The Road to Boronon | World of Teréth End

Orid 17 – Flald 3, DR: Reaching Kelamir, the group looks for a means to dispel their magical fatigue. Dammon becomes acquainted with Gadya of Amra. The group heads south toward Boronon. Tressta’s encounter with a woodland Wisp. The roadside villages of Guddar and Tunar. A strange traveler at night. An old man steps out of the rain. The swamp tower of Adjeryx. Days and days of mushroom picking. One ugly baby. A hag’s death. Dammon learns a thing or two about brewing. One last dinner in the swamp.

Continued from Haunted Halls of Krysurgörnn.

Malídor, 17 Orid 653

Beyond the bogs, the caravan moved slowly into the lowland hills of Ezmir. Making camp that evening, the group was able to look back and see the sunset’s gold glow sweeping across the Tor’n Gorgyn. The mountains looked peaceful from here. It was hard to imagine how many cairns they’d left behind.

Amdor, 18 Orid 653

When approaching the Town of Kelamir, the first thing they noticed was the Iron Spire. The Iron Spire of Kelamir rose like a needle from the Ezmìri hills, its slender height interrupted at intervals by vertebral protrusions. As the road wound through the countryside, their surroundings changed from hills to farmlands. Cresting the ring of hills that surround Kelamir, the group paused to look at the town below. The community was built at the intersection of five roads. At the town’s center there was a plaza was built around a small hillock, atop of which stood the strange Iron Spire. The spire itself might not have attracted such attention had it stood among the industrial rooftops of Oð or its kin, but here among the provincial cottages and businesses it was a striking anomaly.

Tressta asked a miner about the tower and the man shrugged. She tried to understand his explanation, but there was so much of the dialect that she didn’t understand. It almost sounded like the man said that the tower was for ships, a ridiculous idea in this landlocked region. After passing a quarry, the road entered town. People rushed out of their homes and businesses to welcome the returning miners. The adventurers and slaves stood and watched the reception. Eventually, as word spread that the group had “cleaned Krysurgörnn”, they were swept up in the welcoming too. As Dammon and the others went to inspect the giant spire, Tressta went looking for a priest to help with their weakness.

After speaking with several townsfolk, Tressta learned of a priest named Erezed. Tressta and Jak visited the old Ottarist priest and after some discussion learned of a priest named Waranyx in the City of Boronon that might be able to help them. Meanwhile, after walking around the town, Dammon discovered a small house set apart from its neighbors. Its expert stone construction suggested a moneyed occupant, but on closer inspection the magician saw that the place was in poor repair. Above the lintel above the door had once been carved with an intricate relief of blooming flowers. A gentle ringing issued from the open door, as a breeze passed through the house. As Dammon approached the house a woman’s voice bid him enter. Entering the house, the ringing grew louder. Looking up he found the ceiling covered with hundreds of tiny bells hanging from ribbons. The bells above his head rang, though the others were silent. Soon, a charming older woman entered the room, introducing herself as Gadya, Priestess ofAmra. She welcomed the magician into her home and they spoke for many watches. Eventually, the others in their group also assembled at the priestess’ home, where they sat and spoke of Ezmir, Taldàna, and disfavor for Amra in these lands. As they talked, all could not help but notice the bells ringing over Dammon’s head. As evening came to Kelamir, most of the group found comfortable rooms at an inn. Dammon however, accepted Gadya’s invitation and was not seen again until morning.

Wōdìndor, 19 Orid 653

Dammon entered the inn and joined his companions for breakfast. Afterward, the group divided the task of gathering supplies before heading South out of Kelamir. They were many days from Boronon, and wouldn’t be able to rely on soldiers, slaves, and miners to carry their provisions. Many gathered to see the heroes leave town and wish them well. Soon they were walking among the rolling fields of northern Ezmir, crossing babbling brooks, and resting in the shade of roadside copses. They passed a number of wagons and travelers as they walked, but encountered no Neðérim, howling undead, or other monsters. It was good to be in civilized lands again.

