Rachael Storm - She saved the world, a lot.

So I picked this up today

Is anyone remotely surprised?

I'll post my thoughts after I've read it.

Return of the Killer Shrews!

Thoughts:
1. Yes! The got James Best to reprise his role!
2. Good job on the set design; it LOOKS like the original set.
3. John Schnieder too? I wonder how many Dukes of Hazzard references there will be?
4. Notice how James Best REALLY looks like James Doohan?
5. Wow, that CG is bad. It's almost as bad as the original "dogs with bath-mats glued on".

I think this may JUST BE a bad enough movie for me to enjoy.

Farewell Paragon City

NCSoft just announced that City of Heroes will be shutting down. It's last day will be November 30th 2012.

If you go WAY back to the first few posts of this blog you will see it started out as a City of Heroes blog before I restyled it into a general expression of my nerdiness.

To be honest, it feels like a friend of mine just died.

I started playing City of Heroes a little over 8 years ago. One weekend I bought Doom III and the next weekend I bought City of Heroes. I played Doom III about a week. I played City of Heroes constantly from the time I bought it until July 2007. After that I played it on and off and was getting back into it shortly before Star Wars: The Old Republic launched. Even at that, I kept CoX fully patched and loaded on my system, just in case. I pre-ordered City of Villains and I bought Going Rogue when it released. I have several level 50 characters there including the "Big Bad Boulder Bitch" Rachael Storm - Stone Armor/Super Strength tank. Despite a couple accusations, no, she is not even remotely based on "Rachael Summers" of Marvel's Days of Future Past (I didn't even know that she'd married Johnny Storm in that timeline).

I made many friends over there. With Rachael, I saved Paragon City and it's virtual world hundreds of times over.

I remember when a friend of mine first showed me City of Heroes with his Fire blaster flying over Galaxy City, laying down hate on Skulls.

I remember Rachael (often) getting lost in Perez Park, only to be smacked down by the Vazhilok Eidelons there or the Lost Lieutenant who had a TV on his head (cuz, yeah, that makes you look tough).

I remember "Where are the Lost in Kings Row?"

I remember the first time I went to Boomtown, just north of Steel Canyon. I was on an eight man team and we were just "hunting mobs"  when suddenly Rachael took, what I thought, was a short leap - but instead fell about 2 stories down and got MAULED by a huge group of clockwork.

I remember when the "Shadow Shard" was introduced. I never cared for that zone, but the launch even was fun as the weird extra-dimensional creatures, the Rularuu, who were very poorly balanced even when there were level 5 versions of them, wandered Paragon laying smackdown on lowbies.

I remember when I first got to Talos Island. It was one the prettiest zones in game at the time, second only to Founders Falls. I was part of another street hunting group beating down Freakshow. I was "shocked" (pun intended) when a defeated boss proceeded to stand back up and start mauling us.

I remember taking my gimped specced version of Rachael to Independance Port for the "Respec Trial". We had to fight Sky Raiders trying to destroy the nuclear reactor in Paragon City. The entire party wiped on the last wave of bad guys except for a Broadsword/Invulnerability Scrapper named "Swordie". She managed to solo the last wave for us and get us the respec.

I remember being sad when many of my first few friends in game quit.

I remember taking my Katana/Regeneration Scrapper Kanpo to Brickstown. At that time, the regen powerset (and scrappers in general) were horrifically overpowered. I had fun soloing large groups of +5 Council and only dying when I didn't manage my end and "Instant Healing" toggled off. I looked at the Ziggeraut (supervillain prison) and wonder why we never had to go in and put down a prison break.

I remember the Hollows introduction - in all it's buggy glory. 

I remember the glory of Striga Isle. To this day, it is still one of my favorite gaming "experiences". As an aside, most of the stories there were written by Shane Lacey Hensley, the man who brought us the tabletop RPG Savage Worlds.

At that time, "Global Chat" was released, and I joined a HUGE supergroup called "The Conglomerate" which defined much of my time in City of Heroes. It was a guild I actually learned a great deal from, not just about gaming, but a number of things that applied to "Real Life."

