TOPIC: Runewild

Day 8 (cont)

Having overwhelmed the bandits, the Runewardens take a short rest in the liberated gatehouse. While on watch, Bruno hears the same haunting pookah-song he heard in the Widderspire cemetery, and finds Hoorah the Bunny-Girl near the flame-scarred foundations of a crumbling chapel. The ghosts of Lady Widderspire and her two children endlessly relive their final moments, trapped in the burning chapel during Griselda's assault on the keep some 100 years ago. Bruno gathers up their fire-blackened bones and carries them back to Widderspire to be interred within the family mausleum. The ghost of Lord Widderspire manifests to express his gratitude, and gift Bruno the Helm of the Intercessor.

Day 9

The Runewardens return to Widderspire. Attempts to flip thug captain Harden fall on deaf ears. This hench dude is straight-up unflippable. Eventually, the party wall him up in their dark basement; maybe 72 hours of gruelling psychological torture will loosen your tongue, eh?

While they wait for Harden's mind to break, the party resume their night-time vigil over the Widderspire Cemetery. Three disheveled figures appear among the headstones, one is pushing a wheelbarrow with a squeaky wheel. The figures are wrapped in filthy rags and reek worse than the corpses they have been sent to collect. Apogee wildshapes into a oversized spider, triggering Verdan's arachnaphobia. Bruno flails around in the dark. Two ghouls are defeated, the third flees back into the forest.

Verdan tracks the fleeing ghoul, hoping it will lead him to the lair of the Whitebone Sisters - but the trail goes cold when it enters Ruasidhe territory. Verdan turns back after interrupting a group of wood elf scouts teabagging their kill.

Day 11

The Runewardens release Harden from solitary confinement. After three days without food, water, light or social contact, he is ready to spill the beans. He reveals Ianto the Red maintains a camp in Redcap Pass, in the mountains south of Caerfell. The robber baron has allied himself to the Daughters of the Chimera, a coven of green hags, and they have gifted him with the power to shrug off even the most grievous injuries.

The Runewardens hand Harden and their other prisoners over to a patrol of Aruandan knights to be imprisoned in the Kingdom proper.

Day 14

The Runewardens head for Caerfell, the largest settlement in the Runewild. They meet a commoner called Lucinda Travers, leading a large, unsettling cow. Lucinda wants rid of the beast, and is prepared to trade for Merlin's mule. Doris looks scandalized by this transaction. Mid-negotiation, Lucinda's father Dellwood appears to reclaim the cow. An argument ensures; Lucinda wails that the beast is bad luck, while Dellwood roars the cow is not for sale for any price. Apogee recognises the creature is a worry-cow, a fey-monster created by a hag after listening to a mortal's woes, but witholds this info from the party so as not to reveal her association with the witch Malicraft.

It is getting dark and the Runewardens arrange to sleep in the Travers barn. The surrounding fields lie fallow, and the only living livestock is the worry-cow. Bruno must be jonesing for vitamin A (and other essential nutrients), as he decides to milk the monstrosity. It ejects a frothy green ichor from its slimy udders. Bruno gulps it down and is immediately poisoned, because what were you expecting to happen Tom, really?!

The worry-cow assumes its worrying form, feeding on the fears of those around it to change its appearance; a hooded Darth Sidius-looking motherf*cker with snake arms and a bad afro. Dellwood Travers bursts in brandishing a pitchfork, intent on defending the worry cow. Merlin "accidentally" decapitates the old man on the backswing of his green flame blade. Jade fire spreads, filling the barn with celadon smoke. Lucinda Travers shrieks hysterically. Bruno is trapped in the burning stall with the rampaging worry-cow, with one foot stuck in the milking bucket and a very dicky tummy. Ian hauls him out, but is kicked in the head for his trouble. The genasi barbarian stumbles and falls, and is trampled into porridge beneath the beast's powerful hooves. Apogee casts Thunderwave, unleashing a sonic boom that explodes the worry-cow from the inside-out and demolishes what remains of the burning barn.

