Northlands Pt 4

The Real Thoren

The group is racing back to stop the consummation of the marriage between Gunnar and Brita.

While the group races back to the mead hall riding shadow steeds, Ellia and Corrigan discuss the possibility of publishing a book on their Northern Adventures.

Upon arrival at the mead hall, Thoren carries his sword across the threshold, calling for Gunnar. Gunnar has already left for the marriage site. The group follows his trail to a small hut, finding Gunnar's amulet along the way. As they approach the hut, Corrigan notices some from the mead hall watching the hut and warns the others. Verut keeps the mage light, while the watchers move forward.

The group is able to catch a few of the guards by surprise.

S
	Corrigan	Fire shroud on 3 guards, removes 1 minion
1			2
	Outrider(p)	Hit Ellia		Hit Perazada
	Outrider(s)	Hit Thoren		Hit Verut
	Perazada	Miss		Miss outrider (p)
	Ellia	Horse Destroyed as she went for the door		moves away from door, hits warrior (1)
	Warrior 1	After Ellia		guards the door
	Warrior 2	After Ellia		hits Perazada, knocked prone
	Warrior 3	Miss Perazada		No attack
	Warrior 4	Miss Thoren		----
	Corrigan			Repelling Sphere warrior(1) + door
	Verut	Hit outrider (s) - knocked prone		Hit outrider(s)
	Gunnar	----		dazes Corrigan while dealing 10 dmg
	Thoren	Speaks with the Barbarian		Horse killed
3			4
	Outrider(p)	Miss Perazada		Hit Perazada
	Outrider(s)	Miss Verut		Miss Verut
	Perazada	hit outrider (p), helped by Ellia		hit warrior
	Ellia			outrider(p), 21 dmg, heals Perazada
	Warrior 1
	Warrior 2	Flanks Gunnar		Targets Gunnar
	Warrior 3
	Warrior 4	Hits Perazada, knocked prone
	Corrigan	Attempts to hide in stream		Hit Gunnar 21 force dmg
	Verut	hit outrider(s)		miss outrider (p)
	Gunnar	charges Ellia, hits		misses Thoren
	Thoren	charges Gunnar, misses		hits Gunnar
5			6
	Outrider(p)	hits Perazada, prone		hits Perazada
	Outrider(s)	hits Verut, prone		hits Thoren, bloodied
	Perazada	hit outrider(p)		hit outrider(p), hit Gunnar 14 dmg
	Ellia	hits Gunnar, 9 dmg		hit Gunnar, heals Perazada
	Warrior 2	hits Gunnar, bloodied		hit Gunnar
	Corrigan	frees Grita		moves
	Verut	hits Gunnar		dazed
	Gunnar	hits Verut, crit		misses Thoren
	Thoren	misses Gunar		Gunnary surrenders
5
	Outrider(p)	hits Perazada
	Outrider(s)	downed Thoren
	Perazada	hits outrider(p)
	Ellia	Healing word Thoren
	Warrior 2	Misses Gunar
	Corrigan	Thunder wave - Gunnar & outrider (p)(dead)
	Verut	Knocks out outrider(s)
	Gunnar	(surrendered)
	Thoren	Checks Gunnar into Hut

With the battle over, the group pillages the fallen bodies, after congratulating Yurik on recognizing the truth behind Thoren's words.

Misc Treasure	Magic Items	Weapons
2 Silver Rings 1 Bronze Ring 95 gp	Bottle of Green Liquid: Water Breathing(1hr) Scroll (Unglaca Accord) Rune of Strength Long Sword - +2 Lightning, Blitzen Sax	2 Seax 4 Scram-a-seux 2 Large Ax 2 Morning Stars 1 Dagger

The group spends the night outside the hut, while Brita and Thoren spend their wedding night together. On the morning, Thoren appears well rested. The group separates the prisoners, good from bad, and everyone returns to the mead hall.

Good-bye Thoren

Thoren gives the group notice that Gunnar was out of favor with the southern druids. He however was in good standing with them. Thoren provides the group with the druid password to gain access to their grove. The password was Halgal. The thane bestows gifts upon the group:

• Perazada is given a white dire wolf fur mantel from Brita
• Corrigan is given a rune amulet which should provide boon rights from the fey, given by Bjord (runemaster).
• Verut is given an honor ring of Thoren's hall.
• Ellia is given a Drinking Horn of snow (snow storm).

These gifts were on top of two jugs of mead and general supplies.


The group takes their leave, riding on the shadow mounts summoned by Corrigan. Heading south?, they reach a bowl-like valley in the afternoon. In the open space, they see a monument of standing stones. It's identified as the Nest of Flafngar, a bird hatched from a mountain which laid seven eggs, the thunderbirds that drive the storms.

The Druid's Grove

The group leads their horses in on foot as they notice movement within the little village of approximately 20. Druids in white, an elderly woman and a younger male, approach and accept the group's passphrase. The elderly woman gives her name as Frenya, the Grove Mistress. She calls their village Lyra. Corrigan announces the groups purpose. Frenya leads the group back to the village, saying we must speak with the circle to determine the way forward.

Corrigan asks about the vial of clear liquid. It's identified as either Blood from the Salmon of Wisdom or directly from the Well of Widsom which would make it extremely dangerous.

The price for what we seek is usually steep, we have not yet earned the right. As the group waits for the circle, they swap stories with the initiate druids.

The group is lead back to the circle of druids, where most the druid community is waiting in the center. The group is challenged by the druids to explain why they seek the mistletoe. Ellia relies on diplomacy and the history of southerners moving north, Verut his shared reverence with nature, Corrigan brings in Sycron's history with the North, and Perazada recounts the recent slaying of Hrothgralm and Unglaca.

The group is lead back out of the circle to await the druids' decision. 20 minutes they wait for the council's decision. Upon their return the circle, the druid's announce that the group has conducted itself as Northerners. the druids will share their knowledge with the group. Corrigan challenges the most elder, Roundstone to a friendly test of knowledge, which is accepted.

The druids explain that the Gate to the Grove of Baldur lies in the land of the fair folk, with fey guardians. It is a natural flint archway worked with giant runes and rests across the northern bank of the river hiding between two mountains.

One other name was made reference to: Nored Stoneborn.