RFI 3: Recap

Don't go chasing mimics in waterfalls. 

Shield, Fen and Berick, make their way to the gnomish village of Gnomergarde. Barry: Gnomergaon? Gnomergarde, right.There they may be able to find something that can help with the small dragon problem the area has been having.

    The trio arrives at the mouth of a canyon with a waterfall drowning out all the sounds in the area, a slight mist covers the area as water droplets explode upon impact with the rocks. The rocks are covered with a slimy film and in the middle of the river that flows through the canyon two small islands covered in bright colored fungus stand out against the blue mountain water.

    There appears to be no one in the immediate area, no guards no guard post no sign to warn visitors at all. Fen quickly crosses the river to what appears to be a trail leading up the eastern canyon wall. Berick however has a gut feeling that there might be something worth looking at up the western canyon wall. Berick gets the help of Shield, the 7’5” Loxodon, to lift him up the 20’ cliff face. As Berick climbs the rest of the way, he nearly made it to the top of the cliff, nearly, the slimy film from the waterfall causes him to fall back to the ground. Shield, always willing to give it another go, lifts Berick into the air with his trunk and attempts to throw Berick to the top of the cliff. Berick instead becomes intimately familiar with the canyon wall as Shield misses the mark Barry:bless the dice, slamming the raccoon-man into the hard stone Steve: I don't care who you are, that's funny. A bit dazed Berick catches a ride across the river on Shield’s shoulder.

Fen leads the way into the Gnome village. At first, there does not appear to be anyone home. The trio finds an eating hall empty and a closed door. As the trio braces to find demons or dragons behind the door, Shield opens the door and the heroes face… bakers. Gnomish bakers in fact, and they are fascinated by the giant Loxodon and the small raccoon. Berick finds a quick meal and the bakers drop hints to the party about strange disappearances and the plight of the gnomish kings.

    The trio head off to find the kings and something that will help them ward off a white dragon. Instead they find a trigger happy gnomish inventor. Shield luckily was doing what Shield does and was walking in front of the group as the crazy @$$ gnome fires a bolt down the corridor. Shield takes the bolt in the, well, shield and rushes up to the gnome and breaks the ballista. Clearly not in the right state of mind, Fen attempts to subdue the creepy gnome. This proves to be much harder than the mountain elf anticipated. The gnome fends off Fen and is quickly tackled by Berick. The tiny rogue stuffs a loaf of green fungus bread in the gnomes mouth causing her to lose precious oxygen to her brain and she passes out. She is left alive in the corridor as the group continues. 

Gnomish guards are found at their post over the bridge to the throne room, after explaining why the trio is there and that they are in fact not imposters or monsters or shape shifting fungus. The guards believe that the unlikely trio is here to help and they are sent to the engineers quarters to find some help from Dabbledob and Fibblestib.

    As the rope bridge was crossed surprisingly with no incident they enter a room with two large spinning blades on the floor. For what reason gnomes would have two large spinning blades of death on the ground, is unknown to the group. With new found power from the many adventures and trials Berick has had, he conjures new found power and a magical hand pulls a lever that controls the rotation of the blades. To everyone's surprise, as Berick disables the blades, wild magic focuses on the raccoon and large butterfly wings burt from the rogues back. Fen informs his companions of wild magic and its dangers and benefits. 

They enter the laboratory and the two gnomish inventors inform the group of the plight of the gnomes. The two kings, who are husband and husband, have been locked in their room for some time now. Gnurkli has not been heard of for some time and Korboz will not let anyone in the room. The heroes speak through the door to Korboz and are told that they will not open the door until the creature that has been killing gnomes is taken care of. Korboz seems a bit unhinged at this point. Someone was attacked by the rug in the throne room and the trio agree to investigate.    

    The throne room is empty, aside for 6 treasure chests that hold very fine fabrics. Shields beats the rug to make sure it does not move and attack anyone. 
    
“I am a rug.” The rug says

    Shield slams the rug again.

    “I am a rug.” The rug says

    Shield slams the rug again.

    The trio investigates the treasury, finding magical items but not a hiding mimic. Although all three heros were attracted to the allure of magical items, the trio being true to their word leaves the items in the treasury. What if the mimic had transformed into the gnomes most sacred text? They investigate and it turns out that;

    “I am a book.” the book says.

    Frustrated and a little annoyed at the lack of a monster to punch, the group investigates the beds of the gnomes. The large group of gnomes are fascinated by the large loxodon and  Berick and Fen take advantage of them being distracted and they investigate the beds of the gnomes.

“I am a bed.” the beds say.

    Shield, with his large charisma, convinces Korboz to open the door. The trio enter and see that Gnurkli is encased in a web like substance and cannot move or escape! Korboz has clearly gone mad and Berick tells Shield to subdue the gnome. Shield grabs the gnome and holds him fast by his trunk. Fen, with anger and frustration in his eyes makes to intimidate the gnome. Fen loses composure and drops his knife and Korboz fires a cone of cold at the elf. With an underhand punch of his shield, blessed by the god Torm, Shield makes the co-King know what a cymbal feels like at a high school concert, beaten with just and discernible rhythm. Korboz is left alive and Gnurkli is freed from his prison of spider webs. Barry: Um, not before a very frustrated Gnurkli tried ever so desperately to mime from within the confines of his trap where the key to his freedom actually was to be found. 

    Gnurkli thanks the trio and warns them of the very real threat of the mimic.The heroes agree to continue the search for the mimic and hopefully earn the trust of the gnomes.