Category:Beyond the Arkati

Beyond the Arkati is a storyline that took place in Wehnimer's Landing from August 2010 to December 2011. This storyline is also sometimes called "the summoners" storyline.

Storyline NPCs

Organizations

Timeline

Phoenatos 5110 (August 2010)

During Frontier Days, Mirayam appears in Wehnimer's Landing, alone and without memories beyond two years ago. She claimed to be from Ubl, in the small territory of Allace in the Turamzzyrian Empire, where she was discovered by an elderly couple who took her in.

Local citizens hear a cry near Town Square Central and rush into a dark alley, where Mirayam has been beaten up by some thugs. Two rogues are killed, but one escapes with Mirayam's journal.

Imaerasta 5110 (September 2010)

Thrayzar, an orc assassin shows up in Wehnimer's Landing. He is discovered on the streets, and is attacked by some local militia men, all of whom the orc kills.

The orc Thrayzar later finds Mirayam's lost journal and uses it to negotiate a meeting with her. Some locals organize the meeting, the orc sniffs Mirayam, drops the journal, and then slips into the shadows.

The interim mayor, the Chatelaine Chambeli announces that Lord Grishom Stone has purchased the old Cholgar's Bathhouse in an attempt to rebuild it and erase the dark taint that existed there before.

Mirayam, after befriending many locals, is offered a job by Chambeli in the museum. A woman named Bridonna is also announced as the new curator of the museum.

Albright, a red-robed summoner appears in town and begins making demands that Mirayam be handed over.

The town council of Wehnimer's Landing votes, and by the majority's decision, they agree to hand over Mirayam. Unfortunately the girl Mirayam had gone missing.

Believing the town to be deceiving him, Albright opens up dozens of red portals in town and around the environs, and armies of constructs and golems invade over the course of a week.

Councilman Walkar Wellington defies the will of the council and fights with local heroes against Albright's minions. Finally with some more political backing, Walkar is able to convince a few council members to agree to revoke their original agreement on Mirayam's fate. The council then votes to challenge Albright and fight him, even though Mirayam is still missing.

Jastatos 5110 (October 2010)

Councilman Walkar Wellington, along with the aid of local defenders, orchestrates the illusion of an exchange with Albright, with all intentions of staging an ambush. Albright, believing the city intended to hand over Mirayam, foolishly meets with them in the forest. Albright is killed by a defender and many of his seedy allies are dispatched as well.

The red portals in the sky above Wehnimer's Landing do not go away, but instead begin to slowly expand. Mindless golems continue to drop from them into the streets.

The seer Kailashandra appears in Wehnimer's Landing, tired and worse for wear. Some locals find her in a trance and when she awakes she tells them the vision she had, of a group of red-robed summoners called the Arcane Eyes, who performed a dark ritual to create a sentient urnon golem. The ritual involved the mass execution of dozens and dozens of women, whose spirits were imbued into the urnon. The urnon came to life and took the form of a featureless woman, killing two summoners before escaping into the night. The golem would later take on the form of Mirayam years later, and arrived in Wehnimer's Landing. The seer noted that in her vision, the main summoner's face was unclear, but she caught sight of his dark sea blue eyes before she was thrown from her trance.

The orc Thrayzar meets with some local heroes and offers them Mirayam, who he said he had found and kept hidden because he feared what Albright would do to her. It was then learned that Thrayzar was originally hired by the summoners to hunt down Mirayam, but when he learned more of the summoner's evil nature, he abandoned them and sought to protect the girl. In exchange, the orc asked that the heroes plead with the local authorities to pardon him for his crimes in murdering local militia.

Mirayam's body had become unstable, her eyes and flesh constantly reshaping as the chaotic nature of urnon began to return. The heroes told her of her past and creation, and of the threats still facing their town. Seeking to protect the people who so willingly took her in and fought to defend her, Mirayam sacrificed the remainder of her magical force to close the red portals above Wehnimer's Landing. The exertion robbed her of any last shred of stability, and she crumbled into pieces of urnon, many of which were retrieved by the heroes present.

Eoantos 5110 (November 2010)

Bandits began to strike outside of Wehnimer's Landing, some making it inside the town.

In response to the bandit activity, the town council increased the militia patrols.

A memorial statue in Mirayam's likeness was erected in Town Square, Northwest. (It has a loresong!)

The Mayoral Elections were announced, with the candidates being the Chatelaine Chambeli Malatina, Tykel Rone, Lord Grishom Stone, Councilman Walkar Wellington and Councilman Barnom Slim.

Plague begins to effect denizens of Wehnimer's Landing, the witch Raznel, another red-robed summoner, is thought to be the culprit.

The bandits are discovered to have been hired by the summoners.

The local merchant guild endorses Grishom Stone for Mayor.

Bandits began to appear to be suffering from the plague, or even carrying it into town. Unrest forms among their ranks and some of them turn on their summoner employers. As the bandit threat begins to die down, the town council begins to hand out magical rods, imbued with Undisease, to help people fight the still spreading plague.

Tykel Rone cites lack of funds and drops out of Mayoral race.

Days later, Grishom Stone drops out of Mayoral race, giving vague reasoning for his actions. Some speculate blackmail.

In a battle in the streets of Wehnimer's, Raznel summons hordes of undead, as local defenders fight on, pressing them back. Raznel is slain numerous times, but her body breaks into bugs and reforms again and again. Finally the heroes use the Undisease rods and wave them at Raznel, and she begins to fall apart and crumble into a pile of scorched bugs. The plague is instantly lifted.

Mayoral Debates are held between Chambeli, Walkar and Barnom.

The election results are announced and Walkar Wellington is elected the new Mayor of Wehnimer's Landing. He is sworn into office. Days later, he publicly hangs known allies of the summoners.

Chambeli decides to travel after losing the election and sets sail for Brisker's Cove. A week later her ship is reported destroyed at sea and no survivors found.

Eorgaen 5110 (December 2010)

Mayor Walkar pardoned the orc Thrayzar, and praised his efforts in helping the city after turning on the summoners. It was also rumored that the Mayor secretly hired the orc to hunt down known allies of the summoners.

Acting on information given them, town officials inspect Chambeli's residence, finding where she had stashed away some red robes and blackened silver eye medallion matching ones the summoners had worn. With Chambeli lost at sea, officials could only speculate that she may have been involved with the summoners.

Grishom Stone attended a ball in Wehnimer's Landing, with a woman named Odilia, supposedly a cartographer from Ta'Illistim.

Days later, Odilia is found by some local heroes in the street and was suffering from a stomach wound and claiming Grishom Stone tried to kill her.

Grishom Stone is arrested.

Representatives from Ta'Illistim met with Mayor Walkar and the town council, addressing concerns about Odilia and Grishom Stone behind closed doors. There was no love lost between the two governments.

In Ta'Illistim, local citizens found the body of a woman, who later is discovered to be the real Odilia. After days in jail, Grishom Stone is freed and the fake Odilia is captured and escorted by a convoy of the Sapphire Guard back to Ta'Illistim for trial.

While en route to Ta'Illistim, the convoy is ambushed and destroyed by a fiery aerial assault. The soldiers are killed and Odilia is nowhere to be found.

Lormesta 5111 (January 2011)

New renovations are announced for the Wehnimer's Landing Museum, funded primarily by Lord Grishom Stone.

Some heroes traveled to River's Rest and struck a deal with a landlocked pirate named Thanden, who had found and enslaved Chambeli and intended to sell her. He had made some currently unknown demands, and the heroes temporarily returned to Wehnimer's Landing in an effort to accommodate them.

Meanwhile, invasions of golems, gargoyles, constructs and even some demons began to hit both Wehnimer's Landing and River's Rest on and off for days.

A goblin appeared in Wehnimer's Landing, with extraordinary mastery of the common tongue, asking many citizens for the whereabouts of the orc Thrayzar. Reportedly, the goblin was worried that something bad had happened as the orc had gone missing longer than usual.

A troll scout was seen near Wehnimer's that same evening, but killed rather quickly.

