PREVIOUSLY - CAMPAIGN DIARIES 20 - Head's Up in Phandalin

Day 49 - Leaving for Triboar

The Owlbear League awakes with the aches and pains from a bit too much celebrating with the locals the night before. They are down a bit of gold and their voices are cracked from singing and carousing. Bleen the bard of the Stonehill Inn, had sung his heart out and they reveled with many of the townsfolk after hearing their exploits glorified in song. Immeral and K'ronk are not quite as infirm, having gone to their rooms early to work on spells, copying them from the red wizard's spellbook. They group gathers themselves together in the cool morning air, knowing they have a long trek ahead of them, and they will likely be leaving shortly.

Toblin, the owner of the Stonehill Inn bids them a hearty farewell, and the party assembles near Sister Garaele's home. Two carts with oxen now stand nearby, the oxen chewing on some field grass. One holds crates and barrels of supplies, the other hosts several clerically dressed persons and they welcome the group warmly. Clinker offers to gather the others at Edermath's orchard, and moves in that direction. There are four guards with the clerics, glancing curiously at the party, wondering if they will bring safety or trouble to the adventure.

Soon Garaele comes out and greets the group joyfully, lingering with Immeral, and before long the rest of the party arrives, including Lady D, their companion owlbear. The guards of the group definitely eye the large feathered creature with surprise and curiosity. The leader of the expedition, a somber priest named Chomond asks the League "Is that creature safe?"

"Not for anyone we don't know." Orryn replies, saddling up on the beast, thinking he might have to purchase some riding tack due to Lady D's recent desire for him to ride her.

"Harumph" Chomond expresses quietly. "If you are coming along, you can take the rear."

"Perfect, then we can keep an eye on all of you." Dain states.

"Harumph" Chomond expresses again.

The team mounts their wagons, the League riding nothing, choosing to walk, except for Orryn on Lady D. They then start out of the town. On the way out, many of the bustling townsfolk wave, a few stare, a few even snarl, but more of the former than the latter, as they depart. They head north, through the new city gates, and the two guards they met before are there.

"Halt, who goes there!" says Tinkerman.

"You're supposed to say that to someone coming IN the town." says Baublebox.

"Oh yeah!" says Tinkerman, "I got turned around!" then he shouts back to the group, "Don't halt, and don't who goes there! Safe travels, all!"

So begins their long hike up the Triboar trail which they have become very familiar with in recent weeks. Nowhere does some scouting ahead when the forest nears the road, and points out good resting areas that hide their location from unwanted attention. The road is desolate though, nobody coming down from Triboar, likely due to the true rumors that the road in unsafe near Conyberry - something the party plans on remediating. Clinker struggles a bit keeping up, but the priests allow him to ride in the supply wagon for some breaks, and Garaele takes to walking alongside Immeral for long stretches. The days are warm and sunny, but the nights are getting a bit cooler. K'ronk and Immeral work on their spellbooks during overnight rests, and the priests and sisters provide some warm meals in the evenings, a welcome break from the magical goodberries that Nowhere provides which can sustain them, but provides none of the satisfaction of a cooked meal. In her element, Nowhere also brings back game for the group, strangely with her signature avoidance of bow and arrow, she either snares the rabbits and fowl, or sneaks right up on them with her stealthy ranger abilities and grabs them suddenly. One evening she even returns with a small deer, a treat for Lady D, who seems to be getting a bit too domesticated.

Day 51 - Passing Conyberry

They pass the trail up to the Caves of Chaos and the home of the chitine in Cahervaniel, reminded they have to get some assistance at Triboar to clear out the caves and make a home for the spider-creatures if possible. Just short of Conyberry, the group sees a grizzly sight upon the side of the road, the bodies of several humans and the like, little left but bones baking in the sun and dirt and clothes stained with their blood. Their bodies have been picked apart, indeed a murder of crows are still trying to find some remaining carrion, and the flies in the area are thick. The party moves on somberly.

