LRC:Save the Beast
Starring: Robhim, Nan'lhach, Peek-A-Boo Harpell, and Del Collins
Guest Starring: Jar Jar, Me'Rutha, Quil'Fallenar, Aesdraco, Jones Henrysson and Drenzel Gor'Mori
Jar Jar has returned
Still startled and rubbing the sleep from your eyes, Duncan walks past the broken door, shoving your stuff into your bags. "It's time to go NOW. Your friends are in trouble." He leads Wolfdale and Brennell through the cold night air back to his place, where inside Meriae is maintaining a fire and trying to warm a freezing halfling. As you enter the halfling looks up...and you are greeted by the familiar face of Jar Jar!
Jar Jar begins to tell the story while Duncan and Meriae prepare travel supplies for your group. At the request of Brennell and Wolfdale, Simon is gathered. Simon is put off by the need to go into the Dark Wood, but understands that this is how he pays his tuition. Duncan says that Meriae is going along, but he has to stay to investigate a robbery at the palace and he has to continue to gather intel on the players of the game so that he can track them down.
Night of the new moon
On the night of the new moon, those Chauntean gardeners who are brave enough to venture forth into the dark wood have gathered near the edge of the Pastoral Gardens. When Robhim and Nan'lhach arrive, they collectively sigh, save Jar Jar, who runs up and hugs Robhim! Jar Jar tells Robhim that there is a letter on the Seluné stone that Yondbé left for the guide, and now that everyone has gathered the group can determine their guide.
Considering his knowledge of the Dark Wood, Nan'lhach is selected to serve as the guide. The letter reads:
- Dear Guide, You have been selected by the Great Mother to serve as the guide on this dangerous voyage. When the way is dark, trust in the Great Mother will guide you all to safety. To start your journey, travel to the fiendish oak tree to the north. Wait there for a sign from the Great Mother.
On the way past the Meadmaker Mines, the dwarves who guard the entrance to the mines remind the group that the Dark Woods is not safe and they take their own lives into their own hands.
Fiendish Oak Tree
By the time the group gets to the fiendish oak tree it is well into the night. Waiting for a sign, the group searches around the tree for a sign, with Nan'lhach climbing the tree to get a better lay of the land. Nan'lhach notices a pair of green feline eyes staring back at him from the forest. He asks that everybody stay to the opposite side of the tree. In the darkness he, and Robhim, can see that a collection of kobolds have collected near the group.
Taking this as a sign not to go that direction, the group continues into the dark wood. While reviewing the note once more, the words have changed to "Save the beast of the island".
Giant Red Apes!
While traveling in the dark, the group stumbles onto what is apparently a newly formed Blood Ape tribe. Unfortunately the silver alpha ape has every intention of proving his worth and uses his ability to enlarge the males and they attack!
The group tried as much as was possible to minimize the damage to the tribe in an attempt to disturb nature as little as possible.
After camping for the night
Further along the group encounters the skeleton of a long dead elf. While investigating a pit trap goes off and while there are injuries, nothing else unusual happens.
About midday the group is attacked by unseen archers, for having unknowingly trespassed into a war zone. Nan'lhach recognizes the fletching as being from his people and calls out a code for them to halt. One elf steps out from hiding and he and Nan'lhach discuss something. The elf, Me'Rutha, begins to lead the group into the wood.
War Zone
Me'Rutha leads the group through the Dark Wood for a couple of hours. Soon the group arrives at the scene of a gruesome battle, the ground littered with over a dozen wild elves and half as many bodies of humanoids with goat legs and small horns on their heads. A trio of wild elves have begun preparing to move the bodies of their companions.
Me'Rutha leads you to a small encampment not far away where a score of wild elves have made camp. The camp for these elves would have gone unnoticed by you, even if you had walked within twenty feet of it, if it weren't for your guide. In one of the small lean-tos, you see a white wolf lying beside the unconscious and feverish form of a half-elf, Jones. Next to Jones is a wild elf who is applying water to his head to keep him cool.
Me'Rutha introduces you to Quil'Fallaner, an herbalist who is taking care of Jones. She tells you that he was poisoned during the raid on the invaders. Two days ago a scout returned to Tolea'Fuin, telling of goat-legged humanoids who were appearing on the island in a remote location. After the first task force failed to report back, Jones himself lead us to find out what was going on. Yesterday we encountered them here, being lead by a Rauko'N'Tel'Quessir! Jones moved to engage the Rauko and we focused our attacks on the goat humans. It is not uncommon for Jones to disappear from battle, so his pursuit of the Rauko was not thought unusual. When the battle was finished, we moved to seek out Jones and we found him on the ground, with massive slashing wounds, and shaking from the poison. "I healed his wounds, praise to Meilikki, but I find that my power does nothing to the posion."
With a description of the symptoms and her knowledge of herbs and the planes, Peek-A-Boo determines that the poison must be StenchVenom, a vile concoction from the nine-hells. When stenchvenom is mentioned, Quil'Fallaner's eyes light up. She recognizes the name and remembers that there was a nursery rhyme that included the flower that would cure it. After much thinking and debate, it turns out that the fresh leaves of the weirwood tree would be needed.
Me'Rutha nods bows head in agreement, saying "There aren't any such trees on the island." Quil'Fallaner disagrees, holding up Jones handcarved tribute to Meilliki. "If I'm not mistaken, this is weirwood. And I remember Jones carved it not long ago, perhaps a half decade ago."
