Careful Extractions

"Careful Extractions" is the 100th episode of the Materia D&D Crass Menagerie campaign. The Menagerie quickly wraps up their business in Whitlaw and surreptitiously leave town in their pursuit of a solution to the dreadful curse that has afflicted Dregnar.

## Synopsis

### Recap

The Crass Menagerie are currently in Whitlaw, the capital of the nation of Kled due to a decree from the Sovereign that anyone traveling out of Greenhill must first travel to Whitlaw for documentation and inspection. As a result, they have spent the last few days in Whitlaw during the Festival of Colors. They have met several new people, most notably Tabard a local tabaxi tradesman and apparent entertainer who was eager to strike up a friendship with the group. They also spent a little time in the Lyceum District of Whitlaw as well, seeking out knowledge to help them on their quests. Dregnar also sought out a treatment for the curse that was placed upon him by Zaryaj, only to learn from Hadriel and Joel in the College of Fascinations that they would not be able to treat it here. Joel instead suggested that Dregnar go seek out her tribe in the Graykraul Mountains where they would be able to hunt a basilisk and a hell hound that could be used to remove the curse for good. She mentioned her cousin Morgan Kraulborne lives in Vulpine and would be able to serve as a guide to the Menagerie in finding the tribe. As night fell, the Menagerie finally found the "true" Bucking Mad's by providing the appropriate passphrase for Patas.

### The Snoring Lodge

The group awakens at Bucking Mad's. Davis checks in with Patas and asks of Meeker's whereabouts as they wish to head back to Vulpine, she promises to send word to him. Davis, realizing what little time he has to pursue the lead at the Snoring Lodge, lets the group know he is heading over to the Kneeling District to check it out and that he will meet back up with them at Tabard's Tantalizing Trove later in the day.

When he arrives there, he asks a local resident, an older dwarven lady, for assistance. She calls out to a young adult halfling girl named Pippa to serve as his guide. Together they head deeper into the Kneeling District, and the deeper they go the dingier it gets. They get right up to the edge of the walled-in portion of Whitlaw when Pippa announces that they've arrived at their destination. The Snoring Lodge stands before them and looks to be in pretty bad shape. When Davis asks Pippa what she knows of the place, she says that they mostly tell old tales and get drunk and fight.

Davis knocks on the front door and enters, having to exert quite a bit of force to swing the door open as it drags along the ground. Inside is a sparsely decorated and very dimly lit interior which at this hour is mostly empty. There are two individuals at a bar further into the establishment, an older dwarven gentlemen with a leather apron and a younger dwarf with bright orange hair in a mohawk that twists into a braid down his back. The younger gentleman asks Davis if he's lost, and Davis says he's here to learn about the ancient forgemasters of Carver. The older gentleman departs, and as Davis describes what he's looking for he eventually reveals that he believes his Hearthguard glaive comes from there and that he wants answers, culminating in Davis revealing the weapon to them. An older fiery-haired dwarf named Mergo emerges from the back and Davis learns that he is the father of the other dwarf (Braylin), and that he knows of these ancient forgemasters as one of them was his (grand)father. After providing some information, he offers a stone tablet to Davis stating that it will help guide him to the heart/belly of the mountain.

### Rendezvous and Exodus

Meanwhile, the rest of the Menagerie heads over to Tabard's Tantalizing Trove and upon knocking on the door, the locks undo themselves and allow the Menagerie in. They are met there by Meeker himself, who greets them as they enter. The group gets a hold of the items they informed Tabard they'd like to set aside. Dregnar gets his Silken Sash and Dream Stone. Roque copies the *Catapult* spell into his spellbook. Khaaros gets a new set of +1 half-plate armor and a set of Windswept Adornments. Allegretto takes the Wand of Noises and the Conspirator's Crest. Tabard reveals that he has a plan to smuggle the Menagerie out of town under the guise of a Verdant Cause caravan.

Davis returns from the Snoring Lodge and presents his findings to the group and asks Dregnar to translate. He says that the tablet says "The stars will lead you to the roaring belly below" and that there's a maze-like pattern that would appear to be a map, but it's unclear what the appropriate path would be. However, he recognizes enough of the pattern to be the constellation-like pattern that manifests when Hearthguard is summoned, so Dregnar asks Davis to summon the glaive to help complete the map. Sure enough, it's a perfect match, and the proper path can be traced using it. Also, before the group leaves Roque recalls the intimidatingly-powerful and confusing scroll they found amongst the hag spoils in the Boulderfields and leaves it with Tabard to see if he can decipher.

Meeker takes the group to an associate of his named weBaxter to help prepare the party to leave Whitlaw, disguised as supply crates, through the eastern gate (rather than the typical exit of the Masonfare Byway). The group makes it through without issue, and makes the four day trip to Vulpine. As we approach town in the evening, Meeker asks who we would like to have an audience with in town. Dregnar says that we should just get Morgan, and should otherwise lay low, making camp outside of town along the edge of the woods out of sight. Meeker heads into town to retrieve him while camp is setup. Meeker and Morgan return some time later, and Morgan is familiar with some of the Menagerie members but doesn't recognize everyone so he is introduced to the new members as well as being introduced to "Bare" aka "Baritone", who Dregnar says is Allegretto's father, when it is really just Allegretto himself having been aged by the Unformed Maze since Morgan would have last seen him. The group informs Morgan of their current errand and negotiates to get him enough time out of Vulpine to help them, and says they will leave early the next morning.

