After encountering the gloomstalkers and nearly dying, we encounter the corpse of an Udaak, an enormous creature. A bunch of quasits and vrocks from inside it emerge and we have to fight them too. We do that, and then carry on. Rara comes out of her cocoon during the fight.
We also encounter the corpse of a gloomstalker, that Rara kicks out of pent up hatred. The gloomstalker, in a last gasp of life consumes Rara entirely. We have to cut her out, and they barely survive. We carry on, and see a board saying 'The Emaraland Loop Caravan Stop'.
That was the last session that I did not document, because I spent half of it sleeping, because of the heat wave.
The caravan spot is a lively place with a lot of laughter, grunts and growls. We think there is something moving in the forest, but when we turn around, there is nothing there. Rangu looks around with his elf eyes and see trees all around, and some branches moving in the trees. Jazco does a history check and remembers that there was a tree ent here that gew the forest in the middle of the wasteland and handed over its care to dryads.
We enter the clearing and see this huge horizonback tortoise, on top of which is a homestead for a goblin family, that is going in and out. There are a bunch of small tents, as well as a few wagons. There are people sitting around a large fire, sitting, cooking, playing instruments and generally passing the time. When we walk in, the music temporarily stops, people size us up and continue with whatever they were doing.
This is the Emerald Loop Caravan Stop.
As soon as we start walking towards the fire, Justice walks up to us with Rice Pudding and says, "You guys made it! Well done. Just as promised, I have a reward for you. Give me a second will you?" He heads to one of the covered wagons, and gets us a package. "It is not much, it is what I have, and this is for you, for saving my life, from the bottom of my heart."
Woolf takes it from Justice, opens up the bag, and finds 55 gold pieces. Everyone pretends to be really impressed. There is a big mammoth cooking and Jazco asks if there are any Mammoth related drugs, perhaps those used to tranquilise them. Justice goes back to the wagon, comes back, and gives us all a bunch of googles. "These will help you see better in the night, and if you can already see in the night, it will help you see better".
We go towards the centre, and there is a giant pot of food over the fire. There is a drow in an apron, who is constantly taking out some and serving people. There is another cauldron that has been taken off the fire and put on the side. When we go closer and see the drow, she seems to be wearing the thin armour, and wearing the armour on top.
Once we go closer, we see large chunks of meat floating up on the cauldron. We also see large, thick pieces of red kor'rundl , which is a vegetable we are all familiar with. The drow, Gaeya welcomes us and ask us to eat the best mastodon kor'rundl found anywhere out of some place.
The meat splits apart beautifully and it is very delicious. Jazco scores some booze from a pair of bugbear merchants, and sits down to drink with them. Jazco offers drinks for everyone, and we are immediately surrounded by a bunch of drow soldiers. Irvan and Valsariad walks towards us. We all start having a nice time.
There are also some goblins in the circle, who keep to themselves. Jazco goes asks them if they are liking the drinks. One of the goblin says "we are not having any drinks". Jazco asks them "what brings you here?" "We are visiting our relatives, thank you for the offer."
"We came from Roshanna, it has been some time, it is big strain. Someone is an oldling" Jazco shows off el cato and the goblins comment that we do not see cats as pets here. Jazco says that offends el cato, and asks if we are new in these areas. Jazco says, "obviously, we are getting to know people here." The goblin says cats are a delicacy and they are all eaten up in Roshanna. The guards also get out their alcohol, which is some local shit.
Jazco raises a toast to mingling and diversity, and Rangu casts silence. Jazco continues with her speech without people realising that she is silenced. Some tears form in Jazco's eyes, but none fall.
Basim says everyone mute her.
Everyoone is looking at Jazco with a puzzled expression on their faces, who has climbed on top of a wagon to deliver her speech. Rangu explains to the others that Jazco is doing some weird stretches and yoga. Jazco goes down on her knees, then jumps down. Rangu removes silence, and everyone is slow clapping. Yazhi casts minor illusion to show things crawling under his skin, and shows it to one of the drow guards, "look my skin is crawling with because of second hand embarrassment."
Jazco goes and bear hugs Yazhi, and continues to have a meltdown, mumbling something about her father. Rangu makes el cato appear back on Jazco's head, which consoles him a bit. We continue drinking and till the night dies down.
While all of this is happening, Yazhi are approached by Irvan, and he says, "Hey, just let me if I am out of line here or anything, but are you consecrated?" Yazhi says "no", "So you are not a part of any family or clans?" "So are you planning on getting on consecrated, any plans of going and joining a house?"
