Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Wandering Vori
07-05-2003 03:29

Worried about their companion, the heroes decide to take the eastern road first and seek shelter with the dwarves.

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-05-2003 13:46

The Shoals, the Silver Mines

It is not long before the east trail ends in another clearing, and the Chedians find the doors that form the entrance of the Silver Mines. Upon their knocking, the doors open, and they are led to a large hall, well lit with many fires. Here and there they see carts standing near the wall, some empty, others filled with silver ore.
Dozens of Dwarves, more males than females, are sitting at the fires, and they pick up snatches of conversations while they are led to the back of the hall, frequently recognizing the words 'goofy' and 'overwork'. Heads are turning as they pass.

From the back of the hall, the adventurers can see rails leading into corridors, who knows how deep into the mountain.

Now they come before an older Dwarf, a round fellow with the air of 'someone of authority', as Nicolai would say, yet sitting with his friends at one of the fires just like all the others.

Regran: "Sire, are you King Rocklin?"
Rocklin: "I used to be the King, strangers. But I left the ruling business to Snergle when I felt I still had some adventure in me, and came all the way here to work these Silver Mines. But yes, I am Rocklin. Are you seeking shelter for the night? Share our fire and our brew, and tell us some stories in return! And make your friend comfortable. He should feel better tomorrow, is my hope."
DaveO: "You are very kind, Sire. But we were also sent here by Ufretin. He said that you might have a task for us, to gain approval from the Council of Grey."
Rocklin: "Ah, yes. We could use your help with something. We have taken an order from a lord of Seelie, to make a whole lot of small silver projectiles he calls 'bullets'. Ask me not how that can work, it seems a very strange order to me. But it pays handsomely so we could not refuse. However, the work has to be done very precisely and for that we need a Mold, according to these specifications."

King Rocklin hands the Chedians a sheet of paper with a very technical-looking drawing on it.

Rocklin: "Now we Dwarves have good skills, but for us making such a contraption is too delicate a job. So we need to find someone who can make it for us. Maybe someone in the great city of Volee. If you could have this Mold made for us, I would be very grateful."
Arturchix: "We will do this for you, Sire."

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Wandering Vori
07-05-2003 18:23

DaveO and some dwarves help Vilx to a confortable place. When they see that their companion is sound asleep, they return to camp. The nearer the Paladin gets, louder becames the Outspoken's voice...

Regran: ... and with this final arrow, the last Devil fell! We run to the doors with great Lions and VAHP! We had Imprisoned a god!

Arturchix: You must have seen his face! He was baffled by our ability.

Sitting by the camp, the paladin, tries to relax a little. Felling uneasy by the loud an boisterous friends of his, he tries to change the subject a little.

DaveO: This land of yours intrigue us much, good king. We heard many strange histories, about colored goblins, specially about a White one and his troubles with the Pirate Wacko. Also we are trying to know more about the Merfolk.

Nicolai: And there is this talking tree "Ygg". Oh, and the Sword-in-Ice also!

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-05-2003 19:53

The Shoals, the Silver Mines

Rocklin: "That was a great tale, my guests. I have enjoyed it."

The Dwarven King thinks for a while before answering the heroes' questions.

Rocklin: "Pirates and Goblins are of little interest to us. But this Treeman is a nuisance. He appeared out of nowhere several years ago. Before, there was a normal road to Volee from the foot of this mountain. But now we have to ask his permission to cross over, and it takes a full two days. So we don't go west anymore unless it is really necessary."

The King's tankard is empty, and he waits for the refill.

Rocklin: "Ah, that is better. Where was I?"
Nicolai: "The Sword-in-Ice, and the Merfolk!"
Rocklin: "It saw it once, the sword. It seemed well crafted, but not special in any way. Maybe Ufretin knows more about it, he is always intrigued by such relics."

Rocklin: "If you are ever looking for something that was lost, and no Seer can help you, there is a good chance that it somehow wound up with the Merfolk. They love their collection, but they don't make very good guards. So this Faerie princess asked us to make them a cavern to keep their treasure safe, and that is something we do well."
Arturchix: "Who has the key?"
Rocklin: "That is their business. We gave it to the princess Loryn, and she may have kept it or passed it on."

