Sunday, January 24, 2021

Forest of Wyrd #32 - The Quilt Doesn't Lie

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranza (Changeling 4)
Jonesomon (Specialist 5)
Gnarl (Wood Gnome 5)
Hobbs (Hedgefey 4) 
Vegarious (Changeling 4)
Thrax [NPC] (Fighter 3)




The sun rose bright and hot the next day, and the party shoved the raft out into midstream to begin their journey. Shortly after leaving shore, Jonesomon observed a short figure on the south bank, standing at the edge of the trees and watching them. He called a greeting, but with no response. When Gnarl did the same, the figure (a wood gnome?) raised a hand in greeting and then disappeared into the bush. The party opted to not pursue, and instead enjoyed a leisurely and lazy day floating downriver under the sun. Evening was approaching as they passed the point where the northern river joined the main River of Sorrows. Knowing the huge rapids were not far ahead, the party hauled the raft onto the north shore and set up camp. It was just getting dark when Vegarious heard something rustling in the brush at the edge of camp. As Ranza and Thrax stayed with the mules, everyone else headed into the thickets to investigate. Right away, a flurry of sling stones shot out of the foliage and into the investigating party and camp. Vegarious, glimpsing figures moving in the semi-darkness, lit the night with a colour spray and the hail of stones ceased.  Moving forward, the party found a group of bush imps, whom they quickly dispatched. Then suddenly another spray of stones came from across the river, and Ranza likewise loosed a colour spray across the waters and ended that threat. Hobbs swam across on his froggy steed and found more unconscious bush imps who were likewise dispatched. 

The rest of the night passed with incident, and the party set out once more under a warm sun. They did not make it far before they could see and hear the rapids ahead; a mile long stretch of rock and white water.  To the south was a high bluff which would prevent portage of the raft, whereas to the north the land was flat. There was some discussion of running the rapids and taking their chances, but in the end they poled to the north bank to look around. They found an old overgrown portage trail, and Jonesomon and Hobbs decided to scout ahead. The trail lead through forest before breaking out onto an old avalanche slope, an open span of scrub brush and huge tumbled boulders.  The trail passed once more into the trees and some time later emerged back out onto the river below the rapids. It would be tough going and take most of the day, but they could get the raft down the trail. The pair headed back to let the party know. When they passed through the boulders, the sharp eyed Jonesomon noted something unusual. One of the man sized boulders had moved and now stood atop the rock pile. Looking around, he noted signs that several others had moved at various times in the past, days or months ago. Sneaking up and around, he approached the boulder from the north. He saw no sign of it being dragged there, but it almost looked like it 'walked' up the slope itself. He also noted it was very faintly vibrating or rocking back and forth. 

Hobbs and Jonesomon slipped back to the party and told them what they had seen. There was renewed debate about running the rapids, but it was unclear what danger the rock slope presented. So Thrax consulted the quilt of augury: would taking the portage be a good or bad idea? The threads of the quilt rearranged themselves to show the party bloodied and smashed on the rock slopes. Humm, maybe the rapids were a better idea? After more debate, they decided to take the portage after all, figuring they were at least prepared now for whatever danger lay ahead. With the raft and mules to the rear, the party moved down the trail and onto the rocky slope. They made it just below the boulder when it started to move; it grew little stubby rock legs and proceeded down the slope towards the party. Vegarious hit it with the last shot of her wand of cold, the frosty blast cracking the rock and flaking off layers. Gnarl slowed it a bit with entangle, and the rest of the party charged in behind a cloud of arrows, lead by the raging badger Hobbs. The stone grew arms and fought back, landing vicious blows on several of the party that very nearly made truth of the quilt omen. But repeated and hard blows finally weakened it to the point where the stone split into several large pieces and fell into a jumble of rubble. Sifting through it uncovered a few rough garnets which were chipped out and dropped in the treasure bag. 

