Mission Accomplished
The goblins and the locathah returned as the wall of blades faded and the genii left for his home. They all swept up the mountainside, wisely skirting an ominous smoking cavern. A ruined city near the peak of the mountain proved to be more interesting, however, and both the goblins and the locathah put it to use. The goblins started exploring it as a likely-looking site for their new settlement, while the locathah stationed themselves at the city's entrance to block all others from proceeding further up the mountain.
The dragon-hippo was more than happy to serve as translator between Starq and the head locathah, apparently a cleric named Acklebraith, leader of the mercenarious band the 'Heavy Slugs' (it translates rather badly, the hippo-dragon commented). The idea was that nobody was going to get the pearl, as it was the locathah's prize. Upon further questioning, they had been hired by kuo-toa to get the pearl for their war against the ancient merfolk. The dragon-hippo, however, urged upon the party the importance that the pearl remain with the Leader of the Forest, to preserve the truce between land, sea, and air. So the two companies drew up for battle.
The locathah had the better position, as they had prepared themselves for the conflict: one of them, armed with a scimitar, stationed himself with his sea snake in the entrance to the city, while the two archers covered him from nearby rooftops. To start the battle off, Acklebraith cast a few disruptive spells and then flew about, aiding his men. Starq crouched behind the crumbled wall and let off powerful fireballs, much to his friends' amazement and his enemies' dismay, and thus made himself the archers' mark. Erannar let Farwind lazily pick off the archer's gull, then mounted to take himself above the other archers. Dreneil stepped in to let fly with longsword and handaxe at the druid and his snake and summoned crocodile in the entrance. Eltana, perhaps, was the most impressive of all as she morphed into a wolf and bore down on the crocodile, accompanied by Blade. They fought long and hard, but once the two who kept healing the others were dead, the archers surrendered their weapons and set off, riding their reserve crocodile and bearing their fallen comrades, for the ocean.
The four proceeded through the city and up the cliff to the final peak of the mountain, where the unicorn stood next to an old tree split by lightning. Starq pulled a pearl and an acorn out of a crevice in the tree. The unicorn dug a hole with his horn, and Starq planted the acorn. Eltana, speaking with the tongue of plants, blessed it, and thought she could hear a muffled 'thank you'. Starq gave the pearl to the unicorn, Erannar gave the Statue of the Skylord, and Eltana the feather token of the tree. Receiving the items, the unicorn's horn turned sea blue, and he sprouted leafy wings, symbolizing the renewed covenant of land, sea, and air. He left to survey the kingdom.
The party started down the mountain again, finding the goblins in happy possession of their new city. Looking back, Starq saw the hippo-dragon directing a miniature stormcloud to water the newly planted acorn. Eltana, meanwhile, heard the howl of wolves to the south; she hesitated a moment, then became a wolf again to seek and lead the pack.
The taller three returned to Lord Talley, who rewarded them with a choice of jewel from his treasury, including the absent Eltana. Here Ethan caught up with Dreneil, who graciously agreed to accompany him to quell the turmoil in the old goblin city, which it was rumored was suffering under a rebellion.
Down to two, Starq and Erannar returned to Culdin, where the elf was hailed by the elders of his people and declared a fit master of the wild. Indeed, he was asked to return to the Elven Isle and teach his people there the ways of the mountains of Durille.
Starq finally made his way back to Condros's house, where the two decided to continue magical studies (Condros being extremely impressed with Starq's fireball) and make money selling shaving potions on the side.
As the years passed, they all heard rumors of a new young tree thriving in the forest.
The dragon-hippo was more than happy to serve as translator between Starq and the head locathah, apparently a cleric named Acklebraith, leader of the mercenarious band the 'Heavy Slugs' (it translates rather badly, the hippo-dragon commented). The idea was that nobody was going to get the pearl, as it was the locathah's prize. Upon further questioning, they had been hired by kuo-toa to get the pearl for their war against the ancient merfolk. The dragon-hippo, however, urged upon the party the importance that the pearl remain with the Leader of the Forest, to preserve the truce between land, sea, and air. So the two companies drew up for battle.
The locathah had the better position, as they had prepared themselves for the conflict: one of them, armed with a scimitar, stationed himself with his sea snake in the entrance to the city, while the two archers covered him from nearby rooftops. To start the battle off, Acklebraith cast a few disruptive spells and then flew about, aiding his men. Starq crouched behind the crumbled wall and let off powerful fireballs, much to his friends' amazement and his enemies' dismay, and thus made himself the archers' mark. Erannar let Farwind lazily pick off the archer's gull, then mounted to take himself above the other archers. Dreneil stepped in to let fly with longsword and handaxe at the druid and his snake and summoned crocodile in the entrance. Eltana, perhaps, was the most impressive of all as she morphed into a wolf and bore down on the crocodile, accompanied by Blade. They fought long and hard, but once the two who kept healing the others were dead, the archers surrendered their weapons and set off, riding their reserve crocodile and bearing their fallen comrades, for the ocean.
The four proceeded through the city and up the cliff to the final peak of the mountain, where the unicorn stood next to an old tree split by lightning. Starq pulled a pearl and an acorn out of a crevice in the tree. The unicorn dug a hole with his horn, and Starq planted the acorn. Eltana, speaking with the tongue of plants, blessed it, and thought she could hear a muffled 'thank you'. Starq gave the pearl to the unicorn, Erannar gave the Statue of the Skylord, and Eltana the feather token of the tree. Receiving the items, the unicorn's horn turned sea blue, and he sprouted leafy wings, symbolizing the renewed covenant of land, sea, and air. He left to survey the kingdom.
The party started down the mountain again, finding the goblins in happy possession of their new city. Looking back, Starq saw the hippo-dragon directing a miniature stormcloud to water the newly planted acorn. Eltana, meanwhile, heard the howl of wolves to the south; she hesitated a moment, then became a wolf again to seek and lead the pack.
The taller three returned to Lord Talley, who rewarded them with a choice of jewel from his treasury, including the absent Eltana. Here Ethan caught up with Dreneil, who graciously agreed to accompany him to quell the turmoil in the old goblin city, which it was rumored was suffering under a rebellion.
Down to two, Starq and Erannar returned to Culdin, where the elf was hailed by the elders of his people and declared a fit master of the wild. Indeed, he was asked to return to the Elven Isle and teach his people there the ways of the mountains of Durille.
Starq finally made his way back to Condros's house, where the two decided to continue magical studies (Condros being extremely impressed with Starq's fireball) and make money selling shaving potions on the side.
As the years passed, they all heard rumors of a new young tree thriving in the forest.
posted by Captain Shar | 6:34 AM
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