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For Whom the Outpost Tolls

2024-Mar-02

  • Rulkorf is being hoisted up into the trees by the hand, which is stuck to a mango by a fine sticky webbing. He uses the ring to notify Rowan so the paladin can get back to camp
    • Kleb is having a nightmare about being sent back to military school but wakes up from the intrusive thoughts from the ring. He immediately hops on his broom and flies up to meet Rulkorf midair
    • Kleb fails to cut the spider silk with his sword, so Rulkorf turns himself into a spider in order to free himself from the adhesive
  • The spiders do not attack and the rest of the night passes without incident
  • The group sets out again on the river in the morning
    • At Kleb’s urging, Rulkorf re-attunes with the soul lantern in order to ask “A” some questions
    • The spirit seems a bit broken, perhaps from being alone for so long. He is not particularly cooperative
  • Kleb spots a dock up ahead protruding from the bank. There are people manning the walls of this structure
    • After the party has a quick strategy meeting, Rowan makes Kleb invisible for another scouting attempt. From the broom, he spots about 30 people in a settlement, most of whom are armed. There are no children but there are some older folks
    • Kleb eavesdrops on some conversations, investigates the forge, and sits in on the preparations for an expedition. A group is apparently heading to parley with a nearby goblin camp, some guy named Mark is being onboarded, and Bellamy appears to be in charge
    • He also sees boats moored on the far side of the structure, and notes that they do not match the form factor of the pirates’ ships earlier
  • The party uses Rowan’s extra set of flowy pants as a truce flag, and approach the settlement, making themselves known
    • The guards on the battlements give their spiel, specifying that they pose no immediate threat and offer their fires and food to share. However, further travel upriver requires a toll of 15% of the party’s wealth
    • Bellamy is friendly and welcomes them all into the settlement to break bread. He mentions that they cleared out this side of the river from undead, and seek to preserve the jungle
      • As an alternative to payment, he says that the party can aid the settlement in some task. Specifically, 4 hostages were taken by the Yellyark goblins and need rescuing (in addition to others not from the settlement). A fifth had been taken but is no longer living
      • A guide/observer will accompany the party on this quest. Bellamy confirms that the goblins have some means of detecting people nearby, and their leader (Queen Grabstab) has some sort of magical artifact. Additionally, the goblin camp is rigged to fling the whole setup to safety if triggered, likely leaving the hostages behind