Recap: 10^th of Sad, and though the sun has set but minutes ago, the darkness is absolute -- save when the lightning flashes. The party has been asked to carry a cursed chalice, cut from a single emerald, to Mount Rilan, where the priests or the mages there can dispell the curse. Already, the curse has taken the Seven Sisters Inn, in Tikanal. Father Engrin, his wife, and his three acolytes have all blessed the party -- and the raven -- for the perilous day and a half ride along the river. Leaving in a horizontal rain may add considerably more time to that ride. In the meantime, a suit of scale mail made from the iridescent green scales of a rhino beetle is being made; the suit will be complete on the 12^th. Boots and gloves and belts are being made for Tram, and will be complete by the next day.

Mount Rilan is the collective name given to several important communities located either on or at the base of the Mountain known as Rilan. Situated along the Galanus River, and located in the relative geographic center of Rakore, Mount Rilan is a nexus of the churches, government, mage studies, commercial traffic and activities, and the military.

Malden: One of Tikanal's soldiers wants the emerald chalice for the Inquisition, so that he can destroy Lok Magius with it. Malden is dressed in studded leather armor, and carries a longsword like he means it, as well as a shortbow. He is a Seeker from Kur Maeth, sent to Tikanal to wait for some opportunity to undermine Rakore. Malden will use stealth, if possible, to secure the chalice -- but brute force is also an option.

Malden, male human Ftr2/Rog2: CR 4; Size M (5 ft., 8 in. tall); HD 2d10+2 + 2d6+2; hp 25; Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+1 Dex, +3 f/ studded leather armor); Attack +5 melee (1d8+2 w/longsword or 1d4 w/fists), or +4 ranged (1d8+2 w/shortbow), +5 at point blank ranged status; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0; AL NE; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11.

Languages Spoken: Common.

Skills and feats: Craft +5, Disable device +4, Disguise +1, Hide +1, Listen +5, Move silently +1, Open lock +1.5, Ride +2, Sense motive +4, Spot +2, Swim +7, Use magic device +5; Alertness, Blind-fight, Improved initiative, Improved unarmed strike, Point blank shot.

Possessions: 2 flasks of acid, potion of truth, 2 covered darkness stones (20' radius), 3 grossulars (faint green garnets worth 97.2GP ea), gold wafer (20GP)

• A merchant by the name of Davad (m slate, 3^rd-level merchant, fat but able, considerate but shrewd) has heard from Gyven Furlong at the Broken Bow that the party is fast, reliable, and able to take on odd missions. His (covert) overland shipment from Stomalin Keep is late, and he fears the worst. He would like the party to track down the shipment, and find out what happened to it. (Large spider and accompanying smaller spiders encounter)
• Cutheros the Apothecary already has a buyer lined up and waiting for several rare and expensive dicalthal stones. Unfortunately, the ship was delayed in Kur Maeth, because dicalthal stones have arcane magic potential. If the party is willing, Cutheros would like them to go to Loregard, and then to Tent City, to parlay with the ogres for some -- and he may have something they'll trade. Cutheros will send along a +3 cursed longsword that he's been stuck with for a year, and a note from Brin Vridara authorizing its sale to the Ogre Nations.
• Stovan Kemal, the Amaran stock dealer, would like to hire the group for 15 diamonds (500GP ea), to serve as escorts aboard a very special ship from Nikala -- a voyage of two months, both ways. The cargo is Chre war horses, worth nearly 2,000GP each. He has several favors he can call in, that would have them on a sloop to Teras, and then a galleon to Nikala.

Djon Senior: Djon and his brothers are dead, and Djon senior wants revenge. He's tracked the party as far as he can, and now he wants revenge.

Djon Senior, male human Ftr3: CR 3; Size M (5 ft., 3 in. tall); HD 3d10+3; hp 26; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (+2 Dex, +6 f/ banded mail); AC 13 with Dodge; Attack +6 melee (1d6+3 f/ shortsword), or +5 ranged (1d4+3 f/ dagger); SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1; AL LE; Str 17, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11.

Languages Spoken: Common.

Skills and feats: Climb +8, Handle animal +5, Hide +2, Listen +0, Move silently +2, Spot +0, Swim +5; Combat reflexes (3 attacks of opportunity, against 3 different opponents), Dodge, Improved initiative, Mobility, Point blank shot.

