Gnomecalypse [5e solo hexcrawl]

[Smilex]

Crystal answers
The little folk here told me that two powerful beings have come to this forest, representing the archfey. The warrior giant Ragnar makes camp on this side of the island. For some reason he has forsworn his alliance with a dryad witch named Uma, who resides to the east. I was hoping one of these beings might help me find Porpherio or wake me from this dream. Could you take me to them? These leprechauns can't ... or won't.

[WindStruck]

"Um.. we could try? You have not tried to explore this place yourself?" Hushedfly asks.

The explanation was rather confusing to her, too. She recognized those Archfey names as the ones that were supposed to have dominion over this place, but she had no idea what a giant and a dryad had to do with this. Why did they merely represent the archfey, and why was their alliance no good anymore?

She looks around and points in a seemingly random direction that her little group hadn't come from yet. "Well, why don't we look that way first?"

[Smilex]

Crystal nods while sobbing.
Yes, let's go.
She stands up and there's a collective
Ooh
From the leprechauns.

As you gather to move on...
A woman in gray robes steps out from behind a large tree. Half her face is the withered countenance of a crone, while the other half is beautiful and resembles Crystal.

Thought you could escape me, Caerwyn?
she says
Not even death can protect you from my magic. Now come, for we have a task to complete.
She casts her hand in a wide arc, and suddenly Crystal stands transfixed, her eyes distant and unseeing.
And you!
says the hag, gesturing in your direction,
Stand away from my prize, or pay the price. Do not think to meddle in affairs that are not your own.

[WindStruck]

"W-what did you do to her?!" Hushedfly says.

"Does she look like an archfey to you?? She is Crystal, a gnome from my tribe! Not.. not Caerwyn!"

persuasion: (1d20+4)[9]

[Smilex]

Thistle asks the leprechauns
Would you help Crystal here? I could play a song for you if you help her.

One of the leprechauns says
That's Soryth the Dream Queen. She's the worst hag there's ever been. She took the head of your friend, filled it with fear, she's in a bend. She's part Crystal, part Caerwyn... Soryth needs it all to conquer and win.


Soryth waves her hand and the leprechaun's eyes turn black
One puppet, two puppet...three...

The two other leprechauns dive to cover and out of sight.

She casts a spell on Hushedfly, Themouse and Thistle.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Charisma saving throws all around.

[WindStruck]

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Well, I don't know what the others' rolls will be.

charisma: (1d20+4)[7]

[Smilex]

You feel a foreign presence in your mind.
It's making control of your body very difficult. Even creating sensible thoughts is just a terrible effort.

The hag laughs
Well my dark little soldiers. By the power of this island, I curse you to remain until I can deal with you.

You witness a stiff grin spread across the hag's face. She separates into five wisps of dark mist. These wisps encircle Crystal, who starts to disappear. Crystal awakens from her trance and struggles against the misty tendrils. She cries out and claws at the mist, ripping some of the tendrils away and casting them to the ground. After this she disappears completely, as do the dark wisps.

Themouse stands completely still, and you suspect, so do you.

You hear Thistle's voice
They're under her spell. Do you leprechauns know how to help them?

One of the leprechauns, apparently still feeling themselves answers
To rise out of muck, to defeat a spell, you need lot's o' luck, I wish you well!

Thistle looks around for a while... then she starts singing
You know I've broken a mirror or two
And I love black cats, what can I do?
But it don't matter when you're over
You're my lucky four-leaf clover

She makes a small wreathe of shamrock leaves which she places on your head. You start feeling you can move again.

Ooh, clever and a good singer as well!
yelps the leprechaun. Sweet lady, maybe you can defeat the hag's power!

[WindStruck]

Hushedfly blinks and looks over at Thistle a bit blankly. She blinks some more and rubs her face.

"..."

Some of the first thoughts thoughts entering her mind were how much she was disliking the first Fae she has met. Unless the tree queen, satyrs, or these leprechauns counted.

"Ugh.."

Reaching up to touch the clovers on her head, she was still a bit out of it. "Did she just.. oh.. good job, Thistle. I think.. Um, what about Themouse?"

[Smilex]

Thistle grabs the wreathe of your head and puts it on Themouse's head causing Themouse to also be released from the spell. Finally she does the same to the leprechaun.
I'm going to keep this one.

The third leprechaun says
You can't keep him, he's a living being!

The disenchanted leprechaun nuzzles Thistle's leg...
And then gives a bellowing laugh
Thank you gnomes.

Thistle goes
Uh. I meant the clovers.

The second leprechaun says
Keep the shamrock. You're going to need others too, I think an oak, a rose and a mistletoe might just do it... if you're lucky.

[WindStruck]

"You're amazing, Thistle," Hushedfly says.

Turning to the leprechaun, she asks, "Those things are lucky? Why?"

[Smilex]

Thistle's cheeks go red. She says
No, you're amazing.
She pushes you hard enough to make you stumble.
Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that.

Themouse asks the leprechauns
Seriously, like she said... Are they really lucky?

