Wardens of the Sorrowood C1E03

Game Scheduled: August 24, 2023
GM: Thom
== Chapter Synopsis: == 
The Aureate Horizons Trading Co., colloquially known as Horizons, urgently seeks mercenaries in A'lune to join as Wardens of Sorrowood for a long term commission. In addition to an incentivized mercenary pay rate of 5 gold per week (as opposed to 2 gold per week that is standard), Horizons says that mercenaries can keep whatever is recovered from bandits along the route.
Caravan losses have surged on the route from Mowen to Kregia, particularly through the treacherous Sorrowwoods. The Rekal Guard, formerly securing the route, have disbanded the escort factions following overwhelming losses. Horizons believes the solution lies in both increased security and proactive threat neutralization. Setting up an outpost halfway is necessary.
== Mercenaries: ==
*Bim Bim - Elven Barbarian
*John Weck - Human Rogue
*Shepard Swiftfoot - Halfling Druid
*Snarela Kegfury - Dwarven Artificer
== Adventure Debriefing: ==
With the evil druid, dubbed "ED" on the lam(b), the party checked the remains of the camp for anything left behind. Snarela added fungal spores to the samples of thorns and poison stored within Bubo. John packed up some rope and a bedroll. Bim Bim tested the feel and heft of the staff ED had been wielding. Shepard searched the charred remains of a tree he assumed to be Cedarella, and found a few seeds to bring back to the other treants.
While Snaerla had known, this was the first Bim Bim and John had seen Shepard in his halfling form. Questioning him, he tried his best to explain that he assumed the forms he felt appropriate at the time, usually a black cat. They waited for a light rain to pass before starting the journey back to the overlook.
As they approached a day or so later, as a black cat Shepard lept from Bim Bim's shoulder and sped towards the treants. Shifting into a halfling, Shepard addressed Spruce Willis, informing the treant of the evil druid and the harm he had done; and handed over the seeds of Cedarella. A deep howl of mourning blew through the boughs of the treants, and while hurt, also thankful that Cedarella's 'family' could continue, her seedlings would inherit her memories. Bim Bim offered the staff ED had made from Cedarella, but Spruce suggested it would be more poetic if Bim Bim bashed ED with his former staff instead. Spruce and the other treants retreated to their secret grove to mourn.
The mercenaries that had stayed at the overlook reported that while the treants kept an eye on them, as long as they were respectful the treants had not bothered them as they had prepped the overlook for camp and the future fortress. The merchant Ogri pointed out some gold veins that could be mined to help pay for building supplies. Bim Bim, Shepard, and some summoned badgers spent the next few days extracting as much as possible.
While more gold was excavated, Snarela and John head to Suvauge to contract builders and materials for the overlook fortress. A tall lizard woman, and head of the miner's guild, Haaldirah asked for details on overall size, durability, number of rooms and function. In the end, extra sturdy walls were chosen, and three rooms comprising a barracks, trading post, and stables.
Upon return to the overlook, Shepard had spoken to the treants and asked if there was a way to better keep in touch, and was informed to simply speak to the trees and they would send word. Bim Bim asked the treants if they can speak to trees, and it's decided that one of the treants will accompany the party to where ED had vanished into a tree. With another four days until the builders arrive, the party finishes preparing the site. Bim Bim's internal sense of direction within the Sorrowoods allowed him to survey perfectly straight lines. With Snarela and John's help, Shepard began work on the foundation.
With construction prepped to occur while away, Bim Bim, John, Shepard, Snarela, and Leaf Erickson return to the evil druid's hovel.
Leaf mentions the poison seems to be coming from the North, and he's not worried about danger, just fighting to protect the forest. At the hovel, Leaf speaks with plants, a humming, a creak of branches. The tree reveals ED traveled to another tree five hundred feet north; and from that tree Leaf recieved a reply that ED had strode again five hundred feet to the east. There, ED's last stop, a clearing with giant ancient bones. Investigating the area a spot is found where some *thing* had been unpetrified. A sense of dread and unease radiated around them, reflexively Shepard shifted to a Dread Wolf, but forced himself back into a halfling. Whatever had been unpetrified must have been ED's green-scaled flying means of escape. Searching around the bone yard, Bim Bim finds an enormous skull, making it clear this was where a dragon fell. While there was no birdsong here, a frightened ox was found nearby, whom told Bim Bim that the "stone" dripped acid while flying away.
Further expeditions north to explore the spreading corruption would have to wait until the group was more prepared. Bim Bim convinced everyone to bring the dragon skull back to the fortress, with the help of the ox.
Back at the overlook, the fortress construction had progressed. While the treants looked into the poisoning and ravens from Horizons scouted possible bandit camp locations, the party returned to Rekal to be debriefed by their employer. 
Quill, a survivor of an attack on a trading goods caravan informed the group of another threat in the Sorrowoods. Ettercaps. Spiders. Thankfully only supplies were taken and all the hunters had escaped. 
Shepard bought a cart of smoked meats to use as bait, as Quill began to lead them from Rekal to the sticky situation.
== Conclusion ==
With construction begun on the overlook fortress, the mercenaries turn their gaze to the threats all around them.
== Rewards ==
* Dragon Skull decoration for fortress
* 6 Dragon teeth, Bim Bim
* 4 Dragon teeth forged into a +1 Dragontooth Dagger, John
* 30 gold each mercenary
Wardens of the Sorrowood - 03