Who Claims the Throne of Avernus

Judge Aghu hung from chains, the noxious fumes overtaking his lungs, he gasped, unable to speak. Aghu prayed that his patron would remember summoning him to his lair in Avernus in enough time to allow him to breathe. Black spots filled his vision while his body screamed for oxygen. Just as Judge Aghu threatened to fall into unconsiousness Nergal arose from the noxious pit below him, restoring his minions ability to survive the harsh climate of the first layer of hell. It angered the great devil to be unable to scry or view this particular prime material plane. To avoid allowing his minion to know his true worth he made sure to show him his power every time Nergal summoned his Tiefling to report.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Nergal plots 

Judge Aghu croaked out "My apprentice Teidro Feisdom has acquired several properties as we have discussed.  I assure you the chromatic queen has no foothold in the Isles.  Our most pressing dangers are the Giant war to the east and word of that the Dragons of Virtue have woken throughout the isles." With his ability to breath restored, the Tiefling continued, "We have experienced some delays due to having to hire individuals from other Duchies but construction has began at three of the first properties we acquired."

Nergal's voice invaded the Judge's thoughts, somehow yelling without a sound, "Have you come any closer to discovering Duke Malphas' priest? We must not allow Duke Malphas to succeed in his  appointed task  Asmodeus will soon choose Tiamat's successor and Duke Amduscias is an ambassador not a leader. Whem Malphas fails, I will be the obvious choice and you will be raised up with me. Fail and your eternity will be agony and torment."

Judge Aghu's disciplined training saved him, allowing him to focus his thoughts and not reveal too much to his master, "We have several suspects and until recently it would be difficult to use your token to reveal the priest.  As fate would have it there is a charity ball and auction based around the college I spoke to you about.  Everyone of importance will be at the Chancellors' speech, if you allow I will be there as well and utilize the token you provided to identify our target."

Judge Aghu could feel Nergal searching his thoughts but also sensed that his master's anger towards him was receeding, "Tell me more of this CHARITY ball. Is it connected to the Virtues!?" his tone revealing his displeasure of the word charity.

Judge Aghu continued to tell Nergal of the ridiculousness of mortal life, finally realizing that he would eventually be returned to the prime material and his home in Naper's Dawn. 

Naper's Dawn

Judge Aghu

Teidro Feisdom-Halfling

Hope Renewed Fundraiser

Hope Renewed Fund Raiser Reception at Members Only 

Honorees and Hosts:

Sir Orion Stradivarius , Bishop Tibar Stradivarius, Veiled Sister Aubrey Stradivarius, Blade Brother Quatritch Stradivarius

Guest of Honorees: Adjunct Professor Veko Hildebrand

The Who's Who at the reception

Naper's Dawn Orchestra

Ollesa Merryweather, Therold Lustack, and Grendus Marbleroar.

Brainard Untysh

 Brainard Untysh is a Djinn Blooded merchant trading in meta-magic. His only customers are the extremely wealthy and powerful.

  Hutch Zarl is the brother of Baron Sambrial Zarl IV and is the Zarl family representative at the reception. A few minutes with Hutch and it is clear that he believes his family name and wealth make him irresistibly charming. It is also clear that he is incorrect. 

Hutch Zarl

Gebel el-Arak is an Egyptian merchant whose donation was large enough for a private table for himself and up to eight guests, although only his cousin Atem Asar has joined him.

Pragidore Ellington

Pragidore Ellington is a wealthy socialite and head of the Ellington Trade Corporation. She is a leading member of The Ferryman's League. She is also one of the few people whose fashion rivals the Zephyr's Bounty's wealth. 

Chess Master Eversin Lawson 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Eversin Lawson is the most world famous least famous person you've ever met.  Most citizens of Naper's Dawn view him as the "good Lawson" and the eccentric uncle of Baron Dackary Lawson. He is a longstanding member of The Ferryman's League.  He is so world famous that he is considered Ambassador at large in many countries. While Veko doesn't know Eversin, he has seen a portrait of him in a wealthy estate in Greece he visited once on behalf of his former master. The portrait showed him winning a chess world championship in a Greek competition. 

