Heritage of Dragonsreach (UPDATED September 4, 2007)

[sniffles]

Welcome to the Jungle

Thank the Lady, we're on our way to the village of the Blessed. It won't be a quick trip nor an easy one, but the Lady willing we'll find it before Lerner does.

We left our meeting with Shasu feeling much more confident about the success of our mission here in Chult. The sage gave us a letter of introduction to the guides that we hoped would make them friendlier toward us. We planned to return to where we'd met the one guide on the following morning to try our recruitment effort again.

After we left the sage, Hedrin decided to go and find his new warrior friend, Bantu, and offer an apology to a younger warrior whom he'd bested in mock combat on the training field. Hedrin was worried he'd been too hard on the young warrior.

We still hadn't seen Latan since we separated from her earlier, but we trusted that we'd find her safely back at the inn when we returned. Roland and I then decided to look for some of the local entertainments to get an opportunity to learn some new stories or dance steps.

We found an amphitheatre where a play called "The Rise of the Barae" was to be performed that evening. Beforehand there was music and dancing, so we did have a chance to learn some of the local dance steps, which are quite unlike anything I've seen before in more northerly climes.

"The Rise of the Barae" was quite interesting, offering a chance to learn more of the history of Chult as it is known by every citizen here. The play is evidently performed quite often and is more like a spiritual ritual for the citizens than a form of entertainment.

As I'd expected, we found Latan waiting at the inn when we left the theatre. Hedrin joined us later, somewhat in his cups after spending the evening at a tavern with a crowd of soldiers. Humans just don't know how to hold their ale.

The following morning we made our way back to the tavern where we'd previously attempted to hire a guide. We found ourselves in the presence of the same man we'd met there the previous day. Once again he tried to misdirect us, until Roland showed him our letter of introduction. After that his demeanor changed notably. He went off to have a discussion with a couple of other men and then two of them left.

The third man approached us and introduced himself as Pimani. I liked him at once. He's very forthright and thoughtful. He's been to the Village several times in the past and knows where it was last located, but he tells us it occasionally changes location for the safety of the residents and to avoid overtaxing the resources of the area.

We spent the morning with him purchasing supplies and equipment for our journey. According to Pimani it will take 3 or 4 weeks to reach the Village. Travel is very slow through the dense jungle, and we'll have to go on foot. But by noon we were ready to depart. Percy's enchanted chest made the task of supplying ourselves much simpler.

We've now been traveling for several days. Pimani is very strict about making certain we drink plenty of water. He stops us several times a day for rest breaks and checks our water supply. Hedrin is following Pimani's every move closely, learning all he can of jungle survival. Fortunately though Pimani is not too talkative while we walk, he's willing to share his knowledge.

I neglected to mention that Latan has purchased a small dinosaur as a companion. This caused her a bit of difficulty when she'd intended to cast a spell on us each day to disguise us from the huge dinosaurs Pimani tells us can be found in the jungle. The magic wouldn't differentiate what type of dinosaur it protected us from and would have made us undetectable to Latan's new pet as well. We'll just have to rely on Pimani's guidance and our own skills to avoid running afoul of one of the big creatures. I hope we see at least one, though. I'd like to be able to tell the tale of meeting one - from a safe distance.

Pimani has told us some most interesting facts about the Village. It's more populous than I'd expected, some 500 people strong, and the large majority of them are apparently Blessed! This is why it can't be magically scryed - such a concentration of divine energy in one place blocks the magic.

Of course we're all amazed to hear that so many Blessed live here. Sometimes Blessed from other locales are drawn to this Village, according to Pimani. I wonder if we'll learn why once we meet the villagers. Strangely I don't feel any sense of being drawn to this place.
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Quips & Quotes:

sniffles: "What's the god's name?"
Devo: "I don't know him that well."
Zora: "We're not on a first-god-name basis."

 

[sniffles]

Danger Under Every Leaf

Our trip through the jungle is proving even more dangerous than Pimani led us to expect. As he warned us before we left Mezro, there is danger under every leaf here. But some of the danger is due to forces our guide couldn't possibly have anticipated.

As usual, Latan and Roland are adapting to our surroundings so quickly that I envy them. Hedrin is picking up jungle survival quickly as well. I suppose my nature is to do things at a bit more leisurely pace than my shorter-lived companions, though of course that description doesn't really fit Latan. Sometimes I forget that she's not human.

We've been taking the route Pimani deems the least dangerous, but not necessarily the fastest way to reach the village. In addition to learning all the things to avoid or look out for, he's encouraged us to plan how we would react should we become separated. That hadn't really seemed a concern to me until he mentioned it, but now I realize that we could take only a few steps away from one another among the dense trees and be lost. Or perhaps I should only apply that to myself.

One danger Pimani particularly described to us was the goblin tribes who live here. They ride on enormous spiders. We've not yet seen any goblins, but we have seen evidence of their curious mounts. The jungle is full of huge webs hanging from the trees, the strands of silk as large as the cords of fishing nets I've seen at the harbor in Milvarune. Strangely the sticky webbing won't cling to Hedrin. Another of the Lady's Blessings.

At one point the others heard some sound that I sadly failed to detect - Ada would be disappointed in my lack of alertness. We found ourselves surrounded by some large creatures, as big as we are, which Pimani identified as a type of dinosaur known as raptors. They're very clever according to our guide. Even when my friends pointed the dinosaurs out to me I could see only one large eye peering between the foliage.

Latan drew out one of her wands and fired off a missile in the general direction of one creature. This caused several of the beasts to move away, and their fellows followed suit when she pointed the wand threateningly at them. They departed quite rapidly. Pimani advised us to keep moving to get clear of their territory.

That night we experienced evidence of the real danger to us here. Roland and I were on watch when we were suddenly struck by that horribly familiar sensation we've come to associate with Lerner's abominable activities. I fell unconscious at once, as did Roland. When I opened my eyes I found Latan tending me. Neither Roland nor I were hurt by the awful experience, only shaken. But Hedrin had experienced something far worse.

When he had recovered himself a little he told us that Lerner and his companions are getting more effective at using their foul ritual to steal Blessings, and Hedrin doubts we will have another opportunity to divert those stolen Blessings away from our enemies. Hedrin only received his new Blessing as the result of Percy's intervention. When Hedrin found himself in the Lady's realm, he saw Percy there in dragon form and our dear friend was somehow able to redirect the stolen Blessing toward Hedrin.

Hedrin did observe that the Blessed spirits in the Lady's realm, which had previously seemed indifferent, now appeared quite attentive to Percy's presence. Hedrin also confided that he felt almost as though he'd been pulled into the Lady's realm. Perhaps this was also Percy's doing. At least Percy was able to prevent Lerner from stealing another Blessing. His new Blessing seems to have come from someone who lived in the village we seek, though this man was at the coast at the time of his sad demise.

Our attention was diverted from discussion of this traumatic event by Latan's recognition that both Roland and Hedrin looked a bit pale. She realized they'd both managed to contract some jungle disease. She estimated that the disease would reach its worst by the following day. Roland was able to use his magic to remove his illness, but we would have to wait until the following day to do the same for Hedrin. I'm sorry my extra Blessing hasn't given me such an ability.

By midday the next day Hedrin was obviously feeling worse, his skin pale and clammy. Roland cast a spell of restoration on him to alleviate some of his discomfort. When we made camp that night I was able to summon up my own charm of healthful rest to help him sleep, I'm glad to say. Unfortunately I don't know any enchantments to protect us from ambush by giant vermin.

I was on watch, with Hedrin this time, when the spiders attacked us. They weren't goblin mounts, merely jungle denizens looking for food, we presume. I never sensed any threat. They descended from the trees and began biting at us with their poisoned mandibles.

I shouted an alarm to wake my companions and uttered a quick prayer to the Lady to invoke her Blessing of alacrity. Then I drew my thinblade and leaped to the attack. One of the spiders clamped its mandibles on my arm and I felt my strength waning. I'm fortunate that I'm unusually strong for my size, else I might have been too weak to go on.

Hedrin blasted spiders with eldritch energy, while Latan attacked them with magic. I began shouting encouraging exhortations to my friends. Roland called out that we should protect Pimani. I moved nearer to the guide, slaying a spider on my way.

Pimani drew a dagger and made to assure that the fallen spiders were truly dead. In short order all the spiders on one side of our camp had been slain. I made my way over to Latan's side to aid her with our remaining foes. She was anxiously staring off into the trees where her new pet dinosaur, Sapphire, had fled when the spiders appeared. She'd taken more than a few bites and was suffering the effects of the poison.

