Session 18 - This weather is for the birds
The PCs approach the “bird-man” in a non-hostile manner. Lane is asking for help. 4 other bird-men emerge from the hedge row they’ve taken up shelter in. The birds are recognized as Aarakocra (very uncommon on Etolar). The provide healing and water to the stricken.
Through gestures and drawing in the dirt they come to learn of another symbol - apparently the sign of the “air cult”. The Aarakocra appear to be watching for “evil” and keeping tabs on the Spire.
They part ways on friendly terms with the Aarakocra. The Party feels the “Air Cult” or Knights of Feathergale Spire are not going anywhere anytime soon, and the missing delegation is of higher urgency. So they set out for Belliard. A face-melting heat overcomes the party as they travel and they consume twice as much water during their days travel through the Sumber Hills badlands.
Eventually the PCs make camp just before dark and again the weather shifts dramatically… it begins to not only snow, but “thunder snow”. Blizzard conditions reign reducing visibility to 0. The Pcs huddle in their tents / bedrollls and take watches. During Thanatos’ watch the snow had continued to fall and he hears “Bloody hell, its cold” and “Keep going we gotta find those people” coming about 50 to 60 feet from the SW. Thanatos alerts Taraxacam.
Somebody in the party (Taraxacam) shouts a warning and the voices grind to a halt. They respond “no need for hostilities, we are here to talk”.
Taraxacam moves out into the trail ringing a bell - “Come towards the bell and we will talk”. Thanatos is aware the approaching group has split into three groups - one coming up the trail and two others trying to navigate the surrounding hills.
Eventually the group of disfigured humans with uniforms bearing the air-cult symbol encounter Taraxacam and friendships are made (perhaps some charming happened). Soon they are huddle around the center of camp sharing food and absorbing the warmth of a ingot glowing red-hot from Josef’s Heat Metal spell.
Skiz (the leader) and Josef speak of Savra Belebrante (the Waterdavian “noble” who has joined the Feathergale Knights - she is apparently alive and well and graduated to Knighthood.
Skiz invites the to the spire.
Josef asks of any other groups in the area and about the missing Delegation. Skiz blames the “dirt cult”, the “mud suckers”, the “earth creepers”, the “worm lovers” (aka the Earth cult). He pulls out a crude map and shows the PCs where the “dirt lovers” are.
Eventually Skiz stands and rousts his group. They bid the PCs fare-journeys and they depart to the SW.
In the morning the PCs continue on and arrive at Belliard (known for cattle ranchers). The head to the Watchful Knight and begion to inquire about the Delegation.
The waitress (Senya) says she saw a strange “monk-like” person in a gold mask who watched the Delegation, but left before they did.
Neshor (the Inn owner) says he’d met several key people in the delegation and knew they planned to head to Summit Hall next. Riders were sent to Summit Hall and leaned the delegation never arrived.
When asked about the Knights of Feathergale spire, he says he knows of them, has seen them from time to time in the air, but otherwise suggests the folk or Red Larch might know more then he.
The PCs depart Belliard following the presumed route of the Delegation. About 15 miles south of Belliard, they spot crows and regular vultures flocking about a mile off the road. The depart the roadway and discover a grim site of a battle.
There are a dozen dead Miribar soldiers lying about - some lie in craters.
There are two rock cairns on a nearby hill. The large one contains 5 dead bugbear - the all bear the “Earth cult symbol”.
The small cairn contains a female in “monk-robes” and waring a strange gold colored (tin) mask.
The party finds tracks: 30 bugbear and additional booted feet head west into the Sumber Hills. The follow the patch… it dead-ends at the river and keel-boat marks are clearly spotted in the shore.
Through gestures and drawing in the dirt they come to learn of another symbol - apparently the sign of the “air cult”. The Aarakocra appear to be watching for “evil” and keeping tabs on the Spire.
They part ways on friendly terms with the Aarakocra. The Party feels the “Air Cult” or Knights of Feathergale Spire are not going anywhere anytime soon, and the missing delegation is of higher urgency. So they set out for Belliard. A face-melting heat overcomes the party as they travel and they consume twice as much water during their days travel through the Sumber Hills badlands.
Eventually the PCs make camp just before dark and again the weather shifts dramatically… it begins to not only snow, but “thunder snow”. Blizzard conditions reign reducing visibility to 0. The Pcs huddle in their tents / bedrollls and take watches. During Thanatos’ watch the snow had continued to fall and he hears “Bloody hell, its cold” and “Keep going we gotta find those people” coming about 50 to 60 feet from the SW. Thanatos alerts Taraxacam.
Somebody in the party (Taraxacam) shouts a warning and the voices grind to a halt. They respond “no need for hostilities, we are here to talk”.
Taraxacam moves out into the trail ringing a bell - “Come towards the bell and we will talk”. Thanatos is aware the approaching group has split into three groups - one coming up the trail and two others trying to navigate the surrounding hills.
Eventually the group of disfigured humans with uniforms bearing the air-cult symbol encounter Taraxacam and friendships are made (perhaps some charming happened). Soon they are huddle around the center of camp sharing food and absorbing the warmth of a ingot glowing red-hot from Josef’s Heat Metal spell.
Skiz (the leader) and Josef speak of Savra Belebrante (the Waterdavian “noble” who has joined the Feathergale Knights - she is apparently alive and well and graduated to Knighthood.
Skiz invites the to the spire.
Josef asks of any other groups in the area and about the missing Delegation. Skiz blames the “dirt cult”, the “mud suckers”, the “earth creepers”, the “worm lovers” (aka the Earth cult). He pulls out a crude map and shows the PCs where the “dirt lovers” are.
Eventually Skiz stands and rousts his group. They bid the PCs fare-journeys and they depart to the SW.
In the morning the PCs continue on and arrive at Belliard (known for cattle ranchers). The head to the Watchful Knight and begion to inquire about the Delegation.
The waitress (Senya) says she saw a strange “monk-like” person in a gold mask who watched the Delegation, but left before they did.
Neshor (the Inn owner) says he’d met several key people in the delegation and knew they planned to head to Summit Hall next. Riders were sent to Summit Hall and leaned the delegation never arrived.
When asked about the Knights of Feathergale spire, he says he knows of them, has seen them from time to time in the air, but otherwise suggests the folk or Red Larch might know more then he.
The PCs depart Belliard following the presumed route of the Delegation. About 15 miles south of Belliard, they spot crows and regular vultures flocking about a mile off the road. The depart the roadway and discover a grim site of a battle.
There are a dozen dead Miribar soldiers lying about - some lie in craters.
There are two rock cairns on a nearby hill. The large one contains 5 dead bugbear - the all bear the “Earth cult symbol”.
The small cairn contains a female in “monk-robes” and waring a strange gold colored (tin) mask.
The party finds tracks: 30 bugbear and additional booted feet head west into the Sumber Hills. The follow the patch… it dead-ends at the river and keel-boat marks are clearly spotted in the shore.
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