1493, Eleasis 8

The next day, the party comes to the river on the map, which is wide and shallow and lined with river stone. That evening, they draw within sight of the ruins on the map. Laris notices there is smoke rising above the ruins. Dawnea changes into a wolf so that she can get the lay of the land through her enhanced senses. She senses the coppery scent of blood, amidst the other smells. After changing back to her human form, she relays that information. The party discusses the potential circumstances, mulling over possible actions.

The group decides to have Laris and Derwood scout the ruins, while Dawnea and Viktor wait at the river, ready to ride into the fray if need be. Laris and Derwood scout the castle and discover a group of armed men within, along with what could be the merchant’s wagon and some older wagons. They return to Dawnea and Viktor and report what they have seen. The party decides to approach the ruins so Dawnea can use her wild shape to search for any sign of the merchant. When they arrive at the castle, she transforms into a rat and searches the tower, but she finds no sign of the merchant.

Viktor uses his Divine Sense to discover that most of the group is evil, but Derwood wants confirmation that they have some involvement with the merchant, so he sneaks around to listen in on the camp. He overhears some grumbling within about other parties the presumed bandits have been involved with:

One of the brigands is overheard complaining about things going awry. In response, the large Half-orc says “he didn’t want to sell out the group to Orluk or Teryss.” This doesn’t seem to assuage the first man, but the man who appears to be their leader calmed the group down. During the conversation, a few details are picked out. It sounds like this Orluk is some kind of tribal leader, and he as his followers murdered 4 people and dragged bodies off. Someone named Callin is mentioned as having left with the merchant and guards. 

Once Derwood returns to the party, they plan their attack. Dawnea starts things off with Entanglement, while Derwood and Laris set upon the brigands at range. Viktor charges into the camp, originally planning to attack Vardin, but turning his attentions on Marduk instead, when the hapless leader remains trapped by the Druid’s magic for the entire battle.

After several of their number, including the half-orc, are felled, the rest surrender. The party gathers them and disarms them, and then interrogate Vardin.

Just as the man begins to tell his tale, the sound of hoofbeats is heard and Derwood calls out that a horseman is approaching. A headless one! The horse wanders into the ruins, and a headless body can be seen strapped to the saddle. Vardin just shakes his head, seemingly dejected. He later identifies the man as Callin.

Vardin explains that he was a career highwayman. Some six months ago they met up with Marduk and started working with him. About three months after that, he talked them into meeting up with his blood’s orc tribe in order to get involved in even bigger jobs near Daggerford and Waterdeep. Not long after that, the chieftain, Orluk, takes an active interest and role in what they are up to, and claims that Teryss wanted him to take charge so the group could take higher profile victims for a larger haul. That was when they targeted the merchant. Everything originally went well enough, and they captured the merchant, his guards, and his wagons and wagon masters. Then one of the highwayman got stupid and killed one of the wagon horses. They finally managed to get back to keep, and Orluk showed up. The orc leader and butchered two of the guards and the two wagon masters and had their bloody bodies hauled off. (This must have been what Dawnea smelled as a wolf.) Orluk then took the merchant, whom Vardin names as Galen, and his remaining guards off to be ransomed. Apparently one of the highwaymen, Callin, went with them on the behalf of Vardin’s crew. It would appear that Orluk has decided that he no longer has any interest in working with Vardin and his men.

The party elects to truss up the prisoners, binding them to the old, broken wagons. They then set watch and get what rest they can.

1493, Eleasis 1-7

After a solid night’s rest at the watch tower, our heroes gear up and head out. They are directed to start NNE, and they head out that way. When they ask about anything they might need to know about the area, they are advised to beware a Green Dragon that may be lurking in the moors.

Around the same time, back in Everbright, a local ranger scout who works with the human and elven ranger corps in the area, named Derwood, headed into the High Moor to look for an over-eager merchant who went missing in the moor while trying to trailblaze a new trade route to Evereska - across the moors. The merchant was reported missing by his wife, who had been trying to get anyone to investigate his whereabouts.

A little less than a mile into their trek,Viktor, Dawnea, and Laris discover a large depression in the area, which is carpeted by some kind of green lichen. Dawnea investigates the lichen, and Viktor notice some lances standing against the peat wall of the depression. Upon investigation, they realize this is probably an area the local knights use to practice and train. The party continues along the depression, following it back up.

Meanwhile, Derwood is a little surprised to find that the week-old wagon tracks he has been following turn more Northward, veering away from the presumed destination of Evereska, which makes little sense. Later, he comes across a dead horse, slain by arrows that look to be elven made. He continues tracking the wagon, which is still nowhere to be found. At least there’s no sign of the merchant’s body - so far.

After about 6 days of meandering through the moors, Dawnea, Laris, and Vitkor have grown increasingly annoyed by their fruitless search. Fortunately, Derwood happens upon them, and introduces himself and offers assistance. As they all compare notes. Derwood identifies a likely location for the site on the map, after turning it 180 degrees, and they all decide to travel together.

At dusk that evening, they party sees something large on the moor in the distance. They press ahead, and soon reach a large, ancient stone henge. Dawnea casts Detect Magic and discovers the echoes of nature magic lingering in the area. Derwood observes that despite having been in the area before, he has no recollection of these standing stones. He seems concerned that there is “something fell about the place,” and suggests moving on to find a good place to camp. Dawnea assures him she detected nothing evil, and they decide to make camp in the henge while Derwood scouts the area.