Did You Say "Albino Death Weasel"?

General Summary

After rescuing most of the residents of Ambridge and returning them to their homes, the Party members looked into their personal interests in Mystryl. Hobart cultivated more contacts in the Guild, both to pursue work and to keep ears open about suspicious activity related to the revelations from Lola. Axelrod and Bartimus went to the Magic University of Mystryl to check in on the dragon egg. They weren't impressed by the professor and suspected he was just winging it, not knowing exactly what would happen should the egg hatch. Axelrod also began scoping out the real estate market, but his initial investigation led him to lackluster agents and a particularly shady fellow offering a high-interest loan. Maybe next time, big guy.
Emmalyn sought out a trusted member of the Church of Mysteries, and the Party relayed their experiences to her. She was relieved to hear that no Mysterious Cult activities had been witnessed within Mystryl, and she urged everyone to notify her if anything suspicious or dangerous happened.
Meanwhile, Bartimus buried his head into the books and scrolls of the Great Library. While he explored the historical texts, something caught Barty's eye: The Journal of Alvan Mistglide, the same family name from the ruins where the Party defeated Bronwen Mandit! The book was the first-person account of a rather arrogant, irresponsible young man from over 3,500 years ago. It detailed a strange plague that ravaged the land and people under the rule of his father. Eventually, Alvan was the last remaining Mistglide, and he went on a journey to the swamps of Lake Thane to discover a rumored source of power he thought could save his lands. The journal ended there. In his excitement to show his friends and pursue this lead, Barty "inadvertently" stole the journal from the library.
Planning to head south, the Party caught word of a halfling trade caravan headed on a four-day journey to Sharport who were looking for protection. The Party offered their services, planning to take advantage of a chance to trade with more remote locations (and give Greg the opportunity to see more of the world). The first day passed without incident.
On the second day, the caravan was accosted by a pack of wolves prowling through a grain field. The pack was led by a large dire wolf. Upon drawing his shortsword for the first time since falling unconscious in the Hel Mountains, Hobart felt compelled to attack the most dangerous creature, and he dove into combat with the dire wolf. The rest of the Party defended the caravan from the other wolves, and when Hobart finally struck down the pack alpha, he felt a surge of energy gird him for his next challenge. While Hobart was a little surprised by this newfound bloodlust, he didn't hate it. What would happen if he didn't satisfy it?
During their travels, everyone noticed an increasing number of large burrows in the fields. Before long, they discovered the source: albino death weasels! The large, white weasels erupted from below ground, and one killed a halfling in the caravan before the Party could even see it. They jumped into battle, with Axelrod unfortunately being briefly poisoned by a weasel's musk spray. A death weasel felled another halfling and was about to attack Greg until the Party finished off the threat. The remaining halflings retrieved a runaway cart and mourned their dead, and then they proceeded onward.
Before sunset, the caravan reached Olkmond, one of the larger trading post settlements in the outlying countryside between Mystryl and Morten. They were greeted by "guards" running a protection racket who insisted on a travel and trading fee before entry. Words were exchanged, and Hobart asked to speak to their manager. Hostilities did not die down, and a brawl ensued. The Party faced overwhelming numbers, but with the help of some brave citizens, poor marksmanship, and a particularly stupid bandit, they emerged victorious when the last four enemies laid down their scimitars. The Party collected the bandits' ill-gotten gains, returning some to the citizens to hire the remaining bandits as legitimate guards. Everyone had a fine time. Hobart even convinced the caravan to wait while exquisite studded leather armor was crafted from the dire wolf's hide.
The caravan moved on to Sharport, just in time to witness a sahuagin raid. Two townsfolk were killed, but the Party defeated the attackers relatively quickly. During the battle, they met Carl and Sea Dog, owners of a small trade vessel they routinely sailed across Lake Thane. If the Party were willing to defend the ship like they just defended the town, Carl would sail them to Grimport and the Lake Thane swamps.
With the freedom to pursue their interests without the involvement of Confederation Arcanum bureaucracy, what will the Party find in the swamps? Great power and wealth? Dark and grisly dangers? Find out next time...

Report Date

07 Nov 2020

Primary Location

Olkmond

Secondary Location

Sharport