Session #12 - Crouching Owlbear, Hidden Tabaxi
Following the events inside the magical puzzle box, Team 287 begins questioning Ellen, the supposed traveling merchant who has a suspicious number of powerful items in her possession. Why did so many of them seem cursed? And where exactly did she get them?
Ellen, still miffed at Mary for just handing out the merchandise, understands she’s in no position to be keeping secrets. Hoping to start a business of her own and take in the eclectic and wondrous sights that are exclusive to traveler’s lifestyle - Ellen heeds the call of free stock being given out in Waterdeep. Loading up her wagon and roping Mary along for the ride, Ellens set out to the Sword Coast to see if this offer was too good to be true.
To their mutual surprise, a woman with silver hair and a purple dress calling herself ‘Nazeem’ was exactly where the rumors said – and was indeed handing out free, magic items to all who made the journey to Waterdeep. Ellen is given a wagon-load of merchandise as well as a manifest for the items included. Upon reading this document the party finds there is no mention of the magic box they had encountered and then delved into.
Vine agrees that this matter should be brought up to the council once Cretia’s problems have been dealt with. During one of the ensuing night-watches, Maria has a curious encounter with a wandering pack of gastrophaunts who were eager to investigate Maria’s luminous, Clockwork Faefly. With your last day of travel ahead of you the party pushes ahead and finally crosses into the large and luscious Doanian Jungle.
The ecosystem is teaming with life, and Kiwi mentions that aside from the Moutes (also known as Planter Monkeys) the entire Doanian food chain is made up of insects eating lizards and lizards eating insects in ascending size and ferocity. As the team progresses it does not take long for trouble to find them once more – as a far-off voice cautions them to proceed any further without first offering payment. This scheming voice sends one of his pets to take the party’s payment – a Viper wolf – but Yuka’s attempts at negotiating immediately nosedive when death threats are brought to the table.
Team 287 chooses to take on the aforementioned dangers and try to get through on their own. Several traps are spotted, others triggered, but with Kiwi in the lead all are avoided. That is until a large pack of Viper Wolves surrounds the group and combat ensues. In the chaos, Kaladin is pummeled and bitten relentlessly, and eventually falls to one knee as his consciousness begins to wane. In a flash, our young, green druid rises into the air with glowing eyes, a watery halo, and wings made of resplendent foliage. He does not stay up for long though – but he and everyone else is left wondering what exactly that was.