Looking over the booty, Myna examines the gems,as well as counting the gold and silver.
Namfoodle searches for the caged owl, and releases it from its bondage if he is able to.
In Forestspeak "Be free, little owl."
Day 4, Monday Afternoon, approximately 2:30 pm (turn 75)
When Namfoodle is freed he advances into the other room. The large barn owl, nearly half his size, eyes him suspiciously.
Speaking soothing sounds, and moving cautiously, the gnome opens the large cage and encourages the owl to escape. Eventually the owl hops out of the cage and then hops a few more times to stand in the middle of the room, but it goes no further than that.
Meanwhile, Myna begins counting the coins in the chest, and discovers that there are 500 gold pieces and 600 hundred silver pieces in the small chest.
Earlier that day, in the Black Village, a young Halfling enjoys the hospitality of the Loamstone Hovel, and meets (I hope) a young half elven woman and a young human male. When the Halfling questions the Kobolds, again, about the dangers of the Mountain, Mortie grins, a peculiar thing for a Kobold and says
To Flint,
Dude, man I don’t know, but like, sure there’s a ton of stuff you probably need to know, only, like I don’t know what it would be, oh, I mean other than watch out for the goblins. They're mean, and I think they’d eat a little guy like you for sure.
With at least that completed, Namfoodle composes himself as best he is able and returns to where the others are.
"We should likely rest before returning to civilization... or where is it you all are going?"
"And the soldiers! The sold- heh..." Flint's stern face breaks into a grin again, unable to keep his sour temperament with the silly creatures talking to him directly. "The, uhh... Soldiers that came through here not long ago, to work on the watchtowers. You have to know something of them, right?"
Nah, heard about them, but they didn't pass here the last time. See, they come from the west, patching up the towers as they go, and then when they reach this part of the range, usually, they come in for a drink or two, and a night's stay in Copper Hole, then they set back out for home by way of the southern route, sort of a big circle they make, but you know, they didn't come by this way. Last time they were due through here was over a month ago.
appraise gems
The wood elf enters the Loamstone Inn with a bow slung over one shoulder and a backpack. She wears simple clothes of undyed grey wool and has bare feet, and and her hair is pulled away from her face and knotted at the back of her head, with a long ponytail hanging to the middle of her back. She scans the room and takes an empty seat near the halfling.
If the barkeep is annoyed when she asks for a mug of boiling water, she doesn't seem to notice. Anyone watching her closely would see a natural athletic grace in her movements, and there is a calm about her that hints at a spiritual history.
"You look like a man who's looking for adventure," she says to the halfling, with a glance at his weapons and armor. "I am Jade. I, too, am seeking to test myself."
Flint is dressed simply, though he bristles with weapons. He scratches his shaggy blonde hair in irritation when the elf takes a seat near him. He raises an eyebrow at her comment, his expression of dwarvern dourness cracked by his inner halfling curiosity.
"I'm a man who has found adventure, but doesn't yet know how to walk up and ask to buy it a drink." He stares at the elf a moment, unsure what to make of her. "So, lookin' to test yerself, you've come to the blackened husk at the foot of a mountain of horrors, eh? Do all elves become suicidal when their self-esteem wanes?" Flint tries to provoke more information from her through insult.
When the tall humanoid asks for boiling water, Lorelei brings over a porcelain tea pot, and a small cup
Did you ask for boiling water? I keep a large kettle on the fire all day. Did you want it for tea? If not, that's okay. Oh, and if you'd like we have a hot cinnamon and orange pekoe tea imported all the way from Alodoa if you want to try it. It'll rock your, um, oh, wow, so you must have already had some.
"That sounds perfect, thank you. I always enoy having my um rocked," the elf says to Lorelei with a smile. She grins at the halfling, and replies drily. "I've no idea what happens to elves when their self-esteem wanes. I had heard halflings were a pleasant people. Perhaps you'll be better company once you've found your courage."
Flint is mildly distracted by Lorelei's menu of Alodoa teas, knowing of the land his parents came from, not much more than that.
