Zoom 2022-02-08 21:00

The party decides to travel to the southern camp to speak to the Shaman in the hope of continuing on to Beriesa or Wingsport - provided the Blink Dog problem has abated. We have a heated discussion as to what we should do with items that we have recovered from Vale - keep them, replace them or take them to some other specific person/destination. The point of contention was whether Saratak's prophecy/vision had been helped or hindered by our intervention. Francis and Joshua argued that the negative consequences of disrupting Saratak's plan could far outweigh the benefits to the party of keeping some powerful items that they can't use. Caradoc and others thought the chance of needing to 'reset' the prophesy were minimal, and we would be throwing away valuable items for nothing. Joshua proposed that we ask the Shaman to cast a divination (or similar) to ask what would best be done with these items - and we could provide him some CinderOak to assist. He agreed, and duly cast a divination whilst under the influence - and decreed that replacing Swanfeather's symbol where it was found would be 'good for Wildwood', but all the other items were irrelevant.

We therefore agreed to replace Swanfeather's symbol where we found it, and reinstate the scene of her remains as much as possible (eg using an unseen servant to put the symbol back, re-placing the glyph and minor traps etc). The more cynical among us thought that the Shamans 'good for Wildwood' was more specifically 'good for the Shaman', and he would go and grab it as soon as we had left. Joshua and Francis hoped otherwise - and were satisfied that they had 'done their bit' for Wildwood. Quercuis was somewhat less fervent than usual.

After we had replaced Swanfeather's symbol in Thricastle, and waited for the scouts to return to the camp, we got reports that the Blink Dogs had moved off further south, and were now behaving more like wild animals than their previously organised packs. We ought to be able to avoid them as long as we weren't stupid and attracted attention. So we decided to hike off South/SouthWest to Wingsport. We would rely mainly on the clerics to use 'Create Food and Water' spells (one per day), but would make sure we had enough normals rations for a few days contingency.

So we set off for Wingsport. On the second day, just after midday, all the spell casters in the party suddenly get a nasty headache, accompanied by nausea. The totems/familiars aren't too happy either. However, it goes away after about 5 minutes and the party continues on its way. However, about half an hour later, another wave of nausea and headaches hit the spell casters - and all non-permanent spells (eg cont lights) are dispelled (unless stored in the box of holding - so Garaf's magic mouths survive.) The forest goes quiet around us - other than the sound of unhappy 'yipping' three to four miles away. After 5 to 10 minutes, all the birds in the area (including Khurak) take off in fright - and Kirsten also becomes distressed. Earth tremors from what feels like a distant earthquake hit the party.

However, after about a further five minutes, everything returns to normal - birds start tweeting again and the headaches subside. The party waits a bit, then resumes its journey.

Later on, Francis spots a Ghoulagabban orc patrol before they spot us: They are hurrying along an East-West path - about 20 strong, and in poor quality ill-fitting uniforms. They are not paying to much attention to their surroundings, and we easily hide as they go past.

In the evening, we make camp as usual. Near the end of the first watch, a magic-mouth alarm is triggered. It turns out to be a Blink Dog scouting the camp - circumnavigating the perimeter and setting off the alarms. It ignores shouts and Faerie Fires, but runs off yipping when we start firing arrows at it - as does a second BD that has approached another part of the camp.

The party decides to break camp as it is likely that the pack will return in full force - so we find a more defensible position about ten minutes away where some fallen trees have revealed a rock face that we put our backs against. As we prepare ourselves, eight BDs blink in and attack. The party is hampered in its defence by the lack of Cont-light rocks (and the clerics forgetting that they can cast 'light' spells.) Quercuis tries to rectify this by casting Faerie Fire on the BDs - and some of the party too. However, we do manage to kill two of them before the rest blink away. We behead the two we have killed to stop them regenerating, but expect the rest to be back as soon as they have regenerated to full health.