The Bloodhawks began in August 1996. It had been many years since I had DM'ed a group of low-level players, and finding new challenges for a high-level, well-equipped group was growing harder and harder. At the same time, there were many new ideas I wanted to try, and I felt straitjacketed by decisions I had made many years before. A new group gave me a chance to start on a new continent, with new deities, governments, etc.
The players were quite gracious about retiring their old characters and rolling up new, 1st level ones. Without prior collaboration almost all the players created female characters. Thus were born the Bloodhawks; they have since grown into a tough, accomplished group in their own right. Read on for a brief history...
1/1/798 (1/1/3141 CR): The Bloodhawks adventuring group is formed in the city of Ustil. The initial members are Madigan May, Acatel, Christa June, Eleora, Big Toes McKracken, Pyridani, Ruth, and Savannah. They check the job board for their first adventure and take on a salvage job with Capt. Temmi of the 'Waveskipper'.
1/2/78: The 'salvage in the sand' as the group battles a giant crab for their first treasure.
1/3/78: Back in Ustil, the party hunts for a job once again. This time they are hired by Dengis Goom, the myconologist, to help recover rare fungus from the Rampart Caves.
1/6/78: They Bloodhawks head east to the Greybones, with Dengis and his charming assistant, Rogi.
1/10/78: 'They ain't nothin' but dire wolves' attack. Madigan gains a reputation for being dangerous with a belaying pin.
1/11/78: Savannah, still shocked by the previous days' bloodshed, has her hands 'purified'. The group enters the Rampart Caves. They fight spiders and scorpions, aid the pathetic Bulge-Eye and his band, and find the fungus.
1/17/78: Back in Ustil and their headquarters at the Merry Goblin.
1/18/78: Counselor Vallens hires the Bloodhawks to check out strange doings in the village of Ooplish in the Salt Fens. The group meets Big Ellie for the first time and buys supplies.
1/19/78: They hit the road north and west for Ooplish.
1/21/78: They reach Ooplish, where 'scary-tons' and zombies have been seen. They begin their investigation.
1/23/78: The party battles zombies and skeletons in a nearby tower.
1/24/78: Plengarn, a villager, is spotted sneaking around at night and is captured. He talks, and the Bloodhawks venture down a well, where they find a secret chamber and defeat its guardian, a mummy. The evil is broken, and the village celebrates that night.
1/28/78: The Bloodhawks reach Ustil.
1/29/78: The group talks to a man named Chalce, and take the job he offers; to go north to retrieve an ancient and mysterious sword.
2/2/78: The party boards the barge 'Carp Queen' for their journey upriver. On board they meet the peddler Fadan, who asks many questions. There is a commotion near the docks in Heron that evening, but Big Toes, who boards in a hurry, knows nothing about it.
2/10/78: The 'Carp Queen' reaches Lake Rhovel. A mysterious black-robed prowler is captured by the group that night and turned over to the authorities.
2/11/78: The group buys the mule Surefoot and heads north into the mountains.
2/20/78: The group reaches the mountain they seek. Begin to seek the trail up.
2/23/78: The group finds their path up the mountain blocked by a deep gorge.
2/24/78: They have a strange luncheon at the castle of Sharliss; later, the castle is disappears. They cut logs and bridge the gorge.
2/25/78: They enter the sword caves; Eleora solves a guardian demon's riddle, saving CJ. The sword is recovered, but black-robed monks trap the group. The heroes escape out a back way and descend the mountain.
2/28/78: The group takes a stand on a hill and holds off a large band of goblins.
3/1/78: Travelling southwest, the group reaches the River Essus.
3/7/78: The Bloodhawks reach the Blackwash River and enjoy halfling hospitality in the village of Broadfoot. They book passage downriver on the 'Muskrat'.
3/8/78: The group discovers that the black-robed monks are still following them.
3/9/78: The party reaches Dindale. There CJ's new sword leads the group to rescue Theoline from the brutish Burweg Cooper, who the next day is sentenced to a year's hard labor by the authorities.
3/11/78: The group sails down the mighty Sisunan River on the 'Aerdna'.
3/12/78: CJ kills a monk assassin who tries to take the sword.
3/14/78: The group reaches the port of Malijor.
3/16/78: They sail on Capt. Ekard's 'Seadrake', bound for Ustil.
