#ruckerquest

The caws and cackles of the harpies grew to an excited pitch as the battle was joined between Molagog’s slaver army and the neon Dust Dellevin-sponsored King Killers. Rucker struggled to weather the devastating onslaught of King Mologo’s split sword and his mocking words. Using the kings’ arrogance to get within touching range, the goliathized Tsab sapped him of his strength and vigor, giving Rucker a chance to level the fight.

After ensuring Weezle was safely hidden, Crawlly invoked the magic of the wilds to protect himself and his allies from the deep gnome guards. Ormp and his boggle servants did their best to help from the shadows, but a harvest of recaps- murderous creature born of blood and hate- arose from the soil and started attacking indiscrimenantly. The goblin hunter retreated and took shelter in the rocky cliffs over the water, doing his best to resist the voice from the depths below inviting him to join…

The tide began to turn as the myconid spear bearers, emboldened by Ruckers secret message and Tsab freeing their sovereign, turned their weapons on Molagog’s forces. As chaos rang out throughout the cavern, Rucker girded his loins. With green flame burning within his mask, the Goliath leveled his gaze at the king and bade him to kneel. Helpless to resist, all the fomorian tyrant could do was stutter as Rucker of the Blacktails, the Homeless, channeled his dark energies into the blade of his axe and ended Molagog’s reign.

With their leaders rule (and wrath) gone, the forces of evil were quickly routed. The myconids shared their thanks via peaceful spores and dancing. Before the circling harpies could begin their feast with the fallen giantkin, Rucker and Crawlly quickly settled the business of harvesting the parts requested by Queen Niysanyver. As they finished, the small, flowerful fairy they’d encountered earlier bade them meet her grateful master outside. As Rucker, Tsab, and Crawlly discussed the matter, Ormp the Hidden seized an opportunity to flee with Molagog’s head, the ultimate prize of his realm’s Wild Hunt. The others heard but a passing farewell from the goblin and his underlings as they bamfed out of the cavern.

Somewhat troubled by this treachery, the remaining three were nonetheless dumbfounded as they emerged back into the Fetid Quags to find resting before them the ancient dragon they’d previously seen flying overhead. After a tense moment, the dragon wished them well, and inquired about their journey. Rucker cautiously told them of their success, and their intent to return to the Canopy Kingdom with their prize. The sea-glass green dragon introduced himself as Yvrameztygur, the Lunar Regent. The dragon offered to ferry them back, saving them a long trip, and eventually they accepted.

Before returning to the Seelie Court, Yvram brought them to his personal seat: a moon blessed glade filled with fluttering fairy kin of various shapes laughing in the twilight. The Regents subjects helped to clean and welcome the visitors, bringing food, drink, and oils to help them relax. As they relaxed, Yvram joined them in the form of a young human woman, her hair and eyes retaining the glass-green glow of the dragon. The lady explained how they were not a belligerent, and Molagog had seized upon and tainted her lands and myconid subjects while she was traveling. 

Wondering over the strange appearance of a mortal in the Feywilds, she offered Rucker thanks in the form of aid. Ever focused, Rucker asked the prodigious fey creature for help in learning more about the lich, the creature he had single-mindedly been questing after. Bidding he close his eyes, Yvram took a look into Rucker’s dreams and showed him something new:

... In the wintery chill of the Blacktail Mountains, Rucker watched as the lich, named by Yvram as BALEFROAR, marched forward on a litter borne by their undead servants. Following the snowy trail left by the paladin, the lich wielded a twisted scepter holding a shuddering gemstone barely held in place by three metal claws (the fourth being absent.) Yvram explained that this incredibly powerful gemstone was originally a gift, given to Balefroar by the Delta Harbour Hags, who Yvram themself had banished from the Feywilds for their crimes. However, Balefroar took that gift further and twisted it to their own designs, becoming a being even the hags avoided. Before the slaughter of his tribe was relived, Yvram ended the vision...

