Embers of the Wilds: Episode 08

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==Recap==
===Preparations===
The posse is getting ready to set out to Northridge. Before going, they plan to organise the town better for defence. They split the money that has been collected from Gloria and her troops.
The townsfolk put up gates on staircases, barring monsters from easy access to town. It will cost the posse 100 gold. They promise to search for money in Northridge.
===18th June, Year 20 - The Return of Trout===
The posse set out from Trog Canyon on their way towards Northridge. The day is uneventful until the party spot a solitary figure, staring into the creek. As they get closer, they recognise . As soon as they make noise, Trout jumps into the creek as a fish, but comes out as his humanoid form once he realises it is safe to do so.
The party thank Trout for his help with troglodytes and they catch up. He is heading to the great swamp, southward, to continue his investigations. Pearl lets him know will be coming back to town in 2 months, so he should visit for questions. Tristelle suggests he journeys with them, the rocks he is inspecting aren't going anywhere. Trout accepts, as long as they keep him safe.
===19th June - The Alpaca Herder===
They notice a herd of alpaca and 1 human shepherd. Peal waves to hiding Shepard. Upon meeting, Tristelle plays the song ‘An Open Field'. The shepherd is an older gentleman, about 75 years old. He saw lizard-like humanoids of brass color, draconians. He's from the village of Valebrook, and left as soon as he saw the draconians there. Kyra signals to the rest of the party not to reveal where Trog Canyon is. Tristelle casts and discusses with Kyra, with Kyra adamant not to share the location of Trog Canyon with outsiders. Bardico, the alpaca herder, decides to join them on their journey.
Pearl goes hunting while they exchange information. Pearl finds wild catnip and gets distracted, so she decides to bring some with her, with no food. She shows the plant to Tristelle, and, surprisingly, it isn't magical. Tristelle shows it to Trout, he immediately turns into a small house cat and throws itself at it.
Bardico asks Tristelle about her home, Fairport.
===20th June - Return to Northridge===
Northridge doesn't look any different. They follow Pearl's mother directions and find the temple. The signs of the temple are gone, it is badly destroyed. Tristelle casts . Kyra soon notices a brick wall that has been placed at the bottom of the cellar. The bricks themselves aren't magical, but there is a small crawlspace at the bottom.
Tristelle casts and crawls inside. There are metallic doors, one of them have been swung open. It is the entrance to a catacomb. She sees 3 dead bodies, corpses of people that have recently crawled in. There is also a similar golem to the one in Trog Canyon, just in terrible condition. Inside, there are more dead bodies around a table with a box on it.
She notifies the party of her findings. They convince her to take a closer look, she heads inside again. It looks like the golem is responsible for the death of the bodies. Past the golem, there is a chest and a box similar to one in the Trog Canyon temple, with a single cylindrical slot on, it emanates conjuration/abjuration magic. The items in the chest emanate necromancy. The 6 bodies around the table look like acolytes, one of them is leaning on the note.
Tristelle goes out and shares the letter with the posse. They send the Pearl in to check if the golem is activated by sight. Once Pearl peaks in, the golem moves the head. Tristelle lights a candle, the golem moves and stomps on it. She moves past it and inspects the box. She tries to pry the box open with the dagger, unsuccessfully. The chest is filled to the brim with silver, and resting on top of that are six potions.
She creates an of a person near the wall. The golem tries to smash the creature and smashes the wall three times. The golem sees Pearl and Kyra outside but doesn't attack them. Tristelle picks up the box, goes invisible, and leaves past the golem.
Kyra tries to pry open the box with a dagger, breaking the dagger. Tristelle fetches all the silver coins and the potions from the chest they can carry.  
Loot in tow, they head home. Bardico and Trout are nowhere to be seen.
===22nd June - Journey Home encounter with a Smilodon===
During Kyra's and Pearl's watch shift, they notice nothing. After Kyra goes to sleep, a creature stalks towards them. Pearl sees a large sabertooth cat.
The cat attacks Pearl and bites her. Pearl disengages and runs away, heavily wounded.
Sabertooth tiger pounces on Tristelle, knocking her prone and bites her to unconsciousness. Pearl casts . Pearl's words start coming out as bubbles. Kyra stabs and misses the cat 2 times. 
Sabertooth disengages and runs away. They stabilise Tristelle.
===23rd June - Back Home===
They arrive early morning in Trog Canyon. Kyra gives 1000 silver to the carpenter, . Kyra lets the posse keep the 5000 coins if they help her haul the rest.
Category:Embers of the Wilds Episodes