Lighting the Silver Flame

About the Saga

The Followers of the Silver Flame join together to battle an undead scourge that has taken to the skies of Obsidan Bay.

Timeframe

• Greyhawk Date: Ready'reat 2, CY 591
• Real World Date: 2008-04-18
• Read other Dark City Sagas

Cast of Characters

• Gruffudd Castlemaine, half-elf paladin of Lendor
• Sir Krovacar Fawkes, human paladin of Wee Jas
• Corash, elven seeker of magical knowledge
• Thom Silverbow, half-elven bard in search of fame

Notable Quotes

None.

What Has Come Before

Darkness is descending on Obsidian Bay. In the streets and back alleys of the city, a bloody war is being waged fanatical followers of the Earth Dragon Temple and the power-mongering Messengers Guild. At the same time, the Messengers have been brutally attacking anyone who might challenge their would-be dominance over the courier business, beating and even killing freelancers.

This has given rise to a fledgling Couriers Association which seeks to resist the guild's attacks. Meanwhile, an unknown faction in the city is maneuvering it down an increasingly totalitarian path, urging the establishment of military drafts and total war with the Empire of Turrosh Mak, assassinating and blackmailing all who get in their way. And beneath the city, slithering and sliding through the ooze of its sewers, a faction of demon-worshippers prays for the release of Ylerys, a Far Realm-corrupted demon who's release will herald the absorption of the entire city into that madness-spawning reality.

Against this stands the Followers of the Silver Flame, a covert force for good being organized by Promethean Steelbrand, owner of Steelbrand Trading Co. and a man who feels that the evil lurking within Obsidian Bay must be fought. Steelbrand's uncle, Corwin Steelbrand, died during the Fall of Obsdian Bay, and Promethean himself was forced to flee with along with most of the city's population.

When the city was liberated, he returned intent on fighting whatever new shadowy threats might arise against it. To that end, he's begun formulating his own secret society, the Followers of the Silver Flame, whom he hopes will serve as a counter to the growing evil in the city. To that end he has recruited two rising heroes in the city to aid him in his quest: Prug the Thrice-Risen and Gruffud Castlemaine. Through them, and other agents scattered throughout the city, he hopes to truly make a difference in Obsidian Bay

• Read the previous saga

The Saga

Ready'reat 2, CY 591

The Crustation Mystery

Corash spends the day researching the strange lobster claw. He learns little about it, and then choses to return home to rest and ponder his next course of action

Ready'reat 3, CY 591

Rumors from the Lamplighters

Edgar, a member of the Couriers Association, arrives during Gruffud Castlemain’s morning exercises at the Golden Swordsmen Academy and asks him to attend breakfast with Promethean at the merchant's manor house in the High Quarter. Edgar says he can usually be found at the Ettin’s Heart Inn, should Gruffud need him again.

Promethean explains that he learned from Quarren Brightflame, leader of the Lamplighters Guild, that strange attacks have been happening in the Wharf District. According to Brightflame, one of his Lamplighters -- a man named Irthun Nearstrider -- -- reported several men and women being horribly disfigured in the Wharf District by unknown attackers. The merchant also catches Gruffud up on the fate of Wind and Salsar, who were murdered by the Messengers GUild, and lays out his suspicions that the guild is up to no good.

Attack of the Cursed Bags

Gruffud then leaves and meets with Thom, Corash and Sir Fawkes at Fire-Eaters, and asks Thom if he’s heard anything about happeninings in Wharf District. Thom replies he heard something about people getting their faces eaten off by some strange ... bag.

Gruffud and Sir Fawkes head to the Lamplighters Guild, and learns that Irthun is sleeping "The men, they sleep during the day you see, since they work at night..." the guard explains.

Remembering that Absalom had a run-in with a streetwalker along the Grand Avenue in the Wharf District, Gruffud decides to send Corash and Thom to the Wharf District.

