It’s a warm, quiet night. Icoriol the elf stays awake while the rest sleep. His alarm spell keeps them safe from dangers. But, for an instant, the shafts of moonlight through the trees wink out, for just a fraction of a second.
The sound of heavy rustling and an impact nearby confirm the elf’s fears: something large and flying has just landed nearby. Then, the alarm sounds.
Looming into view as everyone wakes up, a hideous beast with a long neck, white scaly flesh and a long barbed stinger poised over it’s head, ready to strike. The wyvern hisses and snaps. It’s here for a meal.
Lobsang has brief success warding it away with a torch, but the thing is as big as their whole party combined. It leaps, narrowly missing as everyone leaps out of the way. When it lands, it stabs out with it’s stinger. The stinger plunges into Castamirs stomach, lifting him off his feet and throwing him into the swamp. The wyvern grabs it’s prey, and with a few great beats of it’s wings, carries it off into the night.
Castamir is dead, slain by a wild wyvern, the hallmark beast of Orthos.
With little time to grieve, the party sets off the next morning, eager to finish their quest and return home.
Emerging from the swamp forest and up a muddy hill, the group spots a camp amongst what looks like a giant ribcage sticking out of a hill across the way. Cursory investigation reveals a beastman settlement!
Beastmen, historical enemy of Orthos, from the northern witch kingdom of Awn. They’ve built a foothold here, across the border.
With their toad-man ally and Icoriols ability to shape flames, they burn down the central tower of the camp, scattering the beastmen who flee into the swamp. The beastmans chest is theirs, along with it’s gold, magic sword and a mysterious letter.
“I cannot understand your consistent denial of my offer. Our partnership can only be for the betterment of chaos! Perhaps the offering attached to this letter will encourage you to reconsider. Sincerely, V.”
Lobsang interacts with some caged cursed-frogs whose gaze can steal memories. The toad-man stabs them into mush through the bars of their cage.
Unable to carry all of their treasure, they leave some buried in the iron chest next to a boulder nearby.
Proceeding south, there’s a distant spotting of disinterested goblins before the group arrives at a small island in the center of The Feeding River. It’s inhabited by toad-men.
After learning of trafficking in a cave to the south, the group convinces some frog men to accompany them to the cave (a few of their own have been taken and eaten)
They arrive at nightfall and set up a camp. In the morning, 14 caves look down on them from the hills. Gruffie Mayhem spots a group of small doggish creatures hiding in the trees a hundred or so feet away, slings at the ready.
The frogs are itching for a fight, and they get one. Lobsang is knocked unconscious by sling stones, but revived by the elf. Due to luck (or the inexperience of their attackers) the group manage to rip apart the kobolds, which are devoured by the toads.
They turn their attention to the cave. Lobsang scouts, spotting 6 kobolds poised with spears having heard the commotion from outside.
The elven artificer suggests constructing an effigy as distraction. It works. The effigy triggers a pit trap and is swarmed by kobolds, but real toad-men are waiting just around the corner. Their spears bite into kobold flesh. Leading the charge are Lobsang and the elf. Lobsang succumbs to previous injuries, falling unconscious. Gruffie tends to him while the elf finishes off the last of the kobolds.
The toads lose one, but their victory brings with it a warriors zeal. They want to press on, keep the fight going, but the party are injured and now without spells. They call for a retreat, but the frogs almost fail to listen. Gruffie Mayhem reminds them of her status as a great warrior bequeathed by their king.
They are left with a choice: push on with their army, or retreat to town to mourn dead companions, and rest.