Run Date: November 22nd, 2022
PCs
TAG: Rogue Lv1
Willow: Cultist (Laurenia) Lv2
Not So Clear Skies
Our third was missing today so the players decided to head east of Riversmeet to explore the hills. Also, I learned TAG stands for Totally A Goner.
Day 1
TAG and Willow headed out of town and managed to get to the hills before evening. With the days getting colder and shorter, it's becoming imperative that the PCs avoid getting caught without shelter or losing time wandering around lost. TAG was on navigation duty today, and spotted a healthy place to rest: a strange little plot with healthy green grass and a large, humanoid-shaped willow.
The players are a cautious sort, and took to a slow approach. The tree looked like a hulking creature, and they feared it would animate and murder them. As they examined the area, however, they began to notice nests and burrows, as well as fertile soil at the base of the trunks. TAG, being the first to actually touch the tree, also noticed a sweet scent wafting from it. There was a short conversation about whether or not the tree had sap, and how checking would probably result in the tree bleeding or some other weird event. Suffice it to say, they were not feeling overly adventurous and decided to camp a short ways from this strange willow.
They awoke to a grazing deer, then headed further east.
Day 2
Day two was fair and warm, and TAG's navigation kept the pair on track. Midday, they stumbled across a cave entrance, and TAG spotted something hanging just inside it: dream catchers. TAG snuck forward to check if anyone was home, but heard nothing. The two decided to investigate further and found the entrance lead to a short tunnel and an open cavern with the framework of a camp. The place had lashed logs and sticks, as well as a full stock of firewood. There was also a stream of fresh water flowing through it.
Willow and TAG explored the area for any signs of creatures or threats, but only found information and a bag of blue dust. The frames set up were for creatures double their size, and there was no sign of recent use. However, behind the firewood was a storage niche with broken beads, old leather, and a simple pouch of strange blue-hued dust. TAG tucked it away.
The pair decided to press on since they still had some daylight remaining. When night began to settle in, the two set up their camp, fire, and watches. Unfortunately, they didn't notice the nearby lair. During TAG's watch, she heard the howling of wolves getting closer and closer. It wasn't until a carcass came rolling down a rocky ridge that she spotted the entrance to a lair full of wolf pups, and the parents were not happy finding the camp so close. TAG woke Willow and they retreated as the wolves charged down the hill. The mother wolf gathered the pups while the remaining two ran down the PCs. The two managed to scramble up a few old trees before the wolves could pounce. From there, TAG peppered them with a few arrows; wounding one and forcing them both to fall back.
TAG and Willow spent the night in the tree, being watched by the wolves from their perch near the den. As morning came around, the two tried to sneak down and flee. Lucky for them, the wolves had lost interest.
Day 3
After their close call with the wolf pack, the pair decided to start heading back to Riversmeet. The plan was to head northwest before looping back west and eventually hit the river. Unfortunately, this is the day the fair weather ended.
From the mountains came a cold and strange breeze. The sky above, though clouded, was far from dark or thick. Nonetheless, a blizzard struck. TAG and Willow desperately navigated through the falling ice and snow in an attempt to find shelter and stumbled across a hollow protecting a cave entrance. They stepped inside and started stripping down their outer layers to avoid a sinking chill. Once settled, they decided to explore the cave a bit to make sure they were actually alone.
The first room was fairly large with a slight, icy incline full of stalagmites and stalactites. A bad slip could result in a few cuts and bruises or an outright wound if unlucky. The pair navigated down the ice and found themselves greeted by a pair of tunnels. After more or less flipping a coin, they headed left and found a small pocket warmer than the outer chambers, and another tunnel. They followed the tunnel to another room with a pool of water and cracks in the ceiling. They spotted yet another tunnel, and noticed that there was a pocket of space through the pool.
The PCs decided against wading through icy waters, but made their camp in this room. They then took stock of their supplies. They had no firewood, but several torches and a couple pints of lamp oil. They also had enough food to last for about a week. The two decided to keep the lantern low or off, and use the glass to warm their hands. If times got desperate, they would use the torches as a makeshift fire. In the meantime, every few hours or so, someone would go back to the entrance to check on the weather.
Day 4
The stay in the cave was miserable; cold, damp, and dark. What's worse, during one of the rounds to check the weather, TAG stumbled across another creature taking shelter from the storm. As the light shone up the icy incline, she spotted a large, winged creature with a copper shimmer to its feathers and a spiny, serpentine tail. Lucky for her, the Reaction Roll was positive and it only shook its feathers, tossed out a warning noise, and settled in.
TAG returned to Willow with the news of the giant rooster. They started working on a plan should it be there when they try to leave; TAG took the opportunity to check that other pathway and found the remnants of an old prospector, and learned that the tunnels formed a simple loop. The pair used this information to plan a flanking maneuver: Willow would draw the creature in and TAG would try to backstab it.
With the plan sorted, TAG set herself up for the ambush and Willow went to check the weather conditions. The giant rooster, this time furious at the return of the light and a new creature, let out a loud crow and dove into the slick chamber (RR: Snake Eyes). Willow harnessed the power of Laurenia to cast Saint's Walk (a spike growth-adjacent spell). The creature also couldn't keep its balance and tumbled through the rosebushes, leaving it a bloody mess. It then tried to take a bite out of Willow but she managed to avoid its rage.
TAG took the opportunity to rush from behind. Unfortunately, Saint's Walk applies to all creatures except Laurenia's faithful. She cut herself on the bushes closing the gap, then managed a Major Exploit as she mounted the rooster from behind and started stabbing it to death. As the creature fell, Willow dispelled the bushes and the two started planning their next step.
Survival mode engaged: TAG and Willow moved their camp to the entrance, cut some of the frozen branches and used their torches to start a small fire and dry the new wood, and butchered their meaty friend. They also managed to harvest its beak.
Day 5-8
The blizzard continue to rage, and the duo lived off a low fire and roasted "chicken." Despite the conditions, they managed to push through without suffering any ill effects.
Day 9
The blizzard finally subsided. Though the ice outside still remained, the skies were clear enough for the two to not care. They began their march back to Riversmeet in earnest. The two managed to navigate to the edge of the hills as the sun was setting. They could see the river from their high vantage point, but immediately felt that familiar chill on their back. Another icy wind blew through the hills, and another blizzard was coming.
TAG and Willow had no desire to relive their past few days, and traveled late into the night, through biting winds and ice, until they finally stumbled across the gates of Riversmeet. There was some quick banter with the freezing gate guard, then the two went straight to the Tankard to throw themselves into the hearth and sleep.
Day 10
The pair were not interested in going back outside during another blizzard, but nonetheless took the opportunity to hit up a local apothecary and some collectors about the blue hued dust and beak. TAG and Willow weren't interested in coming away with nothing, and convinced the apothecary to purchase the rooster's large beak. Gertrude (the apothecary), also identified the blue hued dust as an abrasive for cleaning teeth and freshening breath (Terrible Failure, btw, but the PCs don't know that).
Once finished, they returned to the Tankard to snuggle up and buy a hot drink.
Rewards
4 XP
150gp for the beak
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