Session 13 Recap: "Into the Woods"
General Summary
Fortune's Favor enjoyed a relatively calm and relaxing evening tucked away in Orchard's River, without the usual stressors of being on the road. Vigo was almost up with the sun, and rushed back to Morlan's smithy to find the man pondering over an odd metal, the likes of which neither of them had seen before, attempting to understand its properties and why it did not seem to want to yeild to typical smithing techniques. Eventually, Morlan suggested that it would take a far greater forge than his to work the odd metal, even after Vigo's own attempts at plying his trade.
Eventually, the rest of the group stirred and prepared for the long day ahead of them, gathering together from their evening and made a plan for entering the Witchwood in search of their quarry. A quick stop at the Tarris household for some homecooked comfort food to-go, and Yvonne led the group into the depths of the Witchwood in search of the enigmatic druid, Alariwyn. Back in the woods of her childhood, Yvonne led the group without trouble straight to a little clearing some way into the wood, where they came across a well-kept cabin and magnificent garden, along with several hobgoblins impaled on long stakes toward its northern edge. It didn't take long for the druid herself to appear and introduce herself to the party as Alariwyn, the "Witch" of the Woods. She confirmed that she had also been seeing an increase in the number of Hobgoblins prowling through the woods in recent days, along with a suspicion that something larger had many denizens of the woods uneasy, though she was unsure what it might be. she also confirmed that she had seen a dragon about, though not the Red Yvonne had seen in her vision, but a smaller, younger green dragon patrolling the skies somewhere further North. She also suggested that Skull Gorge would be a more ideal spot to conceal an army and would be worth investigating.
The group convinced her to join them, as both guide and wittness on behalf of Orchard's River, as they pressed deeper into the woods, intending to first make their way to Vraath Keep, then Skull Gorge. With Alariwyn leading the way, it was a relatively easy journey, until the group came to a marshy section of the woods, where a wagon had been partially sunk with several hobgoblin corpses scattered about. It was quickly apparent what had killed them, as a Hydra rose out of the march plants and attacked the party. However, it was not expecting such intense resistance from its next planned meal, and was slain through a combined assault from the party without too much blood spilled.
With nightfall approaching, the group arived at their first destination, and discovered the Keep was indeed occupied, though not by an entire army. With Alariwyn's help, they learned the Keep was home to a Minotaur, Manticore, Wargs, Goblins, and Hobgoblins, with a single Blue Dragonborn up in the ruined tower overseeing the Keep. As the group was discussing possible avenues of attack, a horn sounded and a two warg-mounted hobgoblin scouts came up the path and discovered the party lurking in the woods. Another short battle ensured, ending before they could further signal for help, but the Keep has already begun to stir to life...
Rewards Granted
Mithral Breastplate
Missions/Quests Completed
Defeated Hydra, Defeated Hobgoblin Patrol
Character(s) interacted with
Mara Tarris, Tobin Tarris, Saelaia Grayson, Morlan Coalheart, Alariwyn
Report Date
08 Dec 2023
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Characters
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