A Day at the Sea Nymph Brothel

Thom asks that the elf change into more mundane clothes; Corash buys a change of mundane clothes as Scrappy's. They then go to one of Thom's favorite hangouts, the Sea Nymph Brothel, a somewhat famous brothel in the Wharf District. They proceed to talk with Madame Catherine; or at least Corash does -- Thom instead slips out to "interview" one of the women in the brothel. From Madame Catherine, Corash learns that a common streetwalker was attacked on Grand Avenue, and that she was in the thrall of a pimp named Gunth

Dagger Down, Mugs Up

Find man sobbing in corner, tells tale of getting hit in face with manta ray, and that whatever hit him the night before, felt like that. They buy him beer and he tells them his story, about how he was walking on the Grand Avenue when attacked. Sir Fawkes heals him, but while the wounds dry up, the scaring remains.

The Shack of Gunth

Corash heads with Thom to Gunth’s Shack, where Gunth refuses to let Corash see the wounded woman, who's name is Giselle. Corash argues the woman is of no value to Gunth any more and that he should get rid of her. Gunth nods, agrees, and kicks her into the street. Corash takes her away, examines her with his undead hand, which reveals that there's a tinge of necromancy about her wounds.

She begs for hiim to heal here, but he explains the arcane art does not heal, it only destroys. He says he has friends who have divine power, who may be able to help. Thom heals her most terrible wounds. She says that will help in any way she can, and serve him. She explain how she was attacked from behind with a bag, but could not see her assailants.

Sir Fawkes writes a letter to Lady Zinora, asking for her to help with seeing a woman who had her beauty robbed.

Corash sends Giselle to the Black Quill Inn with 10 gold.

Explanations and Meetings

The four heroes meet back at Fire-Eaters for dinner. Exchange information.

Gruffud goes to speak with Irthin Nearstrider at the Lamplighters Guil, a sweet, slightly befuddled man who takes great pride in working on the Grand Avenue. He describes creature as flying bat wings, maybe 5 feet across.

Message returns, Lady Zinora summons them to meet her; Corash retrieves her, and they go to speak, Gruffud explains what he learned.

At the Lady’s room, they talk to the Lady, who detects undead on the woman, as well as Corash’s undead hand. She kicks him out.

She then explains she’s heard of this kind of undead, that feast on flesh and beauty to reproduce. And that when last heard of them from adventurers in obsidian maze.

The characters force Corash explain his undead hand. He had sacrifice his real hand to gain the power to combat the Far Realm.

The Skin Kites

They go to the guard barracks at the Black Gulch. Speak with Watch Sargent Harod.They setup watch at the Black Gulch Camp out on Scrappy’s front porch to watch the Gulch. Corash and Thom catch a glimpse of one of the creatures, and they chase it to grand avenue where Corash and Sir Fawkes fires a magic missile at it.

Corash blasts the creature out of the sky with a lightning bolt, burning it to ash. Near morning, Sir Fawkes sees the creatures wing over and go into the watch tower at the old Hextorite shrine. Get recommendation from Lady Zinora to get keys from City Guard to enter Hextorite shrine after learning that the creatures were there.

Head into the tower, heading up to make a lot of noise, one creature erupts from darkness and latches on to sir fawkes face.

Creatures latch on to Corash and Thom as well. Corash casts half undead from his hand, freezing the creature son himself and Sir Fawkes. He wrips his off and throws it to the ground. Fawkes rips his from his face, then slices it in half with his sword. Thom tries to scrape his off with his hand axe. Gruffud kills the last one on Thom, and they retreat, taking the bodies with then. She analyzes them, confirms that they are skin kites, and heals Thom and Sir Fawkes, but refuses to heal Corash. They ask after Esseni, who crafted Corash’s arm, and she says that while he is a self-obsessed mage obsessed with magical grafts and magic items, he is not evil.

They check out the tower, and learn that the shrine is being sold by the city at auction on Fireseek 1.

Night's End

Gruffud returns to Promethean and reports. Sir Fawkes is charged by Zinora with tracking down the victims so they might be restored. He finds all of those afflicted, including Durrneth Vinholm, who’s father Councilman Heath Vinholm pays them 150 gp each.

The former prostitute, Giselle, now healed by Lady Zinora, becomes a servant to Corash.

Experience & Loot

• No experience and/or loot is available for this saga.