The Colm Hivak
Swept ashore during the powerful storm near Tanel, The Colm Hivak was a brigandine from the Alekdan Principalities. The Colm Hivak had just dropped off very valuable books and tomes, and in return, picked up a virtual menagerie of creatures for return to the pit fights so common in those lands. The ship is no more than thirty yards out from the beach, her hull caved in in several places, and her masts broken. Tangles of ropes and chains litter the main deck, and her ballistae have broken off in the extreme damage from the storm.

Included in the cargo was an evil kobold druid, but he cannot escape his iron cage. As the ship continues to break up on the shore, he will make use of the desert animals aboard-ships to find people -- or keys -- to free him from his prison. The other four kobolds in the hold were slaves also bound for the arenas, though one managed to escape his shackles and free the others. They have agreed to help the druid, but will only go so far, as the ship continues to slowly break up.

Kobolds (4): male kobold Rog1: CR 1; Size S (3 ft., 7 in. tall); HD 1d6+1; hp 7; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (+3 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural); Attack -3 melee (dagger, 1d4, crit19-20x2), or +4 ranged (dagger, 1d4, crit19-20x2); SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +1; AL NE; Str 3, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 13. Languages Spoken: Kobold. Skills and feats: Craft (Traps) +5, Diplomacy +5, Gather information +3, Hide +7, Intuit direction +3, Listen +1, Move silently +3, Perform +5, Profession (torturer) +7, Search +1, Spot +1, Tumble +7, Use rope +7; Improved initiative. Possessions: each has five daggers taken from the human corpses on The Colm Hivak, as well as a total of 14gp and 13sp.

The following are all animal companions:

Baby Minotaur Lizard: medium-sized animal; HD 3d8+9; 22 hp; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30ft, swim 30ft; AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural); Atk +5 melee (bite 1d8+4); F/R 5x5/5ft; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 17, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2. Skills: Climb +9, Hide +7 (+9 in mountainous terrain), Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Spot +4.

Monstrous Centipede: medium-size vermin; CR 1/2; HD 1d8 (4hp); Init +2 (Dex); Spd 40ft; AC 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural); Attacks bite +2 melee (1d6-1 and poison); F/R 2x5/5; SA Poison; SQ Vermin; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 9, Dex 15, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Hide +8, Spot +8, Weapon Finesse (bite). Poison (Ex): DC 13, 1d3 Dex initial and secondary damage.

Desert Vipers (2): tiny animal (2' long); HD 1/4 d8; 1hp; CR 1/3; Init +3 (Dex); Spd 15ft, climb 15ft, swim 15ft; AC 17 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural); Atk +5 melee (bite, 1+poison); F/R 2.5x2.5(coiled)/0ft; SA Poison; SQ Scent; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 6, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2. Skills and Feats: Balance +11, Climb +12, Hide +18, Listen +8, Spot +8, Weapon Finesse (bite). Poison (Ex): Fortitude save (DC 11); initial and secondary damage 1d6 temporary Constitution.

Camel Spider: monstrous spider, tiny vermin (2' wide, 2" high); CR 1/3; HD 1/2 d8; 2 hp; Init +3 (Dex); Spd 20ft, climb 10ft; AC 15 (+2 size, +3 Dex); Atk +5 melee (bite, 1d3-4 and poison); F/R 2.5x2.5/0ft; SA Poison; SQ Vermin; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 3, Dex 17, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Sklls and Feats: Climb +8, Hide +18, Jump -4*, Spot +7*, Weapon Finesse (bite). Poison (Ex): Fortitude save vs DC 18; venom is a very powerful local anesthetic -- the spider often eats its victims alive, and they do not even feel it. Spot check to notice.

Monsterous Scorpion: tiny vermin (2' long, 1' wide, 1.5" tall); CR 1/2; HD 1d8+2; hp 6; Init +0; Spd 30ft; AC 14 (+1 size, +3 natural); Atk +1 melee (2 claws, 1d3-1, crit 20x2) and -4 melee (sting, 1d3-1 + poison); F/R 5x5/5ft; SA Improved grab, squeeze, poison; SQ Vermin; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 9, Dex 10, Con 14, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2. Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Hide +12, Spot +7, Weapon Finesse (Claw, Sting). Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the monstrous scorpion must hit with its claw attack. If it gets a hold, it hands on and stings. Squeeze (Ex): A monstrous scorpion that gets a hold on an opponent of its size or smaller automatically deals damage with both claws, biting and stinging at its full attack value. Poison (Ex): Fortitude save vs DC 14, or lose 1d6 Str for initial and secondary damage. Monstrous scorpions receive a +4 racial bonus to Climb, Hide, and Spot checks.

