Meeting Falcon the Hunter
23 Marpenoth, The Year of Twelve Warnings (1494 DR)
Neverwinter Wood, The Sword Coast
Turnoroth Brimsdall, along with his giant badger sidekick, Wink, had fought against the goblins occupying the ruins of Castle Cragmaw. They even survived an encounter with an owlbear. After resting, Brimsdall and Wink continued north through the Neverwinter Wood in pursuit of the elven woman who stole the Clasp of Vergren from a half-orc wizard in Phandalin.
Just past highsun, Brimsdall spotted a wooden staff leaning against a leafless sapling growing in the middle of a small clearing.
When Brimsdall sent Wink to retrieve the staff, the giant badger's mouth got stuck after he clamped down on the staff. Despite trying to free himself, Wink couldn't let go of the staff which was covered with a glue-like substance.
Suddenly the tree began to move. Its branches turned into fleshlike pseudopods and slammed down on Wink. A huge mouth, filled with sharp shark-like teeth, appeared on the tree's trunk threatening to engulf Wink whole.
Brimsdall immediately struck the tree-thing with spells as Wink tried to free himself. Fortunately, the giant badger was able to free himself and move away from the strange tree-creature.
Together Brimsdall and Wink kept their distance from the tree creature as it slowly tried to follow them. It wasn't as fast, so Brimsdall and Wink were able to eventually leave the tree-creature behind.
***
After a while, they came upon a human man hunting a deer they saw run past. The hunter, upon seeing Brimsdall and Wink, introduced himself as Falcon. He said he was a hunter and had a hunting lodge several miles to the east.
Falcon wore a fur-lined cloak over his studded leather armor. He stood 6 feet, 6 inches tall, and had black hair and broad shoulders. His eyes were as blue, cold, and sharp as ice, and he sported a neatly trimmed beard. He was armed with a longsword and a finely crafted longbow. A half-empty quiver hung on his back.
Falcon invited Brimsdall to stay at his lodge. He warned it wasn't safe to continue north since he had spotted orc tracks in the area. “I've seen more orcs in the woods of late. Ugly brutes," Falcon said. “The orcs appear to be in league with the evil half-orcs that dwell southeast of my lodge."
When Brimsdall asked if Falcon was certain about the orcs in the area, the hunter produced three decapitated orc heads he had hanging on a nearby tree branch.
Upon seeing the heads, Brimsdall agreed to go with Falcon.
Falcon took down the orc heads and slung them over his shoulders, their thick hair tied together in a knot.
"What are you going to do with those?" Brimsdall asked.
"Hang them with the other orc heads in my trophy room," Falson answered matter-of-factly.
"Do you happen to know anything about a tree that suddenly appears with a mouth on its trunk?" Brimsdall asked Falcon. He described the details of the strange encounter.
Falcon scratched his head. "Sounds like you found a mimic. They are usually found inside dungeons disguising themselves as treasure chests or some form of furniture. It's rare to find one outside, although not unheard of."
After spending nearly the rest of the day traveling east, the three arrived at Falcon's Hunting Lodge. It was a fortified compound that stood in a clearing on the east side of a narrow river. A ten-foot-high log palisade surrounded the compound, whose main building was a two-story stone-and-wood affair with a high-pitched roof, gables, window shutters, and a stone chimney. Attached to the main building was a blocky tower of gray stone, its high roof lined with battlements. Other structures included a two-story stable house and a gatehouse whose flat roof was enclosed by iron railings. A stone bridge spanned the river, ending before an oaken door set into the gatehouse’s outer wall. Mounted next to the door was a bell with a short rope hanging from its clapper.
Falcon rang the bell and called for the door to be opened. Brimsdall heard the sound of a wooden bar being slid to the side as the door was unlocked. After, Falcon led Brimsdall and Wink inside.
Inside the compound, they were met by a young human boy who looked to be twelve years old. Falcon said the boy's name was Pell. He also said the boy couldn't talk. Pell's tongue had been cut by orcs who had attacked his family's farm and slaughtered his entire family, taking his older sister with them. They left the boy to die after the orcs had cut out the boy's tongue to prevent him from telling others what happened. Falcon said it all happened over a year ago. The farm lay north of Butterskull Ranch, at the base of the Starmetal Hills where the orcs came from.
When asked how did Falcon know what occurred if the boy couldn't speak, Falcon said a gnome who was traveling with a noble from the city of Neverwinter who had stayed at his lodge back then was somehow able to read the boy's mind.
Brimsdall was also introduced to Corwin, a middle-aged human man, whom Falcon said he met while in Neverwinter a few years ago. Corwin was looking for a job as a cook but couldn't employment in the city. Falcon offered him a job at his lodge.
"Corwin knows how to prepare a fine meal using only natural ingredients found in the forest," Falcon said.
During eveningfeast, which involved a delicious dish of braised wild rabbit, potatoes, and buttered bread, paired with a bottle of Utterdark, an extremely dark wine from Cormyr, Falcon taught Brimsdall to play a game involving dice. The game was called Baldur's Bones.
Naturally, bets were wagered.
During the game, Falcon asked Brimsdall where he was headed. Brimsdall said he was tracking down an elven woman who had stolen something valuable and fled the town of Phandalin.
Falcon asked if Brimsdall happened to have a bottle of wine from Phandalin, Brimsdall said he didn't. Falcon seemed disappointed.
"I wonder if this elven woman could be the same person who lived in the old manse at the edge of the forest?" Falcon wondered. “The half-orcs I mentioned earlier now dwell in the ruined stone manse overgrown with vines. It's roughly ten miles from here. I've heard some say that the manse was built by a female elven scholar who studied the elven ruins scattered throughout Neverwinter Wood.”
Brimsdall was intrigued. "What happened to her?"
"No one knows. Apparently she may have disappeared while searching one of those ruins."
"I wouldn't mind exploring some of these elven ruins myself," Brimsdall said. "But for now, it may be worth going to the manse. It may give me some clue as to who this elven woman is."
"If you do, I'll offer you a pair of boots of elvenkind as a reward for ridding the manse of the half-orcs," Falcon offered.
"Why haven't you taken care of the half-orcs yourself?" Brimsdall asked.
"I have to remain here at the lodge in case nobles from Neverwinter come looking for my services," Falcon said. "I can spare some time hunting for fresh game, but I avoid hunting too far from the lodge."
Brimsdall agreed to go to the manse, especially since Falcon was going to offer him a magic item as a reward.
After the meal and the game, Falcon offered Brimsdall the use of the guest house for the night.
Grateful for Falcon's hospitality, Brimsdall turned in for the night knowing he had a busy day ahead of him tomorrow.
Session played on December 1, 2020
Player Character:
Turnoroth Brimsdall (Male Dragonborn Sorcerer/Warlock)
Sidekick:
Wink (Giant Badger sidekick)
Plot type
Chapter
Parent Plot
Falcon the Hunter
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