Meet 35, Adv 10, 10/29/22

We arrived back in town, leaving a bit ahead of Jessie and her crew, on Airmonth the 10th, about 10ish, hoping to get to Ursa’s Hunting Gear and give in the bear trap to Djog. It was noted that we were a day late and were being charged the 5 crowns for it when the trap maker noted Eoghan’s situation and missing hand. We shared the story and Djog was willing to whack a few gold off the late fee. We did ask about possibly making a hook or the like for him, suggested we go see Adar, master smith at Smith’s Street in the Trades.

We left there and made our way to the Lord’s District where a runned came and met us, saying that Baron Skudridd wanted us up at his Demesne and that Lord Rockhome was already there. We made our way up the road past finer and finer homes and estates until we got to the Baron’s home. Almost 4 acres, most castle than manor house, Jessie and her crew were there as well as the Baron’s staff and council, the other lords (including Rockhome), and maybe 30 other influential upper class and merchants houses in town.

The two bodies were displayed, conversation followed, and thanks were given. Lord Rockhome paid us our bounty (1,000 silver – each) and then Baron Skudridd did the same for Jessie’s people. As we had aided in the situation, Jessie noted that we were due a quarter share and we each got an additional 50 gold pieces. We were now all swimming in coin and were debated on what to do next when the Baron let us know that we could go to any inn, tavern, restaurant or the like (not gaming house), and he’d pick up the bill for us. He also would arrange to have Eoghan’s Father’s loans and markers cleared as an extra thanks for the loss of his hand. As for the bodies, one was going to be stuffed and mounted at the Arena, and the other was going to be sent upriver to Sorton, where the Vault of the Heorot was. There were some necromancers there that the Baron was going to pay to delve into the physiology of the monsters and discover what we might need to know about them. Including their origins.

As it was then mentioned that we were hoping to go to Thak environs, the Baron was also willing to pay us if we could come up with a definitive lead as to who had commissioned these Grues in the first place and inadvertently dumped them at his fair city.

With a huge stipend of coins and the Baron’s 2 day favor, we upgraded our domicile to the Champion’s Garden, the best inn and restaurant in town, where we got the King’s Package – including everything from baths and laundry, food and drink, smoke and wine, personal services and women and song. Two days passed until the morn of the 12th where we were just worn out from all the indulgences we had participated in. The proprietor thanked us for our time and wished us luck and welcomed us back if we wanted.

Sated and feeling better than we had for some time, we did pick up the stories about town. 4 days ago someone had been killed in the cemetery, Horace. All his skin had been torn off. And in the Trades, a journeyman smith named Ifhi had been killed – all his blood sucked from his ripped open throat. Dizzy wanted us to resolve it, as it might be a result of his getting the earring from the matron’s tomb – all these issues started happening that day.

We went to the moneychanger and pawnbroker, Gretild, where we cashed in some coinage for gems to lighten the load. Grendel ended up picking up a heirloom long sword, supposedly at one time fairly important. Former champion had owned it and had to pawn it after getting a nobleman’s daughter pregnant. In order to pay the dowry, he had to sell his weapon – at the time he took out a green gem – leaving a yellow, blue, and red one still in the hilt.

We then walked the trades where we ended up finding Adar’s smithery – at the end of Smith street – gnomish run. Eoghan explained that he wanted a hook for his hand and a clamp on his bow, so he can still fire it. It would take almost a month to design, prototype, and then make it – 39 gold. Design done in a week and a half –enough time for Eoghan’s stump to heal up a bit.

We then split up – half of us went to see Captain Arsin to see if he could explain anything about the murders in town as well as to see if he wanted our help or would be bothered if we poked around. The other half were going to the Coliseum to see if there was a hall of records there to try and find a half-elven 2 time champion who competed 40 or 50 years ago.

Captain Arsin had the party wait a bit before he met with them. He had nothing to say, told them thanks for the effort, supplied no information, and wished them well. Brushed them off. Chuckle

As for the Coliseum, we did see that the Grue was indeed mounted and we poked around until a well dressed and flashy ¾ orc named Groka stopped us. As one of the people who run the Passian Traders, he had the knowledge the group might be looking for and with a few lucky rolls, was helpful enough to lead them to a better direction to get some answers.

Passian Traders have been operating at Stivil for 3 centuries, almost from its early days. They have extensive if difficult to discern records. Even though they normally deal with orcish contracts and contract agreements, they were willing to help out the group. We met the Recordkeeper and his counterpart, Muscles, deep in the 2nd level below the street. The Recordkeeper was a foul faced brute of a half-orc, who had little interest in seeing the party or dealing with them – but Groka implored and he relented. Muscles was another half-orc, but as we had heard before – shredded. Twitch muscled and corded, he was also gregarious and friendly, chatting with the party.

