They end up in the land of the Fey. It is what you expect, with incredibly verdant field, abundant woods, etc.. What you don't expect is the massive city/fortress in the distance.
"This is indeed a beautiful realm," says Emyn, standing there awestruck. "We should make haste to see if the townsfolk made it here."
Vaddara hurries along unprompted. The view in the distance reminds her of home, just a lot green'er. "Hurry up folks, move like you're glad to be out of the swamps!"
Glancing back, you see the Fey side of the Moon Door Portal. A strangely wild version of the same portal on the island.
As you turn back, you find you are surrounded by eladrin. They look like elves, but with a much more noble, older, and powerful look. Further, their pearly, opalescent eyes and the subtle radiant aura surrounding them reveals their true nature. One stands before the others, armored in a type of armor never seen to any (except Isilme, who has seen one set of it before).
"Who are you?" he says, in a melodic, yet simultaneously monotone voice that doesn't seem real. "How come you through the Moon Door?"
Rakk clenches both hands and pressing them together bows slightly. He has been to the lands of the Faerie before, and he gives the ancient giantish greeting of friendship.
"Please pardon our intrusion into your lands, fair Eladrin," says Emyn quickly. "We were working with Rualiss to try and defeat the evil Skalmad and his army. I am afraid we were only partly successful. We killed Skalmad but he disappeared somewhere. We also destroyed the throne he and his foul ilk were using to cross between realms. Sadly, there was a price to pay. The town Rualiss was protecting was destroyed by an army of giants and trolls and dark fey. We're seeking what might have happened to the townsfolk for they are all missing and we cannot find them through normal or magical means. We were hoping we might be able to find them here."
"Rualiss was not protecting the town," he says, frowning. "She protected the Moon Door itself." He looks around at the other Eladrin, all of whom lower their weapons...slightly.
"She indeed was protecting it as well," replies Emyn, not noticing that everyone else is standing silently. "Butt despite our and her best efforts, the trolls managed to sabotage it somehow. We needed to use a scroll to come here. We were hoping she and the others might have come to this realm. She has asked us to assist in your struggle to stem the tide of evil both in our realm and in the Feywild. How fares your war?"
"The Moon Door wasn't damaged, human," he says. "It is merely closed." Despite their stern visage, a couple of the other eladrin cannot help but chuckle at Emyn's clear ignorance. A glance from their leaders stops them. He then looks back at the party. "Come with me," he says, "Commander Dyynnd will wish to speak with you." He then points towards the city, obviously intending you head that way.
Everyone follows, saying nothing. Thorgrim follows, but remains alert for threats from these elves. He remembers well the "hospitality" he was shown by the elves of Celene.
You are taken towards the city, and when you get closer you find a camp set up beyond the walls. There are hundreds of multi-colored tents scattered about, with lots of people milling around. As you approach, you recognize the people of the town, or at least some of them. The people seem unhurt. When they see you a murmur ripples through them. Shortly, Mayor Kelana appears, bustling through the people now starting to crowd around you.
"My friends," she says. "You have returned." She gives a slight bow, motioning the people to be silent.
Hepla says, "I am sorry your honor. We could not get back in time to save your town. We put out the fires as best we could then came looking to see if you escaped here. You have."
"We defeated Skaldag in battle," Thorgrim says, "And thought we had slain him, but we did not." He shakes his head and continues. "His 'corpse' vanished before our eyes, and we have reason to believe he may be alive and trapped on this plane, or the dark side of it. I admit, I do not understand how such things work." He looks at Isilme, who just smiles, before going on. "We discovered his Throne allowed transport both to and from the Feywild, and so we destroyed it--it exists no more. Obviously, we know now that mayhap we should have done this from the other side, this side, but there was no guarantee we could find our way back and coule have trapped ourselves there with him. It is our hope that this is exactly the difficulty Skaldag now faces..."
Thorgrim takes out his brandy flask as he finishes. "But there's no guarantee of that. We thought it best to see if we could beat time back to town and help with the attack we knew you faced. We could not."
