Session 5x2

Session 5x2 occurred on 4 Apr 2021. The players were LaurenDanger (Bea Naturalis), PsychoXer0 (Romeron), veerserif (Otilar), Theos (Skarn), and Silvyr (Valdenar). Their goal was to build roads towards Wolfstone Redoubt and revisit Rhodendor.

## Summary

The group began in Ravenshrine, and set out from there building roads through hexes 016.022, 017.022, 018.023, and 019.022 towards Wolfstone Redoubt. They did not connect these roads via bridge to the main roads due to the current kobold threat to Ravenshrine.

Upon arriving in Wolfstone Redoubt the group discovered it to be a chaotic boom-town divided into four quarters of quarreling dwarven clans. There they met Sister Frithwn, a seer who helped direct Valdenar and agreed to relocate to Gardentop. They also learned about the surrounding environs to the east.

The group then returned west to Ravenshrine, hoping to eliminate the kobold threat. However they were deterred by cold and the looming threat of the kobolds and turned back. They did determine that the most likely site of the Kobold Nest is 019.018.

#### Summary of Information Gained and sites located:

* Dwarven Stellarium in 018.025. Guarded by a dragon but there is an entrance via hot-spring caverns which allows for detour. Source of potentially important Blue Lichen.
* Wolfstone Redoubt: Houses quarreling Belderannians, Meromannians, Canides, and Crombes.
* Basinpass in 022.021: Owned by humans, controls roads and bridges and seeks to expand its influence.
* Pissbowl in 024.022: Goblin settlement, resisting influence of Basinpass.
* Flamerock in 023.018: Small settlement, not much known.
* Deadspire Tower in 023.023. Ruined tower once belonging to a sorcerer.
* Rustvale Monastery in 024.020. VERY HAUNTED.
* Kobolds continue to harass Ravenshrine, likely emanating from a nest in hex 019.018 or nearby.

## In-character tales

### Bea's tale

From the Ravenshrine to the Wolfstone Redoubt, we toiled to make a road, and now the path is clear. And the Redoubt is open to us, and what a place it is! The chaos of stone, wild placement of homes, dwarven clans united yet in opposition, quartering up this town. Markets and inns and hundreds of people! It is also the gateway to many new sites. Basin Pass, controlled by humans, Pissbowl, a goblin settlement, Rustvale Monastery, which is said to be quite haunted, and the ruins of Deadspire tower, the former abode of a wizard said to reassemble itself for short periods of time and then collapsing once more.

In Wolfstone I met my dwarven friend Delkash once more, and we made contact with a Raven Sister named Frithwn who will relocate to Gardentop. For those who seek to help with Wailer’s Hold, speak with Delkash in the Rockwick quarter of the settlement.

I should also tell of the strange glory of the treant Rhodendor, who carried a root-woven net of dead kobolds away from Ravenshrine, and spoke with Valdenar once again. Such a sight, this burned yet still powerful being, spidery roots walking upon the land, voice booming low. We kept our distance, as is proper, for we have been warned that the treant has been burned of mind as much of body.

Sadly, our efforts to hunt down more kobolds were in vain as cold and sleeplessness foiled many of our attempts. We tried to prod northeast of the shrine into their lands, disarming and then resetting many of their traps against them, but too weary to push into battle with their kind. It shall be for others to head to the deep forest and find their nests and bring safety to the Ravenshrine denizens for good.

### Romeron's tale

We traveled from Ravenshrine to the mountain hold of Wolfstone Redoubt and on the way made a rudimentary road there, we were asked by Avella the raven sister not to build a bridge over the river since there had been several attacks by the kobolds to the shrine.

At Wolfstone Redoubt it was much as I expected, lots of fighting between the dwarven clans for all the same reasons they have been fighting for centuries. Met some fellow Canides and their leader Tolgyrd allowed me to finally have my tattoo finished and the work was marvelous as expected from these skilled artisans. I might of also agreed to help them in any endeavor no matter the risk for the finalization of my tattoo.