Jade's comment snaps him out of this, however, and his wide eyes turn back into a stern scowl. "Found my courage? I've that in spades." he responds, more sullen with his personal conflict than offended. "Tis a plan I'm missing, elf lass."
He takes a gulp of his brandy and sighs. "I was never good at the plans..." Flint confesses. "But I know they're important... It just doesn't feel right marching up to a place like this without a good... PLAN!" He gestures importantly with open hands at this last word, trying to demonstrate the gravity of this idea. With that, he collapses moodily back in his seat, and looks at the elf with a very unhalfling-like expression of dark contemplation.
A breath passes before he shares a bit more of his problems. "You, uhh... Haven't seen any soldiers around when you came through, have ya? Maintaining the towers and the like?"
She nodded thoughtfully, glad that they seemed to have moved past insulting each other part of the conversation.
"Plans can be good," she murmured, considering the words of her teacher at the monastery. Any elf may follow orders in battle, but a true warrior will fight on when the chain of command breaks down. "They often unravel when put into practice. How are you at improvising?"
"I don't recall seeing any soldiers," she adds.
Flint cracks a smile at the elf. "Are you asking how I think I am at improvisin', or what others have said of me? I think I'm great at it!" Wink
The door of the Loamstone swings open as a tall, gaunt Alodoan man sweeps into the establishment. Dressed in black leathers that also suggest robes of some kind, he wears a wide-brimmed black hat that leaves his face in shadows and a rapier at his side, the man's most intriguing detail is the gleaming gauntlet on his left hand, covered in strange runes that glow slightly. He strides forward to the bar and speaks in hushed tones with one of the kobolds for a few moments, then gestures questioningly to Flint and Jade. After another moment he nods and pulls out a pair of gold coins. "Thanks for your troubles, and a glass of Alodoan red if you have it." With that the man sweeps his cloak behind him and approaches the table.
"My salutations," he says with a bow. Now that he's close you see he wears a black scarf that hides up to his eyes under the hat, leaving almost his entire face obscured. "I'm told that you are seeking to voyage into the... Well, I hear that you're looking for adventure." The man gives a grin that's more of a grimace. "I'm a scholar of the arcane, and I would accompany you on your journey."
Meanwhile later that day, in the Palace of the Vampire Queen...
Day 4, Monday Evening, after Sunset, approximately 7:30 pm (turn 118, turn 6 of 6)
As Myna counts the coins in the chest, and Morgrym gathers the coins from the belt pouches together, Namfoodle comes back into the room just as Gwen takes a seat on the floor and says,
In the Palace of the Vampire Queen
Well, that was unexpected. So, where are we, exactly, and what is the plan? I mean I know how I ended up in this dungeon, I was sold to the goblins, thanks again for resquing me, but I’m still not sure I know where we are or what you all were doing down here. Oh, hello again Namfoodle, I thought you had left. Seems the bandits captured you in much the same way the hill giants captured me. They were probably going to sell you to the goblins as well, good that we found you before you got dragged deeper into this, um, whatever it is
Jade laughs at the halfling's honest self-appraisal.
"Perhaps waiting for a plan is the wisest course, then," she smiles. Then the man in the gleaming gauntlet enters. Jade watches curiously, and raises an eyebrow as he comes to join them.
"It is true," she said. "I, at least, am seeking adventure. I would not presume to speak for the small one. I am Jade."
Flint has lost himself, starring openly at the gleaming gauntlet with a look of absolute wonder and intrigue, all traces of his dwarfish temperament gone. When Jade speaks about him, he snaps out of it. "Huh, wha? Seeking. No. Already..." his gaze drifting back downward to the shining runes. "... Already... Found..."
Kayne stares at the pair before him and catches the drifting gaze of the halfling. With a cough and a jerk of his hand, he wraps the gauntlet in his cloak and brings it across his abdomen to pull the fabric around him and hide the artifact at once. "Already found. Indeed." Wonderful. I'm looking to venture into unplumbed depths in search of forbidden knowledge, and I'm sent one with words as pointed as her ears and another with as much wit as height.
