A Most Curious Trio - Missing Cargo Game
General Summary
and my journey to Frial was nearly complete, with few interruptions besides Kobold refugees assailing the caravan in desperation, when at a dusk meal time, our caravan was beset by Giant Wasps. Ospher claimed that they had been agitated by some outside forces, but in the madness of the moment, we only sought to drive them off and tend to the wounded. The Red Word, our caravan specialists, drove off a few of them, while Ospher and I protected ourselves capably with dagger and spell. Oddly, I think Ospher froze one to see if there's going to be anything edible or favorful in it, so I think I'll survive on my gruel unaided by his talents for a little while.
Shortly after the attack, Capt. Jaben Farley explained that their main cargo being transported had been stolen in the confusion, evidently a crate of ancient books purchased at auction in Ghal Pelor by someone in Frial. A shame we didn't run across this cache ourselves, but circumstances being what they are, hopefully we can use this event to ingratiate ourselves with the buyer. The Captain explains we won't be headed to Frial without the cargo since their financial solvency rests upon delivering it successfully and explains that if we help he'll partially refund us for the trip. We ask for a Red Word to assist us since neither of us are necessarily experienced with combat and we are properly introduced to Ser Brightshine, a Tengu warrior that acts with all the social grace one would expect of a Tengu.
Ospher notices a pair of recent tracks and we follow the trail into swamps and crossing some ancient Catoblepas (?!) tracks we come upon the source of the tracks, two old swamp ladies from Becklinburg that immediately run from us. I roll my eyes and walk after them while Brightshine and Ospher actually catch them and talk them down. They explained to the two of them before I arrive their story and that they're out checking traps since their town had suffered some issues from murderous caravans some months ago. At this point I arrived and explained we're from a caravan seeking stolen goods which triggers in them a psychotic rage. Mae is subdued by Ospher temporarily whilst I try to stop Ser Brightshine from butchering Albertina. As I was busy, Ospher couldn't talk down Brightshine and he decapitated her while Ospher held her grappled. Ospher wanted to make things right with Albertina for Mae's death and I gave him space to do that while casting about to see if we could pick up any further trails from here. The only thing I was able to discover is that the recent floods had made the area rife with quicksand sinkholes and travel deeper into the swamp would get more precarious.
The remaining Wovel sister explained to me later that she had had a run in with some fae earlier and they must have taken what we're looking for and confirmed their presence with a pair of dismembered hands. She explained that they saw them around the old polehouse in the deep swamp and with some guidance, we made our way out there, picking through alligator nests and quicksand.
At the house, a raised cabin on stilts, we observed a single creature on sentry duty, so leaving Ser Brightshine behind, we manuevered our way to the house stealthily and observed 3 fae (1 injured, missing hands, 1 with a pipe flute, 1 on sentry duty) with a large human-like bat creature that Ospher later told me is called a Bargheist. Resolving to create a distraction and attain Brightshine's assistance, we knocked the guard off the ledge with a prestidigitation distraction and as that creature landed, he attracted the attention of the gators.
After getting brightshine and heading back, Ospher tripped and uttered a loud exclamation, drawing javelins from the Bargheist and the pan fluted fae was able to summon hornets to attack us. I ran for cover beneath the stairs of the polehouse, and we destroyed the hornets again while our Ally shot his crossbow at the fae's monstrous leader. Having been so close to the enemy allowed me to overhear the woman begging the Bargheist to save the downed fae and being rebuked for it. I called out to her in Common that I could save him but she would need to stop attacking us to discuss this. She did so, but unfortunately her master nearly impaled me with one of his javelins. The hornets dealt with, Brightshine and Ospher focused their attention on large creature, and after calling out the fae once again, she called hornets to attack her former master. This was enough to sink him into the swamp where Ospher had distracted the gators towards and they shredded him to pieces while Nisaba granted me the power to heal the greviously wounded fae.
Upstairs, the remaining woman put down her flute and surrendered as I brought her crippled companion to her and explained that she had to understand what took place here was not our fault. She said that she was compelled to work for the master but couldn't go into details for fear of something else. I am not familiar with fae magics, perhaps she is beign monitored and talking traitorously will get her killed. Ospher and Ser Brightshine arrived then and Brightshine was out for blood and I explained that the person that stole the cargo has been dealt with and there's no further need to investigate this matter and nor should any authorities from Frial be consulted. He reluctantly deferred to me in this matter.
Tarre, the satyr fae with the pipes explained she and her brothers didn't understand what was going on and that they had come from a Castle Konning which was under the rule of some trio? I didn't catch everything but quietly explained that Ospher and I would return in a weeks time to meet her in this area to discuss further. I advised her on some herbs to break her brother's fever, who had been victim of the trappers and we set out after taking items from the Bargheist and stingers from the Hornets to sell to our gnomish companion Morgan Honeysuckle.
Upon our return the captain was elated to see we had been successful and gave us a partial refund of our caravan costs and promised to make introductions and whatever he could to help us establish ourselves in Frial.
I expect that Tarre is a fish out of water of sorts. She mentioned The Queen as just having arrived so, there's something seriously wrong with her reckoning of time or her and her sibling's location. Hopefully whatever group that holds power over her doesn't use our promise to return as the basis to set an ambush. Perhaps she can grant us insight on our search for ancient lore, being ancient fae and versed in creature control.
Ser Brightshine is very energetic and bloodthirsty. I will be glad to not see him once this journey is over. Unpredictability and hyperactivity do not make for a reliable companion.
Becklinberg sounds like a terrible place. I do not want run into the remaining Wovel sister again.
Missions/Quests Completed
Cargo of Books retrieved
Red Word will make introductions for us in Frial
Tarre and her brothers expect to meet us in a weeks time
Character(s) interacted with
Morgan Honeysuckle - gnomish traveler
Captain Farley - leader of the Red Word Company
Barnett - Red Word member
Mae & Albertina Wovel - Becklinberg swamp folk
Tarre and siblings - Fae in the swamps
Various Caravan Travelers
"We are judged for our appearances because we are Fae. We have no where safe to go. You are accepted anywhere you choose."
"..."
"People from the caravans burned our town and killed our god!"
"If you think you may die, little human, put your brain in this jar so that I may add your knowledge to the Conclave."
"Something is wrong with the castle! People hate us because we're fae for something The Queen did? She only just arrived..."
"This jar is to collect honor and duty which is the reason I have joined this caravan."
Adjenna Affreux
Level 6
Lamiah
Neutral Cleric
(Charlatan)
(Charlatan)
39 / 39 HP
Ospher Spurshoe
Level 7
Stout Halfling
Neutral Good Wizard (Transmutation)
(Cloistered Scholar)
(Cloistered Scholar)
/ 44 HP
Report Date
06 May 2020
Primary Location
Secondary Location
"Why not shoot the defenseless one? They won't see it coming and it will prevent them from utilizing their companion in the future!"
