Onward, to adventure...

9/14
Return of the Invincible Rabbit
Lo and behold, the rabbit came back in the road and is once again unaware of its surroundings. A volley is loosed. (miss, miss, miss)The rabbit hops over to one of the bolts and starts chewing on it. Selena jumps out of the cart and tries to scare it by growling. The rabbit appears more confused than scared. Elf finally shoots it, followed by Frank, who finally brings it down. Squishy asks for the rabbit brain and eats it.

Everyone spots the the tracks on the way back and hear what might be an ogre roaring in the distance. They all decide to return to the Keep and heal. Steve grows suspicious and is convinced that something is out there about to attack (failed Listen 1 and Spot 1). They stop and listen for a moment. Nothing. And they press on.

After they get back, Squishy goes out hunting for another brain. He goes out to the woods north of the keep. He finds a snake, eats the brain, and discards the carcase.

9/15

Finding the Caves of Chaos

Everyone has rested. Squishy asks around about an owlbear with no success. Jake and Elf get better directions to the caves. Tristen hires Crey, Bob, and Steve to continue the journey north to Marketh. (The wages are cheaper when hiring members of the Silver Sword Guild. He doesn't have to pay for their lodgings.)

The Mad Hermit

Jak, Elf, Solaera, Squishy, and Selena decide to cut through the forest straight north to get to the caves. They hear this crazy hermit raving about cooking. He sees them and begins pacing back and forth (to count their numbers. The hermit generally attacks anyone that comes by. He's just waiting for the right opportunity.) He appears to have a split personality complex, constantly talking to himself. Squishy uses his telepathy, making him think his consciousness was talking back to him. Squishy telepathically manipulates him to guide the party to the caves.

Everyone notices something dark following the party in the trees. (The hermit has a pet puma. It follows the party and its master from the trees above.)The hermit gets to the edge of a clearing and stops. (The hermit usually sticks to the woods for cover.) As he stops, he points in the direction of the caves. Squishy presses him that he wants to keep walking out into the clearing.

As he walks out, Jak decides that the hermit is up to no good and shoots him in the back. The puma jumps onto Jak. Jak not only fails to gain a good grapple, but trips and knocks his head. (stunned for 4 rounds) The hermit runs back into the woods (to move behind the party). Elf manages to damage the puma with a magic missile. Squishy telepathically convinces the puma that it's too hurt to continue the fight. It withdraws back to the trees and disappears.

When they find the hermit, Jak explains that he was trying to shoot the puma. Not convinced, the hermit tells them the caves are on the other side of the glen, then goes back home. The puma sits in the trees watching the party. Jak tries to shoot it and it bounds away.

The Caves of Chaos

Solaera spots a cavern as they are crossing the glen. They investigate. The cave goes straight back a few hundred feet. The tunnel appears to have caved in some time ago. They spend an hour trying to dig through some of the debris. It's a wasted effort. They march out and continue to the other side of the glen. They spot a number of caves as the trees slope down into a draw. After debating for a few minutes of where to go first (near cave J), they decide the follow the badger companion down the draw. She approaches a cave (cave A) and hears something in the bushes near the entrance.

Eight kobolds spring from the bushes! Jak manages to cleave two before going down. Squishy stuns 3 with his mind thrust (for 4 rounds). Solaera bandages Jak's wounds as the battle lingers on. Elf and Selena kill two more. The kobolds retreat into the cave as they regain their ability to move.

After stripping the bodies, the party decides to head back to the Keep. Squishy leads the way southwest back through the woods.