4 Kingdoms

A Potted History

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Summer 1580

The party (Ub, Dran, Nalin, Caerlig and Calligula) arrive in Kirk from "over the sea". In no time at all they are killing Lizardmen, and anything else that moves, at the Lichway. Pinella and Paxon are rescued and join up. Within a day of joining Elsbeth has killed Ub and been killed in turn by Dran. Ub is pickled, shipped overseas for resurrection and returns a few weeks later.

Various people get thrown out of various towns and Calligula is ejected from the party for being evil. Fizz joins and is killed soon afterwards. Over a fourteen day period, "the Party kill everything and get loads of treasure" on five separate occasions.

Acting on information from a sage named Agaff, there are sorties to the tower at Fafahel, a magical window in the nearby forest and various points on a pentacle surrounding said window. The party murder two elves after being tricked into believing that they are evil.

There is much slaying at a temple where a Naga is worshipped and then at the Naga's lair in a swamp. An association with Marius Tellman is formed. Various evil creatures, including a dragon, are slain in the area around Jollwater Bridge.

Winter 1580

Various orcs and a dragon are killed. The dragon has so much treasure that over a quarter of a million coins are left behind.

The party get involved in a dispute between the Green Council and Darius Olmein. A Chariot of Sustare makes a large hole in Darius's wall. At the Halls of Carysic there is much confusion in a maze, but the swords Fearno and Mengros are discovered. Fearno is taken by Offa and Mengros is taken by Dran,

The sage Agaff give the party a magical cross, worn by Nalin, which is blown up on command by Trosham. Everyone except Farlas is captured. Marius rescues them.

Charteris and Beowald leave. Llewin is rescued from a haunted house and joins. A bunch of smugglers are sorted out and Oceanus is rescued. Lizardmen and Sahauagin are fought.

Spring 1581

Trosham and a force of Uruk-hai attack and nearly defeat the party. Hortense has polymorph frenzy and Guerin is killed but is raised by Marius.

Summer 1581

Marius gives the party a quest to locate and destroy the Star of the Seven Firmaments and sends them off to the Four Kingdoms. On the way, the island of Tir Nan Og is investigated and the "polymorph blue whale" incident occurs.

A misunderstanding over mandrakes and their children gets the party in trouble with ents.

The King of Merrisvale enlists the party's aid in rescuing his daughter Juliana and prince Orlando from a magical garden. He sends Larn to help.

Spring 1585

The princess is rescued but the party lose over 3 years of time in the garden. They also lose their liberty when the princess is subsequently murdered and the party of accused of it by Trosham. They avoid the gallows, but are escorted to the border and head for Van Connel. At castle Shadon Athol is killed by a wizard. On the long onward journey through the wilderness all manner of beasties are fought and, unfortunately for Honest John, Rustbulj reads a cursed scroll.

Summer 1585

Arriving in Laosin the party find out about the tower of Granfordir. With the help of the Knights of the Golden Falcon, the party assault the tower and defeat the stone giants living there. Under the tower they fight a dragon and Githyanki. Later they discover a glyph behind which one part of the Star has been concealed, but they are unable to get past it. Farlas and Pallea temporarily leave the party to join the local forces.

Willan, Fidella, Breddruen and Denconnu join after a bar brawl. Lorris remains in Tam Cord to research. In Paranis the party take part in the games and fail to assassinate Trosham. The party splits – the Small Party (Willan, Kneebone, Mig, DenConnu, Guerin and Breddruen) heads north with letters to the Essini church in Lehrbahn and the Main Party heads for the east coast.

Autumn 1585

Going via Chaltymberil, Connelburg and Salsorme, the main party travel to the Fehermes to sort out some pirates disrupting the Hlynam trade. The group attempt to resurrect a legendary hero "the Black Hawk". Offa is seduced (charmed) by Jhendra and tells all. Lucius murders a merchant named Sharon. The mission is largely a failure and they return to Salsorme minus various magic items.

The small party battles goblins and wargs.

