Yoshi's notes

Date

2/17/2005

17th year of the reign of King Kevin.

Twenty-fourth day of "July". Morning.

Weather is cloudy and humid/muggy.

Characters

Carric Dendreu - Male Aasimar Druid 2 (with eagle Tan-kurun)

Caelesti - Female Feytouched Rogue 1/Sorceress 1

Lady Lyonessey "Nessey" Lavena Rowana - Female Aasimar Aristocrat 1/Swashbuckler 1

Yoshi - Male Human Monk 3

Log

We proceed along the road. We meet the occasional wagon, the occasional rider. Mid-late afternoon we come to another road-side inn. This is a single-story building with trees coming up close to it, and overhanging it. There is a big front porch with chairs on it. The name is "The Travelers Rest".

We park our mule. The stable boy bows subserviently. "Ah masters, ladies, welcome to the Travelers Rest."

We walk in the front door. A middle-aged lady comes up. She has long brown hair with streaks of gray, tied-back, wearing a dress with apron. "Welcome travelers to the Travelers Rest. My name is Meredith. Welcome." We introduce ourselves.

Nessey says, "You have a wonderful restful cabin here. It's a wonder you don't fall asleep during the day here."

Carric arranges for two rooms for us. Nessey says, "Carric is always looking for someone to share a room with". Carric says, "I'm sharing a room with Yoshi."

"So, are you coming from Meadowbrook?"

"No, we're heading to Meadowbrook. How far is that?"

"You should get there before nightfall tomorrow."

As we are speaking, there is a piercing scream from outside. "Oh! Help me! Help me!"

We rush out. Next to the inn is a sort of path heading back. Up along the path, a blonde woman, wearing skirt a blouse, comes running up, her hair flying wildly behind her. "You must help! You must help!"

Carric says, "What's the matter?"

"My children! They were carried off!"

Meredith comes up and says, "Bab, what is wrong?"

Caelesti says, "Which way?"

Carric says, "Who carried them off? Did you see them?"

"The river," she says to Caelesti. Then to Carric, "They were scaly creatures. But like men as well."

Meredith says, "Bab, calm down, tell us what's happened."

"My farm is about five miles away."

Carric asks, "Have you heard of these creatures before?"

"By legend only."

"Can you lead us," Caelsti asks, "or will we know where to go?"

"Well, my husband went after them. I came running here to get help."

"Tell us about your children."

"Casey is 10, and Dana is 8."

"What's your husband's name?"

"Bran. He picked up a stout cudgel and went running after them."

Yoshi says, "Can you lead us to where you last saw your family?"

Nessey says, "Maybe Meredith could lend us some horses?"

Carric asks Meredith.

"Um," Meredith says, "yes, you can take some horses, but please do not take them into the marsh. Nob! Nob!"

We rush off.

Somewhat less than an hour later, we get to the farm. We dismount, and Bab leads us to where the creatures and her husband had last been.

Carric tries to track. He finds four bipedal man-sized lizard creatures, and one man following.

Caelesti says, "I sure hope nothing bad happened to any of them!"

Nessey says, "I'm actually more worried about that man fighting the creatures alone!"

"I'm worried about all three of them!"

Carric follows the tracks. The path narrows to just a track.

Bab says, "That path goes down to the ruined tower at the river, and the marsh is to the right."

"What was that tower?"

"Some sort of guard output. It overlooked the river, but they stopped maintaining it long ago."

"Do you know if anything else was taken besides the children?" Carric asked.

"No. They just came, snatched the children, and ran off. There are rumors of creatures in the marsh, but we don't bother them, they don't bother us."

"Well, we'll do our best to get Bran and your children back."

"Thank you so much. I'll be so grateful!"

The tracks go straight down the track. We follow the track. It is getting dim. Yoshi lights a torch. Ahead to the left, we see a hulking tower.

We keep following the tracks. Ahead on the path, at the limit of our vision, we see a small creature crouched over a body lying on the path, manipulating some sort of cloth.

"Hail!" Yoshi says.

The creature stands up to its full height of 3' or so, picks up a huge scythe, puts the cloth on his head, and dives into the bushes. The creature looked like a short tough-looking old man with leathery skin. His mouth has large sharp teeth.

Yoshi and Carric check out the body. It is an adult male dressed like a farmer. He has grievous wounds but is still alive. Carric cures him for 8 points.

"Are you Bran?"

"Bran, my name is Carric. We are here to help; your wife got us at the inn. What happened?"

"I was chasing the creatures that stole my children, and that little man stepped out of the bush and struck me with his scythe!"

Carric says, "That's a Redcap! They are called Redcaps because their caps are red with the blood of those they have killed!"

Round 1: A greenish-blue glowing stone suddenly whistles past Carric's ear. Caelesti is hit by such a stone for 9 points of damage. She falls. The stones seem to have come from the tower, about 100' away.

