Campaign Journal: From the Journals of Elis Took, Volume 2.

[thorr-kan]

From the Journals of Elis Took, Volume 2 - 0
For those of you who follow, my writing may seem fantastical. But rest assured, every word is true. (Editor's note: Certainly, Uncle. From a certain point of view.)

My companions of fortune were:
Fergus, a male half-elf. Druidish and paranoid, but clergy of some small power. And paranoia.
Gil, a female gnome. Bit of a Napoleon complex there, but a warrior of some skill.
Sean Dubh, another male half-elf. He was plain and soft-spoken. An illusionist with a distaste for his fey relatives.
Angus, a male highlander. With all that entailed. A nice enough fellow, but very touchy about his honor. Another skilled warrior.

Our acquired companion of fortune:
Bronxy, the doggo-goyle. A dog-shaped gargoyle who'd taken a fancy to Gil during one of our...endeavors. Quite useful when the chips were down.

Spoiler: OOC

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I've started up summaries for our second round of these characters. For those interested in Volume 1, it is available here:
https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...s-of-Elis-Took
OR
https://thewhiteminotaur.wordpress.c...paign-summary/

I hope to get Volume 2 summarized in a more timely fashion than Volume 1.

[thorr-kan]

From the Journals of Elis Took.

We made our escape from the battlefield without further incident. I placed a potion of healing into Fergus. Sean appeared to be regaining his faculties; perhaps the feeblemind was not permanent. (Editor's note: there is absolutely no way Uncle Elis could possibly have been in possession of this information at that time. He obviously came into those details later and annotated his notes. But then, Uncle Elis always liked to pretend he exactly what was going on at every given moment.) We had no remaining enemies left alive behind us.

We crossed over the continental divide and began retracing our steps back to the river. A slow rain started. It continued for several hours, long enough to make us miserable with our invalids. Angus found a shallow cave. So we stopped to alleviate our suffering.

After midnight, Fergus began to glow and float about a foot off the ground Sean began muttering in his sleep. I wake as this is happening. I am neither spellcaster nor fey, but surely that behavior was not normal for either! Disturbed, the remainder of the party elected not to interrupt the proceedings.

Fergus awakes, completely healed by his god. He smelled better than he had in weeks. Fergus also relayed a deific command: If we go to the Fort of the Shining Path and bathe it its waters, the curse of Lord WADE will be broken!

Sean awakes, and relates he had been visited in his dreams by the court wizard of his hated father. He was commanded not to return the box to the gods. They will use it to destroy all magic! Instead, give it to the Wizards of the Golden Coast. They can remove the curse of Lord WADE and prevent the gods from destroying all magic.

What's a hobbit to do?

The party decided to get Lord WADE's curse removed at the Fort of the Shining Path. Than we would decide what to do with the box. Surprisingly, the Fort is an output of Fergus's deity, Frey. (None of us were surprised.) Overnight, the rain breaks. Fergus feels completely recovered. He heals all remaining injuries. The touch of his god had made him hyper, so he remained awake. The rest of us continued our rest. (OOC: Frey had obviously "factory reset" Fergus! There's no way I could work that into this journal, but I HAD to share it.)

Some time later, Fergus smelled something truly foul. He choose to turn undead on any within range. I awoke, and he filled me in on this while waking the others. Outside the cave, those of us with infravision say five unclothed humanoids headed to the battlefield. We chose not to engage and went back to sleep until dawn.

The next morning, we continued onto the fort. Traveling through the Pyrenees we heard a whistling. Four gnomish-sized folks with giant feet skied past us and continued down the mountain. We let them pass and continued on our way.

Spoiler: OOC

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This one is still summarized WAY after the fact. In fact, season 2 took place more than a year after season 1.
So it was in person, where season 1 was mostly still over Zoom. And it's been a bit more that a year since season 2 took place.

The party had gelled pretty well. The DM wanted to stretch his campaign world a bit. This season is what resulted.

[thorr-kan]

From the Journals of Elis Took.

