Stop the Poaching - Group 3, Session 1
from the game session held on 03 February, 2021
General Summary
It had been five days since Dhraangg, Gambit, Tom, and Kleone returned from their journey to the Lizard Fens to retrieve the testimony scroll from the Taxlatl (Lizardfolk) chieftain. Branwyne Pinnman, the ranger/co-owner of the Bugbear's Head Inn told them that Amalthea the Dryad had been notified of your return; she would be arriving any time to retrieve the scroll, and also to meet and thank the party personally for their efforts. In the meantime, Theodric and Branwyne informed the party that their stay at the Inn was "on the house" (except for drinks) as part of the payment for their troubles.
The waiting ended as Branwyne came through the back door of the inn announcing that Amalthea had arrived. The party went outside to find the Dryad standing near the huge, ancient oak tree that grew in the center of the inn's back courtyard. After introductions, Amalthea took the scroll from Tom, and after reading it, addressed the group.
The scroll confirmed reports that had already reached the Fey Council about the involvements of humans near the village of Spirit Lake in the disappearance of sprites and pixies in that region. Amalthea asked if the party would be willing to investigate further, and hopefully put a stop to whatever was going on. As the others nodded in agreement, Tom and Kleone stated that they would be only too happy to investigate and deal with whatever illicit behavior was going on in the north. With that assurance, and a promise of some sort of "appropriate compensation" from Amalthea, the brief meeting ended. Amalthea phased into the ancient oak tree and disappeared; the party returned to the common room to finish their lunch and discuss plans.
The only "direct route" to Spirit Lake was through the Feywood and the Lizard Fens -- slow going and the entire trip would involve living in the wild. Alternatively, though by mileage it was a much longer journey, they could stick to the few roads in the Feywood. Traveling through Feybridge Crossing, then Dryad Falls, and finally on to Spirit Lake, they would be some fourteen days on the road, but at least many of those evenings could be spent in an inn with a hot meal and soft bed.
The party set out the next morning, and in five days time they reached Feybridge Crossing. The Two Bridges Inn being the only place in town with rooms for travelers, the party headed there and booked one large room - enough bed space to accomodate a half-orc, two halflings, and a goblin. After removing their bulky armor and putting away their traveling gear and heavier weapons, they returned to the common room for a good meal and a few drinks.
The Two Bridges Inn was a bustling place. Besides food and drink, the inn offered some casino-style gaming: there was a roulette table, and several tables where the popular game of Sevenstones was being played by some patrons. A few "purveyors of a good time" wandered through the patrons trying to drum up business as well. The party managed to find the only open table in the common room and sat down to enjoy a hot meal.
Kleone decided to splurge a bit, and bought four bottles of the inn's "best wine" to enjoy with the dinners of venison stew and roast venison that the party members had ordered. All around them, the typical noise of a busy common room could be heard. Unfortunately, within that noise were the comments from a nearby table who were apparently convinced that "the ugly green guy and his kids" didn't belong in "their bar". After putting up with the ever-increasing insults, Dhraang finally approached the table of hecklers. The apparent ringleader of the group stood up to face the half-orc, but one stern, intimidating glare from the champion caused the belligerent to rethink his position. Hemming and hawing, he mumbled something about not making further comments as he sat back down. Dhraangg returned to his seat.
The same belligerent then turned his attention to one of the serving maids - one who clearly did not want that sort of attention. Once more, Dhraangg strode over to the table to "suggest" that the group's manners wiere in need of work. Once more, the ringleader thought about confronting the half-orc, only to be cowed by a stern glare.
Unfortunately, destiny had decided that it would not be a peaceful night for the party. While the one group of antagonists was quelled - twice - without violence, it was another drunk from a different table that finally ignited the fuse. Standing up and backing away from his table with tankard held high, a rather large, burly human backed into Gambit's chair - hard enough to fall backwards over the chair and onto Gambit and the party's table. Standing up, and upset that he had spilled his drink, he loudly - and slurringly - ripped into Gambit for "tripping him and costing him an ale" before ending with a completely unexpected backhand swipe that took the goblin off her feet. She barely maintained consciousness as she recovered from the blow.
That was enough for Draangg. This time, he did not speak - he merely got up, got between drunkard and goblin, and proceeded to swing. With the two huge, muscular forms trading blows in the middle of the common room, the rest of the place erupted in shouts of encouragement - most for "old Joe", who was apparently a regular in the common room. One of Joe's table-mates joined in the fight to double-team Dhraang, and a third bystander leaped in to grab Gambit. The goblin had recovered from her initial blow, and was attempting to stick her attacker with a dagger, and actually drew a bit of blood doing so.
The fight lasted only a few minutes. Gambit broke free of the guy holding her. Dhraangg laid out the drunkard's friend before being knocked unconscious for a moment himself. (It was Tom's quick response that kept Dhraangg from being out of the fight entirely.) The half-orc quickly recovered and ended the brawl with a few well-placed punches.
The bar erupted in applause as old Joe toppled backward over his table. Dhraangg reached across the limp forms lying side by side, and took the tankard of ale that old Joe's friend had been working on. After downing its contents, Dhraangg "mic-dropped" the tankard onto the unconscious forms. As the comments about how Joe liked to start fights... Joe had a good beating coming to him one of these days... Joe should pay more attention to who's sitting with the little guys he likes to accost... the table full of patrons that had originally been harassing the party dragged the two unconscious forms outside and unceremoniously dumped them in the street.
