![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
To Captain Tiller
I report that our mission to investigate the problems reported by the local druids was completed successfully, with no patrol losses. We have arrested 11 suspected dark druids in connection with this and I provide the evidence against them below as well as some other matters of note.
On the outskirts of town, we defended the apple orchard from a pair of gryphons, which attacked unprovoked. The apple farmers told us the gryphons came from the mountains and had become more bold since the Mayor's disappearance, though they had no real idea why this might be related and in fact were not entirely certain when the Mayor had left / gone missing. We killed one of the chimeras and forced the other off but the farmers believed more would come. We noted that their apples had a magical aura to them, which could be related to the attacks.
On our route to the druids, we encountered large bunnies, which were highly territorial but we avoided fighting as much as possible. We observed them trying to attack a snail which was passing through, to no apparent effect. We followed this snail to the druids, while Druid Hazel attempted to converse with it. There appeared to be some miraculous effect upon it, possibly rising to the level of a spiritual influence or charm, but it was not dispellable nor was the snail diseased or poisoned. The snail's trail was observed to be highly sticky, slightly magical, and somewhat flammable, burning away when exposed to Radiate castings.
We were unable to avoid being attacked by giant centipedes, some of which struck with the powers of lightning, which is mainly notable due to later observations of the dark druids. Druid Hazel was unfamiliar with these creatures so could not confirm if it was a natural ability or (related to my previous point) possibly they had also ingested the snail slime. The druid hypothesized that the movement of so many gastropods from out of the area had caused a corresponding shift in other creatures trying to claim their preferred cave territories.
Furthermore, after we had left the local druids and before we reached the temple, we encountered two large goblinoids (suspected to be trolls) demanding a toll to use the road. They claimed that they would use the income to improve the road conditions but the price requested was "a mana, a standing and a shiny." Guardian Trader Joe negotiated for us - it was unclear how they were able to remove mana and standing from him, nor if this was a permanent or temporary reduction, but he was certain it had been successful.
We then came across "Nosh's Monster Grill" being manned by a skeleton (which, since it was able to speak, we suspect may have been a death knight, or some other higher order of undead). I was uncertain we had the capacity to defeat a death knight, especially if the other beings present (another probable troll, a dryad, a goblin, and at least two other unidentified creatures) had taken its side. We decided not to draw attention to our identities or mission - in fact some patrol members tried the food and surprisingly were not poisoned (though it had other strange effects which lasted around 15 minutes) - and passed by as quickly as possible.
I note, the goblin told me come from Dragon Town but she had felt uncomfortable living there and had left before the recent troubles started due to feeling watched at all times, a sentiment shared by others of the patrol who had spent time there.
We reached the ruined temple to find an intact front door and individuals encouraging snails to enter in apparent genuine welcome. We were turned away with one individual heading within and barring the door behind them, leaving one outside, who High Wizard Unelias promptly Comaed.
High Pyromancer Prosit Destroyed the door bar and we progressed into the temple. We found a large hall full of gastropods feasting on some kind of broth, watched over by a number of humans, with one other - identified as the Temple Master on a high balcony, from which he refused to accept his arrest and ordered the others to attack us. Shaman Bryntag had seen an alleged dark druid in town on a previous patrol but was unable to positively identify any of those we encountered as being that individual.
Some of them were specifically observed casting death/dark druidic miracles, while others may only be guilty by association. At least one was adamant she was not a member of the Dark Druid guild but she was still present while a local druid (probably a Kingdom citizen) was being held as a prisoner with some threats about using him for their slime plans, so at the very least was complicit in kidnapping or false imprisonment. Some of the druids were more aggressive than others in resisting arrest - where possible we Comaed or subdued them but in some cases were forced to incapacitate them and, in one case, an individual was killed.
The ringleader was certainly a dark druid by his own admission and the evidence of the enclosed letter. This letter shows he was working with a mysterious M - he also had either summoned planar creatures (suspected to be dark elementals) or been provided them and ordered them to attack us when we tried to arrest him.
It remains unclear exactly what was being done to the slugs and snails and if this was a crime. We observed them being fed to encourage the production of their slime trails but also found many of them starving in a cell. Also in a cell we found a further group of planar creatures - even if a follow-up patrol is sent to investigate, it seems likely they will have disappeared by then.
The leader of the group clearly had some nefarious plans for the use of the slug and snail slime - and in fact ingested it to some effect when it was clear he was cornered - but how much the other individuals knew about the larger plan is debatable. To what purpose "M" intended to use the slime is also uncertain.
I will be shortly returning to Woodshire but would be happy to return to give evidence in court if required.
Regards
L-Cpl Oglun Ironbeard
Letter reads:
To Temple Grand Master
We know you are dark druids and as such we have a proposition for you.
Boulder snails and Flail snails leave behind a magical trail that when concentrated and collected in large quantities provide a very effective source of mana. We want you to use your dark Druid powers to gather this substance and deliver it to us. No questions asked, but in return we will protect you when the time comes.
We have seen the signs and we know you have too. We know you value your followers and do not want harm to come to them. Do this and you will have our protection.
