DE Synopsis / Calendar / NPCs

[Jeff]

Days of the week

First Day - Sul (Sunday)
Second Day - Mol (Monday)
Third Day - Zol (Tuesday)
Fourth Day - Wir (Wednesday)
Fifth Day - Zor (Thursday)
Sixth Day - Far (Friday)
Seventh Day - Sar (Saturday)

Months of the year

Zarantyr (January)
Olarune (February)
Therendor (March)
Eyre (April)
Dravago (May)
Nymm (June)
Lharvion (July)
Barrakas (Aug)
Rhaan (September)
Sypheros (October)
Aryth (November)
Vult (December)

In this thread I will try to maintain a brief synopsis of the goings-on of this game. This might help everyone remember the big picture, though it won't necessarily have everything you need to know.

I wrote this pretty quickly, so it's hardly eloquent. But I hope it'll help recap things. At the bottom is a glossary of NPCs.

Chapter 1: A Peaceable Kingdom
Chapter 2: Rites of Passage

Here is a timeline to also help give you all a sense of history and where you're at today:

1 YK (Year of the Kingdom) - Galifar I and his five scions—Cyre, Karrn, Thrane, Aundair, and Brey—take control of the Five Nations and establish the Kingdom of Galifar.

32 YK - The Five Nations of Galifar adopt the names of King Galifar's children as their own.

811 YK - First lightning rail connects Flamekeep and Fairhaven.

845 YK - King Jarot beings a public works project to connect all of central Khorvaire via lightning rails. Within twenty years, lines fonnect the Five Nations, Zilargo, the Mror Holds, and the Talenta Plains.

894 YK - King Jarot, the last ruler of Galifar, dies. Thalin, Kaius, and Wroann reject the succession of Mishann, Jarot's eldest daughter. Wrogar backs his sister's claim, and the Last War begins.

914 YK - The Mror Holds declares independence from Karrnath.

958 YK - The Eldeen Reaches declares independence from Aundair.

962 YK - Zilargo (the gnome nation) formally aligns with Breland.

965 YK - House Cannith perfects the modern-era warforged, living constructs designed to fight in the Last War for the nations that purchase them.

972 YK - House Thuranni splits off from House Phiarlan. 12 dragonmarked houses now becomes 13.

986 YK - A trio of hags known as the Daughters of Sora Kell arrive in Droaam with an army of trolls, ogres, and gnolls.

990 YK - The first elemental airships go into service for House Lyrandar.

994 YK - The Day of Mourning: Cyre is destroyed; the Mournland is created.

996 YK - The Treaty of Thronehold officially ends the Last War. The treaty officially recognizes the nations of Aundair, Breland, Thrane, Karrnath, the Talenta Plains, Zilargo, Q'barra, the Lhazaar Principalities, the Mror Holds, the Eldeen Reaches, Darguun, and Valenar. House Cannith is ordered to destroy all creation forges; the remaining warforged are granted the rights of sentient begins.

998 YK - The current year.

[Jeff]

Chapter 1: A Peaceable Kingdom

Mol, the 2nd of Rhaan

While waiting for the noon-departing lightning rail to board in the Fairhaven station, a handful of strangers (Kalarian d'Deneith, Goran, Grafth, Pellorien, Cutter, and Osslend) observed a middle-aged man drop to his knees, evidently stabbed as the crowd of passengers was distracted watching an elf entertainer perform on one side of the platform. The Eldeen ranger Goran used a minor healing spell to staunch the deadly wound, and the group as a whole ushered and guarded the man as they boarded the steerage coach.

As the rail pulled away from the station (its next destination: Passage), the wounded man, an Aundairian named Gurend, spoke vaguely of some trouble he was escaping, or of some upcoming event. Meanwhile, others were observed among the other passengers: a Thrane knight, a dark-furred shifter, and a gnome acting strangely around a warforged who sat utterly still in one corner.

Gurend seemed to know who was after him and also seemed to expect his end to come. He admitting that he stole something from someone: a friend, someone he once respected but had to betray. He asked his saviors if they'd be willing to help, seeming to refer to some great inevitability, concluding, "It’s all going to go down in Fairhaven."

There is a commotion, and everyone braced for something bad. The gnome ran from the warforged, even as light began to shine out from the gaps in its armor plating. The Thrane knight stood up from his seat, shouting to the Silver Flame and calling on some magic with his shield. Then there was a massive freezing blast and the world seemed to explode.

