- In this session, our met their benefactor and started on their adventure north…
- Meeting Senator Timothy Dexter
- Caravan - Day 1: On the Road
- Caravan - Day 2: Quiet
- Caravan - Day 3: The Fields of the Dead
- Caravan - Day 4: Wail in the night
- Caravan - Day 5: Ordate Hudward and his useless nags
- Caravan - Day 6: Messing with Ordate Hudward
- Caravan - Day 7: Quiet
- Caravan - Day 8: Hobgoblins
- Loot
- NPCs Interacted With
- Locations Visited
- Experience Per Character
In this session, our met their benefactor and started on their adventure north…
- The party set out on their trek north on the 46th day since meeting Ragvala.
Meeting Senator Timothy Dexter
- When the party arrive at Ackyn’s, she was anxious to introduce them to the… merchant… that they would be escorting to Waterdeep.
- She brought them into the office, where they saw a man, of average height, a muscular, “horny handed” physique, a broad-set chin, a long, sharp, straight nose and beady eyes, with drink in one hand and gesticulating wildly with the other.
- Ackyn: “My friends, I would like to introduce you to Senator… Timothy Dexter,” as she gestures towards the man.
- “Senator Timothy, may I present The Looting Luters, who will be escorting you to Waterdeep.”
- Aegar stepped forward: “Is our pleasure to meet you, Sir, Senator. We will not fail you.”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “It is good to hear. It is very good to hear.”
- Aegar: “If there are any tasks that you would ask of us, we are up to the challenge. I assure you, we are very skilled.”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “Do a backflip.”
- Pliny (Acrobatics 13) did an appreciable backflip, landing on his feet (legs wide, arms out, and taking a couple steps to keep his balance), and then reached his arms high in a “stick-it” pose to sell it.
- Senator Timothy Dexter mirrored Pliny, arms raised in celebration (spilling a bit of his drink), and then pointed to the half-elf: “We are going to get along.”
- Aegar stepped back at that point next to Zoyana, letting Pliny take this on.
- Pliny: “You do a backflip?”
- Senator Timothy Dexter smiled, then addressed the party: “Ackyn gave you the drill?”
- Pliny: “There were zero tools given to us so.”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “So… 10 gold pieces per tenday, plus food and living expenses. We’re heading to Waterdeep. I expect my bodyguards to stick close and protect me against harm. Any spoils from bandits, if we’re waylaid and you dispatch them, are yours absent my customary cut. There are 1, 2, 3 of you, so one fourth will be mine.”
- Pliny pointed at Fang: “Does this guy get anything?”
- Senator Timothy Dexter squinted at the psuedodragon: “Who is that? What is that?”
- Pliny: “Oh, he’s the F in our FAPZ gang.”
- Aegar: “We could not fap without Fang.”
- Fang piped up in Common: “Hi! Hi! I’m Fang!”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “1, 2, 3, 4, one-fifth will be mine.”
- He continued: “We are…going to be selling dwarf cheese to the dwarves in Waterdeep.”
- Pliny (History 7) had never heard of dwarf cheese. Aegar (History 0) was convinced that it was the cheese of dwarven kings, before he realized that he was proficient in history and actually had never heard of it either.
- Ackyn turned to Senator Timothy Dexter shaking her head with a ridiculous smile: “You know that dwarves don’t make or eat it, right?”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “Ha! They’ll eat it! You’ll see. They’ll eat!”
- Soon after, the party were escorted outside to see that Senator Timothy Dexter had a serviceable wagon, adorned with gold painted railings and gold painted wheels.
- It was three-quarters filled with one-pound blocks of cheese, each individually wrapped and stacked.
- During the walk out, Senator Timothy Dexter continued describing the history of the cheese: it was a sheep-milk cheese crafted in Elturel under the light of the Companion. It was a heavy whitish cheese streaked with black veins, giving it the appearance of stone. It was also know as Elturian Grey or stonework cheese, but “‘Dwarf Cheese’ is just better, don’t you think?”
