Tairn

Play date: June 27, 2006

1531.8.15 - Dusk

After Tiera shows you the note, everyone decides to head back to Lake Catherine. Tiera says she will look for them at Keylon’s School on the first day of Spring (1532.3.1). Watches are set, and the night passes uneventfully.

1531.8.16 pre-dawn

Tiera bids Varendë farewell as she leaves camp at the first rays of dawn. An hour later the group heads east towards the sun hoping to find the river. Jack leads the way with great confidence if not skill. Shortly after a break for food, the group spies a very large boar in their path 120 feet ahead. It hasn’t noticed the group yet. A brief discussion ensues and avoidance seems the intelligent route. Everyone follows Jack circling the beast to the north. As the group is directly north of the creature, something spooks it (perhaps a scent on the wind?) and it charges towards the group of humanoids. Varendë looses an arrow, piercing the creatures tough hide. Banic calls down the might of Moradin on the boar. Malperder swings his axe heavily into the creatures side, and Keddick shouts fire forth from his hand to sear the boar’s flesh. Varendë moves in for the kill with his longsword, and the beast drops to the ground. As its eyes roll back in its head, the two thousand pound behemoth lies in the cool afternoon with its sides heaving. Malperder raises his axe and brings it hurtling down on the unconscious boars head. Jack hacks a large chuck of the boars flesh from its side. He sticks it in Keddick’s sack and shoulders it. Several hours later, the group stops due to fatigue, and Jack pulls the meat out. Boric cleanses the meat magically, someone starts a fire, and the meat is roasted and consumed. At an hour before dusk, Keddick shows Malperder the “Rope trick” spell he suggests they sleep in. Everyone climbs despite Malperder’s trepidation. The rope is pulled up. Everyone attempts to settle in to sleep, but the fatigue of the day is not enough to overcome them, sending them to sleep. Hours later, after dark, as Varendë sits in a trance, Malperder notices an orc pass beneath the rope trick off to one side. Shortly, another orc passes as well. A hurried discussion results in Malperder strapping on his armor with Banic’s help and Varendë being roused. Malperder leads the way down the rope. Everyone follows. It has been nearly five minutes since he first saw an orc, and they were headed north. All but Varendë starts north. The elf stays by the rope. They continue cautionsly for six or seven minutes before javelins arc out of the night. Three bounce harmlessly off of Malperder’s banded mail, but another lodges in Banic’s side with two others leaving Banic unharmed. A voice from the darkness says in Orcish “Go back and we won’t kill you.” Malperder advances very cautionsly ten feet or so. Keddick throws dancing lights forward and to the right. All but Keddick spot six orcs hiding in the brush beneath the lights. The voice comes again in Common commanding everyone to turn back and for “the wizard to get rid of the lights.” Jack lights his lantern, and the voice warns a third time. The four people mill about unwilling to attack, but unwilling to lose face with their comrades by being the first to retreat. The voice warns again, and now the party can count fifteen orcs facing them carrying shortswords, an axe, javelins, and shortspears. Keddick calls his dancing lights to him and everyone retreats 20 or 30 feet. The voice commands again to douse the lights and the orcs all advance slowly keeping their weapons ready. Finally, Keddick dismisses the lights and the party retreats. No one seems to ponder the fact that the two slow-moving dwarves were able to catch up with the much faster orcs after a five minute wait, and only seven minutes of following. Jack disagrees with the other three on the correct course back to camp, but decides to follow the majority. Varendë spots them passing the rope off to the side and waves, but they don’t see him in the dark. He jogs over and guides them back to the rope. Everyone slips back into the rope trick and waits until 11. Keddick studies the spell again and recasts it at 11. Everyone sleeps 8 hours with the exception of the Elf.

1531.8.17

After five hours of travel, The Hawr is reached, and the party turns south. Three more hours of travel and a small boat is seen traveling south in the river. Keddick and then Malperder hail the boat. A crewman seems to have heard the dwarf, but they don’t stop. A bit futher on they drop sail. The group tries to arrange passage, but even Jack’s diplomacy isn’t enough to convince them to allow the group to board. They suggest meeting in Fainris, a small village two hours further on. Jack suspects they just don’t trust a group of strangers on the shore asking for a ride. The group pushes hard and arrives in Fainris two and a half hours later. People hide from the strangers. A headman comes forward and greets the party. After discussion he heads off and finds three women willing to take in travellers. One takes the dwarves. One takes the Elf and Swashbuckler. The final one leads Varendë away. Everyone is fed and given meager accomodations. Come morning each person gives their host a gold coin by way of thanks. All of the hosts are extremely grateful.

1531.8.18

Ten and a half hours on the trail get the group to the edge of Lysoria. Tired and footsore, Keddick heads for a bath and bed at The Lucky Silver while Varendë leads the other three to The Oak for bad food and a large common room to sleep in. Hamydryada greets Keddick, draws a bath for him and sends up food. Kendall is not in evidence.

1531.8.19

The next morning, the four skip breakfast at The Oak in favor of Keddick’s offer of breakfast at The Lucky Silver on him. They arrive at half after seven bells. Kendall greets Jack and Varendë. He shows all to a private eating room out of site of the remainder of the Inn’s main room. Keddick soon joins them. All enjoy a delicious repast. Kendall clears his throat, opens the curtain and asks to seen Jack and Varendë. He gives each a note and pouch from Erin, and they return shortly.

Keddick tries to sell everyone on a return to the Wizard’s Keep in Thandor. He describes the guardian to the Dwarves and explains that he would prefer it were not destroyed. Everyone agrees to meet again on the 1531.1.8 at The Lucky Silver.

As all but Keddick walk around the lake to Thistledown, they are surprised to be stopped at the palisade opening by gate guards who ask for their names and business in Thistledown. He has them write their names and such in a log. Jack questions the need for such a registry, and the guard explains that their have been a rash of recent disappearances in The Warrens and the Central Ward in the town. They are trying to track down the people, but meanwhile they have increased the security of the five entrances to the town. He also mentions some terrible smells in the streets associated with some of the disappearances. Varendë heads to the east towards The Wheatsheaf, and Jack leads the Dwarves down Lake Street to the southern exit. As they cross The Dee bridge, Malperder scents the smell of smithing among the acrid odors of tanners and rancid odors of the butches just south of the river. They are again questioned as they leave Thistledown, and they put their names to paper.

Once in Dendros (with no such additional measures of security), Merric finds a basement storeroom to put the dwarves up in for a cost of 12 princes per night. He moves in furniture for them.

Somewhere in there Banic sold a pendant for ten pounds of crowns.

Malperder approaches a weaponsmith in Dendros about working at his forge for a while. Barnim has two apprentices, but no journeyman. He allows Malperder to work the rest of the day to see his worth, and based on that offers him some temporary employment.