3/17/78: The group reaches Ustil; meet with Chalce, determine that he (probably) had nothing to do with the monks. The monks flee Ustil. The group checks the job board and interviews with the wizard Sharn Quickspell (with his neice Hilly and her 'dog' Bruno). He summons a monster to 'test' them. The Bloodhawks decide not to take his job.
3/19/78: The group meets with Druggle and Zoriste, and agree to accompany them on their expedition to the Orc Hill Dungeon.
3/23/78: The group travels to Heron. They stay at the Water's Gate Inn, where, Druggle explains, the waitresses are 'efficient'.
3/24/78: CJ's sword leads the group to thwart the rape of Belina in the village of Haymart.
3/27/78: The party reaches the Hillman village at the base of Orc Hill. There they meet Tak-lo, the chieftain Bru-ha, and the shaman Tru-hex. Savannah drinks too much fermented milk.
3/28/78: The Bloodhawks enter the 'underworld of Kwaalzinar' as Tru-hex sadly does his Dance of the Dead for them. Big Toes is bitten by a mamba and Ruth places some of her blood on a strange obelisk and goes quietly, depressingly nuts.
3/29/78: Ruth undergoes the Ritual of Dread Purification and survives! Tak-lo offers 12 cattle for her after she is cured. Ruth says 'Huh?"
4/1/78: The group re-enters the dungeon.
4/2/78: The party retreats from the dungeon to re-group. Outside they meet Mherlee, who joins the group.
4/4/78: The group drives away the manticore and recovers the treasure, ending the adventure, but Pyri is killed 'saving' Acatel and CJ from a pit trap.
4/10/78: The Bloodhawks return to Ustil. Pyri is successfully raised from the dead, but owes a years service to the city.
5/2/78: The Bloodhawks ride out of Ustil in search of Worgus, a missing adventurer. They meet Sir Jeddian Friendly and his warhorse Virtue; Savannah is enthralled by Jeddian, everyone else likes the horse.
5/6/78: The group reaches the city of Har, and stay at the Bellwether Inn. There they thwart a pickpocket attempt by young Vinnie.
5/7/78: Jeddian appears again. The Bloodhawks ride to Skerus.
5/8/78: They hire Oldtimer as a guide to the Green Monastery. Giant toads attack; Savannah is in shock after being pulled from the maw of one by Jeddian.
5/9/78: The group reaches the Green Monastery. Sunflowers fry Jeddian, but the event is undone. Auboric the monk guides the group through the monastery grounds, where Tara, Acatel, CJ, and Ruth are seized by vines and replaced with 'pod' duplicates.
5/10/78: The group heads south and west through the canyons, seeking Worgus. They meet the bronze dragon Coptinarius Calamides, who points out the cleft into which Worgus vanished.
5/11/78: The party descends onto the clefts, and rescues Worgus from his Duergar captors. During the fight the pod-people are discovered and destroyed.
5/12/78: Back to the Green Monastery, which Coptinarius levels. Below the grounds the group finds another set of pod duplicates, then finally their missing comrades and 23 others.
5/14/78: The group leads the refugees to civilization, then return to another canyon cleft where Coptinarius smells gold.
5/15/78: They descend into the chasm, where they battle troglodytes and Big Toes awakens their golden idol. They flee further underground, where they free Ozub from a jermlaine trap. Ozub unblocks the way out, and the group leaves, but without Ozub, who is too big to fit through himself.
5/16/78: Back undergound, they meet Ozub once again. They explore, and Ozub shows them another way out. This time when they leave, he accompanies them; after all, "Ozub Hoo-man".
5/19/78: The party returns to Skerus, where they meet Verla Friendly. Oldtimer makes sassafras tea.
5/26/78: The Bloodhawks return to Ustil.
5/27/78: The group takes a job with Raven, to explore a treasure map she has found. Slivner is hired for the first time.
5/28/78: Most of the group travels to the Gordon Estate to meet Savannah's family.
6/3/78: The group heads east out of Ustil. Raven's songs make Slivner blush. They stay at the 'Last Supper', where the merchant Mordlub mysteriously loses the pouch holding his good-luck charm.
6/4/78: The group finds and enters Fulgar's Dungeon. Cheekul the gnoll goes missing. Whee-uks!
6/5/78: Acatel, Big Toes, and CJ are cut off by a wall trap. "Knock once if you can hear me, twice if you can't!" Descending further, Grandmother offers them cookies. The party ends up imprisoned by Tormisk but escapes, taking with them Tormisk's former associate Sendisk.
6/8/78: The group returns to Ustil and the friendly confines of the Merry Goblin.
