Meet 135, Adv 16, 9/27/25

Birthmonth 15th 6:30 PM, 289 of the 29th age. The group arrived in Sparkhouse, the seat of gnomish airship manufacturing as well as magical experimentation and research in the Gnomish kingdom of Nightwoods. We disembarked from the Lightning Cart and after asking around, found that a local inn called Long Horse Inn would cater to “Tallies” (non-gnomes/halflings/dwarves).

The city itself was situated in a clearing about 4 and a half miles in diameter. No building was taller than 70’ in height, and we could count 11 different wizard towers. There were no trees, and no birds, nor were there any airship docks. The center of Sparkhouse was dominated by the massive Moonspire, a single edifice 300’ in height that started at 40’ diameter and quickly narrowed to almost a needle like point.

Long Horse Inn was proprietored by a human name Lugari Long Horse. He’s the distant son of a magic using family who currently runs the Long Horse School of Alchemy here. We were able to arrange a room for all of us (at a very decent price) on the 3rd floor. Room 4. Dinner and breakfast included. We went up to take a look. The inside seemed larger than the room should be when looked on the outside. The beds were soft, blankets thick, pillows comfortable. Vibrating hooks shook the dirt from our clothes where it was whisked away by softly sucking vents below. Even a tub was here, warm water available on tap.

We went down to the Common Room, listened to the harpsichord playing minstrel, ate a really good meal, got instructions to the towers of magic. There are 11 – 2 for each school, and one for the school of Archmagery. The schools also didn’t correspond to ours or what we knew – Thaumaturgy, Alchemy, Magic, Sorcery, and Wizardry. There were no mentions of air, earth, fire, or water.

We were told about the Moonspire. At midnight, the moonspire collects magic sent down to it from a sister spire on the moon, powering the massive batteries, lathes, gears, and magics under Sparkhouse. On the moon? Apparently, ancient gnomes took a spelljammer up there, discovered the moon was a repository of untouched magic, but the chaos of it was too wild and when the ores were collected, it wrecked the ship. So a sister ship had been sent up to save the gnomes there and a big undertaking was employed. Using some thaumaturgic principles, 2 versions of the moonspire were created at the same time – one here and the other on the moon. Then at midnight the massive influx of magic would fire down here to be collected.

We went to the roof before midnight to watch it. Sure enough (others were there as well) at 1 minute prior to midnight the base of the Moonspire glowed in a red and purple light that made its way swiftly to the top where @ the stroke of midnight, a long shaft of brachiating lightning arced out of the obsidian sky and flared into the Moonspire, where it was channeled down the edifice and into the ground. For 10 solid seconds we could faintly hear humongous flywheels race up to speed somewhere below as well as some groaning before it all calmed down and the night was calm again.

Wow.

We rested well and the next day, Birthmonth the 16th, headed off to the magic district. Wanting to know a bit of what had been mentioned to us last night, we headed to the Bardarian School of Thaumaturgy where we got an education of magic and the 7 rules by a gnomish Thaumaturge named Mendainicus.

To gnomes, there is a different ordering of magic. Magic comes in two flavors – innate and learned. Everyone has some version of innate magic – whether it’s a bit of luck at dice, knowing when it's going to rain, able to make cookies perfect every time, even just remembering the words to jokes.

Learned magic – the Arcane version (doesn’t matter sorcerer or magic user) is derived from 7 principles. There are 5 distinct schools of magic.

Thaumaturgy is the first school and the magic user must exhibit cunning. What we know of as transmutation and necromancy are magics that fall under the umbrella of Thaumaturgy. There are 2 principles: The Principle of Sympathy – it dictates that Like Produces Like. And The Principle of Contagion – it dictates that Once Together, Always Together. Long and short the first means that affecting a small thing can affect a larger thing, and the second means that if you have a small piece or copy of an original, you can affect an original. A cunning mage can find connections and paths to really make this school work well for them, but over extending is possible to kill the mage.

Alchemy is the second school and the magic user must exhibit perseverance. The one principle is The Doctrine of Signatures – it dictates the Attributes Without Mirror the Powers Within. Long and short, every ingredient, component, reagent or the like has some version of a physical power that can be used to infuse not only potions and inks, but spells as well. The problem with potion making is that no matter how much preparation one puts into place, there is always a random factor that no mage can completely overwhelm, and each iteration of creation and brewing is a chance for failure. Even simple potions have 4 iterations of brewing, while some of the more difficult ones can have up to 14 steps of refinement.

Magic is the third school and the magic user must exhibit logic. What we know of as enchantment and evocation are magics that fall under this umbrella. There is one principle: the Maxim of Persistence – it dictates that Perfection is Eternal. Long and short, rituals must be exact and performed without error. Item creation, ritual magic, and synergistic magic with apprentices feature heavily here. A logical mage is needed here because the adherence to steps, logic, and able to function amidst distractions make a good practitioner to the School of Magic.

Sorcery is the fourth school and the magic user must exhibit bravery. What we know of as abjuration and illusion fall under the purview of Sorcery. There is a single principle and even in our time it is a known maxim: The Rule of Three: Thrice Spoken, Once Fulfilled. Mind control, charms, everything in magic has a three time price and it must be paid. It takes a brave mage to exhibit the level of control and discipline to be a skilled Sorcerer and is known as one of the more difficult schools.

Wizardry is the fifth school and the magic user must exhibit Strength. What we identify as divination and conjuration fall under wizardry. Two principles guide it: The Law of Ubiquity – it dictates that Flame Permeates All. And the Law of Dichotomy – which dictates Dominance or Submission. Long and short the first indicates that the act of piercing the veil of the prime material plane required the burning of something. Flame, whether within the mage of material component – something must be burned to weaken the fabric or reality for the magic user to slip through. The second says that in each transaction, there is a master and a slave – if you do not have the strength to get the answer or control you need, then you are the lesser wizard and risking much on your attempts.

We went to the Long Horse School of Alchemy where Alchemist Nain went through what was available, explained some of the ideas and needs of the typical alchemist, and we horse traded quite a number of items (including long held Bandersnatch rock skin) for healing potions, potions of heroism, portions of positive energy and the like. We then went to the Fire Style School of Magic where we talked with Hoses and we traded and purchased other items from them. Earring to talk to animals, rings of spell storing, rings of protection, even a girdle of masculinity/femininity. We did not get the bowl of watery death even though it was open to purchase – just seemed like a horrible idea.

We were going to go to the Therbaric School of Magic next as they generally make magical weapons, armor, and the like. As of now, it’s Birthmonth the 16th, 2:45 PM

2nd Campaign, Session 18. 9/16/25

Icemonth the 17th, 3:31 PM. Amidst the viscera of the torn up Cheese, the group hit the Owlbear with everything they had. Gun and Nevah peppered it with arrows and bolts, magic missiles flew, and Yandr was in the front, blades flying. Leggly was there, his coat rack smashing into the monster’s hide. But there was a rip of claws and Yandr was buffeted, slashed and hit. He splintered his shield and avoided a hug for his efforts. However he was bleeding wildly from the attack and used his paladinal powers to staunch some of the wounds.