Hedrin had let off blasting the spiders and had turned to tooth and claw. I often forget how bestial he can become when he's angry. I decided to attempt a spell and coated one spider's hairy form with a rime of frost. Then the battle was done and the spiders had all been destroyed.

I took a vial of antitoxin from my bandolier and swallowed it quickly. Of our party only Roland had managed to avoid the spiders' venom. Despite my own weakness I felt strangely empowered*. I suddenly realized that my Blessing could permit me to remove the disease afflicting Hedrin. I was able to offer much healing to myself and my friends without resorting to the wand I carry. As much as I regret the death of that poor soul whose Blessing I now carry, I thank the Lady for giving it to me rather than to Lerner or one of his cronies.

*Player's note: Our characters achieved 9th level during this adventure. Since Thilme' has both the Healer and Quickened heroic paths, she now has Healer abilities at 9th level, meaning she can cast remove disease 1/day.
sniffles
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Quips & Quotes:

Zora: "As you bed down for the night, you have watches, right?"
Jubilee: "I don't think we're that high-tech."

Hedrin: "The spiders swing both ways."
Devo (singing the Spider-Man animated theme): "Spider-Man/Woman, Spider-Man/Woman..."

 

[sniffles]

A Surfeit of Trouble

Thanks to the Lady's mercy we managed to survive the encounter with the spiders, though it was a close thing. We settled back down to complete our rest, Pimani watching over us so that Roland, Latan and I could all refresh our spells for the day.

I was resting quietly when I had a strange sensation, as if I were no longer in control of my own body but merely a passenger within it. I rose and walked into the center of camp. My mind seemed to be full of the Ancient Draconic tongue I've been studying. I felt as if I knew far more of it than I actually know. I spoke one word, and suddenly all my companions awoke at once. A kind of energy seemed to flow out from me, touching only the Silver Claws. It didn't affect Pimani.

Once my friends had got over their startlement, we all realized that we felt as refreshed as if we'd had an uninterrupted night's rest. Latan immediately went to comfort her new pet Sapphire, which had been frightened by the noise - and as Latan went to the small dinosaur she took the form of a dinosaur herself! Then Hedrin announced that he knew how to grant us all the ability to endure the heat of the jungle for a full day and night. The Lady has blessed us with yet more of her grace. Latan still wonders why the Lady doesn't take a direct hand in the affairs with Lerner and the murders of the Blessed, but I believe she's given us many tools with which to handle this ourselves.

Since we were all wide awake and thinking of our mission, Hedrin began to tell us what he'd learned of the man whose Blessing he'd absorbed. The man had been a seasoned soldier who had traveled the world serving in various conflicts. He'd been working for Lerner, spying on the Village. But most disturbingly, Hedrin knew that this man hadn't been born one of the Blessed - he'd been granted a Blessing by Lerner's horrible ritual! And somehow he'd failed Lerner and been slain as punishment.

Disheartened by this news, we all focused on our prayers as we prepared to set off again. We let Pimani know that it was important that we pick up the pace. He seemed relieved that we wanted to move faster. We made sure to restore our health and stamina as much as possible before we left camp. Latan warded us all with a protective spell to make up for our lack of armor.

We'd been under way for a few hours when it happened again. That horrid sensation that heralded the death of another Blessed. I am so weary of feeling it. Lady grant that soon we'll be able to stop Lerner's awful depredations.

Latan and I both collapsed like empty sacks when it happened. Roland and Hedrin managed to keep their feet. But this time no one was able to intercept the Blessing and prevent it being stolen by Lerner's group. Roland and Hedrin both saw a glimpse of the Lady's realm and witnessed Percy in dragon form attempting to prevent the Blessing from being taken, but it was torn from his grasp this time. Frighteningly, this vision also allowed Roland and Hedrin to overhear Lerner's voice remarking, "It's almost complete", and they perceived that Lerner has assembled an army!

When we'd recovered we told our guide that we would have to get to the Village as fast as possible. He warned us that we'd be taking the most dangerous route, but didn't try to dissuade us. Thanks to the Lady the rest of the day was uneventful, though we did catch another glimpse of the raptors. That night I cast a spell of healthful rest to help us all regain our strength and we rested safely.

The following morning Roland cast a spell that allowed us to pass almost unhindered through the jungle foliage. But that was the only ease we had. Once again, a few hours into our journey we met trouble - though at least this time it wasn't the death of another Blessed, praise the Lady.

We saw movement ahead, and as the beast came out into sight we observed a pair of goblins astride a huge dinosaur with a horned skull. They rode on a sort of platform mounted on the beast's humped back. Pimani stepped forward to treat with them. While I've learned many languages, most of my knowledge is of the tongues of creatures of magic. I've never learned to speak the goblin tongue. I considered casting a spell to allow me to understand the conversation, but the goblins seemed agitated and I feared that my gestures might be misread.

I asked Istanil if she'd translate for me, but she declined, complaining that the goblin language was too base. In the meanwhile Pimani's converse with the goblins didn't appear to be making any headway. They were become more aggressive. Latan then sent Isaura to sweep them off their riding platform, hoping to frighten them away, but Isaura was unable to pick them up. Hedrin then tried to use his fearsome nature to drive the horned dinosaur away, but had no effect.

I cast a spell to allow us all to communicate without speaking aloud just as more goblins emerged from the foliage. They were obviously ready to do us harm. Then the dinosaur rushed forward, bowling me over. I called upon a second enchantment to make me harder to hit and scrambled back to my feet.

The horned dinosaur turned cumbrously to face us again. Hedrin swiped his eldritch energy at the strap holding the platform on its back and severed it. I began to recite a stanza of Jaedrig's Tale, remembering the courage with which his companions had faced the minions of Bane at Shadowdale. Roland meanwhile sent an effect at the fallen goblin riders that caused them to become confused and begin tussling with each other.

The dinosaur continued its movement and knocked Hedrin down. Three goblins surrounded Latan. For a brief moment I was at a loss as to whether I should attack the dinosaur or go to Latan's aid. But she responded via my spell that three goblins were no threat to her. I summoned up a small orb of icy cold and sent it hurtling at the dinosaur.

Hedrin leaped up and bounded up onto the dinosaur's head, landing awkwardly but catching hold of its horns. Latan then fired a burst of flames at it. It charged straight toward a tree, carrying Hedrin with it! For a moment it seemed he would be pinned between the beast's horns and the tree bole, but he jumped free and moved away. I then turned my attention to the goblins menacing Latan, drawing my blade. Latan sent two orbs, one of ice and the other of fire, flying toward the dinosaur, which fled into the jungle.

Pimani, who had been fighting alongside Roland on the opposite side of our battlefield, then shouted to us to gather together. We heard thrashing sounds from among the trees, followed by high-pitched goblin screams. The raptors were taking advantage of an opportunity.
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Quips & Quotes:

Jubilee: "I could summon a mephit."
Hedrin: "There's a mephit to my madness."

Devo: "Pimani, how are you?"
Zora (the GM): "I'm fine. I'm not optimized for fighting, though. Stupid GM didn't optimize me for fighting."

Devo (when Hedrin jumps on the dino's horns): "So now you're riding the hood of the car!"

Zora: "The goblin's wobbly. He's a wobblin'."

 

[sniffles]

Heart of Darkness

Evidently a few goblins weren't a sufficient meal for the raptors. They rushed out of the trees to surround us.

We each found ourselves facing two of the nasty beasts. Roland called for the Silver Claws to encircle our guide, but we found ourselves unable to comply quickly as we were too occupied with fighting off the snapping and slashing of the raptors. I uttered a quick prayer to the Lady that her blessing of quickness would last longer than our foes.

I could see Hedrin was in dire danger, bleeding from numerous wounds. Thankfully he managed to dodge and weave between the beasts and get near enough that I could extend some of the Lady's healing power to him. I had to let my guard down to do so and suffered a bad bite and a slash from one raptor's dagger-like claws. Hedrin went darting away from me to slay a creature that threatened Pimani.

I turned on my attacker with a will and dealt it two solid blows. In return it tried to clamp my head in its jaws! That was the last thing it did before my blade brought it down. Another raptor fell to flames issuing from Latan's hands. Behind me I heard Roland calling out a prayer to the Lady.

Suddenly a large creature, about the size of a horse, came swooping down from above! I would have been concerned, but something about the creature's silvery coloring told me it was not an enemy. It landed almost on top of one raptor and crushed the vile dinosaur's spine with its own claws.

