Aftermath

The three characters run up the stairs and through the citadel of the Slave Lords, following in the wake of the panicking garrison. The players are accompanied by the surviving Slave Lords, who have decided that their best chance of a continuing existence is to stick with the three friends. The scene in Suderham is one of chaotic impending doom, with the island's volcano going off and general mayhem. However, the eruption stops, presumably due to the intervention of Lord Grome, and everything calms down a little. In the distance to the south, however, there is a sustained rumbling of the earth, whatever that might portend. It continues through the rest of the day and into the night, but as there seems to be no immediate danger the players take over as de facto rulers of the hidden city. Ketta and the other slavers swear allegiance, with some relief. Now that Stalman Klim has been taken to whatever doom awaits him at the hands of Grome, and with Edralve of the Dharzi having thrown in her lot with the strange westerners, everything starts to calm down a little.

The morning brings a strange sight. The mountains leading to the south have been parted to create an even passageway wide enough to take several ships on a lovely river that now laps against what used to be an island in a concealed central lake. The water is salty, suggesting that Grome channelled his anger against Stalman Klim and his patron goddess, Xiombarg of Chaos. Suspecting that the geography of the region has been permanently altered, scouts are sent along the new waterway in skiffs to see what they can find. They return a few days later to report that the new canal does indeed reach the sea.

Edralve leaves after promising to aid the players in their struggle against Lolth; the players will be able to count on at least some of the Dharzi rebelling against their spider queen. The rest of the players' expedition arrives at the head of a major portion of the army of Eshmir, led by the rightful ruler of Changshai in person. He seems to have become rather enamoured of Alexia, and decrees that she will be ruler of this addition to his lands, since she is friends with the three heroes who destroyed his chaotic half-brother and his slave ring. The few members of the inner council of the Slave Lords who still survive are paroled on condition that they serve Alexia and the players. Duke Avan Astran is enjoying every moment of this diplomatic and mercantile coup.

With everything falling into place a great deal of work is in the offing to make it all stick, so the expedition decides to stay put, except for Sir Blanque. He summons his recently acquired Virtue of Travel, a giant bejewelled bird creation, and flies off to the party's blue tower to the far west. He wants to study something called "maths" and "physics" while everyone else finishes off the final touches to their grade expedition eastwards. It is now time to return home to the Young Kingdoms; the main group will pass through the valley of the blue tower on their way, collecting Sir Blanque after he completes his initial studies.

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