Session 08: To the top, or the bottom!

Date: 16th of Spellire   My Lords, Ladies and Elders of the Court,   I submit this report on the movements of the adventurers known as "Josie and the Treblemakers," who have now wandered beyond Blunderwatch and into the Wylds. Their actions bear scrutiny, as they meddle in affairs that may yet entangle your interests.   These adventurers, eager and perhaps too ambitious, secured a mission from the Union to locate a missing shipment. Rather than await word from Pine Hollow on its last known whereabouts, they set off into the Wylds on the afternoon of the 13th of Spellire, dragging with them a donkey named Hee Haw.   Rumors of bandits (possibly the Lively Lads), divine retribution (Charles of Charges has been invoked once again), and unnatural sightings (bears of peculiar description) did not dissuade them. Their focus is commendable, though perhaps misguided.   Before they ventured too far, I made myself known at the town’s edge. Skreet, ever the bold one, called out to me, and I obliged with my presence. He has provided me many a snack—acceptable tribute, for which I felt hospitality invoked him a favor of mine. I spoke of matters they had not yet considered: the other shipment that left Blunderwatch, and the increasing presence of the Fey near their town.   Whether they will heed this wisdom remains uncertain.   On the morning of the 16th, three redcaps sought their blood, as is their nature. Negotiation was impossible, as expected. The fight was brief but vicious. The one called Maggie nearly fell, yet her divine nature thwarted the redcaps' designs. In retaliation, she kicked one into oblivion. The remaining two perished in a clash of steel and fury, with Nesa claiming the final blow.   Tich Tich scavenged their iron boots and rifled through their pockets. The party lingered only long enough to recover before pressing on.   By midday, they found the ruins of not five, but six carts. Their observations were as such:

• One cart, completely destroyed, contained remnants of a secure lockbox for magical artifacts.
• Food stores were ransacked, yet liquor remained curiously untouched—except for a shattered barrel of wine.
• Carts bore what appear to be very large claw marks, but no bodies were found.
• The horses had fled south, toward Pine Hollow.
• A trail of paint led eastward, marking an unknown path.
• Perceptive for mortals, they determined that no battle had taken place. This was no ordinary attack.

  Of greater concern is Skreet’s reaction to an unseen force. He claimed to "feel" the essence of an Eldertwist tree deep within the eastern woods. I feel that the Ancient Eldertwist must have bloomed in his mind, the tree itself had called to him. He demanded to go at once, though his companions attempted to restrain his reckless urgency.   Nesa, the voice of reason, convinced him to wait—if only long enough for the others to accompany him. And so, against better judgment, they seem to have abandoned the horses trail to instead veer east, stepping willingly into the grasp of the Eldertwist.   These adventurers are impulsive, unpredictable, and prone to meddling in forces beyond their understanding. An entirely delightful crew to observe, to be sure. Their departure from the expected path into the domain of the Eldertwist may yield consequences unforeseen, yet it may also serve to reveal to them what greater powers are stirring within the Wylds.   I shall continue my observations and report accordingly.   Respectfully submitted,   Mr. Whiskerworth
Faithful Observer