Wheat Hollow Adventure Log - May 31st, 2012

Player Characters
Chip – Squirrel - 1^st level - Ranger (Nick Perk)
Fist – Mouse – 1^st level - Wizard (Chris Brown)
Maple – Squirrel - 1^st level - Ranger (Anna McConnell)
Munk – Chipmunk – 1^st level - Illusionist (Bruce Heard)
Persephone (Pip) – Mouse - 1^st  level - Rogue (Rebecca Rudaski)
Filch – Squirrel – 2^nd level – Rogue (Steve Polasky)
Melbo – Skunk – 3^rd level – Fighter (group)

Our last session ended with the two groups, the party and the owls, at a stale-mate, staring at each other wondering what the other was going to do next. Well, the group decided it would be best that they should back off to a safe distance and find a place to rest for the night and then try to figure out what to do about the owls - possibly sneaking up the tower during day, hoping that they might be gone or at least asleep.

The night did not go peacefully. At about 3 or 4 in the morning, Filch spotted a small group (six) of some strange beings heading towards their camp. Not taking any chances, he woke up the group just as the creatures arrived at their camp and attacked. They looked like rather large thistles with sharp little teeth and thistly paws. The dice were hot for the adventurers – for although they took a couple of minor hits, the thistlers were quickly hacked down, with even Fist the wizard taking a down a couple. The rest of the night passed quietly.

The next morning Maple decided that it would be best for her to check out the tower alone using her ranger skills, hoping to find a way into the tower. When she reached the open area near the tower, she noticed that all was quiet around the tower, no owls to be seen. She silently snuck up to the tower door and pressed the door-bell. The chime sounded and the woodchuck butler again made his appearance, reciting the same lines and performing the same movements as before. Finding this odd and not finding another way to get into the tower, she returned to the group and gave her report.

This time it was decided that the whole group would go back to the tower and investigate the front door a little more. As they approached the tower, the group noticed that a smaller owl was out perched on the landing towards the top, staring out into the woods. It didn’t appear to notice them. Judging successfully their distance from the owl, Fist cast a Sleep spell which quickly put the little fella to snoozing. The group quickly moved up to the tower door and pressed the button. They were treated to a carbon-copy repeat of the woodchuck butler show. This time, Munk correctly deduced that the whole thing was an illusion. Finding that the door would not open and was not yielding to their attacks, they started to move around the base of the tower to find a possible secret entrance.

Unfortunately, the attacks on the door alerted the owls up above, with the largest owl of the group swooping down to the assault on the group. Chip took up his bow and arrows, Fist started to cast a Magic Missile spell, the rest of the group did their best to avoid any direct confrontation with the owl. The owl quickly dove down and tried to rake Chip with its sharp talons, unsuccessfully. In return, it was hit with an arrow and a Magic Missile spell, noticeably hurting the owl. Undaunted, the owl again dove down for the attack.

As the owl was busy with Chip and Fist, the rest of the group was busy scaling the side of the tower to reach the top with Fist and Munk again searching the base of the tower - only this time Fist cast a Detect Magic spell to see if they could find any magical entrance into the tower. When Pip and Maple reached the top, it was quickly decided to tie up the owl and hold it for ransom. Pip suggested that it might be a good idea to pitch the owl over the side; Maple was shocked and would do no such thing! So, the little owl was spared the 30’ drop to its death. Shortly after tying up the owl, the party on top was met by the other adult owl and two other young. The adult owl did not press the attack once it noticed that the group had the other youngster. He gave a loud screech which got the attention of the other adult owl which broke off its attack and swung around and landed next to the other owls.

With the group up above keeping the owl’s attention glued to them, Fist and Munk patrolled around the base of the tower and located something magical with their spell. However, it was not located in or on the tower, the magic emanated from one of a group of large wads of hair balls that they noticed for the first time lying at the base of the tower. They correctly identified them as owl pellets and started to dig through the one that radiated magic. Inside the found a skeleton hand that had a ring on one of the fingers, along with bits of fabric that appeared to be clothing of some sort. Putting two and two together, they came to the conclusion that the owls were not part of the wizard’s tower, but were the ones responsible for the wizard’s disappearance.

Back up above, the group did the best they could to communicate with the owls, but it didn’t appear that they were getting through to them. The owls just kept staring at the group and the young one that was tied up. The young owl was starting to come out of the Sleep spell that Fist had cast. Noticing that the owls weren’t pressing forward to the attack, the group decided that releasing the young owl to its parents might be the best idea. As soon as the young owl was released, both the adult owls let out a loud screech and the whole family flew off to other parts of the forest.

With the owls gone, Filch dropped down a rope so that Fist and Munk could climb up the tower to join the rest of the party. As soon as they were all together, they set about to find clues and a possible entrance to the tower. Walking around to the back side of the tower, they found an opening in the round structure on top. When they entered, they found a large nest filled with sticks and other forest debris. However, they also found a few bones that undoubtedly belong to the rabbit wizard who lived in the tower. They also found star charts that were posted in the inside walls, along with a tobacco jar and pipes that were sitting on a shelf. Munk found and kept what remained of a telescope that was stuck in the nest, saving it so that he could take a closer look later. Finding no other ways down, they proceeded to start taking the nest apart. When they were about halfway through, they could hear that objects were falling down and clattering on the floor below - completing the removal of the nest, they found a round hole in the floor with a ladder leading down.

Due to the DM forgetting to bring the one essential binder that was necessary to continue the adventure, the session had to stop there for the night. So, the next session will start with the group heading down the ladder to see what they can find!