We gave up some coins and were told that the Recordkeeper would contact us either @ the GRSAG in Erylond and/or here at the Master Bowman house.

We left on Arimonth the 12th @ 3:30 and the party linked up again, sharing what we had learned, standing in the southern shadow of the Coliseum.

Youth Group! TOEE - Meet 14, 10/26/22

The group split up, some of us going to Melubb the moneychanger, some to Jaroo, and Some risking the trip to Rannos Davi’s trade post, the Sword and Cheese.

The time at Melubb went poorly as the moneychanger felt we were wasting his time, eventually making a deal but at the very end, even after shaking hands, backing out of it at Albert’s insistence. The Moneychanger was done at that point and the party left, wondering what we were going to do next as we were hoping to sell off the 2 peridot’s we had on us.

The trip to Jaroo had netted us the healing potions in question earlier, but also incense, clover, and other material components we might need on a going forward basis. We felt pretty good about our time here. The last pair had gone up to the Sword and Cheese where they had the chance to deal with one of Rannos’ underlings, a well mannered younger man named Gremag. We didn’t want to get caught out by Davi, so made sure to finish our purchases in a timely fashion and then get gone.

We all met back at the Inn of the Welcome Wench where Albert tried to get us to go back to Jaroo and maybe sell the peridots to him. He suggested we go to Melubb and we demurred, not mentioning that we had just been there and reneged on an agreement.

At the Inn of the Welcome Wench, drink and laughter flew. Elmo returned with the gauntlets he had borrowed from his brother and we all were feeling good about heading back to the Moathouse tomorrow. Furd and Ophelia were both smoking some weed that Jaroo had supplied to them, the pair of them getting more laughy as well as amorous. Some words were exchanged, a dance or two, and then the two of them left hand in hand and went upstairs to enjoy themselves.

Boot scen

The next day had us up early, Ophelia feeling a bit embarrassed, Furd not at all. We studied, wrote spells where we could, and broke our fast early. It was by 9:30 when we left with horse and cart again, making it at long last to the Moathouse again just after noon.

Crossing the bridge, we unlimbered the cart and made sure the horse had food and water. We then reentered the building and looked around. We were sure that no one was up here now and after looking about, made our way to the stairs behind the pantry and proceeded to make our way back to the subterranean level of the dungeon.

We checked out the area, all seemed quiet. Eventually getting around to the Ogre’s former chamber and the secret doors beyond. Down the steps brought us to the gates currently down. Furd and Elmo both hoisted them physically off the ground and held them for some of the party to head off to the secret room and lock the winch there.

Ophelia opened the door…and a ghoul launched out and attacked her! She was lucky enough to avoid being hit; a successful turning had the ghoul run off to the east and to the bugbear area. We locked the winch and then wound up the rest of the portcullis and we discussed options. We went south, wanting to get this matter before Lareth sooner than later.

We entered the main chamber with the three doors, took one of the books from the shelf, and discussed either burning the rest or something else. Do we block doors? Go down them? Funnel the bad guys here or take it to them?

Meet 34, Adv 10, 10/22/22

The group ran for the exit, charging east as quick as they could. Grendel and Micah worked together, the elven scion limping hard but the fighter dragging him along. The Shaman was shouting out commands and the Hobgoblins were getting ready to stop the party when Connal whipped out the Nornian Skein, flipped it around, turned back to the hobgoblins, and pulled the enchanted air catcher open.

Releasing the storm force winds they had captured on top of Furtham’s Peak almost 8 or 9 months ago directly at the goblinoids. 80 mile per hour winds upended the hobgoblins, knocking many of them down, and at 1 point hurled the rat into the Shaman, smacking him in the head. Even the Lynx released its claws and sailed up, slamming into the hobgoblin shaman and ripping through his brigandine, drawing blood and pissing them off. As the wind was dying down, Connal turned and ran after the rest of the party who were charging away.

At the next larger chamber, Gryg held back as the party ran down into the cavern's depths and not towards the exit. The ranger made sure to use some old blankets and methodically obscured their tracks as they ran away. At the base of the slope, the party moved off to the east and the group slowed down and grew silent, waiting. It sounded like the hobgoblins were regrouping and were going to give some chase.

We went off into the dark eventually getting to the chamber that we had faced the female Grue earlier. The concealed cavern was here and we looked up the slope. It was 60 degrees and not going to be easy for most of the group. Gryg, Terkin, and Connal volunteered to go up to the top where once there saw that the chamber had a number of barrels in here, two of them empty. A passage went north. We could hear nothing nearby. Feeling safe enough, we dropped rope down to the rest of the party and once they came up, one at a time, we took stock of the situation.