One of the leprechauns says
Finding the fourleaf clover is lucky, because if you don't pick it up, it might hunt you. Other plants are powerful too. Please, come join us for tea and nutbread. Let's talk more.

He opens a door into the inside of a tree nearby. Inside there's a set of stairs that go under the tree.

[WindStruck]

"It can hunt you??" She had heard of other dangerous plants, but clovers?

Hushedfly shrugs and heads inside.

[Smilex]

Only in actual Faerie, Porpherio's garden has almost safe plantlife.
Says one of the leprechauns

A second one says
Even in Faerie the plucked one's are safe... And three-leafed ones of course.

All the leprechauns laugh

The third leprechaun goes
Yeah, you've got to find and pick the fourleafed ones before they go for your neck.

First leprechaun continues
I've got burdock, dill and thyme, pine and salvia or verbena.

The stairs turn into a circular stairway that goes down about three yards and then you're in a small den with cozy chairs, table with some flowers on it, walls covered by woven reed mats. On those mats is an image which is a somewhat cruder version of this:
https://c1.scryfall.com/file/scryfal...jpg?1576673027

What's that?
Points Thistle at the image.

The third leprechaun goes
That's the Overbeing, mother of Porpherio, creator of Porpherio's garden, this land.

[WindStruck]

Hushedfly cautiously looks around and sits down.

"Oh. This place is Porpherio's garden? It's.. huge! And it must be besides the biggest lake I've seen!" Well, it was the second large body of water she had ever seen.

knowledge nature: (1d20-1)[6]

She just stares blankly and nods as the plant names are rattled off, not having any idea what those actually were.

"The Overbeing.. where is she now?"

[Smilex]

The second leprechaun starts a fire and puts some water to boil.
Then he says
I'll have the verbena.

The first leprechaun smiles and puts some leaves into two clay cups.
Verbena for me as well.

THe third leprechaun says
Pine and salvia for me, how about you?

The first leprechaun continues
Tea, I'm talking tea, which one would you like?

The second leprechaun says
The garden is a whole demiplane. Some say it's actually an island in the seas of faerie and you could just float and swim all the way to the courts. I don't believe that. The garden is much too peaceful to exist in the same sphere as Faerie.

The first leprechaun asks Thistle
Would you care to sing for us? I loved your performance earlier.

Themouse says
I'll try the burdock tea.

THistle says
I'll have the same I guess.
She then starts signing
How long has it been
Since I last talked you
I have to swear it's been like a million years
Since, oh my friend have gone and disappear
But I'm here
Tell me where and how you've been.
I know time moved on
But how long, how long?
Been so freaked to move on?
But how long, how long?

Meanwhile the third leprechaun says
Nobody knows where the Overbeing is but she sent a servant of hers, a giant called Ragnar to deal with the problems Soryth is causing.

[WindStruck]

Regarding tea, Hushedfly looks down shyly and says, "Oh, um.. I guess I'll pass..."

She watches Thistle with some interest as she sings, though at least managing to stay focused on important subjects, she says, "Maybe we should try to find him as soon as possible then. I suppose the, um, hag would have some trouble dealing with him, at least.."

[Smilex]

The second leprechaun sips some tea
Or you could seek the help of Uma as well. She's a dryad witch in service of the Feasting Flower, mother of Caerwyn. She too was sent to deal with Soryth.

The first leprechaun says
Funny then that they both failed. Soryth's magic song confused them all. Now everyone is playing their part in the Soryth's plot. If she controls both Caerwyn and Porpherio she can control everyhing in this land. I guess Caerwyn wasn't completely hers yet though.

The third leprechaun says
Camouflage girl is right though. You can't tarry too long if you want to save Caerwyn.

Thistle says
I've heard of the Feasting Flower. She's also called the Green Mother, she's like the mistress of all carnivorous plants.

Themouse sips at his tea and says
I like this place. I'm not sure that we can trust this Uma. I think Hushedfly is right, let's go see Ragnar as soon as possible.

The first leprechaun says
Ragnar's camp is closer too.

Themouse picks up a small black wisp of ... something and shows it to the leprechauns
I'd like to ask you if you know what this is.

The second leprechaun gulps the rest of his tea and says
Oh my, is that a shred of the spell that Soryth used to take Caerwyn away?

Themouse shrugs

The first leprechaun says
Maybe you can use that to trick some servant of hers? Maybe you can use it to find your way to your friend. I don't know.

The third leprechaun finishes his tea
But when you go, do remember to look for the oak, the rose and the mistletoe.

The rest finish their teas as well.

You climb back out of the tree. In the area outside there's a few trees that are now burning. The ground is full of cloven footsteps of some very large creature. Somehow you hadn't heard anything in your teaparty but it's clear that something dangerous has been around.

The first leprechaun says
It might be tricky to make Ragnar trust you. The hag's magic has played with everyone's mind. May luck be with you!
as he shows to you a path that was previously hidden behind some bushes.
That way Ragnar lies.

[WindStruck]

"This is pretty strange," Hushedfly says, as they walk along the new path. She wondered if this was what Faerie would have been like. Sort of?

"If a dryad witch and a giant, and two archfey cannot deal with Soryth, what chance do we have?"

