Gryphon Peak

Everyone is talking about it. Late in the winter, three gryphons flew in ahead of the last blizzard of the season. They circled the palace, alarming everyone. For perhaps a full hour in the middle of a wintery day, they flew above the palace, and the air was rich with psychic emanations.

Then, the guards stood down, and the gryphons landed in Azure Plaza. They say that Queen Jaelin herself emerged from the palace, bowed, and welcomed them to Aldis. She escorted them into the palace.

That was three weeks ago.

In those three weeks, a call has gone out - a call for very specific allies and agents of the Crown. They have come to Aldis, one at a time, and the one thing they have in common is that they are all rhy-bonded. They've come in pairs, rhydan and rhy-bonded, each of them proven and capable.

The gryphons have a need, but their kind are very wary of two-legged folk. So Queen Jaelin has called upon those whose hearts are proven true by their connection with rhydan, and this test is sufficient for the gryphon envoys. Everyone is talking about it, wondering what they want, what their arrival portends.

Player Characters

• Éan Amaideach: rhy-crow adept bard, played by Chillos
• Cneasai: rhy-owl adept healer, played by Greg
• Atha Mezarah: Aldinian human expert martial artist, played by A.J.
• Seawolf: Sea Folk/Night Folk warrior swashbuckler, played by Kurt
• Rayna Olearion: Human Adept Shaper, played by Dan
• Rona Bellavina: rhy-wolf expert Assassin, played by Ryan

Character Creation Rules

• PCs should be made up of rhy-bonded pairs of characters, one rhydan and one non-rhydan.
• PCs will start at 3rd level.

Setting

• Aldin Calendar: The calendar observed by the folk of Aldea.
• Becoming an Aldin Noble: The process for becoming one of the nobles of Aldis.

Nation of Aldis

• Stewich, a small hamlet along the NW road out of Aldis. Location of the "Maiden & Cask" coaching inn.
• Kella's Ford, a formerly fortified town that commands one of the few fords along the winding length of the Imthreema River in eastern Aldis.
• Greenlocke Keep, a small forest keep that is home to the local noble along the Green Corridor, NE of Kella's Ford.

Narrator Characters

	Silvercloud Griffin • Cneasai's Rhydan Mentor A blue-silver gryphon with black markings, Silvercloud is a born peace-maker and diplomat. She is excited about the opportunity to improve the relations of Gryphon Peak with the nation of Aldis, which she has learned much about through her friendship with the unicorn Tagreigh, who suggested they speak to Queen Jaelin.
	Starfall Griffin • Reactionary Fireshaper A bronze-and-tawny gryphon. He is impetuous and fiery, quite literally, having no small degree of fire-shaping talent. He does not like outsiders and resents this entire mission.
	The Hearth Maiden Fire Elemental A fire elemental first summoned from the hearth of the great hall at Greenlocke Keep, the Hearth Maiden dances and twirls, her flames rising higher and higher. She seeks those who might join her in her wanton dance, but so far, those who join her burn.
	The Master of Revels Fey Noble A towering entity clad in flowing brocades, wearing a porcelain filigreed mask, the Master of Revels fights with a blade of starlight and fires arrows of pure music from his bow of yew and gold. No one ever sees him move; he always flickers from place to place, pose to pose, moving in the heartbeats when those around him are not paying attention.
	Aedolie of Kella's Ford Girl Orphaned by Bandits A sweet-natured girl of twelve years, found by the rhy-bear Dunra in the Forest of Many Arrows after bandits killed her parents and older brother. Dunra adopted her for a time, protecting her as best she could while the she-bear hunted bandits.
	Dunra Rhy-bear of the Forest of Many Arrows A rhy-bear from the Forest of Many Arrows whose good friend, a rhy-stag, was murdered by bandits. In seeking vengeance, Dunra found the orphaned human child Aedolie and sought to protect her while she continued her hunt for the bandits that killed both their loved ones.
	Hikari Rona's Rhydan Son His name means Light, he is full of joy and brings alway brightens Rona's heart when they are together.