1. Notes

Gnoobz

Story

The Gnoobz

A group of gnomes, reputedly cousins, which given the size of gnome families implies almost nothing... who banded together in the Year of the Scarlet Witch (1491 DR) to visit the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale, seeking adventure in righting wrongs and committing courageous acts of derring-do.

  • The Leader: Lathili Quartzbone (Cleric of Garl Glittergold), known for her sparkling eyes and personality
  • The Prankster: Savide Rubblewitch (Wizard Illusionist), kind (never cruel) in her playful mischief
  • The Pillar: Shurdral Fossilteeth (Fighter Champion), instantly likeable and easy-going, confident and inspiring
  • The Genius: Spellix Romwod (Artificer), clever, helpful and generous

Lonelywood Troubles

As told in the songs of Randolph the Rapscallion, Bard of the Lucky Liar of Lonelywood:

  • Cold-hearted twin sisters, Vurnis and Ravisin, rejoiced at the everlasting winter of Auril, dedicating their druid practices to her worship and stirring up fanaticism among the Ten Towns - pushing for the dedication and severity of the sacrifices, perhaps among the most prominent and outspoken of the Children of Auril, as "Frost Druids."
  • The Lonelywood (woods not town) has always been their territory, though for many years of little note. This all dramatically changed in late 1491 DR with a sudden increase in terrible attacks upon lumberjacks and fisherfolk by beasts of the wild, some extreme like the so-called Lake Monster some annoyances like rodents, but most deadly in the wood by the antlers of The White Moose, a savagely aggressive creature with malicious cunning.
  • Despite loyally adopting the practice of the sacrifices, which indeed diminished the winds and blizzards and even visitations by the evil creatures called Coldlight Walkers, the attacks by humanoid-intelligent creatures were increasingly frequent, costly, and uncannily planned.
  • The Gnoobz tracked the White Moose to an ancient burial site - an Elven Tomb considered hallowed grounds and not disturbed. Within these tombs, a Moon Dial charted the change of seasons and time - now in the Rime of the Frostmaiden, made useless. But still capable of scrying - seeing remotely - the goings-on of the region. From here the attacks were planned and executed... but why?
  • Within one of the tombs was found the body of Vurnis, with no indication of when or how she came to that end, but with one clear result - the madness of her twin sister Ravisin, now rabid with rage and blind vengeance on all who dare exist in a world absent of her sister.
  • Ravisin and her minions, similarly driven to psychotic bloodlust, were defeated by The Gnoobz, bringing peace once more to the quiet town and forest of Lonelywood.

Termalaine Cleansing

As related by residents of Termalaine, just as smitten and supportive of The Gnoobz as Lonelywood's citizens.

  • Not far from the town of Termalaine, a set of foothills to the enormous mountain of Kelvin's Cairn, are caverns where miners from the town collect gems and metal ores for a living.
  • Periodically, something comes up from the Underdark, leading to the town sealing off the mine, hiring sell-swords, opening, cleaning, and returning to normal.
  • The everlasting winter has put a significant demand on such helpful folk to be hired - and the mines had been closed for some time after the appearance of a company of Kobolds of a particularly vicious nature.
  • The Gnoobz cheerfully took on the threat, and drove off not only the kobolds, but also a horrifying tentacled creature - allowing the mines to reopen once more.  Following on this success and their reputation, other small threats in the region began to clear as well and life in Termalaine was feeling positive, all things considered.

Villainous Wizard?

In early Alturiak of the Year of Three Ships Sailing, a visiting wizard hired The Gnoobz to assist in a search he wished to conduct on the tundra east of the town. This wizard's name was Dzaan, who was of the fell and powerful enchanters of the Arcane Brotherhood of the city of Luskan to the south.  The Gnoobz disappeared after leaving with him... 

(See: Hostage King) 


Spellix's Story

(As summarized by Alyks Askaria on the return trip to Termalaine following the rescue of Spellix - see Hostage King)

Everything Dzaan has said is technically true, but it is not the whole story.

  1. From the very start, many things with Dzaan (remember - a master of illusion) were deceptions.
  2. Several dangerous encounters on the icy tundra were completely avoided by these skills.
  3. Where Dzaan was lacking and needing help was in doing actual things, like wilderness survival and fighting.
  4. As is common with Thayans, Dzaan had a Unknown bodyguard named Krintaas.
  5. To guide the exploration, Dzaan was crudely using those crystal shards found in the Frozenfar they call "Chardalyn".
  6. Driven by curiosity and ingenuity, Spellix offered to construct a more efficient and precise device Dzaan could consult - using his Artificer skills, he created a chardalyn compass. 
  7. The Gnoobz leader, Lathili, who Spellix described as a profoundly wise, perceptive, and kind-hearted Cleric of the gnome creator-god Garl Glittergold, felt the touch of evil each time Dzaan consulted the compass.
  8. Lathili became increasingly certain chardalyn carried with it an infernal influence and corrupting effects,  and repeatedly confronted Dzaan, to abandon the quest.
  9. But the wizard was very tricky with his magics, making it difficult for the gnomes to think and remember things clearly, creating a confusing disorientation so when they thought he agreed to return to town, they were still far out continuing the search.
  10. The compass finally led the group to what would otherwise be a nearly-invisible tunnel into the ice. At this point, Spellix's memories become unreliable until waking as a prisoner of the goblins, where he and Dzaan made the plan to trick the goblins into thinking Spellix was actually a goblin chieftain.

(See Hostage King)

July 10th, 2022 July 31st, 2022

Tales of the Dead

Frozenfar

(As learned by the necromancer Dex, questioning a gnome corpse found on the tundra east of Termalaine)

A site is found where there was some sort of struggle. Scavengers have taken or scattered other bodies and bones. Only one body, protected within heavy armor, is able to be interrogated by Dex using Speak With The Dead.

  1. Who were you? Shurdral Fossilteeth, gnome warrior
  2. How did you die? I was killed in battle against a machine that had the form of a giant.
  3. Who else was in that battle? The other gnomes I called friends - Lathili Quartzbone, Savide Rubblewitch, and Spellix Romwod - as well as a human wizard named Dzaan.
  4. Who else was killed in that battle? When I fell, all the gnomes were also already dead or dying.
  5. How did the battle start? The machine came out of the ice tunnel, chasing the wizard.
  6. Where is the ice tunnel? It is hard to remember things, the wizard used many tricky illusions to hide things.
  7. Did anyone else go into the tunnel with the wizard? Only the wizard's bodyguard Krintaas.
  8. Did the wizard harm any of the gnomes? He did not directly harm any of us, but he was careless with our safety - and his own.
  9. What did the wizard tell your group he had hired you for? He shared very little information on what we were looking for, and he was always very careful to cover tracks, worried others might seek the same.
  10. How did he find the ice tunnel? He used a compass Spellix made for him from the crystals Lathili said were evil.
July 10th, 2022