Cautiously, the party passes through the empty town, wary of a surprise attack, but nothing appears, and they continue on as the road bends east towards Triboar. Hours pass and the party sees a ranch along the side of the road, growing larger as they get closer. An impressive sign by the gate names it Butterskull Ranch. Smoke appears to be coming from a barn that has burned down, an ominous sign. The group stops momentarily to discuss options, Chomond stating that the need in Yartar is greater than here, and the guards advising against an "adventure". The League decides to escort their friends all the way to Triboar, then immediately come back. They get the clerics and guards to within sight of the town after a night on the road, , Immeral bidding Sister Garaele a fond farewell in case he is not back before they get back to Triboar, then they hustle back to the farm.

Day 53 - Butterskull Ranch

Orryn tells Lady D. to stay by the road and wait for their call and then the team disappears into a cornfield and gathers in the rows just short of the farmhouse.

They observe for a while and hear laughing and yelling, and recognize the gutteral tones immediately - orcs. Nowhere grows redder with rage, and Dain can scarcely be held back. Orryn and Nowhere tell the others they will peek into the home and figure out the situation. They stealthily creep up on the house from a blind corner and ascertain there are at least a dozen orcs in the farm, the neat home thrown into disarray by the uncivilized monsters. They continue around the corner of the house and spy a cellar door. Stealthily, they open it and are about to go down the stairs, when the rest of the group waves them back. They have a plan...

Immeral and K'ronk join forces, and using magic spells from each, create the illusion of a dragon flying high in the sky. Nowhere uses her infernal Thaumaturgy ability to broadcast a roar and the orcs pack the windows, looking up to the sky, watching the dragon in horror. Then it flies over the house out of their view, and another illusion makes it appear to land just near the farmhouse. Then Seraphina casts sacred flame right through the illusion of fire breath and sets the house on fire.

The orcs howl and scatter, nearly trampling each other. They head out the back door, running for the woods, some of them diving through the windows to get away from the dragon. Within a few minutes they are gone, and the house lies quiet, but burning. A ray of frost spell puts an end to the conflagration, and the house is scorched, but whole.

Pleased they vanquished the orcs without a drop of bloodshed, Immeral and K'ronk pat each other on the back with congratulations from Atlas, Orryn and Seraphina. Dain glowers with Nowhere that they did not kill the hated orcs, but so be it.

The team agrees, and a short time later, after trudging through the corn fields, they find Petunia and another cow and hasten them back to the house.

"The barn is toast," Al says, "but the cows can stay in the house while I'm away. I need to get to Triboar and hire some more hands and rebuild my barn. Would you bring in a bucket of water for the cows?" he says as he hurries upstairs. "Damn orcs ate all my food, all my butter too!" he shouts.

After a few moments, he comes down with a shirt of chainmail. "It's mithril," he says. "The kind your people make", nodding to Immeral. Take it, I can't fit into it any more. It's the least I can do for you. It's more valuable than gold.

Nowhere reaches out and takes the elven treasure, not sure who can make the best use of it yet. Then they escort Big Al up the road to Triboar, spending the evening with him overnight along the trail.

Day 54 - Arrival at Triboar

The party spends most of an uneventful morning walking to Triboar. Big Al departs, planning on securing materials and men to fix his barn. He gives the party great thanks, and the group has time to take in the town. Triboar appears to be a small, but bustling, mercantile town. It stands along the Long Road where the Triboar Trail to the east, becomes Everymoor Way to the west. The town is built on flat, fertile land, although there is a small woods just to the east of town, and a bluff north of the village where a mansion overlooks the town. There are farmsteads and ranches surrounding the area, with cattle and horses visibly grazing.

Off the square is a bulletin board with notices offering travel guide services to cities anywhere in the Savage North or the Sword Coast. There are also signs for a horse auction in the square each tenday. There is a closed business that has a sign that says "Ransor's" above it. An apothecary that remains nameless, and at the east end of town is a brightly painted barn with a pony weathervane near a cute cottage. A sign names it Merivold Pony Park.

The companions notice a constable of some sort, a fellow in uniform with a sword (although most people wear swords in the north), entering the stilted tower. They follow. There is a table near the entrance where someone sits, a woman in a similar uniform, with others behind her talking, and some metal barred cells visible in the background. "Do you need something?" she asks.

Nowhere tells her "We're trying to find help with a problem near Conyberry. There are orcs in the hills in an area called The Caves of Chaos. We've already killed some of the creatures there, but there are too many for us, we are looking for help."

