02 - The Wailing Cavern
General Summary
Enik reported a rumor of a small cave in the foot hills North West of Lake Ostenward. It appeared to make a strange sound, almost like someone screaming or singing, but it could have just been the wind, worth checking out either way.
They continued north on the trail and were closing in on the tree line leading to the foothills where this cave was located. The parties senses were sharp and they were quick to act when they saw Bondok, a new recruit, begin running in terror away from the tree line the party was slowly approaching. Suddenly a creature burst from the trees. It was large and muscular like a gorilla, though it sported razer sharp talons on its hands and feet, a single imposing eye instead of the expected two, but most surprisingly it midsection where a creatures stomach normally would be was instead a monstrous maw featuring giant fangs and a tongue.
The party acted quickly and broke Bondok out of it while Banjo Kentucky flew up and distracted it while the party sprinted into the tree line for cover and to hopefully escape this horrifying creature. They were ultimately successful but the party was definitely wary the rest of the expedition.
They dubbed this creature THE BELLYMAW
The party continued into the cave, and upon stepping into the cave they heard something. It was an incredibly warm and welcoming sound, somewhat songlike, almost like the cave was a second home, it was incredibly charming. But once the party snapped out of it they discovered that the sound was emanating from thick bits of grass growing in the cave which the party identified as Siren Grass. The party cut down the singing grass and proceeded with caution as to not get caught in the allure of that mystical plant.
They discovered piles of miscellaneous bones inside the cave, as well as full skeleton, and they deduced that the Siren Grass & Giant Carnivorous Squirrels had a mutualistic relationship in which the grass brought creatures into the cave which they squirrels would swarm from a hole in the ceiling to kill and consume those creatures.
The skeleton had a somewhat undamaged satchel which contained 2 bluish green potions with a cloudy appearance that the party couldn't indentify, and a waterlogged journal or book that the party couldn't find a use for. The potions were later indentified by Haron as Potions of Waterbreathing.
Encounter
On the Road
The cartographers set off westward towards Pathfinders Trail in search of this cave. After crossing the massive stone bridge they found a series of deer corpses strewn about. They didn't appear to have been killed my humans, the kills were much to brutal. The deer had been ripped in half, though only the back halves remained, spilling their blood, guts, and entrails into the soil. The cartographers heads were on a swivel after this.They continued north on the trail and were closing in on the tree line leading to the foothills where this cave was located. The parties senses were sharp and they were quick to act when they saw Bondok, a new recruit, begin running in terror away from the tree line the party was slowly approaching. Suddenly a creature burst from the trees. It was large and muscular like a gorilla, though it sported razer sharp talons on its hands and feet, a single imposing eye instead of the expected two, but most surprisingly it midsection where a creatures stomach normally would be was instead a monstrous maw featuring giant fangs and a tongue.
The party acted quickly and broke Bondok out of it while Banjo Kentucky flew up and distracted it while the party sprinted into the tree line for cover and to hopefully escape this horrifying creature. They were ultimately successful but the party was definitely wary the rest of the expedition.
They dubbed this creature THE BELLYMAW
The Cave
The party thankfully reached the cave without any other sign of the Bellymaw, though they did find another creature outside the cave. Among the trees were these large squirrels, much larger than any city squirrel. These squirrels were about the size of a medium dog and they loudly chittered at the party as they walked by. They seemed rather peaceful, until a single squirrel leapt from a tree atop of the cave revealing a thin webbing of skin between its arms and body, allowing it to glide all the way down to Fred and take a chomp of dat ass. All at once the rest of these Giant Carnivorous Squirrels descended on the party but were slain like the animals they were.The party continued into the cave, and upon stepping into the cave they heard something. It was an incredibly warm and welcoming sound, somewhat songlike, almost like the cave was a second home, it was incredibly charming. But once the party snapped out of it they discovered that the sound was emanating from thick bits of grass growing in the cave which the party identified as Siren Grass. The party cut down the singing grass and proceeded with caution as to not get caught in the allure of that mystical plant.
They discovered piles of miscellaneous bones inside the cave, as well as full skeleton, and they deduced that the Siren Grass & Giant Carnivorous Squirrels had a mutualistic relationship in which the grass brought creatures into the cave which they squirrels would swarm from a hole in the ceiling to kill and consume those creatures.
The skeleton had a somewhat undamaged satchel which contained 2 bluish green potions with a cloudy appearance that the party couldn't indentify, and a waterlogged journal or book that the party couldn't find a use for. The potions were later indentified by Haron as Potions of Waterbreathing.
Rewards Granted
| Image | Item & Description | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
 |
Giant Squirrel Pelt
Quality pelts.
|
x 2 |
 |
Giant Squirrel Jerky
Flakey grasshopper steak.
|
15 lbs. |
 |
Siren Grass Seeds
Harvested from Siren Grass. Can be used to brew Potions of Birdsong
|
x 5 |
 |
Potion of Waterbreathing
You can breathe underwater for 1 hour after drinking this potion. Its cloudy green fluid smells of the sea.
|
x 2 |
 |
Payment
Sweet, sweet money.
|
7gp, 5 sp each |
Related Reports
SPOILER (click to reveal)
The party would later return to this cave for Expedition 07a - Hunting of the Beast.
They discover the secrets below in Expedition 07c - Uncovering the Drowned Ruins.
They would return again to this cave and the ruins below in Expedition 12 - Wings of Desire
Report Date
20 Mar 2022
Primary Location
Related Characters
