Secrets of the Eclipse

Secrets of the Eclipse is the 8th campaign to take place within the known world of the Wandering Vale.

Players
The following players were involved and began the campaign collectively as the Eclectic Bazaar: After the death of Xerek, Ben Tankersley resumed the campaign as Guthrie.
 * Tristen Webb as Virgil
 * Stone Waddell as Varth
 * Ben Tankersley as Xerek
 * Logan Gruenfelder as Madüd
 * Elijah Walls as Holwen

Summary
Commissioned by Queen Lorien herself by virtue of treasure, asylum, and infamy, our travelers make their way to the edge of the known world—Blackseal Isle, a land of barbarians, elves, and, well, seals.

Our cast of characters include the wise and powerful Virgil—an Aasimar who’s desperately after the capital and the clout to seek out a way to save his people. Virgil lands upon Blackseal Bay and makes his way past a few orphaned children—one of whom lacks an arm—and heads north and east towards Johnston’s Tavern, where Queen Lorien is said to have been waiting.

Elsewhere, a human assassin is having his own struggles. For he is a slave to Thules—damned to fulfill his wishes as best he can. After ordering orphaned children—one of whom still lacks an arm—to steal from a particularly unruly townsman, he encounters Thules who demands a betrayal before the night is over.

At Johnston’s Tavern, Virgil encounters Xerek—a Tiefling who’s struggling to get past a particularly prejudiced bouncer. Virgil and Xerek strike a deal with the man, and are let inside. After a few strange but entertaining encounters with the Tavern’s staff and head bartender, Martha, the two are led to a single table atop the bar, where they encounter another unfamiliar face—that of Holwen.

Howlen, a human ranger also after the treasures promised by the Queen, makes idle chat. Outside, Varth encountered the prejudiced bouncer and convinces him to allow Madüd enterence—a half-giant who’s slow to speak but quick to murder.

The five adventurers arrive and talk amongst themselves until a hooded figure approaches. One could say their expectations were certainly subverted—as the hood is pulled back to reveal Prince Reynolds.

Reynolds explains that it is actually Queen Lorien who has run off. As the only respected member of their home, the Queen must be returned and law and order restored if the Vale is to survive. However, information leads them to believe the Queen has done the impossible—sailed westward to a mythical land dubbed The Eclipse.

While initially hesitant, the party takes on the introductory cash sum of two-hundred and fifty gold. They make their way outside only to discover that tonight is the night of The Flopping of The Seals—a ludicrous and dangerous tradition hosted annually.

The party rushes to the docks—attracting the attention of several guards—before making their way to the docks.

In the hubbub, Virgil manages to ride Madüd and cast many spells which incapacitate the guards. Madüd gets number of guards brutally murdered in many ways, while the rest of the gang searches for a boat.

Varth is first to reach a boat—having appeased Thules by betraying the bouncer and having his leg sliced off by Madüd. However, he encounters a man whom he must slay to claim the boat.

In the chaos and the seal-flopping, Xerek manages to blow up the dock and separate the group from the floppening. The party arrives onto the boat, where several party members assist Varth in straight-murdering the last remaining parent on this family boat—leaving the two children below, Cale and Remona, parentless.

Virgil attempts to calm the children, before running upwards and lighting the way to the eclipse. However, the flopping deposited several seals ahead of them. Virgil is able to call upon Crisarum and wipe away the threat—save for one angry seal.

The entire team takes on some intense damage before beheading the beast, and now with the threat murdered and the orphans scarred, the party travels west—into the unknown, and towards the Eclipse.

Summary
As morning rises and our heroes gather themselves from the suffering inflected upon the the town of Blackseal Bay, Xerek rises to note that the deceased mother from the night before is very much still on the boat. Thinking on his feet and choosing the simplest option, he opts to cut the body into pieces and store it with the residual seal.

Varth, rising and noting the extreme horror of the situation, casts the body parts into the sea. The rest of the crew arises and begins shaking the sleep and murder from themselves, as they approach a distant and unfamiliar land.

Intercepting their travels is Rivers and Creeks Cuomo (a father and son fisherman duo) that are more than hesitant to help due to the floating chunks of dead mother in the sea. Still, they are helpful enough to lead the traveling party to the south docks of Aberin—a small town with little to do and lots to learn. Though, as we’ll soon uncover, our party learns very little here.

Disembarking from their commandeered vessel, the party splits. First, Virgil uncovered an abandoned lighthouse and uncovers information that would be most helpful to the party. Next, upon a suggestion from Rivers, Xerek first travels up through the villages and to the Information Desk, were Venisen is able to lead him to the quiet Tavern #2. Varth is next off the boat—and travels to the information desk, where Venisen’s body is quickly claimed by Thules and the two discuss the strange land in which they both inhabit.

On the boat, Cale and Remora both begin to learn of the quiet calm of Madüd, who seems helpful enough and more than willing to support the two in the meantime. Leaving the boat next is Holwen, who travels up to the Information desk and meets up with Venisen. The poor woman, now dealing with a broken leg courtesy of Thules, also points both Holwen and Varth to Tavern #2.

Meanwhile, in Tavern #2, Xerek speaks to a tattooed man and very nearly enters a fight. Intercepting the proceedings is Varth and Holwen, who speak to the man to uncover more information. However, the man, who introduces himself as Layton, seems more than hesitant to hide and keep his cards close.

The entire party arrives back at the information desk, where Venisen drops off her maps in a heated rage. The party gathers around this information, along with what has been gathered from the lighthouse, and learns that they are on a land known as the Eclipse. Here, they suspect, Lorien is traveling to an unknown location, but the scent is so far, dry.

They also learn of the Precipice of the World—a deadly whirlpool in the center of this realm that threatens to swallow any sailors who dare move too closely.

To avoid this, three major routes control travel in this land. The blue route, which is patrolled by the Arcadian Militia and is both the safest and most expensive route, the red route, which poses the threat of the Pirate Syndicate but is less expensive and faster, and the black route—a series of dangerous hairpin routes that skips lands entirely, but is only in operation by the Pirate Syndicate.

Using Thules to disguise Layton and remove his Pirate Syndicate markings (via a horrified Remona), the group then separates from each other yet again. Virgil, Howlen, and Madüd go exploring with Cale and Remona, while Varth, Layton, and Xerek drink at Tavern #2.

The more sane group arrives at the North Docks, where they uncover Daylen, Kevin, and a Motley Crew celebrating on an unknown vessel. They quickly uncover that this vessel has been commandeered by the crew, and see the town’s guards heading their direction.

Meanwhile, at Tavern #2, the boys get smashed. Little else to say on the matter.

Back with the sane group, Virgil uses his influence (and sexual attraction to the guard’s leader, Vincent), to arrest the Crew. Madüd does his part by murdering Kevin. The group heads to the jail to see through their side-quest.

Meanwhile, the smashed boys leave the tavern and run into guards. After a failed attempt to attack them, Xerek cuts his scrotum wide open and all three are arrested for public indecency. They arrive at the jail, and as Xerek’s scrotum is undergoing surgery, the rest of the group arrives.

Virgil offers his services and aids in sealing the scrotum, and the entire group is awarded the commandeered vessel as thanks for their efforts—the Starchaser.

Now, in various states of inebriation, our heroes (or villans?) must venture forth to uncover the trail to Lorien and learn more about this unique and distant world…