We consulted our artifact map on possible destinations. It still worked, even though the group now holds the casket. It appeared we were just north of the "d" in Bushland. Our goal: the Fort of the Shining One! (Frey, the deity Fergus servesd, if any gentle reader had forgotten.)

It took another three days of slow travel, but we crossed the mountain in good condition. Late in the third day, we arrived at a bridge over a calm river. There was a lady in white standing on the bridge.

Fergus greeted the lady politely, who asked him to dance. Fergus, Gil, and Bronxy began dancing towards the river. Sean recognized approaching while dancing might fool her. Our charmed comrades danced into the river, but it was only waist high on Fergus. The remainder of us had time to enact a plan.
Sean approached our foe while dancing and cast hypnotic pattern on the lady. Unfortunately, she resisted. Sean failed and enjoyed the dance. I sighed. Once again, it fell upon me to save the day. (Editor's note: By now, dear reader, you should recognize Uncle Elis is not an unbiased observer.)

I enacted Plan H (for Hobbit to the Rescue, Again!) I ran into the river, grabbed Sean and Fergus, and led them away. But somehow, I paired off Sean and Fergus, while finding myself dancing with the lady. I did not like this turn of events. Sean dragged off Fergus; he was NOT enthralled. Clever! Fergus reacted poorly to this turn of events.

Angus started "dancing" as well. Sean and Fergus were critical her dance moves. (OOC: This is funny because Angus's player has l33t dancing skills. She performs in multiple genres.)

Fergus attempted to turn undead. The lady's face distorted. As her dance partner, this freaked me out. Then Angus succumbed to her powers, but failed to cut into my dance. I tried to remove Angus, but finally succumbed to the lady's powers myself.

Fergus danced in and touched the lady with his holy symbol. She shrieked and dissipated. The shriek stunned all of us near the lady. Angus handled it well. I...did not. After I awoke, I searched and found a skeleton under the bridge. Fergus and I blessed the poor soul, and I continued my search. (Editor's note: We have not indication Uncle Elis was a member of any clergy; he just could not abide letting anyone else have the soul spotlight. Though he did always defer to the clergy of Cyrrollalee.) My continued search turned up the sum of 10 gold pieces. I turned half of it over to Fergus as a donation.

We dried out, traveled a bit further, then bedded down for the night. In deference to our casters' needs, I took first watch. Part way through said watch, a number of mice armed with sword failed to sneak off with our gear. Nothing escaped the hearing of a Took! (Editor's note: Really?) I demanded the
intruders relinquish our gear immediately. They demurred and advanced on me. No one else woke up; I feared dark magics. Using the renowned strength of the Took, I splattered one of the intruders. (Editor's note: *Magic item!*) However, another smote me, and I implored my comrades to awaken. With the strength of the Took, I splattered another mouse. (Editor's note: REALLY?!) Sean and Angus started to awaken when four of the attacking mice managed to worm into my armor.

Sean and Angus pursued their gear. Gil finally awoke and commanded Bronxy to guard their gear. I proceeded to stop, drop, and roll. I was rewarded with two splats and one stab wound. Fergus remained asleep. Sean and Angus retrieved their belongings. Another mouse climbed into my armor. Sean retrieved Fergus's belongings. Angus returned to assist me.

Fergus finally awoke. I quaffed my remaining healing potion. Fergus attempted to parley. I rolled again, successfully killing the three remaining mice in my armor. Fergus's parley attempt is successful when he offers food, though I am cursed with whiskers. The indignity! I shave. Fergus graciously removed the curse.

We reorganized our belongings and return to rest. I spent the rest of my watch cleaning my armor.

In the morning, we plotted our course. We were halfway to Stoneoak and the Fort of the Shining one, but clearer terrain meant we should only take two more days to get there.

Spoiler: OOC

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I write these recollections from my notes. Since I'm taking notes while playing, these notes tend to focus on me. Since the conceit of this campaign journal is that it's the PC's journals, OF COURSE he makes his egotistical self out to be the hero! Editorial notes are how I call that out, in-character.

