RIHALA DRAKESONG

It wasn't hard for Rihala to find out which way her father had gone, which turned out to be the same direction that Leyllen's family seem to have gone. The trail wasn't hard to follow at first, but she lost it, found it again, lost it again, recovered it, and that led to the village of Phandalin.

She's been there for three days now, trying to get a lead for where her father or Leyllen and her family went next.

Rihala has been befriended by Lureene; the two have become 'drinking buddies' at the Stonehill Inn.


LUREENE RAVENTREE

Lureene was asked to visit the village of Phandalin to determine what their religious needs might be. She's only been there a week, but has been taken in by Sister Garaele, a priestess of Tymora. Garaele has arranged for Lureene to live in a house just behind hers.

Sister Garaele told Lureene yesterday that she was a Harper, and while she didn't say anything else, Lureene got the distinct impression that she wanted her to do something.

Ever since the newcomer Rhiala arrived in town three days ago, Lureene has made an effort to befriend her, not only because she was being kind to the stranger, but she sense a troubled soul.

Rihala hasn't yet told Lureene what brings her to Phandalin, but the two have become 'drinking buddies' at the Stonehill Inn.


The easiest place to jump in would be at the Stonehill Inn... for tea.

     Rihala returned to the Inn with a good-sized deer she'd killed to help pay her lodging.  It had felt good to be hunting large again after all her traveling and rations.

     Delivering the deer to the kitchens, she absently picked up a small clay mug and began fiddling with it, tossing it back and forth from hand to hand.  She was stuck in this town until she should find a new lead on her father or her friend.  Considering they'd both vanished on the same day and looked to have both ended up here, she struggled to remain optimistic.  Plus she was getting edgy being among society again, being more at home alone in the woods.

     Distracted in thought, the mug slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor.

     "Not again," the dark-haired Tiefling muttered as she knelt down to pick up the large pieces.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:41, Fri 29 Aug 2014.

Lureene Raventree glided into the common room, and looked around, smiling warmly in greeting at all and sundry. Several people gladly looked up from their drinks to glance at her and meet her smile. The lovely priestess had been here scarce more than a week, and so was still a curiosity. She responded in kind, deciding whether to approach someone, until the crash of broken pottery drew her attention to her left, where she witnessed Rihala's mishap.

She walked over knelt next to Rihala and began picking up some of the pieces herself. The cleric wore an elegant, fashionable red dress. The lacquered-gold holy symbol of Sune Firehair glinted at her breast, in the scoop of her neckline. Red tresses fell around her slender shoulders.

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?", she asked solicitously, gently taking Rihala's right hand into her own. She examined it quietly and then, satisfied to find no injuries, held it as she stood, helping Rihala up. "Come, let me offer you a drink", she offered with a warm smile.

     Rihala smirked in embarrassment as the cleric came to he assistance.

     "No, I'm fine.  Happens more often than I'd like to admit," she said, gathering the pieces in her hands and taking them to the refuse bin.

     "Yes, a drink.  I could use something to warm me up this morning.  I've been out hunting since the moon set.  Got a nice doe," she said, motioning back toward the kitchen.

     With a sigh, she rolled her neck and took a seat.  "Ugh.  I think this is the longest I've stayed in a village in about three years.  Next stop I'm pitching a tent on the outskirts," she remarked.

As the pair passed the counter, Lureene paused to lean over it, and called out to the barkeep. "Ho, please bring out a hot pot of tea, and two cups? Then she followed Rihala to her table and took a seat opposing her.

"Why? A good warm bed at an inn is certainly more comfortable, and there's a lot more people to talk to", Lureene noted. She supposed, though, that the Tiefling might not like people as much as she. One of the reasons she'd befriended Rihala was because she knew people would be suspiscious of the fiend-blooded woman, and even more so in this small village than in cosmopolitan Waterdeep. She hoped people might be more accepting of Rihala if she was often seen in the company of a priestess of a goodly goddess.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:10, Sat 30 Aug 2014.

     Rihala chuckled at the cleric's comment.  "I've been more at home in a tree since I was 12-years-old.  Plus, people don't tend to go out of their way to talk to me," she said, raising an eyebrow as a thought suddenly came to her.

     "Present company excluded, of course.  How go the conversions?  Of course, if my god was as lovely as yours, I'm sure it would be much easier to gain converts," she said.  Her parents were devout followers of Zargon, but Rihala had never cared much for the slimy god herself.  Her powers may have been a gift, but she was much more devoted to her love for the natural world.

     The tea arrived and Rihala poured for both of them.  The water was still scalding hot when the raven-haired woman took a drink, sighing with satisfaction.

     "Mmmm ... Good tea," she hummed.

