(G510 11/02/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP, AD) YI1

 (G510 11/02/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP, AD) YI1

[Dearest Reader! So now you know how I came to learn the story of Griffolk Ethyn the Dragon Shaman, Corhim Sparkledingle the Gnome Wizard and Fangorino the Barbarian. They have arrived on Yag Island and soon became friends with my family and other friends that were there setting up defences by the Barrow.
They arrived on the Island during my time up north stealing my second pirate ship with Dak so I was not to meet them until later.
This also means I will close out the journal entries marked LR**. These end with LR57. 

And I will also close out all the journal entries marked HOM**. These ended with HOM16.
And a new combined line of journal entries now begin with YI1!]

Some time before DAY 578 (1st Marpenoth) (October)

And yet! The start of this journal begins not with Griff, Fang and Sparkledingle but with Fenrir and Reinward. Now, remember, dear reader, if you have been following my journal entries in sequence you will know that currently these two fellows are in Westgate. This is correct, but so far you have only read up until the summer. So how did they come to Yag Island?
Did they - in fact! - come to Yag Island at all? Well, please read on and perhaps I can help us all figure out the complicated turns and twists that their tale has taken.

To continue then, Fenrir and Reinward suddenly felt themselves awakening in what could have been mistaken for the Plane of Shadows. And perhaps it was?

Nearby was an area of light and they discovered it was a doorway shaped portal that showed a cave lit by candles on the other side. They could not pass through the portal, but looking at it, it appeared to glimmer and reflect a bit like a mirror.

Eventually, Xama Niriwin appeared in the cave, the dark elf cleric who wore a golden mask to hide the burns on her face. She was accompanied by the Vicar of Ghaunadaur, who looked like (and probably was) an intelligent black pudding in human shape.

She said;
''
Hello, I expect you are wondering what happened. Your quest failed I am afraid - and the Queen killed you. The Vicar of Ghaunadaur has resurrected you. You feel weak now, but we can help you. Drink this sustenance and you will feel better.
''

It appears there was at least one way access through the portal as she then tossed several vials of green liquid at them. Reinward was the first to taste it. It was bitter and sugary. 'Pretty good!' he declared.
 
Time passed. Days or even weeks, they could only tell by the growing of their beards. All of their equipment seems to have lost any magical abilities they once had. Fenrir and Reinward did not wish to explore and stayed near the mirror and drank the green liquid that was brought to them at regular intervals.

One day Xama Niriwin took her hammer, stepped up to the 'mirror' and smashed it. They stepped out of the frame and she told them:

''
Understand that you belong to Ghaunadaur. I know that you are unpredictable beings but you have a task. One of our spies has told us that an incredible powerful magical portal has opened up. It is on an island somewhere in the Shining Sea. The Vicar will teleport you there. You must open the portal to the Dismal Caverns and then seek an audience with Ghaunadaur. He will then send his minions here to Syrax-bah and claim the city in the name of Ghaunadaur.
''

DAY 578 (1st Marpenoth) (October)

Fenrir and Reinward were teleported to Yag Island by the Vicar, who left them on the coast path between the town and the Barrow.

'Listen!' cried Reinward. 'I have a terrible feeling that I've just figured out who - or what we are! My last memories before we died were in Lady Petal-ash's castle. Do you remember we fought those mirror images of ourselves? What if we are not the real... Well you know... uhhhhh....'

At that point Reinward exploded in a shower of green goo.

Fenrir stepped back and brushed the goo off his clothes. It was at this point that Sparkledingle and Fang spotted him. They were on their way to town on an errand.

'He just exploded!' squeaked Sparkledingle.
'He's all over my shoes,' sighed Fenrir. 'Oh but wait. He has his rings of Ilmater, he should be back in a minute. He usually just pops back again, he has all the other times he's died.'
They waited a minute, then another five. 

Nope, oh well, I guess that's him then.'

Fenrir fell in with the gnome and barbarian and followed them down the Gyles's Inn. The young warlock shared Reinward's suspicious about who (or what!) he was. He felt weaker than before, he only had 2,000 gold to his name and all his gear had lost its magic. Was he a copy of the real Fenrir? A copy that had been made by taking an errant magical mirror image and packing it with vile magical ooze?
If he started thinking about it his innards started moving around and he got a distinct 'I may be about to explode' sensation.

Still, it was a nice day and there was the prospect of some nice cooling beer at the end of the walk so he contented himself with that for now.

Sparkledingle was concerned and asked many questions. All Fenrir could really
say was:
'I'm Raziel Lightningrod! I've no idea how I got here or what happened to my mate.'
'We've only just got here ourselves,' admitted Sparkledingle.

At the Inn Sparkledingle was not allowed entry.
'I'll handle this,' said Fenrir.
And although Gyles was indeed charmed by the warlock he still maintained;
'I'm sure you've met and known some fine and upstanding gnomes and halflings young sir, but that's not the quality we get around here. Around here, they are not  worth the hassle. Halflings are always dipping their fingers into people's  pockets and gnomes are always playing tricks on people.
I could live with that if they ever spent any money, but they are so small they don't eat or drink much. One pint of ale for them is like a gallon for us  and then a halfling is trying to steal the gold teeth out of a pirate's mouth and a  gnome is dancing on the tables with his tiny wiener on full display.
I just don't need it!'
Fenrir nodded, 'Well, fair enough!'

