Zoom 2022-01-04 21:00

**Vendor Beware**

### In the Forest

Thanks to Bazin, it takes the Party about a day to reach the main clan camp, where 700-800 clansmen are gathered. There are many campfires, and extensive evidence of the fire-hiding spell. Again the camp is well defended, using a layered scheme of open outer scouts and inner very well-hidden scouts. Umar was disappointed to note that nothing stronger than tea was on offer round the campfires.

The next day the tribal moot begins. Francis tried to schmooze the moot guards, while Quercuis seeks out potion-makers, to share her recipes, and Caradoc looked for anyone who had seen the forge.Quercuis found opportunities to share her white nightshade and cinderoak recipes (much to Wun’s satisfaction), and **may have found some information on black ginger ointment**.

Francis learned the location of the forge caves, while schmoozing, and made sure Caradoc knew the details. Joshua chats to the younger lads, the warrior wannabees, and learns a story about a young lizardman who, for a dare, set out to spend the night in Connolas (198.028). His companions, watching from outside, saw him running, trying to escape something they could not see. Suddenly he seemed to turn to glass, not a lizardman skill apparently, then disappeared. The other youngsters had not seen what he did to seal his doom, and all the youngsters seemed as reluctant as their elders to speak of the cold areas and hyper-aging effects.

The formal moot ends about mid-afternoon, and the clan begins to disperse. It appears the clan has voted to stay put and hide. From what the Party could make out, about seven in ten trolls were aligned with Greenscale, the Shaman, in favour of more decisive action. Colm Hillwalker (the Clan Knight) is too busy to see us, but Apprentice Listener tells us we are welcome to stay with the clan, or explore the Vale, providing we do not bring trouble on the clan. (This would be easier if we knew what triggered the trolls to send out a scout patrol, whether our actions or a desire to keep an eye on the GARM expedition). The clan has scavenged in the towns, but not frequently.

We talk to Greenscale, who seems depressed and withdrawn, thinking how to deal with this decided policy. Oddly, after a few words with Francis, he perks up a bit and, uttering “Good idea, young human.” he bustles off, turning only to ask the Party if they would be willing to carry a message to Torbar, or to another major Wildwood shrine. The Party is surprised. This is not what usually happens when Francis has a chat with anyone. Francis explains that he asked Greenscale whether it didn’t fall within the Shaman’s authority to negotiate with the rest of Wildwood, as long as it did not compromise the decision to hide, and Greenscale muttered something about “making a sapling” and that this would take three or four days.

Greenscale leaves us with a junior shaman who will teach us Camp without Trace (3rd level druid spell, one day to learn). The non-druids in the Party take their chance to gather supplies, or try to learn any tips or tricks as they wait for the druids.

The Party decided to investigate Thricastle (202.032), which is only about 2 hours away, while they wait for Greenscale.

### Information from the Scouts

The Lizardman tracks led to a boat, which was about the size of a river-barge. It would hold about 10 warriors, and seemed too small to take the hand unless all the lizardmen were swimming with it.

To the south of the forest large numbers of (Wild) Blink-dogs had appeared, and of the 7 scouts who headed south only 5 returned. It seems the route south is closed for now.

### The Forge Caves

These are two caves, east of Vendor, where the mountains first rise (205.025). The main cave has a large useable forge, of a high quality, though the clansmen were reluctant to call it legendary. The clan do not guard it, but visit it when required. Their casual attitude owes more to their (severe) shortage of metal, than any contempt for its capacity.

There are no trees in the area, but the clan has hidden stashes of wood and charcoal near the northern eaves of the forest which they might share, if we can give them some metal.

### Exploring Thricastle, and *still* managing to meet with disaster

The Party arrives before lunch, and opt to explore. Thricastle castle, a keep and dilapidated curtain wall, overlooking a settlement of about 30 varied houses. Francis reckons it would have been a knight’s holding. Caradoc does an initial scout, avoiding the castle. The houses seem abandoned, the doors ajar, with no obvious sign of cold spots, though there are some signs of advanced aging. The town huddles round what was once probably a village green, which is dominated by a large house with stables, outbuildings and a decayed palisade. Umar thinks “definitely inn material”. If it had a sign, it had rotted away.

On entering the inn, Caradoc, with Bazin acting as his glamorous assistant, cautiously investigates the taproom, and eventually discovers a mechanically and magically trapped trap door. The mechanical trap was clumsy, decayed and easily dealt with, after the glyph was dispelled. The party pried up the decaying trapdoor, disclosing a bell without clapper, probably part of the mechanical trap, and a distant view of rotten barrels and bits of trestle. Caradoc begins a cautious descent, his caution repaid by finding two sets of small caltrops (about 10 in all) on the second and fifth steps, and carefully moves them aside. The caltrops once probably had poison applied, but it, and the spikes themselves are seriously aged. Bazin checks the stonework, which seems a clumsy human enlargement of a natural cave. The cave extends about 15 feet.

At the base of the stairs Caradoc stops, and checks carefully, using a leafy tree branch to check for hidden ageing spots. He does not find any, but he does find another clumsy needle trap. The floor shows signs of ageing, except for strips about 6 inches wide down each side. His bullseye also picks out what appears to be an outline of a dead ariel, and a ragged white feather, also aged. Within the outline Bazin detects a small magical item, a medallion or amulet, and Brother Dougal uses his unseen hand to pick it up and show it to Brokev. It is an old style Wyldwood holy symbol, and Brokev senses nothing amiss. What he actually says is “shiny”, but as an afterthought he adds “Fairwind Clan”, which is more helpful, and makes the Party think of Swanfeather, the Ariel speaker who was sent east to her death by Saratak.

Unfortunately just as the amulet is moved, a magic mouth in the citadel announces, to the sound of ominous organ chords, “***Now you’ve done it***”. Umar and Garaf exchange knowing glances.

Stay tuned for next week’s thrilling(?) instalment.