Pharast 15th – Prank us once shame on you, Prank us twice and blame it on the Racoon

Kyrander wakes again early in the morning to find that Miro had failed to wake him for the change of night watch. Kyrander heads over to Miro only to find that the rogue was once again deep in slumber, as the ranger kicks the rogue awake he notices that something or someone had been through the camp and placed numerous “Hunting Season” signs around the place.

As Miro wakes up he is shocked to see that suddenly rushing through the bush towards him was a racoon with a small knife attached to its arm, in a panic Miro rushes to his feet drawing his sword and took a swipe at the racoon only to miss the creature.

The racoon then runs through and out of the camp with Miro chasing after it screaming like a madman and waking up the rest of the group who as wake up seeing Miro chasing the racoon and disturbing some rabbits with war paint on their face in another nearby bush.

Confused about the events that just happened the group they attempt to settle back for the rest of night and try to get some more sleep whilst Kyrander stood watch whilst the rest of the night passes without any further events.

As the group gather their camp together in the morning, Otto goes to take a swig of water from his waterskin and then spits out his water. The confused sorcerer tipped his waterskin upside down only to find that his water had been replaced with slug’s, Miro laughing at the sorcerer went to drink from his own waterskin to only suffer the same outcome, the rest of the group examine their waterskins and find the same in each of theirs.

Water obviously is now an issue and the group was pretty sure there was a river to the east where they could wash out their mouths and refill their water supply. So the group headed east and shortly afterwards found the river, as Vaneer started to walk down to the bank of the river he slipped and slided straight into the water. On closer examination Miro notices that the bank down to the river had been coated in some sort of grease as if something was expecting the group to head to this location.

Eventually the group managed to get to the water they were after by throwing the waterskins down to Vaneer to washout and refill and then they continued to head east till the grease ran out to allow the cleric to climb up the bank. As they continued to explore the area they come across a body of what appeared to be a dead trapper under a log, looking over the incident scene some oddities becomes apparent. The trapper’s shoe laces have been tied together, the ropes to the log trapped that had killed the hunter showed evidence of being cut by something sharp.

Natalia had spent the most of the day thinking about the recent events and whilst watching the “boys” burying the dead trapper she had an epiphany about the events. Natalia calls the group together after they finish rummaging through the trappers possessions and collecting his traps, she explains that all the incidents they have experienced at night could be down to some fey creature or creatures playing pranks on the group for some unknown reason.

Otto asked how the group could find the fey and ask them to stop playing tricks, Nataila wasn’t sure but suggested that if they were to leave a gift for the fey they might look better on them and leave them alone going forward. Vaneer liking Natalia’s idea got to work scavenging the area for berries and other tasty goods and leave it near the log trap in hopes the trickery will stop.

The group then continue to head east and after an hour they wonder into a clearing amongst the trees and in the middle of the clearing appeared to be a small platter of berries and the sound of laughter could be heard off in the distance.

Natalia believed that the fey could be giving the group a gift back at which point Miro and Otto point out a couple of small creatures one with the upper body of a women and lower body of a grasshopper sitting up in the trees above the group.

Otto tries to talk to the creatures but no one in the group knew the language of the fey which luckily for them didn’t matter as they knew the common tongue, the fey creatures admitted to the pranks over the past couple of nights and apologised for their antics as they thought the group were with the other meanies and were out to harm them.

 Vaneer enquired to whom they meant about meanies and the creatures explained that to the south east on the edge of the forest was a camp of humans who are always mean to them and those they come across, Kyrander suggested that maybe this was the bandit camp that they had been asked to clear?

Taking the opportunity of having knowledge of the local area the cleric asked the fey creatures about the surrounding areas, they informed the group that to the far west of the forest was a group of giant frogs that will attempt to eat anything that comes close to them.

Otto asked about Tuskgutter and if they knew where it could be found in which they responded that both the big pig and big worm are to the south somewhere, Vaneer then asked if they knew of any lost human temples in the area not expecting to get any useful response but the fey creatures nodded and said to the south west there is an old temple overgrown with brambles.

After much more conversation they group say farewell to the fey creatures and decide to head south east towards the camp of humans. As the group approach the forest edge a camp could be seen near a small creek, with the sun starting to set both Kyrander and Miro decide to try and scout as close as they can to the camp. Remarkably they both manage to get quite close without getting spotted by the few guards on duty.

Upon their return the group discuss their options and whilst Vaneer and Otto wanted to strike now both Kyrander and Miro suggested that an early sunrise attack would be better when the majority of the guards should still be asleep giving them more of an advantage compared to the bandit numbers.

With battle plans made ready for the morrow the group set up camp for the night just inside the forest edge hoping for no more pranks and use the collected bear traps on the perimeter of their camp.

Pharast 13th – The Tash, The Breasts and The Stoned Pecker

During the night Kyrander wakes up noticing that Miro hadn’t woken him to swap watches, worried the ranger rushes to his feet and races to Miro only to find that the rogue fast asleep but the stranger thing that the ranger couldn’t help but snigger at was that something or someone had used some berry juice to draw a moustache on the rogues face.