Back in the glade, Yvram and his subjects had gathered round, humming softly to soothe the shaken Goliath. As a final word, Yvram urged Rucker consider loosing the weight he bore: not just the weight of guilt he felt in being the sole survivor of his tribe, but also the growing, horrible weight of the magical darkness the lich left within his soul. They warned Rucker that his quest for vengeance was actually feeding the darkness, and without practicing wisdom and grace, could lead him to falling to the darkness instead of righting it. Thus advised and nourished, Rucker and his allies again took the skies atop Yvram’s  wings and in no time at all found themselves back in the Canopy Kingdom.

The arrival of the Lunar Regent brought quite the hubbub, and the feyfolk and creaturekin of the Seelie Court watched in wonder as from the moon dragon’s back returned the King Killer’s with the queen’s trophies, minus a head. Queen Niysanyver’s major domo, the satyr Ganver, was convinced by the dragon that they had in fact fulfilled their oaths. As thanks, Crawlly was given a never-ending bag of Weasel snacks and there was much rejoicing (yay.) Tsab was given the chance to brew a special batch of elderberry wine, pending Ganver’s approval (though the satyr’s tail did waggle a bit as he took a quick sip of the make.) And finally, Rucker watched as the horned attendant began to prepare a spell to send the mortal back to his own realm.

As the spell began to coalesce, Rucker took a moment to thank his new friends for their assistance. Crawlly pressed a final handful of weasel snacks into the Goliaths hands and urged him to keep wandering, and in return Rucker gave the firbolg a flower he’d received from the forest spirits. Tsab thanked him for helping to find his reshi and gave the Goliath a hug. And as Yvram gentled tied a lock of her glowing green hair around Rucker’s wrist, she urged the Goliath to “share the light within you, not be drowned in the dark.” Thankful and appreciative of the wisdom and experiences of the Feywilds, Rucker watched as the twilight of the realm overtook him…

Following a yellow-dirt path away from the Canopy Kingdom in the Emerald Forest, a merry band of misfits makes tracks southwards. The group, consisting of Rucker, Tsab, Crawlly and Weezle,  and lastly Ormp accompanied by his servants Norg, Dorg, and yeth hound mount Glormf, still travel as strangers, each pondering their own goals. 

Rucker attempts to engage in conversation with the group to try and build some camaraderie, and though he still doesn’t fully understand them all, he trusts them well enough to continue on. At some point the Goliath’s strength is restored after Tsab’s “borrowing.”

While the fertile trees begin to transform into dryer scrublands, the King Killers come upon a decrepit farmhand, that of Delllivin the Dust Farmer. Warning the men of King Mologog’S strength, size, and ferocity after having moved in several months ago, Dellivin informs them that the evil spread by the new ruler has wrought havoc on his dust farm. 

Rucker and the others try to buoy his confidence, praising his dust. Grateful, the halfling gives an intriguing offer- for a price, he will teach them how to perform a backflip. Confused but willing to entertain the idea, the men agree, and after an hour or so, Rucker is the last of the group to master the backflip. In exchange for the lesson, Dellivin sends them off with garish t-shirts featuring his farms logo. (Dellivin’s Dust- None Finer!)

Eventually, the scrublands begin to morph underfoot into soggier and wetter terrain: they have entered the Fetid Quag, where even sunlight seems dim and the stench of rot and decay permeates the air. The normally cheerful Crawlly finds himself despondent over the Quag's lack of chillness and his own lack of weasel snacks, while Tsab wonders whether they might not be wise to abandon the quest, Queen’s promises be damned. 

They are briefly interrogated by a pleasant flower faerie, who reveals her “master” wishes to know their intent for the King. Though Tsab tries to deceive her, Rucker sees no point to lie and informs the scout of their goal. She thanks them and flies off, leaving the group uncertain whether they may now be walking into a trap.

After a time, they arrive King Mologog’s palace- a large hill made up of rotted logs, boulders, and oversized fungi. As they took in the view, a band of animated fungi, known as myconids, marched by carrying a severed foot. Startled though they were, the men did not get the sense the myconids themselves were a threat. After watching their behavior, Rucker led his allies in doing a shimmy fun-guy dance past the myconid sentries and they entered the mound, though Ormp left a fearful Gromf behind.