- As Senator Timothy Dexter his tale of cheese, Aegar interjected: “Permission to speak, Senator?”
- Senator Timothy Dexter responded with a smile: “Permission granted.”
- Aegar: “If I may say, what are our parameters for this mission? Is our first priority the protection of your goods, or the protection of your person?”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “My person. And the goods. But the person to your point. I think though, let’s be clear, protecting me is what we all care about most. Yes?”
- Aegar: “Yes, sir.”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “Excellent. This is gonna be a good trip.”
- Zoyana had spent the whole time with Senator Timothy Dexter hanging back and rolling her eyes.
Caravan - Day 1: On the Road
- The party understood the trip to last about 750 miles to Waterdeep. The caravan consisted of both horse-drawn and mule-drawn freight wagons in about equal measure. They planned to cover about 15 miles a day, with one day off after every six days to rest the animals.
- The caravan itself included a wide variety of travelers and merchants. Each merchant hired a couple of guards, and they all together protect to the caravan.
- Amongst the carts, there were four that the party had marked as being from the Foxtraveler Outfitters. They were pretty sure were directly tied to the Cult of the Dragon. Each of those had three or four people with it (a teamster running it and two or three guards). 00:25:36 or passengers or otherwise tied to.
- They expected the trip to last about two months.
- Aegar shared his thoughts with the rest of the party: “It would pay for us to get to know some of the other guards. This is going to be a long trip, maybe we can find out some more about what we are looking for if we are friendly enough with some of the guards. Soldiers are typically underpaid, and anything that we can do to lighten their load a little bit would likely help. I don’t have much gold as of this moment. I only have 5,160 gold pieces, but perhaps we can spread that around a bit.”
- Zoyana nearly choked at the number, and at the suggestion of giving away some of their gold.
- At one point, Aegar engaged Senator Timothy Dexter in conversation: “Senator, I see that you like to ride in style.”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “Indeed, my friend indeed. What… What was your name again?”
- Aegar: “I am Aegar”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “Gar?”
- Aegar: “Aegar, yes.”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “Your a gar?”
- Aegar: “Aegar, that is correct.”
- Senator Timothy Dexter: “Excellent. It is nice to… I don’t know what a gar is, but it’s nice to meet you.”
Searching for Cinderpetals
- Zoyana spent the first couple days searching for Cinderpetals to help speed the development of her necklace, but with the caravan on the move, her search (Survival 12) turned up empty.
Eligible young ladies, preferably not widows
- Pliny had his eyes out for eligible young ladies, preferably not widows.
Meeting Losvius Longnose
- The first night, the caravan stopped barely out of Baldur’s Gate. As they settled in for dinner, a little halfling walked over to their campfire.
- Halfling: “Hi! How’s everybody doing over here?”
- Zoyana: “We’re good, how are you?”
- Halfling: “I’m doing great. I’m Losvius Longnose. Where you guys headed?”
- Zoyana: “The same place everybody else is right?”
- Pliny: “Right!”
- Losvius: “Well… not everybody, most people are going to Waterdeep, but not everybody, some people are going to stop at Daggerford, and then there’s people who are just going to stop everywhere.”
- The chatted a bit about the halfling’s plan to go to Waterdeep and their own plan to go to Waterdeep to sell cheese. (Pliny earned an appraising look from Timothy Dexter when he mentioned the idea of serving it on fancy wood boards with meat.) And he confirmed Aegar was going to protect the caravan.
- At one point, Losvius noticed Pliny’s Journal of the Five Leaf Clover notebook, and blurted out a continuous run-on sentence: “Oh, is that a book? I can read, that looks like a good book, can I see your book? When you’re done with it, like when you’re done with it, I don’t need now.”
- Pliny tried to redirect his interest, while Aegar grew suspicious (Insight 10) but concluded that Losvius was innocently asking but just very curious.
- The rest of the night continued like that, with Losvius chatting up the party, trying to get tales and sharing his own.
