The Return: Session #7
General Summary
The heroes spent some time catching their breath after defeating Nualia and the leopard demon, Malfeshnekor.
They looted the bodies of any items that looked valuable, and explored the parts of the Thistletop they had passed before. They saw the bedrooms of Nualia and her crew. They found a creepy room that Thalina said was a goblin nursery.
Among the strange loot they found, Nualia had gold coins on her--- each had three scratches on it. They also found Nualia's journal written in Infernal, the language of demons.
When reaching fresh air, they saw Warlord Ripnugget with his few remaining goblins attempting to run away with a heavy chest. The heroes were still wounded, but were able to kill the goblins in a brutal ambush. Inside the chest they found a pile of gold and pearls, the ill gotten gains of many generations of Thistletop goblins.
Orik bid them farewell and left to return to Harcourt.
Returning to Barrowmista, the heroes were given a heroes welcome. The people were overjoyed that the goblin menace was destroyed.
Celebrating at The Hagfish, the heroes told their stories to the mayor and others. While they exaggerated their tale and left out some details, Thalina didn't correct them. They were the toast of the town.
A period of quiet extended for the heroes, and some peaceful developments occurred:
1) The heroes were given Chopper's Isle by the mayor, and she hoped the heroes would make a permanent home in Barrowmista.
2) Tiny Tim got a job as a bartender at the Rusty Dragon. He used his time to earn a little money and learn what rumors and secrets he could from the regulars.
3) Bartuk and Grubbyfugs made healing potions. Bartuk spent most of his time doing so, and sold his potions to the local noble families and organizations that could afford them.
4) Tiny Tim translated Nualia's journal. It was an exercise of patience as Nualia was mad, and half the book was taken up with crazed rants. One thing learned that when she originally fled Barrowmista, she joined up with an Ocean worshipping cult. They trained her and financed her plans.
5) But, mostly the heroes just relaxed.
Over the time, rumors floated about town of increased tick attacks in the Tickwood. Lumberjacks had been assaulted by ticks and others have gone missing altogether.
Thalina showed up after a few weeks. She had been investigating the rumors, and found a mysterious tree that appeared to be the home for the giant ticks. The heroes agreed to go with her to investigate further.
Heading into the Tickwood was as strange as ever. The giant trees were not a large jungle, but once inside... one could travel much deeper than their should.
After a couple of hours of travel, they came upon a clearing with a twisted treant in the middle. The evil looking tree's largest limbs were held back by large chains. It looked upon the heroes with utter hate as ticks moved in and out of the creatures mouth.
Using Tiny Tim's familiar, Felicia, they saw that inside the treant's mouth was a tunnel leading into the ground.
Drawing closer drove the ticks to a frenzy. A battle was provoked, and while the individual ticks were easy to kill--- their great numbers threatened to swarm the heroes. What is worse, a tick the size of a large bear joined the battle. Kurdan and Bartuk lost some blood to the parasites, but they were able to kill the ticks amassed at the tree.
Entering the tunnel, they discovered the place overrun with black twisted roots from the treant above. Entering the only door they found, they were greeted by a circular room with many doors and an armored statue that greeted them. It introduced itself as Emirikol the All Power, and he was pleased he had candidates to go through his twisted dungeon built as a test for potential apprentices.
To be allowed to leave, the heroes would need to venture into a series of rooms and confront primal spirits that Emirikol had captured. He had at one point tortured them and other users of nature magic in hopes of learning their secrets.
The first room they visited was the room of the crocodile. They found themselves at the edge of an underground lake filled with rotten logs. The other side of the lake were some long abandoned ruins. From Felicia's scouting, they saw a giant crocodile sleeping with a wooden mask stuck in its forehead.
Building a couple of rafts, the heroes found that some of the logs were not logs... but crocodiles! A dangerous fight broke out, but the heroes triumphed without being eaten.
The crocodile spirit met them as they made their way across to the other shore. Hoping to avoid a fight, the heroes attempted to barter with the spirit. It did admit to being hungry, but the heroes will ill-prepared to feed a giant crocodile. In their discussion, they stumbled upon helping the spirit escape its lair. They caught its attention, and it began to demand who would help it escape. Nervously, Bartuk offered, and the giant crocodile disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Surely, there would be no consequences...
They looted the bodies of any items that looked valuable, and explored the parts of the Thistletop they had passed before. They saw the bedrooms of Nualia and her crew. They found a creepy room that Thalina said was a goblin nursery.
