Glum goes back to the cart and looks through at the things.  "What do you think these troglodyte potions do?  Snow do you have any ideas?  I'd be willing to test one out.  I doubt it would do anything terrible to me."

"They're transmutive in nature, can do anything from make you move faster, to turning you into a frog.  I suggest we let Elana look at them, and she can, maybe, give us a better idea.  There are six of them, and six of us, so it seems obvious we each take one for a fair split.  I think Mord should take a Healing potion from the box and we send the rest back with Arkus... They're not really ours, they were on loan to us and now that the chore is done it's only fair to return what was no used.  The mundane stuff we can sell what we dont want and split the rest, accounting for anything that someone wants to keep from their share of coins...",  Snow tries the circlet on to see how well it fits, "How's it look Holly?"

Snow will keep the circlet and pendant at least, and deduct the value from her share of treasure.

Yes.  I've gone back and looked for found knives.  There should be a small cheap goblin knife (Snow has this to use as a tool), a normal sized normal quality knife from the goblins, and the masterwork trog dagger.

It sounds like you have a plan to head directly back to Goldenpoint and sell/split up the loot there.  Glumr has spoken to Dain and his sisters advising them not to return to Gollag just yet.  This leaves only one major issue.  You don't have enough food to make it back to Goldenpoint.  You have 24 pounds of foods plus 2 pounds of unpalatable goblin food, and you need 35 for a 5 day trip.

In reply to Fritzholm (msg #811):

Glumr has offered to do some hunting and I will scout for the merchant we bought the oil from to see if he has any rations to sell.  I'll bring enough silver coinage to cover any cost Mord would think is reasonable to slightly generous for food.

"We are low on food.  I'll go hunt.  Snow and Holly, can you two forage around the area for some food that grows in the wilds.  Between the three of us, we should be able to fill our belly's over the next few days."  Glumr says to his cousins.

"Mord, my friend, I dont think we need to go to the merchant unless there are other things we need, unless you want to warn them of the dangers.  Ehlonna will provide for us." Glumr says as he claps Mord on the shoulder.

"We should accompany Arkus to Goldenpoint since it is on our way, and talk to the priests again.  Then we can travel with Vidar and Rolf on their way to Silvergate." Glumr says to the party.

"Rolf and Vidar, would you keep an eye on the ladies and the family here until we all regroup?  I think they should be safe here, but these are dangerous times."

Glumr's mind has been busy all morning.  He just cant shake a bad feeling he's getting from the past days events.  He turns and addresses everyone in the party "In the back of my mind I have some worry about retaliation from the Trogs on the other side of the portal.  Do you think we should try to collapse the tunnel entrance?  That would slow the trogs quite a bit should they come after us."

OCC - I took a knife from somewhere, would like to keep it till I can get a couple throwing knives for my boots.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:28, Wed 05 May 2010.

OK, I finally looked up the rules for this.  It's based on survival skill.



To make things easier I'm going to say that any party in which at least half of the members have survival skill can travel at half speed at no food cost without even rolling.  You have 7 members, 4 of which have survival (Glumr, Holly, Mord, and Rolf) so you qualify to do this if you'd like.  It would take you 3 extra days (total 8) to get back to Goldenpoint this way.  Alternately, you can take your chances on rolling (Could be better or worse.)



However, Mord takes the box of assorted coins (460sp worth)  and goes bounding off to see Ironbottom before there is any further discussion on the subject.

"Mord Triplefang, my large friend, it's good to see you again.  How did your spelunking adventure go?  Your way was well lit I presume,"  greets Ironbottom.

"You sir, always bring me interesting coin," he adds looking over the contents of the box.  "Do you also have something exotic to sell?"

Mord tells Ironbottom what the party needs - food, clothing for Arkus, and bedrolls for Arkus and Glumr.

"Food," Ironbottom scoffs.  "Now there's a thankless commodity.  It's barely valuable at all out here where any fool can wring a critter's neck and have himself a meal.  Plus the stuff goes bad...  FAST.  No sir, I don't deal in food.  Check with the local farmers and ranchers.  As for the other items, let me show you my stock."

