Unaware of their comrades' adventures at the Caves of Night, the remainder of the Company leave the Monastery of the Risen Star only once the repairs to the catacombs are complete. With these done, and all seemingly in order, they set off north. Of all those who have previously shared their adventures, only Ulfgar and Gabrielle choose not to make the journey to the Monastery and beyond. In fact, both appear to have abandoned the adventuring life completely.
As they set out, Anastria as always find many things to complain about. Even the reminder that they travel north for her brother's sake - he is to perform the Spring Service in the village of Camiram, further up the coast - does nothing to improve her mood. If anything it sours it further, but at least she subsides into dark mutters about the 'cult' of Pelor, rather than loudly chastising her fellow travellers.
The first two days of journeying pass without major event, and around midday on the third, the group approaches the Drunk Duck Inn. There they find news of the road to the north. It seems that they near the village of Poisson, where the old lighthouse stands. Twinkle brightens at the news: Sionaas, the bee-keeping wizard, had mentioned his plans to make a home near this town, and the gnome is running low on honey. She enthusiastically suggests that they pay him a visit.
Everyone is agreeable to the idea, and so they ask for directions. They get some, but they also learn that Sionaas' tower is still being built, and the workers often come to the inn around evening, for the meals and cold ale. When the workers leave to return to the site, the adventurers would be able to travel with them, and thus take a swifter route than they might find alone.
No-one seems to have any problem with spending an afternoon in a tavern (what a surprise!), so this plan is adopted.
The only flaw with the plan proves to be that it is a long and rather cold walk to Sionaas' tower, once the sun is long-down. Fortunately, the adventurers are well-fortified with warming alcohol, and do not overly mind.
Arriving at the work site, they seek out Sionaas - who still makes his dwelling in a gypsy-style wagon - and ask about the progress of his work. He shows them some magical candles he has created: one that burns without ceasing, and another that explodes, momentarily stunning anyone standing too close. Anastria causes much snickering by asking for one of the 'blow up candles'.
Twinkle also purchases candles - both kinds - and shyly asks for another jar of honey. Sionaas readily gives this to her, noting that he has far more of the stuff than he knows what to do with.
Borrowing a tent from the wizard's building site supplies, the group pitches it near the other workers, and then sit around with the men, swapping tales around the campfire. The next morning, rising long after the workers have set out, they take breakfast with Sionaas and then go down to view the site.
Most of the work seems to digging, at this time, and Sionaas explains that he intends to open up enough area for his giant bees to build a full-scale hive, before building a tower of stone for himself. It is more important to his work that the bees be comfortable and secure than he himself, and he does not find the cosy confines of his wagon to be unpleasant.
As the group turns away from the face of the diggings, there are shouts of alarm and then a sudden rumble as rocks and dirt cave-in from the ceiling. Several of the workers are completely buried, but of the adventurers only Stormstrider is caught by any of the debris, suffering some minor injuries to his legs. After pulling the elf free, the Company do what they can to aid in the workmen in digging for their buried friends.
It is not long before they find one, being drawn to him by his screams. Even as they reach him, he begs to be pulled free, shouting:
"My legs! There's something there and it's biting my legs!"
Indeed, when they pull him out, they find that his legs, quite apart from the damage done by the cave-in, are covered in dozens of tiny bites, the flesh torn open and bleeding.
The risk of further cave-ins slows the work, and it is many hours before the other buried workers are all found. Unfortunately, none are alive. Those that were not killed instantly by the cave-in died from blood-loss, for each has suffered hundreds of wounds like the bites on the first man rescued.
With six of their fellows dead and some kind of threat living in the earth where they are digging, the workers are understandably reluctant to re-enter the cave. Sionaas thus turns to the Company for help, offering them a small reward if they will seek out the creatures that attacked the men, and drive off or destroy them.
The adventurers agree, and examine the cave for signs of how the creatures may have entered. Mantreus and Elspeth soon find small holes in the cave walls, not more than three or four inches across, but very deep. The ranger suggests they were caused by some sort of long, thin, burrowing creature. Macwood suggests that this was rather obvious.
A discussion follows on how to tackle such small creatures. Poking swords and staves into the holes does not seem to engender any reaction, so the creatures must be some distance away. Eventually, Anastria suggests using meat as a lure. The creatures attacked the bodies of the workers: perhaps they will be attracted to the scent of blood or fresh meat.
