Sheep for wood

Aramil-Eric- ( not present )
Clarity-Mija
Hesperose- Scott
Kita-Shawn ( not present )
Shiffit-clint-Currently running the game.
Zyva-Ron
Steve -Billet-( not present )
   
the trepid party having found a modicum of safety on the beach “harbor” of Miocena, breaths a sigh of relief.  After sailing the vessel solid for days, Hesperose heads straight for his bunk.  Only to be awoken minutes later by Yaher banging on his door.  The local ruler has shown up, and Yaher explains that it will not due for the 'Capitan' to not personally greet the politicos.   Hesperose with venom on his lips, greets the local rulers, who appear to be a group of well armed and armored men.  The Crew of the Celeste is invited to a feast in their honor.  The rulers take their leave as workmen set about unloading the shipment of weapons.
  The island that Miocena is on, turns out to be very rocky and appears to be a single mountain.  The party learns that the Miocenaens are descendent's of castaways, shipwrecked centuries ago.  The party reconnoiters the town suspicious of the villagers, (are we guests or food).  The party finds the town on the up and up, and discover a lack of topsoil and trees on the island.  The Miocenaeans have taken advantage of any likely spot to build terraces, but they are no more that scattered gardens.  The Miocenaeans rely heavily on their herds that eat the tufts of grasses growing between rocks and the prolific shrubs.  The party asks the locals with some help with the damage to the Celeste.   The locals are happy to take a look and finds some broken knees on the Celeste.
    The feast is set up in the local temple, which is pan-theistic and groups deities by the elements.(fire water earth and air)  Clarity chats up the local priests about their predictions of the future.  They tell her that their leader, Krustus, can not lead the expedition to punish the Ogre, for if he does the whole of Miocena will be DOOMED.  Krustus explains that the Ogre lives at the top of the mountain, and that he has been raiding the herds at 'Elevation'.  This puzzles the islanders as usually the Ogre causes them no problems.  The party promptly starts to interrogate anyone they can about information on the Ogre.  They soon discover that nobody actually as seen the Ogre.  They also ask after the beginnings of a wall around the village.  Krustus explains that about a year ago the priests foretold of a coming great conflict; so the already very militant society took it up a notch, starting a wall and procuring more weapons.  Krustus asks if the crew of the Celeste would go and “deal” with the Ogre,  saying that if they won the “Elven Games”; what is an Ogre to them.(Yaher had been bragging up the crew of the Celeste)   It is also pointed out that the party could find the wood they need to fix their boat, at 'Elevation'.  The party agrees, but only if they can have access to the extensive library.  A compromise is reached where the party does not have access to the stacks, but can request books on particular subjects.  With the agreement made, a great show of the military might of the Miocenaeans begins.  Turns out every able bodied male is in the “army”.  The crowning display is a weapons demonstration by Krustus, who knocks down 4 opponents in a single flurried attack with his flail.  The party is more circumspect in asking why the large military focus in this society.  The party now learns that the Miocenaeans are not the only ones on the island, that they are frequently raided by the “creatures of Darkness”.  The party is taken aback by this news.  The islanders describe the creatures of darkness as; about the size of an average 10 year old(human), round heads, pointed ears on the tops of their heads, red eyes and fangs.  The locals call them “creatures of Darkness” as they only attack at night.  Several times the Miocenaeans have tried to irradacate the “vermin” but they hide in holes on the other side of island.
    The night passes uneventfully, the winds die down some, the rains continue and the waves pound on the beach.  The morning has the party reading selected histories, focusing on the Ogre.  Several stories of armies and Heroes from lands all over coming to defeat the Ogre, they go up the mountain, and are never heard from again.   Reconnaissance is done and it is found the the mountain is in a cloud(fog) which greatly limits visibility.  A plan is hatched, a sheep procured, and a bell attached.  Zyva leads the sheep, with the bell around its neck, while flying invisibly ahead of it.  Hesperose explains that when the Ogre attacks the sheep the party can then launch a suprize attack on the Ogre.