Deathmonth the 28th, 2:45 PM. Group approached the cave. There was a 2’ gap at the top, perhaps 6’ wide. Cave had much brush and creepers growing across the entrance. Two of us proceeded to tear out the surface bushes before working further down, eventually opening a space a bit less than 6’ high for us to enter. Cave went into the hill and down at a slight angle, tons of rocks and boulders littering the ground, making movement slow and treacherous.
It took us almost 10 minutes to make it to a wide area some 60’ inside. There was little sign of bones or animals in here, and the place had a musty smell to it. There were three possible ways out of the large cavern, north, west, and south. We listened, hearing faint squeaks to the west, and the north was even more musty. Druid suggested bats as the squeak.
Going north the cave narrowed and slowed down, turning east and then ending at a small cave with a shallow brown coated pool in it. We tossed a rock in it, more musty scent. Fungi on the surface? Hit it with a stick and then decided to just leave.
Back at the center cave we opted to stay here for the night. Some of us went out for dry and fallen timbers and sticks. The gnome and druid cut the wood as best they could with a saw and it was Thobar who asked, do we have a pot? What for.
Melting snow and cooking? Our water skins were going to be dry soon. We could huff it back to the River Shrill if need be, but that seemed a waste of time. The paladin was the only one with a helm, and not a big one. But for now, he agreed for a temporary time to let it be used to keep melting snow and filling waterskins. We were banking the fire when the bats decided it was time to leave the cave.
And they flew right into us. 2 dozen regular sized ones and 6 giant bats (4 to 5’ wingspan). 3 of them hit the party and attacked. One at the half orc, one at the druid, and another tearing across hair and cloaks. The half orc BASHED the fuck out of one of them after ripping it off of his head and then beating it almost to death with his mace. It took off flapping wildly for the entrance. The paladin was ready to flail bash another and the 3rd just took off.
The one on the druid would not leave and the group figured to shoot it. At short range. And as expected, the druid took a crossbow bolt to the chest and went down with a gasp. We then tore the last bat off and the assassin and the half orc finished it up. Some healing was administered and we all nervously laughed at our first encounter and how it went.
We looked into the south cave and it was a slope down and lots of boulders here as well. But also much guano. The wizard took out his vial and did his best to fill it, but without tools he used his gloves and it was …gross. He went back outside and washed them in the snow. We broke into watch, 5 of us taking turns (gnome, assassin, druid, paladin, and half-ogre). We ducked out when the bats returned and by 7 on Deathmonth the 29th, we were ready to go out and explore.
We wanted to get a closer look at the statue but the cliff was 50’ up, and at a 70 degree angle or so. Did not look stable or secure. There were 2 passages through the trees up there, and one down on this level to the south. We debated a bunch and then decided to go south and see if there was an easier way to climb. As we went, the area of clear ground shrunk to about 30’ wide – the hill cliff up on the west, and a ridge going down 80’ on the east.
Finally some 40 minutes of walking had us at an area where the slope shallowed out a bit and we could risk the climb. Ropes and crampons came out and one or two of us made it to the top. A rope was set in place and sent down and the group took a long and slow time to climb up, Thobar actually sliding down and hurting himself at one point. It was almost 10:45 when we all finally were at the top of the ridge, then it was hacking, pulling, and rough terrain travel northward through the dense forest, eventually getting to the clearing again at 2:30. We broke for a late lunch and went back to the statue to take a look.
It was 12’ tall, humanoid, and after some wiping and looking over, the priest suggested that it should by Maglubiyat, the goblin god. There was a plinth it was mounted on so a few shovels dug off the dirt and loam and then we wiped it clear. The Wizard spent some time looking over the markings here and even though they were faded and incomplete – the statue was erected as a marker by goblins short of 300 years ago, commemorating a time when they did battle and defeated the forces of “The Horse Bitch God.”
Aine.
Ok – this made sense.
The two passages up here, one went north west, the other south west –the southwestern one went over the rise and hill here. It was 3:40 at this time and we did not want to get wrapped up or lost. So we tied 2 ropes to the Maglubiyat statue and took our time climbing down again to the main floor of the clearing. We then went back to the cave, gathered more branches and firewood, waited for the bats to leave, then reentered and set up camp again. We did take a look in the last cave passage which split.
North wandered off and eventually came to a dead end. South opened up to the Bat cave. Floor was filthy as fuck, so much guano. The gnome and the half-ogre spent time with shovels and keen eyes looking around and their intense search was rewarded with…
5 guano covered copper pieces.
Such treasure. We agreed to let them keep it while we set up the area to camp and rest. As for the giant bat killed earlier, the half-orc had his skeleton servant take it out of the box and then with the gnome’s help, tried to defur and skin it. They took out the entrails, tried to eat the heart (it did not work), made some attempt to field dress it, then placed it on some sticks and roasted it over the fire. It was…edible. Barely. And the half-orc did cast purify food on it before risking a taste. We did the paladin helmet melting snow thing again for potable water and then went to sleep.
