Wandered Roads 16

Wandered Roads of Varisia
Session 16
October 20, 2012

Campaign Timeline

Set In Stone

Sunday, 9th of Lamashan

Calina and Kallin go out for a walk early the morning after the party returned from their troublesome visit to the haunted Foxglove Manor. While out exploring the hills near the Devil’s Platter, they come across a patrol from Sandpoint who were tracking a band of Birdcruncher Goblins that recently attacked some Varisians on the Lost Coast Road. They followed the trail back to the base of the Devil’s Platter, the known territory of the Birdcrunchers. Once there, strange sounds that could possibly be a battle were heard, along with a song that was both disconcerting and hauntingly beautiful at once. Shouts and the sounds of falling rocks could be heard from up the wooded cliff face, but nothing could be seen. After a closer investigation, a narrow animal lair was discovered near a steep path leading up toward where the noise was coming from. Suddenly, two of the Sandpoint guardsmen take off up the path without a word. Everyone pursued them, though Calina and Kallin had trouble navigating the steep, rocky slope.

Birdcruncher 

Traversing up the treacherous trail, several narrow ledges were encountered. There were Goblins on these ledges, though they were not watching for the climbers coming from below, they were watching something above. At one point, a Goblin came hurtling past from somewhere up above, crashing to his death below. The singing and now the sounds of something large climbing up through the trees of the cliffside above. Eventually, a hanging wooden cage of some sort could be seen up above, more Goblins could be seen firing arrows and throwing rocks down from above, though, as before, they were targeting something else unseen, possibly the large creature heard noisily clambering up the side of the Devil’s Platter.

Harpy in a Cage

On one of the ledges, a complicated trap of expanding wooden cages, weights and counterweights was discovered. By tampering with some rotten food on a stake near the edge of the precipice, a trap would be triggered causing a pile of nearby branches to snap up and form a wooden cage, which would sweep past the ledge and then drop to hang below. It was an ingenious trap laid no doubt by the Birdcruncher Goblins to trap and eat the birds they are known to eat (alive and raw, if the stories are correct.)

Eventually the trail wound past where the cage hung with the source of the uneasy singing. A Harpy had been trapped by the Birdcrunchers trap. Just then, another Goblin comes around the path from up ahead. He pays no mind to anyone else on the path but merely steps to a large rock near the edge of the trail then leaps out toward the suspended cage, missing it by over 5 feet and sailing down toward his death at the bottom of the cliff. The Harpy was put out of its misery by a well placed arrow from Whisper and the group continued upward.

They finally came to a large group of Goblins who were shooting over the edge of the nearest ledge. They quickly turned and engaged the heroes when they saw them but just a few moments later, a large Stone Giant, standing just over 12 feet tall. He immediately attacked the party, ignoring the Goblins, though they continued to attack him. After a few short secods, the mercenary ranger Eogar lay dead and Kallin was nearly knocked unconscious after being swatted by the giants great club. In the end, the Giant was toppled, with much help from Paka, who leaped upon the creatures leg, latched on and continued biting and raking at great danger to himself.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall!

Some gold was found in the Giant’s satchel, but more disturbing was the unlabeled map of Varisia with Sandpoint marked quite clearly.

The map was taken back to town, along with the body of the dead Iron Carnival mercenary. The Mayor and Sheriff were both quite alarmed by the map and the implications that it carried.

Disturbing Map of Varisia

Session Notes

Quite a light night on this evening, the only 2 players available were the 2 hosts, Carol and Dan, but we played anyway. Fortunately both of their characters seem to have a panache for wandering around aimlessly in the hinterlands outside of town, so I threw together a little side trek for them

Characters Present:

Kallin Hawkril, Half-Orc shaman and budding Priest of Pharasma - played by +Daniel Ernst
Calina - Varisian Human archer and scout - played by +Carol Coburn
Daellin Silvanthalas, Elven Farstrider Ranger - played by +Ben Lipe
Vexeron, Human wizard - played by +Greg Grady
Ehlyna Fuzziface - Dwarven Warrior - played by +Jodi H
Samad Aldhul, Human ex-mercenary - played by +JeCorey Holder
Ellie - Halfling Finder of Things - played by +Megan McCarron

and +Jason Woollard as the DM