Minimalist robes and shoes - 2 silver (2 pounds)
Traveler's outfit - 10 silver (5 pounds)
Just a traveler's cloak - 5 silver (1 pound)
Full suit of Leather Armor (includes clothes) - 100 silver

"Not quite a bedroll, I admit, but they beat sleeping on the bare ground and they'll keep the precipitation off you.  In a few months when it's frosty, they can't be beat.  You'll want one of these blankets AND a bedroll then."

7 Wool blankets - 10 silver each - (3 pounds each)

Ironbottom also tries to tempt you with weapons.  You do have 132sp of your own.  Additionally, you doubt anyone would moan too loudly if you spent some of the party money to upgrade your weapon.  You can pay it back out of your share when they split up the loot.

8 Throwing axes - 100 silver each - (2 pounds each)
Battleaxe - 100 silver - (6 pounds)
Warhammer - 125 silver - (5 pounds)
Greataxe - 250 silver - (12 pounds)

The ranchers will sell you food at 12 silvers a pound.  That strikes you as a bit steep, but they complain about your strange coins.  It may be expensive, but  they do have some good eats.  You need 11 more pounds to make the trip back to Goldenpoint without slowing you down any.

Once again, no kibitzing.  Let Mord do the shopping.

From the merchant and the ranchers, I will buy:

Full suit of Leather Armor (includes clothes) - 100 silver   -- assuming it looks like a good fit for Arkus.  I expect we will be fighting through goblins on the way back

2 Wool blankets - 20 silver (6 pounds)

Food - 132 silver (11 pounds)

The axe is tempting but I will wait til we return to shop

Snow watches Mord bound off to do some shopping doubtfully, he's large and fast though.  He'd make quite the hit and run snatcher of valuables should he ever turn to a life of crime...

"We are going to have so much food, if he shops for food, like he shops for oil... Remind me never to let him sell the cow if we need the coins, he'll come back with magic beans..."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:01, Thu 06 May 2010.

Glumr relaxes and enjoys the sun and fresh air waiting for Mord to return.  He spends some time and picks Snow and Holly a boquete of wild flowers.

"Ladies these are for you.  Just to show you that I care for my cousins." Glumr says and surprises them with flowers.

Arkus thanks you for the armor and blanket.  He's in very good spirits as your depart.  Glumr uses the other blanket.

Due to a rounding error in your favor, everyone gets 35 silver pieces from the left over coins.  Please add this to your character sheet.

The journey back is basically uneventful.  You travel 5 days and nights.
Snow has time along the way to finish her armor.

Snow, please make a craft seamstress roll.

Wehn you arrive at Goldenpoint there's a small subdued party involving the adventuring Triplefang, Arkus, and some of the priests.  You wine and dine and dance to the eye's festive music.

As the night winds down, Arkus pulls the four of you aside to speak to you in private.

"I'd like to thank you again for rescuing me.  I've been thinking for days, and I have come up with the perfect way to do that.  There is a powerful artifact called The Tome of Legends.  A couple years ago, I found out from a bard, who is a good friend of mine, that this artifact is in Rankor Heights.  Rankor Heights is the capital and jewel city of the Ferisedan clan.  Proctor Limon, who runs the great walled city, and is the de-facto leader of the Ferrisedan, has the book in his library.  He knows it is magical, but has little or no idea what it does or it's true power."

"As it stands now, The Tomb of Legends is a very large book made up entirely of blank pages.  However, if you can get the book and sign your names on the first page it will transform you into legends and record your mighty deeds automatically until your deaths, at which point you will be erased from its pages."

"I cannot go retrieve the book myself, nor should I accept the powers it bestows.  I have an obligation to stay here and protect the temple.  I took a vow.  This latest debacle was surely Pelor's way of reminding me of that.  But you fine young people would make good heroes.   You have the freedom to wield the power for the good of the clan.  I'd much rather see The Tomb in the hands of Triplefang.  I hope that you can convince Proctor Limon to part with it."


There are still many things to take care before you guys can consider marching off to Rankor Heights.  You need to sell the loot, take care of some character specific personal business, and do some training (to level up).  We'll handle that stuff on this item and in private messages before we start a new post for Chapter 3.

First order of business - where to sell the loot?  Rolf suggests Silvergate, which is where he and Vidar were heading in the first place.  You can stop in Volge along the way to speak with Elana.