The rest of the day passed uneventfully as the party struggled to get the raft back to the river. It being the end of the day as they did so, camp was set up once more. Apart from a slight interruption of sleep as the party was awoken by a bellowing herd of elk in the darkness around them, the night passed without incident and the party rose to a rainy day to continue their journey down the river. They did not get far before Hobbs, riding Froggy on point ahead of the raft, observed something large in the water moving towards them. They watched warily as it came closer to the raft until they could see it was a large catfish. The fish butted up against the side of raft, not too violently but as it trying to change it's course. Gnarl cast speak with animal  to ask what the creature wanted. The catfish, Gurble by name, was a polite and charming gentleman who had a bit of a problem. A giant crayfish had taken over his lair and he was looking for help to evict the unwanted guest. He offered a ring of water breathing to any great hero who could help him. After some discussion, the party agreed and Gurble led them to the site of his lair, a cave in the rocks at the bottom of the river. Gnarl and Ranza  both jumped in, taking turns with the ring to cast spells while the other held breath. They found the crayfish lurking in the cave, and Ranza used colour spray to blind it while Gnarl stabbed it with with spear and shocked it. A flurry of pinching claws and pointy weapons ensued, and in a while the party had a large crayfish hauled ashore to dismembered for lunch. Gurble thanked them once more and then disappeared back to his home. 

Back on the raft, the expedition continued on. They had to portage past another set of rapids, thankfully without incident this time, before they finally came within sight of the village of Coldhome. A centre of iron mining and smelting, it lay under a cloud of black smoke on the bluff above the river. A set of docks lay at the base of the bluff, so the party tied up there and were directed by surly longshoremen up the path to village. They decided to stay a few days to rest and refit, settling into the Crow and Crucible Inn. While comfortable, they certainly didn't feel welcome in Coldhome, most everyone being cold and unfriendly at best. The one exception was Father Altan at the Shrine of St Oda, the Watcher in the Pit. He was a cheerful old man with lots to say. The party went looking for potions of healing, and Father Altan could offer them two (at 600sp each). He called them Tears of St.Oda, and informed the party they came from a spring deep in the abandoned Red Rock Mine, and alas, he could get no more as the mine was now filled with horrid monsters and it was much too dangerous to get to the spring. The party thanked him for his kindness, and filed away the information about the mine for future reference. 

After a few days rest, the party pushed off again.  It was just before noon that they approached their intended landing point at an eastward bend in the river. Hauling up the raft and hiding it well in the brush, they prepared to head overland towards the lost Fortress of Iacarta. 

TOTAL XP
2180

GAINS
5 garnets (25sp each)
ring of water breathing

KILLS/VICTORIES
16 bush imps
The Rock
Giant Crayfish 

LOSSES
none

Saturday, January 9, 2021

Forest of Wyrd #31 - Twitten's Hollow

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranza (Changeling 4)
Jonesomon (Specialist 5)
Gnarl (Wood Gnome 5)
Hobbs (Hedgefey 4) 
Thrax [NPC] (Fighter 3)

After an uneventful day of travel from the standing stone, the party arrived on the outskirts of Twitten's Hollow. The town lay in a small valley approachable over stream by means of an absolutely massive white stone bridge. The bridge was wildly out of proportion for the size of the stream (which was actually reasonably easy to ford in several places). Approaching the north end, the party observed a curious creature sitting there awaiting them; a short fey with feet on backward and a huge carbuncle on her nose. Ranza was elected to talk to the creature, and the changeling learned her name was Shimmer and was part of the Seelie Court of King Thorbus and Queen Botsum, the fairy king and queen who ruled this shee. At this gestured to the series of mounds scattered throughout the open wood behind the party. Questioned about her unusual feet, Shimmer reluctantly explained she had mocked Queen Botsum and been cursed for disrespecting her majesty.  Ranza also learned the queen disliked cats but loved flowers and fresh strawberries. Asking why she was on the bridge, Shimmer replied the bridge belong to the King and Queen, and it was her job today(?) to collect the tolls. Asked about the toll, Shimmer stated today it could be paid by helping get rid of the terrible itching in her thick red hair; she had been scratching vigorously the whole time Ranza was speaking to her. Looking closer, Ranza could see Shimmers mop of hair was absolutely lousy. The rest of the party approached to help, trying magical milk from Feedbag and lamp oil to wash them out, both to no avail. In the end, Gnarl cast speak with animals to convince the lice that they had to leave or risk destruction, providing an old fur of Thrax's as a new home.  

