Keep On The Borderlands Chronicles
The History of the Order of the Cleansing Fire, as recorded in the IC threads for this game.
In which the King of Khazan summons adventurers to the Keep on the Borderlands in the hopes or establishing security in the area and eventually opening the trade route east. Among those who answer the call: Knuckle Sarnie, the halfling; Brother Milak, the cleric; Richie Lemons, the thief; Athrella Finas, the cleric; Dayrell Goldenbrow, the dwarf; Gnaarl, the mage; Joe, the mage; Edward, the thi-- erm, scout; and Seb, the fighter. They establish a quick semi-rivalry with Pharis, the elf, who gets her own crew together for the same goals.
Our heroes head to the Caves of Chaos and tangle with some goblins (where Edward procures his lucky dice) and learn that fire is a great tool for fighting goblins in caves. They also fight a massive ogre, and parley with the remnants of the goblin tribe to get out of the caves. After encountering a sleeping bear, they discover that it was just a bear skin draped over an ogre's bed, and return home with their loot and to mend their wounds (post #201).
While back in town, they are joined by Pearl, Knuckles's Moth... erm, 'Sister'. They set back out again (#258) and deal with kobolds, the group rallying to save Edward after a stupid idea. Knuckles falls into a pit. Joe is struck by an arrow as the group meets the bulk of the kobold clan in their lair. After some arguing, they let the women, children, and a few males flee to find a new home. In exchange, they gain information about the other inhabitants of the caves. While looting the kobold cave complex, the group fights some rats, and then some orcs before returning back to the Keep (#419).
The second week begins (#433) with a return to the caves to finish exploring; they find the goblin chief's quarters and loot them. They also encounter hobgoblins, a running battle that ends in a wild, fiery melee that leaves Seb near death and claims the life of Gnaarl, the first of the group to die. After the battle, they loot the hobgoblin armory and find a number of prisoners, whom they free and escort back to the Keep (#597).
Pharis tries to join the group, but is rebuffed. Brother Milak and Seb both leave, Milak deciding to stay at the temple and Seb not enjoying his brush with his own mortality, but they are joined by Elgar, a dwarf who was among the rescued captives. The group returns to the Caves (#612), continuing their exploration of areas that they think are somewhat cleared out. They encounter green slime; Dayrell calls for fire, and Edward responds with "Oh, come on now, that can't be our solution for everything!" They also encounter a peaceful tribe of neanderthals. The group earns the neanderthals' trust by helping them defeat an owlbear, and Knuckles is disappointed when he is not rewarded with a mate. More peaceful exploration occurs, during which time they group notices Pharis' crew entering another cave. Heading into an orc cave, the group is taken by surprise by a net trap, but still survive an orc ambush mostly unharmed until a second wave nearly kills Elgar. Felling run down, the group returns to the Keep (#738).
While at the Keep, the group learns that Pharis' crew was ambushed; all but Pharis herself were killed or taken prisoner. The team heads back the next day, presuming it's best to strike while the ambushers are still healing their wounds. This is also the first time the phrase 'cleansing fire' is used (#750). They encounter some large spiders, signs of battle, and ambush some orcs. Once more, the group decides to negotiate, allowing the tribe to leave with their women and children. Another tribe is encountered, and put to sleep. Looting occurs, along with a small skirmish with beetles. Edward makes the first dramatic boast: "We burn ogres and owlbears to their deaths. We put armies to sleep. We move unseen unless we wish to be seen. We are the Cleansing Fire. To oppose us is foolish. To take up arms against us is death. Drop. Your. Weapons." (#882) On their way out after dealing with the orcs, the group encounters spiders; Dayrell nearly falls to poison, but is able to fight it off. The group returns to the Keep, and discover they have found a magical climbing rope (#898).
While recuperating, the group is joined by The Red Walker, an elf, while Elgar stays behind. They decide their next goal is a bit of a break from cave-diving, and go to seek lizardmen in the marsh. The group builds a raft to cross the river, and finds the lizardman lair -- but realizes it's a dark water-filled hole, and they are wearing heavy armor and have no way to keep their torches dry enough to use once inside. After this bit of a let-down, they return to the Keep and have some drinks and bond over backstories before deciding to escort Yeadon, a local cleric, and his two acolytes to the Caves to seek out and destroy an evil altar.
