Five Tower Keep Session 20: 12/27/2018 We are Bushwood Applesnook and Word of Kazzurog In The Harbor

It was late afternoon when we catch up with our characters in Lowport on their way to the dwarf merchant Bushwood Applesnook.

Once our characters arrive to the large complex that is Bushwood Applesnook’s; there is a guard tower that overlooks the businesses and stalls where all manner of dwarves are employed. Founded a few hundred years ago by an adventurer of Rappan Athuk- an old dwarf that established the mercantile. At Bushwood Applesnooks each dwarf dresses, speaks and acts like Bushwood Applesnook from old. 

We make our way to the Adventuring Gear Emporium and are greeted by Bushwood Applesnook who invites us to a beautiful upstairs parlor room to broker the sale for items.

Our characters present:

A stone basin made of coldstone. (500 gp)

4 tanned Sythehorn pelts worth 100 gp. (400)

40 croc skins worth 25 gp. (1,000 gp)

20 tusks/horns worth 100 gp (2,000 gp)

30 lbs of young dragon skin (two 15 lbs. pieces) 500 gp

30 lbs. of giant frilled lizard skin 500 gp.

Total: 4,900 gp./ 5 = 980 gp each

50 pearls worth 50 gp. (2,500 gp) bought by troy

50 silver bars worth 25 gp. (1,250 gp) bought by troy

937 gp each

This completes our group transaction.

Stoutwood asks for a referral to an armorer and is referred to Bushwood Applesnook at the Armory Emporium. Alaric expresses interest about a brand new weapon and is referred to the Melee Weapon Forge Emporium and Bushwood Applesnook. However all our characters have weapons and magic to part with towards new weapons and magic; we are all in on the negotiations. Some of our characters hold off on trades, preferring to deal directly with Bushwood Applesnook.

Next our characters head to Bushwood Weaponsnook where Alaric, Drake and Stoutwood conduct their business in weapon trade and with purchases. After fielding a retelling of our adventuring Melderon invites each and every Applenooks we encounter back to the Banana Tree Embassy for a complete retelling of our character's story by Bosley.

Next we head to Bushwood Armorsnook at the Armor Emporium who at first mistakes Ginger for a half dragon. Eventually a deal is made to craft Ginger a magical mithril shirt of light fortification (half-down is collected 2,600 gp to be ready in 3 weeks). After each transaction our characters are each given a free meal token at Bushwood Applesnook’s Pub and Grub.

Next we head to Bushwood Wizardsnook and the Magic Emporium. Here magic lights up the store. Here we find an Elder Applesnook that sets up downtime sessions for Mesha (who is having bracers made) and Melderon (for his mythic display).

It was late night when our characters arrive, along with all our hirelings, to Bushwood Applesnook’s Pub and Grub to find a mix of 30 dwarves and 30 others plus Bushwood Wenchsnooks working tables in a raucous night. Bosley takes the opportunity to retell the Black Parrot Company adventuring stories and earns 18 gold.

One thing dominates the talk around the bar- Kazzurog is on a ship in the harbor of Lowport on a trading mission! In fact there is a trading fleet here as well. The night goes on with incident.

During the night those of us who do not sleep in a rope trick are visited with horrible dreams of death from hags and giants.

 

Thethmommon

Drake wakes first and eventually sees a procession of Egyptians carrying aloft a young adult bald man in a fine sedan chair outside the Banana Tree Embassy. It is here Drake encounters Thethmommon ‘the vizier’ who comes across haughty and entitled. He comes to Drake seeking details of his travels. Thethmommon explains his is a cousin of a wealthy Egyptian trader- his royal bloodline was displaced by dragon usurpers in Egypt, quite frankly feels that he has been expelled from paradise and seeks to join Drake's cause. 

Meanwhile Alaric makes use of his bridge pass, gets a rickshaw and heads to the Warrior’s Guild and meets a recruiter and is delighted to learn Alaric is looking for a capable sword. The woman spends time with Alaric and eventually they come up with the idea to organize a tournament (50 gp) for Alaric to choose a hireling. The tournament will be in ten days just before the full moon Immewrath fight club.

Next we enter into Downtime where Mesha plans on spending much of this fantasy time at the church going missionary style. Alaric retrains three feats. Drake looks forward to fight in the ring of Immewrath and gains his mythic feat. Stoutwood retrains a spells known, retrains with Mesha with the Greatsword and works with Ginger in swimming thereby giving her a 30 swim speed (Stoutwood gains his mythic feat). Melderon uses each day to his advantage crafting scrolls and exercising his metamagic abilities as well as building relationships toward our Company.

Bosley drops the bomb on us that the Applesnook’s are (also) a thieves guild and that the half-dragons seem to give them a wide breadth. We end the session with this news and character up keep. 

Five Tower Keep Session 19: 12/20/2018 B3at that Pu$$y, Meeting Immewrath, and Heroes of the Market

We start the session deciding what to do with the dead rat folk who had given us the short foot chase through an alley. The creature had no identifying marks bur it had average quality equipment and thieves tools and was infested with ticks. We prop up the dead rat folk body and meander on our way.

We wander for a few hours before discovering a market where we split up looking at the different wares. It was not long when the market took on a stillness alerting us just before spell-enhanced rat folk descend on us. After a few moments of combat our characters notice a hunkered figure in the tallest building watching the battle. Then a short time later many of the rat folk withdraw from combat when the hunkered watcher dropped from his perch and begins speaking with Melderon. The watcher, a half-ogre/half-dragon, claimed to be guarding over his warehouse. Melderon introduces us as merchants of the Black Parrot. The large creature introduces himself as Immewrath. Talk wanes to a fight guild Immewrath is associated with- Attitude Adjustment (aka AA Meetings). We find out the next fight is at the full moon (a few weeks from now).

