Hot Springs Island-Session 4: Island Walkabout AKA The Lore Dump

This Session's Cast

For this session, we had one player, Jarron. Since we normally have 3-4 players. I let Jaron play his two PCs, similar to how PCs can play groups of hirelings in OSE games.

Heiter, a level 2 Human Priest (AC 11 | HP 11), played by Jaron.

Esien, a level 2 Dwarven Fighter (AC 14 | 14 HP), played by Jaron.

A Downtime Recap

"...To learn a new skill, you must find a capable instructor willing to teach you. You can't typically learn another class's or ancestry's unique talents, but you can learn auxiliary skills... Work with the GM to determine what you can try to learn. Then, make an extreme (DC 18) Intelligence check. If you succeed, you learn a new skill. If you fail, you can try again as your next downtime activity, this time lowering the difficulty of the Intelligence check by one step."

Learning

Heiter tried to learn cure wounds from Meltalia (Wisdom). Unfortunately, he failed this week's check, meaning the next time he attempts this task it will be a DC 15 Wisdom Check.

Esien currently has a 12 in Dexterity, which he tried to increase through two weeks of climbing atop the beached ship's rigging & scaffolding. Luckly he was successful in this attempt, increaseing his Dexterity to 13

A Short Recap

Esien & Heiter started this session with one simple goal, find more allies & Nereids. They decided to head north towards Orge encampments, belonging to Orges the Nereids told them were friendly. Along the way they encountered a familiar Earth elemental, munching on some Gems. Esien Shook the creature's hand, taking 3 damage in the process.

They then encountered a bunch of Zip Birds who darted past them fleeing a Fire Imp named Spark. They tried to bribe Spark for safe passage, using Reywish, but the magical cloth wouldn’t burn (which was sparks toll, he wanted to burn something important).

Feeling tricked the Imp attacked the PCs. A few rounds later the PCs emerged victorious, with some new scars, and a Fire Imp core, which they wrapped in a bolt of Reywish. The PCs continued on their journey north avoiding a ooze elemental along the way, before stumbling into a clearing filled with Geysers.

Unfortunately, it was 6 PM in-game, so all of the geysers exploded at once, filling the clearing and surrounding Jungle with a thick obscuring mist. Eventually, the PCs stumbled their way out of the mist towards an alabaster staircase of glowing pools. It seemed like the rock itself was glowing. Intrigued by this, the PCs broke off a chunk of the rock to take with them.

Using a piece of this glowing rock to guide them as they continued their journey into the night. The PCs eventually passed their initial goal, wandering into a clearing, where they discovered another ancient pirate hideout, hidden beneath a trapdoor surrounded by moving bushes. Opening the door they discovered a sleeping NPC whom they decided to leave alone. Opting to set up camp outside the trapdoor for the night.

In the morning the startled NPC, held Heiter hostage, holding a blade to his neck. Eventually, he learned the PCs names & gave them his (Horito) seeing that they were no threat. He pointed them to the nearest Ogre encampment (the one they passed, and continued on his own journey). Packing up camp, Esien & Heiter headed the Boars Head encampment. A base for the militant wing of the Night Axe Ogres. Here they meet Neelan, a militant Nereid outcast by her sisters for her extremist views. I described her as behaving similarly to Saw Gerra from Rouge One.

Neelan gave the PCs some advice about dealing with the Orges, and gave them an Orge escort. Who led them to their leader Srok. Srok was delighted to meet the PCs & ecstatic to learn that they wanted to join the war effort. He tasked them with convincing Glavrok, the leader of the ‘less militant’ wing of the Night Axe to “accept outside help in their war against Sarku & the Feugonauts”.

Embolded by this information the PCs journeyed east to Glavrok Village, along with some Ogre escorts. Their escorts granted them an audience with Glavrok. Who wasn’t as impressed with them as Srok. However, he did pledge his trust in Srok’s cause should Esien & Heiter help him achieve one of his goals.

Boulster the village’s defense

Secure a new food source for the Night Axe

Secure a new magics the Night Axe can use in their war

Encouraged by these demands the PCs decided to head south back to the Crystal Sea Cave, to gather a bunch of earth elementals, to build forts, walls, and fortifications in the north. Along their journey south they encountered a huge lava river, which forked around an isolated grove.

Encouraged by these demands the PCs decided to head south back to the Crystal Sea Cave, to gather a bunch of earth elementals, to build forts, walls, and fortifications in the north. Along their journey south they encountered a huge lava river, which forked around an isolated grove.

Crossing the river into the grove they encountered two Salamanders and 3 Fire Imps, all discussing the nature of the ocean & revolution. Noticing the PCs the Salamander named Jelex ran over to the PCs and tried to convince them to join her revolution against Sarvku, who had forgotten the ways of fire. Who had forgotten the need to burn & consume all. In turn, the PCs tried to get her help to cross the Lava River once more. But her demands in return were too high. Turning to the other salamander the PCs learned this blue-scaled weirdo was named Skletch.

They learned that Skletch loved exotic meats & considered no meat more exotic than Swordfish. A delicacy he loved so much he’d taken to crafty rings of water protection so that he could spend his days swimming in the ocean & fishing.

Bribing him with a bounty of tongues & fish in their base back home, Skletch joined the party & led the PCs to a safe crossing point in the molten river. Now in the home stretch, the PCs encountered to ship-wrecked Martel sailors who decided to join the group temporarily. Atleast until the PCs could lead them to the bay where the Siren’s Folly often harbored.

The Wrap Up

From valueble information alone the PCs each leveled up to level 3.