A local trapper spits on the ground and curses. "Is spriggans fey? A tribe of spriggans lives in the Tors somewhere. They’ve been at war with the Nomen centaurs for as long as anyone, I reckon. Rumor holds that the current spriggan chieftain stole a magic bow from the centaurs quite a few years ago, and that’s what started the whole fight between them."
He then shrugs and continues on with his business.
Spriggans and centaurs?" Seres's interest is peaked. "Can you tell us where their settlements are, or a general area if you don't know exactly?"
The trapper eyes you skeptically before continuing. "The centaurs are nomadic - they just wander the steppe. Beware elf, the Nomen centaurs of the Dunsward are violent and don't tolerate trespassers on their territory. Now I'll warn you, if you’re going to visit them, make sure you don’t make any sudden moves when one of their war parties approaches you. Those dirty centaurs eat humans ... and elves I bet."
Seres nods, taking the man's words seriously. "We will be cautious. Thank you for the warning."
Once a ways away, he will ask the group, "I've no doubt these nomad centaurs may be violent and distrustful of strangers -- man-eaters, I'm less sure of -- but we may be able to garner some good will by recovering their chieftain's stolen bow. Spriggans are twisted and evil creatures. We will find no worthy allies there."
"It would seem wise to set up a fall back point here, should we ever need it. A quick retreat and defend."
Connor will ask around about any news from Varnhold or the Nomen Heights beyond the centaurs above.
Connor considers Seres, "I am always up for solving dilemmas and gaining allies. You are certain spriggan are inherently evil? No chance to work with them as we did the kobolds?"
Connor discovers that the locals speak highly of Varnhold, but they have received no news from the settlement to the south in the last two weeks. Most of the locals attribute the lack of communications to marauding centaurs south of Nivatka's crossing.
The locals tell you that the wilderness of the Nomen Heights is dominated by the Tors of Levenies mountains and the Dunsward Plains. Varnhold is the only known civilization in the region.
"Spriggans are invariably evil. They were once gnomes from the First World who have been twisted by dark emotions. Love, happiness, and beauty have no meaning for these poor souls, so they lead lives of violence and malice. The best they can manage in place of positive emotions is a muted satisfaction when they make another suffer."
Larisa leans into Connor. "We should put a stop to these marauders, I am sure Lord Varn will appreciate it. If we must take torch to these Spriggans all the better, these lands will not weep for one less tribe of monsters." She stops to think. "If these centaurs are man eaters then we should do what we can to make these people safe."
Kess raises an eyebrow at Larisa but doesn't say anything. "Sounds like we're left with little choice in the matter."
"The lets go find this spriggan lair."
"Exploring on our way to Varnhold seems wise. Ensuring we srent leaving a band of brigands or spriggans behind us is vital. "
Whitetalon and Connor set forth in the lead
You head south from Nivakta's Crossing. It is early winter. A driving wind blows across the plains. Snow covers the ground.
The southern road from Nivakta's Crossing runs along the Kiravoy River. This fast moving river descends from the Tors of Levenies and eventually merges with the Shrike River.
You note wheeling buzzards in the cloud laden winter skies above you.
You find a frozen body in a gulch by the river. The body clutches a mother of pearl brooch in its blackened hands.
After about 12 miles you come to a ice covered bridge that crosses the Kiravoy River. This simple wooden bridge is a new construction. The bridge itself is sturdy and well-constructed, but it doesn’t show much evidence of use — it was finished only recently.
Connor pulls his heavy furs around him tightly as he dismounts along the river.
"A body. We should bury <her?>. Here, see, it holds a brooch. Perhaps an indication of who they are. Someone will likely wish to know their fate.", New Hope's lord grimaces as he imagines the interaction.
"The ground is frozen. Perhaps a pyre? Not much wood around here, though. We could wrap her up and take with... the cold will keep the until we get back to town."
After providing the body the best burial possible in the frozen waste, you spend the remainder of the day setting up camp. The night is cold but otherwise uneventful.
On the following day you wake to find ominous snow clouds gathering overhead. After breaking camp, you head south. After spending most of the day traveling and exploring you come upon the outskirts of a town.
The town's buildings are constructed of fieldstones up to a height of about 3 feet, with wooden planking and framed stucco above that. The windows bear shutters that are unglazed. The roofs are uniformly shake shingles.
You see two buildings on the edge of town - one on either side of the road. The building on the right side is a simple farmhouse.
The structure on the left side of the road, though fairly new, is poorly built. The clapboard walls have large gaps and its roof sags alarmingly. Behind the cottage sprawl a mud-filled enclosure and a covered shed. The smell of decay and filth emanating from this dwelling is horrendous.
As you study the buildings a heavy snow begins to fall. The town is deathly silent.
Seres casts gravity bow and dismounts. "It appears misfortune is outpacing us again." He waits for the others and then moves to investigate the cottage.
Seres finds that the cottage is fairly well kept and modestly furnished with simple accouterments. The cottage appears to have served as the dwelling for six villagers. The home shows signs of having been derelict for several weeks, though it appears to have been abandoned in the
midst of normal activities.
