3: Celebrating in Pike's Bay Report
General Summary
After celebrating the defeat of the King of Sludge, the Champions wrap up their restaurant-style meal and head to their hotel. Next morning, they receive a sending message from Spergulus Quazzleknack III that Amnur and Garrisund's enchanted items have arrived. After picking them up, the party decides to work in Pike's Bay for the next 8 days until Uguz axe is ready. Unfortunately, they learn that the Pike's Bay adventurers guild serves only established adventurers for everything except emergency jobs, so the crew head out to find other work.
After talking to some hunters about what quarry can be had in the area, they learn about the Pike's Bay Hinterlands and the dangers within. A modest farming community on the outskirts of a vast wetland, the Hinterlands offer ample hunting opportunities. What's more, they learn of an orange cabbage called a Rothstak that grows deep in the wetlands that is highly prized and sells for ~1 GP each. Seeing an opportunity to earn some cash while waiting out Uguz's enchantment, they dive into the swampy interior to find some veggies. They quickly learn that the deeper they go, the more Rothstaks they find. After coming across a trove of 34 Rothstaks, Uguz notices they're being followed by four large spiders, one of which is the size of a bull.
The group readies for combat, and it is come when the large spider suddenly covers Uguz in sticky silk. Amnur and Garrisund quickly double-team a spider from range, ending the threat on their left flank. Uguz frees himself from the webbing, and forces the large spider to retreat. It attempts to climb a nearby tree, but Uguz takes this opportunity to chop of one of its back legs. It is quickly defeated by Uguz and Garrisund, while Amnur dons his mace and shield and crushes a third spider. Realizing one of the spiders has disappeared, Amnur begins searching for it. He finds it, but only just before it sinks its fangs into the side of his neck. A venom quickly courses through his veins, but luckily his Dwarven fortitude prevails and it causes naught but pain. Angered by this attack, Uguz hefts his great axe above his head and drives it into the spider, reducing it to gore and driving it a good foot into the wet soil. The team gathers up some spider silk while Uguz attempts to harvest some of the spider venom. He fails to collect any successfully, but it is a learning experience, increasing his knowledge of poisons.
The trip proves moderately successful, earning them north of 50 GP on their first day. They return the following day, planning to go even deeper to find more Rothstaks. Traveling deep into the swamp, they find themselves in near constant water and heavy fog. They also find themselves surrounded by floating Rothstaks, floating freely in the flooded swamp interior. The group gathers a truly vast quantity of the orange cabbages and stows them in Garrisund's Bag of Holding. Upon their return, the fog concealed a large mound of grass covered earth that the group runs headlong into. Garrisund and Iris see it from further away, but Uguz and Amnur are just 10 feet away when it rises out of the muck, revealing it to be a large bovine. It twists its scrawny, long neck around to face Amnur and Uguz, revealing a pockmarked face resembling a warthog mixed with a Human skull. Iris quickly covers her eyes, and Garrisund sees her do this and quickly follows suit. Amnur draws his crossbow in case the monstrosity attacks, and makes deep eye contact with the beast. The creature moves away, but as Amnur keeps his crossbow trained on its head, he suddenly falls over into the chest deep (for a Dwarf) water. Moving further away, the beast seems to be uninterested in the rest of the group. Uguz and Garrisund quickly lift Amnur out of the water and carry him out of the swamp with great haste.
Arriving at the edge of the Hinterlands main village, they place Amnur on the ground and begin checking his condition. To the groups great horror, Amnur is revealed to be dead. Unsure of what to do, the group eventually decide to bring him back to Pike's Bay in the hope that Amnur can be brought back to the realm of the living.
Rewards Granted
Just over 50 gp from Rothstaks and spider silk, 164 Rothstaks in Garrisunds Bag of Holding.
Missions/Quests Completed
None
Character(s) interacted with
Spergulus Quazzleknack III, a friendly young Human male farmer, an elderly Gnome woman who purchased the first batch of Rothstaks.
Notes
Amnur dies to a Catoblepas' Death Gaze.
Amnur Balderk
Uguz Hellgrip
Garrisund
Report Date
13 Feb 2023
Primary Location
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