6/9/78: The group takes a job with Molmandar Cressit (and his cats, Fierce Kitty and Melonhead) to cross the sea to explore Dungeon Doom.
6/10/78: Savannah dates both Jeddian and Sendisk.
6/12/78: Sendisk sends Jeddian far from the Notar Republic on a bogus mission, a minor act of mischief that is to have far-reaching consequences.
6/14/78: The group boards the 'Bassett' along with Molmandar. During the day's voyage a corsair's floating body is found, wearing a signet ring that belonged to Madigan's father.
6/16/78: After a fast, uneventful sea voyage (see, they really do happen!) the group reaches the port of Califar.
6/21/78: The group reaches the dungeon entrance. They figure out the way in after some poking around, and decide to enter the next day.
6/22/78: Enter the dungeon of the Cat People.
6/26/78: The group, having battled algroths, traps, and puzzles, passes safely past the cat golem and enters the realm of the Kzin. There they remain for nearly a month; when they go they receive gifts. Madigan gets the 'purr-stringed' lute.
7/26/78: Back in Ustil.
7/27/78: The party accepts an offer to guard a harpsichord being transported to some cloud giants in the Greybones.
8/5/78: The harpsichord caravan rolls out.
8/7/78: The group finds the massacre at the village of Lumvale. They see through the false evidence pointing to giants, discover that all of the children have been taken.
8/9/78: The party talks to Lord Norble, learn of the old mage Yernclaw and his spells of evil involving children.
8/10/78: The Bloodhawks are ambushed by giants, but convince them of their innocence at Gorvalt's castle.
8/11/78: They return to Lumvale to investigate; there they learn that Norble and his men have not returned from their mission to rescue the children. They set out, surviving an ambush by displacer beasts.
8/12/78: They escape a flash flood and find the entrance to the Dungeon of Wennith. They venture within.
8/13/78: Lurgi D'Spawn guides the group into an ambush - Madigan cuts his throat. The group battles Wennith and Turgi D'Spawn, but they escape to the ethereal plane. Norbel, his surviving troops and the children are rescued.
8/19/78: The heroes return once more to Ustil.
9/1/78: The group heads upriver on the 'Mudpuppy', seeking the wish rumored to be found in the Dungeon of Lost Stars.
9/13/78: The group reaches Lake Rhovel.
9/17/78: They find and enter the dungeon, where they receive the first star clue.
9/21/78: Madigan sees a horse in the telescope of images. Others receive clues about the first star, they return to the baffling closet door. Inspirations by Madigan and Ruth finally get the door open, and the first star is recovered.
9/22: The group is on the trail of the second star. Big Toes is killed by giant weasels.
9/25/78: Big Toes is raised in Lake Rhovel. Madigan realizes that she has become phobic about horses.
9/29/78: While returning to the dungeon the group meets Kleekex the goblin, who agrees to serve Big Toes.
9/30/78: In the dungeon once more, the group finds the Dragon Deck.
10/1/78: The group goes back to Lake Rhovel to have various phobias cured, and to hire an additional cleric.
10/5/78: The group hires Kelena for clerical backup.
10/7/78: The dungeon again. They get a clue about how to crack the adamantium sphere.
10/8/78: The group recovers the 2nd star, and receives the 3rd clue.
10/10/78: The group goes back to Lake Rhovel to train. Ruth announces she is leaving the group, and Kelena seeks a replacement for her.
10/12/78: Rusty joins the group.
10/16/78: Once more to the dungeon.
10/17/78: After many attempts to wrest the 3rd star from the carved dragon's head fail, the group finds the key in the dragon-headed fireplace fender. Get and place the 3rd star.
10/18/78: The group wins an enchanted chess match with themselves as the pieces. They recover the 4th star and get the final clue.
10/19/78: A trap teleports Rusty far from the dungeon. The group fights many monsters and gets to the bottom level of the dungeon, where they find the last star. Savannah wins the subsequent wish, and wishes a miscellaneous magic item for everybody.
10/24/78: The group returns via barge to Ustil.
10/25/78: The Bloodhawks hire on with Sneernar Silica to find a rare gem in the Norker Caves.
11/3/78: They head northwest with Sneernar for the Caves.
11/8/78: They enter the Norker Caves.
11/9/78: They meet Chu, a shocking little creature, who adopts Rusty. Later they release Marthan the magic-user from his boulder prison.
