Quest for the Lost Magic of Aulindo

This adventure assumes that the PCs have found a mysterious book in a treasure hoard. The book dates back to the First Empire period about 1200 or more years ago. It is the book of a Wizard named Aulindo, who was famous for the beautiful magical toys he made. With the book may have been one or more of his toys. Rediscovering the lost magics he used to make those toys would make a wizard famous for life.

The PCs find out the following info from the mage Tethtorial: Aulindo studied somewhere with both dwarves and mages to learn his skill in magical craftsmanship. The book is too damaged to make out much detail about his creations, but Fath may want to study the one or two pages of diagrams that have been partially restored. Aulindo created not one bird but about thirty different creatures for the Emperor, and they were once described and pictured in this volume. A note in the margin of one page of diagrams is interesting, it says “Imperial Historian, First Candle-Mark. To enter my travels into the record.”

If the PCs do any research at all about the Imperial Historian, they discover that the First Empire was famed for its detailed histories and court records, all kept in the city of Mirabor’s great library. This city is rumored to still exist, in perfect condition, but it is also said to be guarded closely by a secret order of protectors. The Imperial Library was a part of the Emperor's Palace Complex. If Aulindo traveled on behalf of the Emperor, his travels would be recorded there.

At this point the PC’s have two choices. They may try to find a Second Empire scholar who knows where Mirabor is (they will not find out, but may be told that it is the name of the First Empire's Capitol City). This will lead them to finding a First Empire Scholar. The only person suggested to them will be Ahram Silverbeard of Haluun Isle.

They will find out about Ahram from scholars in Greenvale or Haroth, wherever they chose to go to ask questions. Ahram is not easy to visit - the PC’s may ask for days before a ship’s captain admits that he knows how to get there, or they may be approached by several false lures before finding a legitimate vessel. Note that almost everyone can tell them that only a few captains know how to get there, and it involves magical guidance.

Or they may visit a temple of Talaia (the Goddess of Knowledge) and ask about Mirabor there. In this case they learn about Mirabor's location from the Temple, and about the location of the one-time High Temple from them.

The Journey to Ahram Silverbeard is not detailed here, but from him they will learn that Mirabor is located on the northern edge of the Gulf of ?name I can't remember? at the mouth of the Fieraven River. He tells them that he has heard of a temple of Talaia that might still be occupied there by priests of the Goddess of Knowledge.

Reaching the Temple: there are three routes : by sea (hire a ship in Greenvale, sail around coast to Plainsland, hike inland and try to find ruins. (1-2 weeks sail, 4-5 day hike). Or go overland via Miran on the roads (2 mo. Journey), then cross-country from Miran into the Plainsland (2-3 weeks more). Or go overland due west from Greenvale, pick up the Fieraven river and travel in from the North on the river (2-3 weeks overland and 7-10 days on the river).

The Plainsfolk are not particularly welcoming to strangers, but will not attack unless provoked. They may follow the PCs without ever contacting them, or may send a small group to meet them and then guide/guard them to the temple. None of the Plainsfolk have much to do with the temple, only passing by a few times a year, trading their cattle to the monks in return for brewed beer and other specialty foods. They call it “Tallah-bekh” or the place of stone men. They do acknowledge that Talaia is a goddess and that it is her place, but they call her Eymi and only occasionally call on her. She is the goddess who brings game to those who are lost and weak.

The High Temple of Talaia in Mirabor is actually NOT abandoned, tho that is known to only a few in the order. Those who dwell there are tasked with keeping and rediscovering information about the First Miraborian Empire and its capitol city.

The temple there was once a huge almost palatial complex of twenty or more buildings with more than a thousand resident priests, laybrothers and sisters, families, servants, guests and even a school.

Now the gardens and most of the buildings lie in crumbling ruin, undisturbed for centuries. Only a lesser chapel, one small section of living quarters and a few outbuildings, all enclosed in a new protective wall, are inhabited by fewer than 30 priests and their followers. These priests do their best to maintain a presence in Talaia’s honor here, and preserve as much as they can of their religious history and knowledge.

Traveling to Mirabor:

See Fieraven Cruise

The city of Mirabor is concealed almost completely by heavy plant-growth, cypress trees and more. The easiest location to find (takes about a day of close observation to find), is the Temple of Talaia. It lies on the outskirts of the city, on a narrow island in the river.

High Temple of Talaia outside Mirabor:

This temple consists of six or eight low stone buildings grouped closely together and surrounded by cypress trees. There are about 100 people living in the temple’s bounds, and they are of three types:

priests (about 40), most of whom are Mirani or Mistlander, and a few Plainsfolk. Only a very few (1-2) are from Greenvale. Very little magic is practiced here, because so many of the folk are Mirani. Even those who follow Talaia and know that magic is not evil, have a hard time seeing it in practice.

