Session 08

General Summary

30th of Coldeven through 1st of Planting, year 595

The party exited the fey tomb to see Auntie Olga's ghostly servent fly before them. When they arrived back at her home in the tree, Toby remained hidden outside as the other attempted to square things with her. Obviously upset, Auntie Olga continued to bargain with the party to get them to retrieve the crystal for her, offering first an enchanted dagger, then a bag of everflowing water, finally an amulet that supposedly charmed people. However, when the party proved unmoveable, she revealed her true form of a green hag, closed off the lair's door, and released her pet troll before disappearing.
Toby, caught outside, made his way around back, discovering some horrific "garden" of undead body parts beneath the ground fog, before jumping through a back window. Inside, the party battled the troll, Irina somehow making the creature deathly afraid of her but then Walrick twice felled and twice saved by the healer Malex. Until Walrick cast a Hideous Laughter onto the troll, and successfully incapacitated it with horrific and chilling laughter, allowing the party to fully kill the rejuvenating creature.
The dagger, which Wally had kept in hand, appears to bleed continuously when unsheathed and puts off an evil necromatic enchantment. The bag of everflowing water, which was also left behind, was revealed to be a bag containing the shriveled head of a child, in which clear water would continuously run from either punctured eye, until the eye grew back within a day. The party attempted to burn the evil magical aberration, but its own water-producing ability prevented its destruction. Keeping it with them for the time being, the party instead burned and destroyed the hag's lair and body garden. After which, the dark and foreboding aura of the forest lightened considerably and the sun began to rise. A Potion of Stone Giant Strength and a Potion of Greater Healing were also taken from the lair.
Deciding to continue on to Thenloduhr, the dwarven city, the party found the Silver Road again and made their way to Midhearth, the town on a cliff that serves as a mid-point rest by both road and Silver River to Thenloduhr. While in Midhearth, Toby managed to rob the outfitter of his personal purse while Wally tried unsuccessfully to buy a crossbow that weighed about as much as he. Irina discovered from Madam Laraine of the Traveler's Rest Inn that another young tiefling woman came by asking for the Sober Dwarf Tavern a few weeks prior. Following that lead, Irina then learned from Bedry the barkeep there that a man going by Brovar paid him well to bring a tiefling that asks for him to him. Once done, the tiefling and Brovar seemed to sneak out or disappear and haven't been seen since.
Meanwhile, Malex, using his mercenary knowledge and background, made positive connection with the Protectors Guild, which hires out sell-swords to protect people going to and from Settleton and Thenloduhr, either by road or river. While there, Malex met with Guy, a former member of the Guard who left shortly after Malex joined. Guy told Malex that a couple of active Guard, a fellow named Lorentz and a woman neither Guy nor Malex recognize, came by leaving word that should Malex through, that he and his party were to return immediately to Portville for debriefing and new information. A sending confirmed this command from Captain Shava (and also provided no additional information regarding "revelation gate" nor the fey). Deciding the trip back to Portville could take anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks, but they or only a couple days from the dwarven city, the party decided to stop there first.
Guy also remarked that the Guard messengers that passed through, asked him to keep an eye out for tiefling (in general, not a single individual). Guy also advised Malex that if he really wants inside the dwarven city, look for Orin Stoutale in Out Town. He may be able to get them in.
The group spends a productive and restful night in town, where a perceptive and skillful Walrick was able to convince the innkeep to allow him to perform for reduced rate room and half tips. He performed to increasing acclaim while Toby lightened the purse of a merchant from Settleton. (Sadly for Toby, being a well-dressed merchant does not mean great wealth in these lean times.)
Setting out by road the next day (as the cost of renting a boat and contracted Protector was somewhat prohibitive, despite word that "something was happing" up river, possibly involving giant beavers), the party eventually comes upon a couple humans and a gnome and their remaining mule coming the other way. They describe their being ambushed by one or more giant creatures, which took their other mule allowing them to flee with their lives.
The party did eventually come upon an ambush, of a single, talkative, two-headed ettin. Despite coming it close to killing a couple of party members, Irina dispatched the creature with flame and lightning, proving increasing power as a mage. Finding the creature's lair, the party accumulate some of what was likely the previous day's merchants' coin and wares.
Continuing through the cold and lightly snowy mountain pass, they finally reach the closed front gate of Thenloduhr, and the pueblo-like outer town overflowing with evacuated non-dwarves.

Rewards Granted

• Bleeding dagger
• Bag of everflowing water (cursed child's head in a bag)
• Potion: Stone giant strength
• Potion: Greater healing

Character(s) interacted with

• Auntie Olga (green hag)
• Madam Laraine (Traveler's Rest proprietor)
• Bedry (Sober Dwarf Tavern barkeep)
• Guy (former Guard member)
• couple of humans and gnome travelling merchants

Report Date

10 Feb 2019