They set out again (#962) and discover a cave with recruitment signs around the opening. They enter and encounter bugbears, who offer them food before attacking.
The bugbears are handily defeated, and Knuckles claims the dinner gong as loot. After getting a chance to stage an ambush of their own, the Order takes a large room of bugbears by surprise; but they Order is betrayed by Yeadon, and the ensuing battle finds several of them injured... but still triumphant. While recovering, they are able to ambush the bugbear chief and his bodyguards without taking a scratch (#46). They find some captive hobgoblins, and a single captive bugbear, along with a human warrior: Sverre the Mighty (#66). All are freedy; the monsters allowed to leave and never come back, Sverre joining our merry band. Sverre leads the group to more captives, who are also freed. More exploring and looting, and the group decides to leave. They discover the bugbear they freed has been killing the other captives who left. They also learn that bugbears love catnip. Also, the caves they have yet to enter include a minotaur lair, gnolls, and an evil temple (#103). The group returns to the inn to consider this new information.
While in town, Edward ransacks Yeadon's room and discovers that the evil forces of the temple are taking notice of their activity, and the group decides to use a secret entrance to the Minotaur cave. Pearl remains in town, having taken a bad hit to the head during Yeadon's ambush and barely surviving. They quickly become lost in the lair, as the Minotaur's magic plays with their minds. They dispatch some beetles, only to be attacked from behind by the minotaur, nearly killing Athrella and Red before behind paralyzed by Joe's wand. They quickly dispatch the minotaur, and begin working their way through the maze that was his lair, only to stumble into a grey ooze -- literally, nearly killing Sverre (#131). They attempt to burn the ooze, only to find it has no effect. Knuckles is able to use sausages to lure the ooze out of the minotaur's lair; after learning it can be hurt, they dispatch it.
They enter the Minotaur's main lair (#152), and encounter some troglodytes. They loot the lair, but Edward fails to notice a trap on a chest and is poisoned, nearly killed if not for the quick actions of Red and a healing potion. The group returns to the Keep (#169). Red has gained magical armor; Athrella a new healing staff. Milak lets the Order know that Yeadon is a follower of Babak, a demon. He has a large temple to the south, and a smaller one in the Caves of Chaos. The Order accepts the holy mission to destroy the temple in the Caves, and then are joined by Marvo the Magnificent, a mage (#177) as well as hirelings Kelp, Anor, Bist, and Chas.
The group decides to use the gnoll cave as a backdoor to get into the temple (#189). They avoid a trap intended to burn them alive, and kill a many orcs. During their exploring, they encounter a large number of orcs and gnolls -- who are all running away from them (#230). There is more looting and exploring, Knuckles finds a pair of elven boots he gives to Edward, and the group enters the secret door into a storeroom for the temple (#250). While the party ponders a gelatinous cube, they are attacked by three ghouls from behind. It's a minor inconvenience.
The group explores the temple, finding the dungeon area. An encounter with a captive medusa turns Red into stone. The group negotiates for an antidote, wondering if it's worth letting a medusa free to get their comrade back, only for Marvo to put the beast to sleep and kill it. The antidote is recovered and Red is restored. More exploring, and the party encounters acolytes of the church (#324). They are quickly dealt with, and their robes used as makeshift disguises. They use the disguises to lure other cultists into ambushes. An encounter with wandering zombies (#374) proves that the robes can even confuse the undead for a moment, and Athrella's holy righteousness proves too much for them. More exploring, and the party finds a large room with a throne (#397) and become surrounded by skeletons. In the ensuing fight, Kelp is killed, but the skeletons are all felled. Kelp is given a makeshift funeral pyre on the remains of the skeletons (echoing Gnaarl's corpse being burned in the aftermath of his death) before they return to exploring the temple.
