Present:
- Balder Dash. Gnome Wizard from Toluene - Jamie
- Kosha Pickle. Human Rogue from Lakeside - Darryl
- MARMALADE: Red Feuersturm. Human Temple Fighter of Hob from Toluene - Chris
- Griza Muso. Human Thief from Lakeside – Jeff
- Malcom Gandhi. Gnome Thief from Brian – Kevin
- Phoebe Lacrosse. Human Barbarian from Pugtown – Andrew
- Joe Manco. Human Fighter from Toluene – Shane
- Napoleon Twig. Elf Priest of Caribou Gorn from Pugtown - Ian
- Galena Alfdis. Elf Priestess of Vingt et Un from Palantir - Steven
By Jeff
The adventurers crowded around the large wooden table in the mess of the Frolicking Imp, barely noticing the pitch and yaw of the ship. Their month's long sea journey from Hackerton to Spite Anti was nearing its end and everyone was looking forward to getting their feet permanently back on real ground. Sure, they had gone ashore at numerous stops during the trip, but life on a ship just wasn't the same as having terra-firma underfoot, all the time!
Kosha smiled wickedly as he recalled the stay in Porn City just a few weeks ago, then turned his attention back to the table and the small collection of magical treasure resting there.
"Of course it's magical" stated Balder, fingering the gleaming Long Sword, "It just doesn't give the normal advantage that you might expect. Kind of +0 you might say"
"Well, I can't even use such a puny weapon" grumbled Joe, "Why couldn't we find a magical real weapon?"
"I could use it," mused Phoebe, "But it's too shiny. Everyone would see me coming."
Balder reached down and picked up the candlestick.
"One magical point a night you say?" he queried, "I'll definitely have this", and tucked it away in his bag.
Griza cautiously lifted the dagger and tossed it spinning towards the ceiling. Catching it deftly as it fell back towards the table he grinned. "An extra D6 poison damage would be very helpful" he chuckled, and the dagger disappeared.
"Sell it maybe?" proposed Malcolm, always looking for a quick buck.
"It would definitely be useful if we encounter Undead" noted Balder.
"Not for me," confirmed Phoebe.
"Weeeell, I suppose I could carry it," offered Griza, "Just in case"
That just left the wooden chest, sitting alone on the table, the reason for this whole journey. Everyone looked down at it.
"So, why haven't we opened it yet" asked Malcolm, fingers twitching, "I could you know!"
"Edmund Hume definitely said not to even attempt to open it, and he's the boss on this delivery" reminded Kosher.
"And remember" stated Balder, "That lock is imbued with magic. You can't just pick it with those fancy picks of yours"
"Humph," signed Malcolm, "Killjoys, the lot of you"
The Familiar
The ship docked in Spite-Anti the next day, and everyone made their way down the gangplank and onto the docks. The ground was swaying back and forth, and the party stagged their way to the nearest Inn.
"Flaming sea-legs" grumbled Phoebe, "I feel sick just standing here on dry ground"
"So, where is this great forest?" asked Napoleon, looking around, "I'm eager to get in amongst actual trees again"
Although not the Great Elven Forest itself, the Emerald Forest was like a daughter forest, and very famous in its own right. It was a six-day journey from Spite-Anti to Emerald, down the coast for a few days and then inland (in the Anti direction) to the forest and then Emerald itself.
Everyone was keen to make a start on this next great adventure, particularly Napoleon. But it was late in the day, so two rooms were hired at the Obtuse Harlot, and everyone settled in for the night. Except for Kosher and Napoleon who slipped out to organise transport for the next morning.
After hiring a wagon and three horses for the morning, they were heading back to the Inn when a strange noise emerged from a nearby street, a low and threatening growl.
"Awww" exclaimed Napoleon, "Look, a cute giant doggy"
Dropping to his knees, Napoleon produced a sweet potato from somewhere under his cloak. Putting forth his hand, he offered the mastiff the sweet potato, which was quickly gobbled up. Then he gave the mastiff a gentle rub behind its ears.
"It's a bit malnourished" commented Napoleon, "He can't have a responsible owner!"
"Leave it" grunted Kosher, "We don't have room for such a giant dog on the wagon"
As they left and headed back to the Obtuse Harlot, the mastiff followed.
"See" quipped Napoleon, "He likes me"
"And since he's so big, I'll call him Tiny"
And thus, Napoleon acquired his Familiar, a lovey Brindle Mastiff, who would prove to be be faithful and protective of Napoleon for the rest of his days.
