Page 4 - IBP 2001 - Bearing A Grudge - Labyrinth Lord Edition

BACKGROUND: Deep in the center of the forest is a sacred glade that many centuries ago was the last refuge of a benevolent race of spirits called the Ensidhe. A dying people, they chose to infuse what remained of themselves into part of the forest rather than pass into oblivion, enchanting the trees and waters of the glade for all time. There is a serene calm in the glade and those who drink from the waters in the glade find their wounds healed, even more so if they offer something of value (usually monetary) to the glade. The spilling of any blood within the glade angers the spirits there and the actual killing of anything within it lays a curse down upon the malefactor. It is not unusual to see bears, deer, owls, mice, fowl, and many other animals all drinking or eating or resting or playing together within the sacred glade with no enmity between any of them. The sacred glade is watched over by Thearnan, an old and wizened druid who is well past his prime, and who has spent the last three centuries guarding it.
Some distance from this sacred glade, at the center of a crossroads is The Two Sisters Trading Post, run by the two sisters Jothril and Pamil. Thirty years ago, the red-headed Pamil apprenticed to an illusionist but after an awkward incident involving some items that didn’t quite belong to him and their acquisition, she left his apprenticeship, after relieving him of some of his ill-gotten gains. She convinced her younger sister Jothril to join her in setting up the trading post in the forest and the two of them have ran it ever since. Pamil is concerned that one day her past will be found out. The Two Sisters has a good reputation in the nearby settlements and some fame for its smoked foods, and sometimes looks to hire decent work hands through the busier seasons. Sometimes howver, the wrong people get hired, like Red Belkan and his associates.
Red Belkan and his three associates – Moon-Face Larry, Gadge, and Lanky Po – are grifters who take advantage of any opportunity they can. While running from the law after committing crimes under other aliases, they heard of The Two Sisters along with a rumor that it held some interesting loot in its safe. Belkan decided it would be a smart idea to pretend to be upstanding citizens for a short time and to take jobs at the trading post. The Two Sisters had recently ran into trouble with some kobolds and Johtril and Pamil, although hesitant to hire on the rough- looking characters, did anyway although other members of the trading post crew advised against it. A few weeks later Belkan made his move, attemping to steal the keys from the sisters to get into the lockbox room of the store. Luckily the other hands and the illusion-wielding Pamil were able to stop them, causing Belkan and his crew to flee into the forest. After a few days of struggling to survive Belkan and the others stumbled upon an old abandonded bandit camp where they were able to restock with some old arms and equipment. One of Belkan’s men, Gadge, had been wounded by a wild boar a few days earlier. Belkan decided that the sacred glade he had heard about was the best bet for healing Gadge and took him there.
When Belkan and his accomplices entered the glade, Thearnan welcomed them and helped Gadge heal. Belkan realized that there was wealth lying at the bottom of the shining pool of healing, but Thearnan warned him that to take any of the coins meant suffering the wrath of the glade. Belkan tried taking some anyway. Thearnan tried to stop him, and Belkan managed a lucky strike on the druid, knocking him down and cracking his head on a rock. A large black bear charged out of the forest at Belkan in an attempt to protect Thearnan, which made Belkan’s associates flee, but Belkan faced off against the
Background
Bearing A Grudge 2
Labyrinth Lord Edition