The man sighs and takes a deep breath. "Well. It is gladdening to know that I've found at least one adventurer. My most enchanted pleasure, Jade. And am I to take your comment," he turns to Flint, "to mean that you've found the site rumored to be located nearby, and not simply that you've an overt fondness for others' baubles?"
Flint shamelessly looks up at the guy after he hides his fancy hand. "Huh? Oh, yeah, s'pose so. Except for the rumored site, I mean. I'm looking for soldiers, but figure they've probably wound up... Up the mountain. Just trying to think things out before I head up and start hollering about for them."
He finishes off his brandy, letting the last drop fall onto his tongue before placing the cup upside down on the table, and cracking his neck with a sound like straining wood. "Well, mister magic. What site is it that yer looking for exactly?"
Jade nods graciously to the taller of the nameless strangers.enchanted pleasure my n'alaquel... She watched the two speak and smiled at her own quirks of thought. The halfling's unpleasant facade had quickly crumbled into a charming confusion, which she found she trusted more than the MJ's pleasantries.
"Perhaps if we all spoke plainly of what we knew, it would save us stumbling around blind, conversationally," she said. "I have seen the soldiers smallfry speaks of, though not for many months. They patrol this region fairly regularly. If I know why you sought them, I might be able to help you find them."
Namfoodle returns to the owl, and asks him/her? what he/she? knows about the area... (in forestspeak)
Flint tenses when Jade speaks of having seen the soldiers, but relaxes in a slump once more with an "Oh... when she states how long it had been.
He thinks for a moment, missing (or not caring) about the remark of his height as Flint contemplates other things. He looks between the two strangers for a moment.
Well, who knows. Maybe one of them will have a plan? Couldn't hurt to show your hand. He gazes at the covered gauntlet of the mysterious figure, and smiles. People with secrets always have need of plans!
"Alright, I'll start!" Flint says, scooting forward in his seat while interrupting anyone who happened to be already talking. "Lorelei! Could I get another brandy, but half of it one of the teas you were talking of? Yer choice."
He turns his attention immediately to the two at his table and continues. "Names Flint. I'm from a lot of places, but one of them is Nyonunum, Westish from here. When I showed up last, they told me some people had gone missing, a group of maintenance soldiers that patrol this area, including the daughter of the Wulfenheims. Said I'd check into it. Haven't seen a thing, nor have the kobolds and they seem to know quite a bit... I imagine they've got involved in whatever dangers occur up the mountain."
Looking over the bounty received and thoughts drifting towards his retainers waiting for him just outside. Morgrym, the pig faced dwarf noble looks at the knife ears and the gnome. I know we have urgent business and all but perhaps we should head to town a bit or at least send my staff for supplies.
I’ll tell you what I know, but it isn’t much. Her name, I’ve heard, is Panglleduur, a name given to her by her Grandmother, but the King and Queen called her Edelweiss Gherscheeme, or Edelle, names that mean such sweet things parents image such as, a gift of the purest white, or our white gift, nonsense names of the kind most girls grow out of quickly. But not her. I’ve never seen her, but I’m told she is quite beautiful, young, fair, with hair as white as virgin snow, and eyes of golden brown. I understand she is young, for a Dwarf, not even a quarter of a century old, or as the Dwarfs say, Midenvult, or between, which means she is young enough to be still considered innocent, but old enough to know better, eh if you know the subtle nature of the Dwarfs and their closeted promiscuity.
Waglinde chuckles at what must be some personal, inside joke, and continues, Now, as to being rescued, if the stories are true, you might have a chance, though there are few who would believe it. You see, for centuries the people have moaned and groaned about the blight on this land that is the Vampire Queen, who is she, where does she come from, how can she be destroyed. I’d sing you a song about her, but once you’ve made that mistake, you learn not to do it again. The Dwarves take their misery very seriously, and this evil is not something to be taken lightly.
