Echoes of Invasion

As the first days of spring approach, Penna subjects Heppa to the usual judging looks and critiques regarding her failure to settle into a career. Quaemilya has been a sorceress for a full year now, and Heppa has not yet even entered the shaman ranks. This particularly rankles Penna since her younger daughter has been … Read more

Talking with Baeowin is higher on Tric’s priority list than visiting the troublesome druid Fenowin. Upon tracking her down, he updates the scout leader about the saurians and dwarves, and then asks, “Do you know if Lintanir is sending a group? The Great Forest seemed already aware of some undead trouble in the east.” It … Read more

After their meetings with the saurians and the dwarves in the Estmark Hills, Heppa and Tric return safely home. So do the ponies; Salras did not eat them even though the cousins were delayed returning from the dwarvish mines. Tric had injured his wrist down in the caves, but by the time they get back … Read more

Before long, Balor leads Tric and Heppa into a throne room and presents them to Lord Knutan. This room is smaller and less grand than the hall where the elves first talked with him in Untdunben. In front of the throne is a large desk upon which many records are spread. On the wall behind … Read more

Tric and Heppa are clapped in irons and then loaded into the dented cart for the ride to the mining outpost. The train slowly starts moving again. Over the increasingly loud sounds of clacking and rattling, Heppa calls out a long series of questions to Balor about when the dwarves built the train and what … Read more

Once in the tunnels, Tric and Heppa try to reconstruct their previous journey to the dwarven stronghold. That first trip was disrupted by bats and Mari-Elin the carter, neither of whom make a reappearance this time. After a while, the elves admit to themselves that they are lost. “This isn’t the way to Untdunben,” Heppa … Read more

Tric and Heppa have not seen the dwarves of Untdunben since last spring, when they convinced Lord Knutan to move the dwarvish mining operation further east. Their goal at the time was to protect the waterways that feed into Estbryn Forest. Now, though, it seems the relocation has potentially put the dwarves right under an … Read more

Once it is sufficiently dark—which fortunately does not take too long now that it is winter—Bzzazz leaves the hut where the saurians hosted their guests for dinner. The elves follow him outside and sit on the driest ground they can find while he begins moving his staff around and looking up at the stars above. … Read more

Hezzis leads Tric and Heppa across the frozen swamp to the cluster of domed mud and reed huts that make up the saurian village. As they approach, she points out a group of saurians smaller than herself practicing formations. These are the skirmishers that she is currently training. Hezzis declares that she herself is an … Read more

Tric is sitting wrapped in a blanket across from Heppa and gnawing on a piece of jerky when eyes and then a snout appear in a watery section of the bog nearby. They glide forward, and then Hezzis stands up abruptly. “You’re back,” she announces. “The auguries said so.” “It sounds like your augur’s doing … Read more

It has been months since Tric and Heppa have been to the Foul Fen, and now the Estmark Hills are covered with snow. However, they remember the route and easily navigate it: east and up. Although they have a lot more supplies with them this time, they also have ponies to carry them, and they … Read more

As he is getting supplies together for his trip into the Estmark Hills, Tric uncovers a dowsing rod at the bottom of his backpack. When he says farewell to his father, he presents the aspen souvenir from Wesmere as a parting gift. Then he steps out into the cold winter day and heads over to … Read more