Looking about us we realized that all of the raptors had been slain. Pimani urged us to move away from the area lest more raptors arrive, drawn by the scent of blood. We hurried off in the direction that Latan's pet Sapphire had fled, for she had sent Isaura that way to find the small dinosaur. The silver creature that had come to our aid, which I now recognized as a draconic beast commonly called a drakkensteed, followed us amiably, staying close to Roland.

When we had recovered Isaura and Sapphire and got far enough from the killing zone to satisfy Pimani, we set to work healing as many of our wounds as we could before proceeding further. Pimani recommended that we not continue until we were as hale as we could make ourselves. Once I'd expended all of the curative power the Lady grants me each day I took a longer look at the drakkensteed. I recall that they are not ordinarily that silver shade, which leads me to believe that Roland's prayer summoned it from the Lady's realm in much the same way paladins are able to summon steeds from the celestial plane.

As we resumed our journey we were concerned to hear something very large roaring in the distance, but it did not come nearer. Pimani identified the sound as a type of dinosaur called a tyrannosaur. I shall be quite satisfied if we never meet such a creature in person.

As we set up camp for the night, Roland's new friend returned to the Lady's realm. Roland has yet to tell me what the drakkensteed's name is; he says it hasn't yet told him.

While Hedrin and I were on third watch we heard something very large moving toward us. Pimani left us to gather more information. As he hadn't indicated any immediate danger we elected not to wake the others. Our guide was gone for a long while. When he returned he told us that a tyrannosaur had been moving in our direction. Pimani had led it away. Feeling a bit guilty for having chosen not to wake Roland and Latan, I remarked to Hedrin that we shouldn't mention the tyrannosaur to them.

By the time we resumed our travel we all felt much healthier than on the previous day, thanks to the magic the Lady grants me. Eventually we came to a broad plain, on which we could actually see one of the dreaded tyrannosaus moving in the distance. Roland joked that it was a tiny creature because it was so far away.

The next four days passed without any event of note. Under ordinary circumstances I would find this dull, but I'll not complain of it now.

On the fifth day after the raptor attack we came upon a goblin village, which we elected to skirt round. As we made our way past it Pimani questioned us about what we intend to do when we reach the village of the Blessed. We suspect that they must be aware of something dire occurring, for with so many Blessed in one place they can hardly be ignorant of the deaths Lerner and his companions have caused. We hope that they will at least listen to our information and take precautions to protect themselves, if not evacuate their village.

Pimani suddenly alerted us to something approaching, and I heard crashing sounds as of something large moving in our direction. I caught a glimpse of a tyrannosaur running toward us - and it was under attack by a pack of raptors. What brazen creatures to take on such mighty prey! We broke into a run, wisely fleeing for our lives.

The huge dinosaur soon veered off on another path, but now Pimani hesitated, a look of consternation on his face. Latan asked what troubled him, then remarked that she sensed unnatural decay and evil in the vicinity. Roland also detected evil all around us. A darkness was growing in the area. Latan's tressyms reported shapes approaching us, surrounding us. Roland began to pray for his new companion to join us.

The jungle itself appeared to be moving toward us, encircling us with trees and vines. They seemed unwholesome and unnatural to my eyes. Roland sprang onto the drakkensteed's back, for it was fully equipped with saddle and bridle, and they flew up above the threatening flora. Vines shot out and attempted to ensnare them. I summoned an orb of icy cold to my hands and hurled it at one ominously approaching tree-creature. Hedrin blasted another with his eldritch energy.

Within a few heartbeats two of the tree-things had fallen, but they rose again, to our despair. One extremely gnarled old tree-creature appeared to be directing it all, though my back was to this and I was aware of it only by the remarks of my companions. Hedrin began making his way through the other plant-creatures to confront this leader, clambering with fantastic agility over the tops of the trees. We were assailed on all sides by tree-creatures, vine-creatures, and female forms with woody flesh who fired thorns from their hand-like appendages.

I drew my sword and called on the Lady's Blessing once again. My blade fairly hewed two trees into kindling. A huge treant that loomed over us fell with a great commotion to Latan's spells. Then a mass of vines wrapped me and I could no longer move!
_____________________

Quips & Quotes:

sniffles: "Goblins are like Chinese food. They don't stick around long."
Devo: "And four hours later you want to level."

Zora: "You hear a t-rex roar."
Hedrin: "Can I get any impression of what it's saying?"
Zora: "'Curse my tiny little arms!'"

Zora: "You see a t-rex in the distance."
Devo: "They're so tiny!"

sniffles: "I hope Pimani isn't leading us around in circles."
Zora: "Well, he is paid by the day."
Devo: "We're paying him?"

sniffles: "The t-rex has got a withered arm."
Hedrin: "No, that's a wizard's arm."

Hedrin: "Items in scrying mirror are closer than they appear."

sniffles: "Your GM shield isn't high enough."
Zora: "It's set to medium."
Hedrin: "Yeah, well, we've got Fight Guard."
Devo: "I'm Sure." (raises hand)

Devo: "So, is it too late to make like a tree and leave?"
Jubilee: "Maybe the trees are thirsty. I create some water."
Devo: "I create some water too. " (Looks down at pants)

Zora: "The vines don't feel especially strong."
Devo: "Neither do I."

 

[sniffles]

At the Heart of the Matter

As I stood pinioned by the vines, Latan called out to me that were I willing she could help. I agreed immediately, realizing that she probably meant to use a spell I now knew - though I had neglected to prepare it that morning. A moment later I felt the familiar tingling sensation, and between closing my eyes to blink and opening them again I'd moved out of reach of the vine-women to another, less threatening part of the battlefield.

Looking back to where I'd stood a breath earlier, I saw the vine-maidens surrounding Latan. I turned my attention then to Hedrin, who had taken cover nearby due to his many wounds. I moved to his side and called on the Lady's healing power for his benefit.

I said that my new position was less dangerous than among the vine-maidens, but that isn't quite true. It was only that fewer foes threatened Hedrin and I. We faced the gnarled tree-creature that seemed to lead our enemies. This creature hurled a splinter of its own substance at us that transformed into a javelin as it flew, but thankfully failed to find a target.

In return I summoned up one of the spells I had thought to prepare that morning, firing a small bolt of lightning at the tree-thing, but my spell found no more success than our attacker's javelin had.

I glanced toward Latan again and saw that the vine-women had ensnared her and were apparently attempting to drag her away. Roland's draconic steed caught hold of her and resisted them. When Latan was free of their grasp, the drakkensteed crushed one of them beneath its claws and took flight.

A twig-creature approached my location and I hewed it to tinder with my thinblade. Then the gnarled tree sent one of its roots tunneling through the ground to emerge and strike me a blow that left my head spinning.

In the meantime two of the other variety of maiden-like creatures shot some of their thorns into Hedrin. I could see that the thorns must be poisoned and sapping his strength. for he sagged after the thorns struck his flesh. Despite this, Hedrin sent a blast of his eldritch fire at the gnarled tree. Unfortunately it appeared to be under the effect of the same spell I was employing to protect myself, for it was surrounded by a nimbus of whirling loose leaves that made it difficult to see clearly.

I murmured my draconic word to relieve Hedrin of his weariness and turned to slay one of the thorn-maids who'd come within reach. Hedrin fired another blast and this time was able to penetrate the gnarled one's defenses.

In response, the tree waved its limbs about purposefully and a mass of spiky growths shot out of the earth all around us. We couldn't take a step without impaling ourselves. I drew a scroll from my case and read it out, feeling satisfaction as the dagger-shaped chunk of ice struck the tree and shattered into sharp shards.

The tree waved his limbs again and I recognized that he was casting a healing charm. I exclaimed this to Hedrin, feeling my heart sink a little. How could we hope to defeat this enemy if it could heal its own wounds and summon its fallen comrades back to life?

Hedrin bent his knees and then with a mighty bound shot out of the area of spiky growth to land nearer the evil tree. He didn't quite escape the area of spikes when he landed, but he kept his feet and summoned another blast against the tree. He missed his aim - but his energy struck a wood golem that had come up behind the command tree.

Withdrawing another scroll from its case, I tried again to affect the leader with a spell, with no more success than my previous attempt. I was beginning to despair, I must confess. I couldn't hope to leap out of the spikes the way Hedrin had. I'm not nearly as nimble as he is. My Blessed quickness was of no use in that circumstance.

