In case you missed it in our last session, we caught up with the boys who didn’t go up to Ōjmat. Fisvénir and Nyb’drum made a speedy return back to Rejlaz Rhekōlb, notwithstanding a night of horrid insect attacks and a major distraction in Ykoel in the form of a book shop operated by a Tsåshek. Their short sail across the Thejan aided by exceedingly favorable winds, they found a stranger acting presumptuously in the palace grounds before it was revealed that Melbim had picked up a few new tricks. An inspector had been dispatched from the authorities in the Kisstaylnryd to figure out how he had been murdered and Melbim was forced to disguise himself whenever he left the private portions of the palace. After peacefully passing a bit of time while waiting for the other two to arrive, Ashtakkrok interrupted their morning with the announcement that Nerhtan was under attack. And with that, you’re caught up for today’s episode of Umbalin & Oblivion.

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All tracks below are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Machinations by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100510

Five Armies by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100875

Drums of the Deep by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400021

Interloper by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100401

Grim League by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100779

Feral Chase by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100229

Faceoff by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100403

Kevin MacLeod’s Artist Page: http://incompetech.com/

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In case you missed it in our last session, the boys got fully split up, so the ones at the table today don’t know what happened in the last session. So as to not influence their game, go back and watch the adventures of Bjōlan and Ūpŏnōr.

For this one, all we need to know is that a message arrived from Bjōlan that he was caught up in Ōjmat and would be returning to Rejlaz Rhekōlb as soon as he could by way of the canal. Ūpŏnōr decided to ride up to join him so that he did not have to travel alone while Fisvénir and Nyb’drum made their way south to the capital by safe roads during safe hours. And with that, you’re caught up for today’s episode of Umbalin & Oblivion.

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In case you missed it in our last session, the boys stumbled their way into Rashbogash and took up residence at the Brawny Brawler for some much-needed R&R. Ūpŏnōr returned to Bblipshpipsh’s shop, The Wandering Hammer, and worked down his debt by helping him fulfill some simple orders. In the meantime, Fisvénir and Nyb’drum visited some of the local book shops, some of them significantly better than others, with Fisvénir picking up some copyist work at Scribes on the Waterfront and separately a new, nasty habit: smoking.

While those three otherwise entertained, Bjōlan decided that he should have actually made the trip up to Ōjmat and headed out that way all on his lonesome. Intending to slip in and out of town unnoticed, things, as per the “uge”, did not quite work out that way. Tuk taa tum, his old Ungol friend, caught sight of him and brought the town’s plight to the forefront of his mind. Not having considered it previously, Bjōlan found an extra layer of duty stacked upon his already weighted shoulders and made a plan to quickly offload it, seeing his path diverging from his hometown. After securing his father’s Kjorbaj armor for his future use, he decided to leave Tuk taa in charge of the place until the King named a replacement. As we ended, Bjōlan and Tuk taa parted ways for the night with a town meeting to be announced in the morning. And with that, you’re caught up for today’s episode of Umbalin & Oblivion.

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In case you missed it in our last session, the boys awoke in the morning after reaching Telbrhirk’s homestead to find... nothing unusual. Telbrhirk made them some scrambled eggs for breakfast and he informed them of the thoughts he had accrued over his previous night of rather sleepless rest. While there was nothing definitive, the idea that the ritual that took place in Rejlaz Rhekōlb was a combination of powers between the Further, the Far Shores, and Umbalin concerned him greatly.

After the portentous morning, the boys set back towards the capital to report what they had learned. They had almost made their way back to Rashbogash when they came upon a Shahtyral, in full plate armor, assaulting a couple and their Pikn Porpblushp in the midst of a large haul. Headlong rush and thundering hooves, the boys rode in as the couple ran off. The Pikn fought valiantly as the reinforcements arrived and the Shahtyral retreated, retreated in order to focus on the boys. Fisvénir led the pack and was promptly skewered with a javelin along with his drümyl. He managed to make his way into range, and it turned out to be an ill-advised maneuver. In a moment, his drümyl was headless and he was on the ground, pinned beneath it. Only through sheer luck and dice rolls do we have still four PCs living. Their foe vanquished, the boys made their way into Rashbogash with the help of the grateful couple to tend to their wounds. And with that, you’re caught up for today’s episode of Umbalin & Oblivion.

