Recollections by Dereth edit edit source
Recollections by Ford edit edit source
Recollections by Kaylorr edit edit source
Recollections by Sakura edit edit source
On 9/27/346 I venture a little out of my comfort zone and join Zanna, Kaylorr, Dereth and Ford in investigating Folcom Keep, which is of interest to Dereth. It becomes clear to me once we arrive there why this is. From what Dereth tells us, Folcom Keep is well known to be a cursed location, from where none have ever returned. Dereth suspects that Nimor and possibly others might be using rumor this as a cover for their coming and goings.
We take the, now open, gate to Windy Bluff / Magistery Edifice to reduce the trip to Folcom Keep in half. Even still, the trip would take a month of horseback to get there. I attempt to teleport us to Folcom Keep and find an area that is close, but not quite there. We are in the Heartwood. Unfortunately it's too far and we don't know which direction Folcom Keep is. Dereth performs a ritual and is shown the direction of the keep and learns that we are only 5 miles away while a squirrel talks to Zanna (very odd) that tells her there is a water source to the north. This water supply turns out to be the sewage output of Folcom Keep. We follow the stream of sludge for about 3 miles and find the walls of the city of Folcom Keep.
The guards at the city wall happily let us in as they think we'll just die in the Keep, which seems to happen every year or so, by their telling. The helpful guards also point out the General's Tower to us as he has the library that I'm interested in and also Sword and Shield, the most popular tavern in the city which is conveniently close to the Keep.
Zanna and I head over to the Tower while Ford heads to the Sword and Shield. Dereth and Kaylorr decide to help out at the local clinics.
It took my silver tongue and a little bit of Wild Magic in order to get into the Tower. We climb the tower and talk to The General, which was a very interesting experience. I suspect that my Wild Magic has given me a condition by which I curse quite a bit. This definitely made for a rather awkward conversation, but the General didn't seem too put off. Zanna was beside herself though. Unfortunately our inquiry into the library was pointless as they have no books on what we're looking for, just military books. The General also tells us that he doesn't know much about the Keep itself, but he was curious to meet individuals from The Magistery. A nice piece takeaway from our conversation with him is that he is open to us purchasing some land to open a permanent Gate to The Magistery - just not within city walls. Overall I think this is a nice win for us.
We regroup and realize that we all were met with dead ends and decide to rest the night to see if we can observe anything of the Keep (we observed nothing). However, just prior to us calling it a night, Dereth attempts a divination with his God and learns that A betrayal laid to rest will bring peace to this land.
The next day we set off to enter the Keep and above the door is a worn out symbol that resembles Folcom, but not entirely. We're not entirely sure what it says. It resembles old tongue and I find that it has very strange kerning. I'm not really good enough with stone or the old tongue to really figure anything out though, so we move on. Zanna pushes the door open and we enter. In the foyer we find a disgusting fountain that has water much like the stream outside. Dereth moves to purify the fountain while Zanna explores what's there - guards of armor with the sigil of Sword behind a Dragon. The sword is of silver and the Dragon looks be yellow, though I believe it was meant to be a Gold Dragon.
From here, we move upstairs and into the Receiving Room and now we can hear the faint noise of a melancholy piano tune and I notice magic emanating from where we hear the music coming from. The sigil above the throne is that of three royal crowns in a vertical column. In the next room we see another putrid fountain and a door leading towards the source of the magic. Dereth moves to purify this fountain with another ritual and thankfully we are not interrupted. After this fountain has been purified, we enter the next room and find a monk that is playing music and a skeleton that is lying down on a slab of stone. After he notices us, he says asks what we're doing here and upon hearing that we're here to lay the betrayal to rest he tells us that we're not worthy because we're missing something.
We move into the next room and we find a very large stone relief of a map that I cannot identify at all. It is of no land mass that I've ever seen, even pre-awakening. We also find a library room, but there is nothing that can be salvaged, which is of great regret. The fascinating stories and history that we've lost in this library must have been incredible! This keep is thousands of years old!
In the large chamber at the end of this section of the keep, there is a large round table with 12 radiating stripes, which section the round table into equal sections. One of which has the same sigil of three crowns. There is another secret tunnel leading out of this room and we decide to take this one. We enter a room and find Ford in there looking at a tomb of a suit of armor that is holding a gleaming long sword. Dereth picks up the magical sword.
We return to the round table and I ask Dereth to sit in the place of the seat with the crowns. I seat myself to Dereth's right and the rest all take their own seats which is quickly followed by us hearing the monk approaching. Once he reaches us he asks if we can move on with this and tells me that I'm sitting in his seat. He removes his robes revealing set of black full plate armor and a large sword that is dripping of ichor.
Battle ensues and what an impressive battle of the blackguard mostly attempting to fell Dereth, who is now wielding and fighting with the newfound weapon. The blackguard performs an incredible attack felling Dereth in a series of quick blows. While this happens, the new sword, which Dereth called Excalibur just seconds before raises itself and shatters the blackguard's sword. Kaylorr's swift actions keep Dereth alive and breathing, but just barely. Immediately after the shattering of the ichor Sword, the blackguard falls to his knees.
Dereth stands up and beheads the blackguard, execution style and thus the curse ends.
Shortly after we find the mausoleum and then bury the black knight (sans armor) in the one sarcophagus that was not sealed.
The very final room we explore in the Keep is very, very interesting. Within we find an incredible book in perfect condition which I am able to deduce is a Manual of Health, which Ford will take and after reading will add it to the Magistery's collection. There is also a very ornate wooden door that seems to have grown in place. Dereth is able to use Excalibur to click open the door.
When the door opens we can see into a new Realm or Plane. As soon as this happens, Nimor materializes and closes the door!!!! As soon as this happens, the door crumbles and this access point has closed. The river, however, is still flowing and is cleaning. On our way out we notice that the vines on the outside of the Keep have receded and we can make out the complete name of the Keep, which is Tintagel, but with the ruin, curse and vines it looked like Folcom previously. We report back to the General to inform him of what we've done and he tells us his name (Jerech) as well congratulating us.
I negotiate that he allow a few of the Magistery to enter the Keep in order to study it and we will proceed to purchase lands and create a new Outpost outside the city walls. The General also tells us that if we raise the banner to fight off more invaders, he will answer the call.
And finally after everything has been done, I go back to my bed to rest and I see invitations to join House Brown, Grey, Red and Black. This is a wonderful surprise to me.