Chapter 5 * Side Quest * The Missing Pony

DM - Chad

As recalled by the DM

With the beginning of a new day and the Quest for the Dragon Orbs urging them on, the party went to see the king at the arranged time. The party was escorted into the castle by the royal guards and they brought into the throne room. There were others gathered as well who were going to quest for the dragon orbs. An Elf WuJen in a blue dress, a Human Cleric of Pelor in green/white vestments with a white staff, a Teifling Sorcerer in a red tunic, a grey living construct looking like a broad shouldered human, and a dwarven fighter:Olvan the Steady who Thrall had met before. Along with these 5, there was also a Drow dressed in heavy black clothes named Sirk. Sirk being the one whom the Arch Magus asked the party to take with them on their journey.

There were mixed reactions when Sirk introduced himself. Thrall thought Sirk was cool because he had never seen a black elf before and jokingly refered to Sirk as "homie" and such. Sirk was slightly annoyed and confused with the fighter. Tari kinda liked Sirk and knew with a Drow in the party they could do some profitable mischeif together, since her father was a half-drow. Lia, on the other hand, was very untrusting of Sirk and kept her distance.

After some chatting, the frail King Lemelle entered helped by two servants. Once seated upon his throne the king informed the adventurers that the quest to find the orbs would have to wait. He told them that during the night the princess' pony was stolen by a flying creature and it needed to be rescued before the quest for the orbs could happen. King Lemelle asked if anyone would take the mission. Thrall and Tari decided to go about their own buisness leaving Sirk and Lia to find the pony.

After talking to some people, Lia and Sirk learned that, what looked like a dwarf with wings, came during the night and flew away with the pony over the mountains towards the Castle of Aran. On the way to getting some horses, Sirk bumped into a kid in the square who knew him. The boy said he would miss Sirk while he was away. Sirk performed a few tricks and sent the boy on his way. At the Get Around Outlet, Otis got Lia fixed up with a horse. Sirk summoned one when they were outside the town.

They rode and arrived in Rablesk and were greeted by the watch, Hudson. All of them went to the tavern and Hudson told Lia and Sirk many things. Firstly, that he did see a flying dwarf carrying a pony in the sky the night before heading towards the ruins to the east. Hudson told them of the story about the Castle of Aran. [One day a traveler passed through and he had a magical stone which Lord Aran wanted. The traveler wouldn't give it to Lord Aran, so Lord Aran had the man killed. The man had a dog with him named Romus who stayed at his masters grave howling until he too died. Shortly after Romus' death, everyone in Lord Aran's Castle, including Lord Aran himself mysteriously disappeared and there is a erie howling that comes from the castle. It keeps many of the people awake in the land. It is said that the ghost of Romus haunts the castle.]

They also learned that the Gate of Earth, in the earth cave to the south, has been closed. There is a medicine merchant in town named Trench who needs to deliver medicine to a very sick child in Bonro (past the cave) but can't because the gate is closed. Lia and Sirk learned this from talking to Trench the next day. They also talked with a rich man in white robes named Gain, who has been trapped in Rablesk ever since the gate was closed, he lives in Bonro. He asked if Lia and Sirk would open the gate of earth. If they did he would reward them with a magical item that would help them on their journey. They agreed to do this. Gain informed them that the person who had the Key of Earth was Lord Aran.

Lia and Sirk rested for the night...NEW DAY!
The party then talked with Trench and then headed east towards the ruins down the old road. As they passed by the Castle of Aran, the howling became louder and they both had a very erie feeling come over them. After passing the castle they saw some smoke in the grassy plain. Curious what it was they rode south. They indeed found the source which was a fire that belonged to a nomadic tribe of 5 catfolk. Following some "grassy" conversation, Lia and Sirk continued towards to ruins.

Into and through the woods they went until they came to a clearing. A barely standing two story house with a caved in roof stood before them as well as what would seem to be the remains of a very old town, long since deserted. A cry for help resounded through the air from inside the house. As they approached the door of the house the sound was muffled. Sirk peered through the door which was half off it's hinges to see a winged dwarf, a pony tied up as well as a man in poor clothes tied up. Sirk fired a magic missle and hit the monster. Lia shoved Sirk out of the way, broke down the door and attacked. It was a vicious battle, the monster breathed flying stones and rocks at the party, Sirk summoned a monstrous centapede and threw daggers. In the end...the party won.

Lia freed the pony and healed its wounds while Sirk freed the man. The man's name was Niro, a poor homeless man who had been living in the old house for a little while. Sirk wanted to help Niro as much as he could, so Lia and Sirk decided to stay for 4 days and have Sirk cast several Mending spells in order to make the house safer and afterwards find carpenter to come back and do the big work. Lia studied nature and healed the pony, while Sirk casted Mending spells and learned the place used to be called HomeTown.

Morning of the 5th day...
Lia and Sirk left for Rablesk and sought out Gain. They asked if he would fund their fix-up project, Gain agreed to help them get started with 500 gp. After having some lunch, they departed for Lemelle. It was evening when they arrived. When they informed the guards they had the princess' pony the gates were opened and they were immediatly taken to see the king. The king was overjoyed at the success of Lia and Sirk and gave them each 250 gp. Sirk told the King of HownTown and their plans; that they needed a carpenter. The King gave them a letter to acquire a carpenter from the work efforts on the city to aid them. The king announced that the commissioning of the adventurers to find the dragon orbs would happen in 4 days.

Lia went to the Knight and Nave Inn while Sirk went to his room at the Magic School and rested for the night...NEW DAY!
Lia and Sirk met in the square after breakfast and proceeded to the Caulk and Nail Carpenters to hire someone to help Niro. After showing the King's letter, the master builder Ken, assigned a young apprentice named Manacotti to go with them to fix up the house in HomeTown for 500 gp. Lia and Sirk paid Ken and they went on their way with Manacotti and all his cart of supplies in tow. The group made a pit stop in Rablesk and saw Gain, who reinbursed Lia and Sirk for hiring Manacotti as they had agreed. The group then proceeded towards HomeTown, arriving late in the evening. Niro greeted them heartily.

Everyone rested for the night...NEW DAY!
Lia and Sirk instructed Manacotti to repair the house fully and then head back to Lemelle, since he won't be able to do much more because of the cold weather. With thoughts of trying to provide food for Niro in the future...asking Azuka to come and live in HomeTown...and soon to have a base of operations...Lia decided to stay in HomeTown and help Niro as well as protect the town. Sirk, meanwhile, headed back to Lemelle to meet up with Thrall and Tari and see the king about the Dragon Orbs.

Chapter 5 - King Lemelle and the Dragon Orbs