There was a bit of a lull while Rihala drank her tea and Lureene, not blessed with her resistance to heat, waited for hers to cool down a bit. Lureene looked at the bits of tea leaf in her cup, examining their patterns. Then she turned to Rihala again.

"I should hope", she said gently, softly, "that you're not actually trying to gain converts to your... god."

As you are sitting there drinking your tea, Sister Garaerle walks into the inn, looks around, spots you and comes over and joins you.

"I heard you had another friend in town," she says to Lureene before turning to Rihala.

"Hello. I'm Garaerle. I maintain the Shrine of Luck here in Phandalin. Pleased to make your acquaintance."


She waits for a reply before she continues.

"Having such a friend makes my asking you for a favor a bit easier."

"I need someone to find out a certain piece of information. It's the person who has this information that makes it... a tad difficult. Her name is Agatha... and she's a banshee. I've been to her lair, but she wouldn't appear to me."

"I've given it much thought since then. For whatever reason, she wasn't interested in talking to me. I believe if someone else was to go there, they might be more successful."

Lureene made the introductions. "Sister, this is Rihana Drakesong. She too is a newcomer to this town, though she prefers to live on the outskirts. And keep to herself", she smiled, "that is, when she is not sharing a pleasant cup of tea with the local clergy." She gestured to the barkeep to bring an additional cup for Garaerle.

She listened to her fellow priestess's story of Agatha the banshee, and a frown formed on her delicate brow. "A banshee? I'm rather surprised she would speak with anyone at all. Why is it that you think she'll talk to me?"

"Of course, I don't know that she will speak to you," Garaerle replies, "but you will be a new person. If she didn't speak to me the first time, I have no reason to think that she'll speak to me the second time. However, I have acquired a gift that you may present to her."

Sister Garaele reaches into a pocket and pulls out an object wrapped in a cloth. She sets it on the table and pulls back the cloth. It is a silver comb, rather fancy.

"Perhaps if you offer her this as a present to her, she may choose to speak with you."

     Rihala listened carefully, and her eyes were quickly drawn to the comb.

     "Perhaps the sister believes that an 'outsider' like myself would have more luck with the creature," she said.  People often made such assumptions about Tieflings due to their semi-demonic appearance.

     Taking a sip of tea, Rihala took a moment to consider what she remembered about banshees in general.

OOC: 18:34, Today: Rihala Drakesong rolled 16 using 1d20+2. Recall Banshee lore.

"I did not know that you were an Outsider until just now," Garaerle replies, "nor did I know if you would be willing to accompany Lureene. I also would not have thought that you would have more luck with the banshee. Do you think you would?"

     Rihala raised an eyebrow to the cleric.  From her earlier statement, it certainly seemed she had acknowledged the Tiefling's odd status.

     "Of course I'd be happy to accompany my friend," she said, having already formed a bond with Lureene.  Friends weren't something she came upon often, so she guarded and protected them diligently.

     "This banshee ... Is she spirit or solid?  If she be an apparition, they can be quite dangerous," she said, glancing to Lureene.

Lureene carefully picked up the comb and turned it into her hands, admiring the craftsmanship. She fondly remembered similar combs used by both the Waterdhavian nobility and the priesthood of Sune, though none were exactly like this.

"I think it might be best, Sister", she said at length, "if you told us who this banshee is, and what you want to learn from her and why."

"As far as I know, Agatha is a normal spirit banshee," Sister Garaele answers.

"Little is known about Agatha, other than adventurers have discovered her lair. My order has asked me to find out what Agatha knows about a spellbook that once belonged to the legendary mage Bowgentle."

"I do not know why they think she would know."

     Nodding with interest, Rihala gave Lureene a sidelong glance as if to say 'I'm in.'

Lureene smiled wryly. "Your order seems fond of keeping secrets. Can you at least detail what happened when you went to see her? It might be helpful when we encounter her ourselves. I'm a little surprised she did not simply attack."

"That was just it," Garaele replied, "nothing happened. I waited for awhile, but Agatha never appeared. Then I called out to her in what I hope sounded like a friendly voice, but with no result."

"In retrospect, of course, it occurred to me that she might not have been home, though I'm not really sure what that would mean to a banshee. It's also possible that she was destroyed by someone, but no word of such has reached the village yet."

Lureene chuckled. "I'm not familiar with the habits of ghosts and banshees, myself. Very well, then. Perhaps you can tell us where Agatha lives, and I shall go, with Rihala if she is agreeable."

     Rihala nodded, leaning back in her chair.  "Of course.  I couldn't let you go alone."

"She has a sort of hut just north of Conyberry," Garaele replies. "That's an old abandoned village up the Triboar Trail. Barbarians sacked the village many years ago, and it's laid in ruins ever since."

