((OOC: City of Bourgund, May 1, Year XXXX))

Our party: Ulor - [@Oraculum], Lex - [@Turbowraith], Arthera - [@The Harbinger of Ferocity], Ceria - [@Mistiel], Daisy - [@Ermine], Yvah - [@Ms Ravenwinter]

[hider=The Story Thus Far][quote=The Singing Warlock, Daisy Blackheart]We all had different reasons to be in Fellmire, but the general theme was the same: Something was very wrong. The nature-lovers were drawn to the area after hearing rumors of decaying flora and fauna in the area around this secluded fishing village. The monk was there with her troupe. The loner warlock had been there because dreams told him to. Daisy (that's me!) had followed Ulor, much to his disappointment, singing all the way and distracting him from his visions, and very much enjoying his insults, since they were completely unfounded. Plus, she was going there anyway, invited to a manor within the town. Lex had been there much the same reason as the Arthera and Ceria, but instead of trying to fix the problem, instead tried to avenge everything that was suffering.

The entire group arrived around the same time, just not all together, with most of us meeting on the road on the way in. There wasn't much in terms of bonding, but once we all reached the town, it looked...unpleasant to say the least. It was crusted over with the decay of the sea, like it had been underwater for decades. We almost expected not to find anything. 

All of our groups met each other - including me meeting an old friend - shortly before finally seeing the people, who looked...no more human than one would expect in an underwater village. Some would say they were monstrous now, but I think they just looked like fishfolk (the same way one would refer to humans as "apefolk"). One in particular was decaying against a wall and made sure to get out some very choice information before he died.

He told us that he had been imprisoned here after escaping from the mind control powers of a powerful sea hag. He couldn't tell us what her plans were, only that she was preparing for something huge, and that she lived in a manor on a small island off the coast. We could see it from where we were. It wasn't too far, but it certainly wouldn't be easy in a storm in a rowboat. If we had one. Which we didn't. It's probably a good thing, though, but I'll get to that.

So, we had all just arrived in town. There were seven of us. When we met the dying fishman, after he entered the Final Ballad, we were attacked by virtually the whole town. It wasn't an easy fight. We're not proud of it. It was madness and utter chaos. We didn't win that fight by any means, and we even lost one of our members. Some kid. He was weak, but had come with us anyway. He could enter these battle trances, and followed me into town because my music made his trances work better he said. So...I...anyway, he didn't make it, and we retreated for a time.

We were joined by another, much more powerful adventuring party. We helped them clear out the town, and they took the only boat to the sea witch's manor, where I had presumably been called. In the time it took us to fully rest up after the...unfortunate and senseless slaughter, the other party had arrived, also missing a member. They said the witch had fled by means of magic, and that they would not give chase. They promised, however, to fund our adventures. Turns out they were not exactly poor, and had amassed enough of a fortune to pay for an entire fortified town.

At first, our group didn't want to stay together and take the offer, but...having a safe place to call home was certainly something, as was having the funding to continue our own goals with the assistance of an adventuring party of varied talents. None of us, myself included, would be able to complete our goals on our own, nor would we have the funding to do so. It was a welcome boost. We've gone on other adventures since then, too, and have formed...some bonds. We're not friends by any means (well, most of us), but we do have a working relationship. Lex, at the very least, is a good motivator...with my assistance. He has the zeal and devotion of purpose, but not the - what's the word? Tact? People skills? I've got a friend, so we can at least tell stories of our youthful adventures.

We've learned a little about that sea hag, too. Like that in her fear of us and our patrons, she had allied herself with some powerful entity. We don't yet know details beyond this, but know that if we take on this witch, we may end up fighting something far worse, and we're not ready for that. Not yet, at least...[/quote][/hider]
A few weeks after that fateful day in Fellmire, the group found themselves in the bustling city of Bourgund. It had been a while since they had seen their benefactors, but they had received a letter requesting that they look into a matter in this city. Their contact was General Aengus Cavanaugh, the leader of the militocracy in Bourgund.

Many of you had already been to this city or perhaps had grown up in it. Being the very definition of a hub city, travelers were nearly forced to pass through Bourgund on their way to other destinations. Many had stopped, for one reason or another, setting up homes and shops within its protective walls or near the wide river that passed through the city’s center. There were all sorts of folk living here: wizards and sorcerers traveled the Mage Road from Allain, halflings and elves passed through by way of Echlin from Arbonesse, and there were even a giant or two from Trenorra. Despite this mingling of races, it was obvious that the humans held most of the power as well as most of the population of the city. 

The party had arrived late at night and was ushered into an inn by the guard posted outside. The only soul awake at this late hour was a drow barmaid who shyly rented the group a pair of rooms. The beds were comfortable enough, and sleep quickly overtook the weary travelers. Morning came far too soon, however, and the party made their way to breakfast somewhat later than usual. Oddly enough, the tavern was mostly empty. An inquiry to the state of the inn revealed that today was a festival day in the city celebrating Bourgund’s liberation from the Magocracy of Allain. Parades and other attractions would be held throughout the day. 

The location of the General’s barracks was also given to you by the elderly human tavernmaster. He encouraged the group to partake in the festivities, but you had a job to do. As you stepped outside of the inn, a small crowd caught your attention. As you approached, you could hear the ramblings of a copper dragonborn acolyte droning on and on about the end of days. As you were about to take your leave, some of his ramblings began to sound familiar. He mentioned the sea hag that you had fought previously, and that her alliance with some dark power would bring the cities of this world to its knees. He seemed perhaps a little crazy, but some of his information matched what you had previously heard.