One for Owl and Owl for One; Humblewood Rewards Thread

Session 12 7/25/25 (Yeah i am running behind this week)

At dinner, the team learned from newsheets that Waldon Krane had been arrested in Winnowing Reach in connection with a series of magical item thefts. Investigations continue into how wide controversy may spread. He has been removed from office.

The team then met an imposing Mapach named Nico Flintclutch who had come in-person to take the measure of the Heroes of Winnowing Reach after they had impressively stood up for the people of the Humblewood and accused the Birdfolk Council of neglecting their duty to provide security and prosperity to the folk of the wood. Nico is the chairman of the Humblewood Association of Carters, Drovers, & Teamsters Association aka “Hacked”. He warned the team that the roads were potentially dangerous for them and that portions of the birdfolk council may not be operating in good faith.

The team departed Alderheart headed toward the Avium and via backwoods trails and were ambushed by a pair of forest prowlers. These apex predators are masters of camouflage within the wood and the subject of many folktales among the humbles and birdfolk alike. The team defended themselves, sending the bad kitties bounding into the underbrush to lick their wounds to find some natural gabapentin. A bit scratched up but still alive, the team arrived outside the Avium, Humblewood’s magical school.

Rewards: A handful of leaves that seem to shimmer and disappear within the dappled light of the forest. Perhaps if enough of these were collected a cloak that enhances stealth could be crafted?

Scheduling: Are we good for Friday 8/1?

1 Like

Session 13, 8/3
Our team arrives at the Avium and the small village at its gates. A night was spent at the modest village accommodations, the Beer Butter Inn. In the morning the team headed into the Avium, a large petrified tree trunk with 4 orbiting vivarium bubbles. The bubbles in ascending order are Library, Dorms, Academic Quad, Administration. The team was greeted by Rhys Birchwalker, associate prof of conjuration who escorted them to the dean. Dean Gabe Windworth had some advance notice of their arrival but was perhaps not quite prepared for our young radicals. The team did gain his assurance of safety to the best of his ability for the upcoming détente discussions.

Our heroes were given leave to explore the avium at will. They headed to the library first thing. They met the librarian, Mordane Swiftgale. Mordane is an odd bird but was VERY intrigued by the prospect of new information from Holly and her book in ancient Jerbeen. The team spent some time researching various topics.

Regarding the Scorched Grove the below was learned from a source:

“
from the above evidence, one can conclude that the Scorched Grove displays properties which suggest extreme conjury, perhaps even the calling of a major elemental force. Whether this was conjured from a nearby plane or a farther one remains uncertain, but the readiness with which the elemental magics have taken root suggests a source in close proximity to our world.”

Regarding the Great Calamamity:

“
 regardless of the origin of the Calamity, whether or not the rumors of an elder elemental being hold any truth to them, a magical event of incredible significance is almost certain to have taken place. The calling of such elemental energies, whether through evocation or conjuration, would require a mage of unparalleled skill, or an entity of unfathomable power.”

Regarding Elemental Creatures:

*“Elemental creatures composed of fire that also possess earth elemental traits tend to be incredibly strong and durable, and do not appear to retain their vulnerability to cold-typed magics. However, cold-typed magic should theoretically be able to
”

“Elder elementals have strong connections to the energy of their aspected element. This connection can be so strong that
”

“After its defeat, the aspect of ice lost a single shard
 the Borealus
 was sealed away
 A dance of fire and ice maintains the Wood’s balance
 if the fire wanes, it must wane slowly, only then will its energies have time to ebb away
”*

Regarding the Tenders:

(Paraphrased) Tender “magic” is less actual conjuration magic but it more a bending or shaping of the natural rhythms of Everdeen (yes, that’s the name of the planet, i looked it up - sigh).

The team, having scratched their bookworm itch, retreated to the Inn for the night, though I suspect our Steersfolk could spend months in the library if allowed.

Rewards:
Knowledge is its own reward. Your welcome!

1 Like

Session 14, 8/15/2025

After a nights sleep at the Inn to clear the bleary eyes from the library the team headed back to the Avium Lower Library to do some more study on elemental creatures. Librarian Mordane is somewhat less helpful today. In fact, it seems that he was going out of his way to be less helpful, to the point that patience was worn thin and our team found themselves asked to leave. Before they left they did note a “glitch” in the skeletal library workers which was certainly odd.

