Our heroes arrive in Lyrum, several hours after an earthquake (which they experienced on the road). Some buildings have collapsed and many more are on fire. There are injured people in the streets, most with superficial wounds. The citizens and town guard are tending to the wounded, putting out fires, and shoring up buildings.
The party immediately jumps into action. Renn treats the wounded while the rest help with fires and structures. Barclay begins a (positive) whisper campaign about Kodrak. Both Renn and Kodrak are hailed as local heroes. In time, they're directed to Whir's Worts for an important mission.
They arrive and speak with Whirsyllir. She needs a group of brave adventurers to place timed explosive potions in tunnels beneath the city; the task will be exceptionally dangerous, not only from the volatile potions, but because the tunnels are surely occupied with all sorts of creatures. Whirsyllir does what she can to stress the deadliness of the job, until the shop door is thrown open by a returning adventuring party—the Silver Hare—who just completed the mission. At some cost, as they are bloody and singed, and their wizard, Meera Haemuund, has been petrified.
Whirsyllir offers a second mission, to search for feal-of-dune plants about two days north, at the (former) dwarven fortress Backtooth Mountain. The petals of these plants are needed to make a paste that offers protection against magical fumes emanating from below the city. Our heroes decide that they'd rather find and deal with the subterranean threat. Their investigations lead them to the alder of Lyrum, Hane Selley, who explains that a city of Musklig, grotto elves, exists beneath Lyrum. There is a truce between the communities, forbidding either from breaking the seal. Shortly afterward, our heroes are approached by Sivela ("Siv"), Bartholomew & Company's regional manager in the Reeves. She offers them 20 gold each to locate any feal-of-dune plant for Whirsyllir, as the city is in dire need.
Our heroes head north, making great time thanks to Raehendra's excellent horse-driving. They approach Backtooth Mountain to find a squat fortress roughly resembling a molar tooth, plus some outbuildings and walls. They see no feal-of-dune plants, however. They continue to approach Backtooth Mountain until Barclay's familiar spots three plants growing in the grass on the fortress's roof. He also hears activity within the building—which is unexpected, because it was abandoned long ago.
Barclay's (now invisible) familiar risks a look inside and spots three hundred or more Stonelings: goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, ogres, and more. They're excited and chanting "Galix", evidently waiting on something or someone. The familiar is able to dig up and retrieve the plants while listening to the horde inside when nearby. When getting on the final feal-of-dune, Galix (evidently) appears and gives a speech:
"Dearest family, my goblin-kin, my hobgoblin-kin, my orcish-kin, and our friends the bugbears and giants and other allies, [pause] yes, I consider you all Stonelings of the Delver Horde [pause for mild cheers], so let me welcome you our temporary home and thank you for joining us today. [pause for cheering]
"For years, our people have suffered in adversity, seen our friends wither while they [pause] feed their armies, while they [pause] steal our lands, while they [pause] deny us shelter in the very homes we built. They have divided us, throwing scraps to the Tiethans, [pause] those fools. It is only a matter of time before they [pause] break their treaties, as they always have. [angry shouting and cheers]
"But today—today!—the tides have changed. [laughs] They are afraid of the tides, yes, and we shall bring the tides to them. Myrinul is opening and no one knows that city like the Delver Horde. Let us travel the ancient ways, the hidden ways—you know them well—and let us recover what was taken from us. [more cheers] And like the tide, we will crash over and engulf anyone who stands in our way. [rising cheers]
"Now let us go with all haste, to Myrinul!"
At this point, the doors are thrown open and the Stonelings in Backtooth Mountain stream out. The party has hidden themselves on the other side of the raised dwarven road, and are not seen. Barclay's familiar carries the final plant over the horde, the plant visible and bobbing with (the familiar's) fear and exertion. The Stonelings are intent on their travel and do not notice. Besides, who looks up for flying plants? Over the next few minutes, they enter hidden tunnels in the foothills and disappear.
Our heroes return south with the precious plants, on the lookout for Stonelings.
Soundtrack:
Austin Wintory, Abzu (2016), The Banner Saga (2014), and The Banner Saga 2 (2016)
The Main Cast, our player characters:
- Barclay Stone (he/him), human bard (college of eloquence)
- Kodrak Kukkerlun (he/him), dwarven fighter (battle master)
- Raehendra Tiddlybumpkin (she/her), gnomish ranger (hunter)
- Renn Summerstar (he/him), elven cleric of Lioris (twilight domain)
- Sentie Rancis (they/them), human wizard (school of transmutation)
The Supporting Cast, non-player characters:
- Galix, goblin/Stoneling, leader of the Delver Horde
- Hane Selley, alder of Lyrum
- Rickye, inn/tavern owner in Lyrum
- Whirsyllir, owner of Whir's Worts in Lyrum
- The Silver Hare, adventuring guild:
- Aldire, half-elven fighter
- Hainan Halfheart, dwarven cleric
- Irinduith the Ever-Fair, elven ranger
- Meera Haemuund, human wizard
- Nellandus of Gauwhil, human rogue
See the full cast list at Campaigns in Elsemorn.
