Oh The Smurfs RPG, I do smurf you so!
In addition to returning characters like Sir Smurfsalot - The Questing Smurf and Spelly Smurf, we had Will trying out a new character in the form of Smurfevergreen of Smurfy Grove.
The adventure, which I titled The Smurfs and The Whispering Stones, was inspired by some interesting folklore I came across recently pertaining to the beliefs and practices of the Gauls in Northwestern France.
The Smurfs of both Smurf Village and Smurfy Grove are all kept up one evening by whispered voices heard on the wind. No one can make out what they are saying but neither can anyone ignore them and get back to sleep. Well...all except Spelly, who cast a QUIET Spell as he does every evening to help him rest comfortably.
In Smurf Village, Papa Smurf went door to door checking on his little Smurfs. Brainy was seeing formulas spin around his head. Smurfette could barely keep her eyes open. Even Lazy was awake! When Papa reached Sir Smurfsalot, the latter offered to go on a quest to silence these foul whispers! Papa Smurf was happy to hear that, as he had an idea of what the issue might be. He suggested Sir Smurfsalot not go alone, taking at least one other Smurf with him. He decided to call upon his friend Spelly Smurf, certain that Spelly's magic would probably prove helpful.
Unfortunately, with the QUIET Spell cast within Spelly's house, he was unable to hear Papa and Smurfsalot knocking on his front door. Not to worry! Concerned for Spelly's well-being, Sir Smurfsalot removed his armor and climbed down Spelly's chimney. He was then able to go to Spelly's bedroom to wake him (funny scene). Going downstairs with Smurfsalot to meet Papa, Spelly got the lowdown on what was going on. Papa further explained what he thought the cause of the problem might be.
"At the edge of the West Woods, past the Sarsaparilla Fields, and the path to Smurfy Grove, there are five menhirs (Gallic Standing Stones) known as 'The Whispering Stones' and 'The Hiding Menhir'. These stones aid in the enchantments that hide the Smurfs' lands and protect them from people like Gargamel. While the magic prevents that foul sorceror from finding our Village and the Grove, it is possible he's located the menhir themselves! If he's moved one, he may yet be able to locate our hidden homes!"
With that, Sir Smurfsalot and Spelly Smurf headed off into the night to investigate what had become of the stones. Papa Smurf advised them to return as soon as they knew what the situation war.
[Before he left the village, Spelly wrote the word QUIET with special chalk, one letter on each of five fist sized rocks. The three Smurfs then placed the rocks in a pentagram like pattern around the village, providing the rest of the Smurfs with a chance to get some much needed shut-eye.]
Meanwhile, wide awake though it was the middle of the night, a female Smurf of Smurfy Grove stood near her work bench in a hollowed out section of a tree. This was Smurfevergreen and she lived on her own a little ways away from Smurfy Grove in a tree at the end of the West Woods. Evergreen is an unusual Smurf in many ways; she prefers to be alone, she likes her tree home as opposed to a Mushroom House, and makes various tools and items out of things she finds out in nature. For example, she didn't carefully carve her bow and arrows so much as find twigs and saplings and just adapt them for her purposes. The only item she owns that may not have been made by her is a Survival Knife which she uses to cut and chop ingredients and materials for her...well...survival.
Smurfevergreen hears the strange whispers and goes to investigate. The Whispering Stones are not that far from her home so she arrives well before the boys of Smurf Village. The voices were very creepy but hard to make out until she got close. Now she heard 'stone', 'moved', 'danger', and 'broken'. This did not bode well.
Spelly Smurf and Sir Smurfsalot heard the words but much more faintly as they came striding down the path. Noting a small, dark hole behind the stones - possibly a fox's den or rabbit warren - Spelly wondered if there was something or someone hiding in there. As if on cue, dust and mist billowed out of the hole and five small, angry-looking people came running out towards the Smurfs. The dwarf-like creatures began shouting in a strange dialect the Smurfs couldn't make out at first. Spelly and Smurfsalot tried to communicate with them but the mad mini-men weren't listening.
Smurfevergreen leapt out from the bushes and ended up behind the creatures as they ran towards the boy Smurfs. Using her Survival Knife, she cut the belt of one of two twin beings, causing his pants to fall down and tripping him into a face-plant.
The boys briefly engaged the creatures as well but before long one of them said something Spelly caught on to. He tried again to talk to these ruffians and their 'leader' called Spelly out for 'moving one of the stones'. Pointing out that the Smurfs had only just arrived and were way to small to move a menhir, the creatures began to question their overzealous actions. Noting that SOMEONE moved one of the stones, breaking the enchantment that protects Smurf Village and Smurfy Grove, but these fellows couldn't see who it was. Apparently the culprit was 'Cloaked in Darkness'.
The creatures introduce themselves as The Goric, spirits of the Whispering Stones.