Possessions: 2 antitoxin doses, masterwork shortsword, 3 ducats, 1 potion of cure light wounds, golden necklace (60 SP)

The area is ruled by Baron and Bishop Nodrom "Dwarfendale" Fistforger. His stronghold is known as Lok Giran, which in the dwarven tongue translates to Fortress of the Soul. The mountain itself has considerable religious associations, at the heart of which is the naming of the Galanus River after the former God of the Dead. Baron and Bishop Dwarfendale maintains order with a relaxed hand, letting things run themselves with minimal guidance. However, he is not above keeping things fair in the interest of society, and has been known to level a building if its owner refuses to comply with good and fair practices.

• Hamlet, pop 294 dwarves, limit 100GP (3,000GP limit on weapons and armor)
• Nonstandard ruler, mix of church, military, and feudalism -- Baron and Bishop Nodrom "Dwarfendale" Fistforger (m mountain dwarf, 9^th-lvl Clr (Galgiran), 9^th-lvl Ftr, CG, well-meaning and good-intentioned, he uses common sense over law; has a white beard, and wears a rust-red surcoat over dwarven mithrel plate)
• Chaotic Good: the dwarves hate imposed restrictions, preferring the freedom to do what they do, and do it well
• 49 3^rd-level dwarven defenders, 49 2^nd-level dwarven paladins, 49 3^rd-level dwarven clerics, 49 1^st-level dwarven fighters, led by four 7^th-level dwarven clerics of Galgiran: Gawan and Harad Rubynose, Tanna Razorbraids, Eldritch Cobblestones
• Fortifications are formidable; two towers prevent entry into the courtyard, and the courtyard is the only way into the fortress, short of tunneling through the granite face of the mountain itself; ballistae cover the entrance to the courtyard, and are mounted on the towers; regular hippotaun patrols range around the mountain
• Major worship is to Galgiran, though many pilgrims of Galanus visit the fortress; Bishop Dwarfendale presides, but when not in, Eldritch Cobblestones leads
• Dlirk Goldshot, m dwarf, 12^th-level blacksmith, armorer, and weaponsmith, sooty-red beard with a fever for gold-working
• Ravid Axehandle, m dwarf, 14^th-level stonemason, engineer, and seige specialist, grayed-black beard with awesome strength
• Tellia Aurumaxe, f dwarf, 5^th-level scribe and librarian, meticulous but warm
• Visitors can stay within the mountain fortress if they have been preapproved by the representative in Rilan Proper; access is granted through parchments presented at the towers entrance; accommodations are free -- provided one is willing to sit through religiously oriented meals

The city itself was designed to support the Baron and the Bishop's fortress of Lok Giran, but it also generates considerable revenues because of its location on the Galanus River. The riverside docks are extensive, and provide an excellent way-station for travelers from all over the kingdom. Because of its prominence in supplying both Lok Giran, and Lok Magius, a wide variety of peoples can be found in Rilan for a wide variety of purposes. Mages, priests, pilgrims, protestors, merchants, farmers, ranchers, sailors, foresters, soldiers, and rangers all use the centrally located, ideally set mountain as a stop-over, and a meeting place. Though the local population is rather moderate, the fluctuating population is considerable.

