The Birthrite Ceremony
March 2000
Players: Tim, Jake, Chris, Neil, Malcolm, Marc, Geoff, Claire, Ian & Indran
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The Summons
King Galar, King of the Gruskan Dwarves, announces that he'll be giving a Birthrite ceremony for his son, Thorluck, and various nobles and country representatives are duly invited.
We meet in Llanmere, and travel together (except Tiriel, who somehow makes it across the Gruskan Mountains, alive, by herself). On the way, the party is approached by a clan of Sundered dwarves for help.
It turns out that 2 years ago, all their women were kidnapped (and since released) by Laranthug (the previous Goblin King)/ They all fell in love with him and are now deeply unsatisfied. The Chief''s daughter kidnaps her little brother in return for a ransom, to escape the town. We find him, get the truth, and a lot of silver. We travel up to the halls of Clan Stonebeard, followed by a goblin army and a huge storm.
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At the Birthrite Ceremony, Sir Corwin duels with a barbarian Vlen Vlice (just because he's a barbarian) and loses, having to be resurrected (as an elf) by Silanus. War breaks out as the goblins invade - Sir Corwin, Count Kael and Lady Brangwen kill the Goblin King Nardik, and Skarra creates a fire elemental to battle a growing wall of ice. At the end of the battle, King Galar is killed, Vindalf mortally wounded, and the crown stolen. The halls are on the edge of collapse.
We discover the crown is disintegrated by a crack troop of what appear to be Laranthug's Goblins. Our party is asked to find the responsible person and bring them to justice. Nardik's dead body said he was ordered to attack by Prince Hafdark, whom no one has heard of.
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We travel back to Nagthul Head, near to the sundered dwarves, ring the bell with the sign 'DO NOT RING THIS BELL', and are transported to a Storm Giant's castle, where we meet the Storm Giant, Janil, and with him is Laranthug. Laranthug turns out to be a literal reincarnation of Whiteflight, and having been placed on probation by Janil, he is allowed to go free. We go to the Goblin Halls, and battle with Neshtil, his pet greater demon, and win. The goblins were innocent and Laranthug vindicated and reinstated as king. The party depart for the Dwarven Clanholds. There, using the age old technique of kill first, then question, they discover Prince Hafdark is the sundered son of Thorgrey, Galar's missing younger brother. He used Trennog, a minotaur, to cast the spells. The dwarves apprehend him.
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Duke Vindalf recovers, and is crowned Regent taking on the role until Thorluck is old enough. We are thanked, and invited to the postponed Birthrite ceremony, in a month's time. Returning home, we take both the dwarves' appreciation, and the message from Laranthug that from now, the goblins will become peace-loving creatures of culture...
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