[thorr-kan]

From the Journals of Elis Took.

Morning dawned uneventfully. Rations were getting short. No really; rations were short by human standards, not just hobbit standards. But divine rations stretched our remaining supplies and included mead and bacon, as a gift of Fergus's divine patron! Fergus greatly enjoyed his deity's bounty. Possibly too much. Sean considered the bacon too spicy. After breakfast, we continued walking towards Stoneoak. Lunch was more divine rations. Fergus continued enjoying his holy mead, but got very maudlin. After lunch, we reluctantly resumed our journey.

Around mid-afternoon, we heard the sounds of battle ahead of us. Angus and I went ahead to scout the situation. We discovered a group of bandits attacking a merchant caravan. Angus returned to update the party. Together we decided to interfere with the attack. I observed ten bandits assaulting a wagoneer; three of them against one giant of a man.

We commenced our attack.

I threw a sling bullet through one attack on the large man. Sean sprayed a rainbow over five more, stunning them. Fergus conjured an incorporeal hammer and attacked another of the large man's assailants. Angus slayed another with his sword. Gils hammered another to death. Broxny injured the last one.

I called upon them to surrender; they vehemently refused. Fergus continued to beat his foe to death with his spell hammer. Sean abstained from further action, while Angus dropped his sword. Gil killed the remaining bandit. We restrained the survivors.

The beneficiary our actions was enthusiastic about our rescue of him. He offered hospitality and a reward for saving him. He was a very likeable man, though very hair, with hair so dark it was almost blue... We accepted his hospitality, as it brought us closer to Stoneoak. It turned out our new host was hauling food goods. Maybe we could get paid in food?!

Our beneficiary introduced himself as Antoine Bluebeard. We arrived at his estate. Things get unloaded, including the bandits who will be turned over to the local magistrate. We are led to extremely sumptuous rooms. With bed! We get laundry service for our travel-stained garments. We are all invited to dinner. Dinner consists of chicken, beef, and a truly excellent selection of side items, as well as an excellent wine.

During the meal, Antoine introduced his wife and her sister. They seemed quite tense, but passed it off as having new arrivals as guests. Dessert was served. It was decent, but I had had better. However, my compatriots adored it.

Brandy in the parlor followed dessert. Angus and Fergus (surprisingly!) remained sober. We traded stories with Antoine, entertaining him and being entertained in turn. Eventually, we staggered back to our rooms and the beckoning embrace of sleep. I may have regretted our consumption, but it was truly excellent brandy. (Editor's note: Uncle Elis was always quick to disparage drunkenness, but he was certainly quite fond of a wee dram himself. The hypocrite.)

Of course, the night did not pass uneventfully.

Fergus was awoken by our host's wife and her sister. They begged to accompany him when we departed in the morn. They were not safe here. Ferus asked, "Why?" Apparently, they went into a room they had been admonished not to enter. They did so anyways, and entered a room of horrors. Fergus awoke the rest of the party. Despite his best efforts, Gil would not awaken. When pressed, the ladies would not tell us what they observed. But they would show us.

Fergus, Angus, and I investigated. The room of horror was decorated with pixies. And unicorns! For a nursery, the room seemed fine. So of course, that was not the problem. Instead, a secret door from the nursery led to a room containing the butchered remains of the brigands we had captured.

(OOC: Called it!)

We retreated back to the rest of the party. A vigorous discussion ensued on the merits of a peaceful versus violent solution. We had the skills to just sneak out. Meanwhile, Fergus finally awoke Gil. Ack! Gnome breath! We brief Gil. We determined the best course of action was to shank our host in his sleep. (Editor's note: For all his alleged sophistication, Uncle Elis was a guttersnipe at heart.)

Our group decided for me to try and slay Antoine in his sleep. Appropriately, it was storming outside. I snuck into Antoine's rooms, covered by the sound of dramatic thunder. But something seemed wrong with the target in the bed. I approached, tensed and alerted for any sign of trouble.

