2023-01-28 Travel: Saldynn
Player Characters
- Balasar
- Green
- Val & Soonie
- Wiznt
Summary
Val got lucky: a magpie friend brought her a ring of feather falling.
The party traveled west toward Lake Abosa, with the intent of establishing passage to the village of Saldynn near Fludge Swamp.
In the grasslands, they met a group of goblins from the friendly Bonepike Clan. This group was led by a hobgoblin named Furf, who mentions that 'coward lizards' drove goblins out from the west side of the region. He tried to sell the party a "deer crown" from a stag.
The group came to the calm Stella River, which is 300ft across near its mouth. They crossed using rope and a bag of holding.
They came to the Fauna River, which is only 100ft across but is much faster and contains random boulders. They decided to travel south and take the bridge, which cost an extra day.
As the party crossed the bridge, four trolls stepped out, demanding meat. Balasar tricked them into believing that the party are poisonous and inedible, but the trolls want Soonie. Green gambled Soonie on a game of dragonchess with one troll, but got unlucky and lost. He tried to fly Soonie to safety as the trolls closed in. The party fought the angry trolls and destroyed them with fire.
While resting, Val talked to two wandering canaries. The birds mentioned that the island in the lake contains a "stone tree that is good for nesting".
The party decided to continue along the road, arriving in Windwisk. They met an employee of Zenith Industries named Golber, who lauded his company's advancements in arcanotech, which are fueled by a deal with Subterraneans to obtain archestrylene, the colorful mirror liquid found before. He spoke disdainfully of Manatech, Wiznt's company. Golber was trying to sell wristwatches for 200gp. Balasar expressed an interest in making a deal to obtain more archestrylene later.
Val found an old human woman selling vegetables who was a member of The Murids. The woman warned her about Zelvinox, the black dragon to the west. Val purchased a cloak of elvenkind from the woman.
The party continued west to the village of Willowsmith.
They crossed Flora River to the village of Riverside. Val found useful herbs and poppies in the area. Several fishing boats were rowing upriver.
The weather overhead was gloomy, and occasionally sprinkled lightly.
Halfway along the last road segment, the party encountered a group of ogres and kobolds. Drakalurk, the kobold leader, demanded a toll. Green distracted the patrol with talk about the spirits and ethics. As Drakalurk hesitated, Balasar convinced them that the party was actually testing Zelvinox's minions to ensure they were doing their job, and that Drakalurk's group had failed by not being aggressive enough. The PCs allowed the patrol to leave with a warning.
They party stalked the group to their camp a few hills over. Val snuck in quietly and poured oil over the wooden awning. The group then attacked the ogres and kobolds. Balasar's fireball decimated the camp and ignited nearly all of its inhabitants. One kobold managed to sound an alarm horn before they were wiped out.
The PCs attempted to take up hiding spots, but were sighted. The black dragon descended from the sky along with an entourage of followers: archers, a mage, and trolls. The dragon introduced himself as Zelvinox, great dragon of the west, and demanded to know why Val carried the scent of another dragon. She told the truth: she had fought the green dragon before, and was not a spy. Zelvinox recognized the description as belonging to Verda, a rival of his.
Zelvinox demanded tribute to allow the characters to pass. Val gave a helm of comprehend languages the group had found, Balasar paid 200gp, Wiznt forfeited his mineral samples with a promise of more, and Green managed to praise his way out of a direct payment. Zelvinox told them to say "hail the black scale" to indicate their alliance and pass this way again. He then left with his minions.
The PCs made it to Saldynn, a village on an artificial hill. They approached the ancient temple and heard about its tour and reward. Wiznt went first, paying the 100gp fee and receiving the promised tour and blessing. He saw the coalpit obstacle repurposed as a forge, the room-closing doors used as a hydraulic press, and the water-generating trap that feeds the town's well. Val, Soonie, Balasar (polymorphed into a dog), and Green (hidden in the bag of holding) then went on the tour as well.
+ The Saldynn pilgrimage downtime option is now available to all characters.
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