Winter 1585

The main party head south to Lolcorne to investigate an Essini temple with which the church has lost contact. Lucius has some strange dreams and they all watch a bunch of Sahauagin slaughter the local villagers before clearing them out.

On return to Salsorme, Caspar employs the group to investigate a silver mine. There they find the tomb of Dori, the owner, an evil altar and the peaceful but secret inhabitants the Sereth-Nemal, whom they agree to help. The temple worshippers attack and trap the party. Hortense's owl is killed and Bazron's hand is amputated.

The small party have adventurous river travels and get into a feud with a barge captain named Grishnak. Guerin is outlawed. Later they join the Knights of the Golden Falcon to fight orcs at Zeim Crell. Then they head for Lehrbahn, a journey featuring battles with giants, gnomes and stirges

Spring 1586

The main party agree to retrieve the Eagle Stone from a Heslor temple in the far south at Aflos. In a fight with another group of adventurers, Offa, under the influence of Fearno, attacks Lucius and is killed by Modo, who flees. They receive reports that Lorris has died after being ripped apart by a mysterious creature (a Stalker, as it turns out).

The small party agree to investigate and put and end to a dispute between two minor nobles in Deislomen. They discover a temple to a sun-god and fall victim to a massive fireball. Ralpere is introduced but fails to pass the initiation and loses several pairs of trousers.

Summer 1586

During a journey by river, the small party encounter the lady Miella and her children, with whom they get into a dispute over the sword Tenchelmir, which they need to combat the sun-god temple in Deislomen. Eventually they reach an agreement and the sword is taken by Mig. They rescue Miella's husband and others from some caves. In an attack on the temple, Mig throws his new sword down a fiery pit. Unfortunately he forgets to let go. The temple explodes.

Finally the main party reach the Heslor temple. The spiral staircase to nowhere and various fire elementals are encountered. Sulan stands in the wrong place. Woden and Farlas "duel" (a tug-of-war). The Eagle Stone is retrieved, but the party are poorly rewarded for their efforts. They return to Salsorme. The small and main parties are reunited.

Autum 1586

Caspar engages the party to evict various nasty creatures from a pass in western Van Connel, so that an invading army raised by the Amnis church can get through. Lucius fails to assassinate Trosham. Willan becomes the wielder of Fearno.

Journeying to the west they encounter some tricksy elves in a forest. At the pass they fight hobgoblins, fire giants, orcs, statues, bugbears, stone giants, hell hounds and ogres and nearly starve to death. Nalin loses a hand whilst rashly relying on a ring of fire resistance. On the return journey Willan is attacked by the same Stalker that killed Lorris.

Winter 1586

Caspar outlines a plan to retake Salsorme from Connel. To do this Connel's support from the sea must be cut off by first expelling him from the Fehermes. A group is formed under Hortense's leadership to look for the princess Nironellia, in the village of Echharte, who could act as intermediary with the Fehermian princes. Nironellia and her friend Arion are trying to expose some smugglers and ask the party not to cause trouble. Naturally, bloody mayhem ensues. Nironellia is killed and Arion is banished.

Spring 1587

Drasmar, Mistlethrush, Herra and Guerin are sent to the Fehermes as emissaries. A plan to take the fort at Yen is formed. There is considerable recruiting and various alliances are formed. Using the Rilotar, a ship owned by the League or Losnystel, they travel to the Fehermes and capture one of Connel's treasure ships on the way. Lucius takes the crooked sword of one of Connel's champions as a standard, which he then manages to lose and recover twice.

On arriving at Sorocin, Modo is arrested by Farlas for the murder of Offa. A future trial by Lodrell is agreed and Modo is released against the surety of several of his magic items.

Herra is arrested for a murder in Salsorme. Farlas and Lucius fail in two attempts to spring him from jail. Someone who is not Herra is tried and executed and Herra goes into voluntary exile. Mig returns as Pirfeltenke, a legendary hulon hero and loincloth wearer.

Summer 1587

The fortress at Yen is captured ("kneel before the winged arrow!"). A prophecy is delivered by Carioc. Willan dreams of Casamon and Riasc, does some sleepwalking and finds a dangerous trapdoor. An underground area with various symbols of the Five is investigated. Qhivon is found and Fearno becomes Tarsober. On other islands various people are captured or arrested for various reasons.

