Greetings, dear hearts! Vilma here, warming these old bones by the hearth in Orlane, and oh, what a day it's been for our brave adventurers! The air outside is thick with the creeping cold, down to -4 degrees Celsius! Even the stoutest soul needs a good cloak, though our dear Feno, with his magical sword, is immune to the chill. That sword, by the way, glows when the temperature drops below zero Celsius, bright enough to be a makeshift torch. A handy thing to have, especially when the fog rolls in from the marshes, thick as dragon's breath, and the ground crunches underfoot with frost crystals!
Our heroes — Feno, Arand, Dwarum, Norsha, Nikki, Los, and Cairo — were off on day 11 of their grand adventure, aiming to revisit the Barrel Maze. They'd defeated a bunch of gargoyles there before, but only truly claimed a great axe, bones, and horns. Treasure, you see, is a fickle friend!
Now, before they left, one might have noticed Elo, fussily writing in his journal, lecturing folks on Flandish burial customs, and lamenting the brutish way of delving into tombs without proper scrolls. He's a peculiar one, not keen on the Barrel Maze, but he keeps pestering them about that tomb they found. Then there's Sirius, who just vanishes for hours without a peep, with no desire to join the party underground either. Some folks just aren't cut out for the dark, eh?
As for the cold, not everyone was prepared! Cairo had winter clothing, and Norsha a wool cloak, but poor Arand, thinking himself tough, had only a tunic, boots, and plate mail. Los had two cloaks, but they were just normal cloth, and Nikki's adventurer's cloak was no better. Even the elf, Dwerom, was scantily clad, though they retroactively gave him some basic gear so he wasn't adventuring naked in the freezing cold!
Their journey began at dawn, passing the quiet village of Orlane, where smoke curled from chimneys. Those in lighter clothing, like our tough Arand, started to shiver, though they warmed a bit with movement. Through packed snow and rime, they trudged, seeing farm hands and oxen steaming in the cold. The Dim Forest offered a slight respite from the chill, but it was the Barrel Marsh that truly brought relief, its boggy air mitigating the temperature a few degrees. Mist curled from shallow pools, and distant croaks echoed.
Once they reached the marsh, a decision had to be made: lunch or the maze? Eating in the Barrel Marsh is a dangerous business, you see, as the smells and noise tend to attract marsh denizens. So, the call was made to head straight for the maze entrance, hoping for warmth within.
They took the path to the second entrance. Our old Barrel Maze is a miserable place on the outside, full of rhyming cold and trepidation. Once inside, they faced a choice: the altar room or deeper? Deeper, of course! They even considered the "stinky room" for lunch, but memories of losing past meals there quickly dissuaded them. Inside the maze, the temperature regulated, rising above 0 degrees Celsius, so Feno's sword stopped its glowing.
With Feno, Los, Norsha, and Cairo lighting torches and candles, they moved through the labyrinth. It wasn't long before they encountered something truly bizarre: a passageway glowing with an eerie, purple-green light, oozing like jelly from the walls! This "Psychedelic Alley," as it's now known, caused dizziness and disorientation, making them stumble as if in a drunken haze! Thankfully, they made it through, though their stomachs were still churning.
Further on, a pit trap was wisely avoided, lessons learned from past mishaps, I imagine! Then, they came upon a brick wall, from which they heard a faint, muffled tapping, followed by a creaky voice! It called out, and suddenly, Arand's lost memories began to flood back! He'd come to the maze with his brothers and cousins to find lost relics, but they'd been separated when a hidden chamber collapsed! The voice, it was Dornar Grudgeborn, his cousin, whose family bore a vow to remember or avenge wrongs! A tragic tale, indeed!
Despite the urgency of Arand's discovery, they decided to eat first, choosing a room with a closable door. While eating, Arand shared more of his hazy past: a fall into a pit, silence, and a symbol etched into bone, eerily similar to a sigil from the dwarf Tinker! The Tinker even knew Arand as "Your Highness," and it seems their past wasn't entirely pleasant! And then, Nikki's "demon fern" started swaying, though there was no breeze in the chamber! Strange things indeed!
Just as they finished their meal, Dornar's voice called out again, distorted and twisted: "You left us! You forgot the stone! You must remember!" The Barrel Maze then fell into a deathly silence, deepening the mystery.
The adventurers, ever determined, decided to investigate. Norsha, our stealthy ranger, moved ahead. She discovered recent humanoid footprints, not their own, leading further into the maze. Then she heard voices, arguing about treasure! The group decided to confront these potential rivals, although Feno was quick to declare his intention to attack for treasure!
But before they could reach the other group, they accidentally opened a door, revealing three gargoyles tormenting giant rats! Arand, with his deep-seated hatred for gargoyles, immediately threw his hammer, initiating combat! The rats, seizing their chance, scurried away!
What a battle ensued! Arand's hammer found its mark, while the gargoyles viciously slashed and bit, dealing nasty blows. Dwarum launched two magic missiles, injuring one gargoyle. Norsha, with her stealth and tactical positioning, delivered a flanking blow, and Nikki, with a well-placed backstab, slew another! Finally, Feno, with a powerful strike, brought down the last gargoyle in a pile of hard rock! And Norsha, not one to be outdone, finished off the remaining gargoyle with a triple damage evisceration, earning her a little happy dance! They earned 140 experience points each for their victory!
Now, with the gargoyles nothing but shattered stone, the room revealed stairs going down, and the mystery of Dornar and the other adventurers still loomed. But alas, dear readers, time runs short for our heroes this week! They've regrouped in the hallway, ready for whatever twisted path the Barrel Maze throws at them next.
And speaking of gatherings, prepare yourselves for a grand time on the 20th of the month, for a live game with pizza, treats, and drinks! Lee, our storyteller, is preparing a grand tale, and many might join, including grumpy dwarves and perhaps even a few new faces! So, keep your minds sharp and your bellies ready!
Until next time, when the mystery of the whispering voices and the treasure stealers will surely be revealed! Vilma bids you adieu!
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