DM: Terrorrize
PCs: Naguk, Akris, Cirris, Lori, Jax
A lumber collection group had not returned. They were sent out to the edge of the Whisper Woods, since the Briarwall Forest is even more difficult to harvest.
We were tasked to find out what happened, as they were long overdue, secure the area and guide more workers to collect the needed wood.
A huge storm gathered south west of the lake of songs, I proposed going north around the lake and avoiding the storm.
Although the Deep Ones seem to gather in more and more strong numbers near the lake, the journey was relatively safe as we traveled a good mile away from the shore. Cirris pointed out a blood tainted area. there seems to have been a fight and bodies had been dragged to the lake. As we turned north around the lake i used my magic to get us and all the workers safely across the river and as always my Eldath sends me enough potatoes and water so we had no trouble with rationing. In the distance we spot what appears to be some kind of altar. A shallow bone pit surrounded the altar, we did not further investigate, since we were on a mission and had to protect the workers.
As the day passed we found a nice camp side and rested for the night, during my watch i found an old small camp side near our camp, but there was nothing of interest left.
The next morning went by quite well. We saw halfling waving at us as he hoped onto a wolf, riding away.
Searching for the camp of the missing workers I found tracks leading to a mine. By the looks it seems to be some kind of iron production, occupied by Dwarves. This mine should be investigated at a later part as we already had an important mission. As we approached the camp we were looking for we saw a huge ogre pillaging around the camp. As we sneaked up he knocked over crates and wandered around, not noticing us. I felt unease as something else was watching us but could not really point out more. We sneaked up further and made sure the workers could hide somewhere somewhat save and got the drop on the ogre as he was feasting on some ankheg.
I then moved up to stand in his way as he lunged his flail from great distance but thanks to a quickly shielding barrier he got not passed my defenses. Cirris fired some arrows at the ogre but got her arm and shoulder dislocated. The ogre, frustrated that he kept missing changed his attention towards Naguk and got a huge flash of flames as an answer from him, collapsing dead flames.
I fixed Cirris arm and we searched the camp side and found tracks of ankhegs and and some other bigger things, like some huge tree trunks were dragged out of the forest. It looks like the missing group was ambushed and eaten and the ogre cam in later and feasted on the remains. The Workers approached, asking if the area is secure enough so they could do their job and collect the Wood, so we can get back. We told them they can go ahead, as we looked for more tracks, took a short rest and stand watch protecting them.
After a while, I spotted two large blighted trees moving towards us and the workers. I quickly shouted to them to take cover, called my spiritual guardians and stood in the way of one of the trees, while the other walked towards Naguk and the others. Cirris fired an amazing shot at it, knocking it out of the fight for a short time and Lori came towards me helping to bring down the other one as a third tree came from the south wrapped in lightning, the tree throw a lightning bolt into Cirris, Lori and myself. Cirris was quite skillfull evading most of it and as I embraced the lightning I shielded Lori from it and dampened the effect on him.
Naguk got caught by the remaining blighted tree but shrouded himself in ice, absorbing its attacks. Cirris finished the blighted tree as the lightning tree throwed another lightning bolt at us, knocking Lori out. I moved up to it, while using a healing word on all of us, bringing Lori back up, as Akris and Cirris finished off the lightning tree.
The Workers finished up collecting the wood and we traveled back to Ruined Oak. As we were approaching the town, we saw burned farmsteads and signs stating the Deep Ones will take this area and slaughter the people of Ruined Oak. A huge force of Deep Ones guarded the portal to White Moon Cove. It seems it is time to fight back and neutralize the threat of the Deep Ones.
Jax