Grendel was moving at half speed with an aching leg. Eoghan was missing his left hand at the wrist and seemed worn out. We had lost the paladin Darrien and Jessie was down to 2 hirelings. Most of the party was low on spells but we passed out what healing we could for now. We were filthy, tired, wired, and the goblin tribe was alerted to our presence.

Gryg and Eoghan did what they could to scout out and we went north. There was a side passage where it looked like the hobgoblins had ceased mining at some point, looking it over we could find a number of natural flint deposits in the area. Mining would have made a number of sparks and maybe ignited gasses. We went on. The passage eventually came to a larger chamber where we knew it went north and joined up with the dead female. Scouting the area out, we could tell the two young Grues came through here, heading west. Eoghan led the way and we came to the bedroom area. 2 of the beds were pulled about 3’ from the wall.

The party fanned out, looking around, as Eoghan went up to the bed area and knelt down…and was hit by the immature Grues hiding in the hollow back there. He screamed, tried to hold it all together, was badly hurt, and flipped himself up and over the side of the bed, rolling away, blood spraying about him. Buddy, Connal, and Gryg were right there and engaged one of them, Wilhelm firing an arrow into the fight. The other Grue tried to follow the sobbing and seriously hurt Eoghan, getting stopped by a snarling and furious Grin.

The fight was on.

Hits and slashes followed, the young grues blows shredding armor and buffeting the party. Arnax got a last CLW on Eoghan as Jessie shot off a ray of frost and Micah joined Grin assaulting the one on the bed. Terkin tried to help and had one of the hirelings throw a flask of lit oil but it went wide and blasted into the bed, setting the frame ablaze instead. Buddy took a serious shred from the Grue and the wild boar went down, guts spooling out. Most spells fired and one Grue fell and then finally the other.

As it ended we quickly extinguished the flames, took stock of the area, and listened expecting to hear goblins approaching. Although we could hear them echo of an echo in the distance, none of them were alerted to the combat for now. We took the two young with us and we went up to the adult Grue. Once there we filled flasks and vials with some of the adult’s blood and then retreated all the way back to the cavern with the barrels at the top of the slope. It was late and we were exhausted and hurting. We did not trust being able to escape with goblins all over so decided to hole up for now and rest. We arranged the watch so that most of us could get a good night’s rest and we turned in.

During the night, looking around we did discover a section of wall on the north east part of the room that was stones and dirt, concealing a corridor that most likely led back to the main chamber! Nice! We awoke on the 9th of Airmonth, ate and prayed, and then got ready. We dismantled the wall and went down the passage to another concealed wall. Hearing no goblins, we took it apart and emerged at the base of the long sloping passage below the Barrow. We went up, no goblins, and went outside.

We found the travois Jessie’s people had sent up and then proceeded to drag the dead male to the hollow the boar had used 2 days ago. We made sure the bear traps were ok (they were), and Dizzy removed enough parts from the ballista that the hobgoblins would be hard pressed to ever use it again. We then dared to go back to the barrow and down again, a 2nd travois brought with us.

It took some time to get to the dead female and we loaded her up, using Dizzy’s throw away blankets as cushions to keep the dragging wood quiet. We slowly made our way out of the caves, and STILL no goblins heard us or came to investigate (great set of wandering monster checks!). At the base of the long slope, Gryg shoved a blanket up the grue’s butt as she had been making some noises and leaking a bit. Wilhelm hit the 2 dwarves with a strength spell and Connal and Micah from the top – 4 of them proceeded to get the female grue up the 70’ slope eventually to the top of the Barrow again.

Outside we gathered up the male and then it was 4 and a half hours of slow dragging before exhausted, we managed to get the dead bodies to Falcon’s Nest at long last. Some drinks were shared and we all felt pretty good about what we had done. There was some cross talk between Gryg, Jessie, and Eoghan about the rings. Eoghan had his original wedding band on his now severed hand. Jessie had the ring her partner had found that fateful night 18 months ago – a reminder of the terror she faced. He wanted it back; it was his dead wife’s. She wasn’t doing that it was a reminder of her dead adopted family.

They settled on the grue’s were dead – whoever/whatever had killed them was now dead. The rings and all the grue bits could and should be buried – marked with his family and her lost family. They agreed and decided the rings would be buried on his former farm, next to the plot of his wife and son. They shook on it and the group was ready to turn in, filthy, dirty, and yet triumphant for now. Tomorrow, we’d see about getting the bodies to Stivil and getting our reward.

Meet 33, Adv 10, 10/15/22

Got a bit weird for this write up and gave it from the point of view of the 5 animals and the 2 nameless (until now) hirelings that Jessie brought along. :)

Follows:

Buddy the boar snarled aloud, “Damn it, Peasants! The GOD is here! The GOD with tits and her Godlettes are here!!”

“Don’t hurt the kids!” Jessie the Rabbit called back, hiding in the Chosen’s vest.

