Adventure #01 - The Seeds of the Elderflower

General Summary

Adventure #1 - Seeds of the Elderflower 11/4/23

Players: Karl: Erberk Torunn, Dwarf Paladin, Seth: Bobblin the Ho Bo Goblin, Goblin Ninja, Chris: Barbie Ross the 7th Goblin Barbarian, with Taffy, Dire Rat companion, Cooper: Olga, Orc Ranger, Sean: Celia Istan, Changeling Witch with Crab familiar

Prologue Your adventure begins here in the land of Thyndara, a vast cornucopia of history, cultures, peoples, landscapes, and untold secrets. Throughout it's known and unknown history, numerous empires have risen and fallen over the ages, and countless battles have scarred and shaped the land. The evidences of a forgotten time, either as famous historic landmarks, ruined ancient cities, or undiscovered monuments waiting to be found, adorn the landscape. And although Thyndara has beheld much turmoil and cataclysm over the millennia, for the moment she enjoys a time of peace. The majority of those who now dwell within her find themselves too busy with the personal affairs of their own kingdoms, cities, and families to give much thought in regarding the things that once were; mouths need to be fed, coin needs to be earned, territories need to be protected, and government issues need to be squabbled over. Regardless, it is generally understood that many hidden magics and mysteries still whisper across Thyndara for those keen and interested enough to listen. As for you, the prospect of mystery and discovery finds its way into your hands in the form of a letter from an old friend, Cornelius "Tickle-Bottom" McAbernathy, or Pappy to his friends (or anyone who can't remember his full name at length). Pappy is a eccentric, sprightly old man with a taste for gold, moonshine, adventure, and making friends wherever his boots take him, and as you unfold the parchment, just seeing his familiar and unusually eloquent penmanship brings a smile to your face. Upon reading, you chuckle to yourself as you hear his overly enthusiastic voice reciting the words on the page in your mind.

"To my good buddy (your name here),

It's me, your ol' friend Pappy! Or Cornelius "Tickle-Bottom" McAbernathy, depending on who's askin'. Anyway, it's been longer than a catfish's finest whisker since I've seen you last, and I sure hope that life has been keeping your flask filled to the brim.

But enough with the cotton-picking chit-chat! Without telling too much, yours truly has stumbled upon something bigger than my Aunt Jemima's neck goiter; an old map that points the way to a treasure hoard that no one has found in hundreds of years! I won't spill all the beans about it right here (just in case your finding yourself a bit greedier than the last time we rubbed our grubby elbows), but I'm roundin' up a band of trusty pals to seek it out and split the booty!

If that be to your liking and you want in, saddle up and meet me at 10 o'clock sharp the morning of November 4th at the Salty Land Shark Tavern just east of the Black Ridge Mountains, and I'll fix you a drink so good, it'll knock your pants off from here to gates of Hades.

Oh, bring all the gear you'd be fixin' to use for such an occasion; you're gonna need it!

Pappy"

With nothing more than a brief greeting, a vague promise of a forgotten treasure trove, and an abrupt farewell, already you can feel yourself being pulled into another one of his outlandish schemes. You pause and take a moment to dwell on your last interactions with Pappy, and the longer you think about it, the more enticing the promise of this adventure becomes. You're no stranger to Pappy's unpredictable antics and absurd ways of overcoming an obstacle that stands in his way, and yet somehow against all odds he always seems to find away to bend fate into his corner, though you feel that is largely thanks to his quick wit, his infallible opportunistic outlook, his decades of adventuring experience, and his complete lack of shame. And although his love for gold and moonshine is palpable to all that know him, his dedication to his adventuring party is famously unparalleled; Pappy would risk life and limb for the safety and freedom of a companion (and unbelievably he still has yet to lose life OR limb thus far), and you can't think of anyone you would rather go treasure hunting with into the unknown than with old Tickle-Bottom himself. He has already made a memorable life changing impact on you somehow, and it doesn't take you long to tie up the loose ends of whatever you were previously doing, packing your adventuring things, and prepare your trip to the Salty Land Shark.

On November 4th, you rise at the first light of dawn, weary-eyed but ready. After breezing through your morning routine and a quick cold breakfast, you gear up and triple check to make sure you have all the essentials and then some (you're never entirely sure what to pack for an adventure with Pappy). Once you find yourself satisfied enough with your preparations, you rise to your feet, square your shoulders, take a deep breath, and step outside into the morning dew. Beneath a clear tangerine-strawberry sunrise, the crisp early morning air fills your lungs and permeates your outerwear as you make your way down the well used county road leading to the tavern. Early morning travel around these rural parts typically welcomes an uneventful trip, and with nothing else but the sound of crunching stones beneath your feet and birdsong to accompany you, it appears that fate chose to keep this trip as mundane as you were hoping it to be. You keep your pace brisk, but remain alert all the same.

Chapter 1 - At the Salty Landshark After a couple of hours, a rustic two story building emerges in the distance as you round the dusty bend, and your feet delight at the prospect of finding rest on a barstool. As you make your way closer, the front porch of the building becomes clearer in view, and not only can you make out the worn out sign of the Salty Land Shark swinging lazily in the breeze, but also a familiar old kook waving his arms wildly upon your approach. With Pappy's cat-like senses, you'd bet a sack of gold that he probably saw you a mile out and has been frantically waving at your arrival ever since.

"Hey, buddy ol' pal! I knew you'd come, I just knew it! Here, take this, a special present for a special friend. Head inside, and I'll be right behind you when the last of y'all get in. My sweet Helga has been working up a warm breakfast fit for a pig, and she's on strict orders to keep that tankard full! Now, get! Get on in there!" Pappy exclaimed as he bustles you inside.

You step inside, and a strange bouquet of aromas waft about you, including the typical tavern scents, such as stale beer, warm tobacco, and aged wood, but also a very present campfire odor joined with a hint of copper. The sizzling sounds of hot breakfast being cooked emanate from the stove behind the bar, and the floorboards creak beneath your feet as you traverse the threshold. Looking around, it quickly becomes very clear that this tavern is in serious disrepair, almost as if some great calamity took place. Broken windows are boarded up, some portions of the floor are charred from fire, noticeable splintered holes decorate the walls, and a number of tables and chairs stand precariously on legs that were haphazardly cobbed together. Yet despite all that, it still retains the homey feel you'd expect from your favorite local tavern, just with a couple hazards to avoid to keep you on your toes.

The only seat that looks like it'll safely hold your weight is a wooden stool sitting vacant at the bar, the rest of the stools being occupied by various humanoids of varying shapes and sizes. They turn their heads as you approach the bar, and for a brief moment you all glance at one another, sizing each other up, checking out the visible gear, and guessing at each other's abilities and skills; this is without question the party that Pappy has put together for the treasure hunt, and you're not entirely surprised by his choice of companions. Including yourself, a group of five now sit at the bar

Players introduce themselves and get to know each other After a time, enter Pappy, who welcomes everyone and thanks them for coming Before diving into adventure details, it's breakfast time! (Like a real, actual bountiful breakfast made by Abby <3 When breakfast naturally winds down, Pappy begins talking about the treasure hunt



After years of excitement and adventure, Ol' Tickle-bottom is ready to retire and settle down Always had dreams of running a nice tavern and inn, describes how he acquired the Salty Land Shark and his disappointment with it and its condition Hasn't saved much gold over the years for retirement; always focused more on seizing the day over thinking about tomorrow This treasure hoard could be his last big chance at living comfortably and opening up a tavern he can really be proud of Pappy wants to give Helga a home she deserves Won an old dagger in a game of Three Dragon Ante from Angus Briggs the Twelfth, a ruffian proud of his bloodline of brigands and always brags about it Heirloom dagger was his pride and joy, adorned with a steel fist at the hilt of the blade, and belonged to Angus Briggs the First Angus Briggs the First allegedly belonged to a infamous legendary group of bandits called The Crimson Fist, led by a ruthless giant named Gorvath the Red, for it is said he was always covered in the blood spray of any who stood in his way Gorvath the Red and the Crimson Fist ravaged and pillaged the land, particularly a lost coastal city called Aberystwyth, into ruin. Aberystwyth was ravaged so much that any survivors up and left their homes, and the Crimson Fist took over the entire city for a time Over the decades, Gorvath accumulated a great deal of wealth from their relentless pillaging, including mountains of gold, magic weapons, armor, and other wondrous things. Being greedy and not wanting to share his wealth with anyone, Gorvath had a secret tomb built for himself so that when he died, his most trusted followers would bury him along with all of his treasure, and take the secret to their grave, lest they break their oath and find their own necks broken. Angus Briggs the 1st was one of these men, and left only his dagger, the scant remainder of his own personal wealth, and the secret with his next of kin when he died One day, after fiddling with the blade, Pappy accidentally triggered a secret compartment in the handle, where a scroll of parchment was stored: a map The map shows directions to the location of the tomb of Gorvath the Red According to the map, the road to the tomb begins at an intersection here, landmarked with a stone watch tower at the corner of the intersection, with the curled peak of the Black Ridge Mountains almost exactly east of the tower. We'll follow this path here until we reach this mountain pass, marked with some sort of lodge or something. After we traverse the mountain pass, we'll turn and head north along the base of the mountains in search of a two toned boulder, which should be right near the entrance to the tomb! In preparation, Pappy has pulled together all kinds of adventuring gear that they might need for the trip, to ensure they have all the things they could need To carry all the treasure and the party for the trip, Pappy has retrofitted his carriage for maximum off-road operation, and to be pulled by his faithful Bulette "Letti", who can traverse through the earth like a shark swims through water. In doing so, Letti can carve a path through almost any overgrowth to make the trip easier than bushwhacking through the wilderness. A final request: Pappy will pay everyone 500 gold each up front, as long as Pappy can keep any coin and gems they find in the tomb. In addition, the party can keep any and all magic items or equipment they find in the tomb.

