Ankheg Ambush
General Summary
With our new companions in tow, we continue onward with the carbuncles following close behind.
Two more days on the road with the party and we manage to rest and made good time on the road. I continue to feed the goofy lizards and try to keep them with us.
Freyja sees a fork in the road - west leads to mountains and north is an overgrown path that rarely sees much use. In the distance Freyja sees something heading towards us and he frantically exclaims that it's white dragon! He tells us their violent, smarter than most folk, and sometimes have powerful magic.
I try to figure out if the massive creature is hostile but Sam and Bork seem convinced it's friendly, however I'm convinced it's angry and dangerous. Tilly tells me we should wait to see if it's going to attack, since the others don't feel it's a threat. I agree to wait but prepare for combat and stand between the dragon and Tilly incase it attacks - she'd be a devoured in a single *chomp* if it bit her!
The dragon slows a bit and descends, speaking to us in a language that only Freyja understands.
"Halt." It says. "What is your business here?"Freyja responds with a small bow, "We're travelling to the next town, nothing else."
"Oh really? My friends tell me you're doing much more."
"Who are your friends?"
"Not surprised you don't remember. They are small. None too bright, but good little workers. I'm told you saved one from the orcs who would eat her."
"Oh! Those guys!"
"Do you plan on continuing to meddle with affairs in my region."
"We just keep getting attacked for no reason. We have no other plans."
"Travel on then, knowing you've made friends. Our home-cave is three days north from this point. I am Phoevus and I see why my friends are so fond of you." Without ceremony, she flies off towards her home.
The rest of the day I hang out with our employers and try to lift their spirits by chatting and telling stories.
For the following week we eat well thanks to Bork & Woof hunting for us. We continue to push ourselves for a few extra hours each day and make excellent time, arriving on time despite our various delays.
During this time, we travel through a hilly corridor where Samguise & Freyja spot a large insect crouching above the path. Tilly tells us that it's an Ankeg, a subterranian monstrocity that like to drag it's victims underground before devouring their prey.
Tilly hurls a bolt of magic at the insect before it charges through the air at our airborn ally, Samguise. It sinks its mandibles into Batty White, burning her with acid while Samguise does his best to stay mounted.
Seeing the two flyers in trouble, Tilly sends another Magic Missile at the ankeg and Bork takes Woof towards the three fighting in the sky. I charge at the aerial melee and swing, hoping my hammer will reach it and make a solid connection that forces it to lose height and fall closer to the ground.
With an excellent set-up, Freyja carved the ankeg into two with her mighty axe (critical hit for 44 damage!).
Arrival at Hero City!
Dirty from weeks of travel we finally see Hero City appear in the distance. It's the middle of night when we step foot into the town, quiet and almost seems abandoned with the unfinished buildings and aged welcome sign.
Miles pays us for the work and even tips us, despite the rough start we made it here a week early! We sell the items we've found on our journey to Miles and keep the hoard of gems the carbunckles had gathered.
He directs us to the inn, glorious yet unfinished, and there seems to be a celebration happening.
The Townies
- Earl & Caroline Ramsey: well dressed human couple
- Giver: Dwarf behind the bar
- Sapphire: Gnome woman in an elegant dress - over the top but now well worn, and an elaborate hairstyle with jewelry that stands above all we've seen before!
- Eli Whitney: Quiet elven man, reserved and hunched. Dirty blond hair taking notes and listening to Saphire
- Graham: Human male serving drinks, thinning red hair.
- Human male playing a lute awkwardly and trying to sing about Hero City but coming up with very few ideas.
We order a roast pig platter to share among us and get to know the locals a bit. I pay for a lot of drinks and begin getting drunk while chatting.
Rissa speaks with Eli, introducing our group and how we ended up here. Eli looks exhausted and tries to talk up the town but has very little to say about what's good here.
Shantilly joins them, talking about 'land wrights' or whatever and I'm not interested so I keep drinking with anybody who would join me. Tilly seems really interested in buying land but Eli is a little tipsy and postpones the conversation about land ownership.
Bork abruptly propositions Sapphire to 'join him in the bath' but she declines, after all, Bork has three weeks worth of dirt and insect guts caked to him.
Samguise grabs a mug of dwarven stout ale and invites a lady to the bar, in front of her husband. She politely declines.
I sat down in the middle of the common area and start drinking my ales, chatting with anybody nearby, and becoming a little rowdy.
I arm-wrestle Earl and beat him so bad that I order him another drink.
Once again Bork tries to entice Sapphire with his longing-gaze but ends up giving a creepy stalker vibe. Even Rissa tries to help him get her attention but it fails in the way intended. Sapphire takes pity on him and acts kindly towards him.
Freyja orders a bath, which is located in the common sleeping area and has a pleasant interaction with Graham.
Once we settle in I encourage Samguise to sing as part of the celebration. Sapphire cheers (strong wine drunk mom energy) and we continue to party through the night.
Rewards Granted
150gp ea. from Miles for completing the journey earlier than expected.
Report Date
22 Jun 2021
Cast:
Bork Boruq
Brick
Freyja Rahezura
Risa
Samguise Bushgrub
Tilly Flitmoss
NPCs:
Briggal Etta Miles Eli Whitney Sapphire Giver Graham The Ramseys' Lute Player