Beyond the gnarled tree I spotted three more plant-creatures appearing, of a different variety than those we'd been struggling with. The newcomers had an air of decay about them that was disturbing.

As these new foes appeared, the gnarled one lashed Hedrin with one of his roots as he'd done me, and then another thorn-maid managed to strike me with her thorns. I felt my knees weaken as the poison coursed through my veins. Off to my left I caught a glimpse of Roland's drakkensteed suddenly collapsing to the earth.

I knew the drakkensteed wasn't slain, only returned to the Lady's realm, but I still felt a pang of fear when it fell, depriving us of a valuable ally. And now the three new arrivals were advancing menacingly on Latan, who had taken the form of a brown bear to continue her fight. One of them, the most foul-looking of the trio, grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up. As it did so she transformed back to her natural appearance in its grasp.

Behind the foul creatures a fire mephit suddenly appeared, summoned by Latan before she was caught. It flew up and began trying to burn the evil things, though with little success. It was at that moment that Hedrin managed to strike the gnarled tree-lord a telling blast and it fell in splinters.

Looking around anxiously to track my friends, I saw Roland, his form overshadowed by the shape of a silver dragon, rushing the hideous plant-creatures. As he did so a second silvery dragon appeared behind his target - a shape I somehow recognized as a ghostly Percy in his true form! Roland cried out in the Draconic tongue, and suddenly Latan was free.

I was so absorbed in this amazing sight that I didn't notice the thorn-maiden attacking me until it was too late - though there was little I could have done to avoid her attack. When her thorns struck me I felt so weary I could hardly keep my feet.

I had drawn my bow earlier to try to offer some aid to my friends, but now I was too weak to pull it! And my Blessing of quickness had faded a few moments before, leaving me weary enough then that I had already employed the Draconic word to relieve my fatigue. I knew I wouldn't be able to use the word again to aid myself that day.

While I stood there trembling and helpless, Latan called out in Silver Cant that she meant to go with the hideous plant-things! She begged the rest of us to let her go. Roland exclaimed, "No!" in a fierce tone. I summoned up a restorative from the Lady's healing Blessing and recovered some of my strength, though I was still trapped amid the spikes and weakened by the poison.

Latan cried, "Let me go! I have to go to the heart. It's my prophecy." I wasn't certain quite what she meant, but in any case there was nothing I could do to aid her or stop the plant-creature from carrying her off. They began to move toward a dark opening amid the dead vegetation filling the area.

I couldn't see or hear what happened next, but Latan told me later. The plant-monster, some blighted evil thing that despised the very natural forces of which it was made, growled to her that she would replace this - and opened its torso to reveal its blackened, rotted heart.

Latan, realizing that perhaps going to the heart might not mean quite what she had previously thought, thrust her hand into the creature's inner cavity and attempted to wrest out its heart! She still held a flame in her hand from a spell she had been using against the other plant-creatures. When her burning hand contacted the evil thing's heart the flames turned to silver and flared out through its plant-flesh. Its woody skin snapped shut on her hand.

Latan told me that she could feel the Lady's energy filling the creature as she continued to grip his heart. As the silver flame expanded, his body turned to dust. Latan was left standing by the dark hole through which the creature had come, holding in her hands a purified crystal that resembled a mandrake root.

The creature's two companions slumped to the ground in heaps of decomposing leaves when their leader fell. The rest of the plant-creatures had all fallen but for one of the thorn-maidens, who fled into the jungle.

Once we had assured ourselves of Pimani's safety, we assembled around Latan to see what she held. She told us that the creature had come from another plane, a place of absolute evil, but the portal had closed once the creature died.

Latan then knelt and dug a hole in the ground where she stood, burying the strange crystal. As soon as she had covered it with soil, the dead vegetation around us began to turn green once more. We felt the oppressive sense of decay in the area vanish as leaves unfurled and blossoms opened.

Moments later a sapling emerged from the soil over the buried crystal and began to enlarge rapidly until I saw that it was no ordinary tree but a treant! Within its woody flesh I caught a glimpse of the crystal, set just where a heart would be in other creatures. The treant grew to full size in little time, but Latan determined that it was not quite fully conscious yet.

As we were all weary and badly wounded, we decided that we would be safe resting in this newly cleansed clearing. Once we had administered what healing we could to ourselves, I settled down amid the new treant's roots and began to tell him a story. It's an old story that has long been told among the Tel'Quessir of the origins of the treants. I thought he might enjoy it.

The next morning the treant had fully awakened. Latan gave it the name Ladyheart in honor of its divinely-inspired birth. Ladyheart thanked us for destroying the monsters and cleansing the jungle. In gratitude he gave us an acorn that can be used to summon one of his kindred to our aid in time of need.

I feel a sense of peace and optimism in the wake of this amazing event. We still must find the village and warn the other Blessed, but what happened here makes me more confident of our success. The Lady is truly with us.
_____________________

Quips & Quotes:

Zora: "The creatures are made of tinder, twigs, dry wood... If you apply produce flame often enough they'll catch fire."
sniffles: "They're made of tindertwigs? They should catch fire really easily!"

Jubilee: "I look through my familiar's eyes."
Devo: "You see a paw, a tree, the sky, a paw, a tree, the sky..."

Jubilee: "I grab his heart and yank it out. Is that a disarm?"
Zora: "It's a dishearten."

 

[sniffles]

Arrival at Last

We rested for a day in Ladyheart's newly-formed grove, enjoying the tranquility of the area now that the corruption had been cleansed. I could see new growth erupting all around us. I wonder what the grove will look like in a hundred years time. I'll have to make a point to return and visit Ladyheart again.

The following day we set off again, for Roland had rather begrudged our previous day's rest, I think. I admit he has a point that we should try to reach the village of the Blessed as soon as possible, but I trust to the Lady that Lerner's army won't be able to get there faster than we can.

After we'd been traveling for a time, under the protection of a spell Latan summoned to make our steps untraceable, Hedrin indicated that he thought something was following us. This was naturally a bit disturbing as Latan's spell was intended to prevent such an occurrence. We paused while Latan sent her tressyms and Isaura back to see who or what our follower was. They returned to report that it was one of the thornmaidens we'd fought in the grove, presumably the one that had fled after the corrupted creature was destroyed.

Hedrin then suggested that he approach the thornmaiden to invite her to tell us why she was following us. As he'd tried to pursue the fleeing thornmaiden earlier, Latan remarked that perhaps he wasn't the right person to take on this task. Hedrin then asked Latan to speak with the thornmaiden. Latan wondered if the thornmaiden might be fearful of us or even of Ladyheart, because we had destroyed the creature she served.

After some thought, I decided to step forward and address the thornmaiden, who was nearly invisible against the jungle foliage. I called out to her in the Sylvan tongue, hoping she would understand, as I don't know the language of plant creatures and Latan wouldn't be able to speak that tongue until the following day, if she so chose. Thank the Lady the thornmaiden did know a little Sylvan. I was able to coax her out of hiding and ask her a few questions, aided by Latan, who of course speaks Sylvan as one of the Fey.

The thornmaiden had no name of her own, she told us, being accustomed to simply being called "number one" by her former master. She knew no life other than the plane of corruption from whence her master had come. Latan immediately suggested naming her "friend" in the Elven tongue, if she would accept it. She raised no objection. We have been calling her Mellon since.

But before we could speak much further, Hedrin detected some other creature rapidly approaching us. This frightened Mellon and she fired some of her poisoned thorns at the newcomer as soon as it was within range. The new arrival turned out to be a wolf - not native to Chult, I think. Fortunately Mellon was so startled by the wolf rushing out of the jungle that her thorns failed to hit their mark.

Latan spoke to the wolf in its own tongue, which made for a rather curious conversation as she yipped and growled to the wolf, then translated in Sylvan for Mellon and in the common tongue for Hedrin and Roland's benefit. But before she could explain to Mellon, the thornmaiden shot another cluster of thorns at the wolf. I had to ask her to cease her attacks.

Then wolf then began sniffing eagerly at each of us, particularly at Hedrin. He then growled and seemed confused. Latan suddenly realized that her spell masked our scents, and she dismissed the magic to permit the wolf to smell us. The wolf appeared to be most interested in Hedrin. Hedrin then held out to the animal a locket he wears, and at the same time discovered that the wolf had a thong tied about its neck with some small item attached to it. When he removed the object, it was revealed to be the ring he had sent with Rose Weisselpuff for her to give to Semiyama, the wolf-woman who travels with Lerner.