After finishing your delicious meal, you rise with a full belly, push in your bar stools, and begin your final preparations for departure. Pappy is visibly elated, skipping around the tavern collecting last minute knick knacks into his oversized worn-out rucksack, kissing Helga passionately on the lips, then leaping out the front door shouting "Oh Lettiiiiiiiiiii! Here, sweet girl!" In moments, you feel the floorboards rumble beneath your feet and the sound of thundering animal footfalls rattle the windows.



Chapter 2 - Country Road With your gear packed and carriage ready, you and your companions begin taking your very first steps together as a team beneath the warm embrace of the late morning sun. The sweet aromas of the wildflowers and tall grasses in the open fields are a welcome change to the stuffy tavern, and the fresh air invigorates your body and spirit. In the sky, puffy white clouds slowly drift wherever the wind takes them, and promises fair weather for your travels. Pappy cheerfully whistles in time with the songbirds while the carriage noisily trundles down the bumpy country road, kicking up pluming dust trails in it's wake. Letti occasionally grunts as she works to pull the carriage steadily north, parallel to the Black Ridge Mountains looming in the distance to the east, with open fields along the left of the road and thick forests along the right.

Conversation points The Black Ridge Mountains are actually very special; no other mountain range anywhere jet black at the peak, and its said that the rocks that's make up the mountain are that black all the way to the base! On the other side of the mountain range, a massive body of water runs alongside it. Whether it's a giant lake or a small ocean is anyone's guess, but it's one of the few things Pappy would love to lay his eyes on someday

After a couple hours, Pappy pulls the reigns and exclaims "Ho, Letti! Ho!", guiding Letti to a gradual stop. He nimbly jumps atop the carriage, shades his eyes from the sun, and squints towards the mountains. Holding up the brittle map for comparison, he nods to himself knowingly.

"Yep, we've got to be close! See that curled peak straight there? That's the key for finding this watch tower, it's supposed to be precisely perpendicular to that peak! Let's hop down, stretch our feet, and have our selves a gander around and see what we can find!"

Things to discover: A rock wall lined the forest edge; a DC12 Perception will find it. A DC15 Knowledge will determine that the stones are worn rectangular blocks and has remnants on mortar between them, and it is actually the fallen ruins of the watchtower DC 12 Perception finds a noticeable white marble stone protruding the the front edge of the rock wall, a DC17 will find weathered carvings too worn to distinguish DC 20 Perception will find the second marble stone, which dictates the path that they most follow A DC 25 will find the sparkle of a mithril chain peeking out among the rubble Letti will clear the rocks away to open a path through the fallen tower Pappy will make sure Letti gets the scent of the marble stones; there is a good chance that these are road markers and can help guide them on the path of this forgotten road

After making surprisingly quick work of the rocks, Letti croons at Pappy, and he praises her warmly with much baby talk and neck scratches. He expertly hooks Letti back up to the yoke of the carriage, takes a quick leak on a bush while humming happily, and hops back up on the carriage.

"Alright folks, let's get back to it, there's no time to lose! Hop on or take to hoofin' it, your pick! Yah, Letti, yah! Let's find more of those marble road markers!"

Pappy steers Letti to the dense edge of the forest between the two marble stones, and whatever remnants of road there once were are now barely perceptible; nature has taken back the path with brush, saplings, and dead logs of trees that have fallen over the ages. Pappy makes a sharp whistle to Letti, and with little effort she burrows into the earth and begins to plow through the overgrowth with ease, pulling the carriage in her wake. This rough and bumpy road would typically be too precarious for a run-of the-mill wagon, but Pappy's off-road appointments to his carriage are strong and hardy, absorbing the rough terrain with its spring enhanced shocks and thick treaded wheels. It's clear this forest hasn't been seen with humanoid eyes in a very long time, and the calm of this undisturbed woodland is peaceful to behold. Trees of all kinds and sizes tower overhead fighting for their share of sunshine, and light beams pierce through the leafy canopy above to trickle down onto smaller plants below. The fragrance of the freshly tilled earth from Letti's plowing paired the aroma of dead leaves, bark, and moss steep into your lungs and for a moment remind of childhood days of stick fights, tree climbing, and dirt beneath your fingernails. A pair of squirrels pause chasing each other to watch your unusual presence pass by, twitching their tails with intrigue and wariness, and eventually choose to climb higher up tree than to risk satisfying their curiosity much longer. The sounds of cracking of sticks, tilling soil, and jostling of the carriage disturb the quiet of the forest that the unseen nearby animals have come to expect, and thus retreat to their dens for safety.

Barbie Ross and Celia talk about how they came upon their animal companions Pappy will talk about Rusty, Letti, and his dream of having a monster ranch someday Pappy points out passing marble stones to assure everyone they are still on the right path

Chapter 3 - Swamp As you make your way through the wood, the ground underfoot gradually becomes more and more moist, causing grass and dead leaves to adhere to the wet rims of your boots. You scan your surroundings, and you discover that the forest is much different than it was when you first entered it. A thin veil of fog swallows the land, dimming the sunlight above, and the rich smell of petrichor and mud surrounds you. The trees around you no longer are lush with green and teeming with life; only the dark brown skeletons of leafless trees haunt what once seemed to be a thriving wood. The skittering sounds of playful chipmunks and birdsong have been left behind, and the croaking of frogs, crickets, and buzzing insects permeates the air. Eventually, both your own footfalls and Pappy's carriage wheels squelch in the saturated earth, and you almost lose your boot once or twice in the suction of your own deepening footprints. Letti groans in disdain, snorts mud out of her nostrils, and emerges from the earth with great effort, covered from claw to armored fin with muck. Pappy spits on the ground, and rises from his seat.

"Ah, son of a bucket! Looks like we found our way into a swamp, and a real thick one too. I'm sorry my poor Letti, I should have never let you dig your way this far, you're gonna need a real good bath when we get home. The map never mentioned anything about a dang swamp, but it looks like we're still on the right track (points to two large white stones on opposite sides on the path peeking through the mud). I guess there's nothing else left to do but to move forward slowly but surely; it's only a matter of time before we get to the base of the mountain and find surer footing. In the mean time, everyone outta the carriage; we don't want to risk this baby sinking in too deep and make more work for sweet Letti. I'll guide Letti through by hand, but I'll need y'all to take point and find the surest footing through the swamp. I've got my compass, and I'll make sure none of you steer us too far off course!"

Event: Swamp Hazard (Quicksand) and Stirge Swarm Attack Erberk attempts to lead the way and sinks like a rock into swamp-like quicksand, rousing the attention of a swarm of Stirge's At the end of the battle, Pappy collects Stirge eggs from the deep part that was fallen in, and reasons that the Stirges were protecting their disturbed nest

Chapter 4 - Waterfall Entrance After catching your breath and collecting yourselves, you find your party trudging through the muck and mire once more, albeit with a little extra care and vigilance to the path before you. At first, the progress is slow going as you meander along carefully, but the longer you traverse the swamp, the more accustomed to land you all become. Clumsy movements and hopeful guesses at the terrain's best footing grows into confidence and wisdom, and you begin working together better as a team to ensure that everyone follows the same safe path. You've even grown accustomed to the frequent squishing sounds of your waterlogged boots and soaked pants clinging to you, though the thought of a crackling fire to warm yourself crossed your mind more than once. Now and again, marble road markers peer through the wet grass-beds, guiding you back on route to what you hope will soon be drier ground, much to Pappy's audible delight.

