29 Erathisway 4520 - Onwards to Darin's Fall

Arkomir Phinan writes...

We wake in the morning and head down to breakfast in the tavern. Jax Willow is here having managed to survive the night. Cadenus comes in just letting folks know that he is ready to travel whenever are ready. We check in with Esward Moulton to make sure he apprised of events from last night. We get ourselves prepped and ready to travel. We grab some extra apples for the horses and join the rest of the group aboard The Lady of Freedom . Dharra Boulderfoot spends the trip lost in her books and making notes on the Bowshot Bridge and the elves we saw in her vision. I spend some time with the horses, brushing them and looking after their tack and spend some time doing some training and meditation. We make good time on the river. Brom Coppervein checks in with us saying that he has a list of things from Thrain Stoneforge that he needs to acquire. He lets us know where he will be staying (Glowing Crucible or Lip Tavern) whilst in Darin's Fall. For the rest of the day we travel and arrive at Darins's Fall at late afternoon.

We arrange rooms at the Glowing Crucible for ourselves, as well as Brom and Serafina. We also stable the horses and then head out to investigate the town. Dharra then sets out to look for some areas of history in the town. Between the two of us we get some information of places to look. We find a blacksmith called the Silver Anvil, rumoured to have been started by Darin Argentdelver. It is near the Lip of the crevasse in a region called the Between. We find The Lip Tavern, which is a bit of a drinking location, and very very old. It is also located in the Between, and a bunch of it is underground. A couple of floors down in the Crevasse is a place called the Shrine of the Founders. It commemorates Darin and some others. Sometimes there is a market held in the mines just below the Shrine of the Founders which is called the Twilight Market and runs in the middle of the night. The folk of Darin's Fall are paying danger money for folks to go work in the mine after what happened. The Argen Quarry has had trouble getting workers after a work detail went missing. The town organised a guard detail to investigate but could into find the work group but they did find evidence of Hobgoblins.

Rogar Blackpick runs the quarry, along with Nellia Thorngrit and they would be the folks to talk to about all of this. Varruk Slatefist is one of the guards who came back - we could talk to him. Brom comes in to the tavern and comes to us. He tells us about the issues with the mine and that he can introduce to some of these folk. We head to meet Varruk first at the office of the Deep Guard. Brom leads the way as we cross the town to meet these folks. Brom has a different energy in this place as he is back in familiar surrounds. We come to the office of the Deep Guard and are introduced to Varruk. He is a dwarf and there are a male and female dwarf in conversation with him along with some other species represented as well. Varruk is essentially being questioned by the Mayor of Darins Fall whose name Elberk Stoneguard. The mayor speaks to Brom saying that it is good to see him again. We introduce ourselves and offer our assistance to rid the Hobgoblins as we have a vested interest in that and it may help with our ongoing investigation. There is a priestess of Moradin present here as well who seems interested in what we have to say.

The Moulton retinue turns up and Dharra directs them over to where we are. We introduce Esward Moulton and Esabel Chantry to the Mayor. Kugulex falls in to place behind Moulten, who offers aid, as much as he can in this vicinity, and the Mayor seems ok with that. Moulten offers Kugelux to aid us to rid the forests of Darins Fall of whatever seems to be lurking there. It is agreed that we do some reconnaissance on the situation first before charging into battle. The mayor offers to get Brom outfitted with armour and weapons. We decide to head over to the Silver Anvil to do this, and we will have a poke around there as well. Moulten will head back to the tavern with Varruk to acquire a meal and we will meet back up with them there. We head across to the Silver Anvil with Brom and Essa. It is fairly easy to find and is a squat but wide shop. In the downstairs area, there are racks of tool and weapon displays and there are people sitting about in a sort of cafe are as well. There is a staircase that heads down to where the forge would be situated. We are greeted by a female gnome named Vespera. We trade some old armour of mine for some armour and weapons for Brom. I also fill up my arrows and purchase some extra darts and arrows. Dharra looks about the forge and the shop for signs of history. She sees some areas that look like graffiti that look like they date back a ways.

