Lark's Landing, Episode: 18

Colonial Caerdia: Lark's Landing is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't familiar with this ongoing story, you can follow this link to Once Upon a Tabletop on YouTube to hear the start of it or read the brief summary I wrote when I switched from video to blog.

You can find the previous episode here.


38th of Waning Spring - 15th of Waxing Summer, 0AL

Last week, we left our heroes with a conundrum to solve: Triena, the human priestess of the Four, had given birth to a tiefling child - which drew the attention of an angry mob that was convinced she'd had dealings with evil forces. With the help of Naldor, the adventurers managed to dismiss the mob, with the promise that the council would solve the problem. The next day, in the council meeting, Naldor suggested racial segregation to solve the problem - but the adventurers convinced the council that this would only be a temporary solution that would lead to bigger problems in the future.

The trouble now is that they're having trouble coming up with any other solution. Stor suggests a festival of cultures to educate people about different races, which is well received as a solution for a long-term solution, but won't stop an angry mob from burning down the temple tonight. They discuss circulating lies about the child's father dabbling with evil forces, but Shend speaks up, saying that they don't even know who the father is - maybe they should learn the truth before spreading lies.

So, they ask Triena - who is at the meeting with her baby, but hasn't been any condition to pay attention or participate. Fear fills her eyes, and she insists that she doesn't want to talk about it. Understanding that some of her discomfort is coming from how many people there are, Gilligan - who has become good friends with her - offers to speak with her alone, using his powers to raise a wall around them for privacy.

He comes out of that private meeting with a somewhat haunted look, and tells the council that they'll tell people that Triena was tricked by some demonic force and isn't at all evil. However, it's pointed out that people will still want to kill the baby.

Then the idea emerges that they could distract the people until they forget about this whole situation. They throw out the idea of sharing information that, until now, has been contained to the council: that there are traces of destroyed civilisations around - and that there is a dangerous hobgoblin threat nearby. The council is hesitant to accept, but they agree it will work - at least for now. In addition, Gilligan declares that he will be staying at Triena's side to protect her, and anyone who thinks she's evil can be sent to him.

The council disperses and the adventurers retire to their home, keeping Triena and the baby with them for safety. Once home, Triena thanks them for everything they've done, and says that she's naming the baby Chance - for the chance they've given him, and the second chance everyone who crossed the Endless Ocean had received.

Kordak goes out to speak with Hargrom about the militia members who were part of the mob. Hargrom isn't happy about it either, but he says that people are free to do what they want when off duty. Also that, just because someone got swept up in the excitement of the mob, it doesn't necessarily mean they're a problem. Kordak still thinks it's a danger to have them around, and tells Hargrom as much before going for a walk around the settlement, keeping his eyes open for such traitors so he can glare his wrath at them.

Balasar goes off to tend his shrine and Akta asks to go along with him, as she's never seen it before. Once there, she shares what she'd told everyone else except Gilligan - that she was raised in the Somvidian Empire before escaping. Balasar says that, having no idea of who he really is, he really isn't one to judge - and that he's sorry if he's a bit prickly sometimes.

Then Akta tells him that she probably shouldn't tell him, as she might have to kill him if he knows, but she gets her power from a patron - and it's a fiend, but she doesn't actually know who it is. She's hoping that Balasar, with his religious training, might be able to help her figure it out - and then shows him a mark she's kept concealed on the wrist. It's in the shape of a lantern made from a horned skull, suspended from chains through its eye-sockets, with a glowing green orb in its mouth. Unfortunately, Balasar - after recovering from shock - doesn't recognise it. But he does say that any creature represented by that symbol must be very evil.

As the three who were out are returning home, they see that word about the hobgoblins is spreading, and a messenger child even comes up to Kordak, telling him that there are dangerous hobgoblins nearby and people who want to help defend the settlement should join the militia. They all return home, and Kordak tells the others that they should go out to meet the invading hobgoblin army. Shend agrees with him, but then Akta reminds them that this was their plan all along - that the hobgoblins don't even know they exist. Shend then tells a story from his homeland that lied about seeing a wolf so many times that when there really was a wolf no one believed him and he got eaten.

They do agree that this is the rumour they started with the council, but they're a little concerned about the future ramifications. When will they know if a real threat is coming?

Over the next couple days, Triena and Chance stay with the adventurers. Shend and Stor spend the days training their perception skills with Ardona, while Akta hangs around at the beach, Balasar tends to his shrine, Gilligan stays at home working on making a spiderweb silk blanket for the baby, and Kordak trains with the militia - throwing around his weight a bit more than necessary with certain individuals.

