Session 5 Recap by Lauren

Hardholme Game 5, 3/15/2018

In attendance: Chris (as Chris lol), Lauren (Aurelae), Caspar (Aequitas), Mike (Forge), Megan (Maeve), Tim (Fitz), Rick (Rael), Eric (Ulrich), and Steve (Kamara).

It is the beginning of the 5th month of the 71st arrival in Hardholme.
 * Aurelae, Kamara, Aequitus, and Ulrich head to Goldie for information.
 * They ask about the area east and north of HH. To the NE is forest (daemonwhites), to the E is mountains. The “Golden Peaks”…named by…Goldie…
 * Goldie draws them a…not so very detailed map lol
 * Maeve, Forge, Fitz, and Rael head to visit Rosa in Steepridge.
 * It is Rael’s first time in Steepridge since his Arrival. He tries to intimidate the orphans who immediately surround them. He fails. (He rolls a 1 lol.) They steal 57g from him. Maeve convinces the orphans to return some of it (he gets 27g back).
 * Apparently, Rosa has not been seen in weeks, but last she was seen was at the Pioneer’s Guild.
 * They go to the Pioneer’s Guild. The guy at the door says that Rosa is scum and how DARE they come here looking for her! Rael manages to turn the conversation around, saying that they are all pursuing Rosa for thieving and lying and oh what a dirty scoundrel she is! The guard says she was last seen heading South.
 * Also, Dar of the 15th has reappeared recently, seen often at the Pioneer’s Guild, but also at Erv’s Herbs (by Forge), and at Holden’s Healing Hands (by Maeve)…and saw him bringing orphans into the back room there? For what purpose we can only speculate…
 * The group spends quite some time making what can only be called an “Ocean’s 11” plan to infiltrate the Pioneer’s Guild. Everyone has a different idea of the “best” strategy.
 * Aurelae gets tired of the bickering and simply climbs the roof. Besides, she’s been up there a few times before. She looks through the windows. There is a large factory floor with dozens of people working on something… No point in breaking in now. They decide nighttime might be better.
 * Night falls. “Ocean’s 11” is a go. Aurelae and Ulrich climb the roof and peek through the windows. The workers are still going. Do they ever take a break? Upon a closer look, Fitz can tell that they are making very large parts for...something…
 * Clearly not a good idea to break in this way. They climb down and decide to make another plan for another day.
 * They prepare for the journey to the forest to the North East.

Day 1:

 * The terrain is hilly, daemonwhite trees are speckled throughout the hillside. Every now and again they spot a Batdusa hive, which they steer clear of. The weather is fair, for Hardholme (overcast).
 * Chance at wngas overnight. Rael learns the hard way that you  can’t make noise around wngas.

Day 2:

 * They are making great time on their journey. Kamara thinks he can navigate. Aurelae is having none of that nonsense.
 * Towards the end of the day they can see mountains in the distance at about 2 o’clock.
 * Camp. And Fitz catches a wnga!!! VICTORY AT LAST FOR FITZKIN!!! Fitz gains receives a blessing (he gains a permanent +1 to his dex).

Day 3:

 * To the South Aurelae can see the hills give way to the edge of the world.
 * Rael and Aurelae have an interesting conversation about the 70th and about how they all “abandoned him.” He specifically talks about how Grandl does not like him and how Grandl said that Rael was a “bad influence.” Aurelae files this information away in her head without giving anything away on her face to Rael.

Day 4:

 * They continue forward and come across an old camp. Definitely not recent. Clean. Very likely left by the 70th on their journey East.
 * The mountains loom closer, now at 3 o’clock. Aurelae realizes her slight error. The forest is to the east now. Most of the group wants to track the 70th at this point and abandon exploring the forest. Fitz and Aurelae dissenting.

Day 5:

