The Danger Gang learns the Brown One's Secret Secret
After a night of resting, with healing interspersed every four hours, the Danger Gang is ready to leave the cave of The Brown One and finish looking around the cavern of the Phantom Sheet. They keep an eye out for nasty looking woodland creatures, and fortunately, encounter none. They head down into the cavern, but find that it's only a twenty-five foot long tunnel, with little abcesses on the sides ever five feet or so. What a bust.
They walk back to the cave of The Brown One, hoping that maybe he'll tell them about the secret treasures presumably held therein. They journey back is interupted however, for hiding in the branches above them is a Faerie Dragon sitting in the branches above them. It tries to breath its euphoric breath upon them, but they shrug it off. Soon, the majority of the party is slowed, however. Can catches it in a Web and soon Arben casts Magic Missile, which, surprisingly, blows it to smithereens. They shrug their shoulders and continue back to the cave.
They discuss the pros and cons of tracking down the Mummies that gave Gershon the Rot, with Ramble coming down squarely on the con side. It's ageed that maybe they aren't quite equipped to face such a large group of undead, and maybe they could come back for them later, since these guys have been there for several hundred years. Karp proclaims that these creatures are all abominations before the Lord, but by now everyone has gotten pretty creeped out by his wacky religion, and just nods wordlessly. However, everyone agrees that they want to help The Brown One get back his two bear friends, he have fallen under the evil spell that's spreading through the forest. The Brown One, who has nicely whittled them an alarm whistle, tracks the bears. After a little while, the tracks run dry, but Martialis is able to cast Locate Animal and finish the job. "Wait here", says Martialis, we'll call you when we're ready.
They sneak up on bears, aided by Martialis' Invisibility to Animals spell. They're about to leap into action, when suddenly, Can, Ramble, and Martialis all become paralyzed. Karp and Arben look at one another confusedly. "I've got an idea," says Arben, and he casts Levitate on Martialis and then rides him upwards above the tree line. "I'll cast Levitate on you, then you grab those two guys and we'll surf out of here." Before his bold plan can be enacted, however, an Albino Elf comes running out of the woods, weilding a nasty looking morning star. He and Karp trade blows, but Karp receives the lion's share. Arben whips out his spider-control thing and dumps spiders all over the Albino, yelling "Your God has abandoned you!". The Elf seems disturbed, but undettered. Arben tosses down his stone of continual light, which causes the Elf to hiss and back into the shadows of the forest.
They call for the Brown One and explain that they just used a lot fo their mojo, and might have to comeback for the bears in a few hours. Right now they're all a little more worried about this malicious elf. Before they can say "Boo!", however, the Albino reemerges from the shadows, riding on top of the bears. "Subdue the bears!" says The Brown One, who then rips off his robe. Everyone stands shocked for a moment, but they don't know what shocked is because The Brown One morphs into a big ol' Bear. He starts chomping away on the Elf, who keeps whacking at him with the morning star. Meanwhile, Martialis casts spells on the bears to pacify or paralyze them. Soon the Elf is slain. Arben rifles through her pockets, finding a few copper peices and a holy symbol. Unfortunately, The Brown One is a little worse for wear, so he won't be able to make the blood sacrifice to help his bear friends. Martialis and Can volunteer. His friends healed, the Brown One is greatful for their help. So greatful, he asks that, should he die unexpectedly, for them to take his dead jaws and bite someone, to pass along his position. They agree to this honor.
