Trek to Tundra Range (Part 1)

**Trek to Tundra Range (Part 1)** is an independent one-shot run by by ABSQ Cast Member Haelley.

## Trek to Tundra Range

### Air date

May 20th, 2021

The one shot was run with all the cast except for Jessa who had a personal thing to tend to. Cast goes as follows -

* **Jon** as **Cas Starchaser** - Half-Elf, Fey Wanderer Ranger
* **Jeremy** as **Veto** - Kobold, Moon Druid
* **Mak** as **Reese Kyndal** - Mark of Making Human, Artillerist Artificer / Wild Magic Sorcerer
* **Darrin** as **Ven Phasma** - Pallid Elf, Ghostslayer Blood Hunter
* **Zac** as **Nae'Menor'Athi'Golas'Ann'Or'Riel'Riel'Riel** - High Elf, Stars Druid
* **Ian** as **Gahk Torok** - Grung, Marid-Genie Warlock

Haelley explains at the beginning of the episode that she made this one shot for her home game, made of a cluster of homebrew and things found here and there, and it has no meaning to the plot of the main campaign.

### **Synopsis**

**Pre-Show Shenanigans**

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### **Part One**

"*Welcome to a world of my creation, much like our own if just six degrees to the left. A world of magic and mayhem, heroes and villains and above all - balance. But that is lore for another time...tonight we turn our attention to something a little less grand and a bit more chaotic {...} You'l see across all different terrains and settings a diverse array of people, if you can call them people. Some sit in taverns getting a drink, others stalk through wooded areas, another might be in a store buying supplies. But then your perspective switches...and there is a woman standing behind a table, in the center of a small and cluttered cottage. She has a mane of red* *hair and a sly smile that reminds you eerily of a fox."*

The woman approached Gahk, with Gahk asking who the lady was. She called herself help, as she introduced herself as Sienna, and offered Gahk supplies for adventuring, which Gahk turned down saying he had stuff already, but when asked if he would like 'new stuff' accepted. Sienna wondering what to give him waved her hand over the table between them, and a staff appeared, with the head of an eel at the top, jaws open and teeth bared, which Gahk accepted. When asked what it was, Sienna replied if he threw it on the ground, it would be a new friend. Gahk did as he was told, and to his delight a giant eel appeared in place of the staff, as he greeted yelling *"PUPPY!!"* and hugged it immediately. Sienna also gave to Gahk a small, dark purple parchment, which he accepted. She immediately admitted she didn't normally make her deals turn around so quickly, as she did like letting them stew awhile, however she did have a job needed done and was on a time-crunch. With one last 'i hope you don't have plans today dear' said, Sienna snapped her fingers...

...and Gahk...Cas...Veto...Reese...Ven...and Nae', all felt a tug in their chest, like a string behind their breastbone, like they were being yanked backwards, rushed through darkness, their head aching from the force movement, and bodies pressed and pulled through space...until they all landed on a soft forest floor, covered in pine needles and dead leaves, with trees too dense to see through, and all but thin shafts of sunlight blocked from getting through the canopy. Silence surrounded them only broken by wildlife and underbrush nearby, as they sat in a circle, dazed, confused and facing strangers.

Cas rolled on to his feet with his bow drawn and arrow knocked, demanding to know which one of them did this. Reese admitted it could have been him, but was not sure, and introduced himself as "Reese Kyndal", and on attempt of speaking of his history was silenced by Cas exclaiming he didn't care, asking again if any of them did this. Gahk spoke up claiming he saw something interesting, as he stood up, hugging Puppy, to the surprise of the others. Gahk said he saw a witch who snapped her finger, and then he and the others appeared where they where. With the group realizing who he referred to, Cas lowered his weapon and apologized as he introduced himself at Gahk's request. Ven stood and cleaned off himself as he introduced himself to the others and stated the witch was most likely Sienna and that he had an encounter with her two weeks ago. He pulled out the purple parchment out, asking if others had received the same, which Cas said he did with gritted teeth.

Nae' likewise stood holding his letter exclaiming he had met Sienna, and introduced himself as Nae'Menor'Athi'Golas'Ann'Or'Riel'Riel'Riel, to Ven and Cas's distaste. He continued saying that they might all had been called for a task, pondering where the IOUs should be cashed. Veto also stood, not understanding everything fully said, but revealed his parchment understanding that much. Reese likewise stood, reintroduced himself again and spoke how he had been pulled from his bath, pointing to his bathrobe, and proceeded to magically change into regular attire. He also mentioned that Sienna had given him two things, one being the leather bag on his person, and the other being the letter, asking what it was.