More cultists are found and killed, and a large pile of evil books are burned. The party finds the main room of the temple (#448), an eerie, unholy room. Skeletons and zombies appear again. Joe unleashes a mighty fireball from a scroll, and the largest threat the party has faced yet simply vanishes into ash. Afterwards, we learn Red's true name is Triall Caradrana (#464) and our heroes cast off their disguises, ready for whatever awaits them. They encounter a priest who attacks with the air of a silence spell and snake staff, but he is woefully outmatched. Feeling their work done, the party burns a variety of evil implements and returns (#504).
Ogoul Snake-Charmer and his companion Drazheng arrive with messages from the scribe and castellan of the Keep (#507) and meets the party. The Castellan tasks the Order with retaking a keep to the east, Khazad's end of the trade route through the mountains. There are rumors of a goblin king and a great dragon. Red arranges for the foundation of a Mage's Guild (#541). They also meet Muerte, who causes Marvo to faint, and are told more details about the evil temple to the south. They also learn that Pharis has dealt with the lizardmen, and she has recruited Sverre, Richie Lemons, and Seb to her side. The party also oversees the final construction of their new guildhouse, and the beginning of an adjoining tavern. (#587). Orrin and Dima, dwarves, join Dayrell.
After nearly a month, the party heads off again to the Caves of Chaos to make sure they have taken care of everything. Along the wya, they run into wounded guardsmen who encountered a hydra. The return to the evil temple in the Caves, exploring the last bit of it they hadn't gotten to before. They discvoer a burial chamber and loot it, dealing with it's undead residents. When done, they find the Castellan has sent them provisions, horses, and wagons (#677). They deal with the hydra, using a wagon of oil-soaked hay and mules to draw it out. After a pitched battle, the beast is felled, and it's lair cleaned out to be used as a stopping point on the road between keeps.
While recovering from that, the party is stumbled upon by a small contingent of dwarven refugees, driven from their home in the mountains by goblins. They are told of the Caves of Chaos and how it may be useful as a place to regroup. The party then turns their attention to their goal: The old keep on the trade route. They also see, for the first time, the great dragon that will become known as Rayna the Red (#755). Due to the sound of drums in the mountains, and the dragon, and party decides to escort the dwarves to the Caves of Chaos, and then returns to the guildhouse to plan their next moves, and Edward reveals that not only are there harpies in the keep, but that a goblin army, ten thousand strong, is forming and heading down from the mountains. "We can take 'em," says Dayrell.
Plans are made, and while they are being made, the new tavern is completed and christened The Serpent's Nest. Construction begins on a new chapel. The party finally sets out, accompanied by soldiers (#791). Sneaking into the keep through an old sewer tunnel, the party encounters a swarm of giant rats and stirges. They use a silence spell to bash down a door without alerting anyone inside, and get into the keep. They find several harpies held captive (#834). The harpies inform the party that the keep is currently held by were-rats. They also find some goblin captives, who the were-rats were holding as hostages to prevent King Garbaga from bringing his army down upon the keep.
The party explores, loots, and kills some were-rats. There is blood, steel, magic, and fire. The rat-men try to set an ambush with a net trap and an overturned table, but the party is able to overcome them. Edward, using a newly-acquired elven cloak, scouts ahead (#964), tries to ambush some were-rats, but is seen and retreats back to the others. The party discovers the were-rats are willing to use fire as a weapon, and the Cleansing Flame is now in danger of being burned. The party uses one of the freed harpy captives to draw out the were-rats, ending their threat.
The party finishes clearing the keep. Knuckles recruits the two surviving were-rats as henchmen. There is some tension over the number of non-human/demi-human members of the party. The Khazad troops begin reinforcing the keep to prepare to meet the goblin army. Knuckle's new henchmen provide an orderly way to move rats out of one tower and into the sewers as another line of defense. While the others work, the Order investigates a treasure map (#35). It leads them to a cave where nine goblin wolf-riders have holed up. Only the shorter members of the Order have been able to get inside the cave, leaving the taller members outside, so the battle is hard-fought until the humans can get through the tunnel. The fight is won -- and then twice as many goblins and wolves arrive from deeper into the cave. Sleep and Web spells manage to keep the party from being completely overwhelmed, but everyone is hurt before the goblins are invapacitated and the wolves flee. The rest of the cave holds no surprises, as small numbers of wolves are found and destroyed. A few wolves escape to the East, to bring warning to the goblins that something has happened. As the Order returns to the nameless keep, the begin to hear the sound of goblin drums (#100) echoing from all through the mountains; by the time they return, they can see the army moving in the mountains.