The group woke some time later, lying upon a grassy slope amidst the ruins of the lightning rail coach they were in. Everyone, except a handful, was slain by the explosion. Kal, Grafth, Pellorien, Oss, Cutter, and Goran survived with only the barest of injuries. The Aundairian, Gurend, lay dead—revealed as a changeling. On his person is a metal-bound book, locked.

Also alive, but wounded, were a halfling woman and a young, reddish-haired human who names himself Onin. The halfling was unconscious, but the human was alert, if pained. Tracks in the area suggest that the gnome had walked away from the scene and also the dark-furred shifter. Both also survivors?

Soon riders appeared in the distance and one of them contacted Kal with a telepathic spell—citing themselves as militia from a nearby town who saw the accident from a distance. But it soon became evident that they mean ill. There is a battle and all are rendered unconscious or slain. Kal personally killed their leader, a sorcerer named Davin. In the distant gray sky, the group spoted a large winged figure. A dragonhawk, Oss surmised. Everyone wants to get away from the wreckage site, knowing House Orien agents were likely to arrive soon and start asking questions.

The young man Onin volunteered to remain behind with the unconscious halfling. The rest made for a nearby farmstead, following the tracks of the gnome. There, they were met by a half-orc farmhand named Vars, who brought them to take shelter in the barn. Here they found the gnome, Fenwolt, who was twitchy and fearful and guilt-ridden for his part in the rail explosion.

The group took this time to discuss the situation, but were more fractured in their decisions than in agreement. Pellorien, with the gnome's help, managed to temporarily disable the magic lock on the metal-bound book. The book was packed with notes and complex arcana, well beyond Pellorien's understanding.

Deciding to return to Fairhaven—where Fenwolt agreed to help reveal the men behind the attack—the group took to the road. There they were attacked by a group of Emerald Claw soldiers (and zombies). The soldiers were defeated, but Fenwolt was slain.

The group made camp and passed the night.

Zol, the 3rd of Rhaan

The next morning the group buried the gnome artificer and left one of the Emerald Claw soldiers alive, bound to a tree. They travel throughout the morning on foot and finally reach Fairhaven early in the afternoon.

In the city now, the group found that the lightning rail attack had already made the chronicles. After brief discussions of where to go next, they set out into the city and soon came to the Soldier's Rest Inn across from the House Deneith enclave. Among others, they made the brief acquaintance of a grumpy warforged (outside the inn) and a rude and demanding female gnome (inside the inn).

While Kal visited the Deneith enclave, the others remained. At length, Oss and Pellorien ventured back out into the city to find the residence where the gnome Fenwolt said he had lived. There they found a team of House Orien agents investigating what appeared to be a crime scene. Pellorien later claimed to have learned earlier that the gnome's entire family had been slain.

Kal returned to the inn with news that a high-ranking member of the Deneith enclave, Lady Korvine, was willing to help with the group's own unspoken investigation of the rail attack and the subsequent Emerald Claw attack. Also, Kal had found within the enclave a new companion: Streko, a halfling priest of Olladra with great interest in the lightning rail incident. He had a story of his own to tell, of his missing sister and a man named Malov.

At the inn, the group met in a private room with Lady Korvine and a paladin associate of hers, Thoreld. From all the evidence so far—especially Streko's news of a reddish-haired young man named Malov (quite possibly the same man who claimed his name was Onin after the rail crash)—Thoreld and Lady Korvine explained their knowledge of the infamous Malov. However, the meeting was not productive as Oss, Goran, and Pellorien exhibited great distrust of working with Lady Korvine or House Deneith. Most of the group stormed out. Lady Korvine and Thoreld went their own way, but not before passing off to the group a curious and possibly powerful dagger with a glowing blade.

Upstairs in the inn, Cutter went missing. Tangat was knocked unconscious by some invisible creature, and the window to Cutter's room was broken.

The group left the inn on Pellorien's suggestion and made their way to the temple district to the Ferenthoron residence. They entered the dark (and blood-smelling) townhouse and were soon approached by Taymra d'Orien, a dragonmarked heir, who was staking out the place. She had been investigating the rail incident as well and wished to compare notes with the group. Pellorien cast a charm spell upon her immediately, which seemed successful. However, a rogue and hostile warforged attacked moments later, nearly slaying Taymra outright. Both were defeated and the rogue was knocked unconscious.