11/10/78: The heroes defeat a hydra. The norkers are sniffed out by Kira and their passages invaded. The group withdraws after a tough, inconclusive battle, and establish a treaty with the norkers. That evening they meet ranger Rupert and his bear Moo-Fin at their camp outside.
11/11/78: The Bloodhawks battle two trolls deep within the dungeon.
11/12/78: The group leaves the dungeon and heads back towards Ustil.
11/16/78: They arrive back at Ustil.
11/17/78: Savannah gives Sendisk his walking papers. The group accepts Lady Zimma'a offer to seek her son Alendril. Acatel buys Dragon Tortoise from a peddler.
11/21/78: The party leaves for the adjoining kingdom of Teralm to look for Alendril.
11/28/78: Tara develops rabies.
12/6/78: The heroes reach Dindale. Savannah survives a poison attempt.
12/7/78: Savannah finds a rot grub in her bed, escapes by blowing a hole in her own ankle. The group takes defensive measures.
12/13/78: Savannah escapes again as a poison-gas candle in her room is detected.
12/14/78: The group crosses the Sisunan River into Teralm.
12/15/78: The group reaches the village of Frog Hollow at the base of the Gordwroth Hills. They hire farmboy Waithe to guide them into the hills.
12/16/78: The party meets Fam and Groton, clerics of Eru from a distant continent. Then they find the dungeon of Tova and enter therein. Ogres, weasels, and other monsters are faced and defeated.
12/18/78: The Bloodhawks battle and narrowly defeat a spirit naga. They meet Kivan, a charmed servant of the monster and a survivor of Alendril's group. He joins them.
12/19/78: Kivan's membership is nearly short-lived as his sword takes a swipe at CJ. Dragon Tortoise is killed by a lightning bolt. The party finds and frees Alendril and Merrygold, and flee their weird captors.
12/20/78: The group leaves the dungeon behind and rides to the river. There they book passage on the 'Silver Swan' to Malijor.
12/22/78: In Malijor.
12/28/78: The group sails with Capt. Kagi on the 'Uyros' back to Ustil. A party is held at the Merry Goblin that evening, and Rusty drinks everyone under the table.
12/29/78: The group decides to accompany Raven on her latest venture, to seek the Dungeon of the Silver Staff.
799 AE
1/5/79: The group leaves for Heron and the dungeon beyond.
1/8/79: They reach the dungeon and Madigan musics open the entrance. Inside they meet Baku and proceed through the Copper Door. They battle a flesh golem.
1/9/79: The monk brothers attack, but are defeated after thumping several party members.
1/11/79: Descend into the jungle cavern. They cross after fighting megalosaurs and dimetrodons. Beyond, they face and pass (most of) the Tests of strength, wit, luck, honor, skill, valor, and agility.
1/12/79: Minotaurs a-maze the group, and are killed.
1/13/79: The group defeats a large band of bugbears.
1/14/79: The group draws from the bowl of blessings and curses. Madigan's stone mutes her for the next combat. Big Toes gets a rabbit, which he names Greyfoot. Further on they fight a medusa. CJ and Chu are petrified, but Rusty's new Robe of Rock frees them the next day.
1/15/79: The group solves the riddle of the 5 squires and passes deeper into the dungeon.
1/16-17/79: The group battles abishai devils in a wide variety of designer colors.
1/18/79: They meet Garthos, the talking stone head. Madigan invents a riddle for him (What's the difference between a pig farmer and a dockmaster?) and they pass on.
1/19/79: The group assaults the hobgoblins of Yurkuul Keep, and take the place by storm. Beyond this they battle Maranauroth the blue dragon, and Kleekex is killed. The group exits the dungeon and rests with Baku.
1/20/79: Kleekex is raised in Heron.
1/22/79: The group returns to Ustil and pay their taxes. They decide to rest for awhile.
2/9/79: The group, having hired on to find out what is going on in the disputed Fangos Vale, rides north towards Dindale.
2/19/79: They reach Dindale and head northwest up the river.
2/21/79: The group is briefed by General Namersh at Grandoch Keep. They go to the village of Twillo, then cross the river into the Vale.
2/25/79: The Bloodhawks track the raiders north and reach Web's Hill.
2/26-27/79: The party follows the raiders to the Sisunan, where they meet a Harragard patrol lead by General Haldo Varris, and his aide 'Yam-Face'. In the small hours of the morning the raiders, lead by Bereta, blunder into the Bloodhawk's camp in the woods near the river and a confused, deadly melee erupts. Ozub and Acatel are killed, but the raiders are scattered and flee, with several dead and one a prisoner.