The Order realizes they do not have the manpower to defend most of the keep; the outer walls and towers are too damaged with age to be of any use. They have enough supplies to possibly hold the main building of the keep for several months in a seige... depending on the size of the oncoming army. The next day, the army arrives... and sends out a small detachment seeking to negotiate with someone none of the party has heard of: The Unseen Voice (#111). The goblins leave after a few minutes, and an hour later, King Garblag arrives with his retinue. Citing The Unseen Voice as the reason he does not simply destroy those within the keep, Garblag is intrigued by the possibility of working out a deal; however, it quickly becomes apparent that neither side is willing to give what the other side wants. At the same time, the Order beins to suspect that The Unseen Voice is Edward, and fears a betrayal.
Meanwhile, Knuckles, Dayrell, and Muerte prepare the keep for defense, and Edward scouts out the goblin army, finding hundreds already there and more coming. Edward informs Red of this, managing to stay unseen by the goblins, and gives Red a codephrase to use if he wants a sneak attack... and Red uses the codephrase (#143). The king's magic sword is stolen from out of i's scabbard, and fire ignited behind his retinue, trapping them. The Order takes advantage of the surprise and destroy the King's retinue, with Muerte killing Garblag himself. A hundred goblin troops watch and see what has happened, and retreat back to the main army.
Taking advantage of the army's hesitation to rest and lick their wounds, the Order asks Edward about the Unseen Voice. He claims that he works for the Voice in an effort to keep the peace -- the Order accepts his eplaination for now, although some believe him more than others. As the army grows, the Order scouts and debates what to do. They finally decide to unleash the magic upon one of the scrolls they found, summoning a deadly cloud of gas and sending it down into the goblin camp from above (#208). The gathering army dies in droves, survivors cut down by the Order. It's not a battle; it's a slaughter, with a cloud of gas at one end of the valley and a wall of fire at the other. The Order has varying feeling about their victory, most settling on something along the lines of "We tried to give them a peaceful way out." It takes a week to clear to the field of boies and debris.
In the month to follow, they meet Zarbek the Goat, a priest, and his two disciples, who joins the Order. They also begin repairs to the keep, now named Goblinfell, and plan for their next bojective: Dealing with the evil temple to the south (#234). The encounter orc patrols and interrogate the ones they take prisoner, learning about the area. They also learn that evil Babak-worshippinghumans are trying to unite the orc tribes into an army. The order decides to sneak around the orc territory and scale a cliff to enter the temple from behind, encountering gargoyles that nearly kill Edward while the others climb to his rescue.
Reaching the temple, the Order decides to investiage a small tunnel that looks like it may provide a back way into the complex. Inside, they encounter fungus and oozes and mushrooms and giant locusts and spiders and stirges, and have no luck finding a way into the temple. They do encounter signs that denizens from the temple have been where they are, so they keep looking. They instead find a way even deeper into the caves, where otherworldy darkness awaits them (#494). They face spirits and loot some ancient rooms before returning to the previous level. They try another path, encounter some spiders, and then awake a horde of locusts that cause them to try to flee the cavern, causing Zarbek and Knuckles to get lungfulls of fungus from the first cave (#538). Their lives are saves with the use of a potion of gaseous form. More vermin are encountered, and finally the order finds a hidden doorway that leads them into the temple proper.
Edward and Red scout out ahead of the others, finding storerooms but nothing living. They've taken the temple completely by surprise, it seems. They find some cultists and dispatch them quickly and quietly (#595). Again, the Order uses the 'dress in their robes to buy us a few moments of confusion when we encounter more of them' tactic that worked for them in the other temple. A rock with a silence spell lets them ambush a large number of cultists. Suddenly, they're taken by surprise by higher-level clerics (#643) and several of them are taken out of the fight with hold spells. In the ensuing melee, the attackers split up, so Edward and Knuckles chase down some of them and encounter the head o the temple. They stall for time to allow the rest of the Order to reinforce them. During the battle, Athrella is slain by a powerful spell (#672) before they are able to defeat their opponents. Dayrell manages to stop the wounded priest from escaping with a lucky throw of his hand ax (#681).
