Monday, March 18, 2019

Blossom Fall, Episode 9

Colonial Caerdia: Blossom Fall is a story being told through a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I'm running at a local hobby shop called the Devil's Bench. If you aren't already familiar with this series, you can find the beginning over here.

You can find the previous episode here.

12th-17th of Waxing Spring, 0 AL

Our group of adventurers show some interest in getting involved with some of the budding local politics, but they're far more interested in getting back out to explore and find the source of the river. However, they decide to take a day at camp for their various preparations. Jojen and Vala begin scheming to have arrange another, more private meeting with Silence, which inspires I'Un and John to leave before they get caught up in it.

I'Un takes the bone they found in the ruined flooded cellar over to Glavel, the priest of the Four who is building a temple. He tries to discover if it is some sort of relic, explaining that they found it locked in a chest, but as far as Glavel can tell, there's no religious significance to it. I'Un and John begin walking back to their camp, with I'Un talking about his plan for a council, and how he thinks Vala would do well on the council - John isn't so sure. Naturally, as they're talking about her, Vala shows up.

I'Un informs her that the bone found in the chest couldn't be identified as a religious relic by Glavel, so he's confused as to why it was important enough to put in a chest. Vala reminds him that the bone wasn't in the chest - it was on the floor of the cellar, in amongst the dirt. Suddenly disgusted, I'Un throws the bone away, then tries to recruit Vala for a seat on his council. Vala isn't certain about the idea, especially since she isn't sure she could win I'Un's planned tournament of strength - I'Un hints that it won't be a problem.

While the other two return to Jojen and their camp, Vala heads of to find Silence. The first place she checks is with Atsnid at the general store construction site, but the gazelle-horned tiefling says she sent Silence off, not wanting to be associated with working with a smuggler. Eventually Vala tracks down Silence working on the temple. Silence seems very happy to take a break. Vala expresses the desire to have a meeting, after dark, in the woods. Silence isn't inclined to attend, after what Vala pulled - sending her thugs after them and blowing both their covers. However, Vala hints at what her group may have found and intrigues Silence enough to agree to the meeting. Vala then suggests the possibility of Silence being put on a governing council, since that seems like a good place to have an informant. Silence is resistant at first, but Vala is able to talk them around to it - after all, it sounds like a nice, cushy job.

Back with the group at camp, John sets off to get a boat prepared for them for going upriver again, then spends the day hunting for the upcoming expedition. Jojen and I'Un go to speak with Lord Krandig, with I'Un demanding to know how the noble will help fund their expedition when no one in this society is accepting money. Lord Krandig expresses that, unfortunately, money is all he can provide - leading to I'Un storming off, while Jojen apologizes for his companion's behavior. He talks with Lord Krandig for a bit, learning that all is well with him, then heads off.

Regrouping with I'Un, who complains about how Jojen is always siding with Krandig, they make another trip to the temple to speak with Glavel. As Jojen is speaking to Glavel, I'Un interrupts, asking about why Glavel doesn't share his master's clerical powers, getting an answer that it's up to the gods to choose who they bestow their powers on. I'Un then pulls Glavel aside to show him ki, as well as something on his back that Jojen can't get close enough to see while maintaining a discrete distance. As they return to Jojen, I'Un is asking Glavel to put in a good word for him with people, since Glavel seems so much more popular. Glavel says he can try, but he informs I'Un that his words will do little - only I'Un's own actions and words will impact what people think of him.

In the evening, Vala takes Jojen out to the meeting place she selected in the woods so the bard can hide, then she goes to bring Silence. However, Silence leaves the moment Jojen attempts to magically charm them, informing Vala that she really needs to learn how to do business.

The next day, our adventurers take to the river, rowing upstream. It is slow going at times, but on the third day out they find the trees on the riverbanks thinning, and the land turning to open, grassy plains. They can see many herds of animals, but no signs of civilization.

Around midday on the fifth day, the river splits in two - one heading to the northeast, and the other to the southeast. After some debating, they take the branch going northeast, as it appears slightly wider. A couple hours in, Jojen spots movement on the shore. Off in the distance, there's a group of small creatures dragging some big bundle along. He points them out to the group, who start arguing about how to proceed, so he settles the matter by calling out to the creatures - who halt and spin around, brandishing weapons defensively.

The boat is pulled over to the shore and the group approaches cautiously without weapons in their hands to show they are peaceful. As they get closer, I'Un recognizes the small lizard-like humanoids as kobolds, and warns the group that they can be very dangerous in large numbers - and there are eleven of them here.

The group open conversation with them, asking what the kobolds are doing and wheat they know about the region. The creatures tell them they are taking tribute to Nurcukka, a black dragon who rules the swamp that is more than a tenday upriver. They are also very curious about what the group are, and are unfamiliar with the words 'human' and 'half-elf'. As they are talking, Jojen comes to believe there is something familiar about the hairy, net-wrapped thing the kobolds are taking to their dragon. He talks his way into getting a closer look at it, and moves away from the rest of his group into the midst of the kobolds.

Examining the creature, Jojen discovers that his suspicions are correct - this is his hairy orc friend Woo-die, whose carpentry kit was found with the nine dead on the Spring Blossom.He tries to convince the kobolds that Woo-die won't be suitable for their master to eat, but the kobolds don't appear to believe him. So, he begins casting a spell, causing the rest of his friends to jump into action as the kobolds prepare to do battle.

It is a hard fight for the group - the kobolds aren't very strong, but they outnumber the group almost three-to-one. A couple of the kobolds also have nasty tricks to attack with, such as releasing a skunk onto the battlefield and attacking them with scorpions tied to sticks. Jojen, cut off from his friends, falls unconscious. The rest of the group barely finish off the kobolds - with I'Un making a point to only knock out the leader - in time to tend Jojen's wounds and keep him from bleeding to death.

With Jojen stabilized, they search their fallen enemies, finding that they aren't carrying much of value. I'Un decides that he likes the idea of the scorpion on a stick, and deftly ties one of the scorpions to the end of his staff.



And brings this game session comes to an end. Check back next week to discover what happens in Episode 10.

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