DavesGaming

Chuck

The next morning we set off to finish our Journey to Nashkel. Sarah and Jaheira both seem so proficient at this process, getting a little meal, breaking camp, heading out. I suppose its a skill I will learn.

For some reason when the trail curved to our left ahead, Sarah took us around a bluff into the woods at right. After walking some distance we saw and smelled a camp ahead. Before I even realized what was happening Sarah and Jaheira were giving directions for an attack.

And how do we know how capable these different sorts are? There were six of us, three warriors. And yet Sarah knew in an instant we could easily handle eight hobgoblins. What’s the math on that?
I’m trying to pay attention and learn. We also battled a group of four human bandits and defeated them easily. I asked Sarah, she said man for man the hobgoblins and bandits were about equal. Obviously the Hobgoblins had more troops, but fewer bows. She said you can usually approximate threat level by equipment quality. Interesting.

We finally made it to Nashkel and talked with the mayor. He reports two issues, first the mines are over-run with some sort of beasties that are killing miners. And the ore itself is of poor quality. It didn’t use to be. Sarah thought the important thing was to recon the area first, then head into the mine. For now, our healers (that’s me and Jaheira!) are worn out so we call it a day.
Another Assassin attacked when we entered the Inn. We all killed the woman, she was some sort of spellcaster. Presumably a cleric since she wore armor. I explained to Imoen I’d now faced six such attempts starting back at Candlekeep. She was shocked, didn’t realize it had happened there.

The next morning, we were preparing to leave town when we came across a Ranger. He seemed desperate, and a little confused. But he said his “witch” had been abducted by Gnolls and taken somewhere west of here. He was a foreigner, a Rashami. I’m not sure I understood the importance of what he was saying? And he seemed to be talking to a hamster.
But clearly I thought, this should take precedence over some problem with a mine! Oof. This triggered quite a debate. We all finally agreed that Jaheira and her husband would stay here and start investigations, while the rest of us went off to rescue a woman from those carnivores.

We spent most of the day traveling west, almost to the coast where we came across a rather decrepit suspension bridge.

Sarah talked about going in quiet, trying to keep our small team from being overwhelmed by their numbers. So that’s what we did.

We’d killed over 20 Gnolls when we found Minsc’s witch.

She also had no gear, no weapons and no spell book. But we got her! Minsc was very happy. We secured the area, Sarah explained this was about eliminating or reducing any pursuit. When we left, we didn’t have to run.

We had to stop and set camp a little ways out, we’d never make it back to Nashkel in the dark.

In the morning Sarah complained we were too loud. It defeats the purpose of watch, she said, if the others can’t sleep. Wow is she grumpy today!

We got back to Nashkel and talked about what was next. Jaheira reported they fought Kobolds and some wolves yesterday. We had rescued Dynaheir but she was in really rough shape, so we drew lots and it was Khalid who would stay with her while the rest of us went to finish exploring the area and then get into the mines.