Editor's Note: what follows is the latest update of the Rage Against Vaasa campaign, a version of War of the Burning Sky set in the Forgotten Realms. For more information, check out our Rage Against Vaasa page.
It is the third day after the attack and the skies in the afternoon are clearer. Unlike the previous night, no snowfall hampers the Vasaan siege. As the party rests, the refugees within learn of the events occurring outside the safe house. At sunset, an Inquisitor delivered a message to the soldiers at the western gate: Allow a group of Inquisitors into the city or the attacks will be renewed. If the party will see its mission through, they must leave Bloodstone Pass now!
After discussing several options for leaving the city, they conclude that their best option is attempting to secure the aid of Councilman Erdan Menash. The party still has the orders discovered at the warehouse where they fought the White Wyrms terrorist group and that made reference to an attempt on the Councilman's person. Maybe they can convince the Councilman that his best bet to stay alive is to leave Bloodstone Pass, with the party as his bodyguards.
In the nobles’ district, in the shadow of the 90-foot statue of the now deceased Emperor Coaltongue, a manor painted vivid green, yellow, and purple stands at the edge of the grand square. Three stories tall, its garish appearance is matched only by the equally garish tabards the Councilman’s guards wear. Despite their appearance, the guards are polite and professional and usher the party into the grand salon.
If the building’s outside seemed odd, the interior of the manor is simply bizarre. Exotic weapons from all corners of the world adorn the walls. Whips, strange orc weapons called urgroshes, double axes, double swords, monk weapons, and even a heavy repeating crossbow designed to look like a porcupine; everything — even the now trite spiked chain — is made more exotic by unorthodox decorations like red and yellow frogs on pommels, or axeheads in the shape of bunnies. The only room that is not strange or unusual is the small chapel to the god of knowledge that is to the right of the grand salon. The party is informed that the councilman is not in; he is in a council meeting, but he will return soon. They are invited to wait until he arrives.
When Erdan arrives he is frustrated, complaining in a high-pitched, wheezing voice about the nincompoops in charge of the city. He does a double take when he sees the party, surprised to have guests. Erdan asks their names and their business, and was especially interested in details of what happened to them during the attack two nights ago. Erdan, however, seems to have a bad case of ADD. On more than one occasion, he interrupted party members to give them a tour of his house’s many oddities.
After a very frustrating audience, Erdan refused to abandon Bloodstone Pass. His duty is with his people and his city. However, he understands the importance of the party's mission - once it was divulged to him - and he will aid them in their escape from Bloodstone Pass. He also bequeaths the party with gear of his own design. A pink plate mail armor with flamingo beak helmet, green feathers adorning the waist area and purple feather adornments protruding from the shoulders; a short sword with the blade in the shape of a dolphin; a dagger with a banana-shaped hilt and pommel; and other similarly garish gear.
Erdan also gave them a note for Captain Herreman and directions to his post (located one district to the east, less than a mile away, near a large stable and barracks), begged them to send aid as soon as they can, and bid them good luck. Just before the party exits, he excitedly called them back. “Just one more thing!” he said as he motioned the party towards the chapel.
From underneath the small table of worship items, Erdan pulled out a package about the size of a fist and handed it to the party. He explained that this odd item was discovered in the old dwarven galleries under Bloodstone Pass in a recent excavation, and he can find no explanation of what it is, but the Lyceum might know. He asked that the party deliver it to Dougan Rambausen, a dwarf instructor at the academy. He hoped that an answer to its origin could be found.
This strange blue device is a marvel of dwarven technology. Despite its age, it appears new and shiny. A small door appears on the front with a glass window just above it. Four strangely marked buttons are found on the top and a small plate containing Dwarven runes appears to be instructions, but the dialect is not translatable. A number of holes cover the back and the sides have a fine-mesh grill covering a shallow depression. The technical skill that made this object appears lost in today’s society. It is lightweight and warm to the touch. There are no visible screws to allow one to open the box. A translatable formal text does show what appears to be its name, “Dianoem – Mk IV.”
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