Session 5: The Journey South Report

General Summary

The days and nights passed quickly over the party's time along the freezing south. Each of them had their tattoos etched onto their skin and they felt the magic coursing just beneath their skins as the images faded in and out. Deciding they had spent enough time resting they traveled back to the grand ice staircase avoiding the dangers they had encountered on their trip through the glacier. They carefully descended down catching one final glimpse of the great wurms burrowing through the ice.   After nearly a full day's travel, they arrived back at Fort Verdan. They slept outside the fortress's mighty gates for the night speaking to many of the merchants that came from lands far to the east looking to sell their wares downriver to the port cities of the empire. They slept peacefully that night and were at the gates first thing at dawn's light. They were ushered to the keep and had a meeting with Vel'lok in the main chamber. They presented the Orc ears to him and he expressed his gratitude and admitted he was impressed by their effort. He told them that the horses, supplies, and letter would be ready by the time the first barge would depart. They were given their payment and freedom to explore the yard where the merchants and other travelers waited.   They found the black Dragonborn blacksmith to pick up the gear they had commissioned from him. He enjoyed the challenge but gave them a warning about using some of these dragon tools while within the empire. While he holds no love for the dragons he knows that his kinsmen within the empire value them highly and distrust those who would seek to harm their nation's pride. He bid them farewell and wished them blessings of Tiamat on them.   They boarded the barge and finally began their journey to guide Kaithia to the capital city of Tia. The barge drifted down the river steadily for the rest of the day. The party enjoyed their leisure time as they bartered for exotic fruit from the merchants and heard of the lands that lie beyond the empire. They saw a town on the horizon as the sun dipped beyond the land with its rooftops peeking out of the palisade. The barge pulled up to the docks just outside the walls and began to disembark for the night. The party went into the town to find an inn to sleep in for the evening.   They secured themselves a room as they began to explore the different buildings around the town. Kaithia and Medea visited the local herbalist while Tyr and Nienna found themselves in the home of an Alchemist. They discovered that the Herbalist and Alchemist had a deep rivalry between the two of them. They were both trying to make a Revivify potion out of a local plant that has mysteriously disappeared throughout the nearby marsh. They agreed to go out looking for the plant in exchange for getting some of the potions before their barge leaves the next morning. The two shopkeepers agreed and once all four met up again they shared this knowledge and began their trip into the nearby marsh.   It took them a few hours but their search yielded no sign of this flower. They nearly gave up all hope when they spotted a figure moving through the moonlight. They followed the stranger until the figure disappeared into a towering dead tree. They entered the tree with their curiosity driving them forward. As soon as they passed the threshold the mouth of the tree closed on them nearly crushing them. They found themselves trapped inside the tree with no way out.