Although the woman eyes the red, demonic-looking tiefling a bit suspiciously, she answers professionally. "You will want to talk to Daratha, she is the Lord Protector of the Tower. She's away though - there have been some orc attacks on some farms in the hills and she's sending the militia to check it out."

"How will we get in touch with her?" Orryn asks.

"When she gets back, she'll find you." the militiawoman replies.

Satisfied, the team leaves the tower, out into the market square, pedestrians taking a wide path around them, especially Lady D. The companions take a stroll around the town, taking it all in, realizing that a gnome riding on an owlbear is a bit ostentatious, so they try to find a place they can stable lady D for the night, and as they pass Merivold's, they find two older ladies sitting on the porch in the dusk sun. They wave hello, and they call out to the group.

"Hello," says one, "I'm Janna, and this is my sister Merivold. Are you looking for ponies? We have some of all sizes, even small ones for the lovely halfling. Even the gnome fellow, although if that is an owlbear, I'm not sure I would trade him for a pony, he's beautiful."

"It's a she", Orryn responds, awkwardly sliding off of Lady D. "We're looking to stable her for the next night or two. Could you do that?"

Merivold responds this time. "I guess so, if she is well behaved, but she has no tack, so you'll have to bring her to the barn yourself, and we'll have to see how the other ponies react. Would 1 gold per night be reasonable? I bet she won't eat hay."

"Let's try it." Orryn replies, and they successfully take Lady D to a large stall in the barn and close the door. If she wanted to leave, it wouldn't hold her, but she would be secure and the other ponies paid little attention. Orryn communicates to Lady D that you can rest safely here, we will be back tomorrow. And Lady D takes a welcome break from the long walks by resting on a bed of hay.

"How big is it's dung?" Janna says.

"Like a moose." Orryn says. "Impressive."

The spinsters laugh and the group thanks them as they head back to the center of town.

They view some of the local shops, but they are keen on a plan involving a wagon. The thinking in the group is to take the wagon back down the Triboar Trail and to surprise the attackers, disguised as a merchant company, they can draw out some of the orcs or gnolls and take them out before they ever get to the Caves of Chaos. Then they can gather the chitine, along with any mercenaries they can gather in Triboar, and assault the caves. Hopefully handing them over to the chitine to keep clear and build a life for themselves. If all goes according to plan.

First they stop at Wainwright's Wagons and talk to Tosker Wainwright, who in very short order sells them a ready-to-go covered wagon of very fancy design. He asks 150 gold pieces for the wagon, which seems very expensive, but he tells them it is all he has in stock. They pay and head across the street to secure mounts. There, at the Happy Horse Ranch, The League talks to the owner, a human woman named Janele Karnveller, who in short order sets them up with two draft horses for 100 gold, and agrees to get the wagon hitched for them.

As they close the deal, a stern woman in uniform approaches them. The decorations on her uniform are more illustrious than the other they have seen before, her rank must be greater. She strides directly to The League, a small group of militia following, "Are you the group with the owlbear?"

Down past homes, businesses, and a graveyard, the members of The League with Lady D. rush away from the madness in the center of Triboar, only to find they are trapped. They come to a stop at the high grass at the edge of a dropoff running east to west. They could of coarse head east and abandon the town and their companions, but that never even comes up as an option. Atlas brings out his magical rope and the team tells Lady D to hang on. They tie the rope around her paw, then the three of them, using the friction of a tree, lowers her down the 30' dropoff. When at the bottom, Atlas commands the rope to release Lady D, and they secure it to the tree for the rest of them to scramble down.

Meanwhile, the rest of the League are shepherding townsfolk away from the town into an open grass field. They ask Daratha, "Can we head into the woods?"

She replies, "Many of the townsfolk won't go in the woods. They say it's haunted."

"Is it really haunted?" Dain asks.

"I'm not about to find out," the Lord Protector of Triboar responds, while turning and looking north. "But it seems we may not need to, the attackers are not heading south. I wonder what they are up to."

"I can find out." Immeral offers, and tells Syldan, his hawk familiar to fly at a safe distance over the town, see what the giants are doing, and then return. The creature flies off and in a few short minutes returns as Daratha confers with the assembling militia. Syldan conveys to Immeral that the giants are digging for something in the earth where the wagons were. The others are curious, and Daratha comes returns as the thuds of the giants they are now sensitive to can be heard. The steps are moving away from the town.

