B1E10 Ten-Trails

Donobis (Tiefling paladin, Bill), Mareshi (human Cleric, Tony), Draggo (Dragonborn Barbarian, Brian), Thokk (half-Orc Warlock, Duane), Knott (Firbolg Druid, Matt), Fabian (1//2 elf Bard, Goeff)

It was a 3-day trek west (riding Axebeaks) along the foothills of the mountains to reach the Ten-Trails path that cut south into the Spine of the World mountains. On 1^st day came across trail of 14 mammoths. Foraged for goodberries in a tundra range. Finally came upon a kobald camp. Both sides were wary but parleyed to learn the kobalts had given up on the bleak land and were leaving, but the goblin fortress in the path prevented their escape. Perhaps if we occupied the goblin leader Spellix Ronnwog, the kobalds could get thru.

We stealthed toward the fortress set into the draw, buttressed on the sides with cliffs and a wooden palisade in the middle with 2 guard towers set outside. Movement along the ramparts warned of Worgs allied with the goblins. We avoided the towers, angling toward the farthest cliff and its guard tower that Fabian climbed and lowered a rope for the rest of us. Inbound arrows announced us spotted. 

We were caught between Worgs loosed from the tower and a rain of arrows from goblin archers in the palisade tower. And a swarm of more goblins and Worgs advanced across a bridge that spanned the inner courtyard.

Soon Mareshi, Knott, and Donobis were down (rolling Death-saves), leaving Fabian to face the onslaught alone. But Fabian’s well-aimed Thunderwave not only killed goblins but shocked Knott awake [fumbled Deathsave but Inspiration re-roll Critical 20]. Which gave Knott the opportunity to heal Mareshi that began a wave of healing for the group. The tide turned and soon only goblin women and children remained barricaded behind the rear gate. Their female shaman Manafect parlayed, explaining how raiding parties gathered food for the young. She explained how the Shield-Guardian construct that hung by wires from the broken bridge was used to intimidate captives: it an ancient construct… the amulet to control it missing. And that’s when Mareshi saw a meteor shoot across the sky headed toward the Nautilus crash.

In a 2^nd inner fortification, we found another goblin leader who turned out to be a gnome (named Spellix) dressed in a goblin skinsuit. He put on the disguise to avoid having to walk the plank to his death. Anyway, he furthered his ruse with the aid of an 8ft diameter egg that fell from the sky (more debris from the crashed Nautilus ship). He was willing to take us to the site where he found the egg. 

But he also mentioned rumor of another gnome (named Copper) in Bryn Shander who performs experiments in a black cabin in the woods. Maybe his experiments are attempts to restore the sun.

During the northward journey, we saw 2 ships fly from the area of the Nautilus crash and hover over Dougan’s Hole. By the time we arrived, the town was decimated in ruins. Survivors told of 6ft tall squid-faced creatures that came down from the ships and attacked with long sticks that shot light. Dead and captives were hauled back up to the ships. Before departing, Knott scoured the town’s remains and found a pair of magical winter-boots that fit Fabian.

Days later we arrived in Bryn Shander where we found the scholarly wizard Vellynne Harpell holed up in the library with her kobalt minions. While she knew nothing of the Nautilus ship, she recognized the Shield Guardian, “Left over from Netheral’s time, associated with the lost city. You’d recognize the amulet that controls it as it has the same rune carvings as these on the guardian’s chest plate.” She knew not the purpose of the 8ft egg, “Perhaps if you used a Knock spell…”

So, we collected the gold needed to pay a wizard who opened the egg … to reveal a Gibbering Mouther!

Next Episode: https://wjrrofm.blogspot.com/2024/08/b1e11-cabin.html