Forest of Wyrd Session #52- There Can Only Be One!

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Jonesomon (Specialist 5)

Ranza (Changeling 4)

Gnarl (Wood Gnome 5)
Hobbs (Hedgefey 6) 

Thrax (Fighter 5)

[Slugs MacKenzie (Hedgefey 1)]

The line of skirmishers had retreated towards the rock face, disappearing into some hidden entrance or cave. The still invisible Ranza followed, trailed by the rest of the party The changeling found a cleft in the jumble of massive stones, at the end of which more daylight could be seen. While the rest of the party took up position on either side of the entrance, she headed carefully into the tunnel. Reaching the end, she saw an open courtyard of sorts, enclosed by the surrounding rock. It showed signs of habitation; old fire pits, benches and other small comforts. But there was no one to be seen. There were two exits, one each to left and right. And on the opposite side from the entrance tunnel, and iron ladder was bolted to the rock, leading up to the top. Ranza decided to sneak over to the ladder. As she passed the left hand exit, she observe a mass of armed men waiting in ambush. But they did not see her, at least not this time.

At about this moment, the rest of the party, huddled under the edge of the rock face, were surprised by a group of archers who appeared above them. As arrows started to fly, everyone sprang into action. Ranza, hearing to commotion outside, ran across the courtyard and back to the entrance. This time, even thought invisible, her hasty retreat drew the attention of the brigands in the tunnel. Outside, Thrax summoned his nightmare stead, grabbed Gnarl, and then flew up to the top of the rock to deal with the archers. Jonesomon, Hobbs and Slugs headed into the tunnel to support Ranza, who was facing a mass of armed men, who were being reinforced by more every minute. In addition, a ring of archers likewise peered down in the courtyard from their perch on top of the rock. And in then in the right hand tunnel, there appeared a man and a woman. Jonesomon immediately recognized the woman as Baihu, his erstwhile and long dead magic user companion. It looks like there was a neo-Baihu to deal with as well as the neo-Jonesomon. 

And then everything starting happening at once. Hobbs, using some of Gnarls magical tobacco, dropped a couple of stink clouds into the courtyard, blocking the western exit and neutralizing most of the threat from that side. He followed this with a wall of fog to blind the archers above. Ranza meanwhile, used fear to drive away many of the brigands to their front, as while as neo-Baihu's companion. At which point the magic user cast web to block the eastern tunnel, and turned in retreat. She then used her wand to summon giant bees to harass the remaining archers. Up on top of the rock, the nightmare trio ground it's way through archers until the remaining few turned and fled. Gnarl then cast entangle on the crowd of brigands trying to flee up the ladder from the retching chaos in the courtyard, effectively ending the battle. 

Once the smoke (both literal and figurative) cleared, the figure of neo-Jonesomon appeared out of the western tunnel. He and his bodyguards approached carefully, making their surrender clear. He was just starting to make a deal with the party, offering a bag of gems he threw on the ground as ransom for his life, when the two Jonesomons noticed each other. Both immediately felt weak and nauseous, but were inexplicably drawn towards each other. As the two approached, the party tried to keep them apart, but Jonesomon and neo-Jonesomon pushed everyone aside. And then, in the moment the two touched, there was a blinding flash of light. When everyone's vision returned, there was just neo-Jonesomon left. And no indication of where their own Jonesomon had gone. Was he dead? Disappeared? Flung into some other dimension? They could not tell. 

They didn't really trust the new Jonesomon though, so he was trussed up as they searched the cave complex. They rescued a trio of captive merchants, and recovered their stolen goods. The captured brigands were put to work loading the goods onto the wagons, kept hidden in the nearby woods, and they then joined the merchants payroll as guards to ensure they arrived safely at market. After rough negotiation, the party secured a finders fee of 20% on the value of the recovered goods, and agree to accompany them to Kreland's Ford. So with neo-Jonesomon bound and in tow, the party headed out. And on the way, discussed what to do next. They settled on a visit to Twitten's Hollow and the faerie court of King Thorbus and Queen Botsum, hoping that the royal pair could provide some insight in to the fate of the old Jonesomon. 

TOTAL XP 

9780

GAINS

20% Share of recovered goods [500sp]

Bag o Gems (2x250sp, 6x100sp, 8x10sp)

Leather Armor +1 [300xp]

Ring of Protection +1 [2000xp]

KILLS/VICTORIES

12+ of neo-Jonesomon's Brigands 

LOSSES

Jonesomon