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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 2986413" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p><em><strong>8/21/371 O.L.G., 1 p.m., Red Mountain</strong></em></p><p></p><p>Our heroes are shocked.</p><p></p><p>So long ago that it seems a lifetime- a time that Naomi doesn’t even remember, thanks to the Axe of Oblivion- they received a prophecy, which they have come to refer to as the Halfling Prophecy, concerning the Halfling Promised Land. It came to them from a pool-bound serpentine figure composed of water. </p><p></p><p>Now, following the clues scattered by the fey folk, the party has come here- to another pool, and another weird; but this one is composed of snow rather than water. </p><p></p><p>Still-</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #DDEEEE">“You come from my sister,”</span> it says.</p><p></p><p>“Yes-” Ari begins, but the snow weird pays him no attention at all. It simply continues speaking.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #DDEEEE">“You come from my sister,”</span> it repeats. <span style="color: #DDEEEE"> “I speak of doom and boon. You must go back, for your own good. It is not your island. You must go there, go back. There you will find the hungry frog who impedes your folk from the ultimate recipe. The Promised Land comes from a full stomach. Only corn bread opens the way.”</span></p><p></p><p>“Mmmm, corn bread,” murmurs Nara.</p><p></p><p>“But what does it mean?” cries Naomi.</p><p></p><p>“Where Promised Land?” demands Jawbreaker.</p><p></p><p>The snow weird is already settling back into its pool. “Go back,” it whispers. </p><p></p><p>Silence settles over Red Mountain.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>A search of the ruins turns up a new cookbook. This is exciting; it is possible, our heroes consider, that it is a clue, or some kind of key. Besides, that recipe for almond cake looks really, really good. </p><p></p><p>“I guess it’s back to town, then,” mutters Erasmuz.</p><p></p><p>“Yeah, I gotta get me some rocks,” Tron declares. The others shake their heads and sigh. </p><p></p><p>So back to town it is.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Before our heroes know it, fall has arrived. They are eager to get moving- where? Back towards Strogass seems to be the way that the clues are pointing. Zacradose will provide a ship, once some work is done on it. But some of our heroes are reluctant to return to Strogass; Federico, for example, has a heavy fine weighing on him.</p><p></p><p>“Who’s going to collect it?” snorts Rock, one of the halflings that the party met while working against Stackler. He has been tagging along with the party for the last few weeks, aiding them in their efforts to set Zacradose up to be self-sufficient, helping to promote the idea of the Unicorn King as sovereign over the isle. </p><p></p><p>“That’s a good point,” Federico concedes.</p><p></p><p>“Why do you owe the Dark Empire money?” Brother Yip asks.</p><p></p><p>With a sigh, Federico relates the tale of the Asylum for Advanced Mental Treatment, and tells his cohort, “We were unjustly fined for releasing prisoners of this terrible place. I mean, yeah, some of them- like Manson- may have needed to be locked up, but they did <em>terrible</em> things to them in there! For instance, they drilled holes in their heads and poured weird liquids onto their brains and stuff.” He shudders. “Anyway, we let the inmates out and got fined for it.”</p><p></p><p>The telling of tales goes on as fall turns to winter. A Unicorn King? What a strange idea; yet, perhaps if a council of human (and demihuman, of course) advisors were set up...</p><p></p><p>Spring brings explosive shoots of bright green on all the plants. It also brings a basic accord on the new government. Our heroes have been working hard, but in a way different than they are used to. At least the Revolution has been keeping them fed appropriately. Naomi has tattooed the new prophecy onto her left inner thigh (the original one was tattooed to her right inner thigh already). </p><p></p><p>The ship that the people of Zacradose are refitting for the party is not yet ready, but it is getting close and it is going to be in great shape when it is done. </p><p></p><p>And then, finally, as summer’s hot days waver over Zacradose, christened <em>the Promised Land,</em> their ship is ready at last. In the city of Bacon Bay, the party boards their ship and meets her captain and crew (who they arrange to pay by Tron’s handing over a rather enormous sum of cash to the captain for her and her crew to “shut the f*** up”, as Tron puts it. The captain- her name is Tarth- and the party come to a quick agreement, as everyone recognizes that Tron is not the right person to be telling anyone what to do. “Listen,” says Ari, “Nara will be our representative to you. If (ahem) anyone else tells you to do anything, just ignore them.”