Guide of the Cartographer
Chapter 2, Part II
Written by Darwin (Justin)
We head south from the Golden tree, murky ground,we sink into the ground, turn around back to see the pine tree. The pine cones on the tree have some Celestial magic about them; The tree has been blessed.
Hector slices into the tree, sap also has the golden propert to it. Hector grabs half a bottle worth of sap.
We head north, leads to a small cluster of trees, surrounding a stone slab, large circular well in the center of it. Mechanism to lower a bucket, rope that holds the bucket wrapped around a wooden beam above the hole. Mews looks into the well and it is extremely dark. Mews sends the bucket down. Bucket hits liquid of some sort, much sooner than anticipated. Mews brings the bucket up bright light spills up and over, and warm energy washes over all of us, healing.
Mews pulls it up a second time, everyone feels slightly less sturdy (CON reduced)
Paths to the N and W
Mews does the bucket again (CON back for her and Aer)
We try N, back to the pine tree
We try W from the well, area with minimal trees, light reflects across wet ground ahead of us N, S, E, W
Hector tries dropping gold in the well and making a wish for "Materhawk guide us out of this place"
The pinecone is talking to Hector
Big tree with tangled roots. Aine investigates and as she brushes against a knot on the tree music plays
The roots play individual notes, have to play the song probably. Successfully play the song and the tree opens up. Head through the tree, leads into a grove that splits into a crossroads, multiple worn marble statues sitting at the crossroads, one points in each direction, one pointing east is missing the upper half of its head, West has the face but moss grows over it.
Head W, big bird's nest, inside are 3 bizarre looking creatures with the body of a bird and the head of a mammal
Body of a giant eagle and the head of a stag. Monstrosity. Nasty when full grown. Mews uses beast sense (rule of cool) sense that the bird's mom flew south.
We head S to follow the mom, one path that leads north, behind us
Single candles beside a few of the trees glowing with a deep purple flame, one unlit candle and as I get closer the acorn starts to hum
We solve a final puzzle and finally escape the darkness
Hector drinks the sap (temp hit points).
Hear the song that I played on the piano tinkling on the wind, the darkness disappears, we're in normal forest, ahead of us the entrance to a mine. Two miners securing some scaffolding that appears to be damaged.Mews recognizes a symbol on their uniform. When she was a kid traveling through Blightjay, she saw a piece of machinery with this logo on it in a particularly destroyed area. Shuck Mining.
Short rest, I used 1 hit die
Miners probably using slave labor
Shimmering, bluish veins in the ground
Explosion from somewhere deep in the mine
After the explosion the veins creep out and extend a bit. Another explosion, this one hears/feels different, the guards immediately stand up and look concerned, the veins in the ground begin to pulse and glow and spread even further out, another noise, not a blast, but bloodcurdling scream, and shortly, dozens of workers come fleeing out of the mine, trailing behind them are 4 other miners that look to be covered In dirt and metal, pickaxes and buckets fused to them, plant-like appendages
THese creatures FUCK up the guards
Grey - Earth, dirt, metal
Green - Plant-based
Yellow - Man-made stuff, coins, swords, shields, etc.
Blue - Similar to grey, but it's blue like the veins
We take them down
Some people trapped behind debris deep in the mine. Evidence of an exploded minecart? Mine still rumbling. Mews and Guy get the hole clear, there are two people left alive
Minecart had a broken container with evidence of sweet-smelling iridescent liquid
Aer recognizes one of the two people we saved, it's her dad. Guy lays on hands the two people. Human man, half-orc woman
They lead us into the forest, fork in the road, one fork leads to a village
The village (Thetchery) is one of the first settlements on Materhawk, been around a really long time.
Aya and Finnegan
I heal Finnegan as much as I can
Guy goes to scope out the village. THe buildings are built into the trees here. Chaotic. Hard to navigate if you don't know the way.
Mostly elves and half-elves, a little bit of diversity. Mostly children and elderly, no one young and healthy. Guy comes across a young child named Violet. THe elder's house is really busy right now. Violet takes Hector and Finnegan to her mom's house. Violet's mom wearing a weird bracelet with a glowy blue stone. We set up a reasonably good camp in spite of the weather. Violet and her mother come back with a healer.
Aer enters the village and notices she blends right in. Notices a tavern
Aer and Guy meet up, Aer heads off to the infirmary to see her dad
Guy goes to the tavern, it's pretty lame in there. The rooms at the tavern are reserved for the "special event." Chuck Shuck himself is in town and has taken the liberty of renting all the rooms for his special guests
Aer heads to the infirmary and inquires about her dad, goes to sit with him. Aer hears a psst at the window, it's Violet? Or another child? Child says she's in danger, she sneaks outside
Violet says the bracelets...keep...keep...keep...she doesn't know.
Most of us at camp resting, Aer and Guy are in town, Artemi followed Aer into town