Thorgrim takes a long gulp from his flask of brandy, and hands it to Gotrek. "Finish it," he says.
The mayor nods to Hepla and Thorgrim. "After you left, Rualiss offered the townsfolk sanctuary here. She opened the Moon Door and brought the women and children through. Bax and the militia stayed behind to defend the town. From what you say, I take it they failed...." Her voice isn't exactly a question, and she seems genuinely sad. "However, it seems you have succeeded in defeating the plans of this self-styled King of the Trolls, this Skalmad or whatever he calls himself."
"Unfortunately we were unable to recover any bodies, so the militia's fate remains unknown. We were hoping to find them here among your refugees. The throne was destroyed and Skalmad is trapped in the Feydark."
"You destroyed the Throne of Vargan?" interrupts the eladrin commander who brought you here.
"Our mighty warrior Rakk destroyed the throne, "Hepla says then bows her head again, "if I am not too bold as to say."
The commander hurriedly leaves, while the Mayor says a prayer to the god for those who lost their lives.
"He seemed perturbed," whispers Thorgrim to Isilme. "I hope we didn't cause trouble."
Emyn also says, "We did bring some captives along with us who we liberated from the trolls. I do not know if they are of your people but I hope you will welcome them."
They are. They turn out to have been people who were captured from the outlying areas, primarily that northern penninsula which juts into the swamp. There is a lot of relief that they are back.
The eladrin commander returns, along with Rualiss and another female Eladrin.
Rualiss looks shocked when she sees you, but smiles and nods. She starts to speak, but the new eladrin woman speaks first. "Thank you commander Edrathior," she says. "That will be all."
The commander nods, then heads back the way you all came. The woman stands before you all, taking in the party. "I am Denneth Starfeon," she says. "Lord Comander of Celduilon," she twists a bit to indicate the Eladrin city beyond the walls. "You shall tell me all you know of this Skalmad," she adds, "and the Throne of Vard."
The party tells her their tale, and a few more eladrin gather around to hear.
"And don't forget the Eye of Balor," says Elrae. "We never recovered it."
"The Eye of Balor is indeed a potent magic," says Denneth, "but here it is but a bauble. With the destruction of the throne, the portal is forever closed. The fomorians will likely rage over the disruption of their plans, and it will likely not go well for this 'troll king.' I daresay you will be deviled by him no longer."
"Can we now visit the city?" asks Hepla, looking like a child about to receive a present. "Wow!"
The eladrin shakes her head. "No, and it is not a city but a fortress. You will be left beyond the walls, with the other townsfolk."
"Darn," says Hepla, looking dejected. "I was looking forward to seeing it, and I had hopped that there would be a shop I could visit. Darn. Its pretty to look at, at least."
Emyns stands proudly before her, surprising her just a bit. Berenn and Isilme do simultaneous facepalms as the paladin speaks. "Milady, as you can likely tell, I am an Avenger of Trithereon. I have sworn to Trithereon that I shall aid you in your fight in whatever way I can. If there is something I can do beyond what I and my companions have already done, I stand at your disposal. The actions of the dark fey and their allies cannot be forgivan and must be avenged," says Emyn in an extremely respectful but urgent tone.
"If you rush around the cosmos righting everyone wrong," says Rualiss with a slight laugh and smile, "you will be one busy knight. This evil is put to rest, for now. It is time for you to do the same."
"Yes, milady," he replies, glancing back her. "I only wish I could have helped more. If ever you need me again, I will stand at your service. You need only send word to the Heroes of Hommlett and I will come," pledges Emyn.
He then looks back to the Eladrin commander. , "Commander, it occurs to me that these dark fey likely have more allies in our world. Might you or your people have information you might share with us so we can remove them as a threat, please?"
