhan and Eli were brought back, but the image of these destructive beings still lingered in their heads. What form of arcane urban renewal project was this?

At the gate, Petra was restored to the Hooded Lanternsand there was rejoicing from the men and a restrained thanks from Elias Drexel who seemed to temper every good word with two or three qualifiers. He would grant no reward, show no gratitude even though we could see the relief in his eyes. Tough man.

Back in town the party had 6-days for clean up, purge contamination and begin what was to be a new chapter in the book of the Doomslingers, for what happened next is not easily told and shall be told by this narrator in bullet points.

Blackjack Mel held an audience with the Doomslingers and asked if they would attack the Ironhelm Clan of the Scar. It seems they dwarves refused to pay their usual 15% protection fee. Mel asked for us to destroy their defenses and to 'renegotiate' a 20% protection fee for all the trouble. Nix knew he could certainly advance his personal quest to learn the whereabouts of Candy, for surely Brand could be induced to share what he knew if the Doomslingers delivered such a big favor. He knew just as surely Candy would not approve of harming others in the pursuit of this goal.

At Breakfast the next day, River and Sollys Ironhelm shared what they would with the Doomslingers, and before long it became apparent the Ironhelm Clan were a valuable commodity not just to be milked by the Queen's Men. The Hooded Lanterns wanted their weapons (cannon and gunpowder), but had little interest in Delerium while the Amethyst Academy was only interested in the precious substance.

A deal was to be brokered if honor was satisfied, all that remained was for the Doomslingers to spend the night on the Scar.

It was 2 AM when they came. We were all sitting around the fire, warming our bones, listening to the sounds of the night when Nix felt the familiar warning from his cat.

"Husk, and lots of them," Nix said interrupting a conversation of about the relative merits of beer over ale.

The dwarves of the scar were prepared for this. Maybe it's more appropriate to say they were eager for this to happen, and as the husks shambled towards the makeshift barriers, everyone cut loose with their best ranged weapons.

Laika Reyndzher with her boomerang and crossbow lit into them as did Gertruda, the gladiator who flung her axes beyond the wall the followed them, bashing the first husk creature with her shield. Slick chose opportune moments to slide in and extinguish their dim lights in their eyes.

The Doom Slingers had seen these creatures before and knew they often exploded before dying sending a horrible purple glittery dust into the air. If you didn't cover your face quickly enough and inhaled some you'd become contaminated.

Cokolkhan poured water and shot ice knives into their midst striking them at a distance as did Nix, uttering curses sometimes loudly and other times under his breath. 

"May the raven queen embrace you on the other side," he invoked, while flinging and eldritch blast their way.

Elivalor cast a bane upon them causing them to miss one of the Veterans and allowing him a second wind to take them down. But, no matter how many we felled, they continued to stumble in from the darkness and climb the barricades. In places the even threatened to cross forcing Cokolkhan to summon a whirlwind and force them back.

As time passed, the husks corpses piled higher and deeper against the barricades and still they could see no end. In this moment Nix yelled in disgust.

"The fire," he spat, "they are attracted to the fire."

And when that he pulled back into himself to use a simple cantrip.

Let flickering flames, now softly glow, 

a gentle hush, let combat slow!

And the bonfire subsided and was now but a gentle candle.... perhaps this would do the trick.

Heroically, they defeated the remaining husk. It's almost like the rules changed or something turning them into Minions.

Cokolkhan pulled power from the Moon and case a healing patch that restored health to those who passed through it. Elivalor laid hands on Slick and Laika and an awful lot of stories were told around the heroics. Laika killing two with one blow, Slick attempting to top match that feat only to be beaten out of the opportunity by an NPC, Gertruda the Gladiator. 

@Nix released the fire from its magical constraints and it warmed them all as the flames lifted again. and they short rested.

During that time, Laika asked the 'engineers' if they needed any help with their cannons and the response was dismissive. Perhaps if taught her how the cannon worked she might have pointed out the fact that they have no powder.

"Whatever?!?"