The first of the month of Waxing Summer comes, bringing with it Faire Day - a generic holiday where people would traditionally hold a festival and there would be booths where people sold their goods. The adventurers (except Gilligan) head down to the beach for the festival, eager to engage in the fun they had last month. Sadly, this month's festival seems quite dour by comparison. The day is a bit cloudy and on the dreary side and, though Wyatt is trying to play some lively music with a group of musicians, no one seems to be getting into it - Stor tries to join in, but the mood just isn't working for him.

There are a number of crude tables with vaguely interesting goods, but no games, no abundant food, and a very small turnout. Hoping to liven things up a bit, the adventures gather some sticks and vines and set up a fighting ring. They have some bouts amongst themselves - during which Akta uses magic to cheat against Kordak and still loses. This gets some people interested and brings some more people out to the festival - some of them joining in, others just watching.

The adventurers head home that night feeling restless. They want to get back out into the world - they've been talking about going back to the white stone building they found - but Stor and Kordak need to wait until their batch of rum is done, else they'll spoil the batch or risk burning the house down. So, they decide to wait.

Over the next few days, Akta mentions to Stor a mark she's spotted branded on his back: three cara lillies - the emblem of the Somvidian empire. He's extremely confused by this, and doesn't even believe her until she drags him out to the water pool and shows him his reflection. This is very concerning for him, because he has no recollection of ever being branded - and his adoptive parents never told him anything about it.

Akta's pranks on Gilligan also come to an end, and she at last talks to him about it, explaining that she's mad at him because of his threat to start a rumour that she had summoned the imps into the settlement, accompanied with the statement that everyone would believe him because she's a tiefling. She accuses him of being worse than Naldor, calling him the new "racist guy". Gilligan argues that she had been trying to get his blood - and agreeing that he probably should have threatened to tell the truth about that instead.

When Chance starts crying, he suggests that they finish the conversation outside. They go out, but as he opens his mouth to apologise, Akta blasts a spell at him - it flies off wide, though, and she says that she's not talking to him any more, and she doesn't trust him to fight beside her in battle anymore, then storms off - saying she will get that blood.

Gilligan calls a wall up around her and goes in to tell the others what just happened - they're shocked. Stor runs out to talk to Akta, who is slowly blasting her way through the wall, while the others try to get more information from Gilligan and try to calm the situation. But Triena and Chance were planning to move back to living by the temple today, so Gilligan grabs all his things and goes with them, since he was planning to stay with them and guard them anyway. He finds that Triena had been living in a rough lean-to all this time and begins working on building a house by the temple.

Akta breaks through the wall and goes off to the beach, not returning for several days.

Stor has been spending a lot of time fretting over the brand on his back, so he goes to speak with Gorbosh about it. The half-orc isn't able to tell him much - the only place he'd seen such a brand before was on slaves of certain officers of the Somvidian Empire. Strangely, this doesn't make Stor feel any better.

Balasar takes a day to go and speak with Gilligan. He asks if they can explore his memories some more, and offers to help with construction in exchange. Gilligan agrees and they prepare. This time, however, he tries something different than just simply reliving the memory together. Based on some instinct, he pours some of his psychic energy into the process an gives a little twist...

And he and Balasar find themselves floating in some amorphous, black, tentacly room that seems to have glowing eyes peering at them periodically. They both have faint silver cord extending from their backs, fading into the distance, and Gilligan understands - and explains - that they have used a form of astral projection to enter Balasar's mind - specifically, they have landed inside the wall that is blocking Balasar from accessing his earlier memories.

They're a little concerned about the nature of this place, but they are determined to explore a bit. They see an area that looks light and cheery, so they head for that, moving by thinking of where they want to go. As they get there, they are sucked in, reliving Balasar's memory of fist waking up. They press on into the lighter area some more, finding that they can see more of Balasar's more recent memories, and Gilligan gets to experience seeing himself through Balasar's eyes.

As they travel through Balasar's mind, they both find themselves with building pain in their minds, and they understand that the longer they stay, the more they'll suffer - but they're not quite ready to leave yet. They believe that the lighter area is where all of Balasar's present memories are, so they head back to the darker section. They look around a bit, finding several openings blocked by tendrils.

Gilligan suggests that, with the pain that's wearing them down, they've probably discovered enough for now. They've also seen some images that make him think it might be a little dangerous to go exploring here, so they should probably come back with the rest of the group - although, that might be difficult with how Akta is feeling about him. Nevertheless, Balasar agrees and they attempt to leave his mind. It doesn't work - at least, not until Gilligan is able to guide them to the exact location where they entered.

