All-Out Fog Slog

## **Synopsis**

In Chapter 59: All-Out Fog Slog, the party used the terrain to their advantage as they cut through the Lizardfolk ambush near the south gate of Joiruk.  By keeping our backs to crumbling walls and ducking under the lips of overhanging rooftops, we mostly avoided being targeted by the Arcane Sharpshooter – the importance of which was highlighted by the one time Graven did take an accelerated Ice Knife to the chest and was nearly knocked unconscious.

Our tactics allowed us to pick off the foot soldiers and outlast the shamans, and when the Sharpshooter felt the tides turning against it – it fled and disappeared into the ruins, perhaps buying time to fight another day.  While Erland collected the horses who had fled the scene of the battle, Graven directed Safira to the dwelling that Beezaura had disappeared into – where they found a sizable hole that the Lizardfolk had excavated leading down into the ground.

We followed this tunnel to a larger cavern that housed a subterranean lake, where an unconscious Halfling lay motionless on a stone platform in the center.  Recognizing Beezaura's shield and weapon that had been discarded to the side, we made a plan for a rescue attempt – complicated significantly by what we believed to be an enormous reptile lurking just below the surface.

By tying two ropes together, we made a guide rail for Safira to pull herself along while riding a small raft – and she made it to the middle of the lake where she was able to shake Beezaura from her catatonic state.  The addition of a second passenger made the return trip not quite as smooth – the splashing attracting the attention of the Giant Crocodile – but a couple of well-timed leaps into the waiting arms of Orba and Graven kept things from escalating into a full-on conflict.  Safira's ankle suffered a nasty scrape, but we escaped to the surface reunited to plan our next steps.

We'd already come this far – and we no longer needed to explain to our guide why we wanted to make an unusual stop – so we resolved to find the east gate and travel the ISI-MIL border until we found the tree marked on our map.  After reaching another intersection, we had a choice between an unhindered path and one cut off by a pair of Copper Claw bears – but as the bears were blocking the east road, we vowed to stay the course rather than get lost among the ruin.

A failed distraction attempt forced us to summon what little strength we had left to fight again – and despite doing his best to parry their powerful blows, Graven was clipped by the swipe of a paw and blacked out as he hit the floor.  Another volley of strikes from the remainder of the party was enough to keep our Cleric from reaching a point of critical danger – and though it cost us a scare and a healing potion, we opened up an avenue to keep traveling in our desired direction.

Not long after our tussle with the bears, we spotted what looked to be more intelligent life materializing in the fog – but a closer inspection revealed them to be scarecrows, cleverly rigged up with Pellipa mushrooms in their eyes to produce an ominous glowing effect.  We learned it was the handiwork of a historian and researcher named Isadora Marovec, who had come to Joiruk to study the legend of Falghest and his dark spirits – and though she was apprehensive of allowing five strangers into the house she'd boarded up for safety, she kindly took a chance and gave us a place to catch our breath.

It was a much-needed bit of respite, and we learned a great deal about Isadora's line of work as well as information about our surroundings.  She directed us to the east gate, which wasn't far from here, and clued us in on where we might be able to find our elusive tree along the border.  Now that we were able to get our bearings, we could feel the morale and the resolve of the party rising.

## Trivia

* Natural one count: six natural ones were rolled in this Chapter. 1 by Riley, 2 by Matt, and 3 by Anthony.
* First of two pre-recorded episodes while they move to a new location.