Date At Start Of Game: 05/20/206

[Author’s Note: This session log is for the 2nd session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred.]

The Journey To The Great Tree

After the encounter with the strange shadow praying mantis the party heads into the Azure Expanse towards their destination. Po seems to be the best outdoorsman and is leading the way. Bishop guides the group using his vision of the path. After a day of travel night falls and the group sets up camp under a rock outcropping. They setup three watches. The middle watch is Kanga and Bilby. During their watch Bilby and Kanga hear something moving in the brush. Bilby turns on his sonar and scans the area. He detects a dog like form in the brush and a small humanoid figure sneaking up to the side of the outcropping. Bilby silently swoops down and wakes up Oren. Kanga plays possum and waits for the creature in the brush to close then he draws his box and tells it to come out in a loud voice. All of the PC except Cillian wake up. Out of the brush comes an old wolf who is limping on one front leg. While this is happening the humanoid figure tries to sneak up. Bilby wakes Cillian and the two of them sneak towards the approaching humanoid. Oren tells the person to appear of the wolf gets it. Bilby traps the humanoid as he goes for a pack. He is very sneaky! The humanoid is a young Raccoon Kin named Perry. He says that the wolf is his friend Long Tooth. Perry claims that they are very hungry so they followed the PC in an attempt to steal some food. With that the PC feed Perry and his companion. Po befriends the wolf and heals him. Perry tells the PC that they are heading towards an area of the wood known as Knotty Pines. Knotty Pines is supposed to be haunted according to the locals. Several local woodsman have entered the area never to be seen again. Supposedly the tree are very old and do not like to be waken?even the slightest noise can anger them.

Meeting Gray Pine

The next morning the PC head into the area known as Knotty Pine. Perry says he will not enter the area and stays behind. The area is a small box canyon that is densely populated with bristlecone pine trees. These trees have twisted branches with tufts of needles at the end of the branches. The trees are so entwined that in many places one tree is growing into the next. Po says that the growth of the trees is not natural. The entire canyon is also densely shrouded in fog giving the area a mysterious and eerie feeling.

After traversing through the thick trees and dense fog the PC reach a small clearing with a rocky mound. On the top of the mound is a doe with her hoof caught in the rocks. Circling the doe are three wolves who are salivating with the thought of an easy kill. After a moment of hesitation one of the wolves nips at the hind quarters of the doe. With that Oren balls up the doe. Po shoots his arrow at one of the wolves. Kanga then pins another to the ground by shooting an arrow through his tail. Bishop casts his detect and learns that the wolves are under a subtle control enchantment. He then tells the PC that this was obviously a test and asks why they helped the doe.
After the encounter the PC find a large clearing with a huge bristlecone pine tree in the center. Several of the PC saw this tree in their visions and know this is the target of the calling. As the PC approach they hear a voice on the wind, ?My name is Gray Pine?I am glad you have heard my lament laden cries and come.? He then asks the PC to introduce themselves. After each introduction he thanks the PC for coming. He also asks the ?spirit walker? to appear and Nessa shows up. He greets Nessa as well.

At this point Gray Pine speaks in length with the PC. He tells them that land is in a tenuous state. The Spirit War has lead to many beings being killed. Many of these beings had spirits of great power. Normally these spirits would be reborn in the form of new life?a blade of grass, a new baby, etc but forces of evil have capitalized on the situation and have trapped these spirits before they can be reborn. Sometimes the spirits are simply stuck, like Nessa, but for many other these spirits have been captured for their power. This is having a far reaching effect on the land. Gray Pine explains that the very fabric that make up the Pangaea is tearing and unless it stops it could mean the destruction of the land.

To prevent further damage powerful spirits of the land have called for avatars to aid them. The PC are his avatars. Gray Pine then tells the PC that there are other groups and possible other being that may answer his call at a later time. Bishop then asks how they can tell others are from him. With that Gray Pine tells the PC to take one of his highest branches. He explains that it will show them sources of spiritual disruption to the land that must be addressed. Gray Pine explains that he will tell any new recruits to ask about the branch.

As the party departs he tells them to always act noble. Wanton death and destruction could aid those that they are trying to stop. Po uses the ?stick? and it directs the group back to Shatter’s Peak, a nearby lumber town village?

Epic Tale #2 – Nights Pawns – Chapter #1

After two days trekking through the Azure Expanse the PC reach Shatter’s Peak. It is a small town fueled by a lumber trade. The PC are wet and tired so they head towards a local tavern known as the Lucky Strike. The sign is a rock painted yellow. When they enter they meet the proprietors, the hearty Ape Kin Lomas Bathgate and his lovely Ape Kin wife Macy Bathgate. They are given warm mead and venison. Oren tells stories of his time in the war which seem to get the attention of many locals. As the local start to head home Lomas comes over and speaks of the war with Oren. Lomas was a sergeant in a different mercenary regiment. During that conversation the door opens and a dripping wet Squirrel Kin dressed in a green vest and spectacles enters the tavern. He hurriedly walks over to Macy, ?Someone has broken into my house?please come?please!? With that Lomas grabs an axe handle and heads with several of the PC to the Squirrel Kin, Kai’s, small house. The door to the house is open and the place appears to have been searched. The PC find a silver inkwell sitting in the open. This makes them believe that money was not the target. Eventually the PC find that a particular map is missing. According to Kai two strangers brought in the map. He paid them for the map. It depicted a local keep that was used in the Spirit War. The locals call it simply the Forest Keep. It was destroyed early in the Sprit War and is no longer in use. Bilby finds tracks nearby that appear to be from Perry and Long Tooth. After searching the roof of Kai’s house he finds disturbed pine needles. It appears that Perry took to the roof to avoid being detected by tracks.

With that the PC ask about Perry’s house. Lomas brings them to the small shack but before opening the door he sighs. He then bangs on the door asking for someone named Sal. The door opens to an adult Raccoon Kin who reeks of whiskey. Lomas asks for Perry and Sal says that his good for nothing son is not at home then slams the door. Lomas then apologizes as Sal is not one of their more ?pleasant residents?.

Investigating The Forest Keep

The PC track Perry to the wood towards the Forest Keep. The keep is a stone walled structure with one stone building and a wooden catwalk around the inside. The gates are partially open. In the center of the keep courtyard are several ruffians. There leader appears to be a Vulture Kin. Bilby and Cillian sneak closer. When they get closer they see Perry tied up behind one of the logs the men have setup around the campfire. They also hear the men talking about some money they have recently come into. Eventually the Vulture Kin asks the men what they should do with the Raccoon boy. They grumble so the bandit leader tells one of his men to throw him into the cellar. The man moves to a grate in the floor, opens it, and drops down Perry. Cillian looks into the cellar and can see Perry over some type of well. Long Tooth is bleeding nearby?he is likely dead. With that the PC decide what course of action should be taken?

Date At End Of Game: 05/24/206