We rested again, 5 keeping watch, and awoke early enough the next day on Deathmonth the 30th without issue. It was cold and snowy today, just enough to be annoying. We left and climbed the ropes. Once at the tops we took the two coils with us and decided to take the north west trail.
Like the other one, the trail meandered through 2 steep sides of the hill and cliff down. 50 minutes of walking lead us to a split – north north west some more, or turn south. South seemed to go around the hill here so we went that way. To our west the land fell away and we could see a long lake, more rises and falls, perhaps a clearing far to the west, and maybe just shy, some structure poking up over the tree line – regular and grey. 1 mile away. The monastery? We would see.
It was about 10:30 when we arrived at a clearing. 450 odd feet diameter. A 30’ ridge ran through it here from northeast to southwest. A stream came from the woods to the south, came to the ridge, made a falls, and then ran odd to the north – most likely feeding the long lake we saw. Down at the bottom of the 90 degree drop and to the west was a passage through the trees. But getting there? Looked dangerous. The climb was perilous, and it was cold, icy, and snowing. We looked at our options and the best climber, the half orc, even with ropes and crampons, would have a 50% chance of falling. We could funnel most of the party down – but he might fall and the fall could be fatal.
We decided to follow the stream south into the woods and see if the area there was crossable. With the low temperature and lake there, the gnome volunteered to test out the surface. We tied a rope to him and after a few hundred feet from the stream outlet, he tested the pond. Rope tied to him and held, he went out and the ice made odd cracks and noises. Not safe enough. We brought him back and pressed on further through the woods. Another couple of hundred feet we tried it again and this time the ice seemed firm. It was maybe 700’ feet across to the other side. And it was here the gnome saw structures over there amidst a clearing. Tents and huts. And…greenskin figures around there are, many with orange hair.
Hobgoblins.
He wanted to cross right there and kill them off but the party pulled him back and we discussed it. Ok. We could cross the ice here but at 700 feet it would be a slow walk across the ice and the hobgoblins would see us long before we got there. We could also try forcing and trail breaking our way around the entire pond – 5 hours? Also not worth it. We had two other possible options that we could take. Back at the path around the hill and keep going north. Or back at the Maglubiyat clearing and take the path going southwest up the hill.
We were back at the clearing with the waterfall by 1:15, and then we went north, navigating the narrow ridge. By 2 we had gotten to the northern leg of the pass and a few minutes had us at a narrow ridge overlooking the large north space of the western shore. Long lake, steam vents down below, mounds and hills. A clearing to the west. It was majestic, but also cold, aloof, and off putting.
And a dead end. Unless we wanted to rope and rappel down 100’ to some steam vents.
We made our way back to the Maglubiyat clearing, reattached the ropes, and went down the 50’ to the lower area of the ridge. We went back to the cave and by 3:35 started to gather wood and snow again. We waited for the bats to leave the cave and then went back in. camp site was set up and we arranged for watch one more time. 3rd night in the cave. We rested and were out when the bats returned.
Icemonth the 1st. 7:30 AM. Rested, ready, waterskins refilled, and on the way again. We climbed up the ropes by the ridge, untied them again, and this time went southwest to the path there. The path took us into the woods and UP the slope of the hill. 30 degree angle and most of the party was huffing and puffing, slow go, but doggedly pressing on. Eventually we arrived at the summit of the hill (350’ above the surface of River Shrill) and then began to descend down the path the other side. We could see through the trees here and see the same pond frozen that we saw yesterday to our west. Excellent! We had made a good choice!
It was 2 hours later when we had descended off the hill and came to a “X” in the forest. We could continue south, or take a chance on west southwest or east northeast. We knew the structure was northwest of here so we took the west southwest passage. This took us along the south end of the pond (when we could catch glimpses through the branches in the distance) and about 10:30 we came to a side path that went north here – or continue west with a faint northwest bent.
The gnome and half ogre were arguing to go north here and take on the hobgoblins, eventually convincing the cleric to do so as well. But the other 6 party members convinced them that this was not a good use of our time and strength and we should head off west again. We traveled at least an hour, a large rise of a hill was north of us but it was the Halfling whose keen ears caught wind of a noise on the passage ahead. Whoever or whatever it was was very noisy; heavy tread and some snapping of twigs and branches.
We opted to get off the path, heading south into the trees. The Halfling took us almost 70’ the path and told everyone to stay low and quiet. We could then see coming from the west, traveling east, a 9’ 6”, 800 lb, skin and leather clad large chested leather clad ogre. She had a 6’ length of tree trunk as a club in her right hand, and her left hand was holding a bloody and beaten to death 300 lb brown bear that she was dragging behind her.
We were so quiet we hoped she would pass by. She did stop and sniff the air, but grumbled and then moved on eastward. Once we were sure she was gone we came out of the woods back to the path and decided we were going to continue on westward. Icemonth the 1st, 11:00 AM
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