2/28/79: Back in Grandoch Keep, the group reports and the prisoner talks, revealing the plots of Shadomar, high priest of Belos. Acatel and Ozub are raised.
3/14/79: The group returns to Ustil in heavy rain. That night raiders kidnap Savannah, despite heroic resistance by the sleepy adventurers (and Mherlee's fetching appearance in only a nightshirt) and whisk her aboard a waiting ship. Some kidnappers are captured.
3/15/79: The kidnappers have revealed that Savannah is aboard the war galley 'Simoom', being taken to distant Malqhuar to be King Jeddian's bride, where she and Jeddian will be sacrificed at year's end. The group books passage to Malqhuar on the 'Anizora', but meet Capt. Temmi and decide to sail on the 'Waveskipper' instead.
3/20/79: The group sets sail for Malqhuar. The weather is good.
3/28/79: A dragon turtle sinks the 'Waveskipper'. Everyone takes to the boats.
3/30/79: They make landfall on a deserted beach. There they meet Quonax Quartseye the colormaster, a fellow shipwreck survivor.
4/1/79: The party sets off along the beach, seeking civilization.
4/11/79: The group reaches a ruined city and Mherlee talks with Ko-Ko-Ko the spider monkey.
4/12/79: They descend into a vault beneath the ruined city, where they fight a horrible beast and recover sinister magic items.
4/13/79: The group turns inland and crosses a rugged ridge.
4/15/79: Mherlee doesn't forget to look for seahorses.
4/19/79: The group meets and are hosted by Bengin, a nutty hermit.
4/23/79: The group reaches the city of Salidar. They stay at the Vorpal Macaw.
4/25/79: The group sets sail aboard the 'Sea Sabre'. Quonax stays behind, having concocted a deal with the local thieves' guild.
5/9/79: The 'Sea Sabre' encounters a Leviathin.
5/10/79: The 'Sea Sabre' is attacked by Dogface Pete's 'Sea Banshee'. The pirates are beaten off.
5/11/79: The group disembarks in Ustil. They decide to travel overland, and seek geographic information from the sage Porfirius Ponk.
5/16/79: The group hires Firefly.
5/20/79: The group donates money for the 'Waveskipper II', then depart on their epic overland journey to rescue Savannah.
6/5/79: In Tallanmoor, the group battles and kills 2 bulettes. They reach Potros late the same day.
6/13/79: The Bloodhawks cross the Stormflow River at the temple of Tilelva, and turn north into Beliran. Vismalli the pseudo-dragon makes an appearance.
6/18/79: The group reaches the keep of Lord Rhodes.
6/23/79: The group battles huge whisper spiders along the banks of Hizzek Creek.
6/29/79: Pixies tease the group, but ultimately do no harm. Big Toes duels with some scissors that are after his beard.
7/7/79: Kleekex loses his horse to a giant lamprey during a river crossing.
7/8/79: Werewolves attack the Bloodhawk's camp at night.
7/15/79: The group awaits the full moon in cells in Myrgar's keep. Big Toes, Rusty, Tara, and Slivner all change. Big Toes is cured by Myrgar.
7/17/79: The group battles chimeras, and Firefly is nearly killed.
7/21/79: They reach the village of Lobfollow.
7/23/79: Crayfish fish for adventurers. The group bears the body of the farmer the crayfish killed back to his home.
7/25/79: The party enters the 50 Kingdoms.
7/28/79: They reach Fudrick, and leave their three lycanthrope companions to be cured.
7/29/79: A highwayman sends Mherlee and CJ into the ethereal plane, but brings them back before fleeing CJ's wrath. The group dodges a tornado later that day.
7/30/79: The group cleans up in the sparking Kingdom of Frandor.
8/9/79: Mherlee, Big Toes, and Ozub go south to investigate the Forest of Dorduren and the druid grove there; the rest of the group goes north to the Arcane College of 10 Magiks. There they learn of several options for rescuing Savannah.
8/10/79: The group pools all their money and buy a wish, bringing Savannah and Jeddian back from Malqhuar, to reappear in Ustil at the beginning of next year.
8/13/79: CJ's sword leads the group to interrupt a rape being committed by a cambion demon. They aid the victim, Zarinnia.
8/14/79: They buy guard dogs for Zarinnia, and Ozub buys Tiny.
8/18/79: They retrieve the Bloodhawks being cured in Fudrick.
