Frimmsreach Episode #8

EPISODE #8

Game Date: 05-19-14

Cast: Sparruu, Gul’Daryh, Skat

Supporting Cast: Argus, Sideth

Having braved the Ice Forest and bested a small tribe of red orcs, the party prepares to make the final leg of the journey to the city of Frmmsreach. Norgyl and Oda part ways with our heroes. Argus, brother of Norgyl (and the reason for the couples’ dangerous trek through the Ice Forest) is not going with them. The young, muscled warrior is dead set on heading to the big city with Skat, Sparruu, and Gul’Daryh. His brother offers him the great axe of the dead norg to take on his journeys and bids him farewell.

The journey to the city is cold but uneventful. Argus pulls the two-wheeled cart the whole way, as if to prove his vitality (and secure his drinking money upon selling the cart). The party sees more-and-more travelers as various roads merge into the great northern road which terminates at Frimmsreach.

The city lies before them, tall as a mountain. They enter its 300’ tall gates and, upon disclosing their purpose to the 12’ tall norg guards, they enter.

The city under Frimmsreach, inside its very belly, is Frimmsbottom. This is a space enchanted to be comfortable to most people, warmer than the frigid air outside. Here the party sees many incredible things and many terrible things. The slave blocks are very active. Violence in the street is almost overlooked. It is a menagerie of oddities, necessities, food, and unsavory activities. Sparruu and Argus enjoy some of this, particularly the delicious “ice camel” kabobs.

The heroes go and see a gnome called Trelloff, one of the local foodies and spice merchants. After a bit of negotiation they come to an agreement on the value of the wagon and its precious spices. The savory gold spice is identified as having the power to repel evil creatures…so naturally they keep a bit of it but walk away from the deal with two things. First, over 500 gold pieces jingling in their collective pocket (though this belongs to Argus by all rights). And second…the knowledge that there is no such thing as an “ice camel” and that you gotta do something with the bodies of dead slaves and criminals.

“Soylent Green is random encounters…” – Andy

Argus heads off to get properly drunk while the others make a path to the magical district of this bizarre bazaar. But once the barbarian is out of their midst Skat notices the team is being followed by what appear to be common thugs. The scene turns sour. Sparruu attempts to bedazzle some passerby into causing a commotion and drawing the attention of norg guards…but no suck luck. Blades flash! Skat emasculates the leader and Sparruu drops faerie fire on the rest…claiming it will kill them. In the end the thieves are routed with only the leader tasting death.

Norg guards immediately arrive and ask what the heck is going on. “He fell on his dagger” seems to be an adequate response. But now the dead body is the party’s responsibility and they are instructed to take it to the “meat sheds”. This turns out to be an unseemly place to the west of the district where hunters bring their kills and virtually all other bodies are “disposed of”.

Quickly the team drops off the unfortunate thief’s body (after looting it, naturally) and heads back to the magic district. In that district it becomes clear that many vendors are purveyors of junk…which the norg seem to love. Instead of stepping into a particularly gaudy glowing mushroom house the party instead enters the quaint tent of an old witch. Inside Sideth quietly procures what are obviously witchy spell components and the like. Then the heroes begin to ask the old lady, whose name is Raferta, about the nature of various items they have acquired. At a meager cost of 20 gold coins each she gives them all the information she can about:

-A ring with starburst patterns that can “turn” spells.

-A gray potion that grants the drinker the strength of a giant.

-A bowl and spoon that a chef can use to bend people to his will.

-A pair of bear skin gloves that transform your hands into claws.

While the witch is examining these items the gang notices a beautiful young girl sitting at the back of the shop, knitting. She says nothing, but smiles. She is beautiful beyond compare, mesmerizing by her mere presence. The grandmother doesn’t like this attention and sends poor Lezza to the back.

As the team begins to leave they inquire about what sort of trouble they might get into in the area. And old Raferta puts a challenge to them. Her granddaughter is under a curse that makes her mute. Bring back the rib bone of a vicious ganguth and she will be cured!

It just so happens our heroes know of such a beast…

Meanwhile Argus is dragged before the tent by two norg guards. He is so drunk his insides come out and the guards inform the others that the young lad owes 150 gold pieces to the barkeep known as Markus.

What could the lad possibly have imbibed in a few hours that cost so much?!

End of Episode #8