The Free City of Zobeck

The Free City of Zobeck shares borders with four states: the dwarven Ironcrag cantons to the west, the undead-ruled Principalities of Morgau and Doresh to the north and east, the human kingdom of the Magdar to the south, and the female dominated Duchy of Perun’s Daughter far to the east, at the mouth of the River Argent. Together, these regions, and nearby areas like the Margreve forest, the Cloudwall Mountains, the subterranean cities of the Ghoul Imperium and Lillefor, and the Electoral Kingdom of Krakova, constitute the Crossroads of Midgard. Even the shadow fey’s Shadow Realm touches this area via the fey roads.

The regions of Midgard spin around the Crossroads region like spokes around a wheel. Everything that goes from north to south and east to west passes along the River Argent, the Sultan’s Road, the Great Northern Road, and other well-trod trade routes, all with their own difficulties and dangers. But the nations that thrive in the heartland know how to spin copper into gold and how to turn a sinking barge into a prince’s ransom. Though they borrow language, customs, tools, and even gods from all their neighbors, the Crossroads have their own code, their own pride, and their own way of doing business. Welcome to the beating heart of the world.

The Heroes of Havardr

Olaf Wotankarl sat himself into the brushed lion hide cushion. As a favored scribe and historion of Odin's, this Asgardian lived in one of the tallest spires of the Academy of Asgard, giving him a commanding view of Midgard below it and the astral above it. From this tower he records the deeds of history, using his magic crystal rods of visions to view in closer detail things that catch his interest. the old sage lit a pipe, poured a mug of mead and ambrosia, and wetted an intricate mechanical quill. He then brought the crystal rods of vision and wrote the details from these scenes of the Battle of Viezla, and noble house Havardr's strength and victory, even when their warriors are thought gone...

Forni, the eldest of Harvardr, had finally learned his life lesson. After the failed attempt to kill the family, he saw to it to make sure Jarl Ranulfr and his son were indeed dead, as traitors deserved. But then he offered pardon to all living Ranulfrs, claiming they would face no shame or dishonor, as they served their jarl well, despite his twisted alliances. A young, tough, bold viking stepped forward, Karl Ranulfr, and announced acceptance on behalf of his clan. He heard no dispute among his clansmen and so continued. He offered all weapons, armor and treasure of the dead Ranulfr as spoils to the victors. He swore his clan would send 5 longships this season to discover the fate of the unreturned vikings. He pledged himself and his clan to revere the temple long house Arnum Stormcloak chose. He offered a mighty weapon, smithed by his clans most experienced weapon makers, a large hammer called an earthbreaker to the champion of the temple, where upon a warrior frome his own camp fell to his knees and begged to be allowed to serve this temple as its servant.

Arnum was seen smiling and agreeing as the crystal powered off. Both Loki and Thor had by now arrived, as he requested, and had seen most of that vision.Thor smiled broadly and thanked the sage for allowing them to see. Below, Arnum couldn't know that Thor smiled, nodded and agreed just as he had while watching the formation of his church. He knew instantly, however when Thor touched his hammer in the crystal, forever allowing him to fly as his Lord Thor.

Sverrir Asvaldr, the youngest, was living up to his name. As he crept through the window, and "down" the sharply tilted stairs of the tower, he practiced all the tips he'd heard from Vorware Undhin over the past 4 days. He felt so confident from his contact with the heroes of Havaldr, that he worried not over what those less sly, less dextrous, less better than him would be deterred by. He knelt in the chamber that onced housed the frozen lady. He heaped his spoils upon the stone she had stood frozen upon. Three days now of fooling simpletons, taking advantage of the unwary, of seeing what others overlooked. He prayed, then, that Loki would not overlook him, and offered his small hoard to be seen and accepted. He watched the stone platform, for what he didn't know. Then he heard noise, as if from great gears or machines at a distance, and saw an arm of ghostly form, equal parts shadow and gold, reach out from the treasure pile and touch his chest, exactly over his heart. As he watched the hand recede and normal light conditions returned he knew he'd been touched and chosen by Loki.

Loki was likewise pleased with what he saw, and quickly made his leave before his brother started asking him questions.

