So there we are knee-deep in dead wights in Tuck, a small hamlet set in the western Tangles. We set off to burn the wights and behead the dead townsfolk then bury them. The survivors were happy enough with the rescue that we were able to get a good night’s sleep. Gleem did his magic-y identification trick on some of the items off of the wights and then we headed off to Hallorn.
Smiley did some smooth talking and got us right through the gate with no issue. We stabled the animals and cart before moving towards the Rotgut tavern. We were approached on the way by a one-eyed human speaking in some not-too-subtle code about our package to deliver. Sure enough, he leads us to a small shack that we all climb in and when we leave we’ve been poofed somewhere else. The one-eyed man changed his appearance and we were met by General Hok. He was thankful enough for rescuing his nephew, Alahad, and gave us some potions and items. We let him know about our meetup with Moskal’s Legion operating out of the Tangles and some of their willingness to have discussions about possibly working together. We share one of our white feathers which can be used as a token of friendship if engaged by them.
Before we leave the General lets us know that Rookroost is in an uproar and Gaiyle Markalla has been executed. It seems that someone in the Rookroost Thieves Guild ratted her out. General Hok is in no position to take advantage of the unrest but it is a possible destination for us. His last suggestion was to steer south of the Tangles.
Leaving was as unorthodox as coming but I like this poofing much better than the time we traveled through those trees and I got my butt stuck in one of them. Smiley got himself some new armor and we stocked the wagon with trade goods and head off.
Thanks to planning ahead Dancar made us some papers to pose as traders which got us through a checkpoint outside Riftcrag. Eventually, we come across a group of Rift Barren nomads that later we learn are on their way to a conclave with their dead leader in tow for burial. We stay the night with them and Dancar examines the body and determines he was killed by some kind of divine magic. That night we honor the dead and the next morning the band of 20 nomads swells to 50. On the road the following day, still traveling with the nomads, their numbers continue to swell and eventually we meet up with the Conclave. The next day is to be the gathering called Dawn of the Red Sun.
Sure enough, the sun comes up with a reddish tint and we see the leaders take the corpse of the fallen leader off to some hidden burial grounds, returning in a few hours. Followed by the ugliest, meanest, stinkiest Red Dragon screaming out “I love the Red Sun Conclave! The Wheel is in motion.”
Those Nomads that were so vast in number do the smartest thing… scatter and ride away as fast as they can. We run for cover taking their lead, Gleem still on his goat! The Dragon killed a few horses and took out some tents before flying off. Eventually, the nomads returned to take stock of the damage and we were approached by the wife of the dead (now buried leader) Ilyena Brighteagle. She believes that some bad men have found the burial grounds and asks us to get the horn of Hartwon off her dead husband and pull down the hidden entrance further hiding it until they can come back later. Following her directions and using some good tracking skills, we find the burial cave. Its apparently a cave with magical pit traps and wraiths that rise out of the burial tombs. Things can never be simple. We beat off the wraiths, find the horn, which causes the ceiling to collapse, and make our way outside where we are “of course” met by a waiting gang, the “bad men” that Ilyena warned us about. Only, one of them was actually another red dragon. We lost Dancar there, burned to a cinder. But we ran off the dragon in the end and bought time for the nomad chiefs and shamans to do what they will with their ancestors. They interred Dancar with their honors, and we headed south, back on the road.