9 Uktar 1491

After freeing the barbarian woman and her child from the flesh-eaters encampment in the Underdark the party accompanied by Sal and his landshark (still chewing on a limb) head on upwards, away from the burning village and out of the Underdark.

After a days travel they meet up with Peter in Yartar, a small town northeast of Waterdeep and conveniently on the road to their next quest. Which is that you ask? Well the giant question mark leads to the shaman of the Ghost Tree Tribe of which the Barbarian woman (Marli and her nameless child) is a member off. This shaman has more information about the long lost Blue Bear Tribe, which Bear is in search off.

So, arriving at the local inn, there is a bath ready for H’arald and after a few hours of soaking he joins the rest downstairs for dinner and the making of new plans. For Peter had read books, a lot of them and learned only this: there are dragons and they have hoard. Wanna have some hoard? Sure all say. But where do we find a dragon? Well, as it so happens, he heard a rumour from an old lady who just so happened to enter his store in Waterdeep and she couldn’t stop rambling about this (possibly) evil dragon which was harassing this small town near the High Forest on the road from Yartar to Everlund. All are in agreement: loot is good, dragons may be bad.

So arriving in this nameless town there is a peculiar thing going on. There are anti-dragon posters on half of the houses, hmm? H’arald speaks to this peasant who is suspicious and a just a tad paranoid about the local dragon guardian, which by the way appears to be a gold dragon which, according to Peter’s dragon books, is supposed to be of good nature. According to the mayor of this town this dragon is only helping out and the town only had to make a large dam in the river to reroute its course to the south instead of westwards to Waterdeep. Also there is a guy named Merril (?) in the bar who is also opposed to the dragon applauding mayor. Peter convinces the man to raise a few coin from the locals to help the party to get rid of the dragon (a removal fee of 1200g is promised).

During this Bear talks and shows emotions, which strikes Peters as odd and outlandish. So afterwards they have a friendly talk and Peter asked Bear if he lost his marbles somewhere in the Underdark. Next thing happening is a massive tavern brawl where Bear tries to hit Peter a lot but misses most of the time. Entering rage at the question if he not only lost his Blue Bears but also his Blue Balls he misses yet some more… The bartender casts a spell on both to calm the nerves and peace enters the room. Beer is quickly passed around and Peter and Bear make up beer-style.

Next morning, after some quick magical persuasion by H’arald, the major reveals the location of the dragon and we head out. Arriving at this lair, H’arald uses his official Herald trumpet to call out the beast. No one home. So we head in and just as we were going to shovel the hoard in our bags the beast makes a dramatic entrance. After a lengthy conversation (and a LOT of failed insight checks) all seems to be fine and the party is just about to head out when Peter mentions: but aye, what about this river then? According to my calculations etc etc (lengthy old professor talking), there is no sense in rerouting the river. It is only at the mention of Marli, the barbarian chick that Bear brought along (and her nameless kid), that the party learns this river is going to overflow the homeland and Sacred Mound of the Ghost Tree Clan. Oh noes. After some very intelligent (as I might say), but apparently to the dragon a little lengthy (and maybe a little annoying) science talk by Peter, the dragon is now done with our questions and (finally) attacks!

Next up: initiative!

Next evening playing:

The golden dragon Tarwen rises up, wings flapping and spits acid all over us almost killing H’arald (for insiders: 56 acid dmg). Then flies up high into the skies and flies away.
COWARD! yells Peter and shoots a crossbow arrow almost in his tail (not really, he misses badly).
Next up: all run into the now empty lair to find it empty…no treasure and no safety for there is apparently only one exit… so all run out again and we decide to make a run for the barbarian Ghost Tree Tribe accompanied by the barbarian woman Marji en her son Conar. Due to an impressive show of constitution we easily keep up with the barbarians and arrive the next day.
We are welcomed in the village and receive some very distasteful food which H’arald seems to like, I feel myself getting angry with these peasants. Next the barbarian woman Marji takes us to her old man, who is even older than me. He calls himself Harnan the Elder (112y old). A friendly fellow, well preserved for is age. He tells us nothing we don’t know, but we are allowed to sleep in their little compound, which is situated around their Ancestral Burial Mound. We discuss what this strange dragon Tarwan (a gold dragon spitting acid and creating illusions?) is up to. Why drown this valley with this mound? Is is old, it holds the fallen barbarians of 14 generations and their magical equipment. This can hardly be the only reason for this elaborate plot? Is this dragon working with someone else who has an interest in setting this valley under water and thereby driving this barbarian tribe away from their Ancestral Mound and thereby weakening them?
Next we discuss the Bear situation. For I learned that barbarians in general receive their powers and strength form their Ancestral Mound. But…how does this work for Bear? Harnan tells us the Blue Bear Tribe is not gone, their Ancestral Mound is still somewhere, but they are in hiding, they exiled themselves for some reason not widely known. He can teach Bear to speak to Ancestral Spirits, they can maybe show Bear the path to his tribe. Harnan himself has no knowledge about the whereabouts of this clan.
We leave the hut to sleep, H’arald is very very tired and all he wants to do is sleep. I had other plans, for this lengthy discussion with the old man aroused some new energy, angry energy in me. I look for the most massive barbarian I can find and following Gaige and Bear’s example I huff him in the face with my fist. He doesn’t seem to mind so I take out my mace and smack him down, he tried to fight back, but misses me time after time. He is weak. During this H’arald sits down and takes out the proverbial popcorn and watches the show. A large group of clanmates is now gathered and I toss the downed barbarian a healing potion which one of his mates throws away…stupid of me, they distrust all magic. Note to self, next time call it ‘special beer’… Well, I’m not sleeping in this shitty town with it’s shitty fighters, I’m heading out, see you later mofo’s. But the group barbs wants justice, so I’m brought to a sheriff of sorts. It is decided that I should give the man a boar or 5 gold and heal his wounds to my best ability. I agree to not cause more fuss. But strange enough, upon reaching the still bloody barbarian mess, the mace I’m holding (my precious +3 mace) takes matters somehow into my hand (yes it is strange). My arm operates somehow outside my control and I somehow yell out “MURDERRR!!!!” and start hitting the downed barb again almost killing him outright. After the first hit I remember what must be happening. The Cyric inscriptions on the mace are glowing brightly and it is the same situation as a few weeks ago when Bear, Sal (and Bully) and myself killed the crazed mage in the Underdark. This is where I took this mace and the ring the mage was holding. Is had taken control of me. I, I…almost killed a man. I yell out for help from the Barbarians, “HACK MY HAND OF, DO IT, DO IT NOW”. Interestingly the barbarians don’t need much encouragement for hacking… But he is not the best with his axe…and my arm is still out of my control so I can’t hold it still so he misses… And tries again, and misses…DAMN THIS.
At this point, H’arald senses there is something wrong (at this point? Really?) and intervenes. He ‘suggests’ me, but my exquisite mind resists him the first time and the mace tries to hit him but surrounded by 40 barbs he is confuses and misses H’arald. The next suggestion works and I drop the mage and H’arald stores it in his lamp. The mace is inscribed with a skull with 7 droplets of blood. The same as the priestess at the Golden Eagle tribe had on her clothes. After this battle Harnan destroys the Ring of Cyric which was in my bag. He tells us the influence of Cyric will slowly wane from me now I’m freed of their influence.
The following morning I present the barbarian I attacked with an inscribed shield (+1, but I didn’t tell him for they are all magic uneasyness).
Next evening: the plan is to help the barbarian tribe by going to the village and prevent the redirection of the river.