Addermarch Campaign - Session 6

The party agrees to a quest to retrieve Uligium, defeats an ankheg terrorizing farmers, and is rewarded for their aid.

Timeline

• May 09, 1715 DR, afternoon: A quiet market day in Roscombe ends with alchemist Caradoc proposing a new quest: descend a nearby deep-cave network and retrieve the rare living mineral Uligium
• May 10, 1715 DR: Drou, Fazoth, and Yvan purchase ropes, torches, and climbing gear while gathering cave lore from Colette du Bois and other locals to pinpoint the closest subterranean system.
• May 11, 1715 DR: The party departs Roscombe early, heading west toward Fontwick. On the road, they meet distraught dairy farmers whose cattle were slain by a huge burrowing insect; Samantha of Fontwick guides the heroes back to her farm while her husband rides to Roscombe for Lady Elowen Duval’s aid. The party settles in to watch for the night.
• May 12, 1715 DR, just after midnight: An ankheg erupts from the pasture; simultaneous witch-bolt strikes from Fazoth and Yvan, plus Drou’s support, subdue the monster before serious harm is done.
• May 12, 1715 DR, dawn: Samatha receives a generous purse from Yvan to replace her herd and provisions the adventurers with bread, cheese, and apples as they continue their journey toward the rumored deep caverns.

Cast of Characters

• Drou – elven bard-monk, expedition planner
• Fazoth de Brune – human warlock-alchemist, master of witch-bolt
• Yvan Greenrabbit – halfling wild-magic sorcerer with a charitable streak
• Caradoc – eccentric alchemist commissioning Uligium retrieval
• Colette du Bois – recently rescued squire, source of local cave knowledge
• Samantha of Fontwick – dairy farmer aided by the party
• Godfrey of Fontwick – Samatha’s husband, messenger to Roscombe
• Lady Elowen Duval – castellan of Roscombe
• Ankheg – burrowing monstrosity defeated in Fontwick’s pasture

Places

• Roscombe – market town and current base of operations
• The Traveler’s Rest – Roscombe inn where the party lodges
• Fontwick – rural village west of Roscombe, site of recent ankheg attack
• Samatha’s Farm – dairy fields outside Fontwick

Narrative

Sunday, May 9th, 2 Robert I

We begin on Sunday afternoon, in Roscombe. The party spends the day uneventfully, stopping at the regular weekly market for a few purchases, before meeting Caradoc in the evening. Caradoc is impressed with their work so far, and proposes a harder challenge: descend into the deep caverns below the earth, and recover Uligium, a living mineral that is highly valued for alchemical purposes. The party agrees.

Monday, May 10th, 2 Robert I

The party spends the next day in preparation, buying rope and other supplies for cave exploration, and asking Colette du Bois and others around town for information about the closest deep cave system.

Tuesday, May 11th, 2 Robert I

The party departs Roscombe early, heading west towards where rumors indicate the deepest cave system nearby is located. The first part of the journey, along a cart track towards the village of Fontwick, is uneventful as the party passes through fields and pastures. Around mid-afternoon, the party encounters two distraught dairy farmers, Samantha of Fontwick and Godfrey of Fontwick. Their cows have been killed by a terrible burrowing insect creature of massive size, and they are fleeing towards Roscombe to ask for aid from Lady Elowen Duval.

The party decides to help, and Samantha of Fontwick leads them back to her farm while Godfrey of Fontwick continues to Roscombe to inform Elowen Duval of the happenings. The party keeps watch on the fields through the evening, until around midnight an ankheg bursts from the ground and attacks. Quickly both Fazoth and Yvan attack it with witch bolts, but it burrows underground, breaking the connect of the spell. Nonetheless, it is subdued without serious trouble.

Wednesday, May 12th, 2 Robert I

We end the morning of the next day. Yvan gives Samantha of Fontwick a substantial sum of coins to buy new cows; she is incredibly thankful, offering bread, cheese, and apples for the road.