D&D Journal #1

Last Time on “The Burning Plague”:
The group slaughters Jaak in a mighty battle. Ivillios and Earar use trial and error to reach the shaman on his high seat, through the rage of arrows and magic on both sides. Finally they have a plan, which Rurik helps them execute, and they all gather and throw stones to reach the raging orc. Liv suffered greatly from the shaman’s magic and nearly drops unconcious close to the end- but long before that the group triumphs, and all is well.
The orc shaman’s death purifies the pool and the wellspring, and new water (and life) flow to Duvik’s Pass. Hurray!

Set on their mighty goal, to clear the silver mines from all the vermin that lurk in them, you move from room to room, clearing the way for the good miners return. In the room before the last, you encounter a group of kobolds, determined to keep their place in the mines. A battle ensues, in which the kobolds have a great advantage- the group are surprised and caught flat footed, while they have almost full cover to protect them, and are well prepared for the battle.
Alis the Mighty Warrior saves the day by brilliant tactics and clear thinking, (with the help of Rurik and Liv of course), and the group wins, although at a high price.
You then moved to the next room, where Ivillios concocts some very strange tactics involving tables and doors, presumably in an attempt to get the tables to fight the kobolds for him…
Anyway, after a bit of flour, a few kobold and rats, and finally a very dire weasel, victory is theirs for good, and they even get to LEVEL UP!!!

Returning triumphant from the Serpentcoil Mountains, back to Duvik’s Pass, the small town seems to have new hope already. A great festival is thrown in your favor (P-A-R-T-Y!!!), and a lot of money and presents are exchanged for your services. While there you manage to talk to the “crazy” old wise woman (you remember her…). She tells you that Jaak was probably a young orc in the tribe that lived in the valley, where the town currently is. Years ago, when the townsmen first came to settle the valley, they killed the tribe of orcs that was in it. Jaak must have escaped, and devoted his life to revenge his tribe. She is greatly impressed to hear of his powers in magic, telling you that Gruumsh-One-Eye, the orc god, muts have been with him.

While you speak with her she mentions a magical piece of fruit, ransomed each year to the highest bidder by a group of goblins, that infest ancient ruins, in the north-west, near a small town called Oakhurst. The ruins are called the Sunless Citadel, though no one nows why, and are a 5 days walk from Duvik’s Pass. For the past twelve years, each midsummer festival, the fruit is sold (generally for 100gp, which is all the townspeople can bring themselves to pay a goblin); It is apparently an apple of perfect hue, and heals those who suffer from any disease or other ailment.
The townspeople sometimes plant the seeds of the fruit, hoping a new magical apple tree will grow. However, when the seeds grow, they turn out to be a twiggy mass of twisted sapling stems, which are stolen not long after they reach 2 feet in height. The townsfolk assume that the jealous goblins send out thieves to ensure their monopoly of the enchanted fruit. You are interested in solving the mystery associated with how wretched goblins could ever posses such a wonder, and how they steal every sprouting sapling grown from the enchanted fruit’s seed.

Join us on this Friday, at 20:00, and learn all about “The Sunless Citadel”…