Good Eggs

The Rookery, Session 8

“In my extensive travels of all the lands of this world, I have enjoyed the most varied food and drink that Faerun has to offer. From the cuisines from the Drow cities of the north where few outsiders are ever allowed, to Huzuz, the Golden City of Delights in the south; from the delectable seafood of the Moonshae Islands in the great western ocean, to the exotic and delicate dishes of fabled Kara-Tur in the far east. After all my travels, I thought nothing could match the creations of the great chefs of Calimport and Waterdeep, or the dishes from the tables of the most discerning epicureans of Silverymoon and sophisticated gourmets of Ormpur--the City of Saffron. I believed this until I chanced to spend a ten-day in Caer-Dineval.

By the standards of the great, shining cities of Toril, Caer-Dineval is but a cold, dingy hamlet; buried in snow for half the year, and swept by a frigid wind blowing from the top of the world for all but a handful of days in the summer. Needless to say, there are no fine restaurants in Caer-Dineval, nor chefs of any renown. And in the Icewind Dale, the populace’s taste in food runs more to large, filling meals—meals that help them survive the cold and icy conditions there—and not the elegant bites that are in fashion in Ormpur or Huzuz, designed to delight the eater’s senses.

How then, can I say that I have never eaten better than I did for that short time I spent in the frigid north? The answer can be given in one word: eggs. Not the eggs laid by chickens--of which we are all familiar--but eggs laid by a species of avian found only in the far north: glacier hens.

Due to the extreme environment in which they live, glacier hens lay eggs that are filled with more fat and other similar unctuous elements than the egg of any other bird known. For, without being packed with rich fat—that most nutritious of all foodstuffs—the chicks of the glacier hens could not survive in the harsh environment in which they are hatched.

So, while staying in what might charitably be described as a barely adequate inn in Caer-Dineval—indeed the only inn in Caer-Dineval—I ate the most exquisite meals I have ever had. For breakfast, glacier hen eggs simply cooked, whether fried, scrambled, or poached. At the midday, cold hard-boiled glacier hen eggs and smoked knucklehead trout. And, at dinner, the most sublime dish of all, a dessert of glacier hen custard, one bite of which is enough to transport the diner to a state of ecstasy unrivaled in the experience of mere mortals.”

—Valesh Fartraveler

“An Epicurean’s Guide to Faerun”

The party and Harbuck talked Elak Dornan into allowing Orsik into the catacombs, under the condition that he was accompanied by Harbuck and Elak—so Elak could make sure that Orsik “didn’t steal anything.” Elak’s behavior made the party highly suspicious of him, and so they went along in order to keep a sharp eye on Elak. After ten or fifteen minutes in the catacombs however, they were momentarily distracted by noises in the room with the levitating stones. During that moment, Elak slipped off to the chamber with the petrified dwarf, where he was attacked by several giant rats. The party came quickly and was able to kill some of the rats and drive off the rest. But before they could complete that, Elak was bitten by the largest and most ferocious rat; when the party killed it, they discovered it was actually Rotharr Hatherhand, who was apparently a wererat.

Investigating the chamber further, the party discovered a book hidden in a niche beneath the petrified dwarf. The book was entitled “The Chronicle of the Believers,” and gave a surprisingly detailed account (including names and dates) of the activities of a group of Red Larch town elders known as “The Believers,” who had for some time been meeting in the catacombs, seeking to understand the auguries and portents that they believed the moving stone monoliths were communicating. The last few months of entries told of the arrival of Larrakh, who convinced “The Believers” that he could help them interpret the signs from the stones. At his behest, the group had started to turn to ever darker activities, including capturing and killing three travelers from Neverwinter, and performing a rite that—among other things—involved carving the symbol of the Cult of Dark Earth into the skulls of their victims.

