Kingmaker: Ep. 37

The Owlbear Adventurers traveled from Fort Owlbear to the northern trade post of Ottoburg, tasked with investigating rumors of a monstrous infant. Along the way, they were joined by Bob, a Tengu ranger. Upon arrival, they found the small settlement in ruins, its palisade wall torn asunder by what the terrified leader, Otto, described as a colossal owlbear. This beast had slaughtered four guards and all the town’s livestock before vanishing east.

Putting aside their initial quest, as the strange baby had reportedly died shortly after birth, the party focused on the immediate threat. Bob’s skilled tracking led them through the rainy grasslands to a large hill containing the creature’s lair. After Bob was ambushed by giant centipedes during a tense scouting mission, the group chose to approach through a smaller, web-choked secondary entrance. This led to a fierce battle with two giant spiders, during which Keston was tragically paralyzed by venom for two long hours.

Once Keston recovered, the adventurers devised a clever plan. They gathered kindling to create a fiery barricade, then lured the massive, all-black owlbear into the spider’s den. The battle was desperate; the beast was blinded by Izzy’s magic but still managed to wound several party members severely. In a stunning display of strength, Keston shoved the twenty-foot-tall monster backward into the blazing fire. With the creature burning and disoriented, the party pressed their attack, and a final kinetic blast from Buford obliterated its head.

Searching the lair, they discovered not a nest of a simple beast, but a collection of strange, twig-and-vine mannequins and a sealed funerary urn bearing the word ‘uneasiness’ in Primordial. Returning to Ottoburg, their suspicions fell upon the new midwife, who grew defensive and fled when confronted. The mystery of the monstrous owlbear was solved, but it seems to have uncovered a far more sinister plot involving a deceptive hag and the poor, sickly mother of the deceased child.

OUTLINE:

Arrival at Ravaged Ottoburg

• The party traveled north from Fort Owlbear and was joined by Bob, the Tengu Ranger.
• They arrived at Ottoburg to find the palisade destroyed and the townsfolk in mourning.
• Otto, the leader, explained a colossal owlbear had attacked, killing guards and livestock.
• The party learned the ‘mutant baby’ they came to investigate had died shortly after birth and was buried by the new midwife.

Tracking the Beast to its Lair

• The party decided to hunt the owlbear, following its obvious tracks eastward.
• Bob discovered satyr tracks that had briefly followed the owlbear’s path.
• The trail led them to a large hill with a cave entrance, the owlbear’s den.
• Bob scouted an alternate, smaller entrance on the far side of the hill, which was filled with spider webs.

Infiltration and Spider Ambush

• While scouting the main cave, Bob was attacked by four giant centipedes but escaped.
• The party decided to enter through the web-filled tunnel to gain a tactical advantage.
• Burning the webs lured out two giant spiders, sparking a dangerous battle in the tight corridor.
• Keston was bitten by a spider and paralyzed for two hours, forcing the party to defend him while finishing the fight.

The Battle with the Colossal Owlbear

• After Keston recovered, the party planned to trap the owlbear.
• They lured the beast into the spider cave and used a flaming arrow to ignite a kindling barricade, blocking the exit.
• In the ensuing battle, Izzy blinded the owlbear.
• Keston performed an incredible feat of strength, shoving the 20-foot monster into the fire.
• The combined efforts of the party brought down the burning beast, with Buford delivering the final blow.

Uncovering a Sinister Plot

• The party searched the owlbear’s main chamber after the battle.
• They discovered strange, brittle mannequins shaped like women and marked with seasons in Primordial.
• They also found a sealed funerary urn inscribed with the word ‘uneasiness’.
• Returning to Ottoburg, they confronted the midwife, who acted suspiciously before fleeing, revealing herself as a hag.

NPCs:

• Ashla: A person the party rescued from a troll den in a previous session. She was interrogated by the troll king, Har Luga.
• Har Luga: The one-headed Troll King who interrogated Ashla. He rules the nearby Troll Haven.
• Otto: The leader and namesake of the Ottoburg trade fort. He is a beleaguered but resilient man trying to protect his small community from the dangers of the wilds.
• The Midwife: A woman who recently arrived in Ottoburg to serve as its midwife and healer. She is revealed to be a deceptive hag who orchestrated the owlbear attack.
• The Mother: The grieving mother of the infant who died. She has been left pale, weak, and sickly under the ‘care’ of the midwife following a difficult childbirth.

ITEMS:

• Mannequin Figures: Four human-sized, brittle figures made of wood, twigs, and vines, found destroyed in the owlbear’s nest. Each was marked on the forehead in Primordial with a different season: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.
• Owlbear Parts: Four item slots’ worth of valuable hide, claws, and feathers harvested from the colossal owlbear. They were sold for a total of 130 gold.
• Urn of Uneasiness: A sealed ceramic grave urn found in the owlbear’s lair. The wax seal is inscribed with the word ‘uneasiness’ in the Primordial language. It is the urn of the deceased infant.
• Woven Twine: A foot-long piece of tattered, fibrous twine found by Bob near the satyr tracks. It appears to be made of an unfamiliar material.

LOCATIONS:

• Fort Owlbear: The party’s current base of operations, a fortified position from which they launch their expeditions.
• Ottoburg: A small, developing trade fort two days north of Fort Owlbear. Originally just a palisade, it has grown with shanties and fields, but was recently devastated by an owlbear attack.
• The Owlbear’s Lair: A large hill with a network of caves inside. It served as the den for the colossal owlbear and contained strange ritualistic items related to the hag’s magic.

QUESTS:

• Hunt the Colossal Owlbear: A massive owlbear attacked the settlement of Ottoburg. The party was tasked with tracking and eliminating this threat.
• Uncover the Hag’s Plot: After investigating a ‘mutant baby’ and slaying the owlbear that attacked Ottoburg, the party discovered the town’s midwife was a hag who fled. They must now uncover the extent of her plans and bring her to justice.

PLAYER CHARACTERS

• Bob: A Tengu ranger from Vudrani who joined the party on their way to Ottoburg. As a crow-person, he is a skilled scout and woodsman, though his people are often distrusted for their wanderlust. His tracking skills proved invaluable in hunting the colossal owlbear.
• Buford Aleblood: A stoic and powerful warrior who channels lawful energy. He can gather his inner ‘chi’ to unleash devastating blasts of kinetic order that can fractalate his enemies. He joined the party after the death of a previous character.
• Izzy: An Oread priest from the distant land of Vudrani who worships Yemen. As a being of earth, he is sturdy and resolute. He recently helped cement an alliance between his homeland and the party’s sponsor, Lady Kremenko.
• Keston: A human paladin and proud father who worships Iroh, the Tea Maker. He is on a journey of self-improvement, seeking to find peace and leave behind his past as a scalawag. His immense strength allows him to perform incredible physical feats, like shoving a 20-foot owlbear.
• Klik-Tik: A Wey-Yang summoner, a small, grey-skinned being native to the Plane of Shadow. He is accompanied by his Eidolon, a massive dire wolf named Fluffy whose fur shifts through a spectrum of RGB colors. Klik-Tik himself is physically frail, preferring to stay in the middle of the group while his powerful companion wreaks havoc.
• Yohei: A Kitsune who has been with the party since the very beginning, acting as a thread of continuity. Cunning and sometimes morally ambiguous, he has established himself as a ‘Game of Thrones villain’ type, having once made a deal with a wendigo. Despite this, he is a capable and essential member of the group.