The team then headed up to the Ethical Necromancy professor, Glinda Nightseed, She indicated that while the librarian had always been an odd bird, he’s been perhaps more odd lately. She noted there were reports of the skeleton glitches recently as well as a few other events that stood out as odd even in a place like the Avium where odd is normal. Jell Platenna, a cardinal Luma third-year has also lodged complaints about skeleton servator glitches. Additionally, a first-year Jerbeen, Figory Figgins had filed multiple reports of encounters that have left him shaken to the point he has applied for a medical absence from classes.

After hanging out with Glinda when the team left the Necromancy department the stairs out of the building were darker than they appeared previously. The group’s shadows were behaving strangely and the team found themselves forced to defend themselves against their animated shadows which sapped their strength. I believe the team found necromancy runes which seemingly are seemingly connected to the shadow attack.

I think at that point a Short rest was taken? (Someone remind me if this lines up which what I said that night)

I am good to go for Friday 8/22 if y’all are.

1 Like

whoa buddy, might need to tone down that authoritative certainty!

Session 15 - 8/22/25

Our team continues investigating mysteries at the Avium. They grabbed a short rest after a tussle with their shadows. Holly, who had been at a college party the previous night causing her to oversleep, rejoined the team. We proceeded to interview Figory Figgins who had seen a monster causing him a dreadful fright. The heroes were able to help him recover and introduced him to some new friends. A bone fragment that makes people feel cold and unsettled was also discovered and subsequently buried. A stop was made to Jell who pointed toward the skeleton servitors acting strangely and rumors of an old unused sub-basement level of the library. The team rounded up the dean and Glinda who accompanied them to investigate the sub-basement. They encountered a Covid Necromancer who Glinda identified as a former student, Odwald Ebenheart and some skellybirds. Oswald apparently vanished but left the skeletons to deal with our heroes.

Having won the day, the team discovers there is a passageway off the far west corner of the classroom. Beyond the passage the classroom is full of chalkboards with drawings desks with papers laid out. Some of these working desks contain pages that have been ripped from the tomes our group encountered earlier. The work seems to center on how to drain elemental energies via necromancy.

Rewards:
Piles of bird bones that are pretty pounded up.

Scheduling: I am good for the 29th if you folks are.

1 Like

Session 16 Summary 8/29/25

While I made an excuse why i wouldn’t have this done I don’t like that for myself so here is summary/lore dump.

Our heroes following the skelly fight discovered Mordane the Librarian stuffed in a closet in a type of suspended animation. They also discovered an altered faculty pendant that would make any creature appear as the Mordane, presumably Odwald had been using it to assume his identity.

The team learned that Odward Ebonhart was a bit of a child prodigy hailing from an old and revered family in Alderheart. In certain echelons of society he was fairly well known and a star pupil when he attended the Avium a few years back. There is also a prophesy oft repeated in his family that an Ebonhart would be the savior of the Humblewood. After graduation it was as though he just disappeared from the social scene though. It would seem he became a bit of an adventurer teaming up with an Avium dropout, Susan and a young Strig knight, Riffin.

We confronted and talked down the very disturbed corvum and his cobblefright, Jimmy his grotesque lab which led the team to gather more information. Specifically, that he was trying to work on using necromancy to siphon off power from fire elementals as he believed balancing that heat with ice might now be impossible given his inability to locate the ice shard forged into a staff, The Borealus. Odwald’s plan was to create a giant soul-sucking abomination to confront the fire elemental. What could go wrong?

Further unraveling Odwald’s story, it seems he had been lured to a glyph in the Scorched Grove by an unknown patron under the guise he would be sealing the fire elements away forever, allowing the Humblewood to fully heal finally. However, what happened instead was a cracking of that seal, releasing ash serpents and what appeared to be a giant fire elemental. Which certainly would explain much of the recent events as Tenders fight feverishly to defend the wood and Bandits, er-um “Outfolk” leverage the instability to try to overthrow the Birdfolk’s status quo.

At the heroe’s requese the Dean will hold Odwald as a guest in magic dampeners while the team heads into the mountains to treat with the Outfolk

Rewards:
Gain a LEVEL up to 4!!!
For Services rendered to the Avium (without running too far afoul of the school’s rules.)
Avium Access Pendant - Faculty level. Once per LR this item will grant the wearer who knows the password teleportation to the Avium’s Experimental Teleportation Circle. In addition, all wearers have full access to the Library, may audit classes, and may formally enroll if they wish.

