The chronicle record
Session recap
As evening settled over the camp, The Party returned from the Orchard, their arms laden with apples to replenish dwindling supplies. Relief washed over the camp as Gundugar Herdtender's team had constructed additional shelter space, while others foraged provisions, stabilizing morale amidst the day’s challenges. Finnetharyn Fimbleshanks's survival team added a goat to their herd, further enhancing their resources.
The next morning, a frantic man approached, searching for his daughter, Mira, before continuing his search southward. Scouts had reported hobgoblins fortifying Phaendar, transforming it into a military site. Wren voiced concern that the missing father could inadvertently reveal the camp's location if captured, prompting The Party to pursue him southward. Wren led the search, with Finnetharyn assisting in tracking.
Their journey led them to a Clearing where they encountered a patrol of Xulgaths and a Giant Gecko. As the Xulgaths advanced, one beckoned Finnetharyn forward with a bag, but the gnome recognized the trap and retreated. The standoff escalated into a fight, with Finnetharyn casting the first spell. The Party coordinated their attacks, ultimately defeating the Xulgaths and the gecko. They discovered Tampered Feather Tokens on the Xulgaths, which could be used to locate a specific person, and Finnetharyn butchered the gecko for provisions.
Continuing their search, The Party followed tracks to the Riverbank below Phaendar, where they found evidence of destruction—most of the town's wooden buildings had been burned, and survivors were dismantling the rest. They observed hobgoblins fortifying the area, but the trail of the missing father vanished at the river's edge. With no clear path to follow, The Party shifted their focus to gathering resources for the camp.
After several hours of exploration, they stumbled upon a game trail leading to a Berry Patch. While Gundugar and Finnetharyn warned against the berries' bright color, Wren and Vendel Coldblade identified them as edible and sweet. As they began to harvest, the bushes revealed themselves to be Bramble Lashes, which attacked The Party with thorny strikes. Finnetharyn bolstered the group with bardic magic, while Wren identified the creatures' weakness to acid. The Party fought valiantly, Clearing the Berry Patch and returning to camp with a significant haul of provisions.
Back at camp, the workers constructed additional shelters, and morale dipped slightly as some still faced the cold. That night, The Party discussed the implications of the hobgoblins' fortifications, concluding that they intended to occupy Phaendar rather than merely raid it. They recalled the Logging Thorpe Of Gristledown to the northwest, deciding to investigate it the next day.
Before settling down for the night, Wren spotted a disoriented trader stumbling through the Woods. Recognizing him from Phaendar, The Party calmed him down and learned he had fled during the hobgoblin attack, spending days hiding in the forest. Despite his lack of survival skills, The Party allowed him to stay, though they rejected his suggestions for brightening the camp. They assigned him to tend the fire for the night.
The next morning, The Party set out toward Gristledown. After briefly losing their path, they corrected course and approached a Cave where they heard growling and laughter. Inside, they discovered Mitflits tormenting wolf cubs and a wounded girl. Wren quickly dispatched one mitflit at the entrance, and The Party charged in to confront the remaining attackers. While the others fought, Arsène tended to an injured wolf pup, bringing it back to its mother.
With the Mitflits defeated, the last survivor begged for mercy. Finnetharyn interrogated the creature about a matching boot and nearby loot, learning of a "Treasure House" marked on their map. The Party rescued the unconscious girl, spared the Wolf Family, and took the Surviving Mitflit prisoner to guide them to the Treasure House.