'Neath a Crimson Throne, Session VI

 November 23rd, 2021/Worms 4th-5th, 749

Heroes present:

•Anathar, level 1 magic-user, played by T

•Beowulf, level 1 fighter, played by J

•Pendor, level 1 fighter, played by R

Their entourage:

•One donkey

•Three horses

Our heroes decided to go visit Grand Ninup, capital city of their kingdom, in search of further adventures. Joan stayed behind for the time being, but the rest of booked passage on a barge which was traveling there by way of the Downerflow River.

There were two other passengers. Beowulf found them sitting on the bare deck, eating stale bread seasoned with gravel. He greeted them, and they introduced themselves as Amets (a priest) and Aingeru (his apprentice). They hailed from the distant nation of Uskul and belonged to the Cult of Igor. The cultists offered to share some of their gravel-bread with Beowulf. He accepted, and listened to their gospel.

Igor was born a mortal man, but by exemplifying the masculine virtues, he had transcended mortality. Among many other manly deeds, he had defeated the Wyrm Uskul, clearing the way for the founding of their nation. Amets and Aingeru were on a pilgrimage, following the path Igor took on his adventures and seeking to emulate his mighty feats. They were nearly at the end of their journey: just east of Omnikar, there was a place called the Carnal Pits. There, Igor came to the epiphany that he had overcome every worthy challenge on the mortal world. Therefore, Igor fell on his own sword, so that he might die and seek greater challenges in the higher planes.

Beowulf was intrigued by this religion. Amets offered to initiate him into the cult.

During this conversation, the barge passed into a swampy region. “Scale alert!” cried one of the crewmen. This was a sign that he had sighted lizard-men on the riverbank. The lizard-men stole through the underbrush, keeping pace with the barge, and mostly keeping out of sight. One of the rowers explained that the lizard-men were usually content to watch boats float by, but sometimes attacked. So, everyone on board ought to be on their guard.

When the Igor cultists heard this, they dived overboard and swam to shore. Beowulf followed. The barge slowed to a stop while the three men stood up on the muddy bank. Four lizard-men emerged from the tall grass, clanging their spears against their shields in a threatening manner.

Amets told Beowulf that this would be a test of his worthiness. Beowulf would have to fight the lizard-men.

The fighter stepped forward, lance ready, but Amets told him to drop it and “fight only with what your manhood has provided you.” At this command, Beowulf dropped his weapon, but equipped a cestus. One of the lizard-men stepped out of line to challenge Beowulf in a one-on-one fight.

As it happened, Anathar knew the language of lizard-men. He cast a charm spell on Beowulf's opponent, encouraging it to lay down its weapons. It complied.

A fist-fight ensued. Beowulf took some nasty hits, but stood his ground. Eventually, he bloodied the lizard-man's snout. At this, the creature nodded approvingly. Then, he and his fellows disappeared back into the swamp. The Igor cultists congratulated Beowulf on completing his initiation and returned with him to the barge.

The barge arrived in Grand Ninup just as the sun set. A sailor told the heroes of a good inn where they could stay the night, and they went straight there.

In the morning, the Igor cultists told Beowulf that they were about to head out for the Carnal Pits, and invited him to come along. However, Beowulf decided to stay with his party. So, Amets and Aingeru parted ways with him. They told him that if he ever decided to fully dedicate himself to the Path of the Way of Igor, he should visit the Valley of Bones in Uskul.

Anathar looked around the city until he found the local wizard college, the House of the Squared Circle. He consulted the archmage there about Talon's trapped book. The archmage confirmed that it was a spellbook. Talon had once been a student of the Squared Circle, and the archmage himself had taught him a powerful enchantment to guild his spellbook with. Anyone who read it was pulled into the extraplanar domain of the Mottled Professor, goddess of the written word. The only way to get them back would be to follow them or find another way into the Mottled Professor's realm.

The heroes asked the innkeeper where they might find work, and he directed them to the Freelancers' Guild. It was housed in a tower near the city center. They went there and were greeted at the door by a middle-aged man named Creed. He invited them in.

The first floor of the Freelancers' Guild House was a single room with several couches and a desk. The whole area was covered in beer bottles and other trashed. A half-dressed woman was passed out on one of the couches.

The heroes asked Creed about working with the Freelancers' Guild. He explained how the guild operated:

There were guild houses in major cities across the known world. Patrons would come to guild houses and pay a fee to list contracts at the guild house. These contracts were generally of a mercenary nature.

The guild had a few rules for its members to follow. Freelancers were not to harm each other, not to harm innocents, to fulfill any contracts they accepted, and not to publicly embarrass the guild. The heroes accepted these terms and two contracts from Creed.

First, the village of Regdar's Rest was being overrun by giant rats. Lord Norbert, the ruler of that place, would pay ten silver coins for each one killed.

Second, Castle Fen, which guarded Omnikar's eastern frontier, had been overrun by orcs. The ruler of that place, Count Fenheah, would pay fifty gold coins to have it reclaimed from the evil creatures.

The heroes accepted both contracts, reasoning that they could stop at Regdar's Rest on the way to Castle Fen, since it was nearer-by in the same direction. However, Pendor expressed concern about undergoing such a dangerous journey without a healer. So, Creed woke up the woman on the couch. She introduced herself as Moorgreene, a fellow freelancer and a cleric with healing powers. The heroes agreed to bring her with them.

The heroes decided to go back to the inn and rest for another night before setting out. Moorgreene suggested they stay at the guild house, as the Freelancer's Guild threw better parties than the inn. They turned down this offer.