Against the Underworld Treants

[Quasqueton]

The following is a game journal written by one of the Players in my campaign. The campaign takes place on a newly discovered continent, Novus Terrarum (the New World). The continent is mostly vast wilderness with colonists slowly bringing civilization. The PCs are currently in an ancient forest where elven colonists have been settling.

This journal takes up sort of in the middle of the campaign. The previous group of PCs encountered a fiendish treant in an underground grove (part of an underground temple to the elements), and was slaughtered. Only the PC druid escaped the battle. This druid's story was picked up on by another group of adventurers (new PCs), and the new group (with the druid) took up the adventure where the previous group fell. "Day 1" of this journal is actually several days into the revival of the campaign. The PCs have re-explored the elemental temple and slain the evil treant that wiped out the previous group.

See this thread http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=71264 for discussion of the two battles.

The PCs:

The narrator is Bjorn Fellhander -- human barbarian1/cleric4 of Pelor.

Brianna Fellhander -- human fighter 4

Captain Jack Morgan -- human bard 5

Lillyricky -- elf rogue 5

Garrick Ashheart -- gnome wizard 5
w/ raven familiar (Zoltan), and riding dog

Kellen Oakbond -- human druid 6
w/ badger companion


I'm posting the journal just as the Player/PC wrote it. Some of the "facts" are a bit skewed by the PC's view of the world, himself, and his comrades (especially his sister).

[Note: the boar mentioned in the journal is an awakened dire boar sent with the party by the local high druid to keep an eye on Kellen -- in a parole officer kind of way. (Long story unto itself.)]

 

[Quasqueton]

Journal Entry

Bjorn Fellhander ~ Day 1 ~ Brother, I am writing this journal to you so that there will be a record of my time in the New World. Father died today. At least in my mind he died today. He actually passed away 3 months ago. His death and reflection on all our lives has lead me to this journal. Brianna brought the news, as you well know, arriving no worse for wear. Why she was sent I will never know…. unless it was because she was all you could spare. I miss you brother. Mother’s death during Brianna’s birth was hard on all of us. I must confess I blamed our sister for many years…many of our brothers never forgave her for it. She did not have an easy time of it in a house full of warriors. She always kept to herself…. always a book in hand. Not sure where she found them. Certainly not in our home.

Although First Son of Father’s house…I do not relish the job as Clan leader...some people of the land drool at the thought of Father’s death. And my being abroad does not help our family one bit. The other more wealthy families may try to seize control of the clan. Truth be told there is not much left of our lands and fortune to be taken…. and only the 11 of you to hold back the tide of the usurpers.

I still remember what father told me before I left…. almost a year ago today. “First son, you must go abroad and gain glory for our family and clan…our lands are decreasing and with it our Strength and power. I have been forced to sell off much of it to sustain the people through the past harsh winters and for favors to remain Lord of our clan. Frostbeard and his ilk are like wolves nipping at our heels…they thirst for our downfall. We must increase our wealth and gain back what we have lost. You must leave your study with Brother Martin and go to the New World…find glory for our Clan and return to me son.” I will return to Nestaria, brother, and bring Glory and honor to us all.

Bjorn Fellhander Day 2 ~ My sister is insane. Cavorting around with a Wolf…..I’ve never understood that…. not the mention the mutt peed on my backpack one day…he’s lucky I didn’t catch him at it. I would be wearing some fur boots.

Bjorn Fellhander Day 3 ~My sister has learned well the ways of war…She is fast and fierce…a true war-maiden. Although I will not tell her as much…. her Ego is already out of control. We are on the road towards the Treant’s cavern. We have decided to journey without our horses…. although wise because of past experiences…It is hell on my feet…if I have to remove another stone from my boot…..I may have to saddle up this Dire Boar and ride him to the cavern. <More on the dire boar in the enclosed letters>

Bjorn Fellhander Day 6 ~My feet hurt still…. and the boar does not seem receptive to my saddling idea.

