Thea: News of the World

[Part of the Darklands of Arkania Story.]

While the expedition is out looting stashes and fighting "Spor" (large talking snakes), the village gets a lot of visitors during the Festival of the Goat. Some old guys called the Dziody come to the party and teach Cooper some folklore, and a trio of knights Ald Firstshot, Atheren, and Schulz Wenzel arrive - confirming the eclipse was more far reaching than initially thought.

A familiar dwarf also comes later on: Thorgrim, having escaped Riva himself after the judge Bosper Jarnug decided to execute anyone that helped or had connections to the team during their time there. Not only did he hang Stipen and Yann, he made an alliance with the pirates and slaughtered all members of the Guild. "Do you have any good news?" quipped Talarian, to which Thorgrim nodded. He had come across an abandoned gold mine on the way over. That lifts spirits somewhat.

Lastly, the village is visited by the demon Theodore. He is impressed with what they've managed to achieve and tasks the people to cure the land from the shadowy darkness that has befallen it. He provides a location to start the quest and once more vanishes, leaving Hermit's Lake to do the heavy lifting. That's just typical.

Obviously I can't do it: who else will sit on all these tree stumps!?

Riva: Screwed

[Part of the Darklands of Arkania Story.]

Thanks to the late hour the team has a really easy time infiltrating the castle, avoiding guards and dealing with a handful of sleeping ones in a non-lethal fashion. Eventually they come across the torture chamber where they find one of the wizards they are meant to rescue strapped on the rack. Wolfy doesn't hesitate to lead the attack.

What sort of wizard gets captured anyway?

While the fight itself is easy, the problem comes after due to a read error/bad file. Story wise, I suppose this wizard is dead, so the party has no choice but to try find the others and sure enough there are locked doors present they don't have keys to. "Well someone must have them!" exclaimed Talarian, and so began the mass murdering of every living soul in the castle.

It's worked before! :P

Alas, against all logic - no one had the key(s) and as the dawn approached the team retreated back into the sewers with as much loot as they could carry from the treasure room and armory. Using the tunnel that lead beyond the walls they then escaped into the woods to try their fortune elsewhere, leaving Judge Bosper Jarnug's reputation of screwing his enemies intact and another victory under his belt.

Pity that Riva comes to a close on this game breaking bug, but I'm sure this is not the end of the story.

Riva: Accused

[Part of the Darklands of Arkania Story.]

After curing Braxwolf of the numb skull illness he caught during the sea voyage, the party is apprehended by a number of guards and taken to the castle where they are charged by Judge Bosper Jarnug for the murder of Malnodir Elin! The sole witness is Gorm the grocer, who Wolfy tortured previously. Fortunately Gorm's testimony is so bogus, Bosper is forced to let the party go free.

Hey maybe he's a fair judge after all...

They take this time to purchase the gear they had to ditch in the sea, and to visit Thorgrim who again is just in his house (with his axe) and offers to rejoin the team. When Braxwolf asked how he escaped the pirate ambush, the dwarf simply replied "Coz I smelled a trap, you idjits!"

Thorgrim doesn't stay long though, because the very next day Tarik finds the party and warns them they are now wanted for the murder of Gorm the grocer! Thorgrim, being the awesome ally who the party literally saved from death, obviously stands by them through thick and thin.

Or not.

With the ungrateful dwarf gone, Tarik advises the party to go to the new Guild HQ in the deeper sewers because the guards won't be so inclined to let them go this time. With not much other choice the party retreats into the cesspool beneath the streets.

Riva: Law & Order SVU

[Part of the Darklands of Arkania Story.]

During the celebration the Holberkians present the party with yet another quest hook: a young Holberkian girl who claims she was "gifted" to the orcs a few weeks ago by a local grocer named Gorm. Thanks to the recently bought town map in their possession it doesn't take long at all to find his shop at which point Wolfy Eyes goes all Jack Bauer on the Elf Grocer.

Violence is always the solution!

Gorm reveals he was just the delivery method and that the actual "deal maker" was local judge Bosper Jarnug. While the judge outright denies this, the team does find out some dirt on the guy from local go-to info guy Tarik.

Apparently Bosper likes convicting innocent people (regardless of gender) who he fancies so that he can sleep with them. More interestingly is that he was very sick a while back to the point of being near death but somehow recovered despite all the healers claiming he was a goner.

Tarik says he will help the team by scheduling a meeting with Malnodir Elin, Bosper's ex who might have useful info against him. As an aside, Tarik also mentions that the "ghost" of the local watch tower is just a prank by "the guild" to keep people away from their headquarters. The party checks it out regardless and finds it to be pretty convincing!

At least she didn't mess her pants...