06.12.21
"Bitch Slappin' and Ass Lickin'"
June 12th, 2021
When we last joined our adventurers, they were continuing the exporation of the deserted village of Thundertree. After narrowly escaping an encounter with a green dragon and recovering, the party finally neared the loction of the hidden cache of valuables that they came to Thundertree in search of. On the precipous of their reward they found it coated in massive cobwebs that they incinerated. Entering the building they found themselves quickly the target of a giant spider ambush.
Demna just under the decent of a giant spider, attempts to roll out of the way. Nearly escaping, her leg is nicked by its fang, filling her veins with incideous venom. On the other side of the building, Lillian finds herself lunged at with another giant spider ready to stick her in its web. It quickly restrains her.
Demna is quick to to lash out with a quick attack, returning the favor to the giant spider that attacked her. Gasping its fangs, she sends a Shocking Touch into its brain, momentarily dazzing the creature. Quickening, she throws a Chromatic Orb of fire. Significantly damging it and blow two of its eight legs off.
Dripp, seeing his companions in danger, attempts to strike a spider with his bow. Loosing two arrows, they strike exactly where the spider was, with one arrow splitting the other. The giant spider having successfully managed to skitter out of the way just in time.
Lillian, still restrained in webbing, uses Burning Hands freeing herself from the webbing and striking the already singed spider with a vicous cone of flames. The flames blinding half its eyes and scortching its entire right side.
The scorched spider attempt to enact its poisonous retribution, lashing out at Demna. It misses. Seeing itself outclassed the spider attempts to retreat, but Demna lunges at it with her sword, spliting its thorax and ending the spiders miserable existence.
Not to be showed up, Keras channels the holy light of his diety into a massive blue beam that curves around it only to slam it to the ground. Keras rushes towards it, casting a Healing Word on Demna. The last spider seeing its fate, chooses to disengage and flee into the woods.
"Come back here you eight legged coward, I want to eat you! "
Shouts Demna, attempting to attack it as it flees. The party, now safe explores the room looking for the treasure. They find the exanguinated body of an elf adventurer inside a cocoon of spider webbing. On it they find.
Studded Leather Armor
Short Sword
Potion of Healing
25GP 35SP
Unable to find the treasure they were promised, Billie looks at the map they were provided again, realizing it had a small crease. Realizing their mistake, they realize they misidentified the building... it was actually across the road.
In the distance they hear an insectoid scream. Lillian, hearing the cry, rushes out of the building only to discover the giant spider, now dead and surrounded by twig blights.
Lillian, angry that the party's kill was stollen, uses Summon Wildfire Spirit directly in the center of the twig blights. The spirit immediately incinerates the four twig blights around the spider corpse causing their fiberous bodies to snap and pop in the flames. Hearing their bretheren dying, more twig blights run out towards the wildfire spirit. The wildfire spirit, quickly disbatches another two twig blights with a judicious use of Flame Seed. The deaths drawing even more of the haunting looking plant-like creatures.
Hearing the melee outside, the rest of the party heads out towards Lillian. Not waiting for her adventuring peers to meet her, Lillian continues the onslaught launching Flaming Sphere into another twig blight, replacing it with a small pile of acrid smelling ash.
Seeing only one twig blight remaining, Lillian directs the wildfire spirit to attack it with another Flame Seed. The spell misses, splashing harmlessly off a nearby stone. The twig blight strikes back injuring the spirit but unintentionally setting itself on fire and causing it's death.
With combat now over, Lillian inspects the spider corses. She masterfully extracts spider venom from their now lifeless fangs, recovering:
6 Vials of Spider Venom
Keras joins Lillian and the wildfire spirit as they enter the next building closest to where the twig blight slaughter had just occured. Keras follows the wildfire spirit into the building. Quickly realizing that the two items he had mistaken for furniture were actually two ash zombies. Having tangled with this type of enemy before, Keras casts Gust of Wind. The gust harmlessly disburses the damaging ash from the zombies off and out the door and knocks one aginst the wall and knocks it prone.