"You can never remove the threat of the dark fey," says Denneth. "We are here to protect the Realm of Faerie from your realm. Never forget that from your limited perspective there is no "good" fey. We are just fey. Our ways are not your ways. Our magic is not your magic. Rualiss should never have brought your people here. They shall be returned." Her tones is firm and emotionless. "You shall be returned. You are not invited to return, for you do not belong here."
Rakk laughs, a low, rumbling laugh like a distant landslide.
Hepla digs around in her stuff and takes out 1000 GP. She gives it to the mayor. "Something to help with the rebuilding of your town."
The mayor takes it, leaning close to Hepla. "Not too friendly, are they?" she whispers.
"I am sure they have reason to mistrust people of our realm," whispers Hepla, just loud enough that the Eladrin can hear. "But they did allow your peole to rest here when they were in danger."
"Only because Rualiss opened the Moon Door for us," she replies. "Otherwise we would all be dead." She glances over at Rualiss and the Lord Commander. "For that she is to be punished."
"**** faeries," mutters Elrae, not surprised.
Hepla asks if she can pick some herbs and flowers while here. If yes she starts collecting as many different types as she can find. "It looks like I may never get this chance again. Even mom has never been here. She will enjoy working with these. Grandma will like them also. Can any of them be added to a fermenting vat?"
The Eladrin look at Hepla. "And that is why you do not belong," says Rualiss sadly.
"We wonder if you belong as well," says Denneth, trailing off as the implications of her comment set into Rualiss.
"I am sorry if I offended your laws but that is why I asked first," replies Hepla, not understanding.
"The so-called 'hospitality of elves' never fails to substantiate my opinion," Thorgrim says. To Isilme, he whispers, "I am beginning to think the Drow are the best among them, as the best among them is Drow."
"What punishment?" he asks aloud.
"Nay, Hepla, is'nt their laws," says Rakk calmly. "They can't grant what you want. As my mother does, you must ask the spirit of the herb if it wishes to work with you, and which part of its being does it desire you use. Use your witch side and commune with it. Here, that side is stronger."
Rakk then looks to the Eladrin, a strange bit of sadness visible in his stone-like visage.
"Aye, I don't belong. I belong nowhere at all. Neither here, nor there. Neither with humans or giants. There are none like me. I walk the lines between. Oberon and Baba Yaga both told me, long ago. I don't need you to tell me that."
"Thank you Rakk, and you belong with us," says Hepla, taking his massive hand in hers. She then turns back to the Eladrin. "May I ask your herbs and flowers if they will come with me?" Hepla asks.
"Let's get out of here!" mutters Gotrek.
In Dwarvish, Thorgrim responds: "Let's see what's going down, first. We may best leave with the townsfolk, and Rualiss may wish to join. I aim to give her the choice." He unconsciously fingers his warhammer, as he resists the urge to draw Souldrinker. He stops, and rests easy. "We wait." Thorgrim gains eye contact with Elrae and nods, purposefully, letting him know his own sentiments echo what surely must be Elrae's.
Emyn, taken aback by the eladrin's overbearing nature responds by chiding the leader. "I know not what you laws are milady but it does seem to me that you are goodly. What does your ethos say of thanking those who have aided you at great risk to themselves when asked to do so by an eladrin? We have all fought for your cause and Rakk in a single blow and with much self-sacrifice has either given you a great advantage in your conflict or he has at least returned balance to it when you were losing ground by destroying the Throne of Vard. Surely such service deserves better treatment than what we, and especially Rakk, are receiving now."
"Emyn! Silence!" warns Thorgrim.
"The answer to unfair and oppressive treatment is never silence," he responds passionately.
Thorgrim looks at Hepla for help.
"Emyn, dear," she quickly answers, moving over to him and calming him too. "We have not been treated with disrespect. Our appearance has caught them by surprise. Give them a chance."
"I would suggest patience as well," replies Berenn, using his most noble-like manners. "We are visitors here and don't know their ways. If the rolls were reversed, we would probably feel the same as they do."
