Prologue: Day 0, Hour 6 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Uncle Oswald said that Maer Dualdon was full of sunsets that day. So many ships coming up the Shaengarne had been set aflame by the goblin hordes that they burned to the waterline in a row like a flock of fiery geese. Some leapt overboard and tried to swim to shore only to be cut down by orcs when they arrived. Others clung to the hulking infernos and were inevitably consumed in the flames. The rest dropped into the icy deep, snowflakes off death's shoulders as he shrugged over the dale. So many had died already in the attacks that the failure of the Luskan forces to arrive was but a sigh, a comma in what was to be a rather long story. Only a few small ships made it through to Targos, where my Uncle was watching from the upper reaches of the town. Many villagers were too busy repelling enemies at the palisade wall to notice a few sad, sorry stragglers make it into the port. The sun burned behind the horde and cast a cloak of shadows over the heart of Targos and all within. It was into this shadow that uncommon mercenaries were thrust from Captain Hedron's ship, the Wicked Wench. Like many other mercenaries in the town, these few had come from Luskan. Unlike the others, their journeys would take them far beyond the rude palisades and bloody fields that lay ahead of them... Day 0, Hour 6 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Hedron Kerdos, the captain of the Wicked Wench, has dropped our party off on the docks of Targos. He told us to seek out Ulbrec Dinnsmore, the Lord of Targos, in the town above the cliffs and warned us to be careful of the goblin raiders in the region. Day 0, Hour 7 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We arrived at Targos, only to find it being attacked by a group of goblin raiders. We ran across a wounded soldier at the docks - he asked us to bring him a healing potion from the harbor master, a man named Magdar. He said we could probably find him in one of the warehouses north of the docks. Day 0, Hour 7 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We spoke to an elderly dwarf named Jorun Tamewater. He told us he suspects goblin sappers tunneled into some of the old caves in the Targos cliffs and emerged on the docks. If so, that means there's an opening to their tunnels somewhere around the docks - we just have to find it. Jorun also told us if we got overwhelmed by any goblins to lure them back to him, and he'll help us defeat them. Day 0, Hour 7 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Jorun told us if we need a place to rest, we could hole up in his house just to the south and west. He told us that he had a chest there rigged to spit out some gut-churning gas if someone tried to break it open, but a thief might be able to disarm the trap and get the weapons inside. Day 0, Hour 8 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We saved an elderly woman, Firtha Kerdos, from a small pack of goblins that had entered her home. She was more angry than grateful for our efforts and drove us from the house - small thanks indeed for saving her life. Day 0, Hour 8 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : The Iron Collar mercenaries mentioned there were two more in their band - a priest named Koluhm Bonecutter who they said could speak to the dead, and the other was a wizard dressed in rags by the name of Phaen. Day 0, Hour 9 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We encountered a soldier named Brogan along the docks. He had cornered a small band of goblins within a warehouse, and he asked us to go fetch reinforcements from the Salty Dog tavern - apparently, there is an adventuring company called the Iron Collar Mercenaries holed up there, and he is in need of their extra swords to drive the goblins out. Day 0, Hour 9 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We convinced Brogan to let us drive the goblins out of the warehouse. He told us they had locked themselves inside, and we'd need to break down the door to the warehouse with our weapons, or else we'd need to get a thief to pick the lock. Day 0, Hour 10 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We found the harbor master, Magdar Shenlen, in one of the warehouses along the docks. He told us that there was a supply of healing potions in one of the barrels or crates in the warehouse, but he didn't know which one. He mentioned that most of the supplies in the warehouse were under the protection of the Gallaway Coster, but considering the goblin attack, he put the supplies at our disposal and told us to take what we need. Day 0, Hour 11 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We brought Reig a healing potion. Hopefully, it should heal the rest of his wounds and allow him to get back on his feet. Day 0, Hour 12 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We managed to drive the last of the goblins off of the Targos Docks. Reig and Lord Ulbrec should be grateful to hear of our success. Day 0, Hour 13 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We cleaned out the goblins in the caves beneath the warehouse for Brogan. He seemed impressed, and he told us we should seek out Lord Ulbrec in the town above to claim our reward. Day 0, Hour 13 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Guthewulfe, a hulking northerner in the Salty Dog Tavern, has a standing bet: if someone can stomach more "braehg" - wild boar's blood mixed with milk - than he can, he'll give the victor his silver wolf charm. The catch is, the challenger pays for every round