In the end Sparkledingle turned himself into a human wizard in order to get served. Gyles had taken a shine to Fang and gave him his first drink for free.

It had already been established that there wasn't much in the way of accommodation up at the barrow, so Fenrir and Fang arranged rooms for themselves.

Later that night, Fenrir wandered into the jungle and found a quiet spot.
'Hello dear, you're home early!'
This was the phrase that usually summoned Bnurgstickslackskin.

Nothing happened.


DAY 579 (2nd Marpenoth) (October)

In the morning the three of them headed up to the Barrow. Fang and Sparkledingle had meant to pick up bread rolls from the village, but if Lavinia was going to tell them off for going to the pub instead she forgot when she saw Fenrir.

She hugged him and asked, 'What are you doing here?'
He admitted that he had no idea.

He asked her what the date was and from this he deduced he had three months of the year unaccounted for. Had he been in limbo all that time?

The more questions he asked himself the more upset his stomach became and the more he worried that what had happened to 'Reinward' would happen to him.

'Do you want to get back to Westgate and see what's been going on?' asked Lavinia.

'Maybe I should wait and get my strength back first. Lay low for a while.'

Griffolk had decided that he wanted to stay on the island for a while. He was interested in what was going on at the barrow and was happy to take guard duty and watch the dwarven masons at work.

Fang and Sparkledingle were looking for work though and asked Lavinia if she wanted anything done.

She said:
''
I'll pay well to anyone who goes to Sasserine and beats the stuffing out of someone who has stolen goods from one of my store houses. The Nixie is doing some refitting, but when she's ready to go, take her to Sasserine, then ask at the Vanderboren Manor.
''

Fenrir decided to tag along when they were ready to go.

DAY 580 (3rd Marpenoth) (October)

Today, much to his surprise, one of Corhim's cousins turned up on the island! It was not clear how she had tracked him down, but she teleported onto the island and with a cheerful wave she approached him at the barrow.

He had already been into town that morning looking for a magic shop. There was nothing like that though, just a couple of general stores and three chandlers.

Felia Sparkledingle was younger than Corhim but taller.
This is what she told him:

''
Hey Corhim! I just inherited my father's shop! Oh deary me, it was tied up in family stuff for months. So sad, poor old dad. But he gave me his shop. The family told me you had gone off on adventures, so I thought I would follow you! Cousin Mickle-mackle gave me a free teleport so here I am! I don't want to go on adventures or anything, I just love brewing potions! So could I be your shop-keeper? I'll give you a good rate! Oh but I've got no stock, just the shop. Can you help me restock?'
''

At first he was confused, but it turned out her shop was a bit like a
'Folding boat' in that it was a magical item that could be place anywhere.

After arranging a good spot for it to be located in the barrow area she activated it and a huge mushroom grew up there. It had a door and six windows. Inside, all to gnomish scale, was a small store front, a backroom and upstairs was a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom.

Felia loved and idolised Corhim. She was delighted to be part of the team, but she was a little reticent about all his questions about the shop and how it worked. In the backroom was a portal that led to an alternate material plane of some kind where the venerable 'Gold Nugget Guild' had once stored their goods. (I'll call this place the GAMP for short!)

There were always 10 members of the Guild, no more, no less, but the other nine were old and retired and had long since stopped trading. Corhim wanted to go through the portal and take a look at the place (i.e. rob it) but Felia cautioned against it.
'It's defended against non-Guild members, and I've not worked out how to de-activate it yet.'

After that, they discussed their family. I'm sure these names were made up to trick the humans listening it, but they included:

Felima Sparkledingle
Auntie Sokkama Sparkledingle
Caressama Sparkledingle
Grandma Fingerma Sparkledingle
Tuggama Sparkledingle
Ticklema Sparkledingle

While Felia was getting introduced to everyone and getting set up, Fang was back at the pub. Gyles seemed to have taken a shine to the handsome young man and had given him a free meal and drink when he came over to talk to him.

'Where are you from?' asked Gyles.
Fang told an obvious lie.
'What are you doing in town?'
'I swam all the way across the great ocean...' replied Fan sarcastically.
'Oh well then,' said Gyles. 'Do you like beef? If you want to come over for dinner.'
Fang was getting a bit worried about where this was going and said nothing. Gyles went back to the bar.

Later a very pretty young lady came and talked to Gyles at the bar for some time.
As she left she turned and said, 'what's for dinner tonight dad?'
'It's beef!'
As she left, Gyles winked at Fang.

Fang was having none of it though. He was sure it was some kind of trap, probably involving vampires, and he had had enough of being inside barrels.

He sat and drank the rest of the night, then went to bed.


DAY 581 (4th Marpenoth) (October)

Felia already seemed to be making a good trade selling tea and cakes  to the dwarf masons.

Sparkledingle was informed that the Blue Nixie was now ready to depart for Sasserine.