Southern Expedition 1 - Industrial Lamentations

**Southern Expedition 1 - Industrial Lamentations**

* Mission: Find the ones sabotaging the line at Groves of Yonder, de-escalate the situation.
* Adventurers: Valentin, Snella, Figma, Dwyghte Lifebringer & Maurice
* Contacts: Gregory (train conductor), Greta Ironfoot, Francis & Lira, Spirits of the forest (?), Roland Blackthorne & Roger Stensfield

Dear Reader,

if you find you’re wary about reading this chronicle, rest assured that little ol’ Maurice will try his best to keep our adventures down south, short for you! The expedition transported us from the cold winter up north, to the lush forests of Groves of Yonder AND! Into the dark corridors of corruption by introducing us to a character by the name … Christian Baal, a high up in the trifecta. Trifecta v. Trifecta? Mysterious indeed.

When we arrived, after a three days long journey, we saw with our own eyes how **the line was physically blown of the tracks, in a westward direction.** Hindering all transportation beyond this point. **Workers** **described the attacks as being made by nature itself.**

**Greta Ironfoot**, our contact and the one in charge, seemed more frustrated than worried or scared. She **suspects wood elves or even Yonderli spirits to be behind the sabotage.** She hands us two clues. A path leading west, and an informant, A wood elf named Francis.

**Dwyghte Lifebringer’s** **care for his fellow creatures and healing abilities is unmatched**. He heals all the wounded workers in his proximity! **Valentin puts on a wonderful show for the workers with his puppets**. What a boost of moral! What a team! We wander of on our adventure feeling optimistic as a silky breeze caress our skin and our eyes take in the sight of lush woods and our feet enjoy the soft, green grass.

Wood elves **Francis and her daughter Lira, prove to be better at building a magnificent hut, than making guests feel welcome in it. Especially guests from the Trifecta,** who, in her eyes are violating the agreement made by King Efrael all those years ago. But she sends her young daughter Lira with a group of strangers (us) from that exact organization.

**Spirits of the forest appear before us in animal shapes.** To tell us to **«stop what you are doing or else…»** An ominus wind demonstrate that they mean business. Lira is not scared of them. Note dear reader, that they do not look like any Yonderli spirits I have ever seen. But in search of something to kill, **Snella strikes up a conversation with a helpful squirrel, who confirms that the animal shapes are some sort of spirits, not elves.** The squirrel lives to see another day! **But if not Yonderli, what are they really?**

**Figma and Lira** decide to race each other down the westward path, and **are the first to arrive at the forest camp of 7-10 soldiers and workers in Trifecta colors.** What is going on? Surrounding the camp are the bleeding tree trunks of an ancient forest. Figma tells Lira to hide in the bushes to avoid exposure. **Lira disappears at some point. I could not tell you when.** Suspicious?

**Valentin dresses in a Trifectan officer uniform to con the one in charge for information! Joined by the ever resourceful Snella, they find that** **Roland Blackthorne is in charge.** He is a tight lipped type of dud. Sooo **Snella tricks Roland into drinking a green liquid from the Vale of Blossoms.** JOY loosens his tongue! **Roland says they are here on Trifectan orders, more precisely the orders of a Christian Baal.**

Still feeling the joyous effect of the liquid, **Roland gets the other guards and workers to join them. A perfect distraction** for Figma, Dwygthe and yours truly **to search the tents.** They find a logbook. Proof!

**The group discuss their next step when a guard stumble upon them. We try to get more information out of him but he slits his own throat.** (Yikes) I find this to be **the perfect moment to test the effects of the fluid from the bleeding tree trunks.** I put the fluid in the guard’s mouth and **he floats like a balloon up into the trees.** He might still be there, who knows. I sure don’t.

A familiar and unsettling wind blows upon us. The voices of Roland and his crew draw closer! We find ourselves physically stuck between the forest spirits and Roland and his crew. **Which side are we on?**

**Figma takes a stand! She will have NO part in a Trifecta that ruins the forests!** We all agree with her and fight against Roland and his crew! **A tree comes alive, and spears Roland.** The fight is over.

**Valentin bravely volunteers to bring Roland Blackthorne (deceased), two guards and evidence of this operation to the capitol and the Trifecta.** May luck be in his favour! The last guard from the camp, Roger Stensfield joins us back to Stone Upon Hill as leverage.