Ragged Hollow: To the Bleak Mountains

Gromdain, 9th Yarthmont

After the worrying news of the wailing ghost put a dampner on the orphan Percy’s hopes to claim his new mansion, Lorgar the forester suggests they return to the town square so he can refill his waterskin. They find a putrid smell lingers around it, strongest near the remnants of the water in the bucket.

They spot Micah, the shop keeper, passing by the square with a bucket, headed to the river. The party learn the water turned bad a week ago and whilst he and others spoke to the clerics of the temple about it, so far nothing has been done. He asks Risa the ropemaker’s daughter if she and her friends would perhaps look into it. Risa agrees.

Soon she has come upon a plan to lower herself down on the bucket and take a look. With three strong colleagues at hand she is safely lowered down until she hovers some ten feet above the water in a small cavern with a muddy ledge. She lights a torch and peers around.

Groaning on the bank is a strange creature with the face of a goblin, six legs like a spider and the body of a rat. It moans as it rubs the purple postules that trouble its stomach flesh. To Risa’s surprise, the creature speaks common and pleads for mercy. If Risa brings it some healing, it will depart from the well and tell her where she may find some treasure.

When Risa returns to the surface, the party discuss what is to be done. Rodwig warns against trusting the creature and Lorgar seems to agree. They concoct a plan to lure it up and dispatch it safely. As Percy alone is capable of any kind of healing they are disinclined to send him down. However Risa’s youthful optimism wins out and they decide to go the alchemist Omar and secure a healing potion to take to the creature.

At Omar’s Percy is once again beseeched to save the alchemist’s sons, but this time in more measured tones. Omar also shares his suspicions that the witch of Gloam Wood is responsible for the golden veil over the temple. However, he does not seem to know where this witch lives or much else about her.

The party convince Omar to give them a potion of healing on credit, downpayment for saving the town and his sons. Then they return to the well and try to lure the croaking creature up. However, the harsh sunlight means it will not come up and Risa agrees to be lowered down once again.

She finds the rat-goblin in a pitiable state and feeds it the potion. He perks up at once as the magic healing clothes up the scabby purple bubos on its chest. Surprisingly true to his word, Croaker tells Risa about a treasure she may find in the old Windler mansion and how to retrieve it. The details of which she elects not to share with the others when she returns to the surface. Croaker also blames his current transfiguration on a hag that lives in Gloam wood.

After the putrid smell has made Risa vomit and with the satisfaction they may have done some good in the town, the party head to the inn to have lunch.

At lunch they agree that amongst the many options, the dwarf tombs at Mount Mourn seem the most promising avenue given that is where Tobias was headed. They believe Risa’s cousin is at the heart of the events in the town. However, it is too late in the day to begin such a journey, so they decide to leave town tomorrow morning instead.

After lunch they divide to take care of various business they have. Lorgal heads out into the nearby woods, hunting game. He returns many hours later with two giant rabbits and a pheasant as his prize.

Percy visits the smithy Joanna and the muscle-bound redhead welcomes him back to town. Hearing Percy is off to the dwarven tomb, she recalls how Tobias came to sharpen his own axe before setting out that way. Percy commissions some chainmail and whilst he has no money to pay for it yet, the smith agrees to take his measurements should he find some gold up in the mountains.

Risa goes home to her parents, hoping to borrow some money to hire a retainer to accompany the group on their journey. She makes the case that with some warrior at her side, she would be safer. As there is no dissuading her from such a dangerous journey, her father gives what he can: ten gold pieces. With the family’s savings in hand, she goes back to the Lost Ox Inn and spies the various adventuring sorts drinking there. She settles on Bilbur the dwarf and talks him down to a fair share of the treasure plus the gold she has on hand.

Rodwig finally goes to see his mother Naomi at the paper mill. The cheerful woman tells her son that bandits have waylaid the last few shipments she has tried to send south to the capital, Specularum. Unless something is done about it, she will be put out of business. A large reward is on offer to any who can take care of the bandits.

Rodwig is convinced the three strangers at the inn are working with the bandits. Later that evening, the party discuss waylaying one of the strangers to gain more information. They are evenly divided on whether this is a wise course of action and leaving it to chance, decide against it. At least for now.

That night the younger two, Risa and Percy, wait on top of the hill overlooking the temple to see if the bells would ring. And once again at midnight, the bells ring out ominously thirty-six times. Their meaning still clouded in mystery.

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Tserdain, 10th Yarthmont

The next morning the party head westward to the foot of the Bleak Mountains. Lorgal leads the way up the incline. A few hours into their journey, they come across two statues of dwarves whose expressions bear a dreadful fright. When asked, Bilbur thinks no dwarven craftsman would shape stone into such a shameful posture. The party become more cautious and wary of dangers ahead.

They are not disappointed. A couple of hours further on their journey, Lorgar and Rodwig find themselves in a staring match with a three-eyed goat. Soon arrows and crossbow bolts are launched at the strange creature, hoping to break whatever enchantment holds the ranger and forest transfixed. Risa proves to be a good shot and when the goat leaped across to headbutt Percy, the paladin ends the goat’s life with a blow of his mace.

Their weapons bloodied and the threat of danger realised, the party continue their journey up the Bleak Mountains.