Wheat Hollow Adventure Campaign Finally Gets Goin'!!

This last Thursday night we finally were able to get together in Lake Geneva to get this campaign started. After multiple false starts due to unforseen events we were able to convene at Lake Geneva Games and have some fun. Here's the first installment:

Wheat Hollow Adventure Log

May 3^rd, 2012

Player Characters

Bucky – Badger Fighter (Bobby Smith)
Chip – Squirrel Ranger (Nick Perk)
Fist – Mouse Wizard (Chris Brown)
Maple – Squirrel Ranger (Anna McConnell)
Monk – Chipmunk Illusionist (Bruce Heard)
Persephone (Pip) – Mouse Rogue (Rebecca Rudaski)

As the curtain rises on the beginning of this campaign, it finds Lord Monax, Mayor of Wheat Hollow, holding court with a group of aspiring adventurers, locals from the village. The Mayor has called them together to investigate the unsettling disappearance of some of the fellow villagers, eight to be exact. The villagers had been helping out at the farm of Farmer Thistlewhite, a mouse very well thought of in the community. To have a villager disappear or die due to an accident or predation is not unusual, these things happen often enough in the wild areas in-and-around their village; but, to have a large group like this go missing is definitely not the norm. Lord Monax has asked the group to go to Farmer Thistlewhite’s farm to find out what is going on, to find the villagers and bring them home if they can.

So, bright and early the next morning, the hardy group of adventurers headed out to the farm. The morning was cool and crisp and, thankfully, uneventful. As they approached the farm, they noticed a couple of crows sitting atop the roof of the farmhouse, keeping a close eye on them. As they grew nearer, they took flight and headed towards a copse of woods off to the south of the farm. The party approached with caution, keeping an eye for anything unusual. Upon reaching the front door of the farmhouse, they found the door hanging askew, dangling off on one hinge. The inside of the farm was found to be ransacked and the rangers noticed some footprints in some flour that had been scattered on the floor – most seemed to be that of rats, but they found others that were new to them, strange and unknown. The mess was completely not to Monk’s liking and he proceeded to do his best to clean up the house as best as he could with the time allotted to him. They checked out a small barn that was located behind the farmhouse, finding that it too had been ransacked  –  the food storage bins that normally hold all the harvested crops were gone, only a couple of farm implements were left.

Next, they decided to check out the surrounding areas, focusing on the farm fields and orchards that were located directly south of the farm. As they were walking through the cornfield looking for clues, they found the half the corn had been picked and noticed that the ground had been torn up with spots of blood here and there. Bucky thought it would a good idea to grab a couple ears of corn for later. The rangers, using their tracking ability, noticed what looked to be a large path containing many footprints heading off to the west/southwest, heading directly to a large wood. It was at about this same time that one of the party members also noticed some smoke coming from a small wooded area to the southeast. After a quick vote, they decided to check out the smoke.

Shortly after heading towards the smoke, they came upon a small, shallow creek that was easily forded and continued on to the hill. As they got closer, they noticed that there was a small door built into the side of the hill. Chip the Ranger and Pip the Rogue went up to the door to investigate it. They found it locked, but Pip could hear what appeared to be some moaning coming from within. Before they could come to a decision on what to do next, Bucky decided that time was of the essence and proceeded to knock the door in. Unfortunately for him, as he ran through the open door, he was greeted by a wall of stinging spray from the backside of a skunk. Failing his constitution roll, he quickly fell to the ground retching - tears streaming from his eyes and snot rolling from his nose. Maple, the other ranger of the group, was quick-minded enough to cover her face before trying to enter the abode of the skunk. Using a mirror, she quickly scanned the inside and she noticed a dark shape heading away from her into an adjacent room. After a quick discussion, she and Pip decided to enter the room after Monk was to cast a Light spell. After Monk casted his spell, the two entered the room and found a small blood trail leading into a back room. Following the blood trail, they found that it led right into the side of the back wall. They quickly searched the wall to no avail.

Outside, Monk and Fist were busy helping Bucky collect himself. Chip decided to go up on top of the hill above the skunk’s home to see if there was anything else that he could find.  When he got there, he had the strange feeling he was being watched. With his keens eyes he was able to spot what appeared to be some kind of platform built into the branches of a large oak tree. He also noticed what appeared to be an eye in the side of the tree watching him that quickly disappeared. Chip decided to climb the tree, which he did with ease, to investigate further. He came to the conclusion that there had to be some type of secret entrance to the tree, but try as he might he could not find it.

