Cache a Fallen Star pt. 1

After a week layover, first observing then selling a dragon hatchling, plus outfitting a party, and hiring Tireo -- a man-at-arms and veteran of the Battle of Wanderhalt -- the party sets out for the Malochan Mountains. The Dwarven geologist which has accompanied them hither and yon across all Westrun can scarcely believe the news. Addled though he was from his constant recourse to human wine, he still only had to be pointed firmly in the right direction for motivation. They leave in two groups with Mai, Budokai, Ohgren, Freja and Bjorn in the van. They believe they are followed by Quin, Beleg, Mourning-Elk, Patrick, Sabretooth in the train.Time will tell which of those heroes make it with them to their destination.

The several days of the last two weeks of Summer are spent with near perfect weather as the mountains loom ever closer. Little is said among them about their objective or what they suspect they will face. To the inexperienced Bravo among them, this is the calm detachment of the true professional. To the well-traveled Squire, it is merely the gong juggling manner he has come to expect from his betters.

Since the Battle of Wanderhalt the plains are remarkably clear of wandering monsters and the party encounters no resistance whatsoever. A day from Wanderhalt they found an abandoned wagon sporting an empty cage and no sign of man, nor beast. But until just two days from the end of the Old Quarry Road, they have seen little else. While pondering this, they realize from the top of a rise that they have passed an entire group of Halflings nonethewiser. The party waits as the intrepid band catches up to them and introduces themselves for parley.

The Halfling band is made up of men barely out of their youth. They claim to be the sons of farmers who have left before harvest starts to journey to the Malochan Mountains. They say that they hope to make a reputation for themselves and to bring back wagon loads of treasure after the manner of Brandobaris the Stealthy -- a hero of old that their leader claims to namesake. Recognizing kindred spirits, the party invites the Halflings to dinner and to share an evening's fire, and perhaps a smoke, as they have already shared the same stretch of road. The Halflings agree but note with some increasing irritation that the party is continually checking their possessions to see if any have gone missing.

"It is a crass and loathsome stereotype," Brandobaris intones, "that all Halflings are thieves, and that a party of Halflings are much more to be feared than that composed of any other people group."

The party apologizes and laughs nervously for their self-conscious behavior, but finds themselves checking their things each time a Halfling so much as shifts in position, let alone rises to relieve himself. Nevertheless, the company is good, and so the night comfortably passes as the party swaps stories with the band, and Budokai does what he can to improve the guard-post habits of his smaller colleagues.

By morning the party has learned that the nearby shire of Merrydale has seen something from their fairy tales replayed before the eyes of multiple witnesses. A giant, riding in a chariot pulled by dragons, has been seen flying back and forth over the last six months -- to and from the mountain range. This giant and his dragons are the Halfling's objective. They believe that it must have some sort of lair or holding nearby, and they mean to rid the mountains of such a scourge and to haul his treasure out, in full, as their own.

The next day of travel brings them to the foot of the Malochans and the party informs the Halflings that the giant they seek is likely in a lair on top of the mountains. The Halflings' eyes grow wide as they contemplate the height of the climb, the dangers before them, the snow on the peaks and their own lack of shoes. They have some discussion and decide that they are poorly equipt for the journey and beg off, but not before gettting a gift from Mai in the form of a glowing pebble of continual light. These young men mean to return home as successful adventurers with the Mai Star as their booty. They give a standing invite to the party to join them there at adventures end. They will share a grand meal and another smoke.

That day sends the party and their horses picking their way upwards from the quarry cuts. They arrive at the expected meadow on top of a plateau and leave their horses there to graze near a babbling brook. Then, cinching their packs tighter, continue the rest of the day climbing, with Mai flying reconaissance on griffon back. They make good time until an unlikely shadow crosses overhead and just then, a frosty-bearded giant in a massive chariot pulled by white dragons flies in for a closer look.

At this point, the nine days sober Dwarven geologist turns to Oghren and tells him that he will be hiding, with the horses, in nearby Merrydale Shire with their newest friends, the Halflings. He says that, when the party has returned with the heads of the frosty-bearded fellow and his team of dragons, he will be happy to accompany them further to assay the mineral they seek. But until then he will be drinking and smoking elsewhere.

The indignant party asks why he is beating such a hasty retreat and he explains that as a citizen of Dun Balnolmor he is well-acquainted with what they have just seen. That, he explains, is no mere giant, but a Jarl -- a highly intelligent and well-organized chieftain of Frost Giants. He is likely to have 20 regular Frost Giants beneath him, including a shaman spell caster, along with a few dozen subdued local giants, and a host of guardian wolves, bears and perhaps yeti in attendance. The last they see of the geologist is a cloud of dust.

With a collective head shake, the party continues upward carefully. Mai continues making regular reconaissance and reports, when she suddenly returns with all haste warning her friends to flee back to the plateau. The face of the mountain is alive with rapidly descending Stone Giants and several furry shapes she surmises are wolves or bears.

Not easily put off, and protected from unsuspecting eyes by their magical cloaks, Bjorn and Budokai pick their way carefully back to a position of ambuscade, while the mercenary Tireo also finds a hide. Mai enchants her companions for maximum haste and size advantage. Freja and Oghren flee for the meadow and find themselves rained on by large rocks. Then Mai is knocked from her griffon by a chance shot but is no worse the wear, as it flies off for safety. A few spells later and she is both flying on her own and invisibly so. Freja is back down from the plateau and out on the plains with a bruised and battered Oghren who used to own a shield, but now owns a crumpled and twisted piece of metal.

The descending giants cease their attacks and blend in with the rocky outcrops they never seem to miss finding. The furry shapes grow ever closer and they are seen to be 5 enraged cave bears snapping and snarling as they pursue those on the plain floor. Just then, Mai's ability to summon creatures brings forth two charging black bears to offer them resistance. What happens next is over in an instant. The party watches in horror as the brown bears are torn limb from limb and the cave bears set their sights on Oghren and Freja.

The coming battle will be both savage and merciless. The van hopes sincerely that their train which followed them from Wanderhalt will suddenly arrive. Time will tell -- it always does.

Quotes of the Day: Accepting nominations.

The Haul: Nada.

The Books: Nada.

*edited to change Biorn to Bjorn 3/3
*edited to change pepple to pebble 3/3
*edited to change "brown" to "black" bears. 3/8