Past Meet Present - Returning to the Blood

Another busy week in life and work opened up another chance for the players to write the recap, and again Jeremy has stepped forward to assist.  Here it is without further introduction...

DRAFT RECAP

The Royal Karameikan Fist Adventuring Company continues its voyage towards Ashabenford. During the short journey, Temeris raises a garishly coloured banner depicting a fist crushing a stylized “Z” (for Zhentarim), Shadow summons a new animal companion in the form of Max the owl, and general conversation is held about whether the party should continue on to Hillsfar in order to purchase new equipment.

On the outskirts of Ashabenford, the party notices a well-equipped, expensive-looking carriage. Temeris burns with curiosity, and (oddly enough) encouraged by Shadow, the two persuade Daisy to keep a close eye on it to discover who is inside. She agrees, and the others head on to see Bastion. Bastion welcomes the group warmly and prepares a sumptuous meal, and soon conversation is had about many topics: Shadow’s strange behavior (with her out of the room), the nature of the Earth Blood, the orcs moving south, and more. Bastion promises to help the group identify some of the magic items in their possession the next day, and in the meantime offers to put them up at the White Hart Inn.

Meanwhile, Daisy has followed the carriage as it rolls along and soon heads out of the town heading north. Before long, it stops and two of the carriage’s guardsmen come back and ask Daisy why she’s following them. She replies quite honestly, and the guardsman seem taken aback by her frankness and naivete. They tell her that a woman named Renee is in the carriage, and is headed to Hillsfar. They continue on their way. Soon after, Daisy rendezvouses with the others at the inn.

Early the next morning, Temeris walks to the Temple of Tyr and asks if a healer would accompany him to investigate his sick friend Shadow. A priest named Corman agrees, and returns with Temeris to the inn. However, after a brief examination, Corman declares that Shadow is not suffering from any obvious signs of illness. He does, however, seem quite intrigued by Temeris’ story of the Earth Blood, the abandoned shrines to Helm and Tyr, and the cult of Orcus worshippers, and decides he will accompany the group on its return journey there.

Later that morning, Bastion begins the exhausting process of identifying the party’s magical items--several potions, magical weapons, gauntlets that increase the wearer’s strength, and more. He also reveals an important piece of intelligence: Dolf, Daisy’s brother, is among a group of slaves transported to Zhentil Keep. The group immediately decides that after securing the Earth Blood from Zhent hands, it should travel to Zhentil Keep and rescue Dolf. To that end, Bastion offers to secretly travel to Zhentil Keep to scout its defenses and then meet the group there after it has secured the Earth Blood. He also says that he will take Crispin (still in statue form) with him in the hopes of finding a cure. While the discussion is on-going, Atvan receives an important message from his druid master, and says that he must depart immediately, but should return in a day or two. He gives Temeris a list of items to purchase for him before the group leaves Ashabenford.

That night, the party rests again at the White Hart Inn, planning to leave relatively early the next morning.