We left the town with lot of knowledge and decided to return to Ravenshrine and on our way back saw Rhodendor scary as ever carrying corpses of kobolds with him. Valdenar chatted with him for moment and then we continues to the shrine.

Our venture to locate kobolds ended as fast as it started, I can't really remember exactly why but my companions told me that I nearly died from the cold. It seems even with the tattoo finished I'm still not worthy of a proper death...

### Valdenar's tale

*Valdenar returns to the Flaming Spike Inn in a pensive mood.*

Well, our initial travel was blessed by good fortune and we were able to build a road to Wolfstone Redoubt with little issue. Alas, the situation there seems complicated. I cannot say I relish intervening in dwarven politics. I sense there will be more to the journey to Wailer's Hold than simple tests of courage and arms.

We have more pressing issues closer to home, in my estimation. We cannot allow the kobolds to continue to harass the people of Ravenshrine! At Sister Avella's request we did not bridge the river, lest the beasts find the crossing and use it. Thankfully if the rivers are as severe an obstacle to the kobolds as to us, we at least have a brief moment of respite. Still, if we wish to travel eastwards, we will need to secure the settlement's safety first.

Eastwards...That is the direction we must go. East, and North. A great distance. That is where my path leads me, Frithwn has said. To Pelagia, where the Divine first came to these Raven Lands...

*Valdenar's voice falls away and, a short while later, he leaves the Inn. Outside, he stands silently facing to the North-East until long after twilight has faded.*

### Otilar's tale

I joined up with many of my companions from the last expedition to lay a rough cart-path from Ravenshrine towards Wolfstone, using the last of my coin to buy a lantern and oil to light our way. We made it without much incident, and headed into the redoubt itself the next day.

Wolfstone is the strangest place I've ever been. I'd have never guessed it from Romeron and Skarn's solemn manner, but the dwarves of the city were raucous and loud, the loudest kin I'd ever been around! As we got closer to the city we could just hear the chatter of hundreds of kin growing louder and louder, with the thump of falling stone and the occasional crash of a thrown bottle. Skarn later explained that some dwarves can sing stone into shape. Evidently, some of the inhabitants were more likely to shout the stone into shape instead. Some of them were busy proving their devotion to Huge by staying in the sun all day, and I tried not to chuckle as we walked past multiple cherry-red dwarfs too proud to admit that they had sunburn.

Fortunately, I found a little band of city orcs inside and I stayed with them for the rest of the day. None of them had heard of my home tribe, but one called Lugash was familiar with the area. I gave him one of my talismans, a boar's tusk wrapped with some grass cord knots in the way my brothers had taught me, to bring home. Hopefully if my tribe receives it, they'll know how far I've come and that I'm still alive.

I know the others spent their time asking after priests of Huge and sisters of Raven. Valdenar revealed that the next step on his holy path was to go to Pelagia, where the first humans came to these lands. That was the moment I knew Raven could never be a god of orcs: no god of our kin would make holy the place where calamity came to our people. I wish him well, but I cannot follow.

We ultimately decided to return to Ravenshrine, and investigate the kobold threat there. I was glad to be back on the road and get some respite from the never-ending noise of the crowd. Valdenar heard from his terrifying treant friend that the kobolds were raiding from deeper in the forest. In our eagerness to pursue, we pushed on beyond what was wise. Poor Romeron fell ill, gripped by cold, as we went on. We were so single-minded in our quest that we didn't notice until it was almost too late.

I know some of us have had harsh experiences in the bitter cold, myself included, but it is always shocking how quickly someone can seem alright and in the next breath be near death. We abandoned all thoughts of chasing the kobolds deeper into the forest in an attempt to save Romeron's life. The stubborn old dwarf was shivering uncontrollably and his lips were blued all night long, as I tried to start a campfire by lantern-light and we all piled together to try and keep him warm. None of us slept. We took it in turns to wake up and make sure he was still breathing, shaking ourselves awake every few hours. It wasn't until sunrise, when the warmth of the sun started to fight off the chill night air, that we thought Romeron had managed to do the same. By all rights, we were lucky to make it back to Ravenshrine as a full complement of five.