"It's about 45 miles. It should take you a day and a half to get there, though you could make it in a day if you hustled. That's up to you, of course."

     Rihala nodded, making a mental note of the directions.  "Well, I don't mind a leisurely stroll through the forest, but I'll follow your lead, Lureene," she said.

     "Did Agatha live in Conyberry before it was sacked, or did she come there afterward?"

"We're in no hurry, and should be fresh to look for Agatha", says the priestess. "We'll want to pass by my house; I'm not leaving for that trip without my armor or my pack."

"I honestly don't know," Garaele replies to Rihala. "I'm not sure there's anyone that knows. Do you think that's important?"

"Of course, it would probably mean that Agatha was there when the village was raided, though she could have been passing through just as easily as having lived there. Living there would make more sense, though, wouldn't it?"

     "Can't say it's not important, but it might help.  What is her 'lair,' as you call it?  Is it a cave or a building?" she asked.

     Something about this whole thing was starting to bother her.  What would be the benefit of offering a comb to a spirit?  She supposed the theory was that she'd find it pretty and be willing to give some information.

     "Why do you think Agatha would have information about Bowgentle's spellbook?" she continued.

"Her lair is a kind of hut... not sure there's any other term for it," Garaele answers Rihala. "It's out in the woods, on a trail north of the ruins... a bunch of fronds and grass woven together to form a canopy over her little area."

"I'm not quite sure why the order thinks she would know, but I gather the order traced the book to her... when she was alive."

     "I see.  Intriguing," she said, glancing at Lureene.  She raised her eyebrows to indicate she was ready to go, and then finished her tea.

"A canopy of nature. Sounds like an elf, all right.", noted Lureene. She sipped the last of her tea. "Very well, we'll head there and see if she will speak with us. A troubled soul she is likely to be, at least, but perhaps she'll prove helpful." She folded the comb back in its protective covering and took it, slipping it in a pouch.

"I can provide you with any traveling gear, if you need it," Garaele offers, "including horses."

"Will you take the quick-paced journey or make it a more leisurely trip?"

"I see no reason to hurry, if you don't need the book right away", said Lureene. She smiled. "A ride through the forest might afford us a few beautiful sights, and it would be an awful shame to miss them in our haste. We'll likely need some food for the trip if nothing else."

She glanced at Rihala. "How do you feel about horses?"

     "They're damn tasty with a side salad," she quipped with a mischievous smile.

     "Just kidding.  I can hold my own.  A nice ride in the forest and a bit of adventure would do me well after three days in ... this nice town."  She hesitated to reveal just how stir-crazy being among so many buildings, roads and people made her.

Lureene's smile widened. "If only you'd actually talk to people you might find it much nicer. Very well. Sister, we'll take you up on your offer of horses... though that will mean we'll need feed and the like, as well." She paused, considered. "There is a path, aye? I would scarce like to take horses through a forest."

"Yes, I'll throw some feed in one of the saddle bags," Garaele replies. "For the most part, though, Rhapsody and Windswift will just graze along the trail. Just make sure there are some grassy areas whenever you stop. They aren't yearlings any more, but they are still steady. Windswift is fond of pears, though, so I'll toss in some of those. Cut them in quarters when you feed them and hold them in the palm of your hand."

"The Triboar Trail leads to Conyberry and continues on over the mountains to Yartar and beyond."

"Anything else you might need?"

     Rihala's eyes went up.  "Pears?  Oh, I love pears!" she said, barely hearing the fact that they were meant for the horse.  The teacup she'd been fiddling with slipped from her hands, but she caught it before it fell to the floor.  Deliberately, she placed it on the table and pushed it away.

     "I'll just need to make sure I'm full up on rations, but otherwise I'm good," she confirmed.

"Aye, we'll need rations for the trail as well." She chuckled. "Feed for the riders. I think that will be all we need." She drained her cup of now-lukewarm tea, and set it down beside Rihala's. "There's no reason to wait, so we'll leave as soon as the horses are ready. How long will that take you, Sister?"

"Rations and feed and horses... ready in ten minutes," Sister Garaele answers.

Her house has a separate room as the kitchen, so she leads Lureene and Rihala there while she puts together some trail rations in a satchel, and adds half a dozen pears.

"Over to the stables..."

She leads them out and over to the stables, which aren't part of her house.

"Good day, Darby," she calls out to the stabler. "Taking the horses out."

Darby helps Garaele saddle the horses, put a small grain sack into each saddle bag, and then lead them out.

"There you go. You're all set."
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 17:06, Thu 18 Sept 2014.

     Rihala patted Windswift and introduced herself, letting it get her scent.  She then took one of the pears and sliced it up before offering a few slices.  She ate the fourth piece herself.

     "Thanks, Sister.  I hope we're able to help with this mystery."