Having come to a dead end inside, Maple and Pip came back outside. Chip also returned and reported what he had found. The group thought it best to try and make contact with the creature inside, most likely the skunk that had sprayed Bucky. After calling out to the skunk and getting no reply, the group persisted in trying to persuade the skunk that they meant no harm. Their persistence was rewarded. The skunk, who was known as Melbo, told them to go back to the house and he would meet them there. Maple did her best to mend his injured arm when they returned to his house. Melbo then told them how he received his injuries.

He had been outside looking for around for some food when he heard a commotion coming from the farm fields. At first, he didn’t think anything of it, only that it might be the farmhands calling back and forth to each other. Then, the sounds took on a more menacing tone, causing him to take notice and to go and investigate. As soon as he came out of the small woods that surrounded his house, he was beset by a group of rats with swords and it was by sheer luck that he was able to fight them off and hit them with a shot of his spray, forcing them to run off. Being wounded, he retreated to his house to try and recuperate.  

Feeling better after Maple’s first-aid, he asked if he could join up with them. It was quickly decided that that would be a great idea and Melbo went into the back room and returned wearing his chain armor, a helmet, and wearing a long sword – some remnants of his old, adventuring days. In the discussions following this, it was suggested by Melbo that they should go talk to Marrietta the muskrat. The party agreed and went to search out the muskrat that lived in the marsh that was east of the farm and north of where they were at the moment.

The walk to the marsh was short and they were greeted by a host of armed toads soon after they entered the cattails of the marsh. They were asked why they were there. The party quickly explained the situation and was, for a moment, greeted by the blank, bulging eyes of the toads. The lead toad then asked the party to wait a moment while he consulted their leader. After what seemed like an eternity (the toads are not know for the conversational skills), the lead toad returned and requested that they follow him. Another short walk lead to a platform that was located on the shore of the small pond that was in front of them. They could see a large muskrat house out in the middle of the pond. No sooner than they got there than a snow white muskrat came from behind the house riding on the back of a large snapping turtle.

When she reached the platform she introduced herself and explained that she knew that they would be coming. The party could tell by her far-off look that she was blind. Marietta explained that though she cannot see, she seems to have an ability to sense/feel things and to have visions of what may happen in the future. After Marietta answered some questions from the party , the party knew that some foul, evil beast/thing from the north had entered the area and would most likely be found in the woods to the west known as Spider Woods – a place where one rarely ever enters due to it being infested with large, nasty arachnids!

The party thanked Marietta for her help and she wished them all the best on their quest. The party then proceeded to head towards the woods. This was easily done by the wide trail that was left by the rats. The adventurers followed the trail into the woods with Maple leading the way on the ground and Chip running through the tree branches up above. It didn’t take long until they approached the edge of a clearing in the woods. Chip barked a warning signal to Maple and the group stopped. Chip and Maple went out ahead to get a better look. When they got to the edge, they could see a two-story stone mansion that was guarded by a couple of rats with spears that were standing in front of the front door. It appeared that they had heard something from the direction from where the party was located and they seemed to be arguing about something – most likely who would go into the woods to investigate. Before they could finish their argument, Fist casted a Sleep spell which quickly put both rats to sleep.

The group quickly ran out, bound up the rats, and brought them back to the woods. After the rats had been securely tucked away, the party advanced towards the mansion. Pip went up to the front door to listen – she could hear some voices, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Both Maple and Chip decided to climb up the walls and check out some open windows on the second floor. After checking the front door, Pip went to look around towards the back of the mansion. Bucky and Monk decided to guard the front door while she did that. Of the four windows on the second floor, the two squirrels decided to check the inner two windows – Maple found an open hallway that, with the exception of a statue, appeared to be empty. Chip found a 10’x30’ room that also appeared to be empty. Having found his room empty, Chip lowered a rope for the others to follow.

Pip made her way to the back of the mansion. Upon coming around the corner of the building she found a door about 20ft away. Unfortunately, she stumbled on some loose rocks near the door causing her to knock her head against the door (she rolled a 1). Cursing her luck and hoping that no one heard her, she tensely listened at the door, hoping nothing would happen. However, it appeared that something on the other side had heard her and was starting to unlock the door.

Unfortunately for those of you that have been reading this, this is where we stopped for the night. So, please stayed tuned for next week’s installment to find out who/what is living in the mansion and to see how our brave adventurers will fare…

Enjoy!!