Artifacts Worldswide - Lands of Aecathan

Episode 113: Having defeated the Gelatinous Horror the Thuilnu were using as an entry guardian to their conclave beneath Ballinamard, the Four and their remaining allies forge deeper into the cavern complex. After finding a chamber filled with mists that altered Aribell's memories, they found their way into a much larger cavern filled with structure built from giant mushrooms. Inside one, they saw a creature, one they quickly determined to be a Thuilnu, for the first time, in the process of creating one of their horrors. Attacking, they quickly found themselves facing many more of the horrors than first anticipated, and their battle drew out more Thuilnu and different horrors from a nearby structure! NOTE: The Lands of Aecathan is on holiday hiatus until January 10th! From all of us associated with the podcast, have the happiest of holidays and join us for the continuation of the story in the new year!

Episode 112: After awakening Hozen's wife Mytrelda, they go in search of Sefryna and Vines who were supposed to awaken the local priest of Balmous and bring him back to the rest of the awakened group. Arriving at the temple, the strong scent of blood heralds a grotesque discovery and a conclusion that the priest has been killed and their companions taken. A clue found on the scene, however, leads the Four and their remaining allies to investigate the Shaman's Lodge. There, they discovered a massive tunnel leading down from the root cellar into the depths! Beginning to explore, they run afoul of a Gelatinous Horror, a cube which has been... altered... by the Thuilnu and set as a guardian. After a sticky battle, the companions believe they have found the entrance to the conclave, and begin preparations to take the fight to the Thuilnu themselves for the first time!

Episode 111: The four hosed the Ballinamard High Council for breakfast inside Tasha's mansion. There, the council and the Four's group discussed who else to bring into the "Awakened" group. Sefryna and Vines headed off to the Temple of Balmous to cure High Priest Val Dahld and bring him into the fold. Aribell and Gwenlaryn set out to awaken Master Arbo Choob, the local Alchemist, to bring him into the fold as well. Athgarr continuee to fend off the advances of the amorous Councilwoman Leld. After watching Gwenlaryn tease Athgarr about it once again, Aribell decided to have a discussion with her about Gwen's habit of pushing women at Athgarr, which led Gwenlaryn to find Athgarr and have their own talk, which brings them closer to understanding how they feel about each other. Master Choob arrives at the Mansion armed for battle and prepared to speed-learn the Magnificent Mansion spell so there is someone local who can cast it. At the same time, Zorith and Bo headed to the Tower of Azinor to retrieve the three scrolls Master Choob needs. Zorith and Bo then teleported back to Ballinamard, re-appearing in the Councilhouse, that's where the last episode concluded.

Episode 110: The group meets Fen Gesos, high speaker of the Council of Ballinamard, at the Wolf's Den kennel. After a bit of subterfuge, he is released from the subconscious alterations caused by the Thuilnu and brought up-to-speed on the current state of his community. After Gwen make a purchase that surprises no one, they head to the Council Building where Fen has summoned the other four members. One-by-one, they come in and are released from the Thuilnu-imposed reality they've been living in, each with a different reaction: Vengeance, Horror, Rage, and one simply passes out. The group brings Fen and the Council into Tasha's Magnificent Mansion, where they're away from the Thuilnu's influence, to consult with the locals on how to find the entrance to the Thuilnu's subterranean conclave!

Episode 109: Mother Tassa briefs the Four and their allies, both new and old, on the information uncovered by the Sept Sages. After she departs, Vines, Bo, and Sephyrna head to rooms in Duneshadow Manor while the rest of the group, along with Jas, gets invited into Athgarr's new Magnificent Mansion, one that appears as a Hacienda in the desert. The following morning, after breakfast, the group teleports to The Barracks in Ballinamard. After searching to make sure the Inn is both empty and not the conclave's connection to the surface, and after finalizing on a strategy for dealing with the citizens of the city, the Four venture outside. They first head for the Council House, but find it dark and empty. They then stop off first at the Temple of Quisva where they meet the High Druid of Ballinamard, Vesh Chofoh, who provides them with information on finding High Speaker Gesos, who moonlights as a trainer at The Wolf's Den, the kennel for a variety of canines. Upon arriving at the Den, Gwenlaryn speaks with a young male wolf, who is surprisingly helpful in providing them their next move.

Episode 108: [Warning: We had some technical issues in this episode.] The following morning, after a breakfast in the private dining room at Duneshadow Manor. Tasha contacts Corporal Hering "Vines" Cherrier, an old traveling companion of theirs, and asks if he can join them for the assault on the Thuilnu. After Jas cleans up and dons the new clothes provided for him, Aribell, Tasha, and Jas head to General Warbenders office to request that Vines be officially attached to their team, and then it's off to the Shouting Pirate in search of Viessa. After chatting with Jojo briefly, they head down into her complex, finding her in her pub. After verifying that she has not had any memories altered, she explains the situation in Ballinamard and asks for her assistance in searching for additional Thuilnu conclaves beneath the other towns and cities in Aecathan. She also offers Jas the same opportunity his father once enjoyed while working for her. The entire group then reconvenes in the Pirate for a late lunch and to give Jas a chance to talk to Jojo about his experiences aboard a ship, something that Jas seems intrigued with. That evening, Vines arrives and is checked and briefed on the situation. Shortly thereafter, Master Obras arrives with a halfling mage he introduces as Arbogast "Bo" Claynanger, who will be accompanying the group on behalf of the Tower of Azinor. After Obras briefs the assembled on the full extent of the Noctomancy spells he has deciphered from the tomes located in the ruined Temple of Othoathok, Father Dilbiss arrives with a young half-elven woman he introduces as Sefryna von Alfthan, a cleric of Balmous, who Aribell is able to identify as a fellow member of the Aermaghian nobility, but unfortunately one from a family that is not held in much favor or esteem. Master Obras and Father Dilbiss depart, leaving the group with Mother Tassa for whatever additional information she has discovered from the various Sept Sages.

