A Land Far Away

Scout Report - Westwood/Kryptgarden

- There is an infestation of stink beetles east of the the entrance to the Elven Glade. I've dispatched them twice, but they are very persistent. They produce a horrible odor and even saturated a white stag with their stink. As I patrolled westward, another interloper hunter troll seemed to have wandered south from Kryptgarden. It has been killed. The rest of the journey was pleasant. Very few worgs compared to other nights. Perhaps soon the wolves and dire wolves will be rid of the foul influence of the evil worgs.

- I passed north through the Pass into Kryptgarden just as the sun rose above the eastern horizon. It was quiet. Unusually quiet. This morning the Kryptgarden seemed to be the exclusive domain of the morning songbirds and dew covered ferns. The entire southwestern quarter near the pass was free of hobgoblins. I did not encounter any gopher nests, but that is not to say there weren't any. Although, reality would soon rear its bloodthirsty head. As I neared the western edge of the road, the Zartruss started showing up. I passed west to the road's terminus and headed north along the treeline. In the distance I could see the outpost for the Zartruss encampment. This stone structure is heavily fortified and appears to be a defensive position and lookout for the encampment that lies on the other side of the rift. Traveling further north, the rift eventually ends and passage west is possible. Immediately north of the rift is a large hill with fortifications and steps built into it. Scattered Zartruss patrol the area. North of that is an east/west road and another range of hills beyond it. The hills are densely occupied by manticores and leucrotta. Any travel in this area must be done with extreme caution. The road west leads to a grand mountain. East goes to the haunted inn. I went west. I have summited the great mountain before and found a dead leucrotta. What would or could kill a leucrotta out here? It wasn't until leaving that I realized the possibility. Could it be the most elusive of all creatures in this wood? Could it be the Kryptgarden Unicorn?!?! I searched the hill thoroughly on all sides, but the unicorn could not be found. The slopes were sparsely occupied by worgs, dire wolves, and wolves. The northern base of the hill had 5 wyverns waiting in ambush. I kicked a gopher nest patrolling the surrounding woods to the south, so that exploration was cut short. The return path would be back on the road heading east. It will travel through leucrotta country and then past the haunted inn before reaching the covered bridge to Red Larch North. This part of the journey would not go as smoothly as the first half. Passage was easy through leucrotta country...right up until a purple worm sprang up from the ground and knocked me off my feet. There was a manticore nearby so I thought it would rush towards it. It did not. It ignored it as if they conspired together on this entire encounter. Despite the worm's acute ability to detect sound, it did not hear my footsteps or my pounding heartbeat. I immediately rose my feet and took a few steps away before going invisible. I got out of there quickly while watching this hungry worm look around for its next meal. Thankfully, it was not me! Further east as I approached the inn, two wild boar were rummaging for truffles. As I watched them, I nearly missed a landshark that was zipping around to the north. As I left the boars, I saw the landshark zip over to towards their direction. I can only assume pork was on the bulette lunch menu. Continuing east, manticores began to appear north of the inn. As soon as they came into view, arrows started to fly. The Zartruss and manticores are going to battle. The manticores respond with their own volley of spines. After the 2-on-2 battle, only a single injured manticore was left on the field (and yours truly hiding behind a tree). Suddenly from the south, a terrible roar. A guttural sound that left the manticore trembling in fear. I know this sound. One of the most terrifying things that can reach your eardrums. A Zartruss Berserker had entered the fray. In a snarling, slobbering fit of rage, the berserker charged the fleeing manticore and beat it senseless. This happened as I made my way out of there; very quickly. As the berserker came out of sight, a few of the lower ranking Zartruss came into view. I contemplated picking them off if they were spread out enough. However after just a few more steps, a Zartruss Elite and and another berserker appeared. They stood on the road looking for anything to bludgeon to death. I was not going to volunteer. I made it safely back to Red Larch and laid down in the Swinging Sword waiting for my heart to start beating again. The wildlife in those areas is often migratory. I will try to keep a current record of conditions for those interested in exploring this magical and deadly place.

-Caliope

Scout Report: Rassalantar/East of North Gate

Simply put; wyverns. Wyverns occupy all areas on and near the Long Road north between North Gate and Rassalantar. There is no sign of manticores or leucrotta anywhere. Likely either could be hiding and waiting for their chance to reclaim their territory. Right now, the land belongs to the wyverns. A pack of wolves and dire wolves also wanders the fields west of Rassalantar.