From nowhere, light began to shine, beams that seemed bright like the day and these lights exposed the an even more profound danger, for out of the swirling mists of Haze, Haze Hulks attacked.

Slick, with his superior intellect and dark elven ancestry, cast dancing lights out toward the the creature and exposed it for cannon fire and later he hit it with Faerie Fire allow us all an easier target.

The retort of two cannons was heard, and Nix's familiar came running back to perch atop a nearby pillar as the dwarves cheered a solid hit.

"Reload," shouted Gertruda, and there was stunned silence until she yelled again, "They've left us without powder!"

Apparently, the previous shift had failed in their tasks, leaving the  gunpowder casks were empty. No further shots could be fired. The Hulks advanced, the biggest reaching into its guts and flinging the putrid contents at Nix, who ducked. Armand, the cat familiar died in that moment.

A defiant Nix took a drink of water from his flask and spit-blew it into the air above him. The water settled into hoarfrost crystals outlining his body as he left from the battlements and all-but-made himself a target for the delerium crazed beast.

It target him again and this time he took 28hp from the hit, his magical frost armor catching some of it and causing ice to form on the hulk and in that moment, Nix reacted:

"You struck a blow, 

A foolish feat,

Now's your turn,

Smell burning meat"

The hulk was instantly wreathed in flame as quickly as he was frozen by ice. Still the beast did not fall, nor again at Gertruda's two axes lodged in its chest cavity.

It was Cokolkhan who rushed over the battlements with a summoned creature resembling the vanquished Armaund the cat at his side. They ripped and rended, dropping the Haze Hulk before proceeding around to the next.

Sadly, we'd left one side too exposed and unexpectedly tentacles reached out across a massive distance to entwine a dwarven worker. He was ripped from his position and dragged toward the Husk Hulks gapping maw.... discarded when his body fell lifeless. The dwarves panicked and shouted accusations.

Slick, Nix and Cokolkhan approached the next one attacking it will spells and handheld crossbows.

The Third, Laika blinded with her amulet, sending a beam into its only eye. This was effective, but sadly, these creatures tentacles were still pretty scary. Eli flung Alchemist Fire at it and it was easier for all to see, not to mention burning and filling the air with acrid fumes. Again, it was the druid who dispatched it, tearing at one legs as his summoned beast tore at the other.

It was 4:45 in the morning, still some time before sunrise and even longer until the 12 hour shift would end their required presence here. The dwarf was placed into the safety of the little house on the scar and morale was low.

Nix leaned against the damp wall half nodding toward sleep.

A chill wind howled, guttering the fire as the ravens, their eyes glowing with demonic intent, descended upon the lifeless dwarf. Their beaks pecked at the corpse, tearing away chunks of flesh. Nix thought he could see then rending the fabric that held his should into place.

But, just as the dwarf's soul seemed to slip away, a shadow fell over the scene. With a deafening caw, the Raven Queen swooped down, her ebony wings outstretched like a shroud of death. She landed with a force that sent the demonic ravens scattering. Her gaze, as cold and penetrating as the abyss itself, fixed upon the dwarf. With a solemn nod, she draped her wings over the body, shielding it from the ravenous creatures.

A whisper of ancient power echoed through the air as she spoke, her voice a chilling melody: "Not yet." The demonic ravens, sensing her authority, fled into the swirling darkness. As the Raven Queen vanished, leaving behind a trail of icy wind, a new inscription appeared in your tome.

And a compulsion.

Nix's cape swirled, a as he too yelled at the phantom ravenous birds. "Begone!"

And in a moment, he was within the small building placing copper coins on the eyes of the dwarf, the fallen all the while muttering words that came to him, "Serva, corpus locantore spiritus." Louder and louder as the book of shadows appeared in his hands falling open to page the Raven Queen had recently scribed.

Wide-eyed, the other dwarves backed away from the magics being applied and watched. The other Doom Slingers outside waited for his return and after ten minutes more.

"LOCANTORE SPIRITUS!!!" 