Dexter Mcaugh

Dexter Mcaugh 1/2 elf son of Father Baron Tobias Mcaugh. Dexter is an awkward lad of dubious talents. He has been enrolled at Labiatar's Hope for the last five years. Dexter frequently accompanied by his close friend and drinking companion Angus "Anger" Rycoal, dwarven son of Road Marshal Commander Hather “Hate” Rycoal.  

Angus "Anger" Rycoal

Dexter will be one of the wizard's on hand to identify magical items at the auction and verify claims. Anger will be assisting with security. Until then the pair are enjoying the Member's Only hospitality. 

Zhirakor is a graduate of Labiatar's Hope and last year's Summa Cum Laude Valedictorian. His graduate thesis was a focused study that would allow wizard's to teach a new spell to a sorcerer. It is fairly obvious that Zhirakor is more than a little biased against elves.  He spends much of the reception speaking with a gnome engineer who has come to town to help rebuild the pledge wall.  

Zhirakor

Hinky Pearstreet Gnome Engineer

                                                                                                                                                                            

   

Buren

The halflling Buren is in attendance and rumored to have supplied several items for the upcoming Auction. Buren is one of the three owners of Grandma's Buns. He seems especially attentive towards the Road Marshall.                                                                            

 Gravold Lintu is an Aasimar glassmaker and merchant who owns an estate to the south just outside Naper's Dawn. Gravold seems to have other things on his mind at the reception and patiently waits for a chance to speak with the Honorariums 

Gravold Lintu

                                                                                     

Kureich Lyersaying is another merchant from the Trusk area responsible for water desalination efforts there.  He has been in the Naper's Dawn area looking into the regional efforts here and trying to keep lessons learned updated at the college. He is also hoping to speak with the event hosts regarding a serious problem outside Trusk in old caves they have been using for their desalination efforts. 

Kureich Lyersaying 

The Discussion

   

Gebel el-Arak

Their discussion didn’t take long. The wizard and priest were smart enough to realize that the world they knew before was gone and they had been swept up into the realm of legends.  “The Knight is an ancient, I’m certain of it.  We need to understand his purpose and assist these elves in any way we can, perhaps there is still a path to protect our families.” mused Gebel el-Arak, “They have asked us to divine their enemy, let us not fail in that regard.  If you have meta-magic, use it, call upon all your skills”

Atem Asar smiled, a disturbing sight, “I will heed your wisdom Geb.  Not only shall I use meta-magic, I shall also call upon a pact.  As it stands we are their number one suspects and  if they don’t find the truth, the local politic will sweep us up.  Yet an opportunity presents itself, if we serve them well, perhaps we gain acceptance, possibly relaiming the orchard.  I would like to bring our families to the orchard and make a home.”

Atem Asar

A long uncomfortable pause ensued, the magical changes they had experienced unspoken between them.  Finally they left Members Only and transformed themselves into bats, similar to their familiars. Atem finally whispered to Gebel via Message, “I think we have to ask them.  We are different than before and I don’t know the way forward, do you?”  

“I will pray on the matter when I perform morning rituals Atem.  I would like you to join me in the morning ritual, it has been too long.” Geb replied, “I am still hopeful that there is a path in the church for you my cousin.”

Atem stayed silent at that. What his cousin did not know was that Atem had already been using his pacts and magic to learn more of these elves, since being driven from the orchard.  What Atem and Gebel did not verbalize, is their mutual feelings of admiration, awe, and respect they had for the Stradivarius clan. The cousins experienced the elves victory over the elder brain along with every other citizen of Griffoncrest.

The Stradivarius Vault

  The Stradivarius Violins of Spell Storing

Necromantic (Quatritch)

 

Conjuration (Aubrey)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Universalist (Tibar)

Stradivarius Violin of Spell Storing by School of Magic

Aura moderate evocation; CL 12th; Slot: Slotless; Price 50,000 gp; Weight —

There are Nine Violins.  Eight of the Violins are attuned to a specific school of magic.  The 9th Violin is Mythic and a Universalist Violin.  

