Chapter 20: Over Hills and Under Trees
General Summary
Date: 9th to 14th of Flamerule, 1491 DR
The heroes had managed to liberate Shadowtop Cathedral from the brood mother and its kin. While holding the red shard, Bene began to gasp for air. His pupils went dark as wisps of energy drew from the blade into his body. The sizzling symbol on his hand began to shine red as he fell on his knees. Eventually Bene recovered and was questioned by his friends. He told Ranvas and Nomime that he would answer their questions later on and the two didn't press further.
While Virion and Tharra were still unconscious, Bene and Ranvas decided to look around. Ranvas found a small hoard of treasure inside the brood mothers nest as well as a strange symbol carved into the tree. He took a mental note of it and pointed it to the other adventurers. Bene was rummaging the insides of the brood mother, finding a few valuable items as well. Meanwhile Nomime headed out to the courtyard of the cathedral to try to wake up the fallen tree, Turlang.
She prodded and poked, but to no avail. She then began to lift the tree up and to her surprise the tree rose; grabbing Nomime and squeezing the tiny intruder in its branch-like hand. Eventually the three heroes managed to explain to Turlang why they were there and the events that unfolded while the treant was unconscious. Turlang sprouted berries from his bark which the heroes used to wake up their friends.
Turlang didn't know where the spiders came from and what did they want. He also mentioned that he was defeated by a human spellcaster, not the spiders but couldn't tell more of the man. He activated the rune that Ranvas found and lo! The rune sprouted light around the canopy, forming a brazen sunlight that withered the webs away.
The old treant thanked the heroes for their aid and named them
Eryn Mellon, friends of the woods. He also gifted a sapling to Nomime, which grew into a vibrant green shrug. Bene asked about a mysterious mask, but Turlang didn't have answers, stating that only his friend Aerglas might know more.
And so the heroes continued their adventure, with plans to meet Tharra in Everlund. Their journey back was much easier without the gloomy darkness and with the help of the forest that moved and shifted, creating quicker pathways for the heroes to take. As they settled for the night, the heroes pondered a name for their new companion. They also taught it new words in common that it happily repeated. Nomime was not pleased with the vulgar language the others made the shrub mimic.
When the adventurers had rested they continued onwards towards Noanar's Hold. By midday they had reached the edge of the forest. Then Ranvas and Virion began to hear distant screams echoing from the settlement ahead.
"Giants!" Some of the villagers were banging the doors of the Hunt Lord's Keep, while others that were still in the village were running for their lives. The heroes tried to break down the doors of the keep to let the civilians in, but the door wouldn't budge. They crafted a plan to draw out the giants as Ranvas nestled into the hillside and pulled out his long barreled musket.
The Hill Giants were stuffing people and cattle inside their large leather backpacks as Ranvas aimed with his gun. Shots rang through the air, attracting the attention of one of the Hill Giants. It saw the shooter and sprang towards the party, hurling rocks towards the adventurers. With numerous shots, spells, bolts and punches they finally managed to bring the hulking threat down. The other two retreated into the plains, still trailed by the long range shots of Ranvas.
Bene opened the backpack of the dead Hill Giant and to his surprise people began crawling out of it. Children wept and loved ones were reunited, while some scanned the destruction, hope fading from their eyes. An argument broke down to chase down the Giants, but they eventually decided to figure out why the giant rampage had started and how to stop it.
After a short interlude, the heroes managed to find and heal one of their horses. The last one from the stables was bought off by one of the noblemen that humiliated Bene (out of spite) before riding off. Virion was able to calm the frightened Roach #1 and tie it to pull the wagon. And so they began their journey towards Everlund.
When the sun sank beneath the horizon, it was time for the adventurers to rest. While Ranvas took the first watch, his eyes met a silhouette of a rider upon the hillside illuminated by moonlight. Then another appeared. Then another. Ranvas roused his sleeping companions from their sleep as five skeletal riders rode down the hill, ready to hunt the heroes down. A battle was upon them!
The skeletal horses that sported new saddles and harnesses trampled Ranvas and shot arrows at the rest. Blazes and blasts of fire roused in the battlefield and the heroes defended themselves against the ghostly hunt party. The battle was hard fought, but eventually they managed to defeat the riders, only to see their shadowy remains retreating back to Noanar's Hold.
The rest of the trip went smoothly from then on. Ranvas spotted a castle nestled in the clouds above Evermoors, but the exhausted heroes pressed on to civilization. Eventually they arrived to the gates of
Everlund. Walking through the massive streets of the city they made their way to Danivar's House to find rooms for the night as well as to gather rumors and information.
To their surprise the innkeeper was the person they were looking for. The one-eyed half-orc reacted with indifference to the questioning until Nomime showed him the insignia of Triboar. The innkeeper pocketed it and poured drinks to the confused adventurers and gestured them to drink them. When Ranvas and Bene both took a sip of the wine, their bodies quickly vanished from sight. Virion demanded answers and the proprietor explained that the insignia was a token to an audience and the drink was magically enchanted to teleport them there. So Virion and Nomime both drank the wine and vanished. Dral watched the abandoned shrub searching for its friends and with a sigh teleported the shrub as well.
The heroes found themselves in a parlor, surrounded by a few winged cats. The alerted guards turned towards the suddenly appeared intruders and the heroes saw all of them sporting a familiar symbol; a white harp on a blue background. They had seemingly appeared to the base of the Harpers.
Rewards Granted
- Round small sphere of thick glass (unidentified)
- Potion with reddish liquid and a large toe encased within (unidentified)
- Alchemy Jug
- 600cp
- 1240sp
- 197gp
- 10pp
- Pair of engraved bone dice (25gp)
- Copper chalice with silver filigree (25gp)
Missions/Quests Completed
- Bene - Patron Quest Completed
Character(s) interacted with
