When we last left our, um, heroes, they had spent a fine evening at Hell’s Haven and had gained something of a patron in Rowena Greyraven. With something of a little quest to perform, they had set off to visit Chumley in the hopes of learning more about the valley’s special doors and thus getting a step closer to recovering the topaz, behind the Moon Door, that Rowena was seeking.
As they strolled through the valley towards the ogre’s cave, those who had already met Chumley and promised to keep the secret of his alter ego. Entering the cave, the noise of their interactions got the ogre’s attention and he came out as Crunch. However, upon seeing who was visiting, he invited everyone in for tea but refused to serve scones as Callie, Riordan, and company had led to more learning of his secret life.
Ulfgar shared the book he had brought. It turned out that Chumley already had a copy of the book but this was the original and signed by the author. In exchange, Chumley entered the library and retrieved the book on his clan’s genealogy that had been stolen. Ulfgar copied the relevant chapter.
While Ulfgar succeeded in acquiring the information that he had been seeking, the party as a whole did not get the direct information on the doors that they had hoped to get from Chumley. Instead, he let them know that he was forbidden from talking about the valley’s special doors by his benefactor. He did, however, mention that the Dark Moon tribe of goblins in the next cave were a bit annoying.
The party already had learned from Rowena that creatures often came through the doors and into the valley. Typically such creatures had some relation to the door in one fashion or another. Hoping that the Dark Moon tribe inhabiting the next cave indicated that the Moon Door was within, they ran screaming in “fear” from Crunch’s cave and headed to the goblin cave.
Lavinia led the way as she had been there just the day prior. The results of the exploration was somewhat similar to the day before. The goblins attacked with some hit and run tactics as they came from different directions just like before. The goblins tactics were again successful but not quite as much the day before. With the defeat of the goblins, the party pressed on into parts of the “cave” that had not been explored the day before.
[The last goblin hid in a room full of debris and Anders followed it to the room. Not wanting to take any chances, the wizard cast a sleep spell to fill the room but centered it such that he was caught in the area of effect as well. I have no idea if the spell should affect the cast but I decided that it was more fun if it did. That’s how we’ll be playing it in the future.]
A long hallway deeper in the complex had a couple of things of interest. The first was another of the damn signs that had been found throughout the goblin warren previously. This was a sandwich-board sign that read “Kiktn–Adventrrs Speshall” and, at the far end, a door shaped like crescent moon. The party madea beeline for the door to find that the key from Rowena did, in fact, fit.
The door opened to fog-shrouded shoreline. It was also nighttime. Half of the group went through while half remained. The scouting group found themselves standing on a beach in a dense fog, waves lapping up against their feet. The hallway that they had just come through could be seen floating a foot or two above the waves washing up against the beach. After some experimentation, they determined that when the door was closed, there was nothing on the beach side to visually indicate a doorway. Instead, the moon could be seen in the sky where the doorway had been. Reaching out, they could actually feel the moon! After some poking and prodding, they discovered what seemed to be a keyhole in one of the crater’s of the moon and Ulfgar made a mark with a knife on that crater so they could find it easily in the future. The others came through and the door was closed behind.
The dense fog of the night made it difficult to see far at all while the party had illumination. Once the lights were doused, the more keen-eyed noticed lights in the distance…the lights of a town. Like moths to a flame, they headed for the town. Docks and ships were the first bit of town they encountered. There was no sign of people on the ships or docks, however. The same was true as they came to the town proper…no sign of people. One of the buildings did have lights and a sign suggestive of it being an inn, an ale mug with an eel wrapped around it.
Knocking on the door, a man opens it a couple of minutes later. He almost seems confused that he actually has patrons but invites them into the Silvery Eel. Inside showed it to be, in fact, an inn but one without any other patrons. The innkeep offered an individual room for each of the characters but the party decided that it would be better (safer) to at least pair up. The innkeep called out for his daughter, Elena, to help serve drinks and dinner. After a brief scream from the kitchen, Elena brought out food and drink. Weak ale and fish stew, a far cry from the fare they had received at Hell’s Haven.
The party had a discussion with Elena and her father and learned a bit about where they had arrived. The town was called Tepes and no one was out at night because it was too dangerous to be out. The pair seemed surprised that this was news to their patrons and that they didn’t seem to know of the goblins, werewolves, zombies, and the like that haunted the night. Travelers were apparently rare as well and when the party indicated that they were from far away, the pair asked if they were from Sighosa. When the party said they were from even farther away, the pair were even more confused…saying something about there being nowhere else to be from.
Other than spotting a large rat running across the common room, the rest of the evening was uneventful and the party retired to their rooms for the night.
[And that’s pretty much were we ended the session. The Silvery Eel was safe enough to count as meeting the requirements of Rule #1 of The Side Quest. Although, of course, I’m sure it is just the illusion of safety, right? There has to be something else going on here, right? Right? Gotta be something…]
grim would like to say “you’re welcome” for his brilliant idea to go and talk to Chumley ;D
Also I swear I am getting hats for all of us so you know who you are talking to since we all play 2 characters and I cannot do voices with a straight face and concentrate LOL so…party hats it is!