The Passion of the Grung
After receiving instruction from the Crossbones raid board, The Party made their way to a secluded, underground ruin. They brought along with them Crook, Racket & Shyster--three goblins whose acquaintance they had just made.
Marin and the Bird Door
Upon their arrival, they deftly avoided a magical trap built into the staircase that formed the ruin's entrance. Once inside, however, the group was attacked by some grungs who had, evidently, "mistaken" them for hostile intruders.
With the help of Crook, Racket & Shyster, the party managed to kill all but one of them. Being benevolent and merciful, they decided to spare this one's life--even going so far as to heal him from the wounds they themselves had just inflicted. They learned his name was Marin shortly after finding a curious design in the room behind him: a giant skeletal bird embedded in a wall.
With some astute investigating, the party discovered a single missing bone in the display. Upon successfully locating that bone hidden beneath Marin's seat, the party discovered a secret room containing sixteen short Threads of the Old Weave. They used one, but left the remaining where they found them--secured behind the bird door. The Party took the single bone used to unlock the bird door and locked it, too, behind an Arcane Lock of Algernon's creation.
The goblins attempted to investigate the room with the Threads, but the Party prevented them.
They'll Be Back
The Party left Marin alone with their Threads behind the Bird Door, but shortly therafter returned to him. They had just been exiled from Crossbones and were in need of a place to spend the night. Promising Marin that he could keep his Threads and that they'd lead him back to his home, the Party convinced Marin to lead them to Lilli Longshadow, which he managed successfully to do.
After attending to some pressing business and earning Lilli's trust, the party would attempt to make good on their promise, and began leading Marin back to his original home of Riverrock.
Riverrock
The party--thanks in large part to Algernon's mastery of the Tiny Hut spell--braved open travel in the Fellgleam for several days and nights before eventually arriving by boat at the massive ruin called Riverrock. Marin was initially surprised that they kept their promise to deliver him, but seemed even more shocked that they actually managed to reach his one-time home. On the trip, he told the party not to use his name while they were in Riverrock, though he was not open about the reasons for the secrecy. He instead requested the party call him Tillin if they were obliged to refer to him at all--something he further discouraged. Lastly, he warned them about the sovereign Cyrus, who he claimed would honor contacts but just as soon kill the party if it suited him.
Soon after, The Party--posing as bodyguards for Johann VonGruppen (himself posing as a trader from Witchmill)--found themselves face-to-face with King Cyrus. Seeing that Cyrus expected gold and realizing they had little to offer, Algernon the Tall conjured a chunk of gold to trade. Sadly, this conjuration would vanish within an hour. Knowing as much, the party left Riverrock with a swiftness, leaving Marin behind.
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