[Smilex]

Themouse says
I'm not really motivated to deal with this Soryth. I'm thinking maybe we can sneakily nab Buffalove or Crystal and get them back home. Both I hope.

Thistle says
I bet none of them had the magic shamrock to keep them safe.

Themouse continues
We're going to see Ragnar though, not the hag. I don't think we'll be in too much danger there.

[WindStruck]

"I guess.. but it sounds like she did something to him..."

[Smilex]

Light brightens as you move toward Ragnar's camp.

A lively melody played on wood pipes guides you from afar.
The smell of a campfire and roasting meat floats on the
breeze. Pipe music and sounds of song continue, a chorus of
raucous laughter interrupting it occasionally. Your pathfollows
the contour of a narrow rise beyond which lies a glen
where several satyrs and brownies feast and play. Posts flank
the path leading into the glen, their tops wrought with wooden
faces comprised of carved oak leaves.
From the edge of the glen, a satyr staggers forward, holding
a flagon brimming with drink.
Newcomers!
he cheers,
Welcome!

Thistle goes and hugs the satyr.

The satyr responds
A fine greeting, I say. I am Robin, skald of Ragnar.

Another satyr interrupts
Fool of Ragnar.

Robin says
And messenger, confidant, cupbearer and nailcutter. Titles, titles, titles.

[WindStruck]

"Yes, that is a lot," Hushedfly says.

She blinks and continues,"...I'm Hushedfly. It's good you're all in merry spirits, I guess."

[Smilex]

The satyrs offer you mead.
Somebody has to be merry as Ragnar is morose.

We drink for his benefit.

We drink for his health!

Poor Ragnar, all full of anger at the dryad-witch.

Cheers! May his anger leave!

[WindStruck]

"Oh, what happened?" Hushedly asks.

"Weren't they supposed to be working together to deal with a hag?"

[Smilex]

Thistle and Themouse accept some of the mead...
They don't comment on it but they seem pleased.

Robin answers Hushedfly
They were just about to rescue Porpherio and Caerwyn when Uma caused us to fail at our great task.

Themouse says wryly
Could you explain more?

Robin continues while sipping from his own glass.
We went into battle with the hag to silence her ritual song. We failed. The hag and the younglings disappeared and we found ourselves bound here by a curse.

Themouse continues
I see, but what did Uma do?

Robin asserts
Ragnar knows. None of us saw it. Dryads are subtle where Ragnar is brave and fortright but Ragnar also hasa keen eye. If you ask me, I miss the dryads, aye lads?

The other satyrs raise a toast for dryads and then one of them continues
I think Uma simply failed, her magic too weak.

Another says
I think she tried to cut a deal at our expense and the hag betrayed her in turn.

A third says
I bet Uma just rescued Caerwyn and is laughing while we stand here cursed and hopeless.

Robin says
Unlikely. I know they're still camped not too far from here.

[WindStruck]

"Oh.. well I see you're all still here.. and Ragnar too? He can't try to rescue them again?" Ah, Hushedfly was so very confused.

"Oh wait, it's the song, isn't it? What did it do?"

[Smilex]

Robin goes
Ah, I can't tell you Ragnar's plans. He would think you're in cahoots with the dryad-witch. Ragnar would have my hooves if he thought I betrayed him on Uma's behalf.

Robin has a sip of mead.
Tell you what! Cause some mischief with me. Let's make a story to rival a song, a tale to tell old Ragnar. Vex Uma, the dryad-witch and you'll have his favor!

Themouse asks in a serious tone
What kind of mischief are you talking about.

Robin says
Woo some unicorns!

Thistle goes
How's that mischief?

Robin continues
It's not, it would help everyone, but Uma might initially think it so.

Thistle says
Would you mind explaining more?

Robin adds
When we first came to Porpherio's garden we had a couple of unicorns with us. But they're flighty creatures. They didn't join the attack on Soryth. So they weren't ensorcelled by her either. They might still remember how we could contact the Overbeing. Now Uma captured the Unicorns or maybe they just wandered into her camp. So I'm suggesting you do a minor prank and get the unicorns to leave Uma's camp.

Thistle says
So the song made you forget things.

Robin look puzzled
Did it? I'm sure I should remember if that was true.

[WindStruck]

"Oh, unicorns sound very interesting! ...what are unicorns?" Hushedfly asks.

"Well, I guess we could try. Though I haven't wood a unicorn before.. and I don't think I've tried to woo anyone at all, either..."

[Smilex]

Let us go see them.
Robin says

Robin leads the way through the woods, past a serene lake and across an ornate bridge over the enchanted stream. The woods give way to a wide meadow where two young unicorns play in grass of varying lengths. A few trees, several shrubs, and two calm pools break up the sward. At the edge of the forest, the satyrs wait.

If we wish to avoid war, and we do, we can go no farther,
says Robin.
You must cross into Uma's territory and nab
the unicorns. Sneak up or convince them you mean no harm.
Then, coerce them to our cause. Oh, Uma will be so angry,
she'll choke on her own branches!

https://gal.cdn.renderosity.com/imag...g?v=1399635457