(G139 01/06/2012 KT - JF(GM) , AP , ON)
DAY 135 (25th Flamerule) (July) continued ...
They dragged the heads back to the village as trophies, divided the loot and had
a celebration at the tavern. Mike the Merc, who was the only one to have died was
toasted and a splendid time was had by all.
Both Al and Oz tried to chat up the girls but Alduin was the only one to have
success and went to his room with a local farm lass called Trisha. Later that night
her father came to take her home, cursing her for a slut all the way.
DAY 136 (26th Flamerule) (July)
Today Jaroo got back from Waterdeep with money from the sale of the wand they had
looted. They took 750gp each and another 750gp to the elder for the village.
Meanwhile Humperdink planned the return journey and it was decided the first night
they would stay with a friend of his.
Alduin went to buy a donkey while Oz talked to Fred, then his hirelings, then the
innkeeper and then the elder.
They had a few more drinks in the Welcoming Wench again this night and once again
Alduin had his wicked way with Trisha. Some time in the night her father came to
take her away.
DAY 137 (27th Flamerule) (July)
Today they set off again for Waterdeep. Alduin, Oz and his henchmen, all on
horseback (or donkeyback in Oz's case!)
The went past the abandoned inn in the afternoon and that night arrived at the
home of Humperdink's friend an old trollish woman who lived in a cave in a
swamp. Her name was Glevenax.
She was also a soothsayer and for the mere price of a fish would tell people's
fortunes. Alduin eagerly went first and was told that he would die twice, once
by fire and once by ice. His future held an anxious woman and that a fiery red
dragon sought him.
Oz then caught a fish and as she fried it on the fire, she looked at is guts
and told him that he would soon meet the love of his life, 'The Lady of Spoons',
that he would have a journey deep underground and that one day his life would be
saved by a gold piece wedged in a wall.
With much to think about they spent the night in the trolls surprisingly
comfortable cave.
DAY 138 (28th Flamerule) (July)
In the morning they thanked Glevenax and set off.
They passed many refugees on the road, slow moving groups of people making their
way to the city. Mainly thin and bitter looking groups of men, but sometimes
whole families or bands of forlorn villagers.
About four hours later from setting off the came across an abandoned wagon
surrounded by dead people and goblins. They then heard screams and shouts
from an nearby fortified farm.
Approaching the gate they saw a group of people beside a well that lay
alongside the wall of the farm. On the lip of the well a goblin with an
arrow in its leg was holding a baby.
The mother was screaming, but a guard was holding her back. Oz slowly
stepped forward and tried to negotiate with the people and the goblin. Meanwhile
Alduin crept around the wall of the farm and dropped down into the yard behind
the goblin.
The goblin talked, but not entirely convinced by Oz, it threw the baby high
into the air and fled. Oz deftly caught the little one and Alduin easily caught
the goblin and slew it as it tried to escape over the wall.
The mother's name was Elsine Makecoin and she was very happy to get her baby
back even though her husband lay dead on the road. She rewarded them as best
she could and they then buried the dead by the farm.
Her guard's name was Vint Toker, she and her husband had been merchant's in a
village further out from the city but had found they could no longer make a
living there and had decided to go to family in the city. Oz decided it was best
that they all travel together.
That night they found an inn in the next village. Oz paid for Elsine and her
baby boy.
DAY 139 (29th Flamerule) (July)
There larger band of travellers set off in the morning and had an uninterrupted
day of travel.
In the evening they arrived in the village of Trout Bridge. While eating their
evening meal a man called Gavis Nate approached Al and Oz and asked them to
deliver a box to the city. In return, he said, they would be richly rewarded by a
man called Fiddly Borin at the other end.
They agreed. Later a detect magic spell was cast and showed that the box was not
magical. It was not too heavy either and they reckoned it held papers of some
kind.
DAY 140 (30th Flamerule) (July)
Today they arrived in Waterdeep in the afternoon, via the North Gate.
There was a madman at the gate raving :
'Beware the lord of serpents! For he was once one. He lived as a serpent!
For countless eons! Aiee! In this form did he heal his essence. The madness!
The madness of his serpent demon form!
And yet - when the time came to throw off this form he chose to stay as a serpent,
at least in part. Fear the lord of serpents!
For he is a jealous lord and he is jealous of all other gods - for he is a god!
He wages war with a serpent staff and rod and - he comes! He comes!
He will bring down every nation with an army of serpents and monsters, a plague
of snakes and flames of pestilence, Aieeee!'
Oz asked the guards about it, but they seemed to regard this sort of thing as
normal.
Their first task on arrival was to drop off the widow Makecoin at her relatives
in Sea Ward.
Next they went to The Inn of the Dripping Dagger and paid for the stolen horse.
Then they went to the address given to them in Trades Ward and handed over the box
to Mr Borin and happily received a hundred gold and a 'broken magic ring'.
They later had this identified and it was found to be a magical ring of
protection that only functioned when the moon was large.
From what Fredorrick had told them in Hommlett, Barndal the Barbarian was in
Waterdeep. From what they knew of him they then looked in the Hero's Garden and
then the fighting schools, but with no luck.
In the evening Oz had a chat with his 'little bird' and it told him of the night
Zoltan was kidnapped. (This, dear reader happened on 'day 127'). The kidnappers
had used a potion of gaseous form and then escaped through a side gate a bribed
servant had left open.
They then ended the day by going to the OJB and over a nice cup of tea talked
over the last few days events with Corum. Oz decided to order his little feathered
friend to go watch Wathuss' house in Castle Ward.
Also in the brewery was a young woman called Liamae Teslikaria, a sorceress that
until not too recently had been on the Sea Wyvern, but whom had teleported ahead.
Yes, my dear, indulgent reader, I myself, the writer of this journal was on my
way, returning to Waterdeep, the city where I was educated. How this came to be
and who I have with me though can wait a little longer.
This was then, none other than Liamae 'the Lady of Spoons' whom I had rescued
from a bullywug who had dressed her all up on cutlery and set his rust monster
on her in the cellar of Lavinia's mansion. Formerly of the Jade Ravens, but
well, that's another story for another time.
Well, encouraged by the troll soothsayer's prophecy Oz spend some time with
Liamae alone and during their liaison even went so far as to kiss her hand.
Late that night, Cavu the Cursed arrived at the OJB, alerted to their arrival
by some mysterious means. He joined them in the discussion of what to do about
Zoltan. He said he would be able to help more if he had something like a lock
of the boy's hair.
Corum went off to the Thunderstaff Villa and returned with the hair which he
gave to Cavu. The half-elf then left.
