Ces 27th, 5704

Report from Matrick:

Stonesplitter and I safely traveled to Yorik,met Mrs.Hartly and bought the needed supplies for the alchemist. She interrogated us a little to make sure we weren’t connected to The Red Guard.She appears to have struck some sort of deal with The Red Guard to keep them from harassing the people of Yorik. We also bought some supplies from Vin’s general store.We did offer to help if Mrs.Hartly ever needs in exchange for a steep discount. In Yorik we also learned that The Red Guard is out on the lookout for the heroes of dwarftown. So we may have some allies out in the woods somewhere.

On our return we came across three Red Guard people. I expertly hid Stonesplitter under the cart and convinced them I was a merchant headed south. They insisted on checking our cart anyways and declared that it was all witch supplies. They wanted to confiscate the supplies and I was in the middle of convincing them to let me sell the stuff and I’d provide them with a list of buyers for them to investigate. Offering to uncover any witch covens. Then Stonesplitter lost his nerve and drove his pickaxe through a foot. So anyway, I started blasting. Now I don’t see so good with my glasses fogged up so I’m hitting a lot of horses and they’re running off. Knights are tumbling off and landing on their heads. Stonesplitter is hopping around and striking blood everywhere with his pickaxe. Anyway, you guys all think I’m a hero, and I’ll accept that responsibility.

Ces 19th, 5704

Report from Matrick:

Destroying Supplies and Bowels at the Inn

Tilda, Stonespliter and I chose to undertake the most daring mission on the taskboard; raiding the supply wagon going from Kowal to Uthgar. We prepared by purchasing some shovels and then headed to the Northguard Inn where we knew the supply wagon would stop. We arrived ahead of them and then staggered our approach. The Northguard Inn is surrounded by stone walls and has a three story tower with two watchmen. You need only ask for admittance at the gate and they let you in.Tilda and Stonesplitter had already gone inside when the supply wagon arrived so I saw the arrival of the wagon which was ten feet wide, fifteen feet tall and fifteen feet long. It was pulled by a HUGE beast known as a Kudu and together they were too large to enter. The merchant and two guards went inside. The driver/animal handler stayed with the wagon. Lanterns were affixed around the wagon.

I went into the inn. Not only did the bar have a child in it, it was attempting to play music to the dismay of the entire inn. It sang a song about dwarf town in Kowal that made it sound like things were not going well for the dwarfs there. Fire and fighting were mentioned I believe. I tried to tune it out. I sat near the Kowal crew and tried to eavesdrop but I didn’t know their language. Tilda talked with a hidden agent at the inn who told us about more guards being in the wagon and that food would be delivered to them. Stonesplitter poisoned the food to destroy the guards’ bowels. Stonesplitter used a ploy of a threesome as an excuse for us all to go upstairs. I went upstairs and we did NOT have sex. We decided that I would leave the inn normally and they would sneak out and meet me in the woods.

I saw two plates of food handed over to those inside the wagon. Shortly afterwards a guard wearing a silver mask stumbled out to mud spray the walls. Tilda charged and attempted to stealthily take him down. Then Stonesplitter and I opened fire. I sank 8 arrows into the guard myself before he finally went down and Tilda was left nearly dead. Without healing options we decided not to risk taking on the other guard and potentially stirring the kudu awake. Tilda set the wagon ablaze and then Stonesplitter made the bold move to attack the sleeping Kudu with his sling. It woke up startled and perhaps scared of the fire and began to run still harnessed to the wagon. Well Tilda had also loosened and damaged a wagon wheel so even though the kudu burst loose the flaming wagon crashed and did some flipping. Inn guards did spot Stonesplitter earlier and I assume some people at the inn may be curious as to why Stonesplitter and Tilda aren’t in their rooms in the morning.

Thundersnow all the way home. Did not come across the loose kudu.

The first expedition into the Urtgen forest has returned! Hear the tales of the heroes who returned.

Report from Matrick: 

We headed 4 days perfectly northwest from Elmhearth. We encounted some crazy freezing acid and electric storm shower nearby on the first day followed by freezing rain on the second. On the fourth day we looked south and saw a clearing with a hill. Upon the hill was a decrepit stone tower with a brass door with a lock. Most of the top of the tower was missing. Perhaps it’s stones still lie nearby. It has four windows. The floors had rotted away and we stealthily dispatched 5 drogga inside. Some of them used sorcery. There is a hole in the floor immediately upon entering so beware that as it will dump you into an underground river.

There is a basement with a hole in the floor leading to said river. There was a box with a drogga recipe on it. I discovered an ornate spear secreted away and preserved within a channel of the wall. It’s in amazing condition and was presumably of great importance to whoever hid it. I am working on deciphering it’s make,origin, and age as well as covering it in a preservative oil so that it may last for another millennia for our people to admire. I humbly donate it to The Wanderers and just ask that my name be recorded as it’s discoverer. Our return trip went without incident.

An Adventure To The Northwest of Elmhearth

(We were definitely NW, because there’s no way we got lost.)

