How Tom Kelly, Doolish Lóegaire, Colm Lóegaire, and Tristin Lóegaire recovered Old Tom’s treasure from the Faery Tree and release the Old Hag of Dowth.

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Monday, 23 March 3098 – Boyne River

Night

The more distance we put between ourselves and our hometown of Newgrange, the better; so we decide to row down the river all night. Tom and I take the night shift; Colm and Tristin will relieve us in the morning.

TOM TRIES TO STEEL A CHICKEN:

It doesn’t take long before Tom decided he wants a chicken and he stops the boat at the first village we come across. He won’t be talked out of it, and for the first time since I’ve known the man, I begin to wonder if my playfully mischievous childhood friend has become nothing more than a common criminal.

I wake Colm and Tristin. Tristin goes after Tom. Some time later we hear a dog barking. Then Tom and Tristin come running out of the woods--without a chicken--followed by some local villager. As soon as Tom and Tristin our in the boat, we’re making out get away. The villager throws a rock at Tom, striking him in the thick head, so he’s okay. Tom throws the light-rock at the villager, striking the bewildered man in the chest.

Tom thought the whole thing was a big joke and was quite amused with himself. Colm and I let him know in no uncertain terms (Colm even smacked him one) that such conduct did none of us any good, besmirched the Lóegaire family name, and would not be tolerated in the future. Throwing the light-rock was especially stupid and it will almost certainly associate all of us with Tom’s very serious criminal activities.

I make an new light-stone. It should give us about 8-days of full daylight. I fall asleep easily afterwards. Tristin and Colm take over rowing duties for the rest of the night.

Thursday, 24 March 3098 – Between the Boyne River and Dowth

Morning

As we’re making our way down the Boyne, nearing Dowth, Tom is reminded of the time he met Old Tom we he was last here over a year ago. Seems Old Tom met our Tom and liked him so much that he informed out Tom where his treasure was. Old Tom would be dead soon and wanted out Tom to return someday and claim the treasure for himself.

I don’t believe this story for an instant. Disappointingly, even Colm’s greed overcame his good sense, so we stop and at least check Tom Kelly’s story out.

Afternoon

Dowth is some distance off the river. On the way, we run into two men sparing.

MEETING GARRITH LONGFELLOW:

One is Garrith Longfellow, formerly of the King’s Army, now a traveling teacher of swordsmanship. He is currently mentoring a young man from Dowth, Gnone Uínéill. As we’re still several hours from Dowth and it’ll be getting dark soon, we accept their offer to join them for dinner. We enjoy some rabbits they’d caught; I contribute some vegetables I found using Seek Plant.

We learn disturbing news from Gnone. It seems the Lóegaire family is not well thought of in Dowth. While there has been some rivalry between the Lóegaires and the Uínéill’s, it’s nothing like that between the Lóegaires and the Bregha, and even that rivalry has been dormant for more than a generation.

Friday, 25 March 3098 – Dowth

Morning

We enjoy breakfast with Garrith and Gnone. I again use Seek Plant to find some fruit and vegetables.

Afternoon

Eventually we make it to Dowth. We decide to skirt the outside of town looking for Old Tom’s Treasure.

THE GRAVE YARD

Dowth’s graveyard is unusually large for a town it’s size. It also contains an unusually large oak tree. As Old Tom had said his treasure was buried near a tree, everyone is sure this is the place. I find it odd that Old Tom didn’t also mention it was near a 1000 year old oak tree, in a grave yard, and ringing by grave stones made of petrified wood, each inscribed with single cryptic words like-- “Avarice”, “Misfortune”, “Foolishness”--and written in Ancient Oghan!

The grounds keeper further informed us this was the “Faery Oak” and the the tree had taken the people whose tomb stones lay around it. The tree is obviously magical and a Sense Foes spell reveals further danger. However, the party’s greed overcomes their common sense and we assay how to get at Old Tom’s treasure. Tom sings a few songs intended to show the tree we are invited guests and mean it no harm.

Afternoon

We decide we need tools to dig. I suggest the ground’s keepers place. We could then borrow a shovel in the morning.

THE OLD HAG

Just over the hill near the grave yard we find a house that we assume is the ground’s keepers. It turns out to be some old widows place. The old widow turns out to some old hag who bewitches Tom and Tristin. Colm and I try to negotiate their release. She will trade them for Old Tom’s treasure. (So our Tom was telling the truth!) I refuse and try to take Tom and Tristin by force. The old hag resists with powerful magic, and it doesn’t take long before Colm and I and using lethal force against her.

She seemed to have power over air. Once she turned herself into air, I could see that physical attacks against her would be hopeless. I threatened to destroy her house and belongings. That didn’t work. Then I found a small chest. That got her attention. It was magically protected--it would not burn and it can’t be removed from the building--but Tristin and I managed to smash it open, revealing a rather large gem stone. The gem stone is radiating magic and I’m sure we’ve got her.

Instead, the hag cackles loudly and flies out into the night. I realize that the old hag had been bound to this place, and we had just inadvertently released her. I have no idea what kind of havoc she will wreak now that she’s loosed. I’m ashamed that we seem to cause nothing but trouble wherever we go.

Evening

Tristin takes the no decidedly not magical stone from the chest. Tom decides he’s going to dig Old Tom’s treasure out by hand if he has to. Colm and I decide to search the old hags place for a while.

DIGGING UP OLD TOM’S TREASURE

There was one grave stone that wasn’t marked. Tom decides that it the place and digs enough to topple the grave stone. It suddenly gets very cold. The feeling of horror and foreboding is to palpable that Tritin pukes. Tom keeps digging.

Some hideous foul-smelling monster emerges from the grave. Tom plays it the “The Story of Old Tom” and the monster leaves!

Eventually Colm and I join them. We dig and dig, but clearly aren’t making as much progress as we should. It’s clear to us that this must be part of some magical protection. Eventually, we get about three feet down and find a wooden box containing a large wooden pole and canvas--both magical.

As Old Tom was also a boatman, we believe this may be a magical mast and sail. Time will tell.

Night

Time has gotten away from us; it will be dark soon and we’re in a faery enchanted graveyard. Since we just released some old hag on the unsuspecting town of Dearth, I’d rather not show my face there. And, the was Gnone Uínéill’ ‘s warning that Léogaire’s wouldn’t find welcome in Dowth in general. We decide to lodge with the ground’s keeper.

By the time we get to his house, the sun has set and he’s to frightened to open the door. We decide to sleep in the recently vacated Old Hag’s place.

Thus ends the adventure of how Tom Kelly, Doolish Lóegraire, Colm Lóegraire, and Tristin Lóegraire recovered Old Tom’s treasure from the Faery Tree and release the Old Hag of Dowth.

See Also

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