We are traveling in disguise attempting to look like occupiers. Sarvalor is disguised by Thag to look like a Half-Orc and renews the disguise each morning. We are using the cart from the farm and concealing weapons or other items as necessary in the hay. Thag offered a poultice to everyone that acts as a potion of healing. It can last for 7 days. We each have one.
Some Traffic on the road
The first group that passed us, headed the other direction, was a few Orcs with human prisoners chained together. They paid us no attention other than telling us in Orcish to stay to our side of the road.
The second group was human horseman clad in red and green (which are the colors of Rehyu) as they were coming toward us, they were probably headed back to Rehyu. (We had just left there)
The First night we camped 1/4 a mile off road in some trees. We decided on no campfire and Granny Po slept in a tree. We used some of the farm tools we have in the cart to rake the ground so as to hide the cart having been taken off the road. Mechanically we had a short rest.
DM Note
Steve reminded the party that a few considerations must be met to have rest qualify as a long rest. They are:
1. Camping in a secure location.
2. Having a fire.
He also reminded us that having a fire can and likely will draw attention of one sort or another.
The Next Day
Back toward the road (where we left it the night before) , we encounter some wagons; an Orcish road crew set camp the night before we we left the road. They had already started some labor. They asked curiously why we camped in the woods like the elf folk but gave us no mind otherwise.
Lodz
As we approached the town of Lodz, we notice a group of humanoids working on either side of the road ahead. Fallon notices they seem unnatural. When we were closer it was clear they were undead workers.
We pass several farms close to town and many near the road have undead working the fields. We pass them uneventfully. In Lodz, we get close to the center of town we see two orcs working a booth.
“Welcome to Lodz.” The two Orcs working the both look to be soldierly, and Kresh feels he outranks them. They demand papers but Sarvalor spins a tale about Boss Downy sending us North with slaves and that we are to return south with supplies. Granny and Fallon explain beforehand that they can “influence” the Orcs if it comes to that, and Dulgarn says he can also provide some influence by way of a hammer. We end up paying a 5 silver toll from Khesh to get through the town.
Second night
We found a cave about a 1/2 mile off the road to rest for the night, and raked the ground again. IT seemed like pretty good shelter. There was some talk of a fire and Khesh insisted we shouldn’t unless we need to. Later that evening, a human with a mandolin marches into the cave. A few us hide. He greets those he can see, and looks at each of them and seems unhappy that he is not finding who he is looking for. Upon closer inspection it would appear that he is undead. After hearing his story, he is looking for “Clive Bushant” who he says is the reason for his death, the death of his family, and the end of his livelyhood. He introduces himself as the Famous Rohannis. He plays some songs for us and Fallon joins in. Khesh gets upset about the clamor. Rohannis leaves but not before describing Clive, and says if we run into him, to tell him that Rohannis is coming to get his revenge. Clive is 6’2″ with one ear knocked and carries a Great Axe.
The Next Day
Montage: Spiders in the woods. While traveling through a wooded area we see spider webs overhead. Granny Po notices a strand is on her leg. As she cuts it, several giant spiders appear in the canopy. Khesh lights a torch and begins burning the webs in reach. This reveals a small Kobold in a cocoon that peeks at us from within, desperately/imploringly. Fallon runs across the webbing and rescues the Kobold, with the cocoon sticking to him like a papoose. Dulgarn also burns some webbing and Sarvalor scares the largest spider off.
Meno Chawawumbating the 10th is the kobold and he says upon his release if we ever are in Rift Canyon, he will repay the debt with a big party. He also claims to be a fierce warrior. Khesh repeatedly insults Meno calling all Kobolds filthy and untrustworthy and whatever grand Kobold city Meno is from is likely just a stinking hole in the ground.
Later that Day we hear chest thumping in the woods. Fallon seems to think it is some type of ape. We marked the spot on the travel map but travel on and come out of the woods and onto the road.
The Ambush
We set a the cart on it’s side in the middle of the road with Dulgarn, Po, and Khesh all at the cart, and the remainder of the party hiding in the woods. We spot the caravan coming toward us about a 1/2 mile off. When they come close, despite being pretty well hidden, when Nandris’ entourage shows up, the lead skeletons on horseback detect them and one shouts “It’s a trap!” 2 humans in the cart fight each other. Fallon notices runes on the side of the cart. We deduce that the cart is reanimating the dead. The cart is set alight and after several turns the fire causes enough damage to the cart to stop the reanimating. The remainder of the undead are redeaded. Several partly members rally or cast healing spells to heal up, and Khesh is damaged by a reduction of 5 to his max hit points that is not yet cleared.
Nandris is with a woman, Mina, who he says is one of his most favorite people in the world. We tell him we are to take him to the Bostun Crossroads. He says that they runes being destroyed likely signaled someone and that reinforcements will be coming. We search everything. We find 74 silver pieces and Khesh repays himself the 5 silver from the toll and is carrying the rest of the silver. Khesh attempts to search Nandris after executing one of the remaining entourage at Nandris’ request. Before he can search him, Nandris hands over 2 magic items and potion. They are:
- Amulet of the Drunkard. (attunement item that is currently being worn by Dulgarn) The amulet can heal 4d4+4 hp (resets at dawn) if the wearer drinks alcohol.
- Glove of Storing (attunement item that is currently being worn by Fallon) The glove can conceal any one item up to 20 lbs that can be instantly retrieved with a flick of the wrist.
- Oil of Sharpness (non attunement oil that is single use being held by Sarvalor)
We also find 4 daggers, unclaimed.
We cleared the road of all signs of battle, and sent Nandris’ cart to continue unmanned down the road to muddy indications of our plans. We took 4 horses and our own cart and headed back the way we came. After some time we noticed a dust cloud indicating many riders riding hard toward us, but behind us. We again sent the remaining cart off in another direction in an attempted misdirection, then doublign up on the 4 horses, rode them hard ahead to try and create distance while also looking for opportuntities to hide or otherwise prepare our next move.
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