This seems like a plan, and Elspeth is sent to purchase some meat from the nearest farm. Unfortunately, she chooses to return with a live goat, and proposes that they simply hack off its leg to get a suitably bloody piece of flesh. There's a brief argument in which it rapidly becomes apparent that, while they will happily slay all manner of beasts, no-one in the group is prepared to butcher the goat simply for use as bait. Twinkle, in particular, is opposed to the idea, adamantly refusing to countenance any plan for murdering 'Errol', as she has dubbed the creature. Elspeth points out that it's clearly not a male goat, and therefore can't be named Errol, but the gnome insists otherwise.
In time, it is agreed that Errol will not be killed. In celebration, Twinkle tries to ride the goat, but it doesn't appear grateful for her efforts to save it, and swiftly bucks her off. Rubbing her bruised backside, the gnome opines that a goat obviously isn't appropriate as a mount, and that she's sure a giant lizard will prove much more suitable.
None of this is leading toward a resolution of the current problem, of course. Eventually, the decision is made to reinforce the cave area around the holes, and then dig into the earth to see if the creatures' lair is close enough to be reached.
It is not, but after two hours of digging the adventurers suddenly break through into a much larger burrow. In shape and formation it is similar to those they have seen before, but it is three feet across, rather than three inches. It is clear that whatever attacked the workers, it has some much larger relatives.
The adventurers are undaunted, however, and make their way into these larger openings. Twinkle and Macwood are the only ones who can move freely, with the others shuffling along on hands and knees. They have gone only a short distance when a pair of strange, centipede-like creatures scuttle out of the darkness toward them. These 'burrowbiters', as the halfling bard names them, have segmented bodies that are narrow, but close to a foot long. They also have large mandibles, capable of giving flesh a nasty gouge.
The creatures are soon dispatches, having bitten only Mantreus in the process, and the group moves on, searching for the hive. Eventually, they emerge into an area that has been hollowed out. Most of them still cannot properly stand, due to the low ceiling, but they are going to need to properly fight: not only are there over a dozen of the burrowbiters here, but there is also a far larger creature, perhaps as much as five feet in length, with jaws that are equally out-sized for its body.
"The mommy-beast is yours." Twinkle advises Stormstrider.
The gnome's words are almost prophetic, for as both she and the ranger begin the fight by killing one of the smaller burrowbiters, the larger specimen scurries forward, clamping its massive jaws on Stormstrider's right leg. He screams as the powerful mandibles close, tearing flesh and crushing bone. Blood fountains from the ruined limb, and the elf fall, unconscious from the pain.
As the others focus their efforts on the smaller beasts, Macwood runs forward and heals Stormstrider. The ranger rises - and the large burrowbiter savages him again, kicking him straight back into oblivion.
As Mantreus' magic missiles blast one of little beasts to smithereens, Macwood draws out the wand of cure light wounds and heals Stormstrider once more. The elf's gory body mends somewhat, but he remains unconscious.
Twinkle, perhaps feeling guilty over her comment, runs forward and stabs at the large beast, just before it can lunge at Macwood The creature hisses and turns, trying to snatch the gnome in its jaws, but Twinkle is able to skip backward, her small size an advantage in these close confines.
"That's two for me." Mantreus announces, as another of the creatures is blasted by his magic. He smirks at Elspeth, "Are you ever going to kill any?"
Seeing Stormstrider rise as Macwood uses the wand again, Twinkle co-ordinates her attack with his, and the two drive their weapons deep into it. Bleeding a foul green ichor, it snaps feebly at the ranger, but he fends off the blow.
As Elspeth finally kills one of the small creatures - and moments later a second - Anastria joins the battle against the larger beast. The elf woman manages to score only a light injury on its side, but this is enough to distract it from Stormstrider's heavier blow, which crushes its last spark of life.
With the 'mother beast' gone, the remaining burrowbiters are swiftly destroyed, and - after taking a few minutes to ensure that none still lurk in the remaining tunnels - the adventurers return to the surface ... and their reward.
Then, bidding Sionaas and the remaining workers farewell, the group heads down into the nearby village of Poisson, which lies on the main road leading north. There, they take lunch at the Old Captain's Inn, which also sells a variety of nautical paraphernalia. Twinkle is particularly thrilled to find eye-patches, and promptly buys two, since she has two eyes.
The rest of their journey north is uneventful, and some four days later they reach the city of Marikest, the capital and largest settlement of the Hidden Coast. There, they meet with the others, and begin a spree of buying and selling. There are several items in the group's possession for which they have no need, and the markets of Marikest are their first opportunity to sell many of these, and there are plenty of things to buy ... even Twinkle's giant lizard, which an enterprising ostler agrees to import from the dwarves who live below the Crescent Range mountains.