Of course, I got backstabbed anyways.

I attempted and failed to grapple my opponent. So, I evaded and hollered to alert my compatriots. Again, I failed to grapple. I got whacked again and bailed out of combat. Angus and I dexterously and gracefully swapped places. Fergus healed my wounds. Angus was struck as he entered the room.

Fergus again summoned his spirit hammer and struck Antoine. Sean cast a chromatic orb at him. It hit and enveloped him and Angus in a fog of stench. Both were poisoned as well. I darted in for a quick backstab and slayed Antoine. We dragged Angus out of the cloud. Angus objected and attacked me, in spite of my warnings. I dragged Angus out, dropped him, and bled out into the hallway.

Fergus healed me and Angus.

The party decided to evacuate before discovery. Our hostesses came with us, recommending utilizing a carriage to escape. We took our payment and the carriage, the took our leave.

In the aftermath of the melee, I had acquired a new, interesting dagger.

Spoiler: OOC

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We're not murderhobos, and we're on a mission from a god (who's a JERK), but we're not heartless. As expected, the recipient of our charity was the bad guy.

Of course the dagger has a story. I might even live long enough to learn it.

[thorr-kan]

From the Journals of Elis Took.

We carriaged to Stoneoak without further entanglements. There we released the sisters, but retained the carriage. This gave us transportation, but we were still in need of vittles. (We took our due from Antoine's estate in specie; we were not about to trust any provisions from that abode!) Some haggling provided us some rations, and the group stocked up on basic supplies.

We continued on to the Fort of the Shining one. This was a very civilized area. You could tell by the toll roads. In our carriage, the party made good time and arrived in Stoneoak without incident.

Who knew travel could be so uneventful?!

Fergus succeeded in locating the Temple of Frey. The inhabitants accepted his secret handshake. It turns out we had arrived just in time for the fertility festival. The Temple was sacrificing Swedes; they had gone vegan! Wait; they were sacrificing *potatoes.* Though they had gone vegan.

Fergus was devastated.

Fergus explained our Quest: bathe in the sacred well, and be freed from Lord WADE'S curse. We had arrived a day early.

Fergus was recruited for the fertility ritual. The rest of us found an inn and savaged their finest linens by sleeping in late and drooling on the pillows.

Fergus survived his recruitment.

On the day of the fertility festival, the party endured a cleansing ritual. Fergus received a scroll. "You will be met by an ally named Isafrel. Frey has made a deal with him. Isafrel can remove the curse. The scroll will return you here, but it requires a pries of Frey to use successfully." We jumped into the pool. Broxny stayed behind. We landed in a sand dune, with the sun beating down on an endless desert.

We arrived in Zakhara, the Burning World, the Land of Fate. Awaiting us was a large half-ogre faris. He introduced himself as Najib and claimed to be an associate of Isafrel. We were one day's travel from the village of Mazat. Najib met us because Isafrel is being held by a group of killers known as the Flamedeath Fellowship. If we wished to meet Isafrel, he must be freed from his captors.

Najib briefed us. There were approximately 50-250 Flamedeath Fellowship members. These were killers, not mages. Najib would be joining us on his

Angus notices we were being followed, apparently by five Flamedeath members. They attacked, leading with a flame attack. We fought back viciously. They lost and were taken captive. (Editor's note: So modest, Uncle! With such little detail, Uncle Elis is obviously hiding something. What exactly, we have not yet been able to determine.

We healed our party and headed into the village.

Spoiler: OOC

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Being the resident expert on Al-Qadim, the DM solicited me to create an appropriate native to serve as a guide. So I created Najib al-Sayf min Huzuz, half-ogre faris of The Ten Thousand.

Then I was informed I got to play him. Heh heh heh...

And here we took another mid-season break. These adventures were from May 2022, so they were awhile ago, too. We had one more season after that. But were about to start another one in August, so I hope to eventually get caught up!