Pages containing the spell: Grasp of Shadows. By spending at least a minute reciting a ritual listed in this book, you can summon forth 1d4 + 2 shadows. These creatures are loyal to you and can understand any instructions you give them. They will carry out these instructions to the best of their ability. This property can only be used once per week.

2 Potions of fire resistance (copies to all players)

1 Ring of spell storing (will not copy), Preloaded with the spell Stellar Bodies, 5th level by Dean

1 Bag of Holding.

1,200 GP per adventurer
(reference to my previous note, the 500 Giftcard from the Council would still be valid. Shops are available in the Avium. Should items from the shop in Alderheart be desired I am sure a few days downtime would allow for a shipment to be brought in to fufill that order)

(I hammered this out quick so i will touch it up with links and formatting later)

1 Like

Looking at the Emporium items again and fully 1/3 of these options are completely beyond any one character’s ability to purchase, based on the drop-rate of currency in our campaign. Most of the items are spell scrolls: single-use, only usable by certain classes based on their spellbook, and these are mostly higher-level spells that may not be usable at all (or may invite Mishap).

Most of the armor options offer the same AC as a Fighter’s starting equipment, albeit with some magical buffs that may or may not be relevant.

Overall, it looks like I’m better off running with vanilla gear out of the PHB.

So, uh, how much to make a “Greatsword” into a “+1 Greatsword”?

DMG says +1 is uncommon, uncommon is 400GP + cost of item which for a Greatsword is 450 GP all in RAW were you buying new.

DMG also notes in Chapter 7 rules for crafting magical items. Uncommon is 200GP, Rare is 2000GP. So I would suppose since you are paying someone else to do the enchanting you would need 200GP supplies + labor costs. DMG says 10 days but that’s if you were doing the work not trained craftspeople and apprentices. Rule of thumb that labor is half of what supplies cost 300GP for straight +1 addition.

For $550 you can get a package where they will experiment with new techniques that might give random enchantments or benefits. We’d roll these up as +1, 1 minor benefit, & 1 minor beneficial property.

Sound reasonable?

Session 17 - 9/12
News From the ‘wood: The magical item theft scandal has deepened and now directly implicates Blake Bristol. There are calls for him to resign from the council.

Tenders report ash snakes are attacking along the Humblewood border. These attacks are serious and pose imminent danger to all folk. Tenders are tenuously holding the line for now. All Perch Guard reserves are being called up in an attempt to hold the line.

Smokey advanced to a Tender Sproutling; Holly got a message from her patron. It was noted that symbolism for that patron is similar to Henwin.

Our heroes journeyed to the Bandit Stronghold which is definitely not modelled Helms Deep. Asking to be taken to the leader to discuss the upcoming talks with the birdfolk council it was a surprise to be greeted by Krall the Scavenger King not the vaunted General Benna. A fight broke out and Krall was defeated (hideously) but he has been spared from death. The team discussed next moves with the 3 Stronghold Guards who have surrendered following Krall’s removal. They warned that Sloan the Mage is the real power behind Benna’s downfall and they are frightened of her and her spies. Benna is being kept in the brig. Additionally, It was also noted that the bandit infantry is likely to still be loyal to Benna.

To clarify the layout of the courtyard. You entered through the Gate in the far South. The inner keep where you have just defeated Krall is at the far north. Just south of the keep on the East side is Sloan’s tent. The barracks is just south of that, still on the east side. South of the barracks is the brig (still east side).

On the west side of the courtyard there is a large barn which seems to be a warehouse/logistics hub. There are stairs along the edges of the courtyard leading up to the parapets where archers would have commanding positions of both the courtyard and above the gate to the south. The gate for the sake of specificity has two levers for the portcullis and the drawbridge which are up and down respectively as you entered.

The question of what’s next looms. Engage in direct battle with Sloan? Make a break for the barracks, try to rally Benna’s infantry? Bypass both and go straight for the brig and try to free Benna? Get the flock out of there entirely? Or something else to surprise the DM.

Scheduling: Awaiting confirmation but I potentially have a conflict Friday 9/19 night with a jazz concert.