While everyone is talking, you hear the hoot of an owl in the distance. The eyes of the elves nearby go wide and many take off in the direction of the hoot, heedless to whatever task they were doing. Me'Rutha turns to you, "Tolea'Fuin is under attack by whatever forces have been gathering and we must leave to attend to matters there. Nan'lhach, we have explored many parts of the island and I've never crossed under the shade of a weirwood tree. I hate to recommend this, but you may want to start in the area of the beast. It's true that Jones forbid everyone, save him, enter that area of the Dark Wood, but it's possible that the weirwood that he obtained for his holy symbol came from that area. It seems that Meilikki, and Chauntea, have sent you here for this reason. I ask that you guide the N'Tel'Quess to this area and try to keep them safe. Those who do not wish to go with you may come with us and we will keep them safe."
Seeking out the cure
Nan'lhach leads the way, and the way is creepy, proving that the dark wood could get darker. Nan'lhach motions for everyone to move as quietly as they can. You've noticed that the trails you are following seem to be out of use, as if a lot of the big game in the area fled this part of the wood. After a few hours of slow travel you notice that you are on the edge of the island by the mist that permeates the wood. Nan'lhach points to a sheer cliff that leads down in the Sea of Fallen Stars. Far below you see massive rocks. The path follows this cliff line.
One of the rocks has had it's top flattened off and some kind of pattern is cut into it. The rock appears to have shifted and one part of it is barely above the waves. No other details can be distinguished.
Copper Dragon
In a clearing up ahead the party sees the hulking form of a copper dragon, a dying copper dragon. The evening light reflects off the many copper scales strewn around the battle field. Bodies of a couple of goat-legged men, stripped by their allies, lay littered on the ground. The copper dragon is unconscious, but inspection of the wounds give it only a few hours if it doesn't receive magical aid.
Slowly and cautiously Robhim approaches the dragon, and casts a healing spell on it.
Once returned to life, the copper dragon leaps to it's feet and readies to attack, throwing up it's aura of fear, causing the party to take steps back in fear! Quickly the party explains who they are and why they are there. Fortunately the metallic dragons are the good ones, and the dragon introduces himself.
He is Aesdraco, reaver of undead, traveler of the stars, warrior of the ring, and eater of hands. He retired from the adventuring life a number of years ago, and now he spends most of his time hunting some of the more dangerous critters on the island with Jones.
It is important that no one, NO ONE, is made aware of his presence on the island. This is for many reasons, most importantly dragonslayers will come and they will die. They are better off hunting the lairs of reds.
Aesdraco knows where a patch of weirwood trees grow and will gladly go and retrieve a fresh piece for them to take with them.
Healing Jones and Getting Captured
With the fresh weirwood in hand, the party makes their way back to the small wild elf encampment well after dark. Peek-A-Boo is the only one who can make the antidote and she spends the next several hours preparing it. Around midnight it's ready and she gives it to Jones. Within moments he begins to stir. His eyes open wide in shock and he draws and throws a dagger in one violent motion, the dagger slicing Peek-A-Boo's ear as it goes past, it's flight ended by a loud clang on armor.
Becoming visible in your midst is a powerfully built elf with dark skin and flaming red hair down to his armored shoulders. Holding his greatsword casually with one hand and a tower shield in the other he smiles and then speaks in an accented common, "You may call me master Drenzel Gor'Mori. You are all now my prisoners."
Lone Rock City: Gaming Sessions
Welcome to the Island, Back Alleys, Into the Woods, Rumblings, Underground, Defeating the Kocraken, "Mining Accident", The King's Murder, Long Live the King?, Tangled Trees, Heading Home, At Sea, Back in the City, God Shopping, Attacking the Darkness (Janus Raid), Under the Sea, Cavern of Deep Sashelas, Cavern of Deep Sashelas, part 2, Realm of the Dolphions, Meadmaker Mashup, Shieldmeet, Tending to Business, Fantine Taylor vs the Party, The Rescue of Delicious Harpell, Hunting Harpells, Attack of the 50 foot Ooze, Champions of Good?, Down the Rabbit Hole, Three Strikes, The King's Men, Heist, Prologue, Heist, Save the Beast, Rescue from the Duergar, Devil Elves Infest the Dark Wood, Artifact Evacuation, Rods of Thinuan Discovered, We Three Kings, Ghost from the past, Father and Daughter, Visiting the Elin of Nomin, The View From Inside The Jail, Hunting the Darkness, The Servant's Last Dance, Amnesia (Alternate World), Wedding and the End of the World (Alternate World), In the Garden of Evil, Deal with the Devil, The Death of Janus, Social Obligations, Bugs in the Floor, Finding Glimwocket, Return of Brennel, Quest for the Birthday Present (part 1), Quest for the Birthday Present (part 2), Ist'Vaech Is Having A Baby!, Fighting the Blood Clan, Defending the Muir Hole, Garrison of the Gale Grand Gala, Regicide, Bridezilla, Emergence of Nightbringer, Death and Return of Ist'Vaech, Dwarf Ghost and Riddles, Returned the Soulstone (in the Mail), Snubbed by the Githyanki, The Darkness Inside, Trip to Waterdeep, Kobolds Killing Cattle, Liberator Terrorist Attack, Liberators Secret Complex (multi-session), Wes Escapes From The Underworld, The Guards Kill Lemures Without Dying, Lil' Robby, No One Trusts Talen, Battle Interactive, Harlann's Evacuation,
Alternate World Sessions: Amnesia (Alternate World), Wedding and the End of the World (Alternate World),
Party Members: Simon, Robhim, Wolfdale, Ist'Vaech, Wes Temple, Vaeriasa, Vaeriasa Spells, Vaeriasa Special Abilities, Dragonform, Brave Iron Man (Guy),
Warriors of the Morning Breeze: Brennel, Simon, Robhim, Wolfdale, Dookette, Nan'lhach, Dmitrii, Ist'Vaech, Grim Greycastle, Sir Valans, Vaeriasa,
