Scaly Nuisance: Frogging Hell, How Is This Still A Problem?

Beefington has called Horatio to his office to discuss details about a previous problem he was sure Horatio had already dealt with. Beefington sends Horatio back out to actually solve the issue of the threat that has been affecting the southern part of the Caravan Road that has been coming from the Black Swamp.

*Part of the Scaly Nuisance story arc*

## Adventurers Attending

* Horatio Hammerfell
* Io Aerkeryrm
* Tas

## Mission Notes

Horatio was relaxing in the Guildhouse until he was disturbed by a request to go see Guild Master Lord Reginald Beefington immediately, he took the time to quickly get changed into something more presentable for this meeting. Upon stepping into the office Horatio noticed that Beefington had a quite dour look across his face, only moving to gesture for him to take a seat opposite his desk. Once sat a verbal assault cascaded down on the poor Giff.

> "What in the Nine Hells do you think you are doing to me, trying to make a mockery of my name? I thought you said you had dealt with that nuisance plaguing the Caravan Road, do you know how bad this looks on me if you fail like this? I bet you're doing it on purpose to try and ruin me. I thought you were reliable, a good man, on my side but I guess not. Make sure you clear this mess up and get rid of the problem before I make a problem for you! Go downstairs, get some people, head out and solve this before it gets worse."
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Horaito was quite confused as he had thought he had dealt with the issue when he fought off a group of Lizardfolk just the other week with Rain and Grrder. During the "talk" Horatio was quite derogatory about himself for someone of his skills and capability. Getting ready and quickly heading downstair to find who ever is about the Guildhouse. Seeing Io and Tas, Horatio lets them know the situation, asking if they are willing to help with this one.

Grabbing the wagon Io and Tas are shocked to find the usual guy not there and it being unmanned, turns out the he caught the Plague Rot and had been off for a little while. There had been a person manning it the week prior but it's unclear if this person that went by the name Potts Pans was a bandit or not. This leaving the group to grab the wagon themselves and heading out south along the Caravan Road.

After a day of travelling down the Caravan Road which was uneventful and unusually baron of travelers, they set up camp for the night. While Io was on her first watch. After a while a strange metallic sound can be heard coming from the North, a large Tabaxi with dressed in fine silks can be seen sat high up on a strand mechanical contraption, pulling a wagon down the road. With great caution Io hesitantly walks towards the approaching individual, with great caution hailing them down. After a little back and forth the Tabaxi reveals he his a travelling merchant called Malow and it's been a while since he has encountered members of the Adventurers Guild of Otha's Rest. Io having doubts about how genuine this strange tabaxi is asks to see his ware, hitting the side of his seat the sides of his wagon fall out showing off his wares as music starts blasting. The catchy beat stirs up the other two from their rest. Coming over to investigate the sound other two get chatting and buy some of Malows wares before inviting him to camp for the night.

After a bit of discussion the group relaxs around the fire, Io no recognising the unusual looking fish get really intrigued by it and asks for it's name and if it's okay to try and speak to it. Malow informs her that it doesn't like to give out names due to the power in them and fey trickery. Leaving it at that everyone turns to rest apart from Io who is determined to find out more about this horned, vacant fish. Waiting till Malow had fallen asleep sat on top of the contraption that houses the fish, she used her crystal and attempted to reach out to the fish telepathically. The fish accused her of being fey in a loud commanding voice and being full of fey trickery, which Io rebutled, the fish ended up settling on her being Fey adjacent. It wasn't up for much of a discussion but Io did find out it was happy and settled where it was. Satisfied enough with that for now Io sees out the rest of her watch.

In the morning Malow introduces the group to a little pick me up from his home country called Selune sugar that he introduces to his coffee. The discuss a little about the attacks and Malow lets them know he has had a few encounters with the lizard folk in the past and where along the Caravan Road they usual set up their ambushes at the point closest to The Black Swamp but it isn't all localised there. Horatio offers to accompany him as far as he needs, Malow says it's okay as he knows how to protect himself but he can show them where the attacks normally happen.