We hit and tore, and another shield had to be splintered as the owlbear shredded Yandr again. The paladin was wavering and a heal spell had him up again. Leggly’s hat rack burst on the owlbear, falling apart. We reshuffled the line and Yandr was handed a shield to be borrowed for now. And it was a good idea as he was hit again and had to splinter again. More healing followed and the group shot, fired, stabbed, and slashed and finally the owlbear fell over dead.

As we were deciding on getting some feathers, Atlas and Thobar heard some noises coming down the hall. Buzzing and deep. They looked and could see a 4 count of 2’ diameter spiky angry looking robber flies. “Coming! Now!” We quickly redrew the lines and waited for them to come around the corner. Nevah shot, crossbow bolt ripping into one of them and sending it cascading back against the wall. Spears and other arrows followed and the flies were very quickly slain, leaving a last one to fly away fast.

We then went through the owlbear’s corpse. We scavenged feathers, claws, and even managed to carve out some bear steaks from it. With the secret door forced open in the berserker room, the party opted to stay here. We went back to the berserker room and gathered up bedding, food, weapons, clothes, and anything else we could get. Leggily, Fantas, and Neal set up camp while we checked out the cave beyond the owlbear.

Was a pool in here, brackish and muddy. No other way out. The pool was deep, spike on a rope test had it about 20’. But we couldn’t see lower than 4’ down, too much foul floating in the water. So we figured we’d check it out tomorrow.

Healing was dispensed, some scrolls studied, and we figured we’d get 1 good night rest. No one comes down to this section of the dungeon. In the time open, Gun figured he’d refine the giant wasp poin he had bee3n carrying around in the thorax all this time. Using Cheese’s old pan, he heated up the fire and began extracting the poison slowly. The vapors were pretty heady and the rest of the group already asleep were saved from the worst of it. But 5 hours of refining and extracting and Gun managed to get half a vial full – 5 or 6 good doses.

We all slept well and the next day, Icemonth the 18th, we had some Endure elements cast (thanks Hrimvir!), and then refilled our skins before going to the Octagon room. We went over the map and figured we’d try the bugbear area – especially since the door there was open. So Gun and Fjord went down a bit and at the limit of their infravision range, could see some amorphous blob talking. The language? Fjord was pretty sure it was trollish.

Nah, screw that. Heading back to the octagon, we decided NOT to go there. We could go to the hall that supposedly twisted all over but instead, we figured lets go to the last door at the 2nd octagon – the one that had some pressure behind it, pulling air in.

It was 9:25 when we got there and looked the place up and down. Decent sized beach and a 2 to 3’ deep stream, 35’ wide, heading from west to east. Fjord was the biggest in the group and he volunteered to go and check it out. We took 4 coils of rope and a big handful of pitons. A handy light spell on his spear doubling as a walking stick worked out. A much needed endure elements also followed. He dropped most of his belongings here to keep him from being weighed down and gave a nod to the party. Driving one into the beach here, we fasted a rope and Fjord began trudging upstream, wearing the crampons on his feet.

It started out difficult and then got harder. The slope was decidedly uphill and the current grew stronger the further he pushed along. At 50’ he drove a piton into the wall and made sure the rope was threaded through. But he could hear the water growing in speed and the pressure was getting worse. He was inching forward and in the dark – water was up to his waist and deepening. This was NOT the way to go. He thought that this eventually met up with the water that Cara almost fell down on the 1st level of the dungeon under the monastery. Cutting his losses, he turned and went back down with care.

Coming back to the shore, soaked but thankfully he did not note the cold of the water (thanks Hrimvir!), they discussed the path and he volunteered to go downstream instead. Cycling the rope around he held his spear up and trudged down the better direction. The water was about 2’ deep, moving but not like rapids – just fast, and it was cold (but he did not take heed due to the spell). It also sloped a bit but it was gradual to the half ogre.

After some 100 feet of walking he had left the glowing phosphorous fungus behind and found an outcropping of rock on the north side. A place to rest if need be. Dropping a piton here the group could hear his echoing pounding back at the main shore. He walked on. At 150’ another piton. At 200’ he found another outcropping of rock, this time on the south side. Stepping out to rest he looked down into the gloom. The water kept going.

“Brian…I should go check that out.” So. He untied the safety rope, kept a single coil of 50’ on it for himself, tied his grappling hook to the end, and walked on into the darkness – his light spell leading the way. The group was getting concerned, he had been gone over an hour and it’s been quiet down there. They opted to keep waiting, going through their belonging to make sure everything was packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Yandr looked at Gun’s map and shook his head. “Pretty sure you’re drawing this part upside down.”

The Halfling looked at the paladin from under his hat, brows risen. “I don’t come into your kitchen, boy, and tell you how to make soup.” After Yandr shrugged and walked away, Gun quietly turned part of his map over, top to bottom, and drew on.

Fjord kept going. He was doggedly going on, his great constitution keeping his trudging through the water and gravelly base of the river. He passed another shelf of stone but his spear suddenly went out. “Damn it.” He was in the dark and his infravision depicted everything in hues of blue green and blue – this was cold but he was willing to keep going. At 11:30ish he was 400’ down the river and opted to keep going. The rest of the group was now very concerned.

He moved on and he could see glowing up ahead. Phosphorous fungi like back where he had come from. A shore of rock. And a figure standing there – short but a decidedly heat source. He raised a hand and it disappeared – followed a moment later by lots of gonging sounds. “Damn it,” he muttered again as 2 of them appeared. He threw his spear but it cracked on the ceiling and was lost in the river. He turned and started heading back, the 2 from the shore following a bit before turning back – and the last thing he saw were lots more figures on the shore.

Cara volunteered to go down and see if she could find Fjord. She used another light spell and followed the rope, calling back often what she saw. At 150’ she came to the end of the rope, no Fjord. “He’s not here.” The group discussed lots of options and wanted to eat lunch before coming up with a rescue plan. Cara returned and the group sat on the shore eating.

Fjord’s great constitution was fading as he trudged back up the river against the current in the dark. It was almost 12:40 when he staggered out of the river, crawled up to the shore, and flopped on his back exhausted. Through his gasps for breath, he shared his journey, the shores, and the beach and other figures some 500+ feet away.

We let his get his breath and talked about it. Hrimvir would carry Gun, and Cara would carry Nevah – the gnome and Halfling too short to risk the fast moving water. The rest of us used up most of Hrimvir’s remaining spell slots – getting more Endure elements so the entire party was protected.

As for Leggy, Fantas, and Neal – this is where they bid farewell from Cara. They do not swim, have avoided this river for 5 years, and have tried it before. The cold makes their legs and feet hurt, go numb, then they fall over and risk drowning. They wish the Duchess well and after getting their belongings, wait on the shore to wave goodbye to the group.

