Book I - The Serpent Cycle

Chapter One - Ambush on the Eni

It began with a diplomatic journey from Hedrad  to the city of Lokil.  The priest Lavius was escorted by a band of rangers led by the woodsman Falkorn.  The wizard Pirifan and a half-orcish monk were also assigned to protect the envoy. The travelers were ambushed while boating down the Eni River and Lavius was assassinated.  The survivors of the attack tracked the bandits as they plotted revenge and quickly located their hideout. 

Two Trela locals, Eli Ebbs and Othur the Bellied, were also aboard the ambushed vessel.  They were bringing fresh supplies to Trela in preparation for the upcoming Carnival of Flowers.  They fought alongside the Hedradans and captured or killed the band of brigands.  The survivors were then transported to Trela to stand trial.  Sadly, Lavius' true killer was not revealed.

Chapter Two - The Serpent Amphora

After arriving in Trela, the newly formed party relaxed at Othur's inn, The Randy Princess.  The Hedradans conceded to stay for a few days as there would be no ships or convoys leaving Trela until the carnival was over.  A wounded Veshian ranger stumbled into the inn late one night.  He spoke a quick tale and imparted the Serpent Amphora before slipping into unconsciousness.

Later the same night, the party was awakened by a divine omen.  One of the Eight Gods, Chardun the Overlord, warned that immediate danger was at hand.  Preparations were quickly made as Asaathi infiltrated the inn.  In the ensuing battle, the Asaathi outmaneuvered the party and escaped with the amphora.

The party gave chase into the deadly Blood Steppes.  In the second battle for the amphora, the party emerged victorious and began riding to Lave to deliver the relic.  After a difficult journey, Vigils eventually found the group on the outskirts of Vesh and escorted them into Lave.

Chapter Three - Serpent in the Fold

With the Amphora secured, the Vigils began seeking its true origin and significance.  Kelemis Durn employed the party to journey to the Library of Hedrad and search its tomes for answers.

Before the group could reach Hedrad, Emmittius appeared and redirected the party towards the Kelder Mountains.  Invigorated by Emmittius's magic, the party rode hard to the city of Mansk.  The exhausted party then ferried across Blood Basin ever closer to the Ruins of Sky Keep.  A violent storm sank the ship, but the resolute sailors rowed small boats to the shores of the Kelder foothills. 

It was in the mountain ruins that the party discovered the treachery of Kelemis' trusted lieutenant. The party cut through swathes of zombies in the ruined keep and eventually found the Vault of Chardun, where they wiped out a band of Slitherin and defeated the demon guarding the manuscript they sought.

Upon returning to Lave, the party discovered that the city was under assault.  They rushed into the Home Command to discover Kelemis Durn murdered.  They cornered the traitorous Amra and she was killed in her attempt to escape.

Kelemis was resurrected and the party subsequently cleared of any suspicion.  Kelemis unexpectedly offered the entire party membership to the Arcernoth Delta Vigil.  Eli, Othur and Rannah graciously accepted, while Pirifan and Gradius respectfully declined.  The party also received a letter requesting an immediate audience in Hedrad.

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Chapter Four -  The Snatched Sword

It was agreed that the party would depart for Hedrad the next day.  Eli decided to revisit Borli, the weaponsmith he had commissioned to craft a masterful shortsword during his previous stay in Lave. Unfortunately, the party had left town unexpectedly before the sword had been completed.  Of course, Eli was now wielding the magical blade Dicer, and as he had no need for  the smith's weapon, he fully intended on fast-talking the hefty deposit back from the old dwarf (even despite the fact that Eli's name was inscribed into the blade.)  To Eli's surprise and dismay, the balance due on the sword had been paid by Eli's "cousin" that very morning.  This purported cousin then made off with Eli's fine blade.

After fully questioning Borli the smith, Eli and company headed to the Silver Watch Inn to locate the alleged thief.  Gumar the barkeep passed off a note that set the stage for a meeting later that night.

Eli and Rannah met up with  Milto, a shady halfling, in a back alley while Othur, Gradius and Pirifan invisibly stalked them at a distance.  Eli was propositioned to join the local thieves guild.  Eli slyly agreed, but the deal could only be sealed after Eli completed a job for the guild.  Eli promised to deliver the purse the next morning in exchange for membership and the stolen shortsword.

Of course, Eli had no intention of risking his prestigious position as a member of the Vigilants.  Eli showed up at the meeting place early the next morning, expecting to fast-talk and recover his shortsword.  Unfortunately, Milto did not arrive.  Instead, an aggressive human began yelling accusations and pushing small Eli around.  Eli's patience was tested and in the end, Eli ran Dicer through the bully's chest.  This triggered a healthy battle between the illustrious party and the thieves' guild.  Lavian guards arrived to arrest the surviving thieves, while the band of adventurers were relatively unscathed.  Eli still did not have his commissioned sword, which seemed to make it ever more precious.