As the Order prepares their fallen comrade for cremation, reinforcements arrive. Skeletons, zombies, orcs, backed up by an orc wizard. The battle is very one-sided, until the wizard unleashes a fireball into our heroes, inflicting devestating losses... until most of the party realizes it was simply an illusion. The party, fueled with anger at the possible loss of more of their own, launch into a furious counter-assault. Finally, a large orc warrior and his pet hellhounds arrives, but is too late; he falls to the very, very angry Order.
Taking some time to recover, the Order scouts out more of the temple. They discover plenty of evil ceremonial devices and prepare them for destruction. They discover that the priests were in the process of summoning Babak to this world, but had not yet completed the needed rituals. The books are destroyed. They dispatch a room of undead, loot and scout, and discover a scroll containing the itual the clerics were looking for. The order debates on if the scroll should be burned now, or learned from. Red decides to keep the ritual. They encounter a room of bones (#854), which form into skeletons and then colapse again at Zarbek's holiness. The same thing happens with four ghosts, whom Zarbek is able to deal with.
Feeling they did enough to counter the threat of the temple, the party investigates the darkness in the caves below and gathers more loot. They encounter some trolls and a tribe of troglodytes, avoiding them and taking their stuff.
The Order holds Athrella's funeral in a balcony overlooking the cave they entered through, cremating her and dubbing the temple Athrella's Rest. They leave the temple, seeing signs that with the fall of the cult, the orc tribes may be back at each other's throats (#8). Kuckles decides to retire, helping Pearl run her inn. There is much celebration at the end of the evil threat. The Order makes plans for the winter; Edward and Muerte plan a return to Athrella's Rest to retrieve what look they were unable to carry before. Meanwhile, the Keep at Goblinfell Valley is repaired, and caravans have been attempting the route east; but not returning. Marvo learnst hat harpies have been luring teh caravans off cliffs and feasting on the wreckage. Edward and Muerte sneak back to the temple and retrieve all the loot they can carry; there are goings-on in the temple, but they do not investigate heavily.
Dayrell spends his time researching a tome of dwarven lore found in Athrella's Rest; Marvo ends the Harpy threat, but it requires he give up the aid of his hench-harpy Mavis. Red and Ogoul, along wiht Dayrell's cousins Orrin and Dima, travel to the capital of Khazan. There they confer with the king's wizard advisor and interview mercenaries for possible postings at Goblinfell. They also make contact with an alchemist, and Ogoul takes on an aprentice.
Edward and Muerte make a second return trip to Athrella's Rest, beliving at least one more load of loot is left there. The temple is even more active now, causing them to investigate. A priest is using orcs and ogres to reinforce the temple. Edward leaves a flaming warning that the Order still watches the temple and leaves, hoping their reputation will cause the priest and orcs to leave. On their way out, they are spotted, causing a small running battle in which the orcs pose no threat at all; Muerte kills twenty-two of them before they give up and leave.
Caravans begin passing safely though the trade mountains, thanks to Marvo's handling of the harpies.
Red and Ogoul wine and dine with the King of Khazan, and Dima and Orrin learn details and ancient dwarven artifacts. Sages are consulted about many things, and much is learned.
A treasure map, found in Athrella's Rest, is searched out; A giant rock blocks the opening, so the potion that saved Red from the medusa is used to change part of it to flesh, which is then cut away to allow access to the cache. The Oder is hauling gold out of the cache when they realize the stone-flesh is attracting vultures, which will surely signal their presence. They quickly finish hauling up the treasure and return home, in time for winter to begin to arrive, and the Order settles in with their plans (#127).
Zarbek discovers the truth behind the illusion of life, or something like that -- nobody is quite sure.
