Wallacian Campaign Session #29
General Summary
- While the rest of party led the newly-arrived fey tribe to Cragmaw Castle, Koravhik met up with his militia unit near Westport and performed military maneuvers for the annual inspections before the fall Harvest Festivals. Cressidien found him and informed of the party's planned journey before they left.
- After helping his unit pass inspection, Koravhik took time to track down a weapon enchanter that Countess Thorrindal had mentioned to him, a man named Edmund Taylahr. Checking first at the Westport Academy, he was directed to Taylahr's home in the southwest corner of the Newtown district, nestled between the city walls and the tall brick wall enclosing a large stockyard.
- Edmund Taylahr had been told about Koravhik by the Countess. Koravhik asked aboutt commissioning a magical weapon that could inflict bludgeoning damage. Master Taylahr offered a price of 800 gold and one month fabrication time. However, since the Countess had told Taylahr that Koravhik's party, The Scurry, was usually reliable, Taylahr offered the weapon at no cost in exchange for a favor.
- Specifically, he wanted the tusks of a mythological creature known as a catoblepas. He said that he needed the tusks for his research, and that he had two eye witness reports of the beast in the Gloomire swamp on the north bank of the Red River. When asked, he told Koravhik that according the legends, the catoblepas was amphibious, was a carrion-eater that sometimes killed its own prey, and had a deadly reputation. Koravhik agreed to hunt the beast, and Taylahr gave him a map with the sighting location marked. Koravhik then left to catch up with his comrades at Cragmaw.
- Back at Cragmaw, the party had decided to repair the castle before starting work on the bridge. Almalexia (keeper of the party funds) said that they had enough gold for that. Ruu began teaching stone-masonry to the new fey settlers, and supervised their work. There was no sign of orc or goblins raiders during this time.
- When Koravhik rejoined the party, they agreed to help him with his quest. Almalexia and Sauroff recalled legends of the catoblepas, including one where the beast supposedly could kill simply by looking at another creature. However, they recalled that most scholars consider this account to be fictional, embellished to make the beast seem more threatening.
- Most of the party then went to Phandalin for supplies and meetings, while Ruu stayed at the castle to supervise the work.
- When they arrived at Phandalin, they found that a number of ramshackle homes were being built by the influx of new residents.
- Silvermoon noted that the sign on Halia's shop had been repainted to read "Phandalin Miner's Exchange and Bank". She noted that sign still contains hidden symbols which suggest that "less than legal" services are also available. Silvermoon told the others to go talk to Halia without her, as she was worried about losing her temper over Halia's political maneuvering.
- Inside the shop, they found that Halia now had an additional bodyguard. Almalexia took lead in talking with Halia. Almalexia almost agreed to a long-term contract soldifying an arrangement where the party would be working for Halia, at her direction. However, after comparing notes with Silvermoon over lunch, Almalexia returned for further negotiations and this time got Halia to agree to work for the party.
- The party agreed to purchase titles to the ruined Sleeping Giant tavern and the ruined manor on the hill overlooking the town. Total price for both properties would be 100 gold. In addition, the party would pay Halia 10 gold per month to manage the properties and look after their interests in Phandalin.
- Meanwhile, Koravhik visited the blacksmith, William Davos, and commissioned him to add a polished bronze mirror to his shield for 5 gold. Although not a perfectly flat mirror (his reflection was somewhat wavy), Koravhik reasoned that this will bounce the catoblepas' "death gaze" back at it.
- That evening, Almalexia met with Harbin Wester in private and "somehow" persuaded him to stop taking credit for the achievements of the party. [does the party continue to pay him a monthly fee?]
- Back at the Stonehill Inn, the rest of the party encountered Gundren Rockseeker. He told that Countess Thorrindal had already visited and arranged for them to "hire" a fire elemental to run the smelter. The elemental will work for ten years in exchange for a small percentage of the refined ore, which it while smelting it. Compaing dates, it appears that she arrived at Phandelver about two days after meeting with the party in Blackrock.
- Gundren also gave the party the first 100 gold as their share of the profits. He said that starting up the mines is a slow, incremental process, and that it is not possible to speed thngs up by throwing more money at it.
- Sildar Hallwinter told the party that small bands of goblins and orcs have been extorting money from travelers all along the Tri-Boar Trail. He said that they claim that they are collecting "tolls" for the Cragmaw tribe.
- The next day, the party bought carpentry tools, rope, etc. from Barthen's Trading Post, then headed north towards the Red River.
- Reaching the south bank of the river, the party used their survival skills to fell some trees and construct a raft large enough to carry the entire party, including Val's warhorse. In fact, it was a better watercraft than the makeshift raft that Val had purchased at Stump's Landing.
- Crossing over to the north bank of the river, the party landed the raft and entered the Gloomire swamp. Even with the river running low before the winter rains and snows raise it, they found the terrain to be soggy and broken by numerous streams, ponds, and bogs. It was difficult terrain for everyone.
- After searching for a few hours, the party was met with a half-dozen undead rising out of the muck. One of the undead grasped Almalexia's leg to help pull itself out of the mud, then pushed past her to attack another party member.
- Those struck by the undead felt necrotic energies grasp at those souls, but only Cressidien was unable to withstand their foul touch. Even after the undead were dispatched, Cressidien felt severely weakened by the assault.
- Continuing onward without taking a rest, the party soon spotted an area ahead that appeared more rotted than the surrounding swamp. The water there was darker, almost black, and completely opaque.
- As they approached a large pool of the black water, they saw a large creature matching the description of the catoblepas emerge onto the shore. And this is where we will rejoin our band of brave adventurers.
Rewards Granted
Each player earned 1375 XP.
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