First off, we were glad to welcome 3 new players to our campaign. One player took over the role of Jadis (who proved himself valiantly), and we welcomed Doz (a warforged wizard) and Rhaegar (A dragonborn hexblade).
We last left our heroes camped out just east of the frost dragon cave taking a well deserved extended rest and waking up pre-dawn on Day 9. They haven't seen much sign of Keira or Abraxus. Upon waking two strangers approach, and introduce themselves as Doz and Rhaegar. They don't know each other but both had decided to adventure in this direction. Upon exchanging stories, our heroes add Doz and Rhaegar to their party on their quest for King Hrothgar.
Toward that quest, they head back to the crossroads, and then barely get started north toward Hilliana when a roving Guard Band confronts them, and our heroes, with a growing history of violence from Hillianian guards take first blood. The fought 3 Human Guards, 8 Kruthik Hatchlings, 2 Kruthik Young, and 1 Ettercap Fang Guard. The guards affected numerous knock-downs with their halberds and reach our heroes prove tough and quickly start dispatching foes. One guard pleads for his life and tries to run away as only the ettercap and himself remain. Shava, with assistance, disarms the pleading guard, and uses his turns to hold the guard down while everyone else finishes off the Ettercap. As payment for his life, the guard offers the party notes he took from overhearing a cloaked figure and ruffian discussing the path to a treasure at the tavern in Hilliana. After some interrogation and discerning that this guard is just a peon without a clue, they send him packing, forcing him south with naught but his nightie.
The party fairly quickly decides to reverse course from heading to Hilliana to go seek the treasure from the notes. The notes head them through 4 landmarks East of the crossroads across the desert to a cave nestled in the hills.
Our party finds the first landmark fairly easily, but then strays off course going to the second landmark, running into a pack of 6 Hyenas and a large Cacklefiend Hyena. The expansive desert with its sand caused all areas to be difficult terrain and create a large field to battle in. The party focused their efforts on the large Hyena and dispatched him quickly picking off the smaller Hyenas later. Though they fought smartly, the hyenas pack tactics did create several group damages to a single player characters of 25-35 HP, in one case causing Rheagar to go unconscious. Fortunately, they had two healers with them who quickly recovered Rheagar. Rheagar continued to fight valiantly but was constantly plagued with healing surge management from that point on.
After clearing their surroundings of Hyenas, they gathered their bearing and found the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th landmarks without event. However, in finally locating the cave in the hills, they once again strayed off course, and found themselves surrounded by 8 Stormclaw Scorpions. Our party was fighting in a circle back-to-back against surrounding scorpions. The scorpions kept grabbing player characters and when the players wound break free attempt to sting them. Oddly, though players were grabbed and stung frequently, they almost always shook off the grab, poison, and immobility immediately. Especially powerful, was an encounter long ability that Rhaegar used that allowed each member of the party to slide an adjacent party member after an attack. These slides were helping them break free of the scorpions grab. Rhaegar and Varis were also frequently tag teaming Scorpions with combined attacks. Two more scorpions dug up from the sand after the first two scorpions were dispatched.
Alas, our party escaped mostly unharmed, and came to the greener pastures in front of the cave entrance and decided on a long rest. Varis checked for tracks during the rest and saw nothing discernible near and around the cave entrance.
Our heroes are now packing up camp in the pre-morning of Day 10 ready to enter the cave where they hope treasure awaits.
Experience Points:
Encounter 16 = Roving Guard Band -1123 XP
Encounter 19 - X Marks the Spot - 450 XP
Encounter 19.1 - Lost with Hyenas - 1050 XP
Encounter 19.2 - Lost with Scorpions - 1000 XP
Total XP: 3673 / 7 PCs = 524 XP each
Our next game has been scheduled for February 4th, Saturday, at 4pm.
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