She takes a tall glass in her hand, and the man sitting next to her, a grey haired, slender, very old but still handsome man, fills the glass to near the top with dark red wine. Waglinde sips, sips again, then takes a deep drink of the wine, and then she makes a serious face and says, Now, it goes like this. Children, if not watched carefully will disappear, particularly in the hills and in the mountain villages where the goblin’s steal them for food and to sell to deeper, darker things as slaves. How do we know this? It is not easy, but a goblin can be captured, with luck, and questioned, with patience, but more than that, there is something that very few Dwarves like to talk about. The Dwarves, the people of Baylor, are not the only ones of their kind. You might ask yourself if there is an explanation for why the Dwarves are the way they are, their stature to be sure, but also their ability to see in total darkness, their love of the stones and rocks, and their knack for getting around in caves, why do a people living in palaces on the cliffs above the sea need to have these traits? It is because once the Dwarves lived deep underground, and for one reason or another they moved into the light, or at least some of them did.
That’s a lie, A voice calls out from the corner of the tavern. When she speaks, all heads turn to look in her direction to see if she will say anything else. She is an old dwarven woman, with a patch over her right eye. She is bent over a small table, and a crutch is leaned against the wall at her side. She looks toward Waglinde, her face sad, but firm.
Waglinde lifts her glass toward the woman, and says, If you believe it, it can be so.
Then, Waglinde turns back to the three adventurers and whispers, It’s an old gnomish saying, the dwarves don’t like to argue with old gnomish sayings, bad history there.
Anyway, Waglinde goes on in a normal voice, Where was I? Oh yes, underground, the underdark, they call it. Waglinde leans forward until her chin is only inches above the table, and holds her wine glass high, next to her head. She grins, and it is a playful and at the same time a sinister expression, as she lowers her voice and begins to speak slowly.
High in the mountains, above even where the fog can reach, there are places. Dark, old places, older even then the stories of the Vampire Queen. Places, the legends say, that were once cities, cities of a different kind of Dwarf, a kind of Dwarf that shunned the light of day, and lived not only in the perpetual darkness of the deep places of the world, but also they lived in the deep darkest places of the heart, making slaves of other races, doing dark magic, and living in the protection of dark gods.
Once upon a time, a Dwarven hero, unlike his people, came out of the darkness, out of the underdark and out of the evil of his kind, and brought with him those who sought to make their race equals to the people already sharing the light above the ground. He was called Bayl, and his kingdom came to be known as Baylor, and for all of his generation, and the generation of his sons, and their sons, war was fought between the Dwarves who came above, and the Dwarves of the underdark, until one day, when a son of Bayl rode deep into the depths on the back of a Silver Dragon, the dark Dwarves were broken, and scattered across the underdark their dominion over all the dark things there forever broken.
Waglinde shoots bolt upright suddenly, her face brightening, and she shakes her long tresses, and gulps another drink of wine, When the children go missing, some of the more honest will say, it is not only because of the blood thirst of the Vampire Queen and her minions, but it is also because in the underdark, the desire for vengeance is deeper than the Lake of the Dead. When the Dwarven Queen was drowned in a terrible storm centuries ago, and when her body was carried, by her loyal followers, her ladies in waiting and her royal guard, into the mountains to be buried in what was to be a great and lasting monument to the triumph over the dark past of the Dwarves, who then could have known that that tomb was going to be the tool by which the beaten ancestors of the Dwarven people would enact their revenge upon the Dwarves who choose the light.
Meanwhile in the Palace of the Vampire Queen…
Day 4, Monday Evening, after Sunset, approximately 7:30 pm (turn 118, turn 6 of 6)
The small band of heroes decide to take a well deserved rest, while Namfoodle approaches the barn owl with a question
The owl, standing on the floor facing away from the small gnome, turns its head slowly, and answers him, in a fashion
Well? Nooooowwww what am I supposed to do? I’ve been locked up here for, well, I don’t know how long, ages, ages. And you want to ask me what I know about the area. Well, I’ll tell you,
The owl hops on its feet until it turns completely around so that its body is facing Namfoodle, and spreads her wings
There’s a wall over there, and over there and over there, and they have holes in them that sometimes open. That’s what I know. I DON’T even know how to find my own way out of here.