Lureene chuckled. "You had this prepared, didn't you, Sister? Tell me, I've been assuming that time is not of the essence, but would you rather we hurried?"

She glanced at Rihala. "Let's make a stop at my house, then we shall go. I need to get my things."

"Yes, I have been planning it in my mind," Garaele replies. "It was just depending on finding the right person... or persons."

"No, I don't suppose there's any real hurry, but a delay isn't good either."


Heading out, you stop at Lureene's house, she gets her things, and you head out of town. There's only the one road out of town, which heads north for around 10 miles before it connects with the Triboar Trail that runs east and west.

West would take you out to the High Road that connects Waterdeep and Neverwinter. East heads over the mountains to Yartar, but the ruins of Conyberry are only about 25 miles away.

Lureene spent some time in her house, but came out wearing her deep red tabard and cloak over her gleaming chain mail. She'd kept her helmet off, but her red tressed were combed in a simple but elegant style that would allow her to put it on quickly. She climbed onto her horse and led the pair towards the East.

"I do hope the banshee will be willing to talk to us", she said once they crossed the borders of the town. "The undead are not usually friendly creatures."

     "They're not known for their hospitality, no," Rihala responded.  "This is quite the mystery, though.  Banshee's don't usually wander too far from where they died."

"Who is to say that she did not die there? She might have been there for quite some time. Perhaps they will know more in Conyberry."

She tilted her head, considered. Then she closed her eyes and clasped her hands around the holy symbol displayed at her breast. "Lady Firehair, guide my thoughts", she whispered.

OOC: Lureene is going to cast Guidance on herself then see if she can remember any mention of Agatha or Conyberry in her knowledge of history. Such as that episode with Drizzt and Wulfgar. :D But especially anything about her origin. It's pretty obscure but worth a try, I think.

     "She said Conyberry was a ruin, sacked by Barbarians.  But I have to wonder how long Agatha had been around before that happened?"

Lureene does recall a small tale about the sack of Conyberry. There were half a dozen similar villages that were overrun by the barbarians from the West; Conyberry was one of them, as was Phandalin. Whereas Phandalin has been re-settled, Conyberry hasn't yet, mostly because there is no protective force in the area. The barbarians have long ago been defeated and retreated back to whence they came.

Conyberry Brew was a popular ale in the area and they grew something called a squish.

Lureene further recalls that there was supposed to have been an Elvin paladin named Lady Telera that defended the village to the end. Her first name may have been Agatha.

"Perhaps not at all" Lureene said. "I remember some stories of the sack of Conyberry and there was an elf paladin there who might be our Agatha. She is recorded as Lady Telera. But that is speculative."

She leaned back in the saddle and took in the sights as they rode. "Beautiful landscape, is it not?"

     Rihala shrugged at the history lesson and scanned the landscape.

     "It is indeed.  I love nature, forests particularly.  Most cities are a blight on the natural world.  The elves seem to come very close to living in concert with their environment though.  I'd love to see an elvish city up close."
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:46, Mon 29 Sept 2014.

"I'm sure it would be a wondrous sight", Lureene said with a chuckle, "but don't dismiss the beauties of human architecture. Waterdeep is quite a sight! Many of the noble homes are very finely named, and the Temple of Beauty is a sight to behold. I'd hardly call it a blight!"

     Rihala sighed.  "Stone pulled from the earth and mangled into unnatural shapes.  Trees cut down and ravaged into mere planks ..." she started, then closed her eyes and bit her lip.

     "Sorry.  I'm sure it's lovely to you.  But I prefer the unmolested magestry of nature."

Lureene tsked. "Not all nature is beautiful and we cannot make bas-reliefs without wood or statuary without stone." She smiled. "Besides, the parties are certainly better in cities." She paused, thought about that, laughed. "Unless you chance on a party of satyrs, I imagine..."

     "All nature has a purpose, and that makes it beautiful," she said dismissively.

     She raised an eyebrow at the 'Satyr' comment.  "Because the 'devil girl' must consort with the other honred creatures?" she replied.

Lureene laughed at that. "Hardly, no! Because I'd wager they know how to throw a fantastic party", she elaborated. "I imagine it would be rather wild, of course, but some of the things that happen in Waterdeep..."

     Rihala signed, choosing not to further a conversation about the hedonistic tendencies of Satyrs.

     "How much further do you want to go before we stop for the night?  It's too late to push the horses to get us to the ruins by nightfall," she asked.

"Let's find a good place to camp as soon as the night starts falling. We've no reason to rush, there'll be plenty of time to get there tomorrow", opined Lureene.

     In agreement, Rihala began watching the trail for signs of fresh water.  She wanted to find them a nice spot where they could water the horses, fill their waterskins, and possibly find some berries to supplement their rations.

