Prologue: Rain is a blue-haired sprite. She is an ordained mercenary known as the Avenger of Blood. Whenever a follower of Elohim, Andromeda, or Joshua is murdered; it is Rain’s job to avenge them. The angel Azazel who is also the teacher of the artificers made twin magic pistols for Rain and they are the only ones to have been made in the history of Nephrium. Rain’s parents are Thalmar and Tatiana. Rain is married to Thordal. Vorn, Thordal, and Grendel are barons in Thalmar’s court. There are no other ranks of lords in Thalmar’s court and they all act as advisors. Barons have vassals that oversee mining operations, food and mead production, military schooling, and safety protocol.
Main story: Vorn, Thordal, Grendel, and Rain stop by Ravens Wing after the dwarves destroyed Vamauge. They look for an inn. When they find one they approach an innkeeper and ask for two rooms.
The innkeeper: You can have the rooms but we will need you to travel to Orthax and bring back three crates of cactus. We’ll let you borrow ponies. When you return we will pay you for your labor and a little extra for the inconvenience. Be careful on your travels, there are many dangers in these parts as of late. A ship will be waiting for you in the harbor. Let the captain know that I sent you in place of our courier and he will allow you free passage across the sea of tears. There’s also rumored to be treasure guarded by hippogryphs in the old ruins where the sapphire palace used to stand. The shop keepers would be willing to trade you for whatever you find there (you may also want to return them to the elves of Dragons Landing).
After speaking to the innkeeper, Vorn, Rain, Thordal, and Grandel set off each riding their own pony as they make their way to Ellenton (the minotaurs port city). Along the way, they are approached by a pack of dire wolves. The wolves are hungry and they begin circling the ponies. Vorn, Thordal, and Grandel jump down from their ponies and try to scare the wolves off with a torch that Vorn had lit. The dire wolves don’t seem to be backing down. The dwarves draw out their weapons and prepare to take on the entire pack. Vorn held the wolves at bay using his torch while Grandel and Thordal took on separate wolves. Grandel swung his ax and hit a wolf in the neck. Blood trickled down the wolf’s chest and it laid down and died. Rain shot a dire wolf from her pony. After watching two of their brothers die the wolves disappear into the trees and the dwarves climb back onto their ponies and continue their quest for Orthax.
Arriving at Ellenton the dwarves and the sprite stay at the inn and prepare for their voyage to Duvall. In the morning Vorn, Rain, Grandel, and Thordal make their way to the docks and explain their situation to one of the minotaur sailors.
Sailor: You can leave the ponies at the inn’s stable and then we can set sail. There will be more of them in Duvall.
Vorn, Rain, Grandel, and Thordal leave their ponies at the inn and board the ship.
When they arrive at Duvall there are more ponies waiting for them at the inn. Before our adventurers saddle up their ponies, a falcon lands on Rain’s glove covered arm. Rain removes a message from the falcon’s leg and reads it.
Dearest Rain,
I have received a message from Mindak (a member of Ravens Wing’s royal council) that his nephew used a scrying bowl to send him a message of distress. He is being held captive in the Sapphire Palace. I would suggest agreeing to any terms but using as much stealth or force as you think is necessary to free him. Mindak is offering gold for your services. You might also want to look around for things that Elohim might want back.
Your father,
Thalmar
The falcon flies back to Devargar.
Thordal: Does Thalmar have a job for us?
Rain: Yeah, Mindak wants us to free the courier.
Thordal: What’s the game plan?
Rain: Retrieve the cactus and get the courier to help us take out the orcs guarding the sapphire palace. We’ll take what we can, then collect from Mindak and the innkeeper.
Thordal: That’s quite the plan; I like it. We should get going though.
Our adventurers saddle ponies from the inn and travel to Orthax. Mabub had recently used the coin from returning Elohim’s treasures to build a massive capital city. Orthax had become an oasis.
Vorn: So much for filling our saddlebags with gold.
Rain: We’ll still get some gold; just not as much.
The city gate opens and a wagon is pulled out by a group of orc barbarians. The city treasurer (Karguk) approaches Rain and tells her that the courier will only be released if Mindak tells them and finds out how to use the Saint’s Mace. The barbarians then help Thordal hitch the wagon (with crates of cactus on it) to his pony. Thordal opens the crates to make sure the cactus are in the crates and then the barbarians reseal the crates.
Our adventurers follow the trail back to Duvall but then veer off of it to travel in the direction of the ruins of the sapphire city. (They do this when they can’t see Orthax anymore.)
When our adventurers arrive at the sapphire city they tie up their ponies to an old hitching post. Rain vanishes and scouts out the Sapphire Palace. Rain uses telepathy to tell Thordal that the number of orcs guarding the courier is a joke and shoots them all dead. Rain frees the courier and introduces him to the dwarves.
Rain: Hey guys this is Jardak.
The dwarves state their names for Jardak.
Rain: That fight was pretty lame.
Grandel: Do you think the orcs are up to something?
Rain: I don’t know. Orcs aren’t really known for their intelligence.
Our adventurers travel to Duvall. Jardak rode shotgun on the wagon next to Thordal. When they get there the city appears to be empty.
Vorn: Where is everyone?
Grandel: I have a bad feeling that we walked into a trap.
Karguk: How perceptive of you.
Orcs begin to flood the streets of Duvall.
Karguk: I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen next. I’m going to keep three barons hostage while Rain and Jardak find out how to use the Saint’s Mace. Either of them will relay that information to me or I’ll feed the dwarves to a manticore.
Vorn, Thordal, and Grandel are carried off to Orthax in chains. Jardak and Rain sail back to Ravens Wing. Rain collects the reward money for Jardak’s freedom and receives payment for retrieving the cactus from Orthax. Rain then returns to Devargar to tell Thalmar what transpired and try to come up with their next course of action.
Conquest of Suncrest 