                           

Mesha gathers the injured around her in order to benefit from channeled healing. Meanwhile, other characters, including Bosley, are searching for magic on the fallen rat folk:

From the deceased:

Magic short sword (3 @ 2,310 gp)

Masterwork hand cross bow (3 @ 400 gp) and 60 bolts (6 gp)

Parcel of potions: 4 CLW, 3 Invisibility, 5 potions of choice for our characters (remove curse- Stoutwood)

Masterwork studded leather (3 @ 175 gp)

Masterwork thieves tools- small sized (3 @ 100 gp)

(Gear total w/o potions: 8,961 gp. Sold to Gammon for 4,480 gp below)

1,000 gp worth of assorted gems

Our characters manage to capture a rat folk thief who claims to not have a boss, he works for the rats! After questions about the mirror image, the creature claims it to be rat magic. He targeted us because we are obviously wealthy. The creature maintains he works for the rats and becomes increasingly irritating. It was Alaric who runs out of patience and kills the rat folk. (His gear is added to the total above)

Drake speaks with Immewrath and wishes to know the most powerful around- Immewrath asks if Drake speaks of the legend of Norae’Rashi? But when it comes to the rat folk, they don’t have a leader and seem to possess rat magic.

From here our characters moved to an area that is dark, dirty and gloomy. An odor emanates from a well-built structure and a sign indicating the supply shop of Gannom Pone. Here finished products of baubles, alchemical supply and a rick-rack of all types. Gannom, a rat folk, leans on a cane and speaks as eloquently as any humanoid.

Melderon inquiries about a miniature gold and mithril shield and we inform him we have things for trade or sale. He tells Melderon to commission his work with an armorer.

Our characters present:

The urn filled with powdered dragon and giant bones.

A masterwork crystal flask with black dragon blood (flask is 150 gp)  

A leather pouch filled with basilisk eyes.

Five steel urns filled with black dragon scales.

An urn with powered ivory

5 pots filled with alchemist glue (50 gp)

10 alchemical troll oils (250 gp total)

A plethora of quarts stones- geodes

Gammon agrees to buy the rat folk gear for half price. (4,480 gp)

As we present our items, Gammon becomes increasingly curious about where these items. In the end he offers us 500 gp each and one amulet of protection of petrification. We don’t like that idea, he then offers our characters 2,000 gp of gems (EACH!) and a potion of our character’s choice. We take that offer.

Rat equipment 4.480 + 1,000 gems = 5480 / 5 = 1096 then add Gammon's offer 2000 is 3,096 gp per character plus a potion. 

Furthermore he has a wish list of alchemical components he informs our characters that he will always buy.

The night eventually stretches before us as we decide to head to the dwarf Applesnook.

Remaining: (possibly for the dwarf)

A stone basin made of coldstone. (500 gp)

4 tanned Sythehorn pelts worth 100 gp. (400)
50 silver bars worth 25 gp. (1,250 gp)

40 croc skins worth 25 gp. (1,000 gp)

20 tusks/horns worth 100 gp (2,000 gp)

50 pearls worth 50 gp. (2,500 gp)

Total: 7,650 gp.

Other skins tanned: 30 lbs of young dragon skin (two 15 lbs. pieces), 30 lbs. of giant frilled lizard skin both of unknown value. 

Five Tower Keep Session 18: 12/13/2018 Banana Tree Embassy and The Black Parrot Mercenary Company

After getting a general layout of Lowport our characters come to find out that the Lowport side has a large community of rat folk but opposite the sink holes, on the other side of the river- Newport, is a solidly built affair upon a wide flat on rock. Half-dragons, in the Lowport side, have evolved into mob-like competition between fierce of crime syndicates.

Holden Torn

We head straight for the junior dock master; Holden Boothe Torn who has heard of our swampy exploits in advance of our arrival. We tell him most of our tale except the parts where the Hags reincarnate victims into giant husbands and the magic of the hags. We intend to establish ourselves as a company out of Lowport to open a charter and to take on hirelings.

Holden expresses concerned about the rise in half-dragons in the swamp but wishes to distance Lowport’s Navy from any involvement. To keep up appearances. He offers our characters 8,000 gold each and an embassy building in the military area as well as badges to cover all tolls and fees. Finally, he has a means of communication with Inskip at Five Tower Keep and leads us to a case of Boots of the Mire which our characters discover, it was Holden who was originally responsible for supplying the boots. 

Holden gives us the name of a dwarf: Bushwood Applesnook who is a merchant in Old Port when it comes to trading the magic our characters are laden down with.

Black Parrot Mercenary Co. 

Next our characters travel to the embassy designated to us: Banana Tree Embasy. Here our characters meet Blake Buffet the major-domo of the manor house. Our characters settle in after meeting the ground's staff and during the night- some of who don’t seek refuge in a rope trick is visited with a nightmare. These characters experience a uniquely different hag night-messenger.

The next morning we encounter Blake receiving a message from an island off the coast that he relays to Holden.

Drake speaks with Lazlo about an adventurer’s warrior guild and is told of a woman named Marta an embittered ex-navy soldier and finds out she attracts martial types who don’t enroll in the Navy- the guildhall in question is located in New Port.

Mesha and Melderon first head to meet Garland Milkwish while the rest of our characters find a nearby pub. Here, Melderon and Mesha tell Garland everything we have encountered thus far (excluding the reincarnation magic exercised by the hags) with the intention of selling or at least appraising our goods. In a display Melderon brings forth the mythic and brings a spell to this world: Anywhere But Here.

Fen Thunderwood

Bosley is introduced to Melderon- Bosley is a causation half-elf diplomat and singer, orator and bard and Melderon's hireling. From there our characters head to Old Port to visit the rat-folk alchemist Gannom Pone then Bushwood the dwarf.

Bosley

Along the way Mesha comes across a human duo a benevolent rabbit farmer as well as a human fighter and soon feels a connection to a man named Fen Thunderwood (Mesha's hireling).