They wake up in their own bodies - both shaken and excited about this discovery, though feeling weakened. Balasar thanks Gilligan for his help and heads home - both of them forgetting that he'd offered to help work on the house.

That evening, Stor also visits Gilligan, asking him about searching his memories to figure out how and when he was branded. They spend some time exploring his memories, discovering no such experiences. However, Gilligan does notice that Stor's earliest memories have been altered by some powerful magic - something beyond his ability to see through or fix. Stor thanks him and goes home, deciding that he'll visit Feryon the wizard in the morning.

The next day, the 10th of Waxing Summer, the rum - labelled Stoned Dwarf Rum - is finally ready to drink. However, since the goal has been to sell some, he and Stor water down half of it to make another label: Green Skin Grog (I think). They then sample the rum, which they plan to keep for themselves, finding it to be a decent batch. Stor certainly seems to enjoy it - drinking himself into unconsciousness, although that may have had more to do with the brand.

Kordak takes the grog out to the slowly-being-constructed tavern, where Wyatt and the three other workers eagerly rush forward to sample it. Kordak hesitantly allows them to sample a bit, then sets up with Wyatt to sell it. He convinces Wyatt to ask for coins in exchange for the drink, and, since there isn't much use for money right now and there's no other alcohol around, sets the price at an exorbitant silver piece per mug. In spite of the price, there are enough people who haven't seen alcohol in so long that they're willing to pay it. The grog runs out very quickly, nearly causing a riot from those who didn't get any or who want more. Luckily Wyatt is charming enough to calm the situation, assuring them that this was only a sample of what is to come.

The next day they, everyone is feeling restless, so they decide to head out to the white stone building they'd found. However, first, Stor pays a quick visit to Feryon - discovering that if his memories have been altered, the magic has been hidden - and there's nothing the wizard can do about it.

They head off into the wilderness, minus Gilligan - who is committed to staying behind to protect Triena and Chance. Balasar is deliberately making as much noise as he can to draw in something to kill, but he just seems to scare everything away. On the part way through the fourth day out, when they're in the field of long blue grass and expecting to be attacked by lions, Fluffy brings back a report from up ahead - a large goblin encampment is positioned right next to the building they're heading for.

They immediately believe that it's the camp of goblins they encountered before - the one led by Grubfrub, the bugbear, who had sent them on a mission they had abandoned. They're not happy about all the filthy creatures that must be making a mess of the building they'd been working to clean up, but they don't think they can take on the hundreds of goblins that are there. They decide to check on the old camp, just to be safe.

They circle around to the south, using Fluffy to help them avoid goblin patrols, and sneak through the low mountain range when they come too close to the camp. They arrive at the old camp in the night and find it completely deserted - the ground churned and the brontosaurus corpse they had seen nothing more than a skeleton.

They make camp for the night, deciding what they want to do next. They consider going after Grubfrub, coming in under the guise of reporting from their scouting mission they could possibly attack him. Theoretically, that show of force could convince the goblins to follow them, eliminating a potential threat that has moved closer to their settlement. Possibly. But they're a man down, they don't know if they can even make it into the camp, or what will happen if they succeed - for all they know, if they try, they could end up fighting an entire goblin army.

With these troubling thoughts, they set watches and go to sleep. On the second watch, Stor catches sight of a goblin patrol that has already spotted them. As they start charging toward their camp, he quickly wakes his friends so they can prepare for battle. Then he catches what the goblins are saying - "It's them! They're back!" They seem excited, not aggressive. In fact, as the goblins draw near, they even recognise Ilk.

The goblin reports to them that Grubfrub was beginning to think they wouldn't be coming and will be very happy to see them and hear their report. They want to go right away, but the adventurers insist on waiting until morning. The goblins comply and set their own camp nearby.

In the morning the adventurers, a little hesitantly, allow themselves to be escorted to the goblin camp - through four hundred or more goblins, then through the big front doors that they had repaired before. They're led past Grubfrub's courtiers, down to the lower level where there are more goblins, then through another set doors into the final room. Here they see Grubfrub, sitting on a stone desk as if it were a throne, with his four goblin bodyguards and one feather-garbed goblin.

The bugbear greets them, commenting on how long they've been away scouting - as it has been close to a month. Kordak agrees, saying that they like to be thorough. Grubfrub comments on how interesting it is that they've been scouting all this time when he's heard that they've been back at their camp - two of his bodyguards then close the room's doors, revealing behind one of them bound and gagged golden dragonborn, who they vaguely recognise as someone they've seen around their settlement before.


And that's where this game session came to an end. Find out what happens next week in Episode 19.