Bjorn Fellhander Day 7 ~ We arrived at the mouth of the cavern today to find the earth scorched…. there was a battle here…A group of elves and one man fought many twig blights on this site. The cowards were fearful of entering the cave though. I don’t blame them really. Elves have never been that sturdy to me. As you well know very few live in the Northlands of Nestaria. This group has lost two of their members already to the twig blights. May Pelor protect them. We will enter the cavern in the morning. May Pelor protect us.

Bjorn Fellhander Day 8 ~ We ventured into the cavern today. In the undergrove <more on that later> we encountered an evil Treant and his animated sylvan friends. This Treant was not as intimidating as the last one…but none the less hardy. We we’re exhausted after the battle…. we actually left almost immediately….until one of us realized we never searched around. Especially since one of the Treants companions was a Rat creature of indeterminate origin. I do believe he put a spell on us…because we normally wouldn’t have passed up a chance to find clues about the Twig blight situation. Strange. I’m tired…. I must rest. Pelor protect our slumber.

Bjorn Fellhander Day 9~ You won’t believe this brother. We returned to the undergrove the next day only to find yet another evil Treant…(thankfully we met a benevolent Treant earlier in the day so we could tell the difference). We dispatched the Treant handily…. and Brianna was magnificent. I see your training in her. Kellen (a Druid companion of mine) told us that the Twig blights <I’ll tell you all about that in the enclosed letter> spring up from seeds on the ground. It was nice of him to share that information…. two days in. We found hundreds of these seeds in the undergrove. So we built a pyre…. and burned the whole place down to embers. We are currently waiting for the smoke to clear so that we may venture further in the underground passages.

Bjorn Fellhander Day 10 ~ The smoke is heavy in the cavern…. choking thick smoke…the smell was a bit putrid as well. The foul smell of an ancient evil…. I do not like that place. The undergrove was 90% burnt when we returned…we went and investigated the water filled hallway…. it appears to have been a bathing or swimming room for the elemental temple. Pelor allowed us to breathe water for a time and the rush of the liquid through my lungs was invigorating…. Reminded me of the cold lakes of Mount Vesnia…. (Except less man eating eels HaHa) Captain Jack did not need Pelor’s assistance in this matter…he is proving to be an interesting creature our Jack. He must be a wizard of some power to go along with his troubadour skills. We eventually decided to carry on through the right tunnel. We walked for what seemed like hours…. Until a gentle slope became a steep incline. We half slid…half climbed down the slope until it opened up into a medium sized cavern with 3 exits. There were creatures down here both wondrous and dangerous. Mushroom shaped creatures that spewed out vapors that could enthrall the simple minded. Many of my companions either feinted from freight or we’re enthralled…even our little sister was swayed by the creatures…although she has always had a fascination with creatures and beasts. I felled the creature that had enthralled Briana…. and moved on to two others that had the rest of our group. Captain Jack was agile and quick…. and helped me to dispatch one. Brianna recovered well and took on two at once…. felling both. I was able to dispatch the last one as we all tried to breathe easier. Several of the animals (its like a river at sunset around here) and a couple of my companions needed prodding to come out of their cowardly slumber.

The whole time we were there a ball of light had been floating around the cavern. We thought nothing of it until we saw signs of intelligence from it. It was not a magical beast, spell effect, magical item, construct or poisonous. That we did know. It was however faintly evil…. and sort of interesting. As we were deciding what to do with it…. it seemed to be trying to lead us down a path. We can never let evil lead us anyway…so I attempted to slay it. I threw a dagger at it…. glancing it. It flew at me at a breakneck speed and slammed into me with a shocking type explosion. Others fell to the ground from the thunderous clash. I stood my ground like the grand statue of Ulric in the Town Square…. I weathered this creature’s storm. Casting some defensive magic my first thought was of my injured friends…. I quickly helped them up…. many of them drooling on my furs from their shock. Seeing my comrades in this state angered me so. I slashed at the creature time and again…. beating it back into a corner. A couple of people from the party through some cantrip style spells at it…. but it was my ferocity that scared the creature into nothingness. Sister has stated that she will begin to document measurements of this cavern and detailed drawings and descriptions of the creatures we encounter. I will ask if she will send a copy with my letters. Tomorrow we go back into the mushroom creature cave…. and hopefully we can decide which doorway to take. Although that may take all day.

to be continued. . .