Meanwhile a trio of rat-folk succeed in picking a coin purse from Drake provoking a short chase through the streets. We defeat the rat-folk and end the session. 

Five Tower Keep Session 17: 12/06/2018 Getting to Know The Ranger, Sonayo Joins The Team, and Arrival to Lowport

The Coast Road

We pick up this week's session getting to know Lazlo the Ferration ranger as our characters perform an autopsy on the worm to find undigested magic items. The early twenty’s human ranger is well equipped, impressive by Stoutwood’s estimation including a masterwork fannypack. From the worm Alaric finds an amulet of natural armor +2, Drake: +2 lucern hammer, Mesha: +1 greyflame greatsword, Stoutwood: Shirt of immolation, Melderon: Amulet of protection from petrification; finally Lazlo ends up finding a +1 flaming long sword.

During this, Lazlo laments to us his wolf was cursed by a group hags and ogres (giants?) who attacked his Bravo Company, out of Lowport, on an elephant hunt. Upon further knowledge nature checks Stoutwood discovers the wolf seems to be under a continual fear effect. Mesha works some magic to give the wolf a second chance at a failed saving throw before the ranger resigns to put the animal down. The magic is ineffective against what is now confirmed a curse; however before the animal is lost, Maderon uses mythic power and is able to remove the curse.

This has a positive effect on the wolf and creates a lighthearted moment for all. It was Lazlo’s suggestion to travel together which we eagerly agree to. Lazlo asks several questions, but avoids answering details about himself. Talk moves on to draconic creatures that have been encountered by us and Ferration’s along the river. Mesha confirms the ranger is an evil man. 

"Horrible death to you jerks!"

The travel for the rest of the day is uneventful. We come up on another Pavillion; to this Lazlo has a superstitious reaction and distances himself from any and all agents of the dragon-king. At the end of the day, our characters camp along the road and not in a rope-trick. All throughout the night our characters suffer nightmares of giants and hags in vile ritualistic spell-casting charms. It’s a message of death and promise of a horrible end. In the morning we keep the dreams to ourselves and do not share details with the ranger.

The next day (Day 39) moves at a swift pace and our discourse goes back to the half-dragon influence in the area. There is an old dwarf named Afrum Marblebelt who represents Kazzurog as an Emmisary to Kazzurog in Lowport. There are many embassies in Lowport including one for a race of wizardly minotaurs.

When pressed Lazlo says he was personally looking for whip tail lizards for an alchelmist who will pay for them. We travel throughout the day and eventually get to an intersection where a large militaristic castle guarded by huge half-dragon ogres. Also here is where the Kings road meets with the Coast road and where the Corner Road Stop is located; from here it is only 3 days to Lowport. The Corner Road Stop is like a rest area/swap-meet area of Ferrations and Cat-Folk.  

As we settle in our characters learn that its trade season and word of piracy and banditry along the road is in the air. Eventually we learn that Bravo company will hire just about anyone; and also Stoudwood meets the Cat-Folk female Sonayo- a hireling. Stoutwood learns Sonayo has friends in Lowport, as most Catfolk know each other in town; this is when Stoutwood gives her a mithril chain shirt.

Draco attempts steer talk to dragonic monsters from the swamp; but folk here mostly know of half-dragons in the slums of Lowport and don’t have any other reference to half-dragon monsters.

Meanwhile our characters meander one at a time into the a well-hidden rope trick free from Lazlo’s attention.

The next day we find ourselves traveling with groups of others also on the road heading to Lowport; here along the way we find small communities to finish our day of travel. Day 44 we arrive to Lowport around 1 in the afternoon.

Five Tower Keep Session 16: 11/29/2018 Dragon King's Checkpoint and Meeting Lazlo

We defeat the four owlbear half-dragons in gruesome fashion, noting the eyes swimming in their heads, with the help of Melderon’s summoned lantern archons. After the battle our characters gather 40 of their exotic feathers and a pair of dragon wings (60lbs). Not long after, scavengers in the form of jungle ‘dogs’ as well as other carrion eaters converge on the area.

We continue due east along our course and in a few hours we come to a check point that becomes clearly visible as we approach; beyond that, the large dragon mountain looms. The Pavilion here contains fine furniture, silks, fabrics, and is staffed with winged (ergo half-dragons) kobolds and the usual half-dragon/half-ogres. The road to the check point is similar to the road we are on- smooth maintained.

Passing by we get to within 30 feet where Mesha can detect that each half-dragon are evil. The rest of the afternoon, aside from the distant din of African wildlife, passes without incident. It become apparent that sounds coming from the dragon king side of the road sound larger and meaner.

Day 38- a few hours into the next morning our characters begin to year yelling from the Lowport side of the road, eventually a human voice screams “run, for your life.” The individual is a human of average build and well equipped. Looks like a typical ranger accompanied a black jungle-wolf; he yells that giant bugs and a death worm are on the hunt for him- his name is Lazlo. 

We kill the bugs and the death worm in a surprisingly difficult battle. After the battle our characters cut open the death worm where our characters each find an item of 8000 gp or a +2 weapon.

Five Tower Keep Session 15: 11/21/2018 A few Days In Five Tower Keep and No Thank You

We arrive to Five Tower Keep; our characters discover many of the folk here are not surprised at our return. Our characters however find a return to normalcy as even the outlying Thorpes have seen a return of families to the farms. It seems the orc and orog activity has ebbed in that the raids have ended. Furthermore the Army of Lowport has reinforced Five Tower Keep with 50 soldiers along with a caravan of supply goods to mark the beginning of trade season.

Inskip receives us and is anxious to get the story of our travels and when the subject is brought up he encourages us to recruit help to potentially hold an area in the swamp. Alaric asks for more funding but Inskip suggests we form a mercenary company and name our price for being in service to Five Tower Keep. In regards to this change in status Inskip refers us to Junior Dockmaster New Port Dock-Side Captain. And will forward a letter of recommendation speaking to our favor.