Among the strange loot they found, Nualia had gold coins on her--- each had three scratches on it. They also found Nualia's journal written in Infernal, the language of demons.
When reaching fresh air, they saw Warlord Ripnugget with his few remaining goblins attempting to run away with a heavy chest. The heroes were still wounded, but were able to kill the goblins in a brutal ambush. Inside the chest they found a pile of gold and pearls, the ill gotten gains of many generations of Thistletop goblins.
Orik bid them farewell and left to return to Harcourt.
Returning to Barrowmista, the heroes were given a heroes welcome. The people were overjoyed that the goblin menace was destroyed.
Celebrating at The Hagfish, the heroes told their stories to the mayor and others. While they exaggerated their tale and left out some details, Thalina didn't correct them. They were the toast of the town.
A period of quiet extended for the heroes, and some peaceful developments occurred:
1) The heroes were given Chopper's Isle by the mayor, and she hoped the heroes would make a permanent home in Barrowmista.
2) Tiny Tim got a job as a bartender at the Rusty Dragon. He used his time to earn a little money and learn what rumors and secrets he could from the regulars.
3) Bartuk and Grubbyfugs made healing potions. Bartuk spent most of his time doing so, and sold his potions to the local noble families and organizations that could afford them.
4) Tiny Tim translated Nualia's journal. It was an exercise of patience as Nualia was mad, and half the book was taken up with crazed rants. One thing learned that when she originally fled Barrowmista, she joined up with an Ocean worshipping cult. They trained her and financed her plans.
5) But, mostly the heroes just relaxed.
Over the time, rumors floated about town of increased tick attacks in the Tickwood. Lumberjacks had been assaulted by ticks and others have gone missing altogether.
Thalina showed up after a few weeks. She had been investigating the rumors, and found a mysterious tree that appeared to be the home for the giant ticks. The heroes agreed to go with her to investigate further.
Heading into the Tickwood was as strange as ever. The giant trees were not a large jungle, but once inside... one could travel much deeper than their should.
After a couple of hours of travel, they came upon a clearing with a twisted treant in the middle. The evil looking tree's largest limbs were held back by large chains. It looked upon the heroes with utter hate as ticks moved in and out of the creatures mouth.
Using Tiny Tim's familiar, Felicia, they saw that inside the treant's mouth was a tunnel leading into the ground.
Drawing closer drove the ticks to a frenzy. A battle was provoked, and while the individual ticks were easy to kill--- their great numbers threatened to swarm the heroes. What is worse, a tick the size of a large bear joined the battle. Kurdan and Bartuk lost some blood to the parasites, but they were able to kill the ticks amassed at the tree.
Entering the tunnel, they discovered the place overrun with black twisted roots from the treant above. Entering the only door they found, they were greeted by a circular room with many doors and an armored statue that greeted them. It introduced itself as Emirikol the All Power, and he was pleased he had candidates to go through his twisted dungeon built as a test for potential apprentices.
To be allowed to leave, the heroes would need to venture into a series of rooms and confront primal spirits that Emirikol had captured. He had at one point tortured them and other users of nature magic in hopes of learning their secrets.
The first room they visited was the room of the crocodile. They found themselves at the edge of an underground lake filled with rotten logs. The other side of the lake were some long abandoned ruins. From Felicia's scouting, they saw a giant crocodile sleeping with a wooden mask stuck in its forehead.
Building a couple of rafts, the heroes found that some of the logs were not logs... but crocodiles! A dangerous fight broke out, but the heroes triumphed without being eaten.
The crocodile spirit met them as they made their way across to the other shore. Hoping to avoid a fight, the heroes attempted to barter with the spirit. It did admit to being hungry, but the heroes will ill-prepared to feed a giant crocodile. In their discussion, they stumbled upon helping the spirit escape its lair. They caught its attention, and it began to demand who would help it escape. Nervously, Bartuk offered, and the giant crocodile disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Surely, there would be no consequences...
Rewards Granted
- A potion of Healing
- Short Sword +1
- 1 elf bane arrow (does +3d6 damage against someone with elf blood)
- Lyrie's spellbook
- Studded Leather armor +1
- plate armor +1
- longsword +1
- 10 everburning torches (you didn't say you take them, but what the heck)
Character(s) interacted with
Report Date
27 Dec 2020
Primary Location
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