Each Stradivarius Violin contains up to 8 levels of spells (either divine or arcane, or even a mix of both spell types) that the musician can cast. Each spell has a caster level equal to the minimum level needed to cast that spell. The spells stored in the violin must be from the school of magic associated to that Stradivarius Violin.  The user need not provide any material components or focus to cast the spell, and there is no arcane spell failure chance for wearing armor (because the violin wearer need not gesture). The activation time for the violin is the same as the casting time for the relevant spell, with a minimum of 1 standard action.

A spellcaster can cast any spells into the violin, so long as the total spell levels do not add up to more than 8. Metamagic versions of spells take up storage space equal to their spell level modified by the metamagic feat. A spellcaster can use a meta magic component at time of casting from the violin without impacting the level limitation. The meta magic component is consumed in the casting as normal.

The Universalist Stradivarius is a Mythic Item and provides up to 8 levels of spells of any school.  The Violin also provides a number of mythic power points equal to the musicians tier.  These points can only be used in relation to the spells stored in the violin.  

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Wondorous Item; Spells Imbue with spell ability; Cost 50,000 gp.                                            

Mythic Restoration Home Brew

                                                                                                                                              15  Vials of Mythic Restoration: Restores 1d4 Mythic Power Points.

Grounding Ceremonies for Planar Travel

The book is adorned with an elven arcane symbol identified as belonging to an infamous family ancestor, Samtas Stradivarius.  Samtas was most famous for marrying a Drow woman. The woman’s name has been lost to time but she is always referred to as the Witch Walker.  Samtas is believed to have shortened his surname to Strad when travelling beyond the confines of the Evening Isles. Samtas is not believed to be dead having most recently been seen in Bouvaldia

Samtas Stradivarius

The Witch Walker

Greatest Berries

A dozen magical pieces of fruit. Consuming a single piece cures all damage, diseases, and ability damage. Any abilities or age/time that has been drained is restored by 1d4 ability points or years.  Anyone suffering under any form of magical curse is given another saving throw against that curse with advantage.  If the curse is Mythic or Deity delivered the fruit is inaffective and does nothing to the curse.

1 Ring of Major Energy Resistance (20pts) Sonic (Tibar wears)

Ring is intelligent, having Pobankin a catman spirit residing in the ring by his own choice and provides a number of ranks equal to the wearer's level in the Perform Skill of his choice

1 Ring of Minor Energy Resistance (10pts) Fire. Ring also provides 1 free skill rank in Linguistics which provides the wearer the elemental language it is resistant to, in this case fire.  The language provided is Ignan.

The Party deposits a +1 Adamantine Throwing Axe, +1 Cold Iron Throwing Axe, Leaving the Cape of the Montebank in the vault and only takes 3 of the 9 Violins shown above. 

The Cathedral of Sound-Naper's Dawn

Conductor: Tristor Von Kreighton 

Kamirtia Tiefling Flutist

                                                                                                                                           

Delundin Tiefling guiterre master

Dryaug Heng Trox Pipe Organ

     

Vormos Fetchling Trumpet

Cheyvor Glass Ifrit Violin I

                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Loriche Human Violin II

Athardyn Firbolg Double Bass

              

Naper's Dawn and some of its locations

 

Naper’s Dawn-a five tiered city of historical importance, Naper’s Dawn is the city that King Triskelion won a hard fought victory over the pirate led rebellion some 850 years ago. 

Now primarily a trade city, Naper’s Dawn is also known for Labiatar’s Hope, a school paid for and operated by the Ferryman’s League. Its sits atop the uppermost tier of the city and is source of civic pride.

The schools regimen and design was adopted by the other schools and universities throughout Tier Ne Somenhiem.  Naper’s Dawn is also the Eastern barony/county seat of Baron Sambrial Zarl IV. 

