Session Report 22

General Summary

The ruffians take the second gemheart and travel back to Vallaki over about two hours. Along the journey Gunter starts to understand the mechanics of the gun as he breaks apart and rebuilds some of the mechanisms.
It is late afternoon when the ruffians get to the gate and show off their passes for free entry. Ricatavio still had to pay.
The ruffians return to the Blue Water Inn and deliver the two gems into the hands of Anton and Urwin Martikov. Their faces are beaming as they thank the adventurers for all the work they did to get them back. The ruffians mention nothing about the third gemstone.
After some discussion during dinner, the ruffians decide to head out for the third gemstone in the morning. What the party planned to do with this gemstone, no one said.
The ruffians plus Ezzie and Rictavio head out the east Vallaki gate and walked about 30 minutes. The party stopped and discussed how they would navigate through this dense forest with only the refence of a mark on the map. 
After some back and forth, the ruffians decide on sending a scout ahead. This scout took the form of Bartholomew, the wood elf warlock. 
With Kif using the powers of transmutation, he was able to give Bartholomew the ability of flight. 
Bartholomew soared above the dense forests and high into the air. He flew south searching for any disturbance in the forest vegetation. After a minute or two of searching, Bartholomew is able to find a small wooden building with a stone chimney on top. Smoke smelling of buttered beets and applewood bacon wafts out of the chimney and into Bart's nose
Barthlomew traces a trail while flying back to the ruffians. When Bartholomew gets back to the party he reports all he saw. With this path found, the party quickly travels through the woods, with only some bushwhacking involved.
After about two hours of watching for roots and branches, the ruffians make it to this wooden building. The chimney is still putting out smoke and the party can see lights bursting out through the windows and other wooden cracks along the frame. As they get closer the party can now hear a bard playing music within and the eruption of laughter from time to time. 
Bartholomew dons his scout role once again and heads up to the window to look inside. As he sneaks a peak inside all he sees are a spectrum of colors, some of which the wood elf had never laid an eye on.
After some deliberations and more window peeking, the ruffians decide to walk right in. They do and discover a tavern within.
A tavern surrounded by forest is an odd place for any business yet the ruffians had no time to dwell on that matter as the tavern was filled with Mintoaurs, Grungs, and all other sorts of non Barovian natives. 
Before asking any questions, the ruffians rush for the barfront as none of them have had a drink in almost a week now. After getting a few beverages for the bois, each of the ruffians split off to conversate with some of these strangers.
Bartholomew spoke with some creature of brass and fire named Mufter, Gunter met with some of his fellow Minotaurs, and and Lars downed drinks with some horse humanoid and a firbolg.

Report Date

10 Jan 2022