The Inn of the Babbling Parrot

The interior of the in looks much bigger than the outside building should be able to contain. An assortment of parrots sits atop perches through out the inn just below the level of the ceiling. Many tables and chairs provide the main hall of the inn with places to sit eat and converse. In the middle of the main hall is a huge counter behind which stands a grey stone wall made of some kind of grey stone. The counter seems to be also used as the bar and behind it the characters find the beautiful

Morrisha Darcel – Proprietor of the Inn - She is a woman that appears to be of middle years but her eyes look upon you with a startling and ageless property.

Information at the Inn
Bugbear – Sold some information to Douven. He seemed to be looking for a place called Lusodarso, which is a dragon burial ground. Douven seemed to be looking for a female dragon egg. An elder of Moonstorm, Zarkel Darcel seems to think that Douven went to a world called Nymberthale to find this dragon egg and return to Moonstorm to add this new orphan to his brood. The elders of Moonstorm seem to have a strange affection for Douven which allows them to accept his strange sacrifice for his orphans.

Episode Summary:
We spent a hallacious amount of time trying to get out of the Inn to the temple area. Olig wanted to go to the temple in order to consult the priest of his order as to the whereabouts of Douven. None of his brothers wanted to leave the Inn because they had been instructed by Ebonscales to stay in the Inn that evening and rest before they set off to find Douven. After some time Twig and Doogan were somewhat swayed to go, but Doogan wanted a map of the town because everything seemed to drift a bit in the town proper and he didn’t want to get lost. They went to Morrisha and asked if she could help and she told them no. Ebonscales had asked her to keep an eye on them and she did not think that leaving the inn was a good idea. She wouldn’t stop them but she wouldn’t help. Properly cowed the group went back up to their room number 325 for Twig and Zorras and Room # 510 for Olig and Doogan. Twig and Doogan played many practical jokes on Olig that evening. Twig using his magical powers and Doogan throwing his voice they made Olig believe that the Parrot were out to get him and were casting spells at him. That evening Olig’s nightmare were full of manic, spell casting, motley parrots of doom.
The next morning Ebonscales arrives to collect the characters. He scolded them for attempting to leave and for not following directions. He also informs us that we have an appointment with Darcel Darcel the oldest of the town elders. We were led to a more affluent area of the town where the estates looked much better kept. We approached the gates of one of the estates that seemed to be guarded by 2 large constructs of some type. There were many signs of magical wards and devices that protected the estate. In an audience chamber we were introduced to an old man named Darcel. He was old but not feeble, regular height with the same ageless eyes of Morrisha. He referred to Douven as young which was a telling revelation into his true age. Darcel tell us that we are to go to a world called Nymberthale and find Douven. A guide will be made available to us to get us to the world were Douven had gone to collect a dragon egg. Suddenly a odd presence entered the room and the party saw a very attractive woman enter the audience chamber. Olig noticed that the figures shadow had large wings, horns and a tail although physically none were visible. She spoke aloud to Darcel a dark and terrible language as she smiled seductively at the party. Darcel sternly addressed the new arrival, “Do not speak that tongue here.” He then directed himself to Ebonscales and instructed him to take the party to the market to get outfitted for their trip. Evidently the audience was over.

The Market
This is a very busy part of the town. There are stalls filled with merchandise of many different types with hawkers calling out to passersby. To any who care to watch the merchants seem totally at ease with so many strangers near their merchandise. They do not seem concerned at all about the possibility of theft or violence. The part goes about their business buying armor, weapons and much other assorted gear they will need on their journey. Doogan decides to test out the security in the market by stealing something from Olig. He figures that if some magical protection does catch him he would always be able to get out of it because it was his brother he stole from. The moment he swipes the gear from Olig’s bag Doogan is frozen in place and illuminated by some magical ward. Suddenly the ground starts shaking as two huge constructs start approaching Doogan poised to strike at him. Twig runs and attempts to tackle Doogan out of the way of the constructs. Olig steps out in front of Doogan to defend him. Ebonscales yells for the Steward of the Market and a huge human fighter steps out beside the constructs and halts them. Ebonscales attempts to explain that Doogan didn’t know what he was doing and the party attempts to explain this as a misunderstanding. The steward is not swayed. He says that it is the intent that matters to the magical protection and that Doogan had the intent to steal and that was what triggered his present state. The reasons why he was stealing did not matter to the schema of the spell. Doogan’s life his spared but he is band from the Market for the next 30 years. A very angry Ebonscales leads the brothers through the streets back towards the estate of Darcel Darcel. Upon entering the audience hall Darcel addresses Doogan, “I heard you had an eventful time at the Market.” Darcel scolds Doogan for his thieving activities. Doogan doggedly defends that fact that his intent was not evil, but Darcel does not agree with his interpretation. Doogan is not repentant for his actions and Darcel’s annoyance grows to the point of silencing Doogan with his magical power. Shortly after a Tiefling named Zehan Aseal arrives to guide the brothers to Nymberthale on their quest for their mentor and father Douven.

