• Xrith'atiril - Cythera and Rinnaneth 2x Hippogriffs, hp 20, hp 11
• Jacob - Hippogriff
• Stevie
• Uuto
• Beatrix
• Briiz
• Drogar Bloodtusk - Half-Orc FTR1
• Yohan
• Josalyn - Hippogriff
• Omaz

We are setting out from Mombafra to do some Domain Clearing for Jacob.

Jacob recruited 27 longbow archers, several artillerists and several sergeants. He also bought 96 weeks of rations and some wagons. Jacob hires 10 Animal Handlers for this excursion which costs 300 sp.

The weather is cloudy. We are traveling 4 hexes south along the road. We are camped outside of Riknettle.

Cloudy weather today and we reach Farius.

From Farius, the weather is clear.

Nighttime camping is uneventful. We will reach Nob tonight.

In Nob we can get to Ulan.

We head to Ulan, travel is uneventful. We travel to Ornholm.

The party arrives in Ornholm.

In Ornholm, the weather has changed. It has begun to rain, light rain. We are headed to Eliope.

Travel is uneventful. Rain becomes hard rain in the evening.

Light Rain, we head 4 hexes south west.

The rain has become hard rain, so we have half our normal movement. There is a potential encounter.

For the Hippogriff Riders, we are surprised. Ground party is also surprised.

This is spring time, though the grasses are fairly tall. When we almost arrive at our location, our scent has been picked up by lions. There is no encounter so they leave us alone.

We arrive at the DOMAIN CENTER.

Trenches are being dug and basic defenses are being setup. Stevie and Drogar are hunting for food while the rest of us work on the camp. Xrith is a carpenter to help with basic carpentry needs.

For Holz's hex clearing, they were 200 across for grids, or about 1 mile.

Starting from the domain center, we spread out, these are all Sea of Grass or Plains.

• Clear.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Encounter

We are not surprised on the Hippogriffs.

At a distance of 50“, 1500', we spot two large shapes, a bit bigger than cows but the profile of an armadillo, same color too. They are moving with wadling movements. Some of the things that look like scrub are hairs or feathers. They were traveling away from the party.

• We ride down to warn the party of what lies ahead.
• Jacob rides up to go investigate.

He gets a clearer sight of them, like a Giant Porcupine but with large bulbous growths on their back. They are moving around aimlessly in the grass. They are not paying attention to his allies.

He lands again and warns the Men-at-arms to return to camp. We will lure them closer to camp.

• Xrith circles overhead to keep an eye on the creatures.

We start herding them toward our camp and once they are in range, the Ballistas can fire. They must hit AC 10.

the creatures continue eating and do nothing. 3 hits with for Ballista Bolts. These are large creatures, he hits for 5 damage, 13 damage and 15 damage.

The first bolt smashes into the ground to the side, alerting them. One creature is dead.

• Jacob and Josalyn land with the main defense line.
• Xrith is flying high up and going to camp.
• Yohan holds the line.
• Omaz holds the line.
• Stevie holds the line.
• Drogar holds the line.
• Uuto does nothing but Beatrix readies her bow.

A scree comes over the hillside and starts barelling out in a random direction. It is heading parallel to the right, not gaining distance. It is now at 31”.

We pursue it. Another Balista hits for 7 damage but it does not kill it.

The dead creature looks like a Giant Porcupine with fungal growths on its back, like the shell on a Beholder. The growths have plugged half of its spines and it has open sores. This does not look like the fungus is not symbiotic, the carapace is strong looking and it has broken several spines.

Beatrix checks the spines but does not see any poison. The corpse is carefully burnt. This takes 1 turn.

• Clear.
• Possible Encounter.

The Hippogriff Riders are surprised.

We do not notice a Herd of Bison. They do not attack.

• Clear.
• Clear.
• Marshland.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Possible Encounter.
• Marshland.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Clear.
• Wasteland, Possible Encounter.

The Riders are not surprised.

We can see a heavily guarded and well armored merchant caravan. Over 150 men, most of them are mounted. They are not flying a banner so they must be independent.

Our group is flying Jacob's Banner and we all well received. These are Independent Merchants. There is a 40% chance to get a reasonable deal. Nope. These are a local merchant caravan, selling the following goods.

• Food (Fruits, Grains)
• Agricultural goods (farming)
• Small gold statuettes of animals, over 130 of them. 250 gp each.

They sell seeds that can be used for growing a plant to create an energy tea. Best grown in mountainous terrain.

For 10 lbs they will sell it to us for 90 gp. He buys them. He buys enough seed for 200 people to farm. Pomegranate, Fig and Apple.

The Merchants respond positively to the thought of the new Domain coming here. Omaz talks to the guide that was directing them and asks where they came from and where they are going. They came from Yaga-Kell a few days ago and plan to go to the hold to the west of Yaga-Kell. One is unoccupied and dangerous. In Yaga-Kell they were warned away from traveling to the western one. The Dwarves were not open about the nature of the invasion.

Three Dwarven Fortresses.

