Wednesday, April 12, 2023

04/06/2023 Virtuous Age Session 40:

Some information we received in Zyper. We are warned of orc encampment about 30 miles to the SE- raiders and slavers. For the past few years they struggle because the no longer have a beneficiary. 50 miles south is an area that have several tales that lend to its mysteriousness. There are also a great many birds that migrate on strange cycles, the locals know to pay attention to them. Some feed them as well.

We begin this week’s session computing our travel time to take a couple of days to the Ziggurat. Eight ours of phantom steed, eight hours of personal travel. The steeds do not make a sound. We eventually come across a bend and into a band of eight dwarves- some of us dismounted.

The dwarves were crouched low, they carry crossbows and armor of various types. Tena speaks to the dwarves to tell them we are passing through the area.

They mention something about seeking a dragon whos scales are semitransparent and gives us a detailed description of the beast. Kron mentions having killed an Opal dragon. At this we exchange battle stories.

They warn us of a wizard-elementalism who lairs near banana trees. They also caution us about the abundance of caves for the next 30-40 miles.

Our groups wish each other safe travels. We continue on.

After some more travel over rocky terrain intermixed with muddy flats. Again the value of traveling on phantom steeds proves itself. After a time some of us believe we see trees traveling slowly towards us and together.

Eventually a large root creature comes out of the ground and begins to speak, Terrain is a close proximity. It appears to challenge us and our passage through his domain. A second voice in Aquan comes from buzzing insects that has now appeared.

Their wish for us is to go around, but we all feel a mental tick. We ask how we are to know the boundaries of their domain? It is at this point when the bees lead the way out of their domain.

This takes about 20 minutes when we arrive at a deep creek. The bees stop where we can see several easy areas to cross over.

We cross the creek and soon encounter a trio of trolls and some manticores. we decide to avoid the encounter.

We travel on a used road containg wagon ruts and an area of ogres but do not engage us. Also, on our flank are birds keeping up with us. Not long after this Zaigan sees a mounted flyer about a half hour away.

In a crude giant is “Last Chance Casino” pained on a rock. Nearby are bulls teathered to low trees. We continue on another hour towards the SW and a lake. We try to find a way around.

As we discuss what to do next a wagon approaches, pulled by a donkey and a cow. Orcs are also traveling with the wagon. Holding the rains is a probably human kid- likely a slave. Behind the wagon a giant appears. The kid speaks in celestial, I’m not with them.

We parley for position on the ferry and give the giant and the wagon space. Tena says she can water walk us across. We see the ferry coming being pulled by a female giant.

We kill the giant and the two orcs and the boy is free. The boy says he is far north of here, he is Carlile Jr. His father used to be someone important- Carlile wants to get back to his father. He says dad is from ‘Stormtown’ be they lived on the coast. He speaks common, elvan and celestial. He is 12 years old.

We recover 4 potions of bark skin and 4 potions of CMW. 2 master work manicals worth 200gp and 2 falchions (Kron takes one). Giant has 2 large, strange rubies in a bag full of finger bones.

We take the boy Carlile upon Campus and with water walking on the phantom steed our characters cross the lake.

All the while our characters have an uneasy feeling from below the surface of the lake. We get to about half way we begin to see signs of a community at the bottom of the long hill the top of which looks to be cleared of trees. On the edge are giant sized steps and a lift for mining and foresting. There seems to be a factory and other structures. The structures at the top of the hill are built for giants.

We decide to avoid the area and head west and eventually a path off the lake between a couple of hills. There are lot of hills ahead for our 8 hours of overland travel.

We find a couple of places to make camp when Binki comes back to Tena with a banana.  

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