• Large Town, pop 4,500 (3,000 Slate, 400 Amarans, 200 Toomarans, 300 Sylvan elves, 200 desert elves, 100 mountain dwarves, 300 hill dwarves), 3,000GP limit
• Conventional ruler, feudal lord, Baron Tadeus Complan, m human, 4^th-level fighter, 2^nd-level blacksmith, wears a rust-red tabard of Galgiran over his chain mail, tall and thin man with a bit of a stutter, but is extraordinarily keen and wise.
• Chaotic Good: the population is not so much concerned with laws, as it is with doing everything it can to keep Rakore viable and free
• 52 full-time soldiers, led by Sir Bridaraarayus, m desert elf, 8^th-level ranger, wears charcoal gray leathers and has black tattoos all over, carries a massive longbow, quiet but knowledgeable -- prefers not to interfere, but if he has to, he gives it his all.
• The Soul Smithy church, with Father Telvik Korin of Galgiran, m human, 4^th-level cleric, 3^rd-level blacksmith, mirthful and understanding, 6 accolytes that also work at the smithy
• The Mountain's Bass church, with Mother Elishira of Habrem, f half-elf, 7^th-level cleric, regal and rulesbound, 5 accolytes with considerable musical talent
• The Hidden Vow monastery, with Abbot Kai Vinnaalaalus, m desert elf, 6^th-level monk, feverishly intent and hungry for knowledge, 13 monks dedicated to studying The Book of the Dead and necromancy
• Stovan Kemal, m Amaran, 4^th-level stock (animal) dealer, wears green leathers, always smiling
• Therdan, m Slate, 8^th-level blacksmith, huge but mute, speaks through apprentices (from the Soul Smithy church)
• Hurdelan Orcbane, m dwarf, 3^rd-level marketer, owns the Shipwreck Zone -- a three-story mercantile building with a warehouse out back, has six hired hands
• Ye Sival, f Toomaran (Spring Buds), 15^th-level tanner and leatherworker, small and hard, pours her heart into her leather-working for the right price
• Levantith T'serusk, m drow, 2^nd-level innkeeper/barkeep, manages the Blue Tyven for the Duchess Genea, ignorant of most money matters and so is extra suspicious of everyone, has four barmaids and four cooks
• Gyven Furlong, m slate, 5^th-level barkeep, 4^th-level fighter, runs the huge Broken Bow tavern near the docks, hires the accolytes from the Mountain's Bass to perform regularly, no-nonsense retired mercenary that's seen it all and has a thousand stories to swap, free with the occasional drink or round for the house, has eight barmaids and five cooks
• Latheros, m slate, 3^rd-level scribe, books passengers for GE, and runs the local GE extension, skittish and nervous, two 2^nd-level fighter bodyguards
• Cutheros, m slate, 4^th-level apothecary, carries spell components and rarer things in his out-of-the-way shoppe, nervous and wary of the Inquisition, likes magic but hasn't a clue
• Rya Cantherone, f slate, 7^th-level ranger, heads the local rangers, militia, and druidic circles, wears camouflaged leathers and uses hand-to-hand combat to subdue all opponents, distrusts arcane magic, loves music

The heart of all arcane magic studies in Rakore, takes place at this sprawling complex on Mount Rilan. Made of several stone buildings on a small plateau on the mountain's face, Lok Magius (Fortress of Magic in the dwarven tongue) is headed by Brin Vridara, whose familiar is an intelligent parrot capable of casting spells. Lok Magius specializes in the general studies of arcane magic, and is more focused on research and basic studies.

• Thorpe, pop 70 (mixed), 40GP limit (1,000GP for arcane items and research)
• Magical ruler, Brin Vridara (see PC stats)
• Neutral Good: the mages are more interested in magical studies, than saving the world, but they're good people at heart
• 10 full time soldiers, led by Sir Praether, m slate, 12^th-level fighter, wears magical full plate of some sand-colored and pitted metal, plays things over-cautiously and for good reason
• Camariel Tone, f slate, 2^nd-level barkeep/innkeeper, runs and owns the Bad Brew tavern, delights in magical displays (SR 40, ring of antimagic), enjoys drinking with her patrons
• Danaka, f Toomaran, 5^th-level transmuter, acts as the custodian of the laboratories, always has room for one more student
• Selera Hakiel, m Al Fahiman, 6^th-level diviner, acts as the custodian of the libraries, quizzes people before they can enter the library

1. What color nimbus arises from abjuration spells, when detect magic is cast? Ans: Blue
2. What is the focus component for Melf's acid arrow? Ans: a dart
3. How long does arcane lock last? Ans: Forever, until dispelled

• Thedlar Doomar, m slate, 3^rd-level barbarian, 6^th-level sorceror, acts as safe-keeper of potions, rings, and other manufactured items, sells only if you haggle well with him, likes to see people with 'bite'

1. Armor: +2 shield (4,000GP)
2. Weapons: +1 gauntlet (2,302GP), +2 light lance (8,306GP), +1 arrows (2,350GP per 50)
3. Potions: hiding (150GP), ghoul touch (300GP), glibness (500GP), protection from elements (sonic) (750GP)
4. Rings: protection +2 (8,000GP), warmth (2,100GP)
5. Rods: python (13,000GP), immovable rod (7,500GP)
6. Scrolls: erase (25GP), levitate (150GP), hold person (375GP), phantasmal killer (700GP), mind fog (1,125GP), move earth (1,650GP), prismatic spray (2,275 GP)
7. Staffs: size alteration (6,500GP)
8. Wands: summon monster I (750GP), shatter (4,500GP)
9. Wondrous Items: bead of force (2,000GP), figurine of wondrous power (silver raven) 3,800GP, Nolzur's marvelous pigments (5,500GP), bracers of armor +3 (9,000GP), helm of underwater action (24,000GP)