In the morning Vaneer also finds that someone had used the same berry juice to drawn breasts on his breast plate.

After both Vaneer and Miro had cleaned themselves up the group headed west again, where they came upon a number of strange looking rock formations where some could almost be mistakenly took for carving of animals.

The group continue to head west and come across an old and overgrown burial mound, they investigate the mound and decide that considering the items the body had been buried with meant this person was of some importance and possibly belonged to one of the northern barbarian clans. 

The majority of the group decided to remove any items of value from the burial site although Vaneer voiced his concern about performing such act, Vaneer insisted that at least the group could do in return for the items looted was to help rebuild the mound to allow the body to rest in further peace.

As the group are rebuilding the mound everyone apart from Vaneer heard a rustle from the bushes nearby and so was ready for when a hideous avian creature appeared with a body of an emaciated rooster, wings like a bat and a long scaly tail.

In the moment before Otto uses his wand of magic missile to start the fray, Natalia realises that the creature they are facing is known as a cockatrice and that the group need to avoid being pecked by the creature or risk being turned to stone.

The group follows Natalia’s advice and tries their best to keep the attacks at the cockatrice at a range but the cockatrice charged at Kyrander and pecked hard at the ranger but luckily the ranger wasn’t turned into stone.

The fight was short and finished with Natalia throwing her dagger at the creature and lodging it into the creature’s chest killing it without any stoning incidents.

The group then decide to the south east and as they walk up a hill a couple of the members spot in the distance what appears to be a lone unicorn running south. At that point the group decide to set up camp for the evening.

Pharast 10th – But its so shiny!!

Unsurprisingly the night passed uneventfully for the group at Oleg’s.

After stuffing themselves with Svetlana’s breakfast the group decided to head west and see what waits for them.

After a couple of hours of exploring the area the only find of some interest was the remains of an old ruined road leading west and so decided to follow the road west.

The road leads them back to the edge of the forest and as the group travel they spot a reptilian creature sitting on a large branch of a tree, the only thing of interest of this reptilian creature got Miro’s breeches in a knot as a large gem was visible between the creatures eyes.

Natalia got the impression from the creature that it was afraid of the group and suggested that they leave the creature alone whilst Miro struggled with his greed and tried to persuade the group to kill the creature. The debate continued for a while and eventually Miro sighed and reluctantly agreed to leave the creature alone whimpering as the group continued to explore the area.

Shortly afterwards as the group explored the area there were two sudden clicking noises, Miro heard it early enough to jump out of the way of the bear trap that he’d stepped on, luckily for Vaneer his armour provided enough protection to prevent the traps teeth from causing any damage.

They searched the area and found another 14 bear traps just randomly scattered through out for anyone to walk into, the group clear up the traps and decide to set up camp for the night.

Pharast 8th – Radish Rockets!

The night passed uneventfully for the group.

After a short breakfast the group head North West taking them into the forest, as they wondered through the trees they soon found themselves in a clearing full of strange looking radishes. Natalia looks at the radish and confirms that they are the indeed the Moon Radishes that they had been asked to look for by Oleg’s wife.

As the group set themselves to picking the radishes for Svetlana they notice a small group of sootscale kobolds laying on the clearing floor sleeping off a full belly of radishes, seeing as the group now had a friendship agreement with the kobold they decided to let the sleeping kobolds sleep and continue to pick the radishes they needed.

As the group headed away into the forest a commotion could be heard from the clearing behind, the group ran back to the clearing to see the once sleeping kobolds were now awake and running around the clearing with what could only be described as the radishes in their baskets shooting into the sky and exploding as fireworks.

Shortly the commotion with the kobolds died down and the group again attempted to leave the clearing and make their way back to Oleg’s trading post.

As the group returns to Oleg’s they couldn’t help but notice that there were a number of tents pitched outside the trading posts boundaries, Otto remembered that Oleg was expecting guards from the city to aid him with the bandits before the group had originally turned up and dealt with the issue.

As they entered the trading post the group were met with a small number of guards, the guards questioned the group politely as to their purpose here at Olegs. As Otto explains what the group has been up to, Svetlana came running over to the guards and berated them for getting in the heroes way as she explains that it was this group that dealt with the bandit issue.

The captain of the guards impressed at the group’s efforts asks the group if they would be willing to track down a wanted fugitive that they have been after for a while now and is hiding somewhere within the greenbelt to which they jokingly agree to.

Later that evening a well travelled man sat down at the groups table opposite Vaneer and began to introduce himself as Jhod Kavken a priest of Erastil and would like to ask Vaneer to aid in an quest that their god had given him to reclaim a lost temple of Erastil that is located somewhere within the greenbelt and protected by a strange bear like guardian. Vaneer obviously could not refuse the request especially as both him and Otto were followers of Erarstil and so promised that they would look into finding the temple.

The group then bunked up for the night ready for the adventures that tomorrow would bring.

