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• Arwynn Liadon (Half-Elf – Druid / Ranger)
• Arrimar Oakroot (Wood Elf – Ranger)
• Briel Nailo (Half-Elf – Druid) – Has Not Special Guested Yet

Learn more about the origin of Shadow Island

DM Note – This game came about because one of my players and I were discussing how we had both been in the mood to game – but neither of us had any D&D games going that day. So I had told her to roll up a character, I’d roll one up and play as an NPC (so her character would be the primary one making all the decisions) and I’d create an adventure.

Both characters started at level 2 – just to give a little health since there was two. So Arrimar was a level 2 Ranger, while Arwynn was a level 1 Druid/1 Ranger. This made it even easier to tie the characters together, explaining that Arrimar had been the one who taught her how to become a Ranger.

The story begins that on this relatively small island, Arwynn’s parents – her mother an elf from the Whispering Wood – home of the Wood Elves, her father a human from the finishing village of Avaden. Arwynn is reckless and in her high teens – and she knows Arrimar, whose parents were good friends with Arwynn’s mother’s side. Arrimar himself is young, despite being an elf – and is also around the same age as Arwynn – being in his late teens – and he too, tends to be rather reckless.

• Arwynn – who lives just outside of Avador (the fishing village) went to town to speak to a human by the name of Krosore who is one of the fisherman in town to combine her druid focus into her staff (her staff being the fabled fishing pole that her father had used to catch a whale – this all came to be out of sheer fun of the story)
• Arwynn also has a pet fire fox from the Plane of Fire (here, due to the various opened portals – Learn more about the origin of Shadow Island and these opened portals)

• Arwynn then proceeds to go to the tavern, where she looks for any adventures (which unbeknownst to her, catches the attention of several brigands that happen to be lurking in the tavern)
• Arrimar finds her at the tavern – after tracking her down – and explains that he could use her help in a little matter. It would seem a small band of kobolds managed to steal a Dragon Crystal from the Wood Elves, and they’re furious – and need it back. Arrimar explains that he convinced them that a small group going in would do better than summoning up an army of Wood Elves to track this down – as that might draw unwanted attention
• He asks Arwynn to come along and help him recover the Dragon Crystal before the Kobolds learn to use it and summon a dragon – as the residents of this island already are very wary of any kind of dragon after the war that sundered it so long ago – so whether the dragon is good or evil – the people of this island will likely react poorly to it
• Arrimar explains he’s already tracked the kobolds to their cave – so he knows where they’re at – but he could use some extra help in case there’s something more inside the cave, explaining that she’s well versed at magic
• Arwynn agrees – because they can make a name for themselves – and book passage off the Shadow Island, since many people have left. She decides they need a name for them, and they agree – since both of their names start with “A” – they will be called The A-Team.
• Arwynn asks how far away it is – and Arrimar explains it is a few days walking – but horses would be quicker
• Arwynn offers to go to her parents – who have a large ranch, as well as horses
• Arwynn’s father’s – who knows Arrimar (but isn’t a fan, because he seems to drag her into trouble) – asks who this boy is. And Arwynn explains – again – who he is – and that they need horses. Her father is adamant about not letting them use horses – and Arwynn’s mother comes out and explains that Arrimar is from the same village in the Whispering Woods – and that it should be fine. With her mother on her side – Arwynn’s mother convince him it’s fine (Natural 20 Persuasion) with the mother explaining that it would be no more trouble she’d got into meeting him
• Her father sighs and agrees
• Arrimar explains that Arwynn is very skilled; this causes her father to fume, explaining that he’d better be talking about horse riding – and Arrimar flushes red, realizing what her father was thinking
• Arwynn gets two horses from the stables, bringing Goliath to Arrimar and she takes Laska. Goliath seems to have the same impression of Arrimar as Arwynn’s father (struggling with the Animal Handling – we joked that the relationship was similar to Maximus and Flynn from Disney’s Tangled movie)

• Arwynn and Arrimar ride until it gets dark – which gets them just between the Whispering Woods and The Shallow Green. They opt to camp in the southern woods, just off the path, since Arrimar is familiar with those woods.

