Harvest 10, Morning; Ancient Forest

We spend another night in the Forest. The night passes peacefully, but that is not how we feel. I know I prefer the known of the two remaining dragons to the greater unknown that this Forest represents. The others are now preparing for their day, for myself I gazed at the receding stars, marveling at their strangeness. And I see a pair of eyes, violet in color with shades of lavender. These eyes stared out at me as I sat in the high seat, did they also stare at me that lone night in the Elven Forest? There is much that I must settle before I may be allowed to return to once again meet that gaze. Freeing these Isles of these Dragons should stand to measure this lowly outcast and exile of a Fian in a higher state. I know this is not the place to expound on such things, but Sermë’s eyes are the kind of things one thinks about before heading off for certain danger.

The others seem to be gathering for today’s event. I will set down the quill until later.

Harvest 10, Evening: Ruins of New Turlough

We sit in good health in the shelter of a partially burned Halfling home dug into the Cliffside. The surrounding town is a charred ruin. The mayor’s stone home faired better, but received additional treatments of flame due to its resistance. The Dragons now all lie dead, but the victory is quite literally ashes in my mouth. The Halflings have no home to come back to.

The day’s events stated off with us passing through the Crossroad near midday. Our strange Halfling guest has decided to join us. On the forest side we made some initial preparations, with the idea that the Dragons might be waiting on the other side. Unfortunately we were correct. I went through the Gate at a full run, prepared to evade waiting tooth and claw. Too my amazement, I hit a wall that gave way. I was in water, deep water, the surface lightening the water far above my head.

I kicked for the surface, rising what seemed to be 40 ft from the ocean floor. ‘Had the island sank?’ Tidal wave?’ Such thoughts ran through my head until I reached the surface. There, it all became clear. One of the dragons had taken up residence on the beach where the Crossroad used to be. I had appeared many yards from shore. ‘Had the Guardian fled such a menace?’ I tried to quietly swim to shore at an angle away from the Dragon, but it had heard me surface and began to take notice as Stephen soon surfaced. An empty vial bobbed up next to him, but soon took on water and sank again below the waves. One by one the rest of the party emerged and the Dragon was at full attention. Clearly out of our element, but momentarily safe from the Dragon who seemed reluctant to enter the water.

Raven took the initiative by taking the form of a toothed whale. We clambered on her back, grateful for the break from swimming it provided and the chance to plan. Raven seemed to have a plan of her own and she swam back and forth, paralleling the beach. Periodically she would submerge for longer and longer periods of time. Stephen and I were becoming frustrated for we started to form a plan but could not convey it to each other or to Raven in between our bouts of dunking.

Finally I reached out to Stephen and he, sensing my intention, grabbed hold. I slipped us out of phase, to reappear behind the Dragon. Raven meanwhile dunked Jaden and Blackhawk a final time as she swam for shore. The battle was surprising short. I tore holes in the Dragon’s hide with my enhanced claws. Stephen, across from we wielded that cruel rapier his, sapping the Dragon’s strength. Raven having come ashore blasted it with a gout of Water. Ice and Rock from Jaden and Arrows from Blackhawk continued its torment. It tried to escape rather that remain and fight but it was soon finished off.

We waited for the second Dragon. We called to it. Taunted it. But no sign. Other protection spells were very dependant on time, leaving us without the luxury to continue waiting. It seemed we would have to hunt the last one. We decided to teleport across to near the Dragons’ cave. We arrive on the slope beneath the opening, I immediately signal the others to spread out. But there is no immediate response, the cave is silent. We face a dilemma, wait outside for the Dragon letting our protection expire, or enter the cave facing it in the tight confines or worse having it come behind us trapping us inside.

The light is poor, Stephen enchants an arrow with light and Blackhawk sends it into the cave. It bounces off walls and reveals the passage to descend rapidly. Jaden taunts the Dragon to come out and fight, he encourages me to join in, but I am uneasy and do not join in. It finally comes down to me entering the Cavern. I am the quickest and can retreat more easily out if the Dragon is indeed waiting for us. I pick up a shard of Blackhawk’s glowing arrow and descend. Raven and Blackhawk are hesitant to enter the cave at all, stating that they do not want the Dragon to come up behind us, but the tight confines of this dark passage may have had something to do with it also.

