The Sidetrek

This past weekend the players decided to wander away from the plot and go off on a side trek. I had some warning this was going to happen so I spent a few hours writing up a few encounters to have along the way as they went hunting for hippogriffs.

Session 25: The Hippogriff hunt

Players: Lakima (Magic-user), Eathwund (Fighter), Carric (Elven Thief), Domago (Human cleric NPC), Lantosh (Human fighter NPC), Dag Icefoot (Dwarf fighter NPC).

Previously the heroes had commissioned a wagon to be built in which they could hold captured hippogriffs. While they wait for the wagon to be completed they start meeting wannabe adventurers responding to the flyers they put out for Hirelings. They meet a halfling fighter in plate mail but decide he is too short. They hire a dwarf fighter named Dag Icefoot because he is a dwarf, even though he demonstrates some clumsiness. They meet an older human fighter named Gerrold and decide he is a little too experienced. They meet a very young human named Nuen of Blackcreek who has the opposite problem. Nuen tells them he is trying to put together the gold he needs to marry his girlfriend. They turn him down. Finally, they hire a tough-looking human who gives them the name of Lantosh.

Satisfied with the two new hirelings they outfit the men with armor and magic weapons. Dag takes the shortsword Lawbringer and Daen's old chainmail. Lantosh gets a new suit of chainmail and takes a magical polearm.

Carric lets Nuen know that they did not hire him, but they might sometime in the future if he is still available. While he and Nuen converse in the market Carric learns a little about the young man. Carric asks Nuen how much gold he is trying to raise. Nuen tells Carric he needs 1,600 gold. Carric thinks it over for awhile and then decides to gift the gold to a shocked Nuen. He goes back to the Chapter House and takes 1,600 gold out of the vault and gives it to a disbelieving Nuen. Carric only asks that he accompany Nuen when he presents the gold to his girl’s father. Nuen says, “Let’s go now!” 

(Oh boy when word of this gets around there will be a line-up of beggars, swindlers, and con artists outside their door).

While Eathwund works with Lantosh on getting used to his new weapon and armor, Carric heads to the Grateful Bishop Inn with Nuen, and Lakima heads to the alchemy shop to speak to Alayna. Carric watches an angry innkeeper threaten to toss Nuen from the Inn for pestering his daughter until Nuen drops the bag of gold on the bar. Then the man’s tone changes and he yells for his daughter to come down. The homely woman arrives who seems disinterested in Nuen. After the brief ceremony, Carric speaks with Nuen and comes to the conclusion that he is marrying the girl for the chance to own the Inn.

Lakima meets with Alayna and the alchemist surprises Lakima with a gift she is certain he will need, 2 potions of healing. When she learns of his plans she asks Lakima to bring her some hippogriff feathers. She also mentions that if they kill a hippogriff they should bring the corpse back. A lot of the parts are valuable.

That evening most of the company have a celebratory meal at the Dancing Dragon Inn. Domago is off at the Church of St. Aleena. They discuss the best way to find the hippogriffs in the Northern Hills. Since it appears to be on the way, they plan to head east and stay at the Restless Knight Inn and see how the staff is making out since last they saw them.

The next day the caravan of horses, mules, and wagon heads out the gates of Edgerton with locals waving as they go. It is soon apparent that Lantosh would be more comfortable on the wagon so his horse is tied to the back of the wagon with a pack mule. They head east along the Wilderness road and make it to the Restless Knight Inn in the late afternoon. As soon as they enter the Inn they are greeted by Lotti Fielding the owner who is happy to see them. They see that the Inn is still surviving and some new staff have been hired. A new cook and a new barmaid. They also notice three other travellers in the Inn. Lakima goes over and meets with one who turns out to be a bard named Robin. The bard is from Edgerton and has heard of the Company of the Black Dragon. He asks Lakima and Carric for stories of some of their adventurers that he can add to his repertoire of tales. Robin also tells them he is headed for Larm to learn of the recent discovery of Quasqueton. Lakima tells him their company is the one that discovered the stronghold. Although unfortunately, none of the members from that group at that time are still alive. Robin listens avidly and asks them what adventure they are on now. When they explain, he tells them they should talk to another traveller - pointing at a grizzled veteran seated nearby. Lakima goes over and buys Tizian the mercenary a few drinks and asks him about the Northern Hills. Tizian tells him that he and a companion were prospecting for gold in the Northern Hills just a few days earlier. His companion was killed by members of the Red Skull Orc tribe. He also tells them he spotted a single hippogriff in the sky. Tizian tells them that some horsetraders north of here near the Northern Hills are a good source of information on the area and Hippogriffs. He also warns them about the orcs. Carric asks the bard Robin if he wants to accompany them north. Robin declines the offer telling Carric and Eathwund that judging by the stories they have been relaying they get in far too much trouble for him.