Guided through narrow tunnels by the  phosphorescent purple glow of the walls, they observed the myconids digging and toiling under the watch of cruel and brutish gnomish guards. The myconids did not speak or talk, but were seen to shudder and suffer as one when they were whipped or pushed around. Rucker was incensed at this cruel treatment and approached the guards, but Tsab stepped in and was able to trick them with a cover story involving owl exterminations. The dim-witted guards allowed them through and pointed them towards Mologog’s chamber.

Entering a large cavern with a river cutting through it, the men took in a throne room where guards stood watch over gardens of sickly looking red plants being fed body parts by smaller myconids. Confused and disgusted, they saw a network of bridges and watch posts around the cavern before hearing the ghastly calls of skull-faced harpies watching from high overhead. Rucker had a flashback to the swamps outside Delta Harbour, where he and- (oh, my friends! How long has it been?)- the Mudwangs encountered similar horrors outside the hags hovel.

Before they could do much else, they were greeted by the booming and cranky voice of a huge creature of hideous proportions- pimpled and rotted flesh joined with thickly coiled muscles, the Tyrant of the Fetid Quags sat before the adventurers across the flowing river atop a throne of rocks, bones, and fleshy material. King Mologog, huge and terrible, ushered the group in.

With Tsab whispering worriedly and Crawlly gripping his rodent companion close, Rucker took the lead and stepped forward to address the fomorian ruler. 

Mologog was uninterested in offers of owl elimination, though he was intrigued by the cut of Rucker’s jib, offering him a chance to lead the armies of vengeance. When asked to explain, Mologog shared his hatred for the Hyldrown Queen Niysanyver and their hoity-toity nature of the Courts. Tear them down and let chaos rule, as the universe intended. 

While the giant spoke ill of the Hyldrown courts, Rucker caught sight of a huge myconid, nearly as big as Mologog, pinned under the kings chair. Guided by his vows, Rucker sent a sympathetic  telepathic message to the myconid scouts guarding the bridge as he stood tall and rejected the kings entreaties. Smiling ferociously and narrowing his hideous, terrible eye, the mighty King Mologog stood up and declared this entertainment over.

Flashback to 3 weeks ago, within a decrepit hut in the swamps outside of Delta Harbour…

... The Mudwangs sit in the presence of Miss Yllness Grace, having just watched Rucker charge deeper into her hovel. While they are concerned for their goliath friend, the crone distracts them with gifts of knowledge and power. Assured their ally is not in immediate danger, Vax, Temloc, Shakan, and Taerus begin to palaver with the old, grinning woman sitting by the fire...

... In a realm of shadows and wind, Rucker realizes he has crossed a barrier. A flame appears in the distance, and soon reveals another old crone, this one known as Ol' Ester Gristlelips. As he recites his vows, she offers him a chance to escape, to use his disdain for authority to help free those in bondage. Though he dislikes it, they seem to find some alignment on the idea of freedom, and she offers Rucker of the Blacktails passage through a door promising to SAVE him...

… at which point where he awakens in a lush, glowing forest. For several moment, Rucker attempts to gain his bearings. The sky above suggests twilight, but the radiance of a sunset mixes oddly with the twinkling of stars above, and even the wind itself seems to shimmer with magic. It is then he takes in the Stag Mountain, collapsed and imploded into a shattered crater. Not understanding where (or when?) he was, Rucker begins to investigate his surroundings when he notices a mysterious shaking from a nearby bush. As he moves closer to investigate, he comes face to face with a tribe of minuscule gardeners.

Clad in twigs, leaf stems, and wood bark, the goliath can only sit in silent wonder as the tiny creatures begin to crawl upon him, investigating his armor and muscles. Moving slowly so as not to startle them, Rucker helps them to prune a dying branch in their bush. Chirping happily in a strange language they rewarded him with a flower and an etched acorn. Before he could learn any more of these tiny gift-givers, the blast of a horn startles them into invisibility.

Rucker moved in front of the grove-tenders bush are forest creatures began to run past away from the sound of the horn. One of the last creatures, a mustachioed weasel, warned him to "Run, hurry away!" as it fled. Not wanting to leave his tiny friends alone, Rucker stood tall as a hairy, stinking beast rode into view. As it bellowed forlornly, a bone-armored goblin appeared from within it's hackles. The tiny warrior began drooling over the goliath, excited over such a prize for "the Wild Hunt," and called for his skin.

