Westmist Session #67 - On the Move

Just a bullet list of highlight this time to keep track of what happened. I don't really have the time to write out a full report at the moment.

• Leaving Duncal with Sir Janus and his new mining/excavation operation, the party heads back to Westmist. While making tea at the end of his watch, Kern is surprised one morning by a band of albino apes that erupt out of a pile of old rock rubble 60' from the party's campsite. Half the apes get killed, one is charmed by Bjorn, and a decent into their lair uncovers an ape latrine and not much more. Kern also discovers the battery in his alien armor is dead.
• Charmed ape follows Bjorn home. There party sets up a put fight between the ape and Booh. The hill giant wins. Erijay is not impressed.
• Back in Westmist, Kern asks around town about the King's recently departed troops. Finds out they were recalled for some kind of punishment/grudge invasion of the Earldom of Neeth. Also rumors of other armies gathering in distant lands. 
• Stop in the see The Tongue, looking for guidance on their plans for the March Baron. "Find out whom you count as friends before you make too many enemies." 
• Look for more info on the poisoned ring they supposedly sold to Aflain. Confirmed the Pashnadi merchants story about killing Petra, the merchants wif,e and having to pay to have her raised. Aflain is under a bit of a suspicious cloud as a result, not helped by the fact that he is a 'foreigner'.
• See Synthini about some potions; pass on the potion of gold dragon control, but snap up the potion of healing. 
• Decide to take the youthful statue to Zoloren. Buy a pair of draft horse and cart, load up the statue, and head out of town. Reach the Great River and the fortress of Amrath and realize they no longer own a boat with which to cross the river. Bribe troops from Amrath to bring them across, promising a barrel of brandy when the party returns.
• Stop at the ruins of Bracksis' Hold to recover barrels of brandy from celler. 
• Get in to see Zoloren, with his golems and slave girls. Trade the gold he offers for two questions about magic items. 
• Find out that if they want something to guard everyone in the party from mental control, they should seek the Cerebral Shield of the Gann. The Gann was a secretive wizard from another world with a stronghold to the north along the Black Spine Mountains. Go north until they reach the camps of the Horn Barbarians.
• Kern asks about a battery for his armor. Zoloren tells him to seek out the Land of 1000 Wizards.
• Party tries to milk the archmage for more information. He takes offenses and makes moves to threaten the party. Party wisely leaves after refusing his offer of information in exchange for Eirjay.
• Encounter a band of 10 ogres shortly after leaving Zoloren. Carrying four humanoids to Zoloren. Figures are tied up and difficult to see if they are human, or what. Party experiences great anguish trying to decide if they should attack the ogres to rescue whoever or whatever they carry. Decide in the end the brutes were too tough to handle.
• Head for the new County Palatine of Overmarch to find out what's going on in Lord Merdwyn's new lands. Find the ruins of Nasper have been transformed into the town of New Breven. Head for a tavern, the Rusty Sword, which is on the island with the lords castle. Find it to be a popular spot with the off duty soldiers, who tell of the hard work underway to clear the land of monsters and make it safe for the new settlers.