BookOne

Chapter 1 - Let's Get The Hell Out Of Here!
The journey begins as many adventures do... in a bar. The adventuring crew is enjoying a nice supper when some members of the future adventuring gang notice nefarious actions by the bard. Ince, the bard performing with a lute in the corner, places an enchantment on the homely bar-maid. The good natured members of the crew tell him to stop while drawing bow and sword. The bard, obviously threatened by the show of force, casts a spell that would freeze Mikhail in place with icy tones. Mikhail resists the spell, however, the flames in the fireplace explode in size and intensity. Suddenly the entire bar begins catching on fire.

During the chaos the minstrel attempts to run out of the bar but he is grappled by some of the heroes and the bar owner. Also, Mikhail horribly misses an arrow shot and strikes an innocent bar patron. The heroes eventually escape through the windows and the unblocked door. They can do nothing as the fire envelops the bar. Many of the crew are now without a home, job, or place to stay for the night. The bard is questioned and admits no fault regarding the sudden flames but did admit to trying to enchant the maiden. The village's drunken sheriff takes the bard to an awaiting cell.

In the morning a rider comes into town from the south. He gathers the townsfolk around himself and explains that the king is dead. Riders have ventured into the area that was once the Kingsplain and have encountered only ruin. The king is dead, along with the heads of the major Temples and Mage Colleges. Now a new king has been crowned in the southern fortress port of Soffrengate. Soffrengate has not experienced the arcane storms that the Red Hills has experienced the last 2 weeks. A voluntary evacuation order has been issued for all citizens of Kalrath to journey to Soffrengate. The rider is unable to lend aid on the journey as he must continue on, alerting other villages. However, he warns the villagers that there are thieves, brigands, and monsters along the road.

The adventurers decide to escort the villagers in exchange for provisions and equipment from the local merchant. They gather the horses that escaped from the bar's stables and they venture south along the road. The ranger and rogue scout ahead and encounter some brigands along the road. They escape the ambush and alert the party. When they return to the ambush point the brigands have moved on, however, the Ranger is able to track their trail. The tracks lead to a small outpost nestled under a short ridge, with a wooden pallisade blocking the entrance.

The stealthy party members attempt to encircle the outpost from the high ground, but sentries spot the Ranger Mikhail. Battle insues while the less-stealthy members of the party run to join the fray. The druid creates an obscuring mist at the wall's chokepoint to neutralize the brigands' archers and the Paladin performs very well in the fight, felling over 3 thieves. Eventually the remaining 2 brigands surrender and the party begins deciding what to do with the criminals.

Chapter 2 - On The Road
After the bandit fight the party loots the bandit encampment, finding a wagon of food, some cattle, and a potion that increases strength. Per normal custom in the kingdom, the bandits were branded on their hands with a 'B'. The party then chose to set them free.

The next day a strange occurance...occurs. Mikhail unknowingly steps in a small wisp of air that suddenly erupts into a whirling tornado or whirlpool. As Mikhail runs off to tend to "his" wagon,  Hasirock, Warren and the wizard Iskaral assist two villagers who are caught in the whirlpool. As the whirlpool grows in strength, a small wisp of flame forms in the center. Shortly after releasing the villagers, the vortex erupts in flames and turns into a wild, fiery tornado. Luckily no one is permanently injured.

After another 2 days of travel the convoy is beset in the early morning. Warren was on watch when he heard some noises. Awaking the camp, Warren investigates. Mossy and Mikhail wake up and spot 3 wolves and begin attacking them. As the camp slowly awakens, some of the wolves are dispatched before a small pack of Gnolls attacks from the shadows. Mossy casts an effective Entangle spell, reducing the Gnoll's speed while the party dispatches the wolves. The attack on the camp ends when the apparent Alpha Male is killed with the help of 2 of the villagers.

After another day of travel, the convoy finally arrives in Dahaka, a small crossroads village in the south. There the party sells their loot, the cattle, and an impressive set of armor that the Alpha Gnoll wore. They also purchase provisions for the road.

Chapter 3 - The Pass
After arriving in Dahaka some of the less lawful party members (Mikhail, Mossy, Rale, and Iskaral) decide to steal a well-crafted two-handed sword from Dahaka's adventuring store. They attack at night, bypassing one Alarm trap, getting hit by an arrow trap, and being stopped by a 2nd Alarm spell. While discussing their options, Mossy finds an intricate wand in a lead case. Rale attempts to bypass the 2nd Alarm spell but triggers the trap. The party escapes via an Obscuring Mist spell and splitting into multiple directions.

Rale decides to sleep on the roof while the others go back to their rooms in the tavern. In the morning Mossy casts a healing spell on Mikhail, and a sudden torrental rain pour envelops around the tavern; almost making Rale slide off the roof. The party promptly leaves in the morning.