Session 18 - 10/10/2025
After an intricate discussion allowing the DM to eat a sandwich, the decision was made to proceed directly to the brig in the Bandit Stronghold to release Benna. There our heroes liberated Benna and two surprise guests: Janily of the Everchanging Sky, the matriarch of the Tenders and also Layton Sprighoof, another senior member of the Tenders. It was revealed that the Senior Tenders had travelled to the stronghold to discuss the existential threats to the Humblewood with Benna. When Benna began advocating to the Bandits that all out war with the BF council was ill timed and that fires were a greater threat, Sloan conspired with Krall to institute a regime change.

Having been released, with a literal ax to grind, Benna called to arms the bandit heavy infantry under Captain Lupus Vorenus. The infantry surrounded Sloan’s tent, she popped off a fireball and some force blasts but seeing she was up against an entire army (as Sara phrased it) of well trained and well protected troops Sloan chose to flee. General Benna, now restored to power, committed to peace talks with the BF council. Janily traveled back to the Avium with our heroes and Layton stayed at the stronghold to act as an advisor to the outfolk. Perhaps the events you have set in motion will be the first tentative steps toward a renewed partnership between the Humblefolk and Birdfolk.

From Janily and additional research the heroes learned that the Borealus is hidden away in the SouthEAST (edited because Drew is orienteering impaired) Scorched Grove beyond the present “fireline”, the string of Tender defenses doing their best to hold back the waves of fire attacks threatening the Humblewood. To access the Borealus the team must be judged worthy by the forest. It is hidden near a frog-shaped rock and sky leaf. The skyleaf plant is known as one of the few plants in the wood that remain a deep green all winter long. The avium has called in all resources, including Susan the Hedge Witch, to work on the problem of resealing whatever fire monster has been unleashed in the Scorched Grove. They believe that they have the foundations of a plan that can re-seal that monster if it were significantly weakened - that’s where the Borealus comes in.

Speaking of Susan, this presents the opportunity for potions is available again. Potions were 1GP if you have the ingredients. If you have to buy the ingredients call it 25GP per with your friends and family discount. Potion List.

Other news from around the HW: Blake Bristol has been arrested by Perchies in Alderheart as the magical item theft ring investigation expands.

Loot and Rewards, I buried the lede:

  • TAKE A LEVEL!!! This should bring you to Level 5.

  • 1500 GP for services rendered to the wood, bringing about peace talks.

Scheduling:
I am good to go for 10/18. I think we will be missing Holly though.

Session 19, 10/17/2025

Tasked with finding the Borealus (that’s how it’s spelled in the book) the team headed toward the Scorched Grove. They noted increasing ashfall accumulation on the forest floor as they drew near the edge of the forest. In spite of the ash, our heroes made great time and arrived at the southernmost Tender fort on the fireline called Vanguard *(which for the life of me I could not locate in my notes nor remember - in case anyone cares, the other forts are Stalwart, Dreadnought, and Indefatigable.) *The palisade fort has seen better days and displays clear scorch marks. It seemingly was once safely shrouded in the forest but now stands defiantly a hundred yards outside the forest edge serving as a stark reminder of the encroaching fires.
The Heroes of Winnowing Reach got crafty and made “ash-shoes” to negate the struggles of walking through knee to hip deep ash as they made their way to where they believed they would face trials to retrieve the Borealus.

The party was set upon by a pair of Ashsnakes en route to the area where they believed the Borealus was located. Having handled the Ashsnakes, the team was confronted with a bit of a puzzle. Making the wrong choice on the first try, our heroes found themselves in a water-based trap that was perhaps a bit more difficult to escape than intended. After climbing out thanks to some strong arms and a rope, a second attempt was made that permitted them entrance to a dungeon. Having entered the dungeon, the team then had to deal with a pack of fiery eyed eagle totems. With that room cleared the path is clear to further descend into the darkness.

Next session we will see what new challenges await our heroes as they continue the search for the Borealus.