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Wandering Vori
07-07-2003 01:02

Regran: Does the princess live in Seelie?

Vilx: And what about the merfolk? Your cave should have protected them, all right? Still they seen to have disappeared to the elves...

Arturchix: And we have heard about 'Ceth', somewhat an evil deity worshipped by the sorcerer Slayn. Also it has some linking to the Baa cult.

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-06-2003 12:56

The Shoals, the Silver Mines

The brew must have gone to their heads, to hear the unconscious speak ....

The Dwarven king, however, seems not to have noticed.

Rocklin: "Seelie is the town of the Faeries, but from what I hear they can often be found outdoors in the forest itself."

With these words, the king dozes off, and soon the adventurers are sound asleep as well, dreaming of Gremlins, silver and Faerie princesses.

Vilx's moaning wakes them all up in the morning. The assessin is awake, but not quite feeling himself yet. Like Yggdrasil predicted, he has only regained half of his health.

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Wandering Vori
07-07-2003 02:19

The Chedians go around the mining place, seeking any good stores, skill trainers or the like that live among the dwarves. As dwarves are wonderful smiths, they are eager to see some weapon's shop!

Arturchix: Okay, here we have: Skill traianer, Shops, Temples... etc.. anymore things to seek?

DaveO: What about a Cheese shop? Maybe the dwarves have their own special way of doing this delicacies...

All: Yeah!

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-08-2003 22:13

The Shoals, exploring the Silver Mines

The community of Dwarven miners appears to be living under rather primitive conditions. Inescapable, however, is the Brewery, the first of three shops in one of the main corridors - where it takes a while before our heroes can find the strength of will to continue their exploration.

The Smithy is next, where the old blacksmith Fleve offers some fine silver axes and shields for sale, as well as a good number of ordinary picks and hammers. He also happens to be a Grandmaster teacher of Axe, which produces a puzzled look on Vilx's face, who had never thought much about the differences between swords and axes before.
But the best silver goes to Khazandar in Volee, says Fleve.

The third shop, the General Store, proves to be the most interesting. The stuff for sale is nothing the Chedians would look twice at, but the shopkeeper, the lady dwarf Sonja Haldursdottir, is quite talkative. Soon, the adventurers are talking about Gremlins, Trees, Seelie lords and princesses, and ... clovers.

Sonja: "I tell you, there is a whole field of clovers at the end of the west path. That is why it's called Mount Clover. But Ghim won't let us go there anymore, he says it's dangerous now. But some weeks ago, that Seelie lord popped up right there from out of nowhere. That is not normal, I say. And now all the miners have to work overtime to have enough silver for those - whatsthemcalled - bullets? And what's he gonna do with them? They're too small for crossbows, really they are."
Arturchix: "Miss Haldursdottir, have you ever been to Seelie?"
Sonja: "Oh, no, not me. And you can't just 'go' to Seelie. My sister Rhonda says that herself, and she's an Expert teacher Pathfinding, the best there is. There is trickery involved, she says."
Regran: "Where can we find your sister?"
Sonja: "She's around somewhere for sure, try one of the other corridors. But watch out that you don't keep standing on the rails or you'll get hit by a cart."

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Wandering Vori
07-09-2003 12:52

The Chedians give a little walk around talking with the locals to see if they know anymore rumors. Also, Regran is eager to train his Pathfinder abilities to an Expert Level.

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-11-2003 13:09

The Shoals, exploring the Silver Mines

They find Rhonda Haldursdottir in one of the other corridors. Twice, the Chedians had to jump out of the way for a cart that was racing past into the deep of the mines. The walls show many exhausted veins; here and there on the floor there are barrels, some with liquid inside.

