The first shore party
DM: Darkhelm
Players: Ame, Henry, Xeren, Ridge, Tar
“It was a dark and stormy night”, as the large hulking frame of the old ship encroached upon the harbor. A deserted pier suddenly comes to life as dock hands, porters, merchants and harbor crews scramble out of the shadows like so many wharf rats, with the busied task of removing the cargo from the dark bowls of the ship. a sight that Tar had seen so many times before as he stood at the edge of the railing.
“So ye be leaving us Tar.” Boomed the voice of the Captain at the large frame of the Firbolg sulking in the half shadows. “Aye that be true me Captain” said Tar as he stepped into the light. “The Iron Gallow, has been a true ship and Ye be a good Captain but I now I must answer the calling”. The men stood there a moment not saying a word then with a hand shake and a nod, Tar walked down the gang plank and disappeared into the darkness that was White Moon Cove.
After a few days to gain his land legs Tar began studying the many notice boards about the axe and thistle, when he finally spied Ridge Walker walking in with a small group of adventures. “Argg!” he shouted while pointing at Ridge. Seeing that he now had Ridge’s attention said, “Blow my sails, I finally be catching ye Brother haven’t seen you since ye been a wee lad of sorts, now ye grown to be a man”. As the two sat down and talked about the old times on the mainland and Ridge’s latest adventures” Tar stated excitingly “I am heeding the call brother, and it beckons me to these lands, would ye be minding if I join your crew” with a quick nob from Ridge, Tar was introduced to the crew and listened as Henry the leader told about glorious treasure that awaited out in the plains.
The Iashah plains reminded Tar of the vast expanse of the sea, the snow-covered low-lying hills appearing as white caps on the horizon and all went well until a rival gang of goblinoids came claiming the plains as their turf. The party made a show of force with Ame calling them out and the cowardly land dogs groveled and scampered back to what ever hole they came out of shouting pathetic threats at us as they ran away. A day later a tower was spotted on a small hill and the party ventured inside finding a hatch to an area below.
The cave below was filled with signs of foul practices as trails of dried blood and the small prints of the draggers went off in all directions. Seeking to find those responsible, the party advanced through the tight corridors following Henry whose whip had been enchanted by Xeren to glow like a hurricane lamp. It was not long until the party was assaulted by a crackling voice demanding sacrifices and the sounds of arrow whizzing by the party. Henry with all abandon charged the goblinoid figures who had been cloaked in the darkness, exposing them to the party’s attacks. Henry’s charge had also revealed the presence of a covered pit, which he cleared with some strange dance like move. The battle was swift yet the goblinoids did manage to badly wound Ridge before they were finally killed, and with this the party stopped for a few moments to tend to the wounded and search for clues. It was now when Ame shared stories with the party about another cave and how some strange affliction that was turning goblins blue and sickly, yet the goblins here in this cave seem to be thriving of a sort and and the group was curious to whom or what were they making sacrifices to? It was not long after that as the party explored the cave they received their answer, Henry saw them first and gave the signal to fall back. As the party move back the way they came a hulking figure appeared and gave out a beastly bellow. It was humanoid bulging with muscles and tuffs of fur and with the distinct feature of having a head that resembled a bear. Thinking quickly Ridge called upon the power of nature and brought forth spikes from the ground to hinder the beast. Which he did none to soon as a second beast joined its companion. The first beast forced it way trying to clear the spikes yet the damage it took left it vulnerable to the parties attacks and was quickly slayed. The other bear beast circumvented the spike and rushed at the group using a side passage. Ame summoned a magical bonfire causing it to shriek in paid while Ridge summoned the spirit of the bear to meet claw for claw and tooth for tooth against the beast, with Henry at his side. Xeren harried the enemy with magical spells, while Tar pummeled it with rock after rock and Ame released a shattering attack. Tar’s final rock struck the beast between the eyes with such force that the sound of its skull cracking was heard across the cavern and its eyes were dislocated from its sockets as it fell backwards onto Ame bonfire.
Searching the lair, the party found a small amount of booty worthy of a first trip out, and with that the group ascended back out of the cave and began the journey back into the plains. It was at this point that Ridge and Tar both spotted a pair of wooly mammoth grazing on the spars plains grasses. Studying the creature that night and then tracking them down again the next day they learn the ways of the mammoth while vowing together to one day be able to tame the spirit in their bodies.
Having found a little treasure and experiencing the nature that the island had to offer the group felt that it was time to head back to White Moon Cove. Along the way they encountered a strange statue of unknown origins. Ame was kind hearted enough to give a beggar who was using the statue as shelter a gold coin, while Tar offered a good berry to ease the beggar’s hunger and without thinking to much of it proceed on. Later that night Ame was visited by a strange person who apparently was well versed in the magical arts, as to this encounter only Ame would know as the rest of the group slept soundly.
Pressing onward in the morning the party once again caught sight of the goblinoids that had harassed them at the beginning of the journey, the goblinoids gave the party a wide berth and disappeared into the distance as the group arrived at White Moon Cove.