Gahk suddenly heard a familiar voice in his head, welcoming them to Brajest mountain, saying that she formally had a workshop in the mountain that was too dangerous for her now, to find the workshop and to message her with the sending stone in his pocket for more details, following the markings on the ceiling like in the IOU. Gahk replied asking who they were and he didn't consent, as he revealed the stone.

> Congratulations on making a Deal! I hope you are satisfied with our agreement. This is an IOU, a physical representation of the magical contract you have entered with me, Sienna Elmida. This IOU cannot be lost or destroyed and will not leave your person until our Deal is complete. To complete the Deal, you will be called upon by me for a favor and you will complete this task to the best of your ability. If you try to undermine our Deal in any way there will be consequences. Thank you for your cooperation!
>
>

*-The contents of Sienna's IOU as described by Haelley*

Nae' identified the stone as a sending stone suggesting to contact Sienna to find what their task was. Gahk attempted to use it though unsure how, till guided by Cas to ask what they were supposed to do. Sienna replied, albeit after a bit of confusion, and replied they were meant to be at the base of a mountain, that they should go to the mountain and find her shop and not to ask again. Gahk informed the others of their current goal. They took a little time to examine their surroundings again, noting again that the density of the trees made it hard to tell what time it might be according to the sun's position above it as little light was let in, and that every direction was an endless expanse of trees, eventually just becoming a blur of trees. They also noted that though they had not been in these woods before, it matched the description of The Crescenda Woods, a dense area, along the mountain range, with small lumber towns populating the edges of it.

Reese noting that the leaves were the problem and endeavouring to fix it, pulled out an eldritch cannon; flamethrower in an attempt to set the forest on fire, and while it burned through several yards of branches, fortunately it didn't spread into a wildfire. Nae' and Veto note the branches didn't catch as they normally should, and most of the party had the sense that the flora and forest around them didn't act as normal flora should. Reese is lightly 'suggested' by the group not to repeat that action again. He does try to justify they now had light, noticed that the amount of light remained the same. Cas started to climb one of the trees, only to stop when Nae' cast *Guidance,* threatened him not to do so, before continuing his trek. He stopped when he no longer felt the tree was sturdy enough, but still able to peer over part of the canopy noted that the Brajest mountain, the tallest of the tundra range, was due east, about 50 miles or a two day trek. He also noted the sun was starting to set.

Cas climbed down and informed the group, and started to head in their direction leading the trek, with Veto picking up a few stones on the way and Gahk riding his eel. Ven walked alongside Cas using his eye to cast *Light*, which Cas thanked him as Ven introduced him fully as Ven Phasma. Noting the time they decided to try and find a location for them to rest for the night. Along the way some of the party noticed an odd head movement from Cas from behind, but Ven a little closer, noticed a strange glimmer from him, but assumed it as the light playing tricks on him. Nae' disappeared for a few seconds, and a bellow was heard as he *Wildshaped* into an albino Elk, with slightly shimmering antlers, and revealed himself as he searched for a place to rest. Most of the group, seeing the elk prepared to hunt, stopped only by Veto recognizing druid magic and said it was funny man, and noticing that Nae' was not around the group the party put down their weapons. Nae' reverted back when he found a place and mentioned it to the others, singing to guide them, to the other's annoyance.

They started to set up camp, with Nae' focused on mushrooms he had found and stared at them. The party heard a sound coming from the bushes, with a little confusion on what it was, as well as how to handle it. Ven approaches where the sound came, with his hand on his quiver. The party sees a rustle of movement about 30 feet away, and Ven in response pulled a giant longbow from his quiver exclaiming we have a problem. Cas likewise pulled out his bow, and Nae' sauntered in front of both and activated his *Starry Form: Archer Constellation*. Veto in response hid himself with the bushes, while Gahk cast *Mage Armor* on himself. Ven took hold of his longbow, spinning the spikes adorning his bow across his hand, causing blood to spray and tendrils to come from his bow. Nae' in his form summoned a glowing starlight bow, and then pulled out a small red lock of hair, asking Sienna to guide him, and held it within his mouth.