The Expert Pathfinding Teacher is standing near a small basin filled with fresh water. Regran spends 9 skillpoints to raise his skill at pathfinding to level 4, and with some effort the 1000 gold is found in the heroes' pockets, thanks to the coins they took from the Gremlins. The Ranger is promoted to Expert!
He remembers what the skillbook said:

Expert: Allows party to swim underwater without limit, mapcrossings minus 4L%

DaveO asks the teacher about getting to Seelie.

Rhonda: "Ahh, well, the Lords of Seelie have faster ways, but we mortals can't get there so easily. We have to go through the Faerie Forest and face the Beast."
Nicolai: "The Beast?"
Rhonda: "I'm sorry but I can't say anymore - that's the rules, you see."

Time to make plans again for the Chedians.

Sir Dragonheart is waiting for them in Larhana and would be mightily annoyed if they don't pick him up. Also in Larhana is the Master Pathfinding teacher, Tarsellis.

But they're low on money. The Dwarven shops could have some items for Arturchix to enchant - and what about the reward for getting Rocklin that Mold?

But what if they keep delaying the Seer's quest? And when will Lord Markham be back? Should they take a look at that clover field? What is that Beast Rhonda is talking about, and would it be wise to finally learn the basic Grey Magic spells - the spellbooks are still in the Druid's inventory - first? Dare they face Conan again? And where is that elusive White Goblin???

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Wandering Vori
07-11-2003 18:19

DaveO: ... and four copper coins. Guess we are low on money. How are we to hire Dragonheart or finance your training Outspoken?

Regran: Guess that it will be the same old way: Chedian Enchanting Co.

Vilx: Let's do this fast. We need to meet Dragonheart as fast as possible.

Arturchix: I am getting tired about this.

And so did the heroes go shopping

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-12-2003 13:03

Vori, Larhana settlement

Arturchix: "Phew! They ran out of enchantable items pretty quick. It's time we found ourselves a proper job! Mining our own silver, perhaps."

The adventurers, once again emerging at the beacon spot, enter the tavern, where the old dragonhunter is already getting impatient.

Dragonheart: "I say, you'd better come up with my fee."
DaveO: "Sir Dragonheart! Here is your 5,000 gold. Consider yourself hired for the week."
Dragonheart, smiling: "Now, that's better. What's with your assessin friend? He looks a tad pale."
Regran: "Vilx dropped unconscious after using a Berserker potion. He hasn't quite recovered yet."
Dragonheart: "That'd do it. Not to worry, time will heal. Now, are you ready for some old-fashioned dragon-hunting, or do you have other plans first?"

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-17-2003 20:27

Vori, Larhana Settlement

Dragonheart, looking at the empty space in front of him: "Ho! Where has everybody gone?"

The old dragonhunter steps outside.

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Nov 2002
Location:
07-19-2003 17:08

DaveO: Ah, the days of monster bounty hunting again. I'm a Master Bounty Hunter myself. It's been a while since I've last done it. Looks like we picked a dragon to hunt down, so let's get started...

The eager(or is it fanatical?) expression in Dragonheart's eye tells the adventurers that they are in for a challenge.

The Paladin and Dragonheart set off(hopefully with the others following)...

__________________
I'd rather be part bull than a complete sheep.

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-21-2003 17:57

Vori, hunting dragons

Slowly, holding each other by the hand, six adventurers edge forward on the narrow trail behind Yanmir's Fort. Listening hard, they think they can hear other sounds besides the seagulls and the wind, but they cannot be sure.

Leading the group is old Dragonheart, looking for the signs he knows to be there. Finally he halts, and pushes some vegetation out of the way, revealing an even more difficult path that is sharply going down the cliff. The five who are following dare not look to their right where the ocean is raging far, far below. But a dragon is promised to them, and they will not resign. They descend.

The path rounds the bend, and the Assessin, still wobbly, is almost blown away by the strong wind that comes from around the corner. He is steadied by the Paladin who comes behind him.

Looking ahead, they can now see that the path leads to an opening in the salt-bitten rock. A cave! They move towards it, and silently they enter, expectations high, ready for anything ....


The mass of Cave Goblins, scuffling about on all kinds of chores, makes them choke.

