Chapter Two: Raising the Alarm (Churney-on-the-Green)

The party moves on from Lower Scumsgrove quickly and travels by night to Churney-on-the-Green. They arrive long after dark, nearing midnight, and find a beautiful town that is one with nature. The buildings appear not to have been built so much as grown out of the ground. There is a peaceful sense about the place and the soft, sweet smells of spring flowers and ripe growing things soothes the weary travelers.

Wandering about the place, they look for an inn, only to find a largish house with some light inside. A man answers their knock at the door and after a bit of questioning about who they are and what they are doing he disappears back into the house. He returns a moment later and examines each of the heroes in turn. He seems satisfied and welcomes them into the house. He explains that there is no inn or any sort of public house for travelers here, but offers to let them stay with him. The party gratefully accepts.

The man was eating a stew when the heroes arrived. He offers them each a bit and Neil sets to helping the man go about his chores. After a half hour or so each of the PCs has a small bowl of stew and a mug of cool, crystal clear water. A couple of mouthfuls of stew fills everyone's belly, and the water is refreshing, tasting somehow sweetened. During the late dinner meal the group explains their errand to the man and asks who they should talk to about the Duergar threat. The man explains that there is no "government" in Churney-on-the-Green, but he will see to it that the town is warned of the danger.

Everyone settles down to sleep on the floor. A watch is set, but most of the watchers drowse off to sleep at some point during their duty.

The next morning the sounds of the man rummaging about in the kitchen awakens the heroes. He is making a morning meal for everyone. Bright sunshine filters into the open windows and a soft spring breeze billows through the house. A mouthful of quite tasty gruel and a mug of cool water fulfills everyone's morning hunger. The man tells them to make themselves comfortable and sets out "to attend to business."

As the morning progresses the party realizes that this is a nature commune in which the many elves and their human friends work together to see to one another's needs. Everyone provides food and water when it is his or her turn to do the gathering. No one disturbs the natural flow of life in the community. No animals are killed; no trees are felled for lumber or firewood. Eveyone makes do with what nature offers them freely.

Some of the group also notices a barren tree just outside of the house where they slept. This tree was not there before. A magical aura reveals a faint transmutation affects the tree.

At exactly noon about two dozen elves and men gather in a semi-cirlce around the entrance to the party's temporary quarters. They seem focused on the tree. They do not speak except in response to direct questions, but their answers tend to be cryptic and non-revealing. Moments later the barren tree twists and transforms into the shape of an ancient elven woman. She wears a wolfskin pelt and soft leather boots. Her cheeks and lips are pierced with wooden darts and feathers adorn her thigh-length gray hair. She stands calmly, regally looking on the gathering of her fellows and the party.

The old elf welcomes the heroes and asks them about their business here. She follows their story closely and asks pointed questions, discerning prehaps more from the tale than the heroes realize. At the conclusion of the tale the elven woman walks slowly about the half-circle touching each of her comrades on the forehead. She returns to her post in the center of the gathering and stands still for many minutes. No one says a word. Then, as a flock of birds reacting to a cracking shot, the townspeople all set to work, moving about the town, making haste that the party had not seen among them yet.

The elf lady explains that the town of Churney-on-the-Green will prepare for the invasion. They will send non-combatants into the trees and some to Saragost to safety, but many of the warriors will stay behind to fight this menace. The party tries to convince her that everyone should flee, but she looks on them with sad wisdom and merely nods. It is clear that she, at least, intends to fight.

Some time is spent speaking with the lady about the legends of the Dark Host and the Starborn. She knows some of the legends, but little more than the heroes. She suggests that each of them may have been brought here from some other place and/or time to act as the force to fight the Host. This cycle repeats throughout time. It is part of nature. While she clearly wishes for the Light to win, she knows that at times it is necessary for the Dark to prevail to preserve the balance of nature. She examines Rygorh's sword and suggests that all of the heroes have some piece of themselves missing that they should seek out. These missing pieces will surely assist them in their coming battles.

The old elf lady takes her leave. Later a young human woman (girl?) arrives and serves lunch to the heroes. She talks non-chalantly of the peace of nature and the wellness of everyone "on the green." She gives to each of the heroes a cure light wounds potion and takes her leave.

The heroes seek aid for Tilk to cure him of his disease. There are people here capable of such cures, but they must wait until the morrow to provide this remedy. The party settles down to stay another night in Churney-on-the-Green. That night another man who they have not met before arrives to see to their dinner. He leaves them alone in the house to spend the night in peace.

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