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• Adrian Silverstrength (Human Paladin)
• Morsus Firebeard (Hill Dwarf Cleric)
• Sephrenia (High Elf Cleric)
• Ragnaroc (Aasimar Warlock)
• Don Kannin (Half-Elf Ranger)
• Korra (Air Genasi Rogue) – Absent this session. 🙁

Current NPCs traveling with the party:

• Pren Flintrock
• Gor Hammerstine
• Bran Homeforge
• Dran Homeforge

Connected Adventures: Adventure 14, Adventure 15, Adventure 16, Adventure 17, Adventure 18, Adventure 19, Adventure 20, Adventure 21, Adventure 22 and Adventure 23.

The party had waited for the Ettin – arguing with itself – to pass by before proceeding. They came to a stop when there was a 30′ cliff embankment to climb. Korra explains that she will scale the wall and scout ahead – as well Don. The two quickly and easily find nooks to climb and vanish in the darkness above.

The party searches around the cliff side to see if there’s an easy way to scale the mountain side; and find none. Adrian then talks to the dwarves – while Gor, Bran and Dran don’t seem overly interested in helping; when Sephrenia asks, Pren offers to help. Scaling the wall slightly, he uses his own ax to make crude hand and footholds so that the party can more easily scale the wall.

Adrian and Ragnaroc are the first to climb the cliff side – and are greeted by an unyielding stench of dung, stagnant swamp water, feces, corpses rotting, and sulfur all mixed into one. About 50′ feet away they can see where the ground seems to sink, and it’s full of stagnant water and a swamp like environment. Morsus eventually climbs up next followed by Sephrenia. As they head into the swampy waters, it quickly goes from being ankle deep to being knee deep – and the overwhelming odor bursts from the ruptured ground with each step they take – making Adrian sick so that he finds himself constantly gagging, and even throwing up. The others seem able to barely withstand breathing in the swamp’s sulfuric odors. The other Dwarves (Pren, Gor, Bran, and Dran see how deep it is – and refuse to go forward – claiming they will wait at the edge of the cliff for their return. Morsus sends his bat to look over the swampy marsh, but the bat quickly returns and shares that there’s a green, mossy canopy that covers the entire top – trapping the horrendous odor in the swamp.

As the party attempts to quietly move through the swamp in search of trolls (despite Adrian’s constant retching sound – making everything he does at Disadvantage until the effect passes). Despite being at Disadvantage due to the constant retching, Adrian spots something not far from them – Morsus sends his bat – who narrowly avoids several other animal predators and returns and shares and image of something “shiny.”

The party makes their way there – and sees that it appears to be a chest, half sunk into the swamp – with three dead bodies around it – and the chest itself appears to have claw marks. Despite being at Disadvantage from heaving, Adrian is still the one who rolls the highest Nature check and identify the claw marks to undoubtedly be the claw marks of the very trolls that live in this retched swamp.

The party decides to try and search the bodies for the potential key for the chest – Sephrenia rolls the bodies over – and due to being in the algae filled swamp for an unknown amount of time – the bodies are bloated from the water – and as they’re rolled over, the faces and bodies, have been eaten by the insects and fish that somehow survive in the dark green waters. Sephrenia makes a successful Savings Throw as she rolls them over and the flesh seems to almost peel away, like running fingers through pudding. No key is located on any of the three bodies.

Sephrenia attempts to search in the mud (Critical Fail) and her finger is bitten by a swamp piranha – which she manages to dislocate and throw back into the swamp, only taking very minor damage from the bite – though, now concerned about the wound getting infected in these retched waters. Ragnaroc searches next for the key – believing he’s found it in the mud he lifts what eventually is a thick, hard, being of feces. He quickly releases it. Morsus also searches, but only comes up with several bones from the deceased bodies floating near the chest, locked in position, by the stagnant water and algae.

The party decides they want to try and take the chest out of the swamp and investigate it with Adrian putting away his sword and shield and grabbing one side, while Ragnaroc grabs the other; being buried in the mud, and 4′ in length – it takes considerable effort – but as soon as each of them grabs the chest on each side – it’s quickly revealed – this is not a chest – but a Mimic!

Both Adrian and Ragnaroc find their hands stuck to the side of the Mimic, as its eyes open, teeth baring, large tongue all come to life! It dons on the party members that the three deceased victims of the chest may have come across the mimic – believing it to be a chest – and fell victim to it – and that the claw marks may have been from trolls who had fought and survived the mimic!

Morsus blasts the Mimic with Scorching Ray, while Raganroc and Adrian struggle to pry themselves free of the mimic. Having been scouting ahead of the party, to try and find the trolls – Don hears the sounds of battle and arrives to see his friends seemingly in a tug of war over a chest – then spots the eyes, teeth and tongue on the chest – and fires a shot – striking the Mimic, and inflicting considerable damage. Sephrenia summons a Spiritual Hammer and due to the thrashing nature of Adrian and Ragnaroc each pulling on one side – she (Critical) misses and strikes Ragnaroc upside the head. However, she does manage to land a Sacred Flame that strikes the Mimic successfully. Her next attack with the Spiritual Hammer actually lands a Critical Hit on the Mimic, delivering significant damage! Adrian, trying to pull himself free – (Critical) fails – and collides into the Mimic, sticking to it further! Sephrenia then moves behind Ragnaroc and wraps her arms around his waist, assisting him in pulling free. She maintains her balance, but Ragnaroc falls into the murky swamp water, ingesting some of it’s liquid into his mouth (failed Dexterity Check and failed Constitution Check), forcing him to begin heaving (all actions now at Disadvantage). Don is able to fire a final shot that puts the Mimic down – releasing Adrian, as the Mimic’s hold slides off his body, like running his body against the bottom of a giant slug.