Arturchix: "Not again!"
Regran: "Wait, there! I think I just saw something big move in the next room."
DaveO: "But how can we get there? There is hardly room to stand here in the entrance without falling off!"
Vilx: "Oh no. On that boulder. A Red Goblin, looks like the overseer of this lot. Would that be one of the Rainbow Goblins?"
Nicolai: "Sir Dragonheart, where is the dragon?"

The dragonhunter seems to be taken aback as well.

Dragonheart: "They shouldn't be here. The dragon should have laid her egg by now."

What to do? Will they try wading through the cave goblins, or apply some Grey Magic? Should they try and convince the Red Goblin to have them move out of the way? Or should they go looking for another dragon? And what does Sir Dragonheart know about the habits of Rainbow Goblins?

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Wandering Vori
07-28-2003 13:29

Vilx: Dragonheart, what do you know about those goblins?
Regran: Also tell us more about the Egg and Dragons.
Arturchix: After you answer let's use some Fog magic and get us quietly inside!

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-30-2003 13:06

Vori, Red Dragon cave

Dragonheart: "Pfah. Questions, always questions. I saw those little buggers leave the city, all seven of them, and all very excited. I stopped one of them, could hardly understand what it said, but it was something about dragons and how the colors matched theirs so well. And now I find them everywhere, spoiling my hunt. But they must leave when the dragons lay their eggs, because then they won't tolerate any other critters near them.
So here we are, and there are no eggs. NO EGGS!!"
Regran: "Sir hunter, why are you saying that they should have laid their eggs by now?"
Dragonheart: "It's the season. The eggs are always laid between the summer solstice and the next new moon. And now they're late! That has never happened before."

While everyone is thinking about all that new information and how to use it to their advantage, Arturchix quietly reads the Fog spellbook, then raises his hands .....

Push, shove, push, shove, push, shove - the going is tough. Inch by inch the adventurers get deeper into the cave. The goblins do not see them but they don't get out of the way either. Once or twice they think they see something big and red through the opening to what must be the dragon's lair.

It is too slow. The Fog spell, cast at merely normal level, runs out when they are only halfway through the mass of bodies. A high voice - the Red Goblin is female!? - sounds the alarm ...

The Red Goblin: "Youzze! Stopz! Out wizza y'all!"

A hundred agitated cave goblins start pushing them back to the entrance ....

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Nov 2002
Location:
07-30-2003 17:29

Time to try some diplomacy...

DaveO: "Please forgive us for the intrusion. Pardon me, but are all of you here to see the dragon's egg? Why has the dragon's egg not been laid yet? Why are you red instead of gray like the other goblins? What can you tell me about the Rainbow Goblins? We are also seeking the White Goblin, so would you happen to know where to find it or any other information?"

The Paladin waits to see if there is any chance for his questions to be answered...

__________________
I'd rather be part bull than a complete sheep.

Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Castle Gobs
07-31-2003 13:17

Vori, Red Dragon Cave

The goblin looks down, a little nervous, then answers the hero's questions.

The Red Goblin: "Eggez be when eggez be. Then must leavez and hard timez again poor Rainbow Goblinz have. Starve. We lookez and lookez for ze rainbow, but not findz. Bad White Goblin he knowz wheriz, but not tell, o no."

Step by step the heroes are pushed back to the entrance.

Dragonheart: "I say. Shall we hack and slash and clear this entire place?"
Vilx: "I'm trying to remember what judge Viesis said about Wacko and his plans."
Arturchix: "That White Goblin sure doesn't sound so nice."

The young Prince seems to put something away quickly when they look at him for his input.

Nicolai: "We shouldn't get distracted here too much. We need to sail to Avlee with Lord Markham, and go to Seelie, and find that Conan guy again, help the Dwarves .... we MUST have the approval of the council!"

__________________
If you have no feet, don't walk on fire.

Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Wandering Vori
07-31-2003 19:18

Regran : Where can we find the damned White Goblin? And where are the other rainbow Goblins? Perhaps we can try get him for you?