DW War To End All Wars

This is a multi-session Dungeon World campaign set in the forested region known as The Green Maw in Andorith. Although using the Dungeon World rules, it utilizes class and character content created in the game Elf Genders.

Players:

• Jon C = Indra - Dragongrown Wizard
• Tom F = Gormflee - Heartgrown Barbarian
• Ben F = Sveinonee - Chaosgrown Druid
• Kam W = Bortris - Dreamgrown Paladin
• Mark W = GM

Green Maw online photo gallery

Book One

Chapter 1: The Threadherd Camp

The group is travelling from the settlement of Zunreverd, near the edge of civilized wood, to an Outrider Ranger Station two days away. They found sign of a possible Abyssal Render near Zunreverd and want to report it as soon as possible.

• Balefire trees destroyed
• Scaled Stalker corpse found crushed and squeezed
• Grim portent from Indra's teacher

The group is about half-way between Zunreverd and the Ranger Outpost where they hope to find a Threadherd camp known to operate in this area.

Session One (Feb 11, 2022)

Around twilight and group is approaching area they expect to find threadherd camp. As darkness grows the group must make a decision to continue for the camp or make camp of their own. Then they notice a flicker of firelight, such as from a campfire. Just as they decide to hurry towards it, they begin to hear a loud buzzing. Sveinonee readily identifies it as the thrum of a Firborer... but somethings a little off about it. The group sets out towards the camp while the thrum becomes louder. As the group comes in sight of the threadherd camp they witness great, writhing, tentacles crash up from the abyssal zone below. There's no doubt that it's an Abyssal Render attack! As the group watches in horror, the Render makes quick work of the camp. Sveinonee transforms into a bird and quickly flies to the camp reaching it just in time to see the tentacles retreat back into the abyss as quickly as they appeared. In it's place, it left only a large, gaping hole.

From fler vantage point, Gormflee was able to notice that the tentacles are highly elastic like an octopus rather than the commonly held belief that they're more solid like a snake. Flee also realized that, instead of suction cups, the Render destroys through hundreds of long, retractable, razor-sharp claws embedded along the length of the tentacles. These claws rip and shred anything that gets in it's way.

As the group stands there in stunned silence pondering their next move, an older halfling heartgrown herder rushes up asking if the group has seen any children. Two are missing and flee is desperate to find them but also has other pressing duties tending to the rest of the camp after the attack. Gormflee asks the group to find the children as quickly as possible... the Maw is a dangerous place for anyone after dark, let alone children. As they look around for a sign of where the children may have gone, the group eventually discovers a propeller tree seed pod, decorated and with the stringed launch stick still attached. The session ends with the group preparing to set off after the children.

Session Two (March 25, 2022)

Before heading out to find the children, Bortris recruited a member of the camp to erect a fence around the hole into the Abyss. Sveinonee turned nerself into a hummingbird and flew off to scout out the children. Gormflee searched the area with the propeller tree seed pod to get an idea of the direction the children went. Flee discovered that the children appeared to be joined by an adult and the three went into the forest.

As the light failed, the group heard the sound of the wings of a large beetle. Indra attempted to cast Light on a stone but it turned out to be fragments of a Crimson Threadwing and would not take the magic. Meanwhile Sveinonee flew off in the direction of the sound and was met by a Firborer Beetle flying in the direction of the camp... and back towards the group. Nee followed as quickly as nee could and overtook the beetle shortly before it came upon the group and nee turned back into halfling form.

As the beetle came upon the group, Gormflee assumed a stance of challenge but failed to secure the undivided attention of the beetle (probably for the best, as it turns out). The beetle flew past Gormflee but circled back around towards the group. Bortris stepped forward to engage the beetle but the Firborer latched onto trim, shredder their armor. After more combat with the beetle, both Bortris and Sveinonee lost their armor and sustained significant damage. Finally the beetle was defeated. Gormflee secured the carapace and provided a food ration for all in the process. Two Crimson Threadwing wings were found in the beetles stomach.

The group decided to do some healing and set camp for the remainder of the night, planning on picking up the search of the children in the morning. Indra brought out dram firebowl as they made camp while Sveinonee used ner herbs and poultices to perform some healing. They set watch as: Sveinonee, Bortris, then Gormflee with Indra being given an uninterrupted nights rest.