Initiatives: Carric 17, Caelesti 15, Tan-kurun 14, Nessey 14, Yoshi 12.

Round 2: Carric sees to Caelesti, giving here a cure for 4 points. She becomes conscious. Caelesti stands. She moves towards the tower drawing her dagger. Tan-kurun flies around a little bit. Nessey goes forward drawing her rapier. Yoshi goes forward. A second Redcap sends a glowing green stone whizzing past Yoshi's head. Both Redcaps heft their scythes.

Round 3: The first Redcap swings at Yoshi, missing. Carric moves forwards 60'. Caelesti moves forwards 30' and casts a sleep spell on the Redcaps. Neither succumbs. Tan-kurun continues to fly around. Nessey goes forward and strikes with her rapier, hitting for 2 points; it heals instantly. Yoshi draws his cold iron Kama and cold iron Siangham, and strikes, missing. Redcap 2 moves into position, provoking an attack of opportunity. Nessey hits for 3 points which heals instantly. Redcap 2 misses Nessey.

Round 4: Redcap 1 (we notice its cap is glistening red) attacks Yoshi, missing. Carric advances 30' to flank, drawing his cold iron dagger. He hits for 2 points. Caelesti moves forwards to flank, hitting for 6 points, of which it heals 5. Tan-kurun continues to fly around. Nessey withdraws towards the tower, drawing her bow. Yoshi flanks himself!, and strikes at Redcap 1, hitting for 4 points and 5 points. Redcap 2 attacks Yoshi, hitting for 14 points.

Round 5: Redcap 1 attacks Yoshi for 9 points, disabling him. Carric takes a 5' steps and casts a cure light wounds for Yoshi. provoking an attach of opportunity that misses. He cures Yoshi for 4 points. Caelesti deals 7 points of damage to Redcap 2, 5 of which heals. Nessey fires cold iron arrows at Redcap 1, missing. Yoshi takes a 5' step, and attacks, missing his first and hitting for 3 points. Redcap 2 misses Caelesti.

Round 6: Redcap 1 attacks Yoshi, missing. Carric strikes Redcap 1, hitting for 5 points. Redcap 1 is still up. Caelesti backs up 5' and goes full-defense. Nessey fires her bow again, Nessey hits for 1 point. Yoshi attacks for 3 points, dropping Redcap 1. He takes a 5' step, attacking Redcap 2 for 5 points. Redcap 2 misses Yoshi.

Round 7: Carric takes a 5' step, hitting for 3 points. Caelesti moves to flank, hitting for 4 points, which heals instantly. Nessey fires an arrow into melee, hitting for 4 points. Yoshi misses twice. Redcap 2 attacks Caelesti, hitting for 12 points, becoming disabled.

Round 8: Carric takes a 5' step and casts cure minor wounds on Caelesti, provoking an attack of opportunity for 11 points. Carric is disabled. Nessey fires an arrow for 3 points of damage. Yoshi makes a critical hit for 15 points.

As each creature died, their body fell into itself swirling into a wispy gray vapor, and an item dropped to the ground.

Carric cures himself for 1 point, as well as Caelesti.

It is well into the evening. Carric wonders if we should stay in the tower or return to the farm house. Nessey was offering her potion of cure light wounds; Carric suggests that Yoshi consume it. Yoshi finds his own potion, and consumes it, for 2 points. Caelesti consumes Nessey's and gains 2 points.

Carric suggests Nessey examine the objects dropped by the Redcaps. They are teeth. Nessey picks them up. Carric thinks the teeth might be magical. He casts detect magic, detecting an aura of faint transmutation.

Bran comes up, seeing that the battle has subsided. "Those are the guys that got me! You got all of them!"

Carric says, "Well, they almost got all of us. Listen, have you been in this tower? Is it safe?"

"Sure, this is safe. This was a guard tower back when this area was wilder. Do you think those lizard people are in the tower? Do you think they took my children there?"

Carric looks for the tracks, which go beyond the tower. Carric says, "We don't have the strength to pursue these guys."

Yoshi says, "We must, though."

Carric says, "If they wanted to do something bad to the children, they would have done so. If they just wanted to kidnap them, they should be okay tomorrow."

Yoshi says, "Well, it is true that we will be more effective tomorrow..."

Bran says, "I cannot see how you can see in the dark anyway! Well, we cannot go back; we've been gone for hours."

Yoshi says, "Yes, we should camp, perhaps in the tower as Carric suggested earlier."

The party decides Yoshi and Nessey should go first to scout the tower. We listen first, hearing nothing.

Carric says, "You know, I have a logistical problem here. I do not learn new spells until high noon..."

The tower has a stairs going up to nowhere, and a stairs going down. We decide not to explore, but to stand guard.

[July 25th]