Harbuck put Elak in the “Lock-Up” under the pretense of caring for his wounds, and Orsik performed a rite to remove the curse of lycanthropy from Elak. Harbuck convinced the party to leave the Chronicle of the Believers with him, and sent a message to Captain Gerold of the Lord’s Alliance asking him to send a detachment to arrest the Believers and provide security in Red Larch. Sariyas delivered Harbuck’s letter to the traveling Corgi Delivery Service representative who was still in town—and of course he read the letter before delivering it:

1 Marpinoth, 1491 D.R.

Captain Gerold

Lords Alliance

Waterdeep

Captain Gerold,

I have proof that multiple town elders in Red Larch are leaders of a group that has committed several serious crimes, including murder.

I need not tell you what a delicate situation this is. Please send a detachment of sufficient size to arrest those involved, and also provide security at this dangerous time.

Harbuck Tuthmirillar

Constable

Red Larch

The next morning, the party left Red Larch for Waterdeep. On the road, they met a group of four pilgrims traveling north, wearing home dyed red robes and carrying a small wicker effigy. The pilgrims were all around 20 years old, and members of rich families in Waterdeep, clearly unprepared for traveling through the wilderness. The pilgrims camped for the night with the party, and told them that they are traveling to Scarlet Moon Hall to attend the “Rites of the Wicker Giant”, conducted by a circle of druids that had learned the secrets of “The Cleansing Fire.”

During the night while Andira was on watch, she heard a rustling sound coming from the pilgrims’ poorly secured packs, and discovered a raccoon stealing food. Andira intended to Eldritch Blast the raccoon, but Caelynn begged her not too. Influenced by the incredibly sad look on Caelynn’s face, Andira had a change of heart and allowed the raccoon to leave the campsite un-zorched.

The next day, the party and the pilgrims went on their respective ways—the pilgrims heading north and the party heading south toward the village of Amphail—famous for its large number of horse farms, many owned by nobles and prominent merchants from Waterdeep.

As the party neared Amphail, they overtook a group of people driving wagons and also herding unfamiliar livestock along the road. They rode along with group and visited with its leader, a human female named Cecilia Fairbraid. She told them that the group worked for the Roaringhorn family—one of the most famous horse breeders in Amphail. They were returning from Iceland Dale—far to the north—where they had obtained food, drink, and livestock in preparation for their master to entertain representatives of the Pasha of Calimshan. The Pasha’s representatives were visiting to negotiate the purchase of some of the Roraringhorn’s finest horses, and had requested that they be served “a banquet of the far north.”

As the party and Cecilia’s group entered the north end of Amphail, several children set off fireworks as a prank near the lead wagon, which caused the team pulling the lead wagon—being driven by Cecilia—to bolt, resulting in the wagon overturning in the town square. No one on the wagon was injured, but a cage full of glacier hens burst open, and the glacier hens scattered throughout the village. Almost in a panic, Cecilia offered the party a sizable reward if they would recapture the glacier hens, alive and unharmed.

Using their skills at stealth, as well Andira’s Mage Hand, the party was able to round up the glacier hens in short order. Cecilia was so grateful, that not only did she pay the party the promised reward, but suggested that they visit the Roaringhorn estate the next day, where she was sure that her master would offer them excellent prices on the purchase of some world renowned Roaringhorn horses.

The party spent the night in the Stone Stallion Inn, and the next day rode out to the Roaringhorn estate. There they were warmly greeted, and the Master of the Stables spent a few hours choosing a horse for each member of the party with a temperament best suited to that party member. The party mounted their new horses—the Master of the Stables assuring them that she would see to the rented horses being returned to Red Larch—and continued on the road to Waterdeep.

The rest of their trip was uneventful, and after a riding for couple days, the party arrived in Waterdeep and—as suggested by Zook Timbers—took rooms at the Fleeced Lamb Inn, a comfortable and reasonably priced place near the City of Death and the Raven Queen’s temple.

The next morning, the party walked to the Raven Queen’s temple and met with Whitby Dane. He told them that he believed he had devised a rite that might be sufficient to restore Nazz’s mother from her long-petrified state, but that he needed to consult an elemental wizard specializing in earth magic to help work out the details.

Whitby asked them to go talk to Obsidian, who ran Obsidian’s Magical Services, and request his help. The party went and found Obsidian’s storefront, and after a brief discussion with Obsidian, he agreed to accompany them back to meet with Whitby. When they arrived back at the Raven Queen’s temple, it was clear that Whitby and Obsidian were going to spend the afternoon in a long and technical discussion of Whitby’s proposed rite.