The crystals lit up again, showing the thawing grasses around the hut of Asdis, the witch of Viezla. Here, Horace Krondor, a northman of enormous size and quickness was giving over a female dire wolf and her pups he had caged to the witch. He said he had seen the battle of Viezla, and watched Oratian Bjomolf fight for life and limb, side by side, the wolfs loyalty to his friend enyielding as he served to his last biting breath. He then saw the tears of the great druid heal the wolf, and took it as a holy vision. He said to the witch that he and his remote clan of northmen would never again hunt wolves for meat nor fur. He claimed his name was now Horace Krondor Wolffson, and all his clan would take the Wolffson name. Known already as the greatest of hunters and trappers of the north, their clan would now look at the wolf as brother, and work to be sure Three Glaciers Fjord would always enjoy the protective watch of Brother Wolf. As the witch took the wolves and witnessed the northman's divine inspiration, she wondered if the heroes of Harvardr realized the protective wards thier temples created extended as far as they did. Even the mythic Firth Monster had been forced from the fjord, and swam out to open sea.

The next scene showed some two hundred ancient Harvard warriors assembled at the outskirt of Viezla, preparing an ornate litter to be carried with the still frail frozen lady inside north to the home of the Harvardr clan. She is seen walking toward the litter holding hands with her rescuer, the lucky boy that kissed her. She had managed to find the strength to give the kisser his customary reward over night, and now looked forward to the halls of home where she could find a better curse for her curse of Boreas' Cold.

As the crystals began to dim, he could hear the plotting of Loki and Thor as they made their way down his tower, their triumphant conspiratorial laughter, and see the flash of rainbow energy as the heroes gathered in the new temple of Thor.

Review 08/22/2015 (Three Glaciers Fjord, a Firth Monster, and the Tower of Issvardr)

After our separation from the Leviathon we find ourselves on a frigid coast we eventually learn is Three Glaciers Fjord. We soon come upon a long ship in distress, lead by Nord Alrekson who is escorting his granddaughter Fanna to the Þing. The long ship struggles as it takes on water. After Nord and Vorware exchange greetings the boisterous old man explains he travels from Skari to Viezla for the Ice Break Þing with hopes that Fanna is the next Winter Lady. He happily invites us to take shelter, exchange stories and travel- once they are on their way.

After about an hour of travel we are assaulted with a horrible sound as large hunks of ice are displaced and forces the longboat against a vast ice shelf; then from out of the depths a Firth Monster rises, grabs the long boat with its massive jaws and throws it against the glacier breaking off hunks of ice.

The attacks of the sea monster eventually break away a three hundred foot section of the glacier revealing a white tower listing north. A door sits above the broken ice and its only window it as the top level.

It took great skill to evade the chaos wrought by the monster climbing and jumping from ice flow to hand hold but we eventually made it to the tower along with Nord, Fanna, and a terrified merchant named Nial Kormakson as well as six survivors.

After some amazing investigating we believe this could be the Tower of Issvardr, the one cursed by Boreas and incased the Vetrdis (Winter Lady) in Illska (crewel glacier) centuries ago.

We decide to investigate further and enter to find dimly halls and people sealed in ice each with their souls, like motes of light, frozen in the moment of death. Deeper in the tower we find northman ice pickers frozen in place seeming like they offended the Illska. All about are tools and after melting some ice we learn these to be about a year old. We also recover twenty sets of cloaks and boots; rope, torches and lanterns; thirty flasks of oil; and six frozen potions.

We are set upon by undead who are defeated which earned us a brief respite before continuing to the heart of the tower. Here we find stair cases ascending and descending down to the darkness, and an ice elemental.

After melting the elemental it was agreed that Orathian shares his wild shape changing everyone into owls to more efficiently explore the Tower of Issvardr. Leaving Ghost with the nine others we fly out taking note of the two cliff faces by which this glacier flowed and entered the window at the top most level.

We eventually come to an area of ice wrought with fissures; on the other side is a human sized figure of ice, she too with her soul frozen. Battle ensued against more Boreal Frights. After defeating them we realize this must be the Vetrdis from the tales and to be released she must be included as the next Winter Lady with Fanna by bringing the festival here.

We begin next session in the tower after resting.

Review 07/18/2015 (Temple of Starry Lovers, Comet Balls, and Elushiell the Magic Sword)

Levontolin was excited, nervous and proud all at once as he floated to the guest quarters where the Visitors had slept last night. He felt confident they would welcome his offer of guidance through this holy day, and was anxious to speak more with the man who was a book. Arriving at the door, he took his humanoid shape, that of an ancient elf of Midgard's, and firmly rapped at the entrance. Head already bowed as it opened, the ancient stellar fisherman offered to escort the Visitors, and could not contain his smile as he heard the book translate his celestial tongue.

