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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1474031" data-attributes="member: 1210">Our Heroes Have Old Enemies Already??It’s a four day trip to Blackwood, which is a wee town that’s hosting a jam contest in the upcoming weeks.  Our heroes make the journey easily, with no trouble or noteworthy encounter.  Brother He continues to practice using the rainshield as a stylistic device, working to create katas for it.  When they finally reach Blackwood, they find that it’s a pretty small town.  There are two taverns across the street from each other.  The one that’s a little better lit and cleaner is called the Three Legged Blink Dog; across the way is the Displacer Beast, clearly a touch seedier.  Our halfling heroes naturally enter the friendlier place, from which the smell of cooking soup rather than vomit emanates.  Asking around a bit, they find that the selection of judges is made by a committee of town elders, picking folk from a pool of volunteers.  Clearly, the party’s next move is to put a few people into that pool of volunteers.  Mama Flapjacks is a shoo-in (the group assumes); Airhead Ed throws her name in too, for the idea of tasting many high-quality jams has a certain appeal to her.  Well, naturally; she’s a halfling.  The party spends a couple of days campaigning for Mama Flapjacks, spreading tales of her culinary experience, claiming she’s been a judge at similar things before, etc.  They do their best to make her a well-known guest of the community, rather than a complete stranger.  They even seek out opportunities to help the town.  And at night, one or two of them- usually Federico- gets drunk.  Ed usually gives him his late walk.One morning, over breakfast, Federico mentions that he’s heard that a local farmer, named Amos, has a missing dog.  “He’s the corn farmer at the end of the row,” the kobold squeaks.  “Maybe we should help him.”  The party agrees that this sounds like a good way to continue making a good name for themselves, and they seek out Amos.It turns out to be Amos’ daughter’s dog that’s missing.  Amos, a lanky human seemingly without an ounce of welcome or friendliness in his body, doesn’t really seem to want the dog back.  But our heroes press on nevertheless, managing to extract the dog’s last known location.  “I won’t pay you,” the farmer tells them sourly.  “Damn dog.  Don’t much care for dogs.”  He glares at Federico.“Yeah, me neither,” the kobolds whines, and slinks behind Cavedwarf’s leg.Our heroes head into the nearby glade of woods that was the dog’s last known location, hoping to find some trace of it, and then begin exploring the rocky defile behind the woods.  A stream runs through this, and as they head upstream the clan becomes aware of a crashing noise up ahead.  “A waterfall,” Trinia says knowingly.***Are you surprised to learn that our heroes already have old enemies?  Enemies that they’ve made in this very story hour?  Indeed, they do!Blaze and Broadsword watched from above as our heroes entered the defile.  They recognized our heroes, too, or at least many of them.  Trotting down towards their hidden lair, they communicated telepathically, silently.  Plotting death to all who might have figured out their secret.***The halflings move up the edge of the streambed, which winds its way south into the mountains.  Around them rock walls are starting to rise in sheer walls, making it more of a gorge, and only hardy, strong-rooted plants can cling to the vertical walls.  “There, the waterfall,” Brother He calls out, gesturing ahead.  He’s seen such things before, in the Underdark, but never before on the surface.“Well, no sign of the dog,” grumbles Captain Cavedwarf.  “I wonder if there’s anything behind the waterfall?” says Ed.  “There’s always stuff behind the waterfall in the tales.”“That’s true,” affirms Mama.  “Dog!  Go look!”  Federico splashes up to the waterfall and sticks his scrawny neck through it, then pulls it back after a moment.“There’s a cave!” he exclaims.  “And there are two garen back there!”Next Time: Blaze and Broadsword strike!</blockquote>

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