The griffons nod at Nigel and give a loud grunt, then get back to feeding on the horses.
However it is nearly dark, so the party goes a little more distance, away from the griffons territory before they stop for the night. Nigel as he uses the potion of keep watch, sees that the hobgoblin prisoner looking around at his surroundings and the forest.
The following morning, the party sets off in the direction of Longshadow.
After about 1 hours of travelling, the ground starts to rumble and shake as two huge hulking, roughly humanoid creature of dirt and stone explode up from the earth, faceless save for two glowing gemstone eyes. The party recognizes them as Peat and Loam.
They rumble at the party.
Weren't you supposed to be out of our territory?
Peat and Loam rumble at Nigel, then they sink back into the earth.
See that you get yourselves out, then.
The ground begins to rumble as an armor-plated creature with a toothy maw emerges from the ground. A fin-like dorsal plate rises between its shoulders.
It tries to bite Nigel with its toothy maw.
Nigel is caught by surprise and savagely bitten by the bulette.
Claire starts screaming in fear, "Aaaahhhhh!"
Nibbitz echoes her screams, "Eeeeee!"
Ben yells, "What the hell is that?"
Danny and Albert give gasps of shock.
Fabia and Edward stare at the bulette, stunned its sudden appearance.
Gren and Fenton moves to get around the bulette. "That would be a bulette. Stay away from it." Grenwold moves to the north side of the creature and takes a bulled glaive swing.
Swift (Grenwold) - Bull focus.
Move (both) - move around.
Standard (Grenwold) - attack
"Nigel, back up, I can engage it too." He says as he attempts to thwack the burrowing creature.
Nigel clobbers the bulette while Grenwold slashes at it with his glaive. The bulette gives a ear piercing screech.
Father Noelan sends Cavall around the bulette while he shoots at it, but it bounces off its hide.
Robert five-foot steps away and shoots. +1 Adaptive Comp. Longbow, Point-blank Shot, Precise Shot on the Bulette.
, with Point-blank Shot
, with Point-blank Shot
, with Point-blank Shot
, with Point-blank Shot
Robert sends two arrows sticking through its armored plate and the bulette.
The bulette continues to bite and claw at Nigel, with one claw raking his side.
Father Noelan orders Cavall in to engage, then shoots at the bulette.
Cavall gets bitten on his shoulder trying to get in and bites the bulettes leg, but is unable to pull it down. Father Noelan manages to get an arrow throw a chink in its armored plates.
Nigel pokes the bulette once in its chest and it collapses on the ground.
Nibbitz, Abel, Ben, Danny, Edward and Fabia come out from the bushes they have been hiding in. "Uh... So is that bulette dead yet?"
Father Noelan channels to heal the party and casts inflict light wounds on Nigel.
Enormous salt crystals hang from the ceiling here, glittering in the light of a glowing blue crystal set in an inhuman, insect-like statue in the center of the floor. Mist drifts along the floor of the circular chamber, swirling in the gentle currents of air. The western wall has collapsed into stony debris, but on the eastern wall a carving of a huge, withered dragon’s face leers above a metallic door set deep in the stone.Woven mats made of dried grasses cover the floor, while bundles of dried herbs hang from the walls, filling the room with a pungent grassy odor.
You are Ighiz, Chieftain and shaman of the children in stone. You are currently meditating with your disciples of the earth in the caverns
Female Troglodyte oracle 5(Stone Mystery)
N Medium humanoid
Init +1
AC 23, touch 11, flatfooted 17
Hp – 47
Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +5
Speed – 20 ft
Melee MW rock crystal shortspear +5 (1d6)+1 acid, bite -1(1d4), claw -1(1d4)
Ranged magic stone +6 (1d6+1)
Oralce Spells known (CL 5th; concentration +9)
3rd - Cure Serious Wounds, Dispel Magic
2nd – Masterwork Transformation, Lesser Restoration, Stone Call, Cure Moderate Wounds , Continual Flame
1st – Bless, Command, Cure light wounds, Magic Stone, Shield of faith
0-At will – Stabilize, detect magic, detect poison, guidance, read magic, resistance
Str 10, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 16
Feats: Brew Potion, Combat Casting, Extra Spells known (Continual Flame)
Oracle’s curse: Tongues, Revelations Crystal Sight, Shard Explosion
Skills Intimidate +7, Knowledge Planes +3, Perception +5, Perform (Oratory) +7, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +5, Linguistics +2
Languages known Common, Draconic, Terran, Undercommon,Sylvan
Gear: MW Breastplate, MW Rock crystal shortspear, the rest is none of your business.