of braehg... Day 0, Hour 13 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We managed to choke down more braehg than Guthewulfe, winning his silver wolf charm. It's doubtful the winner will be gaining any "girth on the arms and fire in the loins" anytime soon, but something about Guthewulfe's charm seems unusual... Day 0, Hour 13 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We met a priest of Myrkul called Koluhm Bonecutter. He is serving Targos as a mortician of sorts, and he claims to be able to speak to the dead as well as the living. Day 0, Hour 13 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Koluhm said he had taken up residence at the Weeping Widow Inn, but that the weeping of a spirit had driven him from the building. He told us if we wished to speak to this apparition, we should go to her at night. Day 0, Hour 13 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Koluhm told us that his mage compatriot, Phaen, had strange loyalties... perhaps this bears further investigation. Day 0, Hour 14 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We met with Lord Ulbrec Dinnsmore, the spokesman of Targos. He was somewhat short with us, and he demanded to know what was occurring at the docks. Day 0, Hour 14 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Lord Ulbrec has officially welcomed us into the Targos Guard, and he has told us to report to the commander of the Targos Guard, Shawford Crale, for our assignments. Ulbrec told us we could find Crale at the Palisade, just beyond the north gate. Day 0, Hour 17 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We crossed paths with Lumbar Grundwall, a red-faced tradesman in the streets of Targos. Apparently, he had been commissioned to deliver a load of lumber to the Targos Palisade, but he is short-handed and the crane that was being used to move the lumber up the cliff face has been damaged. Looks like Tymora's being light with the blessings this day. Day 0, Hour 17 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Apparently, Koluhm, the priest of Myrkul, paid Cahl-Hyred with an enchanted bottle of some sort, but Cahl-Hyred is too frightened to open it, let alone drink its contents. We told him we'd see if we could identify it for him, and then bring it back to him. One of the mages or priests in town should be able to help us. Cahl-Hyred recommended Elytharra, the wife of Lord Ulbrec, and an enchantress in her own right. Day 0, Hour 17 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : The innkeeper of the Weeping Widow at Targos told us that a woman's spirit haunts one of the upstairs rooms. We offered to see if we could help him by putting the ghost to rest, and he gave us the key to the room upstairs. He said she appears at night, so we should probably check the room then. Day 0, Hour 18 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We met a ragged looking mage in one of the abandoned houses in Targos. He didn't seem too pleased with us barging into his room. He looks like a mercenary of sorts, which means he probably was allowed to occupy the building as a temporary barracks. Day 0, Hour 18 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : When the mage, Phaen, caught sight of our scroll that we had taken from the goblins, he attacked us, saying that he wished to see Targos fall - it seems he was trying to undermine Targos from within. Day 0, Hour 18 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Elytharra mentioned that one of the wounded in the Temple Pavilion, a diviner named Valin Geldencross, has taken ill - and he became ill shortly before his attempt to divine the location of the goblin fortress. Sounds suspicious. Elytharra said that without knowing the cause and nature of his ailment, he is likely to die. Day 0, Hour 19 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We showed the charred brimstone scroll we got from the goblin sappers to Lady Elytharra, and she told us it was one of a pair of scrolls. Provided that the user knows something of spellcraft, they can teleport the holder of the second scroll (and the holder's allies, presumably) to the location of the first one. Which means that someone within town teleported the goblins into the caves beneath the warehouse. We should see if we can find this traitor and then tell Elytharra. Day 0, Hour 19 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We told Elytharra that Phaen attacked us as soon as he saw we had the scroll - she thanked us for exposing him before he could do more harm. Day 0, Hour 19 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We showed Cahl-Hyred's ghost-touched bottle to the Lady Elytharra, and she told us that the bottle could be used to hold some of the substance of the ethereal plane within it. If we could obtain some of the ethereal plane and place it within the bottle, the material could be used to enchant an item or a weapon. It bears looking into. Day 0, Hour 19 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : During our conversation with Elytharra, it occurred to us that we could place some of the tears of the spirit from the Weeping Widow into the ghost-touched bottle. Day 0, Hour 19 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : At the Targos Pavilion, a wounded scout named Garradun Tanner asked us to take a letter to Captain Mariner, the commander of the relief forces from Neverwinter. Garradun seems pessimistic about his chances for survival, and wrote this love letter for his bride-to-be. Day 0, Hour 19 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Valin mumbled