Thus, the party used the afternoon to run errands in Waterdeep. It turned out that—unbeknownst to the rest of the party—Sariyas had received instructions from the as-yet mysterious group that he was unwillingly working for to pickup a package in Waterdeep, and return it to Red Larch. With the rest of the party accompanying him, Sariyas picked up the package—which turned out to be a locked wooden box, approximately 18”x4”x4” and an accompanying note.

The Party

Andira—Female tiefling warlock. Andira is an orphan, left anonymously at the temple of the Raven Queen in Neverwinter when still a baby. The priests at the temple named her Andira, and raised and educated her. When she had reached her late teens, Andira was told by Vassyma—the head priestess of the temple—that she was to be initiated as a warlock of the Raven Queen. Soon after Andira completed her initial training as a warlock, Vassyma commanded Andira to travel to the town of Red Larch, and investigate any unusual happenings there.

Caelynn Xiloescient—Elven monk. Born into a family of glass artisans in Silverymoon, Caelynn grew up having little interest in the family business. Instead Caelynn dreamed of travel and adventure. With her parents grudging permission, Caelynn became a student at the Sun Soul Monastery in Silverymoon. There she trained for about 50 years (not that long for an elf.) Then, her master—Siora Quidithas—tasked her with her first quest; to travel to Summit Hall in the Summer Hills. There, Caelynn was to contact Ushien Stormbanner—the commander of the Knights of Samular at Summit Hall—who would give her further instructions. Ushien told Caelynn to travel to Red Larch, take a room at the Swinging Sword Inn, and “keep her ears open.”

Nazz Syldaran—Elven ranger. Nazz grew up in the elven enclave of Tangled Trees; her mother was a ranger and her father a Boyer. When Nazz was still relatively young, her mother disappeared—seemingly without a trace—while patrolling near the Sumber Hills. Nazz’s uncle Badgerlock—Quilana’s brother—completed Nazz’s training as a ranger. After fifty years (again, not long for , Nazz set off to try and find any clues to what might have happened to her mother. Badger lock suggested that she start her search in Red Larch.

Sariyas Theyne—Eladrin Rogue. Sarıyas grew up in the Feywild city of Elrodon, raised by his mother. Sariyas never knew his father, and his mother would never speak of him. When he got old enough, Sariyas joined a quasi-mercenary organization, and started working different—often unsavory—jobs as a result. While doing a job for an unknown client—who had paid up front—Sariyas broke into the house of an old and solitary merchant, with instructions to recover an amulet from the merchant. When he touched the amulet, he fell unconscious, and woke up in Faerun, with the amulet around his neck. Sariyas found he was unable to remove the amulet or step back to the Feywild. A note in his hand instructed him that if he wanted have the amulet removed, to travel to the town of Red Larch, and investigate unusual events in the. The note also instructed Sariyas to periodically return to an ancient rock cairn near where he woke up. There he was to leave written reports of what he had observed, and to check for further instructions.

Non-Player Characters

Captain Gerrold—male human, leader of a contingent of Lords Alliance soldiers.

Elak Dornan—male human, proprietor of Dornan’s Fine Stone and mayor of Red Larch. Also a member of “The Believers.”

Harbuck Tuthmirillar—male human , butcher and part-time constable of Red Larch.

Larrakh—male human priest of the Cult of Black Earth.

Obsidian—male human wizard, proprietor of Obsidian Magical Services in Waterdeep.

Orsik Thuldor Tyar-Besil—male dwarven paladin of Dumathoin, the dwarven god of buried secrets. He rides around the northlands on his donkey, Biscuit.

Quilana Syldaran—female elven ranger, mother of Nazz Syldaran.

Rotharr Hatherhand—male human (wererat), who was a member of “The Believers” in Red Larch.

Whitby Dane—elderly male human priest of the Raven Queen, whose research speciality is restoring petrified humanoids to life.

Zook Timbers—male gnome priest of the Raven Queen, from the temple in Waterdeep.