Special: You may summon Terbius, the earth guardian as a full round action. He’s going to make you cough up 400 gold pieces worth of martial art manuals as payment for services rendered. And you don’t have enough dosh to foot the bill, so you’ll need to ask your tenants (those surfacers) for it.
The earth has been restless lately and you feel tremors strongly this morning, and it finally cumulates in the earth breaking open to reveal a
pale yellow humanoid has blank, bulging white eyes and gangly arms and legs pulling himself out of the earth, pickaxe in hand.
+1 Adaptive Comp. Longbow on Bulette.
, with Point-blank Shot
, with Point-blank Shot
, with Point-blank Shot
, with Point-blank Shot
Edit: Oh, well. Nevermind.
Startled, Ighiz readies her shortspear, but then holds up a clawed hand as her disciples ready for battle. She hisses, in Draconic, "wait, I would sssspeak first." She never takes her eyes off of the creature, not knowing what to make of it.
She sees that the creature seems to have at least some connection to the earth, and guesses, in Terran, "halt, who are you? Why have you come to our sssanctum? This issss the sacred domain of Onossss. Please explain yourself!" She eyes the creature warily, watching its pickaxe.
"Well done, good on you all listening. Is everyone safe? Nigel, are you feeling okay? I didn't burn up this carapace if you want it." Grenwold looks at Nigel.
He says to their escortees "Bulettes we can handle. We will do everything we can to keep you safe."
Nigel finds its a female bulette.
Another 3 of those creatures pop out after the first one has come out of the hole in the ground.
"Phew, finally got through," The first one replies, wiping sweat off his brow. "Onos is the god of portals, and planes. Not exactly what we worship, since we follow Brighs ways, but also they both are linked to the earth."
"Sorry for giving you a scare, but we can't travel above ground during the day. The sun hurts our eyes." The second one apologizes.
"We are here to trade, one named Nigel told us about a earth worshipping trodolytes . We share a common bond of the Earth. We should be friends."The third one holds out a bag of gemstones."[/B]
Ighiz lowers her spear and sigh/hisses, ”yes, they do that, though usually the visitors arrive from the sssurface. We will trade, as will the softskins above, they are our tenants. They make fine clay items, specialty foods, and we are adept at the creation of these rock-crystal weapons. But... firssst, please come in through a different entrance. There is a flood overflow tunnel nearby that you could tunnel into. This is our sacred space. I would ask that you repair the damage done by burrowing through the floor - we do not have magic to repair such a thing easily. This shrine is our sacred space.” Ighiz pauses.
The other troglodytes all grumble and shuffle off, assuming the creatures help with repairs. ”I do not know much about Brigh, who is he or she? My friend Grenwold has spoken to me of Shelyn, who rules over the air above. Apparently she is not one to get jealous because Grenwold has taken a liking recently to some of Onossss’ teachings. Enlightenment through an understanding of the elements issss all that is important to us. Do others view Brigh as one who rules over the earth?”
"Oh sorry about the intrusion, the bedrock looked the easiest to tunnel through, and you know how water, or tunneling peches take the path of the least resistance," The first pech apologizes.
"We will repair the damage done to the floor, but could you show us to the flood overflow tunnel, so we can take measurements, and come out that way?" The fourth pech asks.
"But if it's the flood overflow tunnel, does that mean that if there is a flood water will go down that tunnel?" The third pech asks Ighiz.
"The Earth is too vast an entity for any god to rule over. Our god teaches us how to value the gifts of the earth, as well as how to best use them," The second pech explains.
"Well that Bulette looked huge..." Fabia looks at the dead bulette.
"What other things are there out here?" Edward asks.
The party notices that when everyone came out of the bushes, they still spot the hobgoblin hiding in the bushes.
Ighiz thinks for a moment, "Yesss, that seems like a poor place, actually. I forget how water worksss sometimes... Let us go upstairs, we perhaps may find a good tunnel entryway. There were some nice deep gnomes that used to visit us - but they indicated that there was an incursion of - amorphous shoggoth things, and we collapsed their tunnel they visited from. You will want to avoid that direction." She gestures towards the old tunnel.