Priestess Mydella of the Temple of Starry Lovers heard the Visitors enter, but calmly finished her current mantra of meditations before opening her eyes to acknowledge them. It pleased her to see that Levon had made friends with them, for she knew that most of his fellow archons thought him strange for his willingness to leave the citadel. It pleased her even more to feel the presence of Thor and Loki enter her temple. She proved to be an amenable and talkative hostess, welcoming them all and sharing information. In exchange for agreeing to help them get back to Midgard regardless of the Court's decisions, Vorware agreed to spread the word and influence of Hecate through the North and all their travels. She told them of the duality of her temple and her welcoming of Veles and his dragon spawn, particularly the great dragons and beasts of the void. She gives the two clerics space to proselytize, and the rest of the Visitors decided to split off as supplicants and skeptics alike paused to consider the philosophies of Midgard's warrior and vessel of change.

Lady Sorella had been anticipating the Comet Ball for some time, as it was a favorite event of hers.On this day in particular she imbibed prodigious amounts of spice, wine, and the heady narcotics the alchemist supplied to the whole citadel. Still, it was not just inebriation that caused her excitement to discover Elise and the other visitors wandering in the commons. Even in the ethereal heavens the woman's beauty was breathtaking, such that the elven woman could not ignore. She was thrilled when they accepted her invitation back to her apartments, where her and Elise tried on clothes and outfits for the ball. Like Levon and Mydella before her, the first topic she brought up was to  wonder if the Visitors had decided what to do with the Leviathan. This branched to her explaining who Abdiel the Butcher was and what the Alchemist did in concert with him. She revealed Abdiel having come about 200 years ago, bringing with him the alchemist, his bridle, and the wonders of his "spiced" leviathan flesh. She spoke of the guardian hound archon only briefly, confirming that he was not part of the court, but she also didn't know exactly why he was here. After several hours, as Lady Sorella soared ever higher on her trip, the Visitors reconvened and decided to investigate this Butcher, and get to the bottom of the strangeness none of them could make any sense of.

Levon showed them to the hall that would lead them to the chambers of Abdiel the Butcher, and as they entered Draco cast a nervous eye about, spotting a floating ball of light that, crazy as it sounds, looked and felt familiar. Draco knew it was Elushiell, the enigmatic archon that had first approached them. This was most remarkable, for every time they had seen him before, he had always taken his elf form. The Visitors entered, suspicious and wary, and were not surprisedwhen the elf that introduced himself as Abdiel attacked them after failing to poison them! Surrounded with sinister auger krytrons,  Abdiel put up a vicious fight, but was ultimately defeated. At the moment of his demise, a distraught Captain Elushiell charged in accusing the Visitors of murder. However, all the evidence stood before him, and he could do more than hang his head in shame as he realized exactly what he had enabled for the past two centuries. The visitors watched as he shuffled off, and they decided to make their final preparations before they announced their decision to not release the leviathan to the needs of the court at the Comet Ball.

That evening at the ball, events unfold quickly. It is apparent the entire citadel is out of their minds high on exotic narcotics. Mostly, the visitors are exciting, but ignored the way celebrities are often seen as unapproachable. Much fanfare is made of the appearances of the King and Queen, but this is quickly over shadowed by a glowing light in the astral opening of the throne room. Very soon the light takes the form of an unearthly beautiful angel, who announces herself as Harbinger, and says  this.
"King Iorotus and Queen Astakia"
Though you have fallen far into your decadent stupors, and taken a kingdom of archons with you leading them to abandon their duties and purposes, it is still my duty to honor the station of the Citadel of a Million Stars. Perhaps if the shepardos of good we're not enslaved by the lurid dispositions of your court, this calamity could have been avoided!!  Know this, former shepards of Midgard, the Original Beast is Risen! He swims here, to this galaxy, your home.  The World Eater comes!Abandon your decadent ways and return to the shparding of Good that Midgard most sorely needes. I must ravel on to warn the rest of this galaxy, but I bid you, Even beg you toprepare. You will all have to fight to your last breath to defeat the Terrasque!!"

Wit that, she flew on to Asgard, and left the stoic royal pair to demand the Visitors anser them.Upon hearing the words of the Visitors, they commanded them to leave immediately and take their property with them.As they left, our heroes wondered many things, but their reverie was broken by a final visit, from a shamed, embarrassed and repentant Elushiell. He thanked them for their visit, expressed much disappointment in himself, and then rather abruptly killed himself, transforming into a gleaming magical sword to be used against evil in what ever form it reared. The great Leviathan took a parting shot at the citadel, sending the Alchemisits tower into a shambled ruin with a flick of its mighty tail as it swam back to the great western oceans of Midgard.

Review 05/23/2015 (The Star Citadel, Ephemeral Elves, and the Immortal Court)

Vorware

Our session begins in the midst of interstellar travel riding a space-whale into the void where mists seem to sustain travelers along what we surmise is the ethereal plane. As we travel the Leviathan’s exertion become less labored as we soar through the starry landscape. Below upon the back of the beast, mongrel men danced their mythic ritual under the void.