The rustling from the bushes came closer as out came a gnarled, twisted masses of vines and roots, in a humanoid shape, and as they were revealed in the light of the fire and Nae's starry form, tattered armor and gear could be seen underneath, encasing something similar to them, a body reclaimed by nature. This horrific plant creature approached Nae' and missed it's attack on him. Nae' proclaiming it to be 'almost fairy time' cast *Guiding Bolt* on the plant creature in response. Reese noting the plant creature and that he had the right tool for the job, burned it with his eldritch cannon, unfortunately with Nae' in range as both are hit by it's flames, and about to finish noticed a rumble from his bag and cast *Chaos Bolt* causing the burning plant creature to pop in a burst of thunder, hitting Nae' with mushroom spores as he accidentally swallowed Sienna's lock of hair.

A second plant creature emerged and hit Reese with it's attack. Ven in response used his reaction to activate his blood maledict *Curse of the Eyeless* on the plant creature lowering it's attack roll by three and *Amplified* it so the effect would last the end of it's turn, but it's not enough as Reese was grappled by it. Gahk seeing Reese came in range, took one of his bolts and gnawed on it coating it in his own natural poison and fired it at the plant creature. Gahk then called Puppy over, and after getting Reese to consent to something to something unknown, had Puppy constrict the plant creature grappling it, with Reese still grappled by it. Cas noted the wackjob people around him, and proceeded to cast *Hunter's Mark* on the plant creature before firing an arrow at it ending the plant creature, releasing Reese from his grapple, but still grappled by Puppy. Out of current danger Cas attempted to figure out what the plant creature was with no luck, but had enough reason to believe the plant creatures were created, and not natural, that dead bodies were encased in vines and branches.

A third plant creature emerged and hit Nae' with it's attack, leaving him grappled. A fourth emerged and missed on it's attack against Gahk. Ven seeing more appear twisted the bow in his hand to cause another blood spray and wiped it across his eye to activate his *Rite of the Dawn*, causing bright light to shine from him, then came into range of the plant creature who missed Gahk, and using their bow firing red and white bolts at it, missing with the first bolt, but hit with the second bolt, doing extra damage to the undead plant creature thanks to his activated *Rite.* A fifth plant creature emerged and made it's way to Ven, but missed with it's attack. Veto approached positioning himself near Cas, pulled one of the pebbles he found and cast *Magic Stone* and fired on the one near Ven, and deciding that help was needed cast *Conjure Animal* and summoned four wolves, one by each of the plant creatures, and a second near the one by Gahk.

A sixth plant creature emerged and hit one of the wolves with it's seize attack and grappled it. Nae' while grappled, cast *Guiding Bolt* on the plant creature grappling him, and deciding he needed distance cast *Misty Step*, teleporting in one of the tents. Mak escaped himself from Puppy's grasp with no effort, burned another with his eldritch cannon, unfortunately hitting two of the wolves who were in range as well, including the grappled wolf who vanished into the flames, and hearing the rumble from his bag cast *Chaos Bolt* on another. One plant creature missed it's attack on Ven. Gahk took another bolt, coated it with his poison and hit one of the other plant creatures. Gahk then had Puppy go to another plant creature, and it constricted the plant creature grappling it.

Cas moved so Puppy was no longer blocking him, cast *Hunter's Mark* and missed with his first arrow, but hit with his second arrow causing the plant creature to pop. Ven cleaned himself off, pulled an arrow from his quiver which became like the red and white bolts he fired, and hit another with both shots ending another one, and finished up by putting a little distance between them, but leaving Veto blinded his bright light. The wolves split, with one biting the one grappled by Puppy, and the other two biting the remaining plant creature. Veto hurriedly moved out of the bright light, hearing a gentle sob from the tent Nae' was in, and missed with his *Magic Stone* against the ungrappled one. The unrestrained plant creature hit one of the wolves, but the wolf vanished in it's attempted grapple.

Nae' poked his head out of the tent and cast *Conjure Animal* and summoned a giant eagle near the plant creature restrained by Puppy. The giant eagle hits with the plant creature with it's talon and beak attack, rending the plant creature to bits. Gahk took another bolt, coated it with his poison, and hit the remaining plant creature, sending the bolt through it's head as the plant creature falls.

Nae' ran out to hug his summoned giant eagle as Gahk misses with a pot-shot at him with a bolt. Reese exclaiming that it was interesting, took out a ball of purple glitter from his bag, smacked it on his face and promptly cast *Sleep* on himself. Veto cuddled with his remaining wolves, cast *Goodberry*, and fed each one a berry. Ven put his bow back in the quiver, and went into his trance, while hovering over a pool of blood. Cas said he would take the first watch and Nae' attempted to suggest summoning another eagle to fly, but was met with no's and a slap from Ven, before giving in and heading to stare at a mushroom for his trance. Veto decided to stay with Cas for watch while he had his wolves. Ven replied that he would take the second after he finished his trance, and Gahk slept cuddling with Puppy.