</p><p></p><p>“I’d be pleased to,” grins Captain Tarth sardonically.</p><p></p><p>The crew consists of mostly humans, but there are several others, including a gnome, Jorky Fetch, that Tron takes up with. Captain Tarth crosses her fingers. <em>Jorky’s not that great of a crewman anyway,</em> she thinks. <em>Mayhaps he will be more useful keeping that addled ass off my deck.</em></p><p></p><p>The crew has one halfling on it, Penny Sandybanks (apparently a distant cousin of old Sandy, may he rest in peace). An angry woman half-elf, a couple of half-orcs, a goblin and a merellin round out the crew. It turns out that a second halfling lurks below decks; he is the cook, whose name is Tooter Lender, but whom everyone refers to as Bacon Grease.</p><p></p><p>It is a colorful crew, with as many nicknames as real names. Blue Eyes, Stupid, Punch, Raw Fish, Pesky- a colorful and interesting crew indeed. </p><p></p><p>In the months since their encounter with the weird, our heroes have accumulated one more major clue. While waiting for their ship to be made ready, they had consulted with a sage who had told them the tale of the <em>Vast Explorer.</em> It was a halfling-captained vessel that had mapped and explored a great many islands and lands, many of them of special interest to halflings. Several decades ago, she sailed to explore a barely-charted area north of Dyshim, and was never heard from again. However, twelve years later, another ship had been in the general area and had sailed into a strange yellow sargasso that smelled like rancid mustard. There they had seen several ships mired; and one of them was the <em>Vast Explorer</em>. But before they could investigate too thoroughly, they were assaulted by a strange lobster-monster of huge size, and it took all the crew’s skill to survive the attack and escape the sargasso. It seems likely that, if any clues are to be found, the <em>Vast Explorer</em> may be a good place to look.</p><p></p><p>So it is that Nara gives Captain Tarth the word: “Sail north- north of Dyshim.”</p><p></p><p>“Aye,” she says, and the cries of the bosun are soon ringing out. A great bustle of activity begins on the deck. Slowly, <em>the Promised Land</em> swings out to sea.</p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> To the Mustard Sargasso!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 2986413, member: 1210"] [i][b]8/21/371 O.L.G., 1 p.m., Red Mountain[/b][/i][b][/b] Our heroes are shocked. So long ago that it seems a lifetime- a time that Naomi doesn’t even remember, thanks to the Axe of Oblivion- they received a prophecy, which they have come to refer to as the Halfling Prophecy, concerning the Halfling Promised Land. It came to them from a pool-bound serpentine figure composed of water. Now, following the clues scattered by the fey folk, the party has come here- to another pool, and another weird; but this one is composed of snow rather than water. Still- [color=#DDEEEE]“You come from my sister,”[/color] it says. “Yes-” Ari begins, but the snow weird pays him no attention at all. It simply continues speaking. [color=#DDEEEE]“You come from my sister,”[/color] it repeats. [color=#DDEEEE] “I speak of doom and boon. You must go back, for your own good. It is not your island. You must go there, go back. There you will find the hungry frog who impedes your folk from the ultimate recipe. The Promised Land comes from a full stomach. Only corn bread opens the way.”[/color] “Mmmm, corn bread,” murmurs Nara. “But what does it mean?” cries Naomi. “Where Promised Land?” demands Jawbreaker. The snow weird is already settling back into its pool. “Go back,” it whispers. Silence settles over Red Mountain. *** A search of the ruins turns up a new cookbook. This is exciting; it is possible, our heroes consider, that it is a clue, or some kind of key. Besides, that recipe for almond cake looks really, really good. “I guess it’s back to town, then,” mutters Erasmuz. “Yeah, I gotta get me some rocks,” Tron declares. The others shake their heads and sigh. So back to town it is. *** Before our heroes know it, fall has arrived. They are eager to get moving- where? Back towards Strogass seems to be the way that the clues are pointing. Zacradose will provide a ship, once some work is done on it. But some of our heroes are