Soldiers (about 35), who are a mix of Plainsfolk, Mirani and Mistlander, with a few ‘Valers thrown in for good measure. They are a mix of 3-7th level veterans, most of whom have spent their whole careers here.

Servants (about 25), and priestly/soldierly family members who fill that role for the temple. There are also between 10 and 25 Plainsfolk here at any given time in the winter and early spring.

The plainsfolk camp on the western shore of the river, where the deep forest has become piny woods, which will eventually break up into the coastal savannah where the plainsfolk regularly dwell.

NPCs:

High Priest Chovan Dawnlight (L21). This old man is pleasant and courteous, even to the most rude and abrupt. He speaks slowly but with obvious care. He speaks almost as if he has a personal relationship with Talaia. He is 1/2 elven, nearing the end of his long life (about 300). He is not quite old enough to remember the fall of the 2nd Miraborian Empire, but his parents both lived through it, and he has a good understanding of what happened. He is not interested in people of the 1st Empire, only the magical knowledge they had, and thus he knows who Aulindo was, and that he studied in a place called Asheseth, but he doesn't know or care where that was. He would dearly love to gain entry to the records held in the Palace of the Emperor, and will do his utmost to help the PC's find entry.

Priest of the Right Hand Peter Summerwood (L15): rather younger than his superior (he is about 55), he is also less knowledgeable. Peter is dead set against the party having any chance to explore the ruins of the underwater palace from first empire days. This is because thirty years ago he was a young priest struggling for both advancement and the love of a young woman. His rival for both was his best friend and companion, a young man named Davin. Davin was an explorer and adventurer. He longed to search the whole city. He was also an excellent swimmer and diver. Together, Davin and Peter stumbled across the sunken dome of the ancient palace, and began to explore. Davin and Peter were quickly caught by Imhaldir, the highly reclusive lich who was once the last Emperor of the First Miraborian Empire. Imhaldir charmed Peter but Davin resisted and was killed (by Peter). Peter now works for Imhaldir, and will do his utmost to prevent the party from exploring the ruins of the palace, per Imhalder’s orders.

Gatekeeper: Eurus the silent (L8). He is responsible for the comings and goings of the priests who venture out of the compound, of posting guards and keeping order. He also settles most of the minor disputes among the servants and guardsmen. It is to him that the arriving adventurers will be brought, in the gatehouse. He will treat them politely, and if they are courteous, will let them in without further ado, showing them guest rooms and arranging a meeting with Chovan and Peter that evening. He is an older human, in excellent condition, and plainly no fool. He keeps a close eye on any PC who rouses his dislike, but is careful to remain friendly and calm. If PCs make demands that bother him, he may require them to remain outside the gates while he summons Peter to help him decide what to do with them. Eurus is a different physical type than the plainsfolk, who are generally tall and muscular, fair-haired and pale-skinned. Eurus is a short, stocky man with dark brown hair and eyes, a bristling beard (going grey), and a deep, hoarse voice. He wears a broad leather belt with a belt buckle in the shape of a muskrat.

Eurus is very knowledgeable about the were-folk, as he is actually one of them (a fact which most people forget because he entered the temple’s order some fifty years ago). He can, if asked, tell them about the two were-folk factions, and about the matriarchal nature of their leadership.

(If mention of the were-folk here is confusing, just read on. They're guardians of the Palace (not the city) who dwell on the shores of the Lake).

After hearing from the PCs about the fight between were-folk in the forest, Eurus is worried. He decides to investigate. He leaves his post that night, and is gone 24 hours or more. When he returns, he is injured. He sends Jesslyn to the party, and asks them to see him again. Once they agree, he will tell them more details about the were-folk, and ask them for their help. If by now the PCs know that they want to explore the palace, he will tell them it is a sacred duty of the were-folk to guard it from intruders. Only by winning the were-folk to their side can the PCs hope to investigate untroubled by their resistance.

Fialigon (L6): this middle-aged woman is a half-elf of some 200 years. She is the only person in the temple who has a true understanding or interest in the First Empire. She will take time to study Syndol’s map, and will ask questions about his homeland. She can use the map he has to plot the location of the old palace on modern maps of the area drawn by the archaeologists, and help pinpoint the palace. She and Peter do not get along well, and she has suspicions about his loyalty to the temple. She knows that he frequently goes off by himself to explore (when he is spying for or visiting Imhalder).

Other NPCs the players may meet or converse with are:

Jesslyn, a priestess/guard who will escort the PC’s to the Hall of Watching.