After half a day of traveling the convoy reaches the entrance to the mountain pass that leads to Soffrengate. Mikhail says to the group that there are two options: travel the road which can be easily attacked or abandon the wagons and climb up a number of cliffs. After about 6 hours the group is ambushed by a group of Deep Orcs. Using a combination of axes, bows, and acid bombs, they attack the convoy from above on a cliff. Iskaral performs an impressive maneuver by creating a Ghost Sound and Silent Image of a large red dragon (which happens to be extinct). Some of the Deep Orcs are frozen in fear. The rest of the combat ends with one Deep Orc escaping.

Chapter 4 - Soffrengate Awaits
The journey continues after the Deep Orc ambush. Shortly after setting forth again, the scouts spot a dead horse. After throughly investigating the horse, the party determines that the horse died of disease or famine. Fearing the peasant's reaction to the dead horse, Hassirock and Warren push the horse off the cliff. Further along the road, the scouts are spotted by a young woman. She waves at them asking for assistance. At first the scouts fear an ambush and gather the other combatants, but they then realize there is no danger to be found. The woman is wife to Goff, a farmer attempting to flee the magic storms. With them is their young daughter. Their donkey was startled by a lightning strike and the wagon was now dangling with one wheel off the cliff. Rale nurses the donkey back to health and Mihail uses his horse to help pull the wagon back onto the road. The small family asks to join the convoy, and the party agrees.

The next notable event occurs in the early night. Rale and Mikhail hear the huffing and puffing of an exhausted man. Throwing a torch at the sound, they startle a fat, obviously noble-born man. He complains of feeling very sick, and various bodily fluids stink up the surrounding area. He identifies himself as Duke Inthrope of a medium community south of Carodil. Mikhail takes the opportunity to make friends with the nobleman, and Mikhail gives the Duke a seat on his wagon. The Duke explains that after his horse died, his servants knocked him out cold. He was left with only his lunchbox and his cane; all other possessions stolen. Around 3am, the party becomes extremely exhausted. The mounts have already been rotated and the villagers complain of the journey. The group decides to rest along the road.

They arrange the wagons in defensible positions and attempt to rest for a few hours. Hassirok is on guard when he sees a Deep Orc poke is head out from behind a rock. Hassirock awakens the convoy and moves forward. Meanwhile four Deep Orcs are unseen as the crawl along the mountainside that towers over the encampment. Battle ensues when the Deep Orcs leap onto their targets. Hassirock is almost slain when the first Deep Orc deeply buries it's Kris into his back. Notable kills include Hassirock pushing one of Mikhail's embedded arrows completely through a Deep Orc, piercing his heart. Also, Rale uses Iskaral's Grease spell to slide across the ground, then leap up and slash a Deep Orc's neck.

After another short leg of the journey, the party reaches the city of Soffrengate. The city is overcrowded. The city appeared to originally have a population of about 2,000, but now holds over 15,000. Refugees sleep in alleyways, sidewalks, and mud pits. Tent cities stand in the fields outside of the city gates. The city is filled to the brim...

As they reach the gates, Mikhail reveals that he is a former member of the city watch, specifically the Talon House. He brings the two guard corpses to the capital district. He is given thanks and told to return when Major Fredrick Marin is availiable. Iskaral crafts a fake loan document and uses it procure 100gp from the Builder's guild. With a coin purse filled with coin, Iskaral stays at a posh hotel in the terraces west of the city. They have a grand view of the entire harbor and port. Rale finds a relatively expensive room to stay in and invites the other party members. Mikhail stays with his former comrades in house Talon. In the morning Major Marin sends for Mikhail. Mikhail speaks with him, receives a small reward, and offers two missions for the group. First, to pacify the Deep Orcs, and second, to scout out the Al'Rahim Sultanate that is beyond the Western border. In addition, he suggests that Mikhail go speak with Admiral Dario Valent. Dario gives them a mission to join a number of naval ships that will attempt to eliminate the pesky Goblin Pirates along the southern coast.

Chapter 5 - The Southern Sanctuary
The group decides to take up Dario's offer to help eliminate the Goblin Pirates. The next day the board a ship that will act as a decoy. Masked as a normal merchant ship, the single vessel will slowly sail along the coast, waiting for the Goblins to strike. After many hours, the goblins attack during a tumultous storm. The decoy is attacked by 4 smaller boats. The goblins throw hooks onto the Kalrathian vessel and attempt to climb aboard. However, the innovative thinking of Iskaral (who cast Grease on one of the boats) and Rale (who used a rope to swing and knock goblins over) slows the Goblin's advance. Eventually, the leader of the Goblins emerges. Using foul arcane magics, the female Goblin sorcerer attacks the party. However, the martial strength of the party is too much for the small Goblin and she is slain. The corpse plunges into the water; however, not before Mikhail can snatch some jewelry from her falling body.

