Valldel Amakiir - 2nd Level Male Elven Rogue
Akadum Ironbeard - 2nd Level Male Dwarf Fighter
Dolin Stoneflare - 2nd Level Male Dwarf Light Cleric
Kethry - 2nd Level Female Human Wizard
31 May 981, Tuesday, Continued
Terrible weather, cold, heavy rain
The party manages to spy some small figures hiding among rocks and brush by either side of the road along the road to Drigbolton. The party either climbs up to the top of the coach or goes to the ground along side. Valldel takes out one with his bow and the others begin fleeing. Tony the Weasel chases after them hurling curses. One throws something that lands near Dolin, explodes in a cloud which he manages to dodge out of, but he breathes in a lungful. He is disorientated and briefly unable to act. The others begin to pick off the fleeing things finishing them off. Zelda and Kethry examine one of the dead and note that it not like an actual creature, but an undifferentiated inside with a skin. They dub them Potato Goblins and Zelda gathers a sample for study later. The Potato Goblins are unarmored and carrying poor weapons such as pieces of wood with a nail in the end or rusty long knives. They do manage to gather one of the mushrooms. There is nothing else of value on the Potato Goblins. They guess that these are what the locals call Clooneys and are from the Clooney Caves. Zelda says that exploration of the Clooney Caves is clearly the first order of business.
The party worries that the Potato Goblins were animated by the green sphere they left behind at the Shrine of Demeter. They plan to investigate as soon as possible, with Akadum and Dolin trying to explain matters to Zelda.
They head to the King Deer. It is dark by the time they get there, but they are met enthusiastically by the King's. The King's are very excited to meet their new Miss, and tell her they will prepare a banquet. Game hunting has been good since the talking animals have been helpful in hunting the non-talking in return for getting to eat part of the fields and the occasional goat. Thus they have better fair to offer than goat stew. Freya King is a local and her family has run the Inn for as long as any one can remember. Her husband Limber is an outsider. He is notably laconic speaking in monosylables to all except his wife. Junior told them the villagers thought Limber was an escaped convict who had committed some horrible crime or he had an affair with some Midland Laird's wife or daughter. He was thus hiding out here in the last place anyone would think to look.
The party plus Zelda make the short trip to the shrine of Demeter. There they find lush vegetation surrounding the shrine and the sphere, but not out of control like they observed in the forest when they first found the sphere. It seems unlikely the Potato Goblins were made here. They show Zelda what the sphere can do by touching a flower to it, and she is amazed as the flower sprouts into a bouquet. They think to touch a piece of Potato Goblin to the sphere and it sprouts into a brace of mushrooms. Thus Zelda dubs the creatures Fungal Goblins. These mushrooms are not the Confusion Cloud sort the Goblins were armed with. Akadum touches his beard to the sphere and it sprouts into something spectacular. As they leave Dolin offers a prayer of thanks to the Goddess Demeter and they notice Zelda dutifully takes part.
Akadum tells them the sphere occupied a glassed in room in the Dwarf Space Battleship. Plants for food and to keep the air fresh were grown there. They continue to tease him about being a janitor on the ship while he insists he was a gunner.
They decide at some point the sphere should go to The Wreak/Karnak where Dolin's superior Master Morvran would be highly interested. That sounds like a good idea to all, but priority does have to go the Clooney Caves and the Fungal Goblins.
They return to the King Deer. As they arrive they meet Edward Killingsworth a representative of the Blacksmiths Guild from Tealford. The blacksmith here, Breag, sent some samples of the Star Metal to the guild and they are very excited. It is harder and stronger than anything they have ever seen including the best stuff one can get from the Dwarves at Karnak/The Wreak. The only thing better is magical stuff. Breag tells him that they gathered some larger chunks, and he would like to make a bargain with them. He would like their chunks for study and in return the Guild will fashion useful items out of the remainder for them. Dolin thinks the stuff should go to the Dwarves of The Wreak/Karnak. Killingsworth tells them the Guild in Tealford works closely with the Dwarves and they would get some samples too. Dolin and Akadum who had gathered some chunks are willing to take this bargain in return for a helm and a great sword. Zelda invites Killingsworth to join them in the King Deer.
Within a good chunk of the village has gathered to meet their new Miss. Foremost is Griya with her apprentice Ponsafine and her daughter by the Laird, Edith. Edith presents as a teenager, and she embraces her sister swearing her loyalty to Zelda as the new Miss. They note obvious tension between Zelda and Griya.
During the banquet, which is quite a bit better than the food they had during their earlier stay at the Inn, they learn a number of things. Godfred tells them he has been up to the Lairds Manor and has cleaned up and repaired things. There is no evidence of the unfortunate fate of the Laird. It is ready for the new Miss. Kethry talks with Griya. Kethry notes that Griya is clearly a highly skilled magician, but her approach and language is quite different from how she and Zelda do things. It is as if they are talking about the same thing, but in different languages. They trade Spectral Stiletto and Chameleon spells.
Not much has happened here in Drigbolton since the party left six days ago. They have developed a working relationship with the talking animals, but not much else has gone on. They have seen creatures around the fringes of the village at night, and the animals have said they are coming from the mountains just to the north, i.e. the Clooney Caves.
They turn in for the night, planning to head to the manor first thing in the morning and explore the Clooney Caves after.
1 June 981, Wednesday
Weather, nice, a few clouds, warm
Akadum comes down sporting an amazing beard. They head up to the Manor escorting Zelda, Iux, Percy, and Godfred who will unpack and settle into the manor. All seems well there, and the party heads out to the Clooney Caves following the map they found earlier. It is late afternoon by the time they get there.
They enter a worked entrance into the side of the mountain which is clearly old. The floor is covered in gravel and the ceiling is crumbling with roots from above. Along a long corridor which ends in barred stone doors are side rooms. The first two have rough wooden coffins. Within are clay statues of a snakemen. Valdell breaks open the first one, filling the room with gas, which leaves him coughing. There is a gold amulet with an image of a snakeman on one side and unrecognized writing on the other. Also a snake skeleton which is old and dessicated. The other room is similar, but Valdell smashes the clay figure with a thrown hand axe avoiding the gas.
The third is a bit different with the statue having a cloak and wearing a silver ring. Valdell smashes it and sees a similar amulet and skeleton. As Valdell picks through the broken clay pieces, picks up the ring, and he is compelled to put it on. His finger lengthens, splits into two, and ends in sharp claws that are dripping with some dark liquid. He freaks out and wants to cut off his hand. The others stop him. Dolin tells him he has a curse, which a powerful priest or magic user can remove. Kethry admonishes Valdell to be more careful. Things should be checked for being magical before being messed with. She can see the ring glittering with magic power.