Grin snarled from the Chosen’s side, the wolfhound’s hackles rising. He glanced back, nipping his friend on the hand and pulling back down the hall. “Flee! Flee!”

The party turned tail and ran off as the Grue roared at them, Connal, Darien, Gryg, and Eoghan. They charged back down the hall as Wilhelm was running towards them. “Why he runnin’ so fast?” the first cat asked, jouncing back and forth.

“Why you ridin’ him?” The second cat panted from below. “You a playa? Ridin’ ‘im like a bitch? Got no respect for you’self?”

“Gag on a rat you gutter loving git,” the first cat yowled as Wilhelm charged into the next clear room. “Dis cave is nasty!”

The party charged up to the Druid and they looked back, not seeing the Grue giving chase. Eoghan pulled out an Arrow and after getting a light spell cast upon it, he took aim and fired it back down the hall. It struck the wall and stopped. Pulling it free had a second shot…and it too slammed into the wall, the head popping off. “Take your time, Boss,” Grin advised his friend.

“You can do it,” Jessie agreed. “Lathandar is with you.”

“Looks a friggin’ chump, you ask me,” Cat 1 responded, inspecting his crotch and then giving it an experimental lick.

The third arrow finally flew forth and hit the far end of the hall, but there was nothing down there except dust and rock grit. “The Tit GOD has moved on,” Buddy snorted, eyes flashing. “It’s time to venture forth, you cretins, and see what has happened to it!”

The rest of the party joined up, looking around at the passage as we made our way down the hall to the room the Grue had just been in. “How we doing on torches, Noah?” Jerome asked, the valet and torchbearer asked his counterpart.

Noah, all of 19, swung his pack around and was counting off the material within. “12..17..20..22..24. 24 torches.” He looked around and shook his head in wonder. “Can you believe this shit?”

Jerome smirked, whispering, “No. I mean I always assumed we’d find the monsters but I gotta say, actually being down here, torches and swords and fighting and screaming. I mean, nothing really prepares you for this.”

“You saw what happened to Ricktor?” Noah shuddered, “He got killed real fast. Makes me rethink being an adventurer and just going back to the cobbler shop, you know?”

“Maybe. I want my share of the bounty. 196 silver nobles. It’s practically a king’s ransom!”

The room had a section that had collapsed out, showing another passage that a few of the party members had gone down. It seemed to slope up quite a bit. There was talk of going down to investigate when Wilhelm instead called to Frey, “Ah, der he goad with the moojatiy moogatiy shit again,” Cat 1 complained.

“Have some respect, you walking bags of fleas!” Buddy scolded the feline, blowing spit from his snout. “I’ve spoken to this one, and he KNOWS what he's doing!”

“Fucking pig.”

“BOAR!”

“SHHHH!!!!”

There was an explosion of light and Lorthac, the Dawning Sun, Kestrel Eagle of the eastern Windcrag Mountains appeared. The majestic creature had once dove from a cloudless sky from 3,000 wingspans in height and skewered Fast Jacking, the Meadowshire’s most notorious rabbit. Lorthac had a clutchmate that had been hunting just moments ago with him when he felt the gentle benediction of Frey call out and coax him to come to this place now at this time of need. And Lorthac is nothing if not brave and fearless.

“Go,” Wilhelm pointed to the hall and slope going up, a haze of grit and dust in the air. “See what’s up there,” the Druid commanded.

Lorthac gave the cry of Honor, a three noted rise and falling crescendo that reverberated with the digesting stones in his gizzard. His wings spread and he pumped them down twice, gaining air amidst the subterranean pressure and then wheeling up, tail feathers spread in a fan of victory. “Fear me!” Lorthac called out. “I am Lorthac!”

A barrel fell from 60’ up the slope and smashed the Kestrel Eagle in mid flight, breaking his back, smashing him to the ground, and killing him; signaling the end of the spell and returning Lorthac from where he came.

“I’m gonna miss that guy,” Cat 2 lamented, giving a deep sigh.

The party did not want to go that way and they all backtracked, making their way through the caves, heading back to where they came. “What do you figure?” Jerome asked.

“They have got a plan,” Noah shrugged, swapping his torch out for another. He did the same for Darrien, the silent paladin giving the two youths a smile before heading back to the front of the line. “He’s so close to talking.”

“In your dreams,” Jerome sniggered. “Man’s a paladin. Knows how to keep his vows.”

“Unlike that bitch I was betrothed to,” Noah muttered, glancing down at his left hand and naked ring finger.

“Focus man, they’re looking at the ground here.”

The group had dragged a heel in the dirt at the head of one of the halls they had passed through as they made their way up slope to the “Y” intersection they had gone through earlier. “I smell…paint,” Grin whispered looking around at the hall here. There were stacks of yellow coins in the hall and the group was talking about it.