"Thank you Arkus, that is a most generous piece of knowledge.  I would like to see my name written in the book along with my cousins.  My piece of parting advice, if you wish to protect Goldenpoint, send a group to collapse that tunnel.  No good will come from it."  And with that he claps Arkus on the shoulder in appreciation.

Glumr nods in agreement to Rolf.  "That sounds like an excellent plan.  We can stop in Volge on the way so we can get our affairs in order and update our elders."

Snow is seriously homesick and this close to it, would cruel torture to keep her away from home.  She'll concede to whatever course of action resolves getting home faster.

In reply to Snow (msg #820):

Mord likes the sound of Volge and Silvergate as well.

Holly happily accepts the flowers from Glumr, wondering what brought that on, but more concerned with spending some time with Moonlight. On the five day trip back to the temple, she can be seen running and walking besides her animal friend, spending more time away from the group than with it. Yet she ensures she stays within sight in case of goblins. When none appears, she wonders if they were lucky, or the encounter from a few days ago had given the goblins more to think about.

At the temple, Holly amuses herself with the others, agreeing that a return home would be a good idea. She had a few questions to be answered, and a few items of information to pass back to her druidic friends.

"I am happy to go down to Silvergate. A chance to see someone of my old family might be a nice distraction." With that, Holly considers her parents, and their relationship with the sea.

Snow seems to have given up on her craft armor efforts, the goblin armor was too small even to be useful for her to piece together.  Instead she seems obsessed now with measuring and marking the new fabric she's gotten from the temple.  She has alot of it, god knows what she's going to do with so much of it.  She's your cousin though so you smile and humor her.

She brightens when Glumr brings her some flowers.

"Great i needed some pigments for my project.", Snow promptly crushes the petals of the more bright and cheerful flowers to make a pigment to mark up the fabric she's working on.

Bardi hears that you guys are totally out of food and stocks you up with 30 pounds of fresh provisions in the morning before you leave for Volge.  As you camp on the second night, very close to home, the sky is abnormally dark.  The moon is new and the sky is just hazy enough to obscure the stars.  A night like this is usually a bad sign.  You arrive home at Volge early the next day.

Good omen... Bad omen, this close to home, Snow really doesnt care at this point.

(Presuming we sold stuff, and split the loot, Snow has some livestock to present to her parents that she picked up along the way, as discussed elsewhere.)

OCC - We have to go to Silvergate to sell the stuff.  Less the coin we currently have.

"Let us do our due diligence and speak with the elders.  Once we do that, we can have some time to ourselves to visit with our families."  Glumr says to his companions.

In reply to Glumr (msg #826):

Aye... I plan to tell of our battles to our clansman around a good fire with some hearty ale.  Let there be no doubt!

Glumr, Holly, Mord, Snow, Rolf, Vidar, and the eye make their way to Eldress Elana's cottage.  It has been 20 days since you left Volge, and Elana is interested to hear what you've been up to.

The main room is rather full with all these people.  Elana is seated in an armchair as are two others of you.  There's a bench along a wall.  The rest of you are standing (or floating).  The hide window covers are rolled up, letting a good deal of light in, and the fireplace is unlit.

"Your return is well received, young adventurers.  The priests at Golenpoint alerted me that you returned the idol.  Well done.  They also let me know that you left for Gollag to find their guardian.  Very noble.  I commend you.  Now please tell me of your travels.  I am also anxious to hear about this ocular oddity you have with you."

Elana is know to be direct and efficient, but she manages it without being terse or impolite.  It gives her a great air of authority.  You've all got a great deal of respect for the eldress.

The others look a little tentative when asked to provide a reporting of their activities.  Of the four of them, Snow's always been the one to tell tales, and make up stories on the fly to amuse herself and others so she makes an effort to spare her cousins.  While it wont be an epic tale for the retellings, it does cover all the important points of their adventurers staying interesting enough not to put anyone to sleep.

The story loses pacing and flounders a few times when she comes across points where she and Glumr seem to conflict in judgement.  Snow doesnt want to shame her cousin, so she chooses her words carefully playing down the conflict, and just making it seem an opinion to be considered at the time of the event.

11:30, Today: Snow rolled 11 using 1d20+3. Perform Story Telling (unskilled).


She wraps up the tale presenting Elana with the Key they used to open the portal.