Gathering the familiar blue glow of divine energy Keras casts another Guiding Bolt melting the zombie in a holy blue light. Demna enters the fray, casting Ice Knife at the remaining ash zombie, but the gust spell sends its trejectory straight at Keras. Still feeling hightened perception from just channeling divine energy, Keras grabs the frozen shard, intercepting it mid-air. Keras jams the shard into the zomie's chest, causing it to explode internally and severly damaging the undead creature. The wildfire spirit, uses a Flame Seed but it fails to connect. The remaining ash zombie attempts to bite Keras, but its struggles helplessly against the cone of wind. Keras quickly ends its life with yet another Guiding Bolt.
Meanwhile, Billie, Demna, and Dripp head across the street to the building where they believe the treasure truely was. Approaching the door, they can hear something rumaging around inside of the delapidated building. Using his dark vision, Dripp sees a large shape covered in rags using its claws to root through the dust covered vials in what they now realize is an abandoned apothecary.
Attempting stealth, and convinced the creature is a threat, the party goes to make its way around the building. The creature, hearing the battle between Keras and the ash zombie, turns around sniffing the air. The creature sees the party members outside, immediately taking the opportunity to burst through the delapidated wall, unveiling an axe weilding ursine creature covered in rags.
The creature cleaves into Billie with its axe, damaging his arm and knocking his shield aside. the bear-like creature uses its massive jaws to clamp down on Billie's exposed neck. Gruesomly damaging him, but leaving him still standing.
Demna seeing her ally in the litteral jaws of a giant axe weilding bear, casts Tasha's Mind Whip wracking it with psycic pain. Its jaw loosens and its eyes go wide. Continuing the magical onslaught, she quickens a Chromatic Orb slaming the back of its head burning its cloak off. Now unmasked, the creature is revealed as a werebear.
The now enraged and unmasked werebear returns its focus on to Billie, striking it again with another axe swing and a vicous bite bite gain at the neck of Billie. Unleashing a loud roar as it tears blooy skin and sinue away, the werebear alerts Keras and Lillian to the battle where they quickly move to join the battle. With the werebear still releasing its roar, Dripp hits the creature with two arrows to the head, its heavy muscling managing to prevent it from taking fatal dmage, but still damaging it harshly.
Billie still barely standing uses Second Wind managing to quickly recover some health and stabilize. Enraged, Billie striked the bear repeatedly with his quarter staff dealing massive damage. The werebear however still looks strong and unbothered.
Coming up on the scene, Lillian casts Scortching Ray at the werebear striking a glancing blow with one beam and the other almost striking Billie in the head and causing his bandana to fall in flames to the ground. The wildfire spirit, excited by the firey beams, throws a Flame Seed which explodes on contact with the bear. Keras also joins the battle moving in to flank the werebear. He attempts to use Sleep to pacify the beast and despite a near flawless casting, the werebear is unaffected. Keras uses a Healing Word to aid his injured ally Billie. Demna chooses that exact moment to cast an acidic Chromatic Orb.
Lillian sticking with what has worked so far in the combats of the day, casts Flaming Sphere into the bears space while directing her wildfire spirit to lob another Flame Seed. The combined fire attacks manage to stagger the werebear slightly. It finally starts showing the battle wear on his body. The smell of burning hair purvades the air.
The werebear unleashes a furious scream as its eyes turn red and it leaps out of the way of the sphere of fire. Lashing out with its claws it deeply gouges Billie's neck, and then follows up with a massive bite. Leaving Billie bleeding out slowly on the ground and unconsious. Dripp, seeing his ally fallen, (and lets be honest, upset about the inconvenience of being kept from his treasure) drops his bow and pulls out Talon using the weapon in a vicious set of two handed swings. The first severing the werebears arm from its body. The second nearly bisects the bear from shoulder to hip.
Falling to the ground, the werebear shifts its form, turning into the familiar form of Elwin the woodworker. With his dying breath he grabs Dripp by the collar and whisper a brief thank you. Free from his curse, he closes his eyes for the last time. The party, upset to see their friend from Phandalin dead at their feet. pause in silent reflection.
The silent contemplation continues for a few moments while Lillian heals Billie into consciousness, only to be interupted moments later by four twig blights. Calcifer, Lillian's Wildfire Spirit quickly dispatches them.
The party enters the delapidated apothecary, seeing all of the vials broken. Clearly Elwin had been looking for a cure from his curse. The party looks through the room, locating the family heirloom. Between the airloom and Elwin's corpse they locate:
Gold Necklace with Embrald Pendant (worth 200GP)
Great Axe
A Fired Clay Earn
The party returns to Elwin's body. Calcifer incinerates the body and Keras says a prayer for their fallen friend. The party collects the ashes and places them into the urn, sealing it. They decide to give the ashes to his closest found family in Phandalin.