Session Three (June 4, 2022)

During trim watch, Bortris heard the cries of two children. Very shortly after tris heard a low hoot that descended in pitch into the subsonic causing anxieity and discomfort. Immediately after the cries of the children could be heard to rise to a panicked pitch. Bortris concluded that an Owlbear was hunting the children and quickly woke the company in an effort to reach the children before the Owlbear. Sveinonee didn't awaken so Gormflee threw ner over fler back and carried ner along roughly. Sveinonee eventually woke and, changing into a bird, flew high up out of the way. The group struggled to recall anything about Owlbears and how imminent the threat was. While Attempting to share some information with the rest of the group, Bortis crashed through a Bougain Tangler taking significant injury in the process but landing amidst the frightened children. The kids screamed in terror prompting a response from the Owlbear and forcing Bortris to use trim commanding presence to get the children under control. Gormflee wanted to stand and fight the Owlbear but Sveinonee convinced fler to protect the children to safety.

Back at the threadherd camp, the group reunited the children with Slaflee, who is greatly relieved. Flee asked the group to escort them to the ranger camp where flee had a grovemate who is a ranger there. As the group had business there anyway, they agreed to escort them.

Chapter 2: The Ranger Outpost

Scrap of a patch found in the Green Maw

With a group of traumatized refugees in tow, it took most of the day to reach the Ranger Outpost. As the group, in the vanguard, approached the outpost it became clear that something was wrong. They instructed the refugees to stay back while the outpost was investigated.

Going closer to the outpost it was obvious that some sort of struggle had occurred although all was quiet now. The front door was ajar, the hut was dark, and dark shapes lay on the stairs and landing ahead. A quick search in the fading light confirmed that a significant number of individuals (probably halflings) attacked the outpost but there was no sign any of the assailants remained.

The scene in the hut was grim: Blood and body parts lay strew about. Several Rangers were identified and one, or two, others but it was difficult to know the full count. Amidst the debris a scrap from a patch was discovered but no-one recognizes it or what it is.

The refugees wish to proceed on to Rothare but it's too late to travel then. They requested that the group stay with them and assist them to Rothare.

Session Four (July 8, 2022)

Normally, the trip to Rothare would take about two days on a lightly traveled (hence somewhat overgrown) trail. With the group of refugees to guide and protect, they figured to add an additional day to the journey.

Sveinonee was very apprehensive about staying so near the scene of such carnage and attempted to convince Bortris that they needed to proceed at once...this very moment, in fact. Bortris explained that venturing into the forest at night is far more dangerous than camping here for the night. As if to confirm trim words, a distant scream echoed in the quickly darkening night. It started as the high-pitched scream of a halfling being horribly tortured then trailed down in pitch, but not in volume, to that of a guttural howl. Although the precise creature wasn't identified, the call was determined to be the coordinating call of a creature that hunts in a pack. Although it was quite distant, the group decided it was best to stay put and set watches for the night. The terrifying call, which struck fear in the already traumatized children, never repeated.

So, with some trepidation, the group set off early the following morning with Gormflee and Indra scouting, Bortris trailblazing, and Sveinonee quartermastering. Bortris performed trim respective task to par and so neither hindered nor greatly assisted in their travel. Sveinonee failed to locate suitable provision en route so the group consumed an additional ration. Gormflee failed to see the signs of a night fissure.

The fissure stretched right across the trail to either side as far as could be seen from the trail. It was too wide to jump across, especially with the refugees, and the edges were too precarious to allow venturing too closely. While a cloud island was found in the canopy stretching across the fissure, it was determined to be too unstable to safely get the refugees across (or, rather, it was rendered so after a near disastrous attempt to stretch a safety vine across it.)

A closer look at the fissure from the canopy revealed that it was possible to go around it but at the cost of another day of travel. It was decided that this was the safest approach so the group worked their way around and proceeded on to Rothare.

