The Three Point Solution (Session Summary for March 3, 2007)
Topic: Session Summaries
Day passed into evening as the denizens of the Caravanners' Camp in Three Points prepared for their Summer Wandersday ceremony, featuring the Dance of Shadows performance of the Healing of the Cataclysm and the Birth of the Gods.

The party watched Porric O Hanrahan lead a group of dancers--including newly initiated Axel--in a performance. As the performance reached its end, and Porric let out his warning that the Dark Gods (Skaden the God of Corruption and Berea the Goddess of Destruction) have not yet been subdued, the fires went dark and a scream went out into the night. As the lights came back up, the fire circle appeared to be attacked by blobs of inky darkness, which sometimes formed into distinctive large dog-like shapes with sharp fangs and claws: Shadow Mastiffs.

Five Mastiffs attacked the circle, aiming for the divine casters present in the area. Their horrific howls sent most of the crowd fleeing in panic, though the party managed to resist and fight. Jour and Axel--along with Axel's cousin Toohk--helped protect a priestess of Tria (a druid) and Porric, while Patrick and Riley fought off a Mastiff aiming for Riley and her Uncle Riordan. Though some of the intrepid warriors eventually fled--including the druid, Axel's new friend Sheena, and Patrick--the Mastiffs were quickly subdued with surprisingly few casualties--especially after Porric managed to drive away the Mastiff's shadow bindings with a Daylight spell.

With the camp secured, the party and their allies set their minds to what may have caused creatures from the Plane of Shadow to attack. Porric, talking to Riley in confidence, noted there were no major casualties and the fact that as frightening as Shadow Mastiffs are, the sheer number of powerful warriors and divine casters present made them no real threat; therefore he believed the attack was a warning--perhaps from the God Lees himself. For while viewed as a whimsical trickster, Lees' ultimate role is as a keeper of secrets and a teacher--and his lessons are often harsh. Porric, with his divinatory sight--or perhaps more mundane insights--noted that the fact that the party was there had something to do with the attack. The message was, perhaps, meant for them.

After discussion and agreement that a return must be made to Merrywell, the party went their separate ways to enjoy the evening. Axel got some tips on worg riding from the druid Iris, and then entertained their old friend Daisy. Jour "interrogated" Sheena (who is in reality the party's old enemy-turned-ally Alanna, the half-drow dancer). Patrick practiced restraint. Riley chatted with Porric and her uncle.

The next day, the party set to getting new armor, especially for Jour, and gained the aid of the dwarven armorer Torrik. The next day or so was spent in helping get the armor completed and fitted, and the party is now a glorious vision in mithril.

On their way back to the Camp from Norbakk, Jour and Patrick were halted by a sergeant of the Empire Justicar's Legion, a warrior named Elaine. (DM's note: some of the following is not explicitly known to the party, but it's easier for me to take note of this before I forget it myself.) Elaine discussed with Jour in private the disappearance of important seals and food vouchers from the town of Thorpton; the Chancellor asked the Justicars in Three Points to quietly investigate and see if the party knew of the items' whereabouts and see if they could be discreetly returned to the proper authorities. If the items were returned, both the City of Three Points and the Chancellor preferred the items having gone temporarily missing not be reported to the regional lords; Elaine noted specifically to Jour that if the missing item situtation became known officially by the Empire's government, the party, being largely non-citizen, would not face good odds in the nation's judicial system, and that the Chancellors did not want the slayers of the hydra to face such a situation. Elaine allowed Jour to take the matter into his hands, but asked him to keep the party under his watch if they entered the Empire borders again.

Jour confronted the party, asking them if they knew about the missing items. Axel attempted to conceal the truth from him, but the Paladin of Stewardship and Duty sensed deception. After a heated discussion, Axel returned the seals to Jour to be handed over to the Justicars. Elaine advised "conversationally" that they might enjoy traveling to Haven by way of Vargild.

The party agreed that, with bigger matters to contend with, travelling through Vargild sounded like a good idea--and furthermore, would put them through Gloameet, where they could purchase some magic items they were unable to find in Three Points. They managed to get through Gloameet bureaucracy relatively unscathed, and had a lengthy conversation with some lenscrafters about purchasing some sunglasses, and discovered that Goggles of Night were enormously expensive.

When they returned to Merrywell at last, a female (humanish) figure begins to run towards them out of the inner gate.