Owlbears and Entrails

Summary:

The party finished outfitting themselves in preparation for the days journey to Thunderspire Labyrinth. They set out early in the morning on horseback, establishing a brisk but vigilant pace. In the middle of the afternoon of the first day, the adventurers came upon deep furrows parallel and perpendicular to the well-traveled road. Suspicious, they dismounted. After tying off the horses a safe distance away, Gareth approached a furrow. Suddenly, the ground shook violently. The nearby horses rose up in fear and the adventurers lurched back and forth trying to keep their balance. Some fell flat while a few maintained a precarious, upright stance.

At the very back of the line, Cedric fell flat on his back. Staring up into the blue afternoon sky, the tremoring rippled nearby him. A bullette exploded from the ground in front of Cedric and attacked the hapless wizard. The rest of the party closed in, forming a circle around the heavily armored beast. Orchid tumbled behind the bulette, distracting it enough to deal devastating damage to its softer underbelly. Gareth and Gilic formed a solid front, supplemented by Queequeg, while Taegahn and Shava fired from range. Cedric managed to disengage from range and rain icy cold upon the butette, damaging and immoblizing it. As many blows bounced off the creature's thick hide as actually landed, but eventually the bulette was vanquished.

That very night, in the throes of deep sleep, a mating pair of owlbears struck the slumbering camp. Gareth was immediately grabbed by the first monstrosity. Shava too fell victim to the second owlbear's attack. Both adventurers shouted out for help as their flesh was rend and their bones snapped. Shava nearly perished but for some careful healing on the part of Cedric, Gilic, and Queequeg. Taegahn fired nearly point blank into the owlbear grabbing Shava, separating the foul-smelling ursine from his gravely wounded sister.

At this point, Taegahn turned to Queequeg and said, "My friend Queequeg, I just noticed you're wearing hide armor now."

Queequeg swung and missed an owlbear just as it was sinking its clicking beak into the head of a screaming Gareth. "Indeed, Taegahan. I donned chain earlier in our adventures, but Gilic pointed out that the heavy nature of that --ACK! IT HAS YOUR ENTIRE HEAD IN ITS MAW, GARETH! ITS ABOUT TO EXPLODE LIKE A MELON! DIE, BEAR-THING, DIE!

Taegahn unleashed a flurry of arrows and said, "You were saying, the heavy nature of . . . "

Queequeg helped pry Gareth's head out of the owlbear's snapping beak. "Yes, quite right. Gilic pointed out that the heavy nature of chain mail unnaturally inhibited my innate tactical abilities. Though not nearly as tough, hide armor grants me better tactical maneuverability. I was reluctant at first but -- BY THE JUSTICE OF TORM, GARETH! YOUR GUTS LIE STREWN ALL OVER. AHHHHH! DON'T STEP ON THAT! HE MUST NEED THAT TO LIVE!

Taegahn calmly unleashed another volley of steel-tipped wood. "Interesting. Well, my dragonborn friend, it just so happens I wear a set of hide bloodcut armor. It's served me well so far, but is truly better suited for a melee type. Such as yourself. Afterwards, I would most like to trade armor with you, if you would be so inclined."

Holding Gareth's kidney in one hand, dripping sword in the other, Queequeg paused to look over at Taegahn. "Why my dear Taegahn, how extraordinarily generous of you my friend. Yes! I accept your generous offer."

Suddenly, the owlbears raised their beaks to the sky and shrieked a piercing cry, interrupting Queequeg and Taegahn's conversation and temporarily stunning Gilic and Shava. The rest of the party shook off the haunting cry and continued attacking the beasts. The monsters finally realized they were over matched and fled off into the woods. The next morning, the party tracked them to their lair. Badly wounded, the party finished off the adults and killed the younglings for good measure. Gilic donned a magical helmet found in the owlbear's nest.

The next day, the party entered the Storm Horn Mountains. Ominous dark clouds hovered overhead as the adventurers traversed narrowing mountain passes. Side trails splintered off in all directions, sometimes leading in entirely new directions, other times winding back. The main path led to a door in the side of the mountain. The party stepped through into a hallway of masonry and torchlight. The traveled some distance before they heard voices. They heard a guttural humanoid say loudly, "We could get five gold for this halfing, we could."

A smaller voice responded, "My good friend, I assure you I'm worth not even the clothes on my back. If I could just see my way past you and be on my way, I'd be in your debt."

The other laughed sharply, "I don't think so."

Gilic whispered, "Aye, I've got an idea. Let's enter the room, posing as the mercenary band were meant to be. We'll offer to buy the haflin' for ten gold, double that bloke's offer. If he agrees, the haflin' might have something interesting to tell us. If he doesn't, we might have something interesting to show them slavers."

TO BE CONTINUED

Line(s) of the Night:

"That's important, give it back!" - Jeff, referring to the guts that a hungry owlbear just ripped out of him.

"Hey, way to spit all over your character sheet." - Craig, commenting on Blake slobbering over everything in front of him.

"Nothing came out of my nose yet!" - Craig noticing that Diet Coke wasn't spraying out of his nostrils while he laughed.

Baked Good of the Night:

Megan's molasses cookies. Yummy!