Scout Report: Kryptgarden

This was a brief foray into the mid-eastern section of Kryptgarden entering from the covered bridge near Red Larch North. Upon arriving, Sarenno said she had spotted the most elusive creature in Kryptgarden; the unicorn. Tragically, it was also spotted by the Zartruss, and after a viscous battle it was cut down. The image in my head consumed me. I was struck by the conflict of Seranno's newfound baritone possessed by the familiar intonation of the Siren as she spilled this tragic tale. It was a horror I never thought I could image.
Upon entering the forest, the signs of battle were evident. Blood and corpses lay strewn as though a war had been fought. In the center of a ring of Zartruss bodies lay the remains of the most magical of beasts. In the distance were several more Zartruss rushing off to engage another foe that I could not see from where I was. They were not my concern. I stealthily approached the fallen unicorn. It body broken and bloody. It's magic whisked away by the greed and bloodlust that infects this wood. As I laid my hand upon the corpse of the mystical creature, its remains swirled in a cloud of glittering magical dust. In seconds it dissipated leaving behind only a golden horn. As I stared, the gravity of what had happened became apparent. The Zartruss has now slain a part of the very spirit of these woods. A new battle line has been drawn. As my eyes narrowed and my blood boiled, I signaled Sarenno forward and marched towards the fighting north of the inn. There I found a Zartruss squad engaged with a bulette. Their foe was tough. Some were devoured. In the end, two elites and a mage were left standing. My eyes were red.
The mage was in the middle. I went for him first. No word was spoken. No gesture was given. None was needed. Sarreno and I were locked in. I snuck beside him as Sarenno took aim. I put one dagger in his ribs and the other in his neck. Almost simultaneously, an arrow blasted into his chest. He was dead before he knew we were there. The two elites closed in from each side. They did not know we saw them. We went left first. In a flurry of daggers and arrows, he fell fast. The last was mortally wounded from the bulette. As he attempted to sneak up on me, I quickly spun around. He looked into my eyes with a mix of rage and bewilderment. He knew I was not surprised. He raised his arms in an effort to taunt me. My eyes did not leave his. Shocked by the lack of feedback, he looked down to find my dagger planted in chest. His expression faded as his body went limp, and he fell backwards off my blade.
As the field fell quiet once again, Sarreno and I quickly hid. To the west we found a pair of leucrotta that had luckily not heard the altercation. As we approached, our position was detected. The ensuing battle left one leucrotta dead, and the other graciously in our favor. With our hearts pounding we both concur; the Lady smiles on us tonight. Continuing our patrol south of the inn, our new diabolical ally was felled by the Zartruss, but Sarenno and I were able to clear the remaining patrol. The journey back to Red Larch was quiet. The mystical golden horn that neither of us wanted was louder than either of us could bear. There is work to be done.

Scout Report: The Long Road North (North Gate, Rassalantar, Amphail)

Sometimes it takes the scariest part of the job to remind you why you do it. I recently returned from a rest in Red Larch, and checked on the usual dangerous sections of The Long Road north of Waterdeep. Heading west out of Rassalantar, I had gotten used to the swooshes and growls of manticores circling the the plains between the hamlet and the southwestern keep. It was encouraging to hear those swooshes and growls once again, despite not actually seeing any flying overhead. I crossed the plain due west towards the pond. In the distance I could hear rabbits thumping through the brush, soft grunts of the deer across the pond, and the panting of a worg coming from the north. It must have spotted the deer. Oddly, no sign of any manticores. As I stared across the pond, something appeared in the foreground. A suspicious, yet familiar, distortion in the tall grass. As I peer more intently I saw it. The last thing anyone wanted to see. It was that moment I realized, there were no manticore. Just the baiting and deception wielded only by the the Sword Coast's most dangerous predator. A leucrotta crouched in the grass ready to pounce. The worg charged towards it, clearly focused on the deer and blind to its now inevitable fate. The murder dog leapt from the grass like a bolt of lightning. Its massive jaws clasped around the worg's throat as its muscled body swung on top of it and knocked the unsuspecting worg to the ground. The leucrotta began tearing the worg apart. The worg whimpered as it struggled to get to its feet. By the time it did, it was nearly dead. It desperately lunged towards the beast, but it was too late. The leucrotta effortlessly removed it's head as though it were meant to come off. A full search of the area would reveal two more leucrottas. It is absolutely terrifying to hear them mimicking the sounds of nearby birds and animals. Even more unnerving is when they produce a humanoid sound. Each voice is completely indistinguishable from the real thing. I think I even heard one mimic the war cry of a Zartruss Elite. Had this pack come all the way from Kryptgarden? I immediately headed south to check on the the wyvern population east of North Gate. Sure enough, more leucrottas. I did not scout deeper to see if wyverns still lurked east of the hill. It did not matter. The leucrotta were in charge now. The rest of us would do well to give them a wide birth, or be prepared for a fight you'll not soon forget.
The road between Rassalantar and Amphail was clear. Suspiciously clear. It's possible some adventurers had been through recently and defeated the Zartruss that seem to have taken a liking to ambushing travelers. It's also possible the leucrotta passed through there on their way south. At any rate, travel with caution and don't trust your ears. These creatures only know how to kill, they take much delight in it too.

Scout Report: The Long Road North (Waterdeep - North Gate to Amphail)

Anyone exploring the plains between Waterdeep's North Gate and the caravan town of Amphail these past weeks knows there was one common theme that was impossible to ignore. Leucrottas have taken over. This wasn't good for anyone. After much thought, I had come to the conclusion that they are fundamentally opportunists, and as opportunists they would have come here thinking they'd have a decent shot at some easy prey. If they were thinking about traveling caravans and the farmers from Rassalantar, they may have been right. I knew it was up to us, the adventurers and protectors of these lands, to send a different message. With the help of the brave folks at the Adventurers guild, Gael, Soosh, and Elyas, we managed to make life rather difficult for them in our neck of the woods. We wanted to send the message that they'd be better off skulking back to Kryptgarden and chomping on hobgoblins and wyverns again.
They were hunting in groups of 2 to 5. The larger groups almost always had to be separated before even thinking about engaging. With an abundance of caution and loads of luck, they were driven back each time we found them. Over 25 were slain. Today on my scout of the areas, there was no sign of them. I can only hope they returned to Kryptgarden. As for Rassalantar, the manticores have returned. Still a threat, but a manageable one. The manticores also perched themselves outside the ogre caves. Another preferred hunting spot for the leucrottas. East of the caves, however, the small family of bulettes still lingers. I urge all travelers to avoid them at all costs.
If there's anything that can be gleaned from these past weeks it that our actions do matter, and as a team, we can keep these lands safe for all who wish to dwell here in harmony. The leucrottas know they won't be getting any free meals when they come down here, and they'll be hunted with as much fury as they hunt us. Thanks again to the folks at the Adventurer's Guild, as well as Klaxxan and Rako who have begun joining in regular patrols of Westwood, for helping to keep the wild lands in balance.