Some heroes traveled back to River's Rest, where invasions of constructs and golems picked up, as forces from both Wehnimer's and the Rest fought them off. Amidst the chaos it is said a few of the heroes met with the pirate captain Thanden, made their exchange, and set off back to Wehnimer's with a physically broken and mentally unstable Chambeli in tow.

Spouting insane ramblings, Chambeli was escorted back to Wehnimer's Landing, where witnesses account that the orc Thrayzar appeared from out of nowhere, ran his sword through her gut, and then dragged her off into the shadows.

Two days later, a nearby citizen alerted everyone to the corpse of Chambeli outside of Moot Hall. Shreds of clothing hung loosely to her broken body, and her head had been cut off and was missing. Local militia removed the body from the streets.

Fashanos 5111 (February 2011)

Grishom Stone holds a public unveiling of the new bathhouse, the Stone Baths. At the end of the tour, he is murdered by a blind adventurer Vylina who claims to have attacked him out of insanity. A priest resurrects Grishom, and the adventurer is banished from town.

Claiming to seek fairness, Grishom convinced the town council to revoke the adventurer's banishment, if the blind woman would be subjected to some initial observations by some hired clerics and healers, to ensure she was safe to be free. The deal was made, the banishment revoked, the observation complete and Vylina walking free.

A red-robed summoner arrived to warn the Silver Gryphons that there is power Beyond the Arkati, and that they respect their order and give them the civility of a warning, to not stand in their way.

Rumors circulate that the pirate Thanden, from River's Rest, arrived in Wehnimer's Landing looking to collect his reward for handing over Chambeli. The reward he was "promised" was a small fortune to retire, the Drake Vanguard's ship, and sanctuary within the town. He arranges an upcoming meeting with Mayor Walkar.

Over the course of several months, many women had reported hearing a ghostly woman's voice, whispering to them at night and warning them of a deadly man and the siren's song. It was eventually discovered the spirit was named Madelyne Cross, and when some heroes tried to further communicate with her, she came forward and possessed the adventurer Riend, turning her eyes from violet to hunter green. It was later learned from Madelyne that her father is Elithain Cross, a man suspected to be involved with the summoners in some way, but is in hiding.

Albert the Hearthstone Doorman, informed some of the heroes that the public believes Mayor Walkar to be sick, but that in truth he had the pirate Thanden captured and escorted him, along with some hired mercenaries, to Mestanir. The pirate was a wanted man in the Empire and Walkar had hoped to gain some favor in trying to learn some information about the leader of the summoners, whether it was a mysterious man named Elithain Cross who may be hiding in Mestanir, or to confirm his own suspicions of it being Grishom Stone.

Grishom Stone gathered some local adventurers on the porch of Hearthstone and informs them that he originally lied to them when he said he did not know of Elithain Cross, and that he was a rival of his father's, ages ago, when they were among the noble court of Mestanir. He told the heroes that he believes Elithain was responsible for the death of his father, Sebasation Stone, and that he had never met Madelyne.

Days later, rumors reached Wehnimer's Landing that there has been attacks in Mestanir, the invaders fitting the descriptions of the same constructs and golems that had previously attacked Wehnimer's and River's Rest.

Within the week, red portals opened in Upper Trollfang and lead to Mestanir. Hordes of golems, constructs, gargoyles and demons poured out of them and wage battle against both Mestanir and Wehnimer's Landing.

One night in Wehnimer's Landing, citizens reported of being attacked by ethereal women specters, all sobbing as they try to kill the living. They all eerily shouted and warned those looking on to "Kill Him, Kill Stone!" The specters are eventually dispatched, but meanwhile battle still rages around the portals from Trollfang to Mestanir.

Hordes of golems and demons made their way to the gates of Wehnimer's Landing, and members of the Dreadnaught Alliance traveled from the east to help the defenders of the west. In an attempt to send their forces back home, golems and constructs attack Ta'Illistim, but the ploy failed.

Charlatos 5111 (March 2011)

It is publically learned that Mayor Walkar is not sick, but is indeed missing after he traveled to Mestanir. Many tried to search him out while battling demons and golems in both lands.

Lord Grishom Stone offered highly enchanted weapons to the Knights of Mestanir, to help them better fight the demons that appear.

The battle within Mestanir raged on for weeks and many brave adventurers from all over Elanthia arrived to aid the Mestanir knights in their war. When many of the heroes died, a red-robed summoner arrived among the chaos, and was reported to have been dragging them to safety. Many heroes were confused, wondering if there was a turncoat among their enemies.

The dwarven Marshal of Wehnimer's Landing, Khylon Oakspear, organized a group of heroes to push into Mestanir to fight back the demons and constructs, while trying to find Mayor Walkar. Their mission went on for a grueling hour or more before they finally discover the Mayor, who was forced into hiding in Mestanir as some of the creatures had been looking for him. Mayor Walkar was safely escorted back to Wehnimer's Landing, but the fighting still continued.

Defenders reported seeing a black-haired woman appear from the shadows in Mestanir, blowing off the limbs of Mestanir knights and meteor swarming adventurers as they arrive to help. Eye witnesses claimed she looked exactly like the fake Odilia who showed up in Wehnimer's months ago, and went missing from the envoy back to Ta'Illistim.

It was discovered by some heroes that Thrayzar, the orc, had been captured by the summoners and tortured, tormented, and then finally broken into submission. Such control was explained as to why Thrayzar had previously hunted down and killed Chambeli for the summoners, before she was able to reveal more information. In the end, the adventurer Greganth was able to arrange the release of Thrayzar, and the removal of his thrall.

The orc Thrayzar, physically disfigured and mentally scarred, told the heroes he would return to his people to ensure them he was still alive, but he would eventually return. He spoke of a black-haired woman who tortured him and he recalled smelling ink on her fingers. He vowed to see the day of her demise.

Days later, Hendorian and Vornavian troops arrived in Mestanir and with their added support, the demonic and golem hordes were able to be pushed back significantly. As such, the final waves moved out into Trollfang and marched on Wehnimer's Landing, having little where else to go.

While the attacks in Mestanir lessened, defenders rallied to the aid of Wehnimer's Landing and fought to push back the demons, constructs and golems. Citizens claimed that the "fake" Odilia was then spotted within the walls, meteor swarming Town Square and killing many innocent people and healers and clerics. Shortly after, Thrayzar the orc was seen, seemingly tracking someone and so many heroes followed him.

The orc finally tracked Odilia to the town barracks, where she was found blowing off the limbs of militiamen. The adventurer Soullslayur was able to kill Odilia, and everyone surrounded her corpse while her spirit shouted in protest. She begged to someone unseen to spare her lover for her failure. Deep shadows arrived along the ground and Odilia's body burst into flames, leaving behind her scorched red robes, her runestaff and some burnt parchment that had barely survived. The parchment were letters written from a man named Nysorm, to a woman named Arleasta, who was in fact the woman pretending to be Odilia. Nysorm's letters warned of Arleasta's further involvement with the nameless leader of the summoners, and that they had nowhere else to go now, and begged for her to leave with him. The letters also revealed it was Nysorm who was the red-robed summoner who had been dragging dead heroes to safety.

After Arleasta/Odilia's death, the portals in Upper Trollfang closed and the straggling invaders left behind were finished off. Some Mestanir knights were also left behind, and shelter and food were provided for them by the Mayor until they returned to Mestanir a week later.

The orc Thrayzar left to seek out his people and possibly arrange for them to move to a new location, as he fears his recent involvement may expose his hidden settlement to the summoners, or his old nemesis, the troll Drangell.

With the conflict seemingly over, Baron Chydenar of Mestanir and Mayor Walkar of Wehnimer's Landing gave public statements, thanking each side in their efforts to work together to overcome their shared enemy, to honor those who fought and died, and to swear their commitment to seeing the summoners and their minions finally destroyed.

In an attempt to help Riend be freed of her possession of the ghost Madelyne, Grishom Stone offered to contact some of his connections in a plan to create some kind of potion to expel the entity. Riend agreed to try, as many others' attempts have failed, and gave Grishom a vial of her blood. Later, citizens witnessed the spirit of Madelyne emerge in a fit of rage that the blood was given and was later calmed by those present.

