A Place of their Own: CHAPTER 4 The Dead Blacksmith - 2.3.22 - 2.17.22

General Summary

Things Are Not What They Seem

Another day of travel north, the winds of the Teardrop Range cascading down upon them, the group’s spirits darkened; the weather cooled despite spring’s immanence. Idle conversation with their villager companion’s reveals the father’s name, Otho, and his desire to find his cousin's house on the shores of Lake Dum, still a short distance away. The minstrels reaffirm their willingness to help the family, even while the trees grow denser, and the hills rise before them.
As a light snowfall begins, further chilling their bones, the group spots a watchtower high above the snaking path they are about to embark upon. A quick investigation reveals the path up, and also, a new enemy, giant, gnarled trees, no different in appearance than the snow covered pines dotted across a landscape they had traveled many times before.
Araphant, cleaver in hand, launches an assault, and with the help of Ho-Gun and Roderick, fell the first mighty but off-putting foe. Things escalate quickly, and before long, the party is embroiled in a battle against multiple evil trees, fighting their way to the top of the hill and the watchtower beyond.
Meanwhile down below, Eschelon and Vargas, with some help from Vandre, discover a small abode, which they determined to be a blacksmith’s house. It is abandoned, and after some snooping, they realize the owner is missing, and he is due for deliveries to assorted parties they may yet still yet encounter. Leaving the Summershaw family in the house for protection, the heroes keep fighting through the evil forest, dispatching and felling trees throughout, while Otho and his son try to help but continually get in their way.

Chaos, Beasts, and Fire, What Summershaw Does Best

After a steady battle, they surmount the top and from there, Vandre and Araphant approach the peak cautiously, seeing a pair of large bears and small cubs, huddled around dead bodies about the watchtower’s base. Using a combination of bravery, cunning, and stupidity, they clang weapons and metal to spook the bears, and later, after Ho-Gun makes his way up, stack on top of each other to present as a gigantic beast. Somehow it works, and he bears retreat.
Just as they begin to take a look at the bloodied bodies, a fire from far below rages, with thick plumes of smoke obscuring their vision. They work quickly, and discover an axe wrapped in cloth next to one of the bodies, supposedly the item from the note they found in the house, and surmise the two dead folk to be the blacksmith and his apprentice, both meeting a tragic end, killed by the bears, or perhaps something even more sinister. Something evil has taken over the forest, and the heroes know they must leave soon.
The fire raging, the party at the bottom of the hill try desperately to save Otho’s family, despite the fact they were the ones who inadvertently set it, and insist on trying to help put it out. A push and pull occurs with the Minstrels pulling the family clear, and the family diving back in to put out the fire. Before long, the entire house is engulfed and only the blacksmith's journal, some strange metals, and the axe are salvageable.
The fire barely under control, they douse it as best they can and press on. The journey has extended and it is starting to take a toll. Otho tells them where his extended family resides by Lake Dum, and the party hopes to help settle the villagers in their new abode once and for all.

'Meet in Anghor Dum, Mead Hall? Still not sure about buyers requested metal choice but the Axe looks wonderful. So well balanced. I’m so tired though. So is Firin. We thought it was because of those strange noises the past few nights, but despite that, I sit here unable to keep my eyes open. Firin said he’d go to the watchtower tonight to perhaps figure out what’s going on. Maybe I’ll join him. I have an uneasy feeling these past few nights ... Gods I am tired though’

From a journal found in an abandoned balcksmith's house. A tassel separates the last entry and in red name is circled: ‘Winwyn’ with a check mark and 'complete!'

Report Date

23 Mar 2022