Review Characters:

 Shoka Goroharu: From the small hamlet of Malouwan outside the village of Hayaraha in
Taizou. Lived with his clan and entire family there. Misty mountains, picturesque eastern
forests. His father taught him how to forge swords and trained him in their use, in which
Shoka made his own fighting style. After getting supplies, he returned to a destroyed
Malouwan and clan by the hands of an Oni. They fought, he lost, scars on his chest now.
He fell, then regained consciousness to be healed in Hayaraha. Left the village. Not
looking for revenge but fate may guide him and his blade. Wanders the world looking
for peace of mind, and to call another place home. He wishes to either die honorably in
battle or live long enough to pass the name of his clan to his children. TAGS—Half-Orc
Samurai, Oni, craftsman, destroyed clan, tied by fate, looking for home and peace.
Theme-honor?
 Oog: Purple grung monk, above blue and green grungs, below red, orange, and gold
grungs. One of hundreds of children of Chieftan Yorb, who occupies the temple of
Nangnang in the city of Omu. Oog trained at the temple to become a monk. Oog wants
their own territory. Quirk, oog thinks they’re a royal frog who needs to be kissed to
revert back to being royalty a la princess and the frog. TAGS—purple grung monk,
trained temple of Nangnang, grung city of Omu, daddy Yorb, hundreds of siblings,
wants own territory. Slaad? Theme-???
 Gormlock, the Iron Wizard: Born in the Wealwither Highlands of Orish, among the
Hobgoblin Battalions, a disciplined military (Mongolian) culture, unknowing of his
parents and thrown into a BirthSquad, hobgoblins born among a generation, where they
learned to survive, the rules of the society and its rules and conventions. Then
YouthSquads, where they were assigned to squads of similar ability and stature learned
how to fight. Then into Testing Squads, where they were separated into their
specialities, Gormlock being among the Warmages. Gormlock was a prodigy, spoken
among his superiors as having all the qualities of a battle leader. It was here Gormlock
began to ponder the Others (humans, dwarves, elves,) enemies of the Battlions, why
they were consigned to the wastes of Orish, their ways of life.
Out of this curiosity, once he entered adulthood he brought an idea to the Great
Assembly and the Elders, that if they gleaned from the societies and cultures of the
Others, their Battalions would prosper. He debated and discussed perfectly . But the
Assembly took great offense to this undermining of their order, their ideals, their
foundations, and they lashed out. They called him a blasphemer, a heretic, a
bloodtraitor. They publicly tortured and humiliated Gormlock. They threw him in a great
bonfire/pyre, not to die but to burn and maim. Dragged out of the fire and the battalion
by an iron chain, he was driven to exile and left to die. He walked in searing agony
among the hills and starlight, almost dead, until he felt a dark presence, which without
 words let him know that it would help him survive… for a price. He accepted, and felt a
dark, cool energy enter his frame, soothing his burns, and then collapsed.
He awoke to a bright light and delicious smell inside a cottage filled with herbs,
owned by Khristan the hedge maze, who had been caring for him for the week, 100
miles from the Battalions near the coast. His travels were a blur, it had been a month
since his exile but he knew not where he travelled, possible planewalk? His wounds also
were largely healed, though his once brick-red skin was covered with twisted and
puckered grey and pink burn scars. His body withered as well, but his mind was even
sharper than before.
Gormlock left the kind company of Khristan after he was healed about as much
as he could have, and went out on to learn of the cultures and peoples of the world, to
glean from their strengths and make a social system of perfect order and efficiency, for
the hobs to take their place among the great peoples of history. Though before leaving,
he felt something drawing him away from Khristan’s home. He walked, and a deep
blackness that darkvision couldn’t pierce fell over him, then faded as moonlight flooded
his area, shining upon a mask set upon a large stone, a reminder from the patron of his
debt. Magically sealed to his face though able to be taken off at will, Gormlock noted its
convenience as peoples are more accepting of a burn victim than a Hobgoblin. Gormlock
then found the Exploit, which he crewed as a warmage and met Shoka and Oog. TAGS—
Hobgoblin warlock/wizard, Battalions in Wealwither Highlands in Orish, xenophobic
mongolian hobgoblin society, bred for battle early, spoke for Other culture
integration, burned tortured humiliated and exiled, dark Presence patron (Levistus?)
magical mask, burn scars. Theme-power?