Mayor Walkar held an Honor Celebration in Wehnimer's, where he thanked many during the recent months of conflict and wanted to publically honor a few individuals who had been helping him since Mirayam first appeared the summer before. Greganth, Seomanthe, Fremie, Cyrroc, Karibeth, Soullslayur, Allanano, Svardin and Riend were named Defenders of Wehnimer's Landing. Sir Cryheart and Sir Tebon were presented with specially crafted signet rings and accepted roles as advisors to the Mayor. The Mayor went on to banish Demyse, Maetriks, Anru and Shalaora, for their roles in helping the summoners, labeling them Outlaws of Wehnimer's Landing. The Mayor thanked the groups of the Silver Gryphons, the Drake Vanguards, the Dreadnaught Alliance and the Order of the Azure Sun for their help in recent conflicts, and would be commissioning a plaque in their honor.

Olaesta 5111 (April 2011)

One night, early in the month, an explosion was seen in the sky over East Ring Road. Heroes rushed across the bridge to find a warehouse on fire, with an elven corpse outside of it. The corpse's face is nearly melted off, with shards of glass stuck in his burnt hands. A planar shift rune book was found on the body, with various rune locations set around town or in other cities. The heroes soon discovered a horde of blood red globules that appeared and attacked them, quickly followed by two colossal blood golems. The golems and globules were eventually killed off and the elven body, later discovered to be Athseld, an apprentice alchemist, was carted off by town guards. The entire incident was written off by local officials as a failed magical experiment.

A ceremony was announced in Mestanir, where Baron Chydenar praised citizens of Mestanir, thanked Mayor Walkar for his support and commended the heroics of the people of Wehnimer's Landing. The Baron also went on to honor Grishom Stone for his aid to the knights and labeled him the Hero of Mestanir.

Ivastaen 5111 (May 2011)

A silver-eyed dark troll hunter was seen outside Wehnimer's Landing and was quickly dispatched. The creature left behind a stained bone ring and a crystallized orc heart talisman. (Both had loresongs revealing information about Drangell, and the summoners working with the trolls)

The ghostly spirit of Madelyne, who is rumored to be Grishom Stone's first victim, appeared to heroes upon the steps of Hearthstone Manor. An ethereal fog arrived with the ghost and displayed the haunting scene of Madelyne and Grishom's romantic involvement and engagement and ultimately Madelyne's death. A second ethereal scene displayed Grishom Stone as seducing and killing women with black hair and green eyes, many times over. The ghostly images ended with Grishom shown in a red summoner's robes and creating the urnon golem Mirayam. When the heroes later confronted Grishom, he denied everything and claimed the ghost of Madelyne was using illusions to deceive everyone.

The next day, Councilman Barnom Slim approached many heroes who had witnessed the ghostly interaction and warned them against speaking ill about Grishom Stone, who was viewed as the Hero of Mestanir. The councilman cautioned against purposely doing anything that might jeopardize the quick friendship growing between Mestanir and Wehnimer's Landing.

Outlaws of Wehnimer's Landing, including the Ta'Mori and other dark allies, were reported to have been gathered by the summoners and transported to a scorched forest where a crumbling stone fortress awaited. Fighting through elven ghosts and walls of fire, the villains eventually reached a door covered in runes. Once the proper sequence was solved, the door was opened and Drangell, the unstoppable troll commander was set free.

At the same time as Drangell was being freed, Thrayzar the orc gathered some heroes near Hearthstone and told them he had found a red portal outside of town that led to Drangell's prison and was worried people were trying to free him. The heroes arrived at the fortress and overcame the same obstacles, but had arrived too late. The rune prison was empty except for a piece of parchment, mocking the heroes' tardiness. The heroes barely escaped as the fortress collapsed around them.

Worried a war with Commander Drangell was imminent, Mayor Walkar provided supplies and wooden foundations and the citizens of Wehnimer's spent countless hours cutting logs and building archery towers outside of town to help in the event of a troll invasion.

A gnome merchant named Eeny arrived in town, claiming to sell magical trinkets that would help protect people from trolls. He even raffled off a trollbane khopesh. Two weeks later he would be exposed as a fraud when his trinkets did not work, but he managed to escape town with all of his profits shortly before his wagon was destroyed by angry citizens.

With Mayor Walkar's approval, two orc encampments were setup near Voln where many orc women, children and some warriors were residing. The Mayor offered the town's protection to the orcs until Thrayzar could find a new location for his people and could safely move them. Many citizens openly questioned the Mayor and one commoner named Colson went so far as to accuse the Mayor of being insane.

The orc demon hunter Omlor arrived in Wehnimer's Landing, greeting a few citizens and began his scouting routines, prepared to help in the event of demons.

Days later, the goblin Stiletto, who is Thrayzar's right hand man, arrived in town and told a gathered crowd the true origin of Thrayzar and Drangell and that they were once a human and giantman respectively. He told the story of how they once worked as assassins for the Empire and on their fateful last mission were cursed by a witch upon her death and turned into an orc and troll. Thrayzar had used his curse to try to help civilize some monster races, while Drangell used his curse to try to spread destruction.

Golems and constructs attacked the gates of Wehnimer's Landing while a wall of shadows appeared outside of Moot Hall and the Barracks. Witnesses later claimed that the Ta'Mori and other allies of the summoners were teleported inside of Moot Hall where they killed five council members, those who were most loyal to Mayor Walkar. The villains then magically appeared inside the barracks and began to slaughter militia men. The heroes stopped the invasion of golems and soon rushed to the barracks, where they eventually dispelled the wall of shadows, but not before dozens and dozens of soldiers had been murdered and the villains escaped.

Griffins were spotted flying high above Wehnimer's Landing. The creatures eventually dropped backpacks full of orc, human, halfling and dwarven body parts.

Days later, a dark storm arrived above Wehnimer's Landing and shadowy troll wraiths appeared inside the walls, snatching up children and disappearing into the darkness. Hours later, the bodies of children were impaled on wooden stakes outside of town and bodies of children were left in the streets. Heroes gathered and along with militia men began to remove the stakes and carry off the corpses. Before the night was over, more children corpses appeared inside of translucent red cocoons which magically floated high above the town. The eerie cries of ghostly children began to intermittently wail at all hours.

The following day, some of the red cocoons burst open and winged blood red fiends came forth, attacking the town but eventually being killed themselves.

Mitokh the Tehir hunter led some heroes to the Badlands where they discovered the remaining kidnapped children, who were still alive! The heroes fought off some shadow trolls and escaped back to town with the children. In response to the attacks, the house of White Haven offered sanctuary to the women and children of Wehnimer's Landing, and wagons of innocent citizens were escorted to the relative safety of Icemule Trace.

Akhash the Tehir spiritcaller arrived in town after he was sent a message by some of the heroes to come quickly. Akhash investigated the cocoons and a few days later was able to magically dispel them before anymore fiends were hatched. The wailing cries of the ghostly children faded away.

Catapults appeared along the old Mine Road and launched boulders and fiery globules into town, weakening the defenders before the first wave of trolls appeared and began their invasion of Wehnimer's Landing. Griffins began to drop boulders on townspeople from the sky, while shadow trolls appeared out of nowhere, clawing at people as they tried to fight or flee. Boulders from catapults continued to rain down on the town while griffins would snatch up women from the streets, carrying them off into the distance.

Some of Thrayzar's clan, orc warriors and assassins joined the heroes of Wehnimer's Landing and help in fighting the pockets of trolls that appeared in the town's surrounding environs.

Days later, more red cocoons were reported to have been found in the graveyard along the Coastal Cliffs. Meanwhile, a wave of siege engines was rolled up into Upper Trollfang and Lower Dragonsclaw outside of town. The heroes branched off into two groups, some fighting waves of trolls and destroying siege towers and catapults, while the other group going to the graveyard and breaking the cocoons while fighting off shadow golems and shadow troll wraiths. At the graveyard, once the cocoons were destroyed, a shadow troll general appeared but was eventually killed. After the general's defeat, shadow trolls were no longer spotted.