I remember the JOY of logging on at 4:30 am and running the Statesman Task Force every day.

I remember getting very silly and creating my tribute to anime magical girls - "Knight Flyer", using the Epic AT - Peacebringer and the "shoulder kitty" costume option.

Good Bye Paragon City. Good Bye Rogue Isles.

Good Bye Rachael Storm, Kanpo, Knight Flyer, Demon Hunter Yurei, Cruft, Mary Sladen, 

Good Bye to the "in game friends (and enemies)" (but not their RL counterparts I hope) in no particular order: South Freedom, Cymraes, Maliss, Dr. Opie, Quantum Cat, Tri-Polar, Quantum Plumber, Captain Slap, Zyreos, Red Tomax, Mr. Shivers, GuiltTrip Girl, Lovely LaRose, Bleak Forecast, The Mayhemettes, Bolt Crank, House Call, Rei Kei, Slick Zero, Charisma, Red Vine, Allison, Status Crow, Rasta, and too many more to name.

Good Bye City of Heroes. You were my first MMO and one of my favorite computer games of all time.

P.S. Death Mages, be thankful the game is ending, I *still* hate you and your underground caves in Paragon.

TOROCAST!

Torocast is Star Wars: The Old Republic's longest running fan podcast. I mention this because I've recently been chosen to become one of the new hosts for the show. Give it a listen if you want to hear me!

This site is not affiliated with Torocast nor the Twonkhammer network beyond me being a host on Torocast.

Pathfinder REBOOTED! - Episode 1 - Silent Tide

Because of excessive issues trying to maintain continuity in the Eberron campaign, I've restarted my game (again) as a super episodic Pathfinder campaign. I'm going to be leaning heavily on old Pathfinder Society Modules. Each story will be self contained. This also means that if someone can't show up, I can still run. This also means, because I can write from the summary, that game notes will have far better grammar and be much clearer and complete (and not huge walls of text)!

Instead of being in Sharn, the characters are now in Absalom in the Pathfinder world of Golarian.

Talen is now a Gun-Mage
Kal-Torak is still (and will always be) Risen Demon Magus

With that in mind, here is the most recent episode!

Kal and Talen are dispatched by the Pathfinder Society to find Yargos Gill in hopes of securing an ancient tome he recently uncovered. To cover his tracks, the crime lord Nessian has sent a group of goons to kill Yargos, as well anyone else who might know about it.


They intercept Nessian’s minions, the War Hounders, just as they are about to shove Yargos and the rest of their chain gang of captives off a sea cliff. Kal and Talen intimidate the War Hounders and make short work of them and rescue Yargos and his friends. Yargos reveals that the codebook represents the remnants of a failed attempt to invade Absolam hundreds of years earlier. However, the invaders, known as the Black Echelon, have returned from the dead due to his work on the codebook in an attempt to complete their ancient plan.

Yargos tells them about the codebook and the need to stop Nessian. As they head out to try to find Nessian, deep in the distance, they witness a flickering red signal light. Yargos realizes that the light signals the undead Black Echelon to launch a team of operatives to poison Absalom’s central granary, and our heroes take a diversion to stop Black Echelon from tainting one of the city’s most important food stocks.

After surviving their first encounter with the silent skeletal killers, Kal and Talen, using judicious gathering of information,  discover the location of Nessian’s new base of operations hidden among a ruin of siege towers on the beach just outside of Absalom.

The heroes find Nessian's base of operations and defeat him! Furthermore, they recover the code book and return it to the Pathfinder Society.

Ivarkian Campaign Episode 5 - I'm Mister Hatemonger! I'm Mister Mad!

Eighteen Months later.

Indra is now Swordmaster for Jalen Whitecloud.
Moscato has become chief curator of the official library.
Chet is now a Lord Chet MourningManSavageWood, steward.
Baretta Walther is still swordmaster for Jala Whitecloud.

Inception has grown to be the shining jewel, eastern doorway to the west.