She asks about the current owners and operators, Eldera and Davoth Darkstone. Eldera is the descendant of Darin. We settle up accounts and head back to the tavern to have a meal and learn what we can about the hobgoblin scourge. Moulten has arranged a table and organised some food that can be shared. We sit down and I have a chat with Kugelux. Dharra sits next to Varruk during dinner and she quizzes him on local history. He gives Dharra the run down on both disappearances. The first happened on the trail between here and the quarry and there was signs of a skirmish, and they were able to find some trails that lead away into the forest. He thinks definitely goblins and hobgoblins were involved and he beat a hasty retreat to go and find help. He thinks roughly 8 or more. Maybe as high as 20. He did notice that they had markings but did not see exact details. Dharra also enquires about the twilight market and there should be one in a few days.

Before we head off to bed, Dharra sends a message to Hanirash, Inquisitor of Bahamut to let him know about Aelithera Moonflower and Kael and the ring and also to let him know that we are investigating a hobgoblin scourge. He is on the road back to Battervold .

Dharra casts identify on the ring that the caster was wearing from the reliquary battle. She sees a piece of metal around a spike of an anvil. A hammer strikes it forming the ring. The anvil seems strange in shape. The hand holding the hammer is scaled and clawed, like a Dragonborn. Later in the process of crafting it she sees it being held in a hand. It now houses a stone, a non precious stone, but blue in colour with some veining. Flame fires across the ring as the stone is adhered to the ring. This is a ring of protection. I put this ring on and give the ring of acid resistance to Dharra.

Back in the tavern, we notice that Moulten and Essa are still greeting folks. They are starting to tire of it to our eyes, but are still being cordial with folks. There is a large contingent of Moradin and Kord followers in the region. All of the religious folks tend to be speaking to Essa and keeping her pretty busy. A human male steps in and speaks to Essa on regular intervals. He is wearing leather and hide armour and a somewhat ruddy complexion. He seems to be trying to get her to notice him in between her speaking to religious folks. We also notice that there is a Goliath that brings a platter of soups and breads over to Essa at one point. He encourages her to sit and partake of the food. He is well over 7 foot tall with grey skin and mottled features and a symbol of Kord on his arm. After exchanging some words with Essa, he kneels and offers his hand to her. She asks him to get up and sit across from her to share the meal.

As we are sitting in the tavern, Vespera comes in with four other dwarves - 2 younger and 2 fairly younger. There seems to be a family resemblance between some of these dwarves. These dwarves have long braids in their hair with pieces of metal braided in. Vespera heads to our table. After meeting her we are introduced to the owners of the Silver Anvil, Eldera and Davoth and their children. Their children are also apprentices in the forge. Dharra asks about Darin and the forge. Eldera tells her what she knows of the history of Darin's discovery of the mine. Whilst she is doing this, Vespera and I sort drinks out for the assembled folks. Eldera relates the story of Darin and his fall down the crevasse and the discovery of the silver vein. She also relates how he started the forge and what it has now become, The Silver Anvil. Their children, Arvin and Bryndis, have apprenticed at other forges and have come back to the Silver Anvil. As we come back to the table I notice that Arvin is into Dharra and Bryndis knows this and is amused.

Dharra continues to tell them about Brak and Verdant Isle and the things we have found. This has particular interest to them given their familial link to the Island and the settlement. Bryndis says that they would like to see that and go to Verdant Isle. Whilst we are waiting to introduce them to Moulton, I show them Corellon's Whisper . I ask if they can assess it for me to see if we can augment it in any way. They think that with access to a Magma forge there may be things we could do. I also speak to them about some augmentation to my armour with gauntlets or some such. Bryndis thinks this is more than possible. She and Arvin are keen to visit Verdant Isle and the forge and the settlement. I think we may have found someone to restart our forge.

The conversation turns to the Twilight Market and particular folks and stalls we should visit. They mention Barik who is a smelter and how useful he is with the forge. He can maybe melt down some of the goblin swords we have. They joke about Cobrak the leather worker who they refer to as a dragon (Dragonborn). They also mention Uncle Olgrin, a guy they go to for his wisdom and repairs (of tools etc). We mention all we have discovered and promised to Moulton and is happy to meet Arvin and Bryndis. I head out to the stables to check on the horses. Whilst I am there, I use Find Steed whilst I have my hand on Blackstar's head. The star on his forehead starts to glow and now he is standing on the opposite side to me. I ask if he is ok, and he whinnies at me. I say in my head, that I hope I haven't done something wrong, and he speaks into my head. We are now telepathically bonded - Cool.

With all that done, and after a very full day, we head to our rooms for a long rest.

During my rest I have a very vivid dream.