A Job for Nym

The next morning, the party is summoned by Nym to receive their tasks. Knowing the party's inclinations, she tasks them with investigating two locations just a day's journey of the fort: some hills with increasing sightings of monstrosities and a glade that numerous soldiers have reported unusually cruel and dangerous Fey harassment. They decide to head toward the Fey problem first, but they have one stop to make. Roswyn heads to the aviary to send a letter to her mother back in Rivervale, and also send a parcel to Linadian Mistwood back in Kelethin with the materials she needs and a note detailing their desired items: a way to see in the dark like the orcs and some armor. They set off west into the Lesser Faydark.   The Lesser Faydark is not nearly as welcoming as its counterpart, not that the Greater Faydark is particularly welcoming off its main roads either. As they descend from Fayadaroth, they are enveloped by the dense fog that drowns out the sun and permeates the entire forest. Even daytime in this forest feels unsettling. They are plagued the whole day by whispers, voices, moans, and screams that seem to be just on the edge of earshot. After a day of uncomfortable travel, the party decides to setup camp near the road.   As they are settling down to rest, Ellie hears the distant sound of a young girl crying. Worried it could be real, Ellie leads the party to the source of the cries. A few minutes away from the road, the party spots a young girl hiding behind a rock and crying. Carlos, well-versed in Fey trickery, tests the waters with a Dispel Magic on the girl. She vanishes and the sounds of her cries stop. Realizing they've been setup, they begin their retreat, but it's too late. They are surrounded by quicklings, and an annis hag. As they make quick work of the quicklings, they are faced with the formidable annis hag. Its crushing embrace and caustic clouds cause significant trouble for the party. To make things worse, they are also descended upon by a blood witch, who attacks with reckless abandon for her or her ally's own safety. Unfortunately for the witch, Ellie is prepared with her net and pet. The witch is immediately restrained and knocked over, where she is swiftly killed by the pair. The others are less fortunate, several of them being knocked unconscious leaving just Roswyn to contend with the hag. Luckily for all of them, she is successful. The party is hurt the worse they have been since they met.   Exhausted and wounded, the party heads back to their camp near the road, Barkimedes leading the way. After setting camp, doffing their armor, and settling in for the evening, all but Ellie lay down to sleep. Unfortunately, their rest does not come so easily this night. They are attacked by several poltergeists that haunt nearby the road. Caught wholly unprepared, the party does struggle a bit, but Roswyn's ability to turn undead renders half of them useless and substantially eases their encounter. With that, they finally get a well-deserved night's rest, though the Lesser Faydark does not make it a comfortable one.  

September 25th

The next morning, the party packs up camp and begins to head back to Fayadaroth. They decide to take a small detour to the hills in the south to investigate the reports of beasts in the area. They track large singular grooves in the ground to the location of several giant snakes. Large and slow, the party has no trouble keeping them at arm's length until they are dispatched. One, however, gets away and slithers deeper into the forested hills. Marked by Ellie, they have little trouble tracking it and give chase.   Unexpectedly, the snake leads them into a trap and they are ambushed by several other giant snakes as well as a few swarms of smaller snakes. Being surrounded, their previous tactics do not work and they are forced to fight their way out of the ambush. Arya and Roswyn take the brunt of the snakes' ire and are both downed, but Carlos and Yarver quickly heal their wounds to bring them back into the fight. Ellie and Barkimedes do their typical routine of netting and surrounding their prey and the party makes quick work of the snakes. After the battle, they collect several pounds of snake meat and snake skin. They push on for the rest of the day to make it to Fayadaroth shortly after midnight.  

September 26th

Several harrowing days and lots of travel took its toll on the party, and they sleep in much later than usual at the inn. They come down and decide to head to Nym to fill her in on their findings. She rewards them with 200 gold each and thanks them for their service, saying that she always has work in the Lesser Faydark for them. When they say they are heading back to Kelethin, she mentions that there's a druid who has some business in town and can teleport them to the druid rings near Kelethin the next day.   After heading back to the tavern, they discuss their next steps, but it's not long before the shift change brings in a couple dozen soldiers. The soldiers are mostly the same ones that saw the party's performance a few days ago and ask for an encore. Carlos plays a song that he has written detailing the accounts of the party and it blows away the crowd. They are showered with more gold and praise, and many are sad to hear that they are departing so soon.   The party decides that it is time to make good on their promise to Sarowyn and realize that they are closer to his meeting spot from Fayadaroth than Kelethin. However, they want their items from Lina as well as other supplies that need restocking. They decide to split up: Roswyn will go with the druid and accomplish their tasks in Kelethin before rendezvousing with them in 3 days at the crossroads. Her mount, Reed, gives her the ability to travel much quicker. The rest of the party will travel as normal along the road toward the crossroads.