The Journey
The next morning the party loaded up the wagon with supplies and set off down the costal road, one day to reach the small settlement of Sylar, then another to Koal. Others were on the road, but both days and the night between in Sylar were uneventful. Everyone managed to regain their "land-legs", and Napoleon's mastiff Tiny must have found the fresh air, exercise, and increased diet agreeable as he was soon bounding around the countryside investigating every rustle and creak from the the surrounding countryside.
The Dolvin locals noted that it was a two-day journey through the forest to Emerald City and to be prepared to camp out overnight near the mid-point of the trip.
After Light in the morning, the party peered out to a grey and drizzling day. Everything was damp and small puddles pooled in the streets. Even Tiny seemed subdued as the party hitched the horses to the wagon and set off into the forest.
The road led beneath the mighty trees of the forest, gloomy beneath the overcast sky and the thick canopy, rain dripping from every leaf and branch. A sea breeze battered at the forest from above, throwing random bundles of water from the trees down onto the party. Everyone was feeling despondent, except for Napoleon, who gazed off into the forest with wonder and excitement, and Tiny who leapt about and sniffed at every log and pile of leaves.
"You know that there are Starfall deposits all around here" Napoleon exclaimed, "The magic from the Starfall seeps into the ground, into the trees, into the animals."
"And can produce strange and wonderous effects" he concluded with a grin.
"Oh grand" grumbled Phoebe, "Magically enhanced creatures"
"Starfall. Might we find some?" asked Balder with some excitement.
"Nope" replied Napoleon, "I hear all the easy deposits are mined out"
Towards the end of the day the party arrived at the ruins of Downs Grove, an old Starfall mining village, abandoned many years ago after the local Starfall deposits had been mined out. It was about halfway between Dolvin and Emerald and the party figured that since some of the old buildings were in a reasonable condition, it would be a nice, sheltered place to spend the night. In fact, there was an old Inn with its sign swinging off one end, called "The Shack" that still had all its roof and looked pretty habitable.
Napoleon checked out the nearby trees, now encroaching into the village.
"Lots of birds around here," he reported.
The rest of the party explored the empty rooms of "The Shack" with Kosha keeping an eye on the street front.
Joe kicked open a bunch of doors opening up from a corridor behind the old bar area.
"Mostly empty" he yelled, "But there is an old skeleton in this one"
"What?" complained Kosher, "I ain't staying with some old skeleton"
Kosher led the horses over to a neighbouring building and began setting up an alternative camp.
Dark fell and the village became very dark, and much more menacing.
Joe poked around a bit more in "The Shack".
"Hey" yelled Joe, "There is an old storeroom back here, with a basement"
It was about then that Kosher noticed the horses, now relocated to a neighbouring yard, were getting skittish and nervous of something out in the darkness. Kosher grabbed an arrow, drew his bow, and snuck out to the fence line and peered up the street. Despite the darkness, he spotted four glowing green eyes looking his way from some distance down the street. Letting fly his drawn arrow, he yelled for help.
The rest of the party tumbled out from The Shack and peered out into the darkness. Except for Malcolm.
"I'll keep watch back here in the Inn" he proclaimed, In case that skeleton starts dancing round ... or something"
"Do you see them?" yelled Kosher, Eyes, green eyes out in the darkness"
"Where?" asked Galena, an elf who could actually see a bit in the darkness.
"Over there" pointed Kosher, "But they have withdrawn now, after I shot them with my bow!"
"There is an overturned cart out in the street around there" noted Galena, "With some arrows stuck into it"
"How many did you fire off?" asked Galena.
"Just the one" answered Kosher, "But it was a perfect shot"
Galena noticed two pairs of glowing green eyes, connected to small humanoid bodies with pointy ears, dart off from behind the overturned cart and disappear down a side street.
"That Inn is too open to defend against creatures that can see in the dark," ranted Kosher.
Griza, Joe, and Malcolm stumbled off behind the Inn to see if there was a more secure place to retreat to.
Kosher, Galena, and Balder waited at the front of the building to see if the glowing green eye creatures came back.
They did, and two arrows came flying in from the darkness, one striking Kosher in the shoulder.
Balder cast a Light spell, and the creatures backed off.
But noises could be heard out in the darkness in a number of directions now.
"There seem to be a lot of those things" noted Joe.
"Hey" yelled Griza from behind the Inn, "There is a big old shed back here that seems defensible"
"I definitely think these are Goblins" stated Balder as he retreated back behind the Inn.
Everyone else followed back to the large shed, some form of old stables, and barricaded the doors and windows.
Watches were set to keep an eye on the surroundings, and the party settled down for the night.