An orc warrior was found in Upper Trollfang, stumbling about and dying from a vicious stomach wound. He offered up his trollbane maul to the heroes present and told them to keep the fight going. The orc then collapsed and died.

The troll commander Drangell himself arrived with a wave of trolls outside of town. Drangell was easily killed but begin to rapidly heal and rise back to his feet. He left a swath of corpses before he was killed again and then dragged off by some troll warriors, presumably so he could heal and return.

The Tehir tipped off the heroes about a griffin hatchery their scout had discovered down a narrow trail in Thanatoph. The heroes mounted a large assault and attacked the griffin hatchery, destroying dozens and dozens of egg nests and killing another one of Drangell's troll generals. As a result, the griffin attacks from the sky slowed and eventually disappeared altogether.

Lumnea 5111 (June 2011)

Thrayzar returned and gathered many of the town's defenders and asked them to come with him to his outpost. He told them the trolls had discovered it and were now attacking and he sought help to finish escorting all of his people out safely. The heroes went to the outpost and fought off trolls and blood maggots while Stiletto helped some orc and goblin women and children escape through a tunnel below the base. Drangell's third troll general led the attack on the outpost and he dropped an orcbane weapon upon his death. Once all of the innocents were saved, the heroes fled the fortress and Stiletto ensured it was destroyed and it exploded in a fiery inferno which also killed off dozens of trolls.

Large shimmering red portals appeared above Wehnimer's Landing and packs of horned blood red vathors dropped out of them, all of which moved about the streets leaving piles of corpses behind. The demons were eventually killed, but the portals remained open and demons continued to drop from them over the course of three days.

Akhash the Tehir spiritcaller believed he could perform a ritual to use his warding magic to close the red portals and block the summoner's from opening more portals into town. In order to achieve his goal, Akhash must enhance his own power with a powerful nearby spirit. After much research and debate, Akhash informed the heroes that the spirit of Estrion, the lord of Darkstone Castle would have the best chance of communicating with. Mayor Walkar and Akhash met with many heroes present and discussed the details of the ritual and any possible negative outcome. Walkar approved of the ritual and Akhash went into Darkstone Castle where he later reported he created a pact with Estrion, who would help Akhash put wards around the town in exchange for Akhash's oath to kill Sheru. The dark pact between Estrion and Akhash was formed and after a successful ritual, the red portals in town were closed. The heroes, with Akhash's aid, also sealed up the catacombs to prevent trolls from coming up into the streets.

Lord Grishom Stone announced the arrival of one of his supply ships, filled with logs, and all of the ballista towers in town were fully stocked with arrows to help in the defense of Wehnimer's Landing.

Trolls continued to besiege the town daily, their armies forming along the Coastal Cliffs, the old Mine Road, Lower Dragonsclaw and Upper Trollfang. Drangell appeared again and left even more bodies behind and tried to provoke the defenders, welcoming their attacks. He is attacked and killed numerous times, but heals quickly and began to grow in both size and strength. Eventually the heroes surrounded him and would not attack him and began to try to talk to him, to warn him of the summoner's using him. Once Drangell stopped attacking and seemingly began to listen, a column of shadows appeared and engulfed him.

A new wave of demons attacked the town and Omlor the orc demon hunter arrived and helped in the fight. After a horde of demons were killed, two vathors soared down from the sky and snatched up Omlor, disappearing with him into the darkness. The heroes formed a search party and not long after a red portal appeared near them and they were greeted by a shadowy voice who told them he was a rogue summoner. The heroes headed through the portal and found a dark, eerie clearing which led to a blood-soaked ritual site. Along the shadowy trail, the heroes found the mutilated body parts of Omlor, along with his demonbane scythe. After fighting through hordes of dark trolls, blood golems and demons, the heroes destroyed some magical stones jutting up from the ground which allowed them access to a dark altar, which the summoners had used to bring forth demons. The bodies of women were piled around the altar. Once the altar was destroyed, the spirits of ghostly women appeared and attacked, but were eventually released into peace.

After the dark altar was destroyed, demons stopped attacking the town and cargo ships from Vornavis arrived with further aid and weapons. Knights and infantrymen from Mestanir arrived shortly after, helping to fight the trolls outside of town.

A large number of siege engines appeared again in Upper Trollfang, accompanied by some kobold carpenters who seemed to have escaped from somewhere nearby. Heroes and defenders break into groups and scour the nearby area in search of Drangell's siege camp. After an hour of fighting trolls and searching, the heroes locate a hidden trail to the siege camp and began to destroy a vast amount of siege engines, while killing trolls and kobolds. The fighting escalates as troll soldiers and champions arrive to defend the camp, along with Drangell's last general. The general is finally killed and drops his prized orcbane weapon and the heroes set about destroying the entire camp, buildings and siege engines alike. Drangell is nowhere to be found.

Akhash and the heroes theorized on ways to break Drangell's curse, since attacking him only made him stronger. Akhash revealed a possible way to break the curse, but he needed items tied to the curse itself and trolls. Thrayzar offered his longsword, which was used to kill the witch that created the curse. The heroes collected troll blood, hides and body parts. Akhash and Xanith forged a magical blade using all of the components that had been collected. The heroes also presented some crystallized flame shards from Drangell's original prison, which Akhash said they would use to help pin him temporarily to perform the ritual.

The following evening Drangell led a massive wave of trolls and they broke through the gates and swarmed the streets. Defenders fought off the trolls while a large crowd of heroes surrounded Drangell outside the bathhouse. Drangell's waraxe was disarmed and people kept tackling him or pinning him down with insect swarms. The flame shards were stuck into his limbs and he thrashed about on the ground while Akhash, using the newly forged magical blade, began to cut the air around Drangell which slowly pulled back the curse. Drangell's body changed and shifted and he gradually reverted back to his giantman form. Mayor Walkar and Marshal Khylon, along with a number of dwarven sentinels were also present and arrested Drangell, dragging him off to be imprisoned and interrogated.

With Drangell defeated and no more generals alive, the troll army began to break up and scatter. The defenders of Wehnimer's Landing and Knights of Mestanir continued their fight against the trolls who eventually retreated, dispersing in all directions and were no longer an organized threat. The town and people of Wehnimer's Landing celebrated their victory and thanked their allies far and wide.

Drangell remained a captive in Wehnimer's Landing, being tucked away in a secret location within the prison. Mayor Walkar made an arrangement with Akhash the spiritcaller to place magical wards on Drangell's prison that would prevent the summoners from easily reaching him. Interrogations were expected to continue until Drangell offered up any important information regarding the summoners, often referred to as the Arcane Eyes.

Chapter 4: Man Among Orcs

6/15/2011 and GM report on 6/16/2011 for portion finale.

Phoenatos 5111 (August 2011)

Local citizens began to voice their anger and distrust of Mayor Walkar, citing many issues from his alliances with orcs and allowing them near town, or even his recent tactics of associating with the spirit of Estrion to help protect the town from the summoners. Some even questioned him because of his old ties to Jantalar and the reasoning behind the death of his father.

Throughout many nights, flashes of white light appeared above Wehnimer's Landing and powerful granite golems fell from the clouds and into the streets. They killed a number of people and began handling their corpses, searching for something.

Colson, an aging huntsman and citizen of Wehnimer's Landing, began to stir up anger among fellow townspeople over Mayor Walkar. Colson's son was once a member of the town militia who was murdered by the orc assassin named Thrayzar over a year ago. The orc had helped the town on many other occasions and even though Mayor Walkar pardoned the orc of his crimes, Colson blamed him even more for his son's tragic end. Colson, along with a number of other angry citizens, met with the town council to discuss a petition being formed to remove Mayor Walkar from office.

At the docks in Wehnimer's, one of Grishom Stone's merchant ships was attacked by thieves, the ship destroyed and some crates stolen. Days later, the re-opening of the Landing Museum was delayed.

A petition was formed and setup outside of Moot Hall where townspeople could sign their names if they wished to remove Mayor Walkar from power.