Chapter Five - Strange Days in Hedrad

Our band of adventurers became easily ensnared in an asaathi trap en route to Hedrad.  Fortunately, the Asaath wizard and his company were narrowly defeated along with the terrible behir serpent under the wizard's control.   Things became stranger still when the party finally entered the high walls of the great city-state...

Pirifan and Emmittius annihilated titanspawn along Hedrad's shores and Gradius and Tepusan thwarted the theft of an exemplar artifact.  The party was questioned intensely on the circumstances surrounding the death of Lavius so many months ago.  The party was informed that Falkorn had returned Lavius' body to Hedrad as promised, but the corpse had subsequently gone missing.  Investigating priests reported that dozens of corpses had in fact been stolen from the crematorium.  The party then quickly unraveled a plot of love, betrayal and vengeance.  A Hedradan priest had created flesh golems to exact his revenge against a prominent wizard and former friend.  The wizard had enchanted and imprisoned the priest's lover, who was ultimately rescued by the bewildered adventurers.  Along the way, the band stumbled upon a mysterious letter with an amulet to allow entrance into the lost keep of the wizard Eralion.  Pirifan and Gradius were ultimately granted the titles of "Emissary of Hedrad" and free reign to wander Ghelspad to gather knowledge for Hedrad. 

But before the dust could even begin to settle, a Veshian courier arrived to request an audience with Marshal Kinthas Ardante 'Silverblade,' commander of the Arcernoth Vigil.  The band left Hedrad quickly and rode to the outskirts of the Mourning Marshes where they met with the distinguished vigilant.  Kinthas then sent the party on a mission to Lageni to acquire a ritual powerful enough to destroy the Serpent Amphora. (see Kinthas' offer here)

Chapter Six -  Gulac of the Red Hand

The Order of Fortune immediately set off to Castle Durst in Lageni.  Led by the elven ranger Finrod, the party was making easy and fast passage westwards to the Eni River.

A few days into the journey, Gradius spotted a figure in a distant grove of trees and gave chase.  The party soon ran directly into a small orcish encampment.  Gradius leaped into battle and was quickly surrounded by a stinking mass of orc warriors.  The others joined in and the battle appeared to be going quite well until two heaving ogres entered the fray.  Pirifan finally unleashed a fiery blast that was the death blow for the orcish scouts.  Before the smoked had cleared, a lone orc of impressive presence appeared and introduced himself as Gulac of the Red Hand.  He calmly eyed Othur and challenged the Albadian to an honorable duel to the death.  The warlord's challenge stirred something within Othur and he accepted.  Warhammers clashed in a fierce and bloody battle.  The chieftain finally struck Othur with a thunderous blow that echoed for miles around.  Yet Othur stood.  The Albadian struck back and felled the great orc chieftain.  The site was burned and Othur took with him his adversary's great hammer.

Chapter Seven - Black Trial, Black Justice

The Vigils had arranged for a small boat to be awaiting the party at the lake on the southwestern border of Vesh.  The party rowed across the clear and  cold lake and then floated steadily down the Eni River, eventually coming upon the village of Trela.  Othur gazed at his little town with homesick eyes as they passed slowly by without even saying hello to the Riverguard.  It would have been far too risky to expose themselves at the site where they first acquired the Serpent Amphora.  Many miles downstream from Trela, Finrod stopped the boat alongside a dock at the tiny fishing village of Kulomi.  The party moved quietly through the hamlet and headed due east towards the Kelder Mountains.

The adventurers kept a low profile as the ill-used road became more well-traveled. Then a battered figure staggered towards them from over the next rise in the road.  The beaten man collapsed in front of them as a group of Black Dragoons in pursuit slowed to a trot.  Eli escaped unnoticed while the party was questioned by the horsemen.  The Dragoon Colonel Gihjan demanded that the party join them to see the beaten man, Zedris, brought to justice.  Arriving at a farmstead, the party learned of Zedris' crime- refusing to rape and kill a farm girl in front of her father.  The party continued to be sickened as the girl's family was forced to stone Zedris to death for disobeying Colonel Gihjan.  Vastly outmatched, the party could do nothing but watch in horror.

The party then continued somberly down the road towards Castle Durst.  A few days later, the group spied the vile Colonel Gihjan with only two Dragoons at his side.  An ambush was quickly planned and executed with Rannah firing the first shots into the chest of Gihjan.  The outmatched Gihjan begged for his life as his fellow Dragoons fell beside him, but no quarter was given.   Vengeance had been taken and the party continued down the long road to Castle Durst.