We walked into the river @ ten after one and started walking along. We stopped briefly at each dry space before moving on again. The distance moved on behind us until about 5 after 3, we came to the beach and looked around with care. The area was big, 60 by 50 easily, 20’ tall ceiling in places. An alcove was on the east side where a crude alarm of crossed beams and hanging metal pieces hung to be smacked for alarming. Right now, no one was here. At the south end of the cave, there were 2 passages, easterly and southwest.

We decided to take the alarm gong apart. We cut the ropes and took the metal pieces to the river, tossing them in so the water would take them away. There was a fetish marking here, usually reserved for clan holdings. It was not goblin and the group suspected kobold. We know there are some down here and they know someone was in the river. Where they are now, we did not know. Icemonth the 18th, 2:20 PM

Meet 134, Adv 16, 9/13/25

Birthmonth the 10th, 289 of the 29th age. After making sure that all our larders were full, equipment purchased, items fixed, clothes cleaned, and training done, the group sat down and truly looked at their place in things. Right now, they had about 4 and a half months left to shut down the last 2 rifts, and one of them was in the Stronghold of Donnegarten – which we knew where it was. So we were ahead of the game.

With Godric’s passing, we had the Staff of Beetles that he had that only Shim could possibly wield, but given the size of it and his height, it was unusable by him. According to the map of the Ranadi Ympie that was given to us by the Kaiser, there were places in the ancestral gnomish homeland of Nightwoods that do not exist in our time. According to Twilick, Sparkhouse is the magical powerhouse of the Nightwoods Kingdom. So the thought was to go there (plus it’s important to Shim to see his homeland before the Theocrat takes over in 130 years or so) and sell or trade the item in question – and maybe see if there is anything we can do or be a part of.

On the 11th, we boarded the Zephyr’s Windshade and set sail from Bork Keep on the Spelljammer heading eastward to Borbute – the place where Wilhelm was from. We rose to 1500 feet in height and enjoyed the view and breeze. There are a series of inns the resthouses that the Kaiser reimburses the owners for putting up his envoy’s when they are out – and Twilick said that we can stay there or look for anyplace else if we want – but the costs would be on us.

The air was damp with the promise of rain and by 10 it was falling – big fat spring time drops which set Eoghan off. Luckily the gasbag kept most of the falling water from us but it was still a miserable trip. As we followed the road, we could see the Enderlyn River south of us and then beyond, the currently blasted lands that had been scoured by the Chaosstorm a month and a half ago.

The River widened and eventually the delta spilled out to the Borbuta Sea – a massive body of water that reached far south all the way to the kingdom of Daro. As for Borbute, Wilhelm was agog. The place was easily half again larger than in his time – most telling – the entire Wood Elven enclave north of town just wasn’t there! It was an arboreal forest but no elven settlements.

Shim was drawing it as best we could and eventually the ship landed. We were met by the dockmasters as we looked out. The airship docks numbered 12, and the sea faring docks had 2 or 3 times that number not counting the smaller piers for the skiffs and sloops. Tons of goods and passengers make their way from the tremendous sea port in all directions.

Some of us went shopping, Wilhelm took a few of us to places he knew in his time and outside to what would be his home area. A few elves were there, husbanding trees and organizing timber processing – but no expectation of any expanse of elven settlement. Captain Asher, Darius (and Rhygar), and Shimlagesh all opted to find their own place. Eventually settling on a 4 story fancy entertainment hotel known as “The Castle”. They arranged rooms, picked bathers (age and race), and enjoyed a wonderful meal while the local musician entertained everyone on the harpsichord. After getting a great night's sleep and some pleasure, the groups all reconvened the next morn on the 12th at the Windshade and we set off by 9:30 heading eastward.

We arrived at Ashak, another massive port city. This one does most of the trade from Orjam to the north where the quarries there send worked and unworked stones to Ashak for production and shipment. We once again stayed here at another inn sponsored by the Kaiser and on the morning of the 13th, the weather broke and we were off by 9 am.

According to Twilick, we could stop at Kontak, a small trade post town but with little amenities or press on but arrive after nightfall by Bypass, just outside Nightwoods. We opted for that, knocking a day of travel off and we enjoyed the ride. Shim had a question about Bypass. In our time there is no town north of it, but here a larger city known as Timberton exists as well as others.

Twilick told us that the 6 Peace Compact divides up the resources of the entire Ympire and dictates which race provides the larger portion of goods (40%) – gnomes volunteered for Timber and Wood products. So Timberton processes most of it for the Gnome King Mombi who then sends his required portion westward to the Kaiser.

We arrived at Bypass late, almost 8 PM, rested in the Inn there and were on the way by 9ish on the 14th. We took off and again hit 1500 feet. To the east we could see the massive green of the NIghtwoods – oaks, elms, and pines. Twilick let us know that we would be intercepted once we passed over the borders and Nightwoods Border and Protection would issue all of us (not Shim), travel visas. We had to make sure they were on us at all times.

3 strikes. 1st strike was 17 noble fine and a few hours incarceration. 2nd strike was 17 crowns fine and again incarcerated. 3rd strike was expulsion from Nightwoods, and wizard marked to prevent reentry for 17 weeks. The other rule was at no point should a non gnome start a physical altercation with a gnome. Ever.

Sure enough, by 11:30, 2 fast moving Spelljammers bracketed us between them, grapples were set and we were winched close. The Captain on Deck quizzed Twilick about his mission, and then had us all sign a visa. A special pen was employed that pricked the skin and we were making our mark in blood. This meant that visas were specific to each person and you could not use another persons. After they left we continued on towards the capital city of Nightdale.

The city of Nightdale was sizable, beautiful, and fairly large. The clearing was 3 by 3 and a half miles. Roads ran out like spokes of a wheel and concentric circles surrounded the city. We settled at the airship docks and disembarked. Getting directions from Twilick to the Hotel district, we let the gnome captain know that we would be here a week or 2. He was going to give his people shore leave and on day 3 (the 17th), would send a Message spell to Shim to get a heads up on when we wanted to take off again.

We walked through the main street. It was very wide, 45’ or so, and a set of mine cart tracks ran through the center of it. Many gnomes were about as well as some other races: human, elf, Halfling, orc. We also spied the odd stranger race. Fairies abounded here and there, and even a 13’ tall cherry Treant walked by. We heard some rumbling noise behind us and coming up the track was a set of 4 long carts, the first 3 holding seats, roof, and partial walls, room for 30 in each cart, the last was a baggage cart. The scent of ozone was strong and the wheels ground fast, sparks and discharging lighting flying about as the cart whizzed by at 15 mph and went off to the north.

“What the …?”

Asking the populace, it was a Lightning Cart and they circled the city. Stations were roughly every 10 minute intervals and a ride was about 50 minutes all around. Ride was free and there were a total of 5 of the Lightning Carts here in Nightwoods. Both Shim and Nate desperately wanted to ride one but we convinced them not until we got a place to rest.

