Well, a lot of people mentioned Blood Peaks, so there has to be something interesting in there. Time to go!
On the way there, we have lot's of random encounters. In this one, Helly oneshots an orc.
Also, everyone keeps getting sick.
I guess it's because it's winter now.
Great, more stalkers.
This gnome hates Boreale's guts.
This isn't the place we're looking for. I travel all around the western part of the map before I finally manage to find it. Though not the optimal route.
Sometimes, we are attacked by huge groups of orcs.
Of course, they can't stand against our might!
Helly is about twenty paces away from the animal, when it suddenly lifts its head and looks straight into his eyes. Then it vanishes into the forest with some wide leaps.
SHAMEFUR DISPRAY!
He rolled a 20, so it was autofailure.
Hide?
Once, Grimgravy thinks he saw a movement, but that seems to have been a mistake. No one else saw anything despite an intensive search. Even so, when you finally want to give up and return to the road, every one of you finds a large arrow stuck in their backpack. Peculiarly enough, these arrows do not have a head...
Well, fine, maybe shout and announce ourselves?
Smartass...
We walk on and nothing happens.
About one hundred paces into the wood, you come upon the corpse of an old man. Beside the body, you find a large, broken hammer of the sort needed to cold work soft metals...
We can bury him or continue on. We bury him.
You bury the old man and continue your journey with a clear conscience.
I think it raises our favor with Boron?
Much later, we learn that we can't get to Tiefhusen this way.
That asshole gnome really hates Boreale...
Then we fought some wolves and Helly got rabies. He had to wait 3 days, until someone finally managed to cure him.
Well, we have some sweets, right?
Ok, guess not...
"Would you mind if I warm up at your fire for a bit?" the visitor asks before you have a chance to get a better impression of him.
We ask him what he's doing here.
"Normally, this is a good time to catch weasles and similar game. You know, beasts with pelts you can sell for a good price. But I haven't had any luck so far tonight."
Ok then, you can stay, but you're not cooking anything!
The guy sits down by the campfire and starts telling you about his efforts with some very accurate descriptions of the surrounding area. But when his stomach starts to growl, he interrupts himself. "You wouldn't happen to have a bit of food for me?"
We have enough. What's he gonna tell us?
After you dig up something edible from a backpack, your guest digs in. While he consumes his meal with obvious delight, he continues describing the paths of the area. In doing that, he mentions the "great Thasch pass" quite often. Finally, he has fin ished his meal and sets off on his travels again.
Ok, nothing useful. But atleast he didn't poison us like that druid.
We get the option to donate half of our money.
When you throw half your coins into the river asking for the blessing of the gods, you notice a lizard sitting on a rock in the water. The rainbow above you seems to reflect in the green scales of the animal, and all of a sudden a feeling of physical well-being without equal rushes through your bodies.
Yes, that was related to Tsa, but it didn't seem to heal us or anything like that.
Well, let's not risk it.
After a while, a high-pitched shriek rends the quiet. The lynx has found its prey...
But the screaming has attracted two saber-tooth tigers, which in turn see you as pray…
Well, they are pretty weak and no one got rabies from them.
Yeah, we are still being stalked. Probably by vazha's fangirls...
Hey, here's one of them right now!
Ok, she's definitely crazy. Let's leave before she kidnaps vazha and forces him to marry her.
And here's vazha's fanmail! Will he finally be worthy of HER?
Since it's winter now, some paths can't be crossed without snowshoes. And we had enough problems locating normal shoes.
Now we have to cross this. Let's be careful! We don't want to lose anyone-
Well, after this, I wanted to save the game, but accidentally loaded it instead... Well, whatever. I guess we'll just continue like this. Hopefully this time we won't lose anyone-
...sorry vazha.
As you can see, everyone is devastated by his loss. Especially Boreale.
Hey, vazha's fangirls are here!
They seek to avengr his death and apparently, they blame us.
Some of them are under control of the aventurian hivemind.
Well, atleast they are rich.
We stop in Sibra to pick up our newest companion, Nevill's illegitimate son da_rays. Hopefully, he shall fare better then the last long-lost offspring that joined our party and his late father.
Nothing interesting either. No clue as to where we are supposed to go...
I guess this might be it?
...or not.
At this point, we need to try everything.
One of the Orcs, quite obviously the captain, addresses you: "You prisoners of Ugorzzih, you surrender or you're finished!"
Tbh, I think you get captured no matter what you choose.
The captain orders some of the other Orcs to tie you up. After that, the Orcs fall on your baggage and don't even stop with your clothes you're just wearing. Only when you tell the captain, that you feel yourselves humilated by your nudeness, he allows you to put on again some old rags. You also get some things back, of which he believes they will help you marching. After that, he lets his men blindfold you.
Because of the blindfolds, you cannot see what's going on around you. The Orcs are talking. Apparently they consider their next move. Suddenly, someone punches you: "You! This way!"
For hours, the Orcs march you through the mounains without another word. In the night, the blackpelts take a break. You are given bread and water. You are extremely tired and fall asleep.
You are wrenched from sleep by a kick in your side. Apparently, the Orcs are ready to march on. They manhandle you back on track, liberally interspersing their ministrations with strategic kicks.
Around noon, you hear water gurgling. For some hours, your involuntary trip goes along some stream. Then, you are forced into the water which goes halfway up to your knees. After reaching the opposite bank, you leave the stream behind.
Your involuntary journey takes you across the mountains. As you cannot see where you're going, you stumble and fall frequently, but the Orcs always get you back on your feet fast by kicking and manhandling you.
In the evening, the Orcs take a break. The last few miles were very exhausting, as you are back in the mountains. After scarfing down some bread and water, you fall into a deep slumber.
On the next day, the trek through the mounains continues. Finally, you reach a cave. After collecting numerous bruises from the stone walls of the corridors, you are relieved of the blindfolds. You hear a door being shut and locked behind you.
Slowly, your eyes grow accustomed to the dim torch light falling into your cell from the corridor outside...
Wait, what...
Please, don't tell me-
These are the only weapons we have, as they took everything, including our magic items.
Well, say goodbye to Nevill, everyone! He's not gonna last much longer...