Innermost ring is called "The Dawning Spawn", and where the whiteclouds share power as co-rulers. The outer layer is the "academic center" - The Dawning ring. It has it's own Mage college.  There is a trade sector as well.

Indra has been on a mission and returns with a man from the "Coast of Eternal Starlight". He is known as The Hitman Jangleman - aka  Ambassador Nixus.

Moscato, Chet, and Baretta are waiting for the "emissary from the elves" to arrive. The Whiteclouds are nervous about the reception.

Nixus' hair is tied back and is dressed flamboyantly in mismatched dark colours. Moscato and Chet recognize him as a "Dark Elf" or "Death Elf" - one of the commandos of the original Elven army.

Baretta makes conversation and asks about the Coast. Nixus describes it and it's history.During the meal, Baretta is told that someone wishes to meat the ambassador. Baretta excuses herself and is brought out. Two guards with griffon symbols flank "Katyana Thorvold". She indicates she is the newly appointed sword mistress of Jeness Thorvald (enemies of the Walther family), Jarl of Westspire.

Katyana barges in and sits at the table next to Nixus. After some verbal parrying, Nixus excuses himself and talks with Moscato. Katyana excuses herself as well.

The party notes a man who seems familiar in the hall witnessing. Baretta steps aside to talk to him. He introduces himself as "Lord Thaddeus Truevillain". He says he came here on behalf of his order to monitor the situation. Specifically, that the Thorvalds have a history with the Whiteclouds and Baretta. He is cagey about who he is and who his order is.

Nixus comes to visit Baretta before the evening is over. He says we have impressed the sorcerer Uguri. and he gives Baretta a case and leaves. Baretta opens the case carefully. The case has elven writing on it (Starpiercer) and contains a long blade. It has the imagery of a Quetzalcoatl. It's a thin Masterwork rapier style blade. She finds out it is an Elven Thinblade.

Chet is given a package from "Blackfang", the gnoll who Chet resurrected the child of. The package contains a perl - a "Perl of recalling."

Indra is given a box with two blades.

Next evening there is another banquet with Jarls from other cities to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of Inception. While Chet makes a speech a mist rolls in and forms into a being which attacks Moscato. It very quickly becomes apparently, only Moscato saw this. Baretta escorts Moscato out of the hall to "Show him something" and as soon as the door closes, she lightly smacks the back of his head.

Nexus asks to "Play something" and pulls out his musical instrument. He plays a haunting melody and a few other songs.

After this Chet calls Indra and Baretta over and notes that Nixus and Truevillain have been chatty. Baretta assigns a couple of house guards to keep an eye on Nixus and Truevillain.

The week continues somewhat uneventfully. Nixus meets and entertains and sees the sights of the town. At one point he meets with Timeran. Many people are in town.

Moscato does research on the sword "Burning hatred" that Nixus sang about in one of this songs. It was probably one of the first artifact weapons. It is thought to be so dangerous as to kill it's wielder.

A couple days later, while watching a performance, Moscato, Chet, Baretta and Indra note guards reacting. They follow. They hear and crazed gutteral voice. They look and people are starting to transform in beings with yellow eyes and claws. The party is separated and makes their way to the podium where the Jarls are. Nixus, the Jarls, Moscato, and Chet run through the tunnel through a trapdoor on the podium.

Upon arriving a wolf-like being appears and starts attacking.

The swordmasters jump down and follow. The party makes their way to the central spire. They manage to get in. They look out the top of the tower and see fire and chaos. On a nearby building a mysterious figure looks on.....

Ivarkian Campaign Episode 4 - The goddess "Snooty-kins".

Moscato suggests that we leave Taraza behind, but the Ogre disagrees.

The party asks Taraza where the monument is. Taraza asks the Ogre something and he points north.

Baretta asks for a description. The Ogre says that no one has seen it in several hundred years. But we will know it as things there both die and live simultaneously. Taraza indicates thats we must amuse the guardian. The party asks for more information. Uguri leaves without answering.

