Lacking Natural Simplicity

Where things where

Bartha asked Gertie about a witches. She had heard of a practicing witch in the marshes around Riverton, but reports say that the witch is evil!

The mayor has been directing defenses. We asked about a hermit south of Masonburg and he guessed that was Old Hermit Goldsmith — he was the finest gold smith in Riverton, moved to Masonburg, then moved south. It has been a decade or so since the Mayor has seen him.

Hammer & Block will man bridge bridge defenses while Brock supervises new defenses for the bridge.

Axe & Bow will ride with Sheriff Artair, they will be south of the bridge (3 miles, about halfway).

Afternoon: Droston is not surprised by a mountain lion. He & Polonius kill it.

[From the fellow who escaped the goblin attack?]: They discovered tracks in and around the new mine, followed them into an ambush. Rain of missiles, then 2 huge hobgoblins with huge axe & huge hammer. He observed that they could see in the dark, and they targeted torch bearers.

The village is mostly stone buildings with slate roofs.

Oh, What do we do?

30th: We checked with Sheriff Artair, and got a briefing on the defenses. He wanted us to patrol.

On Day 3 there is an attack by 3–5 goblins at the bridge.

It takes Onchu 5 days. [for what?]

Be back in 2 days.

The Tomb of the Dwarven Hero is not far from the bridge, just a mile or so.

Back in Trouble Again

After 3 hours, not even to new mine, we heard goblins up ahead, making no effort to hide.

Looks like they have had a little camp here for couple of days, moldy bread. We attacked them, unfortunately without coordinating our attack effectively. One of the goblins was dressed in strange black armor with spikes all over it. During the melee the strange goblin spit acid at both Bartha and Onchu, wounding Bartha's face and Onchu's neck.

Eventually we killed the rest of the goblins and the strange goblin sped off faster than anyone could follow.

Friends in High Places

Whaler Appleby came bringing a message: the Lady of the Valley asked he speak with Bartha & her friends.

We noticed that Whaler's quiver was stocked more than usual.

Whaler told us that Nigel (the brownie) was recovering. Whaler gave us (specifically Bartha) a necklace with a gem that glows. He lead us south and up the valley wall, in places we've never been before, though we've lived in the valley all our lives. Large stream cascading down, 1 mile west & much higher, underbrush forms a tunnel stream flows through. We crawled a long way through the beautiful stream/tunnel, necklace brightening up in the shade, until it opens up into a small level glade by grove of beautiful trees (300 yards by 300 yards or so). The glade is surrounded by steep cliffs.

The Lady of the Valley told us that goblins are pouring forth from an ancient fissure to the south, thousands of them. They will kill and eat everything in their path, and they are heading to Masonburg.

She told us we might have a chance if we can make allies with the woodland elves. She said that she knows Bartha has a good heart, but the others must prove themselves by doing a task for her.

• To Droston: you must find a Sprig of the Blue Orchid, which can only be found on the grave of the most heroic heroes of legend, and bring it to her. K(Nature): Blue Orchid — cannot grow in sunlight, gets its energy from heroism.

• To Onchu: you must learn to dance with the fairyfolk. F.F. are known to have dances in glades.

• To Polonius: you who have been cruel & callous … must make amends for your crimes & take all that you have and give back to everyone you have wronged. [Didn't have to give up clothes, weapons, or tools, but did have to sell his armor and give away all his money.]

The enchanted necklace with the gem turns on if you touch it, and off if you touch it again.

We waited for dawn, then Polonius and Droston started down to begin their tasks.

During the day Whaler made up love poems and brought Bartha honey.

Droston's Task

Droston headed to the Tomb of the Dwaven Hero, and down into the tunnel. Eventually it came to a flight of stone stairs that lead down 10 feet or so into cold black water. He removed his armor, put his candles and fire-starter in a waterproof sack, left his lantern hanging on the wall, and swam through the passage, to find another flight of stairs that lead up to a tunnel that lead into a room with Dwarven runes carved on each flagstone of the floor, and an inscription on the left hand side of the tunnel, just before the room that read: “Those who know me know that I was. Those who need me know what to use.”

In the center of the room was a sarcophagus.

The room was circular, with mostly square flagstones. The following is the layout of the runes on the flagstones, roughly transliterated from the Drawvish, with the entrance tunnel from the bottom, at the G & H runes.

[–25 XP to Bartha for M.A.H. apparently blurting out the solution; T.K.B. was too flustered by the puzzle to even notice.]

Droston was flustered by the puzzle (and T.K.B. was over-thinking things way too much), and as he stood looking at the room he heard a whoosh, and the air turned bad. Evenually he started out along the runes H—A—M—M—E—R—S. he worked his way along the flagstones, if he hesitated there was another whoosh and more poison gas was released. Once he finally got to the last letter there were no more poison gas releases.

On top of the sarcophagus were growing the Blue Orchids.

Droston respectfully told the Hero's spirit of his task, and took a Blue Orchid and carefully put it in a watertight sack with some of the mossy stuff that it was growing in. Then headed back to the Lady of the Valley.

Polonius's Humble Pie

Polonius talked to Sheriff Artair about the eggs on chair, manure in saddle bags, itch powder in bed (which Artair allowed had upset his wife considerably), … how many nasty tricks did Polonius play on Sherriff Artair, anyway?

Polonius sold his armor and repaid the dozens, if not hundreds, of folks he's stolen from or beaten up or wronged.

Onchu, Bartha, & Whaler go to the dance!

Whaler said the wine the centaur gives is Elven blossom wine, which is very rare, very potent, & brings out your true nature.

Drink & Dance, Drink & Dance, Drink & Dance. Satyr said one last pull, Drince & Dance, everybody started dancing along with Onchu — most harmonious dance, Onchu felt at one with everything. Then he collapsed and slept the rest of the day. Bartha and Whaler partied the night away and end up very good friends.

Next day Onchu had no hangover, but noticed that his hands are longer & more slender, and now his skin had a slight greenish brown forest hue and his scar was almost covered. Bartha was asleep with Whaler tucked up close. Onchu looked in the pool and found that he looked like an elf (he's now essentially a half elf-elf: +4 to sneaking in woodlands, low light vision).

Onchu still looks like Onchu, but a more handsome, elvish Onchu.

Back to the Lady

• Droston was given a pair of goggles with darkvision (taken from goblins?)

• Onchu was told “glad you are one of us”!

• Bartha was told she was “one with the fairies, too” and was told to keep the necklace.

• Polonius was given a stunning shirt of chain, made by elves!