Session 79
“The runes keep going through the forest,” Gante says, meeting up with the others. “I followed them all the way to the shore.”
“Does the pattern overtake the lake?” Glod asks.
“Well, I mean, I didn’t dive in to look… How would you even inscribe runes under water?”
“We might need to make a second trip,” Kerwyn says, loading a broken scarecrow into the… ahem, borrowed cart. “By my count, this is number forty. There’s at least a dozen more.”
“Well excuse me for not getting a better cart,” Mathus says, holding the unconscious gnome. Kerwyn has, in the mean time, taken the time to tie some better restraints.
Quoth flies back onto Glod’s shoulder. “Squawk! Looks like the whole circle is about two miles in diameter. So what do we do from here?”
“Well, if we’re going to get the rest of those scarecrows, we need to do something with these first,” Kerwyn says, pointing at the cart. “I guess we could use them to try and scare our little troublemaker into telling us more about what’s going on, but I kind of doubt he knows anything useful. So, the way I see it, that leaves either destroying them, or putting them somewhere safe while we get the rest. Also, it’d be great if someone could figure out what the runes are suppose to do, other than ‘probably something bad.’”
If there’s some sort of banish evil spell we could try that. Or, you know, just burn them. I admit, a part of me is curious what they would do, but not THAT curious.
“I can dispel a spell on a single object/person or small area, or counterspell on the caster, but this seems to be beyond that,” Epona says.
Gante nods. “As for me, I don’t see why a smaller identical circle of these runes around our little gnome friend wouldn’t make him more apt to tell us what it does. If he seems not to mind the gesture or to be happy, we could just take it back down.”
“Well in that case,” Kerwyn says, “Mathus or Gante and I can go and get the rest of the scarecrows while you guys see if you can get anything out of the gnome. After that, I say we burn the scarecrows and hope for the best.”
The team positions some of the scarecrows around the gnome. Gante wakes him up.
[Alright, gnome,] Glod says, speaking in Gnomish. [We want some answers.]
The gnome spies the scarecrows and sees what they’re getting at. He cautiously nods.
[You'd best let us know, or we'll find out the answer based on what happens to you.]
Glod translates the gnome’s answers: [What do you want to know?]
[Who is behind all this, and what are they planning?]
[This is my doing... Is it so hard to believe I am capable of orchestrating this?]
[Nah, I could believe you could do this, but I like to cover all my bases. I know that your type usually spills the evil plan when our positions are reversed, but still.]
[Well, you're more than welcome to test that theory,] he says, grinning.
[If you made it, you should know what it will do,] Glod says.
[I... I'm not fully certain. The spell was my father's work I have merely prepared the circle.]
[You are related to the necromancer, perhaps?]
[Nec... necromancer? My father was no necromancer you-] Glod does not translate the rest.
[Perhaps this is all a big misunderstanding, perhaps you'd better set the record straight.]
[Gravly Steep was an honest illusionist. One of the greatest. What those fools decided to believe all those years ago has no merit.]
Epona takes Glod aside. “You’re familiar with illusions Glod, what danger can an evil illusion spell cause?”
“A a fair bit, but I’m not convinced the fellow was any sort of illusionist.” Glod turns his gaze back to the other gnome. [This still doesn't get to the main point of the matter, which is this: what's the purpose of this spell? You are clearly up to something, and we want to know what.]
[I've told you what I know. You are an illusionist, are you not, Mister Glod?]
[Yes, that I am.]
[I've heard a great deal of your skill; surely you will be able to determine the spell's effect.]
Epona looks over one of the nearest runes. “Usually I don’t meddle with arcane magic, but there’s something interesting here, Glod…”
And the cleric gets a natural twenty where the wizard failed to break a ten.
“What’s that?”
“This spell is sort of bordering on two schools of magic. It’s like enchantment and transmutation.”
“But that… hey, you’re right!”
“All I can tell is that it changes the properties of the encircled area.”
“And if it’s a time-based cast, it’ll probably be set to go at daybreak for this festival thing.”
The team discusses the possible risks the spell poses, as well as how they can protect the town.
“Alright,” Gante says, mounting his horse. “Glod and I will return to town and evacuate everyone. If enough of them have bought in to this ghost story, they might be scared enough to believe us. Kerwyn and Epona will gather as many of the remaining scarecrows as they can, and also try to destroy the runes in the forest. Mathus, you go with them and watch over the prisoner.”
They break into their separate groups. Gante and Glod ride into town. “Ok, Gante, got any suggestions for getting people up and moving fast?”
“We need to get our client first, I’m sure he has some pull and can help us.”
After a full minute of knocking and waiting for responses, they hear someone stirring inside. “‘M coming,” Hoople manages.
A small window opens halfway up the door. Hoople peers out, then opens the door. He yawns widely.
“We’ve figured out what’s going on,” Glod says. “Some gnome has been setting up a spell. It’s set to go off at dawn, and it’s focused on the city.”
Though visibly more interested now, he still speaks between yawns. “So what… can we do?”
“We need to get everyone out of the city. We’re trying to stop the spell, but we can’t guarantee it won’t go off.”
“We aren’t on the best terms, but Flipt can help us, I think. We can get the church bells ringing!”
They follow the gnome’s directions through the streets to the tiny cathedral near the town’s center. Hoople dismounts (tripping over his gown) and pounds on the wooden doors.
“Flipt! Open up!”
“Oi! Quit with all the pounding! Ya could wake the dead with that din!”
“Hopefully we won’t have to deal with that,” Glod says.
“Is’at you, Hoople? Thought you said you’d stop with all this messin’ ’round, hmm?”
“Flipt, let us in. This is an important matter!”
“Aye, and yer uncle’s a bugbear. Scram, then!”
“Wish he was just messing around, but Gravly Steep’s son has been setting up evil runes in a circle around the town. We caught him, and whatever spell they are enchanted with is set to go off in the morning.”
Roll for diplomacy, and… twenty.
“Grav… Gravly Steep?!”
They hear bolts being undone. “And here I am thinking you was just being yer usual self” The door opens, leading into a rather small cathedral. “What do ya need?”
Meanwhile…
“So, we can just burn ‘em? I mean, I could’ve done that a long time ago.”
“Well, you get your chance now,” Kerwyn says. “It’s probably the easiest way to get rid of them. We just need to be sure and not burn any fields.”
Mathus nods. “Sure, sure. I’ve got this…” He eyes the gnome.
“Leave him be,” Kerwyn says.
“Hey, we could kill two birds with one stone, here.”
“Leave him.”
The scarecrows go up in flames, distant enough from fields and forests. Over the treetops, the distant sound of church bells can be heard.
DING. DING.
“That should draw everyone out,” Hoople says.
“Glod, you take Hoople and Flipt and explain things to the townspeople. I’ll keep ringing,” Gante says.
The townsfolk have been kind of worried about this for a while, so they aren’t really skeptical at all. After they explain the situation, they begin heading down the north road, grabbing valuables since they’re unsure of the effect.
“Smoke there,” Gante says, pointing west. “That must be where they’re taking care of things. Let’s meet up with them.”
Kerwyn prods the fire with his rapier. He sees the others coming into view. “There you guys are. Did you get everyone out?”
“I believe so, They were all very compliant,” Gante says. “See Hoople, here’s the main trouble maker.”
“Cobb Steep. You’ve been working on that beard, I see.” Hoople turns to the adventurers. “So do you still plan on evacuating? If what you’ve said is true, there is still a chance of disaster.”
“He’s got a point,” Kerwyn says. “I don’t exactly want to be in the middle of this, just in case something does happen.”
They load up in their borrowed cart and head north. Kerwyn looks back towards the city and lake. “You know, we never asked him if the poisoned fish was his work as well.”
“I would say the spell and runes require mercury as a component, and since some are likely in the lake, that’s probably the cause.”
After two more hours, the first rays of daylight break the horizon. A sudden shaft of light appears in the distance, about where the eastern side of the circle meets the lake. It begins traveling clockwise across the lake like a luminescent curtain being drawn upward. As it meets the other side of the lake, making half the circumference, the light begins to dissolve. A second later, a loud, fizzling sound is heard. All evidence the spell had ever been cast melts with the fading night.
“It looks like the spell couldn’t be completed without a complete circle.”
“Aw,” Glod says. “Now we’ll never know what it was supposed to do!”
The group returns to the town to make sure everything is as it should be. Satisfied that nothing is out of the ordinary, they travel north to let the people know their city is safe.
“And what do we do with this one?” Mathus asks, holding up Cobb Steep.
“Well, we obviously can’t let him go, or he might try and do this again,” Kerwyn says. “I guess we should turn him over to the townsfolk, and let them decide.”
Hoople nods. “Yes, he’ll have to be given a proper trial first.”
“Well first, I think there was a festival that was suppose to happen today…”
“Of course!” Flipt says. “Enough of this doom and gloom.” He climbs on to the cart to address everyone. “People of Gade! We have been blessed with an abundant summer! Let us enjoy the fruits of our labor and thank the sun for a plentiful harvest!”
The farmers return with the best of the season (save for one who couldn’t find his cart). A band of bards strikes up a jovial tune.
The rest of the day consists of dancing and drinking, until Hoople approaches with a rather bored looking messenger.
“Ah, yes, here they are,” Hoople says gesturing at the party. “This fellow says he’s been looking for your group for a while now.”
“Celes, Karkin… It was looking like you all were heading straight to the sea judging by the runaround I got. I’ve got a message for you from Lord Stravin.”
“That’s… that’s like, 400 gold pieces each!”
“You’ll have to pick that up in person, of course. Just need you to sign here. A group name will suffice if you’ve got one.”
“Huh… guess we don’t really have a group name…”
Kerwyn chuckles. “How about, ‘those guys who are always there to save the day?’”
Gante signs the name as Kerwyn suggests.