While in Five Tower Keep we arrange dry place to stay and dry clothes before we set out for Lowport (5 days to the coast road, 5 days up the coast (North) is Kazzurog territory, while 3 days down the coast (South) road is Lowport).

We head over to visit the Tower Keep wizard whose name is Cranium; it seems he is already aware of our party’s recruitment efforts. Melderon takes pains to display a bit of mythic power to instantly create a channel scroll spell to impress the man. Cranium mentions Academi and if Melderon has heard of it; Academi was an ancient elf who categorized and stabilized how magic worked here before on this world. He goes on to tell is there is an elf by the name of Garland Milkwish who is an educator. Seek him out and show him what you (Melderon) can do.

Next our characters look for the blind druid Acgrim of the Keep to inform him of the grove at the ley line nexus. This piques his interest at first but takes the information thoughtfully and says he will be willing to speak with the local druids and rangers about the location.

We leave for Lowport on Day 35. When we eventually reach the paved Dragon Road our characters encounter one of the many Pavilions that frequent the road. It was a large sheltered caravan rest area for rent. Here half-dragon ogres stand guard with milled wooden spiked clubs.

We, say no thank you and decide rest in Melderon’s rope trick. On Meshas watch she spies three huge figures emerge from the south wood to an area directly below our rope trick. At one point she sees dragon-sized wings, then a Minotaur’s head, then an infernal barbed tail. Carrying an impossibly large great axe. Hard to determine how many their were as they toil about speaking in giant tongue which Melderon picks up on. “find them, they must be here, they’re gone.” In one form or another. Our characters decide not to reveal ourselves and wait till morning. 

Later, the next morning it is about an hour into our travel when the three huge HALF DRAGON wingotaurs come up on us- the ones from the night before. After the battle we find their weapons to be of ancient Horcton origin and furthermore their armor was emblazoned with the Blood-shot eye of Gyronna. We see no reason to hide or dispose of these would be hag-assassins so we eventually continue to travel further along the road passing Pavilions along the way. The rest of the day, beyond the beautiful landscape, was uneventful.

That night we stay in a magical rope trick and the next morning we come to the intersection of the road. Here we hear screeching like a tortured owl; then coming closer we see 4 green scaled half-dragon owl bears. We start next game session with two rounds to prepare for them.

Five Tower Keep Session 14: 11/15/2018 Spoils from a Coven and Travel to Lowport

We pick up this week’s session with searching out the coven’s lair. The lair was largely dry with hundreds of dirty carpets and skins covering the tangle of roots as well as an alter to Gyronna with a veiny bloody eye painted upon it- the dark goddess’ symbol.

Thirteen ceremonial stones make up a rough pyramid on the flat stone that is the alter. All about the base of the stone are the words Gyronna painted in giant tongue in blood. All around insects and vermin run rapid. Troy knows the stones were at one time connected to the local ley lines. Coils of hemp and vine rope, fire wood, piles of rocks, furs, carpets and skins; crock and game skins flayed for drying; benches and tables, a cauldron, shotty buckets and crockery; as well as many steel urns of various types covered in holy symbols to peylor; and several drums and bone strikers for giants. Against a tree is a polished 10x3 mirror, cloth rags and tattered as well as skulls. Nearby is a workstation with herbs and swamp plants drying out, here our characters find several books.

Russ finds the alter radiates an old evil but since the coven is dead the alter is no longer aligned; however a book does radiates evil… ‘Reborn.’ The appears to be the finest of the books it is found with, on the cover is a stitching of a black oak in the cloth cover. Russ takes precautions before handling the abyssal book. The first mythic point is spent to read the tome and Russ feels the connection, for the first time, a connection to the local leyline as our source of mythic power. The book details the coven’s reincarnation ritual and that produces hill giants. They would pick out the simplest orogs kill them and reincarnate them as hill giants. Failures indicate failed attempts at black dragons.

One books, soaked in blood, written in the same hand as the evil reborn book, a prayer books to Gyronna. The other three books are written in common and detect as magical: each manual of monsters (giants, dragons, magical beasts).

At the end of a couple of hours we find:

+1 ghost touch lt. flail (Rob), +1 heavy flail courageous (Russ), +1 quenching bastard sword, (James), +1 heavy crossbow distance (James), +1 adamantine pick (Tony), +1 small steel shield

Case with a masterwork longsword, short sword, and dagger of Peylor each weapon is adamantine.

Folding boat (party), Bag of holding 2 (Russ), hand of the mage (Troy), dusty rose ioun stone (Rob), pearl of power 2 (Troy), Ring of minor spell storing (Troy), ring of energy resist lighting 10 (James), amulet of mighty fists (ginger), ring of animal friendship (Troy), boots of striding and springing (tony), 10 bird feather tokens (all), 5 elixir of fire breath (all), 20 charges of wand of bull strength divine (Russ), 18 charges of cats grace (James), 5 max CSW (all),

50 silver bars worth 25 gp. (1,250 gp)

40 croc skins worth 25 gp. (1,000 gp)

20 tusks/horns worth 100 gp (2,000 gp)

50 pearls worth 50 gp. (2,500 gp)
Total: 6,750 gp.

A plethora of quarts stones- geodes 

An urn filled with powdered dragon and giant bones. 

A stone basin made of coldstone. (500 gp) 

A masterwork crystal flask with black dragon blood (flask is 150 gp) 

A leather pouch filled with basilisk eyes. 

Five steel urns filled with black dragon scales. 