As he goes through the items to sell, Mantreus comes across the strangely-marked copper pendant that they discovered in their very first adventure. For a moment, he almost throws the bauble away, for it is clearly of little value. But as he examines the marks, a small voice in the back of his mind suggests that there might be some meaning to them, and instead he decides to see if there is anyone in the town who can tell him what that might be(1).
When the group gathers once more, about a week later, the sorcerer begins to tell his companions of what he has learned, but his tale is interrupted by a hubbub of shouting and cries for alarm. Looking in the direction of the sound, the adventurers spy a thick cloud of black smoke. Such sights are always of interest to adventurers - "where there's smoke there's profit" - and they immediately head over to investigate.
The source of the fire, they learn, is a well-known local inn, "The Beast". This was once a feared pirate vessel, but when her captain was taken and executed, the damaged hull was purchased by a local merchant, and turned into one of Marikest's most popular drinking halls. Today, however, it has been reduced to a smoking ruin, courtesy - as the owner tells them - of a disgruntled employee: a bard by the name of Contel.
"He was a fine player, but the crowds did not take to him, and he worked up quite a debt on fine wine and food." The owner, one Tardak, explains. "I told him yesterday that if he did not pay, I'd have to take his flute - a fine gold one, it is - as payment. This morn, he was gone, and my inn was afire. I want him found, and the flute brought back to me. It might pay for what I lost, today. I'll give you fifty gold each if you do it."
"Is that each?" Mantreus asks. It's an automatic reflex, by now. Tardak gives him a dour glare,
"That's what 'each' usually means."
Stormstrider has other matters on his mind:
"Can we kill the bard?"
"Not unless y'must, to get the flute."
The group agrees to take on the task, and begin to make enquiries about the missing man. It soon emerges that he fled south on horseback, and they determine to follow him. Twinkle excitedly runs to get her new mount, which provokes considerable bemusement from her colleagues.
"This is Lord Rejinald Logarto III." The gnome announces when she arrives. The mournful-looking lizard rolls its yellow eyes toward the other adventurers, who stare, dumbfounded. The gnome drops her voice to speak in a conspiratorial whisper, "Try not to mention that he only has two names. He's very sensitive about that."
Finally setting off after the missing bard, the group proves how earnest they are in their pursuit by stopping for the night at the first farm they pass. The farmer, a gruff man with many hunting dogs, allows them the use of his barn.
Riding on in the rain the next morning, the group reaches the small town of Parvue. Figuring that a lone traveller such as Contel would have sought a safe place to spend the night, they go to the local inn, in hopes of learning whether the bard stayed there. The front room of the inn proves deserted, however, and when they call for the barkeep, two burly thugs with clubs rush out from the back. The pair seem startled to meet such a large and well-armed group, and they get little time to rue their rush into the room: Mantreus deftly puts one to sleep with a spell, while Elspeth and Macwood quickly cut down the other.
Hearing the back door of the inn bang closed, the group moved into the rear room, discovering a woman, lying unconscious on the floor. She wears a militia uniform, and has been badly beaten. After checking that she is still alive, they revive her and learn that she is Nilfaria, the only permanent member of the militia in this small settlement, and thus the de facto 'sheriff'. Further conversation reveals that she saw a well-dressed stranger in town the night before. The group make the assumption that this is Contel, since they never got a description. He spent the night at the inn, drinking with the two men who assaulted her.
This raises the question of why Nilfaria was attacked, to which she can only tentatively suggest that it is because she planned to ride up to the lumber mill that day, to check on the workers, there. Many of the local men work at the mill, and there has been no word of them for over a week - an unusually long period.
With this information at hand, the group revives the magically sleeping thug and interrogates him. They soon learn that all is indeed not well at the lumber camp: someone named 'Lorlathon' has moved in and taken over, turning the mill to his own profit. When asked about Contel, the thug laughs cruelly. Yes, they sent the bard up to the mill, promising him a 'glad welcome'. Of course, it might be the gladness of robbers with a new prize, but they didn't tell him that ...
The group resolves to head up to the mill and rescue Contel (assuming he is still alive). They also not too subtly drop hints that the injured Nilfaria might be better off paying them to deal with any problems there, rather than trying to handle them herself. The sheriff, battered and bruised, agrees to pay them for their efforts ... once they return.