 Valkar Ragnor: Grew up in a small, isolated village in the mountains that consists of
humans and halflings living amongst each other, a self-sufficent community that lives off
the land. The village was very patriarchal; the men ran things and did the hunting,
fighting and farming. Women did chores and took care of the children. The world
outside of the villages is only spoken about in fairytales and legends. Magic is known
about, and some of the village elders claim to know it.
The village is led by a council of elders made up of the notable men in the village,
chief among them being Erik Ragnor, a large human, and Valkar’s father. Respected,
feared and unchallenged, he is strongest in the village. The Ragnor bloodline has led the
village for generations. Erik’s wife, was a sweet young halfling always finding ways to
help other women/people, was Erik’s wife. The village healer told them having a child
between them was highly unlikely, but Erik persisted, looking for a son as an heir. Finally
they bore a child, but it was a daughter. From the moment Valkar opened her
heterochromatic, green and ice blue eyes, Erik was disappointed in her. He believed the
green eye to be a sign of her weakness, a curse on their family. Erik snuck into her
nursery one night and tried to remove her green eye but failed (something protecting
her?), leaving her face scarred.
 As Valkar grew up, her form and frame became lighter thinner and quicker,
contrary to Erik’s, who was broad and strong. She was taller than most halflings, 4’5”.
Red hair glowed like fire in the sun. She kept an eyepatch to hide her eye when around
others. Her father took on the task of training her how to fight, with no other choice of
an heir. Her mother protested, but could not stop it, every training session a fight for
her life, always losing.
Nalia would help Valkar while Father was away, telling her stories of the outside
world, of brilliant colors and sights, of men and women on equal footing. She could not
speak to her of such things in front of Erik though, it broke her heart.
In an emergency meeting at the village hall, Erik and the council were discussing
a lack of able-bodied men to do the farming and hunting, fearing a famine and food
shortage. Valkar, eavesdropping at the door, burst through the door and into the
council’s circle. She spoke against the customs of the village, telling how women can do
the work that men can and men can do the work that women can. Erik rose in rage,
demanding she leave and wait at home to be disciplined. Nalia came in and rushed
Valkar out of the hall.
When Erik came home, it was a travesty. Erik cut 34 cuts into the back of Valkar,
signifying the 34 women of the village. That night, she went out and stared at a fire she
made, both eyes gleaming at the embers. She had decided to leave. While Erik was out
one day, Valkar told Nalia she was leaving to find her true purpose. Nalia understood,
telling her to leave under cover of night. As night fell, she said goodbye to her daughter
and went to bed. Valkar had other plans. She took the arm dagger on the family mantle,
stole some embalming liquid and a vial from the healer, and went to the room where
Nalia and Erik slept. “An eye for an eye, dear father…” and cut out is ice blue eye. She
fled quickly out of the house and out of the village, placing the eye inside a vial filled
with embalming liquid and fashioning it into a necklace around her neck. She travelled
for months until boarding a ship in an unfamiliar town, experiencing new sights, new
sounds and a new world, with her father’s eye a constant reminder of her former life,
and the feeling that their story is not yet done…
TAGS—Half-human/halfling rogue; grew up in isolated, low magic village; Erik-
mean, abusive human barbarian father, disappointment (possessed by an evil spirit?)
Nalia-Good-hearted kind halfling mother; part of bloodline that led village; trained by
father; red hair; green left eye and ice blue right eye; father tried to cut out left eye
(protected by good spirit?) rebelled against village customs, got 34 cuts on back for 34
women in village; took family arm dagger, cut out father’s eye, took it and wears it
around neck. Theme—vengeance?
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Recap
 Party started on The Exploit, merchant ship. Ship attacked by black tendril sky monster.
Man who held the Sphere killed by monster. Ivy Callaghan unconscious carried into the
darkness above. Horhik, unknown. Party sailed on dingey to docks of Stromculv, arrived
in morning. Oog screamed at wall. Party talked to guards. Party went through customs,
red light flashed even though Gormlock relinquished every magic item. Party went
through, came to the Sunken Maiden. Shoka and Oog met the oni samurai 4 (big guy,
medium yoshimitsu armored guy, woman, mitsurugi dude) Gormlock focused on the
sphere, is now in an inky black place with (the End? A proxy?)