The party departs. They travel for the better part of a day. The party follows the path the Gnolls would take. The path appears to be heavily travelled. Eventually, the party comes to the first major signs of water - a lake that feeds the river going east. They see a large fairey.

They use it to cross the lake without incident.

They continue on, and find a large field where they camp. First night passes uneventfully.

Two days later, they come to a valley where there is a large wall surrounded by huts. It is very quiet. There is no evidence of working hearths. They soak a shirt in fabric which Baretta uses to cover her mouth before scouting. Moscato looks through his spyglass and sees a few small gnollish figures but mainly women and children.

Baretta heads down and the smell of death is overwhelming. She sees 4 long rows of bodies covered with sheets and skins and anything else. The town is very quiet and the few gnolls she encounters are laconic and dazed, but do not seem to have noticed her.

She attempts to inspect the bodies. She witnesses a gnoll bringing a small body out and leave it amongst the dead. She returns to the group.

She reports that the plague appears to have killed most of the town. They decide to bypass the town and continue on.

A couple days later, they run across villages in similar states. While travelling the party speculates that Ogres may be immune to the plague as various areas around the villages are sharpshooters.

The party makes camp and sets watches: Moscato, then Baretta and Taraza, then Chet. Taraza and Barretta talk. Taraza indicates the mural is dangerous as it is a window from another times of  things "better left forgotten". There was a time before the human empire when "They" were watching. Baretta suspects that "They" were something of an apocalyptic nature such as a dragon or dragons. Baretta notes that during the conversation, Taraza refers to Timeran as "The Mindbender". During the war with the elves there was a "weapon" the elves used called "the Mindbenders" who were spellcasters. Baretta notes that Timeran is human. Taraza suspects that Timeran's mentor was an elf. Baretta suspects Taraza can read her thoughts, but Taraza indicates that she is very good at reading people. The rest of the night passes uneventfully.

The next day they travel. Moscato spies something off in the distance. It appears to be ruins of some type. They head to the ruins and scout the area. The ruins seem to be granite. Baretta asks Taraza if these ruins are what they are looking for. Taraza indicates that it isn't, but is nonetheless important.

There is creation text upon the ruins. Taraza and the party read the ruins. She tells the party the information they have learned could cause gods to mark them for death.

Taraza and Beretta hear a sound. A LARGE group Gnolls attack. While at first the battle seems difficult, 3 heavily armored Gnolls appear to assist, scaring off the gnolls. Baretta turns and see the gnolls who assisted.

The gnolls tell them that while they are not friends, they are not enemies. Baretta notes her wounds are healing and the forest is especially lush. They approach the shrine.The soil oddly seems dry and dead and littered with bones and corpses. Upon stepping on the soil, they start taking damage. They back up and heal immediately.

The gnolls give them healing potions. They RUN. Once they reach the inside of the shrine, they stop taking damage. Party quaffs healing potions. The party searches and finds the staff - a long staff with scales, on one side a skeleton and the other side overgrown plants. A large stag walks up behind the party. The stag talks to them. Taraza notes the stag is the guardian of life and plagues. They ask if they can have the staff. The stag suggests a proposal.

The stag takes human form, but one hand is a skeleton. "I think if you can take it then take it."

The Staff turns into a dire owlbear and jumps upon the deadly soil. It starts flying when Chet "commands" it to "Stop". Baretta runs and tries to grab it and misses. The party attempts to attack but fails. The owlbear hits Baretta and combat begins.

The battle is very difficult, but the party barely defeats the fiendish owlbear. The stag being is about to congratulate the party when suddenly a ring comes off of his finger and he falls into the negative energy zone and dies. Taraza has his ring.

Taraza tells them to let the Jarl know that expansion to the west will be unchecked for now.

The party returns to one of the plagued villages. They arrive at the home of one of the gnolls who'd saved them. His family is dead. Chet attempts to use the staff of healing on one of the dead gnolls. He brings an infant gnoll back to life. Chet heals every gnoll village on the way back. They note that Zora are in each city they pass through.