The fortress at Berem is selected as the next target.

Argavan and Estravan, two rogue knights previously on duty at Granfordir, attempt to assassinate Farlas on Tereh.

Autumn 1587

Couron is "rescued". The fortress at Berem is taken and there is a battle with Connel's forces.

The Amnis army attempts to retake Salsorme but are heavily defeated.

Winter 1587

Rustbulj sends the party north to search for the Orb of Torlich. On the journey, Pirfeltenche wears very few clothes and Offa appears in a vision. On the winter solstice a black building appears in the snow at Echtefmelch. It is a gateway to Nessemnar, with many poems as clues. In Nessemnar there are statues of the Five, each carrying particular items. Lucius' spirit it reunited with his body, and he begins to travel the Dark Path, hoping to return to the living world. The Orb of Torlich is retrieved. On the return journey the party is attached by a Dragon and a Gorgomeira. Nalin aquires Fenris at a trial by combat in the northlanders village. Pirfeltenke engages in a battle of wills with his frost sword Tenchelmir and is discovered frozen solid at the centre of an icy circle, where he is left.

Spring 1588

Farlas meets Telonir and learns of more fighting in the Fehermes and that Taranavar lyn Falc is investigating the two murderous knights. Guerin and Raff and branded and ejected from Rimdies. The party return to the Fehermes via Ice Bay, to gather further support. Raff is killed by Gilthon. Guerin challenges him to a duel but loses and leaves. The Clerical Triumvirate Arbitration Panel is formed.

Summer 1588

Brutsch kills a Fehermean local and vengeance is sworn by his friend. There is an abortive attempt to help the sea elves find Helno Rota and an artefact called Sepia's Cloak. In Lehrbahn, Rallink discovers information about a magical gate which will soon open in the mountains to the west, admitting a force of evil which will attack the party. Belthazar and Coffchomi return after spending a year in a Fehermean jail.

Plans are made for the invasion of Salsorme.

September 1588

Salsorme is invaded (the Longest Day). Uspin dies and is resurrected by Willan, who collapses as a result. Uspin becomes Taran Ir Anendil and participates in a Farah ceremony involving the death (at his own hands) of a senior Farah priestess, which restores Willan.

The Farah church hand over a huge shield, to be used by Beleglach, a companion of the Archamon (Willan) and Taran Ir Anendil.

Kimba's residence becomes Questors, the headquarters of the party in Salsorme.

Kneebone and Herra report encountering Trosham near Kirk and failing to kill her.

October 1588

The party travel to the Zeim Falc area to investigate the Nagala's Gate. Five evil locations are identified, which are in the configuration of a large pentagram with the ruined village of Talvaran at the centre. Maurice and Hortense die in an evil forest.

The Ansachat items (Bracelet, Belt, Shield, Helm, Skull) are found at Talvaran and used to open a gate to other planes. A gateway to Nessemar is discovered, through which Norgraze and Tusula and their cohorts come.

In the ensuing battle Polvyr, Gilthon, Coffchomi, Temlin, Nobla, and Bolger are trapped on the Astral plane. With the aid of Ja'Hin-nur, this group battle some Githyanki and eventually most of them reach her home plane. Mig (Pirfeltenke) somehow returns as Isiil Oômé, his third incarnation, and apparently is now some form of Essini priest. The Ansachat items except the bracelet are lost, but the belt is recovered at Zeim Falc. Norgraze and Tusula escape, but Nylas is captured. He claims to have been acting against his will, under the influence of Tusula.

November 1588

A separate group travels to Talserrin in south western Ruistor to investigate a merchant who uses a sign very similar to something used by the Five. They find an underground chapel dedicated to the Five and rescue a maiden, burning down the merchant's farm in the process.

For their actions agains Connel, King Telonir rewards senior members of the party with lands and titles. Farlas receives further lands from the exiled King of Vanlies and from the Thegn of Tamtirris and is made Warden of Tamtirris by Telonir, in his position as head of the Knights.