Time passes, and you begin to hear the sounds of rushing waters in the distance gradually grow louder the further you travel. To your surprise, the stagnant waters beneath your feet begin to show signs of a slow current moving towards the direction you came, enough to see the occasional fallen leaf or twig float carelessly past you. Pappy grins ear to ear and exclaims "D'ya hear that, compadres? That's the sound of the waterfall we're meant to find, just like the map said! Ha ha, hee hee! I hope you got your binoculars and are ready to see some B-E-A-utiful sights, 'cause we're almost to the mountain pass! Onward!"

You round a cluster of rotting trees, and the crashing sounds begin to overwhelm your ears as a clearing comes into view. The fog that had escorted you through the swamp is now being whisked away by a moist, perpetual cold wind, revealing a towering waterfall gushing from an unseeable height into a pool of water below. The only thing taller than the waterfall is a sheer black wall of stone that towers over you and your companions, casting an ominous shadow over the falls. You draw closer, and you notice your feet have come to much more substantial ground, though admittedly still quite wet, much like walking in a shallow creek bed. Flat, sturdy rock comfortably support your soles and you're reminded how much easier walking is when you're not sinking up to your ankles in mud.

Pappy: "Well slap my brow and call me Rhonda! If that ain't the purdiest damn waterfall my peepers have ever seen! It's about time we get outta that filthy swamp; I've got a cramp in my craw that would make a grown mountain troll holler for his mama! Let's take a breather right here, fill our canteens with some fresh water, take a dump, whatever you gotta do to freshen yourselves up. I'm gonna give poor Letti a bath near the falls; she looks like a goddanged giant cow patty pulling my carriage, and I just can't have that. Here's some trail rations to put some pep in your step, and feel free to wander about. Let me know if you find something worth seeing!

Things to discover A DC13 Perception on the floor on the pool reveals that it is actually a constructed road that leads to the waterfall. Two white marble stones stand on opposite sides of the waterfall, suggesting the road goes through the falls Above the white stone on the right, worn pentagonal recess in the wall is revealed upon a DC 13 Perception Next to the white stones are drains covered with debris from over the years; a DC 20 Perception will notice them. Someone who inspects a white marble stone will needs to pass a DC 15 Reflex or fall through the debris into the drain, stopping abruptly when they get to their waist Clearing the drains will let water start to fall through; after a few minutes, the road beneath the pool will be revealed within the shallow waters The ruined walls of a small building hold little, excepted for a lone skeleton overgrown with vines and riddled with the fragile remains of old arrows embedded in various places in the skeletons rib cage. The skeleton holds a jagged piece of grey stone with some strange dark markings on one side

Locations of puzzle pieces Skeleton hand in ruin Embedded in the trunk tree, with the trunk having grown around it over the years. DC 18 STR to pull it out, or damage tree enough to get it out Discovered while clearing drain ride side of the falls Character trips over a piece sticking out perpendicular beneath the pool, lodged between two stones Underneath a croaking frog at the edge on the water

You place the final piece of stone into the wall recess, and for a moment nothing happens. However, just as your anticipation begins to turn into concern, the grating sound of moving stone thunders overhead, overpowering the sound of the falls. You cover your eyes as you look up cautiously, and see an amazing sight; a massive stone shape much like a peaked roof begins to slowly protrude out of the wall high above you and from behind the falls. As it continues to protrude further and further, the water from the falls begin to hit the top of the stone peak, diving the falls in half and causing the water to fall to either sides of the wall, dumping heavily into the drains on each side. The water level of the pool slowly drops as its water supply is cut off, and the ancient road below breathes air once again for the first time in centuries. The mist clears from the center of the falls, and a large, gaping tunnel with a carved stone archway is revealed, along with the weathered stone road leading endlessly into the darkness within the mountain. Despite its age, the stone peak above provides more than sufficient shelter from the waterfall, allowing you safe and dry passage into the tunnel ahead.

Chapter 5 - Mountain Pass You step through the threshold of the stone archway while the raging waters pound relentlessly overhead. Looking forward, the tunnel stretches deep into nothingness as far as the eye can see, a black void staring vacantly at your approach. Pappy's mouth hangs open in awe, his head on a swivel like a child's first time at a summer festival. The walls of the tunnel appear to be of excellent craftsmanship for its age, though mold, spider webs, and dust vandalize the masterfully hewn stone blocks. Even the road beneath you shows clear signs of meticulous care in its construction; each smooth stone slab interlocks flawlessly with next, and its boggles the mind to think of the time it took to complete such an extensive undertaking. The deeper into the mountain tunnel you travel, the further away the roaring sounds of the waterfall, and eventually the distant echoes of the falls fades away completely. The dull, hollow droning of the moist air passing through the tunnel seeps into your ears, while frequent water drips and unseen insects chitter in the dark. The noise of your boots scraping the wet stone floor as you walk and the creaky wheels of the carriage feels jarring in the confinement of the tunnel, and you can hear the breaths of your companions reverberate off the ceiling. The strong mustiness of mildew and wet stone invades your every breath, and it hangs so thick in the air that you can taste it. Even the air grows colder the deeper you move into the mountain, and your skin forms goosebumps beneath your already damp clothes.

You continue to moving forward, but the person leading the party stops abruptly (Reflex DC 12 to not bump into the person ahead of you).

Event - Spider Attack The first PC leading the party get their feet caught on something sticky on the floor; a spider web. DC 12 Escape Artist to wriggle free, or DC 12 with -4 penalty STR to break out if caught in the web One spider on the ceiling, one directly in front of the party, one in the side wall cave After defeating the spiders, one of the players collects a handful of spider eggs for Pappy to raise on his future monster ranch

Chapter 6 - Leaving the Mountain Much time passes, but eventually a light can finally be seen at the end of the long mountain tunnel. You all breath a sigh of relief, and you notice the air filling your lungs gets incrementally warmer with every step you take, and a temperate breeze passes through your party. Excited to see the light of day again but still cautious of more spider webs, you pick up the pace with care and close the distance between yourselves and what you hope you be another stone archway leading outside.

And to your joy, that is precisely what you find! A thick growth of brush and dead branches cover your path, with light still defiantly punching through the thousands of gaps between the small branches. With the brush cleared aside, you step through the stone archway and your eyes ache from the sudden brilliance of the daylight. Slowly, your pupils dilate to accustom your eyes for the sun once more, and your squinting eyes begin to open up. When they do, they drink in the view of another vast verdant forest gradually sloping ever downward, wild and untamed. Thick pines stretch into the sky, and their fragrance comes as a welcome change to the mildew of the tunnel behind you. To either side of you, white marble stones sit at the mouth of the tunnel, and you can already see another set in the distance through the undergrowth, marking the forgotten road.

Pappy: "(sniffs in deeply), Hooooo wee, now THAT was a tunnel! That was longer than my Great Aunt Jezebel's first prize tape worm she'd show at the county fair! I reckon that I wouldn't be taking Helga through that tunnel on romantic getaway, but you bet your bippy that it was a heckuva lot easier than crossing over the mountain itself. Let's take a breather and have a bit to eat; I'll start fixin' up a fire and get to cooking, while y'all have a seat and have a short rest. Let me know if you run into anything suspicious, and ain't you be wandering off too far!

LUNCH BREAK!

Chapter 7 - Path to the Tomb With your belly bursting at the seams from Pappy's delicious rustic cooking, you feel energized and refreshed after taking the much needed rest. The blazing campfire that Pappy used to cook was a godsend to your wet clothes and frozen toes, and everyone takes turns to huddle by the fire pit to dry themselves and their belongings. The warmth continues to linger in your smoky clothes as your gear up and prepare the next leg of the journey. After smothering the fire with dirt, Pappy leaps atop an old nearby stump and unrolls the map.

"Good news, folks! After consulting this here map, I do believe that we've just about an hour or so of travel before we get there, assuming we don't run into anything else unexpected (Pappy laughs weakly). Look here; according to the map, if we just follow the base of the mountain here north for a spell, we should be running into the entrance of Gorvath the Red's tomb, quick lickety split! Keep your peepers open and your wits about ye; the only landmark that tells us we're real close is whatever this funny symbol is, kinda like a big circle with a line going through it. You see one of those, you just holler to ol' Tickle-Bottom! Are you ready to start hoofing it?"