As spring returns to the land, dwarven mercenaries begin to arrive, as Dayrell's plans to retake the city of Arduum from goblins has become somewhat well-known. The Order's second year begins, not as a small handful of adventurers investigating caves, but at the head of a small army of Dwarves. Goblinfell Valley still has no vegitation; the spell that klled the goblins has killed the grass, the trees, everything. The Order circles around Arduum to a little-used eastern gate; the small guard force is dispatched easily (#139). Some manticores posed them no problem. After scouting the city and estimating how many goblins are within, the Order comes up with a plan; Edward creates chaos by assassinating the goblin chief and his bodyguards, while Red and Zarbek use magic to clear a side tunnel, allowing Dayrell to lead his forces into the city. Edward taunts the elite goblin guards into chasing him, and leads them into a core of dwarven soldiers who had been trapped inside Arduum's 'Old City'. Dayrell's Dwarves are reinforced by Red and Zarbek's magic, while the goblins recieve Bugbear reinforcements. The two forces combined easily finish off the goblins, and teh city is liberated (#170).
The Order takes a few days to relax and reflect on their good fortune before deciding to seek out the wizard they had heard rumors of, to the North. Along the way, they encounter some giants (#183); They chalenge the group to a fight, and Dayrell declares it should be a single combat; the giants accept, and Dayrell wins and spares the life of his foe. The giants allow the group to go free, never to be challenged again, and with the possibility of one day working for the dwarves.
The party moves on, and finds the ruins of an ancient building; a castle or temple or the like. They believe it is the residence of the wizard they seek. A deep fog surrounds them, and they find themselves with no option but to explore the ruins; inside, the ruins are anything but, and are a nicely-maintained castle. They encounter some undead servants, and debate the nature of the place they are in. They also encounter a charmed, insane, cross-dressing ogre and realize something is very wrong with this castle. Zarbek continues to protect the group from ghosts and spirits. They stumble across a phantom feast with places set for all of them; Some of them eat and some do not. Edward is nearly killed by poisoned mushrooms, but Dima is able to heal him. Many of them are almost transfrmed into phantoms themselves, but they resist; only Vinnie, one of the henchmen, fails to resist and fades away with the rest of the feast.
Exploring more, they encounter the Rakasta, cat-men who have taken up residence in the castle, and their leader, a man with the head of a line who calls himself Richard Coeur de Leon. Richard tells them the secret to escape is to gether three keys, and challenges them to a fight to get one; the Order tries to find a peaceful solution, but, well, insane people in an insane place. Richard is killed, and and remaining cat-men declare themselves free; the Order allows them to follow along as porters.
Next, they encounter Jean-Louis Amber, a madman who runs a boxing ring (#405) and his magical boxing construct, whom Dayrell is able to defeat bare-handed. The victory gives them the location of another of the three keys, and they take soem time to explore and loot a few rooms that htey had previously avoided. They find their way outside, and are attacked by animated trees. They also encounter a young woman and her unicorn. She also claims to be an Amber, and Dayrel is quite taken with the unicorn. Next, they encounter a troll, whom they deal with by, well, fire, and obtain the second key from a well-guarded chest simply by performing a tightrope trick. Edward dubs their Rakasta companions the Cleansing Pride and tasks them with carrying loot.
Next, they finish travelling through the forest and enter a strange temple. There, they are attacked by animated statues. The statues, however, seem to magically aid them, and the Order begins to realize just how maddening this place is. There is debate on if this place is as evil, or more evil, than the temple of Babak worshippers. A fou-armed skeleon falls to the group, allowing them to claim the third key (#545). More encounters with members of the Amber family leave the party quite confused, but with hints about the next step in their journey. They will need to find a sword, ring, mirror, and potion to travel to Stephen Amber's tomb.
A battle with the cleric Simon Amber leads to more loot, including a magical carpet. They return to the woods, following a hunch, and fall under the spell of some sleeping flowers, which they hack and burn (#623). This gets the attention of the Wild Hunt, a number of animal-people and their mounts, lead by another Amber. They fare no better than the others who challenged the Order, even with a number of the Order asleep. They continue on their way, entering another castle-like building. Within, they are attacked by a spirit that wishes to possess them; Ogoul is able to resist it, but it's next victim is not -- Drazheng. This causes a combination of rage and laughter from Ogoul; rage at his companion being possessed, but laughter at the idea of a wizard possessing a mute man and unable to cast spells.