• Kel
• Calmetza
• Xanuto

We continue exploring…

• Mountains, this takes 3 turns to explore.
• Medium Forest, this takes 2 turns.
• Roughlands.
• Back to Sea of Grass.
• Scrubland, Possible Encounter.

The Riders are surprised but the ground party is not surprised.

At a distance of 12“, to our right, we spot two man-sized Scorpions scuttling over a rock.

• Jacob lands with the party. Sets up a defense.
• Kheskhor stays behind the party to cast Sleep.
• Josalyn in the front too.
• Xrith will attempt to pelt them with his sling.
• Drogar defends.
• Yohan prepares to receives a charge.
• Stevie and Omaz holds the front line.
• Beatrix shoots arrows.

Xrith misses and Beatrix misses. Nobody hits. The sleep spell is resolved. They have 5+5 HD so the spell does nothing.

They are charging at us and have moved for two segments. They are 5” closer, now they are 7“ away.

The Giant Scorpions are attacking with their tails and pincers. Jacob and Josalyn both attack first.

Yohan Jacob and Drogar can all attack. These are Medium creatures. Omaz hits for 2 damage with a spear.

One Scorpion went for Omaz. Josalyn did 9 and 7 damage, Yohan did 10 damage. Two heavy hits but the Scorpion hangs on.

Josalyn is the first target, AC 0/3, and is hit on an 11. All three miss! Stevie attacks and does 6 damage, it survives.

Omaz has AC 1/2. Two hits with the claws do 9 and 10 damage, though he evades the deadly tail.

Jacob hits for 11 damage.

• Xrith takes a shot.
• Yohan charge.
• Jacob shoots.
• Beatrix shoots.
• Drogar charges.

Xrith does 2 damage to Omaz from Xrith. Yohan hits for 11 damage, Omaz does 5 damage. The Scorpion survives.

Stevie is being attacked by the Scorpion, AC 0/2. The Stinger hits for 1 damage. Must save versus poison or die.

Prayer finishes and they have +1 to attacks. Drogar is in the melee and is being attacked, but the Scorpion misses with all of its attacks.

Yohan hits for 12 damage. Jacob hits for 9 and Stevie hits for 9. Both Scorpions are dead.

Josalyn heals Omaz for 11 hitpoints.

We don't immediately find a Lair but we do have two Rangers that could be tracked back to their lair. Yohan follows the tracks, which head off to the north west. We track them to the coastal edge. Actually we did not yet.

The lair is actually 3 hexes to the south east.

Before that we cleared some hexes.

• Sea of Grass, Possible Encounter.
• Light Forest.
• Sea of Grass.

The Hippogriff Riders spot an old fortified inn.

The lower two levels are made of stone and are surrounded by a stone wall, crumbling. Its like a quarry. The upper third level is made of wood and collapsed inn. The third level once supported a small tower but it has crashed through the third floor. Stone, Stone, Wood in order. Moderate sized. The forest has swallowed it up quite a bit. It has advanced to the inn, wearing the forest like a cowl.

We do not see any movement.

Xrith has returned to the group. We go to the front door and cast Find Traps.

Yohan uses the Rod of Alertness to Detect Evil, he does not detect any.

Xrith sings his poetry and we gain a +1 to Attack and 10% morale boost.

Stevie, Yohan and Jacob are on doors. They break into the dank, collapsing innards of this old structure and are immediately accosted by a slimy stench.

The creature is surprised.

As we enter, there is a common area and a door. Right in front of them are two Lizards that have a muddy brown skin. They are 7-8' long.

• Omaz tries to run out.
• Uuto hangs back.
• Beatrix moves silently
• Jacob opens the door.
• Josalyn moves to engage.
• Xrith keeps his poetry going.
• Drogar steps back as far as possible and attacks with a Spetum.
• Yohan was opening the door.

Their eyes are glowing an unnatural yellow.

• Yohan attacks.
• Stevie attacks.
• Jacob avoids gaze and attacks.

These are BASILISKS…They turn creatures to stone if you meet their gaze. They are in melee.

Stevie must roll 1-3 on a d6 to meet its Gaze. She has a +2 to hit AC 4 and hits and does 7 damages. Jacob rolls a d10 to avoid gaze. He does 15 damage with his first attack.

Drogar must roll and meets its gaze. Drogar is TURNED TO STONE!

Yohan must roll a d10, He attacks normally and does 14 damage. Neither fall in the first surprise.

• Yohan attacks.
• Omaz gets away.
• Stevie averts her gaze and attacks.
• Uuto stays outside.
• Beatrix moves silently.
• Jacob closes his eyes.
• Josalyn holds up her mirror.
• Kheskhor finishes his spell.
• Xrith uses his Horn of Fog.

Sleep went off but had no effect on these creatures. The Basilisks attack first this time. There is one attack on Jacob and one attack on Josalyn. It hits Josalyn who takes only 1 point of damage from the bite.

Josalyn is producing her mirror and Xrith is producing his horn. Yohan missed. The Basilisks have a chance to be petrified by their own gaze.