We settled on the Suds and Foam, a hotel that catered to tall folk (not every place did). We talked to the Proprietor, a gnome named Madan. It started with Sir Darius looking for a room but when he heard that Asher was Captain Asher, the talk turned to the half elf. How are things at the front. Starlitzian Lizardmen and our encounters with them. And a big thank you for the Captain’s efforts and his service to the betterment of the Ympire. Asher ate it up and Darius was disgusted.

We got a room and after making sure that we had a chance to eat, we split up. Eoghan and Wilhelm were going to head to the south end of town where the city map showed various druid encampments. Shim and Natewere going to head off to the Upper class merchants area and see if they could find a magic seller. The rest of us were going to stay at the Suds and Foam and then rest.

Wilhelm and Eoghan walked south and then to the grove area, each of them taking their animals with them. Quickly they were surrounded by lots of other druids and rangers and the like. Including Centaurs. And more treants. And some seriously touched druid companions. We had the chance to meet with one of the organizers, a druid of the 6th circle named Gabin. He was pretty open with sharing the way of things after verifying the two of them were indeed ranger and druid.

Besides the Gnome King Mombi, there were 3 other powers in Nightwoods that share the rule. The Star Prince, the leader of the Fey. High Lord Sturgeous, Leader of the Centaurs. And Rootqueen Floraline, leader of the Forest (and treant). Mombi is not a very effective king. He is disliked by the populace and his edicts are strange and poorly thought out. He has 3 queens – 2 of them are cousins – one is his 1st wife, Loretta, and she runs many affairs of state. The 2nd is the Underqueen Aria, also a cousin and she is responsible for birthing children for the line. They have 2 so far.

The last is something new. Referred to as the Vicequeen, right now it is Tensia. She is the 3rd Vicequeen. The first one quit/retired after 2 decades, and the second one died. He picks them from the populace and they are Vicequeens because their job is to put up with King Mombi’s…vices. Which are said to be sexual, degrading, and sometimes violent.

We talked to the people for a while about Lathandar and at one point, Wilhelm was asked point blank about his blue color. He spoke of Shakak, Lord of Winter and the locals were pretty stoked to hear the visitors from afar and their stories. They ate and drank and eventually a unicorn, Lady Amalthea, came out of the woods and after talking to everyone, wandered up to the duo to speak with them.

They were blown away. A unicorn, right here. She asked questions about Eoghan and his missing hand and his adversity and getting over it. Then she turned to Wilhelm and asked more questions about Shakak. And they lead to other questions and stories. Between Wilhelm and Eoghan, they ended up talking about the Inserrat, the Cree Negishi, Hiawatha, the red and black brothers, Buffalo, Thunderbird, coyote, raven, and all the stories and things they had seen. The audience was rapt in attention and the Lady Amalthea thanked them both.

She did say that if Eoghan wanted the chance to get his hand back, a unicorn’s horn could regrow lost limbs or even bring back the dead. The cost is high and the magic great, but for a price paid, she might be willing to help.

She bowed and left and we were a bit of rock stars as the Lady Amalthea spent so much time with us. They burned a few hay effigies and the bonfires burned high. Alcohol was plentiful and smoking was encouraged. We did have a conversation at the end of the night with a gnome named Bevian. He was pretty stoned and identified Eoghan’s Lexi as a hellhound but quenched. If we wanted to fire her back up, kill a fire elemental and then cut out the heart and feed it to the hell hound – that should restart her fires.

Um thanks?

And for Wilhelm – Lord of Winter? Shakak? Needs to get something for it. Latent magic and all that. Need to kill a Frost Giant and then cut out its heart and eat it. Yeah – that’ll do the trick.

He got up and left, and Wilhelm did note he was wearing a druid disk but it was all colored in and had 3 concentric circles around it – fricking Hierophant druid – nothing higher. Was he fucking with us or telling the truth? Who knew!? They wrapped up and headed home by 1:30 to the Suds and Foam.

As for Shim and Nate, they walked to the nearest platform and waited for the lightning cart to arrive, which it did about 6 minutes later. They got on, excited, and inadvertently blocked a gnome from getting off. He was crass and muttered constantly. The two friends were rocked back when the cart took off, shim had hands up and yelling 'whee'. They looked about and got a heads up. Two engineers were on the roof with what seemed to be a set of rams horns, slowly pouring a drop or two at a time into an open funnel which in turn powered the wheels and sparked it off. Also, there was some sort of repulsion magic because anyone on the track ahead of the cart were shunted safely to the side before the cart could accidentally hit them.

stopped at the merchant’s district and walked up to the upper class area. Rug shops, loom makers, crystal ware, high end furniture, boots and cobblers. No magic shops. They wandered back to the station platform and got on, riding the Lightning cart around the city. Seeing others drinking openly, they stopped off at the next station and went to a local bar. They got a bottle of honey wine and a Shim lent his mug to Nate to get it filled with ale. They got back on another Lightning cart and enjoyed the ride, the gnomes, the speed, and Nightwoods.

They did see at the east end of town a different hub with a set of cart trails heading off to the east outside of the city. They asked about and learned that between the cities, there were also Lightning Carts that plied the roads. Good to know, it meant we could hit Foxmill and then eventually Sparkhouse and not have to take Captain Twilick for a ride. Cost was 1 crown for the rider, and 1 noble for each companion animal, child, or baggage material.

They got back to the Suds and Foam, met up with the rest of the group already there, ate well and we all went to bed. At some point we had to let Eoghan and Wilhelm in but we all rested. The next morning we all shared news about our day and agreed that a trip to Foxmill was merited now. Lightning carts went every 2 hours, next one was 10:30.

We paid our fare and rode east to Foxmill. The intercity lightning carts went faster – maybe 20 miles per hour. There were also 2 sets of tracks – one going east, the other west. At the half way point we passed the other Cart heading to Nightdale. By 12:30 we were at Foxmill. Foxmill is run by the 2nd most powerful gnome and gnome family – Dweval Bleach Foxian. Unlike King Mombi, he is well liked and he uses his influence and money to make the local gnomes lives better.  12:45 we were on the Lightning cart south to Deerwood, arriving at 3:45. Then at 4, we had the last Lightning Cart from there to Sparkhouse.

A food seller was plying the carts and a few of us took advantage of it. He had skewers of meat cooked and salted on a stick, and a flat naan type of bread rolled into a tube and wrapped in wax paper, filled with cooked and steamed vegetables. We ate well, a few of us thinking this was a deconstructed version of a gyro.

Sparkhouse loomed out and we arrived. There was no trees in a 4 mile radius circle around the town. Numerous towers, some squat, others tall, reaching 60’ in height abounded. No birds. Nothing flying. But in the center of town, a spire, starting at 40’ diameter, it rose up higher and higher, tapering to a point 300’ above the ground. The group leaned down to Shim to ask him about it and he shook his head.

