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The rift is investigated further where the party comes across a passageway, undisturbed by the rent in the earth, that leads to some sort of shrine. After forcing a door open, the party finds faded mosaic tiles covering parts of the wall, but most have fallen and shattered. A pedestal of rusted iron shaped like an upright dragon occupies the room, in its mouth rests an empty tray. A search reveals nothing more.

Continuing on the spelunkers find that the rift widens, creating a node. Familiar 1-foot-diameter holes riddle the node. A fiery light shines out of one such hole. Before anyone can act a Thoqqua springs forth and closes the gap. Skuli punishes it with a bow shot and Ragnarr buries his dwarven war-axe deep, killing the elemental creature before it can cause harm. Having learned from their previous encounter, Eirik guts it to reveal its valuable meal.

150 XP
2 sapphires @ 50 gp

Satisfied that the rift has been explored Thvar urges the party to return to the gallery of subterranean gardens. Picking up where they left off they push north into the complex. A large hall mirrors the hall to the south. Taking the east door after sounds of scraping and plodding are heard, the party attacks 3 skeletons mindlessly tending a variety of fungus. With only Thvar equipped with an appropriate weapon, the fight could be slow. Devastating damage makes short work of the animated bones in spite of poor weapons for the fight.

75 XP
Note: DM screw up - Undead are immune to critical hits.

Moving to the far north door, the party bursts into a room much like the others being gardened and finds a lone bugbear. Skuli nails him to the wall with a powerful shot before he can make a move. A few coins are found in his pocket.

150 XP

This garden, unlike the others, has another exit. Moving down a short hall the party enters a half oval shaped room where dragon carved granite blocks tile the walls and ceiling. Many are crumbled and broken, creating debris on the floor. A huge marble statue of a rearing dragon stands in the curve of the western wall. The eye sockets of the dragon are empty, but a red glow lingers there, creating reddish light throughout the chamber. A crumbling 5 foot circular red stone tile is inset in the floor in front of the carving. Draconic runes are carved around the inner edge.

No sooner does Eirik touch the tile than a Shadow passes through the statue and strikes out from it. Only Thvar has a weapon that can harm the creature. The party stands back and ready themselves as Thvar calls upon Odin to banish the evil spirit. The shadow resists Thvar, attacking him and draining his strength (-1 STR). Thvar enchants Ragnarr's axe and the two of them send the shadow back to the dark realm.

Eirik stands on the tile and speaks in Draconic, Ea serpenta rau kaluva nyawisti. A puff of spectral flame harmlessly envelops him and boosts his Charisma (+4 CHA, duration unknown).

Skuli and Ragnarr search the statue and find a loose stone in the wall behind it where the Shadow kept some coin and some flasks. Eirik identifies the contents.

225 XP
2 alchemist fires

Entering the adjoining room to the north a long abandoned and most destroyed library is found. A search of the shelves and rubbish turns a an interesting book and a few scrolls.

A mostly unscathed tome of dragon lore written in Draconic (150 gp; a character fluent in Draconic can use it to add a +1 bonus to all Knowledge checks dealing with dragons).
Arcane scroll of pyrotechnics
Arcane scroll of Melf s acid arrow

On the other side of the library damp are crumbled steps descending sharply. A 10 foot-wide, 8 foot-tall stone corridor passes about 7 feet below the explored areas above. The steps descend 15 feet, connecting the passages on either side. The underpass intersects a vein of moisture, and it is in a constant state of disrepair.

Climbing back up on the other side the party moves down a long dark hall. At the far south end Ragnarr finds two doors. The first is quiet and the second reveals a few goblin voices. Skuli fails to jimmy the lock of the first door, so settles in to take his time. As he does, Thvar has a vision of the room they are about to enter. He sees a library. This one is in good condition, other than the experimental plants growing in the middle of the floor. Most of the written material contains seasonal records of growth, precipitation, harvests, and similarly less than useful records for the surrounding upper lands for the last dozen years. He sees items of value hidden among the mundane writings. The party takes time to search before exiting to where the goblin voices were heard.