A counter-petition was formed days later outside of Thrak's Inn where townspeople could sign their names in support of keeping Mayor Walkar in office.

Urnon-eyed golems appeared in town, killing more people and searching their bodies for something.

The petition to remove Mayor Walkar failed to gain the required amount of signatures and the town council removed it.

Colson's anti-mayor movement shaped into a group of angry citizens calling themselves the Landing Liberators. They held a number of meetings in the basement of Tykel's Weapon Shop and handed out protest signs and bracers with their new group's insignia. In addition, a number of anti-mayor signs were put up around town in heavily populated areas.

In response to the protests, Mayor Walkar and supporters handed out pro-mayor pins and put up some signs in support of him.

A massive black storm arrived at Wehnimer's Landing, and tormented faces appeared within the dark clouds. The tortured faces began to cry drops of blood which landed in the town and soaked into the ground. Soon after blood red deathworms erupted from the ground, killing people all over town before being dispatched.

A wagon is ambushed outside of town and many locals rushed to investigate. They found a broken coffer full of gems common in Ta'Illistim and a case filled with serpent-hilted daggers. Some bandits were still present and killed, many of them wearing golden pins that claimed they were supporters of Mayor Walkar. Another box was discovered near the wagon and it was empty except for a few pieces of broken glass and an oily substance staining an inside corner. The town marshal Khylon arrived with dwarven sentinels to take the coffers away to have the substance investigated.

Days later, the Archmage Krylonna announces that the substance found in the ambushed wagon was the residue of the deadly poison Luukosian deathwort and the majority of it had been stolen. Mayor Walkar tried to calm the town's population and assure them that everyone was safe and continued to drum up support for Frontier Days.

Another massive storm arrived in Wehnimer's Landing and rained down fiery globules that formed into fire elementals when they landed. The flame creatures killed a number of citizens all the while destructive meteors showered the town. The storm eventually dispersed and the fire creatures were killed.

Wehnimer's Landing Frontier Days kicked off with two weeks full of events hosted by local organizations and a number of services offered by merchants. During the two week celebration, groups of disgruntled citizens continued to voice their growing anger with Mayor Walkar, marching in the streets with their signs and recruiting new members to the Landing Liberators.

Wehnimer's Landing Museum was re-opened and the new renovations were revealed!

Imaerasta 5111 (September 2011)

On the final evening of Frontier Days, Lord Grishom Stone gathered a crowd along North Ring Road to select a number of townspeople for his merchant services. After an hour or so of working, an ex-militia member named Vaurus appeared within the crowd, activated a magical crimson glass orb and tossed it to the ground. Vaurus ran off before the orb exploded, killing over fifty people in the street.

The uprising against Mayor Walkar escalated into violence and chaos as angry citizens took to the streets, attacking people and setting fire to buildings around town. Local officials made buckets of water available in the East Tower, Thrak's Inn and Moot Hall and many heroes rushed to help put out the fires.

Mayor Walkar held a meeting with many heroes and defenders in his office. During the meeting, a red-robed summoner named Nysorm appeared. Nysorm once worked with Grishom, but recently broke all loyalty to him after his lover, Arleasta, the woman who had once posed as Odilia, was used and killed because of Grishom.

During the meeting with Mayor Walkar and many heroes, Nysorm informed those present of the history of Grishom Stone and that his father was killed by a man named Elithain Cross, who was also a summoner. They both belonged to a group called the Arcane Eyes who secretly operated within the shadows of Mestanir. The Arcane Eyes worshipped Koar, but Grishom's father, Sabasation, believed that Arkati were nothing but over glorified servants. Such thought made Sabasation a heretic. Elithain could not safely and openly oppose Grishom's father and so he had his daughter Madelyne seduce Grishom. Months later, when Madelyne was accepted and Grishom fell in love with her, she ambushed Sabasation in a field of sirenflowers outside their home and killed him. Grishom witnessed the murder and rushed to confront Madelyne, wrestling the dagger from her grip before killing her with it. Nysorm went on to inform the heroes that the Arcane Eyes faced open war between factions supportive of Elithain Cross, and those now loyal to Grishom Stone because of the murder. Before any magical war could be waged, the armies of Jantalar invaded with their Mandis Crystals, sending the Arcane Eyes scattering all over Elanith. Nysorm explained that Elithain Cross was believed dead, but was in fact hiding from Grishom. Nysorm let Mayor Walkar and the heroes know that he would seek out Elithain to hopefully help them finally put an end to Grishom Stone.

Mobs of angry citizens continued to attack people in town at night, lightning more buildings on fire and smearing blood on the statue of Mirayam in Town Square North West. A blood-stained rock was thrown through the window of Mayor Walkar's office and fire arrows were fired in, igniting the room on fire. Even the words "Die Walkar Die" were smeared in blood on the entrance of Moot Hall. Local heroes eventually put out the fires and helped dwarven sentinels push back the angry mobs.

A group of dwarven sentinels descended upon Tykel's Weapon Shop and broke up a meeting of the Landing Liberators. Many heroes and defenders of the town joined the sentinels in arresting some of the protesters and killing some. Tykel threatened to close up his shop, but Councilman Juramis convinced him to keep it open.

In response to the growing uprising against Mayor Walkar and their own dislike for him, the local merchants Dakris and Kilron closed up the Furrier and Pawnshop, citing they would not re-open until Walkar was out of office.

Vaurus, the ex-militiaman and member of the Landing Liberators, continued to set off many crimson orbs in town, blowing up citizens in populated places like taverns, town square, outside the bank, etc. A few other angry townspeople mysteriously came across more crimson orbs and began setting them off as well.

Mayor Walkar issued a bounty for the killing or capture of Vaurus.

Within a few days after the bounty being announced, Vaurus was apprehended on the second floor of Moot Hall after trying to blow up the Mayor's office. He was webbed and stunned before someone finally shot an arrow into his head. As the gathered heroes tried to interrogate him, his body was consumed in flames.

Lord Grishom Stone convinced Dakris to re-open the furrier, for the best interest of the people of Wehnimer's Landing.

Colson met with people in the Mayor's Office and apologized for the violence going on. Colson explained that his son would never have wanted to see the uprising turn violent and that he was ashamed that the Landing Liberators split into separate groups of brutal thugs. After being convinced by some of the heroes, Colson took off his Landing Liberator bracer and tossed it to the floor. He promised he would try to work with people to stop the violence in the town.

The violence only escalated as large groups of protesters flooded the streets, setting more buildings on fire as bandits attacked people outside of town. Mayor Walkar himself soon joined the heroes in the forest as they cut down bandits who were trying to set the archery towers on fire. Mayor Walkar then went into a berserker rage and ran into town, killing more bandits and even some of the citizen protesters who were trying to attack him and others. Some heroes begged for Walkar to stop attacking, while many others joined him to defend themselves and others. Walkar's rage subsided outside of Moot Hall and he was then told by others that Colson sought to speak with him about ending the violence. The mayor said he would find him and try to put a stop to it all. The mayor stormed off looking for Colson.

Thirty minutes later, the fires in town had been put out and the mobs of angry citizens had been pushed back by heroes and militiamen. It was then that townspeople saw a body fly out of the mayor's window and landed in the street outside of Moot Hall. The corpse was that of Colson, who had a jagged axe wound in his chest and a series of black veins around the wound. Guards and heroes rushed into Moot Hall to find the mayor's office locked. The guards broke down the door to find Mayor Walkar passed out drunk on the floor, his axe lying next to him and covered in blood and an oily substance. Walkar woke up, tried to escape but was tackled by guards and his weapon confiscated. The heroes looked on in surprise as the mayor was dragged off to jail.

The archmage Krylonna announced that the substance found on Walkar's axe was Luukosian deathwort and that it having been used in killing Colson had prevented him from being ressurected.

Two days after Walkar's imprisonment, a group of masked individuals broke into the town prison, incapacitated and killed some of the guards and freed the mayor. The town marshal, Khylon, was later arrested by the town council on suspect of organizing the prison break. Rumors suggested Walkar escaped into Upper Trollfang where allies helped him make it safely away from Wehnimer's Landing.

