The Story Continues
It's a Dangerous Business
With the Tannarukk defeated, the party prepped for their return trip to Drhyff. By Frug's best guess, it would take two to three days to get back. They went wildly off course in fighting the orc. Laer-Thuil said her goodbyes and left Shifyrn to act as a secondary guide. Jjela was eager to reunite with her children.
The first day's hike was mostly uneventful, though the party was feeling the early stages of exhaustion. It was due to that exhaustion that both Frug and Shifyrn missed the tell-tale signs of danger when picking their campsite. When Kalamor cleared away some leaves to make a fire, he noticed a strange yellowish liquid on the ground. The liquid, once disturbed, immediately launched a pseudopod at the paladin, rising up to a height of six to seven feet. Kalamor shouted for help and the party set to deal with the ooze. Unfortunately, their shouting only alerted another group of dangerous creatures. Shifyrn spotted winged beasts gliding between the trees; easily the size of a giant eagle but with the head of a wolf. It even had stag horns jutting out from just above its eyes. "Peryton", screamed Shifyrn! It was not alone. Three of the monstrosities attacked from all sides, seeking an easy dinner of human heart. Frug shifted into the form of a giant spider and set to bringing the beasts down by catching them in webbing, while Shifyrn and Kalamor moved to defend Jjela. Darius had never seen an ochre jelly before, but it looked like something he could smash with a hammer, so he focused on it. Fortunately for him, the ooze is very susceptible to bludgeoning damage. It was quickly brought down. Despite the peryton's flight advantage, they were sorely outmatched, and most were restrained and poisoned by Frug. The third was almost successful in tearing through Kalamor's armor, but the quick thinking Jjela stuffed a goodberry in his mouth, bringing the paladin back into the fight. Malvus and Ngithol arrived back in camp with some firewood and no idea what had happened.
With the camp now secure, the party finally enjoyed a good night's rest. With the morning's arrival came prayers, a breakfast of rations and goodberries, and setting out on their trip. As they plodded along, Shifyrn and Frug pointed out telltale signs of goblin incursion, including the obvious; a desiccated corpse hung in a tree to ward off adventurers. Frug used his magic to disguise the heroes and their tracks, while Shifyrn tracked a path to the goblin village. There the party could see at least three still-living slaves. Darius and Kalamor would not suffer the goblins' continued atrocities and moved to strike. Malvus and Shifyrn kept Jjela defended while Darius and Ngithol struck out on the right flank. Darius and Frug took the left. It would have been an unremarkable battle, except for one detail. Ngithol used the axe.
As soon as the blade tasted blood, the diminutive dwarf lost herself in a berserk rage, striking out at any nearby target, regardless of friend or foe. Darius deflected blows and tried to calm her, before seeing Kalamor in need. He left the dwarf to deal with the goblins and hopefully regain herself. When the goblin warriors were dispatched, Ngithol's bloodlust dissipated and the heroes were able to free the slaves. Unfortunately, some of the goblins escaped, likely warning other hunting parties of their deed.
With goblins hot on their tail, the party approached Vullf's creek. With no bridge, they'd have to forge across with the wounded captives while the rest set up a defense. Darius chose to aid the captives and the others engaged the goblin hunters. Their leader, a shaman, brought forth dangerous magic, attempting to drown Darius with a hold person, while leveling the others with magic missiles and shocking grasp spells. Unfortunately for the shaman, magic missiles do little to slow a bear down, something Frug knew all too well. The goblins were dispatched and the party safely crossed the creek. Only two or three days until they're safely out of the forest.
The first day's hike was mostly uneventful, though the party was feeling the early stages of exhaustion. It was due to that exhaustion that both Frug and Shifyrn missed the tell-tale signs of danger when picking their campsite. When Kalamor cleared away some leaves to make a fire, he noticed a strange yellowish liquid on the ground. The liquid, once disturbed, immediately launched a pseudopod at the paladin, rising up to a height of six to seven feet. Kalamor shouted for help and the party set to deal with the ooze. Unfortunately, their shouting only alerted another group of dangerous creatures. Shifyrn spotted winged beasts gliding between the trees; easily the size of a giant eagle but with the head of a wolf. It even had stag horns jutting out from just above its eyes. "Peryton", screamed Shifyrn! It was not alone. Three of the monstrosities attacked from all sides, seeking an easy dinner of human heart. Frug shifted into the form of a giant spider and set to bringing the beasts down by catching them in webbing, while Shifyrn and Kalamor moved to defend Jjela. Darius had never seen an ochre jelly before, but it looked like something he could smash with a hammer, so he focused on it. Fortunately for him, the ooze is very susceptible to bludgeoning damage. It was quickly brought down. Despite the peryton's flight advantage, they were sorely outmatched, and most were restrained and poisoned by Frug. The third was almost successful in tearing through Kalamor's armor, but the quick thinking Jjela stuffed a goodberry in his mouth, bringing the paladin back into the fight. Malvus and Ngithol arrived back in camp with some firewood and no idea what had happened.
With the camp now secure, the party finally enjoyed a good night's rest. With the morning's arrival came prayers, a breakfast of rations and goodberries, and setting out on their trip. As they plodded along, Shifyrn and Frug pointed out telltale signs of goblin incursion, including the obvious; a desiccated corpse hung in a tree to ward off adventurers. Frug used his magic to disguise the heroes and their tracks, while Shifyrn tracked a path to the goblin village. There the party could see at least three still-living slaves. Darius and Kalamor would not suffer the goblins' continued atrocities and moved to strike. Malvus and Shifyrn kept Jjela defended while Darius and Ngithol struck out on the right flank. Darius and Frug took the left. It would have been an unremarkable battle, except for one detail. Ngithol used the axe.
As soon as the blade tasted blood, the diminutive dwarf lost herself in a berserk rage, striking out at any nearby target, regardless of friend or foe. Darius deflected blows and tried to calm her, before seeing Kalamor in need. He left the dwarf to deal with the goblins and hopefully regain herself. When the goblin warriors were dispatched, Ngithol's bloodlust dissipated and the heroes were able to free the slaves. Unfortunately, some of the goblins escaped, likely warning other hunting parties of their deed.
With goblins hot on their tail, the party approached Vullf's creek. With no bridge, they'd have to forge across with the wounded captives while the rest set up a defense. Darius chose to aid the captives and the others engaged the goblin hunters. Their leader, a shaman, brought forth dangerous magic, attempting to drown Darius with a hold person, while leveling the others with magic missiles and shocking grasp spells. Unfortunately for the shaman, magic missiles do little to slow a bear down, something Frug knew all too well. The goblins were dispatched and the party safely crossed the creek. Only two or three days until they're safely out of the forest.
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