Den No. 47
Leaving Hag’s Glen and the Ancient Crone who inhabited it, the road was fairly easy going, with Rya Rezna leading the way and Po Trout taking up the rear. The party felt a little odd after the encounter with the strange woman--away from the old hovel and a magic so ancient and powerful, they could feel the mundane nature of everything around them. Still fresh in the groups' mindseye was her eyes turning black and the words she spoke:
“When whitestone gives way to black earth and the shells come in on the tide, you will find aid from stone or from iron or from blood.”
They seem to have chosen iron, but what does it mean? Plenty of time to ponder on the road. Nancy felt like it was good material for a new song; Ironica felt grateful her itchy fingers were not tempted to pocket anything; Dala’gse was curious if all grandmothers outside of Mbalu are like the old crone; Zireael was unsettled by such strange magic and happy to be out of the place; Safad was thinking about when Po would give him his next dose of laudinsfös; Rook was flying about annoyed, giving Safad the cold shoulder.
After another frigid night at the foot of the mountains, the party followed the snowy adventurers' trail toward Myth Sveldin. They reached an old wooden bridge, suspended by ropes, spanning a shallow river canyon. About halfway across, a raggedy old--geriatric, really--goblin with more fingers than teeth, a number of large, saggy, nose piercings, and some animal fur cap, jumped out from behind a boulder at the other end of the bridge. He announced that the group had to pay the customary toll of 75gp to cross, with all proceeds funding the maintenance of the bridge. To his credit, the bridge did look like it had a few boards recently replaced, and the hempen rope looked fairly new.
Nancy thought the price was far too dear and asked what if they did not pay? The goblin replied that he had a number of friends hidden in the rocky outcroppings surrounding the bridge, seasoned veterans of the Great Goblin War of the Greypeaks, sharpshooters and hawkeyes all of them, with bows trained upon the group. Ironica and Zireael did not see any of these supposed marksmen...or any "rocky outcroppings" for that matter. Dala'gse did not believe him and continued his march across. The goblin protested as Dala'gse approached and then let out a little shriek of recognition. "It's you, the Heron!" he exclaimed. "And you, the Stag...and the Shepherd, the Maiden, the Dagger, the Cross! Oh good, she will be so happy, please come follow me!"
The group shrugged, looked at each other skeptically, and followed the goblin, who introduced himself as "Prex." He led them down a series of tight switchbacks to the river below and followed it upstream a bit, deeper into the mountains. About half a mile in he showed them a small opening in the rocky face of the canyon, cleverly concealed by a a few wild dwarf reingold arborvitae shrubs. Nancy asked where he was taking them, and Prex explained that "Mother" had told him a tenday ago to look out for people matching their description. He then added that since Nancy had those instruments all the guys would love to hear some good music, and she could even sing about Kargi the barkeep and his wolf, Dunny! He told them not to stick to the tavern and not to go down the offal tunnel, if they valued their nose hairs.
Prex led the group through the opening and into an antechamber, mudroom, of sorts. Wet, dirty, boots lined the walls, quite orderly, and rusty swords and axes hung from mounts on the wall. He led them through a small tunnel that emerged in what was clearly the tavern: four rows of communal tables were laid out in the middle of the cavern, smoky torches lined the walls, and a long stone bar took up half of a wall. Seated at the tables were twenty or thirty geriatric male goblins in various stages of disrepair, each with a well-worn mug or other drinking vessel to hand. They were dressed in rag-tag cloths and furs, and decorated their bodies with some kind of status signalling: some with piercings, others with tattoos and patterned scarring. The barkeep, Kargi, hopped to attention when the group entered, and his pet wolf, Dunny, looked up lazily from his spot at the floor. The place did not smell great.
Ironica asked what the hell was this place.
Prex explained that this was the outpost of the forty-seventh (or was it fifty-first?) mountain division, charged with upkeep for that crucial bridge during the Great Goblin War of the Greypeaks (GGWotG). They had been stationed here since during the war and seeing as it was fairly far from most of the fighting, they were never informed that the war ended. So they just kept maintaining the bridge. Eventually they ran out of supplies and coin and so they started charging for use of the bridge. That was fifty years ago, they've been here ever since. The youngest among them was just a young pup during the war, that'd be Kargi the Barkeep, who was a spry spring chicken at 65 years. Kargi shuffled over to a barrel behind the bar and poured them some grog. Prex said they should go meet Mother.
Nancy entertained the old-timers with song while the rest followed Prex down a back tunnel to a high vaulted cavern through which a half frozen waterfall cascaded delicately into a misty pool. The pool was carved to form a smooth basin with some old, intricate stonework, and it was rimmed with tallow candles of various sizes that cast a pretty glow to the mist and ice. The room was neat and orderly, and in the far corner gazing at the waterfall was an old goblin woman, with some of the more aggressive status signalling: a large golden septum piercing that extended her nose by at least an inch; banded tattoos on her forehead; and feathers and antlers braided into her grey, greasy, hair.
Prex introduced her as "Mother" and she welcomed them all by name, or the now seemingly oft-associated astrological sign. The group demanded to know what the heck was going on and how she knew they were coming. Mother explained that she sometimes hears voices in the waterfall--sometimes in her own head too!--and this one was a woman's voice who told her to watch out for the group. The voice described them all in vivid detail and told Mother to ask about their key. Mother then asked about their key.
Safad produced the cast iron key from the Ancient Crone from the folds of his robes and Mother's face lit up and she ushered them over to a large bookcase. She explained that someone who passed through some time ago, maybe 40 years, just after the GGWotG, had brought this book with him and he was looking for similar keys. She found the right book and showed them a drawing of a very similar key to their own. She said the researcher was certain that the keys unlocked doors in the old mines that had once dotted the Greypeaks, mines created by some long gone inhabitants of the region. She wasn't sure what was in the mines but she promised to look into it. She said they had run across a few during her time but that the locks were too much trouble, even for tricksy goblin fingers. She agreed to send out some of her boys to see if they could find mines with locked rooms.
Safad said that would be lovely and said they would check in upon their return from Myth Sveldin. Prex asked what a Myth Sveldin was. Zireael and Dala'gse explained it was a ruined city in the Underdark full of treasure. Prex's eyes lit up. Zireael asked if he wanted to join them, and if he saw much action during the war. Prex lifted his hunched, scoliotic frame as straight as he could, puffed up his indented chest, and looked at the group through his rheumy, cataract-ridden eyes, and said that as Captain of the sixty-second mountain he led his troops on many dangerous escapades, including ridding two species of squirrel infestation from the bridge, and once stopping four raccoons! He had seen action and was ready to serve again to get as many Myth Sveldins as he could for his den. Mother patted him on the back affectionately and told him he was allowed to go if he wanted, but admonished the group to look after her "captain" Prex.
Prex rushed out to the tavern room to tell the boys he was headed on an adventure. He hobbled back to the bunkhouse to get outfitted while the goblins took up a wartime song about winning true love's affection. They substituted the name in the song with "Nancy the Bard" and blew kisses at her. Kargi poured another round and cheers went up all around as Prex returned in his finest, patchwork armor. Zireael then asked a nearby goblin if he also wanted to join. He introduced himself as Falz, the lieutenant, and clearly the brains behind captain Prex's famous raccoon rout. He would be honored to join. Z then learned he was 78. To help bring the average age down, they asked Kargi if he wanted to join. He agreed so long as his wolf Dunny would come along as well. Problem was, Dunny had severe arthritis in his hind hips. Kargi asked if that stuff Rya, Po, and Safad were taking might help. He slipped a little sfös to the wolf, and lo and behold, he got off the floor with barely a whinge.
So it was that Zireael, Dala'gse, Ironica, Safad Kulius, Nancy, and Slothrop set out for Myth Sveldin from Den No. 47, led by Rya Rezna and Po Trout, and with Captain Prex, Lieutenant Falz, Quartermaster Kargi, and Dunny the Wolf. As the goblin chorus reached its crescendo at the exit to the Den, Mother yelled over the din, "Twelve companions...so be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Key!"
“When whitestone gives way to black earth and the shells come in on the tide, you will find aid from stone or from iron or from blood.”
They seem to have chosen iron, but what does it mean? Plenty of time to ponder on the road. Nancy felt like it was good material for a new song; Ironica felt grateful her itchy fingers were not tempted to pocket anything; Dala’gse was curious if all grandmothers outside of Mbalu are like the old crone; Zireael was unsettled by such strange magic and happy to be out of the place; Safad was thinking about when Po would give him his next dose of laudinsfös; Rook was flying about annoyed, giving Safad the cold shoulder.
After another frigid night at the foot of the mountains, the party followed the snowy adventurers' trail toward Myth Sveldin. They reached an old wooden bridge, suspended by ropes, spanning a shallow river canyon. About halfway across, a raggedy old--geriatric, really--goblin with more fingers than teeth, a number of large, saggy, nose piercings, and some animal fur cap, jumped out from behind a boulder at the other end of the bridge. He announced that the group had to pay the customary toll of 75gp to cross, with all proceeds funding the maintenance of the bridge. To his credit, the bridge did look like it had a few boards recently replaced, and the hempen rope looked fairly new.
Nancy thought the price was far too dear and asked what if they did not pay? The goblin replied that he had a number of friends hidden in the rocky outcroppings surrounding the bridge, seasoned veterans of the Great Goblin War of the Greypeaks, sharpshooters and hawkeyes all of them, with bows trained upon the group. Ironica and Zireael did not see any of these supposed marksmen...or any "rocky outcroppings" for that matter. Dala'gse did not believe him and continued his march across. The goblin protested as Dala'gse approached and then let out a little shriek of recognition. "It's you, the Heron!" he exclaimed. "And you, the Stag...and the Shepherd, the Maiden, the Dagger, the Cross! Oh good, she will be so happy, please come follow me!"
The group shrugged, looked at each other skeptically, and followed the goblin, who introduced himself as "Prex." He led them down a series of tight switchbacks to the river below and followed it upstream a bit, deeper into the mountains. About half a mile in he showed them a small opening in the rocky face of the canyon, cleverly concealed by a a few wild dwarf reingold arborvitae shrubs. Nancy asked where he was taking them, and Prex explained that "Mother" had told him a tenday ago to look out for people matching their description. He then added that since Nancy had those instruments all the guys would love to hear some good music, and she could even sing about Kargi the barkeep and his wolf, Dunny! He told them not to stick to the tavern and not to go down the offal tunnel, if they valued their nose hairs.
Prex led the group through the opening and into an antechamber, mudroom, of sorts. Wet, dirty, boots lined the walls, quite orderly, and rusty swords and axes hung from mounts on the wall. He led them through a small tunnel that emerged in what was clearly the tavern: four rows of communal tables were laid out in the middle of the cavern, smoky torches lined the walls, and a long stone bar took up half of a wall. Seated at the tables were twenty or thirty geriatric male goblins in various stages of disrepair, each with a well-worn mug or other drinking vessel to hand. They were dressed in rag-tag cloths and furs, and decorated their bodies with some kind of status signalling: some with piercings, others with tattoos and patterned scarring. The barkeep, Kargi, hopped to attention when the group entered, and his pet wolf, Dunny, looked up lazily from his spot at the floor. The place did not smell great.
Ironica asked what the hell was this place.
Prex explained that this was the outpost of the forty-seventh (or was it fifty-first?) mountain division, charged with upkeep for that crucial bridge during the Great Goblin War of the Greypeaks (GGWotG). They had been stationed here since during the war and seeing as it was fairly far from most of the fighting, they were never informed that the war ended. So they just kept maintaining the bridge. Eventually they ran out of supplies and coin and so they started charging for use of the bridge. That was fifty years ago, they've been here ever since. The youngest among them was just a young pup during the war, that'd be Kargi the Barkeep, who was a spry spring chicken at 65 years. Kargi shuffled over to a barrel behind the bar and poured them some grog. Prex said they should go meet Mother.
Nancy entertained the old-timers with song while the rest followed Prex down a back tunnel to a high vaulted cavern through which a half frozen waterfall cascaded delicately into a misty pool. The pool was carved to form a smooth basin with some old, intricate stonework, and it was rimmed with tallow candles of various sizes that cast a pretty glow to the mist and ice. The room was neat and orderly, and in the far corner gazing at the waterfall was an old goblin woman, with some of the more aggressive status signalling: a large golden septum piercing that extended her nose by at least an inch; banded tattoos on her forehead; and feathers and antlers braided into her grey, greasy, hair.
Prex introduced her as "Mother" and she welcomed them all by name, or the now seemingly oft-associated astrological sign. The group demanded to know what the heck was going on and how she knew they were coming. Mother explained that she sometimes hears voices in the waterfall--sometimes in her own head too!--and this one was a woman's voice who told her to watch out for the group. The voice described them all in vivid detail and told Mother to ask about their key. Mother then asked about their key.
Safad produced the cast iron key from the Ancient Crone from the folds of his robes and Mother's face lit up and she ushered them over to a large bookcase. She explained that someone who passed through some time ago, maybe 40 years, just after the GGWotG, had brought this book with him and he was looking for similar keys. She found the right book and showed them a drawing of a very similar key to their own. She said the researcher was certain that the keys unlocked doors in the old mines that had once dotted the Greypeaks, mines created by some long gone inhabitants of the region. She wasn't sure what was in the mines but she promised to look into it. She said they had run across a few during her time but that the locks were too much trouble, even for tricksy goblin fingers. She agreed to send out some of her boys to see if they could find mines with locked rooms.
Safad said that would be lovely and said they would check in upon their return from Myth Sveldin. Prex asked what a Myth Sveldin was. Zireael and Dala'gse explained it was a ruined city in the Underdark full of treasure. Prex's eyes lit up. Zireael asked if he wanted to join them, and if he saw much action during the war. Prex lifted his hunched, scoliotic frame as straight as he could, puffed up his indented chest, and looked at the group through his rheumy, cataract-ridden eyes, and said that as Captain of the sixty-second mountain he led his troops on many dangerous escapades, including ridding two species of squirrel infestation from the bridge, and once stopping four raccoons! He had seen action and was ready to serve again to get as many Myth Sveldins as he could for his den. Mother patted him on the back affectionately and told him he was allowed to go if he wanted, but admonished the group to look after her "captain" Prex.
Prex rushed out to the tavern room to tell the boys he was headed on an adventure. He hobbled back to the bunkhouse to get outfitted while the goblins took up a wartime song about winning true love's affection. They substituted the name in the song with "Nancy the Bard" and blew kisses at her. Kargi poured another round and cheers went up all around as Prex returned in his finest, patchwork armor. Zireael then asked a nearby goblin if he also wanted to join. He introduced himself as Falz, the lieutenant, and clearly the brains behind captain Prex's famous raccoon rout. He would be honored to join. Z then learned he was 78. To help bring the average age down, they asked Kargi if he wanted to join. He agreed so long as his wolf Dunny would come along as well. Problem was, Dunny had severe arthritis in his hind hips. Kargi asked if that stuff Rya, Po, and Safad were taking might help. He slipped a little sfös to the wolf, and lo and behold, he got off the floor with barely a whinge.
So it was that Zireael, Dala'gse, Ironica, Safad Kulius, Nancy, and Slothrop set out for Myth Sveldin from Den No. 47, led by Rya Rezna and Po Trout, and with Captain Prex, Lieutenant Falz, Quartermaster Kargi, and Dunny the Wolf. As the goblin chorus reached its crescendo at the exit to the Den, Mother yelled over the din, "Twelve companions...so be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Key!"
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