Heading up to the camp, they send Twinkle and Mantreus ahead to scout. At first things go quite well, and everyone reaches the edge of the camp without incident. Hiding in the undergrowth, they survey the clearing in which the camp is set. The place is mostly quiet, the exception being one shed-like building where the sound of loud, half-drunken conversation can be heard. There are about half a dozen buildings in all, and on the edge of the clearing is a large patch of disturbed earth, shaped into a low mound. It looks grimly like a mass grave.
Although the sound of the voices is audible, the words themselves are muffled and slurred, making them impossible to distinguish from this distance, so Twinkle, Macwood and Mantreus sneak closer to hear more. Though 'sneak' might be too generous a term to describe Twinkle's movement, as it implies some measure of stealth.
Thus it is that the door of the building bursts open as they approach. The three adventurers brace themselves for combat, but the man who staggers out into the sunlight greets them quite convivially:
"Hello there! You must be the new lads Lorlathon told us about."
Bluffing quickly, Macwood agrees that they are, and asks to be taken to see the 'big man'. This the friendly drunk agrees to do, calling for his mates to meet the new lads, and to come along for the trip. Soon a large gang of grubby, hard-faced men and women have congregated, and are leading the adventurers toward a small shack that has a sign reading "Mill Foreman" over the door.
Though everyone appears welcoming, the three Company members are acutely aware that they are surrounded, and hands nervously inch toward weapons as they make their way across the camp. They can only hope that if it does come to a fight, their friends in the trees will come to their aid, for there would be little chance of fighting free alone.
They reach the hut, still hemmed in by the band of thugs, and one of the unshaven men hammers on the door with his fist, calling for Lorlathon.
The man who opens the door is better dressed than his gang of thieves, but his face shares the same hard lines and mean expression. He asks Macwood if they are the new lads, and the halfling agrees that they are. Smirking, Lorlathon replies,
"Really? Then yer not here for this?"
As he speaks, he throws the severed head of Contel - hidden behind his back - into the halfling's chest.
A vicious dagger blow follows the head, and Macwood staggers backward in a fountain of blood.
Predictably, all hell breaks loose.
Mantreus snaps off another sleep charm, dropping three enemies to the ground, while Stormstrider charges out of the treeline with a mighty yell, felling one of the thugs with his staff. Things look grim, though ... the adventurers are heavily outnumbered, and Macwood will almost certainly be killed if he is struck again.
Twinkle, standing amidst a gang of foes twice her size, all of whom have produced daggers or clubs from inside their clothes, feels a moment of rising panic. For a second, she laments the use of her invisibility potion when they fought the ogre, One-Eye.
And then she remembers another potion, and lying on bare stone as someone forced a tickle of life-giving fluid into her mouth. She remembers it spreading through her, and driving back the numb cold in her limbs.
The gnome reaches to her belt and pulls open one of her many belt pouches. A nearby thug thrusts a dagger at her, but she ducks as she moves, and the blade just scores a light cut across the back of her neck. As she fumbles for the vial within the pouch, a second thug attacks, and this time she is not so lucky: his club strikes hard against her ribs. But ignoring this, she pulls the vial free and pulls free the stopper, then ducks another blow to force the potion into Macwood's hand.
"Drink!" she shouts, and the halfling does, his wounds healing as the elixir of health restores him.
And from that moment of courage the tide of battle seems to turn. Mantreus hammers the thugs with his magic missiles, and Anastria joins the barrage, employing her own recently-completed magical studies. Elspeth and the restored Macwood tear through the thugs in tandem. These men and women are vicious, dirty fighters, but their skills are those of brawlers, no match for trained warriors.
And as for Stormstrider, he and his wolf, Blackfang, face the most vicious thug of all - Lorlathon himself. The thugs' leader is a better fighter than his men, and his blade cuts deeply in both the elf and the wolf, but then Blackfang's lunging jaws clamp around his ankle, pulling him to the ground, and Stormstrider smashes down with his staff, ensuring the villain will never rise.
With their enemy defeated, the adventurers tend their wounds, then search the camp. Contel is dead, but his golden flute they find, as well as two captive locals who had not yet been killed. These men they free, then check their booty for magical treasure.
The discovery that the flute itself is magical provokes a long argument, with Mantreus insisting that they should receive a lot more than 50 gold apiece for recovering such a valuable item. He initially wins some support from the others, but Macwood insists that the deal was agreed in good faith, and should be kept in that manner. In the end, it is his argument that prevails.
Thus the group returns to Marikest and receives their reward.
Though not without a few more complaints.
(1) I'll post the results of Mantreus' investigations on Sunday. The PCs got a separate handout, and now so shall you
