Volume 1, Chapter 7 - The Buckle Pass

General Summary

The group return to The Kingsdown Townhouse through the subdued town; last night’s drunken revellers sleeping off their hangovers. Upon arrival Lavanel, Jed and Gamble fill Arpeggio in on their adventures at the Sorcerer's Tower and discuss the possible locations connected to Amilya’s verse. Arpeggio stated that he would be travelling north to find his sister and Gamble recounts the story of Captain Thorne, hanged in Belegond, and her desire to find his lost island. Given one of elemental shrines would most likely be on the northern continent, the party decide to travel together to Dolon to hire a ship.
Splitting up to gather supplies, Arpeggio and Lavanel return to Hony’s and purchase a potion of climbing, a potion kit, and some more healing potions, while Gamble heads to the library to familiarises herself with the trade routes and ports that may be of use on their journey. Wanting someone to look at his crossbows, Jed seeks out Samboard Bramwell at the College and discusses a potential idea for an automated reloading mechanism, loosely on a trebuchet. After a little persuasion, Samboard agrees to begin work, in return for a flask of ever burning oil and the rights to the design.
Everyone reconvenes to return to Jed’s. On the way back Lavanel spies the snowcapped mountains to the north and her keen eyesight and sense of nature suggests that there is something unnatural about the surrounding clouds. Jed also comments that snow this time of year is extremely rare.
Shortly after returning to Jed’s parents’, there is a sharp knock at the door. Men displaying the bronze badge of the city and armed with short swords tell Jed’s mother they are looking for her son and his companions, as allegations have been made by Pingorn. Arpeggio uses message, ensuring the others are kept out of sight and Jed’s mother provides an alibi. The guards are sent on their way and Rhobur and Helda accompany them to answer any questions.
As the guards leave, Jed Jed peaks out from behind the door to see Bertolf and two companions racing off on horseback down the main street. A little impatiently, Jed’s thoughts being mostly centered on the bet and killing the wyrmling first, he persuades the party to head towards the mountains and Dolon. A quick visit to the stables reminds the group that they only have the purple horse, so they decide to travel on foot.
The road north winds back and forth and the party decide to cut across the fields in hope of gaining some ground between them and Jed’s rival. The long trek crossing the countryside is dull and Jed’s attempts at playing I-Spy are ignored. A few hours into their march, they are ambushed by a group of five living scarecrows, however Arpeggio makes quick work of them with thunderwave and a fireball and the group continue on until dusk.
They reach the foothills of the mountains as the sun begins to set and start to think about making camp. Not far ahead they spot a small hut and a fire. Deciding to approach they are greeted by a Silver Dragonborn, who introduces herself as Belsa Rundel. She tells them that she lives by the mountain with her partner, a large hulking barbarian called Kors. The pair seem trustworthy and the group settle down to take a long rest. As an elf, and thus in need of less sleep than the rest of the party, Lavanel forages in the night and comes across some deathbell and accconight.
Following Day
Morning arrives and the party get their first good look at the looming black and grey rock that make up the Belt Mountains. Belsa offers her services to the party, saying that she and Kors would be delighted to help them look for the wyvern, as they have not adventured for some time.
As they follow the path up and into the mountains, the weather gets colder. Wondering if this has something to do with the presence of the potential wyvern, Jed decides they are on the right path when he steps in what Belsa confirms is dragon dung.
As the party move into a patch of snowy woodland, they hear the howl of a wolf nearby. Hiding proves ineffective against the beast’s strong sense of smell and they are pounced on by three grey wolves, led by a giant winter wolf. As the party try to take down the beasts, two more grey wolves and another winter wolf join the fray. The last winter wolf is decapitated by Gamble, but not before she takes some serious damage.
The two winter wolves are skinned and four cloaks are made, giving some members of the party resistance to cold. Gamble takes one of the Hony’s suspicious healing potions and immediately doubles in size. The wolf pelt she is wearing also doubles and she removes it before shrinking again leaving it twice the size and is able to make a the cloak.
Further up the pass, the party see blood smeared, and one of Bertolf’s men is dead. Turning the corner in the ravine, they see the wyrmling attacking Bertolf. The party easislly take care of the small drake, but not before a young white dragon flies down upon them. With one breath, apolo is immediately dead. Arpegio’s second attempt at the suggestion spell works and they convince the dragon to fly as far south as it can as fast as it can. Bertolf tries to run away, but Jed collars him and ‘convinces’ him to pay his family the sum of the bet.
The group continue and find a cave. Jed arrives first and takes all the platinum. Other trinkets found include some dice, an ivory goblet, tooled leather bracers, an old leather bag, a small silver carpet, a mask, healers cap (grey), a mirror, a spell scroll and a potion of greater healing. If he had been there, Rhobur might have been interested in the staff propped against a wall, however none of the rest of the party took interest.
Belsa describes the ways down the mountain, and the party opt for the fastest. Knowing the spell only lasts 8 hours and the dragon would be returning. They make for the nearest of the momuntain huts, spaced about 6 hours travel apart across the mountain pass. Once they arrive, they spend the night, taking turns to watch. Lavanel spots the dragon circling but they are not spotted. It eventually lands and the party inspect their plunder and journey on.

Report Date

24 Jan 2017