Twinned with the Feywild?

The evening unfolds for our intrepid adventurers, Middle and Eldest meeting their new fair friends for an evening of romance and fine dining. Or at least sitting at a table eating roast pig and crackling. Young One enjoys his meal, but is constantly looking up as the door to the Gray Hare opens, thinking a certain lady may walk through.

Eldest, a little awkwardly, talks with Tink, finding out more about the pretty merchant trader and the lands further out from Buckbridge and the forest regions he has always called home - in a blunt 20 questions manner. But she is enjoying his company, even if he does smell a little bit TOO much like lavender and primrose. The night draws in fast, and Eldest, seeing his younger brother employed in excited conversation with the leaflet seller - them both describing their favourite books - escorts Tink back to her tent at the Festival.

There is touch of magic in the air, as she looks up at him, and he leans in thinking that a kiss could be in the offing, but she reaches up with her hand and softly strokes his cheek and brings her delicate, long fingers through his beard beneath his chin. Tink then turns with a smile and says "Goodnight", stepping into her tent, the canvas flap falling heavily closed. His heart a little lighter, Eldest looks up at the night sky, lets out a comforting sigh, and returns to the Gray Hare, notices his brother still in conversation with Kiara, and treads up the stairs to the room, where Young One's heavy snoring lulls him to sleep....

Break of dawn, and Young One and Eldest rise, shake off their weariness and feel refreshed. There is no sign of Middle, and the two exchange a glance and a laugh as they head downstairs, ready for their meeting with Bjorn Amberclan, for today they had promised to help him rid the the old dwarven burial site of graverobbers. There is little on offer for breakfast, as it is the First Day of the Festival and the town residents are fasting.

After some short contractual obligations, and confirmation of Middle being seen leaving with Kiara from Dave, and all looked well, but that Finel and been moaning that Jillian was lost again, the two firbolgs head outside to meet Cubb, with Bjorn explaining a little more about the burial site and that locally it is known as 'The Twins'. Young One, a little distracted and concerned about Jillian, notices as they exit the inn that Jillian is by the stables! She is not lost at all! He sees she is talking to a young man, and then they appear to be whispering, or at least, whispering with their mouths stuck together and arms entwined about each other. Shouting out to the pair, Jillian looks shocked at seeing Young One approach, pushing the young man away from her a little.

River Amrun - Gray Hare Stablehand

Young One interrogates Jillian somewhat, glaring at the man he sees, demanding to know his name, Cubb demanding to know why he is holding a chicken, and Jillian explains that her and River need space away from her over-protective father, and now it seems a new over-protective friend! Or is he a friend? She storms off, and a heated exchange between the firbolgs and the stablehand is only cooled by Bjorn's eagerness to continue to The Twins - to rid the site of the varmints that have desecrated it!

The journey to the ancient dwarven site is then taken up with the firbolgs loudly discussing what a 'varmint' might be with Cubb, who is equally confused, and as the group approach the site, Bjorn backs away and explains that last time he was here there were "untold numbers, they chased me away!". Raising an eyebrow at the dwarf, Eldest strides forward into the ring of stones, his brother alerting him to a magical aura he could feel there. Again, Elder raises an eyebrow, as perhaps this was news not altogether - new...

But then a loud sneeze echoes around the quite surroundings. Elder calls out, and stepping from behind the stones are three thuggish types.- evidently graverobbers!

The three immediately attack the adventurers, and while taken a little by surprise, Young One vanishes to take up position behind a nearby stone, Elder rushes forward to meet the attack and Cubb does as he does, and alters shape into a large Black Bear! The fight is fierce and short, Cubb mauling the smallest robber, his face swiped away with a casual flick of bear claw as he bounds over a cart the man was using as cover. Eldest comes to grips with the larger man, and struggling together, they share swipes at one another with club and axe.

Young One assists his brother as the third robber, a woman with a fierce look strides forth to help her own comrade, and shoots off fireballs her way, the magic of the stones aiding his attack!. She soon disappears in a screaming, thrashing, flaming cadaver as her skeleton, now stripped of flesh, drops to the ground amidst a cloud of ash. Eldest, now fully enraged, grips the arms of his attacker and wrenches them matter-of-factly from their sockets, beating the dead man with his own limbs. He then snarls and stalks off around the stones, searching for more varmints to dispose of.

Somewhat calmer, Young One investigates the cart and bodies of the robbers, and discovers a small chest, and some VERY dirty laundry, that is so vile it causes him to stifle the bile that rises from his stomach! As Cubb finishes off the bacon the robbers seemed to have left over from their breakfast, Eldest and Young One examine the contents of the chest, finding some coin, and shout to Bjorn to return, as the site is now free of 'varmints'.

The dwarf reappears, somewhat nervously, and is dismayed a the mess the group has made of the site, and his eyes bulge as he sees Eldest casually waving about dismembered arms and Cubb nuzzles at the face, and head, of the man he had mauled. Bjorn vomits, and wipes at his mouth, and almost reluctantly thanks the adventurers for their aid, and he will now go about making sure the site is preserved for an archaeological survey for his Lord, and he will search more for signs of the Ironclan amidst the ruins.

Leaving the dwarf, the bloodied group head back to the Gray Hare and arrive in time to speak once again with Dave, who is finding it difficult to get on with the fasting, so he distracts himself with providing the firbolgs with thanks for their aid in ridding the town of the gnoll infestation, and presents Eldest with a Hunter's Medallion, explaining some of the history of Buckbridge. He also hands over three Frost Wolf cloaks, and somewhat embarrassed, but proud, the adventurers decide that perhaps that now they should actually take in some of the Festival, as it was the reason they came here in the first place!

Heading out once again, they notice a distinct difference in the atmosphere of the Festival today. There is not the smell of cooking, but rather an excited energy, the stalls and games have swelled overnight, and there are musicians and bards, street entertainers, and all manner of new and wondrous sites to behold!

However, as the group move through the busy crowds they catch sight of a familiar bobbing red hat and a larger blue, scruffy orangey-haired creature entering a colourful tent. Following Kiara and Middle into the tent, they are greeted by a magician, performing many feats upon a stage. The sign above the tent proclaims, almost arrogantly, "Tom Pickletrix - Magician Extraordinaire, Mage to the Court of Shieldsborg and Purveyor of Potions, Mystery and Joy". The group pay their entrance fee and make the way to sit at the front, where luckily there are some spare seats, as Middle and his companion are very loud and excited, and other festival-goers have given them plenty of room...

Up on stage, Tom has pulled a young girl from the crowd, and is waving his staff, a bright white ring of magic appearing in front of her. The ring then wobbles a little, but then appears to become a watery pool. The girl is standing entranced, and as the water settles on this 'pool' an image of a land of bright colours and vibrant green hills emerges. The girl claps her hands with glee, it is a fairyland she can see, along with the rest of the crowd. A hushed 'oooo' rings out.

Tom Pickletrix

Smiling, Tom looks down at the front row, his magics are impressive! But the ring of light grows larger, and the young girl is engulfed with a scream, and Tom's eyes grow wide, he starts to try to prevent the portal from getting larger, holding out his hand, and mouthing words of what he hopes are power, and then as the adventurers and Kiara are engulfed, there is a flash of brilliant white light!

Oh! What horror has transpired?! What has happened to our band of unlikely heroes?!

Find out next time as their adventure continues!