Expedition 27

07 May 2020

Day 81

Participants

  • Langusfaber
  • Quagg
  • Sam

Expedition

I salute you, poor creature who came upon this journal, continue reading to uncover great riches. Just above my temple you will find an embedded silver stud of considerable value, this will cover my burial and transport to holy ground, the rest is yours to spend.

My second expedition:
The reaper shall find no better opportunity than in the coming months.

The lands beyond Helix are dangerous beyond the wildest peasant’s fever dream. I, Longusfaber, pre-initiate of the Zoological order, am lucky to be blessed with reliable companions. Within our ranks experienced Sam and the curious creature known as Quaag stood above the common hireling. To my great surprise, Sam revealed himself to be the rightful owner of a mine south-west of Helix. In the candlelit guildhalls, we struck an accord, the mines must return to Sam. We set out early, our small troop carried forth on horseback, arriving outside the mine after only a few uneventful days.

Quaag, seeming more used to the wilds than civilization emerged from the cave’s mouth to speak of snarling and yipping creatures, with beast-like snouts, clearly some fiendish squatters. Sam took the lead, his keen eyes finding a pit trap, but acting under my erroneous suggestion to disarm the trap rather than avoid, a hidden bell was struck, revealing our position. Clearly smarter or more cowardly than your average beastman, they would not gather in the chokepoint to be picked off. We retreated to the mouth where Quaag and I began to barricade the exit after setting fire to the trap, as smoke filled the tunnels we hoped it would rise to the heavens to reveal alternative entrances. We never got our answer, spurred on by its lesser brethren, they set forth their strongest warrior to tear apart our blockade, a Triclops.

Powered by the strength of a cornered rat, we caught it off guard, managing to toss it into the trap, as Sam’s mimic wreaked havoc across their ranks, the battle seemed won. Helplessly clambering up from the pit, I recalled Bortimer and his curiosity collecting friend. I looped my chain around its brutish neck and we began to pull on each end, crushing its windpipe and dragging it across the stone. It was alone, the will of its brethren swiftly broken by the mimic. We pulled and heaved against its brutish strength until consciousness finally failed it.
The battle was won, we fell back to claim our spoils, but the mine will have to be reclaimed another day.

Carrying the Triclops’s enormous bulk, a few Fairies seem to have taken an interest in our quarry and wished to simply talk, tranquilize and pet the creature. Considering Quaag and these fairies, perhaps my fear of the wild folk is undeserved, I shall have to learn more of Helix’s inhabitants. But in the coming days disaster struck, running low on supplies, we were beset by an innumerable horde of trolls. Sam acted quickly and threw his mimic to delay them, sacrificing this treasure to save all of us from certain death as we ran.

Returning to Creech, we were granted the impressive sum of 5000 gold pieces. I pray lady luck will continue favoring us, even to the darkest depths of the barrows.

But luck never holds. I shall make preparations for the worst.

- Longusfaber, pre-initiate of the zoological order

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