"It appears they have found what they are looking for." Daratha says, and they can spy the giants and their entourage walking back to the north, dragging something heavy along with them. Daratha immediately takes charge. "People, the threat is leaving, we will proceed back into town, militia at the front." She turns to the League, now joined by the rest of their members and Lady D.

"The rest of you can come with us. Bring the owlbear." she says. Then thinking for a moment she turns to Orryn, riding atop Lady D. "Will it object if I pet it?"

"No," Orryn replies, and he communicates to Lady D. the way he does with some mild touches and nearly inaudible sounds.

Daratha takes a moment to run her hand atop the feathers of the great beast. "Astounding." she states, and then orders the militia forward.

They return to the town and take measure of the damage, several buildings on the north side a bit worse for wear. A few destroyed. The townsfolk spread out as Daratha calls several members of the militia to her side and directs the others to be on alert. She marches off to the caravan grounds where the giants were digging. The Owlbear League follows. In the hole, about 10 feet down, there is a regular pattern in the compacted dirt. It appears that the object in question was a gear of some sort, and a huge one, perhaps 8 feet around, judging from the slice they have evidence of.

K'ronk asks, "Do we want to see if we can detect magic?" Immeral steps forward and casts a spell, making visible the magical nature of The Weave that gives all things magic. Like a light, or a dye, or something inbetween, the edges of the soil where the gear had been buried show traces of magic, tiny knots of The Weave that betray that the object taken was indeed an object imbued with magic. Immeral shares this observation with the team.

"There was only one of them dragging the gear." Daratha comments. "If they were hear for something else, they likely could have dragged it off too, so 'let's pray to the gods this is the last of it." she takes a pause and turns to Nowhere. "You wanted to see me about some help. Normally with giants stomping around I would not, but if I assume they are gone, orcs in the hills a day away are a more credible threat. You can have 10 militia, to root out your orcs, but you will owe me a favor."

"What's the favor?" Dain asks.

"You'll know what it is when I need you. You can't be to hard to find - a tiefling, a dragonborn, a forest and a deep gnome, a dwarf, a high elf, a halfling, and a half-elf running around with an Owlbear and all. Not exactly subtle are you all?" she asks with a hint of a smirk.

Nowhere, often stoic, smirks back, just a little. "Deal. Do you have a place we can stay for the night?"

"I'm not in the hospitality business. Check out the Inns - or the Everwyvern House if you have gold. My people will be at the tower in the morning." and she marches back to the town square.

The group meets Alestra at the Lionshield Coster. MORE DETAILS TO COME

As the townsfolk bustle in the advancing dusk to set their things in order, The League heads to the Everwyvern House, and in short order, arrives. "I'll be with Lady D." Orryn states.

"This place looks mighty fancy." Clinker remarks. "Just like us!"

They stroll through beautifully landscaped patch of land with private stables, private gardens, and a meandering path through a small orchard. The inn itself is a beautiful stone building with lamps hanging from its eaves and a turret in one corner. As the party enters the establishment, a male human hurries over to them, a bit wide-eyed at first.

"Sirs, madams, how may I be of assistance? I am Gebbry, master of the Everwyvern House, the finest Inn of the North for tasteful travelers outside of Waterdeep." Minstrels play quiet background music among floating plants and many-hued driftglobes, while startlingly gowned women and dashingly sashed and ruffled men chatted, strolled, danced, and sneered at each other.

"We would like to see if you have rooms for the night." Nowhere replies.

"Of course, of course, but first might I direct you to our bathhouse, out back?" Gebbry responds.

"Bath House?" Nowhere asks, what for?

"Well we are a fine establishment madam, and you appear to have a bit of road rust on you at the moment, shall we say." Gebbry replies.

Nowhere turns and looks and inspects the others who indeed bear their normally somewhat disheveled appearance. She turns as if nothing was suggested by the man. "How much are the rooms?"

Gebbry responds, "our rooms are 15 gold per night with two beds, unfortunately our suite is full, but we do have four rooms available if dual occupancy would be acceptable. Meals are separate of course, but our chef is newly arrived from Tonnbryck and brings with him a wealth of new epicurian techniques. His pheasant pie is delightful, running 25gp per plate.

