Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nail" data-source="post: 910422" data-attributes="member: 224"> Session #8: "So...what did we get out of that?"(Session of RL May 15th, 2003)The adventurers leave Three Oaks on the road for home.Three Oaks had been an interesting side trip.  Thaile had gained her religious surname "Knot-holder" from the House of Darmon, and Garret was finally able to visit the Healing Halls of Morwyn and talk with the Holy Mother there.  Riva, of course, had found the best weapon and armor smith in town, and now wore the shiny new results of his visit.  (Was that a bit of extra swagger in his step?)  Tieran, too, had taken advantage of the opportunity, and now walked with a masterwork quarterstaff.  Rowan had met her master's master, the centaur Kaleal - and had even been invited by the red-haired centaur to dinner.But they had come for more than this; they had come seeking information, and they had found it.  Some of it, anyway.  Pieces, really....and some seemed to give them even more questions than answers.  (Isn't that always the way of things?)From the Holy Mother Shinea, of Morwyn, and from Kaleal the centaur, the adventurers had learned that the giants, far to the north, had started to stir.  Trouble was brewing in the north-country.From Brother Momont, Wright of the Guildhalls of Korak of Three Oaks, and former priest of Eaglesford, they had learned his version of the events at the Garresh.  On that night 17 years ago, he had called on the mercy of Korak to destroy the encamped orcish hordes that would soon raid Eaglesford.  He had prayed, a lowly cleric from a tiny hamlet on the edge of civilization, and in the morning, the orcs were gone, only their tents and cook-fires remaining.  Other religious leaders, from the House of Darmon and the Healing halls of Morwyn, (although they had not been there to see this miracle) had backed up his story.From Moira, they had found that the mask was indeed a death mask from some nameless orcish hero, buried near Alderslook some 40 years ago.  The necklace, too, was from that same time and place.  Apparently the orcs buried their dead in mounds and caves below Alderslook, presumably after their raids on nearby settlements of the Empire.  When Rowan had described the dragon idol and its powers (much to her compainion's consternation), Moira was able to tell them that it sounded much older, far older than the Empire.  Perhaps it was connected to an ancient cult the orcs followed; The Cult of the Dragon's Eye.  Such an idol, she said, would only be found in an ancient tomb of the past civilization that once thrived in this area.   It might be cursed, and if so she could remove the curse if they brought it to her.  (She even had offered to trade the idol for a magical cloak for Thaile.)But this information had come at a price.  Both Garret and Thaile had been warned, by their religious leaders, that Moira was not to be trusted.  (And if Kaleal the centaur disagreed, what of it?)  The adventurers had learned first hand why this might be so....her manner was attractive, alluring, but aloof.  Somehow, in her presence they felt as if they should tell her everything, and her words sounded simple and reasonable.  They left feeling as if they had given far more than they had received.But all of that was behind them now, as the gates of Three Oaks slipped from view.  Farmlands stretched out to either side, and the companions talked as they rode.  Thaile had the most to say of their visit."I don't trust that Moira, and now I'm beginning to not trust that puny kobold Mulu-kik-yip either!  Why do they have that idol?  We're pretty sure it's not theirs, right?"  She looked around at Garret, who nodded in agreement. "I'm not so sure we need to be 'rescuing' them from the restless dead.  I mean, that necromancer shouldn't get the idol, or Moira either, but I'm just not so sure the kobolds should have it.""But I don't think we should take it from them. Not without provocation and a fair fight," said Riva. "It's the rules of combat, you know.  'To the victor goes the spoils'.  If they attacked us, then we'd get their stuff, but if they don't attack us, I don't see that we should take anything from them.""Right.  Of course not.  All I'm saying is that I'm not sure we should be risking our lives over this, doing what the kobolds want us to do."Rowan looked flustered, and spoke up, "But my master said these kobolds are important to the balance.  We need to help them.  The restless dead will...."Thaile cut her off, "We need to talk to your master, too.  I've got some questions for him about this 'balance' thing you guys keep talking about.  I'd like to know what he really thinks about these kobolds.""We'll be back in Eaglesford soon enough," said Garret, soothingly.  "We'll get those questions answered then."  Looking at both women, Garret continued, "There are a few things, at least, that the kobolds will have to answer before we'll help them further."The party continued for an hour or two, and the farms became fewer and farther between.  It was mid-afternoon, a warm spring day, and the clouds were skittering across the sky.........And that's when Garret and Bavic stumbled into the spider web stretched across the road.  (Garret: "Note to self: watch the road instead of clouds while traveling!")  Almost at the same time, a spider emerged from the tree tops and hit Riva and his horse with a mass of sticky strands.  Riva and the horse were stuck to the spot!  The spider attacked Riva from above, while the raging dwarf desperately (and unsuccessfully) tried to break free of the gooey mess.  Tieran moved to shoot with his crossbow, while Thaile moved to help free Garret and Bavic from the other web.Rowan did her best to calm Riva's horse, and then tried to cast a spell at the spider.  But her horse's movements were too much, and her spell was botched.Finally, after enduring several attacks by the spider, Riva freed himself, and followed one of Tieran's successful crossbow shots with a blow from his great-axe.  Parts of the man-sized spider now lay strewn across his horse, his armor, and the road beyond.The party cleaned themselves up and moved on, eager to get to their home village. More of Session #8 tomorrow!</blockquote>

Verification