“This entire place does not exist in the future. I’ve never heard of it. And in no place does that tower exist.” We also noted tellingly, there were no airship docks here. The Lightning Cart was rolling to the platform at 7 PM on Birthmonth the 15, 289 of the 29th age.

Meet 133, Adv 16, 9/6/25

Plantmonth 27th 9:00 PM, 289 of the 29th age. The group arranged to rest after a few of us had conversation with Steward Scotar Bork of Bork Keep. We expected to have some time here to rest and relax, a few weeks at the minimum. Many of us had felt our skills had improved and we needed to take the time to hone them.

In no discernable order, the group availed themselves of Bork Keep and what it could do for them. Unlike in our time, the lands around Bork Keep had a number of homes and crafting halls about the exterior of the stout walls, making it bigger than a town but smaller than a city for our needs. We took to visiting the shops when our days allowed us to, purchasing items now and again.

Shimlagesh took to visiting the Keep’s magister, an elven practitioner named Stehian Longmeadow. Shim not only wanted to study up and make sure he was well versed (rose to 7th level), but also the option for doing some spell crafting. Stehian, and his main apprentice Hamysh, were happy to help. Being there was a place to study and books to refer to, Shim would not be recreating the wheel so to speak, but it was still going to be a serious amount of funds.

Over the next 2 weeks he and Stehian and Hamysh worked on his magic missile spells again and again and again. Incorporating what he had seen the Speaker of the Sun do by infusing it with glass, he was able to put his own spin on it. Eventually the effectiveness of the spell outgrew its former rigid boundaries but to Shim, the cost outweighed the simplicity of it. From now on, Shim’s spell would be encompassing a kaleidoscope of fragmenting hard candies, making it do extra damage as it tore through the air.

Nate wanted the opportunity to hang up his halberd for some time and dive deeper into the world that Keira and his creche were a part of. Being out here there were no thieves guilds per se, but there were a group of scouts and agents that Twilick was able to guide the human fighter towards. A meeting was arranged with Duwastis, the main agent of the Southern Colors, a paramilitary group of gnomes, halflings, and humans who have made a number of forays across the Enderlyn River and into Starlitzian Lizardman territory.

He had to prove himself amidst the group of 30, eventually getting the nickname Swivel, bestowed upon him by one of the senior agents, Barry, a reminder to Nate to watch his surroundings all the time and keep his head on a swivel. The days were long and the missions mock or serious were difficult, but Nate learned a lot and honed skills he already had to a finer degree, eventually getting a membership scarf and admission to the Southern Colors Scouts.

We also had a conversation with Desmond (who did NOT know us in this time, 202 years in the past and has no idea about the diamond). We learned about the thoughts and portents of the Norns. The lack of true future site. The weave and trends. Desmond wants to make sure the group succeeds in what they are trying to do because according to the few nuggets he’s gotten from his daily divinations, their successes means his successes.

Desmond did bring a Speaker of the Dead, a Helian priestess named Timuryl Berylsdottr. She looked over godric’s body and was able to cast a speak with dead – getting us 2 questions and some conversation with the fallen wizard. He thought it over and wanted the group to use their 1 charge from the rod of resurrection for someone else. The group and its mission is more important that his specific life. Someone like Shim who is running the diamonds, or Darius or Connal who’ve been at this longer than anyone else. Or Eoghan who has gotten over so much adversity and keeps the group moving on. He also mentioned that Nathaniel was a friend who came out of no where and let him know that he would be missed. He mentioned that if his stuff was still back at home, Nate who started with nothing was welcome to all of Godric’s riches. And then his soul moved on.

And Captain Asher was frowning. Why wasn’t he mentioned? Seems he was left out. Someone did say that maybe it was because the Captain didn’t do as much as he could when he could but the matter was dropped for the most part.

Speaking of Asher, he brought the magic sword Doombringer to the Keep Smithy where he was directed to talk to Master Smith Hegenan. The middle aged orc looked over the weapon and whistled. This was a 5 or 600 year old heirloom elvish blade and needed lots of work to fix. Crafted of meteoric iron it was going to take time and funds (over a thousand) to repair. So Captain Asher haggled and traded the weapon in exchange for a set of field plate, scored black and festooned with colored piping and accents. Happy with his efforts he showed the group and Darius visited the smith with the Ankheg plates, getting a promise of a custom set of armor in 2 months of the plates.

And finally Darius, the fighter, talked at length with the Steward who directed him to Captain Felstone Wolvesbane, Cavalier of the Order of the Radiant Shield. The Half Black Orc took Darius in, the Steward willing to stand for him, and had him ride out after picking a steed to borrow. They rode across the country side (actually passing into Grymeria, or where it would be in our time, trippy!) talking about the knightly order, needs and wants, and what it means to actually take the spurs.

Darius worked hard for weeks, showing the Order (110 active members in the rolls) that he was able and capable. Eventually the time came that he was welcomed to the cavalier order. A ceremony followed where he took the knee and pledged himself to be a knight, noble and true. He arose afterwards and was welcomed to the Order.

With all we had done it was now Birthmonth the 11th and we could go to the next rip for the diamond (The Stronghold of Donnegarten) or since we were so far ahead of time, we could take a detour. We opted to go and visit the Nightwoods, the ancestral home of the gnomish kingdom. It was going to be between 6 and 8 days by airship but we wanted to go and take a look around.

2nd Campaign, Session 17. 9/2/25

With Derrywinkle the 3rd’s death, the remaining berserkers (currently eating the dead Derrywinkle) proclaimed that Cara, who had been identified as Duchess not 10 minutes earlier, their leader for now. So we talked to them for a bit, getting a lay of the land as well as some of Derrywinkle’s managing style.

There were 7 of them at 1 point, had been sent here from Jector to scout a place for a keep 6 plus years ago. Instead they followed some goblins they had captured and tortured to this place where they had been told great treasure was.  They pissed off 2 witchy women by taking their vegetables and laughing at them, getting told they would find their riches but then die there never to leave.

They did find the monastery and eventually got into a protracted battle with the goblins before falling down to here. 1 of their members had died in the combat. Then they explored around here for a while and lost another member and most of their magical weapons and armor and items in the Cave of the men who eat men.

There was a Monster in the dark that hunts but they avoid it. A corridor with giant flies and big maggots. They had a decent idea of the layout of many places but never found a way out. Derrywinkle figured it was either in the cave beyond the monster in the dark because there was a deep pool of water there. Or it was in the second octagon room where a corridor leads to an underground river but none of the berserkers could swim and never wanted to risk it.

We ate dinner and rested. The Berserkers seemed to have a distrust of the group (maybe mostly Gun.or not, hard to tell). They were Cheese, Leggily, Fantas, and Neal. We each took watches and made sure that at no point were the berserkers alone being up without one of us.