Strong Start:
(6th day of third month of year 2363.) The party gathers under the
creaking roof of the Sunken Maiden, a rickety inn and tavern made out
of the remains of a sunken ship see-sawed into the air by the Silver
River, during the morning, when the party begins to collect themselves,
attune to the unnatural, and hear the goings on outside of the inn.
Potential Scenes:
 Party is led by Casey around the city of Stromculv.
 Gormlock has a conversation with The End.
 Party follows the samurai 4.
 Party has a conversation with Adarin the archmage in the White
Spire.
 Goes to investigate what happened at the Corrupted Lighthouse,
and cottages.
 Goes shopping
 Follows Horhik being taken away?
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Secrets and Clues:
 The magic of Stromculv is kept up by a shard of the Orb of
Brilliance.
 The 4 samurais are onis. (shoka’s nemesis?)
 Gibbering mouthers are the old lighthouse keepers.
 The End is coming to end all reality.
 Adarin knows of the End’s coming.
 Stromculv is taking away people who are telling of the stars
going out.
 Priana is in the beginning of a famine; the water and soil
isn’t giving the crops the necessary nutrients.
 Explorers, nations and people are beginning to find holes
and openings in the magical maelstrom surrounding the
mysterious unexplored continent of Fleoqia.
 Rangers have discovered a black obelisk in the hills to the
southwest.
 The Board of Brilliance is becoming more tense with each
other.
 Cows and other cattle have been found slain in the fields of
villages outside Stromculv (by the Onis?)
Fantastic Locations:
 The Corrupted Lighthouse: 160ft tall Lighthouse made of
stone & wood, black inky ooze seeps from the stone blocks
at the top; the lighthouse appears to be bending from afar
like an ooze; the beacon at the top is corrupted, becoming a
ball of dripping, warping black ink;
 The White Spire of Stromculv: Thin white 200 ft tall Seattle-
Needle like tower; tower is propped up by curved supports
coming in from four corners; flashes of light can be seen at
 the head of the tower, through the windows; magical
elevator; the whole tower has a guards and wards spell
permanently cast.
 The Magic Quarter of Stromculv: A rather cramped,
labyrinthian district full of alleys and sidestreets; A potion
blows black smoke in someone’s face, smoke hovers above
the heads of the bussling crowd; medicinal, floral, and
smoky or sulfuric fragrances; multi-leveled, up and down
various sets of stairs and over various bridges, the district
possibly shifts;
 The foggy shores of Stromculv: Rocky shore near Stromculv,
with the spire in the distance; forest lining along the shore;
pastel multi-colored jellyfish crawl back towards the tide.
 The Splattered Cottage: Multiple pages of scrawled paper
covers a large portion of the room; disgusting smell, paper
glued with what looks like mud and bile (and other things;)
an otherworldly summoning circle is scratched and carved
into the floor of the cottage; a desk has a rather ripped up
journal on it.
 The Archmage’s Study: Magical elevator leads up to the top
of the White Spire; his study room is covered with runes and
glyphs and protective magic, room has a permanent private
sanctum spell cast on it;
 The Vault of the Shard of Brilliance: Vault is kept closed by
an iron door opened by a huge valve; 4 bowls kept on small
platforms around the room containing rumbling/vibrating
dirt, still burning embers, a breeze, and slightly flowing
water; a small green shard is kept floating on a stand;
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NPCs:
Casey: Guide, human, shy, bad memory, wants to be a good host, fears
his heart being broken again.
Savian: Elf, bald, barkeep of the Sunken Maiden, relaxed, ADD, wants a
more free/private Stromculv, fears being replaced by someone more
competent.
Beyla: Female dwarf, captain of the guard, braided hair, rather kind, is
posing as someone she’s not, wants the downfall of Stromculv? Fears
being trampled by a horse.
Adarin, archmage of Stromculv: Paranoid, wanting the Sphere to cast a
powerful shield spell over Priana,

Monsters/Creatures:
Nothic mindblight MME1 205 CR 5
1 star mangler MTF 236 CR 5
4 star spawn grue, 2 gibbering mouthers MTF 234, MM 157 CR1/4, 2
1 Oni MM239 CR7

Magic Items/Rewards:
-900 Crescents total (gp,) = 250gp from questgiver for 3 day trip out, 4
black jasper, and 650 crescents in lighthouse keeper travel fund bag (or
wherever)
- 1 small tin of Keoghtom’s Ointment (1 dose)