OOC:  Outlander with the Wanderer feature.

About an hour before nightfall, you come across a small stream... only about one foot wide, that crosses the trail. It flows left to right.

Just below the trail, Rihala sees signs of an orc camp. It's crude, more of a mess than a camp, bones and feces scattered about, though nothing a good rain won't mostly get rid of. She estimates 4-6 orcs... probably 6 but can't be sure. The camp is about 3 days old, and the orcs seem to have continued south.

They made a small damn in the stream that would have created a small pool of water, though she has no idea why they did that. When they left, they broke the damn, but didn't bother getting rid of the evidence.

Going upstream for about 50 yards reveals a rocky outcropping with a little overhang. The stream actually tumbles down over it. It is also a good place for berry bushes, and Rihala finds a number of blackberry bushes in the area.

     Rihala pointed out the old orc camp and destroyed dam to Lureene, explaining that it had been a group of six orcs three days ago and they had left to the south.

     "If they're heading south, they could be heading toward Phandalin.  But if it's been three days, to pursue them through the underbrush with our horses would be difficult.  You don't happen to have a way of sending a message back to Phandalin, do you?" she asked.

     Rihala collected berries near the outcropping, and investigated behind the waterfall.

Lureene frowned and considered the question. "I'm afraid I have no such magic, though perhaps there is no need. I may be daft, but if they were heading towards Phandalin, they'd have reached it after three days, and if they'd been delayed, we ought to have met them along the way. Unless they were scouts trying to remain unseen?"

She pondered some more then shrugged. "I don't see how we can warn the town without turning back. You're quite sure that they shan't return? I don't fancy fighting six orc brutes."

     "If they went south from here, they'd be going through forest terrain, not a road, so it might have slowed them down.  Also, had they wanted to remain unseen, they would not have left this very obvious camp behind," Rihala reasoned.

     "Clearly we are no match for them and aren't likely to catch them.  But I will see that their defiance is returned to a more natural state," she said, intent on cleaning up the orc's mess here tonight.

"Aye, we should restore this place's beauty", Lureene agreed. "Orcs have no respect for anything unless it kills.", she signed.

"But we should also be on our guard. I like little the idea of camping in their own spot."
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:26, Thu 30 Oct 2014.

It does appear as if the orcs had wanted to keep an eye on the trail, which is why they camped so close to it. If you camp upstream, it won't be the same spot, and it's not a place the orcs are likely to look if they return.

More than likely, they are heading for the orc base up in the mountains.


The night passes uneventfully, and you head out in the morning. You come to the edge of the village ruins just past noon. Your first sign is an old burnt out farmhouse.

Lureene fished the comb from her pack and made sure it was in a belt pouch, close at hand. "We're almost there. I'll admit to some trepidation. I've not encountered a ghost before. You?"

     Rihala scanned the farmhouse for signs of nature reasserting itself.  She wanted to try to roughly determine just how long ago the fire had occurred based on the regrowth of plant life.

     "I have not either, but I hear they can be quite formidable.  Caution is always a good idea.  I believe her 'hut' should be north of town," she said, urging her horse along.

"Let's leave the horses? They wouldn't much like to face a ghost I'll wager, and the last thing we need is them panicking and bolting."

The farmhouse burned down many years ago, at least ten, but the plants have been slow to reclaim the area.

     "Sure.  We can tie them up here and come back for them when we're done," she agreed, guiding her horse to a fence post and dismounting.

     She changed out of her traveling clothes and into her leather armor, hanging a handaxe from her belt and strapping a dagger to her leg.  She left her quarterstaff with the horse, but brought an ornate spear.

Tying up the horses doesn't seem to bother them. If there was any obvious danger, they'd be skittish.

That's not to say there might not be something lurking in neighborhood, but the horses can't sense it if there is.

You walk down the old road through town until you come to what was probably a walkway between two buildings. It meanders down around the building, but there seems to be an animal trail leading off from it heading northwest into the forest.

"Well, I suppose that's our path then." She adjusted her red tabard over her mail armor, and checked that her mace was loose at her belt, though she didn't think it would be of much help against a ghost. But there were orcs roaming about, too. "Let's not tarry."

     Rihala kept her spear at the ready, carrying it in her right hand over her shoulder.  She glanced around attentively at the ruined town.

     "I wonder why they left the town abandoned after the attack.  Maybe this banshee had something to do with that?"

     Out of curiosity, she moved to the right building and peeked inside, holding up a small flame in her left hand if light was needed.

The stone walls of the building are still mostly intact, but the roof has collapsed inward, and there are signs of fire damage.

In fact, most of the buildings show signs of fire, but there are also a number of areas that looked like they'd been smashed apart.