Latan remarked to me that the wolf was already weary when it arrived and Mellon's thorns had weakened it further, so I murmured the Draconic word I know to remove some of the animal's distress. I then moved cautiously nearer and laid my hand on his flank to extend to him some of the Lady's healing grace. He was somewhat confused by having all of us standing so near, but did not react with aggression. Latan told us he was much brighter than an ordinary wolf.

Latan questioned the wolf, who told her his name is Fangrim, and learned that Semi had sent him as a messenger to warn us. He couldn't quite explain what he was meant to warn of, but further questioning led us to believe that Semi had wished to advise us of the approach of Lerner's army. Fangrim told us she was in danger, but not injured or held against her will.

Though it was only mid-morning by this point, we set up camp so that Latan could administer a healing salve to Fangrim's sore paws. He had been traveling almost non-stop for weeks to reach us. While Latan administered to the wolf, Roland spent time getting acquainted with Mellon, who did speak a smattering of the common tongue. She seemed quite attracted to him. In order to allay both her fears and Fangrim's, he summoned his new mount to him to introduce them to the drakkensteed. I brought forth Istanil and introduced her as well, though she actually snapped at Fangrim when he sniffed her. Cheeky creature. She wasn't much interested in Mellon either, having little use for a plant creature who doesn't read books.

As we waited for Fangrim to recuperate, I noticed that Mellon's foliage was beginning to look greener than it had when we first met her. I felt sorry for her that she had never known the life she should have, among healthy green and growing things. In the normal course of matters a thornmaiden is meant to be a protector of nature, not a corrupter or destroyer. I hope no other corrupt plant-creatures exist such as the one who had enslaved her.

Hedrin had revealed that the locket he carried bore a lock of Semi's hair when he showed it to the wolf. While we rested, he explained to us just why he had become so enamored of her on such short acquaintance, for they had only met the one time when Lerner's ship waylaid Master Whitetree's vessel. He told us he had felt whole when he was with her, as though he had been missing a part of himself and had found it in her. It was then that I realized that Fangrim seemed unaffected by the aura Hedrin projects that most animals find disturbing.

The following day we continued our journey. Pimani told us we should reach the village in two weeks - assuming, of course, that it had not relocated since last he visited. The next three days were uneventful aside from a slight detour to avoid a great mass of spiderwebs. I spent my resting hours reading up on plant creatures with Istanil's assistance. I'd already discovered through observation that Mellon has the ability to meld into trees and pass from one to another without covering the intervening space. I wish that we could all do the same.

On the third day we came to a river crossing. Pimani advised that we should begin seeing evidence of patrols from the village soon. The area seemed less dangerous than previously, as though the presence of the village had driven off some of the more threatening creatures. But at one point we came to what was obviously the site of a battle between two goblin tribes, which Pimani identified as the Trihorn and Megaraptor tribes. Latan detected a residue of divine magic in the area. Roland wanted to leave some sign there to let the village patrols know of our presence, but was persuaded that this might not be the wisest course.

Three further days had passed without event when, as we continued forward at Pimani's direction, a well-armed woman abruptly appeared in our path. Roland stepped forward and introduced us as ambassadors of Dragonsreach, to which the woman responded by demanding that we "show the sign". This left us somewhat confused until it occurred to Roland to recite part of the temple litany that resembles a greeting. This appeared to satisfy the woman, for she told us we could pass. I suppose we should be thankful that she demanded nothing else. We make quite a peculiar group with all of our curious companions: a wolf, a drakkensteed, a thornmaiden, two tressyms and Latan's pet dinosaur, and Istanil of course...

But I digress. When the woman had recognized the "sign", she reached up and grasped hold of something that appeared to be a kind of fabric, which I had not detected before, and drew it aside. Beyond it I could see what was undoubtedly the village of the Blessed, surrounded by a curious distortion that I suspected was due to a magic portal between dimensions. The woman told us we were expected and indicated that we should pass through the portal. We had at last arrived at our destination, Lady be praised.
_______________________________
Quips & Quotes:

Jubilee: "I empathically call my familiars back to me... somehow."
Hedrin: "Send a feeling of longing for their company."
Devo: "Send a feeling of kibbles."

Jubilee: "Do I know if thornmaidens are evil?"
Zora: "Like all of nature, thornmaidens are inherently evil." (He meant to say neutral.)

Devo: "The thornmaiden likes the sound of my voice."
Zora: "Doesn't everyone?"

 

[sniffles]

A Darkness on the Doorstep

As we began to draw nearer the portal to the Village, Roland asked our guide's name. She declined to reply. I had turned to look at Roland when he spoke and did not see what happened next. When I turned my gaze back to our guide I found that she had burst into flames! She raised her paired swords and slashed at the air, though I saw nothing for her to attack.

I called upon the Lady's Blessing to increase my swiftness and ran toward the portal, intending to lend her some of the Lady's healing aid. Then Latan shouted that goblins mounted on dinosaurs were nearing our position. Our guide turned suddenly and thrust her twin blades into the portal ahead and it dwindled rapidly to nothing.

Roland called for the guide to take cover and we would face the goblin attackers. He then summoned his drakkensteed Beloved to his side and sprang upon her back. I held my place, waiting to see our foes. Hedrin hung back to allow Pimani to get ahead of us, and Latan sent Sapphire to hide among the trees and asked Isaura to fly above the canopy and apprise us of what she could see.

When Pimani had moved ahead of everyone but me, Roland dismounted and drew out a length of rope. He tied one end to a tree nearby and threw the other to Hedrin to do the same. Latan then scattered a mass of magically-summoned caltrops on the ground beyond the trip line. Once the rope had been secured, Hedrin and Fangrim the wolf hid from view.

Latan warned that more foes were coming through the canopy, presumably goblins astride spiders. But a pack of raptors were also headed in our direction, though it seemed they were fleeing the goblins and their trihorns rather than pursuing us. Hedrin ran out of his hiding place to emit a bestial roar at the raptors, causing most of them to turn aside and flee into the jungle.

Roland called on me to cover the canopy, asking Pimani and Mellon to do the same. I drew out my bow and nocked an arrow, watching the tree branches overhead anxiously.

It has always been my sorrow that I am not as sharp-eyed as my Ada. Perhaps I should learn some magic to aid me in this, though Ada would say it is best to rely on one's own skills rather than arcane trickery.

There were indeed spiders above us, as Latan confirmed when she spotted them clearly. Two trihorns bearing goblins had also emerged into the area and were rapidly approaching us.

Suddenly I caught sight of a small lizard rushing toward me. At first I thought it merely frightened by the raptors. But it ran right up to me and abruptly I found myself engulfed in flames! The flames were swiftly extinguished, but not before they had burned me badly.

I retreated behind a nearby tree to employ the Lady's healing Blessing. As I did so I saw Beloved snatch the lizard up in her jaws. Roland chanted the words of a spell at the approaching goblin infantry. Several of them ran away, others began to babble incoherently, and two goblins attacked one another. Then one of the raptors that had not been driven off attacked Hedrin viciously.

Having recovered somewhat from my burns, I fired on the raptor but my arrow failed to penetrate its hide. Hedrin struck it a fierce blow. Then Fangrim, who has become quite attached to Hedrin despite their short acquaintance, rushed the raptor's legs and knocked it to the ground.

Just as the raptor fell, a burst of fire landed in our midst, catching Roland, Latan, Beloved and Mellon in its flames. Mellon slumped to the jungle floor, her woody flesh smoldering. I caught a glimpse of Beloved dropping something from her jaws - not the small lizard, but a startled goblin!

Pimani thankfully rushed to Mellon's side and used his enchanted belt to save her life, though I could see with the Lady's aid that she was still badly hurt. In the meantime Hedrin slew the raptor Fangrim had felled. I darted past him to extend the Lady's Blessing to Mellon and get her back on her feet as one of the trihorns moved nearer.

Using the swiftness the Lady grants me, I also fired on one of the spiders that had come down from the trees to threaten us. The spider then turned its mandibles on Fangrim. Hedrin moved to defend his new friend.

I dropped my bow and drew my thinblade, then brought down one of the goblins with my blade. Something I couldn't identify flew past my head. At least one of the goblins astride the two trihorns was a mage of some sort, as was the lone spider-rider, I believe. Sadly though only one goblin rode a spider, it was not the only spider menacing us.

One of the trihorns charged toward Hedrin, crushing two spiders in its wake before slamming into him and bearing him to the ground. Hedrin bounded to his feet and sprang at the huge dinosaur.

