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• Arwynn Liadon (Half-Elf – Druid / Ranger)
  • Rides Horse: Laska
  • Pet: Mozilla (Fire Fox)
• Arrimar Oakroot (Wood Elf – Ranger)
  • Rides Horse: Goliath
  • Pet: Chrome (Silver Wolf)

Learn more about the origin of Shadow Island.

• Agreeing to help King Terralol, of the Goblins, get rid of the gnolls so that Arwynn and Arrimar can have access to the library in Stormthunder – they’re led by the goblin named Bootoor who escorts them through the sewers deeper into the city.
• Peering out from the sewer grate – they can see a number of gnolls patrolling the area, but truly not keeping watch, they’re simply casually strolling through the streets
• The duo try to time it quickly to go from the sewer grate to an alleyway, however, Arwynn slips and bangs her elbow, letting out a slight yelp, which draws the attention of one of the gnolls who begins sniffing at the air

• They try to hold still as the gnoll slowly approaches, sniffing at the air; however, this time it’s Arrimar who grunts loudly and reveals their location – the gnoll spotting them moving across the shadows – charges forward.

• DM Note: Mozilla and Chrome are pets that are with Arwynn and Arrimar. Mozilla is an a fire fox from the plane of fire (see what we did there?) and a pet of Arwynn and Chrome is Arrimar’s ranger summoned pet which is a large, silver wolf named Chrome (see what we did there?) Mozilla has a fire breath that charges on 5 or 6, and Chrome has a frost breath that recharges on 5 or 6. This was done to add some “HP” to the overall party, and that way I could also use larger groups of monsters.

• The gnoll’s attacks seem solely focused on what appears to be the largest threat; Chrome, the large Silver Wolf – striking two times, dealing significant damage to Chrome
• This infuriates Arrimar, who manages to finally land a critical strike against the gnoll

• As the fight continues on, Arrimar tends to Chrome and tries to taunt the gnoll, distracting it, giving Arwynn the Help action so that she can strike with advantage – and manages to hit the gnoll

• The gnoll manages to dodge both Mozilla’s and Chrome’s breath weapons, but still takes half damage from each
• The duo, with their pets are able to bring down the gnoll and drag his corpse towards the sewer entrance, where they deposit his body and close the sewer entrance so that his body isn’t found by some of the wandering gnolls
• Arrimar looks around, “We can try moving through the allies, looks like this ghost town has plenty of them, and the night is casting long, dark, shadows; or,” he whispers, and looked at a shattered window in the alley, “we can try going inside the buildings, and using them for cover if they’re not populated.”
• Arwynn mentions the buildings would provide better cover, and so the two of them quickly climb into the window, bringing Mozilla and Chrome with them
• Arrimar helps Arwynn into the window first and helps boost her up; and once she’s in the room, she immediately looks out the window and hisses how she could have got in the window without his help. As he helps Chrome in before climbing in himself, he’s started to see several sleeping gnolls in the room. He quickly clamps his hand over her mouth and turns her around just as one of the gnolls itches their nose in their sleep and lets out a loud, cackling yawn.
• They make their way out of the room and make their way to the next floor up, where they’re thankful to find it’s devoid of any slumbering gnolls; which makes sense, because if they’re called to action, they would not want to burn any time climbing down a flight of stairs; so the buildings from the second floor up, based on this, should be devoid of slumbering gnolls also
• They make their way to the top floor and onto the roof and begin using debrie to make improvised bridges across, to move from roof top or to another broken window. As the sun begins to rise, they move to a roof top where they take a rest, to regain their strength, mend their wounds and channel their magic
• They make their way towards the largest building – the library – where both the tomes of books they need – if they’re still there – are located – which is also apparently when the gnoll chief has claimed as his own. Finding a clear alley near the building, they tie a rope to their improvised bridge between buildings and descend down the rope.
• They make their way inside the library – but immediately find themselves surrounded by a pack of gnolls, including one who has made a throne out of the books from the library (with other gnolls trying to keep the books from collapsing).
• The gnoll chief introduces himself as Chief Barkspear and explains that he and the gnolls have no interest in the ghost town of Stormthunder. They’d already plundered some of what they had wanted – but they once had a home in the nearby mountain, a small cavern that had recently been overrun by a ghastly woman who hates beauty. He goes on to explain that he knew whoever was going through his town could not have been goblins; they were too effective. (Arrimar and Arwynn cast glances at one another, impressed that they were being considered “effective”). He goes on to say that if they drive away the ghastly woman, they will give the ghost town back to the goblin. Arwynn and Arrimar sigh, and realize this is their only hope now of getting access to the library; by helping the gnolls reclaim their cave; and if the gnolls reclaim their cave, then the goblins can reclaim Stormthunder, and if the goblins reclaim Stormthunder then Arwynn and Arrimar will get access to the library.
• “This is getting complicated,” Arrimar muttered.
• Arrimar and Arwynn realize this is the only way to get access to the books, and to deny Chief Barkspear’s request would probably lead to their demise, surrounded by this many growling gnolls
• Chief Barkspear assigns two gnolls to escort Arwynn and Arrimar to the cave mouth. Arwynn kneels down and rubs mud on her face. Arrimar looks at her. “What are you doing?”
• “The Chief said she hates beauty,” Arwynn replied.
• “Well,” Arrimar chuckled, “someone thinks highly of themselves.”
• The two gnolls who had escorted them here stared back and forth and saw very little hope in these two dealing with the ghastly woman… and they’d return and report to their chief that the two they sent in were likely going to be killed by the ghastly woman
• Arrimar and Arwynn enter the cavern and have no sense of direction where they headed since the gnolls had no map of the caves; they simply marked their territory to find their way around the caves; and after getting lost for quite some time, Arrimar and Arwynn finally find a large cavern, similar to what Chief Barkspear described, and soon they were greeted by the sight of a ghastly woman

• The spirit arises, and seeing that it’s not gnolls – but an elf and a half elf – she reveals that she was an elf mage once; and she studied at Stormthunder’s Great Library, when she was lured away by a jealous lover who murdered her. While she explains, she regrets that she’s extracted her revenge, she’s unable to rest because the weapon that murdered her – a weapon known as Bloodthorn or Elf Bane – is in the hands of someone evil. A drunken bugbear further down the cave. Should they help her get rid of him and recover the murder weapon, then she would be able to find peace.
• Arrimar and Arwynn think it through; get rid of the bugbear, and Alareesa can find peace; she finds peace, the gnolls return to the caves; the gnoll returning to the cave means they give the city back to the goblins; if the goblins get the city back, Arwynn and Arrimar get access to the library tomes… and hope, after all of this, there’s information about the Coven that they’re after…

TO BE CONTINUED?