(Jinx) figured out the half-orc in the mask doesn’t know he’s a half-orc. Also lately, I’m drawing out attacks. Must work getting better at hiding.
First I scout ahead in the mountains, my mount Ephraim moves in the mountain better than rangers. Proves his previous owner is an idiot once again. I find a decent place to rest and what comes around the corner, but a frost giant. He runs off before we can kill it and flings bodies at various parts of the party. We find a journal and clues or for a return trip. Cleric decides to bury him, I make a rough sketch so we can show people what he looks like. We quickly have last rites and move on. Do we have to go back this way to Thay or home?
That night, I set up a noise trap, don’t want the stuff from the mountains coming on us. Something triggers my trap. We get back to the forest and decide to take a break in traveling, I miss my sister Zelazadda’s cooking. When it came time to learn life skills, I decided to figure out how to hide my stuff from my siblings and skip the cooking lessons. One of the humans keeps on complaining about missing salt. I haven’t enlightened him, I might be getting ill due to a complete lack of it. Second night of camp, we get attacked by goblins. I protect the cart. This party needs to learn more about tactics. Had to remind the party we need a license in this stupid country. We’ll go goblin hunting later. I’d like to officially get credit for taking out someone that says they are the son of the goblin god.
The next day after spotting a hermit’s cottage, knock on the door, and out comes a werewolf. Turns out the Cleric is also a werebear. Considering changing the last name to ‘Drawsmonster’ and disowning the family. Uncle Stolig told me always make sure you have a party cleric, you need a healer… blah blah… save your life… Reconsidering needing a werebear cleric. Once again provided how important wall scaling is. Considering the price of werepelts, must make Garl proud.
(Jinx) decided to go after the werebear, we are one week from town without a healer if his ass dies. The token human ended up going with me. Good to know what part of the party will rescue me in the event of capture.
My man, Stonebreaker, started to loot the werewolf’s building. I was starting to lose faith in his instincts. Then we end up in a storytime, find out that the werebear comes from the clergy that is known to have people that change into animals. Good to know while entering towns that hate non-humans, now I have to make a plan to smuggle the werebear in. Also making him a new pair of pants that will expand with his form. The werebear is not a male gnome, don’t want to see his manly bits. Then I find out that the not half-orc thinks he’s turning vampire. I’m caught between lacing his food with garlic and making him a sleeping cowl to ensure he doesn’t break his neck or increase brain damage. The next morning I started to take notes for a shopping trip once we get to Arabel. I’m wondering where the rest of Archer’s party is, the amount of items he wants is insane. The extra items are needed for a large party are as much as I need slippers of spider climbing. Does it help yes, but I could live without with the same chances for scaling a towering wall? We can afford it. We get into town and almost get stuck at the gate. The guards are corruptible, however, I will advise back the guild to only use this country as a waypoint. Comyr’s Thieves’ Guild is likely mainly in the mines, conscription runs too strong in this country. The merchant house that is associating needs lessons in determining values. I will make sure to exploit this for further use. The group is now acting as a babysitter for a nephew. I thank Garl for arranging for me to be paid to take on a hireling. In my time with him, I will see if he is suited to smuggling or the life of a thief. I won’t disagree that my profession doesn’t have evil and encourages corruption, but we are also a group that keeps communication open in closed cities and fights the oppression of the weak, perhaps this slant will appeal to him. I shall keep my eyes out for Harpers, perhaps they will have a side job. I’ve purchased blue material for the cloak for the party and I have decided on an insignia.
Stonebreaker, Broknar, and I stay behind in Arabel until the sage completes his research on the ancient dwarven map found in the caves. We will arrive in Eveningstar in three Rides. Burkhardt, Arallyn, Jinx and Rochendir travel with Llewyth Mesor to Eveningstar to secure lodging and set up a base of operations for the winter.
The ride is relatively uneventful in adventures terms. Llewyth asks lots of questions about your deeds. We pass a few Purple Dragon patrols, but they look a little different than the ones housed in Arabel. The uniforms may be a little off or the dragon isn’t just right…. And there are men-at-arms that do not bear the standard of King Azoun IV. Maybe that’s how they do it in the outlying settlements. After all, the king has only been on the thrown a few years now. Llewyth seems not to notice.
The village of Eveningstar, together again prior to heading to the HauntedHalls. The last peaceful days before the loss of lives.
We arrive at the picturesque village of Eveningstar, nestled at the foot of the Stonelands where the River Starwater winds down a gorge and snakes into the King’s Forest. This pastoral village of about 1,000 surrounded by fields and orchards, stands at the intersection of the High Road, which runs west to High Horn and East to Arabel, and the Skywater Road (known by locals as the “Suzail Road” or “Southrun”), which runs south to the village of Dhedluk in the King’s Forest. Immediately to the north of Eveningstar is the Starwater Gorge. The gorge, formed by the Starwater River as it flows down from the Storm Horn Mountains, provides relatively easy access to the Helmlands and the Storm Horns and is the only significant break in the limestone Stonecliff that runs from Tyrluk to the west to just short of Arabel.
An oddity found on occasion in the trees and streets of Eveningstar is tressym: small, fluffy, winged cats. These cute, mischievous little terrors are semi-wild and thought to be the result of long-ago wizardly experimentation. Villagers feed them and try to prevent the worst of their vandalism and aerial catfights, and the local farmers value their owl-like rodent control in the fields. When asked you discover that most of these flying cats lair in the gorge and hunt the farm fields night and day, avoiding local cats and dogs rather than fighting or tormenting them.
Eveningstar is a friendly, yet sleepy agricultural community producing primary milk, eggs, poultry, mutton, carrots, beans, and parsnips, as well as goods such as cheese, parchment, wool, and wine; all of which are sold at the weekly farmer’s market. Eveningstar is also a popular stopover for frequent overland caravans, who patronize the local farmers and businesses. There are two rooming houses: Tethyr’s Court and Olff’s Rest. Tethyr’s Court is owned by the busy Arbold Tethyr and run by his wife and eight live-in maids. It is cheery and clean but unexciting. Olff’s Rest is even less inspiring…