Artifacts Worldswide - Lands of Aecathan

After an afternoon spent learning (Zorith) and reuniting (Gwen and Athgarr), the five friends enjoy an evening together while talking out their plans for a return to the Temple of Jogravana. Aribell is intent on locating and retrieving the kit of the former Hand of Tiraura, Sir Blazingcloak, which she believes to be somewhere in the city.

After avoiding numerous dragons in the Godswrath, the Four get their first glimpse of the Temple of Jogravana, which turns out to be a city as large as Aermagh! Realizing that they're not prepared for an incursion of a site that size, the group executes a strategic retreat to the Faelifiri sanctum. There, they seek out advice and perhaps a spell or two that might allow Aribell to use her granted power as the Hand of Tiraura to a devastating effect!

After disposing of the last of the blue dragon they defeated recently, the Four take to the night desert sky once more, searching for the home of the evil gods in the Land. After several hours, Gwenlaryn spots a glint of crimson in the sky, reflected in the dim moonlight. What could that be, and is it something to be confronted or something to be avoided?

The Four against a dozen Jogravannans who are loaded down with Krylandril sticks and nasty surprises! It looks pretty bad until Zorith decides to try that one spell she's yet to cast...

The dragon is dead, and the worthwhile pieces of its carcass have been harvested. The Four head off to find the creature's lair, only to discover that, somehow, the Jogravannan's have gotten there first! What's a heroic quartet to do?

The Godswrath Wastes reveal several mysteries to the Four as they travel ever further into its sands. Most are benign or simply puzzling... until they wander into the territory guarded by the fiercesome Merekosh!

After a visit with Gwen's Uncle Rynnald, and a terrible surprise, the Four take off into the Godswrath Wastes, headed for the Temple of Jogravanna. Along the way, however, the desert gives up a truly strange surprise... and a hint of life beyond the Land!

Hopping around, the Four go from the Faelifiri Sanctum to the Tower of Azinor to Thunder's Edge to the Firefly Oasis! It's a long roundabout way to begin the trip to find and deal with the Jogravannans in their lair, but a quick reunion with the Duneshadow family!

The tattoo is no longer on Zorith's body. It's still on her old arm, however, so it must be destroyed... and that fact must be made public. But doing so means contacting the Devil that placed it there in the first place...

So... Zorith's been running around with the true name of a Balor devil on her arm since she was a child. Now that they know what the tattoo actually is, it's time to see about removing it. But it's heavily magically warded, so what's an elven lass to do?

After consulting with two experts in outer-planar creatures, the Four finally figure out how to gather information on Zorith's tattoo. The results, however, are unpleasant and traumatizing for Zorith, especially after Tiraura provides Aribell with the answer to an important "What if?" question!

The morning after the fight with the Efreeti, all is well... until Zorith peeks outside and spies a desert trader's tent, complete with camels and hounds...

The Four, along with Sten and Emberheart, find themselves surrounded by an Efreeti calling itself "Asumon the Vile" and three Fire Elementals. After moving Emberheart safely away, and after the Efreeti summons a fourth elemental, the battle is joined! After the battle, Sten is left severely wounded and left weeping on the ground. It turns out that this was her first battle. Ever. Tasha summons her Magnificent Mansion and the group retires inside, where everyone attempts to tend to Sten as best they know how. After some intense discussion with Sten, soup, cookies, and a bath, she is led to her room, after which the rest of the group retires for the evening as well.

After lunch, the group sets off to talk to Athgarr before leaving for the desert scouting expedition. He, Sten, and the group sort out some design details for the camp. Athgarr also brings the Four up-to-speed on the formation of his Merchant’s Council, so far made up of himself, Wiggy, and Oloric. He also voices his desire to appoint a “Master of Estates” who would be the Chief Steward of the keep and oversee all the other “city-owned” properties. The Four climb aboard their flying carpet, with Sten and Emberheart. Aribell summons Starbolt in Pegasus form, and they begin their trip into the Godswrath Desert. They eventually arrive at Sten’s first choice spot: A rocky plateau sticking up out of the desert sands. After circling and looking closely at the area, they deem it safe and land the carpet in the center. They are accosted by an Efreet calling itself “Asumon the Vile” and surrounded by Fire Elementals. After a brief conversation, a pointed insult by Gwen makes combat inevitable.

The Four have breakfast in the Fourhome, and Emberheart tells Gwen about sneaking up on Zek and licking him in the middle of the night. Gwen goes to talk to Zek and explain how Emberheart is just playing a game with him. Zek decides to try playing with the wolf… for now. The group contacts Sten who tells them she’ll be ready to go in the afternoon. They all decide to consult with Athgarr about the Orc Training Camp style before they leave. Having time to themselves, they split up to each tackle individual errands, with Tasha going back to the Fourhome to work on her latest song. Aribell goes to the Ruby Brooch to inquire about purchasing some diamonds for her spells and commissioning some pendants for the Four. Her quest leads her also to the Minotaur’s Arms Smithy to see about getting the pendant molded and poured before returning to the jeweler. Zorith heads to the records room of the Keep to investigate the history of the Fourhome, and inadvertently finds out more about Zek’s history. Gwen intercepts Zorith and ask her help in taking Emberheart and Zek hunting in the Jaonos Wood, where Zek finds a new (to him) kind of mushroom and Emberheart secures himself a rabbit for lunch. Upon returning to the Fourhome, Aribell and Tasha have already left for the Ivory’s Wrath, and Gwen and Zorith head there to meet them for lunch.

