Chapter Three

Meeting the Gnomes (and raising an army)

Day one

The road south out of Copry is less traveled and rather serene. The open grasslands start flow into low hills then to open woods. A camp site beside the road appears to be a good site to rest, and  it looks to have been used within the week. It seems safe.  The party camps for the night, taking shifts for their watch. As it turns out, gnome rangers scouted the party and deemed safe. Each player wakes up with flowers in their hair, on in the case of a balding gnome monk, pasted to his forehead.

As the party presses deeper into the woods, the trees grow thicker but the air seems lighter and cheerful. The party experiences:

• Illusions: Overhead, baubles of light float overhead like balloons, in bright luminescent colors. As the players walk beneath, the balloons explode into fireworks. The effect, while delightful, is also overwhelmingly captivating.
• Traps: trails and roads off of the main path seem to dead end in a ridiculously short distance. Other paths seem to disappear into a distance that seems disturbingly far.  The party finds the spatial distortion disconcerting in a funhouse sort of way. Playful but unnerving.
• A “munchkin” guard (entirely in jest as they appear to be holding flowers as halberds) escorts them to the king and queen
• All of the dwellings exist beneath the hills and entwined in the roots of the trees and numerous workshops and trade centers above ground.

Helna Wood and its denizens are protected by the gnomes of Helna city. 

King Felcorin (His Dear and Royal Majesty Felcorin Pippin Cranky Snail Tamer Wollen), Queen Lorina (Her Dear and Royal Majesty Lorina Tippit Snap Dragon Bird Song Oolen) are jovial, welcoming, and engaging. They happily great their guests and knew of their arrival from the trade network and fast couriers (pigeons). They will discuss most topics, but try to keep the conversation on Helna Wood. When the subject of Kobolds and Sandstorm come up, however, they grow very serious. They are willing to aid the party because of their hatred of the kobolds and are willing to remove them from the world. But they say that the army would need to be properly supplied. “We have some weapons,” (with that, the flowers the guards carry become real halberds), “and we certainly have our illusions and magicks, but the rest will take gold. Lots of it.” They estimate in excess of 20,000 gp. When the party shows the map to the king and queen, the royal couple point to the Dunes Mine, the Catacombs and the Shipwreck. 

The party is welcomed to spend the night, but all dinning (guests of the King and queen) and sleeping is outside as the larger party members don’t fit comfortably in the small underground rooms. 

In the morning, the party feels well rested and is greeted by the sound of clinking, clanking, pops, whistles and laughter.

As the party returns to Copry they make a decision to investigate the shipwreck. Since the party has the pass phrase for privateer vessels, they head back too the harbor and look for a moored vessel.  They poke around not knowing exactly who to talk to until they find 2 privateer vessels, The Maid of the Mist and The Hornblower.  They look for the captains before making their decision, and notice one has a parrot on his shoulder and the other carries a monkey. Monkey > Parrot.  Monkey always wins.  Trying to gain entrance to the ship, they find a crewman and ask to board to as to enlist the aid of the captain and crew.  The man chuckles at them but recommends they speak with First Mate. But he also says that only a couple should go, not the whole party—they’d only be in the way. 

When Lothriel offers the pass phrase, the First Mate admits that he knows what their ultimate goal is, and that the guild has sworn to prevent them from acquiring The Ember Heart because they have not yet committed that they will keep it from Lady Stoatris. The party seeks out a fishing vessel instead. The fishermen agree that with payment, they could take the party to the waters above the shipwreck but the party would need to figure out how to breathe, as well as move and see underwater then return the loot to the surface. Off to see the dwarves!

The Dwarven smiths are intrigued at the challenge but it will take time, and it will take funds for materials and the dwarves expertise.

In the mean time, the party returns to Eeore Donahue to enquire further. They ask him about breathing underwater, and he recommends speaking with the druids and see if they have any tricks. Off to see the Druids. 

Indeed they do have something, but to make into a potion or a spell scroll will take extra effort and materials.  They ask for a Jade Circlet in payment which can be acquired from wealthy merchants or purchased for 1500 gp. They would also appreciate collecting a rare deep sea black coral to study for its magical properties. 

In discussing their options, the party looks to explore the Catacombs possibility. It’s easier to access, with little additional supplies, so the upfront costs are considerably less.  However, the city folk look upon grave robbing rather unfavorably. Remembering that Eeore and Gormal both purchase dead bodies, the party feels confident enough to enquire. 

Day Two

In talking with Eeore the party finds an easy way into the cemetery. Pretend they are going to bury a loved one, and carry their weapons and equipment in a casket, on a cart. 

They also realize that they don’t know how much money they actually need.  They send a courier to get a number from the Gnomes. In part because the DM had to think on the fly last time, and in part that the King Felcorin had a better than expected showing of possible warriors, the figure came out much higher than expected. 

The army needs: 

• Leather armor (archers) x100 = 1000gp
• Chain mail (infantry) x500 = 37500gp
• Shields x250 = 2500gp
• Full plate x25 = 37500gp

• Crossbow, bolts x50 = 625gp
• Short bow, arrows x50 = 6255gp
• Short swords x100 =1000gp
• Maces x150 = 750gp
• Glaives and Halberds x200 = 4000gp
• Great axe x50 = 1500gp
• Great swords x25 = 1250gp

 Total = 88,250gp

This is a large figure but it’s likely padded to allow for some additional expenses. 

While the party waits for the courier, they return to the druids and ask for any additional help or advice. The Abbess herself greets the party and invites them into the center of the Abby where they walk into an idyllic grove of trees and running brook from a spring. Many druids can be seen in meditation or study. Animals gravitate toward them.

The Abbess invites the party to sit with her and her entourage where she listens to their requests. 

She also confesses that she knows more about The Ember Heart than anyone has told them. The stone is a portal to a another, terrifying plane of existence. Some call it Hell or The Underworld, but the wisest ancestors knew the dimension holds destruction for this plane. She knows The Ember Heart must be destroyed. The thieves are right for wanting to protect it, but she knows the Dragon holding it is not safe, or if it is, it’s only for so long. She knows Lady Stoatris doesn’t know dangers of her magic. She doesn’t know Gormond personally, nor does she know what his intentions are.

She offers something more helpful than they had planned, though: Ickrie (Icky) Kirin—one of the advancing druids. Without asking many questions, the party welcomes her. However, knowing the stability and strength of the group, and wanting to advance his own skills and knowledge Erth (Tupac) Richenrock desires to stay in the Abby. The Abbess accepts him and the group reluctantly resigns themselves to losing a companion, nay, friend from their ranks.