3. Wyvern Tor

Redhawk will nod"That sounds a fine plan to me. We should not press on anyway with you in your current condition. We will return full strength and with some goodies to boot." Grinning"I can hear the songs already."

Igrem shrugs, but does not oppose the idea. Even though he is not really comfortable while staying outside.

"Fine, fine!" Boggart throws his arms up and laughs. "I could have saved myself the trouble if I had but waited for Alex to speak. Let's be on our way. The sooner, the better."

He hauls himself to his feet and brushes the dirt off of his knees and backside. Puck quirks his head and bounds after.

Late Afternoon, 29th of Ches
Igrem, you watch your companions disappear over the western ridge before turning back to the fallen owlbear. With a few quick words and gestures, you weave a Chillcraft spell that cloaks the carcass in unnatural cold. Frost creeps across the feathers, the exposed flesh stiffens, and the air around the beast grows noticeably cooler. It is not enough to stop time, but it should greatly slow decay until the others return.

Satisfied, you settle onto a nearby boulder within sight of the carcass, so you can take care of it. The great predator lies silent and almost frozen, while you open your chromatic dragon tome and begin reading, one eye never straying too far from the surrounding hills.

If all goes well, Alex and Boggart should be back with Gertrude by tomorrow.

Redhawk, you find yourself with an unexpected stretch of time.You could spend the afternoon improving the campsite, setting traps around the carcass, hunting fresh game, cooking the owlbear for dinner, crafting arrows or repairing equipment, scouting the nearby hills, or simply standing watch alongside Igrem.

What would you like to do?

---

Meanwhile, Alex and Boggart turn west, leaving the rocky ridge behind. The excitement of battle fades, replaced by the steady rhythm of travel.

The afternoon sun hangs lower with each mile as the two of you follow the broken hills toward Narth Tezrin's farm. You can force march through the evening, reaching Narth's farm after dark and sleeping safely there, though the extra exertion will take its toll.

Or you can make camp here in the wilderness, rest beneath the open sky, and continue to the farm at first light, arriving later tomorrow but avoiding the strain of pushing on.

Redhawk will take some time to scout around the area and set traps where there is most likely to be foot traffic. He will also take some time to hunt and forage for dinner also to find the best natural camouflaged spot to keep an eye on their kill through the night. It will be a long one.

Redhawk, you spend the remaining daylight making the most of your time.

First, you circle the area, choosing the most likely approaches to the carcass and carefully setting the borrowed bear traps where an unwary intruder might step. You take care to conceal each one beneath loose soil and dry grass, leaving only the faintest signs for yourself to recognize later.

Once satisfied with the defenses, you turn your attention to the evening meal.The young moose the owlbear killed earlier still lies where it fell. You carve away several good cuts of meat, gather dry brush for a modest cooking fire hidden among the rocks, and before long the rich smell of roasting venison drifts quietly through the scrubland.

You glance across at Igrem over the dancing firelight.

"So," you begin, settling back against your pack, "let me tell you a story..."

So as they sit and eat by the fire, Redhawk will look to Igrem"Let me tell you the story of my name day." Redhawk will take a drink of water swallowing a bite of moose."I come from a small village of about 300, called Ashley, in between a great forest and hill country. When males turn 13 we have our name day. We are presented to the village council and there is a small party during the day, then at night we are taken out into the forest and left alone for our first night hunt." He takes another bite and drink "We are given sacks and a stout stick and are told to bring back bird called a snipe. These birds are very elusive and it is told that only a few have been caught through the decades. It has been so long since one had been caught that there isn't even a good description of what one looks like. So they lead us out and we split up to go find our snipe. It is dark, mind you, in the woods so as I am looking I keep hearing this sound I have never heard before. It was like a raspy screaming noise. I figured I was on the right trail. I move silently toward the noise and come upon a bird sitting on a low branch. I move in club it and bag it." Redhawk thinks back for a second and smiles"I was so excited. I was the first one to catch a snipe in probably 150 years. I run back to Ashley and awaken my father. 'I got one!! I got one!!' I yell. He wakes up confused and asks 'One what?' I look at him 'A snipe!'"Taking another drink of water Redhawk continues"Just then that raspy scream starts coming from the bag. I see a surprised look come over my fathers face. So I open the bag and this bird came flying out. My father tripped over a chair and fell straight on his butt. 'There is no such thing as a snipe!' he yells 'What the hell is that thing?' We finally catch it again after it has completely wrecked the kitchen knocking everything off the shelves." Pausing to laugh"It turns out I caught a Vulturine Parrot. The thing was scary looking but harmless. Turns out they are almost as rare as the made up snipe and only come to our wood every 20 years for a certain type of fig that grows at that time". He takes a bite and another swig"Boy, the look on my fathers face when that thing flew out of the bag and he fell on his butt. That is one the best memories of my life right there."