Chapter Eight - Audience with the Archfiend

The weary travelers finally stepped into view of Castle Durst.  It was a squat and low castle, heavily guarded by Lagenian soldiers.  Peasants and soldiers alike pushed in and out of the open gates at the castle walls.  The adventurers took a place in line and waited several hours before their turn at the entrance finally arrived.  After a few quick and  simple questions, the party was allowed free passage into Castle Durst.

The gang ducked and moved through throngs of soldiers and peasants towards the Church of Chardun.  Mistaken for worshippers, the party was quickly ushered in only moments before the Archfield Fiarun took the pulpit and began a passionate and furious lecture on the terrors and wonders of the Slaver.  A few hours later, the service ended and the freshly empowered sheep of the Overlord exited while the party quickly slipped into the back rooms of the Church.  Fiarun invited the group into his study and entertained their request for the ritual.  The Archfiend began to rant and rave about the 'Song of Unmaking' and the wizard Marilvaz who had created it.  He continued his story of the mad wizard who rose from the dead and enslaved a city to build him a proper tomb.  Fiarun ultimately refused reveal the location of the tomb and refused to assist the party in any way.  Othur astutely noted the name of the town that Marilvaz had enslaved and the adventurers politely exited the church and the castle walls.

Chapter Nine - Tomb of the Mad Scribe

The adventurers made haste northward, towards the town of Vauldell.  By good fortune, the party found the tiny village and were assisted by worshipper of Hedrad named Elam.  With only a few days journey past Vauldell, the group finally came to the rocky hill of the tomb.  At the tomb's entrance they found  skeletal remains, some of which were entwined with vines that reminded them of the vine enwined skeletons they had battled so many month ago while journeying towards the Sky Keep ruins.

Inside the tomb, the Order discovered a fascinating and bizarre array of rooms filled with various traps, puzzles, and monsters.  The party overcame each challenge and finally found the sarcophagus of Marilvaz and the Song of Unmaking.  While Pirifan set to copying the ritual, the tomb was invaded by a band of crazed and powerful druids accompanied by a  golem of serpents.  The party smartly used Marilvaz's challenges gainst the druids as they advanced through the tomb.  The tomb took its toll on the druids and when they finally reached their prey, the Order of Fortune proved too great a match for them.  Only the duridic leader was able to escape alive at the hands of the now battle-hardened Order.

With the True Ritual in hand, the Order began their long journey back to Vesh and trekked northwest along the Kelder Mountains.

Chapter Ten - Journey Into the Ganjus

Upon returning to Lave, the adventurers where given a warm welcome and treated like kings for a night.  The next morn they were informed by Kelemis that the ritual would have to be performed deep in the heart of the Ganjus forest in order to properly destroy the Serpent Amphora.  The Order of Fortune graciously accepted the challenge and made arrangements to leave the city the following day.  The Order was accompanied by a dozen Veshian soldiers and a Vigil  by the name of Vian Piridur.  Vian was familiar with the Jordeh druids who would be needed to assist in the destruction of the Amphora.

After a long journey across the plains of Vesh and through the deadly Canyon of Souls, the convoy made its way into the breathtakingly beautiful and lush virgin forest of the Ganjus.  Only a day's journey into the Ganjus, the party was discovered and questioned by a band of wood elves.  After discussing things with Othur, the elven leader Inaciel decided to take the company further into the Ganjus to meet with the Jordeh druids.

Inaciel and his elves led the group to a clearing where he greeted a Jordeh druid named Tamlaine.  Vian and Tamlaine walked away to discuss matters privately when things went horribly awry...

Chapter Eleven - Hags, Death, and Dragon's Breath

The sky suddenly clouded over, an undeniably bad omen over the course of many months' journeys.  Bolts of lighting rained from the sky upon the men and elves alike.  The familiar cackling of hideous hags was heard in the dark sky and a pair of wooden constructs lumbered onto the field to batter the soldiers with their hard and thorny arms.  As the company fought back against the aggressors, an unbelievable sight descended upon them.  An enormous and hideous dragon dove out of the sky and crashed through the wagon which had been holding the Amphora safe.  With a lash of a long frog-like tongue, the disgusting hag sitting on the dragon's back lashed up the chest containing the Serpent Amphora.  The dragon took flight again and all seemed lost.  Aided by Pirifan's flying spell, Gradius fearlessly charged the dragon-riding hag.  The flying monk crashed into the hag and pulled the chest from her wicked claws.  Turning in the air, the dragon opened it's gigantic maw and spewed forth an electrical blast that was felt by every creature within a mile.   Gradius twisted in the air and narrowly dodged the column of lighting death.  He had spotted the druid Tamlaine signaling to him on the forest floor.  Gradius dove towards ground while the infuriated dragon and hag followed in hot pursuit.  Tamlaine grabbed Gradius' arm as he descended and pulled him through a large tree.  When they emerged from the other side, Tamlaine collapsed and Gradius soon realized that she had transported them away from the battle.

