Game Journal:
Fairy Roads Campaign
This is an ongoing journal of the Fairy Roads Campaign in my World of Verden.
Feel free to contact me about any mistakes that might have crept in.
In a sense this is a continuation of The Arctic Campaign, carrying on after
the Avalanche with two player characters from the original game, Marius and
Grendal; an NPC Emalda/Gwain; a dNPC, Vernard; (Maurius' St Bernard) and
a new player character, Moon Shadow. The separation between the two campaigns
happens with the sealing of the cave Moon Shadow is found in by an avalanche.
Perhaps the Arctic Campaign will continue some day, but for now The Fairy
Roads Game.
Pregame Session from Arctic Campaign
March 21, 2003
The Avalanche hits scattering the party. Some have been carried over a precipice
and lost to the frozen river valley below. The three who were carried over
the precipace to the valley bottom are Grendal, Marius, and Emalda.
The rest of the party either are still above the edge of the precipice
or were washed into the frozen river below. No sign of them except for one
quickly disappearing broken dog sled viewed through a deep chasm in the ice
over the river.
There is a shadow on the far side of the valley in the shape of a bunny...
no in the shape of Marius Holy Symbol! People are cold and in rapidly
freezing clothing from being mostly buried by the avalanche. Grendal needed
help in getting unburied.
In a warm dry cave is Moon Shadow. How she got there is anyone's guess
but she observes the others' progress across the valley from the slide and
up to the cave she is in. When Grendal, Marius, and Emalda get into the cave,
Moon Shadow hides in the shadows. The Dog notices her and begins barking.
Soon a further avalanche covers the cave entrance forcing all to the back
of the perceptively deep cave. A cave that seems to be glowing gently on
its own. The ice and snow plug must be over 20 feet thick and there was a
warm breeze coming out of the deeper parts of the cave before the second avalanche.
Where the others of the party have ended up, either in the river and under
the ice, or higher up above on the far side of the valley is unknown.
The Fairy Road Campaign
First Session: The Timeless Lands of the Rolling Plains
May 15, 2003
First half: The Fairy Circle in the Lands of the Rolling Plains
Moonshadow, Marius, Grendel, Emalda, and Verden (Brother Marius' St. Bernard)
Marius, Grendel, and Emalda are wet and cold from snowmelt from digging out
of the first avalanche. They have sought refuge in a cave partway up the
far side of the valley from the slide and find it warm and dry and inhabited
by Moon Shadow. Moonshadow does not know how she got there awakening with
only the clothes on her back and a few rations.
A second avalanche buries the entrance to the cave with over 20 feet of snow,
ice, and chunks of rock. However there is still warmth radiating from the
back of the cave which turns out to be substantial in it's depth and dimly
lit by some sort of faintly blue glowing algae/fungi/lichen/?? living within
the sandstone like pore of the rock walls.
Vernard runs deeper into the cave barking with the rest following in turn.
It is definitely warmer back in the tunnels behind the cave.
The St Bernard runs on ahead barking with folk following. It feels like they
are entering a large chamber with drafts of warm are and the smell of plant
life. Not as strong as a swamp or bog in summer, perhaps like a bog in the
spring?
The glowing plant growth in the ceiling no longer seems bluish. It seems
further away and almost like clouds in the night sky. The ground appears
to be covered with very low heather and bunches/tussoks of grass.
Grendal tries to head back and finds an unbroken hedge of 1 foot high mushrooms.
Vernard's barking seems to be coming from a fair distance away, not echoing
like in a cave.There is a sound of wind through grass and brush. The party
members footprints start in the middle of the circle as if they had appeared
out of nowhere. It is getting lighter on the horizon...you notice it is getting
lighter in one direction, at first bluish, but then blushing pink. The ground
is definitely covered now with plant growth. Heathers and tussocks of grass.You
note the patches of light above are now paling and have patches of darkness....
there are stars in the darkness. If sought the patterns of the stars are
the same as at home. Dawn appears to be coming.
Along with dawn comes the St Bernard with a large rabbit in its jaws. It
brings it to Marius.
Vernard says,"Woof, am I a good boy or what!"
