Previously: Chapter 11: An Unkindness
Journeying North
The party gathers in the inn after waking up, with Kal being grumpier than usual. Granny and Willowbark both come in from sleeping outside, tired from their experiences the day before, and are quieter than usual during breakfast. Penny, noticing the awkwardness, tries to crack a joke that doesn't quite land but manages to elicit a few smiles from the party. Demetrius and Theren both dread being away from a proper bed once more, so they make the most of the 'luxuries' of the inn.
Gathering the horses from the stables, they wave goodbye to Bamin on their way out and begin their journey north towards Thundertree. Far to the west, a storm is roaring, and the party feels grateful that they're not trapped in that weather. As they travel along the main road, they encounter no beasts or dangers, only a few curious travelers like themselves whom they meet during their rest breaks at night. The journey takes a couple of days, and they push the horses as much as they can, not wanting to waste any more time than they already have. On the fourth day, they catch sight of Rivergrounds in the distance, indicating that they're getting close. The party veers off the road and heads east towards the Jaded Wilds.
By the end of the day, they arrive at the small road that leads to Thundertree, and a familiar sense of unease washes over them, reminiscent of their last visit. The air feels thick with dread, giving them a sense that they shouldn't be there. The horses become spooked and agitated in the area, prompting the party to decide to tie them up a short distance away so they can rest after the journey without being forced to enter Thundertree. After securing the horses, the party continues on foot along the path, passing the warning sign that advises them to keep out.
The Reward
As the party reaches the ruins of Thundertree, they still feel a sense of not belonging, but the foulness in the air seems to have diminished, as if a great source of uncleanliness has been purged from the area. Not wanting to dwell on it too much while exposed, they hasten towards Reidoth's house. Knocking on the door and revealing their identities, he immediately invites them inside.
Once they enter, Reidoth admits that he had his doubts, but the party has indeed managed to come through. He explains that he witnessed Venomfang leaving his lair a couple of weeks ago, not long after the party's departure. Interestingly, he also saw a group of individuals who have been roaming the area enter the tower two days after the party left. He heard a great commotion and then saw the dragon fly away, heading east. The party confirms that they did encounter Venomfang at Cragmaw Castle, but Reidoth was correct in his suspicions as the dragon immediately tried to kill them once they cleared it out, nearly costing Penny her life. Reidoth looks at Penny and expresses his relief that they all made it, considering the circumstances. He then asks if the party has any proof of their deed, prompting Willowbark to present the bag of dragon scales they harvested from Venomfang.
Reidoth is elated by what the party has accomplished and heads to the back room to retrieve what he promised them. The party can hear him rummaging through his belongings, muttering to himself, "Where was it... aha!" He returns to the main room holding two bags. He gives one of the bags to Kal, explaining that it's his old Bag of Holding, which should function the same as a new one. Kal accepts the bag and slings it over her shoulder. The other bag is much older and made of gray cloth. Reidoth opens it to reveal its contents—a collection of furry balls of various colors. Granny asks what it is, and Reidoth explains that it's a Bag of Tricks, specifically a gray one. It allows them to summon up to three beasts a day that can assist them in various situations. All eyes turn to Willowbark, the druid, and Reidoth hands her the bag.
They spend the rest of the day taking it easy, resting a bit, and not having to worry too much about the situation they find themselves in. Penny sees that the drawing of her is still hung up, which makes her happy. Even though where it came from is a darker chapter, the fact that he will remember her gives her solace. After a while, Willowbark asks him more about the corruption that hangs around Thundertree and the forest, with him telling her that he has already told just about everything he knows, that the corruption peaked around 30 years ago, and that was when the people were forced to leave their homes. The way he says it makes it seem like it gradually got worse, which he confirms. They began to see small signs of the corruption, people getting sick without finding the source, healing wouldn’t help, and then it just got worse and worse. Willowbark is worried about the fate of her forest, believing that she doesn’t have all the time in the world to fix it. Not knowing where to start, she sits in the corner, thinking about the future.
Reidoth mentions to the party that although they have done a tremendous job already and have cleared out a dragon from the town, there is still a prevalent undead presence, as well as the blasted twig blights that infest the area. Although he makes it clear that they have already done enough, the party can feel that he would feel very happy if the party could help clear out the remaining vermin. The party wants to loot the tower anyway, and considering that they took down a dragon, feels that this should be an easy enough task.
Clearing Out Thundertree
The party wastes no time. After enjoying their lunch, with Kal creating some candies, they decide to make their way to the tower, suspecting it holds the most valuable loot. Sneaking stealthily towards the front, they encounter no remaining threats and reach the front door without any issues. Although they notice the presence of the dead spiders they encountered on their previous visit, they find the doors already opened. Proceeding with caution, they enter, wary of potential dangers lurking inside.