You depart from your temporary campsite, and begin walking along the base of the looming mountain. Traveling here is quite awkward and tougher than the mountain tunnel; with the landscape gradually descending from the mountain into the forest, you find yourselves walking slanted at a strange angle, staggering with the higher ground and lower ground in your alternating steps. Even with Letti carving a path, the carriage tilts unevenly and almost seems in danger of tipping over once in a while. Thankfully, the neighboring pine trees give you support and respite, and you find yourself moving from tree to tree more often than not. Indeed this path may be the shortest distance, but at the cost of some extra time and effort.

Pappy talks about his adamantine banjo, made just for him by a dwarven kindgom as a reward for rescuing miners during a cave-in

Chapter 8 - Outside the Tomb Although the air is fresh and the scenery is beautiful, the journey is tiresome. Your ankles begin to ache from the abuse of swamp, stone, and slant, and you feel your pace slowly become a trudge. Even Letti is beginning to show signs of weariness, and she groans in complaint at the travel conditions. Pappy pats her fin tenderly and says in a soothing voice: "Almost there, sweet girl! Just a little further; I can almost taste it!"

In the distance through the trees, you can see a very large recess in the mountain, and within it a round, massive, two toned boulder. You approach the recess and the boulder, and it's evident that this is not a naturally occurring phenomenon; the recess appears to be purposefully carved out of the mountain, and the colors of the boulder stands proud against its earth-toned surroundings.

As you discuss possible means of entry, you hear the muffled sounds of pattering footfalls and a gradually rising shriek from behind the stone. Before you can even respond, you suddenly hear a sound much like the panicked burrowing of an animal through the dirt paired with much grunting, and in moments a small hole in the earth open up beside the boulder. A small figure bursts out, sending debris flying in all directions, and lies flat on the ground. It takes a moment for you to register this unexpected event, but you quickly realize that it is a green goblin that lays sprawling on the ground, it's chest heaving with labored breaths. The dark brown cloak and hat it dons is completely filthy from its earthy exit, but what really catches your eye is the golden sword it holds in its outstretched hand, it's bejeweled hilt glittering in the sunlight. It takes the goblin little time to realize that it is not alone, and looks up at you with fear and alarm, and jumps to its feet. As you look at each other in silent surprise, a new sound captures all of your attention; a series of earth shaking booms that quiver the ground beneath your feet. The goblin looks at you in terror and makes out just one word: "RUN!"

No sooner does the goblin blurt out the word, an ear-shattering blast pummels your eardrums, causing them to ring and throb in pain. You steer your eyes to the direction of the blast, and you see the giant boulder cleave in two, each half falling to either side of what appears to be the entrance of a cave. As the dirt and dust settles, your stomach sinks and your blood runs cold as you see a monstrously tall armored skeleton the size of a tree stalk out menacingly from between the split boulder halves, stooping as it emerges. Rising to full height, the giant skeleton's dark, dead eye sockets glare down at you from beneath its corroded horned helmet, and it grips the haft of its great axe tightly with it's bony fingers. The stench of stale decay reeks from the tattered remains of its tunic makes your eyes water as you watch disturbed insects writhe in and out of the skeleton's long and tangled dark orange beard. Dry joints crack and creak loudly while it takes its battle stance, quaking the earth with the forceful stomp of its heavy boots.

On Pappy's first turn, he slaps Letti's hind quarters, exclaiming "We can't bring back treasure if the carriage gets trashed! Git, Letti! Get outta here!" Event: Skeletal Giant Attack Notable moments: A player kneels down while Pappy runs at full speed, and then player boosts Pappy up into the air while Pappy leaps of their back. When Pappy reaches the same height at the giant skeletons, he spikes a bomb directly into the enemy's face Poog runs and disappearances into the bushes near the slope, but later reappears at the top of the entrance of the tomb high above the giant skeleton's head. Poog leaps into the air, and slashes the head off the skeleton

Post-battle Conversation Points Pappy whistles loudly for Letti to return from the forest After the battle, the goblin is introduced as Poog, and shows surprise that goblin and big people work together, and that learns that big people aren't all mean Poog begs them to help him find his key The key is an important heirloom to his tribe Poog has been searching for a new indoor home for his tribe; his tribe is not used to living under the big bright ball in the high blue ceiling, it hurts their eyes A group of mean big people chased them out of their home over many passings of the big bright ball, and his tribe has learned to survive outside, but are suffering and afraid of the creatures of the dark Poog wants to save his tribe, and find them a safe place to live again; as the son of the chief, Poog feels it is his duty to save them Poog stumbled upon this interesting looking boulder while exploring Poog climbed above the boulder and slid down, finding an small opening above the boulder just big enough for Poog to get through Poog explored the tomb, and stumbled upon a room full of shiny yellow things and other baubles Poog found a chest in the middle of the room and opened it, revealing the gold sword that Poog now holds After Poog took the sword, the giant skeleton awakened from the back of the room, and gave chase to Poog. Poog dropped his key in the pursuit

Chapter 9 - Inside the Tomb You pass through the tomb entrance, and descend a wide set of stone steps glistening with moisture. Surprisingly, flickering lit torches line the walls, giving you more than sufficient light to see your way down the long corridor. In time, you arrive at the stairs base, and find yourself facing two large stone doors standing ajar.

You cautiously enter the next room, and analyze the peculiar scene before you. Three massive axes hang quietly from the ceiling, each frozen in mid-swing like the broken pendulum of a grandfather clock, with its wood hafts bent and splintered as if something forcefully tore its way through this hallway. On either side of the floor, spike-fitted logs lay just as still, rust tarnishing the metal fittings and cobwebs blanketing between them. On the opposite sides of the walls, four levers that stood guard for centuries are reduced to a shadow of their former selves, gears caked with rust and wood handles brittle with age. You get the feeling that this trap room was once a nightmare to any who might dare rob the tomb of Gorvath the Red, but judging by the lack of skeletons, you suppose that no one ever found the tomb in the first place.

You traverse the trap room with ease, and come upon a sight that makes your jaw drop and your eyes widen in awe. A vast, open room glitters and gleams before you, a menagerie of untold treasures forgotten to time. Heaping piles of gold too much to count spills about the perimeter of the room, twinkling brightly in the flicker of the torchlight. Gems and precious stones of all shapes and sizes nestle within the mounds of gold, and various chests peek out here and there among the golden sea. Rows of exquisitely crafted tables support the weight of an array of weapons, armor, helmets, jewelry, artifacts, rare baubles, paintings, and valuable raw crafting material, and your eyes can't even begin to absorb it all. In the center of the room upon a large pedestal, a large chest sits in the stillness with the lid hanging open in an unending yawn, and appears to be the only thing that has been disturbed. Beyond the pedestal, a huge golden throne fit sits vacant against the wall, with tattered bits of brown material resting on the seat, rags among the riches. Pappy slowly removes his hat with both hands and clutches it against his chest, his lips trembling and eyes brimming with tears.

Pappy: "It...its really here; the tomb, the treasure, the gold...all of it! There's always the chance that someone got here first, or the ruins collapses, or somethin'...but here it is, just for us. I can finally give Helga the life she deserves and make our dreams come true...and for that I'm choking up worse than a momma on her daughter's shotgun wedding day. Let's be extra careful while we explore the room in case there are other traps, but my guess is that the broken trap room back there and the reanimating of ol' Gorvath himself were the only two doozies set up for thieves! If it's still alright with you, I'd like to start shovelin' up the gold into my bags of holding and loading them up on the carriage, but the rest of the bits and bobs around here are all yours! Why don't y'all take a look around; there sure is alotta shiny neat stuff here, and I'm sure you're bound to find something that'll catch your eye and help you on future adventures. If you're not sure what something is or what it does, just bring it to ol' Pappy and I'll appraise it and tell you all you need to know about any magical properties it might have; there's a lot of perks traveling with an expert treasure hunter! Oh, and Poog, you said you're missing a key; let's make sure we find that for you while we're clearing out this treasure trove. I swear on my grandma's adamantine false teeth, you have my word no one will take it out of here but you, and that's a fact. Anyone who finds anything that looks like a key, you be sure to bring it to Poog, ya hear? No, let's get our treasure!"

Pappy pulls a collapsible shovel seemingly out of nowhere, throws a large rucksack on the ground, and begins shoveling gratuitous amounts of gold into the bag, whistling while he works. No matter how much Pappy scoops into the bag, it never seems to show signs of filling, but rather continues to swallow each spoonful that he feeds it. Now and then, Pappy fills a bag to his satisfaction, hauls it up the stone staircase to load it on the wagon, and begins to fill a new bag, slowly chipping away at the ocean of gold that fills this room.