The group followed Taymra toward her residence, stopping within the Silvered Chalice, a tavern. There they are able to interrogate the battered rogue. However, the rogue claimed he was sent by his boss, who in turn was hired by a man named Malov. He knew nothing about the rail attack; he was only told to accompany the warforged and take from the group a book. They did learn, however, that the book had been magically tracked. The group let the rogue go with a stern warning. Mostly, the group argued with one another about what to do. They also notice the same elf entertainer who just the day before had been performing at the lightning rail station. Grafth exchanged a few words with the elf. In the Silvered Chalice they also met again the dark-furred shifter from the rail—the last of the rail survivors—whose name was Dhaz.

Soon after, the group left the tavern and headed upstairs into the tenement building, to where Taymra lives. On the way, however, more of warforged attacked. Meanwhile, Goran, who followed separately to watch for enemies, witnessed a fearesome attack made by some sort of invisible creature. During the fight, Grafth sees an airship hovering outside the windows of the building—which seemed to be from where the warforged had gained the upper levels.

Changing their course, the group went down to the street level and went to the Jorasco Citadel for healing. A place of safety and temporarily relief. There, on Taymra's suggestion, the group agreed to travel to the city of Passage, in hopes of shaking any pursuit and also to be closer to House Orien's headquarters, to draw upon house resources if Taymra has need.

They went next to the Chalice Center, where both the House Lyrandar and House Orien enclaves are situated. A public place seemed to be a place for respite. Also, on Taymra's suggestion, the group agreed to journey to Orien in hopes of shaking their enemies. While Taymra secured tickets for the lightning rail, the group was approached by the same rogue they'd let go. But something was different about him. He seemed to be speaking as though he were someone else; or as if someone else were speaking through him. He spoke some forbidding words ("Killing this body...will not save your precious, peaceable kingdom."), then Pel cast a sleeping spell upon him and left him there in the red brick plaza.

After disagreeing with the way to handle both the rogue and the group's conflict at large, Oss went his own way. (Ed left the game.)

The group soon boarded the midnight-departing lightning rail and set off for Passage.

[Jeff]

Chapter 2: Rites of Passage

Wir, the 4th of Rhaan

Arriving in Passage at noon, the group waited in the concourse. While Grafth left to take care of a brief errand, Taymra left to request something of her house. Meeting again, Taymra said she'd been recommended to Phorem, a wizard of her house (and who turned out to be her honorary uncle). The group took a skycoach and flew toward's Phorem's tower near the center of the city. On the way, Grafth told about the note he'd received on his errand and the dragonshard that came with it. The note was signed by 'A,' and referred him to a man named Ralsor who is said to come and go around the House Lyrandar airship docking tower.

At Phorem's tower, the group met Matheu, the pseudodragon, and the old mage himself. In their discussions, Pellorien revealed herself as Pel, a changeling, and the group told their story to Phorem and showed him the book that had caused them so much trouble. Phorem agreed to study the book and see if he could learn anything more about it. Meanwhile, Kal set out with Taymra to the House Deneith enclave in the city.

As the group rested and snacked in Phorem's tower, there was a sudden disruptance. Disturbing creatures of molten flesh had appeared within Phorem's laboratory and attacked, forcing the group to combat and destroy them. Phorem explained that the creatures appeared when he'd attempted to trace out a pattern within the book. Lemures, they were—an evil, if minor, breed of devil.

A short time later, Taymra returned, saying that she'd rejoined with Kal and that he'd had two Deneith mercenaries—of the Blademarks guild—in tow, as well as a Sentinel Marshal. They were following a lead Kal had found at the Deneith enclave that suggested a cell of Emerald Claw agents were hiding in a brewery. Evidently, the lead came from an incarcerated Emerald Claw soldier—the very one left alive and bound on the road outside Fairhaven.

