A summary of what happened during the game sessions:

October 12, 2001 - Session 17

Hildegaarde, Rylan and Sana headed to other side of mountain and proceeded with the plan to retrieve the horses. They decided to bring over Winter's warhorse first.

However, while Hildegaarde was explaining to the horses what was going to happen, Sana noticed a body at the side of the riverbank. Upon closer inspection, it was the bugbear leader. It looked as if he had been tossed in the river at some point, perhaps in the cavern, after being stabbed in the back. He had pulled himself to the riverbank, but had died there.

On the other side, Ezhno's scouting further down the trail found the body of a bugbear not far from their camp.

Hildegaarde arrived with Winter's horse, and told them of the bugbear's body on the other side. They informed her of the one found over here.

The night passed uneventfully, and in the morning, Hildegaarde flew back over to the other side, and then Rylan, Sana, and the horses, with the dwarven druid, flew the mounts to the other side of the mountain.

They followed the trail the next day, and found more bugbear bodies. This time, the first body they encountered appeared to have been axed in the back while stopped at the side of the path to relieve himself.

The day passed, and in the distance they saw the bridge and temple-like entrance into the mountains that Sana had seen from afar. With the evening coming on, it was decided that the group would stop about a mile from the bridge and camp before attempting to cross it. But a mile and a half out, they encountered more bugbear bodies.

These ones had been pushed up the side of the slope into the brush. While Jack went up to investigate, the others waited. And he noticed as he moved closer, that the bodies appeared to be eaten. Actually, that was being eaten...there were about a dozen small lizard-like creatures hiding in the brush, trying not to be noticed and succeeding, until he was right near them.

Jack alerted the others, and battle ensued. It was easy enough to do, but before they could kill them all, the troglodytes, as it appeared they were, emitted a horrible stench. Jon became overwhelmed with nausea. In short order, all were killed save one, who was subdued, so they could ask questions of the bugbears' death and the passage of the others.

Sana approached, trying to ask questions, but was also overcome with the nausea. The troglodyte would not speak with them in common, but did speak Draconic. Winter came forward to talk to him, and learned that they had found the bodies earlier, and decided to snack. They had not seen any others, and the bodies were there, and waiting. Winter had promised him a clean, quick death, and after getting his information, provided it. A brief search of their bodes turned up 20 very shiny (as if newly minted) platinum pieces, which Sana identified as being from the Age of Legends.

The group moved forward the last half-mile they had intended to, finding a camping ground. Cold camp again, and while it was being prepared, Jon and Sana flew down (with Sana providing the flying) to the river below, allowing them a chance to clean up. Sana noticed some bloodstains on the near side of the ravine, but did not find any other signs of the bugbears, or what else might have caused the stain.

The group rested, passing an uneventful night.

Quote(s) of the evening - "If you get hurt, there will be no one to carry the tale." - Jon
"Why would we want his tail?" - Winter

"Keep one of them alive!" - Sana
"I don't think that will be a problem!" - Jon