 * They try to follow signs of the 70th for a large part of the day, but have no luck.
 * Ulrich is lecturing Aurelae on how she should be wanting to find the 70th more, and as he is mid-sticking-his-foot-in-his-mouth -- a giant winged creature suddenly appears behind him!!!
 * This creature is gnarly, with the head of an octopus, tentacles sprouting from its face, it has the body and wings of a large bird, with razor sharp talons.
 * The Octobird goes straight for Karmara, and picks him right up off the ground. Oh, and its tentacles all have stingers on the ends.
 * Aurelae shoots one of its tentacles just as it was about to sting Kamara.
 * Forge smashes it hard, very badassly.
 * Fitz fires his newly augmented weapon *CLICK CLICK BOOM!*
 * Aequitus hits it hard with a fire blast (31 dam)
 * Maeve fears so strongly for her friend’s life that she summons up the power of the light within her and casts it with all her might towards the Octobird. Burning light shines from within the Octobird, he takes immense damage (38 dam! Go Maeve go!) and begins to retreat…with Kamara still in its mouth…
 * Thankfully, Kamara is able to teleport to the ground safely.
 * Maeve heals Kamara.
 * Aurelae continues to deliver steady damage to the Octobird, even as it flies away.
 * Rael shouts at the Octobird as it flies higher, “Ger your ugle calamari ass back down here!”
 * Aaaaand the Octobird dive bombs the ground with incredible force, sending shock waves rippling through the earth.
 * Kamara and Rael are knocked prone to the ground.
 * Maeve, Aequitus, Kamara, and Rael all take (14) damage.
 * Aurelae, Kamara, Forge, and Ulrich unfortunately looked into the Octobird’s black eyes…eyes so deep, so petrifying… they are frozen in terror.
 * Aurelae hugs Seprha close. Forge acts heroically despite the immense terror welling up inside of him.
 * Maeve heals Aequitus, saving him from near death.
 * The Octobird is looking a bit ragged, but finds a reserve of strength and sinks it’s razor sharp talons into Maeve, and it grabs her now near lifeless body with its talons and prepares to take off.
 * Kamara “Magnetos this bitch” and manages to somehow keep the Octobird – and Maeve – on the ground.
 * Somehow Maeve is pulled free from the Octobird’s grasp, and Rael heals and stabilizes her.
 * The Octobird takes flight and attempts to retreat – Maeve is having none of this. This creature nearly killed several of her friends, nearly killed her, and worse yet almost disfigured her (she thanks the goddess for Rael). No way is she letting is get away to do the same to others. Maeve rises, stronger than before, empowered by her love for her friends, summons power from the goddess Celeste and calls forth lightning from the heavens and strikes the Octobird DOWN.
 * Aequitus, of course, takes the head.
 * They make camp, and some of the group eat the Octobird. It is tough, and not so great.

Day 6:

 * To the North is forest. To the South, mountains.
 * Southwest there are hills. Southeast, past the hillside Aurelae can see (from atop a tree) the edge of the world curving off again, a and the void beyond it.
 * Between the forest and the mountains Forge notices a temple atop a lone mountain peak. It may be too far away to attempt right now, but they make note of it for a future adventure.
 * They decide to explore the forest to the North.
 * The trees are white with bright red leaves. Aequitus dubs them fire-birch trees.
 * They are about 100 feet from the tree-line and they notice these strangely cute creatures. Like…centaurs, but also dogs. Dubbed Canitaurs (a.k.a. Puptaurs, a.k.a. The Richard People), they do not appear to be aggressive, and are simply scampering about, playing.
 * Aurelae walks forward to make contact. “Hello, my name is Aurelae, and we come in peace.”
 * The Canitaurs, all eight of them, echo her words and syntax, “Hello, my name is Aurelae, and we come in peace.”
 * After a few more eerie exchanges like this, Aurelae goes back to the group and tells them of the weird encounter.
 * “No Aequitus you cannot take a head. They have not attacked us.”
 * They walk towards and into the forest. The Canitaurs follow the group, mimicking every. Single. Thing. They. Say.
 * This could clearly get out of hand quickly, Aurelae realizes, and she does her best to get the group to talk as little as possible, but it is a near impossible task, as Kamara, Ulrich, and Rael find it particularly challenging to not speak frequently.
 * They continue North through the forest, hoping that the Canitaurs will leave them alone eventually. They do not.
 * The temple on the lone mountain is now at their 5 o’clock.
 * They set up camp, and the Canitaurs stay right there with them. Aurelae takes first watch, and notices the Canitaurs seem to be asleep…with their eyes open. She tests them by saying something quietly, and success! They appear to not be conscious. She and Maeve very quickly and quietly wake the others, and they pack up and GTFO.
 * They gain level 1 exhaustion, but they seem to have ditched the Canitaurs.

Day 7:

 * The temple on the lone mountain is now directly South of them. It is much more challenging to navigate this forest than anticipated. The terrain to the west begins to turn swampy, with beautiful bioluminescent plants drifting here and there.
 * They decide to cut their losses and count this as a successful exploration expenditure. They begin walking directly West, and plan to do so until they hit the River.
 * Surprise! It’s their fluffy Canitaur friends again! They found them! (yaaayy…)
 * Rael casts Fairy Fire and the Canitaurs laugh…it is unsettling and eerie…
 * They think they are heading straight West, but find their camp from last night. Well, at least they aren’t heading the complete opposite direction.
 * They desperately need rest, and do so despite the Canitaur’s company.

Day 8:

 * MORE FOREST. Canitaurs still following.

Days 9-16:

 * Mid-day they finally see the tree line. The Canitaurs do not appear to want to follow them out of the forest.
 * Aurelae ends the groups, ah, relationship with the Canitaurs on a positive note: “We are friends.” The Canitaurs repeat her and wave “We are friends. We are friends. We are friends…”
 * It is another five full days journey West to the River, and another full two days travel South back to Hardholme.
 * They are tired, but at least they have successfully mapped more of the world outside of Hardholme, and they have two new creatures to add to their ever-growing list.