8/27/79: In the town of Callex Tara has her pocket picked. The party tracks the thief (one Dorbler) to a brothel. He escapes in the ensuing melee, and Tara is fined for disturbing the peace.
8/28/79: The group returns to the Arcane College, where they teleport to Ustil.
8/29/79-12/30/79: The group vacations and awaits Savannah in Ustil. Madigan trains for 7th level.
800 AE
1/1/80: Savannah returns! A huge party is held in the Merry Goblin.
1/2/80: The group is hired by Proniff Timm to retrieve the headpiece of a staff of great power from the Caverns of the Dragon Spears.
1/5/80: On the way to the caverns they stop at the local tileworks and talk to Drakshar and his bear Drogo. The group reaches the caverns and begins to explore. Kivan is killed in a fight with some ettins.
1/6/80: The group treks to Heron, where Kivan is raised.
1/9/80: On the way back into the dungeon Mherlee speaks with Theosophilus Brightbeak the thrush. They battle a giant slug and fire lemmings. When they return to Rosemoss that night they hear about the recent giant toad problem, including the perils of little Tammy Zilgwog.
1/10/80: Another day in the dungeon. Big Toes finds the sword Amethyst, and Acatel gives Kivan the silent treatment following a hit she takes from his cursed sword.
1/13/80: Mherlee takes a pair of strange eggs the group finds in the dungeon.
1/15/80: The head of Yotar tells the group about the mezzodaemon and the Black Toroid it guards. Savannah mercifully puts the pathetic thing out of its misery. Madigan and CJ fall for the old "damsel in distress" trap, and go down a chute to Ruklim the mezzodaemon's lair. They somehow manage to escape.
1/16/80: The group stages the big assault on Ruklim and his minions. Big Toes and Ozub are killed, but the monsters are defeated.
1/17/80: The black toroid leads the group to the headpiece. Many chickens are also found. When a warning letter arrives from Proniff Timm warning of bad guys seeking the headpiece, they destroy it. Mherlee frees many chickens. Insults and sneers are exchanged with Bereta, who arrives to late to steal the headpiece. Big Toes is raised back in Rosemoss.
1/18/80: Ozub is raised. Big Toes is turned into a sleeping vampire by a cursed scroll, but is cured before nightfall. The group speaks with Tammy Zilgwog on their way out of Rosemoss.
1/20/80: The Bloodhawks return to Ustil.
2/8/80: The group departs Ustil with the fighter Gordlim on the quest for the golden faerie dragon.
2/11/80: They meet Bulge-Eye and his band near the foot of the Greybone Pass, and give the starving goblins some food. Bulge-Eye pledges eternal friendship.
2/16/80: The group is in Tallanmoor. They see and decide to investigate the ruined Keep of Coramarch.
2/17/80: They are led to Nanny's room by the smell of her baking. Big Toes filches her Wand of Control.
2/18/80: The group finds and reads Coramarch's diary, vol. XII.
2/21/80: The group descends further. After running into fierce monsters they decide to leave the rest of the place unexplored. They exit.
2/23/80: The Bloodhawks arrive in Nezzim, where they are guests of the cleric Vinarya in her temple of Erivita. They also learn that "there's no place like Nezzim for trillum".
2/24/80: The group reaches Old Kol's hut. Kol agrees to give them information about the gold faerie dragon if they will investigate mysterious happenings at the nearby Flatrock Mine.
2/25/80: They enter the Flatrock Mines and begin to discover the strangely altered animals and plants therein.
2/26/80: They meet and speak with Owlmandius the owl. Mherlee harvests healing aloe gel from some plants.
2/29/80: Madigan's counter-melody gets the group past evilly crooning daisies. They defeat the guardian monster and capture Pandragloss, the strange being from another dimension. Pandragloss is taken back to Kol. Kol returns Pandragloss to the dungeon via a Chariot of Sustarre. The Bloodhawks hurl Pandragloss through the gate, which closes, ending the threat.
2/30/80: Kol tells the group about Dentiumitar, the golden faerie dragon, and about the treasure of Pyroecapar Clawsarend. The bloodhawks return to Nezzim and dine on trillum melons at the home of Mayor Spinshar.
3/1/80: The group travels to the Forest of Memnorth, where they meet Dentiumitar and Penelope, the king and queen of faerie dragons. As a test, Dentiumitar sends the disarmed Bloodhawks to the Fortress of Norgand Wrackbringer in Gehenna. When the group manages to escape the Fortress using nothing but their wits, Dentiumitar returns them and rewards everyone with a gift. Gordlim's gift is to be sent away on an adventure.
