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Post by crumblesnout on Nov 27, 2018 16:30:02 GMT
Crumblesnout awoke with a dry mouth, sore throat and a cracking headache. It had been a hell of a gig the night before. He sat up, suddenly aware he had no idea what time it was. Paw couldn't have left yet, she would have woken him up surely - but when he knocked on her door there was no answer. He headed downstairs to the bar, where Jedd greeted him with a nod and wink. Greasy Alain was at the bar, and Greasy Alain never arrived til the afternoon. Crumblesnout groaned.
He made his way, mumbling and only just able to walk in a straight line to the tri-tooth wharf, where the trials were meant to take place - his fingers crossed that he wasn't too late. He was greeted by the ambassador from Daring Heights, who told him he was too late, and not only that, Paw had gone on ahead without him - and not only that but Paw had gone with a group including Moonshine - traitor! thought Crumblesnout. The ambassador appeared to take pity on him, and invited him down to the docks where she was due to meet her master. Crumblesnout agreed - after all, he had no gig to worry about that night.
Back in the Old Town docks of Port Ffirst, they were joined by first of all a dashing captain-for-hire; then a few minutes later by Paw, Moonshine, Ghesh, Kalta, Kerriss and a stern looking man in a simple tunic. "Hit me," this last one said, when Crumblesnout offered his services. Crumblesnout, being a lover not a fighter refused at first, but when the man slapped him he reacted with a punch that revealed the man was wearing armour under his tunic. "No fair," cried Crumblesnout, before emitting a high pitched shriek, which hurt the man enough to impress him. He was aboard for adventure. Crumblesnout was becoming quite the accomplished seagnome. This was the fourth time he'd been on a ship.
On the way to wherever they were going, Kerriss told Crumblesnout how the group of adventurers had been to the Feywild and back, and there they'd fought a devil, Paw had almost died again, and they'd all been given gifts by an Elven queen. Crumblesnout shrugged: "So, I didn't miss too much then."
The group eventually anchored near an island. Crumblesnout strolled ashore atop the surface of the water whilst the other poor unfortunates had to swim. From there they made their inland through the jungle, following Rhollor - for that was the man who liked to be hit's name - who had some magical kind of compass. Leaping through the jungle came several small but vicious lizard creatures who tried to do for the group with their acidic venom and exploding corpses, but they were no match for Crumblesnout's rapier - and the others may have helped too.
Ultimately they reached the middle of a clearing, where there lay several stones with strange runes carved upon them. Ghesh and Kalta seemed capable of handling them, and eventually lifted them to reveal an underground passage. As they opened the passage, Paw rushed over and suggested the group turn around. They did. An enourmous dinosaur eyed them hungrily. Crumblesnout took out his lute to play it a song... but thought better of it and disappeared down the passage, leaving Rhollor, the Captain and Kalta to fight.
Down the passage they found a room half-full of a grim looking jelly, which nearly engulfed an elf. Only his head emerged. On his head -or rather fused to his head - was a silvery crown. The very artefact they were looking for, so said Kerriss. After Crumblesnout tried some delicate surgery with a dagger, Ghesh took over. He was a little less delicate. With one swing he removed the crown. And the head.
And so the group went back out to help fight the dinosaur. The last thing Crumblesnout remembered was taking the full force of the dinosaur's tail, before he and the group were transported to Rhollor's temple in Daring Heights. It was one way to get rid of a hangover.
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Paw
Junior Member
Level 16 Tabaxi Monk - Way of the Open Hand
Posts: 92 
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Post by Paw on Nov 28, 2018 17:49:56 GMT
At the Gilded Mirror in Daring Height. 'This sour milk is excellent! Rhollor was telling the truth' says a high-spirited Paw to her companions - and possibly a few other customers curious to know more about the motley crew out of Port Ffirst.
'Anyway, Crumblesnout, surely it was all your merit today’ she smiles ‘but you really should have been with us yesterday. What a day! The ambassador to Port Ffirst, she is an interesting character, isn't she? Quite mysterious.'
'They recruit a group of adventurers out of Port Ffirst. Why? Because we have no ties to Daring Heights. Fine. They say come back in the morning, time is of the essence and all, but then they act all surprised when I turn up at 5am' she chuckles. 'The sashimi at least was excellent, what a breakfast! Then we hold paws - or hands, of course of course - and Rhollor takes us to the Feywild. Gesh, you enjoyed the trip, didn't you? Don't worry, a little teleportation-sickness is nothing to be ashamed of... by the way did I tell you your new hat looks fantastic'.
'And there we are in the middle of a marvellous party. Everybody so proper and courteous - I liked that very much. But then the host, a Queen no less, receives this ring as a gift, puts it on, and the next thing you know, she is dead! Queen Serastra of the Summer Court, how regal and stylish, don't you agree, Moonshine? But she is dangerous, very dangerous if you ask me. Hey, do you think they have darts here?'
'Anyway, where was I? Ha, then all hell breaks loose - and quite literally! All those devilish creatures, nasty, really nasty... and yet I thought we were doing fine, but then the next thing I remember is Kerriss pouring one of my own healing potions down my throat. Moonshine, that was a mighty thunderous wave, but aim more carefully next time, please!' She says with a smile and a piercing look while she stacks her empty bowl on top of the two already on the table.
'Anyway, with Rhollor's help the fight is over, and lo and behold, the Queen is alive! She had been warned of a possible attack and a double had posed as her during the party. Quite shrewd. And very brave, that maiden, I am glad she was healed in the end!'
‘Well, after the battle they were exceptionally hospitable. We rested and got an audience with the Queen the following morning. To help us in our endeavour and compensate us the Queen gave us wonderous items according to our requests - and for a price!’ As she says so, she looks down at her arm wrappings and adjusts them once more to make them look perfectly identical. ‘See how they shimmer when you look closely, they are made out of a cloth woven in the Feywild. I gave the Queen two potions in return, and she complimented me on my recipe for the healing one’ she adds proudly ‘she also agreed to help me find out more on the Cat Lord in the future maybe.’
‘And then Rhollor got this sort of pendant and compass you saw him wearing. He used it to track the artefact they are so afraid of. Of course, it had to be on an island! With all the seafaring I am doing, I can almost say I am getting the hang of it too, Crumblesnout! Rhollor took us back to the docks in Port Ffirst to find passage and there you are with the ambassador. It’s you who almost betrayed us, this time!’
‘Well, with all the wind Rhollor conjured up, there was little time to enjoy the trip, wasn't it? But what do you all think of the light I saw at night so far away in the distance? I think it might have been a lighthouse, but the Admiral said it is not on his maps! I think we should talk to somebody about this and investigate. No time right there and then though, Rhollor was really keen on retrieving this artefact - and fast. All these hags, witches, and Queen Granny Longtooth he told us about must pose quite a threat with it!’ She says with a smile at the new bowl of sour milk just landed on her table.
‘And so we got to the island were you performed your heroic deeds... Why is that, I wonder, that we travel North and we find jungles when it’s getting so cold in Port Ffirst? I can’t get my head around the climate of these lands? What do you think?’ And also, why ships have no tenders around here!?’ She says a little louder ‘swimming in shallow waters and sand I could do without, thank you very much!’
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