Emerging from the choking green smog, the Runewardens mourn the abrupt demise of their front-line fighter/style guru. Alas, poor Ian. Tinkerbell attempts to persuade Lucinda her father was killed when lightning struck the barn. A freak accident that no-one could have forseen or prevented. Meanwhile, Bruno gorges on magic honey, and suddenly grows to twice his normal size!

TBC

XP
Putting the Widderspire ghosts to rest 100xp
Learning the location of Ianto's primary camp 100xp
Defeating the ghoulish graverobbers 850xp
Destroying the worry-cow 700xp

1750/5=350+581=931

The Runewardens advance to lvl 3!

Day 15
The side-effects of magic honey become apparent to all, as Bruno bursts out of his chainmail vest in an explosion of small metal rings. Bruno is now Large, has Advantage on Strength-based rolls and inflicts an additional 1d4 melee damage.

The Runewardens continue their journey toward Caerfell. On the road, they meet Ghoralt Ironbane, half-orc fighter (skateboard cavalier, played by Rich), wearing a t-shirt proclaiming the wearer to be 2 KOOL 4 SKOOL. Ghoralt happens to be going the same way, so of course the Runewardens induct him into their organisation.



Ahead, the party see three oversized beetles attack and overturn a wagon laden with scrap metal. The dwarven driver clambers onto a large tree stump and curses in dismay as the greedy monsters devour his haul. After the Runewardens drive the beasts off, a possessed toaster emerges from the junk scattered across the road and insists that it too will be joining the adventure! Meet Toasty the Module (thanks for that Arcanomicon LLC), played by guest star Owen the DM's son.



The heroes arrive at Burly Point, a dwarven settlement on the road to Caerfell. After convincing the guards that Big Bruno is not allied with the evil giants living in the mountains, the party are allowed inside. The heroes want +1 weapons and armour, but learn only the master of Earthdragon Forge in Caerfell can craft such items.

The Coppertank Clan seek adventurers to slay the monster lairing in their mine. Details are slim, but the Runewardens suspect they might be dealing with gypsies. The dwarves promise to craft a suit of authentic dwarven platemail if the party clear out the mine.

Day 16
Bruno wakes up to find he has returned to his regular size. The Runewardens + hangers-on travel to the abandoned Coppertank Mine. Verdan scouts ahead, aided by Merlin's familiar. The entrance tunnel is littered with bodies, gored and trampled by some kind of horny beast. A deep shaft descends 120ft into the earth, a wooden lift platform is suspended about halfway down. Not trusting the dwarven mechanism, Verdan lowers his own rope and descends. Another tunnel leads off from the main shaft. Verdan spots movement in the shadows and finds a solitary human bandit hiding in the dark. Colton Frey used to run with Harden's crew at Widderspire Keep, but found himself ill suited to the life of a highwayman, and fled with a satchel of stolen loot. Soon thereafter, he was attacked by a monstrous figure with the body of a man and the head of a stag! He hid in the mine and has been trapped here since.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party are taking it easy. The chill vibe is ruined when a bloodthirsty werestag jumps out of a bush and tries to bite Ghoralt. The half-orc remembers his lessons: Say No to Lycanthropy! Ghoralt does a cool kick-flip. Bruno breaks his halberd. Toasty... helps? Merlin casts Booming Blade, causing the werestag's head to explode, showering the party with fragments of skull and shattered antlers.



The party cherry-pick the platinum coins out of Colton's hoard, then send him on his way. They deliver the headless corpse of the werestag to the Coppertank Clan and Bruno is kitted out with a new suit of dwarven plate.

Day 17
The Runewardens press on toward Caerfell. As they near the city, they encounter a pair of expectant parents hurrying the opposite way. The man explains that Caerfell is afflicted with a terrible curse, wrought by the Hag Queen Griselda, so that children born within the city walls do not age (so a newborn baby would stay a baby forever). The woman cries out in alarm as her waters break! Bruno steps up to deliver the child and out pops a healthy baby boy. The new mother names the child Bruno Junior, while the relieved father hands out cigars to the rest of the party.

The Runewardens finally enter the city of Caerfell, largest settlement in the Runewild. Wanted posters cover every flat surface, offering a generous bounty for the capture of Ianto the Red. The party visit Earthdragon Forge, only to learn they only make +1 weapons/armour at the behest of Lord Caerfell.

The Runewards visit Caerfell Keep, to request an audience with the young lord. They are stopped at the gate by Knight Captain Olvane One-Eye. Bruno presents Queen Esme's (somewhat bedraggled) decree, and explains their intent to apprehend Ianto. Auhorisation is granted for the Runewardens to use Earthdragon Forge, and the party splurge several thousand gold on new gear.

Day 18 - 22 (Long Rest)
While the Runewardens wait for their order to be fulfilled, they engage in some downtime activities. Bruno visits the Cathederal of Saint Adso and is reminded he is supposed to be investigating the increasingly ominous silence from Wexmore Abbey. Merlin investigates Archmage Rikus and learns he is Councillor Arcane to Lord Caerfell, and rarely leaves the castle. The archmage is obsessed with lifting Griselda's curse (so Lord Caerfell can turn 16 and legally rule the city), and offers a great boon to anyone who helps in this endeavour. Verdan meditates and receives an urgent plea for aid from a powerful entity trapped below Feather Lake. Ghoralt begins building a sick half-pipe to grind for mad air. Finally, Toasty investigates the whereabouts of legendary baker Firkin, hoping the reclusive patissier can make him a waffle cannon, or something equally ridiculous.

TBC

XP
300xp for defeating the Rust Monsters
100xp for discovering Burly Point
1,100xp for defeating the Werestag
100xp for saving Colton Frey
100xp for delivering a baby
100xp for discovering Caerfell

1,800/5=380+931=1,291 (next lvl up at 2,700)

Day 18 - 22 (cont)

Ghoralt Ironbane is approached by pro-skating legend Birdman (yes, he is an Aarakocra), who challenges him to a Combo Mambo. Because my dice suck, Birdman rolls a nat 1 and breaks his fucking ankle after failing to land a sweet 360' Hardflip*.



* I spent altogether too much prep time this week on the Wikipedia page for Tony Hawk Pro Skater.

Birdman is distraught - he is scheduled to perform his trademark trick; the 900' Big Spin for the sick children of the Caerfell Children's Hospital later that day! But... perhaps Ghoralt can perform the trick in his stead, then the poor, dying children won't go to their graves having never witnessed true greatness! The DC is only 25, you can make that! Ghoralt is determined! He won't let those kids down!

Ghoralt rolls a 7, or somewhere in that ballpark. Ghoralt sucks. He tried his best, but sometimes that isn't enough. The children jeer, their fleeting mortality temporarily forgotten in the aftermath of Ghoralt's epic boner**.

** noun, slang;  foolish and obvious blunder; stupid mistake***

*** NOT noun, slang, vulgar; an erection of the penis

Meanwhile, Verdan, Tinkerbell & Apogee are accosted in the street by an angry drunkard. He used to be a lumberjack, until he took an elven arrow to the knee. He's looking for a fight, but the heroes aren't taking the bait. The sotted gimp starts to cry sad, beery tears. Apogee tries to comfort the man, but the only respite he knows lies at the bottom of a bottle. Alas, you can't save folk from themselves.

Merlin receives a sending from his shadowy handlers in the Council Arcane. He is ordered to seek Korthsuva, the Hag of Hours, and the the only other witch in the Runewild powerful enough to break Griselda's curse on Caerfell. The hag's whereabouts are being clouded by the Pookah. Merlin is ordered to capture one of the fey-brats and wring the information out of them.

Finally, Toasty the sentient toaster seeks the legendary baker Firkin, to claim his ULTIMATE WEAPON (which, according to Owen is a sausage-roll sword). A decrepit old beggar approaches and asks for a crust of bread to fill his aching belly. Toasty takes pity on the old man - who sheds his rags to reveal his true identity... none other than Firkin! The legendary baker rewards Toasty's generosity with the Breadskin spell, then disappears in a cloud of yeasty smelling smoke.

Day 23

The Runewardens leave Caerfell and climb into the mountains south of the city. Ianto the Red has established his primary camp in Redcap Pass. The trail is winding and treacherous, but the heroes follow the directions extracted from thug captain Harden and soon reach the bandit's lair. The cocksure crooks have posted a single sentry to guard the approach, Verdan shoots him in the neck. Apogee casts Spike Growth, turning the entrance into a magical meat grinder. After the first wave of bandits get mulched, the rest of Ianto's army get real comfortable inside the cave. Apogee is forced to drop the spell so the rest of the Runewardens can go inside to finish the job.

Toasty flings fiery fougasse. The bandits can't believe it's not butter. Tinkerbell does the whole Legolas-bit. Apogee transforms into a snake and hugs a man until his bones snap, crackle and pop. Verdan has an existential crisis. The bandits have an ogre, but apparently no ogre-sized pants. Ghoralt grapples the hog. The Runewardens capture the bandit camp, and advance further into the cave in search of Ianto and the Daughters of the Chimera.

TBC

XP
100xp for traversing the broken mountain path
100xp for assaulting Ianto the Red's primary camp
525xp for defeating the bandit horde
450xp for defeating the ogre

1175 / 6 = 195 + 1291 = 1,486 (next lvl up at 2,700)

Day 23 (cont)

Delving deeper into the tunnels beneath Redcap Pass, the Runewardens enter a large cavern dominated by a tall, imposing obelisk carved with a complex pattern of claws, fangs and wings. The surface of the stone ripples unnervingly, changing and reconfiguring itself every few moments. The walls of the cavern depict scenes of seven terrible monsters being defeated and trapped inside the shifting stone by the magic of the Aosidhe. The Daughters of the Chimera emerge from the shadow of the obelisk to defend their lair. Merta is a hunchbacked crone with curly black horns protruding from her skull, draped in filthy animal furs and leaning heavily on a crooked staff. Moira appears young and graceful as an elven maiden, the only outward sign of corruption being the razor sharp claws at the ends of her fingers. Maude is tall and broad as an ogress, dragging an oversized club along the ground behind her. Also present is the bandit chieftain Ianto the Red, so called for the angry, exposed tissue stretched across his skull, where the scalp has been savagely cut away. The hags are in no mood to negotiate with trespassers (especially not with two elves in the party), leaving the Runewardens no choice but to fight!

Merta polymorphs Bruno into a goat. Moira summons a swarm of shadowy bats. Maude strikes her greatclub against the ground, triggering a devastating blast of thunder. Verdan is smashed against the cavern wall with enough force to pulverise every bone in his body. The elven ranger fails his death saves and dies (RIP). The Shifting Stone intermittently emitts baneful effects upon the party; turning Merlin's hands into claws and causing a pair of draconic wings to erupt from the wizard's back. Apogee takes careful aim and slings a magic stone into Maude's eye, downing the ogress. Bruno (returned to human form) beheads Merta the crone. Cursing the Runewardens for the murder of her two sisters, Moira surrenders.

Seeing the tide has turned against the hags, Ianto retreats to the back of the cave, where the coven kept their prisoners in iron gibbets hanging from the ceiling. One cage contains a cackling redcap wearing a bloody human scalp like a grotesque wig. The second holds a terrified halfling boy, and the final cage is occupied by Adam's back-up character, Ackron the Dragon Monk. As Ianto attempts to coax the uncooperative redcap from its cell, Ackron grips the bars of his own cage, channelling his inner-fire into the cold, unyielding metal. With a sudden flash, Ackron shatters the super-heated bars and attacks Ianto with his flaming fists of furfuraceous ferocity!

Ianto is defeated, the Runewardens stepping in to stop Ackron killing their bounty. They soon establish the nature of his bargain with the hags; as long as the redcap wears Ianto's scalp, the bandit chieftain continuously recovers any lost hit points. The party kill the redcap, and Merlin attaches Ianto's bloody scalp to the severed head he's been carting around since day 8 of the campaign. Ackron joins the party! The Runewardens release the halfling boy. His name is Hort and he is on a quest to find the Golden Bodach. In exchange for her freedom, Moira gives up some information about the Hag of Hours; the Pookah recognised Korthsuva would wield great power - great enough to unseat Griselda as Hag Queen - but could not divine whether she would use her magic for good or ill. The Pookah King Seventails took Korthsuva when she was in swaddling, hiding her away where none but his children would ever find her.

Day 24

The Runewardens return to Caerfell and hand Ianto over to Captain Olvane One-Eye, to be imprisoned in the dungeons beneath Caerfell Keep. They are granted an audience with the young Lord Fairwind, and each granted an Amulet of Heroism for their bold deeds. Guest rooms are prepared, where the party can freshen up before attending a grand banquet in their honor.

Finally, Firkin the legendary baker reappears in a burst of breadcrumbs, transforms Toasty back into a real boy, and drags him off to work in his magical sweatshop.

TBC

XP
2,100xp for defeating the Daughters of the Chimera
500xp for capturing Ianto the Red
100xp for breaking the redcap bargain
100xp for rescuing Hort
100xp for gaining an audience with Lord Caerfell
300xp for putting up with Toasty for three weeks

3,200 / 7 = 457 + 1,486 = 1,943 (next lvl at 2,700)

Session 1

Winter has come to the Runewild. Snow blankets the forest canopy and an icy wind rattles the shutters of Caerfell Keep like a determined burglar. The annual Solstice Festival is in full swing, and a ring of colourful stalls have been erected around a huge tree festooned with tinsel and twinkling lights. Several of our heroes are in attendance;

• Ghoralt Ironbane, Half-Orc Fighter, multiclassing into Skater Bro (Rich),
• Merlin, Human Wizard, with his odd, mis-matched eyes (Morgan),
• Tinkerbell, Elven Fighter (dex build), tall and stoic as the hardiest spruce (Ted),

(No Tom/Sir Bruno or Ellie/Apogee this week, but they should be back soon).

A group of children are throwing snowballs and challenge the heroes to battle. The heroes MERCILESSLY CRUSH their infantile opposition. After annihilating the children, a merchant offers a Robe of Christmassy Items to the last man standing. The heroes turn on each other like rabid animals. Newcomer Gale (Tiefling Warlock, played by Adam) takes the prize.

A murder of ravens descend on the market, coalescing into the form of a sinister black-cloaked woman. She lowers her hood to reveal the face of Moira - last surviving member of the Daughters of the Chim - SPLAT - a snowball hits her in the face, spoiling her dramatic entrance. Ghoralt points accusingly to the nearby children. Regaining her composure, Moira delivers a message from Griselda (Hag Queen of the Runewild and ringleader of the Grand Coven). To summarise: fuck with the great hex on Caerfell and she will go out of her way to ruin your lives, capiche? The heroes respond with more snowballs. Infuriated, Moira animates the solstice tree in the centre of the market, transforming it into a hostile holiday treant.



The tree plucks oversized baubles from its body and hurls them at the heroes. Gale responds with Hellish Rebuke and the holiday treant is consumed in the flames of the warlock's scorn. Ghoralt grapples the tree, figuratively rooting it to the ground. The rest of the party kick back and wait for the recurring fire damage to finish their job. The holiday treant crumbles into ash. Gale uses a patch from his new robe to conjure a replacement tree, which Ghoralt immediately attacks.

Realizing Griselda is not going to stand idily in the final dungeon waiting for the heroes to defeat her, the Runewardens set out into the Runewild once more. They need to save the Pookah before the Grand Coven rounds them all up, then arrange an audience with Seventails the Pookah King - but where to start? Apogee suggests consulting Malicraft, a (comparatively) benign hag unaffiliated with the Grand Coven.



Malicraft occupies a ruined windmill overlooking an abandoned, overgrown village. She looks and acts like Mother Gothel from the movie Tangled. Malicraft will trade answers for favors; purge a nest of ettercaps in the neighbouring hex and she will spill the proverbial beans. Gale also wants the whereabouts of his old adverturing party, the Red Hand.

The heroes locate and invade the web-smothered lair of the spiderlings. It is real dark and nasty up in there. The heroes immediately split up and are ambushed from all sides. They delve deeper into the nest, trusting newcomer Gale to watch their backs. A nigh-invisible noose of spidersilk hooks the warlock and yanks him up into the ceiling. Tinkerbell comes to the tiefling's aid. Ghoralt trusses an ettercap up in its own web, then piledrives it into a stalagmite. Victory!!

Having defeated the spiders, the heroes find some treasure; piles of coin, a Spider Staff (enables casting of the Spider Climb and Web spells), and a statue of a petrified elf (missing a hand). Ghoralt balances the statue astride his skateboard and rolls it back to Malicraft's mill. The witch honours her bargain and reveals the whereabouts of three Pookah; Hoorah the bunny-girl has been captured by the Whitebone Sisters (a pair of wizened bone hags), Hori the turtle-boy hangs around a pond east of Widderspire Village, and Heek the rat-boy was last seen along the road to the Broken Keep. Sir Bruno is concerned for the safety of Hoorah (having encountered her twice already) and the heroes make rescuing the hapless bunny-girl their top priority.

TBC

XP Calculator
Destroying some children in a snowball fight - 5xp
Defeating the Holiday Treant - 2300xp
Meeting Malicraft - 100xp
8x Giant Spiders - 800xp
2x Ettercaps - 900xp
= 4105 / 4 = 1026
(+ 2700 = 3726)
next level up (5) at 6500

Session 2

It is a long and winding road to Kidwelly, nearest settlement to the lair of the Whitebone Sisters. The Runewardens purchase a carriage and horses to pull it from a stable in Caerfell. They pick up Hort Thistlewhip; the boy left Kidwelly on his ill-fated quest to find the Golden Bodach and his family are no doubt missing him. Captain Olvane is also heading out, leading a column of one hundred knights to defeat the Broken King.

The Runewardens travel south, then east into the Ember Hills. Fresh snowfall blankets the ground, crunching beneath the wheels of the carriage. They encounter an itinerant priest of St Adso. Brother Alistair (Human Cleric/War Domain, played by Dan) is returning to Wexmore Abbey after a gruelling pilgrimage. The Runewardens offer him a lift as they are all going the same way.

As the party make camp, they notice flames spring up atop a nearby hill. A bonfire blazes around the base of a charred wooden stake. As the Runewardens approach, two Pyrewraiths (vengeful spirits of witches condemned to the flame some 400 years ago) emerge from the fire and attack!



Ghoralt learns the hard way that you can't grapple an open flame; he dives into the snow to salve his burnt flesh. Apogee pulls an axebeak from her Bag of Tricks. When the first Pyrewraith is defeated, it explodes for 35 fire damage in a 5ft burst. The axebeak is roasted to perfection. Ghoralt is down and dying, blackened and crispy. As Alistair heals the half-orc, the second wraith swoops in to attack the vulnerable cleric. Gale intercepts the attack, and only the use of Inspiration saves the reckless warlock from perma-death. Alistair surrounds the Pyrewraith in a bubble of belief (creative/cinematic use of the Shield of Faith spell) to reduce the effect of its Death Burst. When the second wraith explodes, Sir Bruno uses the Helm of the Intercessor to redirect the damage to himself - because that's what heroes do!

The Runewardens find a pair of Witch Embers in the ashes of the bonfire; one-time use magical crystals that remove a curse from the user.

The party eat the axebeak.

Leaving the Ember Hills behind, the heroes enter the Runewild proper. The snowy forest seems endless, and bustles with life and activity despite the encroaching reach of Winter.

The Runewardens hear jaunty music fluting from an abandoned chapel beside the road. Four satyrs are playing musical chairs in the nave, whilst a fifth plays the panpipes. The musician introduces himself as Brackenglyph and invites the heroes to join the game; win and he will relinquish his magical instrument, lose and they must serve him for one year and one day. Gale and Brother Alistair join the game, and lose. Gale readily resigns himself to slavery, but Alistair gets cold feet. The satyrs pile on and take it in turns to stamp on his crotch with their hoary goat hooves. Good thing Brother Alistair already took that vow of chastity. Ghoralt enters and thanks Brackenglyph for capturing his escaped slaves (nat 20 on the Persuasion roll). Brackenglyph is mortified that he almost committed the faux-pas of claiming another man's property. He chides Ghoralt to keep his chattel on a tighter leash, then he and the other satyrs depart peacefully.

The Runewardens spend the night in the empty chapel. Alistair and Sir Bruno pray to Saint Adso, and both gain an additional first level spell slot for their piety.

The Runewardens set out at first light. The road ahead is blocked by the statuesque form of a petrified ogre. A fairy is trapped in the brute's stone hands. The Runewardens release the helpless sprite. Her name is Whisperwink, and she has beef with Apogee. Whisperwink believes Apogee betrayed the fey-folk to curry favour with a hag - not realizing Apogee only agreed to a pact with Malicraft to save her village. While the two fairies are arguing, the rest of the Runewardens roll the ogre out of the way. It picks up speed and crashes through the middle of the fairy village. Oops. With a pained expression, Elder Heartnettle accepts their apology and aid repairing the damage. For Apogee to prove her good character, she is tasked with liberating some captured sprites from the fairy traffickers operating out of the Goblin Market. The Runewardens add it to their Quest Log.



The Runewardens roll out of the fairy village. The road passes through a meadow of vibrant wildflowers, stark against the crisp white snow. The air is heavy with floral perfume. Ghoralt, Apogee and Sir Bruno feel compelled to frolic giddily through the meadow. Gale passed his Wisdom Save but goes along with it anyway, such are the perils of peer pressure. Tinkerbell, Alistair and Merlin watch from the carriage, unsure why their companions have come over all gay ("light-hearted and carefree"). In the blink of an eye, the frolicsome four vanish, transported god-knows-where along the Path of Petals. The remaining Runewardens wait, but their missing friends do not reappear. Anxiously, the reduced party moves on to Kidwelly, hoping their companions will rejoin them.

Ghoralt, Apogee, Sir Bruno and Gale appear along a stretch of barren road, snow pounded into icy slush by the tramp of many feet. The sense of euphoria quickly fades as they realise they have no idea where they are. The only visible landmark is a ricketty wooden watchtower, swarming with goblins. Gale approaches guilelessly, and the goblins flood out of their aerie to capture the party, supported by a pair of gargoyles.

Suddenly, two Ruasidhe scouts emerge from the bushes to help out (NPCs for Ted and Dan to remain involved in the game). Their names are Virdean and Virdunc; distant cousins to the late Virdan (one of Adam's MANY dead characters). One gargoyle flies away to raise the alarm, the other grapples Sir Bruno and attempts to carry him off. Apogee grabs the paladin's flailing legs and clambers up his torso to attack the gargoyle. The Ruasidhe archers try to take down the escaping gargoyle. Ghoralt scales the watchtower and hurls the last few goblins from the top. Curiously, the goblins turn to stone in the moment of their demise and break apart upon the icy ground. Sir Bruno brandishes his holy symbol of Saint Adso, causing the second gargoyle to become Frightened and fly away too. Virdean manages to take a single goblin prisoner.

In the brief moment of respite before reinforcements arrive, the Ruasidhe scouts reveal to the Runewardens they have been teleported to the northern fringe of the Runewild, deep into hostile territory captured by the Broken King!!

TBC

XP Calculator
2x Pyrewraiths - 3600xp
Creative/Cinematic use of a spell - 100xp
Outsmart Brackenglyph - 500xp
Rescue Whisperwink/Rebuild the fairy village - 200xp
7x Goblins + 1x Goblin Boss - 550xp
1x Gargoyle - 450xp
Apogee being a badass - 100xp
= 5500 / 6 = 916
(+ 3726 = 4642)
Next level up (5) at 6500