07

Even a Simple Moose

Uktar 22nd, 1489 (New Moon -29)

Recap:

Road to Lonelywood

With Orion having abruptly disappeared after the fraught encounter with the yetis, the players decided to forego visiting Naerth Maxildannar and instead hit the tavern before returning to the abode of Keegan Velryn and Garret Velryn for a long mid-day rest.
Waking an hour before sunset, Merken and Bardley decided to set out for Lonelywood to follow up on rumors they heard about a #WhiteMoose in the forest and perhaps to explore the smoke they saw from the top of Kelvin's Cairn.
On the road to Termalaine, Merken and Bradley encounter a chwinga for the first time. It gives Bardley a berry. He eats it.
In Termalaine, Merken and Bradley learn a little of the town's deeply divided politics and half-orc proletarian speaker, Oarus Masthew. They also discover that the town needs help clearing some kobolds out of #ABeautifulMine.

Arriving in Lonelywood, Merken and Bardley met Speaker Nimsy Huddle who gave them cookies and asked them to help deal with a menacing #WhiteMoose. He told them Iriskree Harrowhill at the Happy Skrimshander might be able to help prepare them.
Merken and Bardley met Iriskree Harrowhill, a very talented scrimshander, who seemed to recognize a piece of scrimshaw that Merken has had since he arrived in Icewind Dale. She told them what she knew of the #WhiteMoose and invited them to come back and see her daggers if they kill it.
Merken and Bardley entered the forest in search of the #WhiteMoose. They followed a set of tracks but it turned out to be a normal moose. However, Merken used speak with animals to speak with the moose who agreed to lead the two to where he had seen the White Moose before.
Merken and Bardley found an Elven Tomb. They attempted to complete a puzzle near the sarcophagus, placing a twig, a pinecone, a flame, a feather, and a humanoid hand on top of totems on which they were depicted, with Bardley's hand placed where they believe a humanoid hand must be placed. Nothing happened.
Merken and Bardley noticed that inscribed in the moon dial was the phrase "Gaze upon your own face and have seven questions answered."

Merken and Bardley continued to explore and while separated Bardley witnessed the #WhiteMoose emerge from a door in the side of the mountain. Hiding, the two observed the beast.
Bardley attempted to climb the 10-ft. tall berm but slipped at the top, falling back down until his ring of feather falling automatically activated, landing him gently.
Merken used wild shape to become a bear and speak to the #WhiteMoose. The moose explained that Ravisin had given him intelligence and he doesn't want her to take it away, so he attacks people in the forest for her. He was not interested in a deal.
Bardley cast cloud of daggers using a scroll he recovered from Astrix and Merken cast flaming sphere such that the two magical traps overlapped the narrow neck of the berm where the Moose would have to traverse to get to Merken.
The moose charged through the traps and Merken fought the moose until he was downed, and then it charged at Bardley. Bardley slipped away down the berm and the #WhiteMoose haughtily mocked him. After Bardley healed Merken, the Moose attempted to jump onto him from the berm but missed. Merken came down to help, casting moonbeam on the moose.
The Moose chased Bardley and Merken, downing Bardley. While Merken fought the Moose, the downed Bardley failed his first death saving throw and then abruptly died (nat1) on the spot just as Merken dispatched the #WhiteMoose with the moonbeam. His body is lying in the Lonelywood Forest, freshly fallen.