3 Eleasis 2993
The party travels to Gosterwick. On the road between the Spire and Thorham they discover an upturned cart off the side of the road with vines growing on it. Grexes recognizes Owl Berries growing on the vines, the primary ingredient in potions of darkvision. Hoping to craft such potions for the group’s personal use or sale to other adventurers in Gosterwick, Grexes begins to harvest these berries when a pair of giant wasps emerge from beneath the cart. Grexes makes short work of the first, and between them Huzzah! and Fen finish off the second. However, while Grexes – now inexplicably larger and more menacing – returns to the berries, an additional pair of giant wasps emerges. The party kills one, but the other flies away, headed east in the direction of the Old Forest. Closer examination of the wasps that were killed reveals white cloth crudely stitched into a tiny sleeve around their petioles, akin to livery or sashimono.
In Thorham, the party meets a group of goblins and makes fast friends via a brief musical interlude (the 1st Labor of Arden set to a traditional goblin tune). At their recommendation the party seeks out Zushekt (he/him), a goblin shop-owner and purveyor of information, lore, secrets, and mysteries. Axle acquires a book about magical items, including the Bone Ring of Jangri Naz, the Iron Circlet of Ghanor, and the Ebon Spear. The party also learns that there were once hoppers in the halls, but now the rumor is that there are members of the Cult of Set. On the way out of town, the party stops at Re-Store and promises to help Din, the proprietor, move into her new home, Drachedandion Manor, on the 6th of Highsun.
In Gosterwick the party buys a newspaper and then heads to the Dancing Horse Inn and Meadery for a room and a drink. They participate in Milo Undermound’s riddle contest and win; when challenged to an additional riddle of the party’s own devising, Milo fails to solve it and also fails to live up to his bargain and reveal his disappearing trick, but Fen spots a ring that Milo slips on right before he disappears.