2026-07-17

Players Present: Steve, Andrew, Adrian, Dan Mu
Party Level: 3
In-Game Date: Festival +8
Interacting NPCs: Hades, Cerealis, Vulcan, Vex'lak
Next Game: 2026-08-21

The Smith Who Isn't a Champion (Or Says He Isn't)

Kerialalta cornered Vulcan with questions about whether he'd gained new powers. Vulcan insisted nothing had changed — he's always been a craftsman, and a craftsman is all he wants to be. Pressed on the theory that he's a new Champion, he called it "an interesting theory" and left it there.

Kerialalta ran him through a gauntlet of tests: touching him directly (nothing detected), asking him to strike a rock with his hammer (it crumbled to dust instead of becoming anything), and finally asking him to pray aloud to Artifex. Vulcan found the request deeply strange but obliged — "Artifex, if I am your Champion, show me some sign." Nothing answered.

Before parting, he gave his full name and origin: Master Smith Vulcan, of Ironhaven.

Free Lodging, Minus One

The party used their Sigilli to request free lodging at the local temple and were given the rooms set aside for Champions — all except Kaelen, who has no Sigillum of his own and was housed with the monks on a cot instead. Each Sigillum-holder found a sack of 50 gold waiting in their room.

The Market

At the open-air market, Vex'lak, a merchant dealing in runes, spoke with the party about runes. Kerialalta, Gremm, and Kaelen each ended up putting a Striking rune on their weapons.

Skylos, predictably, found the fish stall. Kerialalta tried to lure him away from it with a thrown fish — Skylos responded by jumping the cart, overturning it, trampling nearby plants, and then proudly bringing the fish back. Calling him "a good dog" only made things worse: his wagging tail scattered the fish and ground dirt into it. Kerialalta paid the vendor an extra 2 gold for the damage. A second attempt to call him over ("You dog, come here!") ended with Skylos barreling into Kerialalta to get at the fish.

Cerealis's Request

The party spoke with Cerealis, who asked them to stop Cornelius from burning crops. Kerialalta explained he'd already confronted Cornelius and believed he'd talked him down. Cerealis asked where Cornelius had last been seen — heading north — and revealed his destination: Ashbridge. She asked the party to intercept him before he burns the grain stores there.

The Road, and Hades

The party left Goldengrain and traveled a day before making camp. Watch order: Steve, then Andrew.

During Andrew's watch, Hades manifested at the campsite — the sudden heat from everyone's Sigillum woke the whole party. Kerialalta, testing him, poked him with his staff and dropped dead instantly, arriving briefly in the Underworld. A couple of spirits there refused to answer his questions before he was returned to his body.

Hades gave his name before saying anything else, and made clear he wouldn't share information about the gods without payment. He asked the party to track down and collect his other two hounds, Ichnos and Dakos — the party have theories of what this means. When Kerialalta asked why an old god like him wasn't better known, Hades replied it wasn't his job to account for mortals' ignorance.

The party chose to keep Skylos, swayed by his "Inspire Courage" quality. Hades confirmed the exchange value of a drachma: 50 gold.

Undead began gathering nearby during the conversation; Hades froze them in place without comment, muttering about people wishing loved ones back. When Kerialalta pushed him on why he was "bringing monsters," Hades corrected him — he brings no monsters, only what mortals ask for. "Then perhaps mortals need to be careful what they wish for."

Kerialalta tried to negotiate more information out of him for later, but Hades wouldn't commit — he'll share more once he's satisfied the party is competent. He finished explaining the two remaining hounds, tossed Kerialalta a muzzle, and vanished.

The undead fully surround the party, and animated as soon as Hades left.

Dan Mu is to take the next watch, if there is one.