That evening they camped at a forest wayside. The ground was rutted by wagon wheels, and the firewood nearby had been recently cut and piled by prior travelers. On this late Spring night, they lay under the tree branches watching the stars move between breaks in the trees. As Tressta added wood to their fire, she saw a light moving through the woods. Leaving her post, the Taládan wandered forward to get a better look at the strange wisp of light. Drawing near, she was surprised as a luminous hand reached forward and lightning burned her through armor and clothes. Tressta’s startled scream alerted the others, who grabbed their weapons and rushed to her aid. Soon the woods were filled with tendrils of lightning, shocking all that drew near. Eventually however, the group was able to kill the Elōdāe Fel. After everyone returned to camp, Dammon’s Conscience ran forward and gathered the thing’s tiny blackened body.

Iyldor, 20 Orid 653

By the end of the next day the group came to an intersection. Downhill from either side of the road lay a woodside village, seemingly identical to the other. Looking for a place to stay the night, the group turned right into the Village of Tunar. While looking for an inn, they spoke briefly with a man named Gerje and his donkey, Gal. The man explained to them that the people of Tunar hated their neighbors, the Village of Guddar. He advised them to stay out of it. The group thanked him for his advice and the old farmer went on his way. Using Gerje’s instructions, the group soon found the Murgar Inn. Tressta did most of the talking, and arranged for her companions’ rooms while she had a bath poured and spent the evening talking with the chamber girl. Late that evening a commotion erupted on the ground floor of the inn. Tressta and others wandered down to find a man yelling at the innkeeper. After listening for a few minutes it became apparent that the man was upset that there were not enough rooms available in the inn. Throwing his hands up in frustration, he let go with some curses and stormed from the establishment. Outside, the man grabbed the reins of his horse and turned toward Guddar. As he passed a street lamp, it appeared that the heavy packages on the horse’s back might have been four bodies. While the rest of the group returned to bed, Jak slipped out of the inn and followed the man to the man to the main road. The man stopped, looked around him, lit a pipe, and then led his horse South.

Irídor, 21 Orid 653

The next morning, after a filling breakfast, the group gathered their things and headed back toward the road. No one had been able to say how far they were from Boronon because few ever walked there. Not long after starting down the main road they passed a man sleeping under a large roadside tree. His horse was tethered to the underbrush behind him. Neither moved as the group walked by. Jak wondered if it was the same man from last night, but couldn’t be sure. If it was the same man, his packages were nowhere to be seen. The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with only an occasional traveler passing along the road. Come evening they found an old wayside with the burnt-out remains of a wagon perched over a wide fire pit. It looked like it might storm, so they erected their Ortòri tents back in the trees.

Roydor, 22 Orid 653

Shortly after Nightsdeep, the rain began. Jak tended to the fire as best she could, but the rain grew harder so she withdrew under a tent flap. As she looked out into the rain, she saw an old hunched man picking his way along the road. Seeing the failing fire, the man turned and came toward the camp. He was soaked to the bone and carried a giant backpack across his shoulders. As he approached, he stopped to pick some mushrooms. Jak woke Tressta, who emerged from her tent half-asleep with a sword in her hand. The old man greeted them kindly and spoke glowingly of the weather. “There will be quite a crop tomorrow,” he enthused. Inviting the man out of the rain they spoke with him for the better part of a watch. He explained that he was collecting mushrooms for Adjeryx, an old witch that lived to the West of their camp. When he explained that the witch used them to brew cures, restoratives, and other elixirs the group became very interested. It had been days since their encounters in Krysurgörnn, and still they were fatigued. The old man agreed to show them where the witch lived in the morning.

After disassembling their camp, the old man led them back along the road they’d traveled. At an unmarked side trail, the man pointed into the deep woods. Leading them back along a narrow path, the old man kept a good pace despite his enormous pack. As predicted, soon they saw daylight breaking through the trees. A small hill rose from the swamp, atop of which stood the remains of an old tower. The small hill was covered with patchwork gardens of flowers, herbs, and vegetables. As they stepped from the marsh, a wrinkled woman emerged from the tower door. She seemed to be humming something to herself, but stopped when she noticed her visitors. The Old Man introduced his companions to Adjeryx, who welcomed them to her home. After sitting outside the tower and listening to their story, the old witch agreed to help them in exchange for their assistance. The group agreed to this. Adjeryx explained what she would need to make the potions, and instructed the old man to show them what she needed. Standing, the old man was still bent over, though he’d unshouldered his backpack a watch before. For the remainder of the day, the man led the group around the surrounding swamp, showing them which mushrooms the witch would need. By evening, the travelers were very tired, and rejoined Ezíkus and Adjeryx for dinner by the tower.