Echo, Aoris and Tulgey were joined by two other adventurers of the Marches, Milo and Tordek. They too had encountered the Witchcross raiders and heard the name “Murdock”, so with common purpose, they set out into the Witchwood, with Lt. Greystone’s blessing, and a rearguard of soldiers following a half day behind.
Examining the raiders’ path for clues, they found a small totem object, torn and snagged on a branch, that Milo and Echo were able to identify as belonging to a particular tribe of orcs, located to the north Witchwood. The careless loss of a presumably sacred item, the chaotic state of the egress point, and the fort’s witness reports, led the party to consider the raids hasty, and desperate, as though whipped into recklessness by some authoritative force.
Led by their ranger, they ventured into the forest. A day or two north, they were set upon suddenly by a pair of large and vicious beasts. Barbed tentacles curled from the horse-sized feline forms, and one of the creatures ensnared Aoris, attempting to drag the dwarf away into the undergrowth.
Counterattacking proved difficult, as the monsters’ forms shimmered and shifted, causing blades and missiles to miss their mark. At length, they slayed one beast, and let the other flee. They were able to determine that these were displacer beasts, and it was clearly hunger and desperation that caused them to attack a well-armed band of warriors. The long winter was tough for all creatures, it seemed.
The party needed a rest, and Milo advised that they should climb into trees for safety. Aoris wasn’t pleased about that prospect, so he stayed on the ground. He skinned and cooked some of the displacer beast’s meat. His dwarven constitution kept it down, though others that tried it weren't so lucky. Tor and Tulgey took samples of tentacle and venom, Aoris kept a cooked haunch, and the blue-black pelt.
Soon came the sound of raised voices, loud and numerous, in a guttural, unknown tongue. Turning to a squirrel, Tulgey scampered through the treetops and observed a sizable band of gnolls, heading south. Fearing that they would come upon the rearguard and take them by surprise, the party turned back to meet the soldiers, and fight them with a larger force, if it came to that. It did not, and the gnolls missed their camp. The party resumed their trek north.
They came to a tall, rocky outcropping, with a cave entrance that held signs of coming and going by various creatures. Tulgey became a snow leopard, creeping into the entranceway. He was discovered, however, and a bewitching voice called to him: “Come, Druid. And bring your friends.” Compelled to obey, Tulgey immediately returned and lied to his allies that the coast was clear. Milo found his behaviour suspicious, but cautiously followed.
Inside they encountered the creature named “Murdock” - a beautiful woman, with the lower half of a snake. Approaching the dangerous situation cautiously, the party listened. She offered them a job: bring food and supplies. Tulgey was enthusiastic about following her orders, but the yuan-ti insisted he stay with her. She, Tulgey, and an orcish bodyguard played a simple dexterity game called knipstache, while the rest of the party deliberated outside the cave.
They gathered up some of their rations and Aoris’s hock of displacer beast meat, and attempted to offer it to the serpent woman. She was unimpressed, and bade them raid the fort to the south instead, that’s what most of her “employees” did. Tulgey, still hanging on the snake woman’s every word, took Echo aside to teach him knipstache, and the warlock discreetly invoked his fey patron’s power to break the charm upon the gnome.
Still hesitant to upset the scene, especially at the arrival of a large and menacing troll at the yuan-ti’s side, the party shuffled out of the cave with some chagrin. They would report back to Lt Greystone. "Murdock" had been identified, now only remained what to do about it.
Examining the raiders’ path for clues, they found a small totem object, torn and snagged on a branch, that Milo and Echo were able to identify as belonging to a particular tribe of orcs, located to the north Witchwood. The careless loss of a presumably sacred item, the chaotic state of the egress point, and the fort’s witness reports, led the party to consider the raids hasty, and desperate, as though whipped into recklessness by some authoritative force.
Led by their ranger, they ventured into the forest. A day or two north, they were set upon suddenly by a pair of large and vicious beasts. Barbed tentacles curled from the horse-sized feline forms, and one of the creatures ensnared Aoris, attempting to drag the dwarf away into the undergrowth.
Counterattacking proved difficult, as the monsters’ forms shimmered and shifted, causing blades and missiles to miss their mark. At length, they slayed one beast, and let the other flee. They were able to determine that these were displacer beasts, and it was clearly hunger and desperation that caused them to attack a well-armed band of warriors. The long winter was tough for all creatures, it seemed.
The party needed a rest, and Milo advised that they should climb into trees for safety. Aoris wasn’t pleased about that prospect, so he stayed on the ground. He skinned and cooked some of the displacer beast’s meat. His dwarven constitution kept it down, though others that tried it weren't so lucky. Tor and Tulgey took samples of tentacle and venom, Aoris kept a cooked haunch, and the blue-black pelt.
Soon came the sound of raised voices, loud and numerous, in a guttural, unknown tongue. Turning to a squirrel, Tulgey scampered through the treetops and observed a sizable band of gnolls, heading south. Fearing that they would come upon the rearguard and take them by surprise, the party turned back to meet the soldiers, and fight them with a larger force, if it came to that. It did not, and the gnolls missed their camp. The party resumed their trek north.
They came to a tall, rocky outcropping, with a cave entrance that held signs of coming and going by various creatures. Tulgey became a snow leopard, creeping into the entranceway. He was discovered, however, and a bewitching voice called to him: “Come, Druid. And bring your friends.” Compelled to obey, Tulgey immediately returned and lied to his allies that the coast was clear. Milo found his behaviour suspicious, but cautiously followed.
Inside they encountered the creature named “Murdock” - a beautiful woman, with the lower half of a snake. Approaching the dangerous situation cautiously, the party listened. She offered them a job: bring food and supplies. Tulgey was enthusiastic about following her orders, but the yuan-ti insisted he stay with her. She, Tulgey, and an orcish bodyguard played a simple dexterity game called knipstache, while the rest of the party deliberated outside the cave.
They gathered up some of their rations and Aoris’s hock of displacer beast meat, and attempted to offer it to the serpent woman. She was unimpressed, and bade them raid the fort to the south instead, that’s what most of her “employees” did. Tulgey, still hanging on the snake woman’s every word, took Echo aside to teach him knipstache, and the warlock discreetly invoked his fey patron’s power to break the charm upon the gnome.
Still hesitant to upset the scene, especially at the arrival of a large and menacing troll at the yuan-ti’s side, the party shuffled out of the cave with some chagrin. They would report back to Lt Greystone. "Murdock" had been identified, now only remained what to do about it.
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