Heading down the trail, the forest grows dark and still as you move deeper into the trees. Heavy vines and thick layers of moss drape the branches, and the air is noticeably colder than it was in the ruined village.

After walking about 20 minutes, you round a bend in the trail and see a screen of warped branches standing close together and intertwined with vines into a domelke shelter in the shadows. A low doorway provides access to the interior.

     Rihala looked warily at the shelter.

     "You wanna call her out, or do you wanna go in?" she asked.

"Let's do the polite thing -- walk up to the door and knock. No telling what she might do if we startle her." Lureene took the comb out and unwrapped it from its linen, and held it up while she walked towards the shelter. A shiver ran down her spine in the colder air.

     Rihala nodded and stayed alert.

A few seconds after Lureene knocks on the front of the shelter, a ghostly whisper seems to reach her ears: Eeeenterrrr...

Or it just may have been the wind.

"Greetings", said Lureene. She followed the whispered invitation and entered, still holding the comb.

     Rihala kept her spear ready and followed Lureene inside, staying close.

As you step in, you can see that this home of sorts is sparsely furnished with chests, shelves, a table and a reclined chair, all old but of Elvin make. The air grows suddenly cold and a powerful feeling of dread grips you. A pale cold light flickers in the air, rapidly taking the form of a female Elf, her hair and robes waving in a spectral wind.

She might have been beautiful once, but her hateful expression twists her features now.

"Foolish mortals!" she snarls. "What do you want here? Do you not know it is death to seek me out?"

"We do not come seeking battle", said Lureene. "We seek to speak with you, about a certain spellbook." She held up the comb.

     Rihala lowered her spear and tried to look less threatening.

"Ah, a pretty! Yes, yes, Agatha likes pretties! the banshee replies. The silver comb floats up out of Lureene's hand.

"Seekers of knowledge," she continues. "Always a noble cause."

"There is only one spellbook that was ever in my possession--Bowgentle's Arcamandrium. It sat here in dust and disuse, in webs and neglect. Of what use had I for it? For a pretty did I trade it... a glittering silver crown. Alas, I cannot wear the crown, but I keep it hidden with all my other treasures."

"The last laugh is on me, though, for King Grol, that odorous bugbear in the ruins of Cragmaw Castle, will never read the book for Bowgentle wrote in code."

"I take it, then, that you would not be heartbroken should the gnoll come to a bad end, and the spellbook find other, gentler and more respectful hands?", said Lureene gently, with a smile.

     "If he couldn't read it, then why would this bugbear be so interested in the spellbook?  How did he know you even had it?" Rihala asked.

"What care have I for King Grol's fate? We must all pass from this mortal coil, but I would not be concerned for the hastening of his demise," the banshee replies to Lureene.

She seems to be quite entranced by the silver comb, turning it over and over in her hands. At one point, she tries to put it in her hair, but as soon as she lets go with her hands, it passes right through and falls to the floor. Seemingly unconcerned, she picks it up again.

"Grol did not know he couldn't read it, and even if he did, his arrogance is so great that he probably thought he could figure it out," Agatha answers Rihala. "How should I know how he knew of the book, though I daresay he knew of it the same way that you did."

The air suddenly grows even colder, and the banshee's red eyes seem to glow with fire.

"Go! You have given me a pretty, but I tire of this game. I wish to be alone now. Go!"

     Rihala reached out to Lureene, putting a hand on her shoulder and urging her backwards.

     "Yeah, let's go," she whispered.

Lureene bowed politely to the ghost. "Our thanks, my lady. You have been most helpful and gracious." Then she followed Rihala out of the hut.

You've heard tales that this Cragmaw Castle lies somewhere to the north, probably not more than a day or two, perhaps even closer. It's in ruins, though. It hasn't been inhabited for over a hundred years, except maybe by animals, squatters, and now goblins.

As they returned to collect their horses, Lureene was pensive. Finally she spoke. "Storm a castle and fight a bugbear king and his minions", she said. "I fancy that adventure, but by ourselves, are we equal to the task?"

Heading out by yourselves to 'storm' the castle may not be a good idea, but scouting the castle and/or liberating the book by bribery, negotiations or outright stealth might be viable options.

HINT: This is where you should meet up with the other two groups.

     "No, I wouldn't like our odds against a bugbear and his buddies, especially in a defensive position.  Shall we go for help?  The sister was pretty keen on getting this book, so maybe she could help us hire some assistance?  Unless you want to give this castle a look-see first, since we're already out here?" she suggested as she climbed back on her horse.

"I suppose it would not hurt to go see for ourselves what we are dealing with, and how many men we might need. It's a different matter if there are five goblins or there are fifty, after all."

     Rihala guided her horse around.  "Sounds good to me.  To the castle," she said.

