16th & 17th day of Deepsnow 1492
Black Maw Bog
Mission: To settle a score
Campaign: Daughter of Arven Glitterdale
Location(s): Black Maw Bog. Cormyr.
Present: Aerie, Anor, Garet, Heimund & Droop, Karion, L'Aalratic Paskan
William and Selene's homestead: Bandur
William: "Ok, Ok, you've proved you're a vicious character, Garet was it? The lizardmen have a small tribal community in the larger eastern part of Black Maw Bog."
Selene: "So what do you intend to do with us now?"
William: "It's obvious, they're going to take us back as your father has probably offered a substantial reward for your return".
Selene: "My father will kill you......."
Aerie: "There'll be none of that. I propose if Selene gives us something that she would normally carry, and her Father would recognize(a family crest thing? Ring?). We then go and wipe out the lizards, and bring a couple of heads with said token, and present, as though the daughter had been killed in the ambush she mentioned. Saying something along the lines of "we found a load of blood, ripped clothes and this [thing], tracked the culprits to [lizardman camp] and wiped 'em out, here's some heads."
Paskan: "Seems good to me".
Bandur: "I'm up for that, my axe is not dulled enough for me to polish, and I need to polish....constantly".
Garet: "You're a sucker for a love story".
William: "Then I will guide you pat of the way and give you directions for the rest. The swamp/bog covers nearly 25 square miles on the eastern side of the road. But the central lake is easy enough to find."
Selene: "Here take this, it is of no use to me now. It is a ring given to me by my father with our family crest inscribed on it, will that suffice?"
Bandur: "Aye, it will, I will keep it safe until we need it."
Aerie: "William I found this [showing William the broken piece of the ballista with the design inscribed upon it], have you seen this design before?"
William: "Looks familiar, yes I have.....I've seen it on goods travelling south or north through Westbridge and sometimes west from Triboar."
Garet: "Do you know the owners or anything else?"
William: "Only that the convoys, sometimes 3 wagons, never more, are always heavily guarded by mercenary guards".
Serene: "My father might know, he has dealings with most merchant companies in Triboar".
The group thanked them for this information.
Bandur would remain with Selene until William returned, then he would use the pendent to rejoin them.
As the sun peeped over the eastern part of the Black Maw Bog and a good ground mist was already present, William led the group back to the road where they had first seen him. They travelled south for a few more miles before William turned eastward and into the Bog. The going was tough but they got used to it. After some 4 miles William stopped. He crept forward then hurried back.
William: "This changes everything. There is a pathway constructed of logs leading to the north east and away to the south. There has never been a pathway here, it is new. If you follow it to the northeast it will lead you to the lake. You will know when you are near as there will be a hill rising out of the Bog and on it stands a lightning blasted giant oak tree. You can see it from quite aways off. When you see it, head for there. You will have a good view of the lake from the hill. Now this is important, travelling through the Bog follow the yellow flowering bushes, they grow on small ridges of hard ground. Good luck and thank you".
With that William headed back towards the homestead and Serene.
The group decided to push onward knowing that Bandur would join them soon. After a few hours travelling roughly north east Garet, travelling at the rear suddenly felt the hairs on his neck quiver. Before he could shout that he had seen someone hiding behind a tree to their right Aerie deftly plucked the arrow out of the air as it travelled towards her. It was then she realised tha arrow had been travelling slower than normal. The reason for this was the silken, lightweight Elven rope tied to the end of it. Looking in the direction of the rope she could see Droop jumping up and down and yelling something she could not hear.
Aerie struck her gauntlets to activate her wings and took to the air, flying as fast as she could towards Droop.
Flying over a patch of bog she could see an arm sticking out of the marsh, not any old arm but Heimunds arm. She quickly dove down and released the rope into Heimunds outstretched hand, she then took the other end to the tree Droop had obviously been aiming for when Aerie plucked the arrow out of the air. Quickly tying the rope around a nearby tree, it was awhile before Heimund pulled himself out of the marsh, laboriously hand over hand. Droop appeared as if from nowhere.
Droop: "Silly Goliath, shud've listened to Droop, but no He must do it his way, then silly buzzy Elf mistress catches arrow..............how am poor Droop going to survive, how, how how?"
Droop stood in front of Heimund, hand outstretched.
Heimund: " What do you want, 30 gold.......I tell you this is the richest Goblin in Faerun!"
Droop was astounded as he was holding out 3 fingers. Had he heard correctly.
Droop:" Ok, OK, Droop take firty, firty gud!"
Heimund then understood.......
Heimund: "I'll give you this very shiny platinum piece, Droop doesn't have 1 of these".
Droop was very pleased, he would've settled for 3 gold pieces, was offered 30 but took the shiny platinum one instead.
The group set off, Paskan and Grymm leading, followed by Karion and Anor, then Heimund and Droop, Aerie and Garet at the rear. Paskans keen eye and Grymms better sense of smell made them take cover behind the tall reeds along the side of the pathway. Ahead, across the pathway was a log stockade wall.
Garet stealthily approached. He was close enough to hear, with careful listening, two Orcs having a conversation, something about a dead Frost Giant, trail between Triboar and Yartar, someone called 'Blue', and they weren't being relieved for 2 more days.