I felt the Lady's swiftness fade from me and my limbs were suddenly weak and weary. I hissed my draconic word to myself and was filled with renewed vigor. But my fresh energy didn't give me the accuracy to prevent my orb of cold from going wide when I aimed it at one of the goblin spellcasters.

I dodged aside to avoid being run down and glimpsed Latan striking the goblin squarely with a beam of icy cold. A quick look around at my companions showed me that Mellon had melded herself with a neighboring tree only to reemerge higher among the tree's limbs, suspended head-down with her feet still embedded in the wood! From this clever vantage she attacked the spider-rider with her poisonous thorns.

Pimani aided the thornmaiden by hurling his peculiar weapon, which he calls a bola, at the goblin astride the spider, entangling it in the weighted cord. I saw a globe of flame shoot past Hedrin uselessly from one of the other goblin mages. Then Roland called for help.

I turned to see that the second trihorn was threatening to impale him against a tree bole. Beloved had vanished, evidently returned to the Lady's realm to heal her wounds. Hedrin dodged past the trihorn's sweeping spiked tail. I was prepared to join him, but Latan was now threatened by a spider that stood between me and the trihorn.

Fangrim sprang out to attack the spider, and I stabbed it twice with my blade. Latan then turned her attention to the trihorn looming over Roland, scattering another mass of caltrops on the ground at its feet. One would think that such a creature's horny feet would be too tough to be affected by such small objects, but this is not the case. The trihorn attempted to avoid moving into the area occupied by the caltrops.

At Latan's behest, Isaura came flying down in the form of a small whirlwind and swept the goblin from his trihorn mount, dropping him from a crushing height among the trees. The second trihorn, which had earlier threatened Hedrin, abruptly vanished, called away by some thaumaturgy.

Latan struck the other mounted goblin with a blast of chill energy and he slumped to the ground, dead. His huge mount wandered off aimlessly in the absence of any rider to control it.

As we stood panting and dripping our blood upon the jungle floor, our guide reappeared. She introduced herself as Kyril as we quickly searched the corpses of the fallen goblins. Then drawing her twin blades once more, she again cut away the fabric of ordinary reality to reveal the portal to the Blessed Village. We stepped through into a sunlit valley.
___________________

Quips & Quotes:

Zora: "There he was on the trihorns of a dilemma."

Zora: "Beloved drops the goblin from her mouth."
sniffles: "The goblin says, 'Why am I wet?'"
Jubilee: "'Was I doing something fun?'"

Devo: "You can't control all of the spiders all of the time..."
Jubilee: "...but you can control some of the spiders some of the time."

Devo: "When I say, 'I take a look around', I mean 'I roll another 4 on my Spot check.'"

 

[sniffles]

Preparing for War

Praise the Lady, we've finally reached our destination.

At first I thought the buildings were unfinished, as though the village had only recently arrived at its current site. But after a moment I realized that the entire village was cloaked in an illusion to make the casual observer see it as a cluster of abandoned ruins.

As we approached, Latan and Roland tried to draw Kyril into a discussion of the village. She was rather taciturn. Then I ventured a question - I don't recall what it was now - and scarcely had I spoken when a figure in flowing robes came swooping out of the sky and grabbed my wrist! I barely had time to register that it was Xiao Lu before she said, "Come with me" and we lifted off into the air, leaving my friends behind.

A few heartbeats later we had landed by what appeared to be a small chapel. The yard outside was occupied by monks practicing their martial arts. Xiao Lu led me inside, pressed me onto a bench, and demanded that I speak.

We had already been told that her Blessing lies in the power of her voice, and that one word was proof enough for me. She was somehow able to convey to me exactly what she wished me to speak of, and that she sought brevity and clarity. I also recognized that she has far greater knowledge of the draconic words of power than I. I quickly explained our mission to her village and our fears about Lerner Provol.

When I had finished my rapid summary, Xiao Lu turned to look at something behind me and uttered a word in the ancient draconic tongue that I hadn't heard before. I was pleased that I've learned enough to recognize its intent - it was meant to send something or someone away, to banish them to another dimension. A few moments later Latan came flying into the chapel, out of breath and obviously upset. She demanded to know what Xiao Lu had done with Isaura. When Xiao Lu calmly responded that she'd banished the elemental to her native plane, Latan then ordered Xiao Lu to bring her back. I tried to intervene to explain that Latan must have sent Isaura to look after me and that my friends were simply concerned for my safety, but Xiao Lu brushed aside my explanation. When Latan remained obstinate and refused to leave the chapel at Xiao Lu's request, Xiao Lu uttered her word of banishment again and Latan vanished!

Fortunately Roland and Hedrin arrived then and Xiao Lu was persuaded to bring Latan back to us. She reappeared in bird form and alit upon Roland's shoulder. I think she refused to resume her natural shape out of pique at Xiao Lu's imperious treatment of her.

Roland then gave Xiao Lu greater detail about Lerner and our concerns. During the conversation, Xiao Lu remarked that she, too, has been touched by prophecy. She recognized that we have all met the Oracle. She also told us that she was responsible for the death of the man from the village whose Blessing came to Hedrin! Evidently she somehow slew him from a distance once he was retaken and tortured by Lerner. I'm not sure whether to be appalled by this or relieved that she ended his suffering.

But I forgot to be concerned by that at the time, as she made another amazing pronouncement a moment later. She spoke a word that caused a door to open at the rear of the chapel, revealing a pair of entwined trees. She then proclaimed to Latan that these were her parents!

Latan was of course overwhelmed and quickly resumed her normal form. She didn't question that the trees represented her long-lost parents, but she did want to know how she came to be and how she was taken to Dragonsreach. Xiao Lu told her that she had been given the infant Latan by the trees, and that she herself had conveyed the baby to Dragonsreach to be taken under their care. Part of the lure that draws the Blessed to the village is those trees, though no one understands how or why, and most of the villagers are unaware of their existence.

We decided to leave Latan alone with her parents and went out to see the rest of the village. Like Dragonsreach, the occupants are of every kind and creed, and not all are Blessed, though many have unusual gifts. Among those we saw were one person obviously of draconic blood, a man who can create structures merely by willing them into existence, and a bugbear who has chosen to follow the path of wizardry.

Xiao Lu continued to make remarks that left us awed as she showed us around. One offhand comment led me to realize that though she scarcely looks any older than Roland, she is the grandmother of Hedrin's mentor, Master Keye, the elderly leader of the monks who dwell near Dragonsreach!

After our brief introduction to the villagers, Xiao Lu left us to conduct other business. She has long been aware that a threat such as Lerner's army would descend on her village, and her whole purpose has been to prepare them to face that threat. But though she is extremely skilled in the martial arts of the East, she is no military commander and she realizes that our militia training, as well as Roland's knowledge of tactics and my knowledge of history, will be an advantage to the villagers in the coming struggle.

A feast was prepared that evening to welcome us. There we were introduced to almost everyone in the village, including Artie the builder and Armetis the bugbear wizard. Armetis demonstrates an amazing ability to recognize the properties of magical objects, though he seemed somewhat confounded by my Lady-blessed sword, as well as by a twisted amulet we recovered from the body of one of the goblin mages. With Artie's help he's managed to build a workshop for himself that appears to be only a tiny outbuilding from the outside, but is a roomy workspace within. I think he and I will have a great deal to talk about in the coming days.

On the following morning we bade farewell to Pimani, who returns to his family in Mezro. He goes with our gratitude. After our goodbyes, we met again with Xiao Lu. She has asked each of us to use our skills to aid the villagers in protecting themselves against Lerner's forces. Hedrin and Roland will help with the defenses and training the villagers in group tactics and strategies. Hedrin will also go as emissary to a village of wolf-men nearby to seek their aid. He intends to bond himself with Fangrim before he leaves, using an enchanted ring we found among the goblins.

Latan will work with the powers of nature to make further defenses, such as walls of thorns or persuading dinosaurs to attack our foes. She is also spending much of her time with the trees, attempting to communicate with them and to understand their purpose.

I know my own part in this is just as serious, but I can't help but be excited. Xiao Lu has told me she'll teach me more of the draconic words!
__________________________________
Quips & Quotes:

Jubilee: "Is there a ring of Charisma in our loot?"
Zora: "No."
Jubilee: "The GM doesn't like me."
sniffles: "Because your Charisma is too low!"

Jubilee: "Did Latan come out of a pod? She's like 5 Latans in a pod!"

Devo: "It might be a safe haven for our guerillas."
Jubilee: "We have monkeys?!"