The tunnel drops for one hundred feet to an area of large fallen boulders. Now at a distance that would be difficult to traverse quickly, I return to the surface to report. Still no surface signs of the Dragon. Again I descend, followed by Jaden and then Stephen. I push past the boulders, and the tunnel gets tighter as it descends for another 200 ft before it opens up into a larger saucer-shaped room. I tossed the arrow into the center of the chamber and then try to hide in the shadows along the cavern wall. Jaden and Stephen soon arrive. I manage to reach a large crevice in the floor. It seems quite worn. Blackhawk and Raven arrive as I prepared a rope to test how deep this hole might be. Jaden and Stephen took up a sweep for any magical presence in the room. They concentrated along the walls staying clear of the room’s central mound which we all assumed was a nest.

It was then that it struck.

I did not see where it could have come from, but I heard and felt the thud as the last Dragon barreled into Jaden. Tooth and claw struck deep. Raven was quick to respond with another gout of water into the beast. Blackhawk’s arrow provided a different kind of pain. Followed by Stephen’s rapier touch. I rush into the fray, but the Dragon is already having doubts about the fight. Jaden sneaks off and quaffs a potion as the Dragon turns its attention to the Stephen and the chilling touch he delivered. The rush of flame passes Stephen and spreads along the back wall. Another jet of water from Raven weakens it to the point the Stephen’s rapier is able to sap the last of its strength.

The last Dragon now lay dead at our feet.

It must have been an illusion that hid the false ceiling from us. Raven turned into a bat to scout out the crack in the floor (empty cavern with water on the floor) and the upper reaches (a dragon tunnel to a hidden lair). As she lowered a rope, Blackhawk and I examined the nest region, noting a few scattered coins. With Raven calling to us we all ascended to the upper lair. There we encountered a horde that was apparently missed when the Black Griffons were here last. A breastplate, shield, two scrolls, a bronze statue of a griffon, gems and coins and tapestries. Most fit into Stephen’s ever-so-large pack with Blackhawk loosely fitting the Breastplate over his armor and strapping the shield on his back.

We teleport back to the beach and see where a dragon has dug up the sand where the Crossroad stone should be. He attuned his senses and detected it out in the waves where we first passed through. We need a plan to get the Halflings through and to further investigate the underwater Crossroad, but it will require spells gained tomorrow, so we decide to spend the night. With the afternoon still in front of us, we decide to investigate the tower overlooking the town ruins. The Tower, a ruin itself, seems to have suffered as the resting place of one of the dragons as the upper portion seems flattened. A gap in the stones still allows access to the interior. Our Halfling seeming companion climbs in but soon disappears with a crack as the floor gives way. Blackhawk and Jaden climb down to search for him succeeding when they come across his dusty and frightened form. I shore up what remains of the opening, hoping to hold off another collapse.

As Jaden and Blackhawk move debris around they come across a archway. Blackhawk advances down this passage and is immediately pierced by several iron spikes as he presses against the passageway’s far end. Have disabled the protective trap in his own fashion, Blackhawk continues into a chamber preserved from much of the wreckage visited upon the rest of the tower. The room is occupied by a writing desk and two chests. Fearing more traps, Blackhawk calls up to have Stephen come take a look. A cursory investigation reveals a likely needle trap on one chest and an arcane script on the other. Stephen feels bold enough to tackle the needle trap and successfully bypasses the obstruction. The chest yields a book, a ring, and a necklace. The arcane runes prove daunting and he decides to hold a day until a dispel magic can be readied. We judge it wise to leave the chest in place, but this proves unfortunate as we hear the tower completely collapse in the middle of the night, sealing our access to the chamberÉfor now.

