Return to Daggerford 

January 30, 2019

The group starts out in the camp on the Moor.  A very dry moor in Flamerule.  Or perhaps they were just lucky.  They find a place to camp and are hoping for undisturbed rest.  After figuring out watch order, they sit around the fire for a bit, discussing what to do.  Hang brings up calling Dargha and some ideas she has.  After some discussion, that is done.  Dargha seems . . . chatty and willing to discuss things.  Dargha lies about its needs but is caught and eventually takes what sustenance it can before settling back down.  The group isn't sure if that is better or not.  Maldar takes first watch.  And promptly curls up with Chandi before falling asleep.  Dorn wakes up later and feels something out there.  A snake, a large constrictor snake, slithers up and then pulls its head up out of the grass.  As Dorn gets up, he kicks Maldar awake and hisses to wake the others.  Then realizes what he did as he moves closer to the snake.  The snake bobs its head back and forth and side to side and then starts changing.  It fills out, becoming humanoid and soon is standing there with a snake head, staring at him.  It wonders what they are doing there and says it wonders as well.  It introduces itself as Sss'Tll and speak to them about being witness.  Dorn isn't sure but agrees and then it changes back to snake form and leaves.  Dorn stays up, glaring at Maldar.  

Over the night, several more visitors arrive.  When Hang is praying to Auril, a portal opens and a Frost Giant steps out.  She respectfully introduces herself as Gerti Orelsdottr and says that Auril sent her to Hang to fix her axe.  Hang agrees and Gerti hands her a massive axe, with the head made of ice, although cracked in places, and the shaft made of pine that has been scorched in several places.  Praying on it, Hang realizes that the ice spells she has will eventually mend it but it will take time.  Fortunately, Gerti does not need it right away, and disappears into a portal.  

Later, when Tyrel and Jinn are on watch, Jinn reading his book, Tryel starts talking to something.  Jinn can tell Tyrel is talking to someone but he can't see them.  Later, Tyrel says that Arakus appeared and was angry with him for speaking to the serpent people!  The enemy and likely to cause the end of the world!  Both think its a bit of hyperbole.  

The next morning, they set up an ambush with the staff, after they see scry magic upon it again.  A group of men, with a tiefling caster, do try and retrieve it but the group attacks!  Several of the men go down but the tiefling, when it's obvious his side won't win, surrenders.  He says they were sent after their property as they had a lot of time and effort put into the staff before the group stole it.  Dorn only asks for their weapons but Hang wanted them to leave without even clothes.  The tiefling won't have that and would rather die than be that abused.  Dorn wins out and the group leaves without the staff, but having helped their friends.  They go back to the horses but not before Dorn also mentions that he bore witness to the snake people.  This spurs the tiefling to hurry his men as they ride back toward the Keep.  The group follows so they can find the Keep.  It's a long day of walking and tracking before they are able to rest in a grove of trees just north of the Keep.  

It's not a pleasant night of rest.  They had no supplies, tents or even blankets, for a wilderness trek.  They did as best they could, using old clothes to create a lean to, and simple spells to cook their food.  It rained most of the day and into the night, which didn't help Tyrel's mood.  That night, a huge force of snake people slither past.  And one of them comes forward to verify they are not with the Keep.  Indeed, they are witness!  Pleased, the snake creature goes back but not before saying they can use the portal and they won't consume that magic.  They are worried about what that means but don't think they should say anything.    Soon, sounds of fighting are heard, shouts and spells, and the group wonder what is happening.  They don't go that night and wait for morning to approach the Keep.  

Going to the Keep, they look for bodies but see none.  Scorch marks show where fire was conjured but no bodies.  As they approach the Keep.  There is a tiefling sentry up top, the same that came after the staff.  Finally asking his name, he yells back, "Chad."  They look at each other over the false name, but leave it.  They are shocked the defenders still hold the Keep.  They were convinced the snake people would win.  They ask if they can use the portal.  Chad is not happy . . . but coin is coin and it's obvious he allows others to use the portal.  The price is five gold, which the group happily agrees to pay and they go inside.  No one is in the courtyard of the keep.  They see people looking at them from the barracks and the main hall but none come out.  In the courtyard, blood spatters the wall and floor.  More scorch marks speak to the battle which happened.  

The activate the portal and step back into the room at the Chateau and are quite relieved to be back in Daggerford!  

Maldar has a house and offers them rooms there, so they move their stuff from the tenement house to Maldar's.  Hang and Jinn take the basement, where they can set up a lab and have space for it.  That leave Tyrel and Dorn sharing the second bedroom.  It's comfy when they get settled.  

As they are walking around town, resupplying and getting furniture, they run into an old friend, Brianna.  The ranger they met on the way to Orlbach's Tower.  She apologizes for Jander's behavior and offers them drinks or a meal to make up for it.  They agree and keep shopping, saying they will see her at the seventh hour at the Lady Luck Tavern.  She tells them her group, the Steel Eagles, are now operating here and have been hired by the town 

They go to several temples and restock on potions of healing.  They want more but another group bought them out of their potions.  They also go to the Sorcerer's Encapsulate to talk with Gregorivych and ask his opinion on several items they have.  He's impressed by the staff as it's made from a bone of a death giant, and so would be good to hold necromancy type spells.  Gregorivych receives a shock when Jin shows him the robe he has and asks how to cleanse it.  Gregorivych suggests talking to Liam or Luc at the temple to Lathander.  They didn't realize the two were back but Gregorivych says he saw them only yesterday, so knows they are back.  

They still have time to do one more thing before meeting Brianna for supper.  

700 xp

GM Notes

• Or, more likely, the Moor was a dry Moor because the DM forgot what Moor meant.  :(  
• While Dorn probably wondered if it was a good idea to bear witness to the snake person, John figured it was a bad idea.   
• Arakus appears and of course he does!  They seem nonchalant about it.
• Later, in critiques, they do wonder about it but at the time, to me, it appeared they were just blase about his appearance. 
• I don't know that they were even embarrassed to be called thieves with regards to the staff. 
• I liked the callback with Brianna and it worked well.  Also, having her group now work for the town was fun.    

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