- Aegar: “Have you been with the caravan long?” Losvius: “Yes. A day.”
- Zoyana: “Where are you from?” Losvius: “I’m from Soubar,” and he looked around before pointing vaguely East, “Ah, not too far that way. But I wouldn’t go straight because the Fields of the Dead are between us and them.”
Caravan - Day 2: Quiet
- Things were pretty quiet.
Caravan - Day 3: The Fields of the Dead
- On the third day out of Baldur’s Gate, the caravan began passing through the Fields of the Dead.
- The road began twisting and wandering through hills dotted with ancient battlefields, dolmens, and barrow mounds.
- Common wisdom held that it was a very bad idea to light a fire on a hilltop at night in the Fields of the Dead, because the light attracts monsters from miles around.
- The caravan expected crossing this territory to take a tenday or more. Most everyone in the caravan was now edgy and on watch.
- While the guards were each attached to individual wagons and carts, they started more actively searching for and acknowledging each other, keeping within eyeshot when possible during the day and setting up camp with intention at night. When possible during the day’s travel, the various wagons would gather for midday meals and watering/resting their horses and mules.
Meeting Guards
- Aegar started to actively size up the other guards.
- At one point, he introduced himself to a particularly tall guard (who Zoyana had previously seen in the Wide): Sulesdeg the Pole
- Sulesdeg was a human from Shaar. In his native language, Sulesdeg’s name meant “tall as a lodge pole.”
- On the Sword Coast, he was just known as “the Pole.” At 7 feet 5 inches in height, he probably was the tallest human the characters or anyone else in the caravan has ever seen.
- He didn’t seem to talk much, but when he did, people generally listened.
- Another time, he had a brief chat with Tyjit Skesh, a female shield dwarf.
- The others joined into the mingling, and throughout the day the party talked to
- A half-dozen obviously seasoned guards, who lived their lives as merchant guards, just going up and down the Sword Coast.
- Quite a few others were more adventures of some sort or more seasoned soldiers hired on for this trip.
- Among the people they met that day were a couple: Ash and Sabrina
- A half-dozen obviously seasoned guards, who lived their lives as merchant guards, just going up and down the Sword Coast.
Caravan - Day 4: Wail in the night
- On the fourth night of the trip, the Looting Luters set up on the western side of the ring of carts, a little bit separated from the rest of the group.
- Not long after dark, a piercing, yet hollow screech echoed through the night. A wail that sounded like the combination of death and nails scraping down a chalk board.
- The sound seemed to come from a few hundred yards away - far enough that they couldn’t see it and wouldn’t expect to be able to see it.
- Aegar approached Tyjit, who was also looking out towards the west, “Excuse me, Tyjit, I assume that you have heard that scream. Do you know what what kind of monster? Are we in any danger now?”
- Tyjit muttered, “That must have been an owl or something, screeching. When you’re out here, there are monsters, but sometimes the monsters aren’t monsters. I’m going back to bed.”
- The group decided prudence was wise, and set a watch but did not investigate further.
- The extra watch was draining on the party, but everyone was able to shrug off the anxiety of the night without exhaustion. (Pliny needed to be Lucky to get his Constitution 6 roll, even after basking in Aegar’s presence.)
Caravan - Day 5: Ordate Hudward and his useless nags
- One of the travelers the party had met, Ordate Hudward, had not been treating his animals particularly well. Their collars and girths chafed, he skimped on their feed, and whips them when they didn’t pull hard enough or fast enough, nevermind that they were aching and hungry animals.
- That fifth night, he walked up to the party at their camp. He looked over at their horses and asked, “What would it take to pick up with actual horses to replace my useless nags?”
- Aegar realized that his horse was among those Ordate was appraising, “I am sorry sir, my horse is not for sale.”
- Ordate squinted at Aegar, “Not for sale? Everything is for sale.”
- A ridiculous conversation followed, where Ordate offered increasingly absurd amounts, and Aegar, stonefaced, declined.
