AAR: [1st] Searching Survivors (2020-01-29@23:59 GMT)

[ChrisDDickey]

From the journal of Zil, Windling Elementalist of the 1st circle. 

Before the Scourge, the architects and craftsmen of Throal were involved in the constructions of many kiers. Somebody or another wanted us to check on one to see how these smaller kiers might  have fared. They gave us a rough location of where the people of Bamor had built their kier and told us to find and open it. It took us 6 days to walk to the location. I am told sign was seen of dangerous wild animals, but we suffered no attacks. 

When we arrived in the area we were told Bamor kier had been built, we found a large tower, two loathsome creatures had built a nest on the top of the tower. They were described as "Talking Eagles", but they did not look very much like eagles to me. More like old human women with wings instead of arms. Anyway, they were very filthy, ugle, and rude. They hurled the most shocking insults at us. We fought and they died. U’K’talla was wounded, but I cleaned the wound well, and fortunately he did not take infection. 

The tower had several openings, some apparently built in, but others seemingly the result of decay. At the top of the tower some ingravings said "feed me". Inside the tower was all open. There were two stone statues on ether side of an open area. We placed some grass in the mouth of the statue of a Gazelle, and some meat in the mouth of the statue of a Lion, and the open area sunk in to reveal a staircase, which we descended. 

As we descended down a corridor, we found inscriptions in many languages that said "up the hill I am faster than down hill". Immediately following that our leaders triggered an old fire trap, that fortunately was a dud. Further along, there were inscriptions that said "I get bigge rthe more you take out of me" and we started looking for a pit trap. Strangely, all we found was the illusion of a pit trap. The corridor was quite steep here, about 30 or 40 degrees downward, and soon it disappeared underwater. Next to the underground lake was a dish, also full of water. As soon as I cast purify water upon it, a hagrid huminod figure appeared and attacked us. After dealing with that, Xeviouz drinking the water, and immediately grew gills. Maksym Koval also drank, and together with U'k'talla (T'Skrang, who did not feel the need for full gills) they went ahead to scout. Soon U'k'talla returned and indicated that there was air and light ahead, so William Carver and myself drank and accompanied him though the long sunken passage. 

As soon as we emerged, the Gills vanished. There were light crystals and a door. The door had inscriptions that read "I have a Tail, I have a head, I have no body, I am NOT a snake, what am I?" We put a coin on the plate, and the doors unlocked. Within was the kier, but it had been broken. Everything was dead. The smell was horrible. Several light quartz were still in operation, we saw several dozen houses and a town square. There were skeletons and parts of skeletons all over. Many had parts missing or twisted. We saw movement, horrible creatures shambling towards us. 

Someday, someone will need to return to Bamor Kier and cleanse the foul abominations that inhabit it, and possibly the horror that created them as well. But for today we simply closed the door and took the coins from the plate, relocking it. We took drinks from some of the water from the bowl, that we had collected in a water skin, and returned to the surface. There we took the grass and meat from the statues, resealing the stairway. We wrote a warning to whomever may follow that the keir had fallen and was infested. We rested the night, and in the morning started back to Throal. 

3 days later our night watch surprised a thief rifling through our packs. He ran with several of our bags, and we all gave chase, and followed him back to his camp, where we fought him and 4 other bandits. We slew several, and others ran away, but we retrieved the valuables that had been stolen from us. 

[Montaugh]

My name is William Carver. I am a Human Scout. This is my journal entry for The Library of Throal. I did not write this while out on the journey, but rather I am writing this at home.

We had heard rumors about a kaer called Bamor and were sent to investigate and to let them know that the long night was at last over. I was happy when Throal decided to open the gates, and I hope I can share in that happiness with those of Bamor.

My companions for this mission were U'k'talla a T'srang, swordmaster. Xeviouz a human Warrior. Zil a windling Elementalist, and Maksym a dwarven weaponsmith.

