Road to Hyperborea, Chapter One

Talking With Nenufar
Tuesday, May 15th, 988 AD

After our chat with Cain, Nenufar decides she's got some important things to tell us as well. She says the Moors have been looking for the Glitter Gates because of the Hadith of Muawia contained within the Sahi Buqari. They seek out Elven villages and ask if anyone knows where they might be. Usually, this is a peaceful event, but sometimes they rough some people up, and once in a while, they massacre entire villages. She gives us all the info she has on the individual members of band, including names and abilities, as far as she knows.

After this, we let Cain go. He says now that Kebnekaise has been destroyed, he's going to continue wandering, possibly to this New World Reynaldo's been talking up.

Nicolae takes to the air to scan for giants, and finding none, we plan on how to overtake Orm and his people and rest for the remainder of the day.

Near Death Experience
Thursday, May 17th, 988 AD

We wake up rather early in the morning and heal up. After some gallivanting in which he tried to pick up heavy rocks, run as fast as he could, and fly, among other things, Reynaldo leans against a tree and leaves a burn mark in the shape of his hand. He figured out the new magic tooth let him hurt plant matter (it also helped that Moishe was able to determing the sphere of the magic as plant).

Reynaldo and Jean-Claude summon lots of Mounts and Phantom Steeds, and Anna casts Unfailing Endurance on the Mounts, as well as herself, Thalia, Edward, Ivan, and Wong. We then ride out.

After four hours of riding, Saur, the ex-Jarl of Trondheim, shows up to gice us some news.

Saur: Word arf arf on arf arf the arf arf grapevine arf arf is arf arf that arf arf Orm arf arf has arf arf been arf arf bitten arf arf by arf arf a arf arf snake arf arf.
Anna: Oh no! Is he okay?
Reynaldo: Wait, you understood that?
Ivan: Told you the talking dog was real. You said I was drunk. Who's drunk now, you jerk.
Saur: They arf arf think arf arf they'll arf arf be arf arf able arf arf to arf arf find arf arf a arf arf cure arf arf in arf arf the arf arf Everbloom arf arf.
Edward: Who's they?
Saur: His arf arf companions arf arf.
Edward: You should come with us. You can show us the way.
Saur: I'm arf arf sorry arf arf, but arf arf I arf arf can't arf arf. I arf arf have arf arf to arf arf meet arf arf my arf arf friend arf arf Managarm arf arf. He's arf arf a arf arf great arf arf warrior arf arf from arf arf the arf arf Shadow arf arf Realm arf arf. He's arf arf south arf arf of arf arf here arf arf and arf arf looking arf arf for arf arf information arf arf.
Reynaldo: What the hell is he saying?

We explain to Reynaldo all that has transpired thus far.

Reynaldo: Ask him if the Shadow Realm is fighting for anybody right now, and if so, who.
Saur: You arf arf got arf arf it arf arf.
Reynaldo: Uhh... thanks, I guess.
Saur: You arf arf know arf arf, he'll arf arf probably arf arf want arf arf to arf arf talk arf arf to arf arf you arf arf, what arf arf with arf arf you arf arf guys arf arf carrying arf arf a arf arf child arf arf of arf arf the arf arf Shadow arf arf Realm arf arf with arf arf you arf arf.
Thalia: You mean Trevor?
Saur: I arf arf doubt arf arf it arf arf, but arf arf that's arf arf what arf arf I've arf arf heard arf arf.
Thalia: I don't know what you're talking about then.
Saur: Well arf arf, see arf arf you arf arf guys arf arf later arf arf.

Saur left and we rode for another five hours, which is when Reynaldo's Phantom Steeds disappear. We decide to rest for six hours so that we can take Phantom Steeds, Mounts, and Cure Lights, but about an hour into our rest, a xorn appears underneath Thalia, who sidesteps it. It seems to be munching on something shiny, and Ivan immediately attacks it. Thalia and Wong join in, but then a bunch of those obnoxious fire dwarf things from inside Kebnekaise show up as well and start attacking us all. The leader, Amamon begins calling for someone to take him on one-on-one. Ivan takes him up on it. Nicolae, as usual, attempts to blind everybody he can. The xorn slips away in the midst of the fighting. The rest happens pretty quickly, but everybody who's not a spellcaster (or Dorn and Shara who were both out picking berries for reasons known only to themselves), are knocked out and receive permanent scarring. Ivan nearly dies after his heart explodes while facing down Amamon, but Jean-Claude saves the day and Cone of Cold's about fifteen of them in one shot, including Amamon. They all disappear and Reynaldo, Jean-Claude, and Nicolae are really not keen on being the only ones standing and therefore having to protect everyone.

End of Chapter One