The chronicle record
Session recap
The air was thick with tension as Fangwood Six descended into the fort's Basement, their mission clear: rescue a Cirieo Thessaddin prisoner and uncover the hidden Herbal Liquors. Upon reaching the lower level, they were met with a formidable skinstitch called Bughous, a construct capable of unleashing swarms of wasps. Wren, sensing the danger, retreated, but Bruneg charged forward, striking the construct and triggering a swarm that filled the air with buzzing chaos. Recognizing the construct's vulnerability to fire, Finnetharyn Fimbleshanks began a battle song, rallying the group to destroy the threat.
The battle escalated as the construct retaliated, slashing Bruneg and grotesquely stitching itself with strips of his skin. Arsène joined the fray, striking the construct and releasing another swarm of wasps. Wren struggled against the onslaught, her shortsword proving ineffective as the swarms stung Gundugar Herdtender and Vendel Coldblade. Despite his injuries, Bruneg pressed the attack, while Gundugar hurled alchemist's fire into the swarms, igniting them and singeing Wren. The fight reached a fever pitch until Vendel delivered the final blow to the construct, ending the immediate threat.
After tending to Bruneg's wounds, the party explored their surroundings, noting the smell of cooking meat wafting from the east. They discovered a ghostly merchant in a low-ceilinged Office but chose to prioritize the rescue of the living prisoner. Kicking open the kitchen door, they interrupted two Satyrs bickering over food, negotiating their departure after lunch. In the basement, Gundugar found a drunken fey among crates, which they sent away after informing it of Halk's demise. They searched the crates, finding Herbal Liquors but deciding to leave them for later. Using the keys they had found, they opened the cell doors to a horrific sight: manacles, corpses, and a weak Cirieo Thessaddin prisoner who had lost a leg. After freeing him, he recounted the attack on the fort by Ironfang Legion and a dragon, expressing his desire for a weapon. Bruneg provided him with a makeshift crutch, and the Cirieo Thessaddin agreed to their plans for the fort as a refuge.
Returning to the ghost's room, the ghost requested assistance with its Ledger. Finnetharyn cleverly offered illusory hands but ultimately retrieved the ledger himself. After a lengthy review, the ghost accepted Finnetharyn's Golden Moon Dagger as payment, vanishing once the transaction was complete. With the ghost gone, the group prepared to secure the upper floor, learning from the Cirieo Thessaddin that Atomies occupied one side of the fort. Upon ascending the stairs, they encountered four tiny flying Atomies who demanded to know their purpose. The party asserted their claim over the fort, leading to a confrontation. The atomies, refusing to back down, challenged the party to combat. Finnetharyn opened the battle with performance magic, but the atomies retaliated, using their needle-like weapons and magical abilities to shrink some party members. Despite the challenges, the party pressed on, targeting the weakened Atomies. After a fierce battle, the atomies were defeated, and the party searched their room, finding nothing of note. Moving on, they opened a northern door to face a large, axe-wielding fey. Bruneg engaged the creature, sustaining heavy damage, but Vendel healed him just in time. The party worked together to exploit the fey's weaknesses, ultimately defeating it after a series of strategic strikes.
With the last major defender vanquished, the party cleared the remaining upper rooms, finding only ransacked storage and ranger quarters. They returned to the leprechauns with a box of herbal liquor, which was gratefully accepted. The fort stood cleared of hostile occupants, and the rescued Cirieo Thessaddin had settled into the kitchen, preparing food as the group contemplated their next steps in this newly claimed stronghold.