The PCs

Merrick Undergrave
Gloh in the Gloom Hills
Nathan. Halfling fighter.

Selwyn
Gloh in the Gloom Hills
Paul. Wizard; dead dung beattle.

Grunt Jr.
Casey. Fighter; bubble pipe.

Tordek Brewmaster
Keith. Dwarven cleric of hearth and home; stinky pyramid. Fred the Camel.

Savario
Amos. Rogue

Lucky Luke
Jack. Rogue/bard; purple neckerchief with initials.

Into the Sewers

Our intrepid adventurers met two more companions outside the walls of Johkan after their discussions with the Moonless Tribe's Sharp Tooth, then returned to the site of Krag Blackhand's disappearance, after a brief trouble at the town gates when they returned after sundown.

At the site of Krag's last known location, blood spots, torn clothing and eventually a blood trail were uncovered. These led to a long abandoned public latrine. The latrine, a fine example of architecture no longer constructed in Jokhan, was dark inside at dusk. Selwyn led the search for further clues, disturbing 6 Dire Rats. These were easily beaten off, with a thunderous clap of magic after one took a chunk of Grunt Jr's knee. Following the Dire Rats to a ramp constructed out of a collapsed floor of the latrine led down to the sewers below.

The sewers are, it turns out, of a style of stonework construction not seen in Jokhan today. At the first intersection, examination of the stone work uncovered writing on the wall "Not this one, the other one." and opposite, a bag of 10 platinum behind a hidden stone fitting. Further exploration uncovered a number of rats and a hasty retreat from a pair of Grey Oozes. The Oozes were noticed by Lucky Luke in time and easily defeated by Selwyn's steady rain of ranged fire bolts as the group retreated beyond the range of the Ooze's slow advance. A couple of necklaces were recovered from one of the Ooze's remains.

Into the Sewers

Later, as the group wandered on, those in the rear noticed a Goblin, Grozzy, following them. Savario jumped Grozzy and clubbed him to within an inch of his life. Upon waking Grozzy convinced the group to allow him to live and to lead the way to the Slergar Kingdom, the kingdom of Goblin king Big Flurx.

Beginnings

[You can click links on the map captions to see bigger versions of them.]

The intrepid crew woke up about a campfire just outside of Gloh after having had a rousing night in which two locals met two travellers and the locals decided it was time to blow this popsicle stand: the nothin' happenin' ville of Gloh. After a bit of hi-how-are-you, the crew was ready to set out, but to where? Hmm. No one really knows where else there is... just wandering. Turns out there is an old fellow in town who collects maps, Old Joe. A stop at his place leads to another afternoon of beverages (and a day passing) and a couple interesting maps, one of which shows that the nearest town is Jokhan at the bend in a river that runs to the Dull Sea.

A Map, but Where?

The Lands of Arathem

An uneventful two day walk down the dusty roads, broken with an evening spent overnighting at a farmhouse along the way, leads to Jokhan where numerous tidbits are uncovered in the run down town whence they arrived late in the afternoon:

•  People seem to be packing up and leaving by dribs and drabs. The economy is in bad shape and shops are selling their equipment; this is a bit inexplicable since its been a period of unsurpassed peace and tranquility across the land. Generally one would have expected a golden age.
•  People have been going missing late at night, in particular, the group is following the trail of one Krag Blackhand who has gone missing after a night out drinking at the Saucy Maid with, it turns out, a guy who has some crazy tattooing all over his face.

After having a chat with Dorg, Krag's father at the smithy, the crew tracks down the tattoo-ed man and his comrades outside the city gates. They appear to be a tribe sent to scout a planned attack on the city. The threat doesn't look too real. The tattooed man, Sharp Tooth of the Moonless Tribe son of the Moonless Tribe's chief, looks to be blameless, having tried to help Krag home but when Krag fell unconscious Sharp Tooth went for help. Upon returning, the body was gone.

We know the location where Krag was last seen and we're ready to pick up where we left it, at dusk, just outside the gates of the worn down town of Jokhan.

Town of Jokhan

Background

You find yourself in a relatively rural and agrarian region of the Lands of Arathem. Not much happens out here but its been stable and safe. The Lands of Arathem are surrounded on one side by mountains, and on the other bounded by the Dull Sea. The geography is perhaps largely responsible for the region's security and isolation.

The local area, the farming community that the locals call Gloh, fits into the foothills of the towering Morkhen Mounts. These foothills are the Gloom Hills. Its decent farming country, though its been dry for quite some time. Not quite draught but its hardly a farming gold rush either. Tall dry grasses, sometimes 8 feet tall, ripple in the wind that blows over hills where the occasional copse of deciduous trees breaks up the horizon. Its pretty open country. Plenty of farms spread over the landscape.

But maybe its too safe. Maybe the life of a farmer isn't the life for you. Maybe you've met your inspiration. Time for a change. Time to find your destiny... whatever that might be.