NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1229702" data-attributes="member: 1210">Mourning; the Witch of BellholdSlowly our small heroes emerge, one by one, from the old mines of Steeple Mountain.  Once worked by slaves of the now-slain dragon Copperdeath, they seem to have become a haven for new dangers.Our heroes, alas, are in mourning.They rest in the drizzle, letting the chilly water soak through them and wash them clean.  The stink of rotting fish clings to them, relic of the troglodyte zombies and their trog shaman master.  And the oily feeling of wrongness that clings to them at the thought of how many of the clan has fallen since they set out to get the bell soils them all.When night falls it only grows worse.  Each of them is gnawed by terrible dreams, night terrors that shake them and confront them with the recently dead, their secret fears and weaknesses.  Thankfully, dreams tend to fade on waking; otherwise...Otherwise, what?  Our heroes don’t know.  But the citizens of Bellhold are beginning to find out.Our heroes need some time to rest and heal, and they don’t feel safe near this cursed mine.  So they head back into Bellhold, to the Bell & Clapper, the local inn located along the central plaza.  Securing rooms, they briefly discuss returning to the mines, but too many of them are still wounded.  Brother He can barely stand, for that matter; and so the group instead decides to investigate the local witch they heard mentioned.“Remember?” Sandy asks them as they discuss it.  “When they had the town meeting, the mayor said she’d seen a vision about the nightmares ending or something.”“That’s right!” exclaims Federico.  “Maybe she can help us or something!”  The group therefore asks around until they get directions to the witch’s home.  Her name, they are told again, is Utrish.  She is alleged to be insane; the group can’t find anyone who actually knows her well or calls her friend.  Many of the townsfolk seem mistrustful of her, and a few even warn the group away from her.Undeterred, our heroes seek her out.  They follow their directions and soon arrive at a squat cottage, painted with a variety of arcane-looking symbols and glyphs.  Cautiously, Trinia calls out, “Hello?”There’s no answer, but Brother He hears a branch crack behind the cottage, as if trodden underfoot.  Moving swiftly, he darts behind the building and intercepts an old woman with tangled hair and a dirty peasant dress on.“Hello,” Brother He says.  “Are you Utrish?”The old woman starts.  Eyes darting nervously about, she hums to herself for a moment, then mutters, “Yes.  I’m going, though.  Must be going...”“We heard that you saw a vision of the nightmares ending,” Sandy interjects.  “Perhaps you could answer a couple of our questions.”“We’re trying to aid your people,” Thelonious adds.Fearfully, the old woman whines, “I just want to go.  It’s not good here anymore, not good!  Terrible, terrible dreams...”  She trails off, looking imploringly at the party.“We’ll let you go as soon as you answer a few of our questions,” Sandy says firmly.  “Do you know what’s causing the nightmares?”  The witch shakes her head mutely.  “What did you see in your vision?” Sandy demands.Reluctantly, she speaks.  “I... I told Philippa Krekket the truth.  The truth.  In a week the nightmares will be over...”  She gulps, squeezing her eyes shut as if in pain.  “But I didn’t tell her the whole truth,” she whispers.  “Not all of it.  The nightmares will be over... because there will not be anyone here who can dream.”Next Time: Captain Cavedwarf and the dragon statue!</blockquote>

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