Best part of a days travel takes them to the stop Rain, Grrder and Horatio previously had an altercation with lizard fold attacking merchants. Waving goodbye to Malow as he marches on to Cheyenne, the group enter the swamp with little in the ways of a plan beyond look for the lizardfolk while pretending to be lost an vulnerable. Entering the swamp they walk through the swamp with Tas taking the lead and pretending to be lost calling out "*Oh no I don't know what to do with all this gold and I'm stuck in a swamp step lizardbro*". Following hidden in the undergrowth Io and Horatio try to stay out of sight to increase the chances they get attacked.

After a while noises are heard in a bush and Tas pulls out a fuzzy ball from a tan bag(need to look up why colour bag?) and throws it revealing an owl, disappointed by the animals summoned she throws another ball out which unfurls into a lion. The duo headed over to the bush that the noise was heard from and narrowly is missed by a massive tongue. Io enthralled by the idea of a strange creature in a bush decided to try see what it is and tries to befriend it. After some disgusting x taffy that had gathered junk from the bottom of Io's bag was offered to the giant frog and way too much coaxing, the giant frog seemed to be okay with Io's presence. Horatio and Tas stand back waiting for anything wrong to move, Iop decided to call the giant frog, Princess Murder Frog even though she knew it was a boy. Tas does pick up on everything had gone silent in the swamp and lets the others know. Horatio hearing this shouts out "Hello, lizardfolk are you there".

Two large noises are heard coming from different direction and charge into on the group, crash through the trees two froghemoths barreled through and start attacking the party. Lil Pomp goes invisible as Tas is eaten by a Froghemoth to the shock of everyone. Horatio goes to help but is grabbed by the other froghemoth, starting to blasting at the one Tas is entrapped in while being grasped by the tendrip of the other. Not liking the blasting the froghemoth charges up and swallows Horatio too. Io took a calculated step back from the conflict and started blasting from a far, at which point the Froghemoth which lost it's prey swings at Tas' summoned owl making it disappear into a puff of feathers and grasps at Princess Murder Frog.

Inside the froghemoth Tas and Horatio managed to cause enough damage to force the creature to throw them up and they quickly get to work slaying it with a volley of electrically charged bullets and eldritch blasts. Horatio even managed to get the other froghemoth to drop Princess Murder Frog and give him enough time to get away. Tower wasn't so lucky, they got decommissioned and eaten as a last ditch effort by the froghemoth before it tried to escape. Leaping away the giant frog stops in it's tracks due to Io's mournful scream and presents it's back to her. Mounting the Princess Murder Frog, Io gives chase to the froghemoth fleeing with her friend and fells the beast. Tower scatters across the floor with Io running up to them to fix them and revive them.

Deciding that this was all a bit too much for the day the group heads back out the swamp to which Princess Murder Frog won't go beyond the edge. Io takes out a pink ribbon and ties it around the neck of the Giant Frog and say farewell for now to her new friend. Horatio doesn't know what to expect from Beefington

## Rumours

* Is the boxed lizardfolk still alive? - Horatio
* Princess Murder Frog seems accepting of Io's presence, is it possible to to tame him?

## Player Diaries

### Io's Diary

*Io sits on a relatively dry patch under a tree as her companions sleep. She gently pets the giant toad squatting beside her, Asco lounging on its head. Her quill hovers in the air, as she practices the techniques in her psionics manual.*

> Horatio came to ask Tas and I to help with some lizard bandits in the swamps. Making our way to their last known location we bumped into Malow, a rather strange Tabraxi travelling merchant with a very strange fish. Purchasing a few items we invited them to stay by our camp fire for the night. After Malow fell asleep I tried to telepathically communicate with the fish. A very strange, and quite rude creature, he seemed very disinterested abusing me of being fey tainted.
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> In the morning we headed to where the lizards were last seen. Leaving the road we encountered a giant toad! His emerald skin shone in the dappled light that pierced the canopy. Such a beautiful creature! Horatio seemed very wary of him, but after some calming words and a treat the toad seemed very comfortable around me. I have dubbed him Princess Murder Frog, and we shall be the best of friends.
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> Suddenly out of the undergrowth we were attacked by two froghemoths! One immediately swallowed Tas. The other immediately grappled both Horatio and Prim’f. After an extended battle, where Horatio was also swallowed and I healed my new toad companion, one of the froghemoths tried to escape. Prim’f offered his back to me, and we rode gallantly after the fleeing creature, who had also swallowed Tower! The beast soon lay dead at our feet, and Tower was revived.
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> It occurs to me now that we may not have accomplished what we set out to do…
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