The Horn of Fog is blown, it only covers Drogar first and anyone behind him is protected from the Gaze.

• Yohan averts his gaze and attacks.
• Stevie attacks and averts her gaze.
• Uuto and Beatrix stand back.
• Jacob keeps his eyes closed.
• Josalyn swings the mirror around.
• Kheskhor is staying back.
• Xrith keeps blowing the horn.

Yohan hits for 11 damage and Stevie hits for 11 damage, they deal the final killing blow to one of the Basilisks, leaving only one remaining. It attacks. The Basilisk remaining does not meet its own gaze.

The Basilisk misses and trips on his companions corpse. The Basilisk has to roll Morale.

It fails and FLEES! The Basilisk does not meet its gaze. Stevie and Yohan kill the Basilisk.

We talk about what to do with our petrified friend. We search the place and look to see what is around. There are stone steps leading down and a spiral stone staircase that goes upward to the second level. Inside the first level, we only find refuse.

We are not surprised.

The characters climb to the second level and find the ruins of a room that contains some old sacks, including a white linen that is partially ripped open with a claw or knife. Inside are many purple crystals that are more translucent than Amethyst. This chamber has ruins of a ruined table and chairs. There is a ruined chest of considerable size. The chest is opened and we dont see anything.

While looking at this, attack rolls are being made.

Omaz is being targeted. We decide to turn around and see a dim light cast over our rear guard as though the sun has come behind a cloud. Omaz has AC 1/2, he is hit on a 12. He is hit twice and is drained one point of strength. Two attacks on Stevie, both misses. One attack on Uuto. He is hit and is drained 1 strength. Three attacks on Beatrix, AC 3/7. Those all miss. Jacob is missed. Josalyn is missed. Kheskhor is hit for 1 and loses 1 strength.

Xrith is attack and would take 4 damage but it strikes his Stoneskin.

• Stevie attacks.
• Uuto and
• Xrith tries to move silently to get a sneak attack.
• Yohan attacks.
• Josalyn autoturns.
• Omaz attacks.

Josalyn turns half and Invisibility is 3 segments. Jacob hits for 10 damage. Omaz hits for 3, Yohan hit for 11 damage. Both hits but neither Shadow is destroyed.

There are 8 of the Shadows, 4 of them fled.

Fighters attack again, Jacob does 13 damage, destroying one.

There are 3 attacks. Yohan is hit for 3 damage and loses 1 strength. Omaz is missed. Uuto is fleeing and is hit for 5 damage and loses another 1 strength. Uuto is down, unconscious.

We get tied initiative and Turning goes off, they are TURNED AUTOMATICALLY!

Xrith destroys one, Jacob autohit for 9, Yohan does 7 and Stevie destroys the last one that didnt flee. Two Shadows are destroyed of the fleeing bunch as we all hit.

Xrith is missed and Jacob is missed. They are fleeing and we charge after them.

Xrith keeps pace with them, they progress toward a collapsed watertower, and go inside where it is very black and huddle inside.

Our Continual Light reveals their forms. We quickly destroy them!

There in the collapsed watertower as the last wisps of Shadow disappear. There are many bodies of skeletons inside the water tower. They are Human skeletons.

Xrith is searching around for any traps and FIND TRAPS is also going. Xrith finds some gold pieces scattered around the level with the crash.

• 7 gp

Detect Magic goes off from the Rod of Alertness. There is a strong and weak magic here. One is far to the right, where a skeletons skull is turned to powder.

Yohan looks on the corpses to see what he finds.

So far we have only searched levels one and two.

Yohan finds that the skeleton has on a gold ring with a crushed diamond, with smaller diamonds that are still intact. There is a pouch.

• 230 gp
• 2 pp
• Gold Ring with crushed diamond.

Xrith starts searching for Traps, he has a 45% chance. Beatrix helps search too. We do not find any traps in the area. Beatrix finds a dagger and Xrith finds a crossbow.

There is a light radiation and heavy radiation beneath the beams. We searched around it but its not trapped. Xrith goes to get Omaz.

He does not believe the floor could withstand another crash but thinks its pretty safe right now. Over the course of a half hour, we find two more sacks.

• 200 pp
• 380 gp

Skeletons were wearing armor and had backpacks, it was bent and destroyed except for

• Very heavy metal tube, 5x the weight. Dark gun metal appearance. Light Magic.
• Strong magic Heavy Crossbow.

Xrith opens the tube and looks at it. He puts it back.

We head into the basement.

We find a dusty and dry basement, there are 3 pulsing eggsacks in the corner of a wet and damp part of the basement, next to a work bench. These three eggs are yellow, orange and white in a trio of goo. On the opposite corner there is a pile of Human and Dwarven corpses, entire bones have been eaten!

We get 89% of the Basilisk Lair treasure. Type F.

• No silver, gold, gems, platinum, no jewelry, no magic items.
• 4450 ep

Xrith works to get the statue of Drogar out but it is much to heavy for us to pull. We will need to come back with wagons…

We return to Jacob's Camp.