C1 S4 - A Rescue In the Swamp
This session played June 11, 2025.
D9 King’s Gate - Slums (Neutral) - Silver Blade Tavern - Day 3 Morning
At breakfast the party regroups to form a plan. What do we know? The Oath of Frost cult is our best lead (only lead) so far. They’re based somewhere to the northwest. There is a safe-ish route but it must not be obvious. It’s unlikely that Bar Guy is heading that way since we only just asked him and it would be a crazy coincidence.
Let’s get a move on—nothing else to see here.
@ Party gives a polite nod to Kieren on our way out.
? Random encounter check
d: 1d6: 6 → Clear
@ Party crosses the bridge into Low District A (Lawful).
@ Party exits King’s Gate via the west gate.
C8 Swamp (Unsafe) - Day 3 Morning
The land is swampy/marshland. There’s no discernable path or road, so we just do our best to hop between the driest spots. Heading vaguely NW.
? Random encounter check
d: 1d6: 5 → Clear
@ Brolga, following the direction of the sun, navigates out of the hex.
d: Brolga INT 15+2 = 17 vs DC 12 → Success!
→→ Party may move NW into B7.
B7 Swamp (Unsafe) - Day 3 Afternoon
Terrain is unchanging. The mud sucks at our boots with each step.
? Random encounter check
d: 1d6: 1 → Hit!
Tbl: Shadowdark Swamp encounters d100: 73 → A grick drags a riderless horse into a black pond!
Tbl: Shadowdark RE distance 1d6: 4 → Near
? Solodark Oracle - Were we noticed?
d: 1d20: 13 → Yes, but …
→→ … it’s not immediately hostile, since it just got that horse.
? Solodark Oracle - Any signs of a rider (tack, etc)?
d: 1d20: 7 → No, but …
→→ … this far from stable terrain it’s unlikely a wild horse just wandered into the area.
? Solodark Oracle - Are there more gricks in the area?
d: 1d20: 8 → No
? Solodark Oracle - Is there a rider in this hex?
d: 1d20: Natural 20! → Yes, and …
→→ … it’s a mother, and her child!
We hear a child’s desperate cry as the last fitful splashes issue from the pond. Not far off, we see an old but living tree, festooned with moss and hanging vines. The child’s mother is frantically helping the child up onto a low bough so he can climb up higher out of reach.
@ Party rushes over to help.
Tbl: Shadowdark RE reaction 2d6: 7 → Suspicious
→→ Grick is aware of us but sated from its kill. This attack was not a territorial thing; we are not in immediate danger.
@ Ryarn runs to the woman.
@ Others form a perimeter around the tree just in case.
Ryarn: Are you injured?
? Solodark Oracle - Well, are they?
d: Woman 1d20: 16 → Yes
d: Child 1d20: 12 → Yes
→→ She twisted her ankle when she was thrown from the horse; her son has some minor lacerations from thorny underbrush.
We see the marshlands give way to drier terrain to the north. Ryarn suggests we help the pair to safety and figure out what’s what. Mother’s injury and child being smaller makes movement slow.
? Random encounter check (slowed movement; more time in hex)
d: 1d6: 5 → Clear
@ Party crosses north out of swampland into B5.
B5 Grassland (Safe) - Day 3 Afternoon
@ Party sets up camp for the night.