Assembling together with Smurfevergreen, Spelly and Smursalot explained that they were Smurfs and that it was their homes that the stones helped protect. "Why would WE move them?" This made sense to the Gorics. Their leader mentioned that it was 'the Old Man' and 'The Lady' - Papa Smurf and Smurfwillow - who set up the magic in the first place. The Goric apologized, not recognizing the Smurfs as being the same type of people as the Old Man and Lady. It turns out the Goric act first and think...eventually.
Studying the stones, it was indeed clear one of the stones had been moved, though not more than two Human strides. That's three or four steps for a Goric and quite a few more for a Smurf. Suddenly a trap went off, catching Smurfevergreen and two of the Gorics in a crude rope net and lifting them high off the ground. Using her Survival Knife and the surprising strength of the Goric, Evergreen was able to free them all, taking part of the rope net down with them.
Judging by footprints near by, it was likely the menhir was moved by a Man and that man was accompanied by a small animal. Probably a cat.
Wait a smurf...
Now the Smurfs panicked! "If it were indeed that fiend Gargamel and Azrael, his wretched familiar, thy friends are in grave danger! The protection of the enchantment hast doth been weakened and they may be nary moments from bestowing woe upon our lands!", exclaimed Sir Smurfsalot.
It was true and what to do about the situation had to be decided at once! Spelly had an idea! Move the stone back into place first. With any luck, Gargamel and Azrael haven't reached the Village yet and there was still a chance to confuse them and have them lose their way.
Sir Smurfsalot immediately went to push the stone back into place but even his great strength [for a Smurf] was quite enough. Smurfevergreen fashioned a lasso out of the remains of the rope net so she could pull while Smurfsalot pushed. Spelly asked the Goric if they could help to. It never occurred to them that they might be able to move the stones themlves. Never once in all their centuries. All together, the entire group moved the menhir back into place and just as they did, Gargamel bumped into a tree! He looked about and could not longer see the way to Smurf Village.
"Where did that come from? Wait...where is the path? Azrael! Which way, Azrael? What happened?", Gargamel called out. A confused Azrael just shrugged and looked this way and that. "Egad Azrael! The Smurfs! It must be them. They must have moved the stone back into place! Curses! We must go back to the Whispering Stones and this time, break them into pieces!" This was following by a manical laugh and the sounds of a snickering cat.
Pulling up the hood on a particularly peculiar dark cloak, Gargamel and Azrael faded into the shadows as they headed to the standing stones once again.
The Smurfs meanwhile assumed their enemy would be making their way back to them and formulated a plan. Spelly readied himself to cast a major spell but needed the others to buy him time. Sir Smurfsalot and Smurfevergreen got ready as the Goric, cheering on the Smurfs, faded back into the spirit world and the stones.
Not long after, when bushes rustled and hands swiped down to grab the Smurfs, Smurfsalot raised his Sword and angled it to catch the moonlight. He called upon the light to shine down and reveal their opponent! It worked! The moon shimmered across Gargamel's magic Cloak as Evergreen tussled with Azrael. All this time, Spelly Smurf had been spelling out...
C-o-n-c-e-a-l t-h-e H-i-d-i-n-g M-e-n-h-i-r f-r-o-m G-a-r-g-a-m-e-l a-n-d A-z-r-a-e-l
Yes, 'Conceal the Hiding Menhir from Gargamel and Azrael', an incantation it took three long moments to spell out. The spirts of the stones, the Goric, helped a bit by distracting Gargamel and Azrael with their trademark creepy whispers but it was the skill in battle of Sir Smurfsalot and Smurfevergreen that really made the casting possible.
In the end, Gargamel and Azrael were standing in the West Woods completely lost. Totally baffled by where the Whispering Stones had gone and which way to go to look for either them or the Smurf Village, the two gave up. Defeated, they slinked back to Gargamel's hovel of a keep with their nerves on edge and the Cloak of Darkness shredded by the blades of the fighting Smurfs.
Sir Smurfsalot and Spelly Smurf returned to Smurf Village and Smurfevergreen walked them home, a big deal for her as her preference is to be alone. Generally, Evergreen doesn't make friends easily, if at all, and few Smurfs consider themselves friends of hers. However...Sir Smurfsalot declared how impressed he was by her skills and commended her for her bravery. Spelly insisted the 'quest' could not have been concluded successfully without her. Smurfevergreen felt a strange and unfamiliar emotion...camaraderie? She wasn't sure she felt comfortable with it but you know, she didn't dislike it either. The trio agreed to call upon each other again in the future if they were ever in need of help.
Papa Smurf, along with Smurfette and Brainy, met with the guys and welcomed them home. As the heroes described their adventure and the others oohed and aahed, Evergreen faded into the Sarsaparilla Fields with a smile.
The End.
Thanks for coming by! Sorry this was a bit of a long one but it was a really great session and I just wanted to share.
Talk to you again soon...
AD
Barking Alien
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