The dragon crashed to ground nearly uprooting the ancient tree that Gradius and Tamlaine had just passed through.  The dragon then snatched up Vian Piridun and withdrew from the battle with the hags while the soldiers hacked and chopped at the wooden golems until they finally fell.

With the whereabouts of Gradius and Tamlaine unknown, the surviving Veshian soldiers headed back to their homeland to bring news of the loss of the Amphora and the Song of Unmaking to Lave.  After the departure of the soldiers, the elves led The Order of Fortune to the Jordeh.  Gradius and Tamlaine were found with the Amphora secured, but Vian and the Ritual had been lost.

Chapter Twelve - Rescue and Redemption

After weighing their options, the Order of Fortune decided to pursue the hags in hopes that the Song of Unmaking could somehow be stolen back.  With the aid of druidic scrying, the heroes discovered that Vian was being tortured by the hags on the edge of the Hornsaw Forest.  The party was escorted by the Jordeh through the Ganjus and then set off alone across the Haggard Hills.  After quickly crossing the barren terrain, the party found the hags treetop hideout along the edge of the Hornsaw.  With a carefully planned assault, the party caught the storm hag Hellia and her hag underling completely by surprise.  In a tremendous display of might, the party slew both hags in mere seconds.  Vian was rescued and the Ritual was reacquired.

Riding hard back across the  Haggard Hills, the band spotted the great woodwrack dragon giving chase in the distance.  The deadly dragon drew ever closer to the galloping horses as they sprinted towards the Ganjus forest.  It seemed that the dragon would catch them on the open plains when Pirifan grounded the dragon for a moment with a spell.  The dragon recovered as the party rode into the tall trees of the lush Ganjus.  As the dragon flew to the edge of the wood, hidden elves in waiting fired a barrage of arrows and the druids unleashed columns of fire and plagues of insects upon the unsuspecting serpent.  The great dragon had no choice but to turn away and live to fight another day.

Chapter Thirteen - Final Treachery, Final Victory

The Jordeh led the party deep into the heart of the Ganjus.  The druids left the Order to stand guard outside of the sacred grove while the druids performed the Song of Unmaking. Unfortunately, Mormo's taint ran deeper than any could have know.  Many of the druids had been corrupted by the Bringers of Autumn and were executing an unthinkable and twisted plan for the Serpent Amphora.  In a final act of treachery, the faithful of Denev were assaulted by Inacial and the corrupted druids.  The true Jordeh survivors stumbled back to warn the Order and Denev's faithful of the horrible betrayal.

Swearing oaths of secrecy, the Order of Fortune were brought to the true resting place of Denev.  At this sacred place the corrupted druids were performing a powerful ritual that would allow Mormo to rise in the place of Denev!  The Jordeh were instantly crippled by the wicked magics of the Mormo worshippers and began writhing on the ground and vomiting bile.  It seemed only the illustrious Order would be left to save Denev from an unspeakable fate.  Denev screamed in pain as the ritual came ever closer to completion.  Serpents burrowed deep into the exposed fist of Denev and serpent scales began to cover it's rocky carapace.  The party fought valiantly through Medusas and lighting strikes and finally struck down the ritual casters.  With the ritual disrupted, the power of the Amphora dissipated and the vessel crumbled to dust.  With a powerful release, the unfaithful were struck down and killed while the Order of Fortune were healed by a cool breeze and blessed by the thankful touch of the Earth Mother.

The Serpent Amphora had finally come to an end and so it was time for the weary and mighty heroes to return to Vesh and enjoy a much deserved rest.

Epilogue -

After receiving reward and recognition from Kelemis Durn and the Vigilants, the Order of Fortune fractured and went in separate ways.  Gradius and Pirifan traveled back to Hedrad to tell of their grand tale while Othur and Eli finally headed for the home and hospitality they longed for in Trela along with the company of their elf-friend, Finrod.  Rannah left for her hometown in northern Vesh, but not before delivering a truly startling revelation to Othur.  Rannah had visited Trela so many months ago not for the archery competition during the Carnival of Flowers, but to seek her father whom she had never met.  Her father is, in fact, none other than Othur the Bellied.