Harvest 11, Morning; Ruins of New Turlough

We spend the night along the cliff in the partial ruins of a home. In the morning we leave the heavier items we recovered in the home and make our way to the beach. Raven casts water breathing on us and disappears into the ocean. Stephen swims down and makes an assessment of the Guardians stone ­ it is cracked nearly all the way through ­ the Guardian is near death. We had initial plans to shrink and teleport the stone but these are abandoned quickly. With the stone in its present condition Raven swims up and tries to Heal it using Stone Shape. This does help stabilize the Guardian but Stephen still senses it’s imminent demise. With Raven and Jaden under the waves, the rest of us stay on shore until the Halfling (Mr. Biggerstaff, a moniker Jaden has attached to him) suddenly gets to its feet and heads off into the water. I gaze down at where he had been sitting on the beach and see a crude drawing it made in the sand. Unless my judgment failed me, it seemed to making a representation of Old and New Turlough the wounded crossroad, the crossroad in the distant Forest, and potentially and another crossroad some distance through the Forest. Jaden goes to retrieve Stephen and Raven, we had been making plans to return the Halflings through the submerged Crossroad but it would seem we have another option. It is at least worthy of investigating as it seems we can not rely on how long this guardian can hang on.

We transit through and make our way back to the camp, grateful that nothing occurred over the night. We find Mayor Welby and inform him that the Dragons are all dead. We then continue to inform him that the village and the island has been destroyed. What elation he may have felt soon disappeared in an expression of shock and crestfallen hopes. We ask if he has spotted the strange Halfling, and indeed he passed through the camp earlier in the morning. We tell the Mayor that there may be another nearby Crossroad that may lead to a better place. We will check it out and then report back on the options now available. He warns us that the food is beginning to run low.

As we begin to set out, Blackhawk looks less than well. Though able to breathe underwater, he appears to have swallowed a quantity of seawater and possible a small fish. He asks if we might excuse him as he feels the need to rest and purge his system. Not wanting too many details on what this might entail we quickly leave him to his remedy and set off on the Mr. Biggerstaff’s trail. He seemed to purposely left an obvious trail for us to follow, which is fortunate due to Blackhawk’s illness.

The trail takes us past the crack and cave investigated earlier by Jaden and Blackhawk, down to the river, and eventually to a small river island. It will require a jump to cover the distance over the fast running water between the island and shore. Jaden sets out with a leap that clears the distance. Raven was next to try, but slipped on the shore with her push-off, clearly not getting the proper height needed to achieve this distance. A splash and the current quickly started to carry her down stream. The three of us still on dry land readied measures to try a rescue, when suddenly a dire bear rose out of the stream with a wet and frightened cat on its back. It lumbered back up to the island allowing Stephen to cross the distance on its back. Know what spot to avoid, the jump proved not a problem to me.

Stephen detected a crossroad next to a stone sarcophagus. In the stone was the word ‘gauntlet’ in common but using and Elvish script. With a river tune in mind Stephen initiated our passageÉ.into a blinding, frozen expanse of ice, rock and sky. The temperature was extremely frigid. My clothes took on an instantly stiff posture. I could only imagine Raven’s discomfort in her now solid ice clothes. But she was quick with protection spells and the wind lost its icy grip. We used my rope to tie us together, as Jaden’s had previously gotten wet and was now totally rigid.

We found ourselves at the end of a narrow ridge near the top of a great peak. We apparently came through a stone slab decorated with a Celtic spiral. Halfling tracks were still visible in the snow, and we set out in pursuit, although this did not seem the place to bring the Halflings. The tracks did not go too far before we reached a cleft in the mountainside with the tracks going in. Inside is a 12 ft deep passage that leads to, strangely enough, an ivy covered wall. The wall was natural stone and I detected no secret doors. Stephen tried to detect for a Crossroad, when a voice boomed out, ‘Who goes there?’ Stephen Fox ‘What do you want?’ passage ‘NO!’ Stephen appeared a bit flustered at this rebuff. Outside we heard a roar like an avalanche, but it did not block the cave entrance. “Go Away!’ Raven and Stephen alternate addressing it in Gaelic, but whatever transpired appeared to have no effect. Stephen then preceded to play for the Guardian with Raven singing. The thin air gave the music a peculiar quality but it was still masterful. It seemed to have the desired effect ‘Play again and you may pass’.