Grafth and Dhaz opted to remain behind to guard Phorem in his continued study. The others took a skycoach to the brewery, where they found Kal about to enter. When they did enter, they were attacked by a ghoul: Davin, the once-dead sorcerer that Kal had killed at the lightning rail wreckage site. Davin, an Emerald Claw commander, and a squad of Emerald Claw soldiers had hoped to take Gurend's book by forcing the Sentinel Marshal, Velhan, lead them into a trap. The soldiers held the Marshal's wife and child hostage, using the paladin to get what they wanted. Instead, a fight broke out that resulted in the death of most of the soldiers and the torching of the brewery. The group retreated into the sewers to escape the blaze, carrying two Emerald Claw soldiers with them. Meanwhile, Grafth spoke with Phorem about the nature of the book and its possible connection to Shavarath, the Battle Ground, one of the outer planes.

Down below street level, Kal and company questioned one of the soldiers and learned that their commander (now dead) had intended to take the book and give it to their mysterious employer: a man who rode a dragonhawk. The commander was to meet with the dragonhawk rider at midnight at the Lyrandar docking tower. Soon after, Goran helped navigate a way out of Passage's sewer system.

Grafth met up with Amal, one of the Blademarks in Kal's service, and reunited with the others, but not before narrowly escaping an unknown person/creature in the sewers. The conscious Emerald Claw soldier ran off to take his chances in the sewers alone, while the other was taken into custody by the authorities. The Sentinal Marshal, Velhan, went to face his superiors in the Deneith enclave, while everyone else returned to Phorem's tower. From there, to recuperate and rest up for the coming activity that night, Taymra led the group to the Transient Hound, a House Ghallanda-owned inn.

Bathed and fed now, a new plan was formed: Grafth intended to follow the request made by the author of the note he'd received: to go and find Ralsor at the Lyrandar docking tower. At the same time, Pel believed she could use her changeling ability to assume other forms to 'become' the Emerald Claw commander that they'd killed at the brewery to rendezvous with the mysterious dragonhawk rider at midnight, in hopes of finding out more about him and the reasons behind the attack—presumably from the source. The dragonhawk rider would be expecting to retrieve the book.

At the appointed hour, the group went to the Lyrandar docking tower. Soon after, an airship—the Thunderhead—arrived, piloted by Ralsor, who turned out to be a Lyrandar pilot of dubious reputation in his house. Kal and Grafth introduced themselves and asked to meet with him in private. Meanwhile, a 'female' warforged named Mist had awaited for the pilot as well and also sought a discussion with Ralsor. The half-elf pilot told Kal and Grafth to accompany him while he dined; they could talk then.

Pel, disguised now in the form of the Emerald Claw commander, waited on a bench as Streko and Goran looked on in hiding. A newcomer arrived, a blond scholarly-looking man, and began to speak with the false commander, obviously an aquaintance of the original. Streko moved closer to try and learn more and met another newcomer: a female gnome.

At the Royal Sturgeon, a restaurant nearby, Grafth and Kal told Ralsor their reasons for seeking him out, and he in turn imparted some information about his own connections. He explained that 'A' was a man named Aldronivus with whom he was once acquainted, along with a group of Silver Flame templars. Grafth showed Ralsor the Siberys dragonshard he'd been given and Ralsor seemed to recognize it. The Lyrandar seemed to urgently want to get back to his ship, so he led Grafth and Kal with him.

On the way up the docking tower, they encountered an Aundairian nobleman on the stairs. When they reached the docking level, a fight soon broke out between a pair of suspicious half-elf stevedores. The female gnomes used a wand to strip away the illusion the stevedores wore: they were, in fact, more hostile warforged! Just as a fight began, the Aundairian nobleman used a wand to sequester the north dock behind a wall of ice.

When the warforged were slain, everyone boarded the Thunderhead as Ralsor maneuvered the airship around to the north dock. A confrontation ensued between the two mystery men—both of whom seemed to be mages—with Pel in the crossfire. A winged form descended from the darkness, a rider on a dragonhawk, who attempted to fly away with Pel. Ultimately, the battle was mostly victorious, with the two mages plummeting to their deaths from the docking tower. The dragonhawk escaped, but the dying rider and a very battered and unconscious Pel were dragged to the deck of the airship.

Matheu, the pseudodragon, soon appeared and explained that because of the battle on the Lyrandar tower, the group (especially Ralsor) is being held responsible for the deaths at the tower. One of whom was said to be a close friend of the baron of House Orien.

Ralsor steered the Thunderhead north. The rider, an alleged Malov-thing, died.

