The Stone Guide

> Oh, who is this? @Nonat1s appears to have joined our party as a guest! What character is he playing?
>
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## Summary

The party notices a figure in the distance which appears to be a rock statue with a cape on it. Hoshimi is paranoid but doesn't find anything. Flint however has an idea of what this thing is and steps down for a closer inspection. The statue then comes to life noting the adventurers looking to cross the mountains. Hoshimi screams while Flint tries to do his intimidating voice again. Xaillen tells Flint to stop right away and even grabs Flint by the head. Seven hides behind the camels with Hoshimi joining her as Xaillen introduces himself to the statue who calls itself Boulder. Seven yells that boulders aren't supposed to talk and Boulder looks at her briefly. He's intrigued by her as a talking griffin isn't something you come across every day.

When asked why they are here, Xaillen and Hoshimi mention that they're heading over the mountains. Boulder reveals that he's a guide that has helped many adventurers cross the mountains. Hoshimi has heard of a guide but didn't know it was a golem. Boulder insists that he guides them as he's seen corpses in the mountains as of late though it knows not why. Boulder also mentions that Flint reminds him of the one who gave him life. Flint wonders something as the golem explains that his price is stories. Each member is to share a story with Boulder. Everyone agrees as they're taken through to give one story per day.

As they enter the mountains through Wyrmforge Pass, Xaillen thanks Hoshimi, which both of them find odd. Seven hugs the two of them as Flint rubs his ear with cream (it was Hoshimi pinching it for using the batman voice). Boulder warns them that they're going to be close to dragon territory but offers a path underground to avoid them. The party protests saying above ground is better.

They eventually come to three paths in the road. They look at the bridge over the crevasse and note how sturdy it is. Adrian Tanlaial and Hoshimi vote to take the safest path while everyone else votes on the bridge (Olwen Edgeworth is last to choose and knows the safe path would not be picked). Xaillen is grateful he didn't agree with Hoshimi again. Adrian takes out his rope to make Seven the anchor as Hoshimi makes some dancing lights. As they arrive on the bridge, Flint and Boulder talk that the golem doesn't know his creator but he saw Seven before as a kindred spirit similar to his creator. Flint expresses his worries about Seven's future.

Sybl and Hoshimi cross the crevasse first as Olwen begs for everyone to go one at a time. She agrees to go last as Xaillen scurries across the rope. Seven carefully walks across as a thin plank snaps. She manages to keep her balance and hurries across. Adrian goes next as Flint gets nervous about dealing with heights. He asks Olwen for advice insisting he can cross on his own. He gets nervous looking down so Olwen crosses behind him. Zu shows off as she crosses ans Xaillen feels like he influenced her.

The party comes across a small outpost next and most of the party ventures inside. Olwen notices something is odd right off the bat: Where is everyone? Seven looks around and finds footprints both human and reptilian. She also sees that bodies were dragged out and that the drag-marks last up to the tree that Boulder was sitting under. Flint identifies the reptilian tracks as kobold tracks and boulder is surprised because kobolds are usually further in. Hoshimi pulls Xaillen over from the nearby lake as the group begins to investigate the second house. Olwen slips inside quietly and Hoshimi gets jealous that Olwen isn't a criminal. Xaillen and Flint guess that a chromatic dragon is involved and the kobolds are being fanatics. Hoshimi finds a pale scale in the dirt outside but can't tell what color it is.

## Notable events

* Boulder is introduced
* The party enters Wyrmforge Pass
* Joshscorcher introduces a voting system based on the path the party takes
* The party comes across an abandoned outpost that was raided by kobolds for the people