03/30/2025 - Where there's Smoke, there's Fire

Day 4 of Travel

Late afternoon

• Harvest/Loot
• Hill giant 1 (Magra):
• adamantine breast plate: while wearing it, any critical hit against you counts as normal
• damp lint from its loin cloth
• Hill giant 2 (Aeldevan): potion of greater healing
• Hobgoblin 1 (Skamos): 140gp
• Hobgoblin 2 (Feyre): 110gp
• Hobgoblin warlord (Ru): potion of longevity
• Owlbear (Feyre): pouch of owlbear claws (6 pcs)
• Wagon: unsalvageable
• scrap wood
• use canopy cloth to wrap dead human to bring to city
• blanket for Nick (night) and Ru (day) to share
• cask of ale that Magra immediately consumes
• Horse: unsalvageable gear; Aeldevan takes small piece of saddle for identifying
• Traveler: ceremonial handaxe with symbol of Hammer's Fall on it (Ru carrying)

Normal spring chill

• travel then camp: uneventful
• Aeldevan sees rising smoke a day's travel away
• no fire - don't want to attract whatever caused the smoke

Day 5 of Travel

Morning

Eastward winds blowing out to sea

• continue journey
• everyone sees smoke
• Magra sends Nick to scout (to come back automatically if sees humanoid or by nightfall)
• hour later, Nick comes back, alerting them to something far ahead
• Feyre sneaks ahead of the group

Noon

• Feyre comes to bend in road
• sees path entering road from the west; broken trees/shrubs
• humanoid footprints and deep rivets in ground from heavy wagons
• HB continues on cautiously then picks up speed
• Magra on Dante
• Feyre on Dilliah
• Skamos on Aeldevan (horse mode)
• Ru holding onto the dead traveler in the cart dragged by Kevin
• come to another bend, opening to a bridge over the River March
• bodies littering the ground and bridge
• bridge looks damaged and crudely repaired, so HB pass over one at a time
• smoke is a lot closer
• third bend opens to fields before city's walls
• siege towers against the walls and catapults; burned equipment; battering ram at main southern gate; smoke from multiple spots in city
• HB pulls back to remain hidden (~100ft away)
• Aeldevan shifts to crow for recon
• orcs, dwarves, humans dead in streets
• main gatehouse: a few orcs and one regal-looking one
• didn't notice HB yet
• glowing amulet bearing one-eye insignia around neck
• Aeldevan thinks it could be glowing because the Blood Spear is near
• staff in hand
• Ru thinks this could be the Blood Spear
• orcs on walls and guarding buildings
• couple hundred of orcs total
• number of prisoners under guard, primarily dwarves
• can't find secret entrance from sky
• north gate intact but guarded
• east marshlands and woods
• western woods; path that intersects with north road
• Planning
• Magra sends Jacob message to send help; sends Nick to scout in woods
• need to wait until next day for Jacob to respond
• Feyre tries to find a ground critter to see if they know of a secret tunnel; can't
• bring herd further into woods to make camp; no fire
• Aeldevan flies back out again few hours later
• woman no longer in gatehouse
• some forges come to life; hear hammers
• making weapons for war?
• readying place to summon Gruumsh?
• Aeldevan locates owl for Feyre to convince to stay guard and look around during the night
• barely sundown, but Nick hasn't returned
• Skamos will cast Send to Ilayna or mom after hearing back from Jacob

CRAFTING

Not Started

• Helmed Horror's Helm (20gp) > Blinders Helm (Aeldevan)
• Large Spectator Eye (100gp) > Shield of Reflection (Skamos)
• Treant Bark (150gp) > Wooden Breastplate (Magra)
• Dappy sap plant > love potion (Ru)
• Ankheg stomach > bag, boots, pouches (Ru)
• Pouch of spirit naga scales x3 > Potion of Healing - Superior (Ru)

In Progress

• Sword of Life Stealing > Rurik 6/7 days (Skamos)