Clinker seems offended. "That's a month's good prospectin' for a pie!"

"Set us up Gebbry, I'm paying. Beds, food, and there better be some mead." Nowhere replies and she hands the man a sack of coinage. "I want the change." she growls at the fellow. "And feed our owlbear in the stables. You don't want to see him hungry."

Intimidated, Gebbry swallows and squeeks out a "Right away!" as he leads the party to the attached bathhouses (men's and women's) and get them started with attendants. They come and prepare their baths and gather their belongings and weapons for transport to their rooms. Clinker manages to bring his flask of Ol' Death Whisper into the bath and gets a head start before the mead is served. They have a fabulous meal in the common room after their baths, their clothing freshly washed and drying for tomorrow while they dine in the little change of clothes they have. The beds are amazing, being constructed of something called a mattress, and they each rest like they have not in months.

Day 55 - Morning in Triboar

The next morning, the party gathers the wagon and oxen they purchased and meets the militia at the tower, Clinker and Seraphina extremely happy to ride in the wagon, their legs the shortest of anyone in the group except Orryn, who rides on Lady D., not having to hustle to keep up. There are ten armed men and women and three leaders waiting at the tower. Daratha comes out and introductions are made, but the time for chitchat is short and they move off together, heading east out of Triboar, spending a night on the road and getting to know each other a little bit.

Narth Tezrin is an olive-skinned, dark-haired fighter who dresses well and reveals that he is extremely excited to be on an adventure with the League. He works with Alestra at the Lionshield Coster. He knows Alestra would be heartbroken if he left, but he really wants to see the world.

An older dark skinned woman is the second of the group that seems to stand out as a leader. Urgala Meltimer is a recently retired adventurer, who seems to be ready to meet violence with violence. Clearly the threat to Triboar has her ready to go on the offensive, she carries a morningstar with her and seems like she knows how to use it, but strangely for a retired adventurer, she is vocal about not trusting the party or adventurers in general.

There's Othovir, a harness maker whose shop was just destroyed by the giant attack. He seems ready to take his frustrations out on the orcs. He does know some magic though, and gets friendly talking shop with the wizards of the Owlbear League as the night progresses.

Finally Ghelryn Foehammer is the other Triboar "standouts". He owned the blacksmith that was destroyed and is furious at the giants, but the only thing he hates more than giants are orcs, so he'll start with them. He carries a wicked battleaxe, and Dain and him swap war stories while borrowing a bit of Clinker's hooch during the night.

There are the other fighters too, the varied militia of a frontier town, all of them used to danger and defense. They are well prepared for a night along the trail, and so the Owlbear League has to coddle no one, and although the militiafolk assist, the League keeps its own watch. Nowhere does contribute with her mysterious bow-less trapping though, but she only secures a few raccoons, but the militia have a large pot in the wagon, and they make a coon stew for the group.

Day 56 - Back at the Farm

The next morning, almost immediately their march brings them to Butterskull Ranch. They probably would have made it the day before, but the size of their group and their unfamiliarity with the oxen and wagon slowed them down. They pull off to talk to Big Al, who greets them warmly. He already has a few workers starting on his barn, cutting down trees in the nearby forest. Petunia can be seen tied to the rail of his house, looking none the worse for a night spent in the house.

The League tells him of their mission, to return to the caverns of Cahervaniel and get the chitine to assist them "clearing" the Caves of Chaos, establishing a home for them away from the "bad" chitine and any possible interaction with the drow of the underdark. They see a glimmer in his eye, and ask if he would like to join them.

"Maybe I still have a bit of fight left in me, especially if its a fair fight. And if the orcs who attacked my farm are back in those caves, then by the gods, we better see what we can do about it. Anyone living in the Savage North would do the same. Let me get my sword." Big Al tells them before running off to get some things. They share their happyness to have him, and are soon off.

Soon they are near Conyberry and prepare their trap. Nowhere begins, "All the attacks in the area have been west of Conyberry. The plan is to be just another wagon on the trail. Atlas, and Seraphina, you look the least imposing, so will ride in the open. The rest of the League hide in the covered wagon."

"What about Lady D?" Orryn asks. "She sort of stands out."

