Eighth Letter

General Summary

I decided it best to scout the area before we rested, as I could use the relative cover of the setting sun to my advantage. I would be hard to see in the twilight sky, but I could likely see anybody on the ground due to their lanterns, campfires, torches, or whatever.
So I headed out and found two occupied camps, one not. The unoccupied one is an excavation, about 30 feet into the ground.
The smaller of the occupied camps is an active excavation, maybe half a dozen soldiers and a bunch of workers.
The bigger one is their main camp, and what a camp it is! Palisades surround the encampment, enclosing a little stable area for horses and pack animals, and about 21 sleeping tents. If each tent sleeps 2 Sylvans…even though we’ve ambushed 2 of their parties already, that still leaves far too many Sylvans for us to handle.
After we got up the next morning, we headed to the abandoned excavation. I had felt watched the night before, and that feeling intensified as we explored the ruins; that’s when the granddaughter alerted me to the strange owl watching us. It clearly did not belong here in the jungle, and it was very clearly actually watching us.
My arrow hit it before it even knew I had drawn my bow.
When we went to retrieve my arrow and investigate, I found the arrow…but there was no owl attached! Apparently it was a mage’s familiar. Baermak explained that a mage can see through the eyes of his familiar. So the mage knew we were there.
Time suddenly short, we explored the ruins as quickly as we could, sure that the mage’s arrival was both forgone and imminent.
The building had the feeling of an old museum, perhaps, with broken display cases and not much else. It had been picked clean, but as the group discussed our next steps, I looked more closely and found some strange bits of metal, which turned out to be old pieces of guns. Being able to make much better use, if any, of the artifacts, I gave them to the old Drow.
Rejoining the discussion, we decided to wait for the mage. The group believes that the mage was likely too far away to actually be in communication with his owl, so wouldn't know of us, but that he would obviously know that it had been destroyed. And so he would come see why.
We readied ourselves for his arrival, and very shortly after were not surprised to see him. But he had brought friends: 4 soldiers and 3 archers. All mounted. So they had ridden from the camp.
Chatting via Baermak’s neat spell, we decided to let them go. It was a little larger party than we expected, and they clearly didn’t know we were here. They knew only that the owl had been destroyed. Though it would be nice to take out another group, we decided it would be better to leave them guessing and continue to take them out at our leisure, to keep our presence unknown for as long as possible.
It was likely that they would send a small party to see what happened to their supply convoy. Eventually. We could easily dispatch that party.
So here there was no sign of us, and the mage's party was getting ready to go.
Before he left the mage started to cast a spell, which we reasoned might be some kind of alarm. That indicated that he really didn’t know of us. But he knew something was going on. Perhaps more of those wisps?
In fact, if that was indeed an alarm, we could organize a most excellent ambush and then purposefully trigger that alarm, drawing the group into-
That’s when the ‘Baxi shot the mage.
“If you leave the nest, we leave the nest.”
I shot the mage too.
The jungle erupted, our group charging to close or firing from cover, the Sylvans wide-eyed and wondering. With several arrows lodged in him, the mage conveniently disappeared.
As before, one of the archers spotted me, shouted something as he pointed in my direction, and I recognized the word: it was the same thing uttered in the previous battle as they all turned to fire at me.
Which they did again.
The foot soldiers attacked the Drow while arrows flew past me. I was able to down one of the archers between dodging missiles, as was the ‘Baxi. Baermak put two of their horses to sleep…unfortunately not the horse with the remaining archer.
I knew he would flee. Or, if he was smart, he would flee. He was already mounted, his comrades were falling, and he was taking fire.
Flee.
That’s when the mage re-appeared, flinging a huge ball of fire in our direction!
I ducked behind the tree, but it’s not like you can dodge fire!
As we all tried to avoid the flames, flinching in fear, the mage shouted at the archer, who took off at a gallop. Why he needed urging I will never know.
Now, I don’t speak Sylvan, but I’m pretty sure the mage told him to bring reinforcements. How many? Everybody!