December 1588

Nalin and some companions investigate murderous goings on at Erthelm, a village in his new demesne as Factor of Pelektorn. The problems appear to centre around a powerful Essini artefact, the necklace of Tar'Khurt. They also encounter Norgraze, Tusula and Gruston but defeat and destroy them. The necklace is returned to Essini. They recover the Ansachat Skull and Helm. Bazron's hand is restored.

Separately Willan and others are asked to deal with a white dragon destroying a local village. They co-operate with the dragon to retrieve various magical wooden, probably druidic, objects.

Spring 1589

Ub and Dran are persuaded to part with Mengros in exchange for a great sword taken from Gruston, a permanency spell cast on Dran and various other favours. Ralpere is named as the new wielder.

At the Golton spring fayre (one Willan's feudal villages), there is some trouble over a painting, which appears to be an heretical druidic artefact. The painting is not recovered although several people die in the events surrounding it.

The Orb of Torlich is destroyed by Marius, Rallink and Gilla. At the ceremony the spirit of Lucius is seen and his is wished back to life by Willan.

Summer 1589

Taran commences building a Farah temple on his land.

Acting on information from the exiled King of Van Lies, the party hire the Rilotar and travel to Azilhar to investigate a Ghramin cult with apparent connections to the Five. They meet Tourne and Badr-al-Dujja, who help with some information.

Rez is arrested and Abubaca is nearly killed trying to rescue her.

At the tomb of Guthron, they find a book which tells part of the story of Nahammerch's life in Azilhar, after the Star was broken up, and a crescent moon marked with some of the signs of the five. Later they hear that other adventurers, including Saran and Jai, were seeking this object at a different temple, which is investigated. There they find unexpected help left by Martek, a priest of ancient Azilhar, together with clues to the whereabouts of the Diamond of Time, a powerful artefact associated with Nahammerch. However, after an acrimonious dispute with Saran and Jai and despairing of being able to follow Martek's clues, they leave Azilhar and return to Salsorme.

Pallea obtains a record of Zarl Kruger's construction of Granfordir and passes it to Issil Oome. Nylas flees from Issil Oome's castle, but is recaptured in possession of the Ansachat shield.

Winter 1589

Having now all 5 Ansachat items, the party return to Talvarran to rescue those left behind the last time. On the Astral plane they are reunited with Gilthon, Coffchomi, Temlin and Polvyr and raid a Githyanki fortress, where they also find and rescue Larn and two dwarves. They return to Talvarran minus Gilthon, who was lost on the Githyanki plane, during a fight with a black dragon,.

In the course of visiting the five sites surrounding Talvaran to ensure that any evil there is dispelled (A restored pellarn shrine is found in the evil forest, but not tackled), they are ambushed by Trosham. She is backed up by harpies, giants, uruk-hai and wargs. After a bad start, Willan swigs a random potion and becomes a Djinni, which evens things up, and Trosahn flees.

Taran becomes the leader of a new group, The Friends in Need (the Andendili), associated with the Farah church.

January 1590

The Farah temple on Taran's land is completed and consecrated. Jarrys, Belthazar, Taran and Ralpere receive a vision of Farah and Ralpere reveals himself as Beleglach by becoming one with the Farah shield.

The grand opening of Questors.

 

Spring 1590

Lin, an agent of Caspar's retrieves an old map from southern Van Connel, but goes missing on the journey back home. A group sets off to find him and the map, which they do.

Nalin's axes (blunted on the Ansachat shield on the first trip to Talvaran) is to be carried to Forin, a reclusive dwarven master smith in the mountains north west of Lehr Bahn.

Isiil Oômé announces his engagement to Pallea.

A necromancer and his captive water demon are discovered in the heart of Salsorme, spying on the party.

Summer 1590

Combining information from the old map, Zarl Kruger's records and other sources, Rustbulj believes he has found the location of the village of Ronsin and the river Forknin, and hence the tower of Torlich, where Riasc and Nyall fought Bael and Gamlich. The party set out to investigate.