Two songs later we were through and into unbelievable sweltering heat. Where that last gate placed us on a glacier, this one seemed to put us in the sun. Our protective magic provided no help in this heat. We found ourselves in an inverted ziggurat of huge dimensions with a domed ceiling. A circular structure of giant trees occupied the center of the chamber surrounding a gigantic ball of fire. The gold-colored bricks reflected the flames light and heat. Two hundred feet from the flames we were still being seared. We began to hustle around the perimeter of the room and saw an archway across from us. Behind us is a stone block slightly larger than those normally used in the surrounding structure. At a full run through the chamber, Raven come to a full stop. It is then that I see it too. The ball of flame is actually a Phoenix, the flash a fiery feathers now clearly visible. Raven calls out for a blessing, but we begin to move her along when there is no immediate response. We reach the archway and see that it is filled with a shimmering rainbow of colors. In front of it lies a weathered bone with feathers tied to it. Raven examines it and decides it is some form of fetish. Its position in front of the magic curtain suggests that it is some form of key.

Holding hands, with Raven still gripping the fetish we pass through the curtain. There is a falling sensation, whirling stars, and suddenly we are in a circular chamber. The chamber measures 14 ft across with bone filled niches around the perimeter and a low stone table in the center. An archway leads away. We see that we came through a stone slab that bears the Celtic representation of a Phoenix.

As Raven pockets the Fetish she notices that DeVal is very upset. As we leave the chamber, the floor sounds hollow until we reach the archway. The passage is 40 ft long and ends at a slanting slab of slate. No secret door, no Crossroad, Jaden gives a heave and pushes the slab out into the land beyond. Before the slab even seems to hit the ground, Raven rocks on her feet as if struck. She yells “Shut it! Shut it!”. Jaden rushes out to lift the slab back. His face goes ashen as he looks around, his strength fails him. With Raven’s warnings barraging our ears, panic begins to seep in on us. I rush to help Jaden with a rope ready to be tied to the block, but our combined efforts fail to achieve the goal. Finally I yell, “Shrink it!”. Jaden slaps his forehead and touches the stone, shrinking it to a manageable size.

Back inside, Jaden reseals the chamber. Raven is slow to recover. What I saw was a plain of desolation. No plants, no animals, just countless rock rings. Raven wants to go back. As we were sealing the chamber earlier we had seen the Halflings tracks go out across the Plain. But Raven seemed adamant that we must not go out there. She spoke of Blood Magic and guessed that the stone rings were drawing strength out of the earth. There drew all life out of the Plain and would do the same to us. We decide to see if we can go back if we want to. With the fetish and hands held, we pass back into the Phoenix chamber. The heat is still oppressive so we step back through to the bone chamber.

Raven is still adamant that we do not cross the Plains of Desolation. I am ready to accept her judgement but it seems the Halfling spirit intended us to follow him. We had judged no evil intent in it earlier, should we trust it now. Jaden and Stephen also seemed inclined to follow the tracks. At 2 to 2, Stephen decides to push ahead. Taking Raven’s warning very seriously we prepare to venture out. I ready Saba’s spear. Jaden pries the slab open a small measure and we squeeze through, allowing the chamber to be easily resealed.

As I step out onto the Plains, the spear seems to vibrate in rage in my hand. If I did not believe it before, There is great evil here!

We move at a fast clip. We pass many standing stone circles as we head west. The largest landmark on the plains is a large hill with a giant stone circle surrounding tow enormous uprights supporting a equally large cross stone The greatest evil emanations come from this stone ring. Gratefully we only need to cross 800 ft before coming to a small hillock covered in dead grass, even dead it is the only vegetation we have seen. The hillock is crowned by its own stone ring. The tracks lead up the hillock and around the ring. As we approach we see the stones are in the shape of figures, both men and women. The closer we approach, the better we seem to feel. Upon reaching the southern stone, we see that it is the form of a Halfling with a staff. We have no trouble passing through and find ourselves on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The temperature is very warm and the land seems to get a lot of moisture. We came through a large tree. At its base is a pile of what may pass as local food: hairy spheres that slosh when shaken and spiky fruits. Near this pile is a another crude drawing in the sand of a small figure with a staff. It would seem that this is the land our guest intended for us to see.

I sit under the Crossroad tree writing this update. I wish to have a full record to show Mayor Welby. Raven is communing with the local plant and animal community while Jaden and Stephen do some exploring. Soon we will gather for another wondrous journey back.

These past two days have done much to put distance between me and remembered eyes.

Dutifully Entered

Élensûl Lotharian