The granddaughter, Alyona, leaped from the bushes with a burst of speed that should be reserved for diving from the sky toward prey, and actually caught up with the galloping horse!
The poor Sylvan, astounded at her sudden appearance by his side, didn’t notice the ‘Baxi drawing down on him. She took him right off that horse.
I turned to the mage.
Seeing me, he fled, flying through the jungle.
That is a trick I also possess!
Skirting the treetops, I followed above him as he skittered between the trees, back and forth, maintaining a quite impressive speed.
He popped up, shot a spell at me, and dropped back down. I felt I might fall out of the sky, but I shook it off like ocean spray from a cresting wave; and I shot him with an arrow in return.
He dropped down below the canopy and I pursued above.
Again he tried the same trick, and again I shook it off and shot him, grazing his shoulder.
Yet again, a third time, he popped up and shot some spell at me.
Yet again I shook and shot.
I decided to try and get in front of him. Knowing his destination, I could perhaps ambush him on the way by. Though he was fast through the trees, I was faster above. That’s when I saw his owl. Back again, keeping an eye on me.
But not for long!
Owl dealt with, I headed to a reasonable ambush spot.
But he never did pass. He was either faster than I, had guessed what I might be up to, or wasn’t heading back to the main camp. So I returned to the group.
They had finished the remaining soldiers, sparing one for interrogation. We quickly decamped, taking our prisoner. We found a secluded, easily defensible cove and made camp. And interrogated.
I know you would not approve, and I disagree. I did not personally participate, which does not absolve me, I know. I did not stop it. But it was a necessary task, and the end in this case absolutely justifies the means.
Trying to spare his comrades, the soldier spoke a spell and disappeared, immediately re-appearing some 30 feet in the air and falling to his death. To his great consternation, Baermak then saved his life and resuscitated him.
Realizing the futility, he answered a great many of our questions. Apparently the excavation sites are terribly infested with undead, and the Sylvans have spent some time clearing the infestations. There are two sites they have yet to explore: one is under water, and one has an unreachable door.
Perhaps the high point of the interrogation was the doomed Sylvan insulting the Drow. Now, perhaps with some practice I might be able to differentiate, but I can barely tell a human from an elf, much less all of the various random elf groups from one another. But apparently the Sylvan group of elves hate the Drow group, and vice versa. So our prisoner called grandfather and granddaughter "savage dirt faeries".
This really seemed to get under their skin, and the archer drew noticeable pleasure from the utterance. It seemed to me a fairly apt description, but perhaps the grain of truth is what made the insult sting.
At any rate, now they know we're here.
They would most likely reinforce the various sites. We decided on our ambush tactic: we would reconnoiter a site, perhaps attacking to draw reinforcements. With forces significantly depleted at the main camp, which was our actual target, we could sneak in and pilfer and sabotage.
Thinking about targets, I wondered why the owl had been at the excavated site, even though the site had clearly already been emptied. There must be some value there! So we headed back to the site of our recent battle.
And they were already there!
The mage had returned, and with him were at least 20 soldiers, loading their comrades’ bodies into a wagon.
Perfect!
We immediately headed for the main camp.
Alyona and the ‘Baxi snuck in while we all kept watch, ready to react. They saw what was clearly the high commander of the expedition, well dressed and highly groomed. When he left his tent they crept inside, returning to us with a set of maps and a magically-protected book.
We all imagined that this might…anger them. They would likely recall their soldiers, so we headed to the other occupied camp I had scouted.
It was completely abandoned.
A canyon in the jungle, overflowing with greenery, plants cascading down the canyon walls, trees arching overhead; a truly beautiful place.
At the bottom of the canyon lay a stunning white marble entryway flanked by carved lions. The door, well locked with three small keyholes in a triangular pattern, was marked College of Engineering, and gave off an incredible aura of magic. We would have to save this for another day.
As we made camp I took a quick look at the main Sylvan camp. They are clearly on alert; more guards posted, and roaming patrols. We won't be sneaking back in any time soon.
So for now: rest.

Report Date

28 Mar 2022