Chapter 3: Rothare

Session Five (July 15, 2022)

Notes:

• Factions (like a county, canton, or district):
  • Bristlecone Alliance: Faction on the frontier
    • Town of Bristlecone: Faction seat
    • Village of Callinara:
    • Town of Malen:
    • Village of Rothare:
      • Medium sized village in the canopy
      • Faction HQ for Rangers
    • Settlement of Zunreverd:
      • Most remote permanently inhabited halfling settlement in The Maw
  • Cloud Tower: Most "urban" faction
    • Crown City: Faction seat
• Events:
  • Reconnoiter:
    • Indra (et. al.?) ask around and show patch fragment
      • No one seems to recognize it...
      • ... except when they do and immediately clam up.
  • Gormflee and the Balance Competition:
    • [I can't recall specifics except that Gormflee made a very large enemy in fler Heartgrown opponent!]
  • Sell them wares -- make some money!:
    • Group wants to sell the Threadwing carapaces retrieved from the Firborer (Session 2)
    • Slaflee has a contact, Bryndra, in Rothare and arranges a meeting
    • Bryndra examines the carapaces and offers 200(?) bezant for each, which seems a bit high, but suggests one might be donated to Slaflee's operation to help rebuild stock (inflated offer may have been a face-saving way to do some charity without doing charity). Group accepts offer and walks away 200 bezant richer.
• Persons of interest:
  • Bryndra: Threadwing dealer. Friend of Slaflee.
  • Gwedra: Elder/Leader of Rothare
  • Iphiflee: Balance competition with Gormflee (now an enemy)
  • Takatris: Leader of the Rangers. Based at HQ in Rothare

Session Six (August 5, 2022)

A raucous band of children swarm past the party. As the children round the corner, Indra realizes that dras purse of bezants has been stolen! The group rushes after the youthful thieves and into an alleyway. In the alleyway they find a ranger holding the purse, Iphiflee, the same sport competitor that fancies flerself rivals with Gormflee. This ranger alleged that the threadwing trader Bryndra reported a theft of coin, and this must be the stolen property which flee is duty-bound to confiscate. As the party disagreed, the ranger warned them not to escalate and two more ranger confederates emerged to cut off retreat from the other side of the alleyway.

Bortris led the party in trying to deescalate but the forgettable ranger, Iphiflee, drew fler sword to keep Gormflee's posturing out of reach. Things unfolded quickly from there, there will certainly be disagreements if any statement is given to the ranger station. Gormflee baited the ranger into drawing fler blood, which would justify a well-deserved beat down. Indra went invisible and grabbed for the purse, managing to only catch the sword's blade in dram side instead. Sveinonee flew out of the alleyway a Crown bird before crashing back down again onto one of the flanking rangers. Bortris scared off one of the ranger toadies. Indra cast Charm Person on the remaining two rangers, creating the opportunity to accept the purse's return for no further violence. The party skedaddled because the feelings of friendship would surely last for only a few minutes.

The party took rooms at the inn, The Stone Arch, and healed. Word was sent to Bryndra and a written statement denying any theft and confirming honest payment was received. Sveinonee scouted out the ranger station, learning that the three crooked rangers had beat the party back to the Ranger's Guildhall, a seat of authority in this community.

Session Seven (September 23, 2022)

After some discussion, the party decided to split, with Bortis and Indra going to the Ranger's Guildhall in order to clear the party's name and Gormflee and Sveinonee go to gather information. Bortris and Indra go to the Ranger's Guildhall, which is eerily empty considering how many people use the space. There they encounter a muscular dreamgrown named Takatris, the leader of the rangers in Rothare. They told Takatris of what they had seen in their travels on the way here. Takatris said tris had sent a group of eight rangers to hunt down the scaled stalker pack we heard in the night around the destroyed ranger station. Indra offered the group's services to hunt down the stalker pack, since it seems most are mysteriously dead. Bortris then told Takatris of our conflict with that forgettable loser, who Takatris reminded tris is named Iphiflee. Takatris apologizes for the manner of Iphiflee manner, and promises to confront fler about it. Tris also confides that Iphiflee and the other two rangers are the only rangers in the town after the other eight went off to hunt the stalkers. Indra offers the group's services, including the services of famed wrestler Gormflee. Takatris expresses gratitude for this offer, and they go back to The Stone Arch to confer.

Sveinonee and Gormflee find a game to play. The game is known as "Rattlejag". The two companions ply a group of game players for information while playing the game. Money is on the table and there's much to be won. Tension in town is high and these gamers seem to be discharging their worries through extra intense competition. They are worried because Takitris and the rangers have taken more authority in town that is typically shared with elders. Sveinonee plays well for a novice, but is eventually bested. Gormflee enters the competition, wagering large amounts of gold and playing headgames with opponents, but ultimately breaking even. Against the obvious vibe of the space, flee offers greater and greater challenges in an attempt to draw out people who would oppose fler. One Heartgrown, Amflee, was particularly suspicious and possibly supportive of abyssal renders.

