Episode 1: A Helping Hand

Using Golwen's familiar as a scout, the group makes its way northward. You step around thick trunks and climb over exposed roots, mindful of loose leaves or undergrowth. Thanks to Rhodrick's torch, those without darkvision are able to stick together and not get lost. The woods are silent, such that you can only hear the shifting of your equipment and your own heartbeat in your ears. You smell forest, mixed with the faint, yet dank odor of offal and dung.

You travel for about 30 minutes, and the woods seem to encroach upon your personal space more and more. The brush is thick, threatening to slow your progress as you try to maintain a stealthy pursuit. It is difficult to see the sky now as the trees appear to loom over you. The ground is starting to rise and you suspect you are entering deeper into the foothills at the base of the tall mountain.

Rhevia continues to fly north, weaving around and under branches. Her pace is steady and constant, and at times those on the ground fall behind as they must traverse the forest floor.

The party moves quickly and quietly despite being in an unfamiliar place with little light. You see the barefoot tracks in the earth as you progress and given your studies the evening prior, you know it is the same as the others around the farmhouse. Invigorated, perhaps because you know this creature is somehow connected, you continue to pursue with renewed purpose.

You journey for another 30 minutes, estimating that you are now perhaps three miles away from the farmhouse; traversing the uneven ground and navigating around the thick growth took some time, and in addition you were attempting to be as quiet as possible. Through the canopy you can see that the sky has lightened and the sun should be breaking the horizon soon. However, down on the forest floor it is quite dark, as if the environment is sucking the energy from the very air.

At this point, Golwen sees Rhevia stop and perch on a tree branch. She remains there, preens her wings and ruffles the feathers on her body. She shifts her weight upon her talons, and looks northward.

Rhevia glides down to perch near Golwen, following the elf toward the cave. Golwen does not see nor hear anything out of the ordinary during his approach, but he does catch a whiff of something that crinkles his nose. Dank and heavy, with hints of sweat and filth mixed with blood, the smell calls to mind something feral and savage. As he gets closer to the cave, Golwen notices that the air gets thicker with the scent.

Jandral notices that same smell. In addition, he spies a number of bare footprints going in many directions. He discovers that the most recent sets of prints all head in the direction of the cave, from different areas. The trail being followed is joined by another that arrived from the east, then a third that came from the west. While he is unable to determine the time difference, Jandral does note that their quarry's tracks are the freshest.

You all reach the entrance of the cave. The ground here is worn bare, with earth giving way to exposed rock. The mouth of the cave is little more than a split in the stone wide enough for a large human to step through.

Entering the cavern, you are greeted by the smell of rotting flesh. Jandral and Golwen spy the discarded entrails of some creature on the far side of the area, and the ground there is slick with blood. As the torch light from the others fills the room, everyone can see that some of the blood seems fresh.

The cavern continues northward into another area.

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