DM: Calmseeker

Leader: Hillval
Scout: Cally
Trailblazer: Kepesk

Mission: Investigate the trails of insects leaving Neathy Woods.

I’ve decided to start keeping a journal of sorts, documenting my time here on the island. Putting all my experiences on parchment certainly helps me remember them better. Maybe some other folks will also find them useful, who knows. My first foray here was certainly memorable.

I joined a team tasked with investigating the trails of insects leaving the nearby Neathy Woods. My responsibilities consisted of keeping us on the correct path whilst traveling. The issuer of the mission was at the Black Footpad Inn, so we headed there first. The weather was relatively cloudy, but travel via the road was simple and we arrived at the inn by late afternoon.

Our contact at the inn was Mr. Tumnis, a satyr and quite worried about the recent going-ons. He feared some horrible monster had become active in the woods, driving the lesser creatures away. He suggested we seek a local dryad called Ash Green and pointed us in her direction. Quite generously he paid for our food and rooms at the inn and we set off into the woods at first light.

The weather was hotter and more cloudy than the previous day. Whilst trekking through the woods we encountered a pair of bugbear hunters, maybe from the nearby settlement. They were tracking a giant elk and we parted ways. In the evening Cally, our scout, heard muttering in the distance. As we approached we saw a gang of goblins assaulting an injured dryad. We drew our weapons and rushed to help.

The battle was swift with Luthgar cleaving goblins in two, Cally sniping wih her bow and Hillval summoning ethereal weapons. We regroup with the dryad who thanks us, Hillval acting as translator. She confirms herself as Ash Green and believes a powerful creature called Nagita might be the cause of  the recent happenings. A great poisonous snake with scales like a basilisk, it had been asleep underground but had awoken for some reason. A druid named Erdin was monitoring it’s lair and could help us in slaying it. Ash departs, we camp out and enjoy a peaceful night.

Morning comes with sunny weather and we depart towards the lair. At the edge of the woods, near the lair, we find Erdin the druid. We tell him about Ash and our mission, and he joins us. We approach the cave, which smells of mildew and rotten eggs, but we head inside.

Entering the cave we noticed it seemed man-made. We spotted some dwarven writing on the wall which Luthgar translated for us. “These halls were made by Cubert the Mage.” The writing emanated some residual magic and we carefully proceeded towards a set of double doors, slightly ajar.

The dim magical torchlight of the room flared up as we entered. The floor was made up of 10ft x 10ft black and white marble tiles with numbers on them. On the opposite side of the room, a large glowing sign written in dwarvish appeared, reading: “Trial of Ongoing Numbers.” I foolishly stepped onto a tile and got shot with an arrow. Hillval, our leader, quickly figured out the safe path and lead us across the chamber. Upon reaching the exit door, the torchlight dimmed and the trap deactivated.

Exiting the chamber, we traveled a more natural tunnel leading to a huge cavern system. There were giant green crystals growing from the walls and floor. The party headed left from the first split path. The tunnel opened up a bit, we found some broken eggs and eggshells and were attacked by a group of varying snakes. During the battle, I managed to charm the leader of this strike team, a giant constrictor snake. The rest of the enemies were dealt with and the party decided to take a short break to treat our wounds.

Whilst the party rested, I talked with our new ally. It lived in the cave and Nagita was it’s mother and their leader. Our new friend agreed to lead us to Nagita but not to attack her. We were lead through the tunnels to an opening and stepped outside into a clearing. The scene was filled with eggs, bones and the massive form of Nagita herself.

Nagita spoke in Primordial and asked if we had come to offer ourselves to her as food. I told her one of her kin had lead us to her and that we wished talk. Nagita exclaimed she did not talk with mere prey. I tried to pass us off as fellow predators and to talk as equals. She was willing to speak with me if I offered the rest of my party members as tribute. I offered some Goodberries instead, but she got offended by my gesture and attacked.

The battle with Nagita was fierce. Her mere hissing caused nearby eggs to hatch, the newborn snakes attacking us with great fervor. She could also breathe out large waves of poison and instill fear with her glare. Our friendly snake avoided it’s mother but killed it’s siblings eagerly. Luthgar ultimately dealt the killing blow to Nagita, sinking his greataxe deep into the serpent’s forehead.

The party reconves after the battle, taking stock of the situation. Cally buries the bodies of the previous victims, we loot the lair and head back to the cave entrance. There Erdin offers to take our snake friend to his druidic community in the east. Maybe they can guide the serpent to live peacefully in the Neathy Woods. We part ways, travel a bit away from the cave and set up camp for the night.

During my night watch the camp is approached by a lone dire wolf. Possibly attracted by the smell of the rabbit we had for dinner. I expend the last of my magic for the day and befriend the beast. I then spend some time petting it, understanding it’s nature and learning it’s physiology. After being given the leftover rabbit, the wolf heads back into the woods. The rest of the night passes and morning comes.

The following day is nice and sunny, the travel through the Woods is uneventful and the wildlife has returned to normality. We reach the Inn late into the night and report our success to Mr. Tumnis. He is very grateful and once again pays for our stay at the inn.

Exiting the inn before sunrise we see a carriage pulled by two black horses with manes of fire waiting outside. Before the carriage stands a well-dressed man who Cally identifies as a vampire. The man introduces himself as Sitaris and tells us he is visiting the inn for their excellent food. He has been busy with matters involving a minion stealing his possessions and having to give out appropriate punishment. He inquires what we are doing in the area and we tell him our story, though Cally loudly disagrees with sharing information with undead. Sitaris doesn’t care about Cally’s remark and says he has also heard of this Cubert the Mage. He also shows interest in visiting the cave in the future to learn what he can.

We bid Sitaris farewell and start heading back to White Moon Cove. The weather is misty and we see some griffins and giant eagles flying overhead as we travel. Otherwise the journey is uneventful and we make it back to the cove safe.

Signed – Kepesk Itrox

Important notes:

Solution for the Trial of Ongoing Numbers: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55. Head south-east towards the wall, then north-east to the door.

The cavern of green crystals was/could be used as a mine? Uncertain how large the cavern is or how deep it goes. Uncertain if the crystals have magical properties or are just gems.

Who is Cubert the Mage? Why did he create the dungeon entrance to the crystal caverns? Did he create/leave Nagita in the cave?

Sitaris knows about Cubert and is interested to learn more. He’s also going to visit the cave in the future to see what he finds relating to Cubert.