After meeting up, the party decides to go talk to the elder before meeting with the ranger. Just in case they are obviously in charge of an evil cult.

Session Eight (October 13, 2022)

Peace Dreamer Society Logo

The team goes to visit Gwedra the village elder. After bickering amongst themselves about what proper respect for elders looks like, Bortris takes time to size up the situation. Indra detects a cloud of magic in the place, much of it old. After some dancing around it in conversation, the team reveals that they have seen dead rangers and the sign of the tentacle. Gwedra seems about to remember something about this image, before saying dra does not.

Indra offers a ritual that will help Gwedra remember, but if it goes wrong may degrade dras memory. After pledges from all the team, including a surprisingly casual one from Sveivonee, to pursue the safety of the village based whatever information is revealed, dra agrees to attempt the ritual.

Sveivonee meanwhile has had their eye on Atatris, an elder who was listening from behind a curtain. When Sveivonee reveals tris' presence, Gwedra dispatches trim to go ask the ranger captain Takatris to meet. Sveivonee goes to follow, but isn't subtle enough, and confronts trim. Atatris drops some sort of smoke bomb and avoids ner.

Indra casts the ritual successfully, and Gwedra reveals that dra is a member of the Peace Dreamers, and that the tentacle symbol was from an obscure and unnamed Peace Dreamer offshoot group. Gwedra explains that the Peace Dreamers are a semi-secret society that spans all genders and many groves that want to see a final end to the Pollen Wars and bring peace among halfling and between the halflings and the dreamers. They have been around less than a generation. Someone had heard of a group affiliated with the Peace Dreamers that was associated with this symbol, but no other details were known. Gwedra revealed the secret sign of the Peace Dreamers so that the group could find more members of the group to ask further questions.

Session Nine (November 11, 2022)

The group gears up with gifts from the Rangers, including new armor and a notable blade. Reacting to the revelations about the the peace dreamers beliefs about the Dreamers, the group shares their philosophies of magic and thoughts about the Dreamers. The bounty the town offers the group is rights to claim as many stalker hides they we like. These can be worth a lot! The group departs to hunt down the Greater Scaled Stalkers.

Chapter 4: Stalking the Stalker

Session Ten (November 18, 2022)

The group sets out on their hunt. Sveinonee spots a clawed creature in a tree, and avoids becoming lunch. The group decides to approach stealthily, and sees two Greater scaled stalkers far below which are walking away. Throwing caution to the wind, everyone brachiates into action led by Bortis charge. Gormflee captures their attention with a war cry and Indra ensnares both in a web. Bortis fells one with two mighty blows through the eye, which leaves the pelt pristine. Gormflee guts the other with a single swipe.

Sveinonee flies up to scope the situation, spotting an unaware halfling Ranger in a tree, circled by 2 stalkers. Nee approaches the halfling, who was doing something both weird and sus with the beetle. The halfling promptly gets murdered by third scaled stalker, and drops the beetle which begins to buzz loudly and ominously.

The situation that we leave

2 stalkers on the ground, unseen by all but Sveinonee.

1 stalker in the tree, very upset having taken magic missile damage

Sveinonee as a big clawed eagle near the tree.

1 big buzzing beetle on the tree branch

Far away Bortris stands next to 1 pristine pelted corpse

Far away Gormflee stands next to 1 pretty good pelted corpse

Far away Indra is in a tree above the corpses, with a few of the far tree.

Session Eleven (December 2, 2022)

Patch found on Ranger killed by Greater Scaled Stalker

Sveinonee operates the lever, turning off the automatons deafening buzzing. The whole forest grows silent, too silent. Then a subsonic rumbling below, and the crash of creatures running away from a Render.

Gormflee does save the day with an outrageous vine maneuver. We see a flying tree from nowhere smash the Render into the Abyss and silence reigns.

A big willow slides away, yanked into the abyss.

3 Stalker pelts remain to claim

Session Twelve (December 9, 2022)

The group gathers again after the battle, discovering that Svienonee is quite shaken. Indra interviews nee about what happened, which was more retraumatizing than helpful. Gormflee proposes a ritual to close the hunt to Bortris, and they agree some modifications must be made for the Druid to assent. Svienonee is still going in circles, but with a laying on of hands and calm words nee relaxes some. Each other party member offers a tale about how they accepted a body modification as an honor to mark and close a big life event. Svienonee decides nee wants information first before closure in the form of a tattoo.

