More than 100 people answered the Prelates call to quest for answers of the fading. By chance, your characters all arrived on the same day, strangely around the same time. After a brief security queue, the players were greeted by Sir Timber, who bade them declare themselves for the quest, or to simply pass. Only the stout human named Rel pledged for the quest, who then received a ticket for a nights stay in a local inn, and a token for dinner and libations that evening. Rel made his way to the inn, and by curious narrative occurrence, the other adventures followed. Soon your characters found themselves at The Time Inn.

Introducing himself, Morris: Day Manager of The Time Inn, greeted the adventurers, providing Rel with a room key and directing the thrall to the adjoined tavern and mealery. Our adventures positioned themselves at the bar, with Kexyl spending a few moments listening to the comely bard in the far corner. The bartender provided Rel with a drink and jungle “served with love” stew. After discovering that he could be provided room and board for free, the shrewd frog prince Kexyl declared himself for the quest, and was provided a dinner choice between the jungle stew and frog legs. He chose the stew. Oh-ee-oh-ee-oh.

Full of belly, Kexyl walked to the stage and was asked to join in with the open mic night minstral. Perhaps stiffened by nerves, his performance did not go well. A loud howl from the doorway rang-out the tavern. The lovely Lady Sarasta, cleric of elven purity, derided the performance using foul language. Rel, seeing a chance to show his character, joined the jam and saved the performance, with many attendees half-paying attention and applauding, as open mic night crowds tend to do.

Later at the bar, the three amigos drank and discussed their histories, and conversed with two others at the bar. The local lush Bug, and the heavily armed and heavily inebriated Lornath. They discovered that Lornath was also here to respond to the quest. Before the conversation could finish, several humans bearing green bands on their arms stormed into the tavern, declaring the quest to be false, and praising the fadings as the coming of a new god.

A fight began in earnest. With only one miscue, and some help from the blue-armored Lady Sarasta, the cultists were “felled”. The ubiquitous Bug was called upon to hide the bodies in the tavern storeroom, with Morris promising no doves would cry this song to outside ears. One of our adventures took a green armband from the cultists. With the moon rising and a need for a refresh of Zoom credentials, our adventures slept.

The next morning, the group made their way to the chancel. In the ample, marble foyer, the group met Lord Shaw, looking like something out of a medieval version of Ace Attorney. Lord Shaw greeted Kexyl by name and title, knowing of his deeds in the swamp. Shortly after, Prelate Sagramore called the assembled to silence, and outlined his vision to gain the knowledge needed to stop the fade. Three groups would ride out, one formed from the kings royal house, one from the beings of the western lands, and one from the commoners and lesser royal houses.

Lord Shaw, whose father the king had faded several moons ago, volunteered to lead the kings house crusade. Many of the royal advisors objected, but Shaw was the rightful ruler, though he would not take the title of King just yet, so hoped he for his fathers return. Also imposing herself, Lady Sarasta elected to lead the expedition from the Western Lands. The Prelate asked for volunteers from the commoners and lesser houses, and by yet another amazing narrative happenstance, your characters volunteered! Noticing a lack of a heavy fighter, the Prelate tasked your taven-mate Lornath to accompany you. Still trashed, was Lornath.

A bright flash and scream interrupted the proceedings, and a clergy faded before the eyes of the assembled. The Prelate, sensing a lack in story push, quickly provided the adventurers with enough gold to outfit themselves with all the goods they would need for their trip, as well as a special seal, bearing the mark of the Prelate. As the group left to get some shopping done, Kexyl was again stopped by Lord Shaw, who provided Kexyl with a ring bearing the kings crest.

Our intrepid band bandied forth to the local armorsmith where the enormous Blast was tending smithy. Our prince Kexyl expressed a desire for a new sword, and Blast showed him several. Not happy with the normal selection, Kexyl convinced the group to offer the Prelates seal as payment. Before a deal could be struck, the group left the smithy and went to what I remember being a leather armorer. Our adventurers again offered the seal for a suit of armor, but decided against this and purchased the armor with their gold instead. Rel looks stunning!

Returning to Blast, a special sword was purchased. While still a longsword, it was forged for a gnomish giant, and was the perfect size for Kexyl shorter stature. Blast himself told that the sword was enchanted, and the group proved this to be true, but none could ascertain the true nature of the weapon. With the shopping complete, and the Zoom credentials in need of refresh, our band of acted characters, plus the NPC Lornath, ventured forth.

Unclear, the author is, of what the exact sequence of events that next transpired, but the group eventually found its way to a lively gypsy camp. Three small circles of wagons were gathered, and the gypsies, while not exactly throwing down, were nonetheless in great revelry. There was cake….and a keg of beer….a band jammed on a makeshift stage near the river. Rel would claim to hear a hint of Devo in their extended noodling. Some cursory looks at the gypsies shops led the group to the caravan in the rear nearest the stage, and several potions were purchased. There was also some expose here, but the story threads have worn thin in the time since. I believe there was some discussion with the leader of the gypsies, who may or may not have given his name. Perhaps the adventurers recall more clearly than the now pipe smoking author does.

Finally, the group, plus the totally fucking wrecked Lornath, made its way to a fire where they met Cleo Pipe. An outdoorsy, but refined, man with an aire of dignity and knowledge. The group spoke to Cleo Pipe and found him to be intrigued by the fadings, postulating that perhaps it was a good omen, and not the evil the Prelate made it out to be. While not a devout cultist like the green-bands the adventures encountered earlier, his opinions aroused suspicions. A rustling was heard nearby.

Nearly moments later several cultists burst from the bushes. Our group of companions, all boys, were aided by some young people from the gypsy clan in their fight against the cultists. Many blows were struck, and the gypsy leader and Cleo Pipe also contributed muscle and spells. A heathen cleric was defeated after much effort. Rel and Kexyl moved about the battlefield with great speed, while Lux responded to a second rustling back near the potion dealers.

A group of goblins had chosen this moment to attack, and it was obvious that they were only taking advantage of the chaos the attack from the cultists had caused. Two were easily defeated, and the third captured near the potion merchant. When questioned, he spoke of “his mission”. With the battlefield secured, the group returned to the fire to speak more with Cleo Pipe and the gypsy leader.

Lornath, ever inebriated, awoke from his drunken slumber and promptly faded away.