Titansgrave: The Ashes of Valkana

Eons before Valkana heard her own name, she bore witness to beings not of this realm. These "Ancients" planted the seeds of life on Valkana, and as that life grew, and civilizations formed, the thirst for supremacy blossomed into war. Gifted with an unmatched intellect, the Saurian Empire built mighty war machines and claimed dominion on Valkana.

Until the heavens themselves fell upon them.....

Valkana was plunged into darkness, and a thousand years of war. In this crucible, great heroes were forged and together they extinguished the flames of battle. A new civilization was built on the ruins of the old. A peaceful world of magic and science...but the forces of chaos are patient, and not easily contained.

Left the fester, ancient evils threaten to emerge and unleash mayhem upon the world!

And so to face them, new heroes must arise from....

The Ashes of Valkana

Our heroes have had many adventures over the course of the past few months, and overall things are looking pretty good for them. The job in Malrath Village a couple of weeks ago turned out to be a cakewalk, though they did genuinely need the help - who would have thought that a cyborg janitor would put people on its list of things to clean?

It also produced a treasure of unusual provenance: a magical sphere, perfectly smooth except for traces of strange, spiraling symbols engraved on its surface. No one in Malrath could identify it, and so our heroes remain remain clueless to what it is.

The locals made up for this small disappointment by throwing an incredible party in their honor, and our heroes had the chance to meet someone who loves his job just as much as they do. Gurlock, AKA Uncle Beer, AKA The Beer Baron, AKA a bunch of other colorful nicknames our heroes no longer recall, immediately unloaded a cask of Gurlock's Brown Special Reserve when he found out they were local heroes, and gifted it to the tavern. Our heroes must have celebrated (or, in other words, partied) with Gurlock for six or seven hours that night, some sampling his entire brewtastic catalog. Fun times!

He mentioned at one point that he was from the city-state of Nestora, and he recommended a fine establishment if they should happen to be traveling that way: the Pegasus Roadhouse, pride and joy of the Nestoran Commerce Nexus. He bade the heroes tell Winifred, the bar manager, that Gurlock sent them, and she would "hook them up," what that means. (Probably more beer.)

He also recommended a sage in Nestora who specializes in odd magical gadgets, named Farkaya, in case the sphere was still a mystery when they got there.

In fact, it is. Our heroes have asked dozens of learned folk across various towns about it and turned up empty. Farkaya now seems like their best hope of figuring out what the magical sphere is.

As evening approaches, the party crosses into the holdings of Nestora along the Fantangle Trade Road, and without difficulty spot the single bronzed spike that identifies the Pegasus pointing skyward, torchlight reflecting on the polished surface, a beacon to the weary.

Some amongst the travelers remember Gurlock's recommendation, and the promise of free beer, and thus, they head toward the Pegasus Roadhouse.


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As they approached the Pegasus Roadhouse, the bronze horn and the dark walls illuminated by blue energies forming various signs in a neon fashion, it was very apparent that the festivities had already begun. The music could be heard from the outside road where the few people that couldn't be contained by four walls continued their celebration. Upon entering the establishment, all of the revelry came into view. The center of the main hall had been cleared to make a dance floor, as well as a stage where a band of musicians plays to an eager, packed crowd. Tables all over the establishment had been filled to their limit with delicacies: spiced meats, stews, breads and local produce, and they were all for the taking.

Jasper couldn't have smiled wider if he wanted to.

"Bar. NOW!"

Like a child in a candy store, Jasper adjusted the goggles around his sooty, slightly-tanned neck and briskly walked....or rather ran....he definitely ran toward the bar.

Brom laughed, the sound of it booming over instruments and the stamp of dancing feet. "Slow down! Pity an old man, won't you?" He called, though he kept pace with Jasper just fine. He might have thirty odd years on his traveling companion (or maybe more; he tried not to count), but that didn't mean that he wasn't just as spry and capable as him.

Yet despite his words he paused halfway to Jasper's destination to look around, to take in the sights and sounds of the establishment. The bright blue glow of the signs that lit up the faces of any who passed them by, already bright themselves with the joy of the festivities. The coquettish giggles of dancing young girls when their handsome partners leaned forward to whisper some charm into their ear. The smile and voices of old friends, separated by life and drawn together again for a day of celebration and merry-making.

Brom grinned, a child in a candy store himself, and continued on towards the bar.

As the young half-orc and the old man made their way through the mass of celebrating and very, very much inebriated bar-goers, the bar in question became clearer still. A cheer went up as another pint of beer was served to a young Saurian, a reptilian-like humanoid, who high-fived the gruff-looking Dwarf to her left before they both downed their drinks together to even more applause and raucous ovation!

