Summary
The adventurers ventured into Queen Lia of Brambles’ tomb near Runewick in search of mythral armor that once belonged to Sunloc the Gilded, an elven champion. Their exploration was immediately met with peril when Richard fell victim to a pit trap. The situation grew tense as they encountered the Forest Trackers, hostile elven adventurers, leading to a heated confrontation with arrows flying and sleep spells being cast. The party attempted to defuse the situation by explaining their previous aid in freeing Queen Lia of Brambles from corruption.
During their time in the tomb, a peculiar creature known as a mephit mysteriously landed on Sagie’s bear-skull helmet. After departing the tomb and resting in Runewick, the group pursued a bounty on shambling mounds. Their hunt took an unexpected turn when an elven maiden ambushed their camp, deliberately luring two massive shambling mounds to their location. The situation became dire as the mounds attacked, nearly killing Jeffrey by engulfing him, while most of the party scattered into the woods, leaving Thru to face the terrible creatures alone.
The battle against the shambling mounds reached its climax with Darn Sackins delivering a spectacular finishing blow with massive damage. After their victory, the party collected heartwood essences from the defeated creatures and successfully claimed their bounty in Runewick. Their journey led them to Oakwood, where they encountered an enigmatic woman, ‘Granny’ who traveled with giant pigs. This mysterious figure traded magical truffle mushrooms for a mithril bracelet and, in an unexpected turn of events, transformed Darn Sackins into a raven, taking him away for training.
The remaining party members arrived in Oakwood, attempting to gather information about the Forest Trackers from local elves, though their efforts proved unsuccessful. In the town, they tried to deceive some elves in a tavern by claiming membership in a group called ‘the Svens.’ The party spent their downtime engaging in various activities, including carousing at taverns and studying the Celestial language. Their stay in Oakwood ended when a tavern brawl erupted with some local elves, resulting in the party being banned from one of the local establishments.
Scenes
Session Setup and Tomb Arrival
The party begins their adventure with new rules and arrives at Queen Lia’s Tomb, immediately encountering trouble with traps.
- DM announces new death rule mechanics where characters lose Constitution at 0 HP
- Characters introduce themselves and discuss previous adventures
- Party arrives at Queen Lia’s Tomb with its white marble doors and bronze blackberry vines
- Richard triggers a trap turning stairs into a slide
- Richard falls into a 20-foot pit and is rescued with rope
Elven Confrontation at the Tomb
The party faces hostile elves, The Forest Trackers, at Queen Lia’s Tomb while dealing with a mysterious mephit creature.
- Elven guards appear and confront the party
- Combat breaks out with arrows flying
- Elven priest attempts to cast command
- Jeffrey casts sleep on some elves
- A mephit perched on Sagie’s helmet
- Party attempts to negotiate about freeing Queen Lia of Brambles
- The party is forced to retreat from the tomb
Shambling Mound Hunt
The party’s rest in Runewick is interrupted by an Elven Maiden leading shambling mounds to their camp, resulting in a dangerous battle.
- Party arrives in Runewick and purchases a ‘blessed’ mirror for 20 gold
- Elven maiden lures shambling mounds to the party’s camp
- Jeffrey gets engulfed by a mound and nearly dies
- Party scatters into the woods
- Jeffrey’s magic missile causes one mound to explode
- Darn Sackins performs a spectacular backstab from a tree
- Party collects magical heartwood essences with Sylvan glyphs
- Logging consortium pays 100 gold bounty for the mounds
Granny’s Deal and Tavern Troubles
The party encounters a mysterious Granny and later causes trouble in Oakwood’s taverns while dealing with local elves.
- Granny appears with two enormous truffle-hunting pigs
- She trades magical mushrooms for a mythral bracelet
- Granny transforms Darn Sackins into a raven for training
- Party deceives elves by claiming to be ‘the Svens’
- Characters receive 100 gold and magic mushrooms
- Fancy Richard learn new skills including Celestial language
- Tavern brawl breaks out with local elves
- Party gets banned from a tavern in Oakwood
NPCs
Queen Lia of Brambles
A deceased elven queen whose tomb the party is exploring, previously freed from corruption by the party.
Forest Trackers
A group of five hostile elves, including two in chainmail and three in leather armor, one as a forest god priest, defended the tomb from perceived defilers. They are described as rash in their judgments and have been encountered in the forest.
Elven Maiden
A hostile elf who deliberately lures shambling mounds to attack the party’s camp, showing a mocking attitude toward them.
Elven Priest
A hostile cleric encountered in the tomb who demands to know the party members’ names and accuses them of being tomb robbers.
Granny
A mysterious woman with magical powers who owns giant truffle-hunting pigs. She makes deals and can transform people, showing signs of being a fae creature.
Locations
Runewick
A logging village with a contentious relationship with local elves, plagued by forest creatures and hampered by goblin, orc, and troll activity that affects trade. The party rests, purchases supplies, and claims bounty here for defeating shambling mounds. Known to be hostile to elves.
Queen Lia’s Tomb
An elven tomb with white marble stairs and bronze decorations, containing multiple sepulchers and trapped entrances.
Forest Camp
A cold, frosty campsite in the woods where the party is ambushed by shambling mounds.
Oakwood
A settlement with multiple taverns where the party seeks information about the Forest Trackers from local elves and eventually gets into trouble.
Spells
Sleep
Cast during the confrontation, successfully incapacitating some elves.
Burning Hands
Cast against a shambling mound but proved ineffective, leaving only the vaguest scorch marks.
Magic Missile
Cast against the shambling mounds, one of the few spells that seemed to have any effect on them.
Detect Magic
Used to identify magical properties in the heartwood essences from the defeated shambling mounds.
Items
Magic Wood Staff
A staff made of special wood carried by one of the party members, recognized by the elves as significant.
Mythral Armor
The objective of the party’s quest was supposedly buried with Sunloc the Gilded, Queen Lia of Brambles’s champion.
Blessed Mirror
A mirror purchased in Runewick for 20 gold pieces, supposedly blessed to protect against elven magic.
Heartwood Essences
Magical items recovered from defeated shambling mounds, marked with Sylvan glyphs meaning ‘vengeance’ and ‘carnage’, worth 50 gold each.
Magical Truffles
Mushrooms that can transform the consumer into a harmless farm animal for one hour while retaining their mind, obtained from Granny.
Dubious Heroes 
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