In the absence of their elected mayor, who had now become a wanted criminal, the town council named Barnom Slim as Interim Mayor and promoted Lord Juramis to Head of the Town Council.

The town riots died down and order had seemingly returned to the town. With Mayor Walkar gone, Kilron finally re-opened the pawnshop. As his first act of order as Interim Mayor, Barnom Slim officially declared Walkar, along with his orc ally Thrayzar, criminals of Wehnimer's Landing, wanted dead or alive. The town council went on to threaten that anyone caught associating with or aiding these criminals would be dealt with swiftly and without mercy.

Chapter 5: The Uprising

Concluded on 9/13/2011 & 9/14/2011

Jastatos 5111 (October 2011)

Huge chunks of rocks occasionally fell from the sky, landing throughout Lower Dragonsclaw and Upper Trollfang. Red veins seemed to be growing along the rocks surfaces. Once the town's defenders had located the rocks and battered them, they'd crumble apart releasing powerful constructs that eventually were killed.

A large wall of bones was erected in the hills, blocking people from traveling to Ronan's Shrine, a place some believed safe from the scrying of the summoners. After hours of fighting creatures and battling the poisonous wall, the heroes were able to destroy it.

A huge cloud appeared above Wehnimer's Landing and split into swarms of red-eyed black wasps that began draining spirit and blood from victims within the town. For over a week the wasp swarms continued until a huge writhing blood wasp nest was located on the Boulder near Dragonsclaw. The nest was eventually destroyed by local heroes and defenders, but then three blood demons erupted from its remains and slaughtered many before being defeated.

Interim Mayor Barnon Slim made a public announcement reminding Wehnimer's Landing that their real enemy was a man known as Elithain Cross and that he was the true leader of the summoners, despite the many rumors surrounding Grishom Stone.

Days later, Interim Mayor Slim gathered a crowd outside of Moot Hall and announced that the mercenaries hired by Walkar were fired along with any militia members loyal to the ex-mayor. The only guards that remained were ones who had sworn loyalty to Barnom Slim.

Townspeople had gathered to watch as Barnom Slim confronted the Tehir Spiritcaller named Akhash in the street outside Moot Hall. Barnom demanded that Akhash remove his wards that were protecting the town, citing that the town council did not trust his magic and did not want to rely on it. Akhash and Raokh boldly denied Barnom's wishes and said the wards would remain to protect the townspeople and walked away. Barnom stormed into Moot Hall, uttering threats and insults.

Eoantos 5111 (November 2011)

Red-eyed black bats began to show up in swarms and attack Wehnimer's Landing, draining blood from townspeople.

A woman, named Elisyia went missing in town. Her father Drendan, a local blacksmith, joined a search party with some heroes to find her but they had no luck.

Days later, two bone pillars appeared in the environs around Wehnimer's Landing. One was found in Upper Trollfang while another was spotted along the Coastal Cliffs. Heroes reported watching the bone pillars periodically shift, reaching to the sky like a giant skeletal finger. With prolonged exposure, the pillars had began to drain people's blood who were nearby.

Interim Mayor Barnom Slim suddenly declared that urnon was illegal in Wehnimer's Landing and that even if someone was suspect of possessing it, they could be arrested and searched. Any collected urnon would then be safely stored by town officials until the threat of the summoners was over.

Some local heroes gathered outside of Grishom's office in the Bathhouse and tried to break down the door, claiming to the authorities that he had urnon inside. Councilman Juramis arrived and broke up the crowd and told them he'd speak with Grishom and see about investigating his office.

A day later Grishom Stone met with the spiritcaller Akhash and informed him that he was nearing completion of a possible way to free the ghost of Madelyne from Riend. Akhash offered his help in the process and was later warned by the heroes that he was being used, but assured them he would be careful. That same evening, the heroes demanded Grishom show them his office and when he did and they found no urnon, they accused him of moving it.

Councilman Juramis and Interim Mayor Slim publically met with the Silver Gryphons outside Moot Hall along with other townspeople and local heroes. Slim accused the Knights of conspiring to kill them and found some letters in Sir Brinn's coat that indicated him and the Order were involved in an assassination plot. The Knights Cryheart and Brinn were then publically executed and an investigation was ordered into the Gryphon's land and membership.

Some local heroes and defenders of the town held a funeral for justice, carrying an empty coffin around town and singing dirges of a time when Wehnimer's Landing was free of tyranny.

Earl Jovery of Hendor released a stern warning to Wehnimer's Landing stating that he would send imperial forces to the town if rumors of the Knights being persecuted were true. He gave the interim mayor Slim fourteen days to respond or soldiers would be dispatched.

Helga brought a bunch of citizens and heroes to the back alley behind her bar where she handed out anti-Slim and anti-Juramis signs for part of the new resistance group forming. Many of the resistance members also wore red neckerchiefs with the words, "Sons of Thrayzar" on them, using the name of the orc who helped Mirayam so long ago and was an now an enemy of the summoners.

Larton, the local locksmith, met up with a crowd of angry townspeople outside of Moot Hall where he handed out piñatas that looked like Councilman Juramis. Later Barnom Slim showed up and warned the protestors that they had five minutes to leave or he'd arrest them. Guards showed up and began to arrest the citizens, throwing dozens of people in jail. Inside the jail cell, shadow golems and fire elementals appeared, killing people while they were locked up. Eventually Barnom went and unlocked the jail cell so the prisoners could be rescued and the golems dispatched. That same night the heroes created an effigy of Barnom Slim at the Bonfire on the Festival of Frost grounds and set it on fire before guards tore it down.

Barnom Slim met with the Drakes Vanguard at their courtyard and demanded that their organization make a public oath to him and the town council, in light of the Gryphons being under investigation for conspiracy. The Drakes refused and Barnom warned them of their mistake before storming off.

One of Helga's barmaids, Salaendra, went missing. Helga claimed to a group of heroes that she hadn't showed up in two days for work. The heroes fanned out and formed search parties but she was never recovered. Hours later a third bone pillar appeared on the Glatoph, presumably linked to the disappearance of another woman.

Interim Mayor Slim and the corrupt militia arrived at the Gryphon's Holding and closed it down until their investigation could be finished. Slim made a bold statement, mocking the Earl of Hendor and told him that they would do all they deemed fit to protect the leaders of Wehnimer's Landing. Barnom Slim then went on to threaten other organizations, demanding similar oaths of loyalty as he had asked from the Drakes. The Black Wolves tried to negotiate with Barnom and help prevent too much disruption within the city.

Nysorm, the rogue summoner, met with the local heroes and the Tehir Raokh and led them through a portal to the Dragonspine Mountains, to an area he believed Elithain Cross had been hiding. The heroes fought through the ruins of an old frozen library, battling ice creatures. They came across magical sigils in the wall, that once properly activated, led them beneath the library into a room full of obsidian scrying pools and the man they were looking for. Elithain greeted the heroes and told them he was not yet ready to confront Grishom and that he sought a powerful scepter that would grant him the ability to defeat him. Elithain vanished soon after allies of Grishom showed up in the library.

The next day Elithain arrived on the Hearthstone steps and told the heroes about the true source of Grishom's power, that it came from a demonic island that kept him immortal. In order to defeat both Grishom and the island, Elithain needed the scepter he spoke of so that he could sever the dark link between both. Elithain told those gathered that he would continue his search for the item and that he would call upon them when he needed their help to retrieve it. Once Elithain's presence near town became known, demons and golems soon invaded and Elithain disappeared.

While engaged in conversation about Grishom and Barnom with local citizens on the porch, Councilman Juramis is stalked and attacked before he eventually disappeared. Many believed the Councilman was gone for good.

Grishom Stone and Bridonna, the museum's director were seen walking around town enjoying the snow-filled night.

Dyhne, a prominent merchant is killed near Wehnimer's Landing after his wagon is burned and many of his rare metals stolen by bandits. The heroes blamed Grishom Stone, who then publically questioned Barnom Slim as interim mayor for allowing such crimes to occur.