They return to Ugiri and the goblin warrior. Chet returns the staff to Ugiri and hands them the missing sealed box. The goblin with Ugiri says, "There was a time before the empire, an old time. A time of the paladin city and the paladin king. The mural that you discovered is the only known picture found in 6 millenia of the paladin king. Ugiri doesn't know much of him, but that Zora fear his name because of the power he wielded across the world."

Ivarkan Campaign Episode 3 - Do you remember that Ogre who threw a house at us?

Three months later.

First group of guards have been deployed, possible names of guard captains are being considered.

Chet has been promoted to senior clerk.He is now the steward under Jalen Whitecloud.

Wealthy families are coming in, first wall has been built. Stone masons guild have come in. Inception has been growing, many new people are arriving. The burrows are being demolished and higher end buildings are coming in.

Moscato has continued investigating history, areas before the fall of the human empire.

Chet suggests that Baretta would be a good choice for captain of the guards. He approaches her. She asks about money but has also been approached about being Whitecloud's House Swordmaster.

Baretta wants to talk to Whitecloud about his offer. Along with general security work, there is the occasional find out information for damage control. She decides to accept the position.

Chet goes on to talk to Moscato to see if his research has uncovered anything important. Moscato notes that the mural (last adventure) predates the last human empire. Moscato points to evidence that elves are apparently very long lived.

Chet meets with Baretta and asks her to gather a team of people because Moscato and he are doing an expedition to check out a wall that has been discovered (previously mentioned). Baretta picks 3 people (Bleys, Brand, and Corwin) to go with them.

Chet, Moscato, Baretta, and the three head out.

Three days later, they stop at an inn. A man walks in and picks up a package with the imperial seal from the barkeep and walks out. They get rooms for the night.

Baretta finds out that the package was delivered by official courier. (Symbol of hawk under the sun)

Night passes uneventfully.

At the mine.

As the party continues their journey they encounter a party with the emperor's seal on a standard. They encounter one of the headmasters of the sword school. He greets them (and is pissed at the emporer's group) and leads them in to the mine.

As they head in, there is a woman who they encouter wearing a simple outfit. A Zora (think Bene Gesserit).The Headmaster informs her that she and Zora have no authority here. She turns and walks back in. Two of Timeran's come in who have been researching. One of them indicates to Moscato that she knows what has been going on.

Moscato and Chet examine the mural. Baretta notes the Zora isn't looking directly at the mural. The Zora asks, "And what are your impressions." Baretta says, "It's a nice mural". The Zora turns and walks out.

Moscato starts studying the rest of the room looking for clues.Moscato notes that spells do not function in the room.

Timeran says he will post guards. He asks to speak to Baretta aside. Timeran psychically tells her that there is a situation. A package was being sent from Prince Havisham Sunlighter. On it's way to them, it was stolen by Gnolls. Lady Taraza is going to tell them she is going to accompany them. We need to make every effort to recover the package.   Taraza  needs to witness that we've made every effort to recover it. The Zora is very good at manipulating circumstance to get what she wants. We cannot leave any recourse to allow her to  manipulate the situation.

Meanwhile, Moscato is overcome by a feeling of dread while looking at the mural and he runs out.

Baretta witnesses the Zora talking to another woman. Baretta hears that the younger woman "hasn't finished her task for the Zora". Furthermore, the "southern amazon tribe are unwilling to give them an embassy because of risk of reprisal from the Silver Talon". Zora notes that Baretta has been overhearing them.

Zora tells Baretta that she (Baretta) is "Angela Bell's Granddaughter".

Timeran updates everyone.

The townsfolk show the party some Gnolls who'd been killed.

Baretta tries to follow up with the couriers about the package. The couriers indicate that they never recieved the package. Baretta asks the barkeep who handed an imperial package off. He doesn't remember anything.

Moscato investigates the stables. They notice a saddle with the seal of an imperial courier. Chet rummages through the bags. He finds rations, and water but no horses. They attempt to track where the horse that would have had the saddle went.

They do find the horse and the courier that was stomped. The Zora follows them. They follow the trail and find a settlement that appears to be made by gnolls.

