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Four Large Wolf Pelts. Wolves were killed cleanly with no weapon damage. Jane removed the pelts with a skill check of 17.

We later met some trappers who examined our skinning skills (we preferred their criticism/commentary to that of Illdrik's). They were glad for a light summer of orc encounters, and when they learned that we were to account for this, they offered Jane a very nice badger pelt. They offered to work it into the form of a hat that would fit her helm. We will need to collect this some day.

The trappers mentioned a statue north of Barley Fields of a warrior who fought against the Demon Lords long ago (Mayan Menye?). He fought with an Elven Sword given to him by the fairly queen (elf queen?). Also mentioned was a Redare OakOath, who is in a sacred grove across the river Oerth (Urt?).

We faced a Manticore in the middle of the night. It swooped in hidden in darkness firing darts from its tail (at the time we didn't know what was coming at us). Kenny took three darts to the chest at once and immediately died (with a roaring chorus of You killed Kenny, You Bastard!!!) While everyone struggled to pull on bits of armor, a few bow shots and a lightning bolt were fired at the beast. A glitterdust spell forced it to retreat to the skies, and a few more arrows convinced it to fly away, mortally embarrassed by it's thorough spanking (in truth, we could have been in a world of hurt).

At the tower, all was quiet. We climbed to the top of the lower tower, noting that we could see into some of the arrow slits, indicating that the magical darkness was not throughout the tower. At the smashed trapdoor we could see only darkness, but Illdrik entered through an arrow slit where light could pass and confirmed only the first room or so was in dark, and no spiders could be detected. We entered and descended the stairs to the level just below.

We first went to our right, and found a room with chalk markings noting the tally of some Orc wagering. The next room held poorly crafted orc spears and arrows, as well as orc poop and pee barrels. (orc poop... hee hee) Heading back to the stairs and turning left we find a more narrow passage, with doors to rooms facing outside the tower. The first room was a orc sleeping quarters with rude chalk drawings on the wall. We found a sack:

3gp, 20sp, 13cp, 2 stone basalt figures (that fit together in a certain way...)

The next part of the corridor was all melty warped, with bones embedded in the walls. Then there was a door with a rough orc/elf smiley face drawn on it, with a barrel of oil and unused torches outside. We opened the door and were pelted with darts from fairy types ("go away orcs"). Jane wrote a polite note in Silvain and we moved on.

The next door had a death skull drawn on it. Within were three skeletons hanging on a wall, and to the right a set of barred cells hidden in magical/evil darkness. Caelen went in with rope around his waist and was attacked by shadows from the cells. He was struck with unearthly cold and lost much of his strength. We pulled him out using the rope and fought the shadows in the doorway. Magic spells fizzled in the room. We defeated the shadows with magic stones, magic weapons and Danforth's firey breath (having used a fire breathing potion).

Inside we searched the cells and found loot on a gnomish victim and an elvish victim. Illdrik, who was doing the looting, escaped just before the shadow creatures reformed. On the bodies we found:

Magical whistle, made of ivory inlaid with precious stones
Gold Belt Buckle
Gold Shoe Buckles
Magical feather quill

Back in the fairly room, the creatures were nicer to us, having read Jane's note. Jane did all the talking from the doorway, and learned that within was a single creature, a faey dryiad or woodland creature of sorts named Mr. Green. He was brought here long ago by a Falpold Balderdash. He was now in the form of an acorn, and wanted to be brought back to "the forest". Jane agreed to do this, and was allowed safely into the room, to collect Mr. Green and put him into her pocket. She noted the dead and decayed corpses of orcs and a demon type. (Jane had remembered hearing of a Mr. Green. Previously she had met fairies who were guarding a portal for Mr. Green, who had been away a long time)

Further along the corridors, we found a corridor that stretched behind the shadow cell rooms, with arrow slits facing outside. Beyond that, we found a room with a very well done drawing in pastel chalk on the wall of Grumpsh in battle victory. Hilarity ensued as we speculated on the life and times of a young Orcbrandt, or perhaps a poorly understood and troubled Orc Van Gogh. Continuing, we reached the end of the corridor, which had a final door, and also a stranger circular outcropping of regular stone against the interior tower wall. We could discover nothing of this outcropping, but entered the final room.

Within we found a bed, a large chair with skulls on the arms, two stools facing the chair, an empty and open chest, a desk and a tapestry. Under the bed furs we found a sack with three tiger eyes. The desk surface had a built in map of the menhir hills, with green, white and purple marbles. We could discern the menhir hills road, the towns of Barley Fields and Stonewyck, our tower location and other points of interest. Further in the Menhir hills we could see the shape of a larger tower or castle (perhaps this castle Wesley has learned of). Other orc outposts were noted, with green orc marbles and white slave marbles placed. We made a drawing representation of the map and the marble locations. We took the tapestry, which again was Grumpsh in his glory.