### **Break!**

Dice giveaway run by Haelley! The dice she is handing out are the ones she used used to play tonight.

* And the winner is . . . . selah-griffin! Congrats!

### **Part Two**

While Cas, Veto and the wolves are doing the first watch, one of the wolves caught a glimpse of feathers darting between trees. Nae' noticing the wolf spied something cast *Speak with Animals* to communicate, but finding they can't reply as they are fey being, moved to one of the plant creatures bodies and stared at the mushrooms. Cas wanting to understand what the plant creatures were looked at the same body as Nae', who cast *Guidance* on Cas to aid him, found the plant creatures were creepily similar, like they could have been him and saw among scraps of armor, and other equipment, a piece of dark purple parchment. As Cas tried to grab it, it crumbled to ash in his hand.

Sienna's voice came in Cas's head voicing that she hoped that group was still around, and that the woods were dangerous, but was sure they would do fine. Cas replied asking how many groups she sent out. She answered not too many, but still more then she liked, and that the woods had gotten worse over the years with her unsure why. Cas asked what caused her to leave these woods, and she replied there was a lurker in the woods, that she was dangerous, and she never wanted to face her in her territory. Cas replied out loud that she instead swindled innocent adventurers to her dirty work, and that it sounded right for a witch. Nae hearing this voiced his opinion on maybe getting more information from her and cast *Enhance Ability* on Cas, enhancing his wisdom, but was met by no response from her and went to sleep.

Ven woke and first playing the song of his order, started the second watch alongside Nae', but found it to be silent and peaceful. They continued on to the third watch with similar results. Most of the others wake afterwards to the quiet, but finding more sunlight then before, but after their night found it to be eerie. Veto ate one of his remaining *Goodberries* and offered to the rest of the party, with Puppy engulfing his arm in it's mouth. Ven voiced his opinion that the previous night's events might be common and to be ready. Nae' and Ven looked to Cas still in his bedroll noticing that same odd movement again, but don't pay much mind. Cas stepped out of his bedroll, and mentioned the conversation with Sienna to the others. Reese soon woke up from his sleep and both took their *Goodberry* from Veto. Ven took his quiver and pulled out a shortbow as he started to move, with Cas following him and everyone else behind.

Nae' tried to suggest the idea of flight once more, only to be shut down by Ven profusely saying no and that he did not like heights. Gahk attempted to get Ven's attention to no result, until he mentioned saying hi to big lobster man, which stopped everyone in their tracks. Gahk immediately ran to Ven holding a fish bowl claiming it very comfy, which Ven decided to ignore and continued walking. Nae' attempted to communicate with the 'fish man' to no result, and Gahk decided to poison him by placing his skin against him for a minute, while the others continued on. Frustrated Nae' cast *Conjure Animal* and summoned a giant eagle attempting to fly over everyone, but was not able to get through the branches and followed from behind.

On the trek, Ven noticed above the trees, a cat with owl wings and a beak, and pointed it out to Cas as he cast Invisibility on himself. Cas asks him asking if he wanted it out, and made a plan for Ven to make some distance before they both make a shot. Cas attempted to see if he had the creatures attention, but made no movement and stared at him. Cas halts Ven at his distance, while Nae' cast *Speak with Animals* attempting to speak with it. The creature doesn't respond, but does focus on Nae' and seem to understand him. Nae' told the group that creature might be spying on them, and was eerily intelligent. Nae' and Veto, as druids recognized it to be a feline fowl, native to the area, but noted they were usually more skittish. Ven on the other hand noticed a strange glimmer in it's eyes, and on telling Cas they were being watched, both took a shot with their bows causing the suspected familiar to poof out of existence. Nae' questioned if the familiar was from Sienna or the one they were sent to find as they continued on.

Continuing on Nae' and Veto noticed something familiar, a stack of stones at a tree base where the familiar was, noting it to be a druidic message, with a symbol on the top stone meaning no trespassing, and in response Nae' cast *Pass without Trace* on the group and suggested caution. Cas in response said going slow wouldn't cut it, and proceeded to walk without stealth, along with Ven. Nae approached him quickly, addressing him as halfblood, stopping Cas in his tracks, and suggested that he not listen so much to his hot headed half, and listen to the other, and moved ahead of him. Cas quietly said behind him you don't know the half of it do you.