Don questions what the heck the party is doing – and why he has to always come and save them from whatever trouble they seem to get themselves into. Still reeling from the encounter with the Mimic – the party hears something that sounds like a raven’s caw with the depth of a lion’s roar. It comes from the left – then the right – then in front of them – and seems to bounce off the trees. The lack of light beneath the mossy, web like canopy and the depth of the mountain – makes seeing anything beyond 30′ in front is difficult. Morsus casts Light on Adrian’s shield, lighting up the swampy area around them – and suddenly it becomes clear as two creatures – seemingly comfortable in the swamp move quickly towards them!

It’s clear, by the creature’s appearance – that what’s come towards them is Hook Horrors! (Something Nor’Orn warned were all over the Shadowvale – and thankfully, something they needed as a spell component – the tongue of a Hook Horror, to speak to the disease as Nor’Orn described it).

Despite heaving, Ragnaroc is ready for the fight (Natural 20 on Initiative). He launches an Eldritch Blast however – as the spell leaves his fingertips – he heaves (Critical Fail on attack) and the spell strikes Adrian. Drawn by the light of Adrian’s shield, both go after him – the first one misses, however – this allows the second one to strike (Critical Hit) delivering an incredible amount of damage to Adrian – the hook hitting hard enough to damage Adrian’s armor. Seeing that Adrian is barely able to stand – Sephrenia casts Healing Word sealing some of the grievous wounds Adrian received from the Hook Horror. Adrian then uses Lay on Hands then as a bonus action casts Shield of Faith on himself, increasing his armor class.

Don places a Hunter’s Mark on one of the Hook Horrors, while Morsus targets one of the Hook Horrors – ensuring not to target Adrian also – and casts Faerie Fire. Adrian is able to hit one with his sword, landing a solid hit – infuriating the beast! Morsus tries to strike the one with Faerie Fire on it, but not able to land a hit – the hilt of his weapon drenched in algae making it slippery. He does manage to hit with his Spiritual Hammer spell and tries to Toll the Dead but the beast shrugs it off, effortlessly (Natural 20 on save). Sephrenia tries to help Adrian with the one attacking him and launches a Ray of Frost, however – she miscalculates and strikes Adrian – slowing him down and dealing some freezing damage. After being hit by a volley of arrows – one of the Hook Horrors moves on Don, getting hit once as it passes Adrian. The Hook Horror strikes Don, delivering some horrendous damage. Morsus is able to apply some healing; but Sephrenia applies Healing Word towards Don, adding some additional heals.

When Ragnaroc tries to Eldritch Blast again, once more he heaves (Critical Fail) striking Adrian in the back, yet again. Adrian keeps hacking away at the one in front of him, while the one behind him shifts its focus – but eventually both Hook Horrors fall, leaving Adrian and Don, still gravely wounded. The party moves towards a corner of the swamp, with their backs against a tree, to allow Sephrenia to cast Prayer of Healing which takes ten minutes to cast. The party in the meantime, remains alert – and they spot three humanoids carrying something in a net behind them – and upon closer observation – Sephrenia and Don recognize the creatures as Lizardpeople.

Sephrenia being well educated as a High Elf – knew a great amount about the Lizardpeople – who were, long ago considered “monsters.” However, over time – the people of the world learned that the Lizardpeople were intelligent, and could learn to speak other languages, though their preference is Draconic. She knew that they primarily called swamps their home and often fight to keep their area. (Natural 20 on History Check)

Don, however, as a Ranger, had encountered several Lizardfolk on his travel, and knew, that for the most part – many of them were actually helpful. (History 17)

Knowing that the Lizardfolk could be friendly – they decide to track them – which is easy, since they were dragging what appeared to be a dead Kuo-Toa in the net. They do manage to track them to the Lizardfolk home. Knowing they speak Draconic, Sephrenia mentions she can speak their tongue. Stepping forward, they get several arrows shot at their feet as a warning shot – and Sephrenia explains that they’re there with a mutual enemy in common – the trolls.

One of the Lizardfolk, leaps down from the post – mildly amused and impressed that a “fair skin” can speak Draconic as well as she does. He introduces himself as “Zeraph” and explains that he will take them to their Chief. The entire time, the party has arrows drawn on them from all around.

The party is eventually brought before Chief Cur’nors.

He asks what brings the party to them and Sephrenia explains that they’ve come to slay trolls. The Chief explains that they have a common enemy and welcomes them to sit and feast – for tonight, they feed on Kuo-Toa.