Kobold Druid (Kissvikathkrikshir): male kobold Drd5: CR 5; Size S (3 ft., 5 in. tall); HD 5d8; hp 30; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural); Attack +4 melee (dagger, 1d4, crit19-20x2), or +5 ranged (dagger, 1d4, crit19-20x2, RI 10ft); SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +7; AL NE; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 13. Languages Spoken: Kobold, Druidic, and some Common. Skills and feats: Animal empathy +8, Craft (Traps) +3, Heal +11, Hide +5, Intuit direction +9, Listen +3, Move silently +1, Profession (Gardener) +13, Search +3, Spot +3, Swim +7, Wilderness lore +7; Maximize spell, Toughness. Druid Spells Per Day: 5/4/3/2. Likely spell selection: spike growth with entangle and plant growth, as well as barkskin and animal messenger, combined with obscuring mist, and summon nature's ally II, faerie fire, detect magic, flare, and light.

The Churches
The enchanted rings of tracing have allowed the church of Galanus to track the party's progress. If they accepted the special cloak of resistance +1, as well, then that church will also be tracking the party's progress.

The various churches know the general location of the Giant's Tears, and will thus send transportation to pick up the party across the eastern arm of the Gulf of Chirin, from the city of Tanel. Tanel's port is tiny, and little traffic occurs there that is not the business of Al Fahim. A great storm, however, has risen up in the eastern arm of the gulf, and sunk several vessels. The small sloop that was dispatched from Tanel to pick up and return the party was delayed, because of the storm, for several days because of the storm -- a storm which may have been caused by Brigain.

The sloop's crew are Al Fahimans, including the priest that will be aboard to assuage Olorin, and track the party.

Te'negard's Beard is a fair ship, with a decent crew of taciturn men that prefer silence to speech. The ship is painted in blues, and the sail is dyed similarly, to better hide her at sea from prying eyes. The captain is a large man by the name of Sher'neval, and his priest and friend is a cleric of Galanus by the name of Shul'kivel. The captain and crew know that they are one of perhaps a double-handful of Al Fahiman ships on the seas, and are more comfortable on land than water -- but they will pick up the party, and then return, trying to follow the coast as best they can. The journey takes perhaps five days in either direction, though a more experienced crew would have cut south from the Jayce Forest and then angled east to make Tanel, shaving two-and-a-half days off the journey.

Sher'neval al Hanam al Shirval, Captain of the Te'negard's Beard: male Destanae human; Ftr3; CR 3; Size M (6 ft., 1 in. tall); HD 3d10+6; hp 34; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Attack +5 melee (great scimitar/falchion, 2d4+2, crit18-20x2) or +5 melee (fists, 1d4+2, stun), or +5 ranged (dagger, 1d4+2, crit19-20x2, RI 10ft); SV Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +2; AL NG; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 9. Languages Spoken: Common, Al Fahiman, Elven, Thieves' Cant. Skills and feats: Hide +4, Jump +6, Knowledge +5.5, Listen +1.5, Move silently +2, Profession (Sailing) +4, Ride +8, Spot +1, Swim +8, Use rope +4; Blind-fight, Great fortitude, Improved unarmed strike, Weapon focus (great scimitar), Weapon focus (fists).

Shul'kivel al Iral al Neval, Priest of the Te'negard's Beard: male Destanae human; Clr2 (Olorin); CR 2; Size M (5 ft., 7 in. tall); HD 2d8-2; hp 9; Init -1 (-1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 9 (-1 Dex); Attack +4 melee (light mace, 1d6+3, crit20x2), or +0 ranged (whatever's handy); SV Fort +2, Ref -1, Will +6; AL NG; Str 16, Dex 9, Con 9, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 12. Languages Spoken: Al Fahiman. Skills and feats: Diplomacy +5, Heal +10, Hide -1, Intimidate +3, Listen +3, Move silently -1, Spellcraft +2, Spot +3; Empower spell, Skill focus (heal). Cleric Domains: Sun, Protection. Cleric Spells Per Day: 4/3+1.

The Crew of Te'negard's Beard (15): War1; CR 1; Size M (5 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 1d8+3; hp 11; Init +4 (+4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +3 melee (scimitar, 1d6+3, crit18-20x2), or +1 ranged (dagger, 1d4+3, crit19-20x2, RI 10ft); SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +1; AL NG; Str 14, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 7. Languages Spoken: Al Fahiman. Skills and feats: Handle animal +2, Heal +3, Hide +0, Jump +6, Listen +1, Move silently +0, Spot +1; Improved initiative, Improved unarmed strike.

