Behind Blue Eyes part 7: The Rape of Ranay

Both the lord and the men of Halia are very encouraged by the apparent defeat of Greatjaw the Urok. Among Lord Haldon's family, just one nephew seems ill at ease. This is Aranel, son of Araya of the Forest. For undisclosed reasons, he agrees to help the party track the Blue-Eyed Man. The party is two weeks behind, but the nephew of Haldon (rumored to be his bastard son) claims that his mother, a woman of the forest, will be able to help them make up for lost time.



Araya, the bastard's mother seems less than hospitable to the party on their arrival, however. She has had contact with the B.E.M. and was not impressed by him, but also felt no regard for the party's desire to catch him. For her son's sake, she introduces them to a halfling river bandit who negotiates the rapids downstream on a regular basis. This route should take the party beyond their quarry and have them waiting for his arrival by land. The party is betrayed by the bandit, however, and must spend many soaked hours seeing to their revenge and the return of their stuffs. The nephew of Haldon is never seen again. Deathstroke, Filip and Tsue have also gone missing.

At the end of the line the party is again behind the B.E.M. and comes to the village of Sudmen from Northrun. They call themselves the Rivermen and live on a island redoubt protected by their chieftain, Elanir. The tribe is highly upset that the daughter of their chieftain has gone missing and was apparently carried off by the same subject they seek, who had been a guest of that lord in his hall. Some 42 men had gone off in all directions looking for the BEM and attempting to bring him to justice.

The party sets out, pressing forward with all due haste and following the tracks of the posse heading North and West. In short order, they meet a party of Dwarves who say that a great Black Beast has made sport of harassing their people. He has made off with their family treasure and they mean to have it back. They also admit that they have been in contact with the BEM who offered them great wisdom regarding the giant black serpent and the means to defeat it.

Eventually the party comes upon the BEM who seems pleased to see that he has been followed.