Indra summons a spirit of a dead ranger to question, getting another than the intended. The dead reveals that their group killed by stalkers was set up by Takatris.

Chapter 5: Rothare Redux

Upon our return, new guards in elite red armor stand at the gates, they are wearing Octopus arm patches. The guards reveal that Lord Takatris has assumed control over the towns protection.

List of things to do in town...

• Sell Hides
• Talk to Slaflee and the refugees
• Confront Takatris
• secure accommodations
• Talk to Gwedra
• Throw an epic rager
• Watch for, investigate the buzzbug
• Watch for, find the cult

Session Thirteen (December 30, 2022)

The party decides to talk to the refugees first. On the way, Svienonee notices that the villagers are suspicious of us based on our proximity to the new rangers, refugees, and expelling of elders.

The refugees aren't mixing with the villagers. Rather than throw suspicion on our friends, we go to the inn. There is a hush at the bar as we enter. Gormflee erupts at the patrons perceived rudeness, not asking for tales of a glorious hunt. That is an Abyss custom and this statement hits everyone wrong. The proprietor looks pissed and says that the inn is full, we can camp at the visitors camp. Bortris saves the day with some listening and empathy, calling on our past successful stay.

The owner explains that the elders council has been dissolved and everyone in town is very suspicious of us, and all outsiders. Bortris Destroys this fool with Facts and Logic, and gets us permission to stay a ridiculous room rate. Further insulted, Gormflee lays an entire Stalker hide on the bar and asks for grand service befitting a triumphant hunter. During this grand gesture Svienonee tries to sneak away, but instead turns into a bird and smashes through a window in front of everyone.

Gormflee spills the beans about the group's entire adventure, except for things involving the ranger or the tentacle group. Gormflee befriends a halfling named Gitris, who says to avoid the rangers, as they may not be what they seem. Tris also lays out that we have been linked in some way to the rangers, so our best bet may be to check out the traveler's camp, as the inn proprietor suggested earlier in a more rude way.

Meanwhile, Sveinonee flies the long way to the refugees in order to avoid suspicion. Sveinonee asks about what's going on, and also can't resist bragging a little about the greater scaled stalkers. Turns out the other day a bunch of rangers came in from outside the city, Takatris rescinded the council and instituted martial law. Both we and the refugees are being excluded from the city and commerce, or at least avoided. These new rangers are from all over, and wear crimson threadwing armor. They seem to be coming from many factions, it's actually fairly unprecedented.

Session Fourteen (February 10, 2023)

Morning after at the inn with wiped out people draped everywhere. Food is cheese rinds, sausage heels, crusty bread. We partied all of their supplies right out! The group talks philosophy, asks for a grander breakfast, and makes plans. Outside, two red armored guards seem to be keeping an eye on the establishment.

We ask the proprietor to keep our other 2 hides safe while we do business around town. They've warmed up to us, and say that "we're honest and true." We ask the proprietor what the rumors about us around town are. They say we've been associated with the rebellious guards. The wise proprietor thinks that this rumor was seeded to discredit us by an organized force. We were overheard by a mysterious halfling (with a sallow face, beady eyes, and bad vibes) who slips away in a rush. Sveinonee gives chase in halfling form, but lets them go when they would have to barrel past the guards outside.

The group approaches the ranger office. Along the way Indra notices they have concentrated their forces along our route, almost like a parade. There are very few rangers close to their station.

Inside we overhear Takatris talking quietly with someone, who has slipped away by the time we arrrive. Sveinonee is pissed we were followed and confronts. Gormflee ablates. Indra makes a bid to get read in about this threat the the Bristlecone Alliance. Takatris administers some kind of obscure test about the Peace Dreamers which we fail.

Bortris realizes retroactively that some of the guards on the street aren't from the Alliance. They have non-BA ear ornamentation and some have even taken off their piercings. Bortris confronts about this, and tris again offers the obscure test. Gormflee makes the absolute big ears move to declare themselves the head of the conspiracy. Everyone helps out with the ruse but it fails when Takatris remembers that no one is higher than trim in the conspiracy tris runs.