"Would you like to meet the surfacers? They are mostly kind and friendly."
Grenwold says, "There's a few other things, most of which is not actually aggressive, but only because Nigel has a good rapport with most of the creatures of earth. There are a LOT of creatures of earth in the forest, and most are very territorial and hungry. It's very strange."
The hobgoblin sulks at being called out and reluctantly comes out of the bush.
"Ok lets go upstairs after we fix the hole in the ground,"the first pech says as the pechs start filling up the hole."/b]
"We don't mind meeting the surfacers, but would they be able to understand us?" The third pech asks, "There was one of them riding a quadped that tried to say something to us but we couldn't understand him."
"Could it be that they've been chased out of their native habitats by the Ironfang Legion that's why they're that territorial and hungry?" Nibbitz guesses.
"Oh don't be silly, everyone knows that all monsters are hungry for humanoid flesh all the time," Abel scoffs.
Grenwold nods, "Anything is possible, to do a proper analysis we'd need much more data about how these creatures are moving about."
Ighiz responds, nodding, "Let's try somewhere else."
Ighiz points out alternatives on the lower level that aren't sacred mediation spaces.
"We could interpret for you. What did the quadruped look like?"
”How about into the mine? You can come through an area we know had no ore - Terbius has pointed out the especially good spotsss for us. We do not have the funds to summon him, but if you would like to chat, he’s around here somewhere. Maybe he will visit voluntarily if we assssk him for nothing.”
"OK, that's fine," The first pech does that as they take the measurements from their current point to the mine then drop down into their tunnel to fix the damage done.
The hobgoblin comes out of the bush and the party moves on to Longshadow.
At around noon, the city of Longshadow looms into view. It is however not as impressive as the party might have hoped. The roads are wide and well-paved, and the gates are wide open. However the town’s formidable walls are weathered and crumbling. There does not appear to be anyone manning the walls as the party approaches.
"See what I mean?" Nibbitz tells the party.
As the party approaches the gate, a wrinkled bald old man with rhuemy red eyes and a wispy thin white beard manning the gate sation squints at the party, "Welcome to Longshadow. What is your business here so I can better assist you?"
"Nibbitz, isn't it good that we came? Maybe we can help a bit. It isn't a disaster - at least some defenses exist."
Grenwold lets Nigel speak to the gate guard, as he tends to be more charismatic about these things.
"Don't know what Legion you're talking about, boy. We haven't seen any armed conflict for the last 3 decades." The old man replies.
"And the animals and gnomes and hobgoblin. You starting some kind of circus act? I'll suggest the Golden Square. Everyone's free to give performances there and collect tips." The old man says.
"Ah the mayor, he's in the townhall at this time, assuming he's not on his lunch break. He's overseeing the bidding of the rents at market square today. That place is in high demand!" The old man explains.
"Uh huh..."Nibbitz says non commitally. Then she digs her fingers into Grenwold's ribs but only encounters his breastplate. "Ow!" Nibbitz yelps. "But did you hear that? He said we belong to a circus!"
"I think we've got a long way to go," Father Noelan sighs.
Cavall sniffs.
Circus? What the hell? I feel insulted!
"Yeah you just want to go straight down this road until you see a large cream building with a a clock on it. You can't miss it." The old man tells the party.
The interior of Longshadow is bustling with activity. The streets are lined with colourful shops selling a multitude of wares, such as exotic pottery from Tian Xia, Kafe and dates from Qadira, furniture made from Mwangi Ebony, as well as street food of meat and vegetable skewers. The streets are filled with wagons laden goods travelling to and fro to the warehouses as well as townspeople browsing the stores while they chat happily with each other and the store owners.
The party gets to the town hall and finds two muscular humans in white and gold robes wearing a symbol of a flexing muscular arm holding a gold chain on their necks, who hold out their arms to stop the party at the entrance.
"Sorry good sirs and mams," One of them nods at Nibbitz, "But no animals are allowed in the Town Hall."
"Please stable your animals at Sophie's Inn stables first, only then can we let you in." The other man says. "The auction for places in the annual trade fair in Market Square is in progress."