3/2/80: The group finds the old lair of the dragon Pyroecapar and battles ropers, recovering much treasure.
3/3/80: The group travels west to the Greenbriar Temple. They enter the dungeon beneath.
3/6/80: Mherlee reads a "Book of Vile Darkness" found in the dungeon and becomes evil. She sets traps for the group and flees the dungeon. The group escapes, but too slowly to catch Mherlee. Savannah seeks help from Old Kol via phantom steed.
3/9/80: Mherlee is captured, with some difficulty, and her alignment is restored by Kol. Kol departs and the group returns to the dungeon. At the bottom of the dungeon they agree, after some debate, to meet the dread Guardian's price. Not only treasure, but all of Savannah's missing magic items are found.
3/10/80: The group heads back to Ustil.
3/20/80: They reach Ustil.
3/22/80: While resting and training the group receives an urgent, mysterious letter from Lord Mayor Mambelius Scorth, urging a secret meeting.
3/23/80: They meet with Scorth, who tells them of the many disappearances that have been occuring and his suspicions of his own staff. The Bloodhawks agree to investigate.
3/28/80: They begin their investigation, talking to Lady Redberry and many others about the missing people. That evening CJ's sword calls for a rescue. This leads to the rescue of the prostitute Leenar and the capture of Smendar.
3/30/80: Many more people are questioned, as well as some moss and shrubbery. Mysterious circles are found.
4/1/80: The group stakes out several locations. Three mysterious figures are spotted emerging from a portal, but they escape back through a portal before they can be captured.
4/2/80: Big Toes and Madigan investigate Captain Ulthgar Nazgood of the City Watch, and overhear a sinister conversaton between he and Lorris. More "crop circles" are found behind a deserted house on Greenlady Street. The group sets up a scam with Lady Redberry, trying to trick anybody suspicious of them into thinking they are on the wrong track.
4/3/80: They depart the city, ostensibly to spend some time at the Gordon Estate.
4/4/80: The group sneaks back into the city before dawn and hides at Lady Redberry's manor.
4/5/80: CJ's sword alerts the group to another late-night kidnapping. This time they capture an Ugloach named Ssendill, and learn of that insectile race's plans to overrun Ustil and to use women as hatcheries for their eggs. They also learn how deeply the conspiracy runs in the city government and other institutions. They take a chance and contact Taramus Watcher of the temple of Veralta.
4/6/80: Ssendill is made lawful good by Savannah's ring, and begins to feel pangs of remorse. The group, and Taramus, leaves the house and tries to make it to the temple. They have been framed for Lady Redberry's murder, however, and the movement turns into headlong flight from the City Watch. Pyri is captured, but the rest of the group makes it, where they are besieged. They get word out about what is really going on to Vallens, Talmadge, and others not yet under Ugloach control. As fighting breaks out everywhere in the city a cleric of Veralta, under Ugloach control, opens a gate in the chamber where the Bloodhawks are staying. The group defeats the Ugloach force sent against them. Pyri is rescued as Council forces led by Talmadge Gordon gradually seize control of the city.
4/7/80: The Bloodhawks are able to return to the Merry Goblin as the conspiracy is rooted out and destroyed. Mayor Scorth, freed from his deputy, invites the group to a ceremony the next day. The group has a terrific party that night.
4/8/80: Ssendill moves in with Ozub. The Bloodhawks are hailed as heroes of the city in a ceremony. Their charter is made permanent, and their taxes are revoked. They attend a banquet in their honor.
4/9/80: Savannah talks to the sage Ronelius Cryan about the Last Stand of the XXXII Legion. Savannah invites Cronelius to the Gordon Estate to discuss military history with her grandfather.
4/27/80: The group partners with the fighter Sharkout Shey and board the "Lady Sherra" for a journey upriver to investigate the Dangerous Dungeon of Delizor the Depressed.
5/3/80: They dock at the village of Chantryll and head east towards the mountains.
5/8/80: The group finds and enters the dungeon, after Madigan negotiates with a nest of giant wasps for passage.
5/9/80: The group enables a trapped manticore to free itself as they delve deeper into the dungeon.
5/11/80: Mherlee rescues two young giant weasels.
5/14/80: They negotiate a peace treaty with Canoris Toothdweller and his pack. Canoris gives them the secret of getting to the lower levels.