“You should tell the Chosen,” Jessie suggested.

“Good idea.” Grin looked up at Eoghan and said, “Friend. There is the smell of paint in the area. I do not believe the coins are real. Also, the air is redolent at least to me of the passage of the monsters we hunt. I would imagine they are nearby, we should be on alert and ready for a possible ambush.”

The Ranger gave a short glance at Grin, rubbed his ears, and muttered in his accented voice, “Good boy.”

Grin smiled, catching Buddy’s attention. “GOOD boy. GOOD boy. I’m a GOOD boy.”

“Daft moron,” the boar growled at him. “I doubt the gangly pissant even understood anything you were saying.”

“Jealous. I’m a GOOD boy.”

They went down the hall to a carved out chamber and then opted to go north on Eoghan’s suggestion. “Look alive,” Jerome hissed. “We’re getting close, I have a bad feeling about this.”

Noah snorted, “You have a bad feeling about everything.”

“I don’t know man. My momma? She went to a Tarokka Reader when I was young and the old woman said my mother had a bit of the Weave in her. And I do too. I can sense things.”

“You are full of shit, you know that?” Noah shifted his torch higher, trying to look down the hall. “There are a damn lot of us,” he muttered.

Buddy, Cat 1, Cat 2, Grin, and Jessie all perked their ears up, noses flashing, and all of them uttered at once, “Oh…no!”

The Grue burst around the corner and combat ensued. There were smashing noises and crashing sounds. Cries of spells and the twang of bows followed.

“I told you! I told you!” Jerome said from the back of the party. “Did I not tell you?”

“Alright. Alright. I'll give you this one!” Noah was standing on his tippy toes. “I can’t see what’s going on? Are we winning?”

Flacker, the Bristling Prince, burst into being, called into place by Frey’s will and Wilhelm’s call. “Who DARES to summon me? I shall have his lunch! I shall feast on his eyes! I shall…WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THING AND WHY IS THIS GUY TELLING ME TO ATTACK IT!!??!?!? AHHH!!H!H!”

Buddy dodged left, avoiding the guts spilling out of the dead paladin. “Welcome to the party, pal!” He glanced over at Gryg and muttered, “What an asshole.”

“I think Darrien is down,” Noah said on his tip toes.

“Can you be sure?”

“Yep! There is a lot of screaming, Darrien is dead! And the monster has the top part of him in his mouth and is chewing…chewing…nope. He stopped.”

“Why?” Jerome asked on his haunches trying not to vomit.

“The monster swallowed him.”

“Blaaargh…”

Eventually the sounds of combat faded away and Jessie dared to look out. “Oooo,” the rabbit muttered. “This is a fine pickle.”

“That one is wounded,” Buddy pointed his snout at Connal who was in bad shape. “Will we kill him and make the rest of the pack stronger by feeding on him?” It was after some of the priests had laid their hands on him and closed up some of his wounds that the boar sighed deeply. “People are so damned wasteful.”

There was some discussion on where to go and what to do next. It seemed that the group was wandering out, checking out halls and chambers, Gryg and Eoghan leading the way. “We seem to be tracking the younglings,” Grin noticed.

“Hopefully to provide them support and succor in this time of great sorrow with the unfortunate but needed passing of their mother,” Jessie suggested.

“I’m not sure,” the wolfhound avoided making eye contact with the rabbit. “I guess we can see.”

“You t’ink  I can tell her the truth?” Cat 1 chuckled on Wilhelm’s pack, the cat’s tail idly flicking back and forth.

“Rabbit is dumb and full of hope,” Cat 2 shrugged. “She’ll figger it out.”

They went through a chamber with some beds, other passages as well, hunting the grues and aware of the cavern around them. It was while walking down a long hall heading west that one of the party stepped in a goblin gopher hole trap, making the entire party nervous. “Glad that wasn’t me,” Noah said with a shudder. “That other guy? The elven guy? He was pretty hurt.”

“Who? Joey Bag of Donuts? Mr. How ya doing?” Jerome scoffed. “Looks like some low born piece of shit. Probably deserves it. I’ll bet he stabbed some hooker and took her coppers when he was done with her.”

“You are a cynical and angry person, you know that?”

Eventually the room had two passages out, each running west – one northwest, one southwest. Each sloped down into the gloom and goblin fetish markings, 5 ranks tall were in place. Eoghan mulled over the passages a bit and then led the group down the north one. At a “Y” intersection, Gryg and Eoghan led the party north and we followed eventually to a large chamber with 2 other ways out.

“He’s lost the scent,” Grin noticed on seeing his Friend milling about. “Where are they? Where are they? Where do you think they are, boy?”

“You are wasting your time,” Cat 1 chuckled. “Two legs aren’t much good at tracking stuff.”