But it wasn't long before the smell of smoke alerted those on watch to a big problem.
One of the doors had been barricaded from the outside, and the wall set on fire.
Six pairs of green glowing eyes could be seen outside the main doors.
Malcolm attempted to sneak out a back window, "To check the side for an escape route" but slipped on the sill and fell, catching his leg on a broken board. He was dangling out the window, trapped by one leg,
"Elp, elp" Malcolm called weakly, scared to make too much noise, but no one heard him!
"Protection from Missiles" exclaimed Balder, "That will protect you from their damn arrows"
Said spells were cast on Joe and Phoebe, who subsequently charged out the main doors, straight towards the six pairs of glowing green eyes in the near distance. Arrows fell all around them as they charged, pretending to be hit and injured, and it looked like they would quickly close on the goblins.
But Balder had spotted the goblins and was taking matters into his own hands. With a loud crack and a huge crump, a mighty Fireball landed in the middle of the goblin pack. Smoke and flame billowed out, bringing the charging Joe and Phoebe to a halt. As the smoke cleared a smoking circle with six dead goblins was revealed.
"Nice," commented Joe.
After about an hour the party pulled off the road to the side and pitched a camp for the rest of the night.
In the morning (nothing further happed that night) they packed up and headed off to Emerald.
Upon arriving in Emerald, rooms were obtained in the Merry Mermaid for most of the party, although Napoleon and Tiny wandered off to the local Caribou Gorn Temple, and Balder made a beeline to the Mages Guild.
"You stopped in Downs Grove?" exclaimed the proprietor of the Merry Mermaid.
"Noone stops there anymore, there are Goblins there!" she explained.
"Everyone just camps on the road, well away from that old town"
"Humph, why didn't anyone tell us this before?" wondered Phoebe.
In the morning, the magic box was taken to the Militia headquarters where Alexandra Montrose requested us to meet her at her residence a few hours later. Which we did. The magic box was exchanged for the agreed upon sum of gold, and Alexandra suggested that in a week's time she would likely have another commission for us if we were able to hang around Emerald until then.
"Indeed, we can, and we will" confirmed Balder.
A Filler Job
Back at the Merry Mermaid, Malcolm was wandering around the common room and poking into corners when he noticed the traditional message board had a few adventuring jobs posted.
"Hey guys, we could do one of these while we wait" he suggested.
- Adventurers wanted for magical experiments - excellent pay!
- Investigate and clear out Downs Grove - refer Boric Silveraxe at the Guard
- Trouble with Brigands near Bamford ....
- Wild boar attacks near Lague
"I'm not going anywhere near Downs Grove" stated Kosher firmly.
"Let's check out the pay for the brigand and boar ones" suggested Phoebe.
The two contacts for those jobs were contacted, pay rates discussed, and the local map carefully studied.
"Lague is much closer" noted Balder, "We could be there and back within a week, easy."
"And it's right inside the forest," said Napoleon.
Leaving a brief message for Alexandra Montrose about our plans, and that we would be back, we provisioned for a week's travel and prepared to leave at first light the following day.
Before Light, the party assembled in the common room for breakfast.
Napoleon and Tiny bounded in from the Caribou Gorn Temple.
And Balder staggered in from the Mages Guild.
"Yawn" exclaimed Balder, "Did anyone else have terrible dreams? I could hardly sleep"
"Nope" replied everyone, all looking bright and bushy tailed, ready for a day of travel.
"Seems there is someone in trouble ... I suspect" noted Balder, "I kept hearing a voice in my dreams 'Help me, help me' it called, over and over, all frigging night. It was so disturbing"
"Who was it?" asked Galena.
"No idea" replied Balder, "That's all I heard, 'Help me, help me', all night. Yawn ..."
"Nothing to be done about it now" stated Napoleon, "Let's head off into the forest"
The day was clear and fine, above the forest canopy, although it was still somewhat gloomy along the road as the party climbed aboard their wagon and set off on the Klibward road towards Torque. Tiny darted ahead excitedly and investigated the smells and smaller forest creatures of the forest.
After about four hours of travel, near midday, Tiny slunk back to the wagon and lay down near Napoleon's feet. He gave a little whimper and a low growl. Concerned, Napoleon stood and looked cautiously about.
"Stop" Napoleon commanded.
"There is some sort of fog building up there in front of us" he noted.
"Let's back up and see what happens" suggested Joe.
"It's behind us too" squealed Kosher, "What is it?"
The mist thickened from all sides, and soon enveloped the party in its damp and cloying grip.
