DM – Geokhan
Party – Ander, Emerion, Koro, Stitches, Pyhora
Not knowing why Pyhora agreed to lead the party. Perhaps it was second nature. He’d never hesitated before but then he’d never lost a platoon of marines before either. Yet looking at the assembled crew he seemed the obvious choice if for no other reason than he wore the heaviest armor. He had made two other treks from White Moon Cove and each time he had followed. Following gave him an opportunity to get to know his new companions. Following lent to not blaming oneself should someone fall in battle as had happened in the lighthouse his last time out. He silently prayed to Deep Sashelas such would not be the case this day as the party traveled west from White Moon Cove until they reached that point where the road forked to the north and south. Leaving the beaten path they soon discovered a hidden tunnel hidden beneath a row boat. Not wishing to crawl or risk his companion, Pyhora sent his new familiar, Soren the owl, to investigate. The five foot diameter tunnel descended at a steep pace some 50 yards before opening into a chamber of worked stone. The owl had rolled down the tunnel more than having flown and as the group felt this an unlikely den of the dire corgis they sought the marine dismissed the familiar and recalling him up top to save him the struggle. As dusk approached a wagon was found high-centered on a mound of dirt. As the party set up camp, Pyhora and Soren hunted bring back game enough to feed four of the five. Stitches shared hers with Soren who eagerly accepted her morsels and caresses. Interrupted twice in the night, first by a clan of starving orcs who bought most of Stitches rations and secondly by the owners of the wagon, Pyhora wondered how the humans got any rest at all. Fotz and Notz, as the hobgoblins called themselves, displayed remarkable ingenuity easily reclaiming their property through magical means. Interrogations yielded that the pair were merchants who dealt in magical components. They explained that they had lost the wagon while fleeing a large bipedal reptilian creature with short arms, an oddity they both found amusing.
Midway through the next day, in a craggy depression, the party discovered an altar with unknown runes upon it. Pyhora asked if anyone understood it to which Koro replied, “Even understanding it, it’s only gibberish,” and recited the same word three times invoking a handful of blob like creatures who attacked and spat swarms of gnats, mosquitoes, flies, and various other other insects which attempted to choke the party. Ever the strategist, Pyhora recognized that the swarm extended over 20 feet from the blubs, the blobs had very limited movement and seemed to key on those who choked on the swarms. In fact they totally ignored those who were able to shoo them off and as one of the creatures meandered past him the marine struck it with his long sword. The blob remained oblivious. The warlock’s mistake nearly cost the party the mission as first Stitches and then Koro succumbed to the assault. Before going down Koro was able to drag Stitches out of reach of the blob on them and used a good berry to revive her. Maneuvering his way to the pair, Pyhora asked Stitches if Koro was lost. “I spared him”, she replied. Using his own good berry, the marine revived the warlock believing the party needed all hands on deck. The blobs were defeated without further injury to the party and the rest of the day and night passed without incident. The evening meal was a bit sparse as Soren had flown too close to one of the blobs and been lost. Without his hunting companion Pyhora brought only enough herbs and greens for a two person vegetable broth.
Leaving camp most of the next day was spent circumventing a stone structure. The vegetation grew sparse. Dried and dead shrubs dotted the landscape before the party came upon a narrow gorge through which a wide swift creek flowed. Not wishing to camp so close to the only source of water in the area the party retreated a few hundred yards and began making preparations. Returning to the creek, Pyhora knelt down in the bush hoping to spy dinner but instead spotted the dire corgis the party had came in search of. Despite his best efforts to remain unseen the creatures noticed him but paid him no heed. As they wondered off he quickly gathered enough watercress for a meal and returned to the camp. The night passed without incident and the party returned to the creek to observe the corgis playing among the rocks on the opposite side. They appeared healthy and in no dire need. Being satisfied the party left the peaceful seeming creatures to their merriment and made their way home barely beating a storm to the home of the Bloodeye Clan.