Emyn stop fuming, and the party remains silent. They are then asked to wait, and Hepla finds that she can go get some herbs. Following the guidelines she heard from Rakk, it doesn't seem a problem. She finds a couple weird forms of mushrooms, as well as about 4 more herbs. She has NO IDEA what any of them are, and figures it's probably better not to ask.....
[DM OOC: I'll figure them out later!]
Meanwhile, the Eladrin, other than Rualiss, seem mostly devoid of emotion as they listen to the party. You see that they clearly operate on a level beyond that of the mortal world. Even the elves, possibly the descendents of the Eladrin if some stories are to be believed, seem downright frolicy and emotional in comparison.
Isilme who has been intentionally quiet until now, walks over and addresses the eladrin leadership and Rualiss. "I understand the importance you place upon protecting this realm, and greater than them all, I understand how those in the outside world can treat you with cruelty and not show reverence or respect due to the nature of this place. But all your guardian did was allow these humans to retreat from imminent death, as I am sure you would not be denied if those of the feydark overran your fortress. This kindness will live on in the tales of these humans, long after those standing here have passed on. You have ignited a reverence and respect for the Eladrin that will never die so long as the legends are told, and may serve to protect the sanctity of this place into the ages to a greater degree than even your guardian of the gate."
The eladrin look out at all the humans gathered around, for none have left the immediate area. They see the genuine respect and gratefulness on their features, and the wondrous smiles of the children. They look at each other, then back at Isilme.
"She is right, you know," says Rualiss. "Perhaps I broke our laws and my orders, but are not some things worth it?"
A tear forms in the cold, hard eye of the Lord Commander, who wipes it away. She looks down at her hand, then wipes the tear off on her armor.
Emyn is about to speak, but then holds his tongue as Isilme continues.
"Lord Commander, the law must be tempered with compassion and mercy, lest it be used as a weapon to cut beyond its originators intent." She pauses and says, "I myself showed compassion in the feydark for one of your people. Imprisoned and tortured by the dark Fey, then left to die tormented in the darkness. I have brought the body of one of your warriors home at last, to rest in peace."
She takes out her hand size chest and enlarges it to gently remove the body of the slain eladrin and place it at the commanders feet.
They don't know that eladrin, but they appreciate her doing that. "It's no good to leave somebody in the hands of the fomorians, or worse," says the Commander. "We will see to him," she adds. "You have gained favor with the Eladrin this day."
"Rualiss," says Isilme, looking at the Eladrin druid. "Should you be banished for a time you are welcome to stay in my forests, they are touched by Arvendor itself and may give you some comfort."
"F'n F" Elrae mutters to himself. "Ahem, now let me explain my story to you sir. Soon after I was married to my lovely bride after becoming one of the Heroes of Hommlet, we encountered a group of fey fighting over Shalandalan original statue. I parlayed for peace, kindness and compromise and was rewarded with the theft of my prized possession, my wedding ring, a ring that kept me warm when away from the embrace of my wife. I did nothing to deserve such injustice other than to have a loose associate with a pyromanic known as Vestron. Anyway if you come across a group of pixies that stole my wedding ring, an ebony fly, and an amulet of the planes, I would very much like to have them back."
The eladrin look at themselves for a moment, then laugh. "Be thankful that's all you lost," one says.
[DM OOC: The eladrin outpost here is to guard the Moon Door. They aren't going to let you wander off through the Plane of Faerie, since their whole purpose here is to prevent exactly that. You can, however, remain here and rest. You will be returned back through the Moon Door along with the townsfolk.]
"I've had enough of this hole," says Elrae, clearly upset. "I wish there was another way out of here. Three weeks with these ungrateful creeps is way too long. Soon we'll be wearing rainbow suspenders and singing fa la la la la and skipping through the forest."
[DM OOC: The eladrin have nothing but negative reactions. I couldn't have been more clear on that. They are UBER-haughty elves, so to speak. So all the normal attitudes that make elves difficult, the eladrin have in spades. Add to that these are the militaristic eladrin; they are even unyielding. So, you will never get anywhere with them. Isilme returning the body of one of their own simply brought them around to a "neutral" attitude, saving you guys from more issues. Though it may seem you aren't getting anywhere with them, you have.]
