Starting Day: Morning of 10th of Readying, 591 CY. The 9th hour.
Meeting Gnat
Otto and Quinn were escorted by carriage through the lakeside town of Vespera. They have their tickets for the Arctrain for the fifteenth hour and a half. The youngman who was holding the sign for "Bastion Adventurers" was named Gnat. He told the party that his employer Clause Einmann was horribly wounded a week ago by something in the woods, a troll potentially.
He led them into the Estates District of Vespera, to a wealthy but modest manor.
Clause Einmann
The party was lead to a meeting room where the heavy curtains were drawn. A man with a wounded face drank in the dark. Sitting next to an unlit hearth with a family portrait depicting him, a middleaged woman, and a small baby hung over the mantle.
He told the story of a trip from Silverhaven where their carriage was attacked by a troll. Normally, the The Sons of the 7th Seal would offer help, but this year they were unavailable and he had to take rabble from around Vespera. The troll made short work of the guards and attacked him, but his wife and child were dragged kicking and screaming into the forest. He crawled from the scene over 3 days back to Vespera and contacted the Son's himself to send their best.
He is offering $8000 in credit, taxfree, to the party. Should they fail, they will be on the hook for the debt. If they die, he'll send the bill to the 7th Seal.
He wants his family returned to him in whatever condition you find them. But he wants the troll dead. He suggested you kill it with fire.
Shopping Spree
Otto and Quinn went to the mercantile looking for supplies. There they met an old dwarven blacksmith named Alden Grimhammer. He explained that all dwarven warriors carry at least 3 weapons. One for slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing. He began getting a bit too excited about reliving his glory days in battle. He explained that he prefers an axe, a war pick, and he shield. Otto and Quinn spent a majority of the credit getting gear with Alden.
They then went to the Vespera Church of Pelor. It is a beautiful cathedral of stone with a grand stained glass window that lets the lights shine through in the morning to bathe the cathedral in an orange glow. There they met Brother Eadric who healed their wounds and sold them potions.
Quinn was skeptical that the options would work, but Eadric assured him that Brother Gideon makes the potions himself and assures of their quality.
They also purchased a pig for bait for the troll
Weighed down
Otto, with his new armor, and excessive amounts of gear, found that he was now carrying a heavy load. That is when Quinn offered to buy him a heavy horse to carry him. Quinn produced a 1 ft x 1 ft satchel full to the brim with gold, easily weighing 13 lbs. In return, Otto bought Quinn a light horse.
On the Road
The horses turned what would have been a 2 day trip with Otto's over encumbrance to about 3 hours. That's when they spotted where Einmann was attached. They saw a broken carriage and the brush was beaten down, as if the horses were dragged through the woods.
Otto was able to see that 4 characters on horseback were following down the road, about 15 minutes behind them. They ducked into the forest and followed the path of destruction. Quinn spotted a severed horse leg that had enormous bites taken out of it's thigh.
The Strange Creatures
As they moved through brush, they heard a guttural speak from ahead. Two grey skinned creatures wielding crude axes shambled through the brush. Quinn and Otto sat the pig in the center of a small clearing, then poured oil around it. Quinn was able to quiet the pig and calm it. When the creatures attacked, Quinn burst from the brush and threw Alchemist's fire on the oil, igniting the line and trapping the creatures. Otto followed, throwing a flask of oil at one of the creatures. He missed and struck the pig, igniting it instantly. The creatures burst through the flames, burning as the did. But the first struck Quinn in the ribs with his axe, nearly killing him. In retaliation, Quinn tried to cast Tasha's hideous laughter on the creature, only for the creature to shrug off the magic.
Otto struck at his enemy with his adamantine heavy mace. As the creature raised his axe to defend, the adamantine broke through the axe and crushed the face of the monster. Quinn steadied his rapier, and thrust forward, impaling the eye socket of the strange thing.
After the battle, Otto mended Quinn's wounds. That is when Quinn spotted a wolf watching them. His eyes held a strange awareness. When called out, the wolf merely said "You're already dead." and fled deeper into the forest. It emitted a howl, only to have it answered from other wolves.
Experience awarded to Otto and Quinn were 300xp each.
Ending Date 10th of Readying, 591 CY, 13th hour.