Tykel's niece, Kalie, is reported missing. Tykel shouts angrily on the amulet and calls heroes to him to help search for her. He instantly blames Grishom Stone. The heroes are slightly confused since all of the other missing women had black hair and green eyes, but Kalie had black hair and blue eyes. Some speculate that the abductor is getting desperate. Hours later, a fourth bone pillar appeared along the Mine Road.

Eorgaen 5111 (December 2011)

Grishom Stone made a few appearances at the Silvergate and Gryphon's winter galas, dancing with a number of women and trying to charm them while ignoring glares from many in the crowd. That night Bridonna claimed to some party-goers that she believed Grishom was an innocent and wonderful man and that one day she'd get him to marry her.

Kailashandra, the Seer, arrived in Wehnimer's Landing with her guardian Magala, who was later attacked and killed by an urnon-eyed golem. The golem returned for Kailashandra but the heroes came to her rescue, killing the creature and then listened to the seer's visions of Grishom, involving his past, the present and the future.

The fifth and final bone pillar appeared in the Wooded Hills in Lower Dragonsclaw.

An invasion of bats, golems and death maggots attacked the town. During part of the attack, the heroes spotted a burly man escaping from moot hall with a large sack. Later they found Barnom Slim trying to sneak into Moot Hall and confronted him, denounced him as their leader and said that even Grishom Stone was losing patience with him. Barnon seemed to get rather nervous then used a smoke sphere to disappear from the angry crowd.

Nysorm appeared to the heroes at Hearthstone and provided the means for them to remotely spy on the ritual being performed by Grishom and Akhash to free Riend of being possessed by Madelyne. Councilman Juramis returned, much to everyone's surprise and told those gathered that he had went into hiding because he wanted to try to find out who was trying to kill him. The councilman was urged to watch the ritual. During the ritual, Grishom had Riend drink a potion he had concocted using her own blood. Once she fell unconscious, Akhash used his mastery of the spirits to magically begin to separate the ghost of Madelyne from Riend's body. Once the spirit was freed, it tried to attack Grishom but realized it was immobilized. Grishom revealed his true nature to everyone as he withdrew his rune-etched dagger and absorbed the spirit of Madelyne into it. While Akhash and Riend were still unconscious, Grishom moved over to sacrifice Riend but magical wards Akhash had placed around her prevented him from his attack. Grishom then disappeared just as the others woke up. Back at Hearthstone, Juramis deeply regretted ever trusting Grishom and apologized to the heroes and told them that he then knew the truth of Stone and would work against him.

Reports came in that Barnom Slim fled Wehnimer's Landing and stole from the town's treasury. Rumors indicated that he escaped to River's Rest. The corrupt militia, who had been put in place by the evil interim mayor resigned, once they learned their funding was gone.

Councilman Juramis gathered citizens and local heroes at the Temple Graveyard, where the bard Arpelli loresang to the tombstone of Colson, which revealed Grishom's role in his murder and the framing of Mayor Walkar. Juramis declared Grishom an outlaw of the town and publically encouraged Walkar to come out of hiding and return to his rightful elected position in Wehnimer's Landing.

Waves of golems and demons attacked Wehnimer's Landing, flooding the forest and north gate. During the battle Walkar was seen among the fray, killing demons as he made his way back into town. After the invasion was stopped, Mayor Walkar unlocked his old office and got caught up from the heroes for awhile before turning in for the night. Walkar's attire was torn and weathered, except for a polished crimson breastplate he wore that would sometimes glow.

Mayor Walkar and Akhash gathered the heroes at Hearthstone and then proceeded to the Stone Baths in town, where Akhash dispelled the magical wards keeping Grishom's office locked. Once inside, the heroes found that they could enter the shadows in the corner of the room and teleport to a dungeon beneath the bathhouse. In the dungeon was an obsidian scrying pool and a few other trinkets and books, among them a tome on the art of blood magic.

A terrible storm moved over Wehnimer's Landing, bringing with it rain and red lightning. Golems appeared in Upper Trollfang as the defenders of the town rushed out to battle them. During the storm, beams of red light burst from the five bone pillars and shot up into the sky, disappearing into the storm clouds. In an ear-splitting sound, Akhash's wards that protected the town appeared in the air and suddenly shattered. Meanwhile, in town, women reported hearing voices and seeing the image of a handsome man calling for them to follow him. Many resisted the enchantment, but dozens and dozens of women became enthralled and shambled into the town's museum. Once the golems were killed outside of town, the local heroes rushed to the museum but were too late as Grishom Stone had opened up a portal inside and led nearly a hundred women through it, to his island where he would later sacrifice them.

With Akhash's wards now broken by Grishom's magic, the spiritcaller was able to decipher the origin of the attack. With that information, he informed Elithain Cross of the location of the summoner's island. Using his power, Elithain opened a shimmering red portal along the Coastal Cliffs near town, a gateway that led to the shores of Glaoveln. From there the heroes were able to swim to Erythro island, the living, demonic island that was powering Grishom Stone. The island was full of monstrosities, all creations of the island and Grishom. For weeks the heroes led attacks against the minions of the summoner, weakening his numbers.

Huge churning pools of blood appeared in the Lower Dragonsclaw and Upper Trollfang, one or two even showing up inside of Wehnimer's Landing. Defenders and citizens of the town inspected the pools to find fleshy forms struggling to rise out of them. Finally countless flesh golems began to rise out of the blood pools, each one resembling the build and face of Grishom Stone. After two nights of fighting Grishom doppelganger golems, demons and fire elementals, Elithain Cross was able to destroy the pools of blood and prevent their return.

Lormesta 5112 (January 2012)

Chapter Finale: Set in Stone

Nysorm gathered the heroes once more at Hearthstone, informing them that Elithain had finally located the scepter he needed to defeat Grishom. Joining with the heroes, Nysorm opened a portal to an area referred to as the Den of Ash, where they battled against fiery ogre, giants and elementals before finding an onyx-capped scepter within a pillar of flame. Using water magic to finally dispel the fire, the adventurer Ravashaak grabbed the scepter and the heroes returned to town. During their raid, many of the fire creatures escaped through the portal and attacked town but were finally defeated. When Nysorm asked for the scepter, Ravashaak demanded Elithain come for it himself. Elithain appeared and after much negotiation the scepter was handed over, as Elithain gave more details of the plans to stop Grishom. It was believed that Grishom would soon be trying to complete his ritual to create a sentient urnon golem and that they needed to wait until that moment in his time of weakness to strike.

An onslaught of demons and a variety of golems invaded Wehnimer's Landing, flooding the forests and streets of the town as defenders and local heroes rose up to fight them. Shortly after the invasion began, Mayor Walkar and Councilman Juramis gathered a large group of heroes and led an attack on Erythro Island. Elithain Cross met them on the island and reported that the creatures on the island had begun dwindling, an indicating that its power was being consolidated for Grishom's ritual. Traveling to the stomach of the island within the blood caverns, Elithain produced a black orb that had been inscribed with sigils from the spiritcaller Akhash. The orb was designed to siphon spirit energy and channel it. Elithain explained that he would need to drain people's spirit to use the orb and that later he would need the heroes' help to weaken Grishom. Elithain then used the orb to reveal a shadowy portal that led into a hall of urnon, where the heroes destroyed four urnon golems that had luckily not yet been activated yet. Each golem dropped a shard of blood red urnon. The heroes then ambushed Grishom in his ritual chamber, catching him during a moment of weakness during his sacrament, in front of a block of urnon. Elithain's orb exploded into a sphere of white light, which the heroes then willed their energy to attack Grishom, weakening him and burning his flesh. Once fully weakened, Elithain magically stilled the room, silencing everyone as he moved into the summoning circle with Grishom. Activating his onyx scepter, Elithain magically turned Grishom into stone. Double crossing the heroes, Elithain then took Grishom's ritual dagger, which held the spirit of his daughter Madelyne Cross and hundreds of other women, and thrust it into the slab of urnon, completing Grishom's ritual for him. The urnon shifted and came to life, taking the form of Madelyne and bowing to her new master. Elithain gloated to the heroes before teleporting away, taking his new urnon golem with him. Left to fend for themselves, the heroes destroyed the statue of Grishom Stone, shattering it into chunks of rock and two crystallized blue eyeballs which they took. The adventurers then pressed on into the pit of the island, destroying four large arteries while they fought against blood golems. Finally having reached the island's heart, the heroes fought against demons, golems and maggots as they victoriously destroyed the life blood of the demonic land. Erythro Island began to decay and collapse around them as the heroes fled for their lives, swimming back to Glaoveln before escaping through the portal back to Wehnimer's Landing.