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In case you missed it in our last session, the boys continued their journey from Rejlaz Rhekōlb to Berhidon, passing through Ahkulb, Piter Halut, and Răshbōgăsh mĭ Kăncĭc. Ahkulb was nothing of note. In Piter Halut, they learned of the local industry, the husbandry of Pĭkn Pōrpblŭshp, massive creatures used in farming and freight transport. Nothing useful at the moment, but a point of interest. In town, Fisvénir offloaded the jewelry from Nœrŷ and Ūpŏnōr sent some gifts towards home. Thus Fisvénir (and Wyatt) learned that his traveling companions exist as actual mortal beings with families and lives. In Răshbōgăsh, Ūpŏnōr found a local smith, a Fĕbblĭssn named Bblĭpshpĭpsh, and commissioned a custom set of armor for himself, drawing from his not inconsiderable personal funds. The others decided they needed some additional equipment of their own before they set off to their true destination.

Berhidon itself was unremarkable, but the innkeeper was a touch sketchy about Telbrhirk, who lived just outside of town. Undeterred, Bjōlan, after walking out to his small homestead, knocked on the door and was greeted by the sturdy old Kjōrhbaj. While some camaraderie existed between those two, it did not extend to the others in the group. They were set to chores around the homestead while Bjōlan and Telbrhirk had a rather dire discussion about the issues and the runes surrounding the happenings in Rejlaz Rhekōlb. Telbrhirk needed some time to refresh his memory and consider everything that he had learned that evening, so the boys bedded down outside the small house for the evening. And with that, you’re caught up for today’s episode of Umbalin & Oblivion.

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In case you missed it in our last session, the trek from Rejlaz Rhekōlb began. Given the option of a quickish trip over the Thejan Bay or a long dusty land route across the whole of the Pătpăkn, the boys obviously chose the long way, setting off upon the drümyl lent to them by Jōlahr and Ashtakkrok. It was not an uneventful few days. After a night in Rhilun, they managed to hunt, butcher, and sell almost two hundred pounds of boar meat. Well, that is after they were set upon a gang of Mosstyral and Fisvénir almost died. After their tumultuous night, they stumbled into Nœrŷ and picked up the writ they had requested from Ashtakkrok to cover their lodging, something they did not think to get before leaving, before making a deal with the local butcher for the boar meat, getting paid in mostly coins, with some jewelry thrown in to offset the difference in missing coinage.

Then things became less eventful, with their progress impeded by some bad weather, adding another halfday to their trip. They spent the night in Mahvrel before pressing on to Ahkulb, which would have been the end of day 2 if they had crossed the bay, instead of day 5. And with that, you’re caught up for today’s episode of Umbalin & Oblivion.

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In case you missed it in our last session, the boys were presented to King Jōlahr. It was a less than ceremonious affair, out on the lawn of the palace grounds, with Jōlahr returning from a morning stroll in the Queen’s Glade. They found him less than imposing, a young ruler of slight frame and a poor constitution. Very poor. Sickly and with concerning black veins spidering from beneath a bandage wrapped around his head, he spoke with a weak, raspy voice. The boys goodnaturedly inquired about his ailment and surprisingly Jōlahr answered plainly. He carried in his forehead the remnants of a Zorheg’s daggernail (check out 43:06 in the previous episode for that lore dump) and, while he was saved by Ashtakrrok and their travelling companions, his future wellness was an unprecedented mystery. So add that to the list of what the boys are up to.

Melbim then, after completing the task assigned, informed them all that he was only able to contact one of the possible remaining Kjōrhbaj, a very old Kisstōn named Telbrhirk in Berhidon. Jōlahr commissioned the boys to travel to him to find out more about the runes and maybe his predicament, but Nyb’drum needed permission from the Eldership before he could leave. They spent the rest of their day, and the session, preparing and leveling up. Bjōlan found his town’s signet ring, confirming his parents’ deaths, Fisvénir found out more about a book that he was looking for, and someone may have even found themselves an immovable rod. And with that, you’re caught up for today’s episode of Umbalin & Oblivion.