Grenwold recognizes their holy symbols as that of Kurgess. Kurgess is a demigod associated with healthy competition, sport, and physical development.Because the church of the Strong Man has only been active for a few hundred years, it does not put much emphasis on structure and rigidly defined dogma. This makes it popular among those who wish to do good without the restrictions of elaborate ritual or hierarchy. Kurgess is also popular among archers, athletes, entertainers, jousters, mercenaries, scouts, and messengers.
Grenwold winces but tries to put on a brave face. ”Fenton knows plenty of tricks, but they’re mostly related to impaling things.”
When Fenton is prevented from entering the stable, Grenwold nods. ”To be expected, could you tell me where that is please? I have never been here before.”
Grenwold sidles up again after a little while, walking slowly as he is forced to do when dismounted.
"Okay, because last season we had a horse riding dog, so that might be a tough act to beat." The old man says.
"It's the brick building to the left of here," One of them points to a place called, "Sophie's" . Entering the building the party finds themselves in a large cozy looking inn filled with patrons sitting on mahagony tables and chairs filling the air with happy chatter. A stout middle aged woman with blonde curls shouts at the party over the general ruckus, "So what can I get for you today?"
Grenwold approaches and says, ”lodging, possibly? But for the moment we have some animals that need looking after, they’re hanging out outside. The guard at the town hall said we should stable them here, as we have to meet with the mayor as soon as possible. We have a few ... different types. Can you help us, please? For my part, I’ll pay for my large elk to get as close to luxury treatment as you can do - we’ve been traveling hard for weeks.”
"Sure that'll be 2 gold pieces per night, one additional gold piece for each animal you have. It covers both room and board for both you and your animals."The Innkeep answers. "I'm Sophie, by the way and I'll get Joseph to show you to the stables and pens then Jennifer to show you to the rooms."
Joseph is a rather stout young man with a mop of curly black hair who smells strongly of horses. He states at the parties menagerie of animals for a moment before pulling out a carrot from his apron pocket for Fenton, and some jerky from another apron pocket for Cavall and Pila. "Reminds me of the time those Qadirans came. With their camels and cheetahs."
Joseph brings Cavall and Pila to separate pens with a small pool, a shaded shack and some trees. "If they're used to hunting we can supply them with livestock for their meals."Fenton he leads to a roomy barn with a window letting light in, linked to an adjacent field. "Sophie said you wanted luxurious treatment for your animal friends. I could get a groom to give Fenton a massage but I'm not sure if your wolf and lynx would like it.Our herbivore feed is a mixture of alfalfa, oats, soybeans. " He brings Grenwold to the storage shack and opens a bag for Grenwold to inspect.
"Pila, keep an eye on things. I'll be by later."
Fenton gobbles up the carrot eagerly and Grenwold says, ”that’s just fine, Sophie. Much obliged. My name is Grenwold Houtvester, we come from the Fangwood.”
”That looks pretty good.” He asks in Gnomish, ”what do you think, Fenton? Is that good or do you also need some mineral stuff for your earthy parts? Stamp once if you’d like me to ask for a few bits of silver at whatnot, twice if you’d like just that mix.” Fenton stamps twice, shaking his big, ponderous head.
”That’ll be fine Joseph, many thanks. We aren’t so exotic as camels and cheetahs, just folks out of the Fangwood on pressing business. Here’s two extra gold, I’m sure he’d love a nice rubdown from the groom. Don’t get concerned, he’s got a little metallic sheen to him - it’s a long story.” He pats Fenton’s neck and kisses his nose.
”In Longshadow we do have traders from far off lands popping by so we have accommodations for exotic animals. I’ve yet to encounter an elephant yet, though housing one might be a challenge.” Joseph replies. ”And thanks for the tip!” Joseph thanks Grenwold.
The party, after stabling their animals at Sophie’s, gets to visit their rooms which consist of a wardrobe, a writing desk and a bed made out of pine, with white bedsheets on top and a pillow and a bolster. The room is well ventilated with a window letting the sunlight in, though there are heavy beige curtains that can be pulled over the windows for privacy. The brick walls are decorated with paintings of pastoral scenes and the room has its own wash closet attached to it.