1 Like

Session 20, 10/24/2025

The Heroes of Winnowing Reach next reached a bridge with flaming jets. Various levels of ingenuity were employed to cross it. The team then encountered a strange dark room. A large Treant, which to any modern Humble or Bird would have thought the stuff of legends emerged as the final test for our team searching for the Borealus. That Treant named Oakheart was obviously in a great deal of pain and wounded. The air around him chills noticeably and ice/frost can be seen in large cracks in his trunk. Our team, sang the Tender songs of healing and, ever the let’s-talk-it-out crew, convinced him that combat was not a good test of their worthiness to receive the Borealus. Instead they argued that their ability to seal the Aspect of Fire and save the wood would be a better test. They persuaded him and the 12 remaining members of his Treant tribe that their oaths to protect the Borealus did not tie them to this particular room. Emerging into the Scorched Grove the Treants were dismayed and mournful at the destruction of their once well tended flocks of trees. They accompanied our heroes back to Fort Vanguard to get some much needed rest and prepare for what comes next. Two Treants were sent bearing messages to Alonso’s parents along with a detachment of Tenders to Meadowfen. Other pairs of Treants were dispatched in pairs to the other Tender forts along the fireline to strengthen the line while perhaps laying foundations for the wood’s recovery. Leaving Oakheart with 4 supporting Treants at Fort Vanguard.

We checked in with the Avium. They have a pretty solid, yet still hypothetical plan, to seal the Aspect of Fire away again. They believe that if the Aspect of Fire can be weakened significantly that two mages working in tandem with the original conjuration circle from the first seal would be able to use the Borealus as an elemental fulcrum to entrap and reseal the Aspect of Fire. The Conjuration Circle location in the Scorched Grove is known to Odwald as it is the location where he was manipulated into breaking the seal which set all this in motion. Oswald and his former adventuring partner Susan have both volunteered to be the mages in the circle if the BF Council will allow him to have his magical shackles removed. We are a few days away from the peace talks at the Avium. Tents and pavilions dot the wide grass field outside. Representatives from around the wood pour into the area. In attendance will include the Birdfolk Council, The Outfolk Coalition, The Tenders, Avium Envoys, Reps from all the major guilds in Alderheart including Nico and Termit, and reps from the settlements around the wood. I am not sure if it was definitively stated that the team intended to stay at Fort Vanguard or to travel back to AH or bamf to Avium. Knowing this will make the DM’s job at trying to weave a cohesive narrative easier.

Rewards: Smokey has the option to advance a tender rank and may choose a specialization should he desire. Rank- [Sapling](Notion "Sapling

  1. (Notion)")) Smokey at this rank can choose a role if desired. [Standard roles](Notion "Standard roles

    (Notion)") or the special [Emberwarden](Notion "Emberwarden

    (Notion)") Other members of the team not already tenders would have the option to take a battlefield commission to [seedling](Notion "seedling

    (Notion)") Scheduling: We are off 10/31 for Chris’s Spooky Season Special one-shot. Next session will likely be our campaign finale meaning we want the full team. I am good for November 7th if that’s option for everyone else. Depending on Great Oaks availability Saturday 11/8 afternoon as alternatel.
    I am not available Sunday 11/9.

1 Like

Session 21, 11/24/2025 - Campaign Finale Summary

We saw the dawning of mass-communication in the Humblewood - through the use of major illusion Tenders were able to broadcast the signing of the Avium Peace Accords to Fort Vanguard which formally ended the Bandit Coalition rebellion. We saw Benna, the Cervan General appointed to the governing council formerly known as Birdfolk. More importantly perhaps, those same accords contained a framework for the council to be expanded in a way certain to include Humblefolk voices - including members from the Trunk and Roots of Alderheart.

As everyone took a breath, if just for an evening, Oakheart with his treants sang the Song of Peace which prompted a call and answer melody from the Earth and Wood alike. As the melodies interwove the power behind Tender Songs was revealed they are snippets from the older songs. Tender songs are akin to simple children’s melodies lifted from whole concertos. Poak and Holly were able to have a brief conversation with Henwin, a member of the Amaranthine who conveyed messages of kindness and compassion tinged by disappointment that her intervention in the Humblewood was required.

That pause and peace of song was shattered as the Aspect of Fire had destroyed Fort Stalwart, next up the line North from Vanguard. With the Fireline now breached, the gargantuan fire elemental was headed straight toward Alderheart - the great tree city of the wood. Ready or not, the plan to reseal the Aspect of Fire was flung into motion. Giant transport bees+Tender Traveling Songs were employed to bring in the allies our heroes had gathered to set the trap at the conjuring circle in the wood.

