On the Hunt for a wooden statue...

The morning starts with a hasty (and bumpy ride) along the path dividing the forest (yes that forest) and the tallgrass. For some reason (we don't think it had anything to do with the events of the previous night), Alexander Goodness decided that the bottle would be a much prefereable place over the back of his (now purple) horse.

The first incident of the day involvs a rather nasty "walking shark". After jumping out of the grass after a few birds it decides that our donkey would make a much better meal. The ensuing fight involved a Brom-shark collision, several nasty club blows, some even more nasty Dwarf axe blows, a good beating by an old man's quarter staff, and some knife wounds courtesy of a thief. Our shark comes to a tragic end.

Jorr, Sved, Guen and Brom load up the shark and continue hastily after that. Later in the afternoon a stop is called, at which Jorr proceeded to cook up some excellent shark meat receipes. Mmm - shark on a stick! By this time we've reached rolling hills that are quite damp and misty. Given all the recent trials we decide to call set up camp for the night. Brom - being thoroughly tired of the dampness, makes camp in Goodness' tent. Jorr tries to scare a (more or less) captive audience with one of his "scary" stories, which is about as exciting as the night gets.

The next day starts with more gloomy fog, wetness and Alexander's tent crumpled in the cart... Soon however our travellers come up to a pool of water. Nothing exciting happens upon tasting it (Guen is rather unimpressed with the lack of "aroma" so to speak). A bit further along the winding road though the group comes upon a curious sight: A man chasing after a missbehaving boulder. Sved and Brom are able to help out and earn a trip to a standing stone circle with great powers. They find out that the man's name is Llyn, "ox" in Ankh-Morporkian, and that his circle of stones can "compute" visions of future events. Llyn is very excited by this, but can't convince Sved to partake in a demonstration.

Our travellers continue along the road and soon come upon a fork in the road. Brom wants to go left (hmmm which side is that?), but the rest decides to send Guen back to Llyn to ask if he knows of a "city with a temple". He does - and is rewarded with a kiss. The right road was to the right... but soon after the more thoughtful part of the group (Brom in this one instance) realized that we might be regarded with suspicion, being odd strangers and all. Guen goes back to Llyn again, and with a little sweettalk is able to get a look at a possible future in the mountain city. Llyn earns himself a second kiss...

We decide to continue closer to the city and to go investigate on foot from there. Brom is left with the donkey by the road upon approach to what looked like a bowl shaped valley with a large circle of oak trees at the centre and scattered houses around it. Guen, Sved and Jorr approach the circle of giant oak trees, but when they try to enter through a surrounding fence, Sved and Jorr make a bit too much noise and a Druid lets them know that the site is sacred. Guen can get a bit of a closer look and but leaves shortly after.

Everybody agrees that a disguise is needed to enter the sacred ring of trees. Off "clubbin" go Sved and Brom to get themselves a Druid cloak. Some poor guy gets to feel Brom's club, and only Sved's quick intervention keeps Brom from gagging the fellow with his own shoe.

Given her background, Guen is chosen to be the cloak wearer. She is sent out to find and "aquire" a wooden statue believed to be in the circle of trees. Guen is able to enter area, but finds nothing of interest, and decides to wait for a ceremony to start, which is obviously in preparation. The rest of our friends decide to go clubbin' for cloakes some more when Guen doesn't return. Two lonely travellers pay the price (one needing some quick attention from Sved to make it alive). With a bit of fitting (courtesy Jorr's axe) Sved and Jorr are soon off disguised as druids. Poor Brom is left behind again.

This is the point in the story where, thank goodness, the tent comes back into the picture. Brom has a brilliant idea! He aptly (well...) wraps himself into the tent and proceeds along the path to "create a diversion if necessary". Soon he is noticed and has to mumble something and step off to the side (hey - everybody's got to take a leak sometimes - even if a tent might be in the way) to avoid questions he can't answer. With some noise (and some luck) Brom makes it around the outside of the tree circle and takes up watch on the far side. Jorr and Sved in the meantime manage to be noticed by Guen. As the ceremony draws closer they fall to the back of the now numerous druids, while Guen lines up near the front.

The ceremony proceeds with much chanting, a high-Druid carrying a wooden squirrel, a parting of the skies, and some more chanting. Jorr and Sved have devised a plan that will hopefully net them the statue - they plan to take the high-Druid on his way out, as he is sure to leave last. Brom in the meantime had to blow his nose into the poor tent (the songs were quite moving) and proceeds to have another great idea...

As most of the druids have filed out of the clearing, Brom storms from the trees, club raised, ready to take the high-Druid. The rest of the companions can but watch in horror as their plans fall apart... Only quick intervention by Guen can save Brom from being entangeled in Vines conjured by the Druid. The druid escapes into an alcove which none of our companions can enter (Brom escapes with a sneezing fit and almost gets caught in some more Vines). By now some 10 druids have come to the rescue of their leader and Guen, Jorr, Sved and Brom decide to go for a run through the woods. Luckily they all escape. Dinner that night (a bit further down along the path) is rather nasty for some (Shark jerky for Brom) and quite tasty for others.

Let's hope that Goodness' return from the bottle will bring some better luck in our quest to retrieve that wooden squirrel!

Quotes: "The first guys we see - we club em'" - Brom
       "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Brom" - Jorr before the episode in the clearing.
       "Ah-Choo!" - Brom