We went “theater of the mind” for the fourth session with miniatures only bouncing around off the grid sporadically. 

Leaving a half ruined hamlet behind them, the group set off for the mining town to the south in hopes of finding out more about where they were and why “Old” thought visiting here would prepare them for the challenges ahead.

Travel Day 1

Traveled down the gently slopping plains. Bridgette worked on preserving the slain cat for use as rations while the group marched south. There was sporadic light rain but nothing eventful occured.

Travel Day 2

Traveled down to the river which they forded. There was a spring shower which lead to Spazzlethrop turning the Orb of Rainward on and off again randomly.

There was also this exchange: “Put the gnome in the river with soap.” and “Touch me and you die.” 

That night, during his watch, Edward noticed a rotting pile of vegetation on the far side of the river.  He warned the others but was only ridiculed by them.

Travel Day 3

Traveling uphill from the river the group spotted the mining town in the distance at the base of a mountain chain. They also began to encounter shacks and eventually a poor cabbage farmer. Bridgette traded one of Kendra’s rubies for the farmer’s scrawny cow and the group stayed at the farm for the night. The farmer ran off to make use of his newfound wealth. Bridgette spent the rest of the day butchering and preserving the bovine – though this slowed as she ran low on salt. Spazzlethrop almost got bedbugs from sleeping in the farmer’s bed but his putrid state warded them off.

Inkett

The next day the group arrived at the mini town of Inkett. The mood in the town was downcast. Asking around the group discovered that the monsters had given the miners an impossible ultimatum – deliver 5 tons of Aurichalcum to them or they will kill half of the Inkett’s population. However – immediately afterwards the monsters filled the mine with traps and beasts! 

Kendra was shocked to discover that Aurichalcum was a metal that she’d never even heard of! She fascinated to learn from the miners that all of the Mithril in the world was transformed into Aurichalcum when the Demon King first entered the world! 

Aurichalcum (Aura-chal-cum) – This metal resembles a very pale almost silvery gold. You feel a strange sensation when you touch it, the tips of your fingers grow warm while the rest of your hand grow colder.

After visiting the two shops in town – Rocks and Things shop run by Zillbar the Halfling and Sayre’s run by a family of humans – the group went for a drink and a meal at the Grazgak Inn. There they encountered the Grazgak family – descendants of the first dwarves to mine these mountains 500 years ago – but who are now largely apathetic. Learning of the plight of the village, the group cures some of the injured miners of poison and then decides to harvest as much Aurichalcum as they can… Hoping to forge it into weapons that can be used against the monsters.

The group managed to salvage 15 pounds of Aurichalcum and convinced the town guards to let them “borrow” another 6 pounds. They also discovered, to their surprise, a pale green lens that looked very similar to the black lens “Old” had given them. Holding the lens up to the sun generated a magical portal and on the other side was their beloved valley. The group stepped through and found themselves back home…but the portal was one way leaving Inkett behind! 

News the group learned in Inkett

• Aurichalcum: The monsters have demanded a tribute of 5 tons of this ore or they will kill half of the town…but the monsters then placed traps and beasts in the mines! This has lead to death or injury for many of the town’s best miners. There’s a general sense of dread.
• Plague: A horrific plague is sweeping through the Empire of T’orients to the west, decimating the population. Healing magic has been ineffective at best. Monsters have, surprisingly, shown that they can heal the plague but, not so surprisingly, have only healed a small portion of sufferers. Most of the people healed by the monsters were then either killed or driven away by other villagers.
• Sanctuary Moon: The gold moon is called the sanctuary moon and is home to a race of celestials who once defeated the Demon King. The people regularly wish that this race would return and help them, they also complain that they don’t. “As reliable as a celestial” has become something of an insult.
• Xmucane: This cruel monster has amethyst flesh and plays at destroying mortal life. It’s said that it has been “pranking” settlements to the north.