A cracked magnifying glass (now mended) 

An urn with powered ivory 

5 pots filled with alchemist glue (100 gp)
10 alchemical troll oils (500 gp total) 

Skins tanned: 30 lbs of young dragon skin (two 15 lbs. pieces), 30 lbs. of giant frilled lizard skin, and 4 Sythehorn pelts (100 gp each)

After a few hours our characters rest, tan hide, and decide to load up and travel to Lowport to off load equipment and perhaps recruit adventurers. Day 28. We set out north for our return taking another parallel route west of our travels. We move into 2m5 with 2m4 territory fully explored and the coven destroyed, as we leave 2m4 borders a black dragon territory.

Our progress builds towards higher ground and the trees become less dense then a mild thunderstorm settles. From out of the clouds a hybrid manticore-dragonic shape comes out of the storm. We defeat the creature and head towards to Five Tower Keep. 

It takes us 5 days to travel to Five Tower Keep, getting basic typography each territory along the way, arriving on Day 33. 

Sonayo and the Night of the Thunderstorm

Sonayo

Sonayo was born, raised and formally schooled in Malta; here she eventually became apprentice to a famed Malta Relic Hunter who not only inspired her to seek out hidden treasures or sometimes forbidden truths; but he also secretly won her heart. The Relic Hunter taught Sonayo that ancient treasures ought not be greedily hoarded in seclusion but openly, on display for everyone to appreciate and learn of its secrets.

His specialty was treasures lost in happenstance and the challenge, that excited the researcher. Relics and items of antiquity lost after discovery; then lost in transit to its intended resting place or run afoul from thieves looking for a payday. 

After some minor excursions on Malta and surrounding Rocks, the Relic Hunter took Sonayo to Africa with him...

In the seasons that followed, the Relic Hunter learned of a horticultural scourge in the local jungle area. A murderous sentient plant the Relic Hunter suspected to have killed the his first Professor- as well as the man the Relic Hunter considered his adopted father. The Professor disappeared while attempting to bring back a holy relic of Horcton- a holy weapon devoted to the Sun god Pelor.

Months of tracking and following the horrific nighttime stories of a voracious tree with vines that could constrict and hang a large man. Local folklore said the hangman tree had amassed a modest hoard from its victims. Mayhap one of his victims was the lost Professor. 

---

The Relic Hunter and Sonayo found the hangman tree nestled along a wide stream between the settlements of Lowport and Five Tower Keep. Thunder rolled and lightning flashed, Sonayo hated thunderstorms. It’s leafy vines loomed over the flush waters, their tips were looped into nooses that lightly brushed the surface of the tremulous stream. Lightning flashed revealing stark branches jutting out from a damp black trunk splitting off into smaller limbs where dark shadowy carrion birds hunkered for their next meal. The hangman tree was approximately seventy feet tall at its highest bough and at the base, tangled roots could be seen trailing off into the running water.

The carrion birds were alert and quick to alarm so the Relic Hunter and Sonayo had to exercise all their skills at stealth to get within thirty feet. Sonayo stayed back as instructed and waited for the Relic Hunter’s signal as he approached the hangman tree.

Twenty-five feet away, then twenty; the relic hunter was steadily approaching. 

He was less than fifteen feet away when the carrion birds took wing and formed into separate swarms of black feathery clouds. They converged on the Relic Hunter disorientating him causing him spin about and trip and fall on a exposed root. His blood mixed with puddles of water. To Sonayo’s horror the Relic Hunter was picked up by a dark looping vine by his neck grotesquely lifting him twenty feet into the air. Other vine-loops lowered looking for purchase on a flaying arm or swinging leg. Sonayo could’t see her teacher, only a dark silhouette in the chaos of the carrion birds.

The next sound she heard was the Relic Hunter struggling for breath, using his last to order her to RUN!

That was five days ago.

A Hangman Tree

Five Tower Keep Session 13: 11/08/2018 Punch That Up In Your Google Box

Picking up right where we left our last game session, having accidentally wandered into a hag's coven; our characters come to a ring Blackroot trees with a chaotic tangle of roots encompassing most of the entire area. This area too was invested with positive leyline (healing) energy. A plethora of swamp rats and other vermin including large African insects inhabited the area.  Our characters also notice several crocodile skins hanging and gutted to cure. It was about then our characters spot three giants returning with a skiff piled high with a dragon carcass along with other dead creatures to be eaten, skinned or worse. These giants sported minor wounds but these were healed in short order as battle began.

When we destroy the coven an energy is released and grants our characters their first mythic tier. 

Five Tower Keep Session 12: 10/25/2018 The Breaking of the Covens

We begin this week’s session around 10 am in territory 2k10 just after our encounter with a giant and its bitch hag-wife. On the hag’s dead person is a bag containing 3 fist sized rock-chunks of silver ore.

Our characters continue exploring SW when our characters come across an area of jungle where animal noises are prevalent but without physical evidence of birds or lizards. We take precautions and find the ghostly noise has moved beyond us. It is not long before a couple of swamp giants with their hag-wives attack us. Our characters are able to kill the giants but both of the hags escaped by traversing through a tree. We fully explore the area noting that in 2k10 there are is a broken hag coven with two hags remaining. We are awarded our 5^th character level.

We rest in a tiny hut and during the course of the rest Alaric and Melderon have similar dreams of a crony hag who warns them that if our characters intrude further; the hags promise death to us and our families. Together the characters agree this was the effect of a dream spell common to a coven. These two targeted because their names were known.

The next day (27) we pass into 2m4 and discover the typography here to be similar to the territories north and east. Our initial exploration attempts are sub-par...

Next week we will have one round of preparation before combat as our characters have accidentally wandered into another coven- The Black Root Coven. We believe the hags that escaped from us, these broken covens had returned to Horcton and informed on us.

Five Tower Keep Session 11: 10/18/2018 Excuse Me, Can You Give Us The Directions To Horcton?

We begin this week's session with Melderon establishing practice routine... using magic device on the horcton relic ring of protection in order to gain the benefits from an item that wouldn't otherwise work for anyone other than an orc-blooded individual. Our characters affix the two masterwork great axes to Stoutwood’s camel, left overs from a previous battle before setting out with the threat of a thunderstorm gathering. The area 2k8 is in no danger of being flooded however and is considered fully explored.