The heroes rent two rooms and spend a quiet night. Although Domago complains to his friends that Lantosh snores very loudly. The next day they have a hearty breakfast and say goodbye to the staff. They turn off the trail and head north following the directions they were given. Just after noon, Carric spots four flying creatures in the sky following them. At first, he assumes hippogriffs but as they get closer he realizes they are large hawks. The large hawks surprise them by diving on the group to attack. Nash maneuvers the wagon, mules, and horses under some trees while Eathwund, Lakima, and Carric drive off the strange hawks, killing three of them. Dag is slightly injured but Domago cures him. Once the attack has been thwarted they continue onward and make it to the homestead by late afternoon. The Northern Hills are just visible on the horizon to the north.

At the homestead Ivo Sommersfeld, the eldest son of the patriarch, greets them. Once he learns they are planning to hunt hippogriffs he becomes very enthusiastic and offers to watch their horses for them while they are hunting. He also tells them where they can find a hippogriff nest in the nearby badlands. They lost a horse to the pair of hippogriffs in this nest a week earlier. They have seen a total of six hippogriffs in the area but the two that have nested nearby have caused the most trouble. Ivo also tells them how the family drove off Red Skull orcs shortly after the homestead was built a few years ago. The group of adventurers set up camp a short distance away and Ivo tells them the family will keep watch overnight.

Despite the homesteaders assuring them, they would be watching for them, the adventurers set three watches of two adventurers each. Early the next morning before the sun has risen while Lakima and Nash are on watch, Carric is roused from his meditation when he hears a voice in his head telling him “Alarm, intruders in the camp!” Carric realizes it's his magical longsword, Everwatchful. He opens his eyes and looks around the camp, but everything seems quiet. Carric gets up and moves to wake Eathwund. That is when he spots a giant raccoon pulling Eathwund’s backpack into the bushes. Carric chases off the raccoon.

A fire is started and breakfast is put on. Ivo comes over to greet them and is told of the encounter with the raccoon. Ivo apologizes for not warning them about the local Dire Raccoons. Following the directions provided by Ivo, the group heads north into the badlands. They maneuver the wagon pulled by two mules into the winding canyons. Eventually, they see the tall butte in the distance and the enormous hippogriff nest atop it. Ahead the valley is blocked by a felled tree. Checking the roadblock they note that the tree was cut down by an ax. Nearby, they spot another felled tree blocking the trail. Carric climbs to the top of a steep-sided hill and observes the hippogriff nest some 300 feet away. He spots two adults and at least one fledgling. Carric climbs back down and lets everyone know. He also scouts past the two fallen trees and spots a cave in the side of a nearby hill. The area in front of the cave mouth is littered with bones of animals. There are also numerous tracks spread through the area left by orcs.

The heroes gather by the wagon and discuss strategy. They decide the cave is definitely an orc lair that should be dealt with first. Dag tells them that orcs are afraid of the sun. So they decide to set up an ambush for after sunset. Carric climbs to the top of the hill again (after one minor fall) and tosses down a rope for Lakima. The two take up position above the cave mouth. Eathwund and Lantosh hide behind the felled pine tree. Dag and Domago set up behind some trees at the other side of the cave mouth. As soon as the sun drops beneath the hills they spot what they take to be a female orc leaving the cave with an iron pot. The orc tosses the contents of the pot in the bushes and heads back into the cave.  It is another few hours of waiting before they see any more activity.

A pair of orcs exit from the cave and mill about. Shortly thereafter six more orcs emerge. The largest orc growls at the others and forms them up. The orcs then beginning marching toward the downed tree. As soon as the orcs approach Eathwund and Lantosh’s position the trap is sprung. Lakima throws darts and Carric fires arrows from atop the hill. Eathwund charges the orcs and attacks with his sword, followed by Lantosh with his polearm. From behind the orcs, Domago and Dag attack with their melee weapons. The fight is brutal and short. The orcs fall in a matter of seconds without managing to land a blow on any of the heroes. After the battle, the heroes check the corpses and do not find anything of value. They prepare to enter the Orc cave on the cliffside.

The Orcs walk into an ambush.