- Ordate, exhasperated, finally replied, “You’re a liar. I’m done talking to you.” And he turned to Pliny, “What would it take to pick up one of these actual horses and replace my useless nags?”
- Pliny: “Well, Sir, if you say ‘pick up,’ I’m looking at you, and you don’t look that strong. So I don’t you could pick up a horse, so to speak. But I do think you could probably get back to your horses. They’re looking like they could use a little attention.”
- Ordate said, “I’m done here,” as he turned and walked away.
- Aegar, telepathically, told his horse to bite that dude whenever he was close by.
Caravan - Day 6: Messing with Ordate Hudward
- The caravan stopped at a nice little watering hole on Day 6 to rest the animals.
- While Ordate and his retainers were away from their wagon, Zoyana administered a salve to the wounds of the horses, to try to minimize their pain (Medicine 20). The horses starting looking appreciably better thanks to her help.
- From across the watering hole, Zoyana heard “Ahh!” as Aegar’s horse bit someone.
- Aegar walked over to investigate, and found an irate Ordate muttering about “Stupid nags.”
- Pliny, wanting to get in on the mischief, reached out with his invisible Mage Hand (Slight of Hand 22) and plucked Ordate’s signet ring from the pouch on his belt.
Caravan - Day 7: Quiet
- Things were pretty quiet.
- The caravan continued to spread out and come back and spread out again throughout the day.
- Sometimes the one-lane road narrowed. The rolling hills slowed travel on the way up, and then sped travel on the way down. There was even the occasional roadblock or tree down.
Caravan - Day 8: Hobgoblins
Mushroom Hunting
- On the eighth day out of Baldur’s Gate, Senator Timothy Dexter decided to take the opportunity for an extra break, leaving their wagon at the back of the group.
- He stepped off into the forest, and the party thought he might have unwisely been collecting mushrooms, or something even less wise, but he didn’t disclose. Just, “I’ll be back.”
- Aegar tried to intervene, but Senator Timothy Dexter dismissed him: “You know that thing we talked about: me and the cart, me and the cart? Today, right now, the cart. I’ll be back.”
- Zoyana wildshaped into a Giant Bat to try to follow him, but then decided that would be too conspicuous. She wildshaped again and flew off.
- From her vantage point in the sky, she saw him with a bag, collecting mushrooms. He seemed super stoked about whatever he had found.
- The mushrooms did not look like any particular species Zoyana was familiar with. They were not obviously dangerous, but also not anything that she knew to be special.
- Once Senator Timothy Dexter returned, the wagon got stuck in a pothole, costing the party even more time on the rest of the caravan.
Hobgoblins
- As the party started to crest the rise of a hill, they hear the clang of metal and some pounding. And then they saw the fight happening.
- Ahead of them, a wagon was stranded on the road, with a horse in front of it lying dead. Its crates were strewn about.
- One smashed open, revealing the reflections of dozens of items of jewelry wrapped in wool for protection.
- Other crates looked like they had been piled up between the wheels like a barricade.
- A teamster and three guards were sheltered under the wagon, with crates dragged between the wheels for cover.
- As the party looked, a black arrow stuck into one of the crates with a loud “thunk”.
- Across the field, they saw a hobgoblin holding a longbow.
- Aegar spared no time pulling Lady Constance, transitioning her into a lance, and spurred his horse into a gallop.
- Fang and Pliny headed toward the stranded wagon.
- Zoyana wildshaped into a Giant Eagle and took to the air. That gave her a view of most of the battlefield.
- She could see two additional hobgoblins with the one they had already seen, as well as four other hobgoblins sheltering behind a tree further away.
- Aegar’s armor got peppered with arrows and then longswords, most plinking off the plate. He responded with Lady Constance in full fury, supported by Divine Smites and charges from his Gauntlets of Glory.
- He charged straight for the hobgoblin warlord, and then Compelled Duel to keep himself the main target of the battle.
- It turns out that his Aura of Protection is quite helpful when making Concentration Saves.