"No you overplayed your hand when you underestimated Gormflee the Terrifying" *sounds of violence*

Book Two

Prologue: Decisions, decisions...

Session Fifteen (January 5, 2024)

Takatris reveals his position, which may or may not be a lie. He's part of the Peace Dreamers Society and it playing a desperate gambit to draw out their sworn enemies once and for all. A radical offshoot of the PDS, Aggressive Reconciliation seeks immediate resolution to perceived conflict between Dreamers and Halflings. AG was behind the attack at the ranger outpost, other attacks in the past, and may be behind the buzzbeetle.

Tatatris' gambit is the assume to mantle of the AG conspiracy, dissolve government to protect legitimate leaders, and gather rangers around him. This is pretty dumb way of drawing out secret baddies, but it's the world we live in now. Gormflee reads the animal signs and furtive movements of his body: He's withholding something significant. Is this a lie or protecting the further secrets of his order? Takatris assures us that we have free range of Rothare and the surrounding areas, and tris will return democratic governance as soon as they're able.

The party resolved to head to Cloud City: seeking Gwedra and the truth about PDS/AG. Takatris' sent a Ranger mechanic knew how to fix it, but left it broken on purpose. Only Sveivonee knows how to fix the buzzbug from watching it being fixed.

Rumors about Cloud City

• Svenionee heard the druids are boring bookies.
• Bortris heard
• Indra heard there is an Arcane Library of unmatched quality. To gain membership you must add new mystical lore to the collection.
• Gormflee heard there's been larger than usual populations of warrior beetles in the areas around Cloud City.
• Everybody knows that Cloud City is on one super huge tree, huge even by Maw standards. This tree protrudes all the way into the emergent layer.

Chapter 1: ... On the Way to Cloud City

Session Sixteen (1/19/24)

Inside the wall is the refugee camp for the threadwing farmers, they will stay in Rothare. Outside the wall is a fresh refugee camp of the ousted leadership of Rothare, Gwedra and council members (about 2 dozen) already left for Cloud City the day before. It's a 5 day trip via the Twilight, and 10 day via the Canopy.

After 2 days we catch up with Gwedra's group. Sveinonee spots them from a distance and they are about to be menaced by halfling-sized sized trap-door spiders! Sveinonee dive bombs into the group of travelers to alert them to the unseen danger. Nee returns to the group, who hurry to catch up. Bortris leads the charge, slamming though the brush and clearing a path.

We arrive to see the spiders webbing up halflings and pulling them away into tubes. Upon seeing them in person, we see they are actually hive-mind swarms of palm-sized 8-legged beetles from the Abyss. Gormflee recalls a bedtime nursery rhyme to protect against such creatures: They are repelled by fire and citrus. Indra consults her tomes: They aren't biting, prey must be immobilized and taken elsewhere to be consumed.

Bortris approaches a transport tube, smashing and cutting it. The tube is itself also composed of beetles and resists collapse. Sveinonee snatches up a construct, lifting it into the air but gets enshrouded immediately and falls. The construct breaks apart beneath them as they land. Gormflee taunts two of the constructions to focus on fler, shouting about the necessity of fire. Indra is the only halfling who isn't experiencing ants in pants, and so slings down dra's fire bowl and successfully starts a small fire using some beetle-hair for extra speed. Bortris tries to start a fire of tris' own, fast-lighting it in tris teeth with beetle-hair like a badass. Burning beetle needles right next to tris' face is a lot to handle! They drop the lit torch onto the webbing and tunnel, engulfing about a third of the area in a conflagration. Luckily this kills a ton of spiders and unluckily this catches a few halflings on fire. It's Indra's turn to make poor choices with fire. Dra immolates one of the larger constructs and bathes herself and the other half of the captured halflings in the backwash. Sveinonee takes stock, discerning the locations of the missing halflings and confirming that this is normal hunting behavior for this creature who is motivated by a normal situation. Gormflee ties off a rope for retrieval and dives in to the hole Gwedra disappeared into. Bortris retrieves tris torch and scares off the remaining constructs by menacing them with it. Gormflee ventures further still into the tube.

The remaining beetles are hanging around the periphery, waiting for easy prey. Indra hands out torches and tell the survivors to look out for one another. They're too dazed to listen carefully, Bortris creates compliance by commanding them in the name of Standing Stone. Sveinonee turns into a blind abyss gecko and slips into the other hole than Gormflee and Indra. Bortris sees to some minor order topside, affixes a rope for safety and enters the other hole.