“They’re a bit retarded,” Cat 2 agreed, watching the end of his tail with a distrustful frown. “I mean they get the job done, but it’s almost painful to watch.”

“Peasants and common folk, like 2 legs,” Buddy grunted, “Are an important part of any system. Without them to do the majority of the work, it would prevent kingly and lordly folk, like myself,” he belched, “to get done the things they need to get done.”

“I like my Chosen,” Jessie smiled, snuggling up to Eoghan’s chest. “He’ll figure it out. And save those kids. I just know it.”

“Can we tell her yet?” Cat 1 whispered, getting a resounding no from Buddy, Grin and Cat 2. “Fine. Whatever.”

“This was a long hall,” Noah noted, looking back. “If we were in fighting placement and form, we’d pretty much still be down almost its entire length.”

Jerome looked back, swapping out the spent torches for 3 new ones. “Yeah. You gotta sometimes stretch your imagination in places where things just don’t make sense.”

“Theater of the mind,” Noah nodded.

“Theater of the mind,” Jerome agreed.

“I think we got ta double back,” Eoghan eventually suggested, Grygmiir agreeing with him. “They definitely didn’t come down this way, and I think we might have passed something.” The party turned around and we headed back down the hall, eventually finding a section of stone on the east wall that had a hidey hole. It seemed the grue kids hid there, waited for us to pass, and then doubled back. We could see some barrels in here, and the chamber wasn’t very large.

We went back to the “Y” intersection and then headed up the slope where the group could hear goblin voices ahead talking.

“What’s going on?” Jerome asked.

“Goblin voices ahead.” Noah replied.

“What are they saying?”

“How the fuck would I know? I’m not a goblin.”

“I don’t know, maybe you might know some goblin?” Jerome asked. “My mother can say, ‘Wie viel kostet dieses Brot?’”

“Is that goblin?”

“Nah, some sort of elvish. How much is this loaf of bread. She picked it up from talking to the half-elven baker lady.”

“What does that have to do with goblin?”

“Nothing. I was asking if you knew any?!”

“Ugh!”

Grin was growling as Eoghan went up, trying to get the goblins to calm down, talking slowly and doing his best to diffuse the situation. “Say the word,” Grin snarled, “Say it and I’ll jump at your side.”

“That is a lot of goblins,” Jessie noted with some worry. “Like, a lot of goblins.”

Things got tense and then someone hurled a knife at Eoghan who rocked back, and STILL tried to calm the situation down. Even the hobgoblin leader, Cap’n Tharix, was doing his best to both save face, get some tribute from the ranger, and keep his people from blowing the situation up. But when swords were bared and the goblin slingers started to unravel their slings, Eoghan stepped back and dropped his bow to his hand. His fingers felt his quiver, selected the arrow with the marking of Sutur up and down the length of it, and nocked it place.

From Muspelheim, Sutur, The Burning Brand, Lord of the Fiery Planes, saw a rip in the space time continuum before him. He could smell the browns of the earth, the grays of the stone, the pale yellows and red of the human and demi human who lived there. “Ah,” he sighed taking a deep sniff. “Midgard.” He smiled, imagining sinking his toes into the loam of the earth and hearing the call of birds in the trees about him. “What a paradise.”

Clapping his hands together he pushed himself up and held his hands around the pulsating tear. “Time to burn it down.”

And then Sutur sent a wave of god borne flame through the tear where it seared the hole closed and burst through the other end of the enchanted arrow, frying Eoghan’s bow and hurling a 2 and a half foot wide shaft of eternal fire 100’ down the hall where it immolated half a dozen hobgoblins including Captain Tharix, leaving only motes and ash to fall away on the wind.

“That’s going to leave a mark,” Jessie lamented as the goblins ran away, the hobgoblins ran forward to attack, and the party charged up the slope to join the Ranger. Swords hacked, spells flew, arrows soared. Animals charged forward and the party shoved and pushed and tried to get up the hill. The hobgoblins had a shaman with them and the alarm horn rang out, calling other hobgoblins to the battle.

“We’ve GOT to get out of here!” Noah sobbed out, looking over at Micah, the Fighter running for the front.

“What about being an adventurer?” Jerome asked with a sneer.

“This is crazy!” Noah inched closer. “Someone’s going to get killed.” Eoghan screamed from the front line, his left hand removed at the wrist. “And there it is!”

More spells fired and the party dropped two of the hobgoblins by the front, allowing them to run forward and hit the hobgoblin chamber hard. “Run!” The group ran off through the room at a fast clip, spread out but hoping to make the eastern exit out of the goblin warrens and back to the territory the Grues had held.

Buddy reared up on hind legs and stomped the ground. “Now is not the time for weakness and fear! Muster your courage! Muster your will! Your lord and king asks for your strength, your will, and damn it, even your lives if need be! But to arms and run! Run!”