"You will have to keep her back a ways, off the road, with the militia and I. There isn't enough room in the wagon for more. We will have to keep to the high grass. Hopefully we won't be spotted, we will just have to hurry to catch up if an attack takes place." Nowhere replies.

"Let's do this." Dain adds, and gets into the wagon.

A short time later, past the grisly remains of a prior band of merchants, the attack comes. Bugbears stream from the south of the road with javelins in hand which they launch at the wagon. K'ronk takes a hit to his leg, but it's a flesh wound, Seraphina and Atlas leap to the far side of the wagon for cover, waiting for their quarry to get close. When the squad of eight bugbears is tens of feet from the wagon, Nowhere, a few dozen yards back yells "ATTACK!". She leaps onto Lady D. with Orryn and they race to engage with the bugbears.

The largest of the bugbears looks up the road and seeing the mounted owlbear charging, and seeing adventurers streaming from the wagon, halts and barks out an order "Rebrock!". Confused, his bugbears start to turn and run, but it is a massacre, Dain raging through the bugbears and the League cutting them down barely before the militia can arrive. Lady D. is ecstatic and even with Orryn and Nowhere riding on her, she runs down the bugbear lieutenant and knocks him to the ground. Nowhere and Orryn leap off and the group surrounds the bugbear leader. He makes no move to get up, his leg likely broken from the trampling.

"Throw your weapons away." K'ronk tells him, and he does. Nowhere goes over to the villain, pulls out her dagger and brings it to his throat. "Tell me, who is left in the caves - how many?"

"Eat worms." the Hobgoblin replies, and caring little of trying to get more information, Nowhere cuts his throat. "No, the worms will eat you." Nowhere whispers.

The team gathers the javelins and swords from the hobgoblins and piles them into their wagon, then they leave the road and head south. During the journey through the fields and hills south of Conyberry, the team explains to the militia that their reinforcements are not pleasing to the eye. They share the tale of the "good" chitine, and prepare them for the frighting visage they display. Some hours later, they come back to Cahervaniel, this time guarded with two Chitine at the entrance. They approach cautiously, but the chitine appear prepared for their return. "Take us to Uelwyn." Orryn states, climbing down from Lady D.

Down into the earth, down the long stair, the members of the Owlbear League go, and in short time they pass through the room of mists, around the traps in the floor, and are taken to Uelwyn. Vald stands with her, pleased to see them.

"It is time." Orryn tells Uelwyn. Do you have your fighters ready, we have brought help too, and already killed some of the hobgoblins nearby.

"We are ready. But we only have 25 fighters, along with myself and Vald. But we need a place for the women and young to be safe. They cannot be left here. The other chitine have been probing at our defenses. It may only be time before they attack."

Atlas chimes in. "Why don't we ask Big Al if we can bring them to his farm?"

The others like the idea as does Uelwyn, and at her signal, the chitine people quickly gather their belongings, all of their four arms filled with their belongings, and hanging on to their young. They make the long climb up and the League and chitine regather under the afternoon sun.

Orryn pulls Big Al aside and asks if the male and female chitine can stay safely at his ranch. Al agrees, somewhat distracted at the sight of his guests, but asks if they can return to warn the workers on his farm of the "visitors". All agree they should stay together, and they begin the trek back to the farm.

As dusk falls, Al and the League scurry ahead to warn the hired hands that Al has employed from Triboar. When they get a look at the chitine though, their nerve breaks a bit and they state they will stay out by the ruins of the barn. Nobody objects.

The female and children chitine make due in the house, while the males, The League and the rest camp outside. The night is a bit cool, the season turning towards fall, a few tendays away this far north. They set bonfires, and Big Al tries to set up the chitine as comfortably as he can. They are intrigued by his out-house, and Vald takes a special interest in a break-baking lesson Big Al gives to some of the chitine. He shares with them some butter that the hired hands have churned, and impress upon them the value of his prize cow, Petunia. By the end of the night they are happily settled, enjoying warm bread and butter.

Tomorrow will bring greater challenges - the unknown number of enemies at the Caves of Chaos. How will they start the battle? How will they end it? What surprises does that den of villainy have in store? Ultimately, who will live and who will die on the morrow?

NEXT - CAMPAIGN JOURNAL 22 - Battle of the Caves.