"Through this holy annointing, may Thasa in her loving embrace cleanse you of the curse that plagued you in life. May she free you from any guilt and welcome you into her cleansing depths."
The party decides to explore the rest of the town, heading to the building in the best shape in the village. As the approach they realize the door is locked.
Seeing a light on inside, Keras knocks and asks if anyone is inside. A quiet voice is heard from inside. Explaining that the party is peaceful and means him no harm, more mumbling follows. The sound of locks turning and latches opening follow for almost 5 minutes.
Eventually the wisened old druid stands before the party and invites them into his abode. He explains the history of the town, the influence of the dragon keeping nature from reclaiming the village and the ash zombies perverting dryads into twig blights.
As the history lesson continues, Lillian slowly realizes that the wisened man is actually the famous Reidoth the Druid, a member of the inner circle of the Emrald Order. Star struck she waits in silence as he continues his story.
Reidoth makes magical tea for each member using a delicate poreclin tea set. The brewed tea is unique to each person and restores their health. Each party member tastes something different, with visions of home and safety filling their mind. Their bellies are strangely full. Billie asks about the werebear and Reidoth explains lifting the curse is quite complicated, and not something he can do at the moment.
After finishing his story, he speaks to Lillian in Druid. He offers her the chance to continue his legacy as a protector of the natural areas of this corner of Neverwinter and be inducted into the Emrald Enclave.
Lillian somberly accepts his offerGreen flash of energy. oath. gives Lillian the symbol of the Emrald Enclave. The spell leaves her with a half firey orange and half forest green aura.
Your turn to take up the mantle. Its time for the young to take on the care of the world from the remaining elders.
Explains that there are folks in black masks wandering around the far east of the village. And explains that should the party need him, they can call on him to find what is lost.
"When the time comes I will lead you to what is hidden" in Druidic to Lillian. Smoke releases from his form, and he turns into a squirrel.
The party searches the room, finding only the wooden tea set and a small wooden box with strange writing on it. Lillian reads the message written in druidic. "For those who need it" Inside she finds:
Druid's Wooden Tea Set
Jar of Smoke
Ring of Protection
The party takes a short rest in the safe and comfortable little house. Lillian attunes to the ring adding its magical protection to herself. Keras plays a mournful Song of Rest in memory of Elwin, boosting the health of the party and filling them to see Elwin in their mind.
After somber reflection, the party continues clearing the buildings, going across the road to the last unexplored building in the village. Looking inside the delapidated building, they identify it as an empty snd decaying farm house.
The party continues its exploration to the east side of the village. The first building they attempt to enter is extremely decayed. As they attempt to investigate the room, items disintegrate or fall apart at the slightest touch. It is returning to nature.
They move on to the next building a mostly intact farm house. Listening at the door, they overhear people inside speaking about setting up an alliance with Venomfang for diamonds. Favirc.
Approaching the door they notice that its locked. Keras listens are the door. Inside he overhears Dragon Cultists talking about Favric the boss. Running on impulse, Keras knocks at the door and demands to be let in identifying himself as Farvic. As soon as they open the door, he casts Sleep on them. Immediately he waves the rest of the party in and instructs them to bind, strip, and gag the sleeping cultists.
At the next locked door he impersonates the the cultists explaiming that a strange man is here depanding to speak with Favric. As the remaining 3 cultists open the door, Keras again casts Sleep immediately sending them all dropping to the floor. With only the leader left standing, again the rest of the party strips, binds, and gags the sleepoing cultists.
Demna's intimidation and Keras's persuasion quickly humbles the leader. He explains that their cult had came to Thudertree in the hopes of making an alliance with the green dragon Venomfang. After explaining that the party had bested Venomfang in combat he is quivering in fear. It is clear to them that Favric is evil and filled with ambition. They need to make sure he never comes this way again.
Dripp bitch slaps the leader and he runs away. Slipping out a potion that let him fly away, splitt. In his ropes the party recovers.
3 diamonds (Worth 100GP each)
Dragging the remaining
Thalmaturgy return to the city phadalin once a moon cycle to worship their new mistress.