The path Lureene and Rihala follow is not a well traveled one, being mostly an animal track. So it isn't until they near the castle that they detect any threats... but those are the goblins in the castle.

Still from the cover of the forest, you can see the ruins quite clearly, though the collapsed condition makes original architecture a bit difficult to distinguish. It appears as if it was originally seven towers, built rather closely together, though perhaps not all at the same time. The towers were then connected by walls, with parts of the inner area roofed over.

From where you are, there's a slight hill downward to where the next hill rises, which is the one the castle was built on.

What you find odd is that there appear to be no guards. Of course, there aren't really any walls or towers on which they could keep watch. And the obscurity of the location is probably the best security. You do spot a goblin passing across the openings or windows now and then, though you cannot detect any pattern to their movement.

"Well, that's interesting. I expected... more, I guess. Thank the Lady Firehair that there aren't, though." She examined the windows for a few moments, trying to see if she could distinguish between goblins and get a rough minimum count. "How many of them can there be in there, do you think?"

     Rihala watched carefully, trying to spot as many goblins as she could.

     "Not many, it seems, but looks could be deceiving.  Most of them are likely inside.  It's fairly well defended, and if we failed to sneak in, they could fend us off easily," she pointed out.

     "I could send up an illusion, see how they react?" she suggested.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:59, Tue 13 Jan 2015.

Based loosely on what she can see of their movements, Rihala estimates there may be up to two dozen goblins in there, plus a leader. It's clear that someone other than a goblin is keeping them 'organized', however loosely that may be.

Keeping watch on the ruins as well as the surrounding area, both of you are able to spot a group of people approaching the ruins from the southwest. There are six or seven of them, and by their stealthy approach, they do not seem to be 'friends' of the goblins. But then a red-haired woman steps forward to 'parlay' with a group of 4 goblins that were on scout/watch duty.

     "Oh, look.  Backup," Rihala said, pointing to the other group.

     "Shall we introduce ourselves?" she asked.

Lureene and Rihala are still a way aways from the other group, since both groups are approaching the ruins from different ends.

However, it's clear that the other group has spotted you, and realize that you have spotted them.

It becomes clear at that point that while you were endeavoring to keep from being spotted by anyone ahead of you, that often left your flank and back exposed. In these kind of conditions, though, that can't always be avoided.

Just as you realize this, a Halfling half-stumbles into the edge of the thicket where you've been hiding.

Upon seeing the two others hiding in the thicket Frederich stumbled briefly and then stopped, one hand on his rapier hilt, one hand out.  "Peace friends - did not know this thicket was taken."

OOC:  Edited only to see if it changes to the portrait I settled on.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:52, Mon 19 Jan 2015.

The lovely redheaded priestess regards the halfling with some surprise, then smiled. "Nonsense, methinks the thicket is well large enough for the lot of us. I am Lureene Raventree, a priestess of Sune Firehair. I take it you came with these folks?" She indicated the other group.

"I was with the caravan when we were attacked by goblins.  They left me for dead but I was only knocked out.  Caravan master is a friend of mine, I followed to see if I can help.  Was not expecting anyone else in the area.  Why are you here anyway?"

     Rihala raised an eyebrow at the halfling.  "Our purpose is our own business, little one.  But we are likely to face battle within yonder castle.  Come and be helpful or depart and seek safety.  It's your choice," she said.

Alas, Frederich's player is gone in 60 seconds due to a clash of playing styles.


"If the goblins have taken the caravan master into those ruins, then I shall endeavor to be helpful!" the Halfling replies. "How may I be of help then?"

"First I would like to make sure what we are dealing with..." The cleric paused. "Actually, methinks I would rather first know who these people are and what they intend. They weren't from your caravan, were they? I wonder what they came for, that they think they can obtain by parlay." She carefully examined the other group.

     "Any enemy of the Goblins is a friend of mine.  Shall we introduce ourselves?  Methinks they may already know we're here," Rihala suggested.

"I gather that you were not planning on assaulting yon castle ruins," Frederich responds. "Yet that is precisely what I must do, with or without your help. It would be far easier if those others did the same."

"Perhaps I can use a signal mirror to communicate with them. They've clearly seen us."

     "Brilliant idea, master halfling.  Signal away," Rihala agreed.

Frederich rummages in his backpack and pulls out an apparatus. Normally, you'd only need a mirror, but the apparatus has side shutters so that you can't accidentally send a reflection of in a direction you don't want it to go--like to the enemy.

"It's only brilliant if someone over there can read the signals. Hopefully they have a ranger in their party."

He hangs the apparatus's leather strap around his neck.

"Any suggestions on what to say? Can we sound neutral in case they aren't friendly? Or should we just declare out intentions?"

