- Carbel Sweetleaf (Halfling 1)
- Elixabete (Dwarf 2)
- Firstleaf (Elf 2)
- Finvias Wildbough (Halfling 1)
- Kelro Mist (Elf 1)
- Khadgar (Magic User 1)
- Assorted NPCs: Gutxi (C), Negu (H)
With construction of a shelter for the capture pair of young griffons underway, the party set off from Fourtowers Bridge once again, though this time they went up the incline on the other side of the river to see what intel they might glean from a distance. They noted the winch they’d seen before some 30 feet down, and an opening next to it into the cliff face, as well as a dock way below on the river, with no apparent entrance nearby.
On their return they spied a trail of quite a few footprints winding their way down, all the more evident for the regular drops of blood amongst them. The adventurers changed course and followed these tracks for the rest of the day until as night fell they came across a group of people clustered around an entrance into the mountain flanked by stone hippogriffs. The people were wary and kept hands near their weapons, and rebuffed attempts to engage with them. Apparently their wounded companion was already inside. The leader, Katerin, stepped forward and said that this place had been claimed, and that the party would do well to leave and not come by again.
After a night’s rest in the village, the adventurers found the trail again and decided to follow it the other way to see where the armed band had come from, and it led them to a perfectly square hole in the ground. Reasoning that it was not too distant from the gatehouse on the other side of the river, they decided to have a bit of an explore.
After Finvius dropped a stone to determine its rough depth, the group wound a rope around Kelro and sent him down to determine there was a chamber about 40 feet down. His infravision eyes could see the trail of blood continuing towards one of the doors and, more pressingly, several slug-like winged creatures camped on the room’s roof. He hastily ascended, and they chucked down a lit torch to draw the beasts out. With a frantic flapping of wings and quick swinging of weapons, the creatures were cut down as they flew up out of the chute.
Dissuading Firstleaf from having a wander around below - after investing quite a lot of gold in his magical studies, they were determined to see him live to use the spells - the party sent Kelro down again for another look around, but the elf was unable to find anything that might indicate a link to the gatehouse.
With the light fading again, the adventurers decided to make their way back to Fourtowers Bridge - or Fourtowers Village, or whatever the locals decided to label their home on any given day - once more.