Pharast 5th – Smoke me a Cleric, I’ll be back for more!

After leaving the ancient tree with Mikmek the group travel south west for a couple of hours till dusk when they decide to set up camp for the evening.

The night passed uneventfully for the group.

The group travel further after breakfast and eventually Mikmek takes them to an outcropping of large boulders that emerges from the weathered face of a nearby hillock. A narrow opening in the rock can be seen which leads into darkness below. Just outside of the entrance another Kobold could be seen waving at the group as they approach the entrance with their Kobold guide.

The new kobold introduces himself as Nakpik and seemed really excited to see the big’uns arrive with Mikmek. The group introduces themselves to the Kobold and asks him if he could escort them to the chief of the tribe, Nakpik eagerly agrees and runs off into the cave calling for the big’uns to follow.

Nakpik leads the group through the maze of tunnels and they eventually find themselves within a large cavern where a number of Kobold where talking including one with a fancy headdress. Nakpik announces in Draconic to his chief that the big’uns where here and wanted to see the chief.

Chief Sootscale’s attention suddenly turned to the group of adventurers standing in his great cave and asks what the group wanted with his tribe. Both Otto and Vaneer begin conversing with the kobold chief asking questions about the idol and Tartuk, the chief gives them the story of his tribe and how they fell to believe the shaman and his treats. Vaneer explained to the chief that they have obtained the idol but yet there is no magic that comes from the idol and that it is just stone, the chief thought for a minute and then asked to be handed the cursed idol. The group unsure what to do about handing over their only bargaining chip at the chiefs request, Vaneer took the decision into his own hands and handed the chief the idol at which point after a second of examining it he threw it to the ground shattering it to pieces.

The chief thanked the group for their assistance and asked if they would accompany him to confront the cheating shaman. The group accepted the chief’s request and followed him through the maze of passages. After a short walk the group finds themselves within a large cave with banners draped from the walls though no one could be seen.

“Show yourself shaman!” Hissed Chief Sootscale, “We knows your lies now!” he continued….Otto and Miro felt uneasy as if they were being watched and the slight ruffling sound of feathers could be heard a little.

“Hahahahahahahaha…..So you think you know the truth! Interesting! Tell me who are these intruders you have brought to me, more sacrifices maybe?” said a disembodied voice from nowhere.

Vaneer tries to converse with the voice whilst the others try to figure out where the shaman is hiding but the conversation doesn’t last for long as Otto lets off a random shot into the cave and manages to hit something.

The shaman not appreciating the Sorcerer hitting his pet Raven lets off a scorching ray at Vaneer which causes the cleric to fall to the ground injured and unconscious.

Otto races over to Vaneer and pours a potion down his throat.

Using his scorching ray, the shaman was now visible for both Kyrander to shoot at, where his attack injure the purple kobold.

Chief Sootscale, Bob and Miro charge into the fight but only Miro is able to land a blow on the shaman.

The shaman casts glitter dust allowing the chief, Bob and Miro an opening to attack the shaman again instead of moving away from the spell as both Bob and Miro become blinded by the spell.

Natalia summons a number of eagles to assist in dealing with the evil shamans raven whilst the group can focus on the shaman himself.

Kyrander took his time to steady his aim before lodging an arrow through the shaman’s throat killing him.

The eagles make short work of the Raven.

As the group stop to recover from the melee and wait for Vaneer to sort out his wounds and the wounds of the others, they saw the body of the fallen shaman started to dissolve into the ground.

Pleased with the outcome Chief Sootscale offers the group a pick of rewards, one of the rewards looked to be a wedding ring that Oleg had asked them to find so they picked the ring.

Vaneer and Otto talked further with the Chief and signed a friendship agreement with the Sootscale tribe and then said their farewells before heading north east.

To the north east the group find a river running through the plains, as they explore the area they come across a very large and long snake skin that seemed to only have been shed a day or two ago.

As they further explore the area the group find the remains of a structure nearby which upon closer examination was a burnt down wooded next to the river, stretching across the river next to the building is a rope with the odd plank attached to it giving the impression that this must have once been some sort of ferry crossing. 

Next to the rope hung an old bell with a sign “Nettles Crossing”, just out of curiosity the group rings the bell and nothing happens till Natalia spots some movement in a bush just a few feet down stream.

A mangled body is soon seen to be pulling itself out of the river and then it walks slowly on the surface of the water towards the group, they all prepare for combat at the approaching undead figure.

Just as the creature gets into range of the group it gargles at them “YOU ARE NOT MY TORMENTORS!!” it then stops approaching the group, “THROW THE STAG LORDS BODY IN THIS RIVER SO I MAY SEE HIS BODY” and with that the creature begins to sink back into the river, Kyrander shouts to the creature asking where the stag lord could be found and he responds “TO THE SOUTH WEST YOU WILL FIND YOUR PRIZE”.

The group look at each other and talk about what had just happened and agree that they will deal with the stag lord before deciding what to do with his body.

The group head back to the North West in search of the cave with gold and rest for the night.