- And he saved Zoyana the Eagle from some heavy damage, using Aura of the Guardian to take the damage upon himself.
- Fang Blessed everyone in the party, and then Shattered a hobgoblin (and Aegar) the next turn.
- Pliny made wise use of
- Dissonant Whispers, causing a hobgoblin to learn the price of running from Aegar’s reach, and
- Hypnotic Pattern, freezing the three remaining hobgoblins in place and (after a crossbow bolt from a guard under the wagon to a hobgoblin) costing two of the hobgoblins their turns as they shook their allies free of the spell.
- Bardic Inspiration, bringing happy thoughts and good feelings to Aegar and Zoyana both.
- Zoyana the Eagle alternated between roosting in the trees and attacking/killing the hobgoblins
- She learned that being a clear target in the air tends to get one pin-cushioned with arrows.
- She also learned that grappling hobgoblins hoisting them in the air allows vertical opportunity attacks from dragonborn friends and rather painful gravitational experiences from said hobgoblins when she lets go.
- The guards peppered the hobgoblins with the occasional crossbow bolt from under the cart.
- Near the end, hobgoblin warlord nearly dropped Aegar, but the dragonborn responded with a cut with Lady Constance in longsword form, slicking the hobgoblin warlord’s head clean off, and then continuing down and across the leg of the hobgoblin captain standing next to him.
- Blood came bursting out of the femoral artery of the hobgoblin captain.
- Aegar the Generous, normally a passive bastion of peace, was just covered in blood and guts.
- The last hobgoblin, bathed in the blood of his fallen allies, nearly got away.
- Pliny sent him running with Dissonant Whispers, but Aegar missed the opportunity to finish him.
- A crossbow bolt from under the wagon staggered him, but he kept running.
- Fang Shattered the running hobgoblin, who was clearly rocked but kept moving.
- That stagger slowed him just enough for Zoyana the Eagle to catch him, spread her wings wide, and rip out his heart with her talons. She shredded the heart into countless strands as the hobgoblin fell to the ground dead.
- TL;DR: Lots of fighting happened. Aegar nearly got knocked unconscious. All the hobgoblins died.
Tiny Huts
- The session closed as the Looting Luters caught their breaths and Pliny cast Tiny Hut to give the party a safe place to lick their wounds…
NPCs Interacted With
- Ackyn Selebon
- Senator Timothy Dexter
- Losvius Longnose, inquisitive halfling
- Sulesdeg the Pole, human guard
- Tyjit Skesh, female shield dwarf
- Ash Muh’Çtek (Moosh-steak), half elf druid
- Sabrina Verdemata, half elf paladin.
- Ordate Hudward
- Ordate’s guard and servant
Locations Visited
- Baldur’s Gate
- Coast Road
- Fields of the Dead
Experience Per Character
Session | Task or Accomplishment | Day | Aegar | Pliny | Zoyana | Fang |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
50 | Meeting Senator Timothy Dexter | 45 | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 |
50 | Searching for Cinderpetals | 46 | - | - | 0 | - |
50 | Meeting Losvius Longnose | 46 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
50 | Travel | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
50 | Began passing through the Fields of the Dead | 48 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
50 | Meeting Guards | 48 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
50 | Wail in the night | 49 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
50 | Lucky save to avoid exhaustion | 49 | - | 200 | - | - |
50 | Ordate Hudward and his useless nags | 50 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
50 | Messing with Ordate Hudward | 51 | 200 | 200 | 200 | - |
50 | Travel | 52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
50 | Spying on Timothy Dexter | 53 | - | - | 200 | - |
50 | Hobgoblins | 53 | 2050 | 2050 | 2050 | 2050 |
50 | Dropping Hobgoblins from the sky | 53 | - | - | 200 | - |
50 | Aura of the Guardian | 53 | 200 | - | - | - |
50 | Tiny Hut for safety | 53 | - | 200 | - | - |
Total | Total | 4150 | 4350 | 4350 | 3750 |