something about "braehg" when he spoke to us - apparently, he needs it for some reason. Day 0, Hour 19 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Denham Fisher told us that Garradun Tanner, the love-sick soldier from Neverwinter in the pavilion, is actually a shapeshifter - a doppleganger spy. The priest fashioned some replacement letters for us to take in case we meet the reinforcements from Luskan and Neverwinter. He said something about the captain from Neverwinter being in for a surprise if he wasn't who he claimed to be. Day 0, Hour 20 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We confronted Garradun on his attempts to spy on Targos, and he dropped his façade and attacked us - unfortunately for him. Day 0, Hour 20 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We told Hedron we'd rescued his mother from the goblins, and he thanked us for our efforts. Day 0, Hour 21 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Koluhm told us that the dead townsman actually used to live in the house where Koluhm has set up shop. Apparently, Koluhm was questioning the poor soul if he had any gold hidden in the place, and he discovered that the man had a secret niche behind the fireplace. Day 0, Hour 21 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We met a spirit haunting the Weeping Widow who was mourning her lost husband, Donovan. Perhaps the innkeeper will know who this man is. Day 0, Hour 21 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : The innkeeper of the Weeping Widow told us it's possible that Donovan's ship wrecked up on the beach of Targos, and that we should check with Gohar at the Salty Dog Tavern - Gohar apparently keeps pieces of various ships and uses them to decorate the walls of the Salty Dog. Day 0, Hour 22 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We asked Gohar if he knew Viera's husband, Donovan, and he said the man died years ago. He still had a piece of Donovan's boat which washed up on shore, though, and he gave it to us. We should be able to take it to Veira and set her heart at peace. Day 0, Hour 22 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We returned to Veira with the piece of Donovan's ship. It seemed to set her mind at ease. In return for our effort, she warned us of a great darkness that threatened Targos - an evil force gathered beneath the "sign of the chimera." Day 0, Hour 22 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Using the ghost-touched bottle, we were able to hold one of Veira's ghostly tears. Perhaps Elytharra can make some use of it. Once we had obtained the tear, Veira left us at last, returning back to death from which she came. Day 0, Hour 22 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We told Cahl-Hyred that we had set the spirit haunting his inn to rest. He was pleased by the news, though reluctant to reward us otherwise. Day 0, Hour 22 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : When we administered Guthewulfe's braehg to Valin, he awoke, coughing and spluttering. Looks like that shock to his system was just what he needed. Day 0, Hour 22 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Valin apparently had fallen into a dreamstate while trying to scry the location of the goblin fortress. Although he wasn't able to determine its location, he told us the goblin fortress would seek *us* out, whatever that means. He also gave us a warning - that if we left Targos traveling on the sky, that we should be prepared not to return to Targos. Day 0, Hour 22 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We told Elytharra that we had aided Valin, and that he was conscious again. She was pleased and told us Targos was in our debt. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We met with Shawford Crale, commander of the Targos Guard. He told us to speak to Olap Tamewater, a dwarven engineer assigned to the Palisade and give him whatever assistance is required. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We inspired some of Targos' new recruits; they should face the battle to come with greater courage than they had before. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We took a wager from a fellow named Gable at the Palisade. He bet us that we couldn't knock a barrel from atop its perch on the wall... we'll see about that. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We collected on our bet from Gable, and I think we have dulled him of any desire to gamble in the near future. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We came across Olap Tamewater, a dwarven engineer supervising the construction of the Palisade. We told Olap that Shawford has sent us to him, and he promptly enlisted us to help him repair a section of the Palisade wall. Apparently, Olap has a supply of lumber in the main town, but it has yet to be delivered. He told us to track down a lumber merchant named Lumbar Grundwall in the main Targos Town and see what's holding up the shipment of lumber to the Palisade. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : Olap told us to track down a lumber merchant named Lumbar Grundwall in the main Targos Town and see what's holding up the shipment of lumber to the Palisade. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We told Olap that the crane that hauled lumber up the cliffs is broken and needs to be repaired. He told us to find his father, Jorun Tamewater, at the docks and see about fixing the crane. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We convinced some moon-eyed soldier to leave a weapons rack unattended so that we might inspect it at our leisure. He's bound to be wandering the Palisade forever, trying to figure out which one of the "captains" was looking for him. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We encountered a mercenary, Niles, skulking behind one of the bunkhouses at the Palisade. He asked us to fetch him a bottle of alcohol. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : After we refused to bring him any alcohol, Niles snapped at us, and we responded by ordering him back to his post. Hopefully, our warning will keep him on the straight and narrow until the goblin threat is over. Day 0, Hour 23 (1 Mirtul, 1312) : We told Jorun the problem with the crane, and he gave us a spare crane wheel to fix it. Apparently, all we need to do is simply place it in the crane, and it should work again. Day 1, Hour 0 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : Using the flywheel from Jorun, we snapped it into place on the crane and got it working again. Olap should have no lack of lumber from the docks from now on. We'd best go tell him or Shawford what we've accomplished. Day 1, Hour 0 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : By calling on our persuasive abilities, we were able to convince Caulder... after much debate... to let us help him by fetching a hammer. We're still debating the wisdom of our decision. Day 1, Hour 0 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We brought Caulder a hammer and then watched as he attacked the nails on the catapult in a berserker frenzy. The fellow must have some barbarian blood coursing in his veins. Once he was finished, the catapult looked repaired... and frightened. Day 1, Hour 1 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We returned to Olap and told him that we had fixed the crane. He was too busy patting himself on the back to acknowledge our efforts. Day 1, Hour 1 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We returned to Shawford and told him that the Palisade had been repaired. He thanked us and sent us on our next mission, to see the captain of the archers on the western wall, a man named Isherwood, and see about getting him a supply of arrows for his men. Day 1, Hour 1 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We found Isherwood at the western wall and told him that Crale had sent us. Isherwood told us he needed three hundred arrows, and we told him we'd go to the Gallaway Trade Depot and see about having them delivered to the wall. Day 1, Hour 1 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : Although it took some convincing, we told Isherwood he could take our arrows. He thanked us and gave us a couple bottles that he and his men had stashed away, as thanks for our efforts. Day 1, Hour 1 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We returned to Shawford and told him we had gotten Isherwood the arrows he needed. He thanked us, and then sent us on our next mission. He wants us to go speak to Koluhm in town, and find out what the Priest of Myrkul has gleaned from questioning a goblin's dead body. Day 1, Hour 2 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We spoke to Koluhm Bonecutter, and he couldn't give us a translation of what the dead goblin he was questioning said, so we asked him to write down what he could and have it sent to Shawford at the Palisade. Hopefully, someone there can make some sense of it. Day 1, Hour 2 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We returned to Shawford after speaking with Koluhm, and he sent us on our next assignment; to go to the Salty Dog Tavern and haul those drunken fools that call themselves the Iron Collar Mercenary Band up to the Palisade. Day 1, Hour 2 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : By threatening to link the Iron Collar band to Phaen's treachery, we managed to convince the Iron Collar mercenaries to report to the Palisade for duty. Day 1, Hour 2 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We told Shawford that we'd pressured the Iron Collar band to get their worthless hides onto the Palisade, and he seemed surprised and grateful at our efforts. No sooner had he finished congratulating us when we heard an explosion from outside, and the Palisade was under attack! Day 1, Hour 3 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : With aid from the Targos Guard, we managed to turn back the goblin attack on Targos and slaughter the goblin leaders. We should tell Shawford or Ulbrec of our success. Day 1, Hour 4 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : Black Geoffrey made his way to the Palisade right before the goblins struck, and it looks like his blade was able to cut down some goblins before the battle was over. He told us he was striking out for Luskan, overland if need be, and we'd see no more of him... I don't know about his band. Day 1, Hour 4 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : Lord Ulbrec praised us for our efforts in defending Targos during the goblin attack on the Palisade, but with his praise came another mission: a goblin force has taken the Shaengarne Bridge to the south, a bridge that the Neverwinter reinforcements intended to use to reach Targos. He wants us to travel to Shaengarne Bridge and retake it from the goblinoids. He hopes our band can succeed where the Targos Guard cannot; only time will prove him right or wrong. Day 1, Hour 6 (2 Mirtul, 1312) : We identified Koluhm's ghost-touched bottle for Cahl-Hyred, only to find out that he didn't want it anymore. He told us to take it to Elytharra, Ulbrec's wife, and see if she had any use for it.