It was the next day, Icemonth the 17th and we discussed going to the Cave of men who eat men and get the magic items there. Yandr tried to get more information out of them but Cheese didn’t have much more to say. “They are men. Bad men. And they eat other men!”

We pulled the gate back and left the Berserker’s area. We wandered up the northeastern hall to the pool where we refilled our skins. From there it was back to the octagon room and we took the western door. It was an hour of slow walking and mapping. Passage went west, meandered north and then south, west some more and then a long slow passage north, north east. Eventually the passage came to a 4 way split.

According to Cheese and the others, the cave of men who eat men was to the west. The other 2 to the east, the south east one went to an area where there were a handful of bugbears who had been down here a year, and the north east one went to an area where sweepers were sometimes spawned from (Sweepers? We guessed it was the gelatinous cubes).

So we headed west. The passage widened and the smell of unwashed bodies and raw meat began to permeate the area. Bits of bones, trash, and garbage were on the floors and near the walls. The ceiling was slowly rising and the floor had a slope to it. Eventually the passage was approaching 25’ wide and running south and then west. The ceiling was 14’ up, and Nevah assured us the slope ahead was subtly steepening. Also, the effluvia from the rotting meat was making an oily sheen on the ground, meaning down is ok, but coming back up this way would involve some slipping.

We decided to find a place and drive a piton into the wall. Hrimvar had a couple of lengths of rope that he was going to tie together for us to make climbing easier up and down. However, on driving the piton, it made a hell of a lot of noise. Which had some screeching noises coming from down the corridor ahead of us. We drew up at the top of the slope, weapons out, ready to fight.

And coming around the corner were 4 man like figures. They were dirty, scabrous, mostly naked and had long nails. Two were loping across the floor, a short word and shield on their back – and 2 were running at use – across the damned ceiling. And each of them had a crossbow dangling on straps there. “Are you guys seeing this?!”

And then we fired. Gun and Nevah let bolts and arrows fly – at the ceiling running ones. And they were batted aside with ease. And in one case. . one was actually thrown back AT the party. “Are you SEEING THIS!?!”

They were also fast. Faster than most of us. Nah – we broke, running away. Hrimvar and Cara scooped up Nevah and Gun and we ran as the ghoulish figures were hooting and shrilling screaming behind us. Eventually at the 4 way split we ran a bit down the southeast corridor until we were sure we were not being chased and finally rested a bit. “Forget to mention something to us?” Yandr asked with anger.

“What? They were in a cave of men who eat men!?!” Cheese replied, hands pointing. “What did you expect? Derrywinkle always told us to just move on and accept the items were lost.”

“Whatever.”

We voted quickly and decided to take out the bugbears. “Straight fight. We’re good on fighting bugbears now”. We kept walking down the passage that traveled a bit to a “T intersection. Across from us in the “T”, was a cave. Cheese pointed to it and said the bugbears used that cave as their home. A detect evil got nothing. So we risked crossing and taking a look.

Definitely a warren. 3 bugbears would stay here, right now they were gone. We were thinking of messing with their stuff but decided it was best to leave it alone. So at the intersection, we could go north to the faint vinegar smell and maybe the sweeper area, or south which should take us back to the octagon room according to Gun. It was about 11 and we opted south. Sure enough, Gun’s map was right, we came out of the northeast door.

We broke for lunch and went over plans.

The thought was to go back to the other octagon room and go down the hall that had the evil behind it and maybe a secret door. So by 12:30 we were on the way. We took the south door around and past the corridor with the water. Then from there we followed the long sweep until we arrived at the other octagon chamber. We squared up to go through the south door when Cheese stopped us.

Listening he mouthed “Ogre” and we knew there was one down here. So we got our weapons out and were ready. The door opened and the ogre was there – not expecting us. It took a 2 count of arrows to the face, then a spear, sword, and a variety of other weapon hits. It was staggering and tried to shake it off, swinging its maul around to attack. But we were ready (and got initiative), and really tore into the ogre, killing it within a minute and a half. We went through its belongings (a few coins), its weapon was too big and awkward to use, so we headed down the hall after dragging it a bit out of the way.

The hall was very long and ended some distance away. The north wall was obviously a different type of wall (smooth, not rough) but no one could find the secret door (we all failed again). So it was sledge hammer time. We beat and smashed at the wall, chipping it and cracking stone. Yandr tried to point out the best place to hit it and the swingers admitted to hearing him but not striking that section of the wall.

It was 2:30 when we finally smashed through the mechanism, breaking it, and forced the door open. And it was back at the Berserker’s lair. “Are you…”

Cheese and Leggily looked around. “Huh! Didn’t know this lead here? Neat!”

Gun was checking his map and nodded. “Yeah. This makes sense. I can see how that passage led here.”

Yandr was incensed. “And you didn’t think to mention this before we walked all over the damned place?”

“Son, mapping isn’t always an exact science.” Gun lowered his hat and gave the paladin an up and down glower.

We figured while here, we’d take a look at the lair of the monster in the dark next. Gun and Fjord were going to check it out but Nevah wanted to come. “Can you walk quietly, boy?” “Yep!” “Brian…are you sure?” “Sure can. I’m Helping.”

The 3 of them went, and halfway down the hall after Nevah made his 5th inadvertent noise, they tried to get him to stop but he demurred. They were sure that something wasn’t there now, but infravision showed something big WAS just here and went south further into the cave. They headed back and we discussed it with the party.

We agreed to go together, weapons out and ready. Down the hall we went and then racing out of the dark was a 1600 lb ursine with a twisted beak and huge eyes, covered in diseased looking feathers. “Ah!!” Fjord screamed, falling over unconscious. “A bear! And an owl!” Even Thobar was frozen in terror.

It ignored our first missile attacks and took less damage from the blows that did hit. It swept its claws out and tore into Cheese, then its beak ripped his chest open. And as he was bleeding and screaming, it lifted him up, hugged him, and ripped him in half, showering itself and the entire front 2 ranks in the berserker’s blood and entrails. “HROO HAA!!”

Round. 2. Icemonth the 17th, 3:31 PM.

2nd Campaign, Session 16. 8/19/25

It was quarter to 7 on Icemonth the 15th, 195 of the 30th age. We discussed our next steps and figured we did not want to risk getting into a fight here and now. So we retreated to the room with the Giant Shrew. From there we returned to the octagonal chamber. The eastern door was open, a spear was jammed under it, and someone had drawn an arrow on the wall. There were also 2 dead goblins here, obviously killed from the fall.

We listened, heard nothing, and figured we’d try and remove the spear and then head east, following the goblins. Removing the spear was…pretty much impossible. So we instead followed the passage. It went east, looped around to the south and then west again, sloped for a bit, and there was a goblin camp here. Lots of crap on the floor, old food stuffs, marking and signs. But it was obvious they had moved on.