5/15/80: The group battles an efreet and recovers the Gloomblade and other treasures.
5/16/80: The group leaves the dungeon.
5/22/80: The group returns to Ustil, where they don't have to pay taxes! Savannah does anyway, though. Later in the day they talk to Creedy Malfalchion about the danger of the Scrabs.
5/23/80: The Bloodhawks agree to help "Berenna" find her sister.
5/24/80: Savannah summons North, the racoon, to be her familiar. The group finds the body of Clurgh, and a schedule with the arrival of the ship "Lespar's Luck" circled. They cast speak with dead on the body, begin to suspect that Berenna is not what she seems.
5/25/80: Berenna has disappeared. Captain Bajoci of the "Lespar's Luck" reels dying into the Merry Goblin, clutching the black statuette of a bloodhawk. The statuette is stashed at the temple of Beniceem for safekeeping.
5/26/80: The group receives a visit from Farny Smalso, the hobbit, who bears an offer from Grespar Tegman. Savannah has tea with Alys Highcoffer, a society matron. Various thieves and assassins try for the statuette. Amethyst reveals the bloodhawk's true value once Big Toes gives the Gloomblade to Madigan. The group hears the legend of the Mastele Bloodhawk. Berenna reappears, revealed to be Shelene Darkwood, and reveals more of the true story. The group helps her get out of town.
5/27/80: The group meets with Gespar Tegman, sell him the statuette for a vast sum of money.
5/30/80: The group departs for the keep of Lord Rhodes in Beleran, to claim the bulette-crest shield he is holding for them. They save Jurgs the rutebega farmer from rampaging beetle.
6/14/80: They reach Potros.
6/22/80: They have a huge battle with hill giants in the hills south of the Kelibar Lunith mountains.
6/23/80: They reach Lord Rhodes' keep.
6/26/80: The group departs, heading back to Potros.
7/1/80: Mherlee visits the grove of Tesmarie in the Forest of Lemallien. There she meets the gnome hero Gustav Bassenlop.
7/3/80: Two tyrannosaurs have lousy luck, and ravens feast.
7/4/80: The group reaches Potros, where they await Mherlee.
7/9/80: Mherlee and Gustav reach Potros, and Mherlee introduces the gnome to the rest of the group.
7/12/80: The Bloodhawks depart Potros for Ustil.
7/18/80: They stop in Nezzim to buy melons.
7/20/80: They encounter Mistarnos the fog giant. Mherlee gives him her silver brooch.
7/27/80: The group returns to Ustil.
8/2/80: Ozub is kidnapped by Wennith, who leaves a polite, taunting note, inviting the Bloodhawks to die trying to rescue him. Leenar is killed defending him, but the group raises her.
8/5/80: The group, bolstered by Gustav, Verla Friendly, Druggle, Zoriste, Eleora, Raven, Ktchula, and Tresgrave, departs for Rampart Caves on the rescue expedition.
8/8/80: The band of heroes meet Bulge-Eye and his band in the Greybone Pass. From him they hear of the red dragon Pyromaulius Rendus.
8/9/80: Into the Caves. The Terrible Old Man extracts his strange and uneven tolls at the bridge on 3rd level. On 5th level Wennith springs her first ambush as the group is attacked by ogres, trolls, and ogre magi. The group is battered but wins handily.
8/10/80: The group finds the molten room and pass it, starting down to 6th level. Wennith's second ambush occurs, when umber hulks attack on the stairs. It is a tough fight, but the Bloodhawks win. A lurking jermlaine, an spy for Wennith, is captured, and the group trades insults with Wennith via the creature. Tension builds as signs of the dragon's abode grow thicker. A huge battle rages when the group reaches the lair of Pyromaulius. The dragon is driven off and his treasure seized. Turgi is killed, and CJ pursues Wennith to the ethereal plane and captures her. Pyri, Eleora, Gustav, Ktchula, and Big Toes are killed, but Ozub is rescued.
8/11/80: The group exits the Caves and start back to Ustil. In the pass they meet Coptinarius, who gives them cover from Pyromaulius all the way back to Ustil. Tara and Kalena also appear and help the group back to town.
8/14/80: The Bloodhawks return to Ustil, where all their casualties are raised from the dead.
8/24/80: The group, with Eleora once again in the party, head east back to the Kelibar Lunith hills to help Gustav recover the Garland of Roses.
9/8/80: The group is once again in Potros.
9/17/80: The group locates the Rose Cliffs and waits for moonrise.