A tome written in Druidic (150 gp; a character fluent in Druidic can add +1 to all Knowledge checks dealing with nature).
A Divine scroll of slow poison
A divine scroll of entangle
Tome titled, in Draconic, Treasures of the Fire Lords

Skuli tries to sneak into the southern chamber but is spotted by 4 goblins sorting twig and root piles on the floor of this sagging chamber. The collapsed southern wall opens on a vast cavern. Pustules of luminescent fungus on the rough walls and high roof loom over a twilight grove of sickly briers, bushes, saplings, and other woody plants. Ruined walls and hollow towers protrude from the briers like islands in the sea.

A fight ensues. When the tide turns against them, the goblins cry out, Aid us, Protector of the Twilight Grove! Help does not arrive and the adventurers enter the twilight grove after looting a few coins.

100 XP

Pale, spindly briers coated with tiny barbs press close. The violet light above casts nauseating shadows on the earthen floor, creating the illusion of movement among the branches, though no wind blows here. The Skandiks and their allied Wood Elf and Hill Dwarf discover that movement is slowed lest they be shredded by the thorns of the ubiquitous Brier patches. They barely made progress before being attacked by four Twig Blights. As they fought more Twig Blights kept arriving, no doubt attracted by the sound of battle. Eirik was most injured and his strength sapped by the plantlings poisonous claws. Before the fight ended, no less than 10 of the animated plants lay dead.

250 XP

Total coins from the various encounters:
51 sp
51 gp

Total of 950 XP for each PC

Supplicants? WTF? Ragnarr and company hurl insults and close on Belak and his apparently bark skinned bodyguards. Sir Bradford, the giant tree frog and three twig blights arrange themselves in a screen in front of Belak. Sharwyn takes up a flanking position to protect the crazed druids right.

Skuli tries to outflank the assembly, taking cover behind the ruins wall which more or less surrounds the Gulthias tree. He trades arrows with Sharwyns magic missile, getting the worse of the exchange. Ragnarr and Eirik take on the Paladin of Apollo and the animated thorn bushes, as Thvar and the faithful Hundr charge straight for Belak, exposing themselves to attacks as they burst through the defensive line.

Sir Bradford repeatedly makes sunder attacks against the barbarian dwarfs dwarven war axe. He nearly succeeds before Eirik downs him with a sleep spell. Skuli ignores Sharwyns remaining failed minor magical attacks and moves in on Belak. Surprised by the ferocity of the attack and badly wounded by Thvar and his allies, Belak attempts to retreat, using his wand to entangle friend and foe alike.

Eirik and Ragnarr remain unentangled, finishing off the two free twig blights and move to close the pincers on Belak. Skuli breaks free of the grasping briars and vines, climbing up a nearby wall. Thvar was not so easily held. Breaking free, he once again corners Belak, who in desperation keeps stepping back; drinking down healing potions.

Skuli leaves his safe perch becoming entangled again along with the struggling war dog, remaining twig blight and the Hucrele spell caster. Ragnarr awakens the slumbering paladin in an attempt to parley. Bradfords anger and plea to save the Gulthias belie his status as a champion of Apollo, as he struggles to rise and free himself.

As Belak calls out once more for the heroes of the Pagan Coast to become the Gulthias supplicants, Thvar strikes him down dispelling the entanglement. The rest of the group attacks the Gulthias, finding it easy to hit, but hard to damage.

Skuli tries to tackle Sharwyn, but is rebuffed by the slight womans staff. Sir Bradford renews his attack on the adventurers turned lumber jack. The last twig blight is dispatched as the Gulthias tree starts to lean under the steady blows.

The Gulthias succumbs and its supplicants perish with it. Saddened that they could not redeem or save Sharwyn or Bradford, the new champions of Fireside gather the bodies to return them home. After collecting the spoils of war they inspect the Gulthias tree.

Scrutiny of the tree reveals human-sized depressions, where Sir Bradford and Sharwyn were somehow absorbed, changed, and returned in their supplicant state. Eirik recalls the information Garon had told them and repeats it to his fellows, Two fruits ripen on the tree per year. They resemble apples. Skuli notices that the ripening fruit does not hang green on the tree from a stem. Instead, it extrudes from the tree, as if abscessing from a woody cyst. Eirik continues, On or up to a week before the summer solstice, the ruby red fruit affects an imbiber like a heal spell. On or up to a week before the winter solstice, the albino fruit affects an imbiber like a power word kill. Being mere days from the summer solstice, the adventurers are the proud owners of the magical fruit.