- contact M.
I report that our mission to investigate the problems reported by the local druids was completed successfully, with no patrol losses. We have arrested 11 suspected dark druids in connection with this and I provide the evidence against them below as well as some other matters of note.
On the outskirts of town, we defended the apple orchard from a pair of gryphons, which attacked unprovoked. The apple farmers told us the gryphons came from the mountains and had become more bold since the Mayor's disappearance, though they had no real idea why this might be related and in fact were not entirely certain when the Mayor had left / gone missing. We killed one of the chimeras and forced the other off but the farmers believed more would come. We noted that their apples had a magical aura to them, which could be related to the attacks.
On our route to the druids, we encountered large bunnies, which were highly territorial but we avoided fighting as much as possible. We observed them trying to attack a snail which was passing through, to no apparent effect. We followed this snail to the druids, while Druid Hazel attempted to converse with it. There appeared to be some miraculous effect upon it, possibly rising to the level of a spiritual influence or charm, but it was not dispellable nor was the snail diseased or poisoned. The snail's trail was observed to be highly sticky, slightly magical, and somewhat flammable, burning away when exposed to Radiate castings.
We were unable to avoid being attacked by giant centipedes, some of which struck with the powers of lightning, which is mainly notable due to later observations of the dark druids. Druid Hazel was unfamiliar with these creatures so could not confirm if it was a natural ability or (related to my previous point) possibly they had also ingested the snail slime. The druid hypothesized that the movement of so many gastropods from out of the area had caused a corresponding shift in other creatures trying to claim their preferred cave territories.
Furthermore, after we had left the local druids and before we reached the temple, we encountered two large goblinoids (suspected to be trolls) demanding a toll to use the road. They claimed that they would use the income to improve the road conditions but the price requested was "a mana, a standing and a shiny." Guardian Trader Joe negotiated for us - it was unclear how they were able to remove mana and standing from him, nor if this was a permanent or temporary reduction, but he was certain it had been successful.
We then came across "Nosh's Monster Grill" being manned by a skeleton (which, since it was able to speak, we suspect may have been a death knight, or some other higher order of undead). I was uncertain we had the capacity to defeat a death knight, especially if the other beings present (another probable troll, a dryad, a goblin, and at least two other unidentified creatures) had taken its side. We decided not to draw attention to our identities or mission - in fact some patrol members tried the food and surprisingly were not poisoned (though it had other strange effects which lasted around 15 minutes) - and passed by as quickly as possible.
I note, the goblin told me come from Dragon Town but she had felt uncomfortable living there and had left before the recent troubles started due to feeling watched at all times, a sentiment shared by others of the patrol who had spent time there.
We reached the ruined temple to find an intact front door and individuals encouraging snails to enter in apparent genuine welcome. We were turned away with one individual heading within and barring the door behind them, leaving one outside, who High Wizard Unelias promptly Comaed.
High Pyromancer Prosit Destroyed the door bar and we progressed into the temple. We found a large hall full of gastropods feasting on some kind of broth, watched over by a number of humans, with one other - identified as the Temple Master on a high balcony, from which he refused to accept his arrest and ordered the others to attack us. Shaman Bryntag had seen an alleged dark druid in town on a previous patrol but was unable to positively identify any of those we encountered as being that individual.
Some of them were specifically observed casting death/dark druidic miracles, while others may only be guilty by association. At least one was adamant she was not a member of the Dark Druid guild but she was still present while a local druid (probably a Kingdom citizen) was being held as a prisoner with some threats about using him for their slime plans, so at the very least was complicit in kidnapping or false imprisonment. Some of the druids were more aggressive than others in resisting arrest - where possible we Comaed or subdued them but in some cases were forced to incapacitate them and, in one case, an individual was killed.
The ringleader was certainly a dark druid by his own admission and the evidence of the enclosed letter. This letter shows he was working with a mysterious M - he also had either summoned planar creatures (suspected to be dark elementals) or been provided them and ordered them to attack us when we tried to arrest him.
It remains unclear exactly what was being done to the slugs and snails and if this was a crime. We observed them being fed to encourage the production of their slime trails but also found many of them starving in a cell. Also in a cell we found a further group of planar creatures - even if a follow-up patrol is sent to investigate, it seems likely they will have disappeared by then.
The leader of the group clearly had some nefarious plans for the use of the slug and snail slime - and in fact ingested it to some effect when it was clear he was cornered - but how much the other individuals knew about the larger plan is debatable. To what purpose "M" intended to use the slime is also uncertain.
I will be shortly returning to Woodshire but would be happy to return to give evidence in court if required.
Regards
L-Cpl Oglun Ironbeard
Letter reads:
To Temple Grand Master
We know you are dark druids and as such we have a proposition for you.
Boulder snails and Flail snails leave behind a magical trail that when concentrated and collected in large quantities provide a very effective source of mana. We want you to use your dark Druid powers to gather this substance and deliver it to us. No questions asked, but in return we will protect you when the time comes.
We have seen the signs and we know you have too. We know you value your followers and do not want harm to come to them. Do this and you will have our protection.
- contact M.