Our characters decide to travel NW to a plateau to get a better vantage of the immediate jungle. As we travel south to do just that, our characters notice the ground begin to slope down into what will eventually be more swamp.

Eventually we feel the ground shake, foreshadowing dinosaurs ahead. Stoutwood casts Ginger ahead to investigate how many and how large the creatures are; she eventually reports back with a remarkable count of animals. We close to one hundred feet where we see a huge triceratops charging to and fro agitated and aggressive. Seven other huge creatures with armored plates on their back and six of what look like dire rhinoceroses. Our characters wisely skirt around them.

Not long after we come across tracks that look like giant deer or giant goats which seem to be their destination as well as origin: 2k9 (the territory with the plateau). Stoutwood also comes across a tuft of bladeleaf grass- a successful harvest yields a metamagic component for leafspray (roll successful for +4 to the DC of the save). We also conclude that this dinosaur herd is the dominating animal feature of the area. Our characters move on to succeed in fully exploring 2k8.

About mid-afternoon our characters reach a sheer cliff that soars up about 150 feet. To the west our characters see manticori flying about further west in an adjacent territory. We circle around to the west and about an hour later Ginger indicates animals ahead, Stoutwood also hears a moving herd of giant deer moving through the area. Getting closer four Sythehorns break from the herd and attack! Our characters prevail and kill each one and gather their skin (worth 100 gp each.) Link to other skin harvested.

About a half hour before sunset we come to the top of the plateau and are able to lookout across the jungle canopy. Here our characters can smoke rising in the far off distance- signs of Horcton! Looking down from the top of the platuea our characters see several dead forms at the base of this lookout. Using fly magics Mesha identifies a very dead kobold, what looks like a hag, a very ugly human man and a half orc lying about bereft of clothing and equipment, scarred and broken. To Stoutwood they look to have been killed by biting and slashing attacks- Maderon believes these attacks came from summoned creatures.

Bangor

Eventually we make camp and moments after midnight Stoutwood finds a tiefling standing holding a flag of Lowport as a form of truce. We introduce ourselves and learn his name is Bangor- he has claimed a cave beneath the plateau as his territory. He asks if are associated with Shystermeth. We converse for a while outlining our exploration as we search for Horcton. He offers what he knows for trade in magic weapons: we learn the high priestess hag has her coven call her a living god and actively motivates the hags that populate these swamps. In Horcton there are members of the sisters that aren’t hags however, one is rumored to be a half-dragon. Bangor tells us the direction of Horcton: at the bend of the arm of the low river (where the smoke can be seen in the distance).

We ask who Shystermeth is, the individual Bangor assumed we were agents of and are told he is a ‘rat’ and a competing explorer from Lowport. Bangor explores dragons-kind and tells us of the black-as-night dragons that come out of the swamps. Shystermeth talks about them as old-world creatures but ones that have returned.

The rest of the night will pass and our characters have fully explored this region: home to Bangor of the cliff-cave. From here we return to 2k8 and beyond to what is 2k10 SW along our course. Passage into this hex is quickly met with an encounter with a giant and a hag that attacked from below the surface of the water.

We destroy them both and end our session there. Good game. 

Five Tower Keep Session 10: 10/11/2018 Oink Oink Muther F*er

We begin this week’s session picking up on the morning of Day 25 after a night’s rest that was filled with the din of insects in territory 2k7 which is now fully explored. Here, our characters observe dinosaurs signs that include the Compsognathus, Triceratops and large-sized herding Parasaurolophus in this hexagonal territory.

Next our characters travel SW into 2K8 (adjacent to SW K3). Here our characters find hunting trails made by lions, including dire lions who hunt this territory regularly thanks to its elevated ground sloping up NW to the next territory and what looks like a cliff-face in the far distance. Also in the distance thunder can be heard as storm gathers off the coast.

We come across a group of humanoids that seem to be finishing killing off a huge dinosaur. We initiate aggressions and manage to defeat and kill Ogg, Togg, Olf along with his hunting cat; however Gregg and Rey-regg escaped, running off in the direction of the far off plateau.

Our characters recover 2 masterwork greataxe’s (horcton relics), (2) masterwork slings, (2) +1 chainmail (Rob), and one +1 greataxe (Russ) and a +1 chain shirt with light fortification (James), (2) +1 cloak of resistance *orc blood attuned (horcton relic), +2 cloak of resistance (Troy), +1 ring of protection *orc attuned (relic of Horcton), belt of mighty constitution +2 (Rob), (12) +1 flaming arrows, and potions of with abyssal writings upon them- five of each: endure elements, CSW, protection from good, remove disease, and restoration, lesser. Collected coin 500 (divided).

We find an area camp after and pick up on the morning of Day 26 refreshed and ready to explore more uncharted jungle terrain. 

Wandering Monsters III, There Will Be Blood Tonight

Wandering Monsters

It was a almost a week after the orog barbarian Olf first picked up the scent of the tiefling he believed to be traveling with his treacherous half-orc brother Skutt. Olf had tracked the scent up a wide flat mesa where he, Olf was loathe to admit, lost the scent. The orog took his frustration out on the horclings inciting Olf’s hunting cat in the process. 

Olf promised his team of trackers that if they could not find out how Skutt and his group of traitors descended the mesa by the morrow- one of them would die by the cat. It was not a threat idly made this deep in the jungles but Olf’s pride was on the line.

Ogg and Togg were Olf’s brutes; his muscled warriors and handled well most of the grunt work in the jungle, but the other two horclings Gregg and Ray-regg were Olf’s trackers and animal handlers, and they were failing at their duties miserably.

“They got off this flat rock somehow. FIND IT!” Olf had commanded the two horclings and to accentuate his point commanded Cat to pounce on Ray-regg to further motivate the trackers.