Damage was minimal -- a few chairs broken... and a tankard or two... but the barmaid assured all that this was just a "typical" evening at the Two Bridges. The party sat down to finish the remnants of their dinners... Gambit ordered another dinner... and the remainder of the evening passed without further incident. The party finally retired, still undecided whether to jsut get on the road to Dryad Falls immediately or perhaps check out a shop or two in town before moving on.
The waiting ended as Branwyne came through the back door of the inn announcing that Amalthea had arrived. The party went outside to find the Dryad standing near the huge, ancient oak tree that grew in the center of the inn's back courtyard. After introductions, Amalthea took the scroll from Tom, and after reading it, addressed the group.
The scroll confirmed reports that had already reached the Fey Council about the involvements of humans near the village of Spirit Lake in the disappearance of sprites and pixies in that region. Amalthea asked if the party would be willing to investigate further, and hopefully put a stop to whatever was going on. As the others nodded in agreement, Tom and Kleone stated that they would be only too happy to investigate and deal with whatever illicit behavior was going on in the north. With that assurance, and a promise of some sort of "appropriate compensation" from Amalthea, the brief meeting ended. Amalthea phased into the ancient oak tree and disappeared; the party returned to the common room to finish their lunch and discuss plans.
The only "direct route" to Spirit Lake was through the Feywood and the Lizard Fens -- slow going and the entire trip would involve living in the wild. Alternatively, though by mileage it was a much longer journey, they could stick to the few roads in the Feywood. Traveling through Feybridge Crossing, then Dryad Falls, and finally on to Spirit Lake, they would be some fourteen days on the road, but at least many of those evenings could be spent in an inn with a hot meal and soft bed.
The party set out the next morning, and in five days time they reached Feybridge Crossing. The Two Bridges Inn being the only place in town with rooms for travelers, the party headed there and booked one large room - enough bed space to accomodate a half-orc, two halflings, and a goblin. After removing their bulky armor and putting away their traveling gear and heavier weapons, they returned to the common room for a good meal and a few drinks.
The Two Bridges Inn was a bustling place. Besides food and drink, the inn offered some casino-style gaming: there was a roulette table, and several tables where the popular game of Sevenstones was being played by some patrons. A few "purveyors of a good time" wandered through the patrons trying to drum up business as well. The party managed to find the only open table in the common room and sat down to enjoy a hot meal.
Kleone decided to splurge a bit, and bought four bottles of the inn's "best wine" to enjoy with the dinners of venison stew and roast venison that the party members had ordered. All around them, the typical noise of a busy common room could be heard. Unfortunately, within that noise were the comments from a nearby table who were apparently convinced that "the ugly green guy and his kids" didn't belong in "their bar". After putting up with the ever-increasing insults, Dhraang finally approached the table of hecklers. The apparent ringleader of the group stood up to face the half-orc, but one stern, intimidating glare from the champion caused the belligerent to rethink his position. Hemming and hawing, he mumbled something about not making further comments as he sat back down. Dhraangg returned to his seat.
The same belligerent then turned his attention to one of the serving maids - one who clearly did not want that sort of attention. Once more, Dhraangg strode over to the table to "suggest" that the group's manners wiere in need of work. Once more, the ringleader thought about confronting the half-orc, only to be cowed by a stern glare.
Unfortunately, destiny had decided that it would not be a peaceful night for the party. While the one group of antagonists was quelled - twice - without violence, it was another drunk from a different table that finally ignited the fuse. Standing up and backing away from his table with tankard held high, a rather large, burly human backed into Gambit's chair - hard enough to fall backwards over the chair and onto Gambit and the party's table. Standing up, and upset that he had spilled his drink, he loudly - and slurringly - ripped into Gambit for "tripping him and costing him an ale" before ending with a completely unexpected backhand swipe that took the goblin off her feet. She barely maintained consciousness as she recovered from the blow.
That was enough for Draangg. This time, he did not speak - he merely got up, got between drunkard and goblin, and proceeded to swing. With the two huge, muscular forms trading blows in the middle of the common room, the rest of the place erupted in shouts of encouragement - most for "old Joe", who was apparently a regular in the common room. One of Joe's table-mates joined in the fight to double-team Dhraang, and a third bystander leaped in to grab Gambit. The goblin had recovered from her initial blow, and was attempting to stick her attacker with a dagger, and actually drew a bit of blood doing so.
The fight lasted only a few minutes. Gambit broke free of the guy holding her. Dhraangg laid out the drunkard's friend before being knocked unconscious for a moment himself. (It was Tom's quick response that kept Dhraangg from being out of the fight entirely.) The half-orc quickly recovered and ended the brawl with a few well-placed punches.
The bar erupted in applause as old Joe toppled backward over his table. Dhraangg reached across the limp forms lying side by side, and took the tankard of ale that old Joe's friend had been working on. After downing its contents, Dhraangg "mic-dropped" the tankard onto the unconscious forms. As the comments about how Joe liked to start fights... Joe had a good beating coming to him one of these days... Joe should pay more attention to who's sitting with the little guys he likes to accost... the table full of patrons that had originally been harassing the party dragged the two unconscious forms outside and unceremoniously dumped them in the street.
Damage was minimal -- a few chairs broken... and a tankard or two... but the barmaid assured all that this was just a "typical" evening at the Two Bridges. The party sat down to finish the remnants of their dinners... Gambit ordered another dinner... and the remainder of the evening passed without further incident. The party finally retired, still undecided whether to jsut get on the road to Dryad Falls immediately or perhaps check out a shop or two in town before moving on.
The Session ended at this point.
Character(s) interacted with
Numerous drunkards and tavern brawlers in the inn
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