Search for Biyatch
CHRONICLE > Dunstrand Rising is a Living World campaign set in Grand Duchy of Dunstrand in the Steel Realms of the [Fantasy] Steel Realms Setting (planet of Helca).
Search for Biyatch … Biyatch the Barbarian – the only member of The Gallants that made it home from challenging the necromancer that brought on The Soul Scourge. House Malor looks for Biyatch to scan his memories and see if there is anything they can use because the necromancer is growing stronger in Vale Evander, and the scourge is gaining strength.
> Biyatch is NOT A GALLANT!
CY 1-6-9169
Dalcia and House Malor
The Soul scourge Gaining Power: Armies are assembling in the Vale Evander. Sickness is spreading. Several small armies have tried the defenses of the Lich, but he has destroyed them. An entire mercenary band of 200 was sent against him, and after a day of battle, they all rose as his minions. Wizards and ordinary folk of Vale Evander are fleeing. The Merchant Cities of the South are preparing for war. Ynth is readying for war. Distrust is everywhere. Rumors and accusations flow like rivers.
Finding the Only Link: The events of what’s happening in the Vale Evander to the south reaches Dunstrand, House malor will be on the lookout for Biyatch the Barbarian. They will want Lady Dalcia Graf-Malor to track him down. They are going to extract the memories. It’s violent and painful and does permanent damage. But it’s crucial that everything that is possible to learn is learn. The evil is spreading.
Consult with Feather: Dalcia stops to talk to feather first. Feather has no clue where he has is gone. “Find a wild man spending drunk money… Well, like a wild man. He will leave a trail of money wherever he goes, he was careless”. If his tale is true though, he certainly doesn’t lack for bravery. A spear through the mid section should have taken down an elk with his strength, but the necromancer shrugged it off then later killed the entire party of Gallants except him. He honored his word to return the items of tat crew home – they knew it was likely a one way mission. Its a tale of honor and loyalty if you ask me. A credit to our legacy.
Vanishing Idiot: She spends a couple weeks but loses trail. It seems like he might have run out of money after staying in the most expensive places and eating and drinking his way through hundreds of silver crowns if not thousands. Once the money ran out, he just seems to have quietly vanished. Everywhere he stayed he did damage too – Feather was right, the trail was not hard to track to eastern Crestwold.
Emergency Conclave: She communicates to the head of the order. There is one emergency measure that they haven’t used in a couple centuries and that is the scrambling of The rookeries. All of them empty all at once. Everything that the order has shuts down in order to process. Looking out through the eyes of the crows, pigeons and doves as they scatter all around to see if they can catch a glimpse. It creates terror and confusion and fear in the populace. The head of the order says they will contemplate this.
Behind the Scenes… 2-10-9169 Dalcia and House Malor release the rookeries across all of Dunstrand.
The skies fill with wings come the sun’s first rise over the Dunstrand Vale in the east. Crows, pigeons, doves, and gulls take alight. It causes the population of the entirety of the Grand Duchy of Dunstrand to run screaming and bar windows and doors. For several minutes there is terror and confusion. Everywhere they fly. Blotting out the light in places where they are thick. They split up, then descend into the cities and settlements, into valleys and tress, caverns and over lakes, rivers and roads. For an hour, screams of denizens and birds alike fill the air until they re-ascend to the sky and return to their roosts to rest. Many were killed in the confusion, but only a small percentage of the entire combined flock. For a day, very little moves in Dunstrand, except where the members of House Malor and its agents can assuage the fears of locals. Briarwoods and Beastwoods fill up to appease the wrath nature. Within a couple days, its as if nothing happened.
Intelligence Gathered: In Mev, the home of House Malor and its primary rookery in Western Dunstrand, The Winged Seer Chantrel of Bergen, the member of House Malor that can see through the “eyes of the rookeries”, scream out in horror. Her mental trauma is sent to all House Malor members. Dalcia, fresh from the day of festivities in Torrelsons Ford, rushes to the curio shoppe and uses the circle of power to travel to Mev. There her and other order members try and untangle what Chantrel has seen.
It takes two days to heal her mind so she can process it. The order delves deep into her memories, using the power of The Panopticon.
- The location and travels (he is returning from the ruins of Cullahey Tower) of Mendollin are divined.
- The location of Biyatch the Barbarian is discovered – in a ditch in West River Run.
Blow-Back: There are MANY complaints lodged against House Malor for this, but it was a desperate move. Especially East River Run and West River Run counties. In fact, they formerly kick House Malor out of the court halls (essentially severing diplomatic ties) in their capitals until further notice. Its a step they have been looking for an excuse for for a long time. Relations turn sour within days. Members are being rounded up in the twin river counties.
House Malor scrambles: Chantrel is taken by circle of power, to the Panopticon of house Malor. Her memories are extracted. The head of the order and all senior members convene. For a day, they cast spells and immerse themselves in the weaves of the Pattern as it flows through The Panopticon. “The situation with the Necromancer in the south is bad, but several small armies are already working on that. What the foul creature Mendollin seems to be attempting will turn our lands on their heads immediately. We must fight against the twin river powers, and bolster our agents in Cerrans Grant or they will take this opportunity to reverse all our gains. Its time to call in our agents in the west. The The Raiding Larks sit in Mev, and The Gallants Pin Feathers team sits in Torrelson’s Ford. Dalcia will assemble them immediately. “But the Larks are for the Duke, and to take care of any issues in the Peace Process with Imperial Gwinn.” “All that is true, but the need is dire, and we will advocate to the Duke and his family while Dalcia makes the arrangements.” All eyes turn towards her… “It is time. Your blood is a conduit for the will of the order and Ezrilus herself. The Viridescent One probably already knows of some of this, the Belw’n Clan reborn in The Noble East will not likely sit on the sideline for this. Allying ourselves immediately, coming to some accord, this is necessary. Whatever concessions must be made to Na’grindl… make them. We have spoken of this at length many times since she revealed herself. She is young as her kind goes, but her mind is formidable. And she wields items of power long not seen.
“In addition to this, we give the task of recording all that comes to pass. Take the old messenger orb of Ioun. They fill little other purpose, but we have several and it will survive your death, should it happen. There must be a record in such a case. Keep it as a reward once this is done, for if you live, surely your position will be elevated.” With that, a padded lockinig box is opened. Inside is an orb, that looks like a giant eye. Dalcia gasps. A word is spoke, and the box is taken away and the rob floats in the air. The silent speech of House Malor is used, and Dalcia speaks the word. The orb turns to look at her, and the mages agree it is bound now.
Dalcia stands ramrod straight, waiting for any more bad news to drop. She slowly nods. The orb floats to her outstretched hand. She casts it above her, and it begins to circle her head. “It is bound until I die or release it.” The others activate the circle of power as she walks into it. “Cast her to the place of power for the The Viridescent One, upon the western delta of Crestwold.” The circle flashes and traces with power, and swallows her, sending her immediately to its destination with a thunderous clap. She is sent to the elders of The Saelish Landsman council, then to see The Viridescent One.
UNKNOWN TO PCs
After Dalcia is gone, the senior members of the order discuss a backup plan. And a backup for that. As they always do. As everyone expects of them. One of the things revealed that they did not tell Dalcia about was a faction within the order – the ‘Peace Seers of House Malor’. Peace at any cost. They seek a resolution with the Twin River powers and Gwinn. Somehow they hid from the elders – how this happened is the first order of business. Veral Blackthorne – herald of the baron of Crestwold – had mentioned a group within the order that may have been this. How did they miss it? How did he see it? There is only one way to make Dunstrand safe. Security Through Information.