The delousing successful, Shimmer allowed the party to pass and, after dealing with a more traditional man-at-arms toll collector on the south side of the bridge, arrived at Twitten's Hollow. Questioned, the man-at-arms directed the party to the Moon and Mastiff Inn, a comfortable establishment, to rest and recover. It lay just below the hill atop which perched the keep of Thayn Godwin (a pleasant young lord liked by fey and human alike) and the Monastery of the Seven Saints of Wisdom (a cloistered and silent order of monks who interacted little with the town). The party proceeded to spend a number of days, restocking supplies and preparing for their expedition down the River of Sorrows. They questioned folks at the Inn about the river, and learned it could be navigated fairly easily on a small raft. There were rapids along the way though, in particular a large stretch of rough water where the northern branch joined [Hex 07.03]. Asked of other dangers, the people could supply only vague wonders of shadowy, dark fey things from over the Mountains of Twilight. Very few folks travelled in such remote and dangerous areas.  

In addition to the usual food, cold iron and raft making supplies, the party members split to look for more unique items. Jonesomon visited Ungra, priest at the shrine St Astinious to get holy water and commiserate over the untrustworthiness of anyone not human.  Ranza carried some fresh pies to the Monastery, hoping to speak to the monks and gain some healing potions. After some silent banter and pantomime (and silver) with the door warden, she was successful. When he asked about other more advanced healing needs, the monk gestured vaguely to the woods outside of town. The party also purchased another mule (The Dude") to take on their journey and relive some of the burden from the long suffering Feedbag.  

Gnarl, meanwhile, got it in his head to request an audience with the King and Queen of the fairy, and started to gather gifts to smooth the way. He convinced Ranza to give up her lanterna bush, Hobbs offered the telescope with the strange constellations, and the wood gnome topped it off with a bottle of fine strawberry cordial her purchased from the barkeep at the inn. With that, he and Ranza headed back to the north end of the bridge. There they met another fey, a silent, preening  and slender maiden of enchanting charm, lavender hair and green fingernails. Again pantomiming their desire to meet with the King and Queen and showing off the gifts, the fairy (Gundeline) indicated that the pair should come back when the moon was full and high in the sky. That night they complied, and Gundeline met them at the bridge to lead them into the cluster of fairy shee. She led them to a small hollowed between the mounds, and then gestured in a circle around her. As she did so, there appeared a ring of fairies standing atop the shee and watching them, the last to appear being King Thorbus and Queeen Botsum. He was short and stocky, sporting a long silver beard and monocle, whereas she stood tall and beautiful with blue hair and skin and butterfly wings.   

A small brown imp with the body of a boy and the face of a girl (Falfael) approached Gnarl and Ranza and asked what they wished of the King and Queen. Ranza, speaking on behalf of Gnarl by grace of her silver tongue,  said they wished only to offer their respects the the royal couple and brought gifts for them. Falfael took the three gifts to the Queen and King, and they seemed quite pleased by the honour. Queen Botsum reached to her head and somehow unwound a long continuous string of her blue hair, eventually joining it together at the ends to form a loop. This she offered to Gnarl, saying that as the party would be travelling in dark places, the ring could be used to protect them against the intrusions of the dark fey if they stayed inside it. Ranza and Gnarl bowed respectfully to the royal couple, and when they straightened up found themselves once more alone.

All business done in town, the party loaded the mules and headed north, retracing their footsteps to the standing stone and thence down the hills and into the river valley.  The journey was uneventful the first day. But as they climbed down the wooded hill on the second , Ranza (walking invisibly on point) noted activity in the trees ahead. Something, nearly invisible, was moving around up there. The party halted to wait, and all of a suddenly there was a rush trough the treetops towards the main body of the party. Three creatures,  green humanoids with green leaf-like leathery skin, burst out of the foliage ready to mob Gnarl, who was walking out front between Ranza  the rest of the group.  He entangled one, and Ranza colour sprayed the other two. There then followed a burst of archery from the rest of the group, but the two green things dropped down on Gnarl to tear into him with claw and bite. The party rushed in to help, and the two were shortly slain, as was the third entangled one. 

Binding Gnarl's wounds, they moved on and reached the banks of the upper River of Sorrows around noon. They spend the rest of the day turning the pile of rope, pig bladders and fallen trees into a reasonable raft, ready to launch in the morning ... 

TOTAL XP
1250

GAINS
String of Queen Botsums Hair 

KILLS/VICTORIES
3 jack-in-the-green 

LOSSES
none