One of the first things we thought to do was to get a navigation chart, this proved quite useful so that we wouldn't become lost. We also bought some climbing gear. I do regret though that I did not make a copy of the map before returning it, nor did I think to map the areas we traveled through for future use. I did not do well as a Scout, everything was so new to me though, traveling outside, talking with people that were little more than strangers to me. We had the mission though and didn't share much with each other as we traveled, very buisness like.

On one of the days I came upon some tracks, they shined brilliantly. I don't think there was a way for me to miss them. I knew right away that they belonged to lions, but the creatures were not stalking us, so I thought it best to live and let live. We weren't out here to kill beasts but to awaken a Kaer.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, the days simply blurred together. Yes, there were new sights and sounds, but we had the mission. It wasn't a sight seeing trip. I do wish that we had some time so that I could have gathered some alchemy ingredients though.

We arrived at Bamor at last and some talking eagles, yes you read that right. These were birds that talk and they insulted one of our party who charged after them. I stayed back and used a crossbow that I had borrowed from our weaponsmith, he called it something but I forget its name. It was a good crossbow and forged improved.

We attacked the birds and managed to kill them eventually. I tried creature analysis on them, but I could glean no information regarding their abilities. We should name them Tegals. I wish I had thought of that before. If I come across these Tegals again I'll let the others know what we were facing.

We searched around a bit and Zil came across some wordings saying feed me. There were two statues one of a Gazelle and one of a Lion. We feat the gazelle some nearby grass and we fed the lion one of the harpy bodies. After we did that the way into the Bamor started to open.

I decided to hang back, while as a scout my usual place should be at the front of the line, I was underprepared for such a position. My armor was light and the only melee weapon I had was a simple knife, which I have no talent or skill with and is simply a weapon of last resort. I had seen how badly the Tegals had assaulted our party and the area was small allowing little room to maneuver. We could only travel two a breast. The lead positions were better lead by those more comfortable in the middle of combat. I also carried a torch and swapped to my sling at this point.

We came across some traps and riddles. The riddles were not very difficulty and barely gave our group pause. One of them was about moving faster up than down, it was fire and the trap itself had failed do to time. There was an illusion of a trap that I easily saw through but the others did not beleive me when I told them that the pit didn't exist. Zil was going to fly down the pit and smacked right into the floor.. that was amusing and I felt vindication in my abilities. He wasn't seriously hurt and more embarassed I think. There was a passageway that was flooded and there was a bowl of water there. It was here we encountered the happy man he arrose from the water after Zil had purified the water, which would make the water safe to drink. His face was frozen in a smile as he attacked us, he came up from the water. I have no idea how it had stayed down there for so long. He was not talkative. He moved fast and attacked with a flurry of blows, he must have been some sort of masochist. The more damage we did the happier this person became. It was a hard fight but we managed to kill them eventually, he died the happiest I have ever seen a person. I could gleen no information regarding this happy person's abilities. I am worried that creature analysis might have been an investment I had done too soon. After we drank some water from the bowl. This caused us to grow gills that allowed us to go through the water. It was here was found the final riddle which was solved with 2 coins being placed in some bowls, one head up and one tails up. The door to the kaer opened and we saw the ruins of Bamor. The city was in shambles and we heard movement, shut the door and fled. We closed up the ruins of Bamor and placed a warning outside of it. 47.12 is the location of Bamor, perhaps one day we can return and put those within at rest of find out what happened to them.

On our way back to Throal we were attacked by a group of bandits. They tried to steal from us and almost got away with the map. I took a wound for the first time on this adventure, we managed to defeat them though. It does lead a question of where the bandits came from through, were they a band that had left Throal or are they from another nearby Kaer, it is something to think about for the future. I didn't think to get the location of the attack.

Overall I got our group there and back again, as I said I would. I failed in other aspects and I need to work better on my abilities and role within a group in the future. I can see where I am lacking. I need to map more, learn to draw so that I can bring back images of the creatures we encounted, I need tools to better use my skills. I have much to think on my future.

William Carver, Human Scout.

[ottdmk]

The Great Library of Throal thanks Xevious, Maksim Koival, Zil & William Carver for their contributions. +10 Legend Points, +37.5 Silver.