SoS: Starfall Mines

Roland revealed his secret: he was sold into slavery for betraying his adoptive family, the Playnes. Eloping with the adamantine blade, Durendal,, Roland sought courtly love with Angelica of House Seresen. With her hand, he hoped to escape north to the Mawlands, to her kingdom. Once taking the sword, she turned him in for disloyalty and fled to the Starfall Hills with her actual lover, Reynolds. While it had been over two weeks, Starfall Mines would be a great first start. Just before departing east, a bluish tiefling approached. Sporting Playnes colors and greave-prosthesis, Knighted Frodric-Arn returned Roland's items seized when captured. With a friendly, scar-ridden smile, our heroes took one last pitstop. Hope went to the Temple of Yonarav, the Courier of Souls. While Yonarav acted as a psychopomp of sorts for those who believe, their acolytes couriered messages free from religious persecution or military intervention. Speaking to the acolyte of the twotone god, Hope penned a letter to her sister in Shiftgate hoping for her safety and asking about the Taxcollecter. Sealing the letter with twotone wax, the Shields of Sentynel, as they named themselves, into the hills.   The road east cut through lands not often traveled. Elevation grew with the tension of the party. To earn a chance at Chenval's horn, Roland would need to retrieve the sword Durendal whom he bartered for a tryst with fair Angelica. Between the pines, a battled ensued hours up the road. A caravan of ratlings faced off with a pack of goblins. Aesyn, running into the middle of the conflict, realized he spoke neither Goblin or Chatter. After an odd pause, the goblins grabbed what they could and ran off. Aesyn dusts off his hands exclaiming, "Peace Prevails!" Aesyn lays hands on one of the downed ratlings stabilizing its condition. The ratlings bow graciously and mark Aesyn's forehead with a glyph. Also, along the road the group found a strange golden arrow in a bag of trash. Traveling up the vast switchbacks into Starfall Mines.   The company village of Starfall Mines is House Bradiment territory nestled underneath the picturesque mountains from which the town was named. Attracted by the aroma of cooked meats, they entered the longhouse built of mortared tailings named The Sweet Arsastra . A catch-all house of pleasures, the sweet smell of perfumes, meats, and smokes permeated the room. Aesyn meets a lithe, burlesque barkeep Haeleeya who informed them of the "accommodations" they normally provide. They all agree to book a large room and 'baths' for everyone. Hope pulled aside Haelena asking about the Taxcollector. Haelena droned a warning to Hope that "no one forgets a man like that, though they might wish they could."   In the morning, the gang heads into the mines to see the Foreman. The corpulent man scouring his ledger, Melinko admits she's 'met' Angelica the Flirt, this time she had a new 'concubine' named Reynolds and a burly man with them recently. The three of them were looking for a 'wall' in a pilot hole. He pointed back west across the mountain's slope where the pilot holes were dug.   Headed to the Q-Store, they were greeted by a female orcish quartermaster. Purchasing climbing equipment from the neat freak orc, they hiked along the trail and up along the mountain.   Their climb was rough, Roland nearly falling during one segment, but they were able to seek refuge in one of the 5'x10' pilot holes. They were greeted by a lone Peryton guarding its nest. After a battle between it and its mate returning to its nest. Dispatching the pair, our heroes eventually found a broken wall in the 4th pilot hole. It led to a broken wall and a goliath guard waiting for them...