Yazhi thinks for a bit, and is unsure. "Uhh... I don't know, I am not much of a peoples person, I am not confident, plus I have a history with them that... well... let us just say I have reasons to not trust them. How about you?"
They are called Dens.
Yazhi asks how long Irvan has been with his crew, and Irvan says about a year. He went from Jidao, and had worked with the wastewalkers, and my dress continues to be scary, but look at my body, it is not much. Then he says "Seems like you have a history. If I ever make my way back, maybe I can put in a good word for you. Yazhi says, "I do not know if I want to get back to that, maybe if we stick around for a bit, I will think about it, you are a pretty good travel mate." "I do not want to be on your bad side."
"Is Galsariad consecrated?" "Yes, for a few years." Galsariad and Yazhi talk for a bit, then Yazhi heads back. Jazco is sleeping with his drink and having a good time. Galsariad nods towards Jazco and says "maybe let him know that the dagger that he got belongs to a pair of wastewalkers sitting at the edge of the circle.
Woolf sits near the fire for the longest, and hears loud snoring coming from the Horizonback Tortoise. Woolf interviews the acorn sisters, which is a name given to them by people. They are caretakers of the forest. "We take care of the forest for the wild mother. We try and diffuse some of the corruption that plagues this land. We don't know how many other forests are there, but we know of this and this is our home, and it is our responsibility to take care of the forest."
"What is your opinion of the Changebringer."
"The Changebringer is one of the gods, who is a betrayer. The followers are good and serve this world, and they are our allies."
Woolf casts detect thoughts, and senses no thoughts. Woolf asks about favorite spots in the forest, and the Dryad says west and east, when the sun rises and the sun sets. Rara asks if there is any demonic energy in the circle, and gets a feeling of unease from the Dryad who asks "if there is anyone I should be worried about."
Woolf thanks for the Dryad for the interview, and heads out to take care of the forest, after giving an unnatural bow. Woolf takes down some notes, and looks at Rara. Rara is covered in scars and boils. Rara was very pretty before being swallowed up by the Gloomstalker. Woolf casts detect thoughts on Rara, and only gets thoughts of snoring, as Rara is not dreaming yet. Rara is thinking about putting constipation potion into someone's food. Woolf casts lesser restoration on Rara, who does not wake up, but Rara twitches a bit. That's about it. Woolf does not see much changes on Rara's body. Some of the rashes are clearing up, but some of the boils are growing larger.
Woolf checks to see if there are any new boils cropping up, and there does not seem like there is anything new. We all get two hit points except Yazhi, who is a loser vegetarian. There is an acorn right next to Woolf on waking up. Woolf casts identify on the acorn and finds out that it is a charm of vitality.
The drow guards have disappeared in the morning. The two bugbears have set up shop. Jazco goes over to their shop to get something for the hangover. They offer a healing potion for 40 gold pieces, but Jazco does not have the money and goes away.
In the morning, we approach the two wastewalkers, who become all defensive. Jazco says "we heard you lost something, we want to help you find it." One of the wastewalkers says "we haven't lost anything." Rangu says "not even a parent". "What do you know about that?"
Rangu says "at the party last night, we were told that one of the wastewalkers we encountered was your father."
"There was a hunting party, and many were lost, one of them was our father. What is it to you though?"
Jazco tries to bargain without revealing anything about the dagger. One of them starts walking away, the other one holds him back. "We would like you to be direct". "I have your father's dagger."
"When I was a young boy. I have trust issues. My father never kept his word to me. I have never had a best friend."
Yazhi casts charm person from a distance, but is not successful and continues with his story. "All I want to do is have transactional relationships, and I can never build real relationships with anyone, Rangu is a gambler."
One of the humans takes out a battleaxe and says they don't have any money. Jazco says "it is your birthright", and immediately grabs the battle axe. The two humans go into a corner and start examining the dagger.
Yazhi says something to Jazco, who says "what the fuck dude, no one asked you for your opinion." Yazhi walks away and catapults a rock towards Jazco, which misses by a wide margin.
We head eastwards, and Maggie points out to some smoke emerging a little more eastwards. Of course, we head towards the smoke. The source of the smoke is an overturned wagon. It is lying on the side of the road in a ditch. The creature that pulled it is nowhere is to be found.
I crouch down and entered the wagon, there are rations and turned over crates, there's clothes and everything is dirty and unkempt. As I walk inside, suddenly the inside of the wagon starts glowing brighter, three balls of light start glowing.
Enter combat. We all start fighting the three evil orbs of light. Instead of making a blow by blow account of the fight, I made this poster.
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