Previous: Travelers (2)
Session 6: On The Trail
Once the group entered the city, they moved straight for Willamet's home. Their uncle Willamet explained that the emergency that they were called back for was the unfortunate death of their parents.
Their parents were on patrol on the western edge of the Arm when they were attacked by an overwhelming group of human adventurers. Although their parents were accomplished warriors the attackers were just too powerful for the elven patrol. There was only one survivor, and the story of how he escaped was somewhat dubious. Willamet suggested that the companions investigate the attack.
Although the attack happened over a month before, the group figured they could go to the scene and travel north to the border towns of Tekat, figuring the perpetrators to be from the northern country. They decided that they would leave the following morning after they finished gathering supplies. While running her errands, Alisnier was approached by an elven wizard named Valamir Goldblossom. He explained that his father was the survivor of the raid that Alisnier's parents had died in. Valamir said he believes that his father is a coward and he left the others to die. Valamir asked to join the group on their investigation so he could atone for his father's cowardice.
The following morning the four companions set off to the west. As they hiked along the southern shore of the Nagashire periodically wading in the shallows to keep from the tangled mass of vegetation on the shore, the group was attacked by four small creatures composed entirely of water. After a short battle the companions defeated the elementals, but not without some severe injuries. The group camped for a couple of days to allow themselves to heal.
After the group rested for a couple days, the set off in the direction of the ambush site. Valamir had a crude map showing the location of the attack, and coupled with Grafton's skill at navigation the group was able to find the location of the attack. In the foliage near the site Jelana found a beautiful magical dagger.
The group turned north, following animal trails just as they figured the ambushers would have. Two days into their foray north, they came across a foul smell. Following the smell, they found a huge mound of decomposing flesh, fur, and bones. Six human-sized ants were feasting on the carrion. When the group entered the clearing the ants marched forward to attack almost mechanically. The adventurers were able to defeat the ants with no casualties. After defeating the ants, the group surveyed the carcass and determined that it was a dire bear, a mighty foe.
Continuing north, the group came across the smell of rotting flesh again. Figuring that they would avoid a battle with carrion eaters, Jelana stealthily approached the direction of smell.
When she got within sight of the carcass, she spied several centaurs milling about the huge body of a green dragon. Jelana approached the centaurs and found out that the dragon had been felled approximately a month before. When Jelana explained that the group was investigating a powerful group, Hillin, the centaur leader expressed concern for a small grove of myconids living in a cave along the path of the evil group's route.
Sure enough, the cave containing the mushroom-men contained only bits and pieces of formerly animate fungus. The group camped in the cave overnight then continued out of the forest to the small border town of Keren.
Since the only elves allowed within Tekat were slaves, Jelana disguised herself as a human and Valamir and Alisnier wore huge cloaks to conceal their heritage. Jelana did all of the talking and moved throughout the town asking for information about a powerful group that may have passed though the town less than a month before.
Jelana had no luck for the first evening, but the following morning she found a shop owned by a woman named Shellen Moya. Shellen sells rare spell components, magical items, and alchemical supplies. Jelana noticed a pair of magical scimitars hanging on the wall of the shop and she recognized them as belonging to her father. She inquired as to the cost of the scimitars, but they were far too expensive for her limited funds so she offered the dagger she found in the forest as collateral for Shellen to hold the scimitars for a month while Jelana raised the money necessary to purchase the scimitars. When Jelana produced the dagger, Shellen remembered the group that sold her a matching dagger. There was two men and two women, at least one of the women was a powerful wizard, and the other woman was the one that sold the dagger. The dagger toting woman was carrying several other obviously valuable daggers, but she expressed disappointment at losing the matching dagger. One of the men was obviously a bard and the second man was a warrior. All of them were heading to the city of Arkhan. Although she was able to get that information, Shellen didn't get any of their names when they passed though.
After exhausting all of the information gathering avenues available to Jelana, the group decided to head back towards the elven city.