Some of us decide it was finally time to eat of the godsflesh in an attempt to glean our destination or anything else; what we experienced were disjointed lucid visions of elation and aspirations of a higher form. After a time the book/Vael Turog points out four motes of light following our path. Elisa thinks them like angels but were revealed to be Lantern Archons, one of which descends to extend his welcome, translated through Vael Turog. The Archons express gratitude for the Leviathan and that we will be received by King Iorotas and Queen Astrakia who are immortal rulers of the Palace of One Million Stars when we arrive. After their visit they fly down to the mongrel-men, only to observe it seemed.

Arnum

A unknown time later we came to the Star Citadel, a huge radiant six-pointed castle like a star in space by which the Leviathan began a slow lazy orbit around. We were approached by a unique winged being Captain Elushiel who wears a star-metal amulet and welcomes our tribute of the Leviathan; assuming that we command the beast and the creatures upon it and requests that we bring the Leviathan onto the beach. Elushiel sees our actions to be attempting to do just that and departs hoping to see us after we beach the creature. Arnum Stormcloak attempts to coax the beast into port after eating the godsflesh but after two hours of trying the Leviathan resisted but Arnum was able to see to getting in close to the Palace Citadel. Vorware Undhin flies us over one at a time before the Leviathan bumps the Star Citadel.

Finding ourselves on a balcony we find that this structure was made for fliers, all about we see strange Auger Kition guards, star-bearer ancients and inevitables who reside in and around the Citadel. Free from the Leviathan who seemed to have its own planer characteristics, we discover so too did the Citadel's environment allowing us to breathe normally.

 

Orathian

It was not long before Elushiel returns with concern regarding the Leviathan. Elisa relays our entire story up to now, with Vael Turog translating for us. We were asked about the mongrel men and our purpose, to which we explain we are spreading the truenames of Thor and Loki to the southern lands of Midguard. He refers to us as ‘holy-warriors’ and acknowledges each of our faiths: Sif, Thor, Loki, Tyr, and the Earth Goddess. We are introduced to our handeler, an elf and starbearer named Levontelin who delights in speaking through Vael Turog.

Food and beverages are provided inducing the lucid visions of ecstasy but for some of us we notice the urge to consume more even without hunger. We are taken to the Courtyard and shown the various named halls and rooms. We are shown the beach were we learn the reality of the Leviathan’s danger of being slaughtered for consumption. We finally make it to the Armory of the Heavens and the Hound Archon Carresland. This attracted the curiosity of Arnum Stormcloak and Draco Morn who choose to remain until the royal court was ready to receive us.

Elisa

Vorware Undhin, Orathian Bjomolf, and Elisa Berit returned to the Courtyard where Elisa had a run-in with a Midgard elf, Lady Sorreminx who seemed to take offense at the propagandized history of the elves retreat from Midgard. Levontelin tells us of our arrival on the eve of the Day of Atonement and the Comet Dance- holy days of silence, contemplation or independent worship. Besides the Priestess Mydella of the Starry Lovers there is another, a temple of Hecate who keeps good relations with the church of Veles (the world serpent of which we have the Key). Eventually Arnum and Draco were brought back and we were gathered before Elushiel who states that the King and Queen will receive us.

Joining hands with Elushiel we fly to a portal lined in star-metal and enter the Vault of Heaven, a vast chamber without gravity or direction. Two pillars of light wearing robes and awe inspiring dignified masks floated in the vault. Elushiel introduces us and when the immortals respond they do so in unison and with all their senses. They ask for the Leviathan, but it was not ours to give. After some group discussion Elushiel suggests utilizing the Day of Atonement to consider their choices. Give them the Leviathan with the hopes they can return us to Midgard or was there another way to Midgard.

It became apparent to us and Vael Turog that these individuals on the Star Citadel were dependent on the lucid effects of the Leviathan’s godsflesh which has led to fanatical followers of King Iorotas and Queen Astrakia.

We begin next session at the end of the Day of Atonement before the Comet Dance where it will be Footloose all over the place.

Vael Turog , a new NPC

The gregarious book was indeed delighted to be found by the living, again, after all this time. The book took an immediate liking of the group of adventurers and began introducing himself and the powers he has developed. He calls himself a star mage, and that the spells he holds and knows are illumination school spells. The text and deep magic nature of the spells are difficult to decipher, but the book can help immensely by reading and translating his own text aloud. Besides spells the book contains 500 pages of esoteric notes about time distance and other properties of the void.