Oni (who we had paid to be returned to the flesh), discovered that the tower corridor did not seem to go fully around the tower circumference. We search the wall within the room and discovered a secret door, which we opened with a knock spell. Within was an old desk and a metal chest. We learned the mechanism to the door (stone pressure plates in the outer room). The desk was falling apart, but within one drawer we found a silver letter opener and 5gp with an old unknown stamp.

We slept the night and Wesley learned extra knock spells the next day. Casting knock on the check immediately unlocked and opened it, and released a noxious gas that filled the secret room and the outer room. Mr. Green, the acorn in Jane's sack, immediately died. While Jane mourned, we found within the chest 3 potions, 2 scrolls and dagger and 10 footlong gold bars with strange runes on them. We went home.

Monster Summary:
Wolves, Manticore, Shadows

Treasure Summary:
Wolf pelts
Badge pelt (Jane will keep as a hat)
Orc spears and arrows, if of any value.
3gp, 20sp, 13cp, 2 stone basalt figures
Magical whistle, made of ivory inlaid with precious stones
Gold Belt Buckle
Gold Shoe Buckles
Magical feather quill
3 Tiger Eyes
Tapestry
Silver Letter Opener
5gp ancient coins
3 potions
2 scrolls
dagger
10 gold bars with runes
metal chest with lock

...We came upon the secret entrance to the keeps catacombs which was embedded within a tree outside of Hogsend. It was quiet very shortly as the first room seemed to be a taxonomic diorama of some freakish bird-men. That would be the last moment of peace in this labyrinth of the unknown. Ahead of to the North we encountered men made of mud who protected their spring with monstrous tenacity. Our strange Druid would toss about his chickens to test out these watered areas but would seem philosophically confused later as he left to burn a fur rug - we've yet to see him since. Brother Franc near suffocated due to smothering of muck and mud but would survive. As we exited the pool, the Mud Men would relax themselves back into the water as if nothing happened... Back to the initial room, we decided to traverse West. An interesting door with colored buttons, would act like a wheel and push us into a new direction (The poor Baron never seemed to tell us of any of this in his state of being). We've yet to figure out exactly how this machine works throughly. Possibly the Gnome, Mr. Gnorlock has seem some familiar engineering in his past... From there the pyromania would begin. A room of bats? On fire. Beyond the room, Rosier the magic wielder would trigger a mechanism that released a small river sending him out of the entire structure. As the fire of the bat room calmed, we began to search the room and I discovered a secret door leading into a well furnished room. This is where poor Malas Song would last be seen as he left to burn an elk rug. More fiddling from the wizard would teleport us all entirely out of the room into a new exit machine. Our depth seemed to be the same as where we vanished from, and would lead North into a cavernous dark chamber. To lighten up the situation I tossed a torch towards numerous boxes we could hardly make out. It turned out to be a mistake as a horde of skeletons erupted from their caskets, driven by evil and marching forward. Through the confusion of fight or flight, Brother Franc begin to turn them through his calling to Thor but as its told, two remaining would get wicked blows in upon Red Haus sending him down into unconsciousness. He's been healed and stabilized but is awaiting in a coma...

I have spent the last two days pouring over Silverwind's tome. Most of the arcane writings I still find difficult to comprehend. Fortunately, the book is also filled with many of the more mundane musings of my master.

It is this final entry that leaves me most anxious. My master speaks of an old friend and a book. Silverwind was clearly concerned for his friend's well being. To my amazement he seemed set to send me off to Tagbar to investigate.

I must honor Silverwind's wish to help his friend. As it is, I can afford to stay in this inn indefinitely. And, perhaps this Rupert can help me in turn. An old friend of my master may be able to assist me with the arcane secrets still held within Silverwind's book.

The trouble my master writes about makes my wary to go alone. I will ask Belnor to accompany me. I will discuss this with him tomorrow at the Hooksnout. I trust he will have some insight.

Tagbar... Now that I think about it... I swear this morning in the common room I overheard that blond bearded dwarf talking with an elf about leaving for Tagbar soon. What a strange coincidence.

-G

Today, I've gotten word that there is trouble in Tagbar. It seems an old friend of mine, Rupert, has fiddled with "the book". I guess the curiosity got to him after all these years. His job was to protect it...

I have sent various letters to him, but nothing has come in return. I am afraid my old friend is in trouble, and he needs help... I have heard rumors about Tagbar having come upon hard times, as a mysterious portal has opened near the town..

I am far too old to travel on my own to this town. Maybe I should send the boy, he seems to be ready to venture out on his own. Sounds like a good idea, right away then.

S