After seeming to be angry, the owl then goes on with a different sounding hoot, one that sounds almost like crying
Eh, eh, bwa, I’m lost, lost and alone in a box made of stone, bwa.
Then she gets angry sounding again
And you, yoooouuuuu! Think I’m supposed to be happy, do you, well?
Then she calms down a little and says
Wait, I’m sorry, okay, wait. There I’m fine. My name is Samangrunhilde Durchwin, but I used to be called Sam, by my friends in the village of Apple Grove. Who are you?
Namfoodle nods sadly, in agreement. "Shame on those dwarves for keeping you caged up like that. Animals should be free. My name is Namfoodle Daergyl, and you're welcome to come with me until we can get out of this place. There may be some combat, and it might be dangerous, but we aim to eventually leave, at least I do."
He attempts to pronounce his name in the most owlish way possible.
Kayne sighs and grabs a chair or stool from a nearby table to sit down next to the others. "I've come to find the Palace of the Vampire Queen." He pulls down his scarf and you briefly see some heavy scarring around his lower face before he tips his head and the hat hides his head. After sipping the wine, he continues, still with his face hidden. "Any dungeon with its level of history and mythos must contain powerful relics of a forgotten age, as well as forgotten arcane lore. A veritable treasure trove of the ancients' eldritch secrets."
He sips his wine again and replaces the scarf before looking up at the others. "I need to find them. You seek adventure. It seems we have a common goal."
Day 4, Monday Evening, after Sunset, approximately 7:30 pm (turn 118, turn 6 of 6)
Morgrym takes - 1 damage
Gwen takes - 5 damage
After a short rest, the party of adventurers, Morgrym, Amon, Myna, and Namfoodle, gather around the small chest and decide what to do next. Morgrym begins to wonder what conditions might be like outside now, as keeping track of time without the movement of the sun is impossible.
Leading the group back through the secret tunnels, and then back to the entrance, Morgrym is surprised to see that it is night, and the sky is cloudy. The Dwarven lord is delighted to see a small campfire, just a short distance away from the entrance, and he recognizes, in the darkness, the form of his small band of retainers, but he can see they are not alone. There are others around the small fire, but from this distance he cannot tell who they might be.
Approaching the retainers with a friendly, but authoritative call, as to not startle them, he begins to wonder if it is safe to camp so close to the Palace, and immediately he realizes his dilemma.
It is too dark to navigate the mountain path back down to the Black Village, even with his Darkvision, it would be impossible as the risk for becoming lost is too great. The special vision of his kind is useful, below ground, or at night in a camp to avoid being surprised, but it is no good if you need to identify landmarks to guide your way.
There seems to be no choice, and the party must either camp here, on the mountain, tonight, or light a lantern, and try to find the way back to the Black Village, or even more risky, venture back to the Bandit lair and camp there for the night.
Meanwhile, in the Black Village…
Day 4, Monday Afternoon, approximately 4:30 pm (turn 82)
When the matter is settled, The three newly acquainted heroes go over what they know about the Palace, exchanging stories told in the places where they are from.
Lorelei serves a meal of hot stew, seasoned with spicy peppers, turnip, and radishes. And the heroes make sure they understand the route, asking Mortie once or twice more to explain about the trail that leads up the mountain. Before the evening gets away from them, the three decide to head out.
Sometime later, the group, following the narrow trail, emerges onto the flat broad area in front of the doors to the palace just as the sun is setting in the west, and there they find a small group of three dwarves huddled around a campfire. The dwarves are enjoying roasted carrots and plum sauce from jars spread on hard bread, one of the dwarves (a pretty young woman) stands and greats the group of travelers.
Hold, good travelers. We would welcome you to our camp, but have been told that many strange travelers can be met on this mountain. State your names and your intentions, and know that though we are but humble trades people, we are armed and are in the service of a noble who would revenge any harm done to us. My name is Kristyd Strakeln, and these are my friends, Hans Klorgenspolk, and Deter Wiest.