Garet carefully took out his sending stone and relayed what he'd overheard to Aerie who had it's duplicate. Thud, thud. 2 arrows hit the trail not 10ft to Garet's left.
Orc 1: "I tell ya, there's somit out there".
Orc 2: "Ok, keep a watchful eye while I take a pee".
Garet used his ability to shadow blink below the palisade, unfortunately he went up to his waste in marsh water and thick mud. He could see the bottom of the palisade wall was covered with wood spikes and two further rows narrowed each side of the pathway towards what looked like a gate.
Orc 3: "What wuz that splash?"
Orc 4: "Dunno but summits up!"
Garet looked around he could see a tree. He shadow stepped into the upper branches but felt a sharp pain in his lower leg. Looking down he knew he'd either been bitten or spiked. He could feel the poison coursing up his leg. He broke open his herb pouch and took 2 all heal. He could feel the pain, numbness and redness subsiding. That was a close call.
Aerie started a wide flanking movement using her flying skills to keep out of sight of the palisade.
Anor and Karion moved stealthily forward. Paskan decided to make a run for a group of 3 large boulders to the left of the pathway. He was hit once and Grymm twice before they made the cover of the boulders. Heimund and Droop crouched down low.
Paskan told Grymm to stay as he broke cover and charge the palisade.
Heimund charged forward, Droop took cover behind some rocks, Anor raced forward as Karion did too.
Garet fired 2 arrows, followed by 2 more, keeping a constant barrage hitting the Orcs behind the palisade. Dropping an Orc each time he fired 2 arrows. Aerie moved past Garet, although she couldn't see him as he used his Ring of Shadows to hide again after each 2 arrows. Aerie began firing at Orcs but they were mostly in the cover of trees and it was hard for her to pick out individuals.
Karion cast entangle as an Orc appeared above the palisade just as Droops arrow hit him in the left eye, the Orc fell backward dead.
To the astonishment of Karion, Anor and Heimund, Paskan let fly his fire breath at the palisade.
Heimund put his large shield in front of himself and charged the palisade gate. It creaked and groaned but stood firm.
Karion shape changed into a giant spider and scuttled over the walls and attacked the Orcs. Aerie and Garet were picking off Orcs one by one.
Then time seemed to slow down, almost stop. Then....................
WHOOMPF!
Karion found himself back in Elf form. Around him lay the bodies of Orcs. They were all dead.
Wherever the group were Giant Owls started landing, on the backs of some Wood Elves. Unspoken gentle words bade them mount up, and they did. Paskan saw Grymm being carried limp in the talons of a giant owl.
After 30 minutes flying they landed in a strange, seemingly out of phase wooded glade. Aerie and Karion had no problems seeing reality, Garet struggled but eventually got to grips with the experience but Anor, Heimund and Paskan they were totally confused. A hut was there, then it wasn't, Elves surrounded them then they didn't. female Elf approached the group and with a wave of her hand all confusion was driven away.
Shyael: "My name is Shyael, I am the spiritual leader of the village of Cormyr".
Conversation was quickly carried on by a male Elf, there seemed to be no break where one speaker ended and the other began.
Bialaer: "I am Bialaer, leader of the village of Comyr. We welcome you, please introduce yourselves".
As the group introduced themselves one by one, Shyael said to each in turn:
Shyael: "Your heart is true you are welcome here. We will give you food and protection against poison as the Orcs and Lizardmen coat their blades and defences with all manner of poisons. Each draft will last 1 hour or cure instantly the effects of poison. Food for 7 days we will give you and 3 skiffs that will help you traverse the marsh land better for that is what they are designed to do".
Bialaer: "You have stirred up a hornet's nest, which we would have hoped to avoid. For there is a great evil stirring in the centre of the marsh, an island sits on a lake that is where the evil is greater. We have also seen a blue dragon flying over the marsh in the direction of the lake. Our village lies partly in the fey world and partly in the prime material world. It would bode ill if an enemy were to gain knowledge of where we are."
Shyael: Paskan, do not worry for Grymm is being well looked after. All your wounds shall be healed by our healer let me introduce you to Amarie, Healer of Cormyr".
Amarie: "The dire wolf is well, just sleeping. The children will see he comes to no harm."
Paskan could see a number of children running around Grymm, every so often one would dart in and gently poke him with a stick. But Paskan was satisfied no harm was being done to Grymm.
Bialaer: "Before you ask we will replenish your short bow arrows and give you 60 spare arrows. I'm afraid we do not use the longbow".
Shyael: "Now, Karion, you carry something of great importance on you, may I see it."
Karion opened a pouch and took from within a beautiful stone which seemed to have a red swirling pattern design.
Shyael: "This is an Aira-Nar, a home stone. Each druidic grove has one. But this one has no power within. Without the power within your own village grove will wither and die and start to corrupt the land around. The red colour denotes that your stone is blighted to be like this takes great power. Why did the Arch Druid not protect the stone? May I touch it?"
Karion handed over the stone.
Shyael: "The Arch Druid is your mother, she is not well. The only reason the stone has a glimmer of life is because she imparted some of her life force into the heart of the stone. The Aira-Nar and your mothers fates are entwined. Fail one and you fail the other. You must seek out the Moon Pool that this stone is linked to. The only people who would know where to look would be those in Silverymoon."
Amarie: "Now you must rest, I will take you to the house of healing, tomorrow is a long time coming".
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