He has said and proven that he can cast spells from his book. This is the list of spells he claimed available and mastered by him;

Dancing lights

Douse

Flare

Guidance

Haunted fey aspect

Light

Penumbra

Shadow bite

Shadow blindness

Silhouette 

Detect magic

Read magic

Arcane mark

Prestidigitation

Pyrotechnics we saw this spell as he demonstrated that he himself could cast

He claimed he had other secrets that he may reveal later. He is a blessed book, the magic item, with the psyche of an ancient wizard fro the fallen city of Vael Turog.

He may allow any one spell in his book read as if it were a scroll cast at the readers caster level once per day.

He has ranks in these knowledge skills: arcana, planes, nature, ancient history, dungeoneering, spellcraft. he also can see and hear with normal human senses to a range of 30 feet.

Review 04/18/2015 (The Impossible Tripod, Vael Turog and the Leviathan)

Our game begins in the Tomb of Koraz as we near the object of our search: the Book of Vael Turog. Protected from undead we enter a round chamber together and were greeted by a deep charismatic voice hailing us asking if we are among the living. Upon entering there was an immediate reaction by a black sphere upon an impossible tripod. After some tense moments we discovered the owner of the voice is Vael Turog, or at least his consciousness and personality in book form advising us to put the black sphere away in the glowing chest.  It was Elisa who commanded control of the sphere and put it away in the glowing box after experimenting on an undead shadow.

The book/Vael Turog was over joyed at his rescue and was very helpful in answering our queries and explaining some of his history. It was the book’s suggestion to investigate the well in the chamber and after sending Zoltan down to investigate, we lowered ourselves to a cave and a fresh water pool, some of us finding valuables, potions or as in Elisa’s case- a magical item. The twisting and turning tunnels lead us to a red-brown beach on the far side of the fallen titan- sans clerics, and were once silence ruled now was full of the clamor of undead troops marching upon us.

Vael Turog assured us as long as we read from his page 111 and the last page. Protected again with a protection from undead we patiently wait for the effects of the last spell to reveal itself. It was a deep magic spell and ancient summoning magic.

The shore recedes and waves boil as the Leviathan arrives destroying much of the docks. The great Leviathan, a creature that can traverse the void, measures some three miles long and featured typography as well as alien flora and creatures.

While the Leviathan was a welcome sight, we soon learn that it is set upon a predetermined course: due west into open waters gaining velocity along its path. Vael Turog wanted a means of escape, while many of us believe the gods are at work once again.

Learning what we can from Vael Turog as we make our way inland as we find that the book/Vael Turog can cast spells if it chooses and can supply one casting from the book once a day. It started as a blessed book, is ten pounds and comes with its own box. It is written in Deep Magic and is able to translate much of the text save for complex formulations and language of the void, space and time in to the trade tongue; containing also spells from the Illumination School.

After some time we encounter what seems to be in indigenous humanoids on the island the mongrel-men. These mongrels seem to take it upon themselves to defend or at least hold sacred a Grove and bayed us to eat the flesh of the swimming god. The flesh proved vile so we thanked them and skirted around the mongrel-grove. Along our path we were monitored by several mongrel-men, they seemed to pique Elisa’s interest.

After a few hours we began to ascend to the stone tower when the Leviathan dove into the light-less depths under the ocean. We began to notice the animal life and strange plant life before ultimately arriving to a thirty foot wide and twenty foot tall circular stone tower that was open to the sky as well as open to the flesh of the Leviathan. Odd furniture stood here and there providing a good lookout and place to rest, which was a good thing because we were attacked early that night my six ambitious mongrel-men.

They poised no challenge failing to surprise us but it did further Elisa’s curiosity. Over the next few days Orathian crafts a leather satchel for Elisa in which to carry Vael Turog and we begin to forage for food as not to rely too heavily on our rations. This leads us to a surprise encounter with a solitary mongrel-man leading us to ask the question: do we hunt the mongrels or not? We also gain an understating into the life and death cycle of the strange, intelligent and carnivorous moon flowers.

Orathian sends Zoltan to the air, to see what appears to be a clearing in the middle of their Grove where a large section of the Leviathan’s flesh is exposed as it is being cut and prepared in slashes and strips. That solidified it for Elisa who partook in the swimming god’s flesh.

Upon eating the flesh Elisa is somehow able to commune with the Leviathan who is happy and cheerful. Arnum experiences a vision of how Thor envisions the void and realizes the universe it bigger than he ever imagined.

Without the passage of day, it was impossible to know how many days had passed before the Leviathan came to a scaly wall that was the world serpent to eventually emerge from the ocean and finally into the vastness of the void and our second mythic tier.