It is the Year of the Lion.

The Battle of the River Rising has just ended outside Featherdale, and the wizard Mhzentul, lost in the fighting, has just been laid to rest.  Thieves have raided his holdings, braving traps and summoned beings for hopes of uncovering the fate of what history has come to call the Seven Lost Rings of Mhzentul.

Meanwhile an unassuming band of adventurers have been summoned to nearby Phlan, in search of a very different lost treasure, the Baneblades of Demron, fabulous lost treasures of Myth Drannor whose whereabouts and even history have been sought for a thousand years.

The year is 1340, and we are beginning our adventure in the ancient city of Phlan, where our heroes are just arriving, to begin their search for the lost, fabled Baneblades of Demron.

Artisans and craftspeople from all over the Moonsea have been called in to put their skills to work in the rebuilding. Sculptors, painters, landscapers, and other specialized professions are in especially high demand. Anyone with just about any kind of skill can make good money in Phlan.

Despite this progress, much of Phlan still lies in ruins. Part of the reason for this is that new lairs and secret chambers are discovered every so often, and some still contain monstrosities.and fortunes. Most workers are unwilling to risk the horrors of what may lurk below, even when promised part of whatever riches may also be there.

Many of these workmen demand protection before they will report to the construction sites, and the Council of Ten is willing to hire reputable adventurers as well as beginners to help with guard duties and scouting.

Looting the ruins is not illegal. In fact, people are encouraged to go into the ruins and look around, as long as they report what they see to the Council of Ten. Those who fail to comply are put to work in the rubble-clearing crews.

The Waiting, temple dedicated to the god Tyr, was the site of a minor miracle, as one of the faithful witnessed a young woman described as a "halfling" leaving an offering of wine on the altar which promptly vanished in a blinding flash of light.

The healers, upon witnessing the event, brought her to touch the foreheads  of the afflicted and wounded, in hopes that her blessing would pass to them before dawn.

She regaled the tavern with her tale the following morning, to the confusion of all…

Fizzl was rewarded for her recent success, and took the name Fizzl Tyrshand for her success.

She also recruited one of the leading curates for the Temple of Tyr, an older man named Ortaun Divall.  Meanwhile, Juchin, eager to locate a healer for himself, hired the services of Bilean of Selune, a healer dedicated to the questing god.

This prepared, the party ventured beyond the gates, and into destiny.

Phlan is a thousand year old city.

The city is awash in mystery and tradition, but deeper washed in blood.

It has been many decades since the city fell, in the closing of the Dragon Run.  What drake fire purged is now being rebuilt, over many, many hard years, and the monsters that presently control the slums are fighting back.

Golblins and kobolds are most prevalent, having been pushed toward the outskirts by larger bands of orcs and hobgoblins. 

Outside the first major structure that is still standing, a team of just three goblins laid in wait to ring an alarm bell, and notify their guards that city-goers were entering their side of the ruins.  The tables, however, were turned, and the goblin that survived found himself bound by manacles to Juchin, forced to lead them through their defenses safely.

The goblin the party captured has led them past a series of traps, and down a long list of tunnels between rooms and buildings, allowing the goblins to keep off the streets and avoid the notice of the crossbow-wielding guards on the city walls.

Murder holes and traps wait everywhere, but the goblin seems intent to keep his word and not run off at the first sign of trouble.

The orcs came for their wounded man.

What they found was the party of adventures that destroyed them.  Juchin was struck by a crossbow bolt, but the others remained unhurt

Four orcs were defeated. and among the bodies, just 27 copper pieces were recovered, bearing the sigils of new Phlan administration, meaning these orcs had taken their treasure from the adventurers unlucky enough to come before.

However, a strange windfall, each of the four orcs appeared to be wearing pieces of what was a full set of full plate armor.  One wore the vambraces, another the helm, another the gloves, and one the breast plate.  The armor, valued by Fizzl at some 1500 gold pieces, bore the marks of heraldry belonging to Nimoar's Hold, a keep embattled by orcs long ago, in faraway Illuskan lands of Mirabar.

The other treat was a pair of magical bracers that bestowed one tier of armoring to the wearer.

Faylan was easily able to track their origins back to Kuto's Well, which was found strangely unoccupied.

Inside the slums lay a particularly large water source, known for years at Kuto's Well.

Below the well lay the stronghold of the infamous Norris the Gray, where the party found treasure and guarded by opponents.  Only 6 pieces of gold, 30 silver, and 36 copper were found on the bodies, but there were a bullseye lantern, a potion of cure light wounds, eight arrows, and eight crudely made wooden short bows in the body pile after the first encounter.

Eight more of Norris' men were defeated, and on one of the bodies, Fizzl found a piece of parchment that bore a password written in orcish:  Darkness.

Today I met a billiondy people in a place call Flan. I think that's a dessert or something back home… not sure though. Acacia says that it isn't but I think she might just not know about it. There is this thing call a tiefling there, she's got some seriously grabby hands. I mean who just reaches out and takes things from people! I never! 

But, then there is this half elf! He's Juchin, and not at all as bad as I thought. He thinks I'm super useful and has a neat mask. I wonder if he will let me borrow it.  Then there is this elf named Faylin,  she seems okay, kind of wildy like the cag's but not as snooty. The other elf is Carella, and she's okay I guess, she heals people when they get hurt. 

OH! And then, then I got to use my color spray spell and it actually worked!!! I can't wait to go tell the goblins all about how we stopped the orcs from invading them! 

Maybe next time I can see if there is anything neat to borrow from the keep, after we rest though, I guess people are tired, but I could go on and on and on for hours! I mean, just look what happened when I stayed up and went to the Temple! That's how I got my new name too! Mama would be proud.