Session #2:  Recoup in Heldren, cold iron confidence, small flying foes, a talking stag- well isn't that cute...

From the Journal of Dalomar:

So we regrouped and headed back to town. Some of us went back to Isker to check on the status of the work orders of cold iron weapons and to make changes. Frankly it was a good excuse just to get a chance to check out Xanthippee again.  

Next day we headed back out and retraced our steps with the vanguard of me taking point and Sado"Bras" shadowing far enough to charge in with Typhoon while the rest trail further behind a safe distance away. Skirting past the chest trap gives me pangs of a headache and pain from the previous day. Can't believe I missed that! Let go of the moment of anger and embarrassment and continue on. Up ahead while paralleling the rough trail through the snow I catch a glimpse of something hanging off the trees. Hunker down to take a moment to scan the area and take a more focused look. Report back to Zaaz through her message spell that there appears to be crude talismans/ornaments hanging from some trees off to the left side of the path. 

The area is very still with little sound other than a slight breeze through the trees. Before I can finish assessing the situation I hear footballs in the snow from behind me and the whole group has moved up and past me to inspect the trees. Obviously we haven't worked out our tactics! I veer off the path into the woods to flank around the target area of trees with the ornaments. Within moments I hear the whistling of arrows and fluttering of wings up in the trees. Zaaz cries out in pain and moments later I hear Bras cry out "retreat, fall back!!" I withdraw deeper into the forest paralleling the trail with plans to reconnect with the group back down the road. Instead I hear continued battle of exchanged missile fire at the initial point of attack. Communication with Zaaz then goes down. Using the undergrowth as cover, I head back toward the path. Through the trees I see Zaaz sprawled on the ground bleeding, Yoska and the curious unnamed Ratboy standing in a daze in the middle of the road. Further back down the path, Bras is taking cover and exchanging missile fire with three sprites up in the trees on both sides of the path with his sling and his newly purchased cold iron bullets. Seeing retreat is not an option with three members down, I skirt back up toward the combat using the trees as cover from the fey above. Notice a group of glowing creatures up ahead appearing to move around to flank on the other side of the path. Getting closer using effort to not be detected it appears the glowing creatures are of some illusion spell! During this time more missile fire, spell casting, buzzing of wings and then cries of eagles come from above the canopy of trees. Engage the closest one up in the trees with bowfire. Appears Yoska and Ratboy broke out of their daze and rejoined the battle and we manage to bring one of the diminutive blue fey down while the two others fly away. Regroup and revive Zaaz. Decide to continue up the path and hunt down those little blue bastards. 

Take point again and trek through the snow for a couple of miles. Up ahead I see a stag standing in the middle of the path grazing. Now we were all told the rumors from town of a talking stag that lead a boy to almost drown in the frozen river while trying to sneak up on it. Message back to the Party and I decide to bypass around the animal and continue paralleling the path. The rest of the group decide to approach it. I turn and watch from afar as they seem to start to actually have a conversation with it! Can't make out much of what was said but suddenly the stag charges Yoska, goring him with his large antlers and simultaneously out of nowhere a fancy looking sprite stabs him in the back. The two sprites who had withdrawn from the previous ambush also appear to join in on the attack. Yoska falls from the combined surprise attack. Before I am able to rush back to lend support there is a blur of combat with Bras charging in and out with Typhoon dropping the stag, Zaas hexing and spellfire and Ratboy summoning eagles to bring down the fey. 

After reviving Yoska, we determine that we need to withdraw back to town before we can continue on. In passing the old trapped chest we discover a false bottom and a nice treasure hoard of weapons and armor! How did I miss that! Literally adding insult to injury! Damn fey! 

Points of interest from the DM:

•  With nightfall coming in a few hours, the party decided to head back to town to recoup and to check on the status of the cold iron weapons being made by Isker and his daughter Xanthippe.

•  After a full day in Heldren, the party headed back out to continue along the path to try and gain some clues as to who assaulted Lady Argentea Malassene and her caravan, and where she might be being held captive.

•  The Wanderers continued past the the site of the massacre and kidnapping, the trapped chest, and onward into the increasingly colder and snow covered woodlands.

