Captured !

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Tuesday 1st July

Smorgus Bord - Male Halfling Thief - Ian Luxton
A la Carte - Male Ogre Strength-Fighter - Darryl Sherwood
Hanky Chiff - Male Gnome Illusionist/Thief - Peter Fairbrother
Polly Ester - Female Human Bard - Andrew Earl
Finn Finnegan - Male Halfling F/T - Jeff Clendon
Ulotta Puck-off - Female Shield Maiden Parry-Fighter - Edwin Muir
Siofra - Female Halfling Thief - Matt Carr
Arzie Vandit - Male Halfling Thief - Adrian McKinnon
DM - Steven Krijnen

Elaine gave us some information about where we were headed to fetch
this book for her. High up in the mountains, far Funken of Spine,
in a cave, is a famous magical library. Elaine used this place as a
repository for some of her books. We must go there to fetch this
particular book "Paradise Lost".
The place is filled with hideous and deadly traps and she advises
us not to touch anything else. Knowing the way Elaine's little magical
world works, this is probably very good advice.

With a tear of indifference, she bid us all farewell.

Before we left Elaine's manse, however, I cast three Reduce spells on
A la Carte so that we could make it from her house to the Spine town
gates without being molested by the Militia.
A 5ft 1 ogre is a lot easier to disguise than a 10ft one.

It was an unsubstantial trip to Mortville, outside of which we spent
the night in the cold (thanks to A la Carte).
Travelling with an ungainly ogre is all that more difficult when trying
to squeeze him into one-man tents. We ended up placing two over him.

We skirted the Spine forest, not wishing to dare enter its gloomy
depths, and then spent another night before we turned Funken towards
the mountains and the Library.

That night Finn, on First Watch, heard some wolves. But they did not dare
approach us and the rest of the night passed in peace.

The next day we trudged up the mountains, getting higher and higher.

Camped on a rocky outcrop, way above the tree line, is not very comfy.
And then when you are cooked a meal by an ogre cook whose culinary skills
are sometimes dubious, and you spend several non-productive hours retching
and gagged on the noisome bile, then everything is in place for a terrible
night.

During First Watch, Smorgus and Siofra heard some strange noises and some
garbled talking. Everyone was wearily awoken but we could see nothing in the
pitch black. And it was snowing.

During Second Watch the invisibility screamer went off.
Finn went out to investigate. He did not return.
Then there were wolf barks, garbled speech and gruff ogre speech. A la Carte
replied to them and threatened them. He told us they want us to surrender.

He then told us he agreed to their terms and would do everything they asked
of us. But real ogres don't understand sarcasm.

"I don't like the look of this," said Smorgus miserably.

So he, Siofra, Arzie and Hanky skulked off, bravely, into the night. The opposite
direction entirely to that which Finn went.

Me, Ulotta and A la Carte stayed behind - A la Carte still in rapt conversation with
his ogre "friends" out in the darkness.

Noticing the little halflings had left, we decided to head off after them.

The last thing I remember was the sagging sinking feeling when your body is overcome
by a Sleep spell.

Sometime later I awoke.
In a cell. With Ulotta and Siofra.
I had all my gear and clothes, although they had taken my spellbook and weapons.

We were prisoners of Deep Gnomes. These are dark-skinned evil brothers of the normal
gnomes. The former hates the latter and vice-versa.

Across the passage was another cell with Finn, Smorgus, and Arzie. Down the passage
was a big cell with A la Carte.

A la Carte bent the bars of all our cages so we were soon free. But he could not manage
the door at the end of the passage.

So, he took a run up and crashed into the door. It still didn't break.
But the deep gnome guards just on the other side (playing cards) heard this and fled.

Soon they returned with magical support and then with some well-placed Sleep spells
we were all rendered asleep - again.