The gnolls are afraid of the party and they hide. Taraza notes them to back away from the water and 4 ogres move out of the water.

The Ogre says that Uguri wants to speak with them. Taraza speaks to them in another language (Moscato has cast comprehend languages and understands what was said and that they have passage into the "singing circle"). The Ogres leave (apparently they breath underwater). The party leaves the settlment and goes to talk to Uguri. Moscato asks about the sickness the gnolls had. Apparently Chet knows about this illness because this is what the the secret item the caravan had. Moscato observes that the gnolls have it and that it will spread. Chet advises that the cure/disease is secret.

After several hours of walking, they hear a sound. Baretta shudders due to the haunting quality of the sound. The party makes camp near the area that Taraza describes as "Sacred". The party sets watches. During first watch (Moscato's) there is an unusual wind that comes up. Moscato is hit with something. Moscato cries out.

The party wakes. Baretta and Chet are hit. Taraza appears to cast something. Moments later a huge winged lion pads up to the camp and walks around. Taraza indicates that it cannot see them and they have a round to attack

The party attacks. After a few rounds the manticore flees.

The next morning, after the party wakes up, there is a loud thud. Four ogres materialize.

The Ogres lead the party up to a stone circle with a Ogre sitting in the center. After discussion, the Ogres believe that the humans have brought the wasting disease to destroy the Gnolls. Chet offers healing medicine for the gnolls. The Ogre leader tells them that if they do what he wants, they will get the "item they want".

Uguri tells them to go to an old monument. The old god of plague and healing has a guardian in the area. Inside is a staff. If they bring it back, past the guardian, he will give them what they seek.

Ivarken Campaign - Episode 2 - You mean you just wear your hair long and no one notices you are an elf?

Four Months later!

Indra - A half-elf fighter
Baretta - A swashbuckler
Chet - A Clerical Cleric
Moscato - A Half-Elf Oracle

(halflings weren't halfings they were goblins)

The party has become local legends because of having faced the Imperial Orcs and survived.

Party gets 150 (Chet extra 200, Moscato exta 100)

Inception has grown and is building a wall. Construction is beginning and clear cutting is occurring. Various skilled laborers and shopowners have arrived. Rangers and settlers for other areas.

Morning baretta heads down for breakfast. She gets a couple steaks and sits down with Niah and Galen. Talking about training the Rangers and City Guard and who is going to do it.

Chet is having his morning meeting with the Jarl and others who is showing a map of the area layout and how expansion is occurring. Lydia is there too (she is the main smith of the city). Planning to establish city guard.

Galen wants more information on the Orcs. Chet says that he thinks the orcs weren't being aggressive, more defensive. HOWEVER, they do have very large ships and have the ability to deploy orcs on our side of the river.

For Moscato, things have been "annoying". He has decided to research Orcs. He discovers the Orc empire dates back to the collapse to the old empire when humans discovered orcs. Five thousand years earlier was the last contact. They beat the human empire rather hard. That was after the human emporer died and hiswife took over then his son. They encountered Elves who were much more bloodthirsty and vicious than the orcs that contributed tot hecollapse of the human empire. He finds also about the enigma of the half0rcs and halflelves. Half Elves dont come from inside the human empire. The first was discovered among the elves. The theory is that there may be another human civilization since the Elves knew human language upon contact. similar to the half orcs.

Indra takes some of the students on a run for conditioning. They head out toward the forest making a big loop. Trainees are coming along well, others need help. She breaks the group down and picks two as "squad leaders" to help build up those falling behind.

First layer - sleep and mess
second layer - ranged practice and apprentice
third - practice
fourth - meeting.

Galen informs Indra and Baretta that his sister will be coming with a group a rangers and talens "She is a Silver Talen". (Silver Talon are a legendary order of female mercenary scouts - in the old empire they were an important ally to many).

Galen asks about the Gnolls, they were bandits and the broke easily.

At the end of his meeting, Chet gathers his notes and takes them back to his office, and grabs a bite to eat. then heads off to see the trainers.