Everyone was alert, all senses straining to detect danger, but there was nothing.
No sound, no movement, just the clammy embrace of a moist fog.
"Yawn" exclaimed Balder, chin dropping to his chest, eyes closed, "ZZZZZzzzzzz"
"What the ...?" exclaimed Phoebe as everyone except for Griza, Malcolm, and herself slumped quietly to sleep.
Even Tiny and one of the horses settled gently to the ground, fast asleep.
"Stay alert you two" Phoebe demanded, "No telling what may come at us now"
With most of the party sleeping on the wagon, Phoebe, Griza, and Malcolm peered cautiously out into the fog. Nothing moved, and there was no sound, apart from the constant rattle of large drips of moisture falling off the trees to the ground. For thirty minutes they watched, until Joe groaned from the floor of the wagon and sat up groggily.
"Why are they all asleep?" Joe asked.
"Not sure" replied Malcolm, "But you were too till just now"
Another thirty minutes passed until Kosha stirred.
"Ohhhh" Kosha complained, "My throbbing head"
Thirty minutes later the sleeping horse twitched, snorted, and reared to its feet.
"Let's get out of here" demanded Malcolm.
With all the horses back in action, the wagon was able to be got moving again, and they travelled slowly on, carefully navigating through the still present thick fog, senses alert for any hidden threats.
An hour later Galena sat up and stretched. Now only Balder and Napoleon (and the marmalading Red) remained curled up in the bed of the wagon, snoring loudly.
After another hour the fog began to thin, and the wagon popped out into a clear forest.
The road continued straight on, Torque hopefully somewhere just ahead.
"There" pointed out Joe.
The Inn was named the Amorous Fox and the party pulled the wagon up outside, just below the well-designed sign board. Rooms were hired, and the two sleepers lugged upstairs to be laid on the beds.
"Arrr" noted the bartender, "That'll be the famed Emerald Mists. They roll in occasionally. It's the Starfall you know, gives them some magical powers."
"Best to avoid getting caught in them all together. I'm surprised no one warned you about them" he concluded.
"I'm very annoyed that no one warned us about them!" grumbled Kosha, his head still throbbing.
Early that night, Napoleon suddenly snorted and leapt up from his bed.
"Why is it so dark suddenly?" he asked, "And how did I get in this room?"
The next morning, the still snoring Balder was bundled into the wagon, along with Red, and the party set off for Lague, the location of the reported boar attacks. It was an uneventful day, and the wagon arrived in Lague with plenty of time before Night. Rooms were again hired, in the Sweet Tamarillo, and the party settled in for the night. Balder was laid out on one of the beds, and shortly thereafter awoke, moaning, groaning, and complaining of the most massive hangover he'd ever had.
Napoleon couldn't stand the constant grumbling and eventually cast a Cure Serious Wound spell that seemed to fix whatever the problem was that the famed Emerald Mist had caused.
{Napoleon and Blader had fumbled their initial saving throws against the effects of the mist and had been seriously affected. Griza, Phoebe, and Malcolm had made their initial saves, while the others had just failed}
Napoleon and Joe then headed off to the local militia post to find out about the boar attacks.
The Boar
"Oh aye" confirmed Harry Puce, a local villager who was to guide the party out to one of the nearby forestry camps the next morning, "I've heard all about it. It's a Giant Boar, as big as a horse! It's killed heaps of the lumberjacks, and snatches whole men away, never to be seen again"
The next morning, Harry led the party out to the camp, about a half day into the forest from Lague. Harry talked constantly for the whole trip, all about the local forestry, the lumberjacks, the Lague villagers, girls, the boar attacks, and just about anything you can think of. Everyone switched off and just followed. Even Tiny kept away, bounding off into the forest at every opportunity. Fortunately, they arrived at the camp just before lunch, and Harry headed back to Lague.
"Thank Vingt et Un he's left" sighed Galena.
One of the loggers at the camp points the party towards Jack, an eyewitness to a boar attack.
"Yup, as big as a horse! I seen it myself" Jack confirmed.
"Just a little way off there" he pointed, "It killed two men, picked Douglas up and run off with 'im"
"Are you sure it's as big as a horse?" asked Napoleon.
"Yup" confirmed Jack, "Well, at least three times bigger than your dog there"
Everyone turned to look at Tiny, and calculated what something three times bigger would be like.
"Oh crap" grumbled Kosha.
The party concludes that they will need to investigate the location the attack occurred, and where the woodcutter, Douglas, was taken by the Boar. Jack would lead them there tomorrow morning.
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