Nix returned to his companions, "I have never known the Raven Queen to deny passage for soul," and as he paused, the deep, inky blackness filling his eyes, began to soften like a tide receding from the shore. "I have placed the fallen dwarf, Kumdrain I think they call him, into a Gentle Repose."

As the coming dawn began to lighten the sky, Slick and Elivalor saw the orange and pink hues, casting long shadows across the dwarven encampment. Yet, the serenity of the rising sun was shattered by a cacophony of chittering and squeaking. A horde of ratlings, their eyes gleaming with hunger and madness, poured forth from the nearby sewers. Their bodies, a grotesque blend of rat and human, twisted and contorted as they advanced.

The dwarves, still weary from the previous night's battle, scrambled to their feet, weapons raised in defense. Cokolkhan drank a draught of Aqua Delerium, then transformed himself into an hyena as the ratlings, their numbers overwhelming, surged forward, claws raking at the dwarven shields. The clash of metal against flesh echoed through the camp as the doom slingers and dwarves fought valiantly to hold their ground.

But while the defenders wanted only protect the camp, the ratlings' insatiable hunger overpowered their desire for combat and soon the ratlings gorged themselves on the fallen, feasting and fleeing.

"Eat, and mate," They chittered.

What they ate was shocking and exposed the Queen’s Men along with their malicious plan. For while them Smithy on the Scar kept their fires low, these rogues had used bullseye lanterns to lure monsters toward the encampment bringing haze husks and hulks in such numbers that they soon found themselves caught in the success of their own greedy plan. In that chaos that ensued, they found themselves crawling beneath the cannons of the dwarves for protection.

Most were killed, their bodies broken as the cannons fired, others destroyed in the attack that was a relentless as it was chaotic, alone, one survived.

"Stay there for all I care," spat Laika the halfing, "You're no friend of ours."

"I know where Candy is," the big man shouted, "Call Nix, please help me, Nix."

That voice brought back emotions from the past for Nix. It was Brand, who bullied Nix when they were both younger. But this meant little to Nix, for in his youth bullying was his love language. Nix ran forward and gave Brand a healing potion as the dwarves removed the cannon from him.

"Speak Brand," said Nix trying to hide his excitement, "Where is she?"

And Brand began to tell a tale. Apparently, he'd seen her with the Followers of the Falling Fire, a religious cult. She'd entered the Monastery of Saint Selina's  the one where they initiate followers by plunging a delerium crystal into the heart of the most devout.

He then saw her exit the Monastery visibly shaken. Had she followed the rites, was she contaminated? He could not say, only that she had left, probably to that farm the are known to frequent, Hendrix Farm.

Nix's mind was swirling now and he merely pointed toward Drakkenheim with one dirty finger saying.

"Leave, here."

At shift change, Nix was still quiet within his thoughts. All of the dwarves of the Ironhelm Clan  came to see the devastations and hear the stories of the evening. They were happy to be freed from the Queen's Men and their onerous 20% demands and seem to care little for the dwarf. Still, they might revivify him.

It was, as the Doom Slingers retreated toward Emberwood Village, they began to hear voices, siren calls promising them everything they wanted, and just around the corner. The promised impossible things and everyone of the party made their wisdom saving throws except Nix, who still disturbed, failed miserably.

"Candy, I'm coming," he yelled. For he heard the voice of the desperate teen calling in terror for help.

And as he broke ranks it was Slick who reacted, tripping Nix and grabbing him along with Eli. As the three of them struggled, a horrible plant creature shot spores and tendrils their way, encircling them and squeezing them, wanting to pull them towards is main body.

"No," shouted Nix, "Dance in Flames!" And a hellish rebuke flew forth burning the plant, an attack to which it appeared to be vulnerable.

The others pulled Nix away, Eli the Paladin shielding them from the spores to which he proved immune. Laika and Cokolkahn broke contact from the plant and they fled.

.....

These pages are missing owing to the fact that I had to take a 3am flight the next day and was unable to capture them in a timely fashion.