Finishing up breakfast finishing and head into kata class.Baretta is teaching bodyguards in training and Indra is teaching about armor.

That evening, Indra, Baretta and a couple other teachers head to the "Queens Unicorn". Chet arrives and the group chats.

Indra notices an individual sitting off to the side with a beautiful masterwork sword. He is just sitting there looking around. His armor is dark silver with intricate designs. He stands and leaves. Indra points him out to Baretta. Baretta notes that he meets a woman with dark skin and robes. They walk out.
Chet observes that the guy was a half-elf.

Moscato gets up from his reserarch and starts walking home. While he is walking back, something catches his eye - a pin leaps off the lapel of a man part of a couple which he grabs. Moscato follows them and tries to catch up. He asks the couple for assistance in researching the elves and orcs since he'd heard them speaking elven. The female grabs Moscato by the throat. They realize he is a half-elf. They are suprized that no one has realized Moscato is a half elf. They let him go.

Evening winds down. (Baretta gets action).

There is a crowd outside the school the next morning.

Galen is talking to his sister.He introduces Kara to Baretta and Indra.

They see a person standing around looking confused. He tells Baretta and Indra that he is looking for rangers. Indra suggests that he speak to Galen and to the Jarl.

Indra takes her trainees on another run.

That afternoon the Talons demonstrates combat prowess.

Later that day, they witness a number of the students gathered around the Ranger with a wolf. He is discussing animal training and interaction. He relates this to interacting with environment.

Moscato goes to meets up with Chet.

Chet cannot find any information about the people from the previous evening.

Moscato finds Chet. Moscato asks about where the "Elven Ambassadors" are staying. Chet is unaware of any Elves in town.Chet takes Moscato to his office for a chat. He explains that there aren't ANY elves in town because they are bad news.Chet sends Moscato back to his place and will contact him this evening.

Chet seeks out Baretta and Indra to tell them about this. They discover Indra is a half elf too. Chet wants to hire them to figure out why the Elf and Orc are here.

Moscato is looking at the docs that Chet handed him (random docs from his desk) the "elf" appears and tells him that he is leaving him.

Chet flags the city guard and tells him to collect Moscato so they can all meet at the mayor's office.Moscato brings them up to date that the elf was leaving after doing recon in the city and were going on. There was a warning about an expedition which is bringing something "bad" back.

They go to visit the Jarl. They update the Jarl.

They decide to head out to check on the expedition. They follow the trails out.

A week later the trail is getting weaker but continue to head up to the mountaiin. They see a column of black smoke and head towards it. It leads to the smoking ruins of a small town. Looking through a spyglass, she sees knocked down tents, and burned buildings.

Baretta sneaks down there. She finds a dead body with a speak in the back. She takes the spear and keeps looking. She is attacked by a miner but easily blocks the attack. The miner is in shock. The miner reports that there were Gnolls who attacked at night. Eight ofthe miners hid in the mines.

Baretta signals the rest of the group to come up.He informs them where the Gnolls are.

The party finds a group of Gnolls with human slaves. Baretta sneaks up to see what's going on and discovers a Gnoll village. While trying to leave, the Gnolls hear her and a fight ensues. The party rushes in to help.

After a desparate battle with the Gnolls and an Ogre, the party manages to defeat the bad guys and free the captured humans. They find various precious metals, uncut diamonds, a bull strength scroll, a masterwork  spear, 300 gold coins.

The party dings 4th level.

They take the prisoners back to the village. The Foreman of the village is shocked that the party killed the ogre and defeated the gnolls. He announces they found not only silver but gold as well along with something else.

He takes the party back to the mountain, to the mine. He tells them the Gnolls wouldn't go past a certain point. He shows them a door in the mine, in the mountain. There is a room with a mural of an individual wearing black and gold trimmed plate armor with a black cloak. The eyes are brightly glowing sapphires. Below that, is written in Elven, "The Emporer made in man but not man".

Moscato thinks on the history, but doesn't know anything.

The party stays overnight but then heals and heads back.