CotAB entry 4 (unhappy trails)

Getting kicked out of town does have its perks. It enabled us the freedom to choose which town we would get kicked out of next. We figured Shadowdale sounded like the coolest place to visit so we bushwhacked over there. Some displacer beasts got in our way, so we couldn't have the relaxation of a brand new town without taking care of them. I could do without those suckers. They're not terribly lethal, but they're pretty creepy. After disposing them from crawling all over the inn we stayed at, the innkeeper gave us some information taken from the dark elf that apparently summoned the beasts. I guess since we saved the place he owed us a tip.


Shadowdale wasn't incredibly fabulous looking, but it was nice to actually be in a town again.


Of course before we could party, we had to unload some of the crap we've been picking up. Rex scored big with a couple of swords. One is called "frost brand" and the other is called "flame tongue." Of course he's keeping both of them. He probably thinks he's going to discover a new temperature with them or something. On the downside, most of our appraisals were dismal. We didn't know what we were carrying with us. Just about all our stuff we kept was junk while there's probably stuff sitting in the Tilverton sewer right now that's as good as platinum.

After all that business, we got royally pissed. Tavern tales were told and overheard and fought over. Honestly, I got so wasted I have no idea if I heard these right (or even what day or towns I heard them in).


One wizard guy specifically came up to us and at least helped us find a new direction.


Although, I don't know why a wonderful famous wizard like Elminster wouldn't want to take credit for such incredible bondwork! Maybe he's retired.

So the map we were provided doesn't have city names on it! It's about as useful as a fork with no prongs. As best we can tell, the following is the local town situation.


So, it was off to Ashabenford then. Yeah, not much improvement over the last town. Actually, a step down would have been less creepy. The place looked EXACTLY the same as Shadowdale. I'm talkin' down to the chickens. Weird. Totally.


After the creepy town, two events happened that seemed pretty important, but they weren't important enough for pictures.

First, we met this old guy at this place called Standing Stones. I really don't know what the place is. I think it's just a place with a couple of rocks in the middle of the forest. Anyway, this guy was like the old man in scene 24. We took a few shots at him, but he disappeared before our eyes. Before that though he said:

You presently serve four masters. Return to me when you have slain three more. Then you shall achieve your destiny. Seek Red to the south.

Next, we met some centaurs.


Finally, something happened heading south that warranted a pic: black dragons.


This picture shows pilgrim fighting one of them, but in the course of the battle (possibly because of some unknown thief attribute) I moved first with two turns in a row. This enabled me to get right up next to one of them and it threw up on me! I immediately passed out and everyone else was able to subdue the beasts (barely) and pull me from all the toxic fluid in the area.

After all that we finally made it in to Hap. It's different, but it's not as safe as those other towns. This Arab wanted to help us. His name is Akabar Bel Akas. Isn't Akabar a Calimarian name?

All the other villagers are scared to death and we didn't know why until we infiltrated the barn. Inside we found the Efreet genie. We were relieved because this genie helped us defeat Dracula a couple of times back in the Phlan graveyard. Before we could say hello, the genie pounded us silly.


We're pretty sure he's not helping us fight anymore. Tomorrow we're gonna get all Larry Hagman on his ass.