Session XXXVI - Long Time No See (2002-07-30)
Hadnir was happy to note that his skills had brought them back to Cador without further incidents.
After finding a place for the night, Hadnir and Gronthor started looking for people that could guide them through the Cursed Lands. As luck had it, they found Burd who had just missed a caravan. Burd had made his living as part time caravan guide, and knew the Cursed Lands fairly well. Also, Jobric showed up later with a half-orc mountain of muscle that was called Zig Zag, and old companion of Jobric's and Radagast's.
In the morning Hadnir and Gronthor went to sell the loot, only to discover that it had been stolen from some caravan earlier. The shopkeeper gave a small reward for the items anyway, and Gronthor bought a quality short bow (he needed to trade in his short sword as well). After stocking up the next morning the party set off again, this time following Burd's lead.
Burd lead the party first towards Lord Bjoric's lands, before cutting south through the Iron Claw orc areas. The idea was to avoid most of the orcs, especially the war bands. The strangest thing they saw on the first day was a hilltop with mirage like effect at the top. The arir was notably different in the area, more humid and it smelled of honey. One slope of the hill had a mile long swath of tall tongue several feet high slowly undulating on their own. The party gave wide berth to the field of tongues.
Before long they came to another field of tongues, which they decided to pass. The way was blocked by 3 plants that looked like they could move. That assessment turned out to be true, and the party had a short but fierce fight against the assassin vines. Gronthor collected their berries as he had heard it would make a good drink.
On the second day (Burd said they would spend some 15 days in the Cursed Lands) they came to a formation of stones that looked like an altar. It was surrounded on one side by elephant grass. The altar clearly felt evil, but even Hadnir was unable to detect any demons nearby. The party tried to cut through the elephant grass first, but the grass attacked humans! They had to go round it, hoping they would not meet the orcs that used the altar.
On the third day Burd announced that they would most likely take at least 16 days in the Cursed Lands because of delays they had had to make.
They rode through a field of white srawberries without even tasting them. Once again their progress was slowed down by a phenomena of the Cursed Lands: a dark cloud-like formation descending a hillside they were supposed to ride up. The formation resembled a crowned head with huge cloak flowing to the sides. The ground churned as the cloud passed, and once dead creatures rose from the ground and attacked all living things. The party made an about face, and rode as fast as they could, barely avoiding the strange storm.
Fourth day went without an incident. On the fifth day the party crossed the line of skullpiles again, which marked the territory of the Iron Claws. Burd figured they had veered too much south, and corrected the direction a bit. After about an hour of riding, they saw spears stuck to the ground with Iron Claw orc heads stuck on them. A hand was also nailed to the spear: the hand being a symbol of Vecna and probably the symbol of another orc tribe in this case.
That theory was proved correct a couple of hours later, as they met with a party of Severed Hand orcs. The orcs wanted the party to leave their lands, but Zig Zag talked with them and they agreed on a duel between Zig Zag and their leader to determine whether or not Zig Zag and his friends could cross their lands.
Zig Zag charged the leader, and both started exhanching killing blows while the rest of the orcs as well as the party made a circle and yelled for their champion. After the orc chief sundered Zig Zag's axe things started to look a bit bleak, but Zig Zag, hearing Gronthor's yelled advice, grappled the chief and used his armor spikes in a deadly bear hug. Zig Zag took the chief's axe, and the shocked orcs grudgingly acknowledged Zig Zag had won his free passage.
On the sitxth day they saw a huge bird flying overhead. As it started to circle down the party dismounted, and prepared for a desperate battle against the giant avian. The roc, however, was not interested in the party as it dove and snatched Gronthor's horse and flew away with its meal. Gronthor started riding with the spare horse, and loaded all the gear on Zig Zag's mule.
They were riding as fast as they could to get away from the roc's area. Briefly they saw a flock of flightless birds with scales instead of feathers, apparently feeding on a field of tongues. They were picking something from the tips of the tongues. "Honey," was Hadnir's guess.
The ground had become wetter, and there were certainly areas of genuine swamp around. Burd guided the party to a patch of drier land to set up camp. On the first watch they heard the sound of mosquitos. The stinging creatures were no ordinary nuisance though: these were huge! Once stung, they sucked the victim's blood at an alarming rate as Zig Zag, one of his wolves, and Burd experienced. Jobric said he could try to do something about it in the morning.
$50 discount!