Igrem smiles. "Nice one, Redhawk. Sometimes I wish I was raised in the wild, or near it. That was mostly studies and practice for me, for better or worse." answers the mage, swallowing a piece of meat. "And you can congratulate your mother as well. She made a very good cook out of you as well!"

Agreed.

Alex and Boggart, you press on despite the fading light.

The last miles are the hardest. The hills that seemed merely uneven in the afternoon become treacherous after sunset. Loose stones shift beneath your boots, thorny shrubs tug at your clothes, and every shadow between the rocks looks like another lurking monster. Alex's wounds protest every step, and more than once Boggart slows the pace to keep the two of you together.

Still, fortune favors you. Well after nightfall, the familiar outline of Narth Tezrin's farm emerges beneath the light of the moon. The farmhouse windows glow faintly behind shuttered panes. Whoever is still awake has remained indoors. No one is outside, and the yard is quiet save for the occasional bleat from the sheep and the soft rustle of the wind through the barn.

The guest cottage stands just as you left it. You are welcome to let yourselves in, rest there for the night, or wake the Tezrin family if you wish.

---

Igrem and Redhawk, the night passes uneventful. Whether frightened by the scent of the Legendary predator or by the hidden traps Redhawk laid, no scavengers dare approac. The owlbear remains exactly where you left it, waiting for the others to return with Gertrude.

By dawn, the two of you are tired due to the night watch. You can rest a little bit more or do something else.

Redhawk will stoke the cook fire with the rising sun and get some moose cooking then go look some fresh berries and what not to go with it.

Boggart helps Alex along as best he can, though being half the man's height means that his options are somewhat limited. Bleary eyed and exhausted, the silhouette of the farmstead and the guest house stir the dying coals of his endurance.

"We're on the last stretch, Alex. Just a little more," he says. Finally they may rest, and on the morrow they'll be refreshed for the return trip. Whatever else the night may bring, Boggart will slip outdoors once Alex is situated and find a place nearby under the guidance of his Lady to sleep. He will not hazard two nights in a row beneath a roof; he dare not risk offending Her.

Alex wants to let the Tezrins know about the fearsome predator, but must sit down on the bed for a moment to catch his breath. In just a minute, I'll get up and wake the Tezrins. And that's the last thought that crosses his mind for the night.

Igrem stays near the owlbear's corpse, keeping watch and resting more after a half night of sleep.

Redhawk, you ensure that food won't be a problem today and on your journey back to Phandalin, while Igrem rests a little bit more.

---

Boggart, you wait until Alex's breathing has settled into the deep rhythm of exhausted sleep before quietly slipping back outside.

The farm lies silent beneath the moon. Rather than wander aimlessly, you let instinct—and the gentle guidance of your Lady—lead your steps away from the buildings. Past the vegetable garden, beyond the pasture fence, and through a small stand of ash and birch, you find a secluded grove tucked beside a narrow brook.

It is a peaceful place. The moss is thick beneath the trees, the air cool and fragrant with damp earth, and fireflies drift lazily among the branches despite the late hour.

When dawn arrives, you awaken feeling rested and renewed after a Safe Rest beneath the open sky.

Returning to the farm, you find the buildings already stirring with the sounds of a new day.

---

Alex, you mean only to sit for a moment... Before you realize it, your eyes close.

When they open again, golden sunlight pours through the cottage window. For a bewildered instant, you wonder why the room is so bright.

Well... You have overslept.

Not by minutes, but by hours. This is considered a Safe Rest.Anyway, outside, the farm has long since awakened. The morning's chores are already well underway, and somewhere beyond the cottage you hear the familiar sounds of sheep, children laughing, and the steady rhythm of work.

By the time you step outside, Boggart is already back from the grove.

The two of you find each other once more beneath the clear morning sky.