Session 2.8

Hardholme Season 2, Episode 8 – 10/9/2018
In attendance: Chris (as Chris lol), Lauren (Aurelae), Luther (Buckler), Elaine (Fallynde), Rick (Rael), Shane (Indigo), Casey (Root).

@Hardholme

 * The group moseys around town prepping for the journey to find Vash.
 * They check out Rael’s new vineyard. It’s pretty nice. He obvs needs a Rosé.
 * Root buys a strider!
 * They plan to head to Viven to ask if anyone has seen Vash (that giant out there slaughtering Red Hyla likely). Fallynde learned that the “not immediately violent” Red Hyla reside in an area just north of Nognag Lake.
 * They head to Viven, take a portal just over the river. They all have Striders… “Why didn’t we get Striders sooner again?” #thatsalevel1choice

@Viven

 * It’s Root’s first time in Viven, and he is in awe.
 * Drinks and nostalgia at Davros (the bar) with Lenk and Marius.
 * Root asks about their crop and plant growth.
 * Root and Indigo sneak off to see the Center for Science and Magic. They ask about the 8th Arrival group and how they got here and all. [insert 8th backstory here]
 * Bishop: “That’s the whole reason we’re here. Gotta get that link back to Davros.”

@Davros Bar:

 * Aurelae is leading drinking songs.
 * Bucker & Fally are making out in the corner.
 * Rael is helping with the drinking songs, and also flirting up a storm.
 * It’s a good night.

DAY 2:

 * Many hangovers. Aurelae is chipper AF. Root cures hangovers!!!
 * Rael brought like 10 barrels of wine with him.

@Miner’s Guild

 * They’re asking for Veranium, “Rock of the South” (Filfun Mt.) or Botban. They have a good source of Veranium there. No slavery lol. Rael (?) and Fally (3,000 g) and Aurelae (?) and Root (500g) buy some unrefined Veranium.

@ The Bazaar

 * A large “Aladin-esque” bazaar filled with artisan crafts, wares, food, weapons, cholera, etc.
 * They check out the armor for sale – Veranium armor! It glints blue. Much strong. Very light. Such +1.
 * SHOPPING SPREE MONTAGE!!!
 * Aaaaaaannnnddd that’s the day lol. That and Rael conjures up an image of Vash and asks around if anyone has seen him. #HardholmeMilkCartonMissingPersons

@Gatherer’s Guild

 * They ask about Vash sightings. One person replies: “Take one of the arms off…” then calls another guy over. They saw Vash a couple months ago, by the River near the Ashlands, west of Sawsob.
 * Simsum berries grow on Simsum Lake, of course.
 * Root gets some root cuttings from the Gatherer’s Guild.
 * Root: “What do you call these?”
 * Them: “They shall remain nameless at this time!” lol
 * Sleep.

DAY 3:

 * They take a portal to the eye symbol north of Nognag Lake.
 * They walk out of the portal and suddenly they are knee deep (or chest deep for Fallynde, or ankle deep for Root) in swamp water. They bring the Striders! #SwampStriders
 * There’s a smoky mountain off to the west…in the Ashlands. There’s a Red Hyla defector settlement…and they are just getting completely SMASHED by three GIANT Frogaheamoth Red Hyla. Like…12 feet tall.
 * They engage in combat, of course.
 * The three Frogaheamoths are named Hook, Smee, and Blackbeard.
 * Indigo casts Cause Fear – Blackbeard now has disadvantage on all attacks.
 * Hook is smashing away at the tiny Red Hyla.
 * Root casts Bless on the front line (Fal, Buck, Root). Then he goes galloping into battle on his Strider.
 * Rael casts Mantle of Inspiration. +8 temp HP and casts Bane on all three Frogaheamoth. They now have -3 charisma lol but also -4 to attack rolls AND saving throws.
 * Aurelae runs sideways on her Strider (a healthy 120 feet away) and shoots Blackbeard twice for a total of 39 (26 + 13) damage.
 * Buckler runs between Blackbeard’s legs and slashes him for 35 damage.
 * Fallynde rages and hits Blackbeard for 31 damage and activates Frenzy.
 * Blackbeard is looking…pretty okay actually… fuck. He flicks out his tongue and there is basically a hand on the end and it grabs the Red Hyla in front of him and HE’S GONE. HE ATE HIM. He also does damage to the Red Hyla next to him.
 * Root yells a “Down” command to one of them, but realizes he doesn’t speak Abyssal. “Fallynde! What’s their word for down?!” She tells him. Now he knows.
 * Rael uses Vicious Mockery on Blackbeard.
 * Aurelae shoots Blackbeard for 30 damage.
 * Buck slashes Blackbeard for 35 damage.
 * Blackbeard attacks Root and Fallynde – Fally looks to her left – it’s Dindan!
 * Fallynde: “Hi! We’re about to die! Nice to see you though!”
 * Blackbeard attacks and misses Root, but EATS BOTH FALLYNDE AND DINDAN.
 * Fallynde takes 27 damage.
 * The Red Hyla “not from a shit hole country” attack Hook and Smee and do “a shit ton of damage.”
 * Fallynde RIPS OPEN BLACKBEARD FROM INSIDE HIS THROAT freeing Dindan as well.
 * They climb out of Blackbeard’s ripped open throat and he falls down into the river dead.
 * Smee cries out [in Abyssal], “Noooooooooooo!!!”
 * Indy casts Cause Fear on Smee.
 * Hook critical misses, trips in the heat of combat, but he falls on the other tiny Red Hyla, killing him. BUT he also takes 40 damage. Lmao
 * Root battle cries and rides his Strider in towards Hook, jumps off of the Strider and onto Hook’s back and strikes directly into the back of his neck for 24 damage.
 * Rael runs up and puts the Immovable Rod right on top of Hook in that spot on your back you can’t reach to hold him down.
 * Aurelae double shoots Smee for 35 damage.
 * Buckler ruthlessly stabs Hook in the head for 19 damage.
 * Dindan runs up to Buckler excitedly saying something he can’t understand in Abyssal, but he seems happy about it! The tiny Red Hyla all run up and attack Hook.
 * Fallynde erupts into a brutal frenzied attack on Hook and oh he D-E-D dead.
 * Smee screams, “Gotta go!” and runs towards the River.
 * The tiny Red Hyla shoot at him.
 * Root commands Smee to “drop” and he does! Rael immediately clicks the Immovable Rod onto Smee. Nice teamwork.
 * Indy uses the Book of Devouring on Smee…whoa. His soul is sucked into the Book and, well, devoured.
 * Aurelae chops off a Giant Red Hyla eye stalk, it is badass looking with three eyes on the end. Rael predisigwhatevers it. It goes into the BOH to be made into another trophy for BETA.
 * Four tiny Hyla are alive!
 * Dindan: “You guys are amazing! So good to see you again.”
 * Fal: “Likewise! You guys defected…how’s that going?” She also asks about Vash. Oh yeah, they’ve seen THAT guy.
 * Dindan: “You guys have a boat?” They do! Folding boat from last game, pretty awesome. They all hop in and head north on the river. “I’ve gotta warn you guys…it’s not pretty. I’m sorry.”

DAY 4

 * They sail for about a day, they sleep in the boat [long rest], and get to a camp on the west, Ashland, side of the river.
 * Fallynde asks what the best plan of action would be if we were to attack the Red Hyla. Dindan is happy we are even willing to do so, says we should talk to the Boss first

@The Ashlands:'

 * Into the Ashlands – the land is dry and cracked, grey and barren.
 * Dindan leads us up to the commander’s tent. And THERE’S VASH, SITTING UP ON A BIG ASS CHAIR JUST CHILLIN. There are Red Hyla on each side fanning him with big leaves and feeding him simsum berries.
 * Fal: “What the hell???”
 * Vash: “I got tired of the city life!”
 * Fal: “We were worried sick about you!”
 * Vash: “I watched a snail crawl along the razor’s edge!”
 * Fal: “Wanna kill some bad Red Hyla?”
 * Vash bawdily agrees.
 * Fal: “Hey. I miss you. Can I get a hug?”
 * Vash niceties abound. “Wrecker! Bucky! Mini-head Collector! *to Rael* “…Yooouuuuu…” *to Indigo* “And…also, uh, you…” *warm Giant greeting to Root*”
 * Vash: “Don’t call me Vash anymore! Call me Colonel!”
 * More talk of killing things abounds.
 * Fal: *in Abyssal to the nearest Red Hyla* “He doesn’t speak your language, we’re so sorry thank you for taking care of him.”
 * Red Hyla: “Dude we just don’t want him to kill us! We figured we’d just treat him like this and you know, not die.”
 * Fallynde chats more, Aurelae discreetly translates key parts.
 * Goal is to take down Zatzan…which is also the name of the bad Red Hyla leader.
 * Fallynde repeatedly apologizes to the tiny Red Hyla for Vash…
 * Vash is very proud of his “Head collector necklace!”
 * They discuss possible war strategy, Fallynde will detail this in an essay to be published later.
 * Zatzan is the head, Sawsob is the heart. An attack on either would be strong, they might not see an attack on Sawsob coming. A couple hundred Red Hyla defectors. This will take detailed planning to execute successfully.
 * VASH MORROW, ACCIDENTAL COMMANDER OF THE RED HYLA RESISTANCE.
 * THE END