We begin again, with H reprising his role as Yelrah the Half-Orc Barbarian, K coming in (due to lost character sheet) as Elren Dogwood, Wood Elf Druid, and maybe B as a rogue of sorts. If scheduling allows. As such, we are recruiting, and hopefully I can get a friend or two from Ohio to join us.
The joys of Discord-gaming.
Oh, after the last big score, Yelrah is level 5, as is Elren. That said, if any established PCs die in the game, they'll come back at level 1. Otherwise, normal houserules apply.
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Elren arrived at Ironguard Keep with the monthly supply caravan. Yelrah's money was just about gone, so he was keen to find new adventuring companions to help him fill his purse. After all, in the last 18 months, Albrecht, Svetlo, Klayton, and Kirsten had all departed Ironguard, with Morgan Ironwolf and Ulster joining them. Ori was still at Ironguard Keep, but mostly kept to the other Dwarves (Nori, Dori, and Snorri) because it is unseemly for Dwarves to drink with Half-Orcs.
So it was that Elren Dogwood and Yelrah the Barbarian and forged a partnership. The ever-helpful halfling proprietor of the Lion's Den, Jacob Marleybone, provided an opportunity to earn some gold and assist the Keep. Specifically, some hunters had gone missing, and needed to be found.
Yelrah knew the local wilderness was dangerous, so the two of them hired some local toughs (courtesy of Meatshields): a Dwarf named Galrik, and several humans named Mordox, Bron, Halla, Boltag, and Norwyn. The deal was struck for the princely rate of 2gp per person per day AND a share of treasure recovered.
Now at eight people, the stalwart adventurers headed east in search of the missing hunters. To get across the river, though, they needed to pass through the ruins of Kingsbridge. Once there, they passed several lifelike statues, to include one of a mounted knight charging. They could hear hammering that grew louder and louder, eventually ending near a former tavern and fountain.
Sitting by the fountain were a pair of wooden puppet children, the source of the hammering was an older gentleman, hammering giant ratskins up on a wall. Discussion revealed that this was Gepetto and that he remembered Yelrah. More importantly, he remembered seeing the hunters, as they had left a gift for Gepetto's wife - a small gem.
Yelrah asked about leaving gifts for the wife, mostly why. Gepetto shrugged his shoulders and said, 'for luck, I guess.' Then he whispered, 'what she really likes is tobacco, though, especially Longbottom Leaf.' Missing the hint, our adventurers moved along, but not before noticing the shades in tavern window moving, as if someone had been watching and suddenly dropped them.
Once past Kingsbridge, they ran afoul of Sprites, who tripped Elren, made Yelrah cuss, and then tied the shoelaces of the hirelings together, resulting in a cussing jumbled pile of people. To drive them off, Elren summoned up several hawks to harry the sprites; harrier hawks, no doubt. This strategy worked, and the band continued up the old road.
The travelers made good time before stopping to camp at nightfall. When Klayton left, he took the rug-cabin with him, so the group pitched a proper camp. Into the ruddy glow of the fire light stepped an old woman with a basket of apples. Being a kindly old woman, she offered everyone a shiny red apple. Failing to pass saving throws, everyone in the party ate the best apples they've ever had - juicy, crunchy, sweet, and the texture. Excellence! She thanked them for their time and promised to see them again.
She stepped out of the forest of Snow White and into the adventurer's firelight.
The rest of the night was uneventful. After breakfast, the group continued their travels, eventually coming across a Giant Owl, who grudgingly helped the 'servants of the hag' as he addressed them. From the Owl (dubbed 'Weird Owl' in the chat), they learned that it had seen the hunters a few days prior, then pointed to the east and flew off, buzzing the party as it left. At this point, Galrik the Dwarf snapped about 'creepy old people, wooden children, and talking animals.' Yelrah calmed him by saying, 'oh, you ain't seen nothing yet. Just wait.'
Dusk was falling when the band arrived at the caravanserai. I described it like this:
From Dungeon #18, the adventure Chadranthar's Bane
They explored briefly and found it overgrown, but also evidence of irregular use. Inside the main room, they found a half-dozen bedrolls laid out, and food on the table, but no hunters. Searching for the hunters in the dark was discussed and discarded as the party opted to camp in the shelter. Dice rolls favored them and they slept soundly through the night.
Come morning, Elren shapeshifted into a dire wolf in front of the hired help. This freaked the hired help out, particularly Galrik (who HATES wizards, according to Meatshields). Again, Yelrah talked him down, with some help from Elren the talking dire wolf. Trouble averted, Elren sniffed out the trail of the hunters, eventually finding a clearing that reeked of death and hunters and goblins and ... something else.
At this point, they split into two groups: Elren with Galrik and Norwyn (who can outrun a bear according to Meatshields), and Yelrah with the rest. Yelrah questioned the logic of Elren pairing with a Dwarf that wants him dead, and it was decided that it was either a demonstration of trust or that one of the pair would be too dead to care.
Yelrah's group entered the clearing first, while Elren and friends flanked around. Within the clearing were four dead hunters and about a dozen dead goblins. Purses and throats had been professionally cut, even on those with otherwise fatal wounds. Despite this, an overlooked ring was discovered by Yelrah - a fine ring made of polished wood, with tiny leaves carved into it. He pocketed it.
Elren and friends entered the clearing and Galrik started crushing dead Goblin skulls with his warhammer. When Elren tried to calm him, Galrik looked up, obviously crazed. Elren then lifted a leg and pissed on a dead Goblin, which make Galrik laugh aloud and scarily before going back to skullcrushing. As the chat pointed out, 'through piss and bone, friendship is grown.'
Doing some basic math, Yelrah realized two hunters were missing. Investigation led to the discovery of a path headed northwest, complete with broken branches, heavy footprints, and blood spatter.
We called the session due to bed time.
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Yup. A hag versus two 5th level PCs and a half-dozen level 1 retainers. The players knew she was trouble the instant she appeared, and that is okay. I'm looking forward to her reappearing down the road. I think her name might be Granny Smith, because apples (and a Green hag).
I haven't decided what the 'something else' is yet, but have a week to determine it.
It might be an Eyeblight - something I found on the Wandering Monster table I have written, with this description: ugly as sin. Viewing it sickens mortals like a trog’s stench. Otherwise, use Fomorian from MM136.
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The game is still online via Discord, but I relocated within my house, so cannot easily get to the wine. This is good for several reasons, especially as I drink wine by the tumbler-full and tend to keep going until the box or bottle is empty. So it was a dry game for me, and I am thankful for it.
If nothing else, it makes it so much easier to write up the post-game log.