 

Cat

As Olf stroked the fur of his hunting cat sitting at eye level on a jutting rock the barbarian watched as the sun was yielding to the day; in the near distance he could hear the commands of the animal handlers; it was Cat who turned toward the direction even before the call was made.

“Your Greatness!”

The leopard preceded her master to the source of the call. Olf arrived to Ray-regg who was restraining her dire rat and motioning at the jungle floor about 300 feet down.

“Your greatness I have found the traitors and,” she indicated a second place much closer on the side of the mesa. “a way down.”

Olf squinted his jaundice eyes and looked down on the travelers. He absently clenched his fist. It was not his half-orc brother or his companions; no, these individuals are a different group Olf could see humans among the group. Perhaps a second hunting party for the exile? Regardless, Olf would not suffer his brother meeting his fate at anyone else’s hands other than his own.

“Very good Ray-regg! Get ready for our descent down the mesa,” Olf turned to the others who have also gathered, “we will have blood tonight.”

Five Tower Keep Session 9: 09/27/2018 The Land Before Time

We begin this weeks session with our characters in hexagonal territory 2k6 on day 23 having fully explored this region noting its occupants as consisting of a manitcore nest and not much else. To the west and SW there is a noticeable slope to a higher ground (2k7 and the territories west and SW of 2k6). One of the western territories looks to have a plateau within its boundaries. We continue on our declared route SW running a parallel route to our previous original route before heading SW to 2k6.

Our characters rest and on day 24 of our exploration from Five Tower Keep we enter 2k7. As we travel the typography changes, it’s enough to disorient our characters before we get our bearings (less than desired exploration check). Here Ginger indicates that several species of dinosaurs could very well reside here. Stoutwood further notices the giant foliage as well, this is about when 9 giant (size of a pony) solider ants looking for easy prey come at us. We route the ants and eventually continue on only to discover a large ant-hill that looks newly sealed against intruders.

We travel on and surmise that manticores hunt in this area and that there are large lizards here as well. We come to a grassy area where giant bees flew and buzz about the tall grass. While we assess our options a large lizard darts out of the ground and charges at our company. We are successfully able to kill the creature yielding 30 lbs of Giant frilled lizard skin. After which our characters notice the giant bees had scattered giving us clear passage.

It wasn’t long when we are set upon by a huge beetle that first trampled most of the group but eventually fell like the rest. We end the session around 5 pm in the evening after gaining 4 large ivory tusks from the elephant carcass the huge beetle was feasting on when we encountered it. We eventually seek refuge and rest in a magical tiny hut.

Five Tower Keep Session 8: 09/20/2018 To Five Tower Keep and Back Again

We begin this week’s session with the player consensus to head back to Five Tower Keep so that our characters can report back and refresh their resources. We direct our characters to follow the same course back- retracing our steps; along the way our characters do identify manticores flying defensively in bordering territories. The trek takes our characters 4 days to Five Tower Keep which sets our characters arrival on day 11 during the mid-morning.

Our characters arrive to Swamplands Thorpe first where we find farmers as well as Keep guards. Workers only who seem supried to see us, (no women) they warn our characters of sporadic night raids that continue in our absence. It seems each Thorpe around Five Tower Keep experience similar skirmish attacks from orogs and their ilk.

When we finally arrive to FTK it is to much fanfare as we quickly surmise that no one expected our characters to return. Our characters set about finding quarters and after couple of hours Inskip catches up with us and engages with an arranged dinner after we clean up from our swamp travels. He seems eager and hints to having recently found something that could help us. As we prepare for dinner our characters get cleaned up and eventually arrange a meeting with a merchant from Lowport for trade. In the meantime folk will find themselves warmed up to Ginger..

Later that night we assemble for a feast of great proportions… to a standing room only audience not only in the feat hall but also who have gathered outside to hear our tale. Inskip talks himself up before giving us an opportunity to tell our tale. Mesha first produces our map and with hexagonal territory Stoutwood gives a typographical description of the area while the rest of the group describes the monsters and strange encounters.  When swamp trolls are mentioned there is an audible gasp at the hereto unknown creature. We mention manticores and their mating practices; the first-world hydra; and the drake of which skin we have brought back with us. Immediately folk jump to conclusions about the great king dragon, but before long our characters tell everyone about the giants and the hags we encountered as well as the name Gyronna.

The name Gyronna has been mentioned from a couple of sources- known as the angry hag- and is known to have a sisterhood- it is currently calling Horcton her kingdom. One of the hags we encountered seemed to know we hailed from Five Tower Keep. Both hags we encountered traveled with a giant thrall. A druid speaks up and says that the southern hags keep giants husbands. Intriguing. We end our long night of stories with the story of encountering the menagerie of animal statues and what we fear to be a medusa ahead. Our characters then bring out the relics we recovered with the hopes of trade. 

Not long after we trade an adamantite throwing axe and the magical boarspear for a wand of CMW and a wand of CLW. A dwarf priest of Torag approaches Mesha when the Battlement shield is brought forth and offers her 15k in gold bars for the item and is forced to tell the tales of how she used the item. Inskipp brings forth the high Priest of Abadar to give us 1000 gold each; Inskipp reveals the Swamp Boots he recently found for our company. 

Our characters take a total of ten days of downtime so that Maderon Wilder can scribe scrolls and the rest of the characters trade for magical items.

At the 21 day mark we return to the swampy jungle taking a parallel route just west of our original path while also giving us a territory buffer from the Swam Trolls we know about and enter the 2(second trek)H5 territory where more swampy lands begin, we spend an additional two days getting there. Day 23. West from here we notice more manticores, nevertheless after a time we fully explore 2H5 and rest for the night.

The next day we advance into 2K6 where we believe there to be a manticore lair. Our characters happen across 4 manticores and engage- killing one while driving off the other three, however one will surely die before night fall.

