12/6/09
--sitters at the table:
Rebecca: Telisa, an Ebani priestess of Mannan Aia, likes horses and alpacas
Curtis: Galen, a Gaurien "rogue" and man of mystery
Mike: Riseif, an Ebani warrior
Andrea: Wren, an Atalisiran privateer and priestess of Possos
Josh: Tirdim, an Elar Academy mage
Greg: Lanthorn, a Gaurien knight of Valadarin
--adventure opens, all player-characters are given backstory that connects them to an NPC named Lorhest Burnbeard
--Lorhest "Burnbeard" Windlin (5'8", broad shouldered, chubby, dark brown hair, blue eyes, always smiling), a middling mage and merchant of Gilal, Takare; very well liked and favored by Gilal; a member of the Guild of the Eleventhed Star; came to magic late in life (earned his nickname "Burnbeard" by setting a man's beard aflame during a heated argument); noted for his skill in accounting, woodlore, potionmaking, and storytelling; a bit of a trickster, curious
--the adventurers receive a letter informing them of Burnbeard's death:
Friend,
I have always been a man of very few words. I have prided myself on my actions, rather than anything that I have boasted or written. And I have prided myself on the choices I have made. I believe I am a good judge of a person’s character. Therefore, I have chosen to write you and to offer you a gesture of friendship, respect, and adventure.
You see, my friend, I am dead. And I have left a portion of my fortune, my knowledge, and my demesnes to your care for I believe that you shall take up my offer, my challenge and do me proud. I have named the good man Hyuster Moll of the Inn of the Wild Cap in Gilal, my home town as you know, as the executor of my posthumous wishes. Seek him out, if you would, and he will reveal to you my final wishes.
In the past, I have been accused of many things. Recluse. Foolish wanderer. Scamp. Simpleton. Magician. However, one name that I shall always hold dear and hold true is friend. You have impressed me and touched my old heart. And I shall like to repay the favor. Of course, as a foolish, wandering, reclusive, simple, scamp of a magician, I shall not make it too easy. As I said, I am a good judge of character. And I believe that you are more than able and are more than willing to honor this old man’s wishes.
Regards,
Lorhest “Burnbeard” Windlin
The Garden
Gilal
--the adventurers arrive in Gilal, Takare and take up rooms in the Inn of the Wild Cap; they meet Hyuster Moll (tall, stout Locharan, has the look of a former mercenary, greying hair, stern) the innkeep; Moll informs of Burnbeard's last wishes
--the party meet one another; they learn that Burnbeard died in Moll's inn (he favored the Inn of the Wild Cap)
--the party is told that they are to embark on an "adventure" orchestrated by Burnbeard; they are to seek out his home in the forest outside of Gilal and discover what Burnbeard has left them
--the party investigates Burnbeard's room at the inn; nothing seems out of place and Burnbeard died of natural causes; Riseif discovers a brass key (which he keeps secret)
--Burnbeard called his home "The Garden"
--traveling south into the hills deep in the Takaran forest, the party (some on foot, some riding) eventually make their way to Burnbeard's house
--they discover the house has been sealed, magically protected by various means; Galen tries to climb down one of the chimneys and nearly gets caught by a fire that magically lights beneath him
--the party discovers signs of darklings about the house; Galen's pack is stolen (loses his grappling hook)
12/13/09
--investigation of the house continues; the party discovers there is a magical clay tablet hung on the front door; writing words on the tablet yields different responses; eventually, they discover that the tablet is somehow the key to opening the front door; after a number of attempts, they finally get the tablet to yield the right key to the door
--within the house, they discover a number of things include a set of finely crafted, magically sealed boxes, a table full of unmarked bottles and potions, books on woodlore, and several annoying and inconveniencing traps (including a magically sticky floor that traps Riseif's boots)
--while investigating one of the boxes, Galen attempts to pick the lock and sets off a needle trap; the needle is poisoned with a potent sleeping draught, which knocks Galen unconscious for hours
--meanwhile, the house is approached by would-be mercenaries and highwaymen, who want to a chance at Burnbeard's stuff
--the party (sans sleeping Galen) fights the mercenaries, killing their leader, capturing a mage and two rogues; one of the mercenaries escapes
--the party discovers a secret passage into the hill against which the house is built
--they discover the secret cache of Burnbeard
--the encounter a stone door shut by an immense iron bar; the word "Strength" is carved above the door; they are not strong enough to lift the bar
12/20/09
--Galen recovers
--Tirdim begins to identify the potions left on the table
--Telisa and Wren use the books to try to identify the plant designs set into the top of the three mysterious boxes; they discover that the first box bears the design of bloodquill (thistle-like, red flower, large spines, very poisonous), the second box bears the design of balm of evening (small flat leaves, white clusters of small flowers with violet interiors, violet berries, causes deep sleep),a nd the third box bears the design of the Sarian fire plant (blade-like leaves, serated edges, reddish-greenish in color, causes agony)
--eventually, the adventurers discover that one of the potions on the table is a Strength potion; it is a bottle of wine; however, the potion has the troubling side effect of being magically intoxicating; the more you drink, the stronger you are but the drunker you get
--Wren, being a practiced drinker, is chosen to use the potion to move the iron bar; unfortunately, she drinks with abandon, becomes hilariously drunk and useless, eventually passes out
--Lanthorn and Riseif then share the remainder of the potion and manage to move the bar
--beyond the first door is a second door; the second door is wood and iron; above the door is carved the word "Wit"
--there is a lock on the door; Galen attempts to pick it to no avail; it is completely beyond his skill
--the identification of potions continues with the discovery of a potion of immense luck; Galen uses the potion to miraculously pick the lock (to the sound of a mysterious horse's neighing)
--beyond the door is a cave-like room; three chests full of coin and magical gear are found; a crevice in the cave wall leads somewhere deep into the earth; the party discovers that there is a magical ring just out of reach within the narrow cave
--Riseif uses the remaining luck potion to "fish" the ring out
--Tirdim identifies the ring; it is a Ring of Magic Talent but it also has unidentifable properies
--Tirdim puts the ring on; it is cursed to stay on his hand; an illusory message reveals (in Burnbeard's hand): "An ancient curse binds all who have touched this ring. Seek out its owner, its history, to undo that which it has wrung."
--the party returns to Gilal and decides to head to Grand Takare to seek out information about the ring
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