"I was tempted to leave this at Golden Point for safe keeping, but i thought the clan might want to use it instead.  It can still be presented to them for safekeeping, though i thought perhaps it would be best done after the Elders deliberate on it to see if there are other benfits and uses to the clan."

Snow also presents the goblin and the unidentified vials and waterskin, to Elana.

"These are magical in nature.  The gloves are too small for all but perhaps a child, though they're enchanted and i thought you might find a use for them.  The vials and waterskin are puzzling.  I've tried to discern their nature but my finding are vague at best.  The water is likely similiar to Holy water i think, the vials are of a Transmutive nature, but i'm afraid my inexperience hinders me from learning more of the potions."

Elana only interrupts Snow's story a few times to comment or ask questions.

"A giant, floating musical eye?"

Elana stands up and moves closer to the eye.

"Humor an old woman if you would floating eye.  Regale us with a tune."

The eye responds with the song it was playing when you first found it.  After a while Elana's expression changes to one of puzzlement and then recognition.  She smiles with some amazement.

"I know this song..."

Soon she conjures up some lyrics from her distant memories.

"Rise up this morning. Smile with the rising sun.  Three little birds, by my doorstep..."

She returns to her chair.

"Normally such things are abominations to be destroyed, but this musical eye...  I feel it shares more in common with us than we yet know.  Please continue, Snow."

Snow tells a lengthy chunk of the tale before Elana's next question.

"Do you have any thoughts on the nature of this portal and the plate?  Were they created by the troglodytes?"

Later still:

"So Arkus was able to survive the blood sacrifice ceremonies by healing himself each time.  Leave it to a champion of Pelor," she says smiling and shaking her head.

"I'm afraid I can do little to tell you about the plate or the gloves, but you were right to bring the potions to me."

Elana takes one, removes the stopper and puts the vial to her tongue.  She ponders for a moment and then replaces the stopper and does the same with the a vial of the other color.  Nodding a second time, she appears to know what the potions are.

"There is a very old story of a girl who traveled into a cave much the way that you have just done.  She too came upon many extraordinary things in a land of wonder.  In her journeys she found a small door, an even smaller key, and a potion like this one," she says holding up the reddish potion.  "When she drank it she became small enough to fit through the door, but too small to reach the key to unlock it.  Later on she found a sweet loaf of bread.  When she ate that she became very tall.  That is the effect of this potion," she presents the blue-green potion.

She smells and tastes the water from Snow's waterskin, but comes to no immediate conclusion.

"I will test this water, but the rest you young Triplefang should hold onto should you need it in the future."

Holly shuffled uncomfortably, but kept quiet, simply sitting there as she listened to Snow tell their story.

When Elana started singing, Glumr recognizes the words from an old rhyme his mother would say to him as a babe.  Never hearing the music to it, he can remember bits of what comes next from the prompting of Elana's words.

"Singin' sweet songs; of melodies pure and true; Sayin 'This is my message to you'" Glumr softly says to himself, continuing where Elana left off.

When there is a lul in the conversation after Snow finishes her story, Glumr steps forward to get the attention of the Eldress. He bows in respect before starting "Elana, the Troglodytes concern me greatly.  I fear that they will continue to disrupt our neighboring lands and soon enough our own.  I admit that I wished to explore more to find if I could see anything that would give us an idea on how to protect ourselves, but my cousins convinced me that it would be best to leave in haste before we ran up against a group of Lizards that we might not be able to best in a fight." 

Glumr gets on a roll, trying to inform the Elders of everything he though was important.  "It is my belief, that the Troglodytes are worshiping a dragon as their god.  I dont know what that means, but I feel it's a scourge on their lands, and somewhat on ours."

Glumr thinks about the artifact Arkus has told them about.  "Elana, when we returned Arkus, he told us about an artifact that will improve our abilities for the remainder of our lives, making us "legendary" heroes. I think if we were sent on a quest to find this artifact, it would give us a greater ability to protect our clan from the future threat of the Troglodytes, or anything else that may threaten our lands.  I have not discussed this with my cousins, but I wish to pursue this artifact so that I may best serve our clan and these lands."  Glumr steps back, feeling good, letting Elana and the elders think about what he has just said.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:51, Mon 10 May 2010.