The Sundering physically moved the majority of Naper’s Dawn, destroying the rest of city. It was the Ferryman’s League that rebuilt the city and returned order and opportunity to the people there.                                                                                                                                                                                Metropolis

Corruption +7; Crime +5; Economy +2; Law +0; Lore +5; Society +3, Danger +20

Kingdom Evening Isles Duchy Tier Ne Somenhiem City Naper's Dawn

Population 75,000 (30,000 humans*; 10,000 halflings; 8,000 elves; 5,000 half-elves; 4,000 gnomes; 3,000 dwarves, 15,000 misc including tengu, catfolk, tiefling, aasimar, fetchlings and changelings)

*Human numbers include elemental blooded races Ifrit, Oread, Sylph, and Undine.

MARKETPLACE

Purchase Limit 500,000 gp; Spellcasting 9th

GrumbleBelly is a large three story building encompassing three Naper’s Dawn city blocks. Some but not all the amenities Grumblebelly has are shops, steam baths, storm shelters, barber, tailor, ‘entertainment’, and several game parlors. The Grumblebelly is owned by the Merryweather family a founding Ferryman’s League member.

GrumbleBelly

                                                   

Rear Skyview of GrubleBelly

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Stinky Treats, Junkyard , Refuse and Recovery.  Krekel Barnberry a black feathered Tengu handles garbage in Naper’s Dawn.  The Baron is frequently handling complaints and ruling on whether certain items are in fact garbage and meant for his workers to recover.  The problems are put up with because Naper’s Dawn is exceptionally clean and well kept.  Krekel’s cousin Klinnon Barnbery handles waste and waste system process for the city.                         

Stinky Treats

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Krekel Barnberry

Grandma’s Buns is a Halfling ran bakery, Grandma is a character they all play to attract business, very popular with kids.  Irlas, Achaw and Buren are three siblings who took over the families bakery. Irlas and his sister Achaw are experts in baking, marketing, and business. Buren, unbeknownst to his two siblings, is an information broker, linguist and thief.  His number one contribution to their business is the Grandma character that he is stuck performing the most often of the three, much to his chagrin.     

Irlas and Achaw

The PushNPull is an Independent Wagon Train that makes deliveries for smaller merchants, all through the Isles.  Horseback, Ship, or Wagon. Owned and operated by Foidra Kosang a Catfolk woman of mysterious origins, locals will tell you that they happen to know she comes from…and proceed to name every other duchy or city in their repertoire of geographical knowledge. 

Foidra Kosang

The Mended Merchant, a reseller consignment shop is owned and opearated by Marja Garland. Her sister Yvvonne Garland is a adjunct professor at Labiatar's Hope. The Mended Merchant isn't located in the Marketplace, rather it is operated out of Old Towne.

The Marketplace is centrally located between the various neighborhoods located in the newer portion of the city.  The Marketplace is just south of the Government District.  Many businesses operate out of The Marketplace, some of which are listed below.

Naper's Dawn Marketplace

Shields from Darkness is a vendor selling Candles, Lamps, Lanterns, Oils, and Torches

Zarlaw Standards is a Grocer and General Store 

Grandma's Buns is located in the Marketplace

Kreighton's Inks and Dyes. 

Lintu Glass. Vials, eyewear, windows, labratory equipment! If its made of glass you bet your ass it's Lintu.

Vaertom's Alchemical Supply and Sale

Toolworks! A tool for every problem!

***************************************************************************

Mid-Wife Mansion a Hospital of Remedies, and Rest is located in the older section of Naper's Dawn just inside the old outer wall.  All of the local faith's along with The Ferrymen's League fund and support the local hospital. 

Mid-Wife Mansion

Zamkar Trutheye

 

Zamkar Trutheye

The Minotaur's armor was finally completed and Zamkar Trutheye had arrived for his fitting. The fiendish minotaur had faced decades of tasks and bounties to acquire the components neccessary to create his magical accoutrement.  That was before meeting the homely woman, a wizard or hag of some power.  In return for her providing Zamkar the rare  magics and metals for his armor's creation, Zamkar promised his blade to her cause for the next five years.  After his fitting he would spend one more day in the City of Brass before returning to the haggish wizard's world and begin his service.  "Hag really isn't accurate", thought Zamkar, "almost an animated gargoyle would be a better description."