reluctant to return to Strogass; Federico, for example, has a heavy fine weighing on him. “Who’s going to collect it?” snorts Rock, one of the halflings that the party met while working against Stackler. He has been tagging along with the party for the last few weeks, aiding them in their efforts to set Zacradose up to be self-sufficient, helping to promote the idea of the Unicorn King as sovereign over the isle. “That’s a good point,” Federico concedes. “Why do you owe the Dark Empire money?” Brother Yip asks. With a sigh, Federico relates the tale of the Asylum for Advanced Mental Treatment, and tells his cohort, “We were unjustly fined for releasing prisoners of this terrible place. I mean, yeah, some of them- like Manson- may have needed to be locked up, but they did [i]terrible[/i] things to them in there! For instance, they drilled holes in their heads and poured weird liquids onto their brains and stuff.” He shudders. “Anyway, we let the inmates out and got fined for it.” The telling of tales goes on as fall turns to winter. A Unicorn King? What a strange idea; yet, perhaps if a council of human (and demihuman, of course) advisors were set up... Spring brings explosive shoots of bright green on all the plants. It also brings a basic accord on the new government. Our heroes have been working hard, but in a way different than they are used to. At least the Revolution has been keeping them fed appropriately. Naomi has tattooed the new prophecy onto her left inner thigh (the original one was tattooed to her right inner thigh already). The ship that the people of Zacradose are refitting for the party is not yet ready, but it is getting close and it is going to be in great shape when it is done. And then, finally, as summer’s hot days waver over Zacradose, christened [i]the Promised Land,[/i] their ship is ready at last. In the city of Bacon Bay, the party boards their ship and meets her captain and crew (who they arrange to pay by Tron’s handing over a rather enormous sum of cash to the captain for her and her crew to “shut the f*** up”, as Tron puts it. The captain- her name is Tarth- and the party come to a quick agreement, as everyone recognizes that Tron is not the right person to be telling anyone what to do. “Listen,” says Ari, “Nara will be our representative to you. If (ahem) anyone else tells you to do anything, just ignore them.” “I’d be pleased to,” grins Captain Tarth sardonically. The crew consists of mostly humans, but there are several others, including a gnome, Jorky Fetch, that Tron takes up with. Captain Tarth crosses her fingers. [i]Jorky’s not that great of a crewman anyway,[/i] she thinks. [i]Mayhaps he will be more useful keeping that addled ass off my deck.[/i] The crew has one halfling on it, Penny Sandybanks (apparently a distant cousin of old Sandy, may he rest in peace). An angry woman half-elf, a couple of half-orcs, a goblin and a merellin round out the crew. It turns out that a second halfling lurks below decks; he is the cook, whose name is Tooter Lender, but whom everyone refers to as Bacon Grease. It is a colorful crew, with as many nicknames as real names. Blue Eyes, Stupid, Punch, Raw Fish, Pesky- a colorful and interesting crew indeed. In the months since their encounter with the weird, our heroes have accumulated one more major clue. While waiting for their ship to be made ready, they had consulted with a sage who had told them the tale of the [i]Vast Explorer.[/i] It was a halfling-captained vessel that had mapped and explored a great many islands and lands, many of them of special interest to halflings. Several decades ago, she sailed to explore a barely-charted area north of Dyshim, and was never heard from again. However, twelve years later, another ship had been in the general area and had sailed into a strange yellow sargasso that smelled like rancid mustard. There they had seen several ships mired; and one of them was the [i]Vast Explorer[/i]. But before they could investigate too thoroughly, they were assaulted by a strange lobster-monster of huge size, and it took all the crew’s skill to survive the attack and escape the sargasso. It seems likely that, if any clues are to be found, the [i]Vast Explorer[/i] may be a good place to look. So it is that Nara gives Captain Tarth the word: “Sail north- north of Dyshim.” “Aye,” she says, and the cries of the bosun are soon ringing out. A great bustle of activity begins on the deck. Slowly, [i]the Promised Land[/i] swings out to sea. [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] To the Mustard Sargasso! [/QUOTE]
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