So we kept going and ended at the end of the passage – a dead end. We looked all over for a secret door (found none), and figured we’d camp here. A few of us went back to the goblin area down the hall and drove 2 pitons there. Then we tied a rope there with a few pitons wove in it as an alarm. Then we returned to the end of the hall, set up a rotation of watch, and slept.

It was Icemonth the 16th when we woke up. Healing was dispensed. On a lark, we checked over the wall and found that there WAS a secret door here, on the north side! Going back to our trip rope trap, we disassembled it, and then opened it up. Required some strength to get it to budge and a few attempts, but we managed to shove it high and look in.

Oval chamber, 20 x 45’ ish crude. And a number of dead stirges in here. 8 or so. It appeared that 3 of them were bloated from whatever they had attacked, but all had been slain. We guessed the goblins did it. Hrimvir pointed out that 8 stirges would be a challenge for us but the goblins had defeated them. Our guess was 15 or more goblins at least so we were at the ready. We went to the west end of the room and this time, found the secret door there with ease. By 8:50 we had it open and were heading on.

Passage went south and was curving east, Gun felt it might link up with the Octagon room at some point. There was a passage heading south but a vinegar smell was in there air. Plus we thought there was something ahead. Hrimvir outfitted one of the skeletons with a torch and sent it ahead. And it walked a short distance then stopped. Its torch went out and it seemed to be hanging there as its arm was dissolving away.

Nope. Back up. Now. Whatever was devouring the skeleton was coming after us. We went back to the secret door and ran in. We could either go out the other door or another plan. We shoved all the stirges to the north end of the chamber and waited. Whatever it was came to the secret door, and oozed through, changing its shape to fit. It was indistinct to make out, but 10 x 10 cube of some gelatinous material scouring the dungeon floor clean. The skeleton inside was almost entirely gone. And it was coming for us. Moving very slow, but coming.

We dumped a flask of oil on the stirges and set them alight – the light and heat changing the attraction of the scouring cube. It instead went after the carrion and we ran past. Yandr threw handfuls of coins at it to mark its edges. We then took the secret door and pulled it down, trapping the cube here.

We paused for a bit so Hrimvir could animate his last pile of bones (dwarven), and we were ready to go on by 9:30. We arrived at the side passage south and we had a few choices. Head east to what Gun was sure was the octagon room, head south and west, or head south and east. We discussed it and decided to head south and west for now.

Corridor went west and south, slowly pivoting east and angling down for a while. The distance passed behind us for a while until almost 150 feet away we came to a door. Fjord listened and was sure the door was not locked, trapped, and nothing behind it.

We voted to go BACK to the 3 way and check the south and east passage. So we walked the way back, turned to the new passage, and followed it. 20 paces and it turned north to a small cave with a pool of water on the east side. Cara tested it, convinced it was pure water and not tainted. But it was deep. We lit a stone and dropped it. 12” down? But nothing down there.

We went BACK to the long passage and took it to the eventual door. Where we opened it – to show a room 30’ octagon with 8 doors here.

WTH?

Ok, it was another octagon room, not the same. Gun was sure it was south and east of the other one. Also, we were sure there was no passage down here from above. We spent the time and listened to each one. We could discover 2 things, the east door had some hissing sound behind it, and the southeast door felt like moving air. A piece of paper at the bottom to test it out – east door the paper rippled out towards us and was damp. Southeast the paper was sucked tight to the door and floor. Ok, moving air on the south east. We wanted to wait on that one. The east was something else.

We narrowed down some ideas and went to the north door. It went north and drifted east, 40 paces and then turned sharper east. Also there was the same heat and hissing we heard from the eastern door. A faint slope up and then a “Y” intersection. Could go south to a passage..or east and north to a glowing chamber.

50, 60’ oval, a chasm on the north end of the chamber. Steam vent, billowed out rhythmically every minute. Superheated steam filled up 60% of the chamber and then cooled. A chest/box was a bit more than halfway across the chamber, a few chains wrapped around it. We figured to check it out but did NOT want to get burned. So we attached 2 grapples to ropes, gave them to the dwarven skeletal servant, and Hrimvir instructed it to enter the room and then place each grapple around the chain on the box. It would allow us to drag it back. Good plan!

It walked in, came to the box, but a 16’ long grey and red stony carapaced lizard burst out of the chasm and bit the skeleton in the midsection! Bones snapped and ground. And then it vomited up 6 points of lava mucus dissolving the center of the servant. “Go! GO!!” We ran away from the lava lizard and back down the hall to the octagon room where we shut the door and rethought our plan.

“I see the north and east corridors are done then,” Gun said, marking them off his map. We then decided to go to the north east passage after eating lunch. By 12:45 we opened the door and went in. Corridor went for a bit to the north and east, 70’, sloping down as it did so. It then turned northward and then back to the west. A section opened up to a sleeping area where it looked like an Ogre (our best guess based on size, smell, and druid’s estimation) would come and bed down. We left his stuff alone and kept going.

Corridor took a meandering path west, south west, and then south and south east – ending up BACK at the octagon room, this time the northwest door. “So I’ll just mark 2 more off my map, a’here.” Gun said, giving the group a side eye. Southest (some moving air), South, or Southwest. We voted south and checked it out, opening the door.

Passage went south 20, 30’ and then turned west, where the dusty and webbed passage went west (with a faint occasional nudge to the north) for hundreds of feet before it came to a dead end. “Brian! Ok people, let’s look for a secret door here.” The group spent some time looking and found…none! “There has to be one here.”

We busted out a sledge hammer and were talking about beating the north wall until it opened up when Yandr decided to detect evil – and got a ping! It was muted through the stone so no detail other than a definite single obvious evil being – 20 to 30 feet from the wall. We decided instead to NOT make a butt ton of noise and headed back to the Octagon room again. 2:25 PM. With 2 choices left, we went to the southwest door. Passage went southwest and then west for quite some distance but after 15 minutes of walking, Fjord decided to look for traps, just in case.

And found a pit trap! 10’ down, spikes at the bottom. Yikes! We got it to hold open and seeing a skeleton of some long dead guy down here, Hrimvir wanted it since we lost 2 just recently. So Cara with a rope was lowered down and she gathered the bones in a box. Then we came out and went back down the hall to the Octagon room again.

“There are a few doors in the 1st octagon room we didn’t check out,” Gun offered. “We should go look before opening the last door here,” Yandr suggested. So we left here out the west door and took the long walk all the way back to the 3 way split, and then east to the original octagon room at a bit after 4 PM.

Looking the map over – we had north, north east, south east (we had looked there and then returned), and southwest. So we decided southwest. We traveled along, the passage sloping down a bit, turning south, and the southwest. And we could hear voices again ahead. It was the same bersekers we had heard yesterday. Gun and Fjord said the passage past their chamber had continued so it must end up at this one. 5 of them and we did not want to risk it, so we turned and headed back to the Octagon room to discuss either another passage or find some place to rest soon.

