On the Road Again

General Summary

After resting with the horses on the open road, the heroes made their way to Ryn the next day. Along the way, they encountered a pair of gnomes named Blackie and Decker, inventors extraordinaire!

The pair set up a quick makeshift table on the side of the road offering their own wares, including their most popular item the "lightspot" - a tube with an enchanted stone in the back. When activated, the light is revealed and reflected off the small curved mirror creating a focused light beam [aka a flashlight]. Other items included a backpack that you wear loaded with hot burning coals and raw meat. Buy the end of the day, you have a fully cooked meal (and often 3rd-degree burns), and the small paper securer - a piece of metal that pierces through paper then is bent to secure the pages in place.

After trading with the gnomes, the party continued on their travels and reach Ryn by late morning. The locals were quick to guide the party to the Burrfield home. There Kiara and Derwin were reunited with Fergus and Aine, the older couple that took the two in after the destruction of Kiara's village. The couple was happy to see the young beautiful woman Kiara had grown into, and laughing at the trouble Derwin still got himself into.

After pleasantries were exchanged, Kiara explained that they were looking to retrieve a book on behalf of the Great Library, a book that was in the possession of the Coopers - Donnan and Brega. Aine admitted that the Coopers and some of their nearby neighbors had been acting weird since Donnon returned from the Underfell.

With this information, the party approached the Cooper's house cautiously. They were welcomed inside, but when shown the book, which was in fact the missing Book of Names from the Great Library, Donnan revealed a mystic sigil on the back inside cover. The family started attacking the heroes as the sigil affected some of the party, including causing Theta to run from the house in fear. As the attack played out, Donnan was knocked unconscious.

Kiara, still learning to control certain mystical forces, lashed out arcane energy at Brega, killing the woman. Simultaneously, the young girl also summoned forth a small, impish creature that followed her commands.

Derwin was able to keep the young boy from harming anyone and out of harm's way. After the brief fight was over, the party was able to revive Donnan, who seemed to have a moment of clarity, explaining that he found the book in the underground portions of the Underfell. He and his family fell sway to the power of the symbol, as had a few of the townsfolk, to a lesser degree. Before he could recall more information, he started hearing a voice in his head. A voice that only he could hear... and one that belonged to The Green Manilishi.

After securing Donnan and the young boy, the party rested up before setting out for the Underfell. The heroes planned their travel to arrive at the above-ground ruins in the morning. As they arrived, they investigated the remains of the building where Donnan found the Book of Names, as well as tunnels to the underground areas. As Derwin went to check on the slightly crumbled well, a pair of monstrous creatures emerged as well a third one from the ruins of the old stable. The creatures swarmed around Derwin, attacking him relentlessly with multiple weapons. Each abomination had four arms, two mouths, and two to three eyes, looking like a pair of goblins mashed together into one creature.

As the battle progressed, Derwin fell unconscious to the monster's attacks, while Kiara's imp was attacked to the point of retreating to the quasi-realm it came from. The rest of the party was able to defeat the three abominations, after much effort.

Missions/Quests Completed

Acquired the Book of Names, a lost tome of knowledge from the Great Library.

Character(s) interacted with

• Blackie and Decker - gnome inventors and traders traveling the length and breadth of Ansalon
• Fergus and Aine Burrfield - older human couple in Ryn. They took in Kiara and Derwin after Kiara's village was destroyed. They didn't have the resources to care of the young girl and kender, so the two set out for Palanthus
• Donnan Cooper, his wife Brega, and their son - family in Ryn. Donnan returned from the Underfell with a book he found that he suspected might be valuable

Created Content

As a young man, Fergus explored the underground ruins of the Underfell, wherein he wounded his leg, giving him the slight limp he now walks with.

Notes

Behind the Scenes: In every Dragonlance campaign I've ever run, the party has at some point run across or into Blackie and Decker, always to humorous effect. In every case where they were offered inventions to buy or barter, someone in every party acquired a lightspot. The trend continues, with Peyton getting one this time.