The heroes escaped the red portal just in time as it exploded in a blast of light that lit up the night sky and sent quakes rippling across Wehnimer's Landing and its environs. Having finally defeated Grishom Stone and his demonic island, the heroes returned to town with Mayor Walkar and Councilman Juramis. Suddenly exhausted, Walkar collapsed outside of Moot Hall, his breastplate glowing with a red light. The mayor thanked the heroes for their endless efforts and help over the last two years and that Wehnimer's Landing had finally defeated their enemy once and for all, despite the cost of playing into the hands of another villain.

Kenstrom 10:50, 23 August 2013 (EDT)

THE END

This data below was from September 2011 and changed through the final months.

Mayor Walkar Wellington Born in Jantalar, Walkar's mother died when he was young, forcing him and his sister to be raised by a drunk and abusive father. In an act of self defense, Walkar accidently killed his father while trying to protect his sister. Soon after he joined the Jantalarian army and was among the troops who invaded Wehnimer's Landing under Baron Hochstib's orders. After witnessing women and children being killed, Walkar tried to rush to their aid but was struck in the back from a Jantalarian's spear. He was nursed back to health by townspeople of Wehnimer's and eventually gained citizenship and was appointed a seat on the town's council. Walkar was elected the new Mayor of Wehnimer's Landing in Eoantos 5110. He has since vowed to end the threat that the red robed summoners have brought to his town.

UPDATE: Walkar was recently accused of murdering Colson, the leader of a group of angry citizens called the Landing Liberators. After being imprisoned pending investigation, Walkar was broken out of jail by some of his allies and disappeared into hiding.

Councilman Barnom Slim He preaches about law and justice and claims to uphold it at all costs, but rumors abound that Slim might be corrupt. Having served on the town's council for over two decades, he felt the need to run for Mayor in Eoantos 5110 but was defeated by Walkar. Since then he has often been in vocal opposition of the new Mayor, frequently questioning Walkar's tactics and aggressive behavior.

UPDATE: After the escape and disappearance of Walkar, Barnom Slim has been named the Interim Mayor until new mayoral elections can be organized. He has placed Lord Juramis as Head of the Town Council and declared Walkar and the orc Thrayzar as enemies of Wehnimer's Landing. He has issued a threat stating that anyone caught helping them will be punished.

Lord Grishom Stone Charming and affluent, Lord Grishom Stone is surrounded by an aura of mystery. Born into great wealth in Mestanir, Lord Stone purchased an island in Mist Harbor before beginning to set his entrepreneurial sights on Wehnimer's Landing. In the last year he has rebuilt the abandoned bathhouse and primarily funded the complete renovation to the Wehnimer's Landing Museum, set to be revealed this summer. Despite his claims of being only a simple merchant, many rumors have circulated around town that Grishom may be involved with the red robed summoners and that the ghosts of dead women haunt him, all seeking revenge upon their murderer. Months ago, after his financial aid to Mestanir's knights in fighting demons, Baron Chydenar publically called him the Hero of Mestanir.

UPDATE: He's still good ole Grishom Stone.

Colson A citizen of Wehnimer's Landing, Colson has recently spoken out about Mayor Walkar and his dubious behavior. Colson tried to draw attention to the outlandish alliance with orcs and being caught between a war with them and trolls and even publically questioned Walkar's allowance of any pact with the spirit of Estrion. Since the recent defeat of the trolls, Colson's protests seem to have fizzled out.

UPDATE: Colson was killed at the end of the last chapter, poisoned by Luukosian deathwort via an axe wound to the chest and thrown from the window of the mayor's office. While Mayor Walkar was accused of murdering him, many speculate he was framed and Colson's true murderer is out there somewhere.

Khylon Oakspear Recently appointed by the Mayor as the Marshal of Wehnimer's Landing, Khylon is a dwarven warrior who has brought with him a group of experienced mercenaries that oversee additional security of the town. There has been some speculation as to why mercenaries are needed in addition to the local militia. The Mayor claims there is some corruption among the town council and the local militia and so he has hired his old trusted friend Khylon and his men, while Councilman Barnom Slim accuses the Mayor of trying to grab more power. Khylon helped lead a rescue mission into Mestanir months ago when the Mayor had gone missing.

UPDATE: Khylon is now imprisoned by the town council of Wehnimer's Landing as he is the prime suspect in organizing and leading a group of masked individuals in breaking Walkar out of prison and helping him escape town.

Elithain Cross Little is known of Elithain, save for that he was a powerful and wealthy noble decades ago in Mestanir, before the barony fell to the control of Jantalar. Many believe Elithain to be dead, but Mayor Walkar recently went searching for him in Mestanir, fully believing that Elithain could help Wehnimer's Landing stop the red robed summoners known as the Arcane Eyes. Lord Grishom Stone has confirmed that his father, Sebasation Stone knew Elithain Cross and that Elithain was responsible for his father's murder.

UPDATE: Once presumed death, it is believed Elithain Cross is hiding from Grishom Stone. Many seek information regarding his whereabouts as they have been led to believe he possesses the knowledge and power to stop Grishom Stone, who they believe is the leader of the red-robed summoners.

Madelyne Cross Deceased daughter of Elithain, Madelyne has now appeared in Wehnimer's Landing as a powerful and vengeful ghost. She has possessed people and warned them of Grishom Stone and that he must be killed. The ghost claims to have once been engaged to Grishom, but Lord Stone denies having ever met Madelyne while alive and readily discredits the musings of undead spirits.

UPDATE: Yep, she's still a ghost.

Nysorm Once the lover of a woman named Arleasta, both he and she were members of the summoners of the Arcane Eyes. Arleasta, who had taken the face and name of an Illistim elf named Odilia, led a wave of demons and golems and attacked both Mestanir and Wehnimer's Landing. When Odilia/Arleasta was killed in Wehnimer's Landing, scorched parchments were recovered from her body detailing Nysorm's pleas for her to leave the summoners with him and run far away. Now all alone, Nysorm secretly helped some heroes of Wehnimer's by opening a portal that allowed them to destroy the dark altar during the troll war.

UPDATE: Nysorm has officially broken ties with Grishom and has allied with the heroes of Wehnimer's Landing to help them find Elithain and defeat the summoners he once belonged too.

Mirayam The woman who started it all, Mirayam first arrived in Wehnimer's Landing over a year ago, having no memory of her life beyond two years before. She found a new home and friends within the town and soon got a job at the Wehnimer's Museum. Albright, a summoner of the Arcane Eyes later came to town with constructs and golems and threatened to destroy the town if Mirayam was not given to them. The town's council originally voted to hand over Mirayam, but she had gone missing. The summoner did not believe such a claim and so the invasions began. Under Walkar's heroic pressure, the town council eventually revoked their prior decision and instead stood ready to protect Mirayam if she could be found. Thrayzar the orc was able to find Mirayam who was soon revealed not to be human at all and instead a sentient golem created from urnon. Learning of her true origin, Mirayam's body began to grow unstable. The summoner Albright had been killed, but he had opened red portals above town which had begun to expand, threatening to envelope the entire city. Using her powers, Mirayam went around to each portal and expended her own energy in closing each one. Having completed her task, Mirayam could not maintain her form any longer and crumbled before a gathered crowd. Five shards of urnon were all that remained. It is rumored the summoners still seek these pieces of magical metal.

Pages in category "Beyond the Arkati"

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