The Gate
Darcel has gives the brothers papers to take them through the gate at a specific time ad place. Along the interiors of the walls of Moonstorm are large magical portals called gates. The portals are surrounded by magical runes and are guarded by huge magically constructed creatures. There are 6 gates along each of the 4 walls of the town and they operate around the clock. The papers that are given to the brothers denote a departure time 5 hours away. Darcel gives Olig and twig each a ritual book and to the group a pouch of 3 healing potions. He bids us a god trip and we leave his hall. Doogan leaves vowing never to return to Moonstorm again. The brothers debate this vow with Doogan for a while and they finally make their way towards the outskirts of Moonstorm near the wall indicated on the papers. They approach the gate at the appropriate time and pass through the challenge by presenting the papers Darcel provided. Up close the gate radiates a great magical power. Within it’s center the ether of the magical energies swirl in an endless whirlwind of cloudy power. Zehan gather the brothers together and shouts for them to ready themselves. At the appropriate time Zehan steps into the gate and disappears and the brothers follow one by one.
I.
II. Travel through the Warren of the Weirden
The group arrives in a red and sulfur smelling stone chamber. The trip through the gate had been like a long blink and it’s after effect was like a rippling distortion. The party was scattered about a small distance as if each of them had not come through the gate in the same order they had entered. Their senses returned to them in a rush as they began to call out to one another. The trip through had left some of them sick and dizzy and it took a few moments for them to recover enough to move on. Zehan tells the brothers that they have arrived in the Warren of Weirden. The chamber that they are standing in is lighted in red with a light that seems to emanate from the surrounding stone itself. Opposite the wall from which the party emerged there is a tunnel entrance. As they approach the tunnel entrance they begin to hear a slurping sound. They travel through the tunnel and as they approach the end of the tunnel the slurping sound begins to grow and a noticeable shaking can be felt through the stone. The tunnel ends onto a balcony with a long stone bridge which seems to span an impossibly large chasm. No supporting pillars could be seen as far as the eye could see making it a mystery how exactly the bridge could remain in place. Especially since a strong and constant vibration could be felt in the floor of the balcony. Zehan urged the brother to hasten their pace explaining that this was a frequently traveled path and that they would not like to meet any other travelers on this road. He explains that the Weirden Warren is a chaotic place and that it would not be a good idea to linger to long in one place. As the brothers hurried onto the bridge Olig took a glance over the side and into the chasm. Below he saw a herd of 50ft pig horses milling about in some kind of muddy clay. The sound of their hooves plodding in and out of the mud was causing the slurping sounds. The sheer number of the beasts moving around on the floor of the chasm was itself causing the great vibration and shaking of the stone bridge. The bridge leads to another short tunnel that dead ends at a huge vertical shaft. There is an insanely strong wind blowing upward from the darkness below. Zehan instructs the brothers to step out onto the air current and be lifted upward. Olig suggests that they should all tie themselves to one another for safety. Zehan scoffs at this pointing out that if they did that ten they could all get pulled down the wrong path by one careless person. Olig argues that he would not want to loose even one of the party. While Zehan and Olig debate Twig falls back into the air and says, “Totally awesome, dudes!” and is carried upward by the current. Zarros shoves Olig into the shaft and the rest of the party dives into the shaft and is carried upward by the air. The group shoots upward and is then thrust into an underwater current. They emerge off the coast of some land in an oily blue sea. Everyone makes it to the coast and they begin to walk along the shore in the direction indicated by Zehan. After a short time they come to a light blue river of goo flowing into the oily sea. Zehan indicated that they must follow the river towards its source that there we will find the place they seek. They travel upriver for sometime and then suddenly Doogan says that he thinks he hears someone following them. The group begins to hurry in earnest and soon come upon a ziggurat built near the river. Zehan confirms that the pyramid holds the portal that they see and they begin to run towards it. Sounds of pursuit become louder now and they get to the pyramid. Zehan takes a step up the steep side and he seems to be able to walk straight up the sides as if gravity was not affecting him. Everyone else follows and they are able to easily climb the steep sides. Doogan glances back and sees several armed people following them but cannot make out any details at the distance. As he climbs Zehan starts to mutter something about going”under, then over or is it down then under?” That it was important or they would end up in the wrong place in which to get to the portal to get to the other place to get tot the place they wanted to go. They finally get tot the top of the pyramid and Zehan cannot remember which runic symbol to line up with in order to get to Nymberthale. The armed pursues were coming and he turns to Olig and Twig and asks their opinion. They simultaneously yell at him and point towards one of the symbols and they yell, “Just Go!” Zehan lined up and stepped towards the symbol and disappeared followed by the others.