The bartender, a stocky, squat, muscular man, runs back and forth to different customers, drawing out perfectly-poured pints of beer from the large metal case that holds dozens of wooden casks, each with different pictures, brands and names....yet, most of them share the seal of Gurlock, the Beer Baron himself! The Brown Special Reserve; The Warrior's Stout; The Iron Ale; The Sunshine Lager; and The Toasted Wheat.

Jasper's eyes lit up.

"Tain, another round o' the Toasted Wheat!" calls out an Orc, clapping his friend, an Elf, on the shoulder hard enough to make him spill a bit of the beer in his own mug, but there is only laughing in return.

"Need some courage for the Battle of the Boasts, eh?!" Tain walked over to the group of patrons, four mugs of beer in his hands, and clapped them down on the bar before flashing a huge smile himself, "Drink up, all! Celebrate! Gurlock should be here soon!"

Another round of applause roars from the crowd and carries on through the entire establishment. As Jasper and Brom arrived at the bar, Tain scurried over to the two, leaning in on the bar with one hand and stroking his amber-colored beard with the other.

"What can I get ya lads?"

"The Special Brown Reserve for me." Brom answered, taking a seat at the bar, somewhat surprised he could find one in all the crowd and the chaos. He used the opportunity to again observe the ongoings around him, to take in more sights and sounds. According to the word of mouth it seemed that Gurlock would be arriving later; that was sure to liven the already lively place. And they spoke of a Battle of the Boasts as well. It was not something that Brom was familiar with, so if he were to learn more he would have to inquire after it.

But first, drinks.

"Warr-" before Jasper, and in truth Brom, could give any form of response, two mugs full of beer slammed down on the counter in front of them in a splatter and clang of class on wood!

"I...don't think this is what we ord-"

"CHEERS!" bellowed Tain.

Jasper shrugged, and along with the crowd around them, thrust his glass in the air!

"CHEERS!"

Jasper downed his entire mug in one steady, inhuman (in his case, literally) gulp. He ran his arm over his mouth, wiping any remaining beverage from his lips before turning to his travelling partner. Before he could even say a word, there was another beer in front of him.

It was a busy night!

"Hey....weren't we supposed to....I don't know, ask for...uhhh....someone?"

He shrugged.

"Whatever! Beer!"

He downed another.

"We were supposed to tell someone here named Winifred that Gurlock sent us. Plus find a sage named Farkaya." Brom informed Jasper, only half expecting to be heard and drinking his beer much more slowly than his companion. Much as he would like to deny it, Brom was very much a lightweight.

Belatedly he raised his mug towards Tain and shouted "CHEERS!" before taking another swig. The coldness of the drink splashed through his chest, and he pulled the mug away from his lips with a laugh. It probably would have been better to inquire after the people and interests of the night while they were closer to sober, but in the wise words of Jasper, whatever!

Sage? Sage.......Sage! Yeah! She was supposed to tell them what that orb thingamajig was! Jasper scratched his head right over the black bandana that held his hair down over his right eye. The orb was the smoothest thing he had ever touched, and he could've swore that he could hear it humming inside his bag the entire ride here. Knowing what it did could be a life changing experience.....

But Winifred had more beer!

"Heya, Bar guy!" Jasper called to the bartender. Tain turned, another glass of beer at the ready without even checking to see if Jasper needed a refill.

"What can I do ya, Lad?"

"Can we speak to Winifred?"

"Ahhh, Wini!" he chuckled, "My wife's in the back cookin' and cleanin', keepin' the old place running! She owns the place, after all! Busy night! Busy night with the Battle of the Boasts!"

"Can we see her now? Gurlock sent us!"

As if he had spoken the name of a lost God, the crowd at the bar recoiled back, mouths gaped and eye wide as the coasters the Pegasus Roadhouse wished it had. The silence by the bar carried for a moment, before Tain spoke in shock.

"Gurlock......UNCLE BEER!"

"YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

The bar goers erupted into even greater cheers, as Tain slapped Jasper on the shoulder and motioned over to a door at the side of the bar.

"Let's go! Wini! There's some people t'see ya!"

From the back, a much higher-pitched voice called out, "Busy night! Busy night!"

Busy night indeed. The crowd as predicted got livelier with the mention of 'Uncle Beer' alone; when the man himself showed up then the place was probably going to turn into the best kind of mad house. Brom was looking forward to watching it all unfold.

For now, however, Brom was going to go on and see this Wini. He drank what was left in his glass before placing it on the bar and moving to follow Jasper.