Zora: "For the feast, Artie creates tables that run through the center of town."
Devo: "How fast do they run?"
Hedrin: "Expeditious Eat!"

 

[sniffles]

Getting to Know Them

Xiao Lu has told me we’ll begin my lessons in Ancient Draconic tomorrow. Today I’m getting acquainted with the residents of the village. I feel it’s important to gather as many of their stories as I can. I fear not all of them will survive an attack by Lerner’s forces.

Not all of them have what I would call Blessings – at least, not Blessings like my own or those my friends have. But I suppose they’re blessings of the Lady all the same. Some of them are as simple as being unusually strong or especially good at a particular craft or skill. Others are as impressive as Arty’s ability to seemingly conjure structures out of air.

All of them felt drawn here by some unexplained sensation. It’s really quite awe-inspiring, that so many people from so many far-flung places would make their way to the remote jungles of Chult based on what must have seemed mere whim to their acquaintances.

I met one elder lady, Mitzi, whose blessing is the ability to transform herself into an insubstantial mist. She flew across the ocean on her own in her gaseous form, fleeing from Lerner. Incredible. And another resident of the village looks like a mixture of dragon and man, with a strong resemblance to the Lady’s silvery coloring. There are even some people from distant Maztica here!
[sblock]
Hedrin: “What you don’t know is that bums get message for free. They’re not really muttering to themselves – they’re talking to some other bum somewhere across town.”
[/sblock]
While I occupied myself with gathering the stories of the villagers, ably aided by Istanil making notes and drawing portraits for me, my friends were busy with other affairs. Hedrin must spend a full day and night bonding with Fangrim, using the enchanted ring he acquired. He hopes that having the wolf as his bonded companion will aid him in befriending the lupines he’ll be contacting at Xiao Lu’s request.

Latan has left the village with some of the local hunters to find some of the area dinosaurs and make their acquaintance. And Roland has been interviewing the villagers, but for a different purpose than I have. He’s looking for those who have certain skills that will be useful in the coming struggle.

I can’t help feeling sorrow that these kind, open-minded people are threatened by one so heartless and cruel as Lerner. It’s wondrous to see how accepting everyone is of their differences. No one thinks twice that Armetis is a bugbear, or that the lad they call Beast Boy has the same type of Blessing as Hedrin.

Although everyone knows of the Lady here, not all of them know her as a goddess. Armetis for one questioned her existence. He seemed dubious despite my assurances that I’ve met her myself. I wish they all could feel the honor of being in her service as I am.

I managed to speak with 35 people today. There are ten times as many folk dwelling here. I worry that I’ll never have the opportunity to chronicle all their stories.

I met with Roland again in the evening, though neither Latan nor Hedrin have yet returned. During dinner, after we’d shared the fruits of our day’s labor with one another, Roland proposed to Xiao Lu that perhaps it might be possible to create a scrying pool here such as the one in Dragonsreach that can be used to communicate with the council.
[sblock]
Jubilee: “I like talking to raptors. They make neat noises.”
Devo: Makes a noise.
Jubilee: “That was more like a dying goose.”
[/sblock]
Somewhat to my surprise, Xiao Lu wasn’t comfortable with this idea. She doesn’t entirely trust the council, particularly Father Merrick. Latan would probably agree with her. For myself, I don’t believe that Father Merrick means anyone any harm. He only believes that what people don’t know can’t hurt them. I’m not sure I agree with that. But all the same I trust him.

But Xiao Lu’s ability to get to the heart of the matter through words means that she’s most uncomfortable with people who dissemble. She never speaks with anything but the utmost honesty herself, and she finds Father Merrick’s obfuscation very trying. From her words, I suspect he finds her honesty equally objectionable.
[sblock]
Zora: “Make a Diplomacy check.”
Devo: “I rolled a 4.”
Zora: “So what’s that make your Diplomacy?”
Devo: “29.”
[/sblock]
Tomorrow I’ll be on my own here. Latan is still in the jungle. Hedrin will leave to seek the wolf-people. And Roland will be on his way to try to make friends with the local goblin tribes.

I’m so eager to learn more of the draconic tongue, but my eagerness is tempered by the feeling that I’m doing so little to help prepare the village for war. Draconic is powerful, but how can it help in this troubled time?

I must have faith that the Lady has a plan for my skills.

 

[sniffles]

Friends and Allies

It’s such a pleasure to study with someone who knows the ancient draconic tongue! I knew that my individual studies weren’t providing me with all of the details necessary to truly comprehend the language, but I never realized how limiting it was to study on my own. With Xiao Lu I can practice saying the words aloud and discover how far off base my attempts often are.

I’m afraid my studies are rather dull for Istanil. Naturally she isn’t as fascinated by the spoken word as I am.

It was a long, difficult day of study, however. I haven’t spent that much time at practice of something since my training in oratory back at Heritage. But the work inspired me. In the evening, finding myself without the company of my friends, I decided to occupy myself by giving a performance. The villagers have all taken to communal dinners since our arrival. Once dinner had concluded I recited a portion of Jaedrig’s Tale for them, since they have little opportunity to experience wandering minstrels or bards.

Following our second day of lessons, we received word that Roland had returned. Xiao Lu immediately called a halt to our work to go and greet him. He arrived with new guests, representatives of the Trihorn tribe of goblins. One of the new arrivals was an aged shaman, one we had perhaps encountered before our arrival at the village. He was borne on a litter by several other goblins.
[sblock]
Zora: “Litter-bearers…”
Hedrin: “Litter…” (throws some wadded-up paper on the table). “You, litter-bearer, put some there!”
[/sblock]
“How goes it?” Xiao Lu asked as we approached. Roland gestured to the diminutive and wizened elder. “I’d like to introduce you to Elder Olidant, and his companions Narg and Begrew,” he replied. Olidant mumbled something unintelligible that nevertheless appeared to be perfectly understood by Xiao Lu. She nodded politely. “Good to see you,” she responded to the elder’s incomprehensible comment.

“I have a commitment from Oogra, their leader, to give us their assistance when the time is right,” Roland then explained. “Olidant and his company will camp just outside the village’s protective shield to maintain communications with the rest of their tribe.”

“Very well, said Xiao Lu approvingly. “I’ll arrange for some trolls to patrol the area to protect them.”

“There is a longer version of the tale, if you’d like to hear it now,” said Roland. “Wherever you prefer is fine,” Xiao Lu answered. Then she added, “But perhaps it should wait until she’s finished her training for today,” glancing at me as she spoke. I nodded obediently. Roland also nodded in agreement. “Very well. I’ll introduce these three to the village and speak with you later.”

“I hope dear Hedrin is all right,” Xiao Lu remarked as they parted. “I heard some sounds from the mountain last night.”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Roland said. “He’s a strong soul.”

“He was chosen wisely,” Xiao Lu concurred. Roland then turned and said to the goblins, “Come this way, please. I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
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Zora: “Goblin leaders don’t have to walk anywhere.”
Devo: “Age penalties have taken their speed down to zero.”
Zora: “But their wisdom has increased to an amazing… nine!”
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Late that afternoon both Latan and Hedrin returned to the village. Hedrin also arrived with a guest, one of the wolfen from the mountain. Until then I hadn’t realized that the wolfen are so large. I didn’t see what followed, but Roland told me of it later.

Hedrin came to the center of the village followed by a creature that appeared like a huge wolf walking on two legs, standing a good two heads taller than Hedrin himself. Both of them carried haunches of venison with them, which only added to the creature’s intimidating appearance.

When Roland’s charges caught sight of the wolfen they reacted with consternation. The wolfen also began to emit a low rumbling growl. Roland turned to the goblins and told them, “You will meet no enemies in the village.”
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Zora: “The goblins take you at your word. After all, you’re their chieftain’s favorite. There’s a reason there’s an extra ‘oo’ in Oogra.”
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Hedrin said to the wolfen, “Grizzen, behave,” which did not please the wolfen. Hedrin realized this and added, “Grizzen, they are our allies.” Then he turned to Roland and said, “Roland, this is Grizzen, representative of Killyox’s village.”

“I’m honored to meet you, a fine warrior like yourself. I look forward to seeing what you can do,” Roland greeted Grizzen with his usual diplomacy. The wolfen grunted in response.

“The rest of his village will be here in about two weeks,” Hedrin explained. Hedrin looked a mess. His clothes were torn and bloodstained. The wolfen value strength and warrior prowess, it seems. Praise the Lady that they are our allies and not our enemies.

