Welcome, dear readers, to another installment from Vilma's cozy corner of Orlane! It's been quite the whirlwind, hasn't it? Day Seven of "Ready" and our dear adventurers have certainly stirred things up in the Barrel Marsh.
Mummy Mischief in the Marsh! They finally decided to leave that damp marsh, though not before a rather… active encounter with a mummy. I hear it was quite the dance – grinning, pointing, and even a disappearing act! Young Armatzi, bless his dwarven heart, found himself momentarily whisked away, only to reappear without his mace, while the mummy vanished altogether!. They had to perform a quick "is this really you?" quiz, with questions about who stinks (Nikki, apparently, though not proprietary knowledge!) and evil penguins. It seems even the gravest situations can't escape a bit of banter. And then, just when you thought it was safe, the mummy decided to make a dramatic re-entrance! Honestly, these out-of-towners find more trouble in a day than most of us see in a lifetime.
Back at the Foaming Mug: Gambling, Glimmers, and Grumpy Felines. They finally dragged themselves back to Orlane around 8:40 PM, looking quite the sight after slogging through that marsh. The Foaming Mug, as always, provided a warm, comforting embrace. Our dear Floren, the innkeeper, seemed a bit distracted, though. I wonder what's on his mind?
Dinner was ordered, and oh, the choices! The menu has gotten quite detailed now, offering everything from root vegetable pie to braised hair or goat. A nice touch from our DM, trying to make things more "interesting."
Then there was the little gambling ring in the corner. Nikki (or was it Los?), our observant ranger, couldn't resist a peek at the dice game, "craps," and quickly spotted a cheat!. She even joined in, bravely losing a few silver, though I suspect the 'lucky dice' had more to do with it than actual luck. George, the merchant, certainly had a smug look on his face. Some folk just can't resist a bit of mischief.
And speaking of mischief, Jack, Nikki's cat, made a dramatic appearance, sans one paw, looking mournfully at Nikki. Turns out, the poor feline can no longer speak without his magic ring, but Nikki, with a little help from her spells, got an earful from him about his unhealed paw and lack of fish! And wouldn't you know it, he hissed at poor Los when she suggested he was "just a cat". Later, the little rascal refused to sleep in his own bed (some people buy the best for their pets, only for them to prefer your bed!), opting instead for Nikki's, forcing her to sleep on the floor!. As if that wasn't enough, he then started snacking on Ferno's leaves, causing the poor fern to "psychically howl" and bleed!. Oh, the drama! It's enough to make a simple village woman raise an eyebrow.
A Chilly Morning and Unseen Evils This morning, Day Eight, we awoke to a fresh blanket of snow! A beautiful sight, though it certainly makes travel slower. The party, however, had bigger worries. A "supernatural chill" kept washing over them as they traveled through the farmlands. Armatzi, using his "Detect Evil" spell (which apparently doesn't detect natural evil, only the unnatural, which is a curious distinction!), sensed a "mild presence of evil" that kept drifting in and out. Nikki even tried her "Fairy Fire" spell, but the evil entity, or whatever it was, simply dispersed the blue specks of light. Eloin, our resident scholar, had a clever theory: if there's no physical object, the fairy fire has nothing to cling to. Quite insightful, that one! And then, when Armatzi stopped concentrating, a stronger wave of cold hit them, dealing actual damage!. Perhaps some things are best left undetected, eh?
Into the Dense Marsh: The Mystery of the Pre-Flannish Barrow. Despite the chills and the ominous signs, they pressed on towards the Barrel Marsh, specifically to a barrow Eloin has been keen to find. He's after some "pre-Flannish" lore, and got quite agitated when the others didn't immediately grasp the concept of "who was here before the Flan, who were here before the Aridians and the Soul!". Bless his scholarly heart, he just wants to find ancient history, not a detailed creature roster.
They found the barrow – a low mound with four spiral pillars and a faint, eroded binding glyph on limestone. Los, our magic user, noted that the binding was largely negated due to its age and disrupted integrity. Good thing too, as these binding symbols are usually there for a reason – to keep something in, or out! Just as she was explaining this, the ground gave way, revealing a sinkhole right where she was standing!. Good thing she's got quick reflexes, unlike some who fall into pit traps (no names mentioned, Armatzi!). It seems even ancient barrows have their geological surprises.
So, there they are, staring into the unknown, contemplating how to approach this ancient, unstable barrow. Will they dig? Will they find answers to Eloin's "pre-Flannish" mysteries? Or will they just stumble upon another grumpy mummy or a hungry cat? I, for one, can't wait to hear.
That's all for now, my dear readers! Stay warm, and keep an eye on your pets – you never know what trouble they might get into!
~ Vilma of Orlane (Always watching, always writing. And no, I don't have my own podcast, but this blog will do just fine, thank you very much!)
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