Editing Session 067 Onward to Ruusk Keep

{{Session
|campaign = Ivae Orr
|session_date= 22 July 2022
|game_date = Day: 2   Flocktime 23, CY610
| synopsis = The party makes its way from the Blemu Hills into the lowlands and comes across Flan villagers.
|summary=

The party, following their initial objective, successfully located twelve horses in the woods north of the creek site. After a half-day's march, they paused to deliberate on their route, debating whether to stick to the established trail or to circumvent Ruusk Keep. They opted for the eastern route, seeking to avoid the well-traveled path.

Mourn, ever the scout, volunteered to reconnoiter a nearby hilltop, hoping to gain a better vantage point. As he ascended, a sudden shadow fell across the land. A green dragon, its scales shimmering in the sunlight, soared overhead. Panic seized the party, and they scattered beneath the sparse cover of the trees. The dragon, its keen eyes spotting something of interest, swooped down, its jaws agape, ready to strike. Luthaist, seemingly paralyzed by fear, stood his ground in the middle of the path. However, as the dragon skimmed the treetops on its attack run, it inexplicably veered upwards, vanishing into the clouds to the north. (A critical failure on the dragon's part!) Luthaist, his gaze following the retreating beast, noticed a curious detail: the dragon was wearing a saddle.

Meanwhile, Mourn, attempting to return to the party, became hopelessly lost (another critical failure). Gallandrin, utilizing his hawk familiar, located Mourn, who was wandering south and east, far from his intended direction. Luthaist, venturing out to retrieve him, also became disoriented. After several hours of frustrating detours, both managed to find their way back to the group.

As evening descended, the party, having successfully bypassed Ruusk Keep, found themselves ambushed by a band of hobgoblins along the trail. The elven members of the party failed to detect the ambush (a critical failure), while the humans, though aware of the threat, struggled to pinpoint the attackers in the gathering darkness.

Kruger, ever the strategist, ordered the dwarves to form a shield wall. Horin, invoking the power of his deity, called down a devastating flame strike upon the area where the western hobgoblin group was likely positioned, then led his squad into the darkness. Gallandrin, unleashing a fireball, targeted the fleeing hobgoblins to the west. Luthaist, attempting to cut off their retreat, discovered they had moved too quickly. Kruger repositioned his dwarven squad to the east. Mourn and his elven companions unleashed volleys of arrows into the retreating hobgoblins. Luthaist, displaying his lethal efficiency, dispatched two wounded hobgoblins left behind by their comrades. A quick search of the area yielded nothing of immediate value, but the party noted the hobgoblins' high-quality gear.

At daybreak, the party entered the lowlands of the March, encountering a group of druidic standing stones of Flan origin. Mourn, scouting the area, found nothing of interest. Continuing along the Blemu road towards Horka, they encountered a group of humanoids, both mounted and on foot, moving south. Upon closer inspection, they discovered these individuals were slavers. The mounted slavers fled before the party could intervene, but Horin tended to the wounds of the captives. The survivors, a family of nine humans of Flan descent (six adults and three children), were clad in simple homespun clothing.

Luthaist removed their manacles. The Flan family spoke only their native tongue, making communication difficult. However, the party gathered that they were likely from the village of Horka or the surrounding region, some ninety miles to the north.

With their wounds treated, the party attempted to send the freed slaves on their way. However, the family, seeking safety, remained close to the party. The party distributed "gogo juice" to the Flan villagers, and they accompanied the group as they sought shelter for the night. They found the ruins of a coach house along an abandoned footpath leading towards Oleg Keep, where they set a watch as the sun began to set, hoping to avoid the dragon's attention.

|exp=
* 1650XP Mileston, Encountering the Green Dragon and not getting killed.
* Gallandrin: 150 XP - Help finding Mourn, spell use in the combat
* Horin: 150 XP - Tactical command, Rushing to help the slaves even while under threat of attack
* Luthaist: Finding, freeing, and not killing the slaves
* Mourn: 150 XP - Scouting, not getting so “lost” he couldn't return, tactical leadership and good use of elven archers
* Ragnum: 
* Kruger: 150 XP - Good tactical use of cover and maneuvering his forces
}}