### Into the Graykruals

During the night, Davis has another dream. This time instead of coming from inside the belly of a volcano, it is outside in the night sky. He sees some sort of shard fall from the sky, from beyond the night, come crashing into a forest and causing the land to buckle, bend, shift, and rise upward drastically and violently.

Morgan arrives with some fresh fare for the group, and the group sets off toward the mountains. Along the way Morgan tells the group about the basilisk hunters and the clans of the "Kraul-born". Within a little over a day's travel, the group begin ascending the mountains and they are shortly greeted by a pair of goliaths and a pair of gnomes. After a brief discussion with Morgan about our intents, they agree to guide the Menagerie toward their destination. Along the journey, Morgan tells the escorts of who the Crass Menagerie are and what they've done. Eventually the group travels beyond the Vashlands and arrives at a Huln settlement where Morgan announces their arrival and asks that the group explain what they seek. Allegretto (as "Bare") steps up and explains the beasts that are sought.

A young female goliath named Sasa approaches and tells the group of her tribe and their capabilities and rich culture. She also reveals that Morgan is also supposed to help keep the relationships between the Tribes of the Kraulweyr and the other settlements of the Foxwoods, but that contact has been sparse for some time now though she is hopeful things can improve. Sasa explains the tribe's ability to create a "stone elixir" that petrifies substances and makes them more durable. The Menagerie are introduced around and eventually are introduced to a tribal healer that looks very similar to Joel. She assesses Dregnar and echoes what Joel's diagnosis was and agreed with Joel's idea to use the basilisk eye and hell hound skull to remove the curse, but clarifies that the Menagerie will need a "cloud-touched" or "storm-touched" basilisk - recognizable by their clouded murky eyes. Morgan has arranged for some hunters to take the group on a hunt right away. They are greeted by a hulking male goliath named Gauvek and an almost-equally large female goliath named Vairma. After explaining how to avoid a basilisk's gaze, they lead the Menagerie out of the encampment towards a basilisk nest.

### At the Basilisk Nest

The group, led by the two tribal hunters, approach along a cliffside that has a shallow boulder-dotted canyon below. As we near where the hunters anticipate basilisk presence, they indicate the party will be approaching stealthily, aided by Dregnar's *Pass Without Trace*. As the party approaches, more and more local flora and fauna alike appears to be in a petrified state, including some basilisks themselves. In preparation for combat, Dregnar applies his last dose of the assassin poison to his hand wrappings. Al pre-emptively provides some *Bardic Inspiration* to Dregnar and Khaaros.

Atop the cliffside, the group spots a basilisk who seems to be unaware of their presence, and once they draw near they realize it is asleep. The group all pounce on the sleeping beast and take it down with relative ease. Sej casts *Bless* on Davis, Khaaros, Dregnar, and the two hunters. The hunters do confirm that this was not one of the special "cloud-touched" basilisks needed.

Gauvek and Vairma quickly tie off a rope and descend the cliffside, with the rest of the group following quickly behind. Davis in the lead, he spots a basilisk on the opposite side of the boulder he is at, and signals the rest of the group of his presence. Gauvek closes the distance, and Vairma and Dregnar both rage. Vairma flanks out wide scouting for more threats. Dregnar flies to the other side of the boulder next to Davis and prepares a full-on frontal assault on the basilisk, seemingly unfazed by the baslisk's gaze. He strikes out recklessly at the basilisk and landing a single hefty blow on top of the basilisk's skull, followed by a critical blow to knock the basilisk out, choosing to use his Dream Stone to force the basilisk to fall asleep and dream of Kodiak chasing it around hunting it. Sej and Davis lunge forward seeking out the next target but fail to find any.

Roque provides Dregnar with some illusory cover using *Minor Illusion*. Al and his dire wolf steed (via the *Find Greater Steed* spell) follow Vairma onto the flank, spotting a basilisk flanking near Davis and another tumbling into the shallow canyon bed. The basilisk near Davis emerges and Davis stops it in its tracks and shoves it back a bit, following after. The cloudy-eyed basilisk unleashes a gout of spit at Davis, who avoids most of it. Gauvek closes in on the new arrival, and Vairma slashes at the basilisk near her with her greataxe. Khaaros follows Gauvek's pursuit and lashes out with his flail, keeping his eyes averted swinging wide first before landing a powerful smiting blow on the basilisk.

Dregnar sprints down to engage the cloudy-eyed basilisk, again with reckless abandon, critically striking with a hellacious headbutt. Following up with two other blows to add insult to injury, leaving the basilisk wavering but still standing. Sej sends a *Guiding Bolt* at the cloud-touched basilisk, pushing it to the brink. Davis strikes out twice and cannot hit the panicked and flailing basilisk, and instead issues a *Spotter's Order* to Dregnar who easily takes it down by crushing it into the nearby boulder.

## Featured Characters

### Adventuring Party

* Allegretto
* Davis Cantrell
* Dregnar Bearkin
* Khaaros
* Roque
* Sej Ivesaach
* Pebble

### New

* Al's Unnamed Steed Spirit (in the form of a Dire Wolf)
* Pippa
* Braylin
* Mergo
* Baxter (Whitlaw)
* Sasa
* Gauvek
* Vairma
* Quillbert

### Returning

* Patas
* Tabard
* Meeker
* Morgan

### Mentioned

* Navori
* Hadriel
* Joel
* Kodiak

## Trivia

1. Unconfirmed, but Dregnar's 86 damage on one attack (headbutt against cloud-touched basilisk) is probably a record for the campaign to date.