[Jeff]

NPCs

Aldronivus - A human "pilgrim" (priest? cleric?) who was once a mentor to Ralsor d'Lyrandar, a sort of uncle-but-not-really figure. A wise older man who worked with the Knights Templar of the Silver Flame.

Alvek ir'Turian - A human wizard and cousin to Malov, who worked out of Shadowcrest Manor within Malov's schemes.

Amal - A human Blademark of House Deneith. Dark-skinned citizen of Aundair, stationed in the city of Passage.

Cylleran - A centaur of the Whisper Woods who said that his name could be used to "stay the arrows" of his kin long enough for parley.

Dassek, Lord - An Aundairian dragonhawk rider, presumably with some authority within Aundair's military (citing both the Duke of Passage and the Queen as his sponsors), who seems both warrior and spellcaster. He confronted Streko in the town of Windshire and tried to arrest him for murder.

Dhaz - A dark-furred shifter of the longtooth blood strain, who wears a gray coat and carries no weapons. He seems to be able to fight effectively with his bare hands, and also seems to have a drinking problem.

Enan - A human Blademark of House Deneith.

Fenwolt Ferenthoron - The gnome who triggered the explosion aboard the lightning rail. He was slain by Emerald Claw soldiers on the road outside of Fairhaven and buried off the road. Presumably, he was forced by the Emerald Claw to carry out this deed because his family was threatened.

Fherina Heartsvale - A gnome investigative reporter with the Korranberg Chronicle out of the Passage offices.

Gur - A changeling who the PCs encountered in the Fairhaven rail station, whose stabbing and subsequent death seems to have kicked off their reluctant adventures. He formerly served Alvek ir'Turien, but betrayed him by stealing a book of arcana and delivering it to the PCs.

Hemmy - A halfling "nurse" in Fairhaven's Jorasco Citadel.

Korvine, Lady - A middle-aged warrior and administrator of House Deneith. She offered to help support Kal and the group's investigations.

Krenstaff ir'Vorem - An Aundairian nobleman and mage, allegedly killed at the Lyrandar tower in Passage. The PCs are currently considered his murderers.

Lever(age) - A warforged artificer first met in Windshire, "hired" by Ralsor. He claims to be a Field Unit Repair Specialist employed by House Cannith.

Malov ir'Turian - A human wizard and infamous criminal. According to Lady Korvine and the Emissary, he is the mastermind behind the Dark Echelon.

Matheu (Matheurynivorak) - A pseudodragon, claiming to come from the legendary dragon continent of Argonnessen. He introduces himself as a "preeminent sage and arcane scholar." He also explained that he has chosen to accompany the PCs "for an indeterminate amount of time."

Misha - A Karrn and Ralsor's girlfriend. She was the Thunderhead's cook, until Malov took possession of her body, killed Pel, and disappeared.

Mist - A 'female' warforged, first encountered at the Lyrandar docking tower in Passage. She seems to be a stealth-oriented warrior or scout.

Pel - A changeling woman and former companion of the PCs. She was part of their ordeals for several days, but was killed at last at the hands of Malov.

Phorem d'Orien - An old wizard and sage of House Orien, living in a tower near the center of Passage in what seems to be some sort of house arrest.

Ralsor d'Lyrandar - A House Lyrandar (half-elven) airship pilot and captain of the Thunderhead.

Relith, Captain - A commander of the Emerald Claw, subdued and captured by the PCs at the edge of the Whisper Woods. Kal took his enchanted Rekkenmark longsword.

Taymra d'Orien - A dragonmarked heir of House Orien with an interest in solving the mystery behind the lightning rail attack incident.

Thoreld Soldorak - A paladin of Dol Arrah, employed by House Deneith. A friend of Lady Korvine.

Varna - Streko's missing sister, a halfling quite a bit older than he. She is nicknamed after the city, Varna, the capital of the Eldeen Reaches.

Velhan Deltir d'Deneith - A human paladin and Sentinel Marshal.

Wood Mistress - Also known as the Maiden of Secrets, a nymph who holds some sort of lordship in the Whisper Woods, representing the Faerie Court of Thelanis. She gave Belarin a pact blade and swore him to service: among other things, he must return what was taken from her and slay the one who took it.

[Joe]

Jeff, that was VERY helpful!! Many thanks for your hard work on this!

Joe

[Josh]

I think we need an NPC update... there may be a few missing?