Gwedra Hole: Gormflee, Indra

Fire Hole: Sveinonee, Bortris

Session Seventeen (2/23/2024)

Traveling seperately, the two groups proceed: Bortris and Sveinonee, Gormflee and Indra. Gormflee leads the way with strength and confidence, Indra less so. While trying something clever, Indra spills out into a 30 meter drop over mushrooms, dra's blood-curdling scream ringing out. Gormflee rushes to the end of the tube, discovering enshrouded figures being dragged towards hungry beetle queens. Flee watches a queen feed: Her workers bring up a well-aged websac, which she drinks up like a gusher. So, our halflings aren't in immediate danger, they are being stored somewhere inconvenient for us.

Gormflee starts a foolishly large fire here in the highly-flamable hive environment. Bugs are torched and driven off. Captured halfings fall into offal pile and will be okay. Bortris and Sveinonee spill out of destroyed tube, falling. The group decides to stick around for at least an hour to try to excavate the collection of magical items Indra has spotted.

Session Eighteen (3/8/2024)

Sveinonee is nervous about Gwedra and the 18 other refugees request to encamp here. Gormflee again reminds Sveinonee about the Rules of the Abyss:

1. It is unpredictable. Cultivate many plans.

Bortris pledges to follow the experienced rangers' guidance. Gormflee takes charge directing the 10 or so fully well refugees to build a bone palisade or help Indra's manic acquisitive digging. Bortis talks to Gwedra, bringing dra onto tris's side. The temporary defenses are ready and the troops are feeling heartened and capable. Sveinonee scouts unsuccessfully.

Indra discovers this horde is too large and heavy to possibly excavate and move quickly. Indra wants to leave in secret and return with an excavation crew, Gormflee wants to return and boast to everyone. After some talking, Bortris leads the group to take what they can now and claim glory since it would be impossible to maintain secrecy.

When confronted with the group's current lack of food supplies, Gormflee reveals another Rule of the Abyss:

1. Don't Die

Bortris calls on Gwedra to step up for dra's community. Indra attempts to win over the group with filthy lucre. It works and we get 3 days.

Day One Bortris finds a pool of fresh water to meet our needs while being taught Abyss survival skills by Gormflee. Sveinonee scouts finding an abandoned underpath with beetle-webbed blazes and cairns. Indra digs down to the small stuff layer finding coins, gems, and a magic ring. There was a mysterious fainting spell, vertigo, headaches amongst the refugees.

Day Two Things go well. Sveinonee is off their game and unable to find their way, folks are starting to think there's no way out. Bortis digs at the top, quite successfully. Gormflee kept watch for how animals are arriving, seeing suspicious signs of...

Session Nineteen (4/12/2024)

Sveinonee and Gormflee discuss the wisdom of staying longer. Gormflee makes the case that scavengers won't attack anything that looks tough. Looking strong is good defense. Bortris successfully excavates a miner's canvas bag full of coins, raw metal, and precious stones. It also has stones of farspeech. Indra analyzes the ring from day one: It's a ring of illusory cleanliness, which makes you look clean, groomed, and with tailored clothes even if you're travelworn underneath. The sickness from the miasma seems to be spreading and affecting the weakest member of the party more strongly.

Day Three Indra heard suspicious and familiar sounds while keeping watch, but dismissed it as interference with stones of farspeech, Bortris' humming, and own distraction with the dig. Gormflee finds of medicinal herbs that don't seem to match what flee expects, luckily Gwedra identifies them as poison look-alikes so the effort was wasted. Bortris has two weapons revealed, but a collapse in a lower-level causes them to slide out of her grip. Thinking quickly she manages to save an Adz made of an unknown organic material. Sveinonee takes the day in meditative repose amongst the branches, returning refreshed.

When Sveinonee returns nee catches Indra distracted on watch. Nee scolds dra, claiming the strange adz as a bounty. Dra gives nee the stones of farspeech too. Gormflee admonishes dra to remember the first rule of the maw: Always Pay Attention. Sveinonee inspects the sick people and determines it's not a contagion. The group agrees they will leave along the abandoned underpath first thing in the morning.