We are awarded our 4^th character level. :) 

Five Tower Keep Session 6 & 7: 09/12/2018 Our New Hag Friend

The giant encounter went differently than our characters expected, a high pitched female voice commanded the giant. This spooked Ginger causing Stoutwood to give chase into the deep swamp taking the Hunter and his companion the evening to catch up to the rest of the characters. When the two catch up to the rest of the characters, they find them fresh off an encounter with a first-world creature, a forest drake- the second creature our characters have encountered that shouldn’t be on this plane.

We begin at 8 am in M1- each hexagonal territory our characters have visited till now including M1 are fully explored. Stoutwood learns the characters have realized Gyronna is claiming Horcton as her own- learned after talking with the swamp witch who would not give her name. The swamp witch was not a ‘sister’ of Gyronna who also spoke of a priestess.

Our characters continue SW into M2 8 am on the 6^th day after resting most of the fifth day. Two hours in with swamp water becomes up to our waist and is slow travel. We are then surprised by a two headed ettin and the swamp witch hag. We defeat the Ettin and find a well preserved handy haversack and a total 1000 gp in gold, silver or black pearls.

After a brief coarse correction our characters are on our way to finishing exploring as the swamp hag harries us further in the day. She sets 3 giant scorpions against us but we dispatch them. Our characters fully explore M2 and an hour before sundown find the scorpoion's lair and a site to set up camp. Our night it filled with sounds of swamp dolphins, insects and worse; we are however not disturbed.

The next day (Day 7) our characters continue SW into M3 where we come across several small stone statues. About two hours into our exploration we find the ground becoming more solid and about 200 feet away a clearing presents itself- here we see figures standing. Stoutwood approaches and the general assumption given the clues is there be medusa here.

We are awarded a combat feat and pick up here as our characters faced with the possibility of a medusa. 

Five Tower Keep Session 5: 08/30/2018 Hail Hydra!

The Map of Days

We begin around noon on the third day since leaving Five Hour Keep continuing our search through K3 (reminding reader that the adjacent K4 has a swamp troll lair somewhere inside.). Eventually to the south we see three, we assume them to be manticores, flying in concentric circles in the next territory to the south- soon to be area K5 along our path. We enter said territory having fully explored K3 and also finding no major lairs in that area.

Moving SW into K5 our characters begin to map and explore. As we travel swamp trolls continue to harry us from the east. It takes us 5 hours to explore this area with most of the area very wet and in places past our ankles as we travel.

*Succeeding on a exploration check means we do not get lost now or in the future visits to an hexagonal area; survival checks indicates an awareness of dangers and surprises.

Thirty minutes into K5 we notice that we are getting closer to the flying manticores that seem to be dead center of this territory. Unexpectedly Stoutwood finds a single barefooted giant track about this time; the track seems to be heading in a NE direction. The track is no more than two days old. About an hour into our exploration the land begins to rise out of the feted water; while ahead our characters think we see a flickering or shimmering light. We take pains to safeguard our ears as we approach the soft flickering glow. We venture closer we happen across a large boulder sunken in about two feet of water with the mysterious glow is situated about ten feet above it.

Melderon attempts to touch the local ley line but falls short due to the unfamiliarity of the area- the area had an old-world connection. We get closer and we see the glow is actually a light mace hanging in the tree, swaying foliage from our approach gave the glowing mace a shimmering effect. Mesha detects magic both from the mace as well from a box in the water below and items of value in the water and scattered about. Alaric approaches closer still and discovers the rock is in fact large stone statue of a giant frog; nearby, a haphazard pile of broken life-sized statuary of various animals. Poking around Alaric also finds a magic boarspear in the water.

From the jungle emerges a hydra to give us grief. Battle! In the end Melderon uses acid splash to kill the quickly regenerating old-world monster while Alaric, Stoutwood and Drake keep the creature unconscious with strikes. There is no longer a hydra lair in K5!

In the immediate area our characters find 15 javelins of lighting, 2 beads of force (Melderon, Mesha), amulet of natural armor +2 (Drake), an adamantine throwing axe (a Horcton relic)(Stoutwood), ring of swimming (Alaric), empty type I bag of holding (Melderon), a gold necklace worth 100 gp, a silver necklace worth 30 and +1 hurtful boarspear (Alaric), +1 light mace that sheds light (has symbols of Palor the Orc god of the Sun) (Mesha). Melderon is able to discern the properties of the iron crown recovered from an orog back in Swamplands Thorpe (Stoutwood).

Crown of Forceful Strikes

Aura: faint evocation; CL: 5th

Slot: head; Price: 2,400 gp; Weight: —

Description

This sturdy iron crown is decorated with small points that take the form of miniature swords, pointing up. Three times per day as a swift action, the wearer can cause one weapon attack he makes to count as a force effect (like magic missile or spiritual weapon), except the damage done still counts as weapon damage (rather than spell damage). The crown’s power may be used three times per day.

Construction Requirements: Craft Wondrous Items, spiritual weapon; Cost: 1,200 gp.

We decide to huddle and rest in a nearby hunting shack without incident. Overnight the water level rises and at midnight the water reaches its highest point (high tide for this area is noon and midnight). We begin planning an attack with the manticores. We range out to 900 feet from the manticores and see a 300 foot risen area where we believe their lair to be. We believe there are only three, although there could be more inside the lair. We advance closer to the edge of the grassy gnoll where we find numerous discarded carcasses lying about including many humanoids. Stoutwood finds venomous spittle up in some areas as we take our places. Battle! Our characters open up with using every javelin of lightning we recovered from the hydra and our deadly dice rolling skills to defeat the venomous manticores.

We each find a masterwork and or cold iron weapon of Horcton among the carcuses and fully explore the K5 territory. Our characters continue southwest into M1 and around noon on the 4^th day since leaving Five Tower Keep we happen across a giant with bundles of javelins…