Reese cast *Longstrider* separately on all the group as the trekked on, and after a few hours they saw an open clearing, in an 30 feet oval, with wild flowers dotted across. The group stopped noting they hadn't seen anything like that since they had been there, and probably wasn't a good thing, with Nae' suggesting it was an ambush or their destination. Reese pulled a gun from his bag, and Gahk cast *Invisibility* on himself. Ven started walking into the clearing while the others talked, and seeing this Nae' *Wildshaped* into a black bear and went after him, and along the way to the middle both felt like they were being slashed at, by something that wasn't grass. Nae' attempted as a bear to warn the others not to continue, as Ven noticed in the the thick of it that the grass shimmered, and they were walking through thorny brambles, which Nae' recognized as the spell *Hallucinatory Terrain*. Suddenly a pixie appeared, but the two noticed there was something wrong as it growled at them. Cas from afar notched his bow and asked if everything was ok, which Ven replied No, and fired at it with his crossbow, while Cas fired as well. No sooner did the pixie explode in front of them, when afterwards three more appeared almost in a circle around them.

One of the pixies failed trying a confusion touch on Ven. The second pixie also failed trying a confusion touch on Nae'. The third pixie failed to cast *Charm Person* on Ven. Ven activated his *Rite of the Dawn*, but missed on his two shots with his bow at the pixie near him, and finished up putting distance between him and the pixies. Nae' in his bear form walked through the brambles back to the others, reverting to normal form due to injury, and attempted communication with the pixies, but seeing only feral responses cast *Entangle* grappling one of them. Reese stepped into the clearing, brought out a new eldritch cannon;force ballista and missed in his attempt to hit the restrained pixie, but hit one of the others with *Chaos Bolt*. Gahk stepped in the clearing and cast *Frostbite* on one of the pixies. Gahk then had Puppy go to the clearing and attack one of the other pixies.

Veto cast *Conjure Animal* and summoned two giant eagles, with one next to him, then hopped on it, and cast *Magic Stone* in preperation. Cas used his *Psychic Strike* ability as he hit one of the pixies, making it no more, and then hit the ungrappled one with a second arrow, before moving while keeping out of the clearing. The ungrappled pixie flew to Nae', dodging Puppy who used their reaction to attack, and used a confusion touch on him, causing him to run through the brambles and injure himself, as well as lose concentration on *Pass without Trace*. The grappled pixie failed to cast *Tasha's Hideous Laughter* on Ven, The giant eagle hit the grappled pixie with a beak and talon attack, annihilating it. The giant eagle with Veto hit the remaining pixie with a beak attack, but missed with it's talons.

Ven missed with his first arrow and second arrow at the pixie. Nae' missed as he failed to cast *Guiding Bolt* at the pixie. Reese cast *Magic Weapon* on his quarterstaff, moved in range of the pixie, and managed to smack it. Gahk had Puppy try to swallow the pixie, but missed it. Gahk applied poison to his bolt, but missed the pixie and hit Veto. Though tempted to retaliate, Veto focused on the pixie, but missed with his quarterstaff. Cas hit the pixie with his arrow, pinning it to the nearest tree and ending it. Ven called from in the brambles for help getting out, and Veto flew to him, lifting him out with his giant eagle's talons over the brambles and placed him outside of it.

Nae' checked to see who had the ability to heal and if they could revive the pixie, only to find it was beyond the point of reviving. They continued on their trek, avoiding the clearing, knowing the day is reaching it's end, but that they are a couple miles from the mountain. In the midst of deciding whether to continue or rest for the night, Reese made the decision by pulling another ball of purple glitter and cast *Sleep* on himself. While they set up camp, noted that a familiar looking familiar was staring at them, and Cas calmly pulled his bow and hit it with an arrow, making it poof once again, and yelled out to keep sending them as it is target practise. While Nae' sits he coughs up the lock of hair, and saying my my debt be forever paid, and cast *Gust* as he let it float off in the wind.

**And that where we will leave Part 1!**

**Confirmed Boons from Sienna:**

* Cas Starchaser - Unknown
* Veto - Unknown
* Reese Kyndal - Magical leather bag
* Ven Phasma - Unknown
* Nae'Menor'Athi'Golas'Ann'Or'Riel'Riel'Riel - Lock of Sienna's hair
* Gahk Torok - Staff of the Python (eel version)