Sebastian Softcote is no famous chef, nor is he a good cook but he knows stories and is eager to take opportunities when they arise. Even if that risks his soul apparently. As the party scramble to catch up to the old but tenacious cook they learn a bit more about the land they travel through and its residents.
So grab a coffee to go, tie up your laces and lets get a start into tonight’s adventure!
Sebastian Softcote
502TuSeSo
As the party huddles around the dwindling campfire a few hours after the others retired for the night the silence around them starts to feel unnatural. The strong draft horse that had been pulling the caravan had ceased snorting about an hour ago and despite some distant noises towards the mountains it was quiet.
Slowly a low groan can be heard from the wagon, where the horse was tied before a muffled call for help came forth. Rushing to inspect they found Glenn, the caravaner who had offered to take them to their destination, was slowly pulling himself off the ground, a lump on his head.
‘Where is he…’ he said as he stumbled to his feet. ‘Sebastian, he raved about borrowing the horse to search for that damn cauldron.’ it took a moment for Glenn to realise what had happened. ‘He took off with our horse! We have to go after him, those woods is dangerous. Besides, who knows what trouble he might have gotten himself into chasing after campfire stories?’
The party hastily packs their belongings while they get ready to leave the caravan and Glenn behind. The forest looms like a shield for the mountain ahead, its shadows deepening as the night grows darker the further from the campfire they move. The air is filled with the scent of damp earth and the occasional distant call of a creature as they move deeper into the territory of the creatures that call this mountain home.
As they cross into the deeper parts of the forest, the path becomes increasingly treacherous as tree roots, rocks and burrows litter the path and rough tracks they are able to occasionally see via moon and torch light. The trees close in around them, their twisted branches like skeletal fingers reaching out in the night. The underbrush is thick, making every step a challenge. But the faint, flickering purple light in the distance serves as their guide.
More than once the party hear a rustling sound nearby, something moving through the underbrush but nothing reveals itself as the party continue on. They freeze with each rustle or sudden burst of noise from a creature moving at speed around them, listening intently for any signs of danger but it doesn’t come, not swiftly or directly in any case. The first sign of something being wrong is a patch of blood, fresh enough to be the last hour or two, aligning with the tracks heading towards the mountain and the beckoning flickering light.
It could be that of an animal, a coincidence, or it could be something far more sinister and Sebastian and the horse, their only way to travel the roads with speed and safety could be in danger. The tension grows as they press on, each member of the party hyper-aware of their surroundings and searching for more signs of what happened, yet none come apart from the occasional droplets of blood heading towards the purple light.
As they get closer to the source of the light, the ground becomes uneven, dotted with strange, faintly glowing mushrooms that cast an eerie glow at the base of old trees. The purple light grows stronger the closer they are, illuminating a narrow path that seems to lead up the mountainside.
Thanks for visiting tonight to get a feel of where this adventure is going. As its the start of the year again I tend to do a few low level encounters for new DMs but don’t fret, I will ramp up quicker this year to higher level adventures. Tomorrow night we will explore further, an encounter perhaps and catch up to Sebastian. So Don’t forget to follow along this adventure daily and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe
Brazen Wolfe Tabletop 