Cat 2 leapt on Wilhelm’s pack, hanging on with all 4 sets of claws as the druid charged for the exit. “I thought you weren’t going to ride?” Cat 1 asked with a side long glower.

“Fuck you, man. Fuck you.”

Hurting for his friend and not wanting to leave his side, Grin looked at the hobgoblins in a line before them, placing himself between them and his Friend. “Flee,” the wolfhound growled, “Flee now and I swear we will return for their blood at a later time.”

Youth Group! TOEE - Meet 13, 10/12/22

So the party decided to head back to town. There were things to buy, rest needed, and we had dodged the council too many times, doing it again would seem like an insult and would be counter for us should we need their support later. It was 11 AM on Restmonth the 10th when we finally rolled up, giving the guards on Burne’s tower a half-hearted wave. We decided to start off again as usual by visiting Auva and letting the Village Elder know what was going on in order to get him at least on our side.

Ventatta met us at the gate and he took care of our horse and cart while we went in and had some early lunch with the elder statesman. Auva was fascinated to hear what we had been up to and commiserate with us on our current state and exhausted appearance. We wanted the chance to go back again and hoped that we would be doing so soon to finish up things with Lareth. We estimated in 3 days the next caravan would show and at that time, the brigands would be reequipped and more importantly, Rannos Davi and whoever in town was in with Lareth would get word of our doing.

Auva was going to have the council gather in a few hours and let us know that the Siksalli’s returned to Nyr Dyv. A new person had arrived yesterday, a half-ogre who was looking for the rest of the party. On learning about him, the group assumed it was Furd. He was a combat assistant at the Veboncac University that had been repurposed just when the college was being evacuated. He was supposed to go with the party but had been given a different position he had to follow.

Right now he was at the Inn of the Welcome Wench. We thanked Auva, told him we’d be there and to send for us then, and we looked forward for a chance to relax and put together a list of things we were going to need.

We left the Ton Elder and made our way west to the main hub where we left the horse and cart with Ales the Stablemaster. On entering the Wench we saw Furd who was at the bar. Furd was over 7’ tall, olive toned skin, and for a half-ogre was more than pleasing to the eye. Flowing hair, chiseled features, a strong jaw, broad chest and huge arms. He sported a 6’ sword on his back and was idly twirling a length of branch while chatting with Ostler Gundigroot.

“FURD!”

“MY FRIENDS!”

We all back slapped and caught up. Turns out one of the administrators had overstepped his limits and grabbed the commissions of a number of the members of the Fighter’s guild to help him, his staff, and his belongings get safe. Once that was done, he released everyone to return to their former commissions and Furd had to travel overland for over 2 weeks to find the party at Hommlet. They in turn filled their friend in on what they had been doing as well as what the next step was to be. Elmo and Furd had a bit of a professional pissing competition, the huge friendly ranger and the larger attractive half-ogre taking each other’s measure for now.

Eventually as suspected, the council called for us to come to them and we went to the Village hall just north of the Welcome Wench. We wanted to talk about what happened and impress upon the council that the job was not done and that they were close to resolving it. We entered and once again besides seeing Auva, bade our introductions to Terjon of the Church of St Cuthburt, Burne the Magister, Rufus his friend and master builder, Ostler Gundigroot of the Welcome Wench, Captain of the Guard Peri, Mytch the Miller, and Jaroo of the Gnarley Woods.

Each of us took turns trying to make our case, Elmo having a turn and for some reason, even Furd being asked to speak. Pestle was doing her best to remind the group not be baited by either Burne’s insults or Terjon’s time wasting. There were some real concerns brought up, the main one by Mytch being simply – instead of the party going out to the moathouse to confront Lareth, after already being forced to run from the person, shouldn’t their efforts be better put to use in bolstering the town’s defenses especially if the demonics were indeed coming?

Terjon offered to help out with a number of holy waters and his own people to join in, if the group would align themselves with him and his interests. No dice. It eventually went to vote and 4 of the 7 agreed we were allowed to still work outside the restrictions of using the low road and get this matter resolved and soon.

Happy with the verdict, we had a list of things we wanted to purchase and hunt down today, hoping after a good night’s rest, that we would be on the road in the morn tomorrow and head back to the Moathouse to take Lareth down for good.

Meet 32, Adv 10, 10/08/22

The group woke up and we had some things to do today – but along the way, after sharing what happened the night before, Dizzy wanted to stop at the Graveyard and see what happened – and if it was related to our efforts the day before. The rest of the party was going to go shopping for a bear trap. And a goat. Sure, why not!