Latan then arrived. At Roland’s questioning she described how she’d made an impression on a family of raptors, ridden upon a megaraptor, and even made the acquaintance of a tyrannosaurus after nearly being swallowed! I must persuade her to repeat the tale to me at length so I can record all the details. The hunters who accompanied her certainly seem impressed by her deeds.

Grizzen was apparently quite respectful of Latan when introduced to her. But Latan, as is her way, was most concerned with reuniting herself with her small dinosaur Sapphire, who had been in the care of Beast Boy in her absence.

When Latan arrived at the chapel, Xiao Lu called her inside and conducted her into the secret chamber where Latan’s parents are planted. That’s such a curious thing to say, but no less than the truth. Mellon has been staying with them almost continuously since our arrival in the village. It is the only place the thornmaiden seems comfortable.

Once Latan was ensconced in privacy with her parents, Xiao Lu and I resumed my lessons. Istanil began pacing around us as one might expect to see a teacher pacing around a student. I had difficulty restraining myself from laughing at her, but I don’t think Xiao Lu would have appreciated such a distraction.

Later Hedrin came to the chapel and introduced Grizzen to Xiao Lu. When the wolfen was presented, he seemed very deferential to Xiao Lu, though she greeted him courteously.

“Grizzen has expressed the wish to stay outside the dome, but Roland has told me that the goblins will be staying outside the dome as well,” Hedrin said. “Who can tell me where the wolfen can stay to keep out of the way of the goblins?”

“Biddenwald the quartermaster can tell you where they can stay,” Xiao Lu replied. “But it would be best if everyone can get along.” I felt then the power of her words, directed at Grizzen, and I could see that the wolfen felt their power too.

“Find him a place, and then return and tell me of what concessions you’ve agreed to,” Xiao Lu told Hedrin. “Not as good as I’d hoped, but not as bad as I’d feared,” he answered. She smiled. “You’ve done well.” I think her praise heartened him. Hedrin is no diplomat, but he took on the mission she assigned him with admirable determination.

While Hedrin was in the chapel, Roland had a curious experience with his guests. They came upon one of the local goblins and reacted very oddly. He said the bearers nearly dropped Olidant’s litter when they caught sight of the village goblin known as Pox. Roland quickly stepped forward and reminded the goblins, “There are no enemies in this village.”

The goblins began gabbling excitedly, “That’s the Chosen One! We must get it! It would make a great trophy.” Roland told me they spoke so rapidly he could scarcely understand them.

Pox reacted just as dramatically to Olidant’s people as they had to him: he emitted a high-pitched whistling sound, assumed the form of a raptor and fled! Roland called for someone to follow and help him. According to Roland, his raptor form had a silvery sheen, as if each scale was outlined in silver. No doubt that is his Blessing.

“You had no right to draw your weapons. What you have done is wrong and will never be done again,” Roland admonished the goblins. His words appeared to affect them. Olidant even mumbled something that might have been an apology, and his bearers offered to hand over their bows. Roland refused them, but asked them to retire to their shelter outside the village until the feast in the evening.

The feast that evening was an interesting affair. Beast Boy sat next to Grizzen and chattered incessantly at the wolfen warrior, which the wolfen didn’t quite know how to react to. The goblins had a little difficulty adapting to local table manners, but managed to acquit themselves well enough. Pox didn’t put in an appearance, and the other village goblins only watched from a distance.

While conversing with the villagers, I overheard several folk discussing what had happened to Pox. They seem to think his fright had something to do with his upbringing. Roland later told me that he’d heard Pox might have come from the Raptor tribe. He suspects that perhaps Pox’s ability to change his form might have led to some difficulties with his tribe.

It was a fascinating evening. I listened eagerly to my friend’s stories of their adventures. Latan isn’t an ideal storyteller, but she certainly described her adventures with enthusiasm. It was made even more entertaining by the behavior of the hunters who’d gone with her, who gave their own perspective on her actions. Latan downplayed her danger when dealing with the tyrannosaurus, but according to the hunters she was very nearly devoured by the creature!
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Jubilee: “Next time I’m going to benign transposition with one of them. It’ll be fine. That’s why it’s called benign.”
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Grizzen then offered his own contribution to the storytelling, describing how the wolfen champion had been defeated by Hedrin. Hedrin seemed to find this a bit embarrassing – not the storytelling, but the tale itself.

I had the impression that the wolfen champion, whom Grizzen called Ravage, had behaved less than honorably in defeat, which caused Grizzen some embarrassment. He described Ravage as using some type of long daggers strapped to his arms in addition to his own natural weaponry of claws and fangs. Hedrin was able to defeat Ravage by use of his own weapon, the silver energy the Lady has blessed him with.

Grizzen was obviously quite impressed by the presence of Fangrim, for his people had never seen a true wolf before, though they evidently are aware of the existence of wolves and think of them as their ancestors.

Roland then described his experience among the Trihorn tribe. “It went very well,” he said. “We met their patrols and were taken to their village. Their leader is Oogra, the shamaness we saw in the jungle riding a trihorn.”

“Did she hold that against you?” Hedrin asked. “No, not at all,” Roland replied. “I convinced the guards to let us talk to her, and found that some of the spider-riders had joined the Trihorn clan. I later found the Spiders had been defeated by the Trihorns and had become part of their tribe. Which shows that we went to the right place to seek goblin allies.”

“We held our negotiations inside a zone of truth,” he continued. “It turned out that a bit of fortune turned the talk, for Oogra had an amulet that had been stolen by one of the Spider-riders and she very much wanted it back. If you recall, we found an amulet of twisted silver among the fallen goblins. She asked for return of the amulet, a gift of goodwill among friends.”

“In the spirit of friendship it would only seem right to return it to her,” I agreed. I didn’t bother to add that we had been unable to determine the purpose of the amulet.

Roland nodded in agreement and continued his story. “She then stepped outside the tent and used the amulet to transform herself into what is apparently the totem of their tribe, a creature that resembles both a trihorn and a tyrannosaurs.”

Latan then became very interested in this, and for a moment the conversation turned toward how a trihorn and a tyrannosaurus could interbreed. Roland brought the discussion back to his negotiations quickly. “Once we resumed our discussion, she was very open to working together against our common enemy.”

“What did she want?” asked Latan.

“Nothing,” he answered. “Let me remand that. She wanted peace. She wanted an end to hostilities. She’s very open to a new era of cooperation between our two peoples.”

Latan frowned. “Then why did they attack us when we first got here?”

“Perhaps merely because we were strangers in their territory,” I suggested.

“It will take them a couple of weeks to meet us here,” Roland continued. Then Latan exclaimed, “Do you think we can trust them not to turn on us?”

Roland looked slightly perturbed by this remark, for the goblins were still at the table with us, but he said confidently, “Yes, we can.”

He went on, “They are 112 goblins fighting strong, and they have trained five trihorns, eight spiders, and three rather unique dinosaurs that are crossbred between trihorns and some type of small raptor. The goblins are good people, fierce. Their chief dinosaur trainer let me ride one their trihorns, riding behind the horns.” He winked at Hedrin, for his comment referred to Hedrin’s unintentional ride on the brow of a trihorn during our previous encounter with their tribe. Hedrin flushed slightly in embarrassment.

“It’s very impressive that you had such success at these negotiations in such a short time,” I told my friends, looking at them admiringly.

“Well, I didn’t get eaten, anyway,” Latan said off-handedly. “But I only made half a circuit of the village. Tomorrow I should go out and work my way around the other half.”

Hedrin then went on to describe the stone ruins amongst which the wolfen live, and Roland remarked that the goblins, too, are surrounded by ancient ruins. He feels that the ruins didn’t appear to be of goblin craft, though the goblins claimed some statuary as those of “ancestor spirits”.

I wonder what ancient civilization once occupied this land. When I have an opportunity I must talk to Grizzen to learn more of the lore of his people.

After that our conversation wandered off to other topics. It occurred to me that I haven’t yet spent much time with Mellon. I should really speak more with her and learn of the place she came from. Latan remarked that Mellon seems uncomfortable in the jungle, to which Hedrin commented that he also finds the jungles of Chult strange. Latan likes it here. Roland says he hardly notices the jungle – he is more interested in the people.
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sniffles: “So he can’t see the trees for the people?”
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Praise the Lady, we have allies now. The goblins are 112 strong, and there are some 60 or 70 wolfen pledged to our cause. If only I could complete my studies more quickly. I know there are words in the draconic tongue that are of tremendous power, but whether I can learn any of them in the time I have available to me is another matter.