Shul'kivel will try and speak through Sher'neval (a distant cousin of his) to gain as much information as possible from the party. Although wise beyond his years, it's unlikely he'll be able to reason out what all is happening with the party -- but Sher'neval is intelligent enough to put things together. If the wise priest or the intelligent captain realize the importance of the Spin Stone, they will attempt to take it, with their crew to back them -- in the name of the Sheik and the Church of Galanus.

The crew are all seasoned fighters, and will likely try to take the party at night, or when they least expect it. The crew of Te'negard's Beard would prefer to take the party alive, but they have no compunctions killing any of them -- or all of them. If the party proves victorious, then the vessel is theirs. If the crew proves victorious, then they'll take the party back to Tanel, where they'll be placed in prison.

Tanel itself is a fortress city, built on top of a low mountain. The whole city is dedicated to preserving the knowledge and wisdom of the Al Fahiman peoples and tribes, and is really little more than a massive monastery. The thousands of monks and priests that reside there should be enough to keep the party out of trouble, until the Sheik arrives from Aboris -- a matter of a day, at most. Should the party attempt escape (shackles, Escape Bonds vs DC 20, or Pick Locks vs DC 20), then they might be able to make it down to the docks -- and Te'negard's Beard.

After the Sheik talks with the party, he likely will ask them to continue the quest -- but hand over Al Mudim to the church, when they find it. Zone of truth spells, and the like, will keep the party honest -- and should they refuse, the Sheik will lock them away at Shir Amanod. A contingent of desert rangers will escort the party down to Te'negard's Beard, and then to Shir Amanod -- a voyage of eight days for the small sloop and her crew. If Ye'amen's ring is still at Shir Amanod, they will attempt to find it. Before they depart, though, the Sheik and his rangers will remove the Spin Stone and whatever map-diamonds the party might have.

Al Fahiman Desert Rangers (16): male Destanae humans; Rgr2; CR 2; Size M (5 ft., 9 in. tall); HD 2d10; hp 12; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13* (+3 Dex); Attack +1/+1 melee (twin scimitars, 1d6+4, crit18-20x2) or +5 melee (scimitar, 1d6+4, crit18-20x2), or +5 ranged (composite shortbows, 1d6+4, crit20x3); SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1; AL NG; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 11. Languages Spoken: Al Fahiman. Skills and feats: Concentration +5, Heal +6, Hide +5, Intuit direction +6, Listen +1, Move silently +3, Profession (Sailing) +3, Spot +6, Wilderness lore +2; *Dodge, Improved initiative, [Track]. Possessions: each has 2 potions of cure light wounds of a glowing orange-yellow color that smells and tastes heavily of cinnamon.

Escape from Shir Amanod will depend on the rangers, and their level of security -- of course, they only speak Al Fahiman, so communication will be a problem.

Te'negard's Beard will remain at Shir Amanod, unless Ye'amen's map-diamond is there -- in which case, the sloop will make all due haste for Aboris.

Either way, escape could prove difficult -- and then what? Options are very limited for the party. Even if they can gain control of Te'negard's Beard, it requires a crew of 15 just to run it. The cooperation of the crew is unlikely, and the cooperation of the rangers is even more unlikely. Sher'neval and Shul'kivel will not desert the Church of Galanus, or the Sheik.

The Eastern Shard
The Voice of Prophecy stated that, "The Eastern Shard will then be found where the Golden Dye and the Cerulean Bolt adorn the Virgin Wind."

Golden Dye -- or any yellow-colored dye -- on a Cerulean Bolt -- or any blue-colored bolt of fabric -- yields a green color. The Virgin Wind refers to a Maiden of Sails -- in other words, the Eastern Shard is to be found on The Green Maiden. Sigvaldi, the sailor that stole it, was lost at sea during a powerful storm in the Aboriac Sea. The diamond-pendant remains hidden on board the ship, right where Sigvaldi left it -- but now his ghost haunts the ship, angered by his death and his riches beyond his grasp.

The haunted ship quickly begins losing crew, slowly but surely, to the horror that is Sigvaldi's ghost -- twisted and evil in death. The ship, adrift for weeks after Sigvaldi killed all the crew in gruesome manners, ran adrift on a tiny spur of rock in the Aboriac Sea. Successful Gather Information checks (DC16 in Aboris, and then DC19 in Dankelish) might reveal which way the ship went, but they'd have to find another vessel to take them out to the sloop -- wherever it may be. Only the Spin Stone gives them any chance of finding the rocky island in all the Aboriac Sea.

Dankelish, for its part, is a mob-boss controlled city in the Lawful Evil nation of Sandar.

The Search Continued... or Back to the Campaign