Dizzy talked with the Thorian priest, Gulmund, where the dwarf let him know that the person who was killed was Horace. The young man had gone to the Arena for a few hours, then home to his wife, slept a bit, and was back here for the Midnight to 8 shift – when he had been attacked and badly hurt, disfigured, and killed while here. Captain Arsin and the Watch had come and asked questions, walked around, and then went looking for possible culprits. As for his young wife, she was beside herself and terribly distraught. Dizzy commented that he and his group were doing something but would return soon if help was needed.

As for the rest of the party, Eoghan led the party to the Street of Swords where they met with a shopkeep named Djog, at Ursa’s Hunting Gear. They looked over things to buy, talked about man catchers, hunting bears, and even other things- opting at last to rent a bear trap (buying it was real expensive). We paid the coin, promised to have it back in 2 days, and then left. As for goats, Wilhelm was a big help while looking over the wares, settling on a poor quality animal that was in such a terrible state, that using it for what we had in mind was a mercy to it. It was also cheap.

During all this, Connal eventually got a date with a girl with questionable standards named Olio @ 6 PM on Airmonth the 8th. Talking about dates, Grendel’s date with Staki went very well, the two of them making tentative plans to meet up again, the elven scion feeling pretty good with himself.,

It was 10:30 when we left Stivil proper and made our way west and uphill eventually to Falcon’s Nest. Jessie, her team, all their gear, and 3 support staff all went with the party to the 15th barrow entrance. Once there, we set up the area, marked things off, prepared a killing field. We spaced out where the party would be standing, sight lines were established – and we suspected that we’d get 1 grue this way. Finally the goat was staked in place by the two tripods with the oil of explosion and we all spread out and ate.

As the day went on to evening and the sun set, we all grew ready and waited. It was about 9 PM when we had the first contact from the mound. A section of turf lifted and the grue stepped free looking around. It could smell the goat and see it, but it seemed to be talking to something else within before coming back out and looked around. Gryg, Darrien and one of the helpers with the torch was there and they swore the grue was looking at them – even as hidden as they were. But we waited. The grue went off line a bit, and then threw a log at the goat, killing it and checking out the area.

Finally it went over there and the ranged people fired – and 2 oils of explosion went off, buffeting the grue on both sides. We then fired off 3 light spells, bracketing around the grue and preventing it from turning back to the barrow and run. So it roared and CHARGED the party – specifically the 3 guys off the line. It hit them, scattering them, and then it shredded the torch lighter, ripped his guts free, and then lifted him up and ATE one third of him in a single bite!

Ok – that was fast and gross.

Bless spell fired off, we buffed up and Connal charged in as the ballista team struggled to change the war machine’s direction. Kicks, punches, stabs, and flatbows fired. The Grue was hit, and hit, and hit again. It swept its claws wildly, it was taking withering fire from 3 directions. Eoghan’s arrows landed with precise accuracy and Jessie’s magic missiles tore through exactly the same. But eventually, it fell over dead and we could hear a roaring cry answering its deathknell from inside the barrow.

There was a brief altercation as Connal started to hack apart the grue and Jessie was like, what the fuck are you doing? Rein it in. Just lost a man, and this fucker killed every friend I had over a year ago. It got a bit tense and Eoghan stepped up to have the hacking end, while Jessie’s people were all looking at the party, Connal specifically, like there’s something wrong with him. We have 1 more grue and 2 young ones to go through still, so cooler heads prevailed and we gave the fallen and those who had hunted it some time.

Eventually we were all on page again, hand was taken as proof of deed done, and we approached the barrow. The turf flap needed to be propped up but inside it was fairly large, but it was also obvious that the original buried bodies in here had been tossed around. A 10’ wide hole sent deeper into the ground and the smell was pretty rank. We drew up in line, set rope and grapple, and went down. Torches were lit and we skittered along.

Came to a dug out chamber after 40’ down, three possible ways out, two of them could have had grue path. We split the difference and went down one. It stayed level and then dropped another 30 degrees down to another chamber, also with 3 ways out. Fuck. Another torch was lit to mark where we had come and Eoghan felt he had a good bead on where to go. Took a passage that went down again. 50’? More? We went and a light spell was cast. Chamber here had goblin markings, and across it was another passage. Another buff was cast and we ran on, moving faster and faster down the dark passage.

It was while running that we skipped over, and then one of our members, Grendel, fell into a leather covered trap hole. Pitched forward and busted his leg HARD. Dizzy waved the leaders on and we struggled to pull the wounded elf free. He was going to be hobbled and moving slow and this was not the place for it, so healing was plied while Connal, Darrien, Gryg, and Eoghan charged along to the next chamber where the fleeing grue had taken a weapon rack from the wall and dragged it into the passage, ropes as well, clogging it up. Gryg attacked it with his hammer axe, smashing it free, Wilhelm also eventually charging down the hall as they first four burst it down and raced down the hall to a where the 9 ½ tall, 1500 lb female grue and her two young were in dug out chamber, and turned to assault the 4 warriors here.