After stabling their animals and putting their gear in the room, the party heads off to the townhall, where the two muscular humans allow them in. The townhall itself is filled to the brim with people and the party barely manages to squeeze in.A middle aged man in silver and gold robes, wearing a golden key around his neck standing on the stage at the auction block running the auction, ” We’ll be starting the bid for Slot No.7 of 25 square meters, allotted for the smiting industry at 30 gold pieces, any takers?” Some one in the in the crowd raises his hand and yells, ”I’ll take at 30!”
”Going once…”
”I’ll put in 31 gold pieces!” Another person in the crowd raises his hand and yells.
Grenwold recognizes the holy symbol as one of Abadar.
"Going once..."
A woman raises her hand in the air, "32 gold pieces!"
"Going once, going twice..."
"I'll give 35 gold pieces!" A hand pops up from the crowd.
"Forty gold pieces!" Yet another hand accompanied by a voice pops out from the crowd.
"Going once, going twice..." The auctioneer's voice rings out through the town hall turned into auction, but the price seems too high for further takers.
"Going thrice... Sold to this gentleman here!" The auctioneer brings the hammer down on the stand, indicating the slot sale being completed.
About 10 more slots are sold off this way, before the auction is temporarily paused for a tea break. As the auctioneer steps off the stage, a portly middle aged man with blond hair neatly combed back who is escorted by a half elf with wavy blonde shoulder length hair in a green dress and a stout human with brown hair in a burn spotted apron come to usher the auctioneer off for a tea break. "Good job, Solomon," The portly middle aged man congratulates the auctioneer. "This years tradefair looks to be a resounding success."
"It is my pleasure, Mayor, for does Abadar not encourage commerce?" The auctioneer answers humbly.
"I'm particularly pleased that there have been quite a large variety of ship builders who are setting up stalls this year." The half elf in a green dress adds, "hopefully there will be more boats avilable so we can transport more ore up and down river."
"Yes, more raw materials means that we can make more iron pots for sale," The stout human in a burn spotted apron says.
|
Nigel walks up to the mayor, and bows politely.
"Good day, Lord Mayor. Vould it be possible to have a moment of your time? My name is Nigel. My companions and I have some alarming information zat you need to be avare of, for ze good of ze town."
He then sighs.
"Too many good people have already suffered at ze hands of ze Ironfang Legion, and I don't vant to see zis town experience ze same fate. Phaendar has fallen to ze Hobgoblin horde, as Fazer Noelan, ze local Priest, can attest," he says, motioning to the good Father. "Ecru and Red Burrow have also both fallen. Ze Rangers have been decimated, and Troops of Hobgoblins are patrolling throughout the lands west of the Forest. Vhen ve took-out one of zeir outposts in ze Forest, ve found zis map," he says, pulling it out, "vhich showed zat zey vere interested in Longshadow. Ve zen headed zis vay, taking out targets of opportunity in ze process. Vhen ve took out a ridgeline fortlet east of here, vhere zere vere Hobgoblins, and Harpies, ve found a cache of documents," he says, showing the relevant papers, "outlining a plan for an all-out-assault on Longshadow, to commence 11 days from now. Zey are also massing forces at a number of key locations around here, including a varbeast training camp, nests for vyvern scouts, siege engines, and a munitions depot at vhat remains of Ecru." He then motions for Nibbitz to come forward. "Zis Gnome was being kept as a slave by one of zeir leaders, a Hobgoblin named Dargg, and can back-up what I am telling you, as can zese other refugees," he says, motioning the other former-gibbet-dwellers forward. "Ve also discovered zat ze overall leader of ze Legion forces in ze area is a beast named Kosseruk. Additionally, ve took one of ze Hobgoblins captive, for additional interrogation, if you so vish," he says, gesturing to the manacled Hobgoblin.
"Please note zat I am not asking for a revard - ve have no financial stake in all of zis. All ve ask of you, is zat you take zis zreat seriously, and start to prepare zis town for vhat is to come. Ve vill deal viz zeir rallying points outside ze city, but in ze meantime, you need to vork on fortifying ze walls, making sure vater stockpiles are available (to combat flame), and training ze populace in ranged combat. Longshadow is a great town, and a beacon of hope for zis entire region - I vant to see it stay zat vay."
”We just want to help keep you safe. We’ve been tangling with the legion for weeks. My family is still enslaved in Phaendar, as far as I know. We will give our lives in the defense of Longshadow, if it comes to that, though by the grace of Shelyn and Abadar, that will not happen,” Grenwold adds.