Episode 107: The Four arose from a night's sleep at Duneshadow Manor and began planning their day. They contacted General Warbender, who arrived to hear their story of Ballinamard, but didn't seem all that upset at first, which was frustrating for a few members of the group. He did agree with the wisdom of convening a war council of sorts and volunteered to contact Masters Obras and Indruz at the Tower of Azinor and Father Dilbuss at the Faelefiri Sanctum, leaving the group to contact Mother Tassa. When the evening arrived, the group assembled also included the High Enchanter Ahagan Unvusim from the Tower and the High Curate, Awinita Nokomis from the Sanctum. After verifying that none of the attendees had had their memories changed in any way, Mother Tassa was able to provide the group with some much needed intelligence on the Thuilnu, although she admitted that her knowledge of the Thuilnu is over a century old at this point. Based on that information, the group began to formulate a plan to return to Ballinamard, seek out the Thuilnu conclave beneath the city and, with the help of some promised assistance from the Tower and the Sanctum, wipe it out. A plan was then put in place to meet again the following evening to finalize strategies and then put the plan of attack in motion.

Episode 106: Kaylin, the chef at Duneshadow Manor, sends the group off with a breakfast they can eat on the way as they teleport to Darkcoast Keep. They re-connect with Captain Virthana, learn that he knows little more than they do, and they set out for Ballinamard aboard their magic carpet. As the sun sets, the group comes within distant sight of the city, but chooses to stop for the night in Tasha's Magnificent Mansion. After a brief warm-up, it's decided that Gwen and Athgarr will take the carpet and do some nighttime recon of the city. The city is quiet, with lights on in a few of the buildings but, strangely enough, not a soul out on the streets. The next morning, the Four set off, concealed by their magics, to the farm on the southwest end of the city, where they witness an orc sitting at the breakfast table with two humans and the woman who apparently owns the farm. Still concealed, they explore the edge of the city and discover a temple to Balmous. They drop their concealment, and while searching for the Temple of Tiraura, encounter a group of Orcs acting as city guards. After a tentative but polite encounter, they point the group to the temple they're seeking, where they meet High Priestess Chalia Ravakas. Things are going well until a social faux paux gets them sent away. They make their way to The Barracks, the Inn in this section of town, where they meet Jas Prayrn, who took over the business after his father was killed by the initial Orcish attack. After choosing to show him the Rope Trick spell, they discover that Jas is the only person left in Ballinamard who isn't under the sway of creatures who live below the city! The Four decide to protect Jas, closing his shop and taking him first into Tasha's mansion, and then back to Aermagh to Gwen's manor house, where they begin to make plans to summon a war council to try to enact a plan to reclaim Ballinamard from the creatures they believe to be the Thuilnu!

Episode 105: After departing the Sanctum, the group heads to Aermagh to do a spot of shopping with a focus on increasing the overall defenses of the group. After stopping off at the Shouting Pirate to catch up with Jojo, Viessa Vexx stops by and, due to a message she received, she heads off into the city. Aribell and Zorith head off the Thunder's Edge to check in with Aralahkis and secure a bit more defense, while Gwenlaryn, Tasha, and Zorith secure some cold weather gear for Athgarr and the rest of the group. When they all re-convene after the lunch rush in the Pirate is over, they bring Jojo and Viessa up to speed on what they've been doing, and Viessa clues them in on a lack of communication from Ballinamard, supposedly after the Orcs had once again re-taken the city. The Four decide to head that direction before going back to further explore the newly-discovered Western regions of Aecathan, and spend the night prior to their departure at Duneshadow estate.

Episode 104: The next day, Gwenlaryn sends her magical owl to scout the town Athgarr called Oltz-aru, discovering that there are three paths leading out the other side. Afterwards, the group travels to the Faelefiri Sanctum where Father Dilbiss and Master Wranro take over attempting to diagnose and heal Athgarr. Through magical means both arcane and divine, the source of Athgarr's malady is determined and a course of action undertaken to return him to normal. While he is recovering, Gwenlaryn and Zorith go on a shopping trip for clothes suitable for any other slaves they might rescue, plus sacks to use organizing the coins in their portable hole. While they're away, Aribell is intercepted by her order's leader, Sir Erelo, and she is taken to the master forge below the Temple of Balmous and introduced to priest and weaponsmith Durald, who instructs her in how to forge a mithril longsword. Over the next 48 hours, Aribell is worked to exhaustion, but she is able to follow Durald's instructions well and, ultimately, returns to the rest of the group with her Holy Avenging sword. Athgarr attempts to mend his relationship with Gwen, and makes a very sincere apology to the Aribell, Tasha, and Zorith as well.