2023-01-14 Travel: Crow's Brook

• Date: 2023-01-14
• Region: Scorch Alley
• Session #: 13

Player Characters

• Malivette
• Balasar
• Alystin
• Grey

Summary

The party began by asking local NPCs about Scorch Alley. They learned that it is anarchal, and that they should be careful who they trust.

They set out along the north road from Salmund. They veered east, stopping in the village of Dustview on the edge of the desert. While there, they asked around for rumors.

• A family of manticores is roaming about to the southeast, along the Bazen Hills. Some inhabitants fear that they will come closer to the village and cause trouble.
• The group learned about a species of fiddlehead fern found in the Shadowglade, which can be used to create potions of poison resistance.

The party continued north into Scorch Alley.

They came across a small bush copse containing scorch berries, which are sweet with a tingling undercurrent of spice. There were druidic symbols on a rock, which the party was unable to interpret.

The PCs encountered a group of adventurers. The leader, an ugly, uneven-faced human man named Tharis, invited them to stay and chat. The PCs accepted.

• Malivette chatted with Lee Min, a green dragonborn druid with wicker armor and a unique portable oven. They discussed spirits and cooking techniques. Mal learned that Lee Min obtained the oven from a smith in Crow's Brook named Dmitry.
• Lee Min summarized his life story: his clan in the Shadowglade was wiped out by orcs. Tharis found and adopted him as a child, and they have traveled together since.
• He told the party about the Circle of Sandstone, an order of druids that help the natural ecosystem of Scorch Alley survive against the heat. The Circle are the ones to thank for the scorch berry clusters.
• Tharis offered to tell a myth about any famous landmark. The party asked about the Scar, so he told them a myth about an ancient battle between two wizards: one good and one evil. The wizards' battle forged many of the world's regions- a blast of cold created Zymora, while a blast of sharp wind faded the Colorless Hills. Their battle ended when one was launched into the earth, creating the Scar.
• The parties talked more about spirits and myths. Tharis invited the party to stay until evening for a campfire gathering, but the PCs must move on.
• Alystin collected Tharis's autograph. Malivette collected juice from the scorch berries.

While traveling the next day, the party was attacked by giant scorpions burrowing out of the sand.

As the PCs wandered onward, a sandstorm picked up. Mal shielded Grey's horse while the rest climbed into a safe space that Balasar created by casting rope trick.

The PCs encountered a group of adventurers selling magic items. The leader was an elf woman named Aeriam. The PCs did not have enough money or items to trade, so Alystin proposed a gamble: a game of dice for 1000gp, which would allow them to purchase something. Stod, the tiefling wizard, blatantly casted a spell to help Aeriam cheat, but Alystin won anyway. She refused to honor their agreement, so the party drew weapons to fight. They successfully defeated the scammers and seized the cache of magic items.

• During the fight, Grey was compelled by his patron to spare the enemy warlock. He resisted, and she was ultimately killed by other members of the party. His patron was annoyed by this, stating that "they should not kill their allies".

Later that day, the PCs encountered a group of wandering minstrels with a bodyguard. The leader, Derrigan, wanted to perform one of the first songs of their up-and-coming band for the group. Unfortunately, their music was so terrible that it roused angry air spirits. The PCs were able to fight off the elementals until they could stop the band members from playing their awful music. The band thanked and rewarded them, then mentioned that they were headed to Crow's Brook.

The party traveled with the band until they arrived at the dusty city. As tumbleweeds rolled by, they walked into the wood-and-brick anarchal town to explore. Combat-ready travelers of every variety could be found in Crow's Brook.

• Malivette found Dmitry and purchased a portable oven for 300gp.
• The party visited the Overseer's Office. A fast-talking halfing answered the door, and they exchanged information about local happenings and the Order of the Emerald Feather. The halfling paid them for their information and mentioned rumors of a cult to the north that they want further intel on.
• The party asked around the market and found more magic items available for purchase.
• Balasar found other wizards to trade spells with.
• A cloaked male tiefling named Carl approached Grey. He offered a colorful mirrorlike mineral in exchange for the opportunity to touch the Staff of the Emerald Feather (which was hidden at the time). Upon touching it, Carl seemed to have a vision, and was visibly shaken afterward. He did not speak much about what he saw, but mentioned a green sphere and a dark form with one eyeball. The mineral gift removes the cost of find familiar.
• Alystin talked up the pleasures of the game of liar's dice, and convinced the minstrels to play. They headed into the Storm's Eye Saloon and sat at a table. He let them win in order to convince them to gamble on the next game, and won a small amount of money from them.