M2: The Search for Goblin HQ

[Gurdjieff]

"Yeah, let's fire it up." Irene agrees with Rinaldo. "But whatever we do, let's do it fast. Who knows if there are more of these ghouls around here..."

 

[Steve Jung]

"I agree." Tor says. "Perhaps with two of us on each watch. I'll volunteer for a middle watch, since I don't need to prepare spells."

I can also stand a middle watch, if needed.

 

[Manzanita]

Night 1

The group piles the ghouls corpses and sets them alight. They burn poorly, and additional fuel is needed to destroy them. The party then turns about and heads back to the main road. The journey back is uneventful, and a suitable campsite is found. Watches are organized. Charlyn spends an hour or so with the injured, treating their wounds to prevent infection and fever.

That night, Tor, Charlyn and Somac each have frightening dreams. They dream they are back near the landslide on a moonless night. They are wearing their armor and equipment, but no weapons. They are running, and know their pursuers are the hollow-voiced ghouls. "Join us." the ghouls moan at them. "Stop running. Relax. It is better to be dead."

The runners tire, feeling hopeless. But then see a horse, saddled and standing at ready. They run for it, almost our of breath, feet slapping the ground like wooden stumps, ghoul steps at their heels.

They each make it. Climb on the horse, and gallop away. They awake tired, but healthy.

Morning comes uneventfully for the others. Now only Somac (down 7), Charlyn (down 4) and Nurlan (down 3) are still injured.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

Somac: Male Human Bbn1

Somac awakens with a start, his heart pounding. The awful dream casts a pall on his morning. He goes about his morning routine stiffly, and his mood is dim.

After breakfast he tells the rest of the party about the dream, and his spirit lifts a little with the telling. Just being around these others, who fought the ghouls so bravely yesterday, makes him feel safe and welcome.

"Thank you, Charlarn, for the healing yesterday. I was pretty close to death, and now I feel much better."

 

[Patlin]

Tor, Human (more or less) Barbarian 1

Tor tells of his dream as well. He's not sure what it means, and he asks Charlarn to examine him for any signs of ghoul fever, just in case. Getting away from the ghouls seems to be a good omen, but he has also heard that horses in dreams can be a very bad omen, as they sometimes can carry you to very bad places. Night mares are not to be trusted. Were the dream horses black, or in any other way demonic?

If Charlarn gives a clean bill of health, Tor is relieved and ready to go adventuring once more. He wants to know where that alarm was coming from!

 

[orsal]

Nurlan is disturbed to hear that Tor and Somac had identical dreams. "In all the legends that the storytellers tell, whenever the same dream happens twice, it turns out to foreshadow something. I cannot interpret your dream, but it cannot be good. Perhaps in some sense those ghouls are still chasing you, will be following you now, maybe in a literal sense and maybe in a metaphorical sense. Charlarn, you know more about ghouls than I. What do you think?"

 

[Manzanita]

Day 2

The party is able to return to the avalanch area in under two hours. Everything seems as it was.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

Somac: Male Human Bbn1

"Should we try to cross again? I'm worried that the bell might ring again, even after burning the ghouls we stopped last night. After all, I have to disagree with what they said in my dream--it is definitely NOT better to be dead!"

 

[orsal]

Nurlan the bard

"Should we try to cross again? I'm worried that the bell might ring again, even after burning the ghouls we stopped last night. After all, I have to disagree with what they said in my dream--it is definitely NOT better to be dead!"

"I'm sure it will ring. It did the first time we tried too. But what will come? How about if I test it, and once we've set off the alarm I return to this side and mount my horse. Then, if anybody comes, we can decide whether to fight them or flee. Can those of us without mounts all run fast?"

After a pause, Nurlan adds, "Better yet, let's see if there's a trap that starts the bell going. Maybe we can avoid it. Rinaldo, you seemed to know something about alarm bells. Could you take a careful look, maybe see if you can find a wire like you were describing?

OOC: let's not do anything definitive until other players have checked in -- there may be something retroactive that other characters, especially Charlarn, want to do.

 

[Steve Jung]

Charlarn: Male human cleric 2

Charlarn sits bolt upright as the nightmare ends. A cold sweat coats his skin and a shriek of terror escapes his lips. Upon hearing the others' recollection of the same dream, he says, "They were reaching for me. I could feel their breath on my neck. Either we're being warned or threatened by the dream. I don't know which." He prays for his spells to help ease his mind.

"Thank you, Charlarn, for the healing yesterday. I was pretty close to death, and now I feel much better."

"You're welcome, Somac. Actually, let me heal you again. That gash still looks deep. Hopefully, I've cleaned your wounds properly so you won't get ghoul fever." (Casts cure light wounds on Somac (1d8+2))

If Charlarn gives a clean bill of health, Tor is relieved and ready to go adventuring once more. He wants to know where that alarm was coming from!

"Well, my brave friend, I've done all I can to purge the fever from your body. Only time will tell." Once everyone is ready, he'll heft his pack on his back and ready his shield.

Cleric Spells Prepared (4/3+1: save DC 13 + level):
0–detect magic, guidance (2), light;
1–bless, cure light wounds, hide from undead, sanctuary*.