Within the tower, they come across several blighted undead beings, all adorned in elaborate robes, presumably meant to impress Venomfang. However, things took a turn for the worse, and the dragon slew them all. Dispatching the undead proves relatively easy for the party, thanks to the presence of a cleric among them. Upon searching the bodies, they discover that one of the corpses carried diamonds, likely intended as an offering to the dragon. Additionally, they come across some intriguing magical items in the hoard.
However, their progress is hindered by debris from the collapsed roof, causing the search to take longer than expected. Uncertain if they have uncovered everything of value, they decide to depart with the items they have already gathered.
The Visitor
Theren settles down to identify the magical items, while the rest of the party begins the task of moving the deceased bodies outside. Suddenly, they are approached by an unfamiliar figure emerging from the bushes—an elf named Mara. She expresses curiosity about their activities and introduces herself as a traveler from across the ocean. Mara explains that she desired to study at the College of Edhellond, but her status as a wild-magic sorcerer, a forbidden bloodline due to the volatility of their magic, prevented her from being admitted.
As the party engages in a discussion about Mara's background and whether they can trust her, they are suddenly ambushed by a group of Twig Blights. The blights had been alerted by their conversation and earlier fighting. While the blights have numerical advantage, they prove to be no significant challenge for the heroes. The party defeats them, and after dispatching the last blight, Theren completes the identification of the magical items. They gather the remaining bodies, create a pile, and quickly retreat back to Reidoth's location as night approaches.
At Reidoth's place, the weary party takes a well-deserved rest. However, Willowbark harbors an inexplicable suspicion towards Mara, despite Mara's apparent truthfulness about being a simple traveler trying to earn enough money to return home to Manath. Eventually, Willowbark falls asleep, and the party awakens to a new day. Initially, Reidoth is absent, but he returns in the form of a mouse sneaking through a crack in the wall before transforming back into his true self. Reidoth reveals that he conducted reconnaissance in the early morning hours and points out the houses where he noticed the most activity.
The party spends the rest of the day clearing out the remaining undead and blights. They realize that the undead display signs of corruption or infection, spreading their contagion through large boils and bubbles on their skin. They take precautions to maintain their distance while dispatching them. However, a thunderous spell inadvertently attracts the attention of more zombies in the vicinity. Among them is a large ogre zombie, but the party manages to defeat it.
Upon entering one of the houses, they discover an abundance of spider webs and correctly deduce the presence of a few large spiders lurking within. They attempt various tactics to lure the spiders out, but ultimately, they are forced to confront them directly as the spiders hide in the ceiling amidst the webs. Willowbark decides to utilize the Bag of Tricks obtained from Reidoth. She chooses a ball, tosses it into the house, and to their surprise, a gigantic elk emerges. It crashes through the ceiling, nearly demolishing part of the house, but successfully eliminates one of the spiders. The other spider is eventually burned and killed.
As the last enemy falls, the party takes the time to gather the fallen corpses for burning, aided by the giant elk summoned from the Bag of Tricks. Reidoth, who has transformed into a giant elk as well, assists them. With supplies and treasures collected, Reidoth expresses his gratitude and informs the party that he is moving on to attend to other places that require his attention. He mentions that this may be the last time they see him, at least for a while. The party bids him farewell, and they make their way back to Rivergrounds.
On their journey, Mara decides to part ways with the group, as she has a different path awaiting her. She departs on the outskirts of Rivergrounds, traveling southward. The party watches her departure, ensuring she continues her journey without any unexpected transformations or teleportation.
Dreams of Power and Ascension
Upon entering Rivergrounds, the party makes their way to the stables and discovers that Tim, the stable boy, is nowhere to be found. It seems that their persistent questioning had driven him away. Margerie, the owner of the stables, is angry about Tim's disappearance but maintains her professionalism, taking care of their horses. She permits Willowbark and Granny to spend the night in the stables. The giant elk, affectionately named Mr. Elk by the party, is informed that he is free to roam the forest for the night, as he will vanish at dawn. With a sorrowful look, he departs, and the party hopes to encounter him again in the future if they use the Bag of Tricks.
As the night progresses and the party drifts into slumber, their minds are visited by vivid and occasionally unsettling dreams. Whether these dreams hold prophetic significance or are merely products of their own imaginations remains uncertain. Only time will unveil the true meaning behind these nocturnal visions.
When the party awakens, they notice a change within themselves. A newfound strength resonates within their beings, as if they have transcended their previous limits. They have grown stronger, reaching a higher level of power and capability. The trials they have faced and the experiences they have gathered have honed their skills and elevated them to a new level of proficiency.