The Collective - Session 17

This is the seventeenth session in The Collective campaign and the second in the Stolen Swords, Orcish Villages, and Dwarven Vaults sub-arc of the Dwarven Sword Arc.

Summary
MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1000: Waking up early in the morning, Rosanhi and the rest of the members of the party headed downstairs to consume some breakfast before their departure. Having grown in clerical power after her recent trials, Rosanhi channeled this new energy into curing the dreaded Meat Curse. She succeeded in this, as she vomited up a small baby deer, which rapidly aged before her eyes, screaming horrifically and then bursting into ash. Visibly shaken by this, Rosanhi vowed to never eat meat again, which is honestly understandable given that trauma. Rosanhi also cured Badger’s Meat Curse, leaving him to deal with his own expulsion of the curse in the form of an eagle exiting his throat before berating him and bursting into sparks. The party acquired their horses and a small wagon (which would later become known as FAST CABBAGE) and rode down to Fort Wayne, with Sticky, Astrid, and Frederick in tow. Arriving early in the evening as the sun began to set over the Fort. The party split up to conduct an investigation. Badger decided to investigate the nearby tavern, McKinley’s Last Stand; whilst their, he learned from the bartender, a Half-Orc named Thrakk, that John had helped defend him from some prejudiced soldiers and then acquired from Thrakk an alternate path through the mountains.

Rosanhi and Roscoe headed first to the southern gate, where they learned that there had been a major cave-in, restricting any passage into the Crimson Mountains through the regular roads. After learning this, they visited a small climbing supplies shop owned by a Dwarven woman named Lillian and learned from her that John had visited her shop to purchase climbing supplies. Rosanhi also learned that his final destination may have been the Northern Dwarven Citadel, and gathered some background information about the location and any landmarks near it. Roscoe, Badger, and Rosanhi decided to purchase some climbing gear before returning to the tavern to rest overnight.

As they headed towards the tavern, they saw that a hooded figure was rummaging through their wagon in the dark. Taking no chances, Badger quickly snuck up on the figure and grabbed them, revealing that the hooded figure was none other than the Duke’s daughter, Evangeline. Rosanhi and Roscoe, shocked to learn this, demanded to know what she was doing there; she explained that, after listening to Rosanhi’s advice, she decided that she needed to travel with a group if she wanted to have a proper adventure. This group seemed perfect, so she stowed herself away inside of the wagon until emerging to take inventory of the gear. Skeptical, Badger and Rosanhi assessed her skillset and learned that she could fire a crossbow rather well; she also claimed that she knew how to fight with a sword, brandishing a rapier by her side. Sold by this, Badger and Roscoe accepted her into the group, with Rosanhi reluctantly accepting on the grounds that she remain near her at all times. The party, with Evangeline, headed into the tavern, where Evangeline made her presence known to Sticky and quickly established that he would be the first to blame if she was injured. The women of the party headed to their room to sleep for the night, while the men of the party decided to camp out inside of the wagon (which is not large, at all). Goodnight.