The Game Thread 2

[tibbius]

"All the wide plain is our home," the minotaur proudly bellows — careless of any troll. "We pass eastward to visit Gogog, where we will trade these skins for southern spice." He gestures to a hefty bundle that one of the smaller minotaurs carries on her shoulders. "Beside the troll, any other news of the road?"

[Juramenta]

It has mostly been calm on the road thus far. The only peculiar thing were the flocks of crows consistently circle our vicinity. As if they were waiting for something.
Although pauses for a moment. It could be merely my mind playing tricks on me. Is there anything up ahead we should be aware of? Well, aside from a roaming troll, that is.

[tibbius]

The minotaurs look at each other. "The troll, of course. Also the wyverns that swoop down from the mountains," says the leader. "Earlier in the year they sleep, this is their active season." He bellows a great bison-y laugh. "Have you ever watched a wyvern fight a troll? That is a sight to see! The wyvern's bursts of lightning, against the troll's mighty grip and bite."

[tibbius]

By the way, here's what it was like to get here:

A clear sky and pleasant temperature. All the sun-parched grass dunes look alike. Yourselves are sweating and tired from almost swimming through the grass, which obdurately resists being trampled down and sways sleepily into place behind you like some kind of yellowish vegetable sea. Default feature: chest high prairie grass in all directions.

[Juramenta]

That would indeed be a sight to see Bishop agrees.
Best we get to it then, he says turning to his travelling companions.

[Grognardsw]

“I hope that is a sight I never behold
Too deadly a plight truth be told.”
said Elcroon.

[tibbius]

" Don't let us keep you from your travels, " says the minotaur leader. " Safe road to you. " He waves an arm to his companions and they start to move on.

Do you delay them with further parley?

[Juramenta]

I'm good to continue

[jemmus]

And safe road to you as well, friends! Delx replies. Well then, up and at them, Black Dog. And Elcroon and Bishop. The road goes ever onward. To cold Ghostal, in this case. He dares to take his flute out of pack and play a happy roading tune, in the mellow scale of the people who claim to know the leprechauns. Elcroon, play along for our bison-headed friends! In D, A, D, G, A and D. The leprechaun scale. Lot of Ds in it, and a couple of As an octave apart.

The adventurers bold
Strode toward Ghostal cold
And the road went ever onward

Delx plays on his flute and nods to Elcroon and the Bishop to pick it up and carry on. "Come on then, sing a verse Bishop! You can do it, pulpit speaker man! Elcroon, strike your strings! We're going back to Ghostal, that paid our bills before. Perhaps this time we may do some good, and help the poor souls stuck there... long afore.'

Come on then, Black Dog. Snatch up a cockatrice or three again, like you're good at doing, He scruffs the dog's neck and plays a merry tune for the departing minataurs. With the help of Elcroon and Bishop, of course.

[tibbius]

Your westward travel is uneventful two days. The first night is unpleasantly disturbed by the sound of the hunting troll. The second night suggests that the troll had been hunting for a mate. The distant noises are appalling.

The third day it rains, a steady soaker, chilly with a touch of biting wind.

Are you prepared?

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon gave voice to the traveling spirit, accompanying Delx with his lute.

“Far beyond the hills and mist,
Where twilight dims with silver twist,
The adventurer’s road lies ever far,
Underneath the gleaming star.

The winds of Ghostal, they call to me,
Through bough and bramble, hill and lea,
With every step, the earth does hum,
Of ancient days that long have come.

Through forests deep where ghosts creep,
And over hills, vast and steep,
We walk the path of whispered lore,
To lands we’ve seen only once before.

The ghostly winds through vale and stone,
A murmur soft, a creepy tone,
Speaks of a kingdom lost to time,
Of halls long silent, once sublime.

The road may wind, the rains may blow,
Yet forward still, our feet must go.”

Well prepared with provisions paid in dwarven gold, Elcroon helped the others set their sturdy tents, bundled up in oiled leather water repellent slicks over warm furs, and eat hearty rations. They consulted Elcroon’s imperfect map of the under mountain in preparation.

[Juramenta]

Very impressive gentlemen the man says, tipping his hat to both.
I will attempt to learn the lyrics over time. Excellent way to keep up morale. My voice may not be as elegant, but I will try my best nonetheless'' he says with a gentle smile.

[jemmus]

Delx tips his hat to Elcroon. Fine lyrics indeed, friend.

He helps with packing and readies for the remaining road to Ghostal.

[tibbius]

As the rain moves eastward past you in late afternoon you are able to see the forested foothills of the Silver Peaks or Silver Teeth ahead to the West. The sunlight glints on the snow of the highest peaks, above the tree line, like hot silver.

You have been this way before and know that the foothills are dangerous, a place where many wild predators lair and hunt. Previously, desperate and foolhardy you thought little of the risk in your eagerness to plunder Ghostal. Now you two Elcroon and Delx are wealthy men already with funds safekept by moneylenders in Gogog. What business do you have to justify hazarding your limbs and lives where trolls prowl?

[Grognardsw]

Hmm I assumed Elcroon blew his money and had a lighter wallet He would have little inclination to risk danger otherwise. Unless he learned of rumors about a magical instrument of the gods, or arcane secrets so profound that he must risk everything to obtain them.

[tibbius]

Hmm I assumed Elcroon blew his money and had a lighter wallet He would have little inclination to risk danger otherwise. Unless he learned of rumors about a magical instrument of the gods, or arcane secrets so profound that he must risk everything to obtain them.

very well!

[jemmus]

Delx is more of a frugal pragmatist. He's got still got most of his money, safely deposited. But there's only so much sitting around The Bosoms he can do before he starts to wonder what else of value might be in Ghostal. And he does feel sorry for the ghosts trapped there, neither alive nor dead and at rest.

[Juramenta]

Can we see Ghostal from here or is it located beyond those mountain tops? Bishop asks his travelling companions as he points towards the snow covered mountain tops.

[Grognardsw]

Elcroon pointed to the tallest snow covered mountain in the distant range.

“Yonder rises Ghostal’s peak
under which dwells what we seek
gold and gem and arcane magic
cockatrice and ghost and endings tragic.”

After studying his map and notes and runic decipherments, and dreaming portents that could be destiny or delusion, the bard was convinced there was powerful magics in Ghostal. For this reason Elcroon’s arcane greed cut short his “autumn of Elcroon” carousing and decadent indulgences and moved the musicmancer to again walk the adventurer’s path.

Along their journey, the tune mage tried communicating with Black Dog. The remarkable intelligence shown by the canine’s scratching out answers with her paw led Elcroon to think it was more than a normal dog. He asked her to answer yes-no questions with one bark for yes, no bark for no, in response to such questions as:

- Make real my hope, are you a lycanthrope?
- Give us a thrill, can you change at will?
- Do you like my singing, or does it set your ears to ringing?

[tibbius]

- Make real my hope, are you a lycanthrope?
Arrp!
- Give us a thrill, can you change at will?
Yarp!
- Do you like my singing, or does it set your ears to ringing?
…