The Trouble with T'rools

The Open Hunt returned to the T'rool caves west of the Ruined Castle. That area has proven to be very good for a mixed group. The T'rools are tough, but not too fast. With four mystics in attendance, the Atkus boosts also helped people get their tags.

Noivad led us into the caves and through the blue crystal. The exit to the Myrm hive is where we were wiped out, mostly by a few Fire Myrms. It happened so quickly that we didn't know what hit us.

I departed (as did PureHeat) to come back for a rescue. Many thanks to everyone who came to our aid: Farhope, Foxx, Jeepers, Knightshade, Mephisto, Nyla, Pookie, PureHeat, Sean, Suu'ub III, Thoomilicious, ToriAnn, and Xenos. Special credit goes to Suu'ub for leading the rescue.

The entry to Mountain Glen was busier than usual. It took us a few minutes to get set up and clear the snell. At first, the rescue group started to go back to where the Open Hunt had entered the T'rool caves, but Suu'ub said that going through the Hive would be faster.

 

The fallen were happy to see the rescue party, and we all were rewarded for our bravery and compassion. We quickly made our way out through the Hive and back to Puddleby.


OWE present: Artworx, Cammie, Creed, Jeepers, Lucero, Noivad, Polgara, Tater, Torin, and Valtrim.

P.S. I guess "the trouble with T'rools" is that they are next door to some bad ass Myrms!

Tater Joins OWE!

Tater was inducted into the Order today. Galadriel, Natas, Noivad, and Yor attended the ceremony. (Sketch wanted!) Tuska Tater! Tuska OWE!

Zo and Rider

Why is Kalian sitting on Natas's shoulders? Where is Natas running? You will have to visit Kisa's sketchbook to learn the answer!

Pathfinder Escort

The Open Hunt went to Pathfinding Books 3 and 1 and then continued on to Pitch Cave 5 before turning back. We broke a turnout record with 39 attending, including several exiles emerging from the library after very long sabbaticals.


The trip was ably led by Kalian -- who tried to refuse my request, but I wasn't paying attention and announced him as our direction caller. Oops, sorry, buddy!

All in all, it was a very satisfying trip. However, I was sad to hear that Ghrr departed. I think he was left behind at the waterfall snell. We could have easily gone back for him, but I guess he didn't want to be a bother. It's hard to keep track of people in such a big group, so I strongly encourage everyone to make noise (or toggle madly) when they need help.


OWE present: Artworx, Cammie, J'jh, Kalian, Shakyamuni, Torin, and Valtrim.

Darshak Ambush!

As I mentioned in a previous post, Purple Haze planned a two-pronged expedition to hold both the Annulus in the Ethereal Plane and its Material Plane equivalent on Tenebrion's Island. MaryJane made it open to all, and she asked me to lead the TI group. Based on PH's recent visits to the TI Hole, we expected the TI side to be the easier mission and apportioned the exile talent accordingly. Perhaps discovering a Darshak Spy in our midst should have tipped us off to expect the unexpected, but we didn't think much of it at the time.


The TI group made fast progress with little Darshak resistance, until we reached the snell just south of the Hole. Then Darshak elites swarmed around us. Some were able to escape and regroup, but many fell in a place that soon became far behind enemy lines. I departed and rejoined others at Centaur Island.


At first we had only a small trickle of Darshak elites to fight. We made our way back toward the Hole, determined to complete our assigned task. We were driven back to the beach more than once. It seems that, in addition to the Darshaks who pursued us, more of them were spawned by their priests at the beach.

The battles at south TI beach were tough and frustrating. The small opening in the wall worked to the Darshaks' advantage, as it made getting a foothold difficult. A couple of times I was able to make a fort in the southeast corner and hold several Darshaks away from the entrance, and Zaerion and others did something similar on the western side.


I heard that the EP team had met with difficulty too, and toward the end, some of them came to TI to help. Finally, after much advancing and falling back, we reached our fallen and called it quits. The Darshaks were prepared for us, so the next attempt will have to be a more secretive affair. Many thanks to everyone for their help!

OWE present: Cammie, Creed, Eli, Jeepers, J'jh, J'nder, Kalian (with the EP team), Kryll, Natas, Noivad, and Torin.

Who Was That Fen?

MaryJane and Purple Haze organized a huge group to capture simultaneously the Annulus and the Annulus-like hole on TI. The details of that hard-fought effort will probably be posted elsewhere. We had a great Elephant turnout, including a certain Fen who hadn't been seen in the lands in many, many years. Tuska Kryll!

Valley Stomp

Hi there! I recently joined 3 other Elephants for a stomp through the Valley. Now I got the feeling this was a leisurely stroll for them, but for me it was super intense warfare!



Here's a sketch of me lightly tapping a Sasquatch on the butt and sending him to bed without dinner. Yeah, I'm bad. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get more sketches, cause it was tough out there!

Tankies to Natas, Noivad and Creed for keeping me alive. It was fun and we emerged victorious! Tuska OWE!

~ Cammie

Kalian's Museum of Death

Kalian was a little bored during the Open Hunt, so he decided to spend the whole time collecting corpses to stuff. Afterwards, he invited everyone to visit his home. I had been inside once before, but he had done some redecorating. The main feature was a square of monsters in threatening poses. I bet that's where Kalian goes to relax!

MG Hive and T'rool Caves

The Open Hunt returned to the Mountain Glen area. It had never gone to the new Hive, so I chose it as our starting point. Suu'ub III did a great job in leading us. With such a large group -- 22 at the peak -- the narrow tunnels were definitely crowded.


Suu'ub had us leave the Hive through the T'rool Caves by the Ruined Castle. This place was more challenging, and I was glad to have more room to move. A few people wanted to stay longer to hunt in the Castle itself, but too many either had to leave or at least wanted a break.

OWE present: Cammie, Creed, Eli, J'jh, Kalian, Lucero, Noivad, and Torin.

Cammie Enters 3rd Circle

Cammie, our newest Elephant, passed the 3rd Circle Fighter test today! Read all about it in her journal entry. Congratulations!

Cammie Joins OWE!

After the Ethereal Forge trip, the attending Elephants gathered in town to induct Cammie into the clan. However, it wasn't easy! Puddleby was under invasion by Rippers, Tearers, Sazajas, and unusual rats. On the way to the Clan Hut, we ran into a Tearer, which felled some of us. We were healed quickly, and we performed the entry rite for Cammie. Tuska Cammie! Tuska OWE!

Ethereal Forge

The Open Hunt went to the Ethereal Forge. I had heard people saying they wanted to go there, and I figured it would be a nice change of scenery, to keep the Open Hunt from getting stale. I advertised the trip with Koppi and the Sentinel, so we got a record turnout -- 32 people. I was especially happy to see Polgara, who hadn't been in the lands for a long time!


We started at the Dal'noth kyuem. I thought that a portal from there could be lured, but I was mistaken. The first Ethereal Plane snell was heavily occupied by ethereal creatures and undine. With a few healers alternating as a runner, we eventually captured the snell.

The next snell, our destination, was relatively easy. We spent a lot of time waiting for people to make their items inside the Forge. Some mystics wanted to make a side trip to the Ethereal Tower, but after some consideration, it seemed like a bad idea to me. People hadn't come for a Tower trip, and the risk was substantial. Even if we had reached the Tower itself, leaving via Portal Island would have been impossible because of two stronger-than-usual Greater Deaths that had foiled Purple Haze's EP trip yesterday.


Many thanks to everyone who attended, and especially to Asenath, who made it possible for us to go via Noth.

OWE present: Creed, Eli, Noivad, Polgara, Torin, and (inducted right after the hunt) Cammie.