A Journey Interrupted

A Journey Interrupted is the story of three travelers from the Kingdom of Haemil and an elven farmer, who had journeyed to the Vale of Talanor before the Shaping. Having survived the event while underground in the mountain pass of Eastgate, they emerge into the undead ruins of the Vale and begin a desperate search for one traveler’s friend, Gunther Krögen, an apprentice to the First Hazard of Talanor. Finding Gunther with Haessen, a local priest of Teysura, they searched for and found the Sanctum of the Sacred Mother recovering an ancient relic of the Teysura. Fighting off the undead and a host of living mortals, they used the relic to stop Gunther’s transformation into an undead creature, but left the royal wizard half alive and half undead… a dhampir.

Introduction

With a lurch, the earth moved. A violent shaking of the Dragon Road followed, and Thomas Thorne fell from his horse to the ground. Marcusic leapt from his horse and grabbed the young cleric, helping him to his feet. Another violent shaking and the cracks in the ceiling high above them began to expand. Debris began to fall and voices were raised in alarm. It was an earthquake! Or so they thought.

That was one week ago according to the dwarves. One could never tell time without the aid of the sun. The three companions had arrived late at night at the Mountain Tower of Eastgate and allowed entrance to the dwarven city, but could go no further that evening. Weary from the road and sore from the saddle, even a night in the lumpy beds of the Second Axe Tavern & Inn was a welcome reprieve from their long journey from Haemil. After hearty breakfast the next morning, they took to their horses only to be stopped by the Shaping.

Luckily, all escaped harm but they could not make their way to the Dragon Gate as the road had collapsed. Following the earthquake, as everyone still believed it to be such a terrestrial event, the humans lent aid to the dwarves as best they could. Wounds were tended by Thomas and debris was cleared by Maddok and Marcusic. At long last, dragon road was to be opened and the passage from the Mountain Tower to the Dragon Gate was clear. As they made their preparations, word spread through the streets that a group of Outsiders had made their way through the Lower City of Eastgate. They followed a terrible and dark passage from the Dragon Gate through some of the oldest passages within all of Eastgate, Thomas was told by elderly dwarf that had befriended the priest. The Outsiders had fought fire breathing lizards and goblins sired by the Flesheater himself the rumors said. They had even stood their ground against the Drake, although they were forced to retreat from the masses of evil and vile creatures that swarmed beneath Eastgate.

But none of that concerned the travelers today. With the Dragon road open, they make their way to the far end of the Dragon Road and to the entrance of the Vale of Talanor. Arriving at the gate, they found several dwarven guards standing before the closed steel doors. One of the guards approaches, hands raised above his head asking for the travelers to stop.

“By order of Katadante Ironhelm, Commander of the Dragonguard and Defender of the Eastgate, no one may pass the gate and enter into the city beyond. You can find lodging back along the Dragon Road. And NO, I do not know when Kata will allow travel again.“

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