We three brave adventurers sallied forth into the wild green forest to find out what lay NW of Elmhearth. Turns out that was a terrible idea as we all almost died our very first night out in the middle of an Acid-Lightning-Snow-Blizzard. It was horrible. Luckily, our Wylder was able to heal us enough that we made it through the storm. After traveling Northwest for approximately 5 days, we came across a derelict tower. The roof and upper stories had caved in years prior, and a 2-story shell was all that remained. Our Ranger scaled the walls and reported the presence of 5 malicious looking creatures inside. He was struck mute at the sight of them and was only able to mime how scary they looked with his hands and facial expression. We decided to ambush them from above. I, the brave and powerful Rogue, leapt down 15 ft from the broken outer wall onto one of the creatures. I was able to silence and kill him swiftly, while my teammates teamed up and ended the second. We then moved into the next room to continue our assault, but this is where things got hairy. Our Ranger dispatched one of the beasts with arrows from above, however he was then badly injured by an enemy spellcaster and retreated down outside the tower. I then removed another from the combat with a swift swing of my father’s trusty pickaxe. Our Wylder moved in to engage the final and most dangerous foe, in a battle of magical will and skill. Sadly, he lost and was flung to his doom down a deep dark hole. (Or so I thought!) I ran forward and struck one final blow that incapacitated the evil mage and picked him up to throw him down the same abyss.

Our Ranger rejoined me moments later inside the tower, to my great relief as I thought I was the only survivor. We then gathered our gear and went deeper into the tower to look for our friend. We discovered that he had barely escaped drowning in an underground river, and then got stuck in a locked room. After our group was once again whole, we searched the remainder of the tower, gathered what loot was to be found and made our way back to Elmhearth. (We most definitely did not get stabbed multiple times by the same spear trap in an effort to steal the spear because it was shiny!) We made it back to Elmhearth and gave them our report, which included exact directions back to the tower. Anyone who complains that the map is wrong obviously can’t read a map properly, as we are very good at giving directions and not getting lost!

Sincerely,

Marik Stonesplitter 

The End

Postscript: At no time did anyone talk about or actually eat any of the creatures, as they were obviously sentient and that would be terrible.

Inside the Elmhearth Keep

Helfen stood from his desk and walked across Elmhearth’s common room. He pulled a large red leather-bound book form the mantle above the fireplace.

He opened it and flipped through many pages until he came to the first blank one. We walked back to his desk and pulled out a quill and ink bottle.

Ces 25th, 5704

The lads returned. The were a bit banged up, but they were smiling and trading stories over the campfire tonight. Their reports all turned in and mostly matching. They found a tower, a new place to build. This is good. More people arrived today, bringing our head count to 21. A lot of mouths to feed for a group of outcasts stuck in the woods, living around a ruined keep. But if we have good people like the lads, we will make due.

After inspecting some of the goods brought back, Ferric believes the tower was built by the eldar and then later manned by Uthgard. An ornate spear brought back definitely has Eldar runes inscribed on it, though it seems ordinary enough. I have the spear here, maybe I’ll have a display case made for it, though first I must clean it off, as the lads got it pretty bloody.

I also ordered the supply tent to craft some leather cloaks to protect from any other acid storms, we have enough to worry about without worrying about our skin burning off in the snow. Strange times, strange days. But we must endure.

Helfen, guard of Elmhearth

Helfen stood again, placed the book on the mantle and turned and headed upstairs. The fire slowly died out in the large fireplace on a cold cold night.

The world outside of Elmhearth is very dangerous.

As you plan to venture out, Helfen will remind you that the Swordspynes are a feared and gloomy wilderness. There will be creatures out there you should avoid and even run from (Survival checks will be your friend in telling you if you think your party can overcome any foes).

Magic has returned to the lands, and with it demons and monsters. This wild land is there for your to explore and conquer, but there may be casualties and grievous wounds. Make sure you have food, water, and a sturdy weapon.

The map is what will allow the players to define where they want to adventure. This campaign is driven by the players not the GM. Gm’s will state when they have open times for play, but it will be the players who form a group, decide where to go, and then ask the GM for a play slot.

All adventures will start in Region 82A – Elmhearth. The further away you get, the more dangerous it will become. Each minihex is 36 miles which is two days of travel with no distractions. An Uberhex is 4 days across ( 72 miles).

The Players control the Map.

Important Map Points

1. The players are the ones who will update the map with the locations of encounters, dungeons, etc.
   1. This can be done in a image editor, in google slides, or an online source like https://www.resourcemapmaker.com/M/?m=208. These player maps can also be uploaded and included in the Fantasy Grounds The Road West campaign for in game reference.
2. The map is unreliable.
   1. The adventurers may think a dungeon is in a certain hex, in a certain region, but they are adventuring in a wilderness, with out the benefit of overhead views for cartography. Map making is a little less exacting.
   2. The SG will not abuse this. This is just to give some leeway to adventures and design. We won’t move a dungeon halfway across the map. 
3. Food and water matters.
   1. A ration feeds a person for one day (Elves can eat half a ration). Waterskins hydrate for one day. You can use survival or other skills to find food, but this will slow travel.
4. Treasure Weight is important.
   1. A statue of Tanthias may fetch a hefty price from the markets of Uthgard, but how will the players get it back to Elmhearth over rugged terrain?
   2. Satellite bases can be built, as well as roads, but this will take time, protection, and money. This will make it easier to transport findings, but will also add to other adventures.