• Arrimar uses his rope to create a trap – using utensils through the rope to create a line while they sleep – but it isn’t long before Arwynn’s fire fox (Mozilla, but Zilla for short) begins to quietly get her attention
• Arwynn follows Zilla through the woods, who leads her back near the edge of the woods; where there are two shadowed figures crouched down – coming from the direction of Avaden. She notes that despite clearly being human – these two are not using torches for a light source – keeping to the dark. They make their way back to the camp and awaken Arrimar
• She explains that she saw two humans – who were crouching – and keeping to the dark, which seems like dubious behavior. The duo sneak back to the edge of the forest – and Arrimar steps on a branch just as they get there – alerting the two humans
• One of the humans in the shadows shouts, “All right, girlie – come out and bring your friend with you!”
• Arwynn looks at Arrimar and asks, “Who are these people?” He whispers back, “I was going to ask you that.” She glances through the shrubbery and peers at the two men – she doesn’t recognize one – but she recognizes the other being in the guild (where Arrimar had found her earlier)
• She explains to Arrimar that she recognizes one of them from the guild
• Arrimar smirks, “He’s your friend.” She huffs, “He’s not my friend! I don’t even know his name!”
• Once again, he calls out, “Come out girlie and bring you friend with you!”
• She shakes her head, “What do you want with me?”
• “We just need whatever coin you have, lass.”
• She shouts back, “I don’t have any!”
• The bandit yells back, “Well, we will need to get payment some… other way.“
• “That’s not happening!” Arrimar growls out loud
• “Ah ha,” the bandit shouts, “I knew you were with her!”
• Combat begins!

• Both Arwynn and one of the Bandits roll a Natural 20 on Initiative, which House Rule – gives them two turns – explain as Adrenaline ready for the first round – but Arwynn’s bonus is higher allowing her to go first
• Arwynn quickly casts Entangle – which both bandits fail to break out of (rolled a Strength of 2, the other rolled a Strength of 3…!)
• Arwynn then fires her short bow but misses, and hears Arrimar sigh behind her as she misses
• The first brigands fires his light crossbow – but at disadvantage – because of the dark and partial cover – and first shot misses, second shot however hits and causes minor damage
• The second bandit fires twice – also at disadvantage – and misses both times
• Arrimar whispers, “And this is exactly why I brought you along for your magic!”
• Arrimar fires his light crossbow and strikes one of the bandits for significant damage
• Arwynn not to be outdone and remembering how Arrimar had taught her how to use a bow, fires and also lands a solid hit on one of the bandits
• Furious, one of the bandits tries to fire back – but misfires and hits his companion (Critical Fail)
• Arrimar fires at the first bandit and hits the first bandit – and kills him, just as the bandit breaks free of the Entangle spell
• The second bandit fires at Arwynn and hits her, causing a small gash
• Arwynn fires her short bow and hits the second bandit, putting him down as well
• Arwynn searches the two bodies and finds a total of 68 gold on them, splitting it to 34 between her and Arrimar; they each have a scimitar, 40 crossbow bolts, and a dagger
• Arrimar suggests dragging the bodies off the trail, in case anyone comes looking for them
• Arwynn wonders if they should leave the bodies on the road – because if people see them, they will press on quickly thinking there’s danger in the area. But if that’s the choice, moving the camp further up north might be beneficial because if people begin to investigate the area, they will find us
• They decide to leave the bodies on the road, avoiding getting blood on themselves (because Arwynn complains that she doesn’t have “that one cleaning spell”)
• The party packs up their tents and try to make the horses move forward
  • True to form – Goliath rolls a Critical Fail, while Laska was ready to ride

• Arwynn summons up a carrot and convinces Goliath to allow Arrimar to ride him to the next camp site
• Arwynn tries to tie another trap – but this one doesn’t go as well, with the trees clustered too close together
• As they settle into the camp, Arwynn casts Cure Wounds on herself to mend some of the wounds she’d gotten. Arrimar points out that perhaps they should have also purchased healing potions before going on this venture. Arwynn knows that there’s a plant known as Whistling Leaf – which is identifiable by the sound of the wind whistling through the plants, which can be used to chew on – which helps heal wounds (1d4, if chewed naturally).
• Arrimar hears the sound of whistling not too far away
• Arwynn explains that it’s used – like chewing on gum. Which confuses Arrimar. There’s an entire discussion of Arwynn trying to explain what gum. (She explains that there’s something that humans chew (resin, wax and elastomer. In short, resin is the main chewable portion, whereas wax helps to soften the gum and elastomers help to add flexibility)
• The following morning Goliath, yet again – seems determined to prevent Arrimar from riding him – while Laska is ready

• Yet again, it takes some convincing from Arwynn that Goliath should trust Arrimar – and they finally ride back to their previous camp to collect the rope they left behind – and make a startling discovery. The two brigand bodies are gone. Doing some Investigation – they discover other prints – and it looks as if someone came by and collected the bodies and rode back to Avaden – potentially more brigands. They realize they may have made trouble with the local thugs…

TO BE CONTINUED…