Session Two: Gems and Dire Weasels

Gems and Dire Weasels
With the gala successful, everyone gets some breathing room. Lady Ashes Shantzi reconnects with the Stothguyya family (who largely find her apprehensions silly), Master Gillian Barrow secures the patronage of the Vivexivah family, and Master Ulhar shines bright for the Jeweler's Guild. However, trouble brews beyond the borders of Skovur...

Ulhar receives a quest from Master Torrent of the Jeweler's Guild: divination indicates that one of their caravans will fall subject to trouble, and a preemptive escort should be deployed to intercept them. Ulhar convinces Ashes and Gillian to come along over objections that adventuring is not their forte, the Lady being easier to convince than the Bard, and they set out south.

Some pleasant conversation is had. Ashes provides fresh game. Their travels are uneventful.

After a day and a half of travel, the party encounters an abandoned, partially-ransacked wagon, suspiciously-large animal tracks, and not-quite-dry pools of blood, a sure sign of a raid. The party hastens after the animal tracks to find a copse of trees hiding hobgoblin slavers, their dire weasel, and the caravan guard held prisoner, including Master Torrent's own daughter.

Caution is thrown to the wind, and a bloody skirmish ensues. Ulhar has a close call, nearly put under by the raging dire weasel's jaws. Ashes similarly found herself approaching her limit, harried by the weasel and ranged fire alike. Both are saved only by the ordered grace of Garond Jewelbeard, as channeled by Master Ulhar. Nevertheless, within a minute the weasel and two of the hobs are laid low. Shenzi, their leader, bluffs an attempt to summon reinforcements--the party is unimpressed. She attempts to flee, and Lady Ashes runs her down overland with the assistance of her magic scarf, cutting off her escape, then her head.

When all are accounted for and wounds are closed, an attempt is made to save the weasel's life. Ulhar argues that while the animal is wild, and certainly monstrous, it is not inherently evil. Nevertheless, its training outlives its fallen master, and nothing can easily quell its hostility. Ulhar and Ashes put the beast down, and the Lady skins it for its pelt.

The party returns to Skovur without further incident, with a bit of loot salvaged from the hobs, and happily receives their reward.

New NPCs:
 * Master Torrent
 * Ed (deceased)
 * Banzai (deceased)
 * Shenzi (#rekt by a Natural 20 crit)
 * The Dire Weasel (worn to the Sikstakornari gala)