Barbigazl: Part One

Episode One: The Road from Hermitage [by Peter A]

Hurin bids the heroes rendezvous in the tiny hamlet known as Hermitage, in the Drake Ranges. There the heroes are impelled to swear an oath of service to Hurin:

With every drop of blood within me
Every ounce of breath that’s in me
I swear before these present few
My life to serve, and thus restore
Hurin, son of Harga’s line
To Barbigazl’s ancient throne
Til death or Hurin’s Will release me

The heroes converge at the only bar in town, attracting attention from a small party of Gnomes local to Hermitage. The heroes try to coax potential directions to Barbigazl from the Gnomes but Hurin is suspicious and untrusting and orders his retinue away from the locals. Replenished and fortified for the journey they leave for the foothills of the mountain that towers over Hermitage, the peak the Gnomes call Redbeak.

The foothills are thick with pine trees, and before long the party hears a ruckus and find two hill giants pillaging the remains of a small beehive. Upon seeing the party the hill giants move to attack, and before long the air is thick with thrown axes, arrows and bees. The party learn an early lesson in tactics when another giant emerges and despite their height advantage, the Dwarves and heroes are compromised and nearly lose some men. When the battle is won with no futility they take stock, and the owner of the beehives appears from a hiding space. The bee-herd is a Gnome by the name of Fergyl Yellowjacket, and is, they assume, of the Redhills clan nearby. Rewarding the party with some gratefully received medicinal honey he enquires of the party’s quest, but receives no information from Hurin’s men. His gratitude spent, he bids them farewell in peace, and the party go on their way.

Once out into the daylight the PCs and cast of millions NPCs make their way through the steeper countryside of the Woodreach, the feet of the Mountain. Crossing a bridge and looking for signs of Dwarven design (there are none, making them wonder whether they’re in the right place after all and it’s not just a nasty DM trick), they see their likely stop for the day’s end rest – a frozen waterfall feeding the river leading to Hermitage. Atop the waterfall? They don’t have any idea, but they are tired and in need of rest from giant-bashing, and so pitch Hurin’s giant tent (a yurt) and take turns to stand guard. Balinor is cheered by the company of a bee, which buzzes around him harmlessly wherever he goes.

The standing-guard idea turns out to be a good one, as wolves attack the camp. Dire wolves – big Warg-sized brutes. There is a frenzied battle before the wild dogs are beaten into a retreat and the camp returns to a more fretful sleep. Assuredly, the wolves return, led by werewolves this time, and the battle gets even bloodier. Oban makes an early enemy when by blunder or design, he lets loose a fireball that almost toasts Balinor to a Dwarf-shaped ember. But the fight is ultimately won, and with still no serious casualties (though it’s touch and go with Balinor and Habenath), the rest of the night passes quietly. Even Argon’s pony makes it.

Next time: Up the Waterfall... to pointy Death!

[END]