When the party returns to Soffrengate they are given a reward of numerous gold pieces. In a few days a gathering of citizensis called for in the marketplace. Crowded with the numerous refugees in the city, the marketplace is a buzz with tension and despair. The king, Bennan Taleth, stands in the center and speaks with unnatural volume. He gives a speech explaining that the kingdom is ruined, there is no future in Kalrathia, and that a grand exodus will travel to the new continent of... New Kalrathia. Those interested in going (Soffrengate citizens as well as refugees are given the offer) are given a lottery ticket. In a few days the results will be shared in the marketplace again.

In their offtime the party begins a number of commercial ventures. Iskaral sells scrolls to various arcane casters, Mikhail begins hiring laborers and guards, Mossy gathers and sells useful herbs, Warren offers his Engineering skills for pay, Rale begins a criminal racket with a number of street urchins (including Wit, a street smart orphan, and Faye a rebellious 13 year old girl), and Hasirock... meditates.

The results of the lottery are announced, and none of the party has received a spot. As they discuss their options their attention turns to a commotion coming out of a nearby bar. Apparently some rioters are storming out from the bar, intoxicated, yelling "Down with the King! Down with the gods!". The party assists in the pacification of the riot, with Mikhail leading some guards and Iskaral using arcane magics to interfere with the rioters. Unexpectedly, one of Iskaral's spells causes gravity to greatly lower, allowing the more adventorous party members to bound to the apparent leader of the riot. The "leader", drunk and slipping on a Grease spell, is easily subdued. Major Frederick Maren thanks the group but is quickly put off by Mikhail's lack of respect for due process.

Warren runs into a former neighbor of his, Ding, who has fallen on hard times. His wife died due to the magical storms and now he is jobless while trying to take care of his young son. Ding is attempting to get on a boat for the new continent. Warren offers Ding some coin and a job when he can get to the new world.

Mikhail and Mossy go to speak to Duke Inthrope. The duke is even worse for wear, despite being conscious again. The doctor explains that he is feeling the "surge", the burst of energy that occurs just before death. Mikhail receives a note from Duke Inthrope that asks a Lord Poll to help the people who helped him. Arriving at the Lord's manor, Rale and Mikhail haggle an agreement of many tickets on the boats in exchange for a future favor. Iskaral later explains that Lord Poll is known for "morally ambiguous" business dealings. Mikhail distributes the tickets to the party and their employees (as well as giving Ding and his son tickets). Rale's cut-purses steal their tickets from some unfortunate winners. Iskaral goes to the Dean of the local military academy. Using his charm and knowledge, Iskaral convinces the dean to offer him a position as special scribe for the exodus. This title includes a ticket on the boats. A few days later the party boards the ships and sail to New Kalrathia.

Chapter 6 - An Ocean Voyage
The party's boat joins a moderately large fleet that begins sailing south. Most of the voyage is uneventful. Rale befriends a mysterious wizard by the name of Narticz. As the two become friends Rale finds out that Narticz is the highest ranking wizard still alive. Narticz is now the Lord Archmage of Kalrathia following the cataclysm that destroyed most of the former grand wizards. Rale learns some Alchemy basics from the gnome. It appears that Narticz is fairly awkward and only comes out of his shell when discussing Arcana and Alchemy. Rale also encounters a group of people that meet in secret. They discuss leaving the new settlement when they arrive in order to free themselves from the traditional power structure of kings and gods. Rale eventually has a conversation with one of them but gains little other than a new friend.

After about a month the fleet arrives at a small island. It is crescent shaped with a long beach and cove. The fleet waits there for two days as it resupplies. All of the party members take this opportunity to walk around on solid ground. Mossy, Mikhail, and the others go off into the wilderness and track some exotic creatures. They follow the tracks into a small cave. When their figures appear in the opening they hear a hissing sound coming from inside. As they venture further the party encounters a family of large lizards. After slaying the creatures, the party offers the skins and meat to the king via their new contact, Narticz. Little of importance occurs on the small island and the fleet departs shortly thereafter.

Chapter 7 - New Kalrathia
A few weeks later the ships arrive in the new continent dubbed New Kalrathia. The only settlement, only founded 3 years ago, is First Keep. The town is a backwater town in a very swampy area. Most of the buildings rest on stilts and many people live in squallor. The party's ship docks fairly late in the process and the entire town is filled with refugees. The army and local militia are attempting to organize the refugees, but there is little room. The stilted walkways are filled with people sleeping on the sides. The only inn is filled and drastically raising their prices to meet the increasing demand. The party members are relatively well off and procure rooms. After a few days the party members are invited to the Grand Hall. Newly created, this impressive structure is reminiscent of a courthouse in Old Kalrathia compared to the mud huts of First Keep. This building is also teeming with activity; military and government works hustle to and fro as they attempt to serve the people. The governor of First Keep, Chester Brinley, was the person who sent for the party. He had heard of their exploits and wished to hire them for a job. Some local farmers have gone missing; the governor assumes that the local Lizardman population has kidnapped them. The party, eager to gain some income and renown, takes the job.

The march to the homestead is uneventful. The homestead has been burnt; the cattle released. Tracks lead west and the adventures follow.