More exploration, and the party encounters Clause D'Amberville (#659) who gives them some background on the Amber family. An encounter with an enchanted fortune-teller's deck of cards yields some magical items, and cause one of Red's henchelves to attack him. Meanwhile, Edward steals a bag of ever-full food from another room and returns. With knowledge gained from Claude, the party avoids several traps but falls into a major one (#739). They desperately try to find a way out, but succumb to a strange dust that puts them to sleep and forces their souls into strange adventures. All but Zarbek and Drazheng return, as the Order realizes they have taken more losses on this adventure than on any other. Finally, they discover the gateway to the other world where they need to find the four magical items (#783).
Once in the other world, the Order finds Zarbek and Drakzheng asleep under a tree, and the Order rejoices (althogh Drakzeng is still possessed). They find an inn to stay at, and learn that this world is mainly populated by humans with no magic. They meet a travelling minstrel, who accompanies them and provides information on the area. Edward sneaks into a cathedral to optain the Potion of Time and Travel (#835). The Order combines their strength to fight the Beast of Averoigne (#848) and the ring they need. In Cordeliers (#862) Red and Ogoul use their magic to defeat a colossal abomination of magic and win the Mirror. Finally, they do battle with an evil wizard-werewolf, gainint the final item they need but lozing Zarbek to the charms of a powerful sorceress.
After a day of rest, the Order performs the ritual to summon the tomb of Stephen Amber (#895). They awaken on another plane of existence, with the tomb before them. They fight a dragon, wyverns, a stone giant, a giant manticore, and a hydra. Growing tired, the Order begins to wonder i what's inside the tomb will be worse than the guardians. They reach the final room (#971) and revive Stephen Amber, who returns them all home and grants them each a boon. He removes Drazheng's possession, returns Vinnie to them in good health, and grants them all fine jewelry. To Edard, he gives Dust of Dissapearance and the Chime of Opening; to Red, the Obsidian Steed; to Ogoul, an amber lion; and to Dayrell, horn that would summon barbarians to his aid. He then uses his magis to send them almost the entire journey back to Goblinfell, where they discovered they were gone for quite a while -- winter is returning again, earlier than last year, but still (#992).
Ogoul spends the winter researching new magics learned at the Castle Amber. Red studies as well. Dayrell returns to Arduum, wanting to be with his kin before the winter snows close the passage to the city for the season. Edward becomes bored, and goes and does something secretive. Red finishes his studies and, with the aid of his new steed, travels to the lands of elves. And there, the Order awaits for the snows to fade and Spring to return again.
Before Spring, Dayrell requests the aid of those lesser members of the Order, refered to as the Sparks of the Cleansing Flame. After a welcoming feast, he reveals his reason: The need to secure Arduum from within, for there is activity in the eastern tunnels. While Dayrell, Red, Ogoul, and Edward will not be there, but under the leadership of Muerte the others should be more than able to complete this mission. Hobgoblins with spears try to prevent their incurrsion, but the Order, even the underlings of it, are more than a match for their ambushes and bugbear reinforcements. The Eastern Gate is secure. After a couple weeks (#48) they move out again, further into the tunnel complex. There they encounter a city of trogoldytes. An attempt to negotiate with their king fails in a spectacular manner, which leads to a pitched battle against the entire tribe. Although injured, the Cleansing Flame prevails, only be ambushed by trolls as they began to recuperate. The series of battles begins to wear on the group, but they persevere, eventually defeating a total of six trolls before deciding to return with news of the troglodytes' defeat.
Meanwhile (#89), Red is joined in the elven homelands by Isabeau Amber and her unicorn Alumere, freed from the Castle Amber. They stay with him as he announces to his kinfolk that he wants to establish an elven town in the land near Goblinfell and Arduum.