"Tell them we have come looking for something that the goblins hold. That is true enough yet does not imply that we'll seize it by force. It would be best to meet face-to-face to discuss details in any event; perhaps we should focus on setting that up?"

"Okay, I think I can get some of that across," Frederich replies to Lureene.

Even as he begins signalling, he sees the other group split up. Two of them stay behind in hiding, but the others seem to escort the goblins down to the ruins.

He signals: [Friends. Meet. Rescue. Ally. Captive. Ruins.]
This message was last updated by the GM at 06:17, Wed 11 Feb 2015.

Both parts of the other group seem to have caught the message. At one point, Frederich flashed it onto the back of a goblin in such a way that only the red-headed woman could see it. She nodded in acknowledgement, but seemed to be pulling a pied piper routine.

The two that didn't join her little parade also nod in acknowledgement, and the Elf indicates that they are circling around to the back of ruins and would like you to join them.

     "Sounds good.  Let's go," Rihala suggested.

You can go ahead and post now to New Kids on the Block thread. Everyone will merge in a few more posts.

Lureene, Rihala and Cunaar head over to Sister Garaele's house. Word gets around a small village rather quickly, so Garaele has already heard that you'd returned.

"It seems you've had quite an adventure! I hope your errand was as successful," Sister Garaele says to them when they enter.

"And you've made new friends!" she adds upon seeing Cunaar.

"Greetings Sister Garaele, I have heard well of you. My name is Cunaar Clothar, friend and traveling companion to Lureene and Rihala."
After making his introductions he politely steps back to allow the ladies to come forth and speak with Garaele. As well to present her with the book she had interest in. He did enjoy many forms of reading, it was the path to much knowledge that he himself sought out.
From behind the women he takes a position to one side so he might catch sight of what the book holds should she open it now.

Lureene smiled. "We've exceeded the strict wording of your request a tad", said the priestess. She pulled the book out of her pouch and held it up to Garaele. "And good that we did, it gave us cause to meet Cunaar and his friends, and do some good besides. But here's Bowgentle's grimoire, so now you know precisely where it is." She chucked.

For a good full minute, Garaele is speechless when Lureene hands over the book.

"I can't believe you actually recovered the book!" she finally exclaimed. "You have to tell me all about it!"

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you... Rhapsody and Windswift made it back to town all on their own... like you knew they would. Without riders or saddlebags, the goblins would have left them alone, and the horses are sensible enough to avoid most dangers... and can usually outrun the others."

Garaele takes the book and just stares at it for a few seconds before she peers at it more closely, turning it over and on end as she examines it.

"I must admit, I am curious as to what could be of such interest within these pages, though nearly all wizards' books have knowledge and secrets in them."

"One thing I do know: you can read through a wizard's book a hundred times and not find the secret only to have an apprentice open it and spot it right away! So I could read this book and not have a clue what is so significant about it. I'll leave that to the order."

She sets the book on a table, and picks up a small wooden box that was sitting there.

"I had intended to reward you for undertaking my little quest whether you were successful or not," she says, and hands the box to Rihala.

"Within the box are three Potions of Healing, though that seems such a trifle for actually retrieving the book. I can certainly do better than that. Alas, I do not amass gold as some folks do, so I hope that is not what you would like. Let's see now... Oh, yes, these will do nicely."

"Here, Rihala... I have a pair of Bracers of Defense for you."

"And for Lureene, I have a pair of Boots of Elvinkind."

With the delivery of the book gold is of little concern with rewards as such, all of use to aspiring adventurous types.
"You are most generous without the need of gold. Congratulations ladies."
When the pportunity to take his leave comes Cunaar will bid the ladies adeu and make his way over to the Inn. He would give the ladies time to catch up on other things as well......at the same time get him to his much needed drink.

"I'm glad the horses are safely back. It worried me a little", says the cleric.

She takes the boots reverently and examines them. "My, sister, you're most generous, even excessively so. I ought to protest, but I'm a Sunite through and through and these boots are much too fetching for me to resist." She grins at Graele. "You have my most heartfelt thanks. I shall wear them with thoughts of you, sister." She bows.

"The thanks are all mine," Garaele replies. "I am more than astonished at your initiative... even more so about your success. I shall pass that on to the Harpers. You've made me look good... not that I care much for the fame. I have a higher calling, but the Harpers protect nature, so we have mutual interests."

Lureene giggled. "My, you'll make me blush at this rate and that's no mean feat. Again I am glad we were able to do some good while retrieving it." She bowed slightly to Garaele. "I'll leave you to your report; I'll go see if I can acquaint myself better with our new friends. And I think Cunaar is eager to rejoin them, as well." She turns to the wizard and warlock. "Shall we?"

(Off to the tavern!)