Ragnarr applies his knowledge of nature (11) with guidance from Thvars knowledge of things arcane (+2). With the rumors and information they have collected (+2 bonus) he determines that the fruits have seeds that, if planted, sprout fully functional twig blights after one year.

456 XP each

Treasure:
magical fruit (as heal spell)
+1 long sword (inscribed in the fuller there appears to be a Ghinorian word along with engravings of weapons being shattered on the hilt)
3 smoke sticks
2 antitoxins
1 potion cure light wounds
wand of entangle (12 charges)
holy symbol of Apollo
Sharwyn's Hucrele signet ring
scale mail
mwk sickle
sling
10 sling stones
2 short bows
13 arrows
staff
caltrops
50' silk rope
bullseye lantern
5 pints of oil
2 backpacks
2 water skins
2 bedrolls
2 sacks
2 flint & steel
spell book: 0 - all; 1 - cause fear, charm person, color spray, magic missile, mirror image, sleep & summon monster I
4 gems (unappraised)
365 GP

Having lost track of the main group, Fafnir and Rolf returned to Fireside last night. They await your return at the Ol Boar inn. Fafnir is entertaining a small group of local farmers and a couple of Cranis rangers. Rolf is half drunk and arm wrestling the biggest Altanian he could find; holding his own without much trouble.

Coming up Old Road, you arrive on the outskirts of Fireside very late in the day. The sun hangs low, about to dip below the horizon. A passing farmer headed for town eyes you suspiciously as he turns up his nose in disgust at the sight of your goblin porters.

What do you do? Feel free to post your actions and any questions. We can role play any encounters.

Picture of Fireside

Party status:

Eirik (-8 HP, +4 CHA, -2 STR)
Fafnir
Ragnarr (-18 HP, dwarven waraxe -4 HP)
Rolf
Skuli (-6 HP)
Thvar (-23 HP, -1 STR) & Hundr

A couple of questions. 1) You previously had discovered the badly decomposed and eaten body of Karakas Hucrele in Guthash's lair. You already returned his family signet ring to the merchant Hucrele. If you want to bring back his body, I'll hand waive the recovery and have your goblin porters carry him out along with his sister, Sharwyn and Sir Bradford (you never found the body of brother Talgen, but you did find and return his ring). 2) Are you going to enter Fireside with the goblins?

Youz letzes us goez, respond the shocked goblin slaves as Thvar dismisses them. His magnanimous act is repaid by mixed reactions ranging from a few who fall to their knees bowing and by others who give him the finger from a safe distance.

Meanwhile Skuli dashes off to the Ol Boar in to see if Rolf and Fafnir have returned. Entering the common room he finds the unlikely pair comfortably ensconced by the hearth tipping a tankard to each others good fortune. Master Skuli, Im glad to see you back. Your friends over there were concerned. Are the others alright, asks Garon, waiving a bottle at you? My wife, Karna, has just returned from visiting family and has brought back some fine elven wine from Onhir. Skuli politely greets your host, telling him that he has stories to share with the town leaders, but must hurry off to attend to some business at this moment. Rounding up the inebriants he heads back to the edge of town.

Carrying the bodies of the Hucreles as dignified as possible you make your way to the merchants home to bring her more grim news. Citizens of Fireside look on. Many stop and tip their hat in respect or make holy signs and say little prayers. A few follow you at a discrete distance, obviously wanting to ask questions, but respectfully letting you complete your task. You are greeted by a servant who bids you entrance into the stately home. Moments later he returns with Kerowyn the matriarch of the Hucrele family. She stoically faces the reality of the situation. Since you had already returned two of the family signet rings to her, she obviously was prepared for the worst. Men of Skandia, glancing quickly at Ragnarr and Skuli, and comrades, you have performed a great service for my family. What can you tell me of the cause of my misfortune? You recount the tale and provide her with as much information as you know; apologizing for not finding Talgens body. You have earned your reward. She snaps her fingers and her servant produces a pouch of gold. I have deducted the expense of the diamond dust and pearls. I believe you will find my accounting to be correct 1,950 city state coins. I must make arrangement for the funeral. Please excuse me. I would be honored to have you in attendance.

As you take your leave, you find a small crowd has gathered in the street. No one approaches you, but all whisper among themselves and follow you into the Ol Boar inn.