Jerrid’s Journal
Entry 2 – we found a magical pearl inside a hollow rock. That rock was part of a grinning skull rock formation, one of its teeth. They are going to work out what it does soon.

Entry 3 – wolfspider in the night! It attacked from the trees, its fangs poisoning Leoven. Janna helped him quickly while Damien raised the alarm. Then everyone sprang into action, as it skulked back up into the trees. Hit and hit again the monstrous brute changed tack and leapt down only to be hammered and sliced by the combined attacks of the soldier bard, the drow holy warrior and my friend Astor.

Entry 4 – that night Janna explained about a mage Eralion who wished to become an undead monster, a liche. He found the story in a library but another ambitious wizard called Vortigern was also after that knowledge. Janna has an enrtance key for the home of Eralion, an amulet, and so has come to take Eralion’s staff and texts into care before someone more corrupted like Vortigern does the same.

Entry 5 – as we approached Fairhill there was an unfortunate farm. With the family scattered and cut down, slaughtered young and old. Then just as we started to investigate the woods came alive with orcblood archers and Vortigern made the dead rise up against us. His familiar, Talon turned into a flying devil and tried to take Eralion’s amulet from Janna’s body while the rest of us fought hard. Kevezyat also fell and things looked bleak when Astor came into his own. The soldier bard and his sergeant claimed several victims and Leoven used divine power to harm the skeletons and zombies. Unbeknownst to anyone, Samduc the halfling boy foiled Talon the imp and saved the amulet while Vortigern and his familiar made their escape. We rested in the farm overnight while people had a chance to heal their wounds.

Entry 1 – Janna is leading us (Astor, Damien, Jerrid, Kevezyat, Samduc and Vhillish) from Reme to Bards Gate. It turns into a wet and muddy trudge broken up by cold camps and dreary waystations. Then a local Sheriff rides up fast with two knight’s, Gerard (honourable) and Brodrick (rude) heading for an important meet at the next stockade. They have left 8 footmen behind in melee with an unusually determined and cunning band of gnolls such is the importance of their mission – they do mention a valuable item as the reason for their leaving men behind.
We decide to wait for the infantry and camp for a few hours. Woken by shouts we too are attacked by a few gnolls. I kill one with acid and he falls off the cliff. Finding 3 bound footmen still alive our relief is short lived as the gnoll leader (a shaman and his owl) tries to ambush us. He dies in the mist although Kevezyat does fall. The name of Gerard should get us entry into the next waystation…
There we meet up with a healer of Thyr, Leveon, and he joins our band by reviving Kevezyat. So the sheriff thanks us by giving Vhillish a letter. A letter!

Summary of events so far:

*The newly formed fellowship set out from The Starving Stirge, in the City of Reme, on the Second Wodinsday of the Tenth Month.

*The journey took them East, on the Great Merchant Tradeway, which connects Reme to Bard’s Gate, and Freegate beyond.

*On the first night they camped at some unspecified location. Janna as yet had remained secretive about her purpose, saying only that they were travelling to the village of Fairhill, which lies about midway between Reme and Bard’s gate.

*Promises were made to reveal more when Reme was further behind them.

*Thyrsday was blighted by insufferable rain. In the afternoon, the Drow caught a brace of game hen. Hungry, but with no comfortable place to start a fire, the party pressed on.

*After dusk, the well-trained gnome, no stranger to life on the road, spotted a clearing beyond the treeline, abutting a cliff-face sure to provide some relief from the deluge of rain. At the same time this discovery was made, riders on horse-back were heard approaching from the direction they had come.

*The party succeeded at hiding themselves in the clearing as the riders approached. They were recognized as a Sheriff and two Knights, the standard mounted component of a patrol unit from the Grand Dutchy of Waymarch.

*Confident he could pass himself off as a human child in distress, the halfling Samduc revealed himself. The deep gnome was able to employ magic to achieve the same illusion, but chose to observe from the wood. The others opted to join Samduc on the road.

*The diplomatic prowess of Damien, the charm of Janna, and the military experience of Vhillish were brought to bear, winning over the Sheriff and Knights to disclose sensitive information about activity in the field, and promise them an escort by footmen and admission to the waystation that lay ahead along the road.

You have traveled two days from Reme with your newfound companions. Rain and cloudy weather have marred your travels since you left, slowing your pace and forcing you to keep off the main road and travel under the eaves of the light woods to the north of the tradeway.

It seems odd at this time of year to have such strange weather. Sunshine can be seen on the far horizon, and you all have a feeling that something is amiss, as if a dark cloud is following you from Reme.

Each of you thinks back to the Starving Stirge — the inn where you formed your fellowship. You shift your packs, which seem even heavier in the rain, and recall the notice: “Seeking companions for the road, to share in glory and gold.” As you look down at your muddy boots, perhaps some of you would gladly trade the promises of gold for dry clothes and a warm fire.