Unknown to the group exploring Arduum at the time, Edard had been scouting these same tunnels, and had retrieved a scroll from a building near the troll camp. He had also been keeping an eye on them, ready to intervene if needed... but decided they had been doing well enough on their own. He brought the scroll to Dayrell (#91), and revealed what it was and why he had taken it: The King of Khazan wanted them retrieved before the Dwarves could find them. They detailed old dealings between human and goblin that could very well lead to war. Dayrell and Edward find themselves involved in a new and dangerous sort of adventure: One of politics and intrigue. As part of this, the pair travelled to the Dwarven lands of Majyr in the Ironback Mountains to meet with the Dwarven King. Dayrell was named the rightful Lord of Arduum, and Edward learned never to get into a drinking contest with a dwarf. They also recruit the aid of the giants Dayrell has bested on the way to Castle Amber, as their strength will be a boon for clearing debris and constructing defenses.
Red returned to Arduum, and as Spring came set out with the Sparks to explore the territory he believed would make for an Elven town. They encountered fae creatures that, though mischevous, were friendly. They also meet the human warrior Zhald, who is exploring the same area looking for a place to settle a human stronghold. With him are Pharis, Seb, and Joe. Despite having the same goals, Red and Zhald work together to find a way for both strongholds to co-exist. The two join forces to clear the area of hostiles, although a passage by the dragon Rayna leave many feeling uneasy, despite his distance. Another hydra is found and dealt with, as are more trolls. The discovery of jewelry hidden by the trolls leads to the name of Trowjem for the area. Land is selected for an Elven holt and for Zhald to build his keep. However, a scouting party also discovers a small band of giants that are dealt qith quickly, but folloing their tracks leads to a surprise -- a wooden keep of orcs and giants (#180). At that discovery, Red returns to Arduum, knowing the full power of the Order will be needed for this threat.
Dayrell receives a diplomatic enjoy from the King of Khazan (#191), and hammers out a treaty. While Goblinfell remains Khazan's, Khazan gives up their claim to the lands Red has selected in exchange for Edward signing over his right to his family's duchy. However, the treaty also states that something must be done about Rayna the Red, to provide security to the caravans travelling the trade road -- and as Arduum is there, it must be their responsibility.
Afterwards, Edward enters the depts of Adruum, seeking what he can in the hopes of uncovering the fabled Axe of Dwarven Rule (#194). Instead, he encounters Babak himself, somehow summoned through to the mortal world beneath Arduum. Edward runs in fear, and does not stop until he is on the surface, safe. He's certain that this marks the end of the world. Priests are summoned as the Order reforms to plan their next moves.
Edward is sent to scout the route to Rayna's lair. The Order decides to try to negoiate with him for the safety of the caravans. Not content with his first trip, Edward makes a second, with Dima along with him (#215). He speaks with Rayna and learns much, including that negotiation may just be possible after all... but also that he fits the prophecy of the one who would break the seal under Arduum and release Babak. The Order clears out a small wyvern infestation in the mountains, then travels to meet Rayna. Negotiations begin, but draw to a halt due to the presence of Red's enchanted dragon-slaying sword and Rayna not bothering to remember part of his conversation with Edward, leading to a battle. Four men against a great dragon. The magic of Red and Ogoul's spells shatter Rayna's defenses, and Dayrell sacrifices his life to protect his companions as Edward lands the killing blow.
Refusing to accept the loss, the remaining three members search through Rayna's trasure horde, finding a ring that may be able to help. Edward uses it to bring Dayrell back to life. The dragon dead, the four return to an epic celebration as a caravan is arranged to begin bringing the dragon's horde back to Arduum. Among the horde is a treasure map, and the Sparks set out retrieve the treasure, returning with some odd magical items while Red goes to check on the progress of his new holt. The Sparks also make contact with Lesserpotamia, which sends a delegation to Arduum and Khazan.
With the death of Rayna, both Khazan and Lesserpotamia have begun to realize that Arduum is no mere rest-step on the trade road. A human settlement has begun to form outside the tunnels to the Dwarven city, to facilitate tade, and leaders of both countries have begun to worry about the balance of power in the region.
Red finds his holt devestated; soldiers killed, work ruined, and signs of giants being the culprits (#304). He returns to Arduum, and the Order sets out to deal with the giant menace... this time, knowing that negotiation is not an option.
(NOTE: Last update is IC Thread 5, #332)
