Gamelog for my Dolmenwood Campaign written by Maydrid the Rogue. Rogue’s Gallery:
- Marj Smith the Fighter.
- Maydrid the Rogue.
- Madrid the Rogue (twin sisters).
- Jackie-of-Many-Colors (Elven Magician).
- Spruce-Upon-Gallows (Elven Enchanter).
- Hogrid Weavilman (Cleric).
- Boone the Hunter (Hunter).
- Tassain (Minstrel).
The town closest to where the star fell is called Drigbolten. As they travel closer and closer, Marje notices that on top of the dreary, disheveled houses and streets are colorful streamers and cheerful faces.They are greeted with much glee, carrying buckets and buckets of strange, pink jelly.
“Try some!” the villagers explain, pointing towards the site of the fallen star. “It has solved our hunger! It’s manna from heaven!”
It seems that everyone in Drigbolten believes that this jelly is god-sent, including the church, except for an elder who lives on the outskirts of town, Gria.
“It’s fae magics I say! The Cold Prince will return! This is but a sign in a greater scheme of evil!”
When they visit the site of the fallen star, they see a large, greyish-black ball with a metallic sheen sitting in a pool of pink, gelatinous liquid. Many people are scooping dollops of this jelly into barrels and bathtubs alike. Animals are feasting on it, some of them having fallen asleep beside the jelly pool with round, full stomachs.
Sprue notices that a bear drops a metallic piece into the jelly, and instead of sinking to the bottom, it joins the larger mound.
.: :.
The tavern-keep and his wife provide them with the greatest ale they have, saying, “It’s made with jelly! Isn’t it incredible?”
Marje decides to take a sip as the rest of the party refuse. She nods in approval, holding it up to her nose to sniff. “It’s pretty good, just like they say – and filling, too!”
Madrid pulls a disgusted face and shakes her head. “It’s a no from me, thanks.”
The tavern-keep and his wife tell them that several nights ago there were lights in the sky and earthquakes shortly before the star fell. Many fragments broke off from the main chunk and landed all over the place. “The lord of this town, Lard Spinwith,” the wife says as she bustles behind the counter, “lives further out and he has a telling-scope, so he might have seen something.”
After spending a few hours in the tavern with the locals, they also learn that there is a big barn party every night. “Also,” a local says, lowering his voice and shifting his eyes, “the mayor’s younger cousin, Godfrey, works for the lord and is privy to his secrets. He hasn’t been seen in four days. Some people are calling foul play.”
“Lard Spinwith shows no interest in local ladyfolk. He prefers his books and stuffed foxes.”
“Outside of town is a place called Bolton Bog and was home to strange folk who served an antlered god.”
“This town is strange,” Madrid comments to Jackie, rolling her eyes. “Let’s get what we need and go.”
.: :.
The party decides to search for the skymetal as soon as they can for fear of other rogues and bandits beating them to it.
The first day, they find a skymetal chunk lodged amongst the branches of a tall tree. Madrid climbs up the tree and pushes it down. It is deep black with a certain luster that changes color when viewed from different angles, and it reeks of sulfur.
The second time they find a skymetal chunk it is sitting at the foot of an ominous obelisk. The metal is glowing bright as if it is hot and it is humming a garbled sound. There are six wood grues dancing around the obelisk and chanting, seemingly engrossed in their song. After a few moments of hesitation, Maydrid and Hogrid enter the dancing circle, the wood grues welcoming them. Maydrid slowly enters the circle and approaches the obelisk, grasping hold of the skymetal.
As soon as she dislodges it from its place a wave of silence engulfs them. The grues frown in disappointment, before scurrying away.
“Well,” Maydrid says, hauling the skymetal over to one of their horses. “Here’s more weight in gold.”
.: :.
After a day of searching the nearby woods, they lodge in the local tavern to gain some much-needed sleep. However, Marje feels a strange urge to stare at the stars and wait for a message. She stays in bed, listening to the sounds of the townspeople party in the nearby barn.
The next morning, they return to the site of the fallen star and notice that the ball has grown in size and that the jelly is almost frothing. Jackie notices images of people and landmarks somehow drifting across the surface of the jelly.
In search for more skymetal, they find another stuck in the center of a large mud bog. As Sprue approaches, a loud shriek echoes through the air. He immediately reels back in pain, clutching his head. Jackie and Hogrid feel the same effects, the shriek piercing their minds. Sprue mumbles a few words, casting a spell that reveals a cloud-like creature hovering over the skymetal.
“Let me try,” Boone offers, stepping forward. The cloud shrieks again, but Boone is unphased. He grabs hold of the skymetal and drags it safely away from the cloud.
Another piece of skymetal is lying in the middle of a clearing in the woods. Ever suspicious, Marje strikes the ground around the skymetal with her sword, and the action causes giant tree roots to shoot out from the ground and grasp where her sword once was. They wave in the air, almost defending the skymetal.
Sprue casts another spell on himself, rendering him immune to the attacks of the roots, and he retrieves the skymetal.
A second day of searching passes, and the party lodges in the tavern. Hogrid is speaking to one of its patrons about the skymetal when he is told, “A man named Junior Lubbens apparently found a piece of skymetal north-west of the town in an alleged witch’s glade… He returned home in tattered clothes after being allegedly attacked by vicious brambles.”
Boone hears another rumor in the tavern, being, “A man in wolf-stag form allegedly roams the land on the equinox… beware.”
A few hours later, and during the night, Maydrid notices that after the noise of partying subsides, the townspeople stand in the street and peer up at the stars, watching, or waiting, for something.
.: :.
The fallen star is almost quadruple in size, and there is a massive gouge in the earth leading to the star, as if something has fallen in the night and has been pulled, like a magnet, to the star. There appears to be something nearly invisible around the star as it shimmers every few minutes, pushing away the jelly in the pool.
They stand for a few minutes staring at the star, contemplating. Sprue picks up a nearby pebble from the ground and throws it at the star. Suddenly, there is an ear-piercing shriek, followed by a deafening silence, then the party begins to float.
“What in the –” Madrid says, panicking. “What do I do?!”
“Just stay calm,” Marje advises, frantically searching for a trigger or a reason.
Just as abruptly as it began, gravity seems to restore itself, and they fall – the majority of them break a few bones, or even worse, and the pain is so much that Madrid passes out. If it wasn’t for Hogrid, who heals them all with his holy magic, it could have ended a lot worse.
“Let’s get out of here,” Hogrid says solemnly, brushing his robes.
On their way back to Prigwort, they hear a loud sonic boom from behind them, in the distance, and they see an unknown object rocket into the sky towards the moon.