S36: The Road to Milbin Halfwick

Waking up in Alora’s (crowded) hut the group is refreshed and invigorated to start the next day. As they emerge they see Benny standing unnaturally still in wait. With a whir of his internal components he springs to life asking if the group would need any further help. Mokon begins to question him about his ability to store energy in a “battery” -- Benny responds with great potential in the subject and with solar power. The crew then takes their leave heading to Milbin’s residence at the base of the northern Pillar Mountains.

The trek to Milbin’s will take 2-3 days depending on the activities during the trek. Since they will be very close to the Blightish Swamp they perform a very speedy check for grubs with little luck. Their first priority is thick ogre leather so they opt to visit the swamp for a more thorough search later and continue forward with their plan. 

As they walk, Dorus once again urges Torin to test out his magical prowess. He does so eagerly, allowing for a Torin-Says game of mammaric proportions with Alora. Mokon takes a little time to converse with Kruss asking him to answer one question per party member. He reluctantly agrees. The crew gleans little information from the less than charismatic Kruss except the fact that his only master before Mokon was the Black Pearl and he had performed less than honorable deeds in his previous life. 

When close to Benny’s ogre cave estimation Dorus and Mokon begin to smell rot -- old blood and dead fish. Following their nose they find an encampment featuring a large cauldron of an unknown substance, piles of mostly picked clean bones, and an entrance to a cave. A quick sweep of the area with Fey’s feywild owl and the ghostly Kruss reveal very little other than a passage through the ceiling of the cave with many pumpkins, a couple humming wicker baskets, and a red curtain. Stealthily (thanks to Nom) the group proceeds. Alora and Mokon stay outside to fend off any sneaky attacks. The rest venture inside the dank abode. With little remorse, Fey makes an abandoned fishing pole her own before venturing inside herself. Once inside the group still sees no signs of life. The home seems habitable if not rough in aesthetic. Broken beds, a destroyed bureau, and a rusted tub filled with vegetables. Behind the red curtain (as seen by Fey’s owl) reveals a quaint pumpkin patch and two hunny bee hives. Dorus helps himself to some fresh honey. Outside Alora takes a better look at the contents of the cauldron -- the smell is quite nice with chunks of white meat, pumpkin, and various vegetables floating within. 

With Kruss’ council the group decides to ambush the inhabitants of the cave -- anticipating an ogre sort. Nom, being one with the forest and tracking, finds two large beings and a hooved creature footprints who left only hours ago. They lie in wait for very little time before heavy footsteps are heard approaching the camp. Two large ogres appear through the forest wall along with a small white and black cow. The creatures speak to one another in guttural tones. Fey and Alora have the same idea of casting a spell to understand the giant beasts. Their discussion consists of killing, eating, and home. One of the ogre’s has a protruding stomach and is smaller than the second. The larger more muscular ogre speaks with a much more gruff voice and seems to be quicker to temper. A small cow follows along seemingly quite content in its role. The smaller ogre sits beside the fire to attend the cauldron. The larger ogre makes his way inside the cave. The BOP lie in wait -- unseen and unnoticed. 

Moments later the gruff ogre growls from within its lair. “Someone has disturbed our home -- I can smell them still -- they are here. Come out!” The beastly ogre bursts from the cave entrance running his large spiked club through the closeby brush barely missing Mokon head. Alora, feeling these ogres are not all bad breaks from her hidden position to, hopefully, speak with her potential foe. As she does so the larger male quickly approaches her only momentarily listening to her plea before wildly swinging his spiked club over her head -- clumsily he loses his grip on the weapon as it clatters to the ground. He quickly recovers, grabbing Alora by the shirt, lifting her feet off the ground. 

“Leave. Leave Now.” the guttural words come bellowing forth, his maw inches away from Alora’s face. Dorus, worried for his friend, springs to action charging his unsuspecting assailant knocking him to the ground. The smaller ogre watches as her friend/partner/baby-daddy (you don’t know) falls to the ground in shock. Repositioning his large body the ogre stands up ordering the other to go into the cave and gestures accordingly. He then follows suit backing up into the cave entrance. 

Many of the members of the BOP want to attack and take the ogre’s skin as requested. Some want to take a gentler, less stabby-stabby approach and leave. Alora eventually talks the rest of the party into leaving, casting an illusory wall of rock at the cave entrance to make sure the ogres and someone named Ambi inside. As the crew departs with ogre lives intact an upset Nom kicks over the cauldron of stew letting everyone know she isn’t happy. She also leaves a very apparent trail of dirt and olfactory hints for the ogres to follow -- if they feel the need to die.

The crew walks for a couple hours before breaking for camp.

With Dorus’ prodding, Torin once again envisions “cheese” (well round things anyway) and instantly a giant table filled with delicious delicacies. The crew begins to eat with ferocity unable to stop. Squirrels, rabbits, mice, and all kinds of wild creatures begin to enter the clearing and partake in the feast. Including a strange looking sentient plant creature with a long protruding neck and spikes green tentacles. Everyone ate… almost unaware of each other’s presence. When the feast was gone the woodland creatures startle and quickly leave. Nom and Fey see an opportunity to hunt, tracking down the quickly moving plant. They find it easy enough. A battle ensues with the bark covered creature having little success against its two very capable foes. As a last ditch effort the vine monster casts a spell that momentarily slows its attacker's pursuit, almost giving it enough time to escape. Unfortunately, the momentary pause was not long enough as it soon succumbed to Nom and Fey’s attacks.

The two hunters come back to the site victorious with a tough-hide-covered creature in tow. The crew then rests soundly in Alora’s hut. The morning comes all too soon as does the continuation of the trek to Milbin’s.

Soon after the trek begins the smell of death once again infiltrates the team’s olfactory senses -- this time much stronger and pungent. Could it be more ogres? The BOP decide to find out. Approaching the nauseating odor Nom scouts ahead. Nom comes to a clearing littered with thousands of bloated corpses and gallons of thick drying blood. The bodies (at least the ones in a lesser state of decomposition) seem fully intact with no signs of trauma -- strange. She calls her friends forward. A dark cave lies to the east. To get a closer look, Fey's owl takes flight, finding little in the way of danger. They stealtfully approach the cave finding this black ichor writhing up and down the cave walls -- with a darkness so intense it almost pulls the light from the immediate area and shows little reflection. After short deliberation the group enters. Kneeling in the back of the cave facing the wall, a figure in a black cloak. Dorus approaches, making himself known. There is no response. Alora tries in hopes of a different outcome.

A familiar albeit faintly alien response is heard. “I wondered when you were going to find me.”