Indra declares dra will stay up all night on one last dig, sleepless Bortris volunteers to help. Bortris has the bright idea to check sickly Gwedra for bug bites. Perhaps it's just as simple as a critter from the pile? Tris notices dra gives off a loamy sweet smell and has a more racing pulse, and no bug bites. Indra consults dra's tomes and thinks the symptoms are pharmacological. Gormflee boldy declares to Gwedra that these are withdrawal symptoms, and catches a slap across the face for fleur trouble. In the final dig, there's a collapse. Bortris gets out safely, and Indra rejects an offered hand in order to clutch a shiny sword and thus falls into the collapsing pit.

Bortris wakes Sveinonee, who feels like dogshit as the fever had caught up with nee. They have to be convinced and keep asking for "5 more minutes". Nee tries the old dirt-on-face trick to beat the flu, Bortris offers the healing power of standing stone even though it gives Sveinonee the ick. Unfortunately Standing Stone's power applies only to illness not drugs. Living a drug free lifestyle is a choice you make. Just Say No. Sveinonee continues to be a big baby about everything, accepting a piggyback ride to the pit.

Indra finds themselves at the mouth of a cave carved into tree roots. Their light spell when cast is extremely bright. They call out, hearing nothing. They set the unseen servant to bang a dagger against a rock, to aid searchers.

Gormflee is too impatient to wait and starts smashing their way down through the bones. Naturally, flee collapses the pit and winds up in the same place as Indra. Stone contact is made between the groups. Indra summons a beast to aid in the digging: It's a quite large scaled stalker (not reckless, useful adaptation), which lays calmly at Indra's feet. However the rest of it's pack seems to be hot on it's heels from deep within the cave, and not as friendly! (Indra is at -1 forward while spell is active.)

Session Twenty: The Gang Goes Full Animal (4/26/2024)

Natural cave/tunnel with walls and ceilings covered in death lanterns (slimy stinky faintly-glowing mold-slugs). Three other scaled stalkers approach, threateningly.

Responding to calls for aid, Sveinonee calls upon the power of the Earth Elementals to solidify the precarious bone pile. The Elemental don't hear so good, and it freezes the top layer of the bones. If there is a collapse it'll be a crash rather than a flush. Bortris bravely ties off a rope and climbs down the pit, disturbing a pocket of gems. The gems batter Bortris, filling tris pockets with 25 coins worth!

A fourth, super-large stalker approaches from out of the cave breaking the snarling stalemate and guaranteeing a fight. Gormflee recalls a song about an ancient giant creature growing endlessly to gobble the world, who must be a hundred years old due to it's size. Stalkers grow constantly and live short violent lives challenging one another for pack leadership. "You too can live long enough to become the foundation of the next world" As usual, Gormflee uses this as motivation to challenge the creature ostentatiously. "You've eaten, and you've eaten. Your quest ends here, my quest is greater!" Unbeknownst to Gormflee, flee's mantis blade gets stuck in some vines as the fight begins. Indra's stalker gets grappled, and dra buys it some respite with a flurry of magic missles. Bortris races into battle and wounds a small stalker. Sveinonee transforms into a Stalker and enters the pit, encountering those same dangerous gems which fill their pockets. Rather than free the blade and risk being shown up by anyone, Gormflee abandons it to attack using the famed vine shield. The blow rings true. Gormflee uppercuts the beast, knocking a great fang loose and taking a huge bite in the process. Bortris goes "Oh Dreamer, maybe flee does have it?!" Sveinonee and Gormflee both get grappled by the little guys. Indra boasts about cleaning up after the Heartgrown and Chaosgrown, and does a little damage to the grappler on Gormflee who's getting pretty cut up and going full feral fleeself: biting and kicking. The two are locked together in death. Sveinonee does a brutal rake on their stalker. Indra + good stalker fell one softened up by Bortris. Bortris rushes in to stabilize Gormflee. Sveinonee kills the stalker on top of it.

Gormflee is overcome by darkness, then they can sense swimming shapes of creatures floating around them. With a jolt, they awaken under Bortris' ministrations, the souls they witnessed fade from around them.

Sveinonee has harsh words for Indra. Indra's stalker, could it be an animal companion in the making?

Total Pelts:

• Pristine and HUGE (magic missle and one punch'd)
• shredded pelt
• Good, (halberd and magic missled pelt)
• third one, whatever

Open Questions:

• Rope out?
• Find the sword?
• Take the pelts?
• Explore the cave?

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