Aric, a boy who will act as a messenger/valet to the party, fetching wash-water, cleaning rooms, and other small chores. Aric worships Peter Summerwood and will do what the priest tells him, including spying on the party, sabotaging their gear, and misleading them.

Darron, the stable-master who will tend to their mounts if they have any.

Bedella, a priestess who does much of the cooking and serving of food for the temple. She acts much as the “mother” for everyone here.

Leiloni: singer and storyteller for the temple, she will sing at the feast of welcome for the PCs. Her songs include worship of Talaia, sorrow at the death of a priest who drowned in a river, love songs, and more. She is very talented.

PCs may notice that many of the temple’s servants are crippled or scarred in some way - harelips, club-feet and deafness or partial blindness are much more common than is usual. This is because the Plainsfolk often bring babies or young children with handicaps here rather than exposing or killing them as their customs require.

The Hall of Watching:

The priests of Talaia have one purpose in being located here at Mirabor. They prowl through the streets of the city, carefully mapping each building, making traceries of the ornate carvings that decorate them, and otherwise seek to preserve the city’s physical wonders.

Within the temple’s records, the only piece of information about what Asheseth could be is a notation from the earliest records after the first Empire’s fall, that “Asheseth has been sealed. Not even sky-ships dare try to reach it now. Those who remained behind are caught forever.”

Two ways to reach Asheseth Island now - by air and by ship. Air is left up to the players to determine, if possible (not likely). Ship means returning to Greenvale, hiring ship and sailing north into the nearly chartless western sea. It will take much wealth to convince a ship captain to undertake a journey of that magnitude or danger. (Of course, at this point the PCs have no idea Asheseth is an island, so I don't know why I stuck this note in here where I did.)

The Plainsfolk: The Thargashu have a small village on the western bank of the Fieraven River, near the island that holds the Hall of Watching. Most of the people here are tribal outcasts for one reason or another. There is a priest of their god, and a small chapel, but no face lodges. Sometimes women bring crippled children to leave here and be raised by the temple-folk. A few here are criminals, but most are simply Plainsfolk with unnatural curiousity about the outside world.

The Were-folk: not a visible presence in the Temple, the PCs will be warned that venturing too far east into the forest of Azun is dangerous because of them. The werefolk are rumored to be animal shifters, but the priests say they have never seen such - the men are strong fighters, honorable when they give their word, but reluctant to do so. They travel always with animals - wolves, bears, pards, hawks, foxes, otters and deer often accompany them. Each man also wears a symbol of an animal. Sometimes they adopt wives from the temple’s numbers, but what happens to these women is unclear, because no were-folk woman is ever seen by outsiders.

The werefolk’s legends have created an aura of danger around the ancient palace. They remember a time when it was their home, and when they guarded “the Leader” who dwelt there. They never refer to him any other way. Even today they believe he still dwells below, and it is their job to see that he remains undisturbed.

If the PCs can somehow win the trust of the were-folk, then perhaps they can convince them to go along, exploring together. The only way to win their trust would be to settle the dispute between the two factions of werefolk that has divided them for nearly two generations. There are three potential new rulers for the were-folk as their current Den-Mother is very old and dying. The three new leader-candidates are Mavra, a fox-changer, Ethele, a deer-changer, and the outcast third candidate Brenne. Brenne is a panther-changer. She is clearly the most unpopular candidate, but also the strongest.

The problem is that Brenne, whose parents were cast out for failing to follow were-folk codes of behavior (Brenne’s mother hunted and traveled with her father rather than remaining in safety at home), has refused to enter the challenge contest unless her parents are reinstated into the tribe. The tribe-members are divided sharply on the issue, and at the same time, are divided over which other candidate to support.

Brenne: L5 ranger (panther changer). Brenne is well aware that she is the likely winner of the challenge if she cares to enter it. But she doesn’t see why she should at first. She is a slender, tall woman with black hair and eyes, and deeply tanned skin. Her voice is soft and throaty. She is intelligent and straightforward, likeable but firm.

Mavra: L3 sorceress (Fox changer) Mavra is a pretty, small, sly woman with dark red-brown hair and golden-brown eyes. She's clever but not terribly intelligent. Those who support her do so because she is very tradition-minded and unlikely to want changes to be made to her folk's way of life. She strongly desires to be the next Den-mother of her people.

Ethele: L5 expert (deer-changer) (wood-carver). Ethele is less tradition-minded than Mavra, but much more cautious than Brenne. She's smart enough to realize that change is coming; more contact with Miran and with Greenvale and even Avenvole will happen over the next few decades, and they will have to adapt. She is the compromise candidate, but she has little desire to rule, and will happily bow out in Brenne's favor. She dislikes Mavra.