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In case you missed it in our last session, Bjōlan and Ūpŏnōr set off from the palace to the site of the collapsed ruin within the sewer system of Rejlaz Rhekōlb. Accompanied by a small dispatchment of soldiers, including an irascible old coot named Jōkund, they worked to clear the rubble from the ritual site and uncover the remains that Melbim had glimpsed on the other side; however, when a path was cleared, the body was gone and in its place they found a pack of hideous ghelmōrl, vicious little creatures that are basically a mouth with rows of teeth sitting on two scrawny legs and some bulging eyes jutting off either side. The party of eight was able to dispatch them with relative ease, if after a few nasty bites. Their task successfully failed, Ūpŏnōr convinced Bjōlan to do some cost-free shopping on the way back to the palace.

After gathering some supplies, they returned and found that research does not progress very far in a matter of hours when you have to spend time restoring the texts you're reading along the way, even if you're the formidable trio of Nyb’drum, Fisvénir, and Ashtakkrok. The five of them went off to find Melbim in the palace to see what he had to say for himself when the body he claimed to be there was not to be found. Trouble was he’d gone and gotten himself stabbed in the back, alone in his room. Luckily, Ashtakkrok was able to revivify him with only a lot bit of blood being lost. Then, the accusations started flying, guards were dispatched, and Ūpŏnōr tried to break into Mokaro’s room, several times. Melbim did divulge that the body he saw had telltale markings of belonging to the shadowy Vapbian Brotherhood, but there were few answers to be had at the moment. In the end, it was decided that Melbim perpetuate the ruse that he had been killed, remaining hidden within the palace grounds, and Mokaro return to the Kisstaylnryd, as if to escape looming danger. The session ended with the party making their way into the palace grounds to meet for the first time with King Jōlahr. And with that, you’re caught up for today’s episode of Umbalin & Oblivion.

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In case you missed it, in our last session, the boys picked up down in the bowels of the palace of Rejlaz Rhekōlb with the mysterious etched rune. Ashtakrrok handed them off to a new friend, well acquaintance, the Right Honorable Melbim of the Legislature of the Kisstaylnryd, the other region nominally controlled by Kisstōn on the opposite side of the continent. Together, they entered the literal bowels of the capital and discovered a city-wide decagon pattern of runes forming a circle with center point. As they made their way around, they did find that one of the rune sites had caved in due to some sort of explosion. Melbim used one of his spells, which he apparently has, to view within the space and said a body was still there, but there was no way to access it.

After collecting what they could and getting some info from Fisvénir’s home library in The Towers, they were able to decipher the outer rings of the runes. The Mōssărn script spelled Shahran words and the Shahran Mōssărn, saying “I am arriving by magical movement at distant lands” and “I travel by magic through sky and air” respectively. But the major symbol of the runes was Furtherling in origin. Bjōlan, due to his training and culture, was familiar with a few of them and only one of them freaking him out, but it wasn’t until they returned to the palace and spoke with Ashtakrrok that the connections were made to the Pantheon. But as Ashtakrrok said, “to what end”? We left it off with Fisvénir and Nyb’drum researching runes in the Royal Library with Ashtakrrok while some were dispatched to return to the rune site that had caved in.

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In case you missed it, last session, our boys here showed up down in Rejlaz Rhekōlb, the site of a recent massive tragedy where hundreds of thousands of people died. It was all very cheery as they walked through a city full of standing corpses and tried not to touch them so that those corpses wouldn't disintegrate into a choking dust.

Then, they met a guy named Ashtakrrok, who's about six foot seven, built like a brick house, and is now sort of in charge of the whole city, even though he doesn't really live there. He is the tutor of the now king, Jolar, and that guy's name was Ashtakrrok. And he took them down to see a suspicious rune in the depths of the palace grounds, where they took a tracing of it and are now on their way back up to the palace itself, for further investigation and sundry happenings.Up+Out is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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