Into the Forests of Avalon

Journal, Fifteenth Entry



A Fell, Cyclopean Raven

Having secured the Beast King's support, we finally made our way into the fey forest. We each took a member of the contingent of Red Cap soldiers under our wing for the journey: With Kolobok went the Kobold Brothers, living statues created by Mathis the Talking Book from Brumig's childhood home who commanded strategic defense capabilities thanks to their mighty tower shields; Occultis welcomed Oison, the repentant priest we met in DerBlitzvolks who had known Gabriel (... speaking of, whatever happened to Gabriel?); Thumbelina adopted Jurgin, the spurned child of the Troll King, and Piknik found a welcome ally in a talented dwarven blacksmith. I myself took Elsa as an apprentice, and Kamien became the new body guard for our leader, Johan. With much trepidation did we enter the forest, for it is said that queer creatures and fey varieties roam free, beings with little love for humble mortals such as ourselves. Darkness found us soon, forcing us to make camp, and huddled around the fire we learned of the new leader of the Unseelie Court. According to Johan, our defeat of Carabosse in Dornstadt was not the end of the fell collective, and in their desperation they elected the leader of the Wild Hunt: a yearly event, being a dark parade of undead warriors and their ebony hunting hounds, led by a mysterious and powerful warrior. None know his name. None know where he comes from. For none dare follow his bloody trail to find out. With this knowledge, sleep did not soon find us. And once found it did not long stay.

For in the dead of night we were besieged by fey enemies! Strange beings had invaded our tents, like Greenmen they were, but much taller and more powerful. And worse, these lords amongst Greenmen had abilities we did not expect, for stooping over our sleeping friends the fiends could unfurl their skeleton chests and let loose a cloud of spores, which incapacitated several of us, causing us hellish nightmares and hallucinations. Kamien, acting as lookout, was first to notice we had been invaded, and with a war cry he rallied those of us unaffected to fight. We were able to push back the Greenlords after a time, but loping towards us through the queer forest was even more trouble. Like living statues of some black metal, the Hounds of the Wild Hunt were upon us, and they were joined by strange undead soldiers. Black was their armor, and their eyes glowed a pale blue in their rotted sockets, but more bizarre yet was the manner in which they approached us: spirit-like, they gently fell from the sky!

Wave after wave of our enemies attacked us, and as we thinned their ranks I thought I could see the dim glint of dawn over the trees. The night was almost won! But alas, we were not finished. For a great Forest Spirit entered the fray, a being of similar creed to our fallen friend Betto, though this beast had the general body of a bear, with the head of a badger and the spines of a porcupine. At first we thought him an ally, for our actions in Dornstadt had won us the friendship of these spirits. But this poor creature bore only malice, growling rabidly and staring intensely with glazed eyes. As we began to grapple with the poor brute, Piknik noticed a strange sight: a great, cyclopean raven, whose singular eye watched our fight most intently. Deducing their was more to the creature than meets the eye, Piknik was able to use his magicks to release the raven's control over the forest spirit. With dawn fully upon us, the raven fled, but the forest spirit was more than willing to share what information he had. To our dismay, he informed us that the leader of the Wild Hunt had invaded Avalon, and sought Oberon's head...