^

Trial DM: Anca
Qar: Dwarf (Mountain) Sorcerer 2
Jyn: Mountain Dwarf Cleric 3
HC375: Half-Orc Barbarian 1, Warlock 2
Flint: Genasi (Fire) GraveWarden 3
Twee: Goblin Ranger 3
Brohkun: Dwarf (Hill) Paladin 4

Dromir, a Half-Orc in White Moon Cove, received a property to the north of town along the road from an estranged uncle. A group of adventurers was chartered to investigate the property, and those present in the tavern when he arrived were more than willing to set out for the home

It wasn’t long before we left northward, but it was about midday when we were ambushed on the road by a gnoll hunter and his hyena. It should be noted that this attack occurred just 12 miles to the north of the cove; the Gnolls are beginning to not respect our might once more. They will need to be trimmed down soon.

Either way, the gnoll was slaughtered soon enough, and we made camp for the night not long after without incident. We feasted, enjoying Brohkun’s cooking as always, and began our watches. They were largely uneventful that night, but Twee was asked to check out a rumbling in the distance; Rhinoes charging through the night were found, and the issue was dismissed.

The next day, we were able to make our way to the House by the Sea without trouble. Upon initial inspection, nothing large was coming or going from the home recently, other than the occasional rabbit, There was a hole noticed on the second floor, but we resolved to clear the first floor as an escape route before heading up.

On the first floor, some of our adventurer’s were attacked by a pack of centipedes, of which we also handled with little issue in the library. We then moved to a study with a small trapdoor in the corner. After inspecting the desk and the shelves in the room, we opened the door and found a hideous screech that yelled out.

“YOU ARE NOT WELCOMED HERE! LEAVE WHILE YOU ARE STILL ALIVE!”

We could feel the scream impact our will to progress further, but our resolved maintained and we continued into the basement cellar, where we found crate after crate of large beetle grubs in a hallway with a table and doors leading at the far, left, and right walls.

As we continued through the room nervously, we heard the voice, softer this time, though still trying to intimidate, demand that we leave. When the door at the far end of the room opened as we explained we were sent by the new owners, the door creaked open to reveal a older gnome woman by the name of Hattie with beetles in her hair, asking if we were here to evict her and her beetles.

Many of the adventurers quickly grew to trust the woman, and while I was initially skeptical, we sensed no ill-intent in the woman. She explained that she had been squatting in the house, raising her bugs for a few years now. After tea, she also explained the presence of a large serpent in the tunnels below this home. It was decided then to rid the world of this creature.

It wasn’t long before we were attacked by the snake, and while the fight was much more difficult than those before, we managed to be victorious, slaying the mother and her brood in what was only a few arrows loosed, with only Flint dropping momentarily. As we returned, we showed the snake to Hattie, and she asked us to put a good word in with Dromir. The party agreed, and we continued to search the home.

We continued to search the lower floor, the kitchen and the dining room included. We continued upstairs to find a few bedrooms and to inspect the damage we had seen on our entrance into the home.

The master bedroom was the one that sustained the most damage. Soot and ash covered the floor; We were able to identify transmutation runes, but upon trying to sense any magical signatures, it came up short. Nothing seemed to be making a living in a charred out room, and so it was decided that no current danger would be posed by the past spell with which we could currently could deal. After some cursory checks over the remaining places, we continued turned around and headed back for the Cove.

After spending the remaining time that day traveling, we made camp for the night. During my watch, a gryphon was spotted, but did not move against us.

Later that night, an ogre by the name of Ourok approached the party’s camp, explaining that his food had been stolen by ‘dogs’. Given our previous encounter, I could only assume that gnolls were the ones causing trouble. We allowed Ourok to stay for the remainder of the night, though admittedly I was sleeping with one eye open after he appeared. Next watch, we heard that familiar yapping and howling that we knew was a gnoll hunting pack. We prepared for a fight, but the sun was coming up, and the gnolls never approached us.

When the sun did come up, the Ogre said he was going to fight the gnolls, but before leaving he tried to buy Brohkun off of us. We were able to diplomatically decline without strife, but Ourok did disappear in the direction of the gnolls. I doubt he made it out alive, but I do not trust the creature around dropped dwarf blood, and we did not raise a hand to defend him.

I believe my theory was correct, as the hunting party did attack later that day from the direction Ourok was coming from. We were again able to fight them off, and we had no other issues making it to town.

When we arrived, Dromir was waiting for us. We explained the damage done and discussed Hattie’s fate. While he wasn’t pleased with her habit of raising beetles, I believe we did warm him up to the idea of her working as his cook. It was dicussed what could have caused the hole in the master’s bedroom, but Dromir uncle was a mysterious and distant individual. Dromir said he would look through what his uncle left him to discover anything he could involving the mystical arts, but otherwise, there was no issue with our assessment, and the half-orc parted ways with us.