Not without some drama our heroes were able to taunt and lure the Aspect back towards the circle. A fierce battle ensued where our heroes were able to leverage Oakey’s powerful ice spell attacks and Holly’s gross dark ramen-slurping tentacle clouds to keep him at range. Finally his embers died out in a blast from Oakheart’s hoarfrost breath. Aspect of Fire now subdued, the Mages (Susan and Odwald) began their sealing ritual. The ritual began to draw in the fire energy distributed throughout the Scorched Grove.

Having pulled in the fire energy they then began to weave ice into the spell as the balance. Unfortunately months of absorbing power from burning the formerly shielded trees had created more fire energy than our mages could balance on their own. Alonso and Smokey bolstered the Mages, and Poal led the choir of Tenders (should that be their collective name? “A Choir of Tenders” sounds pretty cool, shoulda thought of that before the campaign finale write-up) used the Song of Peace reverberating through all of Everdeen to pull more ice elements into the weave but even that was not enough. Holly gave her powers such as they were to add to the ice weave. Oakheart, with some urging, moved toward the weave with the Borealus Ice Staff in his trunk. As he crossed the elemental vortex he gave what remained of his frost energy in an explosion of ice sparkles through the torrent. The Borealus hovered into the conjuration circle. Our dear Alonso then grasped the staff and slammed it into the earth, shattering what remained of its ancient Ice elemental shards. With that, the elemental vortex reached parity drained into the seal and the conjuration circle winked out and all was quiet.

Epilogue and final wraps up next - might need a couple days to punch them up.

Unless I’m mistaken, Rowyn was also there and contributing a great deal of much-needed support

Poor Smoky, we kept throwing those ice walls up and didn’t even think of the trouble he’d have not being able to look up

Indeed, Rowyn’s support was invaluable - oversight by me in a press to get this published before my brain started losing details.

1 Like

Epilogue:

The Heroes of Winnowing Reach might need a new group name given the breadth of their impact to this corner of Everden. Defenders of the Humblewood? Does anyone have any other ideas? The Humblewood was severely damaged along the Western fireline which borders the Scorched Grove. The Scorched Grove no longer has ash-fall events and the ground no longer sparkles with embers. Tender Scouts report that Ash Snakes are no longer harassing Tenders in the grove; instead they have returned to preying upon elemental forces within the grove as a way to restore natural balance. Treants and Tenders begin work with haste to heal the wood. About a week after the events at the conjuration circle, Tenders have reported a very strong Oak sapling has sprouted on a low hill where the Aspect of fire was destroyed. This is now known as the Healing Hill and is being treated as a sacred site.

Organized banditry and trade predation dwindles as Benna is able to bring hold outs of Bandit Coalition into line. Many former outfolk camps serve as the nucleus of new towns that spring up throughout the Humblewood to house refugees who do not wish to stay in Alderheart. Elections are held which allow Humblefolk to take seats on the ruling council. The reformed Humblewood Council undertakes expansion of infrastructure in Alderheart’s trunk and roots which create many economic opportunities for folks who might not have had them otherwise.

  • Blake Bristol is sentenced to 20 songs for corruption and theft in office.

  • Odwald does still face a trial for his necromantic dalliances, given his help with the resealing and repentance he is sentenced to monitored detainment at the Avium for 5 songs (years).

  • Susan, preferring the toads and beetles to nerds at the Avium for any period of time, returns to her swamp.

  • Riff, our intrepid Strig Knight leads a detachment of the Wildwood Legion to Ashborrow to begin reconstruction of the town and grain elevators to help the farmers co-op.

We did leave some dangling plot threads, perhaps they are nuggets for further adventures?

  • Where did Sloan the Mage slip off to?

  • What entity manipulated Odwald into unsealing the Aspect of Fire to begin with?,

  • Which direction is East again?,

  • The team was also definitely invited back to Winnowing Reach to Emmit and Kenna’s wedding in the Fall. It’s sure to be a heck of a party, I don’t know that we want to miss out on that.,

  • Who wouldn’t want to get away to Termit’s Inn for a reunion night?,

  • Treants, that’s it - they are just cool.,

  • How the heck will Drew manage to incorporate all the shenanigans you got up to and stuff he made up from whole cloth with the second campaign book that will drop eventually?

1 Like

Rewards: