CHAPTER W: GRIFTERS AT THE EEL FESTIVAL

At dawn, the Desperate Venture set sail, heading down the Fals River to its junction with the Velverdyva River, bound  for Caronis.  At sunset on the third day of the journey, as they reached the junction, they noticed large numbers net fishermen on the Velverdyva, lanterns ablaze.

By sunset of the fourth day of the journey, the adventurers reached the city of Caronis, amid hopeful fishermen by the hundred, all bringing in net after net of wriggling, splashing creatures.  “Looks like we made it in time for the Growfest Eel Run!” Thurl informed the party.  He explained that the festival was held every year in the Kingdom of Furyondy, primarily in Caronis, and celebrated the migration of huge numbers of young eels from Lake Quag down the Velverdyva River, by which they entered the Nyr Dyv to spawn.

“This is a great time to party!” Thurl explained further.  “All this fishing is cause for a week-long celebration.  And by “celebration”, I mean feasting, dancing, and quaffing heroic quantities of alcohol.”  He laughed.  “Or as they say here, “Bards, bars and barmaids!”  The adventurers looked forward to docking in town, especially Balefire and Kronk.

Arya mentioned that she would like to try her hand at eel fishing.  “There are some nets in the hold,” Elwood told her.  “We can go out later tonight if you like.”  She agreed, but wanted to stop at the local temple of Pelor first.

Thurl recommended The Real Eel Inn to the party as a good place to stay in town.  “Later on, I’ll probably head to Tumbling Dice.  Good place for games of chance.”  Zelda planned to wander around the dock area, visit some local  vendors, inns, and taverns, then head to Tumbling Dice herself.  Kronk and Balefire had similar plans.

As they wandered about the vicinity of the docks, Kronk and Balefire suddenly heard a call for help.  “Stop them!  Please, help!” a man cried out from a nearby alley.  The adventurers looked at each other, then ran toward the alley.

A man lay in the alley, apparently wounded.  A humanoid male, seeing the approaching adventurers, dropped a pouch and fled.  A halfling nearby picked up the pouch and approached the wounded man.  Kronk and Balefire attempted to aid the man.

The injured man thanked them, as well as the halfling, for driving off the robber.  But then he added, “That pouch–it’s got money I have to deliver.  I’ve got to get this payment in by midnight, or I’m dead!”

“What do you have to do?” the halfling asked.

“I’ve got to get this payment to “The Big Mack”.  He’s a bad man!”  Balefire recognized the name: a local loanshark, very vicious, very well-guarded.

The halfling replied, apologetically, that he couldn’t do it, that he couldn’t get involved with The Big Mack.  The injured man then turned to Kronk and Balefire.  “What about you?  Ten gold pieces for you if you’ll help me!”

Kronk tried to pick the man up.  “No, no!  Not that!  He’ll get suspicious!” the man exclaimed.

“OK, we’ll do it,” Balefire assured the man.  “What’s your name, by the way?”  The man gave his name: Bardo.

The halfling advised Balefire and Kronk that The Big Mack would have them searched, and would likely confiscate any gold they might have on them for coming to his place uninvited.  “Here,” the halfling said.  “Put your gold in here.  Then hide it like this.” The two adventurers did as he suggested, stashing several hundred of their own gold in the pouch.  The halfling then showed where to hide the pouch to evade detection.  “No muscle of the Mack would search you there,” he added, pointing to the front of his trousers, where he had stashed the pouch.  He then retrieved it and gave it to Balefire.

“There’s five hundred gold in there for the Mack,” Bardo added.  “That should be more than enough to keep him from killing me!”  He then gave the adventurers directions to get to the Mack: head to the other side of the docks, take a right into the farthest alley, then take the stairway down on the left, to a door.  “Knock three times, then twice.  That’s the signal,” said Bardo.  “And don’t bring any weapons.  That’ll be trouble for sure.”  He again thanked the adventurers, and they left to make the delivery.

As they approached their destination, the adventurers noted plenty of people milling about, having a festive time.  None of the partiers paid any particular attention to them.

Balefire handed his weapons to Kronk to hold.  “Stay quiet and listen for music,” he instructed Kronk.  “If there’s any danger, I’ll summon my instrument and play!  Then come to help!” 

“Kronk help!” replied the half-orc.

Balefire found the alley, easily enough.  On the right, then to the stairway on the left.  Down, then three knocks, then two more.  The door opened, and a burly, well-armed man in leather armor appeared.

“Waddya want?”

“Payment, sir!”  Balefire answered, acting paranoid and scared.  The guard looked him over, apparently satisfied with his attitude.  He grabbed Balefire’s arm and dragged him inside, through a crowded room packed with various shady characters.

There was a door at the back of the room.  The guard knocked: twice, once, then thrice.  The door opened, and the man dragged Balefire inside.  The office was plush and lined with expensive artworks and other luxury items.

Inside, behind a large, fancy desk, sat an incongruous character.  A male human, squinty eyed, balding, on the skinny side.  The Big Mack!

“Who’re you?” the Mack demanded.

“B-b-Balefire,” replied the adventurer, deliberately stuttering.  “I’m, uh, coming to drop off a payment, sir.”

“Yeah?  Who for?”

“For Bardo,” answered Balefire.  “Someone tried to kill him, he was injured, he asked me to bring the money, sir.”

“Really?  And what did this “Bardo” look like, eh?”  Balefire described the wounded man.  The Mack raised an eyebrow.  “And you just decided to rescue this guy, eh?”  Balefire nodded.

“Mr. Helper, eh?” sneered the Mack.  “Well, hand it over, Mr. Helper!”

Balefire opened the pouch and pulled out the coins inside, all but ten.  He handed them to the Mack.  “I don’t know the amount, or why,” he added, sounding scared.  The Mack remained suspicious, but took the coins and dropped them on the desk before him.  There were over five hundred gold pieces’ worth of coins.

He examined one of the coins, then slammed it down on his desk..

“These are counterfeit!” he shouted.  “Grab him!”

Immediately, the guard tried to grab Balefire, but he evaded the grapple.  The way out of the office was blocked by two more of the Mack’s henchmen, but Balefire spotted a window in the main room.  Defensively, he quickly cast summon instrument to retrieve his mandolin.

The first guard managed to grapple Balefire, but he was able to sing while grappled.  But neither Kronk nor Zelda were near enough to hear him.  The Mack’s henchmen began to pummel him.  He tried to tumble past them, but there were too many in his way.  One of them slugged him, hard.  He fell down, unconscious!

But by now Zelda and Kronk had approached the hideout.  Zelda was able to look through a basement window, and could see the Mack’s office doorway with his henchmen blocking it.  She was Balefire fall.

“Kronk!” she cried.  “We’ve got to get in there!”

At once, Kronk attacked the door.  It broke easily under the impact of the furious half-orc.  He rushed into the room.

“Time to PARTY!” bellowed Kronk.

The Big Mack, hearing the commotion in the main room, ordered the guard to see what was going on.  At that instant, Zelda, following Kronk into thehideout, blasted away with burning hands!  Three shady characters screamed as the flames hit them and their clothes caught fire.  Several couches and chairs smoldered.

Balefire, in the grip of two of the Mack’s henchmen, remained unconscious.  His summoned instrument lay on the floor.  “Tie him to the chair!” the Mack ordered.

Kronk continued to rampage through the hideout, as more shady characters continued to fall before him and the burned ones cowered in the far end of the room.  Zelda’s spells found targets. Still, more of the Mack’s minions joined in the melee.  One of them managed to grab Zelda, despite her attempts to break free.

“Zelda!” cried Arya, suddenly at the doorway.  She saw her friend being grappled and tried to dislodge the grappler with inflict minor wounds.  Unsuccessfully.

Things began to turn against the adventurers.  Three of the Mack’s thugs battered Kronk.  “Arrrr!” he bellowed.  A mighty blow landed, and one of the thugs fell dead.

Then things really got bad. . .

CHAPTER V: SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN

With that, the party headed for The Brave Axe.  After checking into their rooms, Arya went to the common room for a drink.

That night, the group went to the common room at The Brave Axe.  Arya and Zelda ordered the “Home Cookin’ special”.  Strife ordered the same, and also a beer.  “I’ve got it,” he said when the waitress presented the tab.  He pulled out a few of the coins he had recovered from the dead halfling.  “Thanks, old boy,” he remarked.

As they dined, Arya listened to talk in the common room, hoping to hear useful information.  Nothing of much importance could be discerned.  One man was complaining about his wife not giving it up.  But afterwards, a different waitress approached the party.  Forty-ish, frumpy, gray-streaked hair, but pleasant and friendly.  She recognized Arya.

“You were here before?  About two weeks back?  There was a bit of a commotion?” she asked Arya.

“Who’s asking?” replied Arya, cautiously.

“I saw them hassling you,” answered the waitress.  “I’m Della.”  She looked around, then quietly added, “I can tell you about them, if you’re interested.  More things too.”

“Go on,” said Arya.  Della then told her about the young men.  “There was Dawes Thellin.  His father works at the court here in town.  Thinks he’s special.  He hangs around with a few other local ne’er-do-wells, all sons of respectable families.  Black sheep, you might say.”

“Yes, we’ve heard about him,” said Arya.

According to Della, the punk who had grabbed her (“Arsie”) was named Arsenius Wark, the son of a wealthy merchant family.  There was also Lomin Bello, from a family of respectable members of the Church of Rao, and Nuall Styre, of the Styre arms dealing family.  “And by the way,” she whispered, “did you notice that older fellow who was nearby?  I saw Dawes talking to him earlier, having dinner with him, before you got here.”  She looked around, as if to ensure she wasn’t being observed, then added, “He had an accent.  He sounded like he was from . . . Ket.”

"I see," Arya replied, nonchalantly.

"Yes he was," Della continued.  "Now, nobody ever pays attention to an old frump like me, so I hear lots of things!"  She sounded proud of herself.  "And Dawes was telling this other man about his "connections", including his father, who's in the government!"

"He did?"

"He most certainly did," insisted Della.  "Told him there was a meeting scheduled for a few days from now.  Overheard his father talking about it.  Said his father was going to be there, and they were going to talk about the situation with Ket.  Also the "Thornward transition", he called it.  Then the other man thanked Dawes, and gave him a pouch.  Looked like a money pouch to me!"

“That’s quite a story,” said Arya.  She pulled out a gold piece and gave it to Della.  “Would you be interested in an . . . arrangement?” she asked.  Della was open to the suggestion.  Arya offered her a similar sum in return for regular reports, payable each time they met.

“Thank you, young lady!” said Della.  “You won’t be sorry!”

Having had enough excitement for the day, the party then retired.

Next morning after breakfast, on Arya’s suggestion, the adventurers proceeded back to the office of Tovan Lirk, the Mitrik police prefect.  “Ah, my friends from out of town,” he said, smiling.  “Have you heard anything new now that you’re back?” he inquired politely.

Arya related the new information she had received form Della.  “Dawes may still be passing on information to the Ketites.  We understand his father is some kind of court official.  But you know that already.  And that he talks too much.  About what he hears.”

The prefect was not pleased with the new information.  “We warned him the last time.  It seems that some people are incapable of taking good advice.”  Lirk reached for a cord hanging near his desk, pulled it, and sat back down.  Soon an officer entered the office.  “Have a squad bring Dawes Thellin and his merry band in,” Lirk instructed the officer.  The officer acknowledged Lirk’s orders and left to carry them out.

“What will happen to them?” Zelda inquired.  “Since a warning didn’t work, maybe a few days of government accommodations will,” Lirk answered, wryly.  Then he reached into his desk and pulled out a stack of cards.  He gave one to each of the adventurers.

“You’ve been most helpful.  If you even find yourselves in a . . . situation where we can help, don’t hesitate to call on us.”  Arya and the rest of the party acknowledged the prefect, then took their leave.  “Nice to have friends in high places,” said Stealth after they had left police headquarters.

The adventurers spent the rest of the day out and about in Mitrik.  Zelda took the time to receive instruction in the enlarge person spell.

CHAPTER U: NEW BACKERS, AND A NEW MISSION

The ship docked briefly in the town of Hadrian, picking up the two crewmen that had done time with the nixies, and at mid-day, docked in Mitrik.  Thurl summoned the crew.

“Payday!” he announced.  He distributed to each of the party 204 gold pieces and two silvers each: salary and share of the profits.  “Don’t spend it all in one tavern,” Thurl advised the party.  He gave them the afternoon off, and told them to meet with him that evening.  He had something in mind.

The adventurers scattered into the city.  Arya found a nearby chapel of Pelor.  After a suitable tithe, for which the chapel’s cleric was suitably grateful, she asked if the temple could provide her with any helpful items.  The cleric quickly located a potion of cure light wounds, as well as a  useful scroll.  Strife found a merchant selling sage and incense, relatively near the port.  He inquired if there was a shrine of Ehlona in the city.  “Alas, no,” the merchant replied..  “Mitrik is run by clergy of Rao, praise his name.”

Meanwhile, Balefire and Kronk came upon a shop called “The Golden Horn”.  Balefire perused the merchandise and purchased a masterwork mandolin.  Zelda looked for scrolls, and found a fine scroll of invisibility.  “Wise choice!” said the shopkeeper.

At the end of the day, the adventurers returned to the ship.  Thurl was waiting.  “Come with me,” he said.  “There’s someone I want you to meet.”  He led the party to a small establishment on the other side of town from the docks: a taylor’s shop called, “The Silver Needle”.

Thurl greeted the proprietor, a man named Logan, who led him and the adventurers to a back room.   A man was waiting.

“Kenrod,” Thurl greeted the man.  “These are my crew: Aria, Balefire, Kronk, Strife and Zelda. 
Kenrod nodded, “Well met,” he addressed the party.

Thurl continued.  “These fine adventurers have some interesting incidents to talk about.”  He turned to the party and indicated that they should say something about their activities.  Arya told of their battles, especially against the river pirates from Ket, mentioning “Arpad” and “Zoltan”.  Strife boasted of the haunted whore house, in Darksea.  At the mention of “Darksea”, Kenrod gave a look toward Thurl, taking note of the name.  Kronk added, “I’m Kronk!”

“Yes,” Thurl added, “they have all fought valiantly.  I think they would make worthy probationary members of the organization.”

The party looked quizzically to each other at Thurl’s mention of “the organization”.

“Thurl’s word carries a lot of weight,” said Kenrod.  “Would you be interested?”

“What does your organization do?” asked Arya.  “Reduce evil in the Flaeness,” replied Kenrod.

“Do we get a pay raise?” Balefire inquired.  Expecting a different response, Kenrod replied, “There will be plenty of opportunities for gainful adventuring.”

“Sounds like lots of interesting adventures, and I’m always interested!” said Arya, enthusiastically.  “Always interested in vanquishing evil,” added Strife.  Kronk just smiled and looked at his sword.  “If everyone else is in, so am I,” Zelda agreed.

Kenrod considered their responses.  “Before entering probationary membership, leave no questions unasked.  Once you become full members, we require total dedication.”

“I don’t want to be ordered around too much,” said Arya.

“We support our members in their various activities, as well as when they’re on assignment for the organization.”

When the adventurers had asked all their remaining questions, Kenrod nodded to Thurl.  He then told them to raise their hands, and administered the probationary member’s oath.

Having sworn the adventurers into probationary status, Kenrod addressed them.  “Welcome to our organization.  You will be given the probationary member’s password, so other members will be able to identify you.”

After congratulating each of them, he then asked, “Is there anything you want to tell us about your intentions, future activities, in which we might assist you?”  Strife mentioned the information the party had found in the ivory tube.

Kenrod’s eyes lit up.  “Thurl, with me,” he said.  They both left the room.

Time went by.  The adventurers began to get antsy.

At last, after about two hours, Kenrod and Thurl returned.  “Is it your intention to follow up on this information?” Kenrod inquired.  “Yes!” replied Strife.  “Seems to comport with mission of the organization, you know.”

“I agree,” said Kenrod.  “Do you feel brave enough?  It’s a long way to the Cold Marshes.  Many dangers lie along the way.  Especially creatures of Iuz.”

“Yes, I do,” Strife asserted.  “Especially if the others come along.”  Immediately, Kronk chimed in, “I’m going!”

“I had hoped you would,” said Thurl.  He pulled out a map and showed it to the adventurers.  He pointed out the location of the Cold Marshes, a goodly distance the north.  “We can back you, provide you with supplies and information,” Kenrod offered.

He and Thurl proceeded to discuss the best route from Mitrik to the Cold Marshes.  It would be a long journey-- 40 days at least, and likely more.  Thurl could take the adventurers to Baranford, by way of Caronis.  "Caronis should be fun by the time we get there," said Thurl, smiling.  From Baranford, about a week along the Royal Highway would bring the adventurers to Chendl, capital of the Kingdom of Furyondy.  "Better brush up on your etiquette," advised Kenrod.  "They're a lot of sticklers for protocol in Chendl."

Another three days from Chendl to Crockport, at the south end of Whyestil Lake.  "In Crockport you can hire a ship to take you to Izlen, at the north end.  About a week's sailing," said Thurl.  "Be careful," Kenrod added.  "The area not far from Crockport is still in a dangerous area.  Minions of Iuz are still active in the vicinity, even after his defeat.  Other areas too.”

At the name of Iuz, the party looked fearful.  Kenrod asked the adventurers if they were familiar with the Greyhawk War and its aftermath. When they indicated that they were not, he briefly described the events.

"The Greyhawk War ended back in 588 CY.  Northern Furyondy, the eastern part of the Vesve Forest, the western shore of Whyestil Lake, all were controlled by Iuz," explained Kenrod.  The Great Northern Crusade began a few years later--Iuz never intended to honor the peace.  But unfortunately for the Old One, Furyondy was able to recover Crockport, and finally secured the city about 610 CY."

"What happened after that?" asked Arya.

"There was another "peace" agreement," answered Thurl.  "Honored about as much as the first one.  And when war broke out again, around 630 CY, Furyondy and most of the other good nations joined together again.  This time, they had some very powerful -- and very mysterious -- allies."

"We know who some of them were," said Thurl.  "Heroes out of the past.  Mordenkainen.  Others of the Circle of Eight," he continued.  "Still unknown who some of the others were," Kenrod observed.  "One was allegedly a very powerful, but unlikely-looking, wizard of somekind," he added.  "Hadn't been reported anywhere before.  Basically came out of nowhere.  Didn't seem like the type to get involved in major regional wars.  Some kind of strange-looking half-elf woman."

"Hey!" protested Arya.  "I'm in the room, you know!"

"No offense intended," replied Kenrod.  "But as I was saying, the war began again, and this time, not only did Furyondy regain more of its lost territory, like Grabford, Mursten and Batlet, but other allies also grabbed parts of the Horned Lands and other Iuz-aligned areas.  And by 644 CY, those powerful allies apparently found a way to force Iuz out of his stronghold entirely, and out of the entire plane, if we hear rightly."

"Was he destroyed?" Balefire inquired.

"Not known," Kenrod answered.  "At least, clerics of Iuz still survive, and apparently still get their spells.  So, it's likely that the Old One is someplace from which he can grant spells."

Then Thurl resumed.  "Once you reach Izlen, head up the Dulsi River to the Blackwater.  You’ll eventually get to the city of Eru Tovar, in the land of the Wolf Nomads.  About a twenty-day trip by keelboat.  Once in Eru Tovar, you’ll be able to re-supply and make your way into the Cold Marshes.

"It'll have to be on foot most of the way,”  said Kenrod.  "And it's not called "the Cold Marshes" for nothing.  So we'll provide appropriate cold-weather gear for you all."  He eyed the adventurers.  “Recover “Fiend’s Embrace”, if you can.  Once you have it," he added, pulling a scroll out of a scroll case, "use this scroll.  It's a special scroll of teleport. It will bring enable you to return to this very room."

He handed the scroll to Zelda.  "Fix this room carefully in your mind.  And remember: it's only for use to get back after you recover the artifact."

The adventurers discussed the proposed quest among themselves, with great enthusiasm.  “When should we leave?” Arya asked. “Best rest up for a few days,” Thurl advised.  “I’ll need time to secure cargo for the Caronis/Baranford run, and to arrange for your supplies and transport.”  He told the party to head back to The Brave Axe, where he would put them up until the ship was ready to leave.  They thanked him, and Kenrod, profusely, and got up to leave.

As they were leaving, one final question occurred to Strife.  “We noticed a strange symbol while we were in Darksea.  Some kind of depiction of a spider-eater.  Do you know anything about that?”

“It’s Miae’s trade organization!  Her brewery, her tavern customers.” Thurl burst, as if trying to change the subject.

CHAPTER T: A SHOCKING DISCOVERY

The next afternoon, Balefire, Zelda and Kronk heard what sounded like a cry for help!  Thurl heard it as well, and alerted the rest of the crew.  “Drop anchor,” Thurl suggested.  “Maybe we can render aid to whoever’s in need.”  Zelda recommended proceeding with caution.

Once ashore, the party heard another cry–choked off!  As quickly as they could through the heavy undergrowth and vegetation, they headed toward where the sound came from.  Then Balefire heard it: a low rumble, then a loud burp.

Then Arya recognized it.  “It’s a fiendish dire toad!” she cried.

Without hesitation, the adventurers attacked.  The toad hid behind shrubs, causing the initial volleys from the party to miss.  Then, hopping through the shrubs, the toad spit out its long fiendish tongue, striking Kronk but failing to grapple.  Only Elwood managed to land a blow, with his morning star.  The damage, however, was much less than he expected!

While the other adventurers continued either to miss the toad or inflict far less than normal damage, Thurl began to advance stealthily toward the creature.  The toad bit at Kronk, who fought to shake off a sudden feeling of weakness from the bite.

None of the adventurers seemed able to hit the toad with projectile weapons.  Those who managed to strike the creature with melee weapons continued to be dismayed at its apparent resistance to their attacks.  The toad bit Balefire, and this time its bite proved venemous, causing Balefire to weaken considerably.  But at last, after Zelda summoned a celestial dog to their aid, the party finally managed to inflict lethal damage on the fiendish amphibian.

“I’ve never seen a toad like this before,” said Strife.  “Haven’t heard one burp like this one either!”  He took his longsword to the carcass of the creature.  “Let’s have a look inside!” he cried.  Proceeding to slice into the toad’s belly, Strife found inside . . . a dead, partly digested halfling!

The adventurers were shocked, and a bit revolted, by the discovery.  They put that aside and examined the corpse, finding some minor potions, twenty gold pieces, and a sword.  More interesting was what they found in the sealed ivory tube they found with the body.

Balefire determined that the tube wasn’t trapped.  The tube also had no writing on it, nor did the wax seal on it contain any indication of what was inside.  Strife then opened the tube.

There was a message, written in an obscure dialect.  Thurl was able to read it.

“Hmmm,” muttered Thurl.  “The message says: "Information found in desk of deceased wizard, named Zarlag."  He looked up from the message.  "Never heard of him.”

“I have!” said Zelda and Strife, simultaneously.  “He was a wizard, pretty good one too.  I heard a rumor that he died not too long ago.  His estate was up for sale.”

“There’s more here,” said Thurl.  “It goes on to say, "Indicate location of artifact referred to as "Fiend's Embrace".  Also include notes pertaining to "Demonomicon", and map of Cold Marshes.  Suggest investigating Cold Stones Keep.”  He read on, then frowned in alarm.  “It also says, "Avoid encounters with Iuz agents at all costs".

Several of the adventurers gasped.  Iuz was a name rarely uttered, and a name associated with much evil in this part of the Flaeness.

“I think we should make for Mitrik without further delay,” said Thurl.

CHAPTER S: . . . AND ANGRY DRUIDS

The battle against the plants continued.  Elwood, Thurl and Kronk remained entangled.  Zelda grabbed for the rope that Strife had thrown her way, but before she could get a good grip on it, the over-eager ranger yanked on it, and she almost dropped it.  But now Balefire managed to escape from the entanglement.

Arya ran into the mist, looking to attack with her heavy mace.  She swung at what seemed to be a foe before her, partly concealed by the mist.  She hit!  Arya could hear hissing and screeching coming from the area where she had connected with obscured foe.

At last, Elwood managed to break free of the clinging plants once again.  He pushed his way about fifteen feet east, toward the nearest perimeter.   Thurl also freed himself, and followed the ship’s captain.

Zelda now tried to pull herself out of the entangling plants, but again lost her grip on the rope.  Fortunately, she didn’t drop the rope, so Strife was able to pull her loose.  She almost reached the northern perimeter of the plants’ area.

Kronk was still entangled.  As Strife had done with Zelda, now Balefire threw a rope to the hapless half-orc.

In the mist, the monitor lizard snapped at Arya.  The mist obscured her as well, enough to cause the reptile to miss.  Not so the humanoid before her.  It struck her, but not with a sword.  Rather, Arya felt a vicious claw slash her!  She then could tell that her foe moved back further into the mist.  Rather than pursue, the cleric withdrew west, to the edge of the mist!  She then used her wand of cure light wounds to heal herself.

Elwood tried to continue his escape from the plants, but to his annoyance, they managed to re-entangle him.  “Don’t these plants ever give up?” cried the captain in frustration.  “I could ask the same thing,” said Thurl, and for the same reason.  Zelda’s movement was also stymied, despite her best effort and Strife’s assistance.  At the southern edge of the plants’ area, Kronk was also unable to make it the rest of the distance, despite Balefire’s attempt to pull him free.

Suddenly, out of the mist, the monitor lizard assaulted Arya, barely missing her with its snapping jaws.  Another blow also came close to the cleric.  A scimitar slash!  Arya swung back at the reptile, but the mist caused her to miss.

At last, Zelda broke free, and escaped from the reach of the entangling vines.  Thurl also managed to reach the northeast perimeter of the plants’ area.  Elwood remained stuck.  To the south, Kronk also broke loose and neared the southwest edge of the animated plants.  Strife circled around the entangling plants, heading southeast, toward Arya’s position.  Balefire was ahead of him, and reached the edge of the misty area.

In the mist, the monitor lizard missed Arya again.  The hostile humanoid scratched Arya with its scimitar.  Arya withdrew west to the edge of the mist, next to Balefire, and cried out, “There are two things trying to get me!”

With a final effort, Elwood broke free of the entangling plants, and escaped toward the east.  Zelda circled clockwise around the vines, heading south.  But Thurl exlaimed, “Not again!” as more grasses and weeds wrapped themselves around him.  Strife, hearing his distress, rushed to him, but couldn’t free him from the entangling vegetation.  Kronk likewise was re-entangled.

The humanoid advanced toward Arya.  As he did, the mist re-centered itself on him, as if being re-cast somehow.  But, instead of attacking Arya, the foe now assaulted Balefire!  The mist did not offer sufficient concealment this time.  The humanoid’s scimitar delivered a savage blow, and Balefire fell to the ground, dying!

Seeing her companion fall, Arya stepped back toward him, then used her wand to partially heal and stabilize the wounded rogue, though not enough for him to get back on his feet.  She turned toward the humanoid, and called out, in common, “Who are you?  What do you want from us?”

“You are intruders!” came a hissing, reptilian response.  “You will feel nature’s wrath!”

Elwood heard the response, and realized that the party’s enemy might be an angry druid.  He advised Thurl and Strife accordingly.  Then he yelled out, “We are not intruders!  We were just passing by!  I am Elwood, captain of the Desperate Venture.  We were just looking for food.  We will leave it if you wish.”

The humanoid continued to hiss, apparently unmoved.

Arya attempted to sway the humanoid.  “We don’t want any trouble, we just want to be on our way,” she assured the druid.  His hissing seemed to change somewhat, as if he were calming down somewhat.

Thurl made the same kind of assertion.  The humanoid stopped hissing altogether, and seemed to have settled down to a non-hostile state.  The other adventurers apparently could not change the druid’s mind any further, despite Strife’s attempt to convince him that he was a servant of Ehlona, the woodland goddess.

Suddenly, the mist disappeared.  Before the party there appeared a druid.  A lizardman druid.  With a monitor lizard by his side.  The druid said, “I repeat: you are intruders.  Zoltan obviously told truth!”

Arya, Elwood, and even Kronk, recalled hearing the name “Zoltan”.  A Ketite name.

“What do you mean about Zoltan telling you the truth?” Arya questioned the druid.  “Zoltan my friend,” replied the lizardman.  “Humans north of river friendly.  Zoltan told me how to deal with intruders.”

Thinking quickly, Thurl tried to bluff the lizardman.  “We’re friends of Zoltan too!” he told the druid.  Strife showed the druid a Ketite coin (one of the coins recovered from the dead pirates).  The druid looked at the coin, then at the adventurers.

“You look like Velunese,” he said warily.  “But maybe also friends of Zoltan.  You may leave.  Warn others to stay away.”  The adventurers tried to continue bargaining with the druid, but to no avail.  “I say no more.  Leave now,” ordered the druid.

“But I’m still stuck!” whined Kronk, who was still entangled by a number of weeds, vines and small tree branches.  The druid dismissed the entanglement spell, and instantly, the plants resumed their normal condition.  Kronk was finally able to move freely.

Arya took Balefire’s potion of cure light wounds out of his pocket and gave it to him.  The potion worked: the rogue was restored to good, if not vigorous, health, and was able to get back on his feet.  He shook his head to clear it.

Without saying another word, the druid turned around and left with his lizard.  The party had been dismissed.  “Let’s get back to the ship,” Thurl urged.  The rest of the group needed no further motivation.  They returned to the riverbank, boarded ship, and resumed course for Mitrik.

CHAPTER R: LEAPIN’ LIZARDS . . .

There was a noise from the surrounding forest.

Out of the woods, two fierce monitor lizards appeared, hissing, tongues sampling the air before them.  They homed in on the hunting party!

Kronk was quickest, and advanced toward the second reptile.  He swung hard with his greatsword.  The lizard was severely wounded.  Strife took up a position from which he could get a clear shot, then fired an arrow at the first lizard.  The arrow pierced the creature’s scaly hide.

Now the lizards bit at the intruders into their forest.  The first lizard bit Elwood.  Kronk evaded the second.  As the first lizard charged Elwood, Arya swung at the creature.  Her heavy mace slammed into the flank of the lizard, seriously wounding it.  Elwood finished off the creature.

Without further ado, Thurl and Kronk finished off the second lizard.

“Well, that was close,” observed Thurl.

But suddenly, another lizard appeared!  It hissed, but then, unlike the other two reptiles, it took a defensive stance and eyed the adventurers.

Elwood didn’t hesitate.  He swung at the reptile, but missed.  As did Zelda’s arrow.  Thurl managed to wound the creature slightly.  The lizard bit at Elwood, inflicting a nasty wound, then stepped back.

Suddenly, the party heard rustling noises.  Grasses, weeds, bushes, vines, even trees–all were moving, reaching toward the adventurers, and entangling them!  For forty feet in any direction from the adventurers, the plants were now animated!

Kronk and Balefire could not break free of the animated vegetation.  Strife managed to free himself, but the clinging plant life slowed him down dramatically.  He shot at the lizard and wounded it.  As did Arya, critically.  None of the adventurers had any idea what was happening.

The aroused plants maintained their grip on the party.  Only Arya managed to slip free.  She made her way about fifteen feet toward the southern perimeter of the area in which the plants were active.  She cast detect magic, hoping to determine if magic were at work.  Immediately, she perceived a magical aura in the area of active plant life.

As Arya made her way toward the periphery of the plants’ activity, the monitor lizard also broke free.  It raced toward the eastern edge of the active area, and again took a defensive stance.

Suddenly, behind the reptile, the area became misty.  A cloud, forty feet in diameter, appeared.

With a tremendous effort, Elwood broke free of the entangling plants.  He shot a crossbow bolt at the monitor lizard, drawing blood.  Zelda also managed to break free, and headed toward the northern perimeter of plant activity, as did Strife.  Balefire likewise escaped the plants and headed south, following Arya, who managed to reach the perimeter.  Thurl and Kronk remained entangled.  The lizard, meanwhile, backed up into the misty area, which, strangely, seemed to move, as if one cloud had been replaced with another.

Kronk and Thurl remained entangled.  When Elwood and Zelda attempted to continue their escape from the plants’ grasp, they found themselves re-entangled!

The lizard continued moving back into the misty area, and disappeared to view.  The cloud, again, seemed to move, as if a new cloud were replacing the old one.  This time, the cloud re-appeared about thirty feet to the south of its earlier location.

Strife moved around to the north of the entangling vines, then tossed a rope to Zelda!  “Grab this!” he called out to the young woman.  “I’ll pull you out!”

Balefire was almost free of the plants, and had reached the south perimeter of the animated area.  Arya, now out of the reach of the plants, headed toward the mist, then tried to identify the mist.  She drew her breath in surprise.  It was an area of obscuring mist, at the center of which was some kind of humanoid, bearing a magic aura, and accompanied by the fleeing monitor lizard, which also bore a magic aura!

CHAPTER Q: MAKIN’ BACON

At the Magic Academy, Zelda was ready to see if she had learned her new spell.  Her study was rewarded with new knowledge, and by the end of the day she was ready to scribe the spell from the scroll into her spell book.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party looked around the city some more, and took advantage of various opportunities for entertainment and enlightment, at the city theater and other venues.

Thurl caught up with the adventurers at day’s end.  “We leave in the morning,” said the merchant.  “Full cargo!”

The party rose pre-dawn, and by 5 am had returned to the city docks, where the keelboat lay at anchor, fully loaded.  The adventurers boarded, and together with the ship’s crew, rowed back to South Gate, where they re-acquired the mule team and hitched it to the ship for towing back to Eastgate.  The return journey proceeded smoothly, and by 1 am the next morning the party reached their destination.  They checked into the same inn as previously, for what remained of the night.

By 5am, all cargo had been transferred from Thurl’s keelboat to the Desperate Venture.  “Shore leave for an hour or so, until I get clearance to depart,” Thurl told the adventurers.

Eastgate as yet lacked much of a commercial district.  It did, however, have a bazaar on the outskirts of tow, which was just opening up for early-morning business.  The adventurers proceeded to the bazaar to shop for bargains.  At one of the stalls, Arya found a scroll with the zone of truth spell.  After some hard negotiation, she managed to get the vendor to accept 100 gold pieces for the scroll–a major bargain.

Nothing of significance occurred during the leg of the journey back to Thornward.  Thurl sold his cargo in town (which included tons of metals, weapons, armor, tools, magic potions from the Darksea Magic Academy, dried mushrooms, and twenty barrels of beer from Miae’s brewery) for a huge profit.  He promptly paid the adventurers their cut: 1975 gold pieces!  “Oh, and here’s six more gold for three days’ salary, too,” he added.  The adventurers were thrilled to see how well the mission was paying off.

Thurl and Elwood spent the rest of the day tending to the next load of foodstuffs, manufactured goods and spirits, and to the ship, respectively.  The adventurers spent a restful day in Thornward.

At dawn, the now-reloaded Desperate Venture departed, bound for Mitrik once again.  Around noon, the ship dropped anchor on the south shore of river.

“I hear there are wild boars in this area,” said Captain Elwood.  “We could get some fresh meat.”

“Yes,” agreed Thurl.  “Let’s hunt some pork!”  Thurl invited the adventurers to accompany him and Elwood, to which offer they readily agreed.

After about an hour of hunting, the party came upon some tracks that appeared to be those of a wild boar.  “Quietly, quietly,” said Elwood, as the party began to stalk their prey.

Arya, however, was unusually clumsy.  She tripped on a tree root and made a considerable racket.

Suddenly, out of the woods charged a huge wild boar!  All of the party except Arya and Balefire were caught by surprise.

The boar charged into Strife, knocking him over.  The beast’s vicious tusks gored the elven ranger, leaving him mortally wounded!  Balefire rushed around the fallen elf and attacked the boar, but missed.  Arya followed the rogue, and delivered a heavy two-handed blow to the beast with her heavy mace.

Now the rest of the party joined in.  Kronk and Thurl both battered the boar.  The boar tried to gore Kronk in turn, but the half-orc evaded the thrust.  Zelda, well aware that she didn’t belong in melee, backed up about thirty feet, then shot an arrow at the boar.  The shot missed high.  Elwood ran around the others to flank the boar, then struck with his flail.

Strife, oblivious, lay dying and continued to bleed.  Arya left the fighting to the others, and used her wand of cure light wounds to bring the wounded ranger back from the brink.

“Time for making bacon!” grunted Kronk.  He swung his greatsword at the boar, slashing its head almost clean off.  It fell dead.

“And ham, and pork chops, and ribs!” replied Strife, as he and Zelda spent the next half hour or so field-dressing the boar.  “Plenty of meat!” said Elwood when the butchering was finished.  “Let’s head back to the ship.”  The party promptly began their return to the river bank.