Arrival in Nymberthale
The traveling distortion fades and the party finds themselves in a forest. Zehan is somewhat confused because they are not exactly where they are supposed to be. They climb a tree with a lot of difficulty and finally head off towards the West because the forest seemed less dense in that direction. After sometime with Doogan scouting ahead they come to an area of the forest that had been cut down and full of stumps. The stumps led to an old, poorly maintained stone road. This road seems to suggest the existence of some government, either far away or long forgotten. They follow the road the road towards the North for an assortment of reason. At noon they go off the road for a break and after sometime Olig hear voices coming from the road. Twig recognizes the language being used as Elfish. Doogan had begun to sneak up on the two eves on the road. When he got close enough he peeked out he saw that as they her conversing and one of the elves had his bow drawn and aimed at Doogan. Twig offered to go out to the elves and speak to them. He goes out and makes contact with the elves. They note that Twig does not seem to be an elf of their world and they are not very trusting. As a sign of good faith Twig he asks Doogan to sit down on his hands and calls the others out of the woods. Before Zorras moves out to join him he tells Olig to stay in hiding. Zehan stays with him as well. Zorras joins Twig and the elves have a very prejudicial reaction to him because he is a Tiefling. The chief elf calls him a “demon spawn” and that his type had attacked some city in a land called Yberius.

Moonstorm

Children of Douven’s Orphanage

Zorras Tiefling Warlord John
Twig Eladrin Mage Nelson
Olig Urn Aleg Human – Priest of Lemagress Orencio
Doogan Halfling Rogue Dave

Douven – Mentor of the characters and father figure. He has been a stable and consistent presence in the lives of the orphans. He has taught and seen to the tutoring of all their talents. The morning that the story begins the orphans await him as they have done for every morning and Douven has never failed to arrive, until today.

Ebonscales – The eldest of Douven’s orphans. He is a Dragon Spawn warrior and is second only to Douven. He arrives to tell the characters that Douven is missing. He does not think that they are ready for the outside world but never the less they are all he has to assign the task of finding Douven

Campaign Setting

(Direct from the DM's Desk)

Douven's Den: Douven Darcel is a mage that has made it his quest to study the many races of the multiverse. In his eagerness to study these other races first hand he once agreed to take in an orphaned Dragonborn child. What started as a scientific curiosity ended up appealing to the older Darcel's gentler side and he found that he cared for his scaly son as the years passed. When a similar case occurred a few years later with a lone elf child Douven again agreed to take the child in. Word of the odd Darcel's compassion spread amongst the travelers that heard about it and over time others who found a lone survivor of a raid, lost child, or other orphaned child of any race, he took them in as well. Over the past 200 years Douven has raised dozens of these children. His nature and understanding of the various races allows Douven to treat all of his "children" the same and without prejudice. While he learns from his children as part of his life's purpose he really does consider them all his children and treats them with kindness, patience, and understanding for their particular racial needs.

Douven has the children earn their keep by doing chores, helping with the younger children and running the occasional errand. He in turn dedicates his time to educating them with the basics for existence in the civilized world (language, math, manners, right and wrong, etc) and teaching each of his children about their origins and their race in so much as he understands them so that they know their place in the worlds.. He also is studying their behavior the whole time to find their particular aptitudes. Once he understands what a particular child is ideal for he then ensures that they are trained accordingly. He will teach mages himself and clerics can receive instruction from one of the two temples in town. But anyone with aptitudes outside of those get tutored by travelers who work out a barter arrangement typically where they teach for a period of time in return for some magical service or item.

Douven's full-time helper is a gentle yet gruff spoken Dragonborn named Ebonscales, Douven's oldest "son". When Ebonscales reached maturity and was urged to go out and find his place in the worlds he instead chose to stay and help Douven full time. Whether out of some sense of debt or perhaps love he won't say. It was simply the right thing to do he says but for 200 years now he has helped Douven run the Den as it is referred to now. Ebonscales is a Paladin by profession which is not so common in Moonstorm. He also does not teach others to become paladins since in his own humble way he does not consider himself worthy enough to teach and fears steering a child the wrong way if he tried.

The children are limited in exposure to many of the truly "special" aspects of Moonstorm until such time as they have matured and are ready to be let go to find their own path.

(DM's Note)
And yes, if you read it well enough and draw a few conclusions... nothing says that you have to play and elf or whatever race from the World we have been in [sic] (nimberthal). You could easily have been drug in from another world / realm completely.