Aribell and Zorith listen to Tasha’s 3rd set, then Zorith heads home while the other two sit down to talk about their personal lives. The following morning, the group refreshes themselves on the tasks they still have ahead of them. Sten tells Tasha she’ll be ready to head out to the desert the next day (or perhaps the day after). The Four head off to Aermagh to catch up with Jojo and talk with Viessa. Jojo asks Tasha to stand up beside him for his and Viessa’s wedding, which she accepts. Aribell hints loudly that she wants Viessa to choose her as matron of honor, which Viessa steadfastly ignores. The Four then head to Gwen’s estate to talk with the staff. She asks Kaelen to bake Jojo and Viessa’s wedding cake and Gwen asks Toske to provide flowers for the ceremony. The group then returns via teleportation circle to the Fourhome.

After Aralakhis’ departure, Athgarr summons Sten to brief her on the current state of affairs and her official appointment as Seneschal of Thunder’s Edge. Sten receives the news in a stunned fashion, and accepts Athgarr’s request that her first official duty as Seneschal be to travel into the desert and make a base of operations from which to train the Ballinamard orcs. Sten asks the Four to accompany her as her guard, to which they agree. Gwen goes to find Wiggy and learns that he has hired a secretary and a bodyguard for the office in the Outer Enclave that will receive people’s messages for the new Lord. Gwen departs to have dinner with Athgarr, where they discuss the Outer Enclave office progress, as well as the Four’s intention to pursue the Talons of Xuthos after the Orc camp is established. Aribell and Zorith accompany Tasha to the Ivory’s Wrath where Tasha arranges to play for the crowd for dinner. When Gwen arrives, the four women discuss the status of Gwen and Athgarr’s relationship. Zorith and Aribell give Gwen some very straightforward advice, and Gwen leaves to take that advice up with Athgarr. Zorith and Aribell order drinks before sitting down to listen to Tasha’s third and final set of the night.

The Four meet with Sir Keryth Vafiel, the High Paladin of Balmous and Keeper of the Armoury. He helps them outfit themselves to better address the challenges that lie ahead for them. Gwen receives a sending from Athgarr letting her know that Aralahkis is once again up and around and wants to meet with her and the rest of the Four. The group teleports directly to the Lord’s Keep in Thunder’s Edge and finds Athgarr, Aralahkis, and Gaygo in the audience chamber where a square of couches has been set up. Aralakhis tells the group about the memories he has recovered from his days before the Shattering, and his intention to head to Western Aecathan to try to find out what has happened there since, and perhaps begin searching for other gemstone dragons who have also been living without knowledge of their draconic nature for over a century. Gaygo drops some land-shattering news and discusses how problematic that news might be. Aralakhis departs for western Aecathan to begin his search for answers to all of his questions.

The Four, with Emberheart in tow, head to the Wizards Tower and find the office of Master Ixar by his charred and warped door. After stopping his summoning ritual, an irate Master Ixar opens the door and, after some terse introductions, invites them in. Master Ixar examines Zorith's tattoo and pronounces it “incredibly wicked.” He determines there are two separate magic spells embedded in the tattoo: The ward protecting the tattoo from magical examination, and a separate spell that obfuscates what the tattoo actually says in Infernal. Tasha attempts to scry on Zorith, and determines that through such means, Zorith is visible but her tattoo is just a blur. Master Ixar then summons an imp to test the theory that the presence of Infernal creatures triggers a reaction in Zorith’s tattoo, which it does. After thanking Master Ixar for his help and insights, the group head to the Enchanter’s Tower to meet with Master Enchanter Rhoxea. The Master Enchanter is able to help the group with a variety of magical items, as well as receiving the Amulets of Proof Against Detection and Location they had borrowed from the Tower. The group stop back in to see Master Obras, to brief him on what Master’s Ixar and Rhoxea were able to help them with, before heading off to the Faelifiri Sanctum.

After Aribell detects magic on Zorith’s tattoo, Tasha attempts to cast Legend Lore on it, resulting in her being feebleminded. Aribell is able to heal her using the Rod of Resurrection. Stopping off at the keep, Gwen gives Athgarr a sending stone and introduces him to Emberheart. The Four travel to the Tower of Azinor to ask about Zorith’s tattoo and do a bit of shopping to improve their adventuring gear. Their first stop is Master Obras’ office, but he was in class. Gwen and Emberheart head off to hunt while the rest wait for Obras’ return. Upon getting back to his office, Obras tells the group to speak to Master Rhoxea, the Master Enchanter, about acquiring magic items. Zorith informs Obras about the goings-on with her tattoo and he attempts to discern more about it, with his wild-magic saving him from another flare-up from the warding magic woven into the tattoo. Obras recommends that, given her tattoo’s behavior around the imp, the group speak to Master Ixar, whose studies focus on things abyssal and infernal. Gwen and Emberheart have a successful hunt in the Jaonos Wood before returning to the tower as the group is preparing to track down Master Ixar.