Rocks and Pigs
As usual, once the fight is done, there's gotta be some long-winded conversation: this time around, with the re-formed stone of Tara, Lia Fail, through two translators, a Galab-Dur and Cathbad himself. According to the Druid, the Ireland-dwelling wing of the tribe of Dan lived on a sickle-shaped island northeast of the Irish mainland, where they made epic swords and built houses out of clay. He also mentions a place called Sliabh Muc, saying it was sacred to the Jews. The stone also relates its own origin, ultimately from North Africa; it was brought to Ireland by elves.
Cathbad then disappears, offering the Danger Gang a choice between two treasures--the leaf mail or the leaf cloak of Manannan. Arben wastes some XP ascertaining that the enchanted mail gives better protection in spring and summer, but wilts in winter; while the cloak sucks out your memories. Gee, what a tough choice! The mail goes to Tulpe, who could use the boost.
That night, with Ali and Marcella on watch, the group's attacked by a dullahan, riding a horse and carrying his own head--which totally EXPLODES when flung. Ali's blink dog, Viga, is driven mad by fear, as is Marcella--but the singing sword instills some courage, and he's eventually defeated.
In the morning, Zombres removes the stone-gazin' eye from Balor King-of-the-Fomorian's head, then rubs it with some oil of timelessness so it doesn't go off. He disposes of the head, then casts avoidance on Balor's unwieldy sword, just for the lulz as the Fomorians try to pick it up. Then, since Cathbad isn't exactly trustworthy, Gershom speaks with the stone himself. Poor thing doesn't appear to have been put back together quite properly--no way was it full of the information Cathbad claimed to be translating. It does know a couple significant things: that Sliabh Muc, or the Hill of Pigs, is in fact a dangerous (and non-kosher) place; and that the Tuatha de Dannan live at an underground crossroads called Sidhe Brugh. So it's there that the DG turns their steps.
Along the way, they pass a mound with four Fomorians sitting on top, roasting something large--like a pig. Probably they should have checked it out, but instead they end up at Sliabh Muc, where a helpful squirrel shows us a cave chock-damn-full of boars. Slimy boards. Marcella keeps them calm, but they're still pretty gross. There's a pool at the back of the cave--a pool which, apparently, makes pigs. How . . . disgustingly useful, under extremely narrow circumstances which don't obtain at the moment. Oh well, let's go check out that mound.