Supported by a pair of seemingly inept boggles- oil-covered imps- Ormp the Hidden lived up to his name as his assistants slimed the goliath in place before launching his own (inept) attack. Though briefly befuddled by the tiny creatures, Rucker shook off his confusion and quickly overpowered the goblin. As it begged for mercy and fair play in the name of the Unseelie Court's great Hunt, an affable voice from the woods encouraged the goliath to let the sad creature go. Rucker did so, warning the tiny hunter to treat his mount and servants kinder as they all departed.

The goliath found himself joined by a fur-clad firbolg, a peaceful and good-natured wanderer. Offering to share his weasel snacks, Crawlly Weasel and his brother from another mother Weezul offered to take their new friend wandering, as it was clear he wasn't from this area. When Rucker asked for clarification as to where this area was, Crawlly revealed that they were in the Feywilds. With the mind-rocking revelation that he was on another plane of existence, Rucker could only nod and follow his guide through this new and strange world...

Over the next few few... hours? Day? (Rucker couldn't say) the two wanderers see many peculiar sights: races have drag-races up reverse waterfalls; dogs made of shadows wrestling over leftovers in a rock quarry; massive boulders floating in the sky; fields of fluorescent pollen painting him like the rainbow. Rucker looks on in wonder and finds himself strangely delighted at this wondrous landscape as he chows down on Crawlly's weasel snacks.

Eventually, they encounter a sallow faced youth who asks for their assistance to regain some stolen property. Trusting the lanky individual who called himself Tsab, Rucker agreed to lend his muscles should the man need it. And lend he did, as Tsab sapped the strength from the goliath's body, leaving him feeling drained, if not a little loopy.

Assured by Crawlly all would be well, the large wanderers watched as the newly muscled Tsab utters a rhyming poems as he entered a large cave and, after several minutes of wrassling, reemerges bruised and battered by Terrence Twohops, a small rabbitfolk. They were quarreling over a large flask of elderberry wine that Terrence claimed was a gift, while Tsab demanded had been stolen. Annoyed by the incursion, and Tsab's apparent lack of breasts, the rabbitkin returns the wine and expels them from his lands.

As Tsab reveals his dreams of having his wine become famous across the Feywilds, Crawlly theorizes that the ruler of the Feywilds, Queen Niysanyver of the Seelie Court might be able to help them all. Though Rucker did not fully trust Tsab after catching him seemingly transform into a goliath, the trio agree to embark to the Mi'th'ywi Sg'kai'ha, or the Canopy Kingdom, where the Queen resides in hopes she might help them.

The three men continue on, sharing wine and weasel snacks, until they make it to the edge of a great forest, with massive trees held aloft by trunks many feet around. Entering this understory, they begin to see many more feyfolk of various shapes and sizes. While Tsab and Crawlly move uninhibited, the Feyfolk stare in shock at Rucker, a mortal being, moving about in the Feywilds.

As flying faeries of lights flitter and fleet about in the limbs above them, Rucker, Crawlly, and Tsab reach a large magical portcullis of wood just as Ormp the Hidden emerges with a royal advisor in the shape of a large antlered satyr. The goblin had been begging the Queen for an extension fo the Wild Hunt so that he may appease his Lady Vulrais. While he cannot help the goblin alone, nor let the mortal Rucker into the Kingdom proper, the massive satyr gives them all an offer- if they will fulfill a task for the Hyldrown Queen, she will give them that which they ask:

For Crawlly and Weezul, a lifetime supply of weasel snacks

For Tsab, the chance to share his elderberry wine in the Seelie Court and gain the fame he so desires

For Ormp, the chance to extend his hunting license and gain glory in the Unseelie Court

After some thinking and consideration, Rucker asks for the chance to return to his friends, realizing that he is far lost and unsure of how to return.

Though he is still concerned about the lost girl and the treachery of Yllness Grace and her coven, Rucker's focus is to get back to his fellow Mudwangs. Agreeing to the terms, the satyr advisor informs the party that they are to kill King Mologog, who has insulted Queen Niysanyver's honor, and return his head, genitals, and big toes to the Canopy Kingdom.