Caravan Duty – Chapter One
Patrolling The Trade Way:
24th Day Of The Leaffall (October)
The Trade Way was a long, well traveled trade road along the west coast of Faerûn.
The Trade Way started at Calimport in the South and traveled along the coast line all the way North to Waterdeep. The section of road between Baldur’s Gate and Tethyr was also known as the Coast Way on some maps.
Sitting in the prive room of the Lady Luck Tavern regaling tales of our recent Adventures under the Old king’s Hill, the Marpenoth (October) winds and rain beat against the closed and shuttered windows.
The six Adventurers sup ale together – the Paladins in particular, struggle to match the bottomless thirst of the Dwarf maiden.
Sir Ly has been working with the militia on security duties and collecting local food and fule tithes– word on the street Is that trouble is brewing as nearby as the Lizard Marshes.
Father Tobias’ time helping at the local infirmary was not much fun. Apparently, Maerovyna, the head healer is a miserable old crone with anger issues.
Father Tobias sports a ‘Fancy Necklace, depicting the elemental signs for AIR & WATER’, and Sir Ly has himself a new ‘Magical Long Sword’ – but they decline to tell the rest how they came upon them.
Mirafir looks to recharge his ‘Ring of Spell Storing’ of spent Spells. He also looks to cast ‘Detect Magic’ and ‘Identify’ our unknown Magic Items; including the ‘Magic Ring’ and ‘Dagger’ that Frimly gave him and which he got from the Dead Goblin Mage.
Mirafir: “Tis a Ring of jumping and can be invoked 3 times per day”
Frimly’s Dagger is +1 Magical blade, found on the Goblin Mage, but with something odd about it. Mirafir can’t quite work out what it might be.
In the end Frimly is persuaded to allow the already generously appointed Wizard to loan the weapon. He mutters something about jam tomorrow never coming.
The Adventurers have accrued 51gp worth of Silver and Copper along with 3 Deep Green Spinels to be valued and 7 Gem Encrusted Gold Book Clasps (35gp) each, or so Frimly belives and the 370gp bounty for the Orcs and Goblins.
As for items of Magic:
- ‘Scroll of Detect Magic’
- ‘Find Traps’
- ‘Ring Of Jumping’
- THE ‘Magic Dagger +1’
Daggerford’s Farrels Fine Jewels and Apparel (Number 50 on the Daggerford Map) offers a risible amount for these items and Frimly is incensed and refuses to trade. Cornelius Farrel appears to be a hard man to strike a bargin with but does deals in Jewelry and possibly Magic Items too.
However, there is always Korbus’s Jewellery and Fine Ornaments run by Korbus Brightjewel (Number 49 on the Daggerford Map).
Other Items of Interest:
- Scroll of Find Traps (Cleric spell)
- Scroll of Detect Magic (Wizard spell)
- Orcish Spell Books x 2 inc Armour; Burning Hands etc.
- Longbow +1 Arrows x6 – Short Bow Arrows x6 (Found under the Old King’s Hill)
25th Day Of The Leaffall (October) – The Trade Way
Caravan Duty:
The following day Sherlen Spearslayer sends us all on a mission Southwards along the Trade Way. We are to keep an eye on the road to The Way Inn and to keep it open for the last of the season’s caravans. We are to act as an advance scouting mission, along the Trade Way, and to gather news from residents along the way to the Way Inn. Gathering information of conditions further on South.
We are equiped by the Militia with a weeks worth of supplies each, Armour, Weapons and a Light Horse. Our first stop along the Trade Way is to be Liam’s Hold on a journey of 100 miles or so that should take three days.
After about 10 miles/2 hours riding down the Trade Way, Father Tobias thinks he sees a figure seated on a Hill – long white hair in a sack and gnawing on a rabbit (Lunatic).
Sigune casts Detect Evil after dismounting. But Catweazle has No evil intent. A one sided theological discussion ensues with Sigune and the Crazy Hermit. He tells Sigune about ORCS and GOBLINS raiding in the area and to be alert.
10 miles further on Sigune smells Blood, Shit and Guts emenating from behind a small hill. She dismounts to investigate along with Sir Ly and Thora. They find the disembowelled carcass of a wild bovine. They are mystified and the rest of party come to investigate. Mirafir looks for tracks and finds a 2′ foot wide three toed footprint. A GIANT LIZARD or DRAGON.
This heralds a huge creature. Frimly shudders. Mirafir sketches the track mark for reference.
The party finally reach Liam’s hold – 50 residents and small stone tower and prepare to bed down in the Inn in the tower. The Innkeeper knows of nothing unusual.
Liam’s Hold was a small hamlet about a day’s travel south of Daggerford along the Trade Way.
The hamlet was named for the Wizard Sunder Halyndliam, whose tower stood at the site.
26th Day Of The Leaffall (October) – The Trade Way
Manticore:
We set off after breakfast heading for campsite a few miles before Bowshot. Sigune sees some movement on our flank. Thora hears noise receding into the encroaching forest. Suddenly 4 Archer Hunters appear and tell us they have seen Flying Creatures. They have hidden from Orcs and Goblins and heard a terrifying howling noise from a Great Monster in the night. These simple feral folk are terrified.
We then continue on until just before we reach the campsite. Suddenly a whooshing sound from above and a Monstrous Creature appears in the sky flying 300’ feet above us heading South. The ungodly creature is the form of a Lion with a Man’s face and spiky tail. It and a companion see us.
One of them arches it’s tail and fires five spikes form, hitting Thora and Mirafir. Sigune both fire a ‘Magical Arrow’ and hits for 7 points of damage. Sir Ly hits with his second ‘Magical Arrow’ and does 4 points of damage.
For the rest of the party they are too high and cunningly just out of range. Mesmerized by the creatures the Adventures forget to take cover and jsut stare at the 2 flying creatures.
The second flies to the front of party and fires its spikes, from it’s tale, hitting Sigune and Sir Ly. They are both hit again by the other volley.
However, Sigune fires and hits twice more with her ‘Magic Arrows’. The two creaturers, which Father Tobias belives to be Manticores, flee with one having taken major damage and flying with difficulty.
We make it to the next campsite on the Trade Way. Father Tobias looks after Horses using his Animal Husbandry. Thora suggests with such large creature in vicinity we keep Horses and her Pony close and do shorter shifts.
A mercifully uneventful early part of the night ensues as they sleep on the Trade Way.