Brenne’s parents are Eumeno and Tirala. Tirala is from Greenvale, a bride brought back by Eumeno some twenty-five years ago. She is a L9 fighter, and she hunts with her husband, who is a panther-changer like his daughter. Because the were-folk believe that women should remain protected in their secret home lairs at all times - they are not welcome in were-country.

They dwell about 3 days journey downriver, deep in the mangrove swamps. Traveling there should not be easy for the party. They can go there with Eurus the silent after he returns from his visit to the were-folk. That visit is prompted by the party’s description of the near-battle they witnessed in the woods on their journey.

Brenne will only agree to enter the competition for the were-folks leadership on the condition that the PCs convince her and her parents that once she become leader she can begin to make changes in how the Were-folk behave. Eurus points out that by letting the PCs explore the palace she will be making the first major break with tradition. If the other were-folk allow it, and nothing tragic happens because of it, then her way will be open to make other changes.

The Forest:

Azun Forest Encounters

2. Treant

3. Dm Special

4. Hangman Tree

5. Goblin or odd find

6. Spider, any

7. Owl, talking

8. Bear

9. Wolf

10. Were Riders

11. Snake or brownie

12. Orc

13. Boar, wild

14. Cat, wild

15. Trapper, forest

16. Stirge

17. Dryad or were rider

18. Giant, hill

19. Ogres, w flind

20. Dm Special

The Azun forest is an area of near-swamp. There are mangroves, cypress, willow, sycamore, and other water-loving trees everywhere. The terrain is essentially flat, with many creeks and pools of water. Small patches of swamp give way to open water which give way to low-lying stretches of fertile earth. A few patches of open meadow exist, but they are not common. Only in a few places does the underlying rocky substrate rise up to form hard shelves of drier and more open terrain. In these areas caves are not uncommon. In one such area the were-folk have their homes. There are only about 5,000 were-folk altogether. Of these, nearly 4,000 are male. There are about 900 human or half-elven wives who have been adopted into the clan. There are fewer than 100 females born naturally to the were-folk.

The were-folk live in about 7 different scattered areas, but the chief one lies about a day’s journey from where Brenne and her parents dwell.

In turn, this lies about two days from the ruins of Mirabor.

The Ruins:

These ruins are in fairly good condition, surprising for their extensively overgrown condition. Most of the damage done to buildings seems to be from plant-life, not time or ancient disaster. Trees have grown up in roads and courtyards, thrusting stone aside, while vines and woody plants have grown over and into other buildings. The buildings are all vacant, and have no traces of the people who once dwelt in them. The city stretches for about 1/2 mile along the river, and nearly the same distance to either side. When it was at its height, this city must have been an enormously busy and wealthy place.

Only a few dangers lie in the open city streets; it is not until one is foolish enough to enter those buildings which still have uncharted cellars and deeper lairs that trouble truly begins.

Encounters:

1. Giant rats (1-4)

2. Spiders, small to medium (6-10)

3. Beetles, giant (1-3)

4. Rohches, forest (1-2)

5. Priests of the Temple of Talaia (1-2 priests 1-3 guards)

6. Were-rider (usually observing 5)

The Lake:

This lake is a body of water that used to be part of the river. Now it connects only at it’s lower end. However, the water remains fresh and pure due to several natural springs and small streams that flow into it. In ancient times the Palace of the First Empire lay on the shore of this lake. In the course of the Fall, the Emperor deliberately sank the palace, protecting it with powerful magics. His purpose was to prevent its falling into the hands of his enemies. The emperor, Imhalder, sank with the palace and was believed to have died at that time.

The werefolk guard the lake because their legends say that Imhalder made them swear an oath to do so, preventing any disturbance of the palace below. They have no idea that he still dwells there as a lich.

Encounters:

1. Beetles, water - near the surface or on shore

2. Crustacean, giant crayfish

3. Fish, giant catfish

4. Ogres, merrow - guardians employed by Imhalder

Special Areas:

Across the lake and somewhat to the south, there are some other buildings under the water. These were once part of a temple complex to Diorel, the god of the river. There is a spring here, and a water-naga now dwells here. She is a 5th level wizard as well as a neutral guardian. PCs may meet her if they explore the lake or try to sneak past the were-folk by entering from the far side.

Simaida is a wise guardian. She will warn the party not to attack her, but will be willing to talk if they are friendly. She knows of Imhalder, but not what or who he is. She says only that he is dangerous, and powerful, and that she believes he has dwelt there for many ages. She will only mention that Peter comes to visit him occassionally if directly asked. Peter is a friend of hers, and he often brings her tidbits of surface knowledge. Simaida will not leave her lair.

Continued in Imhalder’s Lair