Loose threads The existence of such an ecosystem still remains a mystery. The Blindheim, originally encountered by the first party, have shown clearer signs of sapience, something that ought to be investigated further.
Participants Ember Thanja Rhuuk Toma Yimtakk Drivvnel Gartunk Ziggle
Locations Purple Forest beneath Blackrose Farmstead
Short summary:
We avenged the fallen, slew a Cryptid and observed a turf war between Badgers and Blindheim. Further investigation is needed into the ecosystem.
Full Report
It was a grim day at the Pug. The day I met my friends Gristlemaw and Clayfang after their most recent expedition. They had ventured into the Purple Woods, where they were caught in a deadly ambush by the local fauna. The cunning badgers forced them on the backfoot and adventurers: Erica and Tsoko Mico laid their lives down so they rest of the party could recall safely. It was gut-wrenching to see the Great Gnoll brought so low, at which point I knew exactly what I had to do. For the next week, I gathered a group of allies and a handful of supplies in preparation for our counter-assault. The Badgers had to pay for what they did. So, armed with the knowledge acquired by our brave predecessors we set out into the fray.
We arrived at the Badgers' nest where we were quickly greeted by the fury of fang and claw. The mustelids erupted from the ground and attacked in sync, using flanking tactics combined with their primal rage and ferocity. We, however, were ready to meet them this time, and responded in kind. In retaliation, Thanja immediately tore one of the badgers open with a single strike combining martial and arcane prowess. The creature managed to hold it together at death's door before an arrow from Ember silenced it. Her bravery made Thanja draw the Badgers' ire, forcing her to retreat inward, but not before getting a hefty strike on their leader. Ziggle, Ember and I managed to pick off most of the Badgers, while Thanja got surrounded by further Badgers in the grove. Yet, thanks to a certain ferocity in her blood, not much different from our foes, she persevered and landed a mortal blow on the leader. The surviving Badgers brought her down in revenge, but were soon taken care of with arcane evocations. Meanwhile, Doctor Yimtakk tended to Thanja's wounds, quickly bringing her to perfect health, in the heat of battle. The first ordeal was over but there was more to come.
After a short rest, we delved deeper into the burrows and discovered a cave large enough to nest a huge creature. From the fur, we concluded it had to be a badger, but it must have been several times larger than any we had seen. Since that moment, my hands had started reaching for the Recaller at the slightest noise. Yet, my allies, braver than I, decided to ambush the Beast whenever it would return. Thanja dug a slew of spike traps, while Ember found herself a perfect vantage poinnt up on a tree.
Soon, the moment of truth was upon us. The Beast made a bee-line for Thanja, completely ignoring the spikes piercing its belly, or the arrows flying overhead. It was only thanks to Yimtakk's expertise and a steady supply of potions that we were able to keep her in the fight. Once again, Ziggle and I took care of the lesser Badgers so the rest of the party could focus on the Beast. With a steady motion, as if aided by precognition, Yimtakk shot the Beast in the eye. In return, it lashed out at our frontliners, but was soon caught in a mental trap set-up by yours truly. Seizing the opportunity, Ziggle brought down his shield spikes on the confused beast, tearing it up with fire and lightning. The party watched the Beast's fur turn electric blue in response to the attack. The Beast's last few attacks were infused with lethal intent, yet for every decisive blow it struck, Yimtakk was ready to immediately counter it with his medicinal acumen. At last, we managed to wear the Beast down, as a final arrow from Ember opened it up to a volley of Magic Missiles, until a spark of black lightning from Thanja finally brought it to a close. Yet, the Beast was still not done as its volatile nature turned its blood into an acidic compound that exploded upon its death. Still, thanks to everyone's combined effort, we were able to survive the encounter. Revenge was served.
We salvaged the body for materials and set-up camp some distance away from the nest. At night, I heard sounds of a conflict nearby involving the Badgers and an unknown party. Ember went alone to investigate and from her description, we concluded it had to be Blindheim. In the morning, we investigated the scene. It was littered with corpses, with a dozen or so Badger remains for every Blindheim corpse. With uncanny perception, Yimtakk discovered a green mint sprig clutched by one of the Blindheim. Ember mentioned seeing the Blindheim swing something at the Badgers, and a visit to the Tower later, I can safely conclude its purpose.
Mutant Cryptids, such as the Beast, have a certain phobia of a particular mundane object. It would stand to reason that the green sprig of mint was indeed such an object, and that the Blindheim had, not only the experimentalist's sense to discover the weakness, but also access to green plants, something not typically seen underground. Thus, more investigation is needed here. Back to the report, we then headed North in search of the Blindheim nest, where we ran into a hunting party of Badgers. We quickly disposed of them, their leader's death must have robbed them of their co-ordination. Realizing we were reaching the end of our supplies and the need for a more naturalistic approach, we decided to recall. It is my humble request to any Guild adventurer, with primal or naturalistic inklings, to continue our work and find if there is more to the Blindheim and the Purple Forest.