Narrative

Day 50 began as the party continued toward Tradesmalls. They heard wings in the distance at 20:00 and saw a flying lion-shaped creature, possibly a sphinx at first glance, but with a scorpion tail and wearing armour: a manticore. The party hid, the manticore passed, and they reached Tradesmalls.

At Tradesmalls they saw goliaths, Dunnen people, and a few vulture people. An underground network of tunnels and caves lay about ten miles away, and all tribes seemed to be present. In the command tent, people sat around a table, including Ogrim Thungalis, Anita Sandsong, Gren Boulderfist, Blisterfoot, and Dirk Sr.

Courtwood’s “Musing” four days earlier had started something he needed to attend to, and he could be back promptly. Four days earlier was when Worn was killed, Errol was fixed, and Bynx joined the party. Dragons were attacking farther waterwise. The Dunnen people claimed the party were favoured of Atlabre and that a child had come to them while sleeping to prophesy the party’s return. Dirk Sr wanted the party to kill a dragon.

Scouts had found entrances to a cave network. Some were poisoned, some enemies were invisible, and the scouts did not know about the manticore. Dirk Sr told Dirk to see his sister Ingris. Dirk was worried because Ingris and Bynx were roughly the same age. Bynx was unhappy to be introduced as the goliaths’ sphinx and felt fractured. Dotharl returned after seeing a few invisible watchers around the perimeter.

The scout report described a main cliff-area entrance about nine miles away, usually guarded by humans, dragonborn, and Duhg guards, with about one hundred people coming in and out. Other entrances were found under a shrub, behind a rock, behind a poison door, and in the ground, all about a mile apart. There were far more traps than seemed necessary in the wilderness, including a movable poison weapon.

The party retrieved a poison weapon. The poison felt familiar but not quite remembered; it had an alchemical base, breath-weapon qualities, poisonous herbs, and scorpion venom. Normal healing could heal the damage, but the wound itself would not close.

The party visited the Dunnen people and were treated with respect. Elders came out, including an older one and a knower of flesh, acting on the word of Benu. They had a plan for the party, based on prophecy in uncovered texts. They knew Benu would return after convalescence but needed to pay for his misdeeds. They had heard of their old protector made flesh anew, Garadule: he had been good and had wanted to protect people, but they were unsure whether to accept him again as protector. The goliaths proved strong-minded, while the merfolk had retreated to the sea and were horrified by restored suppressed memories despite speaking highly of the party.

The party considered how to handle Verdigrim and the dragonborn: diplomacy, attack, sneaking, or leaving. Dirk asked his ancestors whether diplomacy would work, and the answer was that help could be gained, but the price would be high.

People, Factions, and Places Mentioned

People and name-like figures include Courtwood, Worn, Errol, Bynx, Dirk Sr, Dirk, Ingris, Dotharl, Benu, Garadule, Verdigrim, Ogrim Thungalis, Anita Sandsong, Gren Boulderfist, and Blisterfoot.

Groups and places include Tradesmalls, goliaths, Dunnen people, vulture people, Atlabre, dragonborn, Duhg guards, scouts, merfolk, and the cave network.

Items, Rewards, and Resources

Resources include the poison weapon, scout intelligence on cave entrances, prophecy texts, Courtwood’s Musing, and the ancestor guidance that diplomacy could help at a high price.

Clues, Mysteries, and Open Threads

Bynx’s fractured state remains unresolved. The Dunnen people’s prophecy, Benu’s convalescence, and the question of whether Garadule should be accepted again as protector remain active. The poison weapon and invisible enemies suggest a prepared defensive network around the dragonborn/Verdigrim position.