•  With Dalomar in the lead, the party stopped as he observed some strange “ornamental” things hanging from the trees ahead.  As he gathered his thoughts, the party continued past him and they were engaged by some very well hidden foes with very small but very icy arrows.  Soon it was apparent that they were dealing with some diminutive and well hidden fey with the ability to fly and cast ‘color spray’ spells.  Several party members were knocked unconscious, but slowly the tide of battle changed as they awakened and drove the remaining two fey away.  Dalomar had stalked a grouping of glowing creatures that were summoned by one of the fey for most of the battle, but in the end they turned out to simply be figments of a ‘dancing lights’ spell.

• A few miles ahead the party encountered a talking stag who seemed quite friendly, but then, as the party tried to pass, charged and gored Yoska.  Simultaneously, with precision and incredible timing, an invisible fey who was flying nearby struck Yoska in the back.  Yoska went down after being dished this ‘one-two’ punch.  A battle ensued, with the previously retreating fey joining the fight, but the party in the end was victorious.

Session #1, from the journal of Sadobras:

S’been a breath of fresh air to get away from the Wanderers for ‘while. All that wanderin’ and nobody does nothin’. We didn’t get half a day away before things get interesin. Just as we started gettin nigh Heldren, we started to hearin’ some strange stories that were decidedly more interestin’ than most anything we done lately so we decided to put ‘r noses in the dirt. Firstin’, seems some noblewoman’s carriage been waylaid on a ‘portant trade road, which for some reason don’t seem to cause no ruckus. Apparently, she wer’nt from here so no’ne seemed to give a care. If that wern’t nuff, folks been wisper’n bout talking animals in the local. Sound’t’me that someone’s been getting a little too deep in the hooch. Fin’ly, much’n people belly achin’ bout winter comin’ early. Interesting’ly, odd weather get more ‘tention from the locals than talkin’ animals or bandit ambushes. Tis a strange lot ‘round ‘ere.

After ‘riving at Heldren, we finds out that that someone actually escaped the bandits and was convilescing right here in town. We gotta check that out. Turns out he was the Lady Argentina Malassene’s bodyguard, Yuln. Not too much of a bodyguard since he’s here and she isn’t, but I isn’t one ta judge. Went to go see him and he seems a bit off ‘is rocker to me. Kept talking about faeries and sprites from the forest that was freezing ever’body. I hasn’t heard no stories ‘bout Fey in these parts for hunerds, if not thoands of years, but he was definitely spooked and that got us spooked. If there’s fey in the area, and theys hostile, we beeter get r’selves some protection. After getting the approximate location of the shakedown, we heads to the smithy to see if we can get some weapons that put the fear in the fey... col’ arn.

Best decision ever! Smithy by the nam’o Isker Euphram not only has the col’ arn... he gots a daughter, Xanthippe, that’s hotter than his forge. Couldn’t take me ayes off ‘er when she came ‘round. I bet she likes ‘em short. Big thin’s and small packages n’ all. Anyways, we weren’t the only ones to notice. Seems like she gots a host of ‘mirers.

We put some coin down for col’ arn, buts decide to go head and sniff out the ambush site anyway. I reckin we just lookin for sumptin t’do. Boy’d we find it. Soon as Dalomar and me gets close enough to see the carriage, we knew somethin wern’t right. Scratching from the inside got me cat’s hackles all a quiver. Also looks like some statues nearby, but covered in ice like. Hells, come to think of it, it *is* right cold round here. Much more than back in town. Must’b a storm brewin’. Anyways, we call over the lads to investigate and prepare for the worst. Open the doors and, yep... thems zombies. Dead as all hell, but no less hungry. We get to whooping on ‘em an after a while we’s able to take ‘em all down.

Them ice statues isn’t statues at all... them’s people. Well sorta, anyways. They was people. Now theys just popsickles. One ‘em even missin’ ‘is arms. Whatever done this isn’t natural. I don’t know why we thought it a good ide’ to head deeper into them freezing woods, but we done it anyway. Dalomar and I scoutin’ up ‘head when outta nowhere comes a huge dragon. He moved so fast I couldn’t even get my point to ‘em and next thing I know... he’s chompin’ on me. Don’t a’member much after that, but I guess tha lads had a go at ‘im cause he’s dead and I’m still ‘ere. Is good to have mates ‘roun ‘ere. I’m thinkin’ we need to get back to town to pick up that col’ arn. I reckon it’s gonna be a long winter!!