About a week before you are to return home (to Redlee Manor through the Moon Door that is) there is a loud commotion. People can hear music, playing loud from the nearby forest and growing closer. Soon, a handful of faeries fly from the forest. The flit around, and those which come closer are recognizable as pixies and sprites. They alight on tree branches, bushes, tents, etc.,
They are soon followed by many more, along with hundreds, maybe thousands, playing music and dancing. One flies above the rest, singing a beautiful song which captivate everyone, especially Elrae.
When the song ends, she flies down and lands atop Rakk's shoulder. When he looks at her, he recognizes her. She is the once-wingless pixie which they rescued in the Rushmoors. The pixie is named Alii Aithene Starshine. You learn that after she made it back through the Moon Door, she was brought before the Seelie Court to report her findings. Afterwards Titania, Queen of the Faeries, healed her and granted her new wings. She has since returned to give thanks to the party for saving her life.
Isilme listens intently to the songs of the fey, hoping to mimic such beautiful music herself at a later time. In fact if she has the opportunity she will spend time with them during the week learning their songs. She also expresses to the the once wingless fairy she is glad she had made it home and had been granted her wings back.
There is a sign of a pleasant smile from Gotrek for a second, as he listens to the faeries sing. He then goes back to scowling.
When you head through the Moon Door at the end of the week, you find the town just a burned rubble. Though the fires were extinquished, much damage was already done. Still, it is just a town. It can be rebuilt. Also there is a large force of Keoish soldiery. They marched to the area, reaching it only after the events you witnessed. They will stay and see to the safety of the townsfolk as the work of rebuilding now begins.
Earthday, 6th of Wealsun - Low Summer (582 CY)
The party returned back to the ruins of Redlee Manor on Godsday, 4th of Wealsun. Massive winds, beyond anything they had ever experienced, were blowing from the south at hurricane strength. These winds effectively finished off the town, as the half-burnt structures could not withstand the storm. Nearly everything was simply wiped clean, the debris scattered to the winds.
The soldiers of Keoland hunkered down as best they could, and they tell you that these winds have blown for two days. It sounds like a great hurricane moved north from the Azure Sea, scouring the land as it made its way up the Sheldomar Valley. There has been nothing to do but stay down and wait.
The next day things let up, with gusts over 70, and the following day all the winds basically stop. The keolanders send scouts north towards the Rushmoors, but they return with no news. It seems the trolls have indeed scattered back to their holes, hopefully forever. The party buys some horses from the soldiers, at far above normal cost. They then prepare to say their goodbyes and begin the journey home.
The temp is now much higher, with highs of 87 and lows of 63. It is much more comfortable to travel, and the partly cloudy skies block the worst of the sun. The roads are still pretty wet from the storm, but the horses don't have much trouble.
The party begins the trek home, taking the northern route this time, planning to go around the Lortmills to the north. Rakk decides to stay here and assist the people rebuild.
"I am sorry to see you go Rakk," says Emyn. "I hope your new sword will slay many trolls. If you ever need my help, you need but ask."
Hepla gives him a hug and kiss, and the party all tells him that he forever has a home with them.
The party then departs, beginning their long journey home.
That's it for the Trolls of the Rushmoors. The adventure grew out of a move on the part of the party towards doing the GDQ series. They got a bit sidetracked here, and I tweaked a 3rd ed module, King of the Trollhaut Warrens. I made its map fit into the Rushmoors, and just adjusted all the history and such to work with Greyhawk, Vecna, etc. I think it all went well.
Afterwards, they decided they were NOT ready to do the GDQ series, not because they were not powerful enough, but because they said I was too hard a DM. Really? ok!
So, they decided to return to Hommlet, lick their wounds, and then figure things out. You can follow their adventures in the following thread:
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