While talking the door opened and the 5 berserkers had come, following us here. There were all men, human, tall and thin, looking like demented Vikings in rags and ruined armor, holding makeshift weaponry and appearing wild eyed and dangerous. The leader was wearing a crown made of a broken wine cask and sporting a filthy purple carpet as a cloak. “I am King Derrwinkle the Third! Lord of the Undercommon! Who are you !?!” The other 4 seemed barely restrained ready to attack.

We all dropped to one knee and genuflected. Yandr and then Cara took point on talking to the berserkers, placating them and admitting they were hoping to help out and be part of the kingdom. Cara offered the king some wine and he almost cried. Drinking it down he was thrilled and proclaimed her “Duchess of the Underland! Bringer of wine!” The others all cheered and Gun was vibrating. He took out some of his contact poison, applied it to something for the berserker to eat or drink, and Derriwinkle inadvertently poisoned himself, choking and gasping before falling over…Dead.

The others were stunned and we were expecting a fight (a few dice rolls later), but the others turned to Cara and proclaimed her their new ruler. “It’s what Derriwinkle would have wanted. It’s better this way.” They adorned her with the dirty carpet and looked over Derriwinkle. “May we?” they asked her, pointing to the body.

She nodded and the berserkers then tore Derriwinkle apart with their bare hard. Stuffing raw human meat into their mouths with wild abandon and practically bathing in the blood. “Meat! Meat!’ Waste not, want not! Bless our new Duchess!”

It was ten after 5, Icemonth the 16th, 195 of the 30th age. And we had 4 crazed berserkers at Cara’s behest.

2nd Campaign, Session 15. 8/5/25

Icemonth the 15th, 195 of the 30th age, 3:36 PM. Combat spread all over the room, two of Gavin’s personal guards were holding shields and protecting the hobgoblin king. One of them threw a spear into the combat, blasting the paladin, the shaft covered in red and black rune flames. The eagle continued to tear at Gavin who reached up and pulled the offending avian from his face, screaming at it as he ripped it to shreds.

The goblins had managed to get one lock engaged and the party outside squared up and charged the door, hoping to bash it open. They bounced off the surface and drew up to rush it again. Carl stabbed out at the locals, hoping to spread the damage and Hrimvar and Yandr were struggling to keep the hobgoblins back.

Finally the door was forced open and Hrimvar stepped into the breach to block it with his body. Gavin drank down a healing potion and Gun and Nevah fired into the room. Cara noticed that Thobar was looking back and asked what’s up. “Um… there are a lot of goblin voices. Coming this way.”

“Damn it”. She turned to the group. “IN! Let us IN!”

“OUT!” Yandr was yelling back, beset on 3 sides and bleeding hit points. “Out! Let us out!”

“More goblins coming now!”

Fucking hell. The group tore into the goblins at the door, sieving through cracks and spaces in the fight, getting swung at but holding their best. We pushed and shoved, swords and spears firing. Altas shot off another sleep spell and it took more of the offending goblins in the room down, allowing us a brief respite.

The hobgoblin guard with Gavin, his spear was enchanted and returned to his grasp, and he hurled it again, ripping into the fight. Bugbears swung and hobgoblins splintered their own shields. We could hear goblins in the hall getting closer and we managed to slam the door closed as arrows and quarrels flew into the room, shoving the locking bar down. Out hit point totals were dropping. Gun called for aid, and Thobar charged over to help.

And then Carl went down with a scream, knocked to the ground and moved to 0. We could hear fighting on the other side of the door as the goblins there tried to bust in. We were whittling away the enemy and when Thobar got to Gun, the Halfling didn’t need any healing. “Seriously?!” He then turned and ran off to help Carl.

And as the fight was going on, Gavin broken his morale and ran off the throne. His two guards went with him and he went to a secret door on the south wall, poured inside, and slammed it closed.

“What in Maglubiyet’s name?!?” One of the bugbears fighting us cursed and pointed. “Really!? You COWARD! You abandoned the throne!? One thing we never do it leave the throne and you ran!?!” They had no interest in fighting and we sort of sidled into a parley situation. Group was agreeing that we should stop for now. Goblins MUST have a king brave enough to sit on the throne at all times and Gavin has now made them kingless. Need a new ruler of the Ahshit clan and Moray Vaco could commune with Maglubiyet to help make it happen.

All hostilities cease for now. (Which we needed, there was a horde of goblins outside the door and we were almost out of everything). But Nevah took a different stance and went to kill a goblin. So the two bugbears hocked back and hurled their battleaxes at the gnome fighter. Knocking him down and killing him. “Cease means STOP!”

We used some elixirs to get him up, made peace with the bugbear (Leader here was named Auhjo./ Auhjo Ahshit), figured we had an hour or so. He would talk the goblins down, set up a conclave with Moray, there would be talk and a vote, and then they’d return.

As for Gavin? Kill the fucker, he’s a coward and fled his one job. They picked up a dead hobgoblin, placed him on the throne, and let the group know that by law, a goblin must sit in Maglubiyat’s chair. Auhjo then went to the door, convinced the goblins of what happened, and left (over 20 of them). We shut it behind him, locked it again, and then went to the door Gavin was behind.

We tore it open and had a fast fight with his 2 guards, killing them. While the coward king drank a potion of gaseous form and sieved up and out of the room through tiny cracks in the ceiling. We scooped up all the treasure in here, sweeping it into the bag of holding while the rest of us looked over the rooms in here – bed and guard chambers. Including the 2nd of Aine’s tomes!

 The goblin body in the throne had been dumped out and Nevah the gnome sat in there, surveying the place and muttering imprecations against all goblin kind. Eventually it was decided that we should take what treasures we had and make for the entrance – OR at least Moray’s area as if the goblins were all in the temple area discussing what was to happen, that place would be empty. Either way time was ticking and we had to go.

We left the throne room, down the long quiet hall, and then made the turn north where all the graffiti was. Something happened through,, the entire hallway pivoted down rapidly, and the group slid at a rapid pace 60’ down, through a spillway corridor, and ended up in an octagonal room! 8 doors out of here, and no way back up as the corridor then pivoted back up, leaving us trapped a full level down.

We took stock of ourselves, noted it was getting late, and then glanced down all of the 8 corridors. They went off in the distance, two of the southern ones had a slope to them, one going up, the other down. Eventually we decided to head down the northwest one. Passage went for a while, sloped a bunch, and ended up in a triangular shaped chamber with a mass of leather and other soft goods on the north end. Something was in there. We tossed some rocks – and it had shrews in them. Like 75 lb giant assed monster shrews.

Nah, no thanks. We followed the passage south and east from here and then ended up east. Passage went on and we could hear some echoes and lights ahead. Gun and Fjord went down to investigate – a bunch of crazed looking half starved people genuflecting to one acting as a king. At least it was an enclosed area that we could try and hole up in. It was quarter to 7 on Icemonth the 15th, 195 of the 30th age.