Star Trail: Gorillas in the Mist

[Part of the Darklands of Arkania Story.]

Instead of going directly to the swamps to look for the missing soldier, Shintar and Wolfy opted to return all the way to Kvirasim to get reinforcements. The journey is made longer by having to circle around the river they sank the ferry in earlier but at long last they make it back to the starting town and easily gain the services of Thalen Firegoti the mage, Aeternus Sand the druid, Alice Plays the dwarf, and the warrior Cooper Mantly.

The new team.

The team get to flex their muscles on the way back South, slaying orcs and ogres that get in their way and are rewarded by gearing up at the Gashok markets before changing course Westward into the swamp. Aeternus' druidic skills are very handy in hunting game and healing various party members of illnesses on the journey, while Thalen's herb finding skills are leaving a lot to be desired.

Eventually they reach the vile swamp and find it to be inhabited primarily by zombies and swamp rantzies...

Green Gorillas!

Star Trail: Black Pelts

[Part of the Darklands of Arkania Story.]

In a surprising turn of events the Gashokian townsfolk bust into the inn the party is staying at and dragging them out into the town square, strip them naked and prepare to stone them to death for murdering one of their citizens. Fortunately a random person in the crowd (I'll say it's ex-party member Vayshen Panda because it makes more sense) discovers proof that the victim was actually a bad guy so the team is released but told to get out of town.

At least Atherion is more grateful, giving his magical bow and sword as reward for their actions. With that quest done the team continues South along the road coming across a wide river with an unmanned ferry. Since it was the obvious way across, they all boarded and set sail but soon discovered none of them actually knew how to steer a boat.

Sailing skill: zero.

Now totally dependent on Pike's foraging skills for food the team hurries to the next city and come across a rogue on the road, eating a sausage. He offers to join the party and since they are one man down they accept without question.

Antharon the sausage eater.

He's right about the "blackpelts" though: aka in these parts as orcs. The next city of Lowangen is under siege by a massive orc army so the team decides to head elsewhere.

Star Trail: Revenge isn't Murder

[Part of the Darklands of Arkania Story.]

While investigating the town, a Praios preacher approaches the team and manages to convert Vayshen Panda who immediately quits the adventuring life and leaves the party in one of the most WTF moments ever.

Converted!

They also discovered a burned down mill in town that once belonged to an elf named Atherion. Apparently he was chased out of town by the Order who were unsuccessful in killing him. He has since been hiding out in the nearby forest and is pretty easily found after sidestepping an angry bear.

I'm a bear!

Atherion wants revenge on the Order's mastermind and since that lines up with Pike's revenge plan for getting shot earlier on, the team return to Gashok and discover that the Order only started up in force with recent arrivals. It takes a bit of questioning and sleuthing to work out which of the three men is the actual leader and eventually they narrow it down to a single name, then they did what adventurers do best.

They bust into his home and murder him.

Star Trail: The Order of Anathema

[Part of the Darklands of Arkania Story.]

It's not long before the team encounters an orc scouting party and makes short work of them. Same goes for a random, towering forest gnome that decided to attack during the night. In this game you can skip the "tactical combat" screen entirely and just watch a small "fighting" animation which really speeds things up!

Everything is an orc with a sword.

There are also other random elves spotted at the tree line but they seem very guarded so the party just walks by peacefully and into the next town of Gashok.

Just keep on walking...

Almost as soon as they enter the town a bolt flies from one of the shadows and injures Pike greatly. Fortunately it's nothing a few nights at the inn can't fix but it becomes abundantly clear that non-humans aren't welcome here. This mentality is being pushed forward by the hard core cultists of Praios (the "true " god). Zubon even happens to catch a glimpse of their stupid outfits while patrolling the streets one night.

Oh good, radicalized religious nutters.