Party: Fir, Rachel and Gryven
It has been a while since the party last had to deal with the realities of dwindling funds, but such times arrive. We find three of our friends at the Abbeverato, listening for potential leads.
A group of local merchants discusses the effects of the bandit raids out in the countryside, while a contingent of off-duty Varangians contemplate the trade routes by sea as an alternative to the caravan-style land options that seem to be waylaid often now.
Fir first approaches the locals, but finds himself and his allies mocked for being non-human. Realising nothing good would come of pushing the interaction, the brave Simiah heads to the Varangians and gets a warmer reception. The elite mercenary guards explain that they have been out in the countryside but have been unable to react quickly enough to the bandits to actually catch a meaningful number of them. Moreover, it seems the brigands have sworn themselves to secrecy to the point that interrogation seems to fail.
Coins are promised for assistance as the party decides to make use of light rivercraft transportation to quickly get to the scene, their lower number an advantage they have over the larger groups of guards.
Gryven knows a guy named captain Falco, who is ready and willing to have his sloop (the Spray) crewed by the party and upriver to scout.
Checking the pattern of attacks, the party deduces a logic behind them, with a monthly interval. They head to the last village that was hit and begin their investigation. They spot markings on trees and rocks, speckled with a white paint pattern that indicates... something? When they reach a hill overlooking the raided village, Fir accidentally pushes a rigged boulder and falls down a shaft into the hill.
Down there, the remains of a temporary encampment lie, now guarded by enslaved spiders and rats. The party eliminates these pests, including one massive spider-creature which is run through by Fir.
They scour the lair for information, with Rachel discovering the spot was in use by a scout who took careful notes on what to hit and where, while Gryven finds several cages in the back where the guard-beasts probably were kept. The group sets about dissecting the giant spider and looting the place for any valuables, finding some minor magical items in the process.
[Party hits level 2]
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