Kess casts mage Armor, taking a precaution in case of ambush. Unlike the rest of the party she walks through the snow dressed in summery layers indifferent to the cold. "It would seem so, let us hope who ever lived here has passed on." She says, examining the poor state of the house. "Winter's like this tend to drive people to desperation, breeding grounds for all manner of undeath and perversion. Should anyone hear howls on the wind and a sudden increasing in severity of the storm let the others know, wendigos are known to hunt in such manners and they stalk places such as this."
Larisa grimaces at the scent, drawing her cloak tight around her. Longbow ready she discounts cinder and approaches the shed.
Behind the shed Larisa finds a dilapidated pig pen. Around the muddy pigpen are scattered the rotten, half-eaten corpses of a number of feral hogs, now covered in clouds of fat black flies. She notes that one wall of the pen has collapsed.
Seres shakes his head sadly. "No clues here. Let us check further in. There must be some sign of what happened here."
Connor makes a sign toward off spirits, "Something nefarious is at play. Door to door search? "
Moving forward, the road comes to a river crossing. You see additional buildings to the left and the right.
To the right, the acrid stench of a tannery wafts faintly from this modest building. An outhouse stands across the yard in front of the
building.
To the left are two more houses and what appears to be a brewery. This large, two-story building partially overhangs the river bank. A wagon sits at the loading dock with a pair of barrels on its bed and another waiting atop the loading dock itself. A sign above the front entrance shows a barrel and a smiling dwarf.
Veronica nods and moves quietly, bow in hand.
"This isn't good. If something killed the livestock... but there's no sign of the people..."
Seres nocks an arrow and follows Veronica into the tavern.
Larisa follows suit, arrow at the ready. "Then that means whatever killed the livestock has eaten or taken them." She says to Veronica, her face grim.
Ishai caws loudly flying into the sky as Kess stands next to Seres, casting See Invisibility as she does.
3
Ice Spears
Rime Winter Grasp
2
Cure Moderate Wounds
Ironskin
1
Mount
Snowball
Snowball
Cure Light Wounds
0
Dancing Lights
Read Magic
Detect Magic
Ray of Frost
"There are no signs of violence. Nothing in disarray, no blood. They just stopped doing things it appears. Vanished, almost."
Kess sees no sign of anything invisible. Ezekial finds no indication of an impending ambush.
The wagon and loading dock hold sealed barrels. The barrels are labeled "Cheerful Delver Stout".
Inside, you find the brewery tavern completely empty and devoid of any life. On the table and bars sit half finished drinks and meals. Behind the tavern common room you find large brewing vats and a dozen more sealed barrels. The heady smell of barley, yeast and hops fills the air.
Through the back windows of the brewery, across the river, you see more lifeless buildings - obscured by heavily falling snow.
Ezekial taps one of the kegs to reveal an earthy, dark beer.
After searching the brewery he finds a loose floor board that hides a lock box.
The lock box contains 115 gp and the recipe for Cheerful Delver Stout (worth 50 gp to the right buyer).
|
Ezekial take his time and opens the box.
There is some gold here, but I do not feel right taking it. the rogue admits. I expect it belongs to the brewer and if he is still alive I'd not steal from him. He restores the coin and recipe to the lockbox and replaces it under the floor. I search for clues, not ill gotten gains.
Connor claps Ezekial on the shoulder, "You're a good man, Zeke. We will find these missing folk and return them to their livelihood."
He looks about grimly, "No more clues here? Shall we ride on?"
As the party departs, Connor keeps an eye out for tracks.
Veronica smiles and nods at Zeke's comment, and adds, "Perhaps some kind of divination magic could tell us more... but not right now. Something happened to this whole village, probably nothing good, and we'd better find out what, lest it spread."
With a sigh she says, "In the meantime, searching the surrounding countryside is probably our best way to find a lead."
Connor finds no tracks.
You note that the road ends at a ford, where the ground slopes steeply downward to the river bank. Here the Sellen river runs wide and shallow, though it is muddy with the runoff of the recent snow storms. The opposite bank rises at a gentler slope into the town proper.
"Perhaps the centaurs know something. Let's see if we can find those spriggans."
"Lets venture into the town, we might find more clues." Larisa says, remounting Cinder.
As Larisa and Ezekial begin to cross the river, a powerful pincer grabs onto Ezekial's leg and begins pulling him into the deeper water . Ezekial and Larisa see a lobster like creature in the water with a thick shell and a tentacled maw.
You hear a high pitch squeal from behind you as a giant feral boar charges from the abandoned pig farmhouse.
; Chuul/Boar
; 1=E, 2=L
Seres's mind is on the distant horizon. Once again he is slow to catch aware of the danger at hand.
"Are these two things working together? What a strange combination?"
Good point on the grapple.
You're grappled.
You didn't indicate that you were searching the water or taking any precautions.
Veronica is caught quite off-guard as the angry beasts of the wild make their sudden assault. She spins and tries to halt the charge of the boar, then turns to see if she can help Zeke.