Flint greets the dwarves happily, and other would notice him talking with them in dwarvern, even if this were to exclude others from the conversation (Not out of spite, just out of habit).
He'd attempt to pick their brains about the missing maintenance soldiers that he is looking for, and offer his own rations to share if they were interested in likely food below what they themselves are eating.
When the emerge from the dungeon.
A heavily armored dwarf emerges from the depths of the lair. The pig faced noble reveals a balding head contrasted by a thick beard reaching down to his chest, the braids coated in blood.
Hans! The dwarf shouts. Hans!
When Hans arrives Morgrym will instruct him to go to town and by a replacement weapons. Something bigger than a warhammer (a Maul) take the ponies and make it quick. He includes extra money for supplies for the camp.
Myna looks around surprised at the camp, and the other dwarves.
"What's all this now? Who are these people?"
Jade takes a seat at the edge of the clearing and listens as the halfling speaks to the dwarves in their language, understanding little other than the tone and attitude of the speakers. When the others emerge from the dungeon, she rises.
"I am Jade," she says to Myna. "I have come from Cipenny, where a friend had a dream of a relative being held in a dark cave in this area. Perhaps this cave."
The Petulant Barn Owl follows Namfoodle out of the Palace of the Vampire Queen, and promptly exclaims (in a language Namfoodle can understand, but is not exactly a woodland creature language)
Finally, free, free at last! and then takes to wing in the darkness
An instant later, there is a crash in the trees only a short distance away, and the voice of the barn owl is heard by Namfoodle exclaiming
Son of a …
No one bothers to answer Gwen’s question, and she begins to wonder about the quality of the people who rescued her.
When Morgrym gives Hans instruction to go to town, he looks cross-eyed at the Warpriest, and whispers to Kristyd
What in the bloody hell is he talking about? I can’t travel to Cipenny alone, in the dark. Is he injured, perhaps he was hit in the head. I’m going to bed, maybe in the morning he’ll be able to make sense,
When Myna ask who everyone is, Kristyd Introduces Everyone
Greetings, sir, I am Kristyd Strakeln the steward of House Rumnaheim, and a retainer of Lord Morgrym Rumnahein, the dwarven warpriest standing right beside you. I know he can be taciturn, at times, and perhaps he did not tell you that his retainers were camped outside of this dungeon on the mountain, waiting for him to return from his mission to rescue the dwarven princess. I see he has met others on his mission. I am here with Hans Klorgenspolk and Deter Wies, we are from the Village of Savounburg, to the east and north of Cipenny, where the estate of the family of Rumnaheim is located. We were just joined here this evening by three travelers, let me introduce them
She points first at a Halfling, This is Flint of Iron, from Nyonunum, a small village west of here and he is looking for information about a group of missing dwarves who do maintenance on towers in these mountains, with him are, She points at the Elf and the Human Miss Jade Feather from the west, originally from Plum Tree Village, and Mister Kayne Aetherax of Alodoa.
She indicates a few small sacks near the fire and then says, [b]It is going to be a cold night, and I fear it will be impossible to safely make our way back to the Black Village in the dark, so if you have a blanket or a bed roll, please come and join us by the fire, I’ll have Deter and Hans Gather more firewood. We have plenty of food to share, thanks to the generosity of our lord. We’ll hear your names, learn who you are and where you’re from, and then Lord Rumnaheim can tell us what the plan will be for tomorrow.
When Kristyd is finished talking she looks past Namfoodle and asks him, [b]Does that owl belong to you friend Gnome? She seems a bit confused and perhaps injured.
When Namfoodle turns around he sees the Petulant Barn Owl hoping closer to the group, bits of twig and pine needles imbedded in her feathers.
"Greetings." Kayne dips into a small bow toward the dwarven lord, and then returns to standing with his gauntleted hand resting on the hilt of his sword, the other picking at dust and dirt on his clothing. "We too have come to plumb the depths of the Vampire Queen's lair, and seek what forgotten relics of yore might be found."