After finding and returning Poog's key, much investigation, discovery, and bags of holding being filled and hauled to the carriage, the treasure room is finally emptied of its contents; not a single gold coin is left behind. You look around the vacant room one last time, and then look at Pappy, whose sweat glistens in the torch light and runs down his aged, smiling face. He takes deep breath and pulls out a red handkerchief from his back pocket, dabs his creased forehead, blows his nose like an off-key trumpet blast, and stows away the moist rag. He chuckles aloud, and looks around at all of you, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, it looks like we done cleaned this place out! I sure am beat from huffing those bags up all them steps, but it'll all be worth it once we get home; I can't wait to see the look on my sweet Helga's face. I really appreciate your help collecting all the gold, Poog; you're such a strong little fella, and you're great company to keep! And it looks like clearing this place out got things ready for your tribe to move in to boot, I think this will be a lovely abode for your family. Looking at the time of day, it would be quite the trek to head home tonight; why don't we hang our hats here for the night and rest up, and I'll rile us up some dinner! Whaddya say?"

Conversation Points Poog will insist that he bring the party back to his tribe's camp, where they can feast and celebrate the acquisition of their new home and the key Poog really wants to introduce the party to his family, and show them that not all big people are bad, and that big people and goblins can work together Poog will describe that his tribe's camp is not far from the tomb, and wouldn't take long to get there.

Chapter 10 -Village Afire Fitted with your newly acquired treasures and gear, your party leaves the the tomb behind and returns to the forest with Poog leading the way. To your delight, the direction that Poog leads is a gradual descent, following the gentle sloping of the mountain's edge pouring into the forest below, and your relieved legs find the help of the slope's gravity restful. The clear sky begins showing signs of early evening, with slight pinks starting to tint overhead, and the air feels fresh and warm on your skin. Cracking twigs and rustling leaves resound noisily underfoot and fill the air once more, and you find the semi-sweet fragrance of dead leaves and pine are a welcome travel companion. It's evident, however, that the path that Poog leads the party through wasn't necessarily meant for carriage travel, and a handful of times Pappy has to verbally encourage Letti to clear the carriage over a fallen tree or stony, dried up creek bed. It's slower going than if you were on a designated path, but after recalling your party's escapades traveling through the swamp, you remember that traveling conditions could always be worse.

Conversation Points Pappy asks Poog about his tribe Poog's says his tribe is generations old, where he is from a long line of chiefs. Someday, become the chief of his tribe when his Baba is too old to lead Poog has a big family, with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. His best friends are Clobber, Skitter, Boom Boom, Mumble, Click Clack, Berp and Derp. Clobber is big and strong, and is good at smashing things Skitter is little, but is really good at talking to mice Boom Boom is crazy, and likes to blow stuff up Mumble is nice, but she talks to herself a lot. She's good at fixing our ouchies Click Clack can't see, but he can hear really good. He makes clicking noises to see, and can even find me in the dark Burp and Derp are twins, and always together and doing tricks on us. They're not strong by themselves, but they can do cool things when they work together Their original home was inside the big box beneath the sky, before the big people came "The big people came from the water found our big box, and wanted to take it. They snuck in when...I was on watch, and didn't see them come. I was...doing something else. We don't know how to fight and we were so scared, so we ran away as far as we could. I really miss our old home"

The evening sky becomes a brilliant glow of majestic purples and blazing oranges, and it bleeds through the silhouettes of the evergreens overhead. Talkative crickets chirp to each other in all directions, and the cool dusky air chills your cheeks as you walk. Despite the woods getting darker, your eyes gradually adjust to the dark blue evening light, and Poog continues to confidently lead the party through, assuring you that you're almost there. After a time, Pappy takes an audible whiff in the air and crinkles his nose.

"Whew, you smell that smoke? Smells like one heck of bonfire going on up ahead! Look, you can even see them big ol' smoke clouds risin' up in the sky. You goblins sure know how to throw a hootenanny, Poog! You know, a party!"

Poog looks up at the smoke clouds, and his once excited expression immediately changes at the sight. He stops abruptly and stands frozen, eyes widened and dread painted palpably on his face. His mouth trembles for a moment before uttering the words "...b-b-but we never done a big fire...". Without warning, Poog runs full speed through the darkening forest, careening recklessly over brush and fallen logs. Instinctively, Pappy snaps the reigns on Letti and cries " Yah, Letti, yah! Follow that goblin!" Letti bellows into the chilly air and charges forward, clearing everything in her path while the carriage bounces precariously behind her. You give chase, and within minutes, the dusk up ahead grows from a faint glow to a bright, vibrant orange the further you delve into the wood, lighting up the trunks of the trees ahead.

Soon, you see a break in the tree line, and your party bursts out into a clearing that blinds you momentarily while your eyes adjust to the sudden change in light. While they do, smoke fills your breath and burns your throat, causing you to cough on the fumes. Looking up, you bear witness to what appears to be a rustic encampment completely engulfed in a raging inferno. Tall pine log barricades formed into a circular wall blaze wildly, the flames licking hungrily at the sky and spewing cinder and smoke into the heavens. The sweltering temperature laps painfully at your face, permeating through your armor and clothing, and forcing your eyes to squint from the heat. You scan the ground, and you're horrified to discover the motionless bodies of countless goblins strewn across the ground throughout the clearing, with cold dead eyes glistening in the light of the fires. One log wall untouched by flame appears to be toppled over, revealing a pathway leading into heart of the encampment, where a human suspends a bloodied, elderly looking goblin in the air by the throat with one hand, and wielding a crimson sword dripping with blood in the other. Human: "I'm only going to ask you one more time, you worthless piece of scum! Where. Is. The. Key!? Do you have ANY idea how many men we've lost to those mucking monsters down that hole? I know you have it somewhere, and I'll burn down this entire forest to find it if it's the last thing I do. Now, the next thing that comes out of that filthy little mouth of yours had better be you telling me where that key is, or I'll rip out your bowels while you watch and strangle you with it. Now, WHERE IS THE KEY!?"

The elderly goblin whispers something in reply, imperceptible by your party, with a complete lack of fear in his eyes. When his mouth stopped moving, the human grimaced at the response, and without hesitation plunges his blade deep into the goblin's chest and tosses him carelessly aside.

Before you even have a chance to respond, Poog, who was once paralyzed in fear, leaps into action. Shouting a frenzied battle cry, Poog leans into an all out sprint directly towards the human and zealously draws his golden sword. As he closes the distance, the blade of his sword suddenly begins to radiate a white hot light that dazzles the eye and grows in brightness, leaving an illuminated trail behind as a Poog advances. Poog deftly runs up the incline of the toppled wood barricade and leaps off the highest edge into a graceful front flip over the head of the human. Leading the frontal spin, the shining blade vertically buries itself deep into the back of the human's skull, cleaving through his brain, and exiting through his forehead in one smooth, flawless motion, finishing with Poog landing on the other side, crouching acrobatically. In response, the human opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. At first, a small trickle of blood runs down his forehead and over his face. Soon, however, the top of his head separates and splits in two, and blood floods out profusely, pouring down in all directions. The human drops to his knees, and then falls facedown into the charred ground with a sickening thud. A dark pool creeps out slowly from the human head wound into the smoking grass, and a silence falls over the encampment, broken only by the sounds of the crackling fire.

Poog turns around, and his expression of relentless fury swiftly softens to sorrow as he catches sight of the elderly goblin. He hurriedly casts aside the golden blade on the ground, the piercing light extinguishing instantaneously as it leaves Poog's hand, and rushes to the elderly goblin to cradle him in his arms. Your party draws in closer to the center of the blazing encampment, and witness Poog's red eyes welling with tears looking down mournfully at the bloodied elderly goblin, whose chest heaves in ragged breath.

Baba: ...P-Poog, you're here. *Cough* Where were you? I was b-beginning to worry.

Poog: Shh, Baba, don't worry about Poog, you just rest now. Baba, you're really hurt...

Poog quickly rips off a portion of his cape, hurriedly wads it up as a makeshift gauze, and tears open Baba's tunic to reveal the wound. Baba's chest looks ghastly and not at all what you had expected to see; the deep gash is as black as wet tar, with the surrounding veins slowly creeping like wretched black fingers, and throbbing in all directions from the wound. Poog looks visibly alarmed and confused, and Pappy sucks in a sharp breath, whispering under his breath "Black Reaper...it's not possible. How could some no name thug get their hands on something so rare?". Pappy looks around mournfully at the party, removes his hat to place it over his chest, and shakes his head. Pappy whispers "There's nothing we can do, not with Black Reaper. Let them have this moment together undisturbed; it's all they have left," and takes a step back.

Poog applies pressure to the wound, and looks deep into the eyes of the elder goblin.

Poog: "Baba, I'm so sorry, Baba. I'm so sorry. It's all Poog's fault, Poog ruined everything. It's Poog's fault that we lost our home. Poog didn't keep watch outside when he was supposed to, when Derp and Burp left the big box to fetch water from the fountain. Poog was curious about the stories you always told about the Deep Below, and... Poog just wanted to see. The key wasn't lost when our tribe was attacked; Poog took your key, went down the big hole when no one was watching, and opened the door to see. When Poog opened the door, Poog heard loud shouting from the top of the hole, so Poog left the door to the Deep Below open, went back up as fast as I could, and found the big people inside our home hurting and scaring our tribe, and ran away with everyone else outside. Poog never told you because... Poog was afraid you'd would hate me. If Poog only did what he was told, our tribe would still be safe and warm and happy. But now, there isn't any tribe to protect anymore. Poog's tribe, Poog's family is all gone. Poog is a screwup. Please, Baba. Please don't die. Please don't leave Poog all alone. Please Baba, please."

Poog's tear-streaked face shines in the light of the surrounding fires, and his lips quiver violently as he tries his best not to weep. Slowly, Baba raises a trembling hand and tenderly cradles Poog's face, stroking his cheek with his gnarled thumb. With great difficulty, Baba opens his mouth to speak.

Baba: "Poog...my boy...my son. It brings me great joy to see your eyes again, if only one last time. Baba doesn't care about what you've done or about the key. Baba was afraid you were lost and that I'd never see you again. You carry much burden on your shoulders all alone, when you always had the tribe to share it with. The tribe is there for each other through the greatest victories and the worst defeats, no matter what; it is what gives the tribe its strength. Remember when Boom Boom blew up a glass jug and the blast made Punchy lose his sight? Some tribes might have hurt or even killed Boom Boom for his mistake, but do you remember what happened? The tribe and Punchy forgave him, and Boom Boom spent every day helping Punchy learn to use his ears to see by clicking. Boom Boom let Punchy practice his fist fighting on him for months until Punchy could hear breath and body movement, and sharpened his senses and skills into a fine hand to hand warrior. We call Punchy 'Click Clack' now, and Click Clack and Boom Boom now have a strong bond like brothers, almost as inseparable as Burp and Derp. The tribe can receive a great calamity and turn it into the greatest strength, but only if you let them. Consider the Elderflower; small and humble in the beginning, yet with the potential to flourish and flower in abundance over time, in even the worst conditions. Root, stem, leaf, and flower, all working together and depending on each other to persevere. We as a tribe have suffered much from generation to generation, yet here we are; we relied on each other to grow into the tribe that we are today.

You say that there isn't a tribe to protect anymore, but you're wrong. Look behind you, Poog; I see the start of a strong, prosperous tribe beginning to blossom, like seeds of the Elderflower. This day will not be the end of our tribe, Poog; our tribe will never stop growing, as long as there is a chieftain to lead it. Baba is proud of the goblin you are and the goblin you are becoming; you carry the blood of many generations of chieftains, I know you will lead and protect your family better than any other chief before you. Baba will always be here in your beating chest, Poog; the hearts of every chieftain beats with yours. Baba will always...be...with...you..."

As his last words fade weakly into a whisper, Baba's hand begins to slip from Poog's face and falls gently to the ground. Poog's eyes brim and overflow tears, and clasps Baba's fallen hand.

Poog: "Baba, no...Baba, wake up...wake up, Baba, please. Please, Baba. Poog can't do this without you. Baba. Baba...".

Pappy steps forward and kneels beside Poog, and places a gentle hand on Poog's heaving back as he sputters. At the touch, Poog turns to Pappy, buries his wet face into Pappy's chest, and weeps loudly, soaking Pappy's worn flannel shirt. Pappy closes his eyes and wraps his arms around Poog, and you can see a tear trickle down the old adventurer's face, heavy with sadness. Poog 's cries resound throughout the encampment a time, and all the while Pappy never loosens his embrace. As Poog's cries diminishes, Pappy begins to speak gently.

Pappy: "You're not alone, Poog, you're not alone. Ol' Pappy is right here, and I always will be. I won't let you be all by yourself. I may not be a goblin, but would love nothing more than to be a part of your tribe, if you'll have me. If you'll have US.", and Pappy opens his eyes and looks around at the party.

(The party affirms)

Poog looks around at the party, and a new hope flickers in his bloodshot eyes. Poog opens his mouth to speak, but words seem to escape him, and he nods slowly in affirmation, a bittersweet and subtle smile pulling at the corners of his lips. Suddenly, Pappy sits up bolt right, and shushes everyone.

Pappy: "Shhhh! Shh! D'ya hear that? Listen!"

All of you sit in silence, until the sound of a muffled coughing breaks it.

Pappy: "There it is again! Where is that coughing coming from? Everyone, look around!"

(DC 20 to find the source of the coughing, from beneath the fallen barricade wall. Party roll strength check to lift it up.)

Together, you strain your muscles to lift the heavy barricade, and the combined strength of the team raises the sharpened top edge upright again. Beneath the barricade, you find seven goblins laying on the ground huddling together like wintering ladybugs trying to stay warm. They look up from the ground in terror, shielding their heads with their hands, and screaming for their lives.

"Please, don't hurt us! Please!" "Take everything we have, just let us go!" "Why are you doing this? We don't have anything!"

Poog's eyes widen at the sight of his kinsmen, watering with joy, relief, and surprise. He dashes in front of them on both knees in the dirt, trying to lift their heads to meet his face.

Poog: "Tribe, it's me, Poog, it's Poog! Don't be afraid! Clobber, Mumble, Burp, Derp, stop screaming and look at me! Boom Boom, Skitter, Click Clack! I'm here, we're here to save you!"

One by one, the huddling goblins peep their eyes from between their arms at the sound of Poog's voice, and their soot coved faces light up ecstatically when they see him. "Poog? It's Poog, he's back! He's back!" They each leap up off the ground and begin taking turns hugging each other, slapping Poog on the back, cheering, and celebrating the return of their lost friend, completely unaware of the world around them for a moment. The joy emanating from the goblins is palpable and contagious, and Pappy can't help but chuckle "Ah hee hee!" aloud, which ultimately breaks the invisible wall of awareness to their surroundings. Soon, the small goblin tribe quiets down and looks around, and seeing your party and their encampment afire sobers them, returning them to reality.

A goblin with a tattered brimmed hat and a large waist pouch steps forward, eyeing the party with suspicion and interest. The flap of the pouch opens slightly, and the heads of a family of mice peek their heads out to investigate their surroundings and sniff the air, their whiskers twittering in the smoky air. The goblin and the mice look to the party, and then look to Poog in sync.

Skitter: "I don't understand, Poog; where were you? And why aren't these big people trying to hurt us? Who are these other goblins? Why is that one goblin so BIG?"

Poog: "Poog knows, Skitter, there is much to explain. Poog snuck out searching for a new home for us, but ran into big danger. This tribe of big people and goblins found and saved me, and now they've helped me to find and save you! I learned that not all big people want to hurt us, and that goblin and big people can live as a tribe together!"

A large goblin with thick, muscular arms and clenching fists frowns and glares at the party with contempt.

Clobber: "How can we trust them, Poog? How can we trust that they won't try to kill us like all the others? What makes THEM so different?" The goblin's takes an offensive stance and cracks his knuckles.

The sound of clicking cuts through the tension as another goblin with closed eyes and a metal headband steps toward the party, extending an open hand from an outstretched arm in your direction. Slowly, Pappy moves forward to meet him halfway, and takes a knee to match his eye level. The goblin reaches out his hands, and takes it's time to gingerly feel the contours and textures of Pappy's face, beard, hat, shirt, sleeves, and hands in silent contemplation. The goblin smiles when he feels Pappy's smile on his fingers, which makes Pappy laugh, which in turn makes the goblin laugh, which in turn makes the other goblins laugh, and even the muscular goblins face softens in laughter.

Click Clack: "I don't know Clobber, this one seems different; I didn't know they could laugh or smile! His breath smells funny, but his face feels like the chieftain's, wrinkled and happy. I like his one, Poog. I think Poog is right". Somehow without seeing, he accurately turns his face in Poog's direction and nods in approval.

Poog: "It's true, Click Clack. We aren't as different as we thought they were; there are good big people in this open space that are just like us."

A goblin in a loose white tunic and cloth head covering inaudibly whispers to herself for a moment, and then speaks slightly louder in a timid voice, and you strain your ear to understand the words.

Mumble: *In audible whispers* Where is the chieftain, Poog? They tell me that he isn't here any more. They say that say he no longer of this world". The goblin tribe look around at each other with concern, and then back to Poog for answers.

Poog: "The words they whisper to you are true, Mumble. Our chief now dwells within the great hall of chieftains, watching over and guiding us from the Great Beyond. He...he now is with us in spirit."

Poog's sadness returns, and his news brings a somber silence among the crestfallen goblins. They look around at the blazing encampment and bodies of their fallen tribesmen, and then return their gaze to Poog's glassy eyes. A goblin bearing a skull mask on his face turns to Poog and speaks with a raspy voice.

Boom Boom: "Our home...our tribe...is there anyone left? Are they all..." The goblin can't find the words finish the question, and Poog places a hand on it's shoulder in comfort.

Poog: "It's just us, Boom Boom. We're all that we have left now."

Another silence falls over the last of the goblin tribe, as they mourn all that they have lost. Poog walks over to the motionless body of the deceased chieftain, kneels down, and runs his fingers over the chieftain's eyes go close them. After a moment, two identical goblins break the silence.

Burp: "With no chieftain or home or tribe, what do we do now, Poog?" Derp : "What do we do now, Poog?", repeats the other.

Poog looks down at the chieftain for a time, as if deep in contemplation. Suddenly, Poog rises, and its clear that something has changed in his demeanor. His fearful expression is replaced with confidence and determination, and he turns around to face his tribe with his back upright and his chest held high.

Poog: "This will not be the end of our tribe, Burp and Derp. Our tribe will never stop growing as long as we have a chieftain to lead it."

Poog draws his golden sword and it glitters in the firelight. The goblins gaze at Poog with awe and hope, and their demeanors begin to change with Poog's words. Poog looks at each goblin, and then to each member of your traveling party.

Poog: " I, Poog, am your chieftain, and Poog will NOT let our great tribe come to an end. Our ancestors and fallen tribesmen have suffered and overcome too much for us wither and die away. Consider the Elderflower. Although we are small and humble now, we have the potential to flourish and flower in abundance, no matter how much we suffer. Root, stem, leaf, and flower, we all must work together and depend on each other to grow. Already our tribe and family grows, and I am honored to stand beside our new kinsmen.

We have a home, the home of our ancestors, the home that they clawed their way up from the Deep Below for and made safe for our tribe's future generations. It is our legacy and birthright, and we cannot tolerate or allow those horrible big people to live in the halls of our ancestors any longer. No more running. No more hiding. No more being afraid. Let us reclaim our ancestors land, not only so our tribe can prosper once more, but so we can bury our dead in the land that is theirs. It is time that we muster the strength and courage of all the goblinkin before us, and take back what is rightfully ours. For Baba. For our family. For the tribe!"

Poog thrusts the golden sword into the air, the blade glowing brightly above his head, and looks intently around at the goblins and your party. Roused, the goblins cheer, holler, stomp their feet, and shout battle cries at Poog's inspiring words. Pappy blows a piercing whistles between his teeth, and begins to chant "Cheiftan Poog! Chieftan Poog! Chieftan Poog!", and its not long before the rest of the goblin troupe chime in, and pumping their fists skyward in time. Poog puts up his arms to silence them, and they obediently fall silent.

Poog: "Then let us wait no more! Let us not let them sleep in and defile our home for even one more night. We know the big people rest when the big bright ball hides behind the mountains, and they can't see in the dark without fire. If there is a time to strike, it is now when they least expect it, when they think they have destroyed us. Gather together anything that isn't destroyed by fire, and let us strike tonight!"

The inspired goblins give a rowdy cheer, and scatter among the fiery wreckage for anything useful to salvage. As they do, Poog turns towards your party.

Poog: "Poog knows we've only met today...but our tribe really needs help. My tribe has never seen real battle, and Poog is afraid that our courage and the strength of our ancestors will not be enough. Poog doesn't even know what he's doing, I've never been a chieftain before. Poog has nothing to offer but the honor of becoming a member of our tribe, but it is also the greatest gift that I can give. Please; will you join our tribe in combat this night, and join our two tribes together as one? Will you help us reclaim our home?"

(One by one, party agrees)

Pappy: "Poog, nothing would make me happier than to join your tribe. I would be honored to fight at your side and wallop some bad guy booty from here to kingdom come! Don't you worry; we all know a thing or two about bringing the hurt in a good scuffle, and I happen to know a thing or two about being a goblin chieftain. I would be happy to advice you as chief, if you'll have me, of course!"

Poog's eyes water with emotion as he hears your response to his plea, and shakes his tears away and wipes them on his cloak. He looks up with renewed zeal and courage, and stands taller and with more confidence than ever before. He stands atop a stump, and calls to the tribe.

Poog: "My tribesmen! The time has come for us to return to our home! Follow me to victory!"

Poog turns about face, and walks away from the charring remains of their camp. Without hesitation, the goblins obey and follow briskly, ready to follow Poog where ever he leads them.

Chapter 11 - Victory Road Poog leads confidently through the dark forest, without need of light or map, deftly picking the easiest and most direct path. In time, the forest decline flattens, and the ground beneath your feet come upon a harder surface covered with leaves. Pappy stops for a moment to brush away the leaves and dirt, and reveals a beautifully crafted stone roadway, much like what you remember seeing in the mountain tunnel. Pappy gasps, stands bolt upright and squints his eyes to scan the forest ahead for something. He squeals in delight when he comes upon a stone entirely covered with moss, and brushes the moss off to reveal a white stone hidden underneath. He looks behind him to see another one of the same size, and proceeds to clean off that moss too, and confirms his suspicions.

Pappy: "I can't believe it, we're back on the old road way! But I wonder where it will lead...?" Pappy scratches his scraggly white beard and puzzles over mystery.

Eventually, the path leads to the forests edge, and a broad expanse of rolling prairie lays before you. The starlight above twinkles brightly, and your night accustomed eyes drink in the beauty of the celestial heavens, distant galaxies, and beaming full moon. The tall grasses sway carelessly as waves of wind ripple across them like an open sea of wheat and wildflowers, and it's sweet fragrance clears the sooty smell clinging to your nostrils. Cricket song surrounds you, and the wind whistles gently in your ears. The road way is the only part of this prairie not completely covered in tall grass, carving a clear path through the distant fields. The grasses on either side of the road lean inward towards the center of the road, and once or twice to spread your arms to feel the heads of wheat brush through your hands as your walk. And as you have come to expect, weathered white stones continue to mark your path.

Conversation Points Allow party to ask any and all questions

Poog's Tale Our goblin tribe had lived in the Deep Below as far back as our history goes. But, we have not always lived on the top like we do now. Baba would tell us stories passed from chieftain to chieftain about a time when goblins lived below the top, where monsters gobble up goblins and goblins always had to hide. Goblin would always live in fear, always hiding, always running, always tired, and always hungry. Some goblins live deeper than other goblins, and the deeper goblins always hungrier and hidier. No one knows how deep down it goes, but the further down the Deep Below went, the worse and scarier it became. Baba said that sometimes goblin would have to eat goblin to survive. One day a huge bang happened, and the tribe of our elders was nearby to hear it. Our brave cheiftain, Oog, who I am named after, discovered an area with a door that no monster or goblin had ever seen before, and a big boulder held the door mostly closed. There was only a hole big enough for goblin the fit through, and Oog led his tribe through this hole and took him to the top, where only goblin could live in safety. When the last goblin past through, Oog found this key in door, and being brave Oog, he closed the door and turned the key. When Oog turned the key, the door become quiet and strong, and the sound of monsters in the distance had gone silent forever, and the goblins never had to hide or be hungry ever again. We lived in the big box on top ever since.

Chapter 12 - Aberystwyth Poog continues to lead you beneath the twilight, with the whispers of a moderate wind rustling the tall grasses surrounding your troupe, accompanied by the dull parade of footfalls and the carriage trundling behind. After a time, you begin to see the untidy remains of old stone walls running parallel on either side of the road as far as the eye can see, and now and then additional stone walls stem off perpendicularly and run deep into the tall grasses, perhaps to contain livestock or divide crops of a farmland long forgotten. The white stone road markers you have been accustomed to seeing on your journey are now seen embedded into the base of the stone walls, some mostly buried by rocks that toppled over the years. You look ahead, and in the distance stationary shadows emerge from the dark of night begin to take shape the closer you get. Closer and closer you walk, and the once ambiguous shapes define themselves, particularly a tall, rectangular shape that looks as you approach, the stone wall stopping at the monolith. Pappy pulls the reigns, and slows Letti to a stop.

Pappy: “Whoa, Letti, whoa! Let’s take a quick look at this here, and see what there is to see! Can someone down there sneak a peep at whatever this thing is?”

⁃ A vine covered stone monument stands erect from the tall grass. DC13 Perception reveals that by moving the vines, there are faded carvings in the stone that read “Welcome to Aberystwyth”

You scan the squared shapes in the grass behind the sign, and you realize that they are stone foundations, the final remnants of buildings lost to time. The farther you look, the more and more foundations you see, spread out in a neat grid in all directions.

(Party explores and discusses their findings)

You continue you walk through the abandoned streets of Aberystwyth, with the skeletons of dozens of buildings surrounding you. Rotten, crumbled remains of roofs and beams fill the space of their stone base, and windowless holes gapes in empty rock walls. Homes, shops, stables, taverns; your imagination can help but try to fill in the empty spaces of what this once bustling city used to look like, and your heart grows heavy thinking about how Aberystwyth got into this condition.

Pappy looks around warily, and calls out to Poog from the back of the caravan.

Pappy: "Uhhh, Poog? Exactly how much further until we get to...the big box?"

Poog: "Soon, Pappy. Very soon."

Chapter 13 - Outside the Mansion No sooner does Poog utter the words, than a massive structure is seen from a distance, with a dull orange light flowing from the windows. As you draw closer, you realize that this enormous two story mansion and, unlike everything else in Aberystwyth, it is entirely entact. Not only that, but rather in absolutely perfect condition, despite your perspective from the dark. Windows are clean and unbroken, exterior walls elegantly crafted with ornate carvings embellishing everywhere you look, and foundation and stonemasonry look are if it was finished yesterday. In the center of the face of the building, a large stone cylindrical tower rises into the starry sky. Pappy pulls the reigns once more and calls Letti to stop in a hushed voice.

Pappy: "Whoa, girl, whoa. That's about as close as I want to get with this here carriage. Come, Letti. Let's get you and the treasure hidden in one of these old houses; the last thing I need is for them bandits to get there hands on my retirement fund. I'll unyoke ya, and you just be still and quiet. If any of them bandits come pokin' around, you just go ahead and have your fun with 'em. I promise I'll come back for you, sweetheart, alright?"

Pappy gets Letti and the carriage settled and well hidden, and rejoins the party.

Pappy: "I think it's best get real low and take a closer look at what's ahead before we go in, crossbows a blazing. Poog, why don't you take the lead, and get us to a really good vantage point? You know these parts better than anyone!"

Poog nods, and guides you stealthily through the tall grass behind a large bush that fills your nose with a unexpectedly sweet smell, with grassy and citrus notes, and a muskiness reminiscent of ripe grapes. Pappy whispers under his breath "...Elderflowers", and smiles to himself, picking a flower and placing it behind his ear.

The front of the mansion has two doors on either side of the center cylindrical tower, with two large bay windows at the farthest edges of the wall, glowing brightly from a light source within. As you quietly listen, you can hear the sounds that you would expect to hear from a rowdy tavern, but it seems rather out of place here in the middle of nowhere. Outside left hand door, a man sits asleep in chair with his mouth hanging open, lit cigar in one limp and, and a two thirds empty bottle of something in the other. A soft snoring can be heard escaping his open mouth.

Looking inside the tavern windows, you can see that it's filled with rough and haggard looking men enjoying a night of revelry. Some play cards, throwing coins noisily on the table, with one even slipping a card from their boot into their hand. You see a two men atop a long table in some sort of a scuffle, whilst a crowd of others cheer on from either side. Another struggles to play a lute and drunkenly sings off-key in a corner, though no one inside seems to notice. At the back, you can see a woman dancing on top of a table with an uncomfortable, frightened look on her face as a row of drunks tug at her dress, cat call and whistle at her, and threatens her with a dagger if her dancing shows signs of subsiding.

The girl on the table, Hazel, will join the fray using a cast iron frying as a weapon The goblins will split off with different party members, so that each party member has a goblin fighting at their side. Poog attacks with golden swordplay Clobber power attacks, overruns, or grapples Mumble casts healing and daze spells Skitter calls a rat swarm to her aide to fight Burp and Derp trip, disarm, feint, and trick opponents Click Clack uses martial arts with his fists Boom Boom throws bombs 3d6 Pappy and Poog stay together, and jump down the shaft to lock the door down below before reinforcements come Battle ends when all bandits are slain

Chapter 14 - Dawn of the Elderflower After the battle, you take a deep breath and sheath your weapon. It takes some time for your heart to stop racing from the adrenaline rush of combat, and you look around at the rest of the troupe catching their breath and scanning the room to see if the threat is truly averted. Mice return from all directions to Skitter's feet, and she scoops them up carefully, squeaking lovingly and nuzzling her nose with theirs. Berp helps Derp walk using their arms around each other's shoulders for support, but both of them are grinning from ear to ear regardless. Mumble puts her hands on Clobber's injured shoulder, and a white light glows from them, healing a serious flesh wound. Boom Boom runs to Click Clack with tears in his eyes, and engage a warm embrace, seeing that they've both survived the battle. Hazel seems standoffish as she slowly approaches the rest of the unfamiliar group, but Pappy jovially waves her in closer to join, and she does with slight smile of appreciation and acceptance. Pappy then helps Poog climb on top of an unturned table, and faces the troupe with his glittering golden sword in hand.

"My fellow warriors! My tribesmen! My family! With the strength of tribesmen new and old, and with our ancestors guidance, we emerge victorious! Baba and our ancestors are smiling down on us this day, for our victory, for our bravery, and for taking back our home. When the sun rises tomorrow, a new day will dawn on our tribe, where we will no longer live in fear or shiver in the cold. We will grow, we will thrive, and we will become the greatest tribe there has ever been. Poog has seen much this day, and Poog has learned an important lesson. The strength of a warrior doesn't come from the self, but from the hearts of the tribe your surround yourself with. Hearts filled with goodness, kindness, and bravery, both in goblin and in big people. No longer will our tribe be only goblin tribe, but a tribe of many peoples of many sizes. All who stand before me are equal in Poog's eyes, and I am honored to call you all my tribe. From this moment on, Poog will open the doors of our home to all peoples with good and kind hearts, and grow our tribe back greater than it has ever been! Let us rebuild home and begin again! For our ancestors! For our homeland! For the tribe!"

Cheers and applause resound through the halls of the mansion, and Pappy helps Poog down. As the cheers die down, Pappy turns to Poog with a twinkle in his eye. "Poog, being here is everything I dreamed in a home. And I share your dream in creating a place that welcomes all with a good spirit and heart for adventure. I've always dreamed of a place where folks can gather together for warm food, warm beds, warm conversation, and warm friends. And you know, a little mayhem to spice things up. Can I help you create that place? Will you let me work alongside you to build the home for a growing tribe? I know you've got a lot to learn about the outside world, but the knowing the outside world is what I know best, and I think we'd make on heck of a team. Whaddya say...friend?" Pappy extends his hand to Poog, and Poog looks back at him beaming.

Poog: "Poog would like that, Pappy. Poog would like that very much", and he shakes Pappy's hand for a moment, before Pappy pulls him in for a joyful hug. They begin laughing, and after a minute they break away to face each other once more.

Pappy: "Poog, a place like this needs a good name, and I feel like 'the big box' doesn't quite cut it anymore. It needs a name that has meaning, something that reminds us of what's important, and honors your ancestors and the tribe. It's been singing in my noggin' since I've first saw this place, and I can't shake it. How would you feel if we named our home 'The Elderflower?'"

Poog's eyes tear up and is overcome with emotion at the name. At a loss for words, he simply nods with a trembling smile, and dives into Pappy's chest in an embrace once more, and tears trickle down Pappy's smiling face.

At that moment, The Elderflower was born, and the tribe was never the same again. Under Pappy's and Poog's leadership, the Elderflower was cleaned up and made livable for those who wanted to stay, but there was still much work to be done. They returned to the encampment to retrieve the bodies of their fallen tribesmen, brought them back to the Elderflower, and created a proper burial site for them beside their home. Hazel, with no where else to go, was delighted to remain at The Elderflower with her new family, and took great pride in tending to their voracious culinary needs. Pappy later returned to the other side of the mountain to retrieve Helga (and to bring anyone wanted to return home), and brought her back to their new home and to meet their new family. In very little time, the entire goblin tribe became enamored with her and came to see Helga as the tribe mother, and Pappy as the tribe papa. The skies were clear, the sun was bright, and the tribe full of joy and hope. And some say that when their new tribe was born, the surrounding elderflowers never smelled so sweet.

The end

Report Date

04 Nov 2023

Primary Location

Aberystwyth