Sunrise is quicker than expected and the party finds themselves in
wide circle of mushrooms around where you find yourselves The circle is around
200 feet across. Fairly normal looking mushrooms though the caps are red
with blue spots. The mushrooms are growing close together without break and
you would have to either go over them or break through them to leave the
circle.
The party decide to leave the circle as Vernard has obviously done before
them at least once.
The dead rabbit appears to have a broken wing? Otherwise it is a normal rabbit.
There are no paths through the heather and grasses. As far as the eye can
see are very low rolling hills. The mushroom ring is centred on one hill.
The Sun appears to be greenish as well as the sky. The vegitation is a bit
bluish in colour.
Vernard brings back a robin like bird with the wings of a monarch butterfly,
but blue where ther orange should be.
The Sun is moving faster that expected and it is almost noon when only an
hour seems to have passed since the arrival at the center of the mushroom
ring. The fire made from twigs and stick to cook the rabbit burns very very
fast, but the rabbit cooks as quickly and evenly.
It is pointed out that the animals seen so far are a bit fairylike. It is
suggested to restrain Vernard so he doesn't accidently hunt down a pixie
or brownie or such. Vernard accepts being leashed, but he does seem to be
saying quite a lot for a St Bernard.
The rabbit and robin taste good and have a hint of a mint taste to the meet.
The Sun during the short afternoon seems to reverse direction and return
to noon. The wind also seems to have reversed direction and it can be noted
that the birds are flying backwards.
For all other than the party time seems to at times go forward and other
time backwards. When party members seperate they also travel different timelines
from each other.
Grendel suspects Grizelda, the fire mage, is at work trying to confound things!
Everyone ends up outside the ring for a while, Moonshadow decides to nap
at the centre of the ring and as she lays down she starts to fade from sight.
To Moonshadow the world seems to fade. Moonshadow decides to stay with the
others near the outside the circle (some inside and some out). The group
decides to stick together in future.
The mushrooms glow when the Sun finally decides to set. In the night Grendel
notes what appears to be the fleeting shadow of a figure pass through the
centre of the ring. The figure is basically manlike, but stockier and perhaps
shorter than a man.
The mushrooms fade with the lengthening of the evening. But there is light
as if reflecting from clouds in the night sky. The fire does a good job of
sucking smoke out of the air clearing it.
Strangely dawn happens with the sun rising where they would expect to be
due north.
Maurius decides that the dog speaking is a sign! They should follow Vernard.
Second half: The Enchanted Forest
Maurius decides to let Vernard use his nose to backtrack.
The sky darkens and now it seems as though you are once more in a largish
chamber as now the sounds echo. You can keep Vernard in sight as you
move. The smells of the heather fade, but smells of a pine forest replace
them. It is gloomy and difficult to see.
Vernard seems not be able to speak like a person any more, only like a dog.
Emalda thinks the party should go SW, Vernard West.
It is decided to follow Venrard West. Eventually in a bush a fawn is found.
Though warm to the touch it is as motionless as a statue. In the distance
in the gloom there is a shadow in the shape of a deer. Leaves don't seem
to be blowing at all any more. The mother deer is frozen like the fawn. The
deer is looking off in the dark and seeking there the party discovers a wolf
stalking the deer, but frozen in time.
It is decided to move fawn and deer away from the wolf. It is very difficult
to move either of them. Requiring the party's combined strength to move them.
It is noticed that dawn approaches far too slowly.
Moving east the fawn and deer slowly seem to become easier to move. Then
all at once, or perhaps gradually but not noticed, the fawn and deer come
back to life and run off. A bit on the slow side, but still running. Dawn
seems to be approaching now more normally.
It is decided to go south rather than east or west. Dawn comes as normal
while the party is heading southward.
Vernard pulls and tugs the rope. Ahead the sound of water and waterfowl,
perhaps llons. There is a gobbling sound.
The party parts the bush and see... three legged turkeys with webbed feet!
The two birds are about to enter a pond with three little turkeylings following
the into the water.
Log File from the actual game
from the point John Left:
The
Enchanted Forest
Second Session: Title Needed
May 31, 2003
coming adventure
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