Today we meet out heroes for the first time. While they don’t yet know each other, their journey has begun…

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We join the story in the Five Fingers where one of our heroes, Taiga, is seeking information around the city that may lead to the whereabouts of his sister, Kyrthea. After a few days and a few gold crowns spent, he was directed towards the home of a known information broker; a man named Owen Winston. He makes his way immediately to the Winston Manor where he is greeted by Percival Winston, son to the master of the house, where he is surprised to learn Owen has been murdered. Taiga is invited into the home where he meets a portly little man named Nigel, another of our esteemed heroes; he is an investigator who has been hired to find out the details of the death of Mr. Winston. Now at what feels like another dead end, Taiga offers his aid to both Percival and Nigel figuring it may be the best way, at this point, to find the next clue to solving Kyrthea’s disappearance.

After reviewing the crime scene, Nigel concluded that Owen’s death was clearly the work of a professional. Furthermore the assailant probably made entry through the window and left the body for quite some time until Percival found his father. While Nigel scoured the crime scene, Percival searched his father’s belongings, looking for any scrap of information that might help to illuminate why he was killed. Percival’s search is inconclusive but he does uncover one important fact: Owen had been receiving death threats which originated from the East, in an area south of Tarna. Percival had no more information to offer, as such Nigel requested to exhume Owen’s body. Percival reluctantly agreed to allow the still fresh corpse of his beloved father to be examined. Through some ”forensic” work on the body by Nigel, it was discovered that Owen was tortured before he was executed and the torture was meant to inflict maximum pain. Working alone, Nigel furtively cast a necromantic spell to contact Owen’s departed spirit. Wailing and angry, the remnant spirit of Owen managed to sputter out a name: Marshall Reed. Not wanting to reveal his dark arts, Nigel keeps this name to himself.

…

Out in the Gnarls, Zebalon the witch doctor, and his Bogrin posse, were inspired by the lure of manifest destiny to expand their empire. Zebalon found interlopers stomping through his swamp unexpectedly, men in blue uniforms which looked to be tasty morsels. Zebalon had the men followed back to an outpost that looked to be where they were camped; Zebalon decided the encampment would make a more proper home for him and his posse! With his mind made up he sent his pet Boneswarm in to ravage the outpost! After his Minions were done, there was not a single soldier left alive. Zebulon, content (for now), enjoyed a feast of human flesh to celebrate his new home.

…

Across the dense forest of the Gnarls, we meet more of our heroes from a savage Tharn tribe called the White Maw; Calder a rare human amongst these savages who is always accompanied by his two Ravager cohorts. We find the trio as they are summoned by their leader Chief Karak, of the White Maw. They are being tasked to investigate the rumor of human military encroachment around the Leylines of Circle Orboros within the region. They set out on their mission quickly and decided the best place to garner info was a local trading post called Hoval in the eastern Gnarls. Hoval attracts all walks of life from the Iron Kingdoms and the wilds; local information about the goings on of military activity in the area would likely be found here. While scouting the outpost from the perimeter they witnessed the execution of a Pygmy mercenary named Gullin. They found out he was the leader of Unlikely Heroes Company; it was quite the scene taking place right in the middle of the busy trading post. Turns out Gullin was killed by a rival mercenary company called the Black Hounds. Later, outside town limits, Calder and his hunters encountered the very same warband led by a man named Marshall Reed. The conversation was tense, and ended in an exchange of false information; Calder and Marshall parted ways with quite a distaste for each other. Despite the conversation being short, Calder did discover that Marshall Reed is looking for Zocha, a self exiled Blood Weaver from the White Maw tribe; however curios, Calder knew that was not the mission at hand.

The expedition was taking longer than expected and they were no closer to resolving their mission; Calder knew things needed to progress more quickly. As such he decided to find a nearby Stone Site, a Druid Sanctuary where information can be exchanged, beings are teleported, and even healing can occur. Gifted Druids can tap into the Ley Line connection and access some of these powers; Calder is one with just such the gifts, however unrefined they may be. He was able to gain information that directed him to head north on the railway that heads due south from Point Borne, and so they did.

The Tharn Cadre attacked the outpost with intentions of capturing one soldier to get more information. The attack went wrong when they underestimated the size of the force inside. Calder was severely wounded but, after